Pablo the Pet Snail

Yesterday morning, after my boys got ready for school they disappeared outside and I became curious when they became very quiet, which is generally a sign they're up to NO GOOD! So, I went to check things out and to my pleasant surprise I saw them sitting around the table looking very intently at something. Whenever I see my boys huddled outside they've usually discovered some poor living/breathing organism, which quickly becomes their next victim--most likely a bug of some sort, spider, or lizard that has fallen prey to their curiosity. Sure enough, I walk over and they're all infatuated with a little snail. As I watch them, they are treating it all pet-like by letting it crawl up and down their arms, leaving a trail of slime in it's path. They even named it Pablo and I thought it was sweet enough to run in and grab my camera to capture this endearing moment of my little boys and their new pet, Pablo. In one picture it looks like Scotty is even trying to give it a butterfly kiss on it's little shell...(SIGH) my sweet little boys!!!

Their attention spans are still in the very early stages of development and they quickly grew tired of Pablo and ran into the house and off they went to school....

......OR SO I THOUGHT!!! This is where it all went very, very wrong! I went upstairs to change Caroline's diaper just as the boys came in the house and apparently they had brought the snail in. They put three cups in the freezer, one with just water, one with Pablo and an orange peel and one with some charcoal from the fire pit. We've been working on a science project for Hayes where we've been putting clay in various places to see how it reacts differently to hot and cold temperatures. Thankfully...they didn't figure out a way to expose the snail to heat and just to the cold. Maybe...they were going to try to bbq Pablo with the charcoal, but water and our freezer were much more accessible than fire. WHEW!

DISCLAIMER: THERE WERE NO SLIMY CREATURES INJURED IN THE PURPOSE OF THE CREATION OF THIS BLOG POST! After my gruesome discovery, I set the living/breathing (or whatever it is snails do to exist) Pablo free in the backyard!

I think the orange peel is an act of compassion....you know, so the snail doesn't starve as he is dying a slow, cold, lonely death. WHAT... do you think my children are complete heathens???

Friend Test

My cute Utah bunco friends sent this to me...
Put an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not. Answer the 30 questions at the end send it to your friends (including me) or post it on your blog. This is for your entire life!

(x ) Gone on a blind date

( x ) Skipped school

( x ) Watched someone die
(x ) Been to Canada

(x) Been to Mexico

(x ) Been to Florida

( x ) Been on a plane
(x) Been lost

(x) Been on the opposite side of the country

(x ) Been to Washington , DC

(x) Swam in the ocean

(x ) Cried yourself to sleep

(x) Played cops and robbers

(x) Recently colored with crayons

( ) Sang Karaoke

( )Paid for a meal with coins only?

(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?

(X) Made prank phone calls?

(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose

(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue

(x ) Danced in the rain

( x ) Written a letter to Santa Claus

(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe

( ) Watched the sunrise with someone you care about

(x) Blown bubbles

( x) Gone ice-skating

( x ) Been skinny dipping outdoors

(x) Gone to the movies

(x) Got a speeding ticket

1. Any nickname? Poopsy Doopsy
2. Favorite Drink? Diet Dr. Pepper
3. Mother's name? Sonia
4. Tattoo? no
5. Body Piercing? ears and my belly button, but I took it out a few weeks later and it was BEFORE the Prophet said NO BODY PIERCING--it was a DUMB whim -- it HURT and it got infected! I did use to have great abs though...(sigh)
6. How much do you love your job? LOVE IT!
7. Birthplace? UT
8. Favorite vacation? Anywhere I haven't been yet....
9. Ever been to Africa ? I so wish!
10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Sad to say, but yes
11. Ever been on TV? no, I'm so insignificant
12. Ever steal any traffic sign? yes (I grew up in a small town--who didn't???)
13. Ever been in a car accident? Yes--NOT MY FAULT!
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4 doors
15. Favorite salad dressing? Hidden Valley Ranch (light)
16. Favorite pie? peach
17. Favorite number? 7
18 Favorite Movie? French Kiss
19 Favorite holiday ? Christmas
20. Favorite Dessert? a GOOD peach cobbler
21. Favorite food? depends on what mood I'm in
22. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
23. Favorite brand of body wash? Aveeno
24. Favorite toothpaste? Crest (NOT the kind with baking soda! BLECH!)
25. Favorite smell? depends on if I'm pregnant...which I'm not, so right now it's Scentsy Peach Cobbler Cinnamon!
26. What do you do to relax? read, listen to Celtic music, play on my laptop, yoga, drink herbal tea...oh, how I love to relax--I feel so relaxed just thinking about it!!!!
28. How do you see yourself in 10 years? perfectly toned legs, tight bottom, rock hard abs--this may require some cosmetic enhancements! We can all have goals...RIGHT?!?!?!
29. Furthest place you will send this message? Utah I think???
30. Who will respond to this the fastest? ????
31. Who won't bother to respond? that's up to you!



Consider yourselves tagged...I will be checking your blogs!

Happy Halloween!

Dianne the clown (my costume is padded :), Caroline is Lil' Bo Peep, Scott the stegosaurus (thanks Emily--we've really used this costume over the last five years;) Hayes is Pharaoh (Ra to be exact), and Ty is a skeleton.
OMG(goodness) I love this Lil' Bo Peep!

Ty LOVED having his face painted!

All my boys have worn this darling costume (THANKS again Em ;).

She is the cutest EVER!

Look at these smokin' hot mamas...oh, and Scott Kimball and......our smokin' hot hubbies!!!

Brother, Bishop, Dr. Michael Quinn (I NEVER KNOW WHAT TO CALL HIM!) Caroline, McKenna and squishable, adorable little Crew.

THANKS CARA & JOE for letting us sugar crash at your house! We had such a great time hanging out on Halloween night with great friends and of course, eating yummy candy, root-beer floats and drinking diet coke! We really love our friends and our neighborhood! Thanks everyone for making such a GHOULISH evening so SPOOKTACULAR! Muahahahahaha!

Lobster BBQ at Laguna Beach

Scott pushing Caroline on the swings...what a great big bro!
My FABULOUS cousin Paul Jr. (he'll forever be referred to in all of my blog posts as "FABULOUS Paul") bbq-ing the best lobster I've EVER had!

We're soooo ready to eat!

Such a great spot with the playground, tables and gorgeous view!

Chris, my Mom and Uncle Paul

I love this picture of Ty.....

I wish we would've been looking at our camera....

My Mom....I still can't believe she's with us! She's been in remission (leukemia) for two years.

We had such a great day with my family at the beach! My Mom, Uncle Paul and Aunt Gaye were all in town. My cousins FABULOUS Paul, Brad, Tyler and their families all live in Southern California too. FABULOUS Paul arranged this spectacular bbq--he's definitely my favorite cousin!!! Sorry other cousins...bbq lobster for me on a gorgeous beach and you'll be in the running again for my fav cousin, but only if it's delicious...and I highly doubt anyone can even come close! I LOVE lobster (after living in Boston and Seattle I KNOW what good lobster tastes like....THIS WAS GOOOOOD LOBSTER! FABULOUS Paul trapped them all, so they were SUPER FRESH and he cooked them up right on the beach....it is without a doubt, my favorite memory so far.....good times with family on an absolutely gorgeous beach AND yummy lobster!!! It truly doesn't get any better than this......

Hayes IS our STAR STUDENT!

Look at this handsome and very sweet little man! He's growing up so fast and he's the bravest, smartest and kindest second grader I know. He was chosen as the very first Star Student of the week in his class. His teacher, Mrs. Johnson, tells me all the time how much she adores Hayes and what a good, smart boy he is. He's adapted very well in his new school, he loves eating school lunch with his friends and he even joined the running club--he's a super, fast runner! We are so proud of our Hayes and the example he is to Tyler, Scotty and Caroline.....and his parents! I love to watch their faces when he walks into the room....they really brighten up, or they have a fearful look if they're playing with one of his toys, especially his Legos! He's my first, he's my helper and he's special.....

My name is Hayes Shoff.

My birthday is December 25, 2000.

The place I was born is Boston, MA.

My favorite food is spaghetti and cake.

My favorite thing to do is play Lego.

My favorite place to go is Lego Land.

My favorite T.V. show is Bionicles.

My pet is NONE. =(

The people in my family are Mom, Dad, Tyler, Scott, Caroline.

Some things I don't like are cheese and milk.

I AM A STAR STUDENT! WILLIAM HAYES SHOFF (named after my great-grandpa).

YES ON PROPOSITION 8

Hey all of my blogging friends,
I have just added a banner for Prop. 8 to my blog. Please support the cause and add one to yours too! It is super easy, just click on my banner and it will take you to the site and you copy and paste it just like all of the other gadgets (it's under the heading "take action" then "downloads").
If you'd like more information please go to http://www.protectmarriage.com/, or I would love to email you a letter Chris wrote with our thoughts on it.
Please support the sanctity of marriage and pray that Proposition 8 will pass!
Thanks for your help!!!

New Pictures from La Jolla Cove

Remember when I posted some pics about a month ago from our great day at La Jolla Cove? I mentioned in the post that my favorite memory of the beach was when we went kayaking, snorkeling and boarding with my cousin, but I was so sad because I didn't have my camera that day. My AWESOME cousin Paul just emailed me these pictures...it was seriously the most fun we've had out here yet.

We have another beach day planned with Paul & family, my Mom, my Aunt Gay and Uncle Paul, my cousins Tyler, Brad and their families this Saturday...so I'm sure I will be posting some fun pics from that too. THANKS PAUL YOU'RE THE BEST!!!!