We do EVERYTHING Together...

Including going poop. Well, only the little ones do:) Addison was getting kept company while she was trying to work things out.

Nathan and the twins posing for pictures. This was the first day I got the girls to actually wear a shirt with underwear. I am happy to report they are currently 100% clothed! Shocker for our house I know.

Kate in the pick up line at school pretending to be Alyssa, their babysitter. I guess that means sitting in the front seat? She also offered Addison a snack and a napkin. Funny what kids associate with people.

Now, THIS is home made cashew chicken. My children all ate this and I was shocked. By eating, this of course means ate the chicken around the veggies. And also by eating, I mean Emma tried a piece. But we'll take it!

Emma was not happy that dessert was peanut brittle. Where the peanut brittle came from, that is a wild story (for another day I think)

At the fish hatchery with Emma for school. She asked if we could go there for girls night, but during the day she thought it was so cool. Um, no thanks. How about a movie, Emma?

Some of the girls (and a random boy) posing for pics before the tour. 

 Nathan playing Angry Birds on my phone this morning. it amazes me how much he can do with the touch screen. Those crazy little hands move around like he has a smart phone himself or something.

Update on the yard overhaul:

 My dad brought his bobcat over to scrape up the yard and haul away the large amounts of dirt.

 Loading it into the trailer for the dump run

 Bailey again was a maniac working outside.

 Getting it ready for sod! Yay!

It's all coming together. More work to do tomorrow, but it shouldn't be too long before we can get a good handle on the finished product.

Mini Him

Do I Post?!

So in our house, poo and pee has taken over our life for way too many years. I think the only break I had was Emma and her wonderful ability to go to the bathroom so easily and so quickly. Other than that, it has been traumatic to say the least. I have kept saying how I am not even going to attempt to potty train the twins until maybe next year. And that was a BIG maybe. But, this last Monday these two girls took off their diapers and told me they were not putting them back on again. They wanted underwear. I kid you not that is exactly what happened. So I sighed, took some heavy medication a drink of water and got out the underwear. I felt like really living on the edge after they both peed in the toilet and we went to Costco in underwear. Well maybe I wore a diaper for fear of wetting myself from this stupidity. No accidents the entire time. Now, later that afternoon they both had an accident on the way to the toilet and I wasn't about to trick or treat in underwear. But, the next day they insisted again so we went for it. Only one or two accidents but there was a lot more good than bad. As of today, it is 2 p.m. and there has not been one accident from either twin at all. Now, I am bribing them with candy if they go on the toilet. Kate figured out if she goes a little at a time, holds it and goes again ten minutes later she gets more candy. Not surprised at that though. Addison holds hers for hours at a time and then goes all at once. More than anyone wanted to know about my girl's pee habits, right? Well, an unexpected bonus has come from this. Nathan decided he MUST get candy too. And really, how can I not let him have some? If he poops in the toilet and none in his underwear at all, not a skid or anything (sorry TMI) he gets two pieces. Guess who hasn't had an accident at all this week? Yup, and I will keep giving him candy until he goes into diabetic shock if it means I don't have to clean up poop.


But I am still hesitant to write this all down. What if it's a fluke or some horrible prank these three little ones are playing on me? Their evil little midnight conversations about how to really mess with my head... OK, so they aren't evil little things, but I really really want to be over the whole diapers and accidents thing.  Really Really Really Really...Please Please Please Please Please......


Do you think that worked?

 What would this post be without toilet pictures?! Addison will only go on the little potty and Kate will go on either.

They wanted me to take this picture to send to Daddy to show him their underwear. It looks like they are being modest and covering their tops but really I made them fold their arms to stand still for two seconds.

In Other News...

I found this really fun site called Pinterest. Well, on it was a Fall wreath that is SO easy to make. The kids and I went to the park with a friend and her kids to collect acorns for this fabulous wreath I am making...Well it's been almost a month and the acorns are still in the garage in a box. So we will see if it actually gets made!

 The three little ones LOVE to play on my bed. Whatever works I guess, right?

 Here they are showing me how they toot. My kids have no shame with gas.

 They love to have me take pictures of them hugging and being kind to each other. Maybe I should follow them around with a camera all day.

Being silly as usual.

Poor Addison has taken quite a few blows to the head lately. So her forehead is always bruised.

They love to dress up for Church. They think any time they put on a dress they are a princess. Goodbye Dora, this year it is all about the princess.

 We play outside a lot. Nathan loves his scooter.

 Cute girlies riding bikes.

 Someone gave us this wagon for free and it is the highlight of outside time. The child who no one recognizes in this picture is Zoie. We take her home on Mondays so her mom can deal with after school activity duties. I am the co-chair with her so it works out well that I don't have to stay.

 Emma also loves the scooter but lately might prefer the wagon.

Kate showing off her shooting skills.

Nathan had a rough patch about a week ago. He ended up being put to bed for time out and fell asleep. I was not about to wake him and I let him sleep until dinner time. He still went to bed at 7 that night though!

In case the rest of the world does not know, this is Rayce. Nathan's latest BFF. (Do boys have BFFs?!) Anyway, this little boy's mom and I work out together and all our kids go to the same school. These two will both start Kindergarten next year. I also swap babysitting with this mom to be able to work in the classroom or go on field trips. So these two spend a lot of time together. For both of them, their world revolves around when they get to see each other. 

 

Today was the Primary Program for Church. This was the first time I didn't buy the kids new outfits, but their old clothes are still cute.

 Next year, all five will be in the program woo-hoo!

 His first year! He didn't sing and was looking around the whole time. At one point he growled like a tiger...

 I straightened her hair and realized how old she looks. Oh my goodness.

 Cute Emma

 Kate posing

 Next year is his last year...WOW

 The girls wanted to pose together

So I made the boys do it too.

Breaking Ground

I really wanted to make sure I get our yard transformation documented. With a talented husband who knows a lot about plants and all other things yardish, we are transforming our poor neglected for three years landscaping.

My Crew...These two boys worked up a sweat on the yard. Bailey is such an awesome worker and is really helpful to have. On our first Saturday working on the yard, we actually worked on a service project with our ward from 8:30-12. Then, we came home and got to work on our own stuff. So, these two guys were tuckered out at the end of the day. I worked too, but had a lot of kid duty in the morning. I've never really worked in a yard before so I was mostly just following directions. I didn't get a picture of myself but I was plenty dirty and smelly too.

We moved these giant flagstones out from the front of the house. They were beasts!

 Front Yard

 Upper section of front yard. Rocks removed.

These are the before shots of the front yard. We moved the rock border and sprayed Round Up on all the grass. There was no real saving it. We did try to start pulling out the weeds only at first but soon realized that would only leave us with dirt patches. So the sod will be coming soon!

 

Fast forward to yesterday...The fallen tree. Well, not fallen but taken out. Why anyone has a tree in the front where the roots start to come up and ruin the grass makes no sense. We decided we want a section of easily mow-able grass with no interference. 

 Digging out the tree and all of the grass.

 Side area by driveway. We are reusing the flagstone.

 Even with it all dug up it looks better than before.

The neighbors were all coming by so excited about our work. We are the only house on the street that is not beautifully landscaped and taken care of. I'm sure it is nice to have someone in the house that cares. I'm really excited to see how it all comes together.