Winner, winner, chicken gumball!?!

Today was a lucky day. I thought the boys had some extra energy to burn off from sitting semi still on Sunday. So, on a whim I decided to take them to Artic Circle for some lunch and play time. They must've been starving because they ate very speck of food. That never happens. So I decided I'd spring for a gumball for each of them. Anyone who's been to Artic Circle has met (in a booming voice) "The Gumball Machine!" Bum, bum, bum. Josh gets a yellow and chomps it down immediately. Seth gets a yellow also, but takes a second to study it. I've been teaching him to read so his little mind is turning trying to figure it out. I'm sitting there thinking, "come on kid, how hard can it be? They all say double bubble." But I waited. He looks at me and says,"mom, it's got a weird long word on it." I looked at it and sure enough the weird long word was WINNER. He had gotten the lucky winner gumball and was rewarded with a free ice cream cone! Lucky guy:)

Cooking class with Seth

My cute Seth is my middle child. He kind of gets lost in the shuffle sometimes because he is so sweet and cooperative. In order to instill some self-confidence in Seth I've put him in swimming classes, and I've been teaching him how to cook. He's been doing very well at swimming, and because he's the only one in our family who takes lessons it makes him feel special. This is good and great and all, but I'm uber excited to see how much he loves to cook!!! It's one of my loves so I'm glad he is latching on to this talent. Recently he's asked me to teach him to make ramen noodles. 

This is a big deal to him because he LOVES ramen noodles. When he was in his "I'm 2 and no one can make me eat anything I don't want to" days, he would always eat ramen noodles. He is so excited to learn to make it.

We've also made French toast, macaroni and cheese, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and chicken nuggets! It's been fun!

First things first

This week was filled with a lot of firsts that are worthy enough to mention. 

My adorably sweet baby, Faith, slept through the night. She is 8 weeks tomorrow. She is such a rock star baby. 

Josh is at the stage where he just wants to drink all the time. This week he decided that he loves chocolate milk. I had to invest in some Hershey's syrup in order to make him happy. This is noteworthy because none of my other kids drank milk of the chocolate persuasion. 

Seth is having a hard time lately laying off the video games. It has required some adult intervention. I am creating a mandatory cooking class for him. So far, every Tuesday because that's what day it is today. We made Dutch soft pretzels. I thought I'd have to drag him kicking and screaming into the kitchen, but after he finished his level he came willingly. See the issue we have here?

Folding the pretzel shapes

Brushing with egg

Eating the finished product! Yummy!

Adam took on the task of mowing the lawn. He's only 8, and it seemed like a very hard job for him, but he did well.

He even found time to be funny. That's just his style:)

Noah has always struggled with reading. He can do it, and he's really quite good at it, but unfortunately he follows after the likes of his mother and doesn't enjoy it very much. He finally found a book that he enjoys, and has consistently been reading every day without having to pull any hair out or bribing or reading to him. Hopefully when he's finished it, not if, we can find another one he can enjoy.

Me, I've started running again. I can only stand to be the chubby wife for so long before I have to take action. Everyone says I've got a good excuse with the baby and all, but why would I use it? I'd rather lose it.

(Sorry no photo available)

Then there is Ben. You better ask him. He's not around enough for me to know if he's tried something new this week.

Here Fishy, Fishy, Fishy

Seth decided for his summer class he wanted to take swimming lessons. He loves to swim and has no fear of the water. Over the years we've had to pull him out of the water by his waistband or back if the neck a few times because he jumped into water that was too deep. Swimming lessons must be a good idea. So, like many moms in the area do I enrolled him in the swimming classes at South Davis Rec Center. He has loved it. The preschool classes teach them the basics of swimming strokes for freestyle, breast stroke, and back stroke. They are highly assisted because they are 3-5 years old, but learn the basics. They are also contributing to the comfort level these kids feel in the water. Seth doesn't need help with that. Anyway, the classes are every day for 2 weeks. After the first week his teacher says he is already ready to move in to the next level, and we still have another week! It's exciting to see your kids do well at something that they love. I hope he sticks with it:)

This is his rocket ship

All wet after class!

King of the Selfies

I'm hoping that everyone has someone in their family who is a professional at the cellfy. You know, the picture that you take of yourself. My sister, being a mom, is great at it because she takes all the pictures. Otherwise she's not ever in any pictures. My professional selfy is Seth. He doesn't play on my phone very often, but when he does I always get it back with at least one picture and one video of him, taken by him. 

July 5, 2013

June 13, 2013- this ones color got altered somehow. I didn't even know my phone could do that.

May 21, 2013

I have many, many more examples, but you get the idea. Isn't he a funny boy? I really like him:)

What's missing?

Seth got himself ready for church today. He put his socks and shoes on but forgot something. I can't quite put my finger on it. What is it?

The socks just kill me! What a funny boy:)

Celebrating Mediocrity

Today was a fun day. I got to spend the morning celebrating my son, Seth's graduation from pre-school. He unfortunately will be going to pre-school again next year so this graduation doesn't really count. Does it? He was really cute, and in true Seth fashion didn't say one word the whole time, barely sang the songs, ate a lot if treats after the program, and wouldn't let me take a picture of him with his teacher. He spent a whole year with the woman and wouldn't ask her to take a picture with him. Hopefully another year of pre-school will get him out of his shell a little, no, a lot more. He's a sweet and very intelligent kid and it was fun celebrating his special, yet mediocre, day. 

Bring on summer!

Warmer weather hair

You may think because of the title of this post that I am going to advertise the fact that I buzzed all the boys heads for warmer weather. This is not the case. My other favorite warmer weather hair is from the trampoline, and it doesn't work with buzzed hair. Isn't Seth's hair classic?

To poo or not to poo? That is the question.

As all you moms out there know potty training is a hard time of life on a kid and a mom. Mostly the mom, because it's one thing that you have absolutely no control of. You can provide stickers, charts, candy, promises of toys, and dinners out, visits to parks, play lands, grandmas house, the list goes on and on, but you cannot do it for them.

For the kid because I can only imagine they are thinking, "you want me to what?" "I don't think so mom." "That just confirms that you are crazy mom."

After working with Seth off and on for about 4 months I think he's got it! For the past 2 weeks he has consistently used the bathroom by himself. I rarely have to ask him, "do you have to go potty?". I haven't cleaned up any messes, and I don't hesitate to take him to the store, a restaurant, or anyone Else's house. By George, I think he's got it!

Now I am going to post a picture that Seth made me send to Ben last week because he was so proud of himself. Don't be offended.

Introducing...Seth's best friend

On September 7, 2011 Seth turned three. He asked for a kitty for his birthday. We found him this cute kitten and for the past 6 weeks she has gone without a name. When Seth was asked what he wanted to name her he would say jello. Ben wanted to go the sarcastic route and name her spot, and of course Adam and Noah come up with the classic white pet names like snowball, and ghost. I am happy to say that last night we finally decided on a name for the kitten. Seth always calls her Kitty Cat so we shortened it and named her; 
Drum roll please........KC (Kitty Cat)

 

Seth loves the stuffing out of her!

Number 3 turns 3

Seth is my third child. He in turn gets left in the dust when it comes to pictures and blog posts. I have yet to get professional pictures taken of him since he was about 9 months old. Yeah, I know, boo hoo for him. Well, he turned 3 last week and of course my post is coming in late. For the past month I have been asking him what he wants to do for his birthday and every time he says in his cute little way, "wanna go ta shuckee sheesh mom." When I ask him what kind of cake he wants he says, "shoclat." When I ask what he wants on his cake, meaning how he wants it decorated, he says,"shocolat." So, with grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and brothers in tow we went to shuckee sheesh with our shoclat cake.

Seth is such a light in our lives. He makes me laugh every day. Even harder than Ben could make me laugh sometimes. (That's saying a lot because Ben is a self proclaimed comedian.) Seth is so happy and loving. Happy birthday buddy! We love you!

Lunch with Grandma

Is there anything more nostalgic than walking into an Elementary School Cafeteria and being blanketed by the aroma of cafeteria food. I used to love lunch time at school. I usually brought a home lunch, but as a kid I loved to buy school lunch when I could. That may seem strange, but it was a real treat for me. The boys school hosted a Grandparents lunch day a few weeks ago and wanted to post it. Grandma Leta came and ate with us. Thanks for sharing this day in our lives with us.

You don't love your cousin cause it's wrong...

Well, you can love your cousin...just don't LOVE your cousin. Seth and his cousin Bennett began to take the toys out of the toy box at Grandmas house. Every adult who walked by them nicely reminded them that they were going to have to put them back. They ignored our warnings and continued to work together taking out more toys. I went in the toy room and started putting the toys back in the box in an effort to show them how it was done. They ushered me away and persevered. Now having to take the toys out that I put in made it exponentially more difficult. Finally, all the annoying adults left them alone just long enough to reach the top of their Mt. Everest. They emptied the entire toy box...and climbed in. They proceeded to laugh at each other to celebrate their victory. Nice job you two. Cousins, friends, boys, teammates, and now victors!

Is it nap time again already?

Seth is not allowed to have his binky in his mouth at all times anymore. We have restricted him to his binky only at nap time. He really loves his binky so he decided to get twice the binky fix today at nap time.


Sorry, I made this post from my phone and I don't know how to rotate the picture. So turn your head sideways.

**WARNING** Some content may be graphic and unsuitable for susceptible viewers.

Seth doesn't mind having me change his clothes. However he absolutely hates to have to lie down and get his diaper changed. The other day I was trying to do 10 things at once, including trying to change his diaper. He was screaming and kicking and flailing his appendages so I let him go. He ran away and this is where I found him. I had to take some pictures. He was laughing at me because he thought he was so funny. He was in heaven! No diaper on and standing at the table playing with the Lego's that his brothers never let him play with.

This picture is censored a little bit for those who are offended by cute squishy baby bums!