"Organize your life around your dreams - and watch them come true.”

It was a big week at our house. I guess I'll start at the top and work down from there.

Justin got a call from Ryan Ringel this week announcing the tickets have arrived. That's right~the tickets to BSU's season opener~ all the way across the country which Justin will be attending. Lucky. Dog. Ryan was kind enough to purchase the $92 ticket. Justin only had to get himself to Virginia. A bit more than $92, but the dream of watching an away game somewhere other than Utah has come true.

Camdon took my beloved camera to scout camp and it came back broken. I'm not placing blame. Not really anyway. I was sad because this month won't be a cheap one for us what with the plane ticket across the country and all the school supplies and Middle School registration and new football cleats and you get the picture. I knew a new camera wasn't in the budget. Then today I got something in the mail. It was a new camera. It was from Justin. My dream of having a newer/better camera has come true.

Camdon was asked to speak in sacrament meeting on Sunday. He did great! I realize that being asked to speak in church isn't anyone's dream, but when you're nearly 13 and you have to speak in front of a congregation of 300+, the dream is not to fail miserably or do anything to completely embarrass yourself or your family. He DIDN'T make a fool of himself. His dream of still being able to look the girls in the eyes has come true.

Jamon had Jamboree at Boise State on Saturday. He's playing tight end this year. He had two great receptions and although he didn't run for a touchdown, he did run. Long and fast. As a result, the coaches have made a few more plays just for him! Justin captured the moment perfectly. Here's a picture of him hauling in a catch.

His dream of making it big on the blue has come true.

The biggest dream, however, came from the littlest Kay. You must first know that I don't keep a ton of junk food around the house. And we certainly don't stop at the gas station for treats. Except this one time. I told Carter I'd take him to get a slurpee on Friday night. He's been patient all week as the boys started football and we sat through hours of practices. So, as we were leaving the football field (to go get his slurpee) he very cautiously stopped at the curb. He looked both ways before stepping into the road. In my most excited mother voice I said: "Look at you Carter~ Checking both ways before crossing the street!"

He said very matter-of-factly: "I usually don't. But I don't want to get killed before I get to taste my treat!"

Dream big little one!

“Repentance is not so much remorse for what we have done as the fear of the consequences.”

You know the old saying: "You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone?" This is how I've felt this week.

Camdon's been away at scout camp and I didn't realize how much help he is to me until I didn't have it anymore. From what I hear they are having fun despite getting dumped on for two days.

Today was especially difficult without him. I work Fridays from 12-4 and Camdon, of course, babysits for me. He does a great job but I knew Jamon could do good job too. He's really jumped in this week and been so helpful. He wanted the chance to prove himself. So, I agreed to let him give it a whirl. Carter's 6 1/2 so it's not like I'm leaving him alone with a baby or anything. I knew they'd be fine with a few movies and some popcorn.

Or so I thought.

I got a phone call at about 1:45. It was Jamon. He had a confession to make.

"There's something I have to tell you." Make it quick. I'm busy.

"Uuuhh...I really wanted to go play at Patrick's house so I had Jordyn (the neighbor girl who's 14) come over to watch Carter." What?! He hired a babysitter to get out of it himself? Clever.

"I was there for about an hour and then I started feeling really guilty that I just left Carter. So, I came home. Is that okay?" Good. You should feel guilty.

I asked if he felt better now that he'd confessed.

"Yes. Am I going to be in trouble?"

Well, let's think about this. I said he was in charge of Carter today. Quite frankly, he was very responsible by getting someone else to be responsible while he chose NOT to be responsible. Jordyn said he even called the house to tell her he hadn't bothered to feed Carter lunch and would she mind doing it. I guess if you think about it, he took very good care of Carter.

"No," I said. "Thanks for telling me the truth."

I can't wait until Camdon comes home!

Who: Us

What: Company Picnic

When: Last Friday night

Where: Boise~Municipal Park

Why: Because company picnics are awesome. Sometimes. This particular one was anyway.

I LOVE this park. It reminds me of when we were newlyweds and living down by campus. We didn't have any money so we spent hours on our bikes cruising the greenbelt. Ryan Ringel lived just down the street from this park and we spent a lot of time at his house as well.

The food was excellent, the games were fun, the company was okay. It's hard when Justin's the only one that knows these people. I know a few names but that's about it. I know that the guy who looks gay isn't, and the guy who doesn't look gay is. Once he told Justin that if he wasn't gay he'd be a mormon with a family. This strikes me as odd since the two concepts are fundamentally different.

There was a little girl there who was on the rather chunky side for being only fourish. As she ran past us Camdon said to me:

"She looks just like a girl from pre-school. On the first day I sat next to her and the first thing she says to me is 'Don't even THINK about it. I'm taken!" This strikes me as odd because number one...she was only four & number two...she was fat. Not that fat people can't find love, but I think you know what I mean.

After the party we walked over to the MK Nature center.

We were just leaving the nature center when Carter announced he "really had to go poop." I told Justin I'd take him on ahead since the older boys were enjoying the big fish. As we headed down the greenbelt towards the bathrooms I heard Justin yelling my name from 50 feet behind me. I looked back just in time to see a buck run RIGHT past us. He was weaving in and out of traffic along the greenbelt and barely missed Carter. This strikes me as odd since you don't normally see wildlife in the city.

Sometimes we think about moving back home to eastern Idaho. It's nights like these we're glad we're here.

Kay Family Reunion 2010

"There is fun to be done"~Dr. Seuss

Meet the Blair Kay family. In case you get lost, there are 31 of us.

Thirty-one people for three days looks something like this:

17 grandkids in tents....

Just as many in the bounce house.....

And just as many in the pool.......

This black sled was supposed to be used to wash grass off of feet, but the kids decided it made a perfect hot tub instead.

And of course, no family reunion is complete without some Dutch oven cooking & smores....

The theme this year was "Generations of Champions" and we certainly had our fair share of Olympic hopefuls...

We had plenty of gold medal winners.....

And plenty of hungry Olympians....

We also took the kids to Warm River........mostly to give Grandma & Grandpa a break, but also to feed the fish. The trout swim in droves just waiting for a bite of bread.

Then Broc took us to the headwaters......thankfully he knows the back country like the back of his hand:

We always tease when we go home that we're "in God's country." It sure felt like it this day.

That night we all went out to Craigo's for pizza and then watched a movie on the side of the house. Yes, I said the side of the house. It was awesome. Cold. But awesome.

The family talent show deserves it's own post, but let's just say it will be remembered forever.

"Welcome to the Kay's where we do it your way...but don't get crazy!" My niece Kaylie was the best Bon Qui Qui that ever there was.

Carter showed off his mad scientist skills. The oohhs & aahhs from the crowd as he made a volcano explode made it all worth it.

Camdon and Jamon were Pedro and Napolean Dynamite. Jamon nailed the dance.

Broc (our resident cowboy) roped a cow. It was pretty awesome.

Mom always comes up with the best stories. She had 'em eating out of her hand...

She even had a musical number to go with her story......

It was a wonderful three days. I'm so grateful for my father and mother-in-law. They went to a lot of trouble to make this event memorable for everyone.

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family:

Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one."

I couldn't agree more.

"I Love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life."

~Rita Rudner

As of this morning, Justin and I have been married for 14 years. Naturally, I've done some reminiscing. Before I tell you the conclusion I've come to, I have to tell you a little story first. Years and years ago....(weird being able to say that) Justin's little brother, Brian, came to Boise for a concert. He brought his girlfriend with him. They spent the weekend at our house and we had a good time. On the way back home to Rexburg, the girlfriend said to Brian, "I hope I never have to live like that."

You might be asking yourself "Live like what?"

I'll tell you. After college all of our friends were buying houses in Meridian. Yeah, I know. Meridian. We could only afford a house in Kuna. It was an itty bitty thing....1100 square feet. We had an old green couch that we inherited from my grandma when she passed away. Justin's parents had given us their old recliner which was an equal eye sore to the couch.

We had very little food in the pantry and I drove an old piece-o-crap Cherokee Chief that started on fire before we even got it home. If the engine was running, so was the heat. It was unpleasant in the summertime. Three months before I had Jamon, Camdon had to be hospitalized for three days. Then I had the baby. Then 6 weeks after that, I had to have my gall bladder taken out. So, in the space of about 4 months we racked up about $14,000 worth of medical bills.

Justin went to work during the day and I went to work at night.

BUT...

I can remember rocking my babies to sleep in that old recliner.

I can remember getting where I needed to be in that old jeep.

I can remember Justin making me laugh so hard I thought my stitches would fall out after that surgery.

And we had those bills paid off in less than two years.

So, my conclusion is this:

It has been the pleasure of my life to "live that way." We've come a long way baby. Eat your heart out Ashley. Or Amanda. Or whatever her name was. She should be so lucky to have lived where we've lived. I love you Justin. Happy Anniversary!

Order Up!

"Little sisters are the crab grass in the lawn of life."

Carter hasn't been feeling well for a while so I finally took him to the doctor to see what was wrong. As we were at the triage desk checking in his little face lit up and he told the receptionist:

"You need to check my mom in too!"

"Is she sick?"

"No but I want a little sister. Can you check her in and when you get her pregnant, I promise to take care of her!"

The poor lady was speechless. I told him not today. I assume it was the fever talking (he's got pneumonia).

I hope so. How can you turn down request like that??!!

Grad School MasterCard Style...

Number of classes I was missing to be eligible for graduate school......5

Number of semesters it took me to get through them......2

Cost of tuition for 2 semesters.......$5,000

Cost of the wrong Praxis test....$180

Cost of the right Praxis test.........$180+$45 late fee

Number of days they crammed one class in....11

Getting an "A" in my first grad class.......priceless