One Determined Boy

About a week or so ago, we put the kids to bed and Matty was messing around wiggling a loose tooth.  I told him to stop wiggling it and go to sleep.  That particular tooth had only been loose a couple days and I knew if probably wasn't ready to fall out yet. 

Dan and I went downstairs and discussed in great detail what we would get everyone for Christmas (we're trying to actually get it done early for once) and what things we'd strongly encourage Santa to bring them.  Around 10:30, Dan looks up from the table and goes, "Matty!" I turn around and there's my son with a pale ghost face.  I thought "OH CRAP!  HE HEARD US!"  I quickly asked him what he was doing up.  He lifted up the small tooth in his hand.  I said, "You've been up this whole time to get that tooth out?!"  He nodded and BURST into tears.  Oh no worries, not because of any conversation Dan and I were having but merely because he was so tired!!  He said the tooth just wouldn't stop bugging him so he had spent 2.5 hours lying exhausted in bed, wanting to sleep, but couldn't because of that stupid tooth.  Dan and I probably shouldn't have but we laughed so hard!!  Of course I wish he had just gone to sleep when I told him too, but it was all still funny to us.  We made him take a picture next to a clock before sending him back up to bed with an envelope for his tooth. 

 

Poor kid.  He feel asleep in about 2 minutes flat after that. 

How Do You Choose?

Really, how am I supposed to choose from hundreds of pictures of my kids playing in the leaves???

 (And if you're not new to my blog, you know that number is not an exaggeration. That is if anyone is still reading this thing.  I think I get 3 people who semi-regularly comment so it's hard to tell.)

Cut down to a measly 32.

The kids had a great time as always during our annual "go rake up and jump in the leaves at a local park instead of re-raking the leaves in our own yard 20 billion times" outing.   Mom and Dad did NOT have a such a good time this year.  The kids were above average levels of wild and very close to seriously injuring each other several times because they wouldn't listen.  We may have told them we won't do this again next year because of their behavior.  We'll see if we remember that next year or not.  At least the pictures are cute.

Random Goodness

It seems like just yesterday Alice had no hair.  

How quickly time passes.

You are NEVER too young to accessorize!

(Especially if you have big sisters who make you.)

Twins can be born years apart.

Sometimes Mom's gotta have her fun.

 If your child asks you to come see what they drew,

always go look.

If you use an awesome fertilizer but don't mow your small lawn for a month,

you may regret it. 

Sometimes there are no words.

 Even though she's a baby, she can still be too big for your lap.

 Weirdos live here.

(Totally fell asleep like this.)

 

It's confirmed. Time passes too quickly. 

Halloween 2013

Oh my gosh!  I've made it to the Halloween post!  HURRAY!!  That means I'm nearly caught up!

Halloween Morning the kids had a costume parade at school.  Like Jossy's photo?  Yeah, that's what happens when Mom forgets that her camera was set on manual mode for studio shots.  :(

 So when she got home we took a good one.

What's Lacey's costume above you ask?  Why that would be frustrating 2-year-old who refused to get out of pj's for the morning parade but still wants her picture taken. 

Alice got to be a pea pod, the same costume everyone else has worn for their first Halloween. The purple ribbon was so that people would know she was a GIRL pea pod.  Didn't always work.  

After Matty got home from school, we rushed off to Dan's work to trick-or-treat around his office.  The kids had a good time getting attention.  Notice some costume changes here?  It seems my kids have what I'm calling a costume schizophrenia disorder.  They can't pick just one.  Jossy is in an Ariel dress and Lacey at this point had decided to be a ballerina, which is different from the fairy costume she wore for the ward trunk-or-treat. 

 "Oh wait, Mom!  Were ready to go trick-or-treating for real?!  I must go change my costume again!"  Matty is now Darth Vader (guarding his pea pod it seems,) Jossy is back to a butterfly, and Lacey is now in the Ariel dress Jossy was just wearing.  Whatever, kids.

 

 

 After just 2 streets, we were cold and feeling done.  With 4 kids that was not a fast job.  Alice was very thankful to get out of her pea suit. 

It took Lacey about 1 minute to break into her candy and eat it as fast as she could unwrap.  

And it took about 2 minutes for Matty "the organizer" to start sorting his out. 

 Hmm.  I guess Mario forgot to shave the 'stache before becoming Vader. 

A few days later the kids picked out their favorite 25 pieces and traded the rest for prizes. 

And finally, if Darth Vader had a little sister, I'm pretty sure this is what she'd do with his mask.

 

4 Kids and Some Knives. No Biggie.

There were smiles.

There was scooping.  

There was focus.   

 

There were casualties. 

 There was cuteness.

There were 4 finished little pumpkins. 

Sweet Alice

When Matty was a baby I had his pictures taken at 2 months, 4 months, 8, and then 12.  I realize 3, 6, 9, and 12 would make more sense.  Oh well.  The pattern's set and now that's just what I do.  So here's Alice's 4 month ones.

This is how you know a baby is done with pictures.  It's usually one step before this face.  Mom was pushing it.

And of course what happens if I take someone else's picture???  A persistent "Picture me, Mom!  Picture me, Mom!" seems to interfere, pushing her little sister away.  (And once again, who has time for clothes???  Not this girl!)

Now if sister C has her picture taken, and sister B has her picture taken . . . well, you can probably guess what sister A said.

 These of Jossy led me to tell Dan that he may be getting his shotgun he wants someday after all, perhaps around someone's 16th birthday.