Ed'zoo'cation

On April 29th, 2008 I was lucky enough to accompany Tre to the Hogle Zoo for his school field trip. I guess many parents volunteered to go but there was only enough spots for 6 chaperone's. I'm thinking that since I am so fun to be around Mrs. McCracken chose me as one of them. Ha! Actually she chose classroom volunteers that come each week to help out. That and we have a special bond from staying up all night together at the school during that horrendous snow storm this winter.

Either way I got to go and loved that Tre was excited about this. He even thanked me for volunteering. He told all his friends that his mom was coming with them. He won't always be like that so I am cherishing it for now.

Mrs. McCracken sure knows me! She gave me the four most active and disruptive boys in the class to watch. Yes, Tre was one of them. They thought they would be sneaky, but they didn't get away with anything. After attempts to lose me by running ahead, an attempt to climb park fences, and one attempt to climb out a boys bathroom window they decided to give up. Yes I can (and am willing to) run as fast as a 3rd grader. I can pull one down off a fence by the back of his shirt when asking didn't work and my trusty spy (zoo worker whom I really don't know at all) caught the boys before they could get out the bathroom window. Mrs. McCracken made them clean up garbage from the picnic area for punishment for that little stunt.

We all smiled and laughed the entire day. I was exhausted by the end but it was worth it to hear the four boys say this was the best field trip ever and they were glad they didn't get another (read: boring) parent for their group! Thanks Tre!

Any idea how loud a bus full of 3rd graders can get? Did you know it takes an hour to get there and an hour back to his school?

Tre, Lucas, Matt, and Josh...oh, and the elephant. These boys were more impressed with the poop on the ground and seeing the animals pee than the actual animal itself. I have never heard the word "poop" so much in my life!

Just checkin' out the zebra's

Cute penguins!

This Lynx looks cuddly enough to take home....yeah right!

My Sweet Gimp

You'd think that you would have to worry about your kids getting stitches, breaking bones, getting concussions, etc. You'd think that if they play as hard as they do some sort of injury is inevitable. You'd also think that if they have yet to take a trip to the emergency room, your in the clear.

Enter Jeremy. Since we've been married he has broken his thumb and his ankle and his jaw. These are only the broken bones confirmed by an ex ray but I am sure there have been more. He has torn ligaments and tendons aplenty, received stitches (with serious prodding on my part), and has been concussed twice. He has had two surgeries-one for his jaw and one to remove his appendix and this is just what I can remember.

His latest is a broken ankle and partially torn ligaments. While playing softball. And I thought when he gave up football the doctors could take a break! I still love you my sweet gimp!

Clearly he is not excited that I have a camera pointed toward him. He really isn't as miserable as he looks in this picture. In fact he finished out the game (they won BTW) after he had messed up his ankle. Tough or stupid? Your guess.

"Gradulations"

Belle's preschool has been talking about preschool graduation next month. They are having a party and a ceremony and her teacher is really getting them excited about it. Belle can't stop talking about "gradulations". So Funny!!

Maui, Hawaii Spring Break April 2008

As you know, we went to Hawaii for spring break. And to fully gloat I must post pics of that week in paradise. I took over 100 pictures, so for the sake of your time I will just show the highlights! All vacations start out in a car or airport and we had our fair share.

Here we are at the beginning of the trip. Tre, Belle and Jeremy keeping busy on the 5 hour layover in LAX. Yikes! We'll NEVER do that again.

Yes! We are finally in Maui. We left our house in SLC at 7:30 am and arrived in Hawaii at about 7 pm thier time, which was 11pm our time. This clearly explains the picture above.

The first thing we did? Hit the beach of course!

Here is the speed version of our adventures.....

Rainbows, body boarding, boat tours, and waterfalls....

Beachin', eating shave ice (it's not shaved ice in Hawaii), exploring tadpoles, smelling the flowers, and playing nicely....

(Yes, this really in an 8 foot wave going over my head, while Tre is swimming under it)

Sleeping, see'n turtles, Lu Lu's (my family nickname), trying to drown, foolin' around, and monkeyin' around...

Making new friends, making new memories, making stronger family bonds, making me TIRED!

Some highlights not pictured:

We'll start with Anabelle. This was her first time swimming in the ocean (not first time going to the ocean). She wasn't scared of the waves, the fish, or the turtles. On our snorkel tour the tour guides thought she was the cutest little thing in flippers out in the water. They had never seen a five year old so willing and able to snorkel like her.

Oh, and lets not forget the cheeseburgers. Anabelle ate cheeseburgers daily and sometimes twice a day. Her favorite restaurant on the island? Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lahina.

She still liked swimming in the pool better than the ocean.

She made friends EVERYWHERE. Kids, adults, workers, strangers...it didn't matter. Anyone who would listen to her was her new BFF. Poor people! They didn't know what that smile was getting themselves into.

And lastely, Anabelle missed her home toward the end of the trip and really wanted her own bed....me too!

As for Tre, well he wants to move to Hawaii. He loves to body board, swim, snorkel, and play in the big waves. He is crazy in the waves but only got pummeled twice.

He loves eating out for every meal, waking up to the sun, eating shave ice, and playing in the sand.

He made friends at the beach and even made a girlfriend who invited him to her house to swim in their pool.

Jer and I? What do you think? We had a fantastic time. The kids only got on our nerves in the car and the airports. Other than that they were great. I love that we have active children who like to play as hard as we do. The best part is that they sleep so well after playing in the sun all day. And they never got sick of the water (maybe the ocean, but never the pool) which means that we get to relax in the hot Hawaiian sun, drink a shave ice, and watch the memories being made.

We're Baack!

We are back from Hawaii and wanted to say Hi. I can't wait to post pictures of our trip. It was SO fun. Definitely hard to get on that plane to come home. Belle missed her home though so we came back. Stay tuned for the Hawaii post.

Random Thoughts...

Things always happen for a reason.

Kids grow up way too fast.

It takes a semi-crisis to bring you closer to your significant other.

Time FLIES whether your having fun or not.

Self esteem comes from within, but needs outside encouragement.

Dedication and hard work doesn't always guarantee success when you have to depend on others.

Love grows stronger when things get exciting.

Kids grow up way too fast.

Children amaze me daily.

A vacation never lasts as long as you'd like, but it builds memories which last forever.

If you can't be strong for your family, who will?

It's the little details in life that make up the big picture.

Kids grow up way too fast.

Happiness is the only way to go.

Baby's First Haircut

This is an exciting time for any baby and the parents. Unfortunately my baby is five years old! Belle got her first real haircut today. The only other haircuts have been from me and I only trimmed the tail that grows in the back of her head. I also trimmed her bangs once. But she informed me that her hair "is in her face" and wanted a haircut. So off to Cookie Cutters in Draper where they specialize in kids we go.

Belle gets to sit in a pink car and watch Dora the Explorer while getting her hair cut

The stylist cut and blow dried Belles hair into a cute little bob

A balloon a sucker and $14 later my baby has a real hair do

What are you thinking?

My friend Cammie posted this on her blog and I thought it was cute. So I asked Tre (first answer) and Belle (second answers) to finish these common sayings:

The only thing we have to fear is…TORNADO'S, COMPUTERS

What goes up...A BALL, AN ELEVATOR

A bird in the hand…IS EATING, BITES YOUR FINGER OFF

Many hands make…A LOT OF FINGERS, A HUGE HAND

Only the strong...WIND, CAN LIFT UP THE SUN

Lightening never strikes…TIRES

Pitter-patter of…PITTER PATTER PITTER PATTER, FLOWERS

Beggars can’t be…NOT ANNOYING, BIG

Waist not...TIME, A CAR

I’m so hungry I could…EAT MY SHOES, EAT STRAWBERRIES AND APPLES

Like a bat out of…A CAVE, BEES

There’s a sucker born…TO BE A SUCKER, ON MAY 28TH (TRE'S B-DAY)

Give me liberty or…JUSTICE, YOU PAY THE CONSEQUENCES

You say potato, I say…HOT, STRAWBERRY

Money is the root of…RICHES, BUYING A CAR

When in Rome…DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, DESTROY THE WORLD

Early to bed…GIVES YOU MORE SLEEP, YOU SLEEP ON THE FLOOR

Beauty is…WONDERFUL, T.V.

He’s treading on…THE TRAMP, WOOD

Practice makes…BETTER, SOCCER

Haste makes…LESS TIME, A STORM

Waste not…GETS YOU THERE ON TIME, APPLES

A chip off the old…MAN, EYE

A penny saved is…SAVING, LIFE

When the cat’s away…THE DOGS HAVE A PARTY

You can lead a horse to water but…YOU CAN'T MAKE HIM JUMP OVER A HOUSE, ...A CACTUS

My love is like…SWEET, PEOPLE

Ask not what your country can do for you, ask…DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT, YOUR TALKING TOE

A watched pot…BUBBLES, BOILS

Four score and seven years ago,…I HIT A HOME RUN, PLAYED BASKETBALL

Too many cooks…MAKES NOISES, BOILS

If at first you don’t succeed…YOU GET A 'B', YOU ASK SOMEONE

There’s no place like…HOME, HOME

A chain is only as strong as…A TIGER, WIND

Don’t cry over…A WHISTLE, IF YOU CAN'T HAVE CANDY

A fool and his money are…STUPID, A THOUSAND DOLLARS

Two heads are better than…A HUNDRED, ONE

A journey of a thousand miles…MAKES YOU TIRED, YOUR TIRE POPS

Look before you…FLY DOWN THE STAIRS,CROSS THE STREET

Always a bridesmaid never…WEIRD, KISSED

Actions speak louder than…TRUMPETS, DRUMS

It’s like taking candy from…A BABY, PEOPLE

You can’t teach an old dog…TO DO A BACK FLIP, TO PLAY BASKETBALL

If you can’t stand the heat…COOL DOWN, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE PLAYROOM

When it rains it… STORMS, FLOODS THE HOUSE

If you love something…MARRY IT, HUG IT

Half a loaf is better than…A THOUSAND LOAVES, MY BUTT

Happy as a…TIGER, FROG

The grass is always greener…WHEN IT'S WET, THAN DRIED GRASS

Tie goes to the...SHIRT, STORE

Money doesn’t grow on…BUSHES, GRASS

Two wrongs…EQUAL 'B-', YOU GET AN 'F'

Nip it in the…PANTS, PAN

Laugh and the world…BLOWS UP, WILL WAKE UP

A picture is worth…A FRAME, A HEAD

April showers bring…APRIL FOOLS DAY

Where there’s a will there’s…HOLY MAMMOTHS!, CAT

Better late than…ON TIME, A BOOK

You can’t judge a book…TO DO A BACK FLIP, TO BRUSH IT'S OWN HAIR