Meg's Trip to Vegas

One of the highlights of summer for me was seeing Paula and her family in Las Vegas! It's not the easiest thing to see them these days since they've been living in India for the last year.

The clearest evidence that we had a great time is the lack of pictures from the first 24 hours we were together. That's because we talked non-stop! It was SO nice to do it without paying for long distance! I only got one picture from that time period. It's of our freshly painted toe nails right after the pedicure we enjoyed.

We later saw the movie "Get Smart" and laughing during the entire movie! Steve Carell is the new Steve Martin! His timing is so funny! I hope they make a movie with the two Steves in it. How great would that be?! If you haven't seen it, check out this trailer that has some of my favorite scenes in it!

On Sunday, we went with Paula's mom, sister, and her sister's children to church. I am always amazed at how quietly Paula's children sit through church. They were SO good! I keep trying to get her to share her secret but she hasn't spilled it yet! She will say there is no secret but I'm still hoping for one...

Aren't they the cutest?! These are some of my very favorite people!

Most of my family and friends know who Paula is because I talk about her a lot. But, some of you may wonder who she is. Paula and I met when I was attending Brigham Young University in Provo. Her husband, Wes, did the maintenance on the apartments we lived in. He came over to do some painting in our kitchen one day and we got to talking. He then invited us to their apartment on a different night. We strolled over to their apartment and Paula made us her "company food" (lasagna) and the rest is history. We just love them both! Such great people. Paula and I each have four kids, all with similar ages. We have been through all the stages of motherhood together! She's one of those friends that I just treasure so much! Plus, she ALWAYS makes me laugh which is something I dearly love to do! Thanks friend!

While in Las Vegas, we stayed with her parents. It was so fun to finally meet her mom! We have talked so many times on the phone over the years but never in person. Her dad reminds me of my dad since my dad was a cop and her dad was a fireman. We all played a lot of games together, including Blokus and the seriously fun, although objectionably named, "Oh Hell" card game. Her dad is the king of "Oh Hell" and it was so much fun to play with him. Blokus is very addicting! I ended up buying it for the kids as my souvenir for them.

One of the days Paula and I went out to do a little shopping with her sister, Laura. Laura is really great too! It was so fun to meet her and spend time all together.

We stopped by the Las Vegas Temple where Paula was married.

It's good to know Las Vegas is more than slot machines and gambling. ☺

Although, this picture was taken at the airport! Slot machines in the airport?! Only in Vegas. I was surprised they didn't have them in the bathrooms.

We had a yummy lunch at the Cheesecake Factory! So very good! It was bittersweet saying goodbye because I know I won't see her for awhile but I am comforted by the fact that we can call each other in the meantime!

I came home to this!

Here is my sweet little boy, Bennett, with toes painted red and blue. Apparently, his cousin, Olivia, did this for him because he, as Lauren put it, "really wanted them done" when the cousins were all together! He was very proud of them. Ha Ha.

Quick Quote- August 2008

Parker: "Why are there so many ice cream trucks?"

Lowden: "Why aren't there any zucchini trucks?"

Lauren: "Zucchini! Zucchini! We all scream for Zucchini! ...That's not very catchy."

(Picture taken August 20, 2008 at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)

How to Stage Your Own Kid Olympics

First, make a score sheet listing all the events.

{Some ideas for events are 100 meter dash (1 lap around backyard), 200 meter dash (2 laps), 100 Hurdles (1 lap), 400 Hurdles (4 laps), 3000 meter steeplechase (7 laps), long jump, shot put (basketball), javelin (mop handle unscrewed from mop), fencing (play swords), trampoline, cycling, basketball shooting, and a baseball home run derby. }

Have children choose their countries and color their flags

Get out a children's atlas and use it as a reference for flag designs. (Lauren picked China as her country.)

Tape flags onto old tent poles or short wooden dowels.

Help younger kids make their flags. (Bennett wanted to be Team USA.)

Allow older children to make up their own country and flag. (Here is Lowden with his flag of "Scout-topia".)

Take cute pictures of your kids with their flags. (Parker chose The Bahamas as his country!)

Prepare the backyard for the event by...

Having your husband make PVC pipe hurdles. Add some sand inside them to help them stay down.

Put a foot of water in the kiddie pool for the steeple chase.

Have children practice their fencing.

Have one parent be the announcer, commentator, official, and scorekeeper.

The other parent can be the Olympic photographer, spectator, and cheerleader.

Stage your own Olympic opening ceremonies...

Have your children do the Olympic flag march around the backyard. (Be prepared for chaos.)

Have the youngest child redo the Olympic flag march by himself due to fit that he threw during the first march. Laugh when he does a Hie-hitler type march.

Place all flags in flowerbed during the Olympic events.

Demonstrate how to do the events properly.

Videotape your children running their events.

Have "official" record times on score sheet.  Make age adjustments: in timed running events multiply each kid's time by their age - older kids will have to go REALLY fast to win.  In distance events (throws, jumps) divide each kid's distance by their age.  This way the older, stronger kids don't win every event and the playing field is level.

(Here is Lauren running the 100 meter dash. She later was announced the winner of this event with Lowden in 2nd place, and Parker in 3rd place.)

Laugh when your child, who is representing the island nation of the Bahamas, does the hula before the 200 meter dash. (Bennett was the winner of this event, with Parker and Lauren taking 2nd and 3rd respectively.)

For the shot put event, use a basketball.

(Lowden was the 1st place winner of this event, with Parker and Bennett taking silver and bronze.)

Allow youngest child to get through hurdles however they can. (Final result 100 meter hurdles- Lowden 1st place, Parker 2nd place, Lauren 3rd place)

Take a picture of your child mid-jump during the 400 meter hurdles.

Have a child be assigned to picking up the hurdles that get knocked over.

(Final results 400 meter hurdles: Parker 1st place, Bennett 2nd place, Lowden 3rd place.)

During events when their is more than one lap, have one child be the bell ringer when the participant is on the final lap.

Have Bob Costas, AKA your husband, announce the results so far.

Allow children to bask in the glory of their wins.

For the steeplechase, have children do 7 laps around the yard jumping over hurdles and into the pool as they go around. (Parker makes a big splash in this video!  Don't miss his armpit pumping technique.)

Finish the rest of the Olympic events another day...

Belated 4th of July Post

We went to Grandpa and Grandma's house to celebrate independence day!  They had a fun spread for us. 

The kids enjoyed cooking hot dogs over the fire...

and roasting marshmallows.  Bennett was especially proud of himself!

The kids played with their cousins. 

The boys pretended to eat and drink for the camera.

 

They enjoyed ice cream cones with Grandpa.

I took pictures of my kids...

and their cousins.

I held "my baby"!  It was really nice of Rachel to birth her and all that.  But, when I am with her, she's mine! ♥

The kids enjoyed the sparklers Greg lit for them...

while I enjoyed playing with the shutter speed setting on my camera!

I always have loved celebrating the 4th of July and it's wonderful to relive that through my kids' eyes!

Overheard From The Other Room

Greg to one of our four children: "Do not ever lick the floor."

Congratulations...

Congratulations to Leigh and Ally on their wedding today! Could they be any more perfect for one another?!  We love them both and are SO happy to see they found each other.  We look forward to more rousing game nights with them in the future!☺

In Training...

We are prepping for the Kid Olympics here! Greg fashioned these hurdles out of PVC pipe yesterday. Aren't they great?!

He started the Kid Olympics four years ago with the kids. They made their own flags, they marched around the back lawn, and he made all kinds of activities for them to do! The kids are really excited to do it again this year!

Wow! They really have grown haven't they?!