Lists

Every Saturday morning (or after soccer games) we do Saturday jobs. I make job lists for everyone with little boxes to check off completed jobs. The lists are pretty much the same every week: bedroom, bathroom, play room, laundry, dishes, yard work, messes down stairs... Sometimes there is an extra job like washing walls or cleaning out cars or washing window, depending on what needs done. After 5 years of doing this, one would think the boys would not need lists. They will not do a job unless it is on the list. I take the liberty of adding to lists if I need to. Last night, as I was preparing this mornings lists, I had a memory. The real reason for this post!

A couple of years ago in December, I was grocery shopping with Cannon. He was 3 years old. Santa and Mrs. Claus were in the store talking to the children and giving them candy canes. We stopped to visit. Santa asked Cannon what he had on his list. Cannon looked him in the face and replied, "jobs". I about fell over laughing. Santa had a very confused look on his face. I do not think he had ever had a 3 year old tell him he had jobs on his list. I explained about our Saturday job lists and then Santa understood and restated his question.

We had not talked about lists of wants for Santa nor had the boys written letters with lists to Santa so, when asked about a list, the only thing in Cannon's experience with a list was Saturday jobs.

Playing with food

Usually I tell my kids not to play with their food.

I came into the kitchen while Cannon was supposed to be eating breakfast and this is what I found.

It was an unplugged week. I guess he decided not to be bored. I thought it was pretty cute.

The finished product. I do not think he ate very much!

Smelling French

We have a neighbor family from France. They have a boy Declan's age and a little girl Cannon's age. They are very nice people.

She gives me bags of clothes when her son grows out of them. Cannon is always very excited to get new clothes.

This afternoon he put on a shirt and said, "it smells French in here."

I just laughed, how does French smell?

Peek a boo!

Waverly spends lots of time on the floor with her blankets. She always pulls it over her head and then waits for someone to come peeka t her. She has big smiles under there!

This day she actually fell asleep under her blanket. Brothers woke her up playing peek a boo.

She is such a sweetie! Check out her thighs!

All Done!

The last couple of weeks of April and the first week of May were really busy. Fortunately, we ended 3 very time consuming things.
This is Sullivan's Exhibition project performance. This project is a group project that the kids start working on in February. This year their topic was The Economy Effects Everyone. They had to do an action project, they did a food drive, a project display board and a power point. Most of the work was done at school but, Sully's group did several after school meetings to practice. All the other kids live in the same neighborhood right by the school. We got to drive up there a few times so he could help. We are all glad it is over!

This really bad picture is of Madsen wrestling. He enjoyed it and improved a lot. He had practice every Monday and Wednesday night. Once again, glad it is over!

Here is Madsen at a track meet. He had fun being on the team. I had fun watching him run. At least with school teams practice is just right after school so all I had to do was pick him up. He was pretty worn out on the nights he went from track to home for a few minutes to wrestling. He might only wrestle in the winter this year. Save us all a headache! He did a good job in his races and now has goals for next year.

So although all of these things were important and fun, I am so glad that it is all done!

Father and Sons

Last night was the annual Father/son camp out for our Stake. I love this event. I look forward to it every spring! The boys love the event, they look forward to it every spring. Their father is always hoping it will rain. Last night, not only did Matt have our 4 boys, 2 boys of a friend whose husband is out of town. Matt was not excited, but very kind to do this service. I hope he had some fun. I did!
I went to dinner with some other boyless women. Then I went to a friends house for snacks and visiting. Then I went home and a friend (the mother of the extra boys) came over and we watched a movie and talked into the wee hours. It was fun. Now I should clean up the messes around here so that when the boys return, they have a place to mess up. Delete that. I am going to take a shower so I get the hot water and we will clean up once!

I look forward to the day that Waverly is old enough to have a really fun mother/daughter night out or in, while the boys are camping!

Waverly's Easter Dress

I had fun making Wave's first Easter dress.
Sully told me that it was inappropriate because it does not
have sleeves, so I made the jacket.

I sewed on little pearls to make it a little prettier. Too much pink!

She looked like she was going to thte Prom. She was the prettiest girl at church.

May Goals

I love the start of new months. So refreshing!
Unfortunately, May starting on a Friday is a really bad day to start new
goals. I am going against everything I believe in and starting on a Friday any way!

These are my goals for May! I am giving up chocolate. Yeah, I know, crazy! I do not plan to do this forever (small steps) I am just starting with May. I am really interested to see how long it takes to get a really strong craving and then pass the test and not give in.

I really plan to severly limit my treat intake, ice cream on weekends only instead of every night, but trying to be realistic by not giving up all sweets at the same time. Once again, small steps!

I love my little Waverly, but I do not love what has happened to my body because of all
the kids, she is just the one to blame right now!

My other goal is to start running... again. I have got to get myself back in shape
I was lucky? that I lost all the weight with my bout of pneumonia, but as you can see, I am not looking all that great. Even though the numbers on the scale are not that bad, I do not feel good and I know that running makes me feel better. Both physically and mentally.

I cannot start running on a Friday, that is just wrong, so on Monday, I am on the road again.

I am hoping that the combination of no chocolate and sweets and running, I can lose some inches and pounds.
So, on Monday I will be running, maybe just on the treadmill. But I will be running and no chocolate!

Any one want to join me?