20+ People, Lots of Fresh Snow... Great Way to Ring in the New Year!!!

Tons of snow, lots of food, banangrams/lagreto/monopoly deal, great new BBQ place, track and field Olympics on the Kinect, every spot in the cabin filled with people (and then a day with just Russells and us), sledding... perfect way to bring in the new year!

Mud Bowl 2011 & Other St. George Highlights!

* 2nd Place in the mud fest wasn't too bad... I pretty sure they would have taken first given a normal playing field.

* I have never seen so much mud in my life. The mud fest (AKA soccer tournament) is played on a sod farm and after two straight days of rain mud was everywhere. We banished Kenzi & Cameron from getting out of the car. Pictures don't do the mess justice.

* Good samaritans got extra points for pushing cars out of mud -- have you seen what they look like when the car finally gets out? Kind of odd watching a tractor pull an SUV out of the mud.

* People got very clever... the best was garbage bags tied around their feet... or the barefoot option was good too!

* Loved the patches of mud on the girls' heads after they "headed" the ball... even Lauren who hates dirt didn't stop playing hard.

* I must admit that I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to have a mud fight with Mikelle's dad ... we said we'd mud fight if the girls took 1st place.

* Even though it was sporatic, and a few hours here and there, it was fun to see Dave's mom and Clint and I think the enjoyed the visits despite the mud and kids wrestling.

* Grandma must be mellowing out -- she laughed at the ponytail the girls put in Cam's hair.

* I'm pretty sure Cameron's trip highlight would be the open breakfast bar and our room being very to access from the breakfast. No exaggeration... while I was getting ready for church on Sunday morning Cameron made at least 20 trips for breakfast, drinks, napkins, more food, more cups, more cereal, and on and on and on.

* Despite 2 freezing cold games in the rain on Saturday, somehow the soccer girls had enough energy for a swimming/pizza/game night back at the hotel!

* I love having parents on the team who take each others kids between games, to get drinks, that let my kids hang out in their hotel rooms, and on and on.

* Kenzi, Cam and I got good use of the workout room... they thought that was so cool since they can't go the gym with Lauren and I at home.

* Although the car DVD is banned for use at home, can I say how much I love it on trips?! I love car games but... the time whizzes by!

* Kenzi discovered the joy of hot chocolate with creamer... I'm pretty sure she drank some little cups straight.

* Dave, Lauren and Kenzi highly recommend Tangled. Lauren and I didn't get to see it, but we will for sure be going.

* Snow against red rock is amazing!

* Being the witnesses for a freeway wreck and calling 911 can be considered an aerobic workout. Pretty cool how the GPS on 911 calls on cell phones work though.

* The city park in Green Valley is probably my favorite park anywhere. And the sunning coming up after 2 days of rain made it even better!

Is it bad...

Is it bad to not feel so bad that my son was sick today? And that when Makenzie had this a few weeks ago I was fine to be snuggling with her, watching movies and just spending a lazy day together.

When the Ibuprofen was dulling the fever Cam and I did math games, we read for an hour, we watched movies, I cleaned the freezer while he ate popsicles, and I used him as my blanket as we napped and his fever-ridden body kept me warm.

I hate the fact that my kids have to have a sick day in order for me to just spend a lazy day at home with them... doing nothing but being with them.

I wish each of my kids could have a "vacation" day from school -- when they aren't sick -- when we didn't miss school to go skiing or go on vacation -- a day where it is ok to miss school -- and we only can do just relaxing/fun stuff together at home.

I guess it isn't too bad, to not feel too bad... but Little Man just know I sure hope for your sake you feel better in the morning!

(Another benefit of having a sick little boy is watching the older siblings be sweet and tender. Some pictures of Kenzi making Cameron "breakfast in bed" this morning -- he didn't eat much, but it was a great thought!)

The Color of Skiing

We had a "close to perfection" ski day last week with the family at Snowbird. Lots of powder, sunny skies and no lines!

I just have to laugh at how many times color comes into play while skiing with my kids.

Regardless of the hill, there is just something in their psychie that freaks them out when they change colors. Cam going from a Green to a Blue... and Kenzi seeing a Black is enough to stop her in her tracks.

But fortunately for all of us the kids were brave and Cameron went from Green to Blue and yes Kenzi did a black diamond!!!

Way to go on expanding that color scheme!!

Give her tape, scissors, paper and glue -- and she could win survivor!

Kenzi is one of the most resourceful, creative people I know. As soon as she could walk and talk she could come up with a solution to a problem for anything. Whether it be figuring out how to get to a cupboard she couldn't reach, decide to make a wallet out of duct tape because she didn't have any cash, design an art project that was floating in her head or what to do at Christmas because she had no money to buy presents.

.... Kenzi's valentine box. She came home from school last week -- on a mission! She said she had to make a valentine box and knew exactly what she wanted to do. She started gathering boxes, paper and grabbed the glue gun before I could even ask her how her day was. Seriously, stay out of her way and don't ask her not to do it because once it is in her mind I think it sends her to a different realm if she can't complete the project.

End result -- this great giraffe. No pictures, no pattern, just Makenzie!!!

Baby Steps Really do lead to Giant Steps

For anyone who knew Cameron as a baby/toddler/preschooler... shy in new situations and big crowds is definitely a way I would describe him.

If I were out front at the neighbors' house he would walk around the cul-de-sac to avoid having to say hi to another neighbor he would have to pass if he took the short way to come to me,,,,,.

It took him 3 months to ride in the carpool car, if his two favorite nursery men weren't there he died at nursery, Sunbeams was extremely traumatic, and anything new or in big crowds about sent him over the edge. I honestly used to think there would be no way he could go on a mission and have new experiences every single day.

Little by little he has worked on overcoming these fears and timidness. I think primary talks/prayers, karate, sports and going to school has definitely helped.

Today at church I saw all of these little baby steps leads to a huge giant step. Before I explain... go back two months.

In December he decided to bear his testimony and for a week before he practiced and practiced. The big day came and he was literally sick to his stomach. During the Sacrament he started to cry in anticipation. I told him I'd walk up there with him and that calmed him down a bit. He and I went up, he bore his testimony and sat down back on the bench... he immediately burst into tears. The pressure had been too much!!!

Fast forward to today -- he said today he wanted to bear his testimony. I asked Lauren or Kenzi who would go up with him and he said he wanted to go by himself. As soon as they opened testimonies up to the congregation he walked right up, stood up tall and proud, bore a very sweet testimony and calmly walked back to the bench. No tears, no anxiety attack nothing.

This is huge for Cameron! My neighbor Lisa couldn't believe it when I told her -- he has seen his anxiety/shyness for years. I was so proud of him and can see that step-by-step he is learning exactly what he needs to be a good missionary and not be 50 and still living at home with mom (which is what I'm pretty sure Dave thought was going to happen!)

Crazy Kids

Kenzi: Loves to take close up pictures of her own face! My cell phone memory is always gone and I always have at least 5 eyeball pictures of Kenzi when I download pictures from my camera.

Cameron: With a little urging from Will and 10 degree temps, Cam decided practice acting out a scene of "A Christmas Story." Tiny bit of blood and a lot of laughing.

Lauren: On a quest to be fit for soccer and beat all of the 7th grade boys in the mile by the end of the semester. Does a snowshoe 5k one Saturday, a day of skiing the Saturday before and still talks me into going to the gym on Saturday nights!! And to top it off she does 50 stomach crunches on the machine that kills me after 10.

Romp & Stomp... Snowshoe for the Cure

Lorie & Kerri found us a fun new "we love you mom, we hate breast cancer and want to get rid of it" activity. It is the snowshoeing version of Race for the Cure. There were 650+ registrants and lots of pink. Lorie made us lovely "Bevan Beauties" Banners.

Lorie, Kerri, Lauren and I had a sleepover at the cabin, hit McDonalds and did my first snowshoeing 5k.

Never snowshoed and I loved it! Fun way to raise money for Breast Cancer... I think we'll need to add this to the "yearly tradition" list.

"Mom I need to tell you something but it going to make you feel bad..."

If Kenzi is worried about my reaction to something she is about to tell me she always prefaces the beginning of the conversation with ... "I need to tell you something but I'm afraid your going to be... mad or sad or disappointed, etc."

A few days ago in the car.

Kenzi: "Mom I need to tell you something but I don't want to make you feel bad."
Mom: "It is ok, go ahead and tell me."
Kenzi: "I know about Santa."
Mom: "What are you talking about."
(I actually am pretty sure she has known for a few years but never said anything. And you have to understand until my mom died 16 years ago she never admitted to me "knowing about Santa.")
Conversation goes back and forth -- won't go into details here since Cam sometimes looks at blog.
Kenzi: "Does Lauren know?"
Kenzi super disappointed when she finds out Lauren already is in on it. Conversation goes back and forth when it hits me that Cam will be 7 this spring and my kids are all almost out of the magical stages of childhood.
Mom: Tears start running down my cheeks.
Kenzi: Touching my arm and saying "I'm sorry, I knew it would make you cry if I told you."

Two questions. (1) Am I that predictable? (2) How can I freeze time?

Oh No.. another Hess Hopeless Romantic... and a little gentleman

Hopeless Romantic
Kenzi, Mom, Cam in car singing Jason Marz' "Lucky" while driving to store. All 3 of us just singing along not really paying much attention to anything.

Chorus:
Lucky I'm in love with my best friend,
Lucky to have been where I have been...

Cameron -- very seriously: "Mom, that would be very lucky to be in love with your best friend."

Little Gentleman
5 minutes later Kenzi, Cam and Mom running through the parking lot of the store... freezing!

Mom: "Grab my hand guys, we have to run, it is freezing and I forgot my coat."
Cam -- without a second thought immediately while running through the parking lot begins unzipping his coat: "Here mom, you need to take mine!"