Activities with Dad

Jake, Tanner, and Brian started our garden today. Apparently some of the vegetables need to be started indoors, then moved outside come Spring so they planted some of the seeds in this little plastic container thingy that is now a makeshift table centerpiece. Tanner lost interest quickly, but Jake was really into it. They planted onions, two kinds of tomatoes, basil, cantelopes, and zuchinni. The compost is going well and Brian has been really good about getting the plot of our yard ready for planting in a few weeks. Since I seem to kill any plant I have ever had (could have something to do with my lack of attention to details- like watering....) I will be anxious to see if the boys can get this garden to take off. If we do get to make fresh veggie pizzas, fresh salsa, and garden fresh omelettes this summer I have no doubt it will be "despite me" not "because of me".

The boys also played their first flag football game. Sort of. It was only the three of them. Tanner's belt had to be wrapped around his waist three times- and even then it was falling off of him. It was Brian and Tanner vs. Mom and Jake. Jake's getting really good at catching the ball and running with it, but doesn't like to give up the glory by letting mom score any touchdowns- even when Dad is clearly going to grab a flag. Faith was sick, so she missed our game, preferring to lay on the couch surrounded by her animals watching (what else?) Dora.

Faith and her Baby Horsies

I know, logically, that if we had bought as many toy pigs or goats or elephants as we have horses, that she would probably have an interest in one of those animals, but it is so cute how attached she is to her horsies. She literally has a herd of them. She plays with them in her room, putting them to bed in their stable and waking them up. She tries to ride them and sits on them saying "Giddyup! Giddyup!" She puts them on her truck and "takes them to Mommy's house". She drags them all downstairs and sits with them while watching Dora or Diego. She calls them all "her baby horsies". If she is sad or upset about something the first thing her brothers do is bring her the baby horsey herd.

Jake's Birthday

We had ten boys to Gem State Gymnastics for Jake's party over the weekend. It was a lot of fun- there were trampolines and bouncy houses, swinging ropes and a pit full of foam that the kids could jump into. It was pretty much "free play" for an hour on all the equipment. Brian and I had our hands full keeping Tanner and Faith out of harm's way. Faith almost got nailed by one of the kids on the swinging rope thingy. She loved the balance beam and spent most of her time scooting along that and playing on the indoor playground slide. Tanner did everything the big kids did. After cake and presents we took two of Jake's friends out to dinner with us, then had one of them spend the night. We had movie night with Madagascar 2 and pancakes for breakfast.

On his real birthday we had dinner over at the Merc with Grandma. He opened his presents there. He got several Wii games and some football/basketball shirts. He was enthusiastic about everything and came home to try out the MLB Wii game before bed. The flag football set that Brian picked up at the last minute was the big hit, though. He's now ready to host 10 person flag football games on the green across from the Merc on Friday Nights this summer. He also got his first cup- which he thought was pretty funny- , a "real" football, and a subscription to Sports Illustrated for Kids.

At bedtime I told him all about the night he was born and sang him the first song I ever sang to him(Irish Lullabye). That's when he popped the question: "Mom, how DO babies get born anyway?". I told him how he and his brother and sister were born (cutting open my tummy). Then he asked how most babies are born. So, I told him all about it. He giggled, looked a little embarrassed and said, "Mom.... that is REALLY weird!".

He is smart and funny and warm hearted. He loves Sportscenter and books , music and Wii, four square and cheeseburgers. He has lots of friends, is willing to try new things on his own, and is one of the sweetest people I know. I am lucky to be his Mom and even when he is trying my every last nerve I am so proud of the person he is becoming.

Kids Toys

It's pretty easy to see why American children are having so much trouble in the global marketplace of science and technology....the toys. Jake got a bunch of stuff at his 6th birthday yesterday (Marisa will write about the party later), but one of the gifts was a marble rollercoaster contraption that he really wanted us to build today. 

The box said for kids six and up, but it's also an Italian toy, so that must mean six year olds who understand the metric system and plan to grow up and design new Ferarri engines. It's an AWESOME toy (says the 40 year old)! The instructions were 12 pages or so, it's got these amazing cable systems with clamps and pulleys, and you need to make all sorts of minute adjustments to get the thing to work with the different wieghts of marbles that it comes with. It teaches design and engineering concepts, encourages fine motor skills, direction following, cause and effect, and to a certain extent, the beginning principles of physics.

The kids (Jake, his friend Sean who slept over, and Tanner) spent about 5 minutes total "helping" me try to build it, before they lost interest. Then they played slam dunk, four square and football while I finished it up. Once you make all of the adjustments, even then, they have to be careful rolling the marble, because if they don't stay at the precise speed the thing is tuned for they go flying off the track. It really is a pity they don't make these things for adults, because a lot of the grown-up guys who read this blog (you know who you are) would have wanted them after putting it together (I know I have already hit the website). Plus, the damn thing glows in the dark!

Trip to Gold Fork Hotsprings

This was one of those rare weekends where we didn't have anything to do either day. Faith's birthday was on Friday and then....no ski lessons, no playdates, no social events, no sports stuff, no nothin'. Well we weren't exactly sure how to deal with that (you mean stay at home with all three kids, all weekend long....yeah right!)  so we decided to hit the road.

The majority of the State of Idaho is over geothermal hot beds, so there are natural hot springs everywhere. Some are private, some are in National Parks etc., but we've never been and you know in all those activity books for kids, they all mention taking the young'uns out to the hotsprings. So we loaded up the Suburban (damn the energy crisis!) and headed north into the mountains. 

Gold Fork Hotsprings is outside (meaning waaaay outside in the hills) of Donnelly,

 which is an hour and a half drive from here usually. About 1/2 hour out of town Faith threw up everywhere, carseat, clothes, blankets etc. She was perfectly happy, just covered with vomit. We stopped at

 the side of the river and cleaned her

 up, but had neglected to bring a change of clothes (we usually don't remember the diaper bag either) so that's why she has no pants on in the picture, outside, in 24 degree weather. A little while later we had to stop so Tanner could go the bathroom in the snow (look Dad, it's like a lemon snow cone), and then again so Jake could go (no snow cone this time, we had to find a gas station). So roughly three hours later we got to the turn off for the hotsprings, which really just began the journey. 

We had to drive probably 6-7 miles down a one lane, snow covered road out into the middle of nowhere to get to the place. I started to think the entire thing was a scam and we were going to round the next bend into a hillbilly camp, whereupon we would be robbed of all our wordly possesions and sent off into the snowy wilds to try to find our way back to society. But eventually we found it. 

It was really neat, the hottest pool was over 105 (hotter than most hottubs) and way too hot for comfort, but as the pools (there were 5) cascaded further away from the source they got progressively cooler. The main pool was probably 102 or so and was huge, like a swimming pool with rocks and boulders and snow all around. We only went into one other pool which was

 cooler, but shallower, so

 the kids liked it, but eventually Marisa and I were able to talk them back into the bigger pool.

We only stayed for an hour or so, and the little ones slept parts of the (much quicker) drive home. So a great trip all around (if I can get the vomit smell out of my car...) and another Idaho landmark to check off our "to-do travel" list. We really had a good time, so next time you visit, don't be surprised if we suggest it.....

Faith Turns 2

I turned on the evening news
Saw an old man being interviewed
Turning 102 today.
They asked him what's the secret to life.
He looked up from his old pipe,
Laughed and said, "All I can say is...
Don't Blink"
- Kenny Chesney


It doesn't seem possible that this little girl- this little surprise of ours- has been with us for two years already! She is usually very even tempered and fun to be around. She entertains herself really well. Currently one of her favorite games is playing "Parking Garage" in which she drives all of our ride on toys in our living room (5- believe it or not!) and parks them in another place. Lately she has started standing on each of them, putting her arms out, and yelling "Me skateboarding!!", then jumping off. She loves puzzles and books and copying her brothers' every move. She can be feisty and stubborn but is also such a little snuggler. She loves listening (and singing) to music, dancing, and playing all the sports that her brothers play. She loves to color and will happily sit at the table for long stretches with her crayons and markers. Of course, she's not an angel. She's TWO so her favorite phrases are "Me do it!" and "NO!".

We got her a rocking pony for her main birthday present and she is quite enamored with it. She named it "Rocket" and climbs on and off herself (many, many times in the last 24 hours). She got lots of clothes, a Baby Jaguar doll from Jake (which made 8 stuffies in her bed last night), several books, and a stick horse from Nana. Auntie Sue and Grandma Mary gave her a table and chairs for her bedroom which is designed like an old fashioned ice cream parlor table. She loves it all. Her birthday cake was (what else?) a horse theme. She didn't actually eat a piece of cake. Instead, she kept taking the plastic horse, dipping it into the frosting, licking its feet, then repeating the process over and over. Jake videotaped all of the festivities, narrating like a pro.

I'm going to try really hard not to blink this year- she is growing up way too fast!

Into the home stretch...

As we start to wind down the school year, we are getting started early on the end of the year events. Last night was Jake's last Chess Club Tournament and pizza party. He loves to play chess, but as it gets warmer and warmer out, he is trying to get through his matches faster and faster (not caring whether he wins or loses) so he can go outside and play four square in between match start times.

He still loves to play chess, and says he wants to do chess club next year, but he also says he wants to play football and hockey and basketball and lacrosse and snowboarding. We recently talked to Jake's pediatrician about his kidney issue, and he feels that there is no danger to Jake's kidney from contact sports. Come to find out, amazingly enough, the number one cause of kidney damage after auto accidents is.....sledding. Jake was a champ when we first explained to him (in error, as it turns out) that he couldn't play contact sports, so now that he knows he can, he is off and roaring.

Just for fun....Faith

Faith at a couple of hours and then almost 2.

Just for fun.....Tanner

Tanner at 8 months and then at 3+ years old.

Just for fun....Jake

Since Faithy's 2nd birthday is on Friday and they are growing up waaaay too fast. Jake at 6 months and almost 6 years old.

Some More Things to Remember

Tanner's current favorite songs:

• The Boys Are Back in Town- Thin Lizzy
  


• Don't Blink- Brad Paisley
  


• Help Me Rhonda- The Beach Boys
  

Movie Night:
Movie Night on Saturday was a big hit. The kids all laid on the floor with stuffies and a blanket and watched "Horton Hears a Who". It was the first time we played a movie from beginning to end with attention held by all three.

The Slam Dunk Reenactment:

The boys watched the "Slam Dunk Contest" (NBA) and then for weeks after replicated the winning dunks. Tanner was Nate Robinson and Jake was Dwight Howard. If you saw the pros dunk, this makes a pretty funny picture.

Faith's Singing:

Faith sings several lines from all the songs from "Mama Mia. She also loves "Don't Blink" but probably only because her idol (that would be Tanner) wants to listen to it constantly.

Jake's Recycling Discovery:
For awhile now Brian and I have been surreptitiously throwing some of Jake's Kindergarten work into the recycling bin. We keep the good stuff, but there's so much that is meaningless: dot-to-dots, math worksheets, etc.... But we knew it would bother him if he knew about it. Well, the jig is up. Tonight Brian asked Jake to take out a cardboard box. He was gone for a long time- so long that we were about to go out looking for him- when he walked into the kitchen with an absolutely devastated look on his face holding about a dozen of his papers in his hands. He burst into tears and said things like, "I work SO hard at school and you THROW it away???". Drama King that he is, it went on for some time- even after we had told him about the fact that we don't have enough drawer space, that we need to take care of our earth and save trees, etc... I don't think a dollar will be enough for the therapy jar for this one- I'm putting in a five.

Faith's Bedtime:
Faith crinkles up her nose, squeezes her eyes shut, and says, "ME!" when I ask her, "Who does Mommy love?" and "Who's Mama's best girl?"- our little bedtime ritual.

Tanner's Enthusiasm about Preschool:

We signed him up to start preschool next year at the school next door to our house. Literally, the playground is right next to our backyard. He is so excited to start (in August). He points it out to everyone and showed our guests the flyer they sent us. He and Brian went to an Open House there while I was up skiing with Jake last weekend and he couldn't wait to take me to look in the windows when I got home.

Skiing with Jake:

After his lesson on Saturday we hit the slopes together. I loved riding on the lift with him and playing "Follow the Leader" down the mountain. It truly gave me an indication of things to come- enjoying activities together as a family on a whole different level.

A House Full of Kids:

A friend of mine (the mother of one of Jake's friends) is going back to school to get her teaching credential. She is a single mom and knowing she could use some help, Brian and I volunteered to pick up her THREE boys from school each Tuesday and watch them until she got home at 5:30.

Jake loves it. The boys are K, 2nd grade, and 8th grade. They spend all afternoon playing Four Square, Basketball, and hockey. This Tuesday was an early release and so we volunteered to pick up three additional boys and keep them for awhile. We had 8 boys in our house for several hours- it was great! The Peterson household was always the place to hang out after school when I was growing up and I'd love to be that household here.