We spent an afternoon on BYU campus with Mom, Dad, Jim, Steph & the kiddies. We went to the Art Museum and then spent some time checking out their sculpture garden. The kids had a good time running around and looking into the pools.



While they were running around, Jim found us a bunch of newspapers and before we knew it, our nerd gene kicked in and we found ourselves trying to solve the crossword and Sudoku puzzles. Austin found himself his own paper and was checking out he funnies. Notice, the only non-nerd, Stephanie is not in the picture. (she might have been if someone didn't have to take the picture.)

A few silly stories from the kids.

At mom's house we all are in the same room. One morning Ethan woke up and laid down next to me. "Do the game." he insisted. The game is what we do at church when the kids are getting restless. We draw little circles on their arms, starting at their wrists, going up towards their elbow. The kids have to tell us when we get to the crease of their elbow, without looking down at their arms. Mostly, they just like me rubbing their arms. So I start the game. Austin then woke up and jumped on the bed to join us and Ethan commanded, "Do the game on Austin too!" So I start rubbing Austin's arm. 10 seconds in, Ethan says, "Uh. Excuse me. Did you forget what you were doing, mama?" Apparently he wanted me to rub both of their arms at the same time. Ethan snuggled in and was ready to stay put. After a few minutes he sighed and said, "I know what you and Daddy do when you are alone in your room. You play the game!" Hmmm. Yes, son. We'll just go with that one.

Mom had the kids earning money this summer by doing chores at the house. Alaina helped out weeding and Ethan walked Moco once or twice a day. Austin struggled finding a job that fit him. He finally told Mom that even though he did to earn money, he just needed to figure out a way to do it. He didn't want to weed. Or walk the dog. Or clean the house. Finally he said, "I just want to earn some money without doing anything at all." When he figures that out, I'd like to be in on it.

Today Austin wanted some special time with mommy so he came with me to the store. He was the perfect gentleman. He pushed the cart and lifted heavy item I picked out. Going through one of the aisles he saw a little matchbook car being sold for a dollar. I told him it took 4 quarters and he told me not to worry because he had all his money with him. All 2.41 cents. I bought my groceries and let Austin come in behind me to buy his car by himself. He jingled over to the cashier and proudly handed over 4 nickles. I forgot that he doesn't always get change right. I covered the money but when we got into the car I told him he needed to give me 3 more quarters. Shocked, he asked, "then what will you give me back?" Silly boy. It was a hard sell to convince him that he owed me money but he eventually handed it over. Settling back in the car he looked so blue that I had to ask him why. "I am just so sad that you took all my money away from me." Then he brightened and asked how money was made, "can I just color on a piece of paper? Do you just print it out of a computer? I want to do that..." Then with a dreamy look, "I just love money so much."


I stopped by an ice-cream store with Mom, Dad and the kids. As we all ate our ice-creams, Mom walked back into the car to sit down. They own a gold van and before too long, another, similar looking van came and parked next to them. Meanwhile, Austin finished his ice-cream and decided to go and find Grandma. Mom saw him walk up to the the two vans with a confused look on his face. Then, he without looking worried or scared he started mouthing 'eeny meeny miney mo' while wagging his finger back and forth. Mom thought he would be just as happy entering either van.