Set It Off

The last two times I have traveled without another adult has shown me I should not travel without an adult. If I'm alone, something bad just has to happen. Cam, Beck, Zander and I were heading to Utah to see Set it off. The plan was for me to drive to Buhl area, showing Cam how to drive going 80 mph, then he would take over until Snowville. We stopped in Mountain Home and shortly after leaving there the car kind of pulled to one side and just felt weird, but it was only a second. Didn't think much of it until right at the first Glenn's Ferry exit the car flash EPC and the speed was slowing going down. I had cruse on so I thought something was up with that. I turned it off and hit the gas but nothing happened, it kept slowing down. I an a nervous passenger in perfect weather. If I'm driving and something happens, lets just say I'm not the best at knowing what to do, I just get scared too quickly. Let alone I have my 2 kids and one kid that is not mine. I had to pull off on the side of the freeway, and I called Brad. I love Brad with all I have, but he knows about as much as I do about cars. I get he couldn't do anything, but in the moment I was really hoping he perfected his teleportation machine and the kids, and I and the car would be back in Meridian. That didn't happen.  We all read up on it and while it's not good, I should still be able to make it to Twin safely (no I did not feel safe). I stopped at one place who was too full, thankfully the second place could check it out. We spent an hour and half waiting to see what was up. Some thing when it was going is supposed to 'talk' to this other thing, but my car was misfiring that, which made the EPC turn on. Plus some other things were wrong (did I say I know 0 about cars?) The issue was we needed to be in Utah about 7 for our concert and they wouldn't be done until 5.  I debated renting a car but tried Gma and Gpa Barnes first. Brad told me they had one car now and so, me being me and overthinking everything, felt really bad calling to take their one car away. They have the 2 still and I was able to borrow a van. Since it was not our car, I did not want Cam to drive. From Twin to the junction for Utah there was a lot of one lane construction. Then from the junctions until Salt Lake there were 4 or so down pour, low visibility rain storms, along with high winds in spots and hail. With my luck, and how Utah's winter had been, I really thought I'd wake up to snow. Just to round out the trip from Hell for Kilie. All types of weather and issues I hate to drive in. We made it safe and on time for our concert. Our hotel was right next to the venue, one silver lining to it. I like to think that things happen for a reason. Like was all this a big way to not have Cam drive in the construction and weather? Really I would have taken a bad feeling in my stomach over the car bill we got. 

Concert was so good. The openers were meh but Set It Off did not disappoint. It is fun seeing the boys at concerts and letting lose. The last concert I went to with Cam he was a little stiff; he let loose this one. 

He is being held up by the crowd. 

We went to In and Out after the concert to see Kiara. They're open until 1 am and when we were there, it was packed still. 

While I could do without car issues, the couple days was a lot of fun. I love a good concert and going to these small venue ones, I'm liking  more and more. 

Last Band Concert

Emery's last band concert forever and Jackson's for the year was this past week. Emery is very glad to be done, Jacks can't wait to do the Bass Clarinet next year. 

Emery and her friend Kylee. 

He loved to look dressed up and wear his suit. When he started to pass each Sunday, he really wanted a suit coat. A good looking young man. 

Notice how much concentration Emery and Kylee have. 

Emery had to play these time symbols. I thought they were funny, so I went to take a picture. She looked and noticed and I messed her up.

It's hard to see, but she started to laugh at her mistake. I don't think anyone noticed

 

Emery did Jazz band. Partly to get out of advisory class and to have another class with her friend. This was their performance. 

Cam's Hair Saga

Camden for a long time did not cut his hair. He said he was growing it to try a new hair style. He came to me one day and said he wanted to perm it. I said to try curlers before doing the chemicals (that is why he had them in for his b-day) He did it and liked how it looked so it was time to perm. I have not done it before, so I told him no promises. 

This is after the perm. It was a little more than he wanted so he did wash it out, which made it calmer. 

Had to improvise with the kitchen sink and laying on the counter to wash it out.  The solution was cold on his head. 

This was just curlers, and before the perm. 

He needed the sides cut and someone to show him how to style it better. So he went to Ulta for a real cut and it turned out great. He likes how it looks now and knows how to style it more. 

For Spanish, Cam had to make a dish and give a tutorial on it.  He had such a fun personality and it shows a lot in this. We ended this at midnight, that is after me saying at least 3 times that it will take a long time and each time him telling me it would only take an hour. We started at 9 pm after he got off work. He had to share the dish at school and said a lot of the kids liked it. It's purple pudding. Brad is the one talking at the beginning. His teacher said to have fun with it, so he had his dad, who can speak Spanish start it. He said his teacher thought it was funny. 

Camden's Art

 

As Cam said, his favorite thing is art. He loves to see what he can create. He has made a lot this past year and amazes me every time. I for one and not artistic at all so it all came from Brad. 

He paints mini figures that are used in games like Hero's Quest and D&D. This is a small sample. 

He drew Beck for him as a birthday gift. I am amazed how well it turned out. 

The original he went off of. 

He also made shoes for Zander to wear to the Shinedown concert on the 9th. 

I may have shown this, but he is trying to add to his bed and has gotten a little done there as well. 

17 Years Old

Birthday two and three down. The boys are now 17. Camden likes to remind me that in less than a year I'll have 2 adults. They were born last month and we got here way too fast, but I say that every kid, every birthday.

Each year I think we open the kids presents a day each time and this year was no different. Beckham is going to be gone on the 9th so it had to happen. Beck wanted vintage tees and a chess set. Cam wanted a few exercise things and a shirt he liked. 

Both boys really like chess. It came from my Dad and Brad likes to play also. 

This is an extra 25-30 lbs on Camden.

Curlers will be explained in another post, I did tell him we could wait to put them in. Beckham likes cheesecake and Albertson's has really good cheesecake cones, which is what he wanted for his cake. Camden doesn't eat sugar,  and so he wanted yogurt balls. Not a cake cake, but a platter of different yogurt balls. 

This was the boys first birthday that they were separate for their birthday day. I know it will happen once they are adults. I also know its not my birthday, but I wasn't ready to just let Cam be alone all day. Beck went to Oregon with Paul and Zander to see Shinedown. They left very early and spent all day trying different foods and walking around. A special b-day doughnut. Beck said all the  food was good they tried. He said that there were a lot of 'interesting' people there.  

Their tickets were in the pit and they got really good spots. 

Three Days Grace was one of the opening bands, which Beck loved. The Shinedown was the real show. I'm a little jealous he got to see them again. They are so good live, worth the trip. 

I love the relationship that my kids have formed with all the family up here, but there is a special connection with Uncle Paul and family. Seeing it just solidifies the move here. 

Beckham is still such a gentile kind person. He is a teen and is trying to figure out who he is, which can change attitudes a little; Beck tends to weigh heavy on sarcasm. I for one and not good at getting sarcasm, so sometimes its lost on me. He is like me and just over High School and ready to be done.  He is working now to graduate either end of summer or December. Beckham is so creative. He comes to me all the time to tell me of movie or story ideas that he thinks would be cool to make. He has creative monsters and ideas. I think he is still trying to decide what carrier path he is wanting to do, something creative, imaginative seems where he may be heading. He says director and going to a school in New York, but lately that hasn't been his main choice. He still has time to think about what he wants to do. I love to see how he interacts with Jackson. I think its how my brothers may have thought of  me. I know I was the baby and just wanted to tag along. I remember rides with Scott out to Aunt Gerry's and hanging out with him and Jose, Jayson getting me from Ski Club and how cool I felt that my older brother, who could drive, is getting me. Bryan and I did the most, many times hanging out with him and his friends at the drive in. Paul was just older than me, that I don't remember him home much. Every time Beck goes out, and Jacks hears him say he's leaving, he asks to go with him. Beck doesn't let him every time, but he has more lately. He took Jacks with him and Zander to a movie and told Jacks that they are going to watch a Star Wars on May 4th together. I know Jackson loves it and will remember it like I do. He is getting better and better at the guitar. When he played it the other day during rock band, that was so fun for me to hear. It meant he was finally ready to show off and comfortable. Most of the time his door is closed and amp isn't on, I like the loud version. I've been so impressed how he taught himself how to play. I love his sense of humor and that he share it with me. Not everything he finds funny I find as funny, but he has a happy laugh like Brad. Both of them, when something is really funny or makes them really laugh, they laugh with their whole self. I don't know how to fully explain it but   it's the best. His love of music I love too. Not just playing, but how much he loves concerts and gets into them, and his love for listening to music. For the past year Beckham has been paying into a trip to Germany with the school. He leaves soon for that, but he has worked so hard to pay for the trips. This past year or so Beckham has worked super hard to better himself. He was tired of feeling and being over weight and so he did something about it. He has done different exercises and diets to help him get to where he is. He's lost a lot of weight and really feels better. He likes to look at his old pictures to compare when still had his baby fat. He is growing into a great young man and I can't wait to see where he is in his life to come. In 5 years Beck sees himself in college studying film. His favorite food is a good sandwich, his favorite subject is PE or Cardio Fit and his favorite game/toy/activity is lifting weights.

On the boys actual birthday, we all took the day off. We went to lunch at Red Robin. Cam spilled a full lemonade on the table and Emery. He may be 17, but still a messy kid. 

Next we went to Dave and Busters to play games. It's nice to go on a school day, the place is empty and we can play any that we want. 

He ended the day with Dawson, Creed and Cameron getting doughnuts, walking around a store and driving around. I think both boys had a good day, and this time next year I'll be writing about  my adult boys. 

Camden's artistic self has exploded this year and it always impresses me. I'll show more of that later. His goal this year is to try a lot of new hobbies and he has done that, painting figures, custom shoes, portraits, cards, baking/cooking, and he wants to make a pair of pants. Cam still teases everyone he can, but he has calmed down a lot. He has a big heart and that has shown since he got a job. He loves being able to have money to get what he feels is the perfect gift for someone. If people knew how much he thought about what he gave them, they'd be impressed. He and Emery have the best teasing love relationship. They love/hate each other every day. Cam will do something nice but have to tease her a little afterwards. Camden likes to do things with the family. He and Beck are pretty close and still have a good relationship. He wanted to build a computer because it was cool, but also dad and Jacks wanted too also, he and Emery have played lots of Rock Band together and he would get new songs they both loved to play. The amount of times I have to remind Cam to do something is infuriating to no end. I just told him for the 4th time to clean a food container in his room.  He has lots of reminders to help him and he is getting better but has a bit to go. But if it's something Camden wants to do, he'll remember it forever. He likes school, which is good, he has a lot left. The program he is going allows him to get above a 4.0 and he has that right now. We get mail every other day from a different college for him. He is set on being a surgeon, so he is going to be a little picky with ones he goes to. Right now he has 4 or 5 he will apply to. One is U of U, so while this house bleeds BYU (and by house I mean Brad), we may have to enjoy the Utes a little too. Camden loves music like I do. He brings me songs to listen to that he thinks I'll like, and majority I do. Camden also likes to find fun songs to play on the piano. While he had a little bit different than normal piano lessons, he has excelled and still loves it.  In five years he sees himself doing the MCAT, have a Batchelor's in Biochemistry or Biology, Appling to Medical school (John Hopkins tops that list) and hopefully, possibly married. His favorite food is Fried Rice, his favorite subject is Medical Term and his favorite game or activity is art. 

Until next year when I cry being old enough to have 2 adults.