Wallpaper

When I hear the word "wallpaper" I think of bedroom walls with decorated paper on them.  You can tell what generation I am from.  I don't think my kids even know what that kind of wallpaper is (we don't currently have any on walls in our house).

But they know about wallpaper on computers and phones.  My 7 year-old had my phone the other day and asked if he could change my wallpaper.  It was a beach.  When I looked at my phone next I found he changed it to this photo from his 7th birthday:

It's a Minecraft cake made my me!

It is amazing to me what kids know these days.  They learn to crawl, walk, talk, eat with a fork and work smart phones and tablets before the age of 2.

I get a kick out of seeing his smiling face whenever I pick up my phone, and consequently it makes me smile! If I decide to change it back to the beach, I might need his help.

Think Happy Thoughts

Last year I went to Time Out for Women and saw Hilary Weeks.  She gave a talk about positive thoughts and how using a clicker (counter) to keep track of every positive thought leads you to be happier and more productive and all that good stuff.  She has also made a website billionclicks.org where people all over are logging in their clicks to see if we can reach one billion happy thoughts.  It is a great website with positive blogs, quotes and stories, etc.  And you can buy clickers!

My sister bought me a clicker at Time Out for Women but I haven't really done anything with it.  I have visited the website often but haven't "clicked'.  I finally decided that I am going to join in and start clicking!  and I decided to include my family also.  I bought clickers for everyone.  I thought it will be a great way to start off our summer.  Last night I showed the video of Hilary Weeks http://www.billionclicks.org/page/videos to my family and we laughed.  (you should watch it because it is funny--and a bit inspiring).  Then I passed out the clickers.  Everyone seemed enthusiastic about it. We talked a bit about how to be more positive in our home and have less arguing, etc.

Then after a little bit my 6 year-old pipes in "What does 'positive' mean?"


so I guess the first lesson in teaching a lesson, is make sure your students know what the key word means! lol

I will (or might) keep you posted on how our "clicking" is going and if our home is becoming a happier more positive place. 

My Sad Little Man

"My pants are falling down and I can't find my shoes."  My six year old said sadly as he came into the kitchen the other morning.  And to me that moment was so cute and precious for some reason.  I really enjoy him.

He is my little detail man and usually ready for school before anyone.  He wakes up, gets dressed with shoes and socks and comes out of his room dragging his backpack and coat, looking for his sandwich so he can pack his lunch.  He cleans up his dishes after breakfast without being reminded.  If only all my children could be like that...

But that morning he was wearing new pants that apparently didn't fit too well, and had such a rare occasion of not knowing where his shoes were.  And he was so sad about it all.  I just wanted to pick him up and cuddle him and make all the sadness go away.  Which I guess I did by helping him find his shoes and making his pants tighter with those button stretchy things inside the waistband of the pants.

I don't really have anything more to write about that ... just wanted to share I guess.

All At Once

Like an ad says:  "Life comes at you fast..."

We got carpet!  New carpet in most of our house--4 bedrooms, the living room and hallway.  When we moved in there was only carpet in 3 rooms of the house.  The rest was mostly hardwood.  A year and a half ago we put some carpet in our downstairs which is just one big room and had really old tile that you used to see in schools.  I know lots of people like hardwood, but I prefer carpet.  Especially in bedrooms.  Besides, the wood was very old and stained and scratched and paint splotched.  So even when you cleaned the floors it still looked dirty.

I love my carpet! It's like a new house!  Before it came Scott and the boys put up new baseboards and I painted the kids' rooms. And we put Pergo in the dining room (because refinishing the wood costs lots more).

But getting carpet in most of the house is a lot of work.  Taking beds down, emptying bookcases and closets, and moving everything somewhere that isn't getting carpet.

A new  house!!

The carpet did not come on schedule and was over a week later than planned getting installed. And the Thursday and Friday it was installed I was already booked up with stuff.

--Cam stayed home from school those two days sick.
--Brennen had oral surgery Friday morning so when we got home and he was still half asleep I was steering him between carpet layers to get him to his bed.  (thank goodness we got all the beds put back together after the carpet people left Thursday night).
--One of our cars was in the shop so we had to shuffle getting us all where we needed to go.  (One night the neighbors had to pick up Andy from gymnastics)
--And, one of my nephews from out of town came home from his mission so I was packing and preparing to go to my brother's for the weekend to hear the returned missionary talk in church.

The carpet layers left by noon on Friday.  And do you know how hard it is to try to pack for a road trip and put your house back together and, and, and?

I was feeling a bit crazy--even more so than usual.

(Now I shouldn't tell you the next part because it is embarrassing for me but funny because of my Andy).

I hit the road with my 3 little kids after school for a 5 hour drive.  Only to be stopped before I was 1/2 hour out of town by a police officer.  Why?  Because he noticed the kids didn't have their lap belts on--they always put it behind their back.  He gave a us a nice warning and said to wear seatbelts correctly.

And as luck would have it a few hours later the lights of police were behind me AGAIN.  Out on the reservation I failed to slow down enough when the speed limit changed because of an intersecting road.  And luck really was on my side because I got another warning.  Especially since Andy was very eloquent talking to the officer.  He told him "This is the second time we got pulled over!"  Thank you Andy.  When the officer saw me with the kids he said I was probably distracted and didn't see the speed limit sign.  How nice to notice.  Andy assured him we would drive slower and safer.

Lots going on in a few days but I got through it.  Brennen's surgery to expose and band a tooth that won't come in went fine and he only took 3 pain pills.  Cam was better by Friday and probably could have gone to school that day.  Our car is still in the shop but we borrowed my mom's for part of the time.

but sometimes life does come at you faster than you are expecting...

"I said my words"

I thought it was time for some more Andy on my blog.  He is funny with words, mixing things up sometimes and just saying things in an odd/funny way.

1.  A few weeks ago we had personal kid talks, where each of our kids gets to talk to Scott and I about whatever they want and we can see how they are doing etc.  (Usually this happens when we are worried about one or more of the kids for some reason or other--this time it was Janessa cuz she was being so grouchy and ornery).  so..
     Andy's turn.  I feel bad that I can't really remember what we talked about.  However, I do remember how it ended.  He got up and started to walk away.  "Is that all?" I asked.  "Yep.  I said my words." and he left.  Scott and I started laughing.  He said his words and he was done.

2.  We had snow!! so school was delayed 2 hours.  Sometimes after the initial delay, they will just cancel school altogether.  So that morning when it was apparent that the kids were still going to go to school Andy said 'Darn it.  I wanted school to be deleted!'

3.  Lunches. Ugh.  anyway, one morning after I had made sandwiches Andy wanted me to make his lunch and put it in a bag for him and I said no.  He tried to guilt me by saying "Why won't you be loving mother and make my lunch?"  It didn't work.  He still had to do it. But it has been a family joke now. "Are you being a loving kid?" "Your loving mother wants you to..." etc.

Swimming

 It is 8:00 p.m. I am worn out and ready for bed.  And not because I cleaned house or spent too much time with the kids.  Its because I went swimming--lap swimming you could say.  It is tiring.  This is the first time I have gone swimming for two days in a row.  And I played a 3-game volleyball match last night.  I think that may be way over my exercise limit for 24 hours.

One of my best friends in high school was a swimmer.  She was on the high school swim team.  We met because she was also on the volleyball team (of course).  I never thought much about swimming except it was a sport and she did it.  And I thought she was amazing for getting up so early in the mornings for swim practice before school.  I went to the state meet with her parents and watched her once. She swam with the Masters program in college and then her 2nd or 3rd year joined the university team.

I could swim well enough to pass the swim test at the pool in order to go off the diving board.  I loved to play in the water but didn't swim really, just played around.

Then in college I took a swimming class.  Wow.  I learned that swimming is hard.  I mean hard work.  It wears you out.  But I loved the class.  I learned how to swim the right way, with my face in the water, dive in without holding my nose, and do a few other strokes.  It was from that class that I gained appreciation for my friend's sport.  It is not for wimps.

Now over 20 years later (but who is counting really) I recently began going to the pool with my cousin for lap swimming.  We go with the seniors--as in senior citizens.  (The water is warmer at that pool than the more popular big pool in town and they haven't said we can't come).  I am so so amazed by these old women that swim lap after lap either freestyle, or backstroke or however.  And I don't mean disrespect by calling them old women because they are old!  And I am totally respecting them.  I can only freestyle like about 4 or 5 lengths of the pool (not in succession of course!) the duration we are there. I do some side stroke, or some sort of back float or whatever but mostly my cousin and I just amble up and down the pool so we are exercising but technically not "swimming."

It is good exercise and fun to "mingle" with the older ladies in the locker room and see their friendship and hear their conversations.  And to admire these aged bodies, some needing walkers, that are still wanting to get out and move.

Conversations with a First Grader

On a Saturday Morning:

Me: Come on. We need to go to Janessa's soccer game.
Cam:  I don't want to go.
Me:  I know but you have to. Dad is at Andy's game and Brennen isn't here. You can't stay here by yourself.
Cam:  Why?
Me:  Because you are only 6.
Cam (arguing back):  Ya! I'm six and I can even make my own toast!



At Home Depot:

Cam:  Can I buy this flashlight?  It is $5 and Andy says I have 89 cents.
Me:  Well you need 500 and 89 cents.
Cam:  ARE YOU SEWIOUS!!??  FIVE HUNDWED CENTS!!??!!


Cameron is so much fun.  "Seriously" and "actually" are about his favorite words.  However, he is the baby of the family so I realize that I don't give him all the responsibility he needs and do way too much for him.  So I am working on that.  Making his own toast is a step in the right direction!

Mom Powers

I don't know if it is just my kids, or if all kids think their moms have x-ray vision and radar ears.

Child #1 is playing on the computer and takes a bathroom break.  He calls me from the bathroom.  I go to the door and he tries to tell me something about the computer.  This is my child who doesn't speak very well--has what is called articulation issues.  I think I can understand him great until I get in the car with him or he is on the other side of the bathroom door.  Since it is not a "bathroom issue" I tell him to talk me when he is out of the bathroom.  When he gets out of the bathroom he is a little frustrated that I didn't do whatever it is he wanted me to do on the computer.

Child #2 is putting away the laundry.  Hooray!  I am in the kitchen cleaning up with the water on.  She is in the living room where the laundry is on the couch.  She tries to talk to me and I yell "I can't hear you the water is on.  Come in here."  I continue to hear her voice though I can't make out any words.  After I turn off the water she asks loudly "Are these Dad's?" Because of course I have I can see through the wall to the other room to see what she is referring too.

I guess I should be flattered that my kids think I have super powers and can see and hear them wherever they are in the house.  However, as of yet, I have not developed x-ray vision or radar ears.

Bet you didn't know...

That you can buy freeze dried crickets at Walmart. (see previous post)
so now you know.  Even though Andy is boy #3 this is my first experience with lizards

Today we had a parade in town.  I had a doc appt at the same time as the parade and it was only a street and a half away from the parade.  So I drove by the doctor's office and showed A & J where it was, then took them to a parking lot to watch the parade and we agreed that if I got done before it was over, I would walk to them. Otherwise they were to walk to the doctor's office.  It was a cute sight when I was done with the doctor (which of course took way too long) and I saw two kids sitting on the steps surrounded by candy.  And guess what Andy caught while walking away from the parade--yep, another lizard.

Happy kids.  Amazing to think we only have two more weekends til summer is over and school starts.

Mornings 2

I have two children who don't like to be wrong, and think they are never wrong, or its never their fault.  And I know that most people don't like to be wrong, but maybe most people just aren't so stubborn about it.

This morning we were doing scripture reading as a family--one thing that has been good for January. we have been more HIT than miss on this.  So today J started reading the verse that D just read.  So he said that he just read that one.  Instead of her accepting a mistake and reading the next verse she got mad and wouldn't read anything.  I know it is just a little thing but that is how she is all the time. I don't know how to teach her that it is okay to make a mistake and she doesn't always have to be right or always know the right answers.

Later on, maybe 10-15 minutes before time to leave for school, I reminded A to get his shoes on and lunch packed and he got mad at me.  "I am reading!"    So I told him I am not going to remind him anymore and if he is not ready when its time to go too bad.

We do have a rule that they are supposed to have shoes on before breakfast but I have gotten lax about it and it came back to bite me today.  Also, I make the sandwiches and they do everything else for their lunch.  Andy always had school lunch until this year when he decided he never wants school lunch again, so it is a new challenge.

Anyway, I leave him and comb J's hair.  In fact I French braid two braids which takes about 8-10 minutes--plenty of time for A to get his shoes on and put his lunch together. Scott tells the kids "lets go."  (I had already prepared Scott and told him to leave Andy if he isn't ready). A gets franctic because he is not ready and doesn't have shoes on. Scott walks out the door with the other kids so A starts going balistic having one of his meltdowns.  He said "I was getting my lunch!"  and I said it doesn't take 10 minutes to get your lunch ready."  (I know he has a problem focusing but how and when is he ever going to learn?)  I was trying not to argue but I am not very good at not arguing.  And he is trying to tell me he was not wrong and it wasn't his fault because I told him to get his shoes AND do his lunch and he was doing his lunch just like I said.  He has his shoes on but won't go out the door because he "can't catch up to them."  a bit more arguing.  Finally I realize that I have to get out of the situation so I tell him I am going to get in the shower, and I do.

I take a long shower.  Scott comes home and tells me A caught up to them at the cross walk.  I was actually surprised that he left. Maybe next time I start arguing with him I will go take a shower.  It seemed to work.

but the lunch?...well, he left it on the couch...

Mornings

So here is a glimpse of my morning today.  I thought you all could use some laughs or at least feel better that you are not the only one that has crazy mornings.

The dishwasher didn’t get started last night so besides having to wash some forks for breakfast and the fact that I won’t be able to have someone unload it before school, it causes another problem later on. 

For the 2^nd day in a row the cat decided to use Andy’s bed as a litter box—because of the urine smell I suppose.  (Andy still has night-time problems).

Cameron started crying because Andy “jinxed” him and said he is in a locked jinx, meaning even if someone says your name 3 times you can’t get out of it until Andy says he is not jinxed anymore.  Still tears even though I explain that jinxed doesn’t really mean anything.

Because the dishwasher was on, and Andy decided to make hot chocolate in the microwave, and I was making pancakes with the electric griddle, the circuit breaker tripped and the power went out in the kitchen.  (the refrigerator and range are on that circuit too).  When I tried to explain to Scott that the power was off in the kitchen and he needed to fix it he didn’t understand because I didn’t say the “breaker went off”. He thought I was talking about power going off in the middle of the night.     Anyway, finally he understood what I meant and went and reset it.  (and I realize that I am capable of flipping the breaker, but I haven’t learned which one it is yet, which I guess I should put on my to do list).

"Didn't we already do this?" Dustin asks looking at the order form for his cap and gown that came in the mail. I answer "Yes, but it didn't get mailed on time and it expired so they sent us a new one." so he asks if I can mail it today.  yes.

Andy got up early to do finish his homework, and he did great and finished but then he is ready to early and too playful and wild and silly which prevents anyone else from focusing on getting ready.  

The dog got into the bathroom garbage so it was all over the floor in the bathroom when I went in to comb J’s hair.

Janessa wanted her hair braided like the little sister on Narnia.  I haven’t a clue what that girl's hair looked like but I do my best with her describing.  And I am happy that she is letting me do
her hair :).

I overwatered the plant on the top of the bookcase and so water was running down splashing on the books…

I bought Strawberry-kiwi Capri-Suns for lunch and Cameron doesn’t like that kind.

 Andy almost leaves his homework on the table as he walks out the door, but I get it in his backpack.  (yay Mom!) 

But finally everyone is out the door and it is quiet.  (Everyone except the animals and I wonder why exactly we have pets?)

We did have scripture reading with the kids before the big boys left and I made breakfast—more than frozen waffles or pancake sausages on a stick.   Not really a bad morning, just a regular morning with a few extra things to be expected I guess with a family of 7 people. (and two animals).

Beautiful Snow

We woke up to beautiful snow on the ground mixed with fall colors.  And the storm was over so it really is a beautiful sight looking out my window across the park.  However, it made for a challenging morning.

Because snow makes kids excited.  And then Andy decided he needed gloves.  and in the process of finding gloves and he discovered hats and so the others joined him and instead of getting ready for school (combing hair, brushing teeth, backpacks, etc.) they were looking for gloves and hats.

And do you think that this is a harmless activity? Of course not! because that means getting out every hat, gloves, wool socks, all winter things and dumping them all over the laundry room floor.  (thank goodness they didn't think of boots).  And is it easy to get them to clean it up without arguments?  maybe some kids but not mine.  sheesh.

I had decided to drive them to school because I thought I would drop them off and head to the grocery store.  That I would actually be ready to do that.  Yeah right.  but I tried.  Anyway,  running late after cleaning up the mess in the laundry room and finally getting outside (some kids without their lunches and backpacks because snow is so distracting) I realized that I should have been out 10 minutes earlier to warm up the car and clean the snow off the car.  Because it was actually frozen to the windshield so it wouldn't brush off.  and I am short and drive an SUV so it was a bit challenging and frustrating trying to scrape it off.  But finally the defroster kicked in and I was able to drive.

The kids were about 5 minutes late to school.  I don't think they are ever late when Scott walks them to school (or drives them).  And I didn't make it to the grocery store yet.

But the sun is shining and the snow is beautiful!

First Field Trip and Halloween Photos

After Cameron started kindergarten he began asking quite often "Do I have a field trip today?"  I am not sure what put the idea of field trips in his head but he was pretty persistant.  Finally, the week before Halloween he got to go on a field trip to the Pumpin Patch at Sutherland Farms.

The kids got to go on a hay ride, a train ride, play in the corn pit, go through the corn maze, milk a pretend wooden cow with rubber udders, look at some animals, and pick out their very own pumpkin to take home.  I got to go to!  As he was waiting in line to get back on the bus Cameron told me "This was so fun!  My field trip was funner than Lego Star Wars!"

So there you have it--life on the farm is funner than a video game.

making a 'corn angel'.  I have never seen anything like this--very fun to play in.

burying a classmate

the corn maze

the train ride

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

  I wore this costume (the dress) when I played one of Tiger Lily's Indians in the musical Peter Pan in high school.  good memories!  (the dress was a lot shorter on me and it is pinned in the back to fit her) My mom worked hard on that for me! there are beads on all those fringes...

Say What?

A conversation with Cameron while working on speech homework.

Me:  "That was great! Miss Jodi will be so proud!"
Cam:  "My school is far far away."
Me: "Yes, it kind of is."
Cam:  "Miss Jodi can't even hear me!"

Girl Talk

When I was driving home from Wal-mart with Janessa yesterday, I got a glimpse into her first grade world:
"I don't think Kelsey and Lola even know what is means to have a boy friend.  They just keep breaking up and then make a new boy friend with someone else."

I didn't have the insight to ask her what she thinks it means to have a boy friend.  But I am glad she thinks it means more than that.

Oh dear! What am I going to do in 10 years (or less)?  And too bad she is so darn cute.

The Collection

What do little boys do at their big brother's soccer game?  Collect things.  There are all kinds of cool things in and around the high school bleachers collect.  Lids from water bottles and Gatorade, pop can tabs, broken balloons, pieces of metal, zip ties, feathers, candy wrappers, ticket stubs, pens and pencils...

Andy's collection

Andy had a great time at the game last night.  Janessa and Cameron followed his lead but soon found other things to do so their collections were pretty meager.

By the way, Dustin won his game.  It was great weather, and we also got a lightening show out east (far enough away from the game) and a beautiful sunset.  Fall is awesome! 

Ewww

Don't you just love it (not) when your kid leaves her lunch box at school and when she does bring it home it has a squishy black banana inside that has leaked in her backpack and on her homework folder?

A Story About Bread, sort of

It's funny how things seemingly unrelated affect each other, or somehow become intertwined.  Like an episode of Seinfeld.  (you know, by the end of the show all the little story lines seemed to come together...)

A few days ago the window on the driver's side of the van got stuck in the open position--all the way down. Little did I know it was going to hinder breakfast this morning.

We have a one car garage that is filled with bikes, motorbikes, and all kinds of stuff besides a car.  My honey decided to make room for the van in the garage until the window gets fixed.  For safety and keeping the rain out. And it did rain last night.

This morning I decided to make french toast for breakfast.  But halfway through I realize that I will need more bread which is in the freezer in the garage.  I manage my way through the laundry room, which is piled with stuff from the garage, without falling and get to the garage door.  I realize however after I open the door there is no way to get the freezer open with the van there.  Scott notices what I am doing and inquires.  He said he will move the van.  He did but I still couldn't open the freezer because one of the motorcycles was barely in the way and not worth the effort.

He inquires again if I got the bread.  I say no but don't explain.  He said "I made the effort to move the van so I will get the bread."  He came back in a few minutes laughing.  I am very grateful he was laughing.  He said "There is no bread in the freezer!"

I told the kids who hadn't had french toast yet to have frozen waffles. (which of course was okay with J because she doesn't like french toast anyway).

Let me ask you, how many of your husbands would have been laughing?  I can just imagine some saying something like "All that and there isn't even bread in the freezer?"  Why can't you keep it stocked up?  How can we run out of bread?  It is the main staple for our kids and some of them will be malnourished without their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."  I have a great husband who has a great sense of humor and can see the funny in situations instead of always getting upset.  And he picked a great day to roll with the punches because I didn't wake up in a "Ready For a Brand New Day!" mood.  I love him.

For the record, I haven't run out of bread for a long time.  butter, eggs, bananas, yogurt, peanut butter, yes-- but not bread.

Someone once said...

"School days are the best days of your life--provided your kids are old enough to go"

3 more days . . .

Colorado

I love the Colorado Mountains.  I grew up camping in them.  It is so great to be back close to them again. 

A few weeks ago we headed north for an hour to Colorado up La Plata Canyon for the day.  We played in the La Plata River, ate lunch, hiked a little bit, and played in the water some more. 

There was a little spring coming out of the ground near the campground that ran down the hill a little bit in a stream and then kind of spread out just soaked up in the ground in a mud hole.  Brennen decided to make the path for the water more defined, and cleaned out the leaves and sticks to make the water run faster.  Basically building a longer stream.  I was playing in the water and mud helping him, because it is fun and relaxing. We made the little 'river' about 10 feet longer. Cameron wanted me for something and I said "Just a minute.  I like playing in the mud".  He replied: "Pigs like to play in mud!"

Andy and Janessa brought their goggles.  (I guess they haven't played in a river enough to know that you don't need goggles).  Andy would put his face in the water to look for fish with his googles.  It was too funny.

Cameron is at an age where everything new is fun.  He wanted to go on a hike.  So he and I set off on a little trail by the campground, went maybe 200 yards, then he happily turned around and started back.  That was such a great hike to him!  He was happy and proud.

It was fun watching my kids have fun.  Throwing rocks into the river, moving rocks around to build 'dams', splashing each other with rocks, wading in the cold water.  Building little streams. 

Scott took a few pictures on his phone, but of course I did not bring a camera.

It is times like these that make all the other days worth it.

The following are pictures I took with my phone (so they aren' that great) last Labor Weekend when we were camping near Pagosa Springs by the Piedra River.  Colorado is just beautiful.