Park City-Summer 2010

My mom and dad rented a condo in Park City for Labor Day Weekend this year. Everyone was able to come except for Lance (working) and Ava (with Kristie.) Except for those two exceptions, the entire family stayed together in the condo all weekend. The kids had so much fun playing (and occasionally fighting) with their cousins. They got to swim, go on walks in the mountain air, go down the alpine slide, do craft projects, play board games, eat great food and hang out with grandpa and grandma. The adults got to shop at the outlets, go to Swiss Days, play pool, visit and eat tons of yummy food. Thanks to G&G Madsen for such a fun weekend.

1st Day of School

I can't believe it's that time of year again. Here in our new school district, school starts about a month earlier than in LA Unified. I can't really complain. Rachel will be starting 5th grade and Allie, 2nd. The morning started out well and then took an ugly turn (see below)

Allie: Mom, which shoes should I wear?
Mom: How about the black slip-ons?
Allie: No, I'm going to wear my new tennis shoes.
Mom: Are you sure honey? The black shoes will look better with your outfit (inside her head, mom is thinking "if you wear the black slip-ons we will avoid the major tantrum you will most certainly throw if you have to put socks on.")
Allie: No, I'm going to wear my new tennis shoes.
Mom: OK Allie.........go get some socks on......... (mom steels herself for what she knows is about to come)

5 minutes later, and about 2 minutes before we have to leave to go to school:

Allie: Mom, these socks are bugging me, I don't want to wear these shoes.

Mom: Allie, there is no time to change your shoes, you are just going to have to get used to the socks.

Allie: THESE SOCKS ARE BUGGING ME!!!!!!!! I WANT TO CHANGE MY SHOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (repeat this about 50 times while crying hysterically)

Mom: Allie, there is no time to change your shoes, you are just going to have to get used to the socks. (repeat THIS about 50 times while each time the voice gets louder)

Mom: Get your butts out here and let me take your first day of school pictures!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!

If Allie's face looks like she has been crying in her first day of school pictures, it is because she was. She would be crying hysterically and I would point the camera her way and growl, SMILE! She would smile and then go back to crying hysterically. She cried almost all the way down our street to the stoplight. Lucky for her teacher she calmed down on the walk to school and hopefully she has a great first day of school.

I think I'll sit down right now and have a hot fudge sundae.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game????

Snacks purchased before the game: $15
Dodger Tickets: $50
Parking at Dodger Stadium: $15

The look on the face of the woman sitting in front of us when one of the kids dropped their jacket on top of her head and she stood up, yelled at us that our kids are out of control, and moved to another seat: PRICELESS

Some Serious Bed-Head

Someday, he might even be able to give Ross a run for his money. He is not quite there yet, but he might be in line for the throne.

San Diego-Summer 2010

We took the kids to San Diego for a few days before Lance starts working again. We stayed at grandma and grandpa's house. The cousins came over and the kids swam in their community pool all afternoon. We had a great time seeing old friends (friends that we have known for a long time, not elderly ones.) We got to see Grandpa's work at Jack In the Box headquarters and have lunch with him. Jack actually has his own parking space right in front, but he wasn't there when we were so we didn't get to see him in person. We visited the remodeled Mormon Batallion Visitors Center, which I would highly recommend to anyone. We had lunch at Lucha Libre, a gourmet taco shop that Lance had seen on Man vs. Food. Yummy! It was a great trip. We had lots of fun.

SLC-July 2010

Because we finally get to enjoy the same freedoms as other US citizens now that we no longer manage an apartment building, we decided at the last minute to go to SLC to visit my family over the Fourth of July. We stupidly decided to get a really cheap hotel room ($23) in Vegas and drive there after Rachel's piano recital at 8:30 PM on a Sunday evening. BIG MISTAKE. Let's just say that the Imperial Palace isn't "Imperial" or a "Palace." There was a nightclub right outside our window that played thumping techno music that made the beds vibrate until 4:00 AM. I remember looking at the clock at 3:05 listening to a techno version of "I just died in your arms tonight" and thinking that this is what hell will be like. We got up and showered (and yes, there were foreign hairs in the shower) and drove to SLC. My parents were so gracious to let us land on them at the last minute. We had so much fun at their house visiting with family, playing with cousins, eating way too many hamburgers and lighting fireworks in the driveway. We had so much fun that it almost helps me forget about the Imperial Palace.

Techno Savvy Kids

I remember the first computer class I ever attended, IN SIXTH GRADE!!!!! Kids these days have electronic devices in their hands before they can walk. I wouldn't be surprised if some ultrasound technician, doing an ultrasound sometime in the future, records a fetus playing GTA from inside the womb. My four-year-old nephew, upon seeing my mom's new cell phone said, "Grandma, I like your Samsung." He's FOUR for crying out loud. Jackson loves playing Tetris on my iPhone. He loves it so much that he starts yelling out "TETRIS! TETRIS!!! in the middle of sacrament meeting most Sundays. It makes me so proud.