Sunday, March 30, 2008

So far...

We've packed up quite a bit of art work, office stuff, emptied dressers and closets.

$100 bills found: 1
$10 bills found: 5
$5 bills found: 1
$2 bills found: 3
Coins found: 100+

So we've rediscovered $161 plus at least $50 in coin. Now of that about $50 is collection money.

The $105 went right into the Christmas fund.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

So how'd you spend your Friday morning?

Sean decided that I'd clean crispy rice.

The casts are now...

Ryan wanted to be in the photo too.

When asked what color he wanted. Alex hesitated and then Andrew quietly suggest, "Choose blue Alex." And he did.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Outside the house...

Well obviously, Ryan is INSIDE the master bath.


Mark wanted to show his Dad the view from the backyard -- hopefully after fences will still have it.


More view from the backyard.


Window wells -- very dangerous must get covers.


Very rocky backyard.

Inside the new house

Family room -- behind the arch is the master bedroom, the doorway is the laundry room, the little hallway leads to the front room, powder room, and basement. Upstairs is the big boys room.


A bit of the kitchen.

Egg Hunt

On your marks...


Seany and RyGuy checking out their booty.


Alex "cracking" the eggs' contents into the bucket.


Andy collecting by color.


And Seany eating too much candy.

Inch Worms

Ryan hit the furniture.


Sean did some kind of wierd jumpy trick.


Andy dragged his dinosaur around all morning.

Easter Morning

Seany mugged for the camera.

No, its not Christmas.

RyGuy found a chocolate egg.

Andy found a "shooter."

Alex loved his OPTIMUS PRIME t-shirt.

Egg Hunt

Games before the hunt with Seany & Andy.


Seany preps his bucket.


Seany allows E. Bunny to pose next to him.


RyGuy willing allowed me to walk him next to E. Bunny.

Alex refused to meet the bunny as he's figured out it a teenager in a stupid costume. While Andy headed into the car to watch The Incredibles.

Storytime with Nona and Papa

Capt. Jack times 4

Note RyGuy mimicking Alex's pirate face.

Seany likes Bensen

My friend's new baby Bensen found a caregiver in Seany. Seany LOVES 'baby'.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Details as requested by...everybody

We sold this house. Closing date something like April 23rd.

We're still waiting to here when we'll close on the new house.

We'll probably need to rent a storage unit, if we can't get everything to happen in the same day.

Either way, anybody want to help?

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Egg Hunts

Yesterday, we took my parents and the chicklets to an egg hunt. Complete with various activities -- lines were way too long to actually do said activities.

So, while the babies hunted in the 0-3 group, Andy and Alex observed. Andy began to freeze before his turn began. It was a chilly high 40s with a wind blowing. Although he had on the most clothes and warmest coat he was C-O-L-D! While waiting for his turn he curled up on Nona's lap and rested under her second coat, even covering his face completely with the hood.

When his turn began he crawled down, commented on the bumble bee egg he was going to get and when they said, "Go!" he forgot all about it and picked up 4 eggs. Then remembered the bumble bee egg and saw it was gone. The flood of tears lasted for many minutes and he went back to the car to watch a movie until Alex was done.

During Alex's egg hunt, he passed many eggs to get Andrew the bumble bee egg he wanted. He grabbed 2 in the distance and when we went to the car, he gave Andrew his bumble bee egg.

So sweet! And he made is brother so happy! I was so touched I could have cried.

Friday, March 21, 2008

SOLD!

Yep, we finally sold our house. Eleven long months on the market. Given up all hope of getting a house that would work for 4 boys and suddenly the light shined through.

For all the prayers, thank you!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Camero

Conversation overheard between an 8 year old and a 4 year old:

Alex aka 8 year old: "When I was 21 years old, I got a job at the Utah Car Show working security and I made ten times a billion dollars and they gave me the 2008 Camero. You know Andrew, Bumblebee (transformer) in his vehicle form."

Andrew aka 4 year old: "Well.... When I was 21 years old, I got a job at the Utah Car Show but I was in charge of the whole thing and I got the Bumblebee vehicle form that had a straight back and squishy front (insert descriptive hand gestures). But Alex, it was not called the 2008 Camero. It was called Bumblebee vehicle form with straight back and squishy front."

Alex: "Wait! That's what I meant, I was in charge of the whole car show, I was the manager and it was a 2008 Camero...."

I like how they discussed all this in the past tense.

Andrew likes

I hope I'm not reposting this...

Yesterday, we gave one of Alex's friends a ride home. A darling girl named Lauren. About 3 weeks ago or so, we gave her a ride home also. On that occassion the following occured.

"Thanks, Kathryn. See you tomorrow, Alex. Bye-Bye Andrew and twins."

"Bye, have a good day!" hollered my kids back at her.

Watching her walk into the house, I said, "I like Lauren. She's so pretty and nice. I'm glad she's your friend, Alex."

"Me too, Mommy. She's a nice girl," responded Alex.

A very small voice, "I like Lauren too. I like her hair. Its so pretty. And her smile. And she said, bye to me," sighing wistfully Andrew paused to consider the angel, Lauren.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Bubble Bath

Bubble time

Ryan in the middle was all about the bubbles.




Seany thought they were cool.




Andrew recovered when I wiped the bubbles out of his hair.



Seany found it not so fun to dunk one's face into the bubbles.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Casting update day 2

Alex had a hard time sleeping last night and at midnight needed pain meds. He woke up this morning in a lot of discomfort and feels better as the day goes on.

He has to sleep in his inflatible/sleeping bag bed as he can't get into the bunk beds. He likes it though.

Alex can't really run or jump -- it hurts his ankles, but he's managing really well.

Let's all pray these casts work -- no surgery!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Alex's Casting Day 1

First his legs were bare.


Then they were bright orange. (I was positive he'd pick green, but what do I know.)


Then he got his moon shoes. Very uncool, no? He even gets to wear socks over the cast at school so he can play on the playground.

So far, he's only needed one dose of motrin, very little discomfort. Let's hope it stays that way.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Tonsils

I hate them. They hurt for weeks after any illness. They swell and throb, make me cough though nothing else is wrong. They're too expensive to take out. And my darling little, Andrew, has inherited them.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Basketball season ends

Medals are handed out.


A bittersweet Alex poses for me. "No more basketball until 2009! But its ok, Mommy, I had fun."


The lineup with their coach.

What one twix wants; the second wants.

Baby-sitting with Sean and Ryan.

8 kids total
one 3 month old
Sean loves the baby
stressful yes!


Sean has the shirt and RyGuy has the pants. Together, they have a full outfit.


Ryan playing with their new toy -- a bean box.


Seany also playing. This was a hit, they played for about an hour and today, Seany climbed the pantry to knock out all 14 lbs on the floor. Yes, he wanted to play with it again.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Kiwis

At the grocery store today, Ryan snatched up a kiwi fruit. I said, "Please put the kiwi back Ry."

After pretending to eat said kiwi, he placed it back in the basket. Then I thought, he'd probably like it so I thought we'd get one to share.

I placed the KIWI in the cart. Andrew looked at it in disgust and announced, "I don't like bikinis."

I answered, "You will, Andrew, you will."

FYI, Ry refused to try it, while Seany ate nearly every bit of it.

Messes

Today, Seany emptied coffee grounds onto the couch. Yesterday, it was 2 bags of cereal and a cup of drink powder.


Later today we made cards for Mark's grandfather who he's visiting this weekend.


Sean felt his face and hands needs some decoration as well.


Ryan was upset that Sean was not coloring on the papers provided.

Early Easter

If this is true, its very cool.

Early Easter

Easter is always the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar. This year, Easter will fall on March 23.

Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives...and only the most elderly of our population (95 years old or above) have ever seen it this early before. None of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier.

The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now).! The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that).

The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year.

Magnascope

Yesterday at preschool, Andrew made a kaleidoscope.

As he got in the car to go home, "Mommy, want to see my magnascope I made at school today."

"I'd love too." (What the heck is a magnascope, I sometimes learn new things through preschool.)

"OK, when we get home."

Break to home...

"OK babies, Mommy, I need you to sit down so I can show you my magnascope."

Out of the backpack appears a kaleidoscope. "WOOOW!" Sean and Ryan echo.

"Wow, Andy that's a kaleidoscope."

"Right, that's what I said, see all my colors I made my magnascope. I love my magnascope."

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Scooter time

Ryan scooting in cowboy boots and spidey sunglasses.

Cheese for the camera!

Clueless peeps

Some people get under the skin.

We went to the dollar store to get baskets/pails (but stackable) for the upcoming egg hunts. I also wanted to find 4 little gardening sets (one for each chicklet). Instead, I found lots and lots and lots of candy.

I did find the pails and cute thermos that will be great this summer for ice water. So still MIA from the E. Bunny -- the elusive shovels.

But, I digress... Back to the rude peeps.

First of all the dollar store has very few miniature carts with no suffocating-holding-in-restless-kid straps. Seany climbed up and out, while I was explaining to RyGuy to stay with me.

We rounded the first aisle, RyGuy went missing and Seany stayed glued to my side. I started running through the store calling, "Ryan, RY! Ryan!" I went out in the parking lot. And came back to the cart, told Seany and Andrew I needed to search again for Ryan and rude woman#1 says, "Um, your kids are blocking the aisle way. Could you move?"

"NO! I can't move them. And I don't have time to talk to you. My kid is missing."

Just then, Ryan comes strolling over with a couple books and a spatula he wanted me to purchase. Such blessed relief. I decided I'd had enough we were out of there.

In the slowest line know to man, we waited. Seany kept selecting and putting back candy while Ryan basically behaved in a good-ish fashion. Finally we were through the check out, 'OK guys lets go." Andrew and Ryan raced ahead and out the door.

Now Seany is missing. "Sean lets go." He runs to me with 4 candy bars in hand. "No, Sean put them back, we are leaving."

Rude man#1 says, "Gee thanks for holding the door for me. Your kid is a riot!" Yes, and you're comedian extraordinaire. I'm so impressed with your whit, I could die laughing. No offer to help, no just a chuckle about what is becoming a dangerous situation. As Ryan and Andrew race from garbage cans to car bumpers, I'm imagining I have about 30 seconds before Ryan runs into the parking lot.

Rude man #2 entering (so I realize he's not fully up to speed about my problem), says, "You know your kids are running around here without an adult." (NO kidding, really, are they really running around, I hadn't noticed nor cared, so lax I am in my concern for the safety and well being of my children.) Sean chooses then to reappear WITH 2 blow pops in hand. "No Seany. I'm putting Andrew and Ryan in the car and coming back for you." Then he drops the candy and races ahead out the door. Man #2 horrified adds, "You can't leave your kid to take care of those two!" (Watch me, mentally calling him every curse word I know.)

Sean races past him and me and heads out toward the car. Races back to me grabs my hand and the other two cross with us.

Rude woman #2 driving by very fast as I yell "STOP" to my kids glared at us as she flies by to park right next to our car. My mental cursing continued. Then she has the nerve to say something about being in a hurry and I should really keep a better grip on my kids.

These people know nothing about 3 toddlers (2 of whom are 2 with behavior issues). I can just imagine what their homes would look like if we dumped just the youngest two on any of them for an hour.

No offers to help, just more judgements and disapproval. The only time I've said anything was to a woman at Wally World who didn't like my taking Sean's shoes away after he'd kicked Alex 3 times because he started screaming. "We don't have perfect people in home. Congratulations to you and your perfect offspring, I'm so happy you get to go through everyday with out any difficulties." She just stared mildly shocked. I'd imagine I'm not supposed to respond to these "concerned" citizens but sometimes they really get to me.

Here he goes!

Ryan on the bike, Seany on the scooter.

Ryan on Andrew's bike

Stuck.

Stuck but happy about it.