Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
This is the Place
I have some great pictures to post, but right now I can't get Blogger to upload them. So they will be coming soon!
Friday, August 17, 2007
So You Think YOU Can Dance? Check These Boys Out
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Bishop Family Update
Dear Family and Friends,
Well Coop is a month old now and I feel like I may be able to do it! We have had friends over for dinner, friends over for games, and I have been out at least 5 times with them all! I even have been to the grocery store for big shopping trips- that now take me an hour and a half. I remember a big shopping when Mitch and I were first married took a half an hour. My how things change when you begin shopping for 7.
Wash is a whole new experience as well. Laundry is now a swear word here in our house. If the boys even think about making a mess, my sonar goes up and I say, stop if you think it will cause me more laundry or if it will force me to mop the floor. Aiden is even saying things like, “Mom, I wiped the table down so that I made sure you did not have too much work.” If I died this week, I think my children would remember me for begging them not to make too much of a mess.
A mess is inevitable, but I really do not need extra messes since the regular routine causes me to be a slave. Most families with 5 kids at least have one or two kids who can do housework. Aiden now vacuums, but I need to go over it a little because he is not quite tall enough to push it with ease so he tuckers out half way through the rooms. However, when they spilled an entire bag of popcorn on the floor, He vacuumed the entire mess. It took him 25 minutes and it would have taken me 5, but this is a lesson in consequences.
Enough about cleaning…now the fun. Aiden has had many friends over and the other day he actually asked me, “Mom, do you realize how many people fought over me in Kindergarten. People always wanted to sit by me or work with me. Why is that?” You have to love six years old and not getting it. I am glad that it has not gone to his head—it is only a matter of time! He has had a friend over about once a week. I tell him as long as he and his friends keep helping me, it is OK. Remington, his one friend asked me the other day if I needed anything. Oh I laughed and laughed and thought, well I guess I am teaching them something good.
We tried to go to a story time the other week. This was quite the ordeal as any outings tend to be. We get there only to find the entire room packed. I guess I needed to come earlier. I was there 10 minutes early, but because track 5 kids were finally out, the room was crazy busy. Luckily, my boys go with the flow and no tears were shed. They simply accepted that they would only get to pick books and movies and not listen to the storyteller. We had a puppet show when we got home instead.
We went to the 24th of July celebration at the park and had a great time. At the end of the evening, I was pushing Jace in the stroller up this steep hill in the grass and carrying Cooper in the Snuggli. Mitch was taking up the huge pop up shade and the other three were walking along the side of us. I must have strained my back while doing so. On Sunday, Jace fell asleep in Nursery and Mitch was not out of his class. I tried to take him, the diaper bag, and the carrier with Cooper in it. Well my back buckled and I dropped everything onto the floor. My back was out for two days- I could not even pick Cooper up. I had to sit on the floor and roll him onto my lap. I nursed him on the floor for two days. It was crazy. My friend Leah brought me all 6 Star Wars movies and we watched them all. That was my idea for keeping them out of too much mischief. Yes, my 2 hour TV rule was broken, but a girl knows her limits! My back is fine now, and man, am I grateful for a functioning back.
In addition to the back thing, I am also having gallbladder issues. I have had a few nights where I had minor dull aches and two nights of full blown attacks. I have an appointment on Thursday. With every baby I have had issues, but they seem to be more frequent and not going away. I guess I will probably have to get my gallbladder out. If any of you have food advice on what to eat and what not to eat, please share.
My sisters-in-law and my mother-in-law threw me a shower. The invitations were darling, the food was fabulous, Krista made the cutest wooden picture party favors, and it was nice to visit with the girls. I am giving them a thank you lunch this Tuesday to show my appreciation to them. Krista actually asked if I was taking them out to eat. I said that 5 kids in a restaurant plus Deven and Holland would not be much fun. Perhaps entertainment for the other restaurant attendees, but not much fun for us!
The five boys and I went to a free movie as well. It went extremely well and I think I may go to the free summer movie again this week. Jace ate more popcorn than should be consumed by a 21 month old, but he stayed in the seat next to me or in front of the boys for the whole movie. Cooper was terrific and the other three were absolutely perfect. Grey actually said when it was over, “That went well, mom.” Yes, it did, Grey!
I went to the temple last week and little Cooper cried the entire time! I felt so bad for Shari , Mitch’s sister. She actually had all the boys with her. She and Michael, my brother-in-law, took the five boys, their son, Parker, and their dog to the park, and Shari said they got a lot of stares! No one commented- they save those for me I guess. She said it was an adventure, and she knows how it feels to be a freak show J.
We had Cooper’s blessing last weekend, and it was so nice. My mom, my sister, former neighbors, and all of Mitch’s family came. We filled quite a bit of the chapel. Cooper did not cry at all, and he looked adorable. Afterwards we hosted the family with “Super” soups and “Hero” sandwiches in honor of Super Cooper! We had about 40 people over here and wow, was I glad for our larger home!
We had another outing this week- we went and saw a storytelling husband and wife team at the cultural center and the boys were angels! Jace sat on my lap the entire time. I did have to give him 2 dum dums, but I can do that. The show was an hour, and Greyson and Aiden laughed and laughed. It is funny when they begin to get humor. Gage loved it too, but he liked the water spraying his brothers (and not him) and the silly string that they sprayed on the participants. They had many interactive stories and the boys ate it up. At one point the husband of the duo actually counted all my children. I think he thought I was babysitting some of them.
We had friends over on Friday night for dinner and games. Aiden tried to stay up until midnight, but he fell asleep at 11:20 because that’s when the friends left, and we lied and told him it was midnight. The hands on the clock were close enough to the 12 so he actually believed us. We were so tired we were not going to stay up for another 30 minutes soo…. we justified the lie.
I think that is all for the events. See what happens when a month goes by. I have way too much news to share. Mitch is finishing up his final project for his masters. He presents to the faculty on Tuesday, and he has to turn in his final paper on Friday. Following all of that, we are driving to Utah ! Mitch will be done! We planned on going camping in Tahoe, but I am not up for that yet. I hope the drive goes OK. I cannot get to the kids as easily anymore now. Now there are no extra seats, and the floors will be covered with stuff! I hope I have happy news to report next time.
Funny stories…
- Gage and Grey went to the bathroom at a restaurant. Mitch was with them and as they were using the facilities, Gage reports, “hey, it’s like we are fire fighters!”
- Jace has shown some interest in going potty. He has peed a half a dozen times or so before his bath or when we are putting swimsuits on. The other day when I am changing his diaper he says, “pee.” I then ask, “Do you need to go pee?” He shakes his head yes, stands up and pees on me and all over the floor. I was so surprised. I guess he gets it. I do not know if I am really up to potty training yet, but if he keeps pushing it, I guess I will.
- I set Cooper in front of the TV the other day, and he started watching the screen. We were watching Harry Potter and Aiden turns to me and asks, “What kind of mother are you?” I laughed and laughed. He did not know that it was funny, but he smiled after I laughed. I guess it was not the most respectful thing to say, but it still was funny.
Well that is all for the Bishop antics. I hope this one does not exhaust you too much. I can already imagine that my aunt and uncle will send an email asking me if I checked into the insane asylum yet.
