The slave...or mom

We were traveling home from a trip when Jon and I got talking about different things like what the kids think about and especially what they think about us. One of the running themes I've noticed that they think about me is written every year in their handmade Mother's Day cards. It's always something to the effect of "Thanks for making our food and doing our laundry." It'sbeen somewhat of a running joke in my own head and I would be disappointed if someone didn't say it. I was telling Jon about it and we started giggling, creating the epitaph for my gravestone. It would run something like this "Thanks for the clean clothes and the good food. In loving memory..." Etched in granite on top would be a pair of socks laid over the edge and an empty but dirty frying pan.

Fitting.

A Trip to Disney--March 4--March 7, 2010

Five of the teachers and I went to Disneyland earlier this month. We had a great time We ate at a place called Chris and Pitt's which on first sight was a dive but the food was awesome and generous.





We went into the park on a beautiful Friday morning at about 8:30am. There was no one there. I think the earliest I have ever been in the park was 9:45.








We rode on our favorite rides. One of mine is Thunder Mountain Railroad.

We ate great food at the California Adventure food court, The Blue Bayou inside Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Carnation Café.



We saw THE Mouse, rode more and more rides, ate more and more food and had a great time.

We had a great Christmas this year. We were able to go to Temple Square to see the lights and take some pictures. Luckily, it had warmed up to the 20's for that evening. The week before it had been in the single digits. Brrrrr! But I digress. Constantly.




Look how happy everyone is!! We're standing in front of a giant statue of Jesus!! Shouldn't everyone be happy?!







Isn't it hard and sad to be them? We also got together with our old and dear college friends like we have for the last few years. We went up to Tibble Fork Dam and went sledding on Christmas Eve Day.





Beautiful Day! The kids went to bed early so Santa could come to town.


We spent time with Kara's family in the afternoon, eating, opening presents, and spending time together. All in all it was a good Christmas.

Christmas is upon us

Wasn't it just July?! I say that every year around this time of year. Because it literally does feel like it was just July. And every July I think, "Oh no. In 5 months it's Christmas." But then there is January and February to bring us back to the cold, dark reality of winter. So I have that to look forward to.

We had a fun fall. In September we went on a river rafting trip down the Colorado near Moab, Utah. We did the same trip last year and had a blast. This year I actually, got out of the raft and swam in the muddy waters of the Colorado. You can't tell what is down there...kind of freaks you out. We camped overnight on the beach about half way through our 20 mile trip.













The day after Thanksgiving we drove back down to Moab and stayed the night visiting with our old friends the Andrews. The Andrews drive over to Moab every year for Thanksgiving to escape their family dramas. They have children about the same age as ours. We ate out, shopped around town, and went out to the Hole 'n the Rock which was fun.

Here we are next to a Jeep made completely out of junk.

Molly and Matthew find a new ride

Last Sunday my two youngest children found a new toy. The stairs. Actually it is an old toy but is being used in a new way. Matthew has a bunk bed in his room that has this old crappy mattress on it. We bought it for Adam years ago when we were in graduate school and we were poorer than dirt. Of course, now we are just poorer than dust but we're moving up! It was brand new at the time but really cheap. I think it is just a really thick piece of foam. Anyhow, they drag it off of his bed and downstairs to the top of basement stairs then they slide down the stairs on it. They did this for hours. They brought it down again today. I tried it and screamed all the way down-it was a small thrill. I thought I'd take pictures of them to memorialize their new toy.

School again

The kids will start school again this week. Adam will be in 10th grade at American Fork High
School, Emily in 7th grade at American Fork Junior High and Molly in 5th grade and Matthew in 3rd grade both at Forbes Elementary where I also work as a secretary.

My cousin Paula mentioned on her Facebook page that signing up her two high school daughters for school this year consisted of paying over $1200 for public education fees. And she still had to pay for her twin boys at their junior high. YIKES! Luckily I have to come up with only $500 for my two secondary school students' fees. $200 for Emily and $300 for Adam. Sometimes it would be nice to have a credit card in our possession.

In-laws visit

Jon's dad Clay Sherman and his wife Stephanie visited us here in Utah this weekend. We didn't do anything spectacular just sat around talking and listening to the kids and their friends be silly.
Emily and Adam played a duet on their electric and acoustic guitars and Emily played a song on the piano which in and of itself is a miracle. We ate good food-flank steak, shrimp on the barbie, watermelon, strawberries, cucumber salad and other stuff I can't remember. For dessert-key lime pie. Fun weekend.