Hobbies and Talents... or just ways to waste time.

H got invited to a last minute birthday party last Friday - and although I wasn't thrilled about running and trying to find an appropriate gift at the last possible second, I did want her to go since it was at the gymnastics studio I keep considering for the girls.  First they played "chicken" on a balance board - H rocked at this game - you go girl!

H jumped right into the fun, M kept back for awhile, testing the bouncy floor and such - but they allowed us to stay in the gym and observe while the party was happening... it wasn't long before M was jumping into the foam pit (repeatedly) and needing help to get out.  She's convinced that gymnastics is a lot of fun - I'll worry about letting her in on the discipline side if Q ever comes around.

T & W like to fill their spare time - when I don't allow video games - with anything that will also fill their tummies.  On this occasion they decided to bake a cake, and I caught them before they could remove the pink aprons (but the pink baker's hats were ditched faster) ... hmmm, should have cropped out that cluttered counter before putting the picture up 'eh?

As anyone familiar with the Po-boy knows, his favorite hobby is eating - and complaining about food... he did both as soon as the cake was done.

Myself - I decided that it was time to use some of the many scrapbook supplies that I have been "collecting" and I have successfully caught up to last years' back to school pages!  This is pathetic I know - but it is a step in the right direction.  Maybe when the kids go back to school I'll be getting closer to caught up...  yeah, right :)

We are Family...

As most of my readers already know (because they were there), the last few days were spent at a family reunion.  Before anyone groans you should know that this was actually a lot of fun and a chance for the 41 (soon to be 42) cousins to hang out and get to know one-another!

Here they are getting to know which one of them can successfully fold and fly a paper airplane... turns out that none of us are future aerospace engineers.  The masses also engaged in many other fun and entertaining activities - and many yummy meals!  All in all it was a very successful, mildly fattening, and slightly tiring weekend which we would happily repeat (in about a years' time!)

All the other things we did...

Okay - it was a little bit of a crazy week - so you just get a general re-cap (because otherwise I'd never get around to all these TAGs flying around)

Last Sunday I had a weird moment at church - this lady sat behind our family and I spent the whole meeting (at least when I wasn't wholly focussed on testimonies) wondering where on earth I knew her from...  3 hours and some later when at home I got a phone call that put that question to rest - she's a master of the scrapbook and a personal guru (Lisa Bearnson) and I felt a little silly that I didn't recognize her - though maybe that was good because I would have felt even more silly introducing myself to her and asking her to autograph my CTR 7 manual :).  I did however go and visit her blog and apologize for my children who I'm sure kept her from paying much attention to the meeting - her response was very gracious and restored my faith in humanity (or at least my faith that my children will someday be human)

Monday was a lot of fun - well, parts of it were.  I attended my first PTA meeting for the new school year (too early!), this one was for the Intermediate School and actually turned out to be an enjoyable meeting, despite the fact that it took way too long.  I think I will like the new principal and W will do well at the school - I suggested a new fund-raiser that we are going to be doing... I won't give it all away but it involves over a thousand rubber duckies :)  

That night for Family Night we had a pie-eating contest... the .58 variety at WalMart worked for most of the family, but there are a few that stuck with moon pies even though they took longer to eat (all that marshmallowey goodness)!

Tuesday we mostly stayed home during the day - M was of course only interested in playing with her friends and I enjoyed watching them writing their names, their siblings' names, and then arguing about their parents' names... "hey, M O M spells MY mom!"
Tuesday night was also pack meeting, new scouts, boy scouts, and EQ meeting - so while Q dealt with the oldest two and their transportation needs - I packed up the younger ones and their swim gear and headed back to the water park where I got nicely crisp earlier in the summer.  Luckily we spent less than two hours and were home in time for... whatever it was the kids were watching while I zoned.

Wednesday was a Luncheon for the Treehouse Museum Committee - it was encouraging and stressful at the same time... after Monday's Pie Eating contest I was TRYING to eat only healthful foods - luckily someone had supplied a fruit plate while I single-handedly demolished :)  After that meeting was over (and a quick library visit) I read my night away.  Oh - which brings me to mention something from Tuesday...  I had received a few e-mails regarding my book review and I was talked into a whole new blog experience - so check it out if you want, the link is on the side bar somewhere.  I'm open to guest reviews if anyone has anything!!

Thursday was all about insurance - well, at least the first few hours were - a home health nurse came by to give Q and I quick once overs for our new life insurance... and hopefully we'd been good enough to our bodies that we won't be turned down!

Friday - that began the camping...
getting everything ready wasn't too terrible, H wasn't too keen on going, but she was a trooper about it and we got there and set up with nary a worry... Just as we were thinking about starting a fire to cook up the tin-foil dinners we notice a cloud moving in...  Po predicted we had 40 minutes, and he was pretty close after all, but we ate ham and cheese sandwiches in the safety of the tent.  The brand new tent mind you that hadn't been rain tested yet and had a few seam issues...  so while it wasn't disastrous, I would beg of you to please use seam sealant PRIOR to putting 7 people in a tent for the night!

Saturday we woke up and did a little fishing... although I think the fish would have called it Fish Observing...  they were there, they were swimming right in front of us, but they had no interest in rubber caterpillars, fake grasshoppers, or even the many real dragonflies that were sacrificed to the cause.  We then did a little hiking (very little) and headed for home - despite the protests of M, who wanted to keep going.

Once we were home Q found out that he was going to have to take over and speak in 2 wards on Sunday...  Being the supportive wife that I am I said that once we got the kids all bathed I would help him write the talk... and promptly fell asleep.  I don't even remember H getting done with her shower...  maybe I helped most by staying out of the way because Q did a great job.

Sunday - Okay, church is only 3 hours right... sometimes it feels like 6.  I answered an amazing number of silly questions from 6 and 7 year olds - and somewhere in there I'm sure someone learned something.  I learned that constant entertainment while desirable to the average child is virtually impossible.  I also learned that my children DO have the capacity to sit still for more than 3 minutes if their father is speaking from the pulpit!

Today... well folks, I'm still wearing my Tinkerbell pajamas and I'm on laundry load #4 - making sure that tonight's swimming adventures will go off without a hitch - and updating all of this blog stuff... isn't that enough - remember that constant entertainment is not really possible!

Late Nights and Lasagna

okay - I have been swamped with family reunion stuff for the past few days - and here I'm not even going to give you pictures... imagine my girls looking as cute as can be despite the fact that M kept pulling out her hair bands after I'd gone to the trouble of doing a cute hair-do that matched her little Eiffel Tower shirt.  

Saturday - I frankly don't remember anything that far back...  I'm sure I cleaned the house, and I vaguely remember a teenager arriving back from scout camp and refusing to pitch in :(

Sunday - expecting early company I didn't sleep well...  and the sleep I went without would have come in handy later.   Company didn't arrive until much later that day after having a little wildlife experience (stupid deer should really learn not to jump in front of cars...) - luckily everyone is okay, although the car has seen much better days!

Monday - The time-share condos didn't allow check-in until the afternoon so my home was the unofficial welcome center for about 20 of the 80 reunion attendees...  Haven was so worried that I would make her clean her room again by herself after all of the insanity - and really I'll help her, as soon as I finish this!  Then eating dinner with relatives I hardly ever see, watching a video and trying to smile for a picture...  and playing cards.

Tuesday - we got back to the reunion around noon - sometimes it's good to live nearby... and swam, and swam - until I had to help get dinner together and served - which in hindsight I'm sure I didn't do a very good job of helping with - but my kids got served and I ate something - and then we sang songs and did Karaoke (no, I didn't sing anything) and played cards...  but not nearly as long as the night before.

Wednesday -the kids swam with an uncle and aunt - I couldn't handle anymore sun and chlorine -  there was a free condo so after the dinner and songs, and family meeting, we stayed at the condo... which allowed me to hang out with my grandma, mom, a cousin, sister, uncle, son, etc... playing cards - just 'til midnight this time :)

Thursday - oh yeah, that's today - everyone had to be out of there to attend my cousins' sealing in Manti - and so during the morning I went from Condo to Condo and picked up my outdoor chairs, leftovers, coolers etc...  the car was so full that 3 kids had to jump over the seats and a cooler in order to buckle in for the trip home...  and we got home just in time to have my mom drop by and trade a few mis-packed items and my uncle to call and meet me at the Albertson's nearest the exit to pass on the leftover lasagnas - which have already made their way to other families who I hope will fully enjoy what the immense Bugg family could not consume (and trust me... we like our food)

Currently - I am killing time that I don't have because what I should really be doing is straightening up and putting the house back in order - we have company arriving - they're spending the day at Bryce Canyon but are crashing here tonight...  it will be good to have a last dose of family since I realized after everyone left that it's kind of a bummer to be the one so far away from family...  

While You Were Out...

It's amazing how little can get done around the house in a 72 hour period... especially when the man of the house is out galavanting with his brothers.  I made sure to get in a few pampering hours prior to his departure though - I owed a friend a pedicure for her birthday, so we went off to enjoy the newest beauty college (there's 4 here now) and see what they could do for us...  

Next year, when those boys are off galavanting, I propose everyone comes down here right before they take off, or when they return - and we'll make a spa day of it... this place was quite nice, they even stamped little stars on our dark blue toes for the upcoming holiday season... of course, it's not too likely the polish will last that long with the kind of life I lead, but I have photographic proof that they looked stunning for at least the 2 hours of pedicure... that's right folks, a two hour pedicure...  they brought us water (diet coke was offered, but the incredibly opinionated aesthetician and I convinced my fellow pamperees that we were trying to be healthy)

On Thursday - with no man to please - I spent the day working on the scrapbook - ordered in a pizza for lunch and basically just did nothing the whole day except let the kids run roughshod over the house and enjoy themselves...  By the evening this guilt was eating me alive and I did help them make some sandwiches and we invited H's friend over for their very first "late night"...    These two little 6 year olds were up until after 11:00 and fully enjoyed themselves watching Enchanted, eating popcorn, and playing SingStar (a karaoke game).

The next day - despite being dog tired - I had to run around like a chicken with my head cut off to find a bunch of similarly hued green shirts for an upcoming reunion (my side of the family... don't worry that you're missing something)  I also let the guilt get to me and cleaned the house - realizing happily that quickie meals have the added advantage of not leaving behind lots of dishes!  Of course, not letting the real life responsibilities bog me down too long, I invited a friend over to finish up the scrapbook chore that we'd begun the day before - so for the 7-11pm hours I did that - then had to run and buy milk before the kids woke up (T was up and actively babysitting, I didn't just leave them to the wolves!)  I learned something interesting though - as we all tried to check out at midnight - alcohol purchases cannot go through after 12:00 at Albertsons - the checker kind of laughed at me when that shocked me - like I was supposed to know that somehow...  and I wasn't sure exactly if I was enabling someone else's bad habit by letting the guy with the case of Heineken behind me go ahead in order to be done by midnight.  Honestly - I felt really stupid because I initially indicated that he should go ahead, but then had to wonder if Heineken was actually alcohol - or just one of those mixers... obviously I am lacking some knowledge here... but I will be just fine without it!  When I returned home at 12:15 I finished up the lovely card that we made for Father's Day (because aside from T, the kids had been no help at all)

So... this morning at 3:30 (I also read and spent some quality time scratching my ever so itchy back, oh - and I think I checked some of the Sisters blogs) I finally got into bed...  with M - since she thinks Dad's pillow will be lonely without her.

Unfortunately, I am now dead on my feet and preparing to go and buy church pants for T since he is quickly outgrowing his...  

Will those camping men really come home and expect to be pampered for Father's Day...  or did the trip count as a gift?  Too bad our stake conference is this weekend - not much chance for us to have a quiet breakfast in bed!

Six hours at the park

Note:  that is NOT my back...

Mine doesn't look that bad, but it feels that bad, actually - it's the back of my knees which are currently unbent and sticking out to the side of the computer armoire so that they won't be pained!  Why is it that I cannot remember that the first time I spend an extended day at the park that SPF 50 is not too much.  The kids all had it on and only Porter looks reddish.  I broke down and put some on after the first hour and a half... alas, that was too late! 

Sunburn aside, it was fun - we had friends coming and going from the park the entire day - the water features were all on and there was a cooler full of good food (and junk food) to keep the kids happy.  Speaking of junk food - I picked up some interesting flavors of pringles - Cheeseburger, Mac 'n Cheese, and Pizza...  I was only willing to take a portion of a chip per flavor - and though one of Trevor's friends claimed to be able to taste the pickle in the cheeseburger I just tasted the cheese and mustard.  Mac 'n Cheese was just a cheddar chip and Pizza... well, I had one a few years ago and it didn't bear revisiting... I happily munched my fat free original flavored pringles and read my book (thus the back of the knee problem!)

All in all the kids happily entertained themselves for hours with just the water features, a few butterfly nets, and food - we're going to do this more often... for about half that time and double the sunscreen!

Does it Really Count as...

Family Home Evening?  

Last night our family split into two groups:  the dance group, which spent 5:00 - 8:00 at a local high school auditorium enjoying an evening of dance and music AND the baseball group which spent 6:00 - 10:00 at the baseball park enjoying a night of sweat and exertion.  And being the sexist pigs we are, Mom went with the girls to dance while Dad hung out with the boys eating bad for you food at the baseball games.

Things I realized at the dance concert:  you can teach 6 little 3-4 year old girls the same exact moves and they can pull it off beautifully at the dress rehearsal - but at the concert, under the pressure of stage lights, you will always get 6 different impromptu dances!  Parents cannot be expected to be the well behaved ones... yelling to their daughters from the audience to prompt a wave, really!  (no, it wasn't me)  Those stupid ballet shoes just don't stay tied!  Dance costumes get skimpier as you get older.  and... the real big one - I really need a new video camera!!!  

The dancing in the aisles while watching the second half of the concert was a lot of fun since M found a few friends and they were dancing to everyone's music.

I don't know if Q made any similar observations at the ball field (I know for sure he didn't say anything about the older boys and their skimpy baseball uniforms) but for the record, both boys played well and their teams won handily!  Po's team is in first place and W's in third for their respective leagues - and by the end of this week we should know if those standings will stay the same for next weeks' tournament!

Sorry no pictures - I was waiting on the video camera to finish downloading - and now I'm not sure the graininess is acceptable... time to start researching new cameras - any suggestions?

Girl Time, Health, Parties, and books...

my mother was in town...  need I say more?  We sewed and played cards, and even got our nails done.  I'd post a picture but it will have to wait until you see me in person (can't bring myself to have Q photograph my hands) - and by then I may have even figured out how to remove my contacts without causing damage to my eyesight!  I even got a pedicure - again, no picture - I could actually hold the camera for that one but really - who would want to see my toes, even if they are painted "Night in New York" purple (or something like that)

Everyone is now officially healthy here at the St. G. Branch of the  C. family hotel - April currently has 9 of 14 nights with the guest room occupied and 3 more booked this week - now is the time to make your reservations :)  (seriously though, good company is always welcome and the weather IS beautiful)

I hesitate to post this next info - but Q never checks out the blog, so I'm fairly safe - he hits the big four-oh this next week and if anyone has any plans to be in our little corner of the world this coming Friday night give me a call ahead of time so that I can share the info with you - I know that D&S will be down here but I'm guessing that most everyone else will be eagerly awaiting the imminent arrival.

And the big news - thanks to Erin for insisting that I blog - a friend put me onto a free book for bloggers deal, so now everyone can be excited for the next 3 months while they eagerly await my Q&A with the author after I've read his new novel.  I won't reveal any other details yet... well, okay, stop twisting my arm - it's J Scott Savage - and to be completely honest I have yet to read anything of his, and I will likely wait until after I read this to explore his other works so as to not taint my opinion.  That, and I have a large stack of books to get through right now!

okay, that's all, really.

Our week...

It's been a hectic one around here - and I kept saying "at the end of this week, we're all going to take a day off..."  we'll get to the day off part later...

We'll begin with last Thursday - W's baseball game was around 5:15 and I had been invited to something or other I was trying to avoid... so when W left his Bat Bag in the car I decided to drag the kids up to the field and stay for the first 30 minutes of his game (Q was meeting us there)... Well, M promptly got herself hit in the

 stomach by a playground ball (with the help of P's foot) and proceeded to pass out on me - Needless to say I left the game and the doctors were unable to determine if it was a seizure or just a simple passing out because of stress (stress?  she's got no school, no bills... I don't get it!)  Anyway, Thursday ended on that note - and the girl is fine.

Friday was a jumble of running around, including my children's museum meeting - to which I took M just in case she repeated her performance, this did not go well, and M's birthday party - which lasted only an hour (the ideal time frame) because of P's baseball game and W's baseball practice and T's friends' birthday party which all began at 5:00.  One was early, one was on time and one was late - what can you do?  M stayed put in her seat this game and played with her new doll "Sophia Kate" until the game was over (P's team lost, but they are 3 and 1 for the season thus far)

Saturday... hmmm... oh yeah, the older boys had a scout pow-wow thing - we began and

 completed W's entire science project - and Q had a 4-wheelin' adventure with the EQ...  so I stayed home and cleaned.

Sunday - T got sick - but the rest of us enjoyed church... choir books came and we finally sang something other than a hymn (not that they're bad, but something else occasionally is nice)

Monday - T still sick - M's birthday boola-boola went well - we squeezed in Wendy's and her Tinkerbell cake between two baseball games - P's before the dinner went well but W's afterward began at 8:00 and went downhill from there.  The other team's pitcher has a golden arm.  The wind was also blowing something awful and despite my warm "cozy" blanket many of us moms were freezing while trying to cheer for a losing team.  The snack shack quickly ran out of hot chocolate (not that it was going to help me) and nobody complained when the game ended at 9:50.

Tuesday - Now T, W, and Mom woke up sick, I can't tell much about this day because we all slept through it... gratefully no pictures for you of this day!  Weston felt bad enough that he passed out 3 times when he got up to run to the bathroom... a huge knot on his forehead is from hitting the bathroom stool on the way down - the stool where Maryn 

happened to be sitting after her own bout with the flu bug...  The scouting pow-wow finished up Tuesday night and the boys' didn't end up going... big waste of all that work 'eh?

Wednesday - it's just beginning...  W is back at school getting his science fair project set up, T is back at school. P and H and M are all home with me...  I've consumed a total of 3 saltine crackers and 3 oz. of water - M is throwing a fit because she can't play with the neighbor and I didn't let her go to preschool - what a mean Mommy I am :(

We will all survive - and we'll be disinfecting the house greatly before company arrives this weekend!!!  Bring on the Lysol :)