Webkinz World

I have slight OCD behavioral problems. I get a little obsessive about something for short periods of time. Sometimes it's scrapbooking, sometimes watching movie after movie, sometimes it's craft projects, but right now it's WEBKINZ.

WEBKINZ are stuffed animals that cost between $7 and $16. They come with a special code that allows you to access the same animal in a virtual world. I've been obsessed with going on my kids accounts whenever I have free time (or time I should be doing something else) and earning them tons of "Kinzcash." I use this online money to buy them cool house assessories . . . I made Ben an awesome backyard and schoolroom in his "house." I bought Katrina an indoor movie theatre, complete with concession stand, plus a great backyard. If I tried to analyze why I spend time doing this, I think I'd like to blame this on the fact that I want a great backyard myself, so I'm getting a virtual one on WEBKINZ? I don't know. I'm weird.

As I write this, I realize it's been about a week since I've been on WEBKINZ, because my brother Jon and his sweetie, Amy are in town and I've been busy getting ready for their arrival, so maybe the obsession is over?!

As I was tidying up the house, I went in Katrina and Rachel's closet to gather their laundry and found this little display. They had set up all their WEBKINZ pets (and a few of Josh's) for "school" I think. I thought it was so cute. Altogether, we have 22 WEBKINZ, so 6 aren't pictured here. I don't know where these kids get their OCD behavioral problems.

First Day of Elementary School 2009

I have the cutest, smartest kids around, and they are ALL IN SCHOOL NOW!! Can you believe it? Emma (not pictured) started her second year of middle school. Rachel's in 4th grade, Katrina's in 2nd and Josh's in 5th.

Because of funding issues, our district only goes to school Tues-Fri. The kids will be in school the same amount of days, so I don't really understand how this solves a buget problem, but I'm enjoying the 3 day weekends we have together while they last!

One week after the older kids started school, Ben started Kindergarten. He wasn't very excited and was almost in tears as I left. I worried about him all afternoon.

He came home off the bus very excited about school. He loved it. And he's never had any apprehension about going back. He goes in the afternoons and anxiously awaits his bus all morning!

His sisters were very supportive of Ben's successful beginning of the public school system and very proud of their baby brother.

Katrina helped him with his homework after his first day and has established a routine with him. Every Tuesday, Ben brings home his weekly homework sheet and the two of them sit down and do the whole thing, together. It's very adorable.

Happy Birthday, Allison!

Last year I wrote a post for Allison, including some cute childhood photos HERE. This pic is kind of random, but it's cute. Allison finds joy in everything, especially her little family and I thought this pic captured her perfectly!

This year, I just want to tell Allison that I'm so thankful she moved much closer to me. I love being neighbors with her sweet family. I'm a lucky woman to have someone like Allison in my life. She's the epitome of kindness, the mother-of-the year that loves my kids like they were her own and she is a good friend. So Happy Birthday you sweet lady! I love ya.

First Week in Utah

Damian, the kids and I drove out to Utah last week. Josh attended a BYU basketball camp with his best buddy, Drake. I didn't get any photos of them, though. What a slacker. Josh even got his basketball shoes signed by Thurl Bailey, a former NBA star!

While Josh was gone, Damian and I visited mutual friends and Damian's family. Our first stop was to our kids first babysitter, Kristy Yamaguchi Swendson. How I love that girl! She just had her first baby and we enjoyed meeting little Andrew and getting to know Kristy's hubby, Rob better. Emma even spent the night and went to mutual with Kristy's ward.

And Rob had a video game system that the kids loved. The boy on the right of Ben is Josh's friend, Drake.

We visited Drake's aunt that used to live in Central Point. She just had a baby girl and we loved our visit to the Kolpaks.

We got to spend a lot of time with my brother Paul's kids, Matthew and Ariana. They have been a highlight of the trip so far. I do love those little cuties. Matthew is a year younger than Ben, but they play very nicely together. Matthew has lots of funny sayings and speaks with such seriousness, he reminds me of Marcus Idiart.

We went to Chuck-E-Cheese's with Matthew and Ari and is was fun. They had never been before with their daddy and loved it.

My neice, Ariana LOVES Nina and Nina adores her. They have had a lot of fun being together.

Oh, did you see that Rachel got braces? Isn't she so cute? I love this girl.

One morning we went to the Oquirrh (pronounced ochre) Mountain Temple in West Jordan. It hasn't been dedicated yet, so the public is welcome to tour it. What a beautiful building, with a quiet, peaceful spirit. The kids loved it and were surprised at how much larger it is than our little temple near our home in Oregon.

That evening, we visited Matt Vranes older sister, Beka and her family. Beka and Damian were best friends in High School. I love that woman. And her family. She has 4 cute kids and a very nice husband that cooks a mean BBQ. Her oldest boy is pulling a face on the couch back, her little button is in the light green shirt to the right of Nina.

This little man ate 3 hamburgers in a ROW!! I took a picture of him DEVOURING his last one. What a hoot!

This brand new baby was much adored and pawed. Emma and I couldn't get enough of his sweetness.

We visited Damian's cousins before our trip south for the 4th of July. What a fun visit that was. Some of the cousins were visiting from Texas (even though they're moving to the East Coast, soon) and some live near Provo. Each of the kids met a playmate and have been begging me to bring them all back to Provo to play, ASAP. Especially Josh and Tanner.

Josh and Tanner are bosom buddies. Tanner is Josh's Diana Berry and Josh is his Anne Shirley, apparently. Who knew? Now we just need them to move to Oregon so they can play together all the time.

My Artist Son

Josh has created two new masterpieces this summer. And no, you don't get one, Mom. Sorry. I traded swim lessons for Josh's art lessons. So I get the paintings. I've been teaching Jen Vranes' 4 kids to swim for 90 min. each day for two weeks.

Anyway, isn't this painting BEAUTIFUL??!! I absolutely love it. It has a place of prominence in my entry way now.

Notice the depth of texture. Isn't it LOVELY?

These are the two 12" paintings he's made in the last two weeks. The one on the left is of a window on a brick wall, with vines growing up the side. The window has a flower box and red curtains. It's hanging in my bedroom!!

This is close up of the above mentioned window.

I blogged about Josh's first painting HERE.

I blogged about the rest of his paintings HERE.