My Little Swimmer

This summer the Littlestown pool offered swim lessons again. Ashton, Avery, Bryson and Kenzie all signed up for a two week session, thirty minutes each day. Avery, Bryson and Kenzie were all in level three. After the first week all three passed the level three requirements and moved onto level four during the second week. Next summer they'll take level four and already know some of what is required. Ashton signed up for level five. After her first week she passed all the level five requirements and was then advanced to level six during her second week of lessons. At the end of the second week the life guard told me she passed that too! I asked what was next and he said she was done. He then explained that there are four different level sixes. I then asked if she should take another level six next summer and he said, "I wouldn't bother. There are four different ones and she just passed the hardest of the four. She's done."What Ashton had to do to pass the level six test: Swim five hundred yards using six different stokes -- front crawl for 100 yards, back stroke for 100 yards, side stroke for 50, Elementary back stroke for 50, breast stroke for 50, butterfly for 50 and then 100 yards using a stoke of her choice. She then had to swim 12 minutes to see how many laps she could do within that time. She swam 20 laps in 12 minutes! The last time we went to the pool Ashton gave me a refresher course on the swim strokes she just learned. I learned them once too, but that was so long ago I couldn't remember them all! I then tried to swim just ONE lap (25 yards). It was exhausting! I may be able to walk a 14 minute mile without breaking a sweat, but I can barley swim one measly lap in the pool! How pitiful is that?

Need a laugh?

My cousin sent these to me. I was laughing so hard I was in tears! The following were printed in church bulletins.

1. The Fasting & Prayer conference includes meals.

2. The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."

3. Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8pm in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.

4. Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

5. The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.

6. Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.

7. Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

8. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

9. Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

10. A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

11. Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

12. Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

13. Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.

14. Potluck super Sunday at 5:00pm - prayer and medication to follow.

15. This evening at 7pm there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

16. Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10am. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.

17. Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7pm. Please use the back door.

18. Weight Watchers will meet at 7PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

Thanks Fern!

It's true what they say!

Everything IS better with Blue Bonnet on it!During Sunday morning pancakes I started singing the Blue Bonnet motto/slogan, "Everything's better with Blue Bonnet on it!" I decided to put it to the test. Ashton was sitting there with bed head, no shower, and still wearing the dirty clothes she slept in. (She was out late with the band and just fell into bed when she got home.) I took the butter knife and smeared Blue Bonnet on Ashton's cheeks! Wow! It brought a smile to her face and a giggle from everyone else. Everything IS better with Blue Bonnet on it!

Pictures from the Eyler Family Reunion

These first three pictures are my favorite. I love to see my older children interacting with my youngest.

Nan Nan with her "pretty boy" (what she calls him!)

For the third year in a row, I was in charge of games. Here they are doing the sponge relay.

No, they're not all under arrest, Ashton is leading them in a game of Simon Says!

An Eyler cousin works for a book company and brings books as prizes for the children each year. For Kassie, there is no better prize than a book!
Jesse Francis Washington Eyler and Mary Susan Shane Eyler had twelve children. Their youngest son was my father-in-law Leroy. "Pap Pap" passed away thirteen years ago. This picture shows Leroy's family that were in attendance at the reunion. Six were missing: Dale's niece Dottie and her husband Rick and their four children, Lindsay, Kodi, Lexie and Kaylie.

Pioneer Trek

What was it like for the LDS Pioneers who traveled west in the mid 1800's? Kassie had the opportunity to find out! She went on a Pioneer Trek with other youth from our area. For three days she helped push or pull a hand cart, cook over an open fire and sleep under the stars! They walked 14 miles the first day, (all up hill, of course!) in the hot July sun wearing authentic pioneer dress.
During the evening of day two, Dale's band played for their Pioneer Hoedown. Bryson and I went along.

The youth get ready to dance!
Kassie gets ready to swing her partner!

Yee Haa! Nothing like a good 'ole fiddle tune to get the "Pioneers" movin' their feet!

Bryson's desserts

Bryson enjoys going into the kitchen and creating "Bryson's desserts"! His latest master piece was the best so far!
He usually starts with a handful of miniature marshmallows melted to perfection in the microwave. On this day he added crushed chocolate cereal straws, caramel sauce and a Maraschino cherry on top!

Reviews from the critics (His six siblings) proved this latest marshmallow concoction to be a keeper!

Corn Dogs

Hey Angie, this is for you! I meant to blog about this before now, but better late than never, right?


I'm sure they don't look as nice as the ones pre-made from the store, but isn't there something to be said for "homemade" foods? I enjoy making them and the kids love eating them!

Dandy Corn Dogs
1 cup flour
2 T cornmeal
4 t. ground mustard

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup milk

10 wooden skewers

10 hot dogs

oil
Combine the dry ingredients.
Stir in the egg and milk just until moistened.
Insert skewers into hot dogs; dip into batter.
In a skillet, heat 2 inches of oil to 375 degrees.
Fry corn dogs for 5 - 8 minutes or until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.

Enjoy!!!

Happy Independence Day!

I experimented tonight for the first time using the "night scene" feature on my camera. Here's my one and only shot that was half decent! I have a whole year to brush up on my skills for next year's Eyler fireworks!Happy 4th of July!!

Reliving a part of my past

Kassie and I both participated in a Young Women's talent show at church this past Wednesday night. Since I don't have any normal talents like singing, dancing, playing an instrument or being artistic, I had to resort to storytelling! Years ago during college and while teaching, (even before attending college), I attended all the storytelling workshops that I could. I loved it! In teaching, story time was always my favorite time of the day whether I was reading children's literature, or telling one, I enjoyed this the most! Kassie tells about her painting of Kaden. Kassie then took the following photographs of me while performing my "talent" of storytelling.

Looking at these pictures, I realized I must have made a fool of myself! Oh well, it's best that the young women know me for who I really am, right? LOL!!!

Too cool for the pool!

So far this summer Brady has only gone to the pool with us one time. While everyone else was having fun with their friends playing in and around the pool, Brady stood back and watched.

He eventually ventured in with Kaden, and in time made his way to the deep end for a short underwater swim, but that was it.

When we first arrived at the pool he was greeted by a girl from his class. Then later while Brady was spending time over by the fence, two other girls approached him. These girls were having fun talking with Brady and ewing and awing over his adorable baby brother! With all of these girls looking at Brady he didn't dare go in the pool or be seen with his brothers and sisters, besides Kaden of course. My thirteen and a half year old son is now far too cool for the pool!