Gracie Funnies

This little girl says the funniest things sometimes.

"Mom, I'm really drinky."  She means thirsty.

Mom: "Grace, what are we going to do with these boys?"

Grace: "I guess just sell them to another house, or something."

In the car this afternoon, she said, "Joey!  Smell my finger!"  We all found out that when somebody asks you to do that, the best answer is probably "no thank you".

I told Grace that our friends are out of town, so we have to go feed their guinea pigs.  She said, "Do they fly?  Because I don't like it when penny pigs fly."  I said, "No, they don't fly."  She said (while doing chicken wing arms), "Do they flap?"  I said, "They don't have wings."  Her eyes got really big, she put her hands on her hips, and said, "Are you kidding me?"

Then, on the way there in the car, she said, "I just ate the seat belt."  Weird.

In other news:

Our friend Josh is here playing with Andrew and Joey.

Joey just said, "Josh, I like you so much because you're smarter than Andrew."

After we laughed, Josh said, "Wow.  I'm speechless!"

We spent some time at Grandma Jane's classroom this morning.  She has prep first period, and Haley is her aid.  So she sits and watches TV.  No, I'm sure she does something useful every once in awhile.

Anyway, we went by to take some pictures of the vinyl that we cut for my mom's classroom for our website, http://www.wordsofvinyl.com/ (free advertising, right?).  We just added hundreds of things to choose from, and we've been getting lots of orders, so we decided we'd better spiff up the site a bit.

While we were there, Haley wanted to show us her locker decorations from her birthday.  They used to be on the outside of her locker, but she put them inside so the staff wouldn't take them down.  Her friends really paid her back for her decorating antics on their birthdays.

I also got a picture of her volleyball and wrestling teams (she was one of the managers of the wrestling team) from the display case.  She's in the front of the volleyball pic (#13), and on the left of the wrestling pic (in a grey shirt).

We also had a picnic lunch, taking advantage of our covered deck.  I love that roof.  Thanks again, Sam!

Mr. Busy Pants Turns 2!!

It was Matt's second birthday on Sunday.  He woke up to a nice big birthday breakfast, as is the tradition here.  Joey enjoyed it, too, choosing to eat not one, not two, not three, but four sausages all at the same time.  Gross.

We won't be celebrating with a birthday party until this weekend, because so much family is out of town.

At two years old, Matt's favorite things are his "Dee Dee" (blanket), his baby doll (which is always naked), jumping on the trampoline, sliding and swinging, singing, and most of all -- Grandpa Jerry.  He also loves Sandi Harris, his other "Mom" (that's what he calls her).  As soon as she walks into church, he races over to her, and then sits there for an hour snuggling, smooching, and nuzzling her.  He wears her jewelry, goes through her bag, and eats her candy.  And she loves every minute of it. 

He can say lots of words, like: Daddy, Mom, "Ahley" (Haley), "Adew" (Andrew), "Woey" (Joey), "Dace" (Grace), Matt, "Dodi" (Shoji), "Dodo" (Mojo -- Sam's dog), "Duce" (juice), ball, pee, poops, "Det do!" (Let go!), "My toon" (My turn), "Nunnets" (nuggets), outside, "aipane" (airplane), "Papa" (Grandpa, and it also means Grandma), and pretty much anything else you want him to say.

He loves to eat chicken nuggets from Costco for lunch, and he loves helping Mommy do everything.  Whatever he sees me do, he thinks he can do also.  So he does it, to the extreme.  Like laundry (all by himself), re-arranging furniture (all by himself) and cleaning toilets (yes, all by himself).  It takes most of my day to try and stop him from doing things all by himself.  But life is super fun with our happy, little Matt.

A couple of weeks ago, Ben's sisters were both in town and we went to Sears to get all the grandkids' pictures taken together.  We haven't done that since Joey and Kanalu were babies.  Here are a few of the pictures:

Those are some pretty good-looking kids we've got!

Great Weather, and a Couple of Birthdays

May is always a really busy month for us.  First, Haley had her 14th birthday.  She also started her first real job.  I mean a real job, with paperwork to fill out, an hourly wage, and a uniform!  Incredible.  I don't know of any other 14-year-old dental assistants, do you?  That is just awesome.  Way to go Haley!  Now, to just memorize all of those instruments of torture...

Another birthday followed one day after Haley's, but I'm not sure he wants me to mention more than that.  He is getting old, after all.

Next it will be Matt's birthday.  And lots of end-of-the-year concerts, field trips, and school picnics to attend.  We're almost there -- I can just taste the upcoming days of no schedule.  Hooray!

We've already been cashing in on the good weather.  We moved the trampoline over the patio so we don't have to move it every time we mow, and so that I can see what the kids are up to.  We set up the kiddie pool for the first time this year.  Matt got in after I struggled to explain to him that he doesn't have to take off his swim trunks first.  He was trying desperately to get naked before he took a dip.  I hope that's not a sign of things to come.

The kids are also a big help with the laundry, thanks to our new washer and dryer.  They're enjoying it almost as much as I am.

We're crossing our fingers for more good weather this weekend.  We have a YW garage sale fundraiser, a couple of ward activities, and a garden to plant.  Maybe we had better cross our toes, too.

Fun Day at the Zoo, Again

We just love our little zoo. Key word: little.

But we don't care. We always go to the barn first, where we see Jake the horse. The kids named the other horse Jack, but that's not his name. That's just what they decided to call him. We feed the ducks and the wild looking hairy chickens, get chased off by a crazed peacock, make fun of the giant bunny, and then look to see if the perpetually fat goat has had babies, or if she is truly just fat.

This time Kanalu, Emily, and Grandma Nan came too. We needed a break by the waterfowl pond that has been under construction for forever. I wonder if/when that will be done. We liked seeing the ducks with their little tushies in the air when they were diving for food. Joey likes to talk to them. It's kind of weird, because they go right up to him and talk back. Just like a real conversation, but in duck language.

We always take a few minutes to play at the playground. It's one of the best in town.

Matt finally got sick of walking when we were by the mountain goats, so he pleaded with Grandma to pick him up and lug him around. She was happy to oblige.

We just love these little red pandas. They are always moving around, so they put on a pretty good show for the kids. The tiger is usually laying around, although you can catch him pacing by the window every so often. When we went on Thursday, he was fast asleep until two ducks buzzed his head. He sat up really quickly, and was ready to pounce. Only they weren't stupid ducks -- they perched themselves far out of his reach, but he was hopeful for several minutes.

We'd just like to say "Hallelujah!" for the nice weather. Of course, as soon as it stopped raining after a week, we all got sick with colds and coughs just in time for the nice, sunny weather. Figures. We'll be up and running again next week. Hopefully I'll have some great pictures of our soon-to-be-planted garden to share.

Conversations with Joey

When I picked Joey up from school today, he declared, "Mom, I know who I'm going to marry."  I knew right away that it would probably be Graycen.  It was.

The other day, when we were studying the Bible story of the good fruit trees and bad fruit trees, we talked about what things we do that are good fruit and which things we do that are bad fruit.  Joey asked, "Is juicy fruit good fruit?"

He also asked me yesterday if we have to love Satan, because he was pretty sure that we do.  That was a whole wonderful conversation in itself. 

I love that kid.  I can always count on a good one-liner coming from his cute little head.

Our Sweet Friend

We have the sweetest old family friend, Wilma.  She's in her 90's, lives in a nursing home, and has been our friend for many years.

She has always given our family gifts whenever we see each other.  She was a teacher, so she used to give us books and old dolls, like Raggedy Ann and homemade bears, but now -- since she's been living in the nursing home -- she doesn't get out as much.  So she collects the crackers and jelly packets from the tables, packages them up, and gives them to us.  Isn't that just the sweetest thing you've ever heard?  All of these origami boxes and paper cups are full of them:

We had a Mother's Day lunch on Sunday, and she pulled out three bags full of treats.  The kids love them, and I'm glad I don't have to go to the store today to pick up a box of crackers.  Now we've got plenty.  Here's a pic of the loot, and also of the new volcano plant I just picked up from Lowe's.  It's very pretty, and really easy not to kill.  Let's see how I do!

Mother's Day Weekend

We had a great Mother's Day weekend.  It started with a fun sleepover with Kanalu, the kids' cousin from Texas.  Emily and Kanalu are visiting, and Jill and her family came down for the weekend, so all of us girls went to the Women's Run on Saturday morning.  It is a 2- or 5-mile run for cancer research.  Emily was brave, and in shape, so she ran the 5-mile.  The rest of us walk/ran the 2-mile.  There were 8,000 women this year, so it was packed.  We were just glad that it was warmer than the previous days.  There was no snow on the ground, and we could only see our breath for the first little bit.  It warmed up nicely, and we enjoyed ourselves.  It's always nice to laugh with the girls.  We have such a good time together -- I'm going to miss it when they're gone!

The rest of the day was spent doing yard work, putting the trampoline back up, cleaning out the garage, etc.  I woke up on Mother's Day to my annual breakfast in bed.  I read my homemade card and am excited to use my new griddle that the kids got me.  Pancakes for everyone!

We spent Mother's Day at church with Ben's mom, then lunch at their house, and dinner at my mom's house.  It was a great weekend, and I'm so excited for the nicer weather coming our way.

The kids made a card for Grandma Jane.  I asked her the same questions I usually do, and wrote their answers just how they said them.  You can read it below the pictures.

What your grandchildren think:

1. What does Grandma do for a job?

Haley: Teaches English

Andrew: She works at Will James

Joey: She tells you to sweep.

Grace: Uh, vacuum


2. How old is Grandma?

Haley: 54

Andrew: 55

Joey: 31

Grace: 61


3. What is Grandma like?

Haley: Smart

Andrew: Funny

Joey: She is, like, I don’t know what she’s like.

Grace: She wanted to find my Clifford, but I found it first.


4. What is Grandma’s favorite food?

Haley: Spaghetti

Andrew: Her food

Joey: Tacos

Grace: When you took me over to see Grandma for a check-up, I saw her eating basagna


5. What is Grandma’s favorite TV show?

Haley: Golden Girls

Andrew: Cops

Joey: Cops

Grace: All my Clifford ones, and Diego On Your Marks, Get Set


6. What is Grandma’s favorite thing to do?

Haley: Golf

Andrew: Be with us

Joey: I don’t know

Grace: She likes to play outside with me


7. Where is Grandma’s favorite place to go?

Haley: Not Will James

Andrew: Home

Joey: Lowe’s

Grace: At lunch with me


8. Where is Grandma’s favorite place to eat?

Haley: Again, not Will James

Andrew: Home

Joey: Applebee’s

Grace: California


9. Who is Grandma’s favorite person?

Haley: Me

Andrew: Me

Joey: Grandpa Jerry

Grace: Grandpa Jerry


10. What is Grandma’s favorite movie?

Haley: I don’t know

Andrew: I don’t know

Joey: Cops

Grace: Dinosaurs

Happy Mother's Day!

Snow, Snow, Snow

I woke up to this nonsense blanketing my world yesterday:

That is not what my front yard and deck should look like on May 6th.  Ever.  Haley and I are doing the Women's Run tomorrow morning.  That should be fun.  Maybe I should wear snowshoes?  No, it's melted already, but it will still be cold. 

So we got a call from Sam yesterday.  He's in Hawaii (jealous!), and his dog, Mojo, who usually stays with us on the weekends that Sam comes to town, was staying with some of his friends.  He dug his way out of their yard, and they had to bail him out of jail.  They fixed the fence, but Mr. Slippery escaped again.  Sam said that a coffee kiosk called him (luckily Mojo was wearing his tags), and that he was there.  We went to pick him up, and it was obvious he had been out a while.  He was wet and cold and muddy.  And he smelled like butt, so I gave him a bath in our tub.  Now he smells like strawberries (sorry, Sam!).  I was very honored to be the recipient of Mojo's undying love kisses on our ride back to the house.  And now my car smells like death, but it needed a bath anyway.  So Vanny is next on the list for a good scrubbin'.  Mojo stood very nice and still during his bath, but for some reason he wouldn't take his head out from under my arm.  He planted it there, and there it stayed for the whole episode.  I thought it was funny.

Joey's Mother's Day Program

Today was Joey's Mother's Day Program at preschool.  It was oh so cute!  They sang their favorite song and wiggled their bums, and then sang three Mommy songs.  Their cute little muchkin voices were so adorable.

Then we had bagels and cream cheese in the cafeteria.  The preschool teachers, Miss Kim and Miss Denise, had asked each child what their favorite food their mothers cooked for them was.  They had each kid tell them the ingredients and how their mothers made them.  They were put on a recipe card, and the kids made a little flower pot holder for them.  The teachers wrote them exactly how the kids said it.  They are adorable, and so funny!  I wish cooking was that easy!  I'd probably do it more often.

Thank you for the gift, Joey.  I'll love it and you forever.  What a good little boy you are!

One little funny from Grace:

Grace is famous for her prayers.  She just says whatever is on her mind.  It's never the usual things, repeated every time.  This morning in her blessing on the breakfast, she said,

"...And please bless everybody to have seven great things today..."

Thanks, Gracie.  Seven great things today would be just perfect.

What a Good Big Brother

In between all the complaining and bickering, my kids really do have great fun with each other.  It reminds me of the days when me and my siblings were around that age.  We absolutely had a blast.  We were tight.  Still are.

So I had to grab the camera and take this picture under cover from my bedroom window (so as not to disturb what was happening).  Joey was doing such a great job pushing Matt on the swings.  He was being so sweet and kind.  He pushed Gracie, then Matt.  He was a pro.  He'll make a great daddy someday.  Of course, a few moments later, Matt started throwing a fit, but it was precious while it lasted.  I pulled Joey aside later and told him what a great big brother he was.  He gave me one of his looks and wiped my kisses off his cheek, but I could tell he was pleased.

Now this one, I'm not too sure about.  Just kidding.  He is one of the sweetest little things you'll ever meet.  But this is an all-too-common sight in our house:

This time it wasn't lotion, it was hair cream.  Daddy's hair cream.  And this was after I scraped most of it off in an effort to save some of it.  At least he put it where it was supposed to go, right?  How many times is it going to take before I remember that silence is a bad thing?  When it's too quiet, check on him, for Pete's sake!  I'll save myself a lot of trouble when I get that down.

My Sweet, Strange Little Boy

Matt is one unique kid.  He is the busiest kid I've seen (since Joey).  Nothing is off-limits to him, at least that's what his motto is.  I'm not sure what this one will turn out to be, but I'm guessing something very dangerous.  Maybe a tight-rope walker, human canon ball, or flame thrower.  Those are my best guesses.

Here are some pics of him in a more tame mood than usual.  He uses a carrot as a utensil. Its sole purpose is shoveling ranch dip into his mouth.

He loves the new spot for his horsey, right by the window, so he can look outside and sing a song while he rocks.

I've been re-arranging the entire house to make it feel new again (hey, if it keeps me from buying new house, or even new furniture, it's worth it).  But Matt thinks he can do the same thing.  I've been finding everything that he can physically carry in the strangest places.  I found all the guitar hero equipment in one of the basement bedrooms.  I find every pillow in the house in a new place every day.  And bright and early yesterday, he pulled all of the chairs he could manage out into the hallway.  Then he sat down in one, called me over, and patted the seat next to him.  He grabbed his baby, and there we sat for a few minutes.

I love this kid!