Good-bye SUMMER!

School starts tomorrow. Hallelujah! I am looking forward to a little peace and harmony around here. I hope I still have a chance to get some. At least the number one antagonist will be gone for 8 hours, as well as the number one negative complainer. No one will be hitting us as they walk by and we can eat our lunch in peace without hearing someone say they don't want that.

Their school bags are packed. I wrote names/initials/identifying marks on 16 glue sticks, 1 bottle of glue, 4 large erasers, 72 crayons, 29 pencils, one pencil sharpener, 3 notebooks, 1 folder, 2 rulers, 2 file boxes, 2 pairs of scissors, 12 colored pencils, 1 set of watercolors, 12 markers, and 2 pencil boxes. (There may be something else, but I'm remembering off the top of my head here.) Also included, but not marked, are 2 containers of disinfectant wipes and 3 large boxes of tissues.

We made the boys get up early this morning - the same time they need to get up for school. They both wore a new pair of shoes in honor of the "practice". Nathan said they came from SPU and Daniel disagreed, saying they came from FeeDex. At least I don't shop online so often that they actually know what those delivery companies are really called!

We've been having fun with skunks lately. We actually caught one in our trap. That one is buried now, but it's relative got revenge on us and stunk up our yard and house pretty good Sunday night. One of the cats sure smelled like skunk today. Lovely little critters.

Here are some scrapbook pages I've done recently.

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"Relax" by Summer Driggs

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Why don't we go to Yellowstone?

We realized Friday that we hadn't been to Yellowstone in three years (two weeks before Rebekah was born). So we decide to make a day trip of it on Saturday.

We had a little delay as Chad took the kids (all 5) down to the corner of the property to turn off the irrigation water and backed the end of the truck into the canal. We finally got it out with the tractor we've been borrowing since June and headed out of town at 10:30 AM.

We stopped in Jackson, WY for lunch and gas and potty and continued on to the park. We arrived at the Old Faithful geyser 10 minutes before the estimated eruption time and 30 minutes before the actual eruption. By the time it did erupt, I was back at the lodge with the 3 youngest in the shade and Chad was with the boys up in the crowd. About the time we decided to give up on the old girl, she showed her stuff and we took the kids on a walk around the area to see some things. While kneeling over the edge of the walkway to feel the run off from the geyser, Leah got a huge splinter in her knee. You may have heard her screaming. It would have been about 5:15 MST.

We stopped a few other places and got some pictures. I was so worked up about the kids getting in other peoples' way or falling off into the hot pools, that I finally decided it was better to walk in front of them and not watch. Then there was the time I was far enough back that the wind and steam took care of the problem for me.

There was a storm threatening and we got to see some BEAUTIFUL clouds. I LOVE storms and rainy season was my favorite season on my mission. I don't exactly love to be rained on, though. I would probably feel differently if I lived in an area that suffered from violent storms. Eastern Idaho doesn't get enough action for the novelty to wear off. :)

We saw quite a lot of elk, a chipmunk, a squirrel and a coyote. (Maybe it was a wolf, but I think it was a coyote.) No bison or moose on this trip.

We got home about 10:45 that night and fell into bed.

Leah recently earned a fingernail paint job. But she still had some fingernail polish on her fingers and I didn't want to work that hard, so we painted her toes. She loved it and the boys were quite intrigued. Then they slipped into brother mode and started teasing and poking her - thereby making it harder for me to paint. (Sorry for the sideways picture. This is not an award-winning blog. You get what you pay for!)

School starts in 8 days. But who's counting?

I have to give up my computer for a day or so. I hope to be back soon!

Crawling

A sitting baby is a happy baby. A crawling baby is a happy baby. A crawling baby with a diaper leaking orange goo, who stops to sit occasionally, is a disaster. It gives new meaning to the phrase, "Follow the yellow brick road."

Where's my disinfectant?

A Ca-WHAT?

We picked up a Vocal Point cd at the library this morning. (For those of you that are not True Blue, Vocal Point is an all male a cappella group at BYU.) I was trying to explain to the kids that all the songs were sung without any musical instruments...just their voices and maybe some clapping. The song playing was "Istanbul." During one high, whiney attempt to imitate a musical instrument, Leah asks, "Is that a chicken singing?"

I laughed out loud and told her it was just people singing. Daniel pipes up, "It was a cat." (I think he was joking.) At the end of the song and another high, whiney wail, Nathan turns to Daniel and asks, "What did the cat say?"

Oh my heck. They just don't get it!

Time to baby proof (again)

Joseph has finally entered the crawling stage! He figured it out just this week. I got this video of him yesterday afternoon and he is so cute! A couple of days ago he actually left me at the computer and went down the hallway. He is usually not willing to be so far away.


So now I will have to be a better housekeeper and hopefully pass some of the vigilance down to the kids. We have a live vacuum! He already stands up to the coffee table and is working on the couches. I don't think he'll be content to simply crawl for very long!

School registration is this morning. As soon as the power company's tree trimmers are done mutilating our 5 trees out front, we're heading to the school to get all the paperwork taken care of! Then I think we'll hit the library because they have air conditioning. It's going to be a hot one today...I can already tell.

Cock-a-doodle-who?

Remember our chicks we got in May? They're getting pretty big now. I don't have any pictures of ours, but here are some of the same breed. Chad bought 15 females since all we really wanted was eggs...not necessarily chicks. One died and 14 survived.

Two mornings ago I was dreaming one of my regularly incoherent dreams (something about following a brick, winding pathway with some kids through some kind of temple grounds to visit the prophet and seeing a sunbather up ahead - and thinking that is really inappropriate!) when I heard a strange noise. It took a couple or 3 times to realize that I really was hearing it. I stumbled from bed, glanced at the clock (which was just shy of 6 AM) and went to the window.

Each time I heard it I was trying to eliminate what animals might be making the sound. I first suspected the calves and then decided it wasn't them. Maybe the lambs? No. Is it...could it be the chickens? By the time I'd decided it was coming from their pen and now I need to hear it to figure out what they were doing, it stopped! I was thinking...Dumb hens; someone thinks she's a rooster! And a sad sounding rooster at that. It sounded like a wounded and dieing lamb. (I never did get back to sleep.)

So I went out to the chicken coop later that day. No, we didn't have a rooster. Rather, we have 2 roosters! I had been thinking that some of them were growing faster than others, but what once looked like an early bloomer a few weeks ago now looks decidedly like a rooster. Twice.

Apparently, they are just getting old enough to crow. I hope they figure it out soon. A day-break wake up call is bad enough - the dieing lamb sound is pathetic!

Equality

On the last day of swimming lessons over two weeks ago, Leah sliced two of her fingers on the edge of the slide (she was holding on tight because she didn't want to go down!). One finger healed; the other didn't.

I took her to the doctor today to get some help for her and she was given an antibiotic (she has a skin infection). When I gave her the medicine tonight, Rebekah wanted some too.

She said, "I cut my finger on the slide at swimming lessons. I goed to the doctor."

Well, she was unsuccessful at convincing me that she should get some medicine so she went to plan B. Leah has some first aid ointment (think Neosporin) on her finger and a band aid. Rebekah helped herself to some first aid ointment. I'm not sure where she got any on herself, but I'm sure that the counter, floor and several handles in the bathroom will be protected from infection.

He's growing so fast!

My baby is growing up! In the past month, Joseph has gained 2 teeth, learned how to roll over both ways and push up into a sitting position. He's currently trying to crawl (but those darned legs won't follow him)!

This morning, he was talking to me and I couldn't resist getting it on camera. I realize that you won't think it's quite as cute as I do, but maybe you'll still enjoy a part of it!

Up Hill Both Ways

We had QUITE the evening tonight.

FHE: We had to re-read the story because no one listened the first time (after repeated warnings that they would need to know what the story was about).

Scripture Study: At one point I noticed that 3 kids had feet that were higher than their heads. They likely weren't listening.

Family Prayer: Daniel was rocking back and forth in a half-full laundry basket, Leah was writhing around under the coffee table, and Rebekah was in orbit around me. Nathan was on the couch, but he was kneeling and had his eyes closed (most of the time).

As the kids slowly trickled (unwillingly) off to bed, I sat there in a momentary stupor and reflected on the evening. But at least we're trying! (I keep reminding myself that.)

More Small Town Service

You may remember my post about the friendly mail lady who signs for your packages if you're in the shower. If you haven't read that one and would like to, find it here. Maybe you just want to read it again!

I have another story to go along with that one. This one involves garbage. We have garbage pick up on Friday mornings, usually between 10 and 11. Since we live outside of the city, we use a private company and paid for our whole year of garbage pick-up back in January. (Otherwise we'd get a monthly bill...which is one more thing for me to lose.) Chad rolls the can to the street on Fridays before he goes to work and rolls it back in when he gets home. This past week we had a lot of garbage because Chad recently cleaned out the garage. So the garbage can was brimming with refuse.

Last Friday he forgot to roll it out. Here is where the Small Town Service kicks in.

Some of the kids were playing in the front yard when the garbage truck arrived. He pulled up, stopped, honked, and waited for Daniel to roll the monster out to him! What garbage man waits for an 8-year-old boy to roll 100 pounds of garbage to the street? A garbage man in Idaho!

Daniel stood by and waited for the can to come back down and then rolled it back to the house. He told me about it afterward. We sure were grateful that he was so thoughtful as to honk and that Daniel was out there at that time to get it to the street. We probably would have had to make a trip to the dump otherwise.

So how else is this country living going to bless our lives? We already have special delivery and special pick-up. Maybe we could get special skunk trapping. We could really use that.

A scrapbook page from today. (In case you were interested.)

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New Rules & Good and Evil

Joseph is now 8 months old (plus 11 days) and is beginning to lay down some new rules for his house. They mostly involve me as far as I can tell. Of course, I'm so busy trying to adjust to his new rules that I probably wouldn't notice if he had new ones for anyone else.

Here are the adjusted guidelines:

1. Do not put me down. This includes for diaper changes, wardrobe changes or sanity changes. I must be held.

2. Do not hold me if I'm tired. I must be put down...in my bed, with a thin blanket over my face. Then I will roll over and settle in to sleep...maybe.

3. Come running when I am crying in my crib. Otherwise I will ram my head into the sides of the crib, which will hurt and make me cry even harder. (Yes, people, he has bumpers in there. He's very skillful at lifting them and crawling under.)

4. Do not expect me to sleep very long. I will wake up early if you're planning on getting really involved in something. If you're flitting about the house, wondering what to get really involved in, I will sleep for hours. Be flexible. But don't try to nap yourself.

5. Do not try to do anything while holding me. I don't like that horrid computer and it's no coincidence that I scream within 4 feet of it. Don't attempt to sew. I promise to yank on your project and you will feel guilty forever if you sew my fingers! Don't even think about cleaning. You know you don't like to do that even when your arms are free.

6. Feed me on demand. But don't let go of me with any hands to do it. You figure it out!

7. Stay within my sight at all times. 'Nough said.

8. Don't take me to the garden while you weed. It's not fun, no matter how many things you say in silly ways. What I'm trying to say is only visit the garden, briefly, while carrying me.

9. NEVER strap me into my car seat. I hate that thing and the 4 hour trip we just had did nothing to ease my pain. I guess we'll just have to stay home...forever.

10. This spot reserved for additional changes.

Yes, it's become quite fun for the mommy around here. Joseph's sleeping now, so I actually have a chance to type this...two handed!

He was pretty upset this morning while I was weeding. He finally gave up trying to slide out of his stroller and started moaning/humming. I figured he was either composing a new blues song or a sad country song (something about his ma caring more for dirt than him).

But the weeding did need some action. We hadn't really spent much time out there the last couple of weeks because of swimming lessons and other appointments. So now the weeds are about as large as the vegetable plants. Luckily, they aren't choking out the plants because we have kept the weeds back from those pretty well.

I didn't ask the kids to help today. I thought I'd try to enjoy my morning. I wasn't surprised that eventually I had all the kids with me out there anyway. Nor was I surprised that I was the only one actually pulling weeds. I did get a little humor out of a comment Nathan made as he surveyed the size of the plants. "This garden is growing for good!" I knew he was referring to the corn plants that were nearly as tall as he is and the cantaloupe plant with huge "elephant" leaves (per Rebekah's observation) as well as the robust tomato plants quickly filling up with small, green tomatoes. But the sarcastic/negative/cynical monster in me couldn't help quietly matching his thought: "And for evil." Then I shoved a 9" tall weed into my 3rd full grocery bag.

I've been working on some scrapbook pages. Here they are.

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I love my children, dearly...

...but I'm looking forward to school starting in less than a month.


Seriously. I think they've discovered every known way to annoy each other and even created a few new ones. They are all expert at reacting in such a way that the untrained listener would be sure to think they were suffering mortal injury. So I must seem like a very cold person when I snap at them to knock it off, stop crying and do they need a nap? (I'll have theirs if they don't want it.)


We just completed two weeks of swimming lessons where Nathan FINALLY passed Level 1. I was putting him in Level 2 next year, regardless of the outcome, but it's nice to know he really is ready. (I mean, come on, it was his 3rd year in that class!) Daniel passed Level 3 for the second year in a row. This year he was a little taller and able to let go of the wall...always a plus. Leah will repeat Level 1 (again) but since she's only 4, it isn't a big deal. Rebekah will start lessons next year and they can be in the class together.

We also made our first trip to Rigby Lake on Thursday. We've been here for 4 years now and this was our first trip there. The kids had a TON of fun. Their Scandinavian mother kept fretting over the sun exposure they were getting and checking her watch. Of everyone, Joseph got the sunburn (I got a bit, too) and he was the one parked in the shade most of the time! I have to assume that it bounced off the sand and sneaked up on him because he really wasn't out enough to get burned...which is why I didn't bother slathering sunscreen on him. Oh well. Five kids and I'm still figuring it all out.

We went with some friends, which is why you might not recognize a couple of those kids.

And this last picture makes me smile. You can see it was Rebekah taking the picture. I can't help but think of the verse: Alma 5:14 Have ye received his image in your countenances?

I should complain more often

Remember my post where I made remarks about extravagant spending and living high on the hog? Remember that I complained that I would like a new computer and a new van? Well, I don't know what's in the air here in Idaho, but within a month of that post, I have both. How does that happen?

I've already mentioned the new computer. I have been enjoying a faster machine and have had less time to wait for things to "process". The only negative thing I have to say is that this computer puts out A LOT of heat. With the weather that we've been having lately, I've been reducing the amount of time that I sit here just because I can feel the heat radiating out of the computer desk. I've even started turning my computer off at night. (All "green" enthusiasts are gasping at my utter disregard for the environment and cheering that something finally got to me.) So I guess it's a good thing. I just assume that the energy I'm saving at night is being used up during the day to keep my computer room at 85 degrees. I'm going to love this in January.

And this past weekend I passed on our old, hard-worked Pontiac TransSport to a well-deserving family, and adopted a 2007 Toyota Sienna! It has 8 seats and a DVD player as well as a 6-CD player. My kids still keep talking about the new baby that was supposed to be the catalyst for even getting a new van. I think we've confused them. NO NEW BABIES ARE BEING BORN HERE FOR AT LEAST 10 MONTHS! This is the newest car we've ever had and I'm suddenly very picky about what the kids can eat and how they can move about the vehicle (inside and out). It took me a few minutes to figure out how to work the wipers this morning. (It was actually raining today!) We had most of the money in our savings, so our loan was small and should be paid off in a short time. Just in time to start paying off medical bills on the new baby that is planned for, but not yet coming. (Just want to be sure everyone is clear on this point.)

So while I've found the lucky moment that I get the things I wish for on Blogger, I'd like to say that I'd like to have a healthy family, sufficient food and clothing and a large chunk of cold, tax-free cash!

Now I'll just sit back and wait for it to arrive...

Good Bye (and Hello)

A week and a half ago, we bought a "new" computer from our friends. My friend's (Kristy's) husband builds computers every couple of years and we've bought his 2-year-old computer. It's supposed to be super charged and send me whizzing through the different programs that bog down my current computer.

Well, it's hard to break up with your old computer. It knows too much about you and getting it to share its secrets with a younger and prettier hard drive is difficult. I have too many devices connected and web-based programs installed on my old gramps here. I don't know how I'm going to get it all straightened out.

But I've finally taken all the abuse I can from the cranky old thing and I'm leaving it for something sweeter. I'm pulling the plug tonight (after the beloved kiddies are in bed). This means my connection to the outside world will be disrupted...although I hope it's only very temporary. It will be fun to get the router and access point (for the laptop's internet connection) up and running.

So this is good-bye to all of you. Parting is not sweet, but very sorrowful. Wish me luck. Until we meet again! Adieu!



*I'm back! It's 10 PM now. I think I was "gone" for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours. I am surprised that my internet connection came right back up. I hope my laptop responds in kind. I have already noticed that this computer moves at a much faster speed than the last one (may it RIP in its new life as the kids' computer). I can't understand why I still have to hit the "backspace" key just as often. Isn't this supposed to make me a better typist, too?

It was a bit of a fight to get all the cords in the right places and crammed back into the computer desk. Here is what it looked like before I started,


















and what it looks like now.














Not much difference, huh? I don't know what to do, so I'll just ignore it completely.

I'm glad to be back. I've missed all of you! ;) I am at a loss for many of my bookmarks. I'll have to do my best to find them all again. Darn it.

Clean

Yesterday morning (yes, I'm slow in reporting) Daniel showered and dressed before coming downstairs for breakfast. He showered, folks! To what do we owe the honor?

Chad asked him why.

"You and Mommy do."

We also chew with our mouths closed; but he hasn't chosen to notice that, I guess.

Snake River LO

Credits: Kit - Autumn Sunset by mgl Scraps

Fonts - Remsta and Magnet C

This is my most recent scrapbooking activity...done just this afternoon! This layout was done in response to a challenge at Sunshine Studio Scraps.

And still my house cries out for attention.

Christmas in July

Rebekah wanted to color in the "Santa Claus coloring book" this afternoon. When she finally found the right one she said,

"I like Santa Claus. He says, 'Ho Ho Ho. What do you want?' he he That's funny."

I wish I could remember how silly and charming little things were when I was 2.

Some pushed, some pulled...

...some threw tantrums.

We spent FHE talking about the pioneers - more specifically, handcarts. We printed up this cute little activity from the July issue of The Friend and put it together while we talked about handcarts and everything that goes along with that. When it was done, we sent the kids to each pick out one thing they would bring if they had to travel by handcart (because there wasn't enough room to carry much and all their toys would have to stay behind).

Then we all piled into the van and drove down to a new "greenbelt" path that has just been put in. It follows the Snake River a little ways and then turns into town. We probably walked a grueling 3/4 mile.

Here are our little pioneers with their handcart.














On the trail.














I appreciate the mothers so much more for all the little ones that cried about walking...especially in the first 5 minutes. This little one did not want to walk.














And like all pioneers, we ended up at the park. OK. Most pioneers did not end up there, but they did camp at night and have a little fun when they could. That was the best parallel I could give the kids.













From here, our handcart company captain walked back to where the van was parked and returned for our weary marchers. Leah REALLY had to go to the bathroom, but the pioneers didn't have to worry too much about the fines for squatting in city limits, so I had to make her hold it.


Here is a look over the Snake River. That is my neighborhood! Isn't it pretty? :) (We live about 3/4 mile straight back from that clump of trees in the middle of the picture.)

4th of July 2008

How was everyone's celebration? I look forward to this patriotic summer holiday, and feel relieved when it's over again. Young kids in large crowds, late at night is not my favorite thing to inflict upon myself. But we survived it once again. (Well, Leah BARELY survived, according to her complaining in the van on the way home.)

Before I go any further, I must show off some very cute kids. How in the world is it legal to have so much cuteness in one family? Surely there is a crime being committed here. And what adorable matching shorts they have on. Someone must have slaved over those! (My sewing room was cooler the next morning. It was only 81 degrees when I went up to finish sewing. That's a whole 5 degrees cooler than the night before!)

Someone asked if they'd had their pictures taken because they were all matching. Here is the proof that they did.

We had about 4 hours to sit and wait for the firework show to begin. So we had some dinner and a lot of snacks. We took a lot of pictures - including the ones that the kids took with the camera upside down (and I turned back up). We went for a walk at one point. We made a few trips to the bathroom and the kids ran/jumped/goofed around a lot. There was one short game of UNO played.

Following are some pictures.

On the way to the fireworks









Waiting for the fireworks









Practicing what to do during the fireworks









The fireworks















No one cried this year. (THANK YOU!) Well, no one cried because of the fireworks. It wouldn't be honest to say there wasn't any crying at all! Joseph even went to sleep during the show. I guess bright flashes and sounds that vibrate your chest cavity are soothing to a baby born 5th in a family!

And here is a little collage of the night. It should be clickable. But when it comes to Blogger, I don't make assumptions.

Daniel talks funny

Daniel is now missing his two front teeth!

YAHOO, HALLELUJAH, SING PRAISES!

This tooth has been loose forever and bugging me just about as long. Yesterday was THE day, whether Daniel agreed or not. I gave him the choice of grabbing and pulling or popping it out with the floss. Since he didn't want to part with his tooth by any method, I had to follow him all over the house. It must have been 85 degrees inside and it was 55% humidity (that's a lot for Idaho). I was not happy to play "Cat and Mouse". I wasn't really comfortable with the fact that my 8-year-old was warding me off with a wooden baseball bat, either. But I am (nearly) fearless and pursued him.

To make a long story short:
Chad and I eventually ended up with Daniel in the bathroom. Chad sat on him and held his mouth open. I slipped the loop of floss over his tooth and gave a quick yank. That tooth popped out like it was one of the grasshoppers out in the pasture!

I realize that this method sounds a bit harsh. I kind of felt that way, too. But the tooth has been hurting and he was taking bites with his molars instead of chewing with them. It needed to go.

As you can see from the image (of course I scrapped the event), he suffered no serious physical or emotional effects - aside from the fact that he's missing a tooth because of it.

Credits: Kit - Earth Elements by JanniScrap Designs.

Font - Funkin Frat and Americana

From here he changed into his 4th of July clothes and we headed out to the fireworks!

Hot

We were having a discussion on the temperature of the earth's core tonight (don't be too impressed, it was a short conversation). The number we were discussing was ?,ooo (can't remember now) degrees centigrade. Here was how the best part of the discussion went:

Chad: What keeps it so hot?
Me: shoulder shrug
Daniel: The sun?
Nathan: Maybe it's Texas.

I laughed out loud.

Sweat Shop

For the past 3 days I've been trying to sew up some 4th of July shorts for the kids. It's something I work on when I can sneak away. As of right now, I have to sew Joseph's pants and hem everything. So I'm almost done. I've run out of thread though. I need to pick up some more navy blue thread.

I'm glad for a reason to stop anyway. It's almost 5 PM and it's 86 degrees in my sewing room! I'll have to finish everything up in the morning...when it's only 70.