Happy Birthday Ashton!

Ashton has been waking up every morning in August and asking, "Is today my birthday?" Well, finally, Friday was his birthday. He had a great day... pizza for dinner, cool presents (all pretty much relating to vehicles, books or both), and I made him a digger cake. I was watching two of my friends little ones and so I ended up with 5 kids "helping" me. Will and my friend's baby ate more junk food in 1 hour than any child should have in a month. I was using Twinkies to make the buckets on the front and back and Katie and Ashton started freaking out because I needed to cut the back Twinkie in 1/2 because the back digger bucket is small. I started thinking about it and they were right. So I cute the Twinkie in 1/2. I hate projects like that, but he really wanted a digger cake so it really was one of those maternal sacrifices. It was worth it that night though when he said, "I love you Mommy because you made me green digger cake."
Oh... one thing that we found hilarious... After we sang "Happy Birthday," Jeremy, Levi and the kids started "calling" parts of the cake. ("I want a tire [chocolate donut] or exhaust pipe [Twix] or bucket [Twinkie].") Well, Ashton has "helped" his dad move manure with the digger on the farm more than once so he went for the Oreo cookie crumbs and shouted, "I'm going to eat the poop!"

We were really proud of Katie and Matthew. Katie went to the store with my mom and used her own money to buy Ashton a sword for his birthday. Matthew paid me for a "Farm Sticker Book" that I was planning on selling at the State Fair so he could give Ashton a present.

The next day, Saturday, he had a birthday party at the Manti park with his grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins and a couple of kids from his Primary class. They made cars out of banana boxes, had a car race, played duck-duck-goose and enjoyed a Lightening McQueen pinata. He wouldn't race at first because he was busy using his car to build a road (just like Lightening McQueen) in the sand volleyball court. His presents were PERFECT for him.
Saturday night, Will, Ashton, and Katie all came down with fevers so Matthew was the only one that went to church today. Jeremy and I spent the day taking care of sick kids and reading. I read that new Stephenie Myers book, "The Host." I have to say I liked it WAY better than the Twilight series.


Will learned to climb in and out of crib this week. NOT GOOD!! Naptime takes A LOT more effort now. Bummer! Why do babies have to turn into toddlers? It is cute though... the other night he kept climbing out and running to Matthew who was finishing his homework on the coach. When we got close he would cuddle up to Matthew and say, "No night-night. I want Mamoo (Matthew)." Today Jeremy sent Matthew to check on Will (who was supposed to be in his crib napping) and as soon as Matthew opened the door we heard, "Hi Matt! Whatcha doin' Matt? Whatcha doin'?" Matthew informed us that Will was playing with Katie's stuff and said, "Will is cute, but he is turning into a little devil." Kind of true... he is turning into a two year old.

I have been just the right "busyness" with Usborne this summer, but it is going to get busier soon when the Fall selling season starts and I'm looking forward to that too. The September specials are awesome so I am excited to share them at the State Fair this weekend!

Katie is enjoying tumbling, Matthew is loving karate, and both Ashton and Matthew are playing soccer. Soccer is busy!! We had two soccer practices on Tuesday, and one on Wed., Thurs, and Friday. I didn't realize how quickly I would have to become a chauffer for my kids. While the boys practice the other kids love to play on the playground equipment. We usually do some kind of artsy activity after school which always is more work than I think it will be (especially when Willy paints himself with watercolors and craft paint)... but they are happy and so are we and that's what is important... right?

Kindergarten Baby

Today is the first day of school. Matthew is starting first grade and Kathryn is a kindergarten baby. They were so excited they were already about 45 minutes before we needed to leave this morning! Matthew is excited to eat school lunch for the first time today.

I have mixed emotions... I am sad to see them go, but I am looking forward to having some time to get stuff done. Will and Ashton don't quite know what to do without the big kids to entertain them.

My mom took some cute pictures of the kids with their teachers. I will add those if I can figure out how to download from her camera.

Olympics: me watching you.

Jill usually does the posts but she wouldn't do this one so I had to.

For those who may not know it, Jill is an enthusiastic sports fan. I long ago learned that it was more fun to go to, or watch a sporting event with my wife and mother-in-law and watch thier reactions than watch the actual event. In that vein, I thought it would be fun to show you what it's like with my wife when she is into a sporting event. During the last men's relay where Michael Phelps won his 8th Gold medal, this was the scene at my in-laws house.

Just call me Helen

We teased my Grandma Cragun for taking pictures of her T.V. Sometimes there is an event on T.V. that she thinks is amazing (like the 2002 Olympic Opening Ceremony in Salt Lake or when the Utah Jazz retired John Stockton's number) Grandma sits in her T.V. room and takes pictures while she watches.

Well, last night I turned into my grandma. After the men's swimming relay where Michael Phelps won his eighth gold medal I couldn't help it... I had to take pictures of the T.V. It was so exciting!

So, here are two of my pictures:

Like the rest of the country (maybe the World), we have found great inspiration from the men swimmers. Of course, there is Michael Phelps with his perfect Olympics... which just goes to show you that anything is possible; but we also found it inspiring that he could not have achieved that amazing result without the help of his teammates. In fact, I know that in at least one of the relays he did not win his leg, but his teammates came through to help him get that gold. Then, they are so gracious when they talk about his success and show such incredible sportsmanship. It is really neat to watch. It makes me want to be that kind of person... someone who enables others' success and then gives them all the credit.

GO USA!!!!

The Corn Man

Jeremy took these pictures of me and the kids eating corn on the cob. He says he doesn't understand our obsession with fresh corn on the cob. He can not believe that we would eat it everyday if we could. We can't believe that we wouldn't.

Everyday, when we drive past the Harward Farms produce stand the kids check to see if the "corn man" is there. If he is they beg me to stop and get some corn and/or watermelon.

The other day, the corn man helped me load my produce in the van while I finished paying his son. When he came back to the stand he was laughing and said, "When I opened your van, all of your kids shouted "Hi, Corn Man!!"

Fun at the Pool

Jeremy is in meetings at the church, Will is asleep and the other kids are happily playing so I'm going to take the opportunity to be at the computer for a few minutes.

We had a fun day at the Manti pool yesterday. We have been working on a project in our yard this week so my muscles are really stiff and the kids were getting pretty bored. Plus, Matthew had a free pass he earned from school. So... we decided we all deserved a couple of hours of fun! With school starting on Tuesday we figured this may be our last chance to enjoy summer vacation.

It was a great trip! We brought a picnic, (the kids were thrilled to get Cheetos with their sandwiches), but I couldn't get them to sit down and eat. They would eat a bite or two and then run into the pool. A few minutes later they came back for another few bites... then ran right off into the pool. Ashton was the exception... he would not eat AT ALL. At around 2:30 in the afternoon he finally asked where his lunch was.

Kathryn made real progress in swimming. She can hold her breath and dog paddle with her head under the water. Jeremy had given her a brief lesson and she just kept practicing and practicing. Matthew met up with one of his friends from kindergarten and had a great time. Ashton, as usual, was just delighted to be outside expending some of his boundless energy and Will was thrilled to be in the water. This is the first time we have ever taken him swimming (well, that he can remember anyway) and he smiled and laughed as he jumped up and down in the water, climbed in and out of the pool, put his face in the water, and splashed on me and his brothers and sisters. He was so fun to watch.
Jeremy took his lunchbreak at the pool... so that was fun. Grandma Cox came to watch the kids and also helped us load up to go home. Kiersten was tons of help! She took all the pictures and helped me keep an eye on the kids from the poolside.

We left at around 3 pm and we were so exhausted that Will and Ashton came home and took 3 hour naps, Matthew and Katie watched a movie, and I read. I had planned to do some Usborne stuff yesterday afternoon, but I was too exhausted. I did get my office cleaned and organized before we left. I even cleared off Jeremy's desk. :)

Oh, something else significant that happened this week... I taught Matthew to clean the bathrooms! He did a great job!! He especially liked using the Mr. Clean toilet wand to clean the toilet... go figure. That is going to be his new chore on Saturdays. He already does a great job of doing the dishes. And just as exciting... Will started to show great interest in the potty. On Friday, he told us when he needed to go potty and at the haircut place yesterday he said, "Where bathroom? I go potty." We are trying not to get our hopes to high, but we can't help but think that soon we will be done with diapers.

Here is another cute picture of Will this week. He has loved wearing a batman mask.

Katie and Ashton, not to be outdone, decided to pose for a picture too. (I really do try to dress my kids... I'm not sure how they always end up running around without a shirt... and sometimes pants. Oh, and Katie did her own hair.)

Holy OLYMPIC Moment

OH MY GOSH!!! We (Jeremy, Steve, my Dad, Stacie, and Kiersten) just watched the coolest race. It was the men's 4X100 relay. The French were highly favored to win.

The American's got a slow start, but steadily made some progress. At the start of the last lap though the American's were quite far (at least a full body length) behind.

But then they started catching up. We all started screaming. We were standing and waving our arms trying to swim for them. (Kiersten wasn't she was just laughing at us so hard she was crying.) And then USA WON!!!! By 8/100ths of a second.

I've lost my voice now.

Tubes... again

This week William had tubes placed in his ears. He is our third kid to have this minor surgery (only Matthew did not). He had an ear infection the day had the tube placed.

Will did REALLY well. He was kind of clingy to Jeremy before he went to surgery, but did leave with the nurses without tears. (Thank heavens! I don't think I could have stood that.) He was also quite ornery for 15 minutes or so after he woke up. He went back and forth between crying for "Mama" and "Daddy." He calmed down once he saw we were on our way out the hospital.

Since we were already up north Jeremy and I took the opportunity to go to a movie (Dark Knight), get the kids school clothes (60% off at Old Navy... and they are really cute!), I met with a brand new consultant and did a home show. It was a very long day... we left at 5:15 am and got home at 11:45 pm.

Also, this week we had the chance to visit with Andy, Charity, and Caleb (who we love.) They just moved to Boise, which I believe is farther away than Twin Falls. (sigh)

We spent the weekend up north. I went to an Usborne training in Layton. It was really fun and I was able to meet with some of my girls face to face that I don't see very often. It also made it so my trip to Ogden (which was mostly to attend a family reunion) was tax deductible.

The bi-annual Moore family party was Saturday. My mom and aunts were in charge and of course it was really fun! There were relay races, a fish pond, a quilt raffle (my mom made the quilt with old family pictures ironed on), and it was fun to visit with my cousins and second cousins. I also got a CD with pictures of my ancestors. I am going to use those pictures for a little decorating project. Jeremy was on the farm and missed the fun.

Why is it...?!?

Why is it that dads can get kids to do so much more work than moms can. I am assuming this is the case for most people because when I have vented to friends that I can beg, plead, bribe, cajole, threaten, and punish and not a lot happens, but if I threaten to call dad (or the minute he tells them to do something) they jump into action, my friends have said this is the case for them too. So I'm not the only one... right?

Case in point... right now Katie is sweeping the floor. They do their dinner chores about 60 times faster (when Jeremy is home) than their lunch chores (when only I am home).

One of the many mysteries of motherhood.

How we saw the hand of the Lord in our lives this week: Today at church there weren't many kids in nursery and the other ladies and I were talking about how facebook, blogspot, etc. allowed us to stay close to our families. We couldn't help but think that was one way the the Lord brought to pass the prophesy in Malachi about the "hearts of the children will turn to their fathers." Also, today Wendy (who went on trek the week before last) shared some of the stories she learned about the trials that the pioneers went through. (One 11 year old boy carried his 4 year old brother 15 miles in the snow only to arrive at the camp, lay is brother down, and die.) These Mormon pioneers didn't complain, but grew stronger and closer to the Lord. Sometimes we need to be reminded that we don't have it so bad and

"all things work together for good to them that love God." (Romans 8:28)