Isaac and his allowance

Growing up my parents never really figured out how they wanted to do an allowance and over the years they tried and discarded almost all kinds.  So figuring out how to do an allowance with my kids hasn't been that easy either.  So mostly we haven't done one.  But this summer a few things spurred me on to at least trying a method.  Isaac started an online pre-k program paid for by the state and it took him some getting used to.  It's 35 minutes online each day and he has to do that 5 days a week or we get kicked out of the program.  I really think he'll learn a lot and since he's not getting any reading prep in spanish preschool, I do think he needs this.  So to help him be motivated, I printed a basic calendar and he gets to mark off each day when he finishes.  Then at the end of the month if he hasn't missed any days, he gets $10.  About the end of September as his first month's money was coming available, he spied a toy in an add and fell in love with it.  Unfortunately it was over $30 so he had to decide if he wanted to save up and wait or choose something else.  And this little guy amazed me.  He saved!  For 3 months!  And even though his brothers made different choices, he kept on with his goal.

 And finally he got it!

 He was so excited and plays with it almost every day.  If you have no idea what it is, neither do I.  It's a new kind of lego that snaps together so you can pick up the guys (which are quite large and scary looking) and play with them more.  This guy also rides a sleek purple motorcyle.

Go Isaac!  I'm proud of him for learning to do his work even when he doesn't always enjoy it or want to do it at the moment, but I'm even prouder that he's learning to work and save for something you value.

Rollover

Oh no!  She's on the move!  That blissful state when I could just lay this doll down on the ground with a toy or two and expect her to be there when I got back is now officially over.  

Now when she sees something she wants...

she gets it- or at least she tries.  Mostly she ends up somewhere else but she's pretty happy just to be moving herself around.

So adorable!

Scout Bird Houses

One of the scout wolf requirements is to make something useful.  It suggests book ends or birdhouses and since the scout shop had bird house kits I went with what was easy.  Some of the kids blew through the glueing and building.

And then were off to play legos.  Ethan and 2 others took their time and seemed to really enjoy it.

Ethan was so excited he begged to be able to paint it too.  Isaac found himself something to paint too and joined in on the fun.  I'm not always happy the scout program has so many little requirements and that it's my job to make sure 6 little boys complete them all (or that I checkup on parents so they do) but I am THRILLED to get to be a part of Ethan's scout group.  The boys are so sweet and it's fun to be a part of it all.

I and I

I love it when my kids are friends and play well together.  They all usually get along well but what I've been noticing the past few weeks is that Isla has a different relationship with Isaac than she does with Ethan or Miles.  Part of it is that Isaac is next to her in the car a lot of the time but I think more than that is that he really plays with her.  Ethan and Miles like her but mostly they're happy to go do their own thing.  Isaac though is such a doting older brother.  

He brings her toys.  He talks to her and tickles her.  He chases her and makes her laugh.  They're really funny together and she just lights up whenever he's around.

This is one of her favorites.  She's playing in her exersaucer and Isaac with run all the way down the hall and then back to her like he's going to "get" her.

She's thinks it's hilarious.  (See Miles in the background?  Totally content to just play with his legos)

So glad to have these 2 little friends.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was more like a week this year instead of just one day.  There were at least 4 separate parties in addition to the normal Thanksgiving feast and countless other events and activities.  So much fun.  My boys were especially excited for Sophia and Isabella to come.

Playing tag outside before church was a big hit.

Eating and hanging out at grams house with everyone was fun too.

Poor Isabella and Sophia.  They deserve a 6 month break from my crazy boys.  They're so sweet and always play with them even if these boys want horsey rides.

We did pause to take a whole family photo.  This is the first one where all Taylor's siblings are actually married.  His mom is sending out Christmas cards with this one and calling the year "2 brides and a baby".  We took at least 20 shots and with this many characters it was lucky to get one where at least everyone was looking.

This is a close up of my favorite shot.  

Seriously?!?  I'm smiling and trying to get them to be good and smile and this is what they're doing?  

Maybe the card should say 2 brides, 3 dingbats and 1 princess.  What can I say.  At least they make me laugh.

These two though are quite the pair.  So cute and fun together.  And very well behaved.

I of course forgot to get a shot of the before dinner food but here's Ethan going back for seconds.

Have you seen these?  Taylor's aunt gave everyone one.  It's a little robot stirrer for the gravy so it doesn't get that crust on the top and you can focus on finishing up other foods instead of having to constantly stir the gravy.  Kind of silly but actually really useful.

This little cuties is close to sitting up.  Or at least she would be if she had any belly fat to help her sit up.  So adorable though.

The long week was capped off with our usual Sunday dinner.

Here's Isla with her birthday month twinner grandma.  The may girls.

Don't you love it when babies start hugging you back.  So cute!  Maybe it's just that she's tired and trying to show you that by rubbing her eyes on your face, but I'm just going to keep pretending that she's hugging me back.  I love it!

Our Hungry Hungry Hippo

After 4 kids it's become apparent to me that either I produce really skinny kids or else I produce skim milk.  Either way they're always skinny.  But none has been as skinny as this cutie girl.  My kids never break the 50th percentile in weight but usually they just hover in the 20th percentile.  This little girl though- the only one who refuses to take a bottle- has gone from the 40th percentile at 2 months to the 20th at 4 months and at 6 months has hit the 4th percentile.  The doctor isn't worried since they're all skinny and since she's surpassing all other milestones, but we are now under orders to feed, feed, feed.

What to do when she's downed an entire bowl of rice cereal in addition to a full serving of vegetables and mommy needs to cook dinner for everyone else?  Ask Milo to feed her puffs.

Woohoo!  It'll take all night to get 30 calories into her mouth but these 2 sure do enjoy the process.

Just as an aside, this girl can chow down better than ANY of my boys ever did.  Seriously she's happy to eat 3 times as much as any of them ever ate in a sitting.  And she'll do that as often as you sit her down and feed her- even 5 or 6 times a day.  And yet still she's skinny.  Who knows.  She's happy.  And we're entertained by all the people who pick her up and gasp at how light she is (a whole 13 pounds) and then call her "dainty".

Mack and Sam's Reception

It feels like not so long ago that we were in Maryland for Mack and Sam's wedding.  And already they're here ready to celebrate with all the Utah family and friends that couldn't make it.  It turned into a weekend of fun entertaining with dinners, receptions, fun, and food, food, food.

How adorable are these two.  They are perfect together.

Sam's little sister couldn't get enough of Isla and the feeling was mutual.

I somehow ended up being the official photographer so you get more shots than I'd normally take.  I love the sail boat ice sculpture.

How cute is Sam?

Unfortunately while I was carrying Isla around and taking pictures (and Taylor was obliviously socializing) Miles escaped from his ipod at the table and raided the desserts at least 3 times.  That's how many times I caught him so who knows how much sugar he really got his hands on.  Apparently his ipod is not as enticing as I thought.

These two didn't budge an inch.

Isla discovered my necklace and was happy to be a little monkey hanging on my side chewing on beads.

And though most of the guests left early to catch the Utah game, the real party started as soon as the dancing began.  Clint can do a mean worm.

Miles has some killer dance moves and isn't shy to show them off.

Niether were Sam and my other boys.

Sadly I'm still figuring out our new camera so a lot of the shots are dark or blurry.  It was such an amazing party though and so fun to have everyone here for the reception and the week of Thanksgiving.  Can't wait for Christmas!