Going to Bathe Like it's 1999

Okay..so the Title is a little much.  I'm not sure where Kyle is, but here's the other 4 boys - in order from left to right - Tyler, Dallin, Ethan, and Keenan.  I've seen a recent trend where adults recreate childhood photos - think I could talk the 4 of them into recreating this one??

So Close!

Castroneves finished 2nd - the second closest finish in Indy history!  

Keenan was at Indy for 19 days.  There was a pit crew competition too - and they were so close again!

Next year they'll win!

Girls on the Run is So Much FUN!

This year was Kirsten's first year participating in GOTR as a runner. 

Tyler offered to be Kirsten's 'sole'mate!

Emmy and Kirsten waiting for the 5K to start.

Emmy showing Aunt Hayleigh something.

First lap - towards the front doing great!

Second lap - getting warmer, still towards the front - but carrying some cold water!

ALL DONE!  Way to go!

Hayleigh and Kirsten walking back to the car.

Kirsten and Hayleigh walking back to the car in 2010!!

Early 80s

This is me.  Taking piano lessons.  Weird, huh?  This photo was at the teacher's house - her name was Bernie I think.  I took piano long enough to learn where the notes are and stopped at a piece of music called "The Little Sonata".  Since I'm a pre-teen - maybe 12??? - I'm sure I was a Little Snot about practicing it!

Art Show at the Mall

Kirsten's clay rose was selected by her art teacher to be in the Elementary School Art Show at the local mall!

An Early Morning Knock at the Door

A couple of weeks ago, I had just gotten home from taking Dallin to school after seminary and I was sitting at the computer checking out my pinterest....and there was a knock at the front door.  One of the guys that hunts on our land was there to let me know that we had some cows out.  Ugh.  Not the best way to start a day.  So, I got Dallin's boots on (NOT crocs this time!!) and headed out the door at 7:40 AM.  I had a feeling the cows had wandered out through the fence that the logging company - TIMBER SPECIALISTS - ruined.  (I'm not sure exactly what they are specialists in --- maybe destroying things??)  It took me a good 20 minutes or so to get the tractor, unhook the fence trailer, and head to the back of the property.  I drove the tractor into the woods as far as I could and then walked to where the fence is broken.  

This is what this company calls "clearing the land".  This just isn't right!!

See the stump??  And the fence post??  Well, that clearly IS NOT the distance away from property lines that they are legally allowed to log.  

Look!  Surprise - here's the cows.  

Another view of the destruction.

I followed the cows back past the tractor - had to leave it there because I couldn't take the time to go start it - it's actually easier to chase the cows in my mini van than it is to try to chase them on the tractor!  On our way back to the pasture, the cows and I played a fun game of hide-and-seek.  They are not the best hiders though. 

I followed the first group of cows to the creek and they showed me the nice little trail and broken creek crossing where they've been getting out.  The bull and the steer (above and below) were the last 2 to show up and go back in the pasture.  Apparently they had the thought that since they were busted, they might as well wait for me to open the gate and save them the trip walking down the creek bed.

I ended up having to sit on a rock in the creek to keep the cows in.  One of the moms had left her calf in the woods during our hide-and-seek game and it didn't follow her back.  I figured too bad....she should have stayed in the pasture with it in the first place.  I kept texting Tim and showing him what was going on with the cow capture operation.  Of course, I had to show him the cuts I had gotten from the sticker bushes.

This is supposed to be a creek crossing designed to keep the cattle in the correct pasture.  They had figured out how to walk under and lift it out of the way like a curtain.  

Can you see the cow behind the log bridge?  She thinks I can't see her since she's hiding her head.  She's actually waiting for me to leave so she can get out again.  After a while, Tim and Tyler got home and fixed the creek crossing (well, at least they thought it was fixed. They got out a couple of days later and I got disgusted.  I sunk a huge corral panel into the creek and that stopped them.)  Anyway, sitting by the creek in the quiet would have been something enjoyable if it wasn't for the cuts on my arms and legs and the awful "Walking Dead" scenes playing over and over in my imagination. I finally got back to the house at 1:15 PM.  Cattle.  It's what's for dinner.

Happy 19th Birthday Ethan!

Even though we are not with Ethan on his mission in Arizona, a wonderful family made him a birthday cake and had a little party for him!  It's such a blessing to know that Ethan...I mean Elder Watson....has people to care for him! 

These photos were texted to me the other night. 

Only 1 more birthday away from home...and then he'll be back.

Thursday's Throwback

Since it's Ethan's birthday tomorrow, this Thursday's Throwback photo is of him.  This "clothespinning" was done by his older siblings - they were so proud of their work.  Ethan apparently loved it too - he kept handing them more clothespins to add!  Thank goodness they pinned his clothing and NOT his actual body.  I say that only because one of the kids, years later, did indeed clothespin his arms, legs, and face.  I think it was a dare to see how many he could put on and how long he could leave them there.   

All Done

With a 4-1 win, club soccer is over.

Dallin's Prom

Dallin's Senior Prom - May 2014 

Dallin and Sierra

Happy Mother's Day

I am currently going through a box of crap... I mean treasures...I kept for no good reason and I found lots of Mother's Day cards from my kids.  Let me put in a disclaimer here - I AM NOT MAKING FUN OF MY KIDS!  I love these cards and drawings and poems that they've made me through the years...BUT, we've been having a good laugh about them!

In honor of Mother's Day, here are some of my favorites:

"Moma I loves Ethan" 

Dallin claims he "can't drawl" - but we've lived in the South for 17 years - he can "drawl" with the best of them now!   

And look - he promised he would do the bishes FOR $10!!  hahahaha!

Keenan's card was short and simple - with no writing - he HATED anything to do with school.  

Googly eyes make everything cute!

Hayleigh tried to tell me one of the boys must have done this card HOWEVER, I don't remember every giving one of the boys a Barbie.  

Hey - Ethan made himself a Mother's Day card!  See - it says "happy Mother's Day Ethan".  

Symmetry - it's important.  And Gold Heart Shaped Doilies just scream Mother's Day!

Kyle says he'll always remember me for letting him do stuff he's not supposed to do.  Wonder what those things were???  

It's "chores" NOT "choirs" - which may explain why the "chores" were never done!!??

Ethan also like to wear cloths instead of clothes.  

*Fool of Happiness*

I like being the best mother in the "hole wild world"!!  And he thanked me for watching his soccer game :)

Scrape book.  Love it!

I KNEW one of my kids would have x-ray vision!  And they ALL just pretended to clean their rooms!

I still have rough things to do - especially trying to figure out how to hold my kids tight with open arms.

This is so cute - Kirsten's little fingerprints!

Remember how we all learned to put a finger space in between our words?  

Last but not least, I like to clen the house and watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Too bad he didn't draw me clen - ing the house instead of being a couch potato.