Cal-I-Forn-I-A

We'll be home in a few days. Loving being here in Loomis. It's super hot, but at this very moment I am enjoying a delish Jamba Juice and it's helping with the 100 degree day. It's been such a fun trip! Can't believe we've been here a week and will be coming home in 3 days. I'll post pics when I am home.

Until then.................

summertime tents:

The girls decided to create a couple of tents last night. I love the encyclopedias on top of the blanket, it is just what Aaron and I did when we made tents as kids.

A few times the cats jumped up and destroyed this one, but Nat fixed it.

g'nite, Nat!

Lind's tent. Of course she had to bring in a million animals.

The note taped to the tent read:

"Keep Out!" and a smiley face.

She slept here all night!

So fun during the summer when there's no school the next day!

My hair before:

I got my hair cut:

What do you think?

Happy Birthday Darling Gene from Savvy Shopper Deb!

Gene celebrated his *46th* Happy Birthday last week! Wowsers!

Haley and I spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen making him spaghetti and meatballs, a German Chocolate cake from SCRATCH and a box chocolate cake for the kiddos who don't enjoy delish homemade german choc. cake!

After dinner we went as a family+ Justin T. to see UP.

Then home for cake!

"........to Geeeeeeeeeene.................."

Wow, I was really, really happy! Around this time we surprised him with his german chocolate cake! He loved it. It's what his mom always made him for his b-days!

Um, he doesn't actually look all that excited about his homemade goodness, but he really was!

:)

Now his wish will come true! yay!!!

Let's move onto a different topic now:

Score at Albertson's:

Yes, I took pictures of my groceries... yes, I am a dork!

I got a week's worth of produce, massive cereal, cheese, mac and cheese and MORE!

Total spent this morning (as in, I left the house at 7am):

$85.77

Total savings this morning:

$134.10

And you wanna know something kinda funny?! This is super for me, but just so-so for the experts around here!

With a grocery budget of $200/week, this is pretty dang good. Now, I'm not done with my shopping, I'll be heading to Wal Mart in a second, but will only spend another $60 or so! PLUS, I won't be buying cereal for months! :)

Go see this movie with your entire fam!

We loved this movie!!!!!!

My daughter is an amazing Swing Dancer and last day of 4th grade!

My girls' charter school put on the most amazing event the other night. It was held at this old school in town that was built in 1901 and is now a community center that houses Payson's history, so it was the perfect setting. They put on a type of living history museum and re-created the 1930's complete with movie stars, gangsters cops, soup kitchens, boxing matches, depression era shanty towns and sooo much more. The entire building was used for this and it was incredible!

Haley was Jeanette MacDonald, a 1930's singer and actress! She looked gorgeous and even had her hair done at the local beauty college (it took 2 hours, this girl has a ton of hair) Haley and others (Shirley Temple, Vivian Leigh, Ginger Rogers and a few others) were in a room they decorated as a 1930's dressing room complete with old time radios, curlers, make up and fancy chairs and such.

The best part was the swing dancing!

At two different times the swing dancers gathered and put on a fantastic show. There was a jazz band there (not students) and as they played the kids did their thing! WOW! Wish I had video of it.

The entire evening was a blast... down to the 5 cent drinks, 10 cent popcorn, to the cops running all around pursuing those gangstas, to everyone walking around in full costume! amazing!

Here are a few pictures from the event:

Haley/Jeanette with our 2 neighbor gals.
The Hollywood room, where the girls' dressing room was.

Haley and her friend Callan made this! So cool, huh?

Haley and her dance partner, Zach.

And there the go! Her dance teacher is behind in the black shirt and tan pants, she danced at BYU (I think!) She is an amazing swing/ball room teacher!

This kid could totally flip Haley all around.. I'm tellin' ya, my girl can dance!

woo hoo!

Taking a break.

See that newspaper on the table? Those were made by a newspaper place to advertise this event. The kids put it together, and the newspaper printed it. It looked like an old 1930's newspaper and it had a ton of articles about the movie stars, the boxers, different events taking place that the kids were going to re-enact that night! Fabulous! I kept the paper, it was so interesting.






Nat's last day of 4th grade:

The three-some, Nat, Lindeon and Maddie.

Outside for the little graduation ceremony, awards and refreshments! (provided by the amazing room moms, of course!)

Super room moms! Nancy and I got our own awards for

"Best Moms"

oh yeah!

Nat getting her award for "Best Pinkie"

It was a little joke between her and her teacher, Nat always grabbed his pinkie and wouldn't let go... huh? I dunno, it just made them all laugh!

Awesome Mr. Bradley! Nat had such a fun year!

About 10 minutes before school officially ended, a party broke out on the elementary side of the school! A fun dance party to end our terrific year!