Mom, I love you because you make me green beans and asparagus!

Thanks everyone for leaving those experimental comments on my last post. I think we're up and running again.

This week is Spring Break for our kids. Unfortunately, we've had kind of nasty windy weather most of the week, so we've mostly just hung out together at home...played with play-doh, done puzzles, had extra piano lessons. They might be a little disappointed but for me, it's been great. I've realized that I have about 90% more things to laugh about when kids are home all day. Really truly, my life would be boring without them. I'd probably just paint and change my furniture around all day... very dull stuff like that.





I love when the three oldest are in deep conversation together without a clue that I'm listening. Here's what I've overheard recently from Claire, the affectionate sweetie, Ty the only BOY who's trying to find his way among numerous sisters, and Maggie, the wise and all-knowing teacher:

Claire: Ty, I LOVE you! I'm going to MARRY you.

Ty: Ewwwww. No way!

Maggie: You can't marry Ty! Brothers and sisters and cousins aren't allowed to marry eachother. If they do, their kids will be bald and only have ONE eye.

Not sure she can document that, but I think we'll just go on letting them believe it.

It might be a bit early to start talking Christmas lists, but we try to be on the ball around here. I try to get the kids thinking early so they have time to cut and revise if they change their mind. That way we can eliminate lists such as this one...hopefully.

Ty: Mom, I have 53 cents! One quarter, 2 dimes, 1 nickel, and 3 pennies.
Me: Oh yeah? Can you count it out loud for me?

Then Ty proceeds to count his change in this crazy order: The nickel, one penny, the quarter, a dime, another penny, another dime, and the last penny.

Me: Good! You want me to show you a MUCH easier way to count your change? (I thought I was about to enlighten him)

Ty: Oh, I know. Start with the biggest amount first and then count the smaller coins. But Mom... I'm trying to challenge myself.

What?! Seriously, I don't know where this kid came from. You know me...always trying to find the easy way out. No challenge neccessary.

It's a fact - I'm a cow...and apparently I smell like one too, according to one very honest 3 year-old. I was holding Claire on my lap, having a nice morning cuddle when all of the sudden she gets the unpleasant crinkled up nose look and says, "I smell Lily. It smells like milk. Take a shower."

Well, thank you very much. That's just what I wanted to hear this morning. Cows are nice animals...I guess.

So, what do you do when your 4 year-old, in a moment of frustration, blurts out "oh, suck!"? I never say that. Reas never says that. Where do they come up with this? All he watches is Nick Jr. and I don't recall Diego ever using that kind of language! I have to admit I actually laughed out loud because it sounded so ridiculous coming out of his mouth. Then after thinking twice, we had a good little talk about nice language. I asked him where he heard that and he claimed, "I didn't even know it was a word." yeah, right. He was letting one of his little friends off the hook! Or his sister...

You know that white, thick skin on oranges that your kids will never eat? I've discovered why!!
Today while trying to convince Claire to eat her orange, she said, "I don't want the cheese!"
Umm... I wouldn't eat it either.

Let me tell you about our Ty. This kid is ALWAYS obsessed with one thing or another. And when I say obsessed, I mean OBSESSED. If he's not sleeping or sitting on the toilet he's wholeheartedly engaged. Usually, and unfortunately he absorbs himself into some activity that is not slightly productive in the least, and I do try to set some limits. Some such obsessions have been PBSKids.com, War and Slap Jack (the day we left for CA Maggie happily announced, "At least now we won't have to play cards with Ty!), Connect Four, Chutes and Ladders, cutting paper into microscopic pieces, etc. etc. Occasionally, he'll take a liking to things that are at least a little bit mentally stimulating. Such as putting together puzzles over and over and over, announcing the time while walking past any and EVERY clock, memorizing his math doubles and writing them down ALL DAY LONG. His list of obsessions goes on.

Currently our crazy 4 year-old has discovered a new found interest. One that is rather impressive, I think, although I admit I'm slightly biased. He has set himself to the task of exploring all angles and points of doctrine of the Resurrection. Here are some of the questions he's asked me in the last 2 days.

If EVERYONE and EVERYTHING will be resurrected will people and dinosaurs be together?
Why did Jesus have to DIE for us to be resurrected?
If I die while I'm still a kid, will I be a kid or a grown-up when I'm resurrected?


I'm beginning to think our FHE lessons have probably been boring the poor kid to death...silly lessons like sharing and service and other such simple ideas.


Move on over Laura. We may have a new Gosple Doctrine teacher in the making.

it would have been last night! We packed up the kids and headed out to a church basketball game that Reas was playing in. There were tons of kids there and I happened to be the lucky wife that decided to actually come rather than just send my kids with Dad. So guess who was babysitter for the night? So that isn't part of my story, but "you're welcome" to all you Hidden Canyon Ward moms who got the night off. So here's the real story. Claire has a little friend Emery who she thinks is just "so coot and so little" ( you have to say it in a high pitched, scrunchy nosed voice to get the whole effect). Claire and Emery were feeling rather affectionate last night and kept hugging eachother. How cute, I thought. When the hugs were no longer enough, they started kissing... a lot. maybe a little gross, but still cute I guess. I looked away from them for a second and then turned back to them just in time to see Emery looking like she was about to throw up and Claire, who was looking equally traumatized was saying "eeeew tongue!" She was making that throaty noise like she had swallowed a hair or something. Their faces were so classic. I'm sorry you'll just have to imagine it. But I'm thinking they probably won't be kissing anymore and hopefully their friendship will recover properly.