A Quiet Moment

I've finally found a minute in which to sit!! That hasn't happened for a while!
The nursery leader called me yesterday and told me that she was very sick, and would I please help in nursery. I was reluctant, but can never tell anyone no. So Canton, Oran and I all went to nursery today.
The lady who usually helps is in the hospital, and the other "helpers" were a new couple in our ward. I knew all the kids and had been in the nursery a lot, so things went very smoothly for the first hour. Then Canton got grouchy and mean and started throwing things and hitting people. Including me. I tried again and again to redirect him, but he was just having a bad day.
By the time all of the parents came everyone was crying and ready to leave!!
So I am exhausted and ready for my Sunday nap. But I thought I'd better let you all know that I am still around (it's been more than a week!)
And I'll try to come up with something oh so cleaver to say later.

BUNCO Time!

Last night was our first Bunco night of the year! A bunch of girls get together the third Thursday of every month and play Bunco from 7-9pm. The last two years I've been on the "sub list" so I only got called when someone else couldn't make it, but this years I'm a permanent member of the Bunco gang! I'm so excited! We always have SO much fun and laugh until our tummy muscles hurt (it's a great work out ;)
Ryan had to work last night so my FANTASTIC cousin came to watch the kids, so they had a blast and so did I.

Fall Fun

Here are some pictures from our excursion to the East Idaho State Fair, in Blackfoot last week.Caranna forever - a kaleidoscope of me, mirrors are fun!
My baby doesn't talk so very much, but he likes to sign. I thought this was so cute!! He sat by this goat and was patting him and hugging him; every once in a while he'd stop to show this sign, his sign for "Love."
Canton loved the petting zoo! Most of the picture I got of him were running from one animal to the next with him barely in the frame. These were the only two he stood in one place long enough for.

Tate got tired of walking and we only had two strollers. Isn't it nice to have a big strong Daddy around?

Mr. Smarty Pants

Tate is learning so much at preschool! I am just shocked and amazed at how much he's learning and how quickly he's progressing! He's my little sponge. Part of what Ms. Kris does is focus on whatever the child is interested in. So he's learning about things he is curious about.
After the first day of preschool he told me all about the life cycle of a butterfly. "They start out like a tiny egg, and then they turn into a caterpillar, and eat all the leaves, and when they're big they build a special house called a cocoon or a chrysalis. They stay in there and sleep for a long time and when they come out they have wings!" I thought Ok, that's neat.
The next preschool day he learned about his skeleton. "Did you know everybody has bones!? Not just dead people and pirates... You have to have bones, they're what holds you up. See this, right here? (pointing to his chin) This isn't just my jaw bone, it's a Mandible! And here, you said it was a collar bone, but it's my Clavicle bone. And here (pointing to his knee joint) is a Patella, I have to have one of those or my knee wouldn't bend! And here, in my thigh is a Femur, it's the biggest bone! And did you know that, there aren't any bones in your nose or in your ears? They're made of cartilage! Oh, and fingers, (wiggling his fingers) have bones called Philangies!! That's funny!!"
I was in shock! I couldn't believe that I heard all of those things come out of my 4 year old's mouth! My son knows more that I do! And he remembers everything!
Yesterday it was all about planets. "Mom, there are 9 planets in our solar system... We live on Earth... All of the planets go around the sun which is a great big ball of fire in space! But it doesn't burn everything up because there's no oxygen in space... Mercury and Pluto are the smallest planets and Jupiter is the biggest... Saturn has rings made out of rocks! Venus is yellow because it has lots of acid in the air and Mars is red because it has lots of iron in it's dirt..." He went on and on and spent the rest of the day drawing planets, stars and rocket ships.
He likes to sit and read books in the morning, it takes him a long time to sound out the words, but he's really reading. I don't hardly know what to think! I guess I'd better start reading a lot of books or something just so I can keep up with him!

Pre-school

My kids started pre-school this past week. Canton is going to "Jen's Preschool" taught by our good friend Jenny Higgins. He is new at this whole school thing. I'm not completely sure he's ready, but he loves Jenny to pieces and really wants to be there; maybe we'll just see how it goes.
Tate is going to "Busy Bee Preschool" taught by Kris Olsen, she is my Aunt's friend. We are all really excited about Tate's preschool experience this year. "Ms. Kris" used to substitute for the Montessori school here in Pocatello, she was impressed by the program, (created my Mariah Montessori) so she learned all about it and that is what she teaches in her class room.
It's so fun to have Tate come home and be so excited about all of the new things he's learned that day, and all the fun things he'd done.
Tuesday was their first day. Jenny had a very open "open house" type format. We all came and played. Tate and Canton made Fruit Loop bracelets and thought those were great fun!When we were done at Canton's preschool we made a stop at the store and then it was Tate's turn! He was so excited to meet new friends! I think things are going to work out well for him this year.
I'm a little worried about my schedule, and am hoping I can hold out the full nine months! I tried two different approaches to working nap time around the preschool schedules, without much success at either. So this week we'll try to keep fine tuning that one... hmmm...
Kids are so much fun! It's neat to watch them grow and learn new things. I'm so glad that they are able to have these fun new experiences.

My little artist

Every night before we go to bed I go around the house gathering up DOZENS of pictures like this one. Tate likes to draw and he does it A LOT! I think he's very talented and quite creative but I sure wish he'd quit using all of the paper!!
I've tried to tell him "This is scratch paper, you can use this." To which he replies, "That has words on it!! I don't want that!" SO it continues. Every night, gathering up stacks and stacks of drawings that I don't know what to do with!
I'm putting this one up because I thought Superman had an extra interesting expression.