Worms

The other day, I came home to find this in the middle of the floor.

 It was one of the many worms that Nate has decided to enjoy for a few hours.

I told him he needed to put his friend outside.  I guess I should have been grateful that the worm was on a plate instead of my bare floor.  Still...gross!

More Canvas for her art

Remember how Allie used to draw all over herself any time she got a hold of markers?  Well, she hasn't really stopped.  Sometimes she'll come upstairs with some pretty intricate designs that she created instead of sleeping the night before.

Well, now she has found even more places to spread the love of art.  These boys wore their colors proudly.

Nothing better...

Sometimes I don't get the laundry folded until late in the night.  Nate and Jason's dressers are in Jason's room.  That means that I can't put away either of their clothes unless I tiptoe into Jason's room.  Sometimes I do it just to take a peek at this cute one.

When will I learn that the super flash wakes him up every time?  That cute face can get grumpy pretty quick.  Yikes.  I should have taken an "after" picture, but I was just trying to save the night as quick as possible.  Luckily he calmed down quickly.
He's a funny kid.  When I put him in bed at night, he asks for each one of those toys.  Then he plays with them and tosses them out one by one.  By the time morning comes around, he's got them all on the floor and if he's lucky he's been able to wriggle out of the jammies and diaper too.  He does hang on to "black" (blankie) though.  That's his favorite and he knows not to toss it out.

Yummy Cucumbers

Our garden hasn't produced much this year, but we got this big cucumber the other day and Nate was one happy boy.  He still loves those things.  He likes them just like this.  When I slice them up, he'll eat a few, but not nearly as much as he'll eat when they are whole.

We had a neighbor who was out of town for a few days and she let us pick from her garden each day so that it wouldn't go to waste.  We waited for Jason to go down for a nap each day and then we'd ride over to "Weeze's" (Louise) house on the wheeler.  Nate would run around and happily point out all the stuff that was ready to pick.  "Oh! Mom!  Look at that huge red tomato!"  Then I'd pick it and he'd be on the hunt for something else.  She had lots of spaghetti squash growing, but they weren't ready to pick yet, so even though they were big, he'd say "OH Man!  There's another fall squash!  We can't pick it till fall and it's still summer!" and then he'd run off to say "Another yellow squash!  And another zucchini!"  It was Christmas day for him and it made me so happy.  Each day we'd come home with some more produce and he'd pick out a favorite to hold on the way home and to show off to anyone we passed on the way home.  It was a sad day when Louise came home and we had to quit visiting her garden.  I told her how excited he was about all the fall squash, and when one was ready to be picked, she called us up and said we could come down and get it.  It was another happy day for Nate.
He pointed her out to me at church the next week and blew her kisses.  He has a new friend now.
I just love this kid and the enthusiasm he has for life.  He used to be so wild and crazy that I wondered how he ever survived each day.  Now, he listens to instructions and I rarely have to get "fwustwated" with him.  When I do, he says, with big tears rolling down his face "Mom, I don't like it when you get fwustwated with me.  Don't get fwustwated with me."  I say "well, then don't do things that make me get frustrated with you."  He doesn't really understand that cause and effect yet.
He sure is a fun little friend though and it melts me when he waves goodbye to me and tells me that he'll miss me while I am gone.  I wish I could freeze him this age for a while.  He'd be sad though.  He's counting on those cucumbers and other "bejabls"(vegetables) helping him to get "big like Jacob".

Otter Pops

Every day of the summer (minus a few), Jason made his way over to the neighbor's house for a treat.  He'd come home juicy and sticky, but very happy.  I happened to have my camera in hand when he came home from an otter pop run and thought I'd share the cuteness with you.

 Bottoms up!

Conversation in the Kitchen...

Me: Nate, we need to save those cupcakes for Sam's party.

Nate:  His birthday party?

Me:  Yep.

Nate:  Can he come to his birthday party, or will he have to stay in heaven?

Me:  He lives in heaven.  But that doesn't mean he can't come.  He will know that we are celebrating him.

Nate:  Then he will just have his own party in heaven?

Me:  I guess.

Nate:  Can I come to my birthday party?

Me:  Sure!  It will be in March.

Nate:  We won't have it in heaven though.  It will be in our house?

Me:  Yep.  Our house.

Nate:  And I can have that yummy green cake that I like so much?

Me:  Yep.

Sam

Sam would be 5 years old today!  I can hardly believe that the time has gone on just like that.  I am so grateful for Jason, Nate, Allie, Jake and Mike who have made those 5 years easier for me.  Sometimes I let myself slide into a sad moment and I wish that I could know Sam.  I wish that I could know if he likes tomatoes like Allie, or if he'd hate them like the rest of the boys.  I wonder what his favorite color would be.  I wonder if his eyes would have been blue or if they'd have turned out brown like Jason's.  I wonder if he would have had Allie and Jason's olive skin or been freckled and sunburned like Jake and Nate.  Would he have been a motorcycle fan like the others?  I'm sure he would be.  It doesn't seem like we make them any other way.  On days like that, when I get to feeling sorry for myself, it is easy to change my mood when I look at all the blessings that have come to my life just because Sam was here for a little while.  And even though I don't know his physical world likes and dislikes, I still know his spirit and I know what makes him happy.  It makes him happy when I attend the temple.  It makes him happy when our family does scripture study and prayer each night.  It makes him happy when I choose faith over fear and when I bear my testimony to my kids and teach them principles of the gospel.  I know my boy...even though he seems so far away sometimes.  I know him and I know that he knows my love for him.
I love that the kids still talk about him and that he is easy to talk about.  Jason and Nate know him as baby Sam and point him out in pictures.  It's weird to think that his little brothers will always picture their older brother as a baby, but it is what it is.
So, on this day, we will be happy for Sam and for all the things that he is accomplishing on his side of the veil.  We are doing our part to make sure we can all meet up together in the end.  I am so grateful to be his mother and I am so grateful for my testimony and what I know about the plan of salvation.  It truly is a plan of happiness.

Happy birthday Sam boy!
 

Love Notes

My Allie girl is a sweet one.  The other day, Nate was playing with my Sam necklace and he asked what was inside the heart.  I have meant to put a picture in there for years (was that really 5 years ago?), but I haven't gotten around to it.  Anyway, Nate got it open and told me that there was something in it.  Sure enough, Allie had made a picture to go in there.  I have no idea how long it's been in there.  What a sweet girl!

It has become tarnished over the years and you can barely read the engraving, but I still love it.  I wear it often, especially when I want to include Sam and thoughts of him in my day.  Tomorrow is his 5th birthday and I am glad to say that I still think about him every day.  He is my perfect little boy and, as my cousin said, he's our anchor in heaven.  He helps to keep me on the right path and is the reason I do what I can to get our family there together.  I am so grateful for him.

Kidnapped

When my mom came up for Allie's baptism, she also wanted to take Allie out to find her a little gift for her birthday.  Last year, she came up and they went shopping together for school clothes.  Allie thought that was a pretty fun event and was excited to do that again.  She was out playing with her friend when Grandma got into town, so I thought it would be fun if Grandma snuck up on her and kidnapped her.  I started filming Allie and Lily talking about their baptism the next day and in the background, my mom was sneaking up with a pillowcase.  She put it over her head and took her to the car.  It would have been a little more sneaky and crazy if they hadn't had to stop back at home for some shoes.  That darn girl doesn't wear shoes anywhere around the neighborhood :).

I didn't get any pictures of the treasures they found, but they did have a great time together.  Thanks mom!  You are awesome!

School work

Do you no that I have four brothers and no sister?  I am getting baptisd.  I am ecsided!

I love the things Allie brings home!