Ethan's 6th Birthday!

Our baby boy turned six this past week. He spent the entire week of this birthday at Cub Scout Day Camp with a bunch of boys doing all sorts of BOY things; shooting bb-guns, shooting with bows and arrows, making all sorts of scientific concoctions, climbing up rock walls, doing flips on monkey arms, making up skits, etc., etc. He L-O-V-E-D every minute of it! It was such a joy to see him so excited and being tough!

Earlier on his actual birthday (the 15th) his den at camp sang him happy birthday and inhaled cupcakes together (you know boys and cupcakes!).
So later that evening we came home and celebrated his birthday as a family. He went straight for the gift that "looked" like it could be a Wii Game. I've really got to get better at concealing the gifts. Wrapping paper just isn't cuttin' it anymore.

Overall, Ethan had a GREAT 6th birthday, and we're so glad that he's a part of our family. Love you Ethan!!!

4th of July

Our 4th of July started out on the 3rd of July with a pancake breakfast (yum!) and salute to those who serve in our armed forces--may God forever bless them and their families for the sacrifice they make to keep our country free. The Primary kids even had a their very own bike parade! Reagan, Kamryn and Ethan had a GREAT time riding their bikes around the church parking lot. Reagan was showing off her tricky bike skills, and Ethan, well, one of these days he'll let me take off those training wheels!

On July 4th, we started our day off with the blessing of Amelia Jade Little, our newest little cousin. Such a cute baby--and so well behaved. She stayed reverent all through her blessing and didn't make a peep until after it was all done. We're so happy for Steve, Brittany and their family. Afterwards, we got spoiled to a delicious brunch at Steve and Brittany's beautiful home. Steve did most of the cooking (kudos to you!) while I just made a big mess trying to cook waffles! What I help I am. Should have taken pictures of that mess! Hee-hee!

The kids just played and played and played with their cousins, and I caught the boys helping themselves to watermelon STRAIGHT from the bowl! Boys will be boys! Kaitlyn and Reagan jumped on the trampoline and played on computers side-by-side (this always makes me laugh). Kamryn and Priscilla made up all sorts of little games and things to play. Living closer to one another has really made things fun. I'm so glad they get a chance to hang out with their cousins. . . family and friends for life.

The day came to a close with Eric and Steve roasting hot dogs for dinner and s'mores for dessert (oh yummy to our tummies!), and a little fireworks show out front thanks to the neighbors. So grateful for family, friends and a free country that we can enjoy such marvelous days such as today. GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.!!!!!

First Day of School 2009

On August 26th, 2009, the kids had their first day of school. This is the first year that all 3 kids are at school! Yes, that means my mornings are "free".

Ethan is in Kindergarten, Kamryn's in 1st Grade, and Reagan is now in the upper elememtary grades--4th grade! That one I still can't wrap my head around. At 5:00pm the night before school is when the classes and teachers are posted. It's ususally such a mob at that time that we allow those insane individuals fight the crowds, we peacefully eat our dinner and just before bed take a little drive up to the school to see which teacher they each were assigned. This year talk about conincidences! Both Reagan and Kamryn got the same teachers they had had in kindergarten AND were both in the same classrooms they were in LAST year!!! What are the chances of that happening with one child, let alone two in the SAME family??? All I know is I think I was jumping up and down higher than the girls because I love both teachers!

THIS is going to be a GREAT year!!!!!

Ethan-Kindergarten-Mrs. Bowman Kamryn-First Grade-Mrs. Hemphill

Reagan-Fourth Grade-Mrs. Cantwell

Blog Challanged

I am dying to update my blog, but I am seriously blog challenged. So for all of you out there that really do have "the cutest blog on the block", which are my family and friends, would you please tell me where/how to:

1. Make a slide show of all my pictures
2. Get the layout to look cute including fonts. Even my font choices are so limited.

I am good at creating tangible items, but when it comes to creating something electronically, oh boy!!!!

I appreciate any and all of your support. =)

Phobias

We all have a phobia about something, right? Mine? Heights for sure. It's one thing to have it and work through it, and a whole other thing to let it rule your life.

So, how do you get your kids to get over their phobia(s) so it doesn't end up ruling their entire life? Ethan is 4, turning 5 in July and while most of his days are spent learning, building towns out of blocks or spaceships out of Legos, he's having a hard time letting go of his phobias. Just mentioning the following 4 words and he'll bust out into massive hysterics;

4. Dentist
3. Bath
2. Shower

And the number one "It'll be the END OF THE WORLD" phobia . . . (drum roll). . .

1. HAIRCUT!!!!!

FRIGHTENING!!!!! I could understand and be sympathetic when he was younger, but he's about to enter kindergarten! We have been kicked out of many haircutting establishments, and yes, that includes Supercuts. . . several times. Who wants to have to leave Supercuts with their tail between their legs? It's Supercuts! Embarrassing! Well, a couple days ago on the way to a "kids eat free!" dinner, we made a quick stop at Supercuts for Eric. Eric was a wonderful example to Ethan on how to get a haircut without "crying" (aka freaking out). Even Eric's stylist showed Ethan that the clippers would not cut him and make him bleed. Nope, he wasn't going to buy into it. So, to up the anty, Ping (Eric's stylist) started negotiating with Ethan. She offered to give him $10.00 if she could cut his hair! Yes! $10.00!!!! (that's a FREE haircut!). But, no, there was no way he was going to get in that chair. He politely told Ping that he would have mommy cut his hair.

So. . . . here we go; with many tears and attempts to escape mommy's haircutting chair, he lived through it. . . even the bath that had to come afterwards. Phew! That took all the energy I had, but doesn't he look good?

(BEFORE AND AFTER)

Catching Up

Yikes! I have totally ignored this blog--mainly because I have no idea what I'm doing and as I check out my friend's and family's blogs, I am sooo super impressed. Way to go guys! And please, don't laugh at mine. I'm old-school still. . . scrapbooking and journaling on paper!!! Aahhh! Don't shoot me! I'm so not green. . . yet. =)

OK, so to catch up on the highlights . . .

Winter brought some snow. . . even on the mountains of Southern California! These pictures were taken at the base of the Long Canyon hiking trails in Wood Ranch. This was such a beautiful scene as I drove into my neighbor several times throughout the day.

A few weeks ago, Kamryn had her "Superstar" week at school. Everyday she got to do special things like having me come in and read her favorite books to her class, share her baby book to her class (this was one of her favorite days), play her favorite games, and have visitors come in. Her favorite day was having daddy come in with his special friend, the Good Neigh Bear. Oh, my gosh! The kids had a BLAST! They laughed soooo hard! Kamryn could barely contain herself. Once the class settled down, Eric talked to the class about what he does for a living and had the kids participate in a 911 simulator. . .with the help of the Good Neigh Bear, of course. The kids talked about the difference between a real emergency and things they shouldn't be calling 911 about, practicing their address and phone number. All in all it was pretty successful.

After that week we all ended up getting sick....dropping like flies. And, of course, it happened when my calendar was booked!!! It was a long few weeks but I got to recuperate at home in WA. I got the rare opportunity to got up to visit my family, attend the Portland Temple with my most of my siblings and parents, see the blessing of my newest niece, Reina Suvi Guinn, and enjoy everything that life is about.

Last Saturday Eric, Reagan and I tagged along on a serious hike up above the Big Sky development with Eric's sisters and their family. The view at the top was unbelievably beautiful. I wish I had brought my camera, but I know it wouldn't have lasted some of the rock climbing we had to do. The hills, so green, went as far as the eye could see. And the clouds hung low on them making it look as thought you could start running and end up on the other side of the valley. Like Eric's sister said, it looked like we were in Ireland. So, for a moment I pretended I was. The view to the west was like walking into a scene of "Little House on the Prairie". The grass was tall and green with beautiful blooms of yellow scattering the field. The large oak trees had settled in the most perfect spots. I told Eric I wanted to build a house up there--away from everything in place so peaceful.

She's Embaressed!

This morning was a little like the movie "Something Wicked This Way Comes"--I just needed to hear the creak of the empty merry-go-round spinning by itself. Oooh, the thought makes me shutter. The Halloween winds have entered Simi and its blowing everything everywhere and causing things to change from what they usually are--including my children! Ok, well maybe only my oldest, Reagan.

Rocking out to some Halloween tunes on the way to school, Kami and Reagan all done-up in crazy hairdos (it's crazy hair day at school today), and me being all proud of myself for being so fun and festive, the change came! Boom! Just like that. From the back seat, I hear from my soft spoken Reagan, "Turn off the music." Huh? What? Did you say something Reagan? "Turn off the music." Why? "Because". Because why? "Because I want it off." Why do you want it off? "Just because". (Silence because I sooo didn't understand the request. At home she wants the same music on. She makes up funny dances to that music, but now she doesn't AND she doesn't want to tell me why. HOLY CRAP!!!! She's embarassed! She doesn't want her friends to know she listens to it. It's not hip enough. Hip? What? She's only 8! What does she know about hip? Am I not hip???? Oh, no.) Reagan, are you embarassed by this music? "Yes." Do you not want your friends to hear that you're listening to it? "Yes." OK.

As she step out of the now silent car onto the school sidewalk, I thought to myself--You're embarressed by funny Halloween music, but not embaressed to go to school with shoots of hair sticking straight up from your head. Whatever!