Fag Football.

I accidentally wrote that in my planner instead of "FLAG" football. Ronan has been playing the last couple of months and I love to watch the game. I realized my mistake and thought, their are those out there that think Flag football is for Fag's if you know what I mean. No one smashing into each other, helmets clanking etc but having had a son play "REAL" football I have to say I actually prefer the Flag option.
After dishing out close to $500 for a season, once you've paid for treats and flags and coach gift's etc. I watched my boy run til he was faint. I saw kids throw up and pass out. I saw kids go 48 hours on just jello to make a weight cut, I kid you not. They practice 6 days a week and no family night or holiday was an excuse to miss practice. Saturday games would take about 3 hours plus up to 2 hours travel. The coaches, 5 of them, were committed and hard core, the families were equally as invested, standing out in the freezing, yelling til we were hoarse. Curt regularly complained of pain in his legs or hands, where he thought he'd broken a bone only to get a shrug from me, it's not like you can run to the doctor every other practice.
Did I mention these kids are from 8 to 13 years old? This is not the big leagues.
I loved to watch football and Curt loved to play.
BUT My vote goes to Flag football.
It's as organized and civilized. The coaches, only 2, are kind and having fun with there kids, not yelling at there failings. The parents smile and watch, clap for both teams. Recognize this is a game. Our kids are having FUN and running around.
Plus it's more interesting to watch than soccer!

Scenic Sunday Stroll.

We thought we'd take a stroll up at Snowbird and take in some of the colors of the season.


What were you expecting? colorful leaves blowing and dried ones covering our walk ways? Well we saw that too but this is what is beautiful to me.
Signs of the city, connections to all things loud and lit.
My happy place is well lit, late at night. Noisy long after dark and less than arms length from many other smiling humans.

This picture is kind of funny but very sad at the same time.
Great families are falling apart around me. It is something that has shocked and saddened me to know how delicate our relationships are and how many internal struggles people deal with. Then it cracks so to speak and the beasts come out. I hope I can be of support to those in need but for now....we make jokes with them :)

Down Town

Another field trip.
The Natural History Museum at the U.



I saw the coolest giraffe all made from buttons and fabric.

Look what it's name was.

Perfectly fitting for my creative little lady.

Our friendly Neighbor.

No not the one who called the cops on our boat parked in the street.
No Not the one who called the cops on our neighbors loud, really fun, trailer trash party but a new menace...

just a cute little spider you say.

It was a monster.
Luckily, it has moved under a new rock, if you know what I mean.

Leader of the Pack.

Someone was having a laugh!
I was asked to be the New Cubmaster!
translate: ring leader for a bunch of over excited, armpit farting lads who for the most part could use some hair gel.
I said yes. note to self:I need to work on my "no" skills.
I plan a monthly awards activity based on a theme they have worked during the month in there individual groups and I'm supposed to crack jokes, do goofy cheers and generally appeal to the 8-11 year old boy. Lets face it, since most men's humor generally stays at this level It shouldn't be too challenging for me but there are also adult women present so it's not as easy as it sounds. I also think wearing a puke brown shirt kind of diminishes your game quite a bit.
So we just had our first pack meeting and since we were kicked out of our usual building we had to find another venue.
The theme was "It's a jungle out there" so I'm thinking animals, zoo...
We had it at Cabelas, a massive store for out door things. Hunting, camping, fishing etc. The place is full of stuffed things from deer, elk, moose and bears right down to ducks a zebra and warthog. Poor Pumba met his death in Lehi Utah :(
I have to give them a big shout out, They gave us a conference room for free and 50 tokens for there lazer shooting range. Did I mention they have an aquarium and more guns than I've ever seen? This place is well worth a visit and takes almost as long as a trip to Ikea.
It is also full of men!!
I'm not suggesting it's a place to go on the prowl for a husband though unless your into mullets, camo and your man being gone 40 weekends a year but it's definitely a place men seem to come to share stories of being chased by a bear. I kid you not my neighbor really was confronted with a bear last weekend. Luckily he has taken "shooting innocent, unsuspecting, animals 101" and knew exactly what to do.
(FYI a brown bear, you make a racket and try to scare it whilst showing it the inside of your shotgun and a grizzly, you play dead, you then quickly change your shorts so you can brag about your manly story rather than be made fun of by your friends eternally , in case you ever need to know)
So anywho, whilst at Cabelas, we gave out awards, prizes had a skit and roared somewhat then got to tour all the exhibits and shoot some guns. It was a good time.
Unfortunately I forgot I had spent the morning baking and icing cookies and I know have 7 dozen left over with kids who don't like them,the unfortunate part being, I do
HELLO SUGAR HIGH!!!

It's a Joke.

So what do you get when you take 20, 7-8year old kids to a pool for a pool birthday party and some charming child throws up in the pool ?

Drum roll.....
20, 7-8 year old's in a small glass room, in swimsuits, looking at a completely empty pool for the 2 hours they have been left there plus 2 parents wondering what fun activities they can pull out of there butts with no music, prizes or plan!!!
NOT IT WASN'T FUNNY!!

luckily kids are pretty well entertained with cheetos, pizza and some soccer balls.



When the party was due to end and parents arrived, the pool was opened back up and so we had the kids who rode with us go in and swim and most parents let there kids stay too.

It all ends happily ever after...but wait, not yet.
So the room we had scheduled and paid for, for the party was of course booked for 30 minutes after us so I had to now, get EVERYTHING out of there, gifts, food 20 little peoples clothes and towels slung about...
So while I was supposed to be home recovering, I was still running about like a fire hose that'd been let go. The funny part is this though. Ask Asha or any of her buddies if they had a good time and they'll tell you it was the BEST party Ever, except the beginning part.
The Moral here:
1, Always have a plan B
2, possibly a plan C
3, Don't take your freaking sick kids to the pool, MORON!!!

I can't believe our baby is 8!!

Happy Birthday Asha!!
We love this girl SOOOOO much.
I can't wait to report on all her fun birthday activities but that'll have to wait since I am chairman and staff of birthday fun activities and white chocolate Krispie Cake is calling me.