AIRSOFT ADDICT

I knew this would happen. In my last airsoft blog I spoke about Shane's persuasive nature in getting what he wants. I gave into a high-end airsoft pistol but I should have know that there would be a catch. "Oh hunny, I need a high-end airsoft rifle now because I "just" realized that the pistols don't work in the winter when it is cold."

I tried my hand at the sneakiness too. "Jayson and Josh will never play with you if you are the only one with a rifle...so you can not have one until they get one first." I knew that Ashley would never allow Jayson to get one. She is cheaper that I am...if that is possible.

That VERY night, Jayson had one!!! And within a few weeks Josh and Papa had one too!! I lost again.

ANTI-TOYS

I am also cheap on children's birthdays and Christmas. Gasp!!! Shane is very anti-toys. He does not want to live in a house overrun by them. The kids are allowed one small toy box and if it starts to overflow toys are either packed away or trashed.

I also have very generous in-laws that love to spoil. So Shane and I buy something small and let them do the rest. It works out great. For Christmas they got just enough toys to satisfy the season but not too many to be frustrated.

CHRISTMAS TREE

As if you did not already know but...I am CHEAP!!! Cheap, frugal...boring! I do not decorate for holidays because I am too cheap to buy the decorations. I have tried the after Christmas sales but you have to get there fast to get the goods. This year I discovered that there is another good reason not to decorate...LITTLE HANDS!!!

Our first Christmas with Brenna we got a four foot Christmas tree off of craigslist for about $10. We have used it ever since. I was amazing at being consistent with Brenna and I don't think she touched it at all for the first few Christmases...but the brothers are another story!

I redecorated the Christmas Tree about 100 times and it was only up for a week. Those boys are constant and sneaky. After the first few times that they got to it, it was no longer beautiful, or symmetrical. I just left it that way and hoped people who came over would understand.

BABY TALK

Jackson is a good talker. I can understand everything that comes out of his mouth. He also doesn't seem to talk unless he has something to say.

Landon on the other hand is a bit lacking in the communication department. He repeats what you say and knows how to talk, but most of the time it is gibberish until the last word, which is clear. I think that he does well with words one at a time, but if he wants to say a sentence, he gets so excited that it all runs together.

NICKNAMES

I am the queen of creating nicknames for my children. Each month it is something new and "more creative". Sometimes I just call them whatever word pops into my head at the moment...peanut brittle, cracker jack, fluff n' nutter.

Jackson loves his grandma Karen. Jackson loves even more to call out her name whenever he sees her, which sounds A LOT like, "OBAMA". She does not encourage it...I have no idea why ;)

Shane told me the other day that Landon only calls him "Shane".

Jackson calls me "daddy" still. I cannot break that habit.

SOLD

As of Monday, December 2nd, we no longer own our condo. Very bitter-sweet. It cost us A LOT of money to get it sold. It was not that we could not make our payments, it was just that we do not have faith in the economy and believe that it would take 5-10 years for the value to come back up. We could not squeeze anything else into that tiny place, and could not wait 5-10 years before selling it. We were just about to give up and foreclose, take the hit on our credit, but then the windows of heaven opened.

We had a viewing drought. We did not have anyone come and see our place for a few weeks. Then, I got a call from a Realtor asking to show my house later that afternoon. "Sure" I said, knowing that I needed all the in between time to clean/prepare it for showing. "Oh by the way" he says, "I am at the property right now. I like to do a walk through before I bring the client." I opened the door to find him standing there. I took a quick look at myself. I had a cold sore on my nose medicated with a thick white cream, was in workout clothes with my hair in a high pony tail. I took a look at my condo. I had been slacking off that day and it was a mess. I had a sick husband on the bed in one room, and the brothers trying to take a nap in the other. Brenna was running around being a ham, and asking a million questions. I was SOO embarrassed.

I assured him that he will see a DRASTIC difference in the state of the condo when he came back that afternoon. I guess he believed me because he brought them back that afternoon, and that night they offered us our asking price...in cash...and asked if we could be out in 3 weeks.

We KNEW it was a blessing from heaven and that all the rest would just fall into place. The process was easy and smooth. Now that it is sold we are restful and happy with our decision.

WE ARE RENTERS

WOW, so much harder than owning. You have to search a million places to find the one that you want in your price range. It is just like buying a house but you have to do it every 1-2 years.

I was not too concerned about moving because we are not pack rats and do not have a whole lot of stuff...but I was wrong. It was tough. Karen and I packed it up in 2 mornings...Shane and Jayson moved it in one night...and I spent the next 3 weeks unpacking. The majority of our problem was my addiction to food storage. It made up at least 50% of our move.

We looked at a few places. Shane was STRICT that the place had to have a 2 car garage and adequate parking. At our condo we had to take the car out of the garage, save a parking spot for the vehicle we were using, and then switch back when we got home. I made the mistake of leaving work at 0300 in the morning. There were no parking spots. I had to park in the neighborhood over, and walk a quarter of a mile in the pouring rain. He also believes that he MUST have room in the garage for a ping pong table.

We actually applied and were determined to live in a house in the same neighborhood, but a friend who desperately needed a renter begged and negotiated to have us rent her place. It turned out to be GREAT. There is only one bummer part...they are going to put it back up for sale in the future...I do not want to move again. I guess the only solution is to save, buy it from her and live here for the rest of our lives.

It is so much bigger than our 1060 square foot condo. In hindsight, I have NO idea how we lived there for so long. It was tight quarters.

TWO 2-YEAR-OLDS

This year was way more fun. They are older and more interactive when opening presents. Whenever they opened a present, they would scream, "WOW", before even seeing what it was. As soon as they realized it was just clothes they were on to the next one.

I made them a "special cake" like I love to do for my babies on their birthdays. This year it was a mountain, with a trail and two motocross men on it. It was very cool.

HALLOWEEN

Since this year Halloween was on a Sunday the whole holiday was a waste of time and money. Our ward Halloween party was on the Tuesday prior. They babies wore their Halloween costumes for about a hour and then never again.

Brenna won and was Jessie for Halloween, so of course Landon was Woody and Jackson was Buzz. I had a REALLY hard time finding costumes in their sizes, so I got one size smaller for the brothers...which turned out to be skin tight. Brenna's costume was too big and was folded in the back and then safety pinned.

They were ADORABLE though. As they stopped at each trunk, they would get their treats and then SCREAM "Thank you".

They go enough candy from the church party to satisfy their desires...as well as mom's sneaks.

NEGLECT...

Neglect... creates an overwhelming task. I have not blogged in a month, and have no idea how to begin explaining all that has happened in a few short weeks.

Halloween.

The brothers turned 2 years old.

We moved to rent a bigger place one street over.

We sold our condo to a nice little retired couple.

I had my 27th birthday.

I did not have a single melt down during all the chaos!!! Maybe I am finally growing up!

I will attempt to blog in hindsight about my list of events...hold on tight.

BAREFOOT

I heard that it is the new trend to run marathons barefoot. Experts say that it makes you run with better ergonomics. When I could not find my other running shoe, I realized that it was in the babies room. I had just put them down for a nap and they were finally quiet. I did not want to disturb them.

So I put on some socks and ran on my treadmill for a few miles. It was totally doable on a treadmill but the next day is when I learned of the consequences of my actions. Running barefoot works a whole other set of muscles that do not get used at any other time. I could barely walk for the next few days because my calves were so sore.

DOOM AND GLOOM RESOLVED

I am in remission from "Doom and Gloom" ideation. The fellas at work cannot get to me anymore. I found the faith I was searching for. I knew I had it in me.

Last conference I listened with a keen ear for any hints of "doom and gloom". There were none. There were a lot of talks about having faith and preparing spiritually, but none eluded to economic crisis and the end of the world. There were talks on hope and that this is a choice time.

I realized the importance of having the gospel and a prophet. If you do not there is no one to look to for direction and hope. Fear is all that is left.

As I watched conference, I looked at the prophet and apostles and knew without a doubt that those men are holy and pure to the core and would not do anything to lead us astray. There are no other leaders in the world that I would trust completely. I would pack up a few belongings and walk thousands of miles if they asked me to.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE...

...to raise my children. I can handle them at home just fine. Actually we have a lot of fun. I think that I have it down, and it is totally doable. If we go anywhere except our small, "baby-proof", condo...it takes both of us plus grandma, grandpa, and sometimes even Jayson and Ashley (depending if I just worked a night shift).

A CONFESSION

I am not the best mother. I cut some corners in order to survive raising "triplets". One of my latest things that I do that is not quite kosher is...I love to give feed the babies while they are in the bath. There I said it.

The brothers need the next size up of diapers. They wake up a lot of mornings a little wet. So I put them straight into the bath...and then use the oppritunity to spoon feed them all breakfast while they are in a central location. They eat well and if it spills a little at least I don't have to change their clothing, or clean up a mess.

RUNNING IS HISTORY

How did it happen? I was running daily and then about 3 weeks ago...nothing. I kept putting it off because I was busy with other things and then got to scared to hop on the treadmill knowing it would hurt.

There are a few excuses I can come up with to make me feel better...

I was constantly busy doing house selling stuff. Paperwork, phone calls, emails...

Stress. Running would have helped but instead I chose the better part and read my scriptures in the last few weeks of sunshine instead of running.

I plateaued and it seemed like I wasn't getting any instant gratification from the miles and miles I was doing.

I started on a med. No, I rarely take medications, but I gave in and asked my MD for some help. The medication had side effects that made my abdomen hurt all the time, moderately nauseous, and drowsy. I had no motivation to do anything productive except the essentials. I felt pregnant...yuck. Once the side effects wore off or became bearable I was out of shape.

I also moved my treadmill so that my house looked desirable to potential buyers. I enjoyed running to movies but now it is not next to the TV. I tired listening to CDs but got bored fast with my selection.

All added together led to me quitting cold turkey. I plan on restarting but not today. Soon though.

"WATER"

The brothers are obsessed with putting water into cups. Last month I had to battle to keep them off the counter and out of the sink. Finally I rearranged furniture so that they could not climb up there.

Now they bring me whatever "cups" they can find and ask for a drink. No they are not thirsty. They mostly just want to sneak away and pour it out somewhere in the house.

Jackson's new favorite thing is to bring me anything that can hold an ounce of water, literally. I get megablocks, finger puppets, lids to toothpaste tubes or lotion. He prefers the smaller the better. The problems is that I need to refill it 10 times until his thirst is quenched.

GROUND BEEF...YUCK

My husband has been steadily increasing in his dislike for ground beef. He went from tolerating it...eating it only if it is overly flavored, like meatloaf...to banning it from the house. The problem was that I had about 20 lbs in the freezer. There is no way I would use all that before it goes bad, if he won't eat it.

So I canned it. Yep, I felt very domestic. I looked up a how-to video on You tube and I believe it turned out edible. It was the first time using a pressure canner by myself. I did not realize and do not understand why ground beef that is cooked before it is canned, has to be in the pressure cooker for another 75 minutes. It was a lot more work than I thought but I did it. The hardest part was keeping the kids out of the kitchen all day.

Shane says that he might eat it if he is starving and it is an emergency. By the way, Shane is not picky. This is one of the few things that he has put his foot down.

POTTY

Jackson and Landon think it is cool to pretend to use the potty. Jackson is the most persistent about it. About 3-4 times/day he asks to go "pee pees". I sit him on the toilet, he rips off a tiny piece of toilet paper, throws it in and says "all done".

Sometimes I press on his lower belly so that he might get the urge and go pee. Instead he now presses on his stomach a few times before saying, "all done".

Neither of them have actually been successful, but they are having fun pretending.

COSTUMES

My plan for Halloween costumes was going to be very low key. I wanted Brenna to be a princess because she already has a dress and accessories from her last birthday. The brothers were just going to borrow from Ashley's toy chest (policeman, cowboy, knight, builder...they have an abundance). But...I made a mistake. I got a flyer in the mail full of costumes and looked through it with Brenna. She caught sight of a Jessie costume, from Toy Story, and nearly died with excitement.

She has been talking about it for a few weeks...everyday...every minute. I try to distract her by telling her how cool it would be to be a princess...but with no avail. She has told everyone that she is going to be Jessie and Landon and Jackson will be Buzz Lightyear and Woody.

Last year they were little Bo Peep and her sheep but I was not planning on making them a theme every year. I still haven't decided if I will give in.

SNUGGLE

A friend at work who has twins told me that her 8-year-old boys are different from the other kids because they are always sitting close to each other...almost on each others laps at times. Ever since She said that, I have noticed that the brothers do that too. If they are laying down to watch a movie their heads are touching. If they are sitting, they are right next to each other. They are buddies.

TWINS

A friend told me on Sunday that she just found out that her 5th child will have a twin. It is not a good idea to ask me what it is like to have twins when I have not slept for 30 hours. I probably terrified her...but the truth is...I LOVE it.

Part of the reason that I think that I like being pregnant is because you get a lot of attention and always have something to talk about. Twins provides the same bonuses. I often use it to build re pore with my patients. If they are not warming up to me, I pull out pictures of my twins and soon they are smiling laughing and telling me about their loved ones.

It is hard when they are sick at the same time. It is hard when they are both climbing out of cribs. It is tough being a whale when you are pregnant. It is AWFUL being on bed rest. It is tough for the men who have to help out because you cannot do it alone...no matter how super mom you are. It is tough feeling like you cannot go anywhere or find a babysitter to watch two babies.


It has not been horrible to have twins. In some ways it has been easier. They always have each other instead of needing mamas attention every minute. You get really buff from carrying them around. You get thin from breast feeding and chasing them around. You have to babies smiling at you and saying cute things. You learn to love to play, play, play. People always step into help, you will not be alone.

THE MARKET SUCKS

Sorry about the strong language. Our hopes for a moderate hit on our house has turned into a nightmare. What we were offered was soo low, we are more willing to foreclose then spend a lifetime paying off a house we no longer own. I prepared for emergencies by having a healthy savings account, paying off student loans fast, and paying out most bills for 6 months. We never wanted to be in need, God willing, but now it looks like we might consider joining the masses and ruining our credit, unless someone pays our asking price which is already making us fork out 10's of thousands of dollars.

WITHIN EYES/EARS VIEW

There was a brief period of time that I felt I could lock myself in my room for a phone conversation or a shower. Those days have passed.

Last week I had a fifteen minute conversation with my brother, only to come out of my hiding place and find...pen marks all over the back of my bedroom door...a shattered glass cup on the living room floor...and a baby splashing in the kitchen sink.

Then...as if I did not learn my lesson. My sister called, this time I stayed in view of the children but was not focusing on them. The result was not pretty.

I cannot take my attention off of them now-a-days.

I LOVE NURSING

Got you there!!! No I am not pregnant or nursing...I love my job as a nurse. I think that it is the EXACT job for me. I love taking care of new patients every night. Each has a new story and new life. At work they call me a bumble bee, always buzzing around. Most nights I am BUSY, but when I am not I am butting in and helping other nurses. I am a life-saver, a house-keeper, and a waitress...and yet I LOVE it.

The pay is great. The hours are doable. The coworkers are my friends and a social outlet that needs to be fulfilled a few times a week. I love it...but I love being at home too. As soon as Shane gets the word, I will decrease to 4 nights per month...but I am selfish and cannot give it up completely.

MY HUSBAND ROCKS!!!

I feel the need to write it. My husband ROCKS!!! I like to tease him in my blog but the truth is...He is amazing.

SIPPY CUPS

Landon is SOOO particular about his sippy cup.

For the first year and a half he drank out of a bottle because I was still pumping. When I tried to transition to a sippy cup it was a battle. There were tears and throwing of sippy cups. I taught him how to love the new one by leaving in his bed full of water (hence the buck teeth). When I was not looking he would try it. Finally he gave in and the bottles were gone. But he would only drink out of the nuby sippy cups with the soft spout.

The brothers starting chewing through the soft spouts. We transitioned to the cheap sippy cups that you see everywhere. They quickly learned it was fun to chew on those and squish the nippy shut.

I bought hard spouted sippy cups. Landon would not have it. I had to go through the whole battle again. He did eventually give in. I have 4 of those now and threw all the other ones away.

Yet the battle with Landon continues. Since they are all the same, I thought it would be easy...but Landon has decided that the yellow one is his and I get an earful if I accidentally hand him the wrong one.

This is one silly kid.

HOME BOUND

The first year and a half of the twins life I was stuck at home. I found not even a minute of freedom. That was because they were too small and no one wanted to watch 3 children let alone two being babies.

I am under house arrest again. With the tantrum stage comes no certainty when or where the next one will occur. It is tough to go out with 3 children but when one is throwing a fit...I cannot do it. I cannot hold them all.

The first time I realized this I had just gotten done telling the UPS lady that I was lucky and that my twins were good-natured and easy. I should have never said that out loud. Within 2 minutes, I was out of control and it was not pretty. Carrying a child by the overalls is not something you should do in public. I think I will just stay home until this stage passes.

HOUSE CALLS

Our house has been on the market for a little under two weeks. We have had 4 people walk through it. The first two were within the first two days that it was on the market and then the last two were within the last few days.

In the beginning I was AMAZING at keeping my house PERFECT just in case someone called at the last minute. A law in the house viewing world is that they can call and leave a message saying that they are coming but unless you reply and say it is a bad time...they just come.

So far they have called with enough notice...until this morning. I was in the bathtub and I could hear my phone reminding me that I had a message. I kept thinking that I should get out and check it ASAP but I was really enjoying my bath.

When I finally did get out, there was a message that said that they would be there around 1200. To my HORROR it was 1150!!! I ran out in my towel and told Shane. Within 15 minutes our house was "presentable" and we were out the door.

AIR SOFT

Shane comes up with a new "hobbie" about every holiday season. Since he drives around all over town with his job, he comes across new places that he did not know existed. A few months ago it was an indoor air soft arena. We got 10 men from the war and went and played.

It was painful, but a blast. The battle wounds were eraser sized open wounds with a quarter sized bruise surrounding it. Playing with 9 men I quickly realized it was more fun to be a snipper. I hid in the back and picked them off for my teammates.

Shane decided that he LOVED it. He is very sneaky. It began with, "we are going to go the Fred Meyer and pick up 20 dollar air soft guns...we will be able to play in the yard after the kids go to bed...we RARELY get to have fun anymore." I ate it up.

I put my guard down a little and was overrun before I recognized it. Pretty soon he is the proud owner of a professional air soft pistol and coveting all the gear to go with it.

PUSHING THE LIMITS

We have begun the war. The battle to figure out who will give in first. Usually this is tough with just one kid but I have to do it with 3 at once.

With Landon it is climbing across the food storage end table, onto the counter, to the sink, to splash in the water. I spent the first part of the morning flicking his finger. After 15 times I switched to putting him in his crib for a few minutes. He still went to his crib about 10 times, but it seemed to be more effective.

Jackson is obedient. He listens when I say no, or at least after the first punishment. But he does get confused if he sees Landon still doing it.

Brenna thinks that she is the boss. If I ask her to do something so says "maybe not" or just a matter-of-fact "no". She goes to time out too if she doesn't listen.

ONCE UPON A BEDTIME...

As we were putting the kids to bed Shane called me into their room excitedly, just in time to see Jackson climbing OUT OF HIS CRIB!!! With quick thinking we decided to undo a few screws so that the bottom of the crib rested on the floor and the mattress would be 4 inches lower.

Right when we were done with Jacksons crib then Landon climbed out of his. I decided to do Landon's also but Shane sighed regretting ever telling me about it. I pulled Landon's crib away from the wall for better access only to find the source of the sour smell Shane had been complaining of for a few weeks. VOMIT!!!!

So of course we cleaned that up. Lowered Landon's crib only in time for Jackson to climb out of his already lowered crib.

Oh life!!! Oh the different phases of child rearing!!! Oh the battle that will ensue at each and every bedtime for the next few weeks.

THE GREAT ESCAPE

I have been DREADING this day. We had the brothers sleeping in pack n plays at grandma's house after church. I heard Landon cry shortly after I put him to bed but just let it ride. He quickly stopped crying so I figured that he went back to sleep.

About 15 minutes later we heard the phone sounding. It was off the hook in the room they were sleeping. Little Ashley went to check on it and found that the brothers had escaped their pack n plays and had terrorized Grandma Frans room.

They cannot yet get out of their cribs, thank goodness. But I have NO idea how I am going to get them to sleep at Grandma Karen's house again. It is going to be a lot of putting them back to bed over and over.

NINE LIVES

If Landon was a cat...he would be on his fourth out of nine lives. The latest situation I have a hard time thinking about without cringing.

I was doing the dishes at Papa's house and Shane called me downstairs to help him with the kids. I left the dishwasher open thinking that I would be back in a a few minutes to finish. I closed the basement door behind me but Landon snuck up and opened it himself. I had no idea he knew how to do this.

A few minutes later he came tumbling down the stairs. No big deal, he has survived it before. But when I went to go pick him up I realized that he had a steak knife in his hand and their was another one midway down the stairs.

This child is meant for greatness and has angels watching over him. His only battle wound was two tiny pinprick sites from the knife above his top lip.

TANTRUMS

My little Jackson has discovered how to throw a fit. He whips it out without notice and as often as he chooses. It is usually full on. He drops himself on the floor. Rolls around. Tosses away what is in his hand.

The best part is that the last two times he has gone to a store, he gets the tantrum gimmes. He does not know what it is but he wants it. It could be a frozen turkey or a box of tampons but he throws a fit to get it.

I think life is hard for an almost 2 year old that has to share everything with his twin brother.

ON THE MARKET

It is on the market. I love how the pictures turned out. 1060 sqft, 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths.

BUSY DANCE

Something we have done for awhile is the busy dance. For example, I woke up after a BUSY night shift and my house was trashed. I got a call for someone to come view the property in 30 minutes. I girded my loins and went to work but the children wanted my attention at the same time. To end the madness I begin the "busy dance" and then they occupied rest of the hour doing it together.

I got it from Veggie Tales: Love Your Neighbor. It is the Good Samaritan story except...it is a pickle that gets his head stuck in a hole along the road. The mayor and a doctor stop as they walk by but they spend all their time explaining how busy they are instead of helping the poor pickle. And they sing this song while they do it.

We're busy, busy, dreadfully busy
You've no idea what we have to do.
Busy, busy, shockingly busy
Much, much too busy for you.

'Cause we're busy, busy, frightfully busy
More than a bumblebee, more than an ant.
Busy, busy, horribly busy
We'd love to help, but we can't!

I grab one child's hands and we dance around the room with fast feet. They LOVE it.

DISPOSAL

Shane's Philosophy: A garbage disposal is there not to put food down but to break up anything that might accidentally go down the drain.

My Philosophy: Why put food in the trash can that will just stink up the house? The disposal is there to put most things down except grease, potato skins, onions. I also find comfort in knowing that my husband is a drain cleaner and can fix any mistakes ;) I have not had to use him in 5 years of marriage (as I cross my fingers).

BRUTAL

I really should not have written the last blog post. I think Satan heard me and threw all that he had my way. I think that the last two weeks have been the worst two weeks of my life.

Three kids with constant vomit and diarrhea kept the washing machine -and me- running all day.

The kids were whinny and all wanted to be held at once. They were hungry but would vomit up all they ate. They had a low tolerance and would fight over everything.

Movie...movie...movie...only creates monsters. They watched movies so that would stay in one place and vomit on the blanket instead the floors. Since getting better they have forgotten how to play and just cry to watch movies.

I was borderline sick all week and just moments from vomiting myself. It is not easy to do the extra tasks when you are sick.

It was a busy week with meetings and appointments.

Thank goodness for people who offered help or else I would have not made it. It was BRUTAL!!!

OPERATION SPIRITUAL RECOVERY

I have done what I thought I was not capable of physically and temporally but I severely lack spiritually. I have a rock solid testimony from the past that keeps me grounded but I desire to be anxiously engaged.

September goals: Small and simple

Sing a hymn daily.
Prayer on my knees and alone daily.
Read a chapter in the BofM daily.

RUNNING UPDATE

I am still running. The goal for August was 12 miles a week and a small workout 3 days a week. I have done it. Sometimes I felt on top of the world, as if my body finally knew what it was doing, and other times it took all I had to run just a few miles.

My PR for 3 miles is 25:30. 9 minute mile is the slowest my body will let me go anymore.

I realized PMS, sick children, and work schedule can really frustrate my running goals but I am determined.

DOOM AND GLOOM

There are a few men at work that Shane knows as the "Doom and Gloomers". They have provided me motivation towards completing my food supply and essentials, which I think is a healthy endeavor. Lately work has been slow and I had more time to sit down and talk with them. The next few days I was scared, feeling unprepared and worried about the future of my children. I have heard many times that I need not worry but need to be faithful.

I do confess I severely lack in the faith category. Faith takes works and I have not been working for it in a long time. But after being sick to my stomach for a few days I realized that no where in the last Ensign is there a word of preparation or "doom and gloom". The message is as it has always been; come closer to Christ.

I also remembered the account of a mission during a last earthquake. They were prepared ahead of time due to a dream that the mission president had. The righteous will be warned and taken care of if they are faithful.

I still do believe that we have to do our part preparing. It is a commandment, but I will begin focusing on being closer to the spirit and listening to the words of the prophets for direction and not the "doom and gloomers".

But I do recommend, along with President Benson, "None Dare to Call it Conspiracy" or Youtube "Benson Conspiracy".

WOULD BE A BUMMER

It really would be very inconvenient to be pregnant right now. Yet, I do jump to conclusions whenever I am a little late with my period. Ever since the twins my cycle is not as regular as it has always been.

We have just decided to sell our house.

I was going to sign up for short-term leave insurance in November to give me a little cash while I am on maternity leave next time.

Shane is switching jobs, hopefully, and our world will be flipped upside down for the next few months.

I am finally regaining some "alone" time and some freedom from babies.

I am sure that all of the people at work will give me the look like I am over populating the world and increasing carbon and global warming.

I also just ran my tushy off (literally) and do not want it back any time soon.

Yet...I cannot deny that I am a little crazy and get jealous whenever I see a pregnant woman or a little baby. It just might be welcome if I am.

***Right when I ever really get nervous about it...it is revealed I am not pregnant. Sorry to get you all excited.

UNSAFE DRIVING

The latest curve ball that the brothers have thrown my way is a new fascination with the door handles in the car. I realized this the other day when Brenna was telling me something from the back seat over and over. I could not figure out what she was saying until we parked and I saw that Landon's door was now wide open. Now I have to lock them in until we get somewhere then I have to reach through the front doors on each side to unlock them, because my car is old and has no automatic locks.

CURLS

Brenna has the craziest curly hair. It is wild and untamed. When I was a young adult dreaming of my children, I always pictured my girl with hair done it bows. By the time Brenna got hair (at about 2 1/2 years old) she was old enough to pull out the ribbons as soon as I turned my back.

It is possible that she got it from me. I have some wave to my hair, but no where near perfect ringlets like hers. I joke that she got it from the mailman. It is the most amazing after a nap on a hot day. She gets just enough sweaty to make her curls really curl.

BREAKING POINT

I feel that my kids play well most of the time most days but sometimes it gets to a point where I feel I am playing referee at a hockey game, but as soon as I break them up, they play nicely for a moment and then get right back into it.

It can usually be remedied by giving them food, or a nap, but other times I am completely lost. I can only distract so many times in the day before I run out of options and am near the breaking point myself.

Also, the times when they all want their mama at once is very difficult. Yesterday I was sitting watching a movie with the kids. Landon on my lap, Jackson underneath one arm and Brenna holding my other hand. Most of the time they are all three clawing at my legs trying to get on my lap. I try to be enough mama but...I am outnumbered.

Thank goodness all days are not bad. I would say 26 days out of a month are GREAT. I think that I have guardian angels bearing me up. That paired with the real angels continually offering help make life easy and wonderful.

UP FOR SALE

Our humble little home is being put up for sale. I have mixed feelings.

I LOVE my home. I love the area/neighborhood. I love the ward and the Bishop (Papa). The quarters are close and we have to be creative with our decorating to hide storage but it is totally doable. We can walk to two parks. We are close enough to our babysitter (Karen, thanks!!!). It is decorated to my liking, within budget. There is limited parking and no room for guests but no one comes over anyway.


I would probably live here forever but there are a few things that we need to consider. I am very "doom and gloom" and do not imagine that the economy will bounce back soon. In fact...I think it will get way worse. I can survive happily with our family of five in the close quarters for now but not forever. There is NO room for any additional packages from the stork. I am afraid that in a few years, when we NEED to sell, we will take a great hit in order to sell.

We have decided to get out now. Take the hit, sell it and rent a bigger place. I am hoping that no more is required...but it might be if we do not do it soon.

THREE IS A CROWD

The days when I would squeeze us all into the bathtub are over. We tried it today...it was BARELY doable. (pardon the pun;)

MODESTY

Brenna is very aware about mama's modesty but confused about her own.

I confess that after a 3 mile run in a house without a good air conditioner, it is difficult to be modest. Brenna always reminds me. She helps me pull down my shirt so that my middle is covered. I promise in the privacy of my home it is purely to cool down. After twins my belly is frightening and will not be revealed to others willingly.

Yet, on the flip side. She does not understand why the boys at the waterpark get to take off their shirts and she has to wear hers. She also comes back from the bathroom with her tushy uncovered, no matter who is in the room.

I know that I MUST be the perfect example starting now...before she turns into a teenager. I am glad she is the modest police for me but I have to work on keeping her covered in public.

TRANSMISSION FIASKO

On our way to Crescent Lake a few weeks ago the OD light began to blink. Shane had me read in the manual which only brought doom and gloom for news. Near the end of the trip the truck was shifting really hard and late. We just hoped to make it home after our vacation.

We brought it to a repair shop which I will not reveal unless pressed. The owner did the diagnostics and said "It is toast and undrivable. It needs a new transmission immediately". What? The previous owner had just put in a new transmission about 20,000 miles ago.

I felt so uneasy. The $3000.00 fee that he wanted to charge us was not a worry. We have the money set aside for times like this. I just could not escape my doubts. I also have a friend of a friend who worked at this place and I don't think that the owner is the most wholesome of men. I drove Shane crazy with requests for a second opinion. The owner gave him the error code and Shane finally agreed to call a few places for more opinions.

Before bed one night he got a brilliant idea. He entered the error code into the all wise Google. Google's advice. Unplug the battery for a few minutes then reconnect. What?!! But if it happens again the transmission needs to get repaired.

It worked!!! I was so upset that Mr. Owner did not offer that as an option. Thank you Google, I will consider you first in the future. Sorry Mr. Owner...you lost my trust and business.

***After Shane read this he says that I am very naive...I cannot argue with that.

RIB COOKOFF

The first year that we cooked ribs for the cook off, Shane and I spent HOURS researching the rub, and cooking techniques. We spent hours in front of a hot grill trying to maintain the perfect temperature according to the literature. That year we lost. Turns out that our judges like the sauces better then the rubs...at least that is what I tell myself.

The second year we went the sauce route. It was actually a rub that marinated and then a sauce at the end. I got the recipe from my favorite Iron Chef Bobby Flay. As I added the ODD ingredients together I was afraid to serve it. Turns out Bobby Flay is an Iron Chef for a reason. I WON!!!I spent the good part of the afternoon over Josh's shoulder as he decorated winner apron. I was SOO HAPPY that I got it.

This year was a little more complicated. Shane gave me a few days warning. I researched online and found a recipe that I thought would do the trick...but...Shane worked all day and my morning got away from me. By the time that I got to the store to buy ribs I was afraid that I would not have enough time to cook them. Oh well, I will just save the recipe for another day and buy these prepackaged, marinaded, precooked Tony Roma ribs from Fred Meyer. With Shane in the EQ presidency I felt that I had a duty to make sure enough ribs arrived to feed everyone.

The ribs took 20 minutes to cook in the oven. As I brought them out to the serving table another gentlemen brought out his smoked, ingeniously seasoned ribs (which I have had before, and salivate over). His beef fullback ribs made my baby back ribs look like slop. Oh well, I wasn't competing anyway but I will not let anyone know which ones are mine because I am embarrassed. I got lost in the party but then they announced the winner. It was ME!!!

I feel guilty...but not guilty enough to return my winnings ;).

WATER

We now have 7 55-gallon water barrels. Shane thinks that he has relieved my nerves but that will not be the case until they are properly sterilized, filled and stored. Our condo is being overrun by food storage. I LOVE it.

GARLIC

It all began around flu season last year. There was the big H1N1 scare and I refused the vaccine but I was determined to not get the flu. I researched online and found that fresh garlic is GOOD for you. I began eating I clove a day. It only lasted a few days because my husband would not come near me due to the smell.

The problem was that I wanted all the benefits and heard that it was less beneficial if cooked. I would make a piece of toast and squeeze the garlic onto it and eat it. I actually enjoyed it. It was not bad.

I would then brush, floss, and rinse my mouth multiple times before my husband got home. It never failed that as soon as he walked past me he would ask me if something smelled. I could not trick him...so I gave it up...until yesterday.

I was cooking breakfast and noticed the clove sitting there. I thought that it I grilled it up with breakfast he would not notice. Last night after the kids were in bed he kept asking what I ate today. I could not remember anything that would leave a lasting effect...then it came to me.

It is soo good for you but my husband cannot tolerate it. I heard of a man in the ward that daily eats a concoction of garlic, cayenne pepper, and cod liver oil. His wife eventually got used to it. Will mine?

STAPLES

Instant oatmeal: It is a staple in our house. Brenna has had it for 1-2 meals a day (3 if she can push it) for about a year now. The brothers have learned to love it too. It is the ONLY thing that Landon is guaranteed to finish. We even buy the cheap brand and they devourer it. They do not like it hot, just 20 seconds in the microwave before serving. It is a LIFESAVER.

Spaghetti: Shane's nemesis. When he was small he would "rather die" than eat spaghetti. A few days prior to his mission he decided he would man up and try it again. He found that he actually liked it but the child in him still cringes whenever it is served. I LOVE spaghetti. It is another meal that I can serve for dinner and then for leftovers and my children will eat it every time.

Sandwiches: Kids are funny sometimes. For a few weeks they wanted nothing but PB&J sandwiches but now...they will not touch them with a ten foot pole, no matter how hungry they are.

Salad: Brenna goes crazy and eats all my salad off my plate. The babies cant get enough either. Perhaps it is because during the past year of house arrest, I was unable to get out and get fresh produce often, so now it is a specialty to them.

Milk: I would have to estimate that they go through a gallon of milk a day. I know it is a problem. Sometimes it is all that they babies want. They went 14 months on mainly breast milk and nothing else. They are addicted.

MOMENTS TO MY THOUGHTS

I NEVER get moments to think seriously or accomplish any task during the waking hours of my children. As Primary Secretary the presidency can attest to that. I have suggestions offered continuously to fix typos. If I do experience a moment to myself I always think, "I have the best babies. They are so good and play nicely by themselves!!!". It is right after that thought that I realize it was silent because...

They were pooping and now I have 2 diapers to change.

They got some of Brenna's food and now it is all over them and the floor.

They are playing in the toilet or tub and are now wet.

Jackson has found either the toilet paper or paper towels.

My quick moments to myself are not worth the effort it takes to clean up the mess.

NEW RECIPES

I go through phases of cooking. They seem to correspond with the phases of my life. We are either living off cereal and sandwiches, or I am whipping up a new recipe a few times a week.

I love finding new recipes to cook. I like having more options on dinner choices in my file. B

POLICE OFFICER

One night Shane had a dream that a seasoned detective of our acquaintance was sitting on his pillow (yeah, weird) and talking to him about how the force needed him and he would do well at it. Later that week the same person came to us at a church function and talked to him about it (yeah, weird). Ever since then he has done ride-a-longs and research and has decided that he would LOVE it.

He is interviewing right now and doing amazing at it. He is very genuine, charismatic, and honest which have led to positive feedback during the process. Not to mention, he has not done anything deceptive or wrong in his entire life. He is one of the few people that actually do not have any skeletons in his closet.

He is constantly working to make his body and mind stronger to help him be better in the position. He takes tests online of police related material, researches the agencies, works on spelling and grammar (in which he lacks sorely).

I am very proud and supportive of his decision. Do I want him going into this line of work? Yes and No. There are of course many dangers with this position. It also puts him in an environment everyday with the sick of the world. I am thrilled that he has found a career, other than flying, that he finds a passion and sees himself being part of forever. We will see where the interviews lead but we are excited.

KISSY

This is a nickname that I am able to forget but reminded of by Dawn's Shane every time I see him. It was not given to me because I was liberal with my kisses in my youth...as many of you are thinking. It was given to me for the opposite reason. For my first year of life I was too shy and would not give my dad kisses. Now I love them.

Landon is my sweetest heart. He is constantly giving me kisses unannounced and for no reason. I love when he leans over at church and smacks one on me.

With Jackson I have to beg...but he eventually gives in after looking bashful for a minute.

Brenna finds fun in avoiding my kisses. She hides her face until finally allowing me to plant one on her cheek. The only way that I get a kiss from her is if I trick her. I ask her to give me a kiss on the cheek and then turn my face as soon as she gets close, so that she gets it on the lips instead. She now holds my head tightly before giving me a kiss on the cheek to avoid missing.

***In the picture there is no denying that she is a girl. She even sleeps like one.

CURRENT SILLINESS

Noun/gender confusion. Jackson suddenly got very confused. All of the sudden I am "daddy" and grandma is "grandpa".

Spoon-feeding is something of the past. Jackson especially will NOT let me spoon feed him. I am back to cleaning...cleaning...changing clothes...and cleaning. Landon though often brings me his food to help him with the last half of the bites.

Brenna is smothering with her loves. She constantly wants my attention. In part it is a result of decreased "mommy time" because of vacations and other interruptions in routine.

Brenna sings hers ABC's constantly and to anyone and everyone. She still needs a little help with the letters but will NOT take any suggestions.

The brothers are bullies. They went from wimps, crying whenever Dallas came near them, to pushing him around if he gets within arms reach. I fear Dallas will always be bigger than them and will get them back in the end. Quantity of babies is overridden by the weight of the opponent. David and Goliath does not apply when Dallas plays Goliath.

Drawer locks on the inside of drawers and cabinets leave just a big enough gap for little hands to slither in and pull out their prey. I discovered this last night when I finished blow drying my hair I found Landon...as well as the floor...covered with waterproof mascara.

Brenna developed a wind intolerance. One evening she would not come outside because it was "too windy", even though all the extended family and playmates were on the lawn. I think it bothers her to have her curls blowing around.

STATUS POST CRESCENT LAKE

Last week all of Shane's immediate family went camping for a week on Crescent Lake. With 6 children under 6 years old? Yep we are CRAZY!!! It was a lot of fun. We took the boat with all the toys and a few tent trailers and lived it up. We spent most mornings full force on the boat but afternoon brought wind and rough waters which forced us to enjoy each others company on the beach.

We came back dirty, tan, sleep deprived, and not refreshed like a vacation should offer but we cannot wait to do it again.

There are a few lessons learned that I must document and review before doing this again.

Lakes=misquotes in swarms, which of course I prepared for but I learned a few things. Misquotes can bite though clothing; therefore the 6 misquote bites on my tushy that drove me insane. Repellent must be applied every 30 minutes for adequate relief. It leaves a sticky, filmy, smelly residue over your entire body. It also attracted dirt and cakes it on.

I still love hot things. I was born and raised under the Arizona sun and my body craves the heat. It is possible to sit too close to a campfire, and probably not the best example for your children as far as fire safety.

If sunscreen is not applied, the sun will find those small areas that are not yet tan and burn the life out of them. I.e. ears, top of forehead that is normally covered by styled hair. If you do not get sunscreen on every inch of those babies pail bodies the sun will find the areas you missed. Also you can get really tan lying on a beach all day.

I love wake boarding but no amount of pre-excersize will prevent muscle fatigue and weakness. Also the wake is not as scary as it looks, it is actually the fun part of being behind the boat.

Babies do not take very good naps if they are not in their beds at home. When you sleep in the same room as babies every tiny movement wakes you up and you don't good sleep either. Babies do well because they can find a lot of things to occupy their attention outside but when the distraction discontinues and they remember something that they want from their mama...it is a meltdown.

Our tent trailer is worth EVERY penny. It stores and transports all of our camping gear. Protects and keeps warm. Big enough for all of us...just priceless.

Bathing is necessary before bed especially when dirt is caked on...But you have to be creative to pull it off. One night was in an inflatable dingy...which we forgot to drain the water from and found a drown chipmunk in the morning. Another night we left a clear storage bin the the sun all day and then bathed each child in the water warmed by the sun.

Chipmunks are only fun for 5 minutes and then they are ANNOYING!!! They are not shy and steal food right off the table you are standing at. They are creative about what they want to destroy. No paper product or food not canned is exempt from their rummaging. We were not too upset when we found one had drown...awful to admit.

My babies do better on the boat. They are mild, and sit on your lap nicely. Sometimes we would take them on the boat just to get them to sleep. They are helpful and pull in the ski ropes.

My husband, his dad and his brothers are amazing in the skyski. They are entertaining to watch as they do backflips, skids, high jumps.

Crescent Lake is a great place to camp and boat. The water is overlooked by a ice covered mountain and delivers ice cold water into various part of the lake, yet the water is comfortable after the first run. The water is freshwater and clear. As you ski along you can see the bottom in various parts of the lake. You can also clearly see the foil of the skyski and the guys are doing tricks. It was not busy and we were able to have full reign of the entire lake. We camped and parked the boat right on the beach and pretty much had our own area of beach that few interrupted.

***This wake board picture is from when I was first learning, thus the helmet. After my biff last week I am strongly considering wearing it again.

APRONS

I have ALWAYS wanted to be an apron wearing mama. I think that they are domestic yet sexy, but I am too cheap to buy one. Last Christmas Grandma Fran made Ashley and I a few each. Whenever I go over to her house around dinner time she is wearing hers. I forget to wear mine until I find spots on my clothes.

Brenna is the cure. She is at a stage where she loves to help me cook. She does not fail to grab an aprons for me and one for her. Sometimes if she is not helping me with dinner she will bring me one, usually right as I am finished ;).

MAMED

I thought that I might put a picture, but for those with weak stomachs I will probably wait and post a healed picture.

I was not being careful when making my soft book and sliced the top of my middle finger. It instantly was bleeding everywhere. I learned quickly that my first aid supplies are not easily accessible. I doused it with peroxide, held it with a few cotton balls and then wrapped in duct tape. At urgent care they laughed when they saw how a nurse had wrapped a wound.

Everyone was unavailable. I called Grandma Fran and she rushed right over. I put the boys down for a nap and a movie on for Brenna expecting to make things easy on her. A few minutes after I left Landon woke up and had puked everywhere. When I got home the dishes were done and Landon back asleep. THANK YOU!!!

Five/six stitches later and I have a whole finger. It is my middle finger. I told the MD to stitch it up nicely because it is my favorite finger. Then I joked that I don't use it very much. He wasn't following my humor but he gave me some good courtesy laughs.

***I was just notified that this moment of stupidity did not only leave my finger forever deformed...it also cost me $250.00. When is Obama care going to kick in? j/k.

SOFT BOOK

I have been dreaming of this one for a long time. I love it. I am so creative that if I was not myself I would puke with jealousy ;).

WHY?

Why...is the laundry that I did on Sunday still sitting in a pile waiting to be put away?

Because...I have not yet finished washing laundry. Right when I attempt to tackle the pile...someone vomits all over everything.

Why...is only one of my legs half shaved and the other still hairy?

Because...I peaked out of the shower to check on the babies only to find them unrolling the whole roll of toilet paper.

Why...is my makeup not on and hair in a towel and dinner not done when my husband gets home from work, this week.

Because...I cant keep up.

LOST OBJECT

If there is anyone out there that has not seen me as a mother...it is nothing short of silly and unique. Shane even says that he at times sees my mom in me...which means I am animated at times and use excited tones when I talk to the kids.

One thing that I have done since Brenna was a baby is our routine when looking for a lost object. We go from room to room calling for the object as we look. Like this morning for example. All three children were on their hands and knees saying "flipity flopity" (Brenna's lost shoe).

I am usually the one to lead the search but I love it when I see them do it on there own.

DEPENDENT

Is it just because my mother-in-law is out of town that I am feeling helpless or it because the brothers are vomiting all over the place, Brenna is begging for my attention because most is spent doing another load of laundry, I am craving sushi but cannot go...

I blame her mostly ;). She is too helpful and available whenever I need her. She never complains or shows if it is bothering her. If a day goes by that we do not stop by to visit then she is knocking on our door for her grandchild fix.

I am fully confident that I would not have survived the last few years without her...and will not survive the next few days if she does not come back ASAP!!!


***In the picture: they discovered this hiding place by themselves. It the the blankets hanging over the side of the bed. After they found that this was a good spot...they would not hide anywhere else***

SUSHI JOURNEY

I have a sushi lover as a sister-in-law, but was too chicken to spend money on something that I was pretty sure that I would not adore.

I was naive and in my head pictured sushi only as California rolls. I thought that the filling was the only difference between the different kinds. It was not until I went in to buy a gift card that I was SHOCKED and DISGUSTED. There were slabs or fish and eggs on top of rice. Perhaps I could tolerate a small piece wrapped in a roll but DEFINITELY not a mouthful.

But...I do know that there must be a reason why people LOVE it. So I went...I ate...I ate some more. When I was done I said to myself that it was a nice experience but I would not go back.

A week later I could not get it off my mind. I had some serious cravings. So I went back and ever since have been hooked. The humor of it is that it is the slabs of fish that I prefer.

RUNNING ADDICT

There are a few things that I have learned from running.

It becomes addictive. If I do not run I find that I cannot get it off my mind until I give in. Even sometimes if I did run, I still get the urge and have to tell myself not to overdo it.

It is all in my head. I run 3 miles in 30 minutes, which is a snails pace to most. My body enjoys the pace, but it is my mind that I have to fight...especially on a treadmill. My body is not sore the next day and my mind is over it 3 minutes after I stop, but as I am running it can be hard if I let my mind take over. I have found that if I watch one of the "movies I adore", I can smile as I run. I also do not have to concentrate too hard because I have every line memorized.

It is blissful. I have not ever been happier in my life and more even tempered than I am now that I run daily. ***I hear a few that really know me, laughing as they read this. I did not say that I AM even tempered...I said I am MORE even tempered...JAY!!!

It must be hard. I also heard somewhere that "WORKing out" is supposed to be hard or else it is not going to bring results. Before I heard that I would quit if it got too hard, now I push through it and find joy in the accomplishment.

I can do anything for a short period of time. Really 30 minutes is NOTHING. It goes by so fast and then it is over until the next day.

My appetite is none existent. I eat to nourish my body not to give in to cravings. Especially sweets. They still sound good because of past damage but I find myself not finishing it and throwing it away after a few bites.

FALSE ALARM

Thought that I might be pregnant, there were a few small factors that could have led in that direction...so I freaked Shane out when I made a stop at the dollar store for a test. Turns out I am not.

I would have thought that I would be jumping for joy but to tell the HONEST truth...I am so disappointed. I am convinced that I am crazy but last month I was content to live the rest of my life with only three kids and this month I am sad to think that I no longer will have a BABY.

My babies are getting sooo big. They are saying words and getting their own shoes to put them on. Life is getting to am "easy" stage and I am left wanting.

Probably next week I will be back to the opposite opinion.

IDENTITY THEFT

I woke up after a night of working and decided to take a glance at the activity on our bank account. Shane went crazy and spent ***200 dollars*** in the past few days without saying a word to me about it. I remembered and brought it up at our date. I asked him what he bought at the various places. He said that he had not bought or been anywhere in the past few days.

Instantly we got SICK to our stomachs. Another coincidence is that Karen called me earlier that afternoon about emails she got from MY email account about Viagra and other various subjects. Someone must have hacked into our computer and go into EVERYTHING. As we left the restaurant I had all bank cards and credit cards in my hand waiting to cancel them but first Shane called Jayson to talk about it.

Jayson said that is so weird because the past couple of days the pin number on his debit card was not working. They double checked their cards and realized that when we went out to eat a few days before the cards got switched and they had each been using the other persons card without even knowing it.

***I am forced to add, that I could not remember the exact amount when I scribbled my blog from memory. I have readers keeping my blog honest and it was not even 200 dollars spent. ;)***

THE "ONLY CHILD"

Landon thinks that he is an only child.

Mama belongs to him only and the rest I am just babysitting long term. At times, in certain moods, he will not let Jackson near me with a 10-foot-pole. I am not allowed to share my lap and how dare I try to hold Jackson on the vacant hip while holding him.

He is my tag-a-long and plays one on one with his mama while Brenna and Jackson are off exploring other things.

Jackson on the other hand is the "only grandchild". There is no one in the world that he loves more than his grandma. He is with her always. He eats the majority of the bites off her plate, he is always on her lap begging for a song, and if she is standing he is at her feet begging to be held. I am not jealous...my load is lessened for a time.

Brenna has always been and will always be daddy's little girl. She is often found on the front of his dirt bike, under the truck handing him tools, or justt at his side checking out what he is up to.

SPOON FEEDING

I am a bit embarrassed to admit it but every mama has her flaws. There was a time when I let the babies feed themselves. When they were done I would go through the same routine...3-5 times a day.

Clean their hands and faces.

Strip off their clothes because no bib is big enough to cover a food fight between twins.

Clean the high chair...walls...windows...doors...

Distract them as I sweep up the food that fell to the floor.

Mop the floor.

Needless to say, I got exhausted. Now...most of the time...I spoon feed them. It has been working out well. I must adapt in order to survive but there is always a catch. Right when I was comfortable the brothers decided that spoon feeding was not "cool" and would get silverware out of the drawer and demand to get their own bites. The solution...I put a bit on the end of the fork and hand it to them. They hand it back for another bite. It is working out well...for now.