I am really looking forward to this weekend. This afternoon (because some good friends are loving us by watching the kids) we are leaving to go see Cornerstone's dinner theatre production. Which means I get to see some of my favorite people in the world. Always a treat! And I get to see a great show, which is also a treat!

Sunday Eric and I celebrate 13 years of marriage. Wow! That seems like such a long time.... :) I always say I didn't know how great of a choice I was making when I told Eric I'd marry him. It's true. I couldn't ask for a better husband. But our anniversary means I get another 24 hours sans kids. Nice. (Thanks, Mom and Dad!)

On my reading list for the next week: The Strong-Willed Child and Have a New Kid by Friday. That should give you an indication of how parenting has been going lately. You'd think by the fourth we'd have it down, but no. I guess so far our kids have been pretty responsive to our discipline. Not Eliza. She is giving me a run for my money. I've been in tears twice in the last week. Twice this week bedtime took an hour because of her attitude. When we are being nice we call her "determined," "persistant," and "vocal." I could think of other words....

So yeah, I need this weekend. :)

A Caleb Comment

I was playing a game with the kids where they grab ahold of me around my waist/legs with their arms and legs. Then I try to get them off by moving around. (Weird, I know.)

Caleb was commenting on how he wished his arms were stronger. "My arms are strong," he said, "but not as strong as my toes!"

Funny thing is, he DOES use his toes to climb ropes, pick up things, etc. More than the average person (he gets it from his dad). I just didn't realize he viewed them as strong.

Things we teach an innocent only child....

The following was written after a particularly difficult trip to Walmart.

The rules of engagement when at the store:

1. Mom (or any other adult) is a fool for bringing us all here and thinking she can accomplish anything. Take every opportunity to remind her of that.

2. If you are placed in any given seat in the cart (there are three in the semi-like carts), you must demand to be in a different seat. If moved, you must demand to be in the seat in which you were originally placed.

3. No other child may touch you or your seat at any time, in any way. If this occurs, scream. If you are not being touched by someone else, try to touch them.

4. If Mom lets you hold an item she is going to purchase, drop it at least three times.

5. Whatever you do, don't look Mom in the eyes when she talks to you. Once she's locked eyes with you, you're through.

Disclaimer: Some of these things we didn't teach. Amazingly enough, ALL the kids with me seemed to know the rules already. :)

Trick or Treat

My little lion...

(She said a sweet 'thank you' to every person who gave her candy.)

a lovely Cinderella...

(The dress had a tear which I fixed with duct tape and a hot glue gun. You couldn't even tell-the duct tape was on the inside. Perfect! I think this dress was passed down to us by a certain Stephanie Z. Thank you!)

a scary ghost....

(He's been planning this costume for months. I made it from a $3 sheet from Walmart.)

and a (last minute) Harry Potter.

(He was going to be a Jedi, but decided at 6:30p the night before he'd like to be Harry Potter. We had a black wig that I trimmed a little. I made round, black glasses rims out of scrapbooking paper and taped them to the existing rims of his old glasses. He wore an old oxford shirt of mine, a "sweater vest" I sewed out of an old gray t-shirt of Eric's embellished with a printed Hogwarts crest, his Jedi robe as his cloak, and a clip on tie Eric had from a skit he did once. A stick from the backyard completed the costume. Not bad, eh? I love a good craft challenge.)

This is the holiday when it PAYS to have four kids. We raked in a sweet haul. :)

Things We Teach An Innocent Only Child....

It is entirely appropriate to crawl around the grocery store floor acting like a puppy.

Things we teach an innocent only child....

No kleenex? No problem! You're wearing a shirt, aren't you?

A few recent pics...

This is a girl who has two older brothers. She is SMILING at the crawdad (sp?) Eric is holding up for her to look at.

I don't know where they get this. :) Sophie is on the left. Cousin Johnnie on the right. When together, they are joined at the hip. For Sophie's birthday last year, Johnnie gave her a matching locket. They both put each other's pics inside so they could look at each other even when they weren't together.

Caleb crawling out of the "squeeze rock" on a hike while on vacation. My dad, at age 60, can still crawl through this hole in the rock, and often does so to impress the grandkids. Not a trick for those who get claustrophobic.

Danny on his first day of fourth grade. He is so grown up! A college friend of ours told Danny he wished HIS mom had let him get cool glasses when HE was in fourth grade. We picked the frames out together. Danny liked the retro look. I liked the price. :) I think contacts may be on the horizon, though.

Things we teach an innocent only child....

Having an extra child three days a week has been a great experience so far. Her name is Auden and she is about 20 months. And when her mom and I compare notes, we've discovered that our family teaches Auden some very interesting (some okay, some not so good) things.

And so, I'm starting a series on this blog-"Things we teach an innocent only child...."

Here's one to get you started.


THINGS WE TEACH AN INNOCENT ONLY CHILD

No matter where you are or what you are doing, the best way to get any adult's attention is to simply yell "MOM" at the top of your lungs. Works like a charm.

One Year

Yes, it has been over six months since I posted. That's okay with me. I'm not real fond of "computer time". Let's see, maybe just a few highlights for those of you out there who don't see us very often.

*We had our 1 year anniversary of living in this city. Not sure how I feel about that...

*I.C. has a lot of negatives, but one positive is the nice lakes around. Who needs a pool pass with free lakes/beaches? And yes, I am "that mom" who carries a naked, screaming child to the car under one arm with her other arm lugging a beach bag and her three other kids lagging behind, dragging their towels.

*After much deliberation, it was decided that Danny would go to public school and Caleb would homeschool. (This was what both of them wanted.) Danny transferred schools after three weeks to a much more positive environment. So far, so good!

*Both boys are playing soccer this fall. As much as I don't like spending Saturday mornings at the soccer complex, it has been a huge blessing! We've met numerous families that live within a mile of us, some of whom have kids in Danny's class at school. One family even has four kids, as we do. And if you aren't Mormon, that isn't very common in my part of town.

*I'm watching a friend's little girl three days a week this year. She is a little younger than Eliza. They (usually) get along. When we walk Danny to school I push them in a double stroller. They like to discreetly touch the other one with a finger, toe, shoulder, etc., just to make the other one mad. It is hilarious (and a bit frustrating) to watch/deal with. We are teaching her all sorts of bad habits. :) All of us adore her and Caleb especially dotes on her.

*Our family just spent a week passing the stomach flu around. Any suggestions on how to get the puke smell out of a minivan?

*I love my screened in porch on these beautiful, beautiful early fall days.

*I'm reading, "In the Garden of Beasts" about the days leading up to WWII. Reads like a novel, but is nonfiction. Very good. Makes me want to visit Germany.

*I am very thankful today to be alive. A distracted driver almost clipped us as we were walking to school this morning.I got home and (for the 2nd time) petitioned the city to put in a continuous sidewalk along our street. And thanked God for another day of life.

Speaking of kids...

It's birthday season around here. Three birthdays in 15 days! Never good for the waistline. :) The kids performed a song on stage at church on Sunday. Sophie has been waiting for her turn to get on the stage for years. I paid the boys a small sum to participate with good attitudes. Is that bad? It worked like a charm, so I'm going to go with it. Anyway, if you'd like to view their song, go here....

http://www.vimeo.com/21310119

Yes, I'm in the video, too. And yes, I say "um" twice in a sentence. Shame on me! I'd much rather play someone else on stage than be myself. I get nervous when I'm myself!

I also have a home video of Eliza "performing" as well. I'll try to get it posted, too. She was hilarious!

A morning in Children's Church

Eric and I have been serving in Children's Church once a month on Sunday mornings at our new church. It is a practice in holding back a laugh and a smile when kids get creative in their answers/interactions. For those of you who have never taught a kids' class at church, you should! It is fun and I guarantee you'll learn something-either about God or about kids! Here are a few of our favorite interactions:

Holly: ...and Mary treasured all of these things in her heart....

5-year-old boy: (interrupting with a pirate voice) ARRGH! TREASURE!



7/8-year-old boy: I've touched a million snakes.

Holly: Really, a million?

Boy: (concedingly) Well....maybe a few less than a million....



Eric: Tell me something you are afraid of.

8-year-old boy: Constipation. (I promise, he was totally serious. And really, shouldn't we all fear this? :)

Winter Fun

Danny and Caleb shoveled the driveway. Their shoveling illustrates their personalities perfectly. And just so you know, Caleb could have chosen a bigger shovel.

This is what happens when Caleb and Sophie take a bath and get to use Dad's shaving cream.

Danny trying his hand at snowboarding down Nanny's big hill. Well, I made him stop trying so I could get a picture.

When sledding, Caleb spends much of his time laying in the snow, eating it. :)

Sophie is a little trooper. She stays outside as long as the boys and marches up the hill, by herself, carrying her sled, and then slides down-over and over again.

Eliza opening a Christmas toothbrush. Since Eliza cares most about the paper, I gave her super practical things like a toothbrush, clothes, a clementine, and jars of baby snacks/food. She loved it!

Christmas morning. It snowed beautifully on Christmas Eve, making it a perfect Christmas morning.

This last picture is for you, Kristy! The girls sporting their new outfits from their Aunt Kiki.

The shirts say "Big Sister" and "Little Sister", respectively.