This one is for Kristen!

Since you just graduated, I thought I'd let you in on what your Mom and Aunt and Uncle looked like when we graduated from High School.  Unfortunately I don't have a pic of Mark at graduation (I'll add it later if I find one), but I do have photos from his Senior year.

LeeAnn--1990   Twenty years before you!  Gulp!

Me and Doug Mellen.  The leis were from Richard Wolfgram.












Stacey--1982

Stacey and I'm guessing Kathy and Cathy.  Or Cathy and Kathy.  :)  I totally remember the wind blowing like crazy during your graduation!











Mark--1980   Thirty years before you!  Double gulp!

Oh Madrigals!  After watching my brother and sister do this (Stacey for 2 years!) I would have been devastated if I hadn't been able to be a part of this.          

What do you think Kristen?  We weren't too shabby were we?

PS  And Mark, is your future mission companion in this photo?  I know it's blurry, but it is a pretty good close up of you. 

Sheba

I had a memory as we were eating lunch today.  Do you remember that Sheba would eat (well lick) our cantaloupe rinds?  We've tried offering them to Ginger and Freckles but there is no interest.  I wonder what Sheba liked about them?

I totally remember those couches and that green carpet!

Nothing quite as exhilarating as giving a cat a bath!

Any favorite Sheba memories out there?

Face the Cookie

OK all you Utah cousins.
We did some practicing for the big showdown at FHE last night. Everyone practiced "Face the Cookie", mostly because the Oreos became the treat for FHE. Jacob had an amazing flip technique that he tried to recreate. Mark, of course, was very scientific about it and tried several methods to see which was most effective-I think about 6 cookies worth. But Andrea was most consistent and was able to get 4 cookies into her mouth. (We did not time it, but it was still amazing.) It involves a lot of eyebrow movement and good timing of the mouth.





We also practiced "Sticky Situation" and Mark and Jacob really like that one. Anything that involves peanut butter is a winner in our family. See you soon!

The Virginia Palmers

1983--The Year of the Flood

Do you remember when Mill Creek flooded and they sent it down Mill Creek Way? 

A river running right through our neighborhood.  You don't see that every day. 

That's Danielle Slade, ?, me and Adrienne Jones.  I remember thinking it was so fun that we were floating down the STREET on our blow up camping pads.  Only later did I learn there was sewage flowing along with the river water.  Ew.

Mom and Dad, did any of the houses on Mill Creek Way have water damage or were the sand bags put up in time? 

Will I get in trouble if I post some potentially embarrassing photos?

I have these photo albums and they are bursting with humorous photos.  Photos of me and Mark and Stacey especially that I think the younger set would really enjoy.  Isn't it fun to see your parents in their youth?  But I'm afraid I'll get myself into trouble.  I would try to give equal time to everyone in the family.  Even me, I promise.  I guess I started with me anyway with my fine ensemble in the peach tree.  But what I'm wondering is--can I post these funny pics without offense?

Photos like these...

See, I haven't always been the one with big(ish) hair.

And I really can't say that is my best smile in that second photo.

Honestly, these are pretty mild examples, but I didn't want to cause a scandal without first asking permission.

Does it make them not so bad since so far I'm too lazy to get out the scanner so I'm just taking pictures of pictures?  What if I make them really small?  Would that help?  Mark hasn't shown up in anything yet.  Should we give him a turn?  I have a great shot of him either pre or post lawn mowing I'd really like to share. I've put it on and deleted it and I just can't decide what to do, so I'm asking permission.  Can I put up some funny photos?





Please?

May we humbly suggest ...

that you add the following to the list of games for Minute to Win It: Suck It Up (but let us hold the straw), Separation Anxiety, and Magic Carpet Ride. Warning: Magic Carpet Ride is a mega core workout!

And if anyone out there knows how to force a hard return after a picture, PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO DO IT! It's driving me insane.

27th Anniversary

There are a lot of jokes about in-laws. Just think of how movies portray relationships between in-laws - I can't come up with a positive one. Fortunately for me, none apply. From the beginning, Jerry and Carlene went out of their way to make me feel comfortable in the family.

When Mark and I first talked about setting a date for our wedding, he first told me he would like to wait until Stacey returned from her mission in June of 1987. Somehow in the conversation his parent's anniversary came up. July 15th. So we put the date on the calendar and on Jerry & Carlene's 27th anniversary, we were married. It does make it easier to remember! We do like to be efficient in this family. Here we all are on that day-remember how hot it was?

Happy 50th Jerry and Carlene. I love you very much and appreciate your great example to me and my family. You have been wonderful grandparents to my children and great in-laws to me.

Anne

The Peach Tree

I thought I'd get us started on a trip down memory lane.

I remember loving this peach tree.  I was never a good tree climber, but I could get into this tree so I thought I was pretty cool.  It had the perfect horizontal branch to sit on.  I have now learned from my fruit tree pruning class that horizontal branches should be removed in a tree's early years, so my poor children will never have a perfect branch for sitting.   I remember playing barbies in the tree with Kim Griggs and there was a smallish dead branch I could hang on. I also remember that Dad cut it off and I cried--over a dead branch.  I need to remember that when I'm stunned that my children are crying over the loss of, oh, let's say a kids meal toy.  I cried over the loss of dead wood.  But lest you think I thought this peach tree was perfect, I also remember going out with a paper grocery bag and having to pick up the gross, fallen, decomposing peaches off the ground.  Totally not fantastic.  I can't wait to send my kids out to do the same!

Other things of note:

Do you see the pink barbie case on the ground?  It started as Stacey's, then I claimed it and now my own daughters use it for their barbies.  Mattel made some quality stuff back then.

Why is the ground torn up you ask?  The back of the original photo says that dad was putting in the sprinkling system.

And can you see the blue spruce in the background?

Have you really looked at my outfit?  This copy doesn't quite capture the true awesomeness of the real deal. Those are red flowers on my pants and if I look really closely I think my shoes are green.  Actually I would like those green shoes now.   You can click on the picture to get a much more enjoyable, close up view of me and my loveliness. 

Do you have any memories of the peach tree?

I haven't pruned my trees yet this year.  Maybe I won't prune off this offending branch.  It looks like a potentially perfect sitting place to me!

Yes, we're practicing!

Thanks for everything Dad!

Happy Father's Day!

It has been a fantastic Father's Day weekend at our house.  It started on Friday, when Mom and Dad babysat for us so we could go to dinner and a movie.  That's a first since having Duncan!  Woohoo!  We saw Iron Man 2 and had  a really good time. 

Saturday was really good too.  We got a lot of yard work and house work done, the 3 oldest kids and Boyd went swimming, and  DUNCAN SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!  And not just mostly!  He went to bed around 9:30 and didn't wake up until 6:30.  And then he ate and went back to sleep again!  It was a heavenly night before Father's Day I tell you!  (Can you tell I'm a little excited about the sleeping through the night thing?) 

Today we went to a non-farewell to hear Zach, our nephew, speak, hung out at his house and ate yummy food.  Then we went home, took a nap, went to dad's to tell him, "Happy Father's Day!", came home and grilled some more awesome food, had smores thanks to the firepit, and spent the last of the evening playing outside with our kids.

Wow!  It really was a fantastic Father's Day weekend.  And I just have to agree with Stacey's blog post.  If you haven't seen it, check it out.  http://tinyurl.com/2cd9ovp

I love you dad!  And to all you other dad's in the family, we love you too!

Caddy Stack, check! Awww Yeah!

We're practicing here.  Are you?

Fantastic.

The Final 8 Possibilities

Paper 'Scraper


Ping Tac Toe


Rapid Fire


Shoe Fly Shoe


Stack Attack


Sticky Balls


Sticky Situation


Nutstacker

9 More Games

Johnny Applestack



Junk in the Trunk
I can't find a decent sized video clip.  Hopefully this will come later, or just google it!

Keep the Change


Loner


Matchmaker


Mega Bubble


Mouth to Mouth


Noodling Around


Paper Dragon

8 Potential Minute to Win It Games

First, I'll apologize for all the Hulu ads, but they are better and shorter than the ads from NBC.

Second, these are general descriptions.  When the actual competition rolls around, there may be some slight changes. 

Third, have fun practicing!

Bite Me



Breakfast Scramble


Caddy Stack


Candy Elevator


Dizzy Mummy


Don't Blow the Joker


Hanky Panky


Face the Cookie


Johnny Applestack