Go To Work

Neil usually leaves for work before the kids wake up in the morning and every morning they ask, "Where's Daddy?" even though they know the answer. Today Neil missed his normal bus so he was here when Sam woke up. Sam crawled in bed with me to snuggle. Neil came to the room to give me a hug and a kiss before he left and he got in bed and snuggled with us too but it was too long for Sam and after a while he sat up and said, "Daddy go to work." He was intruding on Sam's snuggle time and he did not like it. He wanted his mommy all to himself. When Neil left Sam said, "Ahhhhhhh." and resumed his favorite snuggle position.

Right the Wrong

The other morning I could hear Conner and Sam yelling at each other and then Sam came down and told me that Conner had hurt him while they were playing. I waited a bit for Conner to come down but he never did even after I called him so I went to check on him and he was in his closet bawling. I gave him a hug and asked what was wrong. He told me nothing. Conner bottles everything up inside and it's hard to get him to tell you anything (sound like anyone else you know, Nana). Finally through all the sobs he started explaining and it took a couple repeats for me to understand what he was saying but this is what I got out of it. He said he had hurt Sam and felt bad, so he prayed and asked Heavenly Father to forgive him and then he asked Sam to forgive him and Sam wouldn't. Conner was so upset because he was trying to right the wrong and Sam wouldn't let him. A few weeks ago we had this lesson in Primary and I told him I was so happy that you're using the steps of repentance and where did he learn them and he said his teacher at Grandma and Grandpa Hibbert's ward. I am so thankful for wonderful teachers who help teach my children the gospel. I love how Conner remembered all the steps and was going to make sure he did them all. He is such a good boy when it comes to following the gospel. I seriously couldn't ask for a better child. You tell him this is what we should do and there's no swaying from that. Now if only he were that way with cleaning his room. Well I guess he can't be great at everything.

Skating

We went to the Classic Fun Center last night and Conner wanted to try skating. Oh boy I wish I would have had a camera to remember how ridiculously clumsy he was at first. I had the great idea of having him hold onto the stroller with Lucy in it but the 1st time he fell he took Lucy down with him. Definitely not a good idea. We rented one of the stabilizers for him to hold on to and by the end of the night he was able to skate on his own a little bit. Sam only put the skates on for a minute and didn't like it. Mikey wouldn't even try. He would stand on the scooter while either Neil or I pushed him around the rink. I love seeing my kids learn new things. Too bad I think all the boys get their mom's athletic genes which is none. I have a hard time skating myself as an adult and Conner was holding on to me for dear life slipping and sliding all over the place while I tried to keep us up. Neil and I decided we have got to work with our kids more. Conner still cannot ride a bike without training wheels and rides very slow. Sam won't try to ride a big bike but prefers his hot wheel and Mikey can't figure out how to pedal his trike. None of the boys are very good on the scooter either. I don't think they really like them. We have a three-wheeled one that Mikey finally figured out last night but was really slow on it. I don't get it, they love to go outside and ride bikes but they are just not very good at it yet. Once again they take after their mom. I still have a hard time riding a bike. I am not very confident and get really scared when I have to make a sharp turn. I got to get some more bike helmets because we'll be needing them I'm sure.

He Came Back

I just wanted to document how the rest of Saint Patrick's Day turned out. Everyone at lunch thought Conner's sandwich was the coolest and no one told him that Leprechauns aren't real. Phew. Conner asked if the Leprechaun had struck again and I said no I think he must have went to bug some other families. When we got home Conner and Sam decided to set some traps outside because he might do something for dinner. They had the craziest ideas and were so into it. Sam kept saying that they'd come if there was gold so they were looking all over the house for real gold, but momma ain't got any, but they did find some gold trophies and Conner turned some water gold with food coloring. They also thought they should put the gold at the end of a rainbow so they had the hose going and tried to get the water at the right angle to reflect a rainbow. They put the gold in a box that was propped up with a stick tied to a rope. They hung outside waiting to catch that Leprechaun until I called them in for dinner. I got their trap making on video but will never get around to editing it. Mikey was inside helping me with dinner. I was making Chicken Fettucinni Alfredo and Mikey was stirring the sauce. I told him I had to go downstairs to get the noodles and he needed to stay and watch our food to make sure the Leprechaun didn't ruin our food. Mikey didn't stay long by himself so when he left to get a train I was able to turn the sauce and breadsticks green. I started yelling and cursing that Leprechaun which made all the kids come running in. They couldn't believe it. They were more determined than ever to catch the Leprechaun. During dinner they kept watching outside to see if the Leprechaun would fall for their trap. Neil left saying he had to go to the bathroom and climbed out the basement window and knocked their trap down and took the trophy. The kids noticed that the box had fallen and ran outside so excited to finally set their eyes on their little green trickster. When Conner lifted the box he was so disappointed and and threw his arms up in the air. I had to take this a little further and wanted to leave some chocolate gold coins for the boys that night from the Leprechaun but they were no where to be found in town. I called over 10 stores so I settled on some gold wrapped Hershey's nuggets with almonds and toffee (may be my new favorite candy). The boys had called Nana to see if she knew any ideas on how to catch the little guy and before she hung up she told me I had to turn the toilet water green. So I did and when the boys came up to get ready for bed they about died. They were so flabbergasted. Then they found their treats from the Leprechaun and decided he was a pretty decent guy who better watch out next year because they'll have their guard up. I just have to say I had the most fun on that day. I'm still chuckling over it and the boys are still talking about it 4 days later. I'm already planning for next year!

Trickster

I love celebrating holidays with food and St. Patrick's Day is no exception. I often have loftier goals than I'm able to accomplish but I still like to try. Yesterday I had planned to get everything ready for today while the little ones napped but Sam and Ty wanted me to play some games with them so I did. Ty had never played Candyland or Chutes and Ladders before. Chutes and Ladders took about 45 minutes to finish. I was going crazy ready for that blasted game to end. From numbers 92-100 there are 3 slides and we kept landing on them prolonging the game. The boys thought it was so funny while I was ready to pull my hair out. Anyway, I never got around to running my errands or making any festive food until after 9 (I had to watch American Idol). I ended up being up til 1am making cookies, green bread, jell-0, decorations. I wasn't sure if all the effort and loss of sleep would be worth it but it totally was. All week Sam has been talking about Leprechauns and how we need to set traps for them to get their gold. This morning Sam got up before I had set everything up so I was pretty bummed but then I got an idea. Sam had some cereal and then we went upstairs to wake the other kids up. I sneaked downstairs and turned the milk green. When they came downstairs, Sam went crazy. The milk was green when it was just white. I told them a Leprechaun must have snuck into our house and turned stuff green. What a silly trick he played on us. Then I went to get the bread and it was green too. I was beginning to convince skeptical Conner that maybe there was a Leprechaun. They then saw the cookies that Sam swore had white frosting on them before and now they too were green. Sam looks in the fridge and sees green jell-o. What I made strawberry jell-o last night and I was going to put bananas in it. That stinkin' leprechaun is ruining everything. Sam grabs the kiwi. Look he turned the kiwi green. Well actually those were already green son. The best was the eggs. I cracked them in front of them and then moved them to the other counter and we went upstairs to get Lucy and when we came back down they were green. They were totally hooked and began to go on a Leprechaun hunt looking everywhere. Sam kept telling me we should have set traps, we should have set traps. He also kept saying this is weird, this is very very weird. Conner was so excited to go to school and tell his classmates that a Leprechaun was at his house and turned all our food green. He had his green sandwich to prove it. I just wonder how he'll take his belief being ridiculed. Well it was fun while it lasted! I can't wait for dinner when they realize the Leprechaun has returned. It's so fun. Isn't it these little silly things, often revolving around holidays, that our kids remember when they're adults that bring back the fondest memories? Well I sure hope so.

Little Leprechauns

Today for baby school I did a lesson on Saint Patrick's Day and then Mikey and Presley made these hats. They were so excited to wear them and show Sam when we picked him up from preschool. It has been a lot of fun having Presley here this past week. It's been fun doing her hair and getting some practice in with a child who will actually sit still. Everyday she'll come up to me and give me a big hug around the legs and say things like you make the best dinners or thanks for teaching me or I love you! Those little hugs make the madness worth it. Mikey and her really get along great most of the time and Mikey was even willing to play Barbies with her as long as he was the daddy. Sam really wanted to play with the Barbies and shut himself up in his room so nobody would see him. He also had his dinosaur and star wars figures with the Barbies. I thought that was hilarious. When I found him he told me he likes playing with girl toys and boy toys. He doesn't need to worry because in another year he'll have more girl toys to play with then he knows what to do with.

Snuggle Bug

I did not, did not, did not want to take a nap today but Sam coerced me into laying down with him and of course I fell asleep. Sam is quite the snuggle bug. He likes to snuggle facing each other with our foreheads touching and then he drapes his leg and arm over me. A little too close for me. I can't stand that hot breath blowing in my face like a dragon. He'll lay like this until he is so tired that he finally turns over and I'm no longer trapped. Too bad by this time I'm already asleep usually. He gets that snuggliness from his dad. His poor wife. I hope she's not like me or she'll go crazy. I love my Sam! Conner on the other hand is like his mom. The less affection the better. He just gets annoyed when you hug him and it's torture for him to give us a kiss unless he's being the kissy monster. I hate this game. The boys only do it to me because I hate it so much. They all dogpile me and try to kiss me all over the face. Of course I just kick and scream while they and Neil laugh their heads off.

Megamind

Tonight for movie night we watched Megamind. It was a good movie. Neil wants to watch it again once the kids are in bed. Conner was clapping throughout it and at the end asked us all what we learned from that movie. Sorry kid I don't think deeply about movies. For me they are for pure entertainment. He said he learned that we should never give up even when we may lose. How profound for a 6 year old. Lucy got really crazy during the last 20 minutes and kept trying to pinch my nose and then would laugh hysterically. It was hard to watch the movie because she was being so cute. Both Neil and I wondered where did this personality come from all of a sudden. She couldn't help but dance to the credit music at the end. Here's some of her moves.

Lucy's First Steps

Lucy finally took her first steps today. She was so proud of herself. After lunch I stood her on the counter so I could push up her sleeves to wash her hands and she sees some pears and zones in on them. She wants one bad. I'm watching her. She's standing really still concentrating and then she takes one step and then another and another and another. She finally gives up and drops to her knees and gets the pear. I put her on the floor because it was safer if she fell but she wouldn't stand for anything. I put her back on the counter so I could get some video of it. She only took a couple little steps for the camera. I was actually too nervous she'd fall and didn't push it anymore. I'm suprised to say the least. At 13 1/2 months I think she may be my earliest walker. I didn't think she'd walk for awhile. At her one year check-up she was 29 inches tall (44%) and 19 lbs. 1 oz. (14%). She's a skinny little thing but doesn't look malnourished. She's the complete opposite. She eats a ton and almost anything. Her and Neil eat all the leftovers. She burns all her calories because she won't sit still. She is always on the go. Too bad she's still in her infant carrier facing backwards but at least she gets to look at her sweet brothers in the back. I love this girl.

Sorry this video is sideways. It's really not much to show but I just thought she looked too cute and happy.

Sam Loves His Lucy

On the way to school today Sam asks if Uncle Grant and Uncle Ryan married their sisters. I ask him why he asked it. He said because he wants to marry Lucy. I had to tell him no his uncles did not marry their sisters and he could not marry Lucy. When asked why he wants to marry Lucy he said because she's the sweetest and prettiest girl in the whole world. How is that for a #1 fan. He really does adore his sister and it's so sweet. I reassured him he'd find a girl just as sweet as Lucy when he gets older.