Cub Scouts (aka I have NO idea what I'm doing)

WOW.

I've been called as the Wolf den leader for Cub Scouts. I am excited to learn more about the scouting program, but honestly, I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. Bryson has been in Scouts for almost a year, but with moving and this new ward not keeping on top of weekly activities and badges (and us as parents not keeping up on it either), I still feel like I have no clue as to what it all entails. However, they have put in all new leaders and a new cubmaster who is very gung-ho and excited to be involved and get the boys on their way, so I think it's going to be great. Needless to say, I will be learning alot and plan on picking everybody's brain who has had anything to do with it (i.e. my dad, my brother, Mary Ann--you're still a den leader, right?, and anybody else who can help me out). Feel free to give me lots of advice and ideas. LOTS.

Evil

I was hiding from my son today. In the kitchen. And not hiding exactly, just not answering when he was calling for me while I was clearing the table after dinner, which is really more like pretending to be invisible and not hiding at all. Anyway, Bryson comes around the corner and says, "There you are! Why didn't you answer when I called for you?" I smirked, and just as I was about to respond...

Abby says, "Cuz she's evil."

You better believe it.

Mwa ha ha ha!

Mating

Yup. Read that title again cuz that's what we are talking about tonight people, MATING.

Apparently, my dear sweet husband informed Bryson that he could always watch the Discovery Channel. Educational, thought-provoking, science-oriented. And while yes, I could see how this thought process might work--if it was Discovery KIDS Channel--I am a tad disturbed that this wasn't discussed with me prior to the following conversation. At leat then I would have been prepared. Sigh. Can you see what is coming?? Can you feel the dread that still sinks into my chest even while typing this? Ayiyiyi...

Bryson: Mom. Did you know that tree frogs mate?

Me: Yep (keep it short, sweet and hopefully he'll leave....)

Bryson: Do you know what mating is?

Me: Yep (go away...go away)

Bryson: That's how they get babies, huh.

Me: (cornered in the hall by my 8 year old child) That's right. Where did you learn this?

Bryson: The Discovery Channel. Dad said I can watch it.

Me: Great.

Bryson: Do people mate?

Me: ummm...yep

Bryson: To get babies?

Me: Uh huh.

Bryson: Hmm...do people mate the same way that tree frogs do?

Me: (What the heck?! How am I supposed to answer this? Think...no, RUN! RUN AWAY!)
Well... (don't say it..walk away, walk away)
How do tree frogs mate? (IDIOT)

Bryson: On top of each other.

Me: (choking) Hmm. Well. Uh, Bryson this is one of those adult things that you don't need to learn about quite yet.

Bryson: But I want to know.

Me: Yeah, but you can't because you are only eight. Remember how Megan wants to read books but she can't read them yet cuz she doesn't know her letters and stuff? She has to wait until she gets bigger and learns other things first. When you get bigger then you can learn this other kind of stuff too. (What a nice motherly moment for me, I feel like that swelling music from TV should start playing...)

Bryson: Ok. I'll just ask Dad later.

Me: Great.

New York Cousins

My newest nephew, Luke. He started smiling while I was out there, of course, because he loves his favorite Aunt Jen. :) SO cute. I just wanted to hold him the whole trip. Which I did.

The very energetic and hilarious Tyler. He is two, just a couple of months older than Megan, but is much taller. He didn't know what to think of me at first, but he warmed up and we had lots of fun. His giggle is very infectious, loves to watch movies on the computer and drink "choc'late milk."

Ben (7) and Kenzie (almost 5 in these pics). I had lots of fun talking about books with Ben--he is a HUGE reader--and Kenzie would crack me up with all of her songs and poses, both of which she does all. the. time. She sings everything which drives Ben crazy. And when I say everything, I do mean EVERYTHING from what she is picking up off the floor, to what the kids are doing, to just random noise. It was hilarious to listen to.

At the Children's Museum in Syracuse. Gross (which is what he was going for I think) but very funny.

New York Palmyra Pictures

Entertaining ourselves in the backseat on our way to the Hill Cumorah pageant.

(McKenzie, Ben & me)

At Hill Cumorah. They have a huge stage (all the stone steps) that is set up on the hill and looks like it's been there forever even though they put it up and tear it down each summer. It was amazing the number of people who come--regardless of religion--and from how far. Before the pageant starts, all the actors and a zillion missionaries walk around handing out Books of Mormon and pass along cards and talking to the audience.

With it being so dark and my dinky little camera, it was difficult to get any good pictures of the actual Pageant. Besides the fact that my flash going off irritated all those around me. Oops!

But this is a scene of Lehi's dream with the Tree of Life. The special effects they use are amazing, there's water, fire, besides just lighting. And everytime Jesus was part of it, my cute little nephew Tyler would yell out "JESUS!" and "ooohhhh" and "ahhhh". Very entertaining.

Later that week we went back to Hill Cumorah and Palymra to check things out in the daylight.

Monument at Hill Cumorah

Palmyra Temple seen from Joseph Smith's farmhouse.


Palmyra Temple up close.

Pathway from Smith home to Sacred Grove.

Smith's farmhouse (where Joseph Smith grew up)


Probably my favorite picture of the entire trip (and I actually took it with my dinky point and shoot camera). I absolutely love the lighting and the trees.

The Sacred Grove

Niagara Falls (pics, pics oh and wait..more pics)

Niagara (pronounced NI-ah-guh-ruh as we were told many times throughout the tours) from the view tower:

Our beautiful scraggly selves, in beautiful blue trash bag ponchos, after the Maid of the Mist tour where you ride in a ferry around the bottom of the Falls. Pretty cool.

These next two were taken while on the ferry ride. All the mist coming off the Falls could be seen miles away--from the freeway it looks like smoke billowing up from a gigantic fire.

Rainbow Bridge that crosses over to Canada. Sooooo close to going international.






Absolutely soaking wet after doing the tour where you walk at the bottom of the Falls on a deck and can actually touch them. Very cool--amazing power from the Falls. They waves crashing onto the deck would push me and my sis Melissa across the deck a bit. It was awesome.

Those crazy people in yellow? That's the Tour at the bottom of the falls. Freakin' awesome.

Me in front of Canada. :)

Melissa in front of Canada.

The amazing and kind of awful truck/limo we saw coming home.

Summer Confusion

The weather lately has been difficult for my children. I LOVE the rain. I could live in Seattle (oooo, or FORKS...hello Edward...) cuz rain is fun for me. However, with the first two weeks of summer vacation for my kids being doused in rain, times have not been perfectly enjoyable over here, because they have been trapped inside our house for the most part. This week however, it has been beautiful!! The sun is shining, we started swimming lessons, played at the park, had picnics, ride bikes, all things summer.

So this afternoon as I'm listening to my children run all over the house, screeching like banshees, I tell them to go play outside (where their screeching doesn't make me want to eat a whole bottle of ibuprofen and wash it down with a bottle of something stronger than Pepsi). Do my children dash outside to play in the sun ready to jump and frolic? No. I have a mutiny. They don't want to go outside, they don't want to play.

Whatever, I think and I send them outside. Surely they will get out there and start messing around and have some fun so I can make dinner.

They sit on the stairs, with their arms folded, bottom lips sticking out, anger lurking in their eyes. What?!? So I give them a choice. They can play outside, in the sunshine, ride their bikes, play in the yard, whatever! OR, they can come in and clean their rooms.

The results:
Their rooms have never looked so clean.

Abby's New 'Do

Abby's hair has been growing uncontrollably, and since the poor girl was bald until she was two, we've had a difficult time wanting to cut it. Actually, Bryson has shown no such restraint as he cut it twice when she was two, thus delaying hair growth even longer! Obviously you can understand our hesitancy in cutting our dear Abby-girl's hair. Unfortunately, the hair had overtaken the girl and I finally convinced her to get it cut for summer. We love being able to do fun things with her hair, but the tangles and heat, not to mention the crying when we tried to comb her long hair, well, it was time.

BEFORE

Abby was very willing to tell the hair stylist EXACTLY what she wanted, which was very cute, and expressed her interest in having bangs. I think the stylist was a little suprised I was willing to cut off a good 6-8 inches of hair on the whim of an almost six year old, but she was willing, especially when Abby said she wanted bangs just like the stylist's cuz they were so pretty. :) My charmer--turns those big brown eyes on people and you just can't help but succumb.

AFTER

Needless to say, we love her hair!! So much easier to do in the morning, plus it just suits her sweet personality. And of course we had to put the whole picture thing on the blog because, as Abby informed me, people just want to KNOW. Now you're in the know. Your welcome.

Graduating Kindergarten

I've just been on a blogging roll the last few days! This will be my 3rd post in as many days, and I'm pretty sure a blogging medal should be handed over. I'm all over patting myself on the back. My house may not be perfectly clean but Facebook status and blogging is up to date!!

ANYWAY. Like many of you with kindergarteners, we had a graduation program to go to. My firstborn didn't have one when he was in kindergarten. I feel slightly gyped. Ok not really. But Abby's class had a short one along with a singing program which was just cute and hilarious.

Here's Abby realizing I've pulled the camera out to take pictures.


Completely enthralled by their sweet teacher, Miss Tensmeyer.

For every song the class sang, between 3-5 of the children would get up and act out the song. Abby got to act as a rosebush (perfect for my pretty and shy girl) for a song about a puppy that sniffs a rose and gets stung by a bee on his nose. Very cute.

Again, realizing that I'm taking a picture. :)

After the singing portion, Miss Tensmeyer, that is her on the right handside in the white dress, passed out the graduation certificates. She is very petite and makes all the kindergarteners look huge. I'm not exactly a tall person by any stretch of the imagination, but she is a good five or six inches shorter than I am. She comes to just past my shoulder. I really need to hang around her more--not only is she an incredible teacher, but one of the few people on this earth older than 12 that I am taller than. FABULOUS.

So, Abby got her certificate and didn't even look at the camera. She looks like she's stalking away, but really, it was more like a graceful glide. She gets that from me, as I am amazingly graceful (just ask my family). *smirk* :) Abby also won the citizenship certificate for the top girl in her class that befriends and is kind to any and all. Yay for Abby-girl!

I can't hardly believe she's out of kindergarten and my kids are home for the summer. I love them being home--hopefully we won't all be driving each other crazy by next week. :) Next stop, FIRST GRADE!

Underwears

I'm sitting at the computer, playing on Facebook (because for the life of me, I just can't keep myself away when I'm bored), when Meg walks in wearing:

Yup. Garrett's new soccer underwear. She found a pair downstairs in his drawer and managed to get them on, over her capris, backwards, all by her smart little self.

She refused to take them off. Ever. In fact, she is still wearing them. Just kidding, cuz that would be seriously gross as this was last Tuesday. But let me tell you, it took the bribe of a bubble bath AND a treat that night in order for her to willingly take them off and exchange them for pj's. However, what particularly cracked me up was that she kept hitching up her red shirt in order to show me "Raret's" underwear. She was incredibly proud, and aren't we all? Look, my baby is dressing herself. Perhaps not her own clothing, and backwards, and ok, wrong gender really, and to be perfectly picky not in the correct order and all, but she's dressing herself. She's a genius.

I'm totally taking this as a sign that potty training is going to be a breeze. Not that I plan on doing that any time soon, but underwear? Before two? Come on people, that's just brilliance waiting to be bragged upon.

Our First Pinewood Derby

I'm a little late with this one as it happend a month ago, but we couldn't leave this out as it is a fun part of scouts. Bryson and Travis built their first pinewood derby car this year and had lots of fun racing and trying to beat the other boys.

Bryson is a tad bit obsessed with killer whales (he plans to work in Sea World when he gets older, and in case you are thinking this is a passing fancy, this has been his plan since kindergarten) so that's the colors they chose for their awesome car. :)

I had never been to a Pinewood derby before, somehow missed my brother's when he was in scouts by prolly working at good old Shopko or something, but it just cracked me up to watch the boys. I don't think they really cared who won, but they loved to trashtalk about it. As did the dads which was just as funny. They just had fun racing them down, over and over and over. And my younger kids LOVED to watch.

A more correct Ode

Fine. One of you readers, and I will not name names, but her initials are Laura Kay Beesley Ferguson, called me out on my Ode. She is correct, it wasn't really an ode, more a rambling of my current fetish with our central air. In retaliation, I have indeed written a more correct ode (I was an English major after all, might as well get some use out of it). It amused me while I sat in front of a fabulously cold air vent and killed some time while the kids watched "The Bee Movie". Here are the results of my boredom (because why would I use said quiet time for cleaning? That would be ridiculous and more to the point, less annoying to all of you, my public). If you do not appreciate my poetry, well, tough. You should know by now that I am a firm believer in writing the random.

Ode to Central Air
Do not let it be said,
that I can not write a rhyme
I am not ill-read
was just pressed for time.
However it seems that I must confess
My ode to central air was not,
Merely some prose I used to brag.
But now is the time I truly am blessed
For my rhyming skills aren't shot
My ode is in the bag.

Oh beautiful Air
cold, crisp and soothing
the way it flutters my hair
just simply by moving.
I will not deny I hate being overheated
so this central air invention
is my one true summer delight.
My hair, which right now, is not being treated,
and all of my summer intentions
freeze in the air, which is quite alright.

I love you, I love you
It's true, not a line
Central Air BTU's
Give me shivers up my spine.
The heat you diminish
No sweat pouring down to my seat
No swollen doors, no musty reek.
And now I can finish
with my Ode now complete
No longer a slacker, but seriously, a geek.

MORE than kissing

Kids.

So I'm driving the kids over to Travis' work to switch off so I can go work for my dad on Friday and I'm listening to my kiddles chat in the back of the van. Their conversations generally amuse me because they seem so random. Here's one fun conversation.

Abby: I don't like kissing.

Bryson: Kissing is gross.

Garrett: Kissing is for girls.

Abby: Kissing is only if you get married. I don't want to get married cuz then I'll have to kiss a BOY.

Bryson: You can kiss your girlfriends and boyfriends too. Right mom?

Mom: Yes, when you are much much older, almost as old as me, then you can kiss your girlfriend or boyfriend.

Abby: Mom, I'm going to have a boyfriend when I'm six.

Mom: Well, you're not kissing your boyfriend when you're six or I'm talking to your boyfriend's mother.

Bryson: Married people like to kiss, huh mom.

Mom: Yes, married people usually like to kiss.

Abby: Why? That's so gross. Like when dad kisses you it make me want to throw up.

Garrett: Frowing up is gross! I don't like to frow up. Makes gagging noises.

Abby: Kissing is really gross.

Bryson: You have to kiss when you get married.

Garrett continuing to make gagging noises to sound like he's "frowing up".

Abby: Why?

Bryson: You have to kiss. And sometimes married people do more than kiss.

Mom (after narrowly missing a pedestrian walking on his own yard): What do you mean they do "more"?

Bryson: You know, they do more. They kiss...and then...

Mom (panicking): Yes??

Complete silence in the car--the first time that has happened in about a year--while they all listen.

Bryson: And then they have babies.

Mom: YUP. That's exactly what happens when you're married. What sounds good for dinner??

Ode to Central Air

I don't think I'm living in the correct region for my temperature needs. I LOVE autumn. In fact, in my perfect world, it is autumn for about six months of the year. I LOVE spring (unless it's snowing, cuz that really isn't spring, that's just annoying winter trying to nose its way back). I LOVE snow for about a six weeks from Thanksgiving to New Years. And I love summer...wait a second. I don't really love summer. I love the things you can do in the summer, such as watching the kids swim, camping, county fairs, rodeos, vacation from school, eat scrumptious food like corn on the cob, melons of all sorts, apples, BBQ, etc. The hot temperatures of Utah in July and August? Can everybody say three digits? Not really a fan, no. Why do I live in Utah? Ohh yeah, that crazy little thing called family. Actually, I love Utah, I just find its weather a little too extreme for me. (although it does give me something to whine about on a fairly regular basis, so there is that)

But guess what.

This year, we will experience, for the first time in our married lives, right in our very own home, and it works and everything cuz I've been using it today until I have frozen everybody else, ahhh...central air.

What a miraculous thing! I get cold air...in my house! Not just my refrigerator! Yes, yes, it could cost me a pretty penny if I get a little overzealous with it which will prolly happen cuz I love being cold when it's hot outside. Kind of like winter, when I love being warm in my bed while the air around me is cold. I'm a girl of contradictions. Strange, but true. And I am obviously going on way too many tangents today which is so not like my regular self *cough cough*.

Ahem. Moving on, er, well, back.

I can sit on my couch in the livingroom and not make a puddle wherever my body is touching said couch. I realize that sounds incredibly gross, but if you have swamp coolers then you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's not gross, it's life. And life, my friends, tends to be gross. (Another pillow ready to be stitched with that little gem of truth..I'm taking orders...only $19.95 plus shipping and handling by cool air conditioned hands.)

Needless to say, I love our central air. I believe I may be bragging about it throughout the summer unless it breaks. And then I'll cry and whine about that. Either way, more posts. :)

Pic Pile

Easter 2009

My kids cheesin' it for the camera. Huh, just noticed the fantastic lamp stand of boxes. May be time to move those suckers. :)

Showing off their cute Easter clothes. I love the fact that Abby is holding onto Megan's shoulders--about 1/2 second after this picture was taken Megan was booking it down the hallway.

Randomness

Meg posing for the camera with yet again, another messy face. I thought about lying and saying it's all her dad's fault, but really, I'm just to lazy to wash her face 10 billion times a day. So messy it is!

Meg, posing AGAIN for the camera, this time with some sexy moon boots she borrowed from Heidi's son Tyler. Sorry, they are not sexy moon boots, they are studly man snow boots. My mistake.

Meg & Tanner (aka the Tan-man) and their daily sungazing out the front window during the two and a half weeks Sarah was in New York. They seriously did this every morning for about 10-15 minutes. They are so goofy.

Up close & personal with the Tan-man.

Once upon a time...eleven years ago...

That's right! Travis and I hit our eleven years married (together, in case there was any confusion) last week on the 19th. I would love to put up some of our wedding pictures, cuz we look like little kids and *sigh* I wish I could look that skinny again, but alas, I do not have a scanner. I may have to come over and raid Heidi's or my sista's. We'll see what we can do. So, instead of pics, you guys get reminiscing! Was that cheers I heard? EXCELLENT. Read on.

Once upon a time...eleven years ago...before my children were even a twinkle in my eye let alone an extra 30 pounds on my belly that never fully went away...I got married. Actually, let's rewind a little further. Nine months (seriously ironic, huh?) earlier I saw this guy at work in the lunchroom and thought to myself, huh...he's cute. See? Nothing earth-shattering here folks, just a casual observation that women routinely make about men.

Well, that's not entirely true. I vowed to be honest to you today (I crack myself up) so let's keep it REAL kids. Usually our observations tend to run more like this in our heads: Girrrrllll...he is checking you out. He think's you are HOT as well he should because dang, you have on your nice shirt today that actually makes it look like you might have a chest even though really, we all know that you are sadly lacking in that area, but you do have a nice tush, so maybe he'll check it out. Yup. He is totally checking out your butt. And hey, he has a nice butt too. Oooo....cute eyes, and is that a dimple?! *sigh*

Well...maybe that's just me.

And yes, when I am conversing with myself, it is always in the third person.

Ok so back to the story. I see cute guy, find out from the mail guy that new cute guy is training in the mailroom as well. And he's deaf. Well, crap. Ah well, at least I don't have to worry about sounding like a total moron. A gal that I worked with, Annette, she knew a family member that was deaf so she knew some sign language and invited new cute guy to eat lunch with a group of like 6-8 women. Poor guy. Poor recently returned missionary guy, surrounded by women. I'm sure he was devastated.

Since Annette is the only one who can sign, the rest of us look like idiots, we whip out the paper and pens and start conversing via paper. Very old school. None of this texting stuff, which SO would have been helpful. I thought he was very cute, and was strangely interested in him, which at the time, seriously bugged me. I didn't want to be interested but I was. And it had to be noticeable because I'm telling you, I blushed every time I saw him. It was humiliating. Luckily it was summer, so he thought I just got out in the sun alot. whew!

TWO FREAKING MONTHS later, he finally asked me out. I didn't think it was ever going to happen, and had pretty much given up any hopes when he finally did. Our first date we went miniature golfing, to dinner, then to a movie cuz we didn't want to go home, and then picked up ice cream. On the way home, with our ice cream. We stopped at a park and he asked me if he could kiss me. Never had a guy ask me that before...felt seriously awkward, but hey, you go with the flow, right? The next day he apologizes for kissing me. WHAT? (So then I have a complex on being a terrible kisser. The drama!) But then a week later kissed me again (drama averted).

I left a month later to go to Utah State for school. I figured we would still date, but honestly? He had already said I love you and while I knew I had really strong feelings I was feeling the slippery tingles of panic. It seemed way too fast, and like I said, I was not wanting to be falling in love. One weekend without him was more than enough to realize that not only did I love this guy, but it might really, really be in love with him. Mary Ann and I had a lovely "homesick for our men pity party" that first weekend and from then on, almost every weekend I was either back home visiting or he was up visiting me.

By my birthday we were talking marriage in the future...by Thanksgiving we were looking at rings. CRAZY! Then on the first day of Christmas break he proposed in front of the Christmas tree. I, being the crybaby that I am, cried and hugged and cried some more.

We got married March 19th, three months later, in the Bountiful temple. And now, eleven years later, I still can't imagine being without him. We have our four beautiful kids and each other. Life IS beautiful. :)

WHY??!?

Anybody watch American Idol tonight?

Perhaps I am the only one here who is practically obsessed with that show. I don't understand how you are all not glued to your tv to watch it, but it's cool, it's cool.

In case you missed it, ALEXIS (girl with the short flippy blonde/pink hair) is out. I have only one thing to say to this: :#)(&#%P&E _%&##? P#(%*??? How is this possible?? I didn't think she'd win exactly, but be closer and at least on the tour, and it just doesn't seem fair that she is leaving so soon. I'm also not really a fan of this taunting new judge rule telling them they might be saved "so sing it one more time....eh, just kidding, you sucked and you wouldn't win anyway, therefore, you are not saved." Let's just kick the contestants in the teeth, on live television no less, after being told by millions of Americans they the least favorite. Nice call.

I should refuse to watch but I just can't help myself. I'm addicted. They really need an AIA.

Casper the Friendly Ghost

So....we have a ghost. And he likes to mess with the lights in our house. And I'm trying not to let it freak me out, and so I keep calling him Casper. Because Casper is a friendly ghost. Even though he's messing with our lights. And freaking me out. It's a vicious cycle.

Not so basically, this is what is happening (I already 'splained, but of course you want more details and so I shall provide them because that is what a good blog-writer does...rambles on to her public). We have one of those three-way touch lamps in our bedroom. The other night, at 1am, while we are sleeping, the light turns on. I, of course, punch Travis in the arm for "faking" his sleeping while turning on the light to irritate me, and then I turn out the light and lay back down. About 30 seconds later it happens again. He is cracking up and says it's not him. I'm trying to decide whether to beat him or laugh or just go back to sleep, when....the light that neither of us is touching...turns itself off. Then back on. Then off again. So we unplug it. And no, it didn't come back on after that (thank heavens or then I'd have to move).

Then tonight, I'm sitting here watching tv episodes on Hulu--little sidenote here cuz not only do I love sidenotes, but have you seen those Hulu commercials? they totally crack me up--and the light next to the computer keeps going brighter, then dim, then brighter, then dim. Then hangs out at it's normal wattage then starts messing around again. This lamp is not a three-way lamp. Or not supposed to be anyway. And now it is being normal because he can see that I'm writing about him (Casper, not the lamp, cuz people, this ain't the castle from Beauty & the Beast where all the inanimate objects are animate). Fun freaky times at the Oleson house!

So. Like I said. Casper. Is. Visiting. My. House. And he really should have waited to be invited, but whatever.

25, er 26 Simple Pleasures

Alright Jaimee & Mary Ann. I'm following in your blogging footsteps and here are my 26 simple pleasures because I just couldn't leave any of them out. Feel free to join in if you want!

1. Making cookies when it's raining outside
2. Holding hands with my kids when we are walking somewhere
3. Watching the wheels turn in Meg's head as she's trying to figure out how to climb the refrigerator (if you think I'm kidding, see previous climbing posts)
4. Hugs
5. Teaching my kids to say big words, "Mom is Awesome", and to come running when I ask for someone to scratch my back (I'm all about the randomness)
6. Waking up and not feeling like I could sleep for two more days
7. Seeing the grass or early flowers turning green before it's really spring
8. A new book
9. Laughing at friends' blogs
10. Having my hair brushed or played with
11. Kisses on the neck
12. Music (it's on almost all the time at my house)
13. Watching a movie and cuddling on the couch with the kids or Travis
14. Popcorn & chocolate
15. Holding a new baby
16. Listening to my kids giggle
17. Laughing until I cry or have to make a break for the bathroom
18. Christmas snow
19. Waking up without morning breath
20. Bubble baths
21. Not killing my houseplants (unfortunately this is a rare occurence. I reguarly commit planticide)
22. Spooning :)
23. Autumn
24. Abby painting my fingernails & toenails
25. Reading all day and sometimes into the night
26. Cake wrecks at www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com

The Magic Words

Do you ever ask your child/ren to say the magic words? I know that for many of you, that would be "Please" or "Thank you". But at our house, I believe in teaching my children strange, off the wall things in order to crack myself up. (As many of you know I teach my kids big words when they are little...I LOVE it) Oh, I'm a big believer in being polite, especially the please thing, cuz that drives me crazy when they just demand. However, when it comes for the magic words, this is what I've gotten my kids to say:

MOM IS AWESOME!

And then they get whatever it is they are asking for. See? Esteem booster for me, snack/activity for them. Happy smiles all around. :)

Sunk

This afternoon I am coming up the stairs when I hear Megan yelling. I call for her, and start looking because it sounds like she's got herself stuck or something (she does this frequently...behind the couch, under a chair, on the table, the stool, in the tub etc). I glance in the kitchen as I walk by, nothing. Check the livingroom, nothing. Bedroom? Nope. Finally, I open the bathroom door and THIS is what I see:

We have reached new heights of creativity by my youngest. Literally. Ü Apparently hooking her arms in the sink and checking herself out in the mirror was not enough. And, in case you didn't notice, those are our toothbrushes in front of her, and I now get to go boil them in water, because the girl sucked on them all. We love to share at our house.