31: learning about the passover

In my institute class {religious studies}, our instructor put together a Seder meal, to teach us about the Passover.  It was quite informative and very interesting to learn all the symbolism and traditions.

30: a playdate with cousins

My sister wanted to come meet Buddy, plus, she needed a different venue for these boys to play at. So we had some cousin time! I'm not sure who wore out who, but we were all exhausted by the time they left! I guess I forgot how much energy a 3 & 5 year old have.  My boys still have energy, but I don't have to be by their side 24/7 for them to use it up! Here's hoping that the baby girl she'll have in May will be a little more mellow for her!

29: all about jayden

Jayden was surfer of the week, which entails a detailed poster

of his life, to share with the class. What a cute boy he is!!

28: front row

It's was a great day today!! I got the very first parking spot closest to the entrance at Costco..that NEVER happens! 

27: red velvet goodness

Was craving the red velvet cookies from Panera, so I looked up a recipe and whipped some up myself.  They were delicious, if I do say so myself. I love this picture because it shows action..that's how fast these things got eaten up!

26: downton abbey marathon

I literally had no voice on Saturday..a very bad case of laryngitis, so I found myself in bed all day! I guess now was my chance to finally watch Downton Abbey!  I watched the entire season 1 {7 hrs.} Ready for season 2! I can't remember the last time I've sat for 7 consecutive hours.

25: the dog ate my homework

The dog literally ate Ryder's homework..how cliche!

24: here we go again...

I kinda dread the Pinewood Derby!  Don't get me wrong, it's exciting and the boys love it, but it has just gotten out of control!  Jim takes it very seriously..it's a dad thing. This year would prove to be a challenge seeing as both Jayden and Ryder would be competing.  I was relieved when they mixed things up and decided to have winners from each den. However, each of those winners would then have a race off for the overall champion.  My worst fear was realized..both Jayden and Ryder won 1st place in their dens and would be racing against each other in the final championship races.  When all was said and done, Ryder took the title of GRAND CHAMPION..Jayden came in 2nd. This is great and all..but it's getting old. Skyler won all 3 years. Jayden has now won all 3 years and now we're starting Ryder off with a win. How are they to learn humility and good sportsmanship if they keep winning all the time.  The Geddies' definitely have a bullseye on them every year.  I don't know what Jim does to make them so fast, but I'm trying to talk him into dumbing next years car down! Will he? I doubt it, but it's worth suggesting.

1st place Wolves=Ryder

1st place Webelos=Jayden

GRAND CHAMPION=Ryder

23: negatives

Jayden will be 11 this year and I'm finally getting around to his baby book. Hey..better late than never. The greatest stumbling block is going through endless negatives to find the pictures I want. My kids asked me, "what are those?" We truly have come so far in a mere 10 years! I can't believe I ever cursed going digital. Fortunately, between my mom and I, we are extremely organized with all our old negatives and they weren't terribly hard to find. 

22: the 4 gospels storyline on canvas

Put the overhead projector to work to create this beauty.  Found the image on a seminary blog..so glad people share their great ideas. Blew it up onto canvas to put up in my room to show our progress.  We're entering the final week of Christs' life this week. 

21: whiners get nothing!

No School today..woke up and suggested some fun activities.  "Let's go to L.A. to the California Science Center and see the Space Shuttle" says mom,.."boooorrrring"..says Ryder! "O.K., lets go down to Balboa Park in San Diego" in response...a big fat "NO"! Mom tries again, "What about we head down to the beach, it's going to be a gorgeous day!" "The water will be too cold..what are we suppose to do, just sit there?"  Enough I said..you guys all sit at home and fight, I'm going to have a fun day all by myself, and I did!! Drove down to IKEA for a couple things and then headed over to La Jolla for some glorious beach time..just my manual, scriptures, and me! I was gone till 7:00 p.m. and I didn't feel guilty one bit!  

20: buddys first bath

Look at this face....love! 

He is all soft and fluffy again! Not to mention smells baby powdery clean! 

19: flag football

Ryder just started his practices for Friday Night Lights..a flag football league. We are on a team with 4 other friends..this is going to be fun!  His team, forgive me for saying, is the BRUINS. Sorry dad!

18: the pegboard project

Jim dusted off his miter saw and helped me with a project for my office. I'm so loving pegboard lately.

17: growing pains

About 2 minutes before Skyler's ride to school came, he throws down this and says I need to sign it! WHAT? It was dated a week ago. He kept it from me so he wouldn't be grounded over the weekend! Foolish boy..did you think you'd get away with it? Think again! Not only are you grounded this weekend, with a holiday on Monday, but you're grounded the following weekend too! Apparently, the teacher didn't remember right away to get it back so he thought he was off the hook.  Then, once she remembered and started taking his lunch time away, which he loves more than anything, he decided to get it signed.

My response...time to make a visit to Vail Ranch Middle School. I love social studies. This should be fun! I didn't give the teacher any warning but just made a surprise visit. She couldn't have been more pleased..and Skyler couldn't have been more attentive. I explained to the teacher that unfortunately, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and that I was quite a talker myself.  She understood and said she was too. She told me that Skyler is a great kid and is not disrespectful, but just can't keep quite or stay in his seat. I let her know that I'm more than willing to drop by anytime and she should just let me know when he starts getting off track! Did I forget to say..it's so much fun being a mom sometimes!!

16: bike rodeo

The day I've kinda been dreading for awhile..the cubscout bike rodeo!  I've been using this as leverage to try and get Ryder to learn how to ride a bike. I've told him it was coming and that he didn't want to be the only cubscout that didn't know how to ride a bike. This threatening tactic didn't work. Then I offered Skyler $20 to teach Ryder how to ride and $20 to Ryder to learn how to ride. He got on and took off in 5 minutes. Money is the key to getting this kid to do anything. I wish it wasn't so, but sadly, it is. Fast forward a few weeks to today! I took Ryder's bike in to have the chain fixed and tuned up. We were ready to go! Nope! Ryder sat in the car, pouting that he wasn't good enough. He refused to get out because all the other boys rode so much better.  I coerced him out. I think all he needed was to know that I was there..he got on his bike with great resolve and took off! He was riding and I wasn't even holding him.  There is something to be said about positive PEER pressure! This smile says it all!

15: the office project

It always looks worse before it looks better! As is the case with my office.  Can you believe all this stuff came out of one closet? I'm going to remedy this! 

14: ice..drive carefully?

I do not live in Southern California to receive such messages on my car!! Who knew this message even existed? I didn't until today! 

Ahhh..the cell phone story. 

Today in seminary one of my students thought it would be funny to take my phone. Mind you, I already feel like I'm losing my mind a little bit, so when I couldn't find it and was frantically looking everywhere for it, sadly, I could only come to one conclusion..someone took it! Not a conclusion I made quickly! I searched the classroom, the library, my cupboards, my car..even though I knew it was on our table for the opening hymn. Finally, I had to give up and get home to get the kids to school {as it was late start Monday}. I was so frustrated and mad. Sadly, my phone has my life in it.  My calendar, my contacts, my email. Just before taking the kids to school, I got a call from one of my students informing me what had happened and that another student had taken it and then pawned it off on another. All I felt was relief. Once I realized who it was and talked to their parents, I felt much better.  The individual came over later that afternoon and apologized. Having had that cool down time, I was able to use it as a teaching moment. We're studying the New Testament and Jesus' teachings.  He taught forgiveness and that's what I did.  I told him that I truly appreciated him coming over..that took courage. What's done is done and forever in the past!  I will remember it no more!

13: our baby is getting big

Seriously..I think Buddy grew over night! He's changing right before our very eyes. He is such a love..he's got all of us wrapped around his little paws!

12: sunday on a saturday

I was in my church clothes from 6:00 a.m. till 9:30 p.m. today! 

Started my day off early at a seminary training in Fontana. Got home and had about 1/2 hour to get Jayden and Ryder to a birthday party and Skyler to soccer practice.  Then Jim and I drove down to the temple. It was a great day, but a very tiring day! I should have just pulled a RAGNAR of dress and slept in my clothes and gone to church early the next morning!

{a trip to the temple naturally involves a trip to sprinkles for Jim}

11: burrrrrr

Burrrrr..it was bitter cold this morning on the way home from seminary!! 

Just because he's so irresistible.

10: chillin' with my puppy

Enjoying a little sunshine with my favorite buddy!

9: 6 zay

Jim's new license plates came in the mail today. It's just funny..I have this little hang-up with numbers matching or having some kind of flow to them.  When I got a cell phone, I had the guy go through more than a dozen phone numbers until I had one that flowed. With license plates, you have no control..unless you order a VANITY plate, which we do not! So when I opened these up and saw a very easy plate to memorize, I was excited. 303 is the first 3 numbers in our phone number..that's easy enough. When Jim got home and I told him his plates were on the table, I heard a sudden burst of laughter. "What's so funny?" I asked. He couldn't believe that I didn't know what he was talking about. "Did you not see my new plates?" he said. "6 ZAY..SEXY". I didn't even see it! He brought Skyler over.."what does this say?" Skyler bursts into laughter and asks, "why did you order sexy license plates?" I'm sure the convicts making these got a little laugh at this too {do jailbirds still make license plates?} Anyways..I think this is hilarious. Yes Jim, you are 6 ZAY!

8: my little helper

I'm trying not to inundate you with Buddy pictures...but I can't help it!  He's just so cute and getting bigger every day! 

7: resolutions

For family home evening, we made good of all our old magazines and made goal posters.  The boys all whined in the beginning..probably because it involved a little work, but in the end, they took great pride in their individual posters.

6: things that work

The way to a mans heart!!

(notice my new bowl scrapping attachment..another Christmas love}

The way to a woman's heart!!

5: muddy buddy

Even all muddy..I just love this face!

4: vitamix's maiden voyage

Jim had asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I really didn't have anything that I wanted, but I kinda needed a new blender. That's all I gave him and this is what I got! So, just like my father, Jim goes right to the most expensive blender on the market.  If it costs more, it's got to be better, right? In this case, I'm kinda glad he did because it's pretty awesome!

3: watching my repairs

I can see where the dealership was going with the idea of having t.v.'s in the waiting area so you could watch your car as it's being worked on, but just because I can see them, doesn't mean I TRUST them any more! For all I know, they are laughing and planning what they can pull apart to create more work. 

2: get air

Today was the great Christmas take-down! I usually wait till the kids are back in school, but I was just ready for a fresh start. I was reminded, from these 3, that it was still vacation for them and I was wasting "their" vacation cleaning! I'm soooo sorry...Let me make it up to you! You poor dears..{this is dripping with sarcasm, in case you didn't notice}. So to calm the complaining storm that was taking place in our home, I stepped away from my cleaning and took them to Get Air for an hour. How I cave so easily!

January 1: Happy 2013

Here I am again..another year, another picture of the day! I was contemplating not doing it this year. I was trying to think of a new way to document our life but couldn't come up with anything that was as simple and doable. Plus, the 2 people that actually look at this blog, pleaded for me not to stop. So..here we go! Here are some snapshots of our, crazy, chaotic, adventurous, but real life, one day at a time. 

Happy 2013!

This is how the Geddies' bring in the new year, every year! It was especially great this time because my parents were, once again, able to join us! We also had the Warrens, the Rheads, and my sisters masses. For Christmas, I had purchased Jim an inflatable couch that pulled out into a bed..it was quite the hit with all the crowds.  We were happy that Stephen was visiting from Hawaii, so we had at least one of the Watkins representing. Even if he did fall asleep mid-parade. Jesus made an appearance, as did crazy, almost naked man. The Stanford band played their stop signs and bathroom sinks. We saw our fair share of "male" flag twirlers and one of the youngest drum majors I've ever seen.  I was a little disappointed with the protestors, or lack of! The stealth fly by surprised us all by coming near the end of the parade rather than the beginning, but it was grand and spectacular all the same. Tella, you were sorely missed and we pray that you are getting stronger everyday!! 

2013 is off to a great start! Even if my blog is 20 days behind..