Entertainment

These kiddos provide a lot of entertainment.

Here are just a few gems from the last few weeks.

Ava has been talking about her big brother Ben for a little while. She often expresses her dislike of being the oldest and having the most responsibility. The only time she recognized that being the oldest was a good thing, was when Ambria (my great niece) pointed out to her that she will be the first to get a cell phone. Well, Ava decided to create Ben herself and she was really happy to show him off. She made sure he was taller because that signifies (to her) that he is older.

Dress-ups are a constant around here. Today we got the pleasure of having Meredia and Rapunzel in our home.  I didn't think i was every going to get Claire to take off the wig!

We are starting em' young around here. 

Tyson gave Talmage a ski magazine in hopes of starting the brain washing early.

Talmage was captivated...(by the crinkling paper).

The girls love seeing this sight every morning.  They always say we need to rescue the jail bird!

Claire has really matured and often enlightens me with all sorts of 3 year old deep thoughts.

One day last week she was very excited when she noticed that her monkey water bottle was folding his arms "just like Jesus tells us to do". I love how observant she is (except when it is directed at me and any blemish I might have). I hope I can teach her to use that Power of Observation to look for opportunities to serve and help people.

Love my little crew!!

Funny Girl

 Look at the cheeky girl!

After writing yesterday about my funny conversation with Ava, I started thinking about other funny things she has said and there was one in particular that I wanted to document.

When Ava was two and a half she was too smart for her own good and could be a little obstinate at times.  She was also quite the candy junky. One morning she asked for some candy first thing and I told her "No, but you can have some breakfast." She proceeded to get very angry and argue that she didn't like breakfast. I again insisted that she did like breakfast and she got a very mean look at went to take a swing at my legs. I moved and avoided the blow and looked at her sternly and said, "Don't you hit mommy." She didn't even skip a beat. Her quick response was,

"I was just trying to give you a high five."

Tyson and I looked at each other in shock and then broke out in laughter. We couldn't even keep a straight face to discipline her. She just got a smirk on her face like she knew she had outsmarted us. Over the years, we have had many moments like this with Ava.  We giggle because it always brings back this memory.

She should be a lawyer when she grows up because she is quick at the verbal draw and she can bend the truth a little.

A Mother in Training

Sometimes I get a glimpse of the mother I am, the good and the bad.

This was my conversation with my 6 year old this morning.

A: Mom, I am learning everything that I need to know about being a mom from you.

M: Really. What are you learning?

A: Like that you say no to treats before breakfast. You say no to treats before lunch and you say no to treats before dinner. And you sometimes say no to getting a gum from those machines at the store.

M: That is nice. Do I say no a lot?

A: Well I said you sometimes say no to the gum balls.

M: What do I say yes to?

{Long pause of silence while she contemplated and scratched her head with a grin}

A: Well you also tell Talmage what a cute baby he is.

Thanks for throwing me a bone Ava! I guess she had to change the subject since she couldn't think of anything that I say "yes" to. Let me also remind you that on my Mother's Day questionnaire that she did at church she answered the question "What do you hear your mother say the most" she answered, 

"No Ava, don't do that."  Should I have a complex? Am I constantly a party pooper? Well I guess when she asks me tomorrow for candy before breakfast, I need to leave the "no" out and say something like "Well you CAN have some cereal." On a redeeming note: she does tell me constantly that she loves that I am a nurse and I know just what to do when she is hurt. I score at least one point for that!

Picture Fiasco {6 Months and Easter}

Sometimes I feel like we are a 3 ringed circus. I read a funny little cartoon the other day with a mother looking strung out and the caption read, "I am being ruled by a little army that I created myself". Well this describes my feelings sometimes (all too often). Especially when we have something specific to do or somewhere to go. I often feel like I need a 3 day nap after such outings. 

This picture taking session was no exception.

Talmage needed 6 months pictures taken (especially because I didn't do 3 month...mom fail). At the last moment I decided to bring the girls along in their Easter outfits to get a few shots. I love how the pictures turned out but the process was torture.

It was a long drive and I think the kiddos were overly hungry by the time we got there. I tried to plan ahead and bring snacks but our appointment time was a little inconvenient. Talmage now has some stranger danger and wouldn't smile to save his life.  I thought we were going to be lucky to get one non-crying shot, but the camera girl must have been quick at the draw. Ava was a little unruly and talking 90 miles minute to whoever would listen and Claire's voice was squealing/whining/shrieking at it's highest octave. I really thought my brain was going to burst and poor Talmage looked like he was in the middle of a bomb raid. In the end, I am happy with the pictures we got and I love the kiddos in them so much that I can block out the chaos of the day. But I think I will wait and schedule the next photo shoot on a Saturday when dad can join the circus.

Six Months Old!

 His teary eyes and pouty lip are the best! I think he has the Bubba lip from Forest Gump in the second picture. I want to start listing off different types of shrimp when I see it (haha).

The picture below I have entitled "The Man Pose".

 Ready, Set....

 Go!

And Going!!

 And here are the two closest things we got to a smile!

Love that little face anyway.

A few Shots of the Girls and the Gang!

Face Juggle

Ava has been sick this week and we are going stir crazy being home all day. 

I finally added a few new apps to my phone that could offer some new 

entertainment for us.  One is an app I saw a friend had used call face juggler.

We had so much fun swapping faces on pictures of us.

Claire was a little wierded out by it at first and kept saying to put her face back,

but after awhile she found it funny and we all giggled. 

It worked especially well on pictures of baby Talmage and baby Reese

because their face and heads are the same size.

Here are a few of the pictures along with originals.

(P.S. When I showed my mom, she couldn't sometimes tell things had been changed...Oh Renae!)