It came!!!!!!!

I am so excited!!!!

Our big book came today.

And I think it is beautiful!

I am so happy with it, and can't wait to do year after year.

************************

Today went a lot better.

I guess you gotta have the bad days to appreciate the good days.

The kiddos all slept good last night.

The morning went by pretty smoothly.

Got the things that needed to get done.

We are just looking forward, and very excited, for when Emmy comes tomorrow!

Kinda rough.

Sometimes you just have a bad day.

I am thinking that kinda happened around this place to most of the ones who live here.

Elsie was up at 3:30...and went back to sleep at 6:00.

Porter woke up at 6:30...so that makes me VERY tired.

My visiting teachers came over this morning....and while they were here, I got a call from the school saying that Elsie Had fallen at school and now she wasn't putting any weight on her leg.

So I went and got her.

They told me that she had fallen three times during P.E.

The first two times, she needed help getting up.

The third time they said it was a really loud crack...and she couldn't put weight on it after that.

I brought her home and we just relaxed...I waited to see how bad it was, and if I needed to take her into the Dr.

She scooted around all day on her bum...and then after a few hours of that, she tried to walk again, and this time she could do it.

So I am not exactly sure what happened.

Her knee is very bruised up...but she can walk.

Poor kid.

I felt bad for her.

I hope she gets some good sleep tonight.

She tends to fall more often when she is tired, or the weather is cold...or if she is sick.

Let's just cross our fingers that tomorrow goes well.

I did get a 20 min nap while Porter was sleeping and Elsie was watching Elmo's world.

So that was nice.

I had to get a few groceries...so we went out.

Things were okay.

And I even got to the gym again, thanks to Jenni.
When the big girls got home...they opened the letter we got in the mail from Aunt Emmy today with some cute little Valentines in it.

Little Valentines with tattoos inside.

Well, Cassi went right away to put the tattoo on...and it kinda smudged a little bit...and her world fell apart.

I felt bad...but it was hard not to laugh, and I didn't, because she was so dramatic about it.

Porter kept looking at her like he had no idea what in the world was happening.

And he tried to do his best to console her.

Isn't that just the sweetest thing?

Anyway, I guess Madi had a rough day too, she is getting a bit stressed about this PACE project that they are starting at school.

I am kinda bummed that she was assigned someone she isn't too interested in.

But I keep telling her we will keep reading and she will find something interesting about him.

But when she gets stressed, there really is no reasoning with her.

I think we are all needing Dad back around.

That will be nice.

We miss you Dad.

Bubble bath....in the car...

So it was kind of a full day today.

But it was a fun day.

Even though I feel like my head is gonna explode!!!

Dumb sinuses!

Anyway....

Thanks to Elmo's World today, and his Bath theme...the toy car got turned into a bathtub.

That Elsie does have a pretty great imagination...and she makes do with what she has.

Porter is happy to play along...he is learning a lot from her about imaginative play.

He didn't seem too sure about Elsie giving his hair a nice washing...I think he thought she had gone bonkers!

I thought it was hilarious!

Madi put a little house together for the car turned bathtub to fit into.

I had the box from the basketball hoop in a closet upstairs, that I took out to throw away...

Perfect roof for a nice big house.

Elsie was loving it....Porter just wanted to get ON the roof.

Happy Elsie was not happy when I made them get out for dinner.

Cassi was hanging out in her room upstairs making some kind of craft...I think she was making herself a calendar.

I love when they go on their own and do their own little creative thing...I guess even if it messes up the bedroom that I cleaned earlier today.

She is pretty funny...she  puts Taylor Swift on loud, zones out and then gets crafting...usually singing along with Taylor.

And I do love her voice.

Madi Bell had activity days today.

I really think that is a fun program to have...and I wish it was around when I was younger.

She has gotten to do a lot of fun things....while hanging out with good quality friends.

*****************

I kept Elsie home today cause she said her tummy hurt...but she was great all day.

I am a little worried though...she had a little bit of a hard time going to sleep and kept saying that her ear hurt.

No fun.

I hope she doesn't have an ear infection too.

And she WILL NOT take medicine...hasn't since she got her tonsils out...that kinda ruined that.

So I sure hope she is okay.

We will see how the night goes.

Jenni and I swapped kids today to go to the gym.

While I had the kids at my house, I had a chance to go through all the toys in the toy closet and clean it all up...all while they were playing amongst it.

Pretty good, I think.

Then Jenni and I went out with some friends in the ward for a fun little lunch.

It was a great time.

Got home...cleaned up for the big girls to come home...that is when all the fun house making happened.

Since there was so much going on after school...I let the big girls stay up a little longer after the little ones had gone to bed.

I am really taking this Christlike Communication seriously!!!

And let me tell ya, it is kinda hard at times.

But I don't want it to be so easy for me to get frustrated and yell at the kids...cause they are definitely learning that bad habit from me.

So I am doing it...and I have very high hopes.

Anyway...now I am going to bed so my head doesn't explode.

Oh, and I sure miss the hubby.

This whole week he is taking a class...8-5...man that is rough.

I don't know how people do that....I sure have been spoiled to have him around so much.

I am getting excited for some one-on-one time next week!

Bop-it...bop-it good!

The kids got this Bop-it game for Christmas.

The big girls have had a lot of fun with it!

Madi has the high score of 97...

Just recently, the big girls have taught Elsie how to do it.

It goes pretty fast...bop it, pull it, twist it...in no particular order.

Elsie has been having a blast with it...

And she does pretty dang good.

Her high score is like 6 in a row, or something like that.

She just sits with it and tries it over and over and over again.

Laughing some of the time...completely concentrating the rest of the time.

It really is fun to sit and watch her...

When she misses it, she laughs...does a little "aw dang" shrug of the arm...and goes again.

I think it is a great exercise for Elsie to test her reflexes...and she is having fun.

********************

Port didn't think I should be taking pictures of Elsie and none of him...

So, here ya go.

Port and Buzz.

Yes, he got a bigger buzz.

He was on clearance for $5.

And since the boy is spoiled...I couldn't pass it up.

He is pretty funny with Buzz and Woody.

He will come to me with Buzz and tell me that Buzz hit Woody and he needs to go to time-out.

Then it will be visa-versa...or that either Buzz or Woody are being mean to him, Porter.

It cracks me up every time...and Port sure thinks he is funny.

*********************

Port slept good last night...it was Elsie who had a bad night.

Lets hope that they all sleep good tonight...cause I think I am getting a sinus infection...YUCK!

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.