A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, so watch your step!

Hope Floats

Last weekend while at a birthday party, my friend recommended I watch the movie Hope Floats.  Tonight I took the time to watch it.  If you are wondering what it is we are going through at my house right now, start watching right about an hour and 38 minutes.  Minus me having someone in the wings ready and waiting like Sandra Bullock does, this is pretty accurate.  The conversation sounds really familiar to those that have gone on at my house. Tonight Hyrum and I hit the point at an hour and 45 minutes.  I am excited for tomorrow because sometimes the truth will set you free.  I am sure we still will have our bumps along the way, but tonight it clicked for him and for that I am eternally grateful.  I am hoping tonight is the start of many more happy days ahead.  After the hellish last 3 months I am ready for it!

A different friend and I were talking tonight about perspective.  In a year from now, looking back this time is going to seem like it has flown by.  I am anxiously awaiting the time that I can move on in the right way.  In the interim I am enjoying all the time with just my boys I get.  It is amazing how when i watch and enjoy the little moments that the bigger memories are formed and our relationships are strengthened.  Sometimes it's being able to console a tearful sobbing child that helps them realize who will be there for them in the end without saying a word.  It is quietly remind those around of the rules in our home and what we are supposed to do and not.  Teaching the boys that treats do not have to mean electronics or desserts.  It is waking up early after an exhausting night of a 2 year old refusing to sleep unless he is sprawled out on top of you and then waking up early to walk the other 2 boys to school and hearing them make plans to be best friends for the rest of their lives.  It is Quinten starting to potty train himself.

It is helping Kaden plan family home evening and then him sitting at the kitchen table telling everyone our family rules and being reminded of them all the time when he says prayers all by himself.  "Dear Heavenly Father.  Please help us to not hit, and not kick, and to not throw our food.  Please help us to play nice with Hyrum and TinTin.  Please help Mommy to go to sleep tonight.  Please help us to use nice words and to stay in our beds at night.  Thank you for our house and our toys and to be good.  In name Jesus Christ Amen."

Single parenting is not easy, I have been very fortunate to have my older sister Heather here helping me out as I run here and there to counseling, attorney's offices, appointments and just need an extra hand.  I know that the time is soon coming that I will be all on my own and I know that I can do it.  We are surviving, we are being courageous, and we are moving on.  

Tonight as Hyrum and I were talking we were talking about what makes a person happy.  He realized that he makes himself happy that no one else or nothing else not even a lot of money makes us happy.  As we were talking about his choice to be baptized he said that he feels happier when he thinks of helping others but he still wishes that life was fair.  So do I little buddy, so do I.  But if we spent all our time wishing that life was as fair to us as it was for others than we would be missing the beauty that we do get to experience that others do not.  Life is as fair to us as we allow it to be!  It is all in one's perspective.

And don't worry about losing. If it is right, it happens -- The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.

"In terms of your happiness, in terms of the matters that make you proud or sad, nothing - I repeat, nothing - will have so profound an effect on you as the way your children turn out."

President Hinckley

I love going to church and watching my boys in their classes. Hyrum switched to senior primary this year since he will be turning 8 next month. His teacher is fun and a creative thinker and I love how she brings the scripture stories to life for the kids.  Today they acted out Nephi breaking his bow. 

Kaden's teachers are a perfect fit for him. I am amazed how easily the transition has been for him going from nursery to sunbeams has been. He loves being with the big kids and learning singing the primary songs. He will surprise me at night when I'm singing to them good night and sing along sometimes.  This kid still doesn't get a joke though, it's been hard after Hyrum's witty sense of humor to have a kid who doesn't get it sometimes.

Quinten enjoys nursery. According to his teachers his favorite time is snack time and hug the teacher time. At the end of nursery before they leave they are supposed to give their teachers a hug. Quinten sprints across the room for their hugs. It's great that he doesn't cry when he is dropped off in nursery because he cries with everyone else when I am out of sight.  When we are sitting in sacrament meeting he notices his teachers and sometimes wanders over to their laps.  I'm truly grateful for this!

I am getting into a better routine these days.  I am getting back into my projects and finding lots of great books to read.  We hardly turn the tv on and are outside doing projects or riding bikes if we are not running to appointments of picking someone up from school.  The last few days my kids have decided that sleeping all night long is a great idea again so as long as I get myself to bed on time I am not a walking zombie.  I am tired of the limbo mode that this time in life has forced me to be in but am excited to be living every day and making plans for the future.  This winter has been mild and I am truly thankful for that, I am not a fan of the gray, gloomy winter days that sometimes hit Texas in the winter. We have a busy week ahead and I am hoping for a break this weekend before big changes come to our house yet again.... more details on that soon.

This week my friend and old neighbor flew all the way across the country to come see the boys and I.  It was so much fun.  We went from seeing her every day to she moved thousands of miles away.  Even though it was just for one night, we had lot of fun laughing until we cried and catching up.  The kids were excited to show her all the new things they have learned.  It was interesting to see how far we have come since Halloween.  Before, Hyrum would try to talk Ms. Audrey into everything and always earn 1 more dollar or one more treat.  This time it was, We don't need to go to the book store, we can just go to the library. We don't need to buy more ice cream we can just share these ones.  She claims I am not even letting her spoil them anymore.  It was funny.  We did end up at the book store with some new books and a fun night out to dinner.  Thanks Audrey! We are excited for you to come back in March!!

I also heard a great description of my life right now, it is oh so true.  My life is like one of those bizarre lifetime movies.  I hope for everyone involveds sake we are just at the last commercial break and it will be wrapping up soon because I know that the sequel will be a million times better!!

Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn't stop to enjoy it.

-William Feather

Lucky Ball Boy

I have wonderful friends. They truly are amazing. They look out for the boys and I and help keep us busy on Wednesday nights when I have the kids and they are supposed to be elsewhere. They have come up with some great activities so the thought of "Where's Dad?" doesn't even come up. Last night we did something really fun. Hyrum had the opportunity to help my friend who is a athletic trainer be a ball boy at the soccer game. At first he was nervous with the thought of going out by the players and running around, but he lives for soccer and watching him out there he was in his element. He was running up and down the sidelines chasing after out of bounds balls and pretending to kick. It was heaven for him for the night. During half time he loved being able to run out on the field and gave the crown a little half time show slipping and sliding around. He ran the entire field and up into the bleachers. The grin on his face will be forever ingrained in my mind. He is hoping to be able to do it again soon!

*None of the pictures are that great, my camera is lost in the house somewhere I have yet to find but I felt this post deserved the pictures even though they are not the clearest.*

Hey Mom!

If you look straight up the fence post to the other side of the field, Hyrum is standing there.

Half time enjoying the 50 yard line.

When the game was over Kaden and Quinten were allowed to run out on the field too.  As the game was winding down, Kaden kept asking how many minutes until I get a turn out there.  When he finally got a turn he was tired and wanted to be held most of the time.  Quinten however who had been almost asleep perked right up and was out there with Hyrum working on football tackles.  I love the special relationship that my kids have together.  Kaden has learned the term "best friend" this week and he says that Hyrum and Tin Tin are his best friends forever and ever!

Thanks Kim for the fun night, Heather and I enjoyed a good soccer game too!

Funny boy

Qubes loves hats, he loves tractors, he loves cycles (motorcycles).... He is definitely all boy!  Last night thanks to his big brothers he learned and perfected the art of giving wedgies.  Even though I should have stopped the behavior right away, I couldn't help but laugh while listening to him scream with delight as he would chase down Hi-mum and K-Dun giggling all the while and grab onto their undies and crying out weggieeeee!  He is only barely 2 but there is never a dull moment when he is awake.

**I haven't forgotten about the birthday post, I still have every intention of writing it.  The camera has gone missing somewhere in my house.  I wish it had the finding feature with an alarm in it the way my phone and the kids ipods do, that would make it so much easier to find most days.

I know this is my blog and it is hard to have a discussion on here but I was just wondering what other people thought the difference between a lie and a half truth are? The person claiming they were telling half truths refused to "fill in the details" though. I heard this a lot tonight as I was sitting waiting to see a doctor tonight.

To me they are the same thing but maybe someone else has some good insight I haven't thought of. I'm sick of the lies and trail of deceit.

Also I'm grateful though I have made some mistakes posting some unkind things on my blog, though not lies, that I have erased them a short time later. Turns out Hyrum enjoys reading my blog and checking out different Facebook profiles. I'm glad I don't have to answer to him as to why people are making the choices that they are and posting unhappy thoughts about his parents splitting up. It's been neat to see him excited about the funny things he does that I notice and post. He says I never knew you were watching me then mom. Maybe you do really know everything! I wonder how old he will be until he realizes I just have good reasoning skills.

COURAGE

Life has thrown my boys and I more than a few curve balls these last few months.  I can often be heard joking, what's next?  Some of the things that have happened my good friend says, you just can't make these things up!  The small moments that I have allowed myself to be weighted down by life's burdens have been few and far between.  Instead I have chosen to try to push through this with courage.  I have been given wonderful advice that has often come to mind when things get hectic.  "Remember it all works out in the end.  If it isn't working out then obviously it isn't the end."  

As odd as it sounds, I am thankful for these trials in my life.  I believe that before I came to my life on this Earth that I was shown the trials and blessings that would be faced before me and yet I still had the courage to come here.  I don't remember everything I was shown because a veil was placed before my eyes, but I know that if I am courageous and keep trying that I will be blessed.

This year my word to focus on is Courage.  I want to help my kids be courageous in the process of life and not be afraid to keep living and trying new things.  I want us to still travel and explore the world and meet new people.  Sometimes we may not always like where our well laid plans lead us, but I want to teach them courage to move on to plan B or plan C.  President Boyd K. Packer said "You must learn to walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness; then the light will appear and show the way before you."

Last year my word was patience.  Let's just say I will not be praying for more opportunities to learn patience for a long long time after these last few months. :) To have patience, yes, but not for trials to learn more patience.

Please

I just want to say if people dislike me so much please stop reading my blog. There is no need for you to waste your time reading about my kids and my life if you are glad to have this divorce going on. Why waste your time?  I am sure Netflix has got to be more appealing than my life.  Thanks, that is all.

Hyrum Lip Sync

Hyrum enjoys music, he wants to be in charge of what radio stations we listen to and the volume level. On the rare occasion that he is lucky enough to make all his radio selections and has my phone or his ipod he enjoys making videos of himself lip syncing. This might be boring to many of you, be forewarned. I just want to remember this stage in life.  He cracks me up with his facial expressions and when he checks himself out in the camera.  The actual video was over 15 minutes long he just goes from song to song and tried to lip what the radio station djs say as well.

Quinten's surgery

Quinten in pre op coloring in his new coloring book.

Quinten has been sick since Halloween, or maybe it was before Halloween that's the furthest back date I can really remember the constant ear infections and infected throat in this never ending battle of antibiotics.  I had taken him in to the pediatrician a few weeks before and while there she recommended I get him an appointment with the ENT. Little did I know that we would be in her office 2 more times that week getting him shots because the antibiotics were not working and his ear drums were bulging.  So I got him into the ENT pretty quick compared to the crazy wait from when Kaden was dealing with the same problems a few years ago.  Even though they got him in quick the surgery schedule was booked up for the month.  They told me to go ahead and get all the necessary blood work done because sometimes there is a cancellation and that way he would be ready if an opening arose.  Little did I know I would receive a phone call from them 5 days later letting me know about an opening the next day.

So last Wednesday, the 18th, I woke up super early and we headed to the surgery center with George - stuffed animal, towel - his blanket, and his baby - the pacifier he found a week before and I let him keep because he was in so much pain and it seemed to console him.  In pre op his managed to bite a hole in his baby right as they were getting ready to take him back, it ended up being the perfect solution to getting rid of the non needed attachment once again.  Surgery to put tubes in his ears and remove his adenoids was a success however when he woke up and they took out his breathing tube there was a problem.  His runny nose drained down into his lungs during the surgery.  When I got back to see him he has already had a breathing treatment, and steroids into his IV.  They were concerned because his oxygen level was not going up on it's own.  He looked ashy and lifeless. I knew from having 2 kids have this surgery before it wasn't normal for him to be acting the way he was and for the recovery nurse to keep listening to him and stand over me that things were not going as planned.  After another dose of steroids,more sleep, lots of prayers and more medical care however, he was finally able to get his oxygen stats up on his own with the room temperature (thank goodness! I was worried when they started talking about admitting him to the hospital). 

First popsicle after waking up.

So it was a crazy day and when he got home that same day he felt well enough to ride his trike.  It is amazing how resilient little kids are.  He did really well the first night and slept all night long but has since taken up thinking the middle of the night is awake time and play time but really I think that laying down just makes the drainage from his nose bother the healing adenoids.  At least this is over and done with now though and we can move on to taking care of the rest and getting him to feeling tip top shape so he will sleep through the night again!

All better and on our way home!

The kids all need a little extra help each in their own way. If you would please say a little prayer for them and for me to have extra patience through these struggles it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Monster Jam 2012

My boys have been working on their jobs around the house and keeping their rooms cleaned up more often. They have been trying to hit each other less and use their words instead of kicking and purposely hurting one another. This last weekend I surprised them with tickets to Monster Jam 2012 as a reward for good improvement.  I have been trying to implement the 1-2-3 Magic in their lives to help them choose to be better kids on their own.  Over the last few weeks they have been getting better and better as they know what to expect from me and know my expectations from them.  I am thankful for the counselor who introduced me to it.

Glued on the trucks with Hyrum ending laughing from the seats rumbling.

TinTin and Heather watching the trucks.  I think Quinten loved it the most.  By the end of the show Kaden was so tired from not taking a nap that he was falling asleep in my lap.  We ended up leaving early even though they were having fun because they were all so tired.

Glasses for Kade Man

Today I took the boys to the eye doctor.  It turns out that Kaden's eyes are bad, I had no clue. He hasn't complained once other then the occasional eye rubbing which I thought was just because he was tired.  He looks so sophisticated with them on.  Getting him used to always having glasses on his face even though he enjoys actually being able to see is going to be a challenge.  I am going to have to get him used to washing his hands before he smudges them all up.

Here he is picking them up from the store noticing all the letters on the signs.

Tonight after bed I asked him to smile like he loves his Aunt Heidi and this is what he did. He said I love Aunt Heidi like I love my boogers!  This picture just shows his personality right now.  I am glad to figure out this next puzzle piece in his life to help him be able to succeed more in life.  

Today in school was a major milestone.  Kaden decided to stand up with kids in his class and participate in the big group activity.  It is so fun to watch him push his own limits as he becomes more and more aware of himself and the fun that can come from not being quite so shy.

**UPDATE on the 21st, 4 days after getting his glasses he already has managed to snap off an ear piece, scratch both lenses, and bend the heck out of the frame.  I took him to get his glasses fixed and the frames are bent again. I think we will be returning them looking for a different style of glasses even though they do look super cute on him. **

Hiking in Sunset Valley

We went up to Austin on Monday to spend some time with the cousins.  Down the street from my brother's house is a trail where we went for a hike. The river is dried up because of the drought.  Of course the boys were in heaven!

Inside the cave.

Sunset

Aunt Heather & Quinten

Taking a rest while the big boys climb inside the cave.

This picture is washed out, but I love how Hyrum and Noah get along. They were creating ancient languages and trying to write them on the walls.  It is fun having my brother live nearby and getting my boys out into nature which they love.  Quinten enjoyed walking and exploring just as much if not as the bigger ones.

I am getting through

Tonight as I was getting the boys ready for bed, a mess was made and Hyrum jumped to my rescue. He said, "Hey Mom I will help you, it makes me feel good!"  Hooray for important life lessons getting through to my kids.  I know that because of his age he will not always admit to things like this, but the times that the kids let me know that I am not a broken record make it worth it.

No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity,  if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family,  what have you really accomplished?  

Elbert Hubbard

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

This has been a perfect weekend.  

We grilled hamburgers and the thrill of Hyrum knowing that I know how to use the grill was the best.  He thought he was never going to get another hamburger with ketchup only at home again.  The wink of his eye during dinner let me know it.

One night after the kids were in bed I was able to sneak out thanks to my sister Heather and go to dinner with a friend who had come into town for her Grandpa's funeral and visit with a bunch of people

The kids had a primary meet the teacher activity. Watching Kaden go from unsure to sitting by himself with his class was a moment in itself.  He is such a different kid then he was a year ago.  And having watched all the days when I prayed and wondered if everything was ok inside of him because he didn't want to speak, or he didn't want to play with other kids, or go try new things.  It is amazing how well he does speak and to hear his word choices and see the way he processes things differently that my other boys, but there is nothing wrong with him at all.  He is just that, different, fun and unique.

We were able to go swimming and eat a fun dinner downtown with Possible Uncle Stu.  Hyrum inviting Stu to his baptism, Kaden and Quinten's fascination with the river boats and Kaden licking Stu's arm with ice cream and Stu wiping it off over and over again until he realized that if he would leave it there that Kaden would stop doing it but he would glance over and check his arm to make sure the ice cream kiss mark was still there.  Watching them all 3 stand side by side and riding up and down the escalators over and over again for a good 15 minutes.

We were able to go visit with a friend out on her property and enjoy the outdoors and the broken tractor, bikes, boats, goats, ponies, chickens.  And the peace of being away from the road and just watching my boys run free.  Hammock-ing with Hyrum and sharing with him the details of my own baptism and planning his and the reasoning behind why he picked who he did and didn't to give talks.  He cracks me up.  Watching him be teased by a girl with an almost empty bag of marshmallows.  He is my oldest, and a great helper and very observant and knows right from wrong.

One evening a friend and her husband took the older boys to the park so I could take a nap.  Nine days of only a few hours of very interrupted sleep wears on a person who is recovering from being sick herself.  It's amazing how a few hours of sleep even in the day time can give me a boost and help me make it through the day.  

I was able to talk to my brother for awhile.  It is neat to see him in the stage of life that he is in and be friends.  I also really enjoyed church and hearing others testimonies and being able to share my own.

 Having Kaden say one of my all time favorite funniest things he has ever said it goes a little something like this

Kaden: Hey mom guess what? Me: what? Kaden (as he covers his privates with his hands right before getting into the bath): my peepee is broken off and now I look just like you and can pee out my tush!

I been dealing with a wild and crazy Quinten who has learned how to open doors.  The kid is a bundle of energy and afraid of basically nothing. He run and plays, giggles, falls over gets hurt, cries and then gets back up and does something even wilder all over again.  

I also this weekend received a text from a friend on the west coast that I was unsure if I would ever get to talk to her again.  We lost contact for awhile and hearing from her brightened my day.  She is the kind of friend where even when you don't talk to for awhile you can pick right back up where you left off.  Someone who loves my kids and knows the right words to say.

We were able to see fire engines up close and personal when one night we were driving home and the firefighters put out a brush fire behind a neighbor 4 houses away.

It is obvious that I have not gotten much sleep lately, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  If I wanted nights full of solid sleep then I wouldn't get to be a mother.  I wouldn't get to experience the joys and sorrows with my kids. The tantrums, the screaming, the frustration with being forgotten about that they get so mad they kick and scream scream, the double ear infections from hell that refuse to go away, the coughing so hard they wake themselves up at night, the trips to the pediatricians office for more shots in the legs!  Oh and don't forget the scratchy voices with frogs in our throats.  There has been a lot of that mixed in this weekend too and that really is what has made it all the more perfect.  Life is real, we have been blessed to be able to feelings and emotions and have free agency.

I really do love my life.  I would not trade it for anyone else's in the world!  Not even now with all I am going through.  Happiness comes in the small things, being able to watch my kids and listen to them.  Being able to teach them correct principles and values and to be able to help them realize that it's not what happens to us but how we react and respond to what has been done.  Even with all of the uncertainties and the unknowns.   

To finish out the weekend, our home teachers came by and shared this message with us that I want to include, it goes along with what my thoughts have been all weekend.  I love the entire message but I would have to say that my most favorite sentence of the entire thing is, "Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.”"

Living the Abundant Life

By President Thomas S. Monson

At the advent of a new year, I challenge Latter-day Saints everywhere to undertake a personal, diligent, significant quest for what I call the abundant life—a life filled with an abundance of success, goodness, and blessings. Just as we learned the ABCs in school, I offer my own ABCs to help us all gain the abundant life.

Have a Positive Attitude

A in my ABCs refers to attitude. William James, a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher, wrote, “The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.”¹

So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment.

Charles Swindoll—author, educator, and Christian pastor—said: “Attitude, to me, is more important than … the past, … than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.”²

We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude.

Believe in Yourself

B is for believe—in yourself, in those around you, and in eternal principles.

Be honest with yourself, with others, and with your Heavenly Father. One who was not honest with God until it was too late was Cardinal Wolsey who, according to Shakespeare, spent a long life in service to three sovereigns and enjoyed wealth and power. Finally, he was shorn of his power and possessions by an impatient king. Cardinal Wolsey cried:

Had I but served my God with half the zeal

I served my king, He would not in mine age

Have left me naked to mine enemies.³

Thomas Fuller, an English churchman and historian who lived in the 17th century, penned this truth: “He does not believe that does not live according to his belief.”⁴

Don’t limit yourself and don’t let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities.

You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith.

Face Challenges with Courage

C is for courage. Courage becomes a worthwhile and meaningful virtue when it is regarded not so much as a willingness to die manfully but as a determination to live decently.

Said the American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide on, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.”⁵

There will be times when you will be frightened and discouraged. You may feel that you are defeated. The odds of obtaining victory may appear overwhelming. At times you may feel like David trying to fight Goliath. But remember—David did win!

Courage is required to make an initial thrust toward one’s coveted goal, but even greater courage is called for when one stumbles and must make a second effort to achieve.

Have the determination to make the effort, the single-mindedness to work toward a worthy goal, and the courage not only to face the challenges that inevitably come but also to make a second effort, should such be required. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.”

May we remember these ABCs as we begin our journey into the new year, cultivating a positive attitude, a belief that we can achieve our goals and resolutions, and the courage to face whatever challenges may come our way. Then the abundant life will be ours.

Ice cold Lemonade

This week has been large trash pick up in or neighborhood.  People are throwing away everything.  People could seriously furnish their house from my neighborhood including a piano!  Well Monday after school I took Hyrum & Alec around in my van to see what others hadn't already picked up.  We found a treasure.  Well to these people it was worthless junk but to us it was fabulous.  It just needed a fresh coat of paint.  We loaded it up into the back of my van and went the 2 blocks home and unloaded it into the front yard and the boys immediately got to work painting it with some leftover paint from my garage.  They turned the old rolling computer cart into a lemonade and Popsicle stand.  The old back was their new front with the lemonade sign and where the old cpu tower and printer should have sat they store their cash and lemonade supplies.  I had found a small picnic umbrella on clearance at the end of last summer to use for this very purpose.  We cup hooked it to the side, well actually we traded with the construction worker next door since our drill was down, but the idea was there.  Their first day of business they made over $15 in the first hour without any advertisement on facebook!  They are excited to make the money and I am grateful that clean up was a breeze, they just had to roll it back up into the garage ready for the next time they are feeling like they need something to do.

sorry for the crummy picture, it's from my iphone

Quinten has not let me out of his sight since being back with him. It doesn't help that Hyrum gave him his cold. Last night I was up ALL night trying to help him get comfortable enough to sleep. Even dragging him down didn't help until finally around 8:45 am he crashed out. He tool 5-10 min cat naps occasionally through the night. He just was so conjested he couldn't breathe. Tonight he was ready for bed at 6:30. Well it is now 12:37 at night and he woke me up with my phone in my face saying I uhnt moo-ie. Atch Do-wah. (I want a movie. Watch Dora) Apparently Kaden has taught Quinten the magic of watching Netflix on iPhones. Also I know we have 12 months to go but if you ask Quinten what he wants Santa to bring him next year he says I uhnt iPone. Funny kid.

Popsicles

This boy LOVES popsicles.  If I would let him, or sometimes even when I don't, he wants to eat popsicles ALL day long.  I started a new rule that they get their popsicles in the bath.  It was early in the afternoon one day and Kaden brought me in the popsicles and said, "I think I need a bath now!"

Another funny thing Kaden said on New Years Eve as I was putting him to bed.  Mom, why do all those fire crackers keep going poop poop pooping? I said you mean popping? He said no it sounds like when I am in the bathroom poop poop pooping!

Visiting Santa

I was able to spend the day with the kids the Friday before Christmas. First stop going to see Santa.  Hyrum doesn't look too thrilled he would rather be shooting the cross bows and playing checkers.  I am thinking this is the last year he will believe in Santa for real but am hoping that he never stops believing in the magic of Christmas and the excitement that believing in Santa gives!  We spent the rest of the day playing with cousins at the park, letting Quinten take a nap, and then looking at Christmas lights.  There is a house a few streets away from my mom that is decked out in lights. Their lights dance to Christmas music on a radio station.  There are lights on the grass, the roof, the driveway.  It is crazy, usually there is a line of vehicles waiting to stop in front of the house to watch.  I can't wait to see what they add for next year.

New Family Pictures

A friend from growing up offered to take some new family pictures for the boys and I.  It was a cold morning at the park right after Christmas.  Getting everyone to look in the same direction was a challenge and the boys were crazy boys but I am thankful that we will no longer have empty walls at our house and can now have some new prints of our new family.  Quinten wanted nothing to do with anyone besides me, the separation anxiety has gotten worse.  I am hoping in light of reading the custody laws for the state though that he will start getting better though and he too can adjust to all the changes in his life.