Dinner Questions...

Thanks to my good friend Emily, who really has the BEST parenting, family and fun kid ideas ever. She introduced me to Table Topics. She gave me some for my birthday and my kids LOVED them. So we purchased more when they were on sale at Amazon. Anyways, my kids love this ritual at dinner around the table. I must admit it has developed a sense of "family" and discussion. Our kids have named our dinner table as the "family table" they love asking, "Are we eating at the family table today?" I really hadn't used our "family table" because Jared works most nights until about 6:30-7pm. Which I tend to have dinner done and over with by 6pm. So I used to just throw the food at the kids at the counter and sit there. Until Em, gave me the encouragement to at least do it the two nights Jared was home. So we started there and we now eat dinner at the family table anytime I cook dinner...which changes from week to week. Oh, the other reason I love these questions is because we tell the kids they have to take a bite before we ask another one. And for those of you who know my kids you know that they need all the encouragement they can get to eat ANY food! (Why don't I have this problem??)
Alayna's Question:

Me: "What's the first thing you'd do if you were President of the United States of America?"
Alayna: Deep sigh..."Wow, that's a big job."Me: Yes, it is.
Alayna: But that's for only boys mom not girls.
Me: Well, actually a woman ran for President during the last election.
Alayna: Wow! Really?Me: Yup.
Alayna: another deep sigh, "The first thing I would do if I were the President is I would pray to Heavenly Father and ask Him what I should do first! That's the only way I would know what to do!"
Me: Well, that's an adorable answer. Big sigh and hug from me!
What an adorable answer. Moments and conversations like this honestly just give you that little "pay day" or "pat on the back" as a mom. Here is Jake's answer.

Me: What's the first thing you'd do if you were President of the United States of America?
Jake: Um...long distracted pause, then finally..."I would find Wyatt?
Me: a little confused I asked, "Who's Wyatt, Jake?"
Jake: he laughs and rolls his eyes in that silly Jakey way, like come on mom...then he says, "On, Super Why Mom, he's a Super Hero"
Me: What would he do to help you as President, Jake?
Jake: "He'd look in a book!"
Me: So cute!
For those of you who don't have Super Why playing at your house on a regular basis you learn that the Super Hero's (Wyatt, Princess P, Alpha Pig, and Red) are faced with problems and then they try and solve it by looking in a book! This is a typical Jake answer, something to do with Super Why, Lighting McQueen or BYU Football. I should have guessed he would have tied in the answer to one of his three favorite things in life!

I think that both of my kids would do a good job as president what do you think? First pray, then look in a book! Adorable.

Reading to a 1 yr old...

As each of my children have grown out of the newborn stage I think I have forgotten what to do. Seriously, reading books with Alayna and Jake is a daily event at their ages of 5 and 3. But then there is little Caleb who I would have "thought" would just squirm off my lap and wiggle down. But then one quiet afternoon I picked him up to snuggle and I grabbed a book...Yes, I'm a horrible parent. It was my first book I "read" to just him. Yes, on Sunday he looks at books that I prop up at him during Sacrament meeting to keep him quiet, but to actually read to just him it hasn't happened. So to my surprise he sat so cute and excited on my lap. He LOVED it! I was having such a great time with his excitement that I had to have Jared do the same thing with him today. So as usual I had to snap a photo to document his love and excitement for books! I hope it continues because his other two siblings LOVE books, so I will need his love to continue!

Seriously, here is a cute kid. Well, now that I have crossed this milestone of opening up books and reading to him. I guess it's time to put books in his bedroom now to read to him more at nap and night time.

Here is his other trick. He pushes the stool over to the counter to attempt to climb up. I watch him carefully as he was plotting to make steps out of my kitchen drawers. Jared and I were thinking he was a little out of control, more than the other kids until we found a picture of Jake standing on laundry baskets, his high chair and doing the same things as Caleb. So we were quickly reminded that they ALL do the same things! I guess he's not as aggressive and wild as we thought! That's just ALL of our kids in general. Good thing we LOVE them! :)

Herriman Town Days...

Honestly, does it get any better than the SUMMER HOLIDAYS? I think not. There is something about dressing the kiddos up in red, white and blue and just loving every minute of it. For me, it's the traditions. From early morning until night. I love having those warm hot days of fun outside. Why we haven't incorporated some swimming in it yet I don't know! So Shan & Todd put up that pool!!! Anyways, here we are representing our little family at the Herriman parade on Saturday morning. (Jared was at the church doing the monthly cleaning...way to go honey!) I woke up early at 5:45am to run a long (7 mile) run with Camille. We had debated back and forth to run the Herriman 10k...but when we heard the starting time was 7am...we passed...because we KNOW how HOT it gets...and then to run 6 miles in the heat...NO THANK YOU! So just as we were finishing we were passing all the runners. Oh, boy did it feel great to run, be done and to have done it for FREE! (That paid for our pizza later that night!)

Jake & Isaac enjoying the parade...I love how TALL Isaac is and how SHORT Jake is.

Jake, Isaac, Conner and Olivia. Alayna & Kierra went to a cabin with my parents. They returned for the fireworks but missed the parade.

Here is a cute family picture of us sporting once again the RED, WHITE and BLUE! The fireworks were great again as usual! We can't wait for Riverton next weekend!!!!