The Healer

Thursday was a hard day for me.  I was just in a funk.  Unmotivated, discouraged, negative.  It was the day of the funeral for one of my best friends from high school, and I couldn't go because I couldn't find someone to watch my kids.  The never ending drama with selling our house was getting to me... the hot and cold buyers who we had a signed contract with our house but nothing else were stringing us along once again.  I tried positive self talk, listening to uplifting music, prayer, but the negative thoughts just kept coming.  The tears started to flow... and then, my sweet little 18 month old boy took a break from his tornado like messing, crawled up on my lap, and hugged me.  Not a snuggle to comfort him, but a hug to comfort me- he literally put his arms around me and held me.  It was the sweetest moment.

After that, I managed to find my big girl panties, put on some upbeat music and got over myself.

That night when I relayed the story to Nathan, his reply was, "the healer..."

Conversations

Eli had a doctors appointment today.  It's unfortunately not all that often that I get one on one time with one of my kids without any of the 'distractions' of home.  I love it when we're in the exam room and the doctor is a little behind because it's just me and my kiddo- and even though they just want to play my phone, I torture them with conversation *wink*

Today I was asking Eli about school- what they did today, what the current color/number/alpha friend they're learning, etc... I asked him what his favorite thing at school was to which he replied predictably, "recess."  I asked him who his best friend was, and his answer absolutely made my heart smile- he said his best friend was Dallin.  He said he plays with Dallin almost every recess- sometimes with some of Eli's friends also, and sometimes with some of Dallin's friends also, but usually always together.  I love that.  We talked about how lucky he is to have brothers and a sister who are so much fun to play with, and he agreed that he is really blessed.

While I'm thinking of him, I love how he calls cup cakes (or muffins for that matter), "cup capes"...  And root beer is "root beard".  Endearing.

Reign of Terror

Captain Destructo struck again this morning.

I literally put him down upstairs in Hailee's room to help her get her panties on correctly (they were sideways and backwards), and .02 seconds later, Dallin came up saying, "Mom!  Jace let off a CEREAL BOMB downstairs!"  I though that it couldn't be that bad, he was JUST upstairs... I was wrong.  This is what I found:

Two bowls of cereal/milk pushed off the counter, the entire box of lucky charms dumped out, and a cup of milk spilled...

When I finished containing that mess, I found him in my bathroom... 

luckily I was able to intervene before he did more damage.

A little later, he decided that since his breakfast adventures were so fun, he would try his hand with lunch...

He keeps me on my toes for sure!  

Btw,I did NOT stop to take a picture initially when he was grabbing for the knives...

Captain America

To say she is obsessed with Captain America would be a massive understatement... Forget her princess costumes, for over a month now, she has worn this costume e.v.e.r.y day... and night- yes, she sleeps in it too.  When ever I refer to her by name, she quickly corrects me with "Cap 'Mare-ca?"

She gets her teeth cleaned wearing it...

If she HAS to wear something else... 

 at least she has something comfortable on underneath!

Just doing a few chores around the house...

even super heroes need a little bling now and then...

No time to change?

 No problem!  This is a very versatile costume...

And a very versatile girl- she even does rodeo tricks!

and she still loves to admire herself in it!

I must admit, Captain America is very helpful too- she does all sorts of things for me (when properly addressed with the correct title!!) that Hailee just wouldn't have any interest in doing... silver lining I guess!

Strained...

Yes, that's my colander.  He had great fun sitting in it and rocking back and forth in it until he fell backwards and hit his head on the oven.  School of hard knocks?  Natural consequences?  He hasn't learned.  He's still in his 'explorative' phase... we tenderly call him Captain Destructo.  He has single-handedly broken and ruined more things in my house than all my other kids.  Combined.  x 10.  No kidding.  He is not quite as content at just merely emptying the contents of all my lower cupboards several times a day anymore, because now he can crawl up onto the counters and explore all of my UPPER cabinets!  But alas, I am no fun and stifle his creativity constantly.

Oatmeal facial anyone?

He's officially in the business.

(that was my bowl of oatmeal, btw... he stole it when I got up to help Hailee)

A day in the life...

Jace got a brilliant idea this morning...

 the table definitely needed a trim...

He finally lugged it up and zipped across...

 and off the other end.  But he kept his grip...

 and got right back to work...

Happy as can be!

Awww crap

Ugh.  Mobility is SO over rated!

Mostly Gross

I'm so surrounded by the crudeness of boys, that it doesn't even disgust me any more.  Right now it's bedtime, but still Christmas break, so I'm really not enforcing the boys actually being quiet and going to bed.  They've all slept in the same room for the past several nights, and have had a great time talking and being goofy boys.  I can clearly hear them up here as I catch up on my blog... as always, their conversation has turned to bodily functions... farting, burping and the like.

Because of this, I wasn't really listening to their conversation until I heard the following:
Bryson:  Burping brigade, step forward!
All 3 boys: {burp} {followed by lots of giggling}
Bryson: Farting brigade, step forward!
All 3 boys: {giggling with some obviously forced passing of gas}

They erupted in laughter... it eventually died down...

Eli: Farting brigade, step... oh wait, I need to go potty before I fart!

Oh.my.goodness!  BOYS!!  I just have to shake my head (and laugh too!)