leave it to cooper

Last May in their Easter fancies. 

With an eight year old, a four year old, and a 2 year old, family scripture study and prayer time is an exciting time in our house.  It's never dull.  It's never the same, and it's never reverent.

Tonight after a chapter of 2nd Nephi (of which I could only hear the verses that I read aloud), we finally settled the kids down and prepared them for family prayer by singing a song about temples.

After that, I made a big announcement:

"Kids, tomorrow during Sacrament Meeting there will be:
NO snacks,
NO toys,
NO coloring,
NOTHING to eat.
OK?"

"Buy why?"  was of course their response.

"Because we are going to follow the great example of your cousins and learn to be reverent in church."

"OK Mommy!"  They replied.

Our kids are like Pavlov's dogs when they get to church.
They sit down and Lincoln immediately begins yelling,
"SNACK!!!"
and
"HUNGRY!!!"  

But recently our wonderful Bishop asked us to refrain from eating in the church (other than in specified eating areas like the kitchen and cultural hall).

At the time I thought:

"yeah right!!!
Are you kidding me?
We're barely making it through an hour of
Sacrament meeting as it is with these two boys.
How do you expect us to keep them
(even relatively) quiet and occupied???!!!"

Last week I was very humbled when we attended a Sacrament meeting in Utah with Brent's family.  His brother and wife have FIVE children who sat reverently through the meeting without one toy or snack.  They might disagree when I say that their kids are by nature more tame and well-mannered than ours.  

The truth is that while they might be a bit more tame by nature, their good manners are a result of GREAT parenting.  So we're determined to follow their great example.  

I'm expecting the transition to take a few months, at least.
Our kids have been trained to EXPECT food at church.  

So when the kids seemed to take the news so casually I pressed:
"do you understand that there will not be ANY food during church?
You will eat before we go to church and will not eat again until we get home."

To which Cooper (just like his daddy) replied,
"Yes (in a yeah-huh know it all voice) we'll have a snack!"

I said, "No Coop, we won't."

He said, "we always have two prayers and then a snack."

"Two prayers?"

"Yes.  We have two prayers and then we have bread!"

Parenting can be tough at times, but I've never done anything that's brought me more joy.

I hope that our kids will always make us laugh.

cooper's dream come true

Cooper's Grandpa B. drives a Loader.  

The coolest job ever!!!

During our visit, he took the boys to work.

Cooper will remember the day FOREVER.

Lincoln wasn't as excited.
He ended up taking a nap while Coop drove.

part three

Tea party on the deck with Gabba and Rowena.

mmmmm..... cream puffs.

Womanizer on the Wii - she was singing "ooomanizer oomanizer" and doing the dance for the rest of the day.
 Even in the grocery store.

Who Let The Dogs Out?

WHO?  WHO? WHO?!!!

Time out in the "high spot."

Cheeeeezzzze!

These are our sqishy faces.

spring break, part two

Last Sunday was spent with "the cousins."  

After a yummy meal at Gram's house (the first grilled burgers of the summer!), we ventured into the sunny and muddy outdoors to get the wiggles out.  The kids played tag in a vacant (and muddy) lot across the street.

Aiden.

Lincoln is not used to the sun.  Poor kid!  Every time we went outside he covered his eyes.

Britton, Kimball, Mercedes and Avery - the big kids.

YOU'RE IT!!!!

Liam and Brit.

Aiden and Liam.
Cooper was sooo jealous of Aiden's shirt.

spring break, part one

We had TOO much fun in Utah with family for spring break this year.

Today after school (her first day back since the break) Mercedes was disgusted that she didn't get to go somewhere "special."  A walk around the block (which is all that we had time for) was just too ordinary.  

It always takes a while for the kids to "re-adjust" after the grandparents do all their "spoiling."

We are happy to be back in our home, but we miss family already!  

Last night Mercedes offered our family prayer and it went something like this: "please bless grandma and grandpa that they'll be ok (she's worried about them being on their own again, I think) and please bless us that the time will pass really fast until we can see them again, and that Gram will come to visit us soon...

This morning her prayer sounded quite similar.  

She's just heartbroken to be away from grandparents.  

She cried herself to sleep last night sobbing, "I want graaaannndmaaaaa!"

Mercedes and Coop on the Carousel at the new Provo Beach Resort.

Grandpa B helping Linc with his mini-croquet swing.

Arrrgggghhh, mee hardees!
Coop at Pirate Island.

We love this picture of Gram and Lincoln.  

Uncle Kevin loves Linc's shades.

Twins!