Chillin' at the cabin

Every year Jeff, his 2 brothers, and his dad do a "boys trip" where they get together for a few days to bond and do fun manly stuff like see who can throw a rock the farthest- or run around the tree and back the fastest- ya know, stuff like that. The last 2 years Kobe has been invited to go too. I'm sure that it's great quality time and all- but it causes TREMENDOUS pressure on me to compensate for the other un-invitees. It's not quite as easy to entertain 5 little kids by myself. It's not my idea of fun. SO, this year I ran home to mommy and daddy for help- and they did all the hard work of a fun weekend for me!! What a great idea!! Too bad I didn't think of it last year!

We spent the weekend at the cabin and Grandma made sure we had enough good food and junk to stay an extra week- maybe in case we got snowed in or something. Or maybe Lake Powell is just too vivid in her mind. Grandpa brought his famous Zuccini bread too. Here is Payter pretending to eat her sandwich. That's the biggest bite of something healthy I can get her to take- and ONLY because I took her picture. I think that is why her hair won't grow. Her ponytails are starving.

We can't do camping without smore's, right? Grandpa made sure they finished off the bag of marshmellos so there wouldn't be any waste. Good job Grandpa. No wonder we love you.

Grandma had fun hanging with the kids- and when I asked Brooklyn what her favorite part was, she said teaching Grandma to play chess.

Oh no boys! I hate to break it to you, but there are STILL woodchucks in the woodpile!!!

Part of the making things equal included the BYU vs. UCLA game. Since the boys and my inlaws were all going, my dad took Lexie on a little date and they went too. They had too much fun! Grandpa sufficiently spoiled her. They met up with the boys after for dinner and got to see Cosmo the Cougar and Austin Collie at the resteraunt! It was a great day to be a BYU fan- let's see- I think the final score was 59 to 0!

All though it made for lots of driving (we've made SEVERAL Utah trips recently) I am so glad we decided to come down for a little fun ourselves while we let those boys be boys. I think next year we should triple the fun for them and send Zack and Lucas!! Yeah! What do ya think hunny?!

See? I told you so

Today at 11:00 as I was still trying to finish the breakfast dishes in my jammies I heard Zack yelling "Someone's here in their car mom!"
I looked out, and yep, to my utter surprise, here come my faithful visiting teachers- right on time. I hope they've come to love that 'deer in the headlight' look I must give them each month. I just hope they don't realize why they are getting it- or why I am always in my PJ's when they come...

Beware of the Lagoon

Watch out- when the Mower's get together, you never know what might happen. In this case, it was a wedding. (welcome to the fam Peter) I guess I should have put in a pic of the happy couple- but this one was my favorite.

Since the kids sat in the car for 10 hours and didn't even go to the wedding, we decided to do some fun stuff for them too. Temple Square is always a favorite, so we took the kids there after dinner. I have so many special memories of feeling a quiet reverence on temple grounds as a child and I would love my children to have these same types of testimony-building experiences. Unfortunately, I must not have realized (silly me) we'd been in the car all day and now it was nearly bedtime. Needless to say-I'm not sure my kids were feelin' the spirit- or anyone within shouting distance of where we were.

Okay- maybe I am not giving them enough credit. They did surprisingly well inside the VC- except for the part where you listen to the dialogue and look at the Christus- Zack was hurdling the benches and Lucas was fussing, Lex & Kobe were bugging each other, and Brooklyn was standing up next to the sister missionary who was tearfully bearing her testimony doing poses and saying "mom take my picture!" I wonder what Jeff was doing... I don't remember because I was so embarassed I was in the back pretending they weren't my kids

Saturday we surprised everyone by going to Lagoon. Man, I haven't been there since I was a kid!! After the night before I was mentally preparing myself for one of 3 things: a day of fighting and meltdowns, loosing a kid or two, or watching everyone go on rides and have fun while I wore Lucas and tried to pacify Zack and Payters since they couldn't ride the rides. To my utter shock- we had so much fun!! I was so glad the oldest 4 could do most of the rides- and Payter was a good sport about not doing everything since we took her on the freaky merry-go-round and she hated it. Lexie and Kobe even rode Collossus (however u spel it) although Lexie had no idea what she was standing in line for until she was headed up the 1st hill. Jeff had to tell her it might be too late to back out. I got to do lots of rides too because lucky for me Jeff gets sick on anything spinny. (Don't take that wrong hunny)

You want to know the highlight of the day? Cotton Candy! Wow we should have saved ourselves a bumload of $$$ and just grabbed some at a convenience store on the way home.

After all the candy and sugar- I was SO relieved to see there was a dentist nearby! Payter even had cavities on her FINGERS!

Look Grandpa N! It's a pioneer pharmacy! And look at the cute Technician! I bet she'd draw you lots of business!

I even ran into Lori and Joe right before we left- which just topped off a great day. All in all, I'd have to say, I LOVED Lagoon. WOW. And- I'm thinkin' that probably bought us some time-- now we can put off Disneyland a little longer, right?

Okay, okay, so I got tagged...

Hmmm- should I admit how long ago?

Yeah I know I know- I broke the rules. I really did try to be spontaneous, but since I only get to blog once in a blue moon and in 5 min. incraments, it wasn't meant to be. I took all my pics and then went on vacation and erased them to free up camera space. So, here is my 2nd attempt at being spontaneous. Hopefully you will forgive me- I don't mean to spoil the spirit of the game- which was to... embarass me, I assume-
Here is my lovely fridge full of all kinds of great leftovers. You are always sure to find something you want to eat, just smell it first.

I'm not sure what the top of my washer looks like. I don't have a laundry room, just a closet in a hall which is visible from the front door. (curses! Do you all feel bad for me now?) I do unreal amounts of laundry. Oh look! Only 3 loads! I must have done it recently!

My sink! Hey! Not to bad! Let's face it folks, if my dishes weren't somewhat done, would I be doing this?

Let's see... what are my kids up to? Here is Payter following me around saying "Cheese" so I will take her picture...

Lexie and Brooklyn were wrapped up in an elaborate polly Pocket game that consumed the whole living room... Lucas was sleeping, and the boys were outside sword fighting with sprinkler flags they pulled out from around the big whole in my front yard... (sorry I accidently erased the pic)

Ahhh! My favorite room! I was going to say any room with Jeff in it, (how cheesy!) but since he wasn't around to pose, here is my bedroom. Yes, I straightened it up first because it is only my favorite room when it is clean.

This is another view- I couldn't decide which one to use so lucky you- you get both angles for no extra charge!

Here's the throne- I was thinking it might be funny to shoot one of the kids toilets- it's bound to not be flushed- then I thought that's not funny, that's disgusting

my closet- things are packed in so tight they squeak when you pull them out. The stool, you ask? Oh, Zack carries that around the house inspecting high places for candy, medicine, markers, and other things I have attemped to hide from him

My favorite shoes!! I think they would go perfect with a sexy black dress, but where would I wear one of those?


Okay, I think I got all the pictures. If not, sorry. I tried to get one of the back glass door to throw in for good measure- but the picture didn't turn out. Too bad, you would have liked it. Sometimes I wonder if I left it for a while if the fingerprints would fill in solid. After all that, if you think I am a lousy housekeeper, I will be calling you to babysit next time Jeff and I go on a week long vacation.

Speaking of vacation, my dream vacation is a CRUISE!! I'm not picky where, just somewhere warm and fun with Jeff. I also think it would be amazing to see Macchu Picchu in Peru, but I am a little bit of a scaredy cat of places I don't speak the language. Oh yeah and big airplane rides.

6 Quirks.... (this should be easy)

1- My favorite way to get rid of hiccups is by telling someone out loud that I have them. I even tried it once out loud to myself when I was alone and it still worked!

2- I try to eat healthy so if there is junk food in the house I will eat it ALL myself as fast as I can so it will no longer be around to tempt me.

3- My second toe is longer than my first (ever see Shallow Hal?...)

4- No matter how many times they tell me and I remind myself, I am always surprised and wonder whos at the door when my visiting teachers come over

5- I do everything at the last possible minute. I was quizzing Kobe on his spelling words and he asked what procrastination meant. When I told him, he said "Oh, that's what dad says you do!"
No fair pointing out bad traits hunny!!!

6- I can't call my kids by their right names anymore. It's either a wierd combination of a few names, or just any entirely wrong name altogether. Usually they get called Zack, since that is the one I am constantly calling... Also, nothing I try to say ever comes to me when I am trying to say it- so my kids are getting really good at knowing what I mean when I say "Hand me that thing" or "Did you do your thing?" or "Are you going to the thing" or "Put on your thing.."- Ya know, stuff like that

Now who to tag... I'm not sure I know anyone who hasn't been already- How about you Julie W!! I know yours will be as good as mine!