Oh man, by next week it will be March and that means my blog header will be a year old...but no sense in updating it now--it will just be out of date when Little Brother gets here.


Just in case I wasn't feeling old I just overheard Cannon ask his dad "When mom was alive were there dinosaurs?" YIKES.

So Saturday was a great day! Isaac and I were down cleaning the church-ok mostly just Isaac, I did some setting up for a baptism but I really wasn't much help.  (Still so nice to just leave the kids home with my mom though!) Anyway while we were gone...the tickle monster arrived! It was so fun to have Grampa here! They raced, they tickled, they read stories, they tickled some more. They loved playing this little "rocket" game where they'd count down 3-2-1 Blastoff and then he'd kick them up off his feet...(it looks like a glorified kick in the butt to me!--more on that topic at the end of this post--)

  

I don't know how this pic got left out of the collages but I couldn't leave it off the blog-look at Colt's grin! Grampa rented a car in Kansas City and drove on up and over. The boys thought they were pretty big stuff when we let them ride in Grampa's car (Don't be turning me into Child Protective Services or anything on the lack of car seats there.) Which "Grampa's" and "car" is such a stretch anyway, so weird since he's such a truck guy! But they loved it!

 

 

We really had a great time though. Sunday, not such a good day. We were sitting at church when my mom's phone rang! (That's embarrassing but that wasn't the bad news.) The bad news was Grampa's dog/best friend, Sampson, died. :( He's been so sick for so long and just getting worse, so its a good thing but it didn't make it easy. (See another reason NOT to have a dog--they're just going to die and break your heart someday. Maybe Belle's single hope is that I was not for my mom getting my dad a dog either!  I did learn to like Samps though, we left each other alone though-that's why I liked him- he was a good dog.) I am certain that Samps waited until Grampa was here to give up. When Grampa didn't come home one night-the next night Samps just went home to heaven. Sucked for Grampa cuz he didn't get to say goodbye to his pal, and my brothers had to take care of everything, but that just how it goes... I assured the boys "All dogs go to Heaven" and they were really cute when they prayed for Samps, and Sugar-and for us to remember he was better off and happier. But it was a tough day though. 

R.I.P. Samps-you were a good dog!

It was also Isaac's Birthday-but as mentioned last week he's not really into celebrating. Saturday night I tried to remember his birthday from last year and my first thought was Oh Crud! Because ALL I could remember was the MISERABLE experience of returning the suits I'd bought him...and here I'd done it again bought him a new suit for his birthday. But in my defense, I (the non seamstress) have played seamstress and tried to patch up the one he's got at least two -more- times since his last birthday. So sorry Isaac, you're going to have a new suit (and if he wants to send it back...guess what he'll get for his birthday next year. Haha) The good news is, it went over a TON better this year (thank goodness).

 

He also got a shop vac because the last time he used my good (well-it was good once) vacuum to clean up after the dog in little green told him if he wasn't careful he was going to get a shop vac for his birthday and he replied "Good it will be easier-that vacuum has way to long of a wand thing." So I figured that was pretty much a go ahead :) So amid a pretty sad day, we had a little fun for Isaac's Birthday too!

These two-they're best buds. (And that caption works for both of the next 2pics .) I was just sitting across, watching them read scriptures and smiling--so of course I took a couple pics. 

Monday we just had more fun with Grama and Grampa and then Tuesday they had to head back. Tuesday Cannon also got SO SO SICK! Oh it was horrible, he was really pale at the Airport when we dropped Grama off then we pulled into the driveway and he puked-in the car-I seriously yanked the poor kid out to finish and sick or not he got a lecture about making sure he was out of the car next time. Because, he easily could have made it out, but he's really not sick that often so maybe he didn't know...maybe. Anyway I was telling Isaac about it with Cannon right there and I said "So he knows, right bud? We make sure we are out of the car if we need to throw up!" And Isaac said "Well first we make sure the car is stopped!" Oh yeah-good clarification! Thank Hun. So he was SO sick to his stomach all day and into the night then he had a raging fever I was pretty nervous. Oh the thing was he went crazy with the salt shaker on his egg at breakfast, I didn't see how much, but he knows better so I said "you're going to eat it" after the first round of puke, I had deal with it, it wasn't fun, but I was still singing the "hopefully he learned his lesson" song. After a few more rounds It was more like "Oh my! I promise I learned mine!" I think I poisoned him by making him eat it (don't I already have something in this post about DCFS? Yikes) I mean, I didn't really know how much was there. I did learn my lesson though! I mean I didn't have to let him waste it, I could have rinsed it off! Duh Lyndi! So after that we've all been going low sodium around here! I don't know what else would have made him so sick but it was awful, at first his stomach just hurt but by the night he had the fever too. (From salt? I don't know but I will NOT be trying it again) I'm tending to him in the middle of the night, I stayed up doing laundry cuz he just wanted his little blue blanket back, I said "What can I do for you bud?" And he said "Just leave me alone!" It was so sad and pathetic. But around 4 or 5 his fever finally broke and he asked for some water, I asked him to try apple juice instead. He did, and kept it down,  and really from then on he was fine. Fine Fine-I even took him to preschool the next day because there was no evidence he'd even been sick...oh he might have been a little step slower than usual from not having any food the day before but totally fine and Mrs. Hardee was game so I went with it.
Wednesday we got this really fun package in the mail from the Allred's. The boys were dancing around the house afterward wearing their new shirts singing "Go Thunder." The next morning Colt-little Mr. Demanding said "Where my shirt Bet-ee (Becky) send me?" And Cannon wouldn't wear his to preschool because it was "too special" they are so funny.

 

 

Boats and Little Blue's-its a pretty good life.

We've stayed busy, and had a little fun too-even after Grama and Grampa left. These boys LOVE to help. I think that's about it for the week but I have a few more stories I wrote down as they happened so I wouldn't forget. So here ya go...At primary, during sharing time,  Sister Hatcher asks "What is a consequence and Cannon pipes up and says "Spank your butt."...great...his teacher started cracking up. I don't think everyone even heard but enough did! I wanted to crawl in a hole and die! Then the next day Colt went to the store with my mom, I have no idea what he did but she said "If you do that again, your going to be in trouble." To which he replied "I alweady in twouble, I pank my own butt, Tannon taught me how." And proceeded to wack his own little rear end. I PROMISE that is not my go to punishment!!!! I mean, obviously it's happened but holy cow! It's way more rare than conversation would indicate! AND ya realize just how crass it sounds when its coming out of 2 or 4 year old mouth. YIKES, its terrible! Come on Lyndi. Bum. Just call it a Bum! I've got to work on that! Colt's go to phrases this week are "Yets do it" and "On my way." But I'll borrow his first one about trying to be a little better "Yets do it!"

Here's some special Valentines we made (maybe you've seen them before if you got to be one of our text/or email valentines) I can't remember where Isaac was but we were waiting for him to come home I think Saturday night so we did this little project...

Saturday was a great day! Well wait first Friday was too, Friday night after I'd blogged I got a text from my mom "can you talk" I called back-and whispered, "No, my kids are asleep but I can listen..." So she told me Chip had decided he wanted to come see us too!!! Sweet!!! And I was afraid it was going to be bad news or something-not at all! We were SO excited! (I don't think he really could have even had time to read my blog last week but...maybe I should bemoan our not getting to see him more often ;) just kidding) So anyway it took a little finagling and Grampa's having to go WAY out of his comfort zone but we're super excited (and we feel like a pretty darn big deal too-it's great) he'll be here tomorrow. Unless as he put it "he gets lost in Kansas City and is never heard from again" haha-he'll be fine! Ok back to Saturday it was great-Well, except for the part where Isaac flushed his wedding ring. It was pretty funny though. I'm not quite sure what happened but I heard the clank clank and "oh crap" and then he came out and was like "I would have fished it out but I'd already flushed." I just laughed -and teased him because it was so close to Valentines- and at least it was his ring. He didn't let me buy him a ring when we got married (I think he was afraid I'd buy an expensive one.) But he bartered for one while we were on out honeymoon-he loved the bartering aspect. (Possibly the most disappointing thing about my ring for him was no chance to barter, well that and the fact it wasn't cheap, I still have no clue how much it cost though-Kyler just got him the best price he could, Ky told me one time he thought Isaac was pretty disappointed there was no negotiating haha) anyway back to his ring, it was always borderline too small-sizes aren't an option at those little shops by the "Bufadora" in Mexico. So one day a few months back he worked it off his finger (no small task) but then was trying stretch it out (oh Isaac) with some pliers and snapped it in half. So when the boys and I were in Utah either in Sept it Dec I don't know which, he went to Walmart and picked himself out a new ring. $18 bucks, he was tickled pink, and all the sudden his $30 honeymoon ring wasn't such a good deal, but he was happy and I liked it and neither one of us really cared if it turned his finger green (my brother the jeweler has maybe turned me into a little bit of a jewelry snot-but not Isaac-not a chance but when he bought it he told me not to tell Kyler about it haha I guess if Ky reads the blog the secret will be out. But really Isaac's just so nice he wouldn't want to hurt Ky's feelings by not supporting his business--but its just not a important or valuable to him which I think is totally fine.) Anyway long story. But funny. Poor Isaac-I love telling Isaac stories. He asked me how much he paid for it, I reminded him $18 he said "What a waste, I'm not buying another one for a while." I disagree, and I'll take care of that :)  Funny Guy, I sure like him though! anyway back to Saturday...

(Yeah right "nap right here")

Isaac did our taxes, the boys started putting the crib together, they went on an adventure (with the dog IN to 2 stores, one the dog was welcome at, and Home Depot-not so much, yeah Isaac what you read online was for "service dogs" ours does NOT qualify...good thing I wasn't there-I was mortified enough from home.) The boys made me a valentine at Orschlens, the first store -I guess it was kid day or something??? They were not meant to be necklaces but, whatever!

The the little jars had a little fake candle tea light thing they put in them too light them up. Colt thought it was really cool and wanted to show little brother-probably the closest thing you'll ever get to a belly pic of me on the blog

Their adventure bought me a few minutes to go Valentine's shopping though so that was fun. Reasons to celebrate--totally not Isaac's thing--so I bought him a pair of socks because I vowed to throw the ones with a HUGE hole in away-I don't care how soft they are- and the boys get spoiled because I love the reasons to celebrate and I get a way better reaction out of them. They got the Sneaky Snacky Squirrel game and it is super fun-well for their ages-perfectly age appropriate. We've had a good time playing it.  (To his credit though, Isaac did offer to buy me flowers TWICE but I turned him down both times A: because they just die and B: because I know it's not his thing, it kind of loses it's charm...obligatory flower purchase...no thanks. He is willing though and he should get credit for that-totally willing to fake like he likes celebrating haha-what a guy, I love him) 

Sunday we had ward council so I always feel like I've run a marathon by time we get home from church those days-Colt had a complete melt down by the back door as we were leaving but other than that we had a pretty good day. We got snow Sat night though so the roads were bad so some people (including my counselor in charge of sharing time) didn't make it in. She had warned me Sat but I didn't worry at all-then in the middle of the night I thought ahhh I better think about that, what was our topic? I was glad I'd thought about it but I definitely felt in "wing it" mode, but it turned out pretty fun, our little version of the creation charades style (is that the one where ya act it out?) Anyway-we pulled it off ;)

We got home from all the craziness had naps and then planned some more. We decided to do a president's day themed family home evening and invite our neighbors. As it turned out only our one neighbor came but we had fun learning a little trivia-and we did talk about how God definitely had his had in the formation of this nation and the religious liberties (that we are clinging too) and Cannon shared the 12th article of faith but we kept things pretty simple and topped it off with red white and blue ice cream sundaes. Isaac and our neighbor actually had a ton to talk about and he's a nice and good guy. Tuesday-the long awaited for Tuesday...why don't I lie to my kids and tell them Grama's not coming until the next day? It seems like I should have learned this lesson by now! They were wound to the nines all day-it was awful-and she didn't get here until almost 8pm with delays and all. UG! I swung by a baby shower for a couple gals in my ward I was only there for about 5 minutes but it was fun. Then I picked her up and...(sigh) take over grama!!! PLEEEASE...just kidding...kind of

I don't know it doesn't seem like we've done a ton but we've had a great time. I actually feel like I've stuck her babysitting a lot but its just so nice, they love it, she loves it, Isaac and I have this awesome freedom to go wherever whenever we want. Its great! He had meetings Wed, I had to show my face at the Blue and Gold banquet-and we didn't even have to coordinate and drag our kids down to the church! Of course I had to get a dentist appt in-yikes my second home the dental chair-I scheduled another one for next week before she leaves too. Thursday the boys got to go on their "date" with Grama. Pizza Hut and Walmart-complete with little prize. They are so funny-they were in heaven. Thursday Isaac went off doing visits for church and I still got to go to Relief Society and it was SO FUN, and that was SO important after the last one was such a rotten experience with me and having to drag the boys there all. Today we drove up to Iowa to our favorite little general store up there. It was fun and we got some good deals, we love that! It was a long drive and long day though. It was over 60 degrees here today though so super warm for us-that was nice now we just need to shake the wind! Nice of Grampa to order the great weather up for when he comes-or bring it with him or whatever, we'll take it!

Oh and Grama brought me a new phone! There's an adjustment period of course but it a pretty smooth little machine :)

My plan to take more pictures with my camera instead of my phone didn't happen. I barely had any on my phone. (I'm tired and I feel like this post is a little all over the place...oh well. Its a post.)

My sick little cowboy...

 

Such a terrible pic, but it was a rough weekend. Its not very often that we miss church but Colt and I and his raging fever stayed home. It kind of throws off the week though. Thankfully his fever broke that night, Cannon's was kind of the same thing...if its not better by morning I'm taking him in-then it was. Colt wasn't 100% but it sure seemed like a 100% better. 

Isaac was doing training on family history stuff so I decided we should learn something about one of our ancestors for family home evening. We found a story about my great grandpa. But the boys had other things in mind. Little preachers HAHA.

They both gave us a little lesson out of the scriptures too. 
The other things about Monday that were awesome, were when Isaac called and said "Should I just bring home Pizza?" Yes Honey. Perfect! Thank you! Especially after the sicks kid battle the whole prior week, and it was brilliant Colt ate more than he'd eat'n in days :) And then we have a CD in the car with some primary songs on it that the kids will sing throughout the year, our primary chorister made them for all the kids but anyway it has "Praise to the Man" on it, well, the boys were just singing away in the kitchen on Monday "Sail to the Prophet!" it was so cute and so funny. So then I had to try and explain "Hail" to them and what it meant. Sail just made more sense to them, little boat lovers I guess--just wanted to sail on over to the prophet.
I've been wanting to decorate in the primary room with pictures of the kids reading scriptures so I was happy to grab a few of my own boys. (But that's really all I have this week-even though its not all we do! I'm glad they love'm.)

 

I wish this last one wasn't blurry :( Tuesday Cannon woke up determined to wear his church clothes and missionary tag to preschool and share the gospel with his friends. I admit that my first reaction was No no, lets just put on normal clothes and we can check with Mrs. Hardee if it would be ok. (I'm not sure what church they go to but all of the other kids go to the same church -with Mrs. Hardee) but then I thought she's so sweet-of course she won't care. And besides Romans 1:16 right?  Cannon is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ! Who am I to shut him down. So off he went to preschool like a little missionary. Mrs. Hardee said he was pretty cute-and very serious-and "He has some of that memorized doesn't he?" yes! She said they got a little from all over the place (I totally  get it--after all I got the FHE version the night before) but then he even gave his Book of Mormon away to his buddies Zach and Noah. (Because I had assured him if he gave it away we could get him a new one.) But anyway, what a kid right? I was proud of him. 

The rest of the week we did some little Valentines for his class, and got Valentines ready for primary. Today was a busy one because the gal I visit teach had her baby so made dinner and stuff. Cannon was totally guilt trip'n me "Mom why are you so busy you don't have time for your kids." Oh brother I think someone is just used to my undivided attention, but it was a busy day...and I'm ready for bed. We'll see what the next week brings. Oh its bringing Grama :) that will be fun. Colt's convinced Poppa is coming too or that he's just going to go to his house, unfortunately that part is not true :( Poor little guy is going to be disappointed. Oh man we need a Utah trip...we're all just getting to that point-but I just haven't felt up to it. They are no walk in the park to travel with, and especially when the cheap flight is the through the night one.

We've done the hot and cold thing on the house hunt this week. Isaac walked through a house he was sure our bed wouldn't even fit in the master bedroom of-oh and they laundry hookups were in that room too. Then the next day he walked in the door one day and said I'm learning toward not buying. I wanted to do a cartwheel. I said "Help me remember how good I feel about this option!" (Part of why it just made the blog) Maybe we will buy, but for now it seems like just renting, outrageous power bill and all, is the best option. I'm sure we're not done spinning this one around and around BUT...I am done with the blog entry for now :) Until next time.

Saturday we were trying to have fun even though Isaac was still gone so we headed to walmart and bought a box of donuts for breakfast-the boys had a blast picking them out and we bought a LOT of sprinkles. And we ate junk all day! But...I'm either too old or too pregnant or too both for such dietary changes, after donuts for breakfast and another as the dessert of lunch I knew I needed to eat more healthy but...it was too late, I got so sick that night, so then it was just kindof survive until Isaac got home Sunday afternoon. I had to do sharing time but I went to church like it was fast Sunday-just to be safe-then holy cow I was so hungry. That afternoon Isaac made me some chicken noodle soup...with those garden vegetable rotini noodles-it was so nice of him...and so gross!!! Oh put it on the list with the maple flavored sausage in the Alfredo sauce, there's a reason I'm possessive of the kitchen! Haha but mostly we were just super glad to have him back! He had a good time at his conference and made some great contacts! By Monday I noticed my Cann man was feeling pretty warm...sick kids:( that sums up the week, bummer, Colt held out strong until yesterday but now he's the one running a fever. We were going to make a temple run today (just the boys and I with some gals in the ward) but I didn't dare take sick kids for someone else to tend while I was in the temple. The boys were so excited to go (I love that-I love that they love to go to Nauvoo) so it was bummer that we didn't go. 

I had scheduled a dentist appt for when Cannon was at preschool but he ended up not going cuz he was sick, so I said I could reschedule or just bring'm both (with DVD player) and the office (super chill) was like oh they're fine, you can just bring'm, everyone's had it-its going around.  So I took both kids to the dentist with me, they came back in the room and everything and now Isaac and I have two new little dentist on our hands. (I told Isaac we can only hope one of our kids will choose to be a dentist with the way my teeth are-that would be great!!)

 

 

Scissors are so entertaining! Colt man went to preschool for Cannon one of the days-he thought he was pretty big stuff. "I doe peeschool, no nannon, no mommy, dus me!" He loved it, they were learning about the letter S and snakes, all Colt did was cut his snake up--not surprise. But Mrs. Hardee is so awesome to let me bring him! 

And one last pic of what I find on my phone when I leave it unattended...

 

Cute little stinker. One bad thing though, I was randomly looking though a couple of the blog books today-and I use almost all phone pics on the blog because they're easy but I realized they ALL print out blurry :( I was pretty disappointed. The older books, when I would actually get my camera out, they print out just fine so I think I need to change my strategy....I wonder if it reduces the quality when I just upload them from my phone or something. Who knows but I thought I had these great family journals and really they're just Eh, blurry pics. Bummer. 

Short this week but it was just a long sick kids kind of week.

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!