School Days:

Everyday after school I ask the kids about their day. Today Emmalee and Katie gave me some fun answers, that just made me laugh. They really pick up on some interesting things.

Our conversation :

Me: Girls how was your day?

Katie: Um, good. I got a 4 with no "time outs".

Me: That is so good. I'm really proud of you, you've gone 3 weeks with all 4's.(We've had a rocky start this yr with Katie. I keep telling myself that it is just because we've moved and she is checking out the new school/teacher to see how much she can get away with. But really I know it is just Katie being Katie.)

So, tell me something you heard today. And, what was your favorite thing you did today.

Katie: I heard lots of things today mom.

Me: Like what?

Katie: Like, kids screaming and singing. Like this...... (then at the top of her lungs she lets us hear what she heard. And, we were in the car driving. Oh, and it was right by my ear. I think I'm deaf now!)

Me: Why were kids screaming and singing?

Katie: Mom, da. We were at recess. There were lots of kids screaming and me and my friends were singing jump rope songs.

Me: Oh. Well, singing jump rope songs sounds like lots of fun. Do you like to jump rope more than play on the monkey bars?

Katie: Yeah. And, my favorite thing we did today was Math.

Me: Good. I'm so glad you like to learn math.

Me: Emmy, what about you?

Emmy: I heard car alarms and I don't know what my favorite thing was today.

Me: Why car alarms? That is kinda weird.

Emmy: Mom, my class is not far from the parking lot.

Me: Oh, I now that. (Da, I guess I'm not all that with it.)

It will be interesting/scary to hear how Kacee and Eric would answer these questions. I might not be able to post them. I'm sure they hear things that they know I don't want to hear. I feel so bad for them.

THE BIG "40" !!!

Happy "40" Birthday!!

Happy Birthday!! I can't believe that you are actually 40yrs old. Now, as you put it, you are over the hill & half way through your life.

We've always joked around about getting to this point in our lives, but I guess I just don't see you being that age. We are both suppose to be still in our 20's and running after our little ones. Now we get to be in our 40's and 30's (I couldn't handle being 40 yet, I'm still adjusting to 36) and running after our teenage daughter and watching the other 3 not far behind her.

Kurt, just like his dad, is not into all the fuss. So, I hope my sweet and loving Hubby has a great day. Life is so good, and we are so blessed. I love you and happy bday!!!!

Camping, Rain, and TANERITE!!

We left for a fun much needed cooler weather camping trip to the north. We pulled out of town on Friday morning and headed for Ashfork, AZ. The weather guy said we had chances of rain till Tuesday and I don't like to camp in the rain. Especially when we camp in a tent. But we went anyways and had a beautiful day up on my Brother and Sister n laws property. Then the lightening and thunder came about 2am on Sat. The lightening was so bright it felt like someone was standing over you with a camera flash and making it go off. Kurt and I didn't sleep the rest of the night, and neither did the kids. And, then the rain came. "Oh great! Have we sealed this tent? Umm, I don't think we have. Should we move sleeping bags & luggage away from the sides of the tent? If you really want to." Then we hear "drip, drip, drip". "Mom, I'm getting water on my face. " Whispering to Kurt so the kids don't hear cuz then they would want to go, "Should we make a run for the suburban?" It was a long night, but we only got a couple of drips on us and we were blessed with staying dry in the tent. Thanks heavens!!


Saturday morning was a little wet but so beautiful. We decided to go for a hike while waiting for Kurt's sisters family to come. Then more very dark clouds started to come it. So we headed back for camp. Still no sister, so we left with lunch to go seek a covered patio at my brother-n-law's Uncle and Aunt's property just down the road. We weren't there 5 minutes and the hail came in the size of quarters. It came down for 5 minutes, I wish I hadn't left my camera in the car. The ground was white. Then it rained for a while and hard. The rest of our family finally arrived and we were so excited to see them. It finally felt like a Labor Day weekend camping trip. The rain didn't stop much that night. We couldn't even sit out by the camp fire, even though Kurt kept it going. What a man, he loves a good camp fire! Thanks to our family, we kept dry. They let us sleep in the extra trailer. By then our tent was pretty wet.


Sunday brought a dry morning. We hurried and made breakfast and got the fun going. The quads were out,running and getting covered in mud and the kids were done with those. So the Dad's brought out all the guns. Now some fun was coming. Katie shot Kacee's gun for the first time and did pretty good. It looks like she can just hold it. She loved it.

Then the TANERITE came out. (thank you Brian Sachez & George Foster for introducing Kurt to this wonderful stuff!) Kacee, my niece Kortni, and her friend Kayla started shooting Kurt's big gun. That is the one that blows the tanerite up. And here we go, everyone plug their ears!! That darn gun is so loud. Kayla shot the tanerite and so did Kacee. They did a great job and blew it up. I got Kacee's shot and kaboom on video.

It rained some more Sunday. The gun show was short lived. But we got a beautiful night to have a great camp fire that us girls built. Thank you "Girls camp". We do learn things there. Some might think we go to GC to go on "sonic" runs, laugh at our crazy nicknames, hide the camp directors megaphone, or string rubber chickens up the flagpole late at night (hehehe-SR1!!).
The guys left and went to look for coyotes. They even got some Dove hunting in before we left.
Over all it was a good weekend. Just a little different camping trip up there this time. It was not the norm. But it was good memories. We missed you - Bitter family. We'll plan another trip and go.

Air, I Need Air!!!

Okay, update of my total frustration. The stupid A/C is still not fixed!!!

They send a guy (the same guy) out to fix it again. He tells me that all the freon is still in and the pressure is good, so it must be a relay that has gone bad. Didn't even go up into the attic to check it out. Are you kidding me? So, he came back the next day with the new relay and put it in. And of course it works for him. Only because it had been off for days. But, what happens 2 days later, it stops working. Kurt get up in the attic to find ice on the unit(or what ever it is called). Can I just say, FRUSTRATION!! is my word for that moment. So, we get the ice off and it starts working. Yeah, a cold good night sleep. But in the morning after the kids are off to school, I have turn the A/C off so we can sleep at night. I can not keep doing this, it has to get fixed - I'm hot. So, I get a hold of the owner this morning to inform him of what is going on and he is sending someone out again to hopefully fix it tomorrow. I'm so tired of this, Say lots of prayers for us.



Oh, I forgot. To add to all of this, I was washing some clothes and my washer isn't working. The water won't drain. When it rains, it pours!! I think I'm going to check out. The only thing I can do at this point is just LAUGH.

Olympic sadness..

We are so sad , the Olympics are over! Well, I think/I know I'm the only one that is sad. The kids will be glad to be able to watch their shows again. I couldn't leave the TV for the last 2 weeks - I took over. And, all though I do love sports, I don't really love to watch them on TV. And, for sure not all the time. Kurt was saying the other day that he is so glad I'm not glued to the TV when football, baseball, or basketball is on. But I have to admit - if I can catch a BYU football / volleyball game or a Lakers basketball game on, I'll sit down to watch.

So, I've gotten nothing done the last 2wks and I'm so behind. Oh well, 2wks of Olympics was worth it. I just could not get enough of it. We lived in Provo, UT when the games were in SLC and it was so much fun to go to down town SLC. But, I have to say, getting the kids up early to go watch the torch run by was the ultimate. Kacee and Eric still remember. I got to see it run through the little town of Lompoc, CA were I grew up when the games were in LA- 1984 and I'll never forget that. Maybe some day my kids will love to watch the Olympics with me?!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to mutual I go!!

Hurray, I get to serve in Young Women's again! It is my love. I love the girls, the program & what it teaches them, and GIRLS CAMP!!! We have a small group and lets us do lots of fun activities. Can't wait to get going in it. I'm the 2nd counselor and get to be with Kacee. I wasn't sure how she was going to feel about that, but she is fine. If she wasn't, it wouldn't have stopped me from accepting the calling. So, Tues nights are going to be really busy, UGH. Scouts, Activities Days, and Mutual. They do it all at the Church. It's so smart 6pm for scouts & act days. Then 7pm for mutual. I'm hoping Kurt will get to start serving in a calling soon too. He's got so much to share and offer. We are really liking our new ward and can't wait to get to know more people.

HOT,HOT,HOT!!!!

Okay, I have to post twice today. It is to hot. I'm so tired of this heat. When will it ever end? The weekend that we moved into the house our A/C stopped working. UGH!! Thank heavens for home warranties. We went that weekend without it and the company came to fix it on Monday. It works, Yeah! Well, that only lasted till last Friday. 2 1/2 weeks, how can that be. I was getting ready to go the the temple last Friday and man was it hot. I look at the temp thingie for the house and it's 97 inside. So, we try to call and get another repair guy Sat morning and they have 12 other calls that day and told us they can't get to us. So, we went all weekend without air. HOT,HOT, HOT I tell you. No one should have to go through this.
So, they told me they would be out first thing Monday. They lied. When they hadn't showed up at Noon today, I called. They had no record of the warranty call from Sat. And even better, they couldn't find our other paper work from coming 2 1/2 wks ago. What the holy crap!!!! So a phone call to the warranty company and I'm told the company can't come till Tues morning between 7-730am. I'm right in the middle of getting everyone ready for school, scriptures and prayer, how am I going to do this. But fine I really need air.
Then the owner calls me direct. His office new I wasn't happy. For 15 min he's trying to figure out who I was, & why he couldn't find paper work on my house. I told him I have copies of the repair invoices and I need this fixed today like I was told on Sat. I've got young kids & this isn't okay. I shouldn't have to call his company back. I got a repair guy this afternoon, but it still isn't fixed. It's kinda blowing cold air, hopefully we'll get some sleep tonight. Now he thinks its a frozen relay in the air handler in the attic. Lucky him. I'm not sure he really knows what he's talking about. So, the saga goes on. Kacee and Emmalee told me that this wouldn't have happened if we had stayed in the old house. They love to just remind me that they want to move back, even though they are slowly adjusting.