Best Spring Break Yet

The Buick rides again. The latest road trip went by without a hitch. Buffalo to Miami and then back again 7 days later. 270, 000 miles and still running beautifully!

I was grateful for every single one of the 47 hours we spent on vacation just in the Buick. For the first 20 hours I never stopped talking once. All of the stuff I had saved up over the last 3 years since our last vacation without kids (Paris and Hamburg Germany in May '06)

It was an amazing experience from beginning to end. I can't believe we actually were able to pull it off. We booked the cruise Wednesday and left Friday morning.

What I did from Wednesday to Friday:
Find babysitters, write instruction manuals, leave reminder notes all over the house, organize every nook and cranny of my house, refinished three dressers, finished dry walling and painting our bedroom, major clean up of my basement, moved furniture from one room to another (by myself), planned a menu and shopped. Basically a lot of OCD stuff that had nothing to do with taking a cruise but important in my opinion when you are asking someone to live in your house and do your job for a week. I crammed everything in two days that I have wanted to get to for the last two months!

It never would have happened without Taylor, Laney, and Henry. These are the ones that we will forever be indebted to.

They were the best. A very clean house to greet me and 5 well cared for children.

But just ask the kids.
Every five minutes they have something new that they just remembered their other mother did for them. Like just this morning as they left me for the bus. "Laney came out to the bus stop with us EVERY morning"

Or

"Laney cooked breakfast for us almost every morning. She made us biscuits and gravy."

"Laney crimped our hair"

"Laney took us to Wegman's and let us pick out whatever we wanted for dinner"

"Laney took us to Target and let us choose stuff to wear for St. Pat's Day and got us Peeps to hand out to all our friends!"

"Laney took us for a walk after church"

"Laney took us to the corner store for ice cream"

"Laney took us to Wendy's and said we could GET WHATEVER WE WANTED!"

Oh don't forget about Br. Hawes.

"Taylor painted our fingernails."

Caroline and Marcus loved Taylor. Marcus called him Daddy when he saw him at church yesterday.

So anyway basically the kids loved them, and we love them forever for putting up with all they did and doing it with such flare. I think their poor little Henry suffered the worst of all.

We have heard several stories since we've come home that really make us laugh/feel horrible about. Marcus woke up one morning at 4:30. Camille woke up one night because the blankets on the bed she shares with Caroline were not quite right. She had the light on and Caroline screaming when Laney came in to settle things down.

Taylor may have had it the worst though. On day one, our key less remote for the van we left at his house malfunctioned and he couldn't get the Durn thing opened. We didn't leave him with an actual key. Not sure how he ever worked that little conundrum out. That happened on the way to get some air in the flat tire on the minivan we left for him.

And he was left alone most of the first two days with two baby boys plus Caroline while Laney was off at the Gap. He once called Laney and said, "Come home now!" He had Marcus, Henry and Caroline in the bath. Marcus screams non stop during all his baths and tries to climb out. Henry decided to join him in the screaming "I hate the bath" tirade and I don't know how you take care of two screaming slippery baby boys at once. Caroline wasn't any help I am sure.

The kids also reported that someone plugged the toilet downstairs (Oops. . .we forgot to warn them about that toilet. It's strictly a #1 toilet) and the only plunger they could find was a mini one that I've never used. It just came with the house. I thought it was a prop for a plumber costume. The tip was just hardly above water level. Taylor had to plunge holding on with the tips of two fingers. Oooh, sorry man!

Oh, and we took the iron along on the cruise because we had no time for ironing the night before as we threw shirts in our bags. Taylor had to wear a wrinkly white shirt Sunday morning.

A couple nights before we came back they turned our fireplace heat down too far one night before going to bed. The fireplace was the only source of heat we left them. The next morning they found out they didn't know how to relight the pilot light. Somehow that didn't make it in either the 10 page instruction manual I left for them or the dozens of reminder signs I pasted around the house. It's hard to think of everything. According to Kennon they froze for two entire days without heat.

Meanwhile Daddy was soaking it up in the sunny Caribbean.
With Me! and only me!

And all you can eat Wegmans? That's nothing. We had all you can eat gourmet every living minute of the night and day.

But we figured it was all good. We had made a pact when we first went on the cruise and we never broke it. No elevators. Even with luggage or in high heels. I am sure that that made up for all restaurant splurges.

Besides eating like there was no tomorrow here are some of our Grand Cayman - Cozumel Spring Break highlights:

Brent's 20 minutes in the sun splotchy sunburn that embarrassed us for the rest of the cruise

Making friends in the hot tub. Although with my grandma skirt and Brent's sunburn we were hardly the coolest cruisin' couple in the tub.

Many hours reading our novels or watching Fox News relaxing in a completely pitch black cabin. Loved that part.

Separate beds for a week. We actually didn't mind it and dreaded going home to fighting for space in our queen at home.

Kashann hating the drunk spring break college crowd we endured all week. Brent enjoying the same spring break bikini coeds Kashann was complaining about.

Brent taking himself way too seriously in my opinion in the karaoke lounge. I signed us up to sing a Barry Manilow duet without his consent. I thought it went okay. I love "Can't smile without you". Brent on the other hand was mortified at our performance and will NEVER forgive me. I forgot he thinks Barry is not cool.

Seeing the space shuttle launch miles out to sea off the southern coast of Florida Sunday night.

Brent making me keep a gas log the entire way so he could calculate the mileage in his old Buick.

On the way home another memory to add to the book I am going to write called the Buick Motel. But spending the night in the Buick with two is a breeze. We once did it for days getting to and back from WA state.

That was when it went by the name Double Decker Buick and came with boards, harnesses, four highly abused kids, and one pregnant wife.

I missed the kids like mad. Especially the one I had just weaned. But having Brent all to myself for days was !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's the happily married and refreshed couple.

On remote in the Gulf of Mexico

I have 5 minutes left on my time here at the mexican internet cafe here in Cozumel. Just wondering what the buffalo weather is like this week. We are both sun burnt way down here. It's been a great vacation so far but definitely hard to not see my kids for so long. We haven't been paged on the ship intercom so we assume that all is well, or at least all are alive. Since we haven't talked to our kids or babysitters in days this is our way of saying hello, thanks again, and we will see ya soon. Kennon, go ahead and post some pictures on your blog of what you guys have been up to. Love you girls and marco!

It's Happening!

This extremely lucky Amazing, ( and highly insane) couple won the lottery and will be taking over our duties for the next few days! Good Luck!
And Thanks to all the others making our spontaneity and reckless abandonment of our children possible like Erica, Diana, Abby, and Alaska. We will love you forever. Please don't hate us for doing this to you!

Speaking of needing a vacation. . .

Brent and I are up late tonight and just found a steal of a cruise for spring break and we REALLY want to go. I think you all know what the problem is. FIVE CHILDREN.

We are willing to pay $500 for the week OBO.
Please SPREAD THE WORD. We NEED someone March 14th-21st.

They really are great kids and being the mom around here is a breeze. Well, maybe not a breeze but if you don't have any other spring break plans please apply.

First person to comment here could will be randomly selected to win 5 children for a week. We'll even throw in the whole house, a mini-van, and all-you-can-play Wii privileges. And don't forget you'll have access to the blog password. You'll need it cuase you'll have plenty of laundry on this family to write about.

This is not a joke.

And if you don't want to babysit but want to come with us, that would be awesome too. Provided that we find the babysitters of course and you don't steal ours.

I don't want to take the time to organize a crafty post tonight. Just wanted to jot down some stuff.

A couple weeks ago our gas company dug up our entire front lawn. They took a bush we planted a couple years ago-threw it aside and and dug up the flower beds and pretty much all of the grass. I was very confused. Did they have a right to throw out my $5 home depot shrubs without asking/telling me? I only understood that they were moving an inside meter to the outside. I For some reason they needed to dig up all our grass to do so. And with all the recent rain it is a big mud pile. I've been pretty upset by this and wondered how long we are going to have mud piles out in front and if they are going to get around to re landscaping the place. I finally was bold enough to ask them exactly that Friday and found out they will be making everything pretty when they are done. So actually I am pretty happy. We have had really ugly grass and kept talking about sod, but never did it. Glad we didn't.This picture was taken before things got muddy.

But right now, I am sick of muddy feet coming into my house. I feel like I am back on the farm. Caroline loved watching them working all day. I had to leave the back door open so they could go in the basement when they needed to. Sometime during the afternoon I heard Caroline holler down the basement stairs, "Dad, is that you down there?" Camille told her it wasn't Dad because he was at school. Then Caroline started hollering, "Who's down there? You better tell me who you are?"

I was busy and lost track of her after that. After awhile I realized I had lost track and went looking. As I got closer to the basement I could hear her jabbering away. She was going on and on telling him anything and everything about the occupants . I thought it was pretty entertaining. But the gas man completely ignored her. I listened for quite awhile to her going on and asking him questions, and never heard him respond once. Either I caught the tail end of the conversation and he had learned the art of selective hearing with here like I have so your brain can survive, she had just worn him out by then, he was on the clock and and doing his best to put in an honest days work, or he was just pretty rude. I really have never seen anyone (besides Brent and I) be able to ignore Caroline. But she didn't mind so much. I had to drag her upstairs.

I am teaching a song to my primary children using signs. Today was the second week working on the song and the signs were turning out to be a great way to hold their attention. But once again, one of my children had to shatter my confidence. In between verses she hollered out loud enough to make a big statement, "This is BORING!" I guess boring is better than embarrassing. That's what Savannah and Kennon both agreed I was on the way home from church another week. I figured it was my singing. "No actually Mom, it's your dress. It is so ugly." I was in shock. The dress had been one of my favs for years. I told them that I remembered wearing it to Kennon's baby blessing. Once that came out I took a good look at it and realized that maybe they were right. I took the dress to a ward swap and shop that week. No one wanted it but I let it go. I think it had a good run.

Sometimes I really feel like the shoes are shifting to the other feet. My kids have more fashion sense than I. And the worst part is that they care more than I. That is when you know that you are letting yourself go. I either don't have the time or I don't have the interest but either way it makes me realize how I really am a mom. In the negative way that we never wanted to become. Kennon and I have a lot of issues with who is running the show around here. When we are getting ready to go somewhere she starts putting kids coats on, grabs the keys, and says, "We'll be in the car." Now this sounds great, but the part that isn't great is that then while I am just barely having a chance to get ready myself now that all the kids are ready and in the car, she keeps running in and screaming, "We are all in the car. It's time to go now! Mom, you are taking so long."
Saturday night we were eating dinner at the church after a baptism and Kennon noticed that I wasn't able to eat because I was holding Marcus. She hurried and finished, then came over and took him so I could eat. She is always willing to hold him ANYTIME at church. After eating, I strolled around visiting with everyone. About 45 minutes later, Kennon (who has been sitting in the hall playing with him the entire time) comes in, interrupts my conversation saying, " It's time to go. We need to leave. Look at this kid. He is tired." Plus she had set aside a plate to bring home for sick Savannah. I hadn't even thought about it.

It's just so bizarre. I don't know if I am complaining that my 11 year old is responsible and thus bossing me around or bragging that my 11 year old is responsible and I am so lucky she keeps us all in line.

We were throwing out ideas for Brent to do an internship tonight and he mentioned maybe he could get one in NYC. How would we feel about living there just for a year? I would totally go for that. But Kennon. . . She immediately said, " No, that wouldn't be safe for our family living in a city like that."

On to Camille. She has been pestering us all year with every little fundraiser that comes home. She wants to win a prize. But we won't let her sell to friends, family or neighbors. The latest is mailer that she fills out addresses and they send it away to ask friends to order magazines so her class can get a year subscription to some very beneficial kids magazine. Once again I discouraged her but she was persistent. We were driving along, she had her pen out and wanted addresses. First she wrote "Grandma Casper" then wanted to know her address. After refusing several times I finally said, "Fine. It's 50" then I spelled out NOT TELLING YOU." She wrote it out all in one word like a street name then moved onto the city. I told her "Nothing" But pronounced it Notting and she got it all down IN PEN, before Kennon started laughing and got her to read back to her what she wrote. It was pretty funny for Kennon and I in the front seat, but Camille was so mad at her momma for wasting one of her addresses labels. She said that she was telling her teacher and that it was the worst thing I had ever done to her. So she talked to Dad and he agreed and she got the rest of the addresses out of us. So if you are one of her top 10, whoops make that 9 since Grandma Casper doesn't live at 5o Nottellingyou in Nothing, you may be getting a little nice note from her. Most of them she p.s.ed with a note like "You do not have to buy one" Or in other words I just want the prize. She also sent one to Grandpa Fielding. His p.s. read, "Bring me Apples!" They are coming for the musical in a couple weeks! YIPEE! VISITORS!

And Savannah is getting over a very nasty flu. She was 103 for several hours this weekend. It seems like she always gets it the worst out of all us. If only she would eat a vegetable now and again she could have a better chance to enjoy the perfect health I have the whole winter long. (Is it safe to say that yet? It's starting to feel a little springish)

Marcus is really sick of the Wii. It wakes him up at night, right after he gets to sleep. And the last thing he needs is to wake up, have an ear ache and not have any more milk from Momma. And the poor kid that has to sleep in a closet. I was so sad to stop nursing because I didn't know if I would get to snuggle with him anymore. But I must've have forgot that he is my snuggliest baby ever. I was watching other women try to hold on to their kids in church and remembering going through that with all my other kids. But Marcus will just lay his head on my shoulder, rub cheeks with me, give me kisses, and he isn't even trying to get down.?? It's wierd but I am really grateful for that. I need him to stay my baby for a very long time yet.

Brent spoke in Stake Priesthood on Saturday. As usual he starts preparing the day of. Lucky for him I keep a file downstairs with all of my old talks and a few years starting throwing his in too. I had the exact topic for him on file. And another thing he can be grateful to me for: I have been doing all the freaking work around here. I don't usually use that word but it is a famous line from Brent uttered back in the farming days. I can't remembering what he was complaining about at the time and he usually doesn't mention when the workload is unfair. . .like I do. But anyway, lately motherhood has gotten way busier for some reason. Sick kids, too many after school activities, the Wii obsession, Brent's motorcycle shopping craigslist addiction or who knows he may be studying on that mac once in awhile. BUT whatever it is I am drowning here at my casa in laundry, kids stuff everywhere, marcus's food throwing recent craze, 100's of shoes by the front door, oh and DISHES!

Anyway, I am really extremely happy with my marriage and kids but so weary of MESSES! When we were discussing where we should live after this place Savannah very innocently said, she wants to have a big enough house so we can have places to put everything so we don't have all this stuff everywhere. I couldn't help but be blown away by that revolutionary idea. Everything in it's place? So she doesn't like it either? That's funny because every time I mention the word Clean I am accused of being a NAG!

Brent is looking at disgusting pictures of the human mouth behind me and just told me that it looks like this is a pretty long blog. I don't care, tonight. It's my blog. I don't even think I will proofread.
Here's some proof that I play my new Wii. I am getting warmed up here to face Brent boxing. I am pretty sure he won't like me posting this next picture. But I couldn't resist. He was looking pretty scary with that tounge. He beat me right after this.

A first birthday

Remember this little man? He's One!

Old enough to have his own cake and eat it too.

The little birthday cake turned out a little bigger than I planned. Luckily his appetite ran out before the cake did.

Marcus got bath toys in his packages. He carries a rubber ducky around with him most the day saying "Duck. . Quack (cack)" over and over again. At least 50 times a day I hear that kid say "Duck!" So I gave him another duck. A fireman duck that goes over the faucet and some wind up toys to swim with him. If a rubber ducky is his favorite thing his worst thing is his bath. Anything warmer than lukewarm and the little wimp is screaming. And Caroline is in with him so I am pretty sure that it's just his problem. So we gave him a cold birthday bath with his duckies and he did okay. After that cake a bath was definitely in order.

I found out at his Dr. appointment today that he has an ear infection. He has been screaming a lot lately. I thought he was just a spoiled one year old because his momma is too sentimental (this may be it for me! :( ) to stop nursing him. But I forced myself to let him grow up, hoping he would chill out. Turns out it was pain not milk he was screaming about.

He is 23 lbs. (50th %) and I can't remember the inches but it was the 90th %. It was amazing how fast the antibiotics kicked in. He was doing so well this afternoon we took advantage of the 50 degree weather and went to our park.

It's been 5 months since we've had park weather. It was so amazing watching him learning about the outdoors for the first time. He caught onto the outdoor bumpy ground walking thing pretty quick. Before long he was running all over the jungle gym, runny nose and smiling like he had just been given a whole new world. As far as he knew outside was just something you raced through getting from here to there (the car to the front door) as fast as possible. Or he also gets to see a little of it when he stands on the couch. So today as we just hung out OUTSIDE he was amazed! I am really looking forward to the warm weather for Marcus. It was fun today, but I am pretty sure it won't last. March is known for cold weather around here.

A Wii? For Me?

I have loved the 30's thus far. I finally feel like I have put my young careless ways behind me and matured into a responsible adult. Then again, maybe not.

Apparently, the antics that earned me the nickname KRASHann are still popping up here and there.

After a long streak of driving without incident, I backed into a garbage can for the second time in my life racing off to meet Brent for a very last minute (Can you meet me in 10 minutes?) birthday lunch rendezvous. The garbage men had just dumped our tote and then put it directly behind my car. Not my fault!

I inspected the damage and saw nothing amiss and swore Caroline to secrecy. But of course, the first thing out of her mouth was, "Hey, Dad, Mom crashed our car." So he strolled back and noticed what I had missed. My back tail light had a hole in it.

Sorry, Honey, but you're the one that insisted I hurry.

My date didn't yell or swear and still treated me to a pizza buffet. He mentioned that he'll go to his favorite junkyard and find me another light. It's worked every time for the Buick. Maybe we will get lucky again.

Camille and Savannah stayed up late the night before decorating and planning a breakfast buffet including a handwritten menu of course.

Savannah gave me some jewelry that she had paid top dollar for at Target. I put the earrings on right away. Kennon made the bracelet I have on in the photo and then performed a piano solo and sang a original score she wrote just for me.

Brent bought me a new watch. Recently the $7 Walmart one that has been amazing for 3 years, disappeared. This new one has a lot to live up to.

Savannah made a cake all by herself while Brent and I were home teaching on Sunday. Then she got bored and didn't feel like frosting it. I refused to frost my own cake this year, so Brent and Camille finished it off about 7 p.m. when it was time to sing and he realized that we had no cake.

Brent was anxious from the time he got home to get on with the party. He was frustrated that we had to worry about dinner, cake and dishes. He kept saying everything was taking so long. Finally when all that stuff was over he asked us to come upstairs and see a video he had made for me. Really? I was pretty excited about that.

Turns out there was no homemade video at all but a Wii installed on the TV. Every recent holiday he says to me, "Maybe we should get an XBox or a Wii. . for the kids ". Unfortunately for him I am not and have never been a video game girl. Talk about a waste of time. So I always talk him out of it.

So finally he figured out the only way he could get some video games. . . for the kids.

On Kashann's birthday she doesn't get the chance to weigh in.

So Mama got a Wii. There was lots of screaming going on in our bedroom for about two hours. Marcus had just been put to bed in the closet and it woke him up. We left him there screaming till he gave up after 20 minutes. He really wanted to find out what was going on behind his bedroom wall.

Too bad Brent's birthday comes first. I have really been wanting to give our bedroom a whole new look. New curtains, bedspread, paint, a big headboard. Brent says "Yeah, right, " every time it comes up.

Maybe fathers day I will spring for a little romantic surprise. I am thinking purple. . . no maybe pink.

Actually I was totally cool about my gift. I am going to give the Wii a try and do my best to kick back a waste some time with the family. Plus I am also thinking:

IF we HAVE to have a Wii it better be mine, so I can decide who, when and how much time is wasted on it. They are going to have to grovel when they want to play it.

And IF they have been perfect, I MAY just let them.

Making you all jealous

Kennon and Savannah love a surprise and a party. They set one up for us while we were out on our date. Savannah decorated my spot with several things she had either secretly bought when she was at the dollar store with me (the glass rose), candy she saved from her school valentine's party, and a $2 bottle of lotion she bought from Kennon. I guess she has a store like her momma. She got her goods from her birthday party last week.

Kennon made up a spot for her Dad and he got a dollar. And the house was clean. These babysitters are the best!

Kashann got . . . .ROSES! and Chocolate. They were in the Buick. Doesn't take much to make me happy. I love surprises too. Even if they are from Aldi.
Last night we had a little family Valentine's party with chocolate fondue at our house. Pretty good for recycled chocolate. They were throwing out the leftovers from the chocolat fountain after the dance and Brent stopped them just in time. It bothered me that we were eating chocolate that had been dipped in by the ward. But not enough to stop eating it.

Hot date in the cultural hall

I love to dance so I was a little upset when I saw bright lights, and tables piled high with board games for the Valentines DANCE. But thanks to couples more adventurous than us, there was soon a crowd out on the floor. I danced for the first 15 minutes on my own. After several people pointed out that I was dancing alone, Brent noticed and joined me. Mr. BYU Ballroom, Thayne and his partner, Natalie.
My date and I and a little of Adrian. Chelsea, Brent thought of you when he picked out his shirt.
Camille's favorite orange man, Dave with his lovely wife, Steph.
Richard and his little lady Ella. His other sweetheart was sick and Ella was happy to oblige.
For many it was a family affair. Trey loves the slow songs just like his momma.
Natalie laughing after Br. Dayton steals a kiss.
Lady in red, Rachel with her main squeeze, Ryan.
After the dance, in the buick with my hot date. This is the car where it all began. We have so many buick stories but the memory we hold the dearest- 13 years ago we had our first kiss in this spot right here.

Flight 3407

This morning our alarm clock radio woke us up with the news of Flight 3407 crashing near the Buffalo airport, in the Town of Clarence, last night at 10:20. All 49 people on board were killed, along with one man living in the home that was directly impacted when it crashed. A mother and daughter were able to escape from the house uninjured. So amazing that it just hit the one house. It is still burning now 10 hours later.

It is a sad day for western New York. My heart breaks for the grieving families and friends of flight 3407 that are devastated today.


When tragedy strikes close to home, it really hits you that our time here on earth is so short. I am resolved to live better, love more, and be more grateful for the many blessings I enjoy daily.

In defense of the Funny Book

When I started this blog a year and a half ago I said it was going to be our funny book. So I write the things we say and do that I think we might laugh at some day. And just because my way of showing affection for my husband is publicly disparaging him for our funny book doesn't mean you all can't show your affection in different ways on your blog. We are recording our history when we blog. Go ahead and tell it like it is in your family. I would hate for anyone to not write something because Kashann made them feel stupid for saying that their husband is awesome for doing something. And for the record Brent does lots of sweet things for me (maybe not specifically on Valentines).

Like he has written and sung at least 3 original songs for me. I will let you know if and when he does something like that again. I can hope that the only reason he is practicing away on his guitar all this last month is he is getting ready to serenade me on Saturday.

I just like remembering things he says and holding them against him. He is such good blogging material. The kids are also pretty good but they're kids and you got to go easy on'em. If Brent complains that I am making him look bad, I just say, "Well you said it."

Maybe I need to just be a better wife. . .

Naaaah, I don't think so, because when I read back in the archives we both love the memories. One of the things that we really love/appreciate about each other is that we both don't take life too seriously.

Sometimes I am a little sensitive. Like the time Brent told me as I was preparing for a solo at church that I have more of a choir voice. . .

Ooops, I did it again. I guess because he makes these type of comments I know that he's with me because he loves me. It has very little to do with my talents, my looks, or even my cooking. He doesn't have a trophy wife and he is fine with that.

Anyways, blog away. . .

Though I still might skip the valentine blogs until I can be a better example and keep the tenth commandment.

That's the one about coveting your neighbor's valentines day, right?

Kashann's exploiting us!

If any of you haven't noticed, my wife has an excellent memory.....as long as it serves her best interest or makes her blog a better read. If I could only remember 10% of the funny things she says I could easily top anything she has on all of us put together. I mentioned this after a couple of my kids complained of being embarrassed by some recent posts. Kennon quickly brought up an example of Kashann opening her mouth before thinking. We were over at some friends and Kashann saw this huge stuffed animal. She asked where they got it and the husband said, "Her mother bought it." Kashann said, "Don't you just hate it when your mother-in law buys junk like that, cluttering up your house." He then said, "No, it was our kid's mother". (and of course she was sitting in the same room with us)

I seriously need to start keeping notes because she says something weekly that I tell myself not to forget but by the next day I can't remember it. When our oldest kids were too young to spell, Kashann asked for some m&m's and I scolded her for not asking the request in code to keep our kids from begging for them too. She said, "Oops. Sorry. Could you please give me some F'n Fs. I laughed for about five minutes before she finally figured out what she said.

For any of you who have ever been offended by something Kashann has said, get over it. Trust me when I say there was no malice intended but that's just Kashann. My new goal is to stop, find a paper and pen, and write down every funny thing my wife says from now on. If history repeats itself I should have plenty of material for a book before we leave Buffalo.

I am going start with text rather than photos. It seems like since I got my fancy computer and started uploading my own photos all the time - blogging is a chore that I don't look forward to. So today I am going to just write like the good old days on my old computer and not constrict myself to photo captions. So get ready for rambling.

Marcus walking is old hat around here so he's had to learn something new to get our attention. He can now "Mooo" like a cow and "Quack" like a duck. Savannah asked me yesterday if he is really early to do this. They all think their brother is the smartest ever. His favorite word is "Yeah" so we all get a kick out of asking him crazy questions and having him smile and give us another "Yeah". "Do you want a cracker?" "YEAH" "Do you want a drink?" "YEAH" "Do you want a . . . spank?" "YEAH"

Camille is also quite a smarty lately and loving her new first grade writing skills. She's always leaving me notes, especially when she is sad. Twice lately she was sent to her room for a temper that she has a terrible time controlling without a time out. After a few minutes of quiet she pokes her head out of her room and throws a letter down the stairs for mom. One letter said, "Im sory. I nid love." - I'm sorry, I need love.
Then a couple days later she was sent up to her room and threw down "giv me love mom"

It seems like a great way to vent her anger and calm down enough to come out of her room. I think she has middle child syndrome and really does need more love. I am working harder to "giv" her some.

Caroline was selected to play the elephant bird in her sister's school musical. She is supposed to sit quietly in an egg for an entire song before popping out for the big finale! She is VERY excited, so much so that I am sure that they better make an egg with a latch and keep it locked till the BIG moment.

Of course Camille had a huge fit when she found out she was the only sister not in the play. They won't let first graders try out but her four year old sister got a part. What? Luckily their music teacher caught wind of the family tension she had created and decided that Camille will be the only first grader to perform on stage. She is now a part of the circus and will wear a big popcorn vendor box. For some reason the idea of her walking around wearing a box keeps reminding me of Scout playing the ham in the first grade show in To Killing a Mocking Bird.

Not a glamorous roll but Camille so far is just glad to be included. We really get the special treatment at that school. I think it's all due to Brent and the fact that he is the only school father they haven't seen show up at the school wearing a wife beater tank top.

Seussical the Musical is April 1 and 2. Let us know if you want to see Kennon and Savannah duking it out on stage, Camille wearing a box, and Caroline in an egg crashing the show.

And we had another Birthday last week. Brent always says when it comes to birthdays I over do it. How many times have I heard the story about how one birthday his mother just gave him a pair of pants? So I got him a pair this year and wrapped'em up for his birthday Saturday. As I presented him with the gift I said, "Now let us know if this is all you need this year and you we can just forget about that pile of presents over there."

He didn't get it. But he did like the pants. Maybe his mom was right and that's all it takes and I have really ruined my own kids by spoiling them.

Besides the addition of a great pair of pants, it might be said that Brent didn't have the best birthday ever. I mean first of all who wants to turn 39 in dental school? Add in the fact that he got two tickets his birthday week. Oh, and Savannah fell asleep in our bed Friday night watching a movie with me so he turned 39 sleeping on the couch. The first thing I heard on Saturday, the morning of his birthday, was the front door slamming?? After a bad night on the couch he awoke with a start remembering he had never moved his car off the street.

What kind of a cop writes a guy a ticket on his birthday? The same cop that has signed all 5 of our parking tickets on this street. Officer #87. How much would Brent love to get #87 in his dental chair?

His other ticket this week was for failing to do a YEARLY inspection on the Buick. So, short story, my birthday boy was way too upset for the birthday present I surprised him with. I had scheduled his FIRST EVER massage, an hour long appointment with Shana. Truthfully, it killed me to make the appointment. Even with the student discount and the fact that it was a birthday splurge, I thought it was a waste of our precious money. But my stressed out Brent is always talking about how nice it would be to have a true massage and I thought, "Every 40 years is probably not too often".

Turns out we are both "Cheapos" (right, Kennon?) and he said, "Thanks but no thanks, honey. I just can't do it." I called Shana with the bad news and then gave him my best Swedish Massage and he didn't even need the student discount. After the massage I think he loosened up a bit and even allowed me to take him out for his free Red Robin Burger.

I can't believe he is going on 40! I am suddenly very concerned about stuff like heart disease and diabetes. I 'm thinking about tough love and considering putting an end to constantly restocking his bag of peanut M & M's that are a permanent fixture in his underwear drawer.

It's so sad that even on his birthday I can't help harassing him. Maybe on Valentines day I will sweeten up.

Then again, I am thinking of skipping the valentine's posts altogether. I can't handle hearing all the lovey, dovey thoughtfulness of all the perfect husbands out there. Brent and I are good. . . And I don't need to be reminded of all the stuff your husband is doing to blow you away for Valentines, because then I may start feeling sorry for myself for no reason. The way I see it the more we brag about our husbands the more we mess up each other's marriages. So I feel it is my blogging obligation to to make my husband look a little bad once in a while and then you can all feel so great about yours. I had to get a picture of Brent and his guitar. Like everything else we left his real one in Washington. This is the $7 Target one he stole from my store.

We do have a family tradition for Valentine's day. I make lots of red and pink stuff, like strawberry's on waffles and smoothies and have a special family breakfast. The kids may or may not get a little gift or goodie bag to go along with it. Don't want them to start expecting it so I try to have a famine every other year to keep them grateful and not surprised. This year may be the going without year. Savannah asked me the other day if she could HAVE A NEW DRESS FOR HER VALENTINES PRESENT.

Valentines PRESENT? I don't know what you are talking about, I told her. I think she is just having a hard time coping with the season ever since her teacher canceled Valentines. I guess she got mad one day last week and said, "That's it! I am canceling Valentines! I don't want to see a single Valentine come into my classroom." Savannah is furious. She had already spent over an hour creating her special valentines out of doilies and magazine cutouts of animals.

If only I would've had the foresight to save the tub of stuff I brought home from Angela's Shop & Swap ladies night out a couple weeks ago, I would have plenty of Valentine presents. Like an idiot I handed them all out the next morning completely forgetting about free christmas, birthday, and err.. . Valentines presents. Then that night we were over at Stephanie's for some Rock Band. She had missed the swap and wanted to know if it was any good. I told her I came home with just few things. Then, I looked down and mentioned I was wearing Erica's shirt. . . Oh, and Brent over there is wearing John's. Then I examined our other kids and for the first time noticed that all of us but Caroline were wearing swap items. Thanks, ladies.

I've been calling Brent, "John" all week since every morning he comes down in another swap shirt. And Brent's the one who told me not to go and if I did please don't bring anything home.

As for me, I am busy playing the piano for hours and hours. After a hundred times playing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, I still can't keep up with the sunbeams. But I have made it through two weeks of primary. I cried all night the night before my big debut. I was doing great till a certain someone heard me practicing about 10 p.m Saturday night and remarked, "You're telling me you have to play that song tomorrow?"

After that my confidence was shattered and I couldn't hit a note all night. The next day I murdered every song but miraculously always got the last note, and that's what counts right?

As I left the primary room the first week, I told the primary presidency to talk it over and let me know. I guess no one was even paying attention to my weak efforts because they just looked confused. . . and I have still have the job.

I really love church callings. They give me so many opportunites I never would have had. And I seriously just love thinking of myself as a pianist.

Kennnon is 11

Is she really only 11? Sometimes she seems so much older. Heck, she's been babysitting for years, wearing high heels around the house and anywhere else she can sneak off in them since 8, begging for earrings since she was 6 (and not getting them so making her own out of random items) doing her own hair since she was 4, accompanying for the primary for the last year. We are trying hard to not let her grow up but she is so intent on it.

Kennon was frusterated this year as her birthday approached, because we had just made a new family rule. No Sleepovers! ( Believe me, I have my reasons)
She thought her 11th birthday was going to be the worst.
To make it up to her I let her invite ALL the girls in her class over for a girls night out the night before her birthday. Pizza, games, and lots of Karaoke and they were all out the door by 10 p.m. Awesome!
The one on the front left is 13 and wasn't invited. About an hour before the party her mother called and asked if her older daughter (who Kennon has never met) could come too. Not knowing what to say and figuring that she had to work or something I said, "Do you need her to?" Then with some major attitude, "I don't NEED her too." Then she just waits for me to say something. "Well", I said, "Kennon won't even let her own sisters come to the party. . . she wants them to all stay upstairs." She says nothing. Finally because I hate saying no to people. "Well, I guess someone else's sisters are better than her own."
So she brings them both. This girl ate tons of food, belched loudly all night, and as she was leaving asked me for a bowl of ice cream for the road. I really need to learn to say No.
I told Kennon I would order pizza. I was really going to do it. But as usual we ended up with homemade. Being a farm girl, I always dreamed of living in town and ordering pizza. But I guess you can't take the farm out of the girl. I've tried many times to pick up the phone and call for a pizza. . .but I just can't do it.
Savannah bought this dress for Kennon from my store upstairs. Kennon has been begging for it ever since it showed up in the store, but hasn't been able to earn her five beans yet to buy it. Camille bought her a pair of pink tights to go with it -2 beans.

The next day on her birthday Brent in school then at the church till 10 p.m He took Kennon and Savannah with him and they had a church activity skating downtown. The rest of us were home waiting for cake. Caroline and Camille fell asleep on the couch. Because we know what happens when we do ANYTHING without them we woke them up to sing and have mud pie with us. Caroline tried but she was too tired and cold for ice cream cake.
Camille made it through the song and all her cake before being carried up to bed.

We love birthdays this time of year. One month from now we over half of us will be a year older. Way too much cake!

Savannah is always complaining that she is freezing. This stool right by the fire and is her permanent hang out. When she isn't here she can be found in one of the following two places.
Here. (After hours and hours practicing this last month she can hang out upside down for over a minute, as long as she has a wall nearby.)
Or here in her snuggie, (her Christmas present that Caroline referred to as a snuggie. Now we all do.)
Speaking of Caroline, here's what she's been up to. Soaking her big toe. Last weekend I trimmed her toe nails and as a result gave her an ingrown toe nail. Dr. Casper scolded Mom, squeezed out the puss, and then had me wait on her while she sat around like a princess for a couple days till it was all better.


She also found a little boy who needed some love last Sunday. Meet Henry. . a.k.a Hanky Panky. Kennon caught them smooching just before we had dinner with his parents. Caroline said that she did it, "because he was so cute".Thanks to Savannah and Camille you can expect place cards if you show up at our house for dinner. This is what she does when I tell her to set the table. I come in and find the table is missing forks or knives, but there's always a unique surprise with our names on it. Last Sunday she created these. I stole this picture off of Caroline's boyfriend's blog.