Soccer Team Pictures

Alex and his team. No teeth, but sure a cute grin.

Andrew and his team. He pointed to different players, summing them up, "that's the girl that always runs out of the game," "that's the one that sucks her thumb and won't move out of the way," "that's the one that scored a goal," then crestfallen "I wish I scored a goal."

I am....

*I am....a good mother.
*I think....about Alex at school all day long.
*I know....what true love is.
*I want....to be mortgage free.
*I have....2 enormous tonsils for 2 more weeks.
*I miss....my uncle.
*I fear....harm coming to my chicklets.
*I feel....too much empathy for other's suffering.
*I hear....twix laughing and Andrew giggling.
*I smell....stinky diapers 2 blocks away.
*I crave....pineapple.
*I cry....during the Mom's birthday episode of Phineas and Ferb. (Yes, I know I have a problem)
*I search...for keys, shoes, jackets, hats everyday.
*I wonder....where the naughties come from.
*I regret.....not always being kind.
*I wish....Ryan didn't have to have surgery every 5 years.
*I love....my hubby and chicklets.
*I care....what others think of me. (and I don't get it when peeps say they don't)
*I always....kiss my chicklets good night.
*I worry....as much as is necessary.
*I am not....thin.
*I remember....not being sure Ryan would be able to do all that he can.
*I believe....the twix will not always be destructive.
*I sing...and peeps run for miles to not listen. (Yes, it be that bad)
*I don't always....get mommying right.
*I argue....more than I'd like.
*I write....most blog posts in under 10 minutes.
*I lose....my temper too much.
*I listen....for breaking glass.
*I don't understand...busybodies (the bane of my existence)
*I can usually be found....walking up or down main street.
*I need....more moula.
*I forget.....to take care of me.
*I am happy....with my life.

Getting on the Bus

All packed up and ready to go to school. Ryan actually headed down the street. Andrew chased him down and reminded him the bus would take him.

Ryan climbing on board, with Sean right behind him.

Ryan and Sean posed for me on the bus.

Hard to see, but there's Ryan waving at me from his bus seat. Yep, they ride in car seats to school.

Sadly, getting off the bus at school, Sean fell out of the bus. He was too quick for them. Happily, he survived.

I always get a kick out my attempts at getting a shot of all 4 boys

Andrew, Alex, Ryan, and Seany

Alex, Andrew, Seany looking the wrong way, and RyGuy telling Sean what to do.

I gave the "sit up straight" instruction -- Alex then slouched, Andrew and Sean sat tall and cheesed, while RyGuy proceeded to wipe his chinny chin chin.

This one's actually pretty cute.

Mark was belly dancing next to me to get some smiles and heads turned the right way.

Bet you didn't know Mark could belly dance.

Exploring

Yes, that's Seany way up there in those trees.

The complainer, Andrew, "Mommy take a picture of me sitting on this broken tree."

More Hiking in the Nebo Loop

They found a paintball fortress.

They travelled along a trench.

Andrew complained about the bugs.

Mark found a bone and taught the chicklets all about it.

Hiking

After the picnic, Ryan smiled at me. This may be my favorite RyGuy snap yet.

Seany was still munching on a cupcake.

Then he and Ryan went over the fallen tree.

Mark spotted a snake, tried to catch it, and darn it all, it got away!

Soccer pictures of Alex

I realize this is Andrew, after his last game, his coach gave him a "GOLD MEDAL!"

Alex is number 6.

The snap just missed him kicking the ball.

While Alex soccered, Ryan in blue, Seany in orange got dirty.

Signing Time

At first I was jumping around the room, Rachel Coleman from Signing Time commented on my blog. I really admire her so I was very thrilled. She a public figure with true integrity and shares the struggles of parenting kids with different needs. Then I read her bio and my heart fell like a stone.

Its horrible, effective Oct 1 (tomorrow) no more Signing Time on public tv. What about all the poor people who need Signing Time? Most libraries still don't care all the DVDs (most don't have any). Now the only way to get Signing Time is to buy it from the website. Have any of y'all priced DVDs on websites -- they bust our budget.

I wanted to do that last Christmas -- it was just too expensive. Still is. How will Ryan watch "inin timbe?" How will Andrew show off more signs like "pork-u-pime?"

She was just nominated for an Emmy (which was stolen, she totally deserved it). Emmy worthy show, why take it off? WHY WHY WHY!?????

I've personally felt that Playhouse Disney could dump Doodle Bops or 1 of the 2 puppet shows and replace it with Signing Time. Much better use of a 25 minute time slot and still plenty of singing and dancing and the kids actually take something away. One of the things Alex loves is that he can sign (minimally). And in fact, it actually happened to us, that he met a deaf kid at a park and was able to invite him to play. Signing has helped Alex with his stutter, he has just signed at me in the past and then spoke. What about all the kids in the future who won't be able to invite a deaf child to join in because they didn't know how to ask?

My heart still hurts. I feel so sad. I wonder if she has lots of clips on Youtube for Ryan to watch. Its not just a show to us, it actually improves our quality of life. I pray that there's a better offer for them in the works as I type. Must not lose hope.

Its not just special needs kid like the twix that need Signing Time. Its not just their parents either. Think of the 13 month old that was reading because of Signing Time (yes, she's probably a super genius).

Signing Time ROCKS!

Dandelion update

In case you were curious, if you eat dandelion heads, they go right through you. In a hurry. Don't try it. Unless, you need something go quickly through your innards. Yes, it was gross.

Thank you, Seany for that lesson in nastiness.

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

Ok, this is a whole series of books that caught my eye about 6 years ago. I was in Target and the picture on the front cover of book 1 intrigued me. But alas the stories take place in Africa -- I'm always hesitant to read anything about Africa because it usually makes me sad -- so much suffering, death, emaciated children, orphans, basically everything that's wrong with our world... Yes, I've read other writers books about Africa and I know enough.

Friday at the library, I decided to just go for it and check out the first 2 books in the series. For one thing I had only 2 seconds to make a decision and for another I was again feeling drawn to these books.

Sometimes, one intuition knows oneself better than one's common sense. As I opened the book, I braced myself for some terrible images. But I was pleasantly surprised. Bad things do happen in these stories but they are alluded to, these are stories about the good in Africa, the everyday people living their everyday lives. No mention of Darfur, no mention of breastfeeding mothers being slain so their infants can starve, no children dying dreadfully and painfully on every page. These stories are about good people doing the right thing, making life a bit better for another.

I read for pleasure, to go places I can't travel too, to learn of life lived in different places and times, to read and hear words strung together in ways I can't imagine. These first 2 in the series gave me all of that, I can't wait to get to the library to check out 3 and 4!

Alexander McCall Smith, thank you for sharing the beauty in Africa. Thank you for sharing the good in the hearts of the people in Africa. Thank you for showing off what is right and good in Africa. Your books are a pleasure to read -- amusing, tearful, and best of all they make me smile.

Flowers

Seany is a collector. Today on the walk to school, he, Andrew, and Ryan ran all the way -- 1 mile down hill. While I learned that I can jog an entire downhill mile and only not be able to breathe the last sprinting 2/10ths.

Once we got to the school, Ryan took off to go to class (which is not until 11:30). Andrew took off to hold the door open for all the kids and moms. Seany stopped to pick the flowers, the dandelions with no petals and no white fuzz to blow off. He collected his bare dandelion heads, brought them to me and said, "Wook! Wook! I did ith! Frowers pitty!"

On the walk home, he was content to sit and admire his collection or so I thought. Another mother said out of blue, "And now he's eating the dandelion heads."

I figured it was too late to do anything about it, so not surprisingly, he spat them all out a few moments later.

More Signing Time

There is a signing show on PBS, Signing Time. Its been a couple months since we watched it -- Seany gets very tired (and grouchy) after 10 minutes -- signing is a lot of work for him. Saturday, Ryan was singing and signing the theme song, so I decided yesterday would be a great day to reintroduce Seany and Ryan to signing. They do their standard 25+ signs to help them get through the day, but more signs couldn't hurt.

Wonderfully, the Signing Time on Demand was about helping around the house. Great signs for Seany (and Ryan). Ryan participated with Rachel (the star) and talked to Leah and Alex (the kids on the show) about all the signs. Ryan performed the various signs as they did and would have me 'fix' his fingers so that they looked similar to the sign. My favorite was when he signed 'z' and waved him pointer finger around the air.

Seany true to form, became the grouch-monster after the first 10 minutes. I think it feels too much like practicing his words (hey, speech and language are hard for him), but still he watches the entire program. I figure it will sink in eventually. And for the first time ever, Seany said the word, "help." He said, "Mommy, hoo-loop me."

I keep up with Rachel's blog, I think she an inspiration to woman especially mothers. Her first child was born deaf, her second was born with spina bifida and cerebal palsey. (For RyGuy reasons I feel very fond on her.) She saw both her daughters as limitless as any other child and because of that belief and her attitude toward their lives, her daughters do things they "shouldn't be able to." She is a hero in my book. So to Rachel Coleman, thank you for making our lives a bit better, thank you for Signing Time.

Mystery of the Missing Cheese Grater REVEALED

If you'll remember rightly, there were 4 potential cheese grater swippers.

Alex, age 8: Helps put dishes away, not always in the location they belong.

Andrew, age 4: Long shot, won't touch a dish unless his yummy-tackular eats be on it.

Seany, then age 2: Everyone favorite scapegoat, gets himself into much mischief everyday and is therefore blamed for all naughtiness that transpires.

RyGuy, then age 2: Loves to help with the dishes, but usually involving handing them to me.

Last night, Mark uncovered the cheese grater. He was searching for something new that had disappeared, the milk shake maker. In this house, if you want a milk shake, you really have to want it -- the shake maker is never in the same place twice.

He came across the missing cheese grater in the lazy Susan -- I didn't check there because it requires to magnet keys to open, so I won't have put it there obviously.

When he told me where it was discovered, it all came back to me. Ryan was being extra helpful with the grater and I had that open to get out their outdoor water jugs. I wanted him to not have it and therefore stashed it in the open but incorrect location.

The guilty party: MOMMY!

Library

We went to the library today. This is not an easy errand for a variety of reasons.

1. In libraries, the staff expect the 2 3-year-olds to be quiet.

2. No running.

3. You can only choose 1 book -- not only is this a problem for Ryan, this is also a problem for Alex. The reason for this rule, I have to know exactly how many books to round up on return day -- if Alex chose 3, Andrew 2, Ryan 14, and Seany 5, well, its obvious that would be hard to remember and find all of.

4. Its not fair that Mommy gets 2 books. Never will be. That's life. I need to read. I feel very depressed and unable to cope without a book going. Whereas you, Alex, enjoy reading the same book 4 times in a row.

5. No matter how many times Seany tries to stand on their printer, they will never ever ever go along with it. HOW DARE THEY! Seany is always quite unbelieving and upset when he is yet again told that he cannot climb/stand/sit on the printer -- you'd think they'd move the printer.

6. Parking is either behind in the shared lot or in front street side. Do I really have to explain why this creates anxiety.

Today went well, all things considered. I try to know ahead of time what books I will be selecting so I'm not spending time perusing the racks. I found both immediately, while Alex took off for Roald Dahl (his favorite). Andrew, Seany, and Ryan went with me to the board books. Andrew stopped. He spotted an Aladdin book (very exciting and wonderful as he usually takes ages to choose), Seany grabbed the first book he touched and took off for the door and Ryan even chose a book about potty time!

Wally World

All was well this am in Wally World. We were moving a quick clip. We sought out and found 8 cups that meet their therapist's requirements for therapy and my requirements as leak free. Sean and Ryan replaced (with $3 of their gift card) the coffee creamer they dumped. And I used the remainder of their gift card to (well the cups) get them a variety of treats they don't normally get to have -- mini-waffles, cookies, and they each got to choose a check out toy.

They both wanted the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse phone. Interesting fact, same exact phone in Disneyland cost $6, at Wally World I got each phone for $2.86.

On the way home, Ryan said, "Al-way, Ah-dooh, Mommy SHHHH! My phone. Talk."

Alex immediately wanted to know who Ryan was talking too, "Is it Mickey Mouse? Goofy? Daddy?"

"NO NO NO!"

"Oh, who are you talking too?"

"Al-way no talk, my phone talk."

So Alex, Andrew and I decided that Ryan was talking to Ryan. All this went down while Seany fell asleep, very fast and very deeply.

Who?

This morning, Seany needed a nail trim. He and I headed to my bathroom. Andrew and Ryan were quietly playing with toys.

When we came out, they had gotten into some kitchen thing (I can't think of what).

Mommy: "Who did this?"

Ryan: "Sea did ith."

Mommy: "No, Ryan. Seany was with me. Did you and Andrew do this?"

Ryan: "No. Sea!" Pointing his finger at Sean.

So then he was in trouble. He's already lying at 3 years and 6 days!

Anytime Mark or I ever ask, "What happened here?" "Who did this?" "Who dumped the crackers on the floor?" "How did these stickers get on the wall?"

Ryan always answers, "Sea did ith."

Guess what came in the mail today!

Postcards from Mickey Mouse! One per chicklet.

Nothing turns an angerball like R.A. into an angel like RyGuy like a postcard from someone really cool with big ears and a frozen smile MICKEY MOUSE.

Andrew discovered what came in the mail. "OwwHOOO! Mommy READ MINE FIRST!"

Aren't we lucky that Mickey sent them postcards -- he just turned this whole day around.

I asked Mark

"Are you glad to be home, Mark?"

He answered, "Yes, but I miss looking down in the morning (off the side of the bed) and seeing Ryan and Sean sleeping together. That was so cute."

This morning was our worst yet

I was so not ready to be back in the swing of things. It all started when Ryan climbed into bed with me and kicked me in the head. Yes, he did. He kicked his mother (woman who gave him life) in the head.

Then Andrew crying came in, "Mommy. I need my breakfast RIGHT NOW. My tummy is hungry."

I got up, made breakfast. Seany was very ticked (a week with continental chose your own b-fast has not made coming home easy). Crispy Rice! How dare you, Mother! He wouldn't eat, sit at the table, swallow a gulp of milk, etc.

Alex would not come down. I called him down. He hovered by his door, then disappeared into his black hole. I called him down again. "What I'm busy?" Yes, he did. He actually told me he was 'busy' at 7:30 in the A.M. on a school day.

Is this really my life? Is this what staying home with your kids becomes? It got worse.

Alex finally agreed to get dressed, brushed, washed, etc. Then he ate painfully slow (perhaps to annoy me who was rushing around with diapers, various mismatched shoes, keys, phone, trying to quickly drink my 'relaxing' cup of coffee, etc).

Ryan refused to change diapers, sit of the potty, put shoes on, get in the stroller, etc. "Well, Ryan I don't know what you want, what you want to do..." He just started screaming and shaking his head vigorously and did not stop screaming for ages.

When everyone is difficult, it eats up precious getting ready for school minutes, I kept faking that happy cheerfulness my parenting coach suggested. It didn't work. I eventually switched to drill sergeant when we were five minutes late leaving the house. Finally, we had progress.

Naughty Seany was by then being amazingly angelic (having eaten and drank nothing refused to brush teeth, etc) and already sat and strapped himself into the stroller. I finally just dumped Ryan still screaming at me in stroller seat. And we were off.

Alex had clearly not taken his medication as he would go off to far away fields and comeback. "Alex, after school today, you have boys scouts followed by soccer. Its your last game."

"Mommy, Brock has the most Pokemon cards of every kid in the whole 3rd grade!"

"Did you hear anything I said to you?"

"Mommy, my school pictures are today!"

I actually groaned. He had on a hand-me down faded reversible city soccer jersey from 1997, no order form (as left on kitchen counter during the great screaming fit by Ryan), and if I even hinted his outfit was not the best for school picture day he'd be sad all day.

"Alex run to school, I have to go back and get your order form. Go straight to your class. Do NOT pass Go. Do NOT stop until you get into your classroom. I'll see in 10 minutes."

Understanding I was serious, he gave me the cub scout salute and rannnnnnn.

While, I ran home with Andrew trailing behind me. Threw kids into the car (well, I very quickly strapped everyone into their car seats), grabbed order form and went back to school. I told Alex's teacher that we'd forgotten his meds. She wanted him to have them (he was already bouncing unable to sit around the classroom) but didn't want me to have to come back again. I didn't mind (then). Threw kids back into the car (in same manner as indicated earlier), got home just as a guy working on our house showed up needing to be let in. He decided to comeback in 10 minutes.

Got back to the school, had Alex come to the office. While waiting for Alex, Sean threw a picture frame onto the floor (yes, we now have to replace it), then turned the lights on and off over and over, while Ryan and Andrew ignored me running back and forth across the office. I hate that office -- way too many knickknacks around. I'm sure it looks attractive to people who don't have the destructive duo in tow and aren't constantly worried about affording to replace other people's stuff.

Finally (2 minutes later) Alex appeared, not wanting to take his meds insisting he was fine without them, finally took them anyway and we were out of there.

By far our worst start to a day yet.

Number of tempers lost by children: 6 (1 per kid plus 2 for the angerball who returned in RyGuy)

Numbers of tempers lost by mom: ZERO, I'm actually quite proud of that.

Number of items broken by Sean: 2 -- picture frame (we have to replace), blinds in office (I was able to fix)

Number of times I 'helped' kids sit: estimating here at about 22 ( Seany 4, Screaming Ryan 16, Andrew 2)

Number of hugs issued at 10 AM when all was forgiven: 10 (Andrew needed 8, Seany and Ryan each needed 1)

So how was your morning?

Guess how many twix got on the school bus with no fuss

If you guessed 2 twix you'd be right!

The bus pulled up, I said, "Ok, guys this bus is taking you to school."

Ryan took my hand and climbed on board. Seany cried out, "WAIT! WAIT ME!" Then scurried up and in. They got fastened into their bus carseats and waved bye at Andrew and me frantically.

I had a feeling deep down that they'd have no problem taking the bus to school.

Collector

When Seany was in the various stores in the parks, he'd put the sets of stuffed animals together. So all the Mickey and friends or all the Pooh Bear Gang, etc. He would pull them from different styles though -- Baby Mickey wrapped in blanket would obviously want to hang with Pirate Donald and normal Goofy.

And he did in every single store we went into. I'm telling his new teacher -- that's got to some kind of skill, I want to bump him up on the development ladder.

"Nigh, Nigh" Twix

On the night we got home, we frantically tried to get things put away -- well 8 loads of laundry to the laundry room, souvenirs to the appropriate locations, snacks into pantry, etc.

At bedtime, I found each twix's set of Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto. While Mark was helping Seany brush his teeth, I asked Ryan to come help me with Sean's bed. We pulled back the covers and placed Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto in a line on Seany's pillow for him to discover upon completing his teeth cleaning operation.

We then had to immediately go to Ryan's bed to set his up in EXACTLY the same order (well mirror image). Then I hinted it was time for him to go in bed. He sat on the edge of his mattress, smiling at his little Disney gang and then kissed each of them goodnight, "SHHHHH! Mommy my ?mylshe?dfred SHEEPING!"

When Seany finally appeared and delighted in his friends, climbing into his bed to snuggle them all properly, Ryan also agreeably got into bed.

Mark told Seany (our favorite get out of bedder 25 times a night) "Make sure Mickey stays in bed and goes to sleep."

And nobody left their bedroom until morning.

Then they got their favorite gift of all

Their very own backpacks with lunchboxes! Exactly what they needed for preschool.

Ryan checking out his backpack.

Modeling it while firing off his blaster gun.

Seany showing Daddy all the cool features.

And modeling his backpack for me.

A bit later, they packed all their underwear and socks into the lunchboxes and Seany kept whispering, "Mommy, we goooo." A couple minutes after that, they together headed out the front door. When Alex alerted me, "Hey where do you guys think your going? You can't just leave."

Presents in the MAIL!

Presents from Grandma and Papa came in the mail last night! Seany and Ryan were very excited.

First they got underwear (Alex said, "I can't believe they got undergarments!")

Then they got socks!

Twix's first day of preschool

"Mommy, take my picture too, to mark my (pause, longer pause, pause) my... Mommy, how many days is it of my school year?"

Seany and Ryan ready to go to preschool on their very first day! No bus was scheduled for them, so I took them and picked them up.

On the way home

We stopped at a Costco in Vegas. This may sound crazy but unless you are non-LDS living in Utah you wouldn't understand. All the liquor has to be bought at state store at hugely inflated prices to cover all the state taxes we pay. In Vegas, we were able to bring home a few yummy souvenirs to enjoy over the coming months.

Ryan got some one and one time with me so he

"drove around Toontown."

"tried to lift those darn weights."

"stood on this box so no one could make the sound effects."

"grinned largely when he discovered he was the only kid on the fire truck."

Meeting the Head Cheese

This is the best (and only shot) of Seany with Mickey. Character manager told Sean to stay off the stairs and that was the end of his good mood.

Alex, Mickey, and Andrew.

Luckily, when Ryan woke up we visited a different Mickey. Ryan gave Mickey a huge hug.

Then looked up at us like "What I'm busy."

Monsters, Inc.

The twix and Andrew loved this ride. We went on it over and over and over again, while Alex was surviving the Tower of Terror with Daddy.

Playing with their decks of Pooh Bear cards some employee gave them.

Andrew very excitedly posed ON the platform with the main guys from M, Inc. He wanted to be Mike for Halloween alas we only have a Sully costume. Boo-hoo.

Seany on a giant fish

He missed this before, so while waiting for his bros, I took him on it.

Presents!

Supermen from Auntie Carolyn! Ryan holding his the rightway. Seany's be upside down.

Elephants also from Auntie Carolyn. Ryan the "pha" and Seany the "ella-pha"

Mickey tees from Mommy and Daddy.

Goofys from Alex.

Mickeys from Andrew.

I can't find the pictures but my parents got them books to go along with their preschool instructions, a cute little winter outfit, and gardening baskets. And they got gift cards to Wally World from Uncle Vince and moola from Great Grandma.