The Brethren and Me..... the early years

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

We'Re FiVE!!!

Seth and Clyde's Birthday was a huge hit! On their actual DaY they opened presents, bright and EARLY, of course, and had their Cole Cousins and Grandpa over for swimming and pizza!

Clyde

Seth

Monday, August 10, 2009

SCHOOL!

Why is it that the first day of school I start out so happy...big breakfast...happy smiles...excited children...new clothes...but end up weeping? I miss my kiddos so much already!

First Grade!!

He didn't even want me to walk him to his line on the playground. "Just drop me off mom, it's easier that way." I remember he used to make me wait with him until the bell sounded and then he would run from my side...but NOT until then!~

Kindergarten!!

My babies! Call me a wimp it's just 1/2 day, but my BIG boys weren't supposed to get so big so fast! They did awesome getting in the line and playing on the playground. I can't wait to pick them up and hear how it all went!Mrs. Mellow, they may split her class up...I am praying hard that we get to keep her! Seth was excited and couldn't wait to get in the classroom.Clyde...a little apprehensive about leaving mom...aren't we all?I look so happy...I am so happy...off to put Jack down for a nap and wonder what to do with myself before picking up my babies in 3 hours!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Happiness=Sandbox

From the moment we moved into our big new beautiful home Seth has been asking ONE question..."Daddy, when are you going to build me my sandbox?" We've been patiently explaining that there were other priorities that had to come first. But you see, the boy's favorite feature in the old house was the sandbox we made when MonteBirk was a baby. Daddy got a little anxious about it himself this summer...they all LOVE the sand box, but Seth's pleas were so heart wrenching...the day before I took the boys to Utah for an extended "get out of Dodge" this is what we had...

BEFORE

And what we came home to after a mere 9 days in Utah...much to all of our surprise!

AFTER

Built to Seth's specifications

*2 umbrella's for shade*deep enough that you can never find the bottom *big enough for all 4 boys to play at the same time...
We all agreed that WE'VE GOT THE BEST DAD!!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Great minds think alike so they say. Karen and I both brought glow sticks for the kids to play with that evening. There was no shortage of pretend light sabers!

Seth has a special friendship with cousin Kalena. They really seemed to hit it off on this trip! The joy of it all is that it takes maybe a nano second for these sweet faces to turn into

this when they are together!

Fireworks

Isn't my sisters family GORGEOUS!!?? They brought a picnic dinner for us all to share while we waited for the fireworks. I was worried that sitting out and waiting for 4 hours would be a bit much for the kids. But Karen was right, once again, and it was an awesome time playing and enjoying the weather while we waited for the sun to go down.

Provo had a street fair on Main. It was MUCH larger than when Monte and I were in school. It had booths and displays froth thither to yon…we walked the entire trek! There were knife carvers, sidewalk artists…you name it…but the most intriguing thing for my boys was the reptile man.

However...THIS was as close as they would come to

THIS

Apparently the really, really small ones?...not so scary!

Cousin Kalena had an aweome blow-up pool that we took a dunk in after the parade to cool off.

JuLy 4th PaRAde!!

The Lady behind us wanted to know where we got the idea for our AwEsOme Hats...family fun magazine, of course!

Clyde

Seth

Little Jack-et lasted to the end of the parade, I confess the hat didn't stay on as well as I'd have liked...he was more interested in eating his when he was awake.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Bowling

This was one of my favorite activities while we were in Utah. Everyone took it SO SERIOUSLY! We were meeting Karen at BYU's bowling alley and literally last minute (on our way there) we called an old friend Jen Giles Groberg and invited her to come with her girls. So glad she blew off her plans and came. It's been about 6 years since I've seen her.

FuN!!

I teod her I wouldn't do anything public with this picture...

guess I lied...

Thursday, July 2, 2009

UTAH!!

4 boys and Mom in Utah for 9 days

could it be heaven?...

could it be h-e-double hockey sticks? You guessed it!

HEAVEN!

Among other things....we jumped on the trampoline, rode bicycles, caught up with the ice cream man, visited with MANY of moms old friends, played in the sandbox, went to the park, the water park, Thanksgiving Point children's gardens, bowling, blew bubbles, saw the 4th of July Parade AND Stadium of Fire, met up with Daddy for a day and 1/2, hiked, got cotten candy at the parade, touched snakes, made hats, played with cousins...from both sides of the family...

we did it all!!

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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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

We'Re FiVE!!!

Monday, August 10, 2009

SCHOOL!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Happiness=Sandbox

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Fireworks

JuLy 4th PaRAde!!

Friday, July 3, 2009

Bowling

Thursday, July 2, 2009

UTAH!!

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