I know last year I talked a lot in my blog about Alden's incredible teacher, Mrs. Curl. Well, she was just named Walmart's Teacher of the Year in our area. I'm really excited about it and hope that she's Thobe's teacher next year.
http://www.limaohio.com/articles/curl_28538___article.html/teacher_mart.html
At the beginning of August, I was just thinking about how much I would love to go to my niece Sierra’s baptism. Michael and I Anyway, the boys and I had a really great trip. They are champion travelers. We had a great flight. The only bad thing was that we had a three hour layover in Chicago. Trying to en The next morning Uncle Barry and Aunt Judy fixed us eggs and pancakes with a special choke cherry syrup. It was really yummy! Then we went to Aunt Kristi and Uncle Ryan's house where we stayed the next couple nights. The boys were so excited to see all their cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course, Grand Anyway, Sierra’s baptism was nice, and I especially enjoyed spending time with my family. I love them 
have always said that even though we live far away we want to make things like baptisms and blessings and stuff a big priority. It’s been a bit of an expensive summer for us, and I didn’t know if it would be possible. I had prayed about it somewhat and thought about it a lot, and one morning, just before my sociology class, I found tickets for $100 a person round trip to Salt Lake over Labor Day weekend, the weekend of Sierra’s baptism. I was thrilled. Although I knew that Michael had another trip to Turkey planned and wouldn’t be able to commit, I bought tickets for me and the kids. I was disappointed when I found out that Michael’s trip was put off until the week after we returned, but it worked out okay because a Dave Carr, a good friend of ours that lives in Arizona now, came into town and got to hang out with Michael and play games all night. 
tertain a one, four, and six year old in an airport by yourself is not fun--trust me. We finally ended up walking up and down the airport. Alden walked on the moving walkway and raced me while I pushed Thobe and Hyrum in our Instep Safari double stroller. If you have two small kids, I highly recommend this stroller. It turns on a dime, you can go really fast without any problem, and you get a lot of comments. I can't tell you how many people stopped on me on that trip alone and asked me what kind of stroller I have and if I like it. I love it! Anyway, the boys even got me to buy them happy meals, which is something I rarely do--Dad is the parent of choice when it comes to buying happy meals. Also while we were in the airport, I let Alden call Michael. It was funny to see how many heads turned when they heard this little blond haired, very American looking little boy chatter away on the telephone in Spanish. It made me laugh. Anyway, we arrived in Salt Lake at 11:30 local time, so we were 
really tired! We were all thrilled to see Grandpa and Aunt Amy who picked us up and took us to my Uncle Barry and Aunt Judy's house where we slept that night. My uncle and aunt have a gigantic basement. When we opened the door after walking down the stairs, Alden walked in and said, "Oh it's so comfy in here." It was really nice to lie down on a bed and sleep for the night.
ma. Davin, Alden, and Noah were inseparable the whole time we were there, as were Thobe and James. They really had such a great time all playing together. It really makes me want to live closer. My sister-in-law Lindsay wrote about them in her blog and has some of the pictures she took while we were there (Lindsay is an incredible photographer by the way). I would highly recommend looking at those pictures. Click here to see Lindsay’s pictures that she took of my boys & their cousins. I didn't realize how much I missed everyone until I read this. I cry every time I look at it.
so, so much. I love being able to see extended family as well as my immediate family. I am really, really blessed to come from the family that I do. I loved being able to talk to my parents, sisters, brother, and their spouses, to play with and watch my nieces and nephews play, and to just be together with them. I really am grateful that I was able to go. My sister Emily even did my hair in cornrows. That was fun too. Even though it was a really short trip (we left Friday night and came back Tuesday morning), we also got to see Michael's sister Michelle and her family which was so much fun too. I love being able to spend time with them too. I even tried sushi for the first time and LOVE it! I don't think that will be my last time eating sushi.
At the end of August, we, along with our friends, Jeff and Laura Talbot and their two girls, went to the Allen County Fair. When I was a little girl we went to the Washington County Fair maybe once or twice (maybe), and my memories of that were walking around looking at people selling plastic canvas crafts or some kind of baked good. Lots of kids were eating cotton candy, which I always dreamed of trying but never did until I was an adult (by the way, when I did try it, I silently thanked my parents for never wasting their money on it—I thought the straight sugar flavor was too sweet and was very disappointed. They should have just told me to eat a ½ cup of sugar and I would have known what eating cotton candy tastes
like—my apologies to any cotton candy lover out there). Anyway, I'm sure my kids will have much different memories of the fair thanks to Metokote, Michael's generous employer. They give us free ride passes, which means that my fortunate children get to ride any of the old, rickety, very expensive rides in the park of that they choose (on the night we went, a ride bracelet was a whopping $19). The kids love it! Just yesterday, a month later, Thobe asked me when we would go to the fair again and proceeded to tell me how a Farris wheel works. I personally loved spending time with Michael, the kids, and the Talbots.
When we got there we were one ride bracelet short. I thought Hyrum wouldn't care if he could ride or not—boy was I wrong! He was very upset when we stopped at our first ride, the Merry-Go-Round, and his brothers and dad both got on the ride, and he stayed in the stroller. I realized that because I have a weak stomach and get sick on everything that I probably wouldn't ride any of the fair rides, and that taking the ride bracelet myself was foolish (a quick digression—last year when we went, Michael begged me to go on a twirlly ride. I told him that I would get sick and that I shouldn't nor did I want to go—I b
arfed on my dad when I rode the tilt-a-whirl at Lagoon when I was 10 and didn't want that to happen again. Michael is a very persistent man and finally convinced me to go. I went and regretted it. I felt so, so sick and was surprised that a funnel cake, another fair treat I had never tried until that point, made me feel a lot better). Anyway, I decided that although Hyrum wouldn't ride a lot of the rides that he would enjoy having the bracelet more than I would and ran back to where we got the bracelets to see if I could change. They were hesitant and annoyed with my indecisiveness, but finally agreed. Anyway, I was really glad that I did that because Laura, who is pregnant, couldn't ride the rides anyway, so I, as usual, had a really fun time talking to her while our kids and husbands rode the rides.
Perhaps the scariest part of the evening was when Alden decided that he wanted to ride whatever Michael rode and got on the Power Tower, the ride that takes you way, way, way up into the air and then suddenly drops you. Alden was very happy and smiley as the ride took him up. When he got back down to the bottom, terror had etched its way into every crevice of his face. When Laura and I started clapping, the terror slowly changed to elation, and he was thrilled. It made him feel very, very brave, as it should have. I must admit that as I stood on the side line, I was shaking for him.
Without question, our funniest fair fiasco 
was when Michael and Jeff walked the little kids up to the little tiny roller coaster. The kids were a little bit in front of them and clamored into their seats as soon as they got the chance. That of course left Michael and Jeff standing there, so not knowing what to do, the two of them got into a car together. You can't really see them in the picture, partly because I was laughing so hard, but it was pretty hilarious to see two grown men sharing a ride on a baby roller coaster. Michael will probably be mad at me for putting this in here, but I really couldn't resist—can you blame me? He wasn't exactly thrilled about me taking the picture either.
Anyway, we had another fun year at the fair. Jeff and Michael bought us two funnel cakes to share between our two families. It certainly wasn't the healthiest thing I've eaten this month, but it was really delicious and a lot of fun. We're glad to have the Talbots as our friends. They're really fantastic!
With Alden starting school, it also means really early mornings once again. I wonder if every year this 6:00 a.m. will be as shocking to our family as it's been the past two years. Anyway, Alden is quite the trooper about getting up so early in the morning. He is usually very tired, but it doesn't take long until he's his usually happy, jabbery self. He's such a fun kid. Michael has also started having seminary at our house on Friday mornings. It's a fun change of pace for his Alden is a costume fanatic. Every day he wants to dress up as someone as soon as he gets home from school. It always makes me laugh to see what he comes up w Alden and I have had a lot of fun reading chapter books together. He lov
It's hard to believe but my little Alden started first grade a couple weeks ago (he'd be angry at me for writing "my little Alden"). Nonetheless, it seems like not very long ago that Alden was my baby, and now he really is getting to be a big kid. He really likes his new teacher, Mrs. Erickson, and I'm hoping he has a great year. I was impressed when he came home from school during the first week and told us that Mrs. Erickson read a story to them in Spanish. Apparently there was an English version and a Spanish version about ants or hormigitas. When Mrs. Erickson read "hormigitas," Alden politely (according to Mrs. Erickson) raised his hand and said, "Mrs. Erickson, remember the letter "H" is silent; you're not supposed to say "H" in Spanish." I was really happy that she was willing to try and hope that she'll continue to find opportunities to use Spanish in the classroom. In Alden's class, he has a few of his friends from last year. His favorite friend at school is still Jack Place. They really love to do stuff together—we got together with his mom and brother a couple times this summer; it wasn't nearly as often as they would have liked. Anyway, although he and Jack are not in the same classroom,
they play together every recess. Alden told me that when they have to go back to their respective classrooms, they say to each other, "May the Force be with you."
students and is obviously a nice thing for Michael. Seminary starts at 6:00 a.m., and I usually get Alden up at 6:10. When I woke him up on the first Friday Seminary was at our house, I told him that one of the parents would be in our living room and that Daddy was having his seminary class in the basement. Alden was very excited. After he got dressed, we headed down to the kitchen. Alden excitedly asked, "Mom, can I hurry and go look at them." I said that I thought that would be all right. Soon he came scrambling up the stairs at a lightening pace yelling, "There are a hundred of 'em! There are a lot of people down in our basement!" It was really funny (there were actually only about 15 people down there that day, not 100).
ith. The other day he was wearing his Power Ranger suit and hood, a Ninja Turtle top, and his fireman goggles. He was quite the sight! I'm not sure who he was trying to be at that point (he just told me he was just a bad guy), but he looked pretty impressive. Right now he's talking to Michael explaining that Michael will be Jengo Fett from Star Wars, he will be Bubba Fett, while Thobe is a clone (who is also one of Jengo Fett's sons in Alden's world), and Hyrum's Yoda. They are running around the room yelling and fighting. It's pretty cute. He especially loves being a superhero. Sometimes he and other people in our family can only be Marvel superheros, while other days we can only be Superfriend superheros. There are also days that we can be whoever we want to be or of course like today, days that we can only be Star Wars characters. I am never allowed to be a boy superhero or a male character, but I always have to be someone almost every day.
es the funny parts and will laugh and laugh and laugh. Thobe and Hyrum enjoy them too, but not nearly as much as Alden does. We have read Summer of the Monkeys by Rawls Wilson (we both cried toward the end of this book; it was very, very heart-warming), Superfudge by Judy Blume, a Junie B. Jones book, and are going to try out a few Hank the Cow Dog books. If you know of any engaging fun books for a 6 year old read loud, please feel free to share them with us. I really feel so grateful for all Alden does for me. He really is my right hand man. Michael has been on several business trips in the last couple months. Alden helps me more than most kids his age could ever help their moms. He is such a great kid!
I don't know if I've ever known a kid that is quite like my little Hyrum. He can be such a little monkey and then one of the sweetest little guys you've every laid eyes on. He loves to give hugs and kisses and says, "Uv ou" regularly (I'm pretty
sure he means "I love you"). Often I'll be holding him, and he'll lean his head way back and pucker his lips until I kiss him. It's really sweet. When the boys go to school, he walks around the house say, "Obe! Ooobe! Ooooobe! A'den! A'den! A'di!" It's very cute. When it's time to pick Thobe up from school, I say should we pick Thobe up, and he happily says, "Yes!" When Alden's bus is ready to drop him off, I say, "Do you want to see Alden?" He eagerly replies in the affirmative to that too. Perhaps his favorite person in the whole wide world is Michael though. For some reason he's started calling him, "Papa." It's so darn cute to hear this little boy yell out, "Papa!" as soon as he sees his daddy walk through the door. He is glued to his daddy for the first few minutes that he's home. I guess I'm pretty high on his list too. When he's sad, he calls for his mama, and whenever he wants anything he says, "Mama, mama" over and over and over again. He also loves his grandparents and calls for "Grandpa" regularly.
Hyrum's vocabulary has really 
exploded. He talks so much lately and is adding new words to his repertoire of words on a regular basis. Yesterday a few of the words he said for the first time that I noticed were "Applesauce," "Apple," and "Uh Oh Fall down." He is constantly telling us "No." He started doing that while we were in Utah. He used to just shake his head no, but now he shakes his head and adamantly tells us, "No, no, no, no!" He also recently started saying thank you. He says it so, so, so cute. Phonetically he says, "A-Choo." It seems that he is always thirsty. He constantly walks around the house asking us for agua. In church he's especially boisterous. As soon as the bread for the Sacrament is passed, he starts calling for agua. The longer it takes to get to him, the louder he gets. Everyone in the ward knows that Hyrum can say "water" in Spanish.
Hyrum's favorite place in the world is to be ou
tside. He loves to ride bikes, play basketball and baseball, and push a little Winnie the Pooh bike and Tonka truck around the driveway. He could do it for hours and hours and hours. He also enjoys playing in our sand box and just walking around in the grass. This year he also discovered the joy of eating an ear of corn. Corn on the cob is now one of his favorite foods. He also loves bananas, fruit snacks, crackers, and yellow cheese--another few of his favorite words.
Hyrum gets into everything, loves to watch his hands, loves to see how things work, and is my little sweetheart. I feel so blessed that he's my boy.
Thobe makes me laugh so hard. He has the funniest sense of humor that is so cute! When Eric and Michelle were visiting Ohio, Eric asked Thobe if he was Obi Wan Kenobi (this is Thobe's Star Wars' nickname that Alden gave him when he was almost three years old--he gave a Star Wars' nickname to everyone). Thobe turned to Eric and said, "No, I'm just Thobe. I'm still practicing to be a Jedi." That still makes me laugh.
Thobe loves to get wet and especially loved it when we pulled our outdoor water toys out. He always encourages us to spray him with water. Apparently I haven't been doing that enough because the other day, I found him at the kitchen sink using the sprayer to douse Hyrum and himself with water. They giggled and giggled every time he sprayed.
Thobe started preschool at the end of August. He was very excited to go to school. I'm still getting used to the idea that he's in preschool, but he loves it so that makes me happy. After an extended Labor Day weekend, we approached his school in the van stand (the name Thobe calls our van) so that I could drop him off. He excitedly said, "Oh my school! I've missed you soooo much!" It made me chuckle.
He is really into telling me he's sorry. He tells me he's sorry whenever he's the least bit worried that I'm mad at him. Mostly he apologizes when he has an accident--something that happens still more frequently than it should, but a lot less frequently than it did. He always says, "I'm sorry, Mom, but it's okay, right? I usually say "Wrong" when it's a potty accident. This potty training thing has taken years off my life--urggg. Anyway, I love Thobe's great desire to please me. We went out to Utah for my niece Sierra's baptism. We arrived in Utah at 11:30 p.m. Utah time, 1:30 a.m. Ohio time. Since I was by myself with the three boys (Michael stayed behind because of work), I had to wake Thobe up. He was very cranky. I took him to the bathroom, and he was so grumpy. After he took care of his business, he settled down a little bit. Then he turned to me and said, "M
om, I'm sorry I yelled at you." That took away a lot of stress of flying by myself with three kids.
Thobe also loves to tell people that he likes their shirt. It's really funny, and I have no idea how it started. When we were in Utah, we went and visited Eric and Michelle and their family. Eric, Michelle, and I went out for sushi and when we came back, I asked where Thobe was. Alden said he was outside, and I found him out on the top of the play structure unable to get down (Ethan and Charity had a big responsibility watching 10 kids). Anyway, I ran and got him and he was crying, freezing and had wet his pants. I hugged him really tight when I got him down. As we were walking to the house, he said between gulps for air from crying, "I like your shirt, Mom. I love you." What a sweetheart!
So we've had an interesting little situation in our family. Thobe is very affectionate to everyone. He loves to give hugs and kisses to everyone in our 
family. If he feels love in his little heart, he wants to hug and kiss what he loves. Hyrum is equally affectionate and eagerly hugs and kisses Thobe and me and Michael and Alden. Alden, however, has decided that it's gross to kiss his brother Thobe. Whenever Thobe says, "Alden, I love you" (which is a regular occurrence around here), Alden makes a shriveling sound and falls to the ground. When Thobe kisses Alden, Alden grabs where Thobe kisses him and throws the kiss back to Thobe and tells him he doesn't want his kisses. This of course makes Thobe very sad, and he says, "I don't want my kisses back. I want you to have them." This interchange makes me feel sad, and I remind Alden, as my mom reminded me when I was mean to my sisters (which is something I swore I'd never do to my kids by the way), how lucky he is to have a brother and how we should always show love to our brother. Alden, while rolling his eyes, then sort of tolerates a hug from Thobe.
It may be no surprise that from this type of reaction that Thobe gets from his older brother that Thobe has been especially into telling us all the things that he hates. "I hate peanut butter sandwiches," he told me the other day, which surprised me because the day before that was what he requeste
d for lunch. I've heard a lot of things that he hates lately; actually, I think it's his way of adamantly telling me that he doesn't want to do something. Nonetheless, redemption was made with Alden yesterday, although he broke a house rule to do it. Hopefully both boys learned their lesson.
Alden: Thobe, we are now training to be Jedis, and I will be your teacher.
Thobe: I don't want to train. I just want to fight.
Alden: No, you can't fight because you haven't trained to be a Jedi yet.
Thobe: I don't want to train.
Alden: Thobe if you don't do what I want to do, I won't play with you.
Thobe: I love my mommy. I hate Alden.
Alden's reaction surprised me. He started crying, clearly showing that his feelings ha
d been hurt. I told Thobe that we never, ever tell someone in our family that we hate them and reminded Alden how important it is to show love to each other and to make our everyone in our family feel loved. Hopefully it worked. Despite this hateful story, our boys really do get along well with each other. Thobe didn't want to go to preschool the other day because he wanted to play with his brother Hyrum. From the moment Alden gets home, Alden and Thobe are inseparable. They love playing superheros together (in the picture Alden's dressed up like Clark Kent), transformers, Star Wars, and whatever other imaginative thing they can come up with. I'm so happy that they get along with each other and play so well together. I hope that they can always be this good of friends. I really love my boys.
