entrepreneurs

some guys have been paving our street over the last couple of days.
my kids have been thinking hard for ways to make some money.
they came up with a great plan and made a lemonade stand!


(and used up my bottle of lemon juice to make it with!)
I think they did alright.

just minutes before this picture, three guys were buying some lemonade,
but my card was full, and it took me a bit to delete the pictures, and get ready to take more,
but if you look closely, you can see a cup in the worker guys hand across the street!

I am betting they will spend everything they made on candy.
heck, that is what I would have done when I was a kid!- headed down to the smokes and gifts store down the street, and bought some chocolate bars. nice, right?

part 2 (invlolves lots of pictures!)

while in Saskatchewan-
(we really went because I had the three youngest in swimming lessons-
but didn't take any pictures of that!)
we went to the town museum to take some pictures.
oh boy, did I have some fun!

here's Jed-

sweet little Mags-

handsome Jack-

a shot I adore of us girls!

(thanks Leanne!)

Sades and Jules- bcf (best cousins forever!)

stunning Sadie-

crazy Ben-



good times!

man, that school house had such beautiful lighting. I wanted to stay there and set up a studio.

loved it!

road trip: part 1

The Drive-
long (about 4 1/2 hours)- so not too bad. Maggie is the best little traveller ever!
lots of bugs on the windshield.

the boys had to stop a few times to relieve themselves. but the girls never had to. silly boys.

I had them all get out and jump. I am surprised I actually caught them all in the air!

man, having a kid with his learners license is crazy.

letting him drive is scary.

the amount of whining coming out of his mouth when he wasn't driving and wanted to drive was immensly annoying.

yikes.

we made it there safely, thank goodness and had a great week.

check back for part 2.

sure to be very exciting.

or maybe not.

it was saskatchewan after all!

little glass

a cute little glass-
otherwise known as a shot glass.
but I am not a drinker, so I don't need it for that,
but it is so cute-
and perfect for this-


flowers that the girls bring in after helping our neighbor with her garden.

another use for those little glasses was made known to me last week.
Cory and I went out to dinner with some folks from his work,
one of the ladies retired-
and at this restaurant, they had on their dessert menu- little shots of different kinds of desserts!
brilliant idea- for those people- like me, who love just a bit of sweetness at the end of their meal, but don't want a whole dessert. simply brilliant.
(but Cory and I shared a piece of cheese cake, and it was delicious. but sometime I will have to try one. or just serve myself a cute little shot glass of dessert at home. when there aren't any flowers in it any more!)

a story of a fine summer day

we got a phone call from a sweet friend, she was going to the legislature grounds, did we want to come?
for sure we did!


the girls played in the pools,
the boys chased each other around like maniacs.
I managed to get this group shot of us-



then attempted some shots of just the kids-

which turned into this-

then we walked back to our van-

and this made my heart mushy-

and we stopped on the way home for some refreshments.


and that was a good summer day!

disaster zone

it is right now 7:54 am monday morning.

I got up early (er) and went on a bike ride. (yay, me!)

now I am sitting at my computer, and smelling a yucky banana smell,

and trying desperately to avoid the disaster zone that is my house.

you know,

when no spot is clear. - any flat surface is covered with stuff. counters, dressers, floors, tables. everywhere

you have to walk around stuff everywhere.

(and hold your breath at some spots- like when you are on the computer and smelling old bananas. yuck.)

the kids are all still sleeping. And I will keep it like that as long as I can.

and then hopefully I can enlist them in the fight against mess.

(but only if I have a big reward at the end. I know how my kids roll.)

or it might be easier to send them downstairs or outside and tackle it myself.

(yes indeed, I know how my kids roll.)

I was wondering if I should get started before they wake up,

but I think I will enjoy the calm before the storm!

this week-

-the girls went to a primary party where they made kites, so we had to go try them out again afterwards!

-the weather has been so hot!

-so lucky we got to go to the beach with our cousins!

-Jed had basketball camp every day

-Jack is at scout camp.

- boy, is it quiet around here with only 3 kids all day

(especially when one of them sleeps half of the day!)

I think next week will be a shock- with all the kids home all day!

a cut

before:after:I love it-

but sadly, it will never look this way again.

you know how it is. once you wash it, it is over. that new hair cut look.

so I will love it while I can.

and not wash my hair for a while!

(when I walked in the house maggie about started crying saying she does not like my new hair do. everyone else likes it- so far!- but I haven't seen Cory or Jed yet. we shall see what the verdict is. )

and the winner is:

#1.
I spray painted the frame, but now I am thinking it probably would have looked better in the natural wood.
but, I hope to have a small collage of other pictures and things all in white frames, so we will have to see how it all evolves!

July 1=

(yep, another picture I picked up at a garage sale and chalkboarded! - it is addicting)

I think Maggie is a super model. she knows how to work it!

what? doesn't every parade have a hearse with gross things on top?

well, ours does!

(I was just hoping it wasn't for a funeral home. how not appropriate! it was for a play that the local theater group is putting on. nice.)

and man, we got connections! the best aunt ever brought a big inflatable jumpy thing for the kids to play on - and it was a huge hit! so much fun!

We love Canada!

nothing important!

-summer time is here!

- yesterday the junior high had an awards ceremony- I went not knowing if my boys were getting anything, but they both got honors, and Ben got top mark in Social Studies! Jack also got second place in the science fair and got a back pack with some goodies in it- like a family pass for 4 to our local museum. I guess we have to pick which kids to bring! haha

-I love when a family pass really means a family pass- no matter how many kids you have! not everyone has only 2 kids. there are some crazy parents out there who have more- like maybe 5!

I know, crazy!

-the picture I selected (with your help) of the girls is waiting to be picked up- hopefully today I can get it and put it in the frame! so exciting!

-I started a button reward thingy for the summer- the kids earn buttons by doing jobs, and even brushing their teeth-- (because I know in the summer some things just get forgotten) then they can cash them in for candy and other such stuff.

some kids went gung ho, like for instance, Jed, who kept asking me what he could do for more buttons. and others not so much. like ben. who brushed his teeth. thank goodness for that!

could be interesting!

- we will see how excited they are about it today. I think it might fizzle out soon, so I am trying to come up with all the things I have put off and not done in a long time- like Jed scrubbed down the table and chairs good, and Jack filled in nail holes in the window casings, (and will hopefully paint them today!) I need to start thinking of some good jobs for today.

the last day

This is how Jack feels today.

(he is just suppressing the joy!)

-actually this is more how I feel today.

5 kids home all day, every day. yikes!

this is how Jack really feels-
and how I feel about sleeping in- and not having to wake up kids every day!

it will be good.

(and Jack is such a good sport!)

drab to fab!

I was a little excited when I saw this picture and frame at a garage sale!

but it wasn't priced.

(why can't people price their stuff? I hate having to ask how much stuff is, so I generally just don't buy anything! -am I the only one?)

but for this item I asked. the lady said $5.

sold.

is it not lovely?

no, not really.

the frame is actually a plastic. it is so light!

so, I grabbed some red spray paint I already had-

(plus I just couldn't decide on another color- I wanted to paint it something fun.

I can always repaint later. when I decide on a super fun color.)

and I sprayed that frame.

then I painted over the picture-

with some chalkboard paint.

and now the girls have a gorgeous chalkboard hanging in their room.

(I love Maggie's butterflies. whenever she asks me what she should draw, I always say butterflies! love.)

someday I want to hang it somewhere more central, and put different quotes,

or birthday messages,

or menus,

or other such fun stuff,

but for now,

it will hang in the girls room!

fun stuff indeed.

a poll

so, I want to get an enlargement made for the girls room, and was considering one of these 2 pictures, but I am not sure which one I like more.

I would love some more opinions, so please, let me know which one you like the most, by telling me

1. (which is this one)
or 2.

(which would be this one!)
thanks for helping an indecisive girl out!

oh, the gall

(picture from prettysmartblog.wordpress.net)

so, our city has decided to help "revitalize the down town core" and have a big old city wide garage sale on Saturday.

of course this saturday.

when we need to be gone - two different places most of the day,

a cousins baptism, chief scout award ceremony, both in the morning,

the kids piano recital in the afternoon.

sheesh. all good things, to be sure, but lots of garage sales, and even tables lining the streets! you never know what you might find.

I will console myself by thinking it is all worthless junk.

(and maybe I will go out this afternoon, and see if I can find any that are starting early!)

lesson learned

well, I learned a lesson this weekend-

(and I think my kids did too)

that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

even though looking back, yes, it was silly, I did it, and will share, just so you all don't make the same mistake- even though I know you are all smarter than me, and never would in the first place, but just don't make fun of me, okay?

so, on the radio I heard and ad-

something about your kid starring in the latest movie, or tv show, and call this 1-800 number, and get a slot to come and try out- etc, etc.

well, as a kid, I think I might have loved that chance (or not, I was kind of shy) but I thought it would be so fun to try..

so I called, and got a slot,

so on Saturday, Jed and Sadie and Maggie and I dressed up nice- just like they told us,

and headed out.

the line was big, the room was full.

it seemed pretty professional.

the kids had to read a little 'commercial' thing while they taped it, to see how they were in front of a camera.

Sadie was not so good. read the paper- didn't look up,

but Jed rocked it. he has some talent!

they said they would call everyone the next day to see if you made the cut, and they wanted some to come back and do another try the next day.

Jed was stoked.

I got home, really read the pamphlet they handed out, checked the website, did some googling,

and yep- I think it was all a scam. they said it was for an acting school- you pay some money, and they will teach you how to become an actor, then you may get some great parts.

but the funny thing was, nowhere was there any info about where this school, or classes were. when? no clue. who is teaching? nothing. suspicious.

so anyways,

I was not surprised to receive no call the next day.

I hope they were found out, and run out of town.

but- you were supposed to take 2 pictures of your kids there- so I did get a nice shot of Jed.

so there you go. if you ever hear that ad, just ignore it.

and maybe Jed will be discovered by a real agency some day.

you never know.

and there you go.

to good to be true.

sunny day

the sun is shining today!

(it has been far too long)

I think I am going to hang out outside for most of the day-

to soak up some fantastic vitamin D!

and play with this sweet little girl
we went to a little kindergarten open house thing yesterday, so the kids could look around-

man, she is so ready.

I thought I was, but it might be harder than I thought.

at least I have all summer to get tired of her!

haha.

wants

I want my kids to be kinder to one another.

not sure how to get that to come about- I feel like I am constantly telling them to stop, or to be nice, or to treat others like you want to be treated. it's just not sinking in too far.

I want my kids to be good kids,

but this is what I am stuck with-

hoodlums.

yikes.

(jk- he picked up the paint can from the ground, and was just pretending. they are actually pretty good kids!)

mess

The weather is so messed up lately,

-very much like my house.

I can't do anything about the weather,

but I can do something about my house.

so-today my sticky floors will be mopped,

my laundry mountain will be tackled,

and my vacuum will get a nice work out.

and by the time Cory gets home from work, I am pretty sure my house will look like I didn't do a thing to it.

yuck.

but at least I will not stick to the floor for a little while.

that will be nice.

I had better get on it.

busy

I feel like I have been so busy lately.

busy knitting, and crocheting, getting things ready for a special event,

-my craft room is a serious disaster, I can hardly get in it without tripping over something, but once this thing is done with, I can focus on cleaning.

okay, not totally, but enough that it is safe to walk in! yikes.

-today the sun actually shone, so I went out and planted some tomatoes!- I bought them last week, but it has been raining- (and snowing) and frosting, so I hadn't planted them yet. I am hoping for warm weather from here on out!

I can hardly wait for them to grow!
(these are obviously not mine- but hopefully mine will be just like them in a couple of months)

and last week my neighbor came over and helped with our garden- cleaning out the old stuff- she is such a great lady. she kept raving about our dirt. apparently it is pretty nice.

so today I also planted some carrots, radishes, onions, zucchini, cucumbers- and a pot of herbs.

I really hope they all grow. In the past stuff in our back garden hasn't really grown well- I don't think it gets enough sun- but it could have just been all those weeds choking them out!

my fingers are crossed.

seminary is over- yay!

so I am up later reading! and sleeping in later. so nice.

the calendar is getting filled up with end of the year school stuff. so fun. and busy.

good times around here!

happy and sad

a little bit ago, a sweet friend of mine called-

one of her dogs was not doing well at all, and she wondered if I would take some pictures of him and their family before he had to go,

and I was so happy to do that for her.

we headed to a park, and took some shots-

this was one of my favorites of them all-
they are all just so cute.

such a great family, I am glad to know them.

love you guys!

graffiti

every time we drive to the big city, we pass over a bridge.

sometimes I catch a glimpse of some cool graffiti that is under that bridge.

for a long time now I have wanted to take my boys there and take some pictures.

well, yesterday the boys told me they wanted some pictures-

by the graffiti.

how could I refuse.

so we drove down, parked somewhere we probably weren't supposed to,

walked on the train tracks and through some mud,

and took some pictures.

good times.

those are some cool dudes.

(and that was some very sweet graffiti.- only a few bad words.)

look out trees-

ben just got his learners license!

yikes.

I suspected as much

back a couple of episodes ago,

when Mr. Shu was having some fun,

and he was with that lady from Vocal Adrenalin,

I thought she looked an awful lot like Rachel-
lo and behold, she is her mother.

(but not in real life- although she totally could be. they are twinners)

yep, I am a gleek. now you know.

stuff

6more days of seminary.

why did it seem to drag all year, and now these last few weeks are flying by?

Now that all the tv shows are ending, I will actually be able to stay up and watch later tv shows!

yikes. I mean yay!

a local radio station had a contest last week- sing your way to LA, and they had two callers sing a song from glee, and then they picked one to be entered in a draw to win tickets to go to LA this weekend, and see a live glee concert. - so I called in, sang, and won!

I was so excited all week, thinking about my trip to LA.

but then they picked the winner yesterday and I didn't win. so very sad.

but if you listen to easy rock, and you hear the little commercial thing they play about the contest, that is me singing Sweet Caroline! funny.

and sad that I didn't win.

if you see Jack ask him what I looked like when I was singing on the phone. it is quite funny.

( I haven't heard the commercial thing yet today, so maybe they are done playing it- I guess I had my tiny bit of fame.)

science fair for the junior high kids is tomorrow.

I predict we will be up late getting it finished up.

I will tell you all about them when they are done!- I think they did pretty interesting projects.

Jed is already thinking up ideas for 2 years from now. funny kid.

the weather has been so hot here the last 2 days! nice.

my neighbor has volunteered to come and help me with my gardens. so nice.

or she is just so tired of seeing the ugliness.

either way, I am excited.

and those are my thoughts. such excitement around here!

the day has come

it happened.

Ben got a cell phone.

we did not get him a cell phone.

(I still think he doesn't need one- but we always said our kids could have one when they could pay for it) so, he got himself one.

and this is how he has been since Saturday-

I think his thumbs will be cramping up soon.

wow. back in my day we had to write notes on paper, and pass them .

or just not communicate all the time!

how did we make it through?

(really, I think we were better off.)

but maybe that's just me.

cell phones, face book- yikes. don't get me started!

if every day were mother's day

man, do I wish every day were mother's day.

or I wish it was more than once a year.

because my boys, and Cory, made dinner.

and every time I heard Cory ask any of them to do something,

they did it right away.

with no whining.

wow.

that doesn't happen every day.
and boy, did they set things up fancy.
candles,

and a table cloth.

that doesn't happen every day either!

it was a happy mother's day.

(and a very yummy supper.)

my mom

my mom is not close to me right now.

in fact she is a day ahead of me, and across the world,
her and my dad are serving a mission in the Phillipines!
I think it is close to one of the last places she would choose to go,

but she was called by a Prophet, to serve the Lord, and the people,

so she went.

and I love her for it.

and the great example she is,

and has been throughout my whole life.

Happy Mother's day, mom. even though it was yesterday for you!

(I borrowed this picture off of the mission president's blog. so fun to see what they are up to)

I dig it.

When I asked her if she was digging a hole to China-

she said no- to the Phillipines, so see Grandma and Grandpa.

a direct route to there in my back yard would be sweet.

dig on.

yuck

this snow needs to go away soon, because my toes are getting cold in my flip flops.

and that just won't do!