FHE Ideas

I found another AWESOME site that helps with GREAT ideas for FHE!!! (FHE is a weekly family night...for more info go HERE)  Family Home Evenings to go is the new, wonderful site I found! She updates her blog with NEW ideas every week! YES! She has everything from different songs, games, message, scriptures...She is one talented lady!
Here are a couple of my fav's:
I Can do My Part
Thanksgiving and Service
Love at Home

Projected Heights for the Thompson Boys

Scott found this AWESOME site that predicts heights of your children. We also knew we would have pretty tall boys, kind of obvious. We heard when your child is two you can take their height and times it by two and that's the projected height. We (remembered) to do that with a few of the boys, and it's crazy to see how tall they'll be. Wowza! Back to the new site we found....on Baby Center they have a height predictor. Here is what we came up with...

Will is projected to be 6'3"
Jackson 6'4"
Tyler 6'6"
Gavin 6'5"
Brigham 6'8"

Can I shout out WOWZA again, please!?! Holy moly! That is A LOT of Thompson boys, literally! Who knows what their weight will be! My grocery bill is going to be outrageous. I think I need to have a part-time job just to pay for their food intake. Oh how I wish they would stay little...I love babies!

Growth Chart

This is a sweet and funny little story I want to share with you!

Scott and I took the boys to their new doctor's office for their yearly check ups. In the morning, we took the three little boys and in the afternoon, we took the three bigger boys. After the nurse weighs them, measures them and takes their temperature, the doctor comes in to do the next part.

(Side note!!) You know my boys, they're all pretty big kids. Some skinnier than others, but all tall and healthy...right?!

So the doctor goes over the weight/height chart of Gavin with us. 85% in weight and 90% in height. Pretty normal for our family. Next the doctor grabs Brig's chart and studies it for a few seconds and says, "The dot on the charts must not have been entered in". He apologizes and explains he'll add them in....This is the Brig's chart.

Can you find the dot for his weight? For his length?

Hint!! His weight is so high, it's in his length. His length is almost off the page, literally!

He's always been tall and heavy, but never a fatty. He is solid as a rock. (I think he may have a brick stored in his belly!) All the boys are healthy, all of them received their updated shots, all of them received their flu shot (for the first time ever!!)

FREE Calendar!!!

Vista Print is offering FREE calendars!! I already ordered mine! It makes a great (EASY) gift for grandma and grandpa!!

My moms mountain!

 These shots were taken the other day at sunset. I was standing on my porch and this is what I can see. Just amazingly beautiful. The top shot is of Mt. Olympus. The bottom shot is my moms mountain. I have no idea what the name of it is, but my mom always calls it hers.

Bubbles Special Day!!

 My cousin Michele (aka Bubbles) celebrated her birthday. I made some cakes, we ate and laughed. It was a lot of fun!

Bubbles is so fun and outgoing. She is so special to me and my family. It has been so wonderful having her live so close to us, what a blessing. Bub is truly an inspiration to me and everyone else. She is one of the more compassionate people I know.
I love you Bubbles!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Thompson Band

I had the Ipod playing music while we were cleaning, cooking and baking the other evening. We were all jammin' out, especially the band! Good times!

Oranges

While shopping at our local grocery store this morning I was in the produce area with my three younger kids. I had one of those carts that thee kids can climb into and "drive" around. Gavin and Brigham are "driving" and Nathan is sitting facing me. Gavin peeks his head out and points to a pile of fruit and says pointing, "MOM! I want some of that stuff over there!" Not quit sure what he's pointing and talking about I ask him more about what he wanted. "Some of those, right there. Those orange things". Umm, oranges? He forgot the name of the fruit but remembered the color. Silly goose!

"Can-Cakes" Activity

 This morning the Service Club was in charge of the "Can-Cakes" activity. Students had to bring in two non-perishable food items and they would receive FREE pancakes and juice. (They usually have the "Pancakes and Pumpkins" activity which is kinda the same thing. But on that morning of the event the power went out at the school. So, we rescheduled it and re-named it!)

We had a great turn out! There were over 100 students who donated and ate breakfast with us. The Service Club members helped a great deal! We ended up with four large boxes (almost) full of can goods, that will be donated to a local food shelter!

Best Buds

My two babies are only 18 months. They are just starting to play with each other more. It's been so wonderful to see their relationship blossom. I can't wait until Nate is a toddler himself, those two boys will rule this house!

Is being Good, Good enough?

I think I'm a good mom, but I am always trying to think of ways to be better. Sometimes I succeed and other times I fail. I do believe I am on an upward curve and I am getting better at my job. There is a learning curve at this motherhood thing. But is good, good enough?

When Will was 6 months old I went back to work and he stayed home with my mom. (Which was so great because to this day they have a connection and bond like no other!!) When he was one, we put him in a preschool. After Jackson came along, he went to the same preschool at age one. Then came along Tyler and he too went to the same school with his older brothers at age 10 months. I went to work and had adult conversations and did adult things, and had "me time". Looking back, I could tell I had more patience and understanding for the little boys. Was it because half my day was spent away from them?

After we moved to Arizona, I had Jackson and Tyler at home with me and then came baby Gavin. Wow!!! Child overload! It was hard to be there 24-7 and I knew my patience and understanding was limited. I struggled...and still do...just not as much with being overwhelmed and quick to get upset.

Now, I am living in Salt Lake City and I have Nathan and Brigham home all day with me and Gavin half day (he goes to this great preschool at the elementary school from Monday through Thursday, 8am to 11:15am), and life is great! I try to schedule everyone's plans so everyone gets "mom time", but then make sure that mom gets "her" time too.

Honestly, I'm not sure how I did it all when living in Arizona. Maybe it's because I'm older. Maybe it's because I've learned to deal with it better. Maybe these younger boys are easier. Maybe it's because I'm getting use to it. Not sure. But I know I have more patience, time and understanding with these awesome boys of mine.

I love being a mom. I love each of my sons so much. I know I'm a good mom. I want to be a better mom. Is being good, good enough? I am thankful for so many friends of mine that are great moms that encourage and strengthen me daily!

I sure hope being good, is good enough!

Student Coucil

Rosecrest Elementary had Student Council Elections all last week and then the students voted yesterday. Only the 6th graders can run and there were four positions for the boys and four positions for the girls. 16 girls ran and 8 boys ran, Will being one of them. By the end of the week they added a spot for five girls (because there were so many running). On Monday the students running came to school dressed nicely and gave speeches. The 4th, 5th and 6th graders were the only ones that could vote, and they could vote for 4 people. I went in early to help with the tallying of votes, but they were almost done with that project.
Will lost by ONE vote. My heart sunk and I felt saddened for him and his loss. He's the type of kid to take things personally and hard. He's a softy! But I also knew it would be a good lesson for him and our family.
Right after school I attended the monthly PTA meeting. The gal in charge of the Student Council asked the PTA if she should allow one more child in the student body. It's easier to complete the tasks with an even number. She explained that one of the boys had lost by just 1 vote. I sat there and didn't say a thing. I did not was to sway anyone in either direction. After discussing the matter for several minutes they voted on adding one more boy to the group. It was unanimous (besides me...I did not vote) WILL'S IN! YEA!! I was thrilled! He was thrilled! They are having their first meeting this Friday and then on Monday they are missing school to attend a conference at BYU! Congratulations Will!!

"Together We Can"

 The boys are involved in this huge art competition at school. There are several different areas they can submit an entry to. They all drew pictures, they all took a photo and jazzed it up. Will is going to make a video and a comic strip. Jackson is making 3D art and a comic strip. Tyler is writing a poem and making 3D art. The theme this year is "Together We Can". Here are their photos they shot. Will's picture is above. It's Tyler, Jackson and I holding hands. I loved how Will changed the coloring and added the shadow. He did a great job!

 Jackson took this great shot of the fall trees. He too worked in photo shop and boost the coloring of the leaves a bit.

Tyler was originally wanting to get a shot of the brothers playing soccer with each other. While they were playing I noticed Brig's trying to blow this dandelion. Tyler snapped some cute shots. (I think we will make this one a collage of Brig's blowing the dandelion...but I need to read the rules and make sure...)

I am very proud of the boys and the great work they did.

Gavin also drew a picture but I'm not sure if we're going to enter it or not. (I think I may have him draw something else!) He drew this adorable picture of me...with boobies, nursing the baby. It's cute, and honest, but may be a tad TMI!

Funny quotes of the holiday weekend...

Man, my kids are a hoot. They come up with the funniest comments. They keep me young and laughing. I sure love these guys!


Yesterday in the midst of Halloween activities Tyler became very upset and told he to tell Jackson to "just stop it!" In a very mad voice. I asked what Jack had done and Tyler's reply was, "He keeps reading my mind!" HA! Apparently Tyler wanted to go to a certain station at the park and Jackson said it out loud and that just ticked Tyler off.


Last night while trick-or-treating (In Utah they trick or treat on Saturday...)We were at Gavin's preschool teacher's house chatting with her and her family. She said we needed to head across the street because then entire family is dressed up as hippie's. I told her we would when we came back down the street. So, later as were then approaching the house Jackson says, "I don't want to go to that house!" After Scott and I asked why he said, "Because that's a house of Hobo's!" Hobos! No, no sweet heart! Hippie's! We told the family and we all laughed our heads off!

One house we went to was totally decked out in Halloween decor. I even walked up to the front door because I wanted to see everything. As we're standing there I see one of the "scary" decorations moving a bit. I kinda jumped back and yelped. The boys immediately looked over at me then to where I was looking. And then that decoration was really no decoration and was a man dressed up and started really moving. All my boys screamed and ran. Jackson started crying.  We then started laughing. It was a FUN night!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!

Halloween- Second Half

 It's F-A-L-L!!! And I love it. I love the weather cooling off...I love the colors everywhere...I love the trees and the messy leaves everywhere... I am so happy to be here!!!

 After lunch and naps we were off again with Scott and Will to a local park that was hosting fun, free activities. You can't beat that! Gavin was running down the center of the field yelling he loves this place. Cute kid!

There were a ton of activities for the kids to do. It was a very fun family event. Then, it started raining! BOO! We headed oer to a cousins house where they eat Chili, donuts and Witch's Brew for their Halloween tradition. It was fun to join them on the festivities! THANKS BOYCES!!
We headed over to a neighborhood that was real wealthy. (My cousin used to live there...) They handed out toys and candy bars and the kids LOVED it! About 7pm we decided to head on back to our neck of the woods. We put Nathan and Brigs down for bed, it had been a LOOONG day for those two. I walked down our street with the boys and we stayed out till 9pm. We now have 6 full grocery store bags full of candy! (What I always do is have the kids hold cute little Halloween trick-or-treating bags and then in the car or at home we have grocery bags with their names on it. So when their bags get heavy then can dump it into a different bag.)
We had a very fun day!

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!