To Our Children: When You Grow Up...

and have children of your own...

It will be payback time.  

We will come visit your homes all of the time.... AND 

• We're going to gather all the shoes in your house and have your kids leave them just inside the front door so you trip.
• We're going to teach your kid how to eat all your granola bars and leave the wrappers all over the house.
• We're going to complain, "I don't like this dinner" before we even taste it.
• We're going to feed your kids all kinds of sugar... right before we leave so they're bouncing off the walls.  
• We'll convince them that flossing is overrated so you end up having to pay thousands on root canals and fillings.
• We're going to bring drums and instruments, and noisemakers of every kind... so they can share their talents with you 24/7.
• We're going to shower and then leave all our towels on the floor in a giant pile... and then add the clean ones to the pile.
• We're going to show the kids how to put toothpaste on their toothbrushes and then leave them under the sink until the ants get to them.
• We're going to give them water right before bed so you have to get up at 2 am to take your three-year old potty.
• And we'll be sure to bring legos with us and then dump them all over the floor in the hallway so that at 2 am when you're rushing to take your three year old to the potty in the dark you step on them you scream 'damnit' really loudly.
• We're going to get every bowl out of the cupboard, and pour cereal and milk into them... and then walk away leaving them on the table to waste.
• We will break all your pencil sharpeners for you.
• We will draw on all your printer paper and leave the caps off the markers to dry out and make sure to leave all the mess on the floor.
• We will bring an electric pencil sharpener with us and sit in front of the TV and sharpen them one after another while you're trying to watch the news.
• We will buy your kids rootbeer and let each one open his/her own can, take ONE sip, then set it down on the table never to return again.  
• We will give them otter pops and make sure they leave their sticky wrappers in the garage or all over the ground outside.
• We will take all the utensils and plates and cups outside in the backyard and garage... and leave them until you find them a few months later.
• We will take your itouch and make sure your kids hide it in obscure places and then say "just kidding"  when you find it 3 weeks later.
• We make certain they chant and throw tantrums unless you let them have their way.
• We will make your older child hit your younger one and then blame it on the middle one.
• We will dress your kids with their undies on backwards.
• We will buy five balloons and let them float to the top of the ceiling so you can listen to them scream and cry for their dumb balloons.
• We will take your kids to the library and check out 42 books at once and make sure they stick them in their backpacks and loose them in their rooms... and find them 4 months later so you have to pay the overdue fees.
• We will watch movies with lots of buttery popcorn and make sure they spill at least half of it on the carpet.  Once the movie is over, we will make sure they know how to dump the old maid kernels in the disposal, jamming it up so you have to fix it.
• We will go to In & Out and buy everyone shakes, burgers and animal style fries, and then tell them they can only eat about half, and then show them how to stuff the rest in the crevices of the seats and mush it into the floors of your car and leave it there for you to find when the car starts smelling rancid.
• We will let your kids play hide and seek with your car keys.
• We will put your kids in your car to play around and leave all the lights on so in the morning your car battery is toast.  And they're late to school.
• We will come and chant in your ear every morning to see what the weather is going to be like.
• And we'll make sure to dump our suitcases out in the middle of the guest bedroom and we'll make sure they puke all over your favorite quilts and onto the carpet so you have to clean it up.
• And in the middle of the night, we'll teach them how to pick their noses and leave boogers on the wall...  the kind that only can be sanded off.
• We'll show your kids how to play dress up with your shoes and your makeup-- until they're utterly ruined.
• And we'll make sure to teach them how to dip the toilet paper in the toilet water and suck on it when they're thirsty.
• And with just one special little one... we'll make sure she wipes poop all over herself from head to toe and then continues to finger paint the walls and floors with poop just so you have the joy of raising yourself.

We cracked ourselves up with this list 

of just a few things you guys have done..

But we promise to love them just the same.

little photographers

This is what happens when I let my camera loose 
to a three, five, and six-year-old.  I think there were 342 pictures as seen from their little eyes.  These were the in-focus ones.  

This was our happy birthday banner and lovely pom poms we put up to celebrate Emily on her birthday.

Are my kids the only ones who come up with concoctions like this?

A much-needed holiday nap for a sick momma.

Gingerbread, earthquakes, and tornadoes...

Everyone needs a kind-hearted child with that extra dose of sensitivity and compassion... Alexandra tends to consistently be that one in our family.  She's concerned for the welfare of others and is more sensitive to other's feelings than any normal six-year-old.  So on her very own, she called Ama and invited her & Kelly to spend Christmas with us because she couldn't stand the thought of them being alone in cold Mt. Pleasant without grandchildren to share the joyF with...  So we have Alexandra to thank for Ama gracing our home at Christmas this year. a

One of our traditions that I just never accomplished this year on my own... was gingerbread houses.  It's one of the kids' faves... because there generally are no rules about two for me, one for the house, three for me, one for the house, etc.  And with individual frosting pouches, eating that was easier too.  So Ama brought the goods...

... But it's the last time she'll ever do it with these six kids, I'm sure.  

Sugar highs and the high-energy with big kids that want to destroy & eat the houses faster than they can make them-- nope, she didn't bargain for that.  I should have snapped a photo of the earthquake that hit Monson's and the tornado that tore through Brayden's.  Then we'd remember why.

Thanks, Mom... for being a sport & carrying on the tradition!

Christmas Morn.

Isabella says it all...

Random Funnies

*Izzie....while 'playing church' with the girls:

This is Jesus Christ.  He is our Savior because he saves us. He doesn't want the blind people around... so he 'fixes' them instead.   9/2/2010



*Conversation... or rather, command from Mom to Alexandra:

Mom:  I have an idea-- do your jobs!!!

Lex:  Mom, You have the worst ideas EVER!  11/2010

*Alexandra wants a pet... and she wants it NOW.  She declared she'll even take a goat.... if Petsmart has one. 7/2010

*Overheard between Curt & Izzie:
Izzie:  We have a new band!  It's called The McSix!
Curt:  What song are you going to sing, "I Am A Child Of God?"
Izzie: Nope, "L.A. BABY!"

*After Vivs spilled a whole bunch of food on the floor Izzie told her, "Vivs, you're a noddy, noddy girl" to which Vivie replied, "Na ahhh.. I'n not a noddy gwil, I Bibiana Faif" 7/10

*"I got a 'B' on my math test... it just stinks. 'B' stands for Bad guessing." 4/10 Monson

*Apparently at least Alexandra thinks I sit on my rear all day.  Or...she knows the thing that I dislike the very most about housework and so doesn't have faith in me:

Alexandra: "Mom, please please do my laundry today when I'm at school"
Mom:  Sure Lex...
Alexandra:  Mom, I don't believe you... pinky promise me that you'll do my laundry." 

*Alexandra:  Mom, can we please go do the dine out for school (fundraiser)? 
Mom:  Lex, we can't go out to eat unless we have coupons. 
Alexandra, very sarcastically:  Oh, what was I thinking. We don't have a job or money. 

*Alexandra has a rolie polie collection... Every morning she wakes up and checks on them, comes home from school and first thing she does is run outside to say hi to her rolie polie's. Izzie won't touch them and screams (like a girl) if any kind of bug touches her or if she even sees one. Lexie will pick them up with ease, and so will Vivie.  Rolie polies?  This girl needs a serious pet.

*You HAVE to say yes or no...I don't take 'maybes,' Mom. . -Alexandra 4/2010

*Mom, you're getting old because your feet are cracking. -Izzie 4/26 (Thank you for noticing my lovely heels)

*Vivie has been sick... struggling with her lungs & respiratory issues. Curt gave her a priesthood blessing today and upon saying 'amen' Viviana shouted, "All Better!" -Vivs 5/16/2010

and perhaps my favorite:

*When I grow up I'm going to be a nice mom and say 'yes' 

ALL the time. -Izzie 5/2010  

Halloween 2010

Painting pumpkins is always the easier, less messy option. Even if it does look like plastic. Except when the bottom of the pumpkin rots out two days later.  A few of us carved, but they collapsed even faster from the rot.  I say we got gipped this year!  I guess I got what I paid for:)

I have warmed up to the whole Halloween song and dance... I even made a cute little 'boo' Halloween craft which I didn't take a picture of.  But I think what I don't like about it is that Halloween isn't just ONE EVENT like say... Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter.  The crazy doesn't just happen for one night.  To some, that's the beauty in it.  For others like me....not so much.  We have our church trunk-or-treat, friend parties, and then Halloween night.  When you have six kids that need makeup and a 'do' each time there's a Halloween celebration, it becomes annoying.  For the Mom, that is.   The kids think it's the greatest concept ever.

This year was simple... we just used what we already had in our costume collection.  I think Izzie really loves her inner-witch... this may be the 3rd year in a row she's wanted to express herself as the 'good witch.'  Viviana is adorable no matter what she chooses... and Ms. Soc Hop fit this hand-me-down perfectly down to her darling glasses.

I don't even remember what Monson was... vampire who really likes dum dums?

McKenzie was the biggest BYU fan ever, and Brayden, well.... was himself.  Curt got in on the fun as the biggest Steeler's fan, and I'm of course, always the photographer, a witch as well... complete with even a lovely Halloween shirt and hat.

gettin' a little crazy with photoshop effects