Today

Today I read a really good book. I've actually read it before, because I've read all the Norah Loft books at our library (I really wish they had more!) but it was good the second time around too. I love at the very end the husband says, "I'm against my wife being hanged."

Today the kids set up a tent in the front room and are now sleeping in it.
Today the kids played out in the snow for a little while.
Today I sent Jethro to school and later got a call from his teacher saying, "I was just calling to tell you Jethro got here all right so you don't have to worry." I wasn't worried. It wasn't terribly cold. Yes, it had snowed, but that doesn't exactly make a two-and-a-half block walk really treacherous does it, when you have boots, heavy coat, hat, scarf and mittens? Or am I the crazy one and I should have been worried?Today my sister-in-law Lindsay Ann wrote a cool post on her blog about how Rasmussens dip lots of things in their milk (such as cookies-of course, cake, toast, etc.). Her take-home message was awesome. And I quote, "Basically what this gets down to is when you get married, you might marry some really really, ridiculously good looking person, that does really really, ridiculously weird things, and you might end up liking it" Well said.

Today I did not do my hair or make dinner, but yesterday I did!

And today I will blog about how last Sunday we popped popcorn and sat around the table eating it and telling stories. Among those stories were ones about Daddy's little lamb Pokeeno that he fed when he was a youngster, and about his steering wheel bike that everyone was jealous of.

Cutest boy (yes again!)

So yesterday I wanted to get some pictures of Tell in his super cute sweater looking like such a big boy, but he wanted none of it. These were the best pictures that I got, and while he's cute (of course) he certainly wasn't showing off his smiles.


Then later in the day, I was playing with him and he wouldn't stop smiling! It was so cute and fun and utterly adorable. Look at this kid~~I just want to eat him.




I have about twenty more pictures of him just like this because I couldn't stop taking pictures when he was being so smiley.

phone call

I forgot to mention my interesting phone call today. Someone called and said "I will take you there, and we will see who lives," and then hung up. I'm pretty sure my brother Wyatt wouldn't have any idea who it could have been.....

I love random phone calls such as that.

(By the way, it's a quote from the movie The Jungle Book. Maybe something you picked up at the D.I. recently, Oh Nameless Brother of Mine?)

Pictures and a date

I have lots of pictures, but not really too much to say. Last night Brett and I went on a date. We actually spent money on it too, but only for the tip and the babysitter, because when you have a baby at the hospital here they give you a coupon for a free meal for 2 at a really nice restaurant. It's so awesome. That's the reason we had children # 3 and 4 --for the free meal.
It was delicious and then we went to the mall to see if there were any coats on clearance that Brett liked. So that was fun, because I always feel liberated walking around the mall without pushing a stroller or cart or packing two kids and a diaper bag. Also, when we were walking back through to go to the car, and all the stores were closing, we passed by the little roller-coaster ride thingee, and I said, "Come on, let's go in!" and Brett's like, "You just want to kiss me in there," and I was like, "You know me so well." So we did.

Isn't this a cute little guy?!!! He doesn't like tummy time, but the pediatrician made me feel guilty last time we were in for his well-child check, so I try to put him down more often.
I took lots of pictures today. It was bright and sunny, so what's a girl to do?

Ha ha, this one is funny.
Daddy is the favorite around here.

See why?
Hazel's a cutie-head.

Pictures

What an angel this boy is!
And the tutu. I wish there were some of her standing up in it, but she was not being cooperative. I was lucky to get these. Anyway. Why does she need a tutu? She doesn't...

The decision

So, I know you're all dying to know what I chose. Well I'll tell you. The wants won out over the shoulds today. I did not do the dishes or clean the house, but I did go to the grocery store, only because I had no sweetened condensed milk with which to make the Magic Cookie Bars. (And I bought icecream, because my brother Derek is so wise.) I did make a tutu while I watched a movie, took pictures (that wasn't on my list, but if I made a tutu, wasn't it a given?), and am now blogging.

My cousin-in-law Kristi tagged me to write 6 "(un)interesting" things about me. That's good because I probably couldn't think of 6 new truly interesting things. How about we do 6 types of people I could occasionally be jealous of. Okay.
1. People who have fast internet.
2. People who can afford to have a nanny, thereby being able to pick up and leave the house without dragging their children along if they so desire.
3. My brother-in-law Blake is going to Cancun next month. Although he's a person and not a type of person, I think it still counts.
4. People who are organized.
5. That's all the people I can think of. Something else then. Okay, I'm never perfectly content with my hair how it is. I always want it however it is not. Any cute head of hair that passes by makes me want to cut/grow/curl/straighten my own hair. If I see a cute short haircut then I want the cute style and quick fixing of it. When my hair is short, I want long hair to put in a ponytail or do long. So generally I'm in the middle, I cut and then let it grow a little and cut again.
6. My little bro, Ethan, is going to play football for Weber. Read the exciting story here. Woohoo!
Anyhoo, what else has been going on?
It has been really cold. Jethro's school was cancelled Thursday and Friday.
Brett has been working at school from 5:00 am to 7:00 most days. He is stressed.

On Monday he did take a break however, to go shoot his Christmas gun for a little while at our friend's house. He said he liked it.
Brett and I got really really really really mad at each other and then got over it.

We started a new incentives program in our house. The kids earn popsicle sticks for good behavior and what not and then they can trade them in for treats and books and little toys.

I went to my friend's house and showed her how I make bread and then she was going to help me learn how to use a pattern (much harder than I would've thought when I've made several things from tutorials) but we ran out of time.

I love Goodwill. I've recently bought a hoodie, exercise pants (which I really wanted because I felt just a bit nerdy always going to aerobics in pajama pants. But not nerdy enough that I would actually pay real money for some), a really cute bluejean jacket, a ceramic pitcher thingee that I'm using to hold a flower arrangement (pictures to come), toys for the kids' incentives, what else? The point is, sooner or later, Goodwill will provide for all of your wants and needs. j/k, but I do love that store.

I had Joy School today at my house and the kids made nests out of brown paper bags and got to put an easter egg in it with a little birdie inside.

I crocheted a scarf for Brett and Jethro (pictures to come).

One of the things the kids can do to earn popsicle sticks is memorize a poem. Jethro has memorized this:

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.

(It's one that Pres. Hinckley mentioned he memorized when he was a boy.) So if anyone has any poems that they really love, pass them on.

I think that's all I can think of.

what to do, what to do

Don't you hate it when you have so many things you should/want to do that you dither around doing nothing?

Like now.
I should go grocery shopping as we have no milk.
I want to work on a nightgown I'm making for Hazel.
I should do the dishes.
I want to make a tutu for Ethne.
I should clean the house.
I want to make Magic Cookie Bars, because they're tasty and I'm snacky.
I should go to Macy's to return some clothes.
I want to read a book that I started ages ago and haven't picked up since.
I want to blog all the cute pictures I've taken recently.

What will it be, what will it be?

Another Twilight Review (a bit different....)

We were having a discussion on my family website about the Twilight books and who liked them and who didn't and why, and which book was the favorite, etc. The same things that have been going around for a while now. Then my wise and intelligent father wrote the following:

I like #177. The story line is gnarly and all the characters are well developed (fat actually). I especially like the 400 pound albino woman. This book will definitely be a classic because it explores the deep psychological trauma that occurs when Renesme, Jacob, and that other lame character all fall in love with the same large bat which unfortunately turns out to not be a vampire but just merely rabid. Really a good read!!!!

I love my dad. Seriously.

Wordless Wednesday-Ethne

Fun day

Today was very fun. First we went to Lowe's and built time capsules (thank you Lowe's for giving us something to do on freezing cold days!!). The roads were AMAZINGLY icy and Brett has lots of fun doing doughnuts and 360's in the parking lot.

Then we came home and had lunch and I finally convinced Brett to go swimming!! I needed some warmth. Brett didn't want to go at first, so I was wheedling for a while, and then the clincher was I gave Ethne her swimming suit and told her to go say "Please Daddy," --which she did perfectly. It was so cute. Brett said "You're shameless!" Hee hee. Off to the pool we went. :)
Jethro and Hazel swam like fishes! Jethro really swims great--all on his own. Hazel swims great with her marshmallow floatie thing. She swam all over the place and she kept singing the little ditty that Dorie sings in Finding Nemo --'just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swiiiiiiiiming, swiiiiiiiming.' It was very cute. (By the way these pictures are pretty blurry because my camera kept fogging up.)Ethne, on the other hand, pretty much only put her feet in the water. She would sit on the very top step of the stairs and that was it! No coaxing could persuade her any further. But I think she had a good time nonetheless, throwing toys in the water.Then we went to the library. What fun getting out and doing things in the dreary gray winter.

And what cute kids!

Funny thing found on someone else's blog

Here's the link: http://pukingpastilles.com/?p=285

This is so funny, and so true. I especially love number 12.

Things I’ve learned being a parent

December 7th, 2008

1. It doesn’t feel good to step on a triceratops
2. Everyone has a favorite kid. Mine is the one who can’t talk back.
3. Toys are overrated. Buy a shopping cart full of junk at DI instead. Every item will eventually become a light saber. Or a piece of artwork.
4. Threats only last as long as their attention span does. Which is divided by 100 when the TV is on.
5. No one except the babysitter will ever know what they wear to bed. And you pay her.
6. I never listen 100% to anything.
7. Family traditions are much more work than people let on. Wouldn’t it be easier to decorate the tree in perfect silence at 2am? I’m just sayin.
8. There will never be any moment in time when every single member of the family looks presentable at the same time. Ever.
9. Any crime can be forgiven by looking at them while they’re sleeping.
10. It is REALLY hard not to laugh when they use a bad word appropriately. REALLY hard.
11. Other people’s kids are much dumber and annoying than mine. With a few rare exceptions.
12. When you ignore them for too long, something really bad happens.
13. Phrases I hated like, “Go ahead, gourd-head” and “I don’t see your arm in a sling” are suddenly very liberating.
14. Having a big, overprotective dog is really awesome when solicitors come knocking. (this has nothing to do with parenting, but it totally rocks)
15. On the other hand, having children with no social inhibitions is really bad when solicitors come knocking.
16. Letting them “help” is a humongaloid hassle.
17. Finding a good babysitter is like finding an honest mechanic. Needle in a haystack, people.
18. You couldn’t pay me enough to be a nanny.
19. Being logical with them really backfires.
20. A rigid bedtime is my sanity. Take my sanity away, and it all goes to hell in a handbasket.

Two cool things

1. I made this SOOOO CUTE hat for Jethro. I started cutting it out before Christmas, but didn't finish it. I finished it up the other night and I ADORE it. I really think it would be fun to take Jethro out someplace cool and get really neat shots of him, but it's too cold and too overcast and too cold, so for now, some indoor shots of it. Oh, and if you want to try one, here's the tutorial.



2. So, I was at Goodwill the other day and found the coolest thing ever. Since I've recently posted about my love of pirates, you'll understand how very happy my $3 purchase made me.