What a Whirlwind Week

This has been a BuSy week.

Monday

Wrote emails, blogged

laundry

took the boys running with stephanie

swim lessons

lunch

scera pool

snuggle to the movie, Smurfs 2

Dinner 

FHE on faith like a seed

Maddix to bed

Co-workers come over for Softball Practice

Listen to Enders Game 

Bed

Tuesday

Laundry, cleaned room

Running

swim lessons

lunch

Provo Pool with Ryan and Janae Leash

Girls Movie time with my mom

Rush home, clean kitchen

Visiting Teachers come

I go Visiting Teaching

Come home to find more co-workers for more softball

Stay up and talk real late with Travis

Bed

Ryan is seriously one of Maddix's
favorites

Wednesday

Slept in (was nice:)

Played with the boys

Swim Lessons

Lunch

Cleaned

Relaxed

Trav dropped boys off at sitter

Dropped me off at work

He studied all night and

Got a haircut!!!

Enders Game

Bed

Thursday

Cleaned (I do that a lot)

swim lessons

park

lunch

play with boys

naps/quiet times, finished cleaning

can't take being at home so we left, including Travis 

Dinner at Chuck-a-rama (payed for by Lou and Wayne)

Took boys to my mom's

Softball game against Provo Chuck-a-rama

We killed them

Picked boys up

Sat and joked and talked until really late

Bed:)

Friday

Woke up at 6:00, wide awake

Blogging

Going to make bed and fold laundry

Still VERY happy about how fun that game was last night

Farewell Hermosa Shurtz!!

I have this cousin, Kara; she's pretty cool. And last year we took this amazing adventure together clear across the world and ever since then I feel like we have a pretty sweet bond.

This was in Prague

Today was her mission farewell. She leaves tomorrow... tomorrow... to Madrid, Spain. So this morning we woke up at 5:45am, left by 7:15, picked up my brother in Provo, and hit the road again at 7:45am. One packed car, three movies, an audio book, and just over 3 hours later, we rolled into St. George and made it JUST in time for church and to hear her lovely talk. 

Let's take a group shot

Is no one ready? 

"rough row" 

With all the tasty food we could eat after, and tons of family/friends, we said goodbye to dear Kara and it the road back home. 

Are we ready for this photo yet??

Okay we finally got everyone together for
two seconds

He FINALLY crashed
for a bit on the way home. 

StRaWbErRy DaYs!

Chalk it up to childhood tradition.
           Chalk it up to having my own children to watch get excited.
                             Or Chalk it up to the Strawberries in Creme...
No matter the reason, this is one of my favorite times of the year. I LOVE the way it livens up a town, excites the children (heck, and the adults), and I'm a huge fan of the rodeo; however, none of this would even be worth it without my annual cup(s) of Strawberry's in creme:

This year did have it's share of high points and low points though :( For instants I had my biggest regret of my parenting career this past Monday! Three or four weeks ago I pre-registered Maddix for a Pirate Party. They were going to have real Pirate ships, costumes, swords, fog, cannons, and Jack Sparrow was even going to drop in... on top of this all, Maddix is really into Pirates right now so this was going to be the pinnacle moment of the summer. This was to be the moment of mommy-hood where I would become the best, and I failed.

I suffer from mommy brain.

I didn't forget. How could I? It's all I could think about. 

I wrote the date down wrong. It was Monday, I thought it was Thursday. It was 5:00pm Monday night when I was flipping through the S-B Day's calendar and happened to glance at the date... then I looked at the clock... and I had missed it by 3 hours! BOOOOOO! I'm still heart broken, and probably will be for a very long time. 

Life moves on, I guess.

Part of this week's celebrations included Huck Finn Days. This was the first time we've ever participated in this portion and it was a blast; it was extra fun because we ended up running into cousins Porter and Lucy, as well as our Durfee friends. 

This was the favorite
part of the day

All these kids would have needed was this stream of water
and they would've been content

But since there was more to do,
we participated

Porter: sporting world cup decor, Lucy was a butterfly, and
Maddix got a lizard to match his shirt (which he soaked and
took off shortly after)

Open area full of water
and stalked with fish

"Look, no fish!"

"Mom, look it's Costco."

They were trying to show Maddix how to hang loose with
his fingers, but ended up just flashing three fingers
"because I'm 3 guys."

Hay search. He found a pencil

Durfee Friends

There was a pet show going.
This is Eddy the pony

To end the Huck Finn Days we waited in a line for 30 minutes for a tractor line. As we reached the front of the line they came and announced there would only be one more ride; we were back one person too many. As grief sunk in, Maddix began to cry. We were about to walk away when a little girl forfeited her turn with her brother so Maddix could ride! What an angel she was! She saved his day.

We also made it to the carnival where Maddix met his Dopple Ganger (his twin). This boy was about 6 or 7 and his mom was just as blown away as I was by their similarities. They shared a ride together then ran around the park wanting to hang out:) 

We had a fun Mommy-Maddix Date while Aaron napped, and Travis studied. 

Mid Week Report

I admire people who can blog once a week and so eloquently sum up all their activities so concisely; it's just not me. I am wordy, and when too many events pile on top of each other it's better for me just to break each post down into a few days... hence this mid week report. The nice thing this time around is I get to start with: 

~Father's Day~

I woke up in sheer excitement for Travis's gift, of course he slept in; so I had to wait. 

Maddix joined me in our anticipation and helped me set things up; aka, the bike. 

This year we were able to get Travis a hybrid road bike/mountain bike. 

We wheels it out and set it up, then waited. I've been able to 

keep it a real surprise. He's wanted one so bad,

and he had no idea, No idea! 

Que Travis waking up

He says, "morning"

Que Maddix

"Dad! Dad! Come see your new bike! Are you excited? We got it for you! And it's outside

/:[

Sigh. 

Travis was so excited.

He went out and took it for a spin, 

All the while I was thinking, "Well at least I can still

surprise him with the other presents, ya know, that will be good.

Travis returns from taking the bike for a spin. 

Que Maddix, the worst secret keeper ever,

"Dad come see the other presents,

they're inside!"

Boo. 

After this funny, somewhat fail of giving him gifts; just kidding with was a total success, he loved

them all! We went and had breakfast with the Johnsons and I think we gained a few 

pounds from that meal alone. Unfortunately I didn't get a single photo of 

any of the dads. Only one of my niece mooching from my plate:)

After church we then had a Mexican Fiesta with my Dad and Wendy's family. Once again the food was too good, there was too much, and I had no self control... none. I may never

forgive Wendy for leaving that pan of Chocolate Tres Leches... mmm.

Okay, all is forgiven. 

Happy Father's Day

After all the work and energy and cleaning that went into a weekend of parties, when Monday came I said, "screw it" and no cleaning was done. What did happen was a lot of time

spent on the floor playing with Maddix and Aaron, 

Snuggle time while we read books,

a trip to the library, 

family naps,

non stop laughing,

real quality time together,

movies together with everyone, and

absolutely no cleaning, no errands, and no check lists

... this has gone on for three days.

I don't regret it:) 

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We fell asleep reading
together:)

Maxfield Family Reunion

This year we held the Maxfield Family Reunion at my grandparent's home;

which is where I live....

.... bring on the stress to get the house sparkling clean and the yard

in prestine condition before all the spies,  I mean relatives arrived and collected data to return

to my grandparents about how everything looked in their absents;)

I think everything turned out nice and it was SO much fun to get all the cousins, second cousins, spouces, etc together and have some fun. 

Highlights: Doug whipping out his guns and inadvertently forming a man's circle, multiple rounds of speed (of which I won all the one's I was in Hooah!), and the cotton candy/popcorn/snow cone machines my dad brought to the party; good times:) 

This was Maddix's first time playing
real games with the big kids
(and he was winning)

We love our U. Scotty

I love these faces:)

Ridiculousness, but they're so much fun

The man circle and their guns

Cotton Candy!

Soon to be step sisters.
These girls are so sweet, I'm glad they could make it!

This man is NOT sweet...
but I'm still glad he made it;p

Some of the Littles

A few more of the gang. 

Of all the photos this is my favorite. These are my grandma's brothers
and this picture just says so much about them:)