Camera

Just in case you wonder what I do all day, this is some of the entertaining moments.  I really love some of the features on my new laptop.  :)  And the boys are hilarious.  The last picture is so you can see what Caleb's face looks like when he talks or when he asks questions.  Hilarious.

What should I be??

Conversation I overheard while driving:

Josh: I think I am going to be...a doctor?  Caleb, what should I be when I grow up?
Caleb: a whale
Josh: Caleb, people can't change into animals!  We stay human.  *Sigh 
Caleb: Oh, then, a boat?
Josh: (shaking his head) Oh Caleb, no what should I be when I am a dad?
Caleb: Oh, when you is a dad, you should put your kids in the car and drive.  (I could tell by his tone of voice that he was very proud of his response)
Josh: Caleb!  I can't do that when I need to be at work.  What should I do like for a job?  What should I BE?
Caleb: Oh!  Um, an airplane....driver?
Josh: Yes!  That's it!  I love airplanes.  I will fly them in the sky.  Now I just need to find an airport where I can work.  Mom, is there an airport in Texas?
Me: Yeah, there are lots of airports in Texas.
Josh: Perfect. (pause)  Except, then I will be flying lots and be gone and won't be home for dinner.  Then my wife will be taking care of the kids by herself.  Hm, I can't do that...

 
And that is all I heard before I pulled up at the city building to pay the water bill.  Isn't that precious though?  What five year old thinks about coming home for dinner every day and helping his wife?  So cute.  I think I have my adorable husband to thank for that.  :)

Knowledge

I think I am finally learning that my kids will always continue to amaze me.  They just think so much and ask so many questions.  And not like "what time is it?" (they ask that too), but like "why is the sky blue," and "why does Daddy have to work?," and "why do we need money?"  For little boys, I think they are pretty deep and think way more about life than I ever do.  I take so much for granted and rarely ask questions.  I have been studying knowledge in the scriptures during the last few days and I realized that since I have graduated from college, I still wanted to learn things, but that need has just been dwindling.  It hasn't been my main focus.  And I can feel a huge gap in my progress often because I haven't been taking the time to learn new things.  Thankfully I have great kids that make me think on a daily basis.  I get really worried because there are so many questions I don't know the answers to.  I came across this scripture and this really helps:

"78 Teach ye diligently and my ^agrace shall attend you, that you may be ^binstructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

 79 Of things both in ^aheaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must ^bshortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the ^cnations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a ^dknowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—

 80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to ^amagnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the ^bmission with which I have commissioned you." 

Doctrine and Covenants 88:78-80 

So I just need to be more diligent in learning and my teaching and I know the Lord will help me learn what I need to and remember it at the right time so I can teach my little ones what they need to know when they need to know it.  Not just spiritual things, but things in the heaven and on the earth and under the earth.  What a neat promise.

Oh and this scripture was really awesome too: "^aWisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get ^bunderstanding."  Proverbs 4:7

I have been also wanting to develop a new talent (I have been working on doing Personal Progress with the Young Women), and I can't think of one that I want to develop.  Any ideas??

By the Yard?

I can just hear Tyson asking me, "how was your afternoon?"

Well...let's see...
I created a menu for the next week or two and a grocery list (which takes me forever since not much sounds good that is easy to make and isn't like you know, rocky road brownies or something.  :)

I set up the boy's tent and got them snacks and changed poopy diapers and wiped poopy bums.

And oh yeah, spent FOREVER extricating and rewinding 70 (yes, SEVENTY) yards of purple ribbon from little kid toys.  Just what every mother aspires to do during a Tuesday afternoon.  Honestly, it was kind of fun and nice to have something different to do.  I mean, it wasn't scrubbing play dough out of the carpet like I did this morning. 

Oh, and on a different note, I have been feeling the "little girl" kicking during the last week.  I forgot how stinking cute it is when they are this little.  It almost tickles.  How quickly they grow from the size of a lemon to much bigger and stronger.  I'm glad "her" punches are so soft for now.

So that has been my afternoon.  And no, I didn't make dinner.  If only I could make ribbon turn into food...

I can't sweep

I don't know what it is about these little conversations my kids have had lately, but they are HILARIOUS!  So, here is another:

Bedtime, Matthew has been asleep for awhile, Josh just barely passed out and this is what Caleb says:

Caleb: "I can't sweep (sleep)"
Me: "why not?"
Caleb: "My tummy telled me you don't need to go to the bafroom (bathroom), but you need to sweep.  So then I say 'Don't talk to me! I don't want to sweep!' And then my tummy says 'you need to sweep!' And I say 'Don't talk to me!'  Isn't my tummy silly?"
Me: Yes your tummy is very silly.

Then I quickly had to leave the room so I could laugh uncontrollably without him knowing.  I have heard of people having split personalities, but a mind in your tummy, that I actually understand.  :)

UPsurd!

Josh: You know why I wanted you to make banana bread?
Me: No, why?
Josh: Well listen, I'm going to tell you the reason.
Me: Okay, I'm listening.
Josh: It is because it is SO delicious that everyone has to have a piece.  It is UPsurd!
Me: Oh really, absurd?
Josh: Yes, upsurd.

Challenge

In church each week we give the youth a challenge for the week.  This last week was to teach someone about the Plan of Salvation (God's plan for us, that there is life before this life and after and we are here to prove ourselves to God).  So I remember a few hours before church and think, "Perfect, I can teach the boys!"

So here goes that conversation:

Me: "Josh, Caleb, did you guys know that we lived in heaven before we were born?"
Caleb looks at me with a confused/frustrated face like "what are you talking about now?"
Josh: "Yeah Mom, we lived in heaven, then we came here and got bodies, if we are good then when we die we will go back to heaven to live with Heavenly Father.  I know Mom okay?"
Caleb nodding his head like "Yup, Josh and I know everything."
They both quickly go back to playing destruction of the mountain with pretend cell phones (or at least that is what it looked like).

There is not much I can teach these kids.  They already know it all.  :)

Too Close for Comfort

Being a mother is the most rewarding occupation in the world.  I think it is also the most stressful.

Today I had the opportunity to be watching 5 boys.  Well, Josh was at preschool for part of it, so technically Josh and one of the other boys kind of switched places.  It is really awesome that I can help other people, and it is really neat that other people trust me with their kids, even if they don't even know me.  But being a mom and a babysitter is not an easy job and today I found myself kind of wishing I wasn't.  Not that I don't want to be a mom, I LOVE each one of my kids.  And Logan, the little guy I watch every day, is like the greatest kid you could ever babysit.  So I am really lucky.

But I was outside, freezing, because that was the ONLY thing that made certain children not scream and cry.  They were digging in the dirt and chasing each other with sticks and you know...boy things.  I see a few of my friends walking by all cutesie in their work out clothes.  One mom had two kids, the other had one.  And I kind of had one of those "I feel like an animal in a zoo" moments.  I was looking over my fence longingly like through the bars of a prison cell.  "How I wish I had the freedom to go walking" I thought.  I am so blessed and have a double jogging stroller, but if I ever want to use it, two kids are in and two kids are out.  No big deal, but there is always fighting because the older kids want in and the younger out and then there is crying and fits and no one is actually going anywhere, so what really is the point in trying?

And all the kids I "own" and watch are 5 and under.  Although Tyson doesn't agree, I cannot leave them home alone.  :)  So that does leave me feeling a little trapped at times.  Not that I want my life to be any different.  I wouldn't trade what I have, I know I am SUPER blessed because I love what I have.  But I think I am in that point in my life where motherhood is kind of overwhelming.  Did I space my kids too close?  Because next year, Josh will be in kindergarten, but wait, I will have just had a newborn.  So really, I have the same amount with me. 

I mentioned that to Tys and said like 5 more years and I will be more free and he laughed and said "Yeah, 5 more years and you will still have 2 at home, if not more."  Hm.  That's a long time.  And a lot of kids.  Do I really want more than 4?  I can't really go back and have less than 4 and I wouldn't want to.  But anywhoo, I am just ranting and thinking. 

Please don't think I don't love my life.  It is just some days my life is a little too close for comfort.  But who needs comfort?  Comfort just makes you lazy and fat right?  :)  It is for wimps and I for one may want to be a wimp, but it isn't in my job description.  So on to motherhood, the best job in the world.

We Don't Say Sexy

Picture this:  Tyson is leaving for work:

Tyson: "Bye guys!  Bye Honey!"
Me: "Bye Sexy!"
(door closes)
Caleb: (laughing) "Bye Sexy!"
I roll my eyes thinking I have got to stop using that word.
Josh: "Caleb, we don't say sexy."
Caleb: "Why?"
Josh: "Little kids don't say that.  Only mommies and daddies call each other that."
Caleb: "Oh."
Josh: "I can't wait until I am old and married and my wife calls me sexy."
Caleb: "Me either (sounds like ee-der).  My wife is gonna call me dat all dee time."

Yup.  Gotta love having kids.