Summer Fun

Wow - school starts in a week and a half! Where has the summer gone? These kiddos have been having a ton of fun and I have a lot of things to catch up on posting. They have spent a ton of time in their little pool in our backyard this summer keeping cool. Elise and Steven have contests to see who can jump in and make the biggest splash, and Cameron loves to watch. He thinks the whole thing is hillarious.

Toothfairy

Elise lost her first tooth last week. It just fell out while she was wiggling it right after she got out of bed one morning, and all day she kept asking if it was bedtime yet because she couldn't wait for the toothfairy to come. I had to laugh, because when she went to bed that night her prayers included this:
"Please bless the toothfairy that she won't get sick.....And if she does get sick help her to recover quickly so she can still make it to my house to take away my tooth and leave me a prize." Classic. I had to hold back the laughter. I think she looks pretty cute with a missing tooth, don't you?

So Steven

I love this picture because it is just so "Steven" in so many ways.

First, he is covered in dirt from head to toe. I don't know another kid that attracts dirt like he does. I'm not sure if he rolls in it or what, but whenever he plays outside he always comes back inside a nice shade of splotchy, dirty, brown.

Second, he is holding his markers. I used to never let him use markers because he just couldn't be trusted. The second I would turn my head he would be doing something naughty with them, whether it be writing on himself, his clothing or a wall. However, the last few months he has proven to be a little more trustworthy, and now that I will let him use markers he wants to make pictures with them everyday.

Third, he is taking a little nap right at the table in the middle of his art project. I promise you that when this kid is really tired he can fall asleep anywhere and doing just about anything. When he decides it is time for a nap, there is just no keeping him awake.

I love that kid, dirt and all!

Summer Art

I have been trying to keep my kiddos busy through the summer months so I don't have to listen to whining of boredom or fighting due to boredom and so on. I have decided to have them make something artsy at least once a week. This was one of their more favorite projects. Maybe I will make a little gallery at the end of summer with all the stuff they have made.

A Little Piece of Quiet

Elise has gone to a day camp in Arcadia all this week. She has really had a good time there. They play games, sing songs, do crafts, swim at Arcadia High School swimming pool, and they even went on a Field Trip to Dodger Stadium one day. She will be going again next week and she can't wait!

Today when I picked her up from camp she said to me, "Mom, now I know how you feel when you say you can't get any piece of quiet. My best friend from camp, Ashley, just talks, talks, talks all day long and I can't ever get even the tiniest little piece of quiet when she is around!"

I love two things about her comment. One, if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black, I don't know what is because she is the biggest chatterbox I have ever met. Maybe she's met her match. Two, I love how she has interpreted what I am saying when I say "I can't get any peace and quiet." Almost six year olds are funny.

The Milk Situation

Three kids, three kinds of milk. I think this situation may be a little bit out of hand. I laugh everytime I go to the grocery store and load in six or more milk containers (at least two of each, sometimes more).

It is almost as ridiculous as my diaper situation. I buy four different kinds of those. Size 6 for daytime and nighttime, and size 4 for daytime and nighttime. That alone can take up an entire cart at Target. Belive me, I know. I sort of protested about a month ago by just not buying the nighttime ones. A few mornings of wet sheets and I was over it. I went back to Target and bought two more boxes. But at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel on that one. I am hoping to have my big boy potty trained by the end of summer. Keep your fingers crossed for me on that one.

Pretty Ballerina

Summer is Here

Here is a fun picture of two cute kiddos on their last day of school. School was out June 10, so I guess that means summer has officially arrived.... sort of. Steven is in summer school until July 15th so we are still getting up every morning to get someone to school until then. And Elise is going to a Day Camp next week so they are definitely keeping busy. The kids have been enjoying the warm weather and had cause to put their swimsuits on everyday last week for either swimming or running through sprinklers. Popsicles have been plentiful and fun outings have been nonstop around here. This mama isn't getting much done, but good times are being had by all. I guess that is what summer is about. Now to go tackle my pile of laundry while Elise is off washing the car with Dad and the boys are sleeping :-).

Nemo and Dory

We took the kids to The Aquarium of the Pacific on Cameron's birthday. It was cool. They saw dolphins, sharks, sea lions, jelly fish, sea turtles and more. They even got to touch a sting ray and a baby shark (although Elise refused). However, with all that, I think Steven was most impressed by the big tank full of baby Nemo's and baby Dory's. Obviously the display did not state that they were Nemo and Dory fish - it gave the real scientific names. But little Nemo's and Dory's were exactly what they were, and Steven couldn't have been happier. We came home, put Steven's Nemo jammies on, and let him watch Finding Nemo. Life just doesn't get any better than that.

Dangerous Recipe

I was given the recipe for these Frozen Fruit Bites and asked to make them for Relief Society tonight. They are so easy to make and so tasty, I thought I would share. In fact, I probably should not have this recipe because they are so easy and yummy that I could see myself making them a lot. I mean really a lot. You can find the recipe at familyfun.com .

Birthdays Are Fun!

For Cameron's first birthday I made him a giant cupcake for him to have all to himself. He took a few bites of frosting and thought it was great until he looked down at his fingers and saw that they were covered in blue frosting. He definitely did NOT want that blue frosting on his fingers and was quite upset by it, so he was done with the cake after just a few bites . Don't worry, I fed him some with a fork the next day before tossing it in the trash. And for presents he got one big ball and a whole bunch of small balls. I think balls are about his favorite thing so he was in heaven. It definitely redeemed the whole blue frosting situation. Maybe he'll decide to have another birthday next year after all.... and I will remember to avoid blue frosting on his cake!

What does a one year old eat for lunch?

What did Cameron have for his special birthday lunch with just mom while Elise and Steven were at school? His first McDonald's cheeseburger and fries. And in case you can't tell from the huge smile on his face, he was a fan. I think he likes being one and having lots of teeth!

My Mom and Dad are Special

Elise filled out these forms at school for Mother's Day and Father's Day. Some of her answers seriously made me laugh. Like, "My Dad can do lots of things! I think he's really good at: drawing T-rexes" Hmmmm... he's not much of an artist, and I don't believe I've ever seen him attempt to draw a T-Rex. Maybe she knows something I don't? But my very favorite is, "My Dad really likes: me!" At least the girl has some self confidence. And by the way, both Chris and I are so smart, we even know how to do Kindergarten homework. Aren't you impressed? Although I must say, Kindergarten homework has become much more challenging over the years, so maybe I should be flattered.

Little Miss Bossy!

Elise tells me she has a boyfriend. I'm pretty sure I don't like the idea of my five year old having a boyfriend. I mean, what is the point when your five? Everyday when I drive by her school to take Steven to preschool, her class is at recess and she is playing on the monkey bars with said boyfriend, Ethan. Literally, everyday without fail. I always tell her that it is nice that she plays with Ethan, but she needs to play with the girls sometimes too. So last week I drove by one day and she was on the monkey bars with Violet, and Ethan was nowhere to be seen. When I picked her up from school I told her I saw her playing with Violet at recess and not Ethan. Her exact words to me were this.

"Well Mom, you know the monkey bars are not actually Ethan's favorite. They are my favorite and I make him watch me go across at recess everyday. But since they are not his favorite I told him today that he could have some free time and play chase with some other kids."

What??? My five year old is "giving her friends freetime?" The good news is that with such bossiness the whole boyfriend thing is not likely to last long. I am sure he will tire of that in no time flat. Hopefully by next year she will be happily playing with the girls at recess again. And yes, we have had a talk about bossing friends about. I'm not sure it will help though. Somehow I wasn't surprised by the conversation because that is just so Elise. She always thinks she is in charge of everything and everyone. I love her to pieces, but I'm just sayin, sometimes I am not really sure where that little girl came from. I think she must be her father's daughter :-).

The pictures above are from her classes final assembly performance. It was cute. I recorded it but somehow erased it from the camera - darn! In the first picture she was practicing her dance for me at home before we left for school that morning. In the second picture Ethan is standing next to her in a blue shirt and shorts, in case you were wondering what the boy who gets bossed around looks like.

The Cutest One Year Old Around

Happy Birthday to Cameron. It is so weird how on one hand this year has just flown by (I can't believe he's one already) and on the other hand it is hard to remember life before Cameron. He is such a happy baby. He likes to babble and talk nonsense, or "Cameron talk." He is definitely the third child and knows he needs to make sure he is heard over all the noise - he has quite a scream. But at least it is a happy scream. And he loves to follow his big sister and brother around and be right in the thick of things. He has the cutest laugh and is VERY ticklish. He is happy nearly all the time, even when he gets hauled around in his carseat or stroller all day, and even when his naptime is cut short. He is so chubby and adorable, I just want to squeeze him all the time. Happy first birthday Cameron. We love you!