Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Another Eagle in the Nest

We have another Eagle Scout in the family.
Yesterday was Seth's Eagle Project. He showed great Scout Leadership in re-roofing two dugouts at the local little league field.
He did a great job of getting the word out and encouraging people to come and help, so
he got a really good turnout. He also has a very involved Venture Crew and leaders so that
was a big help.
Little Brother, Big Brother

Sam: Future Eagle
Shayla and Taylor were the paint crew.
Dad manned the paint sprayer
Seth with a nail gun. No one was harmed in the making of this pictorial.

Some of the hard-working volunteers.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

This is the Story of a Girl


Siara is the Birthday Girl today...she started very young as a
trend-setter with a definite style of her own.

A First Day of School classic
 with big brother Scott behaving in his usual dignified manner, little brother Spencer looking for bugs and lil sis Shanna in her awesome neon Jellies. And Siara dressed for success with matching hair bow.

A foreshadowing of her future career. Suffering in the Utah
summer heat while her aunt gave her a perm.

Turning the world upside down.
Siara has never been afraid of being herself and
speaking her mind.

A rousing song of Happy Birthday on her 10th Birthday--

It looks like a good time was had by all.
Siara put up with her goofy little brothers and
was always surrounded by love.
A trip to Paris--the first time around.
Siara's artistic abilities are as good as van Gogh and
she still has both of her ears.

A flair for the dramatic.
There is never a dull moment when Siara is around.

Daddy and Daughter at the Arc 'de Triomphe
in Paris France.

Happy Birthday to our sweet, spunky, stylish, Siara.
You are a triumph!
Love,
Mom

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Leaving is the Hardest Part

We had big plans for yesterday to celebrate Sam's Birthday. We were going to use our season passes and go to Knott's Berry Farm.  Our passes include a water park and after a few days of 80 degree weather, the tide turned to going to Splash City instead. So we wanted to check their website for hours etc. Last night when we tried, it wasn't working. So I checked again this morning and saw that Splash City doesn't open until May. So we were back to the Farm. Then Sam wasn't feeling well when he woke up. Everyone tried to cajole him into a trip to Knott's Berry but he just wasn't feeling it. So, I thought that was that. But soon, I got the news that they were all fired up to go to the beach instead. Sam was feeling better and all gung-ho to go.
They managed to load the boards and beach chairs and kites into the car and change into swimsuits in 15 minutes--a new record. So we were off. Or so we thought. Suddenly Seth realized he didn'thave his phone. I won't bore you with the details but after a good 20 minute search inside the house, the garage and the car, we heard it buzzing in the glove box (jockey box if you are from Idaho or Utah) of the car. So, then, we were off. This time we made it all the way to the Subway in town all ready to pick up our picnic lunch. Then I realized I hadn't thrown my backpack --with my wallet--into the car. Being the upstanding citizen that I am, I decided to go back and fetch my backpack so I wouldn't be driving without a license. And so we could buy some lunch. So that whole double trip ate up another 45 minutes.

Back to Subway. Well, almost. Along the way we came to a beater pick-up truck with a beat-up trailer hitched to it in the middle of the turn lane we needed. A local character was standing beside the truck with a gas can which he proceeded to empty into the truck. As he puffed away on a cigarette clenched in his mouth. We've all seen the signs at the gas station, right? The ones that say
DON'T SMOKE WHILE PUMPING GAS!!!
OR YOU WILL BLOW UP THE PLACE!!!
GASOLINE AND ITS FUMES: HIGHLY FLAMMABLE!!!
DON'T SMOKE!!!
We eased around him and continued on our way without any explosions and made it back to Subway. For some reason our order caused the cashier a great deal of distress. Wrong sandwiches were rung up, wrong sandwiches were put in our bag, cups were withheld, too many cups were given, chips were counted, then re-counted. I handed her exact cash in the exact amount and she looked quite relieved--we both knew it wasn't going to be pretty if she had to deal with a credit card. We finally got out with our sandwiches and headed for the our favorite beach.
At last.


Unloading the Beach Gear

Building a dike--Why? Because they are boys.

Hauling large rocks for the barrier that will hold back the sea.

Breach.

Many hands make kite work!

Let's go fly a kite...

Up to the highest height...
(Shayla distracted from her reading)

Bloody knee--small price to pay for great surfing!

For my guy

Thursday, March 18, 2010

This Day is Such a Special One, It's Birthday Time for You

Sam's 5th Birthday
Sam's 7th Birthday--w/his buddy Oliver

Sam is a gifted child


This poem was written by the Birthday Boy Himself at the tender age of 10:


My parents are so special to me
because without them, where would I be?
Back up in heaven wondering, Why!
but I'm on earth with my parents and I.
I love my parents so much it's not even funny
and they love me back I'll bet you all of my money.
And that's why I'm here because of Daddy and Mommy.
You have been a teenager for a whole year now and it has been a pleasure parenting such a fine, upstanding young man. Keep up the good work. And you are right, Sam, we love you back. Betcha all of your money.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Word of the Day

Irony: noun-plural: ies: 5.an outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been, expected. 6.the incongruity of this.

Irony is using the treadmill to make ice cream.

But it is perfectly sensible to make ice cream on a sunny, 80 degree day.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Time Has Come...

...to say good-bye to the Chuck Norris of all cats: Lucy.
You can read the story of this AWESOME CAT here.
We were worried about how Lucy would adjust to the move from Washington to Cali.He had adjusted to two moves before this one: the first just a few blocks and then a big change from City Cat to Country Cat. He adjusted every time and always managed to keep up his work as family critter catcher. We got a nice array of dead stuff on our door step on a regular basis. As well as a few incidents of "Look what the cat dragged in." Dead or half-dead rabbits were a favorite--he thought those should be displayed in the formal living room. He also  had established his tough reputation in his old territory--he fought off coyotes, bears and racoons and had the battle scars to give him cred.
Lucy did well on the long road trip and managed to endure his three weeks at "Kritter Kamp" while we waited for our house to close.
So the biggest change for Lucy in California was the weather. No rain. No snow.  Just purrrrfect cat weather:  always a warm spot in the sun to nap away the day. There were plenty of rabbits to chase and the occasional mouse or mole--or snake. We had begun to think of Lucy as invincible. He prowled around all night and showed up every morning at the front door to be let in and amble to the back door to be let out to eat.
Until I realized I hadn't seen him for a day or two. And then three or four. Then a week.
Lucy seems to have struck out on his own.
Is he hitch-hiking up the coast on his way back to Washington to visit some old pals?
Maybe he decided to be a beach bum and hang out at the ocean.
Or he could be down at the border working for the INS.
Wherever you are Luce, we miss you.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Make That Six

Just for the record it was SIX baptisms. An uncle who had been attending for years with his member wife decided to take the plunge as well. Pretty nice day for Elder Gale.

Happy Birthday Scott!

 It has been awhile since I updated this little family scrapbook on the internet. I like to pop over here from time to time and look at our ...