Graham I Am! March 2, 2013



What do you do when a birthday is here?
You throw a party for all that are dear!

March is the Month
The 2nd to be exact,

If you come at NOON 
We'll keep you intact.

We will play play play play
But we'll finish by TWO

Right after we sing "Happy Birthday to You"

Which wondrous person warrants such BAM?

Well I'm here to tell you

It's GRAHAM I am!


This was my first boy party ever. Since Graham shares a birthday with Dr. Seuss it was easy for me to come up with a theme. He had five guests come to the house and they were all well mannered and seemed to have a fun time so it went well!  
I bought one of those helium balloon tanks. Since it costs a dollar a balloon to get them blown up somewhere it seemed like a good deal. The only problem is that because the balloons don't have high-float in them they don't stay up for more than several hours.
The waiting game. His party started at noon and he counted down every minute beforehand. I was glad to catch him playing happily at the table with his new Spiderman doll though...but don't think for a second he wasn't counting how many minutes till his party. 
We had decided to give Graham a new bike for his birthday. Matt said he would be in charge of picking it up. The night before when Matt got home from work he was extra tired. The first thing he said was, "I didn't get the bike yet but I'll go to Kings and get one. " I knew Matt just wanted to stretch out on the bed and relax. I suggested we let Graham go on his birthday and pick one out. Matt asked, "Are you sure?" "Yes," I told him, "it will be fun."

It turned out well to have Graham with us the next day because he didn't care for the bike at King's at all. We ended up with this cherry red number from Walmart. Graham would want me to tell you that he does NOT need the training wheels but that they came with it. Matt took them off when we got home. There have been a handful of pretty days since then that he and Grayson have been able to ride bikes to school.
When I talked to Donna on the phone about the pretty weather we have been having she said, "Oh we've had a real cold spell blow in. It's been in the 60's and 70's." I told her, "That's what it's been here."

It looks like this one friend is saying a blessing on his food. He is! He is totally praying.
Matt reading "Left Foot Right Foot." Graham also wanted to go fishing, play Bingo, duck duck goose, and just play play play play.
Later in the day we went to Utah County. Matt had some business at Cabela's and it seemed a good birthday destination. Graham seemed to really like it there, "This is a great place to come to on my birthday!" We had dinner at IHOP after having a run of bad luck everywhere else we went. 
We were finally all together as a family after church the next day to cut the cake.
What else does Graham love? Nutella. I had to run to the dollar store and knew I would be cutting it close to when he got dropped off from Kindergarten one day. I left the front door unlocked. He must have come home just a moment before I did because he opened the garage door for me. He was already up to his eyeballs in Nutella. I laughed when I pictured him coming home. Upon realizing he was by himself he went stright for that Nutella.

Getting the boys to stay dry at night has been what they call, enough to drive a mother to drink. As I was stripping his bed sheets the day before Graham's birthday I noted there were only two diapers left. I said, "Oh look you can get some more diapers for your birthday." Later when I went by his room he was all grouchy and Callie was trying to console him. He said, "Well MOM (loud enough so I could hear) wants me to have a bad day. Then I heard Callie say, "She's not that bad."

He did not get diapers for his birthday, instead he got things he loves most. One of his favorite things was a box of Legos from Grandma Donna. Graham is obsessed with building. He wants to go to Engineer College he says. He asked me to tell him something about it. I told him I don't know anything. He asked, "Not one thing?" Not. One. Thing.

Here is what I do know. My life would not be as rich as it is without this little guy.

Will You Be My Valentine? 2013

Callie wanted me to help her make a Valenitine card for Mallerie. Keep in mind the card was for Mallerie. I wrote while she talked: "Dear Mallerie, you are nice, Ava is nice too. I love to play with Ava. She is my best friend. I love Ava."

Later she sat with wide eyes in front of her cookie at the table. "I can not eat all that." Katrina was gone that evening and Mallerie left for a track meet in Idaho on Valentines Day. I packed her with fresh snacks to eat before the race but also sent her cookie with her for after the race. She said it tasted divine to bite into later that night. These cookies are divine. For whatever trouble it may be to make them, they are so so worth it.
I liked to see the kids putting together their class Valentines the night before -so excited to give. Grayson had decided he didn't want to bring Valentines to his class, cause that is the funny kind of a guy he is. Then as he watched Ava and Graham he made a realization, "I think I better bring something since people will bring stuff for me." I had a box of red wrapped Andes mints on hand. Ava helped him cut out a red heart and tape one to each with his name.

I was asked to help with Ava's class party. I sent the assigned drinks with her that morning in case I couldn't make it. I never know how long the cookies will take me. I finished around the time her party was starting. By the time I got to the parking lot of the Intermediate school I saw that Callie was already asleep. Then I remembered about Mallerie's track meet and realized I should to be home to see her off. I sat there a moment before putting the car in reverse and heading home. Sometimes you can't do it all but when I look at these pictures of the table and those cookies I realize, I did enough.

***You may notice our new round diningroom table. Well it's not "new," we got it at a consignment shop in Provo. Matt and I were on a date waiting for our table to be ready at Happy Sumo. While we waited we browsed the shops and Matt spotted this round table. The gal working there came over and asked, "Are you out table shopping?" I said, "Sort of, we are going to dinner...you know, table for two."

Superbowl XLVll in Nawlins



The first time I heard of the Superbowl contest for Pepsico employees was in December at the Taylor Christmas Party. Matt had roped Cade, a natural fil maker, into helping him out. During Christmas break while I was in Elko with the girls they did all the filming. A week later it was edited and submitted. How could they not win with a gem like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ_0NNm2V0c

They left to New Orleans on Cade's birthday February 1st. The weekend consisted of one private party after another, a guest appearance by Garth Brooks, golfing, eating, and of course two tickets to the SuperBowl. By using Cade's advice to keep a straight face and keep walking Matt and and Cade got down on the field after the game. Matt sent me a photo of him doing snow angels in the confetti in the end zone! Those two. Matt said Cade was a lot of fun to be with. The hotel they were staying at in the French Quarter always had a crowded elevator. Matt said when the door would open Cade would say, "Come on in, we'll make room!" when in reality there wasn't room at all. Then it would open on the next floor, "Come on in!" Finally it opened and Cade told the waiting crowd, "We can make room." Everyone shouted, "No we can't!" Ha ha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pof1zdbzogI


It was truly a chance of a lifetime.

New York New York! Jan 23-27th 2013

Even after attending the parent meetings and having been to NYC several times myself, it still felt strange sending Katrina so far away. Thanks to technology we could look at Matt's phone when we wanted to see where she was at: Ellis Island, Times Square, Fifth Avenue. But compared to the dot that showed where we were were in Heber City, she seemed very far away!

The Debate team waiting to take off from SLC Int'l. They competed at Columbia University. They also got to see many sites on the City Tour and catch a couple of Broadway shows. Katrina was nine last time she was in the city and she has been itching to go back ever since. 

Our big report from Katrina: "It was cold." Yes, yes I can see that.