spider monkey

all the Oldest Carrotstick's late night trips down mountain trails must have unwittingly led the her into a Twilight encounter. Today she went all Edw@rd Cu!!en on us, and though she protested mightily, she successfully completed the high ropes course! She scampered up that hanging tree trunk with no problem -- and no freaky looking computer animated enhancements ala the first Twilight movie.

I am glad to report that no other vampire-like traits have yet been exhibited. Though I wonder if I should be afraid for my safety, because PB&J did the same yesterday afternoon. I'll be on the lookout for unusual bite marks on my neck. If tomorrow I report that I have taken leave of my senses and climbed the high ropes course myself, you'll know what happened.

age appropriate

This family camp has been very different for PB&J and I than it has in years past.

can you see what is missing from this picture?

look closely.

give up?

I'll tell you. there is no Oldest Carrotstick. this camp has been a dream come true for her. it's all about hanging out with new friends 14 hours a day. we see her only briefly at meals and when she needs to change clothes. last night was the best! she was hanging out with a group of Young Adults (15 to college-age) and they asked her what college she was going to. Frighteningly, she played right along with it and told them she was going to go to BYU or Utah State.

I think I need to pull out the "I'm only 13" sign.

we first came here when she was only 4 and still needed and wanted us.

I miss those days.

orange crush

I love me some orange fanta.

it is my drink of choice for one week, every other year when we take our kids on our biannual trip to aspen grove family camp.

wish you were here!

really!

partly cloudy with a chance of mud

Here are the results of the Middle Carrotsticks Wednesday night slide into the homebase mud hole.
I am currently considering reworking my investment portfolio to include Spray and Wash stock. it is a commodity for so many moms.

spies like us

if you are going to drive a scooter, it's best if you do it in style.

(I felt very double-oh-seven trying to covertly take this girl's picture with my phone without her thinking I was a crazy stalker person. You should try it! It's fun! Hey, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to take an undercover picture, post it on your blog, then leave me a message in my comments and I'll check it out! I'll be the "M" to your James Bond! Just don't do it in a creepy bad illegal way. That's my disclaimer. I am not trying to encourage delinquency in any way, shape, or form.)

this is what my kitchen looks like right now. aren't you jealous? looks like the only thing cooking right now is my brain on lacquer fumes.

the sandlot/dirtpit?

I would personally like to thank the grounds keepers of our fair city's parks and recreation areas for importing such a lovely red dirt for the baseball fields. if they had been satisfied with the natural brown dirt indigeneous to our area, I would be missing out on so much fun trying to get the red dirt stains out of the Middle Carrotsticks white baseball pants.

why is sliding into base such a thrill for 10 year-old boys????

soccer: a how-to

You thought I was kidding when I threatened to post 1 million soccer pictures. I wasn't.

For your enlightenment, here is a little tutorial on how to play soccer, presented by the Carrotsticks.

In the manner of all great books, it has few words and lots of pictures. (Be glad I didn't take the technical writing class when I went to college. Then it would be even harder to understand -- because I would have to write it in english, translate it into chinese, and once everything comprehensible was thoroughly twisted, change it back into the unintelligible dialect commonly known as "Reference Manual Modified ChineEnglish.")

(which she did. seriously. her nickname is now "bruiser".)

And, finally, in Reference Manual Modified ChineEnglish:

Many sad goodbyes as happy we are you visited us came.

tongue in cheek

With the plethora of end of the year activities, I take pictures, dump them onto my computer, and then hurry and empty the card so I'm ready for the next round of photo opportunities. I finally got around to looking at my soccer pictures today. So if my next fifty posts are all about soccer, you know why. It's because I have spent a hundred hours of my life this spring watching soccer. And I want you to share in my pain joy.

In looking at the Youngest Carrotsticks pictures, I noticed a marked trend amongst the 1st grade boys. Look at the following pictures. Do you see what I saw?

Apparently, one's skill on the soccer field is dramatically increased if one's mouth is open! Who knew? This is a major sports breakthrough, people!

After doing extensive research on the subject, the scientists in the Lunchroom have identified 6 major mouth/tongue player styles:

Stay tuned for further information as we correlate mouth/tongue styles to their most effective player positions!

macabre? maybe.

I just saw this listed on etsy:

It is entitled "Giraffe Gaffe".


I think it is incredibly funny. A little gruesome, possibly. But the whole picture/title combo kills me.


You have to click on this link and read what the seller/creator wrote about it. The things people do.


Do you think that's weird? Are you worried that I am amused by this?

city mouse, country mouse

Soccer season is officially over. Now I have no excuses for not posting about our trip to Chicago. And so, for your viewing pleasure, may I share with you the remarkable similarities and differences between Chicago, Illinois and Provo, Utah? (Warning, this is long-ish, but it is mostly pictures and not too much text.)

Let us embark on our journey.

First off, Chicago and Provo have rivers. Behold, the Chicago River and its environs:(See, the river is there on the bottom left, just below the dead tree. "They" say that in the great Chicago Fire of 18-something-something -- the one where Mrs. O'Leary's cow knocked over the lantern -- that even the river burned because it was so full of garbage. And refuse, even. The river burned!! How sick is that??!!! )

And then there is the Provo River and its environs:

Both have interesting downtown skylines. Can you tell which is which?

Both cities have holy ground. Behold, the Provo LDS Temple.

And a piece of granite from the Salt Lake LDS Temple embedded in the side of the Chicago Tribune building.

Both Chicago and Provo are extremely proud of their hometown heroes:

(Yes, that is Kate with the big man himself. They workout together. Sometimes he asks her to spot for him.)

And Provo's big man. His name is Bronco. Bronco Mendenhall. If you live in Provo, you know who he is.

Provo and Chicago each have a favorite letter of the alphabet. Provo's is "Y".

Chicago's is "L" -- as in the e"L"evated train. (The locals call it the L.)

Both cities have fairgrounds. Here's Provo's:

And here is a small part of one building from the Chicago World Fair.

Both cities host collegiate commencements. Here is the home of the University of Chicago's graduation ceremonies, the Rockefeller Chapel:

And in Provo, BYU's matriculates commence in the Marriott Center:

Both have residences that attract visitors from around the world. Chicago is home to the Robie House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.And in Provo, visitors flock to the Missionary Training Center, temporary home to Elders Frank, Lloyd, and Wright. (Or is that Sister Wright?)


See, it's remarkable the similarities between the two cities! I can't imagine why the Oldest Carrotstick was so shell-shocked. However, there is one thing that Chicago has, that sadly, Provo no longer has claim to: (Ok, excluding the one on the left.) My sister Kate and her smarty pants husband Bill (and their cat, Cassius).

Thanks for an awesome time in Chicago!

We love you!

provo picture originally downloaded by provoimages

provo river picture originally downloaded by katie so didn't

marriott center picture originally downloaded by Spaz Du Zoo

mtc picture originally downloaded by Spaz Du Zoo

fair picture originally downloaded by kallen photos

y mountain originally downloaded by troikkonen
provo temple originally downloaded by redsteve

bronco picture originally downloaded by phred84044

L picture originally downloaded by suvarn

life lessons

Lest you have forgotten

(as did the little third-grader on the Middle Carrotstick's baseball team)

Let the Little League coach remind you:

"There's no crying in baseball!"

All the great truths of life are brought to play on a baseball diamond.