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I so did not know that I could do this. Download my scrapbook pages onto my blog. SWEET!!!!

catch up

No this is not a post about how I need to write about all the things we have been doing. This is how I feel every morning. Just tryin' to catch up. I'm usually up before the big kids but never before Thad. I take care of him and play with him and slowly the other 3 wake up until I am outnumbered 4 to 1. I get Levi ready for school and send him on his way and then look around me, and even if I did do the dishes last night, the kitchen is a disaster. Did I really just sweep the floor last night? Food and pencil crayons are all over the floor. The family room is a mess. There are toys everywhere. Thad's hands are super sticky, not to mention his hair. Monet's hair is even worse and looks like it has never seen a comb before. I have diapers to change. Kids to dress. Shoes to find. Beds to make (OK- only one). Highchair to wipe down. Calendar and email to check. Bank statements. Phone calls. Trampoline. Games to play. Songs to sing. I am just so popular around here EVERYONE wants me to give them my complete and undivided attention. I feel inundated with peoples needs and almost dizzy sometimes. I feel like I can't spin around fast enough to breath. Motherhood is overwhelming. To say it is busy is an understatement. I think it is slowly melting my brain into nothing.

But then there are cuddles on the couch as we read (and re-read) a favorite story. There are soccer games in the backyard. Reading and riding and loving to be taught. Tight hugs and sticky kisses. Moments where the kids actually seem to not only like but love each other. Accomplishments like using the bathroom by oneself and getting dressed. Silly songs and dances. Discovering bugs and new foods. My kids might be disintegrating my brain, but every day they find a way to melt my heart and make it all worth it.

This is not easy. It is not flashy or dazzling. But it is necessary, and as much as I think (and hope) I am building these little people into spectacular and amazing, caring, empathetic, and hard-working beings, I really think it is the other way around. How will I let my kids help mould me into something better today?

Love the spring. Love our yard. Love my kids.

enoch can ride!

We've been working on getting Enoch to ride a two-wheeler for a while now. I am convinced that training wheels totally ruin kids as far as bike-riding is concerned. That and the fact that Enoch is convinced he can learn bike tricks before he can even ride. He would try to look sideways, stand-up, one-hand it and anything else you can think of before he could even pedal. It took him forever to get the balance thing. Well, it was taking forever, until my friend suggested we come over to her place and try riding down the small hill by her house. 3 rides down and Enoch had his balance in place. Just like that. His poor little legs had the hardest time pedaling on the grassy field, so we moved our bike learning operation back over to "the pad" and he continued to improve. He really got it once we switched to a smaller bike and he could touch the sides comfortably with both feet. Now he rides his bike to school. Enoch plans to open a school this summer for teaching other kids to ride a bike. The cost is only $2 and he will teach the whole world.

new friend

My friend showed me a fun website for tracking what you eat and how much you work out. It is very user friendly and well thought out. I am finding it super helpful to plan out my meals for the day, see what all I am eating, and then snack accordingly. (Who knew pepperoni sticks were 220 cal each? - no more eating 3 of those cause I am simply bored ). If interested, you can check out the website here.

March flew by and April is already almost half way done. We went to Calgary for Easter, which was fun as usual. The kids played with their cousins constantly, and even if a movie was on they were having too much fun to stop and watch it.

This is a big year for Levi, as he is turning 8. He recently found out that his grandmother will pay him $100 to read the Book of Mormon. He is game for that and has made a goal to read it by the time he is baptized. He tends to be a bit of a spaced reader, so we asked him to come to one of us at the end of each chapter and review it to make sure that he is soaking in some of the content. I've been impressed thus far with how much of the story he is understanding. Recently Levi's choir participated in the Kiwanis Festival, and we got to go hear them sing. He is not sure if he wants to continue with choir next year, but is still practicing piano with the promise of drums down the road.

I can't believe that Enoch is almost done Kindergarten. Didn't he learn to walk last week? After a failed attempt at piano lessons earlier in the year, he is now showing interest and we have "lessons" every few days or so. He is reading very well and likes to show off by reading the scriptures upside down when we read them as a family. We are still working on riding a 2 wheeler and hopefully it won't be too long before we can post some pictures of him in action.
Funny story: The other day Enoch wanted to ride his scooter to school and insisted on wearing his ski helmet and ski goggles. It was pretty awesome seeing him in his perceived glory showing up to the kindergarten room in all his gear. This guy always like to dress for whatever the occasion.

My little Monet is growing up to be quite the girl. I call her my Mini-Me because we get comments hinting at such so much. She does and says things that I did as a child. She is fairly stubborn, and really likes to do things all by herself. She has also been known to shout out at the camera, "Take a picture of me!" Which is something I used to bug my parents about constantly. I can really see a lot of her Auntie Annie in her though, too, so I guess that means perhaps that Josh and I look like siblings? Don't worry- I've done my genealogy and everything is OK. Monet can be either be extremely sweet or excrutiatingly demanding depending on the circumstance. I've never seen a child with such mood swings before. Luckily, there are a few things that will always brighten her day; Berenstain Bears, Thad, marshmellows, raisins and Starfall.

My baby is trying to grow up way too fast and it nearly breaks my heart. After several months of army crawling, he graduated to the real deal a couple weeks ago. Soon after he learned to crawl up and fall down the stairs. He is standing with the help of furniture and drinking real milk and not saying too much. He loves being outside in this lovely weather and tries to eat as many rocks and and leaves as possible.

movie night

We had a fun weekend watching family movies on our video camera. We don't have that many, partially due to laziness and partially due to Monet deleting half a years worth from the camera last summer. (Including Thad as a brand new babe, Josh singing in his school's musical AND Levi riding a two wheeler for the very first time.)!!!

What we had was still very incredible, though. The kids just loved seeing themselves on the big screen. I am definitely motivated to film more. Today I was reminiscing on here and found a couple gems.

hair cut

BEFORE:


Without thinking I went to town on Thad's hair. It is something I had been contemplating, but not really yet ready to do. I felt like a crazy person; waking up with a foggy memory and nothing but the hard evidence of scissors in one hand and detached hair in the other. He is less a baby and much more a boy now. :(
AFTER:


Since the haircut, a lot of people are really saying he looks just like Enoch. I think they are right!

Today my Monet-girl is three!! Three.

I am saddened that the time is moving so fast. Monet's loves in life right now are the following:

Thaddy-bear. Don't call him anything else, that is his name.
Barenstein Bear books. We read a few of these every day, and she covers her bed with them at night.
Strawberries and grapes and bananas.
Her backpack. BB books go in there.
Her daddy. She just lights up when he comes home from work.
"Helping in the kitchen."
Sneaking treats with Mommy. I always share and we give each other a nod, as in we are saying, "Yup, I understand you, too, Sister."
My Little Ponies.
Babysitters.

We love you Monet and are so happy to have you in our family.