Cinnamon Rolls and Howling Dogs

So I know I already blogged Bud's B-day but that was actually a pre-scheduled post so I didn't get to post any pictures of the family party. We had a wild day planned with the California cousins coming in to town so we had a Birthday Brunch.

Thanks, Lindsey for the homemade cinnamon roll "cake"! It was delectable!

None of us have totally amazing voices so instead of pretending that we sound good, we have a tradition of having each person sing Happy Birthday in different octaves. The sound has been known to send the dogs into a howling frenzy.

I had to throw this one in. Connor had berries for brunch.

Now that Bud is 13, he prefers mostly money and this was his expression as he counted his loot. I told him he better put it all in his bank account. In 3 short years he will be driving and these parents don't provide wheels. Right now he has enough saved for 1 tank of gas and an air freshener.

Boondocks I Say!

Just a slew of pictures for this post. The California cousins are in town for a few weeks and a visit from them is not complete until we hit Boondocks Fun Center.

Booger had fun on the race cars after he got through throwing a fit because he was too short for the big boy cars.

Megan (14) and Bud spent the day trying to outdo each other on every event. The score was 1 to 1 from the stories I was told. Megan soaked him on the boats and he beat her on the cars.

Adam and Gabby (20 mos.), Booger, Bud, and Jared (11) with Austin (12) and Caitlin (8) waaaay in the back.

No doubt this is Megan sufficiently soaking Bud

We had a great time as usual with the annual Boondocks adventure!

Finally, After 16 Years.....

(P.S...I am grateful I am learning to accept my need for a gym membership)

To Hell and Back

Note: I spent a long time setting up links, please use them or you will be blocked...(o.k. so I don't know how to block but I would like to know that someone appreciates my new found linking talent, so just use the links, okay?)

Today, I went to hell. I don't mean I had a bad day and it all "went to hell". I'm saying I actually woke up this morning, planning to go to hell. I've been told that my version of hell is supposed to be good for you, supposed to make you live longer, feel better, look better....I'm callin' bullcrap on the whole lie people. I admit, I haven't been to hell much in my life but the maybe dozen or more times I've ventured there, I have reaped none of these 'so called' benefits. This week, due to the fact I am gainfully unemployed for the summer, I decided I would start utilizing the membership to hell I paid for almost 6 months ago.

Here is how it went....

Time Stamp: 9:30 a.m.
In bed, looking up at the ceiling, wishing I didn't have to go to hell. I laid there making deals with god. I promised I would never eat another bowl of Ben & Jerrys, in fact I would cease to eat anything at all the rest of my life if he would just remove the tonnage from my waistline without sending me to hell.

Time Stamp: 10:30 a.m.
In my recliner with my laptop checking e-mails. Maybe, just maybe, the school has an emergency and I need to go in and rescue them.

Time Stamp 11:00 a.m.
I've got my tennies on. Thank goodness Maggie is exhausted and resting comfortably on my lap. I mustn't disturb her. I will just surf the internet for a while. Maybe there are some deals out there I missed.


Time Stamp 11:30 a.m.
Did you know they have a lounge at the gym? With a big screen T.V.!?


Time Stamp: Noon-ish
I go upstairs to see my torture apparatus of choice. I refuse to work out if I can't use this machine. It has a 'sit down' seat instead of a regular bike seat. I'm fearful that the regular bike seats might get permanently stuck in my crack. I become hopeful "Maybe someone will already be using it and I will get to go home". Crap! No one within 100 yards of the cardio room. (I also use the excuse that if there are skinny, tanned women in the cardio room, I can't work out because they will make fun of me.)

Time Stamp 12:05 p.m.
I'm on the apparatus from hell.
Some old lady with flip flop sandals, dress shirt, and linen capri's comes in and eyeballs me the entire 25 minutes I'm living in hell. Obviously she wants my machine and I'm prepared to beat her down in order to keep it. Age is not a factor. I want to say "Come to hell in something other than your picnic attire lady and maybe people will take you more seriously." I do become very volatile and mean when I sweat. I'm sure she thinks of me the same way that I look at the tan, skinny women who run the treadmill at a 60% incline on level 15 for 90 minutes.

Time Stamp 12:40 p.m.
Time to refuel.
Hey if they sell this stuff in hell it must help you to reap those benefits they are so adamant about harping on!

Time Stamp 12:55
Hey, It's a crystal light, don't be a hater!

Time Stamp 1:15 p.m.
I finally found a small piece of heaven

Yes, I took a picture of myself naked in a tub. Whatevah! I'm looking mighty fine after that workout it would be a shame not to share it with the world.

Bud

My friend LeShel finally had her baby boy yesterday. Following her through the past several months has been nostalgic for me as I remember each of my pregnancies. Hers has not always been smooth sailing and as she described her ups and downs I reminisce about what miserable pregnancies I had. I don't remember even trying to enjoy it I just wanted it to be over. LeShel is such a positive person and although her feet would swell up like this, she always found a positive way to spin things (at least when she was blogging).

Thirteen years ago today I was finally able to end my first miserable pregnancy with a healthy baby "Bud". Thinking back I remember thinking "I will never do this again." I had a rough pregnancy, delivery, and recovery! I had a catheter for weeks after he was born due to the damage that ensued as a result of his entry into the world, I wasn't able to breastfeed, he was allergic to cows milk, and we were real poor and struggled to buy the fancy formula required to keep him from projectile vomiting 24 hours a day. But it was all worth it looking back...he was sooo wonderful. He slept through the night at 8 weeks and I loved just sitting with him all day and watching him grow.

At around 9 weeks he had a seizure that landed us in Primary Children's for a few days. We never had a recurrence (thankfully) and it was never determined exactly what caused the wires to cross in his little noggin.

I found a few pictures that describe the adventure that has been the past 13 years with Bud. No one can adequately describe what life with Bud has been like as he is as unique as a $3 bill. Hopefully these pictures can give a bit of a glimpse.

Age 1

Age 2

By 18 months we had to Bud proof the house. We bungeed ovens, dishwashers and fridges shut. We even used bungees to hold the kitchen chair legs together under the table so that he wouldn't use them to wreck havoc or get himself killed.

2 years and already working the phones

Nana's favorite picture. This about sums up Bud's whole personality.

He LOVED The Price is Right and Blues Clues. He had every Blues Clues gizmo, gadget and replica known to man. Here he is singing with his Blue. Cute Bud.

Hmmm...how did he get up there? I can guarantee that those chairs are bungeed together under that table.


Easter Sunday Age 6

Age 7 at the Salt Lake Bees game.

Age 8

We enrolled him in a hip hop dance class for a few years and he really loved showing his 'tude. He was one "bad" dude.

He started football at age 11. I had always said we could try it when he was 12. Not only was it hard holding his dad off that long, his pediatrician took one look at him at his yearly check up and told me I was crazy not to let him play. "He will not be the one to get hurt in a collision" he said. "He is built for the game and somewhere there is a team out there searching for a player just like him." Dad was thrilled, Bud was scared and so was mom and we forked over the wad of cash and registered. I have to admit, it was the best thing we could have done for him. His confidence, body image, self esteem, social skills, work ethic and overall health have benefited so much from the two years he has played. He has a real talent and improves every day he is on the field. (He is also dang cute when he's all decked out in his uniform.)

The whole family; Nana, Papa, Aunt Lindsey, Uncle Jay and baby Connor all come out to see him play each week. I wonder some times if he is as excited as the rest of us for the season to start.

His first year of Jr. High was a learning experience as I know it is with all 12 year olds. He has learned how to deal with peer pressure better, manage is school work more efficiently (so dad doesn't have to make a surprise visit to school to remind him), and he has also learned how to handle the tough obstacles life throws his way. He has grown spiritually and we are so proud of him.

I can't believe it has been 13 years. It is kinda of sad for a mom to realize her kids are getting older and more independent. Bud is a good kid. He always has been kind and compassionate to others. He is patient and understanding with his brother (most of the time). He loves to get together with family every Sunday. He enjoys being around people and appreciates what life has to offer.

We love our Bud.

Wolves, Graduations, An Old Man and Decomposition (no the old man isn't decomposing!)

I finally downloaded all of my pictures from the past few months. Usually I just pick and choose which pictures I pull off my camera based on what I want to blog or scrap. I found a few stragglers and decided they need to be posted.

Booger advanced to a Wolf in scouts. This whole ritual thing is strange for me but our den makes things fun for the kids. As you can see he still has no uniform ~sigh~ maybe next year.

My dad turned 57. I'm not sure how many candles mom squeezed onto his Baskin Robbins cake but it nearly set off the smoke alarm. I was true to my healthy living and did not partake although it is my #1 favorite thing in the universe.

Booger was obsessed with potato bugs for a few weeks back in April. He gathered a few and trapped them in this salad dressing "to go" container. He swore he would feed them and I soon lost interest in listening to him yack about them. Serves me right when last week I went out to clean my car due to a lingering stench when I found this. If you look closely you can see the decomposing bugs in the "furry mildew" stage. Poor tater buggies.

It's a good thing he labeled the container or I might have mistaked them for something yummy as I rummaged for a late night snack.

My youngest sister graduated from high school this past week. PHEW! Doesn't she looked relieved? Or maybe that is a look of fear.

She graduated from Paradigm. This is a charter high school that serves grades 9-12. I loved having such a small graduating class (35 or so). They were able to spotlight each graduate with a slide show and a fun blurb about their activities, childhood etc. and still keep the program under 1 hour. It's hard to believe in 1 year Bud will be walking through those doors as he starts his High School experience. He was able to tour the building and plans to take another look around this fall when school is in session. I am grateful for the choices we have regarding where we educate our children. Paradigm is a perfect fit for Bud and believe it or not, he can't wait for 9th grade.

Category 5 Tornado Hits Utah

Well, this past week was the first week of summer break for the boys. I still needed to work full time to close out the school year so I told the boys I would give them 1 week of unscheduled relaxation before the annual, dreaded, summer chore/activity chart made an appearance.Duke had to work out of town the beginning of the week so they were left to their own defenses during the day. The weather has been very wet, not allowing for a lot of outside play time. I give all of this background information so that you may understand the full extent of what I was up against each evening as I returned home.

It looks as if they had a slumber party in the living room. They didn't want to leave the dogs out so as you can see, they brought the dog bed out along with all of Bud's bedding.

Granola bars (the entire box), fishy crackers (once again, the whole box), a Pringles can (empty), and a myriad of dishes and trash left as evidence of at least 15,000 calories consumed in one 8 hour period.


Frozen dinner packages (licked clean by the dogs), cereal bowls, and it looks as if they weren't satisfied with the feel for the couches in the living room so they drug out their chair from the bedroom.

Hmmm....nearly every door is left wide open in the kitchen, even the microwave. I failed to get the floor in this shot but I can guarantee you the trash cans were empty when I came home. Not one thing had been thrown away (at least not in the cans any way) all day long.


I was proud to see that at some point the 409 was used. By the look of the place, it wasn't used for any type of cleaning. No doubt something sinister was in the works. You will notice the bag in the upper right hand corner. I stopped at Hobby Lobby in hopes of finding them something constructive to do the rest of the week.

This did not solve the mess problem but at least it cut the calorie intake down significantly and they both accomplished something in the end. Bud made a model car and Booger did a fun mosaic out of Magic Model stuff.

Bud complains that he is too old for a chart. I say it has nothing to do with age, only that a wasted 2 1/2 months eating, watching T.V., and driving mom crazy with a pig sty house is not safe for any one's well being...including mine. I have 6 weeks off (not by choice B.T.W.) and my goal is to make it a positive experience for everyone.

I have to say, I was very proud of myself when I came home from work each day to the after effects of a tornado. No yelling, no crying, no swearing or degrading name calling, no threatening of life and limbs. I just calmly made mental notes for the coming week's charts and as soon as this post is published, the chart making will begin.

Kelly Under the Rainbow

I let loose a bit last night. Well, actually as loose as one can get in Orem, Utah. Shawna, Lindsey, Emily and I went to the Kelly Clarkson concert. I worried all day that it would rain and I would be the one to back out after telling them all that we were going "rain or shine". It rained for a few minutes but we were prepared. When Kelly finally started her part of the show I lost a bit of my senses. At one point I was shaking my "junk" in the faces of the younger generation sitting behind me. I suppose I needed a release of the tension that had built up the past month. I sang real loud, raised my arms above my head and displayed my "rock on" sign proudly.

I wiggled in my chair as much as was possible (those chairs aren't made for plus sized women) until I finally lost all control and burst out of my seat in pure butt shaking beauty. I have a great video of my antics and if someone (Shawna) wants to send it to me, I will post it.

It drizzled off and on but was fairly manageable. Shawna and I coordinated efforts to ensure we had all the rain gear we could muster. As usually the "little" sisters showed up with nothing, always counting on their elders to keep them safe and warm.

Emily and Lindsey... a bit wimpy I must say. I kept telling them they weren't made of sugar. Lindsey wore some ridiculous open toed, flip floppy, high heeled sandal things. Of course she was cold. Those are mine and Shawna's ponchos by the way.

Shawna and I tried everything to make our faces look skinnier on camera. I especially love the umbrella pole splitting my face in half.


The rain stopped and things got goofy. We decided it would be hysterical to take pictures of each other in our delirious state. Look how straight their teeth are! You wonder what Lindsey is saying in the background there. Probably some liberal rhetoric about toxins in the lotions or "Barack isms".

Here's my latest zit. I don't even try to hide them anymore. I have decided they make me feel young. I inadvertently got a closeup of Shawna's zit too. "You're Welcome" Shawna.


Friends are good for me. I forget to have friends sometimes. This week, having a friend helped pull me out of a "funk". (There is the poor innocent bystander behind us. The one I referenced to violating earlier.)


Sisters are good (even if they are over-pampered). We are so different, yet so similar. With a 20 year span we may have been raised separately but we still have the same genes (I don't mean jeans, we could never wear the same jeans. Theirs are too expensive, too small, and would never cover my crack.)

So there really is something great under the rainbow...

Kelly Clarkson is on stage under that rainbow. There were actually two rainbows. Treasure was under the rainbow (that's me). Good fun was found too. I teased Shawna about her new camera having the feature where you could stitch landscapes together. "When are you ever going to use that?" Well, I am eating crow. Awesome shot!