Stickin' it to the Man

I have always heard that if you want to have a good conversation with your kids then you should catch them while you are in the car together. Alek usually rides the bus to school but every once in awhile he will miss and we will throw his stuff in the car and drive over. We may not always have the most in depth conversations but most of them are pure fun. This was our conversation today...

Alek (absently looking out the window): Wow look at that big truck. Do you think that's a moving van.
Me: No I think it's a garbage truck.
Alek: Oh, a garbage truck. Pickin' up garbage, going to work, trying to get money, all just workin' for The Man.
Me: Working for what? (Trying not to giggle)
Alek: Oh you know mom, workin' for THE MAN (uses a suave voice for "the man")
Me: The man huh?
Alek: No mom, THE MAN (uses voice again)
Me: Oh, THE MAN (tries to imitate voice)
Alek: Yeah mom, you know what the man is, people in charge that make you do stuff. Teachers, the government, bosses, police.
Me: Police?
Alek: Ya know, police. Cops, coppers, the FUZZ (uses the voice again)
Me: Fuzz? Where did you learn all this anyway.
Alek: Oh just Dad!

Wordless Wednesday: Here's to the New Year!

Called to Repentance

Ok, so I have recently been called to repentance by my sister-in-law on my less than exceptional blogging habits. I don't do resolutions. I hate them. I think they're dumb. They just sound so....well, resolute. However, for you my adoring family still reading this I will resolve to try to post more often. So here goes nothing....

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....