My Crazy & Cute Kids

So nothing really new is going on here, but lately my kids have just been so dang cute together that I must post a few pictures. With a 4 and almost 6-year-old, it is quite hit and miss whether they are getting along or not. Since I'm having a good week, well I should say great week (pretty much no fighting), I must document. For my sake more than anyone elses. I will look back at this next week when I'm going nuts trying to keep them from killing each other and remember that they are best friends!

Grandma sent them soccer uniforms she bought the boys while they were in Europe this summer. They love them!!! Thanks!

New and Improved

So I've been working lately on getting our baby's room and the office all finished. So hopefully these pictures look different than the last ones I posted.

So this is the office now. We got this furniture at Office Depot a few weeks ago. I actually picked out this desk b/c I loved it, and when I went back to buy a chair, they were clearancing out the whole set...everything you see here...for $300.00. So basically I saved like $1500 off the retail price. I was totally excited and now love our office. We would have never gotten it if it wasn't for the great steal of a deal! Please refer to the last posting with our home pictures and note the difference of our old office and this one.
This is an updated picture of the baby's room. The only thing you can't see is the dresser with changing pad. I wish it would fit into the picture b/c it's actually really cute! I'm hoping when my mom comes when I have the baby, she can help me make some cute curtains to match the crib bedding. I've never made curtains and I know it's not too hard, but I'm not that adventurous right now!
So that's about it.

Life updates: less than 6 weeks till baby girl (we are probably naming her Jane Ashley....I have to say probably b/c I never quite know till I see the baby). My doctor (Dr. Woods...same doctor as in Seattle...how lucky for me he moved to Coeur d'Alene), is going to induce me a week early b/c he's going to be out of town at his grandbaby's baby blessing the week of my due date. I'm not complaining. So if she doesn't come before, November 1st is the date.

I had a blast with old dental/blakeley friends at "Time out For Women" in Boise. Took a road trip with some girls and left the family for 3 days. Very refreshing and much needed. I'm always a better mom for doing things like that. Highly recommend!

The neighbor boy is talking to us again. That's right. It only took a week before he knocked on our door and said he could ride bikes with the boys outside, just not play at our house. We didn't do anything but smile and try to be friendly...guess they came to their senses and realized we weren't that bad after all. Or their son made them crazy being inside all day b/c the only kids he ever played with he was now banished from. Either way, it's great. No more inside, just bikes outside...best of both worlds!

Question

So many of you have passed me up having baby #3, which is just fine, but I must ask a question. Is it just the fact that I'm now 29 and my body is getting older by the minute, or is it #3 that does it to you. I mean, my tailbone hurts more than any other pregnancy. I tried going for a long walk today and I swear, it was one big contraction and I felt like I was getting stretch marks as I walked. I have TONS of new veins on parts of my body you don't want to know about. And lately, I feel like such a wimp saying this, but my back just hurts! I have 8 weeks officially, but of course feeling optimistic with my last baby coming 9 days early, hoping for more like 6 - 6 1/2. I'm really trying not to ever complain, because not only do I not get sympathy from anyone here in my home, it seems to make the time go by even slower and the "aches" worse. I think the real thing must be that I'm really just a wimp.

Oh, and today we had a new friend over after Kindergarten. He's a really darling boy from our ward in AM kindergarten as well. During lunch he said to me, "You are having a baby!" I said, "How could you tell?" He said, "Because you're really fat. People aren't that fat unless they are having a baby."
Ah yes...just what every pregnant woman loves to hear! :)

One more thing. So we've just tried to let the neighbor thing blow over. It's been nice out so we just ride bikes and smile and go along as usual. So yesterday evening a bunch of people were outside so Tom went out to meet some new neighbors and after speaking with them, struck up a conversation with the "Other" neighbors from my last post. They talked a little of dentistry and other small talk, and the guy was very cordial. His son still doesn't talk to our kids, but hey, it's all fine with me. Hopefully it'll all just blow over in a matter of time.

This is a first

So after my last posting of "firsts" for my children, today I experienced a "first" in my own life. It is still so new and i just need to talk about it or something.
So I don't know if I posted about our neighborhood here...it's great. We live in a cul-de-sac and all the neighbors have been so kind. We do have one "weird" neighbor kiddy corner from us, but we've tried to give them the benefit of the doubt and just not judge them by their appearance. They have a 7 year old son who the boys LOVE to play with...i mean literally he's been over at our house for hours every summer day. I try not to be judgemental and always let him play over (just not the other way around). The little boy is really polite and has always been so happy to play with the boys, especially since Cameron is the next closest to his age in our little neighborhood. Oh, and he has a mohawk that goes into a long mullet, as well as a gold stud in each ear, and he's about 15 lbs overwight for a 7 year old, oh, and comes over in his flannel pj bottoms with no shirt no matter the temperature outside.
So anyways, he plays with my kids all the time, and they love him. Today we go outside to ride bikes and this father comes up to me and wants to speak to me in private. I get a little nervous and say okay. He then tells me that he heard we were mormon and is this true. I tell him yes. He says that he is sorry but his son can't play with my children anymore and they can't talk to us ever. I try to be kind with a smile and tell him we are just Christian people and he tells us we are not and we need to realize what our religion is. He "bashes" for a minute or two more and proceeds to walk away.
So I am totally shocked and come inside and it hits me...i just lose it! It's really silly but I just felt so hurt. I think I've just felt like I've been so kind to their son and just welcomed him into our home and then they find out we are "mormon" and we are like the devil to them. I actually am relieved he won't be knocking on our door 24/7 anymore, but now I just am sad I have to explain to Cameron why he can't play with this boy anymore. Oh, and after he tells me this, I go outside (all emotional of course) b/c my kids are riding bikes and I see him go to the other neighbors and talk to each one of them....i wonder what he said. Then Cameron sees the boy and the boy calls out to him "Cameron, I can't play with you anymore". Luckily I was right there and just brushed it off to cameron.
Anyways, so how can people be so intollerant and unkind when they call themselves Christian? Aren't we supposed to try to be like Christ?
In the end, I'm not really worried about the neighbors thinking anything of us. They are all normal and I can't imagine what I would think if some guy (who is more than a little odd with fairly odd-looking offspring) told me not to let my kids play with another neighbor who is totally normal and nice, because of their religion.
After growing up in NY and living in Seattle for 4 years and Salt lake for 2, this is a first for me!

Big Day

So this morning was a morning of firsts for each of my boys. We got up and got ready and took Cameron to his first day of Kindergarten. I'm sure many of you reading this had a similar experience this morning in your home as well! Cameron was so excited! He picked out his clothes last night and layed them out on his floor. We live about a block from the school so we walked to school and dropped him off. His teacher is just so cute. Her name is Mrs. English. She is a morning kindergarten teacher and also the vice principal of the school. I was really impressed with her. It was really hard to leave the classroom...I just about cried. This is just the beginning, right? The minute we got home, Braden says to me, "Mom, lets take off my training wheels. You can help me and I can do it. Jackson can ride with no training wheels and he is four so I can do it too." I jumped on the opportunity b/c we've been trying to get him to take them off, but he hasn't been interested. So I took them off and took him to the cul-de-sac and off he went. He can't turn on his own yet, but man, he totally got it! I didn't even have to help except to stop! I think I underestimate my second child sometimes.