Matt's Birthday Celebration

Check out the partay!!! The guests...Me, the lovely hostess, Heather the party consultant/wedding planner, Obama and his lovely wife (AKA Tom and Tiffany) and Indiana Jones as Obama. Check out the heat waves from all those candles on the cake!

A funny thing happened today....

Matt has agreed to help me document the funny things the kids do and say. My dear friend Brooke once kept a list of "Caiti-isms" which comprised a collection of funny things that Caiti said in art class at school... and she had a lot of good ones on a daily basis: like calling the Dalai Lama a Hoochie Momma! So, this will sort of be the same idea. I thought about calling it "Max-isms" because he is quite a funny kid, but this will be inclusive of all my kids.

11/6/08 Parent teacher conferences... Max had to "redo" a writing assignment because (I could hardly believe this could be true Ha ha) his handwriting was atrocious and could not be deciphered. He argued with me (I could hardly believe that could be happening ha ha) and insisted that he didn't have to do it. When I informed him that I had already talked with Mrs. Oz, Max's reply went like this: (gruff voice) Will you please stop talking to Mrs. Oz???? And I MEAN it!

11/2/08 Matt had to repair a leaking faucet outside yesterday. He asked Max and Maggie if they wanted to come with him and help. Of course they did!!! I heard Max call out to Maggie, "Come on Maggie. We have to go with Dad to 'deactivate' the water to the house. Let's go!"

10/26/08 Matt turned forty this week. Wah Hooo! We gave him a surprise part on Saturday night. After all the guests left, Max said to his dad, "Dad, just think, you are now one year closer to death!" Happy fortieth Matt!!!!

10/17/08 Bo described to Matt his frustration with 5 room mates. Would you believe that Bo is the only one who cleans up after himself in the kitchen? He washes the dishes straight away. Puts all ingredients away. And then he even puts his dishes away; all in one visit to the kitchen. (?HUMMMM?) Matt suggested that he ought to do that here at home too. Bo's reply, "Nah, I really don't live here anymore. I think I'll just do that at my own place." Tongue in cheek... I hope.

10/17/08 Bo, Matt, and Max were watching the latest Indiana Jones. Max tends to get a little into the movies sometimes and forgets he is really watching it, not living it! Suddenly, he burst out at the monkeys swinging in the trees: "Come! Attack my little minions! Attack!"

10/18/08 Maggie, furious with me for not allowing her to paint with the real paint brushes and the real paint (yes, the kind you paint wall in your house with and I wasn't painting she just saw the fun she could have on a shelf in the garage), finally, exasperated, called out to me, "You are just a STEP MOTHER!" Well, I haven't been called that before!!!!

One day a couple of months ago, I could hear Max and Maggie getting a bit agitated with each other over some coloring issues. Max yells, "Maggie, you are breaking my focustration!"

Fall Outing

Bo came home this weekend from school. He actually went with us on an outing! Before-hand, we made sugar cookies and marshmallow-carmel popcorn. I added pecans and successfully sifted out the "old maids". We made some sandwiches and took a pile of apples with us along with a few light jackets. Matt finally gave in an bought a new version of the digital camera he bought and lost in about 8 weeks time this same season last year! We took the new "toy" out of the box and actually snapped a few photos as we picnicked and hiked in Millcreek Canyon. Gorgeous weather. Happy kids.

I have had shingles, again. I caught it early and got a prescription from the doc. So after about Thursday, I was feeling a lot better. I have gone without makeup this week since the left side of my face is so sensitive to touch. I am not feeling as much a leper today as I have all last week.

Be sure to take a look at the pics!!! I am the photographer, not Matt, so they are just so-so. Matt has decided that he really doesn't like the digital world so much and has taken his Hasselblad out and loaded it with film!!!! Can you imagine... film?

OK. Now, I need easy Halloween costume ideas. I am so not good at the idea thing or how to put it together. Maggie is going to be Belle. That is handled thanks to the Disney Princess assortment of dresses in the dress-up trunk. Then it is time to start thinking about Christmas. After cleaning Maggie's room and then Max's, in succession, the other day: THERE WILL BE NO MORE TOYS COMING INTO THIS HOUSE!!! Did you hear that Santa Clause... and Grandma Reier??? So, I need some great ideas for Christmas. A sub for Santa sounds good and then go somewhere as a family... but where?

Bo turned 18 in January... Still wondering when that all happened. Didn't I just graduate? So he graduated and went off to Utah State University. He loves school. Probably he mostly loves being away from the circus! He came home for a visit last weekend (of his own free-will). It was fun to be with him. He actually (again, of his own free-will) hung out at home with Caiti, Hannah, Max, Maggie, and me all weekend. Matt was working conference. Oh, by the way, my super hot husband got the cover shot for November's Ensign. Be sure to check that out!

I ran my 10th marathon with my dear friend Jennifer Park 20 September 2008. She is ready for more. I think I am done! Half marathons sound great to me. I guess I am getting old and wimpy! Can you see the finish line? I can!

10 October 2008

OK, I am starting my doctoral program at USU.  Thinking that a blog might be a great idea to keep in touch (sort of) with all of my favorite people whom I don't get to see as much as I want and as I anticipate time will become an even more precious commodity!