A sligthly sidetracked post

So I just sat down to write a post about The Annual Scott Wright Reunion we just had this past week when I started to smell something funny.  I live with 5 boys so that is not unusual but this was a different smell. Finally after a good 30 seconds of sniffing and gagging it dawned on me something was melting in the oven.   Nooooooooooooooo!  I forgot my best cake pan with plastic lid was in there because I was hiding the last piece of Dilon's birthday cake for me to eat later. The piece I ate for my first lunch (yes I usually eat 2 lunches, you got a problem with that?) didn't fill me up enough so I turned on the oven to cook me a nasty Totino's.  I don't like Totino's much but I was withering away so I had to do something.  A girl can only eat so many pb&j's in her lifetime.   So not only is my best cake pan ruined but the last piece of cake is now uneatable. That'll turn a good day bad.  A hot pad was lost in the battle as well.

We also found out today that we lost our apartment that we had lined up for when we move out because our closing date got bumped and someone else wanted the same apartment.  This Monday is just super fanfreakintastic.

At least Dilon seemed to have a Happy Birthday a couple of days ago.  If I would have been nice and let him have the last piece of his cake the Cake Pan Catastrophe of '15 would be nonexistent.
 I can't believe he is 12.  Next week he is passing the Sacrament for the first time.  I'm not old enough for this to be happening. Happy Birthday Dil Pickle.  Love you kid!

and yes, that is once again Christmas wrapping paper for birthday presents.  Seriously, I don't even care.

After I get some stinky plastic scraped off the bottom of my oven I will post about the good times at the Scott Wright Reunion that I had originally sat down to do.  One day I'll get all my stuff together.

Clear Creek 2015

Another year at good ol' Clear Creek.  

Here are the happenings:

-It rained.  A lot. I didn't want the kids in their muddy/wet clothes all over the beds in my trailer so they sat under the canopy outside. Turns out I really am the meanest mom/aunt on the planet. 

-Everything about this picture screams safety.  8 small kiddos and 5 bb guns.  What could possibly go wrong?

-I had a fish head shoved in my face.  These boys are extremely lucky I was in a good mood and didn't confiscate their poles.

 

-Nate and I got into a little bit of an argument (us argue!? Shocker.  If he would just see things my way life would be a whole lot easier) before we left about taking a dvd player.  In my opinion it's a big NO.  We are camping, disconnecting from the stress of life and becoming one with nature.  In his opinion it's a who the hell cares if they watch a movie and relax thing. I won.  Woohoo.  Mostly because I'm the one who packed for six people for 4 days.  I should have won.  Anyway, the point to this whole thing is I walked into Stephanie's trailer to see this

Busted! Grifin disconnect that thing and go talk to birds or something.

-Safety seems to be Baylor's #1 priority.  You never can be too careful while sitting on a log eating watermelon.

- I have to throw this picture on for the sole purpose of introducing Hank.  The newest member the family... aka the dang truck Nate bought without telling me. 

-This camping trip was extra awesome for Dilon.  He needed to pass off some scouting requirements and had to sleep in a tent while the rest of us were cozy in the trailer.  Funny thing is, he slept like a rock and I froze every night in the trailer because Nate won't let me turn on the heater. It may have something to do with the fact that I pin him against the wall trying to stay warm so he ends up sweating like crazy.  

-Speaking of Nate, this seems to be all he does up there

Cooks for the rest of us.  Next year I'm going to pack his pink apron so you can see how he can rock that thing.  Ignore his hand gesture in the picture.  That's just his way of saying he loves seeing me with my camera.

-Don't feel too bad for Nate.  He didn't do all the cooking.  I put these two to work as well

-The Marshall's --really, what can I say? Their expressions and gestures say it all.  They're a lively bunch.

- There was some more rock painting.  Sadly, this year the rocks "accidentally" got left behind. Shoot.

- I asked Nate pretty please with a cherry on top to take a picture with me.  This is the best he would give me

Ya know Nate, one day when I die you're going to look back at all these pictures and feel bad that you weren't normal in just one of them.  For the love, throw me a bone just once man.

-Again speaking of Nate, he's awesome.  Except for when we were leaving Clear Creek and I wanted to get a picture with my grandpa's initials that he carved into a tree back in 1987 but I forgot and he wouldn't let me go back to do it. I know, I know, it's not good for the trees.  I helped Nate write a whole paper on it for one of his college classes.  Oh who am I kidding?  I wrote Nate a paper about it for one of his college classes.  So I know you shouldn't do it but I really wanted the picture.  Next year for sure.

-And the best part of the whole trip has no picture for me to document it because we missed "it".  Literally.  After we left to make it back to church on Sunday my family of sinners stayed behind for one more day (relax guys, I'm just giving you a hard time.  I'm sure I'll see you all in hell). Anyway, my dad was walking a little out past the campsite when he looked up and saw Pennywise (the dang clown from IT) standing there in the open grass/weeds holding a balloon waving at him.  I'm not exactly sure what happened next but I like to picture my dad running away screaming like a little girl.  Just what I would have done.  It's a good thing Nate wasn't there for that because chances are Pennywise would have been shot.  Seriously though, that's some creepy stuff.  Who does that?  Apparently my family went and talked to them and someone in their camp is deathly afraid of clowns so they dress up as clowns every year.  I really think I would like to be a part of that family.

See ya in 2016, Clear Creek.

Today I have a lot to say.... long post ahead.

I feel like I haven't blogged forever so I decided to play a little game of catch up.

**My main man had a birthday yesterday. We are lame and didn't really do anything.  Just stuck around town and went out to dinner.  I ordered him some stuff online that has yet to show up so he didn't even have a present to open.  It was a super exciting 35th!

** Nate has decided that his life isn't busy enough and is now running for City Council.  He has wanted to do it for years and figured since we aren't busy enough trying to move and build a house it would be the perfect time. 

** I have decided that Nate is a much better parent than I am.  He has much more faith in our children than I do.  I really need to work on that.  Dilon's baseball team made it to the Championship game(s).  There was one team that went undefeated all season so they had to beat them twice to win.  Dilon is mostly catcher and he has killed it this year.  He may be tiny but he's a wall when it's time to catch that ball.  Anyway, he has been doing some pitching and has done pretty well there too.  Turns out there is a rule that you can only pitch so many innings a week so the main pitcher couldn't do the whole game during the championship.  They had to put Dilon in at the end of the first game and it was tied.  All the pressure was on my baby.  I kept giving Nate they eye and shaking me head telling him not to let him do it. (Nate helps coach his baseball team too--shocker).  It wasn't that I didn't think he could do it, it's just that it was too much pressure for my boy.  Let's just say he handled the pressure like a champ and didn't let any runs in.  Do you know how fan-freakin-tastic it is to hear other parents cheer your kid on. This mom was busting at the seams with pride. His team ended up scoring and won the first game.  Then lost the second game by 1 point so they were second overall.  I am super impressed with how much he has improved this year.  Nate swore up and down during the wrestling season that wrestling would help him improve in all sports. Why does he always have to be right about everything?

Here are some super clear shots of him and his ball team. Told you I was rockin my photography skills.

**Bay decided it would be fun to trip and hit the corner of the bleachers.  It looks much worse in person.  Swollen and blue to match those killer eyes of his.

** I'm pretty sure he fell because the kid walks on his toes all day long.  Your son's going to be a ballerina, Nate.

**Our house is under contract!!  Woohoo!!! I've been afraid to say anything about it because I don't want to jinx it and have it fall through again. We are having a helluva time finding somewhere to live that isn't going to make us sign a 6 month - 1 year lease. So we may be homeless here soon. Our construction loan is taking foooorrrrrreeeeeeeeeever to get set up.  You know hindsight really is 20/20.  If we would have know it was going to take so long we would have started it when we put our house up for sale.  But we were too nervous to start anything before we had an offer on this house.  You live and learn, right?  Everything will work out.  Everything will work out.  I repeat that numerous times a day.  

**I was at Maverick the other night waiting in line when a very sketchy looking man in front of me turned around and told me he was staying at the Hampton Inn room 303.  Creepy and hilarious all at the same time.  The cashier was chuckling at what I'm sure was my very dumbfounded look and the fact that I verbally could not spit anything out of my mouth.  I stood there stuttering and shaking my head as quickly as I could.  Where was Nate when I needed him?

** I have officially turned into my grandma.  She made us wash plastic silverware and ziploc baggies as kids.  There was no need to waste perfectly good disposable goods. Every time I take the kids to school lunch and see the unused plasticware tossed out I get all fired up inside.  Everyday I think about taking it but then don't because that would be stealing. Well today I did.  I stole my kids forks and spoons that they didn't use.  I don't even care.  Waste not, want not.

**Dax has gotten too smart for his own good.  I was helping Grif solve some math story problems the other day and my dang 6 year old yelled out the answer to the 5th grade problem before the 5th grader did.  

** Speaking of smart kids, I have gotten a little excited about building our house so I pulled out the plans the other day to show the boys. I can barely read them and see what is where. I pointed out all the bedrooms to the boys and asked them which one they wanted.  Grif picked first and when I asked him why he chose the one he did he said it was because it was the only one with a walk-in closet.  How the hizzle could he see that.  I didn't even really notice that.  Grif for the win.

I think I've been long winded enough.  So long for now.

If only in his dreams

I don't know about you but I think Baylor's ready to start playing some ball. It's a rough life when you're 3 and have to just sit and watch while your older brothers get to play and you don't.  I'm sure he's the all-star in his dreams.

Happy Birthday, Dax!

This kid celebrated his 6th birthday yesterday.  All of the boys basically have summer birthdays so this year they made the choice to go to Lagoon.  No parties, no big presents, no movies, bowling, or eating out.  Just good old Lagoon.  It's what fun is.  Or something like that. So that's where we headed.

Get ready for some exciting pictures.  Or not.  I got one whole picture that I can't actually get to send from my phone to the computer so looks like you will have to use your imagination.  It was epic though.  My photography skills are really taking off.  

We ended this fun filled day by learning that Dilon rode Jet Star without getting buckled in.  It wouldn't work so they just sent him off anyway. Some things are better off with me not knowing. Grifin having feet so sore he could barely walk.  Baylor probably being scarred for life because Nate made him go in the Haunted House.  And Dax coming home and losing his lunch at 1 in the morning.  All over his bed.  Fun times.

Happy Happy Birthday to my Dax.  You are so full of it but so awesome.  Thanks for all the good you bring to our family.  I love you kiddo!

Baseball is back

It's baseball season again for my boys.  Bring on the dirty pants, sweaty mitts, and hot bleachers.  Dax is loving coach pitch.  Dilon has made serious improvement since last year (hasn't struck out yet). Baylor is still too young to play but goes on empty fields and pretends he is Babe Ruth. And Grifin, well grif is still eating nachos like a boss.  I had another mom fail with that poor kid.  He wanted to play golf this year.  Apparently sign ups have come and gone and golf is in full swing.  Ha get it, full swing.  I kill myself.  Again, Grifin I love you.  Sorry I suck as a mom.  

So last night at Dilon's game I assumed Dax and Baylor were playing at the playground.  See, there are my excellent parenting skills with me just assuming my kids are where I think they should be. I hadn't seen or heard from them for awhile so I started searching.  Guess where I found these two boys of mine.  Over at the other field watching the ladies play softball.

Nate had himself a proud papa moment right then. 

I can't handle rejection

**Warning:  I need to vent.  This will be a downer post.

Why didn't anyone warn me?  This house selling business sucks.  It should be fun and exciting, right?  A new chapter in our lives.  A new adventure for our little family.  So why does it feel like I have spent the last three weeks getting beat up?  We've had several people come see our house, two offers that didn't work out and one lady (me, just to clarify) who is super duper sick of deep cleaning constantly (and dang it, this sucker is clean).  It totally stinks that you have to have your house as perfect as possible just so people can come see it and then turn around and tell you they don't want it because of this or that.  It's a great little house.  It has been pretty dang good to us the last 10 years.

Deep breaths and faith. Everything will work out.  The right people just haven't realized it belongs to them yet.  And hey, if it doesn't sale we will just have 2 houses we can't pay for and kill ourselves financially for the rest of our lives. No biggie.

Also, all of you grammar people out there,  I have no idea when to use sale vs. sell.  To me they are interchangeable.  So if that bothers you as much as their/they're/there or it's/its does me, I give you my deepest apology.

Another one bites the dust

You know, I'm really trying hard as a mom (most days).  But my hopes and dreams that my kids are listening to all the good I am teaching them gets squashed pretty much daily. 

We all know how fun bedtime routine is with kids. Mine do anything they can to stall the process. Last night they decided to take a little trip down memory lane.  This was the conversation I overheard. 

Dilon:  Hey grif, remember last year when we were walking home from school and that kid biffed it?

Grif: yeah

(excessive laughter between the two)

Me: What? What are you laughing at?  What did he do?

Dilon:  The kid fell hard and grif walked past him and said "dun dun dun another one bites the dust"

NO!  This is not what I teach my children.  We are supposed to help others not sing Queen songs at their misfortune.  I need a rewind button to go back and reevaluate my parenting skills.

I hate roller coasters

Maybe hate is too strong of a word but I really really really dislike roller coasters.  I went on them as a kid and kind of liked them.  I think I was mostly trying to prove that I wasn't the wimp of the group.  Now days the thought of getting on one makes me sick.  Blah.  No thanks.  

We're riding a different kind of  roller coaster trying to sale this house of ours. I'm not much of a fan of this either.  Got an offer the other day that we liked and accepted just to have them say never mind.  Sweet, that was fun.  Get my hopes up and then just crush them into the ground.  

It's okay, I know it has only been a couple of weeks.  Things will work out the way they should. Plus, this is making me work on my patience.  Heaven knows I am lacking in that department.  

Maybe someone should just knock me out for the next few months and let me know how everything works out.

He is a champion

This kid made it to the Breakfast of Champions this year.  We got a letter in the mail from his teacher the other day with the invite and she basically said what we already know....he is awesome.  

Good job Dilon!

On a completely unrelated topic we got an offer on our house today.  Life is good and we are blessed.