This is Kaitlin. Hey. Sup. How's it goin'? I'm the guest blogger this week, I guess.

Kaitlin's photo on the advertizing poster.

So this week, firstly we went to my Photography Showcase at my school. It was nicely set up, with all the pictures matted or nicely framed around my school media center. There was happy guitar music and tasty cookies at the end. A bunch of kids got awards, but I didn't, and that's cool. One judge voted for me. :) But a couple of kids have told me they loved my pictures and I told them that if they remind me on the last day of school, I'll give my photos to them, buuut I seriously doubt that any of 'em will remember. hehe

What else? Well, since this next week is the last of school for me, we had our end of year assemblies and all that jazz. They announced that next year, not only will we have a bronze mustang statue put up in the commons, but we are also gonna have sleep-in Fridays! Yay! I love sleep-in Fridays! But they also said we're going to have 3 lunches instead of 2, which means that there is even less of a probability that I'll be in lunch with my friends. Then again, I don't like my friends, so maybe it's all a blessing. :) The teachers flat out told us not to show up next week, since it's Tuesday through Friday and everybody sluffs anyway, but I always go. I show up and tell the teachers to "Please teach me something so I can learn!" But they roll their eyes and I end up cleaning. It's fun anyways. I'm looking forward to it.

Yesterday we went to Planet Play, the fam and I. It's this little fun center about what, 25 minute drive away from our house?  We walked in and we were all pretty much thinking the same thing: 'This is going to be soooo lame...' but after two games of black light mini-golf, we went and ate at this super amazing all-you-can-eat buffet, and the food was never-ending and surprisingly delicious! I mean, have you ever had barbeque pizza? Me neither, but its probably the most wonderful food I've ever eaten in my life. And there was a slushie machine, and I think everyone in my family had at least 3 of those little slushie cups.
After we ate, we went and played some arcade games, which generally, I don't enjoy. Also, I'm not very good at them. But we played everything from throw-the-balls-at-the-screen to step-on-the-button-when-it-glows (Which we dominated. I'm talking like, 60 tickets per game. Of course, it was considered a "toddler game" in the little kid section, but whatever! :D) So that turned out to be really fun.

Waiting in line for laser tag.

And we did laser tag, and it was Ruth and Jared's first time. Our whole family was the blue team, and everyone else was the red team. As my mom said, "It's the Barnums against everyone else." Needless to say, we won. Dad won, actually. He had the most points of everyone. I always feel really ninja during laser tag, because you have the vest, and the gun, and you're trying to shoot everyone but be sneaky at the same time. I was trying to be real spyish and hid behind stuff and shoot people in the back. That's fun. I wish we could play laser tag whenever we wanted. Like, have a fun center in the basement? Yeah, yes? Potential remodeling plan? haha

Hmmm...uhm, Jared got his karate suit this week. He wears his belt with his stripes on it pretty much every day. Except today. I just looked over there and he's not wearing it today. Weird. His karate suit is pretty cute. I like it. Jared also got these suspenders to wear with his Sunday clothes!! SO. CUTE. All he needs is a little newsies hat to wear with it! I love it!



Oh, and lately we've all been talking about names. I have a problem with my name in that firstly, no one knows how to spell it, and secondly, there are bunches of Kaitlyns and Kaitlynns and Caitlins and Kaitlins everywhere, and I don't feel original. So we've been talking about things to change my name to. I don't like Kate, and mom says I'm definitely not a Katie, so this week we've been trying Kay. And it's not working. But it was cool to think about, because then we'd have Jared Jewelers (♫ It can only be Jaareeedd! ♪),  Kay Jewelers ( ♪ Every kiss begins with Kayy ♫), and....Ruth. Which is not a jewelry store. So then we decided to change her name to Fred. Don't ask me why. I guess Fred is a jeweler? :P But if you care to know, Jared wants to be called either Zane or Jay, and Ruth wants to be called Rue as in the Hunger Games (or street in French. Rue is street in French. Fact of the Day.), and I...still need a catchy nickname. Hit me up if you have any ideas.

Our Week in Pictures

I had a great birthday this year. Ruth and Jared are still off-track so we spent the day together. Chuck brought home pizza and we finished the night with Kaitlin's choir concert. I got a new shirt and a new laptop (as mine had been acting up).

Kaitlin did great in her end of the year choir concert.  She is looking forward to being in the advanced choir next year.

I made these eagle wings and this owl hat for our cub scout Arrow of Light Ceremony this week. It's fun when you get a chance to do something truly creative like this. I'll also wrote the ceremony. I'll put a link to it below.

I played the role of the Bobcat in our Arrow of Light Presentation.  The two boys are my last Webelos who both got their Arrow of Light that night.

Jared's been pretty bored during off-track, so in addition to swimming lessons, we've tried to stay busy with some projects. Jared built a 5 foot tall K'nex Roller Coaster and also made these "boppers" out of pool floats and PVC pipe.

After a long morning of weeding and mulching the flower beds, we took Ruth and Jared to see "Avengers" at the movies.  We loved it.

On my birthday I took Jared to buy all new Sunday clothes as he had grown out of his.  As we were leaving he asked if I would also buy him some suspenders.  Well, who could resist?  Isn't he a handsome kid? (no he didn't lose a leg, it's the photo angle)

Today we are got ready for the solar eclipse by by building a pinhole projector. It works pretty well and we only have to wait a couple more hours.

Here is a link to the Arrow of Light Ceremony that I wrote.  For those that don't know, in Cub Scouts, the Arrow of Light is the highest award that a boy earns before he moves on to Boy Scouts. So it's a pretty big deal.

The Sophomore Home Stretch

Kaitlin is in the last few weeks of the school year. She is overwhelmed with AP tests, projects, finals and concerts. This week she started to put together her final portfolio for her photography class. Here are a couple that she included:

Each week her class has a theme, and the theme for this week was "Smile You're on Camera" and had to do with taking a portrait that caught the unique personality of the person. This photo of Jared won the "Photo of the Week" out of 90 students and is now hanging on the wall of her classroom.

The theme for the week this photo was taken was "Once Upon a Time", where the photo needed to tell a story. That is Jared at the top of a slide.

Other Happenings  

• This weekend, Chuck and Jared went to a Father & Sons camp out with our church. When I asked them how it was they said that it was "fine". They didn't take any pictures but Chuck tells me that Jared had his fill of marshmallows.  

• We finished selling off all of the old kitchen (appliances and cabinets) this week.  We gave up on selling this dishwasher and just gave it away.  

• Chuck and I went out on a Mother's Day/Birthday date on Saturday, and then today (Mother's Day) the house was all cleaned and I was given a new set of pans.  Yea!

• I got the garden planted this week. Tomatoes and peppers.  We lost all of our lettuce and peas to an early attack of Summer-the-hungry-bunny. 

"Why do you hate me?"

Jared asked me this question the morning I forced him to go to swimming lessons.  Jared's never taken lessons, and he is getting to the point in scouts that he needs to be a stronger swimmer so I signed him up during this, our last off-track time of the year.  He did not want to go at first (thus the comment), but after his first two lessons he is really loving it and has asked me to sign him up for another round.  It's amazing how quickly things change.


Scout-o-rama

We went to our first ever Scout-o-rama this weekend.  That is a big gathering scouts where there are lots of booths of different activities for the scouts to do (and things for the parents to buy).   We didn't know how huge it would be (it filled the entire convention center). We spent hours doing the activities and could have spent hours more. I was amazed at the hundreds and hundreds of volunteers that were working at the event. Here are a few pictures:

Jared rocked at the bridge climb.

There were several different rubber band gun shooting galleries. Now I want to make one.

I sword fought Jared a few different times. Everyone in the family could do the activities.

This was one of two rain gutter races we did. The other one was duckies.

Even  Chuck and I fought one battle. But the guy running this one wouldn't let Chuck hit me so I won. Not that I needed the help mind you.

Annette, Lisa and Amy (I'm taking the photo)

BYU Women's Conference

One of the highlights of my year is the two days every April/May that I get to escape with my girlfriends and go to Women's Conference.  BYU Women's Conference is  put on by the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  All day you attend different presentations on various subjects. I particularly enjoyed hearing from the head of the church's Humanitarian Services, Ruth Todd, a Temple Square organist, Brad Wilcox and Ardeth Kapp.

Here we are making puppets.

 On Thursday night we participated in a huge service project; We made felt hand puppets for Head Start. There was also a concert that night that had some nice moments. On Friday, our closing speaker was Elder Anderson. Afterwards, we walked around the art museum and went out to our traditional pizza at The Brick Oven.  Of course the best part is spending time with great friends.  Thanks ladies!

Flat Jared went to see his cousin ice-skate

The Adventures of Flat Jared

Jared has been working on a project at school.  After reading the book, Flat Stanly, Jared made his own "Flat Jared" and spent a week writing down all the activities that they did together.  Then, for the next part of the assignment, Jared sent his little friend to his Aunt Laura in Minnesota to spend a week with her.  She has been taking Flat Jared everywhere and we've been getting regular updates on Facebook. Flat Jared seems to be having a great time and our family has really enjoyed seeing all the adventures that he's having.

Before and after: The main reason we started this project is because when you opened the dishwasher it blocked the sink. We cut out the peninsula, created a small island and moved the dishwasher. We also moved the much larger cabinets away from the window to give it a more open feel.  In the pictures from last week you can see that we moved the refrigerator out of the doorway. Now you can open the fridge and it doesn't block entry into the kitchen and living room.

Almost There 

The hero of the remodel!

We put a lot of finishing touches on the kitchen this week. Chuck got the microwave and the dishwasher installed. He put in new molding to replace those we ripped out when we did the floor. It is looking fantastic and we are so glad to be nearing the end of the project. I also was able to sell our old fridge and stove so we've started to get some of the old kitchen moved out.

Scouts  

We had our pack meeting this week and Jared earned a belt loop for gymnastics and also the gymnastics athletic pin.. This is his first athletic pin and we are proud of him. Those months in gymnastics class were good for something. I got a patch for finishing all my training (scouts love training!). Speaking of training, this week I volunteered to join our districts round table staff (yes, you heard right, volunteered. Amy, stop laughing!). I'm replacing a lady who is moving so will just assist for the next couple months and then I'll take over as district trainer for the Webelos (you don't need experience evidently, just willingness).  


Youth Group Responsibilities

 Kaitlin and Ruth are setting in in their new responsibilities with their new youth group. Kaitlin is adjusting to the idea of being the president of her group. She is learning to give assignments and take responsibility. Ruth likes working with the other girls in her group, though I get the sense that she would be happier if she were in charge. Kaitlin is also getting ready to be a youth leader at girls camp this year. She will be certifying the younger girls on various skills. This will be Ruth's first year at camp and she is excited. Camp is a week long in July.

Under Construction: our week in pictures

On Monday, for family home evening,  we continued our creative cooking adventures by making personal chocolate cakes in the microwave. They turned out as well as you would expect a cake in the microwave would.

The cabinets were delivered on Wednesday morning. Only one day later than promised because last week, at the last minute, we decided we wanted them glazed.

By Wednesday afternoon our team of installers had arrived and got to work. They struggled at first because, evidently, our walls are neither square, nor plumb.

At the end of the first day of construction this is what our kitchen looked like.  We ate out this night and Jared also went to his first night of Karate at our local rec center (he loved it).

And just to break things up, this is our bunny summer. She is happy that the weather is warm and there are lots of good things in the yard to eat. Including my peas, which are now nubs.

Kaitlin tried out the closet to see if it would go to Narnia. It didn't.

At the end of the second day of construction.  There were a few pieces missing, and one cabinet door didn't fit and had to get re-made.  We had a potato crockpot dish that was okay.  We are getting sick of camping type food at this point.

Friday morning, our installer, Juan, is busy at work, fixing the hardware that had too long of screws, adjusting all the hinges and getting ready for the counter tops.

By Friday the appliances had been delivered and the counter-top was installed.  I can't fine the "before" pictures, hopefully I'll be able to post some before and afters next week so you can see the huge contrast.

Friday night we spent an hour wiping everything down. It was all thick with several types of dust including regular and saw.  We also propped the doors open to air them out. Our whole home smells like Sherwin Williams.

On Saturday morning Chuck tackled the installation of the new garbage disposal and kitchen faucet. He was also going to instal the dishwasher but discovered the opening they had left was too small. We will have to call them tomorrow to come and rip it out and reset the edge cabinets to fit the dishwasher. 

Here is our kitchen as of Saturday.  It is almost done.  Kaitlin made sure to put the certificate she had earned at her BYU Spanish competition on our new refrigerator.  She competed in a Spanish skit and was rated 'very good' and her school got 3rd place overall out of 8 schools.