OAKLEY RODEO

I love going to the rodeo. We always go to the Lehi Rodeo and this year it was double the belt buckles and spurs because we went to the Oakley Rodeo. I have no pictures of the kids at the Lehi rodeo because my 2 year old put my camera in the toilet about 10 minutes before we walked out the door. So a week later we fixed the camera and headed off to the July 4th Oakley Rodeo!
I like to get to the rodeo early so we can people watch. At the Oakley rodeo where we were sitting we could watch some of the cowboys getting dressed! It was truly a show before the show. Unfortunately no pictures were taken. But we will reserve the same seats again next year. I did get these pics of my kids at my new favorite rodeo:

Notice Oakley's hat, yes she is named after the town Oakley.

The best part was my sister and her family and my parents came with us. My mom and dad came to the Oakley Rodeo 44 years ago on a date. So this was "just like old days" minus the 2 mouthy daughters and 5 grandkids sharing their licorice and blankets.

MOM AND DAD:

My sister Norma and her daughter Kat:

Me and Oakley:
Can't wait till next year!

GATEWAY MUSEUM

Keeping with the summer of field trips we went to Gateway's Children's Museum. I was telling the kids what was there and when I got to the part of a newscaster desk Oakley was all over me wanting details, can she really see herself on T.V. and was there really a desk. I assured her it was just like channel 5. Well, the next morning we were getting ready to go and she insisted on wearing her Levi jacket, the same Levi jacket I couldn't pay her to wear 3 months ago. I was trying to remind her that it was going to be hotter than a pan of cookies, but she insisted. It then dawned on me that she was dressing the part of Nadine Wimmer from Channel 5! Sure enough we get there we are playing downstairs she's hot, I hold the jacket, we go upstairs, she needs the jacket back, FLASH she's lil' Nadine Wimmer, actually about the same size but anyway, owning the news desk reading the teleprompter like her paycheck depended on it. I wish the boys were as into it as she was it was hysterical. My sweet niece Madeline was so cute sitting by her. Bridger sat by her for a while but honestly, he's no Bruce Lyndsey.

Here is Oakley now the weather girl. I think she's saying "where's my jacket?"

Oakley had the best time at the museum There is a pretend store with a "sandwich shop" inside. She put on the apron and was all business. Here is cousin Jack and Bronson. she made them order a sandwich. I was kind of feeling sorry for the other kids at the museum. She was so serious that kids were ordering just to keep her busy. I was glad there was no soup kitchen, it was like the Seinfeld with the Soup Nazi.

Bronson "cruising" with the boys.

Bridger "Ride like the wind Bullseye!"

Pretty sure Brody had the best time at this water feature. It was cleaner than our bathroom and I wasn't "whisper yelling"(see previous post) at him to get out.

Summer Field Trips

Brandon started working a really great schedule this summer. The type of schedule that makes you take your 4 very loud kids and leave the house while he sleeps because you can only scream quietly for so many hours of the day. So we started going on field trips. We went to Kennecott it was a huge hole if you haven't been before, the kids thought it was great for the most part and Bronson thought the bus load of Chinese tourist were the best part. Oakley LOVED LOVED LOVED the gift shop/single wide trailer stuffed with overpriced crap and Bridger was pretty sure they weren't digging the mine right. I was just glad that it was windy and that Chinese people don't speak blunt 5 year old language.

Brody, wanted to climb the railing everytime he seen this sign.

Bridger getting Brody down from the ledge (I know how you feel Brody!)

Oakley our Super Model.

FALL UPDATE

I hope this explains my slacking blog lately...
We fed some ducks...



One of us swam with some ducks...

We irrigated...

We ate spaghetti...

We kicked back with some milk (note to self do not drink milk at my house)...

We watched Bridger at football practice 3x a week for 2 hours a time (mother of the year runner up)...

We played with these at said practices, luckily (unfortunately) none were lost...


They went back to school...


Me and Brody have been drinking this since the day they went back...

We supported Bridger on Saturdays (GO 44!) Side note, I did not get kicked out, told to put a sock in it, or asked to quiet down, (there was another mom that took over that role! Prayers do get answered)...


We had our labor day tradition, getting wood with Brandon's brothers...

The kids played, the wives talked about how hard the husbands were working, TRAAADITTTTTTTION!...



The kids found this old log cabin while cutting wood. Can you spell TETNUS! Yea, we went to a "cabin" for Labor Day don't be a hater...

Thanks for sticking through to the end, until next time...

1st aid

Oakley, our "mosquito magnet" got a bad bite last week. I tried the cold rag on the head treatment, didn't work, drink a glass of milk and lay down treatment, still didn't work. I was going to have to get serious if I wanted the constant whining to go away. This dilemma combined with the GREAT SMITH'S sale on maxi pads last week led to some great 1st aid remedies.

First let me throw in the disclaimer "I AM NOT A DOCTOR" I am a MOM. A MOM that is sick of laundry and washing things covered in dermoplast, hydro cortisone cream and bug spray. Here is what you'll need to fix a "bad bite" and reduce yucky laundry items.


Step 1:Apply hydro cortisone cream to bite area

Step 2: carefully lay ALWAYS dri liner (or any other pad you have available) onto bite area, make sure it is STICKY SIDE UP!
Step 3: Using ace wrap, wrap bite site and secure ace wrap. Notice how a left a 1/2 " of the pad by the wrist,fold that down over the pad. This will ensure a comfortable fit, you do not want the wrap interfering with any future bike riding.
when Oakley asked what kind of band aid this was, I had to think a minute before naming it the "special pad wrap".

Dance Dance Fever

Oakley took dance at Dance Depot last year and she had her recital in May. She was more concerned about what flowers we were going to get her than she was about the dance recital.

Every time we went to Costco from November till May she would make sure and tell us that she was having a recital coming up and she would be needing some flowers. She did not disappoint at the recital and we did not disappoint when it came to the flowers.

I sure wish somebody would have told me it is like he!! to curl a 6 year olds hair while she is "practicing" her mad dance moves. It would have also been nice had I not thrown most of my make up away the week before this. I taught her the pinch your cheeks trick that I learned in 6th grade when I couldn't wear make up yet and luckily I found a tester mary kay lip gloss in the cupboard I got as a free sample years ago. I put on a little mascara and she was ready. She looked great and I looked like a hot sweaty mom that was glad she only had 1 daughter by the time we got the the recital.

Here she is in her tap outfit with the coveted flowers

We all made a big deal about what a great dancer she is and how proud we are of her (After the lecture that we WILL support each others hobbies and, crap we are in, and act like we like it, even if you HAVE to spend the night in the auditorium watching dancers. Admit you loved it Bridger!)

Here is the ballet costume which will also be making a repeat appearance in October as "the Halloween costume" She danced to Beauty and the Beast for Ballet and yes, the crown is put up somewhere really high until Halloween.

3 months really?

I have noticed on your blogs that my blog has fallen to the bottom of the page, you know down into the "wishes they had something great to blog about but don't" category. I never really cared until I seen my name with a 3 months next to it. I haven't told you how great my life has been for 3 months!!
WOW! What have I been doing that is so important that I stopped blogging? Nothin' really nothin' unless your my kids...they would tell you I have been yelling and getting a 44oz drink 2x a day to soothe the sore throat from yelling all day.
I am now going to take the "slacker blogger oath" to blog more about my great family and my wonderful life, I will blog about it tomorrow, or for sure before 3 months.

Disneyland #2

Okay, I get it, I get it! We went on a vacation and I only posted 1 picture and told you a little of what we did. So for EVERYONE that said, you should post that part, or "we want more pictures..." This is for you! Everyone who has said enough is enough about the "happiest place on earth" (unless your kids are with you) hang in there, this to shall pass!

If your driving through St. George and your going to stop, go to McDonald's. While the kids that can walk, play and you drink as much Coke as you can handle gearing up for the next 7 glorious hours this guy will "hold" your non walking kid! Brody even liked it. Brandon was a little mortified that it was McD's which = dirty place, but I assured him that for 9 am on a Sunday the place was no dirtier than our house, and this is how I would be holding him at 9am on a Sunday so he will be fine. (I of course would not have my hair like that, totally '70's!)

Oakley and her cousins showing off their drivers licenses. Oakley was a really good driver and did not like the fact that I was fake bawling that my "baby girl" was driving. I was practicing because she only has 10 years left until she's taking me for "a cold one"!

Cinderella, despite everything Bridger said, she really was a princess, She acted like she wanted to see us, gave both kids a hug and didn't mention my lumberjack arms once.

Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Bronson was a little curious as to where Snow Whites little guys were? Who wasn't curious, heck I was looking for the Prince Charmings until Brandon reminded me that someone has to hold down a full time job to keep the lights on in this castle! and restock the 401 (k)!!

My mom in Minnie's house, I think she looks like Minnie's Visiting Teacher just a waiting to give the best most wonderful Disney message ever! My mom loves Minnie so she had a good time seeing her at her house. Oh No! the Bronson curse! It DOES NOT SKIP A GENERATION!! If your related to my mom then you love to not really "snoop", but just check out other people's refrigerators. Every grand kid on the Bronson side does this, so I was not shocked, just a little taken back that the kids all looked in Minnie's fridge. Don't worry, I ran right over and (looked myself) then made the kids close the fridge. We had a lot of fun.

Here is a picture of the cousins visiting Minnie and then here we are at Mickey's. Oakley thought it was weird that he was shorter than Minnie. Uh, she's wearing high heals you know!

The Prince practicing for the "World's Toughest Baby Contest". He's not crying, he's flexing really hard.
Okay I have to do a part 3! My kids are acting like I have been avoiding them or something? Yea, like I would do that!

MICKEY MOUSE

M I C...See, we haven't been there before so...K E Y... Why because we are the greatest parents this side of the Mississippi. M O U S E Mickey Mouse...Mickey Mouse... We even had a great time, despite our kids being there.

Bridger gets motion sick and he reminded us that this is all fake, you can't really ride on elephants, there is no Disney Princess, and It's a small world was just a tad to long for him (killjoy). He did enjoy the beach and the Lego store in Downtown Disney, Heck, who doesn't LOVE downtown Disney?

Oakley loved everything, she wasn't quite sure about seeing the fairy god mother, she was quick to point out that she really didn't have any wishes she needed to come true so we didn't need to get close to her. I wish that I would have got close to her, I would have loved to see if she could grant me my wish of being a size 10! Oakley also loved Downtown Disney and showed us how much at the Build A Bear Workhsop! (FYI they have some Disney only clothes and stuff for your bears, if your into that kind of thing, I would not recommend getting into that kind of thing if your not already, It is a Grandma place me and Brandon have decided, meaning that Grandmas buy $5 underwear for stuffed bears, moms do not!)

Bronson LOVED the hotel pool and the beach. we could set a clock to him because at 2 o'clock everyday he would say "Okay, we have been to Disneyland, Now Can WE Go To The Hotel and Go Swimming?" He also loved the beach and the train that goes around the outside of Disneyland. He could have swam at the hotel, rode that train all day, and still had a great time. Next time we'll leave him and Bridger at a hotel next to a train station.

Brody, he didn't care about anything. We did figure that after 9 hours in the car, he gets really really mad! We fixed it for 1 hour by feeding him a 1/2 bag of Cadbury Easter Eggs. We took one for the team and fed him those until he started screaming/bawling again. Then, what do parents of the year give their almost 1 year old? A 1/2 of a stick of gum!! Yea, and he CHEWED it for 20 glorious miles, his face was total disgust as he tried to figure out what we put into his mouth, oh well so he has a piece of gum in his stomach for 7 years, who gives a crap, he was quiet!

Brandon and I will definitely go back, just NOT with our kids. Until then, MIC See ya real soon, KEY, Why because I love you! MOUSE. MICKEY MOUSE...MICKEY MOUSE.