This is what I wanted.....

Last week the boys and I were running errands. I told them each they could earn a quarter if they were really good while we were out and did everything they were supposed to without me nagging. They were sooo good! All for 25 cents! (we are not above bribing at our house:} )
We walked into Trader Joes and I pulled the cart over to put the baby in and I hear Elek say, "Mom, this is what I wanted to get you!!!" (Awe in his tone - like he can't believe it is here!!) When I look up I can see Him searching through the flowers. "Can I buy you some roses?" How sweet is that?!! So, I let him pick out pink roses for me. He was very specific on what shade of pink. It was settled that dark pink was best. Elek was so proud to buy his Mommy roses. Before he would pay the cashier he made sure she understood the roses were for His Mom!
We went to Costco next. I love any store that has a cart big enough to put all three kids in at once! We went around getting what we needed. Then we ate lunch there. Hot dogs and cinnimon twist stick:) We were almost done when this women leans into us and says, "Your kids are so well behaved." I jokingly said, It helps that they have food in their mouths" :) She then insisted, "No, I'v been watching you through the store - they just let you shop and were cheerful they are so good." I was a little taken back. I get so into getting things done so focused. I forget to step back and realize how good they really are. It was nice to be reminded to have someone bring it to my attention. It was a nice blessing for the day:)
The kids earned their quarter and a little extra for good behavior:)

Room change...

To start I do really love my boys. Sometimes they are a little too "boyish" though. Since we've lived here mornings have taken a turn for the worst. We started out with Elek and Keenan in their own rooms. Then came baby. Where does one put the new baby? He was with us for awhile then he had to move out. We thought the best solution was to put the big boys together and let baby have his own room. Elek and Keenan were sooo excited to share a room. That is when the problem began. Being on the third floor - we can't hear them until they are full into some game of jumping off beds or dressers or whatever elts it is that they do. Keenan is a night owl and Elek is an early riser. This means no sleep and two cranky boys in the morning. To make it better, not only will Elek wake up Keenan he then picks at him. Until finally Keenan loses it and starts screaming. Oh so fun!
Waking up monday morning to their screaming was it. I told them they lost there privilage to sleep in the same room. They were very surprized by this. I told keenan he was sleeping with camden. Elek then says, "you have to sleep in the baby room, baby!" Where did this come from? So, If I'm not happy and keenan's not happy why should elek be? *Evil mommy gleam* I then told Elek, HE was moving to the baby room and camden was going in with Keenan. That did it, no one was happy! :)
The boys were even more surprized after breakfast when I got the tools out to take apart the bed and started doing it! Shaun was also very surprized when he came home from work. That night the room changes were complete. And everyone went to sleep!
Wow! Why didn't we think of this sooner? There was no hanging and swinging from the *blinds, no yelling boys, no matresses sideways on the bed frames, no wall paper border torn, no jumping off beds, dressers or window frames....Yes, they have been very naughty the last 12months. Last night we didn't even have to tell them to go back to bed. We tucked them in and that was it!!! Hopefully it last awhile:)

*"What happened?" (Blinds on the floor at the end of a bed) Keenan comes over gets all sad and says in his best pouty voice, "that blind just fell on me and it hurt my head :( " The blinds actually snapped in half from the mounting thing at the top! The boys were in big trouble. There money was taken away to pay for new blinds. When this story came out at christmas(elek talking to his aunt) He told her about how the blinds broke and then "my mom just took all our money!" His Aunt asked if that was to help pay for the blinds. Elek, all big eyed and innocent, "no, she just took it!
-There was a lesson well learned! Ha, ha! :)

Christmas 2008 highlights

We started Christmas early around here. We were going out of town and didn't want to drag all the presents back and forth. Luckily our kids are so flexible. I think they like that the holiday never seems to end!
-We started out with family gifts at home about a week and half before christmas. It was fun to watch Camden enjoy unwrapping gifts. He would get a gift and his face would light up! So cute:) He would very carefully turn it around until He found a seem and pull it open. Camden loved wripping up that paper! Elek and Keenan were so sweet giving gifts. We took them shopping and they bought every one gifts. When someone would open a gift from one of them - they would get so excited. "That's from me!" Elek was most proud of a little green, circle christmas tree tin he bought me, "You can fill it with whatever you want!!" It was great to watch them be so happy to give and of course to receive.

Kansas City:


Boys on the train in front of Fritz

-The big boys and I had so much fun meeting up with our friends Michelle and Landon. (More fun gifts were received) Many thanks to Grandma who picked up Camden and played with him so we could "play." We had a great time at Union Station and Crown Center. We ate lunch at a the funnest train resturant ever....for the kids. Fritz is a cute little resturant that has a train track arount the top of the wall and delivers your food to your table. As the train goes past your table the tray drops and is lowered down to your table. The kids LOVE watching the train anticipating when it will have our food! Fritz's has become pretty well known in our absents - we had to wait in a crazy long line that wrapped around the resturant. 30 minutes with the kids was a long wait. So glad Camden was having fun with Grandma!! After lunch we walked above the city through connecting cat walks to Union station. There was a rather large display of tains. There had to be at LEAST 20 different tains/tracks going around with all kinds of landscapes. The boys thought it was fantastic! On a funny note: Union Staion is an active train station. Michelle and I were sitting on a bench watching the boys watching the trains. Keenan comes up to me, crawls into my lap. Very hesitantly eyes the man siting on the next bench over(maybe 12in away). This man was a bit scary looking. I was hesitant to sit next to him, but there were no other seats. Keenan says, plain as day, "Mommy is he a bad guy?" Of couse the man notices Keenan looking directly at him and said, "what did he say? Have you ever seen a californian?" What can I say? So, I smiled and said, "nothing." I quickly and discretly as possible sent Keenan back to look at the trains:)
-All of us met up with some old friends. We met their adorable baby girl and had a lovely lunch:)
-Had tons of fun getting re aquainted with cousins and playing way, way to late!
-Grandma and her endless supply of snacks for the kids:)
-Elek and Grandpa in the play room building huge train tracks.
-Had sweet moments with Grandparents.
-Keenan and Elek were so excited to have any kind of snow. They begged to play in the inch of snow outside. Finally Grandpa gave in - He had to feed the dogs. So the boys bunddles up. It was so cold my eyes watered up when I want out! Grandpa let the boys and dogs run around and play. My boys miss these dogs. As Grandpa was putting things away getting ready to come back in - Thump! Keenan had picked up snow and threw it at him and giggled as only Keenan does:) That did it - Snow ball fight! Looking out the window and seeing my big boys running and being silly with their Grandpa was so sweet! I love these kind of moments. When you get to "look" in and see Joy:)
-Christmas presentations: My inlaws try to do these presentations when we are all together. The idea is that every family presents something about christmas. It was cute. There are so many grandchildren (17 now). The front room was crowded and festive. Seth and Melinda's family were so cute in there costumes and the "spot light" definently set the mood:) They sang a little song and each child acted out a verse. So cute!!! Good job guys! We did the symbols of christmas. The boys had memorized them, but elek was "shy" and keenan suddenly got sick:( Another family did a christmas finger play with narration. One sang a song, one played the piano and the another filmed the whole thing.
-Space jammies!

Boys and cousin in there Jammies, Thanks Aunt Brianna:)

-Lots of guitar hero and wii. I think in 10 years there will be all kinds of musical talent springing up in the world!!! National guitar hero contest maybe even a reality show!!! j/k :0
-The time was wrapped up with lots of crazy sickness. We did get an extra day out of our trip though! Which I used to go shopping!
-The fun thing about going home was never knowing when we would run into an old friend. So much fun to be out shopping and see a happy friend!!!


Christmas morning, Keenan says, "why does my hair look that way?" crazy boy doesn't he know he's only 3!

Our Christmas trip was so fun! We had so much fun seeing family and friends! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for letting us crash at your house, eat your food and watching our kids. Much love to everyone!!!

Symphony of lights

I have always wanted to go to a big christmas light display. I love christmas lights! They are so magical! :) Last year we decided to go to a display in our city than changed plans. We were going to go to a well known place that even had a petting zoo and hot chocolate. Well, plans changed as they do at christmas time. We didn't get to see any grand displays:(
This year I decided it was time to go. I found a coupon to the display in our city. So, the other night we loaded up our cranky boys at bed time and took them down to the Symphony of Lights. WOW was it fun. The weather was threatening rain, but it just misted. It was great! They're were only two other cars the whole time we drove through.
Keenan: "This is the COOLEST thing ever" followed by hysterical laughter
Elek: "I love them(lights)" *Big smiles*
Camden: little finger pointing at everything "loo, loo" His form of look:)
What a fun time:)The kids kept asking, "can we go again!!?" and yes, we will definantly go to more Christmas light displays!

More Squirel pictures

The day we left town for thanksgiving Shaun was helping put a few last minute things in the van. It was his turn to see the silly squirrels. He took a few pictures of his own. From the doorway. He would open the door a crack and let the squirrel come to him. The kids thought this was funny- they could hardly contain themselves.

Photo assignment #3

My attempt at doing this photo class. Even though I bought a new camera. It sucks away any batteries with in minutes. So I frantically snap as many pictures I can in the few minutes I have before the batteries die. My kids want me to take it back. They want happy pictures again. Anyways....



Assignment #3 (part of it) Reflections



I have these new(ish) christmas dishes. I love them. One reflects the tree lights and the other is reflecting in the table. The first one is the tree topper(star) I just think it is pretty :)


Ignor the date stamp. Thats is all turned off now.

Hungry Squirrel

I came home with my arms full of stuff. When I opened the front door I saw something move to the right. My neighbor has two pumpkin by his door. There was a gigantic squirrel in front of the pumpkin. The squirrel had EATEN a hole out of the front of the pumpkin and was just filling up!! I just couldn't believe it. I had to take a picture! I think this is hilarious!!!! :)