Cub Scouts: Handyman

We started working on Handyman with the boys on Wednesday.  I can't say enough how much I love that the weather is warm enough that we don't have to trap the boys inside (especially now that we have 6 boys in our den)!

We headed outside to work on our car.  The boys were seriously shocked when we told them that they were going to change our tire.  That is something that I love about the scouting program.  Helping to turn these boys into men.  They loved that we were trusting them with something like our car.

First Aaron showed them where the jack is in the trunk of the car.  Then he asked them to find a good place for it under the car.

This is him checking to make sure they put it under metal, which they did!

He told them why that was so important.  Then the boys took turns getting the car off of the ground.  Aaron had to finish the last part himself but the scouts were so proud of themselves for getting the car up so high.

Then Aaron showed them how to take the nuts (or is it bolts?) off.  He started it up for them since they were pretty secure.

When they pulled the tire off, Aaron asked them to point at different things and he would tell them what it was for.  They all really enjoyed learning about the brakes and the suspension.

I have really grown to love the scouting program.  I especially love watching Aaron work with the boys.  He is such a great man and the boys can see that and they want to listen to him and learn from him.

Dog Park Days of Summer

It has been a REALLY long time since we took the dogs to the dog park. We love this one dog park in South Ogden but it doesn't have separate sections for big dogs and small dogs so when we go, we have to be ready to give our dogs baths anyway.

As usual, they got covered in slobber from other dogs.  Bambi found a husky mix to chase her...unfortunately the husky was as fast as she was.  That has NEVER happened to her before.  Seriously, I've seen her book it away from a collie before.  But this husky would be right behind her and Bambi would turn around to look and see that the husky was right on her...then she would try and start a fight.

The husky played nice with her.  It wasn't hurting her but Bambi would start SCREAMING like a pansy.  It was so annoying because the dog was just trying to play with her and she was making it sound like it was killing her.  Bambi is such a drama queen.

So she played with Aaron.  Aaron can't catch her and that makes her happy.

A really cool thing about this dog park, is the "forest" in the back of it.  There is a section that didn't get torn down when they made the dog park and so there are trials running inside of it.  When the puppies were tired of playing nice with others, I told them into the forest to wander around and explore.

Since they are our babies right now, it is fun to have summer "traditions" and places to go that let us know life is good and it is summer time with our little fur babies.

Golf Date Night

Aaron and I have known each other for 4 and a half years.  He loves golf.  I've never seen him golf.  He loves to cycle.  I've never seen him cycle.

When Aaron goes golfing with his friends, I'm usually with my friends or I spend the day working on things at home.

Well, on Friday, I woke up to an invite on the bathroom mirror to go on a golf date with him!  YEAH!!!  We went to a driving range in Layton.

I've gone golfing before.  Don't laugh.  I went to a private school where these things are important.  I haven't held a golf club in at least 5 or 6 years so Aaron still had to talk me through it (He also had to move me away from other people because I was too loud for this posh sport).  Much to my dismay, he didn't do that sexy thing where the guy stands behind you and shows you where to put your hands and how to position your body.

Towards the end, I was doing pretty good.  By that, I mean that I wasn't swinging ABOVE the ball.  That was probably my biggest problem.  Look at that form!  That grace!

I have no idea what I'm talking about.  I also finally got to see Aaron in action!  I'm not going to lie.  He was pretty hot.  None of these pictures do him justice.  He was moving too fast for me to get a good picture with the point and shoot!

 You are going to have to trust me that it was pretty hot and it was fun to be doing something with him that he loves to do.
This next picture is just to show how cute he is...I love that red beard!

Then we went out for some Jamba Juice!  I can't wait to go to the driving range with Aaron again.  Maybe next time he will get to practice more and help me less!  I love dating this man!

Cub Scout Treasure Hunt

We were working on the Traveler Pin for scouts, which in my opinion is the most boring pin.  One of the requirements is that you talk about using a compass and how align a compass on a map.  That took all of 5 minutes.  Big whoop.  The rest of the pin is looking at bus routes and talking about how to catch connecting buses and talking about other modes of transportation.  Seriously...the most boring thing to do with 10 year olds.

What got us through?

Aaron telling the boys that we would do a compass course at the end of all of it.

Today was the pay off for the boys.

Aaron and I went out yesterday to the church building to figure out where the balloons would end up being and what route they would take to get there.  We worked it through backwards and then Aaron had me do it.  I haven't worked much with a compass in recent years so I was a little rusty.  But it helped us work out the kinks.

This morning, I started filling up water balloons.  125 water balloons.  I did it in two shifts.  I did 70 this morning.

True story about this picture.  I was going to take a picture of this REALLY hole filled balloon so I refilled the tube with water and put the balloon back on.  But when I put the balloon back on, it was in a different spot than the first time...and I totally sprayed myself in the face.

This is what the water balloon looked like.

Oh...did I tell you that Pippen tried to eat these balloons a couple days ago so most of them were filled with holes.  Yeah, good thing we had another untouched bag.

I sprayed the dogs ONCE while we were outside and this is as close as they would come for the rest of the morning.

When I got tired of that, I moved inside to work on the "maps".  I told Aaron that I was going to do something to make them cool and legit looking.

So, I got out the tea and set the oven to warm.  They came out looking really good. (Guess who Captain Red Beard is?)

I decided that I wanted them to look even cooler so I got some matches.  I was going to singe the edges.

That ended poorly for me.  Seriously people, I'm a giant klutz.  But at least I had time to make more.

Don't these look awesome?  By this time I'm imagining myself in 10 years having an 8 year old pirate themed birthday party for my kid and what an awesome mom I am.  It was good day dreaming when I went back to filling up water balloons.

Then Aaron got home and we headed to scouts!  When we got to the church we were a bit alarmed to see that cars were parked in the parking lot...like every Wednesday.  WHY DIDN'T WE THINK OF THIS!?!?  The map leads them right through the cars!!  Oh well.  I walked with the boys while Aaron got the treasure hidden.

I was kind of super impressed with some of the boys.  They really grasped onto the concept and would get the compass pointing the right way and walk as straight as they could the whole way.  While others would start to stray and their friends would have to call them back (I spy with my little eye, a Gospel metaphor).

When they finished the treasure map, this is what they found.

I wanted him to dress up like a pirate because it would have been hilarious and we have the costume for it.  It wouldn't even wear the hook hand!  LAME! Side note: The boy with the plastic bag on his arm, was wearing a brace since he dislocated his wrist at home.

The treasure for the boy was totally worth the hunt.

I don't know what we are going to do next week to top it though.

3rd Annual Songkran Party

I've been avoiding this post because there are SO MANY PICTURES!!  Basically the party was awesome and you can see most of the other pictures here.

But I just wanted to write and say that the party was AWESOME and I loved having friends and family here to celebrate my favorite Thai holiday with our family!!  I can't believe that we have already been living here long enough to have 3 Songkran parties!  It is really a tradition!

 The food was so good!!  Michelle and Daniel made spring rolls that were AMAZING and the fried rice.  I'm so lucky to have Asian friends with skills!

 I made chicken satay...it went pretty quickly.  Between this and the fried rice, it made my house smell like my home in Thailand.

 That ball was worth the $1 I paid for it!  I mean that in a good way!  I would have been willing to pay more for it if I knew how much fun it would be for so cheap.  Man...my kids are going to live at the DI and the Dollar Tree.

 Songkran brings out the best in all of us.  Probably why I love the holiday so much.

I'm really glad that Dee always brings friends with her!  They are always awesome and liven up everything.

Clarise was cold...if you are wondering what is going on with her outfit.  Even though it was 90 degrees on Monday, by Saturday it was hovering around 55-60 degrees.

 My mouth is always wide open...I have no idea why.

 BEST FRIENDS!!!  There is no one in the world that is more wonderful than Clarise.  That is my opinion but I want you to know that if you haven't meet Clarise, you are missing out.  I truly believe that Heavenly Father gave her to me because He loves me so much.  I don't know why He gave me to her...maybe she prayed for patience.

 This is Geoff's first Songkran party!!  I'm so glad that he came back from his mission a year ago!!!  We missed him so much and this year with him has been wonderful.

 We are about to play "Sarong Volleyball"...keeping it Thai.  Aaron also wanted to take a picture of me bending over in front of him....I think he likes me.

 Then he took one of my bottom...yeah...he must like me.

 Let the games begin!

 Probably one of the most attractive pictures of me.  In my mind I'm always super hot and every face I make is full of sex appeal...

 ...how's that working out for me?
At least Aaron is SMOKIN'!! Look what he did to that water balloon!

He destroyed that water balloon like an animal!  We were playing games that wouldn't get us too wet since it was so cold outside.  So water balloon baseball was a hit (no pun intended).

 Why is this poor baby in a pool of water when it is so cold?!?!  Well, it is because that pool is filled with warm water from our warm water tap outside.  We're happy to get some us out of our "new" kiddie pool!

 Love my face in this one too.  I got the balloon but...what is happening to my face?

 Soaking the people playing water balloon baseball.

 When Clarise does anything, she gives it all she's got.  I love that about her.  When she is swinging a bat trying to smash a water balloon, she gives it all she's got.

 One handed!!  Way to go Andy!

 Aaron's sister saw him not participating and so she snuck up behind him and shot him in the back!  What are sister for, right?

 Clarise also had a problem with a person who loved to sneak up behind her....and torture her.  HER HUSBAND!  Way to go Geoff!  This is why she couldn't wait for you to come back!

Notice the water balloon in Geoff's hand.

And notice that it is gone.  Way to go Geoff.  Winning the heart of your one true love.

Geoff got a little comeuppance with all the horrible pictures I got of him.  I mean, look at this kid...he's got nothing going on for him. : )

I'm glad that these girls came and had such a good time!  It was so much fun hanging out with them and they ended up blowing up 100 balloons for the party!

Looking hot Clarise!

Check me out hitting these balloons like a pro!

Oh no....Geoff is about to strike again.

Check out this cutie!!  I seriously can't believe that we've been friends with Michelle and Daniel so long that they have come to parties at my house, not pregnant.  Then announced at a Thanksgiving that she was pregnant!  And last 4th of July, he was a tiny little couple month old baby.  Now he is nearly a year old.

Next year, he is going to be big enough to run around the yard with that ball!

 Filling up more balloons to play with!  It is amazing how quickly water balloons get broken but how long it takes to blow them up.

Pippen HATES Songkran.  He doesn't like getting wet and so it is a good thing that he isn't a Soi dog in Thailand.  He went into the front yard to hide from the craziness and water.

Too much fun!  It was time for a nap for this little guy.

Hmmmmm.....I like this man.

This was Andy's first Songkran party too!  Even though he has always been in Utah for Songkran, he has always been busy with finals or plays or work.  I'm so glad that he was able to come!

Bambi was eating these balloon bits and so Aaron went around really quickly trying to get them all off the ground.  He is such a sweetie to watch out for the dogs.

He was working while I was busy holding a napping little angel.  Hoping that next year, God will give me my own to hold. *crossing fingers*

This actually feels really cool.  Sticking your hands into a container full of water balloons is so cool.  I would have wanted to swim in it if we had the time to fill up that many water balloons.

I'm totally about to hit that!!  I was totally bring out my JV Softball skills on this one.

Look who woke up from his nap!!

Ripping it!!!  Look at him totally ripping that open!

Look at this ninja!  Aaron has a really small strike zone.

Check out these weirdos.  I don't think Clarise wanted to do this but Geoff and Andy talked her into it.

I'm already getting excited for our 4th Annual Songkran Party!