Mice, Pigeons, and Other Stuff

1. Remember when I said I'd post pictures soon? Let's define soon as a long time from now, so you won't feel disappointed and I won't feel like a slacker.

2. On Saturday night when I was upstairs with the twins I heard a scream from the living room. Tyce and Mary had been watching TV when they saw something scurry across the floor . . . or did they? Tyce tentatively pushed the recliner backwards to check and by the time I came on the scene--chaos and panic had gripped the townsfolk! Everyone ran like lunatics, brooms poised to kill, while an elusive Speedy Gonzales dashed under the closet door.

Well.

What's the first thing you do when an unwelcome rodent runs into your coat closet? Right. You set a trap.

First you fill a Duplo block with peanut butter. Then you take your cue from all the cartoon-watching you did as a kid; you prop up a box with a stick. Bait in box will soon equal mouse in box!

Then you wait. A really long time.

Eventually you drive to Wal-Mart to buy normal, don't-snap-your-fingers-off mousetraps.

But what you lose in comic creativity you gain in effect--the next day the mouse is caught.

(And the nature-lover among you cries.)

3. Tyce is trying out for the freshman football team. Last week they did drills and this week they're doing conditioning. I say, do your thing and do it well. It doesn't matter if it's band, choir, art, or sports, just put your heart into it and you'll be happy.

4. This weekend my football-playing, music-loving, all-around-great-kid turns 14! And the very next day he flies to Texas to see his grandparents. How fitting to spend the 4th of July in the Lone Star state.

5. We have a serious pigeon problem. It is disgusting. I don't care if they're relatives of Wenzie--those things have got to go. They mock me with their incessant stupid cooing. In fact, I found this letter on my front door:

Hey Dudes,

I totally live over your front porch! Remember when I used to fly away whenever you opened your front door? Hoo, that was a long time ago, right? Now we have a sweet nest and four of my old friends live with me rent-free cuz they needed a place to crash for a few months. Thanks for letting us trash the place; I'd say we'll clean up before we leave but I don't really have the best track record for that, haha. Live and let live, right dude? Oh hey, could you guys keep it down at night? We need to get to sleep and Trixie can't find her ears to cover them up.

Coo-coo-ca-choo,

Poncho

Seriously, what does "Poncho" expect me to do? I called the exterminator and it'll be close to $500 bucks to kick the aviary squatters out. I went outside, threw a couple of rocks into the eave and yelled, "Stop calling me DUDE!"

And then Poncho sent me a little "present" to add to the hundreds already dropped onto my driveway.

OH. 

This is war.

Braids for the Summer

Does she look gorgeous or what!

After 7 hours at the salon--SEVEN HOURS!--this is the final result.

She has scalp braids with extensions. They stay in for 8 weeks. She shampoos and conditions like normal. LaKeisha recommended them for the summer because braids are better for swimming since they keep the hair from drying out (and the style is easier to maintain).

We all love it! I think she looks beautiful. Here are some other shots.

So now we need to hit the pool, don't you think?

Monday Madness

If you've read my blog for a long time you know that SUMMER is my hardest time for me to write.

So this will be short and sweet with the promise of pictures to come.

1. We saw Toy Story 3 for Bryce's Father's Day outing on Saturday . . . oh my word. I loved it.

2. Tyce gave a talk in church yesterday about Scout camp and I think he did a great job!

3. Mary is home for track break. She'll go back in a few weeks and then be done for the year in August. Next year all the schools are moving to 9-month, which is good . . . and not-so-good. Overall I am looking forward to it.

4. We've been transitioning the boys to putting themselves to bed, meaning that we're trying to avoid lying with them at night until they fall asleep. So far--it has not gone well. Their room is trashed and they party in the closet until we go to bed. I always thought, "Well, they're not going to be in 3rd grade and still demand that we lay with them at night!" But then I thought . . . "Yeah, they actually might."

5. Father's Day was nice--I am blessed to have great fathers in my life. My dad, my father-in-law, and my husband are awesome.

6. Should I take everyone to the pool today?

7. The boys were wild beasts at church yesterday. Mary got complimented several times for being a good big sister, since she had one while I had the other in time out. Thank goodness she was of a mind to help and not make the problem worse (although I don't doubt there was some of that, since I personally witnessed her grabbing a book out of Harrison's hands she thought he shouldn't have). It was probably the boys' worst behavior ever. For example, while I was gone Cam raced up and down the long row and shouted, "Hi Dad" several times. Tyce and Bryce were both on the stand and I had Harrison on a chair in a classroom for saying, "You can't make me," and "You're crazy." Both of those comments were to ME. You know what I need? A tranquilizer dart. And a bar of soap.

8. Well, I have to get started on the day. A few errands and then it's chore time for all.

9. (And how are you?)

Five Thoughts for Wednesday

1. My visiting teachers are coming over and they are going to flip if they see how messy my house is. I'm sure they'll have to report to the RSP that an intervention is in order. You know what one of our biggest problems is? Shoes. We have way too many shoes and they're in every room of the house. We need a place, a system, a solution to this pressing household issue.

2. I went to girls camp. Why haven't I posted about it? Because, get this, you will die when I tell you . . . I forgot my camera. I know. Too much running around in the morning gathering last minute items means that not only did I leave my camera, but also my phone and MY MAKEUP. Can you believe I even survived??? It is a testament to how much I love those girls that I didn't drive an hour into town to buy some mascara. But I digress. I do have pictures, courtesy of Brother Hall. He acted as camp photographer and was so nice to make a CD for me. However, my computer is having a hard time reading it--I'm sure it's the computer, and has nothing to do with the fact that once I pop the disc in I'm clueless. Work your magic, whirring rectangular contraption!

3. Tyce is at Scout camp, at Thunder Ridge. I talked to him on Bryce's cell phone and things seem to be going fine. Bryce is coming home today and then going back to pick him up on Friday. Tyce has never been alone on a trip but it's not because we're overprotective or he's homesick. It's because he's butted heads quite spectacularly with one of the Scout leaders in the past and we were attempting to thwart a coup. I won't go into details but . . .  this leader loved scouting but didn't have good people skills. The boys either spent their time crying or plotting revenge. But now he's not there and we hope there won't be drama. Why am I saying all this? I guess to illustrate why Bryce is at camp now, coming home, and then going back to camp. You know, baby steps.

4. Mary got really good scores on her standardized tests (CRTs) and now she doesn't have homework for the rest of the year! She is also writing a book for Tyce and when she's done I'll type it out for you. That girl is something else. So far it's way better than anything I've ever written.

5. I have to go. Get Mary off to school, eat some Cheerios, put on yesterday's cute outfit for a whole new audience. And, oh yeah, clean up this place. Wish me luck!

Disneyland Trip and the Beach

Click to enlarge--this one's classic!

Before I left for girls camp and the rest of the family for Disneyland Cameron said, "Mom, I think we're going to have a little more fun than you this week." Nothing can trump a trip to visit Mickey Mouse, especially when you're 5 (or 10 or 13).

Bryce's sister Heather flew out from Texas to help manage the kids. It's a good thing she did, because she could take one group and Bryce could take the other on rides or whatever. Tyce really hates roller coasters or anything like them, but he did enjoy Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Carribbean. He also liked the Haunted Mansion and got several "Jack" (from The Nightmare Before Christmas) themed souveniers. Bryce said he was very helpful with the twins and had a great attitude.

The twins loved every kiddie ride and everything they did. They were especially interested in the walking characters.

Mary had the most dramatic time: she loves roller coasters and had a willing riding partner in Heather. They rode several fast and crazy rides both at Disneyland and California Adventure, including the Tower of Terror. Shortly after that last ride, she threw up.

Bryce took her to the first aid station, where they park staff was convinced she was dehydrated. She drank and drank, and when everyone thought she'd be okay, they stood to leave. And then she threw up again! To make a long story short, Bryce spent 6 hours in the 1st aid station with absolutely nothing to do except watch Mary sleep. Eventually they got her a wheelchair so she could at least stroll around the park (where she barfed twice more). It turns out she had extreme motion sickness, but after she felt better it was as if nothing had ever happened.

Here are some other pictures.

On the way to the fancy hotel, where they spent the night before going to the beach the next day!

They stayed in Dana Point--check out the view from their window!

They had fun beach-combing and even had a barbeque one night.

They had a blast, and it made it even more enjoyable for everyone to have Aunt Heather along! I'm so glad they had a great little vacation.

I'm off to Girls Camp!

At this time of year, Warm Springs should be called Scorching Flames of Misery and Death Springs.

But that's where we're going, and I'm thinking cool thoughts. Icy, snow-capped thoughts of how the last time I went camping I thought I'd freeze to death.

But guess what.

I am going to have a blast. You know why? Because I love girls camp.

(For real.)

Oh, and guess what else???????

The rest of the family, plus Heather, are going to Disneyland while I'm gone!

We will be having two different kinds of fun. But we will take the same amount of photos. Which is to say, in the millions.

Stay tuned, peeps!

First Place in the Science Fair!

Mary won first place for her science project on snails and slugs!

She truly did everything. It was her idea, she collected the data, and she wrote everything up. All I did was type her words. She even glued everything to the poster board herself.

I told Tyce and his friends that she'd won, and Tyce reminded me that *he* had also won first place in 4th grade. He said, "That's how we Joneses roll!"

Congratulations to our very-motivated 4th grader! You are a first-place girl to us, in everything you do.

School's Out

And as Dr. Freud would ask, "How do you feel about that?"

Oh, you know. Wait, you're not asking me?

The twins finished school mid-May, which you already know. And today was Tyce's last day of middle school. Mary is still in year-round school so she's not done with 4th grade until August.

So I guess I should say that school's out for one person today.

His friends Steven, Konner, Elijah, and Davian came over to eat lunch after the half-day. They listened to music like "School's Out for Summer" or whatever it's called. As they scrolled through their choices one of them said, "Oooo, I want this one next." It was so funny to hear "I'm a Little Teapot" after all of that hard rock!

Why, hello, Summer.

I look forward to remaking your acquaintance.

The Weekend

I just realized it's not Monday....it's Tuesday! Those 3-day weekends are brain-scramblers.

The Hardys invited us and the Bevells to play games on Friday night. We had fun playing Compatibility and True Colors, both games that were new to me. After a while Mary came over (walked around the corner) because her computer game had frozen up and she didn't want to watch the movie Tyce had on.

In the game True Colors, someone reads a question and then everyone secretly votes who they think fits the description best.

For example, one I read said, "Who is most likely to read the obituaries?"

Mary scrunched her face uncomfortably and asked, "Why do they call them that?"

Robin explained that they were the death announcements in the newspaper.

"Oh . . . I thought it had something to do with females," Mary said sincerely.

We had a good laugh over that one!

The rest of the weekend was good. Did housework, saw a movie, thought about my relatives who have passed on.

(When I went to BYU I had a floral design class where our assignment was to visit the cemetery on Memorial Day and photograph the various arrangements. It was peaceful and almost sacred there. Ever since then I've really wished I lived close enough to to that again, but to visit my own family.)

I have girl's camp in one week from today!!!!!!!!

I will probably not breathe fully until I return. Look for me on June 13th--if I'm not too worn out I will be a normal human being again.

Well, maybe.