July 9th and we have a tween!

LIVE FROM THE LIVING ROOM!

Mom this one is purely for your enjoyment!!! This is the first of two. In this one I think she's got the intro. to her crowd (whom ever they may be) down!!! I like to call this one "Then You Don't Hear the Doorbell!" Pause the playlist and enjoy!!!

Part II of "Live from the Living Room" This one I call "Gotta be Loven Your Dog" In this one a few more little performers get involved. Once I realized this one was never going to end I gave her the WRAP IT UP sign by putting my arm in the air and making a circular motion. The little performer saw me and added the move to her number! Needless to say it ends abruptly when I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore!!!

Back to School!

Marisa started 1st grade this year and I think she wanted to make sure that we all knew it. She posted these little pictures all around the house that say "Frst Grad"! She likes her teacher but is a little concerned about the class pet! A SNAKE!!! Marisa has been praying for months about not being afraid of snakes and scorpions. When we got her class assignment she burst into tears! She new perfectly well who the teacher was that had a SNAKE as the class pet!!! I said lets get the year book and take a look to see who had this teacher last year! Big mistake the snakes picture was featured on the class page!!! Marisa even went so far to say that she hoped it would die!!! I didn't tell the teacher that!!! The teacher hasn't brought it into the classroom yet. I told her how terrified of snakes Marisa is and she is being sensitive to it. Hopefully after Marisa learns a little about it she won't be too afraid and will be able to stand to be in the same room with it. During the year the kids are aloud to hold it and take a picture with it. Marisa asked if she could go to another room when they did that!! Other than that things look good for our ""frst gradr"!

When did he get so big and handsome!!!! Grayson is starting 3rd grade this year! He has the coveted teacher!! She thinks they are so "Mature!" They too have a class pet, a gerbil. I would hate to see a class pet party! Let's not get the snake and the gerbil together, especially in front of Marisa!! Grayson said they have a class vet and each day the vet takes the gerbil out of it's cage and puts it in a ball and lets it roam around the classroom! Sounds fun! I wonder if anyone wants a class DOG!! Jasper misses the kids. Especially Grayson. Grayson didn't get Jasper in his bed before he left for school with the car pool yesterday. Jasper saw him leave out the door get in the car and drive off! He sat by the door and howled and cried all day!!!! He misses his boy!! Grayson is enjoying being the oldest of our children at the school! He picks up Marisa after school.

Hannah is our Middle Schooler!!!! She attended a 3 day transitional class this summer before school started and learn her way around and learn how to open her locker etc!! The lockers are a big deal!!! The kids are nuts about getting them all decked out with white boards, mirrors, little shelves, photos and posters etc. It looks like they all watch a little too much Disney Channel to me but it makes them happy!!! She is walking to school with friends this year which I say is about time!!! I walked to school in 2 feet of snow uphill both ways everyday!!!! I say this but I still have to drive her to where she meets up with her friends!!! But it beats fighting the traffic in front of the school I guess! She is excited about her schedule she has all accelerated classes. She is lucky to have one of her good buddies in all but one of her classes. I hope it will be a great year for everyone!!

WHAT DO WE DO? WE SWIM!!!

Swimmers take your mark, Get Set, GO!!!!


Hannah doing freestyle!!!

Grayson and George doing Freestyle!

Working on Breast Stroke!

The kids have been doing swim school for the past 6 weeks! It has been fabulous!!! They work out with coach Carol for 45 min. a day M-Th and rotate working on each stroke, butterfly, back, breast and free. The class is to perfect their strokes and get them ready for swim team if they are interested! It has been a great way to keep them entertained and they have loved the exercise!! It is great for their bodies. Grayson said "What is this line on my stomach?" He is getting cut and doesn't even know it!!! Now all I need to do is get my lazy self in the pool!!!!

JULY 7th GRAYSON IS 9

DELINQUENT DOG RECEIVES DIPLOMA

Jasper graduates from Obedience School! It's hard to believe this ill mannered pup made it through all eight classes! He only rebelled during one class where he absolutely refused to do anything!! His behavior in the classroom may have improved but we have yet to see it in the household!!! Here is the list of things Jasper is guilty of:

Chewing and Destruction of:

One foam finger

a dollar bill

Space Derby Rocket

Rice bag

Earings

pair of swim goggles

swim shorts

4 flip flops

one Father's day Steak

paper cups

Garbage cans (He knows where all the garbage's in the

house are better than my children)

his bed

chairs

Hannah's pin cushion

wii cords

picnic lunch

someones homework

I am sure there is and will be more!! But we love the little guy just the same!!!!

Caught red handed up on the counter in the kitchen in the act eating our breakfast!!!!

MARISA'S SPA DAY

Marisa has a day at the SPA!!! Who would have thunk it? You can have a SPA DAY right at home in your very own kitchen. With her oatmeal scrub and cucumber eye mask Marisa is planning on having the smoothest freshest face in town!!! I remember doing oatmeal masks and egg white mask when I was a girl! The things we come up with for just a little bit of a beauty!

BREAD

Uh ohh, not good for low carb. diets!! A friend gave us this awesome recipe for this Artisan Bread! We liked it so much we bought the cook book! I can't believe it even looks like the picture in the book. This bread is so easy and it only has four ingredients, water, flour, salt and yeast!!! It is delicious!!!!

SEWING CAMP

Hannah had this awesome opportunity to attend "I'm Sew Happy" Summer Sewing Camp this week! A lady in a neighboring ward was putting it on. They made 16 projects in three days! She has been itching to use her sewing machine again this summer and time was running out! So thank goodness for the camp! At the camp they made pajama bottoms, a sewing caddie, rice bag, pillow case, slippers, apron, book bag, crayon caddie, book covers, hot pads, pin cushions and decorated t-shirts, and flip flopps. I am sure I missed something! It was an great experience!!! I am so grateful for people who share their talents!!

COOKING CAMP

Get the red and white cook book! You could always trust the Better Homes and Garden red and white cook book! Last night we got "The NEW Better Homes and Garden JUNIOR Cook Book." Jeff and the kids got busy today in the kitchen making a delicious dessert. They made "Gimme Smore" smores! I can't wait to taste them they have to chill a couple of hours!

JULY 3rd 16 YEARS & COUNTING

"Time flies when you are having fun!" I can't believe we have been married for 16 years! Where does the time go? Marriage is like a good wine (so they say) it only gets better with age! I don't think I knew how blessed I was the day I met and then married Jeff! I am so grateful to have him in my life! He is MY Rock!

You are my Rock

This gift is more that a box of rocks

Each one was earned through talks and walks

We built a foundation of our own

Rock by rock and stone by Stone.

It all started in Geology,

Who would have known you'd marry me.

Rock by rock stone by stone

Oh, look how our love has grown.

Some rocks can withstand all tests of time

Just like the love that's yours and mine

Rock by rock and stone by stone

I am so glad that your my own.

JUNE 28th MARISA IS SIX