Sorry Ellorie

I'm sorry Ellorie that our learning curve comes at the expense of your physical well being.  We are still trying to figure all this out and in the meantime, you feel crappy. 

I promise that we are doing our very best and that it will be better.  Until then, hang in there and remember we love you. 

potty training boys

Remember how excited you were when you realized your little one was potty trained?  No more diapers, no more emergency changes of clothes in case of accidents.  I would take it all back now.

The trade off is gross, stinky bathrooms because if you aren't standing right over them, reminding them to pee INTO the TOILET, they forget.  How do they forget? I'm still not sure, but THEY FORGET. 

Today, Hunter came out of my room and went pee in the bathroom.  I went in about 20 minutes later and stepped in a puddle.  Not a puddle in front of the toilet, no that would make sense.  A puddle that ran along the baseboard to the left of the toilet. 

Did I mention that he didn't put up the seat... so I'm assuming he was peeing on the seat, it sprayed off the seat, RAN down the wall and collected on the floor. 

Remind me, what was SOOOOO bad about diapers?

MY TURN

Ellorie ABSOLUTELY couldn't stand that I was taking pics of Hunter and not her.  Everytime I would try to get one of Hunter she would scream at me and then when I would look her way with the camara she would ham it up, so I would take one of her. 

all suited up

   Can you tell his shoes are on the wrong feet?

Looks like the guy with the shrunked head from Beetlejuice. 

First Day- big kids

First Day- Austin Edition

He's ready to take over the world.  My oldest, my first born.  5th grade will be his best year, I'm sure of it.  He is wearing a size 5 shoe.  He's only about 10 inches shorter than I am and I'm guessing by 7th grade will be my height or taller.

Ben gave Austin a Father's blessing last night before bedtime.  He said that 5th grade would be a great year for Austin.  He said that it would be a big year and Austin will make great strides as a student.  He is blessed to have a good teacher that will help him and support him in his learning and that he should use that teacher to help him be successful.  He will face many challenges this year also and that he will need to work hard to accomplish all his responsibilies and continue to grow.  He told him that Heavenly Father loves him and is proud of the young man he is becoming.  He told him his family has much love for him and is eager to see him succeed and find success. 

First Day 2012- Savannah edition

She is barely 3 inches shorter than her 5th grade brother and I am sure one of the Tallest, if not THE tallest kid in her class.  Her shoes are a size 3!!  She's super funny, kind and silly and helps me all day long with the little sibs.  I will miss her but I'm glad she's gone.  Does that make sense?

Ben gave Savannah a  Father's blessings last night.  In her blessing, she was told that she would be looked to as an example in her class.  That others would look to her and emulate her behavior and attitude and that she needed to always do her best to set a good example.  To be nice and helpful to her teacher and also the kids in her class.  That she could be a force for good and that people would look to her as a leader. 

It makes me so proud to have a worthy priesthood holder in my home.  To hear him speak such individual and personal messages directly from Heavenly Father and to hear of the love He has for them and His desire for them to choose the right. 

Can you guess which one is me?

a sign of weakness

Is it a sign of weakness to admit you are overwhelmed and need some help?  I don't think it is.  I think it shows a certain maturity and humility to know when to ask for help and to be open to receiving help. 

I am at that point. After 12 weeks of summer, 12 weeks of having 4 kids day in and day out,  dealing with the newness of diabetes, the on going stress of having my MIL in the hospital, I'm wiped.  My mom account is in the deficit and THIS GOOSE IS COOKED.  It has been a long, hard, hot, stressful summer and I'm ready for it to end. I'm ready to send the kids packing (on the bus) and get my house back in some semblance of order. 

I even went so far as to ASK my mom to come down.  Sometimes you just need to call in reinforcements. 

58 hours and counting...I will be the happiest person in my zip code come 8:15am Thursday morning.  Until then...well...pray for the kids!!!

shades of summer

Big sisters

When you think of all the things big sisters do, pulling their baby sister in a wagon doesn't seem like an unlikely thing. 

When you see a picture of 3 big sisters pulling the wagon holding their baby sisters coffin, you look at life differently. 

This family, this AMAZING family.  They never cease to amaze me with their love, tenderness, and faith. 

Hunterisms

Now that he's three and talking so much more and more clearly, he says some of the funniest things.

1.  Also, by the way. 
example, "also, by the way, me punch you in FACE!." His idea of trash talking.

2. Big chocolate
"no this milk yummy, we want big chocolate."  As in it needs another scoop of Nesquik.

3. Missah eh-yee  prounced (miss-ah-eh-yee) meaning Miss Ellorie, that's what he calls her all the time. 
example- "me wake up missah eh-yee."  "Missah ey-yee waked up."

4.  Austin and Savannah have started "calling" things.  Example- "I call sitting in the front."
Hunter doesn't get the exact idea,  he says things like, "me call sleeping in bed with MOM." or "me call checking mail" or "me call eating dinner". 

new fav summer sidedish

2 green zucchini's cut into quarters and sliced
2 fresh tomatoes, diced
sprinkling of Greek seasoning
sprinkle bread crumbs over it
cover with shredded motz

bake at 400 til the zucchini is cooked.

I have made it a dozen times and it doesn't get old.  LOVE IT!

Lyndsie's baby

 
For those of you who would like to read more and offer words of strengh to my friend Lyndsie and her family, they have set up a page on Facebook that is open to the public. 



https://www.facebook.com/lyndsie.wiberg#!/GodsMiracleTelaaiMileneWiberg

It has lots of beautiful picture of the family and many tender words about the sweet mercies the Lord has shown to my friend.  I will not be able to attend the funeral but plan to try and go out in the fall. 

If you are able to make a financial donation to help them cover medical and funeral costs, please send a check to Zion's Bank Donation Account: "Lyndsie Wiberg Donation" #041493552, 1 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84133

the great switcharoo

Hunter has been coming into our room every night for nearly 2 months now.  I thought maybe he wanted someone to share a room with.  So I moved him and Ellorie in together in Austin's room and moved Austin into Hunter's room.  That freed up the downstairs office again, so we moved the computer and such back downstairs, moved the toys into the former office space upstairs and now...

Hunter is sleeping with Savannah. 

Turns out she has been sneaking to bed with Austin during the night so to kill two birds with one stone, I put Hunter in Savannah's bed and wala!  No midnight visitors. 

We will see how this all works when school starts.  I still think Hunter and Ellorie will do well together, she just has to learn to sleep with someone else in the room. 

my friends baby

This is Telaai Weiberg (pronounced Tah-lay). She is 5 days old and preparing to return to her Heavenly Father.  Her mission on the Earth is nearing completion and she will return to the angels with whom she belongs until the day her mom and dad meet her on the other side for what will be a most joyous reunion.

This is Telaai's mom, Lyndsie.  One of the most incredibly strong faithful women to ever walk the Earth.  She is preparing to lose her sweet baby. And yet, she's smiling.  Why?

Because she knows that families can be together forever.  The sealing power of the Priesthood is real. 

Oklahoma wildfire west of Tulsa

Blue skies ahead, dark skies behind.  Looks like a scene out of a movie. 

Thanks Brittany for the cool pic.

what do you do after you have your 5th baby?

go camping at the Grand Canyon? 

Nope, not me, but my sister did.  She lives in DC with her hubby and their 5 kids.  She just had her fifth the end of April and she was camping and hiking the Grand Canyon less than 12 weeks later. 

She's my hero.