Why is it so innate in kids.......

...for some to care about what others think, and others could care less about what others think.

For instance Erin cares quite a bit about what people will think. I asked her to wear this dress a few Sunday's back and she started to cry.... saying -- "But Mom... everyone is going to think I have it on backwards!" Can you guess why?


Dante on the other hand doesn't quite care at all-- and I absolutely love it:) He has had his poor little scooter for 2 years now and he loves riding it any chance he gets. It has gotten quite rusty from being left out in the rain, and one "red rubber" handle bar has now been ripped in half.. and the other one is just hanging on by a thread. He has yet to ask for a new scooter. I just figured he hadn't noticed! Then one day, we had left his scooter over at my mom's house because it was raining and she drove us home- and I forgot to go back and pick it up for him to ride to school. So that morning he walked, and I told him I would try to get his scooter to him in time for school to get out and I would leave it on the rack outside.
When he got home that afternoon on his scooter, I said, "Oh, good- you found your scooter." To which he so humbly and honestly replied....

"Yeah! I almost walked by it- but then I took a closer look and I thought to myself -Its rusty and missing a handle and I was like- OH YEAH! That is MY scooter! So- yep- I found it, thanks for bringing it up for me."

I was laughing pretty hard- and even at that point he didn't ask for a new scooter. It is kind of like the baby blanket that gets torn to shreds but the baby can't live without even when they turn 5- or the teddy bear that has stuffing falling out-- I guess Dante's scooter is kind of like that for him. I don't mind a bit:)

New things and challenges!

The other day Ethan was like, MOM! I can do the splits... and then he jumped into the above position!! Huh??!! I was in shock - and that is Ethan's latest and greatest surprise stunt... next to being able to do a cartwheel like he has been a life long gymnast (and he has never been in a class) He is definitely "Monkey See, Monkey Do" He reminds me of that new character on Hero's, where she will see something on TV or in real life and then she all of a sudden possesses that skill. So because my boy can do what normally only girls "should" do... I'm attempting something that only boys normally do- that girls have a harder time doing.... but I WILL TAKE THE CHALLENGE AND DO IT! Join ME in the 6 weeks 100 PUSH UPS challenge... and let's rock it! (ps- Chet has just informed me he will be doing it too- and now it is a competition! ) BRING IT ON!

Passage to Zarahemla!

I was recently asked by one of my friends to preview this movie, "Passage to Zarahemla", and then do a review about it on my blog! I was really excited to see it and I watched it differently knowing that I was going to have to "write" about it. I'm glad I'm not a critic:) The movie was pretty good. I loved the characters and character development. I loved how it showed that there isn't much of a difference between the Nephites and the Lamanites and today's world. We may not be at open war, running around with paint and head dresses and bows and arrows, but there are wars going on behind the scenes in every city... and from within as well. I would give it a 4 on a 5 scale rating. It seemed like Leeds, UT meets Stargate - I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone. For more information about the movie you can go here.

123... ABC.... 123....ABC....123....ABC

I got tagged by both Melanie and Jill to do the ABC tag- so here we go:

A- Attached or Single? Attached (like a leach)

B- Best Friend: Chet- without a doubt
C-Cake or Pie: definitely Cake
D-Day: Monday-- I love new beginnings!
E- Essential Item: mascara
F- Favorite Color: YELLOW
G-Gummy Bears or Worms: Bears
H-Home town: Houston, baby!
I- Indulgences: pizookies:)
J- January or July?: July because it is summer time!
K-Kids: 3 - 2 boys and 1 girl (and hopefully many more to come!)
L-Life is incomplete without: family and friends, the gospel, ME (but that is a given)
M- Marriage Date: Sept. 22, 2000
N- Number of Siblings: 5 sisters
O- Oranges or Apples: oranges! The juicier the better!
P- Phobias or Fears: running off a bridge with my car into water and not being able to get my children out in time - or anything where I can't save my kids and dead fish or birds (FREAK ME OUT!)
Q- Quote: "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily." - Zig Ziglar
R- Reason To Smile: life, thunder storms coming tonight, clean house, obedient kids (for now), amazing husband-- too many to count
S- Season: Summer
T- Tag Three: Melynda, Amber, and Jana
U- Unknown Fact About Me: When I was a lifeguard at WaterWorld (6 flags) here in Houston- over a span of 3 summers I saved 46 people. (seriously- I would ask people if they could swim before going off the zipper line into deep water- and they would say yes, and then I'd have to jump in and save them! I never understood- I guess the zipper line was fun enough to risk their life?!)

V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Oppressor ALL the way!

W- Worst Habit: procrastination
X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds - as long as they are the good kind
Y-Your favorite food: Mexican- Pappasito's to be exact.
Z: Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Things you can't do NOT in a pool!

This video is hilarious- so since we are in the season for swimming and having fun in the water- watch this... it is worth the 3 minutes:) Just remember to pause my music on the side about midway down the page on the right-- YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS!!

Happy Father's Day!!!

Happy Father's DAY- and what a GREAT DAY YOU HAD!!:) Chet is the best dad around and Dante, Erin and Ethan love him to death! WE are so lucky to have you in our life, sweets- and thanks for being such an amazing dad! You are number ONE!

Here is Chet in bed- being served breakfast by the kiddies! He said it was delicious- and then made me go get the camera to take a picture of him - so everyone knows how hot he looks in the morning!:) (his exact words...verbatim!)
Dante and his fun, loving, dad - giving the "thumbs up" so far on Father's Day- and yes- the kids get a grade at the end of the day and a critique by Chet on what they did good and what they can do better for next year- and then he closes with another thing that he loved- also known as the "positive sandwich effect".

Then Chet got to read the Sunday Paper in bed all the way until 12:10! Church starts at 1:00 for us this year- and that in itself is a great Father's Day gift too.
After we got home from church I made some yummy caramel popcorn (pictured above) and it was very good. You can find the recipe here. Some liked the m&m's and others didn't much care- so do as you like-- but I liked them. We watched a fun family movie while eating this yummy popcorn (which is really easy to make!) After that we went over to my families house to eat a yummy Father's Day dinner. It was great to spend it with Chet and then my dad too!Happy Father's Day Dad! Because you are wild and crazy and fun- look how all of us girls turned out!! Best Family picture EVER!! Thankyou for being a great dad to me and I'm lucky to have you for my dad:)

Happy Father's Day again- families wouldn't be complete without you:)

Summer is finally here!! Can't you tell??!!

Whoo! I love summer- but I always tend to completely fall off the wagon in ever sense of the word when summer first hits- because I still treat it like when I was in school and had summer time! I sleep in, I take my time, I relax-- and so my blogging has taken a hit.

Dante graduated from 1st grade! YEAH! I can't believe he will be a 2nd grader next year- and Erin will be in kindergarten-- time flies!

Here are some pictures of Dante at his gradution and then following those are some of our favorite things to do so far!

(sorry for the underline- I don't know how to get it off without deleting the pictures!)

Here is Dante with his 1st grade class! Do you LOVE his hair!! You can tell it was very close to the last day of school!I guess something serious is going on- and they are kind of confused, maybe?? Dante looks like a danged cockatoo! (what movie?)

Dante having to wipe his nose before he goes up......and now time to stretch before going up to get my award.


Dante getting his award from his amazing teacher, Mrs. Wamble! She was awesome-- and he really enjoyed having her!

Reading over his award to make sure his dream of going to 2nd grade is really happening!!


Last picture with his teacher- and I promise she does have eyes- but I couldn't get a shot with them open for some reason.


Now here are the pictures of what Ethan and Erin would do before Dante got home from school- and what we are ALL doing now-- except picking our nose,- that is just Ethan!
Ethan digging for gold, Minnie hoping to go on vacation, and Erin and Emily just taking it all in!
Ethan laughing at Minnie for thinking she is going on vacation.. saying she is just a baby!

Oooppp== got to pick some more!
Not quite there- I have to get higher!!
Maybe I got it- I don't know??



MOOOOMMM! Did you get all that on camera???

And before I left to go to Dante's graduation - Ethan once again picking his nose! What else is new though- really??!! It is his favorite activity of ALL time since birth!
Erin- just sitting as cute as a button!

I'm so proud of my kids- they have all learned to swim on there own! No lessons here- they just swim so darn much that the water has just become a part of them! They are ALL swimming this year- we were all utterly shocked when Ethan decided to take his life jacket off and jump off the diving board- and he actually swam to the side without needing any help! - It was amazing--- they are ALL amazing:)

What happens when you cross-

Me with an outside water hose and


Ethan with an inside sink sprayer???
A BIG FAT MESS!!!

Here is the story- I had just finished mowing the lawn front and back, so I was ready to go inside and take a shower- I was very dirty- and hot, and sweaty and sticky- in 97 degree heat! I thought, before I get all clean- I'll water my flowers in the back yard. I turned on the hose and saw Ethan up on the kitchen sink washing his hands and I sprayed the window from the outside to scare him. The kids get a kick out of me doing this, because the water doesn't actually get on them and they think it is funny! After I see him having a good laugh I go and start watering my plants. TEN MINUTES LATER... I'm done- and I go to turn the hose off (which is in front of the kitchen window) , and I see ETHAN with the water sprayer TRYING to "spray" me through the window!! INSIDE THE HOUSE!!! I instantly shout out NO!!! And run inside and don't forget- I'm dirty, sticky, sweaty, etc... and that doesn't match well with a NOW flooded kitchen- from the counter tops spilling onto the floor. So, my bare feet and dirty hands are now trying to clean up a wet kitchen- so now there is mud everywhere too! It was GROSS! I was in TEARS!!- Literally-- I was so mad- because I had just cleaned my entire house and was finishing up a quite productive day from outside and come to find my kitchen underwater- mixed with my dirt.
Usually I wouldn't be THAT upset- but it seemed like something had happened everyday for the past week that made me cringe and I guess it was just building up! I mean- I didn't even get mad when I had mopped up the floor and splat goes a 64 oz. diet coke Chet left out on the counter, which the kids then moved to their little table, to which Minnie then could reach and pulled over and spilled it on my mopped floor- THEN, after that was mopped up- Ethan dropped a brand new HUGE jar of applesauce all over the floor- which glass broke everywhere and applesauce splattered everywhere too- and THEN, after THAT was mopped up- I open the fridge and one of the handles from inside the fridge broke off and my Worcestershire sauce fell on the floor and broke and that spreads faster then anything else I have EVER seen! It is like a mini flash flood when that thing breaks and spills! (it is the 2nd time to have happened- now I have to go buy ANOTHER thing of Worcestershire sauce.) - So- I guess slowly things were building up- and I needed to cry when I saw my kitchen covered in water and dirt, and bits of grass, etc...

On a LIGHTER note:)

The winner of my giveaway IS: Cassie!! (Erin picked the winner by choosing a number between 1-6 and she picked 5)

Congrats- and a power pod is something to charge your iPod in your car. So, e-mail me at bertieranger4 at gmail - and I'll get your address and you can let me know what you want:)