2012 Snapshot

I feel like I spend a lot of time on my blog posting pictures that I take but I don't spend a lot of time actually writing about what life is really like.  So I thought I would write a post and "snapshot" what life is kind-of like right now (like Shawni from 71toes does-love her).  I will leave out some of the not so pleasant parts though! 

The primary elections are going on.  We have been paying close attention to this election and to all of the candidates  Scott and I both enjoy watching the debates and discussing the politics of the day.  This is big in our house right now.

Also big for me is the PBS show Downton Abbey.  Love my early 1900's soap opera :)!

This winter has been so mild.  I love it.  And besides it being mild, we have had the most gorgeous sunrises and sunsets that I can hardly contain my excitement (and I really don't get excited about many things).  They really are awesome.

I have come to the realization that I am an impulsive person, especially when it comes to changing things around my house.  And two things have been huge things in making this possible...spray paint and my glue gun.  Love those things.  I have a short attention span so I love these things that help me change up the things in my house...FAST!  I don't like projects that take a long time.

Every Saturday has been about basketball.  The three oldest are playing, plus we have BYU basketball tickets, PLUS Megan has YW basketball.   So our Saturdays are a little saturated with that right now.  But I'm not complaining.  I would much rather watch a basketball game then sit through a soccer game in the springtime in Utah because the weather can be so unpredicatable!

The boys like playing Minecraft on the computer.  It is a great motivator for them to get their work done.

They also like the Ipad.  Oh, technology...I have such a love/hate relationship with you!

The oldest 4 are taking piano lessons.  Early in the morning.  They complain but we keep pushing along.  Megan is the YW pianist right now. 

Laundry is a struggle for me.  I stayed on top of it the first couple weeks of January and now I am behind again.  One thing I did though to solve having more laundry than I should is to assign kids their own towels (not sure why it took so long to figure this out). They each have their own color for a towel.  I also did this for toothbrushes.  The toothbrushes and the towel colors match.  I think I should get them cups now to match the color of their towels and toothbrushes so we are not creating so many dishes.  These little things seem to make a difference in this big household of ours!

We are always listening to music around here.  Isaac especially loves to listen to "Popcorn" by BNL.  Their children's album is one of our favorites (well, my favorites).  Megan likes to listen to the radio now but I'm not the biggest fan of the radio station she likes!  She calls my music "old-fashioned'"...what!?!?

Megan has had a hoarse voice/laryngitis for over a month now.  It is really frustrating but I realize it could be a lot worse.  But we do miss her singing though!  She is going to a chiropractor right now while we are waiting to see a specialist next week.

Food...what can I say.  I seem to do well with cooking when I have planned it out, which is about 75% of the time.  When I don't plan, it doesn't go over very well.  My goal is to plan 100% of the time but to also increase the nutritional quality of what I make.   So if any of you have ideas for healthy, yet easy to make meals, I'd love to hear about them!

Every morning though Scott makes the "healthy drink" for our kids (like a green smoothie).  Lots of good stuff in there.  It's nice to know the kids are getting that in the morning, although it can be hard to get them to drink it sometimes.  I make the kids lunches while he makes that for them. 

Scott is reading the kids the Work and the Glory right now.   They really like it.  I would like it too but I am usually trying to get Isaac to sleep, while he is doing that. 

Thomas is my right-hand man.  He is very good to have around, especially when only a couple of the kids are around.  He can play well with them.  He likes to do things but he is also fine to just hang out and watch a movie.  He always seems to have a basketball in his hand.

Michael and Joseph are all about friends, friends, friends.  They love their friends across the street.  Emma, too, has a good friend next door who she plays really well with.

Joseph however doesn't love preschool.  It is a big negotiation every time to get him to go.   He likes to have little projects to do right now like coloring by number or dot to dot or sticker books. 

We are working on the word "Respect" right now in our family.  In FHE, we all agreed that that is the one word from the Proclamation on the Family that we need to focus on right now.  It seems to be getting a little better when we really pay attention to it.

Emma likes to do crafts, draw pictures, make puppets, write notes.  She is very endearing that way.
She is also so good to play with Isaac and take care of him.

I have been making flower clips for the Young Women.  It's a perfect creative outlet for me and I like it.  Plus, I get to use my glue gun :).

Michael has been tutoring with Grandma lately to help minimize distractions at home.  It seems to be helping him focus more.  I love his teacher at school this year!

Scott is always doing "swing, swing" with Isaac.  Isaac will grab his finger and drag him into the living room where Scott will swing him.  He loves it.

Scott has been going to Cross-fit early in the morning for exercise.  I have been trying to exercise at least 4 times a week, sometimes going early to meet up with my sister at the Rec.  It always feels better when I do it early!

I am going to my book group but not reading the books.  We discussed the Happiness Project last time, which I didn't read but want to.  I think I'm in the middle of reading 6 different books!  I just need to finish reading Unbroken since that is the book we will be discussing when I host.  I am reading the Book of Mormon though.  That is an everyday thing now for me.

We have seen a couple of good movies lately, real tear jerkers.  We saw Courageous and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  Bring Kleenex if you see them.

Isaac is way too cute right now.  He always has a train or car in his hand and moves it across the wall or the furniture.  He hates to get his diaper changed.  He loves the kids and always calls out their names.  When I am trying to figure out what he wants I ask him a bunch of things to which he will say "no" to.  Then when he finally wants something he says "YES" loudly and then claps his hands. His "goodbyes" are a long process.  When he says goodbye to people he will say it at least 20 times.

Trying to get a handle on the clutter that infiltrates our house (and I'm just as guilty as anyone).  I try to always keep a garbage bag in the hallway so I can be constantly throwing things out.  I love garbage day.

My van is a mess.  Scott's "burb" is clean.  What is up with that?

We go to Walmart way too often.

Thomas is always making milkshakes but they give him stomach aches. 

The kids like to go outside, even now in February, and play on the tramp with as many blankets as they can find.  They always promise they will put it all away but it never happens.

We always have popcorn all over the floor in our downstairs thanks to the popcorn maker Scott bought last year.  The popcorn makes everyone happy but me so I just try to blow it off.


We are very blessed in our life and I feel very grateful to have the family I do.  They bring me so much joy! 

Now, I just need to smile more.

Cucina Toscana

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to go to a fun and unique restaurant called Cucina Toscana in SLC.  We met up with the Carnesecca's, who moved to Morgan, along with some other friends.  One of our friends, the Cahoons, had a connection with the owner of the restaurant (he knows her parents well).  His name is Walter (pronounced Valter) and he greeted all the women with a kiss on the cheek, Italian style, and ordered for us all.  I wish I got a picture of him...he had a very gregarious personality! Anyway, it turned into a 3 hour dinner, with course after course. We weren't sure when it was going to stop!  Some of my favorites were the bread w/yummy dipping sauce, bruschetta, a specialty drink of some kind, the salmon, and of course the thick rich chocolate which we thought was hot cocoa (so we drank it) but was actually the sauce to the ice cream they hadn't brought out yet!  The food below is only part of the dinner we got.  It was so good and so fun to just be served their very best dishes.  It was a very memorable night, with lots of laughs, and FULL stomachs. 

Photo Booth?

Isaac and the girls got a hold of my iphone and enjoyed taking lots of pictures photo booth style. 

 

 

 

 

 

Best brothers

I'm not sure how we would get through the day without these two having each other. They mostly play very well together. Isaac loves "Joe Joe" and Joseph generally puts up with Isaac's two year old antics. We love these silly boys!

Almost 2

Oh Isaac, you are such a joy right now!  I love all the things you are discovering.  You like dolls and trying to figure out how to put a diaper on one.  You definitely don't think you are the baby anymore!  

 

Even the messes are cute.  You can climb up on the counter now.  You use a stool to get into your chair and then from there get onto the counter.  Anything that is left on the counter is fair game to you.  This day it was our "healthy drink" we have in the morning.  You decided to play around in it (by putting cups in there) and drank it straight from the blender.

 You thought it was pretty funny!

 

You love to read books.  You like the "Little Engine that Could".  That is your favorite right now.    You like to watch Barney still, but it's getting a little old.  Now you have moved on to "Doggie" or Clifford.  You love to call all the kid's names "Eggies, TT, I-chael, Emma, Joe, Joe."  They love to play with you.   You love to go on walks, even when it's cold outside.  You have discovered the I-pad and love to play "Itsy Bitsy Spider, Wheels on the Bus, and Old MacDonald".   You also like to just move all the apps around (who knows what you have deleted on it).  You are a social little thing.  It doesn't take long for you to warm up to other people.  You especially love your grandparents.  You love to go play at their houses.  He says "Gampa" for Grandpa and Grandma.  At Grandma Baer's house you always take her finger and lead her to the pantry for fruit snacks.  You also like to read the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom book with her.   You love to mimic funny expressions. When Mom opens her mouth wide, you open your mouth wide.  When Mom smiles a big cheesy, toothy smile, you copy it.  When Mom puckers her lips, you pucker yours.  You love to listen to music and dance around in circles.  It surprises us all that you don't get dizzy (I guess Izzy don't get dizzy...haha...).   You make us laugh, especially when you do your forced laugh as say "Funny!"  We love you!