Love him....

something about this kid just makes my heart grow a million times larger each time I watch him get something new. I was brought to tears today as a Young Woman in our ward sat with me a church and was able to help so much. Mason went with her after she asked him if he wanted a drink. He had been trying to get the water bottle of the people's in front of us. He then cuddled in her lap after they got back. He let his teacher help him get his plate of lunch after church(we had a Linger Longer) and sat with her eating the whole time.

Such a great vision of love. He was getting ready for bed yesterday and as I was helping in this process I leaned over and asked if he wanted to look through the family books. I told him that I knew he missed Dad and although he couldn't tell me with words that I knew when he was feeling. He smiled this huge smile at me, hugged me, babbled a bit and then sat down on the couch waiting for me to get the book. So adorable!

Can't get enough

I've said before and I'll say it again. I love this age! Brennan is so much fun, I think I laugh at him about 10 times a day at least. So it was mentioned his hair was getting a little long, hum, I'm not so sure I know what you mean?

Trying to smile for the camera

He was showing me something, I'm not sure what it was, but it must have been serious business look at that face.

cold sheets

I don't like going to bed alone. How did I do it all those years, I will never know. My personal heater is gone. He's away cuddling with an old bed spring apparently.
He had his friend play and record a song for me. It made me smile and laugh.
Being alone has new meaning with this deployment. I know I am not alone, but I feel alone. Late at night, into the dark cold nights I sit doing nothing productive.
Maybe hoping for something to encourage me to go to bed. I need to get out of this rut.
A trip, exploring, that always satisfies me.
Snap out of this self pity party that just does nothing but bring you down. I want to go running for miles and miles with no interruptions. Sounds funny considering I was feeling alone two sentences ago.
Last deployment I had respite care, a gym within 2 minutes of my house that was free and had a play area for the children. I utilized this everyday. Even on Saturday I would take all three of them just to have something fun to do. A friends house was connected to mine and so baby monitors were used and long conversations were had late into the night. Caramel popcorn movie nights were fun. I think I was more fun, because I was more energized. My well was being filled and therefore able to give more. I am feeling like I am in a drought.

Sorry for the personal nature of this post. Just had to talk to someone and most people are not awake at this hour. Maybe I just needed to be able to read this in a couple days and realize that I was sounding completely and totally self centered.

Ask and ye shall receive. My motivation to go to bed just woke up in his bed. Mason is like a mini heater, so he will do. I am going to snuggle with him. His door is shaking, then it stops like he is listening, then it shakes again. So cute.

Goodnight.

Mason's burn

Mason's much improved arm!(the much improved part is the second picture) Yes, no more wraps, no more spraying, no more anything complicated. Just lotion it up! So glad this little problem is better now. It was a record for us, 48 hours before something major happened after dad left the nest.

One would think that Mason has learned his lesson and stays away from the stove. That would be a big fat, "NO WAY!" What will we do about this little problem? If it was my house I would probably do a dutch door in the kitchen entry and lock him out. It's not my house and I don't want to buy a new door when we have to move.

Cookies

Finally we are fulfilling the request from a certain man to send some cookies. Brennan was helping by making sure the chocolate chips were fresh and yummy enough to go in. Then it was on to batter test control. He is quite fabulous at both of these jobs. I really am excited for the day that I don't have to have that ugly transformer to use my mixer. BLAH!

Mike.....note to you.....when you get your cookies and you notice that our recipe make a signifigant amount more you can thank this guy who couldn't keep his hands off the batter. I helped as well in product testing. So blame us both and hope that they are as good when you get them.

Taylor has been carrying around this phone all day and talking to dad about her everyday moments.

"Dad, we are going to the post office now to give you your cookies."

"Dad, mom is mad at Carter."

"Dad, Carter punched me and I hit him back because Mom told me too." That is the truth. I simply told her not to put up with him being a bully and she needed to stand up for herself.

"Dad, I ate some of your cookies."

"Dad, I am eating more of your cookies."

I hope you get the point.

Big brother hugs are the best. Brennan was Carter's favorite buddy of the day until a wooden sword was used to fight Carter.

I cook, he cooks

Brennan loves these big pots to play with while I am cooking dinner. Today he added the griddle and the stir fry pan into the mix. He was being so cute that I needed some pictures. As soon as he saw the flash he stood up and starting posing for each picture. Then he would stack, or unstack and pose again. I loved that his hands were at his sides and he stood there until the flash and click, then moved on to greater things. Sorry, but you just needed the full range of shots I got here to enjoy it.

Teeth

Carter enjoyed creepying me out with his twistable, hanging by a thread, but only he could pull tooth. Not that I wanted too. Those things give me the creeps. I also realized I take up close pictures right after dinner quite frequently. Meaning most of the time my kids look like they have dirty mouths. Sorry.

I found these two pictures on the camera and did not know they were there. Apparently Carter wanted documentation that he lost two teeth in one week.

Kuwait

When the kids saw this picture they shouted, "Can we go and eat there with dad for lunch!?"

Whatever you have to do to entertain yourselves.

It is true, men are just big children.

The countdown

The countdown.

I don't like these.

They make things last longer in my eyes.

The kids like it.

Alright.

At least it is really cute.
Most of the shapes have little messages on them.
Smile.
Help Someone else today.
Get a hug.
Give a hug.
You get the idea.
Of course we have a schedule for who gets to take a shape off each day.

Shots of Happy...mostly

This was the day Mike left. Brennan was walking around the house with Carter's Spiderman hat, Taylor's pink headband and pink flip-flops, and his diaper. It was just hilarious how content and happy he was with his little creation.

Monday after school. Taylor got mad at me because I wouldn't let her have cookies for dinner. This was the next time I saw her, about 5 minutes after the, "Mom, I not like you anymore."

Mason being happy and silly. He was actually just laughing for like an hour straight about anything and everything we were doing. It is pretty funny when he just can't stop laughing. You can't help but join in.

Carter is doing surprisingly well with Mike being gone. He is using talking to tell me how he is feeling and I am so grateful for that. We were concerned about this little guy because after we told them Mike would be leaving again for 6 months he kind of turned into this angry little devil. I am glad he got that out of his system and can now talk with me. He's not perfect at it, but neither am I.

Dear sweet Brennan. He is a daddy's boy through and through. He hears a loud car and is running through the house from door to door yelling for Dad. It breaks my heart a little that he doesn't understand what is up with Dad not coming home. He loves his little drill and was going around the house with the drill and a screw and fixing the house for me. Such a sweetie!!

A couple of nights after Mike left Mason woke up and wanted a drink. Then of course he figured while he was up he would throw a fit about not being able to watch a movie. This in turn made Brennan wake up. Well, something about Brennan, great sleeper, fabulous at going down, fabulous at napping etc. If you get that little boy out of his bed in the middle of the night he views that as a new day. So I was letting him fuss about it and after about 10-15 minutes I was on the verge of saying, "Fine, you win." Then suddenly I heard a couple small whimpers and he was quiet. I listened and could here moving around and him settling so I went to bed. The next morning I found Taylor in Brennan's bed. She woke up and looked at me. She smiled and said, "Brennan was crying mom, he wanted me to sleep with him. He didn't want you."

Sorry, but I had to put this on here. He just is smiling away and I couldn't help it. I avoided posting the pictures of the nasty part of his burn. Mike wanted some pictures and I had to change the dressing finally, so after much squirming and fighting we got it done. Mason's curiosity and determination to be apart of cooking finally got the better of him. I blame this on Mike...he left....we all know what happens when he leaves. :) Love you honey.

Hot soup and his arm did not mix. He is in good spirits and it is healing well. This is day 3.

I feel so many things when crap like this happens. How could I have avoided it etc.. Then I just look at how many ways it could have been worse and am comforted. Mason you are so strong willed and determined that sometimes it gets the better of you. Love you man!

This is Mason's water bottle for his wound care. We have to keep it wet. Brennan found it and went and got a wipe and started to spray the windows and wipe them down. Seriously, he is so cute sometimes I can't stand it!


That would be a frozen cucumber Taylor is munching on. She thought it was delicious. I got it out and apparently my fridge was too cold. So she started licking it like a Popsicle.

Food

If you ever want Mason to eat something, put salsa on it. He refused, yelled, screamed, and just kept going to the fridge until we fell to the pressure and put salsa on his pancakes. gross.

The kids had a fun time sneaking very quietly into the kitchen and eating this yummy treat. Thank you children for always clearing up those things that I shouldn't eat. Although I don't think you should either.

Leaving on a jet plane

After a week of being stuck in Germany Mike finally made it to Kuwait. I have only had a little instant messenger that he is there, tired, and getting set up. We sure miss this handsome guy. Everyone is actually handling it pretty well. So far so good.

The Dragon

He is one talented builder!! That imagination is wild.