Frustrated? Take it out on the crayons!

So, Spencer has been sick with hand-foot-mouth (apparently). He has been crying and whining and wanting nothing but being held for days. This morning I was feeling so depressed because I can't even take him to a park for fear he'll contaminate the equipment and we'll have an epidemic of hoof/mouth disease. So I decided to just color with the kids. We colored a picture, and then I remembered seeing this cute thing you can do with old broken crayons in family fun magazine. So after Kenna went to school Spencer and I tore the wrappers off and broke up crayons.

I have to say, I had no idea destroying something could entertain him for so long. He was really into it for about 45 minutes. So, here is the result.

You melt the crayons in your oven at 250 for about 10 minutes, and then wait for them to cool and pop them out. The result is a crazy swirled crayon. It would have been way cuter if they were heart-shaped like in the magazine, but I don't have a mini heart tin. Here is the link, if anyone is interested.

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11585

Girls' Hair Cuts

This was my futile attempt to keep Kenna from chewing on her hair.

Obituary of a Crockpot

I am so sad. Today my crockpot fell off the shelf and shattered. It was such a good little crockpot, too. We got it for our wedding, almost ten years ago. I have used it almost every day since then. I feel like I have lost a personal friend - a piece of my soul. The upside: I get a new one for Mother's Day!

The Naughty Sister

Sorry, guys - but this one wouldn't fit on the kid quotes I have on the side. There is too much background and aftershock.

It all started last night at bedtime.

As I was grudgingly cleaning the girls' room, I discovered that Mackenna had switched dresses on her build-a-bears. Turlee was wearing Lila's dress, and Lila was nowhere in sight. "If Turlee is wearing Lila's dress, what's Lila wearing?" Mackenna responded with a tone that suggested the answer was beyond obvious, "Oh, well - Lila's naked because she was a bad sister."

If I was disturbed last night, it got worse this morning when she elaborated. "Sometimes I hit her on the head like this" (she demonstrates) "when she is naughty.....like when she asks for something every five minutes."

I think my kids are going to need therapy.

The Day of Unrest

So, this morning the kids were up before seven as usual. Sean and I were both so tired that we just sent Spencer downstairs to watch t.v. with the girls, and went back to bed. To my surprise, when we got up the clock said 8:45. I thought to myself 'that's weird, Spencer hasn't been crying/screaming/pounding on our door.' So I went downstairs, and this is what I found.



I guess everything has a price. Easter candy. I have no idea how many chocolates he ate, but all I can say is there was a trail of foil wrappers through the kitchen.

Here are the skirts I made for the girls. I totally copied Kelly Robins' idea - I just made them longer. They were super easy and a lot of fun to do.

Sewing Lessons

So, I took a page out of Kelly Robins' book and decided to make cute skirts for my girls too. Emma was hovering around me when I was sewing and asking questions about the zigzag stitch and why I back-stitched and all that. Then she kept saying 'I can't wait until I am old enough to sew too'. So I just decided to let her try. She actually sat at the machine and worked the foot pedal. Then she pushed the fabric through at the same time. She was so proud of herself!


She came home from school so excited to sew more, but since I have a crappy cold I told her not today.

Here, try this new nail polish......

So, this morning Emma started screaming, "Mo-om....Spencer got into the wart medicine!" Let me explain. We are treating some warts on Emma's toes with the Walmart version of Compound W. It is this clear acid stuff that you brush on and it eats away the yuck. Well, Sean got out of the shower to find Spencer painting his toenails with the stuff. This is disturbing on a couple different levels.

1. How the crap did he get the lid off in the first place?
2. Usually if I paint the girls toes I will pick a nice, masculine shade of blue to do his so he doesn't feel left out - but should I be worried?

I guess I should just be grateful he didn't eat the stuff or put it in his hair. See - every cloud has a silver lining.

The glass is half full......

In an attempt to stay positive during this glorious spring break when my children flock around me and I love every minute of it - I have decided to list a few things I love about each of them, and about motherhood in general.

Emma:

1. She is always seeking my approval.
2. She loves to make everyone laugh.
3. She is a huge help with Mackenna, Spencer, and Dodger.
4. She loves to read and is great at it!
5. She is empathetic and sensitive to the emotions of those around her.
6. I love her chocolate eyes and the tiny golden freckles across her nose & cheeks.

Mackenna:

1. She shows true compassion.
2. She is finally taking Spencer under her wing.
3. She is excited to grow up, go to school, and do everything Emma does.
4. I love her roundish cheeks and her button nose.
5. Her smile melts my insides.
6. She always brings her dishes to the sink without being asked.

Spencer:

1. He gives the best hugs ever when he puts his heart into it.
2. He is a mama's boy and a daddy's boy at the same time.
3. He knows most of his letters AND the sound they make (gotta love Leap Frog DVDs).
4. He says "I yuh you" at least three times a day.
5. He is finally taking Dodger under HIS wing.
6. I love his sqenchy-eyed smile and his button nose.
7. At all times there is an animated character he can be compared to. Candidates in the past have been: Shrek baby, Stitch, Curious George, Jack-Jack, and Koda (brother bear).

Motherhood:

1. I love to quietly watch my kids and see things about them that I love.
2. I love when my girls tell me I'm 'the best baker in all the land' or rave about my cooking.
3. I cherish the gospel teaching moments that come - usually when we are in the car.
4. Motherhood gives me a purpose and keeps me busy.
5. Motherhood has brought out my domestic side - now I cook, decorate cakes, sew, scrapbook, blog, and read. Everyone needs an outlet, right?
6. I love connecting with other mothers who are going as crazy as I am. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

Last but not least - you might think I was a single mother if I didn't say a little something about the one who got me into all this!

Sean:

1. He works hard so that I can stay home with the kids and lose my mind.
2. He is empathetic when I have a bad day with the kids.
3. He always puts me first.
4. He never criticizes if the house is a mess.
5. He is always ready and willing to take us out to eat.
6. If he is home and we are cleaning, he will vacuum without being asked, and sometimes he'll even mop the floor.
7. He encourages my hobbies and talents.
8. He goes to extremes sometimes to make me laugh.
9. He is trying to better himself, without any hinting or nagging on my part.
10. For some odd reason, he never lost his rose-colored glasses.
I LOVE YOU, SEAN!

The new hair goo

So, ever since I cut my hair and started putting 'goo' in it, Spencer has been getting into any kind of pasty stuff he can find and smearing it in his hair. Once it was lotion, and all the other times it has been diaper cream. Seriously. I guess I need to go through the house and hide it all. I guess he could quite literally be called a butthead now.


Here is another one of him - sitting in the fridge. It's only significant because my family used to snap polaroids of me sitting in the fridge all the time when I was a baby; and I have pictures of the girls doing the same thing.