Hungry for a brother...

Wii Bribe

First of all, I don't do video games. Not my thing.
Jared doesn't do video games. That's how he made it past the third date with me.
I haaaaaate them, As Jen says, they are soul suckers.

I announced to all when I was 2 months pregnant with our first child that I would NEVER buy video games for our kids! Never!
I also announced that if anyone tried to buy our kids a game system would get to have it back.

Sooooo, this year, when Grandpa Ray came to visit, Uncle Ray Ray sent a present for the boys on Tyler's birthday. It was, yup, you guessed it, a Wii.

Sooo, a Wii is definitely a game system.
Ya, I don't do those.
BUT-
oh no, there's a but-
BUT, I just couldn't return such a generous gift. Couldn't do it. I think I could have done it to my parents or Ray - no offense, but I just didn't want to be that jerk.

Sooooo, we have a Wii.

I decided from the get go that this little game system equaled major leverage and we were going to have to milk it for all it's worth.
Before we gave it to the kids, we asked them, "What would you be willing to do for a Wii?" and we just let them talk while we took notes. Once we pulled out all we could, out came (drum roll please........) THE WII!!!!! The boys got to sign their list of Wii rules and requirements and won their prize. And I have to say, Ray Ray picked out the perfect games for our boys - Monster Trucks (with the wheel), Wii Sports, and Lego Star Wars (light sabers and lego men, totally awesome - but I don't like it.)

Tyler especially looooooves the Wii and he will do anything I ask to get to play it. I continue to milk,milk,ilk it. He usually only gets to play it once or twice a week - that keeps him on his toes. I can line up homework assignments, chores upon chores and he will do it and do it fast all for the Wii.

So I'd like to thank Uncle Ray Ray for this fabulous Wii. Best bribery tool we've ever had. I'll send it back if it stops working.

Thank you for that guy...

The other day we were at Uncle Neil's for dinner and Adam said the prayer. He was looking around the table at everyone saying, "Thank you for my Dominic, thank you for daddy, thank you for Tyler,..." he continues being thankful and looked over at Neil, Tara, Jesse, and Kathleen and just could not produce their names so he said, "And thank you for that guy, and thank you for that guy, and thank you for that guy, and thank you for that guy, nameChrist, amen."

After that my uncle told me a story of my dad when he was little. They had hot dogs for dinner one night and my dad really wanted more. His mom told him to save it for lunch the next day. Then when he said his bedtime prayer that night, he said, "Please bless the wiener in the fridger."

Matrinity

I call this Matrinity. Here is, in order of bellies,

Katie, Crystal, and Heidi.

Heidi and Katie are now unpregnant, how very fabulous that is. Heidi, the one with the wood stove, got to be induced ahead of schedule and since this is her last baby, she wanted a last minute shot. Two more friends were due at the same time so the next thing we know we're doing photos up at Heidi's farm (my favorite place to shoot).

This is actually the first time I've ever done maternity photos. It's not something I really get into. You know how I looove being pregnant, and I just can't handle all the shots photographers do of half naked women showing their bellies and that classy tatoo on the small of their back. Uuugh. Alright, I'm sorry, I don't know why I feel the need to bring that up.

The point I was getting to was this was fun. There, triple bellies with friends = fun.

Congratulations! Can't wait to shoot the watermelons that came out!

Happy Fall!

Happy Happy Fall! I have never been more aware of fall in my life. We have about 8 large deciduous trees and countless smaller ones in our yard and they have been crying all month long. LEAVES, LEAVES, LEAVES!!! That's not all, there's a few evergreens as well, one of which is a Ponderosa pine with fantastic, great big cones and long pine needles. If you sit under it on the wrong day you might think you're under attack!

I noticed the other day I hadn't blogged in a few weeks... Simply a testament to the lack of time I have to do it. Right now I'm forgoing sleep. Sleep is discretionary with a long term payoff of many wrinkles and grey hairs. I'm on my way.

So really, here's a little peak at some of the fun we've had in October. It was mostly work but here's proof that there was fun. I tried fiddling with picture arrangements but I really don't know what I'm doing and I really really don't have the patience for it, so what you see is what you get. Again, the order is all backwards and upside down because I'm not downloading again for the sake of a better arrangement.


HALLOWEEN!!!! Look at the cute baby bug. Such wonderful chubby thighs to nibble on!! Soli was a calapitter and I was a butterfly. She is just as slimy, hungry, and chubby as a caterpillar so I thought it was very fitting. Adam and Dominic were Karate Kids, Tyer was Anakin Skywalker, (all hail Star Wars, I really wanted Soli and I to be Padme and Leia ( how do you spell that?) but I just couldn't come up with a Padme wig.) Jared was a bonified redneck. He even took Judd, the most hilly billy basset hound you ever did see - compliments of Jess and Kathleen, on a walk while trick or treating using a belt for a leash. Priceless. Oh, and yes, he carried the axe around the neighborhood as well.

Ah, now this is from the break dance competition! Our friends have a break dance studio - Tangled Roots- and Shanner teaches his coolness to local aspiring dancers of all ages. I got to photograph the event for them. I know what you're thinking, you don't have friends that are that cool, Kelly. Oh I know, I know. Shanner is our home teacher and I am his wife's visiting teacher. My partner showed up with this months message to give to Shanner's wife before it started. I said this HAS to be a first, visiting teaching at a break dance competition. The coolness factor just lost all credibility. It was really fun though. Shanner puts together some killer events and I love that he let's me come along for the ride.

Up next, how much wood could a wood chuck chuck, or how much wood can 4 little kids, 2 babies, a third 2 weeks from birth, 2 moms, 4 dads, and 4 teenage boys cut and chuck into the back of 3 trucks and 2 trailers?

I don't know, I didn't count. A lot of wood. our dear friends, Heidi and Kelly, not pictured below... heat their house with a wood stove. So fall and summer time is when the wood must be gathered. We all went along to help get wood.

I think this one tops out as my favorite day of the month. Twas a beautiful fall day in the woods. The kids were so helpful. They formed a long line to pass wood all the way up to the trucks. This was genuinely fun work.

The AMAZING CORN MAZE!!

oK, I had never been to one of these before. I can only imagine what it's like after dark.

There was a little competition to find the way out between Jared's street smarts and Air Force smarts, and Brian, the engineering student, and former Marine, who was following the map.

Jared ran ahead and yelled over the wall of corn, "Marines always call in the AF to save them!" Brian didn't care because he can just kill Jared with his bare hands.

Ah, Adam and the baby sister. Here he is, caught on film, trying to smush the baby sister. She was actually laughing during that part but was really nervous when he jumped on the bed in circles around her. Poor kid. I hope that soft spot closes up soon.

Let's just stop and admire pretty Soli for a moment.

Ode to the cuteness.

And we're back to the leaves! Thanks, Becca for saving my bacon and helping rake! When I get a minute, I'll bring you some cookies in return.

That's the end of October. Better late than never.

Ta ta for now!

Oh, the little things...

It's the little things that make life beautiful isn't it?

I have really been struggling with my overabundance of responsibility lately. The demands placed particularly on me in our family have reached a level of intensity that I did not even fathom. I used to think I was busy. Ha! My family is truly my greatest joy and my greatest challenge. I feel as though I've been running up a down escalator against hurricane winds for months and months and it feels like I've never made it past the half way point. I've been trying so hard and I've felt so drained. Physically, spiritually, I'm just tired.

A couple of years ago my sister and I took a road trip from the bottom of San Antonio to the top of Montana for a wedding, a reunion or two, and multiple destinations with two one year olds, (1 was 12 months, the other was 10 months and still nursing), two 3 years olds, and one five year old. We packed up my van 9 since known as the pukemobile) shook it up with a box of fruit loops and just went. It was a blast but there was a point every day when we both just felt like crying. Life as I know it right now is so much like that trip. It's hectic, intense, exhausting, I want my mommy, and I just have to keep going.

I recently got to a boiling point and was in serious need of a recharge. I realized that I couldn't cut back on much of anything and half day kindergarten isn't going away for a while so the only thing to change is my thinking. I'm telling you, the Lord is humbling me. I'm very independent and I'd like to think I'm pretty strong but lately I feel oh so weak.

I went to the temple the other night and was so grateful to feel peace. Blessed peace.

I went with my cousins (remember Jesse and Kathleen in the wedding photos, and my Uncle. Kathleen sat there next to me watching me fight sleep for the first hour.... What can I say, I was sitting still.

So today, Monday morning, after a night awake with a crying, teething, babe, I woke up to Jared, still home, kissing me good morning and then, in walks Jesse and Kathleen with breakfast in bed.

Oh my goodness!!! They must have gotten up at 6 am this rainy morning and they brought fresh croissants, raspberries, raspberry acai juice, brie cheese, and made scrambled eggs. Wow, wow, wow!!!!! Then they say, while motioning for me to just stay put, "We're going to take Tyler to school." They fed the boys their breakfast, took Tyler to school, and cleaned up the kitchen and helped Dommy straighten his room. Then, they stayed a while and played with Dommy and Adam. I got to just enjoy my little baby, take a shower, and come downstairs to find half my days tasks completed. Cleaning up the kitchen may sound like a simple task but it sure doesn't go quickly with a baby on your hip and two little boys fighting and getting into trouble to compete for your attention.

I think that's just about the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Today was a genuinely wonderful day. Not just for me, they created a wonderful day for my whole family. Today I just wanted to cry tears of joy. Thank you so, so, so, so much! I love you guys!

Once upon a very busy day...

Once upon a very busy day, a little family woke to and early morning frost.

Good morning sunshine!

You know what that means...

The grapes are ready!!

mmmmm! Hooray!

Sometimes, the littlest boy likes to help his mother.

My grapes!

And sometimes, babies just have to cry while their mothers pick grapes.

I want this one. I want this two, three, four...

These babies are worth the wait!

Now for the juicing!

The juice was tasy, canning will have to wait for tomorrow.

After all the grape excitement of the morning it was time to go to the cross country race! The season is short but lots of fun. Mom didn't expect them to like it but the big boys always come home from every practice red in the face and in a great mood. Their coach is doing something right!

And they're off!

Here they come! How many boys can you find with their toungues hanging out?

Dommy did it!!

Oh, yes, Dad got into the clippers again. Mom is still crying every night over this one! No family pictures this year, just mug shots.

Gonna make it, gonna make it!

After the race, the family raced home to do homework and make pizza and then it was off to cub scouts, run to the fabric store, wrangle up some boys, drive by the school for the bike that was left behind after today's race, laugh histerically at Mom riding the tiny bike down the entrance of the darkened school to the car, go home again, try to clean up, get some sleep, and do it all over again.

The end.