Peyton Lost Another Tooth (#3)

Can you guess which one?

New Kids on the Block!

I've been waiting for my boys to return for 18 years and it was worth the wait! I was a pretty crazy 13-year-old girl in the summer of 1990 when all I could think about was Jonathan Knight and NKOTB--I became that girl again last weekend in Salt Lake City. My crazy mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, and neice joined me and our craziness level just multiplied. By the time I drove to Utah on Saturday Deana and the girls were in the midst of making one-of-a-kind t-shirts for all of us. I brought along my duffel bag filled with 18-year-old NKOTB memorabilia (no joke), including books, magazines, posters, shoelaces, water bottle, bracelet, earrings, pins (the BIG ones!), and my homemade scrapbook including important info on each "kid" (like favorite color and the kinds of girls they like). I told you I had been waiting for this!

I thought I had died and gone to heaven when those boys came on stage. They are more hot now than ever before (of course, I've gone through puberty since the last time I saw them so I'm sure that has something to do with it)! We had great seats, especially when they did a couple songs in a small stage in the middle of the arena--I had a close-up view of Jonathan and his delicious arms and delectable rear end. I don't think Erika (Justin's wife) quite understood the depth of my feelings for NKOTB, but I think she realizes it now. Brandi, eight months pregnant, was pretty crazy herself.


You can visit Erika's blog at justinanderika.blogspot.com and Brandi's blog at mattandbrandi.blogspot.com for more pictures and stories. My infamous butt picture is on their blogs as well...

The Oregon Coast

On Friday we flew to Oregon for a weekend at the coast. Our friends Kim and Dan were supposed to join us but had to stay in Utah and take care of family so it was just the four of us. We stayed at a condo at the Inn at Otter Crest -- it's literally on the edge of a cliff! Our view was unbelievable!(http://www.innatottercrest.com/)

We had a blast and although the kids weren't supposed to get wet, I couldn't get mad at them when they had such huge grins on their faces. The weather was a cool 65 degrees most of the time. We hit the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Marine Science Center, but mostly we relaxed.

Halloween!

Halloween in Boise is like Pioneer Day in Utah or a home football game for the Huskers in Lincoln, Nebraska. It's a big event! Half the city turns out to trick-or-treat on Harrison Blvd. and it's wall-to-wall people. This year we were able to make the trek with a few friends. The grins on the kids' faces said it all. I can't wait 'til next year!



Ashley carved this pumpkin almost entirely by herself. She's pretty independent...I wonder where she gets that?...










The pumpkin on the bottom is supposed to be the witch from Snow White but the damn squirrels got to it before I got to take a picture. The pumpkin on top is Peyton's.









Is this the cutest witch you've ever seen or what?


























Our ninja was focused on only one thing -- treats!!!

The goblins (clockwise from top left): Peyton/Ninja, Owen/Dale Earnhardt, Geoffrey/SPD Ranger, Ty/Darth Mal, Charlie/Superman, Jack/Hedwig (the Harry Potter owl), Ian/Mystic Force Ranger, and Ashley/Witch.

SURVIVOR

I've decided that instead of forwarding funny and insightful emails, I'll just post them on our blog. So here goes - this one's a good one!

THE NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES
Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks.
Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.
There is no fast food.
Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, and complete science projects , cook, do laundry, and pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.
In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.
Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time--no emailing.
Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment.
He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care.
He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.
Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.
The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.
The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, adorn himself with jewelry, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails polished and eyebrows groomed.
During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.
They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.
They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 7:00 am.
A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information:
each child's birthday,
height, weight,
shoe size, clothes size
and doctor's name.
Also the child's weight at birth,
length, time of birth,
and length of labor,
each child's favorite color,
middle name,
favorite snack,
favorite song,
favorite drink,
favorite toy,
biggest fear and
what they want to be when they grow up.
The kids vote them off the island based on performance.
The last man wins only if...he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.
If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years eventually earning the right to be called Mother!

Pumpkin Patches, Hay Rides, & Corn Mazes!!!

Nothing says "October" like a trip to the pumpkin patch! So we loaded up the family Infiniti and headed out to the 'burbs (Meridian) to Linder Farms. Besides smelling like a farm, we got to feed animals and Peyton & Ashley got to ride horses around in a circle. I must also say that we did pretty well in the corn maze -- much better than Jeff and I did on our first date (when we "cheated" and went out one of the gates).

On the Hay Ride

Peyton's Horse

Ashley's Horse

Aren't They Cute???

Still A Ham!

Ashley Loves Soccer (Finally)!

It's taken Ashley a little while to warm up to it, but she is finally enjoying soccer!

Of course, she's still a goofball!

To Women & Mothers

...not written by me, but I agree with everything said herein!...

I am only as strong as the coffee I drink, the hairspray I use and the friends I have. To the cool women who have touched my life. Here's to you! It is good to be a woman: 1. We got off the Titanic first. 2. We can scare male bosses with the mysterious gynecological disorder excuses. 3. Taxis stop for us. 4. We don't look like a frog in a blender when dancing. 5. No fashion faux pas we make, could ever rival the Speedo. 6. We don't have to pass gas to amuse ourselves. 7. If we forget to shave, no one has to know. 8. We can congratulate our teammate without ever touching her rear end. 9. We never have to reach down every so often to make sure our privates are still there. 10. We have the ability to dress ourselves. 11. We can talk to the opposite sex without having to picture them naked. 12. If we marry someone 20 years younger, we are aware that we will look like an idiot. 13. We will never regret piercing our ears. 14. There are times when chocolate really can solve all your problems. 15. We can make comments about how silly men are in their presence because they aren't listening anyway. MOTHERS Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they don't have time to make it Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox. Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids. Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of carpets. Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up. Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' and get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best.' Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade...It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother... The Images of Mother 4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything! 8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot! 12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything. 14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either. 16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned. 18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date! 25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it! 35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion. 45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it? 65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom. The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Fall = Soccer Season

Peyton is back in action -- this time the team name is the "Flaming Cobras." Ashley started playing soccer, too -- they call it "PAKS" for "Parents And Kids Soccer" which means that Jeff or I have to play with her. Since I got Jeff to coach Peyton's team, I usually get to play with Ashley; she has almost reached my skill level so I'm ready for a real coach to take over next year!

Back to School

OK, OK, OK...so I haven't blogged for awhile. But it's Jeff's fault. He had this grand idea that when Peyton went back to school I should change my schedule so I could go in early and leave at 3:00 to pick up Peyty-Skate after school. Which means I now have to be at work at 7:00 am. I am NOT a morning person. It's been a month and I'm STILL NOT a morning person. I should be grateful that I have a husband who cares so much and was willing to change his schedule so he could drop the kids off at school and preschool in the mornings--and I am grateful. But this shift to the mornings is throwing me off a bit. So that's my excuse for not blogging in 5 weeks.

As far as 2nd grade goes, Peyton loves it. I like to think he gets his school-nerdiness from me. I loved school. I still like the idea of school, although I was more than ready to finish my master's degree. Peyton has to read for 20 minutes every night, has math homework on Mondays, and 10 spelling words every week. After talking to the other moms I realize that Peyton is pretty good at all of it and we're extremely lucky that he is.

Ashley is still at the Children's Village at the downtown YMCA. She is one of the older ones now and stands a full head taller than all the other kids. I am NOT kidding. She's only 3 inches shorter than Peyton--she is bigger than some of the girls in Peyton's 2nd grade class!

Did I mention I joined the PTA? I told you this morning thing is changing me...