Christmas Eve

New jammies and slippers:

Finally blogging..

Here I sit in front of the computer, finally blogging. I think my last post was a couple of months ago. I just feel like my blogs are quite BLAH and boring! I started this as a way to journal, and as it turns out, I am not very good at keeping up with this one either. I think to myself that I want this to be interesting when my children's children read this. Not that my life isn't interesting, it's just sometimes it's NOT! There are moments it is SOOO great, and days that just run into each other with the day-to-day hum drum of LIFE! By the time I remember those great moments, I have forgotten them by the drowning sound of children whining or bickering, the phone ringing, etc... So here I am, as we speak with children vying for my attention, and crying because of the littlest things. Really? Last week, my kids spent with my dear friend Jen, (who is absolutely AMAZING!!) while Paul and I went on a cruise to Mexico. (Pictures to follow) She said my kids were absolute angels! Perfect in every way. Her kids and my kids get along so well and just took care of each other the whole time. No fighting, no bickering, no whining, no little tiffs between the two older girls. I am so proud of them. But how do I get a bigger piece of that at home? They are good kids, but seriously, when I asked Kylee why she didn't fight with Ainslee, she said because she just walked away when she was annoyed. Yeah, that didn't translate to our house. Oh, well. We just start over the next day. Same stuff, different day. My life!

Brynlee..

needed help snapping her pants today, "Mom, can you stamp my pants?" Then, after brushing her teeth, "smell my breathe". Like I said before, just for me to remember these moments.

The things they say...

Maybe no one else will find this as funny as I do, but I just wanted to post a few of things that have come out of Craig's mouth, more for me to remember than anything else. First of all, lately he has randomly decided that when his sisters ask him a question, his answer is "Superman". So I asked him why his answer is "Superman" to everything. His response: "That's all I got"! Hilarious!

Then we were talking about what the kids wanted to be for Halloween this year. (Yes, I know, but it is really just around the corner). He wants to be Bumblee, the transformer, not the insect. I told him he was already a Transformer, Optimus Prime. His response: "That was so last year"! Seriously, he cracks me up!

Then we were in the car and he blurts out of the back, "Mom, I want to be President of the United States for Halloween!"

Ainslee: "Barack Obama????"

Craig: "No, the other one."

Ainslee: "President Monson?"

Craig: "No, President Lincoln."

Sometimes he is just so random, but so funny! I love that boy!

Preschool, really?

I have been so busy editing, playing mom, editing, working, editing, working, etc. that I really haven't had time to do an update. I came across this photo of my baby, and since she started preschool today.... (sigh) I can't believe how fast she is growing up!!! She was so excited and had a wonderful time. I love her!!!

The boy cracks me up!

Okay, so I am blogging this for me to remember. I just find Craig hilarious sometimes. Actually, a lot of the time. The first thing that made me laugh about him today is when we were grocery shopping:

Craig: "My friend Trevor is toast intolerant."

Me: "Toast intolerant?"

Craig: "Yes, toast intolerant."

Me: "What do you mean by toast intolerant?"(Knowing well he meant lactose intolerant)

Craig: "When he eats ice cream, he has to toot (sorry-word for word)"

Me: "Craig!"

Craig: "That's what Trevor said he does when he eats ice cream because he's toast intolerant."

Me: almost rolling on the floor laughing in the grocery store!

Then, I get a phone call from Sarah (Kylee's friend's older sister (who also used to babysit for us-they all dance at the same dance studio) She called to tell me something funny that happened while she was at jazz yesterday (while we were at the studio) . The studio she was dancing in has windows to the outside front of the studio with blinds that allow you to see outside, but you cannot see inside. The outside windows are reflective. Well, she proceeds to tell me that she sees this little boy looking at himself close up in the window, making funny faces at himself, posing, doing the robot dance, and showing his muscles. This has some of the girls in stitches, because he cannot see in and does not realize anyone is watching him. Then Sarah realizes it's someone she knows, Craig! Even funnier!! So she called to tell me to thank Craig for the entertainment during her jazz class! He is quite entertaining!! Love that boy!!

Way to go Kylee!!

For the past two years, Kylee has been dancing in the Nutcracker. Last year she was a party girl, and she was soooo excited! She auditioned again this year with 62 other girls and is very excited she gets to be a party girl again! I am so proud of her! Although, last year, she had to wear her hair back in a braid instead of ringlets, because she was also a caroler and an angel, so it was just an easier costume change. She thinks if she cuts her long locks shorter, she may have a better chance this year of being one of the girls that gets to wear ringlets in her hair! Crazy girl! She just makes me laugh!

First week of school...

School started Thursday! Wow, I was just not ready! The summer seemed so cheated since we had a cooler June, and I just think school shouldn't start in August, in my own opinion. I feel like I didn't have enough time with my kids doing summer things. But, I am excited to have the kids back on a schedule. At least their days will be filled with more productive things than some of their days this summer of watching TV and playing video games. I also like that they are all at the same school all day and no kindergarten schedules. Time just flies, and they're growing up way too fast! I wish sometimes that I could just stop time so I could take in the time that I do have with them.

Brynlee is having a harder time adjusting to being the only one at home hanging out with me. But I love, love that I have this time with my baby. I told her she is not allowed to grow up! The next day, out of the blue, her response, "Mom, seriously, I want to grow up!" She starts school next month, and I am not sure I like that! Dance also started today for all of my girls, and they love it. Let the crazy schedules begin!

A few snapshots...

So, life is a little crazy, and I know I haven't posted for a little while. Paul and I decided to take the kids on a little mini vacation before school starts. So we took a trip up north and stayed with my FABULOUS cousin (thanks for putting us up!), and I just wanted to share a few snapshots from our trip:

The day we arrived we were lucky to time it to be able to celebrate birthdays with the fam: Happy Birthday Alex, Devree, and Kambree!

The recreated blowing out the candles: Austin & Ella: My cousin's BEAUTIFUL daughters:Devree, Brynlee & Ella:Kambree's actual birthday: The matching "Camp Rock" shirts, sweet Aunt Wendy bought all of the girls, that they wore to go see GREASE:(Thanks, Wendy! My girls, especially Ainslee, think you are the COOLEST!) My cousin in GREASE: (She was AWESOME!!!!!) And so was Kambree: (She's the cutest one on the right)

Then,

A day at Raging Waters: (Again, thanks Wendy, for the free tickets)

Alex, Kylee, and Rylee:

Ainslee, Brynlee, Craig (who desperately needs a haircut!)Craig & Brynn:Craig & Ains:Ainslee:
and her cute bum: Rylee & Kylee (Ainslee in the background) Alex:BrynleeThe Lazy River: (Devree posing as a Charlie's angel)

(Wendy squirting Brynn with the 40 ft water gun Devree won in the raffle) Alex & Craig:

A tender moment between mother and son: Alex (Teeth)Alex (No teeth)Devree Longstocking :)

The next day we went to Lagoon. I'll post those photos later..

Conversations with Kids, especially Craig

I have to post this while it is still fresh in my memory:

Mom: "Look how pretty the color of the mountains are..." as we were driving home from the library.

Craig: "Boys don't think anything is 'pretty' "

Kylee: "Except for girls"

Craig; "Yeah"

Mom to Craig: "What girls do you think are pretty?"

Craig: "A****" (a little girl I'll remain nameless..her mom knows who she is ;) )

Kylee: "No, he think's she's 'hot' "

Mom: "How do you define 'hot'?"

Craig: "When she's cute and you love her and she loves me"

Mom: "How do you choose one girl? When A****, M******, and S******* all love you?"

Kylee: "Because A**** is the 'hottest'"

Craig: "No, because A**** is crazy like me'!"

Mom: "So, because of her personality?"

Craig: "And she's 'hot'"

The conversation went on a little further, but just reminded me that my little boy is growing up way too fast! I don't know how I feel about him calling someone "hot". We'll have to have a little chat about that (he's only 7!) and how he can't fall in love until he's 21! Although he is so sweet, and it is innocent, I better watch out!