Rosieisms – I was boiling some noodles and I asked Rosie to let me know when the water was boiling so we could put the noodles in.  She kept a watch on the pot and ran in and let me know. ”The water is bumbling.”

After a tif with her sister…”Serra hurt myself.”

Monday night we were making hamburgers.  “I don’t want hamburgers.  I want pizza.”  I let her know I wasn’t making pizza.  “What about the pizza man.  He rings the bell and brings pizza.” 

Just now:  My kids like grilled cheese sandwiches dipped in spaghetti sauce.  It probably goes along with the love of pizza.  I just asked her what she wanted for lunch:  “I want sauce on the plate and cheese on the bread”.  I told her I was going to finish this blog and then I would make lunch.  “Just one more blug, ok mom.”

I guess it’s been a few weeks.  It seems that not much happens yet we stay very busy.  I have good days where I have a lot of energy and get a lot done and then can’t move at the end of the day because I overdo it.  Then I have days that I am tired from the moment I get up.  On those days I get done the necessary things and after lunch when Wes takes a nap I lay down and try to get some sleep so I can make it through dinner.  Rosie is so good.  She is very good at independent play and playing nicely with Weston.  She finds joy in making him happy.  “Mom, Wes was crying and I make him happy.”  They do tend to make messes rather quickly and Serra bears the brunt of that right now.  She doesn’t complain too much when she gets home from school.  She does her homework, works on sight words, does some reading, cleans up the messes the kids made during the day, helps me with dinner, and then in her words “is free”.  She usually wants to watch tv for a little while and thats when she gets too.  We have been very proud of her.  She has been passing off her sight word lists of 20 words each – 1-2 lists a week.  She gets 100% on her spelling tests every week and gets a McDonalds icecream cone when she does.  She has taken her school work seriously and we have been very pleased with her progress this year…especially in reading.  It really clicked for her the past few months and she can sit a read most of the picture books really well with a little help. 

Weston has turned a corner from being a minor menace to major menace.  He has discovered the wonderful world above his sight level that exists when chairs and stools are employed.  One of his favorite discovery areas are on top of my bathroom counter, the stove area (I know really safe), and mine and Brians desk areas.  He pushes a chair up to the bathroom counter and climbs up.  Sometimes I find him sitting in the sink with the water turned on.  He is of course delighted at his new found power.  The stove is a problem because he dismantles it and takes the parts with him to various areas of the house.  We have the stools up on counters most of the time.  The only time I have a problem is when one of the girls gets one down and forgets to put it back up.  Our offices are another issue.  He can wreak more havoc in a few moments than I have ever seen.  Tornado comes to mind.  Contents of drawers come out and piles of “organized papers” in Brian’s area are strewn about.  We could keep the office doors closed but Mo’s potty exit is in Brian’s office and his water is in mine.  Sometimes we close them anyway and rely on Mo’s door scratching to let us know he needs out or in.    I know this issue eventually goes away with age as I remember Rosie was the same way but in the mean time he drives us all a little mad.   But then he gives us a big toothy smile and an amazing hug and pats our backs while squeezing tight and we know we can deal with it for a few more months. 

So this month we made a quick trip to Utah for my Dad’s surprise 60th birthday bash.  It came off without a hitch.  All the planning was done through e-mails and we had a fantastic turnout with lots of good food and folks.  Mom was going slightly mad wanting to set something up ahead of time.  She had to show a lot of restraint not to be in on the planning.  It was amazing though.  After the surprise the party was set up within minutes and turned out perfect.  It was a great day with all siblings present, a lot of aunts and uncles, and cousins.  Grandma Arnell even made it.  It was great.  After we left is when all the excitement started though with Dad’s bought of amnesia on his birthday no less.  I will refer you to Dad’s post for the details of that adventure. 

This past Memorial Day weekend was a great family weekend for us.  Due to Brian’s inability to get anyone to do any work we were able to spend 3 full days together.  Saturday Serra had a swim birthday party in the morning.  After that we ate lunch.  Serra told me she already had lunch at the party.  I wasn’t aware they were serving lunch at the party.  I asked her what she ate.  “Cake and icecream.”  So I made her eat something else before we left.  We went to the Copelans home and swam with their family all afternoon.  It was Westons first time in a pool.  He loved it and was so relaxed.  Someone asked Rosie if she knew how to swim without floaties like her sister.  (Wrong way to phrase that question)  She gave them a look like they were a complete idiot while taking her floaties off.  She then proceeded to jump in the pool floaty free.  She sank.  She was very embarrassed and upset for a while, but it didn’t stop her from trying it again later.  I hope she got the message that she needs the floaties a little longer.  We had a BBQ later that evening with Brian’s high school buddies.  I am amazed that the kids can play outside for hours in 90 + degree weather and not pass out.  But they did.  Brian’s friend Greg has a great backyard and the kids stayed out the whole time having a great time.  Brian went to another friends house to watch the UFC fights that evening while I put the kids down.  I thought it might be hard on my own since I was so tired but they were all so exhausted they were out immediately. 

Sunday I had my regular Sunday school lesson as well as sharing time which I was glad to have over.  We usually go to the Andersons after church but they were out of town so we stayed home.  We tried to watch a movie with the kids but Brian and I both fell asleep so we don’t know what happened in the movie.  Monday I put the kids to work in the morning.  Their idea of cleaning is to put things out of sight as quickly as possible.  Usually things don’t get put away in the right places so we organized their closets and shelves a bit.  It took until lunch time and they did a good job so we went to the park for a few hours.  It is really hard to keep track of them all at the park we went to so I was glad Brian was there.  He chased Wes who chased dogs and pigeons.  He helped teach Rosie to hang upsidedown by here knees.  Serra was sad she had decided not to wear her bathing suit but got soaking wet anyway.  Most of the parks here have water toys (glorified sprinklers).  We finally had to go when I got too hot, and all the kids were red in the face and we were out of water.  We came home and BBQed hamburgers.  The best we did in memory of Memorial Day was discuss it in Family Home Evening.  We had red, white, and blue, frosted cupcakes with flags for treats.  I’m tired today but I am going to get started on some curtains for my bedroom anyway.  I finally got Brian to hang my curtain rods so now it’s my turn. 

I’m going to go get my kids fed and then post pictures so if they aren’t up and you are reading this come and check later. 

These girls have so much fun together.  Serra 7, George 5, Olivia 5, Rosie 3, Evelyn 3

Ready for the surprise.

Surprise!  Maybe not the best thing to do to a man turning 60…better than 70 or 80 I say. 

I know Dad likes his pearly whites but seriously.  Dad’s own mother would have done this to it. 

There we go. 

Wes found a cupboard that can’t be locked up. 

Big boys played outside all afternoon.

Little girls too. 

Can you spot the empty spot in Serra face.

Wes and Lizzy keeping baby Jane occupied. 

When we get cones Wes gets really upset when he isn’t passed one.  Mom has to eat it down to the cone part so it doesn’t get all over.  He is very happy when he gets his share. 

I wanted to wring her neck and she knew it.  “Sorry Mom!  Sorry Mom!”  Is what she kept repeating.  I was horrified at the carnage.  I always knew if I was going to happen, Rosie would be the one to do it.  She has this glitch in her brain that says, “I know this is wrong, but I really can’t help myself.”  So she does it and then feels badly.  Here is what happened.

The girls were supposedly tucked away in bed and Brian and I were starting to relax and working on getting Weston settled down for the night.  Serra comes out of her room and whispers to me.  “Mom, I opened my eyes and saw Rosie on the bathroom counter, and she’s cutting her hair.”  I thought, surely just a few strands.  Then I opened the door.  The little imp’s hair was litterally butchered.  She had cut it short all around her face and left a nice mullet hanging down the back.  I freaked out and she knew she was in trouble.  I guess I can be thankful that she didn’t cut it right at her scalp.  We still can’t figure out what she was thinking.  Serra is perplexed.  “Why would she do something like that.” 

It’s a good thing I had no where to be this morning unlike the rest of the week.  I spent about 30 minutes trying to salvage what was left.  It looks OK but I still may take her to someone who can fix it better.  It’s a good thing she has some curl in her hair(it hides problem spots)  and that she has a LOT of hair because it could have been a lot worse. 

But how can you not love that face?

Beans.

So I have been doing inventory of my surroundings trying to decide what I need to get done before bambina #4 makes her debut.  I felt the need to get the baby space started so I can decide what more in terms of room I need to make for her.  Well, her changing station is ready, the crib has been moved from Westons domain to the master where she will reside for the first few month.  My canned supplies are dwindling as well.  The last time I canned any beans was in 2005 and there are only a few jars left.  SO…starting Wednesday I have been a canning fool.  21 quarts of great northern, (why so many you ask?…well aside from the fact that I always forget how much dried beans expand when you add water we have a favorite recipe that calls for a quart and I run out fairly quickly.) 16 pints of pinto, 7 quarts of small pink, 7 quarts of kidney, and 7 quarts of baked beans.  The baked beans are made from all the left over beans that wouldn’t make a whole batch for canning.  In between all that I finally got all the grains, rice, beans etc. put into bins.  I am actually out of bins now and I had exactly enough for what I needed.  I couldn’t have planned it better.  I couldn’t move Wednesday night and realized I needed to take more breaks during the day.  Thursday was much better with rest time worked in.  I am too the point in this pregnancy where bending over to pick something up is nearing impossible.  I am constantly calling one of my children over to help me pick things up.   That is probably my biggest pregnancy problem.  I really feel great most of the time and baby girl is a kicker.  I get taken by surprise often with a kick that no 1 1/2 pound critter should be able to do.  2 1/2 months to go. 

Oh yeah!  I finally got my garden planted (another job made difficult by pregnancy).  We have quite a variety of things.  We have it placed so that it receives full sun from sun up until about 1 pm.  So during the hottest part of the day it will be in shade.  Hopefully that will help keep it from frying this summer.  That is, of course, if I can keep my little ones out of it long enough for anything to survive.  2 squash plants have all ready bit the dust from my little helpers. 

Weston has done pretty well in his cute little bed.  I usually have to go and help him back to sleep once during the night but his ability to get himself out of bed in the morning when he wakes up and come to me has been nice.  We usually end up cuddling for about an hour before I get up in the morning. 

Brian has picked up an extra job washing cement trucks on Saturdays and is looking for something else still to supplement the lack of construction work there is out there.  He has a few leads and hopefully something will work out.  In the meantime we are hanging in there and are still current on both mortgages…not a small miracle. 

Here are the promised pictures.  The ones of Serra are from her birthday photo shoot and I haven’t decided which one to print for the wall yet.  Opinions would be welcome. 

First off…Serra’s birthday celebrations…sibling helpers and a cool collage of pictures from Aunt Serra.

One of Serra’s presents was a twisty towel for her wet hair.  She has a hard time keeping a towel on her head and this one stays on so well she wears it for hours after her shower. 

And with ever growing popularity…the Krispy Kreme doughnut cake. 

Serra earned a free dinner from Applebees from school so we took her birthday as an oportunity to use it.  She ordered Mac and Cheese.  It looked suspiciously like Kraft.  $4 for a 1/4 portion of a .25 cent box of processed cheese noodles.  Now that’s how to make some money!  Serra and Daddy sit side by side for dinner. 

And some Easter Egg hunt fun.  Look at the camera Wes…yes his hair was very short. 

Found one!   Caught eating the whole bunny. 

As noted in earlier posts…when Weston falls he tends to lead with his head.  His nose took a beating one weekend.  He fell and opened up a wound on his nose right as we were walking out the door for church and we couldn’t staunch the bleeding.  So Weston went to church with a bandaid on his nose. 

And here are a few shots of Weston and Rosie hanging out in the toddler bed.  I find them in here at least once a day reading books together.  Weston even goes and lies down for a little rest on his own now and then.  It’s pretty cute.

…and beautiful Serra…