sweetest kids ever???

I took Stephen and Dallas to the dentist the other day. As a reward for being good, our dentist always gives each kid a free ice cream and free hamburger coupon. Stephen was especially good, so much so that the assistant asked what happened during the last 6 months. He also had some of his teeth sealed - time consuming. After our visit, we stopped for lunch at the free place. We ate and while Stephen was finishing Dallas and I went to order our ice cream. They were so excited! When we got there the lady behind the counter asked, "What flavor?" Flavor? I didn't know we got to choose. What flavor is free? I sent Dallas back to ask Stephen, chocolate, vanilla, or twist? He answered "Caramel." He settled on twist. On our way back with them, an older gentleman said, "You should ask them to put caramel on it for him. That's what he wanted." "Oh, can the do that?" "Sure they can. Go ask." I take the cone back to the counter and ask if there is any way for them to put caramel on it. "No. I can dip it in chocolate if you'd like." Stephen settles for the cone with a magic chocolate shell with no complaints. He seems happy to me. We sit down. I thank the man as we pass by again. We eat our ice cream. Everyone is nice and happy, everyone means Dallas, Stephen, and myself. Then all the sudden, a new ice cream in a cup with caramel sauce on top is put on the table. The nice man says, "Here, that's what you ordered." I thank him again, and again. Stephen puts the spoon in and holds it out to me. I get the first bite. How sweet is that? It gets better. I tell Stephen, "That sure was nice of him to give you that ice cream!" Stephen says, "Yeah, I want to take it home and share it with Daddy." "But he's at work. It will melt before then." "Well, then we can put it in the freezer until he gets home." And that is what we did. First thing he did when Daddy got home was get that ice cream out and share it with him. How sweet!

Here it comes!!

Yesterday as we sat parked in the inversion, which has lasted more days than I can count, I was reading my book when all the sudden I heard the kids shouting. "It's coming! Here it comes! I see it!" At first I thought they we scared of something, I asked what was coming. "The sunshine! Look there it is!" Sure enough, there was a peek of light breaking through in preparations for the storm we got today. We saw that sunshine for about 2 minutes. Today we are having a "water blizzard" and the weather forecast said, "I hope you like rain... 3 days, then snow..." Clean air! Hooray!!!

happy days

First, I guess I need to apologize. My Hubby told me that yesterday's posting looked like I was complaining. I suppose I was a little. Sorry. Can I help it? Doing dishes is not my favorite thing and after having the kids home from school and being inside all weekend because of the inversion, I was worn out last night!

Here is some of our blissful day off from school yesterday. (Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

"How about eggs and toast for breakfast?" Kids all respond, "Yeah, hooray, yum!"

"Breakfast is on the table."
"I didn't want cheese on mine!"
"It's not cheese, that's egg."
"But I don't want cheese! I'm not going to eat it!"
"That's not cheese. It's egg."
"How come you put cheese on mine! I didn't want cheese! I'm not going to eat anything all day if you don't make what I want!"
"No one has cheese. It's egg."
"You're supposed to ask me what I want before you make it! I'm not eating breakfast because you made it wrong! I don't want cheese! It's touching the bread! I'm not eating!"

Time passes. "Mommy, can I have a snack?"
"Breakfast is at the table." "NO! I am not eating anything today. You just want me to starve! You don't love me, you don't care about me because you won't make me what I want!"

"Are you hungry?" "Yes." "Then go eat your breakfast." Does any of it get eaten? Of course not! Amidst all this yelling, Stephen gets too close to Dallas and they hit each other. Dallas goes to quiet time. I ask Stephen to gather the PAPER plates from the table and put them in the garbage. I hear, "NO! How come I always have to do a job! You just want me to do all the hard work!" By the time he gets around to doing the job, it takes about 30 seconds. Dallas emerges from time out and asks for food. Ugh.

"I want tilapia for dinner!" "Okay, if you eat your and stop yelling at me I will make you tilapia for dinner."

I convince them to go play. Then Dallas realizes that Stephen got to do a job. "How come you never let me help? You never ….." And so the day continues. I try to get the kids dressed. Unsuccessful. During the attempt, conversation turns to food again.

"What's for lunch?" "Does it matter? I know you are just going to be mad at me for it. It will be disgusting."
"I didn't ask what it would taste like! I want to know what it is!"
"Noodles and spaghetti sauce." "SPAGHETTI!?!?"
"Well, not spaghetti noodles, different noodles with the sauce."
"I don't want that!...." Followed by very similar yelling as the earlier one. "I don't want sauce!" "I will not put sauce on your noodles. Which box of noodles do you want?" He smiles and chooses a box of wheel shaped noodles. I think I am in the clear. He chose the box, he smiled, no sauce. Good to go? Wrong!

"Lunch is at the table."
"Eeeww! What is it? I said no sauce!"
"There is no sauce. It's the noodles you chose."
"NO! I am not going to eat that! It's touching…." Repeat above conversation again.
Switch to Stephen's yell. "Stephen, lunch is ready. Do you want sauce on your noodles? … Stephen? Stephen, do you want sauce on your noodles?" Repeat three times.
"Huh?" "Do you want sauce on your noodles?" "Yeah."
"Did you say yes you want sauce on your noodles?" "Yeah."
"Okay, lunch is on the table."
"Why did you put sauce in my noodles!?! I don't want sauce!"

"Okay, I am not making you tilapia for dinner because you boys keep yelling at me. I am sure you meant to say Mommy, thank you for making me lunch. I don't feel like eating it though."

Dallas says, "Mommy, thanks for making me lunch. I don't want to eat it. See, I am saying the same thing as Stephen but I am not yelling. Did I earn my tilapia back yet?" "Did you eat yet?" "No." "Then the answer is no." This is followed by more yelling.

I figured for dinner we should have something I know they like – burrito casserole with tater tots. "What's for dinner? Hooray! Can I eat it now? When will it be done?" Peace? Not yet. Now they had to fight over which plate was whose. Then the fight was over who had more tots, why weren't there more tots, why didn't we buy more…. And once again, "No! I'm not going to eat and it will be all your fault for starving me because you never make me what I want!" I bribed them with ice cream, but even still I had two kids that refused to eat because it was not tater tots with more tater tots. Ah, the joys of motherhood.

Somehow, Dallas snapped out of it, ran to the kitchen timer, set it and announced, "The timer is going. Let's get cleaning! Hurry before the timer goes off!" Sometimes he confuses me. Today he is officially six years old. Happy birthday Dallas! I will make him tilapia for dinner today.

the downside

It was wonderful to hear the answer I was hoping for when I asked sweet hubby, as we were prioritizing our goals, "Is it more important to you to feed the family at home or save money?" He said, "If we feed them at home won't it save money?" This meant I would be buying lots of paper plates and pre-cut carrots, frozen pizza... Of course I already routinely purchase the pre-cut carrots and pizza, but it was a matter of - if I cook I don't want to clean. There's not enough time for that!

Imagine my dismay when I realized this weekend after cooking all meals at home and being healthy, our garbage can was full. (We also did some "spring cleaning") The garbage doesn't get picked up till Thursday. What are we going to do with all those smelly diapers now? The other downside, I still have all the pans to wash!

Luckiest ever, again

I must be the luckiest mom ever again today. You would think after being left home alone Thursday and getting lost Friday would not find Stephen quite so affectionate towards me. Oh, I didn't tell you about Friday yet. We took the family out for free family skating night at a roller skate place that allows scooters. The kids were excited and had lots of fun, for a few minutes. We were there kind of early and thought it looked like a good enclosed place. You just go around a circle together in the middle of a room. What could happen?

Evan pulled off to the side for a break so I stopped with two other kids, Steve had the fourth and the two older ones seemed to be holding their own. I guess Evan didn't realize I was standing behind him. He all the sudden turned around, as if he thought he had left me, which he had. He took off running though the circle with a terrified look on his face. Luckily, I was standing next to a person we knew, asked to look after the other two for a second. Steve pulls up at that same second and asks where Evan is. I caught him quickly, not too stressed.

We decided it was time we should be going home. The boys were still riding fine, waving when they would pass. Steve took the scooters out with him while he brought the truck to the door for easier loading. Dallas came to me and I told him to get Stephen, go around two more times and be ready to go. I thought I would get the four out and be back no problem to catch the other two. Fine idea if I didn't get myself lost. I found an unknown hallway leading to a bigger play area instead of the exit.

Well, Dallas decided to leave Stephen and could not find me. I found him right as he was starting to tear up. Whew! Stephen on the other hand was nowhere to be seen. I run Dallas and the four out and start looking for him. I found him rather quickly, but he was scared and crying. Every second feels like eternity when you are lost. He said he was never going to stop crying and Dallas started getting mad at him. When I told him he was okay, it was scary and he should cry as much as he wanted, he stopped crying instantly. So, a fun outing had four people lost, Evan, myself (even though I just couldn't find the door I count that as lost), Dallas, and Stephen. We stopped for ice cream on the way home.

So back to today and my good fortune. We all went shopping at Wal-Mart. Not exactly according to the original plan of splitting up, I take three grocery shopping while hubby takes three shopping for clothes. Stephen just won't stop growing and seriously needed more shirts. As we were looking, Stephen kept wandering off. I was starting to get quite mad inside when I couldn't see him for the third or fourth time. Just then, he comes running up to me holding a necklace. I didn't even know we were anywhere near the jewelry dept. He says, "Look!" "Oh, that's pretty." I said, looking at a simple silver chain with a plastic diamond. He tells me, "I saw a show on the history channel about this rock and I think you should have one! It's only $6.97! Can we get it for you?" How sweet is that! What could I say other than yes? I directed him to Dad for approval, who in turn asked me for approval, saying, "he picked it out all by himself"


So, back to today with my good luck.

You know it's going to be one of those days when...

You try to encourage your son to do his homework but not worry about it since it's not due till the following day. He responds, "There's no school tomorrow." Oh, and that means today is early day, school gets out at 1:30 instead of 3:45. UGH!

This turns a well thought out and simply planned day into being late, late, late, and long, long, long. We had to finish the homework, being late to school. That's okay though. We don't really need to get the kids all dressed because sweet sister is coming to tend them while I drop Dallas off at school.

What's that? Oh, she can't find the keys. Can I bring them over to her house instead? Sure. What? Oh, bring food for them to eat too? I guess I should feed them. That translates to packing a lunch, changing clothes including getting shoes on all five other kids, loading them in the truck (catching the runners and dragging them away from the snow fun kicking and screaming) and driving Dallas to school within 15 minutes. Get him to school and then take the kids to be tended 10 minutes the opposite direction, drive to trade vehicles at hubby's work (the suburban is difficult to park down town) get to BYU Salt Lake Center to take a test.

Ahh. I have arrived in plenty of time. A friend calls and as we chat, she asks why I didn't just call her to tend. I have no idea why I didn't think of calling someone near our house… Ooops! I forgot that Stephen has early day! Argh! Hurry in to take the test. I should be fine. I have about 30 minutes to take a 60 question test. I think I can probably finish within 20 minutes. What?!?! It's not 60 questions. It's 95!!! And there is a survey about how the class was since it's a final? AAAAHHHhh!

Oh, another afterthought: Travel time to get back home! There's 30 minutes till Stephen gets out of school! Well, since I have already sat down to begin the test, there's only one thing to do – take it in a hurry!

I finish the test in record time, probably not my best work though, and start running to the car. Instead of stopping by the store quickly and trading the car/truck again before getting the kids, I attempt to rush home. I discover that they have closed the freeway exit to one lane, down the road all the way to my neighborhood! What would usually take ten minutes is all one lane!

Panic sets in. I call neighbors, first one - no answer, two is in bountiful and not available today, three- no answer again. What other numbers are programmed into my phone? AAAAHHHH! Did I leave the door open or is he locked out? I can't remember! Do we have a plan of what to do when you get home and no one is there? Of course not! That should never happen! I call one more time and Peggy has just walked in the door getting home from the airport. HOORAY! Someone is home! She saves me! Peggy walks across the road and checks to see how Stephen is. He is home and inside. Of course, with our history and being asked to help, Peggy just walks in and remembering that some of the kids are very fond of her dog, she brings Winkie with her. Stephen is, unfortunately, not on of those kids.

He was hiding in my bedroom because he was afraid a bad guy would see him through the windows. Then he was afraid of the dog. Peggy called to let me know he was there safe, but he didn't come downstairs again. I had to coax him to say "hi". Then we need to visit and thank Peggy profusely before going back to trade vehicles back.

Oh, I almost forgot the store's brief stop. Stephen is well mannered enough to come with me. There was a darling old lady in line ahead of us who had fallen, or somehow gotten hurt and was bleeding from her leg. We gawked as we waited our turn to check out, and then traded the car and truck. Oh no! Now we are going to be late to get Dallas! Good thing we have a car pool and it's not our turn today! When we finally get home, down that one lane road again, they are in the driveway waiting for us. They said they had not been waiting very long, but still I always wish I were not late. We chat for a while about the benefits of baking soda taking odors out of things, and life's craziness in general while I wait for Dallas to change out of his school uniform and get ready to go.

By the time we get back to pick up the other kids from my sister, it's after 4PM. By time we get the kids diapered and into the truck, kicking and screaming again because they love cable which we don't have, then because they love snow, which we must not spend all day in, it's nearly dinner time. I check to see if darling hubby is ever leaving work. He already left me a message and is going to be home before me. Oh, what a day!

When we get home, I am surprised to see that Steve made dinner for us, actually chose something to make, found a recipe for, cooked, and fed us! As if that weren't enough to make my day, he also cleaned the kitchen afterwards! This really made my day because we had company coming in the morning and the dishes were the same ones that were there last time they were there. Do you ever have a day when you try to tidy and clean before company arrives and you find that same pile of laundry that was embarrassing you last week when company came? My sweet hubby to the rescue!

SHAKE IT!

I know everyone is dying to know how Sunbeams went for the kids. Here is the summary: Lily totally and completely hates it, Brenden doesn't like it much but he deals with it. Marek likes it lots and Evan... well, Evan just goes. I don't know if he likes it or not. The funny part is the first week they all fought it so much (Except Marek) that they changed their minds about splitting the class. At first they were planning to keep everyone together, now they will separate to two classes. I know it's not just because of my kids, but Lily cried the WHOLE time again yesterday. :) Ah, that's my girl.

In other news, we have entered a new phase. I call it the "shake your butt" phase. At least, I expect it to be a phase. How many ways can you use the phrase, "Shake your butt"?

1. During punishment: "Dallas! Are you listening? Did you hear what I told you? What did I just tell you?" (Yelled very loudly, full of anger.) The answer: "Shake your butt!" (Followed by difficult attempts to control my laughter)

2. As a yes or no in response to requests: "Dallas, do you have your seat belt on yet?" "Shake your butt"

3. As a nickname: "I'm the shake your butt!"

4. A greeting: Open the door to a neighbor, run away dancing and singing, "Shake your butt, yeah, shake your butt, yeah! Shake your booooodie, yeah! Shake your butt!" (This one was by Marek, very cute! Good thing it was someone we already knew at the door. They said, "Oh, this is the fun house!")

5. As an insult: "Mommy! Dallas called me a shake your butt!"

6. A to do list item: "Today is Monday. That means we are going to school. Let's get ready and not be late." "I'm going to shake my butt!"

7. My personal favorite, as an embarrassment: "Dallas, it's prayer time. Please be reverent." (During sacrament meeting at church.) "SHAKE YOUR BUTT!"

How many more can you think of? I may be adding to the list as the kids progress through this phase. How long does a phase usually last?

Fan Club

Dallas has his own fan club going. We went to the Primary activity this morning where the kids get to meet their teachers. The teacher Dallas had last year paid him a compliment, again, saying, "Dallas is going to be the next Bill Gates. He's so smart!" I say it's just more obvious than other people's smarts because he is so wordy. Today he was mouthy!

"This is so ridiculous! It's so embarrassing! ….. This is the worst day of my life and it's all your fault! You're the worst mom ever!" At least I know I am not alone in my quest as Steve was nominated for the worst Dad ever moments later. What could cause this display of early teenage-hood? You probably did not guess it was because I got the wrong color of snowsuit for him to wear. Yup, my 5-year-old boy is seriously fashion conscious. Wrong color, doesn't fit right, feels "funny" when he walks. Ah, the rant lasted a good 20 minutes. When the other kids went out Dallas was ready with his boots on and everything. Did he go with? No. When they came back in and I started taking their suits off, there was a brief pause in the yelling. Upon the second kid becoming near naked Dallas asked, "Is outside time over? I MISSED IT!!!?!?!" And the lecture continued, complete with tears. Wow. I had to ask myself what will happen when he actually is a teenager? Seems to me the only thing missing is his amount of sleep! I was looking forward to this much later in life, from my daughter! Could this possibly be the same kid that was so sweetly reminding me that I needed to apologize a few days ago? Hmmmm….

We ended the day late, but on a good note doing sand art that we got from Christmas.

Tomorrow there is a time change and class change for the new year at church. All kids are old enough to attend primary for the first time. Starting at 9AM! Let's hope we feel like being morning people in eight and a half hours from now!

GO UTES!!!!

We have never kept our kids out quite this late before, but tonight was a special occasion. The Utah football team was playing in the Sugar Bowl. The commentators were saying stuff like, "Utah will be lucky to keep it close" HA! We smoked them! The University of Utah has a 13-0 record this year, the only team in the nation to go undefeated this season. WHOOHOO! Utah 31, Alabama 17!

We went to a friends house and let all the kids run wild in their basement, and we saw some other friends that have moved, great time! The other girls there were hiding in the basement bathroom because they didn't want their dads to see that they had taken their clothes off to be in their princess outfits (their mothers had told them to put the dress ups on over the clothes they were wearing) Lily was happy to find a pink car and some really cool dinosaurs. That's my girl! Stephen got into the game a little, but had more fun playing. No one was scared by all the yelling and hooting. It was great.