Sunday's can be pretty tiring around here-and I'm not the one with early morning bishopric meetings.

Monday my Cougs (BYU) advanced in the NIT tournament which meant they played at Southern Miss Wednesday. Since Thursday we were going to a crawfish boil and Friday Cannon and I are taking off for a week it really only left Tuesday for us to celebrate Easter with our little family. We made Easter cookies which was fun! Cannon loves to help so I try to find little things he can do. After 4 or 5 times of us doing it together I let Cann turn the bosch on by himself, that was stupid-he went right to full blast and I had flour everywhere. Whoops.

We had fun shopping for Isaac some new Easter shorts-Mr. Social was making all kinds of friends in the store. He'd say "Hi" and if they didn't give him their attention he'd say it again, louder and more drawn out. It was cute, hilarious, and a little embarrassing. Once he got their attention he'd tell them "We're Shop'n" So funny. One of our dollar store purchases that day was some bubble bath for Cann Man.
(Alright the next little bit is GROSS! Read at your own risk-laugh if you want because it WASN'T you! And just let me vent...but I told you its gross so if you don't want to hear it-skip this paragraph) Anyway Bubble Bath, I thought it sounded fun and I've been wanting to get him some, WORST PURCHASE! Isaac went  off to his church meetings Cannon and I took some cookies to our new neighbor (she seems GREAT, I'm excited about that!) and then it was tubby time. Not knowing how much to use, but remembering the bubbles dissolving way to fast when I was a kid I dumped a ton in the bath and Cann Man was loving it. It really was fun. We were doing the beard thing-and blowing them at each other just having a grand old time until all of the sudden, no warning for mom, Cann Man pooped in then tub! Then he was ready to play again, ummmm NO. So I pull the little sud covered man out and set him on a towel while I had to go turd fishing. (I'm GAGing again just typing it.) And really its rare but its not the first time he's pooped in the tub, I'm a mom, we deal with gross things. But this was so much worse than any other time! I can't even see the poops because of all the bubbles, so I didn't even know I was fishing for several rabbit poops. When I told Isaac about it the first thing he said was "He probably thought he should have got a sticker." Because we haven't been doing the potty training thing but our friends are so its like we mention it ("If you want to go pee in the potty you can have a sticker" Etc) Anyway the second thing Isaac said was "Why didn't you just pull the plug?" Um I did. I pulled the plug (its kind of old school with one of those rubber stopper plugs, oh I hate that bathroom just thinking about it) but finally 5 minutes later when it wasn't drained it dawned on me...more of a problem. I brushed the suds in front of the drain away and sure enough-4 more little poops blocking the holes, so I had to do something about that! Diapers don't bother me. I do diapers all the time-just fine (Isaac not so much) but poop fishing-whole different story-I'm OUT. I really had cleaned that bathroom including scrubbing the tub that morning! I couldn't even bring my self to fill the tub again until I'd done it again, I just put Cannon back in standing up, sprayed him off, (thank goodness I'd had Isaac change that shower head to the one that you can pull off and wave around last week) soaped him down then sprayed him off again. He kept saying "More...Bubbles" Bubble bath again? No Way Buddy at least not until this is a VERY DISTANT -but now documented- memory.

Wednesday we did a little Easter Egg play group. It was fun but Cannon's not real motivated by treats, he really would have ended up with only 1 egg (the one he threw at this bucket trying to make a basket) but cute Brice (4 years old) walked about 5 feet in front of him and Asher and would set some of the eggs he'd found down in front of them. Even so Cannon only ended up with four. Cannon and Asher traded bucket for Easter basket...who knows why? We sat down afterward and all the kids were finding there treasures-Cannon couldn't have cared less and headed back to to the slide.

That night we made the trip down to Hattisburg to watch the Cougs. It was SO FUN and it helped that they won :)

I loved him 2 hand'n the popcorn!

Just helping Dad clean the siding.

Thursday's excitement included getting to "see" little brother. We've called him little buddy and little brother all along so it was good to confirm he's a boy. He will join our family around the 4th of Sept. Cannon has a "big bro" shirt I made him to tell my mom we were expecting. I'll have to get a picture of it on here sometime.  That evening we went to the crawfish boil. I feel like I've had a cultural experience! (Yikes...way too adventurous for me but a guy in our ward invited us...so we went, of course I didn't try them but Isaac did) the company was great so it was fun. I took lots of pics-and made sure Cannon knew to say "Gross" He and I ate chips and treats :)

Anyway then yesterday was a LONG day of travel and we ended up on the very back  row of the plane but it worked out since we had 3 seats to ourselves-that was nice.

Cannon ran around like a wild man when we got here. Check'n out the dogs, the Rhino, the fourwheeler, the rocks and back and forth and around and around. I was exhausted but he was full of energy when we got here. We have big plans of horse rides and all kind of fun so ... hopefully lots of fun pics for the next post too.

While the week has been a busy one I hardly thought I had anything worth blogging-until I looked back at the pics-oh yeah-we had fun.
The whole time we were in the other apt we didn't hang a single picture up. So Saturday morning that is what we did first thing. (We haven't done any since then, they are all still leaning against the wall in our bedroom but that's my fault because I don't know where I want them yet.)

Cannon was a big helper of course- like helping measure...but then he thought he should get to hammer too. No thanks buddy.

Our friends went to the beach that day we were invited but didn't make the trip- so we found a little sand, sun, and water up by the reservoir instead. It was a really nice day and we had a good time! We were getting about ready to go and Cannon bailed in the water on his own-totally his dad's kid. And lucky for me his dad was there to be the follower :)

 

Monday we had this HUGE hail storm. I tried to get Cannon to hold out of piece about the size of a marble we picked up off the porch but he insisted on throwing it the window instead-because that's what he could hear-it hitting the sides of the building and windows. So when Isaac came home with this big piece he found in our parking lot I took a picture of it in his hand instead. He's way more cooperative ;) There was tons of damage to cars and even some homes.

The other thing was several mornings we woke up to a coating a yellow pollen. EVERYWHERE! Its crazy. I took this picture of it on our cars-that totally doesn't do it justice because you can't see how YELLOW it is-or really even how MUCH is there but I tried -and I thought hmm when we've lived here a few springs we'll probably think this is normal. But right now I really just think its crazy. Yellow dust-all over everything.

We tended a few times this week-Cannon had fun having friends over. One little girl that was just enough older than him to not put up with him being a bully. I was making them some Mac'n Cheese and I heard her say "DON'T hit me with that football!" And she was fast enough to get away too. Cannon especially liked it when Henry came over this week though. They are only about 4 months apart. The played and played.

I don't know if I've posted a picture like this before but Cannon LOVES to pull his animals around in the trailer... preferably all of them at once, he gets it piled pretty high-it makes me smile every time.

 

The other thing he's pretty into is putting mine or Isaac shoes on then walking to the door and saying "Bye-See ya" I then say something like "Oh, are you leaving? Where are you going?" To which he replies "Walmart!" Funny Kid.

The Living Christ

Elder Ballard encouraged us to Share our testimonies on blogs and such in a conference not long ago...so this:
Shortly after Cannon was born my Aunt challenged me to memorize The Living Christ document published by the quorum of the twelve back in 2000. Admittedly its not the first time I had heard the challenge (I tried once before and carried a tattered copy around in my teaching school bag/purse for months if not years, but never got it done.) But my Aunt gave me these cool pictures with in broken down into paragraphs to help make it easier. I enjoyed reading through them and talking to Cannon about Jesus even though he was TINY... plus he was pretty darn close to heaven then. Anyway...I worked on it but never really got it-I ended up giving my cards away to some neighbors who were investigating the church there in Ivins (I knew I could get more from my Aunt but I never did) Well, this month we are studying the atonement in Sunday School as I was looking through the lessons I could teach one of them was about "What I can learn about the atonement from the Living Prophets" and had a link to the Living Christ document. Done. What a perfect time to get back at it. I decided I wanted to challenge my kids to memorize it too...but that meant I really had to get it done first. It was so fun to read and work on with Cannon again almost 2 years later. He loves to hold the cards and turn them for me (its tough luck if I want to see how much I can get done without the cards because he just begs "Please" until I go get them-so I wait until he's in bed and practice on Isaac) his favorite one is the one with a picture of the Savior holding a lamb. He says "A yam, A yam" then "I pet it" as he strokes his hand down the side of the card. Anyway. Its awesome.

But the line that has stood out to me the most this time is the second to last sentence of the whole document that reminds us "His way, is the path to happiness in this life, and eternal life in the world to come." His way is the path the path to happiness, I know its true! Sometimes though, unfortunately, the confusion of this lifetime (for me and I know I'm not alone) is that MY WAY, or getting what I want! leads to happiness in this life...not true. In ways its a bummer to realize, but not really, to know that is really a tremendous blessing and should help me meet life's challenges. It WILL help me if I can just remember. Anyway...
It was cool, I recited it for my kids in class today after we'd spent the whole time talking about their favorite lines in it and why. They were very receptive and it went well, then I gave each of them a set of cards like my Aunt gave me. Even if they don't go for the challenge this time-maybe sometime down the road, like me, they will.
Overall I'm just grateful for the experience!

We survived the move-barely-

We actually lost a lot of closet space, which is just an adjustment after having everything shoved in closets-oh and we left most of our furniture in my brothers garage. But Yea, after just a few hours I feel like we're settling in and have a plan-as far as where to put stuff even if its not there yet. YEAH!!! So the week. We started out spring break week at the Eastern National Cutting Horse Finals last Saturday, it was pretty fun-and apparently they used to hold the Western ones in Ogden, how bout it!

Monday and Tuesday Isaac went into school so it felt like a normal week but Wednesday we busted out the SeaHawk (Isaac's blow up little boat, raft whatever) I was pretty nervous, I told Isaac before we go again we are purchasing a life jacket. He is fine with that, but tried to assure me that the worst that would happen is that Cannon would get wet. It was fun-even semi adventurous-for me anyway, a really pretty day, and even "relaxing" except the part about me being so nervous about Cannon the whole time. 

He figured out how to splash but wouldn't do it toward the camera-too right handed!

Of course he had to start and finish the outing throwing a few rocks.

Thursday I tried to go visiting teaching. Oh Brother. A half a day a half a tank of gas (okay... both exaggerations but -) and we were still 0 for 3. Plus the one place we knock, get the "who is it" yell through the door, but then no answer...welcome to Mississippi I guess. Oh well, at least I took a treat so I had something to leave...maybe when they got it they could have decided I wasn't so bad after all. The visiting teaching message this month had a question that asked: are you confident inviting a less active member to relief society?-or something like that. I didn't know but we're having a ward Family Home Evening next week so I totally thought I was going in with a plan. HA-all except the going in part. Oh well. I don't know what else we did but I guess we "got ready" to move Thursday and here we are- finally in a 2 bedroom. YEAH! Blake and Isaac moved almost everything in 2 hours, then the missionaries came and made real quick work of 2 more truckloads. Then the sister missionaries came this afternoon and helped finish off the Kitchen stuff and clean (I guess I making them earn all the meals I feed them :) oh well) We were finishing up cleaning and Isaac took Cannon to get him out of the way. (He's is such a good helper! But there comes a point...)  Anyway  I had headed over to the new apt with a handful of something and found: Isaac, Cannon in arms, in those stupid roller blades that I'd never seen him wear (technically some old roommates I think) that somehow made the move across the country.  It was hilarious. He said "Guess what Cannon calls them?...Motorcycles!" It was so cute and so funny and after the stress of moving-a much needed smile. Then later he told me the story of Cannon bringing them to him one at a time and begging him to put on the motorcycle. So funny. 

And last but not least, Cannon's been pretty into his hat and glasses lately, then I put his glasses on top of his hat and told him that was how Grampa Chip wore his...now he's obsessed with it. Pretty cute.

 

Its Friday again already...

Saturday was Home Depot day! YEAH!!! We always look fwd to that. They built a cool race car this time. Then as we were wandering around the store the same cute worker lady that told me they do free birthday parties last time, told me again. I'm pretty excited about that-AND I passed the info on to my friend in the ward who coordinates our little play group. That should be fun.
Saturday was also Grandma Ison's birthday so Cannon got to show off his "Happy Birthday" singing skills on skype-that was pretty fun. I really can't think of much from the week. We did go swimming at the indoor pool at Isaac's school one night and Cannon loved it so that was fun. We had the missionaries over for dinner again. Cannon looks so forward to that, he's sure they come just to see him. This week is spring break so hopefully along with the move -YIPEE...but not until Friday :( - anyway  hopefully we'll have something fun to report. My mom called and said "just come home for spring break" of course I looked into it, she was totally willing to help but YIKES-expensive-plus we've waited so long to be able to move it just wasn't going to work very good. BUT, we did find a pretty good deal on a ticket for just Cannon and I to sneak home for Grampa Chip's Birthday (one day late) so of course we've been practicing.

Its a little crazy because its just a few weeks before our "last Cannon flies free" trip...but we gotta make the most of them while we can :)
Oh and the singing thing-its Cannon's favorite-when he won't eat we just bribe him with a song per bite. I've thought about recording it several times but then the reality is its mostly me (and Isaac) singing with Cannon being excited and cute-mouth usually full- and throwing in a few words here and there...not worth documenting.

This was the scene when I got done blogging last night. I figured as much as I was hiding in the bedroom with the computer-because otherwise its way too much help from Cannon-and it seemed awfully quiet.

Actually, its the scene again right now, only they are in on the bed and I'm out in the living room. But, I've been meaning to write about one of my favorite things Cannon is up to lately for about 3 weeks now and I keep forgetting so this is a nice second chance for me. I love to get Cannon's attention when I don't really need it and just tell him I love him, he's totally caught on, its so cute and so fun. I'll say "Hey Cannon" and he'll turn and beat me to the line and  say "I yove you." So then sometimes we go back and forth with a "Most" on the end, but I'm telling ya-It'll melt a mom's heart. He sure is fun.

Last Saturday we went to the temple with the youth-Cannon and I hung out outside while Isaac helped with the baptisms. We had fun playing on the temple grounds, I took a video of him singing "I love to see the temple" but it didn't turn out very good :( He was so cute to tell me (and anyone that would listen) that "Moroni" was on the top. We made sure to smell all the pretty flowers and...I don't know what the licking the lights was all about-gross-but he just kept doing it. 

The plan was for me to get to go after, while Cannon and Isaac hung out but they ran out of temple workers. I'm telling you, we're learning all kinds of things -the hard way-about these smaller temples. But just like Memphis...we'll know for next time. Then we went to some little nature place

It was a freaking snake farm, it was disgusting. I think my boys had fun. Me not so much. I hated it. We were late getting back for me to watch the State Championship game online, plus I was hungry. It was a recipe for disaster, oh well it happens. And then, to make it all worse,  my girls stink'n lost-again. I'm so distraught about it. I know that really they're not "my girls" anymore-I don't have anything to do with it, and really-its just a game-but ...it just makes me sick. There is no reason that I should lose sleep over it-I am not involved-but I've found myself awake countless times this week replaying things in my head. I don't know, in some ways I feel so bad for them, and in other ways I'm so mad about all the stupid things...and again not involved so its dumb for me to even think about it. Oh well. Seriously-such a bummer-consumed way too much of my week. Just a game. They'll still learn life lessons even if they never win it. (Maybe they could choose to learn some sooner that would help them win it. UG)
Moving on.
Oh wait, Isaac thinks I should coach here-I'm not interested in the commitment-I liked going home for a month at Christmas. But if the one boys game we went to was any indication...they need coaches. They were super athletic, but it was ultra undisciplined and looked like street ball-I wasn't impressed.

Moving on for real this time. Only it was a pretty boring week. We did get out for a couple walks. Thursday we went to a Movie at the Library-we didn't make it through the movie-but ended up going to dinner and a little Mexican place near by. It turned out to be a really fun date. Today they've replaced our stairs (should be really nice for the next people that live here) but that means we've been stuck inside all day (I had to choose in or out-and I just went with in) Cannon had fun watching the machines and workers outside the window. (And Cannon's idea of the perfect breakfast just cuz I had to throw it on there. YUCK. He love "Yummy Ramee's" as we call them.)