Birthday Candles

Today is my little Cael-Bugs birthday. 3... 3! I cannot believe it. He wanted to have muffins for his birthday so I made muffins and then told the boys they couldn't eat yet, because I wanted to put candles in a muffin and sing to him (this is his first birthday that he really gets whats going on. He's been asking us for things for months for his birthday!) Well, Carson gets all excited and is immediatley on the counter fishing candles out of the cupboard. Now I need to give a little background. When the boys were young they played with matches and fire every chance they got. After catching Carter for the third time lighting fires in my closet, I called 911 on him and asked if it was possible to send someone out to scare him, sirons and all, because he was going to burn the house down if something didn't happen. The dispatcher calmed me down (because I was crying pretty hysterical!) and then gave me a number to call. Needless to say, Fireman Bob and my family became GOOD friends, as Carter was a HIGH risk level for starting fires. We had to have many "sessions" with Fireman Bob and the kids, and since he was such high risk, he told me to get rid of EVERY thing that could start fire. So...back to today. I didn't even think how to light the candles. Carson says, "Mom, I know where a lighter is. Do you want me to go get it?" I looked at him funny and said come show me. We walk to my closet (where they are not allowed to go) and he tells me, "Ok mom. See that pink box up on the top shelf. Get all of dads packs (little first aid hiking kits) out of it and then there will be the candles we use for Valentines dinner (tea light candles) and under those there will be a red lighter." He was standing at the door watching me do all of this. Sure enough, just as he said it would be, it was there! How in the heck did he know that??? I don't even know how he could reach it. I could BARELY reach it. Kids are unbelievable sometimes!!! All I can say is I am sure Heavenly Father helps me more than I could ever imagine. I think the things they do are crazy...I don't even want to know the things that I never see or know of!

The Social Life

Tonight the boys had a fall carnival at their school. Chet said he would stay home with the babies so I could take the boys alone. (It was very helpful, although I don't think that he was trying to help me!) The boys were so excited to come and all three were telling me all of their friends that were going to be there. As we are walking down to the school (because we had to park on the street) I feel like I am walking with a rock star! It was hillarious! People are screaming Caden's name from everywhere we turned. He was like a beauty queen, smiling and waving back and forth across his body. The girls were pulling on their moms saying all excited, "Mom! It's Caden!" and then hiding behind their mom's legs and Caden would say, "Hey!" as he waved and kept walking. He was so funny and confident. He can talk to anyone's mom, dad, boy, girl, brother, sister. You name it, he talks to it! He found his friend named Blaze, of whom I have never even heard of, and mom was no longer needed. He tells me, "Mom. I am fine. Just let me hang out with my friends. You can leave." Carter and Carson still don't do that. They are embarrassed when they see people in public and they are especially embarrassed to talk to friends parents. Caden knows upperclassmen, all the teachers, all the staff, and most definately all of the kindergarten kids, boys and girls. I am going to have my hands full with him! But it was also kind of cool I must admit. My little socialite!!!

Boxers

My kids have been asking me approx. 2-3 times a week when we will be going to the temple again. Chet and I have made it a goal to go once a month. It's not the easiest task with our family right now. We have to leave at about 6-7 am and drive 4 hours to Billing, MT. That is too long of a day to leave our kids here, so the boys all travel up there, sit in the car for 2 more hours with their dad eating lunch while I attend the temple, and then we switch places. Not ideal, but it works, and we are committed. So, when we drop Chet off I go to Old Navy with all five boys, and shop their clearance racks. The first few months it was really hard, but we are good at it now. Right before school I bought each boy a package of boxers (they were wearing whitey tightys). Package of two. Well, that is ALL they will wear now! I am constantly gathering boxers to make sure they have them the next day. When we told the boys that we were going to the temple this weekend, they all started cheering. All of them are so excited to go to Old Navy; they don't even care they will be in the car for 10-12 hours, shopping at Costco, eating on the fly (my kids would prefer eat at home, they all boo when I say we are eating fast food, where did these kids come from?!) and no doubt watching Cael new favorite movie AT LEAST once, Little Einstiens, which they all hate and call the baby movie. Aren't we parents of the year! We live such exciting lives that they are THRILLED to be making another temple trip. Chet and I just have to laugh. Like Chet always says, "It's the little things in life!"

Old

Thursday night we were reading scriptures and we are in 3rd Nephi reading about Christ visiting the America's. Carson asks me if I was alive when Christ came. I said no. Carter says, "Carson this was a couple hundred years ago!" Carsons says, " Oh, so was Nana alive then?" I laugh and say no. He says, "Then who? Grandma Smuin?" All three boys look at me like they are waiting for the answer. I said no! This was 2000 yrs ago, and nobody you have ever seen was alive then. They just say ok and back to reading. They really think we are ancient!

Tooth Fairy

So Carson lost a tooth last week. He was really excited for the tooth fairy to come. Well, the first night, Chet tried and he was still awake, and then forgot to go back down. Night two...forgot. Night three...forgot, and not because Carson wasn't reminding us 800 times that the tooth fairy hadn't come, we are just stupid like that! So on night number four Chet tells him that his three pillows are probably too much for the tooth fairy to see through, so he should ditch the extra pillows. Carson comes upstairs the next morning HOT! The tooth fairy STILL didn't come. Chet and I about died. HOW could we forget AGAIN! So Carson is mad all morning and heads off to school. The second he gets home from school he comes in and says that he knows why the tooth fairy didn't come. I said why? He tells me, "I have been thinking about it all day. He can't give me my money because when he tries to come to our house, you and dad are still up, so he skips me!" I looked right at him and said, "I bet you are right! We will have to go to bed early." Needless to say, we did NOT forget that night. He just lost another one last night, and we remembered on night ONE! Yeah for the Parker's Tooth Fairy!!! We are the worst tooth fairy EVER!!!

Money Hounds

So yesterday my boys were at the neighbors playing in the front yard, and I don't know exactly how it started, but they all started pulling weeds (new house, no landscaping yet). Well the neighbor was really nice and came and paid them $.50 each last night for pulling all of the weeds out of her front yard. The boys were in heaven. They came home today and worked so fast to get all of their chores done. I didn't even have to ask once with any boy. Then, minutes later they were out the door. Cars just came in and asked if I had some glasses he could wear because the wind is blowing and getting dirt in his eyes. I found him some little sunglasses and said what are you doing outside? He tells me, "Jennifer paid us $.50 yesterday for pulling her front weeds, so now we are pulling her backyard weeds and taking all of her rocks to the dirt hill (a dumping place of sorts that the boys love to play on the corner). We are working really hard and hope that she pays us another $.50!" and he was on his bike and off to her house, where her two daughters were also working in the yard with them. I don't know what to do. She's really getting a good deal, they are doing a great job (she LOVED that they did it too) but she didn't ask for it. I don't want to discourage them from working, but in the hopes someone who didn't ask you will pay you? I better do a little better job in Business 101 class tonight with them. Side Note: They are so excited to shovel snow for money this year. They are asking for a weed eater for their birthday so they can mow lawns for money next year, dad's is too heavy and big for them (and for me!) What have we created? Good workers or money hungry animals??? Only time will tell I guess.