Spring, Spring, wherefore art thou Spring?

I'm getting a little tired of the collection of both winter and spring jackets that are overflowing the coats hooks at our back door. Not to mention the ridiculous combination of snow boots, shoes and flip flops that are scattered all over the floor of our entrance way.
It snowed again last night. Spring is being a bit of a tease this year. I say it as though this is something unusual. We get a couple of beautiful 15-20C spring weather days, and then in a blink of an eye the snow has returned again. One just doesn't ever know if you are going to need the spring jacket and flip flops or the winter jacket and snow boots. We have days where I have left the house in flip flops and spring jacket and when I've returned home the driveway is in need of a good shoveling. My kids have left the house for school in the morning with their winter jackets and snow boots, but have returned home in their school shoes carrying their winter jackets having left their snow boots at school. It is really getting ridiculous. Can we just have spring already? OK, I know, this is what a typical spring in Southern Alberta is really like...I'm looking for that picturesque "Spring" that is depicted in seasonal calendars, calendars that were put together by people who have obviously never lived in Southern Alberta.

The imagination of a child

Lately James has decided that his hands are actually spiders. Those two spiders keep that boy entertained for hours. They crawl into things. They crawl up his shirt. They crawl up your arm and into your hair. They play hide and seek. They tickle his belly and sometimes mine. They talk in funny voices. They are indestructible  you can squish them over and over again and they just keep coming back to life.They go everywhere he does and they never get lost. In short, they are pretty much the best toy ever.

Today he sat on my lap while I held a sleeping Ella and we played spiders. He would put my hand in his cupped hand and say "look at the little spider. He's so cute" and then he would squish my spider and giggle. This went on and on and on and he never got tired of the game and since I was holding a sleeping baby, I had all the time in the world to have my spiders repeatedly squished and petted. I love his imagination.

Kymberly had much the same kind of imagination at that age. She would keep herself entertained with  any two random objects. They would come to life and have conversations and go on all kinds of adventures. At dinner time her spoon and fork would talk to each other. And if she didn't have anything her fingers worked just as well,  she would often play hide and seek with them. One set of fingers would count while the other would hide. It was hilarious to watch.

I love having kids that have figured out how to entertain themselves, it makes life a little easier. But mostly I just love to listen to them tell their silly stories and play their silly games while they think that nobody is listening to them or paying any attention to them.

Elder Uncle Ty Dee

This is my baby brother on the day I got married, he was one of our groomsmen.

He had just turned 7.  He was one of my mom's greatest surprises. My mom had him at the age of 42, I was 18 and in my first semester of University. I was old enough to be his mom, and indeed, was mistaken for his mom many many times. His name is Tyson Dee, I have always called him Ty Dee, it's funny because he is anything but tidy. Through the years he has become the bestest uncle babysitter ever. What other teenage boy do you know who knows how to swaddle a baby? How about change the odd diaper? or how about put up with a crying baby for a couple of hours and not go completely crazy? Yeah, he can do all of that, and so much more. One day he will make a very special young woman very happy and he'll be a well prepared daddy.

Today, this little boy entered the MTC. He is heading off to Jacksonville Florida to serve a mission for the LDS church. I guess he's not so little anymore.

It makes me all teary thinking about him being gone for two years. We will miss our uncle babysitter. But I am so proud of him. He is going to be a wonderful missionary. And it will be so wonderful for my kids to have him to look up to, and write letters to, and pray for. And we'll be here when he gets back, all a little older, a little taller(at least the kids), and with just as much love as ever.

An Early Morning Conversation

At 5:30 this morning, James came into my room and said "I sleep with you mom." It was a little crowded, so I suggested we go lay in his bed. When we got all cozy he reached over and gently touched my face and said, "I love you mom". I smiled and said "I love you too James". Then he said " I love you more, mom". I laughed. I know where this is going. This is a game that Kathryn plays with him all of the time. The rest of the conversation goes like this;

Mom: I love YOU more, James.
James: I love you MOST, mom
M: I love YOU most, James.
J: I love you BEST, mom
M: I love YOU best, James.
J: I love you MOST BEST, mom.
M: I love YOU most best, James.

Usually the game ends here, but he had too think of something even better than "most best". He thought for a moment and then said "I love you most DINOSAURUS, mom!" I laughed right out loud, and then responded with " I love YOU most dinosaurus, James!" I guess a dinosaur was the only thing he could think of that was bigger and better than "most best". Oh how I love my boy!

Dear Baby,

Oh, Baby Girl, Mommy's sorry you are so sad. You have been sad all day. OK, not all day. You are happy when you are nursing, or during the short periods of sleep. At times you will even sit on my lap happy for a few moments. But oh how sad you've been. I can tell you are not feeling like yourself. You've wanted mommy to hold you all day. I love holding you. But it makes me a little sad when even holding and cuddling my precious darling can't make it all better, and you are still sad. What can I do for you my sweet? How can I make it all better? I'll hold you forever if that what it takes. Your biggest sister is so awesome. Right now while I hold you and type this one handed, she is reading and singing to your big brother, getting him ready for bed. And he is being such a good boy and letting her do it. Next that biggest sister of yours, will read to the bigger and big sisters and help them get ready to bed. She is such a great helper. Oh, my girl, your sad little cry is breaking my heart. I love you baby. Oh how I love you. If only my love could make your sadness go away. There now, peanut, you've just given in to sleep. Hush my darling and sleep now.

The Art of Not Yelling

I came across a blog called the Orange Rhino yesterday. The ideas presented there caught my attention. Lately it seems that everyone yells at everyone else all of the time. Even my mostly mild mannered James has started to yell at his sisters. And most of the time the yelling is over something very insignificant, but turns into a full blown yelling match and even at time turns physical between the children. I have tried to not yell, to keep calm, but when my children push and push and continue to disobey me, I quickly lose my temper and resort to yelling. I feel like it is the only way to get them to hear me and finally get a response out of them. I hate it. I hate the feeling in the house after. I then say things like "why do they have to push me to my breaking point? Why do they make me yell at them to get them to do such and such?" But in reality, I know that it is I that has chosen to yell.
Enough is enough. Today it stops. At least for me. And hopefully by example it will spill over to the rest of the family. Next Monday for FHE I will present the plan to the family. On the Orange Rhino Blog there is a list of 100 alternatives to yelling, so I will print that out and post it in the house somewhere. We will talk about these alternatives and ways that we can help each other to stop the negative yelling and start with the positive talking. The Orange Rhino even has a "yelling meter" to help you through. I plan to put Orange Rhinos up all over the house as a reminder to all of us to stop the yelling. I know this isn't going to be easy. I now it will probably take longer for it to catch on with the kids, but wouldn't be nice if we could eliminate yelling? I think it is doable and only good can come from trying. So today I vow to stop the yelling. I am taking the Orange Rhino Challenge for myself, and taking the whole family along with me, whether they like it or not.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

I was looking at some older pictures that my dad had posted on Facebook, and marveled at how much Kathryn looks like me. Don't believe me? (as if anyone out there denies it) Here's proof.

At times while I was playing with these pictures I forgot that I was looking at two different kids...from two different generations. Crazy!
And here some proof that Ella looks a bit like me too.