Muddy Buddies

Me and my little buddy, Eli, made our newest addiction, again-Chocolate Muddy Buddies. Mmmm, they are good. I made some for a Young Women's activity a week ago, and Eli was so bummed that he only got a little bit of it (I was too actually). Of course the youth devoured it so there were no leftovers for Eli and I to munch on later. The next day Eli asked if we could make more. I was craving it too, so of course I said yes. Then that got eaten faster than it should have too.  So, yesterday Eli wanted more (and again I did too), so when he asked if we could make more, what could I do but make my little buddy happy, and so we made more.

Right now it is seriously my favorite treat (move over mini charleston chews).  Yes, I realize they do nothing for the baby fat that I complain about and am "trying" to lose, but by golly sometimes you just have to indulge. Right?

Not to mention I am having some good bonding time with my little buddy. Yeah, that's the real reason I keep making them. :)

Orally fixated?

I believe my son is. This kid puts everything in his mouth, and I mean EVERYTHING! If it touches his hands it inevitably ends up in his mouth. From food, to his clothes, to his shoes, to his toys, to anything he finds on the ground. It is seriously driving me crazy.If I had a nickel for every time that I said, "Take that out of your mouth, or Please don't put that in your mouth." I seriously could have a very nice vacation fully funded, with extras too. As a baby he rarely picked things off the floor, but now literally everything touches his mouth. I am seriously amazed the kid hasn't picked up some disease yet.

So I beg all of you to help me. Any suggestions on how to get a three year old to keep things out of his mouth that don't belong there? If your suggestion works I may just bring you along on my fully funded vacation.

Vegas Vacation

Last weekend we went on a fun little family vacation down to Vegas. Some friends of ours were there from Florida and asked if we wanted to meet them down there. So of course we will use any excuse to go on vacation. Although it wasn't quite as relaxing as the last time we went (is anything relaxing with kids?) We still had fun. Here are some of the highlights:

*The kids slept almost the whole way there.

*Going down the slide at the pool.

*Eli being so brave-he finally would jump in the pool (with a little persuasion from Ryan. Ryan told him if he did it he could have a milkshake). Of course after he did it once he loved it, and did it over and over.

*Eli being really brave and going down the slide all by himself.

*Hallie jumping in the pool. 

*A little shopping.

*Seeing friends we haven't seen for awhile.

*More swimming.

Watching the water show at The Bellagio.

*Reading "Breaking dawn".

*Getting away from the daily grind.

*Spending three whole days straight with Ryan.

That's what brothers are for

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero.

Ever since Eli knew I was pregnant, he insisted it was a sister, and he honestly could not wait for her to be born. Toward the end of my pregnancy he would ask me everyday when his sister was going to be born. I thought it was so cute that he was excited to have a sibling, but at the same time I thought he is NOT going to be so excited when she is actually born and he realizes it isn't just about him anymore. I couldn't be more wrong. I honestly don't think there was one day that Eli has been jealous of his sister. He was never overly loving of her, but he was also never mean to her when she was an infant. He would make sure he gave her a kiss, or feed her, or hold her for half a second everyday, but not much more than that. I could tell that he really truly loved her and loved having a sister. In fact when she was only a couple weeks old he kept telling me he wanted "another one." at first I wasn't sure what he meant, so I asked him, "Do you want a different sister, or just another sister so that you have two?" And he said, "I want two." He has also asked me a couple times when we are going to the hospital to pick up his other sister. (If only it was that easy).

Lately though he finally has been acting like a big brother- teasing her, taking her stuff, and just bugging her. I thought maybe he has finally decided having a little sister wasn't such a neat thing. And then today he pulled through and showed me that deep down he really isn't the men big brother, he is the protective big brother.

We were at church and sacrament had just ended. One of the cute young women in our ward came over and took Hallie from me. Then I started talking to another lady in our ward, and wasn't really paying attention to Eli, or Hallie for that matter. All the sudden I hear Eli sobbing. I say, "Eli what is wrong?" I couldn't really understand him. So I ask him to stop crying and tell me again. He said with big tears in his eyes and pointing out the door, "She is stealing my sister." I then noticed that the girl who had Hallie had walked out into the hall. Poor Eli was just devastated thinking that she was walking away with Hallie never to return again. (I think I might have instilled total fear in my son that everyone is out to take him and his sister. Maybe I should mellow out a little on telling him every time I can't see him someone might steal him).

Eli really does love his little sister. I have been trying to teach him that he is to ALWAYS look out for his sister and make sure she is safe and protected. I think today he did a good job of taking on the role of big, protective brother. He made me proud.

Picture Perfect

Ryan's cousin Nately is starting a photagraphy business called Desisto Digitals, so I had her take some shoots of my kids. She did such a good job, and even made Eli smile and look good. (Lately he has been "too cool" for pictures). Here are a few of them.

The goofball!

And a little bit of Sass!

Thanks Nately for the pictures. You made my kids look adorable.