Wii- the interactive game

Tonight after the boys were ready for bed they had some time left to play some wii star wars legos (their recent favorite game). I had to laugh as i was trying to take a still shot or two of Ryan and Ethan while they played. I finally switched to video since it was too funny. I had no idea how interactive the wii really was. Watch their mouths--neither one of them can keep their mouths still (or closed) and play at the same time. You should see them try to color or cut things out. They must be related. (sorry about the burst of laughter--i couldn't help it).

Sam for short.

Sam has become a slow eater this school year (Ethan went through a phase that lasted a few years like that). Especially at lunch time he eats slow. He spends more of his time inside the lunch room at lunch recess then actually out at recess. And it is for that reason that Sam has been able to get to know the janitor and the lunch ladies really well. They love him really.

About a month after i had been working at the school, i went into the lunch room as they were getting ready for lunch. The janitor was setting up tables and the lunch ladies were working getting the trays and such set up. I went over to the janitor and said something about Sam's events in the lunch room from the day before. Sam was making a concoction of a little of this and a little of that in his milk and then he was going to drink it--anything for entertainment right. Anyway when i said something to the janitor about it, his eyes lit up and he said "OH! You're Sam's mom!?!" I said yeah (i get that alot!). He said oh we just love Sam. He is so funny and is always asking if he can help. He is such a good boy. I said yeah, well that's Sam, and i started to walk away. As i got up to the lunch lady to pay for the boys lunches for the month, i didn't even realize that the janitor had followed me up there, and he was leaning over my shoulder telling the lunch lady that i was Sam's mom. To which, then she was gushing how much they love Sam and what a hoot he is. (SERIOUSLY, I get that a lot!) Then she relayed into the kitchen to the other ladies that i was in fact Sam's mom. Who knew a kid could be so well known by the lunch ladies? And he only gets school lunch once or twice a week. Ever since then when ever i see any of the lunch ladies or Janitor Crosby they say something about Sam, especially janitor Crosby.

Janitor Crosby has a story at least once a week to tell me about Sam.

Like the time that Sam took his Garfield desk calendar comics to school (unannounced to me) and was "selling them" to other students and faculty. If someone wanted one they had to sign the back of it. And by signing it they were saying they would "work" for Sam and a few of his buddies. Sam was handing them out i guess at lunch and explained to Janitor Crosby that these people were now Sam's slaves. Sam commented to Janitor Cosby that "he was selling them like hot cakes!" (I'll have to post more on this story later...i still have the part from the principle side to explain).

The other day Janitor Crosby stopped me again because he had another story. He said that they decided to ask Sam how old he thought the other janitor was. (I told Mr. Crosby that he was baiting Sam, and he said yes, but it was because they were giving the other janitor a hard time about his age). To give Sam a little credit, we have tried to explain that no one likes to be called old or a baby. So when they asked him how old he thought Mr. Haws (who has a head of silver and grey with some black highlights in it) was, he said 35-40 (he's really 55). They then proceeded to ask him how old he thought each of them were. He told the librarian she was teens-20's, and two of the other lunch ladies they were in their 20's (They really love him now) and a couple of the other lunch ladies 25-30 (and i think the youngest lunch lady is really 30). And then Mr. Crosby said well how about me, how old do you think i am? Sam said 35. Mr. Crosby is 25. I told him that's what he gets for baiting him. So today, wouldn't you know it, as i went though the lunch line with Ryan (since it's pizza day) each of the lunch ladies said how much they love that Sam.

This evening i was telling Sam how much all these people like him. He said "you know mom i like it that i have older friends, you know like a dult older, not older older as in elderly." I said why is that (as i held in a laugh)? He said "cause they just are so nice and such good friends, and you know us Young's we respect older people." I'm so glad he's caught on to some of the things I've taught him.

I've told people that come to me with stories that they need to write them down or email them to me. And then one day I'm going to publish a book of short stories. I'm working on a title still (maybe "Sam for short"), but i am accepting stories now.

You can give me High 5's

The other day as Blake, Ryan and myself were heading to the elementary school for a meeting, Ryan had me laughing. As we were backing out of the garage so that blake could get into the car (since it's a tight fit right now), Ryan asked if Blake could sit in the back by him. To that I said, sure if you want Dad to ride in the back with you, you just need to ask him. So as Blake was about to get into the front passanger seat Ryan said "dad, will you come sit here in the back with me." Blake said "ok" and climbed in back. Ryan was all smiles as Blake got in. Ryan was then getting his leapster out to play since he was going to need something to do while at the meeting. Blake said to Ryan "well Ryan if you're just going to play your games, why do you want me to sit back here." To which Ryan replied without a pause "well you can give me high fives when i do good at the game."
Hahahaha.

ok, i admit it.....

I'm a bird watcher, well kinda. Out here it's really easy to do. I look out my kitchen window, or out the window of my car as i am driving to the school or the store. And, there they are. Every time i see them i get excited. It really is a first for me to see these birds of prey.
There are definitely regulars that we see daily and others that we see from time to time. They hang out at the tops of the telephone poles mostly. We also see them out flying around, they love to catch the wind and breeze in the gully behind the house too. It is even more exciting when you can just watch them.
I want to get a good high zoom camera some day so i can take pictures of them all. Then i can study up and figure out what kind they are......right now we just call them hawks and falcons. I do know the bald eagle though. Next time you come out to see us just keep your eyes open and watch for them. And then when you do start seeing them it's pretty exciting. "Baldy Eagle Ike" he's a regular so he has a name (given by the boys--they couldn't all agree so it's all of the ideas).We also see "Flappy" alot. Ryan named him because every time we would go to or from the store he was out flying around or at the top of the pole just by our development. Ryan always spotted him.ok, just more picture of my amazing view!

domo arigato

Ethan's piano teacher just started having him play "Axel F" for his lessons. It's one of those songs that most people know but don't know or can't remember the name (it's also known as the "Crazy frog" song). So when we got home from piano i pulled it up on the internet and let the boys hear it. They got their groove on once the music started, and the camera was right there, so........(Ethan and Sam will thank us later, i just know it!)

Oh and Ethan's getting pretty good at playing it on the piano (might have to get a synthesizer to make it official, but it's still pretty cool).

Baby it's cold outside!

With winter here we have tried to enjoy it as much as possible. My youngest brother was able to hook the siblings up with ski passes. So I went skiing on Christmas Eve Day with my parents and my brothers. I thought I'd be ok since i had been running some up till the 1st of December (so i wasn't completely out of shape). But just so you know skiing and running use different muscles (all of them are in your legs--cause that's what hurt so much). I haven't been skiing for a number of years since we've been doing the snowboarding thing over the last few. Blake likes that better since he's never really loved skiing in the first place. I have not been skiing even a few years beyond that since pregnancies, and small children, and finances kept me from the slopes. Needless to say i was totally excited to go skiing. I should explain that i have never been the daredevil skiers that my brothers have been. I'm more about enjoying the cool crisp air and beautiful scenery and that kind of skiing. If you're going so fast down the hill that every thing is a blur you're missing half the stuff i enjoy skiing for. Plus it makes your boogers freeze. I was hoping that since my parents were going my dad would go with the brothers and i would ski with my mom, and we'd go at the slower pace. But my dad was counting on my mom to keep him from having to go at top speeds with my brothers. We just ended up all skiing together which was a blast. So as a teenager i was never able to keep up with my brothers skiing and that has not changed. They were patient and would go down supper fast to one spot, and then stop and wait for the rest of us (my mom and dad, and lastly me). I did learn one very important thing, i didn't miss the ski boots much. Oh and a few other things--hold on to your poles like the stickers on the ski lift say, lift your tips, goggles and sunglasses are great at keeping the snow out of your eyes but when it's foggy and you're skiing in a cloud both make it harder to see anything, having the right gear does help at all times whether it's boots, gloves, 2 skis, and 2 poles. It was such an awesome day. I loved being with my parents and my brothers. We had some good laughs it was great. Thanks Darin for the hook up, thanks mike for the good laughs, thanks to the wives of my brothers for letting them go, thanks dad for warming my toes, thanks mom and dad for the ride, and sorry if i was "in the way of the pictures" and "ruined them". Sorry no pictures from the day--i wasn't smart enough to take my camera and mom and dad have not shared their pictures yet.
*total side note, last time i went skiing with my family was when Blake and i first kissed 14 years earlier. good times, good times.
the boys have also started to enjoy the additional fun activities of winter as well. Sam for his birthday got a snowboard from target (not a real one, but one to see if snowboarding was something they'd enjoy). so far Sam has done pretty good and Ethan is going to be the adventurous one. He was trying to do jumps over at our neighborhood park. in just a few tries both boys seem to have accomplished as much as Blake and i did after a morning of trying our first time. Good thing we have some good hills around here to keep them happy for a little while.
And with all the hills around us as well we have sledding right close to home so we don't' have to pack up to go anywhere. The week between Christmas and new years even our neighborhood had a sledding night. Had a fire pit and soups and hot chocolate to stay warm with and some flood lights to light up the area. It was a blast. The boys have loved being outside in the snow so much we let them go out while we stay nice and warm inside. I just have to say again how much i love it out here where we live.

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays from our home to yours. We are counting this as our card this year. We once had a list of friends with addresses and such but have no idea where we put it in our move AND we are attempting to simplify (and maybe--just maybe--we're a tad lazy too).
All the same, we are grateful for all that we have. For wonderful family and friends, for our home, for good jobs, for our beautiful world, for the holidays, for the gospel, but especially for our Savior. May your holidays be bright and wonderful.

Seriously Happy Holidays!