Can I Send Him Back Yet?

Due to snow days last week, Eric has been home from school since last Thursday. Since then, Eric and Sean have been fighting, and I mean physically, everyday. I feel like I am constantly putting one or the other in time out. Time out doesn't really do anything for them anymore, but it keeps them apart for a while. I am just getting sick of this! Today I just have one question. Do you think they will take him back now? I love my son. He is just driving me crazy!

Transforformer Dishcloth

OK. I made the mistake of using a variegated yarn, so you have to squint and look at it the right way to actually see the Transformer face. I don't know why I keep doing that. At least it will just be used to wash dishes and counters. I am the only one that will really notice.

No I Haven't Forgotten

At the end of last year I set some goals for myself and challenged myself to do better on some of them weekly. I was doing great for a while there. My exercise goals were the first to slip. I really enjoy exercising, but it is really hard to find the time. I kept trying to get better, but lacked the motivation for some reason. Waking up early was a crazy expectation on my part. I don't think I ever made it a whole week of actually getting up at 5:30 with out hitting the snooze button. (I don't think this goal will ever be reinstated.) I was doing fairly well at my journals and having my kids listen to the Book of Mormon slipping just a few days until I went on vacation. I have really been having a hard time getting back on track, and I have been home for 3 weeks now! I can blame the kids or my exercise partner or my husband, but we all know that the problem is me.

I am starting back up on my goals, but I am starting slowly. I am challenging myself to write in each of my journals (prayer, scripture, and personal) at least 5 days this week. I am going to work out at least 3 days this week. When I can accomplish these goals, I will add more. For now, I just need to feel that excitement of accomplishing my goals again.

My Cute Boys

While trying to declutter my kitchen island a bit I found some fun stuff that my adorable little boys made.

Eric did this one while I was in Arizona.

The puppet that Eric made in Sharing Time at church on Sunday (they were told to make a family member).

Sean's puppet (a bit more human like)

Sean's self portrait

Snow Pictures for Krista

Out My Front Door

My Neighbor's Yard and Our Street

My Back Yard

I know you miss the snow, Krista. I thought of you when it was snowing yesterday. I hope you like my pictures!

Crazy Girl

Last night, Noel just wouldn't sleep. It took an hour for her to stop wiggling enough to fall asleep to begin with. Around 2:30 this morning I found her in my bed sleeping, so I carefully took her back to her bed. At about 5:30, it was the same story. She was in my bed again! This time she was snoring, and so was her daddy. Totally not fair! I went to the couch to finish off what I could of my sleep.

Later this morning, while getting her ready for a shower, I found out why she had such a hard time sleeping. She unzipped her footed pajamas, and under them were a pair of jammie pants and a pair of socks. She had to have been hot! We have been having fairly warm weather lately. I was warm last night and not wearing nearly as much.

Tonight, I will have to make sure she doesn't have as many clothes on before I send her to bed.

A Dishcloth For Tara

Do you remember the "Pay-it-Forward" challenge from a few months ago? I still haven't given anything to the people that signed up. Well, here is gift number one. Thank you for being patient with my forgetful brain. Carol and Melissa will get something soon as well. I just haven't decided what yet.

My Findings

While cleaning up the clutter on my kitchen island I found some of Eric's school work that I had planned on sharing.

This is a poem that Eric wrote for Valentines Day.

I am not sure where this one came from.

This picture goes with the story below. I made Eric draw a picture and write a story with at least five sentences the day that he stayed home from school and we changed his teacher.

I am sorry it is turned on is side. I am just too lazy to tun it right now.

Translation: A cat is chacing a mouse. The cat's name is Quick Catcher Obama. The mouse's name is Mister Mister Mister. Mister Mister Mister is going 100 mph. Quick Catcher Obama is going 90 mph. Mister Miser Mister is almost in his little house hole. So uh-oh MIster Mister Mister is not ging to get causght by Quick Catcher Obama!

Pinewood Derby

This year, just like last year, our ward did the Pinewood Derby as a ward activity. The boys were really excited! They had their own entry, and could wait to see how it did in the race. During the race, Eric was given the honor of being the person to pull the lever for the race to start. It was a lot of fun, but of course I didn't take many pictures. Here are the ones I did take.

My Newest Dishcloth

This is the dishcloth I finished yesterday. It was a lot more tricky than any that I have done in the past, but so worth it when it was done.

My Stragest Fear

I was tagged by Tara because I read her blog. This one seemed like it would be a lot of fun.

Neither I or John could think of a strange fear that I have now as an adult. My main fear is being abandoned, but a lot of people have that fear, so I am going to go with a strange and unique fear I had as a child.

When I was 5 or 6 years old I had a horrible nightmare that changed my sleeping habits for many years after. In my dream a man would come into people's houses at night and cut off the feet of the children that didn't wear socks to bed. Even now I can vividly see the image that plagued my young mind of the neighbors down the street throwing away the feet of my friend because they had been cut off in the middle of the night (image from my dream of course). It was many years before I would go to bed without socks on because I was afraid the "foot-cutter-offer" would come into my house and cut off my feet. At one time I even tried to talk my mom into letting me sleep with gloves and a hat on for fear they would be cut off too. She wouldn't go for that. I don't remember what she told me, but I am sure she thought I was crazy.

OK, if you read this you are tagged.

Goal Check

I know that you have noticed that I didn't put a goal update last week on my blog. There were two reasons for this. First of all, I was still in Arizona on Monday. Second of all, due to preparing for and going on a vacation for 4 days there really wasn't much to report. After that many days of not worrying about my goals, I got out of the habit of reaching my daily goals, so there isn't much to report this week either. I did get back into my journal writing Saturday, but neglected to do so on Sunday. I have a good start for this week though. I was up early this morning with John and just couldn't go back to sleep after he left for work. I got my journals done, showered, dressed, a load of laundry going, and the dishwasher empty before the kids were out of bed. That gave me the motivation to work out after I got Eric to school because I had already gotten so many things done. I actually remembered to turn on the computer this morning and had a chapter of the Book of Mormon playing while the kids were eating breakfast. That means for today I have accomplished all of my goals. I am going to push myself to complete all of my goals 5 days this week. I don't think that is too much of a stretch because I was doing it for so long.

My Dishcloths

Thanks to my friend, I found a social website for knitters. I joined a group that does a dishcloth a week. I love this idea because then I can actually finish some of my project and get new dishcloth patterns. I don't know why, but I like making dishcloths and can't stand the idea of spending money on buying dishcloths. The ones that I make work better too. Here are some that I have already finished.

This is my own pattern. Can you tell it is supposed to be a girl?

My first knit a long project. I don't know why the picture is so dark. I will have to work on that next time.

More Cute School Stuff

Eric's new teacher sends home all of his work from the week on Friday in a "Friday Folder" that the parents sign so that she knows the parents get it. GREAT IDEA! Well, my point of tell you this is because I was not home on Friday for obvious reasons. I finally got the chance this morning to look through his work from last week. There were two things that I thought would be fun to share.

First I am going to share a new Eric sentence. Not as creative as others, but still good.

"The ridiculous leprechaun rode a dirt bike in Ireland on March 17th!!!"


The other one was a worksheet that he did about dental care. There are 6 toothbrushes. Each toothbrush has a clue to help the kids find the toothpaste that belongs on it. The one that made me giggle said, "Two things you find in a dentist's office." The answer is, "chair, drill." That just made me laugh. I don't know if I would play up the drill part to a bunch of first graders.

Arizona Pictures

Clearing the Camera for Vacation pt. 2

Noel giving "Sally" a new do.
"Sally's" do.

Eric playing Geo Trax.

Sean hiding behind the door.

Clearing the Camera for Vacation

Last week things were hectic in my house to say the least. On Thursday, I got frustrated with Sean and Noel not wanting anything I offered for lunch, so I made them make their own sandwiches. I know, I am mean.

Sean's finished product. Pepperoni, cheese, and mustard.
Noel took a bit longer to make hers.

Noel got a bit distracted.

Sean was very proud of himself.

Crumpley to English Tranlation

Have you ever noticed that sometimes your kids call something a new name and it just sticks? I am sure that my family isn't unique in this. I thought it would be fun to list some of them.

fizz juice = soda
spaghetti noodle soup = Ramen (yes I know that is a very long way to say it)
macocheese = macaroni and cheese
macochee = one piece of macoroni and cheese
couple bites = the food cut into bites
chicken o's = pepperoni (we really don't know where this one came from)
Pizza Hut = pizza
cloe = one item of clothes

I am sure there are more. Most of them didn't stick. Most of them were from Eric. He is such a fun kid!

Goal Check

Ugh! It is that time of the week again. I am reporting on how much of a slacker I have been. I have got to step it into gear soon, or there will be no point in these updates anymore.

When it comes to journal writing, I did great Monday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday are a different story. I don't know what is so hard about the weekends, but that seems to be my downfall.

Exercising this week is a sad story. I got up and journaled 5 days, but for some reason I just didn't feel like even going for a walk more than just Monday and Tuesday. I think dealing with Eric's problems just took the life out of me or something. Luckily, John recognised that I needed to do something and encouraged me to work out with him Thursday and Friday. I am going to try harder this week. (I couldn't try any less.) I already have a good start today. I went for a nice walk this morning and did some Tae Bo and have done a few things with the weights. Hopefully I can keep this up. I have no guarantees for while I am out of town though.

Listening to the Book of Mormon was OK. I have been trying for doing this Monday through Friday, and I think I just missed Wednesday when I took Eric for a picnic in the car in front of the school. Not a bad reason to miss in my opinion.

Getting up early has been working OK on the week days. I have only been pushing the snooze once. One day last week I actually woke up before my alarm went off!