Phew!

Some days I feel like I could be a better mom. I could be more patient, yell less, etc. There are often times when I lose my temper, and later I figure out how I should have dealt with the situation. I don't know if anyone else ever feels like they aren't the best mother around, but guess what I found out????

The other day we were watching Logan's football game, and I heard a child (6 years old, maybe) yelling at her mom. The mom was sitting in her chair, trying to patiently deal with the situation. Then, I heard those words every mom wants to hear from somebody else's kid . . . "YOU ARE THE WORST MOM, EVER!!!! So there. It's not me. What a relief.

August

We've made it a family tradition to go to Lagoon every summer. Well, except when we go to Disney World. This year we went, and got to take some cousins with us. Luckily, one of those cousins is older and brave and could get Logan to go on ANYTHING!! Wahoo! And . . . the moment we've all been waiting for . . . Lauren was tall enough to go on WICKED! She got a little scared right before and almost chickened out, but she was so glad she did it. I've never seen it before, but they have boosters for kids who aren't quite tall enough, and Lauren got a booster seat for the roller coaster. Excellent! We brought Easton for the first time, and afterwards we were thinking we should have waited one more year. Oh well, he had fun. His favorite ride was the bumper cars (4 times), and at the end he loved the Rattlesnake Rapids, where he got soaked!

Easton in the orange shirt

The weekend before school started we got to go to our ward campout. We all had a good time, and Easton only got in trouble 2 or 3 times for running off without a parent. Some friends brought up their dune buggies and my kids thought those were great, especially Logan, who got to drive one. Okay, David really liked it, too.

The family (and a pesky ward member) at the ward campout

Then, it was over. All of the vacations and things we had planned to do for the summer were done.

On Monday, school started for Logan and Lauren.

Logan ready for 9th grade (and early morning seminary, notice it's still dark?)

Lauren all ready for 3rd grade (with her new glasses that she got barely in time . . . phew!)

July (a busy, fun month)

For the 4th of July we always do our own fireworks in the street in front of our house. Logan has a tradition of running to the end of the street with sparklers at the end of our festivities. When he first started, it was hard to get to the end without the sparklers burning out. Now he can get there easily. Easton and Lauren were a little nervous with the neighbors doing the "now legal" fireworks that shoot up in the air. Lauren was convinced our tree was going to catch on fire. We put Easton to bed before we finished, he was just too tired and grumpy.

David's sister came to town with her family in July and we loved playing with them. Their kids are similar in age to our kids, and it's always fun to get together. While they were here Logan and Lauren got to go sleep over with them at David's other sister's house, and they all had a great time. We went and hiked up to Timpanogas Cave together.

Hiking Cousins

Easton was quite the little hiker. He would stop every time there was a bench to get a drink, but he never sat on the bench. He just took a drink and went on.

Then we took a family vacation. On a Monday we drove to Grand Junction, CO.

Easton

We had dipped cones at the Tastee Freeze, and swam in the hotel pool. The next morning we went and saw the Colorado National Monument, which was perfect for us. It's about 1/2 hour drive through the park, and we stopped for a few lookouts, a small walk, then the visitors center and a small hike.

Then we got on the road and drove to Littleton, to visit my sister and family. For the last hour of our drive we had a huge lightning show.

Then, right as we were getting off the freeway there was a torrential downpour. There was lightning so close I couldn't even count to 1 between the flash and the thunder. We finally got to Suzanne's and had a lovely visit.

Rozanne & Suzanne in a Tiny Town house

Lauren & Easton riding the Tiny Town Train (they're in the first green car)

Lauren, Jessica & Easton in the Tiny Town windmill house

One of the kids' favorite things at Suzanne's house was catching this squirrel and setting it free

On Thursday we drove to Breckenridge for my family reunion. My dad, brothers, sisters and our spouses and most of our kids were there. We had a great time visiting and eating and playing games at the house. We went to a resort and did an alpine coaster, bungee trampoline, pony rides, a maze, panning for jewels, the alpine slide, and we visited the first aid trailer. Twice.

Sarah & Logan after riding the Alpine Coaster

Liz and my dad on the coaster

Richard & Easton on the Alpine Slide

When I took this picture I thought Easton was laughing, turns out he was crying after their little wipeout coming down the slide.

The next day Logan and Lauren went with aunts, an uncle and cousins to a few museums in Breckenridge while David & I took Easton shopping and cleaned up his owies. Then we all met up and went to a gold/silver mine.

Jessica, Lauren, Logan & Derek dressed as Breckenridge settlers

Our family in the mine

Panning for gold

Sarah & Lauren with the flowers they found

My dad with his 5 kids and their spouses

The cousins having fun in the middle of the night

As always, we had a great time and we are looking forward to next year's reunion in Idaho!

Richard and family came to stay the night when we got home, our kids love to play with their kids. Logan is so nice to them, way nicer than he is to his own little siblings.

Luke & Logan

Then on the 25th we went to our city's 24th of July celebration.

One guy let Easton get in his car at the car show . . . lucky duck

Two of David's sisters and families met us there and we watched the excellent fireworks . . . in the rain.

A few days later Logan left for his first Youth Conference, and Elizabeth, Del and Kelly came, followed by my dad and Liz. It was fun to have everyone stay and enjoy the new bathroom! Nobody had to trek up the stairs in the middle of the night. And, luckily, nobody broke the shower door. On Friday, it was Lauren's birthday. We had monkey bread for breakfast (Lauren's choice), then she opened presents and we played. Del (thank you, thank you, thank you) drove up to pick up Logan from Youth Conference, and made it back in time to go to Arctic Circle (Lauren's choice) for lunch. Kim and the kids also met us there, and we ate and played. That night we had Lauren's baptism. She was beautiful and happy and it was a really nice evening.

After the baptism we had a family dinner in the cultural hall and had a pony cake (thanks Elizabeth) and ice cream. Logan went back up to Youth Conference thanks to a ride from the bishop. After we got home and got Easton into bed, we let Lauren stay up and watch "Tangled". She really had a great day. The next morning Elizabeth & family left early to drive home. My dad and Liz were here until the afternoon, so they took Lauren to Red Butte Gardens before they left. She had a great time, and always appreciates the one (two) on one attention. They left and Logan came home, and the next day we had his birthday! He got an R2 D2 cake and I think it turned out cute, if I do say so myself.

That night we went to David's brother's new house and so did David's parents and some more of his family. We got to sit on the back patio and visit and watch lightning. Again.

Then . . . phew . . . July was over.

June

In June school got out and we all played a lot! Logan and David went to scout camp, which means Lauren and Easton and I played. I told Lauren we would do something fun every day, so we did. We went to the park, played in the sprinklers in the backyard, had friends over, stayed up late and watched movies, etc. Lauren and Easton also had swimming lessons. Lauren did great and passed her class, moving on to the next level. Easton also did well, this was his first lesson and he loved it. He'll be moving to the next level also. He absolutely LOVED his teacher(Ian) and had a great time every day until the last day when his teacher wasn't teaching. He had to pass a test and they gave Easton a substitute teacher. He started crying and wouldn't get in the water with the new guy until I promised him we'd come back and try to find his real teacher another day and he could say thanks. Also, I told him the new guy would still give him his sucker. Then he got in. During the class Ian passed by and waved to Easton. So, after class I asked if Ian was around. They went to find him and Easton gave him a big hug and told him thank you. He was pretty impressed that Easton cried for him, it was his first time teaching.

Easton & Ian (and some other little girl)

It was a great start to the summer, going to the pool every day, and luckily we had lessons in the morning before the afternoon thunderstorms rolled in. Every day. For weeks.

August

I know. July is over. I didn't post. I admit slackfulness.

New Orleans

In May I got to go on vacation! I went to New Orleans with my 2 sisters and my niece. It was great to get away and go somewhere I'd never been and I think we all had a lovely time. We flew in on a Monday, and spent that evening checking into our hotel, eating at the VooDoo BBQ, planning our trip, and going for a walk (which was much longer than I expected) that ended at Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro. Yum!

On Tuesday we got up early to go on a swamp boat tour. We had a cool tour guide (Capt. Cody) and got to see a lot of alligators, birds, turtles and trees. Who knew that alligators like marshmallows? Then we went to the Garden District and had crawfish pizza at Rocky's Gourmet Pizza on Magazine Street for lunch. After lunch we took a ghost/cemetary walking tour in the Garden District with a crazy tour guide, and got to see cool houses and hear fun stories about them. Then we drove to the French Quarter and took a ferry across the Mississippi River and back. We walked around shopping at tourist shops and had a treat at Pinkberry. That night when we went back up to the hotel room, Suzanne and Elizabeth took a little longer getting in the room. They started their quest to collect AUTHENTIC Mardi Gras beads.

On Wednesday we drove out to see a few plantation houses . . . the Laura Plantation and the Oak Alley Plantation. We had lunch at Oak Alley, enjoying Po' Boys and Gumbo (I only tasted the Gumbo - it was good but I'm not a big soup lover). Then we drove across the Lake Pontchartrain causeway, the longest over water highway bridge in the world. We stopped at Big Top Sno-Balls and had stuffed snoballs which were quite tasty, though my teeth turned blue. Then we went back to the French Quarter for more tourist shopping and beignets at Cafe du Monde. That night Suzanne and Elizabeth continued on their quest for beads, retrieving many more. They divvied up the beads and we all got to take some home.

On Thursday we rode the streetcar up and down St. Charles Ave. Then we went back to the French Quarter for an abbreviated walking tour, then a tour of the Hermann-Grima house. Then it was time to go home.

Rozanne, Suzanne, Elizabeth & Emily

the reason why a few of those walks seemed SO long

Elizabeth & Suzanne on the swamp tour w/ Capt. Cody in the background

The 1st gator we saw on the tour . . . the one we got really close to who never moved. There was some speculation as to whether this one was real. We saw many more that were definitely real.

Rozanne, Emily & Elizabeth on the ferry across the Mississippi River

sunset on the Mississippi

Rozanne and Suzanne waiting for beignets at Cafe du Monde

beads in a tree at our hotel

Suzanne & Elizabeth getting beads out of a tree at our hotel -- if you look closely you can see the bristles from the broom they 'borrowed' from the cleaning lady to reach more beads. It was much more effective than the hangers from the closet in our room.

All of us with our star rubies, on the cache of beads. Emily has the ring that was my mom's. I got mine for high school graduation and I love it. As a child I always looked for the star in my mom's ruby, and now my kids do the same with mine.

I had a great time and I hope we get the opportunity to go on another fun trip in the future. Next time, I'm leaving the boot home.

Say "Aahh"

Cool as a cucumber

Six months ago when I visited the dentist, I asked to set up an appointment for Easton when we came again in six months. They asked if it was his first time, which it was. I was slightly dreading it because Logan was AWFUL when we first took him to the dentist (and when we second took him, third took him, etc.). Six months later I brought Easton with me to the dentist, where the dentist looked in his mouth, counted his teeth and said, "I think he's ready for a cleaning". So, we had to make another appointment. He was quite angry that he didn't get his teeth cleaned that day with Lauren and me. When the lady asked when I wanted to make his appointment Easton told her, "Right now!". I made an appointment for him to come back in a week with David and Logan. He patiently waited . . . then he FINALLY got to go to the dentist and have his teeth brushed with the cool brush, and the water squirted in his mouth!

He was very cooperative and opened his mouth so well and sucked on the suction sucker like a pro. So, when they put the flouride styrofoam things in his mouth, we were all quite surprised when he promptly spit them out. Lauren always loves the flouride . . . it's her favorite part! Next time we'll have to try a different flavor, because apparently bubblegum is nasty!

When he was sitting in the chair, after his cleaning, waiting for the dentist to come take a look, he kept telling me his chair was moving. I thought he was just talking about the way the chair could move up and down and tilt way back. He said, "no, it's moving right now!" Sure enough, he had pushed a button somewhere and activated the massage on the chair. So, he got his teeth cleaned, and a massage!

Holy Snowstorm Batman!

I think this is March coming in like a lion . . .

New Bathroom

We decided it was finally time to put a bathroom in the basement . . . so we called a guy and it's done!

BEFORE:

DURING:

AFTER:

TA-DA!