Alright - this title totally dates me as I remember that phrase from Captain Kirk. I was not a "trekky" by any stretch of the imagination, but I did think that Captain Kirk was pretty cool and that Spock had some interesting ears. Anyway, time for my update!
So Tyler went on the Pioneer Trek. It was really great for him. I believe that he will truly believe that when he is my age and even offer to be a "Paw" at that time. I've told him that "all these things are for your experience" so learn, but I'm just the mom and Tyler hasn't yet reached the "Wow, Mom is so smart. When did that happen?" stage of his life. I am sure that it will be sometime in year number 20 of his life. Looking forward to that.
He really wasn't excited to go to Trek, but went without complaint as THAT was one of the things he had to agree to do if he went on the previously mentioned California trip. So he dressed like a pioneer and filled his bucket and was on his way. I was such a good mom that I even bought him a pair of PINK "dance pants" for the ho down happening on the Trek's "Saturday night" (thank you Value Village). Tyler tried on these "dance pants" at home and they fit him just right. He even tried a few dance moves for the family - they were all along the lines of the movie "Hitch". I can tell you that he had the family doubled over with stomach pain as we laughed and laughed and laughed! What a funny guy. Wish I got pics of that or a video. THAT would have been funny for all to see. Unfortunately, he did not change into his dance pants for the ho down. Those kids really missed out on a good time. The dance pants are retired never to be worn by him again. I will have to replay that memory over and over in my mind to keep it fresh. Don't want to let go of that image EVER!
Tyler did end up having a good time. Can I just say, "I told you so!" I think the day he bonded and enjoyed the most was the Trek's Sunday. They had testimony meeting and mail was delivered to them by Pony Express. Tyler had three letters one from me, one from Mike and one from my parents on a mission. He also bonded with his Maw, Paw and the rest of the family then. When we went to pick them up the next day, several leaders came to Mike and I to tell us what a great person Tyler was. Hello! I knew that! I was glad that they found it out too. He really is a unique teenager compared to the teens of my youth. All these youth are unique. They completely impress me (mostly).
After the Trek it was school shopping time. That is always fun on the checkbook. It used to be a little difficult for me because they'd want this and then they'd want that. Brigam isn't so bad because I can shop in the little boy's department for him and the clearance racks. Jeremy has his own idea about what school attire should be - it is mostly shorts. I did talk him into 1 pair of jeans though. Mykie, I have learned, does not want to hurt my feelings so we'll buy somethings that she will NEVER wear (but of course, she has to remove the tags and wash them. Ugh!) I have to tell her that I don't care if I like it or not, if she likes it - she will wear it. Stop worrying about my feelings. The only time you should worry about my feelings is when I feel mad seeing something in your closet that you lead me to believe that you liked, but you really didn't! (that was a mouthful!) Tyler still goes shopping with me and likes it. I am serious - he does. (If you are confused - see above statement about unique teenagers.) I do have a hard time paying bouco bucks for a tee-shirt, but it has become much easier for me to do so. I say, "Tyler (or whomever I am working with), you have X amount of dollars to spend. Do with it what you'd like, but remember that shoes have to come out of it as well, if you need them right now." Then it is a stress-free shopping experience. Until Mike gets the bill.
Any who - Mykie finished up on her swim team last week with an "all team" meet at the Pasco pool. This is a sport that she really enjoys a lot and she's really pretty good at it. I hope that she would do swim team, volleyball and softball in her high school years. She would love to get back into gymnastics, but paying those fees are CRAZY!
A couple of weeks ago she was showing me the different strokes in our TCCC pool. I knew when I was doing them right because my muscles were screaming, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!?!?! WE JUST FLOAT IN HERE, REMEMBER?" They are tough, but so is she.
Last week we went on our one and only summer camping trip as a family. Or as a group of families. We went with the Nielsens for 4 days and 3 nights up at Hood. We usually go 3 times in the summer, but June was so busy for me at work, July everyone in the family was going their separate ways and August was the only month that had any days that would work. Sad but true, summer is truly at an end.
I've included some pics from our camping trip because we had so much fun together. By the way, if you want to go camping for the peace and quiet, to listen to the birds, for the campfire on a cool summer's night - Hood is NOT the place. but if you enjoy listening to the running traffic from the near-by freeway, roasting from the heat until about 5:00 am, dodging the night sprinklers and trying to keep your foodstuffs away from the rapid :) raccoons - HOOD IS THE PLACE FOR YOU! Just FYI.
Pam and I really enjoyed ourselves in our outside kitchen cooking away for each and every meal. Actually, we really did except if our "shade-people" wouldn't move the E-Z Up Shade Shelter for us quick enough to block the sun's shine!
This little video came about because of all the talk about a talent show - and what would you do? This is what Jeremy, Devin and Courtney would do:
Pam and I may have missed out on 2 days of Kickboxing at the TCCC, but our abs certainly got a workout on the beach this day. I ended up having to put the camera down and say, "Enough, enough - no more pictures!
Jeremy and Devin were working on their most glorious GQ poses for Pam and I. I will leave most of them out because mostly you wonder what they are thinking when they struck that certain pose. But here are two for the world to have.
Devin - What is that line down the middle of your ribs? Unique - see what I mean?
Jeremy says, "The Beach is That Way!!!" This is his favorite pose people!
OK, OK, I'll throw one more in. Strike a pose(r) you two!
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Do you think I could use this one as future blackmail material?
Here are
Mykie and Rachel showing us how they really feel about each other. They truly do love each other - it's just sometimes it doesn't show so much on the outside. But we caught the true just of their relationship!
This is cute Ashley. She is so darn adorable (inside and out). That is all I will say about that. Someone might read my blog and then would read my mind about the future. Enough said.
Here are the kids with Mike playing King of Big Bertha. The trick was to turn the tube over to get the next king in his throne. All the kids tried, but as you can see - Mike is reigning King. He was de-throned eventually, but then the game was over. Can we say sore-loser? Or just "whew, that wore me out!"
And here is one of my cute-pie Briggy. I can't resist that one!
We had a great time together and even talked about a family trip to Lagoon next year. Then we remembered that we'd have to take the kids and Pam and I spoke of a girl's night over-nighter. Yeah, THAT sounds relaxing!
Yesterday was Stake Conference. Elder Willams (of the Quorum of the Seventy) came to speak to us. He's a great, down to earth speaker. I am more motivated to attend the temple now.
One of the things that another speaker said stuck with me as well. He told the story of a guy (Brother X) that was up on the stand. As he was there, he looked down at the congregation and saw a man in the back totally asleep with his head rolled back and his mouth hanging wide open. Above him was a skylight. Brother X on the stand started thinking if he could get up to the roof and open the skylight above the sleeping man, he could take little balls of paper and drop them directly into the sleeping man's mouth. His thoughts went along these lines for some time.
After the meeting was over and everyone was filing out, he overheard one congregation member say to another, "We were certainly spiritually fed at that meeting today, weren't we?" and the man who had been sitting on the stand thought to himself, "Where were you Brother X when the spiritual feast was served?"
The lesson? It doesn't matter if the speaker is boring or what the circumstances are. If you have come to be spiritually fed at church, our Father will feed you. You must prepare yourself. Great lesson!
Enjoy your last days of summer!
