Addison's school Pictures from the first days of school

Fall is here!!!

So, any of you who know me well enough know that I absolutely LOVE Fall and Winter!!!! I have anxiously been waiting for it to arrive, just like a child waits for Christmas! I just adore the crisp Autumn air hearing the rustling of the leaves, kids going back to school, football games, fall food, and canning. Yep Fall is finally here and I need to get my canning done. Addison is at school, Payslei is sleeping, and JT is resting in front of the television so I finally have a small break to myself before I begin on all of the chores that are calling/yelling my name. . Our past month has been a busy and exciting one and I just know that it is only going to get busier. Here is a small glimpse as to what we have been doing....



1. Now for some of you this might not seem all that important but, get ready to cheer, I now have a washer and dryer in my house again!!! For some of you laughing at my excitement let me remind you that I have not had one hooked up since Bambi and Chad first moved into our basement (that is where they used to be) and when Dave's mom moved in their permanent residence became the garage. I was in desperate need of having one in my house as well as my poor mom, we would go over to her house every couple of weeks or to the laundry mat to do wash. AGH! But alas, I sacrificed my hall linen closet for a stackable washer and dryer and am so excited! Never in my life would I have thought that I would get excited over a household appliance but it has happened! I LOVE being able to do the laundry at my own house and putting it away promptly! Here looking at empty laundry baskets and floors!



2. Addison is learning to read and absolutely loves her pre-school! Dave and I went to parent night at her school and enjoyed learning how her classroom works. We also walked away with a new CD that helps to reinforce what she is learning at school. For example the other day she asked me to sing the alphabet with her and when I started singing she told me that I had done it all wrong and could no longer sing with her. RUDE!!! Anyways to make a long story short we bought the CD that sings the alphabet the "right way". Also her speech is getting clearer at least to me it is.



3. I am now the Section Rep for Dave's work. When our friends left the section his wife asked if I would take over and I blindly said, "yes, this is the way that I'll get to know all of the wives better." Little did I know that just 2 1/2 weeks after I had agreed I would be in charge of a BBQ for all of the troopers, their families, and the State Legislatures appointed to our section. I am happy to report that it is now over and everyone had a wonderful time.

4. JT is now wickedly awesome on his skateboard and is doing tricks! He ends up with a new battle wound every other day. He also is very protective now of his little sister and has no problem with putting you in your place. I am also no known as a monster when he is upset at me. Yep, the other day when I told him that he needed to listen, he replied with, "Mommy yous a monster!" I had to turn around so that he couldn't see me giggle and then once composed I told him that that is not what we say to our mommy.

5. Payslei is now crawling, eating solids, and no longer in my bedroom! She absolutely loves her crib. Addison especially loves that she now shares her room. I only wonder how long that is going to last. As for the food if she doesn't have it and you do your in the dog house. We like to joke that she is just like Jandee when it comes to food. She also tries to climb out of her crib when she is ready to wake up and play. SCARY!

6. We no longer have Trooper but, that is okay.

7. Dave "bought JT" a remote control truck yet JT hasn't gotten to play with it yet. Someone is still breaking it in. Or should I say breaking the core supports multiple times.

8. Attending everyone of Uncle Jamison's football games! Addison and JT just love to go watch
and cheer for their Uncle. JT's favorite thing to say is, "Go Tigers!, Yea Jamie!" and Addison's is, "Yea Orem, Go Uncle Jamie." Yes I am teaching them the teams to cheer for!!!

Well, here is just a small glimpse of what has been going on. Nothing to exciting for some of you I'm sure.

Just for Giggles

I thought that it was about time that I posted some of the quotable sayings and mishaps that have happened over the past little while. The most recent one happened this afternoon as I laid resting on the couch...Addison came up to me and looked at my exposed belly and began to pat it with her hands with each pat getting bigger. She exclaimed that my belly was squishy and bounced like a trampoline. "Look at how it wiggles mommy." Next exciting moment was when I was in my room sorting through mounds of clothes and ran out to answer the telephone. My kitchen was completely soaked! JT had taken the spray nozzle and spun around in a circle while it was turned on. Everything and I mean everything was drenched! My dad was the one on the other end of the telephone and as I told him what happened he chuckled and exclaimed that, "That is one of the reasons we are glad to have boys." All I could do was laugh! Addison starts preschool tomorrow and is ecstatic! In fact, I do not know which one of us is more excited...We met her teacher for the first time on Monday, it went super well. Addison was so anxious that she picked out her outfit and wore it on Monday and so now we have to go and get a "new" one for tomorrow. I will post pix of both of the outfits. JT is totally bummed that he doesn't get to go as well but he will go next year and I am already counting down the days. JT also refuses to sleep in his own room as there are MONSTERS that reside there. His Gramps told him to tell the monsters to "Come out or Gramps will kick their butts!" So now I have a 2 year old running around yelling that he is going to "kick your butt!" and that "No Monsters in my room I beat dem up!" Unfortunately, every night those same monsters seem to return and the cycle begins all over again. There were so many more quotable things but alas my mind went blank! Oh well I'll just have to post it later.

Payslei

I absolutely LOVE these pictures!!! They were taken last week and I've been meaning to post them. The pix that were taken of the older two didn't exactly turn out so all I have are the ones of the baby that I took while the others were sleeping. I have to say that she is a pretty good model.

Addison's love of the telephone

Alas my little girl is getting bigger by the second. Addison today dialed her Grammy Mac's telephone number all on her own. She didn't ask for the numbers just picked up the phone and dialed it. No redial was not the button that she hit, but the actual number. Needless to say I am flabbergasted. Is she really supposed to be that grown up already?! I guess the next number that I will see her dial is her Grams and Gramps. Next thing you know my phone bill will be sky high due to her and her dialing capabilities. WOW!!!

Can we say slacker?!

Yuck, so I knew that I hadn't updated in quiet awhile but didn't realize that it had been a month! So much has happened and the days just seem to be flying by faster and faster with not many projects being accomplished. If one could count my house being destroyed seconds after it is cleaned then yes many projects/hidden agenda's of my children have been completed.

So here is some of what you have missed out on.....

1. Payslei and I were able to travel down to Arizona for my bff temple experience. It was so much fun to go and see where she grew up and put places and faces to all of the stories that she has shared. The temple was beautiful and I was so happy for her and the rest of her family. (Heath and Selina also went through the temple and then were sealed to one another and Lane) Payslei absolutely loved the horses and was such a good little girl while we were there. Our parents rocked they watched Addison and JT while we were gone for the long weekend, in fact when I got home they were happy to see me but now they keep asking to have sleepovers.

2. Melissa moved to Heber and so now I am lost without her here, in fact we don't even talk as much as we used to . Bummer!!! Hopefully though she will meet someone up there who is more into the country life than the city one that she wanted out of.

3. Dave's patrol car was in and out of the shop due to trani problems, it is going back in next week.

4. JT got a haircut! I LOVE IT and the grandma's hate it! (see the other post)

5. Addison turned 4 (see the other post)

6. Payslei is rolling over, smiling constantly, and loves to babble.

7. Payslei got her ear's pierced and now her and Addison have matching earrings. Or as Addie says, "look at mine and Payslei's diamonds", yea right not even her mommy has diamond earrings. Silly little girl.

8. Payslei is now on Rice Cereal and loves it. She will not go to bed at night unless she has gotten her cereal.

9. Payslei now sleeps through the night! Oh Happy Days!

Daddy the Barber

The other day I was approached with a question or rather a statement, JT needs his haircut. Dave asked if he could buzz it of give him a Mohawk. I quickly responded by telling him that I do not like it when boys have buzzed heads, so he can have a Mohawk. (I think it is because my cousins buzzed theirs every year and I never liked it) Dave asked once more to make sure that I was being serious and when I reassured him that I was all for the Mohawk he just grinned. I then proceeded to go and get the clippers so that I could cut JT's hair but his daddy wanted to do it by himself. So, JT now has a Mohawk that is off-center and absolutely loves it. I tried to offer my assistance but Dave declined and so now it just needs to grow out a little bit more so that I can straighten the doo.

Addison's 4th Birthday!!!

June 28th 2003 a beautiful 5lb 11oz girl was born and who could believe that she is now 4! Addison got to celebrate her birthday twice this year. Once on the 23 of June and then again on the 30th. For the festivities on the 23rd she got to pick out her very own pinata and help fill the candy in it. Her Auntie Nicole brought her siblings over to help Kami Bam, Coop, JT, and Addie to break the ninata open. It was so much fun!!! On the 30th we actually had a bbq to celebrate and open presents! Anyone who actually did call on her birthday was told, "It's not by birthday until it is B's one year mark" or "It's my birthday when Auntie Nicole goes to the temple" if you were then clever enough to ask or remind her that it was actually those to events she would quickly respond with," Umm.. probable it is my birthday!" I can't believe how grown up she has become lately! We love you Addison!!!

Hogle Zoo

These are just a few of the many pictures taken at the Hogle Zoo. Unfortunately my SLR ate some of my film when it was rewinding, such is life but the ones that turned out were totally cute. These pics all came from the digital. The best thing about the Hogle Zoo is that by the time the kids are ready to leave the Zoo is finished. Thanks everyone for the eventful week.

Playing with the Bear

Tis the season that all of the teenage cubs come down the mountain for food and to find their own territory. Dave decided that he would play with one and was only 5 feet away. This bear did not seem to afraid of Dave and the Wildlife guy. I think that he looks so cute.

By the way Karly, Auntie Gina lied to you when we were camping....They caught a Bear at the next park up while we were camping. Uncle Dave just told me that last night.

Clean up clean up

Today was an exciting day to say the least...that is if you consider cleaning an exciting event. Lately I have been feeling the need to take a bulldozer to all of the clutter that I have in my life right now. So with that being said today I approached Addison and asked her if we could clean her room and in doing so we would throw away all of the broken toys as wells as give toys that she no longer played with to other children who needed toys. It was amazing she immediately hopped up off of the floor and stated that we needed to go and clean her room because she knew that there were a lot of kids who need her old toys. I am so proud of my little girl, in fact we only had tears shed once when Daddy came home and told her that he was going to throw all of her toys away or give them away unless I quickly came back in the room. I quickly came into the room and told him that he could not and then I explained that she had been doing so well at cleaning and making good decisions. The damage had already been done so to try and recover he told Addison that if he did give away all of her toys that he would buy her new ones. Addie was so excited that she went to empty out all of her "keep toys" so that she could have all new ones. Bad idea Daddy!!! Seriously though I am so proud of my little girl she got rid of one large black garbage bag and a huge box full of toys.

Kids 2001 Mommy 1

"Does what I say even matter?" NO!
Yes that has to be one of the stupidest questions I have yet to ask my dear sweet children. I of course asked it after I was at my wits end and ready to begin a short and downward spiral. The older two had not been listening to what I asked since their naps. My requests went something like...JT please drink your milk in the kitchen. Addison please do not pull the newspaper apart. Children please do not climb on the couch. they then turned into demands...Get out of the curtains. Do not hit your sister with the bat. Get out of the baby swing. Do not sass me! Dave please help me!!! Yes in my moment of despair sound came to the question that I was drumming over and over again in my mind, "Does what I say even matter?" Oddly enough I wasn't expecting an answer but my smart little two year old quickly responded, "NO!" At that moment I just had to take a deep breath and laugh to myself thinking he is to smart for his own good. So tonight I am ready to throw in the towel, I give up! At this point I can only think that tomorrow is another day and hopefully then I can get ahead or at least think I've won one adventure.

PADI Certified

So first off I have to shout it from the roof tops Dave and I are Scuba certified. Grammy Mac was kind enough to play with Addison and JT over the weekend while Grams and Gramps took care of Payslei. I am happy to report that all of my babies behaved in fact Payslei no longer sticks out her bottom lip when Grams talks to her but now smiles and coos. We arrived in Wendover at the hotel around 1:00 checked in and then we all loaded up into the vehicles and headed out to the lake for our first open water dive. When it was over we all headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner, wash out the equipment, and I desperately needed to pump for Payslei. We went to one of the buffets and I got sick along with a couple of other people in the dive group. Dave got a phone call just before 5:00 trying to call him out to work, they didn't have the updated schedule. I decided that I would get up at that point and pump again because I knew that I wouldn't have time before we were to be up and ready for the next dive. The last dive went slowly but great, 3 1/2 hours later we were certified and were able to play in the water and then go home. Dave being the amazing person that he is went to work after we got home while I totally bummed it. Thanks once again to our amazing Grams, Gramps, and Grammy Mac.

JT and the Terrible Two's they have just begun

Now I know that my children are God sent but sometimes I think that the man upstairs has a twisted sense of humor when it comes to my kids and their behavior. Take today for an example...JT only wants candy for breakfast and wont eat anything else. Later while I am multitasking JT takes off his diaper and comes into the Front room (no big deal he has been potty training himself) WRONG!!! He looks at me and smiles squats down in front of his little skateboard and craps on the floor. As he does this he proceeds to look up at me lovingly I yell get your but in on the toilet and off his little toosh runs and sits up. To late though the damage is done the is crap on my floor. (Mind you when this happens I am on the phone and checking the news on the computer, my best friend hears me yelling and is just laughing!) Now being the mom that I am I run a bath and have him get into it to clean off, Addison decides that she needs to bathe as well so soon they are playing and having a great time. Payslei wakes up again and so I am in the bedroom changing her and feeding her when my bf shows up and immediately JT thinks that he needs to get out of the tub so that he can leave with her. Thank goodness that Daddy shows up and so now he is distracted. Melissa leaves and then Daddy leaves to run just a few more errands and the kids have a good time playing all the while they keep asking to go outside to play. I quickly strike a deal with them and tell them that they can play in the backyard after lunch while Dave and I finish our reading for the Dive class later that night. Dave gets home and we start studying while the Macaroni and Cheese cook. The kids eat lunch and are watching cartoons when I get the notion to check on them. This is another big mistake, JT in all his "acrobatic/engineering know how" has pushed the piano bench from the front room into the kitchen up against the dishwasher which he has pushed in front of the fridge and climbed from one object to the next to retrieve the koolaide mixture that was located on top. After retrieving the koolaide he pushed the piano bench and dishwasher back up against the wall where the dishwasher goes. Needless to say he tried to get himself a drink of koolaide by mixing it himself and poor Addison was trying to be good and clean it up so that he mommy didn't have a nervous break down. Unfortunately for both of them koolaide doesn't clean up well with water, its best to first sweep up all you can and then get a wet rag. The mess was everywhere, in the children's hair, on their clothing, as well as their skin, not to mention the kitchen floor, interior and exterior of the fridge, Dining room floor, chair, Front room, my Sheets and Comforter. It was everywhere red koolaide. At the time it happened I was furious but looking back now I see that it wasn't something that is worth having a nervous breakdown over just something that I should post for all to laugh at and show JT when he is older. So for all of you moms laughing now I hope that you never have to clean up red koolaide and that you all put the powdered drink substances up behind closed cupboard doors.

Payslei's sleeping

Payslei slept through the night! YES!!! I topped her off last night around 10:00 and she did not wake up until 6:00 when Dave started getting ready for work. We were both so excited and yet exhausted at the same time. Addison came into our room last night and crawled into bed with us and kicked off the covers multiple times as well as tried to kick me off the bed. So, even though my baby slept through the night I didn't and have woken up with a pounding headache. So, keep your fingers crossed that Payslei continues to sleep through the night and that the older two kids stay in their own beds.

A Mother's Day Gift

Now any of you who know me well know that I have always said that the reason my older two were so angelic as babies is because God knew if I had a "upset" one that there would be no more. This being said Payslei is a screamer/crier and church is rarely enjoyed due to the over abundance of energy that exhumes from my children. Well today I got a break, or as I like to call it a Gift from God for Mothers Day, Payslei took a pacifier and was quiet for all 5 1/2 hours of church. Yes we took it to the extreme today but let me explain first was church in our area and then onto church in my parents ward to listen to Gramps talk. My children were angelic to say the least, well as far as church is concerned. After church it was another story for the most part angelic but hey it wouldn't be one of our kids if there wasn't a little mischief. Sorry Mom and Auntie Alyssa! I guess this is what happens when I slack in covering my kids in Sunscreen.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful influential Women in our lives

We Love You!

Addison and the Bumble Bee

The kids were anxiously looking out the picture window and giggling and then all of a sudden came the blood curdling screams. I immediately jumped up and saw my little girl running holding her arm and jumping. A gigantic bumble bee had attacked. The Bumble was holding onto her arm for dear life and was not about to let go. I quickly put Payslei into the car seat nearby and proceeded to knock the Bumble off. Needless to say I truly felt bad for my little girl. It was so traumatic that we had to call our Grams and Grammy Mac to tell the tale. It was so cute to hear Addison tell them that a Bumble Bee poked her with a needle on her arm. It was even cuter when she told her daddy what happened..."Daddy um I was looking out the window with JT and laughing looking at the Bumble Bee sleeping and it jumped up and poked me with a needle on my arm." (This time there was no crying) My favorite by far was when she asked me for a candy bar and then proceeded to tell me that it will help to make her arm feel better. Oh yeah and that she needed a band aide as well. Here are some of the pictures that we had to take of the battle wound and evil bee. It looks massive in person but not in the picture. Thank goodness that she isn't allergic to bees.

We love the water

So today the kids ran to the front door stark naked and wanted to go out to play. It was all I could do to keep them inside until they were properly dressed in "twimtut." Now any of you who have children know that if you have on your twimming tut you need the twimming pool. Needless to say by the end of the afternoon my poor children were nicely pinkified and sad to see the pool get emptied. Being a mom I had to laugh when JT was devastated at the idea that he could no longer fill the pool with water and get his sister wet, even more traumatized when his mommy wouldn't let him play out in the pool naked.

Lip Chap

Today has been one of those "typical" mom days....Addison and JT found some of my old "lip chap." I use found very lightly they actually opened up the closet door on the vanity and then pulled out the Rubbermaid drawer that it was located in and proceeded to "paint" their faces. For the most part Addison got it all around her lips (she looked like a clown had done her makeup), JT on the other hand had it everywhere, lips, eyelids, cheeks, ears, and don't forget the hair. It looked like he had tried to streak his hair with lipstick. At times like this all I can think is Where is my camera, oh wait I remember I dropped it and it broke. So all of you who have kids I'm sure that you have felt my pain at least once or will be soon and for those who don't just use your imagination.

I LOVE Peanut Butter Cookies....

Let me set this up by saying that last night while Dave and I went out my family watched our kids. Kadon was busy making cookies for everyone that would attend his Eagle Project the next morning. He had already made Chocolate Chip and was beginning to make Peanut Butter Cookies. Addison really wanted to help and was "supervising" she proceeded to ask Kadon what kind he was making and what was in it. The conversation went something like this,
"What is in Peanut Butter cookies?"
"Butter, sugar, brown sugar...."
"I love Peanut Butter Cookies"
"Addison have you ever had Peanut Butter cookies before?"
"No"
"Well then how do you know that you love them?"
"Because they have ...SUGAR."
I always knew that my daughter had a sweet tooth but not to this extent. (I know that she got that trait from her daddy) Sometimes she just says the cutiest things. And yes for any of you who are wondering she has had Peanut Butter Cookies before she has even helped me make them and then drizzle chocolate on them.