Dad's Phone

They still LOVE playing with Dad's phone. They get 20 minutes of phone time if they finish reading and instrument practice. I have a love/hate relationship with the phone. I don't like hearing them whine for time on it. I don't really like seeing them vegetate while they are playing it. I do like the quiet time it brings. I also like seeing them lay close to each other without any poking, pulling, or pestering.

I knew it would happen someday...

...but I didn't think an older brother would be involved. Nicholas and Estella cut her hair while I was taking a nap (I guess that means I should stop taking naps?). They were supposed to be having 'rest time' in their separate rooms. I have been too lax on enforcing the separate room rule because I like it that they want to be together playing. It hasn't been a problem until this. I still don't know exactly what happened...who's idea it was, who actually wielded the scissors...but I suspect it was Nicholas. He says she did it, she says he did it...either way it was done and her hair was chopped to the shoulder on one side and to the ear on the other. They left the back alone, fortunately. I woke up from my nap, rested and happy, oblivious to the mischief that had taken place. Neither one of them said anything and nothing seemed amiss. I didn't notice until about an hour later when I had a few minutes to comb Essie's hair (yes it was in the afternoon and I hadn't combed it yet). I started combing and immediately discovered the damage. I asked Estella what happened to her hair and she offhandedly said that Nicholas did it. I looked over to Nicholas and his face was beet red and he wouldn't look at me. I'm sorry to admit that I then lost my temper and yelled, "Nicholas what did you do? Where did you cut her hair?" He said she did most of it and that they did it in his room. I rushed in his room and couldn't see any hair anywhere. I asked where the hair was. He produced a cup full of hair that had been hidden under his bed...sneaky. After thinking for a while, I decided on this punishment. A little old fashioned, but I couldn't think of anything else that seemed appropriate. I ended up cutting her hair a few days later to her shoulders. She looks like a different little girl. I love her short hair...it is darling. It is definitely easier to take care of. I will post pictures soon.

Preschool

Jackson happened to stop in at home while I was teaching preschool and he took a few pictures. I was reluctant to put them on here for a couple of reasons. 1. I am still in my running clothes, which also means I am sweaty, stinky, and unshowered. At least I got in the run, right? 2. Being unshowered, I have unbrushed hair, no makeup and broken glasses on. In some of the pictures you will notice how crooked my glasses are. If you look close, you may even see the black electrical tape that is holding the left earpiece on. Estella got ahold of them about a month ago and completely broke it off. There are so many other things to spend our limited money on right now, that new glasses will have to wait...probably a long time. After evaluating these reasons, I decided it was more important to have an appearance in our family journal than it was to worry about the way I looked. I do want my kids to see that their mother did exist when they look through the photo albums. In fact, I think I will make it a point to appear in more pictures. For future reference the kids in this circle are (clockwise beginning with me) Thomas, Essie, Jesse T., Hannah B., Lincoln L., Taylor R., Eddison D., Kaylen S., and Nicholas. Yes, when I teach preschool I have 10 children for 2 1/2 hours (including Alexander). I am always tired when I am finished, but it is worth it.

Sleepy Bouncer

I promise he was happily bouncing just minutes before this happened. I glanced over to check on him and this is how I found him. He would rouse every now and then and do a couple of half hearted bounces before nodding off again. I took him right to his bed for a nap (after a few pictures of course).

Fillmore Visit

We went to Fillmore a couple of weekends ago to meet my brother's fiance and our new sister/aunt Kaci. She and Jake will be getting married in less than a month in Salt Lake. Life was busy as usual and we couldn't get away until Friday late morning and we had to come back Saturday evening, but it was completely worth it just to meet sweet Kaci before she and Jake tie the knot.

Saturday we convinced everyone to walk to 'the crick' with us. It really is a creek, but everyone calls it 'the crick.' I can't remember the details, but I remember being really shocked when I discovered that the correct word was creek not crick....oh the beauty of living in a small country town :) Of course, the boys spent the entire time throwing rocks into the water. The little boys threw little rocks and the big boys threw big rocks.

Estella drank a punch bag and LOVED it!

Jake likes it when I take pictures that show off his big muscles, so I took a lot for him! The kids were running around searching for big rocks. When they found a big one they would start jumping up and down saying, "Uncle Jake, Uncle Jake, throw this one!"

When Nicholas suggested this rock I thought there was no way Jake would even attempt it. I should have known that Jake loves a challenge. He enlisted Jackson's help and they tried to get it rolling.

They did pretty well, but it was too much for them so Grandpa came to add his muscles to the party.

"Lift with your legs, not your back!"

They took a second to regroup and strategize.

Then...

Over the hump and down she went, crashing into the water.

There is now a monument to the brute strength of the Groesbeck family standing proud in the middle of 'the crick.'

Thomas found an old gear of some sort in the water. It is now sitting in our garage...

Aunt Jamie and baby A.

Aunt Kaci and Baby A.

Uncle Jake and Baby A.

We drove home after dinner Saturday, so we got the kids in their pajamas before we left to make the transfer into bed easier. I requested a picture of my kids and Grandma and Grandpa before we left.

Thanks Mom and Dad for letting us come. Thanks Jake, Jamie and Kaci for driving down to be with us! I can't wait to see everyone again at the wedding!