New Tooth Fairy Wanted

Current tooth fairy not up to necessary standards. Child places tooth under pillow and it sits there for several days. Sigh.

Tonight I said to Kurt, "The tooth fairy needs to come tonight." (I don't know why I mention this to him. He's never done tooth fairy duty. Well, except once when he slipped the money under the pillow while I fed the kids breakfast. They thought it was cool the tooth fairy came while they were awake.) Anyways, we joked about how our tooth fairy is always a few days late.

Where is our tooth fairy? Barbados? She wishes.

Things only children think are a good idea . . .

In a moment of chaos-- Jolie needed to be nursed, Olivia needed to be hugged, Nyah needed supervision, the dog needed to be let out to do his business, you get the idea-- I sent my "responsible" child, Austin to let the dog out. In our new house the yard isn't fenced, but we have an area with a dog pen where Dade is trained to go. All Austin needed to do was take Dade to this spot, wait while the dog did his thing, and then bring him back inside. Things calmed down and I suddenly wondered where the boy and his dog were, so I went to check and found my son peeing in the spot where Dade goes to the bathroom. When I asked if he just went pee in the yard he said, "Yeah, but it was in Dade's spot." Like that made it okay. Who's child is this?

On one hand its horrifying! Did anyone see, start in surprise and run down a mailbox on their way to taking their kids to school? And on the other hand its hilarious--my seven year old, long ago potty trained and instructed in "we go to the bathroom in the toilet" thought it would be a good idea to pee in the yard! I'm laughing about it now!

Knock Knock

knock knock . . . Who's there? Dwayne. Dwayne who? Dwayne the bathrub, I'm drowning.

knock knock . . . who's there? Boo. Boo who? You don't have to cry about it.

knock knock . . . who's there? banana. banana who? knock knock . . . who's there? banana. banana who? knock knock . . . who's there? orange. orange who? orange you glad I didn't say banana?

Sadly, these are the only knock knock jokes I remember from my childhood, and mychildren are getting tired of them. Every night, usually at dinner, Nyah turns to me with a smile on her face and says "knock knock" and launches into her made up knock knock jokes, which, truth be told, aren't exactly funny and most of the time don't make sense.

knock knock . . . who's there? carrot. carrot who? carrot head (as an example)

So, save us from ourselves and share your favorite, kid-friendly knock knock jokes.

The Battle Begins . . .

Today is laundry day. I call it that because I like to think I can get my laundry washed, folded and put away in a day. In reality, it should be called laundry week. Laundry, the "vicious circle," so called by Notting Hill character Spike, is not the battle I am referring to, though it certainly fits. Oh, no, the battle I mean is the one between myself and my daughter, Olivia, involving her "blankie." "Blankie" is not just her beloved blanket, it also doubles as cape, hiding place, napkin, teething ring, coat, comfort, and constant companion. It went to the dentist with us. It sits at the table with us. It goes to the park, store, doctor's, upstairs, downstairs, outside, inside, you get the idea. There is tomato sauce, salad dressing, dirt, saliva, and a number of mysterious spots all over. At lunch today she dropped a blig glob of chocolate shake on it. It gets caught under the stroller wheels and dragged down the sidewalk. Her dad teases her by pretending its his blanket, holding it and snuggling it, while she tugs on it and demandingly says "mine." When she's going to sleep she holds it and fingers it and bites it until her eyes close. Once upon a time it was a pretty pastel pink, and now its a dingy grayish pink. So we bought her a new one, a new exact same blanket from the exact same store, exact same company, exact same, but of course, NOT the exact same, as she clearly made us understand by completely rejecting it and demanding her "blankie."

She is Peanut's Linus, but far more adorable, even when she has a massive, major meltdown in front of the washer as she sees her blanket turning around inside. I admit, I have to be sneaky. I sort my clothes, put a load in, add detergent, turn it on, and am constantly on watch for when she is momentarily distracted and I can snatch it up and toss it in. This doesn't always work. More than once she has caught me in the middle and snatched it back. Or she pulls it out of the washer. The only assistance I have on my side is that the washer door locks when its running, so she pulls on the door and pounds on the window, crying "blankie" and she bursts into tears and falls to the floor and must be dramatically dragged away.

Whatever people may say about our weekly battle, it is her "blankie," and I admit to encouraging the relationship, and can be found searching the house with Olivia throughout the day, calling out "blankie."

Blanket on left (with chocalate stain) is "blankie," and one on right is "reject" and how "blankie" used to look once upon a time. As a pertinent side note, she was very upset when I borrowed "blankie" for this photo shoot.

Dentist, costumes, and kids . . .

What fun to start the day at the dentist's!! Its somewhat ironic to be going to the dentist's before Halloween. Nyah had beautiful teeth, no cavities and no tantrums about the cleaning. Austin has two small cavities--must floss more! and now its not just me saying it needs to happen, the dentist agrees. Olivia was an angel for the nurse and bit the dentist. He said kids her age really like the nurses, but cry when he comes, which she did too. She has 3 molars coming or going to come in soon, which explains why she isn't sleeping well. Jolie didn't see the dentist, but we know she has teeth coming in which is why she also isn't sleeping well.

Afterwards we went to the store where the kids picked out their Halloween costumes, i.e. the outfits they will be wearing until next Halloween. Austin will be a ninja, Nyah a go-go girl, and Olivia a princess. What is up with girl costumes? A Go-Go girl? Nyah--"Mom, what is a go-go girl?" Me--"Um, I don't know how to explain it." (NOT because I don't know of the 1960's trend of girls in miniskirts and go-go boots entertaining patrons at bars by dancing on tables and around poles, but because I don't know how to explain this to a 6 year old without it seeming fascinating and her dancing around our tables in like manner--its hard enough keeping high school musical and hannah montana out of our house as it is, anyways . . . ) Nyah--"It's a girl who says go-go." Me--"Oh, right, of course." Nyah picked it because there are ruffles around the wrists so she thought it was a cheerleader outfit and she has been running around making up cheers. "1-2-Go-Go." Thankfully the "mini skirt" of her costume is past her knees. So, I'm calling on my faithful readers for great girl costume ideas!! Any suggestions? Next year I'd like to have more to choose from than go-go girls, cheerleaders, princesses, witches, and boy costumes (earlier this month Nyah was going to be Bumblebee from Transformers, which I think would have been better than a go-go girl anyways). The world needs cool girl costumes. Empowering costumes.

Olivia is wearing Austin's old boots in the picture, they aren't intended to be part of the costume, though they do add that empowering twist to a princesses image. Sort of like a lot of the new princess books out there, like Goose Girl which is fabulous.

Jolie's favorite thing to do is chew on her hands, fingers, thumb, or feet. My favorite is when I catch her sucking on her big toe like its her thumb.

Pictures

Our house

House from front door
Our morning

View from back porch

Kitchen

Our House

We are still living in Herriman, Utah, a mile or two from the house we were renting. We found an awesome neighborhood, a great foreclosure home, and just like that we moved. Our neighborhood is on the city boundaries so we are next to wilderness again, though we have been told its going to be a golf course in the future. We are close to the stake center (and rumoured site of a future temple), there is also a charter school next to our subdivision (no-my kids are still going to be at home), and--bad news--legacy highway might be coming through here too (yuck). Our subdivision has a clubhouse, pool, basketball/tennis courts, and playground just around the corner. Our house is an open floor plan, 3400 sq. ft., with an unfinished basement to expand into. Kurt says he sees us settling down here for the next ten years. I haven't been in a house for ten years in my life so that should be interesting. I'm actually excited about it, but we'll have to see what the future brings.

Here's a quick update on all of us:

Kurt-busy working hard. He's back with Max Int. full-time right now, helping his friend Jeff getting things set after a few guys quit. He's also still managing Nutranomics so he's plenty busy.

Kelsey-back in my pre-Jolie-pregnancy jeans, with pre-Olivia jeans in sight. Busy juggling kids and unpacking boxes (will it ever end? and if I could even find the ones that are missing that would be great too.)

Austin-dressed as a ninja most days, too busy playing eat, go to the bathroom or be bothered by mom. Complete with 7 year old attitude.

Nyah-highs and lows, complete with 13 year old attitude. Queen of making her sisters smile and laugh (and cry).

Olivia-taking toddlerhood is stride, tagging along after Austin and Nyah, loves to make jokes and try to be funny. She's hilarious.

Jolie-has two new teeth, rolling from here to there, and happy to be entertained by siblings.

Dade-thinks he's starving and very sly at convincing Olivia to share.

As soon as my hundreds of pictures upload from my camera I'll get those promised pictures up.

Happy days to all of you!!

We moved . . .

The good . . . we moved and everyday stuff is out of boxes. we love our new house, neighborhood, and ward.

The bad . . . stuff still in boxes, and yard full of weeds.

The ugly . . . in a word "vomit." As a suggestion, on your first night in your new home, after a long day of moving and cleaning, as you are lying in your newly put together bed fading into sleep do NOT wonder how loud the laundry room next door may be if you happen to need to do a load of laundry at night. Because the next night when your toddler spends the night being sick you get to find out, and then a few days later when it hits the older kids.

The good . . . everyone is better, and I didn't get sick.

The bad . . . we haven't hooked up internet service yet and with Kurt price shopping it may be a while, so pictures, posts, emails, etc. are on hold.

The ugly . . . NO UGLY THIS WEEK-- HURRAY!!