Nickelodeon......

Mackenna has been making weird comments all day - like telling me I needed some of that Kaboom cleaner or whatever it is that the oxy clean guy does commercials for ('it makes clean-up easy, mom'). Just now when I was putting Spencer in a diaper for night time she comes up to me and says, "Mom, he needs Cruisers......they're comfort flex." When I started laughing at her she said, 'What?! They're Pampers!" I think it's safe to say that me sleeping in while they watch Nickelodeon could be potentially damaging. Who knows what ELSE they're seeing?

Hobby Lobby

Just a couple pictures I snapped today - the girls were playing in their room and when I went in to check on them they showed me their latest creation:


Seriously, where do they come up with this stuff?

Sean is home today and it is nice to have him home after his being gone to scout camp for a couple days. We took the kids to swim lessons (he most obligingly took Spencer to his parent and child class today, so I could have a break). Then we came home and I got this one of Kenna & Daddy:


Lastly, I have been feeling like I wanted to try a new hobby lately. My favorite one is going to Walmart, but it is also one I am trying to kick - and it seems like all my other hobbies cost money too. So, when I used up all my scrap fabric making skirts I decided to try something I did in college again. (Okay, that sounds really bad.) I did a sketch from one of my baby pictures for an experimental psyche class. So the other day I drove to a park by myself and started my new project. Here is the picture I drew it from:


And here is my drawing:


I'm not completely happy with it, (especially the me part), but it's something I can do while the tv's on, and paper and pencils are pretty cheap! I know, I should be cleaning or organizing cupboards, or maybe even tackling the heaps of laundry lying around the house. But I firmly believe that we all deserve one outlet that makes us happy every day.

POSITIVES

I'm feeling a bit negative today, so I thought I should list some positives:

1. Spencer is doing awesome potty training - woke up dry this morning AND after nap, and hasn't had an accident all day. He is really getting it.

2. NO MORE BUYING DIAPERS!

3. I got to take a nap with the kids today.

4. I read Harry Potter to the kids today.

5. I made breakfast today.

6. My children were fed and watered and taken care of all day.

7. Sean has a job.

8. I get to stay home with the kids. (this could possibly be construed as a negative, but I'll call it positive today).

9. Mackenna hasn't had any accidents in quite a while.

10. I'm halfway through laundry.

11. I'm married to an understanding and considerate guy (don't comment that it didn't make in until #11 or I'll kill you, Sean.)

12. We have a house to live in and food to eat.

13. It's 6:55, and bedtime is in an hour.

But WHY?

Today I made all my kids nap with me. The girls woke up before any of us, and I asked them to go do something quietly while the rest of us were still sleeping. I love hearing their conversations when they don't think I'm listening. They were talking about things like why the bees quit making honey in The Bee Movie, why they liked one Care Bear more than the other, etc. Then the following dialogue ensued:

(Kenna): "Emma, why does it snow?"
(Emma): "Because we NEED snow, Kenna. It's important."
(Kenna): "But WHY is snow important?"
(Emma): "Snow is important because.....without it we couldn't have.....Christmas."

I love it. Here I was thinking she would say something like our crops would die or the land would be dried out. Nope, she knows the real deal.

BIG CHANGES.....

Today we started potty training.....officially. I think Spencer has been ready for a while, but I haven't :). I don't know why today is different than any other day, but he has done a good job. He sits on the potty and pushes with all his might, produces a drop or two of urine and a little rabbit pellet of the other - we go dump it and wash hands, and he wants to do it again. Back and forth to the potty all morning. But it is good. Tomorrow we will go buy him some 'big boy' underwear.

Also, since that is one big milestone, we decided to take down his crib too. He kind of has to be able to get out by himself to go potty, so we put up his toddler bed. Hopefully we don't have a horribly long night since he loves his bed and he hasn't had a nap at all today!

Last thing - look at this shiner. He fell off a an empty cooler and clipped his chin on the corner of a shoe shelf. OUCH.

I swear, the kid has no sense of balance - or maybe his equalibrium is just off. He's constantly knocking his head into something. Then again, if my body was in the 5th percentile and my head was in the 90th, I would feel top heavy too.

4th of July Weekend

This weekend we headed down south for the 4th of July. First we went to my parents' house for a bbq and then over to my sister's house to put our stuff away. Sean earnestly tried to light their grass on fire by doing sparklers with the kids:





Then we headed over to the college to save a spot of grass for the fireworks. I was surprised how whiny my kids were. Emma complained about being cold the whole time and Spencer was (of course) afraid of all the noise that comes with fireworks. Mackenna seemed to enjoy herself, though. At least it was fun to hang out with grandma and grandpa.





The next morning we hung around my sister's house until it was time for church, and then we went to my old ward (Elsinore) with my parents. It was so fun to see everyone. You really start to feel your age when you see the kids who were in nursery having kids of their own.

On Monday we went up to Fish Lake to go camping with my grandparents. It is so beautiful there; I worked there the summer I turned 20. We ate lunch and then took the kids down to the lake to play for a while.







Then we walked around the Lodge, which is the building I lived in when I worked there.

We actually got an okay family picture that we might use on our Christmas card this year!


After that we drove down to Bowery Haven and got some ice cream for the kids (okay, we had some too). Then we took the kids back to camp and they played on the tire swing.



Later that night we made a dutch-oven dinner and dessert - and both turned out pretty good! I think I'll post those recipes on Goddesses of Gourmet.

The next morning grandpa gave the kids turns riding on his tractor.




It is so fun to see my grandpa with the kids. He is my father's father, and I'm sorry to say that I don't remember spending any time with him until I turned about 15. He loves the kids, and I am so grateful for him in my life.


My grandma too. She is his 2nd wife, and she keeps him in line. She is also a phonomenal cook, and always making sure every one is taken care of. Thanks for making this weekend so fun!

Here are just some random pictures I took of the scenery (yes, Sarah, I still have a waterfall fetish):





The girls' feet in the ice cold fish lake water:


The fish-face boys:

Piggy Rides

Yesterday the girls started giving Spencer piggy back rides. It was funny because I didn't even suggest it.


It is fun to see Spencer so eager to be like his sisters. He wants to do everything they do, and 90% of the arguments they have are because he gets aggressive when they won't include him. Poor little guy.....maybe he needs a little brother? Yeah, maybe NOT.

Summertime

Emma finally lost her two front teeth. She looks so cute, and I love to hear her say her S's. Here are my munchkins!