Some things never change!

Like Brooklyn for example!

Nothing Better...

Than being late to a Mother's Day celebration at you little girls school and walking in and having her literally jump up and down with excitement that you are there! Then having 3 people tell me how EVERYTIME the door opened she would look to the door and her shoulders would slump if it wasn't me! I am feeling the love this Mother's Day! 

Brooklyn the Ninja!!

Triplet boys moved down the street and Brooklyn is loving every second!! I love this girl! Here is her tom boy side enjoying every minute of the rough housing!

Dippy in the shower!

So we have our $1 store elf on the shelf and the kids call him dippy. Brooklyn gets out of the shower yesterday and says, "Mom! I put dippy on the top of the shower with his arms hanging on so he wouldn't fall and he watched me take a shower and made sure I wasn't doing anything naughty!!!" 

I didn't care to explore that conversation any further. Jon just leaned over and simply said, "Her obsession with the elf is just getting wired."

I love my family!!!

Piano recital #2

I think she still loves it!

Again!

When Jessica was here because we did not make our flight to Boise she taught Brooklyn a little about sewing so here is her new love! She has not stopped wearing it! Even to church on Sunday!! She cracks me up :-)

               I love my little ELF!

Love me some Kudos!

I got this text from Brooklyn's piano teacher!

Thought you'd want to know - I dropped off Denver and Brayden to school today and on the way out from their classrooms I walked passed Brooklyn as she as coming in the gate. She gave me the biggest smile and a cute "Hi Brother Smith" and a High-Five. Y'all have a neat girl in her and glad for our association. As a parent, you guys are doing a wonderful job, Kudos 😄

Although I think my kids are awesome it is nice to know other people think so too. :-) I must say they just came to us awesome. 

Brooklyn!

Just thought she was pretty!!

Brooklyn's Fun Run!!!

Brooklyn ran her first fun run at her school she completed all 36 laps with seconds to spare :-) Love that girl!!!

Brooklyn's Parent teacher conference!

I love how my little girls mind works!! A little more like her mamas but with a lot more creativity that she gets from her daddy! I love this girl!

Student of the month

I love how my little girl overflows with happiness at this kind of thing! After getting her certificate she had Tyler come dance with her on stage. (Allie and Tanner were to shy!) They danced to YMCA! 

Monkey Bars!

A First Ever!

Just some thoughts and happenings on my day today

-Today was the 1st time I sent a child to school. The beginning of a new era and the ending of one that was very special to me. Brooklyn is an incredible girl. I missed her so much today. I dropped her off and bawled for a good 20 minutes (she never looked back). I went to the gym and as we walked up to the door I missed her helping me with the kids then I missed her opening the door for me as I struggled keeping the boys contained and finally getting the door open. The day went on like this and I realized how much she helps and hardly ever complains.

-My cousin and Jessica went shopping for Brooklyn and picked out the most adorable outfit for her to wear on the 1st day of school. When I laid it out for her to wear she said, "I don't want to wear that!" and decided to wear this outfit instead.









I think it is cute but I am bummed I spent any money on a really cute dress. I should have known better! I decided that in this situation that the book "Parenting with Love and Logic" is right and I need to let her decide. No matter what she is adorable. I love her!

-Brooklyn told me that for her treat when she got home she wanted a cupcake so I went to the store and found on clearance a giant cupcake mold. So I made it and let her decorate it when she got home. I love my new toy and Brooklyn loved her cake.



-I am so sad that I do not get my special Brooklyn time any more but I look forward to getting to spend that time with Allie. I have already started working with her and she knows all her colors and she knows almost all of her shapes. Next numbers and letters.

-I hope I was a good enough mom that I made her ready for this new world that I threw her into. I know she is smart enough. But she has been so sheltered, so adored, and so loved from the second she was born in some ways that would make life easier to handle but in others I wonder if she is ready for the sadness, and the negative things that sometimes this life has to offer.

-Just a few pictures of the boy!

My Mommy Is A Hippo

Remember the popular kids song:

The more we get together!

Well if you don't it goes like this.

Oh, the more we get together,
Together, together,
Oh, the more we get together,
The happier we'll be.

As I was on the phone with my case worker today waiting for some information that she was looking up I heard Brooklyn singing her own version of this song. Think of the characters on Madagascar. The song went something like this:

Oh, Allie is Melman
is Melman is Melman
and Tyler is Marty
is Marty is Marty.

And Algul is Alex
is Alex, is Alex
and Mommy is a Hippo
a Hippo, a Hippo!

What a self-esteem booster! My case worker laughed on the other end of the phone and told me I had to write it down. So here I am sharing this what should be humiliating story. But after having kids nothing really embarrasses you anymore.

Another 1st!

The other day I asked Brooklyn to get me the lotion out of the bathroom for Allie and the Boys. She came back and of course she said she couldn't find it. I told her if I found it she would be in big trouble because I was tired of finding things exactly where I told her they were and then her saying, "Oh I didn't see it, that's funny huh mom." So I went into the bathroom and looked all over in the bathroom, finally I was frustrated enough to give up and Brooklyn looks at me and says, 'I told you so, MOM! Her 1st I told you so and I am sure it will not be her last. Although she did get a little talking to about how she will not talk to me like that I couldn't help but laugh at the end my scolding.

Again!

Brooklyn has been cracking me up lately. Today was my father-in-laws 64th birthday. Brooklyn made him a card for his present. It had stickers all over it and of course Allie has to pick the stickers off. Here is our conversation

MOM: That is not nice Allie, can you say you are sorry to Brooklyn.

ALLIE: Orwy BooBoo (Sorry Brooklyn)

BROOKLYN: Sorry is not going to cut it this time Al's

Jon and I tried not to laugh as I explained to her that when someone says sorry you accept the apology. I am sad because I know she learned this line on me. I don't say it very often at all but occasionally on a really hard day and I just need to put the kids in their rooms for a minute I do use this line. Just another lesson that I need to do better.

One Proud Mama!

I gave my kids dinner tonight and went into the other room to get something and overheard Brooklyn saying a sweet prayer. I told her and Allie I was proud of them for making sure the prayer was said and Brooklyn told me that Allie reminded her. She is our prayer monitor these days. We don't put anything in our mouths without Allie folding her arms to remind us to pray. I am so thankful for my kids who are always teaching me and reminding me to pray. I thought I was supposed to be teaching them.

Showered With Compliments

Yesterday Brooklyn was playing with her awesome friends. After playing outside for awhile she came in with a beautiful handful or red flowers and said to me, "Mom these are pretty just like your lips." Needless to say the hugs and kisses she got for that one still haven't stopped.

Today on our way home from visiting family and working hard to clean up our old home I asked Brooklyn what her favorite part of the day was. She answered, "Playing with daddy!" I told her I loved to be with daddy to. Then she said, "My other favorite was with you."

She knows how to make her mom feel special. I love my kids!

What not to say!

Today Brooklyn and I went on a walk down the street to see our awesome neighbor Jim. The kids love going to see him because he gives them a sucker every time. As Jim and I were talking Brooklyn interrupted over and over again, "Jim, Jim, Jim!" Finally he said, "What Brooklyn?" in a kind voice. This was what she had interrupted so many times to tell him. "Um After Tyler came out of my mom's Belly" (This is where I am thinking I am being a brat for my frustration of her interrupting because she is going to say something really sweet.) She finishes with, "he ate my mom's boob!" Now Jim is in his late 70's and Thanks goodness he has a great sense of humor. He laughed and said " Now that was a good one" and "She almost has it right."

My little problem solver!

Brooklyn is really using her critical thinking these days. It is so fun to see the wheels turning. Today she asked me if I could get her back pack that was hanging up on a hook that was way out of her reach. I told her she would have to wait a few minutes because I was feeding the boys. The next time I look over she has the broom in her hand and she was trying to bump it off the hook. When that didn't work she put the broom through the strap that the back pack was hanging by and lifted it off the hook. It was fun to see her work the problem out in her mind and come up with a solution. It is just another thing that shows me how big and independent she is becoming.