Practicing the "Violin"
Natalie came out of her bedroom at 10:00 one night and was being goofy. She decided that she and I needed to have orange noses. So we got orange noses. She's a goof.
Pretty girl
All eyes
Such a big girl!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Why haven't I blogged in 6 weeks?
I know, I know... Finally an updated blog! Sorry. My life has been crazy, and I've realized that I waste too much time on the internet if I turn the computer on. I say I'm only going to take 5 minutes, but in the end its 5 hours. And my family suffers. So now it is almost 11 p.m. and I'm going to write a few things for all of you who have been DYING to know what is going on in our lives.
Halloween is such an interesting thing... does anyone else find it strange that we dress up in costumes--sometimes scarey costumes--and go to parties at the church? Or is it just me? Anyway. For preschool Natalie was Cinderella. Same dress as last year. But for our ward party she decided to be a cowgirl. Now, this little green outfit has gotten a lot of mileage... It was Chad's. He won it in a fishing pond thing at a ward party when he was about 5. Chad's cousin, Kent, who is significantly younger than Chad, wore it A LOT when he was that size. Caleb has used it for at least 2 Halloweens. And now Natalie has joined the club. She was such a cute little cowgirl. Caleb was Davey Crockett. He loves Davey Crockett and our friends had this totally cool outfit that Caleb borrowed. Claire was a marshmellow. (If you don't know the background of this, when I was expecting Claire our kids insisted her name was going to be marshmellow.) I did wear a witch hat. But it was fun. Candy, hooray. Much of it is still in a bowl on top of the fridge... out of sight out of mind, although I do allow them to imbibe on occasion.
November was busy. Thanksgiving was wonderful. We went to Idaho to visit my family. We were gone a week, drove almost 2000 miles, spent over 25 hours in the car, ate lots of food, and had a great time. For my birthday, my sister and her husband took Chad and me to dinner at The Melting Pot. I LOVE LOVE LOVE fondue. It was DELICIOUS. Thursday was Thanksgiving. Yummy food. Lots to be thankful for. Did a little shopping on Black Friday, but not until 10:00 so we didn't have to fight the crowds too much.
Saturday was my family's Christmas party in Pocatello, which was a great time. Thanks everyone for making it fun. We missed those who weren't there.
Monday we decided to take the long way home. We left Pocatello about 2 and drove to Salt Lake. I'd never seen Temple Square when it was all lit up for Christmas, so we decided to do it. It was so beautiful. And it was nice to just be together as a family and spend time with each other. We went into the Visitor's Center and saw the Christus statue and looked at some of the displays. Then we just walked around outside. By the time we left it was 7, so we got home at 2 a.m. It was totally worth it though. Tonight at FHE we were talking about the temple and Chad asked the kids their favorite part about going to the temple. Natalie said, "Going into the building and seeing the big statue of Jesus." Caleb said, "Seeing the Nativity outside." They felt the Spirit of the place and hopefully they will remember that. The extra time was worth it.
So it was a whirlwind of a week, but it was worth it. Memories were made. Good times were had by all.
Halloween is such an interesting thing... does anyone else find it strange that we dress up in costumes--sometimes scarey costumes--and go to parties at the church? Or is it just me? Anyway. For preschool Natalie was Cinderella. Same dress as last year. But for our ward party she decided to be a cowgirl. Now, this little green outfit has gotten a lot of mileage... It was Chad's. He won it in a fishing pond thing at a ward party when he was about 5. Chad's cousin, Kent, who is significantly younger than Chad, wore it A LOT when he was that size. Caleb has used it for at least 2 Halloweens. And now Natalie has joined the club. She was such a cute little cowgirl. Caleb was Davey Crockett. He loves Davey Crockett and our friends had this totally cool outfit that Caleb borrowed. Claire was a marshmellow. (If you don't know the background of this, when I was expecting Claire our kids insisted her name was going to be marshmellow.) I did wear a witch hat. But it was fun. Candy, hooray. Much of it is still in a bowl on top of the fridge... out of sight out of mind, although I do allow them to imbibe on occasion.
November was busy. Thanksgiving was wonderful. We went to Idaho to visit my family. We were gone a week, drove almost 2000 miles, spent over 25 hours in the car, ate lots of food, and had a great time. For my birthday, my sister and her husband took Chad and me to dinner at The Melting Pot. I LOVE LOVE LOVE fondue. It was DELICIOUS. Thursday was Thanksgiving. Yummy food. Lots to be thankful for. Did a little shopping on Black Friday, but not until 10:00 so we didn't have to fight the crowds too much.
Saturday was my family's Christmas party in Pocatello, which was a great time. Thanks everyone for making it fun. We missed those who weren't there.
Monday we decided to take the long way home. We left Pocatello about 2 and drove to Salt Lake. I'd never seen Temple Square when it was all lit up for Christmas, so we decided to do it. It was so beautiful. And it was nice to just be together as a family and spend time with each other. We went into the Visitor's Center and saw the Christus statue and looked at some of the displays. Then we just walked around outside. By the time we left it was 7, so we got home at 2 a.m. It was totally worth it though. Tonight at FHE we were talking about the temple and Chad asked the kids their favorite part about going to the temple. Natalie said, "Going into the building and seeing the big statue of Jesus." Caleb said, "Seeing the Nativity outside." They felt the Spirit of the place and hopefully they will remember that. The extra time was worth it.
So it was a whirlwind of a week, but it was worth it. Memories were made. Good times were had by all.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Mom's education
Its amazing how much you learn as a mother each day. For example, today I learned something new. A Barbie ballet slipper will successfully pass thru the digestive tract of a 10-month-old baby. Its a fun surprise when you are changing a diaper. We didn't save the slipper.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Entertainment Review
Friday night we went to dinner at the Outback. We really were going to try someplace new, but everywhere we went had really long lines, and there is nothing worse than waiting for food that isn't satisfying. So we went with an old standby. And it was worth the wait--this time we got a dinner and an appetizer to share, and that worked splendidly. We weren't charged for our drinks--YEA FOR FREE STUFF!! We went out because it was our anniversary on Monday. We've now been married 7 years. My sweet husband surprised me with flowers--7, one for each year we've been married. I was so excited!
After we got home we watched "Made of Honor." Patrick Dempsey has come so far since "Can't Buy Me Love". The movie was cute. Why must they put those certain scenes and those certain words in movies? Not necessary. They ruin movies. But it is a fun story.
I finally read Twilight. I really enjoyed it. Its addicting--I couldn't put it down. I was sort-of disappointed with some aspcts of the story. I'm trying to decide if I want to read the rest of them. I know how they end because I've talked to enough people that have told me. I am excited to see the movie, although I don't like the actor for Edward.
I also re-read one of my all-time favorite books, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Its about a girl growing up in, well, Brooklyn in the early part of the 20th century. Its one of those great coming-of-age, overcoming-your-difficult-circumstances type of books. I highly recommend it to anyone. It isn't exactly politically correct but its such a great story.
If you have any suggestions of good books or movies, I'd love to hear them. I'm addicted to movies and books, and I am always looking for something worth watching and reading.
After we got home we watched "Made of Honor." Patrick Dempsey has come so far since "Can't Buy Me Love". The movie was cute. Why must they put those certain scenes and those certain words in movies? Not necessary. They ruin movies. But it is a fun story.
I finally read Twilight. I really enjoyed it. Its addicting--I couldn't put it down. I was sort-of disappointed with some aspcts of the story. I'm trying to decide if I want to read the rest of them. I know how they end because I've talked to enough people that have told me. I am excited to see the movie, although I don't like the actor for Edward.
I also re-read one of my all-time favorite books, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Its about a girl growing up in, well, Brooklyn in the early part of the 20th century. Its one of those great coming-of-age, overcoming-your-difficult-circumstances type of books. I highly recommend it to anyone. It isn't exactly politically correct but its such a great story.
If you have any suggestions of good books or movies, I'd love to hear them. I'm addicted to movies and books, and I am always looking for something worth watching and reading.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Our craziness.
Things have been crazy here the last couple weeks. I have so many things I want to talk about, but I'll just give a quick update and a few highlights.
**We got 2 kittens. Fuzzy and Rascal. Black and white and very cute. But one week later we had a tragic accident, lots of tears, and a kitty funeral. We now only have one left, Rascal. He/She is cute and feisty and has to go to the vet tomorrow, where we will find out the gender, decide when to neuter/spay, decide whether to declaw, and potentially get shots. I've never had a pet before--not even a goldfish--so this is a first for me.
**Claire had her 9 month check-up and is still long and skinny. She's crawling on all fours now and a 5th tooth popped thru today. We have been calling her Hurricane Claire because she destroys everything in her path. But she is also very cute and happy and fun.
**Natalie had her 4th birthday.... It was the longest birthday ever because we had cupcakes at school on Thursday, her real birthday, but had cake and ice cream with Grandmas and Grandpas on Friday. She was really fun and she is very spoiled. I decorated her cake with Disney Fairies. Pictures will come as soon as I find the connection cord.
**Caleb is doing awesome in school. He's on the 99th percentile for reading, compared with the state (those tests are so lame) but considering he reads like a Third grader this wasn't a surprise. He reads anything he can get his hands on. He's currently working his way thru the boy scout manual. Any suggestions on other reading material is welcome. But he does get tired of it and anxiously looks forward to Saturdays--days off!
**Chad has been sick with a cold of some kind. Not fun. A couple weeks ago he spent 18 hours with the youth in our ward on a trip to the temple. They drove a bus up to Billings and they had bus problems and were gone ALL day. But it was actually a really great experience for a lot of people. The youth in our ward are so great!
**My parents, and 2 of my sisters came over for a visit this past weekend. It was so AWESOME to see them. I took for granted the time I had when they were so close and I wish SO SO SO SO much they were closer. Hopefully someday we'll get back that direction. Thanks again for coming over.
**General Conference was amazing. So many good things were said I can't begin to choose my favorite talk. I'm excited to read everything when the new Ensign comes out.
So there's an update on our craziness. Pictures to follow
**We got 2 kittens. Fuzzy and Rascal. Black and white and very cute. But one week later we had a tragic accident, lots of tears, and a kitty funeral. We now only have one left, Rascal. He/She is cute and feisty and has to go to the vet tomorrow, where we will find out the gender, decide when to neuter/spay, decide whether to declaw, and potentially get shots. I've never had a pet before--not even a goldfish--so this is a first for me.
**Claire had her 9 month check-up and is still long and skinny. She's crawling on all fours now and a 5th tooth popped thru today. We have been calling her Hurricane Claire because she destroys everything in her path. But she is also very cute and happy and fun.
**Natalie had her 4th birthday.... It was the longest birthday ever because we had cupcakes at school on Thursday, her real birthday, but had cake and ice cream with Grandmas and Grandpas on Friday. She was really fun and she is very spoiled. I decorated her cake with Disney Fairies. Pictures will come as soon as I find the connection cord.
**Caleb is doing awesome in school. He's on the 99th percentile for reading, compared with the state (those tests are so lame) but considering he reads like a Third grader this wasn't a surprise. He reads anything he can get his hands on. He's currently working his way thru the boy scout manual. Any suggestions on other reading material is welcome. But he does get tired of it and anxiously looks forward to Saturdays--days off!
**Chad has been sick with a cold of some kind. Not fun. A couple weeks ago he spent 18 hours with the youth in our ward on a trip to the temple. They drove a bus up to Billings and they had bus problems and were gone ALL day. But it was actually a really great experience for a lot of people. The youth in our ward are so great!
**My parents, and 2 of my sisters came over for a visit this past weekend. It was so AWESOME to see them. I took for granted the time I had when they were so close and I wish SO SO SO SO much they were closer. Hopefully someday we'll get back that direction. Thanks again for coming over.
**General Conference was amazing. So many good things were said I can't begin to choose my favorite talk. I'm excited to read everything when the new Ensign comes out.
So there's an update on our craziness. Pictures to follow
Monday, September 22, 2008
Imgainary Friends Part 2
The other day on the way home from school, Caleb was talking on the "phone" and I heard him say, "Are you kidding me?... No way.... Okay bye!" He hangs up. "Mom, that was Jisa's mom. Jisa got sick and had to go the hospital and she DIED!" Natalie started to cry. "Not she didn't! She's my friend. She didn't die!" You can't kill other people's imaginary friends.
Primary Program
Yesterday was our Primary Program. It went well.... You know how there's that kid that is half a beat behind the rest of the kids? well that was Natalie. about 5 times. She could barely see over the chair in front of her and she only sang about half the time. but she was really cute. she had her little part memorized but when it came time to actually do it she had to have help... the stinker.
You know how there is that kid who can't stop playing with his tie... well that was Caleb. it was in his mouth. it was around his head. it was around neck. back in his mouth. then he started flipping it up so that it hit his face... it was driving me crazy. when it was his turn to do his part he stood there and read it. but he knew it well enough to make eye contact a few times. He actually had 2 parts... The kid right after him was out of town. He had the first part memorized but not the second part. I don't remember the whole thing, but part of it said, "When I was baptized I promised...." Oops; they forgot to change it to make it doctrinally sound when he took over that part. But he sang his little heart out. It was so sweet. The Sunday of the program is always one of my favorites.
You know how there is that kid who can't stop playing with his tie... well that was Caleb. it was in his mouth. it was around his head. it was around neck. back in his mouth. then he started flipping it up so that it hit his face... it was driving me crazy. when it was his turn to do his part he stood there and read it. but he knew it well enough to make eye contact a few times. He actually had 2 parts... The kid right after him was out of town. He had the first part memorized but not the second part. I don't remember the whole thing, but part of it said, "When I was baptized I promised...." Oops; they forgot to change it to make it doctrinally sound when he took over that part. But he sang his little heart out. It was so sweet. The Sunday of the program is always one of my favorites.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Imaginary Friends
For quite some time now, Natalie has had a couple of imaginary friends. Their names are Jisa (rhymes with Lisa) and Alena. Depending on the day, these two girls' ages vary, but she plays with the often. Today they "came over to play." Natalie brought them into the bathroom where I was fixing my hair, and fully expected me to have a conversation with them. This was a first for me. Talking on the telephone with them isn't too difficult, but having a conversation with imaginary friends who are supposed to be in the room with me.... its tough. (Right now she is asking me what their favorite game is... I'm afraid I have no idea.)
Sometimes Caleb decides to steal these imaginary friends. He tells Natalie that they want to play with him. He calls them on the phone and talks to them. I think he's even talked about marrying one of them.
This is a new thing for me... I never had an imaginary friend, and neither did Chad. Neither did Caleb until he had to come up with a couple friends to equal Natalie's friends. His friends are named Jakes and Caco (rhymes with Paco). I think its funny. These friends keep them entertained sometimes for hours. I'm all in favor of cheap thrills.
Sometimes Caleb decides to steal these imaginary friends. He tells Natalie that they want to play with him. He calls them on the phone and talks to them. I think he's even talked about marrying one of them.
This is a new thing for me... I never had an imaginary friend, and neither did Chad. Neither did Caleb until he had to come up with a couple friends to equal Natalie's friends. His friends are named Jakes and Caco (rhymes with Paco). I think its funny. These friends keep them entertained sometimes for hours. I'm all in favor of cheap thrills.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
My update
I'm keeping busy with the kids and YWs responsibilities and keeping house (probably in that order). Its been several months since Chad and I went out on a date together, but we're hoping to get something in sometime in the next couple weeks.
So I never realized how hard it would be to be a YWs leader.... You have to find a balance between being a leader and a friend. You have to decide how much information to give when they ask things like, "How many boys have you kissed?" You have to know what issues to push. You have to know what expectations to establish when you know those expectations aren't being made at home. Its tough.
There used to be something else written here but I decided to take it off. Thanks to those who commented, sorry to those who missed it and can't figure out what the comments are referring too. Lets just say that its hard to know when to try to correct inappropriate behavior and when to let people "govern themselves." And YW are so sensitive and dramatic... its tough.
So I never realized how hard it would be to be a YWs leader.... You have to find a balance between being a leader and a friend. You have to decide how much information to give when they ask things like, "How many boys have you kissed?" You have to know what issues to push. You have to know what expectations to establish when you know those expectations aren't being made at home. Its tough.
There used to be something else written here but I decided to take it off. Thanks to those who commented, sorry to those who missed it and can't figure out what the comments are referring too. Lets just say that its hard to know when to try to correct inappropriate behavior and when to let people "govern themselves." And YW are so sensitive and dramatic... its tough.
A Claire update
Claire is eating and growing and eating and belly-crawling. The other night she ate an entire can of pear slices. Not a babyfood jar... and 15 oz can. there were about 6 little pieces in her highchair, but other than that she ate every single piece. She's probably going to surpass her sister--and maybe her brother--in height before she stops growing. I would like to wean her from nursing to a bottle of formula, but she really likes to nurse. She'll usually take a bottle, but sometimes she chooses to be picky and won't take it. And part of me thinks it is silly to switch her to formula when I'm just going to switch her to milk in 3 months, but I'm ready to be done nursing. She has started pulling herself to her knees and sometimes to standing. She is pretty unsteady on her legs still, but I got a Johnny Jump-Up today that I'm going to try out. We'll see how she does.
Claire-bear loves to giggle and play. She still doesn't like to be left with anyone else besides her mom, but is getting to where she'll let dad or grandma or grandpa hold her. But she's very choosy. She also gets frustrated easily, like Caleb did at this age.
Claire is sick today... she had a runny nose last week, but it went away for a few days, and now its back, only this time its worse. Now she also has a cough. She didn't sleep very well last night, so hopefully she'll take a couple good naps today and sleep a little better tonite. I'll probably give her a couple doses of Motrin or Tylenol throughout the day. Aahh... better living thru chemistry. So thats whats up with her.
Claire-bear loves to giggle and play. She still doesn't like to be left with anyone else besides her mom, but is getting to where she'll let dad or grandma or grandpa hold her. But she's very choosy. She also gets frustrated easily, like Caleb did at this age.
Claire is sick today... she had a runny nose last week, but it went away for a few days, and now its back, only this time its worse. Now she also has a cough. She didn't sleep very well last night, so hopefully she'll take a couple good naps today and sleep a little better tonite. I'll probably give her a couple doses of Motrin or Tylenol throughout the day. Aahh... better living thru chemistry. So thats whats up with her.
A Natalie update
Natalie misses Caleb like crazy, although I think she does enjoy having complete control over the TV during the day. She has started pre-school and LOVES it. I'm doing a co-op thing with 3 other moms I know, where we take turns teaching. There are two boys and one other girl. Most of the girls Natalie knows are either Caleb's age, or else several months younger than her. She finally has a little girl friend that is her age, and she has loved it. Preschool is Tues. and Thurs. mornings for just 2 hours, but its a fun group of kids. Last week she asked me where preschool was going to be next, and I told her it was going to be at our house. She said, "You are going to pretend to be my teacher?! Wow!" I guess thats really what I'm doing... just pretending... but it is still fun. On Monday we made applesauce, and it was fun and it was tastey.
Natalie is ALL girl. She likes anything pink, ponies, princess, Strawberry Shortcake, Barbie... the list goes on. I refuse to get her anything Hannah Montana until she is at least 8 and she'll NEVER have BRATZ dolls. Her birthday is coming up next month and there are so many things she would like I don't know what to get her.
Natalie is really smart, but she's also kind of an airhead (with both of her parents being slightly airheaded she really had no hope). A lot of times we think she's not paying attention, but then she'll jump into the conversation and say something perfectly pertanant. Its amusing. So thats a Natalie update.
Natalie is ALL girl. She likes anything pink, ponies, princess, Strawberry Shortcake, Barbie... the list goes on. I refuse to get her anything Hannah Montana until she is at least 8 and she'll NEVER have BRATZ dolls. Her birthday is coming up next month and there are so many things she would like I don't know what to get her.
Natalie is really smart, but she's also kind of an airhead (with both of her parents being slightly airheaded she really had no hope). A lot of times we think she's not paying attention, but then she'll jump into the conversation and say something perfectly pertanant. Its amusing. So thats a Natalie update.
A Caleb update
I'm really behind on this, but it's been busy. So I'll give shorter updates on each of us. Caleb started school on August 18th. He is in all-day Kindergarten at Fort Casper Academy. They just completed a new building, and its really nice. Caleb's teacher is Mrs. Doxtater, and he things she is very pretty. She's only about 26, and this is only her 2nd year of teaching, so she's still really excited about it, which is great. It took him a few days to remember he had to raise his hand to say something, but he's gotten the hang of it. He has homework every day, but usually it is something like a ABC dot-to-dot that he has to do and color. Lame.... talk about busywork. But it is teaching him that he has to prioritize and it helps in establishing an after school routine.
On the first day of school, the parents were allowed to come into the school for the first 30 mins of school. The teacher introduced herself to the parents and the kids, and then told us she was going to read a story. She read "The Kissing Hand." Its this really cute story about a raccoon who doesn't want to go away to school. Fortunately for me, we have the book, so I knew how it ended. As it was, it was all could do to keep from breaking down in tears. Don't get me wrong... I was totally excited for Caleb to start school; he was ready and I was ready. But when it came time to walk out of that classroom it was a lot harder than I expected. I just hope I've taught him the right things to succeed.
He's still reading like there's no tomorrow. He LOVES the Magic Tree House books... its a series about this brother and sister who find this tree house with lots of books in it. If they open the book and say "I wish I were there" they are transported to that time. They are really great because they are easy to understand, but they also require him to use his imagination. They are usually 10 chapters, and anywhere from 60 to 90 pages. The downside is he can read one in about 45 mins. We bought him a new one last week and he had it finished before we got home from running errands around town. So I am trying to find some new books for him. any suggestions would be welcome. He also likes reading the Boy Scout Manual and the scripture story books.
Caleb is our little buddy. He loves music and playing and reading. He loves making Claire laugh and smile and takes his responsibility of Big Brother very seriously. an example: A couple weeks ago I had a meeting before mutual, and Chad wasn't home yet so I took the kids with me. They were playing the gym with Ramsey, the son of the YWs pres. Ramsey is a little older than Natalie, but they are in Sunbeams together. So anyway, Ramsey came into the room where we were having our meeting and said, "Sister Sundquist, Caleb said I can't marry Natalie." He and Caleb were having this argument about whether he could or couldn't marry her. It was almost getting physical. It was hilarious because Caleb was SO insistent on Ramsey not marrying her. I couldn't stop laughing. So thats a little about Caleb.
On the first day of school, the parents were allowed to come into the school for the first 30 mins of school. The teacher introduced herself to the parents and the kids, and then told us she was going to read a story. She read "The Kissing Hand." Its this really cute story about a raccoon who doesn't want to go away to school. Fortunately for me, we have the book, so I knew how it ended. As it was, it was all could do to keep from breaking down in tears. Don't get me wrong... I was totally excited for Caleb to start school; he was ready and I was ready. But when it came time to walk out of that classroom it was a lot harder than I expected. I just hope I've taught him the right things to succeed.
He's still reading like there's no tomorrow. He LOVES the Magic Tree House books... its a series about this brother and sister who find this tree house with lots of books in it. If they open the book and say "I wish I were there" they are transported to that time. They are really great because they are easy to understand, but they also require him to use his imagination. They are usually 10 chapters, and anywhere from 60 to 90 pages. The downside is he can read one in about 45 mins. We bought him a new one last week and he had it finished before we got home from running errands around town. So I am trying to find some new books for him. any suggestions would be welcome. He also likes reading the Boy Scout Manual and the scripture story books.
Caleb is our little buddy. He loves music and playing and reading. He loves making Claire laugh and smile and takes his responsibility of Big Brother very seriously. an example: A couple weeks ago I had a meeting before mutual, and Chad wasn't home yet so I took the kids with me. They were playing the gym with Ramsey, the son of the YWs pres. Ramsey is a little older than Natalie, but they are in Sunbeams together. So anyway, Ramsey came into the room where we were having our meeting and said, "Sister Sundquist, Caleb said I can't marry Natalie." He and Caleb were having this argument about whether he could or couldn't marry her. It was almost getting physical. It was hilarious because Caleb was SO insistent on Ramsey not marrying her. I couldn't stop laughing. So thats a little about Caleb.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Which Disney Princess Are You?
Okay I had to try it... I think its pretty accurate.
You Are Aurora! (A.K.A. Sleeping Beauty.)
Which Disney Princess Are You?
You Are Aurora! (A.K.A. Sleeping Beauty.)
Thoughtful and loving. Authority figures probably have been sheltering you all of your life. Thankfully you're a very tranquil person who is content with what life has given you, but secretly you want to know how the outside world works.
Which Disney Princess Are You?
Monday, August 4, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Its been a while
So things at our house have been really busy, so I haven't taken the time to post anything. But I'll give an update on some of the things that we've been doing.
*The 4th of July was a fun day. As I think I've mentioned we've been getting our yard ready to get sod and sprinklers. That weekend we rented a skidsteer Cat tractor thing to aid in the "flattening out the dirt" process. It was very exciting. So we got that and some guys from our ward came over and it was all but finished by afternoon. That evening we had some friends and family over for burgers. We also lit off a few fireworks. Wyoming is the place to go for fireworks because almost nothing is illegal. That is true for most of the state. But everything is illegal in Natrona County where we live. So a friend drove 30 mins outside of the county and bought a few. Now I like some fireworks, like sparklers and the little fountains, but those that shoot into the air make me a little nervous. So our friend started shooting off these fireworks. Natalie wasn't into it--they were making her nervous--so I went inside with her. But I was watching out the window. Our friend lit one up and it tipped over! Of course this wasn't one of the little fountains that would just spray my car a little.... it was one that shoots into the air. Only instead of shooting into the air it shot into our neighbors' yards. AAHH!! Fortunately nothing caught on fire. But it still scared me. So after that they stopped. About 5 minutes later a highway patrolman drove past. Few..... we'd stopped just in time. It was fun.
*We only have one parade during the summer and its the week after the 4th, along with the Central Wyoming Fair. So the morning of the parade I packed up the kids and went downtown to participate in this great American tradition. It was one of the lamest, longest parades I've ever been to. There were about 125 different entries in the parade. This being an election year, every person with their name on the ballot had to be in the parade. The kids got some candy, and I guess have fun. But I think next year we're gonna skip the parade.
*As a side note, I would just like to say that it drives me CRAZY when people smoke around my children. At parades, at sporting events, wherever, people don't stop to think about how their disgusting habit is affecting those around them... especially the children. Have some consideration people. It really bugs me.
*The kids have started playing T-ball. Caleb is getting the hang of how the game works. Natalie isn't so much. We have to help her remember to run to first base after hitting the ball. And that she has to tag home base when she has run all the way around. Caleb got hit in the face at last night's game. With the ball. He has thread marks on the side of his nose. No black eye, thankfully.
*We have our sprinkler system in. Hooray!! And we are getting sod this weekend. Double Hooray!! I've been taking pictures of the progress. So next week I'll post the before and afters.
*Claire has learned a few new tricks lately. She will drink juice from a bottle. That is so exciting for me because she hasn't taken a bottle until now, and I would love to be able to leave her at home sometimes. So now I finally can. Secondly, she can sit up by herself. She loves it. Also, when she is on her tummy she army crawls! I was not ready for this.... Now she is mobile. That means I have to keep the floors vacuumed and swept and clean. All the time. And I have to put a gate at the top of the stairs. The next 9 months are going to be busy!
*I figured out a trick to help Natalie with potty training.... She loves princesses these days. She has 7 pairs of princess panties. She can put a clean pair on each morning, but if she has an accident she can't have another pair of princess panties until the next morning. This has worked! At least most days. She got a new bike this weekend and would spend all day everyday outside on her bike. She loves riding so much. She has named her bike "Aurora."
*Caleb is so excited to start school. We bought a few school supplies and a new backpack on Saturday and he's organized and re-organized those supplies in that backpack at least once every day. And every day he asks me when school starts. I hope he isn't bored.... I had a teacher-friend test his reading level. He's at the end of second grade with his reading. He seriously reads everything in sight. Its amazing.
*Chad is busy with work and getting the yard ready. He's been getting up early and getting outside in the yard this week getting ready for the sod (did I mention I'm excited about the sod?) This weekend he got a new bike, and after the yard is in he's going to start riding to work. He's pretty excited about that.
*I'm busy. I have so many projects that I need to do, and not enough time to do them all. I went to girl's camp a couple weeks ago, just for an afternoon and evening. It was SO FUN!! I have some really great girls in my ward. I always loved going to camp as a young woman, and I really wanted to go up for the week, but I couldn't with Claire. But it was really fun just for the time I was up there.
Well, thats all for today. I'll post some pictures next week.
*The 4th of July was a fun day. As I think I've mentioned we've been getting our yard ready to get sod and sprinklers. That weekend we rented a skidsteer Cat tractor thing to aid in the "flattening out the dirt" process. It was very exciting. So we got that and some guys from our ward came over and it was all but finished by afternoon. That evening we had some friends and family over for burgers. We also lit off a few fireworks. Wyoming is the place to go for fireworks because almost nothing is illegal. That is true for most of the state. But everything is illegal in Natrona County where we live. So a friend drove 30 mins outside of the county and bought a few. Now I like some fireworks, like sparklers and the little fountains, but those that shoot into the air make me a little nervous. So our friend started shooting off these fireworks. Natalie wasn't into it--they were making her nervous--so I went inside with her. But I was watching out the window. Our friend lit one up and it tipped over! Of course this wasn't one of the little fountains that would just spray my car a little.... it was one that shoots into the air. Only instead of shooting into the air it shot into our neighbors' yards. AAHH!! Fortunately nothing caught on fire. But it still scared me. So after that they stopped. About 5 minutes later a highway patrolman drove past. Few..... we'd stopped just in time. It was fun.
*We only have one parade during the summer and its the week after the 4th, along with the Central Wyoming Fair. So the morning of the parade I packed up the kids and went downtown to participate in this great American tradition. It was one of the lamest, longest parades I've ever been to. There were about 125 different entries in the parade. This being an election year, every person with their name on the ballot had to be in the parade. The kids got some candy, and I guess have fun. But I think next year we're gonna skip the parade.
*As a side note, I would just like to say that it drives me CRAZY when people smoke around my children. At parades, at sporting events, wherever, people don't stop to think about how their disgusting habit is affecting those around them... especially the children. Have some consideration people. It really bugs me.
*The kids have started playing T-ball. Caleb is getting the hang of how the game works. Natalie isn't so much. We have to help her remember to run to first base after hitting the ball. And that she has to tag home base when she has run all the way around. Caleb got hit in the face at last night's game. With the ball. He has thread marks on the side of his nose. No black eye, thankfully.
*We have our sprinkler system in. Hooray!! And we are getting sod this weekend. Double Hooray!! I've been taking pictures of the progress. So next week I'll post the before and afters.
*Claire has learned a few new tricks lately. She will drink juice from a bottle. That is so exciting for me because she hasn't taken a bottle until now, and I would love to be able to leave her at home sometimes. So now I finally can. Secondly, she can sit up by herself. She loves it. Also, when she is on her tummy she army crawls! I was not ready for this.... Now she is mobile. That means I have to keep the floors vacuumed and swept and clean. All the time. And I have to put a gate at the top of the stairs. The next 9 months are going to be busy!
*I figured out a trick to help Natalie with potty training.... She loves princesses these days. She has 7 pairs of princess panties. She can put a clean pair on each morning, but if she has an accident she can't have another pair of princess panties until the next morning. This has worked! At least most days. She got a new bike this weekend and would spend all day everyday outside on her bike. She loves riding so much. She has named her bike "Aurora."
*Caleb is so excited to start school. We bought a few school supplies and a new backpack on Saturday and he's organized and re-organized those supplies in that backpack at least once every day. And every day he asks me when school starts. I hope he isn't bored.... I had a teacher-friend test his reading level. He's at the end of second grade with his reading. He seriously reads everything in sight. Its amazing.
*Chad is busy with work and getting the yard ready. He's been getting up early and getting outside in the yard this week getting ready for the sod (did I mention I'm excited about the sod?) This weekend he got a new bike, and after the yard is in he's going to start riding to work. He's pretty excited about that.
*I'm busy. I have so many projects that I need to do, and not enough time to do them all. I went to girl's camp a couple weeks ago, just for an afternoon and evening. It was SO FUN!! I have some really great girls in my ward. I always loved going to camp as a young woman, and I really wanted to go up for the week, but I couldn't with Claire. But it was really fun just for the time I was up there.
Well, thats all for today. I'll post some pictures next week.
Monday, June 30, 2008
A Few Funny Things.
I thought I would share a few funny things the kids have said lately.
*"When I grow up I think I will be a store man and I'll have a sign that says, 'Caleb's Store'." (hands flourishing imaginatively in the air above his head with as much excitement as if he were announcing the greatest marqee event) --Caleb
*"When I grow up I'm going to be an outer-spacer!" --Natalie
*"I'm so hot I could eat a horse." (pause to think) "A cold horse." (another pause) "Thats been in the freezer for 2 days... that I cut up so I could eat it." --Caleb
*"I'm so hot I can smell the breeze off of hot chocolate." --Caleb
*"I don't like spiders... I just like Daddy Long Legs."--Caleb
"I like Mommy Long Legs."--Natalie
*We are very thirsty... thirsty as a "daisy," thirsty as a "chicken," thirsty as a "camel"
*"When I grow up I think I will be a store man and I'll have a sign that says, 'Caleb's Store'." (hands flourishing imaginatively in the air above his head with as much excitement as if he were announcing the greatest marqee event) --Caleb
*"When I grow up I'm going to be an outer-spacer!" --Natalie
*"I'm so hot I could eat a horse." (pause to think) "A cold horse." (another pause) "Thats been in the freezer for 2 days... that I cut up so I could eat it." --Caleb
*"I'm so hot I can smell the breeze off of hot chocolate." --Caleb
*"I don't like spiders... I just like Daddy Long Legs."--Caleb
"I like Mommy Long Legs."--Natalie
*We are very thirsty... thirsty as a "daisy," thirsty as a "chicken," thirsty as a "camel"
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Our vacation... Sorry this is a long post.
Hi. So I know its been a while, but things have been crazy around here. So heres an update of whats been going on. The weekend of the 6th we went camping with some of the Young Women in our ward. I'm the 1st counselor in the presidency, and we are trying to do some pre-certification. We were supposed to leave Friday afternoon, and it was raining. I tried to convince the 2nd counselor that we really didn't want to go, since between the members of the presidency we would have 6 kids with us (our husbands were coming as priesthood chaperones) and she is pregnant. But we went anyway. It continued to rain lightly until about 2 hours after we got there. Then the sun came out. It was pretty cold the whole time we were there, but we had fun for the most part. Thank goodness we had lots of blankets and layers. But Claire decided that would be the day to cut her first tooth, and she was pretty grumpy and wanted to be held the whole time. I was very grateful I had my trusty new sling (Thanks Kimber!! I love it and so does she!!) to carry her around in. So we survived camping experience #1 for the summer.
We made it home safely--although with VERY dirty vehicles--on Saturday afternoon. We unloaded our stuff into the basement, but didn't put the gear away because the next Thursday afternoon we re-loaded everything and headed west. Our first stop was Lake Walcott in Rupert, Idaho for the Phippen Family Reunion. We camped right near the lake for 2 nights. It was so fun to just sit and relax and visit and let the kids play. My sister Cindy wrote a really fun song about what a cool family we are. We had some yummy food!! It was great. Camping trip #2 survived.
Saturday afternoon we went visit the Albion Normal School, a teachers school were my grandma (mom's mom) got her education. The school closed down during WWII, but one of the buildings is now a museum. We found my grandma's picture in the yearbook and her name in the commencement program. That was really neat. Caleb really enjoyed walking thru and reading signs and things at the museum. He reads really well and will read anything you put in front of him. I think he would have enjoyed staying there for a little longer, but we needed to move on.
Next we went to the "Mormon Cemetary" there in Albion and visited the graves of my great-grandfather (dad's grandpa) and some of the Phippen family graves. I was surprised that Caleb was reading the names and things on the headstones. And my dad was astounded.
We left the cemetary and headed to my parents' in Pocatello, where we stayed until Thursday morning. It was really great to visit them. We played Mexican Train (thats a dominoes game, for those who don't know), as we usually do when we visit them. I totally trashed everyone.... we played about 10 rounds, and I think I won 7 of them. Chad just got tired of playing because I was winning by so much. I just couldn't lose. What can I say....
While we were there we bought a new vehicle. We've been looking around for a Suburban for a decent price, and my brother-in-law's dad had one that he was looking to sell. So we traded him our while Dodge mini-van and now own a 2001 Suburban. You may be wondering why we would want to get a gas guzzler when gas is so expensive right now (yesterday it went up 14cents.... ouch). But our van, while it was running fine, just wasn't spacious enough for us. So we took the giant leap. But I love my new vehicle!
Thursday morning we went up to Karianne's. We went to a little zoo in Idaho Falls, which was fun for the kids. My favorite animal was a cotton top tamarin... its this little tiny black monkey with a white puff on its head. It was so cute. Caleb liked the penguins, and Natalie liked the birds and the monkeys. Claire was impartial. We stayed the night at Karianne's and Friday morning we drove up to Billings, Montana. Chad's sister Yana went thru the temple on Friday night and got married on Saturday morning. Chad was able to be there Friday night, which was neat for him. Then we both went to the sealing on Saturday a.m. I really wanted to go Friday night, too, but Claire won't take a bottle, so I can't leave her for more than 2 1/2 hours. The stinker. But its always neat to be in the temple with family. After that we got back in the car and went straight to the church for the reception. Also a fun time. Yana made a beautiful bride, and she and her new husband Damon are happy.
Finally at 9:00 on Saturday night we got home. And its so good to be home. We had a really great time seeing everyone and visiting. We wish we weren't so far away and could visit more often. So there you have a very long summary of our trip. I may post some pictures later.
We made it home safely--although with VERY dirty vehicles--on Saturday afternoon. We unloaded our stuff into the basement, but didn't put the gear away because the next Thursday afternoon we re-loaded everything and headed west. Our first stop was Lake Walcott in Rupert, Idaho for the Phippen Family Reunion. We camped right near the lake for 2 nights. It was so fun to just sit and relax and visit and let the kids play. My sister Cindy wrote a really fun song about what a cool family we are. We had some yummy food!! It was great. Camping trip #2 survived.
Saturday afternoon we went visit the Albion Normal School, a teachers school were my grandma (mom's mom) got her education. The school closed down during WWII, but one of the buildings is now a museum. We found my grandma's picture in the yearbook and her name in the commencement program. That was really neat. Caleb really enjoyed walking thru and reading signs and things at the museum. He reads really well and will read anything you put in front of him. I think he would have enjoyed staying there for a little longer, but we needed to move on.
Next we went to the "Mormon Cemetary" there in Albion and visited the graves of my great-grandfather (dad's grandpa) and some of the Phippen family graves. I was surprised that Caleb was reading the names and things on the headstones. And my dad was astounded.
We left the cemetary and headed to my parents' in Pocatello, where we stayed until Thursday morning. It was really great to visit them. We played Mexican Train (thats a dominoes game, for those who don't know), as we usually do when we visit them. I totally trashed everyone.... we played about 10 rounds, and I think I won 7 of them. Chad just got tired of playing because I was winning by so much. I just couldn't lose. What can I say....
While we were there we bought a new vehicle. We've been looking around for a Suburban for a decent price, and my brother-in-law's dad had one that he was looking to sell. So we traded him our while Dodge mini-van and now own a 2001 Suburban. You may be wondering why we would want to get a gas guzzler when gas is so expensive right now (yesterday it went up 14cents.... ouch). But our van, while it was running fine, just wasn't spacious enough for us. So we took the giant leap. But I love my new vehicle!
Thursday morning we went up to Karianne's. We went to a little zoo in Idaho Falls, which was fun for the kids. My favorite animal was a cotton top tamarin... its this little tiny black monkey with a white puff on its head. It was so cute. Caleb liked the penguins, and Natalie liked the birds and the monkeys. Claire was impartial. We stayed the night at Karianne's and Friday morning we drove up to Billings, Montana. Chad's sister Yana went thru the temple on Friday night and got married on Saturday morning. Chad was able to be there Friday night, which was neat for him. Then we both went to the sealing on Saturday a.m. I really wanted to go Friday night, too, but Claire won't take a bottle, so I can't leave her for more than 2 1/2 hours. The stinker. But its always neat to be in the temple with family. After that we got back in the car and went straight to the church for the reception. Also a fun time. Yana made a beautiful bride, and she and her new husband Damon are happy.
Finally at 9:00 on Saturday night we got home. And its so good to be home. We had a really great time seeing everyone and visiting. We wish we weren't so far away and could visit more often. So there you have a very long summary of our trip. I may post some pictures later.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Remember the Alamo
Chad had to go to San Antonio, Texas for a conference last week. He was gone for 8 days. I survived. So did the kids. I was kind of dreading the single-parent thing, but it wasn't as bad as I expected. About day 5 I was ready for a break, but my fabulous friend Beth took Caleb and Natalie for an afternoon while I ran some errands and went to a YW Pres. Mtg. Part of what got me thru the week was my mom. My dad was pilot in the Air Force when I was young, and he went on trips ALL the time. There was one year when he was gone on TDY more than he was home. So the whole time he was gone my mom was home with her 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 kids, sometimes for weeks at a time. So I kept telling myself if mom could do this all the time I can do it for a week once or twice a year. And I made it thru. I got 6 of the 8 things on my to-do list done, read a couple books, and watched some movies.
Chad had a pretty good time. He learned a lot, and missed us TONS. He got to visit the Alamo, which was pretty cool. I never quite understood the whole history behind it, but its really interesting. He brought Caleb home a coon-skin cap and a rubberband gun, both of which he loves, and a book about Davey Crockett. He brought Natalie a horsey costume (a headband with ears and a mane, and a tail that pins to her pants) and this cool LED light wand thing, which has been the source of several arguments. He brought me back some fun things too. We missed him lots and are glad he got home safely.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Our graduate
I know I'm a huge slacker. But I haven't had anything really remarkable or profound to say, so I just haven't said anything. But today I want to take a few minutes to talk about Caleb. He is 5 years old, and Monday night was his preschool graduation. Caleb is really smart--he reads as well as a first-grader... I don't know where he learned, because I haven't done anything besides read to him and encourage him to read. In school they have done some reading, but not everyone in the class reads as well as he does, so I don't know. I have a friend who is a school teacher, and she told me that 1/3 of kids will learn to read regardless of what you teach; you could teach them wrong and they would still get it right. Interesting statistic. Anyway, back to Caleb.
Caleb is nearly always happy, and very optimistic. A few weeks ago he went to a birthday party. He'd gotten the birthday boy a small present. Some of the other kids got him these big expensive things, but he didn't care--he said, "But he sure liked my present the best!" It was really great. At school he got an award for his JOY because he's always so happy.
Our buddy loves doing extra projects to earn money for a book he wants to buy. This sometimes creates extra work for me, but sometimes it saves me time (like when he folds towels). He loves spending time with Dad, and is looking forward to going fishing. When Caleb grows up he wants to be a "hospital man." We aren't sure exactly what that is, because its not a doctor. It might be a combination doctor, EMT, life-flight pilot, hospital administrator (because he always talks about going to meetings).
Caleb also loves Primary and Family Home Evening. He is so excited to get baptized when he is 8; his self-portrait at the end of the school year was of him getting baptized. We are very proud of him and love having him in our family.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Changing Weather
While I was working on the post earlier, Claire rolled from her back to her stomach. She's done this a couple times before but this time she got her arm out from under her body. But she hates being on her tummy, so I rolled her back over. She went right back to her tummy. So fun.
Between The time I dropped Caleb off at his preschool and the time I picked him up the weather changed from bright and sunny with very few clouds in the sky to dark and dreary, with very dark clouds and rain. There was a severe thunderstorm warning; a tornado warning had been issued for just east of here. It was raining so hard Natalie rode home from Caleb's school with her ears plugged. Caleb said, "Its sounds like a gun shooting!" Weird weather. So for those of you who want to know what its like to live in WY, there you have it. And I was so enjoying the Spring weather.
Between The time I dropped Caleb off at his preschool and the time I picked him up the weather changed from bright and sunny with very few clouds in the sky to dark and dreary, with very dark clouds and rain. There was a severe thunderstorm warning; a tornado warning had been issued for just east of here. It was raining so hard Natalie rode home from Caleb's school with her ears plugged. Caleb said, "Its sounds like a gun shooting!" Weird weather. So for those of you who want to know what its like to live in WY, there you have it. And I was so enjoying the Spring weather.
A lot of randomness
Sorry I haven't posted anything new for a couple of weeks. I haven't been able to think of anything that great to write. Not that this promises to be exciting, but here are some random thoughts I've been thinking.
I finally read the book, "To Kill a Mockingbird," and I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't put it on my "Top 10 Favorite books I've ever read" list, but it was really good and really thought-provoking. One thing that really stood out to me was how Atticus was such a great parent. His children always felt loved and safe. They could trust him. He was the same person, regardless of who he was with. Those are really important qualities to possess as a parent.
In October I was put in my ward Young Womens Presidency as the first couselor. I work mostly with the Mia Maids. I have a really great group of girls. We have really good youth in our ward. I was recently thinking back to what I was like when I was 14 and 15.... I think that as I look back to my teenage years these were two of the best. I had lots of friends, both guys and girls. I was on the Drill Team in 9th grade, and I really liked that. Once I got a little older I was a little TOO boy-crazy and flighty, but those two years were the ones that I look back on with a lot of great memories.
In completely unrelated news, Claire had her 4-month checkup last week. She's the biggest of the 3 kids.... she 13 1/2 lbs and 25 inches, which puts her on the 75th%ile for height. Caleb was never past the 10th, and Natalie didn't get past the 25th. So Claire is growing well. She sleeps all night and half the day, and eats great. I've started feeding solids.... She hated plain rice cereal but when I mixed it with bananas she really liked it. We've also tried pears and carrots. Yummy.
The weather has been beautiful, and I am SO SO SO SO SO glad.... Caleb and Natalie have really enjoyed being outside. But they think that in order to have fun outside they have to turn on the hose. But I guess thats why I have a mud room in my house.
I love American Idol. I was sad to see Brooke go--she was Caleb's favorite because he thinks she is pretty--but I knew she wouldn't win. So who do I think is going to win? I hope its David Cook because he rocks, but David Archuleta has a really good chance too, although I kinda hope he doesn't because it'll mess up his life for what he really needs to do. Jason Castro really needs to go home.
So those are my thoughts for the day. Enjoy.
I finally read the book, "To Kill a Mockingbird," and I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't put it on my "Top 10 Favorite books I've ever read" list, but it was really good and really thought-provoking. One thing that really stood out to me was how Atticus was such a great parent. His children always felt loved and safe. They could trust him. He was the same person, regardless of who he was with. Those are really important qualities to possess as a parent.
In October I was put in my ward Young Womens Presidency as the first couselor. I work mostly with the Mia Maids. I have a really great group of girls. We have really good youth in our ward. I was recently thinking back to what I was like when I was 14 and 15.... I think that as I look back to my teenage years these were two of the best. I had lots of friends, both guys and girls. I was on the Drill Team in 9th grade, and I really liked that. Once I got a little older I was a little TOO boy-crazy and flighty, but those two years were the ones that I look back on with a lot of great memories.
In completely unrelated news, Claire had her 4-month checkup last week. She's the biggest of the 3 kids.... she 13 1/2 lbs and 25 inches, which puts her on the 75th%ile for height. Caleb was never past the 10th, and Natalie didn't get past the 25th. So Claire is growing well. She sleeps all night and half the day, and eats great. I've started feeding solids.... She hated plain rice cereal but when I mixed it with bananas she really liked it. We've also tried pears and carrots. Yummy.
The weather has been beautiful, and I am SO SO SO SO SO glad.... Caleb and Natalie have really enjoyed being outside. But they think that in order to have fun outside they have to turn on the hose. But I guess thats why I have a mud room in my house.
I love American Idol. I was sad to see Brooke go--she was Caleb's favorite because he thinks she is pretty--but I knew she wouldn't win. So who do I think is going to win? I hope its David Cook because he rocks, but David Archuleta has a really good chance too, although I kinda hope he doesn't because it'll mess up his life for what he really needs to do. Jason Castro really needs to go home.
So those are my thoughts for the day. Enjoy.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
What's been going on.
Well I haven't really posted anything new for almost 2 weeks. I've been busy, but I can't say that I have really done too much. Last weekend my sister Erin and her family came to visit me. It was really fun to see them, and I love having company. If anyone has the urge to drive to the middle of Wyoming, you are welcome to stay with us. We had a good visit, and hopefully if was worth their time and effort, because we sure had fun.
Caleb got new teeth yesterday. Well, not really but pretty close. He's fortunate to have inherited my teeth--as in they get cavities really easily. Two years ago he had several cavities filled; at that time the dentist put something on the tops of the teeth that would supposedly help with future cavities. Well it didn't work for Caleb. Seven of his eight molars has silver caps on them, and his two front ones also have caps, although they have the white instead thankfully. It was quite an ordeal.... in order to save him the trauma of having to go to the dentist on 3 separate occasions, we took him to the surgical center, where a doctor put him under general anesthesia, and they did it all at once. When we first got there they gave him some sort of drug to help him relax. And relax he did. He just got goofy--it was hysterical. He kept telling every person that came in the room about how he had to miss school to go to the dentist. He was totally okay with everything else--he just hated having to miss school. At one point one of the nurses told him that he was going to get to ride in the wheel chair, then she walked out of the room. He said, "Ooh, goody, I get to ride in a wheelchair!" Then he paused, and, with an inquisitive look on his face, asked, "Whats a wheelchair?!" It made us laugh. He's pretty goofy as it is, then give him this drug and he gets even goofier.
Natalie, meanwhile, has regressed with her potty-trainedness. She has NOT been doing well in that category lately, and its getting to be quite frustrating. It ads so much more laundry. So I'm going to make up a chart for her, with a promised reward when it is full. But I still have to decide what the requirement is going to be, and what the reward is going to be. The other day at Target she was admiring a Princess swimming suit, so I may use that.
Claire has been spitting up more the last few days and I think its because she doesn't like it when I eat Hot Tamales (the candy not the Mexican Food). So I guess I'd better give those up and see if she does better. (Sigh) okay fine.
Finally for tonight: I love love love love love the show NCIS and last night was pretty much one of the best episodes EVER. So for you fellow fans... which of the 7 main characters is going to be leaving before the end of the season? Why do you think this? I think its going to be Jenny Shephard because for any of the others to leave it would totally mess up the dynamics of the show and its so great right now.
Anyway, I've rambled on enough, so I'd better go for tonite.
Caleb got new teeth yesterday. Well, not really but pretty close. He's fortunate to have inherited my teeth--as in they get cavities really easily. Two years ago he had several cavities filled; at that time the dentist put something on the tops of the teeth that would supposedly help with future cavities. Well it didn't work for Caleb. Seven of his eight molars has silver caps on them, and his two front ones also have caps, although they have the white instead thankfully. It was quite an ordeal.... in order to save him the trauma of having to go to the dentist on 3 separate occasions, we took him to the surgical center, where a doctor put him under general anesthesia, and they did it all at once. When we first got there they gave him some sort of drug to help him relax. And relax he did. He just got goofy--it was hysterical. He kept telling every person that came in the room about how he had to miss school to go to the dentist. He was totally okay with everything else--he just hated having to miss school. At one point one of the nurses told him that he was going to get to ride in the wheel chair, then she walked out of the room. He said, "Ooh, goody, I get to ride in a wheelchair!" Then he paused, and, with an inquisitive look on his face, asked, "Whats a wheelchair?!" It made us laugh. He's pretty goofy as it is, then give him this drug and he gets even goofier.
Natalie, meanwhile, has regressed with her potty-trainedness. She has NOT been doing well in that category lately, and its getting to be quite frustrating. It ads so much more laundry. So I'm going to make up a chart for her, with a promised reward when it is full. But I still have to decide what the requirement is going to be, and what the reward is going to be. The other day at Target she was admiring a Princess swimming suit, so I may use that.
Claire has been spitting up more the last few days and I think its because she doesn't like it when I eat Hot Tamales (the candy not the Mexican Food). So I guess I'd better give those up and see if she does better. (Sigh) okay fine.
Finally for tonight: I love love love love love the show NCIS and last night was pretty much one of the best episodes EVER. So for you fellow fans... which of the 7 main characters is going to be leaving before the end of the season? Why do you think this? I think its going to be Jenny Shephard because for any of the others to leave it would totally mess up the dynamics of the show and its so great right now.
Anyway, I've rambled on enough, so I'd better go for tonite.
Friday, April 11, 2008
The wicked witch
"Mom, I got my Snow White dress on," Natalie said to me this morning as I was getting dressed. "Will you be the wicked witch?"
Some days I feel like a wicked witch. Finally, I have an excuse. There is this really funny book, called I Didn't Plan to be a Witch by Linda Eyre. She and her husband are internationally-renowned authors and public speakers. Probably their most famous book is Teaching Your Children Values. They are also the inventors of Joy School, for those who know what that is. They are LDS and have 10 kids. Anyway, in this book she talks about how every new mother thinks she is going to be the perfect mother with perfect children.... She never raises her voice, her house is always clean, the children are always groomed. Then reality sets in, and a lot of days we all become the witch. This book is hilarious, because her examples are all her own experiences, but it is also comforting to know that we all do it. I need to re-read it so I can remember how to take off the witch-hat. I recommend it to everyone. I also highly recommend reading A Joyful Mother of Children, also by her. It has fantastic and practical things you can do to enjoy your children more even though its hard when things are so crazy. Read them and let me know what you think. Be ready to laugh because they are funny. Also, here's a link to their website so you can learn about them. http://www.theeyres.com/
Some days I feel like a wicked witch. Finally, I have an excuse. There is this really funny book, called I Didn't Plan to be a Witch by Linda Eyre. She and her husband are internationally-renowned authors and public speakers. Probably their most famous book is Teaching Your Children Values. They are also the inventors of Joy School, for those who know what that is. They are LDS and have 10 kids. Anyway, in this book she talks about how every new mother thinks she is going to be the perfect mother with perfect children.... She never raises her voice, her house is always clean, the children are always groomed. Then reality sets in, and a lot of days we all become the witch. This book is hilarious, because her examples are all her own experiences, but it is also comforting to know that we all do it. I need to re-read it so I can remember how to take off the witch-hat. I recommend it to everyone. I also highly recommend reading A Joyful Mother of Children, also by her. It has fantastic and practical things you can do to enjoy your children more even though its hard when things are so crazy. Read them and let me know what you think. Be ready to laugh because they are funny. Also, here's a link to their website so you can learn about them. http://www.theeyres.com/
Tag
So my sister tagged me on her blog, so now I get to tell a little about myself. Here goes.
10 Years ago I was: a senior in high school. Anxiously awaiting graduation. Involved in a musical. Working at Arctic Circle. Flirting with boys. Not sure what I was going to do with life after high school.
Snacks I enjoy: Root Beer floats, Rice Krispies Treats, yogurt and granola, Haribo Gummy Bears, Apples with caramel sauce, Butterscotch Chip Cookies. Pretty much anything.
5 things on my TO DO list: Clean my storage room, Design my front yard so someone we can have the sprinkler system installed before Chad does the sod, Make curtains and pillows for my living room, Make quilts for the kids' beds, laundry (its ALWAYS on the list. it either needs to be gathered and sorted, washed, folded, or put away. I currently have some of each.)
Things I would suddenly do if I were a billionaire: hire someone to do all the above for me. Pay off debt for us and our families. Go to Europe. Take the kids to Disneyland.
Five places I have lived: Chubbuck, Idaho; Herndon, Virginia; Rochester, Minnesota; Miami, Florida; Rexburg, Idaho.
5 jobs I have had: Arctic Circle counter chick; ZCMI stationary area lead; Disney Store cast member (pretty much the most fun job I've ever had); Comfort Inn and Conference Center Sales and Catering secretary; Ace Hardware and Outdoor Sports person in charge of Apparel.
5 things people don't know about me:
1. In college I went to Chicago for a national competition in PowerPoint Presentations and my group placed 2nd. Pretty cool.
2. If I could have go back to school, I'd become a paralegal.
3. When my family lived in Florida I fell in love with Mickey Mouse and really wanted to go to DisneyWorld. It didn't happen. But I still really wanted to meet Mickey Mouse. I have a whole collection of MM stuff. Finally my senior year of HS I went to DisneyLand on Choir Tour and had my picture take with Mickey. I was really excited.
4. I love to eat out. This week we got to go to dinner at 2 different restaurants with Chad's work and I loved it. But I've learned that you have to read the menu closely because some things aren't good.
5. I love to dance. I was on Drill Team in 9th grade, and I wish I would have continued with it during high school because I was pretty good. Someday I want to take a dance class with Chad so we can learn cool dances together.
Did you know those things? Probably some of you did, but oh, well. I tag anyone who reads this and hasn't done this before. Have fun!
10 Years ago I was: a senior in high school. Anxiously awaiting graduation. Involved in a musical. Working at Arctic Circle. Flirting with boys. Not sure what I was going to do with life after high school.
Snacks I enjoy: Root Beer floats, Rice Krispies Treats, yogurt and granola, Haribo Gummy Bears, Apples with caramel sauce, Butterscotch Chip Cookies. Pretty much anything.
5 things on my TO DO list: Clean my storage room, Design my front yard so someone we can have the sprinkler system installed before Chad does the sod, Make curtains and pillows for my living room, Make quilts for the kids' beds, laundry (its ALWAYS on the list. it either needs to be gathered and sorted, washed, folded, or put away. I currently have some of each.)
Things I would suddenly do if I were a billionaire: hire someone to do all the above for me. Pay off debt for us and our families. Go to Europe. Take the kids to Disneyland.
Five places I have lived: Chubbuck, Idaho; Herndon, Virginia; Rochester, Minnesota; Miami, Florida; Rexburg, Idaho.
5 jobs I have had: Arctic Circle counter chick; ZCMI stationary area lead; Disney Store cast member (pretty much the most fun job I've ever had); Comfort Inn and Conference Center Sales and Catering secretary; Ace Hardware and Outdoor Sports person in charge of Apparel.
5 things people don't know about me:
1. In college I went to Chicago for a national competition in PowerPoint Presentations and my group placed 2nd. Pretty cool.
2. If I could have go back to school, I'd become a paralegal.
3. When my family lived in Florida I fell in love with Mickey Mouse and really wanted to go to DisneyWorld. It didn't happen. But I still really wanted to meet Mickey Mouse. I have a whole collection of MM stuff. Finally my senior year of HS I went to DisneyLand on Choir Tour and had my picture take with Mickey. I was really excited.
4. I love to eat out. This week we got to go to dinner at 2 different restaurants with Chad's work and I loved it. But I've learned that you have to read the menu closely because some things aren't good.
5. I love to dance. I was on Drill Team in 9th grade, and I wish I would have continued with it during high school because I was pretty good. Someday I want to take a dance class with Chad so we can learn cool dances together.
Did you know those things? Probably some of you did, but oh, well. I tag anyone who reads this and hasn't done this before. Have fun!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Junk Food and Exercise
My friend brought me some cookies yesterday. They are very tastey. Natalie particularly enjoys them. Caleb told her today, as she took a cookie off of the plate, "Natalie, those are junk food." She replied, "No they aren't." Then, looking at me, she said, "Mom, are cookies junk?" I said, "Yes, they really are." And she said, "Can I eat some junk?"
My kids have, unfortunately, inherited my love of junk food. I love cookies, cake, ice cream, chocolate, candy, chips. Last night I had a delicious piece of raspberry cheesecake. I can not describe how delicious it really was.
I am really looking forward to the warmer weather because I am excited to start exercising. I am going to walk around the neighborhood pushing a stroller. I also am going to plan to drive to the river and walk along the pathway a couple times a week, just for a change of scenery. Then I won't feel so guilty about eating the junk food.
My kids have, unfortunately, inherited my love of junk food. I love cookies, cake, ice cream, chocolate, candy, chips. Last night I had a delicious piece of raspberry cheesecake. I can not describe how delicious it really was.
I am really looking forward to the warmer weather because I am excited to start exercising. I am going to walk around the neighborhood pushing a stroller. I also am going to plan to drive to the river and walk along the pathway a couple times a week, just for a change of scenery. Then I won't feel so guilty about eating the junk food.
Some Pictures
I finally was able to get a picture of the girls in their matching dresses. Natalie wasn't in a the mood to have her hair curled or her picture taken, so she looks a little helter-skelter. But she's still pretty cute. Claire, it seems, already knows what to do when a camera is in her face. Heaven help us.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Interesting metaphor.
Sunday afternoon we were headed to dinner at the in-law's, and Caleb suddenly brought up an interesting metaphor (or is it a simile that uses like or as? I don't remember). He said, "A runny nose is like the Red Sea because they get apart. Then when they get dried up they turn into boogers." I guess I missed that part in the biblical account. But it made us laugh.
An ode to OxyClean
Isn't it interesting how adding one little tiny person to the family causes laundry to increase ten-fold? My laundry is never ever ever done. Although it isn't taking over my house because I have a really great laundry room. But I honestly don't know what I would do without my bucket of OxyClean. It takes out every stain if you soak the item of clothing long enough. Blood out of a pillowcase, baby poop out of baby clothes, grape juice out of white sweaters.
Actually there is one thing it doesn't work on--ink. I learned this the hard way when I washed a red pen a couple months ago. That was annoying.
I don't know how people survived before the invention of the washing machine. I am just glad I didn't have that trial. Thank Heaven for modern conveniences.
Actually there is one thing it doesn't work on--ink. I learned this the hard way when I washed a red pen a couple months ago. That was annoying.
I don't know how people survived before the invention of the washing machine. I am just glad I didn't have that trial. Thank Heaven for modern conveniences.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Hoppy Spring
I'm sitting here looking out my kitchen window and watching a little bunny hop around my backyard. I'm sure its looking for something to eat, and all we have to offer is some dried-up sage brush. Maybe I'll throw some carrots out there.
We're really hoping to get our yard in sometime this spring, but its going to be such a HUGE project that its somewhat daunting. Our plot of land isn't huge, but its going to be perfect for the kids once we actually have grass and a sandbox area and a swingset. I'm excited to get some flowers in, and maybe even a few vegetables, but the vegetable garden will probably have to wait until next year. But we'll see how it goes.
Easter was fun. I made the girls matching dresses. I was really proud of myself because I didn't call my mom one single time. Thats an accomplishment. I had borrowed my sister-in-law's machine because I didn't have my own. The next day Chad decided he wanted to buy me one of my own, and that THIS was the one to get me. Its sew nice! (Haha. Look, I was clever). So now I want to make curtains and pillows for my living room. So I have to decide what I want to do.
Anyway back to the dresses. I really wanted to take a picture of the girls, but I just didn't get the chance before church (9:00 church, three kids to get ready, husband at meetings... at least I wasn't late!). Then Claire had a blow-out during church and had to have her clothes changed. So pictures in Easter dresses just didn't happen. But next time they both wear them on the same day I'll get some pictures. But they looked really cute.
Our Easter Egg Hunt was done at Chad's parents house. It was really funny... we had divided the eggs in half and put C or N on each one so they both ended up with the same number. But Natalie kept picking up the same egg--one of Caleb's--and saying "Nope, not this one!" Then she's try giving it to Caleb. But he wanted to find it for himself, so he'd put it back where she'd found it, then walk away. When he finally "found" it for himself he acted completely surprised. It was so funny.
We're really hoping to get our yard in sometime this spring, but its going to be such a HUGE project that its somewhat daunting. Our plot of land isn't huge, but its going to be perfect for the kids once we actually have grass and a sandbox area and a swingset. I'm excited to get some flowers in, and maybe even a few vegetables, but the vegetable garden will probably have to wait until next year. But we'll see how it goes.
Easter was fun. I made the girls matching dresses. I was really proud of myself because I didn't call my mom one single time. Thats an accomplishment. I had borrowed my sister-in-law's machine because I didn't have my own. The next day Chad decided he wanted to buy me one of my own, and that THIS was the one to get me. Its sew nice! (Haha. Look, I was clever). So now I want to make curtains and pillows for my living room. So I have to decide what I want to do.
Anyway back to the dresses. I really wanted to take a picture of the girls, but I just didn't get the chance before church (9:00 church, three kids to get ready, husband at meetings... at least I wasn't late!). Then Claire had a blow-out during church and had to have her clothes changed. So pictures in Easter dresses just didn't happen. But next time they both wear them on the same day I'll get some pictures. But they looked really cute.
Our Easter Egg Hunt was done at Chad's parents house. It was really funny... we had divided the eggs in half and put C or N on each one so they both ended up with the same number. But Natalie kept picking up the same egg--one of Caleb's--and saying "Nope, not this one!" Then she's try giving it to Caleb. But he wanted to find it for himself, so he'd put it back where she'd found it, then walk away. When he finally "found" it for himself he acted completely surprised. It was so funny.
Just a warning.
Do you ever read those blogs that, no matter what they say, its always clever and entertaining? Well, thats not me. I'm pretty much a boring writer. I would have to think LONG and HARD about how to make something sound clever, so I just don't bother. But hopefully I'll be able to share a little of what its like at our house sometimes. Enjoy.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Getting with it.
So everyone has been after me to add more to our blog, so I decided to do it today. I really should be cleaning the bathrooms or doing laundry. But now that I've taken the time to actually do something with it, I'll try to add things periodically. Maybe. I don't LOVE LOVE LOVE this layout, but couldn't figure out how to do much more. If anyone has suggestions, let me know. Thanks!
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