soccer

Charlie gets it.
He's been playing very well this year.

Jane is improving.

In baby steps

Maggie? Well she is her own special something.

One thing is for sure, she shows major signs of a girl who misses her Dad each week. Today she wouldn't let go of the coaches hand. He didn't seem to mind.

jEenYUs

you can click on this picture to make it bigger.

if you can read this story than you might be a complete genius.

for all of the rest of you... let me interpret it.

Jane and Maggie

were walking

down the street

from the market

they got lots

of food. A little

girl walked by

she was

very poor. Jane and Maggie

gave her

some food.

I can't believe you couldn't figure that out, guess you're not a genius.

prayer

janes prayer tonight at the dinner table went something like this.....

.....and bless Corbin and Nate to be safe on their missions and bless that grandpa won't die and bless that Charlie will stop always teasing the girls, and bless that Dad won't get mad and bless that Bernie will stop barking at the people walking by outside (about this time was when I started rubbing my forehead) and bless that Mom won't get a headache and bless that Charlie will close his eyes and be reverent and bless that Maggie will stop getting on every one's nerves and bless that she will put her fork down and fold her arms and bless that she will stop eating until after the prayer is finished and bless that she will listen to me right now (this is when Mike intervened and said "don't forget to bless the food")

At this point we were able to move forward and finish the prayer. Can you tell she had her eyes open?

Her prayers are always long and entertaining

puffy cheeks

My sister told me to tell my children that I know when they are lying because their cheeks puff out. So now when they begin to tell a big fib they try to hold their cheeks or suck them in or just become very self conscious of their cheeks. She's a genius.

You can watch this old video of Jane. She is trying to convince me that her teacher wants me to buy her new play dough. It really doesn't matter what she is saying, just watch her struggle to get it out.

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

St. Patty

Word

peace

All dressed up for school on Friday. Worth a picture

Character Crazed

We have many highlights from our trip but some of the extra fun was that our neighbors were down in Florida when we were and so we were able to join up with them for two of our days. I didn't take my camera along but was able to get a few shots on my phone. Sadly I seemed to miss any pictures of Miss LeighAnne. And most of this post exclude Charlie too. He was way too cool to stop and take pictures with the characters. Woody, Mike, Kimber, Jessie, Mr. Bill, Jane, Maggie &William

Rabbit, Jane, Maggie & Alice in Wonderland




Jane, Chip, Dale & Maggie




Handy Many, William, Maggie & Jane









I happen to love this video of Jane, Maggie and William watching the Beauty and Beast play. It captures why it's so fun to take your kids to Disney.

Two Miracles

We received our first snowfall yesterday. Miracle. It was just enough to be able to play in and the second miracle is that they didn't cancel school today. Nothing stuck to the streets but that has never stopped them before. So I call that perfect. The neighborhood kids got off the bus, put on their snow gear and played until dark. So much fun. Charlie - did most of his sledding standing up
Jane & Garrison

Carys, Jane & Mags trailing behind

Mags

Patrick , Cooper & Charlie

Maggie, Jane & Carys

Miss Cyndi & Mr. Daniel

Charlie

Finally, something worthy to blog about.

Happy New Year!

I am a genius.

We rang in the new year at 8:00 pm.
We had our own countdown. Followed by banging on pots, kissing, hugging and one firework.
Then we put the kids to bed and watched a movie.
Perfect New Years Celebration if you ask me.

So to further prove what a great mother I am I have included all of these things that my children already know or can do.
Here goes......
Everything. Yep they already know everything.
Babysitters. Don't need them.
Sure my children are 7,5 &3. They don't need babysitters they can take care of themselves.
Driving. Charlie can do it. He told me so. "It's easy."
Baths. Don't need them. They're never dirty.
Jane can do a whole number of things like take care of bear cubs. She does it all of the time. Or she loves to go to her special room and play with her horse (it's real) and her polar bear (totally real) and her penguins. (real) Which by the way are so funny and they do the funniest things.
Maggie has been independent since she was 14 months old. So I'm quite possibly the best mother I've ever heard of.

Ode To Great Aunt Anne

Aunt Anne is Grandpa Ivan's sister.

Aunt Anne is one stylish lady.

I didn't know that her fabulous hairstyles have all been wigs.

(I've been in the family 12 years and this was news to me).

So when we were visiting Grandma and Grandpa this summer and Aunt Anne would take her wig off. One of my children would pick it up and put it on. Well the other day the girls received a package from their sweet Aunt Anne.

It may be one of the coolest packages ever!

Yep, you know it!

A box full of Aunt Anne's wigs.

We are talking about 9 wigs in assorted colors and styles.

This is heaven in the dress up world.

(and I only included all of these shots because janie's face made me smile in everyone)

Family Fun

Family Home Evening brings out the best or worst in me. I don't know about the rest of you but there never seems to be an in between. Last week was a good one. (well for me anyway) We made carmel apples and the kids were in heaven. I layed in bed that night explaining to my husband that if I were that patient all of the time I think that the whole family would always be happy. Jane and Charlie

Maggie, Jane & Charlie
preparing the apples

success with the popsicle stick

It was a good night

Janes Quotes

Jane "Mom look at all of these ladies wearing buttoonies" (bikini's)

"I'm going to go pout on my nose"

"What?"

"Mom, it's a polite way of saying I need to go potty."

I didn't bother correcting her because it's funnier when she does it her way. She says it all of the time now. I still laugh when I hear it.

Getting out of the shower my daughter was staring at my beautiful bottom. I knew it was coming and she said, "mom how come your bottom is so big?"
"well, because I ate too many cookies when I was little."
She took my answer and then I could see her processing it. Suddenly panic struck her face as she said "did I eat too many cookies?"

"sewiously?"

In church during the Sacrament Jane grabbed two pieces of bread and popped them into her mouth. When I gave her the look she leaned over and whispered, "but I really wanted to remember Jesus two times".

"My hands are always trying to make me not modest. They keep picking out the clothes and putting them on me."

VBS

The kids were invited to Vacation Bible School. The theme was Beach Blast and it was true to its name. I think this was the first church experience that Charlie would look forward to. Of course that did have a lot to do with the fact that they played sports outside. Jane did a fish craft to remind her of when Jesus fed the multitude.
Charlie made a treasure box that says "God's promises are my treasure"
Inside there are different scriptures.

Maggie learned about baby Jesus and was able to hold and take care of little baby dolls.

At the end of each night the kids gathered for singing, dancing and a "wrap up the evening" story.

Gracie, Jane and Maggie

Someone and Mags

So there was a very favorite song that none of us can get out of our head. Here's the chorus for you.

uh uh uh A Admit to God that you are a sinner.

bu bu bu bu B Believe that Jesus is Gods only son.

su su su su C Commit yourself to the Lord above and ask him to fill you up with his love.

When you become a Christian hope is easily found cause when you hit rock bottom you'll land on solid ground.

Back to School

Back to school is awesome. Charlie started first grade yesterday. New classmates, new teacher and his very own desk. We are excited for all of the things he will learn this year.

Cooper, Patrick & Charlie
I think Charlie has spent the whole last month with these boys. They are good kids and all live close enough to play, play, play.

Today Jane is beginning her kindergarten adventure. She is lucky to start her day with her best friend Carys.

Jane and Carys

Jane, Mike, Charlie & Maggie

Jane wasn't scared. Just excited which made the good bye's easy. Had she been scared then I probably would have broken into tears.

Maggie and I will begin our very own adventures today.

Family Funnies

I've been saving up. I try to record them as they come along.. here's what I've collected over the last few months.

Charlie: "I can't wait to tell everyone at school about my stitches"

Mom: " yeah, you can tell them how brave you were and that you didn't even cry."

Charlie: "I'm not going to say that. Whenever you tell me what to say, I never say it. You're not in my brain. Besides, you don't ever make sense."

Maggie

"Mom, go over to that guy, I want to talk to him."

(so like an idiot, i walk over to the nice man working at sears)

"My daughter just wanted to talk to you" I say.

He looked at Maggie with a smile and she replied.

"You're hair is crazy and nasty."

He looked at me. I looked at her in pure embarrassment and anger and she lifted up her arms and said "what? is that not nice to say?"

I love my children's bottoms. They are cute and squishy and I like to squeeze them. The other day Maggie was getting on my last nerve and she knew it. After she started to boss me around, I gave her the look. She saw my face, turned around, stuck out her little rear end and said, "you can squeeze my bottom if you want to mom."

Charlie and Jane

I was bending down in my pajamas and I could feel that they were sagging. Jane said "uh mom, your pants are too small". Charlie quickly jumped in and said "Jane that isn't' nice, mom is still growing".

While at Cabella's Jane was laughing and pointing at the gopher that they had posed with it's head in a hole and bottom in the air.
Charlie turned to her and said "Jane stop laughing. You are not being nice to nature."

Jane was singing another great made up song. Here is an excerpt

" Jesus loves me. Jesus widiculous loves me"

So clearly neglecting the third child is alive and well. I totally thought that Maggie knew her ABC's. She is three and I've heard her sing them a million times. But just the other day we were face to face singing the ABC's here's what I heard..."A B C D E F G H I J K an I need to go P, Q R S T U V W X Y and Z" Of course I had her repeat it and we will be working a little harder on our ABC's.

Dance Recital

Jane danced her little heart out the other night at her recital. Her class performed to the LeeAnne Rhymes song "Blue"

Jane and Charlie

Paisley, Carys, Jane, Dayton, Paige, Aleah

Jane, Carys Dayton

Aleah, Paisley, Jane, Carys, Dayton

Carys, Jane & Maggie

After the performance Charlie and Dad each gave her some roses. She felt very special and hasn't stopped talking about the event. She's been wearing her little costume ever since. I don't know if I will sign her up for soccer again. The season just ended and she didn't get the joy out of it as she does with dancing. She's in a happy place with dancing.

No Pool Party

Memorial weekend we usually hit the beach. Charlie's cast squashed that idea real quick. We had to come up with something to deal with the high temps and humidity. So we hand neighbors, sprinklers, kiddie pool and a good old homemade slip n slide.We wrapped Charlie's arm up pretty good
Charlie & Cooper


Mags & William

Carys, Patrick & Jane

Cyndi, Kimber, Kim & LeighAnne

not even close to beach fun but we had a good time together