An interview about Papa.

4 kids (ages 14, 12, 9, & 6) were interviewed, separately, about their Papa.

Here's what they said.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Papa?
Bryson - adventure
Carson - guns & four wheelers
Kendall - how nice he is
Camdon - that i want to go stay at his house


What is Papa's favorite thing to do?
Bryson - shoot guns
Carson - go shooting
Kendall - golf
Camdon - fly in an airplane


Why did Nonni marry Papa?
Bryson - because he was ripped
Carson - she thought he was so handsome
Kendall - because he was a good guy
Camdon - he looked good


Why did Papa marry Nonni?
Bryson - she had moves like Jagger
Carson - she's fun & crazy
Kendall - because of how she acts
Camdon - he thought he could have fun with her


What is your favorite thing to do with Papa?
Bryson - shoot guns
Carson - go shooting
Kendall - go to the cabin and go on walks
Camdon - play nerf guns with him


If you gave Papa a nickname, what would it be?
Bryson - champ
Carson - cowboy
Kendall -
Camdon - silly pickle


What is Papa doing right now?
Bryson - flying in his plane, fighting fires
Carson - flying an airplane
Kendall - eating
Camdon - watching football on TV


If Papa was an animal, what would he be and why?
Bryson - bobcat because that's the animal I'm the most scared of
Carson - a lion because he's strong
Kendall - Tiger because I hear him say "tiger" a lot.
Camdon - an eagle because he likes to fly.


What makes Papa mad?
Bryson - Rylie. Just kidding, when we do triple X stunts on his gator or quad.
Carson - when you shoot his window with a BB gun.
Kendall - when you take the gator without asking.
Camdon - standing or walking on the counters in the kitchen.


What do you think Papa said when I was born?
Bryson - uh-oh.
Carson - dang it.
Kendall - there she is!
Camdon - oh, she's so cute!


What makes Papa the greatest Papa in the world?
Bryson - his six pack
Carson - he's not boring
Kendall - he lives in Safford & I can go visit him at his house.
Camdon - he has a great house house & a gator that we can ride to our secret hideout. And, he's also fun to play with.

Happy Father's Day Papa!

We love & miss you!

A woman like you

My cute husband, who rarely listens to country music, says to me the other day while we were driving, 

"Have you ever heard that song 'A woman like you'?"  

He says with his handsome, scruffy faced, bashful smile, "I like it. It's exactly how I feel about you. If I never met you, I'd be searching everywhere for a woman just like you."

Sweetest man ever. 

He doesn't get sentimental often, but when he does...

just melts my heart.

Double dating

My big boys are gone this week.

One at scout camp and the other on a "super activity" with the other 14/15 year olds in our ward.

It's cliche, but I miss them already.

And last night I didn't sleep well, I kept thinking of all the crazy stories Lee has told me of dumb things boys (and their leaders!) have done both when he was a scout and all the years he's been a YM leader.

It makes me miss them more and want the week to go by quickly!

However, Lee and I have had lots of fun double dating with these two hugabugs!

Aren't these the summeriest straws ever?

How much do you just love summer?!

Lee came home from work today and I said, "How much longer do you think until our backyard is finished?"

He started going through all the things that needed to be done still and the order they need to be done and how long each thing would probably take...

This was more information than I wanted.

I interrupted him with, "What I really want to know is if I'm going to be able to throw a summer pool party because I found the funnest straws that just scream summer."

He just breathed in real deep and exhaled slowly...

i get that reaction alot from him.

An adventure so epic...

I remember a time, when I felt like i couldn't go anywhere without my kids.

They were little, attached, and couldn't be left alone.

 I would wait for Lee to get home, then sneak out the garage door before they could even sense I was leaving, just to return something to Target or grocery shop alone, uninterrupted.

It was a real treat.

I dreamt of days of freedom, days of when one of them would be old enough to watch the others while I ran out.

Fast forward 4 successful potty training's, 4 kindergarten graduations, and 2 visits from the puberty gods, and here we are now...freedom.

It was great at first.

Then it got boring. In some twisted way, I missed their company.

And so I would tell them I was going to run some errands, anyone want to come?

No takers.

I had to get clever.

So, I announce to the village people that I am about to embark on an adventure so epic, no one will want to miss it. There will be stores filled with food samples, great places to play hide and seek, wide aisles for wearing their heelies and wheeling around.

Stores filled with toys and even video games to play on.

Escalators to ride up and down on...

more fun and adventures than you can imagine!

"Off to run errands again mom? Can you get more hot pockets while you're at costco? And if you really make it to the mall, check out the vans store and see if they have those shoes in my size yet. See ya."

Really, still no takers?!

And so, I resort to bribery. 

"I will let you pick out a king size of your favorite candy bar!"

Kendall pipes in, "King size candy bar AND a churro from costco and we're in."

I take the deal, load up the two youngest and head off.

My afternoon is full of running in the aisles, playing tag in the grocery store, bumping into other shoppers, arguing over the current "made up rules of costco tag" and lots of "how many more stores?"

I get lots of looks from other shoppers. 

That one that says, "keep your kids in line."

And I feel like saying, "Yah, they begged to stay home with their older brothers. I could have come here all alone, Scot free. Instead, I am actually paying them with chocolate and sugar sprinkled pastries to come and stress me out and annoy the heck out of you!"

What is wrong with me?!

I don't know, but this makes me smile big everytime I look at it.

The end is in sight!

Today our pool is being filled! 

Yes, the pavers aren't all done,

yes, we're still surrounded by dirt,

and yes, there is still A LOT to be done.

BUT, the pool is being filled so we can at least keep ourselves cool from the 112 heat!

   

Lazy summer mondays...

Today (Monday) we went swimming at our friend, The Hatch's, they have quite the pool setup and the crazies had a blast...

...and, Camdon lost his 2nd tooth while we were there (photo courtesy of Kendall) :)

And one last hurrah...

One last hurrah for the adults before the kids are out of school...

Yep, babe, you still got it! ;)

"Really, mom?"

I know, I'm a serious joy kill.

That's what happens when you to don't spend your time wisely during school to get good grades...

the free ride comes to a sudden halt.

Don't get me wrong, it's still pretty cushy around here but we have a certain policy around here,

"you scratch my back, i'll scratch yours"

You work hard, get good grades, participate in sports, help out around the house with a few mundane chores, and we're happy to pay for and provide several opportunities for you to have fun, go away experience new things, like EFY, scout camps, BYU camps, family trips...

You keep up your end of the bargain, we keep ours.

It's simple.

First day off and this is what we get?

That's right, I'm that mom.

Their first day off looked like this.

Time to earn money for all those fun summer camps you wanted to go to, remember? :)

Graduates

Wednesday, was Bryson's last day in junior high,

and Carson's last day in elementary school.

Both were gone the whole night at graduation parties.
(I wasn't invited to either of their parties so...
no pictures.)

I was, however, invited to Kendall's school to celebrate summer with a "water day"!

The injustice!

Tuesday, my baby graduated from kindergarten.

 To which he turned to me and said, "That's it? Don't I get a trophy or a ribbon or something?"

"All that for nothing?!"

37 Days of Summer...

Our school district is on a modified year round schedule. I love it, but we only get 37 days off of school (not including weekends, just actual school days).

However, we do make the most of them!

My summer challenge? To document it all.

Our summer kick off began memorial day. We had monday off but had to go back to school Tuesday and Wednesday.

I'm starting my "photo journaling challenge" memorial weekend.

We surprised the kids sunday after church by telling them they had 20 minutes to change their clothes and grab a swimsuit, toothbrush and pajamas and meet us in the car.

It was fun listening to them speculate about where we were going and what we were doing.

We took them to a nice resort in North Phoenix with 7 different pools & hot tubs, water slide, pool volleyball nets, cool water falls and features and THIS is the pool they liked the most...

...guess it's because it was the smallest, most private and they liked it just being our family.

Who knew?

Glad they feel that way though, cause I feel the same way. :)

Confessions of a not so "stay-at-home-mom"....

Oh, are you a "stay-at-home-mom"? the dental hygienist asked.

I responded yes, but after pondering the previous day, found myself wondering if there really is such a thing...

7 am. Kids bustling about getting ready for school.

Run out the door to grab some milk for breakfast. Set it on the counter, call for child #1 to get in the car for early morning volleyball practice.

Run him to school and back to finish getting kids 2,3, & 4 out the door.

Walk 3 & 4 to the bus, wave by to #2 as he rides his bike to a different school.

8 am. Kid #2 is back. Pump up tire, throw bike in back of suburban and run him to school.

8:15. Off to the gym to work off the muffin top.

Stop by friend's to lend a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear for her badly broken heart.

Visiting teaching.

Pick up essentials needed for child #2's scout campout this weekend.

1:00. Back home.

Return missed phone calls/texts, tidy up kitchen.

Receive text from child #1 pleading to bring his forgotten uniform to school for team pictures.

Oops, I forgot to put that in the dryer before i left this morning...

Drive to school with shorts hanging out the window in hopes they will dry.

It actually worked, an extra block around the school and...yep, they're dried!

Run uniform into school.

Drop off stuff for Young Women's.

Pick up lost dog wondering neighborhood, drive to noted address on collar and deliver to a much relieved owner.

2:00. Back at home. RSVP to birthday parties.

Change out clothes to dryer.

Quick shower, dress and make bed for the day.

3:00. Kids home.

Homework, snacks, listen to days events.

Get water bottles ready, hurry kids along to get changed for practices.

Drop off to wrestling practice.

Back home to pick up for activity days.

Baseball game.

Volleyball game.

Eye appt for child #1.

Start the circle again to pick up everyone.

30. Home again for dinner.

7:00. Scouts & Young Women's

8:45. Home for good...i think!

So what's that about being a "stay-at-home-mom" again? :)

Happiness

They make my heart smile.

...and overflow with love and gratitude for each one of them!

A big thanks to Liz for capturing each of their personalities!

Tonight I am grateful.

Tonight I am grateful for family.

I am grateful for my four kids and my wonderful husband.

I am thankful for my brothers and my sister, for all my in-laws.

I am thankful for my mom, and tonight, I'm especially grateful for my dad.

Tonight, a plane crashed into the Superstition Mountains on its way home to Safford.

It was a plane owned and operated by Ponderosa Aviation, the company my dad flies for.

My dad knew the pilot and co-pilot.

They were bringing back one of their families for Thanksgiving.

My heart is so very heavy tonight for the families and friends affected by this tragic accident, including my mom and dad.

I think of all the hundreds of times my dad flies during the year...

The times he use to fly down and pick my family up to bring us back to visit...

I don't want to think about it anymore.

Tonight, I am grateful for my family.

Shut your mouth.

Stop it.

Shut your mouth, I got a

Vitamix.

I know, crazy excitement ensuing over at the Varney house.

Who wants to have a demo party? Oh yeah, me. I do. Every time my kids (or anyone) has walked into the kitchen this weekend I'm asking them if they want me to make them something with my vitamix. "Wanna see me blend this entire apple? Wanna watch me make a delicious smoothie using spinach? how about avocado? oh yeah, i can blend the entire avocado seed, wanna see?"

They're not quite as excited as i am...yet! :)

I have longed for this baby for so many years I can't even remember!

So, I told Lee I would build our house, I would be the general and the only payment I would ask for in return was a Vitamix.

Ta-da!

So I've only had it for a couple days but I've made ice cream, insane smoothies, drinks, sorbet...

Ahhhh, I'm in love.

Sometimes they fight.

I have two boys exactly two years apart in age.

They fight.

We started with time outs, then standing nose to nose.

From there we moved on to me telling them to take it out to the trampoline and don't come back in until you've gotten in all out of your system...and no crying.

Then it was "best friend duty". If they fought they got the opportunity to be each other's best friend for one whole day. No doing anything with friends or even by yourself. Your "best friend" must accompany you in all your tasks...like a missionary companion.

The latest thing my ever so creative husband came up with was they each had to make a list of 20 things they liked about each other and then read it to one another. Every morning for the rest of the week, they must go into the other's room and read their list to them.

Carson's list to Bryson:

sometimes your nice.

you help me.

your athletic.

your fast.

your cool.

your funny.

you stick up for me.

you go to church.

your smart.

you play things with me.

you don't cuss.

you are good at volleyball.

your good at TF2. (a video game)

you are good at wii tennis.

you have good friends.

your good at making friends.

you are not fat.

you are a good example.

you are a great friend.

your my brother.

Bryson's list to Carson:

I like your humor,

your airsoft skills,

your soccer skills,

how you ask me to help you on your homework,

you helping me out.

I like your (sun) glasses,

when you play volleyball with me,

when you let me hang out with you,

when your nice to me.

I like when you don't complain,

when you let me take a turn on the wii/computer,

when you let me on your ipod,

when you ask politely,

when you laugh with me.

I like your laugh,

when you compliment me,

your trampoline tricks,

how creative you are.

I'm keeping them.

It's a good reference to have when they tell me how annoyed they are by the other.

I can just refer them to their lists.

Unloading the brain...

I kept waking up last night. I was so exhausted but my brain wouldn't go to sleep. I think i need to empty it.

carson has asked me three times now to please pick up the next book in the Alex Rider series, by Anthony Horowitz, from the public library, today's the day. carson has also asked me three times for a much needed haircut, today's the day? soccer practice tonight for number 2, & 3. i'm coaching number 3's team (that's a whole other blog post!) need to figure out our practice field situation, did they get my message about the lights not being on last week? Kendall needs new shin guards. carson needs new cleats. there's a broken tile in the computer room, need to get the guys out to fix it. missed the HOA mtg to submit landscaping plans, now we'll have to wait til they meet again next month, ugghhh! need to call and check on my father-n-law, see how knee surgery went. thinking about signing up to do the urbanathlon in November. need to settle on a light for over the master tub and for over the kitchen table, enough with bathing and eating in the dark! kendall's 3rd grade team needs more tax donations to get them on their field trip to kartchner caverns, need to remember to do this. completely out of bread, need to bake more today. need to finish the super activity recommend card the bishop asked for, by tomorrow, yikes! carson slept in the theater room last night because he couldn't stand to be in the room next to bryson, they got into a wrestling match while we were all in bed, i could here the yelling and then the crying but was too tired to get up and do anything about it, no good mom points for that one. need to figure out how to make those two get along. came home from walmart a couple days ago missing a bag, still need to make it back over there to figure it out. bought a darling pair of new shoes on clearance from TJ Maxx, got home, tried wearing them out only to find that the left shoe is mismarked in size and is a size bigger than the right shoe, need to return. thinking about bryson's 14th bday next month, what to do to celebrate it? thinking about carson's 12th bday five days later, what to do to celebrate it? trying to plan a family camping trip during fall break. need to finalize all the food, that i'm in charge of, for 33 girls and 6 leaders for our super activity in CA in a couple weeks. did i pay all the bills for this month? what should i make for dinner, is it too late for crockpot? remember to make a hair appt. Lee's bday is a week from today, what to get him? what to get my dad, his bday is a few days after lee's. need to make plans with the varvel's this weekend, haven't seen them in awhile, miss them. need to take lemon bars to the neighbors, they've been hinting about them for months now and i haven't had time to even talk to them in quite awhile now, don't want them to think we're mad at them, they're such great neighbors. make sure bryson follows up with Father Eric from Andre House, where we volunteered in the soup kitchen last night, about eagle project opportunities. make a list of jobs carson can do to earn $ so he can start paying back for the other neighbor (not the lemon bar ones), pillar he destroyed, and we had to pay for, when he crashed into it with the golfcart...he needs to learn responsibility. need to set the alarm clocks to wake up earlier so we actually have time to read scriptures in the am and/or have family prayer. suppose to go hiking with a friend tomorrow, haven't heard from her, wonder if we're still on. we're out of milk. kendall still doesn't have mirrors in her bathroom vanity, i really need to get on that. we really, really need to get moving on the backyard landscaping if we want it done before the fall birthdays and thanksgiving, which we are hosting at our house. i need to get a passport. both boys need their scout patches sewed on, my machine is broken, i don't know where the patches all are nor where they go. i hate scouting. i really need to hang the picture in the hallway rather than just prop it. the curtains in the theater room need to be fixed, an extra bracket in the middle or a new, bigger rod entirely? Maybe less curtain. i need to figure out window treatments in all the rooms. need to call the window guy to deliver the screens. hope he still remembers me! the electrician needs to come back and add the two light switches he forgot. need to get the windshield replaced in the suburban. i wonder where the lady from the soup kitchen, the one who you couldn't see her eyes because her bangs where too long, slept last night. did anybody put the cat in the laundry room last night? (i found out the answer to that one when she woke me up at 3 am to come inside.) should i call the AC guy about the rattling noise coming from kendall's bedroom vent or is it not that big of a deal? carson's teacher scheduled parent/teacher conference on the one day i told her i couldn't do it, need to call her. need to make bryson an eye appt to get new contacts so he can actually see the board in class and i don't have to have all six of his teachers call me in for another conference about it, no good mom points for that one either. need to call the fireplace guy. need to pick up the special marinade from the carniceria for lee's bday dinner. need to setup a time for dinner with maxine and cousin mindy, still have maxine's bday gift and i haven't seen mindy in forever, need to catch up. i need to spend more one on one time with each of my kids. when could i schedule that in, evenings are so busy. should i sign them out of school and risk getting another letter from the state about how i could serve jail time if my kids miss too much school?

Ahhhhh, much better.

My happy place.