GRRRR....Bear Lake 2009

So, we had another wonderful trip to Bear Lake!!! I am beginning to look forward to it ALMOST as much as Moab. Greg and Shell bring their boat (woohoo!!), we play at the beach and get raspberry shakes every night. What more could you want from a vacation?

Cole-baby in her Tinkerbell dress. The designated bird-sitter (ME) just so happened to be on vacation with Kristi, so Chewbacca had to come along. I'm glad he messed up this houses floor rather than mine. I love the way it looks like Cam is forcing Caleb's head into the ground. I need to find the picture of Cameron doing the same thing to Spencer when he was a baby.

Spencer and Mommy both holding Baby-Calebs.


MMMMM...hamburgers and raspberry shakes!!!! We were smart to go on Thursday night, the other nights were packed. I think Andy waited 45 min for his shakes on Saturday night.




Chad and Grampy playing "crack the egg" with Krispi!!! She's a tough one.



Life Saver!!!! The house Shell-bell rented for us had a great yard with a trampoline.

It also had a basketball hoop and a ton of outdoor kid toys that keep the kiddos occupied and happy. It was WONDERFUL.

Richele was easier to crack---perfect shot.

Spencer just having fun trying to grab his legs.

When we woke up Friday morning the sprinklers were running, so the boys asked to put on their swimming suits to jump in the water. Kept them occupied while breakfast was being cooked.

Our Friday beach day was PERFECT. Of course almost anything would have been better than last year (COLD and windy)!!

Alex and Grampy digging a hole.

Andy was serious this year,,,he brought a manly shovel. Nice goggles Spence.

Must stand in the hole after the hole is dug.

Cam standing in yet another hole.

Grammy and Grampy chillin in the shade.

Playing Frisbee in the water. That is Greg's boat (umm Shell's boat too) in the distance. All that way out and the water is still just up to the belly .

Alex, in time-out. Kristi instructed me not to talk to him,,,so I just took the picture and turned around---It felt mean not to say Something to the kid, but I fear Kristi.

Their own little hot tubs.

Spencer took a 2 hour nap. Caleb slept at the same time. Good thing, because while everybody was on the boat, Dad and I were able to break camp pretty darn quick. It was getting hot, we were tired and the kids were getting close to melt-down zone.

My boys still in their PJ's going on a bike ride.

What a face!!!

Saturday morning we swam at the same pool we went last year, even though Richele found out we weren't allowed. Oh well.

This was the favorite pool game from last year. So we recreated it this year. One person would throw the beach ball in the air, while one of the men would huck a child in the air, and the child would try to hit or kick the beach ball. Cameron did it TONS last year, but didn't last too long this time around (Daddy threw him wrong and Cam did a belly flop that didn't feel so good.)

Cam DID love his new snorkel. He was a maniac with it. He keeps talking about going to the ocean.

We did a ton of crafts to keep the kids occupied. They made visors. Shell is modeling Cole's because the little Tinkerbell was taking a nap.

We made homemade playdough, then built volcanoes. Thanks for the recipe and idea Tiffany.

The "unerupted" volcanoes.

While the volcanoes dried outside the kids painted ceramic bugs.

Chilling for a while after all the crafts.

Movie time.

While the kiddos watched a movie the big girls got to make cards.

Then it was on to homemade ice cream.

The great volcano eruption. OOOOHHH!! AAAAHHHH! It's a good thing young ones are so easily impressed.

Unfortunately my camera battery went dead after this picture.

I didn't get any pictures of Cam on the tube or Greg slaloming. And after the kids went to bed on Saturday night Greg, Mom, Dad, Kristi, Cole and I went back to the lake. We didn't get there until 8:00 pm. Oh it was pretty and quiet. I loved it. Kristi and Greg were brave enough to ski. I peed off the back of the boat---that was as close as I got to the water.

Sunday morning we got packed up and headed out. We all got car sick, and poor Spence threw-up. Good thing my boys are used to puking. Evanston way might be a better bet next year.

I sure hope we can do this trip every year---maybe someday we can bring wave-runners...yah, in Chad's dreams.

What to do? What to do?

I have been struggling for the last, um... 3 1/2 years whether I want to add another sweet little boy to my family (aah,,I'm good at boys). I just can't get brave enough to do it all over again. So I decided to make a pros and cons list of pregnancy, birth, and the first hazy months of the little one's life. (Don't worry, it isn't too graphic.)

Pro--I get to eat what I want (within reason) and not worry about it

Con--I feel ginormous/get stretch marks and end up with a flabby belly

Pro--Chad thinks I look darling pregnant

Pro--The attention is fun

Con--NAUSEA---constant

Con--Sciatic Nerve pain. I would rather deal with nausea

Pro--Breasties

Con--Saggy Breasties when done with nursing

Pro--Fun maternity clothes

Con--The same fun maternity clothes over and over and over

Pro--Fuller face--I like my body now, but my face is too skinny (I look older and wrinkly)

Con--big body to go with fuller face

Pro--I don't get kankles

Pro--I never go full term--Cam 10 days early, Spencer 26 days early (and healthy)

Pro--Nesting!!! I love to nest---My cupboards and closets haven't been organized in 3 1/2 years. I actually feel the nesting instinct quite often, but it is anxiety-driven rather than pregnancy-driven

Con--Insomnia

Pro--It gives me empathy for Chad's insomnia

Con--Fatigue

Pro--2nd trimester energy

Con--Labor--damn, that hurts

Pro--Epidurals--damn, that feels better

Pro--Mother-in-law is a Labor and Delivery nurse--and she knows her shiz

Con--Almost 2 hours of pushing with Cam

Pro--About 20 seconds of pushing with Pence

Pro--I love the hospital stay!!! I love the quiet, reading, naps, visits from fam and friends, snuggling with a new sleepy baby

Con--Nurses checking vitals in the middle of the night. I just want to say, "Hey, I know you are just doing your job, but would you please leave my hospital-issue-meshy-stretchy-underwear alone!! My who-ha is just fine!"

Pro--Speaking of who-ha's --Peri bottle with warm water--mmmmm soothing

Con--Learning to nurse with Cam

Pro--Much easier with Spence

Con--Coming home---Holy Cow, that's a shock

Con--NO SLEEP

Pro--Watching Chad relish every moment with his babies...One of us has to like newborns

Con--Postpartum depression hitting like a ton of bricks

Pro--Zoloft baby!!! I will be popping them like candy from 34 weeks on,,,,it's nice to not fantasize about harming your child (scary)

Pro--All the crappy stuff mentioned above eventually does go away

I just re-read my list and wow, I AM an optimist--there are a lot more pros that I would have thought,,seeing as how I LOATHE pregnancy. I just need to buck-up and do my part to repopulate the earth.

Hmmmm....Hmmmm

We were at Robert's today and obviously I was looking at the brads too long. I'm just glad they found a quiet way to entertain themselves. I will encourage any activity that is quiet and doesn't involve a lot of movement.

Meditation is their newest thing....sillies.

Just how much are those Nuts?

I have had some people asking about prices for Super Saturday stuff (see previous post). For those who won't be able to crash the party, I would love to make them for you at Super Sat prices--wauzzers.

Card kit--$3.00

Picture--$2.75

Jewelry

Your choice of circle (on the black necklace display thingee)plus hardware--$1.75 except the smaller circle and oval on the sides. They are $.75

Crystals are $.15 each (I do have a gold bead for the 8th YW value--it's just not pictured)

Necklaces--from top to bottom of the white necklace display thingee

18" silver snake chain--$1.50

14"-16" ball chain--$1.00

14"-18"--link chain--$1.00

16",18",20" sterling silver box chain---$4.00

Yah, killer prices!!! I've got some cheap cheap ideas for stuff I will offer at Christmas time too.

Yes, I am Nuts!!

I have been our ward's Enrichment leader for about 8 or 9 months now. It is definitely at the bottom of my "most enjoyable callings" list. I do not like planning dinners, arranging speakers, coming up with "uplifting" activities, etc. etc. I am not a good delegator-I have a hard time asking people to do things that I know they probably aren't thrilled about doing as well. I know I need to get better at delegation, or my life of service in this church is going to be long and miserable. We have historically had low turn-out to Enrichment (I wouldn't know since I never went either). Which makes things hard. And since I have never been an active participant in all of the wonderful RS doings, I don't know what works, and what doesn't.

ANYWHO--back to me being nuts. I will tell you one thing I was excited for with this calling----Super Saturday. A day of crafts and food. HELLO---definitely my thang!!!! We still have 2 Enrichment activities I am trying to survive the planning of,,,but by darn I have my 3 crafts for Super Saturday ready!!! We are still 3 months away, but I am so excited. I just hope we have a great turn-out for this one. If not--we've got some serious Girls' Night projects!!! Woo Hoo!!

And as a side note,,,be careful what you say about callings. At last years Super Saturday--I helped out by making earrings--so fun, we did over 100 pair. I was talking to Christie, the leader then, and said that I have already taught Gospel Doctrine (my #1 most dreaded calling--at the time). And I said my new #1 most dreaded calling was Enrichment Leader--I told her I would hate to have her calling. Famous last words!!!! A short time later I groaned as I accepted.

Here are the projects I have finished.

Cards and envelopes made out of brown postal wrapping paper. I originally thought I would do 5, but that quickly grew to 12. He he. Since I decided to do so many, and I didn't want it to take forever on that day, I have done all the stamping etc., so the ladies will just have to assemble them. I have probably logged 20 hours on these puppies already. But hey, it's my thang!!!
Next is Jewelry-- Surprise, surprise!!! We are doing birthstone necklaces (4 different chains to choose from as well). The top one is a single birthstone (could be for little girls). The next one is the Mother's (birthstones of the fam). The third one down is the YW value colors (Pat wants me to do these for her YW--yippee!). The last one is a Grandmother's Necklace--I used my mom's neighbors family--she's got a lot of grand kids.

These are all the circles to choose from. Should have used my SLR to get a better picture.


I love this project!!! Our Stake President has encouraged everyone to display a picture of the Provo temple in their home. Richele and I took the kids to the temple (about a week before she had Caleb), to take pictures. She got some good shots and made them look old. Then you modge podge it on paper and wood.

After October, I need to tell the Bishop I absolutely LOVE my calling and feel very comfortable in it. You know what happens then?!!! You get released.

Bunch of Summer Pictures!!!

THE TREES HAVE BEEN SAVED!!!
Thanks to some hard work on Chad's part,,,and to some deep roots on the tree's part, we get to keep them!!!! I would have been one ticked little mommy to have them take the trees out first (like they wanted to) and then not have a root in site when they dug up the concrete.

Playing video games with Uncle Brett.

Baking!!! We don't bake much at our house,,,but when I do the boys love to help. They are wearing some gloves I brought home from work to keep the eggs off. Yah,,,they just like wearing the gloves.

Chad took this picture. Cam got in the cupboard and decided to make some Crystal Light. I do believe a packet of the mix should make 2 quarts. Taking the Chad/Brett method to the extreme, Cameron filled 2 SMALL tumblers 1/2 full (he knows I don't like spills). Strong is not the word for how it tasted. WOW!!! Wanting to prove that he hadn't done wrong, Cameron drank it and controlled his face to show that he liked it.

Cameron reading his card for me for at the end of Pre-school.

Spencer showing off his Camelback.

I was at my Spa-day for my Birthday, so Chad took the boys up the canyon for a hike.

Daddy hiked them pretty hard--they both fell asleep coming down the canyon.

The flowers the boys collected for me.

Cam's T-ball team. We were in the parade for the opening day. It was a crack-up. I couldn't believe how many people were watching, and the people watching were the ones throwing candy into the trucks. The kids thought they were pretty darn cool.

Spencer pouting over something during one of Cam's games.

We had a couple of Chad's buddies from work over for dinner. It was fun, and the kids all did really well.

The boys at the Preschool Triathlon.

The first leg of the Triathlon---scooter/bike ride.

Spencer pumping his arm, and saying "winner, winner!!"

The second leg of the Triathlon,,,a walk. Then we all got to go swimming at the pool. The boys really enjoy it.

Sitting around waiting for the parade.

"say cheese daddy!" In the shade, I was really cold for a while.

Spencer LOVES the neighbor's cat, Tony.

Love the look on Cam's face.

This will forever be my image of the summer when Spence was 3 years old--PJ's and helmet, running or riding his bike.

And this will pretty much be the image of Cam---crying, for one thing or another...hmmmmm!

More PJ's, and riding on Krew's Razor 360.

PJ's, fruit snacks and watching daddy work.

Last T-ball game with his buddies.

Oh, how that little boy loves his trophy.

Slip-n-slide on the 4th of July

Cole-baby getting into it.

Cam and Spencer---it's always a competition.

Helping Daddy light fireworks.

Boy, they sure did run fast after they were lit.

Too bad we always do fireworks at 5:30. Oh well, the kids enjoy them. The adults kept on saying, "that would be really cool, in the dark!"

Helping Daddy grill steaks. Spence only had on the PJ bottoms.