Hot Wheels

Nolan:  Mom, look, this car says Hot Wheels!  

(moving on to another car)  

This one is not Hot Wheels, this one is Warm Wheels.

For Memorial Day, we had a barbecue with friends.  The kids had fun, the adults had fun, and I played a terrible game of badminton.  It was entertaining for all.

Brenden: (indicating which cereal he wants) I want the one with the fiction cow on it.

I was reading a paper Brenden wrote today and I guess I had a little too much excitement in my voice because Brenden re-read it in the appropriate tone and said, "It is not an exclamation..."

The thesaurus that ate my son:

Got milk?

(unfortunately, we lost some of the mustache in the fight for the photo - notice the tear running down his cheek)

Houston, we have a problem...

Brenden was preparing canned corn for lunch today and while pouring the corn into a bowl to heat up, a few kernels missed the bowl.  He muttered, "How-sten, we have a problem."  I asked him to repeat himself and where he heard that and his reply was the usual answer - he read it in a book.

Brenden's last day of school was Wednesday.  The school had a picnic and the whole family was invited.  After school, on the way out, the teachers all wear funny hats and play an instrument.  I missed it because Ethan was down for a nap, but I hear from other parents that it is quite entertaining.

We had a rough couple of days getting used to our new schedule with Brenden home.  He is happy to be out of school, but I think he is used to much more hustle and bustle than we are.  He is a little ball of energy.  Nolan is sure glad to have his big brother home to play with.

Other than that, I haven't blogged because there isn't much to blog about.  We spend our days outside for the most part.  I attempted to go to the high school graduation, but Ethan was in such a rotten mood, I didn't even make it through all of the speeches.  Over the weekend I had my first sleepover since, uh, high school or so?  Doug was gone, her husband was gone, so we got the kids together and had a slumber party.  I think I might be too old for that - we were up until 4:30 a.m.

Evil Plan

Brenden has a bit of a lying problem.  After 2 lies in less than five minutes, I sent him to his room and told him I would be there to talk to him in a minute.  

Me: Brenden, why are you lying?

Brenden: I had a plan... 

Me: What kind of plan?

Brenden: ...an evil plan.

He then proceeded to tell me the story of Esther from the Bible and how there was a lying man who had an evil plan to kill the Jews (which he pronounces "juice").  How am I supposed to keep a straight face through THAT?  

Sunday during our 2 hour church meeting, Brenden read a 263 page children's Book of Mormon and started in on the 282 page Children's Bible.  He stayed in the car Sunday afternoon to read it until I made him come in for lunch.  He was finished only a little while later.  He read various books almost the entire afternoon.  He amazes me - he remembers all of it, nearly every last word he read.  Now, application is key...

Nockling

While using Brenden's binoculars, Nolan said, "Mom, I'm nockling you!"

I have a little problem:

I can't bring myself to stay in my house long enough to clean it or prepare 3 square meals.  It has been beautiful!  The weather is nice, everything is turning green, and the sun shines for more hours than I am awake in the day.  Ethan still wants his shoes on the minute he wakes up and he wants to "pay."  

Brenden only has 3 days of school left.  He is ready for summer so he can play with his friends everyday (the boys with no supervision - remember them from last summer's blogs?).  Every night at bath time he says he is never going to play outside again so he won't ever have to take a bath again, but then the next day when he gets home from school, his first question is: Can I play outside?

We have lots of projects and I don't know where to start every morning.  I feel like I move from project to project as I decide one is more important than the other and nothing will ever get done.  Doug just keeps reminding me: One thing at a time...  I just want them all done, and yesterday!  I am enjoying the projects (well, the sense of accomplishment, really), but can't see how I will ever convince myself to stay inside and work on the indoor to do list.  Have you ever read If you give a mouse a cookie?  That's my life.  I start one thing, which leads to another thing that needs to be done in order to get the first thing done, but neither can be finished without the other being done.  It's maddening.  

The cast is off... again.

But first, there's this:

But now there's THIS:

Brenden asked this morning how they get casts off.  I told him that they saw it off with a special tool.  He wondered if it was a chain saw, so I took lots of videos for him.  Nolan, again, said he didn't want his cast off - after being SO excited yesterday.  To this point, he still won't stand on his right leg and is scooting around on his rear like before.  He was dry and itchy for a while.

We highly endorse ear protection

Getting a final x-ray

According to the doctor, the fracture is still not totally healed, but it will be with time and he felt much better sending Nolan away without a cast this time.  Funny story though: I walked into the office and the receptionist said, "We have Nolan down for tomorrow... BUT I'm SURE the doctor will see you..."  If you don't know why that's funny, please refer to this.

My Mother's Day:

(the kid below dressed himself, before the shorts, he was wearing burgundy athletic pants, so they are an improvement)

Talking to my mom on the phone

Doug had me fooled.  He asked me late Saturday night what I wanted for dinner.  I hadn't been to the store all week so I said, "Whatever you can find because we have no food."  He had gone to the store (although, he does WORK there) and he prepared a nice meal.

In the morning I could hear my men attempting to prepare breakfast.  I heard Doug say, "I'll check if there are any eggs."  I laid there and thought: I told you there was no food in the house...  (I bought powdered eggs today for such an occasion.)  I got a whole wheat bagel with only the slightest amount of berry cream cheese (I could hear Brenden in the kitchen saying, "Mom likes this one like this"), yogurt, and an apple.  My boys know me well.

I received the CUTEST cards from the kids.  Brenden's card had places for him to fill in words and pictures about me.  You HAVE to click on these to see just how cute he is.

Brenden says another thing I do best is stay up late.  What can I say?  It's true.

Nolan literally RIPPED open the card he gave me while yelling, "It's got a duck on it!  There's a duck!  Look, see, a DUCK!"  Doug's card sings, "Walk the Line."  They gave me a very cute orange and yellow garden tote with tiny little gardening tools and an orange kalanchoe (it's a flowering plant - Doug gave me one when we were dating - they're not very hardy...  I also manage to kill plants easily...  I'm hoping this one survives...).  Oh, and bear spray - can't forget the bear spray.  My bigger surprise came last night when Doug sent me for a massage and manicure and pedicure.  Now THAT was enjoyable!

I just got a call from Greg telling me that some of you were misled - he and Kirsten are NOT expecting.  Kirsten is just slightly, um, weird?  SHE said she was in a weird mood, but I interpret that to mean just plain weird.  If you missed that, she "announced" it in a comment on a previous post.

Meet my Mom

This is my mom (and her mom, my exceptional grandma).  I LOVE my mom.  My mom showed me how to be a mom.  She stayed home and played with us, read to us, and taught us important lessons.  I learned how to cook from my mom.  She is creative in the kitchen and makes beautiful, colorful, healthy meals.  I learned to love and take care of a family from my mom.  She taught me that a clean home is a happy home.  I learned how to manage money and recognize the importance of staying out of debt.  My mom taught me the importance of an education.  

As much as she might have tried, I did not learn how to sew from my mom.  My mom is an outstanding seamstress.  She can create the most amazing costumes, bedding, blessing dresses... basically, anything you want, my mom can make it.  My mom is crafty (although she would probably not refer to herself as such).  She can re-create decor from a store for a fraction of the cost.  I have always been proud to say, "My mom made this!"

My mom is my support system.  I can call my mom with all of my problems and she makes me feel validated and loved.  My mom is busy.  Owning her own business is a tough job - she has a tough boss!  She works hard to have everything done right, no matter how many times it might take, or how many phone calls are involved.  I can't say it enough, I LOVE MY MOM.  I am who I am today because of my mom and I miss her every single day.

I could type a whole post on how much I love my grandma, but I will just say this: I hope I am JUST like her when I reach her age.  She is loving and caring and giving and oh so much fun!

This is my other mom - Doug's mom.  I can't say what it was like to grow up in her house because I simply wasn't there, but from the stories I have heard, it was a joy be a part of their family.  I have proof that she is a good mom and his name is Doug.  All of her six children have grown and progressed into intelligent, caring, and level-headed adults.  Their family has an amazing bond.  She took me in like her own daughter when I married into the family.  She made me feel loved from the first time I met her.

Doug's mom is a nurse.  She works hard, but always makes time for family.  She is always willing to help and change her plans for anyone who needs her.  She is self-sacrificing and charitable.  She taught me about canning and gardening.  It may sound odd, but she taught me the importance of family vacations.  She taught me patience and to always speaking kindly of others.  She is very tactful.  I love her and look forward to every visit and phone call.

And to all of my grandmothers, Mutti, Grandma Kline, and Grandma Williams, I love you all - Happy Mother's Day.

Dr. Seuss

Right now I can hear Nolan in the basement reciting Dr. Seuss.  I heard:

While pretending to talk on the phone: "Hello?  Hello?  Can you hear me?  Hello?  A mouse has cut the wire, goodbye."

While playing cars: "Stop dogs, stop!  The light is red.  Go, dogs go!  It's green ahead!"

We've always been big fans of Dr. Seuss and are only short a few books to have a complete collection.  There was a time when Brenden was little that I could give you a Dr. Seuss phrase to answer almost any question.  I even dreamt in Dr. Suess-ish words and phrases.

Ethan wakes up in the morning and the first thing he wants to do is go outside and play.  He walks to the front door and says, "pay, pay," and signs his version of play.  I tell him he needs shoes and he says, "oo," and signs his version of shoe, which is oddly similar to the sign for more, but with his hands in a fist.  When I can't find him, I usually know he has escaped to the garage in an attempt to let himself outside.  He hasn't managed to get out of the garage yet.

Ethan's speech therapist makes him say little sounds before she will let him play with toys, so when he wants candy or a treat now, he goes through the whole range of sounds looking for whichever one will get him what he wants - "buh-buh-buh" "ma-ma-ma" "baa-baa."  Usually it's just too cute to resist.

Seminary

Today was the last day of seminary.  I have mixed feelings about it.  I am so relieved to be done, but I will really miss it.  It has been a great 9 months.  I am sure glad my kids aren’t teenagers, but when they are, I wouldn’t mind if they turned out like a few of my seminary kids.  I have learned so much!  I surprised myself with being able to get up at 5:30 five days a week.  I was only late once and it was yesterday!  I was one minute late.  

Yesterday I had the students make me a summary poster of what they learned this year using candy bars.

The Boys’ Poster:  

(They crossed out part of the names of lots of the candy bars to use them.)

I have learned to ROLOver out of bed, TAKE 5, drive the ROCKY ROAD, hit the 3 bumps along the way.  MAMBA already called the teacher to see if I was there.  The lesson was GRAND, felt like a PAY DAY.  The teacher was SWEET and BURST with JOY.  Even though her BABY’s FINGER was CRUNCHed by the KAT.  It was a SHOCKER she was still there.  

Signed,

The NERDS

Let’s SNICKER at the other team.

The Girls’ Poster:

BeTWIX you and me, seminary is worth 100 GRAND.  It taught us:

- about the 3 MUSKETEERS - the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

- even God loves BUTTERFINGERs, they make Him SNICKER

- when you’re in a CRUNCH, TAKE 5 and God will show you the MILKY WAY

- we may be on a ROCKY ROAD full of SHOCKERS, but it will make us stronger and make us SWEETARTS

- when you’re feeling down in the REESE’S, ROLOver and talk to your MAMBA.

- men are that they might have ALMOND JOY

- it’s ok to be NERDS about the gospel, in the end it’s a PAY DAY!

Since December, they have been earning “Seminary Bucks” and today we had breakfast and an auction for them to use their bucks.  They seemed to have a good time with it and got a little competitive. 

Abby counting her bucks.

Miranda and Aubrey deciding what to have for breakfast.

Beau, Sam, Jacob, and Aubrey checking out some of the auction items.

I had 3 students who missed the last day.

Of my 9 students, 8 will pass, 5 have 100% Scripture Mastery, 2 (so far) have 100% reading (2 more are close and say they will have it done by the time my grades are due Monday).  1 student only missed 5 days the entire year, but with make-up days, she will have 100% attendance.  I am so proud of them.

The Great Outdoors

Friday I went with Brenden's class to Homer.  We left at 9:00 am and arrived at 11:30.  Being on a bus full of almost 50 kindergarten and first graders is just plain entertaining.  There were some pretty entertaining dads on the bus too.  We first had lunch and then scanned the beach for little creatures.  It was freezing cold and foggy.  I left my camera on the bus.  When we got back on the bus for our next stop, the whole bus smelled of fish and seaweed.  Next stop was the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor's Center. 

 They learned about sea otters and took a little tour.  

Then back on the bus for the 2 hour bus ride home.  I enjoyed the day with Brenden.

We have had THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DAYS EVER!  Today it was almost 70 degrees!  Brenden and I are burnt to a crisp after a full day out in the sun on Saturday.  (I wrote that Sunday night - Monday has been blustery and cold.  Yuck.)

What do you think, mom?  He's getting a little big for "Lightning McQueen," huh?  He still loves it like the first day he got it though.

(The leaf clean-up is a work in progress...)

Sunday on the way to church, Brenden was reading a pamphlet about Lego Land.  It said something about being 3-12 years old.  Brenden thought you had to be 3 OR 12 to go and was very concerned.  We were discussing that he was between 3 and 12 and Doug said, "And Nolan is too."  Nolan replied, "I am NOT TWO!  I am three!"  We thought it was funny - maybe you had to be there.