Someday it will be green

So, more landscaping. We (and I use the word 'we' very loosely) spent all day Friday digging trenches and tapping into the main water line. Cute Girl and her friend Dallin played all day. There was nary a fight. They had a ball. This glider swing got used more in that one day than it has its entire life. The down side to all this fun is that Cute Girl didn't drink enough and came down with a slight case of heat stroke. We ordered pizza for both families and she didn't finish her piece. Soon after that she said her stomach hurt. Later she was in tears because she just wanted to go to bed. At 1 am she threw up. The next day we tried pumping her full of liquids but she didn't do too well. At 1 am she threw up again. Sunday she kept curling up in the fetal position on the floor or putting her head down at breakfast. Again with the forcing of liquids. She seemed to perk up during Primary but that evening she threw up twice. I mopped the kitchen floor three times, just to be safe. Monday morning she finally drank a whole water bottle of her own choice. It's taken a few days of long naps but I think she's finally through it.

This lovely trench will feed sprinklers for grass, bubblers and drip for trees and my raised garden beds. I just cleaned my kitchen and watched the babies all day. Hard, I know.

Can I just show you my house?

We've been landscaping the backyard lately. What that really means is the Rocket Scientist has been digging in the dirt so that we can install sprinklers and drip irrigation. And since there is no way on earth to keep children inside while their father is outside, they have not been too clean and tidy. And therefore, neither has my house. On Thursday, Handsome Face came in and made me this mess.

Friday our home teacher brought his kids and helped dig trenches and so forth. Dallin and Cute Girl had a grand time coming and going and playing. They left me lots of messes throughout the house.

A biscuit mess left by our little friend Mia. She didn't really eat any of it.

I found piles of dirt on carpet all over the house. It would leak out of little shoes and sandals. The photos don't do it justice. I've been vaccuuming and steam cleaning and dusting and mopping for days now and my house is still dirty.

Oh - what a week. I have much to post about, but in the meantime, here are my funny kids today.I don't remember why, but I had to leave in the middle of getting him dressed. This is what I came back to.

Cute Girl agreed to water paint for a craft. Handsome Face dumped the whole cup of water on his page.

Handsome Face kept trying to tell me something this evening. I couldn't figure it out. It sounded like "Dog Bear." The Rocket Scientist suggested that maybe there was a computer game with a dog and a bear? So I took him to the computer and pulled up the games. Apparently that was it. Once Cute Girl saw it, she said something to the effect of "Oh - he wants to watch computer games?! I can play a game so he can watch." She's just gracious like that. It amazes me how he will just sit there and watch her play and never tries to take over. Every time she is at the computer he goes running for the table yelling, "Chair! Chair!" And once I start pulling one over he follows behind, grinning and nodding his head with a "Yeah, yeah."

The Downturn

I loved this article. Am I a total dork for loving all things financial? Last night I was musing about how I should go back to school to be a financial advisor (history degrees don't go very far) and the Rocket Scientist said why bother? I should just go to the Internet and learn everything I need to know. He's so cynical.

They're funny little monsters

Easter

Once again I did not get as many picture as I would have liked. Easter was kind of crazy. The Rocket Scientist was gone all afternoon helping a lady from church so I had to get dinner ready myself and our egg hunt was pushed back. And our dinner guest arrived right as we were beginning the hunt so I was trying to get dinner on the table and hurry the hunt and entertain her and so pictures took a backseat. Plus the kids didn't want to take pictures - they only wanted the eggs and baskets. So here they are.The kids got books and new water bottles in their baskets.

We hunted inside because it had been raining for a few days. Rain equals mud in the desert. Not pretty on new church clothes.

My Funny Kids

They like to eat peanut butter off of spoons. I might have taught them that.

I locked Handsome Face's room while I was scrapbooking and the kids played with their friend, Jaryn. Cute Girl unlocked it and she and Jaryn decked themselves out. Jaryn wouldn't hold still for the picture.

They love the umbrella. Today they tried to make a fort out of it. According the Cute Girl it didn't work out too well.

Playtime

Here's the lovely new doll house. We've only glued one piece of furniture and had Handsome Face tear up one doll mattress. Maybe it'll last until Christmas.

Presents and Balloons

Cute Girl had a birthday this past weekend. She's four years old! We celebrated a day early with a party for all of her friends. It was low-key with a picnic in the family room while the best story-teller in the world, the Rocket Scientist himself, read some of our favorite stories. Then it was time for cake and then playtime! The kids had a great time and they were all well-behaved and made a minimal mess. It was wonderful.
I wish I had gotten more pictures during the party but I barely had time to eat myself! Cute Girl is always very opinionated on the type of cake she gets. This year she required a chocolate strawberry cake. On the day of she was telling my mom on the phone that there were chocolate strawberries IN the cake. She had never informed me of this wish and I hadn't put any inside of the cake so I was glad when she didn't notice the lack of internal strawberries during the party.We opened all of the family presents later that evening before dinner. This kid is so spoiled and she always gets far too many presents. Her grandmas sure do love her! Goodies from Aunt Abby. Handsome Face loves to "wah cha-lee."The Fancy Nancy Fancy Kit from Grandma Shoaf. Every diva MUST have sunglasses.

The clothes from Grandma Crapo. She was so insistent that she was going to start the wash by herself yesterday so her new clothes would be ready to go.

Mom and Dad gave Cute Girl a new doll house. She is in love. And her brother keeps breaking the furniture. Thank heavens for wood glue.

Horton Hatches an Egg

More crazy, silly madness to come.

To-Do List

My kids eating breakfast this morning. Handsome Face is putting applesauce on his cream cheese bagel.

We have so much to do today! Tomorrow is Cute Girl's birthday party and we have to clean the house, make the food, make a grocery list and go shopping, finish putting Cute Girl's hutch together, clean up the paint mess, etc., etc. It could be a really great day because I love cleaning and feeling productive. And since it is all in preparation for her birthday, Cute Girl might actually cooperate. And if she's being nice and helpful then it is more likely that her brother will be in a good mood.

We'll keep our fingers crossed.

We listened to the Prophet's Voice

I love General Conference, don't you? I believe Elder Holland's talk was my favorite. I can't wait for the Ensign to come out.
We spent the weekend quietly. I didn't feel as well prepared as I would have liked, but we pulled it off.
We ate waffles:And "pitched our tents towards the temple":And picnicked in the park:

And gave Cute Girl her first lesson in cooking chickens:

(Like my dirty kitchen?)

We had a great time Saturday afternoon. Handsome Face slept through the entire session and Cute Girl sat through it. We played a great game with her that really kept her focus on the little tidbits she could grasp. Pictures of gospel topics like prayer, sacrament, temples, Jesus Christ, etc. surrounded the TV and every time she heard one of these words she got to take a Peanut M&M. She got LOTS of M&Ms. Especially during the prayer talk. It seemed like every other word was prayer! Next time we're using Mini M&Ms.

We also got to spend some great time with friends. The kids and I went to a potluck dinner with lots of other mommys and kids during the Priesthood Session and some neighbors came to our house for dinner Sunday night (hence the chicken lessons). It was a great time. And tonight we're going to FHE at their house. Yay for having friends live close finally!

And finally a cute Cute Girl tidbit. Saturday we grilled for lunch and our burgers were done right as the afternoon session opened. We paused to bow our heads for the opening prayer. When it was over, Cute Girl started to laugh and said, "He blessed our food! Silly prophet!"

Three Little Monkeys

Burgers and Fries

Handsome Face's fever finally broke today. Four days of fever is too much after months of being sick already. He's still cranky but we take what we can get.
After a long few days we were all ready to get out of the house this evening. So when the Rocket Scientist came home we went to a 50s style diner for dinner. The kids were blissfully well-behaved and Cute Girl even ate well. I love small, local businesses because everyone is so kind. The owner brought the kids balloons - and then replaced them twice as the helium escaped from one and two made their way to the ceiling. And none of the waiters glared at my kids as they stood in the middle of the aisles, blocking the transport of food laden trays. When we got home we made quick of the bedtime routine. Or at least it was as quick as two kiddies playing with a balloon can be. Handsome Face had a blast pulling the string and making the pink sphere bob all over Cute Girl's room.
All in all it was a nice night.