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I don't get paid for my product endorsements -- and that's how you know they're AWESOME!

For instance -- cupcake goldfish.  I'm actually kind of sad I shared this find because now I can never find them when they are on sale.  I still pay full price for them.  They're that yummy.

And The Chocolate dessert cafe in Utah.  Has anyone ever been let down by Kitty Katrina or a cazookie? I cannot wait to get my hands on some in just a few weeks.

My other love at the moment -- sea salt caramel frozen yogurt from Swirl-It.  This is my number one craving.  One night I even wished that the Sea Salt Carmel Fairy would visit me and HE DID!!

Are you noticing a trend in products I enjoy?  They all involve sugar.

Right now we are loving Rita's Water Ice.  It's like Bahama Bucks only better.  It makes Bahama Bucks taste like barf if I'm going to lay it out there (think they can use that as an advertising campaign??)

Rita's Water Ice originated on the East Coast and it is our summer time splurge whenever we're at the beach house in Virginia.  When we got back last summer, Dustin looked them up and found one about an hour away.  Just a month ago we were up in that area having dinner with friends and we convinced them to give it a try.  They agreed -- Rita's Water Ice is delicious.  And a perfect summertime treat.

We were even more stoked to find a new one just opened up in downtown Tempe.  A 20 minute commute actually seems like a breeze compared to driving to Arcadia.  And luckily for you, even though the calendar says it's fall, Arizona weather says it's still SUMMER!!

Goooooo Cougars

This weekend BYU plays Hawaii.  We're gearing up for the game and rooting for a WIN!  The Cougars have been causing a lot of heartache  the last few games.  Possibly the hardest loss was the BYU vs. Utah game.  Bitter rivals, only made worse by the fact that some of our very best friends are Utes.

You may remember last year, when I was spared the blow out by being righteous.  But this year, we were free to party.  Molly hosted all of our BYU/Utah friends and if the game had been based on sheer numbers, I think that field goal would have been good!

Part of the requirements to get into the party you had to pick a side!  I was horrified that so many of my friends did not have BYU shirts to wear.  How can they call themselves fans?  Luckily the Rogers family could supply their spirit.

The food was all red and blue themed.  Mainly blue!  BYU mint brownies, blueberry cheesecake. . . I made Y sugar cookies with butterCREAM THE UTES frosting. Amanda even brought caffeinated Coke in honor of the latest BYU debate.

The game was a slight disappointment for most of the room, but at least the ending was exciting.  And we're all still friends.

Boy School -- Part Deux

I did some form of Joy School with both Nate and Ellie, but life was too busy when Sadie was a toddler (ie Luke was a terror), so I was very happy to get back into the swing of things with another round of Boy School.

I forgot how fun it is and how cute those little boys are.  I also forgot how crazy and exhausting it is keeping 4 boys engaged and interested for 2 hours.  It is definitely a physical work out.

I picked D for Dinosaurs because. . . actually I don't need to tell you why.  If you don't know how much Luke loves dinosaurs and how many dinosaur related items we have then I don't even know why you are reading this blog because we cannot possibly friends or related and if you don't know we are dino-obsessed over here you are probably a pretty bad stalker.

We sang songs, we did stickers, we shadow matched, dino-sorted, read a million dinosaur books, stomped around the house, learned about 4 types of dinosaurs, thawed dinosaurs out of ice cubes (we had to learn how they died and why their bones are preserved), made dinosaurs out of the letter D, ate dinosaur gummy snacks. . . and then when my house was trashed, we watched 20 minutes of Dino Dan.  Don't judge me.  I was really exhausted.

 It's going to be a fun year with handsome guys!  And just for your viewing pleasure -- a flashback to some of my other favorite boys:

Adventures in Babysitting

There is a really adorable young couple in our ward with this chubby chunky baby that Dustin cannot get enough of.  Every Sunday you'll find Dustin wandering the halls with him.  You would think this would get Dustin on board my baby train, but no.  It's just enough to give him a baby fix each week.

Remembering how poor we were back when Ellie was a baby and how little we ever got out, we volunteered to babysit for them one evening.  It was seriously the best night ever.  The kids crowded around Jameson all night and we did nothing.

Sometimes they may have crowded poor Jameson *too* much.

I think it's funny that people always say that girls are more nurturing than boys because in my family that is simply not true.  My girls are probably better at "mothering" because they're really good at being in charge, but my boys love love love babies.

We also feel badly for poor Jameson because his parents sometimes make him wear ASU clothes, so he couldn't leave this house unless he was a true blue Cougar!!

We are so glad he will have something to wear when he cheers on BYU this Saturday night!  GOOOOO COUGARS!!

Karate Chop

Like most boys, Nate's #1 career goal is to be a Ninja. Being the supportive parents we are, we decided that taking Karate would be the natural first step.

Miss Julie, our amazing piano teacher and friend, even took Nate to see her girls in action to make sure he wanted to sign up.  It's just a program out of the Junior High by us, so you don't actually have to wear a "gi" although they do have some available for purchase.

I sent Dustin and a sweats-wearing Nate to his first lesson.  Right before the lesson was about to start, a picture of Nate clad in black was sent to my phone.  It looks like Mommy isn't the only softie in the family, despite what Daddy says every time I come home from the store.

So far I've been really happy with the program.  They encourage responsibility and self defense. Even better. . . Travis, Nate's best friend, signed up for Karate too!

As soon as I can get Nate to stop whining about running half a mile I'm going to make him my running buddy so I can stop carrying that baseball bat.

Preschool!

The day is here! For 4 hours a week, I have no one to entertain me and give me kisses. . . at the same time no one needs a snack or to be strapped into a car seat. It definitely has its ups and downs.  I'm torn between being sad to leave a stage in my life and being excited for Luke to experience some independence.

We are lucky enough to have the best, most loving preschool teacher in the world in our Ward and Luke was dying to go to school.  Everyday when we would drop off the kids he would ask me where Sadie was.  He was definitely lonely without his little buddy.  I think it's obvious that I no substitute for the entertainment Sadie provides on a daily basis.

The kids picked out a dinosaur backpack for Luke and he loves it.  In fact every school day he wants me to take a picture of him with his backpack.  He also insisted on wearing his dinosaur shirt.  I probably should have made him wear something cuter, but I just wanted him to be happy.  I have literally given in to that whole "spoiled baby of the family" syndrome they talk about in all the psychology books.

He did surprisingly well getting dropped off and I was running late for a meeting, so I didn't wait until they all went inside (ah, see the "baby"stereotype coming to fruition already?  The guilt I feel can only be rectified with buying him loads of ice cream!).  Then I saw this number on my girlfriend's facebook wall.

Sweet Luke looking terrified, surrounded by girls.  He is the ONLY boy in the class, but I think it will be good for him since he's kind of bad at sharing.  He was not really terrified I assure you.  The picture is just too funny to pass up.

 Now that Luke is in preschool the number one question I get is: "What are you going to do with all of your free time?"

Well people, the same thing I did with my time before (mainly volunteering at school).  Only now when I leave Target I don't have to buy a dinosaur toy to make it out alive.  And no one is grabbing things off the low shelves at the grocery store and I don't have to maneuver those awful car shopping carts.

Don't let my faux-enthusiasm fool you.  I miss Luke like crazy.  One day I had nothing to do other than run to the library and get some food at Sprouts.  I literally felt lost.  I just wandered up and down the aisles wishing Luke were with me begging for cheese curls.  And it still only wasted an hour.

I can't wait for field trips and class parties for Luke!! 

As political as I'll get for now. . .

This is why I'm not as politically informed as this season as I should be --

I sat down to watch Michelle Obama's speech and the next thing I know all of my kids are hovering around me.

Sadie starts off. . .

Sadie: Guess what!  I have all 5 senses.  I have eyes.  I have my nose, I have my fingers and last I have my mouth.  And my ears.  I was forgetting one wasn't I.  I can hear.  I can see.  I can smell.  I can taste.  And what's the five one?  And I can touch with my fingers. 

You see these bumps on my tongue?  They're called taste buds.  Any bumps on your tongue are taste buds.

Guess what, the fingers actually look like legs.

My teacher has a friend who can't smell anymore because of this (points to her nose).  She can't smell out of her nose anymore.

Ooooooh, what's in this bag?? (starts ransacking my bag of goodies for Boy School tomorrow)

Nate walks in. . .

Nate: Can you shave off my mustache?

I guess that's why they invented DVR.