Covert Operation

Shhh! This is Clint, not Rachel. I just wanted to say, "Happy Birthday Mom!!!"

Interests

A few weeks ago Jeff brought home tickets to a Rock and Mineral show in Spanish fork. We went last Saturday. The boys have been looking forward to it for a few weeks. It was at some kind of Expo Center that looked like a big barn in "downtown" Spanish Fork. And it was cool.

And it was free! There were lots of rock exhibitions, and a guy dressed in black walking around with these huge Dinosaur puppets. These are the puppets he wasn't using.

We had a great time...and I was reminded that you really can have fun and build great memories anywhere....

And it doesn't have to cost anything at all!

What the...????

Jeff has a blog!!!! I know, I can't believe it either!!! Especially because he has made fun of mine for so long! But you should check it out! http://ohiwetmyplants.blogspot.com/

Good Job Jeff!!!!!

Robots

Derek likes to draw Robots.

He draws them all the time. In all diffrent colors. With slight variations. It's funny because Clint used to love to draw robots too:

When I was little, I think I used to draw a lot of butterflies, dogs and horses. Do all boys like to draw Robots? Or is it just a Bingham Boy thing?

St. Patrick's Day 2009

Those pesky Leprechauns showed up at our house again this year. They put shamrock stickers all over Clint and Derek's face while they were sleeping, turned all of the liquid in the house green, including the water in the toilet, and the milk and orange juice. The eggs and the butter were turned green too, and there was even a green hand print on the soap in the shower!

Our friends Alex and Ryan and their cousins set Leprechaun traps, but they didn't catch the leprechauns, but the leprechauns hide their chocolate coins. The Leprechauns at their houses totally trashed the place, cushions everywhere and chairs turned over. Maybe next year we will set a trap too. That was a great idea they had!

Another One

I found this book tonight at Barnes and Noble... I am really excited to try some of these activities out! It has lots of really great ideas! And summer is coming!!!!! Lots of the activities in this book look really great for bigger kids too. I just wish I had at least one girl, so I could try the giant paper doll activity. I don't think my boys would go for that one....

Sheer Annoyance

Okay...Don't hate me, but, that is what I felt the entire time I made myself sit through the Twilight Movie last night. The book was definitely better, and I really didn't like the book! I really wanted to try to understand something that so many of my friends absolutely love. So I keep trying. But it comes down to this... When I hear about how great Twilight is, and how Meyer is the "bestest" writer in the world, I feel like I've entered the fourth dimension. I cannot begin to conceive how the mediocre writing, predictable plot, and poor characters of the book could have generated so much frenzied fandom. Twilight for me read like a Sweet Valley book with a Jesse McCartney type vampire. Worst of all, it brings the mystery of the wonderful vampire mythology down to the level of the screamy fangirl . Real Vampire lore means something to me. Good verses Evil, Light Verses Dark. Meyer has tried to change the meaning and symbolism of it all without really understanding what it is really all about. How light, when the dawn finally breaks, after the darkest night, keeps evil away. It is our greatest protection, not something that makes sparkles! There is so much more that is not evident in her books. She has no right to call her characters Vampires. They are something else. She De-fanged the Vampire!

I do think Meyer is smart enough. It is hard to break into the publishing world. And good for her that she is successful. But I remain extremely unimpressed. I realize people are going to hate me; Fortunately, there are not too many people who read my blog! Everyone has an opinion. Mine just happens to be different from most of yours, So don't hate me. I realize that maybe I am the one who is out of touch. And I am certainly no expert. But can someone please help me understand?

Video games and the Apocalypse (it's funny!)

Are Violent Video Games Adequately Preparing Children For The Apocalypse?

12 Guys who are WAY Hotter than Edward Cullen!

1. Aaragon 2. Hancock

3. Tony Stark

4. Bruce Wayne

5. Legolas

6. Eomir

7. William Wallace

8. Jack Sparrow

9. Wolverine

10. Jim

11. Faramir

12. Gerard Butler (by popular demand)

Do you have any you'd like to add? No Vampires or Werewolves allowed! Vampire Hunters are okay...

Vacation?

Not really. But we will call it one, because it is probably the only one we are going to get this year, with the economy being the way it is. We went to see Andi in Pocatello for her new little baby's blessing. And it was so good to see her and her beautiful little girls. Amber and Cameron went up too. We stayed at the Marriot in Pocatello, and snuck Andi and Amberand their families into the pool, that we had all to ourselves. The kids had fun. We did too. Kids can have fun just about anywhere. I think it is only me that is lamenting the fact that we are not going to make it to California this year.

Series

It is funny how children are born with their own personalities. As any parent with more that one child can tell. And personalities are evident through reading choices. I have a weakness for children's books, and have quite a collection. A good portion of my teaching salary before I became a mom went into my own personal library. It has been worth every penny as both of my children love books as much as I do. It is just funny to see such a difference in reading preferences.

Clint, who has just always been really smart and sensitive, loved to read the Franklin series. Franklin is so sweet and the books are about a perfect community and a perfect childhood. I also love the Franklin Books. They are touching and wonderful.
Derek, who is much more independent and silly, loves stories that are a little unsettling. He loves books that are a little scary. Huggly is a monster who lives under the bed. The series is all about the tunnel system that exists under every one's beds that leads to the monster world. The monsters are afraid of people, and the stories are funny, but definitely not warm and fuzzy like Franklin.
Clint has moved on to big kid books, Harry Potter and the Series of Unfortunate Events, Artimus Fowl and The Eddie Dickins Trilogy. He now enjoys books that are funny and a little quirky, and imaginative, with a good message. He still does not like anything scary....With Derek, I am a little worried...Am I going to have to finally put up with that stupid Goosebump series?

What's This?

When I downloaded my pictures today from my camera, I found this little surprise. Apparently someone thought it was cool enough to take a picture of. It's the times like this that I just feel so grateful to be a mom. And it makes me laugh. Mom's are lucky. Kids are great!

Why do I keep doing this???

Most Moms I know do this. We end up over scheduling ourselves until it ends up that we have to seriously be in three places at once. I need to do that tomorrow. I havn't figured out how I am going to do it yet. I am a little stressed. Again. I am so disorganized. I am letting people down. But I can't do it all. There is only one of me. In taking care of everything else, my family suffers the most.