Quote of the Week

So Ben was finishing up bath with the boys. It was getting late, i.e. the point where they should have been in bed by now - books read, milk drunk, teeth brushed, etc. But the boys were still in the tub because they did not want to get out yet - after several implorings by Ben. So Ben and I were discussing that they probably don't get books read since the time was passed. Miles then asked, "Well will you read the scriptures?" Ben said, "Yes."

To which Jonas, who was sobbing because we weren't going to read books, said, amidst his cries:

"But I want a good book!"

Ha.

A Few Odds 'n Ends

I really just wanted to brag about my child, Miles. That's okay, right? I am his mom and so I do have bragging rights. :) I was so proud of that boy Miles last Sunday. I was grinning ear-to-ear I have no doubt (Jonas was too - which was super-duper cute!). Miles gave a talk in primary - his first talk all. by. himself. And it was just about perfect. Ben and Miles had talked that week about his talk-topic and on Friday Ben and I typed out a talk for him (yes, I know, one day he will write his own talk as well). We did leave a section of the talk for him to tell a scripture story on his own. We reviewed the talk a few times and he felt very comfortable with it. Then on Sunday he went up and delivered his talk - asking only once for help with a word ("commanded"). He did great in telling the story, too. Oh it was so exciting. And an even bonus: his grandparents (Ben's folks) got to see him, too.

Another thing: three's a crowd. At least for my family. (Yes, I know I have 4 kids - but Lucy doesn't "count" yet.) The whole week I spent with Lucy and Emmy at my parent's home I had hardly an ounce of trouble from her (meaning Emmy). I had a few (maybe even only 2?) times of frustrations from and with Emmy, but that was it. No loud screaming, yelling, or amazing tantrums. And from the report here, the boys were "awesome" (that is Jonas' new favorite word - I think I heard him say it over a dozen times today). Miles didn't pester Jonas. Jonas didn't whine. At all. Then, within 30 minutes of arriving back home, chaos once again engulfed our home. Emmy SCREAMED. Jonas WHINED. and Miles PESTERED. (well, really, I can't remember Miles pestering in those first 30 minutes. All I can remember is him sharing a toy with Emmy to make her feel better. But he has definitely pestered since we've been together again.) What gives? Me - perhaps I'm the problem? But I did have a problem-free week with Emmy, so it can't be just me. I've always heard of "three's a crowd," even in reference to children. I'd have to agree.

The boys just came down about 15 minutes ago. I spent about 30 extra minutes reading to them tonite - a Nancy Drew mystery book. Miles is in to mysteries these days. I enjoy them, too. Especially when I can figure it out waaaaay before it's "solved." (Right, these books are for 6-9 year olds. So I should figure it out waaaaay before. But at least I do :) Miles was stalling when he came down here. I asked him what the problem is. "I'm scared." He's into that phase, I guess. And then he being scared, scares Jonas, and if Emmy were still awake it would scare her. . . and so forth. So then we just talked for a bit. He wanted me to show him something that we read about in the Nancy Drew book. About them finding a "clue." The "clue crew" took a piece of paper from a room - it was blank, but it was underneath a stack of papers in which some girls had written some things down on the top piece of paper (am I making any sense at all?). So then the "clue crew" rubbed pencil on the blank sheet of paper and the words (from the top sheet of paper, that had been "pressed" onto the blank paper) appeared. Miles wanted me to demonstrate it. So I did.

The secret message? "Go to bed." Dang I thought I was funny. And so did the boys. :)

So they are back in the rooms, listening to primary songs on CD. Hopefully that will drive away all the scary monsters. . .

p.s. I was on the front-cover of our newspaper today. I don't think I'll scan the picture - but maybe I will at some point. I was out shoveling snow yesterday and someone from the paper came and took my picture. I'm pretty embarrassed about being on the front cover. Even though you can't see my face, I still don't think I look good. Go figure. I'd link you to it, but the online edition doesn't have the picture on it. Sorry. But you aint missing out on anything spectacular.

p.p.s Ben is MAKING me scan it in. So there you have it.

She's a Big Girl Now. . .

Giving rice cereal to Lucy for her first time was, indeed, a family affair. Not only our whole family, but also Grandpa Max and Grandma Diana were there, too. I think Lucy was pretty interested in what was going on with all the excitement around her.

Huh, not too bad. She didn't balk.

Of course she wanted to feed herself and hold the spoon. Of course.

Yum. (Wow do I look serious about it.)

Still letting me feed her mush.

Not bad, not bad at all.

(This was last Saturday. Today is Tuesday. Day 3 of food. We've added sweet potatoes to the rice cereal and it goes over pretty well. Messy, but well. There are 2 downsides to introducing solids to babes. 1. Time. Now not only do I get to nurse her, I also get to serve her food (Which one takes more time? Feeding her food. Blech. And I still nurse her just as much. . . But I know this is how it starts and in time she'll feed more and nurse less. And I'll be sad. And a little happy. But just a little. . . ) 2. No more breastmilk-poop. Oh boohoo. Today I changed her first poop since starting to feed her and yuck. I totally remember this. It stinks. Literally.)

Midway, Jan. 2011 = Family and Fun

Last Saturday, early morning (before 5am-early), we headed out for Midway. My sister, her husband, and cutie boy Rhett, arrived within 5 minutes of us. They flew in from the Maryland. We hung out at my parents' home for a bit and then we went to check out the amazing ice castles in the center of town. (Some guy "makes" them.)

The cousins together - finally.

Cool castles, huh!?

Here are the cousins enjoying a snack together: my kids' favorite snack at Grandma Dixie's - frozen Go-Gurts.

My brother, from Alaska, arrived in Midway Sunday morning. That evening we had my mother's mom and father's dad over for dinner (as well as my sister's friends) and so we naturally had to shoot some family photos:

Each child with Grandma and Grandpa. Too bad Lucy isn't looking.

Too cute.

Love it.

He started the whole "just me and Grandma and Grandpa" thing. . . :)

Great-Grandma Phyllis (jelly-bean Grandma) and Uncle Derek with Lucy. It was totally fun seeing my brother interact with my kids. He was great and fun.

The family.

On Monday morning the boys (Ben, Miles, and Jonas) took the train back home (the train left at 4:30am! Poor boys). The boys had a fantastic train ride, though - lovin' every minute of it. What an adventure. The boys went back home b/c Ben had to work and Miles had school and Jonas. . . just because. I stayed with my family and my 2 girls for the rest of the week in Midway. It was pretty great. Ben's folks came over to Montrose to take care of the boys and cook and play and work on projects while Ben was at work all day. How perfect, huh?!

On Monday we did some sledding (or was it Tuesday???). The neighbor right next door to my parent's home "built" a sledding track - it was so perfect for the kids (and the big kids, too, like Uncle Chuck. . .)
Aunt-E was great to take Emmy down again and again - even with Rhett, too. Emmy had a blast!

We sent the kids down on their own. They only did it once, but I think they had fun. They are simply adorable.

On Wednesday we met up with my sister's friend and her sweet boy and went to the Children's Museum in SLC. It was some fun times for sure - especially for Emmy.

Playing in the bird house.

Emmy tucking in her baby doll.

So sweet.

Emmy doing her womanly duties.

And I think those were all the pictures I took. Some other highlights include: eating soft-served frozen yogurt several times while there, starting and finishing a book for my book club, hanging out with my family each day and actually having time to just visit, just being with my girls (tho I for sure missed my boys - big and little), going to IKEA, taking Emmy swimming at the club-house pool which was super warm and had nobody else there, eating my sister's fabulous root-beer cookies, Emmy sleeping wonderfully on the papasan, going running every morning - including a couple times with my sister, being surrounded by such a beautiful area, getting to know better my adorable, smart, and funny nephew Rhett, and a drive home that was pretty much perfect. Perfect. As in not a single cry from my 2 girls. Naps - looooong ones - from each of my girls. The only problem with the drive??? The girls were sooooo good that I was extremely bored. . .

But it was a good way to end such a fantastic week.

Week at home with no Mom = Party!

Okay, so maybe not a party, but I know my boys had a wonderful, wonderful time with Grandpa Max and Grandma Diana.

Grandpa took Miles to school each day and picked him up. Here they are inside Miles' classroom. I love this picture.

Grandpa Max is a project man. He is so helpful when he comes out. Here Jonas is "helping" out with something. :) We had bought cabinet knobs for our kitchen and Jim put them all on. He also fixed an unfinished vent in our bathroom. He's great.

Isn't this such a sweet, sweet picture? Oh I love it. Jonas had a fantastic time with Grandma Diana. As she said, "I don't think I've colored so much in my entire life!" She colored with him, played Minotaurs with him, etc., etc. I have no doubt Jonas was in heaven.

Dinner-time. Diana cooked all the meals. What a treat.

We girls all arrived back in Montrose on Friday afternoon. Saturday it felt like Spring - 48 degrees and sunny. We took advantage and got outside:

Lucy fell asleep in the warm, warm sun. Dang she is just too cute.

Here we are heading out. The boys were already way ahead of course. . .

I LOVE this! Jonas and Emmy came up with this on their own. Jonas' bike got a flat tire - which made it pretty much unrideable (not a word?). Emmy had given up on the trike and so we let Jonas on it. Soon Jonas was driving Emmy around on the back. Loved it.

Isn't this a fantastic photo? Ha. All my boys riding their bikes. :) Ben is a master of riding itty-bitty bikes. I'm not joking. That man is amazing. :)

Oh it was wonderful to be out. And it was also wonderful to be back home with the rest of my family.

5!

We just barely got this photo in - it was 7pm (bedtime) and I remembered that we had forgotten to take her 5-month picture. Luckily we got it on the right day.

Lucy = joy.

She really does. She brings so much joy to our whole family. The kids adore her still and they all talk to her in these high, squealy voices. Adorable. When we decided to put Lucy in a high-chair this week and give her water (water!), Miles, Jonas, and Emmy went ballistic. They were so excited for Lucy (water!). You would have thought we just told the kids that they get treats for all their meals for the next 10 years (they were that excited. no joke).

Jonas sung a song to her with his guitar tonite. In fact, he sung two songs to her. But the first one was about her going to the bathroom on the toilet; it wasn't terribly sweet. But the second one was pretty darn cute - Ben even had Lucy dancing to it. It was great.

The other night as I was waiting for Miles to get out of the tub, I was holding Lucy and looking and talking in the mirror. I told her, "Oh you're just my favorite!" Miles said, "No she's not, Mom." So I said, "Oh, I know. She's my favorite baby. You're my favorite 1st grader. Jonas is my favorite 5-year old. Emmy is my favorite 3-year old."

Aren't I lucky to live with such favorites? (Especially the babe. . .)

Baby It's Cold Outside

Miles started back to school on Monday. And it's been a rather cold awakening back to our life of daily trekking it to and fro school. Yesterday was the coldest. When we were walking to school it was -7. Brrrrr. But all the kids had their snowpants, etc. on and I didn't hear one word of complaint. In fact, they all headed out back a few minutes early to play in the snow. Of course. Today was rather quite warm: 15 degrees. Weather is so relative.

Teehee

So Miles got a science experiment book for Christmas. We started looking at some things last Thursday and this is the one that Miles wanted to do right away:

Would you be scared if your name was "Dad"? Ha. So what we did was filled up an empty bottle with water, all the way to the top. Put lid on. Then poked about 4-6 holes with a tiny pin around the bottom perimeter of the bottle - about an inch up from the very bottom. Some water will spill out, but then it will stop. When a person comes and opens the bottle, tiny sprays of water get them all over. Ha! Actually, just by picking it up you get sprayed a little.

It was fun and Ben was a great sport. The book said to write "Do not open," on the bottle, but I told Miles that Dad wouldn't open it if it said that. So, thus, Miles came up with "Do not open, but Dad can." Too funny.

p.s. Miles can explain, pretty well, the science behind it. :)

Ice, Ice Baby

Ben took 3 out of the 4 kids ice skating on New Year's Day while we were in Midway. My parents went, too, and were of help; while I stayed cozied and warm at my parent's home with yummy Lucy.

It was a cold, cold day and so I was nervous about my kids being happy and warm. But when they came back they all had had a great time - especially, and very especially, the biggest one (Ben). Ben loved, loved, loved it. And the other kids did, too.

Jonas just kind of scooted around on his skates. He didn't try "skating" too much, if at all. Ben wasn't sure if he was a little bummed because he wasn't as good as he imagined himself to be. I don't know?

Emmy, the Ice Princess.

Classic Miles - chewing on an article of clothing (this time his coat). But Miles actually surprised Ben (and his grandparents) by actually skating around - albeit with an orange cone, but still. . . He actually pushed off his skates. Awesome.

The cute ice skating trio.

One more great picture of our Ice Princess.

Live Action Shots

Some videos from our sledding adventures: