At Last!

At last, dare I say, summer is here. Right up until the last week of school, my kids were wearing windbreakers and dealing with 60 degree weather. DUH!! So unlike Utah weather. My, my how things change. One week later and we are roasting at 95 degrees and my lawn is grasping at it's last thread of life. Ahhhhh summertime.

One of our favorite things about summer is the family trip to Lake Powell! This year we took the plunge and purchased a share of a houseboat. It all happened so fast and just like that BOOM.........we were on the lake having the time of our lives! I love Lake Powell because you are isolated and forced to spend quality family time and simply enjoy the most amazing landscapes around. Take a look and see for yourselves.

Pogues at Rainbow Bridge

girls of summer

!

all in a days play!

the biggest kids there were the dads!

our little patch of heaven!

Many thanks to the Pilling and Kener families for joining in the fun and making this trip FABULOUS! I know it took it's time, but I am happy that summer is here at last!

P.S. I know I am terrible at posting, but hopefully summertime also means increased posting frequency! No promises!

xoxo to all!

Speed Racer

Let me preface this entry with the fact that it is OK to be Pogue and not bike! Kendall doesn't love it. The jury is still out on Noah and Sierra is, well...., Sierra. She loves any challenge!

It is a big moment in the Pogue family when the training wheels come off and the kiddos learn to ride a bike! This weekend, Parker decided to take it a step further. He took on the challenge of his first mountain bike race. He rode his 16 inch mountain bike single speed.

I have to admit, it was one of the the cutest things I have ever seen. To begin the course, there was a steep hill (I had to ride it twice in my race and strongly disliked the time spent on that hill). Pman just stood up and pounded it out! Then away he went! With daddy right behind him all the way, he completed 2 laps in 10 minutes and 23 seconds for a 13th place finish! He was beaming with pride at his accomplishment, and I must say......so were we! It was really sweet. Go speed racer go!!!!

Pogueisms

I have come to the conclusion that I am a terrible blogger. Terrible at actually writing on my blog, and not so effective conveying what I want to say when I actually do. So .......there you go! Even though no one really reads this blog I am still here.........on occasion. This week, however, I have had 2 requests to post. Here goes!

It's Mother's Day and I have sequestered myself in my room for a 'nap'........(because it's Mother's Day and I can!). We went for a short hike with the kids today and it was so cute to listen to my kids gab my ear off the WHOLE time. I chuckled to myself at the cute and funny things they say. They are, after all, the reason why I get to celebrate Mother's Day. So in this entry I thought I would share some. I shall call them Pogueisms.

How many times do your kids say something funny and you think........"I need to write that down". These little Pogueisms are less of that nature and more of the speech impediment type that make you sad when they finally fix it and start speaking correctly because then you know they are growing up.

My favorites Pogueisms include:

Renember- synonomous with 'remember'....even if we cannot remember how to say it correctly.

Last Day-the day before, otherwise known as yesterday. Used in a sentence it would sound like this.."Mom, last day, her was fixing my hot chocolate and didn't renember to heat it up".

Telled- meaning I already said that. Used in a sentence: "I telled you, I sleeped on my leg hard and now it hurts!!!"

Ditty- we all know this is Pogue for BLANKET.

Melmo- 1) Red, 19 inch stuffed doll, imperative for sleep at night for Parker or 2) the starting Center for the Utah Jazz.

Cimanom- mixed with sugar, makes a pretty mean piece of toast!

Suwa- not 'Bostonian' for sewer...but an adaptation to the name Sierra, unfortunately for her it stuck!

Manlooker- looking for something the way a man would....by NOT actually looking and completely missing it even though it is right in front of you!!!

Dendall- our second child......Kendall!

Wachel- my sometimes sixth child, best friend to Dendall. Used in a sentence, "Can Wachel come over after school?" Sorry Wach, this one stuck too!

Cold- older brother of Wachel. Used in a sentence, "Cold, chase me down the hall!"

Sitster- a female sibling. "Suwa is our big sitster".

Crown (with a long, long w)- wax like coloring tool. Outside our home, referred to as a crayon, but not in the house of Pogue. ( I went a long time wondering why Parker always wanted a crown...what in the world.)


"what in the whaled?"- Parker speak for "What in the world?"

Kidsaputer- the kids computer of course! Used in a sentence, "Mom, will you log me on on Webkinz on the kidsaputer?". To which, I usually tell Noah, YES!

Lub- LOVE! Used in a sentence, "Mommy, I lub you", or "I'n goin give you a lub", usually followed by the best hugs and kisses ever!!!!

That about sums up many of the greatest Pogueisms of all time. While to you, the reader (if there are any) they may seem strange, it is our strange way of communicating and showing endearment over here!

Poguey's .........I lub you, no matter how you say it~!

p.s. if i have omitted any favorites......please comment and share! haha!

When Daddy comes home!

Jamie has been out of town for a few days............I know many of you who have traveling husbands are scoffing............but for us it is unusual and hard on the kids (especially my spitfire Parker!). To boot, it has been a crazy windy weekend followed by a lovely cold front, so the kids have been dying to get outside! Jamie hit the door around 8pm this evening and by 8:03---41 degrees I might add.......... the boys had him out skateboarding!

I don't know what was more fun to see...........

1) Jamie riding Parker's trainer skateboard complete with handle.

2) Parker skateboarding with his long john jammies on that are too small because he is growing so fast lately.

3) Noah trying with all his might just to keep up!

At any rate, we're all so glad when Daddy comes home!

warm fuzzies

A few days ago (ok weeks, but it takes me forever to blog) Noah began posting what I am calling 'warm fuzzies' all over the house for everyone. As you can see, brightly colored post it notes all over the walls was Noah's way of sending out loves and kisses to us all.

One day, he covered the walls with these bright and cheery notes (most of them blank I might add) and told me that he was doing this for his Daddy 'because he was so special'. When 'special' daddy returned home he quickly reprimanded Noah for wasting post it notes and requested he remove them from all the walls. Noah was heart broken!! When I explained to Jamie that he was 'special', he reinstated the post it notes and the love continued to spread!

Apparently, if your note has stickers on it, you are extra special.!! Sometimes, he even had someone help him write your name on it! my sweet little boy............spreading warm fuzzies..........love him!! (Right now I would give anything to get him to quit printing off Webkinz and start 'spreadin the love' again!)

oh, Mexico!

Much to my surprise, when our friends approached us with an opportunity to fly to Phoenix, AZ and then drive to Puerto Penasco, Mexico..........Jamie said YES!! So we did it! I am so glad we did! A wonderful time was had by all. Our kids had never been to beach before. They could have spent every minute digging in the sand and catching crabs under the rocks! AND, lucky for us, the Easter Bunny found us....WHEW! It was a great adventure..... Here are some shots of the fun............and the aftermath!

Casa de Smith and Pogue

They've got Sierra right where they want her!~

Some super cool little dudes!

THIS IS WHY I LOVE VACATION!!

the kids loved the music at EVERY meal!

TRASHED!!!

Some very tired little ones!
THIS IS WHY I HATE VACATION!! (and this is just the tip of the iceberg!)

MINDLESS

Is the fact that I used up my long weekend vacation updating myself on the daily activities of all of pop culture the reason I just had to call Jill to help me with my 2nd grader's language arts homework? (don't answer that)!