The Kiddos

Monday night was my work summer party.  We were able to go over to a small private lake in Honeyville where the kids had so much fun.  Each year my kids get a little more brave when it comes to water.  They had the boat available for rides.  Lyndee jumped at the chance for a ride on their huge tube.  This thing holds 4-6 people, and spins in circles when it gets pulled.  She hung on for dear life, and enjoyed every second of her rides.  Alex really wanted to try, but was so hesitant, that he was fine watching.  Madi on the other hand was up in line with the big kids for her turn.  I had to talk her out of riding on the tube, no way I was gonna let that happen, and she settled for a ride in the boat.  She had a blast.  When she got off, she came running over to the pavilion shouting, "Mom, boat fun! Mom, boat fun!"  I wish I had my camera, so you can all see the gleaming happy smile on her face then.  She would have jumped off the dock if I let her, but I didn't bring my swimming suit, as I knew I'd be taking care of little Jayden.  Sometimes Madi has no fear, which is good, but worries me a little.  Here she is strutting her stuff in Alex's construction hat.

Lyndee is getting things ready for her Baptism in September.  She has asked Grandma Checketts and Grandma Robinette to talk at her baptism about Baptism and the Holy Ghost.  She asked Uncle Chase, and Uncle Dalon to give the opening and closing prayers.  I am proud of her.  She even prayed to ask Heavenly Father if these 4 family members were the ones to help out at her Baptism.  With a smile on her face, she happily told me that her decisions were right.  Aunt JJ is going to get her Baptism pictures done up at the Logan Temple Grounds.  She wants Pink flowers in her pictures with her pretty white dress that Grandma Checketts bought her last year.  It's hard to get a picture of her NOT posing. :)

Jayden will be 3 months old next Monday.  I can't believe how fast it is going.  He is growing like a weed.  We started him on some acid reflux medicine last week, and WOW what a difference it makes.  He can not sit in his bouncer and play for 15-20 min at a time without the needing to be held every second because he is in pain.  We are slowly incorporating formula into his days.  He is always more grumpy after a bottle of formula.  It must be harder to digest.  Since going back to work a few weeks ago, and since he is sleeping through the night, I am slowly losing my milk.  This always happens with each baby.  The thought of buying formula again, I hate, because it is so expensive.  Thank you Sam's Club for having the cheapest prices on baby formula.  I have to include this picture of Jayden.  This is his classic sad face.  It really melts everyone's hearts.

Alex is such a gentlemen, and such a well behaved child when he is by himself, or with only Jayden.  He willingly opens doors for me, and helps me out.  I love when he is like that.  On the flip side he still throws his lovely (sarcasm) tantrums when he doesn't get his way around Lyndee or Madi.  Our parents have even commented how good he is to help when he is by himself.  He has been strutting around the house this last week wearing his suspenders.  He likes to wear them because he says he's like grandpa Checketts.

 

My kids are growing up so fast.  I love spending time with them, expecially when they are NOT yelling, screaming, and fighting with each other.  Those days when I get some one on one time, are the best. 

 



A grumpy baby.

Today I didn't have to work.  I love having Wednesdays off.  Jayden got up earlier than usual today.  I got up to feed him.  He ate well, and I was falling asleep while he was eating.  When he was done I changed his diaper, wrapped him up, and he and I went back to bed.  We both got up after 9am. WOW!  I haven't slept that late in, umm, a long time.

I got the kids breakfast, and Alex ready for summer speech.  Jayden was ok at first, then he started up grunting and eventually screaming until he get held.  Ugh!  Lyndee entertained him when I ran Alex up to the school. (Zach is asleep in the other room, or I would just haul them all with me).   After dropping him off, Lyndee and I got busy picking up the house.  Alex is only at speech for 30 min, which comes to quickly.  So I ran back to the school to get him.  When we got home it was time to feed Jayden again.  Before I did that he got his bath and clean clothes.  After eating he burped well, and fell off to sleep.  Oh yes, now I can get my kitchen project done. (Back Splash) Well Jayden didn't sleep very long, not with the other 3 bugging each other and being loud.  Ugh.  On and off all afternoon, and evening that is all he wanted.  For a while I have been thinking he's just spoiled, but today he was screaming during his feeds, and tightening his body.  Nothing I did could calm him down.  I feel so bad for the little guy, but every time I got him to fall asleep, and I would set him down, he'd wake right up, pucker up his bottom lip (His super sad face) and start screaming.  Right before dinner I had Madi screaming about the kindle, Jayden screaming, and Lyn and Alex bugging, and tattle telling on each other.  I had, had it!!!!!  Madi to her room for time out, Jayden to his room, so I could only barely hear him, and I told Lyn and Alex to eat and be quiet.  Madi eventually calmed down and came to eat, but all during dinner Jayden just screamed, and screamed, and screamed.  I needed a break from him and his klingyness.  After dinner I cleaned up a bit, took a few deep breaths and went to hold Jayden again.  My little back splash project that was only supposed to take 2-3 hours is still not done.

He is asleep now, but due to eat any minuet. Madi is aslelep in my room and the 2 oldest are watching a movie.  I stay up so late every night, because it is my alone time.  4 kids are so much harder than I anticipated.  Zach and I know for sure that our family is complete, and I am so grateful.  I am thankful for healthy kids.  They are good kids.  I think Jayden is having some terrible bouts with Acid Reflux.  He is usually so happy in the mornings before he eats, and it seems as if it goes downhill from that point.  I hope he'll feel better soon.

Shark Teeth

Lyndee has been famous at our house for growing what we call "Shark Teeth".  This is when her adult teeth grow in almost completely behind her baby teeth. (2 rows of teeth)  She has had to have so many teeth pulled by our dentist, because of it.  I know this is common in a lot of kids, but Lyndee is such a whinier when it comes to anyone getting near her teeth.  We saw the dentist the first week of April 2013.  He told her to work on wiggling one tooth in particular.  Over the last few months I've reminded her to wiggle, wiggle, and wiggle it.  Today it was sticking straight out the side of her gums, (because of the tooth growing in behind it). Well I got tired of waiting for her to do it, so Zach held her down on the bed.  I really wiggled it back and forth getting it pretty loose.  I then made a slip knot out of some dental floss, looped it around that tooth, and commissioned Zach to do the pulling.   My tying skills are, umm, not great, so Zach got to pull twice.  On the second pull we got it.  She was so anxious, not that I blame her.  Zach saved the tooth fairy a trip, and gave Lyn $1.  The tooth fairy always forgets to stop at our house, night after night.  We've waited over 3 weeks before.  We almost had to make her a sign and stake it in the yard, just so she'll see it. 

She was a good sport, and now . . . IT'S DONE!! I can only imagine how Alex will be when we have to hold him down and pull his "Shark Teeth".

 

 

 

 

A few DIY Projects

My DIY Projects
I've been doing a few DIY projects around the house.  Nothing big, just a few things that have really been bugging me.  I wanted to accomplish our Master Bedroom while on maternity leave, but 4 kids prove to be more work than anticipated.  So I've done a few little projects around the house that have been on my mind. 

Filing Cabinet
Zach was driving through our old neighborhood and found a 4 drawer filing cabinet that had been painted, and was needing some love.  It had a big FREE sign on it, so Zach made sure everything worked, and he loaded it up and brought it home.  He was so excited to show it to me.  Here are my before and after pictures.

BEFORE

I pulled out all the drawers, found a can of spray paint I all ready had on hand.  I used KRYLON Brushed Metallic Oil rubbed bronze. 

I set everything up in the grass, and took off the ugly little square tag holders on the front of each drawer.

 

 After 4 cans of spray paint, I was done painting.  I recommend sanding, and priming before spraying painting.  I bought some contact paper from the dollar store, and with a little work, Waa Laa, my cute filing cabinet is complete.







AFTER

Now if I can only get all of our “stuff” transferred into it, and get rid of the old broken one.

 

 

 

 

WINDOW TRIM

When our home was built it did not have trim around any of the windows.  I hated how plain it looked.  So I took it upon myself to learn how to use my new finish nailer, I went and I went and bought some wood.  I was a little intimidated about the nailer, at first.  But today I love, love, love it.  Thank you Zach and Mom for the wonderful birthday present.  Here are some pics.

The 2 side windows in the Kitchen Bay window

 

 

 

Without Trim
 

AFTER

I also felt the need to cap our half wall, and and ledge around the stair well.  It looked pretty boring.  Zach hates when I start new projects, but I just don’t care.  When I’m done painting and everything is cleaned up, he will love it. 

JAYDEN’S ROOM 

I started Jayden’s bedroom over 1 month before he was born.  It was a completely white room that was screaming for some color.  Zach told me to just leave it white, but when I have my mind set he’s never gonna win. J I drew up some ideas on the computer, and got to work. I just got all the vinyl, up on the wall and love the way it turned out.  YES! Another project out of the way.

  

A Note from Miss Lyndee, Dinner, Pinterest Pin

 

 Sunday

We love Sunday mornings at our house.  First thing this morning, Alex wanders upstairs and asks “What day is today?”  I say, “It’s Sunday”.  Oh the moaning and groaning that comes from him every Sunday morning.  He really does enjoy church.  He always tells me how much fun he has in Primary each week.  Plus he loves getting treats from the Bishop’s office after church.  I think he hates waiting around all day for 1pm church, and getting ready for church, when he would rather be doing something else.

So, little Madi has been super constipated for the last 1.5 weeks.  She has tried and tried to get that sucker out, but has no luck until tonight.  For days I’ve been trying everything her Pediatrician recommended, and every idea given to me by friends and family.  Umm . . . Nothing.  I kept thinking to myself, this has got to be a rock hard turd to resist 3 enemas, and 2 suppositories, plus all the miralax, juice and fiber I’ve been pumping into her.  YES!  It was a huge thing.  I felt so bad for her.  She was crying so hard trying to push it out.  She is so cute.  After I got her changed she thanked me for helping her and asked to take a nap.  She has been asleep on my bed since.  I’m so glad she is feeling better.

Lyndee has quite the sassy attitude.  Today she was so upset with me that I asked her to pick up all her crap that was all over the house.  Even after she was “done” I’d look around and see all the stuff she didn’t pick up.  She thinks that she doesn’t have to help out around the house.  I had to ask her several times to get her room clean.  She has a terrible habit of leaving all of her clothes, clean and dirty, all over her room.  I got upset with her because she was putting it off, coloring, and ignoring me.  After I got on her case I headed upstairs to get ready.  As I was talking to Zach in our room, I look out our bedroom window and see Lyn carrying a huge armful of clothing, dropping a few on the grass here and there unintentionally.  I opened the window and told her to get all her clothes and get in the house.  Zach found a letter she had written to us and slipped under our bedroom door.  Check it out here.

 

Zach was laughing his guts out after reading it.  He thought it was funny to tease her about loving Madi more than her.  I told her that I was going to post her note on the blog, and she got super embarrassed, and tried to rip it up before I got a picture of it.  Ha Ha Ha.  Little did she know that Dad posted it all while she thought I was still looking for the camera. We’re tricky!

 

DINNER

Thought I would share what we had for dinner tonight.  It was delicious.  Slow Cooker Boneless BBQ Ribs.  They were so good.  Zach asked why I didn’t cook all the ribs, because everyone wanted seconds.  Here is the link for the recipe.  YUM! You’ll want to make these, I promise!   http://whatsfordinnerfran.blogspot.com/2011/10/crock-pot-boneless-country-style-ribs.html

During dinner Alex didn’t want to eat any of his salad, which was weird, because he loves salad, and eating healthy.  Zach told him he had to eat his salad before he could have another roll.  Alex got mad at Zach and made the mean face and was holding his breath.  You should have seen the color of red he turned.  All we could do was laugh.  It was funny.  Eventually his mean face turned into laughter as he realized he was doing something cool.

 

 

 

 

 

Pinterest

Zach has been commenting on how badly dry my feet are.  So I scowered Pinterest to find the cures all for the nastiness on my feet.  Here is what I found, and thought I’d share my pinterest pin, 

Mix the following:

 ½ C. Vinegar

½ C. Listerine –I used the generic brand I had laying aroud.

1 C. warm water

Soak feet for 10 min, and all the dead skin will fall right off your feet.

Well I tried it while I was watching Madi in the tub this morning.

Results:  I can tell that it definatly helped, but according to what the post reads, "The dead skin will just fall off" . . . it didn't so that at all.. DANG!  I really wanted it to be the super trick.  My guess would be that if I continued to do it regularly and soak longer that YES, it would be a huge benefit, but as for today, it did help a little, it softened the areas enough that a pumice stone could do the rest.  And one other thing . . . , yes, it did leave me with blue feet.  Shower here I come!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freezin’ Fun and Laundry

 

June 19, 2013

We had the chance to take the kids to the Logan Pool, for FREE!  Our swim time was 7:30-9:30 pm.  On my way I noticed that my van was showing that it was only 68 degrees outside.  I thought to myself, no way, it has got to be wrong. 

After getting  to the pool and getting settled I soon realized, that yes I believe 68 degrees was right.  RATS!  So in the pool the kiddos went.  I was not getting in, no way.  I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to being cold.

The kids had fun.  They even found some friends to play with.  I am pretty sure it was warmer in the water than standing on the side watching and snapping some pics.  The kids were sad to leave early, but we were cold.  They had fun with their new goggles.  My kids are getting a little  braver in the water every year.

 

June 20, 2013

 

I let the kids play outside a good chunk of the day today.  It was 7pm before we had dinner.  I asked the kids to help clean up the house, (to please dad of course) after dinner was over.  Alex was given the  “daunting” task of sorting the laundry. “I hate laundry, I need help!” These were the words I heard from him for over an hour.  When he doesn’t want to do something he gets a little creative.  I found him burying his head in the laundry basket full of clothes, and then later he was trying on dads clothes.  What a goober!

 



What Matters Most

June 17, 2013

First of all, our little Jayden is getting so big.  I was telling all the family on Sunday that within 1 week, he has completely grown out of all his newborn clothing, and newborn diapers.  Zach and I have seen a big change in him.  So I decided to weigh him up and see for my self. After getting on the scale with and without him, he comes in at . . . 11 lbs. even.  What a little chunk.  I didn't think he would make 10 lbs. by his 2 month appointment.  I am so happy he's growing big, and that he is healthy.

Next I have to share Madi's favorite words of the day. (Yesterday)  Every time she had something to eat, that was sweet of course, she would look at me and say, " Mom, Mmmm Tasty!"  Then she would give me one of her big smiles.  What a cutie.

Laundry Time!  So apparently when I ask the kids to sort all the laundry and fold their clothing, they understand that it is time to wear underwear on your head, dance around and act like super hero's.

Silly, Laundry doing Kids



June 18, 2013

Today was a different story.  I took on the task of taking all 4 kids to town with me to run some errands.  Some days I think I am super woman, and that I can accomplish this feet.  I am quickly brought back to the reality that I am an impatient person, and easily bothered when I am trying to get things done, and I continually get bugged, hear whining and fighting.

 

Lately I have been having been feeling that I am loosing control of my kids.  Lyndee has really had a bad attitude, and a sassy mouth lately.  She continues to roll her eyes at me, shrug her shoulders,  huff away from me, and tell me NO while yelling, when I ask to do something.  It is really getting to me.  She is only 7, and yet I feel like her attitude is 17. Ugh!!

 

Alex continues to whine about EVERYTHING.  He is a great helper when I am alone with him, (most of the time), but his yelling whiny voice is putting me over the edge.  I get to hear from him every time Madi, or Lyndee even look, or touch him.  "Mom, Madi hit me."  etc.  Today he kept going on, and on about wanting a full sandwich, and how dad bought him a full sandwich, and grandma bought him a full sandwich.  All in his loud whiny voice. Ugh, Again!!

 

Madi, as cute as she may be is stacked full of personality.  She is super independent, until I'm busy with Jayden, then she needs me right then and there, and nobody else can help her!  I have noticed that she is taking on some of Alex's character traits.  She does NOT like to share with Lyn and Alex, and hitting is her NEW thing.  She even hit me tonight for taking the Kindle away from them, at 10pm.  Ugh!

 

Jayden.  Yes even he has to have his part in all of this.  As cute and snugly a baby he is, he is going through something.  All he wants every day is to be held and cuddled by someone, anyone.  I love it and I hate it.  He is never content to just lye on the floor with the kids or toys, or sit in his swing, or enjoy his bouncer.  For him its, eat, sleep, poop and be held or I'm gonna cry and scream.  It's even getting to Zach and he is not with him 24/7. Ugh!

 

DON'T GET ME WRONG, I LOVE MY KIDS DEARLY, BUT LATELY THEY ARE DRIVING ME NUTS!!

 

I want to say right here that EVERY mother has a breakdown now and then.  Mine was tonight.  I set Jayden down in his bouncer and left the family room to just be alone.  Sure enough Alex and Madi come in arguing about the kindle and sharing, and this and that!! WHAT, I CAME TO BE ALONE.  3 times Madi came in to bug me.  Alex came to tell me again that Madi hit him.  I told him I needed to be alone, and to just go away for 10 min.  just 10 min. Nope he couldn't do it.  I was so bugged that I told him if he kept talking I was going to ground him, and he needed to go away.  Yes I was yelling at this point!  Alex stomped off crying about being grounded, and I just broke down into tears, and was sobbing.  (This was the breaking point of the day).

 

WHAT MATTERS MOST

 

While sobbing, I felt the need to ask Heavenly Father for help.  I started to pray, and yes got interrupted again by Alex and Madi fighting.  So I started again.  I expressed my gratitude for the blessing of having his children in my care, and in our home.  I shared with him how I was feeling right then, and the problems I have been having with each of the kids.  (Still sobbing.) I asked Heavenly Father to bless me with strength, and  help calm me down.  Wow, instantly I felt my physical body settle, and I felt much more calm.  I felt the need to thank Heavenly Father for the Holy Ghost, which I did.  What happened next, I was not expecting.  I was overcome with answers from Heavenly Father right away.  What was different, was they were coming to me almost faster than I could comprehend them.  One right after another.  All I could do was agree with everything I was being told, or rather feeling.  My answers were not how I could help my children, but that I needed to change my attitude and change myself.  These children are spirits from god, sent to me to care for, guide, teach and love.  It is my responsibility.  Be with them, make time for them, put aside the mundane things that I put before their needs  Speak to hem at their level, because no yelling is ever going to work.  I almost felt as if I was being chastised by how fast, abrupt and quickly I was feeling this from my Father in Heaven.  I needed to hear it.  Yes, they are my first priority.  They look up to me, and I am all to busy doing and worrying about the stupid little details in life.  MY FAMILY IS WHAT MATTERS MOST!

 

After closing my prayer, I felt the need to sit down calmly with my kids and express my concerns.  I was still calm thanks to the spirit about me.  Lyndee had gone to bed, but what a difference it made to talk with both Alex and Madi.  Will it change all at once, no.  But I believe and have faith that things will change if I change.

 

I share my Testimony that Heavenly Father is there for me, ALWAYS.  He does answer prayers, and that Prayer is a necessity in our lives.  Every person placed on this earth, chose to be here, and God loves every single one, just as he loves me.  Family is central to Gods plan, and should be cherished.  Life is too short to yell, scream and fight with one another.  It is my responsibility as a woman and mother to raise my children in righteousness.  My family is forever, and the temple is where my spirit can grow. The spirit can be with us always, and can help guide me in the path of righteousness. What matters most? Giving of myself to others, like my Savior.  Being an example to my children, and  supporting my husband in all things.  Working together as a family, taking the time to know each of them, giving them the security and love they need.