Cael Morgan

While going through the car and emptying what could have sustained a small country, I found a paper from church on Sunday. Chet and I are not good at looking at the boys papers. We both have things to do after church (at the church), and my kids think that they are going to eat their own arm if we don't get them home.  So today I found this paper from Sunbeams that says, Cael: What I am Thankful For 1) My house 2) My name, Cael Morgan 3) The temple 4) My family. I had to call Morgan and let him know, he officially ranks higher than MOM or DAD! How cute is that. Chet and I had no idea what it would mean to Morgan or Cael when we named him after Morgan. We were just laying in bed talking about names and said what male has the most impact on our boys lives. Both of us looked at each other and said together, "MORGAN!" We thought Cael Morgan went cute together, so we decided to ask Morgan. Morgan much later told us that he will never forget where they were driving when Chet asked him if that would be ok. So special! Love my Mogan (thats how the kids pronounced his name FOREVER!) and Cael-Bug!

Warts

Caden has this huge gnarly wart on his forearm. It makes me squirm to even look at it. I took him into the Dr and had it looked at, and he gave me this prescription cream to get rid of it. It seems to be working, but it's a process. So we send Caden to school with a flesh colored band-aid over it. I was hoping it would be gone before anyone even noticed it. Um... NO! Caden has now made warts cool. There was another boy in the class that had a huge wart that everyone thought was gross, so Caden compared his to the boys, and Caden won. Lovely! But, Caden thinks that he is cool, and even has Carter and Carson thinking that warts are cool. How does he do it! He just turned something so gross into something so cool. He just rocked that wart, no embarrassment, made a new friend, and helped a boy that was getting made fun of. He is amazing, gnarly wart and all!

Creativity

Caden lives in Caden Land. It must be a nice place. I think that it is a happy place. He is so oblivious to the real world. He is confident, and can convince almost anyone to do anything he wants to. He is ALWAYS being creative. Neither Chet or I are artsy or creative, so it's been a little odd for us. He is amazing sometimes, and funny others. He made himself armour to play super heros with the neighbor boy. This was his hat. You cannot tell, but he took a piece of plastic for the eye gaurd from a folder he had and glued it in, so that is not an opening. It's all covered. He proudly wears it out, and it is being replicated by the others. It's too funny!!! He has an entire outfit homemade like this. He looks at all the details, like the plastic eye guard. So cute!

I sure love my Cade-A-Babe!!!

 

Colbs

Is there anything cuter than this! I love how his underware fit his cute little butt. Wearin underware and brushing his teeth. He's getting so big!!!

 

I tried to make him wear a diaper, and he refuses to. I have to put a onesie on him to get him to sleep with one on. He still doesn't quite get the potty thing fully, but he is determined to wear underware like his brothers. 

SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!

Can you feel my excitement from the title! I have been having meltdown after meltdown. Chet asked me last night what happens if when the kids go back, if I am still having meltdowns. I thought about it for a while. I think the constant fighting, noise (and I am accustomed to A LOT of noise, this was off the charts noise this summer) more fighting, attitude, more attitude, more attitude, and more attitude, and oh yeah, noise had done me in. I am so that mom that is gladly sending my kids off to school! I love school teachers. They should make six figures. I'd vote for that! Anyways, the day was as always, CRAZY! I set my alarm for 6:50, and might have been the last one up (not too uncommon) I told the boys they had to shower EVERY day this year (they are starting to stink!) and they had to have chores done before they could eat breakfast. I know that's mean, but they don't miss breakfast, so it's a good tool to use! Carson was showered, dressed, and chores done when I got up. Caden was right behind him, and Carter was trying to act cool, but the excitement was spilling over in him too. We were ready by about 7:45. Then the waiting begins, until 8:40 when we leave. It was quite torturous on us all. Finally the time came, and we all loaded up. On the way to school, Cars says, "I have been really excited, and now I am really nervous!" I reassured him that was normal and then the other boys agreed they were too. When they got out of the car and we were driving away, I yelled really loud. I looked in my mirror and could tell Cael didn't know what I was doing. I asked him if we should have a party. He got a big smile and we started singing, "Let's have a parrrrrtae!" over and over. It was fun. And refreshing. And exciting. And then a little nervousness crept in for my boys, quickly to be replace by sheer happiness and a great big sigh! Ahhhh, the life! Here are a few pictures.

 

Best Buddies for Life!!!

They were so excited. They were trying to contain it, but here they are being geeks!

 



 

Kicking them out!!!

 

 

The sun was right in their faces. Caden is so dang cute!

 

Caden, Brady, Conner K

Carter, Baylee, Carson

 

These are the kids that we play with the most. There are more in the neighborhood, but these are the constants!

We love our neighbors and their kids. It has been so fun. There are several reasons that I loved moving all my life, but having the same friends for as long back as I can remember, I missed. Hopefully we stay here until they are all grown and moved out!

 

Underware

Cael always thinks that he has to announce when he needs to poop. So after he announced it to me a little ago, he comes in with no underware on. When I saw him, I immediatly asked him why he was naked. He tells me, "Because Colby took my underware." I was mad at him because I was in the middle of something. I stormed into the bathroom to see his underware in fact gone. Then I see Colbys diaper. Then, I see a little streaker running down the hall with one leg in Caels underware. He ran into the room and under the bed where we found him trying to get Caels underware on. I pulled him out by his leg all the while he was laughing hysterically. I was getting mad at him for taking the underware. Then he starts yelling, "POTTY! POTTY!" and we run in for him to go potty. I tried training him about a week ago, and it was not exactly successful. He was doing really well, but lets just say Mom and Dad were not. He is too young to be mad when he doesn't get it. And he just seems too young to be doing it. Maybe when the kids are back in school it will be time to try again!

Scouts

Now that it is cooling off in the evenings, Chet trys to take a boy and go outside on the swing and look through their scout books with them on Sunday evening and look for things that they have passed off, or can start to work on the next week/month. Tonight he was with Carson and was reading through one. He asked Cars what he always wears while in the Yukon, and Cars replys, "Modest clothes!" Um... not exactly what we were looking for! Haha! Where do they come up with this. It is so funny. It is baffeling me that we are having so much emphasis on modest clothing lately. We rarely EVER talk to them about it (I only have boys. Who would have thought I would ever have to!) Who knows! Too funny though.

Sunday Lunch

Chet has to be gone for Sunday morning meetings. So, getting the kids breakfast is all mine, and usually that doesn't happen with a lot of style (It wouldn't be so bad if we got our lazy butts out of bed earlier, but I don't!) When we get home, the kids think that they might just die if they don't have something to eat RIGHT AWAY!! Today I was vegging on the couch doing NOTHING, and Carter keeps asking me if he can use all this food. I just said yes to everything he asked. Soon he appeared with his lunch, made all by himself. Toasted bread, turkey, cheese (from the block of cheese, they are past the processed stuff, they want the good stuff!), onion, green pepper, and tomato. He had cut everything himself except his bread and turkey. Then he had pringles on the side and a homemade chocolate chip cookie (that I made on Friday and didn't want everyone to eat so I hid them in the cupboard until after church. Chet is currently yelling at the boys because the cookies are gone and Cael didn't get one. They just disappear!) I like his style though! I am a little afraid for the future wives of these amazing young men I am raising. What 8 year old has to have all that on his sandwich? He wanted avocado too, but I am down to my last one, so I lied and told them they were gone. Bad Mom... but my sandwich will be good! (and all those veggies were from the garden, yippeeee!!!! Except my avocado of course. I wish I could grow a tree here!)

Dinner

Last night while we were eating dinner, I saw nothing out of the norm. Baylee was eating with us (Cars asked if she could pray, but she said that she was not ready yet. Too cute!) The boys were loud, crazy, all yelling over each other, and munching down. Colby was screaming and pounding on the table, and I was standing in the kitchen crying because I was way too overwhelmed. The boys were oblivious. Chet was out of town. Then I hear Baylee say, "Caden, have you eaten anything today? Why are you eating like you are starving?" I look to Caden, and he is not eating rude or disrespectful. He is chewing with his mouth closed and taking normal, acceptable sized bites. I was a little confused. Come to find out, he was on his third helping so she was just in shock. All the boys will eat like that, but Cars and Carter were too into Baylee to be eating. Caden looked at her a little confused, and said, "Yeah. Why?" She said he was eating more than she does all day. She then told me later (about 30 min, which means she was still thinking about it) that I am going to have a really hard time feeding all my boys. Yep Baylee, I agree!!! Don't know how I'm gonna feed them. Don't know if I am going to make it through this without losing my mind. Chet heard the other day, and it really stuck with both of us, that you never know if what you are doing as parents is working until it's too late. It's a scary thought. The line between stretching yourself to give your kids your all, and stretching yourself too far so that they don't get much of you at all! I'm hoping this line between reality and luney house that I walk every day holds, long enough for Colby to get on a mission!!! I might just downright collapse at that point. Or maybe I just need school to start. Yeah... that would be great!!!

Taxes

Carter has been saving for a really long time for a shotgun. He went looking with Papa at Christmas time and found the one he wanted, and faithfully saves all his money for it. He might buy a pack of gum, or a pack of socks (if I see him outside with his socks on he has to buy a pack on payday. My pure black bottoms and socks left on the lawn every day has DRASTICALLY dropped due to this new rule! We can also find socks when we need them!!!) but for the most part he will save all $20 every payday (They get $40. $4 to tithing, $16 to mission/savings, and $20 to spend) So when he got his last paycheck, he informed me that he will be $3 short next payday. He asked if I would be willing to pay the extra $3 (we already pay for half of anything they are willing to save for, that we find a worthy buy) I told him that I would pay the $3, but that was not all that he would need. He would also have to pay taxes. He asked how much that was and I quickly figured... about $17 Buddy. He looked at me totally disgusted and said, "That sucks!!! An entire payday for taxes. I have to deliver a month to pay taxes? That sucks!" and he walks away. I felt so bad for him and I also wanted to laugh. Life lessons SUCK!!! They have never bought anything that high in price to realize how much taxes are. He was quite bummed! I told him that we could look for the gun in Montana next month when we go to the temple because they don't have taxes. He was a new boy! He wants to buy everything in Montana now!

Presidents Meeting & Mess

On Tuesdays, I have a presidency meeting at my house for church. During the school year, the boys barely even knew it. I like to have my house spotless clean. Two of the ladies that come are REALLY clean, and always have been, even when they had small kids. So, my kids have learned not to mess with me on Tuesday. Don't mess up the house!!! So Cars had his little possee (Can't spell that word but really want to use it here, haha!) with him and they were about to come in the house and Cars said, "You have to take off your shoes to walk through the house (I usually don't make them) because the president is coming here and my mom wants it really clean." The boys eyes were like saucers! It was so funny. Most kids only know one president. My kids, growing up in the church, know many. So Cars thought nothing of it. We had to explain things a little. Too cute. However, as I was finished vaccuming upstairs, I started downstairs. Upon finishing, this is what I found.

All while my boys are sitting just to the right watching a movie on the computer!!!
(A new bag of sunflower seeds and two of my drawers emptied!)

When he saw me take the picture, he ran to me with this cute face. How can you get mad at that! I always swore my baby would not be "a baby". Oh baby, this is the "KING Baby Brat" I should get him a crown even!!! But he melts my heart in between his Baby Hellion on Wheels stages!!!

Crust

Sometimes Cadens new "skills" get overlooked because the boys have just done these things for the first time usually about 9 months earlier (Caden does everything before the twins do in age, I think because he sees them and learned behavior from them.) Well, in the last couple of months, Caden has really started caring about certain things. He always does his hair without me asking anymore. If I tell him we don't have time, just get in the car, he will lose it. Today he was doing his hair next to me doing mine, and he did a new style. It looked really cute. He was looking at it from every angle and asked if it was cool. I said yeah, that looks really good Caden. He said, "Thanks. Can you hand me the crust?" I looked at him funny and said what? "The crust Mom." and just sits there like it was crystal clear what he was saying. Then he pushed past me and gets the hairspray that he likes. Oh my goodness I laughed so hard. The crust! Never heard or thought of that one!

Potty Train?

I was in cleaning up dinner and Colby was downstairs playing with his brothers. He came over to me and got himself wedged in between me and the counter. Then he turns his butt to me and says, "MOM! Butt." And just stands there with his back to me. Sure enough, I check and he has a poopy diaper. He has been telling me lately, "Potty!" and takes off running for the bathroom. The problem is that he is peeing when he says that to me. Had Cael not just taken 3 yrs and 8 mo to potty train, I would just think he was too young (20 mo). However, I think that I might give it a try. Call me stupid! This better work. Potty training is not my specialty! I am not patient enough. Here goes nothing... starting Saturday when we get home from the temple. I must build the courage, and prepare myself mentally.

Manipulation

So a while ago I reported that Cars thinks girls are crazy. He did not understand the screaming and crying and stomping off. If him and his brothers have a disagreement, they duke it out, maybe end up with a black eye or fat lip, but nobody EVER stops playing. Probably not the right way, but nonetheless, the way they do it. So, after several attempts by Baylee to get her way by throwing a temper tantrum and leaving crying, she realized it didn't work. Next attempt, use the neighbor boy as the "next best option". I heard her several times say to the boys that she would just go play with the neighbor boy if they didn't do what she wanted. The neighbor is a good little kid. He, however, comes from a completely different world. He is home alone A LOT, has no rules, plays his video games all day, and isn't much for activeness. Not exactly her style. So Chet and I were working in the garden and I hear her tell the boys this. I was mad because she wanted them to do something they weren't allowed. So as she left to play with the neighbor, I called the boys over really fast. I told them that they were being manipulated to the nth degree. I told them that we needed to find something WAY more fun, and she would be back in no time to play with them. I hurry and cleaned up and washed my hands. We sat down at the table to play cards, eat good food, and chat. Not something WAY fun, but something good to do. (the neighbors really don't knock anymore, they just come in, which I am cool with) No kidding, within about 5 minutes, Baylee and the neighbor boy are in my house at the kitchen table asking if they can play and eat. I wanted to jump up and down and laugh out loud and yell I told you so at the boys, but calmly I said, "Well, the boys said you didn't want to play anymore, so we started this fun game (when they came in we were laughing and throwing cards at each other after a close win) and we have already started, but maybe next time." Carson looks at me and says, "Mom! We can just let her play. It will be ok!" And it would have been REALLY easy to add her in. I just looked at Cars and told him to go play. They ran off to play. I later talked to them about how she came RIGHT back to play. They never have to do something wrong to keep a friend. They both smiled and it seemed to click. (I have NO doubt they are manipulating any way they can too. I am not thinking they are innocent in this friendship AT ALL!!!) It was a great lesson. Well, I have been working with them on another boy that lives in the neighborhood but about 2 streets down. He doesn't like my boys and is mean every chance he gets. We have been "killing him with kindness!" Today, he knocks on the door and asks if he can play with everyone. Cars was begging me to let him. I said sure and then said, "I thought you didn't like my boys Isiah? Will it be ok?" He told me that he didn't really know them, and now he does and likes them. I was so proud of my boys. Cars wanted to hit him about 2 weeks ago. He was soooooooo mad at him (purposely knocked the newspapers he was delivering out of his hands)! So Cars just came and asked if everyone could eat lunch with us. I said no and told him just us today. He replied, "Mom, there's only...8 of us. (That doesn't include Cael of Colby)" I guess I can do that. SO proud that they have learned some really good life lessons. I cannot wait to talk to them about Isiah after he leaves. Kill them with kindness!!! Works, almost, every time!!! But never give in to something you know is not right.

Fancy Hair

I just went and dropped the boys off at Gym 60. Right before that I had gotten into the shower. No make-up, hair soaking wet and parted on the side. I have a haircut that is VERY ugly when not done. I cannot get out of the shower and just go like when I had longer hair. When we got home, Cael knew it was time to take naps, like we always do. We had a neighbor girl waiting in the drive way for us to see if Cael could play. He was still in his jammies, so I told her that he could get dressed and be out very soon. Cael was so happy to get to play with Kelsey, AND miss naps. So while I was helping him get dressed, he says in this really sweet kind voice he does, "Mom, you have such fancy hair. It looks sooooo fancy!" and smiles at me. I laughed out loud, gave him a huge hug and told him, "thank you, but you suck at brown nosing." He had no idea what that meant and just said, "Can I still play?" And off he went. He is so funny when he tries to get his way, or it grateful for something. He sure turns on the charm!

Wipin' Butts

I am so tired. So exhausted. I have to remind myself to keep going. Today after church I sat all the boys down and told them that they were really good at church today (Chet highly disagreed. How does that happen? We were sitting with one boy between us on the same bench. Who knows...) I thought that they sat really well, and they were respectful and kind. Then we knelt together and prayed a prayer of gratitude for everything that we have. In the prayer I thanked Heavenly Father for the wonderful helper and brother that Cars is. Tonight while I was doing the dishes and Chet was getting Colby to bed, I hear Cars say to Cael, "Do you need me to wipe your butt?" Um... is that weird to anyone else? An eight year old boy asking his 3 yr old brother if he can help him by wiping his butt. It made me smile, and being the awesome mom I am, I instantly thought, I wonder if he could wipe Colby's too!!! Sick of wipin' butts!!! So ready to be done wipin' little white hiney's!!! But boy how I love how Cars takes care of his brothers! When he's good, he's sooooo good! ( That's about 50% of the time. We won't say what we call it when he's... not good!)  

Second Best Thing to Date Night

Chet is out of town, and I usually take the boys out on Friday without the babies, so they were excited to get to go out on a date with me since dad was gone and wouldn't be able to take me. They said that we should do everything dad and I would on a date. So, we went to my favorite fast food in town, Good Times. We had a fun time eating and chatting. Then we went and played tennis at the rec center and went to DQ for ice cream. Aren't these the next best thing to date night with your husband. So cool!!! Caden said as he was putting on his glasses after lunch, "This is how I roll." all cool and cute. He is so cool, but is never fishing for compliments. He could care less if I said anything to him or not after a comment like that. Love em to pieces!!!

Sugar Cookies

So we quite literally have the best neighborhood ever! I love my neighbors and their kids. We have cousins join us too. So now you can put some faces to these names I keep using. Not the best picture, but my ADORABLE neighbor Hannah.

 Conner, Cade (that's what they all call him!), and Jackson, the cousin to Conner

 The first yummy bite of 3 inches of sprinkles.Yum, yum!!!

Cars, Baylee, and Carter

 (so glad Cars finally cut that mop on his head! Whoa its bad!)

For some reason, I LOVE to decorate sugar cookies. Well, I don't, but I love to let the kids. They have SOOOOO much fun. The neighbors all loved it!

So Clean

My boy really likes to keep clean. It drives him crazy to be dirty!

NOT!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie!

Birthday Cake

Ice cream cone on the way home from Casper. Hey, we were in dad's car. Why not, right!

He loves corn on the cob!

I love my little Colbster!!!

Delivering Papers

This is Carter, Baylee and Cars getting ready to go deliver papers in our neighborhood. Baylee thinks that the boys are lucky, so she helps deliver our 50 papers in our neighborhood. As you can see, the papers are falling out of her bag. They never used roller blades again. They are always being creative on how to do it faster and more efficient.

I love my hard workers!!!

Side Note: Nobody in the neighborhood wears helmets except for my kids. They are kind of catching on. Baylee is wearing Cael's in this picture because she said that she needed one too. Kinda cool! I hope my boys can always "rock it" no matter what it is thats different from everyone else. If they act like it's cool, and don't care when everyone else says they don't HAVE to wear them, they can influence for so much good. They just have to be confindent with whatever it is in life, and sometimes just trust me! Cars trusts me pretty well on the helmet front. The helmet has saved his head more than once!

Steak Dinner

My first steak dinner of our marriage. I don't particularly like steak, so Chet will cook himself one on occasion, but I ventured out. I had to call me dad and find out what meat to even buy and how to cook the perfect steak since he is the steak expert with a million cooked steaks under his belt! I was just a little bit proud. The kids were super excited too! It's the little things in life!

Camping 2012

Some of our really good friends own some land in the Black Hills. We went camping up there over Memorial Day. It was sooooo much fun! I didn't get many pictures, but this one was before we even got off the dirt road (about 3 miles out) They were a little tired!!! They played hard. We sat by the fire and talked. It was really nice on private land. The kids just played and played and played (Our friends have four wheelers and 5 kids just like us, so our families play so well together. They can ride for hours without much supervision.) We really didn't have to worry about anything except the fire. So fun!

Super/Bat/John Deere Man

Who says superman with batmans cape cannot save the world.

The only questionable thing? On a John Deere!

Colby found this and we could not get it off him. He wore it most of the day!
Too Cute!!!

Pictures

Cael spent a good long time wiping down this wall. He thought that it looked so good and wanted to leave it.

We were a little mad to say the least!

Doing my Makeup

While playing stations on me, the boys asked if they could do my makeup. Chet already thinks that the boys wanting to rub my feet and back is weird/sissy, so he was NOT happy about them wanting to do it. I said sure and gave them free reign. When I was done, I was not at all worried about it! They said that I should not wear the color on my eyelids, but below to look like a football player. They thought I looked awesome!

Garden Part 2

Onions. As you can see, we are missing alot. The boys, ok and mom, are having a hard time waiting!

Carrots

Cucumbers

2 raspberries. These also disappear before they come inside (thanks Baylee and Cars)

Grape vine. I planted it last year. It has small bunches all over. Hopefully next year we get enough to make some yummy grape juice. We have three of these around the garden.

My free tires from the co-op. So excited to see how this works out. We have ALOT of people waiting to see the same! We found out how to store them all year long, so hopefully we get a years worth. I am hoping for tires FULL of potatoes!

And my pretty flowers in the front yard. Everything has come together nice. We could still spend $1000 easy to do everything we want, but I am more than happy with what we have now. In time...

I still have a month + to grow the onions and carrots. The onions are a good size to me, but hopefully the carrots grow a lot more. I planted the onions about 6 weeks before the carrots. There is a quarter and nickel for reference. These were pulled 08/10/12.

 This was our second batch of radishes. Cars (they are kinda his thing) pulls them, cuts them, washes them, and then walks around the neighborhood with them in a bowl like these ones sharing with everyone he can talk to. So cute. He is so proud of his radishes!

Garden Part 1

How do you define old? At what point are you considered old. To my kids, I am sure that I have officially reached that point. Why? Because my garden is bringing me so much joy! I call my dad to talk about our gardens about twice a week (that might be an exaggeration, but I call a lot!) I am so happy that things are actually growing and I have been successful, on my scale of garden successfulness anyway. My cute little kids cannot get me to google "how to download pictures from your droid?" But the pictures from my garden did!!! So excited to see the extent of what we get to "harvest" this year. I've learned a lot of not to's... but overall happy with the results so far. Can't wait to see my potatoes in my tires. You're supposed to be able to get 50-100 lbs per stack of 4. We'll see :)

I learned that if you put a dab of glue on toilet paper and stick your seed on it, you will have perfectly spaced plants. It worked AMAZING!!! The kids loved helping put the glue on, carry it out to the garden, lightly cover. They are planting experts now, haha!

My romas. The leaves look a little dry because the sprinkler is in the back of these bushy plants so the front leaves are getting dry (I assume. The back leaves are looking good?)  I am going to make my own sun dried tomatos. I had some on a homemade pizza the other day and cannot wait to make my own. Sooooo good!

My little tiny one is a jalepeno plant we thought that we had killed. It almost didn't make it through that really hot spell.

We're going to add three strawberry plants a year and hopefully fill this area soon. We need to put something up to cover the ugliness under the deck. It'll come! I caught Colby eating something the other day and fished it out of his mouth. It was a strawberry. He comes over and picks them. He looks for the biggest ones too! The day they are classified as "red", Cars and Baylee eat them. Not one has been brought inside yet.