swiss days 2012

This year for Swiss Days we decided to not sleep over in the motor home to save a little money for New York.  I know it is breaking tradition but we'd rather break tradition than out wallets.  The night before it rained a terrible rain storm complete with thunder and even knocking out the power in half the city.  Lucky for us it was turning into a beautiful day at 7am. Our beautiful day didn't last long or I should say it routinely interrupted by this wet stuff they call rain.  I say that because it has been the driest summer ever.  Swiss days had been scaled down quite a bit from past years.  Apparently the city made new ordinances making it very hard to expand the vendors booths.
We walked and talked and laughed the whole day through thoroughly enjoying each others company.  We say some cute stuff and some interesting stuff but not too many things that we just couldn't live with out. I did make it out with a couple of ties for each of the boys and of course the Relief Society baked goods.  My favorite are Bratzilis a thin wafer like Swiss cookie super delicious.

the rubber band bazooka

just finished the bratwurst and saurkraut mmmmm.

  

When the boys asked why we always want to go to these kinds of things I think my sister Amy said it best when she said "It's like a living pinterest." Then they got it.
I was planning on getting a couple of rubber band crossbows for my kids but they sold out by the time I went over to buy them.  I guess that was probably a good idea who knows how many fights I would have to break up after someone got shot in the eye. They did have this super awesome rubber band bazooka gun that I would love to try out.
   But like I told Scott I was just going for the food, ideas and yodeling.  Yes I am a sucker for yodeling go ahead, call me a geek.  I think it has something to do with my childhood memories and spending days getting ready for Swiss days (my mom had a booth every year) and then manning the booth and eating the food and yes listening to yodeling.

not uncommon for homes to look like this.

It was my days at Swiss days that taught me real life math.  I learned how to figure out tax and how to count money backwards to give change all by the age of 8.  We as kids also made crafts every year to sell.  The money we earned went to school clothes for the year.  So looking back we learned how to be very responsible with money at an early age.
Swiss Days is held in Midway Utah a very beautiful city nestled in the mountains with green grassy fields and rolling hills.  If it didn't get so cold here I would definately live here it is so incredible when I come here I get an idea of what it might be like to live in the Swiss Alps. The landscaping it  lush and most of the buildings look like they came out of a story book.

First days of school

This year was a little rough for me sending my baby to junior high school.  She started a day before everyone so they could have their 7th grade day.  Its a day where all the 7th graders come to figure out where their classes are how to open their lockers and what to do about lunch etc. without the pressure of the older kids there.  Ellie did really great except she has classes on the extreme ends of the school and back again. And she has yet to successfully open her locker more than 2 times.  She just hauls her stuff in her backpack all day.
William started the next day.  He was so excited he didn't even want me to walk him to school because I was too slow.  I told him tough it was my right as a mother to walk me child to his first day of school. He placated me just long enough for me to see him park his bike then he was off playing with his friends.

what? we can't lay on the floor?  What kind of place is this

Brennen was a full week later than the rest of the kids.  He was excited and not the least bit nervous.  I guess that means I am doing a good job teaching my kids to be independent.  We got there a little too early and Brennen got bored waiting around to be let in his class.  He couldn't believe that laying on the floor was not okay. So many new rules to learn.  He loves his teacher and comments on how tiny she is.  She is way shorter than me probably about 4' 8" and weighs about 80lbs.  The staff jokes that she can only teach kindergarten because they kids are all taller than her after that.



Peter was very upset that he couldn't stay at school.  He was so lonely with all his buddies gone for the day.

Joe's crab shack

After playing with the kids Scott asked if I wanted to go out to dinner.  I have been trying to be better at not giving into the guilt of leaving my children and spending guilt free time with my sweet hubby.  He is always asking if I want to go . ..  Often I only think about not wanting to spend the money or feeling like the kids would be left out.  I am now taking in the counsel our leaders have given us of making it a priority to go out with our spouses.  It has done wonders for us. Anyway back to the story he has wanted seafood for a long time.  I am not a huge fan of seafood so I usually suggest something else. This time I just let him have his say and we drove to Joe's Crab Shack.  It was so cute to see him "giddy as a school boy" He was so happy and antsy to get his fish I actually said he was as giddy as a school boy.  We had a great time eating and laughing and joking, talking and eating.  There was a small family there from Boston complete with the accent enjoying every minute of their dinner we just had to laugh. Scott ordered a steam pot with crab, mussels, clams and more crab.  I did try it and it was delicious.  I ordered the fish and chips which were exceptional.  I begged him to put the bib on.  He did it just long enough for me to take a picture then threw it in the trash bucket.  Thanks sweetie, your a good trooper.  Maybe I wont turn down seafood next time.

slip and slide

 For our ward summer social they had a BBQ and a massive slip and slide. It was pretty funny to watch the kids go down.  Some were very hesitant and just barley crept down, others took it at a full run then landed with a thud and a smile.
I remember when I was younger we would make these kind of slip and slides all the time.  It works best if you add a little dish soap.  Sometimes we would dig a whole in the ground at the bottom to create a pool of water to land in those ones were the funnest.All you need is a large sheet of plastic sheeting.
Other times we would go grass sliding during a summer rain storm. In our front yard we had an acre of grass leaving plenty of room for grass sliding.  When we got too cold we would connect a hose with a sprinkler to a hot water the tap in the garage then hang it over the basketball hoop.  That way we would warm up a little before we headed out for more slide time.

not quite

Kids have a funny way of saying phrases they hear.  It seems to me they never quite get it right.  It's no secret my boys love Transformers.  So we hear the theme song often however in Peter's version it goes like this. . . "Transformers, eats the eyesss,   Autobots suck your guts."  I didn't realize they were so cannibalistic.  For those who don't know the real words are "Transformers, robots in disguise,  Autobots, Decepticons. . ."

Then today I heard Brennen singing a ninja song that I'm pretty sure is not quite right.  He was singing "I'm a ninja, I'm a nananananananananananinja, I'm a ninja, I'm a harry ninja."  The real words are, "I'm a ninja, I'm a na-ninja, I'm a holy ninja."
Then at the dinner table we had Peter sing us some songs he learned in nursery.  He started off okay with "I'm so glad when daddy comes home."  Then it got a little interesting.. "I slap his knee and climb his face and give him a great big kiss."  (actually that is probably pretty accurate for him)  Then he did another mash up of all the songs he knows.  It went something like this. . "The eensy weensy spider climbed up the apricot tree, down came the rain and the wise man built his house."  We couldn't contain our laughter.

growing up

Today my little boy announced he was no longer a baby.  We all know how Peter loves his Woobie.  He needs it to sleep, when he is sad, or hurt.  Today Brennen was playing way too rough (no surprise there) and "accidentally" kicked Peter in the face.  Peter came to me crying, I picked him up and gave him loves.  Then scolded Brennen and told him to go get his brothers Woobie.  To my astonishment Peter cried out "I don't need my Woobie. I'm a big boy NOT a baby!"  I thought he was just delirious from the face hit.  So we got the Woobie and gave it to the still crying Peter for comfort.  He wanted nothing to do with it.  He threw it exclaiming that he doesn't need it he's a big boy.

Part of me is so proud of him to break himself of this crutch.  The other part of me was dying inside.  My sweet baby is growing up, when did this happen?  He's supposed to be my tiny Peter Pie that lets me baby him all I want. I have to admit I am a little sad to end this chapter of my life.

Williams first recital

William recently took up the guitar.  I had a heck of a time trying to find a teacher for him that wasn't too far away.  We finally found this lady in my mom's ward that is a music teacher.  The lessons are a little expensive for me so I told him he had better practice, practice, practice, or he will have to pay me back for the lessons. He just had his first recital.  After only 4 lessons his song was Mary had a Little Lamb.  He did a pretty good job.  However he was sad that Scott couldn't come see him.  I told him he would for sure come next time and that I would record it so he wouldn't miss anything.  Well William wanted me to record the entire recital so  "Dad could see exactly what it was like." I told him it was not necessary and I would record the really good ones for him.

Half way through the program the little boys had to go potty.  I sent William to take them.  When he came back without Peter my radar went off. "Where's Peter?" I asked.  William said "He's still pooping in the bathroom and I can't stay in there any longer it smells so awful!"  (William is our super sniff.  He has such a sensitive nose.)  I went to investigate.  I heard him before I found him.  He was crying in the men's bathroom.  He couldn't open the door because it was too heavy and he had his pants down.  Then I saw the real problem.  Poop all over the bathroom.  Apparently he was having trouble wiping and he was so upset because it was green and he was supposed to have brown poop.  I stifled a laugh at that comment.  As I cleaned up him and the bathroom he kept asking "why is is green mom?  I am supposed to have brown."  After all was reassured and cleaned we headed back to the recital.  Luckily the student had been playing stairway to heaven so I didn't miss much.