happy (belated) halloween

This Halloween we had some very special guests at our house: Grandma and Grandpa Clark.  We were, in fact, WAY more excited about their arrival than about dressing up in costumes and collecting candy.  

But we DID have fun dressing up.  And collecting candy.

Mercedes in the annual Chloe Clark Autumn Parade.

 

 

Seriously, the kids couldn't stop

starting at Lincoln the dog.

Most of them tried to pet him.  

He got sick of it pretty quickly, 

and retreated to the porch 

where he could be alone.

lately

Lincoln on a horse.

I just found out that Brent has the weekend off!

WAHOO!

It feels like a miracle.  He's been like a ghost for what feels like a good long while now.  He gets home LATE at night (after I'm asleep, usually) and then feels like he should study.  He gets up at 4:30 am and is gone by 5:30.  Last thursday was his first day off in 10 days.  He spent the day doing yard work and studying.  Maybe I'll be able to talk him into laying off the books on Sunday and spending some quality face-time with the fam.  At the very least I'll have some back-up during Primary.  We have an energetic group of boys that we team teach, and it's always easier with two of us.

It's friday night and at our house, that means Movie-Night.  Something the grandparents introduced.  Tonight the feature is "Zookeeper."  Mercedes made a bed for the three of them on the floor, and they're waiting patiently for their fish to finish baking so that they can get dinner over with and have their movie-night treat.   They picked Pumpkin Ice Cream at Trader Joe's.  I'm sort-of watching... if checking email and cooking dinner and updating our blog and glancing at the screen every once in a while counts.

On our way to TJs this afternoon we passed a skate park and Cooper declared that for his "five year-old birthday" he wants a little green skateboard of his very own (Brent's long-board from Dental School is green, but a little big for the little guy).  It's always nice when they have a specific idea in mind.  All three of the kids have birthdays approaching and it seems to me like every day Mercedes comes up with a new thing that she wants for hers.  Today it's a stainless steel water bottle.  Yesterday it was her own ipad.  Luckily, Lincoln is still easy.  He doesn't really know what a birthday is yet.  He'll be happy with cake and ice-cream. 

My birthday present to myself this year will be a potty-trained two year old!  Our little Linc is very determined, independent, and strong-willed.  He does what he likes, when he likes.  I'm counting on that to get him trained sooner rather than later.  He definitely isn't afraid of falling in, like Coop was.  Without me starting the process (I'm waiting until AFTER tomorrow's Super Saturday RS activity) he's already done his business in the right spot a few times.  I am so done with diapers.  And the SMELL which accompanies them.

Keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

Tonight I found something on Lincoln's bed:

It was a piece of notebook paper....

Badcard!! was written on the top.  Under the Exclamation points was a frown. Then:

Name: Lincoln
Midil name: Maxwell
Last name: Bethers
What they were doing: banging on the door when he was sopost to be sleeping.
What will his punishment be: Take Mr. Pokodots (her name for his favorite blanket) away for the day.

It's fun that Mercedes loves to write.  She's creative and likes to write stories.  I especially like her creative spelling.  She's loving school this year.  According to Mercedes, her teacher Ms. Salgado teaches more science than any of the other 3rd grade teachers.  And Mercedes LOVES science.


Cooper spends his days ordering Lincoln around.  He's really becoming a very sweet boy, which is a huge relief to me.  He's outgrown his terrible two's just in time for his brother to take his spot.  He likes to pretend that Lincoln is his horse, and pulls him around the house by his collar.  Once in a while he gets frustrated when Lincoln won't follow his directions.  Cooper likes to say, "Mommy - I'm going to say something very bad... I love you."  and, "Mommy - I'm going to do something bad," and proceeds to give me a kiss.  He's generous with hugs and kisses and "I love yous." 

Lincoln is so attached to having his thumb in his mouth that he has developed an "open bite."  If he keeps it up, he'll need a very painful surgery.  So we've gotten really serious about helping him to break the habit.  We tried the nasty nail polish - and he just sucks it off.  We tried gloves with duck tape, and he uses his teeth to rip the tape off.  Then we switched to gloves with zip ties, and he sucks his thumb.  So we've finally  moved on to mittens (without his thumb in it's spot) with zip ties.  Last night he woke up crying every few minutes, and then at 2am I found him downstairs getting a yogurt out of the fridge.  But it seems like today things are finally sinking in!!!  He hates the mittens so much (I mean - he can't even feed himself with them on) that he took a nap without sucking his thumb!  And then tonight he went to sleep without sucking again.  YAYAYAYAY!!!!  I am celebrating. 

Brent started his first "night shift" on Friday.  He's doing his general medicine rotation, so basically he's responsible for patients staying in/being admitted to the hospital.  I was NOT looking forward to trying to keep the kids quiet all day so he could sleep, but so far he's been able to sleep just fine - even with A LOT of noise.  He leaves for work around 4 pm and gets home just as I'm getting up at 7am. 

I spend most of my time just trying to keep the peace and working to prevent our house from being a TOTAL cesspool.  I'm looking forward to the kids getting to the point of being able to HELP clean up after themselves.  Mercedes is now responsible for unloading the dishwasher, and just that has been huge help!  I loved conference this weekend.  The kids... not so much.  I'm especially excited about the Provo Tabernacle being restored and becoming the second temple in Provo! 

autumn

Fall is my favorite season.  In fact, before I met Brent I wanted to someday have a daughter named "Autumn."  Of course, he shot that one down in less than 2 seconds, just like the rest of my baby name suggestions.  Yup - he's pretty much named all of our kids.  I've chosen the middle names because he doesn't care about those, maybe because he's always just had a letter.  H.  That's Brent's middle name.  But I've gotten completely sidetracked.  I love the fall.

The temperatures are lowering, and the air SMELLS different.  It FEELS different.  That's how I know summer is gone.  I'm looking forward to the green changing to gold and orange and red.  I'm getting ready to find my pumpkin candle and pull out the hot chocolate mugs.  I'm excited to decorate for Halloween, and I'm ESPECIALLY excited that my parents will be visiting soon!!!!!  We're counting down the days, mom and dad.

Let this serve as a notice to y'all:  We finally put a Queen Bed in Mercedes room, so we are READY and WAITING for any visitors to ring our doorbell!

It's been a hard few weeks for us here.  I've been sick for almost a month straight now.  Flu, ear infection that took forever to clear up, and now tonsillitis that is ALSO taking forever to clear up.  Sinus infections too, which are probably causing some of the aforementioned infections.  But today, even though my throat still hurts and my head ACHES and I feel weak and tired - I am not discouraged.  I am looking forward!  Brent gave me a Priesthood Blessing last night, before which I WAS feeling quite discouraged.  I am so thankful for the gospel, and for my patient boys who have hardly left the house this week.

Life is a blessing.

august

August has been a full month for us.  

Unfortunately, I didn't take our camera to Utah.  

*Sigh*

But still we had fun....

Being with grandparents.

Bowling with cousins.

Seeing Aunt Suzanne.

Going to the park with Grandma.

Feeding the neighbors' horses.

Seeing old friends.

Camping in American Fork Canyon - thanks Grandpa!

Riding "Taylor's" horse - the boys fell off and got right back on again!

Having movie night.

Playing with Mendo and Willie - we'll miss you!

Playing games with Aunt Lorraine and girls.

Shopping for school clothes.

Going to movies.

Going shooting with Kev, Annmarie and Chris.

Shopping for Atlee - we're so excited to meet you!!!

Eating too many donuts.

Watching the Iron Giant with Chris.

Going to the Provo Beach Resort with Gram and cousins.

Spending mucho bucks to keep our beloved Yukon running.

Riding the 4-wheeler.

Watching the "pioneer day" fireworks.

Thanks to Uncle Chris for getting us to Utah, and to Grandma for getting us back home.  I would not have made the 15 hour drive by myself.  At least not in one day.

Now we're working on getting back to "real" life.  

I'm grateful that I spent yesterday cleaning, since Lincoln woke early this morning throwing up what little was left in his stomach.  So far, he hasn't been able to even hold down water.  We're rubbing peppermint oil on his feet and back to help with the fever.  I've never been able to get him to ingest any kind of medicine.  

So far this morning we've watched Callou, Strawberry Shortcake and are currently on Meet the Robinsons.  It's a "cuddle-couch" day for sure.  Every once in a while Lincoln will nod off, but isn't able to stay asleep.  He usually wakes up barfing.  Nice, right?  Don't worry - we've got a bowl on standby.

Mercedes and Cooper are doing well on their own, for which I am grateful!  They're playing school at the moment.  I'm all set with a pile of books picked up from the library yesterday.