Lucky Luke

A few weeks ago, I had a night campout with the Young Women on a Wednesday night. I got very little sleep. When I got home Lance asked about how I slept, then he informed me his night was just as bad. Hunter threw up several times (on the carpet really good--had spaghetti for dinner--not pretty!) and Luke was up crying and fussing at his itchy feet.

His feet were looking really bad with eczema after running around in the grass bare foot (he's allergic to it we think) and two weeks of swimming lessons (chlorine irritates eczema too). But then the spots weren't just eczema and he got more up his legs and few on his belly. Lance thought maybe it was chicken pox. Nah! He's had both the shot and the booster! Well, maybe it is. I got on the Internet to check things out. The effectiveness of the shot numbers look like this: in 85-95% of vaccinated people it is effective against an outbreak 100 % of the time. So that means 15-5% of the people receiving the shot will have a case of the chicken pox, but the cases are usually very mild. I have 5 kids who all got the shot--so that is about right--one should get the chicken pox--Lucky Luke! After looking at pictures, a call to the doctor's office, and a chat with nurse, I was convinced. After several days of watching it progress there was no question. He really did have a mild case and never ran a fever. Lots on his feet and legs, a few on his torso and armpits, two on his hands and several on his head in his hair. None on his back, privates, face or mouth (those are the probably
the worst places to get them). He was pretty good about the whole experience. The hardest part was keeping kind of down and not letting him ride his bike, which he had just learned to do!

The Indoor Campout

For about a month we had planned to go camping August 8-10th. Menus were planned, spot was researched (I even tried to get reservations, but it was a first come campground), boys were excited, and then the weather report started looking really bad. Okay. I've camped in the rain. It stinks. Lance has camped in the rain. It's miserable. Wet. Cold. No getting warm. If it pours, you are in the tent. Imagine trying to keep five boys from touching the fabric of a tent so the water doesn't come in. That was enough right there to keep me home! Then Dallin woke up SICK Thursday morning. Poor guy, he really didn't feel good: coughing, then eventually throwing up, chills, low fever, weak. We stayed home and had an indoor campout.

Thursday we started the day out wet. Lance got drenched at a site meeting in Boise (he got to do a good mornings of work--that was worth being here!). While he was gone, Thayne and Bruce made rain gauges for a Bear arrow point activity. Eventually Thayne moved his rain gauge to see how much water he could catch under the rain gutter. It filled the can. By early afternoon we figured we had about 1/4 inch of rain. We had a lunch of Pasta Roni's White Cheddar Cheese and Shells and hot dogs. If we had been camping this would have been made at home and then made into a "tinfoil dinner" and heated up in camp fire coals (Thayne's request). Lance and I would have had regular tinfoil dinners, but we had leftovers instead.

We decided seeing a movie fit with staying home. Then the boys could eat some of the camping snacks on the way to the theater: handisnacks (cheese and crackers with little red cheese spreading things--Hunter's request) and Doritos! We went to see Monster vs. Aliens in 3D. So fun, even though it costs more than the $2 we thought we'd be spending. The $4 per person really was worth it. It was so fun to look down the row and see everyone in their nerdy looking 3D glasses. It was the first time for any of us to see a 3D movie. We really did jump as things flew right at us; I saw Luke reaching out with his hand trying to touch stuff (I think I may have done it too). Lance thought it was freaky when it looked like things were coming from behind us and I thought that was the COOLEST effect. I think we'll be doing that again.

We came home and had Root Beer Roast, Sour Cream Potatoes, and roasted marshmallows over candles at the kitchen table then made smores with fudge covered peanut butter cookies. Yummy. Then the boys, minus Dallin, all took their sleeping bags upstairs to sleep. Bruce and Luke both ended up in their beds before falling asleep. It POURED all night!

Friday we started the morning out with Mountain Man Breakfast in a Dutch oven and Hot Chocolate. Still very wet outside. Weather forcast--100 % chance of rain. After just hanging out some and kids riding down the stairs in their sleeping bags, we had a lunch of tuna sandwiches. Then we made trail mix with a choice of peanuts, raisins, yogurt covered peanuts, mini baking sized M&Ms, and pretzels. Packed hiking backpacks (another Bear activity) with trail mix, water bottles, and pudding cups. We headed up to park our van in a parking lot by 12th and the stop light going into Walmart, and we hiked the greenbelt. Where we started it is paved, but then the paving stopped and we had a hike through some mud along the Wilson Drain. It was a trail, but just really wet. Then after crossing Iowa the trail is paved for several miles. It just follows along the Wilson Drain. There are trees most of the way, so the drizzling rain didn't bug us too bad. We crossed several roads and got to us the fun orange pedestrian flags, we saw lots of ducks braving the "rapids of death," a cat that looked a LOT like Cali, a moose (wood cut out) and several really fun backyards. We hiked just to the westside of Midland Blvd. before turning around. One really cool highlight was the snails we found on the trail between Midland and Amity Road. We had no idea there were so many around Nampa. On the way back we took a street to avoid the mud after we crossed Iowa again. We hiked close to 4 miles. Then we took our wet selves to Albertson's to buy chicken for Dutch oven chicken and potatoes and rented The Pink Panther 2 for a evening movie. It rained 100% of the time during our hike.

The four younger boys all slept upstairs. They stayed up super late (after 12) watching another movie, but they were being very kind to each other and having lots of fun.

We slept in super late on Saturday (that never happens when I camp outdoors) and then we made bacon and eggs in a paper bag and muffins in an orange and more hot chocolate. The muffins in an orange turned out great! We really liked that and it's simple to do. Cut the top off an orange (we used small oranges) and scoop out the insides, fill the orange 2/3 full of muffin batter, wrap with tinfoil leaving room at the top for the muffin to rise, cook on hot coals for about 10-15 minutes. Dallin made all the orange pulp into orange juice for himself. The bacon and eggs were awful! They took a long time to cook and didn't taste good. The bacon stuck to the bottom of the bag and was soft instead of crisp--except for the parts that were burnt. We won't do that one again. I thought for sure that it was really good when I did it at Girls Camp as a Young Women years ago--nostalgia will do that to memories! The breakfast experience pretty much ended our campout. Then we went back to doing laundry and weekend jobs--bummer!

Independence Day in Melba!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Every year we go to Melba for the parade on the 4th of July. It's a fun small town just 7 miles south of us. I was feeling a bit of pressure to get my dresses done for our Martin's Cove/Rocky Ridge Trek, so I begged off going to the parade this year. Lance took pictures for me. The boys had a great time collecting candy and then getting treats from the vendors. Traditionally we got some potato chips which have been come known in our house as "Melba Chips." Thayne and Bruce opted for 14 inch corn dogs instead of "Melba Chips." I finished a lot of sewing!

Later that day we had the Rudds and Hellewells over for dinner and we played boucee ball. That is fun. Then we talked the boys into getting a movie and skipping the fireworks. I know that was so unpatriotic sounding! But we were exhausted, physically and emotionally, after our previous two weeks. We had been on vacation/reunion, came home, bought a piano, went to day camp, had my parents come stay with us so we could all go to my sweet Aunt Shirley's funeral on the 3rd, then we visited with lots of our Ricks family. That all lead up right into the 4th. We enjoyed staying home and watching Bolt (I even fell asleep for a few minutes during it) and then we looked outside to see the private fireworks going off around the valley and acroos the street--good displays! It was just enough! We enjoyed the freedom of staying home!

Cub Scout Day Camp

Cub Scout Day Camp was June 29 and 30th at Lake Lowell in Nampa. I have never been to day camp with any of my cubs before. This was my year. It was kind of fun, a bit warm, and very tiring! The boys all had a good time. The highlight of the day continues to be archery and bb gun shotting. They also did so fun rocket stuff. I got some video of the Rocket Stomp.



Here's a few fun pictures of my cubs, Thayne and Bruce.

Thayne practicing with a bow before using the arrow. (above)
Loading the arrows. Bruce is on the far end and Thayne is closest to the camera. (below)


Bruce with a BB gun (above)
Thayne with a BB gun (below)

The Life of a Piano

Way back in 1999 sometime, I decided I was really needing a piano. We were in Ft. Collins at the time and I was teaching flute lessons. I had decided that I was willing to spend about $100 on a simple keyboard or something so that my students could learn to play with accompaniment. Then early one Thursday morning Lance called me right after he got to work. He had picked up a Thrifty Nickle and looked at pianos. There was a piano listed for $100. I had not even told him that I wanted to start looking for one! He gave me the number to call. I called it right way because pianos for low prices sell very quickly. I left a message on the answering machine. Just a little while later the piano owner called me back. I told him I was interested in the piano, asked if every note worked, etc. He said everything worked, it was old, and in a room they needed to make into a bedroom. He said they listed the piano for $100, but they were willing to take half that. I said I'd take it--sight unseen. I arranged for several men to help move it to our house the next day. Because we only had a truck and some guys rode with Lance to get the piano, I stayed home and waited for it. When Lance first saw the piano he almost walked away from the deal because it was so dirty. I'm glad he didn't. I really needed it. After loading the piano up, he pulled out his wallet and took out 3 $20's. The man said he'd just take $40. Lance asked if he had change for a $20. The man insisted he'd just take $40. So we got the piano for $40. I cleaned it up good and filed down some of the pointy edges of the ivories, and glued on a few. Then I had the piano tuned for $60. It held its tune very well. Even though it was kinda ugly, I had a piano that worked!




I always wondered about my piano's life. It was built around 1905, most likely in Des Moines, Iowa. The hammers were deeply grooved so one could tell it had been played A LOT. At one time it was a player piano, but its guts had been removed sometime later. I bet a piano could tell good stories: How it ended up in Colorado, who played it, how many children learned to play the piano using its keys.

We moved it from Ft. Collins to our duplex in Nampa. Movers loaded it onto the truck and the elder's quorum moved it off the truck into our house. Then we used the elder's quorum and a rented piano dolly to move it to our house. I started teaching lessons again there. My students were tolerant of the piano. I started saving for a piano with lesson money, but after Sept. 11th I used piano money for food storage instead. When we moved to this house in 2006, we paid a piano mover--worth every penny. I had it tuned for the last time too. Last year the bass F started sticking. It was such a pain. Poor Andrew, a student, had to play his festival pieces up on octave every week. It stuck while I played flute accompaniments. The middle notes started have strange echoes to them and it sounded crazy. Even Lance noticed from the office upstairs. That's how you know it's bad, if Lance notices!

I started looking around on Craig's List. I knew I wanted at least another upright grand--they sound so good, full and rich or a baby grand. I saw several grands go for unbelievable prices, before I had any money. But one thing about a slow economy is people sell stuff they aren't using. So we finally got our taxes finished (well, not us, the old company finally finished their taxes so we could finish ours) and I looked again. I had been watching this piano for a few weeks and found it interesting. I sent a link to Lance. He called me and asked me if I wanted a new piano. I told him "I NEED a new piano." He couldn't disagree. It is my job. He even went to Dunkley Music in Boise to learn more about pianos before we started looking.

We looked at the piano in June and gave a deposit for it. Then later in June I took a check for the rest. It was delivered while I was at Cub Scout Day Camp. I literally just smile and clap my hands when I think about it. I love playing it. I think the boys do too. We had the old piano delivered to our new neighbors garage just up the street. They can use it until they find a good piano. Then maybe they'll pass it on to someone else too.

I wish I knew this piano's life too. The past several years, she has been a church piano. But the church only used it once a week for practice and once on Sundays. The church was given a smaller piano so they decided to sell this one. Before that it belonged to a divorced man. He and his wife had bought it from Gary about 10 years ago. Gary is the piano broker/tuner we bought it from. That man ended up with it in the divorce--then after a few years of sitting, he asked Gary to sell it. Gary sold it to the church. But that is only about 10 years of its life. It was built in the 1920's in New York on "piano row" where there were several piano manufacturers, including Steinway and Chickering--the two biggest piano names. William Bradbury started the piano company in the 1850's. He is not known for piano building as much as he is a composer. He wrote the music for "Jesus Loves Me," "Sweet Hour of Prayer," and "We Are All Enlisted," to name a few.



Now it is my piano. I hope for a long time! She needs a few new bass strings and the pedal adjusted from being moved, but she looks and sounds pretty. She has enough "life" on her already (scratches and dings) that I'm not nervous about my kids hurting her. Now the piano gets to help teach piano lessons and lots of kids get to practice on her too, hopefully almost everyday!

Warnick Festivus!

The last full week of June we spent in Island Park, Idaho with the Warnick family. Driving wise it was only one hour closer for us than the group of family coming from Hinckley, Utah. So we all had a trip to get there. I had never been to that part of our state. I only made it to the sand dunes in St. Anthony while I was at Ricks College.

We had a fun talent show on for the Family Home Evening activity. Our family did magic tricks and so did Ammon, Austin juggled (very well too), Sandra sang "Fried Ham" (thanks ;o), Grandpa, Darren, and Lillian sang, and Alan too, and William and Brayden did a puppet show, and Grandma read a funny story.








The "cabin" house was fun too. There were lots of bedrooms and several of the rooms had a loft in them with twin mattresses up there for sleeping. The older boys all got to share a room together, which I think is really fun for them. However, I don't know that it was that fun for Alan and Shelley who got to sleep in the room next to them. (Last time we gave our room up to the boys and ended up in the theater room next to them.)
We had fun meals together, games, a movie, and I got to go in the hot tub with lots of boys and Ashley. I'm so glad she came to keep me company! Several of the guys went fishing too.

We also we spent a couple days in Yellowstone and had a great time. Thayne and Bruce were a wealth of information about geysers, volcanoes, and Yellowstone: They got it all off a PBS kids show, "Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman" and they truly knew what they were talking about. So TV really is educational! We saw lots of animals. Luke would bound out of the van and bounce down the street to go check the animals out. All of us but Dallin got to see a bear. The first bear siting was when Dallin was with his cousin, Austin and family. They missed the bear that day. The second day going through the park, Dallin was with us and we didn't see anything, but Austin's family did. Poor Dallin. He'll have to go back again so other time to see a bear. We didn't find any moose, so we need to go back again someday too. Lance figured he's been about every 15 years. I don't want to what that long again, since I know my kids are old enough that they won't fall in the mud pots now.

Our Favorite Parts of the Family Reunion:

Bruce: playing with his cousins and the water fall
Thayne: playing with his cousins
Melissa: being with family, seeing a bear, getting a "Buffalo Chip" ice cream, and the water falls
Hunter: the Fried Ham song
Luke: "Doing magic with Dallin and me."
Dallin: "I don't know" (he must be 12!)
Lance: seeing the bear

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Shavonne's wedding and I like sushi-- a lot

We started this summer off by being out of school on May 30th! It is the first time we have not had any school in June at all. And we go back to school the last week of August--so it will be our longest summer ever. Lance is working from home and he says it is definitely more noisy with all the boys home. He locks himself (literally) in his office upstairs, but it is by the room where the boys play. Luckily Kuna has started a Boys and Girls Club and it only cost $10 per child for the whole summer so Thayne, Bruce, and Hunter can go there and play for hours (anytime between 11 and 6). It is only for grades 1-6 so Dallin and Luke get to hang out together. They have a blast and see friends from school. They will get to do that a few times a week.

In June, I flew down to my parents on June 2nd to help my mom with some wedding preparations for Shavonne and Joshua's wedding on the 6th. We got to go shopping for shirts and ties for the boys, make cake balls, mini cheese balls, and lots of cream cheese mints. Then I made corsages, bouiterres and Shavonne's bouquet. Their reception was very cool looking with fun colors of gerber daisies and the yellow and orange Shavonne loves. Lance and the boys all came on the Friday before. We got to stay at my sister Elisabeth's new house with Douglas and Shauna's family. Elisabeth hadn't even moved in yet--so it was just us and sleeping bags and a few air mattresses. The hot water heater was broken--so we got cold showers. She has gotten it fixed since she moved in, but it took a few days for that to happen too, so she got cold showers too. I figured it was easier to deal with the cold showers than to worry about fitting showers in at Mom and Dad's house with a bride getting ready and the other guest to their house. Lance forgot the camera, which is the only thing he forgot. Pretty good with five kids to bring.

We had a good time visiting everyone. The boys really just enjoyed seeing cousins. They all danced together at the wedding which was really cute. They loved going swimming together too. We missed seeing Joseph and Sasha and their girls, who still had school. We know it's hard to live far away from family at these times. They are lucky enough to live by her family though.

My brother, Douglas, is a chef at King's Seafood and he and Shauna took, me, Lance, Aunt Nancy, and Uncle Dana to eat at the restaurant in Las Vegas for lunch. I really miss eating fresh seafood. I used to order fish a lot when I went out to eat on a date in Mississippi, but not so much in Idaho! I tried sushi, I had had the sushi rolls with krab or tuna in them before and liked them (at my cousin's wedding reception) but never the "raw" sushi. Some of what I tried was raw, so sushi rolls are cooked. I like the ALL! The eel was my favorite, the tuna was really good too. One was spicy--very good stuff. Doug warned me to be careful because lots of restaurants will sell sushi, but it is not a good quality. I figured that would be the case. Lance got talapia (sp?). I liked it a lot! He liked it too and he didn't think he like fish. But since we live so far away from good fresh seafood, I doubt he'll be ordering any more fish for a while!

It's so good to visit family. We also got to go to Vegas in March for part of spring break. So the boys are feeling a bit more caught up with their cousins.