Month: April 2009

It’s day like these, celebrating my loved ones, that I wish I was really an author or poet, or a least a good writer, so I could articulate my gratitude and love to the wonderful woman who shaped me so much into the person I am now.
Gratefully, there are others who’ve expressed their words much better than I could, like Washington Irving…
A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.

Thanks for always being my true friend and bringing peace to my heart. I love you mom! Happy Birthday!

At the end of a long day, I saw this, and laughed out loud…

Don’t we all feel that way sometimes? Today is one of those days.

But then honestly, it could be said that housework, when done INcorrectly, can kill you, too.

So what’s a girl to do?

with this.

I’m glad to know I am not the only mom with boys who are are constantly wrestling, and rough housing.

🙂

Yeah, so I have mentioned before, many times on my blog, how much my children remind me of my husband, but this is UNDENIABLY ME.

See that pen behind the ear? Yep. Now it’s official– He’s mine. And a keeper.

When your six year old asks for your help to set up his sewing machine.

When you inquire why, he responds to fix his favorite pair of pants, there is a hole in the pocket, and he thinks if he sews it straight across, the bottom of his pocket it will solve the problem, and he will no longer worry about loosing things out of it.

Nice.

Maybe having my children grow older, isn’t always such a horrible thing after all.

(And in case you were wondering, yes he did fix it, and has worn them many times since, and nothing has fallen out of his pocket, how is that for awesome? Have I mentioned lately how much I love this boy? Well I do.)

Our April Fools day this year was so much fun! I know I am posting this at almost the end of April, but better now than never right?
Toph and I are not big tricksters, but this year, I had a few tricks up my sleeves…
We started the morning, with our magically changing oatmeal. The boys thought this was great…

And thus began our day, following which I got a challenge from the boys, You can’t fool us!

All day long, the boys kept telling me tall tales, then ending them with the statement APRIL FOOLS!

Truman wanted to play a special trick on daddy, together we came up with the plan to tell him, we went to the grocery store, and they gave us the groceries for free. But Truman is a HORRIBLE LIAR. While I dialed the phone number to call Toph at work, I watched Truman as he quietly whisper this story to himself, so he wouldn’t forget it, we had to wait for a minute to speak to Toph, and Truman continued to repeat this story to himself, and then when it was time to actually tell Toph our April Fools Joke, he totally forgot the story, and had to ask me to retell him it! It was sweet.

But my favorite two April Fools Jokes came at dinner time, the first being dinner itself.

One thing I am grateful for is creative friends, as we talked about our plans for april fools day, we decided to work together, and each made a few things and swapped them. It was so great, because the kids totally fell for it! 🙂

Here is the results:
We started dinner with dessert:
Cupcakes (meatloaf and potatoes)

Had something to drink (Jello)

Then time for the main course: some Burgers (cupcakes and brownies) and Fries with Fry Sauce (cookies and frosting).


We also had Dirt Cups. (Icecream, Oreos, Candy Worms and Candy Rocks) Truman thought this was the strangest thing by far.

He kept asking, what is this made of? And Toph and I would say, it’s a dirt cup. He really thought it was dirt. I love these pictures of his face as he figures out, it’s really not dirt.

My next favorite part of April fools day is the trick Tucker and Truman pulled on me. I had just finished bathing and putting down Elliot, Toph was gone to meetings. The older boys were still going crazy with all the excitement of the day, and super healthy dinner I had fed them, (NOT!), and I heard them giggling, and whispering in the other room. Here is where I entered the room. Truman is no where to be found. And Tucker is sitting all casual in the kitchen.

When I ask him where Tru is at, his reply, ‘He decided to go to meetings with Dad, he’ll be home later.’ So non-chalantly. It just made me laugh. Then Truman bounded out of the closet, and I heard a chorus of APRIL FOOLS.

What a great day. Maybe Toph and I will have to come up with some more trickery next year. 🙂

Before now, was look up the meaning of Elliot’s name. Some how with his early arrival, I didn’t get to spend the time really researching his name.

Today I realized it, and did it. And now that I know the meaning of his name, which is, My God is the Lord, I love it even more…

As it seems to fit perfectly. Elliot has strengthened my testimony of this.
Our sweet little perfect Elliot.

You just can’t help loving and adoring this sweet little one.

At least at our house, that’s how it is.

The boys tried on Toph’s glasses the other day, it made me realize again, how much my handsome boys

look like their handsome father.

(Isn’t that a great pic of Toph?)

Speaking of getting things from their father, do you think these crazy antics comes from him to?

🙂

I have been reorganizing our storage room/game closet/pantry area while Tucker is away at school these past few weeks.

I like to keep the other boys close to me while I am doing this project. Truman is a happy helper, for the first little while, but eventually gets sidetracked by a toy or game that he hasn’t seen in ‘FOR-EVER!’

The other day, Elliot was sick of being in the baby bjorn, (going up and down as I bent to pick things up and lift to put them away) so I pulled out the Johnny Jump up. I know he is not old enough to actually jump around in it, but it kept him in my view as I continued to organize things, and he was happy, just literally hanging out, and I could hear Truman quietly playing outside the door. I was getting alot of stuff done, with two happy children, so I didn’t really stop to see exactly what was going on, but when I did, I saw this:

and then this:

The bear family watching Elliot, and Truman telling Elliot a story about them.
I think this is the first real time that I saw Truman interacting with Elliot for an extended period of time. He was really engaging him, and wanting to play with him, and share things with him.
Then the next day, Truman really wanted to play this Disney Trivia Game. Tucker was involved in another activity, and Truman wanted to ‘play with a kid!’ and asked if Elliot wanted to play. I couldn’t help but grab the camera as I saw this:

They played together for almost 30 minutes. Truman showing Elliot the cards, and asking him questions.

I love seeing this, and I think this really is a beautiful beginning to a great friendship.