Conference

We had a special stake conference today. Elder L. Tom Perry was our guest speaker. I have been looking forward to this for the last two weeks, knowing that hearing him speak would fill my cup of spirituality up just a little more. Even after I found out Rich was singing in the choir and would not be able to sit with me and help with the kids, I was still optimistic that I would have a wonderful day at our stake conference meeting.
Uhh... Things didn't turn out exactly as planned. And I don't remember much of what was actally said, except that Elder Perry kept commenting on the boys sitting on the front row infront of him, and I was so glad that we weren't sitting in those seats. Max wet his pull-up and it leaked out on his pants so we had to leave and take care of things in the bathroom. Gavin didn't want to share books or goldfish and let everyone around us know with his shrieks. Peter insisted on leaving for a drink because he was 'getting sweaty' because he was so hot. I insisted that he sit still and wait till the meeting was over, and this conversation between the two of us went on and on... And Gavin kept throwing his water bottle to the people in the row in front of us, over hand. I was so embarrassed.
And my spiritual cup was not filled.


On a side note. Last night I gave all the boys hair cuts. Starting with Gavin. I ended up just buzzing his hair. And Max came in just as I was finishing it up. He was so worried and upset saying "what? Put his hair back on mommy!!!" Then he realized it was his turn next. "No, No, No!!! Not my cool dudes!!! Don't take my cool dudes off!!!" He seriously so worried I was going to buzz his head and he couldn't have his mohawk cool dudes anymore! Poor boy. I managed to convince him I wouldn't, I just wanted to make his cool dudes shorter. He said ok, as long as daddy held him. He still doesn't like Gavin's short buzz, and has told me like a thousand times today.

Saturday

Seriously, today is a beautiful day...
It makes me want to pack up all the winter coats and mits and gloves and boots that take up so much room in my mud room. It makes me want to pull out the bikes and picnic baskets. It makes me want to but popsicles. I am ready for shorts and sandals and for the grass to green up so we can sit on it. I am ready to spring clean my basement too... Maybe next week...
Bring Spring on...

thursday thankful thoughts

What I am thankful for today.
-time to clean my boys room - those closets can cram a lot of stuff behind closed doors
-that I don't have a test at school tonight, so I didn't study at all
-thatthe Ensign came. I always read the Latter-Day Saint Voices before anything else, I love to hear other peoples stories about the gospel
-tha t my kids had a happy day. No break downs or major tears
-that my laundry is at a managable level, not all done, but not really behind either
-that I did the dishes last night. The night before I was sick and did nothing in the kitchen and then one of Linda's piano students had to wash her hands first thing in the morning in my kitchen sink (why not the bathroom???) and she was totally grossed out. Rich sort of left most of the dinner mess... I was mortified to hear this story...
-that my kids can walk to and from school, and that I have a little walking carpool system to get Peter from kindergarten.
-that my kids have good friends
-that I get to see my wonderful hubby every day for lunch
-that I am happy
-what isn't there to be thankful for?

Running Errands

Must have been a 24 hr thing because I was back on my feet today.

So Max got to come with me to run errands today. I just love that boy, especially one on one. His favorite hair do is a mohawk that he calls 'cool dudes'. Because he looks like a cool dude with his hair like that! Anyway, everyone kept commenting on his cool dudes and he would get all shy like and snuggle close to me. We had a great afternoon, just the two of us.
It is days like this that remind me how much I love being a mom. I am so lucky to have my beautiful children. Sure some (a lot) of days are hard, but then I have these refreshers and it totally motivates me to keep going and to smile a little more about my calling in life of being a mother, nothing holds greater joy.

And keep scrolling down. I have added a bunch of posts clear from dec 31st to present. Yeah me:) I am catching up:)

sick day

I was sick today. And the kids took full advantage. Didn't do chores, and hired a tornado to run through the main floor. Max was still dry all day. And then I had to pull myself out of bed and drag myself to school. I did shower. When you take classes that are 12 weeks long you really can't miss, plus we had a test today (in kinesiology) that I really couldn't study for because I couldn't concentrate. I still passed. I really like school, just not when I'm sick.
I hope I get home in time to watch Lost tonight.

ps

ps- I am adding blogging a post to my chore chart, maybe that will help me keep up on blogging...
by the way the chore chart is going pretty well. Not perfect everyday, but it is a great motivator. And I need that extra reminder often...

past pictures

I'm trying to post past pictures by the month. So far I have December. The rest will come, but it takes a little longer than I thought. So the rest will come later.

potty training fun

So it's super duper fun to potty train our kids, right??
Well for those of you who really know the dark side of Max, you can understand why I don't really have a desire to step into the world of potty training. I've made some great excuses like a road trip to Canada, and let's wait till he turns 3. I'm out of excuses now... But I have been taking him in to go potty when he wakes up in the morning, and that has turned the idea in his head. Now he WANTS to be potty trained. And he is doing it all on his own with minimal help from me. It's great because there are no fits, which is what I was sorely afraid of. I let him wear pull-ups, and that is something I swear against when I potty train my kids. I think they are too much like diapers. I like going straight to unders. But not with Max... Pull-ups work for him. He is usually dry almost all day long. He will stop playing, watching a show or eating and say "I have to go potty!!!!" and then we will run upstairs and he will talk to himself the whole way saying "don't pee, don't pee, don't pee....." and I help him take his pants off because he is a little slow, and he goes!! I have to brag about him here for a minute and say that since he had his first poop on the toilet he hasn't pooped in his pull-up!!!! HAPPY DAY :) :) :) He has even stepped up in a restaurant, and at church saying he has to go potty! Of course we have a little reward system. A little m&m machine. He gets to turn the handle once for pee and twice for poop. And out comes a handful of m&m's. It's great. And the best part is no stress. And here is the worst part...
The other night we 'tucked the boys in bed' and they weren't asleep. Rich and I went downstairs to settle in and have some alone time and watch a movie without kids. When it was time for us to go to bed we went around turning lights off that were mysteriously turned on while the boys were 'asleep' and I found this image. And no, I did not take a picture. The boys room was empty and the covers were all messy, they decided to get out of bed and sleep in our room. And on their wall??? More than two dozen finger marks off poop!!!!!!!!!!! ON THE WALL!!!!!! Yeah, you heard it right! Peter was actually still awake and I asked him what happened in my sleepy not so nice mom voice!!! He said that Max (the independent) went poop on the potty. Peter was proud of the fact that he helped him take his pants off. (they didn't call me?? We didn't even know they were out of bed...) I asked him who wiped his bum (sorry to be so graphic) and he said Max did it all by himself!!! Uhhhhh, what??? How did he get from the bathroom to his bedroom with poop all over his bum and fingers??? I was so grossed out... And had to stop right there and clean the wall off with disinfectant. And some of that poop was chunky and dried (graphic again) and had to be scraped off of the wall... Ewww sick... And the potty was in the same shape. Just beyond words.
I then proceeded to check on my sleeping potty training angel from down under. His hands appeared clean. He is actually meticulous about washing his hands really well with soap and water after he goes potty. Thank goodness. So I didn't wake him, because that would have been a battle in and of itself. But thorough cleaning was done again in the morning, just to be sure.
So in Max's quest to potty train himself, this is what I get... Yuck...
Just wanted to share the joy of potty training Max.

Temple #3

LOGAN

It was a fun day today especially because it was Sophie's birthday, but also because we got to add another temple to our list. Steve and Cyndi were supposed to go with us, but Steve ended up being on call and it was just the two of us. This was the first session I have ever done in Logan. It is a beautiful temple. But we could only see it up close today, the fog was pretty bad. Especially on the drive up. But Rich should be used to driving in fog after our trip to Canada at Christmas.

When we were done we got to share Sophie's birthday cake with Cyndi and Elise who also have February birthdays. It was a fun night.

The Birthday Haircut

She wanted bangs for her birthday. That was an easy request.BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

A new post!

It's been a month - again - since the last time I've posted. Pictures are waiting to go on, but it hasn't happened yet. Even the ones from Christmas are still waiting...
In fact I'm having a hard time with my chores too. I made these fun octopus chore charts for the kids a few months ago. The legs are the chores and they get to put them on the octopus when they do the chore. It worked pretty well. And it was an easy visual for the kids to see when they were finally done and could play with friends or something. But the novelty of the new chore chart has worn off, so I made new ones again. This time they are bingo chore charts. They are cute. Little clip art pics that we each colored, and we made cute magnet bingo pieces by finding little things like beads, jewels and ribbon flowers and hot glued them to little magnets. And I decided to make one for me and Rich too. Does that seem too silly to make a grown up chore chart for a 30 yr old?? Well I figured it worked so well for the kids, that maybe it can work for me too. And I can see an end each day, so I'm not thinking I need to be doing chores all day long. Here's to a new chapter in my life. A chore chart!!

So you may be wondering what our chores are?? We each have 9.
Sophie/Peter (they alternate some chores according to odd/even days)
alternate-empty 1/2 dishwasher (top & bottom)
alternate-empty basket (we have one that goes upstairs, and one that goes downstairs and they fill up fast)
homework/reading
make bed/clean room
alternate-pick up the floor (hard floor or carpet)
serve others
help the baby
help mom (with anything I ask like set the table, put clothes away, go play downstairs)
practice piano (Sophie) / empty upstairs trash (Peter)

Max
pick up toys (even one counts sometimes)
dishes (again, even one dish counts)
play with baby (nicely!!)
be happy (most important chore!!!)
wash face (this is always necessary, what does he do to his face all the time???)
read with mom
pick up floor (kind of doubles with pick up toys, but hey...)
help mom
go potty (maybe he will get potty trained before the summer!!!)

Me
dishes
laundry
read scriptures/write in journal
homework
daily chore (something silly I made up a year or so ago: Mon - mop/deep vacuum, Tues - toilet room, Wed - walls & windows, Thurs - thoroughly dust, Fri - food room, Sat - special project)
exercise (I need to get back in action)
play with kids (sometimes I need that extra reminder to stop everything else and just play)
prepare and make dinner (I've gotten out of the habit with school, my poor family...)
mail (mail and papers are my enemy - they piles up so fast!)

Really I am just letting you know to make myself feel more accountable in life and to find routine and order again. So wish me luck!!!