Big Budah Part 10

 

Bigh Budah Part 9

 

Big Budah Part 8

 

Big Budah Part 7

 

Big Budah Part 6

 

Big Budah Part 5

 

Big Budah Part 4

 

Big Budah Part 3

 

Big Budah Part 2

 

Big Budah Part 1

So getting up at 4:30 in the morning isn't especially my favorite thing to do . But it was a great opportunity to promote the Studio and get our name out there. We had fun with Budah.

 

Big Buddah

Stay tuned! Next Wednesday at 6 AM, I will be on Fox 13 with Big Buddah with the dance studio! Hope the tired eyes won't show!

CSI: Farmington

Residents on Glover Lane woke early Sunday morning to to a gruesome and heinous sight. Four bodies were found in the driveway at the home of Kevin & Mandy McLachlan.

Units were dispatched to contain the crime scene and gather information for the investigation.

From what we can deduce from the crime scene photos, released exclusively to The McLachlan Chronicles, it seems a drive by shooting of chalk people occurred sometime between 11:00 PM and 5:00AM at the McLachlan residence.

Several weapons were recovered from the scene which were covered in a mysterious chalk like residue. Shell casings were also found coated in the same chalk residue.

Police have put out all points bulletins for any individuals seen in the vicinity with chalk on their person.

Detectives are canvasing the area asking residents if they noticed any suspicious activity in the area prior to the killings.

Several 5 year olds were detained for questioning; no arrests have been made.

A neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, indicated that the culprit may have in fact been none other than the McLachlan's young son, Thomas. "He's cute, that kid, but sometimes...sometimes I see him outside with the chalk giggling. You just never know with people. I never thought something this...terrible would happen in our neighborhood. Who would want to harm chalk people?"

Upon over hearing the neighbor's accusation, Mrs. McLachlan, in a fit of rage, yelled at the neighbor, "WE DON'T EVEN HAVE CHALK!"

If you have any information into the deaths of these unfortunate chalk-people, you are encouraged to contact your local police department.

Independant: Part Two

After getting back home and taking a nap, We headed over to Kevin's Uncle & Aunt's house for the family festivities. Dinner was delicious as usual with all the fun things we all bring. Thank you so much to Big A and Debbie for hosting the shin-dig every year.

Kevin got in the kiddie pool with Thomas while I was on picture duty.

The volley ball tournament started and they played several games. Kevin's family is amazing at volley ball. All of them. It is fun to see them really go for it. Even the pregnant cousins join in. (Just because I don't play doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the skill they all have.)

I got to hold Thomas and warm him up after swimming, before Kevin took him on the trampoline for the first time. He had a blast! The pictures aren't the best quality here. He wasn't exactly at a stand still. Kevin and I laughed SO hard.

The neighbors had chickens Thomas wanted to go see. So much fun to hear your toddler walking around saying, "Bok! Bok!"

After another volleyball game in the dark, we headed over to the church lawn to watch the Centerville fireworks. Thomas loves them. He loves looking for the colors and hearing the boom. About halfway through the show, Thomas said something so profound, it took me back a bit. "Fireworks. Dancing. Sky." I nearly teared up. Yes, son, I couldn't have said it better myself.

Thomas and I headed back home to sleep in our own bed, after having been in a hotel the previous night and much sleep deprived, and Kevin stayed a bit to stay up with every one else and get the traditional midnight pizza. I am told that it all started way back in the day when July 3rd landed on a Sunday. (The party always starts on the 3rd and doesn't end until the 4th.) The kids all started getting hungry and wanted to order a pizza. The parents wouldn't allow it because it was Sunday, and told them they had to wait until midnight so it would be Monday. The rest is history.

The next morning, we woke up and headed back over for the parade and the breakfast. Thomas loved the firetrucks. He sat on my lap and waved his little flag and waved. Every once in a while I would let him up to get a piece of candy that came close. Kevin reached out for the farther ones. The breakfast was delicious as usual thanks to Allen & Debbie. We decided to give Thomas a ride on the see saw. He squealed and laughed.

We finished up the night with some snaps and sparklers in the back yard. I would say it was a good fourth of July.

And so it begins...

Okay- here we go with part one of the July 4th saga. Hold onto your skirts kids!

So, Kevin's family has big time 4th of July traditions. They have an outside dinner at Uncle and Aunt's house, swimming and water stuff for the kids, followed by a volley ball marathon until you can't see the ball anymore, fireworks at the near by park, card games until midnight when they order pizza, sleeping out in sleeping bags on the lawn, big outside breakfast, and the parade going right by the house, more volley ball and kids swimming. It's quite an event.

I know I'm going to get a bunch of flack from the Webb family reading this for admitting this out loud. Just hear me out. I didn't grow up with these things, and really don't enjoy volley ball, card games, swimming as a general rule or sleeping outside. I'm glad that they enjoy these things. And I am grateful that we have a family that is so close- all 80 of us. And I am grateful that I can come every year to be a part of the family tradition.

This year I was thinking about the holiday and how I never look forward to it anymore and how sad that is. I realized that I can't change the tradition that has been set in stone for decades in Kevin's family. But I can add my 4th of July traditions to the mix.

Growing up in Provo, I was spoiled with the Freedom Festival. We never had money to go to the Stadium of Fire or anything, but that was the only time that my family really did anything. I would say that July 4th is the only time we had any "traditions". We would go either on the 3rd or the 4th early in the morning and see the Hot Air Balloon Festival. Then on the 4th, get up and go to the Scout breakfast fundraiser led by Brother Sanchez and his boy scout troop. Then head over to my mom's office on University Avenue where we would watch the big parade, and then go over to the festival and walk around all the vendors to window shop. At night we would go behind the hospital to get the best seats to see the Stadium of Fire firework show. We would sit on the hood of the car and ooh and ahh with everyone else and feel like a normal family. I loved 4th of July.

So, I decided that this year, on the 3rd, we were going to the Hot Air Balloon Festival. I thought it would be perfect since Thomas is OBSESSED with balloons. Kevin was really excited about it. We booked a hotel in Provo and went down Thursday night to avoid a 4:30 AM wake up call. We were able to bring Chewy with us too. We went to eat at Carrabba's Italian Grill. Always so good. Went back to the hotel and got our swimming stuff on. While Thomas usually loves to swim, he was a little off and wasn't sure he was down with it. We switched from the hot tub to the pool a couple of times. Kevin and I took turns swirling him around. He wasn't digging it much, so we went back to the room and an anxious Chewy. We jumped on the bed and snuggled. None of us slept really well, but I guess that happens when it's not your bed and when you are trying to share it with a toddler.






We got up in the morning and went to Fox Field where the balloons were. Kevin didn't realize that you got to walk around in between the balloons as they were blowing up. You can literally reach out and touch them. Thomas was a little groggy, but was amazed with what he was seeing. Could balloons really be this big? There are always at least 20 balloons at the festival. Balloon pilots come from all over the country to participate in the festival. It's really cool. When we stepped onto the field, I got all nostalgic and shed a few tears. I felt like I was being transported back in time. It was wonderful. As the balloons were all inflated, the first one took off. Poor Thomas wasn't happy. "B'loon! B'loon! Get it! Momma get it!" He didn't want it to fly away. We've told him that if he doesn't hold on to his balloon, it will fly away and never come back. Way to go Mom, give the kid a balloon complex. Once he realized he could still see the balloons and they weren't going to fall off the planet, he enjoyed it.

To wrap up part one, we went to breakfast at Einstein's Bagels, back to the hotel for more jumping on the bed and packed up to go home. It was a great outing. Kevin commented that he enjoyed it and we should do it every year! Hooray! hope you enjoy the pictures!

Blog procrastination

Is it a bad thing that I'm putting off my July 4th weekend post because I realize that it is going to be huge and I don't have the patience to sit down and just do it? Sigh- Maybe you'll get bits and pieces here and there. Don't be surprised if it takes me a little while to get it all posted.

And you are all probably thinking, Mandy if you would have just started posting now instead of wasting time with this little "update", you'd be that much further along. Yes. I know. Just roll with it. :)

Adventures with a 20 month old

So we bought some juice at Costco that was an Apple, Peach Passion Fruit blend. Thomas requested Apple juice and I had to tell him we didn't have Apple juice, but we did have Apple, Peach, Passion juice. He looked at me a minute, said ok, and took the drink from me. He took a sip, looked at me again with a bright smile on his face. "Passion!" He cried, "Yum!" He's been asking for "Passion" ever since. I hope he doesn't request this drink in nursery or I'm going to have some serious explaining to do.


We went for a drive in the canyon this past Sunday up to the Farmington radar domes. Thomas had fun running around the top of the mountain. He found three rocks that he couldn't be parted with. So, we have 3 new pet rocks that end up in one place or another around the house.





The Blazer got filthy. So yesterday I took Thomas with me to go get it washed. I told him that the car was dirty and needed a bath. I was worried that he would be afraid of the loud noise, so I was explaining to him what each step was, "Ooh, look at the water rinsing off all the dirt! Here come the bubbles to wash the car to make it clean! Now it's time to..." He started crying. Great- I thought we were doing so well with not being afraid. I asked him what was wrong. To which he replied, "Bubbles! Wash away. Bubbles! Want Bubbles!" The poor little guy didn't want the bubbles to go away yet. I supressed a giggle and explained that like him in the tub, the bubbles wash us and then we have to wash them away. He sniffled a bit, and then got over it when I asked him if he had his rocks with him. Luckily, he did.