ONE FOR THE BOOKS

I have had a lot of little crazy moments with these two kids, and some grand adventures--like stranded in Phoenix for 24 hours*--but today, well, this is one for the books. I'm still not sure what I think about it, I'm laughing--yet--
Maybe I should explain.

This afternoon while the kids were playing outside I was trying to get some work done on my course mentioned in the last post. I was moving right along, I was in a spot where I could hear the playing going on and keep tabs on the kids, and things were great. Until Belle RUSHES in exclaiming excitedly "Buggie pooped outside!" and other talking that was too fast and excited to make out. Me, still very calm..."ok, I'll bring him in and change his diaper."
Now I can't recall all the conversation that went on at this point, it was all very fast and mangled and Belle to worked up to get it out without stuttering...
But I soon came to realize he had not pooped in his diaper. Nope. The pants and the diaper were strewn across the front lawn. (YES people. This is happening in my FRONT lawn. To imagine the neighbors peeking out their windows to this scene makes me laugh, shutter, and cry all in the same 10 seconds). And my sweet little two year old Keith standing naked from the waist down on my front porch. With ample evidence of the deed just done on the lawn sticking to his rear end. The parking strip between the sidewalk and the road to be exact.

Pause for dramatic affect.

"I peed on the lawn" my boy says to me. Nice. Very Nice.

After the initial shock of the situation wore off, and the obvious cleaning up of boy and yard that needed done, I thought it must be time to potty train the boy. If he is going to start removing his clothing and going in random places...well, this is not to be tolerated. He does actually use the toilet frequently, but I have not been pushing the issue. Well. I thought I was going to have to bite the bullet and start training him. Then I learned the REST of the story.

Keith was not the only one going on the lawn. You see, this park strip is the only place on the property where there happens to be a tree. And Belle, after camping or some such thing last summer, got the idea stuck in her head that in an emergency, pee by a tree. PLAYING OUTSIDE SIX FEET FROM YOUR FRONT DOOR IS NOT AN EMERGENCY GREAT ENOUGH TO PEE BY A TREE!! Especially one that can be seen by, well, EVERYONE in the neighborhood. I laugh, I shutter, I cry. Innocent Keith quite simple only wanted to do what his big sister was doing. And she helped him remove the diaper. I'm pretty sure she didn't expect what followed, so other than good talking too about coming inside to use the toilet, we are going to let it go there.

Now, do you agree? Certainly one for the books!!!

*being stranded in Phoenix is not so bad when there are AWESOME people to rescue you!! Thanks again rescuers!

A few things about ME

#1--I found my scriptures!! You didn't know they were missing, did you? Well, I certainly did...and I missed them TERRIBLY. I left them in the chapel at church three weeks ago and had almost given up hope they would turn up. But, in a miraculous answer to my prayers--I walked into the church library on Sunday and they were the first thing I saw! Sitting up on the counter right where I could see 'em. perfect.
I have really been enjoying the study of the New Testament, and it has brought such a lift into my life that I really missed them. I had been reading instead my Portuguese Book of Mormon, which I really enjoy, but I opened up where my last marker was and it was in the Book of Alma where Moroni surrounds the Lamanites at the River Sidon (there you can tell I was reading it in Portuguese? River Sidon?) and one of his soldiers scalps Zarahemna (also not sure about this guys' name in English) and they pretty much destroy all the Lamanites who won't make a covenant of peace. blood. carnage. I know, I know...the Nephites were blessed and saved from an army twice their size because they relied on the Lord, listened to his promptings and were prepared, and then gave all the glory and thanks to God for their victory. But I just wasn't into it. I guess I could have read my portuguese bible...but then you don't get any footnotes, no JST or ready-made cross-references--so I decided to wait. Makes one grateful for the LDS version of the Bible! Anyway, today I got back into Mark and I'm happy to say I had a good day.


#2--In case you haven't heard--I've done it! Yes, I am enrolled at the American School of Piano Tunning and in the thick of Unisons and Intervals. I am mailing off my exams for the first two lessons tomorrow and diving in to setting the "equal temperment" which, I will admit, I am nervous about, and is clearly stated serveral times as the most difficult part of the course. I have a little electric tunner that will tell me if I set "Middle C" correctly, but that's all it is good for--as the piano's intervals are not perfect (I have learned) and if you tuned them to perfect pitch all your octaves would be off--ANYWAY--they do have an electronic machine that will help you set the temperment, but it costs nearly as much as the course did in the first place. So for now I'm going to have to learn to do it by ear. WHEW. Wish me luck!! All in all I am really enjoying what I am learning, and am trying not to get to anxious for results (patience. this is a biggie with me. I'm waiting for "wak things to become strong" on this one. Maybe someday.) AND I FINALLY memorized the circle of fifths. Or figured out that it really takes no memorization whatsoever, just go up the piano in fifths. DUH. you'd think I'd have figured THAT out in 7th grade. nope. nearly 20 years later, here I am, finally getting it. I guess some wisdom (or maybe common sense) does come with age.

#3 I got mad and really yelled at my kids yesterday. While I hope it was a one-time thing, I am feeling a lot of remorse. However they don't seem to care too much. Keith just stood and looked at me, and Belle said "I'm going to call Daddy and tell him you are being mean." Fortunantley I have a supportive husband who was on my side. I decided I need a little break and went to hide from them, to which Belle responded "are you taking some time to calm down, Mom?" Seriously. How many times have I said that to her?? enough.

The BUNNY project

This took most of my limited creative ability to pull off. We had to search long and hard for hot glue gun glue sticks--that tells you how often I get the glue gun out!

When I was a kid we had an Easter bunny made from an old salad dressing bottle (glass back then). So a few weeks ago when we emptied a salad dressing bottle I saved it thinking I would make one for us. The bottle bunny would sit out during Easter season and then the Easter bunny fills it with jelly beans.

Here is our attempt:




Some of the parts are a little crooked, if I were to do it again I would have the head on the jar while gluing on parts to make sure they are straight. We put a few jelly beans in it ahead of time. The kids and I had fun, and that's what counts.

The boy....

does not break character. for. anything.
If he is pretending to be a certain something, you MUST call him the certain something...or be prepared to be corrected.

"Keith, come to lunch" Response: "No. I Daddy."
Oh, sorry...."Daddy, come to lunch" (and then he will come)

"Keith, would you like to read this story?"
"No. I Crocodile"
Oh, sorry...."Crocodile, would you like to read this story?"
"Uh-huh"


etc., etc., etc.

Sometimes it's a shark, a baby, dinosaur (added recently to his repertoire after a visit to Johnny & Ky), or anything else he can think of. "Daddy" is one of his favorites.

A few fun pics

Mostly of our Missy





Our girl in action.

Our latest and greatest

Short and sweet to catch up.


Belle's PINK room with "More than Strawberries" quilt by Grandma




Water color project where Belle and Keith were artists on a joint venture--Keith was the canvas(I heard TONS of giggling going on during this episode, but stayed away on purpose because they were having fun together and I knew if I showed up the rules of Mommy would not allow whatever was going on to continue. Finally Belle couldn't handle it anymore and came to get me to show me what they were doing that was so funny!I laughed, too.):







Trip to AZ: I didn't take many pics but here is one of the cousins that played, and played, and played...we had a fun time with the Seamons! Thanks again guys!




A homemade Tookaloo. That's right. A tookaloo. One of Belle's made up words--she has this playfood thing that's a jellyroll, but not knowing what a jellyroll is she calls it a Tookaloo. And wanted to make a real one. So we did. (the recipe used on this particular Tookaloo wasn't great, as you can see it cracked easily and was thin. If we ever make a Tookaloo again we'll need a new recipe.)



Belle's Treasure Box: for all her rocks, grass clippings, pictures, etc.




Conference Coloring books:These didn't last long and the family room is completely DESTROYED (D.H. terminology here), and since I have a cold and I suspect an ear infection, too...it is staying that way until tomorrow.




Now...to get over our colds, then I'll take some pictures of our flowers that we have blooming! So fun to have our own yard and our own flowers! and Spring!!


Life is good. Crazy, but good. That doesn't mean I have everything under control, it just means we are enjoying flying by the seat of our pants:).