My new crush!

I know this picture is teeny tiny...

But the real thing is THE BOMB!!!

As a teacher, tools like this are priceless. As a teacher, I can't afford to buy these gadgets left and right.

So... along comes my new crush. It's called DonorsChoose.org. I love it. It buys me things. Nice awesome things.

Just this year I've gotten about $3500.00 worth of awesome things for my classroom!! My projector and document camera is on its way :)

If you know anyone who wants to support education with some of their extra money (you know, for some that stuff just lies around!) Send them to:

www.donorschoose.org/mrs.wagner

I know some really cute kids who would really appreciate it.

(their teacher will appreciate it too!)

silverware + disposal = ripped up lips

So, it was super hard to take a picture that truly showed what most of our spoons look like. After 22 years of use, I've been wanting a new set of silverware for some time. Thank goodness for children going to college. It was just the incentive I needed to justify a purchase of new silverware.
Seriously, nothing makes a morning go bad like eating cereal with a spoon that fought with the disposal. Its dangerous. You are sure to shred your lips and/or your tongue. It's awful.

Does this happen to anyone else?? I recognize that it was a risk I took when I allowed children to do the dishes and clean up the kitchen.

Here's one of my pretty new spoons!

And here is my fancy new silverware.

It's really not all that fancy. Just a great deal from Costco.com.

Hooray!!

I can hardly wait to eat some cereal in the morning.

And...

dear college kids:

enjoy the silverware you ruined.

love,

A Missionary's Request

Our missionary requested that our whole family attend the temple when he got home. We were able to go to the Fresno, Temple and do baptisms for the dead. It was a great experience!!

Uncle Mike and Aunt Cathy were able to join us that day too! Thanks for coming! It was great :)

FIESTA!!!

For Kevin's final night at home (before heading back to college!) we hosted a little fiesta!! Of course the food was delish-- I must brag a little about the great tres leches cake I've mastered... it is soooo good!! Here's Cole taking a spin before trying to swing at our pinata!
Get ready for Jack!!

Chloe hit it just fine.... but the big kids had some problems!

Swing Andrea, swing!!

oops... this picture is a little out of order! sorry!

Riley is ready!!

Epic failure.
Poor, poor Jacquie. She just couldn't hit the pinata.

Perhaps it would have helped if she turned around....

Nope. Still the wrong way.

Better luck next time JQ.

And here, the master smashed it open. He nearly smashed some little kids too. Luckily he stopped swinging just in time.

All in all--it was a pretty happening fiesta. I think we all had fun :)

Good times on the tube...

On Friday, we spent most of the day all together at Buena Vista Lake (really it is just a mud hole south of Bakersfield-- one should never, and I mean never, let your feet touch the bottom!) The wagdogz LOVE building pyramids on the tube. It was a little more difficult, because they are a little bit bigger than the last time they attempted a pyramid.

They had some fun for sho!

And yes, there were some minor accidents (mostly hitting of the heads together), but no serious injuries!
Here you can witness that when one wagdog is going to fall off, they definately take some other wagdogz with them!! I don't think Andrea enjoyed this at all.

And here is the man that makes it all happen!!

I have grown to love this look... no sunburn here.

Returned with Honor

The posters were hung,
The siblings were dressed and ready,
waiting, waiting, waiting at the airport
(mostly because their mother insisted that they get there really early on the slim chance that the plane landed early!)
Then,

HE RETURNED!!

Let the hugging begin :)
All of us,
together again!

And he loved the sign!

Welcome home Kevin!

We are so proud of you! And so happy to have you home again!

TOMORROW!!!!

This was Elder Kevin Wagner this morning at the mission home in Dallas, Texas!!!! (Actually it's at the church next to the mission home!)

Tomorrow he will be HOME!!! We all can't wait!

I promise to post pictures just as soon as I can pull myself away from my boy :)

Next Sunday.....

Next Sunday THIS cute missionary will be speaking in his home ward at church! It will be a 9:00am if you can come...

I am having a hard believing that he is really coming home on Wednesday. I beginning to have a hard time coming up with words that can describe my feelings. All I know is that it is a good thing that I have lots to do to keep myself busy!!

Getting an Education?

So.....

Jacquie came home this week! She just finished her first term of college at BYU. She lived with Marissa for the summer. Marissa has a great job on campus, so she has just been living and working in Provo.

Living with your sister as an adult (with no parents around) consists of good times and bad times. Yes, I've been texted or messaged when there have been disagreements. But, for the most part these two girls have had a great time together. No surprise because they always have fun when they are together. I'm pretty sure that they can make each other laugh like no other. I'm also pretty sure that they can make me laugh like no other.

I hope this makes you laugh too!!! :) I couldn't get it to upload on blogger, so you'll have to click on this link-- it will be worth it (and it's less than 2 minutes!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU6bTzfJ_iw

It brings me great comfort to know that they spend their time so wisely....

The days are dragging by....

1 week friends!

That is 7 days, 168 hours, 10,800 minutes, 604,800 seconds!!

How can I make the days go by faster???

Junior Miss a.k.a. Distinguished Young Women 2010

We had a fun week!! Last Sunday we were able to pick up our niece/cousin Paige for church. Paige was in Bakersfield for 2011 Distinguished Young Woman competition for the state of California!! This program was formerly known as America's Junior Miss. Paige was the winner last year for the state of California!!

Here's Andrea and me looking all pretty :)

Looks like Andrea and Riley found some new friends at The Crystal Palace. I think the lady in led is a little sketch... do you see how she is pulling up her dress to show her knees??? scandalous!

Anyway. Paige was awesome. It was fun to watch her. And we loved spending a little time with Uncle Paul and Aunt Susan too!

50 cents

So.

My little punk son, Riley, owed me $12.50. That's twelve dollars and FIFTY CENTS.

He's owed me this for a couple of days.

This morning he brought me the money. Here's what it looked like....

Ya.

See the problem???

I said, "Are you kidding me?"

and "What kind of nonsense is THIS?"

and "Who does this?"

He replied...

"Well mom. All you have to do is take that to the bank and they'll give you a full dollar for it."

"Who is this kid?" and "Where did he come from?" I thought. And thought.

13 DAYS!!

Only 13 days folks!!

That is less than 2 weeks and I can hardly stand it!! I've never been so excited to get up in the morning because it means we are one day closer to seeing Kevin. I'm just trying to keep myself super busy. (I wish it was a little harder to make up lists of things to do... I have SO much to do and SO little time to do it!!) I was also super excited to change the calendars to August.

Aren't you super excited too????

Young Men's Camp

Riley also just returned from a week in the mountains. He is a member of the teachers' quorum. They camped from Saturday to Saturday. They left from the main camp to hike Mount Langley (elevation 14,027 feet!) in the middle of the week. They even held church in the mountains-- thus the white shirts and ties!!
I know these boys had lots of fun :)

Here they are with their fearless leaders ready to embark on their 3 day journey to conquer Mt Langley! Good times!

Riley was also fortunate to do some repelling while at the main camp. He LOVED it!! He returned tired, smelly, and coughing! (Nothing some antibiotics won't fix though!) A big thank you to all the great leaders who took them on a great adventure. They are ready to take on Mt. Whitney now :)