Kittens!

For our latest homeschooling adventure, we've been reading about cats this week. Last weekend at the District Campout, a teenage girl from another branch mentioned that they have kittens that needed homes soon. That got me to thinking...our hamster isn't much of a pet. We don't really interact with him much. We need something to love. So, I talked it up to Russ, and...the rest is history.

Today we got kittens: Cinnamon and Sugar. The reddish one (Cinnamon) is the runt of the litter, but very friendly. He is so tiny!













The whiter one (Sugar) is bigger, and already loves the scratching post.

They are soo cute, and the kids love them. When we visited them yesterday, and Lizzie first saw them, she said "Oooooo! Ooooo!" That's what she always does when she sees a small fuzzy thing that she wants to hug. Usually it is just a stuffed animal. She must hug every stuffed animal she sees. But, she's been very good with the kittens, not grabbing them or anything. She leans way over to see them closer and holds her hand out, even makes patting motions, but doesn't seem to actually want to touch them just yet. Ethan likes to hold them, of course. But Matthew is the one that is absolutely in love with them. Actually, we sort of got them with him in mind, as a type of therapy for him. Something for him to cuddle and hold, have quiet time with and just enjoy the peacefulness of petting them. He is very protective of them.

I'll get some pictures of the kids holding them tomorrow. I need to go to bed. Yay, we have kittens! We love cats and dogs, but cats are a little easier to take care of, so... :)) More difficult than a hamster, but more lovable, too.

Politics

Russ and I were raised republican, and we're LDS, so we come from a largely conservative background. However, I don't recall much politics being discussed as I was growing up. Russ' brother married a girl whose family is strongly democratic. I respect them alot, so that makes me more interested in figuring out what I really believe. We've had a bishop we also respected very much who was a Democrat.
Russ and I don't get television, so we have to read news online to learn about the issues. We're trying to be a little more responsible and read up about the candidates. Especially since we have to send in our ballots soon (we vote in Washington state). If a moderate is someone who may vote for either party, depending on the candidate or situation, then I guess we're moderates. We are leaning toward Obama, because we like his health plan and financial plan. The thing holding us back is the fact that he may appoint Supreme Court Justices that will have long-term consequences on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.
I'm just throwing this out there, because that's what we're thinking about right now.

Tag--Seven Random Things About Me

Seven random things about myself. Hmmm, it's all randomness. Off the top of my head...

1. It's almost midnight and I'm writing seven random things about me instead of going to bed. (Russ donated that one). I hate to have to go to bed. I wish sleep were optional instead of necessary. There is so much to do, so little time to do it. Even when I was in kindergarten I remember not wanting to lay down on those little rugs and take a nap. Who does? Actually, now I love a nap and I love sleep--after I've gotten plenty of it and I'm feeling good from it. But, I never like having to stop doing things to go to sleep. Besides, it's not always restful, because my dreams seem so real that it's like living another life while I'm sleeping. One year I wrote down my dreams every morning. It bugs me that so many people think they don't dream, when the fact is that everyone dreams, it's just that most people don't remember their dreams. Russ used to think this, but after two years of listening to me tell him my dreams every morning, he started remembering his. Ha. You just gotta wanna.

2. I am a sugar addict. Hopefully someday I'll be able to say "recovering sugar addict". I've noticed that other cultures think our sweets are too rich or sweet, and American's tend to think the same about other cultures' sweets. At least I've seen this in China and Japan. It's just a different type of sweet. Everyone thinks their own sweets are best. Like me. Lizzie is my sweet and I'm addicted to her. I could just eat her up. And I never want to be recovering from that kind of sweet.

3. I love ideas. I collect ideas. It's my hobby. I love to go into the hobby section of WalMart and just imagine the possibilities of all the things I could make. I can and have gotten lost in WalMart and other hobby stores (JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, Michaels), which leads to number 4...

4. I have ADHD. This is why I can get lost in a store for so long. I have spent over 5 hours in WalMart at a time, more than once. The first couple of hours are fun, but after that it's more like compulsion to look at everything. Like every isle in the store. Almost. I usually skip the soaps and perfumes because they give me a headache. And I usually don't go in the electronics or automotive section. But, in general, it's like everything is interesting and has equal pull on my attention. WalMart is an ADD person's nightmare. And heaven.

5. I have always wanted to be a photographer and a writer. I would like to write children's books. I've even planned a few, but I'm not really serious enough about it to actually take the time to do it. Maybe someday.

6. Autumn is my favorite season. I love to breathe the cool, crisp air as I take in the multi-colored trees. I love trees. Some of the best places I've found to enjoy the autumn is, in no special order, Minnesota, Utah, Alabama, Virginia and Tennessee. Also Japan. Maybe because they all have so many beautiful, deciduous trees. I love to feel cool, much more than being hot. And yet, I've spent a lot of my life in hot, humid places. That's one reason why we'll live in North Dakota over Louisiana.

7. I can swallow a whole bunch of big pills/vitamins all at once. I noticed that I hold my left hand up in the air palm up, like I'm waiting for someone to put something in it while I swallow my pills or vitamins. I do it without thinking and then I notice and feel silly and put it down. I've done this for years. Ever since I started swallowing vitamins. Russ can't even swallow a multi-vitamin, but I can gulp a small handful at once. I even successfully taught my 5-year-old son how to swallow a pill, again proving that you just gotta wanna. And now, I'm going to bed. Even though I don't really wanna.

Homeschooling update #2

Great news from our little corner of the world! Haha, well, it's great news for me. We have had three great days in a row of homeschooling! I don't know if we ever matched that even in public school. It turns out that I needed to provide the right motivation. Because, really, what is more fun than playing with your transformers all day or reading Harry Potter books every free second? So, to pull Matthew away and get him to accomplish his lessons in a reasonable amount of time (like before 5 pm??) this is what I did. I got out a couple of baby food jars and told the boys that for each lesson they completed/participated in, they each got to put one marble into their jar. Later, each marble can be redeemed for 15 minutes of computer time. {I got this great idea from Ericka, one of my homeschooling friends here in Del Rio}. Well, that was an immediate reward, kept them going, and didn't involved sugar. Ethan likes to try free online games. Matt likes to go to Transformers.com and watch old webisodes of the original cartoons, or just look at all the different Transformer toys that are available. Although I really can't stand to see him sitting there drooling over more Transformers, it is working. Today they both got done before lunch. We start after breakfast with a morning devotional: prayer, sometimes a song, and then I read a few verses of scripture and we discuss it's meaning and how it applies to us today. Matthew did his Reading, Math, Science, Health, and Social Studies. Ethan does all the same subjects, only modified to his level. I'm actually really enjoying it.

This afternoon, I left the kids home with Russ while I went to the dentist to supposedly get a small cavity filled. I ended up with a root canal! That was fun. My lip is only now, five and a half hours later, returned to it's normal size and feeling. Happily, I didn't have to wait for it to get really painful before I got it taken care of. The dentist was telling me how much pain it was when he was up all night with a tooth needing a root canal instead of a filling, and how I was being saved sooo much pain. I believe him, of course, but I couldn't help thinking "Oh please, I have had three babies. Pain? Bring it on." Nevertheless, I VERY glad to report a pain-free root canal, something unheard of until recent history. As we learned in Social Studies this morning, during Colonial times in America, there was only one cure for a painful tooth. Visit your local blacksmith and let him YANK it out. Fun, fun. Thank goodness for modern medicine. Well, some modern medicine anyway.

What are the odds?!

Okay, so Russ and I were playing Yahtzee tonight, and I rolled a Yahtzee on my second turn. It was five 4's. Then, in the next game, his first turn, Russ rolled a Yahtzee--also 4's. Then, the very next turn, I rolled a Yahtzee of 4's. So, considering that these dice are not loaded (they're the very same dice we've always used for this game), what are the odds of that many Yahtzee's being rolled--especially the two right after each other of the same number. In one game there are 13 turns. Figure that one out, if you dare. Nikki, Ed, we're counting on you! No pressure though. (Nikki and Ed are our genius sister and brother-in-law who pontificate about numbers for a living).

Wait, it gets better! We just played a tie-breaker game, and I rolled a Yahtzee of 6's, and then a few turns later I rolled a Yahtzee of 4's! So, the odds of rolling a Yahtzee of the same number (4's) in three consecutive games, and whupping Russ' butt. Let's hear it folks. I want to hear some replys!

Happy Birthday Lizzie!

Lizzie's latest trick

Lizzie has been working hard to stand on her own. It's so cute, especially to see how excited the boys get every time she does it! I often hear, "Mom! Look at Lizzie! She's standing again!" "Mom, see Lizzie? She can stand on her own. Oooh, good job Lizzie!" Liz gives a shout out to all her fans out there. Keep the love coming!

First Year of Homeschool: The Grand Experiment

Well, we are homeschooling this year. And that accounts for why I haven't updated the blog in a couple of months. Also, we were gone on a long road trip, during which I didn't comment. I'll put some pictures up soon from our trip. It was great, we got to see a lot of family and even some friends.

As for the homeschooling, this is our first year doing it. The books describe this time of transition from public school to home school as "The Grand Experiment". We're doing a lot of observing--what time during the day are the kids more ready to learn, more likely to sit down, when do they tend to need playtime or rest time, or interaction with others. When do I have more energy to do lessons with them, and when should I let them do silent reading or free play. Et cetera.

We're involved in an Election Class with other homeschooled kids, taught by one of the mothers. It's two hours one day a week for ten weeks, and we pay her for the supplies and such. They do an interactive lesson, crafts and games. Then I take them to the library and we check out our own books about voting or government, etc. and maybe videos that pertain to the subject (like the Schoolhouse Rock videos) and read more about it on our own.

We're looking into a gymnastics program for the boys that is here in town. They did it for a few months last year and really enjoyed it. They are both excited to do it again.

We go on field trips with other homeschool families, like last week we went to the Whitehead Museum in downtown Del Rio. The week before that we went to Alamo Village (where they filmed "The Alamo" movie with John Wayne).


And of course, we're involved in church and primary, and playing with the neighbors when we can, so they are getting socialized. (I know that is a big issue that other people always are concerned about).

We're using the RightStart Math program that our friend and neighbor, Amanda McClure, told us about last year. I really like it. Matt is a great reader and bright kid, but his understanding of math leaves much to be desired. This program teaches kids to see it more intuitively rather than just memorizing facts that don't mean much to them. I'm using it with both of the boys. Ethan seems to be a natural at math. Also, I'm teaching Ethan to read using the book "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons", and he's doing great. I'm excited for him to be able to do some reading on his own--hopefully by the time he turns five in mid-October he'll be able to read some. He sees how much fun Matt has reading all his books. Just this last week, he read the second Harry Potter book in 3 days. Now he is half-way through the third book. One nice thing about homeschooling is all the time it gives him to feed his love for literature.

I'm curious as to how many of my extended family homeschool their kids--anyone know? I know Rhonda Nielsen Foster does, or did. I know Uncle Kelly's kids were all homeschooled, but that was it for my generation. I think it's a lot more common now than it was then. Another plus is that it cuts down on the stress SO much. Just trying to get Matt up and ready for school was such an ordeal last year that Russ had to switch jobs within the squadron and get special permission to come in to work later just so he could help me get Matt up and going. Then there were all the problems in school, and dealing with the fallout after school and then trying for hours to get him to do homework that even Russ and I didn't see the point of. So, in spite of the added stress of figuring out a school plan, course of study, and everything involved in homeschooling, it is still far LESS stressful than attending the regular school here. Another place, another time, we'll probably try public school again, but for now this is good for our family.

Slideshow of Lizzie & the boys playing

Matthew's first seven years

Matthew's 7th Birthday party: Transformers

Poetry

A few birthdays coming up...Matthew will be 7 years old next Sunday, July 20th. He shares a birthday with his great-grandmother, Melba Parker Bastian, who is turning 93 years old. A week later on July 28th, Russ will celebrate his 33rd birthday. Lizzie turns one year old in September and Ethan turns 5 in October.

The boys and I did a few poetry exercises this afternoon from a book called Jump Write In while Russ worked on his Master's assignment. I learned the word for those little poems that you make up using the first letter of a word from the chosen phrase on every line--it's "acrostic". (A verse or arrangement of words in which a certain letter in each line, usually the first letter, spells out a word or phrase). Who knew? So, after hearing me read my acrostic poem, Matt chose the phrase "little baby". You can find it in the kid's quotes section of the blog. Mine is called "Sweet Lizzie".

SWEET LIZZIE

Soft and cuddly little baby
Watching her brothers play
Eager to taste each new crumb, toy, leaf
Ever learning
Testing the feel of my teeth with her hands

Laughing at peek-a-boo
Inching along on her bottom
Zero years old
Zestfully nursing
Into everything
Especially my heart

Not Today

Most Sunday mornings start out with this declaration from Matthew: "It is NOT Sunday. I am NOT going to church today." While Ethan raced Russ to see who could get dressed fastest, Matt dragged himself to the breakfast table in his pajamas.

While I was in the kitchen getting the oatmeal ready, I overheard Ethan saying to Matthew at the table, "If you won't go to church today, you won't get blessings. You don't want blessings?"

Matthew's response? "Not today."

Groan. I had to laugh to myself in the kitchen, because who doesn't feel like that sometimes? But we get up and go anyway.

I Could Poke My Eye Out

Tonight during Family Home Evening, Russ led us in a rousing rendition of the old camp song "The Other Day I Met A Bear" for the opening song. Okay, it was abysmally slow (apparently so that Ethan could keep up with the repetitions). I had been cooking and cleaning all day because we were having the missionaries over for dinner, they had just left and I was tired and had a headache. Then to endure such a song...it was close to agony. Fast forward to the end of the evening--Ethan chooses "The Other Day I Met A Bear". Again. Unthinkingly, I said aloud "I could poke my eyes out." Matt chooses this time to be obliging and helpful (why not earlier when I was cleaning?)--he reaches over and pushes his thumb into my eye. Ethan is laughing and Matt chants "I'll poke your eye out" and before I can move he pokes me in the same eye again! I protest, Russ reprimands him and then explains why we don't poke people in the eye. I tell myself to cool it and we go on to sing the song. I even do hand motions to make it more fun and easier for Ethan to follow along. As soon as the song is over, Ethan thanks me by saying "You'll poke your eye out!" and launching himself at me and poking me hard in my other eye. I felt like I was in a Three Stooges show.

Moral of the story: ??? Hmmm, there could be a few here.... leave a comment with what you think it should be.

Highlights

Here is my hair with the blonde highlights. I'm getting it cut again this week, so I'll put another picture up after I do.

My birthday is on Tuesday, and we're going to San Antonio for 3 days. Zoo, SeaWorld, the temple, shopping, Chipotle Grill, etc. Should be fun.

When I figure out how to make a slideshow, I'll put a lot more pictures up. Right now I have to go to bed. Russ is hovering over my shoulder, because he knows if he leaves me here, I could be another 3 hours.

Tag, you're it!

A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B: Each player answers the questions about themselves
C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 3 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.


1. What where you doing 10 years ago?

Val: I was just finishing my junior year at the Air Force Academy and was dating Pete McClellan, who was getting ready to go on his mission. Of course I mention this because he was in our branch here in Del Rio as the 2nd Counselor in the Branch Presidency for the last two years (they just moved to Dover). His wife, Marie, is a good friend of mine and I'm in love with their beautiful children--Emma, Sarah and Daniel. Three little redheads, and they are soooo cute! Marie graduated from the Academy too. Anyway, that summer I sent him the infamous Dear John and a few months later started dating Russell Bastian. The rest, as they say, is history.

Russ: Was in St. Petersburg, Russia, on his mission. Returned to the U.S. at the end of June, returned to the Academy in July and taught Combat Survival Training, sucked the eyeballs out of rabbit's heads and so on.

2.What is on your to-do list today?

Val: Today is over, so just watch the rest of the Raiders of the Lost Ark with Russ and go to bed. Typically it's: nurse the baby, try to read scriptures and exercise, feed everyone breakfast, get Matt off to school, go on a walk, read some books to Ethan, think of a craft to do with the boys, try to figure out what to make for dinner, play with Lizzie, try to take a nap, try to read a little, try to clean up the house a little.

Russ: Oh, watch a movie, go to bed. Typically, go to the gym, fly, work on master's assignments, play with the kids, read scriptures, try to get Val...uh, use your imagination


3. What would you do if you suddenly became a billionaire?

Val: First I would pay tithing on it. Then I'd pay off all debt if I had any, which we don't right now since we don't own a house. I'd make sure we had enough tucked away for education and missions for all our kids, ourselves and our parents. Then I'd buy a nice house and get Russ his dream car. Then I'd buy nice houses for all my siblings and their families, and set up education and mission funds for their kids. I'd definitely get a cook and a housekeeper, and regular massages. Like at least weekly. Then when my kids were all grown up, I'd probably look into creating some kind of charitable foundation. I would need years to think about that.

Russ: I wouldn't save and invest because if I had a billion dollars that would be more than I would ever need. I guess I would have to keep working for the Air Force for a few more years. I would buy a corvette, a new boat, a cabin somewhere out on the lake, take a vacation with Val and the kids somewhere cool, like maybe Europe. Then, I'd send my parents on a vacation someplace cool. Then I'd help out friends and family. And I'd pay my tithing.

4. What are your bad habits?
Val: Eating too much, yelling at my kids, being late to things
Russ: Procrastinating, underestimating time (in other words, always late!), getting up late

5. Places you have lived.

Val: Utah, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Alaska, Washington, Japan, Colorado, Hong Kong, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana, North Dakota and back to Texas...

Russ: Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Russia, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana, North Dakota and back to Texas...

6. Places you have worked.
Val: In Washington I was a newspaper carrier, in Japan I was a lifeguard, always a babysitter, then various "cadet jobs" at the Academy, then 2nd Lieutenant in the AF for a while, occasionally paid for photography but most of the work I do is free. Stay-at-home mom to 3 kids.

Russ: Boy Scout Camp, Hewlett Packard, Jacklin Seed Company, various "cadet jobs" at the Academy, USAF pilot

7. Things people don't know about you.

Val: I've flown in an F-16 four times, for a total of 5.5 hours. I earned my jump wings by jumping out of an airplane five times. I just got blonde highlights in my hair today (21 May 2008). I've only dyed my hair one other time in my life, and that was three years ago while Russ was deployed. I was blonde then too, and a lot of people didn't even recognize me. The old ladies in my ward at church wouldn't speak to me until I was brunette again.

Russ: I was run over by a boat. I've dropped bombs on Taliban terrorists in Afghanistan.

Haircut

I got my hair cut today. What do you think?
Russ took the boys camping with some friends tonight, and I spent my "night off" cleaning while listening to a book on tape. Then I said to myself, "What am I doing?" So I got all dressed up like I was going out on a date and proceeded to shoot my own photo. Of course, it really took like thirty takes before I got one I could use. I had to take this picture, though, because people keep saying my haircut on my Facebook profile looks so cute, but really that was two years ago! I just hadn't updated my picture. So, anyway, here it is now. I love it.

The book I'm listening to is The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I love audiobooks. I can actually finish a book this way, plus it gives me something to focus on so I can get some cleaning done.

I was going to do yoga and go to bed early. Too late for that...guess I'll do it in the morning. I'm enjoying all the quiet around here. I wonder if Matthew and Ethan are being happy campers. I wonder if Russ is getting any sleep. hehehe. I always take earplugs with me when I go camping.

Peanut Allergy's latest news

I just read an article online about an eighth-grader in Lexington, Ky., who "was arrested Sunday on felony wanton endangerment charges for allegedly putting peanut butter cookie crumbs in the lunch box of a classmate with a severe peanut allergy. A recent report of a 13-year-old spiking his peanut-allergic classmate's lunch may highlight a dangerous gap in food allergy education in schools, experts say. A student in Kentucky has been charged with a felony for contaminating an food-allergic child's lunch with peanuts."(ABCNEWS) Here's the link to the story: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AllergiesNews/story?id=4697036&page=1

Then I found another link to a story of an eight-year-old boy who just died in February from his peanut allergy. Here's the link to the story--you can read it and/or watch the video:

http://tristatehomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=5678

Matthew's school stopped making peanut butter cookies for school lunches when Matthew started kindergarten there last year. Matthew came home distressed at the beginning of this school year when one of his close friends kept showing up next to him at lunchtime with a peanut butter sandwich. He used to break out in hives if he was even touched by someone who had eaten peanut butter. Now, he's not quite as sensitive... it doesn't seem to affect him unless he actually eats something with peanut butter in it.

Matthew is usually very cautious--ever since he was a toddler he would ask others "Does this have peanut butter in it?" He even asks me that, and I'm his own mother. Of course I wouldn't feed him something with peanut butter in it. He's very smart about asking, but the one time he did go into anaphalactic shock--his tongue and throat swelled up immediately, he couldn't swallow, couldn't breathe, and I had to stick him with an EpiPen. (And the poor boy is terribly afraid of needles). That was summer of 2006 when he ate what appeared to be a chocolate brownie that someone had made with peanut butter in it. From that experience, we know just how allergic Matthew is to peanuts: deathly.

Unfortunately, most people don't understand that. Church socials are the worst threat--so much activity, kids everywhere, lots of food, and people always bring stuff with peanut butter in it, no matter how many times we tell them of Matt's allergy. When he was a toddler, I found him at one social about to be given some treat from an elderly gentleman who was just trying to be nice and share his dessert with him. I caught him right in time--the treat had nuts in it. I've requested numerous times that people label their potluck dishes with food allergy information, but I usually have to case the whole place, tracking down who made what food so I can ask them if there are any peanut products in it. Moral of the story, if someone around you mentions having any food allergy, especially a nut allergy, take it seriously. As the second article said,
"Dr. Hugh Windom, an associate professor at the University of South Florida, said "Even the most aware children and adults could use the watchful eye of a peer who's educated about their allergy." Windom says it's easy to bite into a brownie with nuts, or another food with an allergen.
"These kids don't have a sixth sense, they don't know where peanuts are at all times."

Congrats to Russ!

I started up my blog last week, but then I didn't tell anybody about it. So, now I've finally emailed friends and family to invite you guys to view the blog. Since I put alot of pictures of my kids on here, I don't want just anybody out there to be able to have access to it. That's why you have to log in to see it.



Big news for the week--It was a good week for Russ. He won the Company Grade Officer of the Quarter award for his squadron! Finally getting some recognition for being such a great guy and officer. He always goes the extra mile, but you won't see him hanging around the squadron bar on Friday nights with the guys. As many of you know from experience, that can definitely affect the career of a military officer. So, we're glad they appreciate him for what he does at work and not for his social life. He spends whatever extra time he has at home with his family, or doing church work. Like today, he spent hours cleaning the house and watching the kids so I could exercise and rest. And that was...after he spent four hours at the gym playing racquetball. Which leads me to the next tidbit: Russ won the Wing Racquetball Tournament today! The new wing commander, LtCol Doucette, was one of the people he had to beat. Now he wants Russ to call his secretary to schedule time to play with him.



Ethan went to a friend's birthday party today. Matthew wanted to give a present to one of his friends as well, so he wrote a card "From Matt, to Jacob Beineke: Thanks for being my friend." Then we dropped it off at Jacob's house. Nevermind that it's not Jacob's birthday. Matthew just loves to give gifts to people, and since I do too, I had a hard time denying him. We want to encourage any positive traits. And really, Matthew has been doing much better in school now than he was at the beginning of the year. He's been off all meds since December. Those meds were making him so much more emotional, irritable, violent, moody and unpredictable--even though they were supposed to help with those very things. So, our next course of action is to try some herbal remedies. I borrowed a book about Dr. Christopher's Herbal Home Health Care from a friend of ours.



Matthew has been on half-days at school for the past few months, but now he's doing so well that we're extending it by an hour, until we build up to full days again. It's funny, the teacher sent home a note a couple of weeks ago saying "I know it's strange for a teacher to complain about this, but all Matthew does is read." He often gets bored in class and refuses to do the work, instead holing up under the teacher's desk and reading books. He is reading at a 3.5 level (meaning at the level of a child half-way through third grade) even though he is a first grader. Both his teacher last year, this year and the principal have nominated him for the Gifted/Talented program. They'll do testing in a while. I'll be interested to see what the come up with for his IQ. He is such an intelligent person--we love his thirst for learning.



Ethan is also smart, although I worry that his potential goes unrealized much of the time due to being in Matthew's shadow. I'm starting to work with him doing some pre-reading and math activities. He attends pre-school for a couple of hours three days a week, but that is mostly for him to interact with the other kids and give me a few hours respite from boys so I can get some errands done. With Matt coming home on half-days and my own energy level ever-fluctuating, it's difficult to keep up with everything that needs to be done to run a household. That's why Russ helps clean so much on Saturdays. Or whenever he can, really. I'm lucky to have such a helpful husband.



Lizzie is teething and is at the stage in which she does not want to be out of my sight. If I even put her down so I can use the restroom or leave the room for a second, she starts crying. So, I'm holding her alot these days. It's funny, to see those big crocodile tears that stop as soon as I pick her up again. You know, funny but slightly annoying. She's starting to babble this week. She says "Da-da" and makes growling and gurgling noises. She is a LOT like Matthew was as a baby, and looks like him too. Cautious, startles easily, lots of smiles for family but just looks on seriously at strangers. Loves to listen to me talk or sing, and moves her tongue around in her mouth like she's playing with it, practicing for making new noises. Matthew did that too. Ethan was much more physical and still is. In fact, yesterday I overheard him saying to himself after he got himself a drink of water, "I have big muscles, and they're going to get bigger." He's often heard telling Matthew that if he doesn't eat his food, he's not going to grow big and strong. Ethan loves to eat. Popcorn is his favorite treat food. He does have asthma though.



Okay, now I'm rambling. Time to get to bed. Russ has PEC in the morning (Priesthood Executive Committee) and he's giving the training for it. I have to get the kids ready for church by myself (no easy task for anyone, but just try it with a Matthew!!!). Our new goal is to get to church early. At least ten minutes early. For the rest of our lives.



Val, signing out.

Hoppy Easter!

Well, here we all are...Easter 2008.

I did a lot of edits on this picture. Want to see the original?




Can you find all the differences? Well, main things are that I liked the beautiful greenery on the trees. It all speaks of spring and easter and new beginnings. But, these trees are sprouting like antlers out of mine and Russ' heads. So I got rid of all that.



This was Lizzie's first Easter, so she came along with us and this is what she saw...Ethan and Matthew riding their bikes in the Easter Parade.






They were all supposed to decorate their bikes for this, but we found out about it at the last minute. Russ and I went on a date Friday night and the kids stayed home with my friend Betsy from next door. Matthew decorated his BigWheel by taping plastic toy dinosaurs all over it. It was hideous and awesome. It looked exactly like what you would expect a six-year-old boy's decorations to look like. Ethan and William (their friend and Betsy's son) taped cotton balls to the seats of their bikes for tails and then drew all over them with chalk. Unfortunately, we woke up the next morning and found the rain had washed away all the chalk, which brought a new torrent of tears from our four-year-old. So, we quickly came up with this replacement: I wrapped some extra batting around his bike and cut a bunny's head and ears out of foam board, drew a face on, gave it a pink scrubbie for a nose and stuck toy duckies in the spokes.





Cute Lizzie.




Ethan and Matt on the pony ride.





Patience Hedgpeth, or "Paitie", is my friend Betsy's 8 month old daughter. We see them almost every day, especially since they live right next door. Paitie is such a sweet little baby, and she is so smiley. Beautiful too, just like a little doll. She and Lizzie like to hold each others hands when they're next to each other. And grab each other's faces.




Lizzie was just tired and hungry. She said, "Mom, I don't care about Easter eggs. I just want to lay down in my crib and sleep. And eat. And sleep. And eat..." Look at the photo magic I did on this picture.



Matt and Ethan were only willing to pose for a picture with Sparky the Fire Dog with the promise of letting them eat the candy from one of their eggs. Speaking of fire safety, Russ just sent me a news clip about how kids don't wake up to the loud beeping of regular fire alarms. There are new alarms coming out this month that parents can record their voices on, calling their kids names and it works a lot better. I am putting the video clip on my post, but I think it will end up at the bottom of the page. I'm still figuring out how to move stuff around on here.



Ethan, willing to sit with the Easter Bunny, but only after being offered a treat. Why are kids afraid of these things, but once you mention candy they lose all fear? The lady taking pictures got him to smile by asking him if he had any teeth, so he would show her. Hmmm, it worked.


Here is Matt, opening the first egg after the hunt. That is his excited face.





Guess who is starting solid foods now? Lizzie just turned six months old on March 20th, and we've begun giving her yummy new things, like green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, carrots and bananas. So far, she likes them all except for the peas. I love frozen sweet peas myself, but I tasted these baby food peas and it is like eating mushed up canned peas. Gross. I don't blame her for not liking it.

Anyway, bye for now. Not bad for my second post.