we need to work on that . . .

Last night for FHE we were talking about safety.

I said to Julia, "If a stranger drove up and told you he had some candy for you, what would you do?"

She thought about it for a second and shouted, "Say PLEASE!!"

Chocolate Pudding Cake. . .

The Bracken Files

I have been bugging my sister for months to start blogging and she finally took the plunge! This is her beautiful family. This is her blog . Other people I am going to bug until they start a blog: my mom and my good friend Laura. Get blogging girls!

Ladies and Gentlemen

We have a 2nd grader!

What a handsome bunch
My big bus rider.

He loves all things football, BYU, NY Giants, Star Wars, Indiana Jones,

Legos, Army guy and is so excited to be back to school today.

This one is for you Aileen

(This memory came to me tonight and

I want to make record of it here.

I don't know if anyone will appreciate it like my sister will)

There was a time when Aileen and I both lived in Provo. We discovered a way to curl our hair using a towel torn into strips. We were both excited to try it, I pictured myself waking up, taking out the towels and I would have the most sexy hair at work. I would be glamorous. I woke up, took out the towels and wanted to cry. I have never seen such tight, kinky, frizzy, BIG hair. A couple of hours into work the phone rang, it was Aileen. She barely got my name out and the rest of the phone call was complete silence because we were laughing so hard we could hardly breathe. We knew EXACTLY what the other was thinking without ever exchanging a single word. We must have looked a lot like these handsome dudes:

The things they say

After telling James that I would take him and his

friends to see Clone Wars he said,

"Mom, my heart is beeping so happy right now"

Can he please stay 7 forever?

What's for dinner

Found a great new recipe. I made it tonight and it was a hit with everyone. Click here if you want the recipe for chicken with zucchini and muchrooms. Yum Yum. It's a keeper.

20 minute pick up

I think my mom invented the 20 minute pick up. It is brilliant! You set the timer for 20 mintues and the whole family runs through the house picking up and cleaning. For me 20 minute pick ups are equivalent to me doing 1 hour and 20 minutes alone (and when the babies are old enough, 2 hours). The whole house gets picked up, dusted, vaccuumed and mopped. Nobody minds 20 short minutes and it is amazing how much gets done. When I was younger my mom would just say the words "20 minute pick up" and all six of us would get busy. Now I am the one that gets to say "20 minute pick up" and my house is magically cleaned.

Glorious 20 minute pick up. I love you.

Thanks mom for coming up with those four words and the actions that follow.

Hangin' Out

at the splash park

aw-shucks

James: You are the best mom in the world.

Me: Oh, thank you.

James: No, really. I am SERIOUS. You are the best mom EVER!
I am going to call the news.

Me: The news, Why?

James: Because everyone needs to know this. Actually, I don't know how to call the news. I am going to have dad call. Tomorrow.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

There's too many kids in this tub

There's too many elbows to scrub

I just washed a behind that I'm sure wasn't mine

There's too many kids in this tub.

-Shel Silverstein

After a long and eventful day we wanted the fastest way to get 7 kids bathed and into bed so we threw a swimming suit on James and this is what we had. Of couse there was no getting to bed fast, afterall, it was a cousin slumber party.

Two already

Two years ago :

One year ago :
Today:

Ava (pictured left in all three photos) Adalie (Right)

Happy Birthday girls, I adore you!