July Recap....BMX

Our neighbors had been telling us for a while about a BMX track up in South Jordan. It is actually a "park" owned by Salt Lake County, but run by a group of BMX enthusiasts. There is one evening a week you can go do practice runs, and then another evening to go and do the races. The outdoor track is open from late spring until the end of September, and then the winter season moves to a couple of larger nearby events/equestrian centers....I guess they just share it with the horses(?!). At the beginning of the race evening, they do a little thing called the "Big Wheel". It's a short race at just the end of the track for the younger kids to give them something to do and basically to build up their enthusiasm and "start 'em young"! They separate the kids into age groups, give them a countdown and push, and then at the end, they ALL get a trophy! The best part is the "big wheel" is FREE!

So in July, right before Jared's 5th BDay, we decided to go for it. We got to the track in hopes of Jared doing a couple of practice runs....well, in order to do a real practice run, you have to sign up for a race and pay. Since we weren't doing that, Ron asked if he could push Jared out on the last turn and bumps on the track a couple times between practice groups, and they were okay with that. Jared LOVED it! The concentration on his face was awesome, and he did really well....especially considering he has a regular heavy Huffy BMX bike from Toys R Us and not a "race" BMX bike. When it came time for his "race" he lined up, they said go, Ron gave him a push, and he left all the other kids in the dust! He. was. thrilled!



They gave him the trophy and he just stood there facing the bleachers holding it up so the crowd could see as if there was a ceremony or something. I still tear up thinking about how absolutely fantastic it was that he was so proud of what he had done! Oh, how I love this kid!


Jared really wanted to go back up and do it for real....but the start ramp really freaked me out....about a 2 1/2 story drop, and pretty steep for a five year old! You do get a one-time free "try it out" race before you pay the $45 yearlong membership fee to the American Biking Association-BMX, so maybe this winter we'll hit the indoor track....

For anyone in Utah that wants to check it out, here's their site. For everyone else, here's the national site where you can look and find a BMX track near you!

Ellie's Double Take

On the "Picture Rock" in Yankee Boy Basin, San Juan Mountains of Colorado
Taken in August of 2006 and 2008

What a cute little stinker. Check out those rolls and dimples on her legs at 6 months! But her smile is still a winner, as always. I think we'll just keep taking pictures at this rock of her and eventually we'll have six Ellie's all photoshopped together!

Updated forecast....

It's getting even better...I won't copy the 7 day this time, but Sunday's high is now 39 with 2 snowflakes shown.....oh yes, we ARE getting snow. Possibly 3-6 inches. I think we had about 3 days of Fall. :)

Definitely, more pictures to come of this! I may have to run to WalMart tomorrow, as my kids have outgrown their snowboots.

This Weekend's Forecast...

This weekend does not bode well from me ever getting rid of this cold. I have been robbed of my ability to breathe through my nose, talk, and sleep all night. Wah! And yes, I'm whining about it.

Everything's dropping...temperature, stock prices...

At least I know I will get better. Nicole is back to 100%, and Jared and Ellie are improving. Riley never got it, lucky kid. Ron and I are left to suffer. But now to add insult to injury, winter is coming early to these parts. Look at that....73 on Wednesday, and 46 on Sunday. I was so wanting to get fall pictures of the kids, but I guess I'll change those to winter pics! :)

Just Overheard....

Jared's rendition of the famous Mother Goose rhyme "Baa Baa Black Sheep":

Blah, blah back sheep,
Do you have any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.

One for my Master,
And one for you.
One for the little boy who lives down the drain.

Blah, blah back sheep,
Do you have any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.

Maybe we should have the pediatrician check for excess ear-wax at his next appointment.

Naughty Monkey

A few weeks ago I stocked up on a couple pair of the Carters fleece footie jammies from Costco for Ellie to wear this winter. One of the pairs she chose is pink with brown monkeys. She has been asking every night to wear her "monkeys" since we brought them home. It got a teensy bit cooler today, and so I decided to let her wear them. She was so excited!

Daddy put her to bed, and then went to tuck Jared in. As he walked back out of J's room, Ellie stuck her head out her door and squealed, "Eeeee-eeeee-ooooo-ooooo!". Daddy asked her what she was doing. She looked at him with a scowl and answered, "I a naughty monkey."

Oh my....could she GET any cuter?!

Breakfast

Ellie informed me this morning....

"I need a phoom mommy, I need a phoom!"

A spoon with which to eat her cereal.

Well, I gave her a "phoom", and she proceeded to eat her cereal with her fingers. Just like every morning. Picking all the marshmallows out first. Thanks for the Marshmallow Matey's dad! We like Malt-O-Meal cereal at our house, cheap knock-off that it is!

So, everyone, grab your "phooms" and enjoy! :)

All I want to know is...

...who has been eating my chocolate?!

I have been busy.....making cards, wrangling children, school pictures, hoarding chocolate, reading other blogs....family history type stuff.....not really doing anything about it other than plans, but that's a start, right?!

I've been in a writing funk and more of an information gathering mode as of late. Oh, and that guilt imposed by dirty bathrooms and floors has been filling my mind instead of anything blog-worthy!

More fun coming when I get my ducks in a row. :)

ps....I didn't take that blurry picture....I stole it from google images....that was easier than pulling my bags of chocolate out of hiding, pulling the camera out, transferring images, and trying to not let the kids see the chocolate or their hiding place in all of that chaos. Whew!

**Roseola update: at day 3, all the "coco pops" went away, and Ellie is Ellie again!

I have to laugh

I think it's funny that no one has commented on the fact that my two year old is playing with poker chips and face cards in the picture below....such a stellar parent!

Or has someone turned me in to CPS anonymously?! ;)

Isn't she cute though?! That picture was taken on our trip to Colorado. We stopped in at a "Pioneer Town" that included a fun street of different businesses, including the Lizard Head Saloon. The kids thought that filling the glasses with poker chips was a blast.

As for Miss Rosie....wow, her "coco pops" are even more impressive today, including up onto her cheeks. Fun times!

New kid.....

Normally, we call this one Ellie.

Today, we have changed her name for the next day - to possibly a week.
Her alias is Rosie.

Rosie Lola....

...as in roseola! (Click on above pictures to really take in the glory of it all!)

She calls them her "coco pops". (Her adorable way of saying polka dots!) Now I understand why her fever didn't subside after we started antibiotics for her double ear infection....poor kid!

On to other fantastic news....it isn't summer here today. At noon, it was blowing, raining, and 45 degrees! Yeah, that would be 45 degrees. Even my husband, who had opened the windows to let in the "cool", decided it was now too cold and closed them up! :) By this afternoon though, the storm had blown through....sun shining, temp warming nicely into the 60's(downright balmy!), and we got a nice view of the snow topping off the mountains around us.....

nice...

Happy September 1st!