Art

I took these pictures a couple weeks ago and thought I'd share them. Jake doesn't usually draw people. His pictures usually consist of maze like things that are "volcanoes with hot lava" or "mountain peaks" (can't you tell Mom?)

Anyway, this time while he was identifying yet another tangled web of lines, I asked him to draw me, then Allie, then Dad. I thought they were cute.

Allie was feeling a little left out of the picture taking party, so here she is with her art...

P.S. I love these Crayola white board things. This is the blank sheet that they are drawing on, but there is also a page to trace letters, numbers, and play games. Pretty cool I'd say...

Helmet Boy!

Last week Grandpa Joe gave Jake his pocket change and the boy decided he wanted to buy a helmet. Plus, what is a helmet without cool goggles to go with it? Dad had to help him out with a little cash, but now when he crashes, at least his head will be safe...

Mike got his motorcycle out for the year and I watched as Jake followed his super cool (but unfortunately helmet free) Dad up the canyon. Is he old enough for that?

Spring Fever...Crazy Fever...

Allie has a touch of the crazy Spring fever. I followed a trail of clothes to this...

Another Weekend in Wyoming

We went to Wyoming to celebrate Grandma Barbara's 60th birthday (aka the wicked step- mother, Step B, etc). We hauled up the 4-wheeler and Kitty Cat and, as usual, had a really great time.

I tested out Mike's snowmobile in the field and had to remind myself that I am a Mom. It's pretty fast, and I have always liked speed.

Jake figured out how to spin donuts in the field, and loved to see the snow fly out behind his tires.

I was so proud of Allie for getting back on the Kitty Cat. She has had a major fear ever since the crash with Jake at Thanksgiving. Now she will drive it by herself again.

When I told Jake we would be going to celebrate Grandma B's birthday he said "are we invited to her party?" He is just starting to get the concept of birthday parties and he loves them.
It's always hard when someone else is the one getting all the gifts, but at least they could all get close and help to open them...

The party was fun. There was good food, and the cousins always love to play with eachother.

Kyle, Jake and Allie

This is Tyler, Dixie, Ricki, and Daniel (Ricki's new baby). I tried to tell Dixie to smile, that she would regret having a dorky look on her face, but what do you do?

Anyway, it was just a quick trip, but it was enough to get super muddy (Allie), super sunburned (Jake and Mike), and super tired (me).

The only sad part about the trip was seeing the boat buried behind a 4 foot wall of snow. It's hard to imagine it ever melting before I go crazy for Spring.

Stroller talk

The kids have been craving "strolls" lately. I don't know if it's the warmer weather or because I don't feel like walking them around in the stroller, but they want to go every day. I took them out the other day and this is our conversation...

Jake: "When I get older, I am going to bury my testimony."
Me: "You'll bear your testimony?" (trying to correct the boy without slamming him with "it's bear your testimony! Not bury!")
Jake: "Yes, I'll bury it."
Allie: "Bury it in the street?"
Jake: "No, not the street. Then cars will come and smash it flat."
Allie: "Oh yeah, smashed flat."

A few minutes later...

Jake: "Mom, when I get older, I'm going to get married"
Me: "Yes, when you get older. Who do you want to marry?"
Jake: "I'll marry Allie."
Me: "Most of the time people don't marry their sisters" (Yikes!)
Jake: "Yeah, when I get to be Daddy's age and Allie gets to be your age, I'll marry her."
Me: (with a sigh...) "We'll see about that."

And, just because it's cute, I'm going to add a picture of one of their first stroller outings together...

"It's not nice to pinch"

As you know, today is St. Patrick's Day. I dressed the kids in green and even found a green shirt that almost fit me (fashion tip for those with tight shirts...when you put a vest on, it covers the back rolls. Those of you without back rolls have no need for a vest).

I told Jake that if you don't wear green on St. Patrick's Day you get pinched. I wondered if I should have told him that as he headed off to pre-school. I pictured him pinching all the unsuspecting pink shirted girls...

When he got in the car after school I asked him if everyone wore green. He said that they did. I said "good, so no one got pinched." He said "Mom, it's not very nice to pinch people."

The boy taught me a lesson today. I won't be pinching people in pink today because it isn't very nice.

The real point of this post is to write about these little toilet paper microphones that my kids love to play with. It's something I don't want to forget so I took a picture of them today.

When Jake was little he went through all sorts of OCD phases. One of his favorite things to do was to find a container smaller than a bouncy ball, then cry when the ball wouldn't stay in or on the very small container. He did this with small cups, the ends of the toilet paper roll, really anything that he could find to frustrate all of us. One day I decided to end the madness and tape the ball onto the things he was trying to balance them on. We went through lots of tape, but the frustration practically ended. These toilet paper things became a favorite for Jake. Now he has passed the love on to Allie. They mostly use them as microphones now. (I wish I could show you the scene going on right now in Jake's room. They are dancing and singing to the Backyardigains. They know most of the words and get super shy when they catch me watching.)

Anyway, you can see why I wanted to document this fun memory.

Deseret Book and profanity?

The other day I went to Deseret Book with the kids. When I was a kid, I loved Deseret Book. They had a whole section of Trixie Beldon books. I'd walk over to that shelf lined with yellow book spines and almost pee my pants with excitement. I remember picking out a beautiful hard back book with my Dad after I had a motorcycle accident with him. (It was Little Women and I still have immense guilt every time I look at that book on my shelf because I have never read it). Anyway, I have left the point of this post...I guess I'm not too far off, I tell of these memories to point out that I have always loved book stores in general. So, I went there this time to find Gone With the Wind to give to a friend for her birthday.
After browsing with the kids for a minute it became apparent that Allie needed more containment than just holding her hand would provide. So I put her on my shoulders. This gave her a greater vantage point and it also allowed her voice to carry over all the shelves and reach every one in the store. This came in handy a minute later when she spotted a statue of the Savior. In that loud and very profane voice that carried throughout the store, she yelled out "cheese and rice". (But not really "cheese and rice". She yelled something that I feel blasphemous even typing because of the tone in which she yelled it.) I immediately turned red and said "yes, that is a statue of Jesus. But let's try to say his name more reverently." She responded by letting anyone who hadn't heard the first time, know who she had seen over and over. It wasn't in any more of a reverent tone and it didn't stop until I got her off my shoulders and covered her mouth. By that time we had an audience. I'm sure some of the people laughed and thought "kids say the darndest things..." but there were some who were thinking "I wonder where she learned to talk like that?"
What was Jake doing, you ask? He was tugging at my coat, pointing to a picture of the Salt Lake Temple and saying "Mom! It's Agent Moroni blowing his horn!"
After all that, I finally gave up looking for the darn book and went to the front desk for assistance. Just so you know, Deseret Book is trying to get away from carrying books that aren't church books. (At least the store in Logan is). So, if you are trying to find Gone With the Wind, don't even take your profane child into Deseret Book.

Wishful Thinking?

We have kept this pool in the window well all winter and the boys thought it would be fun to play with. I saw them playing by the window and told them to be careful, then like the good mother I am, I went back in the house. The next thing I hear is a thump, crying, and Carson yelling that Jake had fallen in the window well. I guess they were trying to pull out the pool and Jake became a casualty to the cause. I trudged out there to rescue the boy and bring out the pool. Luckily he sustained only bumps and bruises and the pool became a super cool toy. They dragged it up the hill and hopped in. I don't know if they were hoping for a really big sled or a nice warm sunny day.

The next time I looked out on them I didn't see them anywhere. The pool was tipped over and they weren't anywhere to be found. When I called out to them, they peeked out from under the pool. What a fun little cave. They were entertained for at least an hour.

Too lazy for my own good

It’s been a while since I last wrote. I don’t really know why. I spend tons of time sitting here at the computer. I guess I have just felt so lazy that I can’t even type. I just play games on Webkinz World. I have been really lazy lately. But I’m snapping out of it. In fact, today I even folded and put away laundry. That is quite an accomplishment. For weeks I have done one or the other, but never both. I have watched more tv than one person should. I have napped more than one person should, and I have slacked on every other aspect of life. I have justified it all though. The one thing I haven’t slacked on is cooking a baby. It’s taking all that I have just to do that. Sounds like a good excuse right? Tell that to Allie who had to wear Jake’s blue underwear to church because she was out of clean pink princess ones. Tell that to Jake who had to sleep on the floor because someone never changed and washed his sheets that smelled of pee. Tell that to Mike who has had to repeatedly scrounge up something for dinner. Tell that to every person who has stopped by my house in the last month and seen all the stuff on the floor that I haven’t bothered to pick up. It’s been a rough few months for everyone around here. I hope that little pampered baby in my belly appreciates all the sacrifices.
Anyway, I didn't write in the last post when this baby is due. My actual date is September 25, but it will be at least a week earlier than that because I will be having another c-section. I think September will be a nice month for a birthday, and the doctor even said we will talk about having a 9/9/09 baby as things get closer. (which will be nice because of the whole "3 is my favorite number thing" because 9 is 3 3's. And 3 9's are 3 3's 3 times. Are you confused yet?)

3 is my favorite number

Does that mean this will be my favorite kid?

Yep...we're going for number three. I had my first appointment today and I am already in love with that cute little heart beat.
Some of my favorite stories so far...

The kids were playing "jump on Mom" and I told them to be careful because there's a baby in my tummy.
Allie yelled, "There's no baby in yo tummy!" She looked at me suspiciously and tried to process it.
Then Jake said "Open your mouth. I want to see."

Allie also walks around saying (dramatically) "The baby in my belly makes me sick...I need to frow up" Then she walks to the sink and spits in there. Nice.

When I asked the kids if they wanted a brother or a sister, Jake said "A brother for me, named Megan, and a sister for Allie."
I asked if a boy would really want to be named Megan and he said "yes, Megan or Jenny".

They both still think that Heavenly Father gives away babies at the temple, and Jake insits that he remembers when Heavenly Father gave him to us.

They both say that they are going to be nice to their future sibling. They are so excited that I think they will be nice. I think we are all really excited for the new member of our family to come!