supply and demand

AJ really wants a cell phone. Aside from the fact that I don't think a 7-year-old needs a phone, she could never afford the monthly fees. However, on Sunday she saw an ad for a prepaid phone for $25. She has been pretty persisent so I told her if she could write up a convincing proposal of why she needs one and could come up with sufficient funds, she could get one. Her proposal was pretty well thought out, so now she is working on earning the money. Mid-week I came across this in our front yard:

I tried to explain that most people wouldn't pay for rocks when they can go gather their own for free. She was quick to point out that they couldn't find rocks like hers though, especially the silver (fool's gold). I told her that she still ought to consider lowering her prices, but she wouldn't budge. Sadly she didn't sell any rocks, she didn't get the cell phone, and I am still the Big Meanie.

love that corn. . .

My parents stopped by on their way through this week and stayed a couple of nights. They brought some caramel kettle corn as a treat which at first AP didn't want to try, but after a taste couldn't leave it alone. So before he went to bed he gave Grandma a big hug and said, "Goodnight Grandma, I love you and. . . if you leave before I wake up in the morning, will you please leave the kettle corn?"

Father's Day Fun

We celebrated Father's day early in anticipation of J being gone this month. However, the camera battery was dead and we couldn't find the spare so there are no pictures to document the fun; but I'll still give a quick run-down of the weekend.

On Saturday (two weeks ago) we went to "UP." I tried to talk J into just taking A&A and leaving D with me, but he wouldn't hear of it. So he spent the entire time entertaining the little one so that I could sit through the whole movie. I haven't been able to do that in ages. Such a sweet man. Oh, and I loved the movie. The beginning is sad. . . AP and I both teared up.

On Sunday we had chocolate chip cookies and opened presents: mostly stuff for work--a silver tie from AP, a green and yellow one from AJ (they picked them out themselves), a green coordinating shirt from me (they have green shirt day in Oz), and a couple of belts (he lost his favorite one off his backpack while biking into work). I also gave him the X-Men 3 DVD and he got himself a GARGANTUAN frost dragon, so we had to have a little battle. I got to be the dragon (ah, the power) while he, AP, and AJ whittled away at me. Yup, they won. My favorite part though was D, who kept swiping the dragon, laughing, and saying RRRrrrrr.

D and that dragon (he still growls everytime he sees it)

Speaking of D, he doesn't say much. Actually, let me rephrase that, he says a ton, we just don't understand most of it. He's good at making sounds: barks when he wants to go outside (that where the dogs are, obviously), and growls when he sees any other animal (both real or plastic), but his only real word has been "ba" (for ball). But yesterday, I guess in anticipation of Father's day, or just because he misses him so much, he climbed up on the couch, pointed at J in one of the wall pictures and said with a big smile, "Da." Then he pointed at J in the one next to it and said, "DAAA!" He also got his first haircut (had to take care of that mullet he was sporting) and just this week, the little man gave up his crawl. He is walking (or rather running) now. And it's the cutest thing watching him swagger around.

Gourmet Rodent??

This post is about worms, snakes, and, as the title suggests, rodents, so if you are at all squeemish you have been warned. . .

Soooo, with that out of the way, AJ and AP have been begging for pets, but I told them they had to wait until the end of July when we would actually be around to take care of animals. They were pacified. That is until last week when they caught a garden snake in the yard. Although I really wanted them to get rid of it, they were so excited to finally have a pet that I figured it couldn't hurt to let them keep it (as long as they left it in the garage). Besides, snakes are sneaky so I figured it would escape soon enough and my worries would be over. It did (sigh of relief), but AP and AJ were quick to track it and a couple of days later it was right back in its cage. Now that we have had him two days, and AP and AJ have taken extra precautions to make sure he doesn't escape again, we had to figure out what it actually eats. I figured bugs would be the simple, and logical answer, but after a search online, we discovered garden snakes only eat worms and small mammals. . . or you could get snake food from a pet store. Ahh, the clean answer (or so I thought). So off we went to Petco for snake food. And what do you know, they had just the thing! They said we needed to feed it pink mice. Not only that, they had a nice little bag of them in the freezer, just for us (weren't we lucky). As if that alone wasn't enough, the bag was labeled "Gourmet Rodent." Ugh!! I could barely stomach the thought of picking the bag up let alone buying it and taking it home. So I walked around Petco trying to distract the kids and figure out a way out of this one. I couldn't come up with anything so I waited outside while AP & AJ bought their "snake food." Once home I kept a fair distance as they gave HUGZ (so named because he wraps around their wrists) his first gourmet meal (which apparantly he enjoyed). And now I have two happy kids, a full and (therefore I assume) content snake, and my own hungry belly. Because with this little bag of rodent in my freezer,

I can't go near the fridge, let alone open the door. In fact, I am not sure I will be able to eat anything from my freezer ever again. BTW there is a warning on the back that this is not for human consumption--go figure.

3 is my number

I had my sister's (in-law) kids Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, and I've got to admit, 6 kids takes parenting to a whole new level; especially when two of them are 1-year-old (how do people with twins do it?!) and your husband is out of town (you single moms are amazing!!)Well we all survived (although we did lose a dining chair, a picture off the wall, and some of Asher's blood), and amidst the chaos and tears (including my own), we did have fun! In fact, today I find myself missing the extras . . . but, even as much as I love these little ones and enjoyed having them around, I am content that 3 is my number.

Fun afternoon

Kalista has been here visiting family so we got to steal her and Addi for an afternoon last week. AP and AJ were just as excited to see them as I was! As soon as we met up, AP ran over to get Addi, and she went right to him. As soon as D saw Kalista he reached for her and wrapped his arms around her neck for the biggest hug! It was so sweet. It has been a few months since we last saw them so I didn't expect D or Addi to remember each other (or the rest of us), but they got along like we had never been apart (of course D went right back to swatting Addi, but at least he left her hair alone). We had a great time playing together. My only complaint is that the time went way too quickly!! Kalista is one of those people that, even though we really haven't known each other very long, it seems like we have been friends forever.

This picture was taken months ago at Corin Forest in Oz

This was our last night in Canberra--Kalista and Addi stopped by to say goodbye

And here we are playing in our very own backyard!!
So happy together

a little tired from all that playing

Reunions

Over the Memorial Day weekend we were able to get together with J's parents, sibs, and their famililies. We don't often have the chance to be all together, and it was wonderful. We had a great time hanging out, playing games, watching movies, shopping, and just being together.

Playing "Moods" (love this game!)

love these people!

Bedtime with cousins (aren't they sweet?)

Grandpa and Grandma gave each of the grandkids a book

Can you tell how much this family loves to read?!

Mom and Dad--always the cute couple!

Scrabble time

And some DS time. . .

I came away from our reunion feeling so blessed for the family I have, and the time we enjoyed together. Then this last week we learned that my sister-in-law lost her baby (at 31 weeks gestation). We have all felt such sorrow. My children have expressed their sadness to have never have met this cousin, to never have held him, to never have played with him. I too have felt this sadness. Yet through the pain I have been reminded, and been able to share with my children, joy in the promise of eternal family; we will know this cousin, we will be with him and all those we love, someday. Thanks to some wonderful friends, J and I were able to attend the temple on Saturday where I again felt the peace of a loving Heavenly Father who cares so deeply for each of us. Then yesterday we were able to attend a temple open house as a family. There was such sweetness in being able to walk through those sacred rooms with my children, to talk with them again about temple blessings and promises, and to once again feel that our Heavenly Father is near, that He loves us, and that because of that He has made it possible for us to be with the ones we love forever. I am so grateful for this knowledge, for the strength it gives me, and for the purpose and direction it provides in my life. I am grateful for the reunions we have had, and for those to come; both in this life and in the eternities.