So Much (For) Fall Out Boy

Last weekend we took another trip to Utah for another concert. This time to see Fall Out Boy and this time I brought another adult. It was out family and Zander who went. The first two openers were okay. Then it was Bring Me the Horizon. I really like a few of their songs, then a few I'm not a super fan, but he was good to watch. He is from England and has a very cool accent. First concert in the lawn. Didn't love it, but didn't hate it either. 

I've said it before but I love how much Jackson looks up to Beck. Jacks Beck and Zander got into a few BMTH songs.

Beck feeling the music deeply here (or just a picture at the right time)

I am not sure what is said in this song and it's a louder scream song, so forewarning on that. I loved watching them during the song, Can You Feel My Heart. Jackson will never cut that hair now, maybe worth it for those moments. 

 

Then Fall Out Boy. They are always good, and this was no different. They didn't talk a ton, they just wanted to play as many songs as they could in the time they had. They played a few we love, a few we haven't heard ever by them, and a few favorites that we were wishing would be live, like The Kids Aren't All Right. Worth the drive and heat, and will go again next time. Which I hope isn't too far away. 

First Date

 Camden went on his first date this week. The other day he asked if I cared if he went on a date and watched movies. I thought he said watch movies but he doesn't know what date, like calendar. It probably was better I thought it was just hanging out and not a date date, I would have probably been awkward...or more awkward. He went with a friend from school and his ISU Anatomy class. They had pizza, watched movies, when the power went out randomly, they went swimming and watched another movie. He said a 10/10 day. 

Full Combo, Times Three and Cold Dogs

A lot of Rock Band is played in our house. It is still so much fun after all these years. We need new instruments, but since you can't buy them anywhere, we're stuck with what we have. Brad, Emery and Cam did something the other night that they have never done before, all three got full combos, which means they all got 100%, no errors on In the End by Lincoln Park. They were pretty excited. 

I had an upset stomach the other day and was using a heating pad. Eevee came in just as I was feeling better so I thought I would burrito her. She loved it to say the least. Once she got warm, she did not want to move. We may need to pull this out in the winter for her. 

Beckham

Beck came to me about a month or so ago he said he wanted to go camping, but he said alone. He is going to Germany soon, and that is making me freak out a little. He will be on another continent away from me for 12 days! And that is with a company and adults who do this often. (I am trying not to thing about graduation/college/mission right now. I know soon they will be out of the house) We told him he can not go alone. He went with a friend from work. They went up by McCall. He said the water was freezing, the mac and cheese he meant to make didn't work out and he didn't sleep at all. So he had a pretty normal camping trip. Not sure how quickly he'll go out again, but he did it. 

I read that coffee grounds can help your plants. We don't drink coffee but Beck gets a free bag a week, if he wants it. So I had him get me a bag. It was only  when it was home that I realized I don't have a way to cook this. Beck said to get filters and he could do it. I think he just poured hot water on them and drained them, but I'm not sure. All I know is our house smelled so bad for 2 days. Jury is still out if it helped my plants or not.

But the snake plant I got for my birthday last year has a baby!(that is probably not what it is called)

Camden

 

Something I never experienced in a 'typical' way was college. I never wanted to go away to college. I knew CSI was cheap, close to my mom and gave me an Associates just like other places could. Having Cam and Beck now going into their senior year, we get a lot of mail for them. Both boys get letters pretty often. Camden is doing a program that also puts his GPA on a site schools can look at. He has kept all the mail so far and it is a lot, and a few from really good schools.

Towels

 I used the kids bathroom the other day and saw this note from Jackson. When I wash their towels, I leave them at the bottom of the stairs or just outside the door for them to put away. A few too many weeks Jackson was not given the right one. Not sure why he didn't just get the right one, but also I can feel the pain too. We'll see next week if it's put right. Maybe that will end up being Jacks' next chore, putting towels away each week.

McCall

This past weekend was the Barnes Reunion and this year we went to McCall. We went once before but it was good to go back. The weather really was perfect. It was still cooler, so the outside things we did were nice and bearable, however, we didn't have a water day. I also didn't take a ton of pictures either. 

Deer everywhere and they were not scared of humans. Which I think is a little freaky but also cool to see them. These ones looked a little rough; maybe Disney ruined me with how deer look in real life. 

It was so green and pretty there. SO many trees too. The scenery was beautiful there. 

Look at these beautiful/handsome kids! 

We went on a hike and to a look out with a few family members. It was nice and cool but lots of mosquitos. 

The hike start. We did get a little lost which wasn't really bad, other than the really young kids we had with us were not happy by the end. The boys went off on their own (they did have a map). Their trail was longer than ours was supposed to be, but they made it back before us. 

This was Emery's favorite activity, holding Lennon. 

Beck, Grey, Cam and James

The whole clan (that was able to come)

Start of Senior Year

 

Beckham only has 2 classes left and then he is done with his High school requirements. He is a little like me and just over school and wanted to just finish. He started his senior year June 1 and will graduate in December this year. I may have said this before, but when he brought this idea to me, my first (selfish) thought was, I won't get a picture of the twins together on graduation night in their gowns. Yup a picture. Maybe they won't graduate the same day, but one thing I have tried to push their whole lives if that they are 2 different kids, just born the same day. They are as alike as Cam and Jackson. Here to an easy senior year!

Random

A few pictures from the last day of school. Emery and her friends with their favorite PE teacher.  She found a really good group of friends, who are all going to the same school next year. 

Jackson with his friend Luke. We went to a few libraries and Target to look at Pops! before we left for the reunion. I love seeing them together. They are so much alike and get alone so well. I'm glad Jackson and him met. 

Jackson is 12

Jackson is 12 now. Pre-teens and teens only for us now. On the way home from Utah, I picked up Jarom to spend the weekend with Jackson. Them being far apart is something they both wish were different. They had a good time. We opened gifts Saturday. Emery wrapped a bunch of things, which in the end, the present was a tiny plastic baby. 

This is what Jackson asked for the most. A Nicholas Cage face blanket. Why? You got me, but he loved it.

They watched a few scary movies this weekend as well. It's fun seeing these two interact when they're together. 

For his actual birthday we went and saw the new Spiderman, Superverse movie. Very good and worth watching. 

Jackson is my baby and I don't know how much I love him being a preteen now.  I don't have any little kids anymore. It just makes me old.  He still loves to make people laugh and says some of the most random things. He also will randomly make noises and he claps a lot. When he was 2 or 3 he took a tablet into him room and hid it to play at night. He could have gotten away with it, but he did well on a level and was excited and clapped for himself. Jackson, Brad and Cam have a lot in common when it comes to art. He draws and does things with photoshop and drawing tablet, but he is getting better and better. He has gone a little away from loving all things horror and has switched to... well the 80's/90's pop-culture may be best to describe him now. He has watched all the Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Hobbit, really older movies that Brad grew up loving. If we say that some older movie is really good, the kids should watch it, he will. He also loves La Bomba and a few others that are more dramas and you wouldn't think he'd like to sit through. Right now he is watching Breaking Bad and likes it, so far. His room is now going more Star Wars/TMNT. His favorite thing to draw and to read are graphic novels/comic books. I like that he likes to read, and when he get those, he reads them quick. One thing he loves to do it library tours. There are libraries all over here and so we pick a few and go see what they have to offer. We usually take his friend Luke with us. Libraries are one thing we both love to go to. I really like it when the kids get you. They will watch memes or shorts on Social Media and come to me with ones they find funny and/or think I will find funny and he has started that. There is a part to kids growing that is sad, but also a part that's exciting when they start molding into these tiny adults with their own likes and hates and things that are funny. I really do love seeing who they develop into. We talked tonight in FHE to prepare for the Barnes reunion. It's about loving your neighbors and showing kindness and we asked if anyone had a story they wanted to share. He said he did. It was 4th grade and the first few weeks were remote  but they decided to send elementary to in person. He said one day the teacher told them to work on something and they could work with a partner. He said he just worked alone because he didn't know anyone, it was his first year in Boise. Then  two kids in the class, Luke and Kaylee said he looked sad, do you want to work with us. He then said the rest is history. Luke is his best friend and really an answer to a prayer. I loved hearing him tell about it, and how much something so little, they just let a new kid work with them. Brings a happy tear to me. We love Luke, they get along so perfectly. He has loved being a Deacon and the responsibilities that come with that. He has his favorite route for the sacrament, which I think every boy does. He has really liked going to Jr High. Having different classes each day, World Civilization was his favorite. He even got an award for that class. His favorite snack is Dr Pepper and his favorite toy or game is the PS4 Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Brad, Jacks and I have been playing it together the past few weeks.