We got company!

That is what Luke wrote first thing in a letter to a pen pal.
What he wrote sums up last weekend perfect!

"We got company! And each night we did something fun. The first night we made homemade ice cream. The second night we had a BARBAQUE!! The third night we went to a friends house."

When I found out our friends, the Shurtz family were going to be making a weekend stop here in Oklahoma on their summer vacation I offered them a place to stay. They lived here about four years ago while they were attending law school. When we moved back here to Oklahoma we had three kids and they had one. Now they have four. Two of their kids we had never met! But it felt like we knew who they were through their families blog.


Like Luke said, the first night we made ice cream. It was cold work. But worth the effort. Then we sat out in the heat around the firepit. Kim came over to visit with Meghan and I.

The next day we hung out, relaxed and went swimming. Meghan wrote that it was relaxing taking all eight kids swimming. I am glad she felt so. I did too.

Then we had the BBQ- I love that Luke put it in all caps with three exclamation points. It was that big of a deal. It was like a reunion!

Lots of happy kids.

Hot dogs and lots of yummy food.

Smiles.

Friends.

Playing.

Being silly.

Screaming!

Growling.

Hangin'.

Catching up.

Lots of photos.

Lots.

And lots.

Meghan asked me to get a few shots of the kids.

I think I got some.

It was so fun to watch the interactions of all the "kids."

Some of them are not kids anymore, but middle school, high school and college age students.

We loved seeing them all play with each other, and include each one in whatever it was they were doing!

I think the adults enjoyed having the kids all play so they could catch up on life!

After dinner, and things had started to "cool" off (HA!) we started the fire in the pit.

We made smores. Actually Jay and I made smores. I had forgotten to get longer roasters, and only had one hanger. ONE! So we set up a little assembly line and put them all together then passed out the smores. I have to say that I think the smores this night were some of the best ever. The trick? It was so dang hot outside the chocolate was mostly melted by the time it hit the Graham cracker. Then when we added the toasty marshmallow- ah perfection! I always try and keep the chocolate cool and firm, but not any more!

Fuller was an only child when we met their family.

We knew Olivia when she was a baby.

Missy serenaded us with her guitar and songs.

Some of the kids sung camp songs. The best was when they stood on the wall and led us in some very funny interactive songs. Great crowd participation.

There was only a little grumpiness.

Lots of beauty.

Sweetness.

Cuteness.

Happiness.

Joy.
Having friends is a great thing~

When we knew that Meghan and family were coming I told them that we would have a bbq, that way they could see a lot of people in one spot, and have time to just hang out and visit. That was also when it was cooler. The night we had everyone over was the hottest it had been all summer! Everyone had red faces, but had a lot of fun anyway. (I hope it was fun for everyone!)
I didn't think it was too bad outside, until I went inside. HOT!

Meghan's Dad flew in late to help her drive the rest of the way to Utah, since Jon was flying back to Florida. While Jay stayed up late talking with him about sculpting, painting and art in general, Meghan & Julie and I stayed up late talking.

Then the third night.

Our three families got together for dinner. Much cooler this time- inside at Kim's!
I loved watching all of our kids play together. It was like they had all known each other all along. No time had passed. It felt the same with the adults too.

Sunday morning right before church we hurried fast to take some photos of Meghan's family.
I had hoped for a little better light, but didn't think it was such a good idea to have anyone wake up early for it. So we did the best we could. I was happy that we got some good shots- some smiles, some beauty, and some where most everyone was looking at the camera at the same time!

We loved having all of their family stay with us. Funny thing- It didn't feel like there were six extra people staying here. Can you believe they didn't leave anything behind? I am never that fortunate when traveling!

I loved seeing Meghan at church. She and Kim came and sat in the back of Primary and it was so normal to see them sitting there. It was such a comforting feeling.

I cried when they left. I kind of was surprised by my emotions. It was so fun having them visit and getting together with our friends on Friday night. It really felt like a reunion of sorts. I think it was the feeling of not knowing when we will all see each other again, the possibility of change for all of our friends in their future and just enjoying being together and not wanting it to end.

One short day-

Savanna was wishing that she was going to Dallas to see Wicked. She even tweeted so. We had two sets of friends that were leaving that morning for Dallas to go see it. Jay and I had talked about going for our anniversary, and Savanna could not believe that we would consider going without her. We decided no one would go.

I had a dentist appointment to get a filling. Jay stayed home with the kids and left right after I got home around 10:30. Savanna was standing at the door to walk out with a friend when we got a call from our friend Stephanie (one of the friends that was going to be heading to Dallas.)

In a rush she asked if we could get things together to drive to Dallas that night. She said she had three extra tickets. Good news! I stammered and stuttered and sputtered and said, "YES I can get it together to drive to Dallas." I didn't take time to consider if Jay could get off work, or who would watch the kids, or if the car was ready to go. I WAS GOING TO SEE WICKED IN DALLAS!

Then it hit me- Why do you have three extra tickets? What happened for you to have three extra tickets? I had that sort of sick feeling that something wasn't right.

It wasn't.

Kristie was planning on driving down with her daughter, sister and Mother. But that morning her mother had a heart attack. Thank goodness they had not left yet. Everything went as well as it could have, considering she had a heart attack. Let us be grateful that she had the heart attack in Oklahoma City, and not on the road somewhere between here and Dallas.

Once I sorted through the shock of why Kristie would be unable to go- I went into quick plan mode. I had two hours to get it together. I called Jay at work, and said that I knew he had only been to work for about 45 minutes but could he come home? Called my mom to see if she can watch the boys. Called my friend Donna in Dallas to see if we could stay the night. Made many back and forth calls with Stephanie to plan out details. Decided to take Jack with us to stay with our friends while we went to the show. Stephanie stopped by with the tickets and her daughter. I quickly packed a bag for Jay and I, helped Savanna pack, then got the boys stuff together. Jay made it home and took the van for an oil change then we left to drop off the two youngest. We made it through dropping them off (barely) then went to pick up Kristies daughter. Then we were off. We made it on the road by two.

The drive down was great.

Everyone was so excited.

When we got to Donna's in Texas she had pizza waiting for us. We ate, changed and left. It was that quick.

We got to the theater, found our seats, and waited for Katie's family to arrive.

The girls were giddy.

Who am I kidding? I was giddy!

I loved seeing it with Jay. LOVED.

It was so fun to sit next to all the girls and hear them singing under their breath.

I was thankful that we got to go. I kept thinking to myself-Did this really just happen? It was funny to me that we were there so quick and unexpectedly, and that we pulled off something so last minute.

After the show we saw the girls off to their hotel for a few days of shopping.

It all felt like an early anniversary celebration. The surprise, the drive down, the show, staying with our friends, staying up late, swimming. Waking up the next morning and not wondering what Luke and Tucker were getting into. I woke with a start and bolted up wondering what time it was and then remembered where I was. We swam that morning and relaxed then left around two. About the same time we had left the previous day. One short day-

I struggled with benefiting from someone's misfortune. It took me a while to want to write about how much fun we had knowing that Kristie and her Mom and sister missed the show. And why they missed the show. I don't know if I did a very good job of expressing our gratitude for being able to go, along with our sadness for the whole situation. But I'll make good. I will keep trying.

Playlist of my life- summer 2010?

I tweeted this earlier today.
I need help.

"I need a summer soundtrack-2009 was Wicked, 2008 was Mamma Mia.
Help me put together a playlist for this summer.
Go."

What are you listening to this summer? What will you remember as your soundtrack from Summer 2010?

Winner-Guess where we are?!

Lori!
You guessed it.
We have not left the state.
For our Family Night a few weeks ago we went to the lake.
Lake Hefner.
Our drinking water lake.

It looks like we went somewhere.
Funny thing?
It felt like we went somewhere.

We don't have big vacation plans this summer, but we try and keep things moving. When that stir crazy feeling sets in, we take a drive somewhere close. The bookstore, a park, the lake. It gets us out of the house and we feel better.

When I saw our photos from the night, they reminded me of being on the coast. The feeling was the same. We were together. Away from our normal routine.

SPT-hair mash up

self-portrait-tuesday

I usually wear my hair wavy or curly- but a few Sundays ago I not only wore it straight, but I parted it on the opposite side. I got many comments from people wondering what was different. They knew something was different but not sure what.

Not only did I look different but it smelled different too.

I grabbed a bottle of men's shampoo. I realized when I was sud-sing up that it did not at all smell like anything I would normally use. I thought I would finish it off with the men's conditioner, thinking that it was something kind of minty. Wrong- it smelled like mens shaving cream, or aftershave.

So, not only did my scalp feel funny from when I would turn my head and there would be more hair on the wrong side of my head, but, I kept smelling this weird smell and I would flip my head side to side to try and figure it out, only realizing it was me I was smelling. Over and over again.

I won't try and change things up for a while.

As you wish.

Who: Alisa & Jay

What: Message

When: Thursday- a little over a week ago
Where: Our computers


"Let's build a firepit without spending any money."

" As you wish."

Jay came home and with Tuckers help, built it in the drizzly rain.

Perfect weather for digging, and a great reminder of what the weather was like when we lived in Oregon.

(Wow- as I sit and type this in the heat I sort of miss our rainy weather from the last month and a half.)

He finished it the next night.

And we have put it to good use.

It is fun to have a "destination" to go out to in the backyard. Our family has ended the day around the pit more times than not in the last 10 days we have had it. I am excited to use it in the fall- when its, how should I say ... less hot.

To: Jay
What: Message
When: Now
Where: Our home computer

"Thanks for building it, and doing it without spending any money. I love you too."

Guess where we are?!

No more rhyming I mean it!

Anyone want a peanut?

Family Night!

Tonight's lesson came from the book Way to Be.
I was reading chapter 6- Be Positive.

I read this sentence,
"...under the barrage of constant criticism ..."

Oh the looks, and the laughter! I just didn't understand.
Until they explained that what they heard me say was,
"...under the "bra" of constant criticism ..."

We all laughed and laughed. Laughed until we cried.

Reading the music

So today was supposed to be the end of the kids summer piano lessons.

After the lessons our poor teacher came out a little disappointed in one of our kids progress in the last two weeks.
She rescheduled another lesson later in the week for this one child. She wondered about his practicing.

Hmmm I wonder why?

I snapped this a few weeks ago hastily to avoid detection. After loading them I just couldn't delete it even though it was blurry. Glad I saved it for evidence.

Sunday Confessions-

Last December Luke lost the mate to his new Sunday shoes. It was a Sunday evening and we had an appointment with our Bishop. Everyone was dressed in their church clothes and when we got to the church Luke only had one shoe. The right one. He was certain he had left the house with both of them. Did the left shoe fall out of the car on the way? How would that have happened? Who knows? I only know that it has not appeared.

I have held on to the remaining lone shoe in hopes that its match would suddenly appear. Like maybe from under the seat in the car, or behind clothes in the closet. Just in case I found its missing mate, I put the right shoe at the top of the shoe holder on the back of the door. If the left shoe were to re- appear I would know where its mate was.

A few Sunday's ago I was so glad that I had hung on to that one shoe and that I knew where it was. I felt I had defeated the plans of the shoe thwarters. Luke could not find the mate to his current pair of shoes. As luck would have it that day he was missing the right one! I went to the back of his door, grabbed the lone right shoe and sent him on his way.

Never mind they were two different styles. They were both brown!

Never mind they were two different styles. Luke didn't care!

The lonely left-behind-shoe saved the day.

Tuckers first day to work-

Friday was a big day for Tuck. It was his turn to go to work with Dad.

He has been asking over and over, "Do I get to go to work with you today?"

Jay has taken the kids each for their own special day- but planned to take Tucker for half a day. The later half. But Tucker was so excited. He remembered first thing and hurriedly got into his closet, got his clothes out and got dressed. Then we heard his feet rushing down the stairs as he called, "Okay, Dad, I am ready to go." Jay paused for a moment and said- "I'll just take him now."

I grabbed Tuck to go smooth down his bed head and started for the stairs when he directed me to the downstairs bathroom. He told me, " We need to go downstairs to fix my hair. That is where the "hair jello" is."

Tucker was so excited and oh-so-cute. But don't let the cute looks fool you.
He has a little feisty side in him- that is coming out more and more.

I managed to capture a moment. Right before he popped Jay in the nose with his gun. Nice.

Jay brought Tucker home after a few hours- and Tuck was so proud. He didn't seem bothered that he was not staying for the whole day. I think the rather large ice cream cone he came home with kept him from thinking too much about it.

Three cheers for Jay-for taking the kids to work. Especially a 3 1/2 year old with a pistol.

A royal 4th

So we just finished our busiest time of year.
Celebration week.
Our Anniversary. Savanna's birthday. (13!) Fourth of July. Company in town to celebrate it all. Non stop parties.

I love it.
It is also exhausting.

So now I sit at the computer to edit all the many photos taken between my camera and Jay's.
Then I pull up the blog- and think- which story should I tell first?

I glanced at the pile on my desk- and noticed a small stack of letters that were exchanged on the 4th. Because we had so much rain, we were inside for a lot of the weekend. All the kids and their cousins got creative. I am not sure what started it, but this was how a portion of the afternoon was spent while we were inside.

While we were sitting in a food coma on Sunday- during our inside BBQ- One of the kids delivered a royal letter. All the cousins crafted a letter- and what you are about to read is what kept us laughing for a good part of the evening.

"Dear King Von Fancypants,
I accept your surrender! Hee-hee! Your people are so slow and dimwitted you wouldn't know a real peace treaty if it bit you on the derriere, so this will have to do. Meet me tomorrow for official surrender of your kingdom and your fancypants. Sincerely, Alex"
................

"Kind Sir,
You lad are a wordsmith beyond dispute.
I accept your decree. I shall give you my fancypants ... you shall also receive my fancy socks, and my fancy jammies, and my fancy underpants. In return you shall receive a taunting of the most genuine style. It shall begin with simple name calling and conclude with a raspberry smearing ... etc ... etc ...
Yours is as mine was, King Fancy Pants"

..................

My Dear King- used to be- Fancy pants,
I accept your gifts of fancypants & fancy socks & fancy jammies & fancy underpants. We were wondering how you would feel if we renamed your country Rabbidsquirrelia, as it is largely infested with rabid squirrels and the like.
Sincerely, Savanna and Alex
P.S. After tomorrow, you will be unemployed and without fancypants. (ha ha ha!) Therefore, we would like to offer you the position of Royal fancy glove cleaner. Please consider.
P.P.S. Are we human, or are we dancer?

....................

The line that kept me laughing?
"Meet me tomorrow for official surrender of your kingdom and your fancypants."

It may not be the traditional way to celebrate the 4th- but fun nonetheless. Three cheers for imaginations and royal kingdoms.

15 years

Jay,

There is nobody else I would rather share a spoon and a pint of ice cream with.
A toast: To many more years of sharing this.

Truly yours,
Alisa

No photos!

The paparazzi has been shut down!

He is now blocking himself out of the photos. Or he is demanding they be taken a certain way.

This boy does have us cracking up though. He was in the pool and looked up at the clouds and said to Savanna, (sounding so very astonished!) "Sister! The sky is moving!"

He cracks all of us up that he calls Savanna- "sister." We are not sure where that came from, but he always does it. I was helping him pray and reminded him to pray for each of the siblings and we went through them by name and when we got to Savanna he substituted "sister."

He is sort of cracking me up when he says exactly what he is thinking, or states what he sees. Like saying really loudly" who tooted?" while we are in the Dr.s office. Or when he is just stating the obvious that the woman in front of us has a really large bum.

He really did crack me up last week. I took him into the bathroom at the pool and with the most sincere tone he looked at me and said "Do mommies poop?"

Yep, he just cracks me up.

What to eat Wednesday- Hawaiian Breakfast Bread

So- back to the cookbook
Breakfast in Bed

I had wanted to try this and kept forgetting to save banana's. Then I re-read the recipe a bit closer and discovered that there were no banana's in it. None at all.

This bread had the most delicious resemblance of Amish Friendship Bread ... without all the work.

Very moist, easy to make the night before and yields enough for our family more than twice.
Anything that stretches beyond one round in our family is a great thing. Unless its because they won't eat it, and that was not the case with this bread.

Hawaiian Breakfast Bread

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained (I used just a plain can of pineapple, uncrushed)
1 cup grated fresh coconut
2 cups grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, beat eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, and cinnamon; mix just until blended. Fold in pineapple, coconut, and carrots. Divided batter evenly into two greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pans and let rest 20 minutes. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean. Cool completely. (Note: This bread cuts better the next day.)

Bulls in the china shop

He finally lost his first tooth!

It did not at all happen the way I thought it would.

We noticed a little while back that his tooth had a little wiggle to it. But nothing ready to pull out.
I thought for sure that Luke would be the one to pull it right out when it was ready.

But no.

He didn't pull it.
Nobody pulled it.

It was kicked out.
By his younger brother.

After all the excitement had died down from having his first tooth out I asked what happened.

Answer?
Tucker kicked it out.

Why?
We were pretending to be baby bull's.

Oh.
I guess I am glad that the baby bull, was only kicking baby teeth.