Slime Time

For this year's cub scout fundraiser there was a little twist for all the top sellers. The top seller in each group got to pick an adult to be slimed OR they could choose to get slimed themselves.

A couple of the boys chose to get slimed and many of them chose to slime their den leader. But because this was whole "slime" thing was David's idea, we think some of the leaders got together and bribed this little boy into picking David to get slimed.

The slime was not just pudding and food coloring. It had nuts, cornstarch, borax, jello.... it was AWFUL.

But it was all for a good cause and the boys had a stellar fundraiser.

Not everyone can look this cool while getting a hair cut.

somewhat AMAZING RACE

Each month our lifegroup (AKA Sunday School class) gets together for a social night. There is childcare at the church for the kids and the adults get to go out and do something fun together.

The thing we love about our class is that everyone is very fun-loving and ready for a new adventure. We've done it all... from 80's night, BUNCO, bowling, to KICKBALL.....

But this night was a new one and we did the Amazing Race.....

A friend of mine gave me some ideas on ways to make clues using puzzles, Sudoku, Jumbles, and Crosswords. Then you had to figure out the answers to the puzzles to lead you to local places for more questions. So, I put together the race and 30 of us headed out on a Friday night to race around town.
There were 2 challenges along the way. Where you had to stop, complete and task and then be given your next clue. I enlisted some other church members and they agreed to facilitate the games.

The funniest thing is the competitive nature of these people. At one point I decided that if we had said, "you must climb up on the roof and jump off " I'm convinced they would have said, "Where's the ladder"

So many funny things happened this night and every team had a story to tell. One group went to the wrong house and thought they were either going to get shot or have the police called on them.

Most husbands and wives were split into separate teams. The idea in all of this really is to build bonds and get to know one another.

On one team, the husband couldn't figure out how to use his wife's installed GPS. He called her to ask a question about it. She said, " MY team doesn't want me to tell you how to do that, so no. But I love you, Bye"

I decided early on that I wanted to be able to be a part of the race, so I just rode with one of the teams. I thought I could hold in my comments and not give a team an unfair advantage. And I did.... that wasn't the hard part. What I did not expect was the SHEER PANIC and GUT WRENCHING stress I went through when the people in my car couldn't figure out the FIRST clue..... They pulled out the Sudoku, stared at it for a while, then after about 5 minutes someone said... "OH I think this is a Sudoku and in a matter of minutes it was worked and we were on to our next destination" I wanted to run for the hills... I kept thinking. "what if no one else knows what this is? What if this really flops?" PANIC, PANIC, PANIC

But once we reached our first challenge and 3 of the 6 teams had arrived I began to relax and the night got more enjoyable. Of course any feeling other than the one where you're about to loose your lunch has to be more enjoyable.

After completing all the clues, the teams raced back to the church and rushed to the orange bath mat we had set out. Zane and I were there waiting, Where Zane said, "Welcome to HAFBC"

The last clue sent people to a local well to find the name of a type of water discovered in the area. Then the team had to write this name on a SONIC cup and turn it in.

The most surprising thing was the last team that strolled up to the mat.

They all had Sonic cups and were chatting casually and enjoying their beverages. I was urging them to get on the mat so I could record their time. At which point one guy says, "OH, this was a RACE?" "We've been done for 1/2 hour but we've been waiting in the car" Clearly the RACE part of the game had not been emphasized enough.

Anyway, It was a great night. And everyone seemed to have a lot of fun. The stories will go on and on and that's always a good sign of a fun evening.

Here's the winning team with their "Garden (travelocity)Nome" trophy......

Yes, David was on the winning team and he had no part in the clues or making the race. I'm firmly convinced it was his driving skills that got them to the winners circle. (And almost got another team on the side of the road in a ditch....but maybe we shouldn't go there)

Monkey Business

"you want to try what? "OK let's see if you fit!!"

There's one thing you can't say about David, that he doesn't try new things.so I guess if you're still small enough,

still limber enough,

and trusting enough

then you can FIT through the basketball hoop.

And as they always say.....

Monkey See..... Monkey Do

Baby Blues

Wow! Doesn't this dress bring out those blue eyes!

Ever since she was a little baby people would always comment on how big and beautiful Kaylee's eyes are.

Now a beautiful young girl is growing into them.

my girl

That's my girl....

Always right beside...

right behind...

or right on me.

Views from the Shopping Cart

I have a little Cannon camera in my purse that I keep for those out and about cute pictures. Like the ones from the Orthodontist. Even thought it may seem that I walk around with a camera around my neck snapping photos of the kids like the Papparatzi. I generally don't.

but there have been so many times I have been grateful for my little camera. It does take great shots and it fits in my pocket (or purse)

As a general rule the kids don't "play" with it. I like to keep the battery charged. But some days, when the shopping trip gets L O N G. Or there are lots of people to entertain then I let them have it.

Here are a few shots that they took the other day while shopping.

To funny not to share

I took Kaylee to the Orthodonist and Ty got these while I wasn't looking. I almost fainted when I turned around and saw this..It was like something out of a weird movie.

Sea Otter Cake

Just in case you ever need to make a Sea Otter Cake, Here's how:
(Because you won't find Sea Otter cake recipes on just every web-site)

Why would you want a Sea Otter cake, in the first place?

Because your 3rd grade daughter has to make an animal habitat. She chooses the Sea Otter. You remember a cake you made like a swimming pool 4 years ago. You tell her how cool that would be. Then no other idea is half as cool as this one. So, then this is what happens.

1st run to Michaels and pray continuously that they have some type of otter figure. This figure is not going to be found in the dollar store pack of farm animals. (Not only did they have one they had 2 kinds)

2nd Bake a cake, let it cool, and scoop out a big section in the middle. Arrange Otter nicely in the middle.

3rd Make the Jello and let it jell to a slightly chunky stage.
Check Jello often....while you're trying to leave for Awana

If it's still not to the right consistency then ask Dad to watch the Jello and at just the right point put it around the Otter.
Not to soon, not to late....
4th See Dad's face wrinkle in fear

5th Come home after AWANA at 8:30PM Begin icing the cake and arranging all the pieces that you've stolen from your little brother's animal sets.

6th Be so thrilled with your results and constantly say over and over.
This is so Awesome, This is so Awesome

7th Finally Go to Bed & Share with your 3rd Grade Friends tomorrow

Every Sunday Nihao Ya'll has a post called Sunday Snapshot. She asks other people to post a Sunday Snapshot and then link their page to hers. I did it for the first time on Easter Sunday when I wrote about going to the Chinese Buffet. Well one of the other people who posted there wrote the sweetest blog post.
I wanted to share it with you.

The post is from a lady who lives in China. She visited a Chinese friend who has just had TWIN Boys! It's a very sweet blog post and the photos are amazing.
You can check it out here.
http://katinchina.com/?p=581

A chick chick here & a chick chick there

Look at all these colorful chickens Nana crocheted for Mia's Kindergarten class. When Zane was in Kindergarten she made chickens then too. (I think we forgot during the Kaylee/Trent Kind years.)

So this year a week before the party, I called Mom and asked if she remembered how to make them. Nana went through all the steps with me, and then I asked, "so can you make 18 of those by next Wednesday?"

Of course, she could! IF it's for the Grandkids, It's completely do-able.

She even made all the little pom pom tails and tied them on to each of them.

Nana also use to make these a long time ago when she taught school and gave them out to her class for Easter. So Mia go to take them to the party and pass them out. Each of the chicks sits up because of the plastic easter egg inside of them.

The girls handled them gently and placed them nicely in their baskets. Treating them like real pets.

The boys made them "expel" the eggs and laughed about how it "just laid an egg" But they were equally as thrilled.