The Boy Scouts Of America (or (better titled) Things That Can Make A Parents Job Harder)

Tonight we attended a Court of Honor. For those of you who don't have scouting aged boys, that is where the boys are awarded their patches for the merit badges they have earned. Lots of boys LOVE scouting. My boys do not. It all started with Tyler. He was enjoying scouting until about 7th grade. Uniforms, respect, helping little old ladies across the street - now in 7th grade these things are not cool (I think he also had a few leaders that didn't like scouting at all and some that were 110% scouting FOREVER. I think visiting those two ends of the spectrum in 2 years was too much for our Tyler.) I admire those that face their crowd of peers and say that they actually enjoy scouting. Personally, I think scouting is great because it gives opportunities for the boys to gain experience and knowledge about many, many, many things without having to dive totally into something with no understanding of it at all.

Tyler FINALLY earned his Eagle. We are so proud that he did it, but kind of sad because he really didn't enjoy the journey. In fact, he doesn't even want a Eagle Court of Honor even if there is dessert involved. He just wants us to be off his back about it.
Jeremy is kind of along the same lines as Tyler, but only because of Tyler's attitude. I tell him that it is OK to like scouting because of the many faucet's it can open up to him. Just because Tyler doesn't enjoy it doesn't mean Jeremy doesn't have to enjoy it. These guys are as different as night and day so why do they have to agree on this one thing? Deep down, I think he does enjoy it, he just doesn't want Tyler to think he's not cool.

Brigam, on the other hand LOVES scouting. He's only 6, but every time we go to something that has to do with scouting, he has to wear the old Cub Scout Shirt and Neckerchief. He loves the uniform and looks forward to the day that he will get to be in scouts. Let's hope this sticks.

Like I said, scouting is great when you don't have to berate! What makes your job harder?

Your Best Reason For Blank Blogs

The following is the #1 reason why I have been lame on blogging this week.

Vinyl orders abound at my house. My back makes me feel like a 90 year old woman - where hunched over is a natural posture. For those of you who don't know the process, vinyl comes in a big long roll. My uber-smart computer allows me to write (or should I say design to sound artsy-fartsy) whatever I want in whatever font I want in whatever height I want and then sends it to my vinyl cutter. The vinyl cutter lovingly cuts out the design and then the rest is up to me. I have to "pick" away the extra vinyl leaving the great design. It is a beautiful thing when it is done (I love walls that talk to you), but it is a time consuming, back bending process.

I had to break yesturday for a quick workout at the gym and spent sometime trying to put my back back on one of those large workout balls. I'm glad no one was watching but my friend Dacia. Dacia already thinks I am a geek, so I don't have to pretend not to be one anymore when I am around her. Lucky her. She gets me in all my naturalness.

I am back at the vinyl machine this morning - these creative juices cannot be stopped!

F.H.E.

Well, for those of you who brave FHE and have everyone still in attendance with no tears by the end of it – my hat’s off to you and I’d like to know just how you pull it off! Usually, I strive so hard for the Spirit to be in attendance that I usually offend about 1/3 of those at FHE with my orneriness. Then that 1/3 is sent to their room with reminders that they will be getting NONE of the delicious treats that were going to be handed out to those who actually made it through the “joyful family time” which means that I have to pull something out of the pantry to make those being punished salivate. It’s usually just some old store bought cookies that no one really likes the flavor of anyway because it’s not Oreos. Needless to say, the Spirit is no where in feeling (I was going to say in sight, but it just doesn’t work with the Holy Ghost.)
There is one reason and one reason only that we had a super successful FHE on Sunday – that reason was Tyler. Yes, ours in Sunday. Monday always looks like a great day for FHE until it gets to be about 9:00 pm and it still isn’t done. Tyler’s lesson was on the Armor of God. Not only did we find out what each piece of armor spiritually represented, but we proceeded to make it out of super-strong, super shiny tinfoil. Then we took photos(all Tyler's idea). My warriors….

Aren’t they looking like they are definitely the victorious types? I thought I’d share my successful FHE will you all complete with the pics. Tyler is available for loan for your next FHE, just make sure the treats are homemade and delicious!

What are you Thankful for?

Last night we went to a Kennewick East Stake performance called CELEBRATE AMERICA

It was truly unbelievable the talent that is hidden in one
stake. We actually were going because Mykalyn was in the children’s group.
(Sorry the pictures are so bad; I am trying to get Mike to cough up the dough to buy a cool camera like Lees! I am using the old “if you take enough bad pictures, they are going to help you do it right” routine.)
Mykie is in the back row, third one in. It was pretty cool on this song
(Nifty Fifty) because they were holding cards that actually made up the flag of the Good Ol’ USA. They did a great job and had two numbers.
This next couple, Fred and Pat Dixon, have just celebrated their 43 wedding anniversary. They had 4 daughters and now have 13 grandchildren and even some great grandchildren. They sang some cute “the art of raising parents” songs. One was called “Never Say No”. I thought this song was so cute and really so revealing of what happens when a parent says “NO” that I had to include the lyrics with it:

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! Dog's got to bark, a mule's got to bray. Soldiers must fight and preachers must pray. And children, I guess, must get their own way The minute that you say no.

Why did the kids pour jam on the cat? Raspberry jam all over the cat? Why should the kids do something like that, When all that we said was no?

My son was once afraid to swim. The water made him wince. Until I said he mustn't swim: S'been swimmin' ever since!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! Dog's got to bark, a mule's got to bray.
Soldiers must fight and preachers must pray. And children, I guess, must get their own way The minute that you say no.

Why did the kids put beans in their ears? No one can hear with beans in their ears. After a while the reason appears. They did it cause we said no.

Your daughter brings a young man in, Says "Do you like him, Pa?" Just say that he's a fool and then: You've got a son-in-law!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!Sure as the June comes right after May!Sure as the night comes right after day! You can be sure the devil's to pay The minute that you say no.

Make sure you never say...No!

Doesn't saying “NO” sometimes give you a scary kind of feeling of things to come?
There was this fun women’s trio that sang Boogie Woogy Bugle
Boy. They were energetic and full of smiles. Mykie and I loved this group. She told me about it at all her practices.
There were tons of performances by groups and great soloist that sang Summer Time and hit those high notes in a fantastic way, but the best (or most entertaining) was the Young Men’s Quartet. They didn’t sing, as much as they lip-synced and danced.

The dancing was so great. It was reminiscent of the 70’s in style, but it was choreographed so well. The boys are part of the “in-crowd”, but weren’t afraid to be silly and entertain us all! I wish I had it on video so I could share it with you all. You’d all get a good laugh!

The only downfall for the evening was Brigam. He kept saying, “I hate singing” and hang his head. I did get him to pose for one picture, but as you know pictures can say 1000 words. Brigam’s says boredom!

It was a great performance ending with the song “Proud to be an American” were the audience was invited to “stand up” and sing with the entire cast on the last chorus. That is one of my favorite songs and always fills me with pride and a host of goose bumps on the arms. I do love America and feel so blessed to be here. What a great show to kick off the Thanksgiving season to remind us that we do have so much to be thankful for!

Enjoy your day and don’t forget to say “thanks” for the blessings that are your own!

Fore!

If there is one activity that Brigam is always up for, it would be GOLF with dad! When I see them go off golfing, it reminds me of that Primary song “My Daddy is my Favorite Pal…” He thinks it is the funnest sport!
I, on the other hand, feel quite differently. For one, golf is a very expensive sport. Apparently six year olds don’t cost that much, that is why Brigam is getting to go all the time, but 28 year olds are FULL PRICE all the time – even if they are cute! My second reason for not enjoying the hitting-the-puny-little-ball-with-the-puny-little-stick game is because I don’t see the need to pay for frustration. Geez, I am the mother of 4 children, a wife, I have a teen-tiny, less than part-time job, and a craft business on the side (can you say “vinyl” anyone?) I don’t need to pay for frustration, I get it for free.
Anyway, back to Brigam and his love for the sport and all its facets. He also wants to dress that way. Here’s one of him getting ready to have his own clubs put in the car.

The next is a better view of that “golf” hat.
No, he doesn’t wear that because he wants his ears warm. He’d wear that in the dead of winter. But it is his “golfing” hat – plaid and all. Thanks to Grampa Anderson (and Aunt Hermona) – wearing that hat is the cherry on top of a great golf session!

Compute-TARDS

As much as I love computers - I really hate them just as much. The more I do, the more I have to lose. One of our computers opens up in Windows 2000 even though it also has Windows XP on it. I have avoided switching over to XP because I didn't have the XP version of Microsoft Office and didn't want to fork out $200 for it. The computer could only be patient for so long. Now when I try to boot up in 2000, it tells me it's missing a file. But it will boot up in XP, but there are none of my files on it. I don't know where the missing file went too, but I would like to file a missing file report. Unfortunately, I think I would have to direct my questions about the missing file to the XP portion of my computer and I really think that XP is responsible for it's disappearance. I don't think XP will look into the case to deeply. Stupid compute-tards! Now I will have to go outside in the cold to my money tree and harvest some leaves to go shopping.

Halloween and other Scary Things

Well, the BIG night is over and the fun has now just begun! Mykie was ever fashionable in her "birthday" heelys making for the perfect illusion of a floating witch. Make-up curtosy of Mykalyn Productions. Pretty good for her first go with make up (by the way, that is why she'll have to wait until 12 to wear the real stuff. Anyone remember the 80's and all that blue eyeshadow?) She had a great time with her girlfriends and brought home way too much candy.

Brigam was our scary vampire (not Dracula, for some odd reason I haven't figured out). He did want the make up until we got into it, then he fought me all the way. It was worse when we tried to scrub it off in the shower. I am sure that he profusely thanked Heavenly Father in his prayers last night that he wasn't a girl and had to do that every day! He loved trick-or-treating. It was just he, Mike and I trick or treating which was reminisent of those earlier Halloweens with Tyler. He was very polite to the trick-or-treatees running from the houses after he got his loot saying, "I said thank you mom!" He loved the fact that he got a stash of sugar of his very own. He did share one cherry flavored tootsie pop with me. Very thoughtful after all the walking we did last night.

So those were scary things, but the following was the scariest of them all:

Tyler goes to his first Homecoming. He's so handsome, Kelsey Carver is a knock out and my baby is off and in the dating world. I guess that before now he was in the dating world, but now he's all dressed up and looking so old. It was a double date and they had a great time. Appearantly, Tyler tore it up on the dance floor (I don't know if everybody else thought that he tore it up too, but he said that he did utilize some of the moves showcased in the movie Hitch. I think that the moves were the ones that were banned by Will Smith's character, mind you.) It's weird watching your kids grow sometimes. Brings back some memories - some fond, some not so fond. But I am so glad that he is who he is. He is an awesome guy that will be an awesome man! Stuff for you all to look forward to my friends!