Derek and I have been home from Orlando for 6 weeks and we are still expericencing aftershocks of my mom tending for us. Every day Bailey has a waffle for breakfast and every day since I've been home Bailey has told me to cut her waffle like Grandma does. At first I had the attitude of 'you get what you get' but after a month of hearing that I'm doing it wrong I decided to take it as a challenge to cut her waffle right. I have tried every way there is to cut a waffle - and no dice, I can't cut it like my mom and I can't cut it right.
Then there's Emmy. She came up to me a few days ago and asked if she could have a granola bar. I say 'sure' and she's off eating her granola bar. Afterwards she comes up to me and says, "When Grandma was tending me I asked her if I could have a granola bar and she said, 'help yourself' and then I asked if her if Icould have another one and she said 'yes'. So I can have another one now?". "No" was the answer her mean mom gave her.
It's really no wonder why my kids weren't happy when we came home!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Foot Loose & Passey Free
Logan is officially passey-free. I let my babies have passeys until they turn one. The day after their birthday those things hit the garbage and we embark on a transition time to be independent of pacifiers. So a few weeks ago his hit the street. Today I took him in for his one-year well baby and I told Bailey that she would need to help him be happy because he was getting 6 (!) shots. She told me she would get his passey for him. I told her they were all in the garbage and she said, "what garbage?". She was going to go get one out for him! I thought it was so funny, cute and distgusting!
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Echo, Echo
For quite a while now Bailey has been such a copy cat of Emmy. No matter what Emmy does, says, or plays with - that's what Bailey will do. Every day when I do Bay's hair I say, "how do you want your hair today?" - without hesitation, she'll say, "like Emmy". If Emmy's wearing a skirt - Bay has to wear a skirt. I used to think it was just like having twins - but twins would be different, this is just like having 2 Emmys. As I've thought about what to get Bay for Christmas I can't come up with anything the just she would like - she'll only want what Emmy gets (which makes for a really good Christmas for Emmy). But today takes the cake . . . they were playing together and Emmy says, "hold on, I have to go to the bathroom", without hesitation I hear, "me too!". And off they both went!
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Last week I couldn't have told you anything about Facebook. I'd heard of it but that was it. Then I got some emails telling me to check out a few cousins Facebook pages. So I decided to check it out. To see their pages I had to register an account - the next thing I know I have an inbox FULL of emails from people telling me they'd added me as their friends on their Facebook pages - I don't even know what that means!
So back to Facebook I go. I've started to figure it out and think I might be the last person to join Facebook. You can go to some friend's page and see who they're friends with - some people have hundreds of friends (I think I might have 4!). But all of my old high school friends are on Facebook and they're all connected. It's funny to find so many old friends.
Here's the thing about Facebook though: I think it's like blogging on speed (or possibly for people with ADD). People just write one sentence on their page and then people comment. So instead of a writing a complete novel on my trip to Florida I would have written "I went to Florida." and someone would have commented, "cool". It's the epitomme of a snapshot into someone's life (or day depending on how often they post).
So back to Facebook I go. I've started to figure it out and think I might be the last person to join Facebook. You can go to some friend's page and see who they're friends with - some people have hundreds of friends (I think I might have 4!). But all of my old high school friends are on Facebook and they're all connected. It's funny to find so many old friends.
Here's the thing about Facebook though: I think it's like blogging on speed (or possibly for people with ADD). People just write one sentence on their page and then people comment. So instead of a writing a complete novel on my trip to Florida I would have written "I went to Florida." and someone would have commented, "cool". It's the epitomme of a snapshot into someone's life (or day depending on how often they post).
Friday, November 28, 2008
Logan's Birthday
Logan turned one this week - I can't believe it's been a year since he was born. He was born the day after Thanksgiving last year - Black Friday. I had planned to go shopping with my sisters and mom that morning, but at 2:00 a.m. Derek and I were headed to the hospital instead of the mall. Logan was born at 5:13 that morning and because he was so close to being a Thanksgiving baby all of the nurses called him Butterball (it helped that he weighed 7 1/2 pounds!).
He had a fun birthday party with my parents and Lance and Megan's family. He had chocolate cake and ice cream for the first time (unfortunately the cake gagged him and the ice cream was too cold). It was a fun day for my cute one-year old.
He had a fun birthday party with my parents and Lance and Megan's family. He had chocolate cake and ice cream for the first time (unfortunately the cake gagged him and the ice cream was too cold). It was a fun day for my cute one-year old.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Say No to Drugs . . . and Yes to NFL
Tyler has become obsessed with the NFL. Mainly he's obsessed with team cities, colors, mascots, and most important, rankings. He memorizes the rankings of each team every week. He is always talking about what a team is ranked, who they just played, if they won or lost, if they played at home - I'm telling ya, it's endless. He can talk about it all day, and his favorite question is "who would win between the . . . and the . . .". He loves to also consider the at-home advantage a team has. If a lesser ranked team beats a better ranked team it just blows his mind.
So what does this all have to do with drugs you ask, well here's the explanation. Monday Tyler was in health and they were talking about drugs, what they are, and what to do if anyone ever offers them some. He came home with a paper that he had to answer the following question: "Here is what I would say if someone offered me a drug." Here is what he wrote, "Did you see the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati game?" When I asked him for some further explanation he told me that he would just change the subject from drug offering to football. Then his accompanying picture was a picture of a football player from each team. Hey, whatever keeps him off drugs!
So what does this all have to do with drugs you ask, well here's the explanation. Monday Tyler was in health and they were talking about drugs, what they are, and what to do if anyone ever offers them some. He came home with a paper that he had to answer the following question: "Here is what I would say if someone offered me a drug." Here is what he wrote, "Did you see the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati game?" When I asked him for some further explanation he told me that he would just change the subject from drug offering to football. Then his accompanying picture was a picture of a football player from each team. Hey, whatever keeps him off drugs!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Fun in the Sun
Derek and I just got back from the best trip to Orlando. We got to spend 6 days there - without kids. Crazy eh? HP invited 500 of their employees, and spouses, for an annual program they hold and this year Derek got invited to go. It's held at one of the Disney World Resorts and is first class all the way.
We had to be at the kick-off dinner at 6:30 Wednesday night and since we couldn't get there by that time by leaving on Wednesday we got to leave Tuesday (the biggest scare of the trip came when we checked in at the airport and found out that our plane was delayed enough that we were going to miss our connecting flight, so they tried to put us on a red-eye flight that would have landed in Orlando at 6:00 Wednesday morning! Luckily a different airline had room on their flights to get us there Tuesday night at 11:30).
Because we got there Tuesday night we all day Wednesday to ourselves since the HP things didn't start until that evening. Animal Kingdom - here we come! Derek and I had heard that Animal Kingdom had a great roller coaster called Expedition Everest and an awesome safari attraction. All of Magic Kingdom could fit inside this safari. You ride in these trucks and see awesome wildlife - a giraffe came right up to our truck. It was incredible - maybe our favorite thing out of all the parks. It was so foreign to be at Disney World with no kids - everywhere I looked there were strollers and crying kids and Derek and I were empty handed! We told each other we'd only do rides that had height requirements just because we had no kids. It was sad every time we saw a character to be there without kids - I felt like I was betraying them when we just walked past Mickey and Minnie (I consoled myself with a giant roller coaster ride though).
The only HP things on Thursday were breakfast and a dinner program so Derek and I went to Hollywood Studios. Two reasons why we picked that park - Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster (a roller coaster in the dark that takes you from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds!). We saw a few stunt shows and almost melted in the 80 degree, 96% humidity weather!
Friday morning we had an HP breakfast where they had as a guest speaker the first American woman to summit Mt. Everest. She was awesome as she told about climbing it. That ended our HP part of the trip and we could come home then . . . but we were all the way in Florida, so why not stay throughout the weekend eh?
Friday we went to Universal Studios and then went to see Blue Man Group that night. We were all excited to go because we got front row tickets - which was in the 'poncho section' - because paint might get splashed on you they provide ponchos for everyone in the first three rows. The downside to being so close was that they picked poor audience members to come up and be a part of their act - and lucky Derek got picked! He had to go up and be a part of it - I was laughing so hard I was crying! Blue Man Group was my favorite thing out of the trip.
Saturday we went to an indoor sky diving wind tunnel. You take a 30 minute class, put on a flight suit and helmet, and then they let you go in this wind tunnel with 1000 horsepowered fans blowing air at you. You have an instructor in there with you so it's not scary. You just stand at the doorway and fall in and the air takes you up. It was awesome! Skydivers practice all of their manuevers there because you can stay up as long as you want. Afterwards we went to a lake to go on an airboat ride and look for alligators. All we saw were two bumps out in the water that our guide said were alligator heads (I think they might have put logs out there just in case you don't see anything your guide can take all these tourists there, tell them their alligators really far away and everyone's happy). Afterwards we did get to hold a baby alligator though - and that thing was creepy! For dinner that night we went to a Pirates Dinner show - it was really fun and both Derek and I had to participate (Derek had to do the can-can with a bunch of guys!).
Sunday the vacation was over and we had to come home. I was so excited to see the kids and I thought they would come with my mom to pick us up. No, when asked who wanted to come the the airport all of my kids who can talk said 'no thanks' - Logan came to get us only because he can't voice an opinion! I couldn't believe my kids were completely indifferent to us being gone! And then that Logan . . . I was so excited to see him that I threw open the van door to see him and he burst into tears! So I unbuckle him - still bawling, give him to Derek - still bawling, he gives him to my mom - stops bawling. Can you believe it? That was quite a welcome home! But of course that only means my kids were so happy to be with their grandparents - and of course that's what I want (though coming to the airport wouldn't kill them!).
Now of course this whole trip couldn't have happened without my parents being so willing to tend my kids. My mom had to take days off of work to tend, they had to move into my house so kids could sleep in their own beds, ride the bus, go to preschool and all the rest. I had 7 pages of instructions for my mom! They took Tyler to his school concert, got kids to all the places they had to be, do naps, baths, homework, dinner, and see Logan in the middle of the night! And things at my house were better when I got home than when I left it - my mom thought one of my pans was a bit too old (and that's putting it mildly!) so I came home to new pans, fixed bumper pads on Logan's crib, and the weeks' worth of laundry done They were incredible to be so happy to tend for 6 days, they made it so easy the big joke was that we might extend our vacation a little - I promised I'd be home by Thanksgiving - and I am. We had a great trip.
We had to be at the kick-off dinner at 6:30 Wednesday night and since we couldn't get there by that time by leaving on Wednesday we got to leave Tuesday (the biggest scare of the trip came when we checked in at the airport and found out that our plane was delayed enough that we were going to miss our connecting flight, so they tried to put us on a red-eye flight that would have landed in Orlando at 6:00 Wednesday morning! Luckily a different airline had room on their flights to get us there Tuesday night at 11:30).
Because we got there Tuesday night we all day Wednesday to ourselves since the HP things didn't start until that evening. Animal Kingdom - here we come! Derek and I had heard that Animal Kingdom had a great roller coaster called Expedition Everest and an awesome safari attraction. All of Magic Kingdom could fit inside this safari. You ride in these trucks and see awesome wildlife - a giraffe came right up to our truck. It was incredible - maybe our favorite thing out of all the parks. It was so foreign to be at Disney World with no kids - everywhere I looked there were strollers and crying kids and Derek and I were empty handed! We told each other we'd only do rides that had height requirements just because we had no kids. It was sad every time we saw a character to be there without kids - I felt like I was betraying them when we just walked past Mickey and Minnie (I consoled myself with a giant roller coaster ride though).
The only HP things on Thursday were breakfast and a dinner program so Derek and I went to Hollywood Studios. Two reasons why we picked that park - Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster (a roller coaster in the dark that takes you from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds!). We saw a few stunt shows and almost melted in the 80 degree, 96% humidity weather!
Friday morning we had an HP breakfast where they had as a guest speaker the first American woman to summit Mt. Everest. She was awesome as she told about climbing it. That ended our HP part of the trip and we could come home then . . . but we were all the way in Florida, so why not stay throughout the weekend eh?
Friday we went to Universal Studios and then went to see Blue Man Group that night. We were all excited to go because we got front row tickets - which was in the 'poncho section' - because paint might get splashed on you they provide ponchos for everyone in the first three rows. The downside to being so close was that they picked poor audience members to come up and be a part of their act - and lucky Derek got picked! He had to go up and be a part of it - I was laughing so hard I was crying! Blue Man Group was my favorite thing out of the trip.
Saturday we went to an indoor sky diving wind tunnel. You take a 30 minute class, put on a flight suit and helmet, and then they let you go in this wind tunnel with 1000 horsepowered fans blowing air at you. You have an instructor in there with you so it's not scary. You just stand at the doorway and fall in and the air takes you up. It was awesome! Skydivers practice all of their manuevers there because you can stay up as long as you want. Afterwards we went to a lake to go on an airboat ride and look for alligators. All we saw were two bumps out in the water that our guide said were alligator heads (I think they might have put logs out there just in case you don't see anything your guide can take all these tourists there, tell them their alligators really far away and everyone's happy). Afterwards we did get to hold a baby alligator though - and that thing was creepy! For dinner that night we went to a Pirates Dinner show - it was really fun and both Derek and I had to participate (Derek had to do the can-can with a bunch of guys!).
Sunday the vacation was over and we had to come home. I was so excited to see the kids and I thought they would come with my mom to pick us up. No, when asked who wanted to come the the airport all of my kids who can talk said 'no thanks' - Logan came to get us only because he can't voice an opinion! I couldn't believe my kids were completely indifferent to us being gone! And then that Logan . . . I was so excited to see him that I threw open the van door to see him and he burst into tears! So I unbuckle him - still bawling, give him to Derek - still bawling, he gives him to my mom - stops bawling. Can you believe it? That was quite a welcome home! But of course that only means my kids were so happy to be with their grandparents - and of course that's what I want (though coming to the airport wouldn't kill them!).
Now of course this whole trip couldn't have happened without my parents being so willing to tend my kids. My mom had to take days off of work to tend, they had to move into my house so kids could sleep in their own beds, ride the bus, go to preschool and all the rest. I had 7 pages of instructions for my mom! They took Tyler to his school concert, got kids to all the places they had to be, do naps, baths, homework, dinner, and see Logan in the middle of the night! And things at my house were better when I got home than when I left it - my mom thought one of my pans was a bit too old (and that's putting it mildly!) so I came home to new pans, fixed bumper pads on Logan's crib, and the weeks' worth of laundry done They were incredible to be so happy to tend for 6 days, they made it so easy the big joke was that we might extend our vacation a little - I promised I'd be home by Thanksgiving - and I am. We had a great trip.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Logan's Travels
All of my kids have followed the same pattern from getting from immobile to mobile. They've all been really slow to roll, and then roll for a long time. Then they crawl - and crawl for a long time. And finally they walk. Each kid has gotten later than the previous one too. Tyler was 15 months before he walked, Emmy was 17, Bailey was 18 (and only learned the week she started nursery - I think because she was afraid of going into nursery as a crawler! Those kids would have eaten her for lunch!). So Logan has NO pressure in learning to walk - if he walks before he's 2 I'll be perfectly happy.
But he's totally into his rolling phase right now. He'll roll throughout my entire house. He'll just roll from room to room looking for what he wants. He's really careful when he rolls on the tile or hardwood to not put his head down too. I started taking his picture every time I found him in a funny place his rolling has gotten him. So here are pictures from a day in the life of Logan.
But he's totally into his rolling phase right now. He'll roll throughout my entire house. He'll just roll from room to room looking for what he wants. He's really careful when he rolls on the tile or hardwood to not put his head down too. I started taking his picture every time I found him in a funny place his rolling has gotten him. So here are pictures from a day in the life of Logan.
Expendable Letters
Kindergarten has heightened Emmy's sense of letter awareness. She's always asking what letters certain words start with and sounding out words to tell me what they start with. She's in love with this new knowledge, but the letter K is killing her. She thinks there is no need for the letter K when C makes the same sound. So she has decided, quite adamantly, that there should be no letter K. She finds it completely redundant and expendable. When I tell her all of the words that have K in them she simply says 'it can be a C'. When Derek told her that his name has a K she said it would be no problem to be Derec from now on (Derek thought that looked too French by the way). So just so ya know - there's no more K's at our house.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Happy Haunting!
We had the funnest Halloween last week. Derek's parents got to come here for a 4-day weekend from their mission (it wasn't just a vacation for them though - Derek's dad had to have his annual checkup with his cardiologist - and got a clean bill of health so that was the best news of the weekend). So because his parents were in town Derek's sister came from eastern Idaho with her family and we spent the whole weekend with them, Derek's brother and his family who live here, and his parents - it was complete cousin craziness with that many kids all on a sugar high, but it was the funnest. My kids were in heaven with that many cousins 24 hours a day.
It was perfect that the kids didn't have school on Friday. Throughout the long weekend we took the kids out to eat in their costumes, went to our ward's trunk-or-treat, went trick or treating all together, played games, and had such a great time.
I love Halloween - it's so fun to get your kids dressed up - I wish it was more than just one day! For Halloween this year Tyler was Indiana Jones, Emmy was a Barbie Princess, Bailey was a cheerleader and Logan was a Tootsie Roll.
Monday afternoon Derek's parents had to fly back to California - after all, they are missionaries. What a great weekend!
It was perfect that the kids didn't have school on Friday. Throughout the long weekend we took the kids out to eat in their costumes, went to our ward's trunk-or-treat, went trick or treating all together, played games, and had such a great time.
I love Halloween - it's so fun to get your kids dressed up - I wish it was more than just one day! For Halloween this year Tyler was Indiana Jones, Emmy was a Barbie Princess, Bailey was a cheerleader and Logan was a Tootsie Roll.
Monday afternoon Derek's parents had to fly back to California - after all, they are missionaries. What a great weekend!
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Kindergarten Fieldtrip
Emmy had her first fieldtrip for the year last week. We went to the pumpkin patch (yes, the same great one where Bay went so I'll keep my gushing to myself!). She was so excited for her fieldtrip - she asked me every day for a week if it was today. I met the bus there because they won't let siblings ride the bus - all the moms as they got off the bus said, "that was a really loud bus ride!". We met there and did all the fun things at the pumpkin patch (corn maze, wagon ride, pumpkin finding, coloring, and getting popcorn for a snack). My favorite thing about Emmy's kindergarten class is that there are so many cute girls from our ward in her class. So when I go to the fieldtrip - it's just as fun for me because all of my friends are there too.
It's a tradition at our school that the night of the pumpkin patch fieldtrip they have a Father/Child Pumpkin Carving night. All the dads and kids go to the school at night and carve pumpkins. Every kid gets a ribbon for participation. It's a cute tradition. Emmy and Derek had a great time carving pumpkins. I told him to take her out for a treat afterward to make it a fun date for the two of them - he took her to a gas station to get a candy bar - heartwarming eh?
It's a tradition at our school that the night of the pumpkin patch fieldtrip they have a Father/Child Pumpkin Carving night. All the dads and kids go to the school at night and carve pumpkins. Every kid gets a ribbon for participation. It's a cute tradition. Emmy and Derek had a great time carving pumpkins. I told him to take her out for a treat afterward to make it a fun date for the two of them - he took her to a gas station to get a candy bar - heartwarming eh?
Fall
Tyler was given the assignment to write about fall at school. He brought it home today and it's share-worthy - so here you go, Tyler's fall sentiments:
Fall is so-so.
Fall is so-so because I like seeing geese.
Fall is so yucky because the frost is crunchy.
That's why fall is so weird.
A lot of people love fall, not ol' Tyler.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Election Day
Election Day is finally here - it seems likes this has been the longest election season! Ever since Bush won four years ago we've been talking about 2008. I'm glad it's here - watching the news on the candidates' every move is getting old. It doesn't seem to be issue-based any more - it seems to be more scandal-based. I'm not in love with either candidate either. I just think there's got to be better choices out there - I mean, are these two really the best our country has to offer? America's got to have better candidates.
I do love the actual Election Day - give me a news channel and their magic maps and I could watch them all day (and the SNL skit about CNN's magic map is my fave!). I've had the news on this morning enough to see long lines for voting polls throughout the country - I'm glad I voted through the mail and don't have to stand in line (though I do miss out on my "I Voted" sticker).
Today makes me feel certainly blessed to live in a country where we do get to vote - and our vote matters. Whether McCain (who I voted for) wins or not, I got a say in our country's president. We are lucky to live in a country with such freedom.
I do love the actual Election Day - give me a news channel and their magic maps and I could watch them all day (and the SNL skit about CNN's magic map is my fave!). I've had the news on this morning enough to see long lines for voting polls throughout the country - I'm glad I voted through the mail and don't have to stand in line (though I do miss out on my "I Voted" sticker).
Today makes me feel certainly blessed to live in a country where we do get to vote - and our vote matters. Whether McCain (who I voted for) wins or not, I got a say in our country's president. We are lucky to live in a country with such freedom.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
More Gushing About Neighborhood Preschool
I know I love neighborhood preschools - and I gush about them all the time. But today deserves more gushing! We just got back from the cutest field trip ever. We took our girls to the pumpkin patch to get a pumpkin. There's a big pumpkin patch that has a corn maze, petting zoo, and hay rides that all of the preschools and kindergartens around here go to. We took our little 5-girl preschool there and we were the only ones there! We had this huge place to ourselves! And the weather was so wonderful - we all went in jackets and one by one they all came off because it was so warm.
When we first got there we did the hay ride that took us past the petting the zoo (they even had a zebra - weird eh?) and all around the farm. Then the girls got to go to the pumpkin patch and pick their own pumpkin. After that they got to go through a straw bale maze - which is such a perfect height for them because you can see them the whole time. Then we got to go through a real corn maze little-kid length (under half a mile). Then they got to do a coloring page and Becca brought a ton of snacks and drinks for everyone. It was such a fun field trip.
But here is why I love these joy schools - because at any given time you could look around and find one of our little girls holding a mom's hand, not their mom's hand necessarily - just a mom's hand. I love that we just all become moms to these girls and these girls are all so loved.
When we first got there we did the hay ride that took us past the petting the zoo (they even had a zebra - weird eh?) and all around the farm. Then the girls got to go to the pumpkin patch and pick their own pumpkin. After that they got to go through a straw bale maze - which is such a perfect height for them because you can see them the whole time. Then we got to go through a real corn maze little-kid length (under half a mile). Then they got to do a coloring page and Becca brought a ton of snacks and drinks for everyone. It was such a fun field trip.
But here is why I love these joy schools - because at any given time you could look around and find one of our little girls holding a mom's hand, not their mom's hand necessarily - just a mom's hand. I love that we just all become moms to these girls and these girls are all so loved.
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