2012 Blue Jeans Week 4

I am really beginning to think that winter might have skipped us this year?  We have had a good week, and hope yours has been good too!

Sunday:  We get home from church around 1, have lunch, and then I always take a nap.  It is just programed into my system.  Sunday afternoon nap-necessity for me  :)  Now my kids know this, and sometimes they catch me at a weak moment, like today just as I was falling asleep Mr J asked, "Mom, can I build a train track in your room?"  "Huh?  Yeah, just don't wake me up."  Results from my weak moment above.  I am really glad those tracks are wooden because if they were plastic with as much as they get stepped on we wouldn't have a track left!

Monday:  She is official and legal--if  I am in the front seat :)  She is learning quick!

Tuesday:  Piano lessons night--we have a 2 hour block of lessons for 4 kiddos.  Our teacher gives them at a local church, and the kids know to bring their books as they wait for their turn in the church lobby.

Wednesday:  The kids get out 30 minutes early on Wednesdays for teacher meetings, and since the weather has been so nice, we have been enjoying the park after school on Wednesdays.  Today the kids wanted to roll down the hill.  I happily watched from below and took pictures :)

Thursday:  Free family bingo night at school.  Our kids' elementary does a free family bingo night each year.  They buy books for the kids' prizes and have themed baskets as prizes for the adults.  They have an optional chili dinner for $1.  It is a great, fun family night out.  We love our schools!

Friday:  Tonight we went to the big city to see our friend in his high schools' winter play.  It was Thoroughly Modern Millie, and the kids loved it.  An evening at the theater is always fun.

Saturday:  Miss A had a church volleyball tournament today in the big city.  It was a long day full of volleyball.  They started at 8:30 a.m. and didn't finish until about 3:30 p.m.  They came in 2nd place!  Yeah!  

Wishing you all a great week ahead!!

Blue Jeans Week 37

We are enjoying the cooler fall which, after this horrible, hot summer, we just love!!!  Hope fall is in your neighborhood too!

Sunday:  I haven't taken a recent picture of the chickens lately, so I got one today.  They are laying now, so we are loving the fresh brown eggs.  We have 6 laying hens.  5 sort-of brown ones in this shot, and then one black and white, but she is her own person/hen and doesn't like to be with the group, so I had to get a picture of her later this week.

Monday:  Miss A's last volleyball game was today, so I caught a picture of her with her awesome coach, who also happens to be one of my best friends.  She is the best coach!!  Love you T!  Thanks for all you do!

Tuesday:  Got a picture of Miss Black and White Hen today.  I think she is the prettiest of the flock. 

Wednesday:  I surprised the kids by picking them up from school today and heading to the Dr. office for flu shots.  They didn't figure out what we were doing until we pulled into the Dr. parking lot.  They were not amused, but we were all brave and survived--even me, although our arms were pretty sore the next day.

Thursday:  After the previous day of traumatic flu shots, I needed a Girls Lunch Out.  So we headed out of town to a greenhouse for mums, pumpkins, and pizza for lunch.  Nothing beats great friends.  What a blessing!

Friday:  Miss E got into the 100 point AR reading club at school and got her t-shirt today.  She was very proud.  She has turned into a super-reader this year!!! 

Saturday:  This weekend was our Church's--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--semi-annual General Conference.  We don't have local meetings, but we watch our services on TV or the internet Saturday and  Sunday from our church wide General leaders and our Prophet and President.  It is such an amazing experience.  Unlike the unpleasant flu shots earlier in the week, these meetings have been a wonderful spiritual "shot" or boost that I really needed.  I so love my Savior Jesus Christ and all that He does for me.  So grateful for my family, my faith, and my church.  It was a great weekend, and to keep the kids entertained and sort of listening we play conference bingo with Reese's Pieces.  They listen to what the speaker says and find that topic on their bingo card (like faith, Christ, love, etc), and when they get bingo they get to eat their pieces (plus extra too:)

Hope you all have a wonderful week!  God bless!

Blue Jeans Week 36

A busy week this week--we had 3 volleyballs games, and, for one week, that is a little too much.  Thankfully the season is now over, and we can all catch our breathe and stay home more :)  Here is what else be have been doing (besides going to volleyball games)

Sunday:  My sister was in town and came over Sunday afternoon to make bread with the kids.  She is the gourmet of the family, and we got to eat their yummy creations--nothing beats homemade bread--YUM!

Monday:  This was our meet-the-famous-author-day.  New York Times Bestselling author Brandon Mull (of Fablehaven and Beyonders fame) was in our small town, and we had him over for dinner.  Awesome, awesome guy.  The kids loved him.

Tuesday:  This was my major headache day because they started replacing our roof and the pounding gave me a huge headache.  The old roof is brown--the new is dark grey.  I was so glad when they cleaned up, left, and my Tylenol kicked in!

Wednesday:  This is my day to volunteer at the elementary schools.  I am there first thing in the morning in Miss E's class, and I love being there when they say the flag salute.  I haven't said that in a long time, and it was fun to see the kids do it and hear it echo down the halls as all the classes do it. 

Thursday:  One of our 3 volleyball games this week.  This is Mr J, #12 is a friend, and Miss E in blue watching Miss A play.  She did a great job, and those 3 are really good at cheering.

Friday:  Our elementary school carnival was tonight.  Being on the PTO, it is always tons of work, but the kids love it, and we had a great turn out.  The kids got tickets at the little games--pop toss, duck pond, bean bag toss, etc and then they could exchange their tickets for prizes.  Mr J and Miss E combined their tickets and got this movie, and they were so excited!!!  Love Mr J's eyes--they are so expressive.

Saturday:  People in big cities complain about traffic.  This is traffic in my neck of the woods.  I got stuck behind Mr Tractor on the way home from town today, and there were about 10 cars behind me.  This is our kind of traffic jam. 

Hope you are all getting some good, cooler fall weather.  I am ready to hang my pumpkins up.  Happy fall and have a good week!

Blue Jeans Week 34

Sometimes I am amazed at how slow the days seem to go, but then I am equally amazed at how fast the weeks go by.  Why is that?  How can that work?  So here is our week of slow days that flew by :) 

Sunday:  Sunday dinners don't have to be fancy.  We had chicken chip soup which is hands down probably the most favorite recipe of our whole family, and it is so easy!  I think it was originally called "six can chicken soup" and I think I found in on allrecipes.com, but we call it chicken chip soup.  All you need are the above 6 cans, then grated cheese and tortilla chips to garnish when heated.  So easy!  So, grab a pot and get ready--mix one can chicken broth with 1 can cream of chicken soup until smooth.  Then add 1 can black beans (do not drain), 1 can cooked chicken, 1 can corn (drain) and 1 can diced tomatoes (we blend them up first so no one can actually see they are eating tomatoes :)  Heat and serve with cheese and chips.  You don't have to use canned chicken, you can cook your own and put it in about 1 1/2 cups.  I am so glad it is getting to be soup weather! 

Monday:  For Labor day we got a big surprise--our chickens, which were born in April, laid their first eggs!  Miss E was the lucky one to find 2!!!  So looking forward to fresh eggs!

Tuesday:  I picked up Miss E and Mr J from school today.  They usually ride the bus, and I got this picture of them carefully looking both ways before they crossed the street to get in the car.

Wednesday:  Grandpa was out of town today, so Nana needed a buddy to spend the night with her so she wouldn't be lonely.  It is very convenient that she works at Mr J's school as his librarian, so Mr J got to be Nana's date and go out to eat with her and then spend the night and go to school with her.  He was super excited and they had a great time!  A school night sleepover, doesn't get any better than that!

Thursday:  Miss A #3 at the net ready to go for her volleyball game.  She is awesome at serve receive--gets the ball exactly where it needs to be.

Friday:  We have some friends that moved to our town from Mexico, and her mom (who speaks no English) was visiting from Mexico, so they had us over for dinner for Mole (chocolate chicken) and it was very good.   Here I am with my friend and her mom--now normally in any picture that I am in, I am the shortest, but I sure felt tall compared to these friends--that is rare :)

Saturday:  Mr J and Miss E disappeared this afternoon, and I found them in the front yard.  When I asked what they were making they said, "A fairy house."  Ah, love it!  Making fairy houses is the best!

Hope you all had a good week!

Blue Jeans Week 33

It is finally beginning to feel like fall here this past week.  I love fall.  School is in full swing.  Life is good.  I love my quiet days, love them, and we are all adjusting to the crazy busy nights and weekends of having a family of 4 active, growing kids.   So here is our week. . .

Sunday:  In trying to force the weather into what we wanted (fall type weather, not 106 which it was 2 days before this picture) we bought a pumpkin pie at Costco on Saturday and had it for our Sunday evening dessert.  Sunday evening desserts are a tradition at our house--not to say we don't have dessert other days.  Some days we do and others we don't,  but you can count on Sunday evening desserts--those are a constant.  So tonight we loved our pumpkin pie from Costco.  If you haven't ever tried their pumpkin pies, I would highly recommend them.  I can't make anything near that good--so yummy!  Miss E is cutting it for us with her crazy wild just-out-of-the-shower hair.

Monday:  It was purse switching day.  I have loved my pink and brown one, but it is getting a bit worn, so I cleaned it out and moved to the green and brown one.  Look at all that junk in my purse--my, oh my. . . good thing I cleaned it out, found some treasures :)

Tuesday:  Before bed tonight we played Outburst which is a classic.  We have the travel edition.  Miss A was marking off for Ben and Miss O.  One of the lists it had was "Goldie Hawn movies," and Miss A and Miss O both said, "Huh?  Who in the heck is that?"  So we passed on that one.  Kind of dates the game, and Ben and I couldn't even name one.  I guess we aren't Goldie Hawn fans here, but we are Outburst fans.  

Wednesday:  Miss O making some cookies.  It has finally cooled down enough to actually want to turn on the oven to make cookies :)

Thursday:  Volleyball begins!  Miss A had her first game today.  So fun!  She did great!  Love her socks, too :)

Friday:  After a long week, this is how I play checkers :)  Mr J is pretty good, and we had a nice relaxing evening playing games.

Saturday:  The kids have asked and asked to spend the night on the trampoline all summer, but it has either been way too hot, or chance of rain or something.  Well, all the stars aligned tonight, and they headed out.  Ben and I were taking bets on if they would stay out all night, because it was actually cold--50 degrees, and after 106, that is definitely artic weather.   So, Miss A came in around 3 a.m.  Miss O and Mr J came in around 5 a.m., and Miss E won the prize and actually slept out there all night and came in at 8 a.m.  I was impressed.  I don't think any of them were too overly excited about doing it again, but we shall see when and if the stars all align right they might do it again.

Hope you all have had a great week!  Have you seen the new Project Life kits??? Oh. my.  Talk about eye candy.  I am thinking the Cobalt is the one for me next year. 

Catch up--Blue Jeans week 28

So I am trying to catch up after being gone and digging myself out of our laundry mountain and back-to-school supplies, so here goes. . .

Sunday July 24:  This was pioneer day and as an activity Miss A figured out the dimensions of a wagon and then the kids filled it.  Of course the requirement before this activity even began was they had to put everything away they got out :)  Not really a lot of room to put all your possessions in, they figured out they would have to leave a lot of things behind.  A good lesson.

Monday July 25:  Went to the city today and Miss O found online where an Orange Leaf self-serve yogurt was before we left.  If you haven't been to one of those, they are really good, but expensive, you pay by the ounce, and they have so many cool flavors you have to get a little of each. . . $12 for 2 yogurts, ouch! 

Started our trip--we stopped at my youngest sisters house along the long drive.  It was good to see them and their cute house in Russell right before they sold it and moved to Dodge City.

How we kept ourselves (semi)sane on the long drive to Utah--volleyball at the rest areas :)

One of the biggest highlights of our trip was seeing my brother and his family.  He has 4 boys, and triplets in those four.  They are so cute!  On the way home we asked the kids what was their favorite part of our vacation, and all of them said "playing with the triplets" or "trip-pel-lets" as Mr J says it :)

Another highlight was getting to hear Music and the Spoken word by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir live with Ben's dad.

So awesome live--better than any TV or CD--amazing!

Keep tuned more to come!

Blue Jeans Week 23

I hope all you fathers had a wonderful Father's day and everyone had a great week!  Here is what we have been up to. . .

Sunday:  Father's day--Ben with all the kids and an awesome 'Dad' shelf Miss A made him.

Monday:  The kids had made this to put on the table Sunday morning.  "You 'rock' Dad"  I love it!

Tuesday:  As part of the library summer kids' program they had a special musical concert for the kids with Thad Beach.  It was really fun and my kids enjoyed it.  We love our library!

Wednesday:  A value project that Miss A has been working on with my mom--they made this awesome quilt.  Way to go Miss A!!  Lots and lots of hours in that one!

Thursday:  This is our backyard volleyball court that Ben put up last fall.  Miss A, E and Mr J and Ben were playing this evening.

Friday:  Mr J took this picture of me and I was actually scrapbooking on the kitchen table.  I was working on the kids school albums. 

Saturday:  Burn, baby burn.  One of the advantages of living in the country is burning your brush pile.  Ben burned ours Saturday and has the hose handy just in case.  The kids thought it was pretty cool, or hot :). 

Hope you all are enjoying your summer and that you have a great week!