A proud moment

I try REALLY hard to eat healthy and to teach the kids to do the same thing. It is a challenge, but Dallin asked for spinach at the store today so he could "Eat it all day like Popeye." We showed the kids a Youtube video of Popeye eating spinach a couple days ago that impressed Dallin apparently. Usually he is one to look at his food closely to see if there is anything green in it for him to complain about. But he and Tanner both ate a spinach and ranch salads, and asked for seconds. Tanner normally loves salad anyway. And Ashlyn loves celery with ranch. So, I was a proud mom today.

The kids lately

Tanner finally lost that tooth that was loose for way too long. It took him a good month to get it out. The permanent tooth started is pushing his other baby bottom tooth out now. 

 I tried potty training Ashlyn recently since she is 2, but quickly learned she is not ready. Or I am not. She loves to sit on her potty, and has been doing that for a couple months, but she doesn't seem to get that you pee in it. I sat in the bathroom with her while she sat on her potty for a good 20 minutes. We talked, and read books, but she never went. I let her up, and not 2 minutes later she was standing in a puddle yelling "Pee! Mom!" I was so mad. We will wait a bit longer before trying again. They say girls are easier, but I am thinking that is not so.

 Not much going on with Dallin these days. He is becoming more "boy" lately. He has always liked rainbows and butterflies and feminine things. I never discouraged it. I don't want him to feel bad for liking "girly things". I don't even want to tell him that there are "girly" or "boy" things, society will do that soon enough. The other day while he was talking to the craft lady at Kid Time (a kids' museum in town) he said he likes slimy bugs. I was surprised because it is so unlike him. Maybe since he and Tanner are sharing a room, Tanner teaches him stuff at bed time. 

 I am 18 weeks pregnant now and finally getting past that "is-she-pregnant-or-did-she-just-eat-too-much around-the-holidays" stage of pregnancy. I am not really in the mood to take belly shots this time around. Maybe later I will have a change of heart. I have been discouraged with this pregnancy because I hate to lose my physical endurance, stamina and shape. I felt pretty fit before this pregnancy. I hate slowing down because I have to. My will wants to exercise at the level I had been, but my body won't let me. Anyway, maybe I will get over myself and be more excited about this pregnancy when I feel "it" move, and when "it" becomes a he or a she. I am hoping, or this could be a very long pregnancy.

Can we do a craft?

I think there is something about school that makes kids really love projects and activities. Tanner is always asking to do an activity or craft, and it seems to have started when he started school. 

Thank goodness for Pinterest or I would be short on ideas!

I've started collecting all kinds of garbage to use in crafts: toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, plastic containers. 

 Dallin hasn't started school yet, so he doesn't quite have the attention span that Tanner does, so I end up finishing up his projects most of the time. 

 Egg carton monsters. Now, what to do with all these master pieces? I am not one to keep stuff like this around for long. We also have toilet paper roll angry birds, puppets, jet packs, and a Lorax tree craft cluttering my house.

 We also made pumpkin chocolate chip muffins because Dallin LOVES to help in the kitchen. 

It looks like Tanner has lost that tooth, but not really, it is just so loose it has moved to the side. He is scared to pull it out. The permanent tooth is coming up behind it. We are hoping it pushes it out painlessly. We talked to a dentist and she said it shouldn't be a problem if we wait it out.

K'nex and goofy Dallin

 The K'nex seemed to be more for Nate. Tanner was the assistant that handed Nate the pieces as he asked for them. 

 Dallin cracks me up. He just comes out of his room dressed as his idea of a super hero, or finds bubble wrap off of something and pokes his limbs through it to become a ghost. I love the imagination on this kid.

 

Completed!

Christmas

It is so fun having little kids on Christmas morning. They are so easily excited, and it makes me happy.

 I made these super hero pillow shams for the boys' beds. We got them a bunk bed so they are in the same room now, and we are doing a super hero theme. Maybe I will take some pictures some time. I did some paintings for their walls of Spider Man, Bat Man, Wonder Woman and Captain America.

 Dallin was so excited about everything and kept saying "I wanted this!" He didn't ever know what he wanted for Christmas when we'd ask, so I am glad he was pleased.

 K'nex is a little advanced for a 6 year old but he and Nate put it together over a couple of days, and he will be able to do it by himself one day. 

 Ashlyn likes to push things, so she loves this doll stroller. She also got a little shopping cart that she wheels around the house.

 Christmas afternoon we went to my parents' house for lunch/dinner. Everyone got games, so we brought them and played them. It is so nice to live by family now. Two of my brother's families were with us, and my sister Tracie, and we got to Skype with my sister, Kris, who is on her mission in North Carolina. And my brother, Jesse, is serving in Texas. He got to call too. So it was a good day.