Happy Birthday Cannon!!!

Oh yeah... that's what I'm talkin' about. Chocolate cake baby.

Well it's here. My youngest, and last, is One.
I say this on every birthday of every child and I'll say it again... WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?!
This boy is a treat. He decided to be different from the others
and make up his own fancy bum scoot to get around.
No crawling for this monkey. We call him Doc Oc.
It takes some mad skills to look like an Octopus when you only have two legs.

We love you Cannon! Happy Birthday!

Camping

Our Family's only escape over the past few years has been camping. Taking 6 kids anywhere has not been in the budget. Thanks to a friend of Todd's we have been given all access to a motorhome. Although sleeping 8 people can be a bit cramped at times, that thing has been a pleasure. Last week before leaving for Dinosaur Land in Vernal, Todds friend wanted to see him. We were concerned there was an issue with us taking the mo-ho. Much to our surprise he had purchased a newer, bigger, badder motorhome and was letting us take it. Okaaaaay... so who lets a family with 6 young kids trash their brand new mo-ho before using it themselves? My kids were in HEAVEN! Bunk beds, slide-outs, TV's, dvd players, shower, room to set up a pack-n-play for Cannon. This thing has everything.

This has been the greatest blessing for our family. My kids have become so close and have made tons of fun memories. Todd and I are even planning a little surprise over Thanksgiving. Can't wait! A few pictures of what we do to keep busy while camping (when we're just hanging out at the campsite, not swimming or visiting cool places.)

Mallory is modeling her nature bracelet and belt she made on our hike. I got this idea from a magazine years ago. We wrapped duct tape around our wrists sticky side out. Then the kids could stick all the cool things they found on it. They noticed so much more than they would have otherwise.

Brigham is contemplating the meaning of life (or something.)

I brought a bunch of google eyes and let the kids find things to put them on. We called them Camping Critters. Quin decided this was one of his favorite things to do.

The only thing more boring than fishing is pretend fishing, with sticks. Especially when the stream doesn't have any fish.

Smith's

My kids love riding their bikes to Smiths. It make them feel trusted and independent. Usually they just buy a drink and look around and the stuff they like. Brigham and Mallory also have bank accounts in the bank at the store. They love being able to deposit their allowance by themselves.

The other day they were bored and needed some exercise. So Brigham and Mallory decided to go to Smiths to look at the lego sets. My favorite part of their Smiths adventures is seeing what they bring home. Since we have a "you can spend your money on anything but candy" rule, they get a little creative. Brigham bought a disposable camera to use for scouts (he is the historian and it's his job to record activities.) My sweet girl put her arm around my waist and handed me something.

"What's this?" I asked."
"It's a Smith's card. You can put however much money you want on it."
"Wow. You really got this for me? Why?"
"I just wanted to." Mallory said with a big grin.
"You didn't need to spend your money on me. How much did you put on it?"
"43 cents."

My heart swelled. I didn't have the words to thank her. It was just the most precious act. Mallory notices when I'm frustrated or don't have enough hands to help everyone and steps in to help or gives me a hug. It immediately softens my heart and helps me to get through the trying moment with more tenderness.
I clicked this picture last May when Mallory was trying to do her homework and help with Cannon at the same time. She's already learning to multi-task!

More Firsts

This cute boy is my 4th child I've sent to kindergarten. Last week was pure TORTURE for him as the other kids got to go to school and he had to wait, and wait for his first day. Cole has been full of surprises over the past few months. Usually painfully shy he has started to come out of his shell and actually talk to people. Ironically he is our loudest child at home. We joke that Cole has no control over the volume of his voice. Everything he does; laugh, cry, play, talk, is LOUD.

On his first day of Kindergarten Cole changed his pants 4 times. He tried his shirt open with a t-shirt underneath, buttoned all the way up, buttoned half-way up, then unbuttoned again. This is the same boy who would grab any shirt and pant combo for pre-school often having at least one article of clothing inside-out or backward (or both). He finally admitted that he couldn't wear pants because it covered the z-strap on his new shoes. Only shorts would do. Ahhh. It's all so clear to me now.

The saddest part of the day was realizing how much Cole didn't need me anymore. He didn't want me to walk him to his class. Shoot, he didn't even want me to park the car. "Jus dwop me off. I know what to do." And that was it. All by himself he walked into the Kindergarten playground, without a look back.

These cute kids also started school.

Brigham is starting 5th grade and sooo excited to have a male teacher!

Mallory's in 3rd grade and Quin is in 1st. I love this picture them together.
They're best buds!!!

It's that time again!

Yesterday the class lists were posted at the school. As we all loaded into the car, the kids were both nervous and excited to find out who their teachers would be. Last year Mallory's teacher was a crabby patty. More like a double double crabby patty. I know she had health issues, but seriously, second graders do not deserve an ornery teacher. Especially when they are good students who try very hard to please their grumpy teacher. Two years ago Brigham's teacher wasn't the best. Let's just say she has been teaching for a looong while and is probably a little worn down. Not very patient, doesn't tolerate noise so well, and teaches pretty much out of the book. The best thing about her, according to Brigham, was her prosthetic eye.

So for the first time I requested teachers for all of my kids. Being a teacher myself once-upon-a- time, I am fine with strict teachers. Even a grumpy day every once in a while is understandable. But please, please, teachers... Change your attitude before you walk into the classroom to teach my kids. I am trusting them with you for SEVEN hours a day. If I wanted them to be with a Crabby Patty all day I would teach them myself!!

Needless to say ALL my kids ended up with the teachers I requested. Brigham and Mallory both have male teachers for the first time and are stoked. Quin and Cole both have teachers we love and have had before. I feel very blessed and EXCITED for them. This has always been my favorite time of year (mostly due to my love of new school supplies... mmm I can smell them now.)

A Tale of Hot and Horrible Days

Saturday: Upstairs air conditioner goes out. All the kids sleep/laugh/fight downstairs together.

Sunday: 90 degrees upstairs. Poor Haydyn and Cannon sweat their way through nap time.

Monday: Pay $550 to get air fixed. Whew. Todd leaves on business.

Tuesday: Electricity gets shut off. Don't ask. Spend most of the day without air... again. Realize once again that I would have made a horrible pioneer woman. Pay unspeakable amount of mula to power company.

Tuesday afternoon while electricity is off: Head to Walmart. My favorite. With 5 complaining kids. Leave one at home. Get last minute supplies for Quins birthday. Cannon starts wiggin' (crying, screaming, wanting to be held/ fed... you get the idea), Cole starts teasing, Haydyn starts screaming, both start running circles around my legs.

Sooooo ready to GET THE HECK OUTA HERE when my debit card doesn't go through. My other card doesn't go through. My checkbook is at home. My ice cream is melting. My kids are freaking out. I'm sweating. And annoyed (whats a stronger word for annoyed? Cause that's what I am.) I'd call Todd but he's out of town. I can't leave the groceries only to come back again with 5 or 6 kids. I can't just not get the stuff I need for Quin's birthday tomorrow. So what do I do?

I snap!

I do the unthinkable. I. Walk. Out. WITH my cart. Full of unpaid groceries. Load up the car. Drive home. Put the melting ice cream in the freezer. Feed Cannon. Grab my checkbook. Drive back to Walmart. Pay for the stolen goods. Drive home.

Tuesday night: Electricity on. Kids finally in bed. I'm still feeling warm. Realize main floor air conditioner is NOT blowing cold air. WHAT THE @#$%! Todd gets home at 2:30 AM. Tries to fix it. Doesn't.

Wednesday: A stroke of good luck. Todd had watched the repair man fix the first air conditioner. Believe it or not the second one has the SAME problem. Being the awesome fix-it man that he is, Todd finds the part he needs and repairs it himself. Total cost: $30. Total savings: $520. Now to celebrate Quin's birthday.

The End

June in review

Looking back, June wasn't half bad. We had NO plans. No trips. No swim lessons. No family things. Nothing. I was scared. I tried to come up with a few crafty-like things to help, but those didn't last too long. It was a big shock to go from busy school days to long lazy summer days. Take a look at how we kept (semi) busy.

Brig and buddies making cool things with water and sand.

Sprinkler time!

Thanksgiving point with cousins.
Much to our surprise they played FOREVER in the little farm room.

Have you ever seen a llama shavin'? That was an eye opener!

This little lady always comes up with something creative to do. She spent two days painting and re-painting all the kids faces. Then she sent out flyers and opened her own face painting booth. Always trying to make a buck!

Also, this cute boy lost his second tooth...


And this cute boy got his first two teeth. (Look close!)


One of our favorites crafties was "Hot Rocks." Stick rocks in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 for about 15 minutes. Then, using crayons with wrappers peeled off, "draw" on them. The wax melts onto the rocks. It's hard to find an activity that kids from ages 2 through 10 all enjoy. But this was it!
We also made sweeeet Indiana Jones Whips out of duct tape for Brig and Quin. Maybe someday I'll get pics of those. Nothing like making a dangerous weapon for your kids to play with!

Day 2 of summer vacation

It's going to be a long summer. I've never spent the summer with 6 kids before. The last few days have gone well but I feel like I've run a marathon by the end of the day. This is what miss Haydyn has been up to for the past few days...


In case you can't tell, that's a drawing of a bug. A very big bug. On my couch. I know I should have been mad, but I thought it was the cutest dang bug ever drawn by a 2 year old. I didn't tell Haydyn that though.

Day 2 of summer vacation... Haydyn decided to put on mascara. I guess she doesn't like the traditional way of applying it. I'll save that lesson for another day.

Ready or not... school's out!

The kids came home from school (at 10:30!) to find these buckets waiting for them. I made a trip to the dollar store last week and found tons of fun summer stuff. Water guns, water balloons, bubbles, lawn games, battery operated fans, and glowing light sabers. I filled buckets with them and placed a note to each child with their bucket. I told them why I am proud of them, and why they should be proud of themselves, difficulties they overcame this year, or things they learned. I had Todd write a bit also. The kids LOVED it. Luckily I found a bunch of stuff at the dollar store this year. Buying stuff for 5 kids really adds up. If I had the money I would have also included other things they need for summer like sunglasses, flip flops, goggles. Maybe next year.

Then we gathered for a neighborhood kickball game and pizza. I love living in a cul-de-sac. It reminds me of my childhood. We would all gather in the cul-de-sac in the summer evenings and play night games. I love that my kids will be able to do the same.

May Day

What's wrong with this picture?

For once I put all the snow clothes away before the 90 degree weather started and of course, it has snowed at least 4 times since then. Now here it is, the last week of school and the kids are pulling out snow coats and hats again. Crazy Utah weather.

While the boys were away...

Over the weekend Todd and the 3 older boys decided to extend the yearly Father-and-Sons camp-out from one night to three nights. I didn't argue. Neither did Mallory. Spending time together at home without the boys around is a rare event. So the girls look forward to the Father-and-sons weekend as much as the boys do.

I decided to make Friday night all about my little ladies. Mallory chose to make cookies, run to the library to pick out girl movies, and a last minute trip to KFC (ugh. I didn't see that one commin'). Then I wanted to pamper them a bit. While watching Tinkerbell they soaked their feet in Todd's foot-spa (don't all husbands have one?), I gave them hand and foot massages, then painted their finger/toenails. Mallory informed me that she didn't want her nails painted. What? Oh yea. She's a self-proclaimed Tomboy. I was a little sad that our nail painting days had come to an end. Haydyn on the other hand wants her "fingynails" painted on a daily bases. I loved her giggle/screech as I turned on the bubbles on the foot-spa.


As an afterthought I asked Mallory if she would want to have friends over for a movie night on Saturday. Less than 24 hours later Mallory was making a "no boys allowed" sign for the front door, and I was making pizza dough for 8 cute girls. They had so much fun playing Uno, jumping on the tramp, making their own pizzas, watching the movie Matilda, and having ice cream Sundays.
I noticed 2 things while the boys were gone: 1) My toilets stayed amazingly CLEAN. I didn't know it was possible. 2) Wow... was it QUIET around here. My boys are so loud! It's usually a happy loud, but still loud. My ears enjoyed the rest.

Oh, and here's what Cannon did while the gals partied. Sweet boy. Someone tell his Mom to pay attention and put him to bed already!

Butter Bean

Our little man is 6 months old and doing so many new things.

first tooth
rolling over (better late than never)
finally eating cereal
first suck on a pickle (yea you read that right)

Oh how he loooooved that pickle. I thought it would be funny to give him a little taste. He thought ahhhhhh, something squishy and cold to sink my sore teething gums into. When I pulled it out he cried. So I stuck it back in.

6 things about Cannon: (1) He constantly rocks back and forth (just like Quin). (2) Grunts and GROWLS loudly. (3) Happy and smiley all the time. (4) Is frequently called Butter bean and Cannaboo (5) He's in LOVE with his hands. He gazes at them, talks to them, and sucks on them constantly. (6) Drool and more drool. He's been our only drooly baby. I change his shirts 3 or 4 times a day.

We're enjoying every minute we get with our chunky little Butter bean! We LOVE you Cannaboo!

Best Buds

For the past week Mallory and Quin have spent every minute that they are not at school, playing with their teddy bears. Cole joins them occasionally with his monkey, and Haydyn with her bunny. They have set up a school classroom with several stations to rotate through, made cars for them to drive, dressed them with tutus and swimsuits, even used Haydyn's potty for them. Yesterday Quin decided it was his bear Camden's birthday. He made invitations and gave them to the other stuffed animals and promptly at 4:00 the party began. I overheard them playing games and singing Happy Birthday to him. I love their creativity. Not to mention the fact that they have kept themselves quite busy, which has helped me get a few things done.

Here they are in the classroom they put together down in the basement. Hopefully someday soon we'll actually get it finished!

The family dog

Happy Birthday Emma the dog! Todd and I got Emma when we were first married and she is still hangin on. Our kids love her to death. She has been an amazing family dog. So patient while the kids and their friends (and Todd) have dressed her, layed on her, tried to ride her, teased her, tied things to her, fed her all the food they didn't want (amongst other things), and who knows what else. Over the past few years we have watched her health slowly start to decline, and her fur turn gray. We diligently celebrate her birthday each year with cupcakes. She turned 13 this year. From what I hear thats 91 in dog years. What do you say we aim for 100?! We love you Emma!

Lucky 13

I'm sooooo behind in my blogging life that I don't know where to start. So lets just skip the past month or two (nothing important happens in March anyway right?) and start with whats going on now. Todd and I are celebrating Anniversary #13 on Sunday. Meaning we'll wake up, say "Happy Anniversary", give each other a smooch, and be on with our day. No fun over-nighter this year. Cannon is still nursing full time and won't take a bottle. Hopefully we'll get out Friday or Saturday for some BIG TIME fun. I'm talking dinner, and if we're lucky... a movie!! I know. We're crazy.

So to celebrate here are 13 reasons I love being married to Todd.

1. He makes me laugh.
2. He makes our kids laugh. Even better, he makes them laugh when they're mad.
3. He fills my car with gas.
4. He doesn't say anything about the fact that after 6 kids my body doesn't look ANYTHING like it did when we were first married.
5. BYU football season is always a BIG deal around here.
6. He's not scared of taking the 4 older kids camping. By himself.
7. He never notices if I havn't gotten around to cleaning the house. (Or if he does, he doesn't say anything.)
8. He likes making the Thanksgiving turkey.
9. He thanks me for washing his clothes.
10. He can fix almost anything that needs fixin'.
11. He reads to the kids and puts them to bed at night.
12. Anytime I need to get out he willingly steps up to take care of the kids.
13. He loves me despite all of my faults.

Sweet cheeks

Look at this sweet mug! Oh I can't stand how love-able this boy is. I could gobble him up. Cannon is 4 months old now. Ever since we first brought him home from the hospital Haydyn would say in her sweet little excited voice "Cannon's here!" That's how I feel. After waiting for 5 other kids to come he finally made it. He's here. And we couldn't be happier.

2...4...6...8...

I've been sad-ish today. For two reasons. First, Todd left on a business trip. Again. Second, the children are growing up way too fast. Quin lost his first tooth on Thursday. At 6 1/2 he felt that everyone had lost a tooth but him.


Mallory turned 8. We went to Jump-on-it, ate spaghetti and breadsticks, opened presents, and filled our tummies with cake.

She is such a great person. I feel blessed to be her Mom. She's responsible, happy, kind, fun, cuddly, creative, and helpful.

So for the next 6 weeks the ages of my kids are 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. Why don't I feel like a mother of 6? Or at least what I thought a mother of 6 would feel like? Maybe older, more mature, or content with who I am? Or is this what people meant when they would say, "I still feel like I'm 18." I never really believed them. But I do now.Brigham is 10. Over the last 10 years we have had 6 children, 3 homes, and several jobs. It has gone by so quickly. I want to freeze time and keep my children where they are. The next 10 years will bring a missionary, 2 high school graduations, 4 teenagers, and Cannon will be the age Brigham is now. Unbelievable. I'm with my children 24/7. When it hits me how fast time is going, it doesn't seem like I'm with them enough.