TOUCHDOWN!

Trayson scored his very first touchdown today! It's an especially huge accomplishment considering his team had only scored one touchdown in his previous four games! Today was their fifth game and they finally scored touchdowns 2 and 3, resulting in their very first tie. Trayson ran the second one in from only the 10 yard line. I don't think I've ever seen him run so hard for so long! His team regarded him as a true hero! During the car ride home, Trayson told me that this was the greatest day of his entire life!

A Case of the Shakes

No worries -- our prolonged absence from the blogging world is not due to any serious illness in our family --unless you count the viruses that our beloved computer has contracted! Being about as computer illiterate as any human being can be in this day and age, I could never have guessed how troubled I would be at the loss of my computer. In fact, I'm pretty sure there were a few times that I actually did develop a case of the shakes (Mostly really late at night, when I ran out of House Hunters, finished my book, and could not shop on ebay or check my blogs!)

We owe an eternal debt of gratitude to my sweet mom, who actually offered to drive clear to Burley with my sis and her kids, just to bring me her computer. What a fabulous excuse for a quick visit and a yummy lunch! I wish I would've gotten pictures of us all giddy and excited for this 4-hour-drive-for-a-one-hour-lunch, but you'll all have to settle for some of the kids in their cute new duds (also thanks to Grandma, of course) whenever I get a chance.

For now, I thought I'd catch you all up on what we've been doing lately --which should be surprisingly simple even though it's been over 3 weeks. Basically, we attended sporting events -- those and tons and tons of practices! I have been so looking forward to the simple schedule that school would bring, and then our kids decided to join every activity imaginable! Kutter couldn't wait to start soccer again, Trayson chose to play football instead (although he tried real hard to convince us he could do both!) and is also starting his first year of piano, and Breje has piano, violin, and cross country! The sportphobic in me (yes, I am positive that this is a real word!) is so shocked that my kids are so willing to try so many new things, and even more surprised at how great they are doing!

Here's Trayson at his first football game. I think he's still disappointed that they don't get to tackle, but he's really been enjoying it!
I love this one of Breje at her first meet -- she was so nervous until she got out there and then she just ran her heart out. She actually took 6th place in her very first meet!

The best part about watching Breje be a part of this team is seeing how much fun she's had with all the girls.

I also had to share this one of her after her second meet, because I am still in shock that a kid of mine won a medal in an athletic competition! How cool is that?! If anyone out there is keeping in touch with any of my past PE teachers, I would so appreciate it if you could pass this one on!

No soccer pics yet, but they are sure to come. Jody and I are coaching Kutter's team this year and I'm pretty sure they are the cutest girl ever!

That's pretty much us in a nutshell. If it takes awhile until my next post, it's because I can't wait to see the latest posts from all of you!

Preschool Begins!

The first day of school is so different for boys and girls. My neice spent two days putting on fashion shows and agonizing over what to wear. Kutter had only one choice. This cute shirt which I bought a couple weeks ago and apparently labeled "his school shirt". The problem? This pic is of him last week, on his way to the openhouse to meet his teacher for the first time. He couldn't understand why I wouldn't let him wear the same shirt everytime he went to school, as it is his school shirt. Once we got that one cleared up, he told me to just grab him something and then urged me to hurry up, as he really wanted to get there quick. Uh oh, school didn't start for 3 more hours! I tried to kill some of the time with a mini photo-shoot, and he eventually got on board.

This is my boy putting on his best GQ look.

And doesn't he look so excited?!

This really only barely covers the level of excitement. He rushed right in as soon as we got there without even saying goodbye, then he got all embarrassed and hugged my legs, then saw his picture by his coat hook and got all happy again. I'm pretty sure that's how it's gonna go for the next couple weeks, but he came home with a picture which he signed all by himself, so the rest is all good!

One horse town

Ok, so maybe not. I think there are probably more horses than people around here, but Sugarlegs has definitely become the star around our house! We all headed out to saddle her for FHE last week -- I mostly went for the photo op. It's especially cute to see how fascinated little Brielle is by our new horse. She can be in the middle of a tantrum, but if we mention the horse she stops mid-cry and runs to get her shoes (or Daddy's boots).And, seriously, look how natural Breje looks hauling "tack" (that's the reins and bridle n stuff. No, I am not thrilled that I know that!) out to the corral! Is it just me, or does this look sort of like an ad for a cowgirl perfume or something?!Unfortunately, we didn't actually get to ride Sugarlegs that night. 15 minutes after we got outside, we looked up and saw this... ...nope, that's not a fire or a thunderstorm -- just dust and wind! Nasty! Brielle was so distraught that Jody had to take her out the next night. This is her after about an hour on the horse. Jody couldn't talk her into getting off and she eventually fell asleep!

Oh, yeah, and just a funny side note...Kutter sometimes calls his bike "Old Paint" and I think he is actually starting to believe that it's really a horse! We were all out watching the kids ride bikes the other night when Kutter suddenly crashed his bike for no apparent reason. He jumped up with huge tears in his eyes and, with the most serious expression imagineable says, "Dad, my bike bucked me off!"

school begins

Well, the day I've been living for finally came ... the kids started school on Monday and I have to admit that it was bittersweet. They were actually pretty excited for school, but it was harder for me than I thought it would be. Breje was so ready that she could barely stand still for pictures and Trayson got a hug from his new teacher the second he walked in the door and that made me feel better, but Kutter was practically inconsolable. He came to me several times with little tears in his eyes because he missed them so bad. I thought about reminding him that these were the same kids he is constantly bickering with, but instead I reverted to distraction. We decided that it was necessary to bake a cake. That kept him busy ...

... and tasting the frosting made us both feel better!

It was so yummy that we thought we should share the recipe;

Lazy Oatmeal Cake
1 1/4 c boiling water 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup oatmeal 3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened 1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 cup sugar 1 1.2 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

Frosting:

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup chopped nuts (my fam makes me leave these out and it's still fine)

3 Tbspl. milk

Pour boiling water over oatmeal and let sit for 15 minutes. Beat butter, eggs, and vanilla until creamy. Add sugars and mix until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until all ingredients are blended and moistened. Add in wet oatmeal. Pour into greased 9' square pan and bake at 350 for 50 minutes. For frosting, melt butter and add in order: brown sugar, coconut, nuts and milk. Spread over cooled cake.

I know, it's not my usual recipe -- no chocolate involved but it is still so tasty!

(Thanks "E" for the yummy new dessert!)

Kutter-isms

Ok, so I guess it's been about forever since I blogged. We have been crazy busy these days and I just can't seem to get around to an update. Instead, I will share some of the priceless jems Kutter's been throwin out lately. (Hayley, this one's for you!)

"Mom, you should tell Trayson that if he can't be nice to me, he is grounded and can't ever have fun again ... cause that's what mom's do!"

"Mom, is Dad allowed to babysit us?" hmmmm

This one needs a small backstory. Kutter has a favorite stuffed puppy named "Goldie". Goldie sleeps with him, eats with him, watches tv with him, even accompanies him to Grandma's house. Goldie is his pride and joy. The other day he pipes up out of nowhere and says, "Mom, you and Dad and Goldie are my 3 very best things!" I've decided to be flattered.

Swimming Lessons Are OVER!

Picture this...5:00 in the afternoon. 90 plus degrees outside. Three kids. 2 different swim times. 1 hour. 1 naughty toddler who can't get in the pool. 2 weeks. Every day. No help.
Does this sound fun?

I didn't think so!
Yet, somehow, we made it through it. All three kids made it through swimming lessons. They actually ended last Thursday, but it has taken me this long to recover enough to type about it.

I had to post this picture first because I was completely forbidden to take it -- and then expressly forbidden,upon pain of death, to ever post it on my blog. I can't help it if Breje is so darn cute, even if she was thoroughly irritated at me for putting her in swimming lessons. (apparently she is way to grown up for this!)Trayson looks a bit funky in this one, but this is him showing me how good he is getting at "breathing". Can you tell by this pic which one of my children was most excited about lessons? Kutter didn't stop grinning the entire time! I should've taken a picture of Brielle, but her time was spent in such wanton destruction that I'm afraid the footage would be unsuitable for all audiences! She was getting seriously good at begging other people for food, toys, attention, etc and finding numerous ways to distract me so that she could try and sneak into the pool.
I sure hope they got the hang of this, because I'm not sure I can do it all again next year!