The Lime Challenge

Todd challenged the boys to do the "lime challenge".  He had the both put a lime in their mouth to see who could last the longest and then made them chew it.  It was classic.  They tied and were much tougher than I thought they would be.

Another Celebrity

My most popular post of all times is my Celebrity post...we'll here's another one to add to the list.  Thrul Bailey was at Nu Skin today so I got to meet him and take a picture.  Don't you love my co-worker photo bombing in the back!!

Cub Scouts

It was a big day for the boys.  Luke's first day as a cub scout and Tayson got his Bear.  

I love my cub scouts!!

School Lunch

Last week I decided to reorganize my pantry (thank you pinterest).  I made 3 bins of lunch foods and each morning the kids pick one thing out of each and a drink then I add a sandwich and we are ready to go.  It is so much easier than asking them what they want in their lunch and they only take as much food as they want to eat.  We are only 1 week in....but so far so good. 

Curly Sue

I've started putting curlers in the girls hair at night.  I love it.  They look so cute when they go to bed in curlers and then their hair is darling when I take the curlers out and the curls last all day.  We've had to experiment with what size works best for them so they aren't too tight.  But I think we've figured it out.  I don't know why I don't have any pictures of Claire.....

Canning

I've taken on canning this year - don't ask me what I was thinking. The other night my parents brought over a few boxes of cucumbers and tomatoes and we went to town.  My dad and I canned 7 quarts of pickles while my mom made salsa.  Then the next day I had to work from home (Sophie was sick) so I spent my time working on my laptop on the kitchen table and canning - I love multi-tasking.  I ended up with 14 quarts of pickles, 7 pints of salsa, 7 pints of stewed tomatoes, 2 quarts of roma tomatoes and 9 pints of green beans.  Not a bad days work.  Yesterday at family dinner we had a family council and discussed who wants what and passed around a sign up sheet.  I love my big family.  So I have requests for what people want and I'll be getting more produce from my parents garden so I can get to work. 

 

On a side note:  I finally had a summer squash growing in my garden.  I was so excited and couldn't wait to eat it.  Then when I was out picking green beans Sophie decided she was bored with the green beans and picked my squash.  So sad.  Hopefully I'll get another one soon. 

Happy Birthday Luke!

Luke's birthday was on a Sunday this year so it was low key.  We started our day with birthday pancakes.  It was a big day for Tayson because we let him light the candle.  The first time he did it he blew the match out right in front of the candle and blew them both out.  But the second time was a charm.  Then Luke had his bishop's interview before church - he did great and I am so proud of the decisions he's making to be baptized.  He did say one very funny thing.  When the bishop asked him what he was going to wear when he got baptized he said "it's like a waterproof clear suit".  I almost giggled but the bishop dealt with it perfectly and said "they are while jumpsuits - do you remember the one Tayson wore?"   Then after church we went to dinner at my parent's house.  Luke got to pick his favorite meal  - tacos.  They were delicious.  Then he got a Grandma Schultz brownie with homemade ice cream and all the cousins ate on the trampoline.  Then when we got home he had his birthday cake.  You know it's a fun day when you get to blow out candles 3 times!!  Happy birthday Lukey!!  I sure do love you kiddo!

A date with Luke

Rather than trying to wrangle all the kids while suit shopping for Luke we got a babysitter and took him out for a special date.  He got to pick everything.  

We went to Olive Garden for dinner.   

Suit shopping was a success and I can't believe how old he looks in a suit!

Then we went to Coney's for ice cream sundaes.  He ate about 5 bites of that huge sundae.

My little Rio girl

Claire is enrolled in the Portuguese immersion program at her school.  So the week before school started she got to participate in a special camp that was all focused on Brazil and their language and culture.  At the end of the week they put on a program for us.  It was so much fun.  They counted, sang, did the Samba, answered questions and did Caperoia for us. I love watching her grow and she is having so much fun already.  I know it will be challenging and she is going to have some very hard days at school being in the immersion program but she is going to learn so much and will be fluent by junior high.  What an incredible experience for her.

First Day of school

I can't believe summer is over already.  I also can't believe I have a 5th grader!!!  Last night we went to back-to-school night then straight to Walmart to get school supplies and a red treat for Claire's class.  Then when we got home both girls wanted to put curlers in their hair.  I love how curly their hair is first thing in the morning.  Within a few hours it will settle back down.  The kids woke up great and got all ready to go.  Their backpacks were stuffed to the hilt with their supplies.  And off they all went - boys on their scooters and Claire on her bike. Luke looks super short in the picture because he is standing behind them.  And Claire is giving way too much attitude :) 

After I sent the kids off I went in the house and found Sophie laying face down on her bed bawling.  She wanted to be a part of the pictures and the going to school and hated being left behind.  Luckily today was her first day of preschool so then I got to get her all ready for her big day and she perked right up.  She was ready about 25 minutes early and wanted to wait outside until her ride came.  It was so dang cute.  She is the silliest little thing and I can't believe how grown up she is.  She didn't need any school supplies so she grabbed the extra glue sticks and pencils off the counter to take with her so she wouldn't have an empty backpack.  Oh how I love this girl.

I might have let her put on lipstick and some gloss before school :)

Wicked

Todd and I went to see Wicked again (our 3rd time together).  The cast was amazing - best Elpheba I've seen so far. We went with Timmy, Megan, Steve and Christine.  Then to the Melting Pot for dinner.  It was such a fun date.  I am one lucky girl!!

Tayson turns 10!!

Tayson woke up on his birthday at 4:00 am throwing up.  Not the best way to start your birthday.  He was sick all day so we decided to just move his birthday from Tuesday to Friday.  That way he wouldn't be sick and Todd would be home to celebrate with us.  So Friday morning we did birthday pancakes (he has a 10 written on it with whip cream).  Then he opened his presents.  He got a bunch of Weblo stuff and a Nintendo dsi.  Then we had cupcakes with family and went to Lowes Xtreme Airsports to celebrate.  After that we did his family birthday dinner at Brick Oven (his very favorite).  What a long fun filled day for him.  He was such a fun happy kid all day and kept saying "I love that today is my birthday even though it's not really".  

I really can't believe my baby is double digits.  How has the time gone by so fast?  He is such a great helper and is getting so tall. I sure am glad to be your mom kid and love you more than you'll ever know!  

I love this guy

It's hard with Todd gone so much but it sure makes me appreciate the small things about him more.  

Sophie and I laying in bed doing facetime with him.  Love.

Most Saturday mornings I get home from a long run and find him sound asleep in bed.  I love it.  This is what I wrote when I posted the image:

"True love = I have been running, fed kids, done dishes, finished a load of laundry, been to the freedom run to cheer on friends and showered all while my man sleeps and seeing him like this brings a smile to my face"

Fun date bowling. I love the faces he makes.

Dinner at Tucano's.  Again with the hilarious faces.

I got this text from him.  HA!

Really.  I have the best hubby ever and I am just so grateful for the good times we have together.  I miss him terribly when he is gone and he's gone way too much but the best part is that our time apart has only made our relationship stronger.