I Now Pronounce You...

19 years ago my Mom and Dad sat us all down to tell us that we would be getting a new sister. A what! I yelled. I couldn't believe they had just told me they where having a baby. There was already four of us and I could think of no worse torture than to add another kid to the mix. Leah was love at first sight for most of us. We don't know why she came as such a late addition to our family but we all knew that it was meant to be.

Over the years we did a lot together. It wasn't unusual to find her car seat in the back of mine or Charlene's cars. We shopped, we played, we mini golfed, we stripped at the skating rink. (ok just Leah did that) In the summers we would ride the bus down town and shop for hours at the old Cross Roads mall and ZCMI Center. I helped my mom with parties in her classrooms at school and helped guide her when she thought the ultimate career choice was to bag groceries at Harmons.
It was so wonderful to come and witness Cory and Leah's sealing. It reminds me so much of my own and how exciting it was to step into that new life of being married. They looked so happy and nervous and excited to be getting married and the Sealer did a beautiful job.

I only met Cory a couple of days before the wedding and I am looking forward to getting to know him better. He is a great guy who loves Leah very much. We couldn't have asked for a better match. Cory...we are a loud, noisy, crazy family... welcome to it! Take care of our Beastie for us!

Plane Ride

Eleanore and I flew to Salt Lake for Leah's wedding. An 18 month old makes for an interesting traveling companion. My mom graciously agreed to fly down to Phoenix and then back up to Salt Lake with us then do it again for the return trip home. Eleanore loved watching the planes at the airport while we waited and thank goodness SOMEONE had the presence of mind to put play areas in the terminals. She never wanted to ride in her seat and preferred to camp out under the tray table. In the end we had a blast and can't wait to do it again!

Thank you complimentary peanuts and Coke!

I Heart Utah

It has been over two years since I last made a visit to Salt Lake. Never did I think that it would impact me the way that it did. We have lived in so many places and moved so many times that after a while they all just start to blur together and you just seem to love something about them all. You have to or you risk total insanity.

As our plane began to land in Salt Lake the same words I always hear when I enter the valley kept echoing in my head. Welcome home, welcome home! Utah, especially Salt Lake, will always be home to me. I am so glad that we had the chance to spend the week there. Thank you to all of our family and friends that made our week so much fun. I couldn't keep going without you all! I couldn't help but almost feel teary eyed as the mountains receded in the distance and we left Salt lake behind. We will be back though. Hopefully sooner than two years this time. Next time we will come in the winter so we can "enjoy" Utah and it's crazy cold weather. Maybe I will change my mind then and decide to stay in Phoenix. Doubt it because deep down no matter what...I heart Utah!

First Day of School 2010

Aug 9th was our first day back to school. The Saturday before was busy. Last minute shopping, picking out clothes and just general craziness filled our house. I thought I would get at least a small break having Sunday sandwiched in there but there was no such luck. Emily and Andrew couldn't wait to get to bed and get up the next morning to start school. Alek and Ethan grumbled there way to bed and could still be heard long after grumbling in their sleep.

The bus driver let me get on and take this quick picture. Emily is less than pleased with me for it but Andrew was ecstatic!

Emily age 7. Second grade San Tan Heights Elem
Mrs. Abungden's class

Ethan age 10. Fifth grade at San Tan Heights Elem
Mr. Jackson's class

Andrew age 5. Kindergarten at San Tan Heights Elem.
Mrs. Hegg's class

I'm not sure what happened to Alek's picture. I know it is here so I will include it as soon as I figure out where it disappeared to. You know those Jr High schoolers....

Science Fair

Alek, Ethan and Andrew entered the science fair this year at school. Alek and Ethan entered alone. Andrew's preschool class did a collective project and entered. Kids in grades 4 and above are required to enter as part of their grade. Kids in the lower grades can enter as well but many of them enter as a class. Emily did not want to do science fair this year but after watching the boys I think she will be entering next year.

Alek did his project on mineral content in water. He used a multimeter to put and electrical current through different kids of bottled water, tap water and water from his school. He found out the mineral content of the different waters and what minerals conducted electricity. Then made a connection between the minerals in the waters and the electrical current. The thing that was the most surprising was how much salt was actually in a lot of water. He took home second place at the school level.

Andrew's class did a collective project on volcanoes. He talked about nothing but volcanoes for the longest time because of it. The had a special Jr category that they entered in. As a class they took the first place prize. There was only two entries but it has made him very excited for the time when he gets to do his own projects.


Ethan did his project on the process of Osmosis. He dissolved the shells of eight eggs so that the membranes could be exposed. He placed to eggs in distilled water and then the rest of the eggs in different solutions of distilled water and corn syrup. He weighed the eggs every fifteen minutes for two hours to show how the corn syrup alters the flow of water across the membrane of the egg. He had a lot of fun with his project and I have to agree that holding those eggs without shells was a lot of fun. He took home third place at the school level of the science fair.

Easter Eggs 2010

Andrew's eggs

Emily showing off an egg.

Ethan showing off his eggs....

Alek

Eleanore's first egg dying, and hand dying, and floor dying and....

Happy Birthday Eleanore

Its my party and I'll cry if I want to!




Happy Birthday Eleanore! It has been a wild first year but you are fitting into the role of the youngest well! There isn't a member of this family that you don't have wrapped around your little finger!

So far behind

I didn't realize until today how far behind I am with this. My sweet sister-in-law mentioned some time ago that she always checks to see if there is anything new with our crew, but that I haven't been posting anything. Well, I am repenting! (again) I am going to try to do this more. I am not going to back log much because it has been awhile but I will include a few older posts and start up again from here on out.....Hopefully I will remember and not need to repent again. At least not for a while...

Dinner Conversation...

I love when everything comes together at dinnertime and you get just those few minutes to glance into your kids thinking. I had called everyone to wash up and come to the table for dinner. Emily and Ethan got there and sat in their places waiting for everyone else. This is the conversation...

Emily: Mom are we having mashed pataties for dinner? (Yes that's what she loves to call them)
Me: Yes
Emily: I LOVE mashed pataties.
Me: I love mashed potatoes too.
Ethan: Well if you love them so much why don't you marry them?
Me: I can't I'm already married.
Ethan: No mom not you. (at this point I walk away from the table and the conversation continues) I mean Emily.
Emily: HEY!
Ethan: I now pronounce you mister and missus mashed potaties. You may kiss the bride.
Emily: If I kissed them I would want to eat them and I would even if he doesn't have gravy.
Ethan:(giggles) If you eat them then you could get married again because your husband would be gone. (giggles all around)

So ladies, husband doesn't take out the trash? Doesn't put his socks in the hamper? If he's made out of mashed potaties you could always just eat him!

Ethan says...

Mom, I would like nighttime a lot more if it wasn't so dark!