Whew!!! (Wipe My Forehead With the Back of My Hand)

I'm just going to do one long post to catch up on the last month--though I just realized I haven't taken pictures like I should of! I don't have any of our two trips to my grandma's in Oasis, Darren's birthday, Emily's birthday, James' blessing or Brenik's blessing.
But--take a deep breath--here's what I've got:

Alas, these are not our bunnies, but our neighbor's.

Comfortable, yes?

So sweet.

Uncle Mike purchased new baby chicks.

I went with Nicholas on his field trip to This Is The Place State Park.

Those darn girls were going too fast down the hill--or so says Nicholas. He doesn't agree with much of what any girl does at this age. Let's keep it that way for a while.

Nicholas found the mountain man much more interesting than pulling a handcart with girls.

The dancing--definitely not a favorite. Here he is looking to see who he'll be paired up with.

His teacher, Ms. Jensen.

I think I'd go back to teaching if we could handle kids at school like they used to--I'm all for the nose to the wall. This rowdy class was quiet for the first time ever.

Maddie had her dance recital at Kingsbury Hall. Emily with her flower from Grandma.

More flowers.

Maddie did a great job--and made a beautiful kite, too!

Cindy came out for a whole week at the beginning of May--but I only have two pictures of her (this one and the one before). We had a great time eating, shopping, visiting, and did I say shopping? Holy cow--this girl buys clothes. When are you coming back, Cindy?

Nicholas, James, Natasha and Mom.

One day Emily put her foot down about spending some quality time with Dad.

The End for now.

The Post That Probably Shouldn't Be Posted

Raising chickens has been pretty simple until last Saturday when Darren and Mike noticed that one of our chickens was limping. It looked like the chicken had caught its foot on something on one of its wanderings and then the other chickens had pecked it. It wasn't pretty and the truth is that the following was not my idea. My idea was to scoot the chicken under the fence at the Ogden Nature Center and wash my hands of it. (Not nice, you say?) Well, Darren said, "No." So this is what we did:
First, a disclaimer here that we did not know our pictures would be taken. Our neighbor snapped most of these from her back porch. This whole episode really should have gone undocumented. And let's just get our laughs over now about my fashionable attire. Ha, ha. Okay--

Darren preparing the chicken and us with a little pep talk about what was about to come--an Epsom salt soak for her hurt foot.

I, though, being the one splashed with water when she did not agree.

Maybe it's not so bad.

Darren making a fashionable red cast out of gauze and duct tape.

The finished product. Today, the cast is still on and she's walking much better. A success? We'll see.

So, the question is, is this weird, or what? Would you toss the chicken, or try to save it?

It's May Already?

Maybe you've been wondering where I've been. Or maybe not. But if you have, I have the first of two shocking confessions here. (The second will come in the next post, don't scratch your head thinking, "That was only one confession.")
The confession is...that I've been playing Webkinz. Yes, really. And though blogging is not as fun as spinning the Wheel of Wow, or mining for gems, I decided to do an intervention for myself, and it worked, because here I am.
I know, I know, everyone has played Webkinz but me. I refused to buy them for my kids because 1. This is our only computer, it's my beloved laptop, it is not to PLAY on, and 2. The Internet is no place for kids.
But Maddie and Nicholas each received TWO Webkinz for their birthday, at the the following birthday party, and it was out of my hands. But it ended up being a little fun. For a while. I think I'm over it.

Madison and Nicholas had a combined birthday party this year at the Treehouse Museum. Did I say combined? (Read relief.) Did I mention it was indoors and we could care less what the weather was like? (Read relief again.) Though I'm not even going to mention that the weather was beautiful, the one year we actually planned to have their party indoors. Oh well, I'm not complaining.

The kids made fish hats, and then went to the theater to stage the play "Big Al". Emily said from the beginning that she was the teeny fish. Also, she was the pink fish. Her words.

Maddie and Nicholas in costume. Nicholas was Big Al, Maddie was Rainbow Fish. (The story was adapted, that's why.)

Tanner was toooooo funny.

Waiting for cake, I think. Darren was taking the pictures.

It really was such a nice party! We all had a great time. Yay!

Class of 2008

Here we begin the pictures from last Friday, one week ago, when Jordan became an official BYU graduate. No longer a BYU student. Rats.

This photo is to tell everyone that we were at Spring Commencement Exercises. Don't forget, or the following photos will not make much sense.

This was an excellent picture of Jordan that I took. He's up there somewhere. I think that's him shaking hands with the guy with the stripes on his sleeve. There's more than one? Ummm, how about the one in the middle?

This really was an excellent picture. Jordan had to step out of line for me to take it, because "family and friends" were not following the stated instructions to snap their picture quickly and remove themselves from the photo taking area. I hope Jordan had not been sitting by a long lost friend, because he lost his seat. But good picture, huh?

It's over.

The graduate and his family.

There are many of these pictures, the "making sure James is okay and well" pictures.

Mom took the kids to the Bean Museum. Emily has a sea horse in that bag. James had a sea horse that day. Interesting.

A classic Jordan look.

Another classic Jordan look.

Let's talk about me for a second. I think I look a little hunched. I ought to work on my posture.

Nicholas picked out a safari hat at the Bean Museum.

Jordan wanted it.

Cute family once again.

Maddie and Nicholas were tired of pictures and went on safari.

Goodbye.

Oh, wait. There's more. Here is us at Magelby's. Mom's exact words were, "Dad's not here, I'll splurge." (Take that as you will, Dad. I didn't say it.) (Just kidding.) (Don't be mad, because I'm really hoping for Los Hermanos soon.) (It was just a joke!)

About the actual picture...I made the mistake of thinking I could fool Emily by telling her that the fettuccine alfredo was mac n' cheese. She was not fooled and was actually quite mad. So this is her eating her fettuccine alfredo and my salmon.

Congratulations, Jordan!

Since the Internet is a great place to share personal things, Nicholas said (during lunch), "Don't tell Dad, but BYU is a nice school." Uh oh.

Here's the second confession: I'm glad Jordan is no longer actually attending BYU, hopefully the subject of BYU will not come up much in the future, because when Dad was trying to get Stadium of Fire tickets, and it was looking like he would not get them, I made a personal promise that if, oh if, Dad could get tickets, Please, that I would not ever, ever make fun of BYU again. (I know this is shocking, and it's not even that I wanted to see Miley Cyrus at all, it's that one of my life goals is to be the Stadium of Fire Super Fan when I'm 95, and though the committee that chooses such things--okay, it doesn't exist yet--might overlook the ONE time I've missed--yes, ONE time since the beginning of Stadium of Fire existence--and that because Darren would not let me go with a one-month old baby--oh, I would've gone--the committee would not overlook a lame excuse like "It was hard to get tickets. EVERYONE wanted to see Miley Cyrus."

"Miley who?" they will say.

So you see, I had to make that promise, and Dad DID get tickets. So let's all agree to not talk about BYU anymore. It is a matter of eternal importance.

Finally, the end. Here is one last picture of the snow yesterday, on May 1st. Happy spring!

31-cent Scoop Night

It's been awhile since my last post--and this one doesn't really count--but everyone should know that tonight from 5-10 p.m. you can get any flavor of ice cream from Baskin Robbins for only 31-cents. WE will certainly be there!
(A real post is coming in the next day or so--I promise!)

Last Weekend

Maddie and Nicholas both had birthdays last week. On Saturday, we went down to my mom and dad's for a sleepover. That night my mom took the kids to Build-A-Bear. Sunday we waited all day to see little James, and finally he came!

Everyone was overjoyed to see Jordan's car in the driveway.

Here is James sleeping. I hear he does this a lot.

Not even a burning candle keeps Emily from eating the frosting. (No, it wasn't her birthday.)

A lot of candles for Nicholas this year.

James and Darren liked each other.

James is so cute. I hope to see him again soon. I think the feeling is mutual, because he told me that I am his favorite aunt. Too bad, Cindy.

Here's a picture of the Saturday night fun.

And here's a random picture of how I usually see Darren these days. You can't tell it at all from my sad picture, but this blue in the playroom is so perfect. I love it!

I Decided To See What Emily Was Reading

and found this intriguing statement:

"Nature has endowed man with absolute control over but one thing, and that is thought."
-Napolean Hill

Tagged

Jordan, Natasha, and Slovene-speaking James tagged our family. Here is what we do:

a)Pick up the nearest book.
b)Turn to page 123.
c)Find the 5th sentence.
d)Post sentence.
e)Tag 5 people.

Tiffany's Book:

"We profit on the misfortune of others."
The Willoughby's by Lois Lowry.

Darren's Book:

"Anybody who is a leader, who spends every day trying to motivate people, eventually is going to run out of things to say."
The Essential Vince Lombardi by Vince Lombardi, Jr.

Nicholas' Book:

"Some people get so upset if they have to call you to the phone!"
You're Barking Up the Wrong Tree, Snoopy!" by Charles M. Schultz

Maddie's Book:

"At last it was finished."
Old Testament Stories

Emily's Book:

"Intemperance: Followers do not respect an intemperate leader."
Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill

We tag: Mom, Dad, Cindy, David, and Connie