Mudd Fight

You know it's been too long since you've blogged when you can't remember your password. Notice I did start this post a few days ago. The thought of all the things that I've already forgotten in the past 3 weeks (now 4) because I didn't write it down makes me sad. Some cute things the kids have said:

"Can I have my applesauce in a bowl because that just makes sense." -AJ

"DAAA DEEE!"-Jorie when Mark gets home from work. Jorie is still such a little peanut. She is always amazing people when they see her running around and saying things. They think she isn't even 1 yet, and she can still wear some 9m clothes. Her favorite thing to say right now is Stinky. I'll get a diaper and she'll look at me and say, "Stinky?" It's cute. Tonight she was trying to push me over so she could jump on me like her brothers and sister do.

Cora said some kid at her school is spreading a rumor about her that she picked her nose and ate her booger. I gave her that "well did you look?", and she frankly said, "Mom...I'm on a diet from picking my nose. I don't do that anymore I swear." So apparently boogers are fattening. Good to know. Cora is having a hard time adjusting in school this time around I think. She just had such amazing friends in Utah, and is not making those connections here. There is one girl across the street that she's gotten close with, but there's been a few times where that girl will just all the sudden do something to really hurt Cora's feelings (nothing she herself hasn't done). I tell Cora to get over it...that's life! Just kidding...I don't say that, but it is hard watching your children try to figure out life. And often times how you react to these situations will determine how the child handles similar situations in the future so you have to keep your own emotions out of it and focus on teaching. I'm glad she's having these experiences. The sooner she learns the better. It's just hard when their hearts are so tender. How do you help preserve that "little child" spoken of in the scriptures while life is happening to them? Cora started competitive swim this last week, and she is good! It is so exciting to see her do so well at something she loves to do. She is so competitive (I don't know where she gets that from? ;) and can't go down one length of the pool without trying to beat anyone who is around her even though it isn't a race. I was worried she didn't have that drive for competition after watching her do cartwheels on the soccer field (which just about killed me), but she does have it in her. Her and I also started piano lessons this past week, and I haven't had to remind her to practice once...yet. I know that will probably change, but she is really wanting to play. I've always wanted to play so this is like a dream come true.

I know there were other things, but I can't think of them. AJ says cute things all the time. He is at that age where he's trying to use all the things he hears in the world around him, but doesn't quite know how to use it correctly. He always has Mark and I laughing with the "big boy" things he does. I know it would be really great to be able to give some specifics right now, but my mind is blank. I need to do better.

My husband was in Utah for almost 2 weeks with the National Guard. We definitely missed him, but as bad as it sounds, I keep to a much better schedule when he isn't here. I think it's just so I can pass the time quicker. I have been a busy woman doing domestic "womanly" things like canning anything I can get my hands on; pears, peaches, applesauce, apple butter, apple cider. I've been able to pick most of the fruit myself. This week alone I have spent around 20 hours in the kitchen not including the regular hours for EVERY day cooking...not that I cook every day, but I feel like I'm in the kitchen all the time. I clean up breakfast and little kids are at my heels whining that they are hungry. I am taking care of a 2 year-old girl during the day now for a little extra mu la. She is a good girl, but now I have a 1, 2, 3, and 5 year old at home. I actually try to go to the store with all of them, and I don't hurt anyone...usually. There was that one time I put my hand on Cora's throat and told her to knock it off because she was being loud and I couldn't find what I was looking for. Needless to say, I don't go to the store all that often with all those kids, but I can do it! This past week I had Kylee (the 2 year old) and her sister stayed with us for 4 days while their parents were gone. 6 kids. I had their stuff packed and waiting at the door on Friday. Holy cow that was a lot. Again, trying to save some extra money for a really nice camera I want. I'm starting to think by the time I have all the money for it, I won't be able to spend it. It is going to take me 4 months of saving, and for an impulsive buyer like myself that is a REALLY, REALLY long time to save. I took some pictures of the kids in a mud fight with the really nice camera that I want. I looked out my back window to the kids smearing each other with mud. I started to get angry, but decided that was a stupid thing to do. So I went and got THE camera that's not mine and had some fun with them.

It was fun. And can you believe those are the only pictures I've taken in the last month! Mark is on a mission to get pictures of the house on the blog so I'm thinking we will have pictures up in the next day or so. In any case, I'll be blogging more tomorrow about some other things, but for now I have to end this so I can read up on what everyone else has been doing in the past month!