Burning Stuff

All the bugs run for cover when little boys with magnifying glasses come outside...But we don't burn living things in our family. We use our magnifying glasses to do other things that are much more cool...

Like melting crayon shavings on these rocks.

The rocks don't look as cool as the baked rocks project that we did a while ago...

But the ants love us!

Derek likes to burn holes in dried out leaves too. Tons of fun!

New Shirt

Hey, Derek...Let's show everyone your new shirt before you get paint all over it... It's soooo true....

But I love you tons anyways!!!!

Does anyone else need a shirt like this?

Buddies

You have to have a buddy at camp at all times. But our boys are good buddies anyways, and they have been buddies for a long time. Michael and Clint have been buddies since they were both 2 & 1/2 years old. Landen and Ethan for at least the past 4 years. This is their last year at Cub Camp. The time has gone too fast.

July 30-31, 2008

Hiking for Naturalist requirement.

Communications.

Archery

Cuteness.
Elf Princesses.
Boatsmen.

PFD Checks.

Picturesque Surroundings.

Serious Paddling.

Splash Pond.

Sportsmanship.

I think I would probably be an emotional wreck knowing that this is the last time I will get to go to camp with Clint, if I didn't take solace in knowing that I get to do it all over again with Derek.

Scouting is such a strong supporter of childhood.

I love Cub Scouts.

Mirrors

I told my sister Wendy a long time ago that at the end of my mission in Chile, the missionaries who were leaving all went to the Temple in Santiago. After the session, I was in the dressing room getting ready to leave, and I looked in the mirror. It was one of the few times in my life that I liked what I saw. I knew that I had fulfilled a worthy mission, and for the first time in my life, I knew that I could honestly say I had done all that I could have done. I was not perfect, but I felt like Heavenly Father was pleased with me. It was the first and only time I have felt that way.

I think about that again now, as I see these years I have as a mother zooming past. My little boy is turning 11. I am so thankful to be his mother. But when my time with him is over, I hope I will be able to look at him, and in the mirror of me that he has become, and know that I have done everything I could have done to be the best mother I could have been. I find myself falling short constantly. Trying to assess and re-assess all of the things that I should be doing every day. Trying to prioritise what is the most important. Trying to unclutter my thoughts and my house so I can be close to the spirit to be inspired to be the Mom that I know my boys need. The time is speeding by so fast, and I already regret decisions that I have made and things that I have done. Things that I have not done.

I look at my sister's children. I see how they all have strong testimonies, good marriages, beautiful children. All are self-sufficient. Some are in College, with full scholarships, preparing for missions. All really good kids. Mothers and women who I used to baby sit for, who I now call some of my closest friends. I am very proud of Clint, and I am so grateful that he is such a good, sweet and honest boy.


I have little moments like this when I can see things that I need to do better and I have the resolve to get it right, but it never lasts for long.


I am an emotional basket case. And I don't have any answers. But I know the answers lie in reading the scriptures, lots of prayer, family home evening, quality family time, dinners together, commitment to our faith...

Some of those things I do better than others. Sometimes I don't seem to quite do any of them right. I am just so thankful that the gospel of Jesus Christ as an organization helps so much with the raising of young men. Because I realize more than ever that I we as parents can't do it alone. But I feel like, at least for now, we are on the right track. I pray we stay that way.

Spider Invasion

We thought it was just a freak accident of Nature that we ended up with a giant spiderweb in our yard....We are finding now that Utah is being Taken Over!Our web was big...

But now they seem to popping up all over the neighborhood, and they seem to be getting bigger!

Different Spiders, native to Las Vegas...

SpiderGirl!

(The Day family seems to be part spider! The Grandkids Berkley and Kenyan have the most prominent spider genes of the family.)

The Day's yard seems to be a much more conducive environment for web spinning...

There is a lot more stuff to spin the spider's silk off of... I wonder whose yard will be next! Watch Out!!!

We are being INVADED!

Surrogates

When we got home from swimming today, we found a little jar outside our door. It contained part of a wasps nest. I knew immediately who it was from. Our neighbors across the street are Grandparents. They have also adopted my children as grandchildren of their own. With my parents, and Jeff's parents so far away, we feel so lucky to have such close friends that we absolutely love and adore. They have shown my children so much kindness and patience. All of the sweet little things that they do for us. All the kids in the neighborhood usually end up in their front yard at least once during the day, to sit and swing on their hammock, or play with Theo, the dog. I thanked Carol for the nest when I saw her drive by later that day. She said Jim took down the wasps nest from the back yard, and they knew that Derek would love it. (He is going through a little bug stage right now.)

I really hope that I can be more observant and thoughtful, like Jim and Carol! Thanks You Two! We Love You!

Spidermans

Spiderman, Spiderman.... Does whatever a spider can...

Spins a web...

any size....

Something something....something something...

Look out....Here Comes the Spidermans

Webs Just For Fun! Clint, Derek, Ryan, and Alex.....Spidermans