Quality Rock...

On the ride home from school with Steve Miller Band playing on the radio, Oakley comments, "They just don't make the quailty of rock and roll today like they used to."

Agreed...

The Happiest (and most Expensive) Place on Earth...

It all started in August with an empty vase and some marbles.  We told the boys that they could earn a trip to Disneyland if they filled the vase to the top by January.  They could earn a marble each day by completing their "Top Five" (make bed, eat breakfast and up dishes in the sink, get dressed, complete daily job, and brush their teeth)  In the beginning, they were highly motivated.  But they were still motivated 5 months later!  Whenever I reminded them they needed to get the marbles all the way to the top, there was never arguing about not wanting to do their job.   A M A Z I N G ! ! !

I don't know how many other people, if any, bring their own food on their Disneyland vacation.  But knowing that a sandwhich was $13 and a drink $5, I packed two boxes of cereal, nuts, dried fruit, and other items we could pack to eat in the Park.  When we were riding the shuttle bus from the parking lot to the terminal, Scott's friend from work asked, "What are in those boxes?"  When we told him we packed a lot of our own food, his expression said what most people probably thought.  It's a good thing Scott and I married each other- it is pretty rare to go to such extremes to save money.  But totally worth it to us.  Our Disneyland experience wasn't any less that someone else's who paid the outrageous prices inside the Park.

Grace and Eli are ready to see Captain EO, starring Micheal Jackson.  The 3-D movie hadn't been showing in over 10 years, but with the passing of Michael, it was showing again.  It was very obviously filmed in the 1980's- the costumes and music made it clear.  Oh, those were my glory years and they were really awful looking clothes.

Finding an area to break out the paper plates and assemble our sandwhiches.  Asher fell asleep pretty much every afternoon in the stroller.  It's a good thing we hung on to that thing- it really is on it's last leg.  I knew Asher wouldn't be able to walk around the Park all day and he's too big to carry.  This may be our last vacation needing a stroller!  But then how do we carry our jackets, snacks, and drinks?!?!

EXHAUSTION!!!  Asher would be too tired to even eat when we got back to the hotel at night.

On the ride Space Mountain a picture is taken and you can see it on a big screen at the end of the ride.  I pretended to be sleeping on one of our rides.  Asher, still all these weeks later, keeps reminding me that I can't sleep on Space Mountain and that I need to wait to get home in my bed to be sleeping.

Oakley and Eli both were selected to participate in "Jedi Training."  Neither of them have even seen the movie Star Wars, but were really excited about the experience any way. 

 Oakley fighting the evil Darth Mol using his skills he learned in Jedi Training.

The happy cousins clan.

 Asher just couldn't stay awake for the fireworks show.  After 5 days at Disneyland from morning till night, he was one wiped out four-year-old.

I have a love-hate relationship with Disneyland.  I hate that it's so expensive, I love how awesome all of the rides are.  I hate that it is physically exhausting, I love the excitement the boys have while there.  I hate that I feel like I need to see a chiropractor after a lot of the wild rides, I love that my boys will remember this trip all of their lives.  As great as Disney is, next vacation is definitely a cruise.

Our Nation's Capital...

My darling friend, Ellen James, and her family recently moved to Washington D.C. to work for Senator Mike Lee.  Ellen and I both moved to Cedar Hills at the same time and met in our ward- we were instant friends.  We served in a Relief Society Presidency together, carpooled to preschool together, been in Bunko together, and had many Girls's Night Out to get a break from the demands of home life.  Although really sad that I wouldn't be able to see her as often, I thought it was AWESOME that they were going to be able to live in D.C..  I think D.C. would be one of my first choices as far as cities to live in.  There is so much to do in such a small area- and they will have the bonus of being part of all that is going on in politics.

She and Rick had driven one moving van out and Ellen was going to stay at the house while Rick went back home to drive another van of their things out and bring the kids.  With Ellen being home alone for a week and the Senate not being in session so she didn't have to go to work- I just had to go out for a visit!

Her new home is beautiful!  It is also great for guests- two bedrooms and bathroom in the basement for guests!  Yes, I plan on occupying the guest area frequently.  We did some site seeing, got pedicures, and ate at some fabulous restaurants.  We went to see the National Cathedral and happened to come in time to see a service for Martin Luther King day.  We sat in the pews right next to the choir.  The choir was UNBELIEVABLE.   The Catholic service was interesting- the ministers in their flowing purple robes and the candles on the huge staffs, the passing of the Collection Plate.  Just a very different feeling from what I'm used to seeing each week at our services.  It was such a great visit and I really really really do love D.C.  How convenient that one of my favorite people now lives there and has room for guests.

 The National Cathedral

Anything for a great shot!



The Oldest Turns 9...

Next year my first-born will be in double digits!  We started this year to have the boys rotate between a friend party and a family party each year.  This year it was Oakley's turn for a family party.  Scott was going to have to leave for work about 6:00 p.m., so we let Oakley miss school that day (the greatest gift we could have given him.)  We told him he was in charge of choosing the days activities.  We started off at the bowling alley, Denney's for lunch (he was thrilled about the idea of getting a free meal on his birthday), and then he and Scott went to look at cars and trucks at the car lots while I got the house ready for the evening party.  Yes, a day perfect in Oakley's eyes with his unique tastes and interests.

The family met at our house for dinner and cake.  The menu included his favorite viddles- pizza, bread sticks, and soda. I also made a vegetable tray for those of us who actually recognize the necessity of such food being consumed to feel good.  Oakley had an ice cream cake, which was really good and I loved not having to make it myself.  As always, the family was very generous in their gift-giving and it was a fun night for all.

Happy Birthday my darling Oakley!

 Grandma Lee Ann had come down the day before to see Oakley.  The Indiana Jones game for the Wii was obviously a hit!

O Laundry Fairy...

O Laundry Fairy, Laundry Fairy, wherefore art thou Laundry Fairy?  It's endless.  I will never, ever be caught up- unless I strip my entire family down to their skivvies and actually get everything washed, dried, folded and put away in one day.  It usually takes 3-4 days for all four steps to be completed and it's so depressing to see how full the laundry hampers are when I'm just putting into drawers and closets the clothing just laundered.  The one thing I do enjoy about the laundry is the opportunity to sit down during the day.  I make sure folding time coincides with a good show being recorded that I'd like to watch.  Sitting down and being able to watch a show I've been waiting to see- the one redeeming quality of laundry.

A Wild and Crazy New Years Eve...

Watching a movie, eating popcorn, toasting to a prosper new year with sparkling cider in sippy cups, in bed by 9:00 - yes, a wild and crazy New Years Eve at the Beesons.  Glad the neighbors didn't have to make a phone call to the police for our outrageous partying ways.

Oh What Do You Do In the Wintertime...

Oh what do you do in the winter time when it's too cold to go outside?  When you're stuck inside for days on end?  These are some of the things that we can be found doing...

Making Creepy Crawlers...

...that make great window displays or to hide on Dad's pillow to try and scare him.

Easy Bake Oven

I like to think the boys are quite well-rounded in their skills, making spiders and bugs one minute and then moving right on to creating bakery confections extraordinaire. 

Chuck E Cheese

Asher and his amazing skee ball skills

Eli and his water gun shooting skills

Oakley who actually enjoys consuming the paper-like pizza that is served.  It really is the WORST pizza ever created.  No worries for Chuck E Cheese, though, us fools just keep purchasing it.

Winter seems especially long this year.  The sickness just seems to keep making the rounds throughout the family.  I don't remember having this much sickness EVER in our family.  We're looking forward to sunnier days and being OUTSIDE and more physically active to fight off these bad germs.