short cuts

The girls got short cuts - that's what Abbey calls them.

before

VERY FIRST HAIR CUT!! She's 3, but that's a year sooner than I had Lea's hair cut.

She was really nervous for Angie to cut it, but she did great while we looked at pictures on the camera

Lea's new look - not styled because we were going swimming

thrilled to pieces

okay not so bad.

 

the girls playing the Wii with their new short cuts - thanks Miss Angie!

Father's day

Father's day was a bust. Jeff was sick and I was sick (well I was better, but was sick all day Saturday). Jeff slept most of Sunday and we missed church. So the kids didn't get to sing their Father's day song for Jeff. Neither did we eat a big, wonderful meal - we were just happy to be able to eat and the kids were happy to finally have their parents back from the night of the living sick.

About 5 pm, this is what we ended up doing. The kids busted out the Wii Fit game and were trying some things out. Of course we joined in too - see how much fun the kids are having!? :)

 

We sang to Grandpa Riz (everyone was asleep when I called my dad.....a peaceful phone call)

 Then things just got silly

 Abbey 'singing' in the phone

 

 

Happy father's day dear. Love you! Happy father's day to my dad, father-in-law, and Grandpa Reynolds!

Swim lesson drama

Day 1: Miss Erin's swim lessons (so we can actually learn something....) Aqua Babes LLC

    Was informed we shouldn't quit after day 3 when our kids have cried for 3 days straight - it's the hardest part. I, of course, ignored this and thought - NOT. my kid......sadly mistaken was I and very humbled.

All she had to do was lay on her back and count to 3. She was FREAKING.OUT. And she couldn't leave til she did it. After her class was finished, I stayed for the next class and still.....nope. So we left - we had ridden our bikes there and had to go to our other swim lessons at 11. Off we rode home, got our waters, towels and other stuff to survive the next lessons and back we drove. I walked back in and she was trying again......still freakin' out. I got the other kids out of the car and in we went. I went into the pool area, applied more sunscreen and gave her a drink of water. Asked her if she knew how to count to 3....by now she was watching much bigger kids and they were getting to sing the 'pancake song' - which she loves! She then told me '12345' - about that fast. Good. get in the pool and do it. We left at 10:30.

Day 2: This time she was crying before she even got in the pool gate. And today, no counting, just hold still.......day 2 looked ALOT like day 1. Again we left and came back. As I was walking through the gate, I backed up and closed the gate so she couldn't see me, she was in the water and she did it! Again we left at 10:30. (Why is this a big deal......the lesson started at 8:40 and ended at 9:10) We are definitely getting our money's worth! :)

Day 3: Strongly considering giving up........but I couldn't - she needs to learn! She was again freaking out before she got in the pool area.....then all 3 classmates were crying before they got in the pool area.......it was a long day and I'm pretty sure we drove Miss Erin to the brink and pushed her over the edge of crazy that day. Although we did get to leave on time........for that we were all grateful.

Day 4: Must be something in the water - a miracle of all miracles......NO CRYING. She took her own noodle to use to 'reach and pull'. And was so happy to get her ring! Must have been some serious prayers from us moms and Miss Erin.

 

Day 5 (after a 4 day break) I was nervous for today: but she did AWESOME!!!!!! She even volunteered to go first - loves the pancake song, ice cream cups and jumped in, swam to the side, got her ring - still makes her nervous, but the joy.....oh the joy!! :) To which I've heard from her 

'Mom, I didn't even go to time out!' 

'Mommy, I did it!'

'I reach and pull to Miss Erin!'

'Miss Erin! I got my ring!'

(seriously, after the trial of our faith can we truly enjoy life and our new-found strengths!) :)

Way to go Abbs!

Attack!

 Lucas got 3 dart guns for his birthday. So far I had successfully avoided toys with many parts: polly pockets, barbies, guns and legos........bummer my kids are getting bigger and their toys get smaller and more expensive. Legos came for Christmas, Polly pocket came for birthdays (Lea had some, but they were up and outta sight for little hands and mouths), and guns came with this last birthday for Luke. Not blaming his friends because one actually came from me. :) The kid makes guns out of EVERYTHING. Blocks, bananas, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, sticks, you name it - it can be a gun.

Jeff decided we should go buy more.....I thought it was an okay idea and went along with it as long as I had the BEST gun within reason and I wasn't going to get shot - because after all the Mom is off limits, right?? (and let's face it, I'm a sore loser, but I'm working on that).

So now we have 5 dart guns and 132 darts (the 32 came with the guns, we bought an extra 100.....I must be losing my mind)

One day I had the bright idea to set up an ambush on Jeff. I divided out the darts and even was nice enough to leave his gun loaded and with extra darts - dumb I know. Trying to be fair. That was before Lucas became a traitor and went to Jeff's team and the result of picture #4.

  I'd like to say it was Lucas who shot me in the eye while I was reloading and not wearing my safety/sun glasses............but it was not. It was the one with the do-rag in the next picture. From 2 feet away, he shot his automatic gun right in my eye. And my eye was OPEN! A one-in-a-million shot. I thought for sure I was blind and going to be, but I'm good. He's lucky! :)

Are you scared!?

Fort Risenkids

Jeff is the master fort builder. The last fort he built for the kids covered both of their bedrooms and as great as that was, I couldn't get to Ammon's crib. That part was removed by me and very few were super thrilled about it. The kids asked Jeff again a few weeks ago to build another fort. Of course they all wanted to be a part of the process..........that was short lived and the kids were banished elsewhere til the job was done. :) Here's the results of 'more than enough blankets for our oven climate' and 'the clip stash of an accountant'

The entrance is down.....had to crawl under the video rockers to get in. This was quickly changed (again by me) because I wanted to walk down the hallway without getting a complex about my weight.......suck it in! :) We took down one of the video rockers then turned the other sideways to fit in the doorway.

Jeff in the 'library' - each of the kids had their own 'room'
Notice to the left of the photo, there is a random BYU looking sleeve......we have 4 snuggies which turns out the arm holes make great a/c and kept it nice and cool especially with 3 kids playing in there all the time.

 Ammon was too slow and now Lea is on her way in. He wasn't so sure he wanted to go into that dungeon.

 Abbey's 'room' was on her bed - lucky girl!

 Of course we have to pose like......who knows.

 getting books from the library

 bringing in the bedding to sleep

 looks a smidge evil, but look at that drool! cute huh?

 Jeff on his way out

 And to what do we owe the pleasure of this fort in the living room.........

 to keep this guy out of the other fort and pulling it down - a baby fort. :)

The sounds of silence.

The fort has thus been removed - things were getting lost and items not being put away. Plus it's really hard to discipline when you have to crawl in........just doesn't have the same effect.