Campout Continued, Lots of Random pics

And here's Kaien. I can't believe how much he looks like Chris. Don't I have the cutest nephews!
Anna in the mountain. It's a pretty good climb.
Haha.

Breakfast with cousins

I'm posting this extra cute pic of Morgan so Melanie can have it. It takes about one week for me to email a pic so this method is quicker.

Butterflies at the mud pit by the watering trough

The joy of sticks. Really, now, several camping cousin fights were over sticks. Each child wanted the most superior stick, which was whichever one someone else had.

Matthias and I went for a walk. Anna started out with us but quickly decided sitting at camp was more enjoyable. This was on our way back to camp. Matthias really enjoyed the walk. It was cute. He's cute. We found some cool bugs and cool plants and stuff.

Melanie and Aaron's tent that I and the kids slept in. Had they not lent us their's, we'd have been under the stars, subject to being eaten alive by all manner of bugs and creatures. We know there were large animals roaming about because we heard them crunching twigs and stuff in the night. Scary! Anyway, it's a two man tent but it was sufficient for the three of us (with Emmy as the show model):

While some of the others were four-wheeling, the rest of us hung out in the four-wheeler trailer, to beat the heat. We attempted a game of cards, but with five children roaming about, we quickly learned the notion was a veritable impossibility. Here we have Chris (who was probably scolding a child) and Emmy, Casey in a hat, and Cameron (who was probably thinking, "who cares about the kids, let's finish this game already. Hehe)

This was about 4:30 pm and we were all hot, all just waiting for the shade to descend the mountainside. We got tired of waiting for the shade to come to us, so we went to the shade and parked our chairs on an uncomfortable incline. What you see here is Chris scolding my son for squirting his son in the face with a squirt bottle. Come on, uncle Chris, don't you remember how fun it is to squirt your cousin? Also, note the bag of chips. Note the extra arm holding the bag of chips. That's Anna. She refused to let those chips go, even while "sharing." Funny.

More Camping -- Four Wheeled Adventures

My parents have four four-wheelers. They brought them. Everyone had fun on them except me. I'm afraid. However, the latrine was a long walk from our camp site, so I did get brave enough to drive to and from the potty on a four wheeler. :) My kids loved them. They wanted a ride ALL the time, and they got quite a few. Here's said parents:
Here's Melanie, lookin all ready:

Jason, Casey and Cameron, checkin out possible routes:Grandpa with Kaien, Anna and Matty:
My little dude with his uncle Cameron:
The kids with Uncle Aaron:
Anna looking back:
Jaybo and Casey. I told them to be brothers and Jaybo punched Casey in the face. (pretend.) Mom was disappointed, so they hugged and made up:
Handsome Cameron:
And me and the kids. We'd just returned from a trip to the potty. Oh, a note: Matthias hated the latrine. He was afraid of it. I guess the thought of falling into a latrine might be frightening.... :) Well, I took him in there to pee and he refused, so I did because I had to go and he said, "Mommy, who's showering?" responding to the different sound of liquid in a huge hole as opposed to a toilet. It was funny. While we were camping, Matt peed for the first time standing up and for the first time outside! (both firsts occurring simultaneously.) I'm a proud mommy. Without further ado:

Fourth Continued

Then Morgan fell down. He was constantly falling down. I can't remember exactly what happened in this instance but I think he was maybe knocked down by Sadie (Chris's dog). He fell on his face. In the dirt. And came out of it with this to show for it:Funny! Then Matthias got kissed by a muddy dog nose. Cutest smile ever:
Here's all five grandkids (under five years) hiking up the hill together. It was precious:
It got a little chilly the first night and little Emmy didn't have a coat so she borrowed Morgan's, which was too big but so cute:

Fourth of July!!

The kids and I went camping! For the first time in their lives, and for my first time since college! So my whole family was there. Melanie and Aaron came from Lehi, Ut., Chris and Christine came from Caldwell, Mom, Dad, Jaybo, Cameron and Casey came from Nampa, and we came from Rexburg! Out of everyone, we had the shortest drive. Can't complain there. It was two hours away but that was taking the long way. My dad found a short cut for me for the way back and it cut off about a half hour, I think, I'm not sure because we made a ton of stops on the way home.

Anyway, it was a campground outside American Falls off a place called Sublett Road. Melanie and Aaron were the first to arrive, so they found the place and marked the trail for the rest to follow. I happened to meet them at the reservoir that was somewhat nearby. Here is a picture of Anna and Aunt Melanie playing therein. It was actually really dirty and smelly. In fact, the first thing Matthias said about it was, "That's disgusting!" It was. I did not go in. We all packed up and drove 10-ish miles to the campsite. We camped next to this hill, which Matthias is gleefully exploring:
This pic of Morgan is so darn cute. I love my nephew!
More exploration. Anna and Morgan were holding hands. It was super sweet.
In the meantime, Matthias was enthralled by this watering trough of sorts, right next to our site. It was pretty nasty water on the inside of it, but out that little pipe on the left there was pouring (more like "dripping") clear, clean water. We decided it was from a spring. Some of us drank it. None have died. Matthias loved that thing, though. Many times throughout the days, he would contently sit thusly and watch:


While we waited for the others to arrive, I got out the bubbles and let the kids play. Morgan really wanted a turn to blow the bubbles so I held the wand to his mouth. Well, he wasn't interested in letting me help, so he took the wand from me and promptly ate it. Matthias did the same thing, just to follow. It was so funny. We were laughing so hard because Matt of course spat it out as one would expect, but Morgan seemed to enjoy it. He kept the wand there in his mouth for quite a while until Melanie told him to take it out. Then comes the funnier part. After the wand tasting experiment, Matthias and Morgan started blowing bubbles out their mouths! Morgan said "mine! Mine!" and every time he said "mine" a bubble would emerge! I think Matthias burped a bubble.... It was sooooo funny, how I wish you'd been there!

Anna and Matt climbed this hill, which is considerably steeper than it looks. It was a little too hard to walk back down, so this was their method of return:
Cuteness:So I know this blog appears to star Morgan more than my own children but here he is again. He couldn't resist the mud, much to the dismay of his mother:
Finally Chris and Christine arrived. At which point, Aaron and Melanie began to prepare dinner. They made chili beans from a can (Nalley, mmmm) and something else. They had forgotten a pot so Aaron opened the chili can a little and placed on top the fire pit grill thing. I took a picture. I uploaded said picture and then my internet connection was lost. All the pics I'd uploaded became un-uploaded. I came back once the connection was re-established and found all the pictures except the chili can over the fire pit one. It totally disappeared and I'm totally bummed. I thought it was funny though, which is why I mention it.

Here's Kaien helping Anna transport a chair. It was cute. Joyful cousin reunions.... I remember the days...
I end this blog here. More to come. I have to go to bed.

I love the heat and everything...

But 93 degrees on the second floor with no air conditioning is a little on the miserable side.

It could be worse. It could be 60 degrees outside.

Dreamin

So I really want to get married. Tomorrow would be fine, I've no plans. Just for beans, here are my fundamental requirements for my future eternal lover:
1. He'll take me to the Temple on our wedding day, where we'll then be sealed for time and all eternity.
2. He'll take home enough $$ to make me a stay at home mom, even now, with my two kids.
3. His personal integrity will be like unto Job's. He won't lie to me or cheat on me, okay?
4. I'll be his favorite person to be with, and he mine; he'll spend all the time with me that I need.
5. He'll let me rub his feet (okay, this is negotiable I suppose, but I really like rubbing feet.)
6. He'll lead our family in family prayer, scripture study and FHE, and church attendance.
7. He's just good. Virtuous, lovely, of good report and praiseworthy. I do expect the same from myself.
8. He will honor the priesthood which he'll hold.
9. He'll cherish me. Forever.
10. He'll love my kids as his own, maybe not right away, but he'll make that effort right away.

That's all I can think of for fundamentals. Now the fun stuff. If I could dream up the most incredible, impossible man, this is he:
He's tall
He can sing
He's very, very intelligent
He's an RM
He speaks another language, preferably Spanish
He has a large family, which he is very close to
We'll live in the Treasure Valley
He'll make like 80k a year
And we'll use it to help so many people
He'll agree to foster parenting
He's buff
He looks hot in a cowboy hat, but he's not so much a cowboy
He'll immediately love Anna and Matthias as his own
He'll make me laugh ever day
He'll take me out on weekly dates
He'll send/bring me flowers just because
His mother is awesome
He's SO romantic
He's compassionate toward other people
He's very kind
He's sensible
He won't make fun of me when I cry
He'll hold me when I cry
He's an outstanding kisser
He doesn't like TV
He hates computer shoot em up games, or at least plays them in moderation
He likes to camp
He'll encourage my writing
He'll be so proud of me, proud to be in my life
He'll listen and hear me
He'll play card/board games with me
He cooks. A lot.
His credit is outstanding
He's a lawyer
He respects his elders
He'll adore my family and want to spend every holiday with them. (negotiable)
My dad will dig him
Of course my kids will love him. This one is fundamental.
He has a boat
He's a hard worker but likes to be lazy sometimes
He'll take out the trash


Well, I could go on forever, but if he sees this after we're married, I don't want him to feel too inadequate. :D Please know that I'll be a little more lenient than this list implies. :) I'll love him even if he's not a lawyer.

Job Interview

I finally have a job interview! Tomorrow morning, in Idaho Falls, at Standard Plumbing and Supply. Seriously. What, ya'll didn't know I'm a certified plumber? Of course I'm not. They're hiring for their showroom. If I get the job, I'll be showing and selling facets. Thrilling. Absolutely thrilling! "Yes, this would really go well with your bathroom. You will not be disappointed. Sure, it's a little spendy, but the quality is outstanding, and think of what your friends will say!"

Ha.

Anyway, a customer of mine from Cash Store works for the company and mentioned that there are some stores this way. I'd asked him if they'd hire me as a receptionist and he said they'd probably put me in the showroom. I asked if it was sales? Yes, said he. Bleh. Commission? I asked. Yes, said he. Worse. I expressed my extreme disinterest in commission jobs and he explained they also would pay a base wage. I said "well would the base be at least $11 an hour?" Yes, said he. Really? 11 an hour plus commission? Worth a try I guess. So I tried yesterday. The one in Rexburg is not hiring but he faxed my resume to the IF one and I got a call this morning. Interview tomorrow. Wish me luck!