My Party Chairman

That would be Aubree, She keeps reminding me to go buy the shrimp for dinner tonight(Roger started an expensive tradition a few years back) Now she is busily planning the games and making lists so far on the list is: Hide and seek, peek a boo, sequence..WE ARE GONNA HAVE FUN TONIGHT!!!!!

Funny thing is that she has planned some of our best parties so I'm really not worried or being sarcastic. How else would we get Dad to play pin the tail.(see picture)

Amazing

Yes! It always amazes me how the anticipation of Christmas makes December creep by untill the 25th and then life, days, time seems to speed up ten fold.

We had a wonderful Christmas .In someways, much to wonderful. Ah well. The kids were happy thanks to the fact that I'm married to Santa Claus. No, It's true, I am. The only real drawback to this, is that his kids are spoiled rotten at Christmas time. and while he's out spreading good cheer I get to deal with the rotteness. Sigh!

Luckily, they really aren't that rotten. and I love having them home for the Christmas Holidays. I believe they all got the things they really wanted except for Braden, who wanted a bullwhip. Roger wanted to get him one that was real leather and well made. They were either all sold out or back ordered for months. But I don't think Braden has even said one word about it.

I guess the unicycles they got made up for it. They were so distracted by the one wheeled things, that they didn't even ask for, that everything else must have been driven from their minds. Bad thing is that this is the first Christmas in years that we've had a white Christmas. The most they've got to do is practice balancing on them in the house.

We really did have a good Christmas. Thanks Santa!

Busy little Elf

Chance needed a vest for Christmas, too. But they aren't easy to find in his size so a busy little elf tried her hand at it and VOILA! It just lacks the buttons

A project for my wonderful Mother-in-Law.

December, I don't have the nerves for this!

With all the concerts, Christmas parties, Operettas, Shopping, etc. That happens this month I, Like I'm sure a lot of you, tend to get, oh, somewhat flustered and absent minded. So a couple of nights ago I had a sudden feeling that one of my children was missing. I looked up and asked the rest of the kids. "Where's Chance?" This began a chorus of "CHANCE!", "CHANCE!" and then a sudden scurry as we all began frantically searching for "CHANCE!". The more we looked the more frantic we got. For little Chance was nowhere to be found. The upstairs was searched three or four times, The basement was in the process of being searched yet, again. My mind was slightly hazy as I reasoned that the kid could not have left the house, after all it was dark outside and as big a talker as that kid is he's the biggest scaredy cat around. Almost, to the point of helplessly searching the house once more, Caib pipes up in triumph. "Here he is!"

The funniest thing about it, was that he was and had been in the same room as the rest of us the whole time.

I know it dosen't look like he's that hidden, But he is behind my big sectional couch in the corner On a big pile of soft blankets. I swear if there was enough room for me to curl up and go to sleep behind that couch I probably would. Oh how heavenly, to be able to escape for just a few minutes, to catch up on some much needed alone time. Oh ,All right, I sometimes need a time out, too.

Forget It!

Sitting in the Pick-up each morning I drop my kids off at school and dutifully don my fluorescent Orange vest in my role as public safety uh.....crossing guard. I spend 20 minutes helping about 6 kids cross Main street during rush hour down town.(I think I stop a total of 3 cars).

Almost every morning "Fantastic" rolls by in his wheelchair on his way to the elementary school where he works. Of course, Fantastic is not really his name but Chance somehow concluded that that was his name, one day, while I was trying to teach him that when somebody says "How are you today? " that you respond by saying something like "Fantastic!"

So Yesterday morning "Fantastic" was late and we finished with the crossing guard job without seeing him. Chancee was quite disappointed as I put the cones away and turned off the flashing lights. The whole time he watched for "Fantastic and worried about him.
When I got back into the car our conversation went something like this.

Mom:(after noticing the sad look) Maybe Fantastic is sick Or maybe he drove his truck.(Unusual)

Chance: He's can't walk?

Mom: No, his legs don't work.

Chance: Are's his legs broken?

Mom: I guess you could say that.

Chance (a pause): He's needs a band aid?

Mom: No, that wouldn't help. His legs will get better when Jesus comes again. (seizing the opportunity, I try to use this conversation as a teaching moment)

Chance (Another thoughtful pause and then): Buzz light year can fix them.

Mom: Well, Buzz light year isn't real, Jesus is. Jesus is the only one that can fix them.

Chance (yet, another deep thinking pause): Then Woody can fix them!

Mom (realizing that point is being missed, but in no way discouraged, understanding that many, many more "teaching moments" will come and go through out this little guys life rolls eyes, and slightly amused says): forget it.

After all his little heart is in the right place. Maybe we'll just go get some band aids. Don't band aids solve every three year olds problem anyway? And "Fantastic," being fantastic, would be able to help Chancee understand a whole lot better then I could.

What would you do?

The Christmas tree was finally up and decorated. It was 10:00 PM the kids were finally in bed and things were quiet. Roger and I sat in the front room quietly enjoying the peaceful, gentle glow from the lights of the tree. We had found a lovely spruce tree this year, and we, among other things, were discussing how nice this prickly tree would divert the excited hands of one little three year old.

As we sat there enjoying the silent night and the opportunity that we had to be alone; since all the children, for once, were asleep at the same time. We both were suddenly aware that the tree was slowly falling towards us.

Now, Having the information I've given you, This is my question: What would you do?

Would you

A: Say " OH SHIT!" jump up and run turn on the light. Or

B: Jump up and attempt to catch the tree in some insane attempt to prevent the priceless (to the children) ornaments from shattering as they hit the ground.

Either way I've had a little time to sit and ponder the reaction of both myself and Roger and still Laugh at how much each reaction has to say about each of us individually. I can, actually, see a shadow of Adam and Eve and their reactions when they were faced with that first and most important decision in the Garden of Eden. If your curious about the correlation I've made you'll just have to call me. I don't have time to type it out.

Anyway Roger and I have gotten quite a laugh out of this years tree "re"decorating experience.

Christmas Trees

The snow was just deep enough to cover the ground and flock the evergreens. It brought with it an almost sacred beauty. Christmas was fast approaching and once again it was time to go out onto the mountain and find the perfect Christmas tree for our home, and Grandmas home, and great grandmas home, and anybody elses home who dosen't have the time, means, or desire to brave the cold mountain. I would never miss it, myself. The beauty is well worth the cold and excitement of 5 overly excited children who can't wait until that Jolly old elf appears at the end of next month.

Oaklee spent most of the tree hunt in the warm pick-up.

Aubree and Chance braved the cold once or twice. Caib and Braden spent as much time as possible running through the trees and rolling in the snow.

Braden thought this tree looked pretty good.

And then on our ride home we saw oh, about 200 elk.(no joke)These are a few of the bull elk we saw,

mostly there were cow elk every where.

We saw deer and antelope.

Of course, after the first rabbit the rest of the rabbits stayed hidden, with Caib sporting his 22. Caibs taking hunter safety this month and he's pretty excited about learning to hunt.

All in All we had a great time and came home with some nice trees. and the beauty of it all was well worth the overcrowded conditions and the few peices of sticky butter toffee popcorn that need to be cleaned up.

Thanksgiving Soup? an inaccurate narritive with the right idea

Braden: "Mom, are we having soup for Thanksgiving?"

Mom: "Soup? of course we're not having soup for Thanksgiving we're having Turkey, Stuffing, and Potatoes."

Why in the world is he thinking we'll have soup for Thanksgiving?

An hour Later

Braden: Mom, are you sure we aren't having soup for Thanksgiving? I hate soup.

Mom: "Well good because we aren't having soup it's Thanksgiving You know Turkey, Potatoes, Yams.... "

Braden: "Good, because I hate soup."

what kind of a mom am I raising a kid that thinks we might be having soup for Thanksgiving.. Have I failed as a mom?

Next Afternoon

Grandma Brian( with Braden on the way home form school .She brings him home every day.): are you excited for Thanksgiving?

Braden: Yeah, as long as we don't have soup.

Grandma Brian: Oh, you wont have soup. It's Thanksgiving. You'll have Turkey, potatos and gravy, stuffing...."

Braden "I know but in the James family they always have soup. At least, we had Soup Last Christmas."

Ah ha, The Bottom of it. My family does soup a lot and Braden is a meat and potatoes guy through and through. In fact he would probably be happy with a nice Thanksgiving Mutton or steak As long as it's not in soup. I think he asked me a total of 5 or 6 times about what we were having for dinner on Thanksgiving. I was really starting to get irritated. Telling him, "Hello! It's Thanksgiving We're having turkey.

note: Braden has to be reassured a lot or he worries excessively.

Writers Block

Ummm......

Hmmm.....

Did you know that..........no that sounds stupid.

Man, I can't think of a thing to say. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow. sigh

Things I can't find for Christmas

I asked Aubree what she wanted for Christmas this year. She wanted a lot of things but most of all:



"I really really, really want a pink alarm clock radio with princesses all over it, and I don't want it to play anything except princess songs."



umm O.K. so, I guess I can find that. I search the internet for day's. First looking for princess CD players. I figure I can get CD's of princess songs and she'll understand that radios play whatever they want. But, all the princess pink stuff I find has bad reviews and I really don't like the looks of them. so I think maybe just a pink boom box and a set of princess stickers will work but all the Pink Boom boxes are not available on line or in the store. But, they do have them. mm hmm. whatever. O.K. so I guess my next option is an MP3 player. It can be pink and it will only play princess songs. But is it just me or is that to much for a six year old.



K, here's the scary part. I'm starting to feel like my Mom.(sorry Mom) I am kinda struggling with all this high tech stuff and don't understand how it all works, just have a vague Idea. Worst of all I don't think I really want to know how it works. and how come things keep getting smaller but cost more. I have this image of Christmases in the future where kids come running excitely into the christmas tree to see what Santa brought and all there is is this tiny little pile consisting of cell phones that are the size of an earing cause thats how they work. just pin it in your ear and your good to go. same with the music contraptions. etc. O.K. focus here Pink princess Radio Pink princess radio.

Brian Look-alike Meter

My Sister-in-law tried this out and it looked fun so I did all my kids. This is what I got:
Oaklee 3% more like Roger
Chance Equal 50% like Dad 50% like Mom.
Aubree looks 3% more like Roger
Caib Equal 50/50
Braden a whopping 20% more like his Mom.
So there you go. I'd have never guessed the results but it was fun.

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebs - Collage - Morph

Named

Caib won the naming, he suggested Theadore and Amos. We all agreed. But, thanks for the suggestions. I never can think up good names. Chance told his cousin this morning that their names were Woody and Buzz. I don't ever recall discussing that as an option but it may be that they now have two names. Oh well. I'm telling you though if you want a small easy to care for pet, or your kid does. Birds are the way to go. I've seen kids stand by my bird cage for hours talking to, cooing at, and enjoying my birds.

For the birds

Roger likes birds and I'm a sucker for any little animal. we had parakeets for years and Roger has missed our little birds for about a year now so when we went Christmas shopping yesterday we stopped to look at birds.

I'd like to introduce you to our new little Zebra Finch. they are both male and we are trying to decide what to call them. They kind of remind me of those birds on that little mini movie before Monsters inc. So far I'm really enjoying these little guys. They aren't nearly as loud as a parakeet but they definately make lots more sound.

So that makes about 50 cows, almost two hundred sheep, 4-5 horses, 5 dogs, 8 chickens, 1 goat, a cat, and 2 finches. I love it, its like our own little world. Thank heavens the only animals that are allowed in the house are the two smallest. Any name suggestions would be greatly appreciated and considered. I suggested Ludwig and Johan, Roger wondered why and Braden figured it out immediately and told him. I think Roger was impressed that a twelve year old boy knew who they were. so Bach and Bethoven are being considered but I'm not sure they fit.

I love this picture of the little guy(guys).

New Toy?

Every summer I mow three great big yards, except this last summer. My ride on mower bit the dust despite all the tender care I tried to bestow upon it. My yard is pretty good sized and then my Moms house has a big yard and my mother in laws house has a big yard. I really do enjoy mowing lawns but with a push mower, mowing those three yards would take a week to do. and since yards have to be done once a week, well you can see why I was lucky if my yard got mowed last summer.

Not only that I had Oaklee in July and My pregnancies are a little bit risky so I was told not to do things like, oh, say, mowing lawns.

Anyway. Roger was preg checking cows a couple weeks ago for a man that has a son that works at Hew Holland Equipment. This son happened to be helping with the cows and ended up selling Roger this ride on mower for half price. I ,grudgingly, (secretly relieved) agreed that it would be alright and that we could even have the boys run a yard business in the summers to pay it off. the boys agreed to that, so these two salesmen brought my new lawn mower to me. They proceeded to unload it off the truck and explained to me how to use it. Having done so they told me to go ahead and jump on and try it out. So, on I get. Now I could be lying here, but it wouldn't surprise me if they weren't just a little bit excited to have me try this mower out, and being so, smiled secretly at each other behind my back. So, as I said, on I get. I turn on the mower drive it around my drive way once pull it into the garage, and jump off as I say

"Well, that's pretty easy not much to it really."

The one salesman turns to the other and says. something like "That's not fair it took me a week to figure out how to run this thing."

The other one says, "I know I drove it in circles for half an hour before I figured it out."

The first salesman then says, "Why are women so much better at things like this? My first ride I shoved it into gear popped a wheely and sped down the driveway so fast I was scared to death."

I just shrugged a bit sealed the deal and went on in the house, breathing a huge sigh of relief that I hadn't done something that stupid.

I Can't wait till summer gets here. I love mowing. Just ask Caib.

Cowboy Poetry

Well we had fun Last saturday. We went to the cowboy poetry gathering in Heber City. The kids had about 45 minutes to fill There were 6 kids, 4 of them belonged to me. This is getting a little overwhelming, but we sure enjoy it. Chance did 2 poems, Aubree did 3 poems, Caib did 4 poems and Braden did 4 poems. I believe that this poetry experience is so good for the kids. They have learned a lot about overcoming there fears of a stage, they've learned about what it takes to prepare for a stage performance(practice, practice, practice, and more practice)no matter how ready you think you are you keep practicing. The fun thing this time was listening to them practice over and over all on their own. Even then, they had a few mind blocks on stage but they backed each other up and all went well. We've sure had fun being involved in these gatherings.

This is one of the poems Caib did
Cowboy in Rollerblades
I’m sure enough a cowboy
With my wrangler jeans and all.
I’ve been ridin’ in the saddle
Since I was pretty small.

I’d snicker at them city dudes
In their great big baggy britches
And watchin’ them with roller blades
Would have me near in stitches.

A rollin down the sidewalks
With their underwear’s in view
Come on now admit it
It’s had you a laughin, too.

Then one day I decided
Before I laugh and joke
About them silly foot wheels
That I’ve seen on city folk.

I’d have a little go at it
I’d try them wheels out
Heck! it couldn’t be that hard,
And I think I’m pretty stout.

I put the wheels on my feet
I stand and for I know it
My right foots headed skyward
And my left foots back below it.

I never knowed my body
Would stretch out in quite that way
I never could get up again
Until I put them wheels away.

Now thinkin’ back upon it
I sure am really glad
I was born a country boy
To a country lovin’ dad.

And climbin back upon my horse
Is sure a mighty treat
Cause I know that I’m plumb lucky
He aint got wheels on his feet!

-Cathy Brian-

For Grandma James

The reason I titled this one For G.J. is because she may be the only one who really, really appreciates this. Chance has taken on a new hobby. It doesn't matter what I hand him he turns it in to letters.

In the garage last night as we were getting into the car Chance picked up two sticks and held them up in the shape of a T saying

"look mom what is this?"

He pauses and then says

"It's a T"

and drops the sticks and climbs into the car.

We got home this morning from taking kids to school etc.. and he sits down on the floor with his cars and plays for a minute. Then he says to me

"Mom, what are these letters?"

a pause and then

"this ones an I this ones a T and here's an L"

I, of course, shake my head and grab the camera.

And finally here is his, self thought of, snack time activity. Making pretzel words. He informed me that he was writing his name. After using up all the pretzels he announces:

"There, see Mom, That says me."(proof that he's not a genius, just smart like most kids.) I had to help him make the R's but he insisted he needed R's in his name.

Weather forecast

This is the scene we woke up to this morning as we looked out our french doors. Chance,as usual, was the first one up. when he looked out side he began to jump around and run excitedly. I could sense this all from my bedroom. Then in excitement he hollers out "Dad! look come look."

Roger enters the room and Chancee says "See Dad, It's Christmas!", as he points out the window. He hasn't forgotten what Christmas is, Obviously.

Elections

Seems like a lost cause but I did go vote.
AGELESS WIT AND OBSERVATIONS

'If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.' Mark Twain

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.... But then I repeat myself. -Mark Twain

I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. -Winston Churchill

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. - George Bernard Shaw (So what we find,sadly, is that paul is the majority now.)

A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money. -G Gordon Liddy

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. -James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. -Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. -P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else. -Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. -Ronald Reagan (1986)

I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. -Will Rogers

If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free! -P.J. O'Rourke

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other. -Voltaire (1764)

Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you! -Pericles (430 B.C.)

No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session. -Mark Twain (1866 )

Talk is cheap...except when Congress does it. -Unknown

The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other. -Ronald Reagan

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery. -Winston Churchill

The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. -Mark Twain

The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.-Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

There is no distinctly Native American criminal class...save Congress. -Mark Twain

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians. -Edward Langley, Artist (1928 - 1995)

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have. -Thomas Jefferson

Are people, really, so uneducated that they no longer study things out for themselves? I have to tell you. I'm kind of scared about this election. And, yet we probably deserve what ever the results may be.

Anniversary

Today is my anniversary. I need some ideas about celebrating. I'm thinking about a homemade candel light dinner. with the three older kids serving us. but thats not very original. I've heard of a lot of people doing that.

I've come to the conclusion, after thirteen years that I am not a very creative person and I discourage easily if my plans seem to much. I've also discovered that Roger won't plan anything he just suggests that maybe we could do something. and if I don't take the ball and run nothing happens.. Which I've known since the day we went on our honeymoon, he told me he would plan it and didn't, so I did. I'm not complaining though. Thirteen years can grow a lot of love and understanding. I wouldn't change Roger for anything.(I'll leave the changing to him.) I just want to prove the love to him a little more creatively today, and since I'm not that creative, well, you can see my dilema.

I had to search for this picture to go along with my blog and in the process I thought a trip down "memory lane" would be fun so I started taking all kinds of pictures etc. to make a small movie. I'll see how it works.

Lot's of pictures HALLOWEEN

Chance the horse, Aubree the princess, Caib the red neck and Braden and Caibs Jack-O-Lanterns

I really think Halloween is mostly just an excuse to take lots of pictures and get candy. So here are the pictures.

.

tagged

Go into your pictures file, 4th folder,

fourth picture and post it. Youv'e been tagged if you look at this, and since it's halloween may all sorts of spooks get you tonight if you don't play.

More Chance

This is another Chance Creation. All from his own imagination. Yes, Life would be extremely boring with out Our 3 year old. He came in, after being suspiciously quiet for a little to long in his bedroom, and said "Dad, come in my room and see me." a few minutes later Dad comes out of his bedroom laughing and says, "Come in here and look at this." I particularly like the sock fingers. and Mr. Potatoe head smile. The worst part about his creations is that he insists that they remain untouched for a whole day or more before I can clean up.

No Proof

Um Check out the chicken legs on Oaklee. I know exactly where she got them from But, I'm sure Roger won't let me post a picture of his legs on my blog to prove it.

Aren't those some good lookin' kids?

Halloween Week

in the beginning we carved pumpkins. Then we took pictures, then I told

Chance that this picture had a ghost in it. O.K. O.K. I shouldn't have said anything I admit, but doesn't that look like a ghost to you? Chance thought so, too. sigh..... Now he's scared of the picture. Then I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I have enough pumpkin left to make some pumpkin bread. and maybe even a pie. This could be a new tradition.

It's all in the look

You may think the pictures a little goofy but it is all Chance. This is what I see in this picture:

Innocense, Love, excitement, mischief, curiosity, eagerness, tolerance, trust, humor, desire, stubborness and a little fear. It's all in there.

Chance just turned three. What a character. Common phrases we hear about this little guy are:

" Boy I wish I had his energy", "He sure loves life dosen't he?", "Life isn't going to be dull for you is it?" We sure love having Chance. Life would be boring with out a little chance in it.

Do two little bucks make a "Big Buck"?

He got his Buck!

O.K. Jenny were gonna have venison Friday night. This could be the plan:

Right after work on Friday you could have your date pick you up and drive down here. We'll have a nice meal with the tender loin. (We'll even send a nice roast home with you) All it'll cost you is the gas to get down here.

The funny thing about this whole deer hunting thing, is that at 7:00 AM Roger and Braden left the house. Braden was completely ready for school. By 8:04 AM when his school starts he was there, having shot and gutted his first deer He'd even had time to get there and show it off to the rest of the , I'm guessing jealous, 6th grade boys.

Bradens statement when he got home was "Well, I got Chance a deer for his birthday."

I'm just glad he got one his first year hunting. He was pretty excited when he called about 7:30 to tell us he'd gotten his first deer.

Big Bucks

Grandma James sends each of her grand kids a card and 5 big ones for their birthdays. Chancees' Birthday is tomorrow and Chance got his card last Saturday. I was on my way to the store. We stopped to get the mail. You should have heard the exclamation when he saw the "THREE DOLLARS!" so I let him buy a dollar toy at the store. He was so proud of himself when he put his two very cheap toy guns down on the check out counter and held up his five dollar bill. The clerk smiled and said "Wow! nice guns." Chance replied "Yeah, I'm gonna go get the Big Bucks with Dad." (Saturday was the opening day for the deer hunt for those of you who haven't a clue or really care) The clerk thought he was so cute blah blah blah.... and we went home. (Chance is just one of those kids that leaves people laughing or wondering what just happened)

This morning Roger took Braden out by Uncle Shannons where two little bucks had been spotted. Roger got one, Braden didn't get the other one (dang it). When they got home with the buck they called Chance out to see the deer. "Oh," Chancee says "It's a tiny little buck"

Moral: (I guess)

Five bucks, two little guns and a lot of big talk doesn't, necessarily, guarentee the "Big Bucks"

I thought it turned out cute.

School picture time came around. Here in our little town you have the option of bringing in your preschool kids after school and getting their pictures done, too. so I debated and finally let Roger talk me into taking Chance and Oaklee in and paying the 18.00 apiece for a whole packet of pictures. I was just sure I could take a cute picture myself and just order the 8x10 from walmart so it was only $3.00 But, noooo. Anyway after getting their pictures done I decided to try for a picture of Oaklee. This is what I ended up with. Despite the background couch and the foreground couch cushion I thought the picture of Oaklee was cute enough to hang on the wall for a year. What do you think? I still haven't tried to get Chance to sit for a portrait but I have enough confidence to think I could probably get a cute one of him, too.

Actually I really like the school photographer. I think he does a great job. I was just trying to save a little money.

Braden

Braden turned 12, Oct. 1rst. Yesterday he became a deacon. He's a great kid. I'm a lucky Mom. A couple of weeks ago he had his first dance at middle school. He says he hated it. He probably did. School is easy for him. He loves animals. He has a tender heart, and hates to see people being deliberately mean in which case he won't put up with it for long. He's very responsible and I never have to get him out of bed in the morning, no matter how early he has to get up. He teases his siblings a little too much but he obviously loves them. He's lost without Caib and hates it when Caib isn't home to pester, fight with or love. It's fun to watch him play with Chance, he's a great big brother. He's not to sure how to take all the pure princess stuff that Aubree throws out. But he loves to tease her. I love to watch him talk to Oaklee. He loves sports, especially baseball but, because of his concern for the underdog he makes a lousy wrestler. I'm O.K. with that. He's a great cowboy and lives to ride. He loves guns, holsters, saddlebags, cinch straps, spurs, gloves, and chaps. He loves the mountains. Have a great year Braden!

Oh, It's imagination at work.

Yesterday I cleaned up the cushions that were off the couch yet, again I swear, on my honor, that none of my other children have pulled the couch cushions off like Chance does. ARGHH!!! With him it seems constant. Today I realized that they were tires on a car. I really hope this couch cushion thing pays off eventually. By the way Woody is a great driver.

I have a question.

I think to myself: "Hm I wonder what I'll do for dinner tonight.(No I havent got a weekly, monthly or even daily menu planned)"

So I head into the Laundry room where the freezer is to look and see what might be good for dinner. As I pass the washer I notice that it's empty, heaven forbid, So I stop at the dirty clothes barrel and sort out a dark colors batch throw it in to wash and then notice that the clothes in the dryer aren't running so I open the dryer and feel to see if they are dry.( my dryer takes about three hours to dry a batch of laundry) They aren't dry so I start the dryer again ,empty the lint trap, and notice that I haven't taken the few shirts that I happened to hang up so I wouldn't have to iron them into there closet.They are still hanging there above the dryer. So I grab them while thinking, "I guess I'll take these that I have to iron into the other room, too." Maybe I'll iron them quicker if they're somewhere I can see them.

I head into my bedroom where three more shirts are lying there taunting me with there horrendous wrinkles. so I hang up the shirts that I don't have to iron and as I throw the wrinkly shirts on top of the others I think: "Oh what the heck, I'll just hurry and Iron these."

So I grab the iron and ironing board and shirts,of course, and head into the family room where I can put on a disney movie for Chancee so that I can watch him while I sit there and do the ironing.

Hmmmm.......What to watch? what to watch? How about Pooh Bear for the second time today? No.....Oh I know Cars, Umm........No he has that one memerized. O.K. Ice Age it is I start the movie and the Baby wakes up and is hungry. O.K. feed the baby while watching Ice age It takes me a little longer than normal to feed the baby because, Well ,I get a kick out of the stupid show even though I've probably seen it a hundred times(not Exagerating) and my kids like it.
Laughing at the part where the nearly extinct Dodo's become extinct ,I get up off the couch put the baby down on a blanket on the floor warning Chancee with a bunch of empty threats that were intended to be empty.

"Do not touch or hurt the baby!!!"

I go into the kitchen to grab a drink of water. I finish my drink.

"man, How do the counter tops get so dirty so quick?"

I grab a Wash rag and My beloved Clorox clean up and once again spray them down and wash them off. I notice that the dish rag really needs washed, too. So I throw it into the dirty clothes barrel and seeing the vaccuum, chastise myself for not having gotten the vaccuuming done yesterday when I had planned to do it.

Yes, I grab the vaccuum and pull it out and start to vaccuum. half way through the vaccuuming I notice that it's time for me to go get the kids from school. I flip off the vaccuum grab the two youngest and head for the door so I won't be late setting up the cones and turning on the lights so that I can fulfill my responsibility as the crossing guard.

Upon arriving home from that daily chore, I am bombarded with I am hungries and can I play with so and so's. I get three after school snacks and one after Ice Age snack out of the way and tackle the can I play with so and so's with

"Sure if and when you get your home work done. "And then you've got to do the chores. Maybe you can play on Friday."

So while the kids are working on their homework, which usually takes an hour a problem(sheesh) I get tired of tripping over the vaccuum so I quickly finish with the vaccuuming, I glance at the clock. Holy Cow!! It's 5:30...........So this is my question.



"WHAT THE HECK"S FOR DINNER?"



"Maybe I'll iron the shirts tomorrow.......sigh"

I

tried to get a good picture of the fall colors from our drive on Sunday but pictures just don't catch the glow.

besides I'm not that great of a photographer when I'm in the pickup with five, tired of driving, kids. But I did get a sort of nice shot of the desert and Henry Mountains. I love the diverse scenery we have here.

your gonna wish you were here

We're planning a trip across Parker mountain while we listen to conference. The colors this year are amazing. So......... Mom, Your gonna wish you were here.

I love fall time. Apple pies, pumpkins. corn stalks and scarecrows, . But, most of all, I love the light. It glows.

I just received this video which I thought was, quite, good

Finally

This summer Dad made a trade with son which involved son getting a new puppy. Son wanted a Lab but Dad kept telling him "No way they're just to big you can have a heeler." so for the last few months KSL classifieds have been sons "video game" and whenever he found a batch of puppies that looked promising we'd have to spend the rest of the day telling him to just be patient we'd find a puppy but he usually ended up in tears. Well, sons birthday is Oct. 1rst,he's turning 12, and so he finally got his dog as a birthday present and the surprise was it was exactly what he wanted, a lab(sigh) But it is a dang cute dog. And son is soooooo happy.

There is a long history of dogs behind this boy. He's had a lot of dogs but he lost each one and then we'd have to console his tender heart as he'd cry every time he'd think about his most recently lost dog. The catch was that his past dogs were all supposed to be working cow dogs and if they wouldn't work, well, they had to go. So this dog is to be just simply a companion dog . Oh, he named it Angie after a girl in a Louis La'mour.I believe the book is Hondo.

Puppies

This is one of seven puppies we have. It's o.k. though I've sold them all. They go to their new homes next week.

I just enjoyed myself this morning watching Chance play with them. He's the type of kid that makes every parent think that boys and dogs go together. He plays outside forever talking away to these puppies as if they know exactly what he's talking about. He spent this morning playing in his Tee pee building fires with little sticks laying around(no flames involved). I could here him saying
"O.K. Boy lets go get wood" The puppies not cooperating So then I hear
"O.K. Boy I'll just go get the wood." A few minutes Later
"Here I am boy, lets build our fire"
and on and on and on as he's lost in his little world and loving life.

I love this time of the year! But the thought of a long cold winter makes me send the kids out as often as I can.

Well It Sounded Fun! And I Was Curious.

I've seen this little questionair on a couple of blogs And it intrigued me so I tried it. Here are the results I got.

The Questions What does Mom always tell you? Braden: NO! Caib: do your homework: Aubree: My name. Chance: Chancee boy Dad: I don't know what you always tell me.(Deep Thinker) What makes mom happy? Braden: When I'm happy Caid: Wden I get up and take care of the cow without complaining. Aubree:Flowers Chance: You (Wise for an almost 3 year old) Dad; Being out doing stuff with family What makes mom sad? Braden: The ending of the book Summer of the Monkeys Caib: That Book(Summer of the Monkeys): (We"ve been reading for about an hour every Night,more if they can talk me into it) Aubree: When I'm late getting home Chance: You ( More wisdom) Dad: Many things, family problems. How does mom make you laugh? Braden:When you stare at me. Caib: When you tell me funny things.\ Aubree:tickles me Chance: Because Dad: burning meat (He thinks I burn meat every time I cook it. But it's his fault he calls me on the phone and distracts me every time I try to cook. Oh and I'm a well done while he's a medium rare) How old is mom? Braden:39 (He's right, sigh) Caib: 37(I asked my Mom how old she was when she was 42 years old and for the next 10 years, or maybe 20, when ever any one asked me how old my mom was I told them 42. and I was serious. That's what I thought) Aubree: 23( I love Her perception) Chance you big(His, too) Dad: 38, Oh I mean 39 How tall is mom Braden: Uh, I don't know, like 5'6"( and a half) Caib: I don't know......5' Aubree: ummm Bigger than me. Chance: (He's given up) Dad: 5'6" What does Mom like to do? Braden: Go on dates with Dad Caib: Mow the lawn Aubree: Snuggle with Oaklee and be near us Chance: (still won't answer) Dad: Walks, yard work What is Mom's Job? Braden:Crossing guard and being Mom Caib:Crossing guard Make dinner and feed us. Aubree: The crosswalk Chance:(He's Back) take care of me Dad: Mother What is moms favorite food? Braden: It's not mutton I know that. OH! pork chops. Caib: lasagna Aubree: Soup Chance: On the Table?( see, Still 3 year old wisdom. I love any food that is prepared and on the table) Dad: Fruits and Vegetables(He said he was trying to think of stuff I buy at the store that he never would buy. MEN!!) How do you know mom loves you? Braden: Cause your my mom. Caib: You do my laundry Aubree: because your my mommy. Chance (laughs) You love me! Dad: Because you tell me.(DUH!!! If I didn't tell him would he still know that I love him? actually He was in a hurry to get up to the church..It's Tuesday night.)

So there you go This was actually really fun and very enlightening.

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For just over a week now I have had some, in my
view, very welcome guests at my house. The bugs this year have been terrible so when my neighbors chickens showed up I haven't minded at all. But, Roger did make a comment about the birds.
He said: "You'd think if we wanted chickens wandering in our yard we would turn our own out." That's right we have our own chickens and they have just started laying so I haven't let them wander. I want to get them used to laying eggs in their boxes.

After Rogers comment I assured him that as many bugs as we've had this year I really didn't mind having the chickens around. but the funny thing was Bradens comment. He Pointed out that the neighbors chinkens aren't bad to have around after all they have to put up with our flies.

Apparently, Braden sees the fly eppidemic as a direct result of our livestock.

Rogers only comment after that was "Good Point"

And we went about our activities enjoying the chickens as they wandered the yard pecking at all manner of creepy crawlies.