A Typical Day

Chase makes his bed by himself everyday. This particular day he requested a "picture for the blog." I have to give the people what they want.

 I'm thinking lately Chase just isn't getting enough sleep. Ty wakes him way too early everyday. There are so many perks to them sharing a room-this is not one of them! So the other day he was being especially difficult and I told him I was going upstairs until he could calm down. He did. And slept here for 2 hours! Woot!

 Chase was so proud of himself for dressing Eliza up like a pirate. This picture is awful, but I wish you could see how funny she looks in Chase's cowboy boots. She ran around yelling "Arrrrr!"

This is my Dad's heaven

This weekend my Dad drove to my Uncle Glenn's house in Memphis, TN. My uncle has alot of property which means he has lots of "toys." Big boy toys. Here's one of them. Grading the gravel driveway is a good excuse to ride a tractor! He also has a landing strip in the backyard so Glenn flew them to a friends house to hang out that also has a private landing strip. That's the kind of stuff he does. I drive. To each their own! :)

As kids living in Alabama we used to come here for Thanksgiving and we thought it was pretty cool. They have a pond and I found a pet turtle there. And let my pet fish live in the pond when we moved. Good times!

Cousin sleepovers, mullets, and looking homeless

Lexi slept over a few weeks ago and instead of throwing her in with the boys, she slept on the "guest bed" in Eliza's room. It worked out sooo much better b/c everyone actually slept! Although Eliza yelled Lexi's name for probably 30 mins. It prompted Lex it come out and ask me when Eliza might be falling asleep. Oh, well. Lexi had fun reading to her.

 The next morning I ran some errands so Phil played w/ the kids in the backyard. They rigged this up and the kids apparently had a blast! Please note that Lexi looks like she has no momma doing her hair, and my daughter still has a mullet. You might notice it in several pics. sigh...

                                                                  Lexi's hair-really?

                                                 I just love this pic of Chase. So disgruntled.

                                                                        I love this.

                                      My daughter looks like she just left the set of Dukes of Hazard.

                             Phil saw this and said, "They look like an old married couple." I agree.

 Later in the afternoon we went to our Public Library where Tyler's art was displayed! He was very excited. It was a fish sculpture. I think it's model magic and he colored it. So proud!

 Driving home I turned around and Chase had taken Eliza's headband. He looks like Rambo gone wrong.



Gag

It was such a nice Saturday. Visiting with a friend, the park, naps, Wendy's at my sisters. We came home w/ the plan that the kids would shower and be ready for bed and finish a movie we'd started last night. I was downstairs recording the BYU game for Phil and Ty came running down saying the toilet was spraying water everywhere. Insert expletives here.

Sure enough it was. Poop and pee everywhere. The toilet was just pouring it out so I grabbed the plunger and finally got it to flush-but not until it has spewed forth it's evil all over the bathroom. Literally. So I stood there totally exasperated. I spent the next hour cleaning it up. I just completely cleaned it 2 days ago which made me even angrier!!!

The kids showered in my bathroom. And when it was my turn to shower (I was literally covered in you know what) the kids had used all the hot water. So I cleaned in cold water. An ice cold shower. So I think it's safe to say I'm in a pretty CRAPPY mood right now.

I'm just sayin'.

He's got talent as a song-writer

One of my favorite toys as a kid was My Little Pony. You might recall the song that was on the commercial-I do b/c I loved it. Well, today my son ruined it for me!! He says, "Mom-you know that toy My Little Pony?" me-"um-DUH!!! I freaking rocked those things!!!" Ty-"Well my friend and I made up a song that goes to it."
And it goes a little something like this...

MY LITTLE PONY

SO SKINNY AND BONEY

STEPPED ON A WIRE

AND CAUGHT ON FIRE

Why are boys just so violent by nature?

Deep Thoughts

I love Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy from Saturday Night Live. This post has nothing to do w/ that-just a sidebar.

Anyway. I just got finished watching "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" w/ my namesake of sorts Sidney Poitier. It's about a white girl and black man who are telling their parents they are getting married. And it got me thinking.

I hope my kids know that I personally do not care who they marry. Well, that's not true. I want them to marry someone of the opposite sex. But I don't care what race they are. I really don't. As long as they are happy. I want them to know it can complicate their lives and cause conflict, but that it's not an impossibility. I married someone of a different faith and that was a huge struggle for us in the beginning. And I'm sure it's the same for someone of a different culture. But things have worked out swimmingly for us so there you go!

A few months ago Tyler approached me w/ this. He'd been told "on the bus" (i hate that bus) that if a girl has different colored skin you can't marry her. He seemed a little perplexed by this and rightfully so. So we had a whole discussion about making sure she was really nice to him, etc. etc. And Ty also acknowledged that he only wanted to marry a girl if she was a Mormon. Makes it neat and easier-trust me!

So this is "for the record" I guess. I want my kids to always know that I'll support them in who they are dating/marry as long as they are good people. No crazy psychos allowed. But those came in all colors anyway.

And p.s. this all seems so dang early to be talking about this stuff w/ my 7 year old. It really is true that kids are growing up way faster these days.

This kid is great

Lexi and Chase were "fighting" or wrestling or whatever they do-and Tyler apparently didn't think they knew what they were doing. So he wrote them some handy tips. Classic.



A visit w/ family, friends and a bit-o-history

Last weekend Phil did his annual ski trip w/ his college buddies so the kids and I packed up and headed down to my sister Jackie's house in Richmond, VA. I surprised Ty and took him out of school a little early and after a horrendous drive (dear east coast-i hate your traffic and all your big cities, especially our nations capital-Washington D.C.) we made it safe and sound. The kids were really good on the drive though so I can't complain about that!

On the first morning we headed to the mall to get some accessories for the "ball" Jackie and Doug had that night at the Dental School. The boys were entertained. At first. A pretty good meltdown ensued about 20 mins. after this pic.

So off to the food court of course! After snacks we were all re-charged. Eliza had so much fun being Addy's second mommy. She sat here and gave Addy a bottle! Darling!

 We then headed over to Cold Harbor Battlefield. The confederates won this battle. This area has some of the most well-preserved trenches from the Civil War. The kids thought these cannons were pretty cool!

 Chase checking out the map. This pic cracks me up b/c you can see his little faux-hawk.

 The next day we met up w/ some good friends, the Players, who recently moved from NJ to VA. We went to Monticello where Thomas Jefferson lived. At the visitor's center they have a kids discovery room which has a ton of Jefferson's inventions. The kids had a good time running around. Here the boys are pulling on the rope to work the huge bellows above.

 Go Chasey go!

 Another one of his inventions. When he wrote documents with one pen it would duplicate it w/ the other one. Very clever!

 Doug and Jack playing checkers. The first time for Doug. I'm still in disbelief. Don't you play games in Aberdeen, WA?!?!?!?!?

 Again Eliza mothering Miss Addy.

 Ty, Josh and I went on the tour inside the house. It was gorgeous and really interesting.

                                                                          Tyler and I

                                                                     The 2 buds

 His gardens full of all sorts of produce are as long as 3 football fields. My dream! Except I'd need his slaves to keep them going. Except I also don't believe slavery was right. Catch 22.

                                                                       2 crazy boys

 A view of the front of the house. The trees in front of it are so amazing. They are huge and unique. Mom-you have to come here in the springtime. His flower gardens are supposed to be spectacular!

 We met up at a park w/ the Player's for some lunch. They provided it and it was delicous! Thanks again guys! So good to see you!

                                                                  The classic silly pic

 Back at the Shafer's. Eliza spent ALOT of time in the baby exersaucer. It was pretty funny. And convenient!

                                      Doug chillin' w/ the 2 thumb-suckin' babies w/ their "lovies."

Thanks again guys for having us! It was such a fun time and the kids loved your backyard full of random play-things!