Snack-tastrophe

I love graham crackers. I could eat them by the box all by myself. I love smearing them with nutella and marshmallow fluff, peanut butter and chocolate chips, cream cheese frosting, whipped cream and strawberries...the snack-worthy toppings are endless.
My kids love graham crackers too, which is awesome. It's awesome because my kids don't like any of the same things. At all. Ever. It's an unwritten kid-rule in my house. If four like spaghetti, there is one who hates spaghetti. For realz. So the fact that I can give one snack to all FIVE children, is a miracle from Heaven.
Tyler loooooves graham crackers. They are his favorite thing. Baby fussing? Give him a graham cracker. Baby teething? Give him a graham cracker. Baby up at 2am? Where are the graham crackers?!?! Graham crackers make him smile.

I like that Tyler likes graham crackers because they make my life easier. In motherhood, anything that makes life a little easier/quieter/less insane is a good thing. So if I can plop Tyler down in front of Blues Clues with a graham cracker and he will actually sit and play and be happy, then I am happy.
Yep, I am teaching my children to sit in front of the television and consume loads of sugary snacks. What could possibly go wrong? But hey, do you want my kids to have clean clothes? Trust me, you do. Television + graham crackers = Jen's kids having clean clothes.
There is, however, a down side to graham crackers. When you chew up graham crackers (or rather when you gum them to death) you end up with this delightful graham cracker crumb paste. It's a slobbery, buttery goop, which you can then smear all over everything from the carpet, to the couch to mom's shirt. The best part though? This goop doesn't stay goopy forever. It DRIES! Instant slobber-graham-crusties. MMMMMMMMM.

So, new math for you. Television + graham crackers = clean clothes and disgusting furniture. Thank goodness for baby wipes.

Yay for Indoor Plumbing!

This is how we've spent the last few days:

Feeling very thankful for:
1. Indoor plumbing (oh, and outdoor...had to use the hose too)
2. Clorox
3. Redbox
4. Gatorade and Saltines
5. The fact that weeks like these are rare and my kids are typically healthy

Gavin's To-Do List:

1. Wake up
2. Eat Breakfast
3. ...

Give Mom a heart attack.

For the Beauty of the Earth

For a husband who makes root beer for my fundraiser, and brownies for my friends, and changes his schedule to be home when I need him, and gets up at 5:30 with the baby so I can sleep, and tells me he loves me even when I'm cranky, and who is in all ways and times better than I will ever be.
For children who are healthy and smart and loving and funny and LAUGH-OUT-LOUD-FUNNY, and kind to other, and talented, and mine.
For family members who teach me and support me, even in stupid things that probably don't warrant any support.
For friends who love me even though they are all cooler than I am and even though I'm not always a great friend back.
For a home and a car (with automatic sliding doors) and food and my spot on the couch that has a dent from my bum sitting in it for extended periods of time.
For the people in my life who talk me out of my nonsense, who encourage me to write, who tell me I'm good at things (even if they lie, I think it's okay), who make me laugh and who share in my trials and triumphs and who are my "village".
For the dumb dog and the lazy cat.
For chocolate and ice cream and sparkly things and all things feminine and lovely.
For a Heavenly Father who knows me and knows my needs. Who is patient and loves me and pulls me through my every day.
For a Savior who gave His life so that I can live without being afraid of my imperfection.
For a gospel that guides me and fills my life with the best things.
For all things that testify of Christ.

Lord of all to Thee, I raise, this my hymn of grateful praise.

Cookie...

What cookie? I don't have a cookie.

Taking the Stage

Music is a big part of our lives. I don't mean that in the, we are serious musicians, way. We are NOT serious musicians. We really aren't musicians at all...unless you count Gavin playing the harmonica in school.
Still, we love music and we try to surround ourselves with it. So I was super excited when Nathan had the opportunity to take on a critically acclaimed musical at such a young age.
I present to you Nathan Ramsey in the leading roll of the new hit musical...

"Swinging in the Rain"

Hickety Spickety

I love the Disney version of "The Sword in the Stone". LOVE it. One of my favorite parts is where Merlyn washes all the dishes with his magic assembly line. I would make brownies for Merlyn every day for the rest of my life if he would come do that in my kitchen. I digress. We might not have a wand but we have discovered a fun, and slightly magical, way to mop the floor.

First blow bubbles all over the kitchen. You do know what bubbles are made of right? SOAP! Yippee!

Then dance and crawl around to get all those bubbles spread out all over the kitchen.

Then mop up the floor with the swiffer. Wah-lah! All in a day's work.