SUPERBOWL XLV

The other day Cassi came and asked me..."Since the Broncos didn't make it, who do we root for in the Superbowl?"

She seemed very concerned.

I said...I had no idea...ask Dad.

When it comes to football...we really just watch the Broncos.

But the Superbowl is great for family fun time...good food, and popcorn.

Yummy popcorn.

*****

Brent and Porter stayed home from church today, cause Porters cough is pretty rough sounding.

He is doing a lot better.

I am going to have to start working on making him cry himself to sleep again.

We are having a very special visitor (Emmy) in 5 days...and I don't want her to have to worry about him waking up at night.

I let him cry it out last night after going in with him to times.

I just feel bad making him cry when it just causes him to cough so much.

But sleep will do him good...and me good too.

But I went to church with the girls.

Cassi bore another wonderful testimony.

I wish i had some of her 'guts'.

It was a wonderful day...Elsie went with Sister Roll again.

She cried for a little bit, but it didn't last long.

Thank goodness for Sister Roll.

And I had the best lesson in Relief Society...again, just what I needed to hear.

The lesson was about Christlike Communications.

Whenever I think something is missing in our home...I go to church and WAL-LA...there it is.

My answer.

Not that things are terrible.

But communication has been lacking between all of us.

Especially constructive communication.

My favorite quote from today was:

May we be found communicating with each other in a manner in which the Savior would communicate.

Christlike communications are expressed in tones of love rather than loudness.

They are intended to be helpful rather than hurtful.

They tend to bind us together rather than to drive us apart.

They tend to build rather than to belittle.

Christlike communications are expressions of affection and not anger,

truth and not fabrication,

compassion and not contention,

respect and not ridicule,

counsel and not criticism,

correction and not condemnation.

They are spoken with clarity and not with confusion.

They may be tender or they may be tough, but they must always be tempered.

lesson here

So, I have my new goal for the week.

I need to really concentrate on how I communicate with the kids, and Brent as well.

I feel like I do a lot of telling them what to do...telling them what they are doing wrong...and I am not as patient as I should be with them.

I am not a bad Mom...but I could definitely be a BETTER Mom!

I know that the way I act has a lot to do with the mood of the home and how well everything goes.

If Mom is happy, everyone is happy, right!

I can't wait to see what the week brings.

Getting ready for Valentines day

Today we worked pretty hard getting chores done around the house.

Lots of deep cleaning...and going through clothes.

It is good to have that done for now.

But they are growing like weeds now...so I am sure I am gonna have to go through it all again soon!

Anyway...after all the work...it was time for fun.

I am TOTALLY aware of my weirdness...most of it.

This one being...store bought valentines.

I am not sure why I hate buying these.

But I do.

So we thought of something fun to do for Valentines this year.

Each girl made their own little painting.

Madi did a cute little painting of a girl holding an umbrella, and it is raining hearts.

Cassi wanted to do a heart tree...filled with hearts.

And Elsie did a beautiful painting with nice bright colors...and a perfect little signature.

Then I scanned them and opened them into photoshop...

added a To and From to the side and now I will just order them on some cardstock paper...add some candy and we are good to go.

They are very excited about it.

Yes, I know they will end up in the garbage.

But the girls had fun...it is more personal then the store ones...and we are all happy.

So it was worth it.

On a side note...I really love painting with the girls and need to do it more often.

The boy makes things kind of tough...he painted for about 3 seconds before spilling the water and painting up his own belly.

Oh man...that kid.

It sure is a good thing we love him.

Making pizza with the Youngs

We spent a fun evening at the Young house tonight.

We all made pizzas and played games.

It is always a great time when we hang out with them.

We sure are lucky to have our kids grow up with their kids.

Thanks guys.

*****

Things were a little better with Porter today.

A little.

I think we are on the upside...so that is a good thing.

It is just no fun for the little ones to be sick!

Things should get better, right?

So it was kinda a rough day.

Well, it was a rough night first.

Cassi and Porter were both up several times during the night.

Cassi keeps complaining about her feet going to sleep and tingling.

Weird.

I need to go and watch how she sleeps...anyway...

I had an early morning with Porter and Elsie.

Then Porter started coughing so hard, he threw-up.

I felt so bad for him.

Anyway, got that cleaned up...

The big girls woke up, got them ready for school...and I may have been a little grumpy, because of my lack of sleep.

So things didn't go very smooth with them...

Anyway...a few other things...big cup of water spilling in the living room, and Elsie missing her bus...and some other stuff...I was fit to be tied.

I told Brent that I felt like I was in a train wreck...that got crashed into by an airplane...during an earthquake.

I guess we all have mornings like that, right?

After I got the big girls off to school, I ran and got dressed and ready...took Elsie to school...then did my much needed grocery shopping.

Which was fine, except the boy was miserable.

We got most of what needed to get done, done.

Then Jenni and I swapped babysitting so we could both get a workout at the gym.

And boy, that is just what I needed!

So things simmered a bit.

Or maybe I simmered, so everything else didn't seem as bad.

The boy is still miserable.

He is complaining about his ear now, which he wasn't before.

His cough is pretty rough sounding....

And he isn't sleeping well cause of that dang cough.

And I forgot what antibiotics do to a kid...you know, in the diaper.

So now his bum is chaffed...his nose is chaffed from all the wiping...

But no need to worry...he is getting LOTS of loves...mingled with time spent in time-out, of course.

I think a good nights rest will do a lot of good for him...lets hope it happens.

I could use some of that good nights sleep too.

Playing nice.

It is no secret that these two fight a lot.

A LOT.

But there are a few moments, far and few between, that they do play nice together.

What is funny to me...they get a long and play together at school.

They are friends with each others friends.

So I guess that is a good thing, right.

But I am glad when they save some nice-ness for here at home.

Family basketball game...

Tonight we had a fun little game of basketball.

Porter got this hoop for Christmas...and it will make its way outside once it gets warmer.

But for now, it sits in the living room.

We had a little shooting game tonight.

Elsie was great...she had so much fun shooting hoops.

Elsie also listened very intently to dads basketball instructions...

Elsie was also the biggest cheerleader.

Anyway...it was pretty fun for the kiddos...it will be fun to actually get a real hoop outside.

The big girls are pretty good at it!

*******

And we took Porter to the doctor today, and yes, he does have an ear infection.

So we start a 2 week round of antibiotics...which is always fun.

Hopefully he can start feeling better soon.

I think we are off to a good start.

Poor guy...poor us.

I think Porter may have an ear infection.

My girls never had many...

So I wasn't prepared to deal with him.

And he doesn't have very many...but I always miss them until it gets really bad.

He usually doesn't get any symptoms.

He doesn't grab his ears, no fever...

The only thing that happens...he gets SO GRUMPY and rotten...more rotten, that is.

And his sleep gets messed up.

Anyway, so I think I ma gonna take him in tomorrow and see if that is the problem.

I always feel so bad when they aren't feeling good, but act rotten.

They get in so much trouble...then you find out they are sick, and you feel bad for getting mad at them for being rotten.

I tried to cuddle him as much as I could today...poor boy.

But like I said...he was rotten, so POOR US!

*********

I am going to be ordering my 12x12, 210 page 2009 family yearbook tonight.

I can't believe I got it finished!

I am so excited to see it all in print.

For those who have been asking, I use blurb.com

I think they have the best quality for the best price.

Sunday

Just a regular Sunday.

We were kinda lazy this morning...and our Home Teachers showed up when we were all still in our jammies.

I forgot they were coming.

Woops.

Oh well.

Then we got ready for church...

Port didn't get his nap, so we weren't sure how it would go.

Well, he was pretty bad for sacrament meeting...but he was great in nursery.

The big girls were AWESOME in sacrament meeting...getting along with each other...it was great!

Elsie went with Sister Roll again...she cried a little in the beginning...but Sister Roll held her and comforted her...and she calmed down and enjoyed the rest of the day.

Thanks goodness for Sister Roll...she is such a great lady!

I am ready to say that Elsie is fully potty trained.

I am so excited.

She still wears pull-ups to school...cause she has yet to go potty at school.

But I think after this week, I will just send her in underwear.

Cause I think she will be just fine.

She still needs help getting on and off the potty...I am not sure how to make that part easier for her.

She likes the real potty vs. the small potty...and I do too.

But it would be great for her to be able to get on herself...but that will come with time.

Anyway.

So today was a good day.

In my spare time...

I am madly trying to get 2009 put into a blog book.

I am trying to get it all done by Monday.

That was the year I first started blogging everyday...so there is a lot to blog.

But I am having so much fun going through everything and CAN'T wait to get it all in a book, one big book!

Playing at the park

It was such a beautiful day today!

After school, Brent hung out with the kids at the park while I ran a few laps around it with Jenni.

I can't wait for it to be great weather all the time!