Sunday, March 26, 2017

Snow Glad It's Spring!

Spring has come with a vengeance, in true Utah fashion.  Winter was long and snow-filled and then suddenly it was 75 degrees and sunny!  Then it rained.  Then it was sunny.  Then it rained.  And it rained again.  Today it is sunny but now it is supposed to rain some more and even snow!  Goodness. I got myself all excited about some warm DRY days ahead but I'm left with disappointment.  I know we need the rain, but I need my concrete poured in my backyard.....my needs should trump the rain, right??

Well, even though spring is a big tease, we enjoyed some snowy days as winter came to a close.  With a little family help we got the mini-4-wheeler running and the kids have been enjoying feeling adventurous riding around.  Joey had to wait his turn though...
 Maggie tried doing some donuts on the driveway.
 Look at that little pink fluff ball go!  She said something funny the other night.  I always tuck my kids in, just about every night.  It is a great time to connect with them about their day for a few minutes and get some hugs in before they go to sleep.  I like doing it...WHEN they are actually ready for bed when I come to tuck them in.  However most nights I come downstairs and they haven't yet gotten in their pjs, or brushed their teeth, etc.  So I end up standing around waiting for them while they do that, then I don't want to hang out as long because I've already been down waiting for them for 10 minutes.  It drives me nuts.  One night, after waiting an eternity for Maggie to change and brush her teeth and pick up her towels and on and on, I finally told Maggie she would have to tuck herself in that night because she was taking so long.  I meant it too--I was tired of being taken advantage of!  I determined to teach her a lesson right then and there, that if she couldn't be ready on time she would have to tuck herself in.  She said, "I can't tuck myself in, only you can!" I asked her why she can't tuck herself in and she told me, "Because I'm not a professional tucker-inner like you are."  Well, who can argue with that?  So I tucked her in.
 In the front room of our house we have our piano, and (shockingly) it is where all music practice happens--piano and guitar.  Most of the time, when the kids start to play their song, Ziggy will prance into the room, sit or lay down, and start singing along!  OOOOwwwwwwwww, oooooowwwwwwww, wwoooowwwww...."  We laugh so hard about it every time and she always does it (except of course when we try to show someone).  She's loud too!  For a dog that hardly ever barks, she's got quite the set of pipes!  Here she is showing off her skills....
 Every year at school the kindergarten does what they call a "Kindy 500."  It is a day where the kindergartners bring in cars they've made of cardboard and "travel" the USA (around the school to different stations where they talk about different places).  It's pretty cute--they get assigned license plate states even.  This year Joey got Rhode Island so we decided to make a fishing boat!  I tried my best to be creative director (a difficult feat for me since I am a little bit of a control freak).  That's why his boat isn't cute painted white with wood lines, etc.  He wanted it yellow, blue and green.  I even let him paint a lot of it (mom points for that one).  We put a fishing pole on the back with a bowl of gummy worm bait (which lasted about 5 minutes before the bait mysteriously disappeared).  He had a ton of fun!
 Tyler got in as much skiing as he could this winter--he skied every single run at Sundance, even the double black diamonds!  He went a lot with his friends.  Eric said he's getting so good he's having a hard time keeping up with him!  Tyler really loves to ski, and now that he's got his yellow pants and helmet he loves it even more.  Now he just needs a yellow jacket and he will look like a giant banana cruising the slopes!
 Jake had his first and only Pinewood derby last week.  When deciding how to design his car I asked him one very important question, "Do you want to design a fun looking car, or do you want to win?"  Because I've learned you can't have it both ways.  Without hesitation he looked me in the eyes and said, "I want to win."  So we went to work.  Tyler did 2 Pinewood derby and his first car he made a cute bear design.....and lost.  The second time he wanted to win so we did some research and designed a speed magnet and (drum roll) he took first place!  So we did the same design for Jake's car, different paint job.  There was a lot of smack talking going on with those cub scouts so I was worried whether or not the "Soccer Screamer" (as Jake dubbed his car) would pull through.  Well (second drum roll) it didn't fail us!  Jake took first place and was so happy!  It was a close race but only one can bring home the Golden Hot Wheel Trophy.....

 The kids had a day off school so I took them and some friends to Lowe's Airports.  They have a new Ninja Warrior course.  It looked so fun!  I wanted to try it but I had on flip-flops so they wouldn't let me.  But even Joey tried!
 Joey didn't make it past the first bumper (he's a little too short) but Tyler made it all the way through, and Jake did awesome too!  It was fun to watch.
 The rock show comes to Spanish Fork once or twice a year, so when we saw it was coming last week we had to go.  Jake has turned into quite the rockhound.  He wants to be a geologist when he grows up....and I think he actually might!  He's got a huge rock collection and keeps adding to it.  He was in seventh heaven at the rock show.   All the kids loved it.....for me, it's a little stressful keeping track of everyone.  Here's Maggie showing off her brute strength.... (it's pumice and weighs only a few ounces).
 Here's a sunny day riding the 4-wheeler...I think Utah has the craziest weather!!!!
 I got roped into helping Joey's class on a field trip to Thanksgiving Point.  I have been on field trips before and NEVER enjoy them--way too much stress.  But the teacher needed help so I told her I would go.  The bus ride up was LOUD but I had a great bench buddy....
 The kids got to see some really fun stuff...lots of animals, riding ponies, having lunch....all was going great (much better than expected)......until a horse bit one of the boys in my groups fingers.  Chomped it.  A big huge draft horse.  All I heard was a scream, look down and see the horse with it's head out the gate, teeth bared, chomped down on this little hand.  Yikes!  I boinked the horse on the nose and he let go after a few seconds but the damage was done.  The poor little guy had a big scrape on his finger and it looked so sore!  I quickly bandaged it up and hoped not too many others saw what a terrible parent helper I was!! Maybe this will be my last field trip.....
 Last night was super fun--Eric and I went to a nice dinner and Salt Lake and then saw The Lion King musical at the new Eccles Theater.  It was awesome!  I loved it.  Here's my sad attempt at a selfie---I need more practice I think.
One cute story--the other morning Maggie came upstairs before school and said, "Mom, how long does the wetter take?"  Me: "What?"   Maggie: "How long will my clothes take in the wetter?"  Me: "You got your clothes wet?"  Maggie: "They are in the wetter."  Me: "What is the wetter?"  Maggie: "You know, you put them in the wetter to get wet, then you put them in the dryer to dry them?"  Ha ha.  (She was talking about the washing machine).   I thought that was cute, and also pretty logical--if the one that dries is called the dryer, then the one that wets should be the wetter!  Kids are so funny.  Why do adults have to complicate everything?