Holy Sabbath Day

What we do for fun on Sunday:

Pile pillows high and Superman dive onto them.

Even better....

Pile pillows high ON TOP of KYLE

and Superman dive (or flip)

onto HIM!!!

Notice the feet hanging out.

Good times.

s'about time

Spencer has issues.

He refuses to register the truck in Texas.

I think HE thinks that if he does it means

we don't really live in Washington anymore.

It's called DENIAL.

We've lived in TEXAS for 3 years.

I've had to drive the pick-up a bit lately and wasn't

crazy about the idea of getting pulled over

with out of state plates and expired

2008 tags

As much as I long for a high of 65 degrees in Sept.

in the EVERGREEN STATE - I have made

my peace with the fact that we

LIVE IN TEXAS

(did I mention it's been three years??)

So I caved. We're legal now.

Welcome to Texas, Spencer!

Early Morning Cemetery

This is Tyler adjusting to his new

early morning cemetery....

I mean seminary schedule.

FDOS

I hope FDOS doesn't stand for something naughty.

For this purpose it stands for:

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Ty was out the door before my brain was actually turned on,

so I didn't get a pic of my 9th grader.

Kyle - 7th, Maddie -6th (middle school - arghhhhh!), and Rydge man - 1st.

It was not a very sad day for me this year.

I think I might have even done my version

of a cartwheel as I waved good-bye.

Five-teen

My big boy is 15. He actually turned 15 on Aug. 22nd.

I know - I'm a loser.

Here are 15 little known facts or things I love about my Ty-guy.

1. Tyler has the LONGEST eyelashes...ever!

2. He's terrified of the color pink.

3. He loves new Nike shoes.

4. Whenever I have a cupboard I need organized - Tyler is my go-to guy.

5. He loves to buy new books at Barnes and Noble. (He doesn't read many of them...but he's a collector.)

6. Tyler is a super generous gift giver.

7. This boy LOVES music!

8. Tyler collects face cards from all of his trips.

9. Tyler is this close to becoming an Eagle Scout. Any ideas for a smokin' project???

10. Tyler loves to perfect songs on the piano. He doesn't like to practice his assigned works, but he'll spend over an hour a day working on a song he likes.

11. I (nor he) has had to clip Ty's nails since he was about 2 years old. He is a FingerNailBiter!

12. His favorite dinner is French Dip Sandwiches.

13. He is a WONDERFUL big brother. Each sibling has their own special inside joke with Ty.

14. Tyler's biggest aspiration is to grow up and one day become a RANCHER.

I know.

15. Ty LOVES to have his back rubbed. He's constantly finagling ways to persuade me to tickle his back.

Tyler has grown into a delightful teenager. We love him so much and are so grateful for his amazing example to us all!

Happy b-day Ty!

Loooosssseeeerrrrr

Okay. I know I'm a loser.

I would say I've been too busy to post.

That'd be a lie.

I'm just lazy.

Maybe it's because I gave up Coke Zero

and don't have any 'pep'

(as Granny would say).

I promise to update this week.

Maybe.

Who Has THE Best Cousins EVER? (and g-parents, aunts, uncles...)

MADDIE DOES!!!

Lucky Maddie got to fly to AZ on Monday to

visit her awesome cousins for a week!

(And of course, grandparents, aunts, uncles...kit'n'kaboodle)

How about this welcome!?!?!?!

I was worried about her getting enough to eat (NOT),

but I'm pretty sure this cake will feed her the

ENTIRE TIME she's there!

Thanks, Aunt Cynthia (and girls for being persuasive!:)

How lucky is this girl to have SO many girl cousins!?

(I'm sure she wishes just one could be her sister)

She was thrilled to play with them all!!

She loved being at Grandma and Poppies house

after such a long time away.

Then she showed off her bowling skilz.

Her proud dad saw this pic and said,

"She has great form!"

Thanks all for treating my girl like the princess she is.

However, can you stop showing her SUCH a good time?

I'm totally afraid she isn't going to come back to me!

There is WAY too much testosterone here Mad...

You HAVE to come home soon!!

Summer Plans

I prepared an awesome list of "summer plans" way back in May - before school was out.

I was inspired to not waste another summer and teach my darling children

to organize, learn, accomplish, and love.

I've reflected on this a bit today.

A few of my summer goals:

Have the kids read a minimum of 20 min. a day

Work on math and reading comprehension each day

Have Tyler figure out his eagle project and get going on that

Organize the under the stairs closet

"Detail" a room each week (deep clean)

Get Rydge to bed by 9 and big kiddos by 10:30

All get up around 9 and do a half hour of 'clean up' to start the day

Maddie and Tyler practice piano daily

Once a week teach a child to cook a basic meal/dessert

These seem attainable - yes?

How many of these simple items have we accomplished you may wonder...

NOT. ONE.

Here is a typical day in our house.

(If i make it rainbow pretty - maybe i won't seem like such a loser)

NO ONE wakes up before 10 am. Tyler - closer to noon.

Nickelodeon is the first sound anyone hears.

Nickelodeon runs ALL DAY.

Maddie is a multi-tasker. She can play Nintendo DS AND watch Nickelodeon.

Kids eat breakfast around lunch time.

Rydge can multi-task -too. It's hotwheels and Nickelodeon for him.

MAYBE, if I'm lucky, we get the dishwasher loaded.

Start hearing complaints of boredom or begging for friends by 1pm.

(Or in Kyle's case - the moment he wakes up)

At anytime past noon the house usually contains 1-4 extra little people.

While I make RS calls or visits the kids watch tv/nap/sit in the hot tub.

Usually skip lunch - just eat chips/ cookies - whatever.

Friends hang out until dinner - which is around 8pm.

We pick up the minimum amount of clutter to give me semi-peace.

Start a movie around 10. Watch until midnight or after. Yes - Rydge, too.

Then the madness starts all over the next day.

I'm certain I'm receiving nominations right and left for 'mom of the year' award.

Don't envy me -it takes a special gal to run the tight ship I do.

Guess where?

Guess where we're going tonight???

I'll give you a few clues...

Good Mom/ Bad Mom

Irony abounds at the Halliday home.

Am I a good mom or a bad mom? You decide.

All four kids had dentist appts yesterday.

Spencer and I were seriously plotting whether

or not we should secretly ask

the dentist to give Kyle a "fake" shot for a

"fake" cavity just to make a statement

and prove what we've been preaching:

the importance of good oral hygiene.

I don't care who you are.

Brushing twice a week

just ISN'T enough!!!

~Is it wrong for a mother to pray that her kid will

have a cavity at his check-up just so she won't be

proven wrong AGAIN?

Here's his 'Hygiene Report Card':

Good brushing! No Plaque? No Tartar! Healthy Gums?

Are. You. Serious???

My teeth brushing threats hold no credence whatsoever.

My next great mothering moment:

Tyler went to Philmont Scout Ranch for two weeks.

We sent him with the best of supplies - or so we thought.

When the boys arrived off the bus, every leader

that was in his group asked me

"Did Tyler show you his feet?"

Turns out the boots that Spencer purchased in the hiking

department, that Tyler had mowed lawns in for months,

had gone on a weekend camp out with and were

totally broken in were

STEEL TOED WORK BOOTS!

***NICE***

~not so good for hiking apparently~

Bishop sent this pic to me today just to rub in

the 'you fail as a mom' feeling.

The picture was taken on day 4 of their hike.

He had blisters, a rash, small cuts, and swelling.

Did he complain? No- he's a BEAST!

He ended up wearing tennis shoes for the

remaining 6 days of hiking.

Good mom/ bad mom...you decide.

Cool Tubbin'

"Singing in the rain..."

Audrey and Maddie cooling off in

a TeXaS rainstorm

in the hot tub I refuse to heat.

Full of Hot Air

SUMMER GOINGS ON:

Kyle literally 'blew' five bucks today on balloons.

The good news: he was occupied for HOURS blowing them up.

A responsible mom might have worried about her child's

oxygen deprivation after blowing up 100's of balloons.

Guess I'm not a good mom.

I just enjoyed the quiet.

Rydge took his two best buds to see

Toy Story 3.

Was it just me, or did that movie make you boo-hoo?

We've had boys, boys and more boys hanging around this summer.
You may ask yourself:
"what does this have to do with a picture
of Rani's 13 year old rusty freezer?"
Allow me to explain:
It is not empty because the many boys ate everything.
It's empty because the many boys left the freezer door open
over night and everything
including 20 pounds of various meats
defrosted completely.
NOT a pretty smell to wake up to.
Below: a sample of some of the boys.
(not the guilty freezer door party)
Usually it's full on wrestling in the family room.
I was happy to catch them in a moment of stillness.
(Case in point from Rydge b-day post:
He'll challenge ANYONE to an arm wrestle

CAN YOU TELL HE'S GETTING READY TO

DO HIS "OVER THE TOP" MOVE??)

Summer = happy days.

Two Weeks...

I have battled serious anxiety sending

Tyler off for two weeks.

(How am I going to send this boy off for TWO YEARS???)

Tyler and friends left for Philmont Scout Camp

last Tuesday. They won't be back until July 5th.

Here's Austin, Ty, and Josh showing off

their new troop shirts.

We are missing this kid's goofy sense of humor.

My kids all share a room in the summer

(I know...weird)

and I guess each night Ty is the last one

in the room. He enters singing and dancing...

"The party don't start till I walk in..."

Kyle, Maddie, and Rydge say it's "boring" without Ty.

I have to agree.

Get home soon, little scout.

My baby is six!

How is it possible that my baby is SIX?!?

Here are six little known facts about my Rydger.

1. Rydge talks like he has a stuffy nose all of the time. That has always annoyed me with other kids - but it's endearing with my own toad.

2. Rydge says he doesn't like it when I call him "my baby" - but secretly I know he loves it.

3. Rydge thinks he's as grown up as his brothers. He plays everything they do. He joins in conversations with them and their friends. He'll even challenge them to an arm wrestle.

4. This boy has a MAJOR sweet tooth. I have to observe very closely that he gets something in his body during the day with some sort of nutritional value.

5. Rydge LOVES his cousin Hayley. If she's around, he's attached to her side.

6. Has the cutest chubby feet EVER. I love them! They're perfect.

STOP GROWING UP!!!!

Phew...

I survived the most intense three weeks of my life.

Please kick me in my hind parts if I ever

attempt a "mini-mester" class again!

These amazing flowers and a sweet love note

from my Spencer were waiting for me when I got home

from taking my final exam.

I'm certain he's as happy as I am that my class is over.

This is what I have to look forward to:

READING for PLEASURE!

I have not read a fun book since I started school

and got my calling in the Relief Society back in January.

For anyone who knows me: it has been torture~!

I'm already half done with Fablehaven 5!

(Please forward any reading suggestions my way!)

The kids have been out of school for about four days...

they are already annoying the crap out of each other.

The beautiful thing?

I just grab my book and tune them all out!

Lovin' summer!