Turns Out It Is a Valid Excuse

This morning while the kids were packing their bags for school I heard Emma weeping and wailing.

She had her backpack on the ground while she was packing it, and Lola snatched her homework and took off.  

Even though there were many tears, Matt and I couldn't stop laughing as I wrote the note to her teacher.

The dog really did eat Emma's homework, will you give her full credit anyway?

She took all bits and pieces in a baggie, and we had her giggling too as she made her way to school.

Lesson learned.

A New Year, Another Post....Finally

The new year marks my intention/resolution/desire to blog a little more regularly.  I have such a bad memory for the day to day stuff that I feel like I really need to write things down or I'll forget things about my kids childhood's that I really want to remember.  Problem is I feel so insanely busy and get so far behind on things I want to write about that I just don't do anything about it at all.

The other night I was lying in bed reading and Josh came in to snuggle.  He was texting his buddy, also Josh, and laughing hysterically at himself and his texts.  I snuggled with him and remembered nine year old boys don't come into your life very often.  In my case, only twice in a lifetime.  Nine year old boys are the best!

  My nine year old boy still plays legos for hours on end. He takes pictures of his lego creations to use as his screen saver. He plays MineCraft and is excited to create a new level.  He reads lots of books, especially Harry Potter.  He chats with his friends about things like Hobbits, Middle Earth and Orcs. 

 He fasts every Fast Sunday because he wants to be obedient, even when he's really, really hungry!  After school he sits at the table and finishes homework before he does anything else, and without me asking him to do it.  I love listening to him practice Fur Elise over and over...not because it's one of his piano songs this week, but just because he really likes it.  He downloads apps like 'Atomic Fart'. 

He goes to swim team three times a week and works like a champ.  At swim meets he isn't discouraged if he doesn't win, he just wants to beat his time from the last meet. I love the jokes he tells and listening to his honest giggles. He cracks himself up, and that cracks me up.  And best of all my nine year old boy still snuggles with his mom.   I know that won't happen for much longer.  I truly love having Josh in our family.

Nicholas Ivie...A Hero

Twenty years ago incumbent George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton were running for office.  Twenty years ago BYU had a winning football team...they even beat the Ute's that year.  Twenty years ago Michael Keaton was Batman and Michelle Pfeiffer was Catwoman.  Twenty years ago I taught fifth grade in a small Provo elementary school.  I was fresh out of college.  Twenty years ago Nicholas Ivie was in my class.

I haven't thought much about specifics of twenty years ago or even my year spent teaching until news events this week prompted me to scour my memory.  Monday night I was watching the news when I heard that Nicholas Ivie, a US border patrol agent, had been killed along the U.S. Mexico border.

Nicholas Ivie.  Nicolas Ivie.  The name sounded so familiar, but I couldn't place it....until they showed his picture.  NICK!!  I immediately knew his eyes from his picture.  He was now a 30 year old handsome man, but in my mind he was still a shy, unassuming 10 year old fifth grader.

I wept for Nick and his wife and little family that night, and the memories and snippets of that year flooded in.  I remember Nick struggling a little with math.  He never wanted to ask for help and was so determined to figure things out himself.  He always asked for a little extra time to finish. I remember a boy that liked to play football with his friends at recess.  I remember hunting stories he used to tell.  I don't know if he was the one doing the hunting, or if he just wanted to be a hunter.  I remember he liked to camp.  Many of his short stories he wrote were about camping.  I remember him quietly standing at my desk waiting for me to check out a book for him from the classroom library.  Most of all I remember his shy smile and his happy eyes.

Obviously the men that murdered him the other night didn't know anything about him.  Even after a year I can't claim to know much about him either.  That was the only year I taught and I have memories of each and every one of those kids.  While I didn't love teaching, I loved every single one of those students in my fifth grade class. I often wondered what they would be like as adults.  I even went to their high school graduation and sat in the back of the Marriott Center with my new baby and smiled as each one of "my kids'" names were called.

And now twenty years later I can only hope that the teacher's of my children love my kids as much as I loved those fifth grade students.  I count it as a blessing that I had the opportunity to teach, get to know, and to love those students.  I don't know what the circumstances were surrounding Nick's death at the border.  While news reports haven't disclosed anything I can only suspect someone was trying to illegally smuggle drugs across the border.  Nick was protecting my kids.  And while I don't know anything about what kind of people my students grew up to be or what they are doing now, I do know this.  Nick grew up to be a hero!

********A few days after this was written it was published that Nick actually died from friendly fire, and not a blatant murder.  It is still heroic that Nick was so willing to serve his country.

3rd Annual Girls Night Out

We have a tradition of when the boys go on the Father/Son campout the girls go on a campout of their own....at the Marriott.  (Even though Emma would love a tent, the Marriott is more my speed.)  The boys campout isn't until next weekend, and since we are now dog owners we couldn't figure out how we could all leave for a night without a dog.  Matt surprised us and scheduled out campout for the week prior.

We stayed at the Marriott City Creek.  Loved it!

A girls night out includes....playing, dining, shopping and lots and lots of swimming at the hotel pool.  

Mission Accomplished.

We all had a fabulous time together and didn't want to come home.

It's definitely one of my favorite nights of the year!

Playing in the fountain.

Girls wanted me to take silly pics of them at dinner.

Emma cracked me up.  She kept trying things on and striking a pose.  VOGUE!

Moments after this photo was taken Emma collapsed to the floor and twisted her ankle.  She wasn't hurt...so it was so funny!

Caroline posing with the skiier.

We spent a few hours at the pool both Friday and Saturday.

Emma begged me to buy her this hat.  She wears it everywhere.  She accidentally left it in a dressing room.  We went tearing back through City Creek to find it.  Phew!

Attack of the Killer Geese

All summer long, practically every time we leave the house, Caroline has begged me to take her to a nearby pond to feed the ducks.  For whatever reason, I kept putting it off.  Finally this week right after we dropped the kids off at school we headed over to the duck pond.

What began as a nice and pleasant outing became a nightmare...at least for Caroline.

We started with about four little ducks.  Then a flock of ducks.

And then....THE GEESE CAME!

There were only two, but boy oh boy were they were mean!  They started biting and pecking at us.  I kicked them in the head several times and still they persisted. I'm a be kind to animals kind of person, but they were scaring us both!  Caroline was screaming and crying.  We were both running. My heart was pounding.  We could not shake them.  Caroline threw her bread bag at them and still they charged.  

After we finally got away she declared, "I NEVER WANT TO GO FEED THE DUCKS EVER AGAIN!"

So traumatic.

Just prior to the attack.  Caroline is still smiling.

Last Month According to my Iphone

Starting to get really bored around here.  Looking for anything to do...besides watch TV!

Josh qualified for the Swim Team Championships in several events.

Emma made a cake. While we were gone Will ate it like a cave man without a knife and fork.

Caroline took swim lessons with the most amazing teacher!  She learned more in the 10 lessons she had with her than she has in all her other swim lessons combined.  Her goal is to join swim team with her brothers next summer.  We'll see!

Will and I volunteered at the Porter Rockwell Half Marathon.  We helped set up the finish line, and then they sent us to the aid station at Mile 8...with the Alta High cheerleaders.  I couldn't tell if Will enjoyed it there with them, or if he was a bit embarrassed.

The kids earned a trip to Lagoon.  My most unfavorite thing to do in the summer.   Matt and I were almost sick on several occasions. We were thrilled that Will took Caroline on the Tilt a Hurl! 

Last day of vacation at the pool.  Josh and Josh catch some rays.

Does she look guilty to you?


I realize Emma isn't any of the photos...it's because she is usually the one taking the pictures!

A Dog, A Dog, Finally a Dog

I really don't know what has come over me.  About three weeks ago I decided it was finally time for the Murdoch family to get a dog.  It has been no secret that I haven't really ever wanted a dog.  I grew up with dogs, but have never felt passionately about bringing one into the family for my husband and kids.  They are a lot of work.  I already have enough work and responsibility.  But three weeks ago as we were going to bed I told Matt that if he wanted they could get one.  I do believe those were the most difficult words EVER to leave my mouth because I knew once they escaped my lips I could never take them back.  It may or may not be true, but I think it's possible that Matt cried tears of joy.

I had requirements and restrictions about the type of dog we could get.  Non shedding. Smart. Trainable. Easy Going.  I think we've found her in Lola.  We brought her home four days ago.  She's a Labradoodle.  We got her from one of Matt's childhood acquaintances that lives in Heber and breeds Labradoodles.  She's unique in that she is what is called a Guardian Dog.  She lives with us, but we have agreed to "lend" her back to the breeder to have up to 3 litters of puppies in her lifetime.  Definitely a different kind of arrangement, but I think it will work for us.

She is a sweet dog.  Playful and yet mellow at the same time.  She is crate trained and sleeps through the night, but we are still trying to house train her to our house. (She was house trained before she came here.)  So far that is our biggest challenge.  She goes outside when we take her.  But she won't let us know beforehand that she needs to go.  We find ourselves going out every 1/2 hour....just in case.  It's making me kind of crazy.  Hopefully she'll get the hang of things soon!!