Nursery Already?!

This year in Primary, Jaden is a CTR... 5... I think. (I can never remember these names... I liked Star B)


Kaleb is a SUNBEAM.


(Here is a picture of Jaden when he was a Sunbeam)


Bradley is now in NURSERY.


He's not big enough for Nursery! Just look at him!

Number 1... he has no hair.


Number 2... he still does this.


and this...


Number 3... The kid just learned to walk.



Number 4... He just found his pockets.


And number 5... well... the kid doesn't say much.


He still feels like a baby to me. I mean, even comparing him to his brothers, he still looks and seems way younger.

(Here is a Kaleb when he started Nursery...)


(And here is Jaden when he started Nursery)



Okay, maybe it has a lot to do with his lack of hair, lack of verbal skills, and the fact that I still dress him in a onesie because I think they are the cutest thing ever made for a baby.


Or... maybe I'm just in denial about him growing up...



Or maybe both. :(


Either way... he did amazingly well on Sunday. I was kinda hoping he would cling onto me and want me to hold him close all day... Nope. He handled it like a champ and probably won't even need me next week. So sad... :(

Every Party Has a Pooper

Yesterday the kids and I had a little playdate over at Janica's house. Krystal and her 2 daughters were also there. So with 7 kids (plus one if you count the little baby Janica was babysitting) we totally had a party. Here are the four little girls that Jaden and Kaleb just LOVE to hang out with.


While the kids played, I got to sit around and talk with Janica and Krystal. I don't know why we don't do this more often, the kids play so well together, and we really got a nice break with some adult interaction. We had fun chatting about kids, husbands, and our latest amazing-deal-shopping-adventure... which we all did together.


We also baked... (well, watched Janica bake) some yummy artichoke dip that we ate with little baguettes.


I have never seen this made before. In fact I was never really sure what an artichoke was until I watched this process. I definitely wouldn't have know that this funky looking plant-like thing...

was used to produce this totally unhealthy yumminess.


Anyway, the kids had a blast. They had a nice little picnic in the family room, while the moms "calorie-consciously" (yeah right) chowed down on bread and dip...


Kaitlyn was a fabulous beautician...


Sisters... Kait and Brook.


Kaitlyn and Kyla...


This is Calissa. You may have heard Kaleb refer to her as "Little Kyla."


As I was sitting there chilling with the big girls, all the kids playing nicely together in the back bedrooms, Kaitlyn came running out. She was all excited as she said, "Guess what! Jaden kissed me!"

So... just in case the other moms didn't appreciate my son macking on their girls, I thought I should go back there and see what was going on. When I got into the bedroom, I saw the other 3 girls laying on the bed together with their eyes closed, smiling. Kaleb and Bradley were playing on their own, and Jaden was just looking at me. I asked him what was going on, and he said,

We're playing Sleeping Beauty.
Okay... and how exactly do you play Sleeping Beauty?
The evil witch put a spell on all of them, and I am the Prince and have to save them.
And... how do you save them?
I have to kiss them!
(I kinda raised my eyebrows at him)
That's how you break the spell!
Okay, so where do you kiss them?
(If you remember, we had previously discussed that he needs to wait until he is a man before kissing any girls on the lips.)
On the cheek... or the forehead.. or the elbow.
(Just then Kaitlyn came in and jumped back into her place on the bed. I knew it was all just innocent make believe, but I decided to make some boundaries anyway.)
Well, how about if we make a deal. I'll let you keep playing your game, if you only kiss them on the hand.
Then Kaitlyn and Brooklyn yelled, "Noooooo!"
Then I'm sorry, you can't play this game anymore.
They all relunctantly agreed to the terms.
I know, I'm such a party pooper.


When I told the boys it was time to go, Kaitlyn grabbed Jaden for a hug, then fell over... on top of Kaleb.


Then Brooklyn joined the dog-pile.


The boys really have fun with these girls. They are such good friends. And I know the girls love to play with them too. Well... they really love Jaden anyway... Kaleb is still a little shy and socially awkward... but his time will come! :)

Getting Through

I was having one of those nights.

You know, the kind where it just needs to end so you can start again tomorrow and hope for a better day.

I needed the kids to go to bed. Just GO to bed.

It was time. Everything was ready. I was more than ready.

I sent the boys upstairs to wait for me in their beds while I finished getting Bradley ready. I was rushing... I could feel my sigh of relief drawing near.

I took Bradley into the boys' room so we could have a quick family prayer before saying goodnight. Kaleb started talking. I tried to shut it out because my head was about to explode.

He was whining about his foot.

I didn't want to hear it.

I didn't want to hear anything... especially not any excuses for not going to bed this very second.

He said something about blood.

I quickly cut off his story, checked his foot, told him it was a scab and that he was fine, and then I added, "Who wants to say the prayer tonight?" Kaleb readily volunteered, and this is what he said.


"Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this day. Thank you that Brabby could hurt me, and my foot. And make me bleed and pull my hair. And I don't like him. Name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Clever little guy. He found a way to make me listen.

Where did he hear that?

As I was dropping Jaden off at school today, he pointed to a man and said,

Hey, that's my principal.
It is?
Yeah.
Do you want to wave to him?
No way!
Why not?
Cuz he gives me the freaks!

I love this kid. Apparently his principal gives Jaden "the freaks" because it's "bad" if you have to go to his office.

We Didn't Start the Fire!

It's a rare treasure when we have a free night with Charles at home. A night when he's not working, or in school... where there's no Hapkido practice, or Cub Scout meetings, or any other church meetings... A night where there is nothing planned. Friday was such a night.

We started with the kids' favorite dinner... Chicken and Fries.


But because Charles and I can only take so much of that place, AND because we don't want to end up looking like this...


we went to Papa Murphy's to try their new Herb Chicken Mediterranean DeLite Pizza. (It was alright... I liked it much better cold the next day.)


We had a party night, and "Fun Daddy" was at his finest. We danced to this song over and over.

Then we played the Wii for a long time and all got our workouts.


I'm really loving this Wii. It's physical activity not only for the one playing it, but for spectators as well!

Little Cheese Factory

The majority of my recent pictures of Bradley can be found in this particular pose. He has figured out that when a camera is out, you are supposed to say "cheese" (or in his case, "Daah") and make a... smile-ish... sort of face. It cracks me up every time.



Some are a little more forced than others...




And some come out just perfect.