Odds and Ends

Tomorrow Alex comes home from scout camp. 

He's been gone all week. Five nights and six days. That's a long time. Earlier in the week I was worried that I'd get a call that he wanted to come home. Nope. Now I'm worried he won't ever want to come home. I mean really. He's sleeping in a tent, swimming, lighting fires, playing in the dirt and not reading, bathing or studying. He probably really doesn't want to come home.

I miss my children when they're gone like this. I get so excited for them to come home. It makes me wonder what it will be like to have Kambree gone for weeks at a time? (Notice I said WEEKS not MONTHS!) I wonder if Alex's "flames" have grown out on the side of his head? I can always have hope....right? I wonder if he brushed his teeth at all? Tomorrow will tell.

 

I am happy to report that we made it through the week-o-birthdays and with SIX cakes total, I only gained 1.5 pounds. Could have been worse. Now I'm off the hook until January. With all this birthday excitement Rylee has taken to planning and talking about what she wants for her birthday. Just like with Alex I finally decreed that she cannot plan, ask or talk about thing relating to her birthday until the month of her birthday....that would be just about six months from now! She and Alex are eighteen months apart to the day.

 

I've had to make the same decree with Alex and Rylee about Halloween. Gosh. They come up with "what I want to be for next Halloween" the first of November and then change their mind a bazillion times. I have refused to talk about Halloween costumes until October 1st. (Last I heard Alex wanted to be the guy from gutiar hero with his hair all in pointy spikes. He's new hair do will certainly nix that costume plan. Rylee wants to wear her retro 70's dance outfit and buy white high go-go boots. I've been trying to explain that she's mixing up decades but she won't hear it!)

James has been busy laying cement in our side yard and has recruited the children to help. Today was Devree and Rylee's day. Austin already has put his time in and Alex did a section the night he was "the servant" so I'm not sure if he owes James another session on his own time or not. He likes working with James and it's dirty work so that's even better in his book. Kambree still needs to participate-I hope I'm gone the morning he rouses her out of bed in the early am to help!

GLORY BE AND THE SAINTS BE PRAISED! 

Austin got a job!! He's going to work at the bakery where Kambree works or worked once she leaves for school this month. I am so happy as they're closed on Sundays, agreed to not schedule him on Wednesday nights and they close at eight pm! Perfect high school job! They've been so good to Kambree. They love her and have told her they wish they could hire ten of her! I hope Austin can measure up. I know he can be a good worker too it's just that he's all about having a good time these days and although funny and witty and very persuasive-let's just hope they can find the joy and charm I find in him!

We sold our van and now James is shopping for his commuter car. Good grief. Since April we will have contacted our poor car insurance agent NINE times to make changes to our policy. It started with adding Austin to the policy, then selling the scooter, adding the motorcycle, adding the Saturn, licensing Moby (our old Ford) and adding him to the policy, selling the Infinite, adding the Sequoia, selling the van and hopefully adding the new car tomorrow. If James doesn't find a car before he leaves for work on Tuesday Austin and I will be in trouble as James will take the Metro to work, Kambree the Saturn to Snow and unless Austin wants to drive gas guzzling-diesel fuel drinking-larger than life Moby he will be without wheels and I will be without a driver for the junior high commute. (Yes, my high schoolers drop off my junior highers!)  I think I feel more sorry for me than Austin!

We made a trip to Home Depot tonight. What started out as a "Mom, the sink is leaking!" last week has turned into an entire replacement of the vanity, sink and faucet in the kids upstairs bathroom. We've put off renovating that bathroom but now it's time. It's a domino effect. Leaky faucet? Well, let's replace the whole original 1978's vanity and counter but now we need to do the floor and the surround needs to be replaced and so on and so on.....Ahh...home maintenance. Just when you think you're done-it's time to start over!

I took two darling listings today! Anyone need a great rambler in West Jordan or newer Multi in Draper? Both price under 230K! 

Well, I can hear the movie going and smell the popcorn.

Movie night with James and Rylee.

Life is good!

Alex's Camp Hunt

Kambree's 18th Birthday

Kambree's birthday just happened to fall on Raging Waters Day with our orthodontist. Each year he invites all his patients to Raging Waters and they can bring a friend for free! So since none of "my friends" would really want to leave their families and go to Raging Waters with me-I let Kam bring another one of her friends.

Here's Lindsay, Kambree and Camille.

Austin brought one friend for free and the other three got in for a discounted rate. They were not thrilled that I was taking their picture. Can you tell?

Devree brought Jazmine-no surprise there.

Rylee with her friend Ari-showing us their Oreo's
Not to be out done on her birthday....here's Kambree showing us her Oreo's. Did I mention she's turning eighteen??

James came late as he's been at the Outdoor Expo promoting his Glummy Bag. But here he is with the birthday girl.

After sliding, riding the wave pool, the lazy river and eating hot dogs, chips and Oreo's provided by our orthodontist. (Shout out to Dr. Broadwater @ Holladay Orthodontics. Not only does he throw a great summer party-he's awesome orth. Tell him I sent you!) We went home where we ate Dorrito Salad for a late dinner.

Here is Austin doing his dishes in the princess crown. Not sure why but all I can say is, it's a good thing he is not a girl!

Then we opened presents.

Here's Kam with her new Snow hoodie.

This picture has a story. Devree bought these glasses for Kambree but wore them around in front of Kambree-who loved them and wished she had them! She was so thrilled to find out they were actually for her! So sneaky Devree.

Kambree asked for a Barbie Cake. Not one of my best but a big thank you to Amy for bailing me out with a cake frosting bag. I had run out and tried using a Ziplock. After bursting the seams I called in a panic and she lent me two!

Blowing out the candles

And here is James in his "birth shirt" with Kambree. He's gotten a little bigger in the last eighteen years.

I can't believe my baby is eighteen!

(I can't possible be that old.)

I love you Kambree. I'm so excited for you and your future. I know your going to have so much fun at college. I'm a little worried about me missing & worrying about you but I know you'll be just fine. Just remember I'm only a phone call, email, or text away!

Heading to scout camp for the week!

More birthday celebrating!

Not only do we have Alex's birthday on the 28th, Devee's on the 30th and Kambree's on August 3rd-my favorite and only sisters is on the 29th! We got everyone together Sunday night because apparently four birthday cakes in six days just isn't enough?

Here's the kids comparing their heights.

Alex is 7.5 months older than Brach and a hair taller, Brach is ten months older than Rylee. I think in the next two years Rylee will be taller-as girls get their height earlier- but then the boys will over take her?

It will be interesting to see just what Alex turns out like physically. I don't think he'll be short but who knows? He tells us his Ukraine Dad was big but he was only three or four....so of course he was big! His brother is not a whole lot taller than me but they don't share the same father. Which reminds me, Alex asked me when he was going to get "big these" pointing to his biceps "like Austin & Dad" I had to tell him "I don't know bud." Austin gets his build from James he's just big. Solid. Thick. I'm not sure Alex has those genes. I told him to eat more protein and he told me now that he's twelve he's going to exercise. He wants a "flat stomach". He's going to ride up to the school and hang from the tricky bars and do upside down sit ups. I told him exercise is great but he already has a flat stomach. "But I want eight muscles-I only have one!" Heheehee.

I do hope he's got some muscular gene's in there somewhere as being small and skinny-with a Dad and brother like Austin is going to be tough for him I think!

Then this homeless man showed up...

No wait, that's my brother Jeff sporting a beard. I've never seen him with facial hair. He HATES it. He's growing it out for a film-he's been cast as an apostle-one that goes to rescue the Donner party-in some upcoming film. Perhaps some of you saw him in the film about President Hinkley's life? He played President Hinkley's Dad? He was much nicer looking in that film then he is in this picture. Just had to document the beard.

Here's Kambree talking Tyler into a snuggle.

Rylee delivering one of the two cakes. Brach and Troy in the background.

Singing to the birthday bunch!

Kambree, Alex, Sydni, Kammy & Devree.

My Dad should have got in this shot and we'd have all the summer birthday babies!

Kammy gave the girls gifts-she already sent a gift over for Alex during his party. I had to put these pictures in because she sent her boys to grab gift bags-in Devree's is an I-tunes card. The bag is not only HUGE but a Christmas bag!

Kambree's is in a Christmas bag too. (She gave her towels, hand towels and wash clothes for college. Thanks Kam!)

I love it! Kammy's like "I sort of like having a broken leg. The boys have to help me more and I sent them to get gift bags and this is what the came back with!" Christmas in August! I so love it! And I love that my sister just used the bags and didn't send them back for different ones. I think I could stand to learn a little "broken leg wisdom".

Typical Sunday Afternoon

We have nine am church which is not so great when you have to get everyone up, dressed and out the door-especially when you wait up for teenagers to straggle in from their late nights-but it's awesome to be home and have the rest of the day to yourself! We have a family rule that Sunday's are family days-so no friends! (I love it-the kids?.....Not so much.) I also nix loud, rocking, rapping teenage music. Which seems to be on 24/7 every other day. That might explain why we do so much sleeping on Sunday afternoons. Upon getting up from my nap I found James taking his.....

(Seriously. He's asleep. He's not pretending.)
And laying on the couch across from him was Devree.....

Rylee and Alex were on the computers. Rylee playing a game and Alex watching I-Carly.

Kambree and Austin were chilling in the living room. Kambree coloring a paint by number and Austin playing Wii.

I decided the kids had enough alone time on the computer and needed to do something together so I pulled out a box of Shrink A Dinks. (Remember those? I found them at Shopko last week and my youngest two loved them!) Devree started making friendship bracelets which she has since taught to Alex and Rylee.
I love to see my kids work together and use their hands and minds as opposed to the mind numbing electronic entertainment that seems such a prominent part of their lives.

I turned on soft Sunday music and just basked in the tranquility that existed for a couple of hours. (The look so sweet don't they?)Eventually they all ended up in the living room making bracelets or coloring and watching Phantom Of The Opera.
I heard Alex humming some of the songs later but when asked if he liked the movie he said "Yes, but I wish they not sing so much!" Hahaha! (Austin choose that time to take HIS Sunday nap!) James continued sleeping with his guitar and I made dinner and TWO cakes for that night's birthday celebration with my family.
I just love Sunday afternoons!

Devree's 14th Birthday

14 years ago today my beautiful Devree was born. I remember that day so well.

I thought I had "been there done that" as this was my third child. I've always been induced because apparently my womb is so wonderful none of my children have ever wanted to leave on their own accord. So we arrived, were checked in, hooked up, broke my water and proceeded to wait. James needed to go to the store-he was buying me perfume-my signature smell for Devree-I told him to go ahead, I'm sure it'd be hours before she made her apperance. (Kambree and Austin were ten and nine hours of labor respectively.) So off he went. Just minutes after leaving the nurse came in and put oxygen on me....telling me that every time I contract the baby's heart rate drops. (We didn't know if Dev was a girl or a boy. We had one of each and wanted to be surprised. She was going to be Benjamin if she was a boy.)

So, I'm sitting there by myself-in labor-with a Luke Skywalker mask on listening to my breath. This is before the days of cell phones-well people did have them but only the very rich and they were the size of a brick. I was getting nervous. Finally James arrived and upon seeing me with the oxygen on he became nervous too. I wasn't dilated and we seemed to have a lot of nurse's looking at charts and machines and frowning. Around noon-ish the doctor came in and looked at some more charts and announced "We needed to get this baby out now! (Now, I always check in at eight am and had Kambree and six and Austin around five so I figured I might shave off another hour and have Devree around four?) Luckily & miraculously I was dilated when the doctor checked and a push or two later out came my Devree.

When just her head was out the doctor said "This has to be a girl, she's just too pretty to be a boy." And sure enough, he was right. She was red faced but perfect. Such a perfect round little head-I guess that's what happens when you aren't stuck in the birth canal all day?

Anyway, fast forward to fourteen years later and here's Dev on her birthday. Still beautiful and with perfect hair on her perfect head!

She request chicken and dumplings and Jello jigglers for her birthday dinner. Then we opened presents with the family....

Dove Intense Repair shampoo and condition-a requested item for that perfect hair!

She only wanted to invite TWENTY EIGHT of her closest friends to her birthday party so we hosted "Devree's Drive In" in our driveway.

Here she is with her Costco birthday cake.

Out of the TWENTY EIGHT, twenty could make it! (Not counting Rylee and Devree!)

And she got lots of fun, fruffy girl stuff.....

Kambree got home from work and made an appearance and gave her a cute bracelet.

And here's Jazmin sporting some of her new gifts-including the joke gift of the stick on bra-it's on Jazmine's head!

Here's some shots of the movie....it actually showed up better than it photographed.

James almost forgot to put on his "birth shirt". The shirt he wore at her birth. This is his own brain child/tradition and he forgets quiet often to wear it. (Especially Kambree's shirt as it is much too small now) but I reminded him so we snapped a quick picture of the birthday girl and her Dad-in his special shirt.

Happy Birthday Dev!

Since day one you haven't been typical or ordinary. You're one of a kind, and beautiful inside and out!

Love You!