Annual Ski Trip

Let me begin by telling you the difference between 3 small houses and 4 small houses when you are discussing the topic of housing 8 families totalling 44 people. Many of whom are teenagers and 12 of whom are married couples. Huge difference...we're talking huge!! Roosevelt, or as my father pronounces it "ROOsevelt" get those lips out there to get it right. Was AwesOmE this year with 3 boats, 3 jet ski's, 4 houses and all but 3 in attendance. This year we had family devotional time every evening after dinner and it was wonderful. It's the highlight of our summer. This tradition has been going on for at least 18 years now...WOW time flies...

This is pretty much what the boat I was on looked like each time...we just cram them on...and yes, they all had life vests. We were in the junior league with the tubers and babies. Robert's boat was the teenage boat with the knee boarders and skiers.
No difference what boat you were on each day this is what you felt like by the end of it.
We are great food, played plenty of games and slept hard, unless you were Shauna who braved it with an 8 week old...we've all been there!

BroThEr BuCKs

Monte Birk is an avid reader, I know, he's just almost 8, but believe me he reads more than I...and that's really saying something. (scroll down to see photos of him reading at the 4th of July Parade-with the band marching by!) But I digress. In one of his books there is something called "mother bucks" I'm not sure how it is used in his book,but this summer he created some out of scraps of paper and implemented them with his brothers. They could earn "Brother Bucks" by doing nice things for him and then they could buy things from him. Things like small services or time on his DS. I decided to take it a bit further and we used them in the house as rewards for kindnesses, chores etc. That is how they earned TV time, computer time etc this summer. Each 20 minutes of electronics cost something like 10 or 15 "brother bucks". There was one special reward. If they wanted to go without those small luxuries or combine their money they could 'purchase' a family date of their choosing. Monte Birk chose to save his money this summer and-you guessed it-READ instead. With his saved "bucks" he purchased a family date to a Diamondbacks game. A definate WIN WIN situation for mom if you ask me!

My SeLFiSh UtaH TrIP

July 4th we go each year to Utah for the entire week. That's not quite true. I go with the boys for the week and Monte is there with us for either the beginning or the end. Whichever one the 4th actually falls on. I call it my selfish trip. I do what I want in my own time with my own little family. This year we went straight from the airport to Provo town center for the crafts, booths, and bouncers. We hang out at the MTC park picnicking with the Buehler cousins forever to see the Stadium of Lights. Laughing at the way people save seats. We light our own fire crackers in the street. (unlawful in AZ) We go to the big July 4th parade in the morning. We visit with all of my non-family friends and old college room mates that there is never time to visit on the family trips to Utah. We stay at Karen's house enjoying my sister and her sweet family. We go to the park every day, because in AZ it is too hot to go outside if you're not in the pool. And we live a life of unscheduled frivolity. This year we did fit in quite a bit of the Gardiner family as well. With a picnic at the Jordan family and Sunday church with Margot and her kiddo's. Grandma came to both of those as well. Karen and I snuck in a night out alone together for Steak dinner and to go see Audra McDonald in 110 in the shade at the Orem Hale Theatre-a real highlight of selfishness. We came home around 11:30pm to poor Fidalis, the babysitter brother-in -law, and all 4 of my boys and one of his 2 girls wide awake. With the twins crying to him, literally, about how they are going into 2 separate classes for school this year...random. we came home tired, happy, sick of fast food and ready for our pool! I have pictures of it all but those will go into the family book...you just get this...see?...selfish!

4th of July

OK here's a few more pic's... Provo does a fantastic job of entertaining the kids with crafts, face painting, food, jumper toys and the list goes on...we made bracelets, painted, sawed wood and had scouts burn scouting symbols onto our cirles with rod iron pokers...but I ask you now, does it get any better than the $3 Wal-mart shirts? Every good mom should get them!!

Fireworks

This is how the day ended. I begin here because you should have seen Monte and I carrying in all 4 boys to the hotel room-up the stairs and all the way down the hall. It took at least 7 trips total for persons luggage and all. Up the stairs, past the girl smoking-who knows what- on the balcony, while I tell Monte no way can I leave ANY of our babies in the room alone to make another trip to the car. However, 'hotel' is a term I use loosely as I am not sure that your idea of a hotel is anything like this place!! Monte got a voucher from work for a free nights stay here and I honestly believe that someone died in our room at one point or another and no doubt there were a few drug deals going on while we were there. Luckily we were there just long enough to sleep, we were out of there early for church the next day. At least the towels were sufficiently bleached, they must have used 2 gallons on our towells alone-you could still smell it!

as night fell the David Arnett cousins came. We had gotten there early...around 4:00pm to save our seats. Provo is BIG on seat saving. Karen brought a picnic dinner and we played ball, climbed trees, dug in the sand, played with glow in the dark "thingies" you know-what we do EVERY year!!

WHY do I love the fireworks in Provo? WHY will it remain our 4th of July celebration for years to come?

#1 I do not sweat through my various layers of clothing #2 Where else in the WORLD can you be with this many people and not have one person blowing cigarette smoke in your face? #3 It is my "selfish" trip to see my sister #4 The events are planned for you and FREE #5 just LOOK at that sunset!!

Schools OUT!!

The night before the last day of school I thought, "We've got nothing to DO tomorrow!" It was a sobering thought for the "kool-aid mom", as I've been recently labeled by a friend. That being said, the "kool aid" personality in me was definately in need of a kid's End of School ParTaY!! So at 10:00 at night I called a friend for each of my boys and arranged it. I surprised them with water guns and a cake that said "SchOoLs OuT" on it when they got home and soon after their friends showed up! As you can see there are more that 6 school age boys here. It seems that some of them had brothers in need of a party too. What's 1 or 2 or 3 more when you're the kool aid mom, eh?

MB
Clyde
Seth

HaLf - DaY GraDuAtiON!!

We can't call it Kindergarten graduation this year because they are doing kindergarten again next year. The difference is that next year is ALL DAY!! Clyde and Seth's birthday make the cut-off for Kindergarten by 5 days making them the babies of their class. This mean mom is giving them the opportunity to be some of the oldest kids in their class instead by having them do it again.

luCkY DuCkS!!

Best buds Malloy and Ben. We had weekly play dates with these guys all year!

We absolutely LOVE Mrs Mellow

SoCcER!!

Every Saturday morning Seth and Clyde said, "I don't want to go" and every Saturday morning they got onto the field they LoVeD it! Monte Birk would've played in their spot given the chance. They all RocKed the field this year. 3 cheers for the Gardiners!!

HIP HIP...HOORAY!

HIP HIP...HOORAY!!!!

HIP HIP...HOORAY!!!!!!!

I do have great shots of them playing games, but I can't seem to find them right now! BLAH!

Gila Valley Temple

What a blessed opportunity we had in Arizona to have a temple open house and dedication. It was not an easy day trip to take but it was well worth the 6 hours in the car for the 2 hours we spent there. A few of my favorites were...

#1 Sitting in the adjacent stake center watching the video of temples. Seth sitting in my lap and telling me, "Oh mommy this is making me cry, it just makes my spirit so happy."

#2 When we walked in to the Celestial room Jack, who was not a very reverent OR quiet spectator, became suddenly very still and pointed up at the Chandelier with wide eyes and a gasp of breath.

#3 Seth told me when we walked into that same room, "Oh mommy, I love the temple." with complete awe in his voice.

#4 Monte Birk's comment in the Celestial room, "Mom, this room was really expensive to do."

LPM Graduation!!

This is a BIG DEAL for Monte Birk and Mom. (It's a 3 year program but he's been in it for 4 years. Re-doing the lousy 2nd year with mom as his teacher with Miss Julie. He just couldn't pay attention with me as his teacher.) 4 years of attending classes and practicing.

The final recital is a performance of an original composition by your student performed by your student. He is such a talented boy. And a wonderful example for his younger brothers.

we did it!!

campus field trip

Seth and Clyde are lucky enough to have a daddy in their class as a fireman! Monte Birk is lucky enough to have a mom that picks him up early from school and let's him tag along. Because this was a "too cool" visit from the fire men. They even hooked up to the water and let kids get wet!

Seth


Seth, Ally, Clyde and MB at the front

BluE BuGs ReciTaL

I quit teaching Let's Play Music for many reasons...give me a call if you want them all...but one of the main reasons was the fact that my boys were awful, terrible, no good, very bad boys in my class!! I wasn't sure if they were learning a thing with me! Miss Jodi was kind enough to take over my entire roster of students and I became "just another mom" in the class...BeUtiFUL!! Suddenly they are participating and singing and dancing and answering questions...they are BriLLiaNT - GO FIGURE!! I adored going to their recital as a mom and not their teacher!

PeRFoRmanCes

So...I get this call from the Music teacher at Augusta Ranch telling me that Monte Birk is in the school talent show and his piece needs to be memorized...Say WHAT? He comes home and nonchalantly let's me know that yes, he's done an audition and yes, he's playing the piano piece he wrote in music class...ummmm OK. He was so low key about it at home that I couldn't tell if he was excited or nervous or what! The day finally arrived and he got up and slowly walked to the piano and played his piece perfectly. Then without a bow, a look, or a smile, he high tailed it across the gym floor back to his place in line, tunnel vision the entire way. Guess he was nervous after all.

The first grade musical was another thing entirely...he was so at home singing and dancing on the stage. No nerves there! 2 of his good 'ol buds from school

Jonah, on his left, is his best friend...we love having him over to play.

Mom's Day at AR

I underestimated the excitement of Mother's Day in the first grade classes of Augusta Ranch. I had to park a block and a half from the school and hoof it to the class to be there on time! Muffins, juice, cards, songs, poems, stories...I wasn't allowed to pick up a finger. He served me the entire time I was there and was terrifically happy to be doing it! I was in a little corner of HeAveN the entire time.

There is something very special about your oldest child. Don't misunderstand me, all of my boys are very extra ordinary and special. But your first child shares all of your firsts with you. You learn with them. And they, for the most part, forgive your slow learning curve far too often. This guy is my best friend in so many ways!

2! 2! 2! 2!

HapPy BirThDaY to JacKson

HapPy BirThDaY to Jack-et

HapPy BirThDaY to Jaxaphone

HapPy BirThDay to JaCk!!

...and many more...

I needed this...

"God expects you to have enough faith and determination and enough trust in Him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. In fact, he expects you not simply to face the future (that sounds pretty grim and stoic); He expects you to embrace and shape the future- to love it and rejoice in it and delight in your opportunities."

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

HaPpy/SaD and GroWinG uP

I know that there are plenty of moms out there that Champion the start of school...I could've used a month of more summer. I miss my kiddo's...immensely! And yet, they RoCkEd the first day of school!! It is wonderful to have 3 Great teachers that I can trust with my little devils for an entire day. Now, If I could just get them to StOp GroWiNg!!

and yes...Clyde's shoes are on the wrong feet.

Some things there are just no remedies for.

tired?

This is the child that WILL NOT, NO WAY, NO HOW, fall asleep anywhere but in this own bed. And yet, today in nursery at the church...

Sitting Indian Style and folded in half.

'the power of a good book'