Are you really a Nurse:)

My 5 year old slipped in the bathtub last night and bonked his head on the sharp part. Of course there was plenty of tears and blood. As I was washing the back of his head off and and trying to comfort him, my blackberry went off for work. I said "Uh oh, someone must need a nurse!" Colton said "You better call one." I just started to laugh and asked him what do you think mommy does when she leaves for work or calls people on the phone? He said he did not know. So I explained that I really was a nurse and that I really could look at his cut and decide if he needed stitches or not. His eyes got really big and he said "Wow, you really are a nurse!" Made me feel so good that I somehow got promoted in his eyes. Thankfully he did not need stitches but just lots of kisses and hugs and his mommy to lay in bed with him and snuggle. The perfect way to end the day-a promotion from my 5 year old and lots of kisses:)

Bugs

Why do all the bad things have to happen on Sunday morning while we are getting ready for 8 am church?! I was combing thru my 8 year old's hair and I found a bug!!! At first I thought "ok, this cannot be what I think this is". He does not share combs, hats, has not had a sleepover,etc. He has not even scratched his head!!!! So I slowly started combing thru his hair and screaming for my husband to get in the bathroom now. Sure enough it is the much dreaded head lice!!!! We have already been thru this once before with my 3 year old daughter last summer after our RV trip to Utah (she got it from the RV we rented). So I picked them all out and then called my 10 year old in as he and Dylan share a room. I did not see anything on his head or the other kids but now they all have to be treated, all the pillows, linens, stuffed animals washed in hot water and then on top of it I have to call the school nurse tomorrow to check the whole 3rd grade's classes for head lice. What fun for her and what a joyous phone call for me. I talked to some of the other parent's at church and they said it seems to be going around the school with a vengance. Joy of joys!! At least I got to go to church and Rich stayed home to treat the middle boys hair. Then someone at church mentioned they read an article in the newspaper about superlice? I am a nurse and have never heard of such a thing. Guess I will be googling it later after the 3 other kids get treated and all the bedding is washed!! Happy washing-not:(

Dancing

My 3 year old has kept me busy today with dancing. A new season of Dancing with the Stars is on and most of us like to watch it. The Jonas Brothers were on Wednesday night so we Tivo'ed it and I have had to watch it multiple times today. Camryn has now memorized the girls dancing at the end of the song and has memorized the song! Now that Colton is home he is begging to watch it too as he likes to dance like the boys. Both keep yelling "watch me, mommy" and they seem to know if I am really watching or just saying uh huh (like I tend to do by the tenth time). I like the song "Lovebug" but I think I can do without it until tomorrow!!! We are going to put up Halloween decorations tomorrow in hopes that the weather will listen and finally drop below 100 degrees-we can always wish, can't we?! Come on 90 degrees!!! My mom called and had to say it was snowing at the resort they were staying at in Utah. I will just have to imagine those beautiful snowflakes coming down when I am sweating on my morning walk (gave up on the running with the stroller:)).

I have a Hacker:)

I did not know my son knew how to post on our blog until I looked this morning. Going to have to edit them before he posts them:) Geesh!!! That is all I need is a blog full of his postings how to play games-come on Brandon. Tell them how you just joined the photo club at school and are going to make some awesome pictures in the darkroom. Tell them about your love of baseball or how you are taller than Dad and beat the heck out of him at basketball last night. Or your love of reading-that you have read the whole series Harry Potter a gazillion times and have just finished the Twilight series. Tell them what a great babysitter you are and how much fun the youngest 2 have with you. Or what fun you and your friends have at school goofing around. How you rock at Guitar Hero and beat your Uncle Gerald who is a professional musician. But no more tips on internet games!!

Runescape

Most people think runescape is a crappy internet game but lets see you play that without getting satisfaction of chasing Hill Giants and owning them while lower level people struggle to fight level 22 skeletons. I have been playing for a little bit now and I am a level 56. My brother (Darin) just started this game and is only level 32 (and that is much thanks to my help as i have been all around the world of runescape). Darin would not be half as good as he is now because i have been showing him what is worth money and what to get rid of. My friend Brandon Clark also plays runescape and he is not as good as me but he is a moderator which means that he gets 100,000 gold peices if someone breaks the rules, he is now currently at 40,000,000 gold peices (he gets a lot of his stuff without work but i actually have to put effort into it.) Suprisingly this is a good way to make money in real life just make a strong guy and tons of people buy files on ebay!!!!!!!!- Brandon

Rise and Shout!!!

I have a sister-in-law who loves college football. She finds it hilarious that BYU is being compared to USC. The same was always said when I attended BYU. I went to school there when Ty Detmer was the quarterback and it was also the first time Miami came to play. Miami was ranked # 1 at the time and no one thought we could beat them. Rich and I were dating then and he and all his friends had season tickets. We lucked out for this first game because we had tickets on the second row on the 50 yard line. BYU tromped Miami and we were the first ones over the fence and onto the field, screaming, yelling and doing a victory dance:) Those football games are some of my favorite memories. All I have to say is BYU has pulled it off before and they can do it again! Last year, we took an RV trip to Utah (whole other story) and stopped at BYU to see our favorite places and show them to our kids. They were doing maintenace work on the football field so we actually got into the stadium and the kids had fun running around. Go Cougars!

Walking

Ok, I did not know that trying to run and push a stroller was going to be so hard! I am not a coordinated person-I need my arms to run:) So Camryn and I settled on a brisk walk around our neighborhood. She kept asking me when we were going to to run and I just kept walking. We got to see many pretty bushes in bloom with pink and purple flowers. It was only 80 degrees and just perfect for a walk. I think that if I am going to try to run it is going to have to be at night when the my husband and the older boys are home so I can actually be coordinated! This is also a great day as Camryn goes to preschool and I think I will take a nice nap:) See, I told you I could write something more positive. I am definetely not going to write about my weekend at work as that will make me cry -it was horrible. But I have this whole week off to recover and walk.

running

I am going to start running tomorrow-that is right-running!!! Don't laugh:) I figure it is cheaper than going to a gym and in the mornings it is only in the high 70's to low 80's here in sunny AZ. Now I might get hit by a car, break a leg (I am so clumsy) or with my luck trip and fall. But at least all the bigger kids will be at school and only Camryn will be at home so she won't laugh at me:) The last time I ran (besides to catch a child from running into the street or running out of a store) was in high school when I played soccer. That was 20 years ago!!! I bought some really cool running shoes that are supposed to be cushiony for us fatter people. I just loved when the sales person said that-I could have punched him! Oh well, he is young and is never going to have to be pregnant 5 times. I always had the excuse of being pregnant or just having a baby so that is why I could keep on the extra pounds. But unfortunately, my metabolism has slowed as I have aged so I have to do something besides housework, work, blog and read. By the way, I just read all the Twilight books again and still cannot wait for the movie! I hope the movie lives up to my expectations. Wish me luck as my goal is to run for the first time tomorrow morning. I will probably only make it around the block:)

Teenage boys

I am totally bummed. I went to the Old Navy website and it is under construction indefinetely. Brandon hit yet another growth spurt and needs more clothes and their clearance is always the best! And even better, I would not have to drive in this heat to go the store and waste more gas and money driving. Oh well, guess he will have to keep laundering his shorts every other day:) I also love how he sprung on me last night that he has a campout tonight!!!! The only way we found out was that our bishop and Stake President are trying to visit families and get to know them. It was fun as our Stake President talked about going on a service project to Rowanda, Africa with his whole family and his parents. He talked about his favorite animal, the gorilla, and he and his 2 boys and dad actually went on a tour with a native and were just feet away from these humongous creatures. His point of the story, besides being scared to death when he got home because his two sons said they could not understand the guide's instructions, was that we always have a guide to look to -our bishop. As they were leaving our house, the bishop said "so are you ready for tomorrow Brandon?" Rich and I both looked at Brandon and he sheepishly said "oh yeah-forgot to tell you I have a campout tomorrow and mom I need a dinner to take." Teenage boys:)

Dancing Nicki

I just had to post this picture (with permission of his parents). Nick is Dylan's best friend since kindergarten and is always goofing around and is also quite the ladies man. Yesterday he came out of Colton and Camryn's room with this tutu on. He had me rolling on the floor in laughter!! Only Nick would do this! You can't read his t-shirt as it says "Someday I will be your boss!" He has a 4 year old brother, Cameron, who says he is marrying my Camyrn. Unfortunately, Camryn has stated that she is marrying Nicki (much to Nicki's delight-haha). Already a love triangle and these kids have not even made it past 8. This has all made me laugh. Side note-Dylan and Nick are dog cousin's as Snowball the underwear eating dog is Jake's (Nick's maltese's) brother. Cracks me up they decided they are dog cousin's. What will these two think of next:)

Memories

I saw this on a friend's moms blog site and loved it. What do you remember? As a comment on my blog, leave one memory you and I had together. Does not matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. This picture was taken in Sedona, Arizona at Slide Rock which is a natural formation. You can literally sit at one end of the river and be taken by the current all the way to the other end. I kept ending up on my rear end as I was in the shallow end and the rocks are covered with slime and moss and the current was strong due to a recent storm. Rich and Dylan were cliff jumping in this picture. I was too chicken to do it. It is cheap entertainment as $10 gets a whole carload in for the day. It was a fun vacation as the whole Fowkes side of the family was together and we had fun watching everyone (except Grandma, Grandpa, Kim, and Sydney) get into the water and immediately fall on their rear ends. So anytime anyone wants to come to visit us in Arizona, we will take you to Sedona. Only a 2 hour drive from Mesa:)

girls:)

My 3 year old daughter has been testing my patience for the past week. First their was the mass killing of over half the guppies (they dive bombed to the bottom in over an hour). Then she decided to color on the walls. None of my boys have ever done this. Colton has a space on his wall that has his pictures, ribbons from school, braggin dragons, etc. The two of them share a room. Camryn decided to color not only the wall but all his drawings and his dresser. When I asked her why she did this she said "because this is my room and he can't hang his pictures up in here!" I firmly told her it was both of their rooms and she needed to share space. She said he could have a tiny spot above his dresser over his lamp!!! I told her that he could have his same spot and she was going to help me clean it up (thank you Mr Clean magic eraser). Then Darin decided to have a fit on Saturday when it was chore time. He was sent to time out. He come out repentant and I told him I had a new solution to his fits and tantrums over being asked to help out around the house. I simply said the next time he did this I would get out my trusty staple gun and staple him by his underwear to the front gate:) He did not find this as hilarious as I did. There was humor there if you know this kid! Our Mormon church does not condone this type of parenting, I am sure. This week will be a better week and hopefully I will have more uplifting things to say and feel.

There were 25 guppies

Dreading having Darin come home from school today. Yesterday our little princess dumped half a can of pink goldfish food in the fish tank. Our friends the Nussbaums had given us one pregnant guppy and from that one we were blessed (haha) with 24 more (not all at the same time). I did not catch she did this for awhile so when I did I finally vacuumed out the fish food with my fish tank vacuum and then replaced the water and chemicals. Then when Darin went to bed the guppies started dropping like flies. We now have 6 guppies and 4 newborns. Thank goodness Darin is such in a hurry every morning to get to school that he did not notice.....when he does my never ending headache is going to explode between him screaming and Camryn screaming. Can I come hide at your house:) Seriously!!!!

Lovebug (Live) | Jonas Brothers | VMA 2008: Most Talked-About Moments | MTV

Lovebug (Live) Jonas Brothers VMA 2008: Most Talked-About Moments MTV
Ok, I admit I and some of my kids are huge Jonas brothers fans. What is not to like? 3 brothers who write all their own songs about relationships (they are 20, 18, and 15). The lyrics are clean as is their image. Their father is a pastor and now their full time road manager. Mom homeschools them while they tour. The youngest Jonas is 8 and he pops in their videos. They received alot of flack from the host of the VMA's for wearing purity rings-which symbolizes to them they will remain pure until marriage. They stood up for themselves by saying their image as gentlemen speaks for itself. The above clip is them singing their new song "lovebug" at the VMA's. This one if for you, Michelle D:)

9/11

This day always makes me catch my breath and count my blessings. I only had 3 children at the time. I was getting Brandon ready for first grade, Darin was 3 and Dylan was 1. I had no clue what was going on as I never had the tv on to new stations. It was always on Barney or whatever was on pbs. My good friend Natalie came to pick up Brandon for the carpool. She said Stephanie, do you know what is happening? I just looked at her very puzzeled and waited for her to answerer. She had to get the kids to school so she hurriedly said turn on your tv, it is horrible, planes are crashing into the twin towers in New York. I ran back into the house and turned the tv station. I was absolutely horrified. We are 3 hours behind New York time so the towers were just starting to fall and then word came in that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon. Then I almost fell apart. My father was working in Washington, DC at the time and my mom was working close to Quantico Marine base. I could not get my father on the phone at all but I did reach my mom, who was frantic. The fourth plane was still flying and the rumour was it was headed for the White House. At this point, I don't think my mom was able to get in touch with my dad either. Thankfully, my dad made it home later that day as did my mom. I still have the email my dad sent our family as it details what was going on and his thoughts and feelings. My prayers are with the families that lost someone that day and with the families that have lost someone fighting the war or are still over in Iraq fighting and helping that country. God bless them!!!

Arizona Sunsets and Sunrises | Sunset Pictures in Arizona

Arizona Sunsets and Sunrises Sunset Pictures in Arizona
Will the heat never end? This is the time of year we all start to wonder why we live in Arizona. It is still 107 and seems no end is in sight! I had to take the Webeloes snacks at the school today. The LDS church sponsors our cub scout troop and the Webeloes leaders were having a flag raising ceremony at the flagpole at Ishikawa Elementary. I pick the kids up from school every day anyways as I don't want my little 5 year old to walk home in this heat. No matter that it is only a 10 minute walk home:) So Camryn and I packed up the snacks, drove halfway to the school and walked to the flagpole. Of course she could not walk, it was too hot. So I carried her and the snacks the whole way. We dropped off the snacks and picked up Colton and Dylan and left Darin with his troops and snacks (which he told me later "my troop said your mom is way cool cause you gave us so many snacks-guess i gave them too many!). As we were walking back to the car, I was carrying Darin's backpack, violin and Camryn. Colton looks up at me and says "I just can't walk, it is too hot". I had sweat pouring off of me so I told him "Mommy just can't pick you up too. If you can be big and strong and walk to the car, there are lots of snacks waiting for you at home". Thankfully the bribery worked. I cannot wait for Halloween for at least it will be 90 during the day and 70 degrees at night.

Snowball

Here is a picture of the cute little underwear eating furball that is for sale:)

Mom Help

The dog is about to be sold. He is very cute and snuggly but I am now down to 2 pair of Mormon underwear. Which means that with all the laundry I do anyway I have to make sure that I launder my underwear every night. Anyone want a purebreed snowwhite Maltese named Snowball who loves to chew underwear!!! I am serious! On top of that, my blackberry broke (which my work owns) so now I have to drag my tired rear end on a 60 mile round trip to get a new one. Not a way to start off a Monday off and my week off from work. Oh well!

Twilight Moms

Ran into this blog today called twilight moms. I have to agree, I am addicted to the Twilight series books as is my son Brandon. We both are waiting anxiously for the movie. Who thought I would ever like a book about vampires and falling in love with one?! Seriously! I stayed up half the night to finish Breaking Dawn but don't tell my husband. Brandon was reading it and I stole the book from him-what a mean mom. The author, Stephenie Meyer, lives in Glendale, AZ which is part of the attraction and she is Lds. Ok, enough about Twilight except to say I am starting the series over again before the movie comes out:)

Stephanie

Ran into this blog from a friend. Stephanie and her husband, Christian, were in a private plane crash in august of this year. They were both severely burned and are in the burn unit it at Maricopa Medical Center in Arizona. Her sister is taking care of Stephanie's 4 children. This family is also Lds. Her sister's blogspot is http://cjanerun.com. The button is for donations for her medical bills and her husbands.

Why do dogs like underwear?

It has been a year ago today that we had to put our beloved 6 year old black lab to sleep. He had lymphoma (labs are more prone to this cancer) and we had to put him to sleep as all his lymph nodes were so swollen he was having difficulty breathing. Buster was such a protector and so mellow. The funniest thing was when he was running full blast around the pool and then slid and fell in! He did not like to swim like most labs do. Poor dog! For Christmas last year I talked my husband into another dog. We went from a 75 lb dog to a 8 lb snowwhite maltese. Our friends, the Nussbaums, own his brother and Todd's mom breeds them. So when we went to there house last december it was hard to resist the tiny little fluffball! Now he is almost a year old and has become the underwear stealer (just ask my mom!) and destroyer. Why do dogs like underwear?! Brandon has now run out of underwear (even though I keep telling the kids if you put your dirty clothes in the hamper Snowball cannot get to them!!) and even I am running low on my mormon undies:) The funniest part about all this is for some reason he decided to chew on the rear of Brandon's favorite plaid shorts. Brandon nor I noticed this and Brandon put them on and was walking around the house the other morning, getting ready for school. Rich asked Brandon "do you realize you have a big hole and your rear is showing?" It really was funny:) Brandon chased the dog all over the house until Snowball hid under my bed (his usual hiding spot and storing spot) where it is hard to get to him. Luckily the hole is on the seam (although it is huge!) so hopefully I can sew them back together. Will be headed to Target later to buy more underwear:)

Crazy Day

So my boss decided to call a meeting for us late night owl workers at 9 am!! Does he not know I get off at 8 am, have to get the kids ready for school and then try to convince Camryn that she cannot wear her ballet outfit (with tutu) to my work? Of course he knows all this, so I told him fine, I would come but in my jammies!! I did not wear them but should have as he asked "I thought you were wearing your jammies?" Camryn decided to hide under the table as she was mad my boss took her chair. So the owner, Ruth, came in and told my boss, Gary, to move chairs so Camryn could sit down:) We all loved that and Gary did move. Ruth also offered to take Camryn shopping (and she shops at Neimann Marcus, etc) and she would buy her whatever she wanted if Camryn would let her mommy go to work at 11 am. Thankfully, Camryn had preschool so I had to turn her down, darn it. It would have been fun to see what Camryn talked her into buying! After the meeting we had to grocery shop, rush home to eat and then take Cami to preschool. Mom got a nice little nap then rush back to pick up Cami and then rush home to get Dylan to cubscouts. Whew! Have not even made it to dinner time yet or starting work at 5 pm. I think I need another nap!

Camryn's first day of preschool

Camryn started her first day at Mrs. Billings preschool. All of the boys (except Brandon) have been to her school. She has been excited all morning and had her backpack filled with toys to take to school. I had a hard time getting her to take most of them out and to try and just take one to school. We ended up with 4 my little ponies in the backpack and she promised she would only put 1 in the show and tell bucket!! I had to convince her to stand by the door so I could take her picture-she wanted in right now:-) I finally got my picture and then she opened the door and pushed 2 little boys out of the way so she could get in. Can you tell she is used to having older brothers around? Brandon said he hopes she does not get in a fight with anyone. I don't think she will as she does very well at nursery at church. She feels like she is just as old as the rest of the family. The boys were not too excited to have to go back to school after Labor day vacation. They enjoyed lazing around the house yesterday and then having wrestling fights and then being lazy again. Our house is full of constant noise and ongoings-we love it (most of the time!)