Nancy

 My Mom let Alivia borrow one of her old point and shoot camera's and these are some of the results, she took probably more than 300 pictures and some of them were funny and some were blurry. The picture of our German shepherd Lu is my favorite.

 We stopped at five guys one night for dinner, Kessler was so hungry he was eating the fry sauce before our food got there. Cooper didn't want to be left out.

 Alivia decided she wanted to do four chores a day .25 cents a piece and save up for a new pet, originally she wanted a mouse, but sorry that WAS NOT going to happen she ended up saving up 14 dollars and went and got a hermit crab, Alivia decided it was a girl and named her Nancy. For some reason that struck me funny the name anyway. She likes her new hermit crab and takes her way too many places (on the swing set, on her scooter, in her bed?...)

The boys talked Ben into getting them some lizards, (which is not hard to talk Ben into) they all got a lizard Bauer named his 'Buzzy, Cooper named his 'Speed', and Kessler names his 'Hulk'.

September

 Schools in- the morning's are a lot quieter, we are back into our routine.

Our day starts about 645, breakfast our usual cereal or eggo waffles (fine cuisine), getting the kids dressed, doing hair, brushing teeth and getting back packs ready and probably trying to find a shoe or two. Everyday I talk to my Mom I tell her about our day and she always says the same thing to me...."I am SO glad I don't have to do that anymore" Right now I am glad to be doing it. Our challenge encouraging Cooper that he will be okay at school and it is okay if he gets a 3 and not a 4. His teacher scores their behavior/work on a scale of 1-4, 4 the highest and 1 the lowest. He has got a good mix of 3 and 4's but comes home somewhat depressed if it is a 3.

 Bauer is in Kindergarten Heaven he loves his class, loves his teacher, and looks forward to school and some days wants to stay longer. He likes walking to school with Liv and Coop. He wants to pack himself a lunch to take to school....so we do it anyway and eat it when he gets home.

 Alivia loves 3rd grade and doesn't have A LOT of homework, just enough to keep her busy and make her think. Her cousin is in her class and they love it, I didn't think it would be a good idea but they seem to try and make new friends and play with lots of people and not just pair off.

 The weather has been PERFECT, so nice during the day low 80's and cool at night. We don't have the a/c on 22/24 hours of the day and hopefully will save on a 200$+ powerbill. We took down the pool and trampoline. 

Ben just got back from Minneapolis for his Fall National Sales meeting and had a good time...kind of. It really is not his idea of fun trying to mix/smooze with Target big wigs. I would really like it if he would come and type how the week went, but that ain't going to happen.

Some highlights according to Ben.

In a meeting they talked about Target Canada it made him excited to keep pursing the possibility to open Target Canada. I asked him the other day (before he left) on a scale of 1 through 10 ,  10 he wants to do it for sure, no questions etc....1,  no way, not gonna happen.....

His response 5 (typical Ben) so I took out the number 5 and he had to choose 4 or 6. He chose 4. When he got back from the meetings it was up to 6 or 7.

I am all for it, I feel the same way Ben does with some aspects (my job and it could be very hard to keep it and not have to quit.)

I look forward to the adventure and think Ben has many, many qualities that they need to open new stores with completely new people. Ben has a lot more doubts than I do.

The meeting they have in the Target Center did not disappoint,  Alison Krauss, Willow Smith, Taylor Swift, Oprah, James Taylor, Tony Bennett and Beyonce.

The kids missed him, especially Kessler, when Ben walked in the door, Kessler said "where have you been?"

We did miss him and are glad that he is back to settle into Fall and the 2011-2012 Hockey season...btw he got a Target Dog with a Canada theme, Hockey jersey, skates and helmet.

Ben has been torturing himself and watching re-runs of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals....

We have a few vacations planned one in Oct. and one in Nov. the November one is a surprise location for Ben on the weekend of our anniversary.

Harder than I thought?

I heard the thunder and lighting and love photos like that.....so I thought I would run outside and just snap some photos of lighting? Not so easy, it requires a lot of patience which I seem to be running out of, or possibly ran out of already.

Whidden~ Back to School Special!

The "theme" this year is {Dedication} which btw I am going to try a little harder this year to carry it farther through the year in FHE nights.

The scripture that goes along with it is Mosiah 2:21 and if your were wondering that is my favorite scripture of all time, well pretty much this is at the top tied with one more I can think of.

This scripture has a lot of meaning for me and I love to read it over and over as much as I love seeing Anderson Cooper giggle.

WAY back about almost 18 years ago, for realz, I was working at a care center for mentally and physically handicapped adults and it is a long story but I remember driving into work that evening and listening to this scripture in my car. I remember feeling so strongly about it and then later on in the night I was taking care of this woman who could not walk, or speak, and was pretty much blind and thinking that I was so blessed and so was she. It was an amazing day that I will never forget. 

So it was an easy choice for the scripture this year.

 On the menu this year

Steak

Corn

Cheesy pototoes

Strawberries 

Cupcakes from the Sweet Tooth Fairy. YUM

 The kids got a little back to school box that rocked I called it and a new little chore system with their initial and a hook.

I got these door hangers and put three chores on them. When they get home from school or on Saturdays these will be hanging from their hooks.

Back to school this morning. Bauer wanted to walk with the kids and he also had his Kindergarten assessment this morning with his darling teacher.

My favorite pictures and video of the week!

 Yep! that is what you think it is. I could NOT resist, I am just a happy mom that my youngest is potty trained
btw.... you couldn't see anything in the original picture, I just added the heart for extra cutness and to make sure no one gets offended if I show a half naked baby bum:)

 Not sure how many of you Non-Whidden's know how much Ben LOVES red cream soda slurpees....only in Canada I might add.

This is Alivia's cousin she is a few months {younger} than Liv. Tall, beautiful girl!!

 Our days off this week an overnight trip to Deer Creek Res. we brought the tent, made a yummy potato, sausage, green pepper,onion, carrot stew over the fire.

Made smores and froze our behinds off during the night, not a good nights rest for the Mom or Dad.

 A preview to our "Back to School Special" for Monday night. I have been busy making little crafts for the kids. Also trying to change some things up, that I think the kids will enjoy.

Anderson Cooper made me giggle this week I watched this video 5 or 6 times because it was so funny!

Click on the Anderson Cooper Ridiculist~ LOVE

To Canada or not to Canada?

A little update on the Target Canada possibilities.

 Ben had a conference call with 2 Target Canada transition people and about 50 other STLs who are also interested in possible positions in Canada.

We first found out it is an assignment and not a permanent position. That the assignment will range between 2 and 3 years.

Like I said there were about 50+ other STL's interested in the assignment. We also found out that they will be only taking 12-16 out of that 50. So he will have to interview for the position.

The tentative timeline they will interview this fall and find out shortly there after. If you are selected to go up to Canada for the assignment, they give you time to figure out housing, immigration stuff, rent your house, find a house to rent and a whole list things.

Then they want you there by Spring/Early summer 2012 to be in your store city.

After the conference call they wanted an email back to see if he was still interested and to list  a choice of cities he would prefer to go to.

So back to the hurry up and wait game...

A little here and a little there~

 Livi and I did a glamour shot Saturday the other week, she found some fake eyelashes, and we curled her hair and put a little bit of make up on. She said she wanted to look like the dancers on Dancing with the Stars....maybe a little bit more modest though..

 We have been trying to get out the last full days of summer break, we made it to Thanksgiving point's Dinosaur Museum, Animal Country and up to the Hogle Zoo on top of swimming in the pool and going to the ward campout. 

 Livi and I were lucky enough to go to the Josh Groban concert last night and it was AMAZING!! he is a really great singer and quite the comedian. I appreciate singers who sound just like their CD when it is a live performance.... LOVE!!

On a very sad side note, my girlfriend that I have grown up with since elementary her Mother passed away very suddenly yesterday and it has shocked me to my core, feeling so horrible for her and putting life and how much I love my Mother and would miss her terribly if I lost her right now. She was so close to her Mom like I am to mine, I love you girl and will be thinking and praying for you and your family!