Pictures of Our Girl

Here's Greta at 8 months (August)

9 months (September)

10 months (October)

and 11 months (November)

She's going to be 1 in about 10 days and like all parents, I can't believe it!

A Story for the Wedding

I've been teaching a few kids how to play the piano and the boys know that when I'm with a student they can play outside or watch TV upstairs.  That's the rule.  Luke usually comes home in the middle of a lesson so he comes in, drops his stuff, goes potty, and then runs outside.

One particular day Caleb and his friend forgot the rule (or ignored it) and kept coming in and out and ringing the door bell.  To keep them out I finally locked the doors.  About 5-10 minutes before my lesson was finished I began to hear Luke banging on the garage door and yelling, "M-ahhhhhh-m!"  I ignored it until the lesson was done and then went to the back door.  I opened it and found Luke with his pants and underwear to his ankles.  He says, "I had to go to the bathroom."  "Didn't you just go?"  "Yea, but I had to poop and now I need some tissue."  "You pooped?  Where?"  He then points with one hand out the garage and then quickly with the other hand toward the other side of the house while looking a little suspicious.  He went in to clean up while I did a little poop search.  The location...the bed of Grandpa's truck which we had borrowed for the week.  He said no one would see him in there.  Yea, sure.  If you know the layout of our cul-de-sac and driveway this logic is even funnier.

So it seems he thought through what location would provide the most privacy (failed), but didn't quite run through what he'd do to clean himself up (double fail).  Assuming no one saw him he wasn't at all embarrassed just sort of 'Gotta do what you gotta do.'

Ben made him hose out the back of the truck when he got home which, for Luke, turned out to be fun, hilarious, and not an effective punishment.

To Post or Not to Post

Our blog is not private so sometimes I worry about the thoughts of people who don't know us and our values.  But whatever!  Here's the story.

When we moved in I hung some curtains in the kitchen to cover the sliding glass door.  I was worried the boys would get chasing each other around the table (or whatever riotous behavior) and yank the curtain rod out of the wall.  Ben told them that if they touched the curtain he would cut their finger off.  Then he showed them the detached thumb trick (ya know the one?) and told them when he was little he pulled on Grandma Rollins curtains.

Now every time they swish past the curtain they begin to whimper in a sort of "I don't think mom or dad would do that...or would they?"  Yea, they're adequately confused and we're bad parents.

Luke the Determined

Luke came home from school the other day and told me he played a sixth grader at tetherball and lost.  This amuses me for a couple of reasons.  First, I laugh as I imagine the big kid challenging Luke to a match and Luke actually thinking, "yea, I could take him."  Second, I giggle as I imagine this sixth grader whacking the ball with every turn and Luke helplessly jumping and swinging at air.  Thirdly, I smile because he was absolutely not bothered that he got totally smoked only encouraged to practice more.

His request from Santa...a tetherball set.  It's already on the way.

Finally a Quick Update

So we finally moved out of our parents home.  Why we left we’re not so sure – giant theater room, granite counter tops, mom’s cooking - but we loved staying with the parents and appreciate their kindness.  Our boys miss sharing their wisdom with our parents: one morning Caleb walked upstairs and found Grandpa working on the computer.  Caleb said, “Grandpa, do you know why cats have tails?  It is to keep their bums warm.”  Another day Luke was eating a sandwich for lunch with Grandpa and Grandma Rollins.  Luke said, “Grandpa, do you know why we call salami, salami?”.  “No I don’t,” said Grandpa.  Luke continued, “It’s because it tastes like salami!”  Yes, geniuses in the making.

So we moved back into the home we bought 3 years ago in Lehi and had been renting while going to school and living with Ben’s parents.  Here is the low down:

Ben – Merged off his eye bandage company into another company and received some compensation for his work for the past year.  Hoping that it pays off bigger in a few more years.  Decided to take a job at the University of Utah to help find and turn technologies into viable businesses which will make biiiilllliiooons - maybe.  Just called to be Sunday School President.

Nicole - Works daily to keep house in order (really it's useless).  Volunteers weekly at Luke's school.  Teaches a few neighborhood kids how to play the piano.  Plays the piano for primary (beautiful music but can become a little mind numbing).

Luke - 6 years old, first grader, member of the "Pilgrims Landing 4-7 year old boy gang" currently boasting about 10 members.  Recent havoc includes writing all over the driveway of a neighbor with crab apple berries (does not wash off with water only a bleach solution applied with elbow grease), busting the porch bench of same neighbor, throwing tomatoes onto a tramp and then proceeding to jump and squash them into sauce, and taking a baseball bat to our tree leaving it naked with its branches strung across the yard.  After being publicly grounded for the last incident his friends assured him, "it's okay Luke, we've got recess."

Caleb - 4 years old, also a member of above mentioned boy gang.  Also took part in all gang related activity.  Begins a gymnastics class this week.  Does not attend preschool, instead runs errands with me and plots with all gang members currently too young to attend school.  Not afraid to speak his mind: While at Grandmas, Peter broke Caleb’s sword so Caleb hit Peter.  Aunt Melanie looked at Caleb and told him not to hit.  Caleb stood there for a second looking at Melanie and then said, “You don’t live hear you know.”

Greta - 11 months old, not quite a walker, the best eater in the house and very regularly out eats both her brothers.  Is not shy, regularly screams a high-pitch scream during sacrament, in the car, or while shopping.

Those are the high-lights. This update in no way preludes more regular posting.  I make no promises.  I will, although, post some more pictures this week - probably.

Love,

The "Awesomist Forever Family in the World" (Caleb's words)