Epic Pinterest Fail

I've been preparing all week for Aaron's star wars party on Saturday.  I came across a diy Death Star piñata tutorial that looked so easy I decided it just might be easier than going to wal mart to buy a Darth Vader piñata.  (Have I mentioned I hate wal mart and will do just about anything to avoid that place. Here's where I give a big shout out to Amazon)

So last Sunday Bart was out of town and we had a very quiet Sunday afternoon with nothing going on so I brought out the balloon, flour water and newspaper and started to instruct my kids on how to paper mache.  Jane quickly stopped me and said "Mom don't you know we do this all the time at school in art".   So the kids took over and spread flour and water paste and newspaper all over a balloon as well as all over my kitchen.  I'm serious the floors, counters and all door handles around were covered.  We finished the first coat let it try and applied a couple more before going to bed.

The next morning I started scrubbing my kitchen.  It was so bad it took a few hours to get all the pasty stuff off.  As I was cleaning  I dreamed of one day owning a steam cleaner just like Pauline's to make jobs like this easier.  All the sudden my heart sank because I realized our neighbor who is one of Aaron's best friends is coming to the party and is allergic to everything.  I'm not exaggerating either he can eat 3 foods and if he has any contact with most foods he goes into an anaphylactic shock so I have been very careful to plan this party so he wouldn't feel left out.  Anyway I realized that having the piñata made out of flour wasn't going to work for Evan to participate.   I had visions of pasty floury stuff flying through the air and sending Evan to the hospital.    I fretted the day away wondering what to do and knowing my kids had worked so hard on the dang thing they would be sad to not use it.

Well the kids came home and we were sitting in the kitchen doing homework and the piñata sat on the table.  As if by nowhere this huge gust of wind came through the patio door and blew the piñata off the table and it shattered into many pieces.  Aaron gasped and said  "My piñata!!! Now I won't have one for my party!!! This is the worst day ever."  I shared in his grief but was also relieved that divine intervention solved my problem.

The next day we drove to Zurchers bought the least expensive round piñata which happened to be a pumpkin.  Came home took out the silver spray paint and a very happy little boy spray painted  a pumpkin into a death star and as we filled it up with toys he exclaimed  "This is the best day ever"

Lesson be learned.  dndiy (Do not do it yourself) when it comes to piñatas

I'm flying

I'm sitting on the bench waiting for Bart and Emily to go on the Skycoaster for Emily's first time and John asked me if he thinks Emily will chicken out.  I say no because I asked her if she will.  He then said "She'll probably remember this for years and years"

I think John is right so I guess it better go on my blog as the day Emily fearlessly went on the Skycoaster.

A couple of weeks ago when we were at Lagoon Emily noticed a group on the Skycoaster and said "I want to do that".    Hmm I said I hate that thing but I'm sure your dad would go with you the next time we come.

The next time came and Bart agreed to go.

Emily said the only scary things about this ride is when they take away  floor and you fall forward

I took a video of the rise and the descent but here are a few pictures of as Emily says "the part where I'm flying"

Earlier that day Emily went on that Count Dracula's ride and came off of it telling me how scary it was because there was a creepy doll.  After this ride I asked her if she was scared at all and she said "No it was awesome."  I laughed and said Oh Emily your scared of a creepy doll but not this ride and she said "What? that doll was super freaky"

Summer of the Monkey's oops I mean Summer of the cousins

Oh how much fun my kids had with all the time they spend with their cousins  this summer.   We were lucky to spend so much time with my sister Raquel and her cute kids as she lived with us 6 weeks or so as they were transitioning from a house they sold to a different house they bought.    My girls became babysitters and earned some cash watching Avaya everyday Raquel worked.  I thought it was a perfect opportunity to learn how to be an excellent babysitter while I could be around to advise them of things like good babysitters clean up after the kids they tend as well as do the dishes.  Every mom wants to come home to a clean house.  

"Selfies with Avaya were a daily occurrence"  

Soon after Raquel moved in Ally came and spent a week with us before our Lava Hot Springs vacation.    I loved my house full of so many people I love.    I joked because including the renters downstairs we had 6 kids wearing diapers running around the house.    Talk about a loud house and stinky garbage cans.    

These 2 babies are only 10 days apart.  It was fun to get double the cuddles

We took a few day trips to get out of the house.

-This is the place monument

-The Fairy Gardens (although when we finally got there the river was raging and with just my sister and I with 8 kids- 2 tiny babies) we decided an attempt at the river would end terribly.  So we got out the paint we brought found a few rocks and made our own contribution for the fairies to stop before they crossed the river to get to their garden.

Lagoon-

All the Richard's Cousins enjoyed celebrating Nona's birthday at their favorite amusement park Lagoon.

The girls had a blast with cousins from both sides when everyone came for Spencer's blessing

After the blessing Aaron and Phin did not want to part ways and as they were leaving I think Seth said "Aaron sometime you'll have to come have a camp out in our yard".  Aaron excitedly said yes and ran to get his clothes and came back so sad that  they had left.  The wailing began!!  Meanwhile outside Phin was also throwing a tantrum thinking sometime meant right now.  So 30 seconds later Suzanne and Seth reappeared and said "Apparently both of the boys think sometime is right now so why don't we have it tonight".

Aaron had such a fun time at their house.  This included sand box time, fireworks, sleeping in a tent (or late overing in a tent apparently Phin fell fast asleep but Aaron lasted until around 12:00PM and then went in the house and slept on Suzanne's floor.  The next day super fit Suzanne took them on a long bike ride up legacy highway to see the trailhead of another Aaron Richards who was Bart's dad's uncle and owned a Dairy farm in Farmington.

The next day we joined them for a Weiner roast, swimming and some time at a fun park.

Dayson was Aaron's salvation this summer.   Aaron thinks Dayson is fabulous!! The two of them played outside most days in the yard digging and pretending.  Dayson even taught Aaron how to jump off the mailbox.  In Teasdale they spent much of their time catching lizards.  Even though Dayson is almost 3 years older than Aaron he was always so kind and inclusive.  The only time I saw the age difference become an issue was after a few days spent catching lizards Dayson came up to me and said "How can I get Aaron to stop following me around"  I respond he thinks your great Dayson and just wants to be with you always.  Dayson said "I know but whenever I get close to catching a lizard he scares it away"

Here is Dayson and Aaron with a Horny Toad Baxter and Branson caught for Dayson.  

The weekend of the 24th consisted of more time with cousins at the Bountiful parade as well as a fun water party hosted by Jeff at Papa and Nona's.

We celebrated  Millie's Grace's blessing.  What a blessing she is.   My kids had fun building forts and playing soccer at their dinner.  Andrew so nicely even gave Aaron his Luke Skywalker Decal.  I told Andrew he can't have Star Wars decals on his wall without Luke Skywalker.  But he kept insisted Aaron take it.  Aaron was so sad it was "accidentally" left on the table.

We ended our summer with cousins at Lagoon.  My girls love Lagoon but they really love Lagoon when Max and Ben are there to ride the rides with. Emily had on her watch and we set times for them to be back and we scarcely saw them.  Aaron hates riding rides alone so he was more than overjoyed when his besties were there for more entertainment.  

My village kid

I once heard "she who must not be named" (Hilary Clinton) who you don't bring up well at least around JB and my parents, quote an african proverb that says "It takes a village to raise a child".  

I officially have a village child.  Aaron J. Richards and his friends are the neighborhood bums.  Forget watching T.V. or playing on the IPAD, these kids prefer to get on their bikes and roam around the neighborhood gathering up the friends to get "the gang" together.  His friends consist of a bunch of kindergartener boys basically 2 years older than him, although I think they assume he is their same age since he is as big or bigger than most of them. It's not uncommon to drive by any of our houses and see 3-4 bikes laying in the driveway.    It's a sight to me that is the essence of childhood.

This past week Aaron along with one other boy took a package of 3 expensive cetaphil lotions  that I had just bought from Costco off of my counter and ever so slyly dumped and spread it all over my trampoline.  I didn't even know this occurred until this little boys mom texted me and said "Whatever happened with some lotion I'm really sorry Johnny should have known better".  So I started investigating and when I found my $19 worth of lotion spread all over the tramp I was furious and grounded Aaron from his friends for the rest of the week.

Well keeping this kid away from his friends is like keeping a fish out of water.   More than once as I was busy doing laundry or something and I thought Aaron was watching some PBS shows he would sneak away and I would find his bike out front of one of his friends houses.   This kid could drive me to the nut house with worry if it wasn't for the relief I feel knowing he never leaves the cul de sac in a neighborhood where so many of us are looking out for each others kids.

So today he finally earned his friend privileges back and this afternoon he was off on his bike.  I was puttering around this house cleaning, Bart was at the airport chasing Comic Com people. Aaron came back all excited saying something about Jack's dad saying he should take his training wheels off.  I said "I'm sure your dad could do it when he gets back" and he was off again.  A little while later Jane comes in the house and says "Do you know Aaron is riding his bike without training wheels".   I go outside thinking he might be on one of his friends bikes but  sure enough he is riding  his 2 wheel bike like it's nobody's business.   Confused I ask him how did he get his training wheels off and he said "Jack's dad took them off".  So I walk down to Jack's house and his dad was outside cleaning his motorcycle and gave me the training wheels and said he noticed Aaron riding around and said it looked like he was ready to go without his training wheels so he asked him if he wanted them off and he was excited about it so when he took them off he gave him a push down the sidewalk and he was off just like that.

So my 3 almost 4 year old is now riding a bike thanks to my neighbor.   Emily was making cookies so I had Aaron walk down a plate and thank him for his help.   I'm grateful for my village I live in and all the help they give me with my village child.



Update:   On Monday after he learned how to ride his bike he anxiously awaiting when Johnny would be home from kindergarten.  As soon as lunch was over he jumped on his bike and headed to Johnny's house to show him he can ride without training wheels.  A little while after he left I got this text from Johnny's mom.