Some old videos
Here are some old videos I found of Rees helping us paint our bedroom a few years ago. In Rees’s life, I think we have only taken three or four videos of him. That video camera sure is paying off!
1 comment July 17th, 2008
An American Girl
Today we went to see Kit Kittredge with my mom in Provo. She had seen it with a friend and thought that Rees would like it. He did, but much of it was over his head. He was good at the theatre though. He seemed to understand the ending pretty well - that was the part that interested him the most. He didn’t understand the more subtle storyline of the families having trouble making ends meet during The Depression. Or Kit wishing to be a real newspaper reporter. James was happy, but talking too loudly, so I spent the last half of the movie in the corridor with him (still inside the theatre). The story was cute and would be perfect for a kid a few years older than Rees.
In the afternoon I got a massage here. Inexpensive and not bad. We stayed over at my mom’s so Bryan could have a night to himself. He went shopping at Cabela’s for some fishing gear and then went to see Hancock. He says he thought it was okay.
Add comment July 16th, 2008
‘Tis done
Bryan hauled me out into the yard early this morning to show me what he was doing last night while I was at work. The pergola is done! It looks great, too. Next we will make the pergola floor from flagstone. Woo-hoo!
1 comment July 15th, 2008
Dirty, dirty children
Rees played well in soccer today. He is not really kicking the ball, but he runs with the other kids and at least pays attention to where the ball is. Except during the second half, when he spent most of the time wrestling and playing “ring around the rosy” with his teammates. Rees was in charge of snacks and brought juice, pretzels, and grapes.
In the evening Jeff, Cashell, Liam, Kegan, and Quinn came over to play. Cashell brought these really good baked spinach-phyllo appetizers. The filling was spinach, some kind of cheese, garlic, and probably something else wrapped into triangles of phyllo. Really good. Bryan made his excellent Superior Hamburgers. He asked me to get some ciabatta rolls when I went to Harmon’s this morning, and when I couldn’t find any, I was concerned that divorce papers might be drawn up when I got home. However, I managed to locate the last four ciabatta rolls they had. Phew.
The five boys (ages four and under) had so much fun getting filthy in the dirt piles out back and playing on the swings and hammock. What will the kids do for entertainment when the dirt piles are gone? And speaking of dirt gone, we’ve decided to fill in the area under the apple tree with “Sof’Fall” playground wood chips and move the toy box and bikes over there. It will be a nice little area and will keep us more organized. Perhaps we’ll tackle that next weekend…
After the kids were hosed down and in bed, we watched Charlie Wilson’s War. I liked what I saw of it. I fell asleep about halfway through.
Add comment July 12th, 2008
While he’s at work
This morning Bryan got up early and picked up the rest of the wood he needs to finish the pergola. He also bought a new hammock. Our old hammock made of recycled t-shirts (purchased in Tijuana) finally bit the dust after too much abuse from the neighborhood rugrats.
Afterward we all went swimming at Murray Pool. It was nice to be there with another adult. The two kids have much different swimming preferences. Rees likes to go down the slide a lot and jump into the deep pool, which requires someone to catch him (he wears a life jacket but doesn’t swim yet). Jamie, on the other hand, prefers to stay in the very shallow water where he can just splash around. He gets cranky being held too much in deep water.
Bryan worked on the pergola the rest of the day and hung his new hammock. He teased me about the fact that I could now take naps in the hammock all afternoon (because that’s what he thinks I do while he’s at work - sleep). I then promptly fell asleep in the hammock and he made dinner for everyone. Ha-ha.
Add comment July 11th, 2008
Carton vs Canister
I came across this article today about orange juice. Interesting.
Add comment July 7th, 2008
BET-TY!
Today I made myself a new skirt, based on a pattern for a tiered one in this book my mom gave me. I changed it a little - I did three tiers (the example had five), used one fabric (the example used five), and I stitched the ruffles on inside-out, leaving raw edges on the outside. I also added a muslin lining - I like more fabric between me and the world (it must come from being such a jeans girl). It turned out really well, I am happy about it.
Bryan hooked up the TV antenna today to his new TV. He is excited to have everything finally hooked up (he also bought this and he got this for Christmas last year). Now we need to install a mantle shelf and try to clean up the cables and stuff a bit.
We went out with Jeff & Cashell to see The Incredible Hulk tonight. It was okay. I thought that they skipped over all of the interesting stuff (in a flashback at the beginning) and then dwelled on a simple chase story for two hours. I liked the actors, but couldn’t really get emotionally involved in two CGI hulks fighting each other. I liked Iron Man better. And of course, nothing touches Batman Begins. Can’t wait for The Dark Knight (we’ll be there on opening night).
After the movie we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Sampan, in Sugarhouse. Mmmmm. Bob babysat for us while we were out, and the kids had fun playing with him. What a guy. We got him a vanilla frosty, Coke, and chicken nuggets as payment.
1 comment July 5th, 2008
Happy 4th
We had a low-key holiday. I spent most of the day outside in the yard planting. I finished planting the shady bed under the apricot tree in the back, and got started planting in the bed on the north side of the backyard. While I was planting in the shade, I noticed four baby birds in Diane’s back yard - it looked like they’d fallen out of their nest. Three were still alive and chirping, but much too small to survive (eyes still closed). I looked up some instructions on the internet and ended up putting some dry grass clippings in the bottom of a plastic milk jug (top cut off). I put the birds in the “nest” and attached it to the fence, near where I found them, with zip ties. They were still chirping, so I hope the mother will hear them and come take care of them. I wish I had taken pictures.
Bryan repaired the automatic door lock on the Mazda today (the driver’s side auto lock broke while I was in Arizona earlier this year). After being quoted $225 and $150 by two mechanics, Bryan decided to install the $70 part himself. He did a great job and was done in about an hour. He says it only took him that long because he spent about 20 minutes trying to put it in backward. 
Add comment July 4th, 2008
Oooooh! Ahhhhhh!
We spent the evening tonight with Bob at the Eaglewood Golf Course by their house in NSL. Bob staked out a spot early and we showed up a few hours later. He also saved us a parking spot and brought snacks for us. We ate, played around, relaxed, and listened to the assorted cover bands that were playing. The boys liked the parachutes and just running around.
When the fireworks were about to start, Rees started to get nervous, saying that he wanted to go home. He said he didn’t like fireworks and he was afraid they would be too loud. But once they started, he was excited. Both boys loved the fireworks and were doing lots of “oooohs” and “ahhhhs”.
Thanks to Bob for hanging out with us and being such a nice host. Fun times.
Add comment July 3rd, 2008
Not surprising
Grandma K is making great strides. She is moving both legs and eating pureed foods. She is still not able to move her right arm (but she’s a leftie anyway). At this rate, she’ll be out of the hospital by next week.
Add comment July 3rd, 2008