Thinking Chair

A little excursion to Antelope Island's Hot Air Balloon Extravaganza!

My energy has finally returned, and a new project ensued: wainscoting/painting the family room. It seems my ambitions run high at the beginning of a project, but soon fade to a "this must be what hell is like," towards the tail end. I'm convinced that in hell they force you to caulk and paint molding day in and day out with no breaks, while you constantly have the need to pee each time you bend over. But the room is finished, the miter saw is safely put away, and I still have all my fingers.

While working on this project the kids could watch a show a day (or yes, sometimes two). They chose "Blues Clues" each and every time. For those of you who do not have the theme song memorized, ("come on in, it's time to play...") I'll fill you in a little. Blue's Clues is a show with a dog, Blue, who leaves paw-printed clues to help you discover what Blue is thinking about. (i.e. "let's find the clues to help us discover where Blue wants to go to look for shapes." Blue wanted to go to the grocery store to look for shapes, in case you were wondering.) Once all the clues are discovered, Steve (the singing dude) belts out a little diddly about finding the clues, putting them in his notebook, "then we sit down in our thinking chair and think......think.......think....."

Doesn't a thinking chair sound wonderful?! I totally want one (Cam take note, Christmas is approaching). Just a big comfy chair that you sit in and think in. I can just imagine myself sitting in my thinking chair this winter, looking out the window at the snow drifts, as the snowflakes wink at me while slowly dancing to the earth. I'll just curl up in my chair, drape myself with my favorite blanket and do nothing but think (and maybe take a nap).

Joshua

Josh printed out this sign on his own.

Each day I ask how his day at school was and he always replies "It was great." He is loving it! His piano is coming along great (thanks Carly!) and he enjoys his play practices with "Up With Kids."

A little hike up Farmington Canyon to view the changing leaves.

Josh finally got his wish the other day and felt the baby kick for the first time. He was all smiles and giggles. The verdict is in: a baby girl. So exciting!
The other night Josh was telling Dax a story about something that happened at school. He was so animated, using his hands to add to the story, smiling and laughing with his cute dimples as his blond locks bounced to and fro. I turned to Cam and whispered, "he is so handsome!" He really is a beautiful boy, inside and out. He tries his best to be good, and has been so nice to his younger brother and sister. It's so fun to see him read stories to his younger siblings.

Daxton

First Day of Joy-School

Daxton loves doing his hair. He gets out the comb, turns the water on, and soaks the front of his hair until it lays completely flat against his forehead. Of course, it doesn't stay that way for long. As it dries, it slowly curls up and up until there is no straightness about it. So the other night I flat ironed his hair. He absolutely loved it. Sure it wasn't a do we could go out in public with, although it was semi Kevin Bacon-ish.
Guess who turned 4 this month?!
Last year it was pirates, this year: Power Rangers. He suited up in his new red-ranger outfit, and the party began. All his toys were power rangers, so he was in heaven. I think the highlight of the party was when he finally received his can of silly-string that he had picked out at the store a month earlier. He was laughing so hard while spraying grandpa, Josh and Uncle Cam.

Ella
The fiery red-head complex has all but absolved and a sweet tender-hearted girl has emerged. She is constantly giving me hugs (while telling me my tummy is getting bigger) and then she whispers, "I love you mom," or "you're the greatest mom." Yesterday morning she came in our bedroom early, so I pulled her into bed with me. She cuddled close and put her dainty little hand on my neck and gently patted it.
It amazes me how girly she has become. It's in everything: the way she walks, the way she talks, the way she moves when she looks at herself in the mirror. She's taken to curtsying whenever she says "thank you." She loves to "read" books on her own, they always begin "Once upon a time...."

Cameron

I came home from a primary meeting the other night to find all three kids atop my bed while Cameron read them a story. I really wanted to run down and get the camera for a picture, but I didn't want to miss a minute of how precious it was! There was a little song in the story, and each time it approached, Cam would pause while Josh (making up the tune) would sing, "No....no.....no, no, no. I'm too fast, and you're too slow...." It made me adore my husband even more.

As I lay in bed snoozing each morning, Cam is out exercising. Monday, Wednesday and Friday he wakes at 5:50 a.m. to go play basketball at the church. Tuesday and Thursday he leaves the home at 5:00 a.m and drives to Salt Lake to rock climb in a climbing gym. Can you say "Senior studmuffin?" My husband is lean and built while his wife eats 5 hefty meals a day, snacking in between, and exercises by folding laundry. (Cam's thinking to himself 'wait a minute, I help you with the laundry too.')

Cindy
My favorite season has arrived. The house is Halloween-a-muffied. Unfortunately, Cam is very anti-Halloween (there must be something wrong with him). The other day when Cam told Ella "It's not Halloween yet," Josh, in a very matter-of-fact tone, told him "Actually dad, we celebrate Halloween all month long." Thats-a my boy! The kids and I decorated last Saturday. They had a blast, and dressed up in some costumes, got out their bags, and each took turns trick-or-treating at the door for some fishy crackers. What fun!

I was only able to finish one drawing this month (took a lot longer than I had anticipated). The eyes are still a bit freaky, but all in all, it will do. Here is the stanza that goes with this picture: (the book is called "Squishy rainbows" about a boy imagining what rainbows are made of.)

Perhaps a rainbow is tasty.

You grab handfuls but can't get enough!

Tastes of candy so sweet,

Most delicious of treats!

You eat 'til your tummy is stuffed!

I've read a few books lately where the story involves teenagers. I've discovered that I don't want them. Not the books, but the teenagers. I'm very scared. It seems that no matter how well a mother does, her children always grow up resenting her. The other day I asked Josh if he would still like me in ten years. "Of course I will mom." I am tempted to get it in writing so that in ten years when he comes in late for curfew, and we get on his case, and he begins yelling at us because he's defensive about us discovering who knows what he's been up to, then he storms out of the room slamming the door as he yells "I hate you!"....I will quickly follow him, and pull out the paper and say, "But look, you signed this and promised you would still like me!"
I'll just stay naive about the whole thing and remain solid with my vision of Josh coming in ten minutes before curfew because he was so excited to share with me the details of the fun date he took his crush on. I'll smile warmly as he tells me of all the chivalrous things he did: opening her door, complimenting her on her shiny golden hair, walking her to the porch and HUGGING her good night (and nothing more). Look at that, I guess I don't need our contract after all.