That Papa Murphy's Pizza is a scary place!

Today was Anderson's first trip to the dentist. This is something he has been begging to do for a long time. He was so well behaved. I am very proud of him. He got a bag full of cool dental hygiene stuff, a prize from the treasure chest, and a free pizza coupon. He has carried this bag around all day. This evening he said, "Mom, my tooth hurts... I think we need to go to the dentist again." Nice try!

While we were at Papa Murphy's this evening (getting Anderson's free pizza), I had a frightening experience. I was holding the boys up, one at a time, to see the workers make our pizza. While I was holding Caleb, Anderson thought it would be fun to hold onto my back pockets and jump up and down. Unfortunately for me, all of my jeans that actually fit are dirty and I was wearing the next size up. Needless to say, my jeans began slipping downward at an alarming rate! I set Caleb down and grabbed my pants. Anderson, who was still jumping, rammed his forehead into my elbow. Anderson began screaming/crying because I had hurt him. Caleb was pitching a fit because I had set him down, and I was trying to recover my....dignity. I don't think I exposed too much (thank heavens for the long shirt I was wearing), but we did put on quite a show! Let this be a lesson to you all.... Never wear baggy jeans at Papa Murphy's!

My boys love to wrestle. I try to not interfere too much so they can get all that 'boy energy' out. But, when the crying starts, I jump in. This evening as I pulled Anderson off a crying Caleb, Caleb sobbed out, "I'm all right Mom! I like it, I like it!" He wanted more! Crazy kid!

At the dentists office, they put a fluoride "varnish" on Anderson's teeth. They sent us home with the instructions: 1) Only soft foods for the next 12 hours and 2) no brushing or flossing tonight. This way, the varnish will have optimal time to work. Anderson was very dedicated at following these instructions. As I was tucking him in, he asked, "Mom, can I pick my nose and put my boogers in my mouth?" Yummy!

Spring has Sprung

I love this time of year! I love that the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. On Friday, I went to a nursery to look at flowers. Anderson decided he wanted to spend his allowance money on a plant. I was feeling guilty that his hard-earned money was going to buy a plant to fill my flower beds, but he insisted that was what he wanted to buy. He chose a 4 pack of blue and yellow pansies. He acted so proud... he carried it to the check out, opened his little mason jar bank, fished out $1.25, and paid the clerk. As he carried his plants to the car, he told me that after he planted them he would put up a sign that said, "No jumping on the flower bed."

I am proud of the work we have done on our little fixer-upper house since we moved in 5 years ago. Here are some before and after pictures for you... it looks so much better now that we've dug up the grass and filled it in with rock and cinder blocks! Just Kidding... Tee Hee!

"After" -April 2009

"After" -April 2009

"Before" -July 2004

"Before" -July 2004

My camera is having technical difficulties; sorry for the lack of photos.

My boys continue to be a source of amazement, entertainment (and I admit... sometimes frustration) for me. Anderson is very interested in letters lately. He will spend an hour sitting at the table writing line after line of letters. It looks like he will go into kindergarten being able to write his own name after all. Yeah! Caleb is dressing himself these days, which means he is wearing one of three outfits: 1) Batman pajamas 2) Polar Bear Pajamas, or 3) the Spiderman boxer shorts and the Diego PJ shirt. As you can tell, he makes quite the fashion statement. At least he is putting his limbs through the proper holes now.

Today, the boys and I went to Chad's school to see his Spanish 3 and Spanish 4 classes perform a play in spanish. Chad has spent hours working on the set for this play. He made it out of PVC pipe so that it can be collapsed and reused in years to come. It has windows and doors.... quite inventive. He covered the pipe framework with butcher paper and the painted it to look like log cabin walls; it looked awesome! But.... poor Chad... the play is ready to start, and where is the girl who is suppose to play the lead part? The school is having a blood drive, and she has decided, suddenly, that it is very important for her to donate blood. Seriously, folks! It is interesting what stage fright will drive a person to do. So, Chad performed the lead part in a skirt and curly blond wig! He was hilarious. And to be honest, the play was probably a lot better than it would have been. Take that Miss Blood Donor!

A New Tradition

Quite a bit has been going on here. First of all, we are back in our home ward. For the past year, we have been assigned to a ward about 20 miles south of us. Their numbers are dwindling, so we were asked to go help out. It has been a great experience. It is hard to say goodbye to new friends, but nice to come back to our home ward and see old friends again.

The boys were sick this weekend with the stomach flu. I have been very lucky so far as a mother.... this was our first experience with children vomiting. I felt so sorry for the boys. At one point they both just zonked out from the sheer exhaustion of it all. Caleb was still wrapped in a towel from his 4th bath... and Anderson was laying on the hardwood floor with his head propped on a blanket. Poor guys! Fortunately, they are both feeling better.

Tonight we started what might become a family tradition. For family home evening (yes... I know it's only Sunday night.... we hold Family Home Evening at random intervals whenever Anderson requests it. It averages out to be weekly, so we go with it.) Anyway, for family home evening, we pulled out our 72 hour kits. We removed all the food that will soon be expiring and had a 72 hour kit dinner: fried SPAM, peanuts, protein bars, and canned pears. It was a lot of fun... and the food really wasn't that bad, either. Now the trick is remembering to buy new food and replace it.

Warning: the following text contains potty training information. Read at your own risk.

Anderson still requests that I wipe his bottom. The other day he informs me, "You are not a very good bottom-wiper." "Oh really!" I say. I'm puzzled because I definitely do an effective job. "Yeah," he replies, "Dad is a lot better." I told Chad.... I knew he would be flattered. Some of us just don't have those 'bottom-wiping' skills, I guess.

Argh Matey!

The boys were painting at the table while I was working in the kitchen. I looked over to find Caleb applying some body art. I'm not quite sure what look he is going for.... but it might become a trend.

This is Anderson's "running stance." Every day, he and Caleb spend a great deal of time running up and down the hallway....or "exercising" as they call it. These clothes are, by the way, Anderson's exercise clothes.

Great Skills

I laugh out loud every time I watch Napoleon Dynamite. I am surprised, however, that both Anderson and Caleb like it too. It is full of great lines... but not a fast paced movie. I keep chuckling over a conversation that Anderson and I had the other day while watching Napoleon Dynamite. It went like this:

Napoleon: "Girls only like guys who have great skills."
Pedro: "What kind of skills?"
Napoleon: "You know.... nun-chuck skills, bow hunting skills..."

Anderson: "Mom, I have great skills."
Me: "Oh yeah?.... What kind of skills do you have?"
Anderson: "Paper organizing skills."

Definitely up there with the nun-chuck skills! And, definitely one that will attract the chicks!

Caleb also makes me chuckle:

Me: "Caleb, you're cute!"
Caleb: "No, I'm Caleb."

Me: "Caleb, are you hungry?"
Caleb: "No, I'm Caleb."

Nursery Leader at church: "Say 'I am a child of God.' "
Caleb: "No, I'm Caleb."

A Brief Encounter with Potty Training

When it comes to potty training, I am a very lazy mother. I figure if I wait long enough, they'll figure it out themselves... which is pretty much how it happened with Anderson a year ago. So, I was surprised yesterday when Caleb said, "I wear underwear today." He's a little young, I thought to myself, but why not? After 1 accident and 2 successful uses of the potty, I sent the boys in the backyard to play. I instructed Anderson to show Caleb how to pee on the lawn (I know you are all shocked... but, I am the mother of two little boys... and, did I already mention that I am lazy?) Anyway, it was a big hit! Anderson even constructed a square out of sticks for them to aim at. I brought out cups of juice and the party continued. Caleb did pretty well the rest of the day.

Today, however, using the potty just wasn't something Caleb was interested in. I wasn't motivated enough to pursue it either. So, maybe this was just one step in the long potty training process. Or, maybe we will have another Pee Party in the back yard tomorrow.

The ability to nap anywhere... a valuable skill to have.