Tuesday, February 12, 2013

UPsurd!

Josh: You know why I wanted you to make banana bread?
Me: No, why?
Josh: Well listen, I'm going to tell you the reason.
Me: Okay, I'm listening.
Josh: It is because it is SO delicious that everyone has to have a piece.  It is UPsurd!
Me: Oh really, absurd?
Josh: Yes, upsurd.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Challenge

In church each week we give the youth a challenge for the week.  This last week was to teach someone about the Plan of Salvation (God's plan for us, that there is life before this life and after and we are here to prove ourselves to God).  So I remember a few hours before church and think, "Perfect, I can teach the boys!"

So here goes that conversation:

Me: "Josh, Caleb, did you guys know that we lived in heaven before we were born?"
Caleb looks at me with a confused/frustrated face like "what are you talking about now?"
Josh: "Yeah Mom, we lived in heaven, then we came here and got bodies, if we are good then when we die we will go back to heaven to live with Heavenly Father.  I know Mom okay?"
Caleb nodding his head like "Yup, Josh and I know everything."
They both quickly go back to playing destruction of the mountain with pretend cell phones (or at least that is what it looked like).

There is not much I can teach these kids.  They already know it all.  :)

Too Close for Comfort

Being a mother is the most rewarding occupation in the world.  I think it is also the most stressful.

Today I had the opportunity to be watching 5 boys.  Well, Josh was at preschool for part of it, so technically Josh and one of the other boys kind of switched places.  It is really awesome that I can help other people, and it is really neat that other people trust me with their kids, even if they don't even know me.  But being a mom and a babysitter is not an easy job and today I found myself kind of wishing I wasn't.  Not that I don't want to be a mom, I LOVE each one of my kids.  And Logan, the little guy I watch every day, is like the greatest kid you could ever babysit.  So I am really lucky.

But I was outside, freezing, because that was the ONLY thing that made certain children not scream and cry.  They were digging in the dirt and chasing each other with sticks and you know...boy things.  I see a few of my friends walking by all cutesie in their work out clothes.  One mom had two kids, the other had one.  And I kind of had one of those "I feel like an animal in a zoo" moments.  I was looking over my fence longingly like through the bars of a prison cell.  "How I wish I had the freedom to go walking" I thought.  I am so blessed and have a double jogging stroller, but if I ever want to use it, two kids are in and two kids are out.  No big deal, but there is always fighting because the older kids want in and the younger out and then there is crying and fits and no one is actually going anywhere, so what really is the point in trying?

And all the kids I "own" and watch are 5 and under.  Although Tyson doesn't agree, I cannot leave them home alone.  :)  So that does leave me feeling a little trapped at times.  Not that I want my life to be any different.  I wouldn't trade what I have, I know I am SUPER blessed because I love what I have.  But I think I am in that point in my life where motherhood is kind of overwhelming.  Did I space my kids too close?  Because next year, Josh will be in kindergarten, but wait, I will have just had a newborn.  So really, I have the same amount with me. 

I mentioned that to Tys and said like 5 more years and I will be more free and he laughed and said "Yeah, 5 more years and you will still have 2 at home, if not more."  Hm.  That's a long time.  And a lot of kids.  Do I really want more than 4?  I can't really go back and have less than 4 and I wouldn't want to.  But anywhoo, I am just ranting and thinking. 

Please don't think I don't love my life.  It is just some days my life is a little too close for comfort.  But who needs comfort?  Comfort just makes you lazy and fat right?  :)  It is for wimps and I for one may want to be a wimp, but it isn't in my job description.  So on to motherhood, the best job in the world.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

We Don't Say Sexy

Picture this:  Tyson is leaving for work:

Tyson: "Bye guys!  Bye Honey!"
Me: "Bye Sexy!"
(door closes)
Caleb: (laughing) "Bye Sexy!"
I roll my eyes thinking I have got to stop using that word.
Josh: "Caleb, we don't say sexy."
Caleb: "Why?"
Josh: "Little kids don't say that.  Only mommies and daddies call each other that."
Caleb: "Oh."
Josh: "I can't wait until I am old and married and my wife calls me sexy."
Caleb: "Me either (sounds like ee-der).  My wife is gonna call me dat all dee time."

Yup.  Gotta love having kids.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Baby It's Cold Outside








The Kids

The boys seem the same to me all the time and then all the sudden I will think about it or notice them do something and I think "Woah, they are growing up fast!"  So here is some of the basic info about these kids as of late:
 
Joshua:  He is at a precious age.  Difficult, but precious.  He is really emotional, I'm sure girls are worse, but I just don't know what to do with the roller coaster of emotions he excudes daily.  One minute he will be happy and helpful and the next second he will be bawling and hiding in a corner or yelling and slamming doors.  I just sit there, wide eyed, wondering what on earth to do or trying to calm my temper.  Two emotional people in a house together is really not a pretty thing.  :)  He is learning really fast and LOVING to read and still asks a million and a half questions every day.  "Do reindeer sink in the water?"  "Do they get cold?"  "How does snow melt?" "Why do we excercise?" "What are toys made out of?"  He is reading little stories like "The Little Cat on the Farm went singing to the man."  Words like that.  He is much better than he thinks.  He gets a little dramatic about how he can't do ANYTHING!  And then as soon as he reads it he has the proudest little face and tells me "I knew I could do that, it was pretty easy."  And I just sit there taking deep breaths, trying not to think about how 6 sentences just took 30 minutes of encouraging and using every ounce of patience I own.  I think I learn more than he does every lesson.  :)  He also tells me he is sad to grow up because he doesn't want to leave me.  See what I mean?  Precious.

Making their own instruments.  I will spare you the lovely noise they created.
 I have included preschool pictures throughout.  Josh's preschool has been without heat, so we have been having it at our house.  It has been working out really nice and I love getting to know the kids better. They are hilarious!  I should have made a quote book because talk about kids saying the darndest things.  It is a fact.

A note Josh made at church.  Don't know about why there is the "Jesus made cows" but it is true and funny, so I had to share.

 
Caleb:  This kid is a riot.  He is all about being independent now.  "I can do it myself Mama."  He is totally potty trained and gets mad if I try to help him wash his hands or anything.  He has been so happy and funny.  He loves to pretend he is a superhero or a rhino or "nah-sir-ous."  It is a really good imitation and kind of frightening.  He does charge and head butt you.  :)  His favorite food is tacos right now.  He will eat three or four at dinner and still be hungry.  He still loves cereal and have included yet another photo of him eating it.  It is just so funny to me I guess.  He loves art and coloring and is really good with his fine motor skills.  He can create some really beautiful pictures already.  He loves to stay up late and come out a million times to ask for just one more thing.  Yup, that phase.  "Can I have a drink of water?" "I need to go to the bathroom" "I'm scared of wolves jumping through my window" "Can you read me a book?"  You know, those things.  Drives me crazy, but at the same time I can't help but love him.  He and Josh switched bunks since Caleb kept rolling out of the bottom bunk, so it is cute to see him climb the ladder into bed every night.  He is my snuggle bug.
 
 
 
 




 

Matthew:  Talk about personality, this kid is insane.  He has to do everything his way and fast.  He wants to go outside all the time, shoes or no shoes, freezing or not.  He wants to play with just what his big brothers are.  He has to eat where they are eating and what they are eating.  He never ate baby food, walked at 9 months old, hates napping or going to bed early because his brothers aren't in there with him.  He even tries to sleep in their beds, he doesn't like being contained in his crib.  The other day we heard some dishes clicking and found Matthew sitting at the table (he figured out how to climb up in the chairs and from there the table).  I have found him up there with scissors three times, eating any leftover food on like a million occasions.  He is even there right now, eating Caleb's leftover pumpkin pie.  I just don't care to go make him get down.  He is totally giving me a run for my money and exhausting me in no way I have been before.  He already pretends too.  His favorite is to be a puppy.  He will crawl up to me panting and wants me to rub his head.  It is adorable.  He is always full of smiles and little charms to get himself out of trouble.  Most of the time I can't even remember what he did that was wrong in the first place.  Yup, I totally have to be careful with this kid.  And he does it on purpose.  He knows how to give kisses, but won't, just because he thinks it is funny to make people kiss him instead.  Oh and when he is tired he will go get his blanket and pacifier and lay on the floor.  It is hilarious.  We all adore the little guy.  Joshua especially takes extra good care of him.  It is really cute.

 
 
Blueberry:  We are anxious to find out more about this little creature.  "She" as Tyson will only call her or him, is growing great and due sometime around August 5.  So I am just getting throught the first trimester.  It has been a sick few months, lots of laying on the couch and not wanting to go anywhere, but we are really excited to have another one.  We are so lucky and blessed to have so many great kids and even if I am prematurely gray and lost several years off my life due to stress and exhaustion and the house is always a mess, I know I am one lucky woman.  Not to mention these little guys have the best Daddy in the whole world.  He plays with them and is their hero, and he sure makes me happy.  So life is crazy great!

Christmas Time!

I can't believe it has been more than a month since I last wrote!  Woah, I am far behind on telling of our world.  So here are pictures of Christmas time. 
The boys helped Tyson put up the lights outside,
 

we had our annual sugar cookie making with the Davis's (which was hilarious. The boys have great decorating skills, Jack lovingly covered every cookie in heavy blue frosting, it was awesome).
 





 And then there are pictures of Christmas morning. Carmel stayed the night on Christmas Eve and made a tent for the boys to sleep in (which they LOVED) and then they proceeded to wake her up at 4:30 in the morning to open presents. She kept them contained for 1/2 an hour so Tys and I could sleep a little longer, but they were up for good. So we gave up and let the unwrapping begin. It was a great Christmas. It was very tech-y. We got a Fire Kindle from Uncle Zach (SO awesome), Josh got a laptop from Santa and so did I! I have officially wasted much of every day playing computer games now. :)

 Caleb asked Santa for a basketball and a snake, so that is what he got.  :)


 And Uncle KJ and Aunt Courtney sent us an awesome gingerbread house kit, complete with candy!  It tasted SO good and was really fun to make.  Right after I took the pictures with the boys and the house, I turned around and Josh took a knife and his toy Batman to it and it was smooshed.  Sad, but glad I got a shot of it first.  :)  Such is the life with little boys!