Weekend photos

Our feast. The china and goblets were interspersed with trains and sippy cups... It was fabulous!

our jailbirds

No explanation needed. I wish you could see a close-up of the amount of food that ended up in her hair, it was fantastic.

friday- grateful week

• I am super grateful for long weekends... I could totally get used to having denten around this much!
• I'm grateful for family bike rides. For cooper's really strong muscles in his legs when we're going up a hill and for beckham's giggles from the bike trailer.
• I'm grateful for holidays, they break up our daily life and are fun to decorate for.
• I'm grateful for music as it is becoming a constant around here. Even beckham has learned to head bop in order to dance with everyone else.
• I'm grateful for the bathtub and for hot water and soap as seneca needed all of the above badly after our delicious pasta dinner last night. I think she set new records for how much laughter our little dinner table can produce as she continued her silliness. Seriously, pasta sauce EVERYWHERE.
• I'm grateful that Taisey no longer needs to be pregnant after today... good luck you two, can't wait to meet him!

thursday- grateful week

• I'm grateful for a good morning run.
• I'm grateful for dear friends who made thanksgiving away from family easy and fun.. and delicious!
• I'm grateful for the time denten and I were able to spend in the kitchen together.
• I'm grateful that the kids had a fabulous time...they were as crazy as wild animals, but they laughed and played a lot. at one point (after the table had been cleared) seneca was spotted climbing from a chair onto the table and running full speed to the other end laughing her head off as cooper sat at the far end his volume increasing as she neared, "she's gonna step in my ice cream!" apparently a big long table makes a great runway.
• I'm grateful beckham was a good sport with the madness and patiently waited his turn to eat.
• I'm grateful the day ended with a clean kitchen and DVR'd 24. Happy Thanksgiving to me!

*cooper did eat turkey, I just took great care to call it "meat." highlight of the meal for him was the sparkly concoction in his cup... thanks emily!!

wednesday- grateful week

It was a rainy, overcast day and I'm grateful today for the simple life.

• I'm grateful that I didn't have any pressing need to leave the house today, that we could stay in cozy clothes and enjoy home.
• I'm grateful for simple play: blankets over the dining room table and flashlights. takes me back to days in the duplex and those were good days.
• I'm grateful for innocent conversation. Cooper gave me a few good ones today. He has overheard the fact that we typically eat turkey on Thanksgiving and has informed me that he doesn't like to eat animals. I tried to explain that chicken, pork, ham, etc. were once animals, but it's not the same. The picture in his head of those things are meat, edible meat. The picture in his head of a turkey still has a head and feathers and he can't fathom eating it. I told him that when Taisey brings the turkey tomorrow, it will look and taste just like chicken. It didn't fly. He has generalized his lack of eating meat to anything on the farm. If only he knew...
• I'm grateful for great primary teachers. Cooper has grasped the concept the last few weeks that Jesus is our older brother and that he is coming again. We're still working on when he might arrive as tonight in his prayers he asked that Jesus could come on Thanksgiving. Maybe next year?
• I'm grateful that my kids are creative and that they play well together.
• I'm grateful for the things I was able to accomplish today.
• I'm really grateful Denten gets to be home with us tomorrow!

tuesday- grateful week

• I'm grateful for a full morning of quiet due to both Lindsay and long naps (thank you lindsay!).
• I'm grateful for beckham's darling little head in back. Stay with me. It's rounded so perfectly and his hair is thick and soft, I just love it. Mostly I just love him, the roly-poly cuddly little thing.
• I'm grateful that on occasion all three of these littles sleep for a long time, at the same time. It provides me with either an afternoon of super productivity or a great nap and today I got both! Thank you for the overcast skies.
• I'm grateful for energy work and the things I'm constantly learning. It has helped with numerous little things in our home lately, one being senny's unexplainable night-wakings. I tell ya, once the kids are sleeping through the night regularly, it's hard to get up three or four times with them again! Thankfully, we cleared the issue and she has been sleeping soundly once again.
• I'm grateful for this fab weather. Coop and Senny have spent hours in the backyard playing to their hearts content in the delight that is phoenix in november.
• I'm grateful for the spirit and the fact that it knows when I need a witness that I'm on the right track and choosing to spend my time in the right places. It is comforting to me to be reassured that I am on the Lord's errand.

monday- grateful week

I don't really like the notion of being grateful only once a year and thus have attempted to focus on my blessings during the past months, but it seems appropriate to continue to see the good around me this week.

• I'm grateful today that running wasn't as hard this morning as it was last week, in fact, I almost enjoyed myself... thanks for the playlist annie, it is something special!
• I'm grateful for children that play well together and entertain themselves when I have lots to get done.
• I'm grateful I have an ambitious husband. It means he's away from us once in a while, but I'll take ambitious over lazy any day.
• I'm grateful we're all healthy and physically able to enjoy life today.

The day in pics

The Arizona Ironman is tomorrow in Tempe. We went to check out the athletes as they went through their practice swims and transitions, then we went to have some fun of our own!

she just wanted to run with the race participants...

The dance-off

I'm not posting an actual picture, but the one in your head will probably be close.

Coop loves to dance. Always has. Seneca has picked up on this activity and starts to stomp and twirl whenever she hears music. And she laughs the whole time she dances. So we've been having dance-offs. Yep. It's a nightly routine around here. The music gets turned up and everybody goes crazy. Denten tried to video yours truly, I'll spare you. I've got rhythm people, just no technique. Anyway, this nightly ritual has now resulted in both of my boys obtaining black eyes. Who knew such an innocent family activity could produce such battle wounds? Beckham got a little too excited with whatever musical instrument he happened to be holding and whacked himself good and Cooper spun himself so dizzy that his face crashed into some piece of furniture. Hey, at least they laugh their heads off and go to bed exhausted. Last night while coop was upstairs getting his jammies on, I could hear him singing, "shake it, baby, shake it." hmmm. there could be worse songs to have in your head, I suppose.

In other news, Seneca is working it around here. She knows exactly what she's not supposed to do so when she chooses to do something naughty, she hides and cries as soon as she's caught. It's kind of hilarious. Too quiet upstairs, go to find her and sure enough, sucking on the toothpaste tube behind the closed bathroom door. She runs and screams as soon as she sees me. Today is was shoe polish and Dent's toothbrush. She's hiding in my room and starts crying as soon as I enter, knowing her spoils are about to be spoiled. She's a smarty, this one. She'll clear her place and put her dishes in the sink, she'll bring me a diaper or shoes or whatever thing she happens to be asked to retrieve. She'll help her brother hold his bottle and she'll dance. Oh, she'll dance. She's a busy little bundle of joy. Now please bless her to take a nap. Please.

This household

Cooper has taken to a few new sayings that either make me laugh out loud or roll my eyes. The phrases themselves aren't nearly as amusing as the dramatic flair with which he exclaims them. When impressed by something, he's been heard saying, "oh my goodness gracious!!" and yes, it warrants two exclamation points. It's like he's completely in awe of the event, even if it's only the fact that he might get a cookie if he eats all of his dinner. A new one popped up today as he was conversing with seneca. "aw, shucks." he seems to use this one when he doesn't fully agree with what is being asked... like when I reminded him to use his manners at lunch today. "aw, shucks, mom." Not sure where either of these came from, but then again... sometimes i'm not quite sure where he came from.

Seneca is a little smarty-pants, and a little pistol at the same time. She's one to keep her mama on her toes. The problem is that her mama has two other little ones to try to keep track of at the same time! She's a climber and gets pulled down from on top of one table or another several times a day. When she's hungry, she'll let you know by climbing up on the bar stool and into her booster seat and calling for someone to feed her... now. It's dangerous for me to try to make dinner seeing as the moment I set foot in the kitchen and begin any form of preparation, she is right there, and she's not quiet. Feed me now, mom... or else. Of all her strengths, patience is not one of them.. yet! She loves shoes and has them on at all times. Sometimes it's just a diaper and shoes, or jammies and shoes. sometimes the shoes match, sometimes they don't. sometimes they are her own and often they aren't. I didn't teach her this.. I promise.

Side note about Senny. I've been thinking of her birthmom lately and wondering how much of seneca's personality is nature vs. nurture. the limited interaction we had with D left us with the impression that she is a quiet girl who enjoys having fun, but was pretty mellow. holy smokes, there are times when this little girl is not mellow! I will admit I've been called high-strung a time or two... does she get this from me or is it in her already? Just a thought...

Beckham is a mover and a shaker. He politely screeches when he's ready to get up in the morning and greets us standing at his crib with his little legs bouncing and his face in such a big smile it just might burst. He wants to be where the action is, and that's usually where senny is. He earned the nickname "Hooch" when Rachel was here as he drooled incessantly. He's cuddly and soft and so so kissable. He's a great eater and a fabulous sleeper and his eyes always light up for his mama. He's very content to entertain himself and is an easy-going little boy.

Denten is the favorite around here. He attracts children in all varieties as he walks in the door and is the chosen one at bedtime. He tells much better stories "out of his mouth" (as opposed to from a book) than mom. He helps mom with her projects when she's hit the breaking point and continues to get up day after day to do it again.

And that's the update for the moment. Here are a few failed attempts to get three busy bodies to look and smile at the same time. Feel free to create your own captions...

Calling for favorites...

I'm calling for suggestions. My ipod is in need of a revamp, in a bad way. The problem is that when I listen to music, it's intended for children under the age of seven and that's not what I'm looking for! My running shoes have been gathering dust and as I put my anxiety about running to rest and pull them out, I need something fabulous to listen to. What are your favorite upbeat tunes these days? Something to keep me moving one foot in front of the other... come on, just click that little comment button and share your favs. My body will thank you so much.

a new week

Tonight I'm grateful for the safe return of my boys. They took a quick road trip to utah for a funeral and I'm glad they had a good trip. It is amazingly quiet around here when you eliminate the energy of one four-year-old child. Senenca took the reigns and enjoyed leading beckham around in coop's absence, but after a short time they both missed their brother. I'm grateful that they play well together and that I was able to get some work done this weekend.

I'm grateful for eryka and her monthly commitment to gratitude. She is one of many moms I'd like to emulate as she truly enjoys her role as a mother and relishes in the daily delights of her children. From afar, she has a healthy marriage where drew is her best friend and they are completely content having adventures together as a family. She makes me miss former days, but also appreciate this technology that allows me to continue to be uplifted and inspired.

I'm grateful for people around me who love my children, who take the time to interact with them, to teach and play and exercise patience. As I navigated church alone today, I was grateful for Joyce who just had to smile at Beckham to make him giggle incessantly. I was grateful for the unknown sister who sat behind me and made Seneca's sweet face light up every time she turned around. I'm grateful for Kim for cuddling with my baby and giving me a rare opportunity to participate fully in Taisey's lesson. I'm grateful for Ashley and Lindsay and their positive comments about Seneca in nursery. She loves that experience and I'm so glad that she's easy and happy in nursery.

I'm grateful for Sister Mortimer and her testimony today that reminded me that there is a flip side to everything and that when things are low, there is always a blessing or alternate way of viewing the situation if I change my thinking.

I'm grateful Shellie made dinner easy for me tonight.

I'm grateful for a new week because I have lots to do! I'm grateful for the opportunity to try again this week, to do a little better than I did last week, to be a little more patient, show a little more affection, communicate a little better and work a little harder. I'm grateful my Heavenly Father knows me and sees fit to bless me endlessly.

A mini-vacae

I'm home and my mini-vacation was fab. Little Tessa Jane received a name and a blessing Sunday from her sweet daddy and he did a wonderful job.

Here's the fam at the Montage. A super place, if you're ever in the area.

The handsome guy I married

Dad, Kate and I near the tide pools. Aside from the fact that I'm cold wherever I happen to be, it was incredibly pleasant out.

Little Tess with her Grandma and Grandpa

These are the cheeks I got to kiss on for a few days. Yes, they are precious.

Sunday evening we sent all the boys on their way and took off for Newport.. girls only. We shopped a lot and ate a lot and talked a lot. We laughed and remembered and planned and laughed some more. My mom is really good for laughs. I slept and read and didn't worry one little bit about what was happening at home. I walked into a perfectly clean house with perfectly clean children who had been fed and played with and had clean laundry in all of their drawers. Rachel may have crashed when she got home and may need some serious recovery time, but if my happy children and orderly home are anything to show for it, this woman is fabulous.

I really enjoyed a change of pace for a few days. It's nice to give my brain a little break from the children and routine that usually consumes it. Fresh perspective is always welcome. As is a shopping trip... thank you dad for providing a wonderful getaway and thank you mom and sisters for the time and experience. Now back to the business of running this household.. it's not a bad job I have.