The Park

Ever been to the park with 3 boys, er, and a girl?!
Some simple reasons I love the park:
It is never dull
Easy entertainment
Cheap entertainment (I like cheap!)
Exhuasts excess energy in a positive way (usually)
Always a good bribe for getting chores done
Close by,
My boys can yell and be boisterous, and get dirty, and well... be boys!

For all the above reaseons, Friday after chores we went to the park. Plus, the weather was sunny and warm and we thought we would take advantage of it while it lasted.

After riding scooters and bikes, sliding, and running around like crazy boys do at the park, the older boys preceded to dig and play near the horse shoe pits. At this point, Sawyer finally detached himself from my side (sigh!) and meandered over to them. He loves dirt and digging. After all, He's a boy. (Uh, if your boy doesn't like doing these things, sorry for the generalization in your case!)

I should mention the forementioned activities were done without Sawyer. He could be found clenched tight to my side in fear of the dogs, which for once there were none of. Perhaps I will share that story another time.

I am sitting on the park bench at this point because Pinterest has called my name over and over and over all day long. I think, Yes! kids are playing, I am pinning! I should know better because soon Sawyer is scared again and running my way and the other two boys are hollering. Just when this is happening some girls from the ward show up with their kids/nephews. As the boys are engrossed one of the little kids, L becomes interested too! And Sawyer finally detached himself once again when the "mole" seemed to be less of a threat.

Dialogue goes something like this, "
Boys: "Mom, Mom, there is a MOLE over here. "
Me: "A MOle?"
B: "Yep a mole", "Yep and he is digging the dirt"
Me: "Are you sure it is a mole?"
L: " A mole?! I want to see a mole!"
ME: "Me too. "I bet it is a gopher though."
B: "It's black mom, it cant be a gopher, cuz they aren't black."
Me: "Ok, but are you sure? Let's watch and see."
B: "Ok but it was popping his head out of the hole and it was black."
L: "Can I watch? I want to see a mole, or a gopher!"

It soon bopped his head out again several times as the boys watched from a gravel pile a couple yards away. We determined it was a gopher, even though it wasn't black, since it didn't have long claws and you could see its eyes. Plus it kept bopping its little head up and back in the hole.
Hafen says, :"Hey it's just like whack-a-mole!"

The boys laughed and laughed. And I laughed and laughed too!
Pretty much. But soon the gopher was scared and the boys spent a good 40 minutes watching and waiting and then digging for the gopher. It never resurfaced. Can you blame it?


Like I said, the park is never dull.

Holl-eeeey

Sawyer has recently taken a liking to Holley the purple female spy car in Cars 2.
It shocked me one day when he points to the TV and said, “Holl-eey!” It took me 5 minutes to figure out he wanted to watch Cars 2, which we don’t even own.
Shocked because he still doesn’t say many words and he had only seen the movie 2 times (one of which was in June)! We had recently borrowed it from the library.
You might even call it a crush of sorts. He smiles and says it kinda shyish. So cute, that I would have bought him Holley if she would have been available for sale at the store the other day. I have heard she is very hard to find.
He had to settle for Fin McMissle (whom Hudson was thrilled with) instead. Let’s just say, He was not as pleased to get McMissle. But after seeing his brothers have no problem with the blue-gray male super spy, he thinks he should be the one and only to keep him.
And I guess that works for now. But it wont forever, because every time he asks for Holley I just tell him to look for McMissle and he just cocks his head to the side and turns up his little mouth and says, “k”.

Diaper Crazy!

I am sure some of you can relate to this.
I was thinking today how many diapers I have changed in the last 6+ years. Because mind you, except 9 days (give or take) since 8/05/05 I have changed diapers every day. Average for one kid is 4-6 a day. Sometimes it was double that because I had/have 2 children in diapers. Say I use 5 and multiply it by 365 and I get 1825 a year. Multiply that by 6 and it is 10950… and it still continues, and will for like 2+ years.
I can’t even begin to think about how many diapers people who have had double the kids have changed. Hmmm. So let’s say each diaper is 35 cents, because only 1 of my kids could wear the cheaper diapers without getting rashes, and that would equal almost $4000.00 in diapers. That is not counting the times it’s been double duty.
That is diaper crazy!!

Year in Review

As I was attempting chores today, I contemplated the last year and wondered where it all went. A lot has transpired in 12 months for our family and I am trying to remember the small things as well as the larger events. I am often reminded of how a blog can be a journal. I am not sure that I have anything that anyone else would ever desire to read about. Yet my children are my life right now, and they are so worth writing about, although a main reason I don’t. Last night I vowed to start scheduling things, even simple things. As I write this I am thinking of a person I know who is very task oriented. She makes a list and she sticks to it. Sometimes she is criticized and looked at as an unfeeling person, but I really know she fulfills her goals she has written each day. I really appreciate that about her.

Here are some larger events that transpired this year for us:
Sawyer turned 1, and learned to walk (2 months before Sayla was born…I cheered!)
After 7+ years, Cory entered his last semester of school. Hurray!
Cory received a job opportunity in Battle Mountain in April.
Sayla was born in April.
Cory moved to Battle Mountain in May to start his new job, while the kids and I stayed in Caliente.
We blessed Sayla the first part of June.
Cory graduated in May! I cheered inside more than outside!
We put our house up for sale.
Hudson turned 4 and we celebrated by going to Cars 2 in St. George (big event at our house, since we never go to the movies).
Atteneded the Petersen Family Reunion
Hafen turned 6 and we celebrated by going to Battle Mountain and bowling in Winnemucca!
Hafen started 1st grade in August in Caliente and again in Battle Mountain in September.
We moved to Battle Mountain in September.
Cory started a new job in December.

Some of the smaller events:
Fathers and sons outing, girls weekend for me, 2 baby showers (a big thanks to you girls, I have only bought 4 small packages of diapers for Sayla thus far), lots of playing at the park in Caliente and Battle Mountain, celebrating the 4th of July in Caliente, finding a house to rent in Battle Mountain, Hafen finally enjoying school, Sayla rolls over, attempts to pull herself around, and sleeps through the night occasionally. Buy a bunny. Bunny dies the next day. Feed geese and ducks frequently at the park near here. Celebrate pioneer day with my parents, Vera surprises us in Elko for Cory’s graduation, spoke and sang in church as a family where Hudson gave his first talk in sacrament, Sawyer learns new words, climbs stairs, sleeps in a bed, loves monster trucks, playing in dirt and water, Hudson learning letters, took swimming lessons, and made new friends. We sleep the first night in the rental on a cold floor and froze all night, labor day celebration and hike, Hafen and the shovel incident, graduates kindergarten, Hafen has a part in the Missoula Children’s theatre, makes new friends, plays t-ball, swimming lessons; multiple scratches and crash landings on the floor for Sayla, multiple drives to St. George and Battle Mountain, celebrate Halloween with 2 ninjas, a giraffe, and a piglet, celebrate 7 years of married bliss, and I am sure I am missing some.

We had loads of large blessings and countless small miracles this year.

I am hoping next year I will eat less, criticize, yell and ignore less, sit less, make excuses less, be less irritable, less negative and less lazy blog more, exercise more, read more, be more positive, work more, cheer, praise, love, and have more hope.

I will post some pictures later.