Me and my Boys

Eat your hearts out, Ladies!

2011-10-19T21:04:00.000-06:00

The football team had to dress up for school on game day--what a looker!

Clown Day

2011-10-08T21:10:00.000-06:00

C is for circus. Joey got to be a clown at preschool today.
How flippin' adorable is he?

Ewww!

2011-10-05T20:59:00.003-06:00

Joey and I decided it would be fun to have a gross-out dinner tonight. We had mouse meatloaf,

brains (it's watermelon--I was even getting grossed out by the veiny things in the rind)

Ogre toes--looks like someone needs to have a pedi!

And a toilet cake. I know, that may have just gone a little too far with the lemon jell-o and tootsie rolls, but I couldn't resist.

Boys love this kind of thing. Could you imagine a house full of girls going for this? No way, Jose!

School Boys!

2011-09-08T11:29:00.002-06:00

I think every mom in the world does this...Sorry guys, you get to pose for a first day of school shot.
James is headed off to High School, Ben is going to Jr. High,

Andrew is in second grade this year,

And Joey's going to Preschool!

We'll see how much I can get done in all my spare time!

Pumpkin Roll and IPad 2 contest

2011-09-07T08:39:00.004-06:00

Just in time for Fall, it's Josi Kilpack's latest book in the Sadie Hoffmiller series. If you've never read a cullinary mystery, they are stories that creatively incorporate food and recipes and Josi does it like a genius. Her books are clever and funny with just the right amount of sentimentality. Josi is a wonderful person and author. I should know because she's been one of my closest friends for over twenty years!

Sadie is not your typical heroine. She is adorable, middle aged, a little crazy and a super cook who seems to stumble onto mysteries wherever she goes. With her unorthodox and slightly hilarious methods, she is able to crack the case.
Anyway, I'll be getting myself a copy to add to my collection. Look at that darling cover. You can go ahead and judge the book by it. It won't dissapoint.
Oh, yeah...leave a comment and you're automatically entered to win an Ipad 2! More info on www.josiskilpack.com

The longest post in Blogger History!

2011-08-12T13:50:00.018-06:00

Hello, Blog! How have you been? Remember how I used to read you and update you religiously? Well, in case you've missed me too, here's what's been keeping me from you: (in no particular order)
Joey turned 4!James turned 15! (Is that a chocolate fountain? Oh yes, it is)Flippers!Easter MorningAndrew turned 7,and had a party,and discovered he looks pretty dang good in a suit.Played with neighbors at the park,Ben was in a flash mob,The boys ran a 5K for Kelton's Eagle Project,Joey ran a 1K. I should have taken the picture first.Preschool Graduation,a "Dutch Sunrise"The 6th grade dance,More flash mob,First grade graduation,Sixth grade graduationDisneyland!Turkey legs--mmm...Ben guest played at the Utah Summer Games,We walked in the Children's ParadeAngry Birds,Boating with cousins,Post-boating bath. Look at how dirty that water is!Ben and Richard went KayakingCousin picnicWe fell in love with our neighbor's donkey!Swimming lessons

Sounds like a lot of fun, right? So where's James been all summer? Football Practice! I'll make sure to take pictures of that. Go DHS!

A Fairy Tale

2011-04-29T21:18:00.008-06:00

What a beautiful wedding--I have to say, I'm a total sucker for this kind of thing. I had a little 2:00 a.m. tea-party for some friends and family while we watched the live coverage. We all had the Mormon version of tea in our little tea cups--Diet Coke.

Don't we all look cute in our hats? (and jammies)

There is a British bakery downtown, and so I went and got some things. These are crumpets--who knew? They are YUMMY!

New Neighbors

2010-06-18T13:13:00.000-06:00

Our new house is surrounded by fields. Ever since we moved in, James has been bringing surprises to the door... I got a knock at the window and James had found this little guy.

What is he going to find next? I can't wait!

Ssssss....

2010-06-17T11:33:00.002-06:00

Andrew, Joey and I went to a way fun birthday party for one of my Sunbeams, Boston. They had all sorts of reptiles that we could hold and play with.And Brittney Spears was there, too!

Toothless!

2010-06-16T13:10:00.001-06:00

Andrew lost his first tooth! All he had to do was show his wiggly little tooth to Ed and POP! It was history.

We're Sodding Fools!

2010-06-13T16:07:00.007-06:00

Firstly, I hope the title of this post is not offensive to anyone who speaks the Queen's English. While I find American cursing vulgar and disgusting, British swear-words are adorable. Kind of like Mary Poppins cussing. I mean, really--wanker? bloody? It's so cute.
Anyway, we got our yard all ready for sod with the help of a landscaping company. The guys were great. Andrew got to drive the track-hoe while they moved rocks.Then the sod was delivered...And we got to work...It was so nice of our new neighbors to come over and help. Especially since it started to rain.Looks good!
I was going to take a great picture of us all lying in the grass when it was done, but we were trashed, wet, muddy and sore. So, you'll have to come and see the finished product for yourselves!

C'mon Baby, Light My Fire

2010-03-25T09:44:00.004-06:00

When we moved in, I thought the one thing missing from our new house was a fireplace. We just had a big blank wall in our family room. What to do? We looked into all sorts of things, and had a bunch of guys come out to give us ideas and quotes. But the one we liked best was from our neighbor, Ryan.

The kids loved the "Jungle Gym" that he set up in our house. I tried to keep them off it for the first couple of days, but eventually gave in and let them climb around. Check it out! Isn't it fantastic!?

It's Kara-TE, Jerry.

2010-03-05T08:49:00.004-07:00

Andrew and his buddies, Ty and Gavin are taking Aikido this winter. The class is great, but if you come early or stay after, that's when you'll see some real ninja moves. (Check out the girl in the background of this picture going all Jackie Chan on that kid) There are about 30 kids running around the rec center yelling, "Ya!, HI-YA!" Somersaulting, kicking, jumping, chopping and basically acting like Kung-fu masters. It's hilarious.

It's a pretty awesome sight. The instructor (Sensei Mike) claims that Aikido is a peaceful martial art. Yeah, right, try to explain that to a group of kindergarteners who have grown up watching Power Rangers.

JOEY!

2010-02-28T13:18:00.002-07:00

Well, it looks like Joey decided to follow in his big brother's footsteps and give himself a new, hipper style. What do you think? I don't know what comes over these boys. They freak out if I suggest that they are going to get a haircut, but don't hesitate to take matters into their own hands.

#$%@#*!

2010-02-24T15:09:00.003-07:00

Normally I wouldn't condone this type of obsenity on my blog, but I just cracked up when I saw the back of this car!
I waited for awhile, I was really hoping to see who the driver was, but unfortunately, I had to get going. Bummer. Well, I'm going to be on the lookout for these guys, and I bet you are, too.

Here's to you.

2010-02-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

Some of you who don't live here in Utah may not know this, but "toasting" is totally not part of our culture. It's not just because we don't drink alcohol, we don't raise our water glasses or clink our sodas, either. For some reason, it's just not something we do here. In fact, I don't really know how to do it. There have only been a few times when I have been at an occasion fancy enough for someone to "raise a toast." And I have felt that uncomfortable heart-pounding anxiety as I tried to act like I knew what I was doing. But I didn't. Do you clink with everyone's glass? Or just the people right by you? How do you know whether to do one big clink in the center of the table or the little individual ones? What about the people that just raise up their glass and nod? Does that mean they don't want to clink? Am I supposed to actually say the word, "Cheers"? That's right, I'm not exactly Emily Post. In fact, I think that the "Cheers" that Joey always wants to do is about as sophisticated as I get.

Summoning his Eagle Powers

2010-02-03T10:34:00.007-07:00

Last Saturday, James did his Eagle Project. Out at the Farmington Nature Center, they needed a boardwalk built so people can go out and see all the cool birds and not have to be covered with mud. Here is the "before" picture. When James and I went out there to check it out, a huge Eagle flew right over us--pretty cool, huh? Lots of scouts, friends and family turned out bright and early to help.Even Baby Bella, Mandy and Mimi braved the cold to come check it out.James was a great organizer, supervisor and worker.
Thanks for your help, everyone! Nice pictures, Janice and thanks to the Reeds for lunch!

Work it, baby...Work it...

2010-01-30T08:01:00.005-07:00

I asked Allison to come over and take some pictures of Little Joe on his birthday--They turned out so totally adorable that I couldn't just pick one to post.

This one is my favorite!

I am so lucky to have a photographer for a sister! I love having birthday pictures! Thanks, Al. So, if you want to see more of her great pictures, visit http://www.allisonharrisphotography.com/

Happy Birthday, Joey!

2010-01-29T11:06:00.003-07:00

Can you believe our little Joey is 3? Tonight he wants to go to Chucky-Cheese, although he's never been there. Looks like those commercials reached their target audience.I can't believe how fast 3 years can fly.

Joey is the youngest, but he still runs this house! His hobbies include barking orders, drinking chocolate milk and watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

Joey's favorite color is orange.

His favorite movie is Underdog.

His favorite food is eggs.

We love having this crazy, sweet red-headed boy in our family!

Discovering the real "Pop Secret"

2010-01-26T08:20:00.001-07:00

This year for Ben's science project, he did a popcorn taste test to determine whether people prefer buttery popcorn or lite popcorn. All the different kinds of popcorn were put into numbered bags so that people could give an un-biased opinion (Hopefully, none of them were swayed by the grease leaking out of the buttery bags) Ben is observing...Hmmm...

Calculating data...

So, what did we learn, Ben? The data shows that people preferred Buttery popcorn--with the favorite being "Orville Redenbacher Movie Theater Butter." He also found that girls preferred the lite popcorn, the favorite being "Pop Weaver Lite Butter." Very informative and valuable information, Ben!

Outwit, Outsmart, Outbunc!

2010-01-25T21:00:00.005-07:00

Well, since I am a typical Mormom Mom in Davis County, I spend one night a month playing BUNCO! And while I would have rolled my eyes at this 15 years ago, I confess that I LOVE IT!

Ginger and Shauna are the founders of our Bunco group. I am so glad they invited me to join. It is a great way to keep in touch with people that have moved, and since I am one of those people, now, I love it even more since I get to see my buddies. This month it was my turn to host.

I told James to take some pictures while we were playing and he caught me just as I yelled BUNCO!! Here's my scorecard--I was totally ON FIRE!

Look at all of us cute girlies with our scarves. I love having a yummy dinner, treats, cokes and laughing my head off with these women. There's just nothing like girl-time.

See you next month, ladies.

Ho Ho Ho!

2009-12-28T18:32:00.008-07:00

Although we were still reeling from the move, we managed to squeeze in some Christmas fun. Most of the time, however, it seemed like a comedy of errors. Am I ever going to get a grip again?

We decorated a Gingerbread House...

Here's the finished producet. I especially like the "U" on the tree--courtesy of Andrew of course.

Each kid decorated a side and then we hot glued it all together. Martha Stewart, eat your heart out!The Moore Family Party was at our house this year. Look at all the cute cousins!We opted for the 6 foot sandwiches from Spanky's. I am so glad we did. And this year, for the Nativity at Mimi's we all drew to see who we got to be. I know, that's me--Moooo. The only reason I even considered posting this humiliating picture is because I got my braces off a few days earlier. So, check out my pearly whites!
We got the kids to bed late and so it was around 11 when we started putting together the ping-pong table. It wasn't too bad, so we opend the Foosball box. Here is Frank getting out all the pieces. Are you kidding me?!? Those little packages are full of screws, bolts, and tons of little pieces. I took this picture around 3 a.m. Now, on to wrap presents!We pulled it all together--although it wasn't the prettiest wrapping job this year. Lots of things got thrown under the tree in Wal-mart bags, but nobody seemed to mind.

Christmas Day was great! The little boys played with toys.I know it looks like a space shuttle, but it doesn't say NASA on it or I wouldn't allow it. The big boys worked on their lego sets.Frank made a delicious breakfast of French Toast Waffles. And right after this picture, we took a long winter's nap because we were trashed.Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Tangled up

2009-12-24T12:07:00.004-07:00

Joey has been trying to get himself dressed, lately. This morning, somehow, he manged this:

He reminded me of the girl in the Fifth Element--Maybe it's the red hair? I don't know.

Sesame Street Live!

2009-12-24T11:59:00.002-07:00

Since we took the big boys to the Killers, we thought we should take the little boys to their own thing. It turned out to be Sesame Street Live. Frank was unable to make it thanks to a little incident involving the keys being locked in the car-which we are still not ready to laugh about- and at the last minute, Mimi came with

The boys loved the show. Joey especially. When it was over, he buried his head in the floor of the E-Center crying for Elmo to come back.

Andrew's tree

2009-12-24T11:56:00.002-07:00

Andrew and I went to Ben Franklin's Crafts every Saturday for the last few months. They have a little class they do where you get to make an ornament. Andrew decided that he needs his own tree to display all of his artwork. Looking good, Drew!

Our new digs

2009-12-24T11:50:00.003-07:00

It's been a long, dry spell for the blogger in me, and here's why:That's right, we moved into this sweet house. It looks even sweeter with our "U" flag hanging in the upstairs window. So, I didn't realize that it takes 2 weeks to forward mail and 6 weeks to port over our old phone number. So, if you are trying to get ahold of us, we aren't ignoring you--

Joey loved playing with all the boxes while we were moving. We made some holes in this one and he wore it around for a few days.

Phew! Moving is a lot of work. Thanks for all the help, everyone! Now, let's get ready for Christmas!

One More Hallowe'en Picture

2009-11-12T07:05:00.002-07:00

Allison just sent me this picture--it's all the Lunt cousins at her Halloween party. Aren't they cute?! It was so much fun to have Jana and Zola here for a week. She is a perfect Tinkerbell. Bella was Alice in Wonderland. I think she was pretty confused the whole time to see everyone looking so funny. And look at the 2 vampires. Jack and Porter were charming, yet deadly. Thanks for the fun party, and great picture, Al!

All Hallows Eve

2009-11-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

Hallowe'en was full of fun.I asked Richard to "zombie" up James' face a little, and this is what emerged from the crypt... James went to a party with some friends this year.Doop...Doop....Doop....Dee...Dum, Diddy, Dum...Mario prepares for his next adventure. Will he face Bowzer? Defeat Donkey Kong? Save Princess Toadstool, or spend the evening Trick-or-Treating with his buddies?I think a lion escaped from the zoo! So ferocious! So horrifying!
So Adorable!Andrew fell in love with the Rocky Movies this year. He begged for an "Italian Stallion" costume.He said "Cut me, Mick" all day long. Here are some of his buds that he went Trick-or-Treating with.And this last picture, I just threw in for fun. Here are my next door neighbors on their way to a Hallowe'en party. Can you even believe how BLUE their skin is?

The fruits of our labors

2009-10-29T13:36:00.004-06:00

This year, thanks to the Johnson's, (or the Keltons as we call them) we learned how to can our own fruit. We put up applesauce, peaches and pears. Everybody helped out There is just nothing like seeing all these jars in a row--they are almost too pretty to eat.
Thanks so much for all the delicious fruit, Janice and Wes! And, Thanks, Michelle for explaining to me how to process these peaches. You guys are the best!

Michaelangelo

2009-10-25T13:10:00.003-06:00

If you're looking for Andrew, chances are pretty good that this is where you will find him. Lately, he has been spending all his spare time drawing. He has used up all of our scratch paper and started in on the computer paper before I got him this sketch pad.

After his masterpieces are complete, he displays them proudly. His room has been re-named the "Louvre."

So, if anyone is looking for some reasonably priced art, let us know. We'll cut you a good deal on some originals. Or if you are not a collector, but an art appreciator, drop by our gallery. After you get your fill of the artwork, you can play with Batman or some Ben 10 guys (If the artist will share--you know how they are.)

This kid just keeps getting cuter and cuter!

2009-10-15T11:47:00.000-06:00

I mean, really--look at that little guy. He has been so much fun lately. Here are a few of his latest escapades:I found him in the crib with Baby Bella. Just having a little rest and a drink. Joey has a favorite shirt. This is a picture of him in his room after he dug through the dirty clothes to find it. He tried to put it on, but it looks like he had some problems.He is Andrew's shadow. When we went to the bike rodeo, he insisted on riding his bike around with the big kids.Here he is singing rock-a-bye to Woody (he's an action figure--not a doll) And he is so snuggly. He falls asleep anywhere. He fell asleep when we hiked up Mt. Baldy.

He had a little snack and fell asleep before he could even get down off his chair.
Sitting on the stairs with Ed watching the rain outside--I guess it lulled them both to sleep.

What a sweetie. I love having a 2 year-old. It's the perfect mix of baby and little boy. I'm going to go kiss his face off, now.

It's getting scary around here...

2009-10-14T11:31:00.001-06:00

Aren't these the coolest Hallowe'en decorations ever?
I just had to show them off--I am so excited about them.

It's ba-ack

2009-10-12T11:25:00.004-06:00

It looks like our old friend, the FLU has returned.
This is great timing, since three weeks ago, I scheduled us all to get our flu shots tonight--Oh, wait. CRAP!

How times have changed

2009-10-02T22:01:00.003-06:00

We started to decorate for Hallowe'en this year. I realized that as the kids get older, there is less of this:

And more of this: Can you believe there is a skull on my kitchen table? Also, if you've never checked out water marbles, I highly recommend them. They feel gross, which makes them perfect for little Hallowe'en hands. Also, they are inexpensive and don't stain if they spill out of the bowl. Next year, I'm going to find some blood red ones...Bwah..ha..ha...

The BEST DAY EVER!

2009-09-27T12:36:00.004-06:00

We woke up bright and early Saturday morning to get Ben off to his 5K. His time was 27 minutes and he placed 21st--not too shabby! I didn't take a picture of him running. So here he is with his t-shirt.James had a football game. That's him # 67 in the middle surveying the carnage he caused with his brutal tackle.Andrew had a soccer game. He did great. He got a goal and also blocked some shots on goal. He is a serious threat on defense! Then, we ran home to clean the house and have some lunch. Arby's is doing their 5 for 5 until the end of September. I'll miss it. It's been a great tradition this month between games. Mmmm... Next, we headed off to Ben's game. He played great. He scored the team's first goal about 4 seconds into the game. Kick-off to Ben, he runs like a bat out of you-know-where and GOOOAAAL!

We hurried home to get Ben changed and we were off to the Killer part of the day. Frank, James, Ben and I went to the Killers' concert. For those of you who don't know this band, they sing the greatest song ever written in the history of the world, "Can you read my mind?" The show was fantastic. I got us floor tickets, mainly because I didn't know how to use the Ticketmaster website. But it turned out to be the best place to be. We LOVED it! These guys are right up there with Springsteen, U2, Guns and Roses and my other favorite bands of all time. And as a side note, if you are wondering if you should take your kids to one of their shows, they are really clean. There was nothing questionable--unless you are worried that your kids will actually get too awesome from being there. If that is the case, keep them home. I mean, check out these guys.

Whew! Now I'm ready for my Sunday nap!

Ben 10 is no more

2009-09-24T11:05:00.006-06:00

Ben is 11 today. My, how time does fly. I always tell Ben that he is my "sunshine," because he can always manage to make people smile. Ben is super competitive, friendly, and works hard at everything he does. Ben's Favorites:
Favorite colors: red and black
Favorite games: Madden 10 and Mario Cart
Favorite team: Go UTES!
Favorite shows: 30 Rock, Sponge Bob, The Office, Hannah Montana (just kidding)
Best friends: Keegan, Kelton, Chandler, Finn, Jared
Favorite sport: Soccer! (but he loves all sports)
Favorite food: Ramen, Sunday chicken, pizza, wings
Happy Birthday, Benny-boy!

Whew...I'm glad I got that out of my system

2009-09-09T09:16:00.006-06:00

Ok, so I cannot remain silent any longer on this--and it's my blog, so I am going to stand on my soapbox for a few minutes and say how dissapointed I am in the people who made such a big stinking deal about the President's speech. I mean, seriously, pulling your kids out of school? How many times a year does a basketball player or an author come and do an assembly for our kids, and nobody opts out of that. Do we really trust our President less with our children than some Olympic athlete who comes to talk about who knows what? I guarantee that not one of the people who protested or opted their students out had any idea what President Obama was going to talk about. Nor did they look into it. People refused to let their kids hear the speech because they were mad that Obama won the election and he is liberal and they are conservative. The End... What did they think he was going to do, open up with a little talk about abortion? Of course not. He told kids to take responsibility for their education, to work hard and that they are the future of America. Pretty scary stuff. Be an informed parent. Learn what your kids are hearing and talk to them about it. If the President's beliefs are different than yours, explain it to your kids. That is what Free Speech is about--being able to disagree with someone, not acting ignorant and refusing to let your children hear anything but what you want them to hear. Maybe you should follow them around at school and close their ears when their classmates say something controversial. I hear people all the time complaining about how the young people now days have such little respect for their elders. HELLO?! Are you serious? Where do you think kids learn to be disrespectful to their teachers? Maybe when they hear their parents at home saying how they don't think that President Obama has anything worthwhile to say to their kids, so they are refusing to let them listen. Hmmm... Whether you like it or not, he is our President and even if you disagree with his politics, his office deserves respect.

I think we have a real problem in our country with this extreme bi-partisanship. It is tearing America apart. People are becoming intolerant haters. They are not just attacking someone's different interpretation about the constitution, but attacking the person, their family, the way they speak, throw a baseball, worship, dress, etc. What kind of people are we becoming? I think that there is no place for this in a Christian society. It is completely out of control. If you do not agree with your government, write letters, run for office, support somebody you do believe in. Find a way to work FOR what you believe instead of AGAINST those who believe differently.

I think everyone should take the time to listen to the speech President Obama gave. It was super. He is an inspirational speaker and has a lot to offer our students and our country if we will just get behind him and be supportive.

Which came first...

2009-08-31T08:56:00.002-06:00

We saw this guy at the beach in California. And since I watch Miami Ink, I am totally interested in the stories behind peoples' tattoos. Anyway, his tattoo (you may have to click on it to see it bigger--I was trying to be discreet) is the exact same flame pattern as his swimsuit. Did he take the swimsuit in and ask the tattoo artist to copy it? Or did his wife come home one day all excited because she found the suit with the exact same design as his tat? It makes you wonder....

ALOHA!

2009-08-11T07:46:00.011-06:00

We had a super fun time in HAWAII!

Andrew and Raar are buckled up and ready to go!Thank goodness we had Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the IPOD for Layovers. We ate some fresh shrimp...
Ran through the pineapple maze...

Visited Pearl Harbor...
Look at the controls on this old Submarine--unbelievable. There are no computers or buttons or anything, just a bunch of dials and knobs.Joey is here in his typical pose when we ask him to take a picture--or do anything else for that matterWe saw seaturtles...
Jumped off cliffs...Drank coconut milk...

Found some geo-caches...Spotted the rare white whale...
Played on the beach...

But, the best part was being together with the people we love.

We're gonna party--like it's your birthday

2009-08-07T08:28:00.001-06:00

Somebody's having a birthday...Who could it be? Happy Birthday, Frank!

The O.C.

2009-08-06T07:45:00.007-06:00

DISNEYLAND!

I took a bunch of pictures of the handsome guys I saw at the beach:

Look at this hottie!

Check out my hunky brothers! Sorry, ladies, they are taken.

Dave and Zola
Mimi and EdSand castles are serious business. See some extra people here? Those are our good friends, the Dottls. Dave and Jeff served their missions together. We love spending time with them. Baby BellaWe had so much fun playing with our family! I love having us all together.

This year was the first time we went to the "Getty Villa" in Santa Monica. It is a huge estate that was modeled after the house of a Senator in Herculaneum. It has gardens, statues, an amphitheater, a mummy, and tons of cool artifacts. It was great to have our own personal tour guide who told us all sorts of interesting things about what we were looking at.

Here's Andrew standing next to a statue of Hermes. I love his shoes with the wings.

Andrew is now creating his own priceless art piece.

Great idea, Dave!

It's always hard to say good-bye to beautiful sunny Southern California. It's even harder to say good-bye to Dave, Jana, Zola, Marshal, and Lindsey. We love you guys

What happens in Vegas...

2009-08-05T19:28:00.006-06:00

On the way to Newport, we spent the night in Vegas. As we talked about it on the way down, I know Andrew thought we were going to "So You Think You Can Dance," since they send the first round of contestants through to compete in Vegas. He kept pretending he was holding a ticket and screaming, "I'm going to Vegas!" Hmmm...Do you think he watches too much T.V?

Gray M&M's. Andrew's favorite color!

There was a balloon artist at Planet Hollywood. She made a Spiderman for Drew, but Joey was scared of her because there was a balloon monkey climbing up her hat.

The fountain show at the Bellagio is so much fun to watch. I thought it was more fun to watch all the weird people that were walking up and down the strip. Of course, we made a little stop at Bikini Bottom.

On the way back home, we stopped again, this time to see our old friends, the Abbott-Knox Clan. They met us at a fun buffet and we got to catch up on their lives in Michigan and see their new baby.Can you believe how hot the Mojave Desert gets?

You go, Girl!

2009-07-31T07:21:00.004-06:00

I just want to give a shout out to all the strong women out there! If there's one thing that girls do, it's stick together. I know we can get catty and horrible, but when one of our sisters is in trouble, girls know they can depend on each other.
So, yesterday, Mandy's car broke down on the freeway in Bountiful. I threw Joey in the car and ran down to help, but I was sure that by the time I arrived, someone else would have pulled over and helped her. I got there and she had been there for about 20 minutes. We pulled my car farther onto the shoulder next to her and lifted up the hoods to jump hers. Then, it died again, and she had to call a tow truck. Baby Bella was totally covered with sweat from sitting in the hot car in 100 degree weather, so we got her into my car to wait. As we waited for about another 1/2 hour, I was surprised that so many highway patrol cars passed us. Isn't this their thing? 2 women and babies stranded on the side of the road in this heat? I think we counted over 10. Is chivalry dead? Where have all the cowboys gone?When the tow truck came, out hopped this cute grandma. (I took this picture with my camera--it's pretty crappy.) She hugged Mandy and told her that everything would be o.k. She loaded the car up and we were on our way. That's right, when the going gets tough, it's GIRL POWER to the rescue!

Go U.S.A.

2009-07-18T11:27:00.005-06:00

This year, we stayed home for the Kaysville Parade. Here are some of the Highlights for those of you who have never been to a "small-town Utah" parade... You have to look at this close--that lady PAINTED HER DOG!

And of course, the "Missionary Mall" floatFrank and James both caught a tie that the missionaries were throwing...

Actually playing with fire

2009-07-18T11:24:00.006-06:00

On the 4th, the Reeds had us over for their annual "Barbecue and Fireworks Extravaganza!" Jeff always makes sure that the little kids have plenty of sparklers to keep them busy while the big kids and dads are being Pyromaniacs.

A glow-stick was closer to Joey's speed. I told him to hold it by his face while I took his picture.

This is where things started to get crazy--We learned the hard way that firecrackers can really burn. Some burning embers floated into Frank's sandals and burned him before he could get them off...OUCH!

Kids, make sure you have a responsible adult present when you play with matches. Also, make sure that the responsible adults can find a hose in the dark when their fireworks light the neighbor's bushes on fire!First of all, can you believe how bright my flash is on my new camera? These are the charred remains of the bush that was on fire. Talk about an exciting Independence Day!

Playing with fire

2009-07-18T08:15:00.004-06:00

If you know Joey, you know he is unpredictable. He is stubborn, obstinate and most of the time, a little ticked off. So, when Porter sat by him and started sharing cookies, I was prepared for the worst... Look at Joey's face, I think Porter is in trouble.Steady, steady...

Like I said, unpredictable. Pretty cute, huh?

Oh, What do you do in the Summertime...

2009-06-18T16:56:00.006-06:00

When it's cold and wet and gray?Do you go to a movie?

Dye shirts that are groovy? Sew jammies?

Or paint some cookies?
Is that what you do?

Well, so do we!

Summer haircut.

2009-06-09T08:42:00.003-06:00

When I went in to sit at my computer, I found a mystery...What is that? Upon closer inspection, I decided it was a lock of blond hair. What the...?

I guess Andrew decided his look needed a little more "edgy-ness" to it.

I will never understand little boys!

So, I am left with a choice--Do I shave it all off? Or do I leave a bald spot front and center? I have no idea.

These guys need a bug-zapper

2009-06-08T20:57:00.001-06:00

I found these 2 guys (I'll call them Jethro and Cleatis) sitting in the front yard on their folding chairs with a couple of root-brewskies. It just cracked me up. Maybe it's Joey's muscle shirt or the way they were just watching cars go by and belching. I don't know.

Dinos, Preschool and T-ball

2009-06-05T20:43:00.000-06:00

It seems like Andrew has been doing all sorts of stuff lately... Andrew and his cousins are posing in front of a fierce predator. See that space there in the middle? Joey took off screaming before I could snap the shot. Looks like he's the smart one.

Eeewww. That dinosaur skull needs a tissue.

No more preschool. This boy is ready for Kindergarten.

T-ball is basically the greatest game ever. I love how everyone gets up, everyone gets a homerun. I love how the uniforms drown the little guys. Some kids run after their own ball after they hit, sometimes they run over to their mom instead of 1st base, kids sit in the outfield and pick grass. It cracks me up!

Andrew's first game was against his cousin Jackson's team. Way to go, buddies!

Thanks for taking pictures for me, Al!

Penn Surprise

2009-06-02T20:21:00.002-06:00

Frank had a trip to Pennsylvania where he had to drive from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. When I heard this, I was psyched, because right there in the middle is State College! What's so great about this little city, you may ask? Well, I can name three things: My brother Dave, his wife Jana and their Baby Zola! So, we booked my ticket at the last minute, and since it was so late, we didn't call them and just knocked on their door...Dave spazzed. It was the greatest idea we've ever had.

Zola and Dave took us on a great hike. Here's me and Dave standing in front of Happy Valley.

Zola loves ice cream from the Penn State Creamery.And Frank and I had some Philly Cheesesteak. MMMMmmmm.... That's right, I'm not smiling until my braces come off.
Thanks for a great trip, Frank! And thanks to Dave and Jana for re-arranging their schedules on the spur of the moment and spending a super day with us. Jana, next time, I promise I'll make sure you are in some pictures.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2009-05-05T07:12:00.004-06:00

Dave gave me this little newspaper clipping years ago. It cracks me up!

heh...heh... si!...si! Necessito T.P! Caje-te, Bevis!

A Teenager?!

2009-05-03T21:34:00.007-06:00

Well, it's official--my little boy is no longer a little boy, he's 6 inches taller than me, way stronger and today, he turned 13!

As a 12 year old, his:

Favorite color: green

Favorite food: pizza (made by Allison), crepes, and ice cream

Favorite shows: Avatar, Sponge Bob, The Office, 30 Rock

Favorite friends: Matt, Aaron and Jacob

Favorite things to do: Rock hunting, camping, looking for frogs, tadpoles and other slimy animals

Favorite movies: X-men, Dumb and Dumber, Harry Potter

Favorite books: Ranger's Apprentice, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Calvin and Hobbes

Favorite clothes: Hershey's hat, polo shirts and Chuck Norris t-shirt

Isn't he handsome? I couldn't be prouder of this guy. He is kind and thoughtful and a great older brother. Happy Birthday, James!

Cinco!

2009-04-29T21:24:00.006-06:00

I can't believe Andrew is 5!There's something about a kid's birthday that makes you realize how fast the time slips away...

Here are a few little facts about 4-year old Andrew:

Favorite color: gray

Favorite animal: lion

Favorite shows: Secret Saturdays, Phinneas and Ferb, and Ben 10 Alien Force
Best friends: Jack, Gavin, Ty, Carson and Gabe

Favorite foods: quesadillas, nachos with taco meat and ice cream

Favorite treat: gum

Favorite things to do: Play with friends, Play wii, Climb trees, Go to the park, and Eat lunch at Costco.

Favorite songs: Thanks for the Memories (Fall Out Boy), Grace Kelly (Mika)and Livin' on a Prayer (Bon Jovi)

Favorite toys: Raar, Ben 10 Alien Creation Chamber, Wolverine claw, roller-coaster, bakugans and cool guys

Cool things he learned this year: How to read, How to count to 100, How to blow bubbles, How to tie a shoe, and How to whistle

I can't wait to see what this year will bring.

Happy Birthday, Andrew! Thanks for always making us smile!

Spring Break is for the Animals!

2009-04-21T14:25:00.005-06:00

Yay! It's Spring Break... This post is chronologically backwards--that's how they uploaded, and it would take forever to change it. So, here we are on Easter. The Easter Bunny brought new t-shirts and sunglasses. Apparently, Peter Cottontail shares my feelings about sugar, carbs, and trans fat.

We dyed eggs...

Earlier in the week, we went to the zoo. Joey wasn't too thrilled about sitting on the crocodile.

James wasn't too thrilled about sitting on the train.

The monkeys had a banana for a snack.

Spring Break was pretty cold and rainy, but we found another nice day and went to the Baby Animal Festival in Wellsville. Allison, Jack and Porter came along which was great, because Allison took super cute pictures.
James and Ben weren't too excited about holding the baby animals. Apparently, cuddling with cute little bunnies and chicks is not manly enough.James ate a cricket at the Mountain Man settlement. I told him I would have tried one, but I didn't want any antennae or legs caught in my braces. A cricket needs to get completely swallowed the first time, Know what I mean?

Everyone say, "Aaaahhh." I know, these pictures are darling.

April's Fools goes a little too far

2009-04-01T09:07:00.003-06:00

I have to give Frank the credit for this awesome April Fools idea. This morning, when the boys went to get dressed, they found that their underwear had dissapeared only to be replaced by these lovely princess panties...Hee...Hee... James thought it was funny and came up in a towel to ask for his underwear back.

Ben was disgusted. It didn't really matter to him, he had gotten dressed anyway. Hmmm. I think he would have held out in the same underwear forever if he needed to.

Our joke was apparently too much for Andrew.

I found him humiliated and crying; vowing that he's: "Never getting dressed again!"

Here's hoping your April Fools jokes went over a little better than ours.

St. Patty's Day

2009-03-19T07:21:00.006-06:00

Well, Lads and Lassies, you didn't think I'd forget St. Patrick's Day, did you?

Andrew is the one who loved this holiday most of all. The big kids were a little too old, and Joey was too young to understand what was going on. When O'Andrew went outside to the milkbox to get our milk, he saw some footprints... Inside the box, he found that the leprechaun had played a trick on us--Our milk was green! Also, there was a clue to a treasure hunt to find where the leprechaun had hidden his gold...

For breakfast, we had green frosting on our cinnamon rolls, then we made some green play-doh.
We made green cookies, verde enchiladas, and by the end of the day, we were pretty greened out!
They're always after me Lucky Charms...

Who was St. Patrick?

Well, according to Wikipedia, Patrick was born in Wales in 390 A.D. He was captured by the Irish when he was about 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. Six years later, he escaped and went home. Then, later in his life, he returned as a missionary to Ireland. He was not assosciated with any one church--making him ideal for a country where religions divide so much of the population. He was a foreigner and also refused gifts and payment for baptizing, making him pretty un-popular. He was imprisoned at different times, but apparently not martyred like most saints. Tradition says that he banished snakes from Ireland, but this could refer to the pagan "druids" who were often represented with the snake symbol. His death date is believed to be March 17, 460.

So, there you have it. I hope you all found a 4-leaf clover or a pot of gold or kissed a blarney stone or or even kissed someone who is Irish--because their t-shirt told you to do so!

E-bay, here we come!

2009-03-12T17:35:00.003-06:00

Remember that lady that found a Dorito shaped like the Pope's hat and sold it on e-bay for thousands of dollars? Andrew started screaming today while we were eating lunch. He was so excited that his quesadilla is an exact replica of Pikachu! He begged me to take a picture and put it on the blog.

We're gonna be RICH!!

So, here's to you, New York, New York!

2009-02-19T07:34:00.004-07:00

Do you know what drives me crazy? How people from New York figure that everyone knows everything about New York. In books, plays, movies, TV shows, it is just assumed that all of the rest of us understand the implications behind a kid from Harlem versus a kid from the Upper West side. Or we understand what it means to live in Queens versus "The Village" without any sort of explanation. I just read a book that takes place in New York, and seriously, by the end of it, I thought that I'd need a book about New York City just to understand it. It's the same with Law and Order, King of Queens, Friends, 30 Rock, not to mention all the tons of movies based in NYC.

I understand that New York is a huge city with a long history of tradition. People have lived for generations in the different burroughs giving it a colorful culture. But, for those of us that are not part of it, stick a little explanation in there once in awhile.

Do natives of other large cities do this? I have never read a book about Seattle or Miami or Dallas and had to try and figure out the neighborhoods or the cultural implications behind where someone lives. If I wrote a book about Salt Lake and talked about the Avenues or South Salt Lake or Magna, Utahns would understand what was going on without any kind of explanation, but New Yorkers wouldn't. ("Why is the girl from Davis County worried about finding a modest prom dress? Why does everyone at Brighton High School drive a jeep? What's the difference between Gateway and Valley Fair Mall?") It's confusing, isn't it? How does that feel, New Yorkers?

The Awesomest Snow Fort Ever!

2009-02-15T12:52:00.003-07:00

We were pretty jealous when we saw the Fluhrers outside building a snow fort. We decided we needed one of our own. So, now we're ready if there is any sort of snowball attack from across the street.

Izabella came over to check out our "hut." The boys had to explain to her that it is a "fort." I guess girls don't use their snow buildings for war.

Roses are red...

2009-02-14T07:00:00.001-07:00

Why do we celebrate St. Valentine's Day? Well, I did a little research, and I will tell you:

February 15 was a Pagan Holiday called Lupercalia celebrating fertility. As Christianity came into power in Europe, these holidays were re-named for early Christian martyrs. I guess, they just looked for one who had some sort of connection and named it for him. Although there were many different saints who were named "Valentine," the one traditionally assosciated with Valentines day is St. Valentine of Rome. He was a priest during the reign of Claudius II in about 270 A.D. According to legend, the emperor outlawed marriage. He thought that the soldiers would fight better if they didn't have to worry about families back home. So, Valentine secretly performed marriages, defying Claudius. When the emperor found out, he had Valentine imprisoned. Valentine learned that Asterius, his jailer had a blind daughter. She was healed by the priest and he wrote a letter to her before he was killed, signed "from your Valentine." St. Valentine was executed on February 14.

St. Valentine became the overseer of the formerly pagan feast day, which now was re-named in his honor. Young Roman men would traditionally write a letter of affection on the feast day to women they wished to court and the letters became called "Valentines."

It was not until the 14th century that this Christian feast day became a day assosciated with love. According to UCLA medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly, author of Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine, Chaucer was the first to link St. Valentines Day with romance. He wrote a poem to honor the engagement of Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. In the middle ages, it was believed that birds mated on Feb. 14th. Chaucer linked all of these things, love, birds, poetry and Valentine's Day with his poem, "The Parliment of Fowls":
"For this was on St. Valentine's Day, When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate."

It became common during the 1900's in England to make Valentines cards out of lace and paper. One of the first Valentines Cards was sent from Charles, Duke of Orleans in 1415 A.D. to his wife, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

So, there you have it, the history (I'm going to use that term loosely) of Valentines Day.

I got a letter in the mail from Andrew's preschool today. His teacher Miss Lesli, is the greatest. Pretty sweet, huh?

In our house, on Valentines Morning, the kids find a surprise left by the Love Bug. She must be some sort of arachnid, because she leaves a trail of string all over the house for them to follow. Frank and I don't usually go out, we have a fancy dinner at home with the kids on the nice china and some heart-shaped cake. I am going to try and make a red velvet this year. We'll see...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Busted

2009-02-13T10:34:00.004-07:00

At least once a day, Frank and I have this conversation:
"Why is dog hair all over the couch?"
"I don't know how it gets there. Daisy isn't even allowed on the couch. It must just get stuck on our clothes and transfer when we are sitting."
"Are you sure? It seems like there is a lot of hair to have just brushed off."
"I'm sure. She never gets up on the couch."
So, I walked in on this sight today. A-HA! Caught in the act! Seriously, can I get mad at either of them?
I guess I'll just have to vacuum more.

Happy Groundhog Day!

2009-02-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, I don't know how true this is--Dave? But I thought it was interesting:

"Groundhog Day owes its true origin to the Ancient Greeks who believed that an animal's shadow was its soul-blackened by the past year's sins. While the animal hibernates, its soul is cleansed by nature and if it wakes up before winter is over, it will see the dirty shadow and be horrified and then return to its den for more purification."

So, if you want to learn more about groundhogs (including the sound they make) check out this website.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/anhttp:/animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/groundhog.htmlimals/mammals/groundhog.html

Happy Birthday, Joey!

2009-01-29T03:58:00.002-07:00

I can't believe Little Joe is 2--
Here are some things we love about you:

J--Just cereal. Joey has somehow managed to survive on a very limited diet of cereal and milk.
O--Oh, and did I mention Olives? He has a very distinguished palate. And he is also particular about the actual process of eating his olives. S--Joey is VERY STUBBORN! I can not say this enough. Yes he is...Yes he is...I said he is...is, too... Is, too...Really...Yeah he is! (I have no idea where he got this particular personality trait.)E--Entertainer. Joey loves to be the center of attention and make everyone laugh. He usually does this by repeating inappropriate words he has heard from T.V. (not his parents) Most of the time it is in front of Grandparents or at church or somewhere that makes us cringe with horror. But he loves to see us squirm.

P--Peek-a-Boo. Joey is basically the best peek-a-boo player ever. I dare anyone to attempt to best his skills. He can compete with the masters. Not only does he have the motions and words down, but his endurance is unmatched. Long after everyone else has surrendered, he is still able to bring it. H--Helper. Joey is always looking for ways to help. He especially likes to sweep and order the dog around. Sometimes he helps by cleaning out a cupboard or emptying out a box of cereal. What would I do without him?

Happy Birthday, Joey!

2009-01-19T09:00:00.001-07:00

Last week, it snowed for 2 days straight. Finally, when it stopped, we put on our snowclothes and ran out in time to make a snowman before it got too dark. Daisy hated the snowman and kept circling it, growling, and knocking it over. I think she thought it was an intruder. What a great guard dog.

Then, the next day, I took Andrew and Joey to the park to do some sledding.Sledding is a whole lot of this...

For just a little of this...

But, totally worth it.

I am so glad I took them when I did, because a few hours later is when Joey broke his foot. We have to wait until his cast is off now before we can go again.

Sweet Trib-UTE!

2009-01-17T08:53:00.002-07:00

There was a parade and celebration downtown for our champion UTES! Andrea and I took the kids down, and Frank came straight from the airport and met us. Ben's buddy, Kelton was a really good sport to put on a Utah sweatshirt and come with us. He is a die-hard BYU fan.

They had the marching band, coaches, cheerleaders, University President, etc. but the best part (especially for Ben) was the players giving everyone five as they passed. It may have been the best day of his life.

Awww...

2009-01-13T15:32:00.003-07:00

Here she is, Miss Bella. Is she cute enough? I'm so glad Allison thought to take her camera. Apparently, Mandy and Richard had quite an exciting night, including flying down Parley's Canyon at break-neck speeds, running red lights, and barely making it to the hospital in time to deliver this little angel. That will be a fun story to tell her some day, but for now, make sure she gets lots of kisses and love. You don't want to waste a perfectly good baby... Congratulations, Mandy and Richard!

Oh, Yeah--Christmas

2009-01-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

Well, with all of the excitement of late, (Dave and Marshal coming to town, the Utes kicking some Crimson Bootah, Broken bones, etc.) I forgot to post any of these Christmas pictures:

Here we are enjoying our Christmas Eve festivities. Nativity puppet show, (courtesy of Aunt Liz)

The obligatory "Sit in front of the Christmas Tree in your new Pajamas" photo.

Yay! Christmas Morning. Did Santa come? Let's go see...
Mmm...Christmas Breakfast: Egg-nog French Toast.Elmo Live,
Spike the Dinosaur ("You're sure you want to ask Santa for that? Really?")

Some posters from their favorite movies to add a little spice to our basement...

I hope everyone else had a great Christmas, too!

Broken Bones and Dirty Diapers

2009-01-08T18:02:00.005-07:00

Well, with 4 boys, we knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. Although, we would have never guessed that it would be this boy.

Yesterday, I heard a crash in the kitchen and found Joey, Cocoa Krispies, milk and his red barstool-chair all tangled up in each other. Joey was screaming and holding his foot. 7 hours later, he was still screaming and holding his foot. He wouldn't walk on it. I called the Doctor's office and they set us up for some x-rays which came out negative for a fracture.

Fast-forward to this afternoon...Joey is still screaming and holding his now bruised and swelling foot. He has taken a few tentative steps on his heel, but is still in a lot of pain. The Doctor called and told us that the Radiologist had reviewed the x-rays and his 3rd, 4th, and 5th metatarsals are fractured. Apparently a "buckle-fracture" is hard to see from the angle of the x-ray.

Here we have Joey telling Dad to take the cast off.

And here...

Now he's telling me to take it off.

Maybe Andrew can get this thing off?

Fine, I'll have to do it myself!

This is going to be a long few weeks.

What makes a jacket a jacket?

2009-01-04T14:29:00.002-07:00

I have observed an interesting phenomenon this last week... My sister-in-law, Jana and also, her friend Susana, being California girls, don't recognize the subtle differences between a "jacket" and a "coat." Having received a BA in Linguistics, this little semantical anomale peaked my interest. Who knew that Utahns--famous for phrases such as "might-oughtta" or "usedta-could" would have such a precise definition for different types of outerwear? It is obvious to me as a Utah native what a "coat" is and what a "jacket" is. I am pretty sure that if I showed different examples to other Utahns, the classifications would be the same. Is this because we spend so much of the year in different types of outerwear? Compared to Californians, we do.

Just a little side note: My semantics professor (Carole Georgopolous) hated the claim that the Innuit languages of Canada and Alaska have multiple words for snow because they live in the environment they do--she believes that there are no "true synonyms" and the words identify different types of snow--powdery, slushy, icy, etc.

So, back to the original question. What makes a "jacket" a "jacket" and a "coat" a "coat?" And where do "hoodie," "parka," "windbreaker," and "sweater" fit into the mix?

I would define a coat as something you wear to keep warm--when it is really cold. A jacket is for chilly weather. Just to keep off the rain or to cover your arms when you have short sleeves. Is that a good definition? You would never wear a jacket skiing and a coat is too much for a spring picnic. But, then, there are instances where it gets dicey. What about labcoat or suitcoat? Neither of them keep you particularly warm. Also, sportsjacket. And one of those puffy vests--I wouldn't call that a coat. It's more of a jacket, but it is made of the same fabric as a parka. Just no sleeves. What's that all about? How do our minds keep all these straight? Why do we as Utahns have such a fine-tuned ear for these slight sematical diffences, but still say things like, "I seen it." or "We was listening."

Hmmm...

I love to think about these types of things. So, next time you are with someone from Hawaii or Florida or somewhere that doesn't have our same seasonal changes, ask them. Then, you can ponder these semantical subleties, too.

Please feel free to share any insights on this intriguing topic... As Dave and Jana would say in their Pennsylvania vernacular, "This needs answered!"

(I apologize for my horrible spelling--as you may know, blogger doesn't have spell-check and neither does my brain)

5 days until the Sugar Bowl!

2008-12-28T21:03:00.003-07:00

How do you like our awesome jammies? Thanks, Andrea! You may have to click on the picture to see the lovely fabric...

Go UTES!!!( Make sure you turn up your speaker volume to view this post. )

Gingerbread Houses

2008-12-24T17:43:00.004-07:00

We decorated a gingerbread house this year over at the Harris'.

The best part about gingerbread houses is eating the candy. They are basically a sticky, disgusting pile of sugar and saliva. Hope the Health Inspector doesn't stop by.

Lights, Camera (well, lights anyway...)

2008-12-21T19:47:00.005-07:00

We loaded up the kids, blankeys, cocoa and headed out in search of the best Christmas Lights.

We weren't looking for the most tasteful lights, it was more like the most insane lights we wanted. You know the ones I mean. The kind that make you slam on your brakes and turn around yelling to the back seat, "Did you guys SEE that?"

I have to say that these pictures don't do justice to the crazy lighting jobs we saw. First of all because I don't know how to work my camera well enough to take great pictures in the dark, and also because there was no way to stand back far enough to get it all in.
The secret to finding these kinds of lights is to stay away from rich country club neighborhoods. Anyone who has professional lighters is automatically disqualified.
I personally think our house looks great this year. But as you can see, it is not in the running for the Moore Family Lighting Award. It's actually a little boring.

Traditionally...

2008-12-18T16:07:00.017-07:00

For some reason, people insist upon Christmas Traditions. Is it just a comfort thing? Is it because it worked so well that we want to keep doing it? Is it because our parents did it, so we do it, too? Is it part of the "old days" that we want to hang on to?
As Tevke says in Fiddler on the Roof: "Here in Anatevka, we have traditions for everything... How to sleep, how to eat... how to work... how to wear clothes. For instance, we always keep our heads covered, and always wear a little prayer shawl that shows our constant devotion to God. You may ask, "How did this tradition get started?" I'll tell you! [pause] I don't know. But it's a tradition... and because of our traditions... Every one of us knows who he is and what God expects him to do. Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions our lives would be as shaky as, as... as a fiddler on the roof!"

Well, for whatever reason, Christmas around here is steeped in tradition.

Here is our Advent calendar where we count down the days...Youngest to Oldest, of course.

We decorate every room in the house. This is my beautiful Christmas quilt that Eileen made for us when we got married. The kids all have Christmas pillowcases.

And ornaments on their bedroom doors.Everyone loves to decorate the tree.Christmas cards...Stockings hung by the chimney with care... Kitchen chairs...Cute Christmas plates... The front porch... This year, we started a new tradition. My mom and sisters and I each bought 4 pears and traded them to put in our "pear tree." How do you like my partridge? Just wait a few years, it will be awesome... We got this cute idea from Allison. This is our "Elf on the Shelf." He reports to Santa each night if kids are naughty or nice. Then he is in a different place every morning. They love finding him...

On Christmas Eve, we open a present. We have to explain that it is going to be jammies, because one year, the dissapointment was too much for one of them. I mean seriously, to look at all the presents under the tree, wait, hope and finally get to open one and have it be jammies was a little too much. This is last year's picture.

We give gifts to our neighbors and friends. The 3 big boys gave their friends "whoopie cushions" this year. Talk about something you never grow out of.

Little Joe gave his friends "play doh."because whoopie cushions aren't funny when you are still in diapers.

Christmas is so magical for the little ones. This year, Andrew has been talking so much about Santa and Baby Jesus. I have been pointing out the characters in nativity scenes we see and Joey gets so mad when I point to the baby and tell him it is Jesus. He points to Joseph and says, "Jesus." Which totally makes sense because all the pictures he has seen of Jesus are of a man with a beard--not a baby. This is my favorite decoration of all--my Nativity. I love it. My parents gave it to me a few years ago and i have been adding the pieces as they come out. Last year, I got the shepherd and his wife and child. I love that Joseph is holding the baby. I love the cool wisemen and the camel. I know we get totally pre-occupied with Santa and presents and shopping and all those things, so it is nice to be able to look at this sweet scene and remember the Savior and the real meaning of Christmas.

What are YOUR family traditions?

Christmas Decorating

2008-12-12T15:00:00.003-07:00

Well, once again it's time for the Ward Christmas Party. Lisa and I were in charge of making a "Santa area" where the kids could go and sit on Santa's lap. So, here is our blank canvas:And here is Lisa putting the finishing touches on the "Winter Wonderland." Andrew was pretty excited to tell Santa that he wants a "Spike the Dinosaur."

We've got the blues...

2008-12-05T07:41:00.005-07:00

How do you like Andrew's new look? Today was "Crazy Hair Day" at Preschool. So, needless to say, I got pretty excited. Did you know there is a whole line of Hannah Montana hair color, glitter, gel, etc? Neither did I.

I think I'm getting some pink for me. Maybe I'll try it out at Frank's work party tonight.

Turkey, anyone?

2008-11-30T08:04:00.004-07:00

Thanksgiving morning, Ed and Mimi got up early to get the turkey stuffed and in the oven...Save the neck for me, Clark.Everyone has to help. James and Ben set the table. Then, they went outside to play a little football.Um...I think it's behind you.Turkey's out, time to carve it.Alright, get your plates, line up youngest to oldest.Everything is delicious.Time for pie!

Thanks to Mimi and Ed for a great day!

Wanna see something gross?

2008-11-22T20:34:00.005-07:00

Ok, besides the fact that I am in pretty desperate need of a pedicure, that little purple piggie is broken. I'm pretty sure it is. It is kind of bent and swollen and kills! But that's not the weird part. I broke it a long time ago and it has been numb for years. Whenever I wear a certain height of heels, it pops up and down because it isn't hooked in right. But, the other day when I fell and banged it, it started to hurt. Yeah, pretty bad. Ok, worse than bad. You know how professional athletes can't play with a broken toe? Well, that's because every step causes them to see stars and cry for their mommy. Anyway, so my piggie is in excruciating pain. So, does that mean it is better now that I can feel it again? Am I going to be able to wear my black pumps without that weird popping? It's kind of one of those "Falls down a well, eyes go crossed, gets kicked by a mule, eyes go back,"things. So, I'm thinking that even though I want to curl up in the fetal position every time I go up the stairs, that years-old injury is going to be fixed once this little guy starts to feel better! I'm basically a medical marvel.
Talk about the glass being half full.

Who am I, Sir?

2008-11-22T20:23:00.005-07:00

It's Rivalry Weekend! Everywhere you look, you can see fans supporting their team.Check out what our neighbor, Mark Chapman had on his lawn!

Somehow this big "U" ended up on our BYU loving neighbors' (The Reeds) garage. Hee-hee!While the big boys went to the game with Frank, Andrew, Joey and I went to the Fankhausers with Grandma and Grandpa for a little football party.

James and Ben rushed the field after the game with Frank. I think I am going to have a giant piece of goal post in my yard.

A...U...Tah...Man...Am...I!!!

Check out those pearly whites!

2008-11-21T11:37:00.003-07:00

James got his braces off today. Here he is with Dr. Young, the Orthodontist.

Good-bye, Tin Grin! Hello Super Smile!Is he handsome or what?

Twilight--the wait is over!

2008-11-21T07:20:00.003-07:00

So, last night, some girlfriends and I went down to the gateway and saw the opening night Twilight movie. We had to get tickets over a month ago. It's been sold out for weeks. Our showtime was 12:20 a.m.First of all, it was totally crowded. Thank goodness for reserved seating. I couldn't believe how many people were there. Secondly, we were basically the oldest people there. Most of the girls (there were hardly any guys there) were about 15. People were dressed up, selling t-shirts and there was a serious amount of screaming during the movie whenever a certain vampire came on screen. I'm not a movie critic and I hate it when someone gets on their blog the day after and spoils something like a movie or Harry Potter book, so, all I'm going to say about it is that it was totally fun to go and stay out all night with a bunch of moms. Also, they should have cast me and David Beckham as the leads in the movie. So, this post may or may not have made any sense, I'm going on 2 hours of sleep...

The Boss

2008-11-16T21:23:00.005-07:00

You know what's cool? Bruce Springsteen. Not just the usual definition of cool. I mean the classic kind of cool. He's a veteran of cool. Sorry all you popular teen idols, This guy defined cool before you were even out of diapers. And he's still doing it.We just let the kids stay up late watching the E-Street band perform in Barcelona. I mean how awesome is it to go to any city in the world, sing for a sold out audience where everyone in the audience knows every single word to your songs. That's the life of the Boss. Besides being a political activist, philanthropist and voice of Blue-collar America, he totally ROCKS! I saw an interview with him a few years ago in New York. The interviewer was asking him what he was going to do that night in the Big City. He told him that he promised his kids he'd take them to Beauty and the Beast. I told you he was cool.
I will refer you back to the last few years' LAME Superbowl halftime shows. After each performance was over, I said, "They should have Springsteen play next year. That's someone that football fans would really like." Apparently the NFL has finally taken my advice. Superbowl party at my house. Just no walking in front of the TV when the Boss is on the screen--You'll be hit upside the head by a flying plate of Nachos!

Frank's home!

2008-11-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad that Frank is home and safe. Here is a follow up post to the one from last week where I was unsure whether or not he'd remember my order from Russia. I love my Russian nesting dolls. Thanks, Frank!

Weather surprise

2008-11-13T15:41:00.001-07:00

I walked outside today and saw this:So I ran back in and grabbed my camera. Isn't it cool? What makes the clouds do that? I know it has to do with high pressure, temperature, etc. But, meteorological explanations aside, It looks amazing! I'm glad I hurried and took a picture, because it was gone a few minutes later.

School Pictures

2008-11-12T12:26:00.006-07:00

I can't believe the difference one year makes.

I still had to hold Joey on the stool, though...

I'll be taking orders for copies--grandma's, cousins, friends, cute girls, I know you're all going to want one of these cuties.

Just let me know--As usual, I bought tons of them.

Bette Davis Eyes

2008-11-06T06:47:00.002-07:00

This kid cracks me up!

Flexing my Democratic muscles...

2008-11-04T16:36:00.005-07:00

Decision 2008: There are a lot of things going on in America that drive me crazy--I hate this stupid war, the continued existence of NASA, low pay for teachers... There is a lot of behind the scenes unethical stuff that happens in Washington and everywhere we have Bureaucrats and the nonsense that comes with them. But I also have the ability and the responsibility to do something about it. I can vote. There are few things that give me as much patriotic pride as this. We have such an amazing legacy of Democracy left to us by the people who fought in wars and courtrooms for this right. I think we take this duty for granted and don't see it as a privlige, but more like something we just might get around to. It has only been a few years since Iraq had its first election where people risked their lives to go and vote. They were so grateful to be able to have a say in their government that it was worth it to them to possible die for it. Frank told me that a few weeks ago, a full military colorguard and the pilots of his plane stood at attention at the cargo door reverently saluting a flag-covered coffin which was being loaded aboard. I just think of what a sacrifice that soldier made and so many others for freedom. My vote counts just as much as George Bush's or Kevin Bacon's or anyone's. Every vote is important. Whether or not you feel passionate about any of the candidates, just get out there and let your voice be heard!

It's really important for our kids to know how lucky they are. I hope they never hear us say that our votes don't matter or that it's a waste of time.

We're having a little election ourselves tonight. The dessert ballot has 2 candidates--who will win?

Can you tell who was victorious? Mmmm...Brownies. I think the scales were a little tipped, because chocolate will always win.

And I promise that my next post will be a little more light-hearted.

And they're off!

2008-11-01T19:02:00.005-06:00

Trick-or-treating was not a family activity this year.
Ben went with some of his friends... James had a few friends over for a movie--they ended up going Trick-or-treating, too.Andrew went with Jack and Spencer. It was pretty funny. He had a hole in his bag from dragging it. I'm sure there was a little trail of candy behind him all night. At least his bag never got too heavy.

I took Joey down the street, but he didn't get too far. He just wanted to go home and eat all the candy that was sitting in a basket in our living room. He was the smart one. Why go to all that work?

So, here they are in their last Hallowe'en picture of 2008: Mad-eye Moody, David Beckham, Indiana Jones, Little Chickie and Hula-dancing Daisy.

Hope your Halloween was great, too. Now we all just have to deal with our Candy Hangovers! So, what do you all do with all the candy you end up with after Halloween?

Zdravstvujte

2008-10-30T10:42:00.003-06:00

Privet--

Frank has been in Russia for a few days. I sent him with specific instructions to take lots of pictures and to get me a Matrushka doll. Here is the only picture he took. Actually, I guess someone else took it of him. It is of the WW2 Memorial in St. Petersburg.

Not a great picture, but, what can you do? I wonder who is in the van behind him? KGB?

I hope he did a better job with the nesting dolls assignment.

Do svidaniya

Trick-or-Treat! Smell my feet!

2008-10-29T15:09:00.007-06:00

Learning about Jack-o'-Lanterns made me curious about other Halloween traditions. I mean seriously, why do we dress up in costumes? Apparently people used to wear masks to confuse evil spirits. That way they wouldn't be cursed with disease or famine or other misfortune. Obviously, since there were so many evil spirtits out on Hallowe'en night, a costume was a must.There are differing opinions regarding the history of Trick-or-Treating. Maybe they are all true. Some sources tell of a huge feast on the night of "Samhain." The party planning committee would go around from house to house asking for donations of food or money to help with the festivities. I guess this was before "pot luck."

In parts of England, the poor would go from house to house begging for soul cakes or money. They would promise to say prayers for your soul depending on how many cakes you gave them. This was a good deal because no matter who said the prayers, (even strangers) the more prayers you had said for you, the faster you got into heaven.

I don't know if any of you have ever seen the movie, "Meet me in St. Louis"? There is a part where the kids go around on Halloween and when someone answers the door, they throw flour in his face making him a ghost. I don't know what that is all about. Anyone?

Anyway, until recently, children would dress up and try to scare their neighbors on Hallowe'en Night. Eventually, the tradition of offering a treat to visitors developed and it seems to have combined with the idea of begging at the door, because now, the children in the costumes have become the beggars. Pretty interesting, huh?

Also, I found out that the tradition of bobbing for apples dates back to Roman times to honor a goddess. I don't know which one, but I'm guessing Aphrodite because it seems kind of like a pagan fertility type of thing. I'm sure Dave will know...

Ok, so enough of my Hallowe'en know-it-all-ness...

Happy Hallowe'en, Everyone!

Carving it up

2008-10-27T21:32:00.006-06:00

If there is ever a smell that brings back memories of youth, it is the aroma de pumpkin innards. Why do we carve pumpkins? Well, I actually did a little research and found that it is an old Celtic tradition centered around the day of "Samhain" (pronounced: sow wan) Other cultures call it the day of the dead. But, the premise is basically the same. It was believed that the veil between the dead and living was thinnest on this night.

Radishes, potatoes or gourds were carved and burning coals-later replaced by candles-were placed inside to ward off evil spirits who were roaming about. It also served the practical purpose of a light for the front porch when visitors came by; Because it wasn't just evil spirits who were traveling between realms, but also loved ones. So, the night was celebrated as a sort of "Memorial Day" for honoring ancestors with the unfortunate side effect of the malevolent ghosts causing havoc and frightening the good citizens. As these traditions were carried to the Americas, they found pumpkins bigger and easier to hollow out and carve.

Why are they called Jack-o-Lanterns? Has anyone ever heard the story of "Stingy Jack?" Well, then, I will tell you. Jack was a horrible, selfish, cruel person. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree and placed crosses all around the bottom of the tree. The devil was trapped. In exchange for his freedom, Jack made the devil promise not to take his soul to Hell when he died. The devil agreed. However, when Stingy Jack died, his soul wasn't allowed into Heaven because of what a terrible life he had led. He tried to get into Hell, but the devil kept his promise and Jack is now forced to wander the earth with no resting place. He carries a carved turnip and an ember that the devil tossed to him when he complained of no light. He is "Jack-of-the-Lantern."

How do our pumpkins look? Will they work? Are they enough to keep away the evil spirits and Jack-o'-Lantern this year? I hope so. Maybe they will even keep away Trick-or-Treaters! We'll see....

Is it a gaggle?

2008-10-27T08:37:00.001-06:00

So, what do you call a group of dorks? A herd? A pod? A flock? A hive? You may just call it the Moore Family. We saw this cool wall and I asked Allison to take our picture by it--so, she got us all set up in the right place and that's when all heck broke loose... Joey was kicking Ben, Andrew was crying and James was just embarassed. I couldn't stop laughing. I guess this typifies our family. It's a pretty good picture to represent what we are really like. I'll have to post some more pictures. She did some AWESOME ones where we are less like a colony of dorks. Stay tuned, you may see some of them in upcoming posts.

Just as a little matter of information, after I finished this post, I was curious about other animal grouping names. If you are curious, too, check out this website. I am always fascinated by things like this...http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Pointless/AnimalGroups.html

Take this--point it at anything that slithers!

2008-10-24T08:52:00.003-06:00

Indiana Jones... I always knew someday you'd come walking back through my door--
Thanks again to Allison for these pics.

A riddle for you...

2008-10-22T08:44:00.004-06:00

Q. Why did the chicken cross the road?1. To get to the other side?
2. Because there was candy on the other side?
3. Because he was publically humiliated and wanted to find someone to get the chicken suit off him?
4. Basic Chicken instinct.
5. All of the above

P.S. Thanks to Allison for taking this cute picture!

I've got you...Under my skin.

2008-10-16T09:41:00.002-06:00

If you haven't been to Body Worlds, don't even talk to me until you have. Seriously, it's basically the coolest thing ever. It's an exhibition down at the Leonardo that uses REAL HUMAN BODIES! I was a little worried that I would be squeamish or that it would be more "artsy" than educational. Not the case! It was presented so well.

And it is unbelievable. I was just amazed the whole time by how incredible my body is. Not in the same way that Cindy Crawford's body is incredible... More like until I actually saw all of the organs, nerves, blood vessels, arteries, muscles, bones, etc. and how they work together and how amazing they are, I really took it all for granted. Well, not anymore, my friend. I've always been pretty good about making sure we eat healthy, but now, exercise is going to be playing a more prominent role in the Moore family.
James, Ben and I are posing in the rain and appreciating our amazing bodies. That's right. You, too have a beautiful and amazing body, so take care of it!

Daaa..da-da-dum..Daaa..dum..

2008-10-12T09:01:00.000-06:00

James and Daisy have been spending their Monday evenings at Doggie Obedience School. Here is the picture they took on the last day of class. By "they," I mean the Petsmart people, not James and Daisy. Notice James' hat was inconspicuously placed on the chair behind him right before the picture was taken. Obedience School adheres to the same theory as Utah public school as far as moving you up to the next level whether you have mastered this one or not. But, as long as she can sit and go in her house and stop scratching the back door, we are happy.

Shhh....

2008-10-10T22:00:00.000-06:00

I spent the last few weeks scanning in all of our old negatives onto my hard drive with Nate's awesome scanner. It is so fun to see all these old pictures. I noticed so many similarities between all of my boys.
For instance, they can sleep ANYWHERE! I remember once when we were shopping for a bed for James and the salesman tried to talk us into a super-deluxe-expensive mattress. Frank looked at him and told him that we've found James asleep on the stairs before. So, forget your sales pitch, buster!

Can you tell them apart? I am surprised that I had to figure it out on a few of them. They really do look alike.

I saved this one for last--yes, James is really asleep.

Teething is painful...and a little funny

2008-10-09T08:50:00.000-06:00

Joey has been teething, which means that he doesn't want to eat and spends his time drooling and screaming. Last night, I got him some banana bread and set him in his chair. He screamed and screamed that he didn't want it. "No! No! NO!!!" But, the problem is, he really did want it, but he is a proud (and stubborn) boy. How could he swallow his pride and accept the offered banana bread without looking like he was giving in?
This was his ingenious solution. When he thought Frank and I had forgotten about it, he sat and ate with his eyes closed. That way, we couldn't see him. He managed to eat his banana bread and still maintain his cool. We just kept talking and pretended we didn't notice, but we were trying pretty hard not to laugh.

It's getting a little SPOOKY around here...

2008-10-07T10:31:00.000-06:00

The other day, we got out our Halloween decorations. It was especially fun this year because we went out of town last year. The kids love looking at all the cheesy stuff and putting it around the house. I hear,"Oh, yeah! I remember this..." over and over. I think my flash is not working because these pictures didn't turn out great. Hopefully some day the kids will look back at this post and think it is fun to see all of this stuff.

This is our little card game that I made a long time ago when I was teaching ESL. The kids say "Trick-or-Treat" instead of "Go fish."

We went with playgroup to Gardiner Village to see the witches. I was reminded of all the times we've gone there. It seems like we do the same things again and again every year. Why is that? Tradition? Because it's comfortable? Because we can't think of anything else to do?

Here's just a little taste of past Halloweens with the "Moore Family Halloweenies":

I can't wait to get some pictures of this year! The kids are pretty excited about their costumes.

Peaches, Peaches, Peaches!

2008-10-02T08:52:00.000-06:00

It's peach season and we are loving it. Our neighbors, the Ali's, invited us over to pick peaches since it is Ramadan and they are too tired from fasting all day to do that kind of thing. So, we got a bunch from them. Then two other neighbors showed up with big baskets full of peaches for us. How nice is that?

So, we've had peach cobbler, peach jam, peach crepes, peach shakes, peaches and milk, plain peaches...It's been great. Just when we were getting sad that we were out of peaches, Lisa Jacobs showed up with her famous peach pie!

What a treat. Thanks, neighbors the last few weeks have been just PEACHY.