Oil and Water

I always bring paper for the kids to draw rainbows and butterflies and things that make them happy during church.  I usually empty my church bag when I get home...most of the time I just throw all the drawings away as I give them a quick look.  I was a little surprised at Syd's latest drawing.  I admit I laughed at first but now I have to do some parenting...or take this drawing to a psychologist...because I don't know what to do.  I give up on trying to get these two to get along.  I decided to encourage their fighting and see what type of reaction I would get.  I told them that if they fought they would get chores...but my new twist was...please hit him...please bug her...I really have some chores I don't want to do.  "Go get in the car and make sure you sit by Syd and get in her face so she will hit you...Syd go take Brody's things and run away as fast as you can then huck it at him...Please, oh, please I need the dishwasher emptied.  They both would look at me like I was crazy and actually acted like they were getting along and love each other.  Dang them...they got me.  I don't care if it is fake...I will take it.  I even got a new drawing on Sunday.

Bush Diving

You know when you are half listening to a story and then something catches your ear...so you have to make that person tell it again and really start listening because what you heard could not have been right.  Bush Diving?  Taylor was talking to me as if I knew what Bush Diving was.  "Didn't kids jump into bushes at your school when security was not looking?" she asked.  "No... and why is that fun?" I responded.  She said everyone watches and takes photos until security comes and pulls them out of the plants.  She even had some photos on her phone to prove it to me.  I guess that could be funny during lunch.  I asked her if she could imagine adults doing this in real life and then acted like I was jumping in the bushes while we were at the doctors office.  We both started cracking up.  It was so dumb it was funny.     

I told her I would give her five dollars if she would do it at school and take a photo as evidence.  I don't think this should count.  She said only boys really jump in.

Then I got to thinking how dumb the security guards are....if I were security and this was a problem I would go plant some rose bushes. 

Problem solved. 

Our "Westovers"

We LOVE this General Conference tradition.  We don't even call them cinnamon rolls...we call them "Westovers" after the lady who makes them for us.  We love her and her rolls.

Revenge

 Last week we had some visitors leave quite a mess behind.  We all knew what needed to be done except Brody.  He was confused as to why someone would leave toilet paper in our yard.  Then he wanted to use it in the bathroom.  Everyone else knew we needed REVENGE!!

  This was my house.

 They took it serious and even dressed gangsta/robber/football player...I think that was the look they were going for.

This is the victim's house when we were finished.  You can't see well in the picture but there are 300 forks in the lawn with the toilet paper everywhere and chalk messages on the driveway.

When we were finished, Brody asked if he could do this for his next birthday party.  Can you imagine taking 5-year-old children toilet papering?  I think he had fun and the gangsta girls did too.

I Almost Died

It is pretty great that we can go to the beach in March.  The beach is empty and a little cold.  I hesitate to use the word cold since I know a lot of the country still has snow.  I have a lot of beach photos but this beach day is a day Brody will talk about for a long time so I decided to remember it.

The waves were coming in strong because it was early in the day.  Brody is usually pretty cautious and stays to his knees and then runs back with the surf.  So, today was nothing out of the ordinary.  I was taking photos and then I noticed a wave knocked him down.  He quickly stood back up again and at the exact moment 2 waves from different directions pushed him over and pulled him out where the water was neck high.  Syd was close to him so I yelled for her to grab him but it was soon to deep for her.  I knew I was going in.  I threw my camera in the sand and started sprinting to the ocean.  My other kids knew I was not running because I was so excited to go in the ocean.  Luckily, Brody can swim so he was doing his best to stay above water as the waves kept bringing him out further and further.  Some guy running on the beach got there one second faster than I did and grabbed him...then I took him.  By the time I got there the water that was once to his knees was to my neck and was so strong.  I lost my footing as I was walking him in.  I was so grateful there are people in this world that are so nice and would save a stranger.  Some people just sat and watched...I would have probably been one of them if it was not my son.  I think that guy must be amazing because of how he responded in one split-second decision.  What do you say in that moment to someone who cares enough do that?  I think I said thanks and offered him a towel but was more concerned with educating Brody on the surf wave patterns and what to look for (as if he will remember or care).  I feel horrible I could not give that guy more praise but I will never forget him and will try to care more.  As we were walking in from the ocean...Brody kept saying (not crying at all)..."I almost died, I almost died!"  All day wherever we went, Brody told everyone he almost died today and tells the story.  The best part is what we reported to Scott when he called as he was out of town.  He asked did anything fun happen today?  Of course, he got "Dad, I almost died today...but mom is fast and saved me."

These photos are all right before the event.  I did not take anymore after that and made sure to do some runner stretches in case Mom was needed again.  Yes...he went back in.

Side note...when are you too old to hunt for sand crabs?...9...11...14 1/2...never.

The "Y"

Last night was a real slap in the face that time flies. And as my kids get older...I get older.

Last night, an information night was held about BYU and what high school kids need to do to get accepted.  So, Taylor and I attended together.  I wanted to wear my BYU alum shirt as a badge of honor but I tried to not embarrass Taylor.  I feel like I was just there and saw the Y on the mountain for the first time...nope, it was 20 years ago.  How old do you sound when people start a story with...20 years ago.  Old!!!

I learned that my dorms in the back are gone and torn down.  This memory is an old boyfriends "crotch rocket" (as we called it back then).  He bought it after I broke up with him and came by to just show me what I was missing now.   Good times.

 Loved my random classes..I took wilderness survival.  I have used this class about as much as I have used college calculus....Never.

 Dorm life...remember when floral was in?

Graduation day!!  I don't have many photos because 20 years ago we had film cameras and it was expensive to develop pictures.  Remember when you would take one photo of the moment (not 15) and hope it turned out?

 A long time ago I used to do nice things for Scott and surprise him...I know he misses that.  I put this picture in not to have Scott remember why he fell in love with me...but to notice the blanket on his bed.  I have always thought this blanket was ugly.  He loves it...

...and unfortunately our kids love it too and it will never die.

I miss my college days and my college friends.  It was so much fun and I hope my kids will get the chance to make some good memories and have good friends in college.

The Play

There are times as a parent you love watching your kids perform...then there are other times you watch them because you love them.  I won't say which time this was for me...I just really really love them.   Carly and Syd were in an elementary school play that they have been practicing for months.  I would tell you the name but I know you have never heard of it before.

Carly sang a duet and was not nervous as a head maid with a lot of speaking parts...

Her name was Bridgit or Gigit.

Sydney was a VIPea...notice my vinyl circles on her shirt.  

                                                 
                                                     These were the vegetables in a soup.

                         

My actresses that I love soooo much that I will watch them for 2 hours. 

Brody loves his sisters, but not as much as me because he played on Dad's cell phone the whole time...I will say when the crowd cheered or laughed he would fake cheer or laugh as if he was paying attention.