Halloween and a tutorial on cleaning out your pond

Ben and I both enjoy Halloween decorations.  I have learned where I draw the line on scary/creepy decorations that I'm willing to put up.  But the day of Halloween I found spider webs that I had bought last year and forgotten about.  The spider webs turned out to be my favorite part!

This guy was a close second though :)

For as much as I like decorating my house for Halloween it is surprising how much I dislike the costumes.  My kids have come to realize that they are, for the most part, on their own for costumes.  They can use what we already have around the house because I am not spending money on dressing up.  So Blake was spiderman that we got last year for 90% off, Daisy was Elsa that she already had, Kaylee was a monkey that my parents gave us from a yard sale, and then Heidi was a greek god in a costume that she and a friend sewed with nothing more than a needle and thread.  It makes me feel bad when she does stuff like that.  I should be more helpful if it means that much to her.

This year we had all these cool plans for our house on Halloween night.  We had a fog machine (another thing I had forgotten about) and all year we knew we wanted to make our pond glow!  Ben had researched videos on getting florescene from highlighters, which looked like too much work to me, and in the end the guy at the halloween store told us that tonic water would glow with a black light.  Interesting. So we got two black lights and 12 2-liters of tonic water and dumped it in the pond!  

That was the end product.  Not nearly as bright as we were going for but it looked decent.  Worth it, right?  NOT AT ALL!  (But that will come later)

Yes, Dodge is using an ice cream bucket to get candy.  He didn't last long.  I dumped him back off with Ben and finished with the kids.  After trick or treating the kids came home and ate candy while watching Hocus Pocus.  It was a good year.

Now, never, ever, ever put tonic water in your pond.  I am not even sure what tonic water is for but I can tell you that after a few days of being in the pond it began to stink.  Like a dead animal.  I even looked around for a dead animal because I couldn't believe that it was the pond that smelled so bad but sure enough, the pond smelled like death.

These pictures are all sideways and jumbled but what we ended up having to do was drain the pond, remove ALL the rocks out, clean the sludge at the bottom of the pond, scrub the pond liner with bleach, then wash the PILE of rocks cleaning off all the disgusting mud and putting the rocks elsewhere.  We put a few back into the pond but there were so many rocks, about 6-8 inches deep, that it was no wonder the mud had accumulated and that it stunk so bad.  When returning the rocks I just did a single layer and then used the other rocks to landscape around the pool in the back yard.  A few tips for those needing to do this in the future.  

1. Have a pump so that you don't have to scoop the water into a bucket, then haul it to the sewer drain 100 times.  

2. Have a shop vac so you don't have to scrape the mud out with your hands and a washcloth.  

3. Have rain boots so your feet aren't sopping wet with super stinky pond water.

4. Have a few kids helping.

5. Just start buying the pond chemicals that clear up the water for you.  Turns out they are pretty darn cheap.

In the end our pond was still murky (huge disappointment) but the smell is gone.  It was so much work.  Heidi and Kaylee worked for 3 straight hours on their day off of school.  It was disgusting work.  I told them Dad owed them since he was at work while we hauled stinky, heavy rocks.  My mind was quickly trying to come up with some sort of reward because they had definitely earned it.  Nothing I could come up with myself seemed worth the work they were doing but in the end Kaylee volunteered, "Dad owes us french fries!" and that is just what they got!  I even pulled out the big bucks and bought them each a bag of fries at this burger place that has lunch bag-sized orders of fries.  It was a much cheaper reward than I had been planning but they felt like it was totally worth it. So three hours of hauling rocks on Tuesdays, and then another five hours of washing and hauling rocks on thursday and friday.  The kids worked hard and hopefully we will avoid that in the future. 

Posting it is!

Funny story.  Last month I finally made a post, wondering if my blogging days were behind me.  I posted.  I then went about my regular routine.  Dishes, vacuuming, sweeping, blah, blah, blah.  I have a habit of listening to Conference on my phone while I work.  I plug my headphones in, pick a session, and listen to the talks.  I love doing that.  It is actually my favorite part about my smart phone.  So there I am cleaning away, listening to a session and all the sudden the speaker (can't remember which), says, 'a mother that tells her children stories about her life is doing Family History.'  And that's when I knew what I was supposed to do.  This blog is my ONLY family history work that I do.  I do not try to find ancestors, I haven't done indexing in a long time, and I barely even journal myself.  But this blog is my family history.  (And turns out that my friend Katie left a comment with the exact same idea!!  She's so smart).  Now, when I think of my blog I have a different mindset.  I am no longer doing this hoping for comments, wanting to show cute pictures, or even to make my life seems all roses (believe me, there are a lot of dead flowers and occasionally dead rats around here).  Instead my reason in blogging is so that my kids will see these stories and I will have helped to further the work of the Lord by strengthening family bonds.  I love how conference always has the answer for your problems.  

SO...

Back to blogging.  

Sadly, these are from the first day of school.  We are what? 10 weeks into the school year?  Oh well.  

Heidi is in 5th grade.  Next year she moves onto the middle school.  She has been such a blessing as the oldest.  She is just good and so helpful.  I never have to worry about her getting her work done or slacking off.  She is always on the ball.  She ran for student council again this year.  Last year it was heartbreaking when she lost.  This year we had a pretty good ad campaign and slogan.  "Vote for Heidi-she's a SMARTIE!" and then we decorated with smartie candies.  She won :)

Kaylee is going into the third grade.  Like her outfit?  It is HEIDI'S OLD CLOTHES!!!  Yes, she wore hand-me-downs for her first day of school.  Never mind that I bought her a few new outfits.  She wore an old one.  I am going to remember this in years to come when she throws a fit over clothing.  She was really excited to wear that dress with her boots and pigtails.  Kaylee is doing the common core math.  I do not like it.  I know, I am old fashioned and should accept new things but I like doing multiple problems over and over and memorizing instead of this weird array and tape diagram stuff.

Daisy is entering the 1st grade.  She is still in that hard age for me.  I still never know if she is smart-playing-dumb as a form of manipulation/excuse to get out of things or if she really doesn't get it and I need to lower my expectations.  But, she is very friendly and her teacher said that she is doing much better about talking.  She is not academically driven to excel.  She doesn't seem to really care.  She likes when she does learn but isn't going to put her own effort into learning if there is another option like playing dolls.  We've had a few things where I've had to talk to the teacher, a few lies to uncover from Daisy, but overall she does well in school.  I mean, she must be super cool because she had to buy 4 BFF necklaces with her own money to hand out.  

And here is Dodge on the first day of school.  Not fully dressed but happy to be walking.  After the girls leave for school it is me and the boys.  Blake is on a candy land kick and he has been reading sight words from Daisy's kindergarten work.  He will be ready for school next year.

This is the last year that the girls will all go to school together.  I'm so happy I had three girls to start with.  

Next post: Halloween and why you shouldn't put Tonic water in your pond.

To post or not to post??

I've made it.  I've become one of those bloggers who just doesn't take the time to update.  See that picture up above??  It is from the 4th of July and is, in all honesty, the last picture I have imported to my computer.  That is how behind I am.  But I can't not put a picture with a post.  

Here's a quick recap of our lives:

4th of July in Utah for a baby blessing and to pick up the kids

Long summer with non stop visits from friends and family (no joke, we only had 2 weekends during the whole summer when we didn't have someone visiting)

Labor trip to CA to see Uncle Harrison who came back from his mission and my brother Scotty get the priesthood.

School starts (finally! The kids were tired of me by then)

Two weeks later back to CA for my girls weekend.

Long summer/fall of work negotiations and Ben switching jobs.

8 weeks of soccer-pracitce 4 nights a week and all day Saturday doing games.

Conference weekend-totally awesome and totally humbling.  I got a good, stern talking to from a couple of different apostles.

Gearing up for Halloween and the coming holidays.  

We have been busy.  So busy.  I thought we were busy last year but we weren't .  Not like we are now.  Thus, it leads to my original question at the top; to post or not to post?  Part of me says, 'No one is really reading this anyway and any pictures I would add are probably already on my instagram.'  But then another part says, 'You know your family is reading and the kids actually love getting on and reading your posts as well.'  And I'm not the type who likes having a half-done blog.  I would delete the whole blog if I wasn't really going to do it properly.  So I either have to be better or just quit.  Not sure yet what I want to do.  I've been trying really hard to spend more of my time on the kids.  I'm not a great parents who is super involved or likes to play with my kids.  I'm more a good manager of the kids.  But lately I've tried to play more with them.  Consequently that means less time for browsing the internet or waiting for stinking pictures to upload.  This blog has been the thing to go as I've tried to spend more time with the kids (I've played a lot of Candyland and Mafia lately).  It's been good though.  I've enjoyed the change.  So what is the finally verdict?  I still don't know but at least today I was able to get a post done.

Birthday Baby Bubbles

How does your birthday go if you are a 5th child?  Sort of like this:

You wake up to birthday balloons that are only there because Mom had a baby shower for a friend the night before.  You seriously lucked out because otherwise you wouldn't have had balloons at all.  You also didn't get a special birthday  breakfast (that's not a huge deal) or the usually set up of presents on the table with flowers, etc.  You did get the birthday banner but, once again, because it was already up from your sister's birthday 5 days before.  You spent the morning in your high chair.

We then drove around town dropping other siblings off here and there and then frantically went to Target because, guess what...Mom still hadn't bought you a present.  She had an entire year to do so and still hadn't come up with anything.  She found something, pick up siblings from here and there and headed home for lunch.  You then went back into your highchair.  At least you got to wear a new shirt that was being saved for the special day.  

Then after a long nap you got up, said goodbye to dad as he had to leave for meetings (that's right, you didn't see him at all on your birthday), face timed with your sisters in Utah (they were gone, too), you finally got to be put BACK into your high chair for presents and cake (that I did not make but I should get some points because it was an ice cream cake...that someone else bought for you.  I know, I know).  You did like the cake though.

However, after a good cake eating (that I had to record on my friend's phone because my camera and phone both were dead) I bathed you and we took that new bubble machine (that was your present from Mom and Dad) outside in the cool evening and just let you play.  It was probably the best part of your day since you weren't strapped into a car, a high chair or in a crib.  You stomped around since you are walking now and seemed pretty chill over the fact that your birthday was overshadowed by life.  You did get a birthday post whereas Daisy did not.  That's a plus.  Thank you for being so awesome.  I do love having you.

Happy Birthday, Dodge!

Table Rock

When we moved to Medford there were numerous things that made me feel like we had found a place to call home.  One of those things is Table Rock.  There are two plateaus in Medford called upper and lower Table Rock which is just like home where we had table mountain!  Weird coincidence, I know, but one that made me feel like our new hometown included the parts of my old hometown that I liked.  Last week Heidi's 4th grade class hiked Table Rock and I was able to go along. 

Isn't she just cute?  She really is a great kid.  Helpful, independent and she wants to be just like me so she must smart.  SMRT.

This is Heiid and her friend Isabella but the real reason for the picture is that Heidi has been DYING for me to see who her crush is and that is him in the white shirt.  He does have pretty dreamy eyes.  She wanted me to get a picture of him to show Ben.  She has had a crush on him for the last 6 months.  She has also kept me updated on all their flirtatious interactions.  It's pretty fun to listen to.  

Here are a few shots from the top.  The mountain in the distance is Mt. McCloughlin.  Don't you just love how green it looks?  Oregon is really pretty.  I love driving around and just seeing the mountains around the valley and seeing all the green.  It was a fun hike and I'm glad that I get to do things like this with my kids.  I am so lucky that I get to stay at home and just be a mom.  Thank you, Ben.

PS-Looks like I'm averaging about one post a month.  When did I get so bad about my blog?  Maybe when we had another kid.  That will do you in.

Dodge. Is that a last name?

I have cute kids.  I know that.  And I like all their names.  Especially Dodge's.  However we do get a lot of different reactions to the name Dodge from people.  

My neighbor exclaims, "Dodge? Ooh.  I like that!"  He has said that about 4 times now.  Exactly the same.  Every time.  I'm starting to doubt his mental capacities.  

A guy from our ward just loved it.  Thought it was manly and unique.  Manly is what I was going for so that was a nice compliment to hear.  

I often get, "Is that his first name?"  Yes, it is.  But even though I clarified the pharmacist still put his name down as Taylor Dodge because-in her words-"I thought surely Dodge wouldn't be the first name."  

Recently a person I had never met before gave me a long, awkward pause after hearing his name.  I think she was formulating an appropriate response because she then elaborated on how kids and names have to go together and that must be it for his name.  

I think the best response came from my Uncle George who pretty much disowned me until he got a Thank you card in the mail but since I'm back in his good graces said, "Dodge?  Is that because he was made in the backseat of a Dodge?"  

I've told Ben we need a good story for his name because I get asked all the time where I got his name and my lame answer of "I was just driving behind a lot of Dodge trucks while pregnant" is not sufficient.  

I'm currently taking story ideas for such a thing.  I don't want to say it is family because even if it was he was not named after some superficial sentimental attachment.  I can't say he is adopted and that was his name already because I am claiming my 50% contribution to his good looks and my 100% contribution to his studly name.  I just need a better story to tell.  If you have one, please submit it in the comment section.  Thank you. 

Blaker Butts

This post may seems as if it is more geared towards Dodge but I promise it really is about Blake.

Blake turned four.  Finally.  He has been pretty excited and even kept an accurate countdown himself.  He asked for an Olaf cake.  This is my non crafty, I'm-not-going-to spend-money-on-cake-decorations version of a much cuter looking on on pinterest.  It didn't matter anyway because in the end he didn't even eat the cake.  I've decided I'm no longer doing the whole birthday cake/breakfast/dinner anymore.  He asked for chocolate donut with Gummi worms on top.  I picked them up on my way home from a 5 mile run and carried half dozen donuts the last mile for him to just eat the gummy worms. Then he didn't eat dinner because all he wanted was cake.  Then he didn't eat the cake, just Olaf.  I'm pretty much done putting all the work into it for very little payout.

Dodge enjoyed the donuts though. 

For his birthday Blake got a gift that represented his top five interests.

1. Cars-2 remote control car and money to buy more Cars cars.

2. MarioKart-little mariokart cars

3. Angry Birds-Stuffed angry bird that makes the crashing noises

4. A Charlie Brown-Great Pumpkin Book

5. Superheroes-underwear and a batman shirt

From us he got a ceiling fan.  You might think that is an odd gift but he has been asking for a ceiling fan for 6 months so that he can throw his sticky worms into and watch them fling across the room.  Sadly he lost all his worms and they are no longer available ANYWHERE.  

Along with the ceiling fan (not shown) I redecorated the boys room.  It's all baseball themed and I love it since my plan is for Dodge to be a baseball player. 

All in all Blake's birthday was an awesome day; as much for me as for him.

I love having boys.  Blake loves having Dodge.  From the day we brought Dodge home he wanted Dodge to crawl.  He crawls now to Blake's enjoyment and distress.  If you notice, Blake is sucking in his cheeks.  That is proof that he is my son.  Yes, I did that as a child and yes, my brother teased me for mercilessly.  I even had the nickname of 'Big Fish' at school because of it.  Whenever I would be getting worked up I would suck in my cheeks.  I'm over it now.  Now I just eat ice cream.  But since Blake doesn't have free reign of the freezer he sucks in his cheeks when he is upset, thinking, determined, tired, etc.

The boys also are wearing Palermo Pirates shirrs.  Seriously, how in the word was I able to find Palermo, California shirts??  I had to buy them.  Blake loves matching with Dodge.  Blake has been patiently waiting for a brother he could interact with and now that he has one it is funny to watch.

Dodge can pull himself on things, climb over things and most importantly, destroy whatever blake is working on. He is constantly trying to keep Dodge out of things.  He is good about it-hasn't gotten too physical yet-but Blake will be happy when Dodge plays by interacting instead of throwing.  Although I'm not sure why that bothers Blake since his favorite game is to take every single car he owns and throw them at each other trying to get them to turn upside down and be 'dead'.

My living room often looks like this except worse. Normally the books and fake kitchen food are also strew across the floor.  Boys are fun but they leave a huge mess in their wake.  Blake loves having a brother though.  And I love having Blake.

OK, my Blake post is done.  Now here are just some more cute pictures of Dodger Dog.