Merry Christmas!!

Apparently I have no idea what's going on!

Noah is so much smarter than I am. Let me give you proof by telling you about some of the conversations we've had recently.

Yesterday morning while smelling the distinct odor of poop in the air:

Me: Noah, are you poop poops?

Noah: No, I'm a boy.

Yesterday evening in the kitchen after he got himself completely wet while playing with water at the table:

Me: Are you all wet now?

Noah: No, no. I'm a boy, not all wet!

This morning right after I got out of the shower:

Noah: Are you naked?

Me: Yes, I'm naked. Are you naked? (he still had his pj's on)

Noah: No, I'm not naked. I'm happy!

Pics of the Faves

Where you find your two year-old when...

...you're on vacation and he learns how to climb out of the port-a-crib.

At least he thought to throw his pillow, puppy, and blanket out before he got out. And it's nice that he covered himself up.

They always ruin everything!

Mike and I were trying to have a magical moment and look who has the nerve to sneak in and mess up the picture!! And don't even think about trying to leave a comment saying they actually make the picture better!!

Pics of the Faves

School picture progression

I thought it would be fun to post all the school pictures Eli has had taken so far. It's fun to compare them to see how much he's grown. As you can see, he just keeps getting better looking every year. It's no wonder why he has girls at school trying to kiss him all the time. I just hope he learns to run faster too!

Preschool '08-'09

Kindergarten '09-'10

First grade '10-'11

Pics of the Faves

Pics of the Faves

What I found under all the stuff

After helping the Sparkle Clothes dolls organize and de-clutter, I discovered a possible reason for the hoarding,

To hide this:

This little scene was buried under enormous amounts of Polly Pocket accessories and other stuff. I think the couple was trying to use that stuff to hide their questionable activities. I have since had many long talks with this Sparkle Clothes doll about why it's not good to be "buried alive" with anyone until after you're married. I also sent the Lego guy home and talked to his parents. Hopefully, this won't happen again. Rest assured that all the Sparkle Clothes dolls will be keeping their trailer tidy from now on. I think that little doll has learned her lesson.

As for the Lego guy, I'm not so sure. Judging from the arrogant smirk on his face, this isn't the first time he's been caught "snuggling in a pink sleeping bag under a pile of stuff" before. And I don't think it will be the last.

Time to fast-forward all cartoon love scenes!

This is a conversation I had with Leah in the car today.

L: I wish I was in love.

M:Why aren't you in love?

L: Because I don't have a boy.

M: Why don't you have a boy?

L: I don't know.

I know the reason she doesn't have a boy. All two boys she knows are her brothers. They're good boys, but she's not allowed to marry them because that's illegal and gross! I don't plan on introducing her to new boys any time soon. Hopefully she'll just forget about all this love nonsense!

Hoarding: Buried Alive

A while ago, I was in Leah's room and I discovered something pretty disturbing.






Her Sparkle Clothes dolls (this is what she calls her Polly Pockets) seem to have developed a very destructive habit. They are hoarders. Do you see how much stuff is piled into their camper? They don't even have room for their table in there! They are reduced to eating dinner at the table OUTSIDE. I'm really worried for them. They need to resolve this problem soon or one of their neighbors might call the Fire Marshal and report them. They could end up in jail. I recommended that they seek psychological and organizational help for this problem. I hope they are able to find the root of this problem and remedy it soon.

Just as a side note...do you find it at all ironic that these hoarders live in a camper?

I did make two other costumes this Halloween...

...and I guess I'll tell you about them.

The first one was Mike's. He likes dressing up for the Halloween work party and he wanted to be something new this year. While I was going through my Halloween decorations, I came across a monk costume I had made for him a few years ago. After lovingly asking him to just be that again, he agreed since he had only worn it to a party at another company, years ago.

Last Thursday, the night before his work Halloween dress-up day, I was just finishing up Eli's costume, assuming that was it for me as far as costume preparation. I was asking Mike if he had everything all set for his costume when I jokingly, and oh, so foolishly said, "Wouldn't it be funny if you shaved your head to look like a monk?" That's when I saw a sly twinkle in his eye appear. He wanted to do it...he wanted to shave his head!

I tried talking him out of it, but it was no use. He used irrefutable reasoning on me. He said, "Becca, sometimes you just need a change." (referring to a change in hairstyle) There was nothing I could say at that point. And there was no turning back. So, we looked up a picture online to see just how it should look. Then, at about 11pm, I sat him down on a chair in our bathroom and did the unthinkable. I shaved a circle in the hair on top of Mike's head!

After I completed the follicle massacre, I could barely look at him. It just grossed me out too much. He apparently got similar reactions at work. Many of his co-workers complimented him on his costume and what they thought was a bald cap he was wearing. Upon closer inspection, they all realized what he had done. Some gasped. Others shrieked. One person almost fainted. But most just laughed. He did win them all over with his dedication to Halloween as evidenced by the number of people who voted for him in the costume contest. He won by a landslide. Having the knowledge of the $50 prize he won made it a little easier for me to look at him when he came home.

Fortunately, we both agreed that he wouldn't keep the new hairdo for very long. That night, I shaved the rest of his head to match the already bald patch. And once again, I find him attractive. His hair is regrowing fast. Soon, I will have something to run my hands over that feels more like hair and less like peach fuzz.

Now, as for the second costume I made, well, that was mine. I went as a Wife-that-seems-normal-but-is-really-crazy-because-she-shaved-her-husband's-head-so-he-would-look-like-a-monk-for-Halloween. Oh, and I put fake spider tattoos on my neck. It was a little abstract, but still accessible, I think.

Happy Halloween

Here's the Halloween recap:

Eli was Raphael, the red Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. I made the shell out of cardboard and paint. I will never make costume parts out of cardboard again because that stupid shell kept ripping and breaking. It did look really cool, though.

Leah was a sparkly bat. She tried to change several times after the costume-decision-deadline, but I would not allow it since I had already made the wings. She had lots of fun running up and down the hallway in our apartment, with her bat wings on, though. Noah had a great time stealing the bat glasses from her, putting them on, and calling himself Batman. I guess I know what he's going to be next year.

Finally, Noah was a dragon. You may ask yourself, "But isn't he wearing a dinosaur costume?" Yes, yes he is, but I told him it was a dragon costume. He wasn't too sure and did point out to me that there were no wings. I insisted enough that it was just a dragon without wings enough that he went for it.

This is Noah showing me that he has no wings.

We went trick-or-treating with some really good friends on Saturday. It was a little rainy, but not enough to keep us inside. We all had a really great time! And now, as I sit here with my tummy full of the kids' candy, I am excited for next year and wonder what costumes I'll make.

I don't think Leah likes her new hair clip

Eli is a good, good boy!

Now that Eli is in school all day, he gets to have lunch there. Sometimes, he buys the school lunch. In order to prep him for this, I had a long, serious conversation with him about it. I made sure he understood the beauty and deliciousness that is those little cartons of chocolate milk. He did voice some concerns about being able to open them. They can be tricky. I instructed him to try his best and if he still couldn't open it, he could ask a lunch aid.

When he returned home the afternoon after his first school lunch, I asked him about his experience with the school chocolate milk. He confessed he couldn't open it himself, but a good friend aided him. Then he described how delicious it was. He told me that I was right about it and he was not disappointed.

What he said next surprised me. He told me that one day he intended on saving his milk and bringing it home for me so I could have some too. I was very flattered and touched, but I insisted he didn't have to. After all, it is part of his lunch. What kind of mom would I be if I took that from him?

One day recently, Eli came home from school with a twinkle in his eye and slightly heavier back pack. I was a little suspicious, but when I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised. Inside, there was a little carton of chocolate milk. He told me he had saved it just for me! What a sweet, little boy!

I enjoyed that chocolate milk! It was just as good as I remembered. Now I wonder, if I gave Eli enough money, do you think he would be allowed to buy two cartons of milk, one for him and one for me?

Leah's first field trip

Some friends and I are doing a joy school this year with our three- turning four-year-olds. We didn't want to pay for preschool and figured we can just do it ourselves. It's been going really well so far. Leah loves "going to school".

She recently had her first field trip with preschool. A field trip for joy school is really just us getting together at a predetermined place and playing, instead of teaching a lesson. This particular field trip was to the pumpkin patch. It was lots of fun! Since Eli had fall break at the same time, he got to come along.

Leah made a new friend at the pumpkin patch

The corn maze

Noah really wanted to take this pumpkin home

Noah's sad that I wouldn't let him get the big pumpkin

He eventually decided that his little pumpkin was a good one. He actually carried that little one around for several days. He even slept with it a few times.

Interesting application

For Family Home Evening on Monday, we talked about faith. I explained to the kids that faith is hoping for and believing in things that you can't see, but that are real and true. (see Alma 32:21) Then I asked the kids if they had any examples of people who have shown great faith or ways they show faith themselves. Eli immediately raised his hand. Here's what his example was, "I have faith because I believe that there are lots of other kinds of Lego sets that I've never seen, but I know they're real."

Pics of the faves

Isn't this the cutest picture of Leah sleeping?

What's that? You don't see her? Oh, that's right. That's because she's sleeping behind the couch, not on it.

Pics of the Faves

Time to put away the big guns

Summer's over. The pools are closed. It's time to trade in swimming suits for school clothes. That means it's also time for these hot bods to be covered up for the winter. Sorry ladies. You missed your chance to check out these big guns. But don't worry. May will be here before you know it.