31: our home from space

It was a slow picture day so I decided to borrow one from google maps. It's the satellite picture of our neighborhood..apparently just as our home was being built. Fortunately for us, there is still nothing behind us but the mountains!

30: death to rodent

How dare this mouse take residency in our home! It had no chance with the "jaws of life" clamping down on it! May this poor little creature rest in peace and not in my walls!

29: the trampoline

Against my better judgement, we got a trampoline! Actually we've had it in our garage since November..we just finally got around to putting it up. Thanks to our friend Carl who assisted Jim with the assembly, which on the box said fast and easy, and was neither.

I'm actually liking how it attracts them all to the backyard and out of the house! Wagers on who will have the first broken body part?

28: 100th day of school

100th day of school

27: pinewood derby

Here comes another 3 years of pinewood derbys...Jayden was so excited about tonight. He kept telling us all day, "it's o.k. if I don't win", but both Jim and I knew he really wanted to win, especially considering Skyler had won 1st place with all his pinewood derby cars. I take no part in the making of the cars, that's all Jim.. it's a dad thing! And Jim, Jayden can be proud as he won ever heat he was in and took 1st place in this years pinewood derby. I've never seen a more excited little boy!  

26: life's little milestones

Last night I asked Ryder to go grab a few books to read. He came down with the "Learn To Tie Your Shoe" book. I cringed..every time we read that book and start the process of learning to tie laces, Ryder ends up in utter frustration and the book gets launched across the room. I was patient, he was not! He was so close to getting it. This morning he woke up, got the book, and got into bed with me and was determined to tie the laces. I showed him a few more times and by george, he got it!  Those little chubby fingers actually tied his shoes. I felt a great sense of accomplishment at 7:00 a.m., as I had taught him this life skill. Grandma Watkins taught Skyler, Jim taught Jayden, it was finally my turn! Maybe I have gotten more patient in my old age...Nah!

25: yw pizza night

Our intentions were good!  For mutual tonight, we had planned to use our neighbors outdoor pizza oven, but apparently it had been damaged in the rain and wasn't working correctly. So quickly we went to plan B..moving the pizza's from the wooden oven paddle to cookie sheets to cook in my oven. This one did not fair too well, but it tasted delicious. Lesson for the night: Looks can be deceiving...It's not what's on the outside that is important!

24: the garlic pass

Strange that I'm posting a picture of garlic salt? About a month ago we were eating dinner and Jayden had the great idea to grab a bottle of garlic salt for everyone to pass around and say what they are grateful for. It has become a nightly tradition, as dinner is not complete without the garlic pass!

23: champions

The one time I don't have my camera and Skyler's team wins the entire tournament! This was the best I could get with my phone!

Congratulations Hawks..what an exciting finish!

22: hawks shootout

The victory circle! 

Skyler's team won both their games today in the HAWKS Shootout tournament. We were so excited when Grandpa showed up at the games, he must have been a good luck charm! Thanks dad for driving down..it meant a lot to Skyler!

21: computer night

I am so blessed to have such great friends...even more blessed that one of those friends is a technological genius! She is my mecca for all things techy! Tonight we had a computer night. She helped me organize my sad state of affairs which was my computer files. She generously let me cut and paste all her digital scrapbook stuff from her nicely organized files via external hard drive. So now, not only am I organized, but I have so many more digital elements to play with! Thanks Theresa for being so smart!!

20: book club

Book Club

We discussed the book "Keturah and Lord Death"..a book I enjoyed, once I got the full copy!

19: the most expensive grill pan ever

I get excited about the most simplest things! Albertson's began a program last fall: for every $10 you spent, you got a sticker. Collect those stickers and you can earn a pan for a penny. I need groceries, I shop at Albertson's {occasionally}, I could always use a new pan. I collected my stickers but they were not adding up as quickly as I thought they would. The end date was nearing and I was only about 10 stickers away from the grill pan I wanted. I sent Jim to the store for last minute sticker shopping. I got them! I finally made it to 80 stickers and got my pan. The most expensive pan I own..$800.01!

18: santa rosa plateau

Today I was a chaperone for Jaydens' class field trip to Santa Rose Plateau. I got the full experience: the kids, the bus, the sack lunch. I kinda think Jayden loved having me!

17: play day at mulligans

 Thanks to Martin Luther King Jr., the kids had the day off school. We spent the day at Mulligan's with the Warren's, the Hunter's and Skyler brought his friend Jorge. It was a very warm day and I had a headache induced by obscene amounts of bumper boat and go kart fuel..the things we do for our kids enjoyment. Ryder loved that he was big enough for the go karts..his smile says it all.

16: 100 day walk with christ

I officially began my 100 day walk with Christ yesterday {reading the book of mormon in 100 days}, but it made for a good potd today!

15: bikes and food

It was a gorgeous day!! Once Skyler got home from his Boy Scout hike, we packed a picnic and rode our bikes to the park. A Geddie family fun day...except for training wheel drama! We tried, Ryder was not ready!

14: temple night

Temple Night..and what a beautiful night it was!

13: skyler's egypt museum

Skyler's Egypt Museum Display

We had Hummus/pita chips for the appetizer, Kushari for the main dish, Cleopatra walnuts for dessert, and egyptian lemonade and hibiscus tea for the beverage. Apparently, he really only needed to bring 1 food item..I kinda got carried away. My His booth was voted #1 so I guess it was worth it. I was surprised that the kids actually ate it and liked it!  I went home with very little leftovers.

12: cooking egyptian

Now comes the cooking part, which Skyler actually did! In fact, he knew how to make carmel better than me. He made carmel covered walnuts from Cleopatra. I searched every market in Temecula for "orange blossom water" with no luck, so I googled up substitutes. The closest thing I could get was marinating orange zest in white wine for 24 hours. Not realizing till all the desserts were made, that I never cooked out the alcohol {which wasn't in the directions}, I basically just contributed to minors.

Disclaimer: we used about 1TBL. of the liquid to make a paste and only used about a small

gumball size of the paste for 20 walnut desserts. I think I'm safe!

Find the recipe here

11: the cookbook

I just love it when Skyler informs me that a project is due in a couple days. "When did you know about it?", is my first question. "We got the paper before Christmas". "And I'm just hearing about it now..2 days before it's due?" My first thought is to tell him to have fun with that one, and good luck. Then I begin to lecture about taking personal responsibility for his own projects. But like usual, he's the smart one. He knows if he waits till the last minute, Jim and I will rush in to save him. It's all about the big picture: if he does poorly in middle school, he'll probably continue doing poorly in high school. If he does poorly in high school, he won't get into a good college. If he doesn't go to college then we're stuck with him. I know all you good parents out there are thinking: "He needs to learn the hard way!" yeah, yeah, yeah...we think that too, till the last minute when we end up helping/doing the project.

This one was no different! There were 33 choices of projects. I picked the one that could best be done last minute: cooking an egyptian item. We assembled a cookbook (cut and pasted recipes) and bound them in a nice little book.

10: the burn

Our neighbor, whose name rhymes with BAD "CHOICE", decided it would be hilarious to trick Ryder into eating a Jalepeno pepper. He pretended to eat one himself and told Ryder how great it was. Ryder, being 6, believed him and ate the pepper. Immediately, his mouth was on fire and he was screaming uncontrollably. His poor face was red, his eyes and nose were dripping. I had told him earlier I would take him to get a slurpee...but this sped up the process! It's not easy being the little kid on the block!

{you can still see his pouty little lips clinching onto the straw!}

9: church day

I had to speak in Sacrament meeting today so I had motivation to get ready early! I was so impressed that the boys and I were actually ready 1 hour early..this is a first, and most likely, a last!

{I must give credit where credits due: jim got all their clothes ironed and ready for me}

8: candy

THESE ARE MY WEAKNESSES!!!

Sprees & Chewy Nerds, I'd take them over chocolate any day!

BUSY DAY:

1. Skyler's soccer tournament in Irvine

2. Prepare talk for Sacrament meeting tomorrow

3. Thai food with the Downings & Baughs

4. Buy several bags of chewy nerds to get me through the week!

Congratulations to my parents who received their mission call to NAUVOO!

7: misprinted book

The strangest thing...I was reading this month's book club book: "Keturah and Lord Death", and really starting to get into it when after reading page 64 the book started completely over. It was obviously a misprint. I thumbed through the pages trying to find page 65 but it stopped at page 37 and restarted on 97. Never has that happened to me before {not like I've read tons of books anyways}. Amazon.com was more than apologetic and a new copy is in the mail as we speak. I can't imagine that my book was the only one this happened too. So much for editors!

6: skyler's braces

BEFORE

AFTER

My little boy is growing up! Here comes the start of those wonderful awkward years!

The emotional drama has already began!

5: iceblocking

Combined Young Women's activity..iceblocking! I hadn't done this since I was a teenager. I forgot just how much fun it is!

4: christmas take-down

With the kids finally back in school, I could begin the monumental task of taking down Christmas. It always amazes me how empty our home looks when all of Christmas comes down. It also amazes me just how much work the whole ordeal of decorating really is!

3: disneyland

Disneyland via the top of the ferris wheel

{with my phone's retro camera}

The kids had one more day off school so we headed to Disneyland, despite the rain. It was a glorious day. We had a few minutes of rain but the clouds parted, the sun came out and the crowds stayed away! Ponchos in hand, we rode Splash Mountain 3 times in a row!

2: HGTV dreamhome

Another year, another HGTV Dream Home sweepstakes! I'm certain this is my year to win!

If you'd like to try {though, like I said, it's my year to win} go HERE!

1: rose parade

WELCOME 2011

and my 4th year of the 365 Challenge!

For a much greater take on our beginning of the year festivities, go to THERESA's blog {just click her name!} She has added many more great pictures and a witty dialogue to follow! I think I may just bloglift some of those pictures! With only minimal hours of sleep the past 2 days, I'm surprised I'm letting any pictures of myself be taken! The things I do for memories.