Hobble Creek Campout

This last weekend was another busy one! We went to the ward camp-out up Hobble Creek Canyon. We wanted to get under way as soon as Aysia got home from school Friday (3:00); but when have we ever left for vacation (mini or long) at the planned time? I think...NEVER. We left at 4:30. Taunie and I had planned to have our evening meal together (Dutch Oven). The ward was supplying breakfast. I took frozen chicken down to her around 1:00 pm. When the Anderson's arrived around 5:30 - about 20 minutes after us- the chicken was still a little frozen. We were suppose to get there before them to start the coals. We didn't have any "scout water" and so needless to say it took some time to get dinner cooked. One thing you gotta love about a ward function though, is there's never a lack of advice of what you could've done to make things work out better. Well...lesson learned; cut chicken into smaller pieces, defrost completely, and don't forget the lighter fluid. Once it was finally ready to eat (8:30ish) it was really good, or we were just really hungry. James would've liked more salt, but not enough to get some from the trailer. LOL. The Peach cobbler would've made Poppi proud! Mmmmm...it was good.


The kids had a lot of fun. Aidan was the first to crash. He's snuggled in the sleeping bag next to Alec, but you'd never know from this picture. It was a very cold night! It took a good hour snuggled with Billy before I quit shivering. Taunie and James have their tent trailer, but they didn't turn the heater on - due to a misunderstanding of whether it worked or not - So they froze too!
We enjoyed ourselves. But as part of the activities committee we have voted to do it earlier in the summer.


As I mentioned before, Aidan and Alec are now "officially" sharing a room. I caught Alec curled up with Aidan again the other night. It's pretty cute, he was using Aidan's leg as a pillow.


Preschool has started. It's actually going very well. Usually the first few weeks are the hardest as everyone gets used to the new routine. I'm enjoying having Aidan go to Chloe's on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He doesn't get bored because he doesn't have to do everything twice AND he gets a play date too! What will I do when Christy moves??? Eleanor is such a grown up! I know she's only three, but don't tell her that! I enjoy getting to know my nieces and nephews better when they come to Pre-k.

Chloe 1st day

My Prince Aidan

Eleanor - two handed artist!

I taught the lesson in RS on Sunday. I haven't had a lesson I felt real good about for a while. They aren't terrible, I just can't seem to get past that the last good one I gave was on the day my brother died. As I was preparing I read the wrong lesson (oops), and I was excited about it. Chapter 17 is on The Plan of Salvation. I taught about this hundreds of times on my mission. But I learned some new things! Joesph Smith did speak with the Lord and angels. He restored the gospel and there is so much we can learn from studying his teaching and the revelations he received. That's not the something new I learned! But - it is an awesome lesson (that's chapter 17). I encourage anyone reading this Blog to read it before it's taught. I just taught chapter 15, so it's coming up soon. I taught on Establishing the Cause of Zion, which ended up not being as hard to teach as I thought it would be. If Babylon is the city of the world, Zion is the city of God. Basically, we need to find a way to live in Zion (be pure in heart) as Babylon (the world) crashes in around our shores. Joesph basically says, service is the key. And attending the temple is a way to bring Zion into our hearts and homes. Keeping us strong against the storms of mortal life. Also we must share the gospel with our fiends and neighbors so it can be spread to the four corners of the earth before Christ returns to reign in Zion. One of my favorite lines from the lesson was "We seek Zion because it is the habitation of our Lord, who is Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. " That's 20 minutes of lesson edited to 20 seconds. Okay, I feel I've shared my part for today.

Aysia is 7!!

This has been a very busy weekend! Aysia had a huge birthday bash Saturday. A Hannah Montana water party. I had planned on setting most of it up on Friday, because I had to work at Gymboree Friday night and we had so many obligations Saturday.

However, I got a call from Grandma Boam Friday about 11:30 requesting "low sodium-homemade chicken noodle soup". Of course I love doing anything I can for Grandma. So I whisked my wet boys (we'd been outside setting up for a water party) to Albertson's for the ingredients I didn't have in my pantry or garden. Not boasting, but I am a pretty good cook. However, I've never been good at making chicken soup from scratch. I've told my mother-in-law (Sharon) she needs to tutor me - she makes great chicken soup. So... I was already thinking this would be hard, but then to try to make it taste good without salt-impossible! Well, I finished the soup. It wasn't to bad. When Aysia got home from school I delivered it to Grandma and she said it was good!!

Needless to say I didn't get finished setting up for the party before I left for work at 4:45. I stayed up late to get some things done. Billy never realizes how much effort goes into planning and pulling off a party for 24 children. Yes, Aysia couldn't leave out anyone! Aysia had a soccer game at 10:15 Saturday in Sandy, I had a RS meeting at 10:00. Thankfully Aysia got a ride to soccer with her best friend Summer. We picked her up at 11:15 to head down to Provo for a Clinger (my mother's) family reunion at noon. We left the reunion early at 2:00 so I could get home and finish setting up for the party at 3:30. We hit bumper to bumper traffic on the way home. There was an accident at the point of the mountain that SLOWED everything down. As we inched closer and closer home, I had visions of kids showing up to our house for a party no one was hosting! Finally as we passed the accident things sped up. We pulled in about 3:00. I raced around trying to get things ready for guests to arrive. In the end - though things weren't exactly as I visioned- it was a successful party.

Aysia and Summer

Cousins cooling off in the pool!
Eleanor, Brayden, Aidan and Alec

Eleanor NEEDS popcorn please!

There are some happy faces!
Chloe, Aidan, Rhett and Josie

After everyone was sufficiently drenched and had their fill of cotton candy (thanks Jana) and popcorn, we had a great Hannah Montana Cake (thanks Taunie) and ice cream with pop rocks sprinkled on top!

Aysia had a huge pile of presents to open. I guess that's the benefit of inviting 20 kids! She recieved so many nice things, mostly Hannah Montana related. Disney's making a fortune. It was such a crazy day, I almost forgot the Hannah guitar pinata. Billy strung it up quickly at the end. Christy and Dale kept tell him to watch his...squirrel food...you know - kids swinging bats.

Aysia took the first few swings. Spencer made
a small whole and Sam Sietz finished it off.

Adison grabbed the bat after the pinata was good and finished. Kids were swarming in for candy, and I barley got it out of his hands before something besides nuts got cracked. WHEW!

I can't believe summer is over! Aysia has started 1st grade. My baby certainly can't be that old! She says school is boring except for lunch time, which she loves. It's a new experience for a 1st grader to be in school all day and eat lunch there. I do miss her during the day. That will lessen I'm sure as pre-k starts. Which is in 11 days!
When we returned home from our two week long trip (Billy posted pics), I took on the task of switching the boys and Aysia's room. We painted the VERY pink room VERY blue. The boys seem happy with it. Aysia loves her "new" room too. Now Aidan sleeps with Alec and she gets her own space. The boys have always "shared" a room, but Aidan has always liked sleeping with Aysia on the bunk beds. The Bunk beds are now two twin beds, and Alec is adjusting to sleeping in the same room with Aidan. We caught him last night asleep at the foot of Aidan's bed. I guess he joined him shortly after we turned the lights out. He is 100% a two year old boy. I call him my menace, monster or trouble. But I do love it when he wants to snuggle. Aidan misses Aysia while she is in school too. He asks everyday if it's time for his school yet. We've had many play dates with cousin Chloe to keep him (and her) entertained. We will miss having our cousins so close when they move to Vernal. But we are grateful Michael has a good job he likes.

Sea World Thrills

Shamu, The Family and us feeding the dolphins.

Indian Wells/Whitecone, AZ

                                                                               

A couple of pictures taken while visiting "The Rez."  The photo on the bottom (L to R) shows my two sisters, Valerie, Lisa, and my mother, Maggie.  We were visiting family members on Sunday, August 10th, 2008 following a birthday meeting held in a native traditional teepee meeting.  Meetings usually consist of a Medicine (Road) Man and others giving advice and also includes people chanting and singing peyote songs all night long.  The next morning family and friends then cook a feast for everyone to consume.  On this particular occasion Lisa was the tired one who stayed up all night long.  The only all-nighter I participate in is on Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) for all the doorbuster deals!!!