Tax Week

Last weekend we worked out in the yard a lot! Dave has been altering the gazebo. He removed the side rails leading up to the gazebo, and made the 4 foot long step into a regular size step. This is helpful in my loading the boys into and out of the car. Now I have more room to get them in. He also opened up the side of the gazebo leading to the back yard and added a step so we can easily access the gazebo from the back yard. Finally he laid two polls on the side of the gazebo to install a fence. Oh, and he hug our swing bench thing from the ceiling. I also changed things up so we have a bench attached to one of the walls of the gazebo. It is the length of our table, so it will be nice not to have to get out chairs if we want to eat outside. Now I just have to paint it!

Dustin's been talking like crazy lately! Mostly food words; with cheese, milk and more topping the list. But he also has started saying Batman and between that and pointing, we're now communicating quite effectively. It's really interesting to compare him with the little Indian boy in the basement. Dustin is two months younger but talks like crazy in comparison.

Monday was 75 degrees here! We spent 5 hours outside that day. The first two were spent walking to the store and playing outside. But the latter 3 were spent outside because I locked us out of the house. Sigh! Needless to say I have now replaced the hide a key so this shouldn't happen again. I was glad it was nice out, so we played in the sand box, walked to the park, swung on swings and played on the slide.

Wednesday it snowed like crazy, so the RS president canceled our presidency meeting. So we decided to play with Logan's friends Abby, Edison, and Maddy. We built a snow man, had snow ball fights, and just had a good time. The kids refused to let me take pictures of them, so you can imagine how much fun they had.

That afternoon I got a text from Dave requesting a presentation on Utah Animals. He teaches the 11 year old Scouts for the Stake, and I guess they wanted him to teach about what animals we could see in the wilderness. I have a few weird things like that saved from teaching at Girls Camp, but I didn't have animals. So the boys and I created a 15 page document (complete with pictures and scientific names). It turned out well, and Dave bound it. The boys loved looking at the pictures and making the noises the animals make. I just hope we have an excuse to use it again.

Wednesday night Dave fell asleep at 9 (teething is killing us), so I started a doll for a friend's little girl. Although I don't remember, I guess I made her oldest daughter a doll years ago. Now she has two girls and they fight over the it. So since she is going to be out here visiting, I whipped one up! I wanted to make two, but I just didn't have the time. I think she turned out cute!

They came over this morning to play! We had fun comparing 3 year olds and letting the kids get out every toy we own. De's one of my best friends, and it's great to get to catch up!

Logan informed me this week he wants to be Buzz Lightyear for Halloween and Dustin wants to be Woody. And every few hours he asks me if I've finished his costume yet! I keep telling him first we have to go to JoAnn's and buy the material. I really hope if I make him a costume, he will still want to be Buzz on Halloween. If not, at least he'll get some dressing up out of it!

Easter & Catching Up

So I swear I wrote a post last week, but it looks like I dreamed I posted… Sleep depravation, what can you do? So last two weeks? Dustin stopped teething, Logan got sick, and Dustin's teething again! So we may have switched who is waking us up at night, but we still haven't been sleeping. We did get two nights in a row of sleep, but I digress.

Logan's belly has been hurting for a week and a half now. He went for a week strait not eating anything (literally, but he was still drinking). He's started eating again, and about every other day he is sick again. We took him into the Dr last week, and they did lots of tests on him, but haven't found out what's wrong (not appendicitis, not strep throat, not a UTI, probably not a virus…). So I'm at a loss as to how to help him feel better. Dave wants me to get him gluten tested, but his belly was hurting when he wasn't eating gluten too, so I don't think they correlate.

Some time in the last two weeks we went to Wheeler farm with a few friends. The boys just LOVED the animals. Dustin wanted to pet everything (even the horses). They had a Library story time in the milking barn first, then we visited the animals followed by playing at the playground. It was tons of fun, but exhausting!

Tuesday night the Young Women were doing a massive babysitting night, so we dropped the kids off at church for 2 hours and had a mid week date! We went out for Thai food and did some casual browsing of Target (not enough time for a Temple trip, or we would have done a session). It was a nice little break.

Last Wednesday we also had a new renter move into the basement. Ronak works for my Dad, and is from India (on contract here for 6 months). They couldn't find an apartment for him in his price range, so Dad talked Dave and I into renting to him (and the price is right). It was a lot of work getting the space ready, but it's going well now. He's a nice man, and his family moves in tonight (their flight comes in at 8).

So Friday I convinced Dave to take off work to help me with the insanity of sick Logan and teething Dustin (both clingy/needy = no fun for Mom). BUT the boys were 700% better behaved on Friday… so we did our taxes in the morning (finally). That afternoon we went to the park, did laundry, and just had a casual day. Saturday we did a lot of General Conference watching, candy bribing, and muffin eating. Dave and I didn't get a lot out of the first session, but Logan recognized a few of the general authorities from the picture of the 12 we have. "Oh Mom, he's from my picture!" it was cute.

Second session Dustin was still napping, so we let Logan put a movie on my laptop so we could get a little out of Conference. I felt a little guilty, but you can't expect a 3 year old to pay attention to 8 hours of Conference anyway. Dave was working on the Gazebo outside while the session started, to I turned it on on the radio for him. Ronak came out to help, and Dave explained Conference to him and they had a religious discussion while getting to a stopping spot on the Gazebo (good missionary work Dave). Ronak is hindu, so it lead to Dave and I having a discussion about their general beliefs too.

We went up to my brother Mike & Alison's house after second session, had an egg hunt with the kids and just had fun! Dustin was fascinated with their goats and chickens. My dad kept putting him on the goats for rides and Dustin thought that was awesome (the goats, not so much)! He just loves animals. We stayed for pizza and the men went to Priesthood Session.

Easter Sunday was tons of fun! Logan woke up bright and early at 7 and we had to see what the easter bunny left us. Every egg he opened was a surprise "Oh, more Jelly Beans!!!" He ate a lot of candy, then we had to dye eggs (yes, before breakfast). Both boys thought that was pretty fun. We watched both sessions and made funeral potatoes and ham for dinner (with green beans and rolls). We discussed Easter and why we celebrate it with Logan.

Conference naps!

Monday morning Logan woke up and asked me "Mom is it still Easter?" No, it's Monday "When is Jesus coming back then? You said 3 days later Jesus came back alive ant that's why we celebrate Easter. I want to meet him!" So he got it almost right, we just had to discuss how He died a long time ago, and went back to live in heaven.

In Which We Become Zombies!

The weather has been so nice lately, we couldn't help but take advantage of it! We've been at the park or the playground across the street as much as possible. Dustin learned to swing on the big swing, but it still makes me nervous, so I keep one hand on his back at all times. But he loves it! He thinks he's such a big boy. Logan also insists on taking Dustin down the slide with him. So I'll put him in Logan's lap, and then run around to the bottom of the slide as fast as I can to catch them.

Dustin's been walking a lot more lately too. Logan has gotten over the novelty of Dustin walking, so he I no longer worry about the little one being tackled. He does best on a hard surface, but he is getting better on carpet too.

We've also had an attack of teething lately! I'm dyeing slowly of lack of sleep, but hoping it will be over soon. Dustin and I didn't get to sleep until 4:30 last night, and he got me up at 7:00. It's been that way for a week and a half? Two weeks? I've lost count!

Other than that, we've been approached about renting our basement furnished for the next 5ish months. It's a young family (dad, mom, and 18 month old) from India on contract here at my Dad's work. The work will be paying the bills, and as long as HR approves everything, they should be moving in on the first (yes, that's a week and a half from now).

I'm stressing about getting everything done on time, but they won't know for sure if HR approves until Wednesday. So I've started boxing up our stuff, and collecting furniture, etc (they wanted it furnished, so I had to find a bed and some dressers). I will be sad about the loss of space, but the money is good, so I'm excited about that! And I think the boys will love having a friend close by. Now we just have to decide how to spend the money in a few months… :)

I also am working on a quiet book for an exchange. 11 seamstresses are all working on 11 of the exact same page, and we will switch in April. It's a bible story & nursery rhyme theme. I did a Samson and Delilah hair braiding page, and I'm so excited to see what everyone else comes up with.

So we're hanging in there! That's about it right now, but that's life some times

Silly Boys, Dates & Valentines Day

Let me just start by saying Logan and Dustin are such silly boys! They have such fun together, and get into so much trouble already. By 9 months Logan had bought dustin to fake burp and fart (and to laugh at it). I have no idea where Logan got  it from, and I can't get them to stop it, oh boys!

Dustin's been walking lately! It's crazy hard to get him to walk, because every time he tries to walk toward Dave or I, Logan gets excited and wants to help. He then insists Dustin walk towards him, not Dave or I, and when Dustin starts walking, Logan tackles Dustin with hugs! It's cute, but really hinders the process. We're hoping he'll be walking by himself soon enough.

We've been busy going on dates lately. Valentines weekend both our parents offered to watch the boys so we could go on dates! So Friday we did dinner and a movie, and Saturday we had a stay in date (made a fancy dinner at home, chatted and watched a movie). It was great!

Last week was Dave's birthday! I told Logan a few days before, so we could shop for dinner and a dessert. When we got to the store Logan had brought his money and told me he wanted to buy Dave a gift "with my own money". So we went to the candy isle. He immediately saw the gummy worms "Gummy worms! I love gummy worms!" pause "but Daddy loves liquorish. Let's get that for Dad."It was so thoughtful!

Friday Dave's parents offered to have a sleepover with the boys in celebration of Dave's birthday! We were all so excited! Logan had so much fun too. He's been talking about it ever since. "I got to sleep in Grandma's living room. They put a nightlight in there, but MOM, there wasn't a clock. So I didn't know what time to wake up at! Next time I sleep over I want to bring my clock." He talks about it all the time now.

Dave got another calling a few weeks ago. He is now the youth's Sunday School teacher. Our ward only has 10 - 15 youth total, so he teaches them all. I was hoping they would release him from one of the other two callings he has (teaching Elder's Quorm and Wednesday night boy scouts), but they haven't yet.

Busy Making Things

 We've been feeling better around the Plastow house! I think Dustin is done teething for now, we're just working on him taking naps again. He's always been so good at going to sleep, but since this round of teething he cries for about 15 minutes before falling to sleep. I know this is normal for most kids, but not for Dustin. So we're working on that.

I've been working on more decorations around the house (ever since Dave told me he likes more homey stuff). So I created these blocks out of a 2 x 4 that was bound for the trash! Dave tore down a wall in the shed, and it was one of the boards. I just had to remove all the screws, buy 4 pieces of paper, do some cutting, and BAM! Valentines decoration! It makes me sing every time I see it.

Logan wanted to make one too, so he painted and stuck on some stickers. His is proudly displayed on top of our coat rack.

I also finished this baby quilt! I made it to be auctioned off at the Chocolate Extravaganza (a charity event for a local hospital). I love how it turned out, and Dave liked the pattern so much he asked if we could just keep it. Too bad we don't have a baby girl to use it, or I might have considered it.

I threw this together to work on at a craft night some ladies in my ward were throwing Just out of scraps I had in my scrap bin. It turned out really cute! I decided after making this to start decorating for Valentines day. 

This was what inspired me in the first place. I saw it at the quilting store and thought it was cute! But I like my table runner better.

Other than that, we've been hanging in there. Still trying to get over the survival  mode mentality I've had since the sickness and Dustin's teething. But we're getting there. I'm working on creating baskets (sewn) to go on my sewing table top shelf. It's fun to work on something for me sometimes!