There's nothing that quite says...

..."welcome home" from your Christmas vacation or immediately calls for an impromptu and meticulous overhaul and sanitizing of your pantry like when you find mouse droppings :0/  I came home from our trip full of gusto to sort, organize and declutter, but had not envisioned spending the majority of my Monday in such a way.  But the real reason I want to mention this is because of a little interchange that the boys had while I was cleaning out the said closet...

Alex: He is a bad mouse!

Elijah: He's not a bad mouse, he makes sad choices.

You can tell the verbiage we use around here when dealing with less than satisfactory behavior ;0)

a few favorite interactions as of late...

I want to take a minute and record a few little interactions that happened in December.  Before we left on our trip to Utah, there was an afternoon when I was being particularly grumpy.  I can't even remember what had happened, but at one point I was washing the dishes and apologizing to you (Brie, Alex and Elijah) for the way I had acted.  Elijah, you quickly slid off your chair, came over and wrapped your little arms around my legs and said, "I love you, Mom."  It brought tears to my eyes.  You seem to primarily connect with your Dad, especially these days, and I was taken back by your sweet showcase of love for me.  It meant a lot!  It also made me realize that you understand more than I often think that you do.

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While in Utah I was helping put you kids to bed.  As is often the case when we visit Bompa & Mémé's house, I was tucking you boys in on the floor (under the dormer at the end of our bed) in left guest room.  Alex, you were requesting a drink of water.  I went to the bathroom, filled up a little cup and brought it back to you to drink.  You quickly gulped it down and asked for more, then said...

"My tummy says that it wants more water, but my brain says, 'no tummy or you'll pee your pants.'"

It was hilarious!  You are such a bright and witty boy, Alex :0)



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Today I was talking to Dad in the sitting room (after he had received a blessing of healing from Brother Sagers and Brother Cash) about the spirit tutoring me recently about choosing faith instead of my typical fears.  I was voicing how I have a certain fear about mornings--in the sense that I'm intimidated by getting up early and meeting early deadlines, such as our now 8:30AM sacrament meeting.  Brie, you overheard me as you came walking down the stairs and said...

"If God changed church to that time He can help us to get there on time."

Such faith and wisdom and so well said.  I learn so much from you sweet kids!

My brain...

Alex: We've never gone to Disney World.  Can we go sometime?
Me: That's true, we should go sometime.  What gave you that idea?
Alex: My brain.  It's really smart.

bless yous.

Every time Aimee sneezes Alex says, "I love her bless yous."  It's so cute.

Who does it hurt?

This morning while changing Elijah's diaper Alex helped himself to a pack of fruit snacks, shoved them all into his mouth and came upstairs with a pack to give to Roo.  We were getting ready to head out and volunteer in Brie's class.  On the short drive over I asked Alex if he could give me a full apology...

Alex: I'm sorry that I took the fruit snacks without asking.  That was wrong because it hurts...it hurts the crackers? the fruit snacks?  who does it hurt? (You're usually apologizing for something that has hurt someone or hurt their feelings.)
Mom: It's not that it hurts someone, what is wrong with it?
Alex: I don't know.
Mom: You took something that is not yours without asking.  That is stealing.
Alex: {stated matter of factly} Well, they're in my belly button now.

Oh Alex, I couldn't help but laugh. You crack me up! :0)

I l-o-v-e...

Brie, when telling you the name that we think we're going to give our baby girl, you let out a little gasp ans said, "I l-o-v-e finger space t-h-a-t n-a-m-m-e."  Glad you're a fan :0)

movie time.

Tonight after dinner we had talked about watching a movie with you kids.  Alex, you suggested that you build forts instead.  You 3 got ready for bed and then came down to the family room to build a fort and play with the couch cushions.  When Dad & I  announced that it was time for bed you protested saying that you wanted to watch a movie.  We responded that  you had used your time building forts and that there was no time left to watch a movie.  With that you excitedly told us that you had more movie time to give us and proceeded to hand it invisibly to us.  "More time? Where have you been keeping it?"  I asked, teasingly with surprise.  "In my stomach" was your response.  We didn't watch a movie after all, but you sure gave us a good laugh :0)

sisters sharing.

Brie, the night we found out we were having a girl, you asked when we would move your little sister into your room.  I said that probably when she was sleeping through the night so that her crying wouldn't wake you.  You quickly responded that you could get up with her if she cried, like if there was a thunderstorm you could try to help her...then you asked if you could knock on our door if you couldn't get her to stop crying.  What a sweet big sister, already thinking of ways to help take care of your baby sister.  You, no doubt, will help to take such good care of her.  You have such a sweet, nurturing spirit!

ready, go!

The last week Lij, you have started responding, "go!" when I say, "ready?" or "ready, set..." Like when I am helping you jump down from something or about to squirt medecine into your mouth.  It's so cute.

spout.

The other day at the breakfast table Alex, you were telling us how you'd been  swallowed by a shark.  At one point, while answering our questions about how you'd gotten out you said, "the shark doesn't have a spitter-out."  I'm guessing that you were referring to a whale's spout.  Maybe that is where the word spout originated :0)

lisp.

Elijah has started to use an "s" sound this week, sticking his little tongue out when he does which creates a lisp. It's the cutest thing ever :0)

Fancy day.

Today while dropping Brie off for school Alex called out, "have a fancy day!" Cute little brother moment :0)

5th graders are too loud.

Brie, your first week of school went really well til Friday.  You were eating your lunch when I came to pick you up because apparently your stomach hurt at lunch time, you missed us and wanted to come home :0( On the short drive home you asked how many more years of school you had.  I didn't have the heart to tell you the truth (LOTS) so I told you "several."  You replied, "that's too many."  And went on to tell me how you missed being at home and felt like you didn't have time to do anything with us anymore.  I emphasized that the weekends were filled with fun family time, but this morning you needed a lot of convincing to go back to school.  When Dad & I asked you why you didn't want to go back you said that the 5th graders were too loud at lunch, you missed being with us and you couldn't do monkey bars like Eden.  Today seemed to go better and although I miss you too each day, I hope you can see all the fun things about Kindergarten.

Alexander at three.

If Bry & I were to sum up our 3 year old Alex we would say that:

• he is energetic and FULL OF LIFE!
• he holds up his shirt when he has a poopy diaper
• he naps in the peapod in the bathroom (usually 1-3 hours)
• he wants to help with everything
• he is still a BIG tease
• he LOVES to play outside (zooming around Mater and riding on his pink and purple 4-wheeler "bike"
• he cracks himself up :0)
• he always asks Dada to carry him
• he is a PICKY eater and apparently can live on bread (and protein) alone.
• he loves going to Lion's Choice
• he is usually the first to wake up and comes into our room, says "it's a beautiful day, Dad.  Can we go get some 'breskiss' (breakfast)?"  And lately he will often say, "we forgot to say our scripture/sing our song."
• he gets SO excited about all machines, trucks, trains, cars, buses, motor homes, etc.!
• he LOVES to ride in the car and do road trips (with snack packs and honking the trucks)
• he spends a lot of time in time out
• he likes to get into things (aka my purse, the fridge, the things on Bry's desk)
• he loves to laugh and has the cutest smile
• he definitely has a preference with clothes.  he prefers to wear his Lightning, shark or birthday shirt with a pair of exercise pants or shorts.  he is getting really fast at dressing himself and often attempts to button his own shirts (still working on that).
• he often sits down to put his tennis shoes on and asks whether he is putting the right shoe on the right foot.
• he keeps us on our toes!  he can definitely be a handful, but is getting better at listening and doing what he is asked.

We love you Alex!  Thanks for adding a fun and lively dynamic to our family :0)

ice cream truck.

Last night, just as we were setting out for a family walk around the cemetery, we heard the familiar sound of the ice cream truck.  We have never bought the kids ice cream from the ice cream truck before and we had promised the kids dessert, so we told them that if we found the truck we'd buy them a treat.  We headed out on our walk.  As we turned into the church parking lot to enter the cemetery...

Brie: "The ice cream truck won't go in there?"
Me: Why not?
Brie: Because there aren't any road and it's bumpy...and there aren't a lot of people back there...
Bry & I kept quiet and waited to see where that train of thought would take her.
Brie: Actually, LOTS {of people}!!
Maybe it's been a long week, maybe we were needing some comic relief, but for whatever reason that totally cracked us up :0)

little moments with Brie.

A few weeks ago I was helping Brie clean up her + the boys' room when she mentioned the idea of throwing a Jesus party.  "Each person could bring a picture of Jesus and we could try to do nice things for each other."  Oh my Brie, what a thoughtful, sweet idea.  I'm sure we could figure out a party along those lines.

Last week the kids and I were trying to get the house cleaned up while Bry was out home teaching.  I had instructed Brie to get things picked up off the bedroom floor.  Alex and I would vacuum the main level and stairs and be back up in a little bit to vacuum their room.  Ten minutes later I open the door to find their room in the exact same state that I had left it.  I was about to get frustrated when I looked up to see Brie at her closet, one of her arms holding a collection of shirts & hangers.  My frustration quickly melted away as she proudly announced that she'd been working hard to organize her closet!  As nicely as I could I explained that I was SO glad that she was working so hard and trying to make her closet look nice, but what was really needed at the moment was for the things to be picked up off of the floor so we could vacuum.  As the words were leaving my mouth I had the thought that Heavenly Father must feel that way about us sometimes.  "Oh, that's wonderful!  I can tell you're working really hard, being very productive, doing good things, but... what I really need you to be doing right now is..."

am I a dark sleeper?

Brie has said a few particularly cute things lately that I wanted to post.

The kids' bedroom {fan} light is connected to the light switch but at night we pull the chain so they can't turn it on with the switch.  Just trying to encourage sleep ;0)  A few afternoons ago Brie came in to my room...

Brie: Mom my light has been off all day and I've been feeling glump.  Could you turn it on for me? 

Yesterday we were talking about sleep...

Brie: Mom I'm not a light sleeper, huh?

Me: Nope.

Brie: Am I a dark sleeper then?

organizing buddies.

Brie and I were decorating for Autumn/Thanksgiving today.  I gave her a bunch of fake flowers and asked her to arrange them how she wanted in a certain vase in the living room.  A few minutes later I come in to find Brie in the corner, looking like a gopher digging up all of the junk that usually resides there.  She didn't just stop at putting the flowers away, she wanted to have the corner organized as well.  Man she takes after her parents!  A few minutes later I was in the dining room folding laundry...

Brie: Say goodbye to your favorite movies.
Me: Why?
Brie: I'm putting them away.
Me: On the shelf?
Brie: In a box.

I couldn't help but laugh.  She sounds like a little miniature of myself.  How many times have I told her to say goodbye to something that I was packing away.  Too funny to have the tables turned :0)

yucky again.

Alex has been sick practically all month. My family affectionately calls him our little vector.  Poor kids seems to pick up and spread one bug after another.  In any case, he currently is getting over a cold.  Today at breakfast he mentioned that he was feeling yucky again.  Then he mentioned saying a prayer.  I asked him if he wanted to say it, after which this little scene took place.

Alex: {putting his right hand on his head as if he was giving himself a blessing and wrapping the other arm around his stomach like he was folding his arms} Dear Heavenly Father...I feel yucky again and again and again, amen.

teething process.

Brie: He's trying to be calm during this teething process. (After mentioning how Elijah's teeth have been coming in "smoothly" and that they're "so cute.")

I love how she words things.  Cracks.me.right.up.