That pretentious u-know-what!

Here is a photo of some Germanic-looking people congratulating an unidentified man on the purchase of his new car. I think it is rather pretentious of him to organize an entire parade based on that alone. After all, what is the big deal? It is only a Mercedes-Benz. BMW is the ultimate driving machine.

Thanks a LOT Callee!

Our middle child turned four today!! Manda's birthday day was not horrible by any standards, but by dinnertime without a nap she was fit to be tied - so I put her in time out, and locked her out in the backyard for a few minutes so Nick and I could eat in peace. Next thing we know, she had found her hidden birthday present (a new bike) out in the shed and was asking Daddy to get it out for her. She thinks Callee (just one of her imaginary friends) got it for her. Sigh. Nice punishment, huh? Now what the heck are we supposed to give her at her party???

That's How We Roll...

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'...
These girls are quickly growin'!

Allison and Amanda are having a birthday! Come bring your bikes, skates, sand toys, strollers, scooters, bocce, swimsuits and towels, and whatever else you got, and roll with us this Saturday!

Where: Laveen Village Park
What: Pot Luck - we'll bring the sandwiches, you bring the salads!
When: 10am - 1pm

Roll on over!

Here is one of the nicest pictures! The trip to Pine Cone Hill was a great one with these five getting a little fresh air and a good run in the park. We hope Adeline and Landon can join us next time. The weather was nice, the McDonalds about what you would expect and the run in the grass was just what the doctor ordered. If I say so myself, these new cameras make photographers of us all. Bikes were ridden on this day. Swords were hefted and even little Joshua had a little zephyr in the hair.

Yes We Can-Can

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!I stole this one from Tiff....it was just too funny!

Happy Thursday from Josh

His sisters are hilarious.

If only they'd stop trying to tickle him all the time...

He actually sits like this quite often, with his hands folded snugly and tight.

Strawberries. In anticipation of more.

One can almost taste the ripe ones and feel the juice running down one's chin and onto the shirt. So delicious that those who love them never stop to ponder whether they should save the shirt or dive headlong-in and relish them as they should be relished. Ice cold, stems on and at home where you really don't even have to try to explain. After all, it is strawberry season.

Number three.

Cameron and Robyn Carter are very happy to present Baby Boy Carter. They are still trying to figure out a name for him. I like Nathan's suggestion of Computer Man. Computer Man Carter has a nice ring to it.


From what I hear, they had an interesting time at the hospital. They were there for about 15 minutes before Computer Man was born. Congratulations Cam, Robyn, Nathan, and Jacob. We are very excited about this new addition to your family.

I'm completely intrigued...!

I was surfing around today and came across this

(Aubrey or Colman, please fix my link so it works...)
http://letterboxing.org/

and I'm totally fascinated! Who knew there was such a cool thing happening in the country, and all around the world?? I could totally see this as a way fun activity to take up with your kids!

Shellie's new computer.

or she could go with the silver model...


I just found out they make a pink version too...

I'd rather not look at the shabby photo clipping anymore...

I'm getting a new mac! I won't have the slightest idea how to work the new operating system, however... Someone please give me a tutorial on 10, would you??

Buy some stuff! (I lack both skill and software)

I seriously lack skills...

Peaches

The peaches will be here tomorrow. I will most likely go pick them up tomorrow afternoon...

Visitor...

Hey forgot to mention that we had a visitor over the weekend - actually quite clever, he was - he totally made Manda laugh...

Entry number seven

Courtney and Nate invited us over for a turkey dinner. Let's just say those two really know how to put on a show.

Wrapping paper, chocolates, magazines, kitchen gadgets, tools, toys...

Allison's first school fundraiser! How fun is this??? She brought the catalog home today, and I'm actually impressed with all the stuff, and the prices aren't nearly as high as expected...

Of course, she's already thinking she wants the Ipod for the selling prize, for which she'd have to sell more than 175 items... but what a kick, huh?? If a kindergartner actually did it??? Ha!

Check it out if you want to - website is www.sallyfoster.com - and email us if you want to order anything and help out Allison's school!! shelliedesign@gmail.com

We ended up not having to use the bow and arrow. Jacob pretty much took care of any wild animals. In fact he actually beat us all to the top!

Oldie, but goodie...

I think this is funny, even if Nathan says he has seen it before....I just can't get over how frightened he is and how Janice can't quit laughing.

Luau Highlights

wild animals

Last fall we hiked hole in the rock. Nathan brought his bow and arrow to protect us in case we ran in to any wild animals. Too bad we didnt see any.

What are the odds?

I couldn't believe Court had already posted one of these. Jenn at work has been making them all day, and I couldn't resist using Courtney's "Happy 24th of July" picture in one.

I learned something today

Who knew I'd been making a bunch of "meringue mistakes" all these years... read this, you might learn something too...

http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/dessert/a/meringuemistake.htm

Let the contest begin.

I like Robyn's idea... a photoshop contest! This is my first entry titled:

Playing on Mars and holding the Earth while pondering the meaning of our mortal existence, death, and eternity.

photo shop contest

Now I am not sure, but I think Shellie might have just beat Aubrey with the most consectutive posts on the Carter Family Blog. And if she hasnt then I am interrupting with the proposal of a photo shop contest (seeing how the last time I checked the blog was Carls beautiful work) Lets see what you all can do, I know I have seen some pretty impressive work in the past.

Severus Snape

Anything that makes me laugh out loud, I simply must share.

Books

These are all of Joshua's favorite books, according to Manda... she set them up so he could see them all at the same time.

Feeling the groove

Yeah for Allison's first school "project"! We have to make a homemade musical instument for her music class on Tuesday - I've looked at stuff online and there's a ton of cool things! The teacher wants something to be able to "use in future music classes" so we need materials other than paper towel rolls and tape, you know - hopefully I can talk her into something like one of these... ANy other great ideas, pass them on!

The rudest thing I've ever heard

Seriously.
Nick went to Walgreen's yesterday evening to pick up something and took the girls with him. They were both very well behaved, partially or mostly due to the fact that he was buying them lipgloss. He had the typical conversation (which I always have) with the cashier.

"Are they twins?"
"No, they're two years apart"
yada yada

But THEN, the cashier said "The older one looks nice, but the younger one just looks evil."

Are you kidding me?

Feeding the Missionaries

http://www.mormonchic.com/recipe/recipebox/pages/missionaries.asp


This looks like a cool website with way-cheap recipes. I'm tired of seeing the seagulls...

Guess which one is the real Carl?

That ain't no bull.

I think this just about says it all.

Joshua

By the way, thanks everyone for coming to my blessing last week! I had a great time at my party afterward! Sorry, Grandma, for my little accident all over you...

Happy Halloween

Look, I'm trying to be like Courtney! Love the way my "boo" letters turned out, and had to share!! I'll be teaching a class at our ward's super Saturday next month, should anyone like to make a set...

Thanks for letting me steal the idea, Court!

Canon Rebel XTI Mania

I propose a family picnic (in a month or so, when it's a little cooler) at a nice park or somewhere with lots of grassy knolls, where we all take our nice cameras and start shooting - - in hopes of getting a GOOD family picture, and maybe couple pics of Shellie/Nick, Cam/Robyn, and Colm/Aubrey to print in black and white for the Carter basement frames...
since right now, BigNathan and Court apparently are the only good looking ones in the family.

Happy Birthday Colm

May your 27th year be full of peace and prosperity.

Shat on LSD

You know nothing about awful music videos until you have witnessed this spectacle!

A new treat!

I honestly couldn't make it to the end of this one.

Ode to the Bouncer

'Twas white and blue,
And sturdy too
This little bouncer of ours...

Several states it roamed
Through many homes
And kept kids happy for hours.

'Til little Joshua came along,
It did its job just great.
But big sister Manda had too much love,
And sealed our bouncer's fate.

Mommy tried to fix it with glue,
But it held for just a day
Big sister Manda broke it again,
On Joshua, it seems, she must lay.

Now it's time to toss in the trash
Our bouncer of white and blue.
You may pay your respects here on this blog
And we'll all sigh, boo hoo.

Our Week...

Allison started kindergarten.


Joshua smiles all the time now. Nice foot, Manda...


I think we'll send Manda to that Newport Surf Camp next year.


And overheard,

from Nick to Shellie during B.U.
"From now on, I'd like to be known as 'the asset'"

from Manda, trying to describe Oreos, along with hand gestures
"I want those white circles with the two brown things on both sides"

from Allison to Shellie
"It's easier shopping without Manda and Joshua, huh Mom..."

from Manda to Nick at 6am one morning
"FRIIIIES!!!! I WAAAANT FRENCH FRIIIIIES!!!!"

from Shellie, excitedly, to old schoolmate at class reunion
"You married Melissa??!! (my friend) Why didn't you bring her???"
response
"Uh, we got divorced two years ago"

oops.

Two little beach girls

Two rare beauties posing for Grandpa.

Why you doe haf bofren??

Had to share...

Happy 24th, I love you guys!

I must share this.

Not going anywhere for a while? These guys have a great solution for boredom. Someone show this to Sheriff Joe.

Curse you, Stephenie Meyer

Sigh... I decided I'd check out what all the hype was about, and MAN am I hooked. I thought I would be able to casually read this Twilight book until we went to the beach, and be able to save the new Harry Potter for then...but now that I've read 250 pages of this book, plus the alternate first chapter from Edward, and gotten absolutely nothing done the last 24 hours, I see that it's not going to last that long! Sheesh! How many books are in this series anyway? Someone please give me the 411...

Now that the Independence Day celebrations are over we can turn our attention to July 15. It is a good day. Let all be reminded of the pain of one of my birthday parties of the past.

My mother invited my third cousin Bryon (Aunt Kippy's grandson) to my birthday party that year. I did not want him to come because he did not have a present for me. Mother won that arguement. I never liked Bryon much after that. First, he came and he was not even a close friend--even though he and I were roughly the same age. He could have done a lot more than he did. Looking back, it was probably a little hard for him...being about five years old.

Oh well, I got my stuff. In a day or two all the toys were broken and we went back to normal things.

Let's not let that happen again, eh?

Heber Fireworks Part II

More pictures from Colman's camera at Heber:

I crown thee King Landon:

Two out of three ain't bad:

Sweet Manda:

Striking a pose:

The long and winding rope:

Let Freedom Ring

Yeah America! This is true Patriotism...




American wins hot dog title over 6-time Japanese champ!

Chestnut, the great red, white and blue hope in the annual Fourth of July competition, broke his own world record by inhaling 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes...

"If I needed to eat another one right now, I could."