Living The Dream

Merry Christmas to All

2011-12-09T19:22:00.000-08:00

Dave

Culminated 10 years of higher education with his graduation from University of Louisville School of Dentistry Orthodontic Residency.

Took a job as an associate outside of Austin, Texas

Has taken on the philosophy that happiness is a choice and blesses the family with constant positivity

Developed a taste for some of the finer or at least healthier foods in life . .chooses wheat bread all on his own now. . . still working on those vegetables.

Took a trip back to Kentucky to drive an all women running team along the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky.

Bri

Birthed another girl .. this time without the help of an epidural

Decided that there was no better time than an Austin summer with record breaking heat and drought to train for and complete her first marathon.

She was pretty sure she wanted to die during her final leg of the Bourbon Chase relay(and may have, had her loving and supportive husband not gotten out of the van and run alongside her for the final 3 miles- despite his hate for running),but it was worth it in the end to be part of the first place women’s team and spend two days with 11 amazing women in the beautiful Kentucky Countryside

Blessed with the most amazing mother who, not once but twice, came out to Texas to watch all 5 grandkids so that she could run that relay race and accompany Dave on an office cruise down to Cozumel.

Trenton (8 1/2)

Gets an A++ for citizenship.

Wishes soccer was year round with nothing but games.

Never leaves home without a book.

Saved his money and made his first big purchase. .a Nintendo DS

Is often heard saying while in the car, “Move my seat for Christmas, please move my seat for Christmas, I’ll even pay you” in the most dramatic pleading voice imaginable as his “seat” is currently in the middle of the back seat in the minivan between two younger siblings still in car seats

Dallas (6 1/2)

Got sent to the principal’s office for the first time after he left his lunch at home and took matters into his own hands (and mouth) by eating another child’s snack.

Learned the strategy associated with being in the right place at the right time allowing him to score many goals with very little running during his soccer games

Everyone knows his name wherever we go . . .never one to slip under the radar.

Loves to show off his intelligence by spouting off random facts, reading long words, and questioning everything.

Brooklyn (4 1/2)
Always coloring, unfortunely this still includes the occasional mural on a wall, table , pillow or doll.

Is rather independent in her learning to write many words and read right along with it

Nicknamed “ fashion police” by her soccer coach for her always unique choice of clothing

Often commenting on how much she misses her school and friends and teachers in California (we’re guessing she means Kentucky since she’s never lived in California)

Lexi (3)

The instigator of laughs from many . .always followed by “that not funny” as she doesn’t realize how comical we all find her

Was nice enough to be potty trained for about a month before the baby was born giving us our first diaper free time in over 7 years.

In a very serious yet sweet voice, will often tell us to close our eyes or not go into a certain room before she does something naughty (like sneak a snack out of the pantry) I wonder if we could get her to still do this as a teen?

Ali (8 months)
Tested our patience initially by arriving a week past due but has brought nothing but joy since.
Smiles, smiles and more smiles.

Multiple rolls can be counted on each leg.

Can pull of a one tooth grin perfectlly.

It's been another full year filled with changes and blessings. We are grateful to all of you-our friends and family-who continually enrich our lives and remind us of what is most important. And we are grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and his birth that we remember and celebrate this time of year. Happy Holidays!

What a Difference a Thumb Makes

2011-10-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

2011-06-12T08:32:00.001-07:00

Recent Photos

2011-04-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

Day before delivery, she's still as beautiful as ever

Final picture as a family of 6

Relaxing on mommy

The older brothers and sisters waiting their turn at the hospital to hold their new baby sister Ali

Such a gentle big sis!

First bath!

Thanks to severe rain, tornados and flooding we had an indoor easter egg hunt with some neighbors

Lexi's favorite silly face

iPhone Photo Fun :)

2011-04-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

Happier after a few more hours outside the womb

2011-04-18T18:18:00.000-07:00

She's here!

2011-04-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

Alexandria (Ali) Veronica Butler
8 lbs 1 oz
22 inches
Born 12:57 pm au natural (which Bri said she would never do again,
though since we're done that won't be an issue). Mom and baby are
doing awesome. Pictures to come.

Get Er Done

2011-04-18T04:19:00.000-07:00

Well it's official that Bri's body is really good at getting pregnant
and not so good at getting unpregnant. She will now be 5 for 5 on
getting induced as we have left for the hospital this morning for a
little pitocin push. Here's the last belly shot from this morning, 1
week overdue.

Yes, I am still pregnant

2011-04-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

I never intended this pregnancy to be a real secret, but apparently we either didn't send a new years card to very many, or Dave signing everyone's names and adding a question mark at the end was a little too subtle. Either way, I am still pregnant and I love how the little ticker is now just adding days as I continue to go past my due date. I promise I will make Dave update the blog when there is any news to share. (Like Briana just birthed a 10 lb girl!)

Taken about 38 weeks pregnant (yes I chose this one cause I fee like it actually makes me look small . . .wish I could say that was still the case.

February and March

2011-04-13T17:08:00.000-07:00

Dave attended a leadership and orthodontics conference in San Diego at the end of February . .I got to be single mom for a while and the kids got t-shirts upon his return.

I've continued running during this pregnancy . .well up until this week when I finally vowed not to run in an attempt to actually let my body relax and go into labor or something. . .which obviously hasn't worked.
On March 12 at 8 months pregnant I ran in the rodes city 10K, a race that is part of the triple crown. The 3 older kids did the fun run that followed. I was bummed not to do all the races again this year, but this helped me to feel a part. Not to mention the looks and comments I got to be amused by while running.
Here were the stats:

Briana Butler #1819

Pewee Valley, KY

Age: 28 Gender: F

Distance	10K
Clock Time	59:50
Chip Time	52:44
Overall Place	1554 / 7958
Gender Place	358 / 4435
Division Place	90 / 702

Brooklyn doing a little pre-race stretching

I gave up on having them smile and snapped this before bed on Saint Patricks Day

Diaper Leak

2011-03-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Whether it was an intended leak by Bri or not, yes diaper freedom will be short lived in the Butler house. Very short lived.

Baby Ticker - The Baby Countdown Pregnancy Tickergreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

Potty Training . . .almost flawless

2011-03-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

Originally written the week of February 13, 2011

I let Lexi run around our house bottomless for several weeks after I discovered that when pantless, she was essentially potty trained- wouldn't even tell anyone she needed to go . .would just go to the toilet and do her thing. It was great, except that she had to be naked. If she was wearing any sort of bottoms. .pants, panties, diapers . . .she had no issue going in them. So I was stuck with how to make the transition to panties so that she could be potty trained in public and not just at home (figured I couldn't drop off my half naked child of at the gym daycare or in nursery). Well eventually, at the beginning of last week to be exact, I decided I just had to pull the trigger and deal with some accidents while she transitioned into panties. So, away went the diapers and to church she went like a big girl. A big girl that later peed a little in her pants in nursery, but we were on our way to success hopefully. The week progressed well-very few accidents and no poop incidents.

Then came Thursday . . .a day I would like to take back and redo if I could.
I had a visiting teaching appointment and I am a firm believer in not switching from panties back to diapers so away we went with Lexi in her big girl pants. . .allbeit a little nervous as it was the time of day that she normally had a BM and she also hadn't peed in several hours. Well I kept a close eye on her for a while knowing that sometimes she would just start taking her pants off when she was ready to go. . . but eventually we ladies got chatting and Lexi wandered upstairs to go play in my friend's twin girls' room. Shortly thereafter Lexi comes wandering back to us . .naked and saying "poop".
Panic hits me as I grab my bag and go upstairs to see what has happened. Well, I find Lexi's little pile in the carpeted closet and she shows me her underwear that she had placed in the nearby garbage can. Why can't she just poop her pants like a normal toddler? No, she has to know she is going to poop and take her pants off first and then do it. And why can't she have nice formed poop instead of being queen of loose stools? Well, I miraculously get it all up and really you can't even tell where she went-although I am so embarassed and some got on little purse that my friend just told me to throw away. I put new panties on her and she runs away again before I even get pants on her. (Looking back this was a big mistake as I know her and they way she does things in groupings)

So a few minutes later she is back naked again saying she needs to go poop. I take her to the potty and she does pee and poop and then I got upstairs only to find her panties in the bathroom (which she didn't use) and another runny pile in the middle of the girls' room instead. I am thinking "this isn't really happening" and run back downstairs to grab my "supplies" again. It only got worse as while I was grabbing my bag, Lexi then stepped in this runny pooh and proceeded to walk around the room forming nice little poop footprints all over the carpet and on a blanket! I vigorously start scrubbing with diaper wipes but soon come to the reality that it isn't going to clean up all nicely this time and yell to my friend asking her if she still has her steam cleaner. I wanted to die! I was seriously just mortified and told her I was never coming back. She sprayed it with carpet cleaner and said she would just run the steamer over it when she got back. She was so nice about it (even if she wanted to kill me deep down) and assured me it was nothing compared to her daughters who were "poop painters", but nonetheless, it wasn't her daughters and she had already been there and done that and shouldn't have to do it again with someone else's kid! So I left her girls' room looking and smelling like an outhouse completely wanting to erase the last 20 minutes of my life!

It is said that visiting teaching blesses the lives of those we visit. . .pretty sure this doesn't count!
My only saving grace is that while typing this Lexi just told me and went poop in the potty just like she has done ever since that horrible day!

And now here we are at the end of March and I haven't had a child in diapers day or night for 7 weeks for the first time in over 7 1/2 years. It will be short lived, but enjoyed nonetheless.

A Gingerbread Village

2010-12-24T14:39:00.000-08:00

So we've learned that it's a lot less trouble using graham crackers than actually baking gingerbread since it's going to be quickly devoured anyway by the children. This year we decided to let each of the children make their own. When we piled them all in the microwave to keep them out of child's reach we thought it kinda looked like a village, thus a new tradition was born. Here is the first annual Butlerville Christmas village (soon to be destroyed by Dallaszilla).

Some things get sweeter with time . . .our anniversary isn't one of them

2010-12-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

Our celebration of 8 years together a few weeks ago went something like this:

We don't set an alarm because Trenton always wakes up before he is supposed to and wakes the rest of us up (he's been doing this since birth) in time for the boys to get ready and off to school. Well, out of the blue, he didn't wake up on our anniversary until 7:15 (the bus comes at 7:10). It was a rushed morning to get them out the door and have Dave drop them off on time at school on his way out. So, no goodbye hug or kiss or salutation that I can recall for our "special" morning. . .although Dave did kiss me on the forehead at midnight to wish me a happy anniversary in my sleep). I sent him a text about an hour later when I realized I hadn't said anything that morning.

My parents were also in town for the last day of their visit and scheduled to fly out that afternoon. I had it planned out perfectly to be in the car ready to go when the boys got home at 2:50 so that I could drop them off at the airport and make it back home in time to meet Brooklyn's bus. At 2:35 I get a call that I don't answer cause I didn't recognize the number only to retrieve the message a minute later and learn "there has been an incident with Dallas on the bus, that he cut his head and is bleeding pretty badly and will need to be picked up back at the school. I quickly return the call and they tell me while standing on the seat trying to open a window he fell and cut the back of his head on the window latch. I ask if they think he'll need stitches and while initially unsure because they couldn't really see the wound, they shortly came back with, "yes, we think he will". I ask them where his brother, Trenton, is and they inform me that he is still on the bus. (So somehow I am supposed to come to the school and get Dallas but not be here to meet Trenton when the bus gets here in 10 minutes.) I explain the dilemma but tell them I will check with my neighbor and be there as soon as possible.

My window to get my parents to the airport is quickly disappearing. I leave to go and get Dallas only to turn around and go back for my phone that I left behind, but that detour allowed me to spot Trenton's bus in the neighborhood and flag it down to get Trenton. All the while, I get a hold of Dave and ask him if he can help me . , ,"well, where is he cut because if it's in his hair I won't really be able to help," he tells me. I clarify that I don't want him to do the stitches, but can he help me either with my parents ride or a trip to the ER? He gets his patients transferred and meets me at the hospital where I drop Dallas off on my way to the airport.

My neighbor gets Brooklyn for me, although I miraculously make it back just behind her bus.

Dave spends the rest of the afternoon at the hospital where Dallas receives 4 staples in his head but makes it home in time for his indoor soccer game that night . .where his head injury helped him secure a hat trick. Unfortunately Lexi having sympathy pains for her brother (combined with a sippy cup of chocolate milk followed by a juice box from me) decided to hurl in my lap at the soccer game. So I'm covered in vomit and so is the turf where I was sitting. The staff graciously offers Lexi a leftover flag football shirt from the previous season to change into and they offer me one as well . . .but seeing as how all the puke was on my pants, I was unsure (even in Kentucky) how socially acceptable it would be for me to walk around in nothing but a t-shirt and was forced to decline. Dave insisted that I at least wipe the chunks of vomit off of myself and then I sat there for the rest of the game in all my glory. Dave drove home with his head out the window and well that's how we celebrate marriage in our house.

Isn't motherhood grand?

Did you know all you have to do is puke to score a new shirt from the Y?

For the first time, I am glad for the wretched cold I have because I can't smell the vomit I'm currently wearing.

Acting like a dog with my head out the window is better than smelling my wife right now.

**Lest you should feel bad for us, which I 'm sure no one does, we did have a wonderful date a few days earlier. . .thanks to my parents for staying home with the kids while they were visiting. Dave planned a surprise pottery class for us to take together .. big surprise for me as he and I both know that I don't have a creative bone in my body. However, we had a lot of fun and well as far as the pottery goes, I haven't seen the final pieces yet, but the process was more fun than I thought it would be.**

I went for the ever original pencil holder.

Lexi Discovers She Can Move Her Eyebrows

2010-12-02T15:43:00.000-08:00

New Family Photos

2010-10-04T04:26:00.000-07:00

After a lot of self-timer and photoshop we were able to get a few updated pictures of the family, it actually went relatively smoothly and miraculously we had a few pictures that everyone was smiling without photoshop!

2010-09-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

Lexi actually gets to enjoy some alone time with me on some days now that everyone else is in school. Shopping with only one kid climbing out of the cart and crying=bliss.

All ready to go on the first day.

First day of second grade August 11th. Only 19 students in class . .. schools are a bit better here than in Portland.

First day of Kindergarten Aug 11th. He leaves and comes home happy each day. You'll see what goes on in the middle at the end of this post.

First day of preschool She's thrilled and loves school. I actually got teary-eyed sending her off, unlike with the boys :).

The second week of school for Dallas went like this. I was initially beside myself but have communicated with his teacher more and now that I understand her personality and his . . . I'm not expecting perfection, but he has improved dramatically thank goodness.

Potato Heads

2010-06-24T18:51:00.001-07:00

Orlando

2010-06-24T18:44:00.000-07:00

No great stories here, just great memories. We went on a week long vacation back in May with my parents and my sister, Margaret, and her boyfriend Nick. Adult to child ratio-6:4. Who could ask for more? We couldn't but we got sunshine, beaches, amusement parks, tennis, golf and more anyway. Thanks family for a wonderful trip! We couldn't have done it or at least it wouldn't have been nearly as cool without you.Lesson learned-the UV rays are way stronger down in Florida go even heavier on the sunscreen!

Dallas was totally fearless on all roller coasters, or so we thought until we saw this pic. Too cute. He's still way tougher than Trenton though . Dave tried to get the domesticated squirrel as addicted to diet Dew as he is . . .I think he came close.

My dad also showed off his responsible side while drinking Diet Dew in the jacuzzi tub with my children and somehow managed to actually break a club while golfing. Now that's talent . .just don't ask him about his score :)

Brooklyn was suprizingly or naively game for holding a baby alligator while we were out shopping.

Brooklyn was drawn to the same part of Belle that Daddy was. Who knew Disney Princesses were so provocative?

Urine

2010-06-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

I am the mother of young boys so I don't expect the kids bathroom to sparkle and shine except for maybe the 5 minutes immediately following a scrubbing by me. However, I also don't expect to find urine, hmmmm . . .I'll say more than a 3 foot radius away from the toilet to be safe (again young boys). So, when I walked into the bathroom yesterday and noticed a yellowish liquid substance half dried on the bathroom counter I was actually caught by surprise. Using my Sherlock Holmes skills (and my nose) I quickly decide that it is indeed pee and am instantly calling Dallas's name.

"Did you pee on the counter?"

"No."

"Did you pee in the sink," thinking maybe his aim was just as poor using the sink as it is when he uses the toilet.

"No."

I can see his little brain churning at this point and am pretty sure my initial response to question him first is well founded so I ask him straight up.

"Why is there pee on the counter?"

"When I was peeing in my water gun some of it spilled out."

"You peed in your water gun?"

"Yeah and some of it was just spilling out."

Never, never, never ceases to amaze me that child. Of course I gave him the nice lecture of not peeing in his water gun and that it would end up in the garbage if he ever did it again and then I kind just had to laugh cause what else can I do? It's something a 12 year old boy would do on purpose to play a disgusting prank not a 5 year old who just doesn't really think things through all of the way most of the time.

I did track down the super soaker later and gave it a thorough rinsing out, but it still smells like the boys bathroom in elementary school if you know what I mean.

Then today Brooklyn decided she needed to represent the girls team. I had just pulled up to a water park to take the kids swimming. Trenton, Dallas and Brooklyn were out of the car while I was grabbing all of our stuff and Lexi when Trenton frantically says "Uhhh Mommy!!???" and I look up to see Brooklyn in the middle of the parking lot with her swimsuit bottoms completely off as she is watering the asphalt with her urine. She never even told me she needed to go potty. . . just took matters into her own hands. Truthfully I really wouldn't have even cared (you know good for you for not peeing in your pants or whatever) except that there are two other mothers with their children also getting out of their cars at the same time who witness the little public potty incident. Embarrassing!!! They were understanding or at least not rude . .maybe they just talked about me later. Again, whatever. Who needs toilets anyway?

Summer's coming!!!

2010-05-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

This is the last week the kids will be in school so I'm trying to catch up on blogging before summer hits us!

Taken yesterday before church.

The boys have finally figured out soccer and spend more time running, dribbling and scoring than they do rolling on the ground, playing in the dirt and getting caught in the net.

Brooklyn turned 3! I made the classic Barbie princess cake, she donned her new tutu from Oma all day in public and private and Dave's parents got to be here to help her celebrate.

AAO in Washington DC

2010-05-17T10:21:00.000-07:00

Dave had a conference in DC at the beginning of May. We, that is the kids and I, decided to tag along. We took a small detour to visit our good friends from dental school in PA on the way out there. It was fun to see how the kids have grown and their cute house. Everyone used to think Nichole and I were twins in Portland or would mistake us for one another, which we thought was funny but now I look at Brooklyn and Kumorah and figure they could pass as sisters too.

One of the best parts was that my mom decided to meet us out there as well! The kids didn't really get how amazing it was that Grandma (from Portland) just ended up in the lobby of our hotel in DC as we tried to surprise them. For them we went far away and Grandma lives far away so I guess it all kind of made sense. Dave and I did appreciate the efforts it took her to make it out though. It allowed me to see the sites with some adult company and sanity in tact and Dave and I even got a little date night.

The next cool part was Daisha driving up for the day to visit. So fun to see her and the kids and finally meet Claire out of the womb. It was hot at the zoo and the kids were sort of slow to remember and warm up to each other, but it was so good to see the Super Mama again and remember how much we miss everyone.

The kids got to ride the train quite a bit, We made some quick stops for photos at Arlington National Cemetary, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Air and Space Museum, Natural History Museum, etc.

Trenton lost his first tooth with the help of Grandma. Too bad his permanent teeth have already been hanging out behind the baby teeth in back for a while, are huge and horribly crooked.

Kids will be kids and I had to laugh that one of their favorite parts was sitting outside of Washington Mall and getting absolutely filthy playing in the dirt. The trip was rushed and fun and I'm glad we did it!

Running Running Running

2010-05-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

So, I started the year off running . .literally. Decided to train for a half marathon (the Kentucky Derby mini marathon) and do the Louisville Triple Crown Races as part of it (5k, 10k and 10 mile) races. Although I certainly love working out, I've never really been too much of a runner . . .and while I did get quite bored with it over the past months . .. I find myself still wanting to do it a few times a week as it became sort of habit. Anyway, training works, assuming you are actually doing it and I was . .I still remember the morning I was running with temps in the single digits and I thought I was tough/stupid/freezing until I saw some old woman sitting on her front porch wearing a robe in the same weather and realized she was much tougher, colder and maybe even dumber than me. I started off with a certain goal time in January and found myself constantly adjusting my goal as I found my speed improving. I was planning on running with my cousin's husband, Nick, but injury left him on the sidelines come race day and me running solo . . .really could have used him with my pacing and to push me in the end as my inexperience led me to going way too fast over the first 5 miles (including all the hills) and feeling burned out and crappy the rest of the race. Nonetheless, I clocked in right where I wanted to be at 1:38:18 . .just wish I would have felt better doing it. Now, I'm left with trying to figure out how to make my overly muscled legs return to something a little more normal looking. My cousin Lachelle came up and ran this and the 10 miler with me too . . .I'm hoping she'll see this and provide me with some better pictures since Dave was on Daddy duty that day taking the boys to soccer. It was a cool race though . .sold out (over 15,000 participants) although I think the rain scared some away so there weren't as many finishers. Part of the course included running on the inside of Churchill Downs. We went and visited afterwards to watch a few races . . . . I took pictures of Lachelle with her family and she took pictures of me alone. . . .Actually not a horrible feeling when it's so rare, although I can't wait to take the kids back to the track.

Thunder

2010-04-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

So I think it's safe to say that The Kentucky Derby is the big thing here. The Derby Festival lasts a couple of weeks with several different events. Last weekend was Thunder Over Louisville that kicks off the festival which includes an air show that goes all afternoon and evening right up until the official largest annual fireworks display in North America where the fireworks are set off from 8 different barges and one of the bridges spanning the Ohio River. We got to enjoy the festivities (and avoid the massive number of drunk people) from one of the other resident's apartments as it was right on the waterfront by the show. It was cool. It was loud. I think the kids are still recovering from the super late night.

We've survived 5 Years with Dallas

2010-04-22T18:23:00.000-07:00

That's right. There have been good times, bad times, dirty times and many comical times and he's still going strong. How time flies. He requested a Lego cake (pictured below). He wanted to go out to eat with our whole family and Grandpa (who couldn't make it as it was a bit of a trip on such short notice) at Red Robin. It was the first time we've been out to eat with just our family since we moved here and it was a surprisingly pleasant experience for all. We headed to the park for a bit afterward and called it a happy number 5!

"I think I'm allergic to playgrounds"

2010-04-07T18:13:00.000-07:00

DAY #1 at the PARK

The first photo here is Lexi at the park yesterday. A closer look at the background unveils Dallas and Trenton on the merry-go-round(or whatever those things are called that spin around and around). Well the boys played on it for quite a while before Dallas came over to me and said "I don't feel good." (Like mother like son as I have thrown up after more than one carnival ride). We sat there for a few minutes before he asked if we could go home. Knowing how horrible it is to feel like that, I rounded the other kids up and forced Dallas to actually sit in his chair and buckle rather than continue to lay on the floor. Moments after getting home he spent quite a while heaving over the toilet and emptying his stomach of his picnic lunch.

DAY #2 at the PARK

The kids are playing happily. Brooklyn is chasing Dallas and Dallas turns to look at her and then turns back around just in time to run his forehead smack into a bridge just his height. I run over to comfort him only to discover a lovely gaping gash. I talk Trenton through calling Daddy on my phone as I'm holding the wound together and after Dave doesn't answer, I have to get Trenton to toughen up and hold the sides of the cut together as I call the pediatrician who of course is on Spring Break himself. I call the urgent care center the receptionist refers me to as I stare at our car probably 200 yards away and start thinking about how I'm going to get the kids all over there (we are the only people at this particular playground). Then the urgent care center tells me I''ll have to go to the ER. No thanks I'm thinking. Luckily an older couple shows up to play tennis about this time and they kindly offered me their help . .each one carrying a child and giving Dallas a bandanna to hold on his cut.

My solution was to clean it up and smack a butterfly bandage on it since it was only 1/2" long. I called Dave a million times over the next hour and half but he was officially unreachable. Then when it started bleeding again (apparently I suck at using a butterfly bandage) I finally called the school, explained the situation and they got Dave on the phone. He shuffled some of his patients and came home to suture. Dallas ended up with four stitches and Dave got to play doctor. Dallas informs me, "I think I'm allergic to playgrounds."

On a lighter note . .. .or really now that enough time has passed and I'm not just mortified by his behavior, here are a few more stories as of late. I don't really know how to make these sort of stories appropriate so take it at face value in my "lack of a filter" words.

Dallas is chewing gum one evening and I tell him he needs to spit it out as it's time to brush his teeth and get ready for bed. Well, he gets all ready for bed and the only thing left to do is for one of us to put a diaper on him . . .(yes we were still doing that, but he seems to be on a dry streak for now). Dallas pulls his pants down and lays on the floor and as Dave goes to put the diaper on he confusedly asks Dallas how he got gum on his his leg. Then as he sees even more gum on his nuts and asks Dallas why he has gum all over. ???? Standing nearby I immediately start cracking up as my mother's intuition quickly clued me into what had happened Remember I laugh when I am really embarrassed . . Dave is thoroughly confused as to why his son has gum all over his little man parts and on his inner thigh. I then fill Dave into how Dallas had been chewing gum before bedtime and obviously had decided that rather than throw it away when asked to by me he had decided to "save it". What better hiding place than one's very own private parts? Dave was really disturbed by this and never did laugh about it that night as he really thought, maybe still thinks, that there was seriously something wrong with the kid. Let's be honest we've all thought that at some point. Did you read that. . . MY KID HID GUM ON HIS OWN BALL SACK!!! Wow. I can totally laugh about it now, but still wow. What should we do, start performing cavity checks as a part of our bedtime routine?

Next one, not quite as funny, really just embarrassing once again . .and making us wonder. . . what is this kid thinking??? He comes home from school in a different shirt than he left in and here is why. . .We get a weekly progress report on Dallas' behavior at preschool. Ratings are a happy face, a straight face, a sad face. He brings one home a few weeks ago with a sad face for Monday, smiley on T/Wed and on Thursday a happy face that is crossed out with a sad face beside it and a note informing me that Dallas stuck his head in the toilet. They wrote, "We explained to him that it was 'durty' (apparently that's a word in KY) and could make him sick and washed his hair in the sink." Again, WOW. What seemingly normal kid full on sticks his head in a toilet without being the victim of a swirly? Let me answer that for you .. .Dallas. This is the same kid who used to eat gum out of trash cans and steal peoples' drinks and french fries right off their tables at Burger King so maybe I shouldn't be too surprized, but come on!!!

His teacher is trying to make me feel better by telling me it is because he is gifted and the kid is book smart, but I have my doubts as far as common sense goes.

Spring Break

2010-04-07T13:32:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung. The boys are out of school for spring break. We started the weekend off with an Easter Egg hunt in our backyard with friends, neighbors and special guests: Nick Lachelle and Co.

Saturday morning Lachelle and I did a ten mile race (for our picture imagine really muscular legs and cold sweat as it rained and got really windy toward the end of the race). The boys looked much cuter after their races (50 yards for Keyton and Dallas and 100 yards for Trenton)

Nick jumped at the idea of building me a garden box and a few hours later it was done!

Brooklyn and Lexi are kind of like this:

Tenton like this

And Dallas of course gets his very own blog entry to come

Shake Your Booty

2010-02-16T10:22:00.001-08:00

A recent Valentines Day package from Oma included two small princess dolls: Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. However, when asking Brooklyn what her dolls names were she informed us they were "Cinderella" and "Shake Your Booty". We initially thought it was a mistake but to this day it is still "shake your booty" to her and we find it so funny that neither Dave nor I have any desire to correct her. Although we are thinking about correcting our choice of music that we let her dance to . . .since I'm pretty sure that's the source of the mix up.

Before leaving a friends' home on Sunday evening, Dallas had filled his pockets up with a small collection of toys-luckily Trenton caught him in the car and we were able to return all the toys before driving away (or so we thought until we got home and discovered he had still laid claim to one hidden lego-man . . that's another story for another day). Not knowing what to do with our little kleptomaniac, Dave is telling Dallas that that is stealing and it is wrong and against the law and that he needs to pray to Heavenly Father and ask for forgiveness .. . Brooklyn promptly interrupts at this point and tells Dallas, "Yah, and Jesus spank your bottom."

All we could do was laugh and laugh . .. part of the funniness again comes from her high pitched little voice.

Just the Girls

2010-01-21T17:43:00.001-08:00

So, I was the first to abandon ship so to speak in college. AKA: leave the apartment of 6 girls when I tied the knot. Then, I started having kids and haven't really stopped. Because of that, I've subsequently missed almost all of their weddings and haven't spent a lot of time with the "girls" since.

More than seven years have passed since I left the apartment nest and I finally made it to an event with everyone. We all met up for a girls' holiday weekend getaway in San Diego to celebrate the upcoming baby of Jonnelle. It was well worth the effort it took to get out there (and I'm hoping Dave thinks it was worth the effort it took for him to be single dad for 3 full days). He did a fantabulous job . . .all the kids were alive and happy when I got home and the house was even tidy with clean laundry all ready to be folded. Thank you honey!

I got to spend my time actually running outdoors, eating a lot, breathing in the ocean air, and not having to care for anyone but myself. . . kind of nice to have that experience once in a while.

We ate some delicious food at:

Jonnelle introduced a few people to edomame that had never tried it before

After getting a manicure, Robyn proved she has a future in hand modeling should her current line of work ever fall through.

I enjoyed being the filling in a Tracy or Tracie sandwich on the beach

We waited forever to get a table at BJs Brewhouse, but left fat and happy at the end of the night

Tracy and I have been friends since we were five or six when we bonded by selling Girl Scout cookies together as Brownies. It's so fun to still keep in touch with her after all these years and see that she's still the virtually the same.

Hodad's burgers did not disappoint . . .YUM!!! Thanks to Tracy for catching this one on diners, drive ins and dives.

The freshly pedicured toes in this shot show that we come in all shapes and tones, but hey we all have 5 toes!

Waiting at the Port of San Diego while the Tracy and Tracie finished up their tour of the USS Midway.

It was a blast. Can't wait to see the babies of Jonelle and Tracy and get together again sometime down the road.

Girly Things

2010-01-21T05:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo from a typical day showcasing Brooklyn's ~~interest~~ obsession with handbags.

I think she may have a problem.

OOOOOMMMMMM

2010-01-08T17:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas Photogs

2009-12-29T12:15:00.001-08:00

Brooklyn Rockin

2009-12-25T11:49:00.000-08:00

Brooklyn Rockin Around the Christmas Tree

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

Sick kids+crazy kids+crazy mom+busy dad= Christmas card being put on our blog rather than mailed out. :)

Turkey Day Trot

2009-12-07T11:50:00.001-08:00

We decided to support the YMCA by running in a race bright and early Thanksgiving morning. Dave and I did a 6 mile race and the kids had a little dash across a field in their respective age groups. Dave trained really hard by running 1 1/4 miles the day before the race to test out an app on his phone that tracks your run. He felt good after the race . . .that is until he had trouble walking for several days after. I ran ]about 4 miles on Monday to train while pushing the girls in the double jogger that acts sort of like a parachute when I run into the wind. It would have been better without a screaming baby. The race was better without any children and having the masses of people to pump me up.

Some of the kids enjoyed it more than others. . .it was freezing!

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

2009-12-07T10:25:00.000-08:00

I have found that attending church with young children often leaves me wondering things like : Why do I do this? Where was the spiritual nourishment? Where were the quiet, reverent m0ments of introspection? My calling in our ward as the sunbeam teacher for Dallas's class hasn't helped answer these questions either. Take last Sunday for example.
Brooklyn is producing enough snot to cover her face and clearly won't be going to nursery, but we decide to load everyone up in the car and go sacrament meeting as a family and then Dave will take the girls home afterwards since I need to stay for primary. Dave buckles the girls in the car as I run around the house franticly grabbing snacks, diapers, wipes, blankies, things for my lesson, etc. I get in the van, Dave gets in his car and we head off.
Upon arriving at church and unbuckling the girls, I notice Dallas doesn't have his shoes on and ask him where his shoes are. "I couldn't find them." Great. He's kind of passed that age where it is okay to not wear shoes . .I'm pretty sure that's only cute before a kid knows how to walk. However, we're already late to a ward where you can come early and still end up sitting in the hard chairs on the gym floor because there are so many people so I decided he's staying as is. I can't find Dave and eventually start herding the kids in alone. We all meet up happily on the hard chairs on top of the gym floor. No surprize there. The kids are wiggling and whining as they like to do.
The important part of the entire meeting arrives, the Sacrament. The few minutes where everyone is putting their full effort into reverence and the room is pretty quiet as a general rule. Well, Brooklyn takes the box of crayons out and loudly dumps them all over the floor. Good thing she got everyone's attention because the next thing we kn0w, she picks one up and strategically places it between her legs and starts saying "Oh my penis. my penis, my penis " over and over and over in her very high-pitched voice until the teenage girl and her mother sitting next to us are tearing up from laughing so hard, the people in front of us are laughing and others within ear shot are probably condemning us for "teaching" our daughter such things. I am holding Lexi and tell Dave to take her out quickly. Of course we're laughing too because of the choice moment and because I have a tendency to laugh a lot when I am really embarassed. Things went downhill from there and by the end of the meeting, Dave had taken the girls and the shoeless wonder home.
At least I had the sunbeams who spent sharing time, jumping out of their chairs, licking and spitting on each other. They spent their bathroom time on the counter "washing" their hands and in front of the full length mirror teaming up to try and remove the toilet plunger they had stuck there and they spent their hall time fighting over who got to be at the front of the train line I have them walk in. (No, their behavoir isn't always this bad and yes it used to be a whole lot worse before I was put in as their teacher. We do have good days where with a lot of guidance their behavior could be deemed acceptable for church. This just didn't happen to be one of those days).
Revernce? Hardly. Nourishment? only physical as I ate snacks with them in class. Introspection? Only as to how many more kids I want to birth. (haha) Why? You tell me.

One Man Down

2009-11-18T17:22:00.000-08:00

Perhaps my use of words isn't very appropriate, but when were my words ever that way? My mom's birthday was a couple of weeks ago and after talking to her a few times on the phone that day to wish her well, I got a late night phone call from her as she tells me, "My dad died." I obviously didn't hear her right so I responded, "Excuse me?" (Stupid me making her repeat the horrible news again.) Well I did hear her right and she and I, like everyone else were shocked. This man, although no spring chicken, was as young and spry as any grandpa around. He was less than two weeks away from his 77th birthday when he mysteriously died while scuba diving in Hawaii. What a way to go though right? I hope if I die semi-young, it is living life as he was.
We still don't know what happened, but the results of the autopsy are expected any day now.

His funeral was this past Friday, none other than Friday the 13th and his burial took place a day after his birthday on Monday November 16th. I was able to make it out to the funeral with Lexi while the rest of my family stayed behind. It was a long (as far as time traveling goes) and short(as far as time spent with family goes) trip. As much as all of the family would have liked to be reuniting under different circumstances, it was really good to see everyone and my mom kept saying how it felt like the holidays because of that.

Highlights from the trip:
I finally got to know my sister-in-law Aimee and little better and she stepped right into the role of Aunt being a huge help with Lexi all weekend.

I got to experience my first emergency landing on airplane as one of the passengers suffered from a stroke in the air on my way home.

I got to sing in front of several hundred people during the memorial service in a quartet that ended up with 5 people somehow (good thing I have such a nice raw voice-as in unrefined and untrained). My proud moment was simply that I was able to block the the loss of my grandpa from my mind long enough to sing at all. (Having all the grandchildren sing the closing song at the end was a bit of a different story . .it was more of a have all of the grandchildren stand up in front of everyone and cry . . . but I guess Grandpa would have appreciated that just as much as he was much better at crying than singing himself)

I'll save the rest of the mushy details for my personal journal and share some of the pictures from the weekend.

The survivors of M. Keith Hansen: his 5 sons, 1 daughter and mother.

My family

Why I miss Oregon: Hello beautiful and you can't even see Mt Hood because of the clouds-which leads me to my next point of why I don't miss Oregon: the incessant overcast and rainy days.

(I took this picture from the window of the guest bathroom at my parent's house.)

The evening get togethers where there are too many people in too small of space and yet we wouldn't want it any other way.

Lexi, Aimee and Kevin .. .look they're totally ready for a baby.

The baby. Champion traveler. So glad I didn't have to be all alone.

All Dressed and Sugared Up

2009-11-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

Featuring: Darth Vader, Tinkerbell Captain Rex Clone Trooper (or something like that) and our little Witch. Margaret and Nick bought the kids pumpkin pails and they were put to good use around the block on Halloween night.

Trenton was just glowing that evening as he came back with all of his treats (and stood by our black light).

Cue heavy Breathing

The mand behind the mask

One treat collected, one treat consumed. Go Dallas.

We were a little late getting started as they begin trick or treating long before dark here (maybe because we're sort of out in the country and it really does get dark without any street lights??) Dave took the 3 kids who can walk on their own two feet around the block and I manned the fort with Tink handing out candy to little beggers. I love Halloween.

Cake, Pumpkins and Fairy Princess Cowboys . . .oh my!

2009-10-30T05:21:00.000-07:00

No huge 1 year old birthday bash, but I did make fondant for the first time and had fun experimenting with it. As a result, Lexi enjoyed not one but two little cakes just her size. The kids and I celebrated on her real birthday and we did it again that weekend so that Dave, my Sister Margaret and her boyfriend Nick could join in the festivities.

She was very girly and neat with her cake, not at all exciting, I just hope I can teach her how to make a good mess with it by the time she gets married.

The cold weather left us not wanting to go back out after the boys' soccer games on Saturday so we stayed in and carved pumpkins instead.

Lastly, Brooklyn. Such a girl. Loves skirts. Loves dancing. Loves being "pretty". Loves pink. I can't wait for her to turn three so I can get her in soccer or something and make sure she can at least be a tough ballerina. She is forever changing outfits and they are all so cute that we often have to hunt down the camera.

Happy Birthday Lexi

2009-10-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

Lexi turns one today and I am somewhat saddened to see her grow so fast as I sit here for the first time at my baby's one year mark not already pregnant or planning to get pregnant in the very near future. She was born in the midst of an already chaotic life and I fear we haven't taken nearly enough pictures of her, but here are some of them we did catch from birth to one.

Hello bright cold world! Birth announcements that I never even sent out.

First Holiday: Halloween

All bald after mom went crazy with the clippers trying to rid her of horrible male pattern baldness. Firts Sunday at Church. One month old.

All bundled up for the winter cold.Just one of the many ways she is loved by her siblings. Easter sticker smack in the middle of her forehead that she has no way to remove.
First Rice cereal. First trip to Kentucky.

First Graduation experience as daddy finished dental school. almost crawling

Just last week as she is walking along things, still pretty much bald but with the beginnings of some strawberry blonde hair

She came as a suprize, but we cannot imagine life without her. She gets the hiccups everytime she laughs hard, loves to pull both her own hair and others and continues to be one of the greatest sources of joy for our family. We love you Lexi!

Labor Day

2009-10-05T10:24:00.000-07:00

No exciting journaling on this one . . .just some photos from our Labor Day trip to the Natural Bridge State Park in Easern Kentucky. My mom was out visiting the week before Labor Day and overlapped a few days with a visit from my cousin Lachelle and her husband Nick and kids. The hike up to the natural stone bridge included something like 500 steps so to motivate the boys we told them they could play a minute of xbox for every step they counted. It worked pretty well and they probably still have time saved up since the following weekend we put the xbox and television in an extended time out as I felt like it was not bringing the best out in our children. They haven't played xbox since and have watched maybe a few television shows that they earned for completing certain things. They have however, learned to ride bikes without training wheels, played outside a lot, taken an even greater interest in books, used their imaginations to play, wrestled, enjoyed soccer season, etc. . . .all better activities anyway in my mind. In case you're wondering, Dallas has also returned to some bed wetting, but still can and does go dry . .so we'll continue to work on that and search perhaps for some other form of extrinsic motivation for him.

How many is that Trenton??

It's a toss up on who poses the best. GQ/puffy chest Dave or pop a squat/ride a horse Bri?

It was fun to have Grandma's company . .not to mention help. She and Lexi enjoyed the view opposite the natural bridge (it's the line of stone you see in the background.

We almost got the whole crew to look at the camera.

Butler . . party of 6.

Coming back down. This little crevice in the wall was creepily narrow. Lachelle couldn't even walk through it with the baby back pack on. I knew there was a reason we wanted Nick with us .. .who else was going to hoist Dallas down the mountain? Dallas and Keyton were fast friends after this unique experience they shared together.

I like the Fall: Halloweeen , cool weather, leaves changing color . .However there are a few things I don't care for that come with the season: plentiful spiders huge and small and snakes. Dallas found this little guy wrapped around the sensor on or garage door. Yuck!!! Apparently it was a rat snake and they can grow up to 6 feet long. I wasn't happy that Dave let him go near our house as I now have nightmares of him coming back for a visit when he's all grown up.

Xbox Talks

2009-08-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

I was quite opposed to getting a video game system because I feel like boys become addicted to it and stop wanting to do anything else (things I consider more worthwhile like playing outside, reading books, making things with legos, spending time with their wives, etc.). Well, I gave into all the men-big and small- in my life and conceded to let Dave's parents buy the family an xbox 360 for Christmas. There was a lot of rock band played by Dave and my brother over the Holidays and the boys really began to enjoy lego star wars, but it hasn't really been an issue at all since then. In part due to the fact that after Dallas broke the LCD tv in January they were grounded from playing. That grounding stayed in place until the big move in June where Dave hooked it up to the DVD player in our car and let them play as we drove cross country.

It's been hooked up in our basement and pretty much all they ever wanted to do is play it since we moved here. It drove me crazy They would moan and whine and throw fits if I asked them to do anything that would interupt their precious xbox playing. Well, I was about ready to do my own throwing (of the xbox in the trash), but Dave helped us come up with a better plan where we use the xbox for incentive to get other things done. The boys now earn "xbox" time by doing chores, practicing reading and writing. etc. That has been working out well and I love that they are doing more constructive things in addition to playing a lot less xbox.

However, now I love the xbox (and brooklyn) and here is why:

Last week Brooklyn had a few successful day after day potty trips on her own accord so I decided it was time that I buckle down and attack the whole potty training thing. She woke up dry on her second night of no diapers and so of course we had to point out to Dallas (going on 4 1/2 and not ONCE having ever stayed dry at night) how Brooklyn had dry pants in the morning. I think he was just as shocked as I was and totally baffled by how she had done it. Anyway the combination of his two year old sister not wetting the bed and Dave's huge incentive of 2 hours of xbox time if Dallas could wake up with dry pants FINALLY motivitad the kid. Many of you know that up to this point I was convinced that I would be buying night time diapers for this kid until he moved out of the house as he has never been able to do it. We had even tried waking him up and having him go to the bathroom 2 and 3 times during the night and he would still wet the bed! Well, now that he finally decided it was worth it (little rascal), he has gone 4 nights in a row with success!! It's amazing.

I have gone from having three kids in diapers at some part of the day down to one! As a mom, and financially challenged mom at that, this is really exciting. Brooklyn still isn't perfect but she's doing totally fine and definitely good enough that I don't plan on ever returning to diapers. I'm thinking we should go out and celebrate using the money that I won't have to spend on diapers. It'll be a potty party!!

The Circus at the Zoo

2009-08-03T06:33:00.000-07:00

What's wrong with this picture?? The fact that it is just two moms with 7 1/2 children (my firend is pregnant) and not a daycare. At least it seems others think something is wrong becuase they are always staring!! I know we are entertaining and most people are just thinking "glad that's not me" as they politely comment "wow, you've got your hands full." I think I am going to continue to agree with them and then politely ask if they'd like to help.

***

I don't venture out too often with all the kids because really it's hard to keep track of all of them let alone try to keep them behaving appropriately. But sometimes we just have to get out so we do and we walk around in our happy (at times anyway) little bubble and ignore the fact that everyone else is staring wondering why anyone would have that many little kids so close together.

***

Last week we took a day trip to the Louisville Zoo with our new friends. We had done this once before and miraculously spent all day there without any naps, major tantrums, issues etc. I should have known our luck had worn out before expecting such wonders again. This round was sprinkled with a lot more whining, tantrums. arguments, etc, but it was still fun. The Portland Zoo is huge and great and I think I'd have to say this zoo is just as good if not better. It's similar in size but seems to have a better variety of animals to look at. It also boasts a tram, carousel, playground and splash park in addition to the traditional seasonal attractions and train.

***

The lowlight of the trip is a toss up between Brooklyn's tantrum where she bailed out of the stroller and ended up with a huge bleeding goose egg on the side of her head and our time spent by all the snakes where I got to watch a cottonmouth repeatedly strike the glass anytime a person would get close (freaky aggressive snake!) or watching a rattlesnake ingest its lunch-a lovely little mouse. I HATE snakes. They absolutely creep me out and this did not help anything. The only joy I found was pointing out a California King Snake to the kids and telling them that they eat rattlesnakes.

***

Otherwise I spent the weekend as a sinlge mom as Dave was out of town for a conference and I somehow managed to keep track of my friend's kid for one of those days and nightsas well as a favor to my friend who was also out of town. The kid is the same age and has a similar temperment to Dallas . .need I say more? I've decided that sometimes the more challening they are to take care of the more they make you laugh though.

***

As I was nursing Lexi he says, "Is she drinking your milk?"

Yes

"I like it when my brother drinks from mommy's boobies"

Oh, why?

"Because I like boobies."

What a little man he is at the ripe age of four.

***

I am finding joy in motherhood . .because I love my children while wondering if being a man is really all that bad? I've always appreciated not being a father who feels the weight and stress of being the head and provider for a family. Then weekends like this make me realize being a man also has its perks.

Weekend in review:

Mother-stay at home with 5 kids

Father-travel to an ortho conference for golf tournament, cocktail party, movie, banquets and "networking"

***

Really which one would you pick?

***

Okay, I've given it a lot of thought and I'd still pick mom because being here to take care of my family is my passion and I truly feel like I am doing what I was meant to do and find great satisfaction in that. (But I'd totally be okay for a weekend getaway here and there. I guess I'll cash in on those when the kids are a little older and we hopefully have a few more resources to foot the bill.) For now I'll bask in the days where I get to soak up the sun while the kids are napping, enjoy the chaotic day trips to the zoo, enjoy staying in bed when the kids decide to sleep in and treasure the moments while my babies are still babies cause I already see them slipping away too quickly.

Sundays at our new house

2009-07-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

I like Sundays. I'm not exhausted because I've had Dave's help with the kids and our evenings allow for time for me to force family walks upon everyone. Last week we took a walk to a nearby Confederate Graveyard. I need to study up on my US history but I believe Kentucky had soldiers that fought for both sides. It was really cool to see all of the headstones for the confederate soldiers that are buried there. The kids were spent by the time we started walking back (have I mentioned Dallas is like the laziest kid ever when it comes to exerting physcial energy). As you can see I ended up with Brooklyn on my shoulders and Dallas took a ride in the pink stroller.

I also like our new house. Tons more room and brand new so we get to claim every mark, stain and dent when we move out =). But really, this is a pic of the kids on our back deck . . .I love the wooded creek that runs right through our backyard so fun to be doing dishes and look out a window at this beautiful scenery rather than stare at a wall. Also boasts an unfinished basement which in our house equals a room where the kids can play and not destroy anything but cement walls, scrap carpet and our old tv. Lovin' It!

The Spirit of the Lousiville Slugger

2009-07-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

I feared the boys being bored out of their minds moving here in the middle of summer-being at home all day everyday and not having any friends-so I was very quick to find the YMCA and sign them up for tee-ball. This is one of those times where it paid off to have our kids so close together as they got to be on the same team in the 4/5 year old division. This is their first exposure to baseball so it's been fun to watch how they respond. We also visited the Louisville Slugger Factory/Museum per Trenton's birthday request and posed for a photo in front of the huge bat. They've now had two games and we've decided that Trenton can hit pretty well although he seems to like to send line drives right to the first baseman (luckily none of these little kids can even stop the ball and if they do, it takes them a few minutes to remember to then go and tag the base. Dallas complains a lot about being hot and tired and I think the only reason he gets excited about games is for the snacks and drinks that follow, but he's still fun to watch and although he's by far the shortest on the team at least has the left-handed thing going for him.

Long, lost and in Kentucky

2009-07-05T18:53:00.000-07:00

I know most have probably stopped following our blog as I have stopped posting, but now that we have moved, are somewhat settled and I am currently not working-I am making a goal to be a little more diligent in my blogging so as to keep connected to all of our friends and family that are no longer living near. Quick catch up (pictures to follow on another day as I just went through photos on 4 different memory cards and these were really the only ones I could find . . . now I just have to find more of our memory cards which could be interesting).

Dave graduated from Dental School and passed boards so now I get to mock him and call him Dr. Butler anytime I feel he is being ostentatious Well, if you know us, you know I may have already used that title a few times as we love a little friendly banter. But all joking aside, I am really proud of all that he's accomplished. Moving on from dental school is bitter-sweet as I can already look back and recall the fond memories more than the long hours and hard work it took as a family to get through the last four years. We were happy to leave the rain, sad to leave the scenery, friends and family. Change is hard but good and so far we really are loving our new surroundings.

We had a nice long and pleasantly less painful than anticipated drive across the country in the odyssey. Dave's parents took Dallas back to Salt Lake after Dave's graduation so we didn't have him for the first leg of the trip which worked out wonderfully. We spent four days with Dave's family in Utah and then drove to Colorado where we stayed with one of my roomates from college for a night. They were so nice to open up there home to us and feed us dinner and how did we thank them? Dallas took a leak on their deck in plain view of all the neighbors and Lexi decided to projectile vomit with 3 of 4 large heaves all over their living room carpet. Needless to say we were horribly embarassed and won't be returning with the kids anytime in soon. So sorry Tracie and Troy . .we figure the best thank you is going to be to not come again =). We got up early the next morning and took off and drove for 15 1/2 hours before crashing at a hotel. That left us with just 3 or 4 hours on the road the next day to Louisville. Unfortunately, they still had to unload some other things off the trailer so we didn't get our stuff until the following day. We slept on the floor tried to acclimate ourselves to the humid air and the kids and I got to see fireflies or lightning bugs for the first time. I've decided I would take humidity and a/c anyday over our place in Portland where it would get in the high 90s inside our condo.

Our new ward is huge, active and friendly. Fourth of July ward barbecue shot:

Lexi's new favorite place to scoot/roll is under our bed. The first time she did it we were laying on our bed hearing her babble but she was nowhere in sight . .we were laughing hysterically when we found her underneath us happy as a clam.

Schedules have pretty much been thrown out the window so I'll find Lexi asleep under our bed, in her highchair, on the floor. etc.

There's always time for this, ha! ha!

Not officially crawling yet, but she'll hold poses like this forever which I personally find even more challenging than crawling. She's going to have some great looking abs and shoulders once she gets rid of all those rolls if she keeps this up.

Dave still finds time to shoot random photos and these are two that I like as they represent the kids' personalities: Brooklyn who thinks she is pretty pretty princess and Trenton who is desitned to be some kind of geeky science loving guy.

Recent Photographs

2009-05-12T14:15:00.000-07:00

Lexington and I took a day trip to San Francisco to visit my sister and meet her new boyfriend before we move away. The weather was gorgeous, loved my sister's new beau and had a blast!

Lexi turned 6 months old and got her first taste of something other than breastmilk . .rice cereal.

The little princess Brooklyn turned two on May 4th. Grandpa and Grandma came over for cake, ice cream and presents. She loved singing happy birthday to herself, opening presents and eating sherbert.

Although a little short and chubby and generally pretty dirty, maybe he's got a future in dancing. I took the boys to a fundraiser dance at Trenton's Elementary school on Friday night. These shots totally capture the true goofy, loveable and out of control little guy.

I even got the one in a lifetime experience of teaching him the chicken dance!

Trenton had a blast being torn by his friends in 5 different directions. He told me how nervous he was walking into the dance, but left beaming, proudly declaring that he actually wasn't nervous at all. We'll miss his wonderful little school and he'll surely miss his first real set of friends.

More commentary from Dallas

2009-05-12T13:12:00.001-07:00

I know every child is different, but Dallas is truly one of a kind. Some kids make women proud to be mothers and other kids perhaps just embarass their mothers. I haven't blogged in quite a while. We've been busy trying to get the condo we're living in sold (a total nightmare trying to keep this place clean with all the kids and then disappear when it needs to be shown . .an offer has been accpeted though so cross your fingers that everything works out as planned). We're also preparing for the upcoming changes, moving (although exactly when and where is still TBD) and then right near the top of list of things that have been keeping me busy is Dallas. His latest tricks, embarassments, blunders, call them whatever you want include:

1. A new found passion for peeing in the garbage cans that are next to the toilets in our house.
2. Eating half a mini meatloaf yesterday before I put them in the oven (yes totally raw . .gross!)
3. Somehow managing to wear a diaper to bed and still completely fill the dipaer and either take it off in the middle of the night and wet the bed or just completely leak through the diaper so that I get to wash his sheets daily.
4. Great reviews every time I pick the kid up from preschool. great= "you, me and dallas need to sit down and have a little talk", "he had a really rough day today", "today was really bad", etc, etc., etc. They're very nice about it, but I have a feeling his preschool teachers aren't mourning too much the fact that we're moving and he won't be returning next year.
5.Underage drinking. Dallas has already done something in life that I've never done=taste alcohol. At a talent show at the dental school sneaky little Dallas always looking for something more to eat or drink regardless of what it is or who it belongs to grabbed a nearly empty glass of beer off of a table and gulped it down.. As I turned around I see him spitting all over the floor, shaking his head and saying matter of factly "That is so yucky!"

I'm going to ramble off a few recent experiences with Dallas for journal purposes. Feel free to read on if you're bored.

Sunday we had just gotten home from church and the kids are playing outside in our courtyard with the front door open. Suddenly I hear a male voice (not Dave's at the front door so I peak my head around from the kitchen and there is one of our neighbors, "I just wanted to let you know your son is out here with no pants on. That may fly in Europe but not so much here. I hurry out the door to see the kid totally popping a squat next to the community mailboxes. Embarassed, I run after him as my neighbor calls out, "Oh, and Happy Mothers Day" Yeah thanks buddy.

We get to the grocery store, Dallas jumps out of the car and darts across the parking lot. I chase after him, drag him back to the car to get the girls and explain to him that he can't just run in the street like because he's going to get hit by a car, die and never see Daddy, Mommy, Trenton, Brooklyn or Lexi again. (I purposefully left out the whole gospel perspective just trying to scare some sense into the kid). His response . . .. yes huh . .I can get to see them on Easter. Good job primary teachers . . .he kind of gets the whole concept of resurrection, but now I don't know how to keep him from running out in the street.

Dallas was fascinated by a recent visit from a plumber fixing a pipe leak under our place. I couldn't get the kid to come inside and he was pestering the poor plumber with 101 questions and some advice on his work as well. I finally bring Dallas inside and explain to him that he needs to leave the man alone so he can do his work or he's going to get in trouble from his boss. "What's a boss?" he asks. It's the person in charge of you at work . .like at the gym I have a boss. He thought on this and the next time I turned around he was back outside announcing to the plumber that daddy was his boss and mommy was daddy's boss. The plumber chuckled and told Dallas that's usually the way it is.

Several days after Dallas's hours spent with the plumber the boys and daddy were outside searching for cool rocks (Trenton's latest obsession). Trenton decides he wants to be a guy that studies rocks so Dave tells him that's called a geologist and Dallas follows it up with "And I want to be the guy that sucks water from under the house."

So Soft

2009-04-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

Can't quite figure out why I'm a such a fan of this photo. Maybe it's because it makes her skin look so baby soft, and her eyelashes so long.

What Is She Thinking?

2009-04-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

This is my best guess...

Time

2009-03-25T15:37:00.001-07:00

Some days motherhood can be divided into potty time, baby time and lego time. Here are some pics from last week with one of those kind of days.

I tried putting pomade in Brookyln's hair and she woke up from her nap with this killer do. She also woke up totally ready to put in some quality toilet time if you know what I mean. Every time I told her to push, she would do this face which was just too cute not to photograph.

Then she gave Dallas this face when he tried to take her cards away. I took a picture of her successful results, but Dave would kill me if I posted those. We'll leave it at this . .Trenton's comment after looking in the toilet post Brooklyn's "success" was "Woah, that's BIG" Lexi makes baby time more fun now that she smiles giggles and plays with toys.I've packed probably 90% of the boys' toys, with legos being one of the things I haven't packed. They are getting quite good at their creations, although this picture isn't really of one of the cool ones.

Proud Moments of Parenthod

2009-03-25T15:06:00.000-07:00

Dallas has a great history of performing with the other 3 year olds in his class at preschool.

He had his first appearance in the Fall program they put on back in October. Dave was out of town for interviews at the time but I managed to meet my dad there a little late as Lexi was just 3 days old. It was well worth the effort it took getting my postpartum body and baby out of the house. The kid is just plain loud and top that off with the fact that he struggles with pronouncing certain sounds and it ends up being downright hilarious to listen to him.

Dave made it to the Christmas program in December, but all he got to witness there was

1. Dallas acting like a clown by turning his little sheep hat backwards so it covered his face

2. Dallas and the kid next to him fighting until they actually started hitting each other. The kid next to Dallas eventually being removed from the stage by the teachers as they were being that disruptive to the performance.

3. Dallas literally rolling around on the floor of the stage unable to control his apparent ADHD until he finally got off the stage all by himself .

Well, Dave finally got a taste of how entertaining it can be as Dallas had his final performance last week, My mom, Dave, and I were just cracking up the entire time and you'll see why as you watch their final song being peformed: The video quality is poor, but you should have no problem hearing Dallas, slighty out of tune, off on his timing and super loud . .good thing his teacher encouraged them to sing louder for the second round!

Mom Quiz

2009-03-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

I had to do it too Jillian . One of those quizes where you ask the kids questions and record their responses. I asked Dallas all the questions and then asked Trenton the same ones once he got home from school and their answers are:

1. What is something mom always says to you?
D: Go to time out
T: Stop doing that
(Don't I feel like a good mom)

2. What makes mom happy?
D: Do good stuff
T: Being nice
(Okay, so do it already!)

3. What makes mom sad?
D: Do bad stuff
T: Not being very good
(No wonder I'm so sad all the time . . okay just sometimes)

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
D: Do funny fings
T: By saying silly things

5. What was your mom like as a child?
D: You were a child of God
T: little
(I like to think I still am a Child of God . .but maybe he's onto something here)

6. How old is your mom?
D: that a hard one . . .20
T: Ummm . . . . . . .26
(That a boy Trenton!)

7. How tall is your mom?
D: 13
T: 25
(No suprise here as they think they get on the scale to see how old they are)

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
D: Cook
T: feed Lexi

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
D: Do other stuff, cook, and watch grown up movies
T: Wash the dishes
(What an exciting life I have . . .grown up movies huh?)

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
D: Umm . . . .cooking
T: Food

11. What is your mom really good at?
D: Ummm . . .cooking
T:Running
(sure, they go hand in hand right . .eat food and then run it off?)

12. What is your mom not very good at?
D: Monsters
T: Climbing

13. What does your mom do for a job?
D: Cook and make sure the babies don't get hurt
T: Go to the gym

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
D: Peas, I mean carrots
T: Ice cream

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
D: Do nice stuff
T: Playing with me

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
D: Mommy
T: Bakugan

17. What do you and your mom do together?
D: cook, play monsters
T: Play uno

18. How are you and your mom the same?
D: WE do the samey stuff and we bof have 2 eyes
T: Umm. . .we both have hair

19. How are you and your mom different?
D: We not wearing the same shirt
T: We don't have boobs
(Someone's growing up . . .I had to work so hard not to bust up when he said this and now I'll have to work even harder to be a little more discreet when nursing in his presence)

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
D: I do Yoga with her
T: Because she likes me

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
D: He hugs her
T: That's a hard one . . . .ummm to kiss him
(and here I thought we weren't all that affectionate anymore, at least enough that the kids pick up on it I guess)

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
D: To the store
T:gym
(I'd enjoy going to the store a whole lot more if it weren't with 1, 2, 3 or 4 kids!)

All in all, it's amazing how perceptive they are. . .hopefully they'll enjoy reading this someday.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T18:18:00.000-08:00

Now Trenton makes me laugh too

2009-01-30T14:10:00.000-08:00

Trenton didn't have school today. I'm explaining to him that I'm going to let them watch a movie from the library that is more for little kids like Dallas and Brooklyn and that he probably already knows everything it's about.

Me: "It's about the five senses, you know what those are right?"
Trenton: "Yah, like 5 centses makes a dollar."
Me: giggle giggle
Trenton: "Wait I forgot."

And he's supposed to be our smart kid. Love it!

Winter Catch Up

2009-01-25T21:09:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday by making a really ugly diversity cake . . .

Dave got creative and entertained the kids with a piece of cardboard that came inside the Xbox packaging he got from his parents: Meet Daddy Robot. He also combined internet surfing with finding a new way to put Lexi to sleep.

It looks like Brooklyn has makeup on in this first shot but neither Dave nor I have any recollection of even taking this picture. Auntie?? Grandma? Someone want to fess up to starting our little girl way too young on makeup? After all Margaret, you did shave my legs for me when I was in third grade . .I think I still have the scars to prove it. The second picture: unlike Dallas, Brooklyn actually shows some sort of remorse when making an unecessary mess and being told that it's not okay to do so.

Given our kids track record we're going old school and using more VHS movies as they don't scratch nearly as easily as DVDs. They also make really cool train tracks and bases for building towers out of dice.

Our visit to the Festival of the Nativities. Notice how Dallas is about to drop Baby Jesus on his head. No, we do not let him hold Lexi.

Lastly, why we love Lexi. I finally get around to picking her up off our bed as she's been sort of whining for a few minutes lying face down. I turn her over to find that she is just rolling around in her own spit up but still smiling. How nasty? How sweet? You decide.

Snowed In

2009-01-25T20:37:00.000-08:00

An earlier blog stated the beginning of our adventures with snow back before Christmas and now I'd like to wrap the story up. The snow was fun for the first few days, but when it kept coming and then staying it led to some mad cabin fever for the kids and me. The kids ended up not having school for the entire week before their scheduled Christmas break . .unfortunately Dave still did-so the kids and I went crazy all couped up with no place to go. Documented by picture it went something like this .All of the beautiful snow outside of our home . . . . .
Self portraits of the progression of my feelings day by day: No picture of the first day as we actually just played in the snow as seen in a previous post.

Day 2. Okay -----------Day 3. Sad ----------Day 4.Disgusted

Dave: Shocked after spending a few very long days indoors with the kids

We did end up putting chains on the car and once Dave was on his break from school we made it out to Burger King so the kids could have a little more space to play. The boys also enjoyed our neighbors igloo and snow cave.

Prettige Kerstdaggen

2009-01-25T11:34:00.001-08:00

We had to visit Sinter Klaas at the Dutch Store while we were here for our last Christmas in Portland. We got all 4 kids there and Brooklyn had the classic screaming photo followed by all smiles in the car once she had her bag of goodies and wasn't sitting on some strange man's lap

Neglect of the Fourth Child

2009-01-25T10:45:00.000-08:00

Lexi is now 3 months old and we've only posted a few pictures of her on here -hence the title of this post. She has outgrown her acne and thanks to the day I went razor happy is still almost completely bald. She weighed 12 lbs and ? oz .(neglect again I know as I can't remember her exact weight) from her 2 month check up. Here is the gist from her visit to the doctor earlier this month:

Length- shorter than average

Weight- about the 75th percentile- remaining the smallest of our babies

Head- still larger than average (85th percentile or so)

She takes a pacifier better than any of our other kids, usually sleeps for at least a 7 hour stretch at night, will coo and smile for us, has gorgeous eyelashes and we all love her. The scrath between her eyes is compliments of Brooklyn, although Brooklyn is usually pretty good with her-grabbing burp rags when she spits up, shoving any binki she finds into her mouth
(even if she is asleep), making sure she always has her blanky, etc. The boys are still begging me to let her sleep in their room and I'm still not letting her as I don't trust them.

Pop Quiz

2009-01-20T12:54:00.001-08:00

1. Why has it been more than a month since I've updated our blog?

a) Our computer hasn't been working very well
b) I have four kids with the oldest just turning 5 1/2
c) Dave likes to take pictures in RAW format on the SLR so I don't know how to upload them
d) I've had nothing to post about
e) pretty much all of the above

Correct answer: e (but with a major emphasis on B) My life is full with the following:
12-15 diaper changes per day
15 loads of laundry washed and folded each week
dishwasher loaded to the brim and emptied at least once a day
2-3 nightly awakenings (usually just 1 attributed to Lexi)
breakfast for 5
packing one sack lunch
nursing
making lunch for 3 others
dinner for 5
snacks all day long
vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, wiping scrubbing, picking up, paying bills, chaufeurring
refereeing fights between siblings
wiping snotty noses
trying to exercise whenever I can
holding crying girls
and on and on and on . . I have a lot to be grateful for. One thing I can certainly be grateful for is a full life . .sure a lot of it is monotonous tasks, but the cute and mischievous faces that require those tasks are worth it.

2. Why don't we own very many nice things?

a) we don't have a lot of money (Student loans only go so far)
b) we aren't materialistic people
c) our kids destroy everything
d) we don't have enough room to put any extra things
e) all but b are true

Correct answer: E (this time the empasis goes on c: our kids destroy everything

There are the things like slashed screens, broken dishes, etching drawings into the car with rocks, spilling of dyes and glue on the carpet, but Dallas topped the list yesterday with this:

This is what it looks like when you watch Clifford on a broken LCD tv. Dallas climbed up into the armoir and knocked the tv over. Its my new recipe for how to blow $600 in 2 seconds of "fun". Dave's comments to the boys regarding the event: You're never watching tv again. Never. No xbox and no tv. You can learn how to read books and play with toys. (In part due to the hundred times he alone has asked them not to climb up there)

Dallas's comments: I a weally bad boy. I wished evewyfing in the whole wide wold would be made of metal. I ask "why?" response: so it couldn't get bwoken.

So that's the headline for today and I'll work on some more from the last month later.

Another funny Dallas Comment

2008-12-17T13:59:00.001-08:00

While delivering Christmas goodies to our neighbors, Dallas started complaining about how cold his hands were so I told him he could go back inside.

His response, "No then the boogie man get me. I have lots of boogers."

Celebrating In Style

2008-12-17T09:29:00.000-08:00

We had a Christmas Party a few years ago where the theme was "cheesy sweaters and hot chocolate". Everyone was supposed to dress in ugly holiday sweaters and bring a mug to drink hot chocolate from. We decided to give the sweaters one more try before we all part our separate ways. The sweaters were hideous, 0ur place was crowded, the food was deliciously fattening and the company was fantastic. We had a little photo shoot as families arrived and here are most of the guests . .too bad you can't see their ugly clothes a little better.

Out of the mouths of babes.

2008-12-16T11:28:00.001-08:00

Dallas still makes me scream and laugh daily. Yesterday in time out for the umpteenth time Dallas loudly declares, " I hate you mommy. I hate everybody in the whole wide world . .except colors."

I probably should have cried after my three year old told me he hates me, but it was so funny because he is always asking people "What your favorite color?" and then he will tell them that he loves all the colors. So eventhough he hates everyone in the world, he still wanted everyone to know that he likes all the colors.

Today . .Trenton is trying to parent Dallas and I tell him that he's not the parent-he's the brother and someday he will be the daddy. Dallas then tells us, "Yeah and someday I'll be the mommy." We already knew that though as he is planning on nursing in the future.

We're headed to Kentucky!

2008-12-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

Dave decided that he likes checking the box labeled "student" when asked to identify his profession . . . in order to try and do this for a few more years he applied to orthodontic residency. Well, many years of hard work at school paid off and and matched at his #1 choice- the University of Louisville. So, we'll be packing up this summer and heading to Kentucky for another 2 years of school. Although sad to leave friends and family here in Portland, we are very happy that he will be able to pursue the career of his choice and even happier that we're getting closer to him being done with school!

SNOW DAY!

2008-12-16T07:55:00.000-08:00

For once the forecast was accurate. It began snowing early Sunday morning and continued through most of the day. We ended up with about 4 1/2 inches . .which isn't that significant elsewhere, but in Portland it equals no church, no firesides, pretty much no one leaving their homes since people don't know how to drive in these conditions and the city doesn't have all the right equipment or funds or whatever to clear the roads properly. I-5 (the major interstate) right next to our home was closed in both directions for a while and there were accidents on every major road in the area. Since the temperatures haven't made their way out of the 20s - -nothing has melted and there was no school on Monday (and Dave even had the day off of school for the first time ever). And again today no school for the kids today (unfortunately Dave had to go back). I'm ready to get the kids and myself out of the house . . .but it has been fun to have snow and the boys have been loving it! Here are some pics from the first snow Sunday morning:

Of course the kids came in and enjoyed hot chocolate with marshmallows and stories by the fire to warm up.

Growing like a chubby weed

2008-12-02T11:30:00.000-08:00

Picture #1: Lexi at 4 weeks. Picture #2: Lexi at 5 weeks (after her first full 3 hours at church).

As you can see, her face had filled out nicely. She may have been born small, but I had no expectations of that lasting.

Birthweight 6 lbs 15 oz.

2 week check up: 8 lbs 2 oz

(For those of you without kids: the doctors like to see babies back up to their birthweight by 2 weeks. I'd say she is doing okay)

2 month check up: even chubbier I'm sure.

Baby Brittany!

2008-12-02T11:18:00.000-08:00

So, last Monday I was noting Lexi's amazing male pattern baldness and, well, it wasn't cute.

So, I get a little ambitious and put my problem solving skills to the test. My solution: shave it clean!

The after math: Now, not only was she sporting a lovely case of baby acne, but she looked like she belonged in the Spears family!

A week later her acne is almost cleared up and I am used to having a bald baby . . .nothing a cute little hat or bow can't fix.

What do your kids do for "fun"?

2008-11-19T11:02:00.000-08:00

I know everyone thinks that his or her own kids are perfect, but let's get real . . .that was a one time occurance on this earth so I want to know what makes your kids less than perfect. Most kids will do something really funny/annoying every now and then, but I want to know the things along these lines that your little ones do repeatedly. I am going to make my own list to contribute and then when I am old and missing the days when my kids were little and cute, I will look back at this list and hopefully not miss my kids being young quite as much (okay I'll probably still miss that stage, but maybe this list will make me laugh more in the future rather than yell, cry and roll my eyes like it does in the present.

Lexi-

*sleeps all day, awake all night

*always drops a load right after I've changed her diaper, or better yet, as I am chaning her diaper . .nothing like being shot from the behind (literally)

*projectile vomit anyone? again, right after she's just been dressed in a clean outfit

Brooklyn-

*empties any diaper wipes, kleenex boxes, toilet paper rolls that she can get her hands on in 5 seconds flat

*makeup here, there, everywhere . . .there are many days that I don't ever get around to dolling up so one would think that I wouldn't go through makeup very quickly. And, that would be the case if Brooklyn didn't have a knack for sneaking into the bathroom and applying mascara to her face, hair and the floor/ eating lipgloss/ dumping out foundation and powders, etc. etc.

*whiner- she will not stop whining until she gets what she wants . .which is fine unless we're in public and then it can be a little embarassing

Dallas-

*clogged toilets . . .could someone please explain to this kid for the umpteenth time that he doesn't need an entire roll of toilet paper to wipe his behind and actually have him still remember the next time he visits the john.

*Food, food, food. this list alone could be published as a novel, but his latest was getting into unopened boxes of jello not once but twice in the same day. The second time he was successful in dumping the entire thing out on the floor of his bedroom as he gleefully licked handfulls of cherry flavored powder. His hands washed up just fine, unfortunately knowing that the second the jello on the carpet got wet the red dye would kick in . .I decided to just vacuum it up instead. The downside. . there is still a nice large spot of pink tinted carpet in his room waiing like a timebomb for a run in with liquid. The upside-everytime I vacuum our house is now filled with the pleasant scent of cherry candy.

*spills-He is incapable of making it through a meal without spilling his drink. Okay, maybe he's done it a couple of times, but our solution for the remaining 99% of the time that he does spill is give him about an ounce at a time . .which means Dave and I spend our meals pouring beverages rather than eating.

*Backwards-Dallas puts on every article of clothing backwards about 90% of the time. . . .shirt, underwear, pants, shoes. Most days I don't care, but when I do want him to look somewhat presentable. . it means 5 extra minutes of prep time getting him redressed the right way.

*wet diapers-this kid will probably wear diapers at night until he's 20 . .hopefully at 20 he won't still take them off in the morning and just leave them on the floor for all to smell and on a really go0d day step on with a barefoot.

Trenton-

*Cologne-Dave keeps his cologne on a shelf in our bathrrom that the boys can access by standing on the toilet. For some reason, both boys think this is some type of hair styling product and are forever coming out with heads drenched in Calvin Kelin Euphoria. Are you beginning to smell our house yet . .. .dirty diapers, cherry jello and now cologne . . . .mmmmmmmmmmm.

*Bully-everyday when Trenton gets home from school there is an immediate mood shift in our house. The energy level goes up about 75% and the crying spells are much m0re frequent as he constantly pesters Brooklyn by taking her blanket, doll, chair or whatever object he knows she will cry for until she gets it back and bugging Dallas with the incessant hit, push, kick, tap, etc. Isn't the oldest child supposed to be helpful in tending to the younger ones? Maybe I would have had more luck had he not been a boy and been only 5 years old as the oldest child. Is it too late for a redo?

Okay I'm done . . .surely there is more, but that is enough for now. Did I mention that I love my kids? I do. Sure I find them and their reactions and tantrums rediculous at times, but who wouldn't? Kids were meant to make messes, push the limits and test the patience of those tending them . . .that is how both the children and parents learn and grow in this life.

So, back to my original question . .what do your kids do over and over for "fun"? Remind me that I'm not alone in this.

Halloween in Costume

2008-11-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

Lexi turned 11 days on Halloween and thanks to help from my mom and Dave not being stuck at school too late that night, we did still celebrate. My mom helped me take the kids to some daytime trick or treating at some little shops near our house and then Dave took them to 5 houses for real trick or treating in the dark that night.

Here is our lame attempt at a costume for the baby: a cute little witches hat inherited from my aunt. She did what babies do best . ..slept all day and not too much that night.Brooklyn stole the hearts (and candy) of many as she walked the streets in Multnomah Village as the cutest little cheerleader ever. Notice she had to bring her purse along to collect the goods.Dallas donned Trenton's old costume: an ugly purple dragon that reminds me way too much of Barney. He loved it all the same (really anything was a step up from wearing Trenton's dirty underwear last year, right?) Lastly, Trenton was a very proud Batman . .finally getting to show off his muscles .. . .fake as they may be.

Put that baby back in your tummy

2008-11-05T10:08:00.002-08:00

Dallas continues to amuse me daily. While nursing Lexi a couple of days ago we had the following conversation:

Dallas pointing to the bassinet next to my bed, "Dis Lexi's bed?"

Me-"Yes."

Dallas- Why Lexi sweep (translation- sleep) in your woom?

Me-Where else could she sleep?

Dallas -Her can sweep in Brooklyn's woom.

Me- Well, baby likes to eat a lot during the night so I keep her close to me.

Dallas- Where our next baby gonna sweep?

Me-You think we should have another baby?

Dallas- Yeah.

Me- I think we'll have to get a new house. You sure you want another baby?

Dallas- Yes, I wanna boy one dis time cause I don't want fwee girls. The new baby can sweep in my woom (standing in only his underwear and pointing to his nipples) cause my miwk come out of dees things.

Me- (chuckle chuckle)

Dallas-So put dat baby back in your tummy.

Me- (chuckle chuckle)

Dallas- Put dat baby away. Put it back in your tummy. I wanna boy one.

So, if by some miracle we decide to have another child someday and it happens to be a boy (since I would be required to put the girl back in my tummy) I am off the hook for round the clock feeding since Dallas will have the nursing covered.

Big Ham Sister

2008-11-02T16:46:00.001-08:00

Brooklyn has figured out how to cheese it big time! Here is my new favorite picture of her.
And the cake mix photos mentioned in a previous post.

Anyone want to bring me dinner?

2008-11-02T15:34:00.000-08:00

So, after an entire week of fabulous meals being brought in by great friends, it was finally my turn to cook again on Halloween. Since the holiday is always filled with way too much junk food, I decided to make my version of Shepherd's Pie where I am able to sneak lots of food processed veggies in without my kids throwing fits and refusing to eat it. Well, it went kind of like this: (Look close and you'll see it's still steaming)

So I am not really asking for more meals, but found it funny enough to share. Sadly, I followed the 10 second rule (although it took me longer than 10 minutes to clean up all the splatter) and scooped the main pile of this up into the casserole dish, topped it with mashed potatoes and cheese and baked it anyway. Surprize Dave! Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Some like it hot hot hot!

2008-11-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

So, we bought the boys season tickets to the family movie matinee program where they feature a different kids' movie each week and parents get to go along for free. We've been to 2 out of the 4 shown so far. Dave took the kids to Wall-E a couple of weeks ago and yesterday it was my turn and I took them to see Space Chimps. Cute movie. About 3/4 of the way through the movie, Dallas gets all panicky and starts crying. I turn to look at him by my side and find that he has shoved a red hot up his nose. I tell him to blow it out, which he tries... only in vain. I tell Trenton to stay put and quickly escort Dallas out of the theater. Out in the lobby he is freaking out, but I finally manage to milk the red hot out of his nostril and clean up the "Red Hot" snot now running out of his nose. Upon returning to our seats I got to be entertained for the remainder of the movie, not by the Space Chimps, but my OWN chimp enjoying the tasty discovery of CINNAMON FLAVORED BOOGERS.

One day down and thousands to go!

2008-10-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

So, this will be a boring post, but if you're bored feel free to read on or skip to the diaper story under number 4. Forgive the absence of pictures, but I took the camera away from Dallas today as he was hiding from me taking pictures(a big no no since he mostly just wipes his chubby little fingers all over the lens) and hid it a little too well as I can't even remember where I put it to keep it away from him. Anyway, today was my first official full day with all 4 kids all by myself. My mom returned Dallas and Brooklyn to my care last night and it was an eye opening experience glancing in the rearview mirror of my minivan and seeing almost all of the seats filled! It almost doesn't seem real. Anyway, now it's evening and everyone but Lexi is asleep . . I survived. We had our moments though. Here are 4 in honor of the 4 kids

1. At one point Lexi was wailing, Brooklyn screaming and Dallas apparently felt left out so decided to chime in with his own very loud and fake whining . .luckily it just made me laugh.

2. I had to lock Brooklyn out of my room so I could nurse the baby without Brooklyn poking her eyes and rubbing her snot nose in her face. Brooklyn spent the first several minutes crying and banging on the door and eventually gave up. After I was all finished up, I found her satisfied by the pantry where she had ripped open a box of cake mix, chewed throught the plastic like a rat and was eating handfulls of dry cake mix (pictures to follow). Let the fun begin of what messes I will discover and be forced to clean up each and every time I have to leave the kids unsupervised.

3. My visiting teacher dropped off dinner this evening while the boys were in the bath. She's new in the ward so doesn't know us very well, until now anyway. The boys were in the middle of fighting over who knows what in the bath when Dallas starts crying and launches his soapy body over the side of the tub and waddles through his drips toward the kitchen and just as I am about to get on his case for getting out of the bath I notice the blood dripping out of his mouth. Apparently whatever Trenton had done resulted in Dallas biting his tongue. I'm just thinking please don't let this require stitches like it did for Trenton a few years back. We cure him quickly with a popscicle, but then of course Brooklyn starts crying because she wants one too. After digging through the freezer all I can come up with is a sore throat relief ice pop and decide that now is as good of a time as any and give it Brooklyn. Then Dallas wants that kind and Brooklyn still wants an otter pop so I just switch and give them each others. Meanwhile Trenton comes out in his towel as well and starts grabbing for the brownies that were brought as part of the meal and doesn't listen to me when I tell him to wait. Dallas is still sitting in a towel on the table with his little man parts in plain view all the while I am trying to "visit" with my visiting teacher like everything is totally calm and normal. Calm? Not even close, but unfortunately this is terribly normal for life in our house. She said she be calling me to see if I needed anything. Maybe I should just ask her to call Nanny 911 right now?

4. By far my favorite for the day was this (if you don't like personal stories stop reading now as I lack in refraining from sharing things that some would rather not hear:

Dallas barges into the bathroom while I am busy taking care of my postpartum body and asks "Why you wearing a diaper?"

"I'm not." I respond hoping he'll just drop it.

"Why you wearing a diaper?" he repeats again.

"It's not a dipaer, it's a pad" I say praying he'll just give up already.

Like any curious 3 year old he was clearly unsatisfied by my response and asks yet again, "why you wearing a diaper?"

I surrender, "because I just had a baby."

Dallas walks out into my bedroom and announces to Trenton, "Mommy wears diapers now cause she had a baby."

I can already hear this declaration being shared with his preschool class for show and tell tomorrow.

Clean as a Whistle

2008-10-25T05:54:00.000-07:00

Apologies for not being too quick on some updated photos but I have been running around the country because of interviews for school (another story for a future blog, but lets just say that the airline has had to give me $300, a free night in a hotel, free dinner, breakfast, lunch, first class back to Portland, and will soon be hearing from me to pay for the rental car I had to rent just to finally drive to the city I was trying to fly to for my interview.)

Here are some "cleaner" photos of Lexi

Hello World

2008-10-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

Say hello to Lexington (Lexi) Stacy Butler

6 lbs 15 oz 19.5 in

I Love You THIS MUCH

2008-10-20T15:37:00.001-07:00

She's Here!!!

2008-10-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

It's a girl!!! Oh wait, you probably already knew that. That's all we know too. No idea what the name's gonna be or what her stats are but we'll let you know when you know. Both girls are doing amazing.

Today's Theme song is...

2008-10-20T10:24:00.001-07:00

Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo DOO, doodoodoodoodoo, doo doo doo doo doo doo doo, DOO, doodoo doo doo, doo, doo, dum dum.

guesses anyone?

Torrential Downpour

2008-10-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

As the skys above Portland let loose their heavy burden of water... so did Bri.

Sooo Early

2008-10-20T05:45:00.000-07:00

Due to my crazy schedule of school and interviews around the country, we were able to schedule Bri to be induced today. Why 5 am? Don't know, but here we are. We'll keep you posted.

Bye Bye Buddha Belly

2008-10-20T05:16:00.000-07:00

The last shot of Bri's big belly. She seems to be smaller this time around so she is hoping maybe that will also mean a small baby this time. Only time will tell.

Firsts

2008-09-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

Trenton had his first day of kindergarden including riding the bus to and from school. Dallas had his first day of preschool. Trenton had his first soccer practice and game where he scored not only two goals for his team, but two goals for the opposing team as well. That a kid . . just trying to keep things nice and even.

2008-09-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

More summer fun! Brooklyn loves to "dance", clap and occasionally "sing" when there is music playing. She also loves to dump out boxes of cereal. Dallas sleeps in any position except with his head on his pillow lying the right way in his bed. Usually it's sideways with his feet up on the all or dangling over the side of the bed. In case anyone is wondering, no he is definitely not a fun kid to sleep with!

Bullwinkle's Family Fun Center

2008-09-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

A summer outing where we actually took pictures. The family enjoyed a huge indoor playground, video games where they picked out really cheap toys with the few tickets they won and the kids played (including daddy) miniature golf.

So Scary!!!

2008-09-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

Last week started out a bit rough around our house. After visits from the in-laws, Dave's brother Mike and my sister Margaret during the previous week and through the weekend, all the company returned home Sunday evening and we were ready to get back to normal life. Instead, Monday morning we woke up early to send Trenton off to school, followed by the awakening of Dallas and later Brooklyn. Brooklyn and Dallas are the kind of kids that like to eat the moment they get out of bed so I set Brooklyn up in her high chair with her usual food, only to have her barely touch it. I got her out of her high chair and she was unusually fussy. Although figthing a cold and still working on bringing in some new teeth, she was totally unconsolable so I decided it was time to try some tylenol. Well, it wasn't in the cabinet or on the counter and the last time I remembered seeing it was the day before when she was walking around shaking it like a rattle while all of our company was in town. Eventually, I went to her crib and found the bottle of tylenol burried under her comforter, lid off and completely empty. I instanty called Dave into her room and showed him my discovery. We were both unsure of when it had ended up her crib or when and if she had eaten it. Dave got on the phone with poison control, and we jumped through the ingredients of the drug, how much was possibly consumed, etc. They quickly determined that she needed to be brought to the ER immediately as this could potentially be a lethal dose for her little body. We threw on clothes and headed out the door. After grilling Dallas, we were confident that he hadn't eaten it and knew that Trenton was also not the culprit . .which left Brookly in her crib eating a bottle of children's tylenol. I was fine until we got to the hospital, checked her in and then I sat down and just started crying-unable to bear the thought of losing our precious baby girl. Untreated and taken at toxic levels, her liver would pretty much shut down and she wouldn't be around by the end of the week. I was very scared and anxious for them to draw her blood and tell us what her levels and liver function were showing. Well, the ER is always slow and several hours later they came back with her lab results which showed a significant amount of tylenol in her blood and slightly eleveated liver enzyme levels. Okay, so she was okay, right? Given the unknown time of ingestion (go responsible mom and dad) they wanted to proceed with the antidote treatment . .always playing it safe rather than sorry. So, eventually we were transferred down to the pediatric ward of the hospital and she was stared on her 1st of 3 doses of the medication that would be distributed through her IV for the next 21 hours. I felt awful and yet so grateful that she was going to be okay. She has a severe dislike for the doctor in general, and normally starts screaming the second she sees the scale at her well child visits . I'm sure this experience is really going to help. My mom came out to take care of the boys so Dave and I could switch off staying at the hospital and I could get to work that evening and the following morning. It was a long night at the hospital, Brooklyn trying so hard to sleep in her metal crib/cage and being woken up every few hours for her vitals (It reminded me what a joke it is trying to sleep in the hospital and I've decided for once I think I'll just come home as soon as they'll discharge me after delivering this next baby). She pretty much screamed every time they tried to check her and as a result her blood pressure was always high . .so I get to go back to the pediatrician in a few weeks to try and get a normal reading. . .(Good luck with that . . .didn't we already determine she hates doctors!) Anyway, what I've learned from this awful experience is that childproof containers aren't childproof . .not even for a one year old and medication shouldn't double as a rattle . .most of you have probably already made this brialliant discovery, but just in case learn from our mistake and save yourself the scare. Also, I realize how precious these little ones are and that nothing is more important than they are. It was a neat experience to spend so much time with Brooklyn . .one one one . .and comfort her when she would get worked up. She is a sweet girl, totally fine and back to being happynow. How blessed and fortunate we feel. Thanks to all of you who knew about this when it was going on for your phone calls, support and encouragement that I'm not the worst mother ever . .I was having my doubts, but am doing better now.

Silver Falls State Park Hike

2008-09-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

This Saturday we decided to take advantage of a day free from required things to do and make a semi-spur of the moment trip out to Silver Falls. We had heard that it was a beautiful area and had added it to our list of "things to do before leaving Oregon". Basically it is a state park that, within about a 5 mile loop, you can see 10 waterfalls (more like 6 during the non rainy season, a few of them were more like trickles that fell really far.) The kids handled walking up and down amazingly well and definately logged more miles than probably all previous hikes combined. There were a few times that we (mostly almost 8 months pregnant Bri) were literally applauded as we climbed switchbacks with children in tote. Of course no trip would be complete without the surprises of Dallas peeing in open public, using a rock to "color" on the minivans paint job, and Brooklyn falling out of the stroller 6 inches from about a 30' drop off. Just living the dream.

I'm Melting . . .Melting!!!

2008-08-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

When I first found out I was pregnant and started calculating my due date, I realized I would be living large through the summer and began dreading those days where temps linger around 100 and I would be stuck with small children in a home without a/c. Well, this week those days arrived and it was miserable just as I anticipated. We tried to find refuge in our kiddie pool, sprinklers, fountains at the park, the mall, the gym and we were able to cool off occasionally. The nights were uncomfortable and I fear the kids are always going to want to sleep in nothing but underwear or diapers (or completely nude as we found Dallas in the middle of the night once this week) from now on. It has cooled off to the mid 90s today and is suprizingly pleasant comparatively speaking.

A little bit of SoCal does a Relationship Good

2008-08-17T15:33:00.001-07:00

Dave and I took advantage of the chance to visit San Diego last weekend without the kids and witness my good friend Bret tie the knot. We laugh because he and his now wife Courtney actually met for the first time the same weekend that Dave and I hung out for the first time. Here we are close to seven years later and we are about to have our fourth child and they are just getting married. Maybe it's the difference between being LDS and not or more likely... ....Dave and I just learn really slowly. Either way, we had a fabulous weekend! We have come to the realization that we are different people when it is just the two of us. We are both much more fun to be around and it's amazing how much we actually get to enjoy each other's company when it isn't just for the seconds in between changing dirty diapers, wiping faces, refereeing fights, cleaning up messes and falling asleep at night. We joke (but this goes along with the whole 99% of sarcasm is truth) that we are already so embarassed by our lack of control over three kids and we're about to have another one. Wish us luck and hopefully a few more weekend get aways over the next several years! Anyway, back to our trip:

We did what we rarely get to do: laid out on the beach and by the pool, swam in the ocean and in the pool, took long leisurely walks, went out to eat, went shopping (aka RELAXED). It was the first trip away from the kids where I actually didn't "miss" them . . I think I could have stayed several more days before that sentiment kicked in. The wedding was absolutely beautiful, just what one would expect on a beach in San Diego at a resort called Paradise Point. Gorgeous flowers, delicious food, amazing decor, long lost friends, a stunning bride and groom and lots of fun!

Happy Fourth

2008-07-11T09:53:00.001-07:00

We spent the Fourth with Dave's family in Salt Lake. It is always nice to get everyone together. The kids especially love the rare opportunities they get to play with their cousins.

Trenton shows off his glow stick skills while waiting for the fireworks to begin.

Dallas and Kate hamming it up.

Brooklyn taking after her mama by eating lots of brownies.

Trenton, Austin, Luke and Kate.

Visit to Colorado

2008-07-10T21:28:00.000-07:00

Dave had a two week break from school beginning the last week of June and we filled it with a camping adventure, a kid-free trip to Colorado and a family excursion to Salt Lake. The trip to Colorado was great. . . . 3 full days with just the two of us and lots of reunions with long lost college roommates and friends. We stayed with one of my old roommates, Tracie, who is just weeks away from having her first baby. Watching her did not make me excited to reach those end stages of pregnancy, but she looks great and I can't wait for her to experience the joys of motherhood. Thank you Troy and Tracie for the fantastic weekend.
What do people do on planes

when there not just trying to

keep kids quiet anyway?
After dinner in downtown Denver, we walked to a nearby outdoor concert where we stayed rather briefly to hear Gnarles Barkley rock out. Dave just wanted to make himself look awkward as the 5th wheel while I took the picture.

We posed in front of Union Station for a quick "deer in headlights" photo.

Tracie, Robin and I taking a break from the concert.

Photo Morphing

2008-07-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

As I was browsing some old photos I came across a fun hobby of mine I haven't done in a long time: Photo Morphing. Man was it entertaining.

For example:
What my brother, sister, and I willlook like when we get old...
Dad + Mom

Little Miss (Insert Random City Name) Butler

2008-06-30T21:50:00.000-07:00

So it's fitting that following a post about us expecting our next child that there is a serious lag in posting. We do have a lot to post about and will catch up sometime. I did notice that we forgot to mention that the next addition to the family will be another girl (hooray for keeping the teams even). Now the challenge is what her name is going to be. Shall we make it a blogger contest? The rules are simple: If you didn't already notice (Trenton NJ, Dallas Tx, Brooklyn NY) we've got a theme going on so we might as well keep it going. Happy name guessing!

*cue attempts at humor with names like Pocatello Butler*
(I guess we could call her Pokey for short)

Don't even think about it!

Oops we did it again

2008-05-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

Baby Ticker - The Baby Countdown Pregnancy Tickergreat free widgetsWidgetbox

The Real Zoo

2008-05-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

Since we pretty much already live in a zoo at our house (in addition to the combination of good weather and Trenton's day off school last Friday) the kids and I headed to the real zoo where at least my children's behavior is a bit more acceptable. Brooklyn sat there and looked cute in the stroller. The boys plugged their ears to block the load roars of the tyrannosaurus rex at the dinosaur exhibit and I wasted yet more money on another trip on the zoo train to culminate the day. Only daddy could have made the day more complete, but we're holding out for the future days when hopefully Fridays will mean a day off of work for him.

Why Blondes Shouldn't Bake

2008-05-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

"Dave, HELP!!!" My shout is heard Saturday night from the kitchen. "Are you okay?" he starts asking as he walks down the hall to find me. As he rounds the corner, he tries hard to muffle the chuckle welling up inside of him. "What do you want me to do?" he asks. "Help me," I retort with a mixture of impatience and "did I really just do this to myself?" in my voice. He tells me to hold on as he leaves to get something to help get the beaters out of my hair (or so I assumed). He returned with a camera instead. By picture number three I was ready to kick hiim, but couldn't help but laugh at myself at the same time. I like to think of myself as somewhat of a Betty Crocker, but I'm guessing Betty never leaned over her bowl during her mixing to smell the freshly squeezed lemon juice in her batter only to have the beaters grab hold of her locks and twist them round and round into a tangled mess. Of course she didn't, Betty would have had her hair in a hair net or at least pulled back because she knows that no one likes hair in their baked goods! I guess I'm very much still in training. And in case you're wondering, the lemon ricotta cheesecake managed to come out without any traces of hair in the final product, but I wasn't a fan of the texture the ricotta gave it so I'll never make it again. That and the fact that I'm still having nightmares about being attacked by a mixer.

Un Amigo on her cumpleanos

2008-05-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

We took a trip to Chevy's to celebrate Brooklyn's first a few weeks ago followed by a trip to the mall where we had her ears pierced. You can zoom on some of the pics from her birthday cake on the previous post if you care enough to want to see her little earrings. I think the sombrero really does things for her, don't you?

Happy First Birthday Brooklyn

2008-05-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

For the Love

2008-04-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

I love that Brooklyn is willing to play fight at the drop of a hat.

I love that the sun finally came out to say hello (even if it is just for one day)

I love that the boys could let all of their energy out OUTSIDE rather than wreaking havoc inside.

What did you love today?

Rappy Rirthday Rallas

2008-04-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

Ok, that was a weak attempt and Scooby talk, but anyway. Dallas had a Scooby themed 3rd birthday party.

Friends from 4 years old to 6 months old were on hand to celebrate with us.

They played pin the bone in scooby's mouth and a riveting bout of beat the "non-violent" pinata (apparently you were supposed to just have everyone takes turn pulling strings and one of them makes the bottom fall off... let the kids take a few rounds of beating Scooby first before surrendering to our non-violent ways).

Food on the menu was a scooby snack cake, and dirt.