Snake in the Grass...

No, really.


I was mowing yesterday, and as I was going along the back fence (it borders the field/mountain) I thought I saw a mouse darting to the side of the mower. Then suddenly, jumping/climbing/slinking up the fence TOWARD me was a 2 foot long snake. I screamed...er, yelled...I'm not really a screamer...just a yeller. Then, using my ninja swiftness I jumped back, careful to keep that swiftly turning mower blade between me and the snake. It slithered off along the fence and into the neighbor's yard. Then every time I came back down the yard to that neighbor's fence, I found myself checking behind me REALLY carefully, to make sure he didn't try to come back for an encore.

So maybe this will help eliminate the tarantula problem from last year...Question is: Would I rather have snakes, or big spiders?

Mmm...Tough call.

Door Mat...

Lee got a doormat from my mom a while back. It's got this grumpy little British/Alice in Wonderland looking fellow, very serious expression, and the words read:

"Oh Happy Day, Look Who's Here."

Funny enough, right? We like it a lot. I'm trying to convince him to take it to work and put it inside his office door. He won't. He's afraid of offending people?! Whatever.

Today I was cleaning up, and I happened to flip it over to shake it off and noticed the tag on the back. It looks like a regular tag, the kind you'd find on a carpet sample, detailing what the rug is made of, how to care for it, etc. But something caught my eye and by the time I finished reading, I was chuckling. So I decided to share it's tag with you!

"Important things you should know about your new doormat:

Warning: Do not use mat as a projectile. Sudden acceleration to dangerous speeds may cause injury. When using mat, follow directions: Put your right foot in, put your right foot out, put your right foot in and shake it all abut. This mat is not designed to sustain gross weight exceeding 12,000 lbs. If mat begins to smoke, immediately seek shelter and cover head. Caution: If coffee spills on mat, assume that it is very hot. This mat is not intended to be used as a place mat. Small food particles trapped in fibers may attract rodents and other vermin. Do not glue mat to porous surfaces, such as pregnant women, pets, and heavy machinery. When not in use, mat should be kept out of reach of children diagnosed with CFED (Compulsive Fiber Eating Disorder)."

So maybe not super funny...but the line about gluing the mat to pregnant women? Hilarious! The part about the hot coffee? Funny!

Hey...It's my blog...YOU don't have to think it's funny! :D

Happy Father's Day...

So it's a day late...but better late than never, right?

I just wanted to say thanks to my hubby for being such a great dad! He works hard to be so many things: He's a teacher, a playmate, an enforcer, a benefactor, a peacemaker, a provider. I appreciate all you do, on Father's Day, and all year round. Thank you for showing my kids what a great husband and father is! I love you so much...always, forever!

And Happy Father's Day to the dad I miss, and also to the dad I'm lucky to have around! I love you both!

Good News/Bad News...

Last night was pack meeting...We have an amazing Cubmaster, Melinda Mack. She's amazing...she writes original skits for every pack meeting, and always includes any scout winning an award in the skit. It's really cute, and they're so funny! Anyway, last night she held the meeting at her house. Each scout tie-dyed a t-shirt to use as a class B uniform, she built a fire in her fire pit so everyone could make s'mores, and she bought spray paint and sprayed a giant "Twister" game on her lawn. The rows were about twice as long as normal, and then each color repeated again so it was also much wider. It was so fun to watch all the kids playing that I HAD to join in! :D (You could tell other grown ups wanted to play...Because as soon as I did, another 3-4 joined in. So there!) Very fun. (This would be a blast as a YM/YW combined activity, by the way! )

The bad news is...WOW! Am I out of shape. I woke up today and many of my unused "yoga" muscles are a little sore...! Hilarious. Maybe I should see if she'll let me come over and continue my workout for the rest of the month...or at least until she mows the game board off!

I'm loving it...It FINALLY looks like

SuMmEr!!

Fort Herriman Days!

We gathered (conveniently, right at the bottom of our street!) to watch the very exciting Fort Herriman Days Parade Saturday morning, 9:00 am sharp!

Here are my kids...Getting too big for their britches, every single one of them!

(Sydney-12, Megan-10, Spencer-7, Michael-5, and Tory-9)

The fine trick-ridin' police officers of our fair city...They rode single file right past all the kids so everyone could "High Five" them as they passed!

Luke, so well behaved in public. (You saw his head in the soccer pictures from yesterday, too.) We never had a dog we could actually bring places...well, without them barking and straining at the leash every time the saw another dog...or even a person...moving!

Ooh...Fancy...Herriman's royalty!

This entry was funny...Just some random patriotic citizen, decided to enter and walk between two floats...Dressed as an Eagle!

Giant cowboy boots...Just because...

Lee and I had looked at the parade route the night before to make sure it was still going to go past us at the end of our street. That route also showed where the parade entries were supposed to show up to wait...and it said there were entries numbered up to at least 60...!

So we started laughing when we realized EVERY organization at Herriman High School put an entry in! There was a Lacrosse float, a Football float, a Drill Team float, the Marching Band, the Cheerleaders...On, and ON...And good for them! The parade would have been a downer without them!

Down side...? Sitting at the end of the parade. 'Cause everyone was totally out of candy! But all in all, good time had by all!

Having a Ball!

Saturday we had our last two soccer games! We'll miss watching them play, but now our Saturdays can be free for some other fun...Camping, anyone? :D

The situation this year was unique! Both boys had the same coach, and the same jersey color. (Their coach, Shane, is in the picture above...He was great about encouraging the whole team, and giving great, positive feedback to all the kids!) This was an action shot of Michael making a corner kick!

If you look close, you can see Michael up there running for the goal! :D

More of Michael in action...

Okay...I need a refresher in the fairness department! This is the only picture I have of Spencer...sitting out, and eating an orange. (sigh...) Too bad, too...Because he scored his only goal of the season at this game!

Farewell to soccer...It was a riot!

Scoop...

Shameful! How could I let 3 weeks go by without blogging?!

I'd blame it on how busy I am, but...

Okay, but seriously...My little brother left on his mission! He's in the MTC, and in his first letter home, he said it was like Disneyland! (I'm not sure if he's talking about the same Disneyland that I love, but I may beg to differ...) But I am so excited to hear about HIS excitement! And also, some of my kids have already written letters to Cody...Now I can send our first letter. (I'm trying to send something every week...should be do-able, considering there are 7 of us in this house!) Thanks heavens for dearelder.com! Genius!

Sydney has been arranging trips to the temple to do baptism once a week. She and a few of her friends have been going, as part of a personal progress goal, for 3 weeks now. I'm proud of her for taking the initiative to set a goal, and make all the arrangements to keep it. Awesome. She's a pretty special kiddo!

Spencer lost another tooth...Too bad the adult tooth to replace the FIRST tooth almost takes up the entire TWO tooth space...Sorry for the Giant Crabb Tooth Gene!

We're nearing the end of soccer...Spencer and Michael have both been playing this season. Michael is on a team of preschoolers...He's 5 1/2, so he may be the biggest (or one of the biggest!) kid on the team. He is not afraid of the ball. At all. And for the first couple of games it didn't matter WHO had the ball, he would take it and run for the goal. Then we explained that maybe the kids whose shirts were the SAME as his could have a turn with the ball...And now at least he doesn't steal the ball from his own team! :D He is their best scorer, and fun to watch! Spencer has an awesome kick! That ball just flies down the field. He jokes with his friend Tommy, a school friend on his team, while they are out on the field. He's played goalie, and had a truly awesome save where he fell down on his side, arms extended above his head and blocked the ball. Classic. We've enjoyed the games...But not the weather! (Does anyone else feel sad that spring forgot to come?!)

Yesterday Sydney went to swim at her friend's house (yeah, in a REAL pool...!) and so the rest of the kids busted out their swimming suits and squirt guns and raided the back yard. They had fun...But it seemed to cool off pretty fast! It was a win/win...the back yard really needed a little extra water. (Which is crazy, what with all the RAIN we've had...?!)

We've been off track for a couple of weeks now...Just two more days left and we head back for a grueling 14 days before summer! And there is a lot more summer to look forward to, since we are on a traditional schedule next year and that gains us the month of August, too! Yay!

So now you sad people that felt so in the dark (there might be one...), you are pretty much up to date on my "super exciting" days! I'll try and scare up some soccer pictures...that would be fun...!