Easton's 4th Bday parties

Just a bunch of pictures from Easton's birthday parties.

Out of the Mouths of Babes...

My cousin Rose does a weekly thing on her blog (Out of the Mouths of Babes) and asks that we play along...here's mine for the week...
We were on a bike ride on Tuesday, and I was pulling Easton in the bike trailer... As we passed a driveway a "plump" boy was riding a bike and Easton yells, "Mom! I saw that fat kid riding his bike!"... oy

Easton says...

So yesterday on our way to dinner for Easton's birthday, he looked out the car window and said, "Mom! Look at that mountain! It's Big! And Huge!....when i grow up, I'm gonna climb that mountain". So random... that's definitely my kid.

Happy 4th Birthday Easton!!

My baby boy turned FOUR today!! I cannot believe it! But he's still my baby. I love you Easton!!

No more Kindergarten Baby

Shyler finished Kindergarten today! Here she is with her wonderful teacher, Mrs. Briggs. Shyler loved Kindergarten so much! The program today was great. They sang songs with actions and each said their own line. Shyler is made for the stage- all her actions were about 2 times bigger and more flamboyent than everyone elses. It was pretty funny.

Sweetened by a smile...

I had to be creative today at lunch.. Leftover hot dog buns, turkey pepperoni and cheese...all broiled to kid-friendly yumminess- right?

Easton said, "That the worst thing I ever tasted" Then laughed, smiled, and continued eating it.

Shyler's illustrations..

Shyler came upstairs to show me her book with writings and drawings... This is all I saw among everything on the page... LOL

It was innocent...she was doing different shapes and different colors and then putting the first letter of the colors next to the shape...then she did a mirror image on the second page...

Embarrassing moment

My cousin's wife Rose shared an embarrassing moment on her blog, and it made me remember my own similar moment, so I had to share...

When Shyler was potty training, i was in Albertsons and she had to use the bathroom. Cole took Easton to the car, and I ran her quickly to the bathroom as to avoid an accident. As we are in the stall, someone exits their stall and washes their hands. And I can hear low talking, and it's a man, but I think it is the radio or something coming out of overhead speakers... Then I hear someone enter the bathroom and they walk into the stall next to us. I notice they look like boy shoes and they are facing the toilet, and then I hear peeing... OMG! I am in the men's bathroom!!!!!!!!! And that talking is a man on his cell phone while he washes his hands!!! I AM MORTIFIED. Luckily I'm in a stall and they can't see me, but I try to keep Shyler quiet as to not draw attention to us... I cower in the stall until I hear both of the other occupants have left. I grab Shyler and we race out of there. No- we did not wash our hands- I couldn't risk the humiliation of being caught in there! HAHAHAHA. It was so embarrassing and SO funny!

My child loves learning! (BONUS!)

Yesterday we were driving home and I said, "Shyler you only have 4 more days of school! We have to make sure we go to the library alot this summer so you can get books and keep reading so you don't forget"

Shyler said, "Mom, I know, but what about math?!"

I said, "Well we can practice that too"

And Shyler said, "Mom, there is this place called Sylvan!"

I love that their marketing directed at parents, caught the attention of my 6 year old daughter. And I love that she wants to go there and keep learning all summer. I hope she always values education as she does now... I know, wishful thinking...

Play along with your own "Things Kids Say" moment at http://thisisourzoo.blogspot.com/2010/05/out-of-mouths-of-babes-meme-and-bear.html

USS Crawdad Boil 2010

Every year my work hosts a "Crawdad Boil". They fly a bunch of crawdads in from Louisiana or something and boil them up for the masses. I don't eat them (nastiness) but they do a whole carnival thing that is SO fun! Cole couldn't come this year, but the kids and I had a great time!

Shyler and Easton launching rockets

Shyler finally being brave enough to hold a live crawdad

Samantha, Shyler and Easton just hanging out...

Shyler climbing the wall- I couldn't believe how brave she was being this year- trying everything!

Eating a hot dog...

Shyler LOVES mustard...and so does her face...

Me and the kids

Shyler with her totally awesome red hair

Me and Lacy "duking it out"

My friend Maria's son, Caleb...he was not a fan of the crawdads... haha

Puppies!

Cole's parent's dog Bear had puppies!!! 6! So cute!

Picture Catch Up- Bean Museum Field Trip

Last month I went on a field trip to the Bean Museum with Shyler's class. Here are a few pictures from the adventure:

Shyler and I on the bus

Alyssa, Shyler and Lacie (Lacie didn't want her picture taken by the jaguar! gosh!)

Being silly on the bus

Being cute on the bus...Samantha and Heidi. (Heidi and I are friends and her husband and I work together)

Caught Red Handed

It happened. I had to be the Mom who takes their child back into a store to return something that wasn't theirs...

Yesterday we went to the store to buy birthday presents. Shyler and Easton both had "grandparent money" to spend from their birthdays. Shyler also had to buy something for a friend's party. So the kids picked out their items, Easton paid first and then walked around the store and played with different things while Shyler and I paid.

When we got into the car and pulled away, I happened to look back at the kids right as Easton pulled a little kaleidoscope from his bag.

"Where did you get that?" I asked.

"Frwom the stow" he replied.

"Oh no buddy, we didn't pay for that, and we don't take things that we didn't pay for. That's stealing."

So I flipped the car around, drove back to the store and told Easton he had to go inside with me and give it back and apologize. He didn't want to go, but I told him that he had to, because I wasn't the one that had taken it, and he needed to apologize.

So in we went, I made him carry it, and hand it over, and say he was sorry.

And that was that.

On the way home, I talked to both kids about why stealing was wrong and we should never do it.

As I considered my course of action I took, I began to question if I had handled it correctly... I know that my mom used to make us go back in, pay for the item, and then she threw it away in front of us. (I don't actually remember this happening to me, but she said she has done it with some of us... anyways...) Was I wrong to simply have him apologize and return the item?

Thoughts?

Mothers Day

Mothers Day was so nice this year. Shyler made me some BEAUTIFUL necklaces with yellow and pink yarn and plenty of scotch tape. I wore one proudly the entire day- it matched my dress perfectly. haha. Easton and Shyler also made me a bunch of cards and drawings. Shyler has learned SO much this year and she is quite the little reader and writer. Each day I am impressed by how quickly she's learned to read and write. Later that day, my family gathered at Mom and Dad's house and made a big dinner (fajitas-yum!) for my mom and dad. It was my Dad's birthday as well. We had a great time eating and visiting. Mother's Day was laid back and full of people I love... just the way I like it.

my boy easton

So Easton fell off a chair in the kitchen - AGAIN- this is like the millionth time, and we've told him again and again to be careful and make sure he puts his feet down first... anyways, so today he falls off, and immediately begins crying and I'm about to tell him, "We've told you that you have to be careful", but he beats me to the punch with, "NOT AGAIN!" as he sobs... It was funny and broke my heart.

Tuckered out

Could my puppy be any cuter? I think not...

Check out her tongue...too funny.

Riding and Walking

We went for another walk/ride last night. This picture was pretty much my view of Shyler the ENTIRE time! She loves riding her bike now.

Zoey- enjoying her walk


Easton

Family Walks/Rides

Yesterday I decided that our family needs some fun togetherness/exercise activities... So after Cole left for work (had to work graveyard), I leashed up the dog, strapped the kids helmets on and we went to Grandma and Grandpa T's house. The kids rode their bikes (Shyler without her training wheels again!) and I walked Zoey. The beginning of the ride was a bit rough, and Shyler struggled with her balance, and took a few tumbles. And of course I played the mean, mean mom and forced her back on the bike, and not too nicely. :( We eventually made it, and I had called my grandparents before we arrived, so when Shyler rode up, they were outside waiting for her. I think it made all the difference.
On the way home, we stopped at a friend's house who we haven't seen for months since our ward split. The kids had so much fun being chased around by their son (he's about 17 and LOVES Easton!) and I visited with my friend and we talked families and kids... It was so nice.
I think I'll keep up the tradition and do nightly walks. You should try it too....

Funny Things they say...

As I was getting ready for work this morning, my son Easton (almost 4) walks into the kitchen in his awesome lego-batman pajamas and says, "My back hurts"... oy, back pain at 4!?