The third time's the charm

I've tried to post this entry twice already, but my internet connection keeps fizzing out. So, here's the third enstallment of the Birthday Boy Saga! We were planning on having his party at the local park, but the weather god didn't check his calendar to make sure it would not be raining, so we had to make do with my house and backyard.
James got his very own cup of (watered down) sprite! He really enjoyed it.
This is what happens when you have too much to drink... even if it is just sprite- he's only 2! I wonder what his BSL (blood soda level) is?Half the party people outside while I'm cooking burgers- manning the grill so they don't burn!
This is Drue helping James open his presents! There were a BILLION kids running around my house, backyard, front yard and bathrooms. We had 22 people all crammed into my little downstairs living room and kitchen! It was HOT with that many bodies and we had the swamp-cooler on HI too! James had a great birthday party- his favorite part was when everyone started singing "Happy Birthday"- he got this enormous smile on his face and clapped when everyone was done. We DID have a difficult time blowing out the candles, though. He tried to touch them, but mom was quicker. All in all, it was a blessing to have so many friends to share his birthday with and we are grateful to everyone for their GENEROUS gifts... They were many, and James just loves them all!

Happy Anniversary to my Mom and Dad!

This is a "tandem post" with my sister to say a BIG HAPPY ANNIVERSARY (#19) to my parents: Alan and Michelle Simpson! We've been a family now for 19 years... that really seems like a long time when I put it in writing, but really, it seems to have gone on longer... or shorter. Depens on the day. I remember the day my parents got married- I can't forget it! It's my birthday! I remember jumping on the Michael's trampoline with Amy and getting our dresses dirty and ripped. (Granna was not happy about that!) I remember there was a lunar eclipse and the cake was yummy- so were the other food stuffs.

Here we are- 19 years later. And what's changed? A lot, but we remain family in a very real way!

Happy Happy Anniversary to my mom and dad- you're doing great!

The cake

Well, here it is! This is the Lightning McQueen cake I worked on for 2 days! Isn't it awesome?!
The red "icing" is a read fondant (that I also made). Unfortunately, the fondant I made is not friendly to heat, and also is not that wonderful to roll out in big sheets... Verily, I got a read fondant about 1/8 inch thick and lumpy in most places.
The tires are the wonderful Hostess Chocolate Frosted Donettes. The "windows" are white fondant, as well as the "swoop".
The anatomy of a cake: We  (Devany and I) built this cake in two steps: a regular pan "rectangle" cake and a "bowl" cake that we glued together with icing and then sculpted out McQueen's hood, side and back- adding cake where we needed to build him up.
Here's the back! Notice the tail lights? Devany had a wonderful idea- and its even better that it worked! Take those sugar-coated, "fruit wedges" and roll them out with LOTS of granulated sugar. Then, cut out your shape and stick on! They were easy and lots of fun!

 Check back for pics of the actual party!

The Museum, a big stick and a hat...

The Museum was a blast! James loved how small the exhibits were so he could play with them! There's a construction site, a house, a grocery store, a farm, a waterworks, a car, a ball "pit" and a marshland (for mostly LITTLE little kids). I'll bet you can guess James' favorite: The car, the waterworks and the ball "pit". The ball area is really neat! There are TONS of small plastic balls and you can put them into hoses and watch them being sucked up and deposited elsewhere; there are peg boards that you can put the ball into and watch it bounce around. There are Sorting Bins that you deposit balls into and each bin makes a noise (not irritating ones either, more like meditative ones). James' favorite thing to do with the ball was run (and I mean RUN- top speed for at least 1/2 hour- no joke). See the picture? Thats my little Prefontaine! Honestly! Even the Primary teachers (and the bishopric, and the little old ladies) all tell me that they've never seen a kid run as fast as my little rocket! Well, actually, the bishopric tells us how much they like watching us run after James, especially when he shoots down the aisle headed toward the stand! He's so fast, we're constantly on tenderhooks waiting to spring up and catch him. But I digress...

This is "the big stick". We had a huge summer thunderstorm and it knocked down big branches. So, the boy decided to become really good friends with this particular stick. Every day, he goes outside to see if todays the day that he can lift the thing... So far, no- but keep checking back.
It was Pioneer Day here on the 24th of July. Our ward had a big breakfast, I ran a 7K race and James donned his dad's hat to keep the sun off of his face!
The Thinking Ham Man- he's so funny! Such a ham!
The Car at the museum- holding a ball. This is the epitome of James.

It is the big boy's birthday next friday (the 8th). He has a little list of things he might like to have:

Linens for a toddler bed (same size as crib sheets)

contributions to the Dresser Fund

anything with Lightning McQueen on it (check back for his cake... its going to be awesome!)

Barnes and Noble Gift Card (he loves to read!)

perhaps a radio flyer tricycle... just maybe.

Bathtub toys! (Boat, shark, you know- boy stuff:)

I'm making him a 3-d Lightning McQueen Cake! I'll make sure to post pictures of his Birthday Party!

Hail the conquering hero...

This is the Kleenex party that seems to happen every time one of us is sick.

My little Beethoven! He particularly enjoys the organ sound- don't ask me why...

His favorite hiding spot is under the sink...
We all love the Autumn. 
This is a huge welcome home for my brother- Jacob Alan Simpson! He returned from serving honorably in the Edmonton, Canada mission yesterday morning! Things that have happened since he's been gone:

He acquired a nephew (now almost 2)

Harry Potter is complete

Amy graduated with a Masters

Ashley has a piano studio

Gas has tripled in price

His parents moved to a different country

His brothers outgrew him- Joseph is now the "tall one" and Sam is right behind!

We all figured out how much he means to us and how grateful we are to have him home safe!

I'm taking James to the Children's Discovery Museum this afternoon. This should be lots of fun and yield some great pictures!

Why we get certified

My father has requested that I share my experience with the "Lady and the rope swing". I've been instructed not to brag- Me?.

This is why we certify at girls camp for 4 years!

The last night of girls camp, we invited the stake leaders and parents up for a night- very similar to Liahona. At camp we have a rope swing. It is about 10 feet off the ground  so you have to hike up a hill to even get on the thing and when you swing, your apex is about 15-18 feet up in the air. It is an exhilarating feeling swinging so high up.

One of the leaders who came up to camp went to the rope swing and fell off at the apex- apparently, she lost her grip- and landed on her hands, breaking her wrist. I was in the "kitchen" at the time, and the girls ran from the swing to the kitchen to tell me what had happened. Quickly, I started out for the swing with some girls right behind me. I sent one for the camp director and one for a long sleeve t-shirt. When I got to the area, poor Michelle was laying on the ground with her arm out sideways, obviously trying not to cry too hard.

I arrived first, asked her the basic questions, looked at her wrist and -this is the important part- began to do the things I was taught at girls camp to do. We tried to splint, but it was too painful, so I made a quick sling out of the long-sleeve t-shirt, keeping her talking not focusing on the pain. We got her slowly to her feet, sent some girls to get the brothers who were with us, and slowly walked her to camp. When we got there, everything was ready for her to be taken to the hospital.

During the course of it all, I felt like I knew what I was doing because I had been learning how to do this for 4 years and had also just been teaching it during my girls' certification. The knowledge of how to identify, treat and transport injuries and injured persons was invaluable. This is truly why we do certification- just like the prophets have been saying for EVER: be prepared!

aaaand, we're back!

I've just returned from Girl's Camp! What a neat experience to have again- only this time in a totally different position! The last time I was at camp was when I was the "dirty duties lady" and c'mon, thats not a "FUN!" position. So, this time, I went as a ward camp leader. We do our girls camp very differently here in SLC. The ward leaders are in charge of EVERYTHING- one ward leader gets to plan all the crafts for the week; another one the service activity; another one the certification yada yada yada... Well, I was in charge of FOOD and I must say, that was an enormous job. It really made me appreciate the sacrifices made on my behalf so I could enjoy healthy, plentiful meals when I was a girl. Thank you to the pervious camp cookies who have served at girls camp year after year. Now I understand what you  have gone through. I'm sorry. the whole camp experience this year gave me a new-found appreciation for the camp leaders I've had in the past. Please allow me to reminisce. I'm grateful to Monica Kibble, Stacy Frost, Aikele, March, Hunt, My dad, my mom, Helen Thompson, Kerri Satterfield, Carol Gould, Barb Leal, Brother Leal, Capsons, Robin Riggs, Blanca Fetokai, the Sables, Pat, Lanette Hopkins, Bonnie and Jim Mattson and all the wonderful people who I can see in my head but not remember their names. YOU made my experience wonderful, magical, spiritual. I have attempted to do this year for my girls what you attempted to do for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

We utilized some Liahona traditions for camp this year! The girls began their certification/camp necklaces! They were always concerned with earning more beads- because I still have mine and everyone wanted to get farther and farther along to look like mine. Made me glad that I kept it after all this time.

We also pirated freely from my marching band experience. Whenever a girl left something in the eating/gathering pavilion that should not have been left, we (the leaders) collected it and would only give it back to the girls if they "squirreled" for it singing this song:

Grey squirrel, grey squirrel, shake your bushy tail

grey squirrel, grey squirrel, shake your bushy tail

Turn around and touch your toes

stick a nut up your nose

grey squirrel, grey squirrel shake your bushy tail.

This produces mainly 2 responses: 

1- mortification. These girls never left anything out again

2- encouragement. These girls left things over and over again! Pretty soon, we have a few girls leaving things out so often, we thought they did it because they liked singing the squirrel song. So, we changed their song. Instead of singing Grey Squirrel, they were obliged to do "the pencil". This consisted of them turning their backsides to the audience and writing the alphabet with their bums. Or their names in cursive. Think leading the music in seminary- now transfer that random hand wave to a posterior and it was EXTREMELY funny- and made me red in the face to demonstrate once.

When the girls were late to anything, they had to sing "I'm a little tea-pot" complete with actions. Again, I think some girls just liked to perform- and others never showed up late again.

All in all, it was a terrific week. We did a lot of good things, had a lot of fun and were really grateful to be back.

I'll post photos as soon as I have some!