It's that time again!

Yesterday the class lists were posted at the school. As we all loaded into the car, the kids were both nervous and excited to find out who their teachers would be. Last year Mallory's teacher was a crabby patty. More like a double double crabby patty. I know she had health issues, but seriously, second graders do not deserve an ornery teacher. Especially when they are good students who try very hard to please their grumpy teacher. Two years ago Brigham's teacher wasn't the best. Let's just say she has been teaching for a looong while and is probably a little worn down. Not very patient, doesn't tolerate noise so well, and teaches pretty much out of the book. The best thing about her, according to Brigham, was her prosthetic eye.

So for the first time I requested teachers for all of my kids. Being a teacher myself once-upon-a- time, I am fine with strict teachers. Even a grumpy day every once in a while is understandable. But please, please, teachers... Change your attitude before you walk into the classroom to teach my kids. I am trusting them with you for SEVEN hours a day. If I wanted them to be with a Crabby Patty all day I would teach them myself!!

Needless to say ALL my kids ended up with the teachers I requested. Brigham and Mallory both have male teachers for the first time and are stoked. Quin and Cole both have teachers we love and have had before. I feel very blessed and EXCITED for them. This has always been my favorite time of year (mostly due to my love of new school supplies... mmm I can smell them now.)

A Tale of Hot and Horrible Days

Saturday: Upstairs air conditioner goes out. All the kids sleep/laugh/fight downstairs together.

Sunday: 90 degrees upstairs. Poor Haydyn and Cannon sweat their way through nap time.

Monday: Pay $550 to get air fixed. Whew. Todd leaves on business.

Tuesday: Electricity gets shut off. Don't ask. Spend most of the day without air... again. Realize once again that I would have made a horrible pioneer woman. Pay unspeakable amount of mula to power company.

Tuesday afternoon while electricity is off: Head to Walmart. My favorite. With 5 complaining kids. Leave one at home. Get last minute supplies for Quins birthday. Cannon starts wiggin' (crying, screaming, wanting to be held/ fed... you get the idea), Cole starts teasing, Haydyn starts screaming, both start running circles around my legs.

Sooooo ready to GET THE HECK OUTA HERE when my debit card doesn't go through. My other card doesn't go through. My checkbook is at home. My ice cream is melting. My kids are freaking out. I'm sweating. And annoyed (whats a stronger word for annoyed? Cause that's what I am.) I'd call Todd but he's out of town. I can't leave the groceries only to come back again with 5 or 6 kids. I can't just not get the stuff I need for Quin's birthday tomorrow. So what do I do?

I snap!

I do the unthinkable. I. Walk. Out. WITH my cart. Full of unpaid groceries. Load up the car. Drive home. Put the melting ice cream in the freezer. Feed Cannon. Grab my checkbook. Drive back to Walmart. Pay for the stolen goods. Drive home.

Tuesday night: Electricity on. Kids finally in bed. I'm still feeling warm. Realize main floor air conditioner is NOT blowing cold air. WHAT THE @#$%! Todd gets home at 2:30 AM. Tries to fix it. Doesn't.

Wednesday: A stroke of good luck. Todd had watched the repair man fix the first air conditioner. Believe it or not the second one has the SAME problem. Being the awesome fix-it man that he is, Todd finds the part he needs and repairs it himself. Total cost: $30. Total savings: $520. Now to celebrate Quin's birthday.

The End

June in review

Looking back, June wasn't half bad. We had NO plans. No trips. No swim lessons. No family things. Nothing. I was scared. I tried to come up with a few crafty-like things to help, but those didn't last too long. It was a big shock to go from busy school days to long lazy summer days. Take a look at how we kept (semi) busy.

Brig and buddies making cool things with water and sand.

Sprinkler time!

Thanksgiving point with cousins.
Much to our surprise they played FOREVER in the little farm room.

Have you ever seen a llama shavin'? That was an eye opener!

This little lady always comes up with something creative to do. She spent two days painting and re-painting all the kids faces. Then she sent out flyers and opened her own face painting booth. Always trying to make a buck!

Also, this cute boy lost his second tooth...


And this cute boy got his first two teeth. (Look close!)


One of our favorites crafties was "Hot Rocks." Stick rocks in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 for about 15 minutes. Then, using crayons with wrappers peeled off, "draw" on them. The wax melts onto the rocks. It's hard to find an activity that kids from ages 2 through 10 all enjoy. But this was it!
We also made sweeeet Indiana Jones Whips out of duct tape for Brig and Quin. Maybe someday I'll get pics of those. Nothing like making a dangerous weapon for your kids to play with!

Day 2 of summer vacation

It's going to be a long summer. I've never spent the summer with 6 kids before. The last few days have gone well but I feel like I've run a marathon by the end of the day. This is what miss Haydyn has been up to for the past few days...


In case you can't tell, that's a drawing of a bug. A very big bug. On my couch. I know I should have been mad, but I thought it was the cutest dang bug ever drawn by a 2 year old. I didn't tell Haydyn that though.

Day 2 of summer vacation... Haydyn decided to put on mascara. I guess she doesn't like the traditional way of applying it. I'll save that lesson for another day.

Ready or not... school's out!

The kids came home from school (at 10:30!) to find these buckets waiting for them. I made a trip to the dollar store last week and found tons of fun summer stuff. Water guns, water balloons, bubbles, lawn games, battery operated fans, and glowing light sabers. I filled buckets with them and placed a note to each child with their bucket. I told them why I am proud of them, and why they should be proud of themselves, difficulties they overcame this year, or things they learned. I had Todd write a bit also. The kids LOVED it. Luckily I found a bunch of stuff at the dollar store this year. Buying stuff for 5 kids really adds up. If I had the money I would have also included other things they need for summer like sunglasses, flip flops, goggles. Maybe next year.

Then we gathered for a neighborhood kickball game and pizza. I love living in a cul-de-sac. It reminds me of my childhood. We would all gather in the cul-de-sac in the summer evenings and play night games. I love that my kids will be able to do the same.

May Day

What's wrong with this picture?

For once I put all the snow clothes away before the 90 degree weather started and of course, it has snowed at least 4 times since then. Now here it is, the last week of school and the kids are pulling out snow coats and hats again. Crazy Utah weather.

While the boys were away...

Over the weekend Todd and the 3 older boys decided to extend the yearly Father-and-Sons camp-out from one night to three nights. I didn't argue. Neither did Mallory. Spending time together at home without the boys around is a rare event. So the girls look forward to the Father-and-sons weekend as much as the boys do.

I decided to make Friday night all about my little ladies. Mallory chose to make cookies, run to the library to pick out girl movies, and a last minute trip to KFC (ugh. I didn't see that one commin'). Then I wanted to pamper them a bit. While watching Tinkerbell they soaked their feet in Todd's foot-spa (don't all husbands have one?), I gave them hand and foot massages, then painted their finger/toenails. Mallory informed me that she didn't want her nails painted. What? Oh yea. She's a self-proclaimed Tomboy. I was a little sad that our nail painting days had come to an end. Haydyn on the other hand wants her "fingynails" painted on a daily bases. I loved her giggle/screech as I turned on the bubbles on the foot-spa.


As an afterthought I asked Mallory if she would want to have friends over for a movie night on Saturday. Less than 24 hours later Mallory was making a "no boys allowed" sign for the front door, and I was making pizza dough for 8 cute girls. They had so much fun playing Uno, jumping on the tramp, making their own pizzas, watching the movie Matilda, and having ice cream Sundays.
I noticed 2 things while the boys were gone: 1) My toilets stayed amazingly CLEAN. I didn't know it was possible. 2) Wow... was it QUIET around here. My boys are so loud! It's usually a happy loud, but still loud. My ears enjoyed the rest.

Oh, and here's what Cannon did while the gals partied. Sweet boy. Someone tell his Mom to pay attention and put him to bed already!