A few thoughts.

1.  My friend Katie has one of the coolest blogs I have ever read.  (Are you reading this Katie, it's true).  P.S.  I love all your blogs.  I just happened to read Katie's right before this and it made me smile.  Many peoples' have also done that.

2.  I finished my family history book and had the pictures added and the whole thing bound.  It's been a work in progress for many years and just got finished.  Actually, the last few years I haven't done much on it but I have planned to finish it for a while.  And I finally did.  It feels good.

3.  I really want a puppy.  It's come on strong lately.  I have always loved dogs and puppies.  Always.  But with having kids, moving, and Matthew not particularly an animal person, we haven't gotten one.  I really want one.  I do not know if we will get one very soon, or when I will convince my husband.  We already have a lot to take care of right now, I think maybe in a few years we will talk about it again.  Who knows.

4.  I realize I haven't been that social in the last 8 years, well as social as I used to be.  That's kind of a long time.  But I have five kids--in eight years.  That explains a lot of the issues. (there have been some social moments and I still have been blessed with some great friends.)

5.  My kids are really funny.  And cute.  James and John are starting to talk more and the things they are saying and repeating are funny and cute. 

6.  Forget about the social issue, that doesn't really matter right now and I don't feel like dwelling on it.  So erase number 4 from your mind, please. :)

7.  James knows a lot of the alphabet.  He's 2.  That's kind of surprising for me and I didn't even know it....but when we teach him the letters, he remembers and he still remembers a while after.  John is catching onto a few of them, too.

8.  I try to think of ways to eat more treats without getting sick or fat.  I think it's kind of a talent and an art form to figure this out.

9.  I also think of ways to lay on the couch more and not work.  This is probably lazy and shouldn't even be written about.  But I think there's some kind of efficiency as I plan how to get more things done faster so I can rest more.

10.  I do like to work and have enjoyed doing projects.  This may not sound real since reading number 9.  But it is true.  I enjoy being productive and getting things done.

11.  I like to write books and actually this year I have completed 3 books.  One fiction book, one non fiction book, and a family history.  No one has yet grabbed onto the amazing deal of publishing these books.  One reason is that I didn't send my fiction book in.  I haven't edited it. 

12.  That is the end.  This really doesn't deserve to be number 12, but it is.

I am impressed if you read all this. :)  Love you guys.

November 5, 2012

     So I just thought I would do an update.  I think we possibly saw family for the last five weekends!  It was fun.  We saw Jonathan and Katy, Laura (Matthew and I's niece), Matthew's parents, my parents, Eric (but not on the weekend, our brother-in-law), Heather and family, Matt, Melissa and family, and Laura and family.  This last week we saw Jonathan and Katy.  We went to the museum of Idaho, which was fun, and after they left I got a fever.  (I had been sick that morning, but no fever).  Anyway, the fever lasted for a few days and it wasn't a lot of fun.  But I don't remember when a fever is ever fun...

     We missed going to Marianne and Eric's baby blessing for Weston because of my Grandpa's funeral.  We missed being able to see everyone.  And this last weekend we missed going to my nephew Preston's baptism because I felt like I was still recovering from being sick.  We wished we could have gone to that, too.

     Nathan and Mary both seem to be enjoying school.  James and John are cute and talking more.  John is a pill.  So busy.  A daddy's boy (except he likes Mommy when daddy's isn't around...well, he acts like he is at least okay with me.  I think he likes me a little bit. :)

     We drained the hot tub.  We mowed the yard for the last time.

     I threw away some nursing bras.  It was a wonderful thing.  I really don't want Eli to grow too fast and have really enjoyed this baby stage, but throwing them away was a good feeling.  I am not planning to have more children right away, obviously.  That was probably tmi.  I am 28 and I might be done with having kids.  It actually doesn't make me that sad, except I wanted one more girl.  I love my boys.  But I got my one girl and I love her.  And I wanted a blue-eyed kid and I got John.  So I am happy about those few things, even though they don't really matter...just having kids is a blessing.

     We followed a BUDGET last month!  I am proud of ourselves.  Now, we actually always kind of follow a budget, meaning we don't spend more than we earn, but I really wanted to see where our money was going and be more responsible.  We don't spend money on lots of things we don't need.  So I have struggled figuring out how to keep track...do I divide it up by each week and then only spend that amount?  Do I do it this way?  So, for this, Matthew and I made a budget...we kind of always have had a budget, we just don't know exactly where everything is going for sure, so this time I kept track in the correct categories when we spended.  It was easier for me.  Then I was aware of how much we had allotted for the rest of the month.  And we saved how much we planned to!  And we went under in a few categories and over in a few categories, but it evened out so we went under our budget by like 2 dollars and something cents.  It really did feel good to know where everything is going.  So, it was kind of fun.  I do most of the work with the money, budgeting, knowing where our money is going, paying most of the bills.

     There have been a lot of funny things the kids have said or done, I just haven't written them down as much lately.

     Hope everyone is doing well.

October 24, 2012

     My Grandpa Butler passed away a week or so ago.  He had a difficult few years with his Parkinson's and health matters.  So, we were sad to not have him with us anymore, but also grateful that he isn't suffering anymore either.  We got to see a lot of family and that was nice.  My brother was able to come from Germany, my sister from Wyoming, and my other sisters were there too.  We also got to see a lot of extended family and I don't know if there will be another chance that we get to have so many of us together like that again.  I decided I wanted to write out the week so I could remember it and document it.

Tuesday

     My parents were driving in from Wyoming with my sister Heather and her family, she has two kids ages 3 and 1.  They had stopped at Heather's on the way here after they had spent the last few days with Grandpa before he died.  So Matthew and I got the house ready and we were able to visit that night.  We also watched the presidential debate and had dinner together.  I made a crockpot dinner of barbecue beef.


Wednesday

     My dad was busy doing a few things getting ready for the funeral.  My parents left after their dentist appointment.  My mom and I went to a hair salon to get our hair trimmed.  My mom had tried to get her friend, but the times wouldn't work out.  It was kind of exciting to get out of the house without the kids in the middle of the day with my Mom!  I just had my hair trimmed at the bottom.  Then I spent the afternoon watching kids, talking with Heather, etc.  Mark left to do something with the car and I hung out with everyone for a bit.  Matt and Melissa's family drove up that evening to spend some time with us.  Matt had flown into Salt Lake from Germany on Monday and rode with Melissa.  We had dinner together from Cafe Rio and then Melissa and Bill and their four kids drove the rest of the way up to Driggs.  Bill had to work in the morning (just with a place with the internet) so they needed to be up there for the morning.  Matt stayed with us that night.  Before they left, they helped us switch out our fridge that has been in the garage for a number of months!  It was great.  We found a dolly and then we had four men to move it.  We appreciated all the help.  Even lately, we still accidentally go out to the garage once in a while!  I am getting better now and have for a bit, but it is still happening, such a habit.  That night we talked in the family room and laughed with me and Matthew, Matt, Mark and Heather.  We had serious conversations, we talked about spiritual things, and laughed a lot.  Then Heather went to bed and me and Matthew and Mark and Matt went out to the hot tub.  I was outnumbered with all the boys.  But it was fun because it was dark and the stars were all out above us and it was also cold outside!  But it wasn't too bad getting out, thankfully.

Thursday

     We got ready to go up to Driggs.  Matthew took off work, the kids took off school and we were going up to spend time with family.  We hadn't got anything packed, so for almost two hours, Matthew and I just spent time packing, and helping kids, and running around!  It was a little bit busy, but it was fine and we made it!  Then we drove up to Driggs with Matt and Heather's family and when we got there we had lunch with Dad's best friend Jim and his wife Sandy at their house.  Right next to their house was a house that gets rented out.  We were able to stay in it for free, because the person knows Jim and heard about us and said we could have it for free as long as we just cleaned it up, obviously.  So that was awesome.  Jim and Sandy Wilson live in Alta, Wyoming, which is just a little bit away from Driggs.  Jim took the kids on a hike, I stayed with the twins and Eli and Matthew stayed behind to help.  Mom and Dad, Matt, Bill, and Mary and Nathan and Carter, Preston, Avery, and Laura's family went.  Laura and Scott drove up just as they were going so Laura and Scott just followed them with the car.  I talked to Heather and Melissa for a while, we showed James and John the horses, (which they were a little bit scared about) and Matthew jumped on Jim and Sandy's tramp for a while with James and John, which they thought was fun at first, but then they didn't want to stay on it too long.  There was also this black dog of somebody's that hung around the house and James and John liked the "puppy."  This is also the place where we had the runaway horse sleigh ride experience that I wrote about a long time ago, just because talking about the horses reminded me of that.  Here are a few pictures of the house we stayed out, or views right by it, from the days we stayed there Thursday to Saturday.  Some of these pictures are ones that Laura or someone else took.  I think most of the next ones are from Laura, though, or me.  There is one of John when Uncle Matt fixed his hair and John did not like it.  There is also one of me and my sisters and me and all my siblings from oldest to youngest.









Thursday evening we went to Grandpa's viewing at the funeral home and saw a lot of family and visited with them.  Thursday night after we got the kids to bed the adults talked on the couch and laughed.  At the house, Laura and Scott and family, Melissa and Bill and family, and our family stayed there.  Mom and Dad, Matt, and Heather and Mark's family stayed with Jim and Sandy who were just next door.

Friday

     Friday morning we got up, ate breakfast, and got ready for the funeral.  We went to the family viewing before the funeral and then went to the funeral.  It was a wonderful event.  I felt more emotional than I had expected, even though that sounds kind of funny, but it was a good experience to remember Grandpa's good life, his courage, and his good example.  There were funny stories, inspiring stories, and it was wonderful remembering him.  The grandkids sang "Love at Home" and my brother Matt played a piano solo "Coming Home" I believe it was and Scott sang "The Test."  Matt and Scott's pieces were beautiful.  The grandkids sounded good too, I would guess, even though I am not a fair judge because I was up there singing. :)  We went to the cemetery and since Grandpa served in the war they did the guns and everything.  Then we went back to the church and had lunch there that a ward provided for us and talked.  A few of us went back to the house with our kids.  A lot of my cousins stayed at the church and played basketball there.  For dinner, all of the family that was still there I think came to the house we were staying at and had pizza.  It was a full house, but lots of fun!  It was great to see everyone.  After many of them left, some of our cousins stayed and we played a game and talked.  It was a busy day, but good.  Here are a few pictures from that day.


     In the picture just above are the grandkids of Grandpa Jay Dell.  There were a few grandkids at the funeral that aren't in the picture, but most of us are there.  It's a pretty good bunch!  I love these people!  I wish I could see them more often, but it was still good to see them.

Saturday

     We spent a few hours cleaning the place we were staying at and then we left to go to my house.  We drove up earlier with Laura and Scott while Melissa, Bill, and Matt stayed with just Sadie to clean up without any kids there to make it easier to clean.  Then we took my family pictures on Saturday and watched the BYU football game against Notre Dame and then Matt and Melissa left and we just hung out that evening.  Laura stayed and went to church with us on Sunday and then went home after lunch.  It was a busy week, but fun to see everyone.

October 10, 2012

Eli is 6 months! (turned 6 months on October 4)

I haven't posted much about Eli, but he is a sweetheart.  I love him so much.  I have loved this baby stage with him.  He is a blessing in our lives.  He is happy, hardly ever cries, started sleeping the longest the earliest, and is just pleasant and calm most of the time.

How grateful I am for him and how much I love him.
 

September 27, 2012

     I feel like writing my day out and talking about the ups and downs, the little things that I do that I think I might not remember as well some day.  I know that I have written a few posts about my day, but this post is really what I did all day up to this point.  I am writing this day out because it is fairly typical.

     I woke up at around 7:30.  That is a little bit later than normal, but not by much.  I got up, opened the blinds, saw that Eli was awake.  I put Eli on the floor and started to get breakfast ready for kids.  I filled four bowls with cereal and had Nathan get the milk out of the garage (our fridge is still in the garage because our kitchen one does not work).  I got the twins to the table and then changed Eli's diaper and fed him a bottle.  Then I talked to Mary about what clothes matched, she is pretty good, but we had a discussion about something this morning, and then I put Eli down, wiped twins off, and said prayer with Mary and Nathan and sent them out the door.  Then I put Eli in the exersaucer and changed both twins' diapers and then quickly changed my clothes and turned on a pbs tv show, also a "kid show" for the twins and then I walked outside about a house down where I could see the kids so I could watch them get on the bus.  I like doing that, but I am sometimes the only parent that does that.  There are about 15-20 kids at the bus stop.  Then I came back inside, put Eli down for a nap, got myself breakfast, unloaded the dishwasher, started a load of laundry, took a load out of the dryer, loaded the dishwasher, then put clothes on the twins.  I often put clothes on the twins right after I come back inside, but today it got pushed back a little.  I came upstairs, loaded the dishwasher and then realized I was feeling more fatigued than normal.  It has been a busy week.  I tried to lay down, but the twins wanted me to read them books and wouldn't give up, so I laid down, tried to fit them both beside me and we read books.  It was a little squishy and John got up and down a few times because he was right by the side of the couch, but it worked.  Then I got up and picked up all the trash off the floor that the twins had made a mess of the night before when they'd emptied a trashcan.  I got trash off the counter.  Eli was back up and then I fed him again and let the twins watch Elmo.  Then I switched the laundry again and got ready to make lunch.  I had to move Eli back on the carpet a few times because he was crawling to the fireplace and I also had to listen to a few fights from the twins, which is nothing new, of course, but they weren't too bad overall. :)  They are cuties and good little boys, too!

     I made peanut butter sandwiches with cut up bananas and had a yogurt ready with cups of water.  Mary got home right after I got the twins up to the table and they ate.  I ate in between helping everyone.  I tried to lay back on the couch because I have been feeling tired, but the twins got up and down from the table with peanut butter on their hands and I had to keep putting them back and telling them they must be done with lunch, etc.  Finally, I got them washed up, the table cleared off and I tried to lay back down.  Then Mary went downstairs with the twins for a few minutes.  Then she came up and went outside to play and Eli woke back up.  I started to feed Eli, there was a knock at the door, Mary's friend wanted her to play, so I interrupted Eli's feeding and got Mary and let her go to her friend's house and then finished feeding Eli and then changed the twins diapers and put them in bed.  Then I came upstairs and got Eli because he was fussing and went to the rocker and then he spit up all over me, which he does spit up quite often.  Then I finally put him down to bed, switched the laundry one more time and here I am writing!

     I am trying to get most of the laundry done today.  I have been doing it more on Thursdays if I can, with a load here and there throughout the week.  Then on Fridays and Saturdays we can do more things and other jobs if we can make it.  I usually don't fold everything, because it is just a lot and wait to fold it until Matthew comes home and he helps me.  Mary and Nathan often fold their own clothes and take them to put them away.

     Matthew has been busier at work lately.  Nathan is in the top reading and spelling group at school, according to him, he told me yesterday when he was doing his homework, and he seemed happy about it.  I was proud of him.  He has been coming home and does his homework right away and his piano.  Also, we make him do it right away before he can do anything else.  It stops a lot of the stress and worry about getting it done at the end of the day.  This is the first year we have done it this good and I hope it continues.  However, the rest of the years I had barely had twins and was also pregnant and didn't feel well and it does take some effort to get kids to do things until they are in the habit.  Mary also has homework almost everyday and we get it done too.
 
      I hope I can lie down for a few minutes before I get up to work again and finish the rest of the day.  That is all for right now.  Bye.

I realize I shouldn't copy Matthew and try to be a cool parent and ride Nathan's bike down the hill.  This statement from Nathan pretty much sums it up--"Mary, Daddy can show you how to ride it down the hill without falling off."

For the record, even though Matthew thought I was trying to pretend to fall off, I really did.  There is not a pretend bruise on my calf.  As I laid on the ground, all four kids came over my face and Nathan and Mary were asking if I was okay--I think.  I have learned my lesson.  Do not ride my 7 year old's bike down a steep hill and do not do anything too wild on Sunday--that's wild for me I guess.  Matthew is also in trouble for laughing at me...:)

I went to check on the twins to see if they were awake from their nap, and this is what I found.

September 15, 2012

     Matthew has been wanting to stain our back deck for a while now.  So finally, today, he (and I some) did just that.

     Let me just write some of the comments that were said.

     Matthew:  Becky, just follow behind me and correct the mistakes I make.

     Nathan:  Does this stain your clothes?  (looking toward the stain we're using)
     Matthew:  Yes, that is why it is called stain.
     Nathan:  Oh, I get it!

     Me:  Matthew, let's do Karate after this.  (I was being strange and seeing if he got my joke...you guys remember the Karate kid movie where he painted the fence?  Yeah...I had to mention that to Matthew.  Then Matthew commented.)
     Matthew.  But we'd be bad at it.  Cause we're bad at staining this deck.

     Matthew:  This is the first deck I've stained.

    Me:  Don't worry.  It will look fine.  (looking at a slightly-stressed looking Matthew after he had been working on the deck by himself for a while.)
    Then I worked on the deck with Matthew for an hour.  I started feeling....like the deck was not looking quite as good as I would like...
Matthew noticed or I said something and then he said:  Now do you understand why I was cranky earlier?

     Neighbor kid:  What is this stuff?
     Nathan:  This is called stain, because it stains you just like it stains the deck.  Get it?
     Neighbor kid:  Got it.
     I had to give Matthew a look.

     Matthew:  I keep painting the house (wipes the house off with the cloth.)
     Me:  Don't paint the house.  I don't want to have to paint the whole house this color.
     Matthew:  Becky, we wouldn't do that.
     Oh dear...(he apparently did not get my joke.  That is okay though. )

     Matthew:  Here Becky, you can stand here and I'll go over there.
     I thought how considerate that was, considering that spot he let me stand in was right next to the paint so I didn't have to move a lot to use it....and then I realized later that the farther I painted that our spiky thorny bush I had to scoot past poked me in the rear.

     Matthew:  Next time I stain the deck, I will...
That is a concerning comment considering this is our deck for a while.  But I love him and appreciate his care for our deck.  

I just want to say, even if I sound a little bit cheesy, how much I have appreciated all of your comments on my blog, your acts of kindness, service, kind words, and love and friendship this year.

I have so greatly appreciated them during this year of my life....it has been a year. :)

A neighbor kid came inside for a few minutes when I was outside talking to his Mom.  She asked me if I could send him back outside to come home.  So I got him outside and as I shut the garage door I heard him ask Mary and Nathan:

How'd your Mom get so skinny?

I could only laugh inside a little bit.  So later I asked Nathan if he answered that question and what he said.  Nathan said that he said:

She bounced on the exercise disk thing.

I am glad that I give the illusion of using that thing.  I haven't used it for a few years, I think. 

I am thinking maybe he is thinking I am skinny because I used to be pregnant.  I don't know.  He's seen me quite a bit since I had Eli...I have been about the same weight for months now.  Anyway, I was just trying to figure out why he was saying that.

August 13, 2012

It's one of those days.  Oh, it's just tough sometimes.

The twins really drive me crazy.  I do not know if I feel like writing out the day or not...kind of tiring.

It is hard to have three boys under 2.  Especially having James and John.  What sweethearts.  But oh, they are both handfuls!  John is into EVERYTHING and steals from James all day.  James just SCREAMS a lot of the time about everything.  It is so tiring.  He has done this for about a year.  When people are over he does better for some reason--like he is distracted or something and John becomes more shy.  But when they are alone, John is confident, busy, steals, and drives James nuts, and consequently, James drives me nuts!  He comes to me and is not easily consoled.  And half the time I am busy with Eli and if I tell him just a minute or it's okay but do not do exactly what he wants at the moment, he throws a fit.  For a few hours, I am pretty patient, but by the third of fourth hour, it can sometimes be a little bit tough. :).

It is hard because he sets his toys up and John comes and steals something.  It frustrates him to no end.  And even though I make John give toys back, there is no way I have enough time to deal with all of their fights all day long.  I am too busy with other stuff.

This morning the visiting teachers were coming over and Eli had a small fever.  The house upstairs needed to be cleaned.  Nathan and Mary decided at that exact moment to empty the craft drawers and reorganize.  They have never wanted to organize their crafts before.  Well, there was about thirty minutes or so until the visiting teachers came.  Crafts were all over the floor.  I was trying to empty the dishwasher and reload it.  John was opening cupboards and trying to take stuff out.  There were five or six of us at a time in the kitchen with crafts all over, an open dishwasher, twins opening cupboards and it was crazy!  I told Nathan and Mary to pick up quick.  Then James and John got the computer and were opening it.  I never got everything cleaned, but it was okay--kind of :)  They couldn't see all the counters, I don't think.

Eli spits up a lot.  Other than that, he is a good boy. :)

The exersaucer is out now and James and John kept getting in there and getting stuck and screaming to get out.  I should have put it in my room, but I was feeding Eli and would come really quick and take them out.

They started to throw shoes down the stairs again, until I caught them.

They emptied the trash today on the kitchen floor (there were a lot of craft papers) and threw the trashcan down the stairs.

They are adorable and I love them so much, but it's hard.

Nathan and Mary have been a little easier, overall, but they of course have their days.  They are good kids who want to be good and are just kids. :)

I still have some struggles I struggle with and I am trying to remember my blessings and to be patient.  I am trying really hard to overcome things and be a good mother.

Let's keep helping each other.  We sure need each other!!

July 18, 2012

Here are a few pictures of just how we do a few things around the house.

These are Nathan and Mary's job charts.  I found a job chart maker online and then laminated them.  It's easy for me because then we just use dry erase markers and can swipe them clean and start over every week.

Here is what the job charts get for the kids.  Ever day if you have at least 3 checkmarks, you get a dollar for that day.  However, we don't pay them the dollar until Saturday after their Saturday morning jobs.  They then get all the dollars they earn for the week and get to go to the store!  We have been doing this for a few months now.  Here is the family store.
They can get one piece of candy or 1 dime for every dollar they earn.  The fake dollars I just keep with the store as you can see.  They pay tithing on the dime if they choose it.  I like this idea and wanted to figure out how to get the kids excited about doing jobs and have it be easier, hopefully, and I wanted to reward them, too.  I also wanted them to be able to choose to save money if they want to.  We have tried to help them start to understand what saving up for something means.  But they are kids and mostly choose the candy.  I don't care, I just like giving them the option. :)

Here are our ipad cards.  I had the kids make them.  We got an ipad a while ago and I was trying to figure out how to not have the kids ask me all day long to play games on it, or play too long on it.  I knew this could be an area where we might struggle, so I had the idea of making ipad cards!  The kids helped think of jobs to do and wrote them down.  So when they want to do the ipad, they get to pick a card and do the job on it.  I try to rotate the cards, so they don't pick the same job twice.  For every card, they get 10 minutes on the ipad.  At the beginning it was great!  The kids were asking for more jobs so they could have another turn.  Now, they still do jobs and still ask for extra jobs, though sometimes I just tell them a job that needs done instead of them picking a card.  It still works and sometimes I get a little help with a few messes!

 Here is Eli's room.  My mother made the quilt and my sister Laura made the pictures.  Eli is in the crib, sleeping as you can tell I'm sure. :)  I just moved the quilt there for the picture.  The quilt and pictures coordinate and they are both so cute from talented people.

I am always trying to think of how to simplify our lives and target areas that need help!  We have a lot to go still, but I have really loved the job charts/family store and the ipad cards!  They have both made a difference and also give the kids something to do.

     The twins are busy little things, besides all the other kids.

     Recently James and John have pulled insulation our of a wall in their room (fixed now), dipped Nathan and Mary's toothbrushes in the toilet, emptied the trash and snacked on remnants, fought over toys, poked Eli in the eye while saying "eye!" excitedly, taken out everything in the kitchen cupboards they can get their hands on, used Nathan's nerf sword to turn on the lights around the house (John), and John keeps getting stuck in the rocking chair arm.  He keeps trying to go through the small space.  I really am running and speed walking throughout the day to catch up with everyone and with the messes.

     I feel, like most moms I know, that I am trying to clean up one mess and another one is being made!  It just doesn't end, but I am glad that I have support from good people who also know what this is like.  Let's have a girls party.  My house.  Hot tub.  Treats.  Girl movies.  Love you guys.

July 9, 2012

     Last week I was in bed lying there and heard Nathan say:  Dad, John is walking up the stairs like a human! (John was walking up, instead of crawling.)

     That same day I watched as Nathan had an empty wipe container with an American Flag sticking out of the hole where you pull out the wipes.  It was a baby present for his friend who was having a baby shower.  She was having a baby fairy.

     Nathan and I were talking.  He had a loose tooth and it was hurting him a little bit.  He said:  Mom, my tooth is tempting.  I said:  Tempting?  What do you mean by tempting?  Nathan looked slightly annoyed and then said:  Mom, YOU were the one who taught me what it meant!
(On Monday we had watched a movie about how crocodiles can hide and sneak out of the water when animals come by.  The animals can't see the crocodile, but then they are snatched.  It then explained how temptations are like the crocodiles.  So I tried to explain in a very simple way what a temptation was to a 6 and a 5 year old.  I was looking to Matthew for help, which he had none.  Apparently I know how effective I was :) 

     Last night at dinner this was the conversation.
Mary:  Knock-knock.
Me:  Who's there?
Mary:  Brownie.
Me:  Brownie who?
Mary:  Brownie, yummy for my tummy!

     Mary laughed, but Nathan informed her that was not a funny joke.  I asked him to please tell us a knock-knock joke.

Nathan:  knock-knock.
Me:  Who's there?
Nathan:  Banana.
Me:  Banana who?
Nathan:  Banana, you are a banana!

     He laughed.  I admit, I laughed about the whole situation.  Matthew tried to teach them knock-knock jokes a number of months ago and we have been hearing these kind of jokes for a long time.  Matthew groans inwardly :)

June 27, 2012

I just want you all to know that I read your blogs.  Even though I haven't written very many comments this last year, I do read them and love them!  (I think I have only written about one comment on each of my family's blogs this year, about, and that is about it.)

I just wanted you guys to know that I still love you. :)  I hope you are having a fabulous day.

Here are a few pictures.  My good friend Katie stopped by for a visit since she was in town!  I was so glad to see her!

June 17, 2012

I stole this idea from Melissa, my sister.  It was a good idea.  I want to remember what my kids said and thought at this age.

How old is daddy?
Nathan:  21, no I mean 31.
Mary: 200, no, no, no, not 200, I mean 32.

What is daddy's favorite thing to do:
Nathan: I think play with me and Mary.
Mary:  Help.

What do you like most about daddy?
Nathan:  He plays with me a lot.
Mary:  One thing that I like is that he lets me do fun things like the ipad, watch tv., scripture movies.  And one more thing.  I like him.  Wait, yeah, I like him.

What does daddy do at work?
Nathan:  He pays us money.
Mary:  Works.

What is something daddy has taught you?
Nathan:  Taught us to not climb on the arms (of the couches).
Mary:  Teach us to be obedient.

What is daddy's favorite food?
Nathan:  Onions.  And hot sauce.
Mary:  Um, that's a hard one. (with a cute giggle).  I think um, chicken sandwiches?

Where did daddy grow up?
Nathan:  California.
Mary:  California?
(I told them it was Nebraska and now they both want to switch their answers to Nebraska.)

What is something special about daddy?
Nathan:  He takes us to shiver shack.
Mary:  He likes us.

What places does daddy like to go?
Nathan:  The store.
Mary:  Work.

Name someone in daddy's family growing up.
Nathan: Uncle Jonathan.
Mary:  Aunt Marianne.

What is daddy's favorite color?
Nathan:  All the colors.
Mary:  Green?

What does daddy like to do?
Nathan:  Help clean the dishes.  (hmm....:)
Mary:  Help fold laundry. And pick weeds.

What is one thing you want to tell daddy?
Nathan:  I love you.
Mary:  I love you.

June 13, 2012

On Monday night just down the street, people in the ward were getting together for some ice cream.  It was leftover icecream from a ward activity on Saturday--the ice cream social on Saturday evening was outside in the ward pavilion area.  It was windy and cold and a little rainy.  It's June, but it's Idaho.  Well, we weirdos in our family went and actually walked.  There was hardly anyone there, so they were just spreading word out to gather together to get the leftovers.  Luckily, the twins were in bed, so Matthew, Nathan, Mary, Eli, and I went down.  We could see our house and it was really close and we locked the doors and the twins can't get out of their beds and they were asleep.  Anyway, it was nice to not be chasing kids and actually talk to people!

So I sat down in a group of ladies and someone asked me:  How are you adjusting to the new baby?  How is it?

I answered:  Well, today, I did not stop moving for five hours until I had a break.  It was completely true!  Not even ten minutes of a sit down internet break, breathing break, etc.  I was so busy, and many days are like that.  I usually do all the cleaning during the week because Matthew comes home late around 6:30 each night and that is when we have dinner and it is so busy then, so I clean like a crazy lady.  Sometimes I am breathing hard from moving so much.  I go from one diaper, to the next, from dishes, to laundry, to stopping a fight, to helping someone with a snack or drink, to picking up another mess, to chasing a twin, to holding a crying baby, to feeding Eli, over and over.  Usually, I feed Eli in the morning, clean trays, do breakfast, do dishes, do trash, counters, get twins down, clean up, diapers, clothes, chasing...and then when that is over, Eli is up again!  It goes on and on.

But the whole point of that, it was long, was that I was not trying or had any intention of complaining to that lady.  But it was true.  I worked from 7:40 to 12:40 before any kind of a break at all.  That is when the twins went down for a nap, and Eli was a sleep for just a moment.  It was nice to sit down.

My life has just changed.  It isn't bad, or anything, but I have to work hard and all the time.  If I have free time, I don't let things pile up as much because there is too much to do and it gets too crazy.

On Friday and Saturdays we work almost all day long both days.  But last Saturday I told Matthew we were dumping that idea and we took the kids to a pizza place in town that has a play place as a surprise.  They loved it and it was fun.  Then we tried to go to the river, but it was really windy, so we were only outside for a few minutes, with a few of the kids in the car with Matthew anyway.

After that question at the icecream social, I was talking to someone who has one little boy and works.  I asked her some questions to get to know her.  She was telling me that her life wasn't half as busy as mine.  I told her that any mom is busy.  One kid is busy.

I now realize how stay at home moms use their talents and are as busy and work as hard, or harder than other women at other jobs most of the time, I believe.  I have to plan better than I have ever had to.  I have to in the mornings, plan ahead so I can figure out how to take care of everyone at the same time.  I plan when I will make the bottle, feed Eli, put the twins up and get them down, change diapers, do dishes, etc.  I plan ahead.  That is how we survive.  Because every morning almost all five kids need things at the same time!  Sometimes I enlist Mary and Nathan to get milk out of the fridge for me or put bibs on the twins, or watch Eli for a moment for safety measures from his brothers.

I have to be efficient, effective, creative, and work hard to be a Mom.  And I keep learning.  I think we are all in this together.  It's hard for everyone who is a Mom, we just need to be as supportive to each other as we can.

We know what it's like to have a really hard time with certain kids with listening.  We know what it's like to be exhausted.  We know what it's like to not know how to pay for things.  We know what it's like to not go on dates for a long time (let's not say how long) and feel the need to get out and have a break.  I think all parents feel those things to some degree and some time.

I have good sisters and sister-in-laws and brother and parents and in-laws who are kind to us.  Hopefully they know we think they are all wonderful.  And I am impressed with so many of them.  Except for....(I AM kidding :)

Today--
James locked himself in his room.  Just yesterday he was reaching for the lock like he was interested in it.  I told Matthew last night that we might need to do something about it.  He can't unlock the door or reach to turn it all the way yet so I unlocked it with a hanger.

And John figured out that using Nathan's nerf swords to turn on the water dispenser in the fridge is cool.  Water was squirting onto the floor.  I took away the sword.  He got it back and did it again.  I put the sword up high and John ran and got the other sword and did it.  Both swords were up high. 

Wow.  But I feel so blessed!  Heavenly Father does answer prayers.  I have the health to watch the kids right now!  We have the financial means to take care of our family right now!  People in the ward have been so kind to us and reached out to us.  I have never felt like a burden or that I had to beg or ask for help--people were there helping before I had to ask.  Sometimes you have to ask, but during this crazy time, what a blessing (and I believe many were following the Spirit at certain times) to come to us!  It helped us feel wanted and loved and testified to me of what I believe the Savior's love is really like.  I hope someday to return the favor to someone else who is in need.  Because sometimes we all need lifting and love in some way at some time.  Most of the time, people in the ward just came to me and asked what they could do and told us they were there and it was genuine and warm and without any reproof.  Fabulous.  fabulous.  There have also been some great friends from across town who have offered help and meant it.  We love all of them and appreciate every offer so very much. :)  So thanks all of you! (if any one of them is reading...:)

I am not writing for any specific purpose, but I wanted to write since I had a break right now!

P.S.  I am going to take a shower because the three little boys are sleeping and Mary and Nathan are watching a movie.  Take one quick Beck!

I would love to have visitors because getting out of the house with all the kids is kind of crazy.  I can't go on walks with all the kids either because three of them need a stroller and I do not have a three-kid stroller.  I could possibly put Eli on me in a baby backpack thing and push the other two, but that does not sound fun.  So here we stay.  It's okay that I can't go on walks, I am grateful for the things I can do and that we have things like a backyard to send the kids in :)  But if you are really bored, let me know and just come over and play in our back yard and visit with me :)

June 8, 2012

In the last few weeks I have experienced/heard a number of interesting things with the neighbor kids.

Today was not an exception.  But as Matthew and I went outside to pull weeds, we had a number of kids in the neighborhood come up.  Here are a few things I heard today as well as in the last few weeks.

Me:  Do you guys want to go play in the backyard?
Kids:  Yay!
(except for one kid who is 5 or 7)
Kid:  No.  I want to stay here and pull weeds to earn money.

The kids piled around the stroller where Eli was.  One kid.--6 years old.
Kid:  So, he already popped out of you?

I am sitting in the rocking chair on the front porch feeding Eli.  The 6 year old kid comes up to talk to me.
He looks like he's crying.
Me:  He's not.  He's just eating.
Kid:  Well, when they cry, I heard they liked to be rocked.
The kid then goes on and rocks me in the rocking chair while I feed Eli.

Same Kid:  I went home and wanted to bring you a popsickle back.  But my Mom...
(he got distracted and never finished.  But I got the message.)

Inside yesterday:

Mary and her friend dressed in dress up outfits.  Mary's friend:
Mary, let's surprise Nathan.  He won't know it's us.  He'll think we're real princesses!
They giggled and started off.  I folded laundry while I listened to this.  (coming back down stairs later).
Me:  Did Nathan know it was you?
Mary:  No, we just said Merci, Merci.
Mary's friend:  That means "hi" in French.

Outside:  (I had told Nathan and Mary they couldn't have any friends over today because of some things yesterday.   Please do not comment on the next part of my bad parenting.)

All these kids were outside and one of them looked in our backyard.  We inherited a pretty nice play set and a lot of neighbor kids want to come play on it, apparently.  One little boy stared at it and very innocently came up to me?
Can I play in your backyard?
(and just like that, I kind of melted.  Here was this kid who didn't have a swingset and I could see it in his eyes.  I told him yes.  I will have to rethink my consequences or something.  Mary and Nathan seemed pleased.  I told them they better listen.  They promised they would.)

Mary and her friend were watching TV one day on the pbs station.  The friend started sighing and asked if she could please watch something else.  The show was showing some farm animals or something for a minute.  She said she didn't like it.
"Why don't you like it?"  I asked.  or "Why do you want me to change it?"
she said very matter-of-factly.  "I just want to watch something without pigs in it."

Mary's friend saw some old candy on our counter.  I had not gotten it in the trash, just out of the cupboard.  It was so hard, it might break your teeth.
Mary's friend:  Can I have some of that candy?
Me:  No, sorry, that candy is too hard.
Mary's friend:  I like hard candy.  Just let me try it.
(For the next five or so minutes, there were a number of comments about how she could eat hard candy, etc.  I should have just let her...but I truthfully was worried someone would break a tooth or something.

For some reason, the concept of me and Matthew pulling weeds fascinates a few neighbor kids.  They have come up, asked us what we're doing, and wanted to help.  We don't turn down offers.  They want to look at our dandelion picker.  They want to have turns.  Even today Matthew was helping a 3 year old boy with the picker because he was so interested.

And Nathan today walked down the sidewalk yelling:  Who wants to ask questions about horses?

I do not know why he was saying that.  I do not think he knows that much about horses.

June 4, 2012

Eli was blessed June 3.  Mary was also blessed that same day five years ago.  Here are a few pictures.  We forgot to take pictures and had to put Eli back in his blessing outfit.

May 23, 2012

I wanted to write today out.  I know that I have done that a bit, but there were some memorable things and I realize that I will not write out a lot of our days in general.

This morning while I fed Eli, John came up from his room with an armful of socks.  I tried to do a count and there were about 20 socks in his arms.  He took them around the house.  He brought them on the couch next to me and then threw them off, one or a few at a time.  I think he brought them back on the couch to do it again, but I can't remember for sure.

Matthew went to lunch with Nathan at school.  Matthew said Nathan's teacher, Mrs. Stratton, told him that Nathan had been talking about it a few times that morning.  Matthew and Nathan got a chimi.  Matthew said it was pretty gross, but said Nathan did that try not to smile thing he does when he saw him.

When I went to put the twins down for a nap, I saw that James' crib had piles of clothes in it.  There were a lot!  I took a picture of it.  There was also a shoe and some other stuff.

I played Pretty, Pretty, Princess with Mary after the twins went down for a nap and Eli was sleeping.  Mary has asked me a number of days to play again.  We played sometime last week I think and she has asked ever since.  She is so cute when she plays.  Today she won and loved it.

I made beef stew in the crock pot.  Matthew was surprised when I talked to him on the phone because he said he didn't think I'd have enough time to do it.  It doesn't take too long, but sometimes I am busy to do it.  However, Eli was crying during the last few minutes of it :)

I paid the phone bill.  Holy smokes.  Mary said "holy smokes" the other day and I thought that was kind of funny.

John wanted some cuddle time today after I put Eli down.  I came back to sit down and he begged to get up and sit in my lap.  John pretends everything is a phone, from remotes to cars to his hand, to anything.  Right now he is using some kid pager.  He holds it up to my ear and wants me to talk.  He is happy when I talk to it.  I pretend to talk to someone.

I cleaned the dishes and washed counters and did trash.  I started some laundry and folded laundry and put some away.

I feel really blessed.  Yesterday I was talking to a friend about a specific thing and felt really good and peaceful about the situation.  I felt as if perspective was poured into me as well as just peace about it.  My heart was filled with gratitude and happiness about it.  It probably wasn't as big of a deal to talk about, but I felt better after I had talked about it.  I appreciate her listening and talking to me about it. :)

Sometimes I can't believe I am hard on myself.  There are some things that I struggle doing.  And then it's like I open my eyes and see all the things I can do and have been blessed to do and I am able to.  I clean everyday, watch all the kids, still try to be nice, and yet, sometimes I feel stressed/focused on the things that I can't or struggle doing.  It's different for me than other people.  But perhaps someone else can do the things I struggle with with ease, but watching five kids and doing it everyday might be really hard for them.  Well, not like it's super easy for me all the time...:)  But sometimes I just need perspective.  And Heavenly Father does not judge us the way we might imagine He does.  He is not as concerned about certain issues as we are.  Well, I feel that way about my life, that He is not as worried about things as I am, and He just loves me and is there for me and tries and does remind me that I am special and His daughter and He forgives me when I keep trying.

I listen to the scriptures on my iphone sometimes.  It's kind of a different thing hearing the scriptures instead of reading them.  I have pleasantly been surprised that I enjoy hearing them.  I don't do it everyday that way, but once in a while I will.

James and John can be little stinkers.  James runs away from me if I suggest diaper changes or am too close to the diapers.  He also says "uh-uh" a lot and shakes his head indicating no when he does not want to do things.  John also does that now.  They also think I do not feed them often enough or adequately.  I feel like I am always giving them food.  Today, I gave them both bowls of crackers.  John ate his faster (like normal) and stole James's bowl, finished his crackers and handed the empty bowl back to James.  James did not like that one bit.  This is a common thing, stealing James's stuff.  Sometimes I am at a loss of how to help him when I am helping Eli.  Oh well.

Goodnight :)

May 22, 2012

Here are a few pictures of Eli.