BE THANKFUL

Yesterday after school Tanner came home a little sad. His science fair project was not selected to go to the next round. He did a great job on the project and scored a 98%. We were all really proud of him. But yet, he was a little discouraged.

Then Camille adds her 2 cents and says in a way that only Camille can:

"Tanner, don't be sad. Just be thankful you have a family that loves you!"

We all started to laugh but there is so much truth in that sentence. I am so thankful that when I have a sad day and feel discouraged that I have a family who loves me. I am grateful that they are there to help me feel better and cheer me up.

Thanks Camille for reminding us of that important message!

WHEETIES & RUNNING SHOES

I often joke with my brothers that to keep up with me they will need to eat Wheeties for breakfast and wear comfortable running shoes because I am SO busy. They totally laugh because I really think that they think I sit around at home, watch Price Is Right, eat ice cream and talk on the phone. Nothing could be further from the truth!

This week has been one of those weeks. I think to myself, "Where has the past week gone?" And then I remember:

A million carpools, including a new one I just started and misunderstood the start date and had 2 kids (not members of my family) late to their activity. SOOOOO EMBARRASSED about this!

A trip to Chuck E Cheese with 8 children.

Dinner with an old friend.

A daughters birthday.

Finishing touches to a science project.

Help pack for Klondike (snow camping for a scout in my house)

Voice lessons - definitely not for me

Tae Kwon Do - again defiantly not for me

2 kids appointments at the doctor's office

Haircut - this one for me

Church calling

Did I mention carpooling?

Dance lessons

Making dinner

Staying up until 1 am watching American Idol, The Biggest Loser, Lost, etc. (TIVO)

Grocery store

Cleaning

Laundry

I could keep going but won't bore you because I'm sure each of you have the same list each week. It's funny how next weeks list is the same...just with a few slight variations.

But I wouldn't change it for the world!!

IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME....

I had a conversation with my girls that went like this:

Camille: (Enters my bedroom) Abby is such a nice sister.

Me: Why is she so nice?

Camille: She does nice things for me.

Me: Like what?

Camille: Well...she is doing my homework for me.

Me: Why aren't you doing your homework?

Camille: Well....ya see....we have to draw a step chart. I didn't want to do that and so I asked Abby to do it for me and she said yes. I don't like drawing. She does. Isn't she such a nice sister?

20 Minutes Later....

Me: Girls...I need you to clean the mud room.

Abby: Camille you are cleaning it by yourself.

Camille: WHY??? That's not fair. Mom said both of us have to do it.

Abby: I did your homework for you.

Camille is cleaning the mudroom.....ALONE!!

AREN'T SISTERS GREAT???

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED...

What is the quickest way to cool down a can of soda pop?

Well, apparently Tanner has because that is what he decided research for his Science Fair project. Honestly, I think he just wanted to drink the entire case of rootbeer we had to purchase to do the project.

He had to take all of their temperatures. Some he put in the freezer, some in the refrigerator, others in an ice bath and some in dry ice.

The results are in....

DRY ICE was the quickest....20 minutes and the can was completely frozen. He loved having the rootbeer slush the dry ice made.

So on that hot summer day, if you don't have dry ice handy....the ice bath was the next quickest way to cool down a can of pop - 30 minutes and the rootbeer is 34 degrees!

Good luck Tanner at the Science Fair!!

SPONTANEOUS WEEKEND

NOTHING LIKE deciding Thursday you are leaving for a weekend trip to LAS VEGAS...where it is 65 degrees and not a cloud in the sky!

Daren was kind enough to keep all the kiddies and so I arrived in Vegas Friday night, got a hotel and had a nice quiet night all by myself. It was wonderful and much needed. Although, it was so strange going to a restaurant and saying...Just 1 tonight. I've never done that before!

Saturday, I went to lunch with my dear friend Tammy Brown. It was so wonderful to see her. She is so funny and just makes me laugh and laugh everytime I see her! Then Saturday night my dear friend from high school, Erin & I met up and went to dinner. He haven't seen each other since we were 21. We were at the restaurant for over 3 hours talking. She finally told the waiter, we're going to be here a while so you don't need to come see what we need every 5 minutes! Then we went to her house and talked until 4am, which is 5am Utah time! It was great to see her and to catch up on old times. She is absolutely adorable and as funny as I remember. I hope to see more of her when she comes to Utah or when I go to Las Vegas next.

I'M SO glad I didn't have to drive home today!

Bummer...I had my camera and didn't take 1 picture while I was there. Erin on the other hand decided to post high school pictures of us on her blog!

FREE CHOCOLATE!!

I LOVE CHOCOLATE!! For Christmas, I bought Daren a box of Godiva chocolate. (They are my favorite and I knew he'd share - clever, huh?) Anyway when he opened the box, the chocolates had "Bloomed." I never knew that chocolates bloomed. But when we called Godiva to complain about our discolored and old chocolates, they told us that chocolates can get too warm and bloom. They apologized and said they would send us out a new box of chocolates.

Today, I was craving something sweet and then Mr. UPS showed up with some new Godiva chocolates. I opened the box expecting to see the same size of chocolates that I had purchased at Christmas. I was pleasantly surprised to see a REALLY BIG box of Godiva chocolates, bigger than I had originally purchased.

Thanks Godiva!!
You have awesome customer service & I love your chocolates!!

I'M ADDICTED!

To This:
And This:

Definitely This: (been waiting since last May)

I can't stop thinking about Jin, Sawyer, Jack, Kate, the island, Locke and all the gang!

And Absolutely This:

Most importantly...

Thank goodness for TIVO!