On Wednesday Ashleigh started 2nd grade! We are so proud of her. She loves going to school and learning and does such a great job there! We requested Mrs. Diediker, but got Mrs. Johnson instead--and now I am SO glad that we did. Mrs Johnson is very nice, very personable, but also VERY no-nonsense and "drill Sargent" like. I LOVE that in a teacher--she doesn't let the kids get away with anything and follows through on discipline. She expects them to be on time each morning, with their homework completed, she wants them ready to work and expects them each to work really hard each and every day. She says that every day of school is important and the kids should be committed each day to doing their very best. This is exactly the type of teacher I wanted for her. :-) The down side is both boys that Ashleigh has had crushes on are in her class this year.... Jace is her Kindergarten crush and Cole is her first grade crush. I need to keep my eye on that girl. The upside too is that both her best friends from first grade are in her class this year too--Madi and Melody. Everyday Ashleigh comes home telling me how much she loves school. I hope that lasts all year long. I am impressed with her this year too....she and I both have woken up before our alarms each day and she has been ready for school about 15 min early! It's been a really nice change from last year. I am excited for this school year and I know she is too! :-) First Day of Kindergarten
I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.
Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with?
Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
There is a great need for sarcasm font.
Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what was going on when I first saw it.
I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.
How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
Was learning cursive really necessary?
Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".
I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart.”
How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent an idiot from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"
What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?
While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
I would like to officially coin the phrase 'catching the swine flu' to be used as a way to make fun of a friend for hooking up with an overweight woman. Example: "Dave caught the swine flu last night."
I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
Bad decisions make good stories.
Whenever I'm Facebook-stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!
Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier and sluttier every year?
If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
Why is it that during an icebreaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....
You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.
There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
"Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'
I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dang it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...
As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey- but I'd bet everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How do I respond to that?
It really ticks me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.
I wonder if cops ever get ticked off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There's nothing like being made to feel like a fatty before dinner.
We invited my parents over last week so we could teach them how to play Wahoo. We had some snack, good conversations and fun games. It was a great night.
Gifts from Aunt Maree
After playing Wahoo, we listened to Nick play a couple Apocalyptica songs on his cello. I LOVE hearing him play!!!
Thanks for coming over Mom and Dad!! We loved having you!
We went to South Towne Mall last weekend and took the kids on the mall train ride. It was fun to ride all around the mall--the kids really liked it and so did we! We'll definitely need to go ride it again!
My parents set up a FHE edition of The Amazing Race. My siblings came, we met at my parents house, got in to teams (ours was Nick, Meg, Ashleigh, Preston and cousin Teriesa) After a few instructions, we were off....this was the MOST fun I have ever had doing FHE. The kids and I begged my mom to put more of these together for us to do in the future! We loved it!!!
The Amazing Race FHE
Driver – Your job is to drive legally and safely, be the non-partial judge, and take the video.You must NOT help with the directions – let the kids do the navigating using the map provided.You are the final “Judge” for many of the events.Please judge fairly.As a group decide who is the driver FIRST.
Coach – The other adult will be the coach who will supervise, make sure things are done kosher, help the kids with activities, and be their cheerleader.Coach may NOT do the roadblocks.Coach must always make sure ALL kids are seat belted in before telling the Driver “Go”.The Coach is the ONLY one in the car who can say “go”!
3 Kids – the 3 kids in each car are doing this race.This is not a “first one to the pit stop wins” type race.It’s a “let’s have fun and see the videos at the end with our family” type race.
Enclosed:A map for each car, 1 piece of paper, 1 pencil, and $1.10.
One you have read the rules and decided your driver, you may begin by opening the first clue.
FIRST CLUE:Find a clue to your first destination.It is hidden in plain sight in our home – one clue is hidden on each floor.Last one out of our door – please lock the door with key that is under the front mat!
SECOND CLUE:Go to 4023 Valderrama.All 5 members of the team must go to the door and ask for “Kate”.After Kate comes to the door, you must sing her a “fun family song” in order to get the next clue.
THIRD CLUE #1:Run to our neighborhood playground – 1 kid must go down the largest twirly slide 5 times in a row while the other two get on the little teeter totter and make it go constantly until the slider is finished.Once done the next clue is taped under the picnic tables.Do not open it until you are back in your car and seat belted in.
FOURTH CLUE:DETOUR – CANYON OR PEAK? (Do not open before you are sitting in your car and seat belted in.Then decide Canyon or Peak before opening enclosed envelope.)
CANYON:Go up American Fork Canyonto the toll booth – park on the right side of the road (do not pay a toll).Find the brown “self-serve recreation passes” sign near the toll booth.Count how many letter “A’s” are on the sign.Call G’ma on her cell phone (801-995-3001)to report the number & she will tell you where the next clue is located.
PEAK:Go to Lone Peak High School. Count the number of blue faculty parking spaces between the Seminary building and the school.(Do NOT count ones covered with dirt.)Call G’ma on her cell phone (801-995-3001) and report the number & she will tell you where the next clue is located.
FIFTH CLUE: ROADBLOCK –Who likes to get down and dirty?(Choose one person to do this task.)
Go to the covered tables by the Stake Center adjoining the Mt. Timp Temple parking lot.You will find hidden a bucket of water and some rags. Find 2 cars with dirty hubcaps and clean them really clean (8 total tires).When done to the satisfaction of the DRIVER, leave a handwritten note on the windshield of the cars you washed telling the car drivers what you did as a service for them.Return the bucket and rags to the hiding spot for the next person.Then only the same kid can go find the next clue, which is taped under one of the tables.IF you take the last clue taped under the covered tables after you are finished, please bring the bucket and rags to the pit stop with you.
SIXTH CLUE:FAST FORWARD –(ONE team may choose this clue at this location and may do the one thing necessary to go directly to the pit stop.)
Fast Forward – go to the 3 story playground.Find the hidden clue in the playground.
SEVENTH CLUE:FAST FORWARD
The coach and all 3 kids must climb to the top swinging chair and all 4 must sit on the swinging chair and swing and count outloud for 5 seconds (the driver standing in the parking lot should be able to hear you).When finished, find your final clue under one of the covered tables.
LAST CLUE:FAST FORWARD
Please proceed directly to the Pit stop – the Boley’s home.First team to arrive gets first choice of reward.
SIXTH CLUE:SPEED BUMP(Two teams must do the speed bump while one team is doing a fast forward).
Speed Bump:Go to the ball park by the Cedar Hills Fire Station.Find the hidden ball and bat.The Coach must be the pitcher.Each kid must hit the ball and run around the bases.Once all 3 kids have done this, hide the bat and ball again in the same hidden spot (unless you are the last one to pick up the next clue – then bring it back to the pit stop.)Once finished to the satisfaction of the Driver, the next clue is hidden inside the bathroom.
SEVENTH CLUE: ROADBLOCKWho is REALLY hungry?(Choose only one person to do this task – it cannot be the same person who cleaned the hubcaps.)
Roadblock:Tell the driver how to drive to the McDonalds next to Wal-Mart.Use the money you got at the beginning of the race to buy ONE item from the Dollar menu.You may NOT use the drive-up window.When you have eaten it ALL (show empty mouth to driver), you may look for the last clue.It is hidden inside the McDonald’s outside garbage dumpster enclosure.Only the one person on the roadblock shall be the one to find the clue.
LAST CLUE:PIT STOP
Please proceed directly to the Pit stop – the Boley’s home.First team to arrive gets first choice of reward.
Seriously, SO MUCH FUN!!!
At my sisters house after---enjoying snacks and watched the video tapes of our race. My mom stayed behind with Todd, Mia, and Tyler-since she wrote the clues she couldn't play. It was fun to show her what we did. THANKS MOM and DAD!!!!
Nick got some water balloons from work so we got a water-hose attachment and he filled up the water balloons for the kids. They decided to throw the balloons at Nick instead of each other and had so much fun!!!
First Day of Kindergarten 
