Ellaisms

So, I was thinking today about all the funny thing my middle child has to say and thought if I didn't document them somewhere that I just might forget...

Ellaism Number 1 - The parable of the soap

One day Ella had been in the toilet doing her thing and as she was washing her hand she dropped my (used to be my mother in law's) cutest chili pepper soap dispenser and broke it. I, of course, was upset and told her (in a very firm, loud voice) that if she needed help she should ask. And then she went to time out. Later on, as I was talking to her in time out. This was her comment, "Mom, if when I break the soap, you come in and say, Ella that was not a good choice to break the soap, and I will say, sorry mommy and you will say, that is okay. Then I will not be sad and you will be a nice mommy." I thought this alone was pretty cute, however the story continues. About a week later we were getting ready to leave and she was taking her time choosing shoes and didn't get to the car when I thought she should. Anyway, I got upset with her and told her in a very loud voice....to GET IN THE CAR! She calmly looked at me and said "Mommy, remember the soap."


Ellaism Number Two - The Four Letter Word

Yesterday at preschool, they were eating lunch and apparantly it was a big mess. Ella looked at her teacher and and pointed to the mess on the floor and said, "Are you gonna clean this crap up?" She of course got a talking to about using potty words at school. I guess her mommy needs a talking to too. I counted, and just after dinner I said that before mentioned four letter word like six times just doing the dishes after dinner. Maybe breaking this habit will require an elastic around my wrist.

Walker's Walking

Less than one week shy of his first birthday, our big boy decided to start walking! YIPEE! Mom and dad finally caught on by the third child and actually documented this event. This probably had something to do with the fact that we were actually here for this one. He's been flirting with the idea for a while, but last night he finally decided that crawling is a little hard on the knees. (Especially when you are as big as he is) He tried to follow me from the family room up the stairs to put the girls to bed. This is not the actual first time...it was five minutes later...but I thought you all might enjoy it.

Ella's Christmas Ballet Dance

I know this is a little late, but I just realized I could do this. It is pretty fun. Ella loves her ballet class, as you can see. Sorry the quality is off, but her mom isn't the best videographer.

100.8

So, teach me to say that the sickness is finally gone....Tarin woke up this morning with a fever of 100.2 and by this evening it is 100.8....so she will be home from school yet another day this month. The question now is...do I take her to the doctor or not? This is debatable, becauses if I take her, I run the risk of the other two getting sick while we are there. So, maybe we will tough this one out at home, unless she starts complaining about her throat.

So this weekend was pretty fun. I took the kids to yet another birthday party on Friday. It was at a big bouce house warehouse. Walker LOVED it. Not so much the bouce houses, but the balls that were everywhere. He would hit it with his hand and then crawl and follow it everywhere. He plays fetch with himself, it is AWESOME! So, for his first birthday, he will be getting a ball, pretty simple, huh?

On Saturday Dan took all three kids on a hike with his brother and sister in law. It sounded like a great adventure. They took Willie too. There was a river and a waterfall and cliffs and all kinds of scary stuff. It was probably a good thing I wasn't there, however, if I had been there, we wouldn't have forgotten the backpack for Walker. Ben and Dan took turns getting a bicep workout as they lugged the 26 lb baby along the trail. They are crazy, but strong I guess. I must say that I don't know that I would ever be brave enough to take three kids and a dog on a hike without Dan's help. I am sure he was grateful to have the bro and sil there too....He didn't take the camera so no pics of this hike, but apparantly it was cool enough to go back and do again.

So, wish me luck this week as we work on not spreading whatever disease is in our house right now.

Almost March

So, another month has gone by without much blogging going on. I know I need to be better at this, but it has been crazy, but fun. Dan's little brother and Sisiter in law moved here this month. WE ARE SO EXCITED to have some family in town. We only hope that hanging out with us doesn't make them never want children. I had to reminder the SIL the other day that they aren't born three years old....as Ella was throwing a tantrum. They start out little and relatively easy, and then they progressively get harder, right? I guess harder in a different way...more self reliant, but harder because you lose some control of their choices. Anyway, that is my observation. I guess you just teach them what you think you should and then hope they make the right choices.

We went to Enchanted Rock again a few weekends ago with the Busbys. I will post some pictures if I ever get my act together. I didn't even think about sunblock and all the kids got fried, especially Walker. I know, mother of the year...I always seem to be earning that award.

This was the section where Ella actually walked. I let her win the daily shoe battle that morning and her shoes were giving her some pretty big blisters....a fight I guess I should have fought harder.

On the way down it look like it would be a good ride on a slide....unfortunately this time because the rock wasn't wet, it didn't make much of a granite slide.

It was a pretty steep climb up.

Willie came with us and I couldn't not put this sweet picture of him and Bethy on.

So that is an update....we hope to be creating a photo show from our adventures at the wild animal park. That is soon to be coming.

Sick Again . . .

I am seriously so sick of the sickness that has been haunting our house since the middle of December. It started with Dan, and now it has moved on to all three of the kids. We have been well for a week and then sick for a week, on and off for about two months. I seriously cannot handle another day of being the care taker. It is very draining. Did I mention that ALL THREE of the kids are sick? I am either giving medicine to one, cleaning up after the other, making a snack for one or changing a diaper at all times. I am ready to call a nanny and take a week off. I know so many other people on the planet have sick families all the time, it just hasn't ever happened to me, at least since we became a family of 5. It is rough stuff. I have all new respect for nurses at hospitals and clinics, however they are typically not on 24/7, and they get paid.

Just two weeks ago at church during the good news minute I annouced that all children and adults in our house were well...so much for that...five days later another evil virus entered our house. A friend from church told me that there was a pandemic in this area and most schools have about 20% of their students home sick. I wonder if it is just Texas, or what. I know the pollen counts are high. So, needless to say, we are stuck on the homefront again this week. It could be a long one. Not very often to I envy Dan having to get up and go to work, but what I wouldn't give to have somewhere to go tomorrow to get away from the sick.

Anyway...that is all the whining I have in me for now....catch ya later, hopefully when we are all well.....hopefully that is.

2008 Hunting Trip

This Years Hunting Trip was a blast!!! I went with 8 members of Angela's family, Because there is no one in my family manly or tough enough to do anything this cool. Anyways I got to shoot my gun twice and my bullets found two large Hogs unlike someone else in our hunting party who's name will remain anonymous who wasted 8 bullets and two different guns on one pour defenseless Ram. Anyways 2 Hogs was the limit. I could have paid another $800 to shoot 2 more but I already had to much bacon as it was. In fact I donated one of my kills to a little Mexican family that needed the meat a whole lot more than me. So it that works out great. My only question is does that donation count for this months Tithing. Any ways I'm going to be attaching some pictures of the hunt below. I must warn you, some are pretty bloody. Anyways, these pigs are so mean looking and down right nasty, not to mention the SMELL!!!
I'm so glad that I didn't have to skin or gut them. I would have been puking all over the place. Again we had a blast... We ate lots and lots of basically nothing but crap. Between the 9 of us we consumed 6 boxes of Twinkies and mass amounts of candy and beef jerky not to mention the catered Breakfasts, Lunches, and Dinner that the hunting ranch provided. For the record I did have an apple and an orange. My abs are still sore from laughing so hard. We had two video cameras going pretty much the whole 3 days and we got some pretty hilarious footage. Some of the PG-13 videos will be posted on You Tube here pretty quick I'll post the links when they become available. I got to see my last years kill again. I shot the biggest one last year so the Ranch had it mounted and is hanging in the bunk house. He's so cool looking. I might have to get one mounted so I can hang it in out guest room. Maybe Next Year... Check out the show below. I look forward to your comments.

2008 Hunting Trip Photo Show

Really, January is Almost over?

Holy cow.... I can hardly believe that in a few short days it will be February already. I kept thinking I had gobs of time until Valentines day...guess not. Here it comes, right around the corner. What has really been boggling my mind lately is the fact that Walker is almost 1. I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by. On one hand it seems like he has been a baby FOREVER, and on the other hand, it has gone by too fast. We have had quite the year so far as far as visitors go. Dan's dad came for a visit. I had a lady from the ward come stay while recovering from surgery, my parents and brother and sister in law came, and that is just the beginning.

When Dan's dad was here we took a trip to Granbury to see his property. On the way back we stopped at Fossil Rim Wildlife Preserve. It was one of those drive-thru zoos. Truthfully, I didn't think it would be worth it, but it was something to do on our long road trip. So, we went. HOLY COW! It was awesome. How often is it that you get kissed by a Zebra? Seriously, the animals came right up to your car and you fed them and they kissed you. Ella was in heaven, that is once she got over the osterich head in our car. She loved to sing to and pet the "fancy deer" as they came to our car. She wanted to take the little ones home because they were "SO CUTE." Tarin got in to it as well. Once the boy woke up....he was glued to the window pointing his finger and saying "whassat." It was fun! I would reccommend everyone do it. I'll post pictures as soon as I get my camera back.

This coming week we have Dan's brother and sister in law coming to stay with us for a while until they find a place here. We are so excited that they are moving here. It is going to be so great to finally have some family in the area. I think they are going to love it here, especially the weather as they are coming from Indiana. They are moving at the perfect time of year. Texas winters truely are the best!

We are off to a great 2008. Some things we have to look forward to this year go like this:

• Trip to Virginia to visit the Gepkens - hopefully during Cherry Blossoms
• Robby comes home from his Mission
• Trip to Utah to see Robby
• Trip to Hawaii to see Nana and Grandpa
• And I am sure we will have more visitors as the year goes on...which we LOVE

I will get back to you as the week goes on with all the pictures from the most recent events!

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