Quarter jobs for the win!

Christmas is getting close and these kids are wound up!!! But while the surprise sibling gift hasn’t been perfect-there’s no surprise about who they have! I think it’s still been a success if for nothing else than the quarter jobs. They worked so hard for me on Saturday! And really it’s all a guess if I give them a job and they are done in 30 seconds. Whoops. If it takes them 2-3 minutes I think that’s about right and when the jobs took way longer I just figured I better cough up a few extra quarters. 

That was a large part of Saturday, I can’t remember what else we did but I was proud of their efforts on the quarter jobs. 

This little stinker gets so excited when he finds any phone 

And speaking of stinker. Somebody knows exactly where the treats are...

Cann was turning Tanner into a Christmas tree. Things are usually a mess around here but we’re usually a good time. 

And the boys want us to build a railing and carpet the little area above the guest room upstairs so it’s looking like that might happen. Oh and a climbing wall to get up to it. Merry Christmas boys-they have the funnest dad, but I will make sure Santa still comes. Funnest dad or not they might be out of luck in that Dept without me 😉

Let’s see what else? 

Our good friends the a Wagners invited us over to make slime...that’s the perfect way to make slime-at someone else’s house! And throw it away on our way out the door. 



The boys loved it though!

Isaac trying to match the stain of the wood upstairs for our little project. 

The worst part about this is I have 4 little boys growing up thinking this is a perfectly normal thing to do at the kitchen table. 😳😳😳 it’s not!!!!! But somehow around here it is. 

Not worth a fight. 

The other thing I’m not a fan of is he’s been letting our outside dog sleep in the basement. It’s not even super cold yet. We don’t need a dog in here-we need a cat! We’ve had mice again Ahhhhhhh but I hate animals so a cat is kind of a problem too. There’s a family in the ward that has a bunch of barn cats they want to get rid of some. I could live with that. An outside cat you never see-sounds about like my kind of “pet” but what are the chances of Belle leaving them alone? Answer: Slim to none. 

Who knows. 

Life is pretty good though-I shouldn’t complain. I mean look at these grins—I’m a pretty lucky mom!! 

The shenanigans 

Saturday Isaac tore into his chair...but luckily the place we bought it from called him back and they would put a new base on it. I think that was a much better option  than him drilling out rivets and trying to straighten out the piece of metal and then bolting it back together or whatever his plan was. It’s at the place now and out living room looks a little empty without it. 

I can’t remember what Isaac was doing but I ended up taking the boys down to the church. Colt runs pretty darn well! And it almost kills Cannon to let Tanner win once in a while. 





 Sunday one really fun thing we did was read tons of stories out of the old Friend magazines that were December issue so it was some good Christmasy fun Then that night we listened to the first presidency Christmas devotional. (Oh the pics...) while the boys took apart an old DVD player that had a disc stuck in it they thought that was pretty cool. And they got the disc right out. And then of course continued for a complete dissection. At least it was Sunday night and Monday morning is garbage day so most of it made it down there the next morning. 





I got his fun idea out of one the Friend magazines about making a tree then the kids get to put an ornament on it everyday with something they know about Jesus—and if they run out, they turn to the scriptures. It sounded great! Too bad the Friend didn’t warn me it would turn into a major fight because this one wanted to use the marker when that one had it but this one asked and that one said “okay” but then was so sad because he didn’t really want to give up his turn. So then I thought the marker was taken away so I got was going to make him give it back and this one “always gets gets in trouble but does nothing” oh and in the meantime Seth is dumping water all over the floor/fighting with Tan and all the while Dad sits on the couch with his nose in his dumb phone. Well at least until he closed his eyes and had a little power nap. I swear,  I got ticked and threw the Christmas tree treat making activity out the window. Thanks Friend. My first ornament on the tree should’ve said some thing about how patient the Savior is...

Good thing Seth has a big brother for when mom won’t lift him up to look in the washer to check on his jamas that are in there washing. 

A little hauling wood  down to the basement project with dad. Isaac cut up one of the trees that was over at the property we have in town he’s trying to get it cleaned up because I am pretty sure the latest is he wants to build a spec home on it. Who knows? But he had some good helpers with the wood project. 

By Wednesday night I’d  finally cooled down enough from Monday’s family home evening debacle that we busted out the tree project while  dad had meetings with the youth over zoom. And the boys did have fun. 


This next picture might be the best thing of the whole week! We have been doing quick little jobs that we called quarter jobs. The boys are trying to earn a little bit of money to be able to buy one of the brothers a Christmas present. They are  supposed to earn 20 quarters. But then they will tell me they might want a few extra jobs because they might need a little more $ to buy_____if they get ______. We haven’t actually draw to see who gets who but it’s been pretty fun!! Its  so good to see them A: willing to work and B: thinking about somebody else and what they might like. 

Thursday Michaila  invited us over for a little play date and lunch with the preschool kids and younger siblings. It was beautiful weather and super fun! But when I got there the other moms asked me if I got the text about school? I hadn’t because we had just been trying to get out the door and what not but it was the bad news -we’re going back to online school next week. Bummer!

I love this four-year-old preschool age. (For some things 😉)  Tanner came home with this special present for me and told me I couldn’t open it and it was surprise. Then 30 seconds later he had it opened and put on the tree —it was too cute

And I don’t know what’s wrong with me but today I gave in when they asked if they could get the blowups out. Seth was loving life! And really Tanner had  helped me so much doing his little quarter jobs that I was more willing. They had a blast!



The other big news on the day is that I was about to put Seth you don’t for a nap but when I picked him up  his diaper was totally dry. He had had juice twice and I hadn’t changed him since the first thing this morning. So we made a run for the potty and stayed there till he went. It was awesome!!!  I paid up with a treat and some screen time so with any luck he’ll think that was a good deal and hopefully will be moving in that direction 🤞🏻 but I don’t know —potty training can be rough and I’m not sure I have it in me right now...we’ll see. 

Also the Bakers tended the kids on Thursday night just cause they’re nice. But Sethy spotted this little Santa Claus on their counter  and it was the only thing he would eat any dinner out of. So they are so nice they just gave it to him -oh they also gave him a little chair that she had got from Michaila,  he’s pretty proud of it-but now he has the Santa thing at home and it’s still the only thing he will eat any dinner out. Hmm not so sure how I feel about that but I gave him tonight. 

I think that’s pretty much everything from this week. Oh except me learning or relearning how to translate Isaac talk. 

“Hey do you want to....?” Translation: “will you?”

It’s so true he spins  it in this positive light like you’d want to (often times it will be related to some project he’s working on or dreaming up or something) ..so when I notice him doing it  I’ve been saying “why don’t you just ask me to do it” to which of course Mr. positive replies “oh, well I don’t want you to do it if you don’t want to” 🤣 he’s the best! 

Oh man, it’s a toss up! I feel like I could blog forever-but I really just want to go to bed. We’ll see if I can find a happy medium. 

Saturday we went train watching. Isaac had a student who had told him about it and our friend to me-it ended up being two different places but both were pretty cool. And Grandma Ison was there-she was smart enough to pack snacks and I got a little family picture out of it so that’s a win for everyone! 

The first place was a cute little lookout building but we waited for an hour to see one train (dumb amtrack was behind) then we left only to hear the next train go by as we were pulling away. Not knowing we would see TONS with the Amtrack logjam cleared we kindof raced one to the bridge we were going to. It was classic Ison adventure-we heard it and we were close so all of the sudden we’re gunning it in the mini van on the dirts road...good times

The bridge was so low they could fill the heat off the engine with the wind. It was cool. 



Oh whoops I was supposed to crop that-Isaacs pants really aren’t that short the we’re just hung up on his socks. I’m going to get busted. 

They came from both directions-all always honked for us. It was fun! 

I think that was pretty much it for Saturdays adventures

Sunday we had some serious tree decorating going on! 





And they were all suited up for church with Christmas ties so I took my camera and a little treat for a bribe and snagged some pics after our meeting for a Christmas card. I know some people keep those pics just for the card but...there’s no guarantee it will happen so... here they are: 

In all the fun with the tree I totally forgot about zoom Sunday School. Whoops. But I did get a great Sunday afternoon nap. And while Seth and I napped the other 3 boys took decorating their room into their own hands. 

When Seth got up he was sure they’d done it just for him...to destroy! He’s a little tease too-he loves getting a reaction out of them! 

That evening we went for a little walk-poor Grandma became a walking coat rack! But we love to stroll out along our gravel road! 

These goofs set up this “family picture” all on their own. Of course I obliged! 

Monday and Tuesday we cashed in on a little more Grandma time. Oh the other thing we did was ask her about her childhood, it was fascinating! And when I didn’t think the boys were listening they really were. I learned so much—now I just need to follow through and type it up! 



She hit the road Wednesday and now I’m still adjusting to life without extra hands that cook and clean. Darn. It was sure good while it lasted! I think we really all had a great time with her here! 

Tuesday we got a package from Grama Nette. I think she was trying to help me not have to do laundry as often. (Well that and she just knew someone would love them) 



Instead he wants to wear one pair of construction jams and then just hold one pair like blanket...and wash both. Oh well-laundry every day is very normal for me...with no end in sight. Oh well. 

Then just normal us...Tan wanted Seth to lay on the bridge he’d made so bad. Seth was like no way I want to make a bridge too. And someone’s gotta help with the flat tires around here! 

Ug! Tan was late for preschool but I sure was glad Isaac could rescue us. And I’m even more glad he ordered new tires! I’m so sick of those cruddy two flats a month specials! Hoping we have better luck this next go around. 

Tan and Haven with the hats they made at school. 

And a little ornament craft while Cannon and dad went to basketball. 




That was the first time Cann’s had b-ball that I didn’t go...it was kindof nice. Now whether I can stay out of it when they start playing games...remains to be seen. Ha! 

That’s about it.