trunk or treat

Don't get me wrong, I love Halloween, I really do, I'm just wondering when it became the biggest and busiest of all of the holidays in the year! Ward parties, School parties, Work parties, Neighborhood parties...with costumes and make-up at each one!

Fall Break

The Park, the Zoo, cousins, play dates, hangin' with nothin' to do...PerFeCt!

Seth

JackMB

Clyde

MiLeSToNEs

Yesterday was a special milestone for Monte Birk.

He was baptized into

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It was a very Special Day for us all.

Grandma Gardiner and Grandpa Arnett

Aunt Margot, Ryan and Lindsay flew in from Utah, as did Grandma Gardiner. Uncle Bill and his family drove in from Pinetop Lakeside. Grandpa was there with his gift of new scriptures with Monte's name engraved on them (this was a real highlight for Monte Birk.) Aunt Tiffany and Aunt Brindy were there with their kids and our good friends Jillian, Tristan and the Judds came. What a wonderful support network we have in our family. Thank you all for your love and support and taking the time and effort to share this special day with us!

bay leaf?

I was cooking the pork butt for MB's baptism lunch...outside

(the raw meat stinks...didn't know that...now I do...)
And while I was placing the seasonings in, Jack-et ran off, "I GOT IT, MOM, I GOT IT!!!" huh? A few seconds later there was yet another spice in the pot, right next to the bay leaf...

not quite Jack...keep trying...

ScOuTS

Excited (yet nervous) but still...Excited

The nerves conspicuously disappeared when he was welcomed to the troop with a twinkie eating contest with the other new boy. Monte is so competitive that he almost threw up shoving it in his mouth so fast. Just look at the excitement on his face in that first shot. Scouts is going to be a really big hit at our house!

1 week

We did it! We left the kids in the care of Stephen and Brindy for 1 week and took a trip! (Thanks guys!) We weren't sure where we were going until the night before...just found the most open flights for us "stand-by" passengers...and the winner was...FRANCE! It was my 3rd time and Monte's 2nd to the city so we only did the city at night. For those of you that have been there you know that the city is just a city. The days were reserved for Normandy, Versailles and riding bicycles in the country. I'll spare you the 300 photo's I took and give you the city. (Please no judgement on the self photo's...my arm is only so long...)

below is quite literally the view from our hotel, for us it was free (vouchers...gotta love 'em) for others $600 a night - OUCH! Notre Dame

Arch of Triumph



we did ride to the top of the Eiffel tower (and got rained on in the process), we did see the opera house (while were were wandering the city..not lost...wandering), we did NOT go into the Louvre (you can get lost in there, I know from experience) we did eat pastries (chocolate croissants are my faves), omelets (we stay over night by the monastery where they were invented) and crepes...wouldn't YOU?
My favorite highlight...other than the food
We spent one night in Normandy in the first town that the American soldiers liberated. I wish we had more time to spend there. The history alone of standing on Omaha Beach. It is difficult to find the words for such a sacred place. Awe inspiring is not quite right, reverent covers it better, and yet not, Miraculous seems better. Combine all three and that should cover it. To actually see the 5 miles of beach head lying before a hill with cliffs that were spattered with German soldiers. To know that so many boys and men, fathers and children died there. And to marvel that they ever got off that beach at all. I realised that it was a blessing for those of the Promised Land that they were protected. That the main part of the German forces were elsewhere. If they had been there at the beach the Americans would never had made it to dry land.

Percy Jackson Party

He's not quite 8 but the party couldn't wait!

We had our own version of "camp halfblood" set up in the backyard. The boys, 14 total, came and were handed a wooden snake to paint. They really got into the design and colors.

Then each of the boys was given a sword, much like I would imagine 'Anaklusmos' yet without the power to slay monsters or change into a pen. We divided the boys into two teams. It was Poseidon vs Zeus and the first team to pop all their balloons with their swords and put together the prophecy contained in them got the point.

The sword is lost, but what's the cost? The battle you must fight.

So ride the wave all men to save and show Poseidons might.

(they lost their sword on the step of the pool and had to relay race from the other side of the pool, grab the sword, swim back with it and tag their team mate for their turn. The first team done gets the point.)

The land to save the waters raid

the hero's must be wise,

Olympus calls the ship will fall

and save us from demise.

(the boys had to aim for the ship in the pool area with the water balloon launcher. the team that hits closest to the ship's target wins the point.)

the ship

the rest of the prophecy is as follows...

The beauty fair with snakes for hair

will bring you to your knees,
So shield your eyes from her disguise

or a statue you will be.

(Freeze tag. Medusa is "it" and when she tags you the only way to unfeeze is to have a member of your team "kiss" the snake you painted when you arrived with the one they painted. The team with the least ammount frozen at the end of each round gets the point)

His shoes did fly into the sky the hero to destroy,
You must prepare to meet the air, and all your travels enjoy.

(Another relay. Run to the other side of the yard put on the fairy wings and a pair of dad's large shoes and run around the flag. Come back to tag your team mate for their turn. The team finished first gets the point.)

...and then on to presents while you enjoy a blue lolly-pop.

after afterwords, blue cake, blue candles and blue frosting with a Trident on top. Don't forget the blue gator aid bottles to go with the cake.

Then send them out the door with their snake and sword and a little bit of blue candy to go...like I said, it's a

Percy Jackson Party!

GrANdPa

We try to have the boy's grandpa arnett over as often as we can. He is so busy it's hard for him to schedule us in at times. Thing is...he's usually in a hurry to get moving again after we eat dinner. But while Monte was in Greece he stayed on after our Sunday dinner. He even stayed for our Sunday Musical. This Sunday it was 'Guys and Dolls' because, let's face it, who can resist Marlon Brando singing Luck be a Lady. Not that it's great singing...but that it's Marlon Brando...singing.

I digress...grandpa...

This week I have been reminded of how much I love him and how grateful I am for him. He has worked hard the last 6 years and plays the role of Grandpa and Grandma with such nurturing. He gives us a 'loaner' car when ours is dead in the driveway and takes ours in for repairs. He cooks the best steaks. He listens and comforts when I need a shoulder. He tells me I'm doing a great job and that my boys are wonderful, good looking and well behaved. He holds my hand. He cuddles my boys during 'Guys and Dolls' and any other time he sits with them. He tells them they are smart. He holds their hand and talks with them. He shares of himself and his possessions unselfishly. I am so blessed to have him for my father. I am so gratful for his example to me. My life is not perfect but it is blessed beyond measure and largely this is due to him. Thank you Heavenly Father for sending me down to this man. Daily I am reminded of how blessed I am.

BeWarE PiRateS!

The party was the week after the Ward Campout/Birthday...

now THAT's alot of PiRaTEs!!

1 pirate party. 2 birthday boys. 14 friends. 1 pinata. 1 scavenger hunt. 14 swords. 1 cotton candy machine. 14 eye patches. 2 cakes. 14 bandana's. 40 balloons. 2 rolls of streamers. 1 bounce house. 1 tired mom. 1 sticky and pink dad =

immeasurable fun

Camping Birthday!!

The twins' Birthday landed on the ward camp out just as Monte Birk's had last year...what luck eh? Read below to find out more about this exciting journey!!

What an experience it was! On the way up the mountain the car overheated. We had just repaired it from this very problem and were unsure of what to do. We had just finished our Prayer to Heavenly Father and gotten out of the car when a sweet family pulled over to see if we needed help. But he wasn't just any daddy...the father of this family was a car mechanic! He fixed us up and told us what to do and after a small family hike we were back on our way up the mountain. We talked the rest of the way about how Heavenly Father takes care of our needs and love us. We got there and just as we were setting up the tent...BAM!!...rain, rain and a little more, you guessed it...rain! We had so much fun and Monte Birk and I built an even better fire than the ward's group fire! I helps to cover your wood overnight with a tarp. The next day we stayed and played while everyone else packed it up and left. We were the last ones to go and when we got into the car...Nothin', nada, niente! no power left in the battery! (Of, course it just had to happen to us!) No one, outside of our ward, had come around the entire time we were there so we were getting ready to hoof it out to the main road. We said another prayer to Heavenly Father and just as we set off on foot a sweet couple from Flagstaff pulled right up with jumper cables and all! Thank you Heavenly Father for wanting us to go camping with our ward and showing us how much you care! What a great experience for our family!

6 YeArS oLd!

haPpY BirThDaY SeTh and cLyDe!!

Clyde

Seth

When Seth saw these bears in COSTCO his eyes welled with tears and he said, "Mom, I just have to have one." So, being the sneaky mommy that I am I dropped the guys at home and went back to get them for their birthday. Oh my...you should've seen the looks I got driving home. 'Hugeness', as he's been named, was in the passenger seat of my mini van. His head hit the roof and his feet hit the floor. I had to lean forward to see out the passenger window - TOO FUNNY! My neighbor was kind enough to hide them in her house until their birthday, where they took up quite a bit of space! They got to name them in the morning and when they came home from school I had put their names on the T-shirts.

Bringing them up to their room before school posed a bit of a problem but luckily they worked as a team and their big brother was more than happy to show off his muscles and help out.

He's Back!

I didn't mention this before but if you were wondering why my blogging has been so prolific this week...he's been gone...Greece...sound like a business trip to you?

The temple of Poseidon

watch out Percy...this guy'll give you a run for your money!

Parthenon

more of the the temple of Poseidon

the Acropolis
next time...I'm going with him.
please...please...please
let there be a next time!

Tasty Treat!!

You know how I can tell summer is ending?

We had the missionaries over for a summer supper of Tacos and watermelon...well...maybe just TACO's then.

My little fairy

I bought these at the $ store for our girlfriend that we have weekly playdates with. She may never get them. Had I known I would, at the very least, have gotten the blue wings!!

He's walking around saying, "FLY! FLY!"