Thursday, July 24, 2014

The King Has a Request

On Monday nights we have a lesson with the boys to teach them about scripture stories and gospel principles.  It doesn't always go well, and sometimes the kids get a liiiitle crazy, but almost always it is adorable.

This past Monday, we decided to act out the scripture story of Ammon and King Lamoni.  (this is in the Book of Alma in the Book of Mormon).  So here are the parts:

Ammon: Joshua
King Lamoni: Matthew
King's guard: Caleb
King's servant: Caleb
Wicked Lamanite: Caleb
Sheep: Andrew
Narrator: Mama
Director: Daddy

It is so precious seeing the scriptures come to life with our little ones.  They understand what we read as a family more and then we talk afterwards about the lessons taught about obedience, sacrifice, service, etc.  Plus, as we act them out, I try to have them quote as much as we can from the actual scriptures as we can handle, so they get a more accurate view of the story.  But sometimes, I just abbreviate and have them repeat kind of the gist of the conversation.  And so this was what happened on Monday.

Ammon (AKA Josh) is brought before the king (AKA Matthew).
King: (repeating kind of what I am saying) "What you doin here?"
Ammon: "I came to serve you and live among your people."
King: "Wow.  Marry one my daughters?"
Ammon: "No thanks.  I want to serve you.  What can I do for you?  Anything you want?"

At this point I am about to tell Matthew to say, "go watch my sheep," but Matthew answers super fast:

King: "Breakfast."

We all completely broke character (not like we didn't ever 5 seconds anyways) and just laughed and laughed.  Guess being a king makes Matthew hungry.  Who knows, maybe that request crossed King Lamoni's mind too.  :)

Minus the sheep escaping the scene when they weren't supposed to and crying at the narrator when he was supposed to be fleeing, the rest of the acting was relatively uneventful.  I love having my boys.  They make life, and the past for that matter, so much more entertaining.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Cooper Quotables

One of my friends has a little boy named Canon who says awesome things.  Often, when he says something funny, they will post it on Facebook with the title "Canon Quotables."  That got me thinking, I should have a little title when I post funny things my boys say.  So I am totally stealing their idea and going with "Cooper Quotables," cuz it just sounds cooler than anything else I could think of.

Today mass amounts of cars (mostly minivans) were pulling in and out of the modular homes across the street.  This happens every Monday and Saturday when kids are getting dropped off for EFY and when they are getting picked up.  Otherwise, all summer long it is pretty dead here. 

Josh (moaning): "Ugh!  These EFY kids are so annoying!  There are so many of them!"
Caleb: "Josh, it is good there are so many EFY kids.  It means they get to come and learn about Jesus."
Josh: "Well, it confuses Matthew, because he thinks they are coming to our house and then no one comes.  It is frustrating that no one comes here."
Matthew: "Uh huh.  Me think 'hmmm who dese cars?  Dey come me house?'  Den, de no come.  Uh huh, la."  (In case you are wondering "la" is just a word in Matthew's vocabulary that means "yes."  We are pretty sure that is what it means anyways).
Josh looks at Caleb pointing at Matthew with a look that says "see?  Totally proved my point."

Can you tell Tyson and I have similar conversations?  It is amazing how much little guys pick up on.  Can you guess which opinion I have and which one Tyson has?  :)

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Stay Here Ever Ever

Oh bedtime.  It is the eternal fight.  I so look forward to the peace that comes when all the boys are slumbering, the few hours my house can rest and sigh from not being jumped on and thrown pillows at.  But I so love being with the boys too, especially when they are cute and happy and having a blast being friends. 

I especially love the cuddles that come at bedtime.  I know most of the time they are using me.  They know that me snuggling with them postpones sleep, just like asking for a drink of water or having to go to the bathroom does.  But sometimes that is okay.  Most of the time I respond in my worn out, frayed, I just need some time alone way: "no!  I am not going to reward you staying up forever by snuggling with you!  Just go to sleep!"

But last night, with little Matthew I caved.  I always seem to cave with him.  That child.  After snuggling for a few minutes and he showing no decrease in babbling or wiggling, I got up to leave.  He flung his cute little arms around my neck and said,

"No Mama, no go.  Stay here ever ever."
me: "You want me to stay here forever and ever?"
M: "Uh huh la."  (we still aren't sure where la came from, but to Matthew, it means yes)

And who could refuse such a cute plea?  I couldn't, for the first five times.  Then it lost it's intense wilting affect, and I left and he still took forever to fall asleep.  But still, I like to be told to stay "ever ever."  I hope they don't grow out of that ever ever.  They may be punks some times, but man I love them.

Do you ever feel like telling moments that?  Stay here forever ever?  All my kids are looking so big, acting so big.  Not all the time, sometimes they act like they are babies again, even the ones that aren't babies.  But other times, Josh will be so mature.  He will take care of problems so I don't have to.  Like today, he helped Matthew off the counter (because of course he had to climb up there and get the raisins "meself").  Or Caleb, who read the title of a book today because I just started at the first page.  Of course, reading is no big deal to that kid.  And then he gets the cutest little grin that shows his tiny teeth and his blue eyes just sparkle with pride.  And Matthew, heavens, he has to do EVERYTHING himself.  "Me buckle meself," "me pee meself," "me write it meself," "me sweep it meself."  The kid is so intense, and he may not know his colors or shapes, but he can do all kinds of things by himself because he takes pride in being independent.  And little Andrew, he is almost one years old.  How did a year go by so quickly?  He is almost standing by himself and he says "hi da" in the cutest little voice.  And today he started giving me kisses.  Which really are more like bites, but hey, he is trying to show affection and I will take that over screaming at me for not being held. 

And now we are trying to have another kid.  Another one?  How can our house, our car, our sanity hold another one?  I don't know, but I know my heart can.  It just keeps growing as these little ones grow.  I think I love them the day they are born, but then the next day I feel like the love has only doubled, and the day after that even more.  I am sure the days are coming soon where one of them will dislike me for some reason, or not think I am the coolest mom ever.  I just hope and pray that I won't have done anything to deserve their disrespect.  It is hard not to wish these moments to stay forever ever.  But how do we grow if we stay?  However, I don't think it is wrong to linger a little on these moments and savor them.  Because boy are they rich.