Chuck E Cheese B-Day Party and Concert

Clara was able to attend a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese.  There were only 3 girls there - the birthday girl and 2 friends.  But I loved the smallness of that.  I loved that we went in the middle of the day so it was pretty dead.  It made it VERY easy to keep track of all 3 girls.  Thanks Emry for inviting us to your party!

 We then came back to the apartment complex and played games.  It was such a fun day.

Jeremy won two free tickets to the REO Speedwagon/Styx concert.  So we dropped Clara off with Aunt Melissa and headed out to the Usana Amphitheater.  It was very interesting.  Jeremy loves Styx, so we went to see them.  REO opened and played for an hour and a half.  They really aren't that great of entertainers.  I was so annoyed with the lead singers comments by the end of that half hour.  Then Styx came out and it got much better, but they only played for an hour.  I still think it was so weird that the opening band played longer than the leading band....  Oh well.  We really enjoyed that last hour! 

 REO Speedwagon

 Styx

(Jeremy took TONS of pictures of the band performing but most were blurry so I resorted to finding pictures on the internet.)

• Clara and I were at the library this week and saw this picture.  Clara asked me what the  picture was of.  I didn't answer her.  Instead, I asked her what she thought it was.  Without hesitation she said, "Maybe it's a picture of those 3 bears and that girl."

• A conversation: Clara, "Is it time to move to our new house yet?"  Me, "Not yet.  We can't go to our new house until we sign a lot of papers that say we have the money to buy the house."  Clara (after bringing a notebook of paper from her room,) "I will write those words because I want to help get our house."  Me, "It doesn't quite work like that.  The people building our house has to be the ones to give us the papers to sign."  Clara (said with extreme disappointment,) "Ohhhh, but I really want to help!"

• As we were driving home from the concert, Clara announced from the back seat, "Melissa doesn't have any kids.  She needs to buy one."

Chilean Independence Day

Jeremy's birthday was this week.  I got him something that he's been wanting for a very long time - a wireless router.  As you can tell from the expression on his face, I surprised him!

Also this week, our friends came to play games with us and ended up bringing a birthday gift for Clara that we let her open while they were here.  To say she loves it is an understatement.  She got it Friday night and I've had to force it off of her ever since!  Just look at those bright eyes and the way she's holding her hands!

Chile celebrated their independence day this week.  Since Jeremy home teaches some Chilean people, we were invited to a huge celebration filled with food.

Clara's favorite part was running around looking at all the things in the yard. 

And she sat and watched those chickens a lot too.

• Clara's new dress has a poofy slip to go under the dress to make it poof out.  Clara keep's calling it a poopy slip.  "Mom, I need the poopy thing to make my dress more poopy!"

• We were driving through a construction zone and Clara announced, "I can't believe there are so many machines out here!"

• In a conversation, Clara said, "I had friends over yesterweek."

• Clara wanted to play outside when we were at a BBQ.  But she kept taking her shoes off and their yard isn't one that you can run around with no shoes on.  So I told Clara, "If you take your shoes off again, then you can't play outside anymore."  "Ok, Mom, I will remember to not take my shoes off."

• At dinner the other night, Clara was talking about something (I don't remember what anymore) and said, "This is magical!  But not really....  But it is, but not really.  But actually it is!"
  

Happy Birthday Jeremy

Just wanted to wish my wonderful husband a happy birthday!  May you have a great day and be spoiled by everyone!  :)

New House

Our house is coming along great.  The basement was framed this week along with getting our front yard done!

Our neighbor called me this morning to inform me that they were pouring our patio.  I went up a few hours later in hopes the cement was still wet enough to let Clara put her hand print into our patio.  I was so disappointed that it was already dry!

Also this week, we were invited to an outdoor movie.  We watched Rio, laughed, visited, and even got to see inside the school where our nieces and nephews attend school!

On Labor Day, we celebrated both Jeremy's and Jeffrey's birthdays.  I love that my family is close enough now to spend birthdays together.

We also got a plate of cookies left on our door step.  We found out later that they were from our friends who recently moved from Logan to Springville.  We are sooooooo excited to have them close enough to hang out with again!

And last, but not least, we were invited to attend a bbq in the neighborhood we'll be moving to.  It was fun to get to know a few couples who we'll live close to in a month!

9/11

I can't believe it's been 10 years since the twin towers fell.  I still get teary eyed as I think about all the men and women who died that day.  Civilians who couldn't defend themselves.  And I can't help but cry as I hear the messages left on answering machines from the people on flight 93 who called to let their loved ones know they took a stand against terrorism and died saving stranger's lives. 

There is a song that I love whose chorus asks, "Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?"

I was on my way to work.  I was listening to the radio when a caller asked the dj if he knew anything about the plane that just hit the world trade center in NY.  They immediately cut to a song so they could check it out.  I remember thinking what a terrible tragedy that a plane "accidentally" ran into a building.  I was at work before they ran any kind of a story.  So I didn't find out until 2 hours later when my 2nd class of the day came in and informed me that a 2nd plane had hit, that a third plane had crashed into the pentagon, and a 4th plane had crashed in PA.  I dropped all lesson plans that day and just visited with my students.  I was amazed that these high school students took such care in the news of the world.  I don't think I cared about worldly events like that when I was in high school. 

The next period was my prep period, so I ran home and grabbed my radio.  I brought it back to school and for the rest of they day, I just had my classes listen to the news and we talked about their thoughts and feelings.  Some were so scared that a plane was going to come to UT and kill them.  Some talked of getting even.  Some of those did join the military and have joined in the war on terrorism.  It was the first and only time I put math lessons aside to be taught a different day.  I still feel the feelings I felt that day.  I remember feeling guilty that I felt relieved to live in Utah.  I remember wishing I could help in some way - I donated blood.

So where were you when the world stopped turning?  I would love to hear your story!

Mini Golf

I was able to take my niece and nephew miniature golfing this week.  It was the first time they had ever been, so it was quite the experience.  Turns out it's really easy to hit a golf ball really far with just a putter......

After we played mini golf, the kids got to pick out a ride to ride on.  There were several rides there that I figured would be more age-appropriate, but they both really wanted to ride in the airplanes. Poor Jeffrey couldn't ever figure out how to make his airplane go up!

• Clara was standing by me and tried to put her head under my shirt.  When I asked her what she was doing she said, "I want to get into your tummy."  When I told her she couldn't she said, "But I did it before."  "No you didn't, I wouldn't have let you."  "But there is a picture of it!"  Realizing she was referring to a picture of me being pregnant with her, I then had to explain the difference between then and now.

• Since Clara can't put her head into my shirt, she has started to try to fit into hers.

• We had another meeting this week with our loan officer.  When I told Clara we needed to go to a meeting, she asked why.  (She is now officially in the 'why' stage and is starting to drive me nuts!)  I then explained that we needed to go to the meeting so we could see if they would give us money to buy our new  house.  So when we walked into the mortgage company, Clara announced to the receptionist, "We need some money so we can buy a new house."  Everyone in the office started laughing.  And one loan officer even gave Clara a quarter to help buy our new house.  Now Clara thinks we just need a quarter to buy our house and is wondering why we haven't bought the house yet.