Great Weekend #1

We have some great weekends coming up, so I'm going to label this one #1. Friday night for Logan High's homecoming, all the cheerleaders who graduated this spring were invited to come back to the football game and cheer during the second half with the current cheerleaders. So the Bundy's came to watch since Emma had a crimson and gold cheer outfit with no place else to wear it! We traded her for Kylee and Brody for the weekend (what could be fairer that trading first-born for first-born?). As always, we all had so much fun having little miss Em around. She just keeps getting easier and funner the older she gets. My favorite was when I came home from Cam's game Saturday morning and walked into the kitchen where she was eating breakfast, and she said to Jessica "look, it's my friend Lee!"

On Saturday I took Mike and the boys on an awesome 6 1/2 mile hike to Temple Fork Saw Mill 30 minutes up Logan Canyon. I had done that hike Wednesday morning with my friends Janae and Nan and just loved it. It was so gorgeous, and a beautiful day to be outside. It's where the pioneers built a saw mill in the late 1800's to get lumber for the temple and tabernacle. We had a great time enjoying the scenery and each other's company. I love doing things just as a little family.

On Sunday when the Bundy's and Hatch's got back into Logan, we all went back into the Canyon for a dutch oven dinner, a game of Sardines, and fun playing in and around the river. A big thanks to Mike for slaving away in the fire cooking the dutch oven chicken & potatoes (enlarge the family picture and notice his bloodshot eyes.) Nothing beats fall weather in Utah! Stay tuned for more weekend fun!

Our back yard

I love our backyard, especially when our fruit trees are bearing the most delicious fruit! The only thing I wish was different is having a covered patio so we could eat outside more and not be sitting in the sun. I LOVE our swing (just off the patio) and adore laying out on it reading a good book.

This is our johnny/gold apple tree which is LOADED with apples every other year. We learned that if we weed the apples out early in the season, they'll bear every year and the apples will be bigger. Mike tried that this year, and did weed out about 300 apples, but still, there are probably a thousand apples on the tree! No kidding. One year I got ambitious and with Mom and David and my friend Janae's help, made about 70 quarts of applesauce. I still haven't recovered from that hellish day, and think that canned applesauce from the store tastes just as good. . . So I let it be known to family and friends that we have lots of apples to give away!

Our pear tree is loaded with lots of yummy pears every year. Some years I bottle them, other years I make pear/raspberry jam, we always eat a lot, and I give away a lot. Everyone is always happy to receive a bag since most people don't have pear trees in our neighborhood.

This is our garden that Mike works hard (well, sort of) at planting, watering and harvesting. We've already harvested all the beans and onions, that's why it doesn't look that big right now. We are still getting tomatoes and zuchinni. We give lots of those away too. Some years I bottle tomatoes or do salsa, but this year I'm not feeling it.

This is our apricot tree which has already produced tons of delicious apricots- the main portion of which we gave away! I did freeze some for smoothies as I wrote about in an earlier post.

We spend a lot of time together in our back yard jumping on the trampoline, playing beach volleyball, badminton, cooking out, playing catch, croquet, and other activities. It's awesome that none of our neighbors have barking dogs to disturb our fun (and sleep!)

Lists

I've always been a fan of making lists of things to do. I think it all started when I was an immature teen and used to make myself a note to remember to still be mad at my little sister Carol the next day- you know how if you're mad at someone at night, then the next morning when you wake up and it's a new day, you kinda forget about your feelings from the previous day? Well, that used to bug me- that she didn't get the full mean treatment from me- so I made a note for myself. . . I know, I know--- I've grown up a lot since then. Sorry Carol! Anyway, I'm a big fan of writing stuff down. So I thought I'd share my ideas of what I keep track of. I have many different books for keeping all this info in. First and most importantly is my regular happenings of my life journal that I write in every day. I have been writing regularly in a journal since 1976 (that was an earlier post if you recall).

Since 2001, I have been keeping track of all the gifts given and received for birthdays and Christmas and amounts spent. This has been valuable info, because not only is it good to have a written reminder, it's also helpful to remember what you gave as neighbor gifts (for example) from year to year so you don't repeat! In that same journal I also keep a list of gift ideas that the kids and Mike have given me throughout the year. It's great when gift giving time comes, and I have a ready list of ideas.

In a small book, I have a list of my favorite things, and a list of things I don't love. I love that list! It's fun to add to, and reread. You'll be happy to know my list of things I love is longer than the one of things I don't love. I'll give you a few just for fun. I love: taking a bath while reading a good book, I love going for alone walks with one of the kids or Mike. I love my Christmas shopping weekend with Freda, Teresa, Stacie and Jessica. I love exercising every day. I love having a glass of ice-cold water wherever I am. I don't love: spending a lot of money in a restaurant, unnecessarily long and boring meetings, when people say they'll do something and then don't, when sticky price tags don't come off an item, and, when people wear make-up to work out at 6:00 in the morning.

Since 2004 I have kept an exercise journal of what I do everyday for a workout. It's fulfilling to see how consistent I am, and how I vary in what I do. I also make a mark for each day if I didn't eat past 7:00, and if I refrained from sweets that day. Those marks (or lack thereof) are not so fun to see at times. . . I'm a weak person sometimes okay?

Since 1996 I have kept a journal of funny things the kids have said. About once a year we get it out and read it around the dinner table. It makes for some great entertainment. We call it "the funny book." Here are a few favorites: Kylee, age 7: giving a FHE lesson on temples: "a temple is a scattered place where I'll be salad to my family for all enteree." Jessica, age 6: she was trying to think of the word 'yesterday' but couldn't, so she pointed to the side, and said "you know that day back there?" Jake, age 5: "I just love looking at the sun. It makes me feel about love. And so do girl songs." (another one from Jake because he has so many) age 5: In his prayers one night: "I like the good people I know, and I love the good people I don't know and I sort of like the bad people, but I don't like Satan." OK- one more from Jake: In church one day, Jake asked Mike why we take bread and water. Mike said it's to remind us of Jesus. Jake said: "It doesn't remind me of Jesus- it reminds me of food- like cookies!" Cam, age 4: I took Cam for an evening bike ride and it was a little chilly, but he wouldn't wear a jacket. On the way home, he was freezing, and said: "this is the coldest day I've ever met!" (one more from Cam): age 7: One day out of the blue Cam said to Mike: "I sure am glad I'm not a weed." As you can see, these quotes are priceless. I encourage everyone to start today writing down the funny things your kids/grandkids say, because they are a treasure.

I have a book filled with my favorite quotes or sayings. It's inspiring to read and refer to- and have available for talks or lessons. A few of my favorites: "The course of our lives is not determined by great, awesome decisions. Our direction is set by the little day-to-day choices that chart the track on which we run." Gordon B. Hinckley "Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeadedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle

I have kept track in the back of my regular journal for years, a list of books I've read, the author, and the number of pages in the book. It's fun to see from year to year how much I read. Several years I've read around 15,000 pages. I enjoy rereading certain books, so it's nice to see how long ago I read it in the first place and determine how bad my memory is and how much I can or can't remember from it. Many times I claim to have never read a certain book, but looking back at the list proves that I actually did! It's also nice to have so I can recommend books I've especially enjoyed to other people. (I put a star on the books I really loved) So if you're ever looking for a good book to read- I'm your girl!

I hope some of these ideas have been helpful to you. If any of you have ideas to share for more lists I can start, please let me know!

We love Football

My love for football started when I was in college and Dad would be watching a game and want me to watch with him. I never wanted to because I thought football was boring. I much preferred to watch baseball. Once he explained the rules to me, and I gave it a try, I was hooked. I loved attending games at Ricks and BYU. My three years at BYU was when Steve Young played. I loved attending the games with my friends. When Mike and I got married, it didn't take long to convert him to being a BYU football fan even though he was raised to be a Utah State Aggie. His love of football started when he was 8 and he started playing tackle football. In fact, it was because of his playing football that his mom and step-dad Tom met each other. You could say at age 8 he was a matchmaker! He played football all the way through his senior year, mostly as receiver. He played on an adult flag football team for several years after we were married. We have raised some football loving boys- the girls. . . not so much. So every fall, we all get very excited because we know our weeks will be full of football.

It starts on Thursday evening now with Jakes freshman game. So far his team is 2-0. He plays safety. It's great to go watch him play, and he's loving being on a high school team. (He's #2)
Saturdays are Cam's game day with him playing quarterback this year, a little receiver, and cornerback or safety. There's nothing funner than watching your kids play and have fun doing something they love, and practice hard at. Practices for both boys are 4-5 nights a week for 2 hours- starting three weeks before their first game and going through their last game. (Cam is #2 as well)

Friday nights are Logan High football for the boys and Mike. I went to all the games the years the girls were cheering, but now I look forward to an evening to myself! Mike has done the stats for the team for the past 10 years, and loves being down on the field right by all the action. It's just not the same for him watching from the stands. It's an added bonus that he gets himself and a guest in free to every game, including basketball.

Saturdays also mean college football- most importantly BYU. We always watch them play- usually that evening from a recording (and hope that we somehow don't hear the score before then, or that our recording doesn't end too soon. Sadly, both of those tragedies have happened. AHH) Mike still tries to be loyal to the Aggies by listening to some of their games on the radio. In this picture, we're posing in Cam's room in front of his great wall of mostly linebacker Cameron Jensen pictures. (notice Mike's USU hat--- he can't convert 100% to BYU)


The boys favorite NFL teams are the Patriots and the Rams, so occasionally they'll catch a Sunday game, but all three boys love watching Monday night football. We somehow suffer through the most boring days of the week, Tuesday and Wednesday, then it starts all over on Thursday! Go Grizz, Coogs, Aggies, Pats, and Rams!

Game ideas

Since I slaved (and I use that term lightly) away in college for 5- yes, that's right- 5 years getting a degree in RECREATION MANAGEMENT, I thought it ought to be good for something in my everyday life, so years ago I compiled a list of game ideas. I've referred to it a lot throughout the years in hosting birthday parties, kids friends parties, family parties, ward parties, etc. Many times I've been asked for game ideas from friends and family who are having their own parties and need some ideas. So, at the suggestion of Jamie, I decided to do a post with some of my favorites:

**BRING ME THE. . . Form two teams (or more if you have enough people- each team should have at least 5 people) Have each team stand the same distance away from the leader. The leader calls for different items- ie a watch, cash, earring, car keys, lipstick, sock, etc. and the first team to run with the item and hand it to the leader gets one point. Game ends when one team reaches 5 (or whatever) points.

**DO YOU LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR (for 6-30 people) Have everyone sit in a circle with one person standing in the middle (no seat available for him) He approaches a person and says: "do you love your neighbor?" That person can either say yes or no. If they say no, then the two people on either side of him have to switch spots with the person in the middle trying to get one of their spots, leaving one person w/o a spot- then they're in the middle. If the person says yes, then they add "but I don't love people who. . . " and then fill in the blank with something like: "are wearing jeans, have blue eyes, have braces, are under 12 years old," etc- then whomever that statement applies to, has to get up and change seats with whomever else is switching seats, and the person in the middle tries to get a seat- leaving a new person to be in the middle.

**I HAVE NEVER (for 8-20 people) Everyone sits in the circle. Give everyone ten pieces of something like candy, dimes, pennies, whatever. Someone starts and says "I have never________" and fills in the blank with something they have never done that they think most other people have done. If you have done the thing named, you must throw one piece of candy (coin- whatever you've been given) into the middle of the circle. The next person goes, and so forth. Each time you have done what has been named, you must part with one candy (or whatever) Once your 10 items are gone, you're out of the game. The last person remaining with anything left collects everything in the middle of the circle.

**LETTER GAME (for 15-25 people) Form teams with 5 people to a team. Give each person a set of pre-made letters- one for the front of their body and one for the back. They can be attached with yarn.(which would go over the shoulder holding the two pieces of paper together) The letter on the front is a different letter from the back, so each team has 10 different letters. The letters are: *person 1 has O & E *person 2 has A & Y *person 3 has T & C *person 4 has B & P *person 5 has R & H. Each team has these same letters. Line the teams up with their letters on. The leader calls out a word, and the team must scramble to get their bodies assembled to spell out the word the fastest. Some people may be turned backwards or forwards depending on which letter needs to be used to spell the word. The first team to spell the word gets one point- Play to 10 points (or whatever.) The words to be spelled are: BOAR, RATE, BRAT, CROP, PART, CRAB, PACE, TAPE, BOAT, HATE, TRAP, BEAR, BERT, CRAP, TYPE, BEAT, REAP, HYPE, BART, CARE, PEAR, BARE, HEAP, RACE, CAPE, THEY, TEAR, TARP, THAT, HEAT. As these are only four letter words, one person will be left out of each word. They just stand to the side and wait for the next word.

** M&M GAME- (for 5-10 people- could do more than one team) Everyone sits in a circle or around a table. Each person has a paper cup and a straw. There is a bowl of plain M&M's in the middle of the table. Someone starts rolling two dice. If doubles or 7's are rolled, they take the bowl of M&M's, and as quickly as possible, start sucking one M&M at a time out of the bowl into their paper cup using their straw. The dice continues to be rolled around the circle. When the next person rolls doubles or a 7, they grab the bowl and start getting M&M's. Once the bowl of M&M's is gone, the person with the most M&M's in their paper cup wins!

**MASKING TAPE ON THE NOSE- (8-50 people) Everyone gets a piece of masking tape abt. 2" long. Fold it so that it is in a circle, with the sticky part facing out. Place the piece of tape on the edge of your nose. Each person approaches another person and they touch nose-to-nose letting the 2 pieces of tape touch each other. The tape will come off of one person and stick to the tape on the other person's nose. If the tape comes off yours, you're out. If you now have two pieces of tape on the edge of your nose, you go to someone else who either has one or more pieces on their nose, and touch noses. Continue until everyone has lost their tape and one person has a big glob of tape on the edge of their nose. That person is the winner!

**MUSICAL CANDY- (for 6-20 people) Everyone sits in a circle. A jar of candy is passed around while music is playing. When the music stops, whomever is holding the candy is out. The last person left gets the jar of candy.

**HAVE YOU EVER- (for 8-20 people) Everyone stands in a circle and marks the spot where they start with a shoe, purse- whatever. The leader asks "have you ever" questions (like: "have you ever had your wisdom teeth pulled, slept outside under the stars, thrown up on a train or plane, gotten a speeding ticket", etc) and if you can answer yes, move one spot to your left. You may be standing in the same spot as the person to your left if they didn't move. That's OK. The first person to move all the way around the circle back to their original spot first is the winner.

I hope this list is helpful to you and that my instructions make sense!

Party on!

Summer Fun part 2

Just a few more fun activities we did this summer: We had a fun Weyerts family party at a park one Sunday evening. Stacie did a great job of organizing it. We had yummy food, then played a really fun survivor game. We were divided into four teams. First we had to do a word scramble, then we each had to make our own paper airplane and see who's flew the farthest. Next we had to do a relay race and dress one person on the team in some overalls. Last we had to race back to back with a raw egg between us and try to not drop it. At the end of all that, two teams were tied, so Jessica and Brody had a tie breaker to see who could chew and swallow three starbursts the quickest. Everyone had a great time.

Kylee and Sidnie
Avery
What would a party at the park be without Salomon? (my answer may be different than everyone elses. Don't tell the Hatch's though :)

This is Cam and Jake horsing around in the backyard one Sunday afternoon. Can you guess if one of them got hurt in the process?
Jake got mad one day after being stung by a wasp so he dressed up in this gear and went around swatting and killing a few of the wasps' friends for revenge.


Aunt Gayla turned 80 in August, and wanted to celebrate out to "the ranch" where she and her family lived during the summers while she was growing up. My cousin Scott runs the 4,000 dry farm now, so allowed a bunch of us to decend on him to have a party one Saturday afternoon. We had delicious food, and a nice program. Cam got a ride with Scott on a tractor that drove itself! Pretty cool for a city boy. He also learned what a combine does, and got to see how wheat is grown. Cam was a good sport to accompany me as everyone else had other commitments for the day. I enjoyed visiting with relatives I don't get to see very often.

We had another fun party at a park when the Lakes were here. Ann and all her kids, plus our family, the Searles and Mom met at Von's Park (not Romney) in Providence for dinner and a fun survivor game hosted by Jamie. Luckily none of the food items we had to get down were too disgusting.

Cam struggling through the ropes course
Jessica with her two favorite Lake girls!

Jessica, Jake, Mike and I went to Rupert one friday in July to attend Sydney and Adam's engagement open house. Before the party, we drove to Twin Falls to attend the open house of the temple. It was small but pretty. We're glad we made the effort to do that. This makes Jessica's third temple open house (San Diego and Mt. Timp) and Jakes second. (Mt. Timp) Cam missed out cause he was at Scout Camp.

We loved being at Syd and Adam's fun party and to their awesome wedding in SLC the next weekend. They're such an adorable and fun couple.
We celebrated Kylee's 21st birthday with a cookout, badminton, and cards. I loved that it was on a Sunday (even though she didn't) because we got to spend more time with her and Brody than we would have any other day!

Sadly, summer is over, and we're now back in school. Isn't it true that all good things come to an end? But there's great things about the fall that we love, so we'll just wait for more summer fun in '09!