Out of the mouths of babes

"Mom, do you want to know why I didn't get mad when I couldn't play with friends?... I wanted to feel the spirit." 

Comfort Food

See that red tag on Puddin's blankey? Apparently it has magical sleep-inducing qualities and tastes just right when combined with a thumb. She traces her fingers along the blanket edges until she finds it, then pops her thumb in and rolls onto her side. Ahhhh. 

Thriller

Don't they all look thrilled?


Okay, MK does.

I just don't clown around, Mom...

At parent-teacher conference, the teacher gave me this letter that Getty wrote about his academic goals:

Dear Mom and Dad, 

I want to be better at cursive. I want to do adishon math more often. I want to be Quieter to not talk to conner like telling him to Be Quieter So I can work. I want to read evry night in a chapter Book. 

Sincerly Getty Evans

Happy Birthday, MiLo!

Beat This

I allowed my boys to make a "potion" (not that they asked me, but I saw what they were doing and didn't interfere) of Elmer's glue and neon green food coloring. They were on the back porch. Fine. Somehow they decided the best place to continue their experiment was in the garage on the black doormat (you know, where you wipe your feet before you come into the house). The entire potion spilled (of course) but wasn't exactly visible as it was absorbed into the black mat. Guess how many sets of shoes went through the spill and into the house before anyone noticed the neon green goopy footprints all over the house? Did you guess four? You would be right. GLUE ... (ponder that for a sec) and NEON ... (pondering?) green footprints all over the house. Beat it. That was yesterday. All I'm doing today is cleaning up pee. My 3-year-old has been night potty trained for about 7 months now, so he's only wetting the bed every other night since we've moved. It wasn't his pee, it was my 6-year-old who actually peed the bed twice in one night and left the soaking wet boxers and pajamas on the carpet. So, I'm just washing his sheets and comforter and two sets of pajamas and two boxers and the carpet. That's all I'm doing right now.

Moving On

Holier than Thou

Not the most important reason we moved but compelling in its own way :)

Fiesta! 

Family Night Baseball

More Backyard Baseball

MK's enjoying the outfield.

Major Bloggy Hiatus!

After 9 1/2 years and 4 more babies, we're packing up and moving on! Warning: Expect Delays! Do not visit this blog with expectations of a new post for at least a month (probably two). "Hi-ho, Hi-ho, It's off to work I go...."

Scrappy Washer Necklaces

I was introduced to some cute little homemade necklaces, and that was it for me. My obsessive-compulsive side took over, and let's just say eighty-two scrappy washer necklaces later.... Okay, WHAT am I going to do with all of these??? Some for my kids, some for nieces and nephews, some for neighbor kids, and oh! Santa's workshop is just around the corner! Good thing I'm prepared before it sneaks up on me six months from now. Phew!

Ready for a life-changing craft? (okay, it's only life-changing if you make 82 of them in two days).

Simple:

1. Buy some epoxy (that dries translucent yellow) and some metal washers at Home Depot. I like the 1 1/2" with the 5/16" center hole for big necklaces (older kids) and the 1 1/4" washer with the 3/16" center hole for smaller necklaces (young kids).

2. Buy a circle punch from Roberts for the size washers you bought.

3. While you're at Roberts, pick up the cutest, coolest, funkiest scrapbook papers you can find (this is where I lost control).

4. Buy some narrow ribbon for the "chain" part of the necklace, and you'll need to pick up a spray adhesive.

5. At home, cut your circles. For the inner circle of the smaller washers, I use a regular hole punch. It's exactly right for the 3/16" center hole. For the larger washers, I use an exacto knife.

6. When you've cut your circles to size, use a spray adhesive to mount on to the washer.

7. Next, mix the epoxy (comes with one hardener bottle and one resin bottle) and spread over the top of the papered washer.

8. Now wait FOREVER for it to dry (overnight).

9. Then you can flip the washer over and do the process on the other side. For FUN!

10. Cut about a yard of ribbon and tie the ends together in a knot. Slip it through the center washer circle and then back through the ribbon and pull tight. Done!

Mia Cracks... Me... UP!

Fearless

Cam-a-lam-a-ding-dong

Cam loves "tookies" (cookies), he "gurps," he likes to play with "Kallie" (two sisters, Allie [10] and Kylie [8]), and he's been telling me for the past three days, "I need a haircut!"

Teams

Teams. They've existed in our family for as long as I can remember. Teams are alliances that are formed within the family membership on a daily or semi-daily basis. The purpose of teams is two-fold: one, your team is obligated to play with you. Two, if you get into a fight with an opposing team member, the members of your team will support you in battle. (Is this a prison yard?) In fact, on most days teams are formed mid-fight. Teams change frequently and form according to your various credentials, recommendations, offerings, or testimonials. Generally it's who is being nice to you that day. Yesterday, teams were based on hair color (MK and Cy on one team and the "blondies" on the other). If your name is Cam, you're a shoo-in for either team. Several fights occur over which team Cam is on. Today's teams are: Mia on one team and the boys on the other. (MK's at soccer camp). Don't feel bad for Mia—she needs some alone time. That, and it takes all three boys for a fair fight against Mia (her verbal arsenal is killer).

Declaration of Independence

I've decided two things about Miss L. One, she's independent, and two, she's pretty serious for a fat babycakes. Independent because she won't look at me when I hold her. I can put her face-to-face with me, and she turns her head and refuses to give me the time of day. Serious, because you've got to have some decent comic material to earn yourself a smile and Seinfeld-quality material for giggles. How will this bode for our future? Only time will tell...

BMX Boys

Practice before the races. Getty and Cy in red.

Start gate.

Braggin'. Cy's not buyin' it.

Cam gets in on the action.

That's a trophy in his hand. Stud.

First Race; First Place

Getty killed his first BMX race (the qualifier and the main event) against three others in his moto (8-year-old novice division)!

Cy is working on his fear of speed (and the serious air off of jumps) and finished last (3rd), then 2nd in the second qualifier, then 3rd in the main event. He got a 3rd place trophy, so what did he care? Sweet!

Getty's Summer Wardrobe

It's 95 degrees outside. Getty's playing "army"...outside. Is there a problem?