Problem Solved

For the past few months we've had a homework problem at our house.

The boys would get out their books, do a few math problems, and then realize they needed a ruler so they'd get up and leave the table...

...and get distracted along the way.

Ten minutes later, I'd round them up, they'd start doing their homework again, and then they'd need a blue crayon, or a pair of scissors.

...And then they would need to sharpen their pencil. Or they'd use up their eraser and go searching for another one.

Every time they would leave the table, they'd get distracted along the way and end up wasting time. Homework was taking FOR.EV.ER.

So, for Christmas, I made these "homework buckets". I sewed "double decker" crayon rolls, and wrapped them around empty quart sized paint cans (purchased new at the hardware store for around $1). Then I filled each can with a pair of scissors, a ruler, a giant eraser, a compass, a glue stick, two mechanical pencils, extra lead, and a new set of 24 crayons for the outside pockets.

I purposely color-coded each child's bucket and supplies, so that if I see a ruler or pencil lying around on my kitchen counter, I know who left it there :o)

So far, it has worked great. The boys take their bucket to the table and have everything they need--so their bum's can stay glued to their seat 'til their homework is finished!

After three weeks of use, I'm calling this new "system" a raging success. Now if I could figure out how to get them to actually TURN THEIR HOMEWORK IN, we'd really be on to something.

5 months!

Just look at those cute little piggies!  Oh, how I love fat little baby feet...even on my dinner table.

At five months, Justin:

-loves playing with his toys
-can roll over from tummy to back, and back to tummy
-tries to taste anything he can get his hands on
-eats a few spoonfuls of rice cereal before bed
-wakes up happy in the morning and always gives us a big smile
-screams if he's tired (if you wrap him like a burrito, with his pacifier and his "flying bears" mobile going, he'll go right to sleep)
-wears 3-6 mos. clothes (some 6-9 mos.)
-loves attention from his brothers
-is the center of our little universe!

A big thanks to the person who bought us our new high chair.  It is a Fisher Price SpaceSaver, and we already like it better than any other high chair we've had.

(The high chair donor wishes to remain anonymous as he/she thinks the one we picked is super ugly)

Wouldn't YOU choose this high chair if YOU had "Brady Bunch orange" countertops??

 And besides, just look at that cute piping...

Throughout December, amidst the "Christmas crazy" I kept telling myself that as soon as Christmas was over, and the kids were back in school, things would calm down.

I was wrong.

I had a "date" with my calendar yesterday, and between basketball, scouts, piano, Dr. and dentist appts, and RS we have something (or 2 or 3 somethings) on every weekday night 'til March.

Since we have Kindergarten splitting up our days this year, I have I mean get to do my bi-weekly Walmart run on the weekends...with four kids in tow.

Sigh.

I guess this is my new normal.  I've become "Taxi Mom".

Thankfully, my "taxi" is equipped with a DVD player and bum-warmers in the seats.  I have no room to complain!

Every day I am in awe of the mother's who have 6 or 8 kids.  I don't know how they keep track of everything from schedules, to homework, to chores.

If anyone has any great crock-pot recipe's, or 10 minute dinner idea's I'd love to hear them.

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Speaking of calendars, I have to include this story about Caleb, our resident "hoarder":

Before Christmas, Todd had the boys do a deep clean of their room. He told Caleb to throw away his calendar because there was only one week left in the year, and we had already acquired a free 2011 calendar for him to use.

Caleb resisted, and exclaimed, "But Dad! We can re-use this calendar in seven years.  I want to keep it!"

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Instinct

Today I was pondering what a miracle it is that babies are born knowing how to suck and instinctively search for their food, when I remembered a poem from my 5th grade English textbook.  I liked it so much I memorized it, and it came back to me as if I'd read it yesterday.

(I had a pretty good memory before I delivered a portion of my brain with each baby...)

There were two skunks

Named Out and In.

When In was out,

Out was in.

One day their mother,

Who was in with Out,

Wanted In in.

"Bring In in," 

She said to Out.

So Out went Out

And brought In in.

"How did you find him so quickly," she asked?

"Instinct, he said."

~Author Unknown

Our Chapel

Our family has the opportunity to clean our church's chapel this month. While we were there, I took a few pictures because it is such a neat building...more like a tabernacle, really.  There is no air conditioning, so we try to avoid siting in the balcony in the summer.  And yes, I have seen kids throw toys "overboard" in the middle of sacrament meeting.

View of the podium and choir seats from the balcony

View of the balcony from the choir seats

View of the hand-painted ceiling. (The RS sisters painted the gold design!)

The pillars are beautiful.

New Year Bliss

Todd started his New Year with Nacho's Supreme...

And a football game on our new projector. He was literally jumping up and down when he realized that he would actually be able to see the ball!  (we do need to get a shade for the window, though...)

 I spent the day working on my new blog, while the kids entertained themselves.

When I went upstairs, I found this:

It made me smile.

New Year's Eve

We have never celebrated New Year's Eve with our kids before.  For some reason, this year I had a bug up my butt bee in my bonnet, and pulled together a last minute fondue party.

We had chocolate sauce, cheese sauce, and cilantro lime dressing.  Dippers included rolls, chicken taquitos, broccoli, cucumbers, olives, pretzels, pineapple, clementine orange slices, honeydew, marshmallows, and PB rice krispie treats.

It ended up being a lot of fun, and the kids have called it their new favorite meal...even the broccoli in chocolate sauce.

After dinner the boys played our new Monopoly City game (thanks Larry and Wendi!) complete with a bubble wrap collar (?) for Dillon's popping enjoyment.

At exactly midnight, our small town fire siren went off.  Everyone thought it was because of the new year, but there was actually a chimney fire at the home of one of Todd's home teaching families!  Luckily no one was hurt and the damage was minimal.