The most bad awful no good day

The only good thing about it was that I had something to write my sister on a mission about. The boys didn't have school today, so naturally they woke up at the crack of dawn. They immediately demanded breakfast. Did I mention that we had no food? I scrounged something up, and we got ready and took Lily to her 15 month check up. No major problems with the boys, and it was a quick visit. THEN, I stopped to get some food. In a small grocery store. Mostly empty, save a few unsuspecting elderly people. And so QUIET. I put Lily in the cart, and let the boys walk. Ashton immediately stated touching everything, and would not stop, despite repeatedly being told to stop, so I put him in the cart. A few feet further, and they started making a great racket. Chanting, and laughing loudly. Very embarrassing. Then, Gilbert stood on a rack full of bread. Somehow, it didn't get smashed. Put Gilbert in the cart. The howling, chanting, laughing and screaming intensified, with Lily occasionally adding shrieks. I took them out so that I could unload the groceries onto the conveyor belt. Gilbert started grabbing items from the checkout lane and BITING them. I had to buy a candy bar I didn't want. Put him back in the cart. Meanwhile, Ashton is crawling around under the area where people are supposed to bag their groceries. Finally, I managed to get out of that store. At home, Gilbert decided to pee in a toy cup, sit on his sister, and generally run amok. Ashton encouraged him the whole time, and continued to disregard every instruction given. Also, sometimes, when Gilbert is feeling naughty, he poops in his pull up. He wears them at night, and during naps, in case he has accidents while he sleeps. If he is awake, he is supposed to use the potty. He knows this. He refused to use the bathroom when he woke up, and then, he pooped in his pull up. I put him down for a nap. Finally a break, NOT. "Mommy, I poop in my pull up (big grin and laughter)." GRRRR. Really glad this day is over. Good thing I love them.

Lots o stuff

I never remember how this thing uploads, so we are starting in Feb, and working our way back to Dec. Clint, Kirsten, and I went to New York city. Well, at first it was got to, and then we got stuck. For five days. When we originally planned four. Snow. I've always hated it. I wasn't mentally prepared to leave my kids for 9 days, but we had fun, and everything worked our okay. We are so grateful to our easy going friends, who let us stay 5 extra days and nights, and to my Mom and Dad, who watched our children for nine days! This is me and Leah, we stayed with her and her husband.

Kirsten and I at a Mavs game (in Dallas). I'm so glad she got to visit! Even though our travel plans didn't quite work out, we still had lots of fun.

The best thing about NYC: The food. The yummiest dumplings ever in Chinatown.

We saw Phantom of the Opera and Mary Poppins on Broadway.

We saw the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry.

Riding the subway. I could really do without that. I find them noisy, scary, dirty, and smelly.

Me and Clint at a bakery. It was great to spend time together without the kids.

A really delicious dessert from a yummy bakery. I miss New York food so much. I love food....

Me at the John Lennon memorial in Central Park
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Times Square

Resting in Bryant Park. We walked over 100 blocks that day. Whew.

Kirsten, Leah, and I at a yummy ice cream place in Brooklyn.

This is a bridge. The Brooklyn one, I believe.

I had a great birthday! Clint got me a cake, and some amazing presents. A new ipod (which he even managed to surprise me with), and a purple pocket knife.



Birthday Girl. Cake is very serious business. We have so many late winter and spring birthdays, she has heard "Happy Birthday" a lot, and like to sing it. She will almost always stop crying and smile if you sing it to her.



This is what I get for A) trying to straightening my hair, and B) Having yummy marzipan in the fridge. Gilbert helped by opening the fridge



We had some lovely Danish visitors, and they were here for Christmas, New Years, Lily's Birthday, AND my birthday. We had tons of fun talking, eating, shopping, seeing movies, and just hanging out. We were so glad to see Morten and Alaina, and wish they lived closer. On a side note, the spell check is fine with Morten, but doesn't like Alaina. Go figure.

Lily getting in on the action.

Christmas morning.

Christmas! The kids got too many toys, even though we vowed we'd only get a few things. All three of them love the kitchen. Lily brings me play food, and makes eating noises in order to prompt me to make them.



Gilbert was a donkey in his school Christmas play. It was super cute. He just stood there, very somber, without singing or dancing. But he didn't cry. We also had Thanksgiving With Clint's brother Coleman and his family. We had a great time, and I managed not to get any pictures. Rachel and I had a great day shopping, and the kids had a blast playing together. It's great that they only live ten hours away!

Halloween

Ashton and our pumpkin "Mad Bruce." I told them a story about him, and how he was angry that no one was picking him at the pumpkin patch. Ashton was very anxious that he have a mad face. This is the child who wanted "sad face pancakes" rather than the normal happy face ones at Ihop. The server even made tears with chocolate chips.

It was hard to get them to hold still.

The boys at the church Halloween party. We do have another child, however we have no pictures of her cute fairy princess costume. I was partially in charge of the activity, and Clint was in charge of taking pictures. We see how that went. Ashton is Anakin Skywalker.

Gilbert the puppy. He finally got the hang of it the next night when we went trick or treating to a couple of neighborhood houses. "Twick or tweat." "I doggie." "Tank you."

Finally

I know I've been promising to post pictures of the house forever, but it never looks how I want it to. Well, I had a baby shower here, so it finally looked nice. Here is the entry\living\dining area. That's all you get to see.

Autumn

Our latest family picture. We're all mostly looking.

Pretty princess with a Faux hawk. Camille was most put out when I sent this picture to her, because she says faux hawks are for boys, but I think she looks pretty cute.

She imitates me when I wrinkle my nose at her, and I finally got it on camera.

Girls night out for Breanna's birthday. We went to Gloria's and ate dinner, and then watched other people (and Maggie and Breanna) dance. It was really fun!!!

My little terrors.

More girls night out.

She crawled up there to commune with the animals on that book. She LOVES animals. She makes a cute WOO WOO noise and gets huge eyes when she sees a live one.


The boys riding the old fashioned merry go round at the pumpkin patch. They both liked it. I was sure Gilbert would be scared, but he wasn't.

In front of a scary carved tree at the pumpkin patch.

Pumpkin patch jail.

Waiting for the hayride. After our turn it got stuck in the mud.

The pumpkins at the arboretum.

Watching "Handy Manny's Motorcycle Adventure" with popcorn and blankets.

Ain't she purty?

These are some pictures that Camille took of Lily, before she left me broken-hearted.

Ashton's first day of school, and other stuff

Ashton in the hallway on his first day of school. He was really excited. There were so many kids! I'm used to his little preschool. Okay, I wasn't paying attention, and this whole post is in backwards chronological order. Sorry.

All ready to go to school!

Gilbert wanted to be in all the pictures!

Ashton gettin' some love from Pirate. We just found out she has heart worms. After an expensive treatment, she has to live in the house in a cage for a month. So fun! But hopefully after that she will be better. The kids and Clint (not me) sure love her.

My boys with the demon dog. Isn't weird how her eyes went crazy?

We went to the park for a last playgroup with the school bound kids. It'll be much harder to get everyone together now :-(

Snacktime!

Ashton riding the dino

Playgroup friends!

Me, and Rosemary, and Breanna with our babies. I got to know Rosemary when she was my Doula for Gilbert's birth. She is an awesome Doula and an awesome friend!

Me and my good friend and neighbor (not accidental neighbor, she and I totally scoped out houses close to hers when we were looking for a house) Breanna with our babies.

Hayden and Gilbert playing in the car at the park.

Ashton and his uncles playing Mario Kart on the Wii.

Ashton got a blue batman face painting at the rodeo. Yes, it was just as bad as I thought it would be, but Ashton and Clint liked it. At least we didn't pay for the tickets. It was fun to take Ashton out all by himself.

Ashton getting his face painted at the rodeo.

Me and Leah, a good friend I haven't seen forever. We got together for a few hours when she and her husband were in town. Now Clint and I have an excuse to visit NYC!


Camille got set apart at my house, because the only time the whole family could get together was at nine at night when my kids were asleep. I made sure to clean the living room, kitchen and bathroom, because that's what you could see, but neglected the bedrooms. So the Stake President came over and asked if there was someplace private where they could have their last interview. Yeah, they had their interview outside. Totally embarrassing. But my room, the only one not occupied by people there for Camille's blessing or sleeping children, was a bit of a disaster. Oh well.

The missionary herself.

I love this. It is from Camille's mission farewell. It looks like Lily has a propeller on her head. In other Lily news, she scoots quite well now. She eats three solid food meals a day, and REALLY wants to have some of whatever we are eating. Still no teeth. She has more and personality, generally in the form of screaming so that we know when something displeases her. Often, in case you were wondering. She is playing on the floor more now, as long as Gilbert doesn't touch her. She also sleeps through the night (6:30 pm to 6am or so).