Kooky Kidz

Boys Tell the Sweet Truth

2010-01-07T21:27:00.000-08:00

I have been so excited that past year to have a new running partner. Conner has been willing to run with his old, slow mom for about the past year. We are not consistent runners but when ever I put on my running attire he suits himself up as well and together we go out to jog.

I put on my long running pants and long shirt for a quick run outside in the freezing cold weather. As usual, Conner decided he would come along too. The only problem he faced was the fact he didn't have any warm running stuff. He only had shorts and that sure was not going to keep him warm enough. We decided that I would share my warm, more manly running pants with him and I would change into my tight spandex pants. I don't wear the tight spandex pants much because they are that.... SO TIGHT! I am slightly self conscious to go running outside for the entire world to see me giggling with every step. I told this to Conner and his response was, "There aren't that many people out who will see you. Plus, we aren't going THAT far. You will be fine." I agreed with him and we headed out for our short run together.

At first we were jogging side by side but there came a time when one of us had to jog out in front of the other. Conner motioned for me to go a head first. I thought he was being a gentleman so I smiled and went ahead. We jogged that way for a few minutes, with me in front and him in back. Soon the road was wide enough again for us to jog side by side. He quickly came up to my side. In a very nice, sweet voice he said, "Mom. I was watching your giggling. For as old as you are, you really aren't giggling THAT much. Maybe a little in your buttocks, but I think with a little more running it will be perfect."

Ha! At least the kid is honest. Plus, if he is going to say it so sweet like that.... I suppose a little more running wouldn't be such a bad idea! :)

Family Christmas Shopping

2010-01-04T20:56:00.001-08:00

It is a tradition each year that we draw out names in our family. It actually happens the day we put up the Christmas Tree. These gifts that we purchase for each other are the first wrapped gifts on display under the tree. It is a big deal because each person has one gift with their name on it... and this seems to really set in our minds that Christmas is just around the corner.

The shopping at Target had gone pretty good. Niel took half the kids, I took the other half. We were in and out within about an hour!! As we were driving in the car towards home, everyone started to make guesses about what was purchased for each person. Conner is the oldest and the biggest teaser, mostly because everyone believes him, plus he does seem so old and wise, and also because he doesn't tease too much.... but when he does, it is really bad.

Conner blurts out, "Zander! I know what Megan bought you this year for Christmas!!" Zanders eyes got all big with excitement and I could feel the joy in his voice as he spoke, "What!! What did Megan get me!" I could also see the big grin on Conner's face when we replied,

"She got you a Barbie Doll!"

There was a moment of silence.

And then...

,.... tears started to flow. "Megan! Why did you get me a Barbie Doll?" Zander sobbed. Then he began to cry louder and louder as the car full of teasing children began to laugh. I have to admit..... even I couldn't help but laugh.

Zander is the easiest person to tease because he responds every time.

Versing

2009-12-27T17:41:00.000-08:00

This past year Garrett has gotten so into all types of sports. He enjoys watching them on TV or in person.... and of course he likes it best if he gets to play against another team. Who ever is playing, or whom ever he is playing against.... he has an interesting way of stating it. For instance.... if BYU and Utah are playing Garrett would say, "BYU is versing Utah." Or if he is playing against someone he would say, "My team is versing American Fork." I think he gets it from reading things like BYU vs. Utah or Lonepeak vs. American Fork.

It just sounds so funny when I hear it. Seriously.... say it out loud, it will make you laugh.

Falling Apart

2009-09-22T19:41:00.000-07:00

Zander is such a scheduled little guy. If one thing is different in his daily schedule he sure has a difficult time.

We had gotten home late from one of Conner's football games. Garrett was sweaty from football practice earlier that day, so I asked him to get in the shower. Usually, both Garrett and Zander hop into the bathtub together right before they go to bed, which bedtime is also usually at the same time. It had been a long evening. Zander was so very tired, off schedule in getting to bed, which made his temper a little shorter than usual. When Zander found out that Garrett was taking a shower without him.... and that Garrett was going to stay up a few seconds longer than he was, he got mad. He started stomping around the house... irriated. I asked him to get his pajamas on, and he did.... but he kept saying "I want to take a shower with Garrett." Or "That just isn't fair that Garrett gets to stay up later." After he was nearly dressed he came up to me and said....

"I am too dirty. I am so dirty that my body parts are going to fall off. Do you really want me to start losing some body parts? That would just be really mean if you do Mom!"

Where does this kid come up with this kind of stuff? Too funny!

Gambler/Football Player

2009-09-02T07:56:00.001-07:00

Football season is upon us again! This has got to be my favorite time of the year!! I simply cannot get enough football in!

Stockton enjoys football.... but he also needs a little incentive to focus on the game. Stockton also really likes money. I came up with this brilliant plan to pay him every time we broke through the line. Stockton was thrilled about this new plan and was determined to make some money.

During the first game Stockton played his heart out! It was his best game to date. He broke through the line each time he was on it. He paid attention to the plays and to his team. He paid attention to what was going on when he was outside the game, waiting for his turn. He played amazingly and earned himself $20.

A week went by and I hadn't paid Stockton his money yet. To spice things up a bit.... I told him if he sacked the quarterback I would pay him double. If he didn't sack the quarterback, I wouldn't pay him out. So basically, it was double or nothing.

Stockton loves a challenge.... so he took it! During his game he took the quarterback down!!! AWESOME!

After the game Stockton came up and said....

"I am a professional football player AND a gambler!"

He was just so proud of himself!

Football has started!

2009-08-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

Conner started football practice this week. He came home from his first practice, dropped his helmet on the ground and slumped down on the couch. One arm had blood on it, he had a big bruise on the other arm, his head was drenched in sweat. He looked beat up. He sat there barely moving, layed his head back and closed his eyes. He looked so worn out I was a little concerned. So I walked up and asked "Hey, how are you doing?"

He opened his eyes. As he looked at me, a huge smile crept over his face and he exclaimed,

"Man I LOVE football!"

Boys do some strange things

2009-07-22T07:16:00.001-07:00

We had a couple big BBQ's at the house over the weekend. Niel had gotten a large tote bucket thing, filled it with ice, and put the soda drink in the bucket to keep them cold. As the day wore on and as the drinks got emptied out, the ice melted some, leaving a large tub of freezing cold ice and ice water.

The boys were cleaning up and noticed this incredible cold bucket of water. It was almost like a light went off in Conner's mind.

"What would you give me if I stuck my face in this bucket of ice?"

I just laughed and said back... "Nothing! That is just stupid."

Without hesitation, Conner turned his head from me, bent down to the tote bucket, and plunged his full face into the freezing cold ice water.

His face wasn't in the water but a second when his head came out of the water. With water dripping off his face he said, "WOW! I have a major brain freeze! OUCH!!!"

I wasn't the only one watching this act of craziness.... Megan, Stockton, Garrett and Zander were all witnesses.

Stockton immediately wanted to try it too. His head went in and right out. He started laughing and loudly telling his siblings the water had give him an instant headache.

Stockton and Conner started daring Garrett and Megan to try it. Megan, the smart one in the group, said "No way! You guys are crazy!!" But Garrett was easily persuaded. He stuck his little face into the freezing bucket of ice. He didn't go full on like his brothers, but just enough to get the cold sensation. He got goose bumps all over this body.

The three boys were gathered around, singing praises to themselves about how tough they were.

Zander had been sitting back watching this entire event. He could see the laughter and group togetherness and I guess he just wanted to be a part of it all.

"I am going to try it!" and with that he dipped his little head into the freezing bucket of ice. I am not sure what Zander was expecting the cold to feel like, but it obviously was a lot colder then he thought. The second he pulled his head up he started to crying.

"My face! My head!! OOOOUUUUCCCCHHHH!!! My head!" With tears and loud screams he came running to me. "Mom! My head hurts. Make it stop!!" Both hands were on his forehead, pressed hard as if he were trying to make the pain stop.

Boys! They do some of the craziest things!!

Alive

2009-06-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

Conner has been very sick the past few days. We aren't sure if it is The Flu or if he has food poisoning. He doesn't have a fever but his stomach is just killing him. His skin gets clammy and he get the chills. He can't keep down anything he eats, not even liquids. It is horrible. I feel so bad for him.

Thankfully, Garrett and Stockton are in Las Vegas with Grandma and Grandpa Dean. This just leaves Conner and Zander at home for the week. Conner stayed home to go to football camp but unfortunately he is too sick to attend. I have been trying to keep Zander and Conner apart just in case Conner is contagious. Kallie (the nanny) has been keeping Zander busy outside of the house, so Conner can rest. This has left Conner home at home by himself.

I have to admit, I am a worry wart at times. I have asked Conner to check in with me and let me know how he is doing. The day was progressing along and Conner checked in with me in the morning, but all afternoon he was silent. I started to worry when I hadn't heard from him, so I left work early to go check on him. He was fine, but the cell phone had been having issues, that is why he hadn't called.

Well, this morning he was sick again. Kallie took Zander out for the day and I had to go to work. Niel is out of town as well. As I left, I asked Conner to check in with me. I told him he could call or Instant Message with me.... I just wanted ot know if he was doing good.

When I got to work I gave Conner a call to make sure he had the phone near him. He told me he was good and he would be checking in with me in about an hour.

I was sitting at my desk when I got his IM. It read...

"Mom.... I am a live" that was it. He didn't say anything else.

Laugh! What a funny kid! I guess that was all I needed to know.... he is a live.

8:00 in the Morning

2009-06-15T14:11:00.001-07:00

I remember when I was a kid sleeping in was a big deal. I looked forward to summer time because it meant more time snuggled warm in my bed, resting my eye lids. I just loved it!

Getting up around 8:00 was perfect!

Now... 15 years later I have my own kids. It is summer time and sleeping in is a big deal to Megan, Conner, and Stockton. The first day of summer comes along and I head downstairs to wake them up. Feeling like such a great parent for letting them sleep in until 8:00 am, I gently and happily tap my hand on their shoulders and speak ever so softly in a whisper, "Time to get up! Time to start summer!!" With that, I move to the next kid. Once I have tapped each of them, I leave the room and head back upstairs, leaving it up to them to get out of bed and start the day.

About fifteen minutes goes by and I realize I am not hearing the loud noises our house usually makes. There are no breakfast sounds in the kitchen or shower noises from the bathroom. I scratch my head just a little and wonder where everyone is?? I headed back downstairs only to find everyone curled up in the same spots I had left them in several minutes ago.

My voice gets a little louder this time as I announce to the sleeping troops.... "Time to get up everyone. Let's get going!!" I turn on the light in hopes the extra brightness will stir the group. I stand there for a minute.

Nothing!

No movement!!

"Ok! Get up NOW!" With this, I walk over to Conner and shake the couch he is sleeping on.

"Mom! It is summer time. There is no reason why we need to get out of bed."

I walk over to Megan and shake the opposite couch she is sleeping on. "Come on Megs. Rise and shine!"

She rolls over and puts the blanket over her head. "My dad said I could sleep in if I want to."

Ugh! I decide to send in some help.

Little Zander has been awake for over an hour now. He is lively and ready to have someone to play with. I send Zander down to jump on them.

Needless to say, Conner and Megan are not happy that this summer they have to be up by 8:00 am.

Maybe sleeping in means sleeping past 8:00. Maybe everyone else has nicer parents who let their kids sleep in past 8:00. Not me! My kids are SO lucky they get to wake up early!!!

Stockton's Biography

2009-05-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

Stockton recently had to write an autobiography for a school project. I found it very interesting how he described his family....

My mom's name is Amy Ruth Oscarson. She has a different last name then I do. Her maiden name was Amy Ruth Dean but then she married Niel. She can get a little mad sometimes but she is cool. My dad’s name is Dietrich Quiring III. He is very strong! He gets mad too, but he is funny. My step-dad is Niel Edwin Oscarson. Niel is a pretty cool step-dad to have! My step- sister is Megan Jean Oscarson. She likes to write stories. My oldest brother is Conner Dietrich Quiring. He got his middle name from my dad. He is a nice big brother. Garrett Raymond Quirng is my little brother. He is very athletic and fast. Zander R.D. Quiring is my littlest brother. He loves to fight and he gets mad all the time when he gets home from school. I have a good family. I love them all!

Oatmeal

2009-03-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

My alarm went off. 5:45 seems FAR to early to be getting out of bed. My grumpy self climbed out of bed, walked across the room, and turned off the annoying buzz noise.
I could hear the little cherping sounds of Zander's tiny voice. I couldn't believe he was awake all ready. His voice was coming from the kitchen. I decided to see what he was up to.

As I walked out of the bedroom door towards the kitchen, Zander saw me. Immediately he climbed off the kitchen bar stool and with much excitment came running towards me. I couldn't help but smile. I knelt down and open my arms wide to give him a morning hug. His body hit mine in an enormous bear hug.... he nearly knocked me over. He squoze me with all his might!! Then, as his hug released, he looked at me with very wide, very happy eyes and said...

"Mom! Thank you for getting my favorite oatmeal!" Then, he proceeded to give me another big hug.

He completely made my day! It is amazing how the simple little things, like oatmeal, can make the biggest difference in Zander's little life. And... I find it amazing how such a tiny littler person can have such a big impact on my day!

Gross!

2009-02-17T18:18:00.000-08:00

In fifth and six grades, the boy and girls have a special assembly. I am sure each of us remembers this "special assembly" ....the girls and boys maturation program. Conner is growing up to be a fine young man. He brought his note home and showed it to Niel and I. It was topic of conversation at dinner. Niel said he would be willing to attend. Garrett had a funny look on his face as we discussed a few things about the topic.

Conner said, "At least I am not a girl. And I am glad I don't have to go to the girl's part"

"That's gross!" Garrett said with a disgusted look on his face. Niel and I just looked at each. I am sure we were thinking the same thing, "What does Garrett know of the maturation program? He is only 6 years old?"

With much wonderment I asked Garrett, "Gar. What do you know about the girl's maturation program?"

"The girl's part is gross!! They talk about how to put on bra's!! Yuck!"

haha... I couldn't help but laugh!!

Birthday Party Crash

2009-02-09T18:16:00.000-08:00

Our cousin Brynlee was celebrating her 6th birthday and invited the entire family to come along. The big event was being held a Boondock, a local mini golf, slick track, indoor video game, laser tag with pizza place. It happens to be one of the boys most favorite places. Because of the cold weather the party was held inside. The arcade kept all the kids entertained while the parents were in the pizza parlor enjoy small talk.
It was time for cake! All the kids were gathering up.... coming from the arcade into the pizza parlor. Now, the pizza and cake area were separated by a nice, shiny clean window wall that was very think. The thick glass wall was a perfect way to quiet the pizza room down, allowing the arcade area to be extra loud..... but it also gave everyone a view from either side.
I was standing inside the pizza parlor with my back turned away from the glass wall. Zander had just finished playing a really awesome game and wanted to tell me all about it. He started to walk through all the many rows of arcades, making his way to the pizza parlor for cake but also with much enthusiasm to tell me all about his game experience. Once he was past the games, but still quit far away from the pizza parlor, he saw me through the window. Immediately he took off in a quick run. "Mom! Mom!" He was all smiles and running as quickly as his small little feet would carry him. His small little eyes didn't see the think, see-threw glass wall.

**SMACK!!! **BANG!***

He hit the think glass wall head first. The hard hit threw his little body about 4 feet into the air and onto the floor. The sound of the hit was extremely loud. It drew everyone's attention. People on both sides of the glass turned their attention to see what the loud bang was. I turned myself around to find Zander, laying on the floor, with a dazed look in his eyes. I don't even think he knew what happened. His amazed looked soon turned to pained look as his head started to protrude ever so slightly with a nice little goose bump. Tears of shock and pain welled in his eyes and his arms stretched out for someone to help him. Good thing Niel was close by to comfort him. I ran over to see if he was all right.

"Mom, I just wanted to tell you I won the race!" I laughed just a little and then examined his head. He seemed all right. Zander has had many head bumps in his life, this one wasn't too bad.... just really loud. Together we went over to the think glass wall to see if he left a mark, just a slight smudge....laugh!

After a little cake, birthday songs, and presents..... Zander was as good as new and ready to challenge me to an arcade game race!

Snowboarding

2009-02-02T20:24:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful, wintery Saturday. Stockton and Garrett had been practicing their snowboarding skills on a nearby hill in a park close to our house. The three of us thought it would be a great idea to see how well their snowboarding skills had become. We headed up to Sundance with very happy faces.
We received several smiles and fingers pointing at Garrett, as he was the smallest little snowboarder on the mountain. I thought it was very cute and I was proud of both of them for taking on the big challenge of snowboarding. I also was prepared for the patience that would be required for the day, but I was looking forward to the challenge.

Our first lesson was learning to get off the lift. I remembered how scary getting off the lift was for me my first time down. I was not sure what the boys were expecting, but I gave them a few pointers. Then, we climbed up the hill a little ways and we pretended we were all getting off the lift together. The boys seemed all right with the instruction and anxious to get on the mountain.

We got in the long line and each of us waited with anticipation. When it came our turn we all shuffled our way out in place. Stockton's shuffling was a little to slow for the fast lift. I tried to grab him, but I didn't help him at all. The lift came and knocked him right over.... then, it ran over him. The lift operators stopped the lift immediately. They had to swing the lift up and pick Stockton up off the icy ground. Stockton was all smiles! He told them thanks and just laughed!! That is Stockton for you.... everything is funny! I don't think I have ever heard him cry in pain, unless he is trying to get one of his brother's in trouble.

Once we were all safely on the lift, we laughed, talked, and watched all the other snowboarders. The boys were super cute and I loved to being up there with them. Getting off the lift was simple. Garrett was a little scared, but he made it off well. We buckled on our boards and started going down the mountain. Garrett took off with no problems. Stockton got off pretty good too. They both fell a lot, but they got back up a lot too. They were doing pretty good! Well, as long as they were on a hill.

The next part was fairly flat. It meant they couldn't fall because falling would slow them WAY down and make it hard to get moving. It only took one fall for Garrett, he completely lost it. He started crying. Stockton fell too, but he kept getting up and doing his best to keep his board moving. It wasn't long before Garrett got so frustrated he was beyond reasoning. As I watched and tried to help Garrett, Stockton kept at it. He got up time and time again..... and every time he did it with much excitement. He went all the way down the mountain and by the time he was done, he was pretty good. He had learned the basics by falling and getting back up. Stockton absolutely loved it!

Garrett made it down the hill too but we decided to spend a little more time practicing. He is pretty young to tackle the big mountain just yet. I learned a valuable lesson from Stockton watching him getting up when it was hard, maintaining a positive attitude in a difficult situation, and making it fun! When we got into the car Stockton said, "Mom, now I am so bored! I am going to be bored until I get to go snowboarding again! That was the most exhilarating day of my life!!"

Not only can Stockton make himself happy, but he knows how to make me smile too!

Phone Conversation with Zander

2009-01-14T21:03:00.001-08:00

Zander was away for the holidays, spending time with his dad in Montana. It is always a pleasure to speak with him on the phone. His little mind thinks of the craziest things.

"Zander, guess what Santa Claus brought us for Christmas?" I said!

"What?"

"He brought us Rockband 2! Isn't that great! It even has the song 'Eye of the Tiger'!" I mention Eye of the Tiger because that happens to be one of his favorite songs.

"Oh! That is my favorite song! Does it have David Archuleta too?" Zander is a big David Archuleta fan. He sounded so excited!!

"Nope. It doesn't come with that song."

"Mom. Can you stop talking. I want to talk to Nielie now." I guess Zander didn't like my answer.

"Hi Niel!! Does Rockband have David Archuleta?" Zander asks with much excitement.

"No Zander. It doesn't. How are you doing?" Came Niel's response.

The two of them talk for a little while and every time I chime him to add a comment or something, Zander reminds me he is talking to Niel and I need to stop talking. haha!!! Of course when it comes time to say good bye Zander says....

"Niel, I love you! Now you need to say you love me too!"

"I love you too Zander." Niel says

Zander says, "Ok Mom. You can talk now! I love you!!!"

"I love you too Zander. Good bye!"

I sure do miss him and all the boys when they are gone!!!

Hiding

2008-12-23T20:16:00.000-08:00

It was a normal busy morning. All the kids were up and getting ready for school. Niel and I had just finished up our morning prayers. It was freezing in our room, so we jumped on the bed to warm ourselves in the covers. We were snuggled up close to each other, trying to get warm.... and prolonging getting off to work.

We were enjoying warming up when we heard two little feet walk into our room. We heard the little feet come in, but we didn't raise our heads to see who it was. The little feet sounded like Zander. The little feet walked into our room and then stopped for a second. Then, the little feet walked around to our bathroom. They walked into the bathroom, paused, and then walked about again. It was obvious by the the pauses in steps that the little person was looking for us.

"Hello? Who is there?" Niel said loudly, to let the little person know we were in the room and to find out who it was.

"Who was that?" came the little voice. We recognized the little voice, with the little curious foot steps, belonging to Zander.

"Hello!" came Niel's voice again.

"Who is there?" Zander said, waiting for a response.

At this point is was pretty clear Zander couldn't see us in the bed, under the covers. He could hear Niel's voice, but he couldn't figure out where we were. Zander's little foot steps walked past the bed, across the bedroom, and over to the closet. His foot steps stopped. He looked into the closet and was perplexed when he couldn't see anyone there.

"Hello!" Niel said again.

"Where are you?" said Zander. This time, his voice had a slight hint of irritation. His little feet carried him across the bedroom and back over to the bathroom. Once again he couldn't find anyone in the bathroom. He just couldn't figure it out.

"I can hear you! WHERE ARE YOU?" By this time Zander was frustrated. He dashed out of the bedroom and into the hallway.

This time, Niel and I sat up and said, "Zander! Come back into our room. We are right here!"

Zander's little feet brought him back into the bedroom. He came in with an angry face.

"Stop teasing me! I can't find you!!"

Ah.... Zander cracks me up on a regular basis. He definitely started our morning with a good laugh!

Scared!

2008-12-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

It was my day to pick up Gar and James from football practice. It was late, dark and cold. As I pulled up into the parking lot, I noticed there weren't many cars around at all. I was slightly perplexed and wondered where everyone was. Practice had been changed to a new school. I had dropped the boys off 2 hours earlier but they were late because I wasn't sure where I was going. The boys had told me they were at the right school and anxiously climbed out of the car.... they do not like to be late.

Now, it was two hours later.... and very dark outside. I got out of the car and walked around to the side of the school. I didn't see anyone. No one in the parking lot, no little football player. All I could hear was the sound of my car running. My first thought was practice must have gotten over early because it was so cold out. I figured the boys must have gotten a ride home from another parent in our neighborhood and I had just missed them. I climbed back into the car and started driving off slowly. I looked back one more time for any signs of the kids.... and still nothing. So, I headed home. A 10 minute drive.

When I walked in the door I was greeted by Stockton and Conner.... but no Garrett. I ran down to his bedroom... still nothing. He was not home. I then realized he must still be at the school park.... or worse, he was lost! My heart started racing. Poor little Garrett. He is only 6 years old! It was very dark and super cold outside. My mind started thinking terrible thoughts. I had to tell myself to calm down. No need to freak out yet. Just get back into the car and drive back to the school.... and start searching for the boys.

I drove as fast as my car could go. As I drove up.... there stood little Garrett, eyes red with tears. And poor James... his eyes red from crying too. It was a happy, sad moment. I was so happy to see them but I felt so bad for leaving them in the dark and not looking harder for them.

I ran over to Garrett. He was so upset. "Mom, why did you leave us?" He could barely talk. His little body was shivering from the cold weather and his fear. "Oh Garrett! I am so sorry! I came to pick you up and didn't see you. I thought someone else had given you a ride." With tears in his eyes he said, "We saw you drive away. We even said two sprayer that we would be safe. We were so cold!"

The boys had been sitting out in the cold, dark night for about 20 minutes... all alone! They thought I had left them there. They were far away from the house. I can't even imagine what their little minds thought. I was grateful they had thought to pray and I am so very grateful they had stayed still and not tried to start walking home or something. I felt very blessed they were both all right and safe.

As I tucked Garrett into bed that night he told me he was still upset with me. I asked him if he would ever forgive me. He said, "Maybe tomorrow! I am still cold!"

Numbers

2008-10-20T22:57:00.000-07:00

The family woke up bright and early! It was the day of our BIG fun run! This was a local event in Provo canyon in which the entire family could participate. Niel and I enjoy running 5K's! It is a great way to stay in shape. Plus, it is really fun.
Niel, Conner and I signed up for the 5K. Stockton and Garrett signed up for 1/2 mile and Zander signed up for the 1/4 mile. Everyone was super excited as we woke up extra early.... everyone except for Stockton. He was dragging his feet, moving slower then usual, and had his head hang low. This is fairly unusual for Stocks. Most of the time he is the anxious one to get out and try something new. Although waking up early for exercise isn't his most favorite way to spend sleeping hours. I asked him, "What is wrong Stocks?"

"My least favorite number is 5 and I don't like the letter K!"

What a goof. He was still a good sport about it. Once he found out he got a medal and a prize for participating, he gave it his full Stockton effort! I was proud of him for crossing the finish line.

Too Old!

2008-10-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

Ever since I can remember, I have called the boys "sweetie". Most every day, I say "I love you" which is followed by a quick kiss. I have always enjoyed giving my boys these little signs of affection, and I always thought they appreciated it as well.

Conner has informed me, he is simply too old for these kinds of things....

I dropped Conner and his friends off for football practice the other day. As he was getting out of the car I said, "I love you sweetie! Have a great practice!" Conner just gave me this embarrassed look and rolled his eyes. Then, when I would have normally given him a quick kiss on the lips... he pushed his cheek towards me. HIS CHEEK! I figured it out pretty quickly, rather then embarrass him in front of his friends, I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and he jumped out of the car.

I sat there in the car for a little while in complete shock. Has Conner all ready become too old for his mother's sweet nothings? WOW! Where has the time gone? I guess he is 11 years old and I guess it "isn't cool" for a mom to still be calling her mature, football tough son "sweetie".

It has been an incredible journey to watch Conner grown from baby, to little boy, to big boy and then to a young man. But honestly, I have taken for granite those little kisses and sweet words back, "I love you too Mom!"

Later that night when I was tucking him into bed he said, "Mom, could you not kiss me or call me sweetie in front of my friends? Maybe you could just call me Bud or Kiddo, or something like that?" I hesitated for a second and then he said, "But I still love you Mom. I will always love you. I just don't want you to say it in front of my friends.... right before football!"

My little Conner is growing up!!! I am pleased with the man he is becoming, and I will forever miss the little boy he once was.

Boys Humor

2008-09-11T12:15:00.000-07:00

Me, Garrett, Zander and a football friend, James, were all in the car and we were heading to football practice. James started laughing, "I just farted!" he said. Garrett, James, and Zander all began laughing loudly. Then Garrett let out a big burp! Again the boys continued laughing. Next, James started to burp over and over again. Garrett was in such amazement that James had such talent!! He asked James to teach him how to burp like that... over and over again. While James was giving Garrett his lesson on burping, Zander was laughing so hard. Zander nearly lost his breath because of his giggles.

Garrett wasn't able to master the lesson of burping.... thank goodness! But the entire 10 minute drive to football practice was non-stop humor for all the boys in the car. They were so amused with the burping fest. It is interesting what boys think is so funny.

"I need to go Potty!"

2008-07-31T11:42:00.001-07:00

Megan, Zander and I were making a quick stop at Toys R Us. Zander was in heaven looking at all the toys. I noticed he was doing the potty dance so I asked him if he needed to go to the bathroom. He told me "No" and kept searching through the toys with much excitement. In about 5 minutes I noticed he was doing the potty dance again. Rather then ask him if he had to go, I said "Zander, let's go to the bathroom."

We started walking towards the bathroom. Zander was behind me so I wasn't really paying much attention to what he was doing. As I got to the restroom door I stopped and turned around. Zander was a few feet behind me with pants and underwear down to his ankles, leaving his bare bum exposed to the world. His little feet were scooting along in a quick shuffle with his hand on his pee-pee. "Hurry Mom! I need to go!!! I need to go real quick. It isn't waiting!!" I couldn't help but laugh. I pushed open the bathroom door and he scooted himself inside.

There wasn't anyone around.... good thing, because we didn't want to get in trouble for indecent exposure...haha!

Shocking sights at Borders

2008-07-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

We were in Hawaii on our way back from jumping off cliffs at a remote little waterfall. Amy wanted to find a new book to read so her and Zander and I stopped at Borders. Amy went to look for the book she wanted, so I stood with Zander by the magazine rack. I was browsing through football preview magazines when a lady behind me started laughing uncontrollably. I turned around to look at her, and she pointed down to Zander. I realized he could be doing pretty much anything...so I moved my eyes to him, and there he was, pants pulled down, wiping sand off of his...uh...privates. He was serious as could be and intent on cleaning it off. When I asked him what he was doing, he said "Well Nielie, it hurts".

He never ceases to entertain us.

Telephone Moments

2008-06-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

The boys are in Montana spending time with their Dad for 5 weeks this summer. My joys have come from hearing their voices several times a week. It is incredible how just hearing them say "hello" can brighten my day. Below are a few of our conversations.....

Stockton: "Mom, you forgot to pack my toothbrush. I haven't brushed my teeth for 3 weeks and my teeth feel gross."

Me: "What? I am sorry I didn't pack your toothbrush, but do you think you could ask someone to buy you a toothbrush?"

Stockton: "There aren't any stores around here. We can't just go out and get a tooth brush."

(Denise said she would pick one up when she went into town....laugh!)

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Conner: "Mom, I got to hold a lizard today. I know you will say "No," but do you think we could get a pet lizard?"

Me: "No!"

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Garrett: "Today I passed level 6 on World of Warcraft. I got to go mom, I love you."

(Gar would play video games all day and forgo food if we could. I don't know that I have been on the phone with him for more then 2 minutes.)

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Zander: "Are you at the Rodeo yet? Are you at work yet? Are you going to come sleep over?"

(Zander asks a million questions all at once. He is so cute to talk to! He wants to talk to anyone who is with me.)

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I miss the boys so very much! I can't wait to see them. We pick them up one week from today. Niel commented this morning, "Sunday morning are just so quiet around here. I just doesn't seem like Sunday without them here."

What do you want to be when you grow up?

2008-05-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

I asked each of the boys what they want to be when they grow up. I found the responses to be extremely interesting....

Conner: "When I grow up I think I want to be an Astronaut. But I guess there isn't a lot of people looking for an Astronaut, so maybe I will be a Pilot. Or maybe I could be a High School Teacher and teach Math because I am good at math and I like it."

Stockton: "Well, I really like McDonald's, so maybe I will work at McDonald's doing something. I want to be rich though, so I want to be whatever Jackson's dad does. They have all the money they want, so that is what I want to do. I want my wife to do something too. Then we can have lots of money."

Garrett: "When I grow up I want to be in the Military. My friend at school has a dad who is in the Military. He came to our school and it was really cool. He is protecting us and making us safe. I also want to be a runner. I want to run in the Olympics and win a medal."

Zander: "I want to watch a movie. Can we watch Spirit?" I asked Zander again what he wanted to be and suggested a few things. "Mom, I just want to watch a movie.... PLEASE!"

Happy Birthday Miss Grandstaff

2008-05-05T20:31:00.000-07:00

Conner called me at work with much delight. "Mom, it is Miss Grandstaff's birthday. Me and my friend Joseph would like to do something very special for her tomorrow. Could you take me to the store tonight?"

Later that night Conner and I went shopping. Now shopping for Conner is a BIG deal. He is his least favorite way to spend his time. I knew this must be a pretty important event for him if he wanted to go shopping. We purchased some sour patch kids and a beautiful pink plant/flower thing. He was a good sport too and did a little grocery shopping with me. It was a very pleasant evening.

Conner very kindly asked Niel to take him and his friend to school at 7:30 in the morning. This was just the time Miss Grandstaff would be coming into the school to start her day. Conner and Joseph were so excited to surprised her.... and that they did. She was overjoyed to see them early in the morning. She was beaming with happiness as they gave her their gifts and wished her a Happy Birthday. Both Conner and Joseph were beaming too. They were both giddy with delight as Niel took them back home. Conner commented on the fact that we was so happy he went shopping and got up so early to make someone's day so special.

I was so proud of him for taking the extra time to do something he wouldn't normally do for his teacher. It reminded me to do those little extra things. What a great example!

Family Basketball

2008-04-22T20:02:00.001-07:00

It is a Monday night.... family night! The weather is finally good outside. This winter has seemed to last FOREVER! We haven't gotten to play too much outside, but tonight we decide to have a family basketball game. This will our first family basketball game ever.... a moment to remember for years to come.
We split up in teams. Niel, Stockton, and Zander make up one team. Amy, Conner, and Garrett make up the second team. The game is off to a good start. We are all very competitive so the game is getting interesting. Zander makes a few lay-ups (Niel picking him up and raising him to the basket). Of course, we all cheer. Zander is loving th game. We are all enjoying ourselves. But Zander soon becomes anxious and wants the ball ALL the time. Each of us are trying to give him his turn, but he grows very impatient. Amy gets the ball and begins to dribble. Zander, with very pleading eyes and with such desire says, "Mom, I love you!!! NOW GIVE ME THE BALL!"

It was a great game. One we will all remember for years to come!

The Jazz Game

2008-04-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

I had looked forward to the day when the boys would be old enough to actually appreciate and enjoy a Jazz game. Well, the day arrived and it was more fun then I could have imagined! The Jazz played an awesome game! They killed the Wizards with the final score 129 Jazz - 87 Wizards. We were sitting pretty high up but it was a perfect spot for us. The crowd cheered loud! The stands were full of high energy. Niel and I didn't watch the game like we usually do. We spent a lot of time going up and down the stairs. We took trips for hot dogs, bathroom breaks, drinks, popcorn, and more trips to the bathrooms. I think we both got our exercise for the night. But to see the smiles on the boys faces was priceless. They cheered loudly with the crowd. They stood up and danced to the ACDC songs. They clapped with the cheerleaders. They had such a great time!! As we were walking back to the car the boys were jumping around and expressing what fun they had. Stockton told me it was the best day of his life.... he says that often, but I love it when he says it. I think Stockton was just excited to give some of his money to the homeless guy playing church hymns on his accordion outside of the Arena. Or maybe he is just so easily entertained. It was just so fun for me to enjoy their good time. It was a perfect night. I think a trip to the Jazz game could become a just valued family tradition.

Conner's Basketball

2008-03-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

We have had a lot of fun watching Conner play basketball this year. He has improved so much over last year and has really had a good time. I, personally, can't get enough of watching him play and watching how much fun he is having.

His coach was very unusual for a group of 10 year olds. He was extremely intense, and he taught them several plays. He was very focused on trying to get them to play basketball "the right way". At first we were concerned it would be to intense for Conner who tends to put a lot of pressure on himself anyway. But as it turns out, the coach was great. He did expect a lot, but he was heavy on the praise and Conner really liked the structure.

Conner has turned into a great rebounder. He's not the tallest or biggest kid on the court, but he plays with intensity and goes after every basketball. The team had an award for most rebounds and I think he won it all but one game. It was great to see him play so hard and just enjoy the game. He never got frustrated with himself, he was just happy when he succeeded, and determined to do better when he didn't.

We were both very proud of him for how hard he worked and dedicated he was. And it was a lot of fun to watch him and the team progress.

Now he is harassing me daily to get the cement pored so we can have a basketball court right here at home.

Joesph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

2008-03-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

We haven't been seeing too much of Megan the past few months. We sure do miss her but there is good reason why her absence is missed. She has been performing in the Play, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." The Play has been at the Center Street Musical Theatre in downtown Provo. Megan is sometimes a little shy, but you would never believe it if you saw her perform. She is in the children's choir and man can she belt out a tune.... and dance for that matter as well!
We went to the performance and enjoyed ourselves immensely. She was very animated and I could tell she was having a great time. She has been working so hard with practices and is very dedicated to the performance. Watching her up on the stage was one of those parent moments when I get all giddy and overly proud of one of our children. It was one of those moment when I smile so big my lips feel like they just can't stretch big enough. She looked so beautiful up on stage and a real natural. It was a great event to attend and I look forward to many more of them.

http://www.csmtc.com/

Soap Poisoning

2008-02-17T18:02:00.000-08:00

I believe Niel posted a while back regarding Zander and his colorful language. I have good news, those horrible words are a rarity these days. As a matter of fact, the cussing has stopped!! However, Zander's little lips tend to get the best of him at times. "You are stupid" or "Shut-up" are angry words he tends to use when he is frustrated. Even though he has come a long way in his use of good language, stupid and shut up are just not words I like to hear in our house. I told him the next time he said either one he would visit the kitchen sink and get a taste of the clean soap on his tongue. Well, the trip to the sink was memorable.

I was sleeping when I heard Zander beginning to become frustrated at Conner. Conner was being very helpful to Zander, pouring him a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Conner had used the wrong bowl, which just doesn't sit will with Zander. So, Zander blurted out the words, "You are stupid Conner!"

I quickly jumped out of bed and into the kitchen. I picked up Zander and told him it was time to try out the soap. Dirty words would have to be washed out of his mouth. I have to tell you I was being very calm, but I could tell Zander was pretty worried. He had never tasted soap before so I believe he was unsure if this was a good thing or not. He didn't want to open his mouth though, knowing it must not taste that great otherwise I wouldn't be trying it as punishment. I pressed down on the soap dispenser and drop a tiny little dab of flowerly scented hand soap on his tongue. Immediately he began to scream. It was obvious he didn't like the taste. He cried and cried! It was the full mouth cry too with lots of sound. He was loud and dramatic enough to wake up the entire house. He just sat on the floor and offered a theatrical scene to anyone who would be willing to watch. All the kids did come see him, but thought it funny more then anything. This went of for quit a while. I asked him if he wanted a drink but Zander is very stubborn and just cried in a higher, more loud pitch when anyone would talk with him.
Finally, after 15 minutes or so, after the attention of his brothers had ceased, he agreed to take a drink. Again, being the dramatic child he is, he told me his arms were just too tired and he needed me to hold the cup up to his mouth. With a slight laugh, and a little roll of my eyes, I put the cup to his lips so he could partake of the water. He lips seemed to be too tired to drink as well because the water just trickled from his lips and onto the neck line of his t-shirt. It took a lot not to find this humorous but it was hard not to laugh at this poor little boy.

Zander went around all morning drooling and whining. It took a while for him to calm down. When we seemed to at least be at the end of this production, Niel picked him up. Niel asked him, "Why did you get your mouth washed out with soap?" Very meekly Zander replied, "Because I said Stupid." "Are you ever going to say it again?" With very big eyes and a sincere voice his reply was "No!"
It was been two weeks since the soap poisoning incident and Zander will still tell you about it. He hasn't even come close to letting those words escape from his lips. And, if he hears anyone say stupid, he is quick to remind them it isn't a word they should be saying.

Thougtful

2008-02-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

Niel and I teach the 5 year old primary kids. In our class, we are lucky enough to have one of our own... Garrett! It is fun to have him in our class. One of the little boys, Cayden, has a hard time. He loves to be with his dad. Every once and a while, he will get a little teary-eyed as he comes to sit with our class. Cayden is a very good boy and we love having him in our class. It breaks my heart to see him sad. This past Sunday, Garrett saw him crying. Garrett was sitting next to me, but when he saw Cayden, we got up and went down the row quit aways to sit next to Cayden. Garrett said, "I know it is sad to leave your mom and dad. I get sad too sometimes. But I can share my mom with you if you want. She is really nice." Cayden didn't say anything, but he smiled a little. Garrett sat next to him for a while longer. He told me later, he was making sure Cayden was all right.
How thoughtful! Garrett brought a smile and a tear to my eye. What a great example he is to me.

Stockton's Baptismal Preview

2008-01-20T19:23:00.001-08:00

Stockton had is Baptismal Preview meeting tonight. All of the kids who will turn 8 this year and get baptized were invited to come. He was so excited to go, it was a meeting for him and he felt very important.
He is growing up so fast, and it's fun to watch him as he grows and matures. It was definitely fun to see him feel proud tonight. He has watched Conner enjoy Cub Scouts, so when they talked about starting scouts tonight he lit up. He can't wait to begin those fun activities.
But the most memorable moment for me was during the bishop's talk. The bishop was talking about making good choices and the things we can do after we are baptized. Stockton raised his hand and forcefully said "When we make mistakes, we can repent"...he then looked at me and Amy and said "See, I DO listen in church". It was a very cute moment, but it also made me proud. He is such a good kid and has so much love in his heart. Often we think he is not being responsible or paying attention, but in reality he is doing the things he should be and is so kind to everyone. Stockton is an example to me, I always hope I treat other people the way Stockton does. And I am looking forward to the great day when he gets baptized.

Who is Santa

2008-01-05T09:37:00.000-08:00

**This post is not for young readers**

"I can hear you!! What are you doing upstairs? Are you putting out our Christmas presents? I can hear some banging!" Conner was shouting this at the top of him lungs from downstairs. He was suppose to watching a movie and being quiet. He is suppose to be all nestled up in his covers with sugar plums dancing through his head. But no, he is too curious and outwardly putting suspicious thoughts in his brother's little heads that Santa, is in fact, Niel and I.

"Conner... go to sleep! Santa is not going to come tonight if you don't go to sleep!" This is my attempt to make him be quiet.

It is Christmas Eve... late. Conner is right, Niel and I are frantically working on getting all the Santa gifts up and displayed so perfectly for Christmas morning. Conner has been throwing out all different comments about Santa this year. "Do you really think Santa can fit down our chimney?" "Reindeer really can't fly!" "It is too cold to live at the North Pole... even for Elves."

As a child, I remember how crushed I was when the poor neighborhood boy told me about Santa. I was only 7 when the thought of magical Christmas was ruined for me. Matthew Griffin was the neighborhood child, yes... I can even remember his name, the place I was standing and everything about that 5 seconds when I realized Santa was my mom and dad. The bad thing about that moment was my little sister Brooke was standing right next to me. Brooke was only 5 at that time and I wonder if she really even understand what the mean, bully neighbor told us. As you might guess, it was a very tragic event for me. I made a vow at that moment that I would never ruin Santa for anyone.... especially my own kids.

Well, I guess there comes a point in time when we all realize that Santa isn't real. Conner is 10, old enough to start his questions. I hadn't thought he would be so public in expressing his thoughts. I just couldn't have him ruin it for his brothers, so I took him in his room to give him the talk.... hoping to not crush his spirit. The talk went well. Conner understood and seemed ok with this new information. I kept saying "Are you all right?" He just smiled and told me he was all right. He even thanked me for being such a great Santa over the years.

This talk I had not wanted to have ended up being a good thing. Conner is now going overboard in making sure his brothers know that Santa is awesome! "WOW! Garrett, you must have been a really good boy this year. Santa brought you just what you wanted!!" I am glad Conner's knowledge of Santa was a pleasant memory for him, or at least I hope it was. Now, I just have to do it 3 more times...smile!

The Spirit of Giving!

2007-12-30T19:15:00.000-08:00

As a mother, I learn things everyday from my kids. It is Christmas time, a season of giving and a lesson learning experience from Stockton. Every year, Grandma J takes the kids shopping for Toys for Tots. The kids have to save up their money. Niel and I will match the amount they have, and Grandma J will match the amount they bring with them shopping. This year, Stockton had an idea of his own.
Grandma picked him up and they headed to the store. Stockton picked a gift for Toys for Tots, but also decided he wanted to get each member in the family a gift from him. For Niel, he picked a back scratcher. For me, he bought a soap scrunchy. Conner got a police officer set. Megan got a small purple pillow to match her room. Garrett got some spinning top toys. Zander got a set of maracas to replace the ones he had accidently broken. Even the dog got a little chew toy. Stockton was so excited about his gifts. He came home and wrapped each one, placing them under the tree for us all be open on Christmas. Stockton was excited about his presents, but he was more excited to see each of us open the ones he had gotten us. It was a true lesson to me of unselfishness, kindness and the true spirit of giving.

My attempt at empathy

2007-12-26T15:10:00.000-08:00

Ever since Zander went to his dad's for Thanksgiving, he has had a fondness for the word sh**. We have tried everything to get him to stop saying it. By now our basic response has been "Go to your room!".

Amy is going to work early in the morning now, so I am usually at home with the boys helping them get ready for school. As I was getting my own clothes on one morning, I heard Zander loud and clear let his little favorite word slip out while yelling at his brothers. I rushed downstairs prepared to yell at him and send him to his room. But somewhere in my mind I heard the words of the book Amy and I have been reading. "Listen to what they have to say, let them pick a solution and be a part of the conversation". So I calmed myself down and approached Zander.

He looked very solemn, probably because he knew what he had done. I asked him to come upstairs and talk to me. We sat on the couch together, and I asked him "What did you do wrong?"..."I said a bad word" was his response. So I proceeded to ask him why it was a bad word, and help him to understand it hurts peoples feelings. I asked him if he thought it would be a good idea to stop saying it and he said "yes, because then I will be more nice". It was one of the best conversations I've had with Zander. He was looking me in the eyes and smiling and seemed to understand. He ended by saying "I will not say that word anymore" and I felt like it was his decision and not me telling him what to do. I sent him off with a hug and was very proud of myself. I thought 'Wow, this empathy stuff really works. ' As I am busy patting myself on he back, I hear Zander merrily go downstairs to play with his brothers. The first words out of his mouth when he got down there? "Give me that gun...SH&*!!!!!". So what did I say? "GO TO YOUR ROOM!"

I want to change my name!

2007-12-26T11:37:00.002-08:00

Garrett has quite the imagination at times. A few days ago, we went and saw a movie, "National Treasure 2." The movie was excellent! There was plenty of action. The boys really seemed to enjoy the movie. Treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates (Cage) looks to discover the truth behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, by uncovering the mystery within the 18 pages missing from assassin John Wilkes Booth's diary. While Ben is presenting new information about John Wilkes Booth and the 18 pages missing from Booth's diary, one man stands up and presents a missing page of John Wilkes Booth's diary. Thomas Gates, Ben's great-grandfather, is mentioned in the page. It shows that Ben's great-grandfather could have been a person involved with Abraham Lincoln's murder. When doing more research, the conspiracy takes Ben, Abigail, and Riley to Buckingham Palace(which they break into). It takes them to a book in the White House(which they break into also)and they even steal a page from the book. But in order to see more from the book, their choice is either get elected president or kidnap the President of the United States. Which do they choose? It's obvious. The conspiracy then crosses to Mount Rushmore and they even mention the JFK conspiracy. Could Ben clear his family's name? Or will his family be known as the descendant of Abraham Licoln's murderer?

Sounds pretty good! Well, Garrett thought so too. A day after we saw the movie, he came to me and said, "Mom, I was thinking about changing my name." With a slight smile on my face and very intrigued by his request, I said " Oh really! What would you like your name to be?" "Um, I don't know. What about Gates." I got a little chuckle from his response. This was the name of the main character in National Treasure. Garrett was very serious though, so I said "Well, I kinda like the name Garrett. But, if you want me to call you Gates, I will. How about I just call you "G" for short? That can be short for Gates." He just smiled and said, "But Mom, you all ready call me G."

I am still calling him "G", but if he asks, I tell him I am calling him G for Gates. What a goof!

Mr. Responsible!

2007-12-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

I found a list of traits for first born children:

First-born Traits

Natural leader - majority of politicians, directors, and spokespersons are first-borns
High achiever - sets goals and reaches them
Picky and precise - pays attention to detail and expects perfection
Organized and competent
Punctual
Likes to be in control and doesn't like surprises
Can be moody and lack sensitivity
Can be intimidating and refuse to take no for an answer
Sometimes they can be a "know-it-all".
Often bossy and feels that they are right
Responsible and tries to keep the rules, will misbehave if rejected
Tries to please others especially adults, may not say "no" or disagree because they don't want to cause problems
Poor at delegating because they want to make sure it's done right

I would have to say, this describes Conner to a tee! I am also the oldest, and fall into many of these categories. But Conner... oh my! He is the most responsible 10 year old I know. A few days ago, the boys were walking home from the bus stop. On their merry walk back to the house, Garrett tripped on a stupid rock in the middle of the sidewalk and skid across the hard, rough cement. He got a nice blow to the head, leaving a nice blue goose egg on his forehead. The bump swelled up right away, and the pain brought Garrett to tears. He wouldn't even walk. Conner, being the best big brother ever, picked up Garrett. With the help of Stockton, they were able to get him home. This was on a Monday, which meant that Karalee, the sitter, would be picking up Zander from Pre-School, so no adult was home. Without even freaking out or panicking, Conner put Garrett on the couch, got some ice in a plastic bag and onto Garrett's protruding wound, and sat with him until he calmed down. After Conner knew Garrett was all right, he got on the phone and called me at work. "Mom, Garrett fell on the sidewalk and has a large goose ache." .... "Put some ice on it and I will be right home" was my response, as I interrupted him with my sudden anxiety. "I all ready did that mom. He is doing all right." I was in complete shock. What a young man. Sure enough, I came home to Garrett laying on the couch, fairly calm and doing all right.

Then... this morning I got a call from him. Conner and Stockton were headed off to school. They give me a call each morning before heading out. I like to make sure they have all they need for the day (here is my oldest child traits coming out). "Mom, you forgot two very important things this morning. You forgot to leave me and Stockton lunch money, and your forgot to write down what chores we were suppose to do today." Opps! I wish I were just a little more organized in my thoughts..haha! But then Conner said, "Don't worry too much. I all ready made me and Stockton some lunch, so we are ready to go." WOW! I could learn a few things from my own son in being so responsible and picking up the slack on things his mother has forgotten to do. I tell you what, he is going to make a fine father someday!

Spending hard earned points

2007-12-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

We have put the kids on a new chore/incentive program. They are able to get many points throughout the day for various things. They get points for simple things like brushing their teeth or using good table manners. They can earn points for doing a kind deed, speaking kind words or helping Zander with his daily routine. Then they get points for doing things like a kitchen chore, daily chore and so on and so forth. Oh, and they can lose points by hitting, maid service (if we have to do their chores), and other behaviors which are not good. At the end of the week, they have to be able to give us points for food and rent, water, garbage and utilities. They can earn more then enough points to pay for room and board, but they have to spend points for anything they want to do. Like having friends over, treats, money, and even eating out.
We went out to Wingers one night for dinner just on a whim. We were all looking at the delicious menu, starting to make some dinner decisions. I explained to the boys, "If something costs $4.00 that would 40 points. If something costs $3.50 that would be 35 points." They got the just of it and began to make their selections. It was interesting to see how they chose to order according to how much they wanted to spend. Conner went from ordering off the adult menu down to the kids menu, explaining the kids portions fill him up enough, plus the drink is included. Stockton was the most interesting one to watch. He had the least points of anyone and has been wanting to save his points to earn money to donate to quarters for Christmas at his school (so thoughtful). He went from ordering a $5.00 meal to $3.50 and was very pleased with himself he had ordered something he really liked, but was more pleased he would be able to donate more quarters to the school charity. Garrett just ordered his usual, Mac and Cheese and I don't think it matter to him how much it cost, Mac and Cheese is always his favorite. Then, because everyone bought their own meals, no one had to share with Zander so he was very happy he got his own meal....haha!!! They all left the restaurant feeling happy with their purchases, whereas if I had just purchased everything, I don't think they would have appreciated dinner as much. As a reward for their great decision making, and my sweet taste buds, dessert was on me!!! It sure was a great night!

We have a new dog

2007-12-07T20:23:00.000-08:00

After the disaster that was Blaze I was completely against getting another dog. The older kids had been really wanting a pet. They talked about everything from a cat to a rat to a lizard. One Saturday Amy took the kids to Petsmart. The Adopt a Dog program was there so they looked at a bunch of dogs. They asked about a smaller dog that would be good for kids and was house trained, and there just happened to be one. I got a call from Megan who started excitedly talking about just the right dog...it was a cocker spaniel and was everything they wanted. They begged and begged and promised to take care of it. We were just about to go on our cruise so I told them after the cruise we could take a look at it...but was very skeptical to say the least.
Flash forward to last weekend. We were out doing our family tradition of picking names and then trying to be sneaky as we run through Target buying presents for each other. We were right across from Petsmart so they convinced me to go over and meet the cocker spaniel. We got there and got the news that the dog had just barely been adopted. The kids were very very sad. So we looked around at some of the other dogs. There were a lot of cute puppies there. But nothing that seemed too interesting. So I was ready to get out of the store...relieved that we were not leaving with a dog in tow.
But then we saw him...buried in a cage in the back...a very sad eyed beagle. He caught my eyes immediately, and we opened the cage I was hooked. I really don't know what it was, but there was something about this dog. I couldn't resist him. We took him out of the kennel to take him for a walk, and he just looked really depressed. He didn't wag his tail at all, and he barely wanted to go for a walk. He's just lay down and look sad. This worried us a little bit but for some reason he just tugged at all of our heart strings. He had been raised in a kennel and had not spent much time out of his cage. We thought about it for a little while, and kept looking at him and talking to him. He would lift his head up when Zander came close and wag his tail maybe two times, then go back to his sad pose. finally we decided to do it...
We picked him up on Wed and brought him home. He still seemed depressed but he explored the entire house, sniffing around and perking up little by little. After the tornado that was Blaze this dog seemed incredibly mellow. He didn't jump or run around, just walked around and liked to be next to people.
Slowly he has got used to our house. There is still not an ounce of hyper in him but the tail wags occasionally now. It's almost like he doesn't want to believe he is in a good situation. He gets excited and happy and then decides he might not want to be happy yet. But he is perking up all the time and is extremely cute. He is well behaved and is learning the house training quickly. Everyone enjoys him, even Zander. I think we made a good choice, and will all have fun with him.

The Kiss

2007-12-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

Ok, so maybe this blog should be called "Zander's Life!" This kid just does the most interesting things. We have to make sure we document them all.

I had taken the day off from work and was spending it with Zander. We decided it would be fun to met Niel at a park for lunch. It was such a beautiful day. I love the Fall weather, not too hot, not too cold. We were enjoying each other's company. After eating, sliding down the slides, and swinging on the swings, it was time for Niel to head back to work and time for us to get back home. Niel walked us to my car and Zander climbed inside. I was following close behind him, just in case he needed some help. Once I realized he was all set in his car seat, I turned to Niel and gave him a good-bye kiss. It was a fairly simple kiss... you know the kind that is maybe a little longer then a peck, but not too long or graphic. He said "Goodbye babe" and then started heading toward his truck. I then turned my attention to Zander to buckle him in and be on our way. When I leaned in towards Zander he looked at me, then made a slurpy, kissy movement with his lips. Then he stuck his tongue out and again made some more kissing movements. Oh my! My eyes about popped out of their eye sockets. I busted out with laughter. I better be careful about what kind of kissing he sees. Now, I can't kiss Niel without this little picture of Zander's kissing lips in my head! haha!!

The Dinosaur

2007-11-17T12:52:00.000-08:00

The toe was finally fully functional...the canker had healed and Zander was back to his normal full of life self. I was at work, when I get a phone call from Amy. We talked for a second and then she said "Zander stuck a dinosaur up his nose". Well that wasn't a surprise, he doesn't have a habit of sticking things up his nose but he is always looking for something new to try, so why not that? I laughed...but then she said "They can't get it out and they are going to the doctor."

We heard a couple of hours later that the dinosaur was out and Zander had a sucker in his mouth and was doing fine. I was anxious to see him that night and hear the whole story. The first thing he said to me was "I broke a dinosaur in my nose". I couldn't help but laugh, and he seemed fine so the whole thing was amusing. It turns out he had put the tail of a plastic dinosaur up his nose, and then it broke off. There was no way they could get it out and it was bleeding pretty badly so they took him to the doctor. The doctor had to have the nurse put Zander in a headlock to hold his head still to pull the piece out. I can completely picture this scene. Zander told me they used "pliers" to pull it out. He was in great spirits and proud to tell his whole story.

Zanders final words of wisdom where..."I will never stick a dinosaur up my nose again."

The Canker

2007-11-09T20:45:00.000-08:00

And the saga continues....

Conner has been one to catch Strep throat at a drop of a hat. He gets it at least once a year. It wasn't a surprise when we got a call from the doctor informing us he had come down with it once again. When this happens, we make great efforts to close him in our bedroom and keep him away from all the healthy ones in the household. Even with Conner tucked away in his temporary bubble, we are still very cautious for anything that might give us the slightest inclination one of the other kids had caught the miserable sickness.

Is wasn't long before Zander started to complain that his mouth was hurting. He would point to his mouth and scream very loudly, "My mouth hurts!!! I need to hold you!!!!" Being the sympathetic parents we are, immediately we pick him up and showered him with attention and pity.... this would be the same thing we did with him when he hurt his toe.
We continued to play the waiting game... waiting for the fever, a reason to rush to the doctor's office, begging for some antibiotics to get him better and attempt to avoid anymore sickness throughout our home. We waited... and waited... and waited. His screaming persisted, but the fever never became present. With confused looks, we tried to figure out what was going on. That night, we gave Zander some ibuprofen in hopes he wouldn't feel the pain of his throat, and go to sleep. Just like with the toe, he would wake up in the middle of the night in crying sobs telling us that his mouth hurt. Yet, when morning came, there still was no fever to be felt. We began to get curious. When he would cry with pain, he never pointed to his throat, it was always to his mouth. He went to Grandma's house with a bag of ibuprofen, some Airbourne, and explanation that we weren't sure what he had, but with the pain he seemed to be in, we were sure it had to be something serious. We asked her to watch him throughout the day and call if anything serious happened.
Well.... Grandma figured out what the problem was. It wasn't his throat, it was a tiny little canker sore on the bottom of his lower lip. Leave it to Grandma to figure out such a simple problem... and a simple solution. She went to the store to purchase him some Anbesol. It was a quick way to stop the pain. He seemed content. It was funny though, because he would continue to use his canker pain as a way to get some attention. What can I say, he is a smart kid. The screaming quickly ended when he realized his canker issues weren't going to get him much attention. He was back to his usual self before the week was over. The house was happy once again!!! Well, that is until the dinosaur incident....

The toe...

2007-11-09T12:43:00.000-08:00

It seems that we write about Zander a lot, but the kid is an endless source of entertainment.
On the night of our halloween party Zander was dressed in his lion costume happily running around outside in anticipation of greeting the guests. Suddenly we heard a scream from Zander that was beyond his normal "Garrett is torturing me" scream. Pretty soon Grandma came in holding Zander and we could tell he was really hurt. He couldn't describe what had happened, only that his toe really hurt. It took him a while to calm down but he finally did, and he really tried to enjoy the evening. But every where he went he would limp around. We knew he was hurting, but it was hart not too laugh at the little lion limping around the house. Sometimes he would get half way to where he was going, stop, and say 'I need you to hold you" (his way of saying...please pick me up), and when he would get picked up he would say 'Thank you', in his most sincere voice.

We thought a good nights sleep would cure the problem, and it probably would have...but he did not sleep well. He would wake up screaming about his toe every 20 minutes. We could not figure out what was wrong, it didn't swell up or look black and blue, but it was definitely hurting him. We even thought about taking him to the hospital, but weren't sure what they would do. How do you put a cast on a toe? Amy ran to WalMart at 2:00 AM to get some child's Ibuprofen, and I sat there with Zander laying on my chest. Every 4-5 breaths he would sob and take a deep breath, but he slept somewhat peacefully. Finally, after getting a nice dose of Ibuprofen, he slept for a few hours. We were sure in the morning he would still be in great pain, but he woke up and barely remembered he had a hurt toe. Well, at least he forgot until he didn't want to walk anymore, then he would stop...and scream 'My toe hurts...I want to hold you"

Stay tuned for the stories of the canker sore and the dinosaur. You won't want to miss them.

The Cupcakes

2007-10-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

It was late Sunday night. We were all whinding down from a long, exciting weekend. I had gotten Zander and Garrett all scrubbed up, and out of the bath tub. I thought I would let the kids have a little creative moment. We had made cupcakes for a Halloween party we had Saturday. There was some extra cupcakes, decoration candies and frosting left. Stockton had been dying to make his own cupcake creation, so I figured I would be a good mom and let them go for it. Stockton, Garrett and Zander each made their own little cupcake masterpiece. They were very proud of themselves and began eating them. I turned my attention the the much needed pantry which required some organization. I was busy at work before I realized I didn't hear any children chatter. I peaked my head out of the pantry only to find the boys missing. I listened for a moment and heard some roars of laughter coming from the bathroom. When I looked down the hall, I could see the bathroom door was closed.... I knew that meant trouble. I hurried down the hall and opened the bathroom door. The laughter stopped abruptly and I gasped. They had taken their cupcakes and smashed them into each others faces!! I wish I could say I thought it was funny, but there was green, white and orange frosting all over their freshly washed faces. Had I not know what Zander was wearing, I probably wouldn't have been able to identify him as my son. He had chocolate cupcake smeared all over his tiny little face and all down his pajamas. He looked at me, held up his hands, and said "Stockton did it!" With that, I looked at Stockton. He knew he was guilty as his face was also covered in the cupcake mess. I looked at him and said, "What are you thinking?" Stockton looked at me and said, "It was Garrett's idea!" By this time, Garrett was washing his face, trying to get rid of all the chocolate evidence. They were busted and Mom was mad.
I wish I could say that I handled the situation well, but I didn't. I bonked each of them on the head, washed them up and sent them to bed early. They were all so sad. Later, after I had cleaned the pantry and given myself some time to think about it, I realized I probably could have handled the situation better. The kids were having so much fun, they were happy and stopped their good time.... next time, we will have to just go in the backyard and have a cake smashing, pie throwing moment. That really would be a ton of fun!

Empathy

2007-10-23T20:21:00.001-07:00

Ok, so we have been reading a book about raising resilient kids. The chapter we are currently on talks about having empathy for our kids and the feelings they have. It talked about how often we think we have empathy for how our kids feel...right up until they don't do what we want them to do. Then we just want to make them do what we choose and we don't care about why they feel the way they do.

The example in the book was about a child who would not go to bed...he would throw a fit every time it was brought up. (I'm sure that never happens at our house...everyone sleeps like angels). The parents reaction was to punish the child and force him to go to bed, but the situation didn't get any better. Finally, when they dug into the issue and tried to understand it from his point of view, they learned he was having nightmares. The dreams frightened him so badly he was scared to sleep. When the parents approached the problem from the childs point of view they were able to understand what was causing the problem...and then the parents could effectively solve the problem by reading a bedtime story and putting a night light in the room.

So all fo this to say, I think I realized that I am not as empathetic as I should be. Why is Stockton so slow? I don't know, but I really doubt he is doing it just to make us all late to church. Maybe in his eyes he just wants to enjoy here and now and thinks life is so great he is always getting distracted by it. I can at least try to understand it, and realize that his views are important and do matter.

Why does Garrett tease Zander all the time? Why does Conner talk and talk and talk and talk? Why is Megan not eager to go outside herself to meet new people? I really don't know the answers to these questions, but Amy and I are trying to make a real effort to understand the fears and joys and struggles of our kids before immediately punishing their behavior. Easier said than done, but we'll see how it goes.

Last thought...Zander has to have control of everything. We can't even pick the spoon he uses to eat his morning cereal. He has to pick his seat when riding in the truck. Sometimes this stubbornness is very frustrating, especially when we are in a hurry and we want him to just do something without asking. But looking at the situation from his eyes...maybe he feels in control of nothing. His life mostly revolves around his brothers and sister...he goes to their games, he waits while they do homework, he gets bullied off the trampoline. So for him, maybe he just needs to feel in control of a few things. And what is wrong with letting him? If he wants to pick a special spoon for breakfast...why can't he? If he wants to wear sandals to go to dinner on a snowy day...we can use all of our persuasive powers to convince him his feet will be cold...but what better lesson than letting him make his own decision, and then seeing what the consequences are.

Our goal is to be more empathetic. If any one out there has a clue how to do that better, share your great knowledge. In the mean time, I will be putting my self in Stockton's shoes and trying to figure out why he thinks putting his name on his homework is a waste of time.

The Fish

2007-10-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

Stockton has been working hard on being responsible. For a reward, and for something else to show how responsible he can be, we got him a fish. Stockton was beyond excited! He had something to call his own and to display his ability to care for something. He adored the little fish and continually fed it, cared for it.... he even talked to it every morning. He had the fish for about 1 week and it came time to clean it's bowl. He did everything so carefully, and was proud of his accomplishments as a fish owner. He put the fish in it's proper place and headed off to school. Little curious Zander decided that a fish shouldn't be kept in a fish bowl, actually, we aren't sure what he thought, but he decided to give the fish some freedom. He took the bowl up to the kitchen sink, and poured the entire bowl down the drain, fish included. Ops!
Stockton was quit disappointed, but not angry.... isn't that just like Stockton? He patiently waited for Mom to purchase a new fish for him to care for. A new fish was purchased and Stockton was overjoyed. He decided to keep the fish safe in his room, away from curious little fingers. Stockton got the bowl all ready, tucked the fish into bed for the night and went to sleep dreaming happy fish dreams. The next morning, mom came in to wake him to to get him ready for school. The room was still dark as she woke him up. She then headed to the bowl to see how the little fishy was doing. But to her surprise, she couldn't see the fish any where in the bowl. "Stocks, I don't see the fish?" Stockton hopped out of bed and peered into the empty water. He then turned on his bedroom light and again looked into the empty bowl. Sure enough, there was no fish.... plenty of fresh clean water, but no fish swimming happily about. They looked to the ground, wouldn't you know it, the fish was laying on the floor.... all dried up and motionless. Stockton looked down and saw the fish. He just stared at it for a while and said, "I didn't even get a chance to feed it once. Silly fish, I guess he took a big jump.... his last jump!"

The Jesus Song

2007-10-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

Our 3 year old Zander (known on alternate days as either The Holy Terror or The Great Joy) loves music. He sings and dances and attempts to play the piano. Like pretty much everything he does, his singing is always at the top of his lungs. His favorite songs have included Eye of the Tiger, Sweet Caroline and Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire. His grandpa is very talented musically, so he must have received some of the genes. It's one of Zanders most endearing qualities, and it is one I should remember when he is pounding on his bedroom door screaming "Let me out!"

Anyway, on Sunday apparently he got tired of singing the same old songs and decided it was time to write his own. He hopped up on the piano bench and began playing (pounding). After a few chords he would scream out "Jesus!" and then start pounding on the piano again...followed by "Jesus!" and a few more beautiful notes...then, you guessed it, "Jesus!". This went on for about 5 minutes. We both laughed and tried to videotape his wonderful song, however as is characteristic, as soon as the camera was on...he didn't want to play along anymore.