Croquet Anyone?

A couple of weeks ago the kids were playing Croquet in the front yard with a few of the neighbor kids.  I was inside with little Jayden.  I hear a blood curdling scream that was getting louder and louder.  Lyndee comes running in the house with her hand over her eye, accusing Alex of hitting her in the face with a croquet mallet.  I asked to see her eye.  She removed her hands and . . . within seconds she has a huge goose egg, and black eye. WOW!  Alex followed her inside the house.  Actually after calming her down what really happen was this:  She bent over to pick up her ball just as Alex swung his mallet to hit his own ball.  Total Accident.  She thought she was going to die, and lose her eye sight, and in her words, "I'll have to use one of those stick things when I can't see! Thanks a lot ALEX!!"  I had to make her realize that it truly was an accident, then it was a little easier for her to calm down.  Silly Girl!

She looks soooo Happy, doesn't she? (She pulled this face on purpose, because I pulled out the camera)

 

Sunday Morning

I can't believe it!  At breakfast this morning, Zach asked Alex what day it was.  Alex replied, "It's Sunday.  Mom, I love going to church, it's FUN!"  What? Did those words really just come out of his mouth?  I know that he really does enjoy church, but to actually hear them come out of his mouth, and with such enthusiasm?  Getting ready for 1pm church may be a little easier today.  It would really be nice not to have any yelling before church.  Thank you Alex.  :)

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!