State Track Meet at BYU

Lelu took 2nd place in the mile run. She ran it in 6:33. The girl in green back there told Lelu at the beginning she would probably beat her - so Lelu's fiery spirit took over and she passed the greenie girl up with the girl frantically trying not to let her. The girl who took first is a year older than Lelu and is Nationally ranked. Just give Lelu time, she just seems to get faster. It never fails, I tear up every time I see her running across the finish line.

D ran his first heat nearly coughing up a lung with the bronchitis he hasn't been able to shake since the week long. I took a photo but it is so blurry it's not worth posting.

Boating Fun!

Lelu & Morgan would like to get off this wild ride!

It surely pays to have friends with Toys. We went up to East Canyon lake last weekend for the day. We all had a great time. It was really hot (but the water was freezing). That doesn't seem to affect the kids. We went with the Maxwells, whose kids are Lelu and Mr. T's best buddies. They were breaking in new wave runners for Lake Powell and we were all too happy to help them. Esp. me. I much prefer to be in control of a wave runner than to be pulled at random by people whose goal it is to give you Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. D bet Sharon "the mom" that she couldn't knock him off the tube for 3 minutes. Not only did she knock him off in 1 minute, but she gave us all whiplash and nausea riding in the boat. D is now on a mission to convince B that we need a boat.......If it were up to me, I'd rather have wave runners but don't tell D.

I Just Don't Like the Number 40! But it Came Anyway.

I had lunch with most my friends. It was a great day. I felt very blessed. Christina came up to hang out and ended up helping me organize my office - it's such a relief and I am very grateful.

B arranged for flowers & a cake to be delivered!

Cherie & Kelly announced via my garage to the neighborhood - also balloons were about the trees.

Then to top it all off - B planned a surprise party for me at a restaurant when he got back. No one happened to bring a camera and my cell phone takes crappy photos with no flash. So I'll just have to paint a picture with my words- B took my cell phone, copied down all my numbers and called all my friends two weeks in advance before he left and invited them & spouses and everyone kept so quiet about it. I had NO IDEA! ....And Christina came back. I couldn't believe it. I have the most awesome amazing loving husband. 19 years and he just keeps getting better. I told him about 4 months ago that I would love to have a dinner party with the husbands since all us girls get together all the time but rarely with our husbands. He took note and it was really really really cool. Thanks to everyone and their birthday wishes too. I'm not sure what it means that "40 is the new 30" - but that seems to be the phrase of choice. If anyone can shed light on that I'd be happy to hear it.

The Massive Macho 50 Mile Hike! Glad I'm a Girl.

This one was in Navajo country on the border of AZ & UT. I wanted D to write about their adventure - but he's far too "busy" (distracted) to help me out. So here's a synopsis from my perspective as told to me by the boys. On average they got 4 hrs of sleep per night - not so good for B - he needs his sleep. But they are all very macho! They went on splits
with the missionaries and by D's excitement telling me about it, I think he really enjoyed it. B had the realization that he doesn't much care for heights. Just like my aversion to flying: I am not scared for other people to fly for my plane is the only one that is vulnerable. B wasn't worried about everyone else on the ropes - he just thought on his turn the rope may not hold. Yuck and he didn't even have any Xanax! One canyon was full of water and yet they plowed through with slight hypothermia. 1500 feet rappells; hiking through sand carrying 80 lb back packs; freezing in the shade; baking in the sun; spiritual devotionals every morning (although I haven't got the scoop on those); only 2 injuries the first day. I missed them a lot - esp since they missed my 40th birthday. So glad they came home safe and sound.

A Hike

My boys are my sleepers, which I find to be ironic since you all know B is not a sleeper & I am. The boys were still sleeping while B, Me Ari, Lelu & Izzie took a hike. I think Izzie was carried as much as hiking, Ari took just a few breaks (like her outfit?) and Lelu worried herself sick because the weekend before she, B and D went mountain biking and she stopped on the trail at the same time a rattle snake decided to slide off the mountain directly next to her. Thank heavens B stopped too and noticed the snake sliding towards her and with rapid reflexes lifted her up and away to safety. In her mind, now all mountains have rattle snakes lurking everywhere. Frightening, it's going to take some total immersion mountain time to get here over it-- if she ever does.

The Shack

It has become a self fulfilled prophecy naming it "the shack". We went up there for a quick weekend and the chimney had tipped over - so no heat. The water on the mountain has been drained in order to work on it - so no water. The power was left on somewhere and it was overcast - so no solar powered electricity. AND the snow broke something in the propane connection - so no cooking ability. But isn't our meadow beautiful right now?

Just a little side note - this morning my water heater was leaking all over, my garage door broke (both have to be replaced) and there is a beeping smoke detector that we CANNOT find going off - all in time for B and D to take off for a week! Nothing that can't be fixed but what a pain fixing it all!

Performances galore!

Lelu played a hostess from a QVC type channel in the fifth grade play about the American Revolution. She definitely had the most feminine of the roles in there. Her BFF played Paul Revere. I don't want to say she was typecast - but the part fit her very well. The whole play was very entertaining but I wish they would have opened it up to guests other than parents (there was limited room) and they performed at 9 am.

Lelu as a Parisian Ballet Dancer! It's amazing how many zillions of parents are willing to sit at a recital for 3 1/2 hours to watch their child for exactly 90 seconds. Because let's face it - none of us want to watch a bunch of other kids. Our child is always the star and the rest of them are just time wasters;)

D In His Final Role At The Middleschool

This was the last play of D's ninth grade year. Called "Kamelot-Kontinued" written by the students. There was a bit of drama attached to the writing of it. Apparently some of the content was "offensive" to an anonymous critic. While they were rehearsing, somebody wrote an anonymous letter threatening to have the theatre teacher fired if they performed the play as is. There was some cross dressing and sissy femme boy characters in it. Not D's part - he was King Arty. So they rewrote some of it and ad-libbed a lot of it. What do you expect from a bunch of 9th graders writing a play? There was still cross dressing & sissy characters (just toned down?) - but I enjoyed it MUCH more than "Pedagogy Project" or "Voices of the Holocaust". The students at the school were far more entertained by this one too. D was in his element with a lot of physical comedy and the bruises to prove it.

"The Optimists Creed"

This was written in the early 1900's - I LOVE IT - and wanted to share it.....................


I Promise Myself:
To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true
To think only the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature I meet.
To give so much time to improving myself that I have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, so long as I am true to the best that is in me.
Christian D. Larson

Happy Mother's day to "The Second Mom's"

Barton and the kids did a great job making me feel loved yesterday. But as I thought about it - I've been very blessed with other fantastic women who have loved and helped me take care of my own kids. So to Michele S., Michelle T., Christina and Anne - Thank you for all of the care that you have shown our family! The four of you are an inspiration to me in so many ways. Happy Mother's day from me, B and the kids. I really should be a little jealous because my kids have each said right out or in so many words that they'd rather have each of you for their mom. But I'm not.......I AM JUST TRULY GRATEFUL!

"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"

Fairy Ari and Studly Mr. T put on a little performance for us. After 6 months of lessons they can finally play an entire song. We rather enjoyed their chosen fashion attire.

They've been invited to play "I am a Child of God" for the primary program this fall. I think I may have to choose their outfits for that performance.

A Most Excellent Mess

Someday I'm sure I will laugh about this - so halfway through the clean up I decided to document it because it was just SO unbelievable. Click on the photos for a good close up Plus I'm keeping with my laundry theme..................

My lovely washer that tends to get a little exuberant when spinning clothes (it's not quite level due to a retarded floor underneath) and it occasionally throws the soap off the top.

This time it just so happened that the bottle was full and it landed in such a way that it knocked the lid off and flooded the entire floor.

I took approximately 48 hours to come up with a plan to clean it up without pulling a Brady Bunch Episode of smothering bubbles. I scraped with a spatula, wiped with dry paper towels and mopped with Lysol wipes - able to avoid attack of the bubbles. My floor will have a sticky layer until about 2058. My plan of action is for all of you just in case this ever happens to you - then I'll laugh.

Just thought I'd Air Some Dirty Laundry

I never would have guessed how the past would repeat itself. I have nightmares about our laundry room growing up on Greenway Drive. Piles & Piles of dirty laundry, never ever done......and yet 30 years later on Southfork Drive I am living the nightmare. Anyone else? (my blog overall is one of happy and fun occasions - but every so often I will have to "air some dirty laundry" lest I create an illusion of Planet Merriment) My friend Cherie claims laundry gives her a pretty good impression of ETERNITY. But I think that only applies to the eternal realm of the Underworld.

MEET IZZIE BELLE TAYLOR!

She is a Shih Tzu - which I find very convenient when she does something naughty like poop under my piano. I can get away with saying "You little ShihT zu", it takes away some of the irritation with the dog and gives me a little pleasure.;) If we can get past the fights over her & potty training - (she was trained until the kids played with her so often away from her potty pad she didn't know where it was and she got the comfy feel of pooping on the carpet) I might like her. Right now Lucy just wants to step on her and I do mean on purpose and Roxie is just annoyed by her. I might send her away to 'military school' for dogs & let them train her to be a good dog. Kelly (my friend with the 3 rat dogs) just admitted to me that she sent 2 of hers to 'military school' and that's why they are so well behaved. I'm having flashbacks of the nightmare potty training the twins & I just don't have the patience with a mammal I didn't give birth to. It's a darn good thing she has such a cute little face.

Disney Princess Overload

I'm so happy that my girls love Disney Princesses so much - but I think I've had my fill for awhile. We went and saw Disney Princesses on Ice with my friend Connie and her daughters Olivia & Ella. Ella is 3 and was singing all the songs & knew all the words - her mom said when she was pregnant with her little sister, she was so sick that all she could do was lay on the couch and let Disney Princesses babysit Ella. I didn't really believe her until now. The princesses were lip-syncing to the soundtracks of all the movies & Ari was SO impressed at how well they could all sing while skating.
I had a little epiphany about the princesses too. I think men were creating the earlier ones - like Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty - those ones are all so SWEET & DEMURE. Then came Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, Pocohantas - and they are all tough chicks - I wonder who had the most influence with their creation - changing the images of Disney Princesses. Just a thought.

Lelu Wins the Race - And Now I have to EAT MY WORDS!

This is Dead Horse Point outside of Moab. Becca would NOT like it! It's a small jutt of land between two huge canyons. Very cool to look at, but I was a nervous wreck with the kids running around. We like to do a little sightseeing while down there, having lived here 14 years and not appreciating the beauty is tragic!

Here is Lelu's trophy. 5 miles ran in 41 min 10 sec - and she doesn't even look like she's trying! Check out the guys behind her that she passed up and look at B - he looks like he's got a huge stride to keep up. Next year she may have to find a faster pacer?

Last year, B agreed to buy us all tickets to go to AZ if she broke 50 min. and we all know how that turned out. This year, she has been begging & pleading for me to let her have a puppy (a little rat dog puppy) for at least 6 months. I said "Never!" I do not like little rat dogs. My friend Kelly has 3, plus two golden retrievers outside and her house is spotless, so Lelu has been using that argument. Long story short, she ONLY wants a puppy - so I agreed, but she had to win 1st place for her age group. And of course she did! Does anyone know of a little dog that doesn't yap, bite, shed or pee/poop everywhere? Maybe one of those stuffed dogs? No, they yap. I am SO screwed.

A Poor 15 Year Old is Tortured by Attending a Concert with his Mom!

Jeff Taylor doesn't know it, but he has an alternate universe - rocking out as the bass player for MatchBox 20

I gave D ticket/s to Matchbox 20 & Alanis Morrisette (6th Row) for Christmas. Dave informed at the time that it was extremely cruel to force a 15 yr old boy to go to a concert with his Mom. But because I love Alanis and D is not yet old enough to take a date, or in my opinion has any friends who can appreciate the 6th row and I live in a fantasy world that I am the coolest mom, I chose to ignore Dave! Someday, D will tell his side of the story - when he will tell me how he really felt. The concert was last night and for now he loved the concert! He even took all the "couples"(if you know what I mean) around us in stride and we rocked out. Yes, we really were very close to the stage!

Alanis may not have the stage presence or marketing of Celine Dion - but if given the choice of who I'd like to sound like if I was a rockstar - Alanis wins hands down! She has the most unique & talented voice I've ever heard! D was bothered by the fact that although he doesn't like her or have anything of hers on his ipod - he knew most the words to most of the songs. It could be because I've been playing them in the car since he could talk? She hasn't put anything new out for a while.

A Summary of my Amazing Girl's Trip to Cabo San Lucas

That is Cherie & Christina, the brave ocean floaters! I did ride a wave runner out in the middle of the ocean, totally out of my comfort zone - I was surprised by how peaceful & exhilarating that was. (but I have to get photos of us from Cherie.......)

Yes, I did back into an 'invisible' post within 2 hours of arriving in Cabo! But I will not reveal who's finger that is ;) not mine! I only posted the pic, to show you how you should always pay for full insurance coverage on car rentals (which I did but have always complained that it is so expensive & we've never had to use it, until then) and how I did not let it even "dent" my trip.

I think I started dreamin only in green & brown, we ate so many chips with guacamole! Mmmmmmmmmm

We did Kareoke one night - this was "I love Rock n Roll" & we sang "Open Arms" which we all knew all of the words and experienced individual flashbacks of dancing to it in Jr. High! (for me it was with Craig St. Clair - he was a fox)

I will add pictures as I get them from Cherie & Christina - I'd swear Christina took over 100?

Ping pong was played after a day of relaxing by the pool/beach.

This year was the most fun & relaxing of all of our trips thus far (we've been on 6). Of course, we stayed a week this year as most of us have our kids in school all day. And the husbands - all of which are so cool they should be rockstars! - held down the fort. It helped a lot that my friend Kelly speaks fluent spanish and could translate all needs and desires and negotiations!

What a difference from Tijuana & Nogales! my previous Mexican experiences. I did spend an afternoon in Cancun on our honeymoon, but I don't count that as experiencing Mexico. We all laughed until we cried every day, played cards, ate authentic Mexican food (except Jodie who doesn't like it - she kept ordering a chicken sandwich:( ), stayed up late, slept in, read books, listened to ipods, chased whales on waverunners (there are photos) and ..........drumroll please..........WENT DANCING! If you want more details about that adventure - you'll have to ask me in person. It's PG-13 and this is a family blog. (except for that middle finger & the last paragraph)

If you are the least bit sensitive to racy terms, stop reading right now!

I was trying to come up with a word to explain how I felt lying in a hammock on a beautiful beach, with spinner dolphins putting on a show for us, blue blue water, 82 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, great friends all around, Coldplay in my ears ("We live in a beautiful world, yeah we do, yeah we do"), and a slight breeze.

The word that jumped into my mind was "Soulgasmic". I hope we all have those moments of when you just feel amazed at the perfection of that moment - I love this new term and I'm sticking with it. So sorry if you were offended, but I told you to stop reading!

"This post under construction - but I didn't want to forget it all before I could post more photos"

California Adventure with the cousins!

Just a few highlights to mention here - As we loaded onto California screaming - little "B Wyatt" (who has ridden this ride before) acted as if he was WAY to scared to go on it. Which the operator noticed as we were pulling away. So they stopped the entire ride before the big takeoff and walked around pulling up gates on the side of the rails and took him off the ride. All while there was a large audience watching what happened! Sorry Christina - but I thought it was hilarious - later in the day he went on it. Apparently they take forcing a child against his will onto a scary ride seriously!

Unless of course it's Pirates of the Caribbean, because we dragged Ari onto that one - after we told her that the Haunted House was the princess castle, she wasn't trusting us that it wasn't scary. I wonder why she didn't trust us? Mr. T was "just" tall enough to ride all the big ones and loved every minute of them, Lelu would only go on if Christina would go- and ventured on to Tower of Terror & Screaming. She's come a long way since going into convulsions when a feather blew by on the driveway and I am not exaggerating

I'd swear this was the real Alice in Wonderland!

Look at the height difference between Lelu and she was not crouching down!