The Nugget Dance Origins

We LOVE off-track adventures! Boy, howdy do we ever!!
Starting a couple of years ago, when the boys were big enough to take places without the little kid drama we started an "Off-track calendar".

Everyday we do something, AnYTHInG to keep away the off-track boredom (contingent upon chores being done & a homework sheet). Then we GO!
The rules are simple.
1 - You do one thing everyday (when you make the calendar everyone gets to say one thing and no one complains about it unless you want mom to supercede and take you to. . . should I say it? DARE i say it? dun dun dun. . . ROBERTS! OR HOBBY LOBBY OR *shudders* the MALL!!)

2 - only 1 thing per week can cost $$

3 - we get ONE outing of at least an hour away to get "outta town"

4 - 1 visit must be to a place of "Learning" such as a museum, historic location, hiking, something other than nickelcade!

So yesterday, we had originally planned on going to Lava Hot Springs. But then the weather man said it was going to snow, and I don't think Remy would appreciate his first swimming outing being in 30 degree weather. Plus, NOTHING and i Mean NOTHING else was open.

So we bagged it and decided to take Friday and go ghost town hunting in Tooele County!
We were so excited! Brady looked up online all the different places we could visit. We got our maps and lunch and snacks and Grandma. Packed up the car and headed South to Cedar Fort and around the mountain.

Our first stop - Fairfield, Utah. Home of the Johnston's Army camp for 3 years. (if you know what all that means, you earn a dollar!)
Out of the whole 2 buildings in Fairfield - 1 was locked, the other was the size of my tuff-shed and they wanted to charge $2/person to peek inside. Uh. . . no thanks!

So pack 'em up again, look on the map. GHOST TOWNS DEAD AHEAD!! (no pun intended, sort of) The first one was locked, gated and now private property. . . bummer. The second one, you needed 4 wheel drive to get there. . . not in Grandma's PT Cruiser! SOrry!

So my mom has been DYING to go to this diner she read about in the newspaper in Stockton. So we planned on having lunch there. We get there. . .and the big black sign in the window says "RETAIL/BUSINESS PROPERTY FOR SALE."

Well, if you really were waiting fo the Nugget Dance Origins - - here it finally is! I hope you weren't holding your breath!!
Colby was hungry then, and we had brought Lunchables and his happened to be. . . of course, Chicken Nuggets. So while we were languishing and trying to laugh off our misfortunes, Colby grabs his nuggets and dancing them on the edge of Remy's car seat says, "do the nugget dance. do the nugget dance. . uh huh. . . uh huh. . do the nugget dance, do the nugget dance. . uh huh. . .uh huh." ROFL!!!! We busted up so bad!! it made our whole day!

So we roll into the bustling metropolis of Tooele and for old time's sake - we have to stop at the D.I. (We used to go with my sis-in-law every time we visited cuz we AlWAYS SCORE!!)
Which we did yet again! - - ask me about my Texas purse. . ohhhhhh yeah!

Now it's barely 3pm. We get Panda Express for lunch (not exactly unique stuff, but we were starving) and decide to go to Saltair. Kelly proposed to me at Saltair and I thought it would be fun to (sigh) be all romantic around the kids.

We get there and yes, the gates were locked! (does everyone leave town in the middle of March or what?!
So my mom says, "Let's go to Black Rock & let the kids play." Ok, good idea.

After almost losing her oil pan and bumbling along a rocky road, we make it there. Remy is asleep so Grandma stays in the car. Brady & COlby get out and hike. I get out to take pictures.
Our serenity lasts 5 minutes, when Colby falls and gets hurt, the wind off the water smells like someone died and it's FUH REEEEZING cold! K. . . NEXT!!!

My mom says, "let's try Memory Grove in Salt Lake." (It's getting dark and we'll have to feed Remy soon) and we're trying to salvage the day.

We get to Memory Grove and there's a gate . . .again. . .not another gate!!!. . .there's a car in front of us that pulls up and the gates open. We're like "ok cool. like an automatic door."
*BUZZER* eeeeee! Guess again!
We pull up. . . nothing happens. We sit there looking totally lame and nothing happens. It was really pathetic.

So Brady says, let's go see the State Capitol! Ok. let's.

We drive there. Nice. New. Fab. We're good. Kid's play. . . and me & Grandma MUST DESPERATELY find a bathroom! Hurry kids! Run! times up!!

Drive like a madwoman to my mom's apt by the U. . . . sigh. . . Relief. . . .sweet relief.

Feed Baby. . . ok. now we've had a really unsuccessful day. We need a pick-me-up. . . what could we do on a Friday night. . .

I GOT IT!!!! NICKELCADE!!!!

Ohhhhh yeah!! Pack up kids & Grandma!! Let's roll!!!

$$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

ok, time to go home.

Home. Bed. SLEEEEEEP!!

That was our adventure.

A talk 6 years in the making

This conversation is 6 years premature. . .

Me: Brady, what time did you get in last night?
Brady: like 11
Me: Oh, I didn't hear you come in. yeah cuz i'm a GREAT mom and fell asleep on the couch watching the Jazz game. How was the birthday party?
Brady: Good . . .
[long pause]
Me: Oh yeah? That's it?
Brady: [another pause] It was AWESOME! Weplayedlasertag, rodescooters, I shotthis awesomegun, iknowhowtotakethis jumpnow. . .and . . . IhaveacrushonGrace.

Me: [pause] um. . really?
Brady: Yeah, she's really cute and nice and I think have a crush.
Me: SO the party was fun. . .?
Brady: Yeah, I have a crush on Grace.

Let's just say I'm thankful that he'll still talk to me. I may not even get this much info when he's 16 for reals. LOL!!!

Skinny Jeans, Shopping Keys & an LOL!!

You know you have skinny jeans when :
You are coming home from errands, desperately trying NOT to pee your pants, running into the house, hurtling toys and dodging kids and *FINALLY* plopping (no pun intended) yourself onto the throne . . . the joy comes when you realize, your pants came off without undoing the buttton OR zipper! *sigh* Yes, true story!! Cha-ching!

Ane's shopping key:
Eat 4-5 cookies for lunch before shopping for 2 reasons:
1 - you're certainly not hungry when you shop and you spend less money
2 - you're not only sick to your stomach but sick with your eating choices and you can't even LOOK at anything containing sugar, therefore, it doesn't end up in your shopping cart, which ends up in your pantry and eventually onto your thighs. The 4 cookies. . .well, that's another story :)

LOL:
I took the boys to the library tonight for some late night book hording. Brady stayed by my side until these two 10-year old girls walk by us, pretending to be looking at books but TOTALLY checking Brady out. So coyly, they walk into the next aisle and Brady says, "(ahem) Mom, I think I'm going to look for books by myself." in a "I'm a big boy who doesn't need my moms' help sort of way." I said ok, as long as you tell me which section I can find you. He said, "I'll be around."
So, being the nosey mother I am. . . I followed him! (if he read this, he'd be mortified!) Brady was following the girls around!!! I'm sure it was quite a sight. 2 girls, followed by a boy, followed by his mother. . . LOL!!! Isn't this a little young to start?

YEAH, THANKS A LOT UNCLE JODY FOR THE AXE BODY SPRAY FOR BRADY'S BIRTHDAY! Remind me to uninvite you to Colby's birthday, just kidding!

I'm getting too old for this stuff!