What the kids are up to *May 2014*

Max
Max is loving baseball. He likes to play catcher is pretty good at it. He is happy when he has a bye though. He is content just hanging out at home and playing with friends. He is having testing at school and had to write a three paragraph essay with college-esque requirements. It was rough for him because he doesn't love writing. There are more photos of him playing in a previous post but I did just come across this cute one with Steven and the girls at one of Max's games.

On night Max got out of bed crying and said he felt like something was trying to make him not help people. He would see people and think "I should help them", but something would say not to so he wouldn't. The same thing kept telling him to not get out of bed and tell me. We talked. I tried to reach out and feel his spirit. I sensed something dark just outside him. I asked Steven to give him a blessing. That seemed to really help and I don't feel that darkness around him anymore.  I'm thankful that I'm more aware of spiritual matters so that I can, with the help of Steven and his priesthood power, help keep our home safe. 

Steven left for a cruise just before the Pinewood Derby so I took the kids but he was able to help Max finish his car before he left. Max took 4th over all! Steven did some research on derby cars and it proved successful. It took a while for things to get started but once it was moving the littles all loved watchig and cheering. Liv would even reach her arms out and shout when the cars would go. Elese was so proud of Max and would always cheer for someone even if Max wasn't competing in that round.

All the 4th graders did an extra project called University of Learning.  They had to do extra projects and could ear specific degrees.  Travel and vacations count.  We counted our visit to Sacramento for Aunt Stephenie's funeral and he reported on the Jelly Belly Factory.  Then our trip to Texas had lots of fun things for him to report on like JFK and some more cultural things that we saw in Texas.  I want to say he got his Associates degree but I can't remember. They also played Call Me Maybe on their recorders.

Elese

Elese was in an acting group called Up With Kids. She practiced once a week. She liked it but didn't seem to LOVE it.  We were all looking forward to her performance because we had been listening to the music for
quite some time. My expectations were high, and they were not met. Elese did great but it was long and not super entertaining.  The kids didn't seem to know their parts and they sang over the vocal track so you couldn't even hear the kids.  It was a Peter Pan play.  Elese still loved it and enjoyed doing it but we opted to do Singers Company (much better) the following year. Tim and Lithia and their family came along with our family, Grandma and Papa & Grandma Hale.  Aunt Lithia even brought Elese flowers.  After the show Miss Nancy talked and talked...then each child was given an "Oscar". One day she got to perform at Jordan Valley, a school for special needs children.  Elese has a girl in her Primary class named Emily.  Emily cannot speak or walk.  Elese saw her there and was so happy that she saw her.  Some of the older students at the school had missionary tags.  When I walked in to pick her up I felt a really happy warm feeling, Elese noticed it too.  After everyone but the performers had left the room I realized it was gone.  That's when I realized I was feeling of their spirits.  All these precious children of God, many who cannot communicate, were reaching out with their spirits to tell everyone hello.  It was a really neat experience. 

Steven's cruise fell over Mother's Day so Elese slept with me Saturday night. At 6:40am I rolled over and she said, "Happy Mother's Day, can I hold your hand?" Once we were officially awake she went in and got my gift while I got Liv up. Elese has been so exited and talking all about my present and couldn't wait to give it to me. It was a book, a flower with her photo on it and a magnetic bug. Max came in and said "happy Mother's Day" then Sam came in and said, "let go eat!" Elese was by far the most thoughtful.  I'm not surprised, someday she will be a mom and she's earning her Mother's Day points early. 

Sam

 I told Sam I was going to kiss his face and he said, "Me no wanna be kissin'!" One of Sam's new favorite phrases is "Me almost big" he used this while talking about sleeping in my bed when Steven is out of town. He was also talking about fishing with a big pole. He was big enough to sleep in my bed but decided to not leave any room for me. 

Sam wanted a story about when he was a baby. I said, "Once upon a time there was a handsome baby named Sam." Sam: "No! Me no handsome." Me: "Once upon a time there was a baby named Sam and he was not handsome." Sam: "No! Me beautiful. Me wear a dress." He just clarified that Olivia is the one with the dress on.

 

I don't remember the story that goes with this picture but clearly Sam's desire to not take naps finally got to him.  This was about that time that we started "movie rests" and would hope he would fall asleep. Sometimes he would nap with me and we'd have success but that was beginning to be pretty rare and I didn't want to nap every day. 

 

Sam is pee trained but poo is seeming to be a problem. It's partially my fault. After a bout of diariah I've been putting him in pull-ups all the time to limit the mess. I'm trying to do better. If I say anything about going poop in the potty he says, "Me almost big." I finally asked him when he will be big enough. His response, "When I tall tall tall like daddy." This is going to be an awkward (and messy) next 32 years.

 

Sam's favorite color is Red.  "Me like red."

 

 Olivia 

I tried to relax outside and read a book and this one decided to eat a rock. She swallowed it before I could stop her.

Olivia got some jelly beans from Liz today. I let her play with the box like a rattle while we were out and about. We just got to the library and this is what I found. She ate through the box to get to the candy. There are only 3 jelly beans left.

 

It seems that Olivia didn't want Steven to leave for his 10 day trip and cruise.  She decided to unpack his bag and use his tooth brush as a ploy to get him to stay home.  It didn't work but she sure looked cute doing it.  

 

Olivia loves the bath. I have to watch very closely to make sure she doesn't jump in.

 

I was holding an apple and Liv started devouring it. I finally cut up some like fries and she started sticking handfuls in and gagging. She also usually eats an entire banana a day and then wants more! 

 

Olivia's favorite food that isn't really food is wood chips that fall out of Elese's shoes everyday after school.

 

Olivia climbed up two steps yesterday (May 24th) and stood up today at church. 

Olivia has started giving me big hugs and patting my back when I get her out of bed. 

 

Olivia plays a very good Zombie.  She has a scary zombie voice. I think it's because she listened to The Walking Dead from my womb.  

 

This is Olivia's version of "Feasting upon the words of Christ"...

Because Olivia was still nursing she joined us for the 48 Hour Film Project again this year while the big kids stayed with Grandma Heumann & Kaitie Heumann. More on that later but here she is with Chuck while I was busy doing some other stuff for the film. I love our ward and neighbors, everyone just loves our kids and helps us with them.  It's fantastic!

Most the kids...

Just because I have this random picture of the big kids reading to each other on a Saturday morning I had to post it.  I'm so blessed with such amazing kids, they really are the best.