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Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

Lunch Date

Friday afternoon we had a memorable lunch with daddy.
One thing I miss, since Toph has relocated to SLC, is our frequent lunches. When he worked just down the street, literally 4 minutes away, it was easy to get to him, with little planning. Now he is nearly 45 minutes away, our lunches are not as frequent, but let me tell you, they are a lot better in quality… I present our lunch, courtesy of the hard workers in the Church Cafeteria.
It was fate that we should have lunch there that day, you see they were serving Sausage and Sauerkraut. One of my favorite meals.
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Truman himself choose out a “dog-dog”,
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And of course, Tucker’s obvious choice was a meat and cheese sandwich. In his opinion, it’s the climax of all foods.
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Let me state some of the reasons it was so memorable. Yes the food was delicious, but that’s not the only reason.
Every Friday, the cafeteria says that if you guess the correct weight/price of your icecream, you get it free. So, of course we got two of them, and I had no idea how much things weigh, so I left that to Toph. And let me tell you, I am married to the man who apparently has an hidden talent. He has won two weeks in a row. I was there, and witnessed it with my own eyes, and heard them ring the little bell. My husband is a champion. 🙂
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The next reason it was so memorable was because of the things Tucker said. I don’t think I have laughed this hard in a long time.
The first thing he said just caught me off guard. We sat in a little alcove type area, where they have pictures of the First Presidency, as well as the Quorum of the Twelves Apostles pictures up. We looked, and noticed they had made the changes that had happened at conference, but the new Apostles pictures had not been put up yet. Tucker looked at them, and noticed there was not 12. He leaned over to me, in kind of quiet voice said. “Mom, I know why their pictures are not all up. Remember that one, who sold Jesus? (Meaning Judas Iscariot), I bet they took his picture down.” We might need to cover that Modern day Prophets and Apostles topic again!
The next thing he said was so funny, that Topher and I couldn’t stop laughing to tell him to speak quietly. (Actually, I kind of giggle while I am writing this). First let me preface this statement with my opinion: Kids have a different view of the world and people than we do. It is our jobs as parents to try to teach them how to act appropriately in public settings, and I am afraid, I didn’t do very good with this one.
Tuck: Dad did you see that guy?
Toph: Which guy Tuck?
Tuck: That guy who just went past. He had bum on his head.
Toph: I didn’t, but I wish I did, (kind of chuckling).
Tuck: Yeah, he went right around that corner.
Toph: Oh? (Still chuckling, trying not to laugh hard)
We continue eating, Toph and I are looking at each other from across the table, mouthing the words ‘bum on his head’, and trying not to laugh about this phrase, when Tucker looks up from his food, and spys the man again.
Tuck: (In a louder voice now) Look there he is, the guy with the bum head.
I admit. I couldn’t get it under control. I giggled like a silly school girl, so much so that I couldn’t tell my son to speak quietly. But if you would’ve seen this man, with a roll of neck fat underneath his bald head, Tucker’s description was a good one. Luckily, the man was far enough away I don’t think he heard him. Still, another topic to be covered. Speaking quietly, while appreciating peoples diversity. So overall, you can see why Lunch dates are definitely good times with dad.

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Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

“We got ourselves a Nodder”…

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(Do you love the goggles on his head while he sleeps? Funny boy!) So I forgot about this phase where dreams are reality in their little minds, and poor Truman cannot differentiate between the two of them. Luckily for us, we have not had too many wake up screaming in the night, nightmares; but it has been interesting to listen to Trumans comments over the past few days. He has said a couple of things, that I know he believes that are obviously dreams, here are my favorites.
1–We were driving in our car early one morning, when Truman said, Hurray, there is not a big hole in the car, daddy fixed it! Yeah for daddy.
2–Truman woke up and had eaten breakfast before Tucker had awoken. When Tucker came up the stairs, he said, “Tucker’s alive! He fell in hole, and then in a mud, and then in a tree, but now he is alive! Hurray!”
The other thing that cracks me up is somehow we have gotten in a silly game/pattern of pretending to be asleep. I don’t know how it started, but it is a funny game. The whole family is involved, and quite frequently the boys will rush down to bed at night, lay down, and say…”Honk, Shoe, Honk, Shoe” Pretending to be asleep. When an adult enters the room, we joke saying, “Oh good, the boys are asleep, we don’t need to read stories” And then the boys begin giggling…
These boys keep us smiling.

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Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

My own little Frankenstein…

So Wednesday Night we had our first trip to the E.R. for Stitches, and now my sweet Tucker has some stiches on his head. stitches.jpg
I was not home when it happened, and in fact, not being so made me so much more grateful for my sweet hubba. I cannot believe how incredibly calm and collected he was, and how well he handled it. (This is coming from me who freaks out easily when it comes to the little boys in my life).
So how did it happen? I guess Tucker ran downstairs to hide, when it was time for bed. He decided our little “jump-o-line’ (like a very small square trampoline with a bar for holding onto when you jump), would be the perfect place to hide under. He lifted it up, climbed under, then it slipped and smacked him on the head.
Head wounds bleed a lot. And apparently it did. Toph did a video conference with his mom, who thought the wound looked deep and might need stitches (thanks mom, what did we do before technology?) Then he called me, and headed to the E.R. (having been there a few times, we know that it takes about 30 minutes plus to get checked in, and into the ER), so I tried to tie up what I was doing, and headed to the E.R.
I arrived there to see 2 smiling bouncing boys in there jammies. Besides the hot pink bandage that was tied circled around Tuckers head, I wouldn’t have know there was even a problem. He was laughing and smiling, and telling me all about the fish that were in the tank. Toph had already pre-registered him, and Truey and Tucker were just happily skipping around.
We eventually made it back, where Tucker was given some shots to numb the area. That was the worst part. Tucker is terrified of shots….he screamed so loud and painfully that both Toph and I teared up. But after the shots were done, while he was getting sewn up, he chatted away with the nurses and doctors, and quite enjoyed himself. Since that point, he has told everyone about his stitches, and tells them “It is just a short story”…
All in all, when ever anything happens, it makes you grateful to have healthy, happy boys. I am also grateful we have made it over 5 years with active, bouncy boys and this is the first time we have had to go the E.R. for stitches. Hopefully it will be 5 more before we have to go back again.
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Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

Build your WildSelf

I love this site. The illustrations are darling, and I LOVE the creativity it encourages:
Take a look at our Fam–
Tucker:
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Truman:
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Me: (I’m not too wild! 🙂 )
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(Toph hasn’t made one for himself yet…but hopefully will soon, right hubba?)

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Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

Conference Weekend…

On Saturday we headed to Logan-town to watch conference and celebrate Rhonda’s Birthday!
The car ride is long enough to get there that we have to bring things to entertain the boys, I love that Truman came out ready for the ride
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And while traveling, Tucker entertained himself by swinging some beads around his head. After a few minutes of this, he asked the question, “Why am I not flying?”
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One of my favorite places in Logan is Gossner Cheese, because of Squeeky Cheese! We stopped there, had some free samples, and of course picked us up a good supply of cheese, including squeeky cheese. Yum.
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Of course the boys loved it too! What’s not to love about a food that squeeks when you eat it?
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An important Phillips Family Conference Tradition is Omelets on Sunday Morning, here are some cooks (Somehow I didn’t get any actual pictures of the omelets, maybe next year!):
Em and Dad
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Matt and Dad Cooking ’em up:
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Toph:
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Mom and Ava:
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Playing Cousins (and aunt Cat):
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Dallin:
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Matchy Matchy Cat and Tuck:
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Pirate Candy Math Owen:
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The boys spend a majority of the weekend on the tramp…jumping there little heads off–
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I love Conference Time–I love hearing Counsel from our Leaders, it is especially wonderful once you become a parent. It is harder to listen, granted, but they also provide wonderful insight into parenting! Already looking forward to the Ensign!

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Emily Truman Tucker

Sorting, Sorting, Sorting…

Here’s what we did yesterday morning–
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I love this phase, or sorting and stacking. Tuck found my scrapbook letters, and spent like 3 hours sorting them out into lines of matching letters of all the letters of the alphabet. (I think he would have been done sooner, but Truman messed things up, quite a few times! Still, Tuck was patient, and started again…)

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Emily Truman Tucker

All in a days work..

I had many errands to run yesterday, and the boys were happy to come, as long as they could wear these. Introducing my Partners in Crime…Crime Saving that is 🙂
Red Ranger Tru
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The Bionicle and Toa of Ice Tuck
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I admit, we did get a few strange looks, but I don’t care! My kids were happy, and therefore so was I!

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Emily Topher Truman Tucker

Literacy.

So lately I have been thinking a lot about literacy–how blessed I am to know how to read. How reading has changed my life, and opened so many avenues, allowed me to experience and learn in ways that I never new possible. I think this has been a life long love, it never came easy to me, but still as a child I loved the TV Show Reading Rainbow, in college I began my children’s book collection, and now? Well take a look at pieces of my life…

One place I love and feel so grateful for is our Local Library. We are there twice a week right now—once a week for music and movement, and once for wee read. We are blessed as a society to have a place where we can grow, and our library provides our children with free/low cost amazing classes like Tucker’s Music and Movement Class. Recently the Deseret News did an article and slideshow about it, they came to the class right before Tuckers, so he is not in any of the pictures, but you can get a taste of what they offer–The teachers are truely amazing!!!

This week was Tuckers last class and I took a few videos of him at class…I love to watch my children learn
(disclaimer: Like I said, I love watching my children learn, this may be boring to you, but it is fascinating to me! 🙂 ).
The song they sing at the beginning–Come on Everyone
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Using Hand Motions to discover Rhythm–
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Using the Sticks–Hickory Dickory Dock
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Using the Xylophone (Or Gloskenspiel as his teacher calls it)– to play the popcorn song
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Again with the Xylophone– to do the Zoom song
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A few minutes later, back at the table, coloring to music
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Using the bells to do Tuckers all time favorite right now–Banana Phones (taken with the digital camera, lower quality)
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Wee Read is another class, where children ages 18 months to 3 years old get to come and listen to Librarians read books, as well as do finger plays, and rhymes. Truman is currently enrolled, and loves his teachers, Mrs. Cindy and Mrs. D.W.
(of which I can’t find there picture for the life of me!! WHen I do, I will post it…)

Also, because of our overflowing small kids bookshelf, it was time to purchase another one. Previously the books were so crammed on our small shelf, that the kids could not even get them off by themselves–therefore they were not able to read them. In purchasing this new bookshelf and organizing the books I tried to make the books more accessible for my boys. Placing similar books in baskets, therefore encouraging independence for my boys…
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How did we ever attempt at fitting these all on the small ones? And in case you were wondering, the big bookshelf is in the guest room closet. The boys love their new ‘reading cave’, and have spent more time in there with the doors closed ‘reading’ books, than in any other room lately. (Sometime this summer, I hope to sew a stuffed beanbag type thing for in there, but not until things slow down a little 🙂 )
But For now, I hope they continue to love reading, and therefore have the world opened up to them.
It’s a good day, how could I not be happy to have healthy active boys, who too share the love of reading!!!

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Emily Truman Tucker

Hopefully the last of the season…

So on Monday, we got a little bit of snow. When I say little–I mean little like 1 inch. Still, it had been a few weeks since the boys had seen snow, so they decided that they needed to get all the snow gear on, and go outside in the snow….
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Even though there wasn’t much snow, it was cold!
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Let us in we’re cold!
Let us hope this is the end of that for a while, I am ready for SPRING!

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Emily Life Topher Truman Tucker

April Fools-ies

So, I am not a big fan of April Fools, but the boys and I decided it would be fun to ‘surprise’ dad with fun April Fools dinner that we saw in the Family Fun Magazine (I got a subscription for an awesome Christmas present from my awesome brother-in-law, Thanks Again, Brian!)…
So we told Toph we were having strawberry pie for dinner, which is partly true–we were having pie…
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Shepherds Pie.
The boys enjoyed playing a trick on Toph, and Truman even got a little tricked himself–Even though he helped me and Tuck make it, he was a little sad when he realized we weren’t having pie. I guess it’s hard to understand everything when you’re three years old. 🙂