Jenson Family

Day 2

They say that the sequel is never as good as the original.  I second that!!

Today started out with us all getting ready to go to breakfast for the commemoration of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood (Fathers and Sons).  We all got ready and showed up about 20 minutes early to see if we could help set up or get things ready.  Brinley felt a little out of place, but that didn't stop her from eating her donut.  One boy said that he was going to go tell the bishop that Brinley came to the breakfast when she was not invited. It was a good start to the day.

After breakfast we made a mad dash over to the baseball fields where Bryce had his baseball practice. 
Things were going fine until Brinley decided that she wasn't going to spend another minute in her stroller.  I was helping with practice so I couldn't watch her real close.  Then Brandon decided that he also wanted freedom.  Suddenly I realized what was happening.  I was pitching the ball to some kids for batting practice and Brinley is dragging a bat around trying to find a ball to hit (almost getting hit herself) and Brandon is running around in the outfield (sometimes venturing into the infield) giggling like a little school girl.

Little did I know at the time, but the day was only going to get worse.  Practice for me was over and I took the kids to the van to wait out the rest of practice.  When we got home, we tried to find some toys to play with... Bryce was playing on the Wii, Brinley was playing with her toys, and Brandon was having fun opening and closing the door to the closet.  I thought I had a few minutes to run to the bathroom.  When I came out, I found Brandon in the kitchen with the sliding door open (he recently learned how to unlock and open the door)  and yelling, "Brinley... Brinley."  I could see at once that Brandon had poked a hole in the screen door and Brinley was no where to be seen.  I went down stairs and Bryce didn't know where she was at.  I think he barely noticed that she was not in the room anymore.  I went in the backyard and found her playing in the water.  Brandon and Brinley both sat in their cribs until I had fixed the screen door. 

Lunch wasn't much better.  Brinley had finished eating so I took her in the other room and came back to the kitchen to find that Brandon had dropped his glass of milk and it had spilled all over the floor and wall.  Bryce said it was on accident (and I think it was) but that didn't make it any easier to clean up.  That sealed the deal!  It was nap time whether they were tired or not.  By this time my patience was gone and it was not even 2:00 yet.

A little yard work helped me to relax and lower the stress levels.  Dinner was much better as Brandon only yelled "DADDY.... DADDY... DADDY!" about 15 times.  (that is sad when you think that is pretty good.)  The kids all got baths after dinner and I crashed.  Not before getting something to put behind the sliding glass door to stop Brandon.  It is only a matter of time before he figures out how to get it open again. 

I am not looking forward to tomorrow.  I think day 3 is going to be the worst.  (and I won't be able to do any yard work to lower the stress levels) 

 Misty went with her high school friends on a little retreat.  Do you think that she is the only one that is going to have some fun?  When the cat is away, the mice will play.

Day 1 (actually she left yesterday afternoon, but this is the first official day)

We all got up at 7:30 this morning and helped Bryce get ready for school.  He practiced his spelling words (spelling test today).  All Brandon and Brinley could say all morning was, "where mommy go?"  Once Bryce left for school, the rest of the family went shopping.  We went to Wal-Mart, Kohls, and DI.  I gave my ipod to Brandon to play with while we were at the store.  He loved it, then he turned the camera on and started taking pictures.  Luckily he only took about twenty pictures.  Almost all of them looked just like this:
That wasn't bad.  Sometimes he takes about 100 before I figure out what he did.   At least this time there was a little variety.  Instead of a picture of his shoes, he took a picture of somebody elses shoes.  I guess when you are that short, you tend to look at a lot of shoes.
Sometimes the camera is facing the other direction and I have evidence of who is taking all of the pictures.  Here is some of the evidence of the shutterbug.

By 11:00 we were back at home.  After lunch Brandon and Brinley laid down for a nap and I did a little yard work.  Bryce reported that he got 100% on his spelling test.  After piano practice, he went to play at a friend's house.
Here is a picture of some of our purchases.
The kids are still a live and the house is still standing.  I would say that it was a pretty successful day.

Brandon thinks that is really hilarious.  The funny part is that Brandon doesn't even get it!!  Bryce really loves Star Wars.  The other day he dressed up as Obi Wan Kenobi and watched The Phantom Menace.  Not only did he watch it, but he mimicked every move that Obi Wan made.  I watched Bryce during the best part - the duel with Darth Maul.  It was great!!  On a related, but unrelated note...  Bryce made Anakin's starfighter from a few spare parts lying around the house.

 If you can't see it very good, R2-D2 is in the front corner of the starfighter.
Bryce wasn't too happy with Brandon laughing at the force, but in the end Bryce got his revenge...