Keller-antics

Keller loves Ninja turtles lately.  He called them "Ninja ta-turtles" and I smile every time.

He has some of funniest little sayings.  The other day I asked if he wanted a snack and he said, "Let me think about it...um...sure!"

I told Keller good job for getting in his car seat and then asked if he was ready to go.  He replied, "Alwight mom! Just give me high five!"

Keller is convinced he is not three years old.  This is how our conversations about his age go:
Me:How old are you?
K: Sixteen!
Me: No you're three.
K: Nope.  I sixteen!

Keller's most frequently used question is "What the heeeck?"  It is so adorable when he says it because he holds out the last word forever and his voice gets higher.  I really need to just record it.

Like all three year olds, Keller can throw a tantrum with the best of them.  He gets so pissed at me sometimes.  When I put him in time out he will scream at the top of his lungs while crying"I WANNA BE HAPPY!" I always think "Well then just freaking stop crying and be happy then so we can all move on!"

We have finally potty trained Keller.  He still needs to make more progress but we are getting there.  Every time he poops his pants he tells me by saying in an exasperated voice, "Mom I'm sorry! I just pooped my pants! I said sorry Mom!"

Keller came over with his hands in his underwear and proudly exclaimed, "Mom! I just figured out how to hold my penis in my undies!"  Great. I think I have now accomplished all of my parenting duties.

Any question I answer yes to Keller reacts with, "Yeeess! Woo-hoo!" He follows it up with a little victory dance.  Even questions as simple as "Can I have drink?"

Chad was getting ready to work when he had this conversation with Keller-
Chad: Daddy has to go to work now.
Keller: I want to go!
Chad: Daddy's work is boring.
Keller: I want to go be boring too.
Now fast forward to when Chad got home that evening -
Chad: What should we do tonight boys?
Keller: I want to be boring with you!!!

Vance-isms

Vance always asks if he can live with me forever, even when he has a wife.  The other day I told him that his wife would probably want her own house but maybe they could live with us while they save money to buy a house.  He responded, "Well that'll work.  It will take like 30 years to save up the money."

Vance has a new crush. Her name is Krystina, and she's 23 years old. He asked to get snap chat so they could talk all of the time "and stuff." When I asked if he thought she was too old he quickly replied, "Nope!" It's so cute to listen to him talk about her.

Vance has been into the rainbow loom.  He recently made himself a bracelet with a BFF charm.  When I asked him who is BFF was he said, "That's easy...you!" xoxo

I told Vance I just always wanted to hug and kiss him.  He said he didn't like that.  Instead he said this:
Vance: How about you get a hug or kiss once a day?
Alli: That's not enough...three times a day!
Vance: Okay.
Alli: You promise to give me a hug or kiss three times a day for the rest of my life?
Vance: Yep!
Alli: Deal!
Since then if he happens to be gone around meal time when he gets home he immediately makes up for the hug or kiss he missed.  I love it!

I decided the perfect solution to no texting while driving is having Vance help me out.  That way he can practice his reading and writing and I keep us safe :)  The other day he wanted to send Chad a text.  After the first text, they had a conversation for a little bit.  After it was over Vance said, "Geez it's like I text Daddy one time and now I'm like 'text-man'!"

I told Vance how much I was going to miss him while he was at school all day.  He said, "Well if you start missing me, just look at my picture or something!"

I was a few minutes to late to pick up Vance from school one day.  Luckily he wasn't upset with me.  I took him to get a snow cone to try and make up for it.  While we were waiting for our snow cones, I asked, "So this is just our little secret right?"  Vance replied, "Yep, except of course I have to tell Dad because we don't have secrets in our family.  It's okay that it will get you in trouble because remember that one time when I told you something and got Daddy in trouble? Now you both have one mess-up!"

Vance has LOVED eating lunch at school.  The first thing I hear everyday when he gets in the car after school is what he thought about his lunch.  It cracks me up! He tells me what he likes/dislikes that I packed him.  He loves planning the grocery shopping trip with me.  I guess it's a simple way to keep him happy.

Baking Queen

I have had the baking itch lately.  Whenever I feel that way I call Leslie and schedule a baking day.  Baking at her house is the best because she usually has 90% of the ingredients and she loves to bake so much she doesn't mind all of the mess :)

I am ready for fall so we tried some fall-inspired recipes: pumpkin cream cheese muffins and salted caramel butter bars.  Of course we always have to make some chocolate chip cookies too! It was all so yummy. We both had to wrap them up and give most of them away to keep from gaining 5 pounds.  Thanks Leslie for a fun baking day!

 A few days later my friend, Stefanie, invited me over to come learn how to decorate sugar cookies.  Stefanie makes the most ADORABLE sugar cookies for all sorts of occasions.  I jumped at the opportunity to learn she does it.  I still have a long ways to go and haven't even tried to bake the cookies on my own yet, but they turned out pretty good for my first try!

Build and Grow

I have been wanting to take the boys to the Build and Grow clinics at Lowe's but I always forget to register them ahead of time.  I finally remembered and they were SO excited!

 Keller wanted to try everything on his own but would then reluctantly ask for help.  He lost interest about 2/3 into the process, but I thought that was pretty good.  Then he just hammered the carpet :)

 Vance on the other hand did great! He did almost the entire thing by himself and only needed help holding a few things still to hammer the nails.

 They made these nifty pairs of binoculars (you have to hear Keller pronounce it...so cute!).

I already registered them for the next one!

Reading Time

The boys have been reading like crazy lately.  Well, let me rephrase.  Vance has been reading like crazy.  Keller has been driving everyone in the house crazy asking them to read every book we own in one sitting :)

I love watching the two of them cuddled up on the couch together.  My two little bookworms! Now I just need to find time to start reading again...

It's a ...

BOY!!!

 We are so excited to add another boy to our family!!! It looks like I will get to be the sole princess in this house :)  I've had lots of people ask if I am sad the baby isn't a girl, but truth is...I'm not. Five years ago I definitely think I would've been, but now I feel different.  I am excited to have an all-boy family.  I feel like I already know what to expect. Plus I already have everything!  The only part that worries me is if they get married and do everything with their wive's families.  I'm already praying for three amazing daughters-in-law!

I've also got lots of questions asking if we are going to have a fourth.  I'm not ready to do anything permanent but am about 99.99% sure this is our last.  I feel content and can't really picture a fourth kid.  I'm doing my best to soak it all up this time.  I don't want to be so busy with life that I forget to cherish the "last" of everything.  I am saving up the best I can so I can take a long maternity break and just enjoy adjusting to three kids.  I already told Chad, "This time I'm not wasting the first two months letting you hold the baby.  You can just watch me hold him and you can help sometimes when he's crying." I love newborns and am sad to think this is the last time!

I am just about halfway through this pregnancy. I'm feeling better and even have an appetite again some meals.  My belly has popped all of the sudden and I'm definitely looking pregnant.

Labor Day

For Labor Day weekend we went on a much needed camping trip to Panguitch Lake. This is always a great fishing trip and the boys can't wait to get out of town.  My dad literally ran down the dock to get in the boat the first night.  He's just a big kid!

Normally they rent a small fishing boat so I never go out fishing with them.  This time we took up our boat so we could all go.  It was so fun to spend a few hours fishing with my boys!

It wasn't long before Grandpa caught a fish.  Vance opted out of fishing with his own pole and instead declared himself the "net-man."  The fish are so big that you have to have a fishing net otherwise they will break your line.

By the end of the weekend, Vance had the net thing down pretty good. Him and Colton even caught a fish on their own.  Colton hooked it and reeled it in and Vance was ready to help with the net.  Way to go boys!

I don't think I have fished in almost 15 years.  I normally just help with the kids, but this time I decided why not?! I put my skills to the test and what you know...I caught one!

We almost lost it because the line went under the boat and got caught up in the prop, but due to my mad fishing skills it didn't get away.  Haha

This picture of my little family with my big catch is by far my favorite picture from the trip.  It's one of those moments where you just want to press pause and soak it all up.

Chad is the best dad! He is so patient with the kids. I would go crazy on the boat with little kids all weekend, but he loves that time with the boys.  There's no doubt in my mind that these will be some my boys most cherished memories.

Vance and Colton always love to take pictures with dead fish.  It's so gross but they are all giggles!

We also spent lots of time playing games.  Keller doesn't really get it but loves to try anyway.

They spent hours riding bikes around the campground.  I love watching them play without toys or electronics.  It's all active and using their imagination.  I wish I could channel this when we are at home but that never seems to work.

Aunt Amy always bring soap for the boys to "carve." It really ends up just being soap shaving buy it keeps them busy.

My cousin, Alex, didn't know how to clean a fish so my dad taught him how.  

Alex then proved his manliness by licking the fish's eyes??? I don't understand...

Keller had fun playing with the other three-year-old, Braelynn.  It was so sweet to listen to their little voices have conversations.

Dad and Uncle Chad made my grandpa's famous dutch oven chicken and potatoes.  It's a camping staple.

Then the guys played some horse shoes.  They were a little rusty but at the end of it my dad and Alex were the champs.

I just sat on the sidelines and enjoyed watching Chad.  I love that man!!!

The little boys couldn't care less and kept using their hatchets to chop away at the wood.

All of the ladies -

This little child of mine bounced around from lap to lap. He would snuggle with whomever would hold him :)

I love Vance in this picture.  Just sitting on a log and enjoying the view.  I would love to know what he is thinking!

These are all the fishermen (and girls) showing off their catches.  I think altogether they caught 20 fish!  They celebrated by making their best fishy-faces!

Before heading home, we got together to take one group photo.  It was a great trip and I'm so glad we could spend some time having fun together!