Hallo meine Amish Freunde (Hello, My Amish Friends)

For family home evening this week, we decided to go to Lancaster and explore the Amish a little more (abt 40 min drive). We let the kids play with the animals at the petting zoo. Then we hopped aboard an Amish wagon and went through the back roads of a real working Amish farm. It was amazing.
Did you know that the Amish are allowed to have cell phones? As long as they are not "connected" to the world by power cords, and telephone wires, it is allowed. This belief is based on a interpretation of Matthew from the Bible about "being in the world but not OF the world ". Teenagers who are not baptized are not bound by the rules.So technically they are not Amish just because they are born into an Amish family. They have to choose to be baptised at which time they are forbidden to do/use certain things. They go through a period of "rumspringa", or running around, in their teenage years,often with a certain amount of misbehavior that would otherwise not be tolerated.
We saw one farm that had a Hummer3 parked in the barn. Apparently our driver knew the families teenage son who attended public high school, had a drivers license and dated non Amish girls. Very interesting...Anyway, we had a great time. Then we hit the "Family Cupboard" for some Amish cooking. YUM! That nights lesson:
Hard Work + Dedication + Strong Family values = Good People
Plain clothes + Horses + Wagons= Not For Me
See kids, being Mormon isnt really all that weird is it!

The hills are alive with the sound of screaming

We did it, we finally went camping. And yes, we survived. We left Friday to camp at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Our friends, the Poulsons, joined us for a fun filled night of camping in the great outdoors. I felt bad for all the adjacent campers who had to listen to my boys screaming and running through the woods all day. But hey, that happens when there are 5 little boys, 3 of whom are 3 years old. Then the neighbors had to listen to me blabbering all night around the campfire. Poor souls!
The bad news was there were only non flushable toilets at the site. Yuck!
The good news is there were no major accidents and no major meltdowns. Asher was a champ and slept more in the van that night than he does at home. We woke up and had a pancake breakfast the next morning. Bacon & cantaloupe too. Yum! Then we drove over to the lake for a little swimming and lunch. It was so fun! There were a few things we forgot to bring, but overall, it was a success! Cant wait to do it again!


What do I need a rain cover for?...um rain Mike. Guess who was running around in their underwear in the dark in the rain to find a rain cover at 3 AM?

The mighty camping boys! Tanner, Liam & Zachary. Wondering about Zach's nose, see post from Aug 1st.

Buddies!

Zach & Tanner at the Lake

Inside the Tent with Jen, Liam & Tanner

Why should we sleep in our sleeping bags when dad's bed is more comfy?

Did I actually get any sleep on this mattress...No.

We forgot to bring a spatula for the pancakes, but "McGuyver" Jen engineered one out of a cd she found in her car. Good thinking girl, worked like a charm!

Rudolph The Red Nose

Have you ever wondered what rug burn looks like on your nose? Well, here's and idea. Any questions?

Hold your Applause, but nothing else...

So we were at Costco today, buying the usual unnecessary items, as is the case every time we go to Costco. We go for one thing and walk out with 10!?!
Thus far, Tanner has refused to be potty trained. On occasion, he will tell us he needs to go and when those rare occasion happen, we make a big deal out of praising him. Today he tells Mike that he needs to go while we are in Costco, so Mike runs into the men's room with him. As they are in there, Tanner does his business and Mike starts saying "Wow Tanner, what a good boy. Hooray! That's awesome!" and clapping and screaming "ALRIGHT! GOOD JOB". Then Mike says he hears the guy in the john next to them applauding and clapping too!!!
Too funny!

All By Myself

Mike has been called to be the Executive Secretary in the ward. So, he now spends his Sundays in meetings at the church. And I spend Sunday alone...at home...with all the kids...on Sunday...alone...feeding them...washing them...playing with them...on Sunday...all by myself...alone. Ok,Ok, Im not complaining. Its great experience for Mike and I get to reap the blessings! He will be great at it! I just hope I can make it to church on time without any help. Its a struggle when there are two of us doing it, let alone winging it solo. And no matter how hard I try, someone will have something on their church pants by the time we get in the car. (Last week Zach had a Swedish fish stuck to his bum, Tanner picked it off in sacrament meeting and ate it!)
Its Murphys Law I guess.
I made these for his meeting this morning. Just in case anyone forgets that they need to CHOOSE THE RIGHT (C.T.R). My personal cupcakes should say "B.O.T."---BE ON TIME. I guess I'll have to make those next week.

The hand that Rocks the Cradle, Rules the World.

This months Ensign article for R.S. is by Elder Ballard, Daughters of God. Reading it I am reminded of my current job as mother, and other jobs I have had in life. Here are a few of the interesting ones.

Famous Greek Salads-I was the evening manager and I loved it. It was my first job at 16. I even got my brother, boyfriend and best friend to come and work there as well. It was a fun job, especially when my brother and I lured a duck into the kitchen with bread crumbs. Only to have it freak out and fly into the dinning room, while there were customers eating. Or having Taylor hide in a large barrel that the Greek peppers were shipped in and waiting for a victim to come and get some. "SURPRISE"! Oh yes, and I cannot forget crazy Brian the Jehovah's Witness that would sing made up Greek songs and would apologize to the shrimp for cutting their spines out. Great first job!
3. House Singer @ Macaroni Grill- I did this at two different locations, Florida and Provo. It was a great job and easy. I would walk around the restaurant and sing Italian arias to people. The tips were good. On weekends, I would spotlight AVA MARIA in the middle of the dinner run. It made for fun memories.
2.Tan girl...Nothing like wiping up the sweat from people's bums after they tan!Need I say more?
3. Lectric Lights- I worked at this lovely job in Texas. I worked as a shoring rental supervisor. Basically, the company I worked for rented out shoring equipment for construction projects for TDOT. Hydraulic Shores are used to hold up the walls of dirt in a hole dug below 4 feet. That way if there is a collapse, you wont get buried in dirt. I was OSHA certified for this, believe it or not. Pretty random...and the customers loved me. I got a marriage proposal nearly everyday. Most of the time in Spanish.
3. Dental Assistant- I did this for a cumulative period of 3 years. I worked for two different dentists.One in Utah and one in Alpharetta Ga. Dr. Parsa was an amazing man. He escaped Iran's political tyranny in the 80's and came to America. He speaks Farsi and taught me some interesting phrases! None that I can share with you...or spell for that matter.
4. Nanny- I loved this job. But being the eldest of 10 kids, I was use to it.
5. Gas Attendant- (stop laughing now) I worked at a gas station (VIP) my senior year of high school, and in college I worked at WILL'S PIT STOP in Provo. I even got to see some celebrities on occasion (the Osmond's lived up the hill)working there.
6. Retail Dept @ Provo Craft- ok job, the discount was nice
7. Mr. Rags, Retail sales- Met some of the greatest people working there (Sara, Jodi, Jenny, Leigh, Jill) but also some of my dorkiest boyfriends!Another story for another day.

8.Mom- Ok this is the job that I dont get paid for but is the hardest of them all. Its also the most rewarding and fun. I love my kids and husband. I just hate cleaning up all their toys, food and pee....yes,I said pee! Toilets were not part of my job description..were they? Anyway...I've been MOMMY for 3 1/2 years now and I still like waking up to my responsibilities, most days. Mom's Rock! Thanks Elder Ballard, I loved this talk!

Tagged again..

OK, I am suppose to tell you or show you my favorite movies as a kid in these categories. Surprisingly I found clips of all of them on youtube.
SCARY-
I loved Mr. Booggedy. It was a Disney movie, staring Kristy Swanson. I loved it as a kid.


Adventure-

I also loved The Explorers. Ethan Hawk,& River Phoenix when they were just starting out in movies. Its a close tie with Flight of the Navigator and this movie. Goonies is a close third

Musical

Newsies.Still a favorite. And Christian Bale..is still a favorite too!

You're Tagged: Jen, Jodi, Michelle & Hannah