Dis an' Dat

I can't move my pix around today. So I hope this order suits everyone just fine. Below we have a lovely look at our favorite part of the Colonial Village we visited during the 4th festivities. It was not the neat printing press in which you could copy the Declaration of Independence. It was most definitely not the corn husk doll we waited in line to make for Noelle (upon completing the bland doll Noelle immediately threw it on the ground. I think she was hoping they could make her a Barbie version out of husks) Nope, the highlight was the snow cone stop right outside the museum doors.

Ike and Mitch have been great readers this summer. Mitch whips through his little chapter books so fast we sometimes have to make a couple trips to the library in a week. It was Noelle's book choice however, that had the librarian giggling. It was entitled 'When Your Parent is in Prison'. I guess she wants to be prepared for anything. (Notice the tat on her arm to go with her Sunday finery? My kids are addicted to them! Whatever happened to stickers?)
And finally we have Mitch in his tee-ball glory. He improved a lot this year and seemed to actually know what was going on. Next week we start with swimming lessons and move onto the family reunions and campouts. I love summer.

It's actually Walla Walla Bing Bang

Holy cow. How does anybody get anything done in summer? There are way too many kids running around here. And they all want to be fed constantly and play constantly and wrestle constantly and then they end up crying constantly because some of the wrestlers are twice the size of the others. Did I mention that they are also making a mess constantly?

Anyway. We have had lots of play time counterbalanced with enough reading, chores, and book learning so our brains don't get squishy. That term was one I came up with a couple of years ago when I had no real good answer for why the kiddies needed to only watch a minimal amount of TV everyday. I might have tried a more scientific explanation if I'd known that I would be taken literally. The other day I overheard Mitch telling his friend that they needed to only play a 'little' bit of a computer game the other day or 'our brains will get squishy.' And he sounded so positive that it would actually happen I think he had his friend scared. Nobody wants a squishy brain. That's why I'm getting off the computer right now, while mine is still nice and firm. Ciao.

Wada Wada bing bang

I am so not sure what inspired me to do that title.

Anywho, we have been up to a whole lot of nothing to write home about, but here goes anyway:

Mitch had his 7th Birthday. He's looking pretty darn cool, I know. He is sporting his new muscle-T outfit courtesy of Grandma C. My kids love their muscle-Ts. Probably because they are banned from the school dress code so they feel a little rebellious wearing them.
Mitch was an atypical B-day boy. He definitely did not want to be singled out by not having to do any chores and was the first to volunteer to clean the basement. Naturally the next day he went back to not wanting to do any work, but it was nice while it lasted. He also chose baked potatoes as a Birthday dinner. He's a good kid and we were happy to celebrate him on his day.

On another note--Sydney has graduated from sleeping in her carseat to sleeping in a playpen. The graduation to a crib will come when it is not being currently occupied by Noelle.
Syd had been starting to scrunch down so much in the carseat that I was afraid we would have large chiropractor bills soon. The top picture is just of a sleeping baby on a couch. Who can resist a picture of a sleeping baby? Obviously not I.Does everyone else use towels as a 'ramp' for baby? Or just us?

We've also been kindof grateful for the rainy weather which cancels baseball games and leaves more time to build forts inside. Hub built this fort that actually stays up and allows the children to all be in it together. My forts tend to consist of one blanket and a chair and if you move a muscle it's over.
Last photo of the post is Noelle. She is the fun stage of not knowing what it means to 'smile' for a picture. She knows you are supposed to do something to your face and this is the end result.

Young Love versus Old Love

Do you like my title? It's not super relevant but I'm all about attention getters.
Summer vacay has been rockin' so far. There is something to be said for not having to haul five children in a car every morning by 8:35.
We have yet to turn on the AC, go to the swimming pool or to change any bike tires (though we have to pump Ethan's at least three times daily--but pumping beats the patches any day!) so I'm feeling great about things.

We are blessed to live near several parks and elementary school playgrounds. This means we can pretty much visit one and be the only ones there. Strangely the last two visits to different playgrounds we had company. Not the normal company you would expect at a playground, i.e. children, but teen lovers! I guess there's no place to canoodle once they kick you out of the hallways of the high school so they've resorted to embracing on the oh-so-comfortable wood chips at the park.
I'm not about confronting hormone-crazed teens. What if they attacked me with their jewel encrusted cell phones?? Or worse, what if they thought I was an old lady who wasn't hip? So I quickly send my children to embarrass them out. Which they always do. Nothing like a toddler staring right at you wondering why you're hogging the slide to dampen the desire.

And on the subject of love.....Hub and I had our 11th anniversary. We celebrated courtesy of Redbox and frozen yogurt once the kids were in bed. We don't have to go on gondola rides in Venice to prove our love I tell you. Now that I think about it...maybe we should have gone to the playground. Nothing must be more romantic than monkey bars and a twisty slide. Those teens are onto something. Can't wait for #12 to try it out!

Last Day of School

Don't they look miserable? They are very sad to have summer vacation. Even if they could have told you in February how many days they had left....
Isaac and Mitch had good teachers this year. They made thank-you notes for them and Mitch's made me laugh. It went like this:
Dear Linsey [her first name is Lindsay but I don't think she knew they were on a first name basis!] Your the best techer I ever had [he's in first grade. Don't let his kindergarten teacher get wind of this!] You are fun. Ill miss you. I hop you have a good class. Love, Mitchell


We had all sorts of end of year programs and fun. Below is Ethan. His preschool graduation was rather lofty. He had to say something about the French and Indian War and colonial soldiers. We had no idea what he was talking about, but he sounded smart.
Here is Syd proving that she can never say no to the trend of huge flowers on her head. Her blue tongue is medicine, not the purple popsicle you were going to accuse me of giving her.
And now we begin our summer plans. I have made a list of goals I would like to accomplish over the summer. On the list are things like learn a new language, teach all three boys the piano, become experts on the major wars, learn astronomy and identify the major composers of the Baroque period. On the more practical side I want them all to learn how to pump themselves on the swing, learn to jump rope past one jump, memorize the Articles of Faith and learn to love a vegetable. If we accomplish any of those things come August I will be a happy camper. But wouldn't it seriously be great if they became bilingual in a few months?

Nothing like a potty post

I have asked my boys and they each deny it adamantly. They look at me with wide innocent eyes and vigorously shake their heads. Then they offer 'helpful' accusations and finger pointings at their siblings. Who then also deny it and shake their heads and finger point back. Then we naturally get into fistfights and the inquisition is over due to more pressing medical concerns.

What is the question?
Who the blankety-blank is missing the huge porcelain bowl when doing their bizness?? Every time I clean the toilets I have to save a Clorox wipe for the inevitable spot on the floor behind the toilet. Granted, I do not quite understand the difficulty of aim since I don't have the proper parts. But really. Seriously. How can you miss?

I do know that once I walked by the bathroom to see Mitch (yes, I saw him since it seems to take great effort to actually close the bathroom door. Like that extra push with the arm would take away a second of play time and we can't have that!) turn his body when he heard someone coming. And the WHOLE body turned, if you know what I mean. So I can seen how it can happen on occasion. But come on! Do I have to play potty monitor and crawl around the toilet after each use to find the culprit?

I must admit I like the idea that it isn't my kids. Maybe it's their friends. Or a stranger that sneaks into my house to use the toilet when I'm not looking. Yeah, that's it. There is a crazy dude running around the neighborhood framing my kids. Because obviously they have great aim. Just ask 'em.

Found in Washing Machine

Notes to Self:

**Remind children to empty pockets before throwing clothes into hamper

**Do not put box of raisins in Mitch's lunch bag again

This, that, and the kitchen sink

Life has been truckin' along. Here are some highlights.

**Hershey Track and Field. I think I was more excited for Ike than he was. Probably because he didn't know what it was and because I had such fond memories racing as a youth. He crazily signed up for the two long runs and did very well, though after the 400 meter he seemed very surprised that his throat seemed to burn.
Ike's second from the left

*Sydney has turned into a smiley more pleasant baby. She sleeps a decent amount sometimes. She was blessed a couple of weeks ago and we enjoyed having family and friends support her on the special day.
She has Thrush which means several daily doses of medicine. No matter what fruity flavor they stick in those bottles, my smart baby knows it's no good and I'm hoping enough is staying in her mouth.

*Teacher Appreciation It wouldn't be right for me to not share my artistic skills every May when I get to decorate a door at the school. This year we had the custodian. I received a very strange amount of pleasure at taping real garbage on the door.
*Mother's Day Hub and the kids picked and planted some flowers for our front walk. Again, that is a testament that I don't really have a landscaping vision. I figure that if they grow and are under the assignation of a 'flower' then they're good enough for me. Two days later they are all still alive except for the one that Noelle dug up this morning.
I received several "Happy Mother's Day!" shout outs from the kids. Noelle was a little confused and told me Happy Birthday a couple of times. Mitch had stayed up late to finish a Mother's Day booklet he'd started at school and Ike was very excited to try out his gift of a coaster decked out in the BYU logo.
I had the chance to actually think how grateful I was to be a mother. My kids are a great blessing to me and there's nothing I'd rather do than be their mom.

*Other stuff has happened too. But speaking of my lovely kids, one is throwing LEGOS in a huge tantrum right now so you'll just have to miss out while I gently admonish him.

The most important meal

I am a victim of marketing.
I bought Special K because I remembered their commercials of fit, healthy women. And because the K looks so festive and red is my favorite color. And because it was on sale. Maybe that one should have been the first reason. Anyway, pardon my French, but Special K sucks.

I am not a breakfast person, but in order to maintain my nursing baby I am feeling obligated to try harder to eat some healthy meals.
Typical breakfast before baby: anything I could eat while driving the kids to school. This limited my options greatly so usually it was a cookie.
Typical breakfast now: old person cereal with a smidgin' of milk in the bowl to moisten the flakes. Usually it is Honey Bunches of Oats, but I was willing to try something new if it was on sale because I actually don't like the bunches part of Honey Bunches of Oats. (Am I picky?)
Enter Special K stage left.

One bowl is like eating crunchy air. No wonder they say it will help you lose weight. You surely can't gain weight if you aren't eating anything. Actually, I take it back. I think I would gain weight because in order to feel satiated I had a rice krispie treat and two pieces of licorice after my bowl of cereal. Maybe I should have checked the label to see if a serving size was actually one entire box?

I can't believe I'm whining about cereal. Should I just go back to my cookies? What do you eat for breakfast? help!