Too Long

It's been too long since I have updated.  Here is a short re-cap of some recent happenings with the family.

G- Started transitional kindergarten and loves it. Turned 5! He had a great day with seeing Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and eating at Red Robin and playing legos with his Daddy. Then had a party with 22 kids at his favorite bounce house (he had actually never played there before the party but wanted to so bad!) Here are some pics:

H: Started 3rd Grade is is doing great. Is getting baptized in 12 days hooray!  Started dance back up and is taking 2 classes, piano lessons, and kids choir.  Birthday pics of her coming tomorrow!

Z: She is a funny little lady.  Some of my favorite words she says among the many many she can say are...boogie (as she wipes it on you!), bite (as she proceeds to eat whatever you are eating), poey (pony, she loves them), mi-ey (mickey which is also minnie and also something she loves), baby (everywhere we are she sees a baby and shouts it out). peeees (please, she signs it while she says it which makes it double cute). She is so fun to have around.  She makes everyone smile.  She is super happy except when she decides to throw little tantrums but she is still so cute even then. I can't imagine our family without her!

October will be busy and super fun! I will try and post more often.

Silent Tornado

My mother in law once told me that they used to call P the Silent Tornado because he would do very naughty things but he was very quiet about it.  Well it seems we have another silent tornado.  Here are a few things so far Z has done and she is not even 18 months:

1. Plays in toilets
2. Plays with toys in toilets.
3. Plays with her siblings toys in toilets.
4. Unrolls all tp in bathroom, and you guessed it puts it in the toilet.
5. Runs all over kitchen counter.
6. Throws everything off kitchen counter.
7. Draws on walls.
8. Draws on self.
9. Draws on siblings toys.
10. Climbs in dishwasher (in not on!).
11. Throws dishes out of dishwasher- including glass ones.
12. Goes through cupboards, drawers, wallets, boxes, purses, etc.
13. Eats crayons, eats chalk, eats playdough, eats pens, eats balls, doesn't eat lunch...
14. And today she dumped a half gallon of milk on the floor...

But you know whats great....I love her so much.  I love her expressive eyes and her face she makes when I say cheese.  I love how she folds her arm to pray for meals and at night.  I love how as soon as I say to the other kids it's time to go she gets me a matching pair of shoes for herself, and for me to put on.  I love how much she loves others.  I love that she cuddles with women that need baby cuddles. I love that she wiggles her hips when she dances and puts one arm in the air.  She is more than I could have ever hoped for but man...she makes me tired!!

What we have been up to!

        May has been a fun month.  Here are some things we have been up to! Enjoy the thousand pictures!

Parenting Thought #10: Busy and Love

So clearly my goal of every day in April did not happen.  I didn't even come close!  But that's ok.  Life is busy with children.  We finished soccer and softball today and we are breathing a sigh of relief that we have our Saturdays back!  So my thoughts on being busy?? Well it's more like questions.  How long do you let your child pursue an activity-maybe one they are not super great at or if they are great how much do you push them to be even better? How many activities should each child do? What will make them the most successful in the future? How much do we praise or how much advice do we give? Ok, there are about a hundred more.  Do you want to hear them? No, alright you get the picture.  It's hard figuring out the answers.  It's not good to be busy just to be busy but everything I do and have the kids do has a purpose which is why it's hard to eliminate some!  I guess it will become clearer as they get older.  I am used to the busy life.  I love it.  Just wish my little one didn't always have to nap in the car...

Ok, so part two, Love.  I watched the movie The Impossible last night.  The one about the tsunami and the family that found each other.  I am not easily teary but this one made me cross that line.  It's pretty remarkable what the parents do, the mom in particular, for her child.  Funny thing is as we listen to her yell in pain, and grimace at every step I just kept thinking, yep I would do that for my kids.  Isn't it amazing that Heavenly Father has instilled in us such deep love for our children that we would actually die for them.  That we would swim in waters filled with sharp objects just to grab hold of our childs hand.  In my mind, this kind of love must be sent from God, because nothing in life is this strong.  We might "lell" at them (yell in G's voice) on occasion and get frustrated and sometimes wish for a little tiny bit of free time, but we would do anything for them.  Love, it's so strong and so great.

Have a great Sunday!

Parenting Thought #9: Happy

I always feel bad when I have to wake Z up from naps to go get the other kids and take them places.  Then I was looking at some pictures and I realized something.  The kids look happy.  Genuinely happy.  So maybe that means that despite my busy schedule or my weakness I am still doing enough to make them happy.  And I think that is a good sign that we are on the right track. Maybe we need to give ourselves more credit as mothers and realize that as long as our little ones are smiling then they probably got enough sleep, enough food, and enough love.  So here are some of those happy moments.