Cute boys!

Today Ethan climbed up the cabinets and onto the counter. 
Mom:  How did you get up there?
Ethan: I used my Ninja skills....I have some you know.

Apparently I didn't....now I do!


The other day Brett was helping Austin study for his spelling test. 
Brett:  If you don't get 100% on your test, then don't bother coming home.
The next day Austin got in the car and said:
"Well, I got 100% on my test, so I guess I can bother coming home!

Thank goodness, we would have missed him!

Super Saturday Crafts

Fabric Tree

Cost $7.00 with fabric as shown or $3.50 if you want to provide your own fabric

 Snowflake Wreath

$5.00

 Fall Wreath

$12.00

 Jingle bell frame

$7.50

 Nativity

$5.00

 Table Runner

Bring your own fabric.  The project shown calls for 2 yds.  You can adjust as you would like.  2yds makes 3 runners, so pair up with a friend, or make some for gifts.

Give Thanks wall hanging

$14.00 

There will be a free class as well.  We will be making some cute gift packaging.

Lunch will be served at 12:00pm with a fun gift wrapping demonstration to follow @ 1:00



Austin is 6!

Way back in July, Austin turned 6 years old! He had lots of fun celebrating his special day. Because this was an even numbered birthday, he got to have a birthday party with all of his friends! We had a backyard water party. The kids ran through the sprinklers, played in the splash pool, had a water fight with water bottles, played water limbo, ate yummy snacks and cupcakes (made by Erik) and the big hit of the party was jumping on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath! And as if that wasn't enough fun....as a family we went on a bike ride to get donuts that morning and we went to Chick-fil-A for dinner and then of course there were lots of presents


Austin @ 6...
is still a cuddly little boy
loves to ride his bike, build forts from the couch cushions, and loves to tease his brothers and tickle his mom!
A few of His favorite things are :
Chick-fil-A
Kit Kats
Angry Birds
Phineas and Ferb
Video games

Happy Birthday Austin...We love you!

Going back to school...

It's official I am attending BYU-Idaho (online degree program) and I have jumped in with both feet. I am very excited to finally be going back to school to get that degree that I started years ago. While my major has changed from Elementary Ed. to Marriage and Family Studies, I feel really good about this decision and I feel like I am on the right path. Anyway, I started a new blog for my religion class that I am taking this semester. I am studying the New Testament Acts to Revelations. If you want to follow along you can find it here:

My Scripture Journal

You can also find it on my sidebar under friends and family links.

Happy birthday Ethan....

3 years old already?!  Didn't I just bring this baby boy home from the hospital?  We had such a great day celebrating this sweet, funny, mischevious boy!
The day started with a giant monster birthday card for Ethan to color with some help from his brothers
(illustrated with love by mom)

Then we had donuts and went to the splash park (Ethan's favorite place to go)

Then we stopped at Jamba Juice for one of Ethan's favorite treats, smoothies and Pirates Booty

 Later that day we had pizza and chicken nuggets for dinner followed by monster cupcakes with blue frosting.  Then time for presents!  Ethan got everything he wanted and more. Batman cars, Ligthning McQueen car,playdough,and animal cookie cutters (Mom, Dad and brothers). Nerf Gun, fingerpaints,smock and Bubble Guppies paint book (Grandma and Grandpa M), Money from Grandpa Jed and Grandma S. That's quite a haul I think!

We ended the night with homemade monsters from Mom and a movie night watching Monsters Inc.

It was a super fun day and we all loved making Ethan feel special!

A few things about Ethan at 3:

• Ethan may be the youngest and the littlest boy in the family, but he is the boss.  He has secret tricks for almost always getting his own way!
• Ethan loves babies and dogs.  Whenever he sees either, he wants to go and touch them and talk to them. 
• Ethan is very active. He rarely sits still and loves to jump off of everything.
• Ethan gives great hugs and kisses.
• Ethan uses good manners and he always says "tank you Mommy" When I do things for him.
• Ethan won't sit in the shopping cart and makes shopping a challenge as he has a mind of his own and likes to wander off to look at whatever catches his attention.
• Ethan loves to paint.  It is an activity that can actually keep his attention for quite some time.
• Ethan loves Lightning McQueen.  Cars is his favorite movie.
• Ethan loves to play with his brothers.  Jumping on the trampoline is a favorite activity.
• Ethan constantly says the word "stupid" and has been known to yell it out in the middle of sacrament meeting and in nursery.  A few weeks ago Ethan was escaping from nursery and one week in particular he stood by the door, said "this is stupid" and took off down the hall....awesome!  His teacher and I had a little discussion about how to handle the "stupid" word issue.  To all the other mom's of nursery age children, I am sorry if your child comes home from church with a new, choice word.
• Whenever we take pictures of Ethan he makes goofy faces and says "cheeeeeeeese"

Happy Birthday E! 

Crazy Cafe....

This year as a family we set a goal to read our scriptures together every night.  We decided that it would be a great motivator for us if we had monthly goals to work towards and when we met our goals, we would get fun reward.  So, I found a calendar on pinterest where we could keep track of our reading and then as a family we decided what each months reward would be.  Our goal was to read 90% of each month which only allows us to miss about 3 days.  I am happy to report that since January, we have not missed a monthly reward yet! 

So, for April's reward we decided that Mom and Dad would host a Crazy Cafe for the kids. This was such a fun night and a great memory for all of us.  The boys were sent outside to play while I got things ready.  First I set the table and prepped all the food.  Then I created the menu and had crayons ready, because you can't go to a restaurant without kids meals and crayons.  Next the boys were invited in.  I made them go around the house an in the front door where I greeted them as their hostess.  Cameron walked in and immediately handed me a piece of paper all folded up.  I opened it and as I read it, I burst out laughing.  In true C family form, he had created a coupon!  I love this kid!  I think it's in the genes probably originating with his great grandpa C. 

Next the boys were seated and given their menus. This is where it gets fun. The boys have to pick an appetizer, main dish and a dessert, but the catch is that they don't know what they are ordering. We used Disney character names in place of the actual items and each boy had to order one of everything. Then Brett and I served the boys their 3 course meal. The boys thought that it was so funny to see what they had ordered. Here is a list of what was on our menu.

• Mickey Mouse=pizza
• Mini Mouse= strawberries
• Huey=straw
• Duey=cup of ice
• Luey=napkin
• Donald Duck=apples
• Pluto=party mix (crackers, pretzels, cheetos, etc)
• Goofy= dessert (cookies)

 Then as we sat and ate dinner, we played a fun game that we often play at dinner time. It is called "Would you rather?" Two options are given and the rule is you HAVE to choose one. For example, "Would you rather have your grandma's hairdo or her name?" It's always good for lots of laughs! The boys all said that this was a lot of fun and have requested to do it again. 

Up next, May reward!  We're looking forward to another fun activity!

This is me #4

When you have a few minutes or a few days, what do you like to do in your “play” time?

This is a fun question even though I don't feel like I have a lot of "play" time these days, but when I do this is how I like to spend it...

1. craft
2. watch movies
3. go out on dates with Brett (hmmm...maybe that should have been #1 on my list.)
4. read
5. find fun crafts to make on the internet
6. go shopping (preferably without 4 boys in tow)
7. do crafts with my kids
8. decorate my home
9. make and eat yummy treats (chocolate!)
10. vacation with my family
11. exercise (almost didn't make the list, depends on the day)

I thought that it would be fun to answer this question in 2 parts.  Part 1 is play time now, and part 2 is playtime when I was a kid

1. Play house or school
2. arts and crafts
3. barbies
4. ride my bike, roller skate
5. gymnastics on the front lawn
6. shopping with mom
7. doodle (I used to draw on everything)
8. watch Saturday morning cartoons; my favorites were Smurfs and Alvin and the Chipmunks
9. vacations...the whole family crammed into the mini van, good times!
10. sleepovers with my friends