Great Sale!!

Is it so tacky to promote my business on my family blog? I promise the only reason I am posting this is because I just previewed the sale items and they are some of mine, my customers, and my kids favorites and they STEEPLY discounted for the holidays. I truly want my friends and family to get the best deal possible!!

Go to this website to preview the Usborne Black Friday Sale Items and see for yourself why I had to share!! http://www.ubah.com/ecommerce/BlackFriday.asp?sid=H2748

Anyway the sale starts at 11 pm on Thanksgiving and goes until 8 pm Monday night. I highly recommend the Dinosaur Excavation kid kit, Volcanoes kid kit, See Inside Your Body, Knights and Armor, Trucks Stencil Book, That's Not My Snowman... I guess I'll stop... I really do love them all. If you need help/recommendations you can call me or email me.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Christmas Shopping!!

Good Boy/Bad Boy

The other day Will was watching me make dinner (and it was something he approved of... spaghetti and rolls) and just as I was finishing up he started jumping up and down and said, "Good job Mommy! You a good boy, mama! You a good boy! Good job!"

Yesterday, Will ate almost an entire package of gum so I secretly hid the last pieces last night. Well, this morning when he saw the empty package he looked at me and shouted, "You ate my gum. You a bad boy mama! Bad boy!" Then, he we walked into the bathroom to take a bath muttering the whole time, "Mommy a bad boy! Mommy a bad boy!"

I KNOW it is inappropriate to label a child "good boy/bad boy" even when they do something terribly naughty... but I can't help but think I've messed up and done that a couple of times... He heard it somewhere... right? At any rate, it is true, that I am sometimes "good" and sometimes "bad"... and so is he!

So Many People to Thank!!

Hilary Clinton wrote a book called, "It take a Village to Raise a Child." Well, today it definitely took a family to take care of me and my children. For some CRAZY reason I scheduled three Usborne events in one day, but it's November... the craziness that only comes once a year... and there are a lot of people that want to buy books and get them for free right now. $$Yeah!$$ I am home now. I survived it and am pleased with the results. So I MUST thank the people who made it possible:

Kathy: For dropping off table cloths at my house at 6:30 am this morning (all of mine were with some of my books at a boutique in Spring City); and watching my kids all day after being in hours of Scout meetings.
Dana: My kids told me they played at your house for awhile.... I haven't sorted it all out yet. :)
Stacie: For helping me set up at another boutique. We didn't know what we were getting into, but ended up having to carry a HEAVY table and four boxes of books up two flights of stairs. Yikes!! Also for helping me decorate it, including using her fabric to cover overturned boxes (since all my book racks were also in Spring City), and taking it down. That booth turned out DARN CUTE!! Especially since we threw it together with Kathy and Stacie's stuff. I took a picture with my phone. I'll see if Jer can help me load it later.
Mom, Levi, and Kiersten: For watching my kids while Kathy was in her early morning Scout meeting and helping me carry that heavy table and the four boxes of books DOWN the stairs after the boutique was over.
Bobbi and Andrea: For providing racks, tables, and/or time at a booth.
And MOST of all JEREMY: For helping me restock in Spring City last night; for getting the kids ready and taken care of this morning; for feeding them dinner; then driving to Spring City to take down and pack up my booth (no small task... 6 boxes, three tables, three racks, etc.) after a long day on the farm; and for doing it all without a word of complaint because he knows that it is important to me and our family. Also, for not complaining that next week (when we should be celebrating our anniversary) I have two home shows and a two-day booth at the Utah Chocolate Show. I lucked out when I married him!!

I feel so blessed. Thank you all!!

Our Little Detailer

Yesterday, I was moving some seats in our van around and noticed that we had accumulated a lot of books, toys, candy/McDonalds wrappers, paper and crayons, etc. in there. So, I said to Katie, "Why don't you clean out the van?" The rest of the conversation follows...

K: No.

J: Yes.

K: I have an idea. Why don't we have a contest and whoever holds their breath the longest wins. If I hold my breath the longest I don't have to clean out the van. If you hold your breath the longest I do have to clean out the van.

J: Okay.

I won and to my great surprise after Katie asked for a rematch, and I turned her down, she went outside and started working on the van. About 30 minutes later I was even more surprised to hear vacuum sounds coming from the garage. Our next door neighbor is a car detailer (he does a GREAT job, by the way) and my kids have seen him in his driveway cleaning peoples' cars. I guess that is how she knew what to do... because when I investigated she had the junk cleaned out, the mats out and already vacuumed, and was folding the seats flat to vacuum the whole floor. I was so impressed I had to take a picture to document it the moment. Our van was AMAZINGLY clean when she was finished.

Just when I think I'm expecting too much of a 5 year old... she proves me wrong.

Things I've Done

This idea came for Curt and Colleen Hall's blog. The things in bold are things I've already done. The things in italics I will do within the next six months. Things in blue I will never do. :)

To participate just copy and paste in your own blog, and mark all of the things you have done. Happy discoveries!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped... I am terrified of heights!!
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice ... going to Italy in April!!
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person... again, I'm going to Italy in April!!

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant... what a great idea!
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person... I'm so excited to go to Italy in April
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies... but I've bought plenty :)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check...oops!
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem... one of the highlights of my life!
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life... I've had to perform the heimlich 3 times on my children.
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby... definitely THE highlight of my life.
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit... we are in a class action now... something with our insurance company.
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

William Henrie Joseph Cox

Happy Birthday Willy!!

We celebrated Will's 2nd Birthday by going to the Halloween Carnival at the Elementary School. Later that afternoon, Stacie and both of his Grandma's presented him with presents perfect for a little William, he told me he needed to go pee and poop in the potty (AND HE DID!!), we watched the BYU game, and Katie and I got REALLY sick.

But this post is about WILLIAM...

Will is pure delight. He makes us laugh so much! He is also very sweet. Whenever anyone is upset he runs up to them and says, "I sorry!" and gives them a hug. In fact, when Matthew and I wer throwing up yesterday (sorry for the gross detail), Will would come up to us and pat our heads and say, "Sorry, Momma" or "Sorry, Matthew" and try to comfort us. Of course, when Matthew threw up on my bedroom floor he ran around the room giggling and squealing, "EWW!! Gross!"

The other morning Will woke up and started hollering, "Daddy come get me out! Daaadyyy! I want out..." So when Jeremy went and got him out of his crib he looked at him seriously and said, "Finally, Daddy! Finally!" Every morning (without fail) he asks Jer, "Goin to the farm dad? I go with you to the farm? I ride back hoe and feed cows?"

Ashton has been a big influence on Will and so he also loves books,vehicles, digging and riding his bike. He loves to push around cars, trucks, and especially diggers. He loves to be read to (especially books involving things with wheels and farms). We had to get some Usborne bath books because Will kept taking books into the bath tub with him. The other day he was reading a farm book and pointed to some animals and said, "Animalths... "(he has an adorable lisp). Then he looked at me very serously he says, "I scared of animalths." Now whenever we ask him what he is afraid of he says, "I scared of animalths." And he IS.

Will is a junk food junkie! This morning he spilled syrup all over the kitchen trying to drink it from the bottle and just a few minutes ago he said to me, "I need candy in my mouth, please." He is currently eating smarties.

I asked the kids their favorite thing about Willy. Ashton said, "He listens to me." (Read: "I can boss him around.") Matthew said, "He always likes to play with me." Will does LOVE to play with his siblings. His favorite time of day is when we go pick Katie up from school. But, Kathryn summed it up best when she said, "I don't know... is is so cute. I love everything about him!"

Happy 2nd Birthday William. WE LOVE YOU!!

Halloween

Halloween, one of Matthew's favorite days of the year, was a success this year. For the first time in several years, no one was sick, hurt or on oxygen.

Matthew said he was sick of being a superhero and decided to be a wizard this year. Of course, before Halloween was over he asked if he could be Iron Man next year.

Kathryn chose a "little devil" costume. There has definitely been a time or two this week when I thought that was a pretty accurate outfit. Of course, there have also been times when I thought an angel costume would be more appropriate. :-)

A month or so ago, Ashton declared that he was going to be a troll for Halloween and even went so far as to ask my mom to make him a costume. Then when we went costume shopping, he picked out a really cute vampire costume. On the way home from the store he said, "Mom, let's take this vampire costume back. I'm going to be a troll and Grandma's making me a troll costume." Over the next couple of weeks, we tried to talk him into being a vampire, but it didn't work and my mom ended making him this cute troll costume a day or two before Halloween. Thanks Grandma!

Will was a dinosaur. After I got him dressed in his costume I held him up to the mirror to see what he thought. He got wide eyes turned to me and said, "I scare me!!"

We enjoyed watching the kids march down Main Street in the Halloween parade and had a lot of fun at the Chili and breadstick cook-off/ trunk or treating at the church.

I think I have about two creative ideas per year and one of my alloted creative inspirations happened while the kids and I were getting ready to decorate the trunk for trunk or treating. Jeremy had a great idea of having Katie make ghosts out of tissues and we could hang those from the open hood of our van. But while we were taking stuff out of the trunk (still there after a booth last week) I saw some Navy blue plastic table clothes, remembered a black cat Katie had made in kindergarten and the inspiration flowed. I think the end result (below) was pretty darn cute (especially for me.)

Dental Work

Matthew had his first root canal when he was 4 years old. We pretty much felt like the worst parents ever... especially because neither of us had a cavity until we were grown up and only have had a couple of cavities EVER.

So, a couple of weeks ago I had occassion to look in his mouth and was horrified. One of his teeth looked like it was totally decaying and it also looked like it was spreading to the next one. So, I made a dentist appointment. He had those visible cavities, plus 1 or 2 more. He had a pulp treatment yesterday in hopes of avoiding a second root canal. He did really well, considering, and hardly complained. Of course, the vanilla shake I bought him from the Malt Shop helped.

It turns out Matthew has some condition caused by genes, medications at 6 mo. of age and/or a fever at 6 mo. of age. (The dentist, Wes Thompson, said it was most likely a couple of those interacting). Anyway, his teeth are super soft and so they are VERY prone to cavities and decay. In two weeks he will get sealants to protect his teeth.

Knowing about his "condition" eased my guilt SO much. I can now look at the "pirate tooth" (crown) he got at 4 yrs. old and know that I am NOT the worst mother ever. Poor Matthew though. He is such trooper!

On the Farm

Last Sunday, while we were doing chores we realized we hadn't posted pictures of the kids "helping" on the farm. So I took the camera to take pictures while we were there on Monday. Unfortunately, it was a getting close to sunset and I don't know how to manually use the flash on the new camera. Oh... well. Good enough. :)

The kids shortly after we arrived.

Ashton is crying because one of the kitties climbed up his back and scratched him pretty good.

Jer and Will. Will is willing to put up with those annoying ear muffs if it means a tractor ride.

Matthew pushing up hay. When Jer came by with the feeder a few minutes later, Matthew said, "I already pushed up and now Daddy is feeding them. Those girls are getting spoiled today."

Jer, Ash and Will in the green tractor feeding a bale. Life doesn't get much better than this for the little boys (and Jer).

Matthew using his imagination at his favorite spot... the tire pile.

Katie feeds the cats quite generously. She loves the kittens, dogs, and cows. She frequently tells people that she is "an animal lover" and wants to be a vet when she grows up.

Ashton pushing up hay.

Bubble Bath

The other night I was in my office working and Will was happily splashing away in the bathtub. All of the sudden I heard Jeremy groan, "No... No... Oh, Will. Why did you do that?" Just then, I heard Ashton let out a shriek of delight. Then, I heard a splash! So I went to investigate.

Apparently, Will had dumped an ENTIRE bottle of shampoo (thankfully, the cheap kind) out into his bathwater. It made A LOT of bubbles. Ashton and Will had so much fun piling suds and bubbles on themselves and each other that it was totally worth the 89 cents to get some new shampoo.

Sickness

This is always the hardest time of year when it comes to our family's health... everyone gets sick. It seems like from the time school starts until Thanksgiving someone (usually more than one person) is sick at all times. Jeremy thinks it is because of bodies aren't ready for the wide temperature changes. (The other day on the farm there was a 60 degree difference between the high and the low). Anyway... we've been lying low lately because of the sickness at our house... everything from stomach bugs, bad colds, to huge cold sores... and we are ready to feel better!

We did make these fun monsters out of candy and rice krispy treats. I took pictures with my phone because our camera battery is dead. So, I will try and get those posted later.

Oh... the good news is I have not only finished earning the Usborne trip to Rome for 1, but I also earned $400 cash to take with me. I am trying to figure out a way to get Jeremy there too. :)

An ODD Experience

The kids before the Primary Program at Church today

This week started normal enough. On Monday for family home evening we made a chocolate haunted house (similar to a gingerbread house). The kids had a lot of fun and when we were done we put it on the piano. Whenever anyone comes to the door the kids run to show them the haunted house.

On Thursday the kids had parent teacher conferences. (It was good they didn't have school because everyone has come down with a really bad cold: sore throat, fever, runny nose and cough. Today Ashton, Jeremy and I are the sick ones.) It was fun to hear the raving reviews from their teachers. Matthew and another child in his class will be starting a special math program soon because they are both talented at math and finish well before the rest of the class. Katie is starting a special reading program that will challenge her more. It is amazing how two kids who pretty much have done everything together their whole life can be so different. Katie's teacher remarked on her very neat handwriting and artistic talent (especially drawing and coloring). Matthew's teacher said that she can only get him to draw and color for a couple of minutes, but he LOVES to look at Science books.

When we got home after parent teacher conferences at about 5:05 pm we discovered that someone had cashed a $1320 check on our account. We saw the check number, but couldn't access an image online at the point. We searched and searched our house, but could not find the checkbook that check had come from. The check was number was 523 or something and checks 521 and 522 had cleared over a year ago. They had been written two days before I spent a night in a hotel in American Fork. (I didn't rememeber that right then, but I realized it later.)

So, the next morning I called the Credit Union right when it opened. At first she thought that maybe the computer read the account number wrong, but once she retrieved an image of the check she called me back and said the signature did not look like Jeremy's and we needed to get down to the credit union now.

Jeremy came home from the farm and we spent the whole morning closing and opening new accounts, filling out new debit card applications, and talking with the police. The American Fork and Ephraim police are working together because the check was written to the very hotel I had stayed at a year ago which seems like an extreme coincidence. (Although with three houses under construction in our neighborhood right now, they wouldn't be surprised if it was stolen by one of the MANY strangers working in our neighborhood, either.) They actually expect to catcher the thief/forger next week.

Anyway... it was a very odd experience to be the victim of fraud. Unfortunately, we had our full names, DL numbers, etc. on our checks. We are supposed to follow up with Credit Union and get a credit report on Monday. It is really a pain. We have no checks or cards right now. I did remember that I had some cash someone used to pay for Usborne books. So I kind of embezzled from myself to get us through the weekend. On Monday, I will get some counter checks or cash or something. Anyway... so a word of advice: the Credit Union suggests that you only put your first initial and last name on your checks and no personal info other than address and phone number. That way if you do lose your checkbook it is very difficult to forge and/or steal your identity because they don't know enough about you.

The Utah State Fair and Kathryn

Not an amazing picture, but as good as it gets after a long day at the fair.

We've spent a lot of time the last two weeks preparing for, working at and visiting the State Fair. The kids had a blast watching a tiger show, seeing a sculpture made from a ton of butter, and looking at award winning animals and art and crafts. It was one of those things we probably wouldn't have done if it weren't for Usborne.

Last Thursday, Katie (who informed us this week she wants to be called Kathryn "because that's [her] name") and I met up with my Usborne supervisor and friend, Bobbi Giles and set up the Usborne booth. Katie and I then worked the booth for most of the next two days. Katie was excellent and extremely helpful. She did have her moments when she was bored and downright difficult, but she did a great job of passing out business cards and encouraging people to enter the free book drawing. Stacie and Kellie (thankfully) came and picked up her up both nights at dinnertime making it an even funner experience for both of us.

In her "down time" she made friends with the other vendors and found other ways to occupy herself.

The next Friday (two days ago) was school picture day and Ashton's Celebration of Life at preschool. Basically it is a very symbolic birthday party. (I think we talked about it in January on Kathryn's birthday.) Anyway... he was so cute as he passed out pencils to his classmates and listened to me tell about his life. As we were leaving preschool he said, "Mommy, thank you, thank you for coming to my Celebration of Life." Ashton knows how to tug people's heart strings.

Then Jeremy and I got the little boys' pictures taken at the school (I hope Will's turns out... he was being shy), we pulled Matthew out of school about 1/2 hr. early and we went up to the State Fair again. This time, Jeremy took the kids around to the shows, events, exhibits, while I worked in the Usborne booth. The booth was pretty busy and the kids had a blast so we consider it a success!

Carrot tops from "Carrot County"

Yesterday, they kept telling me things they had learned from the shows and exhibits and Ashton asked if we could go back to that "really fun Book Party!" I am so grateful for Jeremy and the kids. They were such great sports and supports during the State Fair.

In other interesting news this week, Matthew had several cold sores which we believe led to impetigo. So he (and I) missed church and he'll probably miss school tomorrow. I think he is going to have picture retakes.

And Will acting like the truly patient, well-behaved toddler that he is made an enormous mess with water colors and then ran into the bathroom and jumped in the bathtub without bothering to change his clothes.

Later that day, Kathryn and I had this conversation:

K: What is Will's wife going to call him?

J: I don't know. What do you mean?

K: What is his grown up name?

J: What is your husband going to call you?

K: (Exasperated) Kathryn. (Add a look that says, "Duh!")

J: Oh.

K: And Dad's grown up name is Jer so what is Will's grown up name going to be? Because "Willy" is a baby name and so is "Will." Willy and Will are BOTH baby names! (Add another exasperated look.)

J: I guess she'll call him William.

This conversation was immediately following the time she told me she now wants to be called "Kathryn" so I am assuming that Katie (who put on my mascara before we worked at the booth so she could "look her best") thinks that now she goes to school she is fully grown up. I always knew she was 5 going on 20.

Happy Birthday Ashton!

Ashton has been waking up every morning in August and asking, "Is today my birthday?" Well, finally, Friday was his birthday. He had a great day... pizza for dinner, cool presents (all pretty much relating to vehicles, books or both), and I made him a digger cake. I was watching two of my friends little ones and so I ended up with 5 kids "helping" me. Will and my friend's baby ate more junk food in 1 hour than any child should have in a month. I was using Twinkies to make the buckets on the front and back and Katie and Ashton started freaking out because I needed to cut the back Twinkie in 1/2 because the back digger bucket is small. I started thinking about it and they were right. So I cute the Twinkie in 1/2. I hate projects like that, but he really wanted a digger cake so it really was one of those maternal sacrifices. It was worth it that night though when he said, "I love you Mommy because you made me green digger cake."
Oh... one thing that we found hilarious... After we sang "Happy Birthday," Jeremy, Levi and the kids started "calling" parts of the cake. ("I want a tire [chocolate donut] or exhaust pipe [Twix] or bucket [Twinkie].") Well, Ashton has "helped" his dad move manure with the digger on the farm more than once so he went for the Oreo cookie crumbs and shouted, "I'm going to eat the poop!"

We were really proud of Katie and Matthew. Katie went to the store with my mom and used her own money to buy Ashton a sword for his birthday. Matthew paid me for a "Farm Sticker Book" that I was planning on selling at the State Fair so he could give Ashton a present.

The next day, Saturday, he had a birthday party at the Manti park with his grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins and a couple of kids from his Primary class. They made cars out of banana boxes, had a car race, played duck-duck-goose and enjoyed a Lightening McQueen pinata. He wouldn't race at first because he was busy using his car to build a road (just like Lightening McQueen) in the sand volleyball court. His presents were PERFECT for him.
Saturday night, Will, Ashton, and Katie all came down with fevers so Matthew was the only one that went to church today. Jeremy and I spent the day taking care of sick kids and reading. I read that new Stephenie Myers book, "The Host." I have to say I liked it WAY better than the Twilight series.


Will learned to climb in and out of crib this week. NOT GOOD!! Naptime takes A LOT more effort now. Bummer! Why do babies have to turn into toddlers? It is cute though... the other night he kept climbing out and running to Matthew who was finishing his homework on the coach. When we got close he would cuddle up to Matthew and say, "No night-night. I want Mamoo (Matthew)." Today Jeremy sent Matthew to check on Will (who was supposed to be in his crib napping) and as soon as Matthew opened the door we heard, "Hi Matt! Whatcha doin' Matt? Whatcha doin'?" Matthew informed us that Will was playing with Katie's stuff and said, "Will is cute, but he is turning into a little devil." Kind of true... he is turning into a two year old.

I have been just the right "busyness" with Usborne this summer, but it is going to get busier soon when the Fall selling season starts and I'm looking forward to that too. The September specials are awesome so I am excited to share them at the State Fair this weekend!

Katie is enjoying tumbling, Matthew is loving karate, and both Ashton and Matthew are playing soccer. Soccer is busy!! We had two soccer practices on Tuesday, and one on Wed., Thurs, and Friday. I didn't realize how quickly I would have to become a chauffer for my kids. While the boys practice the other kids love to play on the playground equipment. We usually do some kind of artsy activity after school which always is more work than I think it will be (especially when Willy paints himself with watercolors and craft paint)... but they are happy and so are we and that's what is important... right?

Kindergarten Baby

Today is the first day of school. Matthew is starting first grade and Kathryn is a kindergarten baby. They were so excited they were already about 45 minutes before we needed to leave this morning! Matthew is excited to eat school lunch for the first time today.

I have mixed emotions... I am sad to see them go, but I am looking forward to having some time to get stuff done. Will and Ashton don't quite know what to do without the big kids to entertain them.

My mom took some cute pictures of the kids with their teachers. I will add those if I can figure out how to download from her camera.