It's Potty Time!

*WARNING this posting is rated at least PG for some nudity and toilet talk. Shield your children's eyes and ears!

We haven't official started potty training Jack, mostly because I don't think I'm ready. However we bought a little potty and checked out "Elmo's Potty Time" DVD from the library just to start introducing the subject. The DVD has a few catchy little tunes on it, however my child has developed a little potty mouth, literally, from watching it. I swear the kid knows like ten different words for going to the bathroom. I think the best was the other day when Bryan told Jack that he was going to go poop in the potty. Jack responded with, "It's Dukie!" Of course we did what any mature parents would do and we laughed. So now it seems to be Jacks favorite choice of words in reference to the bathroom. Which led to a couple days later when Jack was riding in the car with Bryan and was singing "I love to see the Temple." He got to the part where it says, "I'll prepare myself while I am young, this is my sacred duty." Only Jack sang, "I'll prepare myself while I am young, this is my sacred Dukie." The kid is funny, what more can I say?

Halloween Festivities!

I think Fall is such a great time of year. Sure I miss the warm days and I'm already dreading the snow that I know is just around the corner. But I love all the colors on the trees, the pumpkin patch fun, and the ritual which makes being a parent all worth while... dressing your little kids in Halloween costumes! Life is so much fun when you get to relive all your childhood memories with your children. Actually I don't recall any memory of going to the pumpkin patch when I was a kid, but the other activities that surround Halloween, carving pumpkins, dressing up, and going trick-or-treating are still fresh in my mind. That's probably because I was still doing that when I was in college, but at least now I understand why all those people gave us "twenty somethings" dirty looks as we stood on there doorstep and shouted "trick-or-treat!"






I think Sadie won the cutest costume contest at our house this year. She was our little "SadieBug." Although Jack kept calling her "Spiderman." Jack donned the duck costume this year, however, we only got this one picture of him with his hood up because Bryans got a quick trigger finger, and it wasn't until after we came home that night and took his costume off that he decided now would be an ok time to put on his duck feet that his mother spent all afternoon crafting. Bryan came home from work, changed his clothes, put a big belt buckle on that I had from Oklahoma, and some moccasin slippers that he had as a teenager and called himself "cowboys and Indians."And as for me, I know that's not the best picture of a flapper girl, however don't you worry, I was feeling real good about myself that night as I was wearing a dress I wore when I was in high school and the only part that was a bit tight was in my chest! All and all, we had a great time just spending time together as a family.

Dance of the Baby Hippos

Our ward had a Relief Society Fall Social with dinner and entertainment. Bryan was recruited as part of the entertainment. He starts out the farthest on the left. And that's all that I have to say about this.

We love aunt Lisa!

This past week my parents took a well deserved cruise, leaving all there kids behind, of course. However my sister Lisa came to stay with us and really had to put up with a lot from us so I thought I'd give a shout out to her "holla." Here is just a few of the highlights of what she had to endure from the week.
1. On Sunday we are pulling up to our not so traditional looking mormon church and Lisa asked, "what church is this?" To which Bryan replied, " the catholic church." Lisa- "WHAT? I've never been to the catholic church before."
2. Being called "Lisa Marie Presley" about a billion times, again thanks to Bryan.
3. Being woken up to the screaming and crying of little children every morning.
4. Having to watch "The Letter Factory" when I know she wanted to watch the rerun of the presidential debate.
5. Trying to say her morning prayers while be whacked in the head by a two year old. (we won't mention any names)
6. Playing "keep away" with her glasses and a two year old, multiple times.
7. Seeing her brother-in-law parade around in a tu-tu on stage at a church function. (Don't worry the video of that will be posted soon!)
8. And finally, having to witness the truely joyful moments of motherhood as her sister (that's me) tries to get her two year old to eat his dinner, gives up, and allows the child to climb on the counter. Moments later the child falls off the counter bringing down the dinner plate of rice with him all over the floor. All the while, child #2 all of a sudden has poop leaking out her diaper on to the floor and pillow, sitting behind her, and oh yeah, it's all the way up her back and into her hair too. Ahh! Isn't life grand?
Thank you Lisa for putting up with us and for cleaning up the rice! We loved having you and you are welcomed back anytime!

Sleepless in Seattle (in color)

First he was afraid of it...

Then he smiled at it...
Finally he trusted it enough to look away from it!

It was fun to get over to Seattle and take advantage of free lodging at what we like to call, "Dads second house." Too bad they can't even call it a bachlor pad, it's just a dirty little 800 sq. ft. house in an area of town that I wouldn't want to call home. But Bryan has been working over in Seattle for the past couple of months and his boss is footing the housing bill so we took advantage and called it a weekend getaway. We all had a great time.

Sadie spent most of the time eating her blanket in the stoller, but she paused for a few photo opts.

I think this was the best picture taken, notice the light shining threw the cracker. Man I'm a good photographer!I love when my children are playing together and both are happy. It's a heart warming thing to listen to Sadie laugh at Jack for doing absolutely nothing. And despite the abuse he sometimes dishes out, Jack really loves his little sister.

Sleepless in Seattle

Over conference weekend Amy and the kids came down to Seattle and we had a lovely time experiencing the best Seattle has to offer. We went to Pikes Place Market and Jack and I were going to take a picture by the monster fish and one of the workers, a hispanic guy, that I initially thought was a woman, pulled the tail of the fish and it jumped and startled Jack pretty good. We also went to the aquarium and the Ballard boat locks.

I used to be good at math!

My wonderful husband pointed out all of my spelling and mathmatical errors in the post below. So I'm sorry if I confused anyone, with the age thing between Maddie and Jack. But you understood, right? I'll try to edit next time.

Just Jack!

So I know I shouldn't post pictures like this but I just couldn't help myself. After all I can't really blam the kid, his Dad is working in Seattle during the week right now, so the only example he has is me. And I'm pretty vain (that explains the mirror.) Jack is actually so much fun. I love the stage he is at. He is talking like crazy and says new words and sentences every day. My favorite as of yesturday is that he has started calling everything beautiful, even his food. Don't worry about the girlie shoes though, because the kid loves basketball. It's definetely an obsession, that and his new bike (which his Dad got for free off craigslist in Seattle. Craigslist is his Dads new obsession.) So needless to say we spend a lot of our day playing basketball in the backyard. I would say I'm about 95% on my shooting. Jack also has recently developed a love for swimming. We usually go to his friend Maddies apt. to swim, but they emptied the pool last week and Jack was a bit sad. He still wanted to go. Here is a pic of Maddie and Jack. They have a love/hate relationship but Maddie says that she is going to marry Jack. She may be twice his age now but in two years she will only be 1/3 his age. Besides love know no age, right? As for his sister, when Jack is taking his nap, Sadie and I have our daily photoshoot. No joke, I think I took pictures of her everyday last week.

Monday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Ok, so I skipped Tuesday. But 4 out of 5 weekdays is a bit much. I think it was the fact that I started the blog so I felt like I needed pictures to post. That and she is just growing way too fast. Or the true excuse is that my obsession is my kids!

It's a First!

Well instead of starting off this blog with all the guilt driven reasons why I'm starting a blog, I decided to share a "First." It's Sadie's first haircut! She didn't have much, but she had a few long areas that needed to be trimmed up to get a more even effect throughout. She does still have a patch on top that we are able to put in a ponytail and show off all her bows and flower clips, but I figure that can be trimmed gradually as the rest grows out. Anyway Sadie is so great. The girl is so stinking cute. I just love her chubby little cheeks; I really have to control myself to keep from eating them. She's rolling over and starting to sit pretty well and she even does 180's when she is on her belly. She loves her brother and loves to giggle at him for no apparent reason. The only disappointment is that she is growing way too fast. Why can't they stay little forever?