Bowling Night

Last Friday my sister-in-law Linsey was having her art show at BYU for her photography. So we thought we'd drive down to Provo and make an evening of it. We got to see Linsey's photography of India which was, of course, beautiful. Then we walked next door to the Wilk and took the kids bowling and let them play in the small arcade they had there. We actually got there and realized neither of us had brought cash for the arcade and had to break it to the kids that they couldn't play any of the games and would just be able to bowl. An older couple who were there with their grandkids handed us a twenty dollar bill and explained that they made a good living and knew that it was financially tight for young parents. They wouldn't let us refuse, but we were so grateful and the boys were happy to get to play. I hope to be able to do that for another family some day.

It was funny watching the kids bowl. Cruise either freezes in some strange position as he anticipates his ball to reach the pins, or he dances around, moving in front of the lanes to each side of ours (clearly in the way of other bowlers). Jett would walk all the way to the back of our little table and get a running start. Then he'd just sit as his ball rolled down the lane. And Miles just liked playing with the balls.

We stayed out way past their bedtime, but I guess you can do that every now and then.

Blizzard is Gone!

Every year the weather gets more and more strange and unpredictable. Just a few days ago it was snowing and hailing and not the nice kind. We're talking sideways snow. But here we are, two days later and it's t-shirt weather! We definitely had to go do something outdoors with the boys, so we visited the farm at Thanksgiving Point. Always a favorite. It's Miles' first time being big enough to run around, feed animals, and enjoy the pony ride. It was just nice to be out with my boys.

I thought it would be a good idea to have the boys stand or sit in front of the donkey pen...that way it could come up behind them and goose them.

Every time we go to the Farm Country, the boys always have to buy a carton of chocolate milk. I guess because there is an exhibit on pasteurization and how milk ends up at the store. So it just makes sense to buy some milk.

I hope the nice weather stays for awhile. 

It's the Big 3-0!

Dave is three decades old! It's a little weird that he's 30 already, because that means I'm almost 30 myself. Where on earth did our twenties go? Oh yeah, having kids.

For his 30th birthday, I wanted to give him something special that I wouldn't normally get him, but something he would appreciate more than anyone: a half-day fly fishing trip with a fly fishing expert. He was going to go on the 27th, but there were a couple things going on that day so we moved it to March 6th, so I'll be posting about that later this week. I really hope he has fun! He really is the best dad ever. He changed his birthday fishing plans to go read to Cruise at school for Dads & Donuts...so grateful for this guy.

So on the 27th, we all went to Village Inn and had dinner and took home a whole pumpkin pie. Every year previously when I've made the pumpkin pie, something always seems to go wrong, so this was the surest way to get him his pie!

On the 28th, his actual birthday, Dave woke up to the boys showering him with cards and them trying to clean up the playroom for him. I ended up finishing for them since they have short attention spans. We got lunch in the afternoon at In-N-Out and then he had to go to work. That evening, we dropped the boys off at Abby's house while I took Dave to India Palace in Provo. We had an awesome meal (how could you not at India Palace?) and then returned to Abby & Casey's where I had the cake waiting. We lit the bonfire, sang 'Happy Birthday', and Dave blew out his 30 candles!
Thanks Casey for taking pictures!

Thanks to those who called, sent texts, e-mails, and gifts for Dave on his birthday! It meant a lot! 

Cruise Tells the Story of "Dr. Cruise: Genius Scientist"

On Tuesday the 24th, Cruise got up in front of all the 1st thru 3rd graders and told the story of "Dr. Cruise: Genius Scientist". He was absolutely wonderful! He was calm and collected, charismatic and animated. I was just so proud of him! 

There were three from his grade that competed and of the three of them, he really was the best one. After I sat down from video taping him, the father of a competing 3rd grader turned to me and said, "He was the best one!" I almost cried! He really was the best one! 

Mom saying 'hi'

 At the end, they recognized all the participants from grades 1-3 with a certificate and a treat. Later that day they announced the winners and his teacher told me he was so proud of Cruise for not getting upset that he didn't win. And I was so proud of him as well when I heard that.

I will probably spend the rest of my life continually being surprised by this boy. This child knows no bounds.