Ruth Lake

This last weekend we took a quick trip to Ruth Lake. I was supposed to be going with the young women from my ward, but as it turned out they all had other things to do. So I made my family go with me instead. We also got the chance to go with the Jackson family. It was BEAUTIFUL.

It is always so amazing that we have places like this to go to that are so close.

The kids were very proud that they got their tent up first--and actually before Ryan got up our tent Alec had to come lend some assistance.

We just had a very relaxing time sitting by a little fire, hearing BEAR stories, reading Thomas Payne (Alec) and Eragon (Regan), going for a hike in the morning, and playing UNO (Austin).

I wish we could spend every weekend this way! That last pic I had to put in because Regan adores this little Jackson boy (she took a ton of pics of him).

And the Mother of the Day Award goes to.....

Are you kidding me? Today has been when of those horrible days when I feel like I should just work 7 days straight so that I have an excuse as to why I am a "slacker mom". Let me just make a list of my award winning day:
1. woke up too late to pack the highschoolers a good lunch (today is race day).
2. did not have gatorade in the house for the highschoolers--they "need" this on race day.
3. promised to leave some gatorade and snacks in kids car (parked at highschool) so they could have it for lunch.
4. pulled into highschool parking lot just as I heard a bell ring, I asked some deliquents (being judgemental here--yet another winning mom trait) what the bell meant--LUNCH OVER! So they missed getting their pre-race snacks.
5. took Will to the park--thought it would be good to take him to Liberty Park (to change things up a bit) NOT a good IDEA. Usually I really like this park but today it was full of smokers and people who were fond of screaming the f-word about.
6.pushed Will in the swing while reading my book. Some dork in the swing next to me said--"that must be some good book for you not to beable to put it down even to push your kid". To which I just ignored him and kept reading.
7. pushed Will right out of his swing. He did a somersault in the air and landed spread eagle on his tummy--some bleeding from his mouth also occurred.
8. now Will is napping, I am not doing laudry, cleaning a toilet, or making a great dinner--I think I might just finish reading my book.
So why make this into a blog--it helps to talk about it?! Try harder tomorrow--oh yeah I go to work tomorrow.

the mundane...or just plain chaos?

6 bipeds live here, thats 12 feet total. Those 12 feet wear a sock a day (some wear more than one a day). Times that by 7ish days and this is what you get on laundry day:

a basket full of socks

When you don't match and fold these socks this is what you get from the Turner Family:

Kids who won't take the time to match up their socks so they just wear the first two socks they can find.

Mom's solution: Sock Sorting

This consists of the family gathering together in the family room. Each sitting in a designated spot--far enough as to not get in each others way. Then one member of the family (usually Dad) will throw each sock from the basket to the corresponding member of the family so that they can then match and fold their own socks. I guess you have to be there but things can get pretty crazy. After a few minutes everyone is just throwing socks. Regan throws a sock at Austin, Austin then returns fire and hits Alec, Alec then feels the need to get Austin back and there are socks all over the family room. Nobody will claim the crazy colored or worn out socks so they are the first to become ammunition.

After many a sock has been thrown and many laughs have been had a truce gets called and the socks do get sorted, matched and put away.

At least for a few more hours.

Peaches and Rice Krispies

Yummmy!!

2 Years

In two years your baby can go from a craddle to a crib to a "big boy" bed. In two years you can rearrange the nursery so that it looks just like a kids bedroom (no changing table, no baby powder or lotion). In two years you can learn a new language, like: air annie o (where did Regan go), eat! eat! eat! (sesame street--repeated until it appears on the tv), or inckler on in ass (the sprinker is on the grass). Two years can literally fly (sit-up, crawl, walk, run) by.

But is two years enough? Is two years enough to teach a young man all he needs to know before he goes out into the world? Is two years enough to get your fill of his company at the dinner table? Is two Christmas Eves enough? Two Mother's Days? Is two lazy summer vacations enough?

Now, I am not planning a tragic family event. But Alec turned 17 Sunday. That means that if everything goes as planned (as planned from his very birth), he will be leaving us (ME!) in just 2 years. I know he will still be around when he returns but I do believe it won't be the same. WOW--2 years!!

This Labor Day weekend we celebrated Alec's Birthday, and also moved out the crib and changing table from Will's room and added a twin size bed and drawers. Thus the craziness above.

FIRST DAY--Freshman Orientation

Regan went to freshman orientation today.

This is the "first" different school she has ever been to in her 8 years of education. This is the "first" time she did not have to don a plaid skirt/white blouse to go to school in. This is the "first" time she went to school without her cousin being with her--yes all 8 years her best friend/cousin was there (not always in the same class but always same school with a cubby right next to hers). This is the "first" time there were more than 28 kids in her same grade (let alone class). This is the "first" time she will use a locker.

Regan and Cora--basically inseperable, until now

This is the "first" time her mom circled the parking lot of the school trying to catch a glimps of her to make sure she was okay. This is the "first" time her mom cried when she got out of the car (yes, kindergarten did not even make me cry).

Congratulations Regan--You did great. You are going to have an awesome Highschool experience.

A Time of Firsts

As the summer tapers off into fall the Turner Family will experience a run of "First Times". The premire "first" was school shopping for Regan. Normally we would just go to the uniform store and try on the designated uniform, buy them, bring them home, and hang them in the closet. Nothing exciting, actually quite boring and the kids tended to hate it. But this year was different for Regan.
We went shopping for clothes. I can remember that when I was growing up this was a big day for my mom and me--I can't actually remember that my brothers were with us but I am sure my mom did not send them to school in their birthday suit, anyway-- we would take a whole day and go to the local mall and spend hours looking for the right clothes. Then I would come home and try them on again, giving a fashion show to my dad. It was a lot of fun.
Now, Regan and I are not big shoppers--I actually hate shopping for clothes. I decided the best place for non-shoppers would be the outlet mall in Park City. Wow!! I did not know that I could spend so much money in so little time. Especially on just jeans and t-shirts. We ended up having a blast spending the day together--and came home with more than just a plaid skirt and white button down blouse.