Honestyville

After a few too many fibs lately from my middle child I decided to give a special family home evening lesson last week. I think the lesson manual was written before I was born but I still loved the idea to play a game called "Honestyville". Unfortunately over the years the game board was misplaced so I pulled out a Sesame Street car mat and a couple of Hotwheels. Each time the car got to a person (or Muppet) on the mat we stopped and had an honesty question. If the kids got the answer right the car could keep going. I did all the usual scenarios: returning lost and found items, shoplifting, breaking things, to which my children spouted off all the correct answers...and then i gave a customized scenario for Olivia.

"This little girl told her mommy that she ate all her breakfast. Her mommy asked her if she was telling the truth. The girl said yes even though the truth was that she threw it in the trash for the 3rd time that week. What should this little girl in HONESTYVILLE do?"

Olivia: "um, she was full!"

Then I remembered this pic I snapped of her last week during her nap. See the Book of Mormon hiding under the covers? Perhaps there's hope for my little liar after all. We just won't be taking any trips to Honestyville for a while.

And that's how I know he was born in Idaho...

Listening in on preschool-lunch-table-talk could be my favorite part of the day. I sit at the bar so they think I can't hear them, and they never disappoint.

This week I overheard the kiddos saying what type of animals they all want to be. After everyone selects one Kolby says he doesn't want to be an animal, he wants to be the hunter. All the kids say things like, "No we don't hunt animals" or"I don't like shooting animals". To this my red-neck son replies, "You like eating animals right? Someone has to hunt them!"

And that my friends is how I know my son was born in Idaho.

How else would a Seattlite have such offspring?

Prelude

I just posted a perfect Monday post. I love those. Preschool went well, I'm showered and dressed, my house is fairly clean, my children are happy and dinner is in the crock pot... all by noon. Go me! What I didn't post was that I had a particularly poor parenting weekend. In the which I may have sent my children in the backyard and locked the door (yes you read that right...even the baby was sent out) while I cooked dinner. No one was allowed to cry or else they got sent to bed. Of course I was allowed to scream "You guys are driving me crazy!" throughout the day whenever I darn well felt like it. Not sure if the kids or I will survive having Daniel MIA. I just thought this needed to be said before any presumptions of bragging or perfection are made from the following post. The way I see it, its not like you're gonna get any other recognition or praise for a perfect day. You may as well post a balance of you're bragging days right alongside your shameful ones:)

Presidents Day- Preschool

Happy Presidents Day!!!

I'm not sure if I've ever actually celebrated this holiday before but since its my week for preschool I just couldn't resist an opportunity for a theme:)

I made the sample Obama flags with just my kids earlier. In my attempt to keep my kids educated but still politicaly impartial I thought we'd have a discussion.

This is how our conversation went:

Me: This is our President. President Obama. What is his name?

Olivia: Prophet Obama.

M: No he's not a prophet. He doesn't even go to our church. President Monson is a prophet and he is the president of our church. President Obama is the president of our country.

Kolby: Oh I know, like President Uctdorf.

M: No, actually he's not like President Uctdorf at all. Let's just call him Obama ok?

Kolby and Olivia (to the next door neighbor): Wanna see my Obama? I have 2 Obamas!

I was hoping things would be smoother with preschool today. Those smart cookies still listed off President Monson and President Hinckley. Is it a bad thing that our 5 year olds know these presidents instead of the presidents of our country? I think not.

Here's what we did today:

"I pledge alligence..."

I just so happen to have a ginormous flag in my coat closet at all times

(the one and ONLY perk to having a scout master huuby)

The Reading...

These books are seriously hillarious!

The art and activities... ideas were found here: http://holidays.kaboose.com/presidents-day/presidents-day.html For music we sang: Our Presidents (Sung To: "O Christmas Tree") Submitted by Aaron Our presidents, our presidents, We honor them today. Our presidents, our presidents, We honor them today. Remembering presidents of the past, And honoring him who serves today. Our presidents, our presidents, We honor them today.

Do You Know? (Sung To: "Mary Had a Little Lamb") Submitted by Rebecca Do you know who's on the penny? On the penny? On the penny? Do you know who's on the penny? Abraham Lincoln. Do you know who's on the quarter? On the quarter? On the quarter? Do you know who's on the quarter? George Washington. Note: Continue with other coins if you wish

For math we:

made patterns and counted our money:)

FYI:

I may have had to ask my dad which president is on the dime. Haha all this time and I never thought about it before:) Don't laught at me too hard. Do you know who it is?

Even I learn stuff at preschool.

I'll be interested to hear whether or not the parents believe me when I say that it was a purely non-political lesson today and yet their child comes home with a picture of Obama and a baggie full of money:)

Nothin says Happy Presidents Day like a little corruption.

My aweful realization...

It was while I was in the check out line, with a screaming baby, a car seat taking up more room in the cart than my groceries wanted to allow, a "helper" lifting eggs and glass jars onto the belt, and a 3 year old coughing so hard she threw up into a produce bag I dangled with my one free hand, that I came to an aweful realization:

I think I made "The Most Pathetic Walmart Shopper" list.

Of course waiting up for my hubby to finally come home from work at 11:00pm only to find out that he needs "a few things" from the store for his camp out this weekend didn't exactly thrill me either. I wonder if you can make the list twice in once week? here we go again...

Smoochies!

Last night we had a Valentine FHE. We went around the table telling each other why we love them. Daniel was about to say why he loves me when the kids interrupted.

Kolby: "I know i know, you love her because you always wanna kiss her when you get home from work!"

Olivia: "No, you love her because you gave her a ring and then she gave a ring to you too!"

Daniel and I giggled.

The kids told us they love us because we give them good hugs!.

Hugs and Kisses all around!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

(tee hee this one's for you britt...."lurking")

(and i swear my daughter takes pics just like i do...with strange faces)

I love my sweethearts!!

Being Woo-ed

I'm not gonna lie, after 3 kids and going on 8 years of marriage the need to woo your wife somehow gets lost in all the realities of crazy family life.

That's why this weekend was extra special.

Hubbys take note:

(haha i'm so sure any hubbys are reading my blog!)

Nothin says I love you more than...

1.You making the date arrangements all on your own and ahead of time...you know like before when you were dating and actually trying to impress the girl

2. Taking care of finding a sitter is also a bonus because lets face it, asking a teenage girl to do something for you isn't really all that fun. Its nice to share the awkwardness every once in a while.

3. Taking the effort and creativity to think of something besides the classic "dinner and a movie"

4. The element of suprise. I can't help but feel girlishly giddy getting ready for a suprise date.

5. And the real kisser...choosing to do something that you know your wife likes even though you yourself could care less about it but of course never making that fact obvious.

This weekend we went downtown (i always think city life is magic), to the Houston Art Museum (ahhh the quiet sophisticated atmosphere I'm missed since i gave birth to my first child 5 years ago), followed by dinner snuggled up to the fireplace at a French bistro.

One might argue that wooing is no longer nessecary when its obvious the girl loves the boy no matter what, then again that might be all the more reason.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Just call me "calendar girl"

My amazingly talented friend Cate invited me over on Saturday to play dress-up:)

You might say we got carried-away, i think not.

thanks for all your patience cate, I know i'm super awkward at posing alone haha i came home and just laughed at myself!!!!

Actually she was taking pics for her blog to give a tutorial on vintage calendar girl shots and pin-up girl make-up/hair. Seriously you should check out all her insanely creative ideas! If I didn't love her I'd probably have to hate her for all her talent!

See all of her ideas and projects here: http://seecatecreate.wordpress.com/

Originally I thought Daniel would careless about my little photo shoot. I was just tickled pink to get out of the house and play dress-up. I was thinking, 'You know, every frumpy mama deserves to be reminded how sexy they really are'. Now Daniel wants a calendar for his very own. Perhaps to remind him on weeks like this when I've been wrapped up in my OSU sweatshirt coughing up a lung that deep down his beautiful wife is still there.

Do I feel slightly embarrassed to be posting this many photos of me and only me?

yes.

Do I still love every single one?

of course.

9 months

Can't believe it Naomi, you're 9 months!

You've officially been out of me as long as you were in me...that sounds odd.

You've still got your 8 tooth-smile, your siblings wrapped around your finger, and your mama never more than a whimper away:)

You like eating bananas, homemade rolls, and the occasional Lucky Charms Olivia sneaks you.

You sit and play but refuse to crawl, take sweet 3hr naps and would stay in the tub all day if i let you.

I'm not gonna lie, I may be counting down the days til you're 1 and finished with your obsession with nursing but i swear after 12 months you must stop growing. Deal?

These 9 months were definately more fun than the previous 9 months!!!

love ya!

-mama

Priceless

1 set of sight words.... $10.95

1 box of thumb tacks... $ 1.99

Getting to teach my son how to read... Priceless

so proud of you kolbs! 22 words and counting!!!