Buckaroo's

 

Because of the glorious holiday we had Monday (Human Rights Day) and the fact that Payton was out of school, we tried to think of something fun to do that we don't usually get to do. We had two fun activities planned while our dad was in the freezing cold fishing through the ice. Payton of course woke up disappointed that his dad didn't wake him up and take him along, but Todd assured me he had talked to Payton about it the night before and had decided it would be too cold to take him.

After we got over the tears, had some breakfast, did a little laundry {very little} we made our plans...

We were going to borrow g-pa Turek's 4-wheeler and go for a ride and then we were going to meet up with Kandice around 4pm to ride her new horse, Mokey. The hard part about our plan was waiting until g-pa and g-ma Turek were out of the temple so we could ask to borrow the 4-wheeler.

We headed over to Washington and waited at g-pa and g-ma's house...and waited....and waited. They got home later than I expected but we enjoyed watching TV {since we don't have any TV other than the movies in our closet at our house}, jumping on the tramp, feeding the horses across the street, and just reading books and playing games.

By the time g-pa and g-ma got home we were able to spend about 20 minutes with them before Kandice called to let us know we could come down and ride the horse.

The kids were so excited to see the horse and actually ride it! Payton was the first to get on. I had forgotten my camera in the car so I ran really fast to get it while Kandice was leading Payton around on Mokey. When I got back, Payton was off the horse with one shoe on and one shoe off and he was crying. My first thought was that Payton had lost his shoe while riding and for some reason it made him feel bad so he was crying. I was soooo wrong. Apparently Mokey didn't like Payton on his back so he gave him a few bucks to remove him. Kandice said Payton held on really well because he didn't fall off until the fourth buck! When I talked to Payton about he said that he knew the reason he fell off was because he let go. When he let go he landed on his back and it knocked the air out of him. 

Dave was with us and had Payton get back on the horse {which is the pictures that I got of him--tears and all} and ride for a little bit. Payton was definitely ready to get off. All the other kids took their turn and then Payton was ready to get back on the horse...which I was glad. I didn't want him being scared of riding horses the rest of his life.

The rest of the riding went without any incident and the kids are ready to go ride again. Of course, I'm ready to let Dave train Mokey a little better before we get in a real riding session.

Payton is SEVEN! and other news

opening gifts!

His DC Shoes. Don't look at JuJu's hair.

as we sang Happy Birthday to Payton

Making a wish over his pancake

I'm not sure what's more weird. The fact that Payton turned seven today or that he'll be eight next year. Either way, my kids are growing up. I was so excited for Payton to open his presents today because he really wanted a new pair of shoes. Of course, he didn't want just any shoes. He wanted "DC Shoes". Aren't they a little younger to be asking for designer things? I told him we could either have a b-day party for him or buy him a present. He chose to have a present, and well, he got his wish. He couldn't stop smiling when he saw the shoe box under that wrapping paper.
I hope he's had a great day at school today because I'm ditching him tonight for what will be my last work party with the Heideman group. After working there for 12 years I'm saying goodbye (until someone has a baby or needs a sub and calls me) to Dr. Heideman's office. I'm going to be working once a week for a pediatric dentist named Cody Johnson. I'm excited for a change and love that I'm going to get to work with kids. So if anyone is looking for a dentist for their kids, I know he does a great job (because I've gotten to fill in the office a couple times and he's good!).

In other news, I chopped my hair. Well, I didn't chop it, I let Kandice do that for me. I miss my long hair but this is a good change. I just wish Kandice would come to my house every day and fix my hair so I like it better. I'll keep practicing and might eventually get it to look as cute as it did the day I came home with it cut. I do have to write what Payton said about my hair cut when I come home from work Monday night (that's the night I had it cut). Payton met me in the garage and said, "You cut your hair?" I said, "Yup! Do you like it?" He said, "Well, you're not as cute as you used to be". Ahhhh, honestly. Where's the duct tape? Better yet, don't ask questions you might not want to hear the answer to.

Christmas Tree Hunting

she reminded me of Randy from "The Christmas Story"

Porter's snow tree

making snowmen

Eating a tailgate lunch

Todd dragging the tree to the truck. Can you see JuJu?

family picture with the tree

Porter was the first to get cold...and wet.

Payton's giant snowball he made himself

This was how the kids helped...stay in the back and out of the way.

This year's Christmas Tree Hunt was an adventure. We took a detour to pick up some jerky in Glendale from Todd's buck this year. {yeah, I still haven't posted about his hunt this year, yet....it's in the process} Although it was quite the detour to get the the Kaibab it was worth it. It's DANG GOOD JERKY!! When we finally made it to our Christmas Tree hunting grounds there was too much snow! Our new truck is a little lower to the ground so we had to put the chains on the tires and we still weren't able to go as far in as we wanted. The kids loved riding in the back of the truck while we moved forward and backward and turned around a few times. We decided to stop and let the kids play in the snow while Todd walked around trying to find a tree. After a quick lunch we drove further down a different road and let the kids get out and play again while Todd hiked into the forest of pinions trying to find a Christmas tree. I was getting really nervous that we were going to be taking one of those pinions home with us {which is what our very first Christmas tree was...we will avoid those at all costs in the future}. The kids loved making snow balls and rolling down hills while their dad was on the hunt. I was so excited to see Todd coming through the trees dragging a tree behind him. I was even more excited to see that it was a Blue Spruce instead of a pinion! We loaded up the kids, the gear and the tree and headed for home. This is our first tree like this so we're not used to the soft needles and the branches that can't hold as many decorations but that didn't stop the kids from trying. There were as many as six balls on one branch until mom and dad got involved. It's going to be a long season with the decorations. It seems like we break at least one ball a day {and a record 8 balls while we were decorating}. We will be investing in some non-breakable balls for our future decorating purposes. Now all we have to do is be good so Santa will come!{That's easier said than done}

Halloween 2010

It feels like we've been Halloweening for a few days now. We dressed up for our Ward Chili Cookout and Halloween Party last Saturday and then got all dressed up a week later for school, family party, and then finally trick or treating. I'm glad it's over. I've painted Payton's face four times now and Julia has worn two {very} different costumes. Good thing there's Porter that has not put up much fuss about his costume...once we decided on one.

So here's this year's results:

Dracula, Spiderman and Superman/girl {she was Tinkerbell for one night but apparently that was enough}

Julia and cousin Riley-Friday Night Family Party-

Spiderman (Porter)

Dracula (Payton)

Supergirl (Julia--couldn't get her off the bike)

We seem to always have a neighbor around while taking pictures

pumpkin guts!

carving pumpkins...with neighbors

Halloween Parade at the school

 This picture was taken at Payton's school. I really wanted to get her skirt because my neighbor {one of Julia's other mom's} across the street made it for her. I love it! This isn't a good picture so we'll try again later.

It's nice that Halloween only comes once a year. I did enjoy my dinner at Farmer's Market Halloween night! We got a burger (or hot dog), a bag of chips and a drink for $1. Todd and Payton ate TWO!!

I love this small town!!!

Buzz or Woody?

I needed to write this down because it is one to remember. We were driving home from church last week when Payton said he really wanted me to make an appointment with Aunt Kandice for a hair cut. Porter said he wanted a buzz. I told him that was one hair cut I could do at home. Then he asked, "Do you know how to do a Woody?" I looked at Todd with a {where did that come from} look. Then it hit me that he was talking about Toy Story. Todd had just taken the kids that weekend to see Toy Story 3 so when he talks about "a Buzz" he's talking about Buzz Lightyear. We {Todd and I} laughed more than we should have, but it was funny--especially when I quietly mentioned to Todd that he would be more capable of doing a Woody than me.
Well, I had to call Kandice and tell her the funny story and set up hair appointments. When we got there she asked if she was doing Buzz or Woody cuts that day. Both boys chose a Woody. {go figure} We met up with Todd for lunch and one of the first things out of Porter's mouth was, "Dad! Aunt Kandice gave me a Woody!"
Needless to say, our entire family who knows the story has gotten a good chuckle out of the whole thing. Thus, the reason for posting it here.... So Porter knows what an awesome boy he is at five years old and the darndest things he says to get mom and dad laughing!

No Time Like the Present

I keep thinking I will post about things...and then I never do. It's just so much easier to read about other people than it is to write about my own family. So here's what's happened lately...

Payton crashed on his bike: It was his mom's fault because she had tightened the front tire with her fingers thinking it would do the trick. NOPE! He went for a bike ride with the neigbors and did a "pop-a-wheelie" and his front tire came off. Where did Payton land? On his face, of course. He got a little bruised and his mom learned to use a tool other than her hands to fix things like that.

Payton loses a front tooth: It had been loose before the bike incident but I'm sure the face plant helped to loosen things up a bit more. His dad pulled it out Monday morning before school. Of course he was so excited about it he had to take it to school to show it off. The tooth fairy didn't show up that night because the tooth had been left in Payton's desk at school. Funny thing is his permanent tooth is already growing in and the other front tooth is barely loose. He'll look great for fall pictures.

Kelsie, Payton and Porter-ready to ride!

Turek Family Reunion: This was held over Labor Day Weekend. It got Tiff and I out of doing the Peach Days Volleyball Tourny this year. It was fun to be in the mountains and even more fun to let the kids wander and play together. They're favorites this year; 4-wheelers and the Mammoth Caves.

I have mixed emotions about the caves because we had an "incident" this year that makes me "Mother of the Year" in my book. (that was me trying to be facetious) Porter got left at the caves--on accident. I knew everyone was out of the caves and we even did a head count so I knew my kids were ready to go back to camp. When it was dinner time, we couldn't find Porter. No one had played with him. No one had seen him recently. The only place left to look was the caves. Luckily we were only a couple minutes away from the caves and a VERY nice and PATIENT family had found him and were waiting when Tiff and I flew up on the 4 wheeler. It was an emotional reunion and one that I won't forget. I kept a little better tabs on him the rest of the weekend.

Julia's finger got smashed in a big heavy door but it's turning into a tradition for her to have a hurt finger at the reunion. She sure looked like a beauty though when Aunt Kandice pulled out the "kids makeup" (that doesn't come off too easily by the way) for the girls. The boys even got in on it calling it war paint. Julia looked like she belonged on the strip in Vegas.

Kolob Retreat: This last weekend Todd took our family to Kolob to stay in one of his friends cabins. He hunted that night with Payton and early the next morning by himself. It was just nice to hang out with the kids, read my book, watch movies and then we rode the rhino almost all day Saturday. It's so pretty up there! It was fun to spend the weekend with my family!

Porter's B-day: He's going to be five this year and I'm so excited for his party (ok-so his present). I love when there's something we can get him that doesn't cost a fortune but that he will just LOVE! What is this gift? Well, you'll just have to wait until I post about the b-day. Here's a hint.... It is a SUPER HERO themed party (ok so he actually gets two parties. One with his friends {boys only he says!} and the other is with family).

Well, there you have it. More procrastinating novels yet to come!

Payton's First Day of 1st Grade!

Payton's first day of school 2010

Another school year has begun and Payton has been anxiously awaiting this moment! I can't remember how many times during the summer when we would put him in bed he would wine about not being in school. His kindergarten teacher did her job because Payton sure loves school.
His 1st grade teacher this year is Mrs. Williams. I was so sad because I had to work the day school started but I have a great boss that let me come an hour late so I could see him off for his first day. He's a little more independent that I was at his age. He kept telling me he'd just ride his bike down and he'd be fine. I really wanted to make sure he found his classroom so I insisted on taking him to school. He was so excited to eat lunch at school this year. I gave him the choice of taking a lunch or eating at school and it was not even a contest which one he wanted. He was going for the chocolate milk!! He was supposed to meet at the flag pole after school and walk home with a group of kids from our neighborhood. {I love that there are so many kids to walk home with!!}
I was still at work when Payton got home from school but I had left him a snack in the fridge to eat until his dad got there. When I called to check on him and see how his day went he said, "I didn't even get in trouble!" Well, if that doesn't say what kind of a school year we're going to have, I don't know what does!
We had a good back to school night and I'm really excited for this school year! I love his teacher and can't wait to see what big steps Payt will be taking this year!
....Now I just need to figure out how to make staying home and learning something fun for Porter. He tells everyone he's doing homeschool and cried the night before school because he was supposed to be starting school too but was being taken to Grandma's and she wouldn't know about home school. I let him know his school didn't start until next week. Any good lesson plans out there I should be using or sharing with my four year old? Let the fun begin!

July 24th Celebration

Catching Night Crawlers w/ Kory

Julia after her race

Payton shooting a bow at one of the booths

Porter racing!

We spent the 24th up in Hatch or if you ask my kids, "The Hatch House". It was fun to spend Pioneer Day in a small community. We went up Friday and spent the night there with Tiff's family. They loved catching night crawlers so we could fish with them the next day. Next time we will make sure there are more flash lights for everyone. The next morning we got up, had a great breakfast and caught the parade! Then there were races and games to be played at the park. My kids loved playing the games and winning prizes. After the parade and park we went fishing at Tropic Reservoir. We caught lots of fish but nothing worth bragging about. If you ask Todd, I went along so I could read. I had to finish the second book of the Hunger Games, Catching Fire {those of you who have read them understand}. We fished until we got rained/poured out of the place.

Tanner, Luke and Payton--oh, and that little fish

After fishing, we came home, cleaned up the house and hit the road for home. It was a quick trip but I think everyone had fun.