Home sweet home--it feel like its been a while.

Oh hallelujah we survived that stink'n parade. I don't know why but that was unbelievably stressful for me. The kids had fun (and we had a pretty good turn out) so that what counts. There are a few things I would definitely do differently next time...I mean...if there is a next time. But I also feel like with one under our belts it wouldn't be nearly as stressful a second time.

Saturday was a busy day! After the parade I pretty much ran right to the relief society craft day. It was fun to hang out and visit and cute Mrs Hardee came, so that was awesome. I put her up to doing the craft! That was a win for everyone! And she was so cute and of course just enjoyed meeting people and talking. I invited her to the Primary Program. So hopefully she will be able to come--that would be the best! We were also invited to a couples halloween party that night but bailed. It was one of those you have to dress up things...and I wasn't up for it. 

Sunday was our first practice for the primary program and I was totally that mom, that takes her sick kids to church. UG. Cannon has been on the antibiotic for a week though, and Colton has started coughing but no fever-at that point- and Tanner was a little sicky but he was going to be right with me all the time anyway -it wasn't like I was turning him loose in nursery- so I went for it. Then at one point when all three of my kids were coughing in the primary room at the same time I was like uhhhh Sorry!!! And sure enough--Sunday night Colt did have a fever. Haven't I been writing how done I am with sick kids for the last 3 weeks??? I'm still done with it--but not done. Here's Tanner the little sicky pooh. I took this picture though to remind me to tell the story about Cannon picking that little scab on his face. I left him and Tanner just outside the bishop's office while I had a primary meeting Sunday (shhh don't tell the social worker--oh wait--I almost forgot!!! So we're lining up for the parade and guess who was right in front of us? The Social Worker!!! I wish I was kidding. So I smiled and said Hi then told Michelle the whole story. Really a band ended up between us -thank goodness because I assure you some of the kids certainly seemed unattended, oh and the band eliminated the singing of our pumped up primary songs but oh well...) so where was I? Oh yeah Sunday my kids unattended. I confess I was hoping if I left them Tanner would cry and speed things up -wink- but he was an angel and even let Cannon pick that little scab for him. So then at one point there is a knock on the door. I answer and Cannon is reporting that he'd helped Tanner out by getting that off but that it kept being red, and he'd wipe the red off and then if just came back. He sounded so innocent and concerned telling me about it. And Tanner had dried blood smeared about six different directions. It was funny. TanO's a sport. 

Colt and I had to try our best to get the birds of prey costumes done this week. We got close. We'll have to work on beak's when we get back. Tuesday was Parent Teacher Conferences. It was weird because that was my first time being on that end of it. But Cann is doing great. He loves school and I am very grateful. AND I got of picture of a picture because his Kirk's Kid picture was hanging in the hallway. Sweet!

And Wednesday morning EARLY we hit the road! My alarm was set for 1:20 or so, I was pretty groggy when it fist went off but then I stood up and though I'm going to see my folks today, and I was pumped. I love to come home, I picture heaven like that--just so happy to go home and  see our Heavenly Parents. I'm not saying I'm anxious to die--I just hope its awsome-its just the lens I see life through-maybe I'm weird-I can live with that. So anyway --Let the good times roll!! 

We had lots of space at the back of the plane. Colt was to my left all zonked out and Cannon wanted to hold Tanner. How bout Isaac across the isle? He drove all the way though. (We cut it way closer than I was comfortable with time wise!) But anyway. The first couple hours the boys were all mine but by the 3rd hour of the flight I sent them across and they were all Isaac. 

It was pretty smooth getting out of Vegas. We were happy to see Grama--(but she should know she's going to show up on my blog--maybe she'll wait until after we're gone to get her eyebrows done next time. HAha)

We stopped at my parents--had a little lunch then took off for Uncle Coy's as Grandpa Ison had rode down with Isaac's cousins. We got to visit for a few little while, we had a good time and it was good to see everyone. Then we stopped by the rehab center to see Grandma Kenworthy. Cannon wouldn't go in-so I stayed out in the car with him. But Isaac took the other boys in and they got to see her and say hi. Her stroke was Oct. 2 and she just really hasn't been herself since. 

Cannon wouldn't go see Grandma Kenworthy and then Colton wouldn't go up and see Poppa great. It was the best I'd seen him in a while though. He recognized Tanner -well that he didn't recognize him- He said "I don't know this guy." Which was good, he was cute with him-asked why I keep his hair so short and rubbing his head and stuff. It was good to chat and visit with Grama even though so say conversation was coherent...total lie--but we had moments and it was good. 

Poppa's helpers all gloved up and ready to go! Grampa's getting pretty brave he took them himself! Isaac was sleeping and I can't remember what I was doing but we figured he knew where to find us if he'd bit off more than he could chew--but they were good. No pictures though because he didn't have his phone. 

Thursday we headed over to the Dixie Rock (Pictures are on my little camera--so maybe I'll get the added later, and maybe not.) The boys LOVED it, they could play up there for hours. Grandma Ison met us over here. That afternoon Isaac headed for Provo to go to his conference and we hit up the fun new park it town. 

We play hard when we're here-as hard as we can in fact! By time Grampa got up to the corrals with them yesterday evening this is what he had on his hands. 

When they woke up they did get to ride. Grampa spoils us!

The had fun until...well
Cannon's been telling Grampa he wanted to go chase cows for months. So Colt has a turn to ride, then Cannon had a turn, then Grampa asked Colt if he wanted to get back on with Cannon. He said he did and Grampa had a good little plan to get to "chase" cow. Oh. no. Total fit.

So ridiculous. They were mad about being on together and having to share. Spoiled little stinkers and those pouty faces was what Grampa got in return. Thankfully they did snap out of it-and had a blast in the haystack. Totally unacceptable destroying of the haystack...but when you live so far away, I guess Grampa lets you get away with stuff. Sometimes we call it his "sandbox" so  guess this is just part of the fun at Granpa's sandbox.

I have one more picture I liked cuz you can't see Grampa in the background just smiling, glad they are having fun. 

Some of this pics are blurry but--Colt doesn't call him "My tickle dampaw" for nothing!

This afternoon Cannon and I caught part of Trey's game. 

Because we won't be back until right before Christmas Grama did her annual donut and Christmas Jama party tonight. I think they had fun--and a sleepover to boot!


Tanner's not in the group pic because we headed back up to visit with Grampa Great-and watch the World Series. Grampa was pretty good again. Tanner really needed to nap.

Oh I guess the other thing is I took that little sick toad in today and he has a double ear infection. Happy to get him some antibiotics to help with that! 

I think thats about it.

I'm sure there's more to tell--and more pictures. But Good enough for now!

Learning...

Tanner can scootch! 

https://youtu.be/UArSkySHY_M 

So the blog was private for all of one week. I admit, I like the idea of a private blog-knowing exactly who was reading it. I guess I could put one of those traffic feed things on it, that would at least help. (And blogger "stats" say I get traffic from justparidise.blogspot or something like that...I'm assuming I know you-but just not your blog address)  Anyway the invitations to let people read it didn't work--so as much as I do this for me...I have my own journal for nobody else to read, its not as fun if I'm the ONLY one that can read the blog. Although I readily admit, of all the things I ever look at online going back and reading old blog posts is my very favorite thing! 

Anyway-so read on. --if you want--
Blogger is not working on our newer computer, not sure why, and its spotty on my phone...so here I am typing away on my old trusty computer. But the font thing-I tried and tried last week. I can't win. Sometimes it just changes size or color or spacing??? I depends on what I originally typed it on and I haven't been able to make it uniform. Oh well. 
Last weekend, Friday was a blur but Saturday's tend to look like this.

This is at the back yard of the new house looks like. Eventually they gave up on that stump because the backhoe didn't have enough power. So they buried it. (Colt asks about 30 times a day to go to the new house with daddy.)

 

Saturday was also stake conference, and we got a babysitter. We trade with friends once in a while but actually pay a baby sitter??? That pretty much never happens around here-BUT-it should, it was wonderful! Along with the adult session we had a wedding to go to over in Milan so we just decided it was the best route. A bonus was that stake conference was just for me! Just kidding but it was good. I do remember Saturday night President Church was talking about his wife reading her old journals to him, I leaned over to Isaac and said "Ya, I probably do need to keep the blog a little more positive." Aka "tempered" (In my case actual journals are off limits...sometimes when its a total rant-they probably just need to be burned.) Then Sunday-boy that extra hour on the benches is rough on the boys. But the truth is Isaac ended up out in the foyer with ALL 3 boys and it was the most peaceful meeting I'd been to in a while! Total win! But Pres. Vorkink - who we love anyway- gave a great talk about how little things matter. It was a great talk. But at one point he was talking about his mission and how he had this crazy thing happen and he talked about just stopping and realizing it was a pivotal moment and things could go either direction but that a good way to think about things when there hard or unexpected or rotten or just whatever is to just think "This is going to make a really good journal entry." And then that can be the end of it and you can take the high road. Umm Yeah, pretty sure stake conference really was just for me. So last weeks blog-it was the journal entry. I wrote it last week though-without that added perspective too look back and laugh, so its more in the raging vent category and I haven't edited it. But, this little blog-that's all it is, the family journal. So sometimes you get the "really good journal entry" version. I also have reflected on past neighbors. I'm thankful I've had some good ones, and then I thought of my dear friend Kristin and the horrible story of what happened to her when she fell and had a bleeding head and they accused her of domestic violence, it was just the system and totally wasn't right! It was awful. It just kind of helped me remember that sometimes crud happens-even to good people. Her story was WAAAY worse.
And so we move on.
And so I'm learning!
Last week-before my world went crazy I had some fun things I had wanted to blog about my little Cann Man. Its crazy having him gone so much but I wanted to write down some of the cute things he does.
He always waves to me and blows me a kiss when he gets on the bus in the mornings. I know it won't last forever but I LOVE IT, its so cute. He also was "Kirk's Kid" last week. Kirk is the name of the Tiger mascot, he was so proud he told us he was going to be in the newspaper-which we don't take and I haven't seen, but we were excited for him and said "That's awesome what did you do to earn that?" and he acted like -of course- we should know "Show Tiger pride, respect, responsibility and best efforts." Duh mom and dad! He's a cutie. He also will come in our room way before the crack of dawn softly and quietly wake me up then say "Can I get up?" ummm...I'm pretty sure you are up and now I am too. Little stinker but it makes me laugh. And last but not least, his homework the other day was to count as high as he could. He did great! He hesitated at 60 really he said 59 then just couldn't think of what was next so I told him 60 and he was great cruised the rest of the way to 99, then paused and said or rather asked "Ten-ty?" I thought it was so cute and a fair guess right, sixty seventy eighty ninety-Tenty is a great guess. Anyway, he's a little rough when he's tired-or picking fights with Colt-or just teasing him, but mostly he sure is a good and cute kid. Monday I kept him home from school with the error on the side of caution philosophy, I was glad I did, and the pediatrician was able to get us in that morning. He gave him and antibiotic and I was sure glad because he wasn't doing a very good job of kicking it on his own. Its nice to have our Cann Man back...and sometimes I still feel like he needs a little extra rest. (and extra stories)

Aren't my readers cute? 

And Tanner was getting in on the push-up contest at cub scouts:)

Maybe Colt was too tired for the Truman basketball preview. (It was lame anyway-luckily we ran into some friends there and had a good time visiting.) Our garage door broke today, Isaac said I would be able to back out but I was still a little nervous so the next pic is of Colt standing on the step guiding me back. It was so cute that I hopped out to take the picture.

 

Monday I fed TanTan some oatmeal and apple sauce and oatmeal and pears. He's had a little here and there but over the weekend he just started pounding it so I kept letting him have a little more and a little more. He'd been having it about once a day, maybe, so then it was probably twice Sunday and 3 times Monday. BAD IDEA, getting it in him was the easy part. He struggled on the other end of things.  Man we had a horrible few days. It was heart breaking too -him screaming- it was awful. Thursday we went to the library after school with the Pettits (So fun my kids LOVE books we should go more...I just get so nervous about the possibility of  ruining someone else books!) But I have never been so happy to have a kid poop all over when we were out and about. --sorry for the "crappy" topic but if I'm telling the week's story it was a big part of it. UG. We'll be taking it easy on the solids for a while. He is not eating this applesauce he's just using it as a teething toy. And I'm happy to have his little grin back!

 

Isaac's ear's not better but he talked to Ryan this week and he has some new medicine and is finally making progress. Cannon-sure is still coughing a ton but acting better. Colt and Tanner both have sounded a little hoarse to me today and Tan had raspy breathing--please no!!!!!!!!...and its really just the start of sick season. I'm just holding on for dear life!
Tomorrow is the Truman homecoming parade I have my primary kids in.
I hope its fun.
I'm so glad it will be over!
To bed with me!

The week our neighbors called CPS

That post title is no lie. So the blog is private now. I'll get right to why in a second here. I don't know if I'll still be able to email it out or not. I like to go in chronological order usually but not this time. I'm going to start with yesterday morning. Other than the fact that Cannon was really too sick to go to school but insisted on going because the firetrucks were going to be there, the morning started great. I knew he wasn't well but he didn't have a fever so I let him go. Anyway it was a fight getting him to eat and he just wasn't himself, he and I were butting heads so I just had Isaac get him to the bus stop (because Isaac had fall break so he was around) and I jumped in the shower. Well Isaac did go into work, cuz he always goes into work and Colt and I ate breakfast, got dressed, vacuumed, had laundry going, dishes were all done, Tanner was asleep, and we had plans of a Halloween costume project ahead of us, the morning was awesome!... until we were sitting on the couch just before 9:00 reading Rattlebang (one of our favorites) when the doorbell rang. I answer and the gal introduced herself as Christine and so and so with Child Protective Services. Not. Even. Kidding. Are you Lyndi? And is it Isaac? You have 3 kids? We have a Child protection crisis hotline and its been reported that as recently as last night you left your children unattended and then a few minutes later your husband came and picked them up. Also that they play outside unsupervised and in the street often maybe on some little red thing.

So lets back up.

Allegations...true....but a pretty dang far stretch. So Wednesday night they were supposed to come fix our sink at 5 well then didn't come until 5:30 it wouldn't have matter but someone had called and Isaac needed to go give someone a blessing. No big deal, more important than my Cub Scout Committee meeting so go ahead. So the guy finished up the sink and it was 6:18. Sweet, we I can still make it-and on time! We grab shoes and coats and load up in the car. I text Isaac as we're loading and tell him I'm just going to take the boys with me. (Where by the way I'm going to leave the 2 older boys in the gym while I'm in the meeting.) Anyway I can't find the dang keys anywhere.  I even leave the boys out in the car unattended while I'm looking for the the keys.  Isaac calls and says he's on his way. I'll just take his keys.  So I go get the boys out of the car (still wanting to find my keys I tell them I'll give them a sour worm if they help me look. Finally I find the keys I call Isaac to see where he's at the time is I call him is 6:30-thank you phone-he's on Northtown road, its literally 4 blocks away, so we decide I'll can just go he'll be right here. I pay up with sour worms (that were out in the car) then tell the boys to go in the house cuz daddy is coming but I'm going to take off. -I have Tanner with me just to clarify- they didn't want to go in the house they wanted to wait in the porch....I hesitated but agreed. They were so cute sitting there backing me out. I'm at the back of the driveway and I pause--should I just wait until little green pulls in...eh-The neighbors I feel like we know well are out front (I don't roll down my window and ask them to keep an eye out because genuinely don't think my boys are in danger or HELLO I wouldn't have gone!) Its going to be like 30 seconds. I drive off I get to the end of our street and the end of the next one and I grab my phone and send Isaac an audio message "please tell me when you've got the boys" it's 6:32. again thank you phones-I'm 2 blocks away when I send it. Remember I'd been with the boys and on the phone with him at 6:30 divvying out sour worms. He doesn't respond....oh crap... Ok so now I'm freaking out-I call at 6:35. Did you get my message? Do you have the boys? He'd missed the message (probably loading the boys) and told me they were 3/4 of the way to Bryce's house-where he was going which according to maps is a 5 minute drive from our house total. So that's what we got turned into DCFS for. And you can just hear the dispatch lady asking if they've observed any other dangerous behavior which is where you get all the other crap. Do we let the kids ride bikes in the street? Yes, all the time. But we're out there with them-its a residential area the only time there's traffic is around 5 when people are getting off work. We've even told our friends how much we like this street it's not the last street but its 2nd to last and we've totally been comfortable with Cannon going ahead-around the block. We don't know all the neighbors but we know a lot and we are out there with him, but no-Child endangerment. The red thing in the street is the little trike and yes I let'm ride it in the driveway but you run off that little ditch and guess what? You're in the street. And the driveway is slightly down hill so yeah, when Colt was learning to coast we let him go down the driveway and (gasp) into the street. We're right in the middle of the block-and just for the record we get out of the road when cars are coming. I don't see the problem--or I didn't, there is a problem if we can't just live and be normal. We WILL be moving. I won't stay here! The beauty of renting right? And the bit about playing outside unsupervised-bull crap. The other day someone was having so tree work done so they sat out on the porch and watched and yes they climb on the railing but they are little boys! I checked on them like 5 times. (did that picture make the blog a few weeks ago? If not it almost did.)  And the backyard is fenced for heavens sake-and there's a dirt pile of a garden spot and yes the go dig in it and I DON'T go with them. So thanks neighbor-did you really think my kids were in danger? NO or you would've called the police? You're just being...well...dumb.

So the lady, social worker or whatever she is, comes she comes with our first names and that we have 3 kids and she thinks Isaac is a professor, so she searched him on Truman's website-her snooping around, plenty of reason for me to make the blog private! So when she comes as she's coming in the door I'm say "we have friends, he's a lawyer, they're letting me watch their kids-Today!" she says oh is it Wilson? No but that means the only other thing that out neighborly crisis caller could tell her was that we're LDS because Bro Wilson is the county prosecutor and in the other ward. So we know (90% sure) who called. The Mormon hater-we live in Missouri, why wouldn't I expect that? 
The long story shortened (slightly) she had to see our house, look in our cupboards, and such and actually see our kids and make sure they were safe. And write up a report. I called Isaac he came home Jeff came over too-and even still let me watch his kids that afternoon. The lady was nice enough. She was just doing here job. I was devastated humiliated and so on but of course super cooperative. I'm not going to lie-it rocked my world. But they lady couldn't say "Its not big deal." But she kind of indicated that, it happened and it had been reported but she had done her due diligence in following up and all was well. And she knew I was rattled so she said "Nobody -except who has to know will even know." Well...WRONG because except that I made the blog private-people are going to know because I AM GOING to tell them. Of course I would never do it again I would've never done it where we lived in Mississippi but Ivins I totally would have, I obviously was okay with it here (but called a lot) but yeah not okay here. In fact playing in the dirt out back is not okay here. Don't tell these people that occasionally I DO go the restroom-or even shower WITHOUT my kids. And they are unattended for longer than 90 seconds. And truly until this, they could've been outside...well not for a shower, but I would've run to the bathroom quick while my kids were outside. Whoops.

So the other part of Thursday was that Cannon's teacher ended up sending him to the nurses office that day so he didn't even get to see the fire trucks (but their cute high school helper Mr Nick was going to video it for him) 

And before DCFS showed up at my door I thought the blog was going to be me complaining about having sick kids-and Husband. Isaac's been so sick, Tanner too, then Cannon. Colt and I are just trying to hold on and dodge a bullet! 

To say I'm glad the weeks behind us...probably an understatement. 

A few pics 

Wonder why Cannon is sick? Maybe because he insists on shorts in ski coat weather? I made him wear pants Thursday-pure torture-but I admitted in the beginning on this post we'd been butting heads.

TanTan loves his Cann Man

 

 

Reading scripture with dad and a "well check" visit...(I just don't feel like we fit the Child Endangerment parents mold!) 

 

But my unattended children wrote all over their drawers while I was telling my mom the story. Bottom right is me making them scrub them off--we left the airplane "art" cuz I'm a sucker. 
Look how cute that he sounded Colton out and got the en sound because of how we talk :)
And how bout these Eagle talons...we did do a little Halloween costume work this week :) 

 

And oh Colty...you're a cute one.

 

A hug for Santa and the other blow ups is every trip to Walmart. I love the magic and excitement. Cannon was the same way.  Its so fun!!

Until next week...

-it's over with I need to let it go-nothing good will come of me still being mad but now my challenge if I know that...act like I know. And blogging really is therapy for me so now hopefully I can relax and move on :)

General Conference last week was awesome. We slowly put the boys trains of speakers up on the wall, they listened pretty good Saturday. We laminated the pictures, Cannon scribbled notes with me while I took mine. Sunday I was excited to make cinnamon rolls. It was kind of a tradition at my house, I don't know about when we were real young but later on. Holy cow, not here. Not the first time I've done it, not even the first time I'm blogged about it, its like I want Isaac to love them and be excited I made him a delicious treat...umm...do I know him? He didn't even try a single bite of one. Treats aren't his thing and they're not going to be just because its conference morning and the house smells good. Colt however-was all about it. I think it would be a much nicer thing to do for Isaac is NOT get involved in a time consuming baking project. I'll admit the boys didn't listen near as well Sunday :( and its probably my fault for being distracted and not helping them listen. Maybe some day I'll learn. In the meantime Colt and I enjoyed the heck out of those Cinnamon rolls, oh and Cannon ate them raw. (gag) That kid LOVES dough-and it doesn't matter what kind. When its cookie dough-ok I can see it, but bread dough? Gross. Its any dough though, we make waffles a lot in the mornings and he almost always asks if he can have a bite of the dough. YUCK.
Isaac asked me to cut his hair before priesthood session Saturday night, I can't remember what all we were trying to fit in but we were running out of time fast but I did buzz his hair, well once we had that mess out I made the boys get in on it too. Its nice fall weather so we can just do it on the porch and not have to deal with a mess, so game on right? Isaac done, Colt done, without too much complaining/freaking out about the itchy hair so I was hooking him up with a little tablet time and Cannon was up next. Well, while I was messing with the tablet Cannon parked it out on the porch and proudly started cutting his own hair...so we had to go a little shorter than usual. It wasn't a big deal, but it wasn't ideal. It was school pictures this week. (I made him wear a collared shirt-torture-but I told him some of his friends would have to too and if not I'd give him a marshmallow. Haha. I knew I was right but I sent a few marshmallows in his lunch just to cover my bases.) Anyway, at the end of the day school pictures is just a fund raiser for the school. Its not like the one picture for the year, sometimes every day is picture day with me, so he had an extra short buzz, oh well. 2 weeks and it will be a great hair cut right? Oh but I will admit to flashbacks of when Isaac let Matt cut his hair with a mustache trimmer right before our engagement pictures...just that line right now the middle of Cannon's head...brought back memories. 
Tanner is 6 months old!! Where does the time go? 6 months is forever when you're pregnant and hardly a blink once they are here. I sure love these boys, I am so lucky to be their mom! Life is good.
Colt is always saying "Do you tazy?" for "Are you crazy" its is SOOO funny, it's one of his trademark lines, and it comes with a specific tone of voice. But check the pics...Tan Tan should be the one asking Colt if he's crazy--or maybe just telling him that he is.

Mostly pics from around the house this week. We did get to a park a couple times but after we dropped the van off to get fixed we did went only minimally. We had a loaner car and it was big enough (barely) the boys car seats and booster but it just caused me stress to drive it. We got the van back today though and it looks great.

Look at this goof ball...I thought these 3 pics captured so much of his personality. He's a character! Then TanO was after the phone, they learn early!

You know how Walmart is that store where its any body's bet what you might see?...Sometimes we are those people. But he was happy and contained so just had to make sure not to inadvertently run him into anything and we were golden. And thank you Walmart the Halloween costume project has commenced...my fingers are crossed. Colt is painting is "hawk socks"

One of our friends churches does a big fall festival for a fundraiser, so we found ourselves there tonight to be supportive and cuz it was something fun to do as a family. The boys had a blast. It was at the fairgrounds in a building I had taken Colt to when they had a clothing sale there (that was lame and I would never go to again) but as we were driving home the boys were telling us what their favorite things were (all of it- they loved it) but then Colt says "Yeah, can we always go there when its the festival and never go there when its shirts and pants." Ok sure buddy. And how bought these dang little ponies we waited in line forever to ride...you'd think my kids had never been on a horse before.

Oh well, a fun time was had by all.
I think that's about it.