More random life moments.

The other day I had the privilege of having both my little babies asleep on my lap.  Gentry was just having one of 'those' days and Maren was fighting the rash from heck and was super mad at me for putting medicine on it.  It's a great problem to have two babies on you.

Last Monday night, we made pizza for dinner and it was one of those impromptu everyone-in-the-kitchen-to-help-mom nights. 

It was a huge mess but everyone was happy.  It was also the same night as trying to carve pumpkins but Than only had like 20 minutes to fit it in and it didn't really happen.  I think they did get two or three done.  Very simple, but completed! 

I got crafty and made a banner of our past Halloweens!  It was so fun to have those pictures up for awhile.  And it was fun to actually make something!  That doesn't happen very often anymore. 

 I'm trying to get Gentry to be better about her colors.  It's coming but not as quickly as I'd like. 

Claira created a book a few weeks ago.  It was more like an illustrated poem.  This girl loves to create!  

 She took it in to share with her class.  I just love her little creative mind. 

 Camry was working on her sun flare selfies. :)

And one night we worked on ours together.  Really not flattering! 

And this was us demolishing the best tamales ever at a farmers market in town.  I wasn't sure if my kids would like them but they did!  They loved them and have asked to get them again.  I love all of our farmers markets out here. 

Friday.

Friday turned out to be a pretty exhausting, but super fun day.  Thursday we went up to Oroville to support Kaylee with her court hearing about Olive.  Pacen was already gone with Than on their boys trip to Wisconsin and so I thought..what the heck?  It was a great day and we had fun seeing everybody.  I thought it best to drive home and let the kids go to school for Friday.  But I did know that it was twin day on Friday (where kids dress the same) and my kids had been talking about it but that they hadn't worked anything out with anyone.  

The debate was....do I talk with them about it now and try to figure something out, or do I send them to school not dressed as a twin and have them remember when they were already there and risk tears at school?  I decided to talk with them about it on the way home, and I did figure out a friend that Claira could dress the same as but I could not find someone for Camry.  I called two people and it just wasn't working out  All the while, Camry was crying in the car, so upset over this stupid day.  She kept saying, "But everyone will make fun of me!"   I suggested being twins with Claira but she wanted to be twins with someone in class and her good friend in class was in Hawaii so that was out.  Basically just  a crying mess for like 45 minutes and so finally I was like...We are done.  You are not going to school!  This is ridiculous.  She was against that, too, but we worked it out.  

I ended up getting a babysitter for Gentry and Maren so that I could have a few hours with just her.  She had mentioned being a little upset that Pacen got to go on another cool trip with dad....not in like a bratty kind of way, but a way that seemed sincere and I kind of agree.  He does get a lot of fun things with Than because of BYU sports.  It's the 3rd trip this year with the fathers and sons camp, the Utah game, and now the Wisconsin game.  I can see how it might seem unfair.  So I took her to get pedicures and shopping.  Just us.    It was a lot of fun to just have some time with her.  Sometimes I think that because she is so helpful and good and easy it's easy to look her over.  What they say is true....the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  And she's just not most of the time.  She is so wonderful and I want to make sure that she feels the love too.  

 And I seriously HATE twin day.  I'm going to write a letter I think suggesting that the school do a different thing for a spirit day.  It has never been easy to do lame twin day anyway.  There is always stress figuring out what to wear and then you feel bad for the ones that don't have anyone to be twins with.  I totally know what she was feeling when she was upset.  We've all felt like that at one time or another.  And it was funny because while we were out playing hooky, I ran into two moms and we chatted about it and they both said that they hated twin day too, and all of my friends who I talked to getting a babysitter hated it too!  So why do we have it?!?!  Seriously it's time for some change.  

Or maybe we'll have to go shopping every twin day just to boycott! :) 

Friday was also Claira's friend movie party!  She has been asking me for a movie night with school friend since school started and so I finally caved since I knew Than and Pacen would be gone.  She was so excited.  Like beyond excited.  She even brought home this bracelet making kit from treasure box and had created a game for all the kids to play.  It was her night.  And all her friends were just as excited.  I love making kids happy. 

The pictures aren't in order but I'm being lazy.  

 The game.  Just like charades but Claira was in charge. :)

She actually drew out specific charades for each person and when she drew their name out of the bowl she gave them their charade to act out.  It was pretty cute. 

  

 Movie party joy. 

 I did let them decorate cupcakes and that was the biggest mess ever.  Sprinkles galore!  

So basically I win mom of the year with my friday activities.  Just sayin.  :)

phone love.

Here are boatloads of pics not in any logical order.  I love that I have these moments captured because of my phone.  

Maren eating dog food.  This is seriously disgusting but it is a daily fight with her.  If I don't move it, she is to it in a matter of seconds!  

See...there she is going back for more!  What a stinker! 

Just teaching Maren the art of a selfie.  I think she gets it. 

Camry still wants to hold my hand.  This was at her field trip in front of her friends even.  How do I get this to never change???

I actually don't know why Maren is crying but it is something to document because she honestly doesn't cry a whole lot.  She is one of the most content babies ever.  It has been super sad because she has had the diaper rash from heck and I've been fighting it for weeks.  And it just kept getting worse and worse even with a bunch of lotions on it and one day I put something new on and she just screamed and screamed and I felt so bad.  But right now, it's in check but it comes back within minutes if I'm not careful.  Nasty.  

Than and I on a date night.  

Sunday morning entertainment. 

Gentry sleeping.  Oh, sweet gentry.  In church, she says, "I'm tired."  And she goes and gets her sassy and falls asleep within minutes.  I honestly haven't been to Sunday school in weeks because she is just sleeping through it!  

But the funny thing is that she really can just fall asleep anywhere.  I've gotten her taking naps again but she still fights me occasionally.  But then around three o'clock she'll find her sassy and fall asleep.  Works for me! 

Penny likes it too.  This sleep actually happened during scripture reading. 

Doc McStuffins is all the rage at my house.  All of the girls play it but Gentry is in the "check up" phase.  She is always telling me that I'm sick and need to lie down so that she can check me out.  After going through all the tools she proclaims, "You better!"  

Gentry's notes. Probably as clear as a real doctors! :)

More selfie practicing.  

At the real doctor's office!  She was being so cute with that loud paper.  This was when I thought that she had an ear infection and they said she didn't but I still think she did.  She is still snotty and congested and I can't get it to be gone and it's so annoying! But at least she was super cute while we were waiting. 

This is one of those moments that deserved it's own post.  It's one of those times when you think...is this really happening right now?!?!?  We were driving to Reno that night for Than's grandma's 80th birthday party, I had the car all packed for our trip.  I had just grabbed some fast food for the kids and headed on over to the church for Pack Meeting.  While I was trying to get everything situated, Gentry pees on the floor and Maren poops up her back.  Than isn't there and I head into the bathroom to take care of everything and I couldn't get to the changing area because they were painting and so all this furniture was packed in there so I had to change everyone in the foyer.  Camry and Claira just had to sit with a friend in the pack meeting while we got things cleaned up.  The great part about this is that I had everyone's clothes in the car since we were all packed for our trip!  Silver lining. :)  

Even blurry I had to catch Gentry looking all cute pulling her suitcase through the hotel.  

A child had my phone for this.  This is me making dinner after church.  It looks like I was broiling something maybe.  ANd I love the chair in the way because there are always chairs  pulled up so that the kids can "help".  

Monday morning shopping!!!  I love having these two little buddies with me all the time.  

Family home evening.   We were going through our 72 hour kits and it was funny because a lot of stuff expired in 2008!  Has it really been that long?!?!!   Apparently! :)  Our ward had a bit "shake out" and we were supposed to go through a day and have a mock emergency and only live on our storage stuff so we could see what we really needed but we didn't really do that.  We still should and we could but we just didn't.  :(  That's life sometimes.  But we do have a generator and water and a huge camp stove and propane and dutch ovens and a lot of food!  We are getting there.  

Normal life doing dishes on a weeknight.  

Maren love.  Night night. 

Gentry giving Maren some love.  

Maybe a little too much love. 

Wednesday afternoon have become my park day.  It seems like we have a pretty free afternoon and it's been great.  Therapy for both me and the kids. 

My little puppy.  All she wants to do is sit in the front seat.  Sometimes we cheat when we are just driving in our neighborhood and let her break the law.  

Kindergarten homework time.  Claira is learning how to read and it's so fun!  

She loves to do her homework...especially when it's art!  Here is her turkey creation.  I thought it was finished and then she got out the glitter.   Everything must have glitter for this girly girl.  

We try to entertain Gentry during homework time.  Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.  

I am thankful for my neighbor's trees.  We cut down our trees and I'm so happy that I can look out my window and see theirs.  And not have to clean up any leaves.  It's a total win win situation.  

On a side note, we've lost Than's keys to that truck.  It's been a week and no sign of them.  It's a real mystery.  

My girls love fairies.  Those darn fairies should write back one of these days. 

Birthday bed!  Than turned 34!  It's not bad to turn 34 when you are as loved as this guy.  

Just hanging out.  

Maren gives the best, slobbery kisses.  You seriously need a towel after she's done with you. 

I was driving and I had to stop because this tree was so incredibly gorgeous!  I love the fall and miss the trees but there is some color in California! 

And this is an Oroville sky!  I miss that big open sky and all of it's colors.