It's a race to see who will die first...

Me or Him.  I'm also not sure if I will kill Seth or if he will kill himself.  Here's a few scenarios:

A. The air conditioner has stopped working upstairs.  I go outside to check it and find:

1. The unit has broken and is no longer working. 
2. A fuse has popped and needs to be reset.
3. Seth has stuck a metal bar through the grating protecting the fan preventing it from turning.

B.  I am upstairs in the bathroom and I hear water running:

1. I find Kenna in the bathroom downstairs actually flushing the toilet.
2. I find Isabelle in the bathroom downstairs washing her hands.
3. I find Seth with the hose off the patio spraying the dining room.

C.  Isabelle, Kenna and Seth are all playing on the balcony.  When I go out to check on them I find:

1. Seth has wandered inside and is playing in his room.
2. All three kids are running around screaming and playing with each other.
3. Seth is nowhere to be found.  Upon further investigation he has climbed up the back part of the roof and is now climbing down the roof to the front of the house.  

If you picked option 3 for each scenario you are a winner.  Unfortunately the list goes on and on.  At least once a week and often at least once a day I will do one or all of the following:

• Knock hangers and toys and clothes out of the tree next to the balcony with a broom.
• Clean up a whole box of cereal that has been dumped on the ground because no one can lock the pantry door.
• Fish things out of the toilet often seconds before he flushes or in mid-flush.  The latest thing being the can opener.
• Pick books up out of the bushes.
• Send Levi to our 2 back door neighbors to retrieve all the things Seth has thrown over the wall.
• Put his clothes and diaper back on.
• Tape books back together.
• Clean pen off toys, body parts and walls.
• And etc.

And now he has broken his tooth.  I wish I could give you some hilarious story about how it happened but he tripped and fell on his face.

So now you know why I never update my blog regularly.  Apparently, he is a "normal" boy and I never knew how good I had it with Levi.  I think though for my safety and his I need to invest in a pair of prison shackles or some rope to hogtie him with or I swear one of us won't make it to his 3rd birthday.

The past 4 months summerized in pictures

I finally emptied my camera and so here is a snapshot of life since February.



Kenna turned 3.  Here she is changing her new baby's diaper.  She didn't have a friend party because she refused (and still refuses) to use the potty.

Rhyan and Katie competed at the USA Cheerleading Junior Nationals at the California Adventure.  We took a girls trip with Nana and spent a couple of days prior to the competition at the Disneyland parks.



The competition started out rough.  Both parks were closed for a bomb threat and so the first session started over an hour behind schedule.  The girls competed in session 3.  It meant a lot of sitting around waiting because we no longer had a difinitive start time.

At the competition, Katie's team took first in their category.

Way to go Katie!



Rhyan's team took first in their category and Grand National Champions which means they had the highest score for all the teams in all the sessions for the whole day!

Grand Champs!


 


Look at my medal!

Katie and her coaches







 



   





 

 

At the end of February, the youngest 4's birth mom had a new baby... Baby C.  She was placed with another family. (see told you we were really done having kids)!  We went to Baby C's baby shower and got to love on her.



Our sister from another mother!

Here is Baby C with her awesome Momma A!  (Baby C's older brother "B" looks so much like Seth that they look more related then Seth and Baby C do)! 

Katie turned 7.  Her birthday falls at the end of March and in the middle of tax season so her friend party didn't acutally occur until April after the tax deadline.

Finally she got to have her party.  The weeks between her actual birthday and the party were full of a lot of  "when can we go to Chuck E. Cheese!"

Levi turned 13.  He didn't get to have a friend party either because he also chose not to do the things he had to do in order to have one.

The girls' team got recognized by the Las Vegas City Council.  I think its because we are currently the only recreation team in the Las Vegas area but I'm not sure.  The girls didn't care, they got to miss a half day of school.

 

Most of my kids were born without the shyness gene.  I think that's why it was so shocking that at Isabelle's graduation from preschool she was so embarassed she wouldn't even look at us. 

Maybe if I don't look at them they won't know its' me!

Finally, after the ceremony she loosened up a little bit!

Isabelle turned 5.  She had a massive super hero themed birthday party with all of her "best" friends, (all 20 or them)!

Baby C all superheroed out!

  

One of Isabelle's presents.  Does Momma A get her or what?!



Rhyan graduated from elementary school and is now a middle-schooler!  She was so excited because she got six certificates and she told me she never gets more that one.  She got a promotion (graduation) certificate, one for Honor Choir, one for Student Council, one for citizenship, one for the GREAT (Gang Resisitance Education and Training) program, and the Awesome Gladiator award for all her hard work in becoming the most improved in her class.   I am really proud that she got the Awesome Gladiator award.  She has worked hard to overcome all her learning issues and has not let them hold her back!

She used to be Gidget...

We recently took Gidget the dog to the groomers for a haircut.  I'm pretty cheap and so by the time we actually take the dog to the groomer she is very shaggy.  Usually by that time the only cut available is the shave because she is so matted.  Kenna comes with me to take the dog which results in tears because we are leaving our dog! This time, however, Steve was home so he dropped the dog off and picked her up without taking Kenna with him.  When Steve brought her home Kenna freaked out because that WAS NOT our dog, (which it was).  She wanted to know where Gidget was and who this dog was.  Steve told her the dogs name was Bob.  Kenna came running upstairs to tell me we had a new dog named Bone.  Now whenever we call the dog Gidget we are corrected with a sparkle in her eye that "Its' Bone". 

Family Pictures

We recently had our family pictures taken.  Our local FSA is putting together books on adoption as part of the goal to promote awareness of the option of adoption.  A wonderful local photographer Marissa of Marissa D Photography volunteered her services and we now have some fabulous pictures.

So what do you think?  Pretty great, right!?

Isabelle's Easter Dress

As you might have guessed, Isabelle isn't at all girly. In fact she decided to not to get a new Easter dress this year in favor of a new "Avengers" t-shirt.












But have no fear, Nana to the Rescue! After one 2-day sewing marathon, Isabelle now has a brand new Spiderman Easter dress. Do you think she loves it? Thanks Nana...you rock!

Kenna is insanely jealous and already telling me about the "Dora" dress Nana is making for her. Sorry Nana, but a superheroes work is never done!

Happy Adoption Day Seth!

Today was family court day and now when my kids call Seth their brother, legally its true. The eternal part will be done on Saturday. That is what my older kids have been looking forward to for the past 13 months. Incidentally, we had the same judge as last time (with Kenna).

We celebrated Seth's Happy Adoption Day by enjoying a buffet...

And topped it off with bowling. Unfortunately, the guest of honor slept through the first game, and when he woke up in the second game he had to stay in the stroller. Dirty bowling floors + crawling boy = GROSS! (He can walk, he just won't. He only likes to do it with a cheering audience).

On another note, I finished the blanket I was making for Seth for Christmas. It turned out so cute that I had to post it. With leftover fabric I made him a neck pillow for the car. Sewing minky and satin is NOT FUN!

1st Birthday Time!

Here are the highlight's of Seths birthday.



When he is opening presents and his mouth is open it's because he's getting mad at everyone who keeps touching his stuff.

First Day of Preschool.

Here is Isabelle and her preschool teacher Miss Tina. Isabelle was in Miss Tina's class last year so she was very uninterested in having her picture taken. She just wanted to go get started with school. She had a very 'been there, done this' attitude this morning.

Back to School 2011

First Day of School had so many plusses and minuses.

Quiet Naptimes - Plus.
Alone time - Plus.
Less T.V. - Plus.
No More Kindergarten for Katie - Plus.
Less messes - Plus & Plus.
Less fighting - Plus, Plus & Plus.

Rhyan's Last Year of Elementary School - Minus.
Levi's second Year of Middle School - Minus.
Getting Up Early - Minus & Minus.
I'm Getting Older (along with my kids) - Minus, Minus & Minus.

Dr Seuss is rolling over in his grave

Last night or this morning depending on how you look at it, I couldn't sleep. Instead of thinking of relaxing things, all I could think about was what would happen if Dr. Seuss lived with us.

If Dr Seuss ate at our house
I do not like that chicks and rice.
I do not think it very nice.
I will not eat it here or there.
I will not eat it anywhere.

Nor meat or beets or collared greens,
Or peaches, pears or gross green beans.
I only like my pasta bare.
No sauce will ever go on there.

You do not like them.
So you say.
Try them! Try them!
And you may.
Try them and you may, I say.

I will not eat those things I hate.
They might make me suffocate!
I'll yell and shout before I'd eat,
Something that I loved last week.

If Dr Seuss lived at our house
Socks
Rocks
Blocks
Toy Fox

Socks and Rocks are on the ground.
Fox and Blocks are all around.
On the couch and on the chair.
On the floor and on the stair.

Clothes and shoes are here and there.
Books and wrappers everywhere.
This mess is so big and tall,
We can not pick it up at all!


Stay tuned for other great titles such as:

"Whorton couldn't possibly have heard a Who because apparently he can barely hear YOU!"

and

"The 500 hats of Bartholomew Cubbins...which are all over the floor!"

Eat out...it saves your sanity!

A cousin recently posted about all the yummy things she has made in the first 22+ days of marriage. I remember those days. Now days this is how dinner goes. Walk to gas stove with open flame and put pan on stove. Step over 10 month old crying & crawling on the floor because nobody will hold him. Remove 2-year-old from off the stool in front of the stove. Step over 10 month old still crying with 2 yr old now joining in. Move stool out of kitchen. Go back to stove and remove the 4 year old from in front of it. Step over 10 month old. Move second stool out. Turn around to see the 2yr old & 4 yr old both standing on the first stool in front of the stove, pushing each other, scratching, hitting and calling each other "stupid fat". Now baby is holding on to foot screaming and 6 yr old has turned on the Disney Channel at full volume. Ask 6 yr old to please turn it down. Turns it down by 1 bar. 10 yr old comes in and asks whats for dinner. Informs that its yuchy and sheis not eating and stomps upstairs. 12 yr old comes in and proceeds to make everybody cry and scream. Pot is now boiling over. Its 6:40 and I'm still not half done. Guess we'll be eating at 7:30...again.

So please cousin dear, enjoy your carefree cooking days. They are numbered.

Another Parenting Milestone

Last night Steve and I performed MacGyver-style nasal surgery using only a flaslight and a pair of tweezers. What makes kids think...hmmm, my life will never be complete unless I shove a piece of corn up my nose. Then listening to Kenna scream her head off as we went (literally) fishing for gold, Isabelle wanted to make sure she didn't miss any of the excitement and SHE stuffed corn up her nose. At least last night's antics didn't include a trip to the ER. I suppose that's all you can ask for since you apparently can't ask for common sense in children.

You're Stupid, Fat and Poo-poo

We've recently had problems with Isabelle calling people fat. She will say things like "Mom, that man is fat." She also points out who in the family is fat. Steve and I can't figure out where this obsession came from. We purposely don't talk about weight at home having one extremely thin daughter and one curvy daughter. I worry the correlation between saying things like "I look so fat" to causing eating disorders in girls. So we've tried to tell Isabelle that it's rude. (Which it is). We've tried to tell her that it hurts people's feelings. (Which it does). Nothing has worked, and finally we told her that it's a BAD word. Which is why now when she's mad and insults us she has added "fat" to her repertoire of her old favorites "stupid & poo-poo"

Lemonade Mouth, New Orleans and Other Things

I had the best couple of days ever! I had a spa day and it was fabulous. I have had massages and I've had pedicures but never have I had a massage/pedicure/facial all at once. Oh, and I went with Steve to New Orleans on a business trip. Just kidding, New Orleans was better than the spa trip at the hotel. I've never been to New Orleans before so I had a blast. Steve and I went to the aquarium, took a riverboat tour, ghost tour, city tour and swamp tour. Since we had a limited amount of time and no transportation, that seemed like the best way to see the city. I also went on a tour of the World of Mardi Gras Warehouse where 80% of mardi gras floats are made. It is a very interesting process and I learned that eevery year during a 2 week period around Easter there are 54 parades, each consisiting of 14-32 floats. On the ghost tour I learned a bad tour guide makes it cheesy not spooky. On the city tour I learned that they bury their dead above ground so they don't pop out of the ground and body surf during floods. And on the swamp tour I learned that alligators like marshmellow and weenie roasts just as much as we do.

I also realized on the way to the airport that I had Texas cousins close enough to possibly visit. So if they feel like shunning me for not calling...sorry.

On the way home from New Orleans we had a short layover in L.A. In the airport we ran into 3 of the actors from the Disney Channel movie, "Lemonade Mouth." (They also happen to be on Zeke & Luther, Good Luck Charlie and Wizards of Waverly Place sitcoms). If you don't have kids old enough to be into the sitcom/movies on Disney or just don't have that channel then I say...lucky you! However, Katie, our 6-yr old is obessed with these shows. She knows all the episodes, characters, actor's real names and all shows they have been on. I am surprised at what she knows. She was so excited she wanted to get on the plane and go to L.A. and find them as if these kids actually live in the airport.

I know...I know

It's been way too long since my last post. I have decided I am waaay too old to be having another baby. Seth has really kicked my butt. So some things have had to go by the wayside. Mostly I am too tired to think up blog posts. Seth is getting older now so I hope to post more often. I make no promises though. So here is the year so far in pictures.

On the Twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Twelve Loads of Laundry

Eleven Year Old Charmer
Ten times I said "No!"
Nine Million Messes
Eight Family Members
Seven Days of Cooking
Six Children Fighting
Five Days of Carpools
Four Darling Daughters
Three Girls Cheering
Two Kids in Diapers
And A Baby who is Happy.

On the Eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Eleven Year Old Charmer

Ten times I said "No!"

Nine Million Messes
Eight Family Members
Seven Days of Cooking

Six Children Fighting

Five Days of Carpools

Four Darling Daughters

Three Girls Cheering

Two Kids in Diapers

And A Baby who is Happy.

On the Tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Ten times I said "No!"

Nine Million Messes

Eight Family Members

Seven Days of Cooking
Six Children Fighting
Five Days of Carpools
Four Darling Daughters
Three Girls Cheering
Two Kids in Diapers
And A Baby who is Happy.

On the Ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Nine Million Messes

Eight Family Members

Seven Days of Cooking
Six Children Fighting
Five Days of Carpools
Four Darling Daughters
Three Girls Cheering
Two Kids in Diapers
And A Baby who is Happy.

On the Eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Eight Family Members

Seven Days of Cooking

Six Children Fighting

Five Days of Carpools

Four Darling Daughters

Three Girls Cheering

Two Kids in Diapers

And A Baby who is Happy.