Primary Program

So I forgot to mention our primary program from Sunday. I know I'm usually very cynical, but I have to talk about our wonderful primary program. I usually don't get very much out of it when they do the program. It seems like the kids always rush through their parts and start walking away from the microphone before they finish reading their part. It seems like a mish mosh of parts that don't usually seem cohesive to me. But our program this past Sunday had me crying through almost the whole thing. I felt so overcome by the Spirit. It was so wonderful. All the kids did such a wonderful job memorizing parts and some of the older boys gave mini-talks on baptismal covenants, temple covenants, and remembering who you are. When the kids sang "Called to Serve" they held up posters with pictures and the names of the missionaries who are out in our ward and I lost it then since my brother is out serving. We had practiced the boys parts in Family Home Evening the Mon. before. JP did exactly what we had practiced. He found me in the congregation, smiled, recited his part from memory, smiled again, and then sat down. We wanted to make sure they knew to slowly say their parts so everyone could understand. Bubba had a scripture, so slowly read it and remembered to cite the scripture. I was so proud of them and was misty eyed the entire time. B was on the stand with his class, so I had the two little ones and was able to really enjoy the entire thing. It was really a wonderful experience.

Clutziest Person in the World

And the winner is...ME! So I've always been a little bit of a clutz. I was pretty much all legs growing up and my hip bones stuck out, so I was constantly walking into stuff. Well, the clutz part hasn't changed, though my body has. It's even worse when I'm pregnant. Well, a couple of weeks ago I walked into their awesomely huge Playmobil pirate ship. Not just the ship, but the pointiest part that overhangs in the front. I hit it right on my ankle, which happened to be my bad ankle that I had surgery on years ago that still has nerve damage. So it shot that pins and needles feeling through my foot when I did it. It's still bruised and hurting when I walk all day. So then, last week, while I was picking the baby up off the living room floor, I slammed my pinky toe on the same foot right into the foot of the couch. Yep, I broke it. So my whole foot is all bruised. B said it looked like I was in a car accident. Then, like the next night while making dinner, I sliced a chunk out of my middle finger. I think my boo-boos must come in threes like Bubba's. Unfortunately, that's one of the awesome traits I passed on to him.

Peanut has had a fever or "beaver" for a week now, but I think he's finally getting better today. However, he passed it on to baby brother of course. So poor baby hasn't been able to sleep well or eat solids well for the last couple of days. Needless to say, I haven't slept much the last three nights. I got about 8 hours total the first two nights, but luckily he let me nap this morning with him so I caught up a little. He had his 9 mth. check-up yesterday and he's a little small for both height and weight. Peanut had his 3 1/2 yr. well child and he's tall and skinny (which we already knew). So it looks like the two middle boys not only look alike, but have the same body and the bookends look alike and have the same stockier body type. It's funny how that happens.

We had a Halloween party this past Saturday. That was interesting. It's my favorite holiday so I wanted it to be fun, but I was up all night the night before making sugar cookies and rice krispy treats for 35 kids. It's a good thing we have a huge backyard and that at least 3 parents stayed. I guess I would do a couple of more games next time and split them into groups so they wouldn't be running around like mad people while the others were in line or doing a game. It was a hit and there wasn't a single cookie left undecorated.

I was put in as the Den Leader for the Wolves on Sun., which is just a step up from what I was doing as assistant, but I'm really excited. I love this age because they're so excited about scouts and have fun no matter what we do.

The Pumpkin Patch

Last Saturday we went out to the pumpkin patch that we have gone to for the last two years. This year they had a petting zoo and pony rides along with the usual rides they have. We let Bubba go thru the corn maze with Daddio while Peanut and JP did the little barrel train ride. They all went thru the straw maze, which the older two are really too tall to have any fun doing, but JP held Peanut's hand and took him thru the whole thing several times. Then we went on the hayride to the petting zoo. All three boys fed some fun animals. They had the usual sheep and goats, but they also had a coati (kind of looks like a raccoon, but climbs the cage like a monkey), a white donkey (which I've never seen before), a zebra, a camel, a big brahma bull, a llama, and two really mean emus. The two older boys were brave enough to feed the zebra, donkey, and camel (only after mom fed them half the food to demonstrate that it tickeled and would not bite my hand). Then, Peanut and JP decided to ride the ponies. JP's was named Pumpkin and Peanut's was named Casper because he was all white. Then we got back on the hayride to go pick out our pumpkins. Baby Cart-man passed out from all the bumping around, so I carried him around the field while the boys got a couple of pumpkins. It was such a fun day and super nice weather, unlike two years ago when we froze to death!

Captain Underpants

Hooray Hooray for no accidents! Peanut seems to officially be potty trained. Of course, now that I've said that, he'll poop in his pants again. But no really, he's been doing great and going on the toilet every time. It's fabulous! Three down, one to go...

Rantings of a Mad Woman

Okay, so want to know what's really cool? I tried on my bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding and couldn't get it zipped up! So today I had to send it back to my mom to return to the store for an even bigger size. So, though I thought of eating my weight in tootsie rolls to feel better, I came to the conclusion that that would not help matters. For the less endowed women out there, be grateful. I know we always want what we can't have, but seriously be grateful. That's the whole reason I couldn't zip the dress up. I know I'll get a little smaller when I quit nursing, but not enough. B said, "If you suck it in and don't breathe, I could probably get it zipped." Gee, honey, that makes me feel so much better. I really wish I was like those women out there who quit eating when they get depressed. Unfortunately, I'm the kind that eats their feelings. Lucky for me! Really the whole reason the dress doesn't fit is that it's a junior size. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

My Super Awesome Cub Scout

My awesome scout turned 8 in May. He's been so gung-ho about achieving his requirements. He completed his Bobcat on his birthday and has now completed his Wolf. Unfortunately, he can't move up to Bear until he turns 9, but he can still continue to work on electives and earn more arrows. He earned his wolf patch and 3 arrows last night at pack meeting. He also performed in 2 skits that the boys were required to do last night. Such an awesome boy! He makes me so proud to be a mom of boys. By the time Cart-man is a Wolf, I'll have that book memorized. I'm an assistant den mom and it's so much fun. JP is already looking forward to the scouting program.

In other news, Peanut has pooped on the "toyet" 3 times today! Hooray! It snowed today too! Well, I should say it slushed because it was between snow and rain, but it was COLD! I found a cute pea pod costume for baby at Savers for $4.99 today. I finally found a coat for Bubba to be Indiana Jones at the DI; it's a little big, but it will work. JP is going to be a ninja and I'm going to make a Tinkerbell costume. I found wings at Savers for $4.99 and I plan on making a skirt out of felt or something cheap like that. Daddio hates to dress up. The only reason he has the last couple of years is because I've threatened to cancel Christmas. I hate decorating for Christmas and it's not really my favorite holiday, but he LOVES it. I'm not going to make him dress up this year. But he's still going to have to be the one to decorate for Christmas.

More Potty Training Woes

So, for those of you who just absolutely love to hear about my unfortunate potty training experiences, here's another one. So yesterday I was cleaning the play room and noticed a funny smell. It just smelled a little off, like stuffy or something. Well, the boys got home from school and Bubba asked me why the play room smelled like poop. I told him it didn't and that it was just stuffy, but then Peanut was in there, so I asked him if he had peed in there. He said no and I asked, "Are you sure you didn't go potty in here?" He said, "Back there," pointing to the back of the couch. So I went back there and was sniffing the carpet and finding nothing, when he came by the train table and pointed to a spot on the carpet and said, "Right there." I looked down to find a large rock hard poop on my carpet! I asked if he had done it that day and he said, "No, ahmahyo" (tomorrow, which I think meant yesterday). Luckily, it was dry and so didn't make a huge stain and was easy to clean up. I was telling him how he needs to go on the toilet and that it's not okay to go in his pants. He said, "I like to poop in my pants." I could seriously strangle him. What a stinker! Does anyone have any special potty training magic tricks?

Here's another one of JP's famous mis-quotes. I keep writing them, mostly for my sake so I can have a memory of them. We went to the grocery store for ice cream last night with grandma and all got in the car while she was putting the cart away. He asked what she was doing and I said, "Putting the cart away." JP, "She's talking on the phone?" I seriously do not make these up. He said another one today, but I can't remember it.