These are the kinds of pictures on my phone this week. This top one took then sent Isaac and said...I probably would have preferred to clean up a peed his pants accident... and the bottom one is out in the garage.

I ventured out into the "cleaned" garage because in one of those boxes I know there is a gallon of shampoo-I was going to refill our inside bottle...after that red mop handle fell down and whacked me on the head I decided I wasn't really up for tackling that project so I bought more shampoo while I was at the grocery store.
I think maybe I need a new blog for all the dog drama so this could go back to being the family journal... just a thought.
And about that garage--I'm not supposed to have to deal with anything to do with the dog right? I wish. I don't think Isaac cared that it smelled like pee and whatever else out there but I couldn't take it any more!!!! I headed to the internet-duh concrete is porous and those dog smells have saturated it. So Isaac's out of town and there I am in his watering boots stomping about scrubbing the garage floor with my internet special of baking soda dish soap and bleach...and hoping it works!!! That little concoction is still out there dried on it now,  then hopefully it will spray off, it got really hard really quick I had to break it up to scrub it around???...chemicals...what do I know??? I just hope it takes the smell away. I sent Isaac a text asking if the spigot in the garage works -it doesn't- maybe it will wait for him to spray it off ;) but anyway he says "You know you only have to worry about that to the extent it bothers you right?" Oh brother, he thought I was doing it for the land lord-which yes, we would have had to, but really she doesn't live here, it  HAD to be done for us, it was so gross out there. So besides feeding the dog while he's gone, I had to do that, and the light bulb he had in her dog house to keep it warm burned out so I had to crawl in that disgusting thing last night too...umm I don't fit through the door, Isaac has really long arms. I was sideways, in up as far as I could go-so up to my big fat belly-holding my breath because of the smell and changing it. Cannon meanwhile is holding on to the dog for me-bless his heart- he really was a big help because she was jumping all over. If you ask him it was "Because she's my dog, so I had a big responsibility." Oh he's so funny. Lucky Colt got to stay in the house and finish his cookie. Then Cannon's clean-were clean that is-jama's smelled like dog, I was gagging reading stories, so I sprayed him with fabreeze (come on Lyndi just have him go change-duh-oh well) then he was freak'n out because it was wet, so I did tell him to go change, but he wouldn't...I'm tell'n ya what- its a circus around here! Oh and I don't know what kind of light bulb I put in it, but since talking to Isaac I need to go check because only and incandescent will keep it warm. It looked like an incandescent but he said sometimes the new ones aren't really. So complicated.
That was all last night because Isaac is out of town at an accounting conference if we go back to last week there's more dog drama. (Should I commit to another blog or just shut up about the dog by next week??? I don't know if I can do it...) anyway last Friday night I was up blogging, Isaac was snoring away but there were the most awful noises outside it didn't sound like our dog was crying but something was up and I kept almost waking Isaac up, but I never did. So...a rabbit made it 1/2 through the chain link fence...I'm pretty sure that was what all the noise and commotion was. GROSS. Isaac found it the next morning. I think even rabbits can be really noisy if they're getting their hind leg chewed off.  So Saturday morning after the dog was chewing on that some more. Isaac piled the boys and the dog in little green to go find some kind of Sat adventure (they went sledding) he literally had to pull the dog away from her kill,  then he put her in the car with our kids!! And she promptly piles in and starts licking the boys-oh I flipped, so disgusting! Isaac says "no it's not" (to my fit of how disgusting it is) YES IT IS. I'm gagging again remembering it. And then my vacuum complaint...ok ok enough is enough of my complaining suffice to say-I want a shop vac for cleaning up after the dog. 

See why I need a different blog to grumble about the dog and who knows what else??? With a little perspective and time gone by this stuff probably doesn't really need documented, it's not stuff I want to remember when I look back through a blog book 20 years from now, hmmm. But its my outlet...

Saturdays drama wasn't done, we had the missionaries and Brother Waddell over for dinner, Isaac was visiting with them on the couch while I set the last few things out for dinner when Colt, my helper, got up on his stool and reached for the bleach, Clorox cleanup type stuff I'd used to clean the table off with then foolishly just set back up on the edge of the counter-sprayer facing back toward the where you'd stand.  He squirted it right in his eye. I freaked, and wanted Isaac's help, while he was trying to rinse it I read the back of the bottle that said rinse for 15 min, Colt was having none of rinsing for 15 seconds, then I just wanted Isaac to get away and go deal with the company while I dealt with Colt. It was awful, he had scratches all over his face from me trying to hold him down and get water in it-yikes, then we started using Isaac's contact solution,  I bribed him with fruit snacks to let me keep putting a few more drops in every fruit snack he ate. Oh man, it was sooo stressful and scary. He's had really goopy eyes, (some of which has been going around but I didn't really think his was sickness) they were especially bad that next day, but slowly have cleared up and he seems to see just fine so we're super thankful!! Blessing of feeding the missionaries?? Maybe so, I'll take it.

Oh boy and that little guy, his stuttering was getting worse-at an exponential rate-I was freaking out, every day so much worse, but then I thought back, when we went sledding a week ago at Miss Carol house  She and I were talking about it, and she works in the schools and stuff and she told me they don't even worry about it until there at least 3 and actually just to ignore it. So I had been, but thankfully I was able to track it back to that conversation an realize I was doing something different because he really is fine if you can just get him to slow down and process what he wants to say, he gets so excited, so the last couple days I've pulled my "I'm the mom, and I don't really care what the literature says, I know best." Card and it really has helped. Holy Cow I was going crazy. Slowly we're getting back to his normal.
Some pics from the week: Grama sent beenies she made. I was teasing her about going Grama Cottam on us "Oh I can crochet you one of those." But we've had fun with them, can't say we've worn them outside yet but all of us have had them on...only the boys pics are making the blog though. And since Cannon got to help Iron, Colt was right on his tail like usual. Luckily I have primary shirts that I the ink needs heat set on-so it works out. 

                                
It was R week at preschool this week so Cannon made this sweet Racoon mask. He also talked Mrs. Hardee into making rockets on Thursday (of course she went for it because she's superwoman) he asked where the command module and landing craft were though and she wisely told him his mom could help him with that part. Ha ha yeah right. Colt was pretty determine to get to make a rocket too though so we did have to try...and those projects are still 1/2 finished on the table. Maybe tomorrow...maybe.

Today was a great day. We got to have a play date with the Marler's and the boys got introduced to Hungry Hippo-they loved it. Jacob and Cannon are friends from church but I'm slowly realizing the play dates are good for the boys but GREAT for me. I need that adult conversation, it was great to visit with Milena!! And the cute Lingwall's always take care of Isaac when we leave town but this time they took care of us while he is gone. We had dinner over there-I'm not saying we're there as far as manners but thankfully it wasn't nearly as bad as last week-and the kids got to play and I got to visit with Jeff and Julia, it was really really fun. We had a great time.

Highlight of my week though: Easily, getting my temple recommend renewed! Its a great privilege to answer those interview questions, I know our priesthood leaders are the Lord's servants but I guess I just felt it more than ever before as I met with Pres Vorkink this week. I definitely felt the Lord's love and my heart was super full! I guess that's about it. (I can complain about he dog for countless paragraphs but I start talking stuff that really matters and I'm out of things to say quick...hmmm I think its supposed to be the other way around. Whoops)

"OH Gobble Gobble"

Last week I ended with some of the funny things the kids say but I can't believe I forgot one of my favorite ones from Cann man. At Thanksgiving time we read this book at Grandma Ison's that she had checked out from the library called Turkey Trouble...well anytime things don't work our for the turkey his says "Oh Gobble Gobble" and Cannon has brought it home. I love it! (And its way better than "Oh Crap" that would probably come out of my mouth!) Colt's picked up on it too only it sounds like "Oh dawble" when he says it. Its fun though. 

Purchase of the week: a snow shovel. It just got to that point...Colt hasn't quite grasped the idea of clearing the walking paths yet, he thought the middle of the lawn was a good spot. 

 

So the week. 

Last Friday night Isaac was at Jeff's cutting out the dog house until long after the boys were asleep and Saturday was a long dog house day, he worked his little tail off (and I might need to do a better job of expressing my gratitude but I really am grateful!) He didn't finish but almost... 

That night a gal Isaac home teaches invited us over to eat with her and the missionaries, we had a good time. Our kids don't really eat, that makes it a little hard but it was good to visit. Isaac had to pick the missionaries up so we had to take 2 cars, on the drive home it was Colt's turn to go with dad so Cannon was with me and really just wanted to drive. "Mom just let me drive." I answer "Your not old enough and the police would give us a ticket." And he comes back with "Mom! The police don't know how old I am, and how smart I am, and how quick I learn things." Oh brother-such a character! On to Sunday, Colt on cries all week that he doesn't want to go to his nursery class. If he gets to come with me to primary though he's good as gold. No treats, no snacks, but perfect behavior, so I'm kind of at a loss as to what to do, who am I to complain about perfect behavior? but I'm thinking hey-you're supposed to be in nursery, and I feel this extra pressure to have my kid do what he should because I serve in primary. But he usually just sits on the front row with the Sunbeams, but then sits on the front row again for Sr Primary- This week when we excused the sunbeams to go to class he just got up with his arms folded and when with them. ??? So....I just let him go, those poor teachers though, there are already a ton of Sunbeams (they've yet to all be there but throw in the 4 year old that can't deal with change and won't go to the next class up and my kid, that's supposed to be a nursery, and then one of the teachers has a kid that's supposed to be in nursery that won't go either -which is actually the only thing that makes me feel a little better about it...) but yikes! I talked to the teachers though and they're good with it so...spend two years in sunbeams-fine-no sense in getting the rest of the nursery stirred up because he's screaming. So that's the plan I'm going with this week-we'll see what happens.

Monday for Isaac's day off he went in to work (typical) for a couple of hours for some diversity training mtg. Then it was back to the dog house. Finish it real quick turned into clear into the evening but he did get it done (I should have taken a picture) He had put some foam in it to insulate it, then Sunday she scratched it all up, so that's really why it wasn't quick to finish-he had get some paneling to protect the foam, and had to take the roof back off to get that in there. I'm tell'n ya it was quite a project. And it was late and cold but he did get the garage cleaned out. (Even though the water he was spraying was freezing--yikes--) And it still stinks out there but hopefully it will air out (fingers crossed) eventually. Cost wise, hmmm well I purposely didn't keep track but he probably came out pretty close to even compared to if he would have bought one-but if his time is worth ANYTHING...this one was expensive but Isaac loves a project, that part of the dog house was good. I'm too soft to be an animal person, she scatched and whined at the back door a TON that first night, I made Isaac get up and go check on her, after he put a bone in her house it wasn't so bad, but I did feel bad for her. That first night was the worst though, she's been ok since then, I think. We did have to buy a water dish the water won't freeze in though. And Cannon was more willing to go play with her out in the garage but-she's an outside dog. I feel bad her when nobody plays with her-but I'm not going to. Dog troubles. Anyway.
Tuesday and Wednesday Preschool got canceled so we just had play dates with our preschool friends instead. It was really fun. We did one day at the Tiltin's and then they came here one day. Cannon far preferred playing with his friends toys than sharing his own-he's gotta learn though-and they really did have a lot of fun toys and a bouncy house. We had a blast. Wednesday Carol, a lady the boys met when they were out exploring places to live close to the lake, called to see if we wanted to come sledding. It was so fun, sledding really might be the best part of winter-because most of it isn't fun! She has a really great hill though, lots of smiles (and a few crashes) and having the run end on the frozen pond was really cool, super slick and the sleds would always spin, it was fun.

She had also invited us to stay for a spaghetti dinner, so nice. It was great, however after that, of utmost importance around here is a focus on manners. Cannon was out of control-standing on his chair, saying he didn't like it, (chastising her for drinking coffee-she wasn't it was just something she said in the conversation) when he did eat  he was shoveling it in like a heathen. He didn't have great manners where we went Saturday either but it wasn't so bad, I was a embarrassed and frustrated-he might only be 4 but he does know better. Oh well, its water under the bridge and I guess we have something to focus on for family home evening next week!
Thursday Isaac helped someone move, he didn't make it back in time to tend while I went to Relief Society, so I took my kids, I won't do it again. They had a nursery but my kids won't go so...I took them in with me. They know how to sit in a corner and be quiet-they have to when we have ward council- but they were the only kids there that weren't infants (none in the nursery either just for the record) and I'm so self conscious about causing a scene that when people (that I really like) tell me "there's a nursery" I just wanted to leave. The boys were really good, pretty close to perfect actually, but my attendance at such things is NOT worth me feeling like I did there! Oh well. Live and Learn. Today was a really fun day. Both boys got to go to preschool (it was a make-up day from earlier in the week when her heater was broken) but they loved it and I got a ton done! Tonight we had the Orton's over for dinner, we LOVE them, so fun! Then we just got to visit and chat while Corrin played with the boys. So good-so important for Colt to play and interact with her and not just cry because he's afraid she's going to tend. It was a great Friday night (but it got late on us) everyone is asleep now though :) me next.

And the random pictures from the week: The boys have been playing this game a lot lately...Cannon loves to buck Colt off

And one of the great things about Colt (aka "sleeping beauty") if he rolls off his bed...he usually just makes the floor work and keeps on sleeping. Its great. Cannon said "I covered him up mom." Pretty cute.

Until next week...

Sometimes smiles in pictures of this little guy are hard to come by so I was sure happy to catch this one. Actually its been war over the new boots that Santa brought because his pants wont fit over the top of them. So I had grama send a picture of Grampa in his watering boots (a couple weeks ago) and explained that sometimes even grampa has to tuck his pants in. So for whatever reason Cannon finally caved (Ok maybe I hid the way too big pair of hand me down pair of pants from Eric that he was making work but) anyway he said "Mom, ya need to send a picture of me in my boots like grampa-so he'll know sometimes I have to wear'm this way too" Haha ok. 

For Christmas Grandma Ison gave the kids a children's book about preparing to be missionaries, Cannon loves it and has been begging to get to Iron his shirt...I tried to explain that I FINALLY bought him a wrinkle free shirt but he doesn't really appreciate that yet-he will someday-but anyway I put him off until "Saturday the day we get ready for Sunday" he thinks he's pretty big stuff. He did a pretty good job. (He still wore the wrinkle free one-shhhh don't tell him-)

Sharing time was actually pretty fun last week-we had "Brother Speaks Chocolate Feast" as we talked about Feasting on the words of Christ-lucky for Brother Speaks I've got the two best cupcake makers around. (I turned them loose and took this after the cupcakes I was using were already in the oven-just for the record.) And that wrapped up our Saturday projects. Sunday it was -2 and "feels like -18" when we hauled our kids out of bed and headed off to church to early morning meetings. YIKES, that's just too dang cold. The boys were troopers though and did pretty good just sitting in the corner watching Mormon messages on the tablet while we were at our meeting. They have a new favorite they found-its when President Monson tells the story of the German battle ship the Bismark, we've watched it a ton this week ;) If anything else happened Sunday I can't remember so oh well. 

Monday for Family Night we hit up a KHS basketball game. Only we thought we were going to a boys varsity game, but when we got there the girls were playing. I wasn't very impressed then Isaac said "hey there were a lot of times you guys couldn't break a press either." UG don't remind me! But come to find out it was the girls JV, that made me feel a little better about what I saw-and really it was just the end of that game, then the girls varsity played (but a totally different school than the JV had just been playing) so we watched it. And the boys did play after that...we made it one quarter-and that was pushing it! Colt had wanted to go home from the second his fruit snacks ran out sooo 2 minutes in? Anyway, a guy in our stake presidency's son (other Kirksville ward though) plays but we didn't even get to see him because he was out with a concussion he'd got at practice.  Oh well. 

The boys had dentist appointments this week so we did a little science experiment where we left a hard boiled egg in some root beer over night then scrubbed it back up with their toothbrushes the next day-you can see they were pretty excited to do it, they didn't even take their coats off. I thought it was good little teaching tool though. And heaven knows I hope they have teeth like their dad and not me!

Then Colt proud as can be he'd got into my make up...I don't even wear it very much or very often...but he found it. A master bath is a must on my house list! I hate having all our stuff that we use all the time right there where the kids are all the time. Isaac's razor, the powder he got into last week and so on. Oh speaking of the house list, Colt and I went  and looked at a couple while Cannon was at preschool. Oh boy, my vote its good deals are gross! And its just kind of an overwhelming and stressful process. Plus Isaac still wants a farm outside of town. He tried to sell me on that -again?- and can't figure out why I wouldn't just love the idea of turning our boys loose out in the woods, and why I get so upset??? I did explain to him that I'm never going to be the turn your kids loose let'm run wild kind of mom and my other main concern with a farm is the overall standard of living...and fear of a primitiveness... we'll see, I felt like it was good to explain that part too him though.

Wednesday was a breaking point with the dang dog -well last Saturday was supposed to be the dog house deadline... the deadline came and went and the dog has still commandeered the garage and Isaac has gone back to work. I let her out in the day one day and I saw just how nasty it is out there, gross, is an understatement! I don't know how we'll ever get it cleaned up-Cannon is NOT big/old/responsible enough to take care of her. I can't believe he can even stand to go out there the smell is SO bad. But I mostly try to stay out of it. I swear a year comes off my life every time I have to deal with the dog. So, I'll probably be dead at 45...maybe 35-AH! That's this year! So Wednesday when Cannon was out there with her he came in squealing "Mom, you gotta see this..." so I went out and she was up on top of the washer and dryer out there (because this rental house already had one so we just left ours in the garage) and everything that was supposed to be up out of the way was getting tromped/chewed on. Then I found the box labeled "Old Journals" all chewed up. I brought it in but still haven't surveyed the damage. I just opened the garage to get her out of there, (thinking Isaac would be home shortly anyway-wrong-) well then the dog is down at the corner harassing some old man and his dog,  then chasing a pedestrian, Cannon standing there yelling "Belle" to no avail though it all. This is only what I see when I stick my head out between dinner stuff so then I head to find our leash, then the old man with a cane has her on his leash walking back when I get there he's saying "if you wanna keep her, its not safe" bla bla and on and on, I don't answer because I'm fuming and losing years off my life, then he repeats himself-he might be hard of hearing I'm not- I said "I assure you I'm not the one who wants to keep her." As I hook up our leash instead of his. I said "Sorry for your trouble sir" And turn and walked away and then he started swearing at me. I come in the house and Colt's dumped a whole bottle of season salt on the counter and is trying to scoop it back in pouring it through the little pour holes it came out of with a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon he's found. Holy Cow. Poor Isaac probably wishes he didn't walk in the door that night. Anyway I pretty much haven't seen him at all the last two nights because the dog house (thankfully) has moved up the priority list! I wanted him to go buy one that very night. But that's not really his style.  

On a happier note, we've been getting some mileage out of those Halloween costumes!

Some of my favorite things right now are just what my kids say. Colt's always saying "I dot it" for I got it whether he's in trouble or not our just clarifying "I dot it, I dot it, mom." Its so cute and funny. I know it come from me saying "Got it?" Not everything is so cute though, he's pretty demanding by nature but he's been doing a "Now, right NOW mom!" Thing a lot lately too...tone of his voice tells me exactly where's he got that from too. Guilty. One of the other funny things this week was the door bell rang and he said  in his cute little toddler way "I hope that's the UPS man bringing me a Pepsi" I don't know where he came up with that but it was pretty funny and we were both sorely disappointed to find a cleaning supply salesman at the door. The thing I remember Cannon saying (besides trying to convince me multiple times that he's basically a grown up-so he should be able to use a rotary cutter and a table saw...yeah right-oh that reminds me Colt says "you right" instead of "yeah right"-so funny the difference in what he says and what he means) back to Cann Man though, one morning I went down stairs with him and he was just so dang cute and happy and greeted all of his toys and wished them good morning. "Good morning equipment, how'd you sleep? Good morning Thomas..." it was just so cute.

I guess that's it for now!

Saturday we celebrated our anniversary by taking the boys bowling. It was really fun...the pics are all blurry but-we had a good time. That is until Cannon begged and begged and begged to play another game then when Isaac went over to pay for it Cannon found the arcade, we would have been way better off to either give each kid the $3.50 to play at the arcade with or flush down the toilet-about the same-because it was a total waste of money. The kids LOVED the first game and were completely involved, it was so fun, but neither one of played at all the 2nd game, we ended up just throwing balls down the lane to try and finish it-lame. Lesson learned. I just need to remember how fun the first game really was, we had a great time. I took pictures of the scores...hmm they're not going to make the blog haha, Isaac won both times-by a mile the 2nd game! Add to the adventure that we ventured too far past nap time and Colt had a complete melt down...remember the first game, remember the first game!

Then Sunday, oh we're in heaven, I love early church! I'm not sure how we're going to pull off early morning meetings (that's really early to expect the youth to come tend even though they are so nice-how rotten-we'll see) but done by noon, oh its going to be a good year :) Colts been doing pretty good on potty training, and I feel like I'm really committed this time so when he wanted to wear undies instead of a pull up to church I went with it. Whoops. I forgot my phone though or I would have a picture if Colt in his shirt and tie and the shorts I had in the diaper bag. Ha oh well. Honestly when he's teacher brought him up to me, by the way he was walking I was afraid it was WAY worse than it really was, eh no big deal. We'd do undies at church again if I hadn't had to clean up the mess I was afraid of later in the week when we were down at the church working on things in the primary room. The kid is wearing a "pull up" next week-end of discussion.
So here's a picture of the dog (through the dirty sliding glass door-its as good as it gets) I'm so sick of the dog smell I could puke-every time Cannon opens the door, in and out in and out of the garage. UG.

 

The boys are gone to look at dog houses right now, while I blog, with any luck they'll come home with one. Poetic justice is Isaac having to clean up dog poop because I always said no dog for Cannon until he's old enough to clean up after it...and we know how that plan ended. When I told Isaac about the mess at the church his response was "at least we both have to clean up poop now" I wasn't amused. 

School hasn't started yet but Isaac worked this week pretty much like a normal week as if it had, he took Cannon to preschool for me though-it is so good for Cannon and we just love Miss Dorothy so its good to be back in the routine. 

Today was a great day, we slipped over to Nauvoo for a temple trip before school started. I LOVE doing the touristy things off season we had the greatest little carriage ride with Mike and Ned (the horses-and Emily if you're reading my blog that missionary is Elder (Kevin) Johnson, a Parawon native who knows Burke-and Alan well-) So fun. I really learned a ton on the little tour we went on, the only thing I was we were the only ones so I kept wanting to interrupt and ask questions-I did a few times. But it was neat I tried to remember everything to tell Isaac, cuz we went while he was in the temple, but we'll probably just have to do it again! And of course it was great to get to go to the temple too.

 

My favorite thing is when the boys play nicely together. I love it. In this last pic it was pretty early (so Cannon probably woke Colt up) but they were in their room just playing away when they decided to get Colt dressed in Cannon's clothes "yeah that will totally fit you" I hear Cannon say then shortly after: enter Colt-so proud.
Love my boys!

These are the we're playing outside smiles...

Then "sure you can nap on my bed as long as you nap!" Only they never did nap (which led to the worst fit ever at the grocery store) and they pretty much needed a UHaul for all their blankets and stuffed animals they hauled in! Good times though-not the fit part.

Holy Cow...well, the good news is our marriage seems to have survived the whole Isaac showing up with a dog episode. I still have not taken a single picture of it, but I probably should. Cannon is in heaven and admittedly in a lot of ways its good for him, and Colt would rather stay in the kitchen and help me cook dinner than go out and play with the dog, he hates that it jumps on him. Haha, that's my boy!
Basically I came to grips with it realizing this: In my world coming home unannounced with a dog=total betrayal of trust.  Moses wrote down 10 commandments but if there was going to be 11 surely it would have said Thou Shalt NOT bring home a dog when you haven't talked to your wife and she doesn't even like dogs. However, In Isaac's world coming home with a dog and intending to keep it was like coming home with a toy from Walmart...or better yet a bag of cookies..."but I like them, look they make the boys smile, no we can't take them back- I got them for free, we can give them to someone else but why would we want to???..." and so on. It's been a lot wrap my mind around but...we still have the dog. And I know it wouldn't be earth shattering for everyone, Isaac's mom for example, wouldn't even bat an eye, in fact, I think he did this as a kid--maybe multiple times. Maybe that's why he thought it was fine (and not to throw him totally under the bus, remember I didN'T post the big vent, but he did admit that he didn't at least call because "there was no way I'd go for it") soooo....I pray he understands it is NOT ok in our marriage and shouldn't happen again-but then again, in his world its a bag a cookies, eat up, enjoy, who cares? not a big deal. And Why do I hang on to things?
... Reality is probably somewhere in between our two worlds...
 Last week I said "Merry Christmas" but this week I'll admit it was a really hard Christmas for me, not going home for the 2nd year in a row and the "Christmas dog" shall we call her, it was tough! By the way, they don't know for sure but think its a Blue Tick hound, so they named it Blue Belle, they call her "Belle" or sometimes "Blue" but mostly a very affectionate "Pooch"...I usually call it "the dog" oh and our garage stinks and I don't go out there.
So moving on...Only I don't know what we really did...
Sunday we survived primary, that's always good. I had to try and pull of singing time-that was a new one. Thankfully school starts so people should be back this next week. Monday we woke up to a little bit of snow and a lot of ice (the ice is actually really pretty in the trees in the sunlight a few days later but scary when you hear the cracking above you-that's gotta be dangerous right?) But we can sled on ice, and our back yard is perfect-except we need a little more snow to be able to build up a little something at the bottom of our run, the chain link fence was taking a beating-whoops-the boys had a blast though-and I did too.

We did get a little more snow later that day and now its just cold-with snow/ice everywhere. Hello Winter. (Oh and I confess to doing more house shopping after paying our first winter power bill in this all electric poorly insulated wind tunnel everywhere place. YIKES-and they say it hasn't really even got cold yet. Oh my! On the new list for a house-gas heat, and a fireplace, where a wood burning stove insert was a possibility--I hate wood piles because of the bugs/spiders that kind of thing...but probably not as bad as I hate paying high power bills.)
After last week I was a little nervous when Isaac took the boys one day to visit people from church, but it was fine and I got a ton done for primary so that was great. It was kind of a busy week with primary stuff, the new year, new theme, kids all have new teachers and so on, one time I was working on primary stuff only to find Colt standing in the bathroom in a pile of powder "shaving!" at least he had the toy razor.

I've been making primary shirts again, I kindof love it-it's a fun little hobby for me, when I ordered the screen I also ordered a Truman one with a couple different logos on it so I made that shirt Colt is wearing too-kinda fun.

I don't know what else.  I have more pics of Colt because he hangs out with me while Cannon plays with the dog. Isaac said the dog is getting worse behavior-wise...so maybe Cannon's play needs to be more supervised-I think he teases her, he has this certain laugh I recognize from him teasing Sugar, only Sugar's not a puppy so its annoying to her but not so influential...listen to me? I don't really know what I'm talking about but I know Cannon needs to be nice to the dog and teach it not tease it...but he's 4, and I didn't want to be a dog parent... Anyway back to the pictures of Colt: Here he is all snuggled up with the "tractor un un a baseball blank" requested from Santa Claus and then trying out dad's new leg shaker.

Isaac's Grandma told him those leg shakers were awesome for working the kinks (and gas hahaha) out so he's wanted one for a while, Santa hooked him up.
Oh and speaking of Colts "and uh uh blank" that little guy stutters-kind of a lot, it's getting worse the more he tries and expects to be able to express himself, I think as words come easier to him it will clear up-I hope! Really when he's one on one and not racing/competing with Cannon to say things first its not bad at all, and its really kind of cute too (I just hope he's able to grow out of it before it causes him grief as he gets older in school and stuff.) He's pretty good though if we just stop him and explain we're listening and let him process whatever he's trying to say and then tell us.
Anyway...I think that's about it.
Goodbye 2015
Hello 2016

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Last week Isaac went hunting. I mentioned he bought a muzzle-loader, my only complaint was that he is SUPER hard to buy for, he doesn't get excited about anything, so the week before Christmas he had to outfit himself for hunting. The gun, stuff to clean it with, then a knife...and so on. I just kept thinking there's a gift idea, there's a gift idea. Oh well, he never did buy a case for it, and neither did I so I obviously still had chances ;) I wanted to do something fun with the boys while he was gone so we built graham cracker "ginger bread houses" I thought it was fun, Colt was sold on the getting to eat the candy and put the icing on. He'd say "Little dob here" over and over in his cute little voice, I loved it. Cannon was disappointed they didn't end up looking like the one in the story book we have where the little boy gets to make a gingerbread house with his mom. Darn. Oh well. My favorite part of his was the crunch bar glued to the side with a bite taken out of it.

 

That was the first time my kids (can remember anyway) having Sweedish Fish. -it was leftover Halloween Candy- but they LOVED them, they were totally sold and said "Can you buy more mom?" So I did for Christmas but didn't get them out today. Oh well. We have them (but they don't know it yet.) 

My big helpers have been fighting (not my favorite part) over getting to help with the dishes. Its pretty darn cute! If only I thought it would last.

 

Monday we went to the Orton's for FHE, it was So SO fun. We had a great time. (And we had super delicious food too, she served her mission in Italy and is a great cook! And that homemade ice cream gelato stuff was to die for!) I asked what we could bring but Marie just kept saying nothing, but we weren't going to go empty handed so the boys and I made an apple pie. My mom makes awesome apple pies, I was hoping it was genetic or something-haha-but it turned out ok. And they boys are awesome at being the pastry cutters for the crust! Seriously, I'd do it again with their help. I hate that part.

 

I'm not sure why we had to be in out uniforms to eat breakfast this day...but they were and I of course took a picture.  

Tuesday we went back out to Bishop's and did the carriage ride with some ward friends again. It was sooooo cold, seriously miserable cold. (But Wed it was almost 60-this place is crazy! Someone told Isaac if you don't like the weather here don't worry it will be different tomorrow. Apparently it's true.) That night Colt went with me and we did a little charitable shopping because Isaac had found someone with some needs, (I know so much for doing our alms in secret right but its part of the story soooo I had to say it) well, I bought the little boy a monster truck and Colt LOVED it he asked and asked for one I just kept saying "no, it's for a little boy that doesn't get toys" then Colt smartened up and said "You buy one me, me poop in potty?" I said "You Bet!" But clarified it was going to be when he had no more accidents. So Wednesday started out the best day ever-it was awesome-I kept asking Colt if he needed to go and he kept just saying no then all the sudden he came up to me and said "mom, me ready poop potty" and he did!!! It was awesome!

That afternoon Isaac took the boys church'n but when they  came home, they showed up with a dog. Originally I did a whole separate post yesterday so as not to ruin this one, my Christmas post, with my frustrations and venting, but ultimately I didn't post it because I know the internet is not a good place to voice familial frustrations. Sufficed to say my boys are on cloud nine-especially Isaac-I have been very upset about it. He doesn't understand .... it has been a very VERY stressful couple days. Moving on.

The cute Orton's gave us a Christmas present when we were there but Cannon wasn't minding and tore into it when we'd asked him not to so we didn't let him finish opening it until Christmas eve. (I could see that it was a puzzle and thought that would be good activity for Christmas eve -but it was 1000 pieces sooo we didn't really do it.)

 

 

And then it was Christmas, and Santa found us :) he didn't bring Cannon a real mining shovel :( but the boys got hooked up with some toys, the only bummer was when Colton's remote control started running Cannons crane-oh well.

I guess the other bummer was that I got the kids snow pants and a sled but I knew that was a risk and we are supposed to have snow next week-I'm sure we'll have more than I care for soon enough.