Evan's Mohawk

Evan's hair-do was inspired by 2 things. He thinks his "Tony Hawk" shirt makes him "tough". :) Then he saw a picture of his cousin, Blake sporting a stylin' mohawk at 9 months. (You can check out Blake's on Tami's blog at http://www.thedickamores.blogspot.com/ ) So although it only lasted for one day of Kindergarten, here's Evan and his ATTEMPT to be TOUGH! (PS Tam, I tried the link thing and couldn't get it, so maybe next time :)

Just say NO!... to DOLLS!

Ahhhh a true Condiff boy :)! So although Mason DID pick up one of Grandma's dolls, he knew exactly what to do with it when he figured out it was bad. He kinda threw it down and covered her face and you can tell by the look on HIS face that he didn't like it. Way to go, Mason...we're so proud of you :)!

Bestest Friends!!! and more Best Friends!!!

So to basically to finish off my Utah trip, I couldn't not talk about seeing all my friends. I'll start with my best friend, Kelly (aka Kelly Nielsen, Kelly Crawford, KellBell, and KellBell from Hell :) ) Every time I'm in Utah I make sure that Kell and I hook up and treat her to lunch at "our spot", Robintino's. I don't know why we always go there...it's not that great, but it's just something we started about 15 years ago. We always get the same thing and nothing has changed. I'm part of her family and she is for sure welcomed to mine. We've been through happy times, sad times, exciting times and even death of a great friend times. We've laughed A LOT, cried a little, hugged as much as we can when we're together, danced too much together (between drill and the Bay... what were we thinking) and all-in-all we've stuck together. We both have 4 kids, she has 2 boys and 2 girls and I just love her to peices! Love you, Kell!


I was also VERY fortunate to hook back up with one of my bestfriends from Jr. High, Kathryn Wilbur Christiansen. We played soccer growing up and were locker partners and had a good time hanging out and going to dance clubs before we were of age (actually that was only time I went to any dance place was... illegally!) I remember listening to Poison and Guns'N Roses and when she colored her hair in her bathroom sink and ALL her brothers and sisters :) and the fun times we had together. We ended up going our seperate ways in high school, still staying friends until just after college. It was sooooo nice catching up with her and seeing and hearing about all the things we've missed. She's a single mom of 3 and Kat, you rock! I don't know how you do what you do, but you're awesome! Keep going, girl! She does Interior Design in SLC and Park City areas and so if you need a decorator, I know one ;)

Utah was a great time to visit friends and see a lot of long time friends at the Bountiful July 23th (celebrating July 24th) parade. It was fun to see Molly Cash Davenport, Steph Ridges, Katie Johnson Dana, Brad West, Sarah Moore, Joe Russell, Carrie Nash and old friends from my ward.


I must say, I had a blast in Utah!!! It was so much fun seeing my family. Thanks for their sacrafice in getting together while I was there. Thanks again, honey! I owe you big time, but next time... let's all go!!! :)

BUSTED!!! GUILTY AS CHARGED!

Yep, it's true. My chunky monkey has learned that drawers, cupboards, cabinets, and anything else off limits, is where all the action is! Since Mason is our last, we've decided not to "baby proof" the house. The "no" and "no-no, Mason" aren't working :) I've actually given up. My once used to organized drawers get thrown out and played through and now I just throw it all back in any random drawer. I had a friend over asking for where she could find a measuring cup and a spatula... I replied "any one of these 5 drawers". It is driving me CRAZY (for those of you who know me well) to not have everything in order and in the "right spot", but I have given up and given into my 10 month old! I surrender! So please don't come looking for organization... it's gone out the window (with about 10 other things I'm anal about). LOVE YOU, MASON!

Man in Trees

Parker has found a new love trees this year. He has learned to climb them like a monkey when there are no branches or climb up a limb to get to where he wants. This is one of his favorite things to do and loves to take "snacks" and read in the tree. The best part about this particular tree is that you have to have the upperbody strength to pull yourself up and he's the only that can do it. Way to go, Park!

How you too can have a CHUNKY MONKEY like mine!

Many people have asked me what I do to have such a cute, yet fat baby?! Well here's my secret... SAND! We go to lake and while I take pictures of the kids on the jet skiis or whatever, he eats sand. It's filled with all the vitamins, minerals and E-coli you could ever imagine. Results will vary by individual. Not recommened for 12 months of age or older. Consult your friend you asked to watch him while you took pictures and give her a major guilt trip for finding your child like this! Still love ya, Mar!

First day of SCHOOL... already?!

Is Summer really over?! It officially ended this morning when I had to get up at 6am (which mind you I haven't done since high school drill team days forever ago). I had to get my new 6th grader up and ready for his first day of Middle School... yes, you heard me right. Tanner is officially in Middle School and let me just say "WOW". We had locker practice and orientation yesterday and I am officially NOT COOL anymore! I knew it was coming, but boy it hurts harder than I thought it would. I was glad to see that even though we were on the back row of the bleachers by ourselves, his friends came to him and wanted to be with him, so I went down to the first row. The "thanks for leaving, mom" I got later assured me although I'm not cool... I'm pretty cool:)! Tan was out the door to catch the bus at 6:45a.m. which left me 15 minutes to myself before I had to get up with Parker.



Parker was next! He was a little harder to wake up (surprisingly... he's best a.m. kid when it's not summer!) He was up and out the door for his new school in 3rd grade (the Elementary is split into 2 buildings a block apart...k=2 and 3-5 so this was all new to him too!) He was out the door and ready for bus at 7:45am. He was nervous, but found out last night that the girl he thinks is cute is in his class (Faith from an end of school entry in May) and so he was excited to say "hi".

Then we decided to change it all up! Park left for school, Evan woke up and we moved Evan out of Parker's room and in with Mason (he and Parker have been doing bunkbeds togeother). So now Park has his own room and Mason and Evan will share. We'll see how it goes, I'll let you know. So Evan was SO excited to go to Kindergarten and ride the bus. He was happy to hear that he gets to take a snack everyday and excited to meet new friends. He loved putting on his "fast shoes" and was so excited for his Hulk backpack that matches his best friend, Andrew's backpack. He was SO EXCITED he kept asking, "Do I get to go on the bus now? Can I meet my teacher now? Now is time, mom?" He gets the MOST ENTHUSIASTIC award.


Obviously I didn't get Tanner getting on or off the bus (remember, I'm not cool), but here's a quick one of Evan and Parker getting off the bus. They will ride the same bus home together. Everyone's first day went well and Tanner after only one day is realizing he's going to be tired. (and so will his mom!)

Abide by the law of the land???

To give you a little insight into our family, we don't always follow by the rules. I will use myself as the example today. When I was 15 I stole my dad's car when he was out of town before I even had a learners permit (if I ever even got one :) ) Then when I was 19 I got my license suspended for too many speeding tickets in a short period of time (coming home from Ricks every weekend from Idaho to Utah can do that to a person). I won't even get started on Chris' issues!!! So why not pass this down to our children?! The law in Missouri is you must be 14 to drive a jet ski. OOPS!
As you can see, this is Tanner driving and having a blast! If we or our friends we went with weren't out, he was on and long gone. He hasn't wanted to ride with us lately because it was "boring", so being 11 and driving isn't boring anymore.
Which brings me to Parker. Almost everything Tanner does Parker can either do or it or figures out a way to get to do it. Point at hand: Tanner is driving the jet skiis, why can't I? My response was because you're 8, Chris' response was here's how it works, be careful and responsible and if you get caught, we don't know you. So now you can see Parker, who is 8, out driving the jet ski alone as well. Luckily no one was hurt and no one was arrested... this time. I will post more fun pics of Mason eating sand at the beach and Evan riding the tube later. We did have an AWESOME time once again at the lake and thanks to the Carlton's for supplying some good entertainment and fun once again!

Yes, my brother's adopted

Although this is a dumb post, I've had a few friends ask if "by chance" Chuck is adopted or not. Yes, Chuck is adopted. My parents actually have a cool story about how and why they adopted him after 5 kids, but he came to our home as a baby from Costa Rica (maybe why I also want to travel there so bad?). Anyway, he fits in our family perfectly (as close as any siblings fit together) and will always be one of my best buds ever. He is our little "mono" and I give all my kids 3 squeezes on their arm for "I love you" like we used to do together sitting in church and why I teach my kids about "RRRRRRRenny's" (family inside joke). We love ya, Chuck!

MY FAMILY!!!

This is the "THOMPSON FAMILY". This was who and what I got to grow up with :)! Top left to right: Chuck 26 (now goes by Christian), Ponch 43, (born as Jeff, changed on a school field trip to Mexico), Mike 38, Steve 41. Bottom row: Tami 31, Mom 39 and holding.... still, Dad, and Becky 34.

top l-r: Chuck, Rochelle and Ponch, Mike and Julie, Steve and Katie

bottom l-r: Tony and Tami, Mom and Dad, Becky (Chris was in St. Louis)

Dad with his girls

Dad with the boys

To finish off the "SURPRISE" night

These are the babies born in 2007 (thanks to my editors for catching the date mix up). From left to right are: Blake 8 months old (Tami and Tony's), Jaden 16 months old (Mike and Julie's), Abby 14 months (Ponch and Rochelle's), and Mason 10 months (Becky and Chris'). To have 4 grandchildren in 8 months makes for a busy year.
This was NOT the best picture of all the grandkids, but it's the one that will stay and have to work. Here are grandma and grandpa with all the grandkids, except my 3 oldest (Tanner, Parker and Evan) who stayed home. The grandkids range in age from 15 1/2 to 8 months and there are 17+.
17+ leads me to the end of the night "Surprise". We had all given dad much heartfelt and time consuming gifts like photobooks, a personalized song or a DVD of his life or presents that the grandkids had made. Well my older brother Steve surprised everyone when he and his wife came down from Montana (they said they weren't coming because I wasn't coming, so I had to let them know early I was coming!). So the night ended on an exciting and happy note. See picture below:
So this very ugly baby is how my brother told my dad (hence the previous picture of emotions) that they are expecting their first kid (after time and trials). Steve took a current picture and added parts to his baby picture to get this very FUGLY baby! It was the cherry on top of an eventful night. Congrats Steve and Kate and may your baby be better looking than this!

Surprise dinner and a FLIPPER CROTCH?!?!

To continue with the Utah trip, we surprised my dad with an adult dinner to the Mandarin in Bountiful. It's one of our families favorite Chinese restaraunts. We had a good time eating, laughing, and enjoying everyone's company. I was sitting next to my brother Chuck (Christian) and his girlfriend, Rachel and they were late and so I must not have gotten a picture of them. Sorry.

I must say though, get a girl from Shelley, Idaho (my mother) and the good times never stop. We got laughing so hard from something she had said the day before. My parents have a very big and nice garden in their backyard and have problems with the deer eating their tomatoes and vegetables. (They live on the benches in Bountiful by the Bountiful Temple.) So to "scare" the deer away, my dad gets this sling shot looking thing and because his aim (and follow through) sucks, he really doesn't hit them, he just "scares" the deer away. So my mom and dad get ready to get go to church and my mom spots a deer eating her tomatoes. So she's telling us the story later of how she had dad go get his flipper crotch to get the deer. I said, "dad got his what?!" half laughing, but wanting to know what old age was doing to my parents. She got laughing I'm sure thinking her daughter was weird for not knowing what a FLIPPER CROTCH even was. So I turn to Tami and said, have you ever heard of a flipper crotch? she said nope. So with all of us laughing, we had this lasting until I left 4 days later.

Which brings me back to dinner the next day at the Mandarin. When our family gets fortune cookies, we usually read the fortune and add the words "in bed" on the end (we really are a good, normal family, promise!). So tonight was new and more meaningful fortunes. As we read our fortunes, now we added "flipper crotch" and "in bed" somewhere either in or at the end of the fortune. My mom was so red from being embarrassed, but mainly from laughing so hard it will be treasured with us all forever. I can't wait until the day I get to read her journal about the "flipper crotch".

PS If anyone has HEARD of, or knows of the FLIPPER CROTCH, please enlighten me because I think my mom was brainwashed as a child in Shelley, Idaho!