Homework

The other day my youngest (he is 3) came upstairs and said to me "mom is it time for my homework?"  He hears me talking everyday to the older boys about doing their homework and I think he wanted to do "homework" too.  So I asked him what his homework was and he told me "abc's"  I said "okay let's do your homework but just give me a second"  I think you can see why I wanted a second.... I needed a second to go get my camera for he had come upstairs with this ridiculous duck hat on that looked sooooo funny.  

So we recited the abc's song twice while I took a few pictures of him in the duck hat and I told him he did a great job with his homework.  What is the funniest thing your child has ever put on?

The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat

As I was helping my oldest boy with his spelling words I happened to glance outside and saw my six-year old successfully riding his bike on the basketball court.  He had done this a few weeks ago but I was not home to see it and had given up since then due to some painful crashes.  I quickly  grabbed my camera in case he crashed and gave up again.  He did crash... and I caught a typical expression that I have seen often on his face...

But happily he got back on his bike again and continued to ride.  

I'm so glad I caught this before the weather turned too cold and kids are done with riding bikes.  I still have two more boys to teach to ride two-wheelers.

7 Unusual Things About Myself

Thanks for the tag Sara...not! Just kidding.  These kinds of things are usually where you look at yourself and go wow! am I a really boring person or what!  What could I possibly write that could make my friends say, "hey, that is unusual" or "I didn't know that about her".  So I'm going to try for the "I didn't know that about her" angle and see how I do.  My family will probably say "duh! I knew that!" so don't read this then.

1.  I was a certified dance teacher with the British Association for Teachers of Dance for four years.

2.  I was chosen valedictorian for the department of Psychology my graduating year at BYU.

3.  I dream of taking ballroom/latin dancing classes with my husband but he hates dancing so I fear that dream will never be fulfilled (in this life)

4.  I can't do math!!!!!!!!! so don't ask me!!!! please!!!!!!! I'm terrified of numbers!!!!!!

5.  As much as I love talking in class and by talking I mean contributing comments.... help me, I'm talking and I can't shut up!!!!! I'm socially very shy... it is like pulling teeth to walk up to someone and introduce myself to them.  

6.  I love eating things like poutine (french fries with gravy and melted cheese curds), borscht, pickle panic popcorn, lemons with salt sprinkled on them, hot water with lemon juice and salt in it (instead of hot cocoa like regular people), Strubs dill pickles (the best kosher pickles ever made), sour keys (a candy that takes the skin off your tongue if you eat too many).  Well you get the idea.... I like sour stuff mostly.

7.  I love watching "The Avatar" cartoon with Jaden.  really! it's a great show with humor and lots of kung fu action.

Fall Beauty

I noticed the leaves on the trees out in front of my house... I wonder how long ago they changed their color??? I wanted to take a couple of pictures before they all fall off.  My 3 year-old obliged me as my model for this morning.

My boys are already complaining about the cold weather.  Poor guys don't realize that it has only just begun!

X Marks the Spot????

Just when you think your kids are growing up and being more responsible they go and surprise you with this....

Silly me left an orange Sharpie in my bathroom.  I had been walking around with the current grocery ads and circling low prices in the ads with the marker.  I set the Sharpie down on the bathroom counter earlier in the day and forgot about it.  Stupid me!!!! I'm usually more responsible than that and put all pencils, pens, markers, and scissors away from sticky fingers (and by sticky I don't mean sticky in the sense of needing to be washed if you get my drift).  So after supper when I went into the bathroom for something I was surprised although not shocked when I saw orange markings on the counter top (I didn't see the toilet seat or the toilet paper yet).  Mentally kicking myself for leaving the marker there, I of course figured my 3-year-old did it but we asked all of the kids who did it and they all denied it.  The most emphatic denials coming from my 6 year-old (that should have been my first clue).  I took my 3 year-old into the bathroom and asked him why he did it.  He kept denying it and as I looked closer at the counter-top markings I realized that under the scribble was a beautiful number 8.  Bingo!  Giving my 3 year-old a hug I said thanks for telling the truth and called in my 6 year-old whose number 8s I recognize and asked him again why he drew on the counter.  I kid you not..... when I was growing up when we were asked by our parents why we did something our response was always "I don't know" my boys give me this "because I wanted to".  I think I would rather have the "I don't know" suggesting they were out of their minds when they did it versus knowingly doing something wrong.  In the process of discovering that it was my 6 year-old he managed to lie to me 3 times and to Brett once (while I was in the bathroom with my 3 year-old).  So he actually got in more trouble for lying than he did for drawing on the counter-top.  Poor kid!  

Anyways the point of this story is actually to ask for suggestions on how to get permanent marker out of the toilet seat.  I have been able to get it faded somewhat by using Goo Gone and Clorox Bathroom cleaner while scrubbing with a toothbrush.  Any other ideas to get the rest of it off or do I have to live with a toilet seat marked with an X?  (we just bought this seat 2 months ago.... sigh...)

The Making of a Pumpkin

First take five boys (I'm including Brett as one of the boys) and gather them around the kitchen table.  Next - everyone draws a picture of a pumpkin face and you end up choosing one mom finds on the internet... go mom!!!  Dad draws it on the pumpkin... go dad!!! Get one giant pumpkin with its top cut off.  

Have boys roll up their sleeves in preparation for the messy job ahead.  

Loosen the insides of the pumpkin and order your unwilling boys to scoop out the slimy pumpkin innards with their bare hands. 

 Tell them to ignore the stinky pumpkin smell and keep on digging in!!!  

Firmer orders must be given to your oldest boy who appears to be hanging back and letting younger brothers do all the work (he's no dummy!!!)   

"No you are not done yet" you tell them... "aren't you having fun?" you ask.  "did you just put that in your mouth?" you say.  

Be sure to have at least one  tactile intolerant child so you can catch moments like these...

While dad cuts out the face, play with the pumpkin cut-outs.

Test your pumpkin with a candle to be sure it will light up well enough on Halloween.

The end result.... a Star Wars storm-trooper pumpkin and boys now with clean hands and happy faces.  

Thanks to Brett for an awesome cutting job on the pumpkin!!! Thanks to M. for surviving the whole process.... I know it was hard for him but he kept on participating anyways, bless his heart.

New Calling

I have barely settled in to my callings as Visiting Teaching supervisor and Compassionate Service committee member when I was called in on Sunday and released from those callings.  I was very nervous about what my new calling would be.  

I'll be honest and tell you that I did not relish the thought of being called as a Primary teacher in one of my kids' classes.  Now don't get me wrong.... I love my kids.  But if you recall from an earlier post - I take lots and lots and lots of pictures of my boys in order to remind myself that I love them because they do so many things on a daily basis to challenge that belief.  I could fill a shelf of books with all the stories of things they do that drive me crazy... hence all the picture taking to soften my heart when someone runs up the stairs crying and tattling on another brother for umpteenth time in a day.

So when Brother Brooks asked me if I would be willing to be the Gospel Doctrine teacher the "yes" somehow rolled off my tongue.  I guess because the previous night and all that morning I had been fearing a calling to one of my boys' classes (don't be offended Dede)  so staying with the adults all of a sudden seemed just fine.... but wait a minute... didn't I always say in the past that I would DIE if I was EVER called to be the Gospel Doctrine teacher???  Strangely enough I'm calm so far.  That's probably because I don't have to teach for two more Sundays.  I'll be freaking out soon enough... you'll see.  That's what I get for slacking in my personal scripture studying lately!!! :P  no slacking now!!!

Family Outing to Scarecrow Festival

It seems like forever since I have made a post!  Life gets carried away and I certainly have been with all the day to day activities.  I was happy that we were able to make some time on Saturday to go to the Scarecrow Festival at Thanksgiving Point and that this year Brett could go with us (I often go during the day when Brett is working).  

It seemed even bigger this year with lots of inflatable slides, 

a haunted house (Cody's favorite... not!!!) 

the spider speedway (not so speedy as it turns out),

pumpkins to purchase, 

games of chance, 

games of skill, 

waiting for the train.... 

more waiting for the train... 

watching other people ride the train...

and finally riding the train.  

Our food almost cost us as much as the admission fee but it was a great day.  We only lost Cody once, helped a lost boy, burned my hand on a bathroom door and had one temper tantrum (I didn't have the temper tantrum... Cody did!)  The weather was perfect and although the Scarecrow Festival did not have the corn maze we were there long enough that I was happy to forgo the maze this year.  I'm glad I didn't skip Thanksgiving Point as I was tempted to do.  We had a wonderful time and have some new family memories.

Witches at Gardner Village

My boys love seeing the witches at Gardner Village (and secretly so do I).  Gardner Village is a great place to shop... Pine Needles is my favorite store there with their awesome fabrics!!! I'm a kid in a candy store.  At Halloween though, the witches come out on display around the village shops.  Although I was tired (exhausted to the point of tears is more accurate) and not sure if we would make it ... this trip to the village was, after all, done after my third trip to a doctor's office this week alone (trip # 4 to come tomorrow morning) ... but I wanted to make it before the weather turned cold and before I lost my resolve.  Hauling boys around the village in cold weather is no fun at all!!!  I never seem to make it around Christmas time when the elves come out to play (there is just too much to do then).

It was a memorable enough event that my youngest boy included it in his prayers ... mumble mumble ...witchy poo...witch on a toilet....amen. hahahahaha!!!! He has the best prayers (and by best I mean the ones that make everyone laugh). 

As we looked at the witches we came to learn a few things...

Cody is afraid of witches (so why does he want to be one for Halloween????)

Gage loves to touch spiders and freak his mom out with them.

boys love chasing geese. who knew???

Cody can't smile like a real human being... but we knew that already.

My boys think this trip to see the witches was for them but really it was for me.  I needed to take some cute pictures of them in a great setting to remind me that they don't always drive me stark raving mad to the point of tears (I cried twice today).  I love my boys.  Their smiles make me smile.