End of the Year

Three awesome things have happened today. 1) We are 18 verses from finishing the Book Of Mormon as a family for the first time ever (and my first time ever as well). 2) While reading today, we read about talents. I was asking the boys what they thought their talents were, and then asked them what mine were. Carson says, "being a really good mom!" It made me want to cry. Melt my heart. 3) I wanted to go to lunch at my favorite restuarant, but Chet was hesitant (with good reason, it's hard to keep 5 boys in check after running an hours worth of errands!) While we were there, a man came up and asked if they were all mine (a question I get asked EVERYWHERE I go!) I smiled and said yes. He said how cool it was to have all these little boys, his wife smiling ear to ear next to him, and then said something that was music to a mother of 5 small boys ears...wait for it..."they are SOOO well behaved." I wanted to jump up and give him a big kiss. Chet and I are paranoid to take them anywhere where adults will be trying to enjoy anything, like restaurants (because I hate when I am out on a date and have a kid hitting me in the back of the head, and screaming and making me feel like I am still at home. Why pay a sitter $10 an hour to go and get the same experience I get every night at my kitchen table). So, it was wonderful to hear that, especially because they were being ANGELS, and we didn't even notice it. They were all sitting talking and eating chips and salsa, and Chet and I were doing the same. I didn't even take the time to notice. What a great day. We won't mention the 20 bad things from today, glass if half full!!! Here's to a new year, hoping to have many more family dinners out and lots more activities added to our acceptable places to take 5 boys!!! And we are going to conquer the D&C in 2012. What a great life!!!

Mopping

I once had a friend tell me that she was mad at the school district for cutting the summer short, and starting school so early. It was the year that my twins were starting kindergarten, and as she said that, I thought she was CrAzY! Well, today I feel no different. I am one of those mothers that LOVES school, and breaks are hard. Today as I was cleaning I came across the new book for Relief Society lessons on Goerge Albert Smith. I opened it up and was immediately interested in the life story in the beginning. Soon I was crying as I read about the faith he had, and the respect and adoration he had for his wife. I was a little too much into the book, and as I finished reading a paragraph, I hear my boys all laughing and sounding crazy, you know...the sounds you never want to hear because you know they are destroying something! I run into the kitchen to see all of my boys on towels on their hands and knees "mopping the floor" with the water that they poured from a bucket onto the kitchen floor. That was their chore they were supposed to be doing. It was so bad Cael jumped up and asked if I could get him his swim suit. I calmly asked then to put the full bucket that Colby was playing in, in the sink, told them every drop of water better be mopped up by the time I come back. Time to go see who gets to nap with the babies today! ALL 5 BOYS!!!

Subway

Today we went and got Chet for lunch in between our 2 paper routes. I had Subway coupons, so we decided to go there. If you bought a 6" and drink, you got a 6" free. Chet and I were discussing how many 6" we would need when the boys started to complain that they needed a foot long each. We both told them that they could not eat a foot long, but they insisted that they could. Carter said, "If we eat our entire foot long, you have to pay us $10 (always looking to make a buck!)" Chet thinks for a while and says, "If you eat it I will pay you $5, but if you cannot, you have to pay me $5." Carson and Carter got really excited and told Chet, "You're on!!!" Needless to say, instead of lunch costing us $30, it cost us $40. Carson ate an oven roasted chicken breast with cucumbers, green peppers, pickles, and ranch. DISGUSTING!!! But he loved it, and finished off Caden's that he couldn't (about another 3"). Carter had a normal sub (for me anyways!) and proudly told dad that he owes him five bucks! The crazy thing is, they then went and delivered 140 papers, running most of the time. They weren't stuffed, that was no big deal to them! CrAzY stuff!!! Growing boys, gotta love it!

Dad

Today Chet called and said that he was going to the dump at lunch, and any boy that wanted to go (they are out for Christmas break) needed to be ready when he got home. All of the boys were running around frantically trying to find shoes and coats and jeans. When Chet showed up, he came in to give me a hug and kiss and he picked up Colby to kiss on him for a while. Colby does this really cute thing when Chet gets home at night. He smacks his lips together and rubs his thumbs on his fingers and gets all frantic until Chet comes and gets him. If he is down he crawls like his life depends on it to get to him. It is so cute and fun to watch. Well, Chet started walking towards the door and Colby waves bye-bye to me. I smile and hold my hands out to him to take him from Chet and he pushed me away. Chet handed him over to me and Colby starts crying and pushing on me to get back to Chet (he's never done that to me). As Chet was leaving he starts crying and was holding his hands out to him wanting Chet to come get him. It was so sad. He is growing up so fast. He is really starting to understand everything going on. He knows when it is lunch time, when it is time for the boys to go to school (he loves to wave to them at the door and say "bye-bye", you wouldn't know that was what he was saying unless you knew it), and today he obviously knew that Chet was leaving and the boys were going with him. He knows when we are getting ready to say prayers and he knows where to crawl to. He is also starting to fold his arms (puts his fists together anyway) and bows his head for prayers...for about 5 seconds max, but it's a start. Oooooo, he is so cute!!! I am still in a little shock that I have 5 boys. When did that happen? 5 BOYS!!! Whoa. Still amazed!

Skiing

Today was our first family ski day, sort of. Cael and Colby stayed at Nana and Papa's, which was wonderful I think. It was nice to get away, and it was nice that now Colby is saying Nana and Papa and Cael loved playing with Brody. So to the ski resort. Caden and I had a lesson set up, and Chet was patroling today. Carter and Carson took right to it like they were old pros. The guy on the bunny hill lift told me that Carson was the winner of the most frequent rider. They weren't allowed to leave the bunny hill, and so Carter and Carson were creating their own fun. They were racing, jumping, taunting their retarded mother taking snowboard lessons, and just all out having fun. Caden struggled a little, but Chet says that as soon as the fear left, he was up and running. He was skiing down the hill and riding back up alone by the end of the day. I struggled to say the least. While I was taking the lesson, my confidence was high and I was doing well, for a beginner. I could navigate down the hill for the most part, and thought it to be easier than skiing. Then the lesson ended, I ate lunch and everything fell apart. My boys would yell hi to me as they whizzed by me faceplanted in the snow. At one point, Carter asked if I wanted to race them down. I told him I couldn't even make it down the hill up, let alone race him. He just laughed and took off. After I couldn't move anymore, I went to the car. I was the first to turn in. Carson came next, followed by Carter and Caden together. Caden couldn't make it to the car, and as tears were about to fall I jumped out of the car and carried his gear in. Carter then had to go pee (surprise, surprise!) and while he was walking back, he had to stop and rest 5 times. I was laughing so hard, but had no energy to go help. Carter told me in the car that he was going to be a ski patroler when he was old enough. He said that he loved to help people that couldn't ski. He said he picked up poles and helped little kids stand up all day as well as encourage them and tell them they were doing great. He wants me to find out how old you have to be to be a ski patroler. I love how they want to be just like their dad! I don't remember being so tired. The boys are EXHAUSTED! But it was a great time! I love my family of adventurous boys!!!

Good Decision

Sometimes you make decisions, and you know immediatly that you made the right one. Sometimes...you wonder for a long time if what you did was right. Well, a while ago someone said that if you hold your kid that is old enough to go to school, you have one year of hell for many good ones. We held Caden for many reasons. I want him to be one of the first to drive, he'll be able to date at the beginning of his sophmore year, he'll be more mature for sports, and he would have it easier in school. That was the plan. The year that he was out was tough to say the least. He was bored, hated to go to any play dates because he said everyone was a baby there, and worst of all, he slowly got this attitude of entitlement to everything. I was so over him by the time school started. Yesterday while I was in his classroom helping out, the thought came to me as clear as day that we made the right decision. As I looked around the room at the kids doing an art project, it was very clear which kids were the young ones. There is the cutest little boy in his class that just turned 5 at the beginning of the year. He is sweet, respectful, fun, and everything else a parent could want. However, the teacher has to constantly help him. He was frustrated. He couldn't keep up. He is just not at the level of all the others. There is also a little girl that just turned 5 in Aug, and she is everything you would hope a girl to be. She was the last one to finish. She was frustrated because she was not as fast. She was frustrated the entire time I was there because of it. Caden on the other hand, was cruising through everything, and his looked GREAT too. Those kids were Caden one year ago. One year makes such a huge difference in their maturity. Caden will always talk, no matter what age he is (it's genetic!). But now, he is the leader. Last year he would have been a follower, and always lagging behind, struggling to stay up. Now I just hope that I have taught him well enough to be a leader for good! So grateful for that decision. It was hard, but I believe well worth it. One year of hell, for many good to come I hope!

Thoughts of a 7 yr old

Every once and a while, I will go down to the boys room and just sit and talk to them while they are supposed to be in bed. I don't do it alot, but it's a really fun time to learn alot about the boys. Here are some of the funny conversations we just had. 1) (Carter talking) "Mom, I know why I have to pee as soon as I drink something. (The kid cannot hold his pee for longer than about 15 min after drinking something) When I drink something it goes down the tube to my stomach. Then is swirls in my stomach twice and goes straight through my digestive system (didn't even know he knew that word) and that spot below my weiner, it doesn't hold it at all. It just drops straight into my weiner and I have TO GO!" Then Carson says, "Not me. It goes from my stomach to a holding tank and then the tank releases when we get home and then I have to go right away!" 2) We have made a little tradition of going to Texas Roadhouse when we go to Billings to the temple. Today we went so I was asking if they had fun. Carter tells me, "that steak is really weird. It is really small, but when you cut into it, it must have alot of nutrients, because it filled my stomach really full, really fast. How does it do that mom? (Without pausing for an answer) It must be really good for me!" 3) I went to the temple and Chet took the boys to the park to eat lunch and play (you know you live in Wyoming when 48 degrees was a beautiful day, park worthy!) Carson was climbing the slide from the bottom (a kid favorite for some odd reason, I did it too as a kid!) and tells me, "I just couldn't hold on any longer...so I let go (so matter of fact sounding). Next thing I know, BAM! Faceplant. I got up and asked Dad if I had a black eye, but he said no so I just kept playing. (Like it was no big deal. He has what looks like BAD road rash, first thing I asked about when I got out of the temple and saw him) 4) During our family prayers Carter asked Heavenly Father if we could be better next year and make it to the temple every month (we only made it 10 times this year. 3 hour drive ea way. Then I go in for 2 hours, Chet switches me and goes in for 2 hours, go shopping, go to Texas Roadhouse, and head back home...the whole time they are sitting in the car in their seats. They are AMAZING!) I have already forgotten many more things. I had a million things I wanted to write. They keep me smiling! I love the precious moments I get with them!

South

Tonight we were heading to the rec center for Family Home Evening. Carson says out of nowhere from the back seat, "Dad. Why is it only 2 degrees? We are heading south. It should be warmer when we go south." Sometimes when they learn things in school, they miss the critical part of the lesson. It's warm IN the south, not when you are driving south. Haha, it was too cute. Then, on the way home, Carson says in the most disgusted voice, "Dad. You are a liar. You said it would be 0 degrees and it is not! It is 2 degrees. Why do you lie? I didn't HAVE to wear my coat! (a constant battle with him!)" I had to laugh out loud at that and say "Gees Dad, you big liar!" Then we had the discussion of the difference between lieing and being wrong.

Lunch

Today is Sarah's birthday, and I must admit, my emotions were getting the better of me. Over the last 7 mo, since her passing, I have had so many things to tell her! So many times I have wished I could just call her and tell her my fun, exciting, sad, disappointing news, or anything else that might be going on. I had lunch plans that fell through, and Chet was busy today, but I really wanted to get out of the house, so I kept my sitter and planned to go to the school for lunch. I grabbed some Taco Johns tacos, all the boys favorite, and headed to the school. The twins lunch first, so I was waiting as they arrived in the lunchroom. Carter was in tears. He has not gotten enough sleep and was having a really hard day. I was so happy that I was there to hug him and tell him it was going to be ok. By the end of lunch, he was smiling and laughing. Carson was so proud to have me there. He was so proud to be eating tacos and talked a million miles an hour while we ate. It was fun to be in between my two big 2nd graders eating and talking away. All the boys that I know from their class were coming to sit across from us. Such fun. I know they will not always want me to be there. As they were in line I told Carter to give me a hug and kiss good-bye and he got embarrassed. I said, "Do you want me to hold you down in front of your class and kiss you?" He started laughing and the class was laughing too. Then I went to Carson and he wanted me to do the same thing. They are on that brink. They still want me to hug and kiss them, but they are a little nervous in public. Oh how I love them! Then it was time for Caden's lunch. He cracks Chet and I up as he talks about school. He is so animated and tells us his tall tales like they are fact. Caden was happy to see me and wanted me in the girl line of his class, so I got in the girl line and had his teacher count me in just like any other girl. He loved that. Then he made me sanitize just like him and then said let's go! He was telling the whole table, that was flocking to sit by him (the teacher had to come and move some because they were all cramming in too tight) that Taco Johns is the best place to eat in "all of town" Caden was just talking away, carrying on about 4 conversations. He opened 4 milks as we were sitting there. Everyone just kept handing them to him like he was the official milk opener. He was so kind to everyone, and you could just feel his enthusiasm for life and school oozing out of him. One of his good friends asked me what his (the friends) full name was and I said, "Caden says its Blaze Cool Awesome!" and the whole table bust out laughing. Caden was laughing so hard he could barely sit. He then tells me, "Blaze is so cool AND awesome! That's not his name!" These little kids were just so sweet and fun! It was so fun. He was so proud to have me there, and gave me a huge hug and kiss at the end. To say the least, I miss Sarah SOOOOOOO much. But this was just what the doctor ordered on this day!!! I feel so blessed to have my boys, to know that they love me and appreciate me. It's not very often that I feel that, but today there is no doubt. I. AM. A. MOTHER.!!! And I wouldn't trade them for anything in this world!

Bad Breathe

Caden's favorite cereal is the Malt-O-Meal Lucky Charms. I found a really good deal on the real lucky charms, so I bought a bunch of boxes. I noticed that they were not being eaten. I asked Caden why he was not eating them and he says that they give you bad breathe so he would only eat them on Saturday when he wouldn't be going around people. Seriously! Since when did a SIX year old know what gives you bad breathe and what doesn't???