Released

K, so I haven't been too great at blogging this month.  It has been busy!  Heidi and I were cramming to get as many prints ready for the printer/framer for their big tradeshows this Summer, but the crates were shipped yesterday, so we are done with that....whew!!!  That was a lot of work but we ended up with some great stuff and hope it all sells well.  We have already had orders placed from companies that don't normally order anything in the Summer, so hope that's a good sign.

We've been busy with Scouts.  Trevin and Tyrel have been so good to help me out this Summer.  We had a bike rodeo where the boys set up their own course and rode a mile to get their requirements completed.

Two weeks ago, I played flag football with my Scouts.  We were working on the belt loop and had an uneven number, so Tyrel told me I needed to play.  What!!!  I was just there to take pictures, but I played, and had fun, and scored a touchdown after several attempts.  Yay for me!

We went fishing at the fish farm.  All of them caught fish for their first time and loved holding the beating hearts in their hands long after it had been removed from their fish.  Trevin had a blast and told me how much he missed fishing.  We had better get the pontoon boat out fishing before Grandpa leaves on his mission.

We also did the PLAY A GAME requirements in my backyard.  The boys had fun setting up multiple obstacle courses, playing with the hippity hops, ring toss, cones, washer toss, bean bag toss and balance beam.  We also played a few rounds of Bocce.

Then Sunday, as I had hoped I finally would get a co-leader called, they released me????  I was totally not expecting that.  I had just finished my first rotation of my year long schedule and was ready for an easy year that was already planned and could be ready and prepared for.  Not so lucky.  I asked Brother Smith if I was that difficult to work with that no one wanted to work with me, but he assured me it was because  they found a husband wife team to take my calling and they needed my organizational skills in another area that is falling apart.  I guess that's a good thing????  I won't post what my new calling is because it won't be official until Sunday and I know people in my ward read this blog, but I can tell you it was a total shock when he told me what they were calling me to.  It's a calling I haven't had for about 15 years, so wish me luck.

Cub Scouts

Well, I'm going through co-Scout leaders like crazy.  #2 down and ready and waiting for #3.  I didn't know I was so difficult to work with!  Just kidding, the last one moved a few blocks and is now no longer in our ward!  Have fun with them 5th ward!

My Scout den is full of energy!  It isn't so bad, because there are only 4 of them, they are all actually pretty fun to be around.  Very different personalities though.  It is interesting.  Two meetings ago, we worked on our Indian Lore achievements.  They made paper bag Indian vests and wrote a story in Indian picture drawings on them.  I should have taken a picture of their backs because only one of them wrote on the front.

Last week, we had them practice the skit they were doing for the Blue and Gold Banquet and this week was the actual banquet.  They did pretty good on their skit, but they kept turning around and weren't facing the audience, so I don't know if anyone heard them or not.
The gist of their skit was, they were going on a hike, one of the Scouts stops and yells, “I think I’m

having a heart attack!” then falls to the ground. The other Scouts start rescue breathing and chest compressions to save him. The one that is doing chest compressions says, “I’m getting tired, maybe we should switch,” then they all get up and rotate spots, including the one that was having the heart attack. When I first read through it, I didn’t get it, I thought only the ones doing the saving were switching, but it was much funnier when the one having the heart attack switched too. They all wanted a turn, so all four of them ended up having a heart attack. Then at the end, (they added this on themselves) they all stood up and said. “Oh no! I think I’m having a heart attack!” and then all fell to the ground. They were pretty cute!.

The Fudginator

We had our annual Ward Blue and Gold Banquet tonight.  Trevin made a cake for the cake auction.  Supplies were limited by the time I found out he had to make a cake, so we went with what was on hand.  He had fun making it and he won the award "The Fudginator" for his cake.  He thinks it looks like a giant chocolate donut with sprinkles.  There were some fun cakes this year.  The dinner was good, the Scouts did great with their skits, we didn't win the cake we really wanted, but we did end up with one.

Name layouts

Well, today isn't over yet, but I just finished the last of these three layouts and wanted to post them because I think they are cool!  They are name layouts for each of my boys.

We had Cub Scouts today.  We finished up the flag requirements that they didn't cover at camp and we also roasted marshmallows to complete our campfire and summer activity requirements.

Tyrel went to work with Sean today and I worked on a new kit.  Now I'm going to make dinner and watch So You Think You Can Dance.

Day Camp

I had my first adventure at cub scout day camp today!  We had 8 of our 9 scouts attend and they were all on pretty good behavior.  It was pretty early, and we had last minute rushing of getting a couple missing medical forms, but we all made it on time.

The counselors were all pretty good and were excited to be there for the most part.  They made it fun and interesting for the boys and the weather couldn't have been better!  We were pretty worried when we had to sign up for a July spot.  We really wanted June so the weather would be cooler.  Our rotations kept us in the shade all day, no sunburns, no dehydration, no puking in our cars after the winding drive, and only 1 scout got trampled slightly during one of the games.  I think they all had fun and all spent pretty much every penny they brought with them at the trading post.  I think that was the highlight of camp.

My wonderful neighbor mentioned her husband does work on appliances, so he came over this evening and figured out what is wrong with my dryer.  Hopefully by tomorrow we will be back in business.  Just in time to get everything washed before we leave to go camping on Friday to Sean's family reunion.

My Predictions Were Right!

Way back on American Idol when there was a top 12, I predicted Lee, Casey and Crystal as the final three, and I was right!  They are the final three.  I was even able to watch the show tonight because I didn't have young women's.  It was kinda sad seeing them out my kitchen window all arriving at Sister Clark's for the activity tonight.  But, I'm ready for a change too. 

Sister Adams brought over the scout stuff to me this afternoon.  They have the Bears and Wolves together currently.  Not exactly sure how that works as they have pretty much totally different requirements.  I hope they separate them.  I guess they have been mostly working on belt loops, which would be the same for both of them, but belt loops are not required, so I think it is sad that they aren't working on their advancements.  Hopefully they get them separated.  Kelly, my co-scout leader is out of town this week, so next week we will have to get things planned and start having our den meetings.  It will be interesting!

Trevin and Tyrel went swimming for their scouts tonight.  Trevin apparently got some water in his mouth and then panicked and started sinking.  Thanks to those who saved him.  I guess that means we need to put him in swimming lessons again this year.  Tyrel said the pool they went to was awesome!  It was in the home of someone in Woodland Hills and apparently is an olympic sized swimming pool.  Wow!

Two Eagles to add to the nest

I'm so proud of Travis and Tyrel. They both are now Eagle Scouts. They keep saying it is my award, and I am grateful that they are done, but they really both did a lot of hard work to get there.

I'm grateful for outstanding leaders, Brother Austin, Brother Jones, Brother Howell, Brother Haskell, Brother Johnson (s), Brother Montague, Brother Nielsen (yes, Sean), Brother Newman, Bishop Christofferson, Brother Kolibar and I'm sure there are some I've forgotten.

I'm grateful for week long scout camp in the summer every year where they passed off multiple merit badges. I'm grateful for BYU and stake pow wow's where they passed off multiple merit badges. I'm grateful for Mr. Bartholomew and Mr. Marziale at the Jr. High who were able to pass off multiple merit badges. I'm grateful for Grandpa and Grandma Evers who held a week long mini pow wow at their house for Travis, Tyrel, and Derick to pass off multiple merit badges.

I'm grateful for wonderful sports coaches, school teachers, seminary teachers, YM and sunday school teachers who have instructed and helped mold them into the young men that they are.

I'm grateful for all the hours put in by family, friends, and volunteers.

I'm grateful for those who let us borrow pants so we didn't have to go buy them.

I'm grateful for Sister Sheets for mentoring and helping them both along with all their paperwork and Brother Sheets for keeping track of all the dates, advancements, and merit badges. I don't think I had to work on one single merit badge because of all of the above people.

I'm sure I've missed someone, so don't be offended if I didn't mention you, it's been a lot of years getting to this point and I'm getting old.

Trevin has advanced again in Scouts! He received his Bear and moved up into Webelos at the end of March. We are so proud of him and how hard he has worked to advance. One more year and he will be a Boy Scout! Our baby is growing up fast!

Odds and Ends

We had my dad's retirement party on Friday. It was fun to go and see how much everyone looked up to him and respected him. Some of his old bosses flew in from out of town for it. Me, being the dork I am, brought my camera, but didn't find out until I got home that my memory card was not in it. So, I have no photos. Maybe someone will feel sorry for me and email me theirs.
I spent the day on Saturday working on Andrea's baby shower gift and invitations. Sean, Tyrel, and Trevin went on a scout campout/fishing trip over the weekend. Only 1 fish was caught so with the price of gas to get the trucks and boat there, Sean said it was $200/lb worth of fish. The boys did have fun catching and eating crawdads though.
We had Stake Conference yesterday. I especially enjoyed President Trevort's talk. He said that he used to teach his kids "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Later he learned a lesson and they changed their family motto to "If you can't say something nice, think of something nice and say it." I need to live by that motto also. We all need to look at the bright side of things and try to find something good in everything.

Just Chillin'

What is up with this weather? I thought Spring had finally arrived and we woke up to 3 inches of snow again this morning and it looks like we might get more this afternoon. Sean says he is doing his part to make the biggest carbon footprint he can so that global warming can take over and Spring can arrive. So why don't you all go buy bigger gas guzzling vehicles and leave all of the lights in your house on so it will quit snowing already this year.
I did this scrapbook layout of Tyrel's snow cave that I had to share. The first picture was taken inside the cave, the 2nd photo is Tyrel and Trevin peaking out of the entrance hole. They had Brother Smith, who plows the church parking lot, put all of the snow all winter long at the end of the parking lot. THey ended up with this huge mountain. All of the scouts spent their Scout nights and every day after school for 2 weeks digging out their snow caves in the church parking lot to sleep in for their February campout. They ended up with 3 people in Tyrel's cave. I was amazed at how big it was. Tyrel could almost stand up straight in it and there was plenty of room for 3 people in it. It was really warm inside also. He said they had to kick out of their sleeping bags because it got too hot inside during the night. They had a lot of fun with it. It even had little snow steps leading up to the entrance.

Basketball is finished. Travis and Tyrel's team made it in to the final 4 in the 3 city playoff tournament. It was really fun to watch them this year. Now we are just waiting for soccer. Tyrel and Trevin are both playing and Tyrel also gets the job of being a ref for the younger teams this Spring. He is pretty excited for the extra cash.