Leprechaun Day

The kids were so excited for today to find out what tricks the leprechauns would play on them.  The usual things happened like green bread, milk and brownies and gold coins with little messes strew throughout the house like turned over tables and chairs and green toilet water.  As they found one after another they got on a roll and started saying things that the leprechauns had turned green that they actually didn't like the hand soap and Eliza's pajamas.  They swore they were white when she went to bed and when she woke up they were light green.  They make me laugh.  I couldn't help but try to calculate how many more years I have to keep the charade up and it will have to be at least 8 more years.  I can't let Eliza not have the leprechaun experience.   At least by then I'll have more little helpers.  The best line of the day was from Mikey.  After finding a lot of stuff had turned green he exclaimed, "Saint Patrick's Day is actually kind of freaky!" and he refused to go anywhere in the house by himself.   

Just Your Average Sunday

Today has been another good Sunday.  I was asked to teach the 11 year old girls 2nd hour and was so happy to help out in Primary.  I miss it and those kids.  The lesson was on Abraham and Isaac and I was so excited to teach it because we just studied this lesson a couple weeks ago in Gospel Doctrine and so I had some new insights.  I had wanted to make a treat for an object lesson but there was no time yesterday and at 11pm I was at the store grabbing some milk and saw that the chocolate Dunford donuts were on sale.  Now I have always wanted to try these but at $6 for half a dozen I just have never forked over the money.  Neil's sister Patrice used to crave these donuts while she was pregnant in Texas and would ask for them to be shipped to her so I guess they have quite the reputation.  Since they were only $3 and I wanted a treat for the lesson I grabbed a box.  There are 6 girls in the class and so it was perfect.  This is so selfish to admit but I was giddy inside when one of the girls didn't show up and I finally got to try one of these donuts.  They are chocolate cake donuts (which I've never been a fan of) covered in a really thick chocolate ganache.  Well they were so heavy and pretty dang good.  I don't know if I'd spend $6 on them but if I ever see them on sale again I'll definitely pick them up. 

When we got home we changed out of our church clothes and Lucy came down wearing this.

 There's nothing like a little Christmas in March.  When I told her it's not Christmas and to go change she said that's okay I really like this snowman and want to wear it.  This outfit is for next year and I scored it at Kohls for $2.80.  You gotta love their 90% off topped with 30% off.

While I and the 3 little ones took a nap, Neil played a rousing game of Killer Bunnies.  It took two hours and they all had a good time.  It came down to them all having one carrot left and Sam ended up winning.  After that the kids were off to play different things while I and Lucy got dinner ready.  Sam also helped by doing all my chopping.  Tonight is Baked Potato Soup in Bread Bowls, a favorite.  Actually anything in a bread bowl is a winner.

 Sam loves playing with Eliza and making her laugh.

 Mikey playing with his Chima Speedorz.

Conner building his next Mindstorm creation.

I finally took Eliza to get her pictures taken in her jean jumper yesterday.  I have collages of all the kids at around 9 months in the same outfit displayed in our front room.  Yeah Eliza is almost a year and looks a little older than all the others but at least I got it done and will be able to add her to the wall in a couple days.  I was so excited for her to finally get her picture taken.  Being as she was older I thought it was going to go so well and we'd get the absolute best picture.  I scheduled it so she had just woken up from her nap and had lunch and was so happy but as soon as we stepped into the studio and I sat her down on the white backdrop for her shoot she looked at me and the strange lady with the camera and she burst into tears.  We could not get her to smile for anything.  The good news is that she actually kept her headband on (Neil insisted thinking otherwise she would look like a boy) and her hair laid down nicely.  I never know day to day what her hair is going to do.  I had been painting all morning and quickly changed to go to the studio not planning on being in any photos but to help her calm down the photographer had me in some.  Definitely not my finest moment.  After all is said and done, we did get a collage made and even though she's not smiling she is still adorable with her big eyes and innocent face. 

Speaking of Eliza, she is absolutely into everything and is everywhere.  I remember several months ago we were having a meeting at Mary Anne's house and her one year old twins had tore the house apart in a matter of minutes.  As she was trying to clean the front room before we got there, they had emptied all of the drawers in her bedroom.  We all laughed and understood and I was kind of glad I wasn't in the dumping phase anymore.  I looked at my sweet Eliza sleeping in her car seat and hoped she would be the one child of all mankind who would not dump.  Fast forward nine months and she is that child and with a vengeance.  I can't keep up with it.  She dumps out all the Tupperware, lids, pots and pans, shoes, toys, wipes, tissues, etc. all day long.  Most days I think it's funny until I've tripped over her messes for the umpteenth time in one day.  She also likes to hit her bottle on the floor and wherever she may be leaving puddles of milk everywhere.  She also loves pencils or actually the eraser and will bite it off.  She is always on the look out for any that the kids have left on the floor and probably swallows it but I don't like to think about that part.

So we've been a little missing in action lately but for good reason.  After 6 long months, we have finally started redoing our family room.  It has taken us that long to pick out fireplace tile, floor tile, paint colors, design, etc.  I think if I change my mind one more time, Neil may bite my head off.  I think I've brought every tile available from Lowe's and Home Depot home and I think I am finally happy with our choices.  I hope when it's all said and done I can say that I love it and not just like it.  I am just so excited to finally be getting started.  It's been about 3 years since we've done anything to our house.  It's probably not the best time as we have very little time outside of kids, work, callings and stats but we've decided we'd spend just 1 hour most nights doing something on it and several on Saturday.  I'm hoping we'll be done in 2 more weeks or at least by April 5th.  That's when I'm calling to have the carpet installed whether we're ready or not.  We (mostly I) decided to repaint everything.  At first we were going to keep the family room the yellow color because we knew it was going to be a lot of work to repaint but it is just so dark with the walls dark and our furniture dark.  We really want to lighten the room up and so are going to go with a much lighter color.  Our house is 20 years old this year and the trims and doors haven't been touched since then.  So we've spent a lot of time sanding and spackling.  I would have loved to just replace all the baseboards and moldings but that seemed like even more work.  We've gotten everything primed so all the labor intensive prep work is out of the way.  Yesterday when we were painting we kept telling the kids to not touch the walls.  Eliza was banished to the play pen for awhile which she hated and as soon as I let her out she immediately backed into the painted wall and got primer all over her backside. 

Conner has become the Sunday baker and is currently making brownies for the family.  After dinner he promptly asks everyone, "What should I make for dessert tonight?"  I love it!

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day and I knew it was coming up.  I just didn't realize it was tomorrow and so I am totally not prepared.  Mikey and Lucy have made some traps.  I hope those leprechauns provide as much fun as the kids are expecting.

The Day We Left Eliza

This morning was a pretty relaxed morning.  Everyone got up and got ready for school early and we were all ready to go.  Eliza was happy playing in the corner of the family room while we said family prayer.  We all jumped up and got in the car and were on our way.  We turned the corner and were passing the Porters when Lucy screams Eliza.  I'm immediately in a panic thinking she's choking or has stopped breathing and is turning blue and say what?  The kids inform me that Eliza's not with us.  We left her at home.  I really panic now thinking about the stairs of death and quickly make my way around the block and open the garage.  The kids were as nervous as me and Sam and Mikey jumped out of the car and run inside to see Eliza's fate before I am able to.  Luckily she was sitting in the middle of the floor playing legos with no clue that she had been left.  I quickly scooped her up and gave her the biggest hugs and kisses and we were back on our way.  We were all so thankful and relieved that she was okay and once the shock wore off Sam informs us that March 5th will always be remembered as the day we left Eliza! 

Wow.  I know this is no laughing matter and am pretty upset with myself.  I don't know how it happened.  I think it is the first time we've left a kid.  I have been more forgetful lately but how do you forget your baby.  I'm just glad we realized it with in a block of home.  I went to the doctor yesterday because my fatigue, joint pain, concentration, etc. and now constant thirst have gotten worse.  The doctor thinks all of the symptoms, except for the thirst, are because of my thyroid and he upped my meds.  He took 5 vials of blood and a urine sample to try to figure out if anything else is going on.  He really thinks it's my thyroid and stress induced and told me I have to say no and I can't be everything to everyone.  He's been a bishop and so he kind of turned into one for a moment which was good.  The only thing is I don't feel very stressed.  I have learned to not volunteer myself to do a whole lot of stuff right now because I realize I can't without myself and my family suffering.  Anyway I am hoping my lapse in memory today was just the Hashimoto's and not a reoccurring problem.

Home Depot Clinic

To help break up the monotony of winter I signed the boys up for their first Home Depot clinic on Saturday.  It's totally free and they loved it.  For whatever reason, Conner did not want to go.  He was having a lazy day and did not want to get dressed.  Sam and Mikey, however, loved making a Trojan horse bank.  They got an apron and a pin and are excited to go back in April.  Sam saw a couple kids from his class which made it even more fun.

 

Blue and Gold

The cub scout blue and gold banquet was so awesome.  The leaders did such a great job.  It was my first time not helping since Conner started and so attending was a little hard because I kept feeling like I needed to help with something.  It was a Western theme with "wanted" posters up of all the scouts.  There were campfires on all the tables and a watering hole and all the victuals you can stand.  For the activity the boys were divided up into 5 groups and had to complete a 15 question scavenger hunt.  Everyone had a blast!  I am so thankful for such great scout leaders.

Mikey Learns to Ride a Bike

Mikey decided it was high time he finally learn to ride a bike and so he took it into his own hands and borrowed our neighbor's little balance bike.  After riding it for awhile, he borrowed their two wheel bike and he was off and riding.  It only took him a couple of tries to learn and he did it all by himself.  We have a ton of bikes but they all have flats so he keeps going over to the Williams and taking theirs without asking.  The other day, Neil was coming home from work and Mikey came at him going so fast with his legs out stretched (not on the wheels) laughing hysterically.  From that moment on, he has been required to wear a helmet.  He is our little dare devil.  Sam is pretty upset that Mikey learned to ride before him but up until now, Sam has had no desire.