Month: February 2009

Doesn’t this totally get your ‘inner preschooler’ happy and excited?
(seeing their outfits reminded me of how I used to love dressing as punky brewster when I was kid. Yeah, I totally dig their outfits..)

(I have never heard of this group, but it totally makes me happy!)

And I remember this phase, but had forgotten about it. It’s been so long since Tuck and Tru were this little. They were totally like this–all over. What am I talking about, they are still all over! Only time will tell for Elliot! Makes me happy to remember Tuck and Tru, and happy to think of Elliot growing up big,

The last one is a calming, soothing, happy and good one so, click here. (You’ll have to go to Utube to see this one, I can’t embed it for some reason.)

One thing I have been horrible at, is keeping up with the family birthday wishes, so I apologize, and hope my family will forgive me, in birthday order, I missed the following Birthdays:

AVA and EMILY

Two of the cutest girls I know. Ava is still getting to know us, as we don’t see her as often as we like, but I love the little side glances she always gives her Uncle Toph as he tries to convince her of his ‘awesomeness’. She is a sweetheart, and beautiful too.
And Emily. We share a name, and she is truely one of the most talented woman I know. She can make applesauce like no ones business (my kids LOVE it), she is so easy going, (what kid is not going to love that?), she makes the best playdough (you guessed it, my kids love that too!) and is full of kindness and compassion. And I’ll never forget our adventures as ‘roomies’. Remember those good times Em?

CAT

Is the kind of person everyone should know. She spoils my kids rotten, came to stay with us when Truman was born, to lend a helping hand, is so caring and wants to help everyone. She makes me laugh, and knows me well and loves me, even with all of my idiosyncrasies. She is loving and kind to all she meets.

MILES

Is a handsome little man, and someone that we wished we lived closer too. If you just look at his smile, you just get sucked in don’t you? While visiting this summer, we all fell in love with him and his handsome smile. He’s got a killer laugh too.

MIKE

An amazing man. He and his wife, Becca, have designed their home, and he is going to build it. He can fix things. He raised his own pigs and slaughtered them (that’s huge in my book). He truly is one of those people who you are just amazed by all that they can do. My boys love him, especially because he taught them about Noogies. (thanks Uncle Mike 🙂 )

Happy Birthday Family, I am so lucky to be married to a man who’s family is terrific. Love you guys, and hope your birthday was great, and you’ll forgive me for my belated birthday-ness.

Every day when the kids come home from school, I love to go through their backpacks with them. Here is why…

Tucker is not the type of person who openly gives out information. But when their are ‘clues’ of what he did during the day, it helps me ask the right questions. When the right questions are asked, he just ‘spews’ information about school. But it’s all about asking the right questions.

Truman loves to tell me about the kids in his class, and informs me everyday after school, who had to sit in the thinking chair. Truman has yet to have to sit there, but I’ve hear all about Max and Gabe. Apparently, they are there often. But while going through Trumans paperwork he will share things that he likes and dislikes. He tells me the numbers/letters/colors he sees. The techniques he used to make his artwork, and it is just fun to see him learn and love knowledge.

Lately, I have found a few notes that make me happy. These came home around Valentines,
Trumans

Love is…. Jesus. (sweet or what?)

Tucker

He’s been leaving sweet notes like these around the house lately. So fun to see his little writing.

And this is his letters/sounds/sightwords he’s been working to pass off since the beginning of the school year! He was so excited to bring this paper home! He got stuck on a few words: what, will, and come. We’ve been trying to practice them at home, and it paid off. The smile on his face when he brought this home, was priceless.

By doing this now, I am hoping to set a tradition of coming home from school and talking to me about their day, because I love hearing the things they learned and the exciting moments of their days, and hope it will continue, even into those moody teenage years.

Yeah, when I’m feeding Elliot, some days things can get pretty wild around this place…as evident in Tuckers home videos.
Enjoy–

Meet our Fish (named water) (Tucker is talking)…

Tucker and Truman (at our house when you need a few minutes to yourself, you ask for alone time. Sometimes to get Elliot to eat well, with out his brothers jumping on top of him, I have to ask for alone time.) Truman was apparently in a silly mood this day.

Not sure what happened here, but love to hear Tucker apologizing to Truman. Also, remembering that someone is in tears at least a third of the day:

Again, I sometime wonder what my kids are doing when I am not watching. Now I guess I kind of know? The boys setting up a ‘war’, Nothing eventful, just my boys being my boys.

You can’t see it, because of the way the camera was situated, but Tucker set up an elaborate ‘war’ on the table. I wanted to share the beginning of the video though, because it just makes me laugh.

I saved the best for last, my favorite….Super Tucker:

As you can see, there is NEVER a dull moment in this house. Hope you enjoyed these as much as I did.

We have lived in our current house for over 2 years, but no one here knew my older boys as babys. I constantly get asked, who does Elliot look like? And truth be told, I am not sure who he looks like…but pulled a few baby pictures of my other boys at about the same age. You be the judge, I’d love to hear your opinions!

Elliot:

Truman:

Tucker:

So over a week ago Toph showed me this video,I had heard the message before, but it warmed my heart ‘to see it’.

Since watching this, there hasn’t been a day that has gone by that I haven’t thought about the message President Hinckley shared with us. I have told my children about it. We watched it together, and we’ve talked about it. I’ve thought about what I am doing to encourage them to make the good choice similar to what these young boys have done, and what choices am I making daily help those around me.

I am inspired to do and be better, and hope it does the same for you.