Afternoons around here

What's that Baden? You want to watch a movie in your closet? With your blankets and your kangaroo? And you want me to turn the lights off and shut the closet door?
Mmm, let me think about that for about a half a second.

Ok.

Goodnight...
(said really quietly, if he even has the slightest inkling that I intend for him to sleep, he's out of there in no time.)

18 months




















Strengths:
Climbing on top of the table
Getting exactly what she wants
Feeding herself
Napping
Weaknesses:
Diaper changes
Sacrament meeting
Getting out of the bath
Sharing
Likes:
Dolls & stroller
Play kitchen
Shoes
Outside!
Dislikes:
Keeping clothes in her drawers
Getting off the table
Coming inside
Brothers bugging her

GO COUGS!

We'll be in Seattle tomorrow to cheer on our Alma Matter.
I'll be the first to admit, I don't watch much of the game. I'm more of a people watcher.

How well do you know BYU football?
Better than these folks?

Proof

(my sisters and I, August 2008. I know what you're thinking. How did she [me] get so short?)

A blast from my past emailed me tonight. She'd looked at my blog, but didn't see much proof that it was mine because pictures of me, on my blog are lacking. So this is me all dolled up.

And this is me, after canning 60 quarts of tomato juice in 2 nights. How's that for keepin' it real?

And just for you Katy, comments open...

First Day of School Part II

Here he is, Carson, in all his Kindergarten glory.
We're going to pretend that this was taken before his first day of Kindergarten (the whole hour and ten minutes)this afternoon. When in reality it's after because I forgot to put the battery back in the camera when I went to drop him off.

Lest he be forgotten, this is Baden who requested I also pick him up in front of the neighbor's house on my way to get the boys this afternoon. Preschool starts next week.

The boys had a great day from what I can tell. I've continued the tradition that my mom had of videotaping us when we came home from our first day of school. Chandler gave a few details, and Carson just sat there in silence with a little grin (just like his Uncle Devin). So there you have it, I know you were all waiting on pins and needles. Ok, maybe not you, but Grandmas and Grandpas were.

And now I'll just enjoy the best part of school starting.
Peace and quiet at 8:30pm.

First Day of School Part I

It's a windy, cooler and not so summery out there today which almost makes it easier to send the boys to school. If they can't be outside playing, they might as well be at school. Don't you agree?

We always had a pictures of all the siblings (school age and not) in front of the school, so as not to break tradition. Here is ours.

The new 2nd grader doing a forced pose in front of the Ruth Livingston sign. He will surely become less compliant posing here in the coming years.

I think he's finally gotten excited about starting school again.

Stay tuned for Part II chronicling Carson's first day of (afternoon) Kindergarten and 7 minutes he'll spend there.

O be wise

It came to me in a moment of inspiration a couple nights ago as I was thinking about the boys returning to school and the 'fresh start' that seems to accompany the beginning of a new school year: Hold a family home evening lesson centered around the scripture :

O be wise, what can I say more?

Elder Ballard gave a general conference talk on the very same scripture. As I read the first couple of paragraphs I was even more convinced that it would be the prefect topic for us to teach our children before they start school.

All day Monday I'm thinking how I can pull it all together and keep the children's attention.
And then it comes to me. Candy.

And so, on Monday eve after the formalities of the opening of our meeting,
I presented a bowl of Swedish Fish.
So hard to decide.
They all pick one (or two).

Then I tell them there are yellow, green, orange and red fish in the bowl.
I give them a minute to decide which color they would like.
They announce the which color they want and take a fish.
So much easier to take when you know what your decision is ahead of time.

(you see where I'm getting with this?)

We discuss how it is important to decide now what we will do when we are faced with choices.
It is much easier to take a stand on something if we have already decided what we will do.
We talked about how we are blessed to have standards to live by.
They help us make wise choices.

Next, the "test."
Typical hypothetical scenarios.
I'm happy to report they passed with flying colors.

The lesson ended by each son receiving a father's blessing from their father.
A source of comfort for the child.
And their mother.

Now school can begin.

Farewell

We said goodbye to Elder Lybbert yesterday after he bore a tender and sincere testimony of Christlike attributes. He has been well prepared to serve a mission.

Yes, there were tears (Chandler cried for 2 hours last night) . But there is nothing we'd rather have him do. He is on the Lord's errand now. We couldn't be happier. Not only is he doing what he needs to do. He's doing what he wants to do. The people in Texas are lucky to have him.

You can read up on Andrew's mission experiences in the T.H.E. Mission for the next two years here.

Last Weekend of the Summer

Where did the time go? I'm happy to say it's been a fun and busy summer. But, we have one last thing to check off our list. Visit to the library. We haven't been once, I guess we've been playing too much, well, that and taking Kate to a place with thousands of books on bookshelves just waiting to be thrown to the ground doesn't sound like much fun to me. At all. I think I'll have all the boys go tomorrow afternoon when the Miss Kate is sleeping. That sounds much better.

I read this article several weeks ago and it keeps coming back to me. I am determined to make the most of each day. Some days and moments will surely take a little more effort and patience. Will you join me?

Carpe diem!

This picture makes me happy.

And a little teary.

Gone swimmin'.

We've got 10 days and counting till school starts. So that means ten days to take advantage of no schedule (my personal favorite), warm temps, late mornings, playing and pool time. Then I have to release my oldest two out to the world and hope that everything I've taught them this summer doesn't come unraveled.

I'm not ready. Are you?

Typical

I love this inadvertent family portrait that someone captured with my camera. Just so happens to be the only one we have from Tuesday.

Football after swimming. With shirts off.

Baden pretending he's a race car driver on a trike wearing Superman Pjs (with a "skirt on the back, as he refers to it).

Kate soaking it all in while sitting in the middle of the driveway eating a graham cracker.

Not to be outdone by his younger brother, Carson, speeding around.

Where's Chandler? Sitting on the couch. Wishing he was someone else.

Enjoy the heat.
We'll enjoy it all dressed up at a reception.

A Perfect Day

Monday

Chandler joined me bright and early this morning, 6:00 am to be exact, on a drive out to the country to pick flowers from some generous friends. On our drive out of the city limits Chandler said, "I wonder what it's like to live out in the country?" So naturally, I turned the question to him and asked what he thought it was like. "Peaceful and quiet," he said, then added "That's what I want my life to be like. Peaceful and quiet." So we enjoyed some peace and quiet during our time in the country. And then we came home (not peace and quiet, Baden woke up).

I'll be a busy bee today arranging these pretty flowers. Pictures of wedding festivities tomorrow.

Enjoy some Peace and Quiet today.

Once upon this weekend three equally excited boys and their dad (who pretended to be excited) departed for the great backyard to sleep under the stars.


Meanwhile, inside the house the babe slept and Cinderella kept busy organizing, cleaning and throwing out stuff all through the night and all day Saturday.

And there is still more work to do!

THE END

Meet My New Babysitter

Now for some links:
Ensign inspiration for my parenting was found here.
Also, I performed a little experiment without even realizing it.
Not getting my scripture study in makes me a lousy mother.
No, seriously. Total loss of control, no patience and completely crazy.
So I got back on track and the first thing I read was this:
when ye are in the service of your fellow beings [my children] ye are only in the service of your God.
Just what I needed.
A good example to me of mothering service is my friend Avery. I cry every time I read. She's amazing.

FINALLY

Kate's walking! But she's not always happy about it...

The Low Down

As usual a good time was had by all at Priest Lake. Aside from Brian being out for 24 hours with the flu and Grandma's heart attack scare (she checked out fine, esophagus problems apparently) it was a picture perfect vacation.

On location

Lots going on here at Priest Lake. If this satellite modem were faster I'd share some pictures of:

First kiss
Ambulance trip
Best picture ever of my 3 sons
Watering the dog
Pyromaniac
John Travolta

More later.

In the Swing of Things

Kate's verbal communication is improving. "Outside, " she said after dinner persistently pointing to the door. Carson and Chandler headed upstairs for a shower and so Kate and I joined Baden outside on the swings as directed by little Miss. While pushing them on the swings I worked on teaching Kate how to say "yes" and "swing". Baden asked silly questions like, "What do we do with dad when he dies?" "I don't know Baden, what do you think we do?" "Bury him." Glad that's settled. Stuff like that... Not very often is it just me and the younger ones this summer.

Kind of fun, and pleasant for a change.

Three hours later not so pleasant.

Who invented the summer flu anyway? 4 down 2 to go.

What's your score?

Lucky winner #3 earlier today
[bluetooth on because apparently you need to be hands free when you've got the flu]

What A Weekend

He did a little of this in the 7 hours he spent in the pool on the Fourth. How he does it, we'll never know.WOW, a decent picture! I wonder what he's thinking? It's amazing that one can keep us so entertained and so crazy at the same time.

This is big. Really, really big. He graduated from being the sideline observer to actually in the pool. Just in time for swimming lessons Monday morning.

She's learned to throw everything in the pool from the best of them. I just love that ruffle bum!

Family photo at the park. Now don't pretend you're not jealous of our photogenic capabilities.
(Seriously! It's a good thing these picture will be treasure some day, and I won't care that no one is smiling, or in Baden's case- fake smiling, looking in the same direction etc...whatever we're all together that's all that matters right?)

Don't Grandma & Grandpa have the best swings?

...and the best garden?

My super sweet mother-in-law picked up the boys for lunch and a movie. Peace and quiet around here right now. I'm coming out of my summer-blogging hibernation.

Last night our family determined that we would have the phrase "Safety in Counsel" be our family motto (inspired by President Eyring).

Personally and as a family we have received blessings from heeding counsel. We also recognize the times when we have not heeded and things were more difficult than they would have been had we obeyed counsel we were given the first time. President Eyring qualifies this:

"Another fallacy is to believe that the choice to accept or not accept the counsel of prophets is no more than deciding whether to accept good advice and gain its benefits or to stay where we are. But the choice not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. That ground becomes more dangerous. The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our power to take inspired counsel in the future. The best time to have decided to help Noah build the ark was the first time he asked. Each time he asked after that, each failure to respond would have lessened sensitivity to the Spirit. And so each time his request would have seemed more foolish, until the rain came. And then it was too late."

Sometimes I get so frustrated with my boys (because Kate doesn't disobey yet) when I ask them to not do something or to do something and they don't listen! Am I any different?

I realize that I need to be better at being quick to obey and not wait for a more convenient time or passing things off rationalizing that they don't apply to me.

I know we have a prophet on the earth today. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet, not just for those people who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but for men, women and children all around the globe. He is God's mouthpiece. As we listen and obey the words of prophets, seers and revelators we will be safe.

Delegating

*Not pictured: Mother locking children outside 6 times in the last two days, 3 year old meltdowns, 29 year old meltdowns, games of keep away, water hoses, puddles, lots of dirty clothes, snacks and more snacks, mother repenting and realizing her spiritual reservoir needs to be a little higher during the months of June, July and August.

TIME

I've been thinking about time lately. Time I waste, time that goes too quickly, time I need more of. This article came just in time. A good reminder for me.

Speaking of time it's 10:22 pm (on a school night) and my children are still awake watching State Fair.
I should probably usher them to bed now.

Cloudy Day Confessions

Confession #1. I don't have 72 hour kits. I need to get ours together soon for peace of mind. What do you put in yours?

Confession #2. I've turned 24 pounds of strawberries into freezer jam and will be doing 16 more pounds tonight even though I see how much sugar goes into it. Wouldn't you if you got them for 62 cents a pound?

Confession #3. I'm more excited for school to be out than my children. You too?

Confession #4. Fathers and Sons weekend is my favorite weekend of the year. Does that make me a bad mom?

Confession #5. I wholeheartedly agree with paragraphs 16 & 17 of this talk. Are we still friends?

Confession #6. I think she's cute. Don't you?

And the winners are

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

16
7

Timestamp: 2008-06-07 06:58:50 UTC

#16 Debsters
#7 Azucar

This was fun! Send me your email addresses and I'll get you started with your relish! subscription. Enjoy!

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I may be generous, but I'm not THAT generous

Oh, What Do You Do In The Summertime?

I think I may be more excited than anyone for school to be out. So, for Family Home Evening we opted to forgo attending the city council meeting [where they discussed throwing up a bridge by our house] and make some plans for summer fun.

First off, we instructed the boys on the inspired wording in The Family: A Proclamation to the World paying special attention to this paragraph:

Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.

I pointed out that it is no coincidence that work is listed before wholesome recreational activities, and we learn that before we can do fun things each day, we need to get our jobs done and then it's fun time.

"BUT," Chandler said "It doesn't make sense to clean clean up our toys if we are just going to mess them up a second later!"

We eventually convinced him of the logic of working before playing, but we shall see if the logic stays with him come June 13th. After all, who wants to work after they've been playing all day? Not me!

After we got all of that cleared up we moved on and made our
"What we will do in the summertime" list of 2008.
Looks like we're going to be busy [after the work is done, of course].
And now by popular demand, a picture of the shave.Since it is summertime, Chandler decided to give his bangs a little trim, Carson followed suit a couple of days later by giving his bangs a BIG trim. I was left with no other option than to shave all 3 with a numero uno just in case Baden decided he needed a trim (we all know it was bound to happen). So here they are with a couple of days growth. At least they are boys.
They said they wanted to look like their dad.

Peonies are my favorite flower.
I thought I'd brag, I mean blog about how pretty mine look this year.
Albeit a little later than they would usually pop out, as beautiful as ever.
However, I'm thinking of changing my favorite flower to something that blooms all summer long.
Zinnias, perhaps?

As I'm typing this I see 2 little boys in the backyard with the hose on. I'd better go check it out. Last week they drilled the hose in the ground 30 feet, so we cut the hose and left it after digging 5 feet to no avail. Boys are the best!