Thursday, March 25, 2010

What's the verdict?

I get jury summons frequently...at least once a year! Maybe that's normal. All I know is that I get them way more often than Ryan. It could be because I am always trying to get out of it and I am on a list somewhere to "try again later". Anyhow, I saw my sister say somewhere something about jury duty and one of her friends said that she always gets out of it for the same simple reason...she is a stay-at-home mom. DUH! I have gotten pretty lucky (cancelled) or have come up with really good reasons, like being a nursing mother. Ok, same as staying home, but it sounds even more necessary!

I seriously have a target on me somewhere because I just got not ONE, but TWO jury summons! One for the US district court and one for our local court. One April 23, and one starting May 1. REALLY? I don't think I will have a hard time getting out of it after talking to the local court lady. That one is only one day, and when I told her I thought the other one was for a week, she said it could go as long as a year and a half! NO STINKIN' WAY!

So just wondering, this is my first time ever summoned for the District court. Has anyone else ever got a summons for that one too...or this close together? Or am I just lucky?

Friday, February 5, 2010

"A star is born"...so says his Dad!`


CARSON'S STATS:

AGE: 6 (7, IN MARCH)

HEIGHT: 4' 1"

WEIGHT: 55 POUNDS

POSITION: ALL, BUT HIS FAVORITE
IS RUNNING BACK ("BECAUSE YOU
GET TO RUN A LOT")






In his first ever pass as a quarterback, Carson threw a dart to his
teammate, Isaiah, who scampered into the end zone for a 35 yard score.
League sources say that might be a record for the 5-6 year old flag
football league since they play on a 40 yard field! Carson took a
sweep to the left side to complete the two point conversion. He also
reversed fields later in the game on a critical third and long, adding
20 yards to his rushing total. Dad was quite proud of these feats and
has already sent film to Bronco Mendenhall.

(***Mom was taping while babysitting, so that is the excuse for the poor video. You can expect many more low-quality home videos of Carson's football days to be posted later.)

Carson had his second game two weeks later and followed up his debut with a sustained touchdown drive in his only turn at quarterback. The drive included a clutch 3rd down pass. His two completions on three attempts for a touchdown lead the league by a long shot. I think he might have more completions than the rest of the league combined! As you can imagine, most yards in this league are gained on the ground. Carson also got into the action on defense making a tackle (flag pull) behind the line of scrimmage and by blowing up another critical play late in the game. What a stud!

Maybe obsessed?


Any time I look away, Deegan is on the Wii. When I mentioned previously that my kids love Super Mario Bros., I don't think that Deegan had really had any time to play this game on his own. He sneaks and plays forever...sun up to sun down if I let him! Routinely, I walk up the stairs and he has the volume turned down all the way (FYI Deegan: the remotes still makes sounds!) and as soon as he sees or hears me, he runs and turns off the tv and turns to just stare at me with the remote right there in his hand. I may not be a genius, but I am not stupid!

He's been grounded from the Wii for his disobedience and...let's call them "reactions" to my pleadings. I have hidden the remotes in my room and finally had to put them at the top of my closet. Shockingly, he was able to climb and get them down anyway, so I changed the location in my closet thinking that without anything to climb on I had beaten him at his own game. Let's just say that unless I can lock this stuff behind closed doors or duct tape it to the ceiling, nothing will stop him!

He dumped out my rubbermaids and made his own stairs right up to the stash! He is very clever and I am learning EVERY day that he is smarter than any of us have given him credit for! It's a good thing this kiddo is a cute one!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Super Mario Bros. Wii

Last night, Kaeleigh had the activity day for FHE. She kept asking if we could do her activity and we kept trying to get her to "stick to the schedule".

Finally, Ryan had to put Ashlyn and Deegan to bed because they tend to expire before the older two. So Ryan snuck away and I told Kaeleigh she could start her activity. I should have known...Super Mario Bros!

We stayed up until 10:15 (ON A SCHOOL NIGHT!) playing. I had been telling my kids stories about the good ole days when I used to play this game. Last night, I finally showed them my "skills" and they were amazed, to say the least!

Ryan came out to see what all the commotion was. We actually woke him up and he broke up the party. I knew it was probably getting late, but kept thinking he would come back from the bedtime routine and he fell asleep. We promised to stop to have family prayer and Kaeleigh, Carson, and I just had the giggles so bad we had to wait for prayer! I felt like a 10 year old! It felt good!

As I listened to Carson's prayers, he said, "I'm thankful that Mom got to play Wii with us and that she SAVED OUR LIVES!" I guess he doesn't realize that I am trying to save his life every day, just not in a video game. I thought it was cute though!

I think this game is fun, but now I know why my kids were getting so frustrated with each other. As good as I (used to be) think I still am, I was sabotaged by my little ones several times as they threw turtles at me, pushed me off a cliff, jumped on my head, and left me behind to die! I kept trying to tell them that you are supposed to get the coins and all the secret stuff and go down pipes...Carson just wants to run through as fast as possible. So every time I would collect coins, he'd run ahead and kill me off. At least I could come back in a bubble...until they decided to pop me right out into the lava or the hole of death! At least I have something that I can teach them now. I was feeling like Ryan got to teach them everything hard...like math! I think this may rank right up there on difficulty, depending on who you ask. (Don't tell Ryan, but I think they value my Mario skills to math-at least right now in life!)

Friday, December 25, 2009

Mom and Dad Vehar's Christmas gift

For all of Ryan's siblings, I wanted to post this video so that you can all feel like you were here as they received their gift. As far as I am convinced, they loved it. Well done everyone, and we hope you are having a very merry Christmas morning and have a terrific remainder of your day!


We miss you all and wish we were all together. Here's to a summer reunion...just not in Phoenix!!!!







Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmas greetings

Am I the only one that puts off pictures for that PERFECT CHRISTMAS CARD PHOTO until about November...just so that the kids don't change too much between picture take and delivery time? Maybe I started this bad, horrible, procrastinating, NEVER. GOING. TO. HAPPEN. habit as my kids came closer together. It seems we've had babies for a long time in this family and everyone knows that 2 minutes later, a baby looks much different. They never stop growing and living farther from family and friends, I always think I am going to get them their most up-to-date look.





Well, since Halloween, we have had nothing but fat lips, goose egged foreheads and black eyes! I know my Mom always just took the picture because with seven kids, there is never NOTHING wrong. Problem being, it was always me that had something wrong in all the pictures. With my VonWillabrands, I always had a bruises or a black eye (Luckily, I think I avoided having two at the same time!)


Some pictures I had chapped lips down to my chin or a bad haircut (self-inflicted, oh wait...that was Amy! Just kidding.) Regardless...you get my point! So looking at all the pictures I HATE. SO. MUCH(!!!), how am I supposed to do the same thing to my children of VonWillabrands heritage? I can't...or wait! Maybe I can because of PHOTOSHOP! I have located someone good enough to work my troubled family, but not till Christmas Eve morning...therefore, our card could be really late this year, or REEEEEAAALLLY early for next year.




For now, here's one of the kids and we hope that all of you are enjoying your Christmas season thus far. We are grateful for all our loved ones and terrific friends who love and support us. Here is Kaeleigh's elementary school chorus wishing YOU a MERRY CHRISTMAS!




Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The incredible, EDIBLE (by DEEGAN) egg:

Dear Eggnog, and scrambled eggs-with salt and pepper. Deegan REEEAAALLY likes you!

After nearly 4 hours at the allergist Monday morning, Deegan is free and clear of his egg allergy. He is still allergic to peanuts, but the Dr. is really hopeful that we are seeing good progress. We started by scrambling an egg in the microwave at the Dr.'s office and the nurse brought in maybe the amount of a teaspoon. She rubbed around the "pricker" in the egg to be poked on his forearm, and he had the scrambled egg rubbed on the outside and inside of his lips. Then he was supposed to chew it and spit it out. He got a little excited and ate some...immediately requesting more, with salt and pepper, PLEASE!

He got his wish (thankfully Mommy brought s&p from home since remembering this test last year). He started slow and worked his way to a larger portion every 15 minutes. He was just as amazing a little boy as I could have asked him to be. It's a good thing he's been desiring eggs for the last couple months. He just kept begging for more. When we were done, Deegan said, "I need more eggs."

What better way to celebrate than with a yummy cup of eggnog? Deegan's response..."MMMM! THAT. IS. GOOOOOD!" Our family has decided that Deegan must next try Cream Puffs, Angel Food cake, French Toast, omlettes, fried eggs, fried egg sandwiches, deviled eggs, and who knows what else! This is such a relief to our little man. He has not been able to eat ranch dressing, most salad dressings, mayo, miracle whip and on and on the list went! Not anymore. This makes our family so excited for Deegan. Even if he never outgrows peanuts, I feel like his world just got so much bigger! Looking at this list of food makes me realized that all those tears every time we told him "No" were really because he was honestly being tortured. Welcome to our world little guy-You're going to LOVE it!