What goes around comes around....

They say what goes around comes around and I have to agree with that in regards to parenting. When I was a girl my sister and I used to stay up all night long playing, laughing, and even sometimes fighting. My mom used to come down and get mad and tell us to go to sleep. It usually took four or five times before we finally listened. Usually we ended up being separated and one was put on the office floor where my dad was working so that he could keep on eye on us. These past few days my boys have started doing that. After I put the boys to bed they do the same thing. They will stay up for hours just playing and talking. I have to go in and threatened them several times before they listen. It is so fun because they really play cute together and talk about the craziest things. Then they each take a turn making a mad dash to the playroom for a toy and then back before mom can see them. They go one at a time to be sneaky, but little do they know that I know exactly what they are doing. I used to think that I was so clever as a kid and could sneak things past my mom, but now I realize that parents know everything. So I guess the jokes on me. I am getting exactly what I gave my mom when I was young.

Also, I want to wish a very happy birthday to my wonderful sister Jamie. Love you Jam! And also I missed my sister Brooke's birthday on the 11th so here is Happy Birthday to you too. Love you Brookie! My sisters are amazing and I am so glad to have them in my life.

Christmas 2007

I am pretending that it is snowing outside and really cold. I am not used to these Las Vegas winters. Although I am really liking the fact that during the warm afternoons we can still go to the park and play outside. We had a great Christmas, even though we miss all our family and friends back home. Ethan was so funny. Every time he would open a gift he would say, "I have wanted this my whole life." He was excited about everything and so cute. Cole just ran around in all the craziness following Ethan everywhere, and my sweet Liv had lots of fun also. She especially enjoyed all the wrapping paper, garbage, and left over boxes to chew on. We have Lego's coming out our ears. Shawn and I spent the majority of the day putting together Lego's. Ethan and Shawn didn't think that I could put Lego's together very well, but we had a race and I won (although Shawn's had more pieces, but I don't care-I WON). So, I proved my expertise in Lego building and now maybe Ethan will let me build with him. I tuckered out, but Shawn (with Coke in hand) continued into the early evening.

Last night we tried to read the nativity story in Luke, but the kids really weren't that interested. We missed the Nielson Annual Christmas Story Pageant and the kids were sad. Shawn remembered that we have this great DVD made by the church about Jesus birth, life, death, and resurrection-so we gave that a shot. It was great. The kids sat and listened and I really enjoyed it. Earlier that day Ethan told me that he didn't really like Jesus that much because he doesn't give gifts like Santa. We talked about the gifts that Jesus did give and I tried to explain how he gave his life for us and that is an amazing gift. Ethan didn't really buy it, but during the movie he watched as the mean people hurt Jesus. Ethan was touched by this and concerned about Jesus. When I took the opportunity to explain further about Jesus gift to us and that he sacrificed his life so that we would not have to endure those kind of pains and suffering. After our little chat he proclaimed, "well, I think I kind of like Jesus now." It was a sweet moment for Shawn and I to watch him start to understand the ultimate gift that we have been given. Truly the real meaning of Christmas. After the movie we got ready for bed and put some cookies out for Santa. Ethan was upset because he didn't think Santa's reindeer's should eat all that junk (those were his words, I would never classify cookies as junk). So, we got out some vegetables for the reindeer and he seemed happy with that.

Now it is the end of the day and I am just about ready to put the kids to bed. We had a great Christmas and we hope all of you did as well. Here are a few pictures from the day.

And have you ever heard of a Scookie? Well, you basically cook cookie dough or a brownie mix in the bottom of a cast iron skillet. Take it out of the oven and cover it with ice cream (we used peppermint) and cover with chocolate sauce. It was delicious and fun! We all dug in with spoons and shared.


Also, Livy broke her first tooth today. It's about time so this is great, but it also makes for a cranky baby. Oh well-life goes on!

Transformers

The boys are a little too into Transformers. I think we watch the show twice everyday and last night we drove all over the Las Vegas valley looking for this one transformer, which we couldn't find. If anyone finds "bonecrusher" let me know! Needless to say the boys are transformer crazy. Ethan even has the first few minutes of the movie memorized. In the first clip Ethan says it cute, but in the second clip Cole mimics everything. It is really cute. For those of your who are familiar with the Transformer movie you will recognize what he is saying.

Almost Standing

Livy has graduated from crawling to standing. She can only make it for a few seconds before she falls, but she is getting closer. She manages to maneuver around the room holding on to the walls and chairs and whatever she can get her hands on.

Another day at the hospital...

Last night Shawn was on call at the hospital. About midnight my cell phone starting ringing. It was Shawn and I immediately got worried because why would he call at midnight unless it was urgent. When I answered no one was there, but I could hear blood curdling screams in the background. I was so confused and then my imagination started running away and I was sure that he had been abducted by aliens or something like that. I sat and listened for a good five minutes trying to figure out what was going on. All I heard were screams, but they weren't Shawns. Finally I hung up and waited until morning to call Shawn. When I called him he had no idea that he called me and told me the screams were from a patient. I asked him what he was doing to the patient, but it was nothing unusual. I felt so bad for the patient. He was screaming like he was going to die and I was sure that my husband was causing his pain. But in the end, Shawn was not abducted by aliens and he was not torturing his patient. I was so shaken by these screams, but for Shawn it was just a normal day at the hospital. I hope that my children will never have to experience going to the ER for serious injuries. Although with Cole I am sure it is just a matter of time.

Snuggles

My sweet little Livy is such a snuggler. Anytime I hold her, or Shawn or anyone else, she just curls right up into you and nuzzles her little head into your chest. Neither of my boys like to snugle at all and maybe that is why this is so fun. I wanted to document this so that someday when Liv is an emotional, drama crazy teenager I will remember these special moments between she and I.

Livy's Entrapment

This is the only way the I can keep Livy off the stairs-I lock her in. At first the boys would just rip the gate down because they couldn't' get by, but they have figured out that they can climb over it. Which probably isn't safe, but it keeps Livy out. I gave her the bottom two stairs to climb on and practice. She just stands at the gate and shakes the bars like I have put her in prison.

Check out these guns!

Ethan wanted me to take a picture of his muscles. Don't they look HUGE! Well, at least he is cute. Do you like the big hunk of pumpkin bread in his hand? He went over to the counter and ripped off half the loaf. As long as he is eating I don't care how he eats it.

Grocery Shopping with Cole

This morning after I dropped Ethan of at school I took Cole and Livy and we went to get some groceries. As we were standing in line waiting Cole decided that he wanted to help give the groceries to the cashier. He was too far back to put them on the belt so he started throwing them. The nice man in front of us got pelted with a box of baby rice cereal in the head. At first he was a little ticked off, but then he realized it was just a cute naughty little two year old and started to smile. I was so embarrassed. I apologized as I picked all my groceries up off the floor. Maybe I will leave Cole home next time.

Christmas was almost ruined...

This morning the kids found some of their presents from Santa. They came running into my room saying, "Santa Came." I couldn't believe that they found them-I thought I hid them well. I didn't start looking for my presents until at least 4th or 5th grade. Ethan isn't even in Kindergarten. I told the boys some big story about me buying these gifts for a little boy whose family couldn't afford any presents for Christmas. They totally believed the story and I was so relieved. Christmas was almost ruined. I guess my lie saved Christmas. But, boy that was close. I guess I will have to be more careful next year.

My Little Helper

I was doing some dishes earlier today while Livy was playing on the floor. The next thing I noticed was that Livy had climbed into the dishwasher and was playing with the silverware. What a good little helper. I know that it probably isn't good for my dishwasher to have her playing on it, but it was cute. It is a good thing I am only renting!

Ethan and School

Last night while I was trying to put Ethan to bed he started crying. He said that he didn't want to go to school because he missed me. While that sounds sweet it was breaking my heart because he was crying hysterically. I kept telling him that when we get big we HAVE to go to school. He said that he didn't want to grow up, he just wanted to be a kid. I tried to explain to him all the fun things that grown-ups get to do. But as I was doing this I am thinking, maybe it would be better to be a kid. Ethan continued crying for a long time and I finally got him calmed down. Than it got me thinking...am I doing the right thing, should I be saying something different to comfort him. Anyways, this morning as I dropped him off for preschool he did the same things again. He cried and cried that he would miss me too much and didn't want to go to preschool. We had a good talk in the car and I got him reluctantly go to preschool. I talked with his teacher about it so hopefully she can help a little. I just hope this is a phase. Up until yesterday Ethan has LOVED school and always came home so excited. It is so hard as a parent to make your kid do things that make them cry. I feel so horrible, but I think (at least I hope) that in the end he will be grateful that I made him go to school.

This morning at breakfast it was so funny. I handed Ethan and Cole their chocolate milk and Ethan said, " Cole, let's do this. This is what people do when they have dessert." I looked over to see what they were doing and they were raising their glasses and hitting them together just like they were giving a toast or something. I asked Ethan where he learned that and he said on TV. Even when you think your kids aren't paying attention they pick up the craziest things from TV. And right after the kids toasts with chocolate milk Cole dropped his plate on the floor and it shattered all over. The fun was quickly over.

Livy HATES baby food. Every day it is a constant struggle to get her to eat baby food. All she wants to eat is grown up food. Maybe it is the gross mushy texture, which I can't blame her, but she is such a stinker. Every time I put something to her lips she sticks out her long tong and licks it first to see what it is. If she doesn't like is she won't open her mouth, if she does than she opens up. I have tried cramming it in her mouth, but she just spits is out and then I end up covered in sweet potatoes. And one too many times she has grabbed her bowl of food and thrown it on the floor. I always think I leave it far enough away, but she pulls up her leg and kneels up in her high chair and she can get almost anything. But I am learning and each time we do a little better and make a little less mess when she eats.

(as I am sitting here typing Cole is trying different hair bows on Livy and a few on himself. He looks so adorable in a pink headband )

He's Fat

This morning Shawn and I went to renew our temple recommends. We were sitting there waiting in the foyer with the kids and a large man came out of the office. Ethan pointed and yelled, "That man is fat." We were totally embarrassed, as was the man, but Ethan is only four and hopefully that makes what he said funny and not rude. I think all kids at one time or another say something, most likely many things, that will embarrass their parents. Today was one of those days.

Ward Christmas Party

Tonight was our ward Christmas party. It seems like every time there is something fun going on Shawn is on call, and this was the case tonight. Shawn was at the hospital and I debated going by myself with three kids, but I knew it would be fun. So we went and had a good time. Ethan and Cole were a little crazy running around the gym, but not that bad. Livy just crawled around on the floor playing with the plastic cups. Who needs toys when you have plastic cups?

The primary kids sang and Ethan got up and walked up to the stage. I got my camera and walked up to the front, but I couldn't see Ethan anywhere. Finally half way through the song he came walking in the gym door. I guess someone was standing where he wanted so he decided to leave and pout. I panicked for a minute when I couldn't find him, but it turned out fine. There was a funny little skit, a saxophone playing Christmas songs, and my friend Natalie played the violin. It made me wish that I was musically talented. The kids were so excited for Santa and he came at the very end. When we left Ethan was really concerned that he couldn't see Santa's sleigh in the parking lot. I told him that Santa has to park on the roofs and he bought it. Ethan has also been really concerned that our house does not have a chimney.