Hmmmm...

Everett can say 'truck'.
Unfortunately, the way it comes out does not sound like 'truck' but rather another word that sounds a lot like 'truck' but begins with a different letter.
And...
He calls all vehicles he sees (trucks, trains, cars, etc.) his version of 'truck' so he's running around saying it all the time...
Guess we won't be going out in public for a while.

Another reason I wish I was more like Delaney...

Delaney competed in the ARL triathalon today. She was part of a team where one girl swam (4 laps), one girl (Delaney) rode the bike (5 miles up the mountain road), and one girl ran (2 miles.) For the 8th grade girls division Delaney's team took 2nd place! I'm not exaggerating (though I may be bragging) when I say this girl does it all! However, when it was done she said she doesn't think she'll want to ride her bike for the entire summer!

Delaney crosses the finish line for her leg of the race

Delaney and her trusty ride

The team receives their medals

Delaney (rider), Kelli (runner), and Mackenzie(swimmer)

My hero

Thursday

The calm after the storm?
Today was much more mellow~love these kind of days. Nash had school and Everett was asleep, so I laid down to rest with him, but then he suddenly and without warning woke up all happy after only a 1/2 hour nap! But we relaxed together and hung out while watching Sesame Street until we had to pick up the kids~I should have been mopping the floors but those will have to wait another day. As for this evening...miracle of all miracles, we didn't have one single obligation tonight so the kids have been playing, eating, and finishing up what appears to be their last batches of homework for the rest of the school year (school is out a week from tomorrow and here in Blanding the last week is all fun and parties ~ no real work!) Delaney has been riding her bike every day in training for the triathalon she is participating in on Friday so she has been coming and going doing that. And for the rest of the evening ~ we are going to clean up the toys, I am going to make some cookies, we'll get the kids in bed, and then I shall settle down to watch 'Lost' - yay!

Tuesday and Wednesday

Okay, Tuesday was a lot like Monday except that Brody had a fun field trip to Cortez today where they went to the Rec Center for swimming and stuff so I had to be sure he had a swimsuit, towel, $$, and all that good stuff ready to go before he left for school. So a ho hum day of regular things to do. However, in the evening at 6:00 Delaney had a band concert (she plays the clarinet.) As soon as it was over she had to go straight to a volleyball game ~ luckily it was at the same location ~ whew! At home we had the regular dinner, homework, etc. to get taken care of. In the meantime I had a few loose ends to tie up for the fundraiser I was in charge of for the PTSA at the middle school, so I was making calls, delivering stuff, etc. Layne had to go to work so at some point he left. Plus, we were having a pizza party for the top sellers of the fundraiser at school on Wednesday, so pizza had to be ordered and I had to just plain get organized!
So, Wednesday it was a typical morning with the kids and babysitting. However, I had 'Crazy Bread' to make and have ready for the pizza party. Javin went home a little early and then I dropped off Nash at a friend's house and took Ev with me to the middle school. Thank goodness Layne works there and he didn't have anything too crucial going on so he took Ev, who watched Finding Nemo on the computer. Of course, I find out as soon as I get there that Coop is having a 'meltdown' in language arts, so I went and found him and sorted that all out; guess it was a good thing I was there! So, I fed 40 kids pizza and stuff, checked in at the 'Student Store', which I am in charge of and just generally spent a couple of hours at the middle school with crazy teens and pre-teens. Left there, picked up Nash and his friend Reo, brought them home to play and got Ev down for a quick nap. An hour later we were all off to pick up Brody and Reo's sister from the elementary school, then off to the middle school to pick up Delaney and Cooper. Delaney decided to stay at school and catch up on some work before the term ends Friday. And they asked Layne to stay and do after-school-tutoring which means he is now there until 5:30 p.m. So back home we go, stop & get the mail first, and then there is Reo's mom waiting to take him and his sister home. Then Delaney's classmates mom called to talk about the science project her daughter and Delaney had to do that night that was due tomorrow ~ first I'd heard about it! Delaney and Layne came home at 5:30 and I finished getting dinner ready and everyone fed. Then it was time for Brody's baseball game, so Layne took him and Ev down to the park, while the rest of us went to the store to pick up stuff for Delaney's sudden science project and then it was take Delaney to church for a young women's activity and then head over to the park to cheer Brody on in his young baseball career. Then hurry home because Brody has to pee :) and it's time for more baths, showers, etc. Keep in mind that all the while Laundry is going on since I don't have a set day and I have enough of it to do loads every single day. I had to go to the grocery store for what was now the 2nd time today to get milk and eggs, which of course I couldn't get before when I was going straight to the park! So then home to my crazy, albeit loving, household where we had to get everyone settled down for the night. Plus Cooper~and all the other 6th graders~are going to Moab on Thursday for a fun field trip, so I commence making sure he has everything he needs and of course the whole time in the back of my mind I am worrying that he will get lost and left behind in Moab with all the crunchy granola people! In the midst of this Delaney comes home and starts to work on her project, which she in the meantime "forgot all about"!

the daily grind

Just a glimpse into a typical week in my life...

Monday - ugh, Monday! The kids get up and off to school. Javin gets here between 8:30and 9:00. I spend the morning feeding little ones, changing diapers, making sure Javin isn't shoving the ever elusive - to me, not to Javin - marbles, pennies, etc. into his mouth, and trying to interpret the many different sounds Everett makes, hardly a one an actual word, to figure out what he wants at any given moment whilst Nash continually begs to have a friend over or even worse, wants me to call his friend's mom and wrangle an invitation for him to go over there! Javin goes home at noonish and soon thereafter Everett is ready for a nap. Layne comes home most days at about 12:40 for a quick lunch and then back to the hormone-riddled youth at the middle school. Monday night at 4:30 Brody has baseball practice with a game following at 5:30 while Delaney needs to be to a different park for softball practice at 5:30 as well. Dinner needs to be cooked, phone calls returned, and of course this being the witching hour, Everett can go from happy to grumpy in one second flat. All the while Cooper and Nash are starving...when is dinner and what are we having? Sometime after about 7:00 baths and showers must be had and pj's found because they mysteriously disappeared since they took them off this morning! Layne has to go to his 2nd job, so he and his best friend, Mr. iPod are outta here. There's still homework to be finished, books to be read, bedtime snacks to be devoured, teeth to be brushed, and many good night hugs and kisses to be given. And don't forget to find blankey for a certain someonee (Blankey really needs a Lojack device!) Of course, my ever present shadow who is only about 3 feet tall or so, will not go to bed until I do, and his younger brother is starting to learn that trick, so often we hang out until Daddy gets home who can then magically get Ev to sleep while I try to entice Nash off to dreamland.

Okay, I'm exhausted just writing all that so maybe some day I'll give you a glimpse into a Tuesday....betcha can't wait!

Everett's special day

Everett had his 2nd birthday last Sunday. Our family quietly celebrated his special day with gifts and cupcakes. Check out the pictures and the little video of him with his present, a bubble blowing lawnmower, and then scroll down to see what how rough it is to be a two year old....


And then at two years and four days old...
Layne took Everett to his hearing test, which he had to have because of his many ear infections. The School for the Deaf brings a mobile trailer to town and does the hearing test in it. After the appointment was done and while Layne was signing papers Everett was playing on the steps of the trailer when the wind came and slammed the trailer door shut, hitting the little guy in the back of the head, slamming his face into the steps. He got a horrible cut on his chin. However, it didn't need stitches, it just looks really bad. The good news is his hearing is just perfect! It looks sad, but it didn't affect his ability to laugh and smile...see?

Rah, Rah, Siskoombah! (How do you spell that?)

Delaney tried out for cheerleading ~ and she made it!

Congratulations sweetie!