Let's go Cougars!

For the past 2 Saturdays, my family and I have joined my parents in cheering for the BYU Cougars Football team. Much to our dismay, the Cougars have come up short both weeks. Fortunately, my love of college football far outweighs the disappointing losses.

I LOVE watching football...specifically when either the Cougars or the UTES are playing. But, I have been known to turn on a random game just because I have the itch for football. As soon as the temperature drops and Fall is in the air, I get football fever. A few years ago, I had a game on as I was scrapbooking and a friend of ours called and asked for Sam. He wasn't home so we chatted for a minute and he asked what I was up to and I told him I was just watching the game and he said "by yourself?" "Yep, I love football." And he said, "Man, that is so sexy!" Ha ha.

I think I can attribute this love for football to my dad. He has always been a Cougar fan. I believe this is the first year since we moved to Utah in 1982 that he does not have season tickets to the BYU games. I always loved going to Provo to the games with him (when I was the lucky one to get the extra ticket) because there was such a buzz in the air at the stadium. He also has so much enthusiasm for the game and really gets into it. I can remember him watching re-runs of games when I was a kid. When I was in 7th grade, my dad took me to get my Military ID renewed and on the way home he handed me the BYU game schedule and said "Kath, do you want to go to the next game with me?" I looked at the schedule and said "It's in Hawaii." My dad said "I know. You wanna go?" Let me think about that for a second..."YES!" We flew over on a military cargo plane and stayed at a friend's house (my parents lived there before any children were born). We spent a little time at the ocean but our main purpose was the game. We sat in the nose bleed seats with not a spot of Cougar blue anywhere around. I cheered my little heart out, my dad was a little concerned because of all the huge Polynesian men glaring at me but that didn't deter me for cheering for my team. BYU won and I even got to have my picture taken with Cosmo (the mascot). If I had a functioning scanner I would include this priceless gem. This was an experience with my dad that I will always cherish!

So don't be surprised if you call my house in the next few months and I tell you I'm watching the game...it's part of who I am!

Service and Small world

So, for several months now, I've had this perfectly good scrapbook room in the basement just waiting to be organized and I just haven't had the energy (ok, let's be honest, I haven't had the desire) to get it done. Well, Friday night, my cute sister Amy came over to go on a Sonic slushee run. Of course, I jumped at that and when we came back we ate the dinner I had made earlier. Then I took her downstairs to show her some of Sam's handiwork in our never-ending construction and she walked into the dreadfully disorganized scrapbook room.
A: "So, Kath, what's in these boxes?"
K: "Um, I really don't know. I just need to get someone to help me go through them and get this room organized."
A: "Let's do it right now."
K: "Seriously? You want to? OK."
Little did I know that Amy was going to help me Hitler-style. "Do you want to keep this? Ok, what are you going to do with it? Hang it? No, don't put it down and wait, hang it right now." She was relentless! We cleared out 5 or 6 "keepsake" boxes in a matter of 20 minutes and kept only a few items that had really sentimental value (like my diploma and wedding certificate). I even parted with old letters from college and Oakcrest, AND my decaying wedding bouquet. Amy didn't pressure me into getting rid of anything, she actually questioned me a few times when I threw stuff away. But she did keep me working for a few hours and we accomplished so much. There is still more to do but we got a huge chunk of it done. Thanks, Amy, for your service. It was just what I needed and guess what? I actually made a card Saturday in my scrapbook room at the table! It was so great!

Sunday, more service was rendered to me, this time by my hubby. I noticed my toenails were looking pretty hammered and I tried to touch up the polish. Unfortunately, this big belly makes toenail painting near-impossible. So I asked Sam to help me, and he obliged. Now, you have to understand how huge this is. Sam HATES fingernails and toenails that are painted, especially toenails. I don't know why, he's never really explained his disgust, he just hates it. So, I knew it was a long shot when I asked him but he actually did it, and did a better job then I have ever done! Now, that, I tell you, is true love!

Now on to small world...a month or so ago, a man walked into my dad's office at church and told him he and his family were moving into the ward. He said his name was Phil Banza and my dad immediately recognized his last name as an Elder's that I served with on my mission. So, he asked him if he served in the Johannesburg mission and Phil replied that he hadn't but his brother had! So, Sunday, Phil and his sweet wife spoke in church and then Phil, his brother Junior (who was my first zone leader and someone I love dearly) and two other men sang "I need thee every hour." Sam and I attended with the kids and had a little reunion afterwards. It was so fun to see Junior and his family. I just can't believe what a small world it is, especially when you are LDS. Imagine an Elder from the Congo goes to South Africa on his mission and meets a Sister from Salt Lake City and 13 years later, the Elder's brother is in the ward where the Sister's father is the bishop! Crazy!

Baby update: Today was my 30-week appointment. The same girl weighed me and put my weight down as 19 pounds less than last time!!! My midwife came in and looked at it and said, "that's not right" No, it isn't. The girl doesn't know how to read a scale!!! She put down that I weigh 10 pounds less than I actually do. Normally, I wouldn't complain about losing 19 pounds in 2 weeks but at this point in my life, weight gain is critical. I swear that girl needs weighing lessons!!! Aside from the weight loss, everything is looking good with this wiggly baby girl!
Oh, speaking of weight loss...Curtis was watching "The Biggest Loser" premier with me last night and he suggested that after I have the baby that I go on the show. What is it with my kids and my weight?!?

Week Re-Cap

I have so much to blog about but haven't had the desire to do it so I'm finally making myself sit down and type!

First, and most important:Noah's 1st day of Kindergarten!

He was so excited to start school and go to the same school as Curtis. He was really happy that the cold front hit so that he could wear his new Hot Wheels shirt for the first day! He didn't seem nervous at all, just marched right into the classroom, found his name tag, his table and his locker and didn't bat an eye when Sam and I left. He was already immersed in the school experience and was ready to learn! I thought I would be emotional sending him off to school all day but when Sam and I got to the car, I gave a little squeal and said "I'm so excited!" and then we went and had a fabulous, quiet breakfast (just the 2 of us!) at a cute little diner in Sugarhouse, Finn's. I figured I had a long, quiet day ahead of me but it actually went really fast and I didn't even get half the things on my list done! I'm going to have to organize my day a little better!

When I picked Noah up, he just ran to me and gave me a big hug. I asked how his first day went and he exclaimed, "Good!" "Did you learn a lot?" "Well, we did learn some stuff but not a lot."

By 7:00 that night, he was so exhausted. During our reading time, he kept flopping back and forth and groaning. When I asked him what the problem was, he said "are we almost done? I want to go to bed." Poor kid, he isn't used to this all day stuff! We are going to try bedtime a few minutes earlier to make the transition a little easier.

Second: Sam's 40th Birthday!
I hadn't planned anything for Sam's birthday because we were going to go to St. George with some friends of ours but they ended up moving that week so things were a little crazy for them. Sam had school in the afternoon so the boys and I went and bought 12 black balloons and some window paint and went to the school parking lot. We tied the balloons to Sam's truck and wrote messages on the window. Unfortunately, before we finished, the wild W. Jordan wind either blew away or popped half of the ballons! Needless to say, I was a little miffed by the time we were finished. Sam called before we were even home to tell us he discovered it and said there were only 2, TWO!, balloons left when he came out of class. Argh! It's the thought that counts, though, right?

Since Sam had to work that night, the next night I got a babysitter and Sam and I met his parents for dinner at Johnny Carino's. We had a very enjoyable dinner and then a little shopping at Target afterwards. A low key 40th but I think just what we needed!

Third: Curtis's Speech Therapy

Curtis has been receiving Speech Therapy since his first year in pre-school and has made a ton of progress. I spoke to his Speech Pathologist at the school Open House and she said she would be evaluating him the first week and would then call me. We met with her and Curtis's teacher and the principal for his IEP on Wednesday and the only thing she feels she needs to work on with him is the "th" sound. She was very pleased with his progress and said she would be surprised if he needed Speech after Christmas! Way to go, Curtis, you are awesome!!!

Fourth: Labor Day

Sam really wanted us to go fishing for his b-day so on Labor Day we headed up to the Uintah Mountains for some cooler weather and fishing. Sam took the boys there a few weeks ago and they really wanted to go to the Fish Hatchery again so we stopped and did a little tour. It was kind of cool and there were a ton of fish.

Then we stopped at Provo Canyon Falls. It is so beautiful there. The Falls are amazing, the rock looks like it was carved out by a machine but it wasn't, it is just God's beatiful creation! The boys had fun climbing the rocks and we all enjoyed the cooler weather by the water.

We then settled at Teapot Lake for a very unsuccessful fishing trip. Sam got the boys set up and he kept having to re-cast for them and by the time he got himself ready, the boys were done. We hung out there for a little while longer and then packed up. Sam had seen a spot on the river that he wanted to try fishing so we stopped there and Curtis and Sam took off walking down the river. Noah was content to sit in the shade next to me in our camp chairs and he talked my ear off! He was so cute. I wasn't very talkative but he kept the conversation flowing just fine. My favorite was when he said "Aaah. This is relaxing. I love to relax in the shade by the river, in my chair, in the quiet, just the sound of the little waterfall. Do you like to relax here, Mom?" Sometimes, he is just so grown up! It kills me.

After awhile, Sam and Curtis came back (sam caught 4 fish) and we made the trip home. It was a nice, relaxing day but Sam realized that if he really wants to fish, he's going to have to go without the boys!

Fifth: Funny things kids say and do

Noah walked into my room on Sunday just as I was picking up my dropped towel (my back to him) and said "Mom! Does your tummy getting bigger make your butt get bigger?" "No, why?" "Because your butt looks huge! It is bigger than Dad's!" Thanks, buddy, you know how to make a girl feel good about her ever-expanding body.

Curtis had planned to wear his camo pants to school on Wednesday with a cute long sleeve shirt we got to match. Wed. morning came and he decided he didn't want to wear the long sleeve shirt, he wanted a short sleeve shirt and the perfect choice was his camo shirt. I told him it didn't match his camo pants and that he needed to change. He was throwing a fit so Sam said he was going to call the Fashion Police and picked up the phone and pretended to call. Curtis FREAKED! He quickly decided to wear a short sleeve white shirt and his olive green hoodie. Who knew a Fashion Police threat would work on a 7 year old boy!!!

Well, this is turning into a novel so I'm going to wrap it up...The End