Church isn't on a Bed!

Okay so today started our General Conference for our church and that means we don't have to go to church on Sunday but that we add 6 extra hours to our churching weekend. Sounds like a good trade huh? Well you can watch while you eat and stay in your 'jammas. I think it's awesome. I was trying to tell Brenner all about it and why we were watching "some old guys in suits" on TV. So I had them all on my favorite place in the world. My bed....our bed...the family bed. He wasn't understanding it so I finally had to tell him that this is important. This is church. Then out of the mouths of babes, "Church isn't on a bed!" I couldn't stop laughing. He was so mad he was almost in tears. Poor guy thought I was lieing to him. I guess he understood that going to church every Sunday of his life meant that church was at a church. Good call Brenner! Point for Brenner and Triple points for parents. (For taking to church enough that he noticed it wasn't on a bed.)

"Beckett's got headick power mom. He's hurting my head." Brenner said after I asked him to watch Beckett while I made dinner.

To Brian:
Well the babes are fast asleep and I just thought you might like to tuck them in. Sleep tight. We miss you and wish you were here for crepes.

I've had enough

Little known fact:
Without any electricity a 6 year old can and will be able to find their imagination again. And if told no enough times on the "will you help me do this Lego" thing they'll miraculously be able to put the entire Exo Force together.

Our Drama continues with our trip to the pool today for our vacation time from school. Trying to get there was huge. Beckett woke up late and then went to sleep late and then slept for 3 hours. Halelujah halelujah haleeeeelujah! Yes I'm singing it here and you probably are too now. ha. Anyway, that slowed down the departure for the pool. We finally get Brenner's buddy to come after two parent phone calls to confirm that the ear ache is actually gone and it's okay. Right before I put Beckett into the car seat they say they want candy. That's code for I'm hungry. Luckily I hadn't wrestled the baby yet and he was fine. Forty minutes later and 5 threats of never visiting the pool again they finish their little bowls of noodles. The baby did quite nicely eating today. About five spoons worth. We're still just getting used to the chair and the idea of it. Not really interested at all. But he's really cute noding like he likes it and knows what he's doing.

Now, loading up in the car while it's raining they still say they want to go. I had told them we needed to stop at the post office to mail a Halloween/Birthday box for the youngest brother and then too the pool we shall go. All the while they are dancing and running and yelling. It takes a long time to fill out the three forms for international parcels and by the time I told them four times to stay right by me and not fall on the baby I'd had enough. I actually got to use the line. "Alright! I've had enough." Isn't it great when those lines just flow out of you. Not even trying. "You. Don't move. You. Don't move. Stand right here. We are not going to the pool now." Did those puppy dog eyes come out now. The talk in the truck was about behavior and how his mom would let him act and how they knew this was coming. In my head I'm thinking. I got everything ready and finally got out and now they ruined it for me too. Heck, I even got the baby ready and his swim suit and matching hat ready too. So I told them that they were not going to ruin Beckett & my pool day. We were going and they weren't to get in the water. I pull into the parking lot and unload everyone and ask them to pull out their dollar and go ahead of me to pay. Yup you guessed it. They didn't have their money. Wrestle baby again into the seat and back to the house. They run and get their money and again we unload. Walk across the crowded parking lot and finally get to the window. BIG BIG sign that says closed for super clorination and training. Are you kidding me? The boys start crying about it and I just about did too. Into the car again and back home. It's now been 3 & 1/2 hours since the buddy came over and it was time for him to go home because we've got another scout thing.

Popcorn turn in for Tiger scouts. I had Brenner do all the work. I was willing to take him around but I wasn't going to do it for him. He did great. This is how he earned the highest amount in the whole pack. The newest tiger scout. Okay enough bragging. He's so darn cute. We went to turn it in and it wasn't so exciting. Beckett's getting used to staying up late and being out at night now. Didn't phase him at all. That is until the ride home. They always look so cute asleep in these things. It's just so hard to take them out of it without waking them. Good night angel.

Thursday's Board Day?! Duh.

Today is just as crazy as anything could be. I'm a stay at home mom and I actually like being at home. Well, with my new goal of being organized and cleaning all the time it makes it quite difficult to do if I'm out of the house. So ... this morning we head out the door for appointments and that's tough enough with a little man that has now officially launched his fight against the car seat. We've bucked at the system before but now it's a full blown war against the seat. The wings come out and ya just feel so bad pushing that little head back into the seat. I push the forehead because ... Well it's a great bone to push and gets their attention and really works. Try it. A grown man has a hard time doing a sit up if you're pushing against the forehead. okay so back at the seat. It's a tough job putting the Beckett in the seat by it's self but then those eyes of "how could you do this to me" are the killer. Then comes the disgruntled tenant look and finally we have truly pissed off before we give in and find that special binkie or toy to chew on. All the while I've got the 6 year old running around asking to have gum before 8:30 Am, sending him back upstairs 5 times to change his clothes so he doesn't look homeless or frankly - stupid. We make it to the car and start on our way with at least 4 questions about the latest game and when he can have candy and 3 times I've asked him, "Do you not hear your brother crying? Could you give him a binkie or a toy? Or talk to him?" "What mom?" "Give your brother something." "Uhhh here Beckett. Take this. Take it. TAKE THE TOY!!!" "BRENNER! Don't yell at your brother!"

MEMO TO ME: don't yell at kid to stop yelling at other kid. stop.

The day just gets better from there. Two other stops and I'm home and he's planing on the pool this afternoon. P.S. It's only 10:45 AM! folks. I cancel out of sheer desperation. I've got dinner to do and laundry and floors and a baby that's refusing to eat and a pack meeting tonight. My favorite part of the day is when I'm working on my daily magic trick known as "find cans in the pantry that'll pass as food/a meal" he comes downstairs. The boy's freshly showered and dressed in his best church clothes and slicked back hair. I mean Dapper Dan's got nothin' on him. I choke back my laughter. Thinking that I know bean dip dinner doesn't have this kind of dress code. What's up Brenner?

"Uh mom it's Thursday. Board day. I've really got to study before I go in. Do you know where my beret's at?"
"Of course it's Thursday. And no. You don't need your beret in the actual room."

So the lesson to be learned here is not that life is crazy but to never ever in your wildest and most crazy days forget that Thursday is Board day and you'd better be ready.
Thank you Brenner.

P.S. Beckett didn't think it was at all important to pay attention to the commotion at all. He tries not to be bothered by the whole thing. I think this look covers all of it. And the cold shoulder too.

Rilled Duckie & other killer birds

Our lovely trip into town to the zoo was a very interesting one. On the way to meet up with Kami Brown and her little ones we saw this bird eating a mouse after beating it against a branch. Brenner thought it was so awesome and little did we know it would set the tone for the day.
After meeting up with the gang we then had our next run in with the attacking peacock. Sitting here eating our food like so many other zoo goers of the day and this random bird zooms in and takes Brenner's PB&J out of his hand. Mama bear kicks in and I kick the dang thing. Let me tell you bird but does not feel good on your toes. The bird is airborne, not by his own accord, and drops most of the sandwich. Brenner screaming, "MY sandwich you bird!" On the re-entry to land he comes crashing into Kami and Preston. Kami yells and dives to cover her baby so he isn't the next snack and shoos him away. I'm the only one cracking up. But the bird won't go away. The PB&J is just too much for him. He makes another couple laps casually passing through. I threaten to kick again and he backs up. Then right before we leave he bee lines it from 10 ft. out and snags the last of the bread that fell from his mouth the first time.
We then had birds following us all day. I kept my foot out and the baby out of their reach. Brenner then was really nervous with them all day. I mean it's his favorite sandwich of all time. So we turn the corner at one part and he comes face to beak with a ginourmous peacock. It is literally looking him in the eyes. I turn the corner and hear. "Uhhh mom?!" I had to physically pull him away and kick at that bird too. However, as we walked by the Bird House exhibit, Brenner asked why we weren't going in. I said, "You won't like it." "Yeah I will. What is it?" "It's the Bird House. And no we're not going in." I'm thinking, "I can't kick that many birds! Are you kidding me kid?" but say, "Brenner. It's a big huge bird cage that we go into and all the birds are just flying around. You won't like it." "A what? Where are they?" I explained three more times and as soon as he finally understood it he dropped the door handle and said," Oh man I am NOT going in there!"

We saw all kinds of animals and loved it all. Brenner took some great pics of all of us and Beckett actually slept in the stroller. Not for long but he was seriously chill with his whole look. I love the shades. But hey, it's a great day when in October you're outside at 83 degrees and NEEDING sunblock.

But in the end we all know that the view only changes if you're the lead elephant. That and kicking a bird in the butt is effective but all together a very gross experience for yourself and I'm sure for the bird as well.

EmilieAn

Home sick

I'm the one at home but I'm seriously missing my sweetheart. It's kinda funny how you get used to living with your best friend and love the the sound of the screen door creaking around 5:15 every night. Even knowing you were coming home makes me feel good inside and now miss you even more. I love how you love me. Thank you and hurry home.

EmilieAn

Never empty.

Okay so I do the laundry and it's all done and what happens? You jump in the shower to get yourself clean and where do you put your "clean the house" clothes. Yup in the dirty laundry. It's the never ending pit. One of these days I'm going to wash the towels first and then clean the house naked so that at the end I'll have empty laundry baskets, a new clean towel and a clean me. Not likely ... I'll have spit up on me in no time.
Oh and when do you empty and clean the laundry bag? When we'd go to the laundry mad I'd throw it in but now that it's just by the garage I don't. Hmmmm. Just another thing to clean.

Okay so I got one of those robot cleanie thingies. I got a Scuba. Love it. Now I'm completely obsessed with having clean floors. It's great. Just charge it at night and then set up the room and while we walk Brenner to school it cleans a room. Come home empty it and send it to another room. Put Becket down and charge it again while I clean something else. Feed baby and play. Set it for another room and put baby down and me clean something else. Feed baby and set for another room and go pick up boy. See my pattern. I love it. I've notice that the red dirt from the island has become part of the wax on the tile here. So tile by tile I'm "magic eraser"ing it away. Wow. Forgot that they were white when we moved in here. tahe he he. Any how. The magic is the elbow grease it's taking me. This house is huge. I've been doing this for over a week and I'm just half way done. But I'm going to do it. I get about 20 squares done a day between feedings, laundry, school, scouts, and sleep.

All right my rantings and ravings are good enough to help me feel better about needing to connect with my friends of past bases and posts. This is just me talking on a bench at the park. So pull up and share your snacks. I love you all.

EmilieAn