A Grand Ole Birthday and Old Tucson too!

We had such a fun weekend driving down to Grandpa Banzhaf's in Tucson. It was Great Gran's 82nd Birthday party. We had a fun time swimming, eating BBQ and having cake.
We are so glad that Great Gran let us celebrate with her. The boys were so excited to have a sleepover at Grandpas. In the morning, we drove down to "Arizona's Hollywood", Old Tucson. It has been the setting for many famous western movies and TV series. Mike went there when he was a kid and had fond memories of it. It was my first time, which is really strange since my mother is from Tucson, we visited the area alot as kids but I dont remember going there. Some joker burned the place down a few years ago, so they rebuilt. Some of the rides arent what they use to be but the kids had a great time. Even in 100 degree weather. They especially liked the shootout where a guy fell dead off a roof, one slid down a pully from a rooftop, one got ground up in the bone cruncher, and there was lots of explosions and gunshots.
The ultimate little boy extravaganza.Cowboys and Bad Guys.



Tanner told us all how great gran was "so, so old". Then he counted from 82-100 and said "When your 100, your done".


Birthday Girl

Crew and Granny


Isnt this such a cute picture of great gran with the boys.

As usual, Zachary (Mr. Bossypants) had to drive. Tanner was the passenger. I hope as teenagers Zachary will be a better driver. I suspect that Tanner may be the more responsible of our drivers someday.


Cowboys in the Wild West shootout. Isnt it funny how Tanner is holding on to the actors leg. I bet that guy was thinking "Dang boy, your really close to my gun!". Gesh!


This guy got shot and killed in the reinactment of "The Quick and the Dead".



Stagecoach ride anyone?



My Horse Theif.





Grandpa got pulled on stage to dance with the Can-Can girls. Totally hilarious. I dont know the words they were singing but the song was something about the saddle getting glued to the cowboys rear end. Sorry about it being so red. It was pitch dark in the audience and the stage lights were red and orange. My camera wasnt doing very well.


Asher on the Merry Go Round
Hungery Little Man
Trains. All Aboard!
I asked for sad faces at the jail. This is what I got.

May 2011

May has turned out to be one of the busiest months in a long time. We got a few things done.

We have been finishing or attempting to finish projects around the house. Here are a few. Pics of the Bathrooms will be coming shortly, we need to still hang a few things.

My version of the popular Subway art thats going on. I needed something to fill this space. So I whipped this out.

I stuck it in my hall as you exit the laundry room. Some of the words that are smaller read: Mt. Timpanogos, "our hopes and dreams", Go Utes, eternity, Cherry Coke, pajama master (my nickname). Just random stuff about our family.

I finished covering my dinning room chairs. The kids have plastic over them as well as the fabric. Its the smartest thing I've done with our eating arrangments. I just wipe off the chairs when we are done. Makes life so much easier.
Still trying to organize and decorate this area. Its so hard. Still looking for the right TV console to set the TV on. And I think I may hit the flea market for some cool books. Its a work in progress.


found some new fun pillows for my family room. Going for colors in Dusty Rose, Blue,Cream and green. The Brown pillow picks up all the colors.




Organized my little kitchen office/computer desk area.
Of course, more kitchen vinyl. Still waiting to find the perfect kitchen curtains.


We blessed Crew and had a fun get together with family.My parents ,my sister, two of my brothers, my cousin and her family (from Tucson) and my aunt and uncle (from Tucson) all came and had a great dinner and enjoyed some dinner theater by my brother, Taylor (giggle,giggle).



These boys are only 7 weeks apart. Crew and his cousin Carter
Temps were in the 70's this week. So nice for real pajamas. I dont know why, but I love my babies in their jammies. So darling.
My sister Ariel came into town from St. George, Utah. We love and miss her already!





Zachary and Tanner graduated from Kindergarten. They were so cute singing in the program. Now, its onto summer vacation and temps that will keep us sweating for the next 4-6 months. I wish I had a summer home in Switzerland. Or Alaska.





We also got to hike around Lake Pleasant for the first time this month. It was only mid 70's that day, so we didnt bring our suits. The water was cold, but rocky beach was too enticing for little hands that wanted to throw rocks. A little horse play never killed anyone. Or did it? It was a fun time for all.

How do I explain this?

Another funny conversation:

Zach: Daddy, what is a nit-wit ?
Mike: Its a person who isnt very smart. Kinda dumb.
Zach: So if your a nit-wit you work at Burger King, right?

Things I dont understand

Well, here it is again. The complaining.
I was asked to be the Scout Master, which is something Im not thrilled about.
I'll be honest, (since this is MY blog) I personally dont think the church should ask you to be involved in scouts as a "calling". Nationally, its a volunteer postition. You have to really love scouting to want to be involved becuase its so tedious and time consuming. I think its a great program for young men, but I dont think I should be guilted into saying YES to scouting becuase Im a member of my church. Yes I see the correlation of strong ethics and values with faith. I think its a great program for boys. However; I (a woman ) dont want ANYTHING to do with scouts personally. Frankly, I feel like I said yes only to not appear difficult. After all, Im new and its the first assignment I've been given. I am dreading it...

And since Im murmmering--
Whats with people thinking I need to know everything about them by their bumper sticker, tweets, and facebook status. I get it, Bin Laden was killed...big news. Your choice of breakfast cereal and what episode of The Office you are gonna watch tonight...not news. I dont care.


Why do women think fake nails make them look prettier? I swear, I've seen more ladies with fake nails in the past month than I have in my lifetime. When I see long fake nails on women I think of :

1. This creepy scene in the movie "Something Wicked This way Comes" where the scary guy makes his own hand bleed with his long nails.
2. Nicodemus, the Rat from the Secret of Nimh movie.
3. Old ladies with long straggly hair, sitting in opium smoke filled rooms holding thier pipes.

And this:

I dont understand why they charge so much for a container that is suppose to hold spegetti. Have you ever gone to buy a pasta keeper? Gesh, its like highway robbery.




I dont understand how people can eat hummus. Not only is the texture nasty looking but it smells like surfboard wax. - And why, why, why does Costco insist on giving it to old people at tasting carts? And why,why, why do I always end up standing behind the man who ate too much hummus and has horrible GAS and a seasame seed from the cracker stuck in his tooth?

I dont understand why I am totally addicted to watching HOARDERS. When all I do is scream at the TV and gag while watching it.

Why do they have these stupid dolls for boys?My boys want one and I think they are sending a bad message. About pirates. And dolls. And, ok I just dont like them.

I dont understand this at all. Was this a joke? They didnt really think they looked good right?

Ok, enough. Im just getting it all out there. :)

Candy is Dandy, but Liquor is Quicker

The kids and I were watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The original version with Gene Wilder, not the lousy version with Johnny Depp. In my opinion Ompa Lompas just arent the same in the newer version.There outfits are so much cooler in the first movie.Plus, the music in the original is just so "classic" and full of wisdom.:)

"Who do you blame when your kid is a brat
Pampered and spoiled like a Siamese cat?
Blaming the kids is a lion of shame
You know exactly who's to blame:
The mother and the father! "

Anyway, I listened to the following conversation and laughed my head off.

Tanner: I wish I had a chocolate factory. With trees made of candy.
Zach: You would be so fat. Like the lunch lady at school.
Tanner: She isnt fat Zach. She just has big pants
Zach: Tanner, she has big pants becuase she is so fat. AND her name is Mrs. Largie.
Just FYI: Her name is Mrs. Margie.