Chod and I were a little late joining the Downton Abbey craze, but caught up through Amazon Prime and were watching the most recent episode Sunday night.
Lincoln joined us, wrapped in a towel, after his bath. After watching for a few minutes he turned to me and asked, "What language are they speaking?"
I answered, "English."
"English? This is English? Do I speak English?"
Maybe I found it really funny because sometimes I have a hard time deciphering what they are saying too. Dang those British accents!
1.30.2012
1.28.2012
Treehouse Museum
Bentley got out of school early on the 23rd and we headed straight to Ogden to Treehouse Museum.
They had a lot of fun playing and exploring and even though they hurried from place to place didn't get to see it all. Lincoln's favorite was milking the cow and Bentley really liked being the school teacher and giving us orders and assignments.
1.27.2012
Change is Hard
My how things change! While Chod and I were dating he had 4 pairs of shoes, 1 pair of DC shoes he had glued back together many times, 1 pair of Vans (which he wore everyday), 1 pair of black dress shoes (for church), and his mission shoes he never wore but kept for sentimental value. That's it--4 pairs and only 2 were in wearable condition. And he had a light jacket he wore year round--when asked if he was freezing in the winter he would reply, "Nah, it has air pockets to keep me warm."
Whatever.
He now has shoes and jackets/coats for every occasion.
But back then, I somehow I convinced him to invest in a good pair of shoes (it was something my dad had ingrained in all of us, "If your feet don't feel good neither will you--buy good shoes." So off to Dillard's we went. He ended up buying 2 pairs of Borns which doubled his wearable shoes selection. He loved them and wore them a lot.
Fast forwarded 8 years, and his final pair needed to be replaced. We started the hunt for new shoes 4 months ago. But he couldn't find any he liked--why couldn't they still make the ones he bought 8 years ago! We looked high and low, online and instore, at this brand and that brand, he tried on slip-ons and lace-ups. Really, I had no idea buying a pair of brown leather shoes could be so agonizing.
But finally he caved and bought a pair of Borns. I think he's a believer. Here's to another 8 years before we have to go shoe shopping again!
Whatever.
He now has shoes and jackets/coats for every occasion.
But back then, I somehow I convinced him to invest in a good pair of shoes (it was something my dad had ingrained in all of us, "If your feet don't feel good neither will you--buy good shoes." So off to Dillard's we went. He ended up buying 2 pairs of Borns which doubled his wearable shoes selection. He loved them and wore them a lot.
Fast forwarded 8 years, and his final pair needed to be replaced. We started the hunt for new shoes 4 months ago. But he couldn't find any he liked--why couldn't they still make the ones he bought 8 years ago! We looked high and low, online and instore, at this brand and that brand, he tried on slip-ons and lace-ups. Really, I had no idea buying a pair of brown leather shoes could be so agonizing.
But finally he caved and bought a pair of Borns. I think he's a believer. Here's to another 8 years before we have to go shoe shopping again!
1.23.2012
Desperate Times
Friday afternoon I had had it. My boys were cranky. I was cranky. Chod and I didn't have any plans for a date that night, so I knew without a sitter scheduled whatever we did would include 2 grumpy boys. And I didn't think I could handle leaving the house with them.
So the idea of a Pajama Pizza Party was born. Chod picked up pizza on his way home and I had the boys in the tub and pj's by 6. We built a fort in the front room and added some glowsticks for lighting. We all wore our pajamas and ate pizza. After we had finished we acted out The 3 Little Pigs with each boy taking a turn blowing down our (blanket) houses. The boys thought it was the best night ever!
By 8 they had already spent 2 hours in their pajamas and were more than willing to go to bed--thinking they had been able to stay up super late. It was one of those nights that could have gone either way, and thankfully some creativity hit just when we all needed it.
So the idea of a Pajama Pizza Party was born. Chod picked up pizza on his way home and I had the boys in the tub and pj's by 6. We built a fort in the front room and added some glowsticks for lighting. We all wore our pajamas and ate pizza. After we had finished we acted out The 3 Little Pigs with each boy taking a turn blowing down our (blanket) houses. The boys thought it was the best night ever!
By 8 they had already spent 2 hours in their pajamas and were more than willing to go to bed--thinking they had been able to stay up super late. It was one of those nights that could have gone either way, and thankfully some creativity hit just when we all needed it.
1.20.2012
Breaking the Curse
What curse you ask? Well for the last 12 years neither Chod nor his brothers have fathered a girl. You remember XX (female) and XY (male) from biology right? And how the mother can only give an X, so the gender is really up to the father to determine.
So my theory has been that the Stephens X chromosome was defective and they would never have girls.
Except on Monday our ultrasound showed we have an XX on the way!
...unless they were wrong and we have a surprise in the delivery room. you never know...
So my theory has been that the Stephens X chromosome was defective and they would never have girls.
...unless they were wrong and we have a surprise in the delivery room. you never know...
1.12.2012
Bentley Warbucks
Lincoln must get the winter blues too, because he's been begging to go on a vacation. Any vacation will do--he just wants out! "I wanna go on a vacation..." (I laugh when he says this because the kid's whole life has been a vacation. Arizona, Oregon Coast, Disneyland, the Mid-West, Lake Tahoe and he's only 3...)
But he would especially like to go to Disneyland and that has been on his mind recently. He saw a Disneyland commercial a few days ago that said something like "where your kids can meet their heroes". Then he turned to me with puppy dog eyes and the most innocent voice and said "I want to meet my heroes Mom."
Way to go Disney.
But luckily for all of us, Bentley's already volunteered to pay for the next family trip to D-land. He asked when we could go to Disneyland again and I told him as soon as we save a lot of money.
His reply, "Well that's perfect! I already have a lot of money! We can go now!"
Unfortunately, the $15 in his wallet may seem like a lot to him, but it's not going to get any of us much closer to Disneyland!
But he would especially like to go to Disneyland and that has been on his mind recently. He saw a Disneyland commercial a few days ago that said something like "where your kids can meet their heroes". Then he turned to me with puppy dog eyes and the most innocent voice and said "I want to meet my heroes Mom."
Way to go Disney.
But luckily for all of us, Bentley's already volunteered to pay for the next family trip to D-land. He asked when we could go to Disneyland again and I told him as soon as we save a lot of money.
His reply, "Well that's perfect! I already have a lot of money! We can go now!"
Unfortunately, the $15 in his wallet may seem like a lot to him, but it's not going to get any of us much closer to Disneyland!
1.06.2012
Electrocuted and Still Kicking
A couple weeks before Christmas Bentley quit caring about pretty much everything. Homework suddenly became a huge burden, we had to urge him to find Levi in the mornings, getting him dressed and out the door for school at 8:55 was barely doable, he didn't want me to even read stories to him, and he refused to help with anything we asked him to do.
I couldn't figure out what was wrong.
Then one day we were driving and he announced, "Five days ago I got electrocuted and I haven't died yet. Are you happy mom?"
Of course I was happy he was still alive, but wanted to know how in the world he got electrocuted!
He told me how one night he tried plugging in the Christmas tree in their room and it shocked him (I actually knew what night it was because Lincoln came upstairs bawling because Bentley was hurt, but it was in the middle of the night and we figured he had just had a bad dream and put him in bed with us. Good parents.)
So he waited, and every night he went to bed wondering if he would wake up in the morning and after 5 days he was still alive. And somehow 5 days became the magic number that if he lived through them he would be okay.
Suddenly our normal Bentley was back.
I couldn't figure out what was wrong.
Then one day we were driving and he announced, "Five days ago I got electrocuted and I haven't died yet. Are you happy mom?"
Of course I was happy he was still alive, but wanted to know how in the world he got electrocuted!
He told me how one night he tried plugging in the Christmas tree in their room and it shocked him (I actually knew what night it was because Lincoln came upstairs bawling because Bentley was hurt, but it was in the middle of the night and we figured he had just had a bad dream and put him in bed with us. Good parents.)
So he waited, and every night he went to bed wondering if he would wake up in the morning and after 5 days he was still alive. And somehow 5 days became the magic number that if he lived through them he would be okay.
Suddenly our normal Bentley was back.
1.03.2012
Another Bedtime Challenge
Last night Chod put the boys to bed at 7:30 and all was calm.
We mentioned how quiet it was and was it really that easy? Usually bedtime involves Lincoln coming upstairs countless times for things and complaining, "I don't know what to dream about." or "I don't know what to dream about tomorrow." The kid can sure wear a parent out. But really, Chod went to the gym and I worked on the family newsletter and never heard a peep.
At 9:45 I went down to check on them and tuck them in. Over 2 hours after they had gone to bed. I found Bentley curled up under just a corner of his blankets trying to keep warm as the rest had slid to the floor. And Lincoln was completely buried under the covers. Not a hair in site.
But wait. A sound.
What is that?
Angry Birds?
It's coming from Lincoln's heap. Are you kidding me?
Surely he must be asleep by now.
So I lift off the covers to find a wide awake 3 year old, oh and surprise, he's playing Angry Birds on my phone.
No idea how he got it to bed with him. But nightly pat downs before bed may be in order.
We mentioned how quiet it was and was it really that easy? Usually bedtime involves Lincoln coming upstairs countless times for things and complaining, "I don't know what to dream about." or "I don't know what to dream about tomorrow." The kid can sure wear a parent out. But really, Chod went to the gym and I worked on the family newsletter and never heard a peep.
At 9:45 I went down to check on them and tuck them in. Over 2 hours after they had gone to bed. I found Bentley curled up under just a corner of his blankets trying to keep warm as the rest had slid to the floor. And Lincoln was completely buried under the covers. Not a hair in site.
But wait. A sound.
What is that?
Angry Birds?
It's coming from Lincoln's heap. Are you kidding me?
Surely he must be asleep by now.
So I lift off the covers to find a wide awake 3 year old, oh and surprise, he's playing Angry Birds on my phone.
No idea how he got it to bed with him. But nightly pat downs before bed may be in order.
Island Park and Cake Day
Friday morning we were woken up by the hooligans upstairs doing a "cake dance" because it was finally "cake day". AKA Bentley's birthday. Bentley had spent a lot of time worrying and planning how his birthday would happen and I think it lived up to what he had dreamed it to be. Although he did inform me that it was his birthday and that meant he got to do whatever he wanted to. Not in this family. But it was full of sledding, snowball fights, a pinata, presents, cake and ice cream, and some of his favorite people--what more could a 6 year old ask for?
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