Looney Bin

Alas, I have procrastinated too long on getting pictures updated and the camera is now lost. BOOO! As luck would have it I have said, "Hurry grab the camera" about 15 times in the last two days only to have no camera to grab. We found Jr's watch in the coat closet stashed away, my phone was in buried in toys, so now we just have to figure out where the kids think the appropriate place for the camera is.
Luckily, my kids are entertaining enough, I still have plenty to blog about without pictures.
Here's last nights conversation. I was trying (unsuccessfully) to get the boys to clean up their playroom. Desperately trying not to lose it, I said in calm, yet strained voice:
"Boys, please start listening NOW. You're gonna wind up sending me to the looney bin!"
B: "What's a looney bin?"
M: "It's a place where they send the crazy people."
T: "YIKES"
B: "Where is the looney bin?"
M: "By Seven Peaks" (the state mental institution is by the water park here)
B: "Can we go there?"
M: "No"
B: "Why not, PLEASE!!!"
M: "No, lonney bins can be scary and dangerous"
B: "Why?"
T: "Cause it's full of MOMMIES!!!"
The rest of the night there was talk of the "looney bin" and all the scary mommies that live there.
Meanwhile, Kalei was entertaining us by showing us her many sides.
She was wearing 2 diaper covers/bloomers whatever they're called and a pair of shorts under her dress. All of which she started putting on then came to me for help to finish. So girly of her I thought, loves to play dress up.
Minutes later, she was running through the house with a spray bottle (thanks mom, they're the kids FAVORITE toys) making gun noises better than any little boy I know. So she's got a little tomboy in her as well.
Next she's jamming out to the church music we have playing. Very active, loves to dance.
Then she's sprawled out on the floor with a box of cereal (a habit she's adapted from her brother) lazily munching away, watching the world go by, refusing to move for anyone.
Funny little girl that's always on the go, never know what to expect from her!

Magic Finger

Yep, still procrastinating posting pics from our latest haps. It's all part of my plan to keep my huge group of fans in suspense, checking my blog 2-4 times a day in hopes of seeing new shots of our beautiful faces. Well, not today!
Instead, I give you something to read as entertainment until I finally have the time to slave over the ridiculousness that is uploading pics and writing corresponding comments on blogger.

Anyway, onto the story.
My boys, like most boys, think their daddy is the strongest man in the world. They are obsessive over this fact and dream of one day obtaining a fraction of his strength. To be honest, I tend to join them in this thought as I have yet to see Junior not be able to conquer a task. Every time I think, "No way is he gonna be able to do this one", he manages to do it.

I on the other hand stand no chance of convincing anyone, even 3 and 5 year olds, that I have any degree of strength. Never been a forte of mine, never will be.
Alas, I had to think of something that trumps strength to gain my kids admiration. The characteristic I thought up....MAGIC
Whenever my kids ask, "How do you do that?"
I respond,very nonchalantly mind you, "Magic." This invokes ohhs and ahhs from the kiddos, especially Tavita.

The other day after such an incident I heard Tavita telling Brayden, "Daddy's strong, but Mommy's MAGIC!!!"
Sweet, I have an admirer!

Apparently Tavita has put his aspirations to be the World's Strongest Man on hold in order to pursue skills in magic. He has decided this right pointer finger is MAGIC! He holds this finger in great esteem and is careful how he uses it.

The other day I was taking Tavita to a baseball game and as we were getting in the car he pointed his finger as I unlocked the car. He exclaims, "Mommy, it worked, my magic finger worked. The rest of the car ride was spend discussing how Brayden and Daddy on strong, but the two of us, we're MAGIC!

I have the typical display of my adorable kiddos faces framed going down the stairs. Yesterday Tavita was walking down the stairs and somehow, his picture (without the frame being the slightest bit disturbed) slipped out and fell on the ground.
I asked him what happened and he responded, "I don't know, it wasn't my magic finger (as he holds it out in total confusion) I had it pointing down here, but that fell from up here!"

Whenever I ask him do to something he responds, "Hold a second, I use my magic finger."

I find it hilarious. I find it adorable. I hope he always has this complete belief and confidence in his magic finger because it provides me with daily entertainment!

Grateful

As always I'm WAAAY behind on posts, but you all wouldn't know what to make of things if I was actually on top of things.
Junior wound up getting called into work tonight (this after I was just bragging at the cub committee meeting how my husband keeps cushy "bankers hours") so it's quiet and I have a minute to myself.
Started thinking how grateful I am for my life. It's definitely not a glamorous one (heck I call it a good day if I actually get myself dressed) but I love it!
I'm grateful for a husband that lets me demand him around in a million directions at once without doing anything more than rolling his eyes and giggling.
A husband that comes home from work ready to jump straight into playing with kids and helping me catch up on anything I'm behind on (cause I always am)
A husband that always finds a way to compliment me no matter the circumstance.

I'm grateful for an oldest son that loves to take on the roll of oldest and help take care of his siblings.
LOVE that his two newst phrases are "Whatever you say, whatever I do" and "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit". It's helped out immensely around here.
Grateful that he still loves to sit in my lap and get kisses.

I'm grateful for a middle son that keeps me on my toes all day long. Who needs exercise when you are running full speed around and around the yard trying to catch a screaming 3 year old (he may be a half pint but man he's fast)
LOVE his giggle and his "naked boy" dance
Grateful that after a very trying day of trying to work with him he ends it by letting me cuddle him then as I'm leaving the room he calls out in the sweetest, most heart melting voice, "Mommy, I love you!'

I'm grateful for my little princess, which she truly is. Loves to put on makeup, shoes, and jewlery. Her little diva flare cracks me up.
LOVE when she breaks down into heaving giggles over all sorts of things, even if she doesn't know why she's supposed to be lauging.
Grateful for her sweet and spicy personality. Can be totally calm and content but if you cross her WATCH OUT.

Love the moments where I here all 3 of my kiddos running and playing together, shrieking in delight.

Grateful for the fact my kids desperately want to spend time with us.

Love our nightly wrestling matches, even though last nights came to an uprupt end when Tavita started laughing so hard he peed all over me and the floor.

Grateful for the mental picture I took today of my boys and two neighbor kids with backpacks on and an assortment of bats, sticks, and guns romping the neighborhood pretending to be Ghostbusters.

Love that my boys adore their little sister and she's starting to return some of that affection.

Grateful for a crazy, stinky dog that forces us to take many trips to the park, and provides much entertainment and companionship for my kids. (another mental snapshot I took today was of Kalei sitting on the back steps with Bowzer's food bowl in her lap cracking up as he ate.

Love that our family has been able to take a break from a lot of working and hoem repair to spend this summer playing and having fun.

The list can go on and on. My life may not be perfect, but it brings me utter joy everyday (even if I have to look hard past the craziness, frustrations, and screams to find it sometimes)