The Brethren and Me..... the early years: December 2011

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Eve

Getting the PJ's is so exciting because

#1- they fit

#2- they are "SO SOFT!"
#3- it means we are that much closer to Christmas Day!!!

We are still at such wonderful ages for the MaGiC of Christmas with SaNTa, the ReinDeEr and all that it entails. We very carefully sprinkled our reindeer food on the driveway tonight. We put the cookies out on the you are special plate. We poured the Jolly old elf his glass of milk. Then Seth and Clyde added something wonderful from school, their "Elf Applications" for Santa. So tonight I find myself at the computer drafting a reply.

"Dear Santa, I would be a good elf because I always tell the truth and I use good manners. Love, Clyde Gardiner. PS I love milk and cookies." - his application is attached to the cover letter.

"I would be a good elf because I love you. And I follow directions. And have good manners. I love Christmas. Love Seth Gardiner." - application also attached.

S P A C E R

This is my spacer for...

THE PIANO RECITAL

GRANDMA'S VISIT

THE 1st GRADE FIELD TRIP

and THE FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY.

With my tonsillectomy, Christmas preparations and this guy...

I GOT A LITTLE BEHIND.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

smiles?

See me smiling there in the side bar? That's right, the small photo, just me...to your right. Yeah. I believe that smiling like that right now may actually be painful. TONSILS. OUT. OUCH.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

PerFeCt little GiRl

I promise to post about our tree cutting expedition soon but until then I just had to steal this photo of my beautiful new niece from their family blog. Isn't that little face so perfect?

Friday, December 2, 2011

Introducing...?

She's only 15 hours old so you can't really blame them for not having an official name just yet. My vote is for Sophia...what do you think? Steve and Brindy had cousin #32 in the Bill Arnett Clan last night. Monte Birk and I squeezed in a quick trip to the hospital on the way home from his school field trip. Isn't she Gorgeous? I just love that new baby smell on their skin and the little moaning noises they make. Ahhhhh sweet girl. Maybe someday...

This guy loooooves babies. He is so AweSOmE!

FieLd TriP

3rd GraDe FiEld TrIp

Arizona Science Center

How much longer do you think he will beg me to be a chaperone? I'm worried that my time may be limited! Luckily I have good friends that will take care of my 2 little ones for me so I can participate with my older kiddo's at times. I would not have wanted to miss this!!

Our little group of gentlemen helped out Miss Procaccini by carrying the lunch bucket into the building. As you can see, it was HEAVY!

Gotta love the "long arm" shots!

We had the best little group of men there! Our other parent Chaperon was one of our best friends, Sister Walton. Monte and Jonah were in the same 1st grade class and have been fast friends since the day they met.

(boys L-R) Monte, Nate, David, Ethan, Jonah and Aleck

The "hardest" pulley...HEY! Don't knock it till you try it!
The best part about this museum is that it is all hands on. NOTHING says "don't touch!" There were 21 schools there today with us. Just a tad bit crazy at times.

Why am I the only parent that liked to try things out? (I have a sign in my kitchen that reads "young at heart, slightly older in other places" - THATS ME!)
Don't worry I didn't steal time from the kids! You should've heard our group "wow" at the mom pulling her own body weight!

Quote of the Day

October 10, 10

There was a blinding hail storm the other night. Beautiful and yet frightening all the same. Monte woke Seth and Clyde from almost sleep to see it. Seth was was impressed with how cool it was and Clyde, more than a little frightened asked his Dad, "Is Heavenly Father mad at us?"

September 10, 10

Clyde "HOLY SWEEEEET BABY CARROTS!!"

December 25, 09

We were riding bikes Christmas morning in the front yard and Seth brought out the Godiva chocolates that Santa had left in my stocking. I gave each boy one but only one because, "they are very rich." (I was referring to how smooth and rich tasting they were.) To which Seth replied, "Does that mean you buy them?"

November 27, 09

Clyde saying the family evening prayer, "Our gracious Heavenly Father please bless the baby that's in mommy's... (thoughtful pause) please bless a new baby to be in mommies tummy..." Because he told me the other day that we lost our baby and "we're all just a little bit sad."

November 3, 2009

Monte Birk rambling on to our carpooler on the way to school this morning, "We have bunk beds too! And then when the baby is born we're getting another set and Seth will sleep on top and Jack will be on the bottom in our room and we'll save Seth's smaller bed for the baby when he's big enough...and then I hope we'll stop having babies." (by the way, we aren't finding out what the baby is, we just all say "he" because that's what we do at our house!)

September 24, 2009

Clyde, "Mom, I hope I like the new baby." Mom, "Oh, I'm sure you will Clyde, why wouldn't you?" Clyde, "It's just that I don't like Jack all that much." After a morning of Mom making him share with his brother.

August 23, 2009

Clyde's evening prayer, "Thank you Heavenly Father that I can grow up to be Batman."

August 2, 2009

This morning we made home made wheat bread and sweet rolls...tonight at dinner Monte Birk said, "Mom? If they declare me President someday I'm going to make you my baker."

July 30, 2009

We were leaving COSTCO and I left the boys outside with the cart while I went back in quickly to check and see, "...if our film is finished yet." All three replied, "Mom, what's film?"

April, 2009

I was borrowing some choir music from a girlfriend in another ward. Clyde was with me and asked,"Mommy, what are we doing?" I light heartedly said, "Oh, we're just stealing a little of this music." To which he replied, "NO, Mommy...you can't do that then you would feel like Satan!"

January 12, 2009

I brought the big boys on a surprise date to Utah to play in the snow. We returned this morning and for FHE tonight we talked Monte Sr. through our trip by showing him all of our pictures. When we came on a particularly striking photo of Seth doing something silly he laughed and said, "Mommy, I just LOVE myself!"

December 29, 2008

This morning when I tried to close my eyes for a few more minutes of much needed sleep. Clyde told me, "Mommy, wake up it isn't sleep time, the sun is up." Well, this is something I hear ALL the time when I try to take any sort of nap around the boys. So I explained to him that I needed some extra rest to be a good mommy today and he said, "Well that's OK, just shut your brain off and keep your eyes open." He's right...THAT makes a good mommy!

December 21, 2008

Upon opening their presents (transformers) from Grandpa at the family party Seth exlcaimed, "MOM! I've wanted this ever since I was a little kid!" Clyde said, "Grandpa is the bestest grandpa in the whole wide world to give us these!" and Monte Birk practically hyperventilated when he received his Pokemon gift! It really was a great family party.

November 24, 2008

Monte Birk is desperately trying to learn to belch. (This is important to a 6 year old boy.) Upon making a few small burps he tells me at lunch today, "listen mom, listen, the smell of sweet success!"

November 20, 2008

Monte Birk telling me about his friend's brother. "Mom he is 12. I mean he is so BIG,he's 12...mom, he's HUGE!"

November 15, 2008

Seth "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that I could play soccer today and get my trophy. Thank you that I could go on a family walk today and that I got my trophy, thank you for my family and that I could get my trophy, I love you Heavenly Father..."

November 14, 2008

Seth (after breaking a zipper off of some packaging) I broke it mom! See Clyde? I am sooo strong I break everything!

October 2, 2008

We were sitting with our boys in the stake center waiting for the tri-stake conference to be broadcast today. Much like General Conference the large screens had a numerical countdown til the broadcast began. I was so proud of how reverent my guys were being, it seemed like I had more wiggles than they did. And then Clyde looked up at me and whispered, "Mommy, when do we blast off?" I counted down 5-4-3-2-1 and on my way down his little face filled with something right between excitement and pure terror! Oh to be 4 again!

October 10, 2008

Clyde..."Daddy? I love you...but I hate your singing." (Phew, so glad he didn't say that one to me!"

September 14, 2008

Seth, "girls are mommies, boys are kids."

September 10,2008

Clyde was playing with the pop up hamper over his head acting like R2D2... Seth had a remote control and was giving him commands...I said, "Seth would you like a hamper too so you can be a robot?" Clyde said, "Yeah Seth, that's a good idea then we can be twins!"

September 7,2008

Clyde: "Mom, I had a great dream last night"

Mom: "Oh really? What was it?"

Clyde: "It was Woody and Buzz with NO ZURG!"
(have you seen 'Toy Story'?)

AND

Seth came into the family room climbed onto the couch and looked into the big mirror hanging above it. He put both hands to his cheeks and looked very intently at his face. Then he says into the mirror with a little consternation, "Oh man...I'm still a twin!"

September 3, 2008

Clyde was tired and quite pensive a few days ago and I suggested that we lay down together and enjoy a little quiet time on his bed alone. As we lay there cuddling he looked at me and said so sweetly, "Mommy, I don't want to grow up." he had my heart in his hands...thinking how sweet he was not wanting to grow up and leave his Mommy...until I asked him, "why?" and he replied, "I don't want to be a Bishop."

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Eve

S P A C E R

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

smiles?

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

PerFeCt little GiRl

Friday, December 2, 2011

Introducing...?

FieLd TriP

Monte

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Monte Birk

Seth

Clyde

Jackson

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