Private

I've finally decided to go private, but there's a catch......... I won't be sending out ANY invitations! I'm turning my blog into my own personal journal/family history. That is what I started it for in the beginning anyway. I find myself too often not posting what I really think or feel because it might offend or hurt somebody's feelings. As many of you know I am pretty opinionated and have a big mouth. Jason is often telling me that I can't post what I have typed because it is too bold. So now, this way I can post whatever I want whenever I want and not worry about what anybody thinks. Because in the end I really don't care what people think anyway!

If you want to keep up on pictures of my family and a little bit of what we are up to without the personal commentary look me up on Facebook!

Movies

Doesn't it seem like a lot of the movies coming out lately are rated R? In fact I did a search on Blockbuster the other day for a movie to rent. Out of 5 pages of newly released movies there were only three or four adult movies that weren't rated R. I made a goal about six or seven years ago not to watch any rated R movies. I can honestly say I have kept that goal! It was hard at first because I really liked the suspense, thriller movies. When a preview would come on I would get excited to see it, then disappointed when it said it was rated R. I have gradually lost the desire to see those scary movies- maybe because I am home alone most of the time. Now when I see a movie preview I don't even get excited to see it until I see what it's rated. I don't understand why Hollywood thinks they need to put the scenes and language that give it the R rating. Most of the time the movies can do without those and still be good.

Evil twins

What is it about a photo shoot that brings out the worst in kids- and Mommy? Just the mention of getting their pictures done makes my kids turn into their evil twin, turn on the stubborn switch and say 'I'm not gonna'. Mommy knows the battle that is ahead and puts on her game face too. So this morning when I started the process of getting them dressed and hair done it turned ugly. Sekoya asked me why I was so cranky, Katera was in tears, and I was tense and, yes, Cranky! It doesn't help that I have let them get away without doing their hair practically all summer. When I grabbed Katera and firmly told her she WAS getting her hair done pretty she looked at me like- are you kidding? No, I was not kidding and she found that out right away. I did win that battle. Thankfully my sister-in-law is very patient and didn't mind taking a hundred shots. The girls were doing their 'let's force a smile and get this over' faces. That was not cutting it for me. I think I got at least one good individual of each of them and one of them together. If they would just realize that with a little cooperation it would be over with they would be off the hook for at least six months!

Our evil twins have now gone home. Hopefully they don't return for a long time!

Boating!

We tried to go boating for the first time this weekend. Tried is the key word here. We didn't leave until about one in the afternoon. By that time the afternoon thunder clouds were moving in. I was hoping that it would only be clouds and a little wind, or just blow over in a short time. My hopes were crushed as the sky kept getting darker and the raindrops started falling. We did manage to get the boat on the water and make two runs on the tube. I guess it was better than sitting in the house staring at the walls and trying to keep the kids entertained. At least now we know that the boat floats and is ready to go for what is left of the summer.

No TV at our house

I turned off the satellite at our house Father's Day week. Yes, I got crap for that one! I guess there was the US Open that weekend that Jason was deprived of. Oh well. So we haven't seen any TV shows for almost two months now. I haven't missed it at all. My kids haven't really either. In fact they are playing so much better together now that there isn't anything else to do. It's so nice to be able to eat a meal without the TV blaring in the background. You see, my kids insist on watching cartoons while they eat. I do put my foot down and turn it off for dinner at least. We haven't really had time to watch TV anyway. Except for when I get the kids to bed early. That has been the only time I wonder what to do with myself. I am currently in between good books. If anybody has any good suggestions on good reads I would love to hear them. That is when I surf the internet and just waste time. I have been strictly informed that the satellite WILL be turned on the end of August. Just in time for football season. I guess that is better than the alternative of watching every football game at the in-laws. I think I could go without TV for good. I can definitely do without the lessons Sekoya learns from it- sassy back talk, boyfriend stuff, and bad words. But come September we will be $80 poorer every month as the satellite bill rolls in.

Conspiracy?

I think there is a conspiracy going on among the construction and street maintenance people in town. They are all out to trap me in my house! For the last three to four weeks we have had construction going on all around our house. First it was the construction on the middle school a block away. Then they started doing some sewer line stuff on the street just north of us. Then they chipped and sealed the street just south of us. During all this they have had at least one street blocked off. Now they aren't blocked, but they are all torn up, bumpy, dusty and a big mess! I will be so glad when they finally finish all these projects.

Where did that come from?

Who knew after wearing my hair straight and no perms for about three or four years that I would be able to get this much curl in my hair!? It is all natural! I always knew I had some natural wave to my hair, but that's all I thought it was- obnoxious waves. So when we were in St. George last weekend I forgot my big round brush to blow it out straight. I stole some gel out of Jason's toiletry bag and got a big surprise when it actually turned out pretty cute.

A mom's concession

This is where the girls have eaten all their meals for the past week. Katera decided to make herself a little "table and chair" and Sekoya thought it was a great idea. I decided it wasn't worth battling them over. And besides, what was it going to hurt? I am way too rule oriented and let's face it- NO FUN, a lot of the time. They actually have eaten better at these make-shift tables too. The only draw back: trying to keep Jasmine out of their food!

More sun and water

Sekoya had cheer camp the first two days of this week. It went from 10:30 to 1:30 each day. It was a good taste of what it is going to be like with her in school all day. Katera actually didn't miss her as bad as I thought she would. When I picked her up on the second day she got in the car and started crying. When I asked her what was wrong she said "Cheer is over!" I explained to her that cheer wasn't over, it was just cheer camp that was over. She has so enjoyed her cheer group. It has helped with her coordination, flexibility, and boosted her self confidence. (not that she has ever really lacked in that area) To end cheer camp they all went to 7 Peaks. I chose not to spend the money on 7 Peaks because neither one of my girls like water slides. Or slides at all in Katera's case. I felt bad though that Sekoya wasn't going to get to go play in the water with all her cheer friends. So I invited a friend to go with us to Palisades. Angie came with her three kids and two little sisters. We had so much fun. It was fun to have the girls' swim suits this time and really let them swim. We sunbathed, swam in the refreshing water, jumped off the swim platform, ate junk, and caught fish. There were hundreds of little fish in the shallow water! We even had to bring one home in my empty coke cup that Sekoya named Swimmy. She now wants to feed Swimmy to Jasmine! Katera was really funny thinking she would not float if she didn't have BOTH her life jacket and swim ring. She would not go in the water without them. She did love the water though. There are not many pictures of Sekoya lately because she runs or hides EVERY time I get the camera out! Such a little pill!

No more kittens

Our last kitten was picked up today. It is a happy/sad day at our house. I am happy that we are a one-pet house again, happy to be getting Jasmine fixed tomorrow, happy to send her back outside where she belongs! My girls, on the other hand, were very sad! They cried each and every time someone came to take a kitten. They have had so much fun with them. They had named them even though I told them not to. I was even a little bit particular about who took them. I wanted to make sure they were going to good homes where they would be loved as much as they were at our house.

Water, Water Everywhere!

Lost and Found

Katera got lost yesterday for about a half hour. I dropped her off with Sekoya at a friend's house about 5 blocks straight down the road. After about an hour of playing the mom of the friend called me and said they couldn't find Katera. So I drove right down there. They had already searched inside the house and all around their yard. We couldn't think of anywhere she would go so we searched the same places again. Now, I'm not really a person who hits the panic button, but I was getting a little nervous. It was really hot outside and there were a million directions she could have wandered off too. The other mom was really getting upset and flustered. Jason was at home so I called him and told him to start walking from our house down the road. We also have some major road construction right on the corner of our block with a big 12 foot deep trench. I didn't really want to think of that possibility. Jason got to the construction and checked in the trench, then looked across the street to find Katera sitting on the corner playing with some fallen crab apples. By this time the other mom had called the police. Then Jason called me back and said he had her at home. What a relief! When I got home I grabbed her in a big hug and I couldn't stop the tears. After questioning her to find out why she walked home the only answer we get is -just cause. I think she had just had enough of playing and wanted to come home. She is such a little homebody. At least she knew the way home! I can't imagine how horrible it would be if she was REALLY lost.

Silly, Silly Girls

Family night at Palisades

So I got a wild hair and decided that for Family Night we were going to Palisades. My sister, Cortney, had suggested it and it sounded fun. I quickly packed up some food, a portable BBQ, and the family and off we went. Jason wasn't real thrilled with the idea since the wind was blowing pretty hard. In fact we had a hard time eating and holding onto everything at the same time. In my hasty departure from the house I had forgot a spatula for turning the hamburgers, non-stick spray, and salt & pepper. It all turned out ok though and the wind didn't bother the girls at all!

This is Sekoya sitting on a tree that was growing out of the ground at a strange angle. She sat there the whole time we were cooking hamburgers listening to a Hispanic family speak Spanish. She said she wants to speak Spanish and English.

The girls were anxious to get in the water from the moment we got there. It was pretty comical to see their faces of disappointment turn into excitement and astonishment when I told them we didn't bring swimsuits, but they could swim in their clothes and panties because I brought another change of clothes. The water was pretty chilly, but that didn't stop them at all. It didn't take long before they were up to their necks in the lake.

Sekoya quickly discovered there was mud at the bottom and didn't hesitate to fling it on her sister. Katera was not at all pleased with this. She was even less happy when Sekoya had to splash water on her to wash it off.

Then Sekoya decided to make a mud pie out of the squishy stuff.

They lasted quite a while in the water, but when they decided to get out they were cold! We wrapped them in their towels and changed into dry clothes. Sekoya had also been begging to ride the pedal boats. Jason was being quite the fun hater and told her no because the wind was blowing too hard. Well, wouldn't ya know it, by the time they got done swimming and we got packed up the wind had died down! So we rented the pedal boat and went out for a nice little ride.

She is pouting about something. Who knows what with this girl.

This is as close as I came to being in any pictures. Just proof that I was there!

Despite the fact that my girls look like total orphans here I still think they are the cutest ever! They absolutely refuse to let me do their hair this summer. With all the swimming and playing they do it is almost a lost cause. So I will let them be rag-a-muffins- for a few more weeks anyway!