Mom, Didn't You Know?

Yesterday, after school, I was finally relaxing after working through three kids homework assignments, signing folders, analizing school pictures that had come from school that day, getting everyone a light snack, making some phone calls about the Children's choir for Stake Conference, organizing practices for basketball tournaments this weekend . I decided I just needed to rest my feet for one brief moment. In that ONE BRIEF moment, Andrew comes up to me and says, "Mom, didn't you know that I was made to Eat instead of just sitting around and playing my DS? I believe Andrew was trying to say that it was time for dinner. Well, another day, right? That one question says it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Chaos Has Begun

We opened our new Bow Wow Wash business on Monday, Feb. 4th. This means that Wayne is always at the business, teaching clients how to wash their dogs, sometimes smelling like a wet dog himself , but I love him anyway. He is the greatest. He only got bit once last week and I think this next week will be better.

We did a dry run before any one else tried our business and Darby got Spa Lavished by our family. He smelled GREAT afterwards and sat at the grooming table for about 1 1/2 hours while we de-matted the poor guy. I guess when your an Irish Setter, you should learn to brush your own fur. Do you think that will ever happen?

David had his ear tubes taken out last week and is still struggling with problems in the ear area! He was so miserable at church yesterday that we wouldn't even go to Sister Casserole's (Sis. Castro - really - David says Casserole) class. That is a first for him to not want to go to Primary!

Mikayla and Andrew are finishing up basketball season. Both are on great teams! We have tournament next weekend and so both my babysitters will be busy! What will I do?

I decided to go to Amy W. (used to be Jensen) baby shower on Saturday night and left my two oldest in charge of the other four. They were being major couch pototoes watching Scooby Doo I and when I got home, all six were in the same position watching Scooby Doo II, even the Pea Pod (12 months). I had picked up a pizza before the baby shower and it hadn't even been touched when I got home! I was shocked at the intense focus of the kids that not even Andrew had gotten something to eat when all he thinks about is food! We hurried and bathed and did all the necessary Saturday night routine stuff to get ready for Sunday! I felt great when by 9:00 p.m. I had everything ready for Sunday, even the meat browned and ready to be put in the oven Sunday morning, Jello made, clothes laid out on the couch for all the kids with all the kids in bed, and then realized that I didn't ever feed the kids that pizza. It was still in the same spot! Well, no one complained and felt that it would be okay this once to not stress over it! I think having six kids teaches you to not stress out and that if you do, your whole life would be a stress out because having six kids is Stressful! Did that even make sense? What?

Sunday evening, Wayne had a Presidency meeting at our house and I found myself hanging out in Mikayla's room. We did some scripture reading and Faith in God signing off stuff and had a great time together! She is a good girl and growing up way too fast. I do not look forward to when the kids are gone! I love noise, really!

It seems since our church schedule has changed we have so much more time on Sundays. I have decided that this is a great time to blog. We'll see how long my goal lasts! These are pictures from Six Flags at Christmas time when Mikayla and Brianna sang at the Carousel. It was FREEZING, but we had a good time. We left the babies at home with a sitter and the rest of us braved the cold. We were literally frozen within minutes, thanks to the humidity. We lived for the Sponge Bob Ride and a Looney Tunes Christmas production. These were both inside buildings and it was nice to get warm! The good thing about all that was we didn't have wait in any lines, except for the Sponge Bob ride!

A New Year! A New Family Picture that never made it in a Christmas Card!

Andrew was baptized in December so I thought I would post this great picture of our family. The picture itself is a little crooked, but well - that seems to be like our family anyway and how crazy our house is, that it makes me feel normal to look at that picture. At least the kids all had matching Christmas outfits this year. A First for us,for even the boys had matching plaid ties with the girls' plaid dresses. We would definitely not be found in Better Homes and Gardens or on a Disney Cruise Line picture because there has Never been a time when ALL of us are looking at the camera at the same time. This is very normal, I tell myself. All mothers struggle getting their kids to pose for a family picture. THAT is why computer programs were created to change features on a photo, but by the time I could figure out how to do all that and take the time to do it, my house would be a wreck and who knows what food would be on the ceiling.


Have a Great day!

The Latest David Story

Wayne asked David why there were Girls and Boys. Wayne explained and then asked David, "What if there were only Girls in the world?" David only looked at Wayne with an expression of "Are you NUTS?" Wayne then proceeded to ask David, "What if there were only Boys in the world?" David immediately answered him, "Then it would be a way Cool world, Dad!"

Batman Returns in Pumpkin Form

The Batman and the family

It was a Happy Halloween time around here. Last Friday, Andrew's 2nd grade pumpkin contest was due and we made The Batman as a family project. It was great fun and challenging. Gorilla Glue is amazing stuff. When Mikayla was in 2nd grade she made a Mickey Mouse pumpkin and we used Gorilla Glue for her project as well. That Mickey Mouse pumpkin head NEVER came off and we finally threw it away after Christmas. Painting a pumpkin makes it last for a VERY LONG TIME! Trick or Treating was very warm this year and lots of fun with way too much candy! Grandma Hawkes made Brianna's cat costume and Mikayla wore the Spanish Dress that Wayne bought in Spain on his mission. Andrew was OBI-Wan Kenobi, David was the GREEEN Dragon, Gabby was a ladybug and Pea Pod was the Bumble Bee. Wayne was able to be home with us this year and that was definitely a fun thing. Wayne had Andrew watch the movie, "Rudy" and Andrew loved it! I don't know if it was because Rudy never gave up or because he loved how at the end Rudy totally sacked the quarterback. He thought that was GREAT! He told me that he knows that feeling of sacking the quarterback and it does feel GREAT! He commented that he loved how Rudy always got back up over and over again and never gave up. I think it taught him a great lesson he will never forget!

A Look in the Past - At Least Mom Has Had Fun This Week!

A True Hippie girl! Mikayla shines!

1960's Day!

Respect the classics man!



The True sideburns are a must in the 60's

On a little more clean cut look!

1950's Day!

This week has been "Back through the Decades" for Red Ribbon Drug-Free week at our elementary school. Our family has really gotten into this and I have posted some pictures of the kids in the 50's, 60's and then forgot to take pictures on 70's day. The sad part of this whole thing was that it didn't take much to put these outfits together, especially the 60's and 70's day. Our kids actually wear some of these clothes on a regular basis. How pathetic! On 60's day when Wayne took the kids over to school, he came home and told me that our kids looked like true authentic hippies. While most of the other kids wore tye-dye shirts, our kids were in flower child gear of peace vests and hippie blouses, with beads and chains, bandanas and flip flops. The Entire Ensemble! Andrew even wore sideburns. He thought they were so cool and got so many comments on them that he wanted to wear them again the next day. He said all the kindergarteners were staring at him at lunch. He thought it was Kinda Cool, Man!