Quick Catch-Up

1.  Arthur had a birthday last month!  Poor guy--his birthday got kind of messed up.  The day of his actual birthday we had some sick kids, so we postponed his birthday dinner and cake, so it didn't really feel like a birthday.

But we still did a treasure hunt for the present I got him.  He had asked me earlier if I wanted any ideas for a birthday gift for him, which normally I would welcome because he's kind of hard to shop for.   I told him I'd already gotten him a present, but I'd like to hear what his ideas were anyway.  But then he wouldn't tell me.  He was surprised I'd gotten him something since the only idea we'd discussed previously was a chainsaw.  But he didn't think I'd go out and buy him a chainsaw on my own.  (hee, hee, hee . . .)  which is precisely what I'd done, after talking to some friends of ours about what kind is good to get.

Anyway, here is his face when he found it at the end of the treasure hunt.  

We had his birthday dinner later in the week, when the kids were better, but sadly, he came home from work that day not feeling well, and barely ate any of his birthday dinner.  :(  So sad.

Happy Birthday, Arthur!  Hopefully next year's will be a little better . . .

2.  Dallin and Daphne have been playing Upward Basketball for the past couple of months, and Arthur has been coaching both of their teams!  They have been having a great time playing and both of them ended up with friends from church on their teams.  Unfortunately, after multiple attempts and a couple of different cameras, I don't have any good pictures to post of either one of them.  So here are a couple of lame pictures of their basketball experience this year.

3.  Dallin went on his first Klondike.  He had a great time, and didn't lose any limbs to frostbite.  :)  Also, his troop came in 2nd out of over 20 troops, and for most of them it was their very first Klondike!

This shelter was built in less than 15 minutes with a tarp, wood, poles and rope.

Pioneering class

4. This past Wednesday was "Super-Hero" day.  Daphne chose to dress up as her dad.  I love that.  She even made a security badge to wear since he wears one to work every day.

January Quotes

Hayden:  Dad said I'm the most awthometht, goodetht thkier (skier) who'th five in our family!  AND, I don't have to go to thki thchool anymore.  

(I checked with Arthur, and he didn't actually say that last part.  Wishful thinking on Hayden's part.)

Daphne:  No Hayden!  I already cleaned that.  You're making it TOO clean!

We've been working on pottytraining Sydney for the last few months, and I'm elated to report that she basically has it down.  But she also is very particular about her potty routine and doing everything herself, but with me observing, so it's a little exasperating, especially when I'm in the middle of something, and have to stop for 5 minutes to watch Sydney take care of business.  First we go in the bathroom, and she says, "Lock the door."  If the door isn't locked, she won't go.  We go through a whole process with Sydney calling the shots, and if something is done out of order, or I do it instead of her, I'm toast.  The other day, I was in a rush and flushed the toilet for her.  She freaked out crying, "You not flush the toilet!  Sydney flush the toilet!  I go potty again!"  And she sat back on the toilet.   Wow.  Early signs of OCD or just a normal 2-year-old?  I'm not sure . . .


Once in awhile she'll go all by herself--(praise!) Last night, she came all the way downstairs to tell me, "Mom!  I go'd potty all by myself! Come see my poop!"  So I hauled my pregnant self upstairs to witness her success, and give her high-fives and fist-bumps.  :)  Enjoying the moments over here.

Me:  (to Sydney)  Good morning, Sunshine!

Sydney:  I NOT a sunshine!

Me:  No, you are not.

Me:  Sydney, I think you are turning out to be kind-of a Type A personality.

Sydney:  I NOT a purple barbie.  I am BRAVE!  (meaning Merida, from Brave.)

One day after we'd had a family home evening lesson about not quarreling, I heard Hayden reprimand Dallin & Daphne who were going at it.  He said, "Guyth, don't you remember family night?  We want the thpirit in our house, and he can't thtay here when you're fighting!"  
Music to my ears!

Daphne:  Hayden, I can't remember!  You know I have a boggle brain.

Me:  What's a boggle brain?

Daphne:  I don't know.  A brain that forgets stuff?

Sean:  Hayden, Daddy knows how to be handsome.  That's how he got Mom to marry him.

The first day back to school after winter break Sean said, "My brain really hurts."  Daphne asked, "Your brain or your head?"  Sean thought a minute and replied, "My brain."  I totally empathized with him.  By the third day of waking up early and rushing out the door every morning, I was ready for summer vacation already.

Sydney:  Knock, knock!

Me:  Who's there?

Sydney:  Terrupting cow.

Me:  Interrupting cow, who?

She's supposed to interrupt and say MOOO while I'm asking my question, but the cute thing is that she doesn't quite have the timing down, so she waits for my question to finish and then her face lights up and she yells, "MOOOO!!!"

It's Hayden's week to clear out the dishwasher.  He hates it with every fiber of his being.  So the other day he was clearing out the dishwasher and grumbling with every item he took out.  And as soon as the racks were empty, I started filling it back up with the dishes in the sink.  He saw what I was doing and accused, "Oh GREAT Mom!  I know what you're doing.  You're jutht putting more disheth in for me to clear out!!!"  Yep, Hayden.  Welcome to my life!

Hayden:  I'm totally into football. . .  And teddy bearth.  (bears)

During an advertisement for a Wiggles Music DVD, the announcer said, "Look for it NOW on DVD!"  Hayden said, "Uh . . . no thank you."

Sydney:  Mom? Mom.  Mom.  Look at me, Mom.  Can I watch Rapunzel?

 Me:  Uhhhh . . . .

Sydney:  Look at me, Mom. (putting one hand on each side of my face)  CAN . . .  I . . . WATCH. . . RA- . . . PUNZEL?  (nodding her head yes, while she asked me more slowly)

Hayden:  (in family prayer)  Pleathe bleth that no one in our family will die until 

they are REAAAL old!

Sydney dancing and singing to herself in the family room, "I am the queen!  I am the queen!  

I am the queen!"

Me:  Hayden, did you show your friends your new coat today?

Hayden:  Oh they thaw it alright!

Hayden:  that guy is riding a motorcycle without a helmet!

Me:  Kinda dangerous, right?  Like not buckling your seatbelt.

Hayden:  Well, I only unbuckle when we're in the village.

?

This morning, everyone was loading in the car and I sent Sydney to go climb in her carseat while I grabbed my purse.  She came flying back into the house as fast as I've ever seen her move, screaming in terror, "She's gonna get me!"  At first I thought Daphne had done something to scare her, but when I carried her back outside, I saw the culprit:  A cockroach lying on its back with its legs twitching.

Me:  Sean, this shirt looks like it's too small for you.

Sean:  Oh yeah, Mom, I haven't worn that shirt in generations!

Sydney:  Mom, you like to paint your nails?

Me:  Well, we painted our nails yesterday and the day before.  

I don't like to paint my nails EVERY day.

Sydney:  Yes you do.

Ski Santa Fe

January 3, 2013

Arthur is such a good man.  He took Dallin, Daphne, Sean and Hayden skiing up in Santa Fe last week all by himself.  It was VERY cold, so we bundled those kids up with lots of layers, and sent them off.  They had a great day, and I loved that Arthur took the time for these guys.  Hayden came home super excited about his skiing abilities and proudly boasted that he didn't even need to go to ski school anymore.  I think he didn't check with Dad about that . . .

Children's Music Theater blog announcement

Hey there Albuquerque friends:

With 2013 upon us, and people planning out their year, I have been getting a few inquiries about CMT this year.  So, if your children have ever participated in Children's Music Theater, or if you are interested in information about it this year, I just wanted to draw your attention to a new blog created specifically to keep you updated on all the latest and greatest CMT information.

Visit the new CMT Blog here, and for future reference, I have a link to the blog on my sidebar under "Other Cool Sites to check out."  I plan to update it with new information whenever I have some to share, so if your kid is a CMT veteran, you'll probably want to check back frequently.

In the meantime, hope you are all planning some awesome adventures for your 2013!  Our first adventure of the year will be arriving in 4-5 weeks!  (AAAAHHHH!  still so much to do before he comes!)

December Quotes

Daphne: Mom, I want a TV in my room.

Hayden:  Me too!

Mom:  Not likely, guys.

Daphne:  That's not fair.

Hayden:  Well you have a TV in your room.

Mom:  Because we are grown-ups.

Hayden:  That's not fair either.

Hayden:  How old do you have to be to ask a girl out?

(oh boy.)

Daphne did a country report this month on Greece.  In her research, she came across a picture of a little naked baby being baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church.  Her reaction: Well that's awkward.

Sydney:  I need a paper!  (she asks for a paper whenever she needs a napkin or a tissue.)

Sydney:  Hayden, put it away!  Put it away or I spank your bottom.  1 . . .  2 . . .  3!  Go sit on Dryer!

Driving to school one day, Sean declared,  

"When I'm the president, I'm gonna make a law that says: No Buckling!"  

Sean:  (a few days later)  I actually don't want to be president.  I want to be a teacher instead, with a classroom full of kids, and I would just let them PLAY!

Hayden:  Mom, these markers say they are washable, but they ARE NOT!

Me:  Were you trying to erase them?  Because washable doesn't mean "erase-able."

Hayden:  . . . oh.

Me:  Daph, could you scoop up some ice cream for the little boys?

Daph:  Child-scoops, or Emma-scoops?

(Emma--Do you love that you are a household name in our family for "a LOT of ice cream"?)

Sydney:  Mommy, you went peepee in the toilet?  Good job Mom!  (clapping her hands)

Hayden and Sydney were sitting watching the DVD menu repeat over and over waiting for me to press play.  I had gotten busy with something else and had forgotten they were waiting for me until I heard Hayden sigh, "Thith ith tho boring."

Daphne:  I'm glad I'm me and have my good looks, 

because there are lots of boys who like me at school.

Happy New Year!

December 31, 2012

We celebrated New Year's Eve with the Andersons.  We had hor d'oeuvres and a yummy sparkling peach punch.  We played Apples to Apples (you have to use different strategies when you play with people who don't read yet--Hayden's choices were rather diverting.  ;)  And then at approximately 9:17 p.m.  (aka, when it was just time to for the kids to go to bed) we counted in the New Year!

Sydney loves little Kylie.  Whenever we talk about the baby coming to our family, she says, "No, baby Kylie at Lily's house!"

Happy New Year to one and all!

Here's hoping 2013 is a good one!

And this is a little baby snowman made from all the snow the kids could gather from the first snowfall of 2013.  Since they built him in the shade, he hasn't completely melted yet!  

Daphne named him Bennett.