Sigh.

Why can't kids throw up after eating buttered bread or plain noodles or white rice or white anything? Why does it happen after they eat watermelon or spaghetti? Or in tonight's case, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and mandarin oranges?


AND why does it always happen when Kurt is working late? What's up with that?

Our Weekend & a couple Top 5's

I know its Tuesday, but sometimes it takes a few days to recover from the weekend. And the past couple days have sort of felt like the weekend, because we haven't been in the normal routine of things. We have to leave super early yesterday to pick my mom up from the airport, and today we went grocery shopping. I don't really know why I keep taking all my kids grocery shopping, but I do and I regret it every time. Actually all the young women in my neighborhood are on a pioneer trek this week so no babysitters were to be found.

Saturday

Outside in our PJ's, bright and early.

Playing in the pool later

Austin and Nyah spent the entire day outside, playing with friends.

Kurt went to Home Depot for lawn fertilizer and came home with stuff to make a waterfall. So we (mostly me) spent the afternoon hauling rocks. Its pretty cool.

Thinking about my weekend has prompted a Top 5 List--

Top 5 Things Messing Up Our House

1. Books- With 3 big bookshelves, 5 little bookshelves, many stacks of books all over our house, and 4 kids (Olivia & Jolie in particular) I spend a lot of time picking up books. As the picture shows, I don't really care how they are put back on the shelves.

2. Toys, especially blocks- Those kids again, going about having a good time, what are they thinking?

3. Clothes, shoes, and socks- My kids undress anywhere, even outside, without the least bit of hesitation or shyness. I've been gathering dirty laundry today and had to bring in an armful of clothes from the backyard.
4. Papers- Never-ending piles of paper accumulate on every flat surface, and its not all mine.

5. Blankets- Olivia and Jolie recently discovered our linen closet and are constantly pulling everything out. I, of course, no longer neatly fold each article and carefully place it back on the shelf. Not that I did that in the first place- wishful thinking. But everything is crammed back in at the end of the day, and pulled back out by 8 a.m. the next morning.

Top 5 Mess Makers
1. Olivia- she's tall enough to reach all sorts of doors, cupboards, and drawers, and coordinated enough to climb shelves, and usually has a purpose to her messes, such as wanting to play with things like the blankets, couch cushions, blocks, etc.

2. Jolie- lacks height and coordination of Olivia, but also lacks purpose. I compare her to a tornado, completely empties a drawer and moves on to the next one.

3. Nyah- Most of her messes are art project oriented- crayons, markers, paints, papers- all left out to be destroyed and/or eaten by her younger sisters.

4. Austin- Likes to play

5. Kurt- He knows, and admits, to being one of the kids (sometimes).

Fortunately, Nyah, Austin, and Kurt are also very good cleaner-uppers.

Sunday

We went for a walk, well, the kids rode their bikes, and the little girls were in a stroller, so Kurt and I went for a walk.

Stopping to catch grasshoppers.

"Walk, walk, walk, walk" -Olivia's way of saying she wants out of the stroller (or car seat, shopping cart, etc.)

Jolie and Dade- Still Best Buddies

Jolie will purposely put her face close to his face so he will lick her. And I have seen her lick him before too.

Walk & Playing in the Water

We decided to start our morning with a walk, so we ventured onto a trail we haven't tried before in our neighborhood. It was so STEEP!!

Austin taking a break in dramatic fashion.

At the end of the trail was a fun ride, though its probably not supposed to be.

Nyah started complaining she couldn't jump down. "So climb down," I said, which she quickly did.

While the older two were playing at friend's houses, the little girls and I relaxed in the backyard. Well, as relaxed as you can be when your two year old has a hose and loves to spray you and her little sister.

Jolie loved the sprinkler, and didn't mind being sprayed in the face.

Oh My!!

This is what happens when I turn my back for a minute on my two little girls, who are fiercely determined to do things by themselves-

Jolie helps herself to my yogurt and runs off to hide and enjoy it. Not only stealing my breakfast, but feeding Dade and decorating the carpet at the same time. Multi-tasking already.Olivia, declaring she wants to do it, proceeds to pour out the entire bottle of salad dressing. I admit one of the other kids distracted me and I should really know better than to leave a toddler armed with a bottle of Italian, but I still wasn't prepared for this when I returned. Being the handy mom that I am, I dumped the dressing back into the bottle. Who cares? Not my kids. Getting into anything with a closed door- this is our computer cabinet, and it is proving to be the most fascinating, probably because I sit at it so often!

With each kid I'll get to the point of half wanting to child-proof all drawers/doors, and half not wanting to deal with the annoyance of unhooking something before I can open it. Jolie is particularly destructive- kitchen cupboards, bathroom drawers, art supplies, markers, books, and really the list is endless so I'll just stop now. Oh, and Jolie can now open our doors which is leading her to all sorts of forbidden zones like bathrooms, the garage, and the great outdoors. Oy, I'm in for some trouble (but delightful, adorable, bundles of kid trouble).

Austin's First Pack Meeting

With Austin turning 8 he is now in Cub Scouts. His first scout activity was pack meeting, and it turned out to be the Raingutter Ragatta races. Part of me was thinking "Seriously? We have to have a boat ready in a couple days?" but it certainly made it a fun first time to scouts.

As a friendly reminder, Austin's baptism will be July 11th at 11:00 a.m. at the Stake Center by our house, with lunch afterwards at our house. Our community pool is just down the street so bring your swimsuits if you want to go swimming too. We are also going to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House on July 10th, reservations at 6:30 p.m., if anyone would like to join us.

Love you all!!!

Trip to Idaho Falls

This past weekend we went to my parents for a weekend away. It was great to see my parents and sister, and we had a good time.

Getting into the toys-

Playing at the park- the water was a bigger draw than the playground.
Fortunately, Jolie was happy climbing the stairs.

Feeding the birds by the river-

After throwing a whole piece of bread at the birds, Olivia decided to eat the next one.

There were lots of trees to play under-

Watching the falls

Its amazing- a picture with all of us!!

Happy Birthday Austin!!

Yeah!! Its Austin's 8th Birthday!!! Hip-hip-hooray!!!

Austin's baptism will be July 11th, 11:00 a.m., at the church building by our house. We plan on having a luncheon at our house afterwards. We would love to have family and friends come-- Let me know so we'll have enough food!!

2001

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Nature Walks

Oh, we love the great outdoors, and we have been spending lots of time exploring our neighborhood, and some local places.

At the Jordan River Park off 126th S. We played Pooh Sticks. I love Pooh Sticks.

Under 126th S. Playing in the water and watching the barn swallows.
I made the little girls stay in the stroller and they weren't happy about it!! But Olivia discovered she could reach the rocks, so she started throwing them and giving some to Jolie, so they settled down a bit.

On our way back to the playground I let the little girls get out and walk. Jolie's top priority was finding a snack.

What happens when you are on a walk with 4 kids? Everyone gets a little spread out.

Walking on a path in our neighborhood.

Picking flowers

Hunting grasshoppers

Hiding under a tree

Tired of posing for pictures for Mom.