Climbing

About a week ago Camille climbed up a giant rope at the Santa Monica beach all by herself. You know how you get that unpleasant vertigo feeling when you look over the side of a tall building? Watching Camille near the top gave me that same feeling--it's weird to be perfectly safe yourself, but feel all jittery for someone else. But she made it--congratulations to one of our fantastic climbers!

Here is a picture of Camille climbing:

Here is a picture so that you can see how tall the rope is:

That's What You Think About

Enjoying this sentiment today:

"Heavenly Father has given us all talents and gifts that can help us provide for ourselves and our families. Learning to recognize our talents and gifts—and interests—is an important first step in career preparation. President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, learned from his father, Henry Eyring, to choose a career that complemented his interests.

Because of his love for science, Professor Henry Eyring encouraged his sons to major in physics as preparation for a career in science. While President Eyring was studying physics at the University of Utah, he had an exchange with his father that changed his career direction. He asked his father for help with a complex mathematical problem. “My father was at a blackboard we kept in the basement,” President Eyring recalls. “Suddenly he stopped. ‘Hal,’ he said, ‘we were working this same kind of problem a week ago. You don’t seem to understand it any better now than you did then. Haven’t you been working on it?’”

A little chagrined, President Eyring admitted he had not. President Eyring recalls his father’s response: “When I told him no, my father paused. It was really a very tender and poignant moment, because I knew how much he loved me and how much he wanted me to be a scientist. Then he said, ‘Hal, I think you’d better get out of physics. You ought to find something that you love so much that when you don’t have to think about anything, that’s what you think about.’”

From an Ensign article by Bishop H. David Burton, Ensign, December 2009

Word Problems

Clark is into rhyming and word problems lately.  This morning's rhyme:  "What rhymes with Meggie Mys?"  Don't know the answer?  It's "veggie fries", of course.
One of my favorite word problems lately is:  "If Clark was playing outside and stepped on a thorn, how many thorns would be left?"  Another favorite: "If the birds ate a bird berry, how many would be left?"  He's still learning to give us the first value before he asks for the difference, but I love how creative most of his problems are.

Caught in a Lie

Today was our first day of Joy School.  4 moms and I have joined forces to teach our Clark-aged kids, and have a little free time on our days "off".  One of our activities today was talking about our favorite things.  I said that I liked cookies, reading, and playing with my kids.  Later when we were playing outside, Clark kept bringing me stuff:  a hula hoop, 4 pool noodles, a car.  When I got annoyed that he kept wanting me to play his weird accumulation game, one of his friends said, "Sarah, you said that you liked playing with your kids.  But now you're not playing with them!"  This is my A student.  I know that she's going to get good grades for the rest of the year, the little rascal.

Summer Continues

Looking at these pictures, I realize that we did more this summer than I realized.  And, these pictures don't even show 4 weeks of swimming lessons.  Time flies, even when you're not having fun every day, and I can't believe that we're back to school already!  Here are some of the things that we did in July and August:

 We met up with my parents in Oceanside for the 4th of July.  We walked out to the end of the Jetty.

 My brother Dennis dug out his own personal spa.

 Cousins Caleb and Peter (and their parents) came to visit.  We went to the museum and tried out the "tornado force wind tunnel"

 Caleb and Peter, being the young boys that they are, and highly regulated by their parents never get to say the word "butt".  They thought this sign was pretty funny.

 By the beach

 Road trip to see the Zunigas and Joneses in Southern Utah.  I went without Paul and with 3 kids.  I guess that makes me a relatively hardcore parent.  That's how I felt, anyway.  I get bored driving for 7 hours, but I did like these clouds.

 Camille, Kate, Grace, Anna, and Clark.  Friends reunited.

 Lily and Lucy, my sweet nieces.

 We went to Zions, my first time there.  Yes, I did go to school in Utah.  There must be a good reason why I didn't visit all of the natural beauty while I was there.  It must have been because I was hitting the books hard...

 My sister Rachel and her family on the bus in Zion's

 And playing in the water at the trailhead to the narrows.  It's a hike through a river.  As we left they were closing the trail because of a flash flood warning.  That's right- we're so extreme.

 We went to the Noah's ark exhibit at the Skirball.  That's fun.

 One morning we went to muscle beach.  My girls are excellent climbers.  Grace started to climb up, but got scared to go all the way to the top.  I told her that I'd give her a dollar to do it, but she said "make it ten!"  

Then Camille wanted in on the action.  Poor, proud me!

 We went to Legoland on the hottest days of the year!  Clark is the kid that just can't figure out how to push the button to get his car started.

 On the safari ride.

 Swimming at the hotel pool.  This may have been the high point of our vacation.

 Our annual "back to school" dinner and devotional

 Walking to school on the 1st day.

 Gigi, Camille, and Grace outside school.

The girls are in different classes, and that will be fodder for a new post.  I hope that your summer, if it's still happening, is super awesome!

June

I know I say this alot (do I say it alot, or do I just think it alot?), but time flies.  I am honestly one of those old ladies now.  You know, the ones in the grocery store, who tell you to enjoy your children while they're young.  Those old ladies are so disarming- catching you just as you put back the boxes of expensive fruit snacks in favor of the cheapie store brands- all while negotiating with your 3 year old.  Anyway, I've become one of those old ladies.  Enjoy your children while they're young, ladies.  Because they just keep growing up!  Behold:



Camille and Grace playing "royalty"



 Laid back kindergarten graduation.  Grace getting her "diploma"

 And Camille

 Standing in front of the raffled playhouse that miraculously ended up in the kindergarten play yard the last few weeks of school.  EVERY little girl at the school wanted to win that raffle.  I keep dreaming up ways to have a playhouse in our backyard now.  Specifically this one.

 We went to the kidspace museum with some pals a few weeks ago.  I forgot how much water they have to play in there.  Clark got completely soaked.

 He also wore this bucket around.  I'm not sure why.

 Camille and Grace on the last day of school with their best pal Alyssa.  This was kind of a tearjerker moment, looking through their folders of accomplishments, listening to them sing a song about moving to first grade.  But, like the first day of school, I did not cry.  Yes, I'm a big girl too.

 Camille with her wonderful teacher, Mrs. Thomas. 

 Grace and Mrs. Thomas.  We couldn't have had a better school year, or teacher.

 Croissants that I made for father's day.  It's a good thing that I'm not a food blogger, because my pictures always turn out terrible!

 Although not as terrible as pictures of people eating my food.  There's my dear husband.  He really is a terrific dad.

 It's summer vacation!  The girls made a carnival for Clark while still wearing their pj's.  I love having everyone home.

Treats.

 Fishing game

 I made a dress with some fabric that I bought in Paris.  Some people buy new clothes in Paris, some people are dumb like me and buy material and patterns to make clothes.  I think my priorities may be a little messed up. 

Good thing that I'm not a craft or fashion blogger, or people would have to put up with pictures like this (oh, I made Clark's outfit too)...

...or this.

Latest Clark-ism

Dad: So Clark, what would you like to be when you grow up?
Clark: A scary paper bag.
D: A scary paper bag?  What would you do?
C: Fight.  Fight fight fight (making little punching gestures into the air).
D: Who would you fight?
C: I'd fight my kids.