Krupp Scout Hollow Day Camp

I am exhausted; but I have a really good reason!

Today I and three other fearless leaders took all the cub scouts in our ward (12 total) to a Day Camp at Krupp Scout Hollow.  The downer of the day was finding out that us Webelos were at the Bear and Wolf Camp, but I think you'll see the fun the boys had out-weighed my disappointment in paying for the WRONG CAMP! 

We had all sorts of fun!!!  Check it out:

Opening Ceremonies...

Watching the skits done by staff members...

One of the activities:  Using a Compass and Maps

19 more days till my due date...sitting makes me look huge!!!

Playing with a GIANT parachute during our lunch break...

My dad has some AWESOME knot boards, and this doesn't even come close to how cool his are...but the boys thought it was kinda neat...little do they know, that there are HUNDREDS of more knots to learn.  :)  We just worked on tying a Square Knot... rest assured, they all know how to tie a granny knot.  :) 

One of the square knots  (sadly, there weren't very many that could tie one on the first try...guess I need to do a better job.)

Shooting BB Guns (they were sorely disappointed that I didn't sign them up for archery...who knew?)

One of our fearless leaders & photographer...multitasking for her Stake Young Women's Calling (see the phone?  LOL!), photoshooting AND helping with BB Guns. 

All the boys in the fort.  Why is it when we say "Make a funny face!" they all do the bunny ears thing?  Oh yeah - they're pre-teen boys. 

At our last station, we played games...this one is called STICKS.  Everyone stands in a circle with a stick (or broom handle) and someone yells left or right.  You must leave your stick to grab the appropriate one to your left or right, and if it falls, you're out.  When you get to two players, you stand across from each other and each time both players catches their stick, both take a step backwards...its a riot to see who can get to their sticks the fastest.  The boys loved this game! 

So now it's off to Pack Meeting tomorrow, and back to regular weekly meetings.  The fun never ends!!! 

Just Fabulous...and I'm serious.

Today.  *sigh*  I woke up this morning thinking I could really use another few hours of sleep...but alas, I put on my makeup (mascara; read why at that link)  and went to work. 

I was privileged to help four of the quietest and on-task pre-teens work on their sweatshirt project for 4-H, and I loved it.  For the most part, they did pretty well (still trying to teach one of them NOT to hold onto their fabric and play tug-o-war with the machine).  There was no talk of Lady Gaga, or of blood and guts, and Chris someone as there was in other groups...just steady sewing and patient waiting for those in our group.  It was fabulous. 

As I was in the line at the grocery store, I couldn't help but chuckle at the lady behind me, her kids acting JUST like mine.  I know she wanted to die, just by the things she was saying, so I tried to ease her stress just a bit and let her know that my kids were JUST the same...and did the same things in line.  We got to talking, and she was just so sweet.  She even asked when I was due (which is expected at this point) and when I told her  I had about four weeks left, she said I looked GREAT!  and that she would have guessed I easily was only 7 months along...so I guess my size isn't too alarming anymore.  :)  It was so nice to hear I didn't look as big as I felt!!! 

While at work back at the office in the afternoon, I received a most welcoming email.  If you hadn't heard, I applied for a teaching position, part time, at a local jr. high  teaching foods and nutrition...not my first choice, but it was a job option, and I'm trying to keep my feet in some doors...just in case... 

Well, the welcoming email was in fact a rejection email.  And it was JUST FABULOUS!  To me it means that prayers are being answered.  The school district filled the position, and I feel like I can breathe.  I've been holding my breath and so stressed out the last month that they were waiting on my application (because both FCS teachers and the principal asked that I apply...so after much thought and prayer, I did...just in case...).  While I really enjoy teaching, I have a VERY flexible job right now...and teaching isn't so flexible.  It was more of a commitment than I was wanting to make with a newborn and young children, but it would have been income...

Also, thank you to those who called and/or offered suggestions on possible job openings...it is VERY appreciated!  So, keep em' coming.  Yesterday a dear friend called to give me some info on an opening here locally, and so I quickly took notes, opened up internet browsers and began searching for the job as she was talking to me.  I was so excited when I got off the phone, I told Ryan and his reply was, "That's the fifth person who's called about that particular job" and we both started laughing.  So, see?  Prayers are answered...thank you for your prayers...and if it's not too much trouble, keep em' coming. 

On top of all that fabulousness, I am LOVING this weather that everyone keeps cursing.  It's been the nicest, coolest summer to be pregnant...and while I'm sure I'll be pasty white by the end of the summer (because lets face it...there are no swimsuit futures here, at least this year) I'll take the pastiness over the heat rashes.  So I'm sorry (kinda) if you're freezing, and you're cold and tired of the wind and grey clouds and rain...but it has been a huge blessing!  (We've also not had to run the AC, which has been nice on the checkbook, if you know what I mean.)

So yes.  I am just fabulous...and I'm serious.  There is no sarcasm in that statement; pure joy.

The ♥ of a Child

After family home evening last night, we read stories (so we can get our free weekly prize from the library for the summer reading program) and I fell asleep.  So did Ryan.  The boys played pretty well for a few minutes, although I'm wondering how long we were actually asleep...

As we were getting ready for bed shortly after our power-nap, we knelt as a family for family prayer.  We almost always end up saying two family prayers, since the boys love saying prayers and fight over who gets to say it...they haven't quite grasped the concept that after we have family prayers, we go and say individual prayers...I guess too many prayers never hurt anyone, right?!

When it came time for Tanner's turn, he asked for help.  You might know how the drill goes:

Tanner:  "Dear Heavenly Father, we thankful for this day."  Looks at me...
Me:  "We're thankful for ... "  and he copies everything I say, usually word-for-word.
Me:  "We ask thee to bless daddy to find a job that will provide for our family."
Tanner: "We ask thee to bless daddy to find a job that will provide for our family so mommy can stay home with us all day and play and be happy."
Me:  choking back torrents of tears, "We say these things..."
Tanner:  "In thenameofJesusChristAmen!"  (I don't know about your kids, but we strugle getting that last phrase out reverently, and enunciating all the different words...the boys say it so fast that it sounds like one giant mumble!)

Um, how did he know to add all of that about me being able to stay home?  You can't tell me that he doesn't know what's going on.  :) 

By the way, we're still looking for a Human Resource job...anywhere...and in all honesty, I am pretty sure we'd take anything, anywhere at this point.  So, if you know of any job openings, let Ryan or I know!!!  I am excited but scared as all get-up that my last day before maternity leave is June 25th...this ought to be interesting....

Ahhh...the {heart} of a child.  I love my little Tanner Boy.  He probably knows far too much for a four-year-old, but is so sweet and eager to learn. 

As Ryan and I were discussiong our monthly budget earlier in the day, we mentioned something about our Chase credit card, and Tanner pipped up, "Yeah!  Dad!  Like Cyberchase!!!"  Cyberchase is a show on pbskids.org that he loves to watch.  He apparently inherited my big ears, and was listening to every word...in his own context. 

Tanner - you bring such joy to our family.  We love you so much! 

Family & Friends

Ryan's side of the family held their annual EAPFR and we had a blast!  Seriously, that's what it's called.  It stands for "Earl A. (I always thought the A was for his grandma, Annetta, but it's not) Poulsen Family Reunion"...and it's only taken me six years of marriage to say the letters in the correct order!  Sweet Grandma Poulsen passed away last February, and it wasn't exactly the same without her there, but still nice to get to visit and laugh with relatives. 

We usually hold it at a park, but because of inclement weather, we held it at the church house next to his grandma's house.  I'll be honest...I complained loudly about going, but once there, it was so much fun.  Even for gigantic, pregnant, and critical me.

Here's a sampling of what kept the boys busy:  the craft tables on the stage were fab.u.lous!

Taylor beading...he loved it for about 10 minutes...then he started dropping beads by the handful...

Tanner was incredibly proud of his beaded necklace...he's still wearing it!  Both boys had beads with letter that spelled out their names. 

Each boy got to make pet rocks...I think they're still in the trunk of the car, as we already are growing a rock garden on both front and back porches.

And each of them also made fun foam visors...Tanner was in heaven!  This is only part-way through his visor decorating time...he had so much glitter glue when he finished, I think it's STILL trying to dry. 

We left after a delicious lunch (with too much of Grandma's fudge in my system) and right before the auction, where items are donated and then purchased with proceeds going towards the next year's reunion.

While Ryan stayed to go shooting with a bunch of cousins, I headed out of town for a little get-together with an old high school friend. She was coming out from Virginia for a wedding and reunion, and so we planned a bbq at my parent's house.  Unfortunately the other girls we invited had things come up at the last minute, and the weather was yucky, but we still had some fun.

Never in a million years would I want to go back and re-do my high school years.  I've spent the last 8 years blocking them from my memory.  However, I wish I would have been better friends with many people...and less self-concious about what they thought about me.  That wasted so much time and energy!

I also wish I would have gotten a picture of the two of us and all of our kiddos together, buy we were too busy playing.  Here's what I did get pictures of though...

We braved the mud and gloomy skies to go feed the chickens our swill from dinner...aka, all the watermelon rinds, hot-dog buns, and scraps...

From L to R:  Jacob, my cousin who is staying with my parents for a while, Parker, Taylor and Tanner.  We couldn't get Preston or Paisley to leave their mama's side.

Jacob and Tanner have become 'best friends' as Tanner tells me repeatedly, every day.  This teeter-totter is actually a toy my dad made for us growing up.  Instead of going up and down, you pump or pull with your arms and legs to make it go around, and around, and around, till you are so dizzy you want to puke.  We spent many hours on this as kids...  Tanner and Jacob loved it...I had to literally pry them off when it was time to go inside!  At one point I thought I was off the hook, as they were going so fast I thought they'd FLY off!

Sunday we went to church with my parents, where the boys were fairly decent...and Tanner once again spent his Primary time in Relief Society with me...little turkey.  I have to give it to him though, he was VERY reverent in R. S.  So...why does he struggle in Primary?!?!  

After church, my mom took Katelyn down to BYU Music Camp, Jacob back to his house, and Reed to visit his friend (I am not sure on the relationship status there!) Amy, so it was just me and my boys, my dad, and Deseret.  

Anybody remember this old thing???

Tanner played with Grandma and Grandpa Poulsen's Lite Brite last week, and I was pretty sure my mom kept mine from the 80's, so I used this as bribery for being good in church and eating dinner...

Guess what a little boy THOROUGHLY enjoyed doing after his nap?

I apparently enjoyed it too, because there was an entire package of the black paper refills.

Two is company, but three is a crowd, so I got Taylor playing with Deseret's cash register...

I'm not sure why, but both boys LOVE to play with coins.  Every time you insert a plastic coin in the register's coin slot, it would tell you what it was.  Taylor repeated it...and could probably tell you what all for coins were that he as using.  Little smarty pants of mine! 

We ate a quick bowl of cold cereal for dinner and headed back home, where daddy awaited us.

The only downer of the entire weekend (you know by now that there HAS to be a disaster when I go to my parent's house, right???) was that in my thurough packing of weekend stuff back into the trunk, I forgot my makeup bag...with deoderant, toothbrushes, all makeup, makeup-remover, straightening hair products, bobbypins, EVERYTHING in my toiletry bag...was left on my sister's bathroom counter.  Uggh!

__________

Monday morning I ran to WalMart and got some mascara and deodorant, and that will have to do until someone comes my way to bring my bag to me!!!  Super awesome that I get to teach sewing classes ALL WEEK, EVERY MORNING.  Oh well.  I'm hoping this will be a great time for my pregnancy induced acne to clear up...HOPING.

Carrom

...have you ever heard of it?

While looking for the huge bin of Logo's from his growing up years (Ryan was the Lego KING!), my husband found this awesome game his parents had...

His mom found the instruction booklet which had about 68 different games in it, and most the pieces...She bought it for $7.97 back in the day...(I have no idea what year, but wish I did!)

...Ahhhhh...easy Sunday afternoons at Grandma and Grandpa's house!

Bonding...with MUD

Our ward had its annual Father & Sons outing, in which I shoved Ryan and Tanner out the door to Friday evening.  I think that Ryan was secretly excited...he had a cooler packed with food, the trunk with firewood, and his and Tanner's bags packed before my mom and I even returned to make their tinfoil dinner...of which they did without and ate hot dogs. 

With our AWESOME Idaho weather; rain, cold, and more rain, Ryan went expecting MUD.  And mud he got. 

Our little silver Plymouth Neon is now the BUSH MASTER. 

And while Taylor didn't get left out, because we got to spend some fun one-on-one time together, reading, playing and talking, he didn't go with Ryan and Tanner.  I thought that sending one child was enough of a handful.  However, Taylor didn't want to be left out from our "Father & Sons" picture. 

I love my sweet boys, husband included! 

Decisions

I can't decide.  Both my boys have little knit rompers as their blessing outfits, which are adorable, but since they have their own (and they were both born in December, so their outfits were very warm) I would like this little guy to have is own, and be seasonal...aka: cooler than a thick, knit long-sleeved, long-legged outfit.

I started with the pattern for the first one pictured (obviously to be made in white) but after having put it away and pulling it out a few months later, didn't like the obvious seam in down the front,, or how the collar only went from shoulder seam to center front...

I like the second one, with the pin-tucks, but wouldn't add the bow thingy at the collar.  Could be mid-thigh or ankle length.

I also like the simplicity of the third one...but maybe it's too simple?  I think I would even do the little blue accents and trim, just to add something to it.

What do you all think?  I'm looking for something a little more dressy than a onesie, but I'm really not into the silk/satin tuxedo deal.  I really think babies should be dressed as babies, and tuxes on newborns are just too formal for my taste.

♥♥♥

Added at 10:42 pm:  After purchasing the two bottom patterns tonight, and asking Ryan which one he liked, he said he rather liked the second one, with the pin-tucks down the front!  We must be on the same page, because that is what I was leaning towards.  :)  The only downer:  The pin-tucks are FAKE!  FAKE I tell you!!!  The guide says to layer ribbons for the pin-tuck look, but I WILL NOT be cheated out of my fabulous pin-tucks!!!  So...after some patternwork this weekend, I will hopefully have a darling little white romper sans bow-tie & bonnet, and with REAL pin-tucks...for this little baby boy.  :)  Can't wait!!!  :) 

Thank you all for your suggestions!  It was fun to see what you had to say.  :)  

Creating Memories

For as long as I can remember, our family would spend the morning of Memorial Day clipping daisies and roses and tulips and irises from my mother's beautiful flower beds to be arranged and placed on the headstones of loved ones passed on before us.  We would meet family at the Evergreen Cemetery in Springville, Ut, to reminisce and laugh and cry, and then enjoy the day with each other.

Since moving to Idaho, there are very few of our relatives (mostly distantly related ancestors) who are buried close to us, so Memorial Day has become more of a celebration of our heritage than anything.  Living in Chesterfield does have its advantages...one being the opening of the townsite.  (The website, found HERE  has some room for improvement, but will give you an idea of what the Chesterfield Foundation is about.) 

While the weather threatened to deter us from having any outdoor fun, it didn't stop us from going on with our plans! Here's a breakdown of our weekend fun:

Saturday, May 29th
I spent the morning making surprize treats for a surprise occasion, while also doing laundry.  *Note to self:  While it is nice to leave a clean house while on vacation, it is seldom a good idea to pack everyone's clothes and put laundry away simultaneously.  Let's just say my children were lucky to end up with Sunday clothes for Church.  Taylor ended up with four pairs of pants, one shirt and a pair of socks in his bag...I must have put his pjs and other shirts and socks in his dresser.  

After a quick peanut-butter and jam samwich, we arrived in Chesterfield amid torrents of rain and quickly hauled everything but the kitchen sink from our trunk into the house.  The little boys were lucky to get a horse ride after the big boys finished moving cows, and we had a blast jumping on the tramp, playing in the dirt, and visiting.

The worst part of the weekend, Saturday Night:  (Why does it always involve my child?  And why does it always have to be Tanner?)  After thinking our boys were alseep, Ryan left the bedroom to come back downstairs to visit.  I forget the circumstances of him returning upstairs, but when he saw my sister's light on and realized Tanner wasn't in his bed, he went to find him...and it's a very good thing Tanner's daddy found him, and not his mommy.  Tanner had somehow climbed up Deseret's dresser, and found atop a book case all of her fingernail polish.  See where this is going???  Ryan found Tanner on the floor, painting a little one-inch piggy-thing with a rainbow of metallic fingernail polish...unfortunately for me and my mom and sisters, (not to mention Tanner) there was also fingernail polish drips and puddles and pools all over the carpet.  It took a large bottle sol-u-mel from Melaleuca and my mom, me, Ryan, and Katelyn a good hour of scraping and scrubbing to get the polish out of my mom's light beige carpet.  It took me longer than that to calm down from cussing, crying, and throwing a hormonal tantrum.  I was most upset about the fact that now my son has to have 'supervised' bedtimes...is there no rest for the weary?!

Sunday, May 30th
My dad fixed us the infamous Apple Pancakes for breakfast, then it was off to get ready for church...my boys looked like they had stepped from the pages of j.crewcuts...their ties were that cute.  (still waiting for pictures from my parents' camera of our family pictures...it might be a while before I get them.  :)  )

Church meetings left me thinking long and hard about my children and the unfortunate nail polish event of the night before, and I quickly repented of the nasty things I had said.  I made sure I gave Tanner a hug at every opportunity that day.  Although he was stubborn about staying in primary, he had a nice nap on my lap (well, what's left of it) during Relief Society, which my mom did a fabulous job of teaching about Self Reliance and and being Temporally and Spiritually prepared.

The best part of the weekend, Sunday Afternoon:  Unbeknownst to my dad, we children had planned a simple and small surprise 50th birthday party for him. And although we wanted to surprise our mom with something (her birthday was May 27th), she was also in on the gig. She sent all the men-folk out of the kitchen because there were plenty of women.  Instead of my dad protesting, he gladly went to his library and fell asleep.  How he slept through all of us laughing and making his surprise dinner was beyond us.  My mom had invited a few friends from the area so there were about 30 of us waiting outside when Reed dragged him from his nap, out the front door, and around back....  SURPRISE!!!  And surprised he was!  We had set up for a big BBQ, in the only shade on the entire ranch, and froze while eating outside.  Tricia made delicious salads, and Ryan made his fabulous homemade ice cream (three kinds:  huckleberry, Oreo, and strawberry) and I contributed the Lemon Cakes.  Everyone chipped in to make dinner, including Reed's friend/Stephanie's Roommate, Amy, and Keith and Tricia's friends, Mike and Jen.

 What started as a fun picture of the two of them quickly turned into a funny face contest...

We are incredibly blessed to have such wonderful and loving parents.  Not only do they have strong testimonies of the the gospel, they love each other so much.  They are an incredible example of selfless service, compassion, and dedication to all that they are involved in.

Monday, May 31
The morning was started off with a huge production of popcorn balls to be sold at the townsite...mmmmm!  And then we all headed up the road to watch our awesome dad and his scout troop do the flag ceremony.  After a beautiful tribute for fallen soldiers and ancestors who had gone on before us, it was time for the real fun. (Katelyn and Clay left for EFY, so I really had to step up my game and be a responsible mom.) This year I came prepared with sunscreen, a laid-back attitude, and some comfy walking shoes.

We visited the log store first thing, and walked away spending under $5.  While all proceeds go to improving the townsite and restoring/maintaining historical buildings, it was my secret goal to not over-do it this year.  The biggest hit was the $2 cotton candy that Stephanie made.

We scored some free root beer...  

Also, we made butter and got to eat it with some delicious bread and homemade rhubarb-strawberry jam, saw some neat gun and saddle displays, and walked, and walked, and walked.  And no, I didn't sing as I walked, and walked, and walked.  I instead held up my belly or carried a very tired and whiny Taylor on my back...I wouldn't have made a good pioneer.  

After a windy lunch, we headed home to wash clothes and take naps (Tanner had purposely dumped an entire can of root beer down the front of his only shirt.  I wonder what was going through his tired mind when he did that, "I wonder what will happen if I just hold this can upside-down and watch my brother's root beer pour all over me and the stroller..."

Nap time went by all too quickly, and we then headed outside to watch Keith and Reed and the troops work 11 calves.  (At this point, mom and Deseret were still at the townsite finishing up serving lunch to hundreds of people, and dad was being a blacksmith...making ropes and diamond prairie rings for every child that asked for one.)

It was quite the circus at times, with Keith, Reed, and Stephanie trying to get 11 calves branded, vaccinated, castrated, ear-marked or otherwise wrangled, with the help of Tricia, Amy, Mike, and Ryan. 

 Jen and I tried to stay out of the way in the calving shed with the little boys, but wherever we stood, we were in the way.  My poor brothers were so frustrated...I eventually had to leave; it was too painful to watch it take over an hour to get that work done.

Tricia and Amy were quite the troopers; and Tricia said that giving cattle shots is quite a bit different than Novocaine at the dentist office (she's a dental hygienist)...

I got my 'round-up fix' and took my whiny kids back to the house...and no, I don't think I could have done a better job...it was just funny to watch.

By the time dinner was fixed and we snacked on this and that, everyone was ready to go back home.  I was starting to get cranky, so I began packing everything to stuff in the trunk...as Keith and Tricia and Mike and Jen were getting ready to leave, my husband pulled out the guns...and we had a grand ole' time shooting a collection of water bottles and tuna cans.

And while it's been a few years, I was a pretty good shot.  I got about 3 out of 50 targets.  See that little puff of dirt in the upper right-hand corner?  Yeah.  There's a clear water bottle that just got shot all to heck.  :)

Ryan even let Tanner do a little shooting.

I had to get a picture of the guys and their guns...

I will skip over the pigeon incident, only to say that it was absolutely hilarious, in a sick sort of way.  May he rest in peace.  (The fact that he died is not funny, but the events leading up to his tragic death were humorous.)

The ride home was the shortest drive I've ever had from my mom and dad's house.  I woke up just as we were getting off our exit, and felt like I hadn't even been in the car.  I love those short rides!

It was a wonderful weekend, full of memorable moments, good food, fabulous people, and great learning experiences.

Now, if only I had a day to recuperate after that fun three-day weekend.  It was near impossible to pull myself out of bed this morning.