Last Trip through Diagon Alley...or maybe not!

So, call me sentimental but I am really sad that the last Harry Potter movie is here and gone. Ten years ago, in October, I was nursing Austin ALL DAY and starting the Harry Potter series. I read the first four books within two weeks...and it only took me that long because I was fighting with my sister over them. :) I remember when book 5 finally came out, being poor college students, we couldn't really afford it so I put myself reluctantly on the library waiting list...I was number 22! I was so disappointed but my dear husband who loves me so much surprised me with a copy he pre-ordered for me. He hid it in the fridge. Hehe! Then book 6 and book 7 came out and Chris and I read them together (I had him hooked by then) completely neglecting our children for the next 48 hours. Now Austin, who was newly born when I started the series has read every book at least twice and some of them more than that. He is almost 10! It has literally been a decade of our life reading and going to see the movies. I am sad that it is over but we are already planning our trip to Florida to go to Harry Potter land in three years!

Because Austin is a big Harry Potter fan, we thought it would be fun to take him to the midnight showing of the last Harry Potter movie. We had so much fun! We went to see the double feature: HP 7 part 1 and then HP 7 part 2. Austin dressed up. Chris and I were going to dress up as well but Chris REALLY didn't want to and his brothers threatened to sit somewhere else if we did. So just Austin dressed up and he made a super cute Harry Potter. There was a costume contest but "Voldemort" won. Nonetheless, Austin did win some free popcorn during the trivia contest. The final movie was everything we could have expected! It was really great and I actually want to go see it again. We had a great night and it was absolutely worth the loss of sleep!

Thank you to J.K. Rowling for making such an entertaining book. You absolutely deserve your billions!

Catching Up...Post 4: Las Vegas Trips

We have been to visit my sister and brother and their families in Las Vegas a couple of times so far this summer. My sister has a pool and the kids LOVE, and I think that is an understatement, to go swimming. I think they spent 6 hours everyday we were there in the pool. They swam so much they had rubbed themselves raw in several places from their life jackets. They also rubbed the skin off their fingers and feet. Allison's feet still aren't healed completely and it has been over a week. But they didn't care...they just wanted to be in the water.

They just jumped in all day. They taught themselves how to do front flips and back flips...well maybe more like back flops. At one point, Austin said to just call him 'Diving DeMille.' Then he dove down in the water and came back up a half second later, choking and coughing on water. It was kind of funny.

One of the cool things about metropolitan areas is the shopping. My sister took us to a HUGE out door mall called "Towne Square." They had a really neat park in the center. I didn't know it had water or we would have come a little more prepared but they had fun anyway and didn't mind getting their clothes a little wet.

Asher didn't really want to play in the water even thought it was 200 degrees outside. OK, more like 112, but still too hot to NOT want to get wet. His poor little face was turning so red (unfortunately one of the traits inherited from his mother). I finally just took him and ran him through the sprinklers to cool him off a little which he didn't like. But at least I knew he wouldn't have heat stroke anymore.

They had this cool maze for the kids to go through. It was a perfect height for kids (and OK maybe short people like me too). Parent could climb up on the outside play area and look right down into it so they wouldn't loose their kids in it.

Catching Up...Post 3: The Graduates

We attended two graduations this year.

Chris's baby sister graduated. She is the last of the 10 kids. She was only 4 years old when Chris and I met. THAT IS CRAZY! Also my oldest nephew graduated. We are proud of both of them. I think sometimes we don't realize what a great accomplishment it is to graduate High School. But it really is. I am glad both of them worked just hard enough to accomplish it! (hehe...they know what I mean.)

I hesitated posting this picture because I am very embarrassed by how it came out. BUT, in my own defense, I did only have about two hours to make it in and I am SUPER grateful to my sister, Gail, who helped me. I was determined to make her a graduation cake and I wanted it to be all pretty and fancy for her but I needed at least one more hour to make another batch of frosting and I think that would have helped a lot...but it tasted REALLY YUMMY. There were two rice krispie layers, one red velvet and one red velvet and yellow swirled with the best cream cheese frosting. So even though I am still working on presentation of recipes, at least it tasted good. :)

Proud parents...I am not kidding when I say this was probably the second best day of their lives! The first was when he was born.

cousin Kody with his proud followers.

I wasn't even going to attempt to make a cake for him! This one may have looked better but it didn't taste better. :)

Cathcing Up...Post 2: Field Day and the Last Day of School

We are rewinding time a little. Only a month. To the last week of school.


The kids have field day during the last week of school. I always go and watch. Field day for the older kids includes picking 7 or 8 events from about 20-25. Every year Austin LOVES the obstacle course; in, out and around the playground. For the last two years he has gotten first but this year he had a little competition and placed only 2nd. He was a little sad at first but got over it quickly.

For field day, the Kindergartners rotate between their rooms and outside. I don't' know if Allison has ever played Twister before but she was quite good at it.

Abigail waited patiently for Allison, coloring with sidewalk chalk.

Another station was just playing in bubbles. Oh what joy comes from cheap fun!

Hopscotch!

My beautiful Allison!

Catching Up...post 1

We continue to have lots of changes and challenges in our lives. Chris was recently called to the bishopric as the second counselor. As if being the scout master and me being in the Relief Society presidency wasn't enough for our busy little family to handle! :) Sunday's used to be my favorite day of the week. We had a great routine down and Chris and I worked really well together like a well oiled machine to get the kids ready, to church on time, getting them through sacrament and home to enjoy the rest of the day "resting." Not anymore! :) Not only do I have to get them all ready by myself which is a feat in and of itself but trying to keep them reverent is almost impossible and Chris has so many meetings that the day is definitely not restful anymore. During sacrament, Asher throws hymn books, Abigail fights about who she gets to sit next to, and Austin has what we call "church narcolepsy." Last week, Asher knocked the water tray out of Austin's hands and spilt the mostly full tray out on all of us. I don't think any of us came out of sacrament dry that day. I told Chris that I might go inactive. He just looked at me, smiled and said, "No you won't." I don't think he thinks I am serious but taking 4 extremely active children to church by yourself is NOT fun. On the up side, I have actually had lots of people offer to help me with the kids. If I have to take Asher out, a lot of times I will come back in and see one of the Young Woman sitting with the other three helping to keep them reverent. I guess I just have to learn to be more humble and be willing to except more help. I know this will be a great learning experience for both Chris and I (if I survive it). I also know that our family is blessed when we serve. I have seen it in our other callings and I know it will be the same in this calling.

Sour cream anyone?

I don't think this post needs any commentary.

20 mos. old + sour cream left lonely on a counter = happy baby

"Oh look, mom's busted out the camera...better say cheese."

"Mom has nothing better to do than to clean up all my beautiful masterpieces, right?!" :)

Allison Graduates Kindergarten

I can't believe Allie is going to be in school full time next year. I am really sad about it because I have really enjoyed her in the mornings and she has been a big help to me with her younger siblings.

She was such a sweet little lady at the graduation program. Of course, I think she was the prettiest one there but I hope all the moms thought that of their own kindergartners. She has a strand of "play pearls" that she usually wears with her pretty dresses but they broke so I let her wear my strand of pearls and she was so excited and she took very good care of them.

What's Summer?

This morning when we were in the car, Allison asked, "Mom, is it ever going to be summer again?"

After this picture was taken, at least 2 more inches fell. I just didn't feel like taking another picture. :)

Random Pics of the Kids

I haven't been taking a lot of pictures lately. I could give you a slew of reasons why but I won't bore you with the details. I was cleaning up my desk and found a minute to go through the pictures that I have taken and found some cutes ones of the kids that I thought I would share.

Allison came home from school one day with these glasses on. Of course, they broke almost immediately once she got home and Asher got a hold of them.

Allison and three of her cousins sang a song in the school talent show. Austin and his cousin played a guitar duet. We got the girls these hats for their performance and I had to get one for Abigail as well. They are a little big but they look so cute!

This is Asher being goofy at dinner one night. The pictures didn't come out great but I thought they were cute enough to post!

Asher likes to climb counters and get into anything that is on them. For the most part we have learned to keep them empty because he will get into anything that is left on them. We have cleaned up ENOUGH spilled cups...the ones with soda are the worst! Well, we thought we had Asher-proofed the kitchen well enough but he out-smarted us once again and got into the flour. Look at that "cheesy-I am so proud of myself" grin. I guess you could say there is never a dull moment.