Finally, Finals are done!

Ahhhh, I just turned in my second final.....FREEEEEDDDDDOOOOOMMMMMMM!
I had 56 question algebra test that MissG helped me finish on Friday, only took 3 hours to do, and today I wrote a 2200 word essay that was a professional development plan for when I'm a teacher. Tomorrow I start Child Development and The Brain, The Body, And The Mind: All Together Now (a psychology class). I just love it when finals are over!

R's Product Review

R and I were watching a commercial about the 'PedEgg'.
He said, "Yeah right, that doesn't work, why would anyone want to buy that?!"
Me - "Oh, I don't know..."
R - "You could just use lotion on your feet instead of some cheese grater to scrape the pimples of your feet!"

It was so funny, I was laughing so hard, it made my whole day!

I'm my Favorite Flower!

You Are a Tulip

You have a wild, experimental side that craves change. You often switch jobs and lovers, always looking for something better. But deep down, you're also very well grounded and content. And you will come to know that the life you live is already ideal.

What Flower Are You?

Friday Favorites!

1) The Count Of Monte Cristo - I read this book a while back and loved it, I also enjoyed the movie that they made a few years ago. That movie doesn't follow the book exactly and has different endings, but is still very good. I found another movie that follows the book and it's so good! It's all in French with English subtitles and is super long, about 8 hours. I have been watching sections of it over the past few nights, tonight I get to finish it up!

2) Jogging - I have always been very wimpy when it came to jogging. M got me to go jog with her last weekend and I actually survived! So I decided I needed to start doing it. But what to do with the boys? Well, we live on a back country culdesack, you can see my house on either end of the road. So I measured it and if I run it 15 times it equals a mile. Yesterday the kids went out with me and ran as much as they could and then just played while I plugged along, then afterwards R told me we should do this everyday, so I told him OK!

3) AM Wake-up Call - My best friend JBug has been soooo nice and all week has been giving me a wake-up call between 6am and 6:30am so I will get my rear in gear! I have a hard time waking up early, but she has made it easy! Getting up earlier has helped me stay more on top of things this week, get in a few extra workouts, and helped me not feel so stinkin rushed, Thank you JBug!!!

4) Eragon - We have been listening to Eragon on CD as we drive around. It is above L so he hasn't been paying attention like he usually does, he'll only catch bits and pieces of if. R is just loving it! We bought Eldest in book form so when we are all done listening to Eragon R can read it, he can't wait!

5)School Conference - R's school conferences crack me up. It is student led, so he does just about all the talking, shows me his best work, and decides what he needs to work on. His teacher just sits back with a smile on her face. So far every teacher has been like that. Then I am told that he is just a wonderful boy and they never have any problems and he's ahead on everything. It's such a breeze and R always walks out feeling great about himself!

...Pants on Fire!

Well, I lied on accident to R. Yesterday was a checkup at the Doc's, I told him he wouldn't have to get a shot, he was all done with those for a long time now. Oops, he had to get 2! But he handled it really well, and lucky for him, he gets at least one more in 6 months...so much for my wonderful reassurances!

Somethings Fishy Around Here...

R has been begging to try anchovies. So the other day we got some Pappa Murphy's Pizza and a side of anchovies. Boy was he excited, until he opened it up and both boys said they looked hairy, and were stinky! R was so brave and actually ate one! L just played with one, and tried cutting the "hairs" off with a butter knife. Such funny boys...now they both know that they do NOT like anchovies!
I do have to admit, I never tried one, and am not going to anytime soon!

Tricked!

R and I sometimes get into little tiffs over how often he needs to shower/get cleaned up. I was talking to my best bud J-bug this morning about how we sometimes sound mean when we say, "Man you stink! Go take a shower!" to our kids. I told her that I thought it was better to let them know that B.O. is not a good thing, and they need to know how yucky it is now so that when they are older they are not being embarrassed over being stinky in public!
Well, I decided that I was totally right and that R would definitely see it my way. So after my chat on the phone I asked R:

Me - Would you rather be stinky and me not say anything and let you stink the place up, OR would you rather me tell you that you are smelly and to go take a shower?

R - Uh, the 1st one...

Me - No way! You mean you would rather smell and everyone knows about it and not tell you?!

R - Yes..

Me - I can't do that, I'll just have to tell you when you need to clean up.

R - Mom, why give me an option to answer when it isn't really an option?!

Me - oh, I guess that was kinda a trick Q huh?

R - YES!

Oops, I realized then that I totally do that a lot, I "fake" multiple choice answers to questions and then tell them what the answer is and that is the end of it. Wow, call me opened minded! But at least I finally have realized my trickster ways! (Poor boys!)

After some explanation of why its good to keep up with a clean body R sees it my way about how often he needs to get cleaned up. And I promised him I'd never tell him he was stinky in front of any of his friends!

Mommy Monday

Motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good or ill in human life. The mother's image is the first that stamps itself on the unwritten page of the young child's mind. It is her caress that first awakens a sense of security; her sympathy and tenderness, the first assurance that there is love in the world.

Pres. David O. McKay

Easter!

Saturday we went to R's baseball practice, then did some last minute shopping and headed over to my Bro's house. We had a super fun weekend! Saturday was so sunny, it was a preview of a fun summer day, we got to play basketball, help M with the flower beds, workout on S's new weight bench, decorate cupcakes, M and I went for a jog (total killer! but some of the neighbors were our cheerleaders!) dined on a delicious ham dinner with all the fixin's, watched 'Enchanted' with the kids, and us adults creeped ourselves out to 'I Am Legend'then we finally drifted off to sleep in the wee hours of the morning.

The boys woke us up so they could dig into their baskets, yummy candy! It was a nice relaxing morning, M made pancakes with all the sides, and afterwards M and I decided to try and kill ourselves by working out and then going on another outdoor jog-we did great!! S hid all the eggs outback. Us Moms were so smart and we put stickers on all the eggs. The kids are 10, 8, 7, 4, & 1.5. D had pirates, B had transformers, R had fish, L had frogs, and A had mickey. So everyone got to find their own eggs and everyone had a bucket-full by the end. Afterwards the rain came out and we all kicked in inside and had an awesome day!
I sure love holidays, any excuse to get together to just hang out and eat yummy foods is one of the best things ever!

Friday Favorites!

1. Medical Care - I am so thankful for medical care. I am thankful that I can call a doctor in the morning, get into the office, and get medicine all in a few hours! It amazes me that one of my boys can be so uncomfortable, in so much pain, and so sick, then within a day they are feeling so much better because of the doctor and the RX.

2. Perfect Pizza - Papa Murphy's perfect pizza, 1/2 pepperoni, 1/2 Hawaiian. R hates pepperoni but loves pineapple, L hates pineapple but loves pepperoni, J and I like both. So it really is the perfect pizza!

3. Email - I love getting emails, especially from J while he is out! He doesn't get to send often, and I have no idea when they will come, but when they do it just makes my day!

4. Diet Squirt - I loved the full sugar version as a kid, but the diet is just as tasty! They had it on sale and so I got a 12 pack, the boys and I sure are lovin it!

5. Max and Ruby - This is a cute little show on Noggin that L absolutely loves! Max is a little bunny that can be on the naughty side, it so reminds me of L!

Not Allowed!

L really enjoyed 'A Bee Movie'.
He has been pretending that he is a bee. The other night he found a tack and was holding it up to the seat of his pants and was trying to sting me. I told him to stop cuz it hurts to be stung! He then had an idea..."I know Mom, I'll glue this to my pants!"
Me - "Uh, No you are not",
L - "I could tape it!"
"NO!"
L - "I won't sting you anymore..." (said with a really cute face)
He then kept at it til I finally said, "L, you are not allowed to glue any sharp things to your bottom!"

I just wondered how many times a mother has to say something like that?!

New Hair

Well, I went out and cut all my hair off. My friend C did it for me, she is soooo good! It was quite a change, but I've had lots of positive feedback from it. One guy in our ward who has never said a word to me said, "It was quite a shock, but I still like it" I just laughed at that!
R asked me if Dad knew about me cutting my hair and I told him no, R had a shocked look on his face, he then asked me if my hair would grow all back by the time J got home, I told him not even close! So J will have a little surprise when he gets home...

Requirements

What makes a good friend?
Well according to L electronics is what makes a friend worthy to play with...

The 1st playdate L and M had was at a Superbowl party at M's house, there was a Wii set out for the kids, then we went over a few more times and the Wii wasn't out anymore. After leaving the last time this is what he said...

Me - Did you have fun at M's house?
L - No, he doesn't have a Wii now, so he's not my friend anymore."

Hmmm...(sigh) That L...At least he didn't say it that their faces!

Plans...

On Sunday I made up detailed list of my week. The list had on homework, errands, meetings, chores, appointments, workouts, even menus...from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed (6am - 10pm). I have a bunch of stuff to get done by Friday and I wanted to make sure it got DONE. (I even have an outline for next week, call me organized!)

Well...Yesterday I woke up 2 hours late! Oops...I blame it on J deploying, I have the hardest time falling asleep when he is out. But I did get the big thing done, my math test! So score 1 for me, but I didn't get all my grocery and Easter shopping done, or my house chores, hmmm.
Today I woke up late again, again not my fault...L was up all night with ear pain. So today was a doctor visit, then the pharmacy. I guess now I could be doing all kinds of things to get back on track...but I'm just soooo sleeeepppyyy.

I wonder what will happen tomorrow? Will I be able to stick to my list, or will something pop up? Maybe I should just learn my lesson and stop trying to be so darn organized and just roll with it!
We'll see...

Mommy Monday

I kept having a struggle with R over washing his face. He hated to do it! Especially when I told him that when his face was dry he had to use lotion. So I got him some foaming face cloths to use instead. I showed him how to use it and told him that the it had moisturizers in it so he didn't have to use lotion anymore. He got a big smile on his face, used one and then said, "Thanks Mom, that was a pleasant experience!" It was so funny, J and I had a good chuckle over it.


L has informed me that he has a famous relative. We are big Dr. Seuss fans and after seeing 'Horton Hears A Who' he told me that Dr. Seuss is his Great-Great-Grandfather! I just couldn't correct him on it, I told him that was pretty cool.

I loved this weekend...

Jesus loved the children and took them in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them (see Mark 10:16).

R's school has a "Self-Manager" program. They learn what it means to be caring and responsible, a manager of themselves. Then they have to get signatures from certain people at school on a special slip. No one pushes them along, if they lose the paper, they have to get a new one and start over. R finally got his done. I told him when he got it done I'd take him to 'Horton Hears A Who'. So Friday night R, L, and I went out to dinner, shopping at Target, and then the theater. So fun!!
The whole evening out we chatted, talked, and just enjoyed each others company. And then on the drive home R and I got into a discussion about R's future. And then when we got home we had another talk about something that he was struggling with (not too big of a thing, but to a boy it was) and I told him that he can always come to me no matter what, over anything and everything. He then says to me, "Thanks for the talk Mom, that was nice."

I taught today's YW lesson, the topic was "Encouraging Family Unity". In preparing for this lesson I came across this talk, "Marriage and Family: Our Sacred Responsibility" by Elder W. Douglas Shumway.
This quote from this talk really hit home:

Parents have been given the sacred duty to “bring … up [children] in the nurture … of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). “The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, Oct. 1998, 24; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). Our responsibility, then, not only is for the well-being of our spouse but extends to the watchful care of our children, for “children are an heritage of the Lord” (Ps. 127:3). We can make the choice to nurture our children accordingly and “teach [them] to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord” (D&C 68:28). As parents, we must regard our children as gifts from God and be committed to making our homes a place to love, train, and nurture our sons and daughters.President Thomas S. Monson reminds us: “The mantle of leadership is not the cloak of comfort, but the role of responsibility. … ‘Youth needs fewer critics and more models [to follow].’ One hundred years from now it will not matter what kind of a car we drove, what kind of a house we lived in, how much we had in the bank account, nor what our clothes looked like. But the world may be a little better because we were important in the life of a boy or a girl” (Pathways to Perfection [1973], 131).
Although life sometimes makes us weary, impatient, or too busy for our children, we must never forget the infinite worth of what we have in our homes—our sons and our daughters. The task at hand, a business engagement, or a new automobile are all of benefit but pale in value when compared to the worth of a young soul.

I am so thankful that Heavenly Father gave me this opportunity with R. He is growing fast and I love these moments we have together. One thing I pray for most often is that I can be able to communicate with my boys, teach them the things they need to learn, and that I can recognize teaching/learning opportunities. These boys are truly a great blessing.

Friday Favorites!

I'm just sooo glad Friday is finally here!!! (It should have been here days ago!:-D)


1. Junie B. Jones - We have been listening to Junie B. Jones on CD. The stories are just so stinkin' cute and the narrator is perfect! L is totally getting getting into listening to chapter books and this is his favorite.

2. Bee Movie - Wednesday we rented Bee Movie and had a nice snuggle on the couch. I have to admit that I didn't last even 1/2 way through it, the boys were so warm and I was so comfy that I fell asleep fast! I did wake up to a wonderful gift from L- he made me a boot out of red foam paper, with lots of little foam confetti all over the carpet...it's the thought that counts right?!

3. Daffodils - My daffodils have come up and today the 1st one fully bloomed! L and I have been enjoying checking up on them every morning on the way to the bus stop.

4. Paper plates - OK, now that J is gone and I have 4 classes, housework, baseball, aerobics, girls camp/YW lessons, scouts, the boys, and regular errands and Life, I decided to help myself out by getting paper plates and cups to use in the kitchen. This morning I was frantically cleaning up the entire house before my workout ladies got here for aerobics, and while I was washing a mountain of dishes and only had 15 minutes left, I thought, "That's it! I'm gonna take the easy way out and use disposable!" So that's what I did today...good-bye dishwashing...at least for a little bit!

5. Dr. Seuss - We LOVE Dr.Seuss! Since Dr. Suess' b-day is being celebrated, the library has all kinds of books and projects out for Dr. Seuss. And we watched Food Networks Challenge last night that was Dr. Seuss cakes. (we love the Challenge shows!) The Cat In The Hat cake won, it was an awesome cake. R and L have both been BIG fans of Dr. Seuss!

Stubborn!

I wonder who he got it from...

We have the keyboard learning kit from LDS.org, and a little beginners player book. The first few days after we got the piano R was learning from the book all on his own. Then one day he asked J and I if he has to learn the piano. We told him YES! He pouted and said he didn't want to at all. To Bad was what he heard from us. I did tell him that he didn't have to take lessons until after baseball season was over this year. I told him of those we know who can play the piano, and how great of a thing it really is, and what else he can do once he knows how to read music. Then we left it at that.

Well, for a boy who doesn't want to learn to play at all, he is on that thing every day! He has learned all the little songs from the beginner’s book on his own. Then he heard me learning from the keyboard course kit and informed me that he was going to learn it to. I guess all I had to do was have the books out, and let him see me try them and not say a word to him about it. Right now I hear him plinking away and every once in a while I hear a few notes from the simplified "Jesus the Very Thought of Thee" hymn.

He is like this so often, you just can't push him, he has to believe it's all him, he can be so stubborn and independent! I sure love this kid, he just cracks me up!

Mommy Monday

One of my favorite things to do with my boys is to snuggle up and watch a movie or read a book together. We have been big on snuggling ever since they were born and it has stuck!

The other night I checked in on R after he went to bed and he was reading a book and he said, "Will you please snuggle with me Mom" I looked at him and said, "You know it!" and jumped in bed with him and we had a good little chat. Then I told him to keep on reading and I'd see him in the morning, he then asked me if I could just snuggle him some more first. He goes, "Sometimes I just need a good long sunggle Mom!" So I hugged him tight and we talked a bit more before I went off to bed myself. He is such a sweet boy...

Last night L was doing all he could not to go to bed, the crying, the yelling, the please read to me, the big puppy-dog eyes...Then he just says, "Mom I need you! Please just snuggle!" J goes in there and then I go in there and we snuggle him up. I thought that was enough and J and I finally went to bed. While I was reading, a little 4 yr old snuck into my room very quietly, came to my side of the bed, smiled at me super cute like, and then crawled into bed and suggled up to me. I let him stay there til he fell asleep then I took him to his own bed.

A Fun Weekend!

This weekend I got to take care of and love 5 kids instead of 2! My 2 nephews and my niece came over for a few days and it was just awesome! They all play so well together and have so much fun...
The boys ate, ate, and ate, played for hours in the woods, wrote stories, watched How To Eat Fried Worms and Mr. Bean's Holiday, played on the piano, played baseball, wrestled the dogs, cooked, and helped clean the house! Me and little Sis got to snuggle, share crackers, read books, watch funny cartoons, play with toys, go outside, and she got to make music on the piano too!
I just loved every minute of it!
Everyone was bummed when my bro and his wife came to pick up their kids. Bean told me he'd cry all the way home, so funny... All R did was make a smart-alek remark to my bro about his injured nose and then pouted after they left. (He said, "Your nostrils are uneven") At least no one tried to hide and get "accidentally" left behind...Never fails when we leave their house, or when they leave ours, us parents are doing a serious miss-justice to those kids!

Friday Favorites

1) Puerta Vallerta Mexican Restuarant:

This place is my favorite place to go eat! It has such a nice atmosphere and the food is super tastey! Today J took us out and I had the best taco salad, yumm!

2)Baseball:
R started his baseball practices this week. Next month the games will begin. I just love baseball season! Practicing in the yard, going to the games, watching R grow and learn...it's awesome!

3)Shipwreck Beads: I went to this warehouse full of beads with J's sister M. It was mind boggling! Beads everywhere! So now I'm almost done shopping for beads and supplies for this years girls camp...almost!

4)Beginners Piano Book:
R and I have been plinking away on the incredible piano! We are both having fun rockin' out to Mary Had A Little Lamb, and Old McDonald's Farm!

5)Baking: I like to bake more than to cook. Yesterday L helped me make a bunch of star sugar cookies for the Girls Camp Kickoff meeting. They were good, and they didn't last long!