Stephen said to me...

"You were born in the 70's? No wonder you're so old!"

I just couldn't help but laugh.

Ellen is 5!

Happy Birthday Ellen!

As you can see, Ellen requested a Barbie cake. I've made a couple in the past always using round cakes stacked in layers. I wanted it to be a little easier this time so I thought I would just bake two cakes in a couple of my metal mixing bowls. I checked with my mom to see what she thought and it sounded good to her. She also had a super suggestion for me. She said that I should put a paper towel roll in the center. That would help it bake faster plus it would leave a hole in the middle and I wouldn't have to dig it out later to put the Barbie in. It worked great! A little batter did come up into the paper towel rolls while the cake baked but it pulled right out with the roll. It definitely saved me time and stress! Thanks Mom!!!

Noah's First S'more

Stephen's arm update

Stephen and I just got back from seeing Dr. Jacobson (the orthopedic surgeon) where we got good news! Stephen's arm is broken, but the bone is all lined up and everything is in the right place so there is no need for surgery. And kids elbows heel very quickly so Stephen didn't even have to get a cast. He still has to wear the splint and sling. But we're going back to Dr. Jacobson in just 11 days, the 29th, and they will x-ray his elbow again and he will probably have to wear the splint for another week after that, but then he will be done. WhooHoooo!!! Summer isn't looking so bad after all.

It's Broken!

Stephen's arm is broken. He was playing tag at the park this afternoon and fell off of a landing on the play equipment that was only 3-4 feet high. It is broken at the very bottom of his humorous bone right above his elbow. The doctor at quick care is sending Stephen to see the orthopedic surgeon next week. We'll find out more then. For now his arm is in a splint and a sling and he's taking ibuprofen for the pain. He is also staying up watching My Three Sons and eating chocolate pudding with James. You can see in the picture he's got a little smirk on his face. With the splint and Advil he's doing pretty good.

Fun on Grandma's Swing

4th of July, 2005

Uncle William, KatieJo, Samuel, Joshua, and Annie

Four years doesn't always seem like a long time, but when you look at this picture, four years makes a HUGE difference.

Family Pictures

We finally did it! After 6 long years we got our family pictures taken! Our home teacher and his wife, Mike and Cami Dean, just started a photo business. So we asked them to take our family picture and individual pictures of the kids as well. They did a WONDERFUL job! We love the pictures!!! And what makes it even better is that we had a very nice time getting our pictures taken. We went to the UofI Arboretum, where everything is beautiful, and we walked all over and Mike just kept taking lots of pictures, and Cami was super good at arranging us for the pictures and she was also very good at making the kids laugh and smile. If any of you are in the Moscow area, or ever will be, and want some very nice pictures of yourselves, we will send you right to Mike and Cami. Their website is http://www.deanphotographs.com/.

First Camp-out of the Year

Last weekend James and Stephen were going to go camping just the two of them. But on Thursday night they decided that we should all go. The girls were all very excited about this, so we spent Friday morning cleaning up and packing and getting ready to go. James got home from work around 3:45 and we loaded up the Jeep and headed out. We went to Moose Creek Resevoir which is a beautiful little reservoir just outside of Bovill, ID, and about a 40 minute drive from Moscow. We didn't actually camp at the reservoir, we went a few miles on down the road and found a very nice secluded spot where we didn't see any other people the whole time we were there.

Within about 5 minutes of getting out of the Jeep, Stephen found a salamander.

James caught this frog and all the kids, but especially Noah and Naomi, were very fascinated.

Our camp site. We got rained on just during the night, but we were dry and cozy in our tent.

We borrowed this little row boat from some friends of ours in the ward, Weston Ricks who is originally from Teton and his wife Bridgette who grew up in Tullahoma. James took all the kids but Noah out on the lake Saturday morning and they had a wonderful time. Stephen and Annie got to help row. Then they explored a little island in the middle of the lake. They even got to see a bald eagle flying around and then it landed in a tree that was not too far away from them. This camping trip was a great start to our summer.

A Visit to City Hall

Stephen has been in Cub Scouts for a while now. Almost a year. But his pack doesn't have den or pack meetings during the summer, so if Stephen is going to earn his Wolf it is all up to us.

One of his requirements is to "visit an important place in your community, such as a historic or government location." So on Monday for Family Home Evening we went to visit City Hall. We didn't have any idea if anyone would be there or if the building would even be open, but we thought at the very least we could walk around outside the building and talk about what goes on inside. Well we got there and the building was open. Hooray! So we looked around on the first floor at some paintings and were just starting to head up the stairs when the Mayor, Nancy Chaney, walked in and said, "Hello." We visited with her for just a minute and explained why we were visiting City Hall. She then invited us up to her office and gave the kids each a City of Moscow pin. As we left her office we realized that a City Council meeting was just about to start and so we stuck our heads in the door long enough for the kids to see the Councilmen and where they sit, and where the general public sits, and all that kind of stuff. As we walked back outside we read a sign about the actual building. It was built in 1910 and first housed the Post Office. The kids had a really good time. Meeting the Mayor was kind of like meeting a celebrity. They were so excited. And now whenever we drive past City Hall, even Naomi calls out, "Look! City Hall!"

It Really Is Gone

Sam had to do some work in good ol' Cheyenne, WY a few weeks ago. Since he was in town he thought he would drive past our old home site and see what it looks like now. He very thoughtfully took some pictures with his cell phone and sent them to us. For those of you who never saw our house in Cheyenne here is a picture.

They left the two big trees because eventually there will be a very nice bike path running right along there somewhere. They will completely change the layout of the street so that it will run almost diagonal through what used to be our yard and will have a greenway with a path running beside it. To look at these pictures you never would have known that a house used to be there. I will admit that I got a little teary-eyed for just a minute, but I really am so glad we live here and not there anymore. You can see in the first picture from Sam part of the very large oil refinery that was just behind our house. We really were that close! And can you also see in that same picture some stacks of blue pipes? That was where the house with the meth bust used to be. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, read this post.) Oh yes, I am very glad we don't live there anymore!