MERRY CHRISTMAS

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

My cursing 2 year old

Dane, my 2 year old can't pronounce the "s" sound - it comes out as the "F" sound. This has become a bit of a problem lately. I took the kids to Michael's the other day because I needed to get a few supplies to finish some bow orders - I bribed them with suckers at the end if they were good. It was crazy busy, and the lines were all at least 5 people deep. As soon as we got in line, Dane's eyes wondered up to the counter where he saw suckers. He remembered my promise, and knew he's been good -he decided it was time for his treat and tuned to me yelling "Mommy!!*ucker!! The look on the surrounding peoples faces was priceless. He said it with such passion and volume, that everyone in all 4 lines heard him. As he passionately repeated himself - getting louder and louder, I tried hard not to laugh. In front of me were two older women giving me the most disgusted look. I'm sure they were thinking, what kind of mother is this, letting her 2 year old use such fowl language - no wonder our youth are such a mess!! Finally I was able to pull myself together and I had to explain to everyone in the line, that me son was not cursing, but rather that he can't pronounce "S" - it comes out as "F". He is not vulgar - rather he just wants a treat. It did take some a few minutes to figure all that out, but then they all joined in in my laughing, and the women in front of us quickly changes their expressions.
The next day, my mom and I took the kids to see Santa, and we were talking in the car about what the boys were going to ask Santa for. Brock, of course - transformers and Dane - first said "*ucker" but then changed his mind to M&M's (he's my happy eater:) Brock turned to him and said, "No Dane, you said sucker, you need to tell Santa that you want a sucker." Dane - turned to Brock, and with great passion yelled, "No Fucker, M&M's" He continues making this declaration to his brother until both my mom and I were crying from trying to hold in the laughter. Thank God my boys don't know that it's a curse word, and they really are being innocent. Brock thought we were laughing because Dane only wants candy, no toys. I realized at this point I had to work hard with Dane to NOT say what he didn't want (A *ucker), but only what he did want; M&M's when he talked to Santa. We practiced enough, and Dane stuck to the game plan - we avoided offending Santa, so we think he still plans on giving us a visit Christmas Eve:)


Poor Briley had fallen asleep and got woken up to see Santa - she was not happy:(

Juicy

So my sister-in-law Lina used to work in the children's department at Nordstrom - I don't know how she did it - I would have spent my entire paycheck and then some on clothes for the kids. Being surrounded by all those cute clothes for hour after hour - I would have caved. Anyways, when Briley was born, she brought this cute Juicy sweatsuit to the hospital. I'm so excited - it finally fits:) Thanks again Lina - we LOVE it.

The Force Is Strong With This One

Looks like Dane and Brock aren't our olny Jedi's:)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I'm finally BACK:)

Our computer has been broken for about a week now. I had no idea how much I used the internet until now. It's been horrible - I feel so unconnected to the outside world - maybe I need to get out more:) Let me try to catch up - alot has happend in the past week.
First, the night in the tent... Dane was ready for his own bed by 9. He's my sleeper and he was ready for bed. Brock however is our night owl if we let him, and he was driving his sleepy brother crazy with all his talking. Brock staying in the tent alone until 10:30 when he decided to crawl into his own bed. It's now a week later, and the tent is still up in the landing. The boys love playing in it so much that I havn't taken it down yet.

Second, we had a COOKIE PARTY last week with some friends and their little ones. We usually exchange Christmas gifts with the kids, but we decided this year, with things being so tight that we'd have a cookie/sweet party instead. The kids had a great time... lots and lots of sugar:) These pics are of Heather and her two (Avah and Brenan), Desi, Brock, Dane, Briley and Denise with her little one, Sadie.





Thirdly, we went camping last weekend. We took our motorhome to Anaheim and camped next to Disneyland, and then Pop and Weezie (Bobby's parents) joined us for a fun, cold day at Disneyland. The last time we went Dane was just a baby. The kids LOVED it - I have to admit, I think all 4 adults did too.








I also made a smilebox of the day

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

While we were in Disneyland, my boys saw Jedi swords.... oh they just HAD to have them. We'd promised them that they could each choose a small toy to get to remember our fun day - of course they had to choose a weapon:) This is a picture of Dane in the motorhome that night with his sword. The next day at home, I was unloading the dishwasher when I heard a funny sound. I guess it had been going on for a while but I just hadn't noticed due to the clanking of unloading the dishes. My little Jedi, I dicovered, had decided to take his new sword into battle with the Christmas tree. It's amazing how much damage a plastic sword can do on glass ornaments. I think the final count was 14 shattered balls. I'm sure you can only imaging the anount of glass. So, I just have to say - Christmas morning is going to be a bit dangerouse at our house - I really tried, but I know I didn't get all the broken pieces out of the gifts. I'll have bandages and tweezers ready and waiting.

The Tent

So I took little Miss Briely and we headed out to do some stocking shopping while the boys stayed home with Daddy and took a nap. When we returned, we found the tent (that we'd set aside to sell at the garage sale since our family out grew it) up in the family room. Before I left, we'd built a fort out of sofa pillows, but apparently that kept falling down, so Daddy had a better idea. The kids LOVED it-so much, that they begged us to let them sleep in it tonight. I wasn't too excited about the boys being alone downstairs all night - I can ONLY IMAGINE what they'd get into, and our house is way too big, we'd never hear a thing.



So we decide to compromise. We have a space on our landing that was suppose to be our library with book shelves and desks, but that project hasn't happened, so we have the perfect tent space:) -in the hall between the boys rooms and ours, with a baby gate blocking the way downstairs for Mr. 2 go on 16 year old - Dane. I filled the tent with blankets, pillows, flashlights and books so now we just have to see how it goes. I'll update tomorrow - I have a feeling around 3am we'll have a little blue eyed visitor wanting to climb in our bed:)

I've Been Tagged

Okay, so this is the third time I've been tagged... but only the first time I've responded - I think it's time:)

I've been tagged again.....
Rules: List 7 Random things or Facts about yourself.

1. I spent two summers living in Kenya Africa in the bush

2. So yes, if you think through that, no bathrooms, no running water, I didn't shower for weeks, and weeks and weeks... I tried bathing in the river - found out there were not only hippos right down stream, but giant water/land snakes that are big enough to eat cows. Then my second attempt, in a beautiful waterfall resulted in four leaches on me. So I had to stick to a bucket of muddy water all summer.

3. I ran the LA Marathon with out one walking step in just over 4 hours:)

4. I absolutely LOVE snowboarding, and spent many many weekends in Big Bear riding in college because I always had a season pass at Bear Mountain.

5. I also LOVE rock climbing and can't wait until my kiddos are old enough to learn how.

6. I speak a little Swahili - I used to be much better

7. I had 9 family members (including Corinne who's kind of family) in with me when Briley was born. I got to see Heather's first, Avah be born. I think it is one of the most amazing things in life, and I wanted to share it with the women in my family and my hubby. Thank you Dr. Channell for going against hospital policy and letting me have a cheering section:)

Smilie Briley

I just had to post a pic of my littlest one. She's been so sick for the past few weeks, and she's FINALLY starting to feel better - after 2 rounds of antibiotics.

Napping?!

So, Brock is now 4 and doesn't nap every day to my dismay. I do insist on days that he doesn't nap that he spend the time his brother is sleeping relaxing (actually calming down) by reading a book or something. I'd say he takes a real nap about 3-4 days a week (usually days he goes to preschool). Today, Tue. is not a preschool day, but I thought since he's had a pretty wild morning running around the house like a mad man, that he might actually take a nap. I needed to work on some more bows for my boutiques this week. I put the boys down, it stayed quite:) I assumed Brock had fallen asleep. After I made a few bows (new kinds - I had to add pictures - I think they're pretty cool:) I went to check on Brock - this is what I found. I put him down in jeans and a t-shirt and when I went to check on my little sleeping man... Now you can see why there are 6 superhero costumes wrapped under the Christmas tree - they all love to dress up:) You gotta love the coon hat???!!!! Power ranger, spiderman web shooter, pirates of the caribian mitten, flip flops and a coon hat??!!

CLEANIN OUT THE GARAGE

I don't even think I can put words to describe the mess our garage was in. When Bobby closed his office, tons of stuff came here - in the garage, right on top of our mess. Needless to say... we had a big job this weekend, and the boys... well they tried to help:)

BLACK FRIDAY

I can't believe it, but we did it, we joined the crazy people at 3am doing Christmas shopping. I swore I'd never do it. I never really saw the point. You can always find great deals at places like TJMax and Marshals at normal shopping hours, there's no need to wake up as some ungodly hour a shop. However, at thanksgiving yesterday, some family members were talking about the amazing deals from 4am to 6am and then from 6-1. This year we aren't really doing gifts. We decided since everyone is so tight this year, let's only do gifts for the little kids, and just enjoy each other and celebrating Jesus's birthday. But, since I have three little ones and a nephew I still needed to do a little shopping. My boys are REALLY into dressing up and transformers. So the day after Halloween i bought a ton of superhero, transformer and other costumes, and this morning at Kohl's, my husband covered the needed transformers. the plan was when the alarm went off at 3:30 I'd get up, head to Kohl's get the things we needed (which included a Christmas tree - they were 70% off) and then head home. However, Briley had other plans. She woke up at 1 am and wouldn't go back to sleep. I tried everything - the mess up in her nap schedule from Thanksgiving really messed her up. So at 3:00 when it was time to get up, Bobby had to go:) Briley freaked when I left the room. She only wanted Mommy. So, my wonderful husband headed to Kohl's at 3:15 and was greeted with over 200 other crazy people waiting in line - SOME EVEN WITH TENTS!!!! THEY'D CAMPED OUT!!! By 4 when it opened there were over 400 people in line. What the heck!!! i had no idea there were so many crazy people. When the kids and i got up at 7 Bobby had just got home, and had just finished setting up our new Christmas Tree. What a rock star Daddy he is:) We also got another fun surprise. While he was bringing in our Christmas decorations from the garage, he brought in a box with what the boys call "Our new pet, Optimus" Optimus, the mouse was let go after we decorated the tree. He was quite cute though:)

Thanksgiving Photo Shoot

This Thanksgiving we started our feasting at Uncle Brad and Aunt Amber's house. They live in Forest Falls in the mountains. They have a beautiful home that they built that over looks the waterfall. I thought it would be the perfect time to take our family picture for our Christmas cards. Their property is beautiful. They are surrounded by national forest,and like I said they look onto the huge waterfall. I thought it might even be snowing - perfect for a Christmas picture. No luck though. Instead of beautiful snow, it was 40 degrees, foggy and raining. So I had to compromise and do an indoor pic. They do have an amazing view of the waterfall from their bonus room window, so it sort of worked out. Here are a few of the crazy ones, that didn't make the cut for the Christmas card. That one will get posted once Corinne works her magic with digital scrap booking and makes it a beautiful card. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving:)

The best booger sucker ever

So, my little pixie has been sick for weeks now. We waited through a week of boogers to head to the doctors. I was really hoping she'd be able to fight it off on her own - no luck. So, then she did 9 DAYS OF AMOXACILIN - she got worse - back to the doctors, now with serious boogers and a fever - so we tried Arithamiacin - prescription if finished -boogers are still here. However, today I did have a ray of hope - she's sleeping normal again PRAISE GOD! I don't think I could have survived another day with so little sleep. The fever has been gone for about 4 days - but those dang boogers.. still here. Bri HATES to booger sucker, but it's been a necessity for her to breath. Last year around this time, when she was 7 weeks old we ended up in the hospital for 8 days. She got really sick and had pneumonia. We got out Christmas Eve. She still takes breathing treatments 3-4 times a day. Please pray this yuck stays out her her chest. But back to my point of this post. I found an eclectic booger sucker at Babies-r-us - It's a GOd send!! The suction is so light you can hardly feel it, but man does it work - AND it's easy to clean - AND it plays music to distract them - AND it has a super soft tip. Boy how times have changed - I never thought 5 years ago I'd be so excited about a booger sucker that I'd actually take the time to write about it:) Anyways, if you've got a little one with a snotty nose - I highly recommend it.

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I was checking a friends blog this evening, and she posted this prayer. I was so touched and moved that I had to add it to our site as well. What an amazing prayer. The kids and I have been doing a Proverb a day together in the morning, and we close our little Bible study with a prayer. I think tomorrow I'm going to print this out and pray this wounderful prayer with them. Parenting can be such a challenge, and I do pray with them daily that God will give me patience and wisdom, and help me be a better mommy everyday. They've heard it so much that sometimes they say it when they pray:) But, I think it's so important for them to know that I mess up too, that I need Gods's help and forgivness too. So, thanks Bridget for sharing.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Make me a better parent. Teach me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say and to answer all their questions kindly.

Keep me from interrupting them, talking back to them and contradicting them. Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me.

Give me the courage to confess my sins against my children and to ask them forgiveness when I know that I have done them wrong.

Grant that I may never vainly hurt the feelings of my children. Forbid that I should laugh at their mistakes or resort to shame and ridicule as punishment.

Let me not tempt my child to lie or steal. So guide me hour by hour that I might demonstrate by all I say and do that honestly produces happiness.

Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me. May I cease to nag, and when I am out of sorts, help me O Lord, to hold my tongue. Blind me to the little errors of my children, and help me to see the good things they do.

Give me a ready word to honest praise. Help me to grow up with my children, to treat them as those of their own age, but let me not expect of them the judgments and conventions of adults.

Allow me not to rob them of the opportunity to learn for themselves, to think, to choose and to make decisions. Forbid that I should ever punish them for my selfish satisfaction.

May I grant them all their wishes that are reasonable,
And may I have the courage always to withhold a privilege which I know will do them harm.

Make me fair and just, and considerate and companionable to my children that they will have a genuine esteem for me. Make me fit to be loved and imitated by my children.

Amen.

Author: Garry C. Myers, as quoted by Abigail Van Buren in "Dear Abbey."

"Brock's Bed"

So ever since the boys had their sleep over with Grandma Chris, Dane has been begging to sleep in Brock's bed again. So, Friday night I though why not, let's see how they do. About 20 after brushing their teeth, putting on PJ's, tucking them in and saying our prayers, I went in to check on them. Dane was up, getting books out of Brock's book shelf - Brock was in bed, dictating what books to grab. When Brock saw me, he made sure to point out that he wasn't out of bed just Dane, but Dane was only getting books for them to read. So, I helped Dane find a few books for them to read together - so freakin cute:), and helped him back in bed. It was too cute, I did spy on them a few times over the next half hour - they did "read" books together, and shared secrets, but the best... they fell asleep holding hands. Yes, I had to take a picture - I don't ever want to forget this precious night, and as I'm sure you can guess, this won't be the last time I let Daner sleep in Brock's room. They did move their hands a little when the flash went off, but it's still too cute:)

SLEEP OVER

I have to say, I think my kids are pretty lucky... they have the most amazing Great- Grandma. Grandma Chris, my grandma, is very involved with my little ones. She comes over once a week to hang out with us, and with the extra set of eyes, I'm able to get alot more cleaning done, and bow orders filled. My kids LOVE her, and really look forward to the days she comes. I swear sometimes she acts like a kid herself:) Sometimes I have to keep an eye on her, because she can never say no to my little blue eyed ones, and if given the opportunity, she has them on her back playing horsey. She doesn't seem to know that she'll be 79 next month. Monday she spent the day with us, and stayed over Monday night for a sleep over with my boys. They'd been talking about doing it for weeks, and everyone was really excited - especially Brock who LOVES to lay in bed talking and telling stories. It was also the first time Dane slept in Brock's room. These are a few pictures I took after they all fell asleep. The boys had so much fun, and I think Dane may be permanently sleeping in Brock's room. They both begged us last night, we said no, but the more we thought about it, (I think we're a little soft), the more we thought why not?! So, they don't know it yet, but if they ask, tonight will be saying yes:).... and I don't think it will be long before Grandma Chris is joining them again too.

EVACUATION

Yes, we were one of the hundreds of families who were evacuated this weekend. It's funny when you only have a few minutes to grab things, and only so much space in the car once all three kids, two dogs and a cat are in, what is really important and what goes and what stays. It started Saturday evening, we got the kids in bed and we headed to bed. It was early, but it had been a long day i had a boutique all day and Bobby had watched the kiddos:) As we laid in bed I told Bobby, that we needed a game plan if we had to evacuate. It was pretty clear that the fire was getting closer, we could see it from our bedroom window. Okay - the family albums, the scrapbooks, the home movies, some clothes, toiletries, pictures off the walls and around the house, and yes all my bows and "bowtique" stuff. We had only been talking for a few minutes when it came across the news that Vellano was being evacuated... that's us!! Game on - out of bed we jumped - it was go time. Within minutes we had a call from 911 telling us to evacuate. We back up to Carbon Canyon, and we didn't realize the fire was raging through there and coming at us from that way as well as to our south. I gotta say, I was pretty proud of us - we had all pictures, albums, important documents, videos, clothes, pets and kids in the car in record time. I headed to my mom's with the kids while Bobby stayed back. Although at about 2 am he had to leave too, the fire came just down the street. It's been a little scary, not knowing what was going on all day. They wouldn't let us anywhere near it our home, and the news coverage wasn't very good on our area. But around 6pm it came across on the Internet that they were letting residence return. Praise God, no damage:) just a stinky smokey house. So, thank you for your prayers and for all the calls offering help.