Hannah Montana Kareoke

Our house has been Karaoke Central ever since Brooklyn got the Hannah Montana CD from Auntie Kamber. SHE LOVES IT and CAN"T GET ENOUGH!!!

Rock Wall Experience

Bronson has been LONGING for the day when he could finally climb the rock wall at the gym. He has been waiting 2 YEARS! Since he was 3(you have to be 5)!! Well, today was the day...and boy it was an experience he will never forget! He climbed up half way and then came down, wanted to climb again,(step in new attendant). Goes up all the way to the top,SO PROUD, and cannot/will not come down. New attendant did not put on the safety rope to pull him down(light weights need to be pulled down, he makes the min weight by 2 lbs.) After about 10 mins trying to get him to push off the side we realize he is not heavy enough! SCARED TO DEATH WAY UP THERE (and I am not afraid of heights but up there it is REALLY HIGH!!) He is gripping the handles so tightly, can't sit down, thinking he is going to fall off and die, CRYING, saying I'm SCARED! SOOOOO SAD!!!! The manager would not let Billy climb up the next one over to get him, nor would she let the attendant go up the stairs inside to tie on the rope to pull him down! She said they would have to call the fire dept, Billy, and Grandpa Bill, who was also there said, "We are the fire dept." But because they "were not in UNIFORM" they could not do it!!! This woman was insane, meanwhile Bronson is still clutching to the side. Poor thing. So the fire dept gets there, manager can't find the key to open the little hidden door. Finally, after being up there for 30 MINUTES key is found, firefighter goes up, ties on rope, and they pull him down. Talk about a traumatic experience!!!! His little hands were red and sweaty from holding on so tight for so long. I FELT SOOO BAD FOR HIM! Unbelievably enough after explaining to him that the harness will hold him and let him down slowly, HE WANTS TO CLIMB IT AGAIN!! He did...like the "Brave Little Toaster" Billy said.

**These pictures do not give the height justice.**

Sept 16th....Baby Bear turns 5

You were just a baby, then I blinked, and now you are a 5 year old KID!! I want to constantly watch you and absorb every moment so I never forget. You are my love, my buddy, my sidekick. I am amazed, everyday, at the incredible knowledge that fills your brain, by the unconditional love for all living things that fills your heart, for the light and joy that is your soul. You are dramatic and emotional yet a steadfast rock. You know of the greatness that lies inside of you....you know where you came from and to where you want to return.....thank you for allowing me to be on this journey with you. I am honored. With endless gratitude, I love you eternally....Happy Birthday Baby Bear....

***Bronson chose to go to Someburros, "happiest place on earth", for dinner, then on a "date" to Fiddlesticks with mom and dad. He had a blast!! Played lots of arcade games, rode bumper boats, go carts, went on a few rides, ate ice cream. Perfect night of birthday fun!

Slide Rock

We took the kids to slide rock in Sedona this past weekend. The water was COLD but it was so fun! We drove up to the cabin, outside of Flag, from there. THAT DRIVE IS GORGEOUS!!! The next day we did a little exploring in Sedona and then in Jerome, an old mining town (Billy and I had never been there). Great weekend, cool to explore new places....

Old Age...

Brooklyn is constantly asking me "Was........ invented when you were little?" (Insert things such as the telephone, cars, hairspray, blow dryers, music, etc.) and "Were you alive in.........?" (insert off the wall years like 1700, 1915, 1833, etc.) and "Were the dinosaurs still alive when you were born?" She always wants to know what was NOT invented when I was little. She knows how old I am, yet she asks these questions! in fact, if someone asks me how old I am she will answer faster than I can. It is sooo hilarious that she thinks I am that ancient! Maybe, the lady at the make up counter was on to something when she asked if I wanted to try some anti-aging cream.....

Q & A with Kids....

Funny question from a Science Q & A Session with children...

Q: What does the word "benign" mean?

A: Benign is what you will be after you are eight.

You are a keeper....

I am passing this on to all the "keepers" in my life......

I grew up with practical parents who had been frightened by the Great Depression in the 1930's. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it, before it was fashionable, or politically correct....A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barley a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, dish towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things: a curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven, a hem in a dress. Things we keep. It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy! All that repairing & renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there would always be more. But then my father died, and on that cold fall night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't anymore. Sometimes what we care about gets all used up and goes away....never to return. So, while we have it it's best we love it...and care for it...and fix it when it's broken...and heal it when it's sick. This is true for marriage...and old cars...and old friends...and children with bad report cards...and lonely neighbors...and dogs and cats with bad hips...and aging parents & grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with...Like a beloved family member, no matter how close or far away. Those are the things that make life important...people we know who enrich and bless our lives, those who participate in making precious memories with us...ALL those we love.

I think of you in this way, you are my "keepers".

Good friends are like stars...You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

I guess Wisdom begins with Wonder.....

I have a few different pictures like this from when my kids were small. Either too small to go out alone, too hot, etc. I love it!!! This day you just stood there for the longest time, looking out...I know those wheels are turning. I wonder what are you thinking about....I WONDER IF you know how much I absolutely ADORE you....I WONDER if you know WHO YOU ARE and what you are capable of....I WONDER IF you know that inside this little body of yours lies a great WISE soul full of ENDLESS POSSIBILITY and UNLIMITED POTENTIAL....I WONDER IF you know how I long for your true HAPPINESS....I WONDER IF you know I will always be here with open arms waiting....I wonder what you are wondering.....You are wise beyond your years, I think you know....

New Brand of Bluetooth...

"Hello, How can I help you? What's your favorite color?" (a common phrase at our house-said really fast while plugging nose to sound like a gossipping, bubble gum popping, hair twirling operator-you know the kind) I have NO IDEA why we buy the kids toys!- They unfolded a few large paper clips and spent the whole afternoon "talking" to each other on their "Bluetooth". These are the SIMPLE LITTLE EVERYDAY THINGS that I LOVE!!

**I apologize if you call and that is what you hear when they answer the phone- it sometimes happens followed by tons and tons of giggles.... :)

The Incredible "Hank-A-Nater"

Wrestling.... 1st day (Monday) LOVED IT....DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE...Asked everyday "Do I have wrestling today?? Please oh please, I hope!".... 2nd day (Thursday) got SLAMMED a few times by a "more experienced, aggressive, & older (6 1/2 yr old) wrestler"(Hank is sill 4 yrs.)....cried, got hurt...not sure he still likes it....wrestle with dad, gain more confidence...he's back....The INCREDIBLE HANK-A-NATER! :)

The pose.....

Bronson is such a lover of animals. Usually in the am he will inform us "today we are ...." and then we have to act the part for the whole day-"mommy big horn sheep", "daddy BHS", "sister BHS", & "baby BHS" (Bronson of course). But he really loves stuffed animals- it doesn't even have to be furry-plastic, rubber, whatever he loves em'. They all have names and life stories (like Baby Bear, whose real mother died of breast cancer so Curly (new mom) and I adopted him, and his dad, Mah Meow (like Mac with no "c") is an Army, Air Force doctor and an Ultimate Fighter who also likes to sing in the choir at church). Then there is "Sabeebah Severvan" a plastic cow that he rubber bands to the vacuum to help me every time I clean, cuz he is the "cleaning cow". He puts them down for naps everyday, (during which we have to be really quiet) feeds them, bathes them, etc. Every time I go to Costco he has to have one of the boxes for their "crib". Animals are a huge part of his world! He just loves them! Since I am a total picture taker it's no wonder it has rubbed off on my kids. They are always saying "mom look, take a picture". And at least once a year our loft is turned into "my Studio" for portraits. So for Bronson it is only natural to have "a studio" of his own with the ones he loves most- his animals! He is always posing them around the house, ever so gently and with much thought so everyone can be seen, and no one gets left out. And if I have not taken a picture of the latest pose none of the animals can be moved. If they are on his bed he will sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor! I love that he is so sweet and sensitive!!! If this is any indication of the kind of father he will someday be then we must have done something right!!

"Sabeebah Savervan"

Childhood OBSESSION!!!

I remember a few things that I absolutely loved to do as a kid, and did practically everyday, none of which involved a computer. Okay I did play "Super Nintendo" but most of the time we would play outside and be completely entertained for HOURS! One of the most common phrases you will hear at our house other than "I'm hungry" is..."Mom, can I go on Webkinz?" Sometimes I hear it so much I threaten...."If I hear that one more time....." AHHHHH!!!! If your kids are not into Webkinz don't worry, they will be soon enough! Brooklyn is TOTALLY OBSESSED!! She will get on the phone with a friend- YES SHE LOVES TO TALK ON THE PHONE (I am soooo in trouble!) and then get on Webkins and play with her friends while on the phone! She is way too young for that! For those who don't know, you buy these stuffed animals that come with a code then go online to play. I will admit it actually is a pretty cute website. You play all sorts of games and you can get a "job" to earn money to buy your pet food, vitamins, clothes, a room, furniture, TVs, scooters....you know all the pet essentials.... It is supposed to teach kids how to take care of a pet, you must feed it, take it to the vet, play with it, walk it-much better than having the real thing! And also teaches money management- which Miss B has definitely improved on. At last look I think she was up to about $12,500. She is sooo good on the computer it is scary!!! She has a pretty busy schedule between dance, piano, yoga (so cute!), racquetball, and homework. I know she needs the down time and I guess I would rather her do Webkinz and and learn a little something than watch TV. She is turning 8 in Sept, I bet you can't guess what she had on her birthday list.....yes.....OBSESSION.....

This is for all the Mom's....

I was sent this e-mail by my friend Natalie. It is an ebay auction that already ended but it is a must read! The description of the item she is selling is toooo funny! She has a really great sense of humer! Suddenly going to the grocery store-NOT my favorite chore-with 2 kids doesn't seem so bad. Although at times it probably would not made a difference if I had 6 kids or not because it felt like it. I know you can all relate! I also MUST APOLOGIZE TO MY MOM-who DID have 6 kids- for all those times when I DELIGHTED in making her crazy! I remember those "2 cart shopping trips" well-especially the one when she lost her wedding ring at the store, no, she never found it. SORRY! I love you http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130144061675#description

"Championships"

I'm not quite sure how this came about but just about everyday Billy is off is "Championship Day". Bronson mentioned he wanted to be "a soccer championship" someday. He is really into sports- all kinds, and pretty much anything he tries he is good at. So it began with the soccer championship, then wrestling, baseball, golf, running, racquetball he told me today.... I can't think of them all but pretty much any sport you could name and there would be a "championship" for it. So funny to hear the announcement after dinner on what the championship for the day will be. :)

High School Musical Mania

Brooklyn & best friend Declyn (sorry, I didn't have those extra batteries!)

Brooklyn waited and counted down for months for HSM 2. She had a screaming, cheering, singing, dancing, candy eating, pj & pillow party at friend Natalie's. On the way there she told me she was so excited her tummy hurt and was grumbly-I was hoping it was really the excitement and not the flu....it was. Only too bad for me because my batteries went dead on my camera so i was at the mercy of the other photo taking parents to capture the excitement and fun. Her favorite thing about the party was... "the CHEETOS! I concentrated on those! I concentrated on the grapes, and the kettle corn, and the gummy worms, oh and the licorice.........(pause) Oh yeah and I liked the movie too, a lot." (Can you tell we don't do a lot of sugar at our house... and we don't do Cheetos) You can spot Miss B... she's wearing the "I lOVE TROY" pj's :)

Dog?.... Oh I know him...

Our last day in Hawaii after checking out we had some time to kill. I thought it would be so funny if we could go visit Dog...the Bounty Hunter. I knew his office was in Honolulu so we called info to get the number! When I called the office to find out their location, who do you think i talked to? "Baby Lisa"of course-(you know who I am talking about if you have ever watched the show) :) Okay at this point Landon, Kielee, and I (poor Billy had to go home 1 day early to work) are driving down the freeway in Honolulu, not knowing the way around, CRACKING UP!!! We actually found it and HE WAS THERE! After talking to one of the guys who worked for him he said it would be a bad day for visitors (because of some horrible "plumbing issues") but we could look thru the window. There they were Baby Lisa, wife Beth, who I did see really up close and let me tell you, she is every bit as voluptuous as she appears on tv-Hee Hee, his kids-who raised up the blinds to see Bronson, couple other guys-don't know their names...and DOG! We were trying to get pics with him using Bronson as our bait, but that didn't work out. And i couldn't bring myself to take pics of them thru the window, i thought that would be rude, and besides who wants to deal with the possibility of upsetting Dog? Not me. Okay, I am totally a dork... but it was a really fun adventure!!

Dive Oahu

So my dad, Kash, Landon, Kielee, Billy, & I all got certified to dive. We did about 6 dives. So incredible! It is a completely different world down there! We saw so much! Even snokling you put your face into the water where it is 2 feet deep and it is as if you are in an aquarium! Oahu has some of the best diving in the world we've been told! TONS of beautiful fish of every color, shape and size, morey eels, sea turtles, manta rays, octopus, even a shark! Okay now the picture DOES NOT give it justice. When you are 12 feet away from a 7 foot shark-IT'S BIG! I actually had to back up quite a bit to fit it into my camera view. We also did a ship wreck dive which sat at about 90 feet. So cool and creepy at the same time. The water was so clear as we went down about 5-10 feet all of a sudden you could see to the bottom! And BOOM-there was the ship! You could actually swim through it! Check out the eel with the HUGE RAZOR scary teeth. It was in a hole that we had just rubbed up against a few minutes prior to take pictures! While at the ship wreck we saw a school of Manta Rays- how majestic and graceful they were! Pretty cool to play with the puffer fish, just a squishy big blobby ballon! Aunt Debbie got a pretty cool "hickey" from an octopus! It was kind a weird feeling to be an "ousider" and to watch these magnificent creatures as they,well... just exist. After being in "thier world", seeing how complex everthing is... creatures so amazingly different living with and around each other, helping one another to survive. I couldn't help but have an overwhelming sense of humility knowing that these things did not just "end up this way". How, by the Master's hand, it was all created in perfect order. What a BLAST!!!

Watch for MARS...

Planet MARS is coming! It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will culminate in August. The best visibility will be on AUGUST 27th at 12:30 AM(just after midnight)when Mars comes within 34.65 million miles of earth. Be sure to watch...It will look like the earth has 2 moons! Share with your friends because no one alive today will have the chance again. The next time Mars may come this close will be 2287!

CONGRATS Mr. & Mrs. Robinson!! Laie Beach, Hawaii

One thing that was really important to do while in Hawaii was to get some good family pictures. I think it has been, well since I was about 5 or 6 since we have had a real family picture. And since I am paparazzi mom, I of course wanted some good ones!(Paparazzi meaning when I pick up prints at Costso, the photo guy does not hand me an envelope- he hands me a box! Literally!!) My dad scouted out the perfect location-Pounder's Beach-great backdrop. So we are all matching, starts to rain on the way there. Still raining as we wait in the car while my Aunt Debbie & fiance Tatsuo talk to who we thought was the photographer. We get out hoping it will let up and we see Debbie pulling these incredibly gorgeous leis out of the trunk. How perfect! Then she says "Surprise!! We are getting married!!" We were TOTALLY SURPRISED!! The scenery was stunning! As if by divine intervention-I'm positive, the clouds parted and the rain stopped. It was a traditional Hawaiian ceremony during which they explained a little about culture, traditions, etc. It was so special, so intimate. I felt so honored to be apart of this. I love our "Auntie Mom" so much! It fills my heart with indescribable joy that Debbie has found Tatsuo. He is an incredible person, probley the most kind, accepting, positive person I have ever met. I can't wait to get to know him even better. After the ceremony we took pictures, I can honestly say it was SO FUN! Maybe it was the atmosphere, the place, the wedding, I felt so incredibly close to each member of our family. We laughed, we played, we got all sandy & wet, the smiles were not posed but totally genuine. I will never forget those feelings, the immense love I felt, or....Landon's model poses with all the little boys joining in...or the "other pose"(see pic of Billy & Landon(enough said-we were all laughing hysterically)! As we were getting in the car to leave it started to rain again. I was so GRATEFUL and humbled for this incredible experience. We are so blessed, Thank you Father....

Happy 4th!!

For the last few years, maybe because of the turmoil our country is in regarding the sanctity of our freedom, I have felt SOOO incredibly BLESSED to be an American! I have the overwhelming desire for our children to fully understand what freedom means, what this country was founded on and the unbelievable sacrifices that were made. I felt such deep gratitude every time I saw the flag outside our window. We went to my parents house for a good ole American BBQ/swim party. Kash, our pyrotechnics guy, stopped by New Mexico for some "supplies". $100 sure buys a lot of REALLY GOOD fireworks!! We didn't really expect them to be "professional strength" and "audible from here to the Grand Canyon". I'm telling you HUGE... LOUD...we thought for sure someone was going to be arrested! But... SUCH A BLAST... one of the best celebrations ever (2nd to Montana when I was 14ish where fireworks are actually legal).(Sorry, no pics of the big guys, I was in such shock at the magnitude!) The kids were in the pool & inseparable with cousins until about 10:30pm! What an Amazing day!! Sad for who Billy missed all the fun-at work. :( But... if you think you hear fireworks sometime in the near future... look our your window-you probley do.. we reserved some for Billy! :) So thankful to be an American!!!