HP #6

I saw the new Harry Potter movie the night before it came out and I had a hard time with it at first. I like to read the books before I see the movies so that I remember what goes on...but I think that I do more damage that way. I was so mad at some things that they didn't put in and somethings that they did put in that weren't in the book and I was so frustrated by the end that I didn't know what to think. I really liked it, but man was I on a high horse about it. After I had cooled off for a day I woke up the next morning and thought "that actually was a really good movie." It was very funny and I'm glad that it had so much humor in it. I felt that they spent a little too much time on the whole Ron and Lavender and Hermione love triangle, when they could have spent that time on other things. The part where the death eaters blow up the Weasley's house was really cool...but not in the book. I was very disappointed that they didn't do the battle at the end in Hogwarts. Jason read an article in which the director was asked about that and he said that he didn't put it in this movie because there's another one in the 7th movie...Well, so what? Put them both in!!! They are both really important, I think, and these movies need a little action! Anyway, I hope they put Dumbledore's Funeral at the start of the 7th movie or I'll be really ticked off! I'm a little anxious about the 7th movies. They left so much out of the 6th that sets up the 7th. It'll be interesting to see what they do with it. One thing is for dang sure though, I am NOT going to read the 7th book before I see the movie!

The Secret's Out

Ok, well, I've learned my lesson the hard way...a 6 year old cannot keep a secret. On Father's Day Jason found out that he is the proud poppa of "El Numero Cuatro" as we are lovingly calling it. The girls were given very specific instructions that they were not to tell anyone until we heard the heartbeat. My three year old kept this secret better than the older one. But now we've heard the heartbeat so I can post it up. Yes, we are expecting and I am unofficially due on Feb. 15, which means that I will probably have the baby on Valentines Day. My children like to be born on holidays. We are not for sure on the dates yet and hopefully we'll find out more at the next appointment. So, there you are. Was this planned? Of course!...just not as soon as it happened. But we are very excited and we can't wait to welcome our new little one. PS-we are having a little issue with our internet provider. They cut our internet when we told them to cut our phone-lovely. So, until I get that back you will have to endure the outdated background and music. Sorry! On a happier note though, my house is much cleaner now that I don't spend every spare second on the computer!

4th of July

Well, another holiday has come and gone. This year was really fun for me. Jason had the day off on Friday so he went fishing with his dad. I think Jason caught two fish and his Dad caught one, but hey, that's better than nothing. I took the girls to Provo's Colonial Days. They have reenactments of the signing of the Declaration, a short tour through the printing press that printed the first Book of Mormon and Gutenburgh Bible, as well as, the first Deseret News. I learned a lot of things there that were really neat. I want to go back and do the 2 hour tour, but not with my kids. They could barely handle the 15 minute tour. It was really hot outside but they had a lot of fun activities to do. They had people dressed up from the Revolutionary War Era and when you walk up to the print shop they have several different flags from that time period. My favorite one (besides the first American Flag) was the one that had a snake cut into pieces that said "Join or Die." England and France and a few other European countries used to send their prisoners and slaves and "Vermin" basically to the "America's" for punishment. They were exiled from their country and sent to ours. So, Benjamin Franklin wrote an article in his newspaper that said we should return the favor and send these black snakes ( I think they were) to the Kings and Parliament of these countries. And so they did. I can't remember what the Join or Die was...I want to say that it meant that those who came from these countries had to take up arms with us and fight their people for our freedom or be killed. They had to join our side or die! Anyway, I thought that was a funny story. What's sad and hopeful at the same time is that we still get the very poor and destitute who try to make their way into our country looking for a better life. Some make it and some don't. And while I understand that we need to be careful about who comes here and what they do, we need to understand that the majority of those who come are looking for freedom from their different bondages and are we not the land of the free? Isn't this how our country was founded in the first place? The pilgrims left England to escape their Tyrant King who dictated how they lived, what they said, who and what and how they worshipped. Speaking of that, they had a replica of the Mayflower II and the girls signed their name on the registry. There was a big long thing to read on that registry but the girls wouldn't let me read it. They wanted to move on to the next thing. They had games to play that were played during that time, food to sample, we watched a few women actually spinning wool into thread, Abe Lincoln came out and gave a nice speech, they had chalk art and the girls tried their hand at that. In fact, we were admiring a chalk art picture of Betsy Ross and a few people were walking right across it! I said, "hey, that's not nice." So, when a man walked back across it Maddie said "Hey! Don't walk across the picture. It's rude!" The guy apologized and said he didn't even notice it. I bought a Declaration of Independence for a few dollars that I helped print on a real printing press and plan to do a nice patriotic display. As I sat and thought about who in my family has served their country I was amazed that I have a few. We ended our fun with a cup of homemade raspberry lemonade and the girls each bought a small American Flag that they bugged me to get. I really enjoyed it and I think the girls did too. When we got home I left Jason and the kids at his mother's house and headed out with his mom, sister and sister in-law to Sundance for a Patriotic performance by the Utah Symphony. I love the Symphony and there is nothing better than nature and music together. Sundance was beautiful! The weather was perfect and the program was phenomenal. The first half was a tribute to the 40th Anniversary of landing on the moon so they chose "spacey" music. They opened with Star Wars which I love! They also played to songs that were written after the planets. This English composer wrote 7 symphonies about the planets...he left out Earth and Pluto. We heard Mars and Jupiter. I'm pretty sure I was the only one in the audience who had ever heard these before because I had to listen to them for a music class in college. Robert Redford came in a while after it started and sat in the next section over from us. I tried to get a picture of him but he was sitting right next to the railing. The second half they played a march by John Philip Sousa and "Johnny comes Marching" (the ants go marching one by one hurrah! hurrah!) Then they played a medley of Big Band, Swing, 40's music. I love that music!!! I was so excited and had to really refrain myself from standing up and dancing. Then they went back to the patriotic music and played all of the songs for the different divisions of the armed forces. I love that part. Everyone stands up when their respective division is being played and it's nice to honor those who have served our country. They ended with Stars and Stripes Forever. I keep forgetting that I have a three-hand (well actually it's a six hand- three people) piano version of that song. I want my 2 sisters in-law and I to play it. I forget about it until the day of the 4th when it's too late to start it. Oh well, maybe I'll remember it for next year. I'm sure my sister in-law Kristy doesn't ever want to go to the symphony with me again because I hum along, play along if it's a song I've played on the violin or piano before, and I conduct along as well. What can I say? I love music! So, that finally brings us to the 4th. Jason went hiking in the morning with his dad and brother. His dad has this camera that takes pictures when it senses motion and they had retrieved it a day or two before to take the pictures off of it. They had pictures of deer, elk, bear, coyote, and even a bobcat. So, they were putting it back to take more pictures. If I understand it correctly, this helps them know about their hunting spots for hunting season. When he came home we loaded the kids in the car and headed out to a park that we go to every year with my extended Newbold family. We picked up Subway on the way and enjoyed it at the park. We have a water fight every year, but it wasn't as "wet" this year without my uncle Bryce who had to work this year. We play water balloon volleyball and other board/card games. The guys play a couple rounds of horseshoes. My dad came and got me and told me I had to get a picture of this. Jason had thrown a double ringer! My dad was so proud of him that I guess he thought it was scrap/blog worthy. It's in the slide show. Way to go Babe! When I got there to take the picture my uncle Jeff had knocked one of Jason's off (turd!) but they put it back for the picture because actually the game was already over. My dad and Jason won. The girls enjoyed playing on the playground with their dad and swinging. Nathan was a stinker and wouldn't take a nap. He's walking now and so he just wanted to explore. He was still cute though. We headed back to Jason's mom's house to have a BBQ and see his grandma. Then we skeedaddled on outta there to head to Murray park to meet up with my family and watch the "big fireworks." This is the first year we have done this. We felt the girls were finally ready for it. They loved it!!! Maddie was in 7th heaven and every single one of them was her favorite. Emma, of course, liked the pink ones. Nate wasn't sure what to make of them at first, but then decided that there were far too many other interesting things around him than fireworks. He didn't really care about them towards the end. I was worried and thought he might be a little deaf because the noise didn't seem to bother him. Remember that part in Mr. Holland's Opus when the firetrucks are going by and the little boy is sleeping through them and that's how they find out he's deaf? Well, I know that Nathan is not deaf but I was sure wondering. Afterwards we made the trek back home and scanned the radio stations for some patriotic music. It was so funny because I heard about three songs that were played at the symphony, one of which was Jupiter! Anyway, it was a fun filled day and I'm so grateful to live in a free country, be surrounded by family and friends and feel a sense of unity with everyone in the nation for at least one day. Happy Birthday America!