Good Idea Bad Idea

Good Idea: Getting pictures taken of the kiddos while in Boise next week.

Bad Idea: Getting pictures taken of the kiddos while in Boise next week after Connor had a run in with the sidewalk.

By the way...the sidewalk won!

VICTORIOUS!

Can You Tell a Princess Lives Here?

Passing Notes

Sunday at church, one of my girlfriends passed me a note. It was folded up all fancy with a little tab to pull with an arrow that said, "pull." The outside said, to: Lisa-Marie Heart: Jaci. And the i's were dotted with big circles. I cracked up, felt silly and fifteen. It was great fun.

I got to thinking about my note days and all the goofy things that we used to write. Do any of these look familiar?

URAQT!! TT4N

K.I.T. what's up (with an arrow)

2cute +2 be =4 gotten BFF

The note was always filled with meaningless material that could easily be discussed during ten minute break after second hour. And of course was signed at the bottom with your name followed by the last name of your current crush. Oh to be fifteen again.

On second thought....no thanks!

Bring on the Nag

I love wives who nag. The more they nag their husbands, the better I look. I especially love nagging wives during hunting season. At this time of year you start to hear stuff like this:

"so how big was the bull you shot?"

"oh yeah, mine is going in the books."

"I shot him from 70 yards."

And then you might also hear something like this: (all compliments of poor nagged husbands.)

"How mad is she?"

"Will she LET you go?"

"I don't care, I'm going anyway."

"She knew I was a hunter when she married me."

"She doesn't understand. I'm just trying to provide for our family."

This makes me think of college when my professors would grade on a curve. It didn't matter how bad you did, just as long as someone did worse than you, there is still a glimmer of hope. As long as there is a wife out there who nags more than I do, I'm GOOD!

Actually just the other day Kendon told me that he appreciates me for being of the non-nagging type. And I appreciated him for appreciating me.

So, go girls go! Keep bringing on the nag!

The truth is, all year I go and do lots of things a lot of the time. Most every week I have something that I get to do that is just for me. Whether it be book group, scrap booking, recipe swap, dinner with girlfriends. I am always going. Kendon is always willing to let me do all these things and stays home with the kiddos and does so happily. So, hunting season is his time of the year. He gets to go all he wants. I'm just glad that he has something that he is passionate about. I think it is neat.

Plus, he is darn right handsome in camo!

Me, trying to be a good wife when we were first married.

And he is right. He was hunting LONG before I came along!

Testing Testing 1...2...3

Don't Let the Sweet Face Fool You!

That is what Connor has been doing to his mother as of late...TESTING. Oh boy, this kid is three and he is acting it. Here are a few random moments with this dear sweet boy of mine!

* Yesterday during sacrament meeting we had to go out to take Sirri potty. Connor of course feels the need to come along. As I open the door to go back inside the chapel, Connor begins to scream. I immediately shut the door and he stops. I look at him, ask if he is ready, he nods yes, and we try it again. Again, open the door, scream. Close the door. evil eye from momma. Let's try again, third time is a charm. NOPE! Screaming again. So, Connor got to sit in a chair in the hall for a time out during sacrament. He did NOT like that. BINGO!!!!

* Also during church yesterday. Connor got pushed in nursery class. His teacher had to take another child to the bathroom and since Connor was sad he got to tag along. I was in the hall with my Primary class waiting to go into singing time. Connor saw me and all was lost. Connor refused to go back with his teacher and his kind daddy didn't make him go. So he came with us to Primary. During closing exercises Connor decided to announce, "I'm going pee!" I think it is time to potty train!

* Connor loves to get a reaction. So lately he has been trying to come up with words that he thinks might be bad. He says them, always loud and always twice. He then looks at me with his "naughty grin" and asks, "is that a bad word mom?" Here are some of the words that tend to be his favorites. chunk chunk. jummy jummy. poop poop. pee pee. gook gook. and he always ends with this one cause at our house it is a bad word....BUTT BUTT. He has yet to get a reaction out of me playing this game so I'm sure it will continue.

* Today he went to the store with our friend Jaci. He dumped a box of books on the floor. Jaci asked him to help clean up the books or he wouldn't get a cookie. With much seriousness he looked at her and said, "I don't care. I don't want a cookie." GASP!

* Poor Jaci. Connor was at her house playing the other day. Connor and Koy were being too quiet so she went to investigate. Connor was in Koy's room with a bucket of water and the mop, mopping the carpet. "I'm helping you clean Jaci." was Connor's reply. (I guess that one is naughty and sweet. It reminds me of sweet and sour chicken. Who doesn't like something sweet with a little bit of sour?!?!)

* This was today. Connor was in time out AGAIN for turning the hose on and spraying his sister. (Maybe time out isn't working.) On the wayt o time out he looked right at me and said, "Butt. I say Butt to you."

Oh what is a mother to do?!?!?

Maybe I should try harder to think of THIS:

"Think of the toddler years as a wacky and crazy - but short - period of time, ... Slow down and see past the chaos of it, and you'll see that good things truly do come in small packages."

- Paul Spencer

Nah. I don't think so. Not today. Maybe tomorrow.

THAT IS MORE LIKE IT!

Rooty Toot Toot!

Sirri is our child who can be a real "STINKER" if you know what I mean.

Today she let a BIG one.

Cousin Zack: "Sirri, what do you say?"

Sirri: "I CUT THE CHEESE!"

What a proud moment as a mother!

Now I need to teach her the ole Bigelow tooting song:

Bean beans, the magical fruit.
The more you eat, the more you toot.
The more you toot, the better you feel.
So, let's eat beans for every meal!

I'm Going to be Struck....

BY LIGHTNING!!!

Hey Mom, Grandma and Cindy. This story is for you guys. Next time you want to leave comments about what a GREAT Mom I am, you might want to consider the following story!

Last night we were coming home from taking food(garbage) up to Kendon's bear bait and Sirri got sick on the drive home. She threw up twice. And I am talking MAJOR vomit. As in filling her car seat, vomit. Thank goodness I have such a wonderful husband who was willing to clean her up. Thank you honey! (By the way, that isn't even the part of the story that makes a me bad mommy. That is coming and believe me you will know it when you hear it.) Then in the middle of the night she woke up because she had messed her pants. (Sorry I had to share Sirri but it is all part of the story!) Well, this time I was descent Mommy and I did get up and help her get cleaned up from that mess. When I climbed back in bed Kendon cuddled up to me and said, "we make a pretty good team. One of us cleans up puke, the other cleans up poop!"

The above story is really just so I have an excuse for feeling a little on the tired side in order to rationalize my BAD behavior. Here is where the story begins to take a turn for the worse!

Because Sirri was seeming to feel better this morning I decided to go to Porters (a craft store) to get a few things to finish up some cards for my sister's baby shower. I typically do not take my kids with me to this store but since it is hunting season I don't have too many opportunities to get there alone. Well, let me try to make a long story short. The trip was a disaster. Sirri apparently was not feeling better because she pooed her pants again (apologies again Sirri) and Connor was TERRIBLE. When I say terrible I mean it. Anything naughty that he could do...he DID. And the frustrating part was that he was doing all these things intentionally. He could tell that mommy's buttons were being pushed and he continued to push them. I finally got all the things that I needed and had had enough of my kidlets and before waiting in line to pay I drug them out to the van to wait for me there, safely buckled in their seats. (the van is literally right outside the door...don't worry mom.)

When I get up to pay, the nightmare continued. My card would not work. The way too sweet girl running the cashier ran my card three times. I am sure she was embarrassed for me. Not that I needed any help being embarrassed. There I was with my totally out of control children and then my card won't work. I'm blubbering about how this can't be, I know there is money on the card blah blah blah. The young girl just looks at me, like , "ya, I've heard it all, you poor poor woman." I have finally had enough. I tell them to hold my bags because heaven only knows I am NOT coming back another time to re-get all my stuff. I blow out the door with NOTHING and immediately get on the phone to the bank. Once again, I get a way to sweet girl helping me on the other line. Why can't anyone be as cranky as me? She explains the problem to me (another story in it's self) and said that they will re-activate my card. Thank heavens. BUT she says....it won't be reactivated until 3 am. Well, that does me a lot of good! So much for going to the grocery store.

My kids can feel the tension. As we start to drive the following conversation takes place: (please beware...this gets BAD.)
Connor: "Mommy, are you sad at me?"

Me: "Yes, Connor. I am sad at you. You made really bad choices in Porters."

Connor: "Can I have some gum?"

Me: "NO! You may not have anything."

Sirri: "Mom. We are family. You don't act like that to family."

Me: "Well, you guys sure didn't act like family in the store." (See, it's starting to get UGLY!)

Sirri: "Mom, you are making Jesus sad when you talk like that."

(Oh! Man, here it comes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)Me: "I don't care." (And the lightning strikes!)

Connor: "Mom, I'm going to tell Jesus that you made Him sad."

(Here it comes again!!!)
Me: "Go ahead and tell Jesus, I don't care." (Don't I sound like a three year old!?!?!)

And then comes my little ray of sunshine...

Connor: "Mom, I can't just fly up to the sky!"

So, there you go. Yes, I am the world's greatest mom, don't you think!!!

I do have to say that I was feeling really badly. (and rightfully so, you are all thinking huh?!?!) So, after a good talk with Kendon (and he told me that he was coming home. I'm sure he was afraid for everyone's safety!) I took the kiddos out to the garden to pick all our little baby pumpkins to put on our kitchen table. That was my effort at making up. I still have lots of repenting to do I am sure!

Cucumber Boats

We neglected the cucumbers in our garden until yesterday and when we picked them they were HUGE! (When Kendon bought the plants he accidentally bought pickling cucs which just aren't quite as good, and that is why they have been ignored. And please don't mention that I COULD make pickles with them. No thanks!)

Kendon didn't think the chickens would like them real well, so the kids and I made boats out of them. We even picked a few zucchini and made them into boats as well. Connor, who is all boy, kept calling his Motor Boats. He was also fascinated by the fact that if he scooped out the middles of the cucs real fast and real hard the pulp would just go catapulting. I of course, not to be outdone, showed him how to catapult it right into someones head, namely HIS! He thought that was so funny and he gut laughed so hard. Then, of course, he got me back. This as you can imagine got quite messy, but oh so fun! Sirri did not want to join in on the excitement but did enjoy watching us make a mess of ourselves! ( We smelled like the Bath and Body Works, Cucumber Melon lotion by the time we were done!)

The saddest part of the whole thing was, two days ago they (whoever they is. And I'm really not sure and my kids keep asking.) turned the water off so our ditch is all dry. Therefor we had no where to float our boats. Boo hoo. Sirri, being the ingenious she is decided that they would float in the bath tub. So that they did.

Then this morning we took them to the Nature Park and let them float down the ditch there. The kids were a little sad to let them go but as soon as they saw them floating off they thought it was pretty cool and hucked them all in.

I guess we'll have to remember this fun activity earlier next summer so we can have races in our ditch!

Can you see the cucumber on his face and in his hair? He was much more sticky than this picture portrays!

Sirri's First Day of Pre-School

Sirri started pre-school today. She has been really excited all weekend and was so happy last night when we set out her clothes and got her backpack ready! We even painted her finger and toe nails. I should have taken a picture of them cause she wanted one hand red and one hand silver. She wanted her toes the same way.

We walked to school since it is just down the street and with every car that passed us she asked, "are they going to my pre-school too?" She was a little hesitant to go inside by herself and wanted me to walk her in. Then her BF Brooke got there and Mom was forgotten all about. Please say she won't do that on her first day of kindergarten too? (Sniff sniff. Boo hoo!)

When I picked her up she said they learned about the ABC's, colors ("pink, red and blue") and trees. Not sure how that all comes together but that was her version of the morning anyhow!

I'm excited for Sirri and this new little adventure. Mrs. Tammie has a great pre-school and really helps prepare these little kiddos for the Big K! (Kindergarten that is. Just saying the word hurts! Insert more tears here!)


Disclaimer: I do have other children besides Sirri. As I looked at my last several posts I realized that it seems like she is an only child what with all the blog attention she has gotten. I apologize to my other children and promise to give them equal blog time. Gee whiz!

Moooom, we're FAMILY!

Sirri, has this new little thing that she says to me when I am not being the "nicest Mommy." (Yes, sometimes I lose my patience! Sad but true!) She will say, "Mooooom, we are family." Sometimes she will also include my behavior that is apparently NOT "family worthy!"

The first time she said this, it broke my heart., I felt so bad that my four year old was reminding me what it means to be family. Then after the 3rd or 4th time of the "we're family" guilt trip, it's magic wasn't working anymore. Sirri's sweet remarks were starting to turn me a bit sour! I was tired of hearing this comment from "Little Miss Sweet and Sour" herself!

Then, we had a week that again changed my opinion. (I tend to be a bit floundery, don't I!) Most weeks we spend most of our "play time" with friends. (Typically the Sanderson family.) We don't often go more than a day without a play date of some kind. I enjoy the way this works out since my kids are little and it is nice to spend time with someone I can actually have a conversation with.

Well, last week we spent everyday on our own. Just the kids and I. We played at the park, had lots of picnics in our backyard, played in our sandbox and on the tire swing, went up to the Gardens for a picnic, went to Idaho Falls to get a shot in my bum, played at the Spray Park. We did all these things all by ourselves. And do you know what? I actually enjoyed it all. My kids are growing up and are turning out to be really good company. I really enjoyed my time just being family.

So, that got me to thinking about Sirri's, "we're family," comments and I realized she is right. When you don't have anything else, you'll always have family. And I am thankful for MINE!