Saving Time

We have the yucks. For the last week and a half my boys have been miserable. Runny noses, sneezing, and swollen gunky eyes that I blamed on allergies. Yesterday I had enough and hauled them to the doctor.

Six prescriptions (and $150) later and we were home. Anti-biotics and eye drops for both, allergy medicine for Bentley, and a nebulizer for Linc. Yuck.

So this morning when I told Bentley to get a tissue and wipe his nose I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised when he ran over, lifted up the cushion of the chair and pulled out a used Kleenex.

Eeww.

"Seriously, is that were we keep our tissues?"

"Yep." As he wiped his nose.

Efficiency I suppose. The bathroom is quite a walk from the front room.

Running Fools

Chod and Chris are training for the Top of Utah marathon. Tuesday runs are to increase speed, so last night we all joined them at the high school track. They were running 4x 800's (that's a half mile in English), so a total of 2 miles.

Once he discovered the football field was "carpet", it only took Bentley minutes before he decided he wanted to run too. So I joined him on the track for lap 1 and 2. Lap 3 Chris did with him, and he talked Chod into doing another lap with him before it was all over.

Bentley ran 1 mile last night. And cried for more when it was time to leave.

Donnie Boy

I saw Donnie in concert last night. As in Donnie Osmond.

No, not in Vegas silly, Donnie and Marie don't perform on Monday nights.

He came and sang with Chod (and the rest of the AFC).

See.


Well, you get the idea.

Donnie was good and I had a fun time, not as much fun as the ladies sitting next to me though. Probably because I wasn't insisting he was singing to me the entire night. 50+ year old ladies squealing with delight. It was great.

I think if I had an extra couple of hundred dollars and I was in Vegas I'd catch his show.

Deidra's Life

The time line of Deidra's existence, told by me.

Twenty-four years ago mom and dad brought a little spook home from the hospital. They called her Deidra.

Being the only blond haired, blue eyed of the 4 of us, we convinced her she was adopted.

She was enough younger than me that our paths didn't cross much while I was still at home. But when she decided to go to USU our relationship grew.

We were gym buddies, she worked in the lab with me, spent most of her free time hanging out with Chod and me, we took cooking classes together, and ate lunch together.

Then I got married.

Convinced her to interview for an internship in DC. Then she got married.

Then we had Bentley.
She fell in love with him instantly.Then we moved to Blackfoot.

Then she hated me.

Then we moved back.

We resumed where we had left off.

She thinks Lincoln is pretty all right too.

She became our Wednesday night visitor, Lincoln's personal back rubber, second mom to my boys, and now we are pioneers together.

Happy birthday Deid, Bentley thinks you are a 5 today.

Hide the Keys

Bentley has developed a slight obsession with the car. More than once I have found the front door open and Bentley in the car playing. With car doors shut and bright red cheeks pushing buttons, turning dials, and smudging up the rear view mirror.

Lately he has stepped it up to a new level. While loading everyone into the car he starts begging, "Can I drive? Please Mom, I drive the car?"

"How old are you?"

"TREE!"

"No."

And then there are tears.

Genetics

Same parents. Same amount of time in the sun - either in the stroller or as pioneers. So how do you explain this?


My brown baby and the white man.

This Lady

Last year my mom gave Hudson and Bentley each one of her school photos. It has been hanging on the magnetic board in the boys room next to the pictures of the cousins. Until yesterday when he came downstairs holding it.

*

So we booked him a seat on the next Grandma Express heading out of town.

I love that he calls my mom "this lady". And the ending, well....guess he likes his grandma.

He then spent the rest of his afternoon holding "this lady" watching Fox and the Hound until his ride came.


*This was recreated, because unfortunately I don't have a camera constantly recording. And it is almost as good as the original.

Just Right

"Mom, I tired. I take a nap?"

(Hallelujah!)

"Yes you can take a nap. Would you like to nap on your bed, or Aunt Keese's?"

(Meaning the air mattresses that hasn't yet been deflated.)

"Mine."

A few minutes later.

"My bed* is too soft."

"Okay, well why don't you find some place that is just right and nap there."

And so he did. Curled up in a ball on the floor.

Glad we didn't have to discover too hard.


* Bentley's bed may be the hardest thing ever. Don't believe me? Ask my mom.

Mis Hermanas

The sisters gathered for our annual sister's weekend. We had fun getting dolled up the a tea party Friday night. Karisa showed us her mad yard sale-ing skills Saturday morning and then it was off to pedicures and lunch. And then more shopping. By the end of the weekend we were all spent.

Next time our weekend needs to last longer or our schedule needs to be more lax. It was over way too soon.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to my mom, mother-in-law, grandma, sisters, sister-in-laws, and friends. Thank you for being the kind of moms I hope to be.

Kiss Me

A crying Bentley approaches and demands, "Kiss me Mom."

So I grab him and smooch his little cheeks.

Once I am finished smothering him with kisses and he is in a fit of giggles he clarifies, "No, my toe."

Reunion + Babies

Last night we met up for our yearly "roommate reunion". It is so fun to get together with these girls. And as Stacy mentioned it is nice that there are blogs so we don't have to worry about the awkwardness of a year gone by. We have supported each other through happy and sad times since our years in 22.

We laughed over dinner and then had a baby shower for the two who are going to be new moms. There are 6 more babies (2 more sets of twins) on their way to join our group. What lucky babies to come to such good moms.

I love the example of these great ladies as we talked about church callings, children, and crafting. Thanks for the fun night!

Signing Time with Bentley and Lincoln

I decided I would teach Lincoln sign language, which would hopefully prevent a lot of the communication frustration I experienced with Bentley.

Well, I don't know the first thing about sign language, so off to the library we went.

We brought home Baby Signing Time.

Bentley loved it. So the next week we brought home 3 Signing Time videos. And the next week 3 more, and then more and more. He can't get enough.

I think he has learned over 250 signs. And he wants to know more. While telling a story sometimes he will ask me what certain signs are that he hasn't learned yet. I have to google them.

Hopefully we will be able to teach Lincoln at least a few signs, but in the meantime Bentley's vocabulary is growing leaps.

Me want chocolate

While brainstorming for FHE treats a few weeks ago, I asked Bentley what we should make. After little thought he retrieved the holiday issue of Kraft Food & Family and quickly flipped to page 12.

"These Mom."

And showed me the picture of Simply Sensational Truffles, just like he had been holding out for the opportunity to request them.

In the weeks since he will bring me the picture and say "me want these."

I have tried to persuade him to want something else in the magazine-- cookies, brownies, a pie?

But nothing but the most refined treat will do.