School Supplies!

Saturday we all got together for mom's school supply giveaway! We had it at the cabana and pool in the community that Mom and Walt live in when they are here in the Prescott area. Tobie and fam drove up as did Aunt Shelley. We had a blast! Stetson is proudly showing off his red bag of goodies and Jennie shows how excited she is she doesn't have to buy folders for the boys.

Holy school supplies batman!

The fight over cool pencils.

A buttload of folders!

All the bags of goodness!!!

Stetson is so proud of his pink folder, he thinks he is quit the cool kid and loves to take pics of everything. Including himself, plus he will quickly pose for any camera he sees.

Two thumbs up for all the stuff mom bought, good job Nana!!

This year instead of just buying the supplies she made all the kids earn them. She devised a point system of things they should be doing daily and weekly. Things like, brush your hair, teeth twice a day. Keep your room clean, listen to your parents, no pouting (that one got Kody), no fighting with your bros and sis'. There were bonus things like, pick flowers for mom, shine dad's shoes, read to younger sibs, and read a book. This is where some kids were able to make up for losing points elsewhere.

After mom sorted and handed out everyone's goodies it was time to sit and listen, before we dug in to a delicious sub from Walmart. (By the way if you have a big party coming up, they were GREAT! The bread was awesome and it was packed with meat!)

Mom discussed the importance of working and earning things instead of someone just giving it to you. The kids were hungry and mostly listened. Each one was asked what they learned from this activity and most answered the standard way, listen to your parents. I think they just wanted to eat and get to the pool. Sorry mom, I enjoyed the talk, but I think the kids were more interested in playing. Of course what else do you expect when you get 11 cousins together?

Then we let them hit the pool! We had to share with a few older people, since mom lives in a 55 and over community. hehehehehe But they didn't seem to mind, in fact one couple was very nice and talked with the kids and even gave us a hard time. Too cute.

While the kids swam we got to spend some much needed adult time talking by the pool and enjoying each other's company. It was great to have Aunt Shelley there, even if she is showing her age by walking with a cane...hehehehe Love ya Aunt Shelley.

We even took a little time to visit Danny in lockup. I always told him, if he didn't straighten up he would end up behind bars. lol

By the end of the day we were all ready to go. As we headed to mom's little gingerbread house to pick some of the sub, (I think mom was trying to feed an army) Craig hoped in with us for a fun ride over. Poor Sammy was wiped out! He swam his little heart out and even slipped in the pool while throwing a water ball at one of the kids. Don't worry Lolo the bestest big sis caught him right after he went in and mom didn't have to jump in fully clothed!! Sammy had a great time and didn't even notice that he didn't get as much stuff as the other kids. I love this age where they just don't really know what is going on.

Thanks mom for all the school supplies! IT was a wonderful day with everyone here. It does my heart good, to have all of us together, including Aunt Shelley, that is one thing I miss very much about Phoenix. Impromtu trips to Mom's for swimming and hanging out. Danielle was the overall winner with 1611 points, (mostly impart to the face that the she spent the first 3 weeks of the program away from home and earned the points for listening to parents and not fighting with bro and sis.) Kody ended up with 945 and Lolo held tight with 951. I was very proud of Lolo, at the beginning of this activity she was pretty sure she would not get anything. Go Lolo!!

What a fabulous day!

First Impressions

For some reason this memory popped up today and I know I had to share it.

About 2 years ago on a Sunday afternoon, church had finished and we were getting ready to leave. I came out of the Primary room and headed down the hallway, I turned right at the next corner and headed towards the Bishop's office where my family was. I'm not sure why were still there, maybe waiting on BYC or something for Danielle. Whatever the reason, I thought we were the last ones in the building, since we had the 1:00 time and it looked like everyone had left already. As I was cruising down what I thought was a deserted hallway I saw Danny waiting for me, slowly I felt something start to brew in my tummy...was it love, was it knowing that this man loved me and that we had 3 (at the time) beautiful kids, and I knew we would be together for eternity? Nah, just everyday gas. Giggling a little to myself, I decide to try to impress this man, so with out looking around, again I thought no one was there, I lift my leg and let the fart ring out in the hallway. All done in true Oquist style. He busts up laughing and tells me someone is behind me. "No way!" I exclaim. "Honestly!" Danny smiles in return. I do not believe him, since he is always trying to get me like this one way or another and I never turn around to check afraid he might be right. However, had I looked to the left when I turned the corner towards the bishop's office, I would have noticed a new woman in our ward sitting on the couch in the foyer with her new baby, Morgan. When we get to the car, Danny is dying laughing telling me how that new Sister Eddy was on the couch, my face is red and I am sooooo embarassed! I have often wondered what she thought and even avoided her for awhile, I was really surprised when she accepted a calling in the Primary with me as one of my counselors. hahahahaha

Although, maybe Danny really did pull a fast one, Brytani were you really there??? All the things we do together and you have still not yet told me what your first impression was of me. I hear that the first impression is the most important.

Oh, what do you do in the summer time?

Oh what do you do in the summer time? When all the world is green and your husband takes off for an 8:00 softball game, your babysitter(oldest child) is away getting smarter? Do you tease and taunt and do The Butt to get your sister to chase you? So do I!

Do you taunt that brother back when you are not it? So do I. I took these pics one evening when it was just the three kids and I at home, we had so much fun!

Sammy is just enjoying the outdoors and his nake nakeness. He loves the branches off the tree that the kids break off when they are climbing it.

This was also the day that their upgraded phones came and Kody used up his whole memory taking videos of everything including Lolo just sitting still, or he was tryin to get her to play tag again.

Then came the tree climbing, we have a great tree in our front yard and it is perfect for this! Both kids climb it on a daily basis, often on the way to the car when we are trying to leave. While they were up there, the taunting continued and the

chase was on as they jumped down. Someday I hope Lolo will win, that her speed will catch up to her desire and she will whomp this big brother of hers.

Sammy was going to help but he the branch was bigger than him and couldn't run with it. He decided to just poke the ground and his water bucket with the branch instead. Is he looking sweet in his diaper and flop flops, as he calls them? Sammy just enjoys to be naked when he can, he has even started sleeping in only pj bottoms. He turns over and runs away before you can get a shirt on him.

This is his other favorite thing to do, play in the mud, I fill up this tub with water and give him a few toys, he will play all day!

After awhile the chase goes back out to the street where Kody knows he has the advantage, since he has nothing in his way but the open road. He won't just let her win once and then can't figure out why she quits and sits down upset. Brothers!

He gets to the middle of the road and gives her "Come and get it!" stance, Lolo trys to play with him but gets frustrated after awhile.

The chasing comes to an end and the boys decide to hide in the sunflowers we have growing in our culvert in front of the house. Can you find them? They are both there...

How about now? This is when Sammy decides he has had enough and is coming back into the yard, partly because Lolo is trying to help. How is it at only 1 year old, he already knows who to irritate? He does not want Lolo's help with anything, if she looks at him or picks him up, touches his things, he screams. Lolo has learned to do these things on purpose, so at night when she is realxing in front of the TV he will come in and pull her hair or pinch her arm, I didn't know such sibling rivalry was around at this age. Funny how they already like to irritate each other.

Eventually, Kody gets tired of Sammy screaming from Lolo's help and safely delivers him to the front yard. These kids are hillarious. We had so much fun just clowning around in the front yard. On a night we thought we would be bored with out Danny and Danielle, we ended up having so much fun. I'm sure the neighbors did too, since during the chase Kody and Lolo taunt and laugh and yell at each other constantly. We actually didn't have any serious fights, other than the screaming from Lolo touching Sammy. I'm glad we have these times to make memorys that I hope will last, if not for the kids, for the neighbor at the sight of a 12 year old boy doing The Butt to irritate his sister, complete with a smack.

So what do YOU do in the summertime?

Sammy new favorite meal.

Sammy has discovered chips and salsa! He loves to dip and scoop and eat! The last time we had taco salad, we gave him a little taco meat and cheese, he loved it! He ate it then started to watch me eat chips and salsa, I had a little dish of Safeway deli salsa, you know the one that is mostly tomatoes, not hot at all! He started his "Uh uh uh uh" and put out his little hand.

So I dipped a chip and gave it to him. He ate the entire chip and Uh uhed for some more! It was down hill from there! That was 2 weeks ago, now thats all he wants.

I met mom and Jennie for lunch last Monday at La Fonda's, Jennie's fave Mexican place, on Jennie's lunch break. All Sammy would eat was the chips and salsa. It was the mild, but you know every good Mexican place's salsa always has a kick even if it's the mild. He still downed it, I ended up giving him his own salsa bowl and pile of chips, he didn't even want a piece of cheese crisp, his former fave!
Mom says he looks just like the Roger's fam, and I guess he eats like them too. I think all of us are born with a desire to try every taco place we can find. Mexican is the first choice in any restaurant when looking for someplace to go out! It must be in our genes!! I know it definately shows in our jeans. hahaha

For the last 2 weeks Sammy walks into the kitchen points at the fridge and uh uhs till you open it, he then reaches for the salsa and points to his chair. I think one day he ate it 3 times! He loves to sit in his chair with his own bowl and pile of chips. This is a man after my own heart! I wonder if this is because so many times I love to just sit and order a cheese crisp and enjoy the chips and salsa for a meal.

So if anyone has any good salsa, let me know and I'll pass it through the new expert around here!

Ever After

If you are looking for something fun to do, come to Chino next week! Lolo has been attending the Summer Youth Theater this month and they will be performing thier play every night through Saturday afternoon! It's only $5! She doesn't have a major part, since she missed auditions, but she still sings her heart out in the chorus and stage crew. All the kids have worked hard and Diana Schmelzer who runs APA is fantastic when it comes to musical theater!!! C'mon out and support the local kids!

Where does lightening come from?

Ok, you tell me, is this bad?

On our way home this evening from another post girls camp fireside, we were watching a wonderful lightening storm off towards Williamson Valley, west of us. We have had quite a few storms like this lately and there have been many discussions on what causes lightening, Kody liked the one where dad told him his science teacher was wrong and that it came from the ground up, I hope he forgets this before school starts. I hate to warn the teachers or apologize when the kids argue "Well my dad says...". However, I think I like tonights discussion the best!

Danielle is in a goofy mood and just quit trying to talk Yoda-style all the way home, when she enlightens us with, "Lightening is just God walking across the carpet scraping his feet!" We all laugh. I said, "Can't you just see him scooting across and zapping Heavenly Mother, then she says Don't zap me again God! Do you want me to call Jesus in?"

We laugh, then Danny adds "Jesus come here and teach your dad a lesson, my little Savior!"

As we are laughing, Kody asks if this is wrong. We laugh and say no, I think Heavenly Father has a sense of humor. I did stop and think a little, is it blasphemous? I guess I'll have to wait and find out some day, but I really do think that He has a sense of humor. Why else would humor be a so important down here. Humor can ease almost any tense situation. So what's your theory on lightening?

SHE'S HOME!!!

Danielley has made it home!! Even just for 1 night. This is her unloading her stuff, even Kody helped her. For camp this year, Danielle was a 4th year and went on the 4th year hike. Duh! But for those of us from the old school, it's the Pack-In.
I have such great memories from my pack-in, rolling in the ashes, digging our own latrines, collecting water, not eating til the coals were hot enough...and my best memory...Sarai being constipated and farting in her tent to chase us all out! HAhahahahaha.

She came home all bumps and bruises and scrapes. Too much fun, she told me how her pack was so heavy that a friend of her's from school asked what would happen is she just gave a little push..."Fall over probably" was her reply. "Lets try!" Summer exclaimed and lightly pushed the back of the pack. Sure enough Danielle ended up falling down on her back like a turtle with a shell. I can just picture her legs and arms waving in the air trying to turn over!

I just had to take a pic of her hairy armpits!! The water is in short supply at Camp Lomia these days and the girls are limited to one shower while they are there. It is organized by wards, with 14 wards, there is no way you can sneak one, they would know! Of course our girls got Thursday which was the day after the pack -in gets back and the first day the rest of the girls arrive. So she went til Monday, when they got back with no shower. This pic reminds me of Sarai, Julia, Melanie, Melissa and I. We would have done just this very thing, even compared to see who was the hairiest!



Here she is, next years best YCL, (JS) ever! Our ward did get the most enthusiastic (loudest) ward award. Mostly impart to Danielle and her obnoxious behavior. I so love this girl! I almost wish we could have been friends at camp together. But I'll settle for being her mom! I think Edna, Sarai and I need to get these wild girls together! And maybe our daughters too. hehehehehe I know I have not met Sarai's daughter but she can't be too far off from Danielle and Ande...right? I think the first day home is always best, you are full of stories and the spirit. Danielle couldn't quit talking about it and got to repeat it all, when we went to Nana and Walt's gingerbread house for dinner. I know she wishes it was next year already! Thank you to all the leaders who work so hard to plan and prepare everything. Who have to listen to parents like me complain, because they don't do it the way my home stake did. (Which really is better. lol) However, I do know when to be quiet, so I don't get called to stake camp president. hahahahahaha
I am just glad she gets to enjoy the big camp at Camp Lomia like I did and it's great to know that Mona still lives!

Respect the Duck!

How could I have frogotten one of the other lessons I learned yesterday at church?? While sitting in the nursery with Samsam, it got to be time to clean up and listen to music. The kids weren't really ready to put all the toys away...a few had to be coaxed. When it was all done, Sis Houston asked "Who's ready to listen to music?" About half get excited, the rest really aren't listening. Sis Houston grabs a duck that sings and declares who gets to push the button to start the music, they all gather round the duck. When the chosen one pushes the button the duck starts to sing If your happy and you know it. Immediately the kids start running around the duck, some listen and try to sing, a couple even hide in cabinets. This apparently is not what Sis Houston was looking for and is trying to get the kids to act out If your happy clap your hands, etc... One of the boys trys to bounce over the duck and ends up knocking it over. When the duck ends, Sis Houston picks up the duck and declares that, that is all, no more music time. The kids act diappointed and Sis Houston looks at all of them and states, "In order to have music time you must...Respect the Duck!"

Nuts and carrots

How come every few Sundays it seems that all the kids in the ward, just go nuts? Some sacraments just seem to be crazy and loud. I know that most people seem to not mind, there are just a few Sundays that seem every child under the age of 6 is out of control. This was one of those days.

It started out by Danny locking Sammy and the keys in the car, and then trying to blame it on me...he was too worried about Sam being locked in the car in the heat and could not keep cool long enough to pick the lock. Normally this is one of Danny's talents, sometimes the old habits and lifestyle come in handy, most of our friends know to call him when they lock thier keys in their cars. So of course he was even more frustrated when he couldn't get the wire hanger to work today, the one I stole from the baptismal clothes closet. So after much "Discussion" and a friend offering to drive us home to get the other set, Danny can not stand his son sitting in the hot car any more and borrows a crowbar to break one of the small windows and frees Sammy, who really wasn't phased by the whole ordeal just a little sweaty. This should have been a warning that today would be one of those crazy Sundays.

In sacrament Sammy could barely sit still long enough for the sacrament to be passed. Since church is at 11:00 he misses his morning nap. In turn this gives us a cross between ornery and cranky. I could hear all of the other children getting fired up abou this time also. He has discovered the stairs up to the stand and likes to sit on them, he doesn't go up and entertain anybody. He just likes to climb up one step and sit on it, meanwhile he laughs and waves and jibber jabbers away. Today he discovered the curtains over the windows and tryed to play in them. So Sammy and I went for a walk in the foyer. I tried to take him back in once and he started walking around again and then b-lined it for the doors. The rest of sacrament was spent in the foyer. While out there one of our Sunbeams was there with his dad. This is one of our more wild kids, he does not listen well and was definately in a similar mood to Sammy's. I could tell the rest of the block would be loooooooooooooooong. Sharing time is getting really trying, Sammy is 6 weeks away from the nursery so he likes to rearrange chairs and get in people's faces and run all over. Today I took him to sit in nursery till it was class time, he did ok and played well.

When we got back to the Primary room they were just waiting on the Sr Primary so we could have opening or is it called Middle Exercises when we do it in the middle? I could tell it had been a long Sharing Time by the way I was greeted by a skipping and giggling Sunbeam, the one from the foyer and the looks on the leaders faces and on Danny's. I was promptly warned to watch my chest while around this little one. He sat on my lap for a little while, tried to pull my earings out, smacked my face, shook my face, called me names and then would get down and run around. Meanwhile the other 2 boys were acting out a little, but when it's all 3 it just seems worse. Sammy starts rearranging chairs again and resumes his antics around the room also. I finally get the Sunbeam to sit in a chair and he starts scooting it back into the rows behind us farther and farther away. I give him one warning of taking him to his mom and he stops for about 3 min, then goes back to scooting, when I ask him to stop, I get a loud NO! So we went and found mom and didn't see him again!

Danny and I proceed to class time, we always bring snacks, it seems to help them sit still. Except today, the moods mixed with licorice and cookies did not provide the stillness we normally get. The 2 boys left in class were barely listening unless we threatened no more food. Finally I look at one of the boys, dad is our dentist and I guess he rarely gets the kind of snacks we provide. As he smiles a chocolate smile at me, I say "Next week I'm bringing carrots.."
He stops, gives me the most worried look and exclaims, "WHAT?!"
I laugh, "You don't want carrots? You don't seem to listen with cookies and licorice."
He seems to straighten up just long enough to finish and make it to play time. We always end class time with letting them play with Sammy's cars from his baby bag, because whoever wrote the Sunbeam manuel did not realize the lessons need to last about an hour! It's hard to accomplish that with a page of lesson, maybe a page and a half!

So we try to finish by asking what we learned about and the 2 boys just laugh and don't answer. I wonder if thier parents wonder what the kids actually learn anything from us. I threaten carrots again and get at least one answer, family. Which is pretty much it.

Nuts and carrots were about the only thing I got out of church today, and a happy hour Dr Pepper from Sonic on the way home. Sorry sometimes, you just gotta have it!

All about Butts!

I don't know why our life seems to center around this subject. BUTT it does. As kids, my sisters and I weren't even allowed to say BUTT, around our grandmother, along with FART, BURP or any thing like that! Maybe that is why I have such a fascination with all these things! I will challenge any one to a good burping contest and farting is just common place around here! BUTT tonight while we were enjoying a much needed BBQ and time with Beth, the BUTTs came back. Not sure how it ever starts, we didn't even have a visit from BUTT crack Betty to spark it. Danny was laughing and talking about he has always wanted a big o podunk a dunk ghetto booty, and someday if we have enough money, he is going to have implants. Wierdo, what man wants that? Really?

BUTT Sammy was trying to poop all night, and was grunting and doing squats trying to help it all out. When he is obviously done, I tell Dan it is his turn, cuz I changed the pre poopy diaper. You know the one where they only get one small turd out, they aren't done, BUTT they stop for awhile and you think maybe this time thats all they got. Then they finish about 10 minutes later and you feel like you wasted a diaper, cause if you had just waited 10 min, it would have all been in 1 diaper.

Oh well, I ask Sammy if he is poo poo and he waves his hand under his nose, meaning "Yes I am stinky!" I had just picked him up and could feel a good sized lump through his diaper and shorts...so I try to pass him off and Danny is having no part in this! Other than to ask, "Is your sphincter stinkter?"

Which starts Kody cracking up, because he has never heard that word. Kody then starts singing "Shincter stinker" over and over again. I ask Dan again and he says no, of course. I reply with, "BUTT I can tell it is a real turd, cause there is a lump in his pants!"

Danny says, "nice try, BUTT last time you told me that it was all pudding, no tootsie rolls!"
"I promise, I can tell it's a turd and all you have to do is wipe!" I plead

It didn't work, BUTT Kody got to learn a new word that we will hear over and over and over again. And when I did change it, it was pudding and not tootie roll, which I would have heard about for a long time! Meanwhile we have all been cracking up and Beth is probably remembering why we haven't gotten together in so long! hahahaha

BUTT my favorite came from "Sonny with a Chance". One of Lolo's favorite shows on Disney. Sonny is getting fashion advice from a cast mate, she holds up a pair of skorts and the friend pretends to puke. "What?" Sonny asks.
"Coolotes?" she replies (Not sure on the spelling of that word)
"They are skorts!" Exclaims Sonny, "You know skirt up front, shorts in back...it's like a mullet for your BUTT!"


Just can't get away from it! Is this what happens when we make too big a deal about something with our kids? They then get fixated on it for the rest of their lives? I hope my Grandma is not rolling over in her grave after watching me type BUTT so many times! I love you Nammy!

Kristi's Commandments!

In the Book of Kristi you will find the "other" commandments, have you heard of any of these?~

11. Thou shalt not whine.
12. You get what you get and you don't throw a fit.
13. Thou shalt not touch, harm or drink thy mother's Sonic Dr.Pepper. (This is the most important)
14. Thou shalt not touch thy mother's Peanut M&M's.
15. If you do whine you better take the advice given and fix the problem or shut up!!
16. Thou shalt not scream at the top of your lungs unless you are dying or mamed.
17. Thou shalt not bad mouth Old Navy in front of your mother.
18. Thou shalt not EVER bad mouth flip flops.
19. Mother is ALWAYS right.
20. Give the baby whatever he wants. (Except thy mother's Sonic Dr Pepper)

Words to live by!!!!

You melt my heart like a popcicle on the Fourf of July!

This 4th of July was fun, but we only had half of our little people! We started the day by going to the Prescott Parade!

Here is Sammy waiting. We stopped by the shop and picked up the riding cooler so we had drinks and one less chair to carry. He loves this thing and always wants to ride on it. I say as long as Danny doesn't get the gas motor to make it go 30 mph thats ok!

Dad and son in thier ON flag shirts. Danny actually wore his this year! Looks good!

Danielle and I actually got matching shirts! Guess I'm still cool, but this is what happens when you wait till July 3rd to go to ON for the half price shirts, you get whats left. I do love the shirt though! Of course no 4th ensemble is complete without the flip flops. These are my new ones, I'm not sure what happened to the old ones ;), had to get new ones. Don't they look like fireworks?

See, just like my flops!

Here is Danny waiting on the parade to start. His favorite part was when a mini horse got spooked and took off while pulling someone in a cart. They passed us going about 40 mph, then the horse and cart turned left and the rider went right...once we saw she was ok, Danny cracked up! OOOoooooooo, Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh, OOOOOhhhhh!

I love bagpipes! One of my favorites uncles loved bagpipes and used to go watch them at ASU every year, he passed away when I was young~er. We used to pen pals, he was a cartoonist for the Phoenix papers, every time I see or hear bagpipes I think of Uncle Kearney. These guys were great!

Here is the Prescott Fire Dept...

and here is the Chino Fire Dept. If you lived here, you would understand. Chino is a great place, but it definately is the butt of alot of jokes!! lol I love living here though!

The pooper scoopers are the best entry, I think. There is a youth camp that supplys the kids and they all dress up differently and act like whatever thier costumes are. Of course this one was my favorite, Mace Windu tried to use the force to pick up some doo, notice his shovel is the same color as his light saber in the movie. They were great!

This is a pic of the my favorite Shady Lady, I told Dan we need to join the Prescott Regulaters and thier Shady Ladys, so I can wear this outfit! They are a group of people who dress in old time attire and put on shows.

Doodoo jedis again!!

Here is the new mayor of Chino Valley, Jim Bunker, he is the one in the black hat on the back of the truck. We love Jim, we go to church with him and he is an awesome person, Danielle and I cheered loudly for him and he tossed us some candy! Thanks, Mayor Bunker!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Here we are at the end! I didn't take too many pics of the parade, I have a ton of us driving in and waiting though...

We really had a great day with just Danielle and Sammy. After the parade we went back to Chino and went down to the Community Center were they were having a "Party in the Park". THis year we could not afford fireworks so they just had some fun things set up. Danielle and Danny played some horse shoes, a friend of ours won the watermelon eating contest, it was alot of fun! Then we went home and chilled, had some fried chicken and watermelon. All followed up by fireworks! Sammy actually watched this year and had some fun! I love this day! I constantly gave thanks for all we have and all the freedoms we enjoy!