10

I know everyone is one pins and needles waiting to see what my next blog post is about! ;)

10 things I believe every parent needs:

1. hugs and kisses from their spouse or child EVERY DAY

2. an extra hour in the day, or two

3. a magic snap that cleans the house in an instant. I would say maid but I don't think anyone should really have to clean up after us or anyone else. (unless you love that sort of thing)

4. a set easy menu to make our meals, and a cook for those nights when I don't really feel like cooking.

5. a good nights sleep EVERY night

6. children that listen and obey and are happy all the time :)

7. the perfect car/van/suv that fits your every need in transportation (mine would include an RV for those longer road trips, but who wants the maintenance and cost of one of those!?)

8. a seperate room for all the toys, and the toys go there on there own when they find themselves out of the room (because you know the kids won't put them back and I would just rather get rid of them then put them back!, I know I'm mean, but toys are my nemesis)

9. to NEVER, EVER get sick

10. and last, to have all the LOVE in the world for your spouse and kids and that love to be felt by all, all of the time


I know most of these aren't for real but some of them can be. I try to work on #10. If I can have my kids know I love them no matter what all the time, then I will be a successful parent and that is all I can ask.

What would you add to my list??????

18-months old!!

2010 Halloween

Daniel is 1 1/2 today! I can't believe our last little babe is

growing up so fast!

Today we went to the Dr. and here are his 18 month old stats:

33.3 inches in height - 77%

25.6 lbs - 44%

He is steadily and gradually growing from the time he was born. A few things

Daniel does and some words he an say:

mama, dada, SaRAh!, nigh nigh, love ya, tank you, kitty, dog, hot, cold, car, vroom vroom, truk, tig (tigger out cat), milk, more, pease (please), cheese, and he also says some animal sounds

He is CONSTANTLY climbing on top of the table, the back of the couch

and the top of the bunk bed.

He is a joy and we are so happy he is part

of our family. We love him to pieces!!!

31 days....

Of trying to Blog everyday for an entire month

(trying being the operative word.)

I have seen lots of friends try this and thought I would give it a try, so here goes.

Yesterday I pulled up all the Christmas ornaments and the Christmas tree. We put the Christmas tree up last night and decorated it. I would have taken a picture but the living room is still a mess with all the totes. I didn't feel like decorating the rest of the house just yet. Hopefully today....

I hung up Christas lights on our house for the first time ever just before Christmas. It took me about an hour and I do have to say I am a little bit excited about it. (that I was able to hang them and for the fun they are to have up)

The kids, of course, had a blast decorating the tree plus helping me put it together. At one point in the assembling process I asked the kids "Would you rather go out in the cold and pick out a real tree or put this thing together" The answer was a Quick "put this one together! It is WAY to cold outside!" I would have to agree.

I also pulled up a tote from the basement with clothes that Megan used to wear when she was around Sarah's age, so Sarah has a whole new wardrobe now. She was pretty excited and I was excited not to have to go shopping! I am NOT a shopper, especially for clothes. It was fun to relive some of the fun memories of when Megan wore some of the outfits. I can't believe my oldest is 9 now. Megan remembered some of the outfits too. Like wearing a green sequined skirt with matching shirt, that she wore to a Ward talent show and she sang a couple of solo songs or another skirt she put on one morning before I was awake because she wanted to be dressed and ready to go to Pump It Up. Now it will be Sarah's turn to create more loving, fun memories!

A picture of Megan at 5, Joseph at 2 1/2, and Sarah a couple months old.

Bloggity Blog Update

Megan's 9th birthday party. The girls were running down the hill behind our house and were a bit tired after.



Instead of a cake we decorated cupcakes. Something to make the time busy between 5 girlies!



Apple orchard slide, that's Megan and Sarah going down together on a potato sack.

Joseph going down the slide and Brent, Sarah and Megan at the bottom. We all went down, even me and Daniel.

Laying in the corn pool!

Ready....Set....

JUMP!

Who doesn't love sitting in a pool full of kernals of corn?!

This one is just an adoralbe picture of Daniel

Other happenings, I turned the big 3-0 on Halloween. Not much of a big event. I still feel like I am 29 :)

We recently had parent-teacher conferences with all of the kids teachers. They went very well. Megan is being challenged in reading by her teacher having her read a book they read in junior high and math is going well. Joseph is on a high reading level too. He loves the Magic Tree House books and brings home 2-3 every week. These books are 10 chapters long and about 65 pages. He Loves them. Sarah is doing great in preschool too and has just about learned writing her name down, all except for the S.

My mother and father-in-law recently came up to watch our primary program. The program was excellent like always. I am so proud of all my primary kids, they are always wonderful in the program!

While here my mother-in-law made a wrong turn in a doorway and fell down the steps into the baptismal font in our church building. The door was suppose to have been locked. She ended up breaking her humurus bone in her shoulder, dislocating her shoulder and breaking her wrist. Ouch! I felt pretty horrible all that happened to her. Luckily she is making a slow but sure recovery. She is one tough woman!

Not much more to report on now. I really needed to update this blog though.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Brotherly/Sisterly Love

One morning last week, Megan was curled up on the couch eating breakfast, watching cartoons before school. Daniel had just woke up and after changing him, I set him down on the floor and went to go get him breakfast. I cam back and found this:

He had climbed up and sat behind her legs and was leaning up against her just chillin' with his sister. He Loves Megan!

A couple days later, Sarah and Daniel both got messy so they ended up here together:

they had lots of fun playing like this and handing things back and forth, He also Loves His other big sister.
He adores Joseph and is always climbing on him and giving him hugs but I don't have pictures of that right now.

Today is also Megan's 9th birthday! We all love Megan so much. She is sweet, smart, a great artist, patient, helpful, a good listener, great a spelling, a beautiful singer and much much more and we couldn't be more proud of her.

waiting for the ice cream cake (brownie batter from DQ....yummmm!)

and this is how Daniel posed for me when he saw the camera.


I mentioned that Megan is a great singer, I wanted to write this down so we didn't forget. Today at church, our wonderful music leader was gone and her sub had sick kids today, so I was lucky enough to step in and do music. We are practicing songs for our primary program in 2 weeks, we were in the primary room and the kids were in 2 rows with Megan in the back, they were singing "Keep the Commandments" and she was really singing it and getting into it pretty good. She doesn't usually do this in front of people to often and so the kids in front of her and the kids next to her all turned around and looked at her, smiled and turned back around and continued singing. I smiled too, because I know this is how she likes to sing and their reaction was priceless, Megan then leaned over to a friend and whispered something, I later asked what she whispered and she said she told her she was embarressed. We told her she doesn't need to be embarressed and should feel confident in her singing. We love you Megan!!!

Beautiful

I don't know which one is my favorite, all of my kids are my favorite. Sarah and Daniel didn't want to cooperate a whole lot but I think we got some pretty good pictures of all of them. They are wonderful beautiful kids. Thanks Liz for capturing my beautiful kids on camera!!!

First day of school, first day of school!!!

(we'll get to that first day of school in a moment)

We went to the Iowa State Fair and the kids had a great time. We let them go on a few rides and the swings was their favorite. Sarah cried the first time or two around but ended up loving it.


I caught Daniel at a very tired moment and he doesn't look to happy but I put it here so you can imagine how I felt there....I could do without going to the fair....

This is actually what Daniel is like most of the time.

Sometimes he gets pretty messy eating and the only thing to do.....

is this: put him in the sink to get clean, while I wash dishes.

notice the plant in the above picture, now here is a close-up. This plant was planted from seeds from one of those "helicopters" that falls out of trees. It is getting big, we hope to plant it in our yard someday.

Sarah would just sit and sit ALL day long and hold little Tigger if she could


Daniel and Sarah have had to become little buddies, now that Megan and Joseph are in school all day.

This is Megan and Joseph's first day of school.

Don't you just LOVE Megan's school lunch box?? I love it, it is made of scuba water restistant swim suit material and everyday I pack her lunch I just think it is adorable. (and if you know me well, I don't get to excited over little purses or material items, but I do love this. I am tempted to get one for me and I don't need to take a lunch anywhere!)

Sarah on her first day of preschool

All 3 of them going off to school and Daniel doesn't want to be forgotten either!

p.s. they all loved their first day of 3rd grade, 1st grade and preschool!