Derby

Last week was the first time Stevie got to participate in the Pinewood Derby. He was so excited, so like any first timer he chose the coolest design for a "car".

Having gone to the Fort Douglas Museum days before, he was overjoyed to make his "car" into a tank.

Unfortunately, the crushingly powerful design of the army tank is not the most aerodynamic profile choice.

Although you can't see it here, there is one very disappointed boy in the crowd who came in last for all but one race, in which he took 3rd.

However, he did get an overwhelming amount of compliments for his totally awesome design.

So next year I think we are going to have to really get serious about this whole derby thing. Maybe even recruit a physicist or mechanical engineer for some help!

Big Girl!!!

My baby girl isn't a baby anymore. (sniff) I don't want my kids to grow up so fast!!!

I was so busy this week that the thought of cleaning my house and having a big dinner, cake, presents, and all the clean up was a bit much for me. Sooooo, I decided to take the party to a restaurant. Thankfully, the restaurant was ok with us bringing presents, ballons, cake, and ice cream. They even supplied us with plates for the cake. WORTH EVERY PENNY!!

Note the excited hand guesture. That, and a big gasp, came with every present! I love Emma.

A new laptop to match mommy's!!!

I think Pillow Pets are the most ingenious company in a long while. It's a very simple idea that I cannot believe hasn't been exploited before. And now they are on their second round of sales, the Mini Pillow Pet. So not only did I need to buy the full size ones for all my kids' birthday's last year, now they all have to have the mini one to match. What's next, giant size?

My Emma LOVES How to Train Your Dragon...we are watching it right now. When Hiccup rides on Toothless, she goes running around the room, pretending to fly. I love Emma. So I made a Toothless cake.

She loved it.

Beautiful Savior

I know I've been posting a lot of video's lately, and I have another for you today.

About 6 months ago I wanted to play Beautiful Savior for a church program (Christmas) in a flute violin duet. I looked everyhwere and couldn't find one. So I got the crazy idea to arrange it myself.

Of course I never got around to it and Christmas came and went. It was always in the back of my mind that I really wanted to do something with it, but never did.

Finally Easter drew near and I was again asked to play a few weeks ahead of time. I thought again about writing it, but figured I'd never have it done in time so I planned another song. One day I just sat down and started piddling on the piano with it, and it quickly started to take shape. I found a program to write with (thanks Drue!) and it all came together in 2 days!!!

Long story short, the director of the program heard the piece and wanted to put it in the program, changing the program just days before. (I'm a little flattered. I told her she really didn't need to, that all I really wanted was an opinion.)

So I'm sure that Steve broke some kind of rule, but he used his iphone to record during sacrament meeting. Let me know what you think!

This is Hilarious

This is hilarious!

We went bolwling the other day as a family (WAY more expenseive than I thought it would be) and the kids had an absolute blast!

Emma was hands down the funniest. When we got there she took one look at the lanes and said "It's like the wii!!!" Then about halfway through the game, she wet her diaper. Here was the result.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Stage 2

This is the creation of a bathroom.

Stage 1 was demo. We tore down EVERYTHING and started from scratch.

This bathroom is going where a storage room was, so the first steps were to cut through the concrete and put in the required piping for the sewer. Then concrete over them again. Next we ran all the new water pipes to the appropriate places and put in the tub. Then the electricity and lighting went in. Finally the walls went up and got a coat of mud.

So really this is stage 4 or 5.

Anyway, it's now at a point where it's starting to look like a bathroom, so it's time to document the process.

Stay tuned for tile, toilet, and vanity.

10 Things I Should Be Able To Do, But Can't

This afternoon I had a friend over to play through a song I arranged. Miracle of miracles, it was a success!!!

This overly-kind friend then asked me "Is there anything you can't do?" And I, in all of my brilliance, said "ski".

After she left, in true Devany fashion, I thought of much better answers to her question. There are so many things I cannot do, that I wish I could...and so here they are in no particular order.

1. Use a drill. I have tried and tried and tried. It astounds Steve because I'm handy with just about every other tool. Every time I pick up a drill, a hole appears in the wall...in the wrong place.

2. Keep my house clean. There is no way around it. If I send my kids away and clean the entire house, which I have done before, it is trashed within 1 hour of their return.

3. Bake 2 identical batches of chocolate chip cookies. There are 1 million ways to bake CC cookies and I have done at least 1000 of them, never repeating any two. (ps same recipe every time)

4. Remove chocolate stains from clothes. At this point, you may as well throw them away.

5. Diet. Don't even start with me. I've been down the "healthy" eating road, and it just leads to OCD. I'd rather be pleasantly plump than skinny and hungry.

6. Surf the Net. I just don't get it. See another recent blog post for a rant on that subject.

7. Kill a Spider. Actually this is only partly true. I have now gotten to the point where I can hit one with a fly swatter (thanks for that tip mom!) and kill it, but I am still unable to pick it up in a tissue. It just gives me the heebeegeebee's.

8. Say the word "AMBULANCE" quickly. If I slow it way down, I get it right. Otherwise it comes out as "Amblience" or "Ambelence" or something.

9. Remember...anything. Obviously I can remember things, but never when I need to. For instance, I remember it is Natalie's snack day AFTER she is taken to school. I remember my 2 pm VT appointment at 4pm. I remember I need to bring the diabetes bag AFTER we arrive at grandma's house. I remember to make my kids' lunches after I take them to school. You get the idea.

10. Eat fish. Now I do like crab, but it ends there. I have tried every kind of fish there is, even sushi. No thank you. It is disgusting! It tastes like dirty socks that have been stewed in sweat. There isn't a sauce strong enough to cover it.

Well I guess that's it. Other than that, I can do ANYTHING...except ski.

Good News!

My oven broke. YEA!!!!!!!! Now why would this be good news? I HAAAAAAAATE my oven!!! Just look at this hideously ugly thing, complete with wooden accents!

I have wanted a new oven for every Christmas, Mothers Day, and Birthday for 7 years now.

Steve is convinced that I sabotaged it somehow. Yea right. Like I would even know how to do that. Oooor, if I did, I certainly wouldn't have done it on a Sunday afternoon with company coming for dinner BEFORE dinner was made.

That's right, I was at the neighbors yesterday afternoon baking my potatoes and rolls.

No matter, today I went and got my dream oven. Drool if you like.

Isn't it pretty? I can't wait to try it out!