Play Date

Last week Burke had some friends over to play (twins).  They played well for several hours,  mostly outside, my favorite type of playing.  Then they came inside to play upstairs in the play room.  When I came up to get them to take them home I found that the play room was messy with toys (of course) but they also had EMPTIED the linen closet.  They made a heaping pile of clean sheets, blankets, comforters, pillow shams, and the like.  I just stood there with my mouth open trying no to loose it in front of the friends.  I couldn't completely hide my emotions and I am positive the twins mother knows all about how mean I am.

Later that night the boys were putting all the toys away and I was restocking the linen closet, frustrated that they couldn't possibly do that part themselves.  Blake began walking so I got out the video camera.  I recorded her for a while and then the messy room, just to capture the memory.  Then I interviewed Burke on camera: "Burke, look at how messy this room is."  (Pause)  "Do you have anything you'd like to say?"  (Even looonger pause as Burke surveys the room.)  Burke answers while slowly scanning the room, "This...was...the best day ever."  I nearly died laughing.   I was expecting at least a little apology or remorse.  Not even on his mind.  I guess getting a laugh out of it was better than going to bed mad. 

Give Credit Where Credit is Due

Doesn't this five year old look mature?  I think so.  Not to mention handsome.  Well, OK, I just did.  He's handsome.  Which is why I couldn't help but laugh today when he reminded me that even though he is growing up fast he's still working on it.

After watching a couple of hours of TV after school I told Charlie to turn it off.  He protested and started whining back at me.  We carried on a conversation for a few moments in this fashion where I explained my reasons and he whined back at them...or me...take your pick.  Then I suddenly remembered that I am the parent, so I sent him to his room.  Using all of his near perfect temper tantrum skills he began throwing a massive temper tantrum on the way to his room.  That, of course, involved stomping and door slamming.  After a few minutes he came back down stairs...all smiles and happy to be alive.  Me: "Do you have anything you want to say?"  Charlie:  "Sorry."  Me: "For what?"  Charlie: "I can't remember."  Me:  "I'll show you."  (Whine, whine, stomp, stomp, cry, stomp, bang!)  Leaning on the couch in his mature GQ way, he gave a slight smile and said, "Nu-uh.  I was much louder than that."  Well, I guess I am the one who should be apologizing for failing to give credit where it is due.

Tornado

Blake disappeared during family scritpure reading.  I just put this roll in the bathroom a few minutes before she discovered it.  She seemed to be quite unaware that this action would end with me looking at her very seriously saying, "No, no, no."  I think I know what to give little miss Blake for Christmas.

Trick-or-treat

Our jack-o-lanterns.  Isaac carved BOO, Burke's guy was a pirate, Charlie hung tight to tradition, while Theron went for the CROC which was perfect for the shape of his pumpkin.

This was the best photo I could snap of the this squrimy little owl.

Charlie went as Dumbledore or as he little to call him Elvis Dumbledore.  That could be a really interesting costume.

Theron went as a viking. 

Isaac made a pretty good Harry Potter.

 

Burke went as a pirate.  But not just any pirate, "Cubby" from Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  Its was pretty funny having a costume that was so specific yet unknown.  All the moms who saw his costume kept saying, "Oh, a pirate!  I have an eyepatch you can borrow."  Which really means, "Some mom you are.  Don't you even know that pirates have eyepatches?"  This caused me to reflect on pirates.  I think we give them a bad rap assuming they are all careless or wimpy enough to only have one good eye left.  Well, not this pirate.  He has two good eyes.  After all...he is just a kid and has his whole pirate career ahead of him.

Where's Waldo?  Or should I say Travis.

Unicorns and glitter?  European shoulder bags?  If you are laughing right now, you are a true Flo fan.

And finally...the loot.

Rock Star

I really enjoy my time with Burke in the mornings just after the brothers go to school and Blake is down for a nap.  Besides getting to play lots of board games I get to hear about the world from Burke's point of view.  This time I learned just how AwEsOmE rock stars are...especially their hair. 

 

He spent quite a bit of time trying to style his hair just like one.  I think he did a pretty good job but...I personally...

...am partial to the missionary hair style.  Love this handsome beau.

Jog-a-thon

Charlie is walking/running laps at the school jog-a-thon.  He spent a lot of effort getting ready for this activity.  For days leading up to the event Charlie spent a fair amount of time trying to get "exercise" in preparation for his run.  He emptied our baseball bucket and put bricks inside of it and repeatedly lifted it over his head.  This only after confirming with me that that activity would qualify as exercise.  He came in from being outside a few times complaining that Burke wasn't  exercising with him.  Charlie doesn't like to do a mediocre job.  It's all the way.

cRaZy hair day

Enough said...

 

One Decade down

At ten years old Isaac is good at sleeping and when he sleeps...he sleeps hard.  This photo is proof.  I should mention that Travis had a church meeting so we woke Isaac up just after 6am for his breakfast in bed.  What a way to start off a birthday.

FINALLY!!  Isaac got a bike for his birthday.  This came as a huge relief to him.  He has been reminding us since June that Theron's bike is bigger and better than his.  He claims his friends like to point it out and it's just "WRONG".

Isaac keeps reminding us that the number of candles that you miss on your first blow if the number of kids you will have later.  I thought I would give him a real challenge by spreading his candles out as far as possible.  He was a good sport and I will be getting at least six grandkids someday!  Isaac got to have his friend Brandon and his family over for dinner on his birthday.  He thought that having a birthday on a Sunday was a bit of a downer.  Having a friend over to share the grub lessened the pain.

At ten Isaac has a sharp brain, great whit, and is endearingly disciplined.  He comes up with cracks that make us laugh,  He still likes to call things he thinks are not cool "hippie" and rename things by combining descriptive words together.  My personal favorite might always be "Chinja" (Charlie dressed as a ninja).  I love this boy!  Happy Birthday Isaac! 

Country Mercantile

Burke got to go on a field trip with his preschool class to the Country Mercantile.  He enjoyed the hay ride, picking out the perfect pumpkin, the hay maze, and fighting with his sister.

Burke ran through the hay maze in a frenzy.

With eight kids (at least) who go to church with us and several others who live close by in this photo of Burke's preschool class I have a feeling this will be one of those photos to look back on a remember how long these friends have known each other.

Blake's Birthday

What's a birthday?  Isn't it time for bed?
 
It was hard work but Blakelyn finally got this ribbon off of the present.  She pulled each strand out...one...by...one.

 

There is no way to type the cute sounds we heard coming from this principessa when she opened her dolly.  It was love at first sight.  I vote on the side of 'Nature'.  There was no prior nurturing going on.  She just loves her baby.

 

This photo was too cute to pass up but it doesn't show the way she really ate her cake, one finger swipe of icing at a time, for a very LOOONG time.  We thought she would never get into it.  But then she did and I happened to catch that split second and then it passed and she was back to swiping one bite at a time. 

Birthday Boy Burke

True to tradition Burke started out his birthday with breakfast in bed.

 We went to lunch at Masala.  It's a new Indian Restaurant in our town.  That made Burke's year!  He got a bike for his birthday so he spent a lot of the day on his new wheels with the brothers all riding around him.  He took an extra long time thinking about his wish before finally blowing out the candles.  He missed one and Isaac informed him that that's how many kids he's going to have.  I wonder...do you add up each missed candle every time you blow out the candles because I'm not sure I'm up for that many kiddos.

I have been having extra fun with this sweet four year old ever since school started.  Charlie is in kindergarten now so I am at home with Burke and Blake.  Blake still takes the awesome 9am nap so when the brothers scoot off to school it gets pretty quite around here.  I look forward to Burke's quiet voice asking me each and EVERY morning, "Mom, would you play a bowad game with me?"  That's board game, in case you were wondering.  I think we have cycled through nearly all of the games in our closets.  Even the ones that are not made for boys his age.  As long as we don't play Candy Land too frequently I will keep loving every minute of game time with sweet Burke.  Happy Birthday to the boy!

Seriuos Rapids

This summer we took a rafting trip on the Severe River in Utah with Trav's side of the family.  It was fun.  Travis steered our whole gang while the rest of us gleefully enjoyed the ride,

They didn't have quite the same experience on the raft behind us.  Judy must have thought death was knocking at her door.

 

I think Isaac and Quinn saw it, too.  What could poor Isaac do without a paddle in hand but look on?  Quinn was armed and bore down to save the crew. 

Randy agreed that that was a close call and let out a relieved sigh when to danger was past.

Us

This summer at our family reunion near Brianhead, UT.

Sweetie Pie

I don't think there has ever been a girl so loved by her fan club as this girl.  She deserves every bit of it.  She lights up the room and when she enters all eyes and efforts are focused on her.

Phonetically Speaking

Charlie and Burke play "Dad and Son".  I guess it's a version of "house" that comes from having only brothers to play with.  I overheard Charlie tell Burke, "My name is Brian. B-R-I-N."  Spelling might make more sense if we just put five year old kids in charge.

Biff

An afternoon with playmates turned a little sad for poor Burke.  His tricycle wheel collided with the wagon wheel as they were both rounding the corner of the driveway on the down slope.  Not much this small boy could do to prevent his face from scraping along the asphalt driveway.  It got really swollen and black.  He really did not like that.  He kept asking me to take the band-aid off of his eye.  There was nothing on his eye it was just swollen pretty good.  This shows a few days of recovery and to date it is nearly gone.  Thank goodness for healing healthy bodies.

Bright eyed Blakelyn

The bright eyed princess on her throne chomping on cheerios while drooling at breakfast time.