Family-isms...and stuff...you know, just to catch up...and stuff

Landry and Cael this morning singing The Farmer in the Dell, the "Wrat takes the Wratch, the Wrat takes the Wratch, Hie Hoe the Dairy-o, the Farmer goes to Jail..."

Savannah had her head resting on Shane's chest and she said she heard his heart beeping. "Just like this Daddy, Beep, beep, beep, beep...boom."

Landry counting the beads on my bracelet. She can count to twenty, fairly well, but there were twenty-two beads on the bracelet. She concluded while pointing to each of the last 5 beads, "...eighteen, nineteen, ummm, twen-ent-teeeee" (each syllable for a different bead).

Cael walked into my bedroom while I was getting dressed and found me standing with just a bra on top. He asked me what my bra was, to which I replied, "A bra". He sat there for just a second then commented, "hmm, I like it".

(This was from several months ago, just getting to it...) After riding in the car for 4 1/2 hours, I was talking to Shane on the phone to see how his drive with the older kids went. He replied that the drive was fine, when in the background I hear Savannah quip, "the hail wasn't", which of course sounded like, "the hell it wasn't". Shane asked her again what she said, "the hail wasn't". Apparently, she didn't love the hail that they drove through on the way to the campsite...

Landry and her prayers, just conversing with Heavenly Father about everything. Singing songs for hours about anything, but all to the same music. Hissy fits and carrying on while I carry her out of the situation. Sticks her butt out when posing. Loves to show off her "silly button" (belly button). Often says "that's enough" to people when she feels they may be taking too much of something she wants. She loves princesses, pixies and dolls. She also loves to color, give her a coloring book, paper, crayons or anything that writes and she'll be happy for hours.

Cael, such a great cuddler, wants me all the time. Won't eat protein or much of anything. Doesn't have to have his bear, but is surely relieved when he gets it back after a break. Nearly falls asleep at the dinner table every Sunday. Loves his sleep and will sometimes suggest it's time for nap/bed. Loves wearing his "plip-plops". Loves trains, trucks, planes and legos. He doesn't love coloring often he feels obligated to color when given paper so he'll draw a scribble or two just to satisfy the obligation. However, we gave Cael and Landry backpacks filled with a notebook and school supplies so they wouldn't feel left out when Lincoln and Savannah started back to school. He will not go a minute during the day without his backpack firmly attached to his back. He may not love to color in it, but he'll carry the crayons and paper around with him all day long.

Savannah is growing teeth fast and losing them faster. She's missing most of her front four and a couple on the sides are loose. She still claims to want to be a vet but can not stand the sight of blood (to the point she'll throw up if she starts thinking about a scab or a scratch too long). She loves to cuddle and loves to read and draw pictures. She is a great mother-hen to Cael and Landry. She tends to be boss, but in a fun way. I worry that she is wanting to grow up faster than she should, but she always looks up to the older girls for ideas. She couldn't wait to be six so she could start piano lessons and go to the big kids room at the gym. She's excited to be in first grade and can't to get homework.

Lincoln is my best helper ever. He is always willing to help with whatever, including watching the kids and taking care of the animals. He knows just what buttons to push to anger/annoy Savannah and he uses them more than he should, but he does it in a playful way. He loves to collect things. Everything. He is not organized and I'm not sure it's even in his make-up. He loves to read, and reads way above his age level. He reads books until they fall apart, like the Harry Potter series that he has read 8 times. He does well in school, and makes awesome friends. He's looking forward to starting cello in school this year.

Shane and I are almost done with our remodel of our middle bathroom. He gutted it completely and we've got it all pretty much put back together with a new tub, new vanity, new light, new wall texture, new paint, new tile and a redone closet. It's so nice to be able to use it again. One bathroom for six people was a little bit of a challenge. Now we're back to two and one day we'll be able to use all three! Yay! But, lest Shane and I feel left out of the above list of things that we're learning and growing here at our house, last Saturday I learned how to load Shane's nail gun, and he learned how to correctly put Contact paper on shelves...see we're learning too!