The Scientists

Connor, Tanner, and Sydney love to play scientist.  It started last summer during our visit to the Utah cousins and it is still going strong.  The boys put on some of Trey's old white button down shirts as their lab coats and they play scientist.  If Sydney is involved it can get a little messy with experiments, but when the boys play it they usually just construct different "inventions" from an electronics kit they got for Christmas.  Apparently Tanner was telling his teacher about it the other day and she agreed to let him show the class an experiment during science.  Tanner told her how "there would be a hypothosis and everything."  He came home telling me all about how he was going to do this the next day.  I filed away in my brain to help him come up with a presentation later that night.  Then, I forgot all about it.  Today the boys came home excitedly telling me all about how the showed the class their experiment.  They had even brought their lab coats and safety goggles.  Tanner asked if anyone in the class had a hypothosis for what he was about to do.  Connor recorded some of the kids answers.  (they reported that no one's hypothosis was right) Then they linked a bunch of things together which ended up turning a lightbulb on and spinning a helicopter-looking blade.  The kids were impressed and their teachers said it was "magnificent".  Evidently their teachers told Sydney's teacher about it because they are now presenting their experiment to her class tomorrow. :)

Sunny day

I don't know any more than point and shoot on my new camera but I couldn't wait to try it out. My birthday afternoon was spent at the park enjoying the beautiful sunshine with the kids.

The boys were told they couldn't bring weapons to the park, but they soon found plenty of sticks that would do the trick.

Happy 40th to me

Kids really know how to make you feel special for your birthday! There is nothing like walking into a decorated room with your kids jumping out yelling "Happy Birthday", beaming with joy. My favorite was my "throne" where they had me open my presents and the paper chain they made with all the things they love about me written on them :).  My favorite ones:  Mom is stylish and Mom is happy when we're happy and sad when we're sad.

David surprised me with a new camera! Thanks honey! I loved going out to eat with the kids (and then the adults), and the slideshow that David put together. I'm a very happy 40-year-old.

Farming

My kids love to play outside. Whenever they can they create some new adventure and try to get as many friends involved as possible. Recently they played at two different friends' houses and came home talking all about playing "farming" outside. Even with the freezing temperatures they have continued playing this outside whenever possible. They asked me to come out and take pictures of their adventure. They also ask me watch them through the window while they play, waving up at me periodically to make sure I'm watching the riviting farming take place. Farming consists of gathering sticks, brush, leaves, berries, logs, etc. They use these things to rake the wheat field, gather food and make fires. Buckets, tools, and towels are usually involved. They work like a team so they can get their work done before sundown. Weapons are a necessity because sometimes they have to fight of indians that try to take over their farm.

Bedtime=reading with dad

We are all big readers in our family. Well the oldest 4 in our family are big readers. Anyway, David has always enjoyed reading books the Tanner, Connor and Sydney at bedtime. He loves it and so do they. They just finished reading Dragon Slippers and have started the Fablehaven series.

One night David went up to tuck the kids into bed while Trey and I set up a board game for us to play whenever David finished reading to the kids. We finished setting it up and waited and waited. We could hear David enthusiastically reading upstairs. I thought "well it must be a really good part and he's going long tonight." Finally I went up to tell him the kids really needed to get to bed because they had school in the morning. I started cracking up at the sight I found in the boys room. There was David reading his heart out, kneeling down at one of their beds, facing the boys who were both laying in their beds....only the boys were both sound asleep! Snoring! David was so engrossed in reading the book to them that he had no idea they were asleep and probably had been for a while!

RELAXATION

Turning 40 is going to be hard. Next month I join David in the 40's club. To soften the blow he took me back to Cayo Espanto, my favorite tropical paradise. We enjoyed a few days of complete relaxation. Other than a snorkling excursion and a kayak exploration we just chilled out. We spent the days reading, playing a game or two and eating. (we did start our day out with a workout too) Nights were spent watching the sunset and a movie and eating.

I've never had so many tropical drinks in my life!One of our favorite parts of the trip were the four course meals served by candlelight by the water.

We forgot our sunglasses but were lucky enough to score these attractive $2 pairs at the airport

Good clean fun

One night after a ward party, Allie and some of her friends spontaneously decided it would be fun to have a peanut butter eating contest. I bought into it because I knew I had a huge tub of peanut butter in food storage that was about to expire. This was one of those experiences that "you had to be there". These teenagers had so much fun doing something so, uh, "clean". They decided they want to have some kind of eating contest each month. Next month it's either going to be marshmellow fluff or mayonaise! BTW, Trey won this contest hands down. He was eating it like it was a bowl of cereal.

Winner!

New Barber Family Renunion game?