Picnic?

He's as good of a sport about picnics on December 22nd,
as he is about tea parties.
Sariah insisted.

He also elicited this.

(I still haven't figured out how to rotate video.
And, I didn't realize the washing machine was so loud!)

Why do I love the holidays? Because James is home!

Innocence of Youth

The following conversation occurred while Talmage was helping me to make rolls a couple days ago. Sariah was observing. I found it very precious.

Sariah: "Mom, we need some chickens."

Talmage: "Did you know if you fertilize eggs they will turn into chickens?"

Me: "So if an egg is fertilized, a chick will hatch?"

Talmage: "Yeah."

Me: "What kind of fertilizer do you use?"

Talmage: "The ground kind."

School Cancelled

Trying to keep everyone busy on a snow day.

James painting

Talmage and Sariah helping me paint my project.

Bryant helping with Christmas cards.

Talmage making "reindeer tracks" for his teachers.

My mom says, with much experience, that to make one's Christmas you have to have:
1) a project
2) a great second hand find
3) an exciting surprise

One of my "projects" this year was suppose to be a "quickie." I'm a couple weeks into it now and still not quite finished. My sister made these countdown blocks that I thought were so fun. I decided to whip some up for the sisters that I visit teach and a few others. Again, I've enjoyed it, but it has turned out to be much more time consuming than I originally thought.

Icy Eyelashes

I'm usually not a fan of before-the-morning-shower photos, but when my eyelashes started clicking with my blinks on my morning jog I had James take a picture. It's cold!
Here's Hyrum enjoying the festivities of the season. (Although he won't have much to do with "real food.")

Hardest laugh I've had recently:

Yesterday during the afternoon crescendo before Dad gets home, I had a crying Hyrum in my arms and the kids were at the bar shelling peanuts with the shells EVERYWHERE. I was trying to get dinner ready and Talmage was telling me about a recent survey they took in his class about student's preferences for pets. He said that most students preferred dogs and cats. Some would like to have a hamster. And then he said, most matter of factly, "And Mom, you wouldn't believe it, but I was the only one in the whole class who wants a mongoose." That took me right out of the moment and I couldn't help but laugh whole-heartedly. Hyrum stopped crying because I was shaking with laughter, the kids started giggling and the whole mood changed. Then all of a sudden, in a very serious way, Talmage said, "I don't get it." I laughed all the harder. He really couldn't see why a mongoose was anything out of the ordinary. I love that kid. I love that he brought me comic relief when I needed it.

On a sadder note. We discovered Sariah chewed Hyrum's fingernails until his fingers were bleeding! How'd we know? The blood around her mouth was the give away! I thought they were playing together on the living room floor, he wasn't even putting up a fuss. He is so patient with her. Poor little Hyrum.

Winterized

Finally an updated family picture. Love them!

James and I were outside until almost midnight last night in sub-freezing temperatures trying to finalize all of our winterization efforts. The garage and the back patio have been in disarray as the shed has been under construction. With its completion, we were super anxious to get things back in order. We parked the van in the garage last night for the first time in probably two months. Good timing too, our high tomorrow is supposed to be 22 degrees!

Bryant sang the hymns in sacrament meeting today. That was one of those precious joys for me.

Talmage bore his testimony in sacrament meeting. I don't think he was even nervous.

Hyrum has his first really nasty nose, but he's being a good sport about it.

Sariah is relentless when it comes to "defurring" Hyrum. She takes his socks off, pries his toes apart and picks the lint ("fur" as she calls it) out. He is so patient with her. We've tried to get her to leave him alone, and now we catch her sneaking him off to do it. It is a serious fettish. You can tell she is agitated when we won't let her do it. I've found an outlet for her though. She loves to peel oranges and pick off all the white stuff.

'Tis the season...

One of the things I love about the Christmas season is my sewing machine humming along to Christmas music. This year, these little fingers have a project of their own. It warms my heart.

Hyrum is now standing with ease. That puts another glitch in our ongoing battle of learning to sleep at night. When he wakes up, he pulls himself up and doesn't know how to let himself down. The crying has become longer and harder instead of the other way around. It's torture for the both of us (and Sariah who doesn't do much sleeping in her own bed lately) but what can you do when the morning brings this face?

Compliments?

Sariah told me this morning: "Mom, you're the best mom in the whole house!"

Tonight, as Talmage's lesson for family night, he read a poem entitled, "Sometimes I wish my Dad were a dog."

Thanksgiving

When the kids started to see Christmas lights and hear Christmas music they were concerned that people were forgetting Thanksgiving. Such an important holiday deserves to be remembered. In our family home evening prior to Thanksgiving we took just a few minutes to scratch the surface of those things for which we are grateful. Here they are: (each family member took a turn until we filled up the lines on a sheet of paper)

• God's creations
• God
• Family
• running water
• everyone
• money
• books
• clothes
• warm home
• scriptures
• Hyrum
• good neighbors
• food prayer
• bodies
• clean sheets
• reliable vehicles
• Bishop
• prophets
• Santa
• Christmas
• generous friends
• electricity
• animals
• freedom
• good teachers
• baths

Weekend Warriors

James is frustrated with the early nightfall. He can't seem to get as much done on the shed as he would like. Saturday, there was more than building going on. There was some quality time happening. I told Talmage to learn all he can about building from his Dad and someday he would have a very grateful wife.

Poison Control

Today, somehow Hyrum got into my childproof prenatal vitamins and started helping himself. One in the mouth and one on the way by the time I got to him. Since he doesn't eat anything, I wasn't worried he'd actually eaten any.

A few hours later, Sariah kept disappearing at regular intervals. When I asked her where she was going, her response was especially minty. I followed my suspicion and found her eating our toothpaste.

When she woke up from her nap this afternoon, I was in the rocking chair in the bedroom with Hyrum. Christmas music was on the radio. She came in, and before the grogginess was even gone she was dancing and hopping and soon in giggles. That girl makes me happy. Today, she also made my lunch!

Walnuts

There are a few things I always think about from my childhood during this time of year. Raking, and raking, and raking leaves and picking up walnuts. If I remember right, we were paid a nickel for every quart jar of walnuts we gathered. Today, I picked up walnuts under the tree where I played as a child. I don't think I could have possibly imagined the company I would have 20 years later under the same tree. I know I couldn't have imagined just how cute and sweet she is.

Crawling

Hyrum is officially crawling. Right now he's still in the experimental stage where he slaps the floor as he makes each move. We all think it is so cute right now. However, when I was getting ready in the bathroom this morning I got a glimpse of the reality of "crawling" as he found me and started to explore the tub and toilet.

James left this morning for three days of training. As soon as he left, all of the kids were crying because they miss dad so much. Well, Hyrum was crying because he was tired, the rest were crying because they miss dad.

Tea Party

Just walked in on a promise made this morning and kept at bedtime. Despite a headache, he donned the few-sizes-too-small crown and poured tea. You can see how tickled Sariah is to have such a dad.

This picture tells you how busy yesterday was. It started out cleaning the church building in anticipation of Elder Holland's visit. Then, finishing and delivering a gourd basket order. Then back home for pumpkin carving and costume finishing touches. All the while, James working on building a shed in the backyard before the bad weather hits. Once when James stepped in the back door he said, "Did you know Hyrum has toothpicks in his mouth?" I was carving a pumpkin three feet away from where he was playing on the floor and I hadn't even noticed!

The kids ended up happy with their pumpkins and their costumes.

The fairy godmother holding the cutest pumpkin ever!
Cinderella, Dumbledore, and Obi-Wan Kenobi

Dumbledore and his pumpkin.

One thing we have found that makes trick-or-treating a little more meaningful is going to those people who may not otherwise get any trick-or-treaters but who joy in the little ones. Such a night may not fill their buckets, but we hope in the long run, it will fill their lives.

Trooper

For several weeks now, we've been anticipating October 24th as a very busy day. And it was. I pulled Hyrum out of bed (a cardinal sin at our house to wake a baby) to meet the young women at the church at 8am. From there we went to EFY - outstanding by the way. Then we changed our clothes, ate a sack lunch, and headed to Badger Mountain for our second annual virtue hike. Hyrum in tow all the way. From the hike we headed home to change, make arrangements with babysitters, and deliver a birthday gift. Then James and I headed to the temple for our ward baptismal trip. Then home to pick up Hyrum, switch babysitters, and wrap a wedding gift. Then to a wedding reception, and finally to the stake Green and Gold Disco dance. Phew. By the time we got to the wedding reception, Hyrum's eyes were red and super tired from missed naps and exhaustion. What a trooper!At his check-up this week he was 16 lbs. 7 oz (9th percentile) and 28 1/2 inches (84th percentile). He's our baby bean pole!

Sinking In

When I flipped on the light in the boys room this morning to wake them up for family scriptures study, a muffled voice came from under the covers on the bottom bunk, "Come on grandpa we've got to go! Well I'm not leavin', I was born in this hole, and I'll die in this hole!" From the top bunk came, "Then you'll perish!" HILARIOUS! I laughed then, and I've laughed every time I've thought about it since then. Talmage was quoting a line from Ice Age, and believe it or not, Bryant got his terminology from the scriptures. Something is sinking in!

Talmage received his Cub Scout Bobcat badge. That means I've received my first scouting pin---hopefully the first of many.

Bryant is still recovering. He came home yesterday and slept for several hours after school. This morning he said he didn't feel well, and needed to rest. He fell asleep after he was ready for school so I didn't wake him up. He stayed home from school again.

Sariah finally went on her long awaited date with Aunt Haley. She had a bath, got all dolled up, took her purse, sunglasses and Shopko add (in which she had a seen a princess tea set nearly a week ago), and didn't look back when I told her good bye. She had a wonderful afternoon, milkshake and all.

Hyrum is in the 9th percentile for weight. The doctor wanted to see us back in two weeks with weight gain. Because of that, when he wakes up at night, I've felt like I needed to feed him. It's killing me. It's also not helping the "learning to go to sleep on his own" process.

Not Himself

Bryant laid in bed ALL day with a fever over 103 degress. It has been a long time since he has been this sick. He couldn't keep any medicine down so he has not had any relief. Just before bed, his temperature was below 100. I hope it is a true "fever break." As energetic as Bryant is, I don't like to see him so laid out. The only plus about the situation is that he holds still long enough for me to rock him. He is such a sweetie. Last night when I went to bed, our bed was made (Bryant style) with a note on the pillow that said, "To Mom, Love Bryant." It hadn't been made for a couple of days as we've been trying to keep kids separated (Talmage had the fever on Friday) and they've been using it for naps.

Better get to bed, I have no idea what is ahead of us tonight.

Hot Dogs and Hot Cocoa

When I asked Sariah what she wanted for her birthday dinner, her response was, "hot dogs and hot cocoa." I was happy to oblige. Everything else about her birthday was princess, including the plates upon which we ate our hotdogs. So our little princess has been a part of our family for four years now and we are so grateful. We started a new tradition as we passed out the Cinderella birthday cake. As each person was served their dish, they were able to say something they truly loved about the birthday girl. So much to love about this little lady. My contribution was that I love that Sariah remembers to tell me "thank you" for the simple things.

This brand new four-year-old is not just a figurative "big helper," but a real big helper. She has been known to load and unload the dishwasher, fold clothes, sweep, and clean her room without being asked. Not to mention she can load pumpkins with the best of them.

Other updates. Bryant lost his other top, front tooth. He is now our Halloween jack-o-lantern.

Both our boys received the McGee Starship award for RESPECT today.

Just as the other children, Hyrum loves to ride in Dad's pick-up. However, he does not love learning to go to sleep on his own.

Pumpkins for Sale

After 6 months of planting, transplanting, weeding,
and waiting, harvest has finally come. It is beautiful!

One of our giants, a crossbreed, and a beautiful rouge squash.

A swan gourd among other gorgeous gourds.

Our front door welcomes you!

Tough Love

It's 4:30 am and I'm not suffering from insomnia. The time has come for little Hyrum to learn to go to sleep on his own. Oh, how I dislike this process. It's been 40 minutes, and no sign of relief.

Most people say that Hyrum looks just like Bryant. I'm afraid, he sleeps like Bryant too. I'm determined to change that sooner than later. Bryant finally started to go to bed well and sleep through the night when he went to kindergarten. We're not going to do that again. Extra love and cuddles for Hyrum today.

Check!

I have wanted to check this one off the to-do list for a couple of years. I decided since we're expecting several visitors during the next few weeks during pumpkin sales, the time was now. I forgot to take a picture before we started, but this picture gives you the idea of our door "before," in a shade of purple I have never been fond of. At least not for our front door.

After a Saturday's morning work, ta-da:

So much better. Thank you, James. You can also see we made our first trip out for our first load of pumpkins. So fun! It's always exciting to start the harvest after months of watching them grow.

We also saw some beautiful girls yesterday. One was my good friend from high school, Elena, on her wedding day. I've never been to a Catholic service before and James and I were honored to be invited to her special occasion.

The second beautiful girl we saw was my sister. Sariah and I love to go see my sisters when they get dressed up for formal dances. Laryn, you are beautiful!

Happy Harvest

I hate to say good-bye to summer. My one consolation is next comes the season of harvest. I love harvest time! I love the crisp mornings, and cool evenings. I love that my flowers gain a second wind after the scorching heat. I love to see the fruits of 6 months of labor.

This will be the fourth year our family has raised pumpkins. I guess the first year, grandpa raised them, and we enjoyed his work. Since then, we have used grandpa's farm to help our children learn the value of work, the law of the harvest, and that you reap what you sow. It has been a wonderful experience. We grow several different varieties of pumpkins (technically squash) in all sorts of colors, shapes, and sizes.

We also grow gorgeous gourds! See for yourself.

Last year I started putting together decorative baskets, and I had so much fun! I finished my first one today and I am toying with the idea of trying to sell them this year. In the past, every penny the pumpkins have earned has belonged to the kids, a little to spend, a lot to save. I want this to remain their project, so I'm trying to figure out how best to combine our efforts.

What do you think? Would you buy it? How much?

Birthday Boy

Today James turns 32. It is amazing to me the man he has become in 32 short years. He is kind, thoughtful, talented, hard-working, funny, pensive, insightful, intelligent, service oriented, and diligent just to name a few qualities off the top of my head. I don't know how I got so blessed but I am forever grateful. I couldn't have picked a more wonderful husband or father, or companion.

Sariah has been as excited about this birthday as anyone. She has been talking balloons, banners, and birthday cakes for days now. Last night she hid his present in the dryer. In her words, "he never looks in there." (If she only knew how often he does the folding of the clothes after she goes to sleep at night.) Today, she helped me bake the cake, and take a birthday lunch to Dad at the seminary building. As he examined his wrapped present, James rhetorically asked, "What could it be?" Sariah exclaimed, "Shoes!" What's not to love about that little girl?

This evening, a friend invited us over for dinner. She cooks the most delicious Cafe Rio, our favorite Utah restaurant. It was perfect timing for a perfect birthday treat. We probably wouldn't have been able to go out on a school night, but this little "party" made it feel like we celebrated.

Yesterday, Talmage was elected a class representative to serve on the student council. About 1/2 hour before we were to leave for school, he announced he needed a speech. Somehow, we put something together. His closing line went like this: "Cock-a-doodle-dee, vote for me. Cock-a-doodle-doo, I'll serve you." He was pretty excited.

Last Saturday we spent the day out at Grandpa's farm. He is putting in his Field of Dreams north of the house. James was able to help him get the solid set in and running by the end of the day. It was good for everyone to be out in the open air and dirt. Even Hyrum had dirty toes.

Too Sentimental

I'll admit, I'm a little on the sentimental side. However, my kids went overboard on sentimentality tonight. If you were driving down our street at about 7:15 this evening you would have seen an 8-year-old and a 6-year-old running with outstretched arms, wailing, "NO, NO, NO!" What we're they in pursuit of? Our used refrigerator just sold off of craigslist. You would have also seen a very embarrassed and stern mother following shortly behind. It was ridiculous.

At the library today, I was reminded by the good women of the Kennewick Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution that today is the anniversary of Constitution of the United States of America. As I read some of the words of the founding fathers today, I was awestruck again by their sense of freedom, liberty, and righteousness. We would all be better people by studying their lives and following their examples.

Thomas Jefferson said, "On every question of construction, [let us] carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed."

God Bless America.

Fish, Radiator, and a New Baby

Everyone in the family had something to be excited about today.

Since James killed Dorothy (our goldfish) while he was dry-walling two years ago, our fish tank has been in the garage. Now that the boys have a dresser there is a place for a fish tank again. Talmage chose an albino-looking, cave-dwelling fish whose eyes have been grown over by scales. He told me the name, but I've forgotten. Bryant chose a jet-black bubble-eyed fish. Sariah chose two tiny zebra fish. Tonight is their first night in their new home. The kids are thrilled with their little pets.

James got word today that the Lincoln's radiator has been rebuilt. Another project but one with very fun results. James loves projects.

I waited all day long for the delivery of our new baby. She arrived at 7:04 pm. Her name is Yamaha.


I'm so excited! We have been saving and looking for a piano for many years, and when a friend told me about this one on Saturday, I had a feeling this was it. I actually had high school graduation gift money, and wedding gift money, that I had saved for this. I'm so happy it got here in good condition and look forward to a lifetime together. Now I'm trying to choose a color to paint our piano room.

All Dressed Up

Sariah had me help her put her princess dress on, the rest was a surprise.
I spent most of the day digging myself out of dishes, clutter, and laundry that has accumulated over the last couple days as I've set housework aside to compile "The Amazing Race" for a youth activity. I literally spent hours trying to pull it all together. I came to a realization. I know why it is in the church that the women get left with a lot of the planning and details of the functions that take place. Here it is: If the men did their jobs like the women do their jobs on the days when activities are coming together, the men would get fired. Nobody is going to fire a woman from being a homemaker. Thus, we just let the home wreck as we set our duties aside to focus on the activity at hand, and try and make up for lost ground when the activity is over. Anyway, the dishes are done tonight for the first time in a couple days.

We continue to enjoy our walks to school on these most pleasant mornings.
Sariah, Hyrum, and I eat our lunch outside every day to get the most out of these lovely, last days of summer.

Labor Day

For the last 5 summers we've invited our neighbors over for a neighborhood BBQ. It has been an amazing experience to see our neighborhood grow in friendship from this simple act. Tonight was the night this year. We came together as "old friends" without any awkwardness or discomfort. We enjoyed it, and I think everyone else did as well.

James and the kids spent most of the day digging a hole in preparation for pouring a concrete pad on which to build a shed. I made over a chair I got at a yard sale last week to add to our "outdoor living space" which we have been working on, and enjoying, over the summer. (I'm bummed I forgot to take a "before" picture.)It was a cooler day, but very pleasant. We were glad to spend most of it outside.

Sariah has learned to pump in the swing. Yeah!

First Tooth

It seems like a very long time since I've slept three consecutive hours. Hyrum is getting his first tooth. He's not really cranky or uncomfortable, so I'm really hoping the tooth is the reason for the lack of sleep and not just bad habits.

Sariah got a package in the mail today from Grandma Hales. She was so excited. I haven't figured out how to rotate the video 90 degrees clockwise, so if you would please rotate your head 90 degrees counterclockwise.



When James informed me I needed to rotate the camera, Sariah had the giggles.

In the background you can hear Grandpa Hales's bedtime monkey stories.

Bryant had his first piano lesson today. He did very well.

First Day of School

I was skeptical about our first morning of the new school year getting two kids out the door, but it went okay. We decided that we are going to start waking the boys up so we can read scriptures with James before he leaves for school at 6:30. In years past I have read to the kids as they eat breakfast, but we feel it's important enough to have James involved to wake them up now. I can't say they were excited to get out of bed that early, but they were compliant, and each took a turn reading. I think it is a great thing to make a habit. Talmage also got his piano practicing done before breakfast! Bryant was ready and waiting, Talmage was rushing around until the last minute, but we were all out the door by 8:15. (We did have to come back once we got to the stop sign because Talmage forgot his lunch.)
It was a beautiful morning for a walk. Talmage was ready to go. Bryant was obviously a little more nervous. When Bryant was in line to walk into class, he held up his hand and whispered under his breath, "love kiss." I had completely forgotten about our daily "love kiss" last year. The notion comes from a book his teacher read to him the first day of kindergarten about a little creature who was nervous to go to school, but found comfort in a kiss his mother would place in the palm of his hand where he could retrieve it whenever he felt he needed it. It was super sweet from my sweetheart of a boy.

After that, Sariah and I had some much needed, long awaited, one on one time. We colored pictures in her princess coloring book, read stories from the Friend, chose a family home evening lesson (it was her turn for the lesson tonight), and made bread. She'll eat as much raw dough as I'll let her have. When she gets the attention she needs, she's a very pleasant little lady. She watch Sesame Street with her clipboard so she could practice the letter of the day.
By 4 o'clock we were anxious to hear how the boys' first day had gone, but no boys. We decided to take some freezer pops (since it was over 90 degrees) and meet them on their way home. Well, we kept walking and walking expecting to see them around every bend, but still no boys. By the time we got to the school, the grounds were completely empty and my heart was pumping---partly from anxiety concerning the whereabouts of my boys, and partly from speed walking up the hill on a very hot day pushing a double stroller. When I got to the school, the lights were out. I managed to catch the principal and explain the situation. She suggested I call the mother of the boy with whom they walk home. Her son was home and he said he walked home with my boys. I called our house and after it rang and rang, a sobbing Talmage answered the phone. They were as panicked as I was. All I can figure is they walked in the front door right after we walked out the back door and we just missed each other. I felt like we all needed some cooling off, figuratively and literally, so for the first time I asked the neighbors if we could come swimming. It felt good. What a day!