Sam Andrus Family Vacay

I organized a little family retreat for just our little family. It's difficult to do much because Sam and I are on such different spectrums - he travels a lot for work and so he likes to stay home when he can. I am home nearly ALL THE TIME and have the need to leave familiar surroundings once in a while. I talked the hubby into it and we took off for a far away adventure to Layton/Farmington. Wahoo! We started the first day off at the Hogle Zoo...

...where we found these goofy animals....

...and Cooper the "animal whisperer" who talks to any animal in a high, falsetto, gibberish language...

...and Milo, who loves big animals....

...and Matt who wanted to see the giraffes, but said the zebras were his favorite....

...and, of course we had to take the quick train ride that hasn't changed in at least 25 years....

...but this time it involved three monkeys.

And after the zoo....

...exiting the cool 3D movie (where Milo kept his glasses on the entire time) at....

....Thanksgiving Point...

...and three minutes after leaving Thanksgiving Point.

Just beginning the day at Lagoon...

....got all the kids on the first ride...

...onto the next...

...happy boys....

....warming up....

...getting the hang of the whole ride thing....

...happy again after a melt-down....

....and three minutes after leaving Lagoon.

Preschool Graduation

Matt finished off his first academic year with great success...yes, as a preschool grad-u-ate he has, indeed, climbed mountains. He's been so excited to learn this year. He loves to do his "homework" and practice writing at home. He knows his ABCs, his numbers 1-20 (minus a few here and there), and has begun to recognize some words along with thinking "148" (his current favorite number) really just means "a lot, lot, lot."

I pray he stays motivated and loves to learn. I think preschool and elementary teachers really have that unique challenge to capture a kid's learning enthusiasm and keep them focused before they hit those awkward pre-teen years. That's a ways off for Matt right now, but I am looking forward to kindergarten in August - he and I will both need it by then!

Stick Rodeo

Our ward had a "stick rodeo" a few weeks ago. Matt wasn't shy about getting in on the fun and I wished I'd actually ridden the bull myself.

Diaper gods vs. Potty gods

I haven't wanted to write about the process of potty training Milo because I've been holding my breath about it (in more ways than one). I also did not want to risk somehow offending either the diaper gods or the potty gods. But after a touch-n-go week, I think it's safe to say he's got the hang of it. HALLELUJAH!

This, I must say, was a bit harder to accomplish than it was with Matt. You see, with Matt, after he was trained in pretty much a day, I was feeling pretty confident and almost...cocky. He was a boy, about 2 1/2 years old, and I did it in a day (with only a few accidents after that first day). Thanks to advice from my Aunt Donna, I thought I could have written a book about potty-training. A little bit of candy bribes, no pull-ups only undies, cleaning up their own accidents, spankings, and the longest day of my life sitting in that damn bathroom ALL DAY! So, I was pretty confident in this method.

Well, kids have a way of humbling their moms. I did my above method with my second child. Sure, he was great about cleaning up his own messes and reading books on the pot (child after my own heart), but spanks didn't seem to faze him and he wasn't getting it! His method was to sit on the pot for 20 minutes and pee two minutes after he got out. I wasn't going to give in and put him back in diapers - it's been do or die this last week because after nearly two years of two kids in diapers - I'm about done with that.

Suffice it to say, he's gotten it now, we've survived, and I'm holding my breath after posting this that I will not suffer the wrath of any potty gods by jumping the gun and declaring to my bloggers that Milo has said goodbye diapers, hello porcelain god!

Bunk Bed Prayers

Matt's been pretty willing to say his night-night prayers lately. So, tonight he was the first to volunteer as I put Milo and him to bed. The boys have bunk beds and Matt is on the top, Milo is on the bottom. Here's how tonight's prayer went:

Matt: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today. Bless Jesus at church and bless Mom, and Dad, and Cooper, and Milo...
Milo: (from the bottom bunk) Stop it!
Matt: ...and bless all the boys and Milo to be nice....
Milo: Stop it!
Matt: ...and help us to be safe and Milo, too....
Milo: Stop it!
Matt: ...in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Gotta love sincere prayers from the heart and brothers who don't need a good word put in for them to the Almighty.

Buddah Baby

I love this picture. This is Erik (the one on the right), my cousin and Aunt Allison's little boy. My mom took this picture years ago and it wound up in a Cousin's Calendar that Allison put together for all of us this year. Anyway, thought I'd share a little humor...and if this doesn't bring at least a smile to your face, well, then, you're just heartless!

Little Boys Love Mom

Yes, Matt was actually giving rides to his bros. Yes, scary. And yes, I let them do it.

The clanging of cupboard doors woke me up the other day. Sam was gone. The baby was crying in his crib. I didn't want to get out of bed. A minute later all was silent in the kitchen, Cooper's door opened, and I hear a five-year-old voice say, "It's OK, Coopie. I get you. Wanna a bottle?"


By this point, I heaved myself out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen. My Matt says to me: "Mom, I didn't know you was here. I thought you went for a run and I watch the babies."

Oh, my sweet little guy! He'd actually thought I'd left him alone to care for his 1 and 2-year-old brothers, and the crazy thing was....was he was OK with it! He'd gotten himself some chocolate milk and was in the process of getting Cooper a bottle. What a fine young man....do I ever dare leave now? Yea, right.

This morning Milo made his way into my room. He unfolded his clenched, chubby fists and told me he had "fowers." My little "Me-ho" (as he calls himself, with a slight Polynesian accent) and Matt both gave me the nicest little bouquet of yellow and purple desert flowers. Matt told me they had to climb through the fence to get them. Such sweet boys...I hope they'll always bring me dandelions.