Christmas List

Every year I have people asking me what I want for Christmas - okay, we are not that popular, it is mostly just our parents.  I generally can't remember when they ask me, so I have decided to post it for all to see and leave it up to you to coordinate, or go ahead and give us 4 of the same item - whatever works best for you.

I want a griddle.  We got one as a wedding present, but at the time, cooking for the 2 of us did not require more than one small pan.  Since then, it takes me forever to make enough french toast or pancakes to feed the family and cooking for my seminary class takes an eternity.

Ethan would like Baby Signing Time Volumes 3 & 4.  They should be released in October and can be purchased in a gift set from www.babysigningtime.com (the gift sets are slightly cheaper and come with a free cd). They are usually available for pre-order, but there is no sign of that yet.  I have a 5% off coupon and the code is "hunt."  We already own everything else that Signing Time offers.  I think we might keep them in business.  Now that I posted that, I don't know what I will get Ethan.  He still never got a birthday present because we own one, if not two of every toy.  Doug LOVES to buy toys; sometimes I wonder who they are really for.

Other than that, I will keep you updated.

It has been about 50 degrees everyday.  Colder than I think it should be this time of year, but the whole summer has been abnormally cold.  Yesterday in the morning, my house was about 63, but I am cheap and just bundle up instead of turning on the heater (Doug is the opposite).  I put the boys down for a nap and started working on my laptop.  It heats up quite a bit, so I was beginning to get warm.  I started removing layers.  When I went to pick up Brenden I thought, "Wow, it feels good outside!"  When we got back home, we walked through the door and it was like a heat wave.  I about suffocated.  I took a look at the thermostat and evidently, dear little Nolan had pushed it all of the way up to the highest setting.  So, we paid to heat our house all morning and then I opened all of the windows to try to cool it off - practically throwing dollar bills (or twenty dollar bills as the case will likely be) out the window.  I was literally sweating while making dinner.  We slept with the windows open.  Maybe it was better when the heater was "summerized."  I had heard of winterizing, but never summer-izing.

Utter Chaos

Today was a rough day with these kiddos.  It has been raining for nearly 2 weeks straight, so we are all feeling a little cooped up.  Brenden has officially placed himself above me on our familial hierarchy.  I know nothing and he doesn't have to listen to what I say - not to mention he "demands" I do what he says.  Everything that comes out of my mouth gets the responses of "Well, my grandma says..." or "Well, Mrs. Thye (his teacher) says..." and my all-time favorite, "My friend says..."  He also has an excuse for everything I ask him to do.  My mom warned me this time was coming, and I knew it was coming myself, but it is not pretty.  I remember thinking my teachers were smarter than my parents... I can't remember how well that went over though.

It is like a circus here.  One kid is pooping everywhere and I can't find the wipes while the other one is sitting on the toilet and peeing on the floor.  Brenden made all sorts of projects today which are now all over the house.  The concept of "clean" is so foreign here.  The only motivation they ever have is when it is finally time for Doug to pull into the driveway and they want to clean for dad.  Yeah, well, that is only because it is beyond bedtime and they think that makes a pretty good excuse.

Our moose friends returned this morning.

I gave Nolan an apple and this was all that was left.  He ate the seeds and all!

Just too cute not to post.

Moose!

We nearly missed the bus this morning, but it was not our fault.  We were up and ready in time for school, but there were 2 moose between our front door and the car.  We watched them for probably 15 minutes and finally snuck, very quietly, out the garage and to the car - probably only 10 feet from the moose.  When we drove away, we were probably only 5 feet from the moose.  Brenden wanted to ride his bike this morning, but I am glad we were driving because it was raining.  I would have hated to encounter the moose down the street with Brenden on his bike.

The dogs had been barking since about 6:30 and finally, at 7:30 I let them outside and that is how I saw the moose.  Cosmo went right for them and I started yelling and he came back after being chased briefly by a moose.  Nolan and Brenden both thought that we had a pretty exciting morning.

(I didn't go to seminary this morning because Doug is in Anchorage for work, so I had a substitute.)

More Audiology Woes

Hearing aids require monitoring to make sure the batteries are working and the microphones are clean.  I was checking Brenden's hearing aid this morning and somehow, there is nothing there but static.  I don't know if the audiologist accidentally deleted the programs or what, but now we are down one very powerful hearing aid.  Hope it's an easy fix, but it seems like we are never quite that lucky.  Maybe it is better that she didn't have the cords to hook Ethan's hearing aid up to the computer.

Just give me a degree!

It stinks living in this little place where the only option within a 4 hour drive for an audiologist is one who has no idea what she is doing.  I spent 2 appointments today correcting her on equipment I assume she should be pretty informed on. 

First of all, there is this little sound proof room called a "sound booth" (or silent room as Brenden calls it).  There is a reason they test hearing in these rooms.  It will keep all other sound out and the room itself will not allow sound to bounce off walls or echo.  What good does it do to use the room if you leave the door open?  I could hear the booth fan (which is outside the booth) better than I could hear the sounds in the booth.  Imagine being the poor kid being tested.

She also has no idea how to use my children's hearing aids.  She does not even have the cord to hook Ethan's up to the computer and then I had to show her how to hook Brenden's up.  Just give me the dang Doctor of Audiology degree or don't charge me for the session where I am the one teaching you!  Ugh.

Okay, in her defense, she prefers Phonak to Otocon (brands of hearing aids), so she mostly just does Phonak and my kids both have Otocons, but the booth things should be a no brainer.  Besides, she only tested them at 3 hearing levels, which is far too few to really tell what their hearing is like.  I honestly wanted to ask if I could sit and use the audiometer myself.  

Okay, that is plenty of complaining for today.  Hope everyone is having a fantastic day!

We're Doomed!

Things are happening all too early for my children.

Yesterday, Brenden informed me he had a dream about kissing a little girl in his class.  Something about he was saving her from a crocodile... I didn't catch the whole thing, but he was very embarrassed to tell me he kissed her and asked me not to tell anyone.  I am a terrible listener...

Ethan has really taken to throwing temper tantrums.  I am going to catch one on video and post it because you can't help but laugh.  Several years ago there was a home video that won thousands of dollars showing a kid following his parents around and flailing on the floor when he found them.  Ethan is the same, only much younger.  Today he decided to throw a tantrum on the stairs.  He slowly slinkied himself down the stairs while throwing his ridiculous fit (for no particular reason, mind you).

Twlight Zone

Everyone seems to be reading these "Twilight" books.  I broke down today (after being told by numerous people that I HAD to read them) and bought them (FYI Doug - I bought some books on Amazon), so soon I will be in the Twilight Zone.  Even some of the seminary kids have them at school.  My friends from Pocatello had countdowns to the last book on their blogs and everything.  They were shocked to find out I had never heard of the books before.

After reading a little on Amazon, I was surprised to find the author is Mormon.  I had no idea that this book that the world is in love with was written by a member of the church.  Huh... that will add a new look on things when I read the books.

Finally, I wanted everyone to be able to see this video.  A photographer named Mark Mabry has recreated some of the scenes of Christ's life in the most incredible photographs you could ask for.  I especially love the one of Christ's baptism.  I think it better portrays the event than the picture the church puts out.  Okay, I especially like all of them, but my lesson today was Matthew 3 and Luke 3, both of which are the story of Christ's baptism, so I guess today, I am partial.  Check out www.reflectionsofChrist.org for video clips of the making of the photos and another short video.  The display is traveling and will be in Salt Lake October 4-5 in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  It is free, so someone needs to go for me since I can't be there - please.