Overheard at Our House

The boys (and now Anna) love to war against the vacuum whenever I use it. This morning they had out the makeshift swords and lasers and other such ninja weaponry, their lowest, toughest, manliest voices (and Anna's most impressive grunts)- and talked rough with the vacuum cleaner. They like to lay their weapons in front of it, trying to stop it. However, mama never stops when she's on a vacuuming mission- and today was no exception.

After the vacuum kept pressing forward Chan cries out:

"Quick!! Run from our lives!!!"

Just now at lunch:

Chan:

Mom- I call Anna a lady. You and Anna are ladies. Me and Christian are MANS!

Can't wait to get even More testosterone pumping through this house! :)

Pregnant.

Still pregnant. Still. sigh.


In other news.... my two dearest girlfriends out here and I have all been pregnant at the same time. It's been super fun (though I'd be totally okay if my 'fun' ended here any minute...) to watch our bellies grow and talk baby together.

Sunday (three weeks ago..) they both indulged me in a quick photo of our bellies while our husbands and 7 kids clammored anxiously to go home. Becky was due on Friday (5 days later) myself, 2 weeks after that- so we knew we didn't have many more opportunities for such a fabulous photo.
Ruth (due Jan) Becky (due sept 30) Me (due Oct. 13)
Good thing we did, b/c Becky went into labor that night. :)

Myself? well..

here I am 2.5 weeks later....

39.5 weeks...

P and I snuck in a 'final' date pre-baby. (Newish mexican restaurant in Ephriam and Wal-mart errands- we live life on the edge! :P)

I say 'final' because last night we snuck in another 'final' date pre-baby. 3 days overdue. (We split a pumpkin pie shake (so good!) and then cruised the aisles of Family Dollar. I know. We're wild things!

Don't misunderstand. I LOVE dating my husband. LOVE.
But. I would REALLY be okay if we didn't get another date opportunity.... (today is sunday- tomorrow is FHE night....)

BABY?!? ARE YOU HEARING THIS???

sighhh.

This morning..

So, we are all anxiously waiting the arrival of our newest buddy. But he really needs to come quickly before daddy joins the ranks of sickies in the house. All 3 kids have had runny noses and coughs the last several days and I have finally joined in the fun. It's awesome. (blah.) But seriously- is it pathetic that I am totally looking forward to the 24-48 hours of no cleaning/cooking/trying to get things ready just lying in a hospital bed? *sighhhhhh* sounds so relaxing right now. :)

Anyways. This morning, as usual, Christian was the first of the kids awake. I had a bad headache and wasn't super eager to jump out of bed. Little Miss woke up and was banging on her door (she can't open doors yet)- so I sent Christian to go let her out. Anna currently loves carrying around loads of treasures. This morning, she came to my bedside with her blankie, her brothers' Cars 2 book, her stuffed piglet, her doll, and a little bear snuggle toy. She and Christian came to say hi and give me loves and then went off to play. But first, Anna gave her brother each treasure one by one to have him carry them for her. Ever the obliging big brother, Christian indulged her saying "oh boy, Miss! How am I going to carry all this??" and then Anna happily toddled out of the room with her bus boy following close behind her. :)

Moments later I hear Christian tell her- "oh no, sweetie. We can't go downstairs, Channing is still sleeping."

"Oh Hey there, buddy Channing!! Good morning! Did you have a great sleep??"

Moments later Chan comes running into my room, climbs up on my bed and tells me "Gooood morning, mommy! I slept for 62 minutes!"

sigh. These kids. This is why I go through the madness of motherhood. This is why I exist.

Tribute to my Grandma

Dear Grandma-

First off, congrats on your new and improved living quarters! I am confident you are happy beyond belief- and that you have had a wonderful reunion with your siblings, parents, and husband. I imagine there was a big banquet held in your honor- with loved ones surrounding you, telling you how much they've missed you and how glad they are to have you with them. I imagine you enjoyed some delicious rhubarb pie and maybe a close version of JoDee's Taco soup. :) Did you favor everyone with your delightful retelling of The Happy Prince?

I imagine how beautiful you must look. Your spirit free from the confines of your earthly body. Hands able to move, energy to walk, no more oxygen tubes. I bet your hair looks beautiful, too. ;)

Oh Grandma. How glad I am for you to finally be able to rest from the cares and pains of this world. How excited I am for you to finally be able to continue your mission with Grandpa. How thrilled I am for you and the joy you must be experiencing.

But, I must confess. I miss you terribly. I am selfishly miserable that you are gone. Grandma- I don't think you know how very, very much you mean to me.

When I was engaged to your incredibly handsome grandson, I was so excited to have grandmas again. I loved visiting you at Jamestown. Patrick and I brought you your favorite- rhubarb pie- made greatly with the help of Mom. You were so excited! Remember that strawberry pie we brought? Yeah, the one that was so runny we had to eat it in bowls? It was a joke, but you were so kind. :)

Patrick and I played Pass the Pigs last night in your memory. Pretty sure you were on my team. Thanks for the dominating wins. ;) Yes, we played with the game you gave us. Thanks. :)

We're missing our BYU buddy this season. As I'm sure you're now aware, our Cougs have been a bit disappointing. Maybe you could send them some 'improvement' vibes? We had such fun watching the games at your place- even that time you insisted Patrick must be freezing and gave him all the blankets (I was pregnant with Christian, and you said I had my own internal 'hotbox')- and really I was the one freezing. :)

The kids sure love their Grandma Great. Christian started calling you that when he was tiny, and the name stuck. Oh, Christian. You and he shared such a special bond. We stopped to visit you before he was even a week old, and you loved holding him. A few weeks later, we came to visit again- and working your magic, you got him to coo and smile and giggle- which he had never done before and didn't repeat until much later. You loved to remind us of that special time. I've always believed Heavenly Father granted us all that small miracle- a treasured moment for each of us.

Grandma Great and Christian, 6 days old

I remember Christian grabbing your finger and squeezing- and you laughing that he could 'milk a cow with that grip!'.

Milking a cow

Channing loved his Grandma Great kisses- and a few times would insist we go back to your room so he could give Grandma Great some loves.

Channing and Grandma Great

We've been fortunate to inherit your little brass chair lamp. That simple lamp makes me smile each time I see it. You would hold my boys on your lap and flick that light on and off. It was magical to them. And magical to me to watch you with them. It will have a treasured place in our home. And I will think of you and your inner light every time I see it.

Jan 14th, 2010 was a special day for our little family. We welcomed a tiny, beautiful baby girl to our lives. Thanks for letting us use your name. We hope to frequently tell her all about the amazing woman whose name she carries- and that she lives it up well.

Anna Marie Summerhays b. Jan 14th 2010 and Anna Laura Summerhays b. Jan 14, 1917.

Grandma, thank you for welcoming me so readily. You immediately took me in as one of your own- loved me and cared for me. I truly felt like part of your family. That has meant so very, very much to me. Thank you for your continual praise and support. Every time I left your presence I felt like I was a pretty great person. You never judged or criticized- just loved. The world needs more people like you. :)

I smile remembering the funny stories you would tell us- about your wedding ring, about your brothers, about life. I loved how supportive and admiring you were about Patrick and his teaching career and musicianship. You loved to hear him play his saxophone. He played for you several times when we would visit. Remember that night we came and sang and played for you at Beehive? You were pretty proud to have our little 'musical' be there just for you. :) Thanks for appreciating our talents. It was so fun to play for you. Remember singing some hymns together? That was special, too.

Patrick and I have always felt that music can reach to the soul when nothing else can- and that's why I really wanted him to play for you the last night we saw you. I knew that you would appreciate music. I have a small confession. My Grandma Spong had severe Alzheimers- and lived with us the last few years of her life. I remember gathering in her bedroom with my family and singing I am a Child of God as she took her final breaths. Even as a young girl, I was so touched by that- and I could sense the peace her spirit felt as her room filled with our simple singing and as her spirit left this mortal existence. I remember feeling that that song was a little pathway between earth and heaven- as she left us to enter eternity.

That's why I wanted to sing that song for you that last night.

I am self-conscious of my public mourning of your absence. After all, I didn't grow up with you. I'm just an 'in-law'. I don't have memories of your camping trailer. Of your home. I only know you from nursing homes and the Gardines. I only know the you that used a walker, that laid in bed. I only know you with gray hair and troubled hands. But I love you.

I am grateful for our final embrace- I looked at you and said, with the my deepest sincerity and fighting the tears in my eyes:

'Thanks for being my Grandma'.

And I will ever hold dear your response- looking directly into my eyes:

"Thanks for being my granddaughter".


I Love You.

I Miss You.

I Thank You.

Till next time, Grandma.

Love,
Me.

P.S. Give our little guy a squeeze, would you?

Thoughts

much to post about, many pictures to place. But for now...

Thoughts.

-Tomorrow is the first day back from school. I've always loved 'beginning' dates- it helps me feel motivated to implement change and try to improve myself and my life. P and I are going to try our best to change our lives- one day at a time. We've worked up a schedule/daily routine and tomorrow we start! We both know (and frequently say) that it. will. be. hard. Tough. Lots of tough and hard. but! We both know it will be so good and really improve our lives/family/selves if we push through. All good things take work, right?

-I am so in love with my kids. It makes my heart sad to think this is my last year home with Christian. He is so ridiculously sweet and good- and I KNOW I am going to be one of 'those moms' who sobs on the first day of kindergarten.

-We took brownies over to our friends tonight. Their son (I posted about him earlier) is such a good, good kid. He played "Cars 2 Tag" tonight with our boys- as the great Finn McMissile. Tomorrow we'll be bbqing with them. So grateful to their family and their friendship. So grateful.

-Basement is SO. CLOSE. It doesn't seem possible that we could actually finish and be able to use it. What?? ahh! So excited.

-32 weeks. <8 to go. What?! ahh! so much to do! Sigh.

-the boys played Tag with their baby brother the other night. They would run around, then come lightly tag my tummy and say "Tag brother! You're it!". So I did what any respectable mother would do- shoved out my belly and acted like it was chasing them. I only made it a few yards each time, but the boys were having a blast. Pretty fun for all three brothers to be playing tag. :)

Oop- its almost lights out time for out new schedule. Lots of thoughts. Lots of Blessings.

Gnight all.

Overheard at Our House

We had our friends, the Reynolds, over last night to pay up for having lost Racko. (we wagered hosting an ice-cream night).

Christian and Chan LOVE Jim and Wendy. And Drake. All day they were excited for Jim and Wendy. Chan kept asking me if he could show various things to them when they came.

When they did arrive, the boys couldn't leave them alone. :) Pretty cute.

At one point, Chan was chattering away to Wendy. Midst conversation....

Chan: Can I call you Wend?
Wendy: *chuckles* Sure, you can call me Wend.
Chan (nonchalantly, with a tip of his head): Oh hey, Wend.

It.was.hilarious.

love these kids.

Christian's Birthday!

Christian's birthday was a huge cause for celebration this year. He has been talking about his Buzz Party since the summer. And thinking forward to his Buzz Party was a big help of getting us through the hospital. And for him to take his medicine. And be brave for his blood work. And everything else.

He has also talked big about last years "Lightening McQueen Birthday When I was Three"- the only Lightening thing of it was his cake- but for the little man, the Cake made the Birthday.

Turning four needed a BUZZ PARTY!

birthday invitations- Christian carried his around for DAYS- and still insists it remains on his bulletin board

I felt mildly pressured to create a fabulous Buzz cake- since I knew that was the most exciting thing for him- My first attempt at fondant- and he Loved it! *happy sigh*


When the guest arrived, first thing was to create individual Space Ranger Utility Belts with their initials.


Throughout the party, there were various tasks to complete so the little Space Rangers could collect special buttons for the belts.

Bowling- knocking down the Zurg Pins

Coloring pictures of Buzz, which we taped around the house to help defeat Zurg
We also played a fun balloon toss game that was somehow incorporated into the Buzz/Zurg theme. :)

In between each activity/task all the boys got in a line and performed the necessary "attention! Show me your muscles! Stand up straight!" routine. Then we marched into the "space station" (laundry room) which was fabulously decked out. Of course there are no pictures. flurb. But the doorway was covered in various colored crepe-paper strands, the washer/dryer and window covered in black fabric and funky psychedelic fabric. The dual multi-colored disco-light balls we spinning and rotating around- trust me. It was awesome. :)


Once everyone was in the Space Station, we shut the door and then worked on charging our new power button. Such a feat was achieved by spinning in circles, counting to 10, blasting off, and pressing the new button to charge it. The kids loved it. :)

While it took tons of energy and was a bit chaotic at times (with out-of-town family visiting plus our basement helpers, the house was packed) it was a total blast. Christian loved it- and seeing his excitement and smiles made everything worth it. Yes, some may say/think we(I) go over-the-top for these little kid birthdays- but honestly- I love it. It doesn't stress me out at all- and it's just a fun outlet for me. And it's fun when the boys talk for months before and after about their party.
Sigh. I love this time of life!

one excited little boy to open some birthday loot! Thanks everybody!

christian was excited about getting fun square plates and RED utensils. Mama made the Space ranger cups (just for the kids- adults got boring ones. :P)

Uncle Nate and Anna (dressed as a little green alien. She played the part well by expertly saying "ooooooo")

Grandma and Papa S drove down for the festivities- Papa demonstrating his mad skillz on the little woody guitar they gave Christian.

Blowing out his 4 candles. Finally!! :D



Happy Birthday, bubbies!! Love you so much and we are so thankful to be your parents! You are the best big brother and the sweetest son.
Happy 4th!