Cookies with Grandpa!

My brother is getting married this Saturday! That's actually tomorrow. Grandpa Howard is here from Ohio and he's staying with us for a few days. Yesterday, he made cookies with the kids while I mowed the lawn. Stephen was at school and Dallas was outside finding bugs. He must not have noticed the call for cookies.

Grandpa was a little more lenient with the kids than I would have been. That's one reason why grandparents are more fun than parents. I came back in the house just as they were getting the cookies in the oven. He was offering the kids a taste. "Go ahead, eat it. Clean the bowl." Unfortunately for Brenden, he fell asleep and took a once in a lifetime NAP!

Lily had been sampling and helping from the beginning. Raw eggs, sugar, a bite of the butter cube... She didn't take the offer to taste the completed dough. She got some water to pour into the bowl. Evan was too busy at the sink washing the dishes. Meanwhile, Marek was trying to taste it. He got a bit that was soggy and said, "Eeww! Yuck! This is disgusting!"

Don't worry though, all the cookies were eaten!

Then we went to the Great Salt Lake to collect some sand as a souvenir. It was great till the bugs started eating us. We ran away in a hurry!

How long till Christmas?

I have pictures of Lily in her new dress, but I can't post them just yet because we have the sickness going in our house and I don't have enough time to figure the camera out today.

Yesterday Marek was sick. He suddenly burst out crying and would not be comforted or tell me what was wrong with him. He fell asleep while we were driving – a nap! A NAP! There must be something wrong! He woke when we pulled in the driveway, I thought maybe he would be recovered and happy, but no. He started screaming again, went into the house and mumbled something about a blanket. I got one, not his but he didn't care. He laid on the couch and stayed there. After a few minutes, the other kids came and turned the TV on. Marek left the room. He slept in the front room for a while then moved to the kitchen floor where I was attempting to cook dinner. He moaned a few times to make sure I knew he was there.

As soon as Daddy got home he jumped up with the rest of the kids shouting, "Daddy's home! Daddy's home!" Marek was cured instantly. Today Dallas is sick. I thought he would be cured the same way, but I was wrong. He didn't scream like Marek did, but he knows more words like, "Pick me up", and "Carry me"

As we cuddled on the couch, me attempting to comfort the sick child, he turns to me and asks, "Why don't you clean your room very often?" Good question! Could it be that I am too busy trying to clean the rest of the house and take care of the kids that as soon as I see the bed in there I fall into it and stay there? I surely could not think for a minute that it is because I don't want to, or "gasp" perhaps I am a bit lazy!

I don't want to say it's the kids fault, after all, he is sick and I am trying to comfort him. I tell him I don't know, you know I do clean it sometimes… He then informs me, "You better get it all the way clean before Christmas because Santa won't like it if it's not ALL the way clean, ya know. It has to be AAAALLLL the way clean. Before Christmas."

Well, thanks for giving me enough notice, seeing how it's just barely April! Kids are so sweet. The other noticeable announcement that I somehow have to deal with is, "Hey, tomorrow is April Fool's Day!" Hmmm, wish I had more notice for that one.

Pickle juice pranks?

Happy St. Patty's Day!

When I was a kid, I remember the leprechauns would bring a treat to us if we were good. They would leave a trail of green footprints, glitter, or sprinkles (something green) leading to a treat that was, of course, green: a green apple, green frosted sugar cookies perhaps. I thought it was similar to Christmas, if you are good you get a treat. Little did I know the true story of leprechauns being naughty and mischievous. Well, last year at the school Stephen and Dallas were at, they taught them the "real" story and leprechauns messed up their classrooms while they were out playing. They came home worried that our house was going to be messed up, not to get treats. Hmmm. I told them our house was already too messy for them to do any damage and they wouldn't have fun messing up our house – afterthought: it's good to have a messy house to keep leprechauns away.

We have had tricks played on us by changing our food colors. This year I was a little behind and barely got the milk green in time. We had green pancakes, and I planned on having eggs with green flecks of chives in them. However, I was not fast enough with the eggs.

Stephen was on the trail searching for any other tricks the little green fellows played. He took out the eggs. They are white, normal. I was able to sneak a few chives into the pan while he wasn't looking. "Oh! The trick was on the pan this time!" He scans the fridge further and finding nothing else different he announces, "I think the leprechauns turned our pickle juice green!" I like his thinking.

Enter Dallas: "Mom! Why did you make green food! I am not going to eat today if it’s going to be green! Why do you always do things I don't like?!" I say, "Dallas, it's St. Patrick's Day." He responds, "I don't want green food! I won't eat it! This is the worst day ever! I wish Leprechauns were never invented!"

Stephen tried to calm him and loved eating his green stuff. Brenden was resistant like Dallas, but he eventually tried it and ate, as did the other kids.

The next argument is about school. Dallas doesn't want to go to school at all this week because it is spirit week and you have to dress up. Yesterday it was sports day and he hates basketball because it is too loud. Today is crazy hair day. He doesn't want to have crazy hair and everyone else will then they will laugh at him for not having crazy hair. "Do you want crazy hair?" "NO!" "Okay that's fine" "But they will laugh at me!" "Do you want crazy hair then?" "NO!" And so on….

I like Stephen's school better than the one he went to last year. If you don't wear green you get kissed and the leprechauns lost a shoe in one kid's desk last year. No messes mentioned. At Stephen's school, they have a contest for who has the biggest, smallest, funniest, cutest, etc… green stuff. Here is what he looked like when he left today. He is so sweet and excited for fun. I did remind him the pickles were green already. He took the news okay.

communication breakdown

Last night we went to the Utah Museum of Natural History. They have one day a month with free admission. It was really cool! They have real fossils there, not just the copies of them, an awesome kid area with puzzles and little pebbles to "dig" for dinosaur bones in, and there was a bug collection display that the kids just loved! We ran into some friends there that also like the word "free".

All ended well, but there were challenges along the way. A later than expected start for our journey was buffered by Evan actually eating some dinner. He told me it was delicious! A real compliment coming from him! He even asked for seconds!!! WOW!

We get on our way and Steve starts to turn the truck into a parking lot. "This isn't where we're going." "What? Oh. Where are we going?" We get to another parking lot. "Is this it?" "No. It's the Utah museum of Natural History. This one is for art." "Oh! The one clear over there!?!"

We finally get there. After looking for a parking spot (I guess I am not the only one who likes "free") I say to the kids, "Okay. We are here. I'll get the strollers out." Steve says, "Strollers? I didn't know you wanted them."

We had a great time though! The kids were well behaved and didn't get lost at all. I think we will be doing this again and not worry about the strollers.

The question for the day: How do you make friends if you are not supposed to talk to strangers and everyone you don't know is a stranger?

Learning Tact Honestly, Dallas

My brilliant 6 year old son, Dallas, was 9 pounds 13 ounces when he was born. In all his wisdom he asked me, "Mommy, if I was such a fat baby and now I am skinny, how come you're still fat when all the kids are out and they are skinny? I mean, sort of a little bit fat. Not that you're fat, but you aren't very skinny... and why was I so fat when I was a baby?" The only answer I could think of while we were rushing to our wherever we were going and trying not to be late was, "Just because. That's the way it is for now. I should exercise more."

That same sweet boy, with all his intelligence, has been a part of a study group. At Waterford they are trying to see how learning is affected by different arrangements, such as math first then reading, reading alone or combined at the same time with learning math, and so on. They are using the computer primarily in Dallas's group. A while ago Dallas started saying he didn't want to go and it was boring. I told the "teacher" Ms. Marg. (- who we totally love by the way.) She said she would watch him and maybe move him ahead in the program. Time passed and we discovered he was in fact clicking at random and not paying attention to the activity the computer was asking for. She had Dallas read to her and she moved him ahead a level, saying it was still probably not on his level but she couldn't really move him more at the time.

She has been great at watching him and asking him how he likes things. She moved him again to level three. Then she asked him, "How's this one Dallas?" "Oh, fine." "If you didn't like it would you tell me?" "No." Then Ms. Marg told me that they really couldn't do anything more for him. That was as high as their program went. She still thinks it is not on his level.

We just finished reading a great book. "Frindle" is a chapter book about a boy in the 5th grade who learns how words are made and get into the dictionary. He decides to test it out and creates the word frindle, which means pen. His English teacher opposes him and every kid in the school misses at least one word on the spelling test each week. They spell pen: F-R-I-N-D-L-E. Dallas cracked up laughing "They spell pen, frindle! Ha ha ha ha!" He loved the book until the very last part where it mentions "5th grade" again with only a few pages left. Dallas was furious, "This book is only for Stephen! It doesn't have any kindergartners in it! It's just for old kids!" Never mind that Stephen is only in 2nd grade. Dallas makes me laugh every day.

Lastly, today our great big three year old Brenden and Evan are in a primary class together and will be giving their first talk/prayer next week. I can't believe they are old enough for this public speaking opportunity already! This most likely will translate to me giving a brief talk while they stand next to me.

Here's to saying things in a polite way!

busy week, pictures and getting kicked out?!?!

We had a busy week! So busy it's turning into more than a week. We had pictures taken of our four on Thursday morning, scheduled on Wednesday. A great planner I am! I am! They were early in the morning so we enlisted help from friends to let Stephen over before school started and sister Shelly met us there. We rushed to get Dallas to school after, and then Steve and I took all the kids back with us after work to choose the best ones. Shelly offered to stay longer, but it was good that she didn't. It took us nearly 2 hours to look at all of them and pick just two for each child. They are so stinking cute! I saw Lily make faces that I haven't caught on her at home before. Even Brenden was pretty good at it. While they were waiting for their turn, they played in another room while Aunt Shelly took pictures of them. I am sure she can add some here for me, please???? They now have updated portfolios, just in time for the next "audition" which will be in a few weeks. That was a day!

Friday we got ourselves invited to not return to a place that will remain nameless no matter how much you pry. "Unless I can come with out the kids. Won't my husband get home from work in time?" No. He never will, unless they extend their hours of operation by a few. Lives were threatened, but the kids still ran in the parking lot. They were so out of control! I thought we just TOLD them we would not be able to go places if they didn't behave! I found out today that the person who invited us to leave is no longer with the company. I still don't know if I feel like going back. Now I just feel bad for getting her fired.

I asked if I was over reacting. "No. I just don't think it's that big of a deal." So, I would like to know what the difference is.

In other news, I now have two clean spots in my house. One is on top of the bookshelf where I have finally taken the Christmas pile of stuff down and put up a nice fake tree with a porcelain doll my friend made. It's up high and un-disturb-able as far as I know. It looks great! The other is the floor in front of the refrigerator. This is where the water keeps getting "spilled" and mopped. I can't count high enough to get to how many times we have "mopped" there this week! A nice un-sticky spot. It looks great too!

And now, we are off to our next adventure at the park!

Another day, another miracle or two.

Here are some pictures of our new blinds! Just kidding. Sorry no time for taking pictures and waiting forever for them to download to the computer. I am sure there must be an easier way! We DO really have our blinds up though!

They only took three days, one new tool, and one persistent husband to get them up. Amazing! They are so beautiful I can't believe it took us so long to get them. Our home is much more cozy now. The kids have endless fun with the boxes. They are building a shed for Daddy, since it's so expensive to buy one. They are so thoughtful and smart! Yup, this idea came from Dallas.

We have had these other blinds over our sliding glass door up for about a month now. They are still ALL up! Another miracle, I know! We get so many miracles! The packaging they came with that is perfect for racing cars down, see previous post, is still entertaining the kids.

In other news, school is going well so far for the boys. They have not been late yet! Miracle number... um, I've lost count. But that is a big miracle! I was late to my class yesterday. Go figure. Taking all the kids, we are on time. Taking myself alone, I am late. hmmm.

I did manage to get a picture of the four today. They are having a big celebration in our stake for a 30 year anniversary something. Since we were a big service project they asked me to send a picture of our kids for display. Here is one of my attempts. They were getting pretty tired of me and although no one is really smiling, this actually has all four kids in the frame. Next time I will have a helper, like a professional or something. I ended up finding an older picture from before the kids were old enough to run away for the display. :)

Marek, Evan, Brenden, Lily