needs

Tonight Kiffen and I took the kids grocery shopping. Unfortunately this is pretty exciting for me because we don't get out much together as a family. My usual grocery routine is in and out as quickly as possible with a 3 yr old and a 3 month baby. If we don't have any "I need" melt downs then I consider it a success. Anyways back to tonight. When we pulled into the store Tanner asked if he could go and just "look" at the toys. If it was only me then not only no but heck no!!!! I just don't have the energy or willpower to go there with him..but since Kiffen was with us why not. We told him and really emphasized that we are only going to look. "kay momma, me just wook". Who are we kidding, right? I have come to realize that one of my favorite things in life is seeing a little child in a toy store. I know very cliche', but for me true. The way his face just lights up and how he looks at each and every toy. If one really catches his eye he'll take it off the shelf and "read" the back of the box(Tanner would do this also:)). Whenever the looking would turn into needing we would tell him that we'll have to write a letter to ho ho and let him know. He was being surprisingly good so Kiffen decided to stay in the toys with him while I went and took care of the shopping. When I met them at the car I expected to see Toys everywhere or an inconsolable child. It was neither. The only thing that Kiffen caved to was a small bulldozer, which according to Kiffen was needed since we didn't have one. Funny how we remember the things we need when surrounded by necessities such as toys.

Chersty

Choo Choo's don't take baths

Right now Tanner doesn't want to wash his hair. Only his hair. He has no problem taking baths, he actually enjoys them. Especially when I put bubbles in there for him. He will wash his feet, legs, arms, face, ears, everything except his hair. We have told him recently that bugs will build houses in his hair and if we don't wash them out they'll just keep on building. That works. I have to look through his hair to find out how many bugs have moved in(there was 5 this morning) and then he'll finally let me wash his hair. Today just wasn't working even just to get him in the bath. I had put bubbles in his bath, he had his favorite toys, I had even told him he could choose his clothes for the day, all by himself. No way, wasn't going to happen. Then I hear him coming

"Chugga chugga choo choo, chugga chugga choo choo. Momma me a choo choo".
"You sure are, you're a nice train. Now come on lets take your bath".
"Chugga chugga choo choo. Momma, me a choo choo".
"I know honey, come on".
"But momma, choo choo's don't take baths".

Cherstin

hot chocolate train

So this is the new classic in our house. It's official title is called "The Polar Express". However Tanner named it "the hot chocolate train movie" after his favorite part. He even tries to say, here we've only got one rule, never ever let it cool. It comes out more like "hew one wool, evr coowl". We have watched it this week oh I would say at least 10 times. The thing is I absolutely love, love this movie. I enjoy the look of pure amazement and excitement that comes into his eyes when the train pulls up in front of the boys house or when the kids go down the slide and start spinning down the funnel. Then comes the best part, when Santa finally comes into the square and you see the reindeer but can't hear the bells, he looks up at me with eyes the size of silver dollars and says

"momma, me hear the bells this time, you hear em?"
"Oh yeah I hear them."

He then grabs my chin and points it toward the TV and and says

"momma wook, you hear the bells?"
"I do sweetie I do."
"momma, Ho Ho(pronounced who who, which is what he calls Santa) bring me those."
"Bring you what, presents?"
"no, those fwom little Ho Ho's(the elves). Ho Ho bring me bells."
"Oh, I think he probably will bring you those."

Once reassured that santa will bring him bells. He goes back to the movie, lets go of my chin, and lets me go back to just watching the movie.

Chersty

dancing with the stars

Woo Hoo! It's back. When this show first came on I refused to watch it. There were just way too many reality shows and just plain junk on t.v. Then came a trip home to Utah where all my family was absolutely addicted to this silly dancing show, especially my grandma. Well sure enough, late one night I was up with my dad and he started watching it on his dvr. I'll admit it, it only took me a few dancers and I was hooked. Tanner and I would watch it when we got home to the strip(much to the dismay of dear ole hubby). Tanner even had a favorite dancer, although I don't remember which one it was now. I always enjoyed calling home after and we all would talk about who should win and who our favorites were. Grandma was especially fun to talk to about this silly show. Funny how her favorite dancers were always the cutest boys. This season I wont be able to talk to her about the cutest dancers. I will miss that, but our family will enjoy remembering how much she enjoyed this silly dancing show.
chersty
p.s. the football player at the end was surprizingly good.

ahhh, sunday

Sunday's are lazy day's for me, or at least I try for them to be. Living on an airstrip means that we have a lot of people stopping by. It's picking up more since the crash. (more on that later). Tanner went to church with daddy today while Korah Grace went with me. I love being in the nursery with Tanner. I really enjoy teaching the kids even if it is something as little as folding their arms for the prayer. Okay, not all at the same time but they all folded their arms at one point. Our other nursery leader stayed down and let me go up to r.s. I really did appreciate and enjoy that. One of the sisters in there commented on how big Korah Grace was getting. It reminded me of the other day when I was driving into town with Tanner.

tanner: Momma, please don't make me stay little.
me: Oh sweetie, I want you to stay little, I don't want you to get big.
tanner: NNNOOOOOOO!!!! I WANT TO GET BIG.
me: why would you want to get big?
tanner: me want to be big
me: but why? don't you want to always stay mommies little boy?
tanner: no mommie, me stay little I cant go to school. me want to go to school.


He want's to be big so that he can go to school. We have taken him by the school and he just cant wait. We still haven't heard back on the test's that he took for his speech. So for the time being when he goes to the daycare at the gym we call that "school". Speaking of which I had better go to bed so that I can get up for "school".

Chersty

Camille

Tonight I found out about the Waite's family blog. They recently lost their daughter Camille. The mother is so amazing I found myself really putting things back into perspective and wanting to cherish every moment. It is such an amazing gift from our Heavenly Father to be able to teach and love these precious little spirits in this life. We really need to appreciate the little things right now because I am already watching my son and wishing he would just stop growing, and he's only 3!!! Thank you Stephanie, I'll pray for you and your wonderful family. Right now I am going to hug my children and then I am off to bed.