Un-newsworthy News

Nothing very interesting has been happening around here, which why I had nothing to share for the C. Wm. Scoresby Family Chronicles. But here is some news that isn't really news for your reading pleasure.


- I fished a dead bug out of Grace's mouth this morning.

- Andrew's new frequently repeated phrase is "Then what?" It goes like this:
 
   Me: Pull up your pants.
   A: Then what?
   Me: Then flush the toilet and wash your hands.
   A: Then what?
   Me: Then you can go back to playing.
   A: Then what?
   Me: Then I don't care what you do.
   A: Why?

- Lauren and Andrew's newest game is called "Doggie School." From what I can tell, it consists of shutting yourself in the bathroom and running around yelling, "Parent pickup! Parent pickup!"

He still likes ice cream, but that's not news.

-Lauren took some pictures of the microwave microwaving.

She also talked Santa's ear off.

-I made some wheat, dairy, egg, soy, seafood, and peanut free muffins for Preston, and Lauren was kind enough to take a picture. These are chocolate banana muffins with chia seeds, coconut oil, and buckwheat flour. They're not bad, but I would never make them this way just for fun.

I caught Andrew mid-sneeze in this picture and I just think it's funny.

That's the "excitement" around here. What's happening at your house?

Grace at 7.5 months

Grace doesn't get very much attention on the blog; actually, the blog doesn't get much attention anymore, but it's Grace's fault. She continues to be the most difficult child of our three, although I would venture to guess that she still is not as difficult as some of yours were, not to mention any names...

Anyway, she is doing well and here are some pictures. She's officially the fattest of the three, but she wears it well.

Hanging out with her BFF.

She is getting really good at picking things up and getting them in her mouth, which is great in that it means I can just throw some puffs or soft food on her high chair tray to keep her occupied while I cook, but not great in that it means I have to step it up as far as cleaning the floors goes. She has already choked on pieces of leaf a couple of times. 

Pictures of Andrew Sleeping

Ace stopped taking regular naps a year ago because I didn't want to fight him every day. I probably should have fought through it and at least made him do some quiet time in his room. Heaven knows I could use some quiet time away from him now. He still falls asleep in the afternoons sometimes, though, and in some interesting positions.

Too tired to get dressed

You know you're tired when you fall asleep on the wood floor.

I should put him in time out more often.

He might exceed the height limit.

These two can't keep away from each other. They were so happy to be reunited in the same room when Grandpa came to visit.

Next post:  Pictures of Grace Not Sleeping

Quote

I finally started reading Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling. At the rate I'm going, I might have it finished by the time we start studying church history in 2017. It's a little slow right now. But I did want to share a quote I liked from Asael Smith, Joseph's grandfather. I went ahead and modernized the spelling and punctuation.

Wherefore, my dear children, I pray, beseech, and adjure you by all the relations and dearness that hath ever been betwixt us, and by the heart rending pangs of a dying father, whose soul hath been ever bound in the bundle of life with yours, that you know one another, visit (as you may) each other, comfort, counsel, relieve, succor, help, and admonish one another, and while your mother lives, meet her (if possibly once every year). When she is dead, pitch on some other place; if it may be, your older brother's house; or if you cannot meet, send to and hear from each other yearly, and oftener if   you can, and when you have neither father nor mother left, be so many fathers and mothers to each other. So you shall understand the blessing mentioned in the 133 Psalm. 


I think this was Mom's greatest wish for us. It's hard to do, seeing as the six of us live in six different states, but about whom else can you say that your "soul hath been ever bound in the bundle of life with yours?" Fortunately, we have more technology and easier means of communication and travel than was available in Joseph's day, and I hope we use it as much as is practical for us.

By the way, I don't mean this as a thinly veiled attempt to guilt you all into visiting us here in Boston, although I would be thrilled if you did!

Birthday Girl

We celebrated Lauren's 6th birthday quietly at home and it was very nice. She picked out a strawberry cake on Pinterest and I didn't cut any corners making it.  I made my own cake flour, sifted it, warmed up the eggs, and followed the directions to a T.

 I used a pie plate for one of the layers, and the cakes fell apart a bit coming out of the pans despite my cutting parchment circles and greasing and flouring them, but it was delicious anyway. It was also quite labor intensive.  A labor of love, of course.

 She requested pizza for her birthday dinner. Also delicious.

 Sorry about the diapers in the background. And the fly swatter.

We surprised Lauren by giving her a guitar for her birthday. Our goal is for both of us to be good enough to accompany a sing along at the reunion next summer. 

And now, six words that describe Lauren:  gregarious, precocious, boisterous, tall, creative, fun.

Kids Are Funny - Andrew-isms

About three years ago, I wrote a post called Lauren-isms, about some of the funny things she says. She still says funny things, but they're funny in a different way. Andrew says some pretty funny things now too, like the following.

- He frequently refers to a  "mystery bandit." Whenever we can't find something, he tells me "Maybe the mystery bandit took it."

- Instead of "yes" or "no," he prefers to say "yeperee" or "noperee."

- When I tell him something, he'll often respond with, "Huh? Me not know dat."

- He is somewhat obsessed with the number one hundred. Conversations like the following are common:

A: How long until we get there?
Me: Oh, two or three minutes.
A: Maybe one hundred minutes!


- He calls the cup holder on his seat in the car his "water circle."  That one's my favorite.

Friday Favorites

Just so that you have a something to read and a reason to leave a comment, here is a little favorites quiz for you.

What is your favorite...


1. Ice cream flavor?

2. PBS Kids show?

3. Harry Potter book?

4. Food blog?

5. Bathroom cleaner?

6. Type of M&Ms?

7. Quick weeknight meal?

8. Sacrament hymn?

9. Stain Remover?

10. Sister?





And here are my answers...

1. Cookies and Cream, unless we're at Peaceful Meadows, then Black Raspberry

2. Curious George, but I also like Super Why

3. It's close between #1 and #7, but I think #7 gets the edge. I cried.

4. Mel's Kitchen Cafe

5. My own homemade cleaner

6. Crispy

7. Nachos

8. How Great the Wisdom and the Love

9. OxiClean Max Force Spray

10. I love them all equally, of course

Word to the wise

This...

...leads to this...

Just in case you ever consider taking half a watermelon out of our fridge and eating the whole thing with your hands on the kitchen floor.

Kids are Funny - Part Two

Remember when videos of Lauren were cute, like these? Now they're more like this.

By the way, I have about 300 more videos just like this on the ipad. She is in her pajamas in many of them, has a dirty face in the majority of them, and her hair is a mess in all of them.

Kids are Funny - Part One

If his own shoes are not right in front of him, he puts on whatever shoes he can find and heads out to play.

Baby Smiles and Chubby Cheeks

My Plan to Get Back in Shape

I gained exactly the same amount of weight with Grace that I did with Lauren and Andrew. It has been increasingly difficult with each child, however, to lose all of the weight. I didn't really even have to try with Lauren, but I haven't lost any weight since Grace was about two weeks old, so it is going to take a lot of effort to lose the chub this time around. My plan to do that is as follows:

I got back into exercising with Hasfit's 30-day Beginner's Program. It was a good way to get back into the habit of exercising and develop some strength back. The videos are short and low impact (no jumping around), which makes them doable for newly postpartum women, but still effective. After three weeks of that program, I knew I needed something more challenging, so I started the 30 Day Challenge to Get in Shape. I am one week in, and appropriately sore, so I think it's just about right for me. When I complete this, I'll probably be ready for Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.

Of course, as Coach Kozak frequently reminds me, exercise is only half the battle. I also have to eat right, which is a bigger challenge for me. I have gotten into the habit of eating a salad with chicken or hard boiled egg for lunch, and breakfast and dinner are generally pretty healthy. It's the mid- to late-afternoon snacking that gets me, and exercising moderation around sweets is always challenging. It's helpful that it's summer and I don't want to turn on the oven, but really, it just requires a lot of willpower and some days are better than others.

I don't especially care about the number on the scale; my main goal is to fit comfortably into all my jeans and skirts by the time the weather turns cooler. Wish me luck.

She's worth it.

Family of Five

I found going from two to three kids much easier than going from one to two was. I'm not sure why - the fact that Preston has been around more has definitely been helpful, and I think I've just learned to have low expectations and simplify as much as possible.

It may just be selective remembering, but Grace seems to cry more and sleep less than the others did. Lauren was sleeping 8-9 hours a night by three months, and Andrew was sleeping 10 hours a night, getting up once by the time he was four months. She has been working on sucking her thumb, so I'm hopeful about the future.

The following pictures are in reverse chronological order. As you can see, a month ago, it was difficult to get a picture of her with her eyes open; now the opposite is true.

Being a family of five necessitated that we finally move up to a minivan. Despite our recent issues with Chevy, we ended up with another red Chevy. Lauren loves having the backseat to herself and they both love the DVD player. Also, for the first time in 7.5 years, we are a two car family, at least until the red car finally kicks the bucket. Sunday mornings are much less stressful now. 

Twenty Questions #2

Remember this post? Well, here are twenty questions Andrew has asked over the past few days, or maybe just the past few minutes.

1. Why?
2. Why?
3. Why?
4. Why?
5. Why?
6. What dat for?
7. Why?
8. Why?
9. Why?
10. Why?
11. Why?
12. Gracie done now?
13. Why?
14. Why?
15. Why?
16. Why?
17. Why?
18. You pay wit me now?
19. Why?
20. Why?

At least he's consistent, right?

Month of milestones

It has been a big month for Andrew, with lots of firsts.

First dentist visit. He liked it, and the hygienist even told me I don't have to bother flossing his back teeth.

He finally got into his big bed. So far, so good, except for the very early waking, which I think has more to do with how early it is getting light. 

He also had his first pee and poop on the potty. No pictures, you're welcome. It is definitely going to be a long road to potty trained, but I'm glad we at least have that behind us.

In his spare time, Andrew has been playing choo choo trains many hours a day and demanding that I play with him. The only problem is that I am not allowed to touch the trains and he is always telling me to move out of the way. Little stinker.

Snow! (UPDATE)

Update: The foot of snow Sunday and Monday turned into two feet. Snow days are now up to 8. We are running out of paper. Flakes are flying around outside despite the forecast being clear for today and there are a possible 3-6 inches Thursday into Friday.

We had been having a pretty mild winter...up to last week. Then Blizzard 2015 hit, then a few days later, another 2 or 3 inches, then this past Monday another 10 inches. Lauren has had 5 snow days with a good possibility of a couple more next week. The following week, of course, is Winter Vacation. Heaven help me.

Some pictures.

I looked out the window the morning of the blizzard to see how much snow there was. It was hard to tell. 

After we shoveled out the driveway and the sidewalks, we shoveled out the windows. 

The backyard. There are stairs under that rail and a stone wall. 

Our driveway tunnel. Buried bushes.

Our house is intelligently designed with the front door on the opposite side of the house from the driveway. So we get to walk through this tunnel to get to the driveway. 

The master at work. He's put a lot of miles on his snow blower this month.

"Mom, take a picture of me."  

 Guess what?  There's snow in the forecast next week!  Early reports say another foot Sunday through Tuesday.  We can't wait!