Bubbles, bubbles and more bubbles...

Tonight the kids needed baths. They love bubbles so I put a few in (tonight we opened a new bottle of bubbles. We are on our green watermelon Elmo bubbles)- maybe a tablespoon or so. Max got out first and I went to dress him and put him to bed. I called Rich to come up and watch Sophie and Peter. We have jets in the tub and I heard the kids turn them on. When Rich finally got to them I heard him say things like "What did you guys do?" I was worried there was water all over the floor or something like that. When Max was finally off to dream land I went into the bathroom to discover bubble haven! When the kids turned the jets on, the stirred up the bubbles so much that they were starting to spill over the side of the tub! And the kids were in love with the fun of it all! There were so many bubbles that they couldn't even sit down!! The bottom picture here is of them kneeling tall in the tub, and still they are almost completely covered with foamy white cloud like bubbles. There is no doubt that they got completely clean tonight in their bath. Elmo sure does make powerful bubbles. I'll need to remember this next time they take a bath!

Garbage Day

Every Thursday morning is garbage day. We try really hard to remember and put our garbage cans out by the curb on Wednesday nights, but half the time forget and have to do it first thing in the morning before the garbage man comes. I heard Rich roll them out this morning before he left for work. Well, it is hard to know when he comes, sometimes before 8am and sometimes after noon. But, usually he comes around 10-10:30. Just in time for us to see him as we are walking back from taking Sophie to preschool. Peter is always mesmerized by the giant metal claw that swings down, grabs the garbage can and empties it into the back of his truck, and recently I have watched Max do the same thing, staring with mouth wide open at the giant garbage truck. Today we were around the corner from our house, getting back from dropping Sophie at preschool and Peter's ears perked up and he said "Hurry mom, the garbage man is here!!!!!" So there I was, running, pushing the double stroller around the block so that we wouldn't miss seeing the garbage man take our garbage away! It is always a sad Thursday when we realize we have missed the garbage man. It has been a common thing for us to actually sit on our front steps (Stoop!!) and watch the garbage truck make his way around the culdisac, and then we always have to wave goodbye and say "bye-bye garbage man, see you later!!"

My Twin Boys

Well, they aren't really twins, and I don't exactly wish for twins - but it sure is fun to dress them alike. Last night we went to the store for a few things and ended up buying some kids clothes too. All three of them are in desperate need of winter clothes, so we got them a few things. I couldn't resist buying the boys matching shirts!! Rich just rolls his eyes at the whole thing, but I think it's so cute! So, today they had to wear the new duds. (I always had dreams of having little girls close enough in age where I could put them in matching fluffy dresses for church, and matching everything cute and pink - but that was not my fate. If we ever do have another girl, she will be too far from Sophie to wear matching clothes. So I will have to be satisfied with my twin boys in matching stripe shirts and overalls - which is still way cute.) Sophie needed some pants, and while I was looking at things for the boys, she and Rich wandered to the shoes section where they found a pair of bright, shiny and ugly pink cowgirl boots in just the right size. Sophie was desperate for them. When I broke her heart and dreams by saying no then Niagara falls erupted and the tears didn't stop till we got home. I thought all was forgotten by this morning when she was getting her shoes on for preschool. She found her cute cowgirl boots that are now too small and said "I'm not going to have any summer boots if you don't let me get those pink ones from the store!!" I'm not really sure why she was calling them summer boots, but I could still feel the hurt in her voice that she didn't have the new boots. My poor dear! I was thankful when Peter put his old Buzz light up running shoes from last year and they still fit!! One less thing to buy, and he still loves them! Max hates shoes, even socks bring about kicks and screams. He really likes his bare feet, probably because that's all he's ever known. Shoes have never fit him, thanks to his fat feet!! We'll need to find some for this winter, or his feet will freeze.

I really wanted to take a picture of the boys in their cute matching clothes, and Peter didn't want to, surprise!! So, I used the good old reliable bribe of butterscotch chips if he would sit with Max for a picture. He wanted to sit with his hands and feet spread in the air with his mouth wide open saying "CHEEEEEEEEEEEESE" He asked me if he did that if he would get more chips. I said no. Just a little (he thinks it's big) handful. The nice thing about this bribe that I use is that it makes everyone happy. He gets his treat, and I get my picture...

“If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”
Winnie the Pooh quotes

I think I need to be more patient with Peter - maybe he has fluff in his ears...

Hail Storm

Today it hailed outside. It was fun watching the little white balls of hail bounce off the table outside. The kids wanted to play in it and I said, Sure - why not? They didn't go any farther than the deck because they were barefoot. After a minute they came in for shoes (sandles because that's all they have right now) and then a few minutes later they came in for winter hats, mittens, and scarves. Luckily I knew right where they were. When the hail storm stopped they came in and wanted hot cocoa and marshmallows! Is it winter already? They kids think so. They even pulled out their winter jammies to wear to bed tonight. What fun!

BYU Football

We are not the most athletic family, and along with that goes following sports. But that doesn't matter when it comes to family traditions. Every year Richard's Grandpa gets all the guys together and takes everyone down to Provo to watch a football game together. He even puts on a batch of chili every year for the tailgate party before the game starts. Well, yesterday was the day. And there were fewer than usual. Rich's dad and all his brothers and brothers-in-law, a few of Grandpa's friends (including Jim) all usually go, but this year the group was small enough to fit in our van, so that's what they all drove down in. BYU won, and everyone got wet from the rain, but they had a great time. Thanks Grandpa!! Hopefully next year the group will be bigger again...

Temple Square

This morning we decided that we wanted to go to Salt Lake City after church (about 30 min away) and walk around temple square and eat a picnic. So, we packed our picnic (PB&J sandwiches, apples & bananas, cookies, chips and our beverage of choice - water.) After church we headed straight to the big city. We didn't want to drive around and find a place to picnic, so we found a great parking spot near the temple, folded down the back seat in the van and ate lunch right there, all crowded in the back. It was really fun, and the kids ate really well because they were so confined, and there was nothing to take their attention away from eating! It was a beautiful day and the weather was perfect for walking around. Sophie was an excellent helper and pushed Max in the stroller everywhere. Peter thought that the Salt Lake Temple looked like a castle, and I guess it kind of does. When we were done we found our way across the street to the Church History Museum. They have a great new kids museum section upstairs, and spent most of our time up there, letting the kids play and explore. Finally Max was the one that decided it was time to go. We had a near death experience as Peter almost darted out into major traffic trying to be the first one to the car, on his side. But once we were all safely loaded and on the road home, the kids fell asleep and we had a pleasant and quiet drive home. This was a wonderful Sunday. The only thing that would have made this afternoon better would have been for me to remember that high heeled shoes are not the most comfortable shoes for walking for hours at a time. But I didn't even think of that this morning while getting ready for church...

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday

Grandma Canada!!

We all Love you and Miss you

on your special day!!

Love,

Richard, Heather, Sophie, Peter & Max

(This is Grandma Canada with the kids back in February when she came to visit)

Antelope Island

This afternoon I went to Antelope Island with my friend Tawna and her 2 boys, Kaimen and Aiden. We had the best time down at the beach. The water has receded a lot this year and we had a far walk, about a mile I'd say, out to the shore from where we parked the car, but it was so fun. The Great Salt Lake is shallow, and so the Sophie and Kaimen ran out so far before we could rope them back into shore. Tawna showed all the kids how to skip rocks. Even Max had a great time sitting in, and splashing around in the water, he was even enjoying snacking on the sand! Before we knew it, we had been out at the beach for 3 hours! We definitely have to go back soon, before it gets cold again.

Daddy Day

Every Friday is daddy day. That means Rich takes one of the kids (Max is too little to go, so he doesn't get a turn yet) to the office with him while he works the morning, and then they go do something special in the afternoon together. The kids pack a special bag full of things they can do quietly while daddy is working. Sophie always packs a coloring book and a movie, a baby or barbie and snacks. Peter usually brings a movie, guys and snacks. They alternate weeks, and today Sophie got to go. I think they are going to get ice cream for their special activity today. They kids totally look forward to it every week - to spend special one on one time with their daddy!!

Messy Max

Max is such a funny kid, and he loves his food. Today he tried gerber lasagna and meat sauce, yum yum. I wanted to take a picture of him, but he kept blinking at the flash. That's why he doesn't have his eyes open. But they were still goofy pictures. He was totally laughing at nothing while eating tonight, I love it!!

Uncle Jim

I was gone for a few minutes last night, and when I came back Rich said "Heather, you'd be so proud of me.""I was looking all over for the kids and couldn't find them, I even looked outside and was starting to get worried (is that the part I'm supposed to be proud of??) Then I looked over at Grandpa Great's (Grandpa Great is Richard's grandpa, he has an apartment attached to the house) and they were over there visiting with Grandpa Great and Uncle Jim (Uncle Jim is Grandpa's friend visiting from out of town, they've been friends since grade school) and they were all laughing and having a great time, so I took a picture!!" So I was proud that he would think to take a picture of it all. Good Job Rich, maybe you are turning a new leaf.......

Bunko Night

Last night was Bunko night. Every 3rd Tuesday of the month I get together with a group of (12 of us total) girlfriends and play bunko. And the best part for me is that this is the one night a month I can count on the have without the kids. Rich watches them, and I have the night off to relax and have fun. Last night it was at my friend, Angie's house. They just built a absolutely gorgeous home in Farmington, UT on the mountain. (They used to live across the culdisac from us.) While playing the largest creepiest bug walked in the basement door. Some of the girls described it as an ant on steroids! Someone else said that it was a potato bug. When I think of potato bugs I think of rollie-pollie bugs, not this, but turns out she was right. And I think this is about the actual size of the one last night. Angie found a jar and captured it to save so her kids could see it. But the creepy gross bug didn't ruin our night. I had bad bunko luck for some reason and ended up with the prize for 'most losses' at 21 losses for the night. But I still had a great time.

You may say, what is Bunko? I found this for you...

What is Bunco?
bun·co also bun·ko (bung' ko)n. pl. bun·cos, also bun·kos

1. A swindle in which an unsuspecting person is cheated; a confidence game.

2. A parlor game played in teams with three dice.

3. A winning throw in the above game; three of a kind of a specified number.

[Probably alteration of Spanish banca, card game, from Italian banca, bank, of Germanic origin.].

Source: The Bunco Book, First Edition

Game Overview
Courtesy of: The Bunco Book, First Edition
Strictly speaking, bunco is a game of dice, played in rounds. Players take turns rolling the dice and trying to accumulate as many points as possible to win each round. The game is played at tables of four in competing teams of two.

Players score points by rolling three dice and trying to match the number they're supposed to roll for that round. They get a point for each die that rolls the number, and if all three roll the number they score 21 points. They also score 5 points for rolling three of a kind of any other number. They get to keep rolling as long as they score one or more points with each roll. Once they fail to score they pass the dice to their left and the opposing team gets a chance to score.

During each round the teams at the Head Table try to score 21 points. The first team to score 21 points wins the round and play stops. At all other tables play stops when the Head Table play stops and the team with the highest score at each lower table wins the round.

At the end of the round players change seats, the winners at each of the lower tables move up a table, and the losers at the head table move to the lowest table. Players also switch partners at the end of the round, so you never play with the same partner twice in a row.

During play, players track the number of rounds they win and lose as a team, and the number of Buncos scored individually, on their personal scorecard. At the end of the night wins/losses and Buncos are tallied and prizes awarded.

Right.
Now we're going to tell you the truth...
Bunco is a social event. It's a party. It's a blast!
Twelve of us get together once a month, leaving the cares and worries behind, and leaving the kids with their fathers or baby-sitters.

We fall off our diets, snacking on M&Ms, Chex-Mix, or anything else we can get our hands on. We have appetizers, a (usually) delicious dinner, and seconds on dessert. We talk about our kids. About the neighbors. About anyone who didn't show up. About our husbands, our jobs, their jobs, the builder in our community, TV shows, current events, and anything else that might tickle our fancy. Oh yeah, and we play a silly, mindless dice game with wild abandon, hoping to take home a great prize and have great fun times.

Now that's Bunco.

(courtesy of http://www.buncorules.com/whatis.html )

For the Sea Food Lover in You

Richard's parents sent a Red Lobster gift card for Rich's birthday last month. We were going to use it to go on a date together, but Rich called from work today and said he wanted to use it to go to lunch as a family. So off we went. The event started as we got out of the car at the restaurant and Max had a poopy blow out! Yuck! And while we were taking care of that Peter was running back and forth across the parking lot where potential cars could be driving, but thankfully weren't. I was worried this was an omen for how the lunch would go, but I was wrong. Lunch was nice. Rich got to order all you can eat shrimp, which he took full advantage of. I ordered the coconut shrimp appetizer for my lunch (along with a side salad that was swimming in ranch dressing, forgot to order that on the side) and it was way yummy!! The kids wanted mac & cheese to share. I always feel funny ordering mac & cheese at a restaurant. I feel like if that is what they wanted we should just make it at home where it is free, not $5!! Oh, well. Max had fun swaying in his highchair to the background music. He was very well behaved considering I can now count on 2 fingers the number of times he has been to a restaurant. (A strong difference from Sophie as a baby. When she was his age we couldn't count the number of times we ate out. But that was a different life really.) Well, there was a point where I wanted to take Max on a walk around the restaurant to keep him from getting fussy. Sophie wanted to come too and we went to see the tank with live lobsters. The host at the front asked if we wanted to pet them. He actually took one out and we pet it! Sophie said he felt like a wet rock on his back. Peter was a little jealous when we got back because he had missed out on that adventure so Rich took him out to the front. He wasn't interested in petting the lobsters after all. But leave it to Peter to notice that the lobsters are actually pirates because they have little plastic swords tucked in their rubber bands around their claws. He was very impressed and excited about that. All in all it was a great lunch. We asked the kids what their favorite part of lunch was and Sophie said "Coloring with dad" and Peter said "seeing the monsters" (monsters is what he calls lobsters)...

Peter's Guys

"Peter set his guys up" That's what Peter wanted me to write. This is a regular occurrence in the kids bathroom, so I have let the guys live in the bathroom instead of always trying to put them away in the basement and fighting with Peter about it. You have to pick your battles, and I choose not to pick this battle - today anyway. He is always so proud of his work every time he sets them up.

The Poopy 'Accident'

Today I had my visiting teachers over and Peter called me from the bathroom. I thought he wanted me to come and wipe his bum. (Sorry to be so graphic) But no, he had pooped in his underpants and I was so mad! He hasn't done that forever. He has been fully potty trained for months now. Luckily it wasn't super messy, so I cleaned him up and gave him a stern talking to. What else could I do while my friends were over? Well, tonight dinner was almost ready and guess what? He did it again! (How does something like this happen twice in one day???) I was irate!! And this time it was grosser to clean up and I lost my temper a little. I used a very strong voice (OK I yelled at him) and told him how disappointed I was and that he was a big boy, big boys don't do this, etc. etc.... Things like this aren't supposed to happen, ever, when your kid is potty trained!!!!!And this time when cleaning him off I didn't exactly wait for the shower to warm up, he had to take a cold shower. While dressing him again I was still upset at him about his poopy mess and he said to me, with those cute puppy dog eyes "Maybe you need to take a nap, and then you'll feel better." I was still mad, but he made me laugh and I felt better.

Mommy Time

I have a daily schedule that I try to abide by. It helps me balance my day and get all the monotonous things of life done, like the laundry and dishes. It also keeps me from spending too much time on the computer or scrapbooking. Included each day are several "mommy times" . This is time where all of my attention is devoted to the kids. And they get to pick our activity. And it is usually when Max is asleep, so I can fully participate and so Max doesn't ruin anything. If it's not mommy time they may not get me to sit down and play a round of Candy Land or play barbies. I can't play all day... Can I? So, they go around asking me when it is mommy time. This morning for mommy time we went outside and picked wild flowers. Max was with us, but he wasn't is the way because he just sat in the stroller and enjoyed the cool weather and watched. The kids loved it because I let them use scissors and cut flowers themselves. It took a while doing it that way, but it is what they wanted to do. This afternoon we made cookie dough. Not cookies. We made it and then sat at the counter together and ate it with spoons. Yummy!! I love cookie dough, and so do my kids. My brother-in-law, Aaron, taught us that you can substitute 1 TBSP milk for 1 egg if you just want to eat the cookie dough!!!

My Little Caterpillar

Yesterday at church I was in the hall with Max because he wasn't being the most reverent 7 month old there is. And even at such a young age he has realized that if he cries, I will take him out, and then he is happy. I sat down and put him on his tummy on the floor. I soon noticed that he was trying to move!! So, I put a little treat for him just out of hands reach and guess what?? He moved to it! I say moved and not crawled because it was definitely not a crawl. To describe it it was more like a caterpillar move. First his bum would go up and he would be on all fours. He would rock for a minute and then he'd be down on his tummy again. He'd stretch his arms as far as they would go and then he'd pull his feet in so his bum would be up in the air again and he'd start caterpillaring all over again until he got his snack. I am so proud of my little caterpillar! So, he has learned a new trick, and I was so happy when he did it again for the family when we came home from church. What a big boy!!

Hip, Hip, Horray!!

(Photo of Rich taken by Sophie!!)

Congratulations are in order for my wonderful husband!! Last night Rich spent a long time trying to figure out what was wrong with the computer, and after trying everything he knew - nothing happened... So, he picked up the phone and called his brother Rob. Rob is a computer wiz. He asked for some expert advice, and that is what he got!! Then Rich set about it again. This time was different and Rob's advice worked. Finally, it was done. The computer is fixed!! We were so excited! So here I am this morning, at home, on my computer!! I have been catching up on all my Internet doings. I was on my email and was behind over 300 emails! (I get way too much junk mail!) So, cross your fingers and hope this never happens again.

Dead Computer

It's official, the internet at my house is dead. The virus finally had it's way. I am at Rich's office running an errand and thought I'd let everyone know. We are tring to get it fixed. Wo is me...

Today is the day!!

This afternoon after Max's nap I was feeling inside of his mouth, like I sometimes do, and amongst all the gumminess I found something sharp and poky! A tooth!!! Max finally has a tooth! I couldn't believe it. He has been teething for months with nothing to show for it, until now. (His temperament has been completely normal, unlike those bad days when I knew he was teething, and there was nothing there. Nothing but tears and drool!) As I called the kids over they came running across the room. Sophie's first reaction was "Can I see it??" and Peter's was "Now he can eat a fruit snack!!!" Much to Sophie's dismay there is really nothing to see yet except for a little grey indent on the bottom front of his mouth, but I ran her washed finger across the tooth so she could feel it, and she was so excited. She had to call her dad at work right away, but he was with a patient, so she told Julie, his secretary. We are so excited for Max!! I can also tell Max is excited. He keeps making these funny faces to himself and chews on nothing but air.

Computer Problems

I am having computer problems. I think we caught a virus!!!!! The Internet is not working most of the time, and when it does work it is super slow... And if it does work I can only go to one site, I can't move from site to site like I normally do. It shuts off if I try, so I then have to log back onto the internet - cross my fingers that it will work - and start again. Is there a doctor in the house? I want to throw the computer across the room, but really what would that solve, and do you really think I could lift the computer and throw it across the room? Maybe I could lift it up and drop it really hard on the floor...

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9-11

Today was a beautiful, crystal blue sky day. I was driving, running some errands today and noticed flags lining the street. They do that here for days like The 4th of July, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, etc... and I was racking my brain to figure out why there would be flags out today. I even asked Rich why and he was all knowing and said 'Today is 9-11' and then I felt dumb for not realizing it. It instantly made me think back to where I was and what I was doing when the tragic day hit our country. Where were you on 9-11-01? Rich and I had been married for a little over 2 months. We had a habit of sleeping in everyday and then watching The Price is Right at 10am together on our futon couch in our tiny apartment before I had to leave for work at 11am as a waitress at Olive Garden. We were bummed when we turned out little TV on at 10am to find the news - on every channel, and then we realized what they were saying and what was going on. We couldn't believe it... I had to go to work and they sent half of the staff home. I had to stay. I stayed and served what few customers had come in, and it was a surreal day. Rich had all his classes canceled. It felt like the world stopped. And then it slowly started again. Day by day and then year by year life continued. I was not personally effected that day, as so many others were, but I was effected. And here we are today, 6 years later and life has continued, almost without missing a beat. I am truly grateful for the country I live in and the freedom I have in all respects of my life. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for all the brave people out there who serve everyday to protect my family and this country I live in and love. It is hard not to take our freedom and safety for granted and realize the price that is paid for us to have it. I am thankful for the days when I am reminded of this blessing. And I am thankful that life always continues.

The Work and the Glory 3

We did it!! We finished the book!! Rich and I have been reading it almost every night for a while now, and tonight we finally finished, all 536 pages!! The Work and the Glory Volume 3, Truth Will Prevail, by Gerald N. Lund was awesome and we can't wait to start reading #4... There are 9 books total in the series. I read the first 2 on my own and it is better reading together. We are totally invovled in the story, and each book gets better and better.(For any of you who don't know what these books are about, they are fictional novels about early Mormon Pioneers, with some factual LDS church history mixed in.) Besides this incredible book and series, Rich and I are really loving all the time we get to spend together just reading.

Baby Shelby

Today we waited and waited because baby Shelby, our new cousin was coming to visit. Sophie expecially was so excited and could hardly wait to meet her! She is now just over 3 weeks old and she is gorgeous!! Good job Steve and Cyndi, she's a keeper! I can't count the number of times Sophie held her. She kept saying to me "Mom, I want a baby girl..." and I have told here time and time again (this was not the first time for this request) "When Max is a little bigger we will see." Even Peter was excited about baby Shelby. He held her too, with help of course. We love our new cousin!

Piano Lessons

Sophie has always loved music. Everyone who knows her knows that. She sings and dances all the time. (She has been in a group singing class for the last two years.) And now she likes the piano too. Last year she remembers Grandma Ford teaching piano lessons to other kids and started an interest in the piano. She wasn't quite old enough to take lessons yet, but she would plunker away at the piano every chance she could get. (Who wouldn't with such a beautiful baby grand piano. We are lucky enough to have it here in our home until Grandma Ford is able to move it to Colorado with her.) Well, my mom - AKA Grandma Canada - got her this beginner piano book and it is so cute. There is a story inside about Mozart mouse and Beethoven bear. I don't know much about the different styles and such for teaching piano, but this is so cute. They have a lot of different books too, you should check them (Music for Little Mozarts) out. http://www.mflm.com/piano/home.html. So every now and then I will sit down with her and her piano book for a "piano lesson" and play together and she loves it. Tonight was one of those nights. The first time we did she said "But mom, I need Grandma to teach me piano, not you!" I know I'm not as good as she is, but I will have to do since Grandma Ford isn't here right now to teach her properly. In fact, Grandma Canada has also taught piano lessons. So, with all this piano business out there Sophie is bound to learn to play. So her piano is progressing slowly but surely. And I love it. I have always regretted not continuing in my own piano lessons any further than I did. I hope that Sophie keeps this love for piano and music long enough to be better than I currently am at it!