A Snippet From Brit's Fourth Grade Music Show...

I remember this song well, and it should sound familiar to Dave and John, as well as mom and dad :-) Brit's class also sang Route 66, and several other oldies (ha!) Brit is fourth from the right in a black skirt. Next year she is on to Sakai Intermediate School (which is 5th and 6th grade here). Dan doesn't start kindergarten until Fall 2011, at the same time that Bill starts college. I remember mom telling me that when we lived next door to the Hansens (we lived there until I was about 12 years old), Dave (who was about 6 at the time), mom and I (about 3) were over at the Hansens and Karen (who was only about 2&1/2) was so excited because her big brother Craig was coming home and he had been away at college for a long time. Dave looked at mom and wishfully asked, "Do I have a big brother who is away at college?" (ha!)We are hopeful that Dan will have some memories of Bill while he was still at home. Aim, do you have any memories of me while I was still living at home? Probably not!

This Post Needs No Introduction...

.... We bought this baby, born in 1967, in Auburn just this morning and have been cruising around ever since. Needless to say, there's a very giddy 51 year old at our house today. He has wanted one of these since he was 9 years old!

The Latest Fav.....

The Heps..... at least Dan, Brit, Mike, Bill and Mom (indeed, everyone but Brad) have discovered the joys of munching on roasted and seasoned seaweed. Mike brought some home from church a couple of weeks ago. His Sunday School teacher, who served a mission in Korea, shared some with Mike and it spiralled from there. It comes in a package of big paper-thin sheets which are easily torn apart for little snackers. Brad tasted a tiny bit and was mortified. He's happy to stick with meat and potatoes. I went to Central Market last night at about 10pm for the usual Saturday night grocery run and we loaded up on about 10 packs of the stuff. Needless to say, our supply is already way down. We don't use it to cook with or make sushi, we just eat it right out of the pack. Yum!

Elder HALO

We have had the missionaries living in the apartment above our garage for over a year now. We have met some pretty cool elders in that time, and we've been sad to see many of them go. Elder Orton was transferred on Monday and he was one that we will really miss! A quiet, easy going, very 'real' and down to earth kind of guy. We discovered after he had been here for awhile, that he is/was actually 'ranked' in the top 10 in the state of Utah for Halo before his mission! Well, we all know what Elder Orton did for mission prep (ha!) Needless to say, Bill was impressed :-) Elder Orton is pictured here in the middle, between Brad and Elder Nuttall, wearing th "Halo helmet' that I (mom) created out of cardstock and a gluestick. We thought it was perfect for his send-off. My plan is to eventually fiberglass it and paint it and then make the rest of the costume....just for fun--ha! Goodbye Elder Orton.... We will miss you!

ARRRGGGGHHHH!.... YE LILLY LIVERS!

Dan has gone pirate nuts! On any given day, you can find him wandering the house dressed like a pirate, using an empty playdo container for his peg leg and a plastic hook in place of one of his hands. It's pretty funny. It's just that age......the age of pirates. Ha! Next year for Dan's birthday, Beck will have to come out and do a pirate ship with me again. So, that's one flight and pirate ship for each of us, aye Beck? Although, o be fair, we didn't get all that much done on Ben's pirate ship while I was there. You finished the painting byyourself :-( So, here's to next year's pirate ship, and then we'll do one for Eli, too!

HALLOWEEN!

Brit was Bat girl and Dan was a skeleton. I went out with Brit and Dan, while Bill and Brad held down the fort, handing out candy (I think we had ONE group of trick-or-treaters). Actually they spent most of the evening playing X-Box Live. Meanwhile, Mike and a few of his 8th grade friends dressed up in goofy costumes and went out trick-or-treating by themselves. Each of the kids got a TON of candy! I have been trying to steal it and get rid of it so they don't eat so much. Mike is famous for being able to "hold his candy." At scout camp, when all the other scout campers have eaten themselves into oblivion with candy, and are puking up their guts, Mike proudly struts around noting that he doesn't feel the least bit queasy. What the heck is wrong with my children? Three years ago at Scout Camp, all the scouts came home telling tales of how Bill was able to ingest 56 "extra-large sized" Reese's peanut butter cups (the kind that come two to a large pack) in ONE sitting. I ask you,... is that something to be aspire to? Mike generally catches on to my candy disposal techniques very quickly, and he finds places to stash little pods of candy all over the house. Over the next couple of months, in moments of weakness and sugar craving, he'll pull little stashes out of the craziest spots. It's kind of a game with us :-)

Birthdays-R-Us!

The last week of October/first week of November is nuts around here! We have Dan's, Mike's, and Brit's birthdays within about a two week block, not to mention Halloween! We had a family birthday for Dan. He also got to celebrate his birthday at preschool. He loves his preschool class! We are so delighted that he made it in, after 4 months on the waiting list.


Mike had his birthday at our house and invited a truck load of his good friends (mostly guys, but a few brave girls, too). They played airsoft out in the woods, flashlight tag, played some Halo and Call of Duty, and watched "I Am Legend" (too intense for me). They had a great time! Mike is growing up quickly.... and has officially passed Bill (who is working on Pop-pops's famous body stretching exercises!) Mike is 5' 8&1/2" 170 pounds..... so, if anyone is interested in seeing Mike as a kid, now is the time for a visit. He's growing like a weed :-)

Brit and her cute bunch of girls were over earlier tonight for her birthday. We had a big treasure hunt, they made their own personal pizzas and and ate donuts, and then we watched "The Black Stallion." She has a good little group of friends :-) they had a lot of fun. Man, the girls are sooooo much louder and more rambunctious than the guys! Brad, the boys and I were all covering our ears the whole night.....as we listened to screaming and squealing and laughing, etc. It's a whole different deal with girls.