Catch Up Time

So, as you can tell, I have been the worst blogger in the world.  Everyone has probably even stopped checking on the blog because I have been so slow.  The funny thing is that I actually thought that there might be some more time to do things in the summer – was I crazy?!!!

I have not had a moment for anything, except when I have been dog-tired and ready to collapse.  I will try to be better and keeps things updated.  Actually, this week, I will try to post something everyday, so that I can catch up on some things.  Let's see is that works.

I first wanted to start  just by going over some cute and funny things that my kids did during the month of May.  I actually wrote some of them down, which is good, because I would have completely forgotten by this point in time.

Nate has been having a great time with his friend Hyrum.  They were preschool buddies and we would try to get them together one other time during the week at the park or just at the house to play.  They really do have a great time together.  One day we were at the park and the two of them were trying to figure out how to climb the trees.  The branches were too high and they could not even reach them at all.  So then I heard the two of them talking about how they needed to get stronger so that they could climb the trees.  The boys then proceeded to do the funniest looking push ups ever so that they could build their muscles up and climb the trees.  Needless to say, they were never “strong” enough to climb the trees, but they sure looked cute while they were trying to make it happen.

This is just an example of Nate doing a push up.  I did not have my camera at the park, but you get the idea

Corey has a good friend at school that has a “girlfriend.”  We all laugh at this because these two kids hardly ever talk to each other, but they are girlfriend and boyfriend.  Corey and his buddies have all tried to talk to this boy and convince him not to have a girlfriend, but it has not helped.  Corey finally decided to take a “For the Strength of the Youth” pamphlet and give it to his friend.  His friend took it graciously and I am glad that Corey was not afraid to do it.  It is great to stand up for what you believe in. 

After all of this, Corey has told me that he knows what “going out” is.  Corey has defined going out as telling someone that you like them and that is about it.  Unfortunately that definition will not last through high school, but I am glad that Corey is disgusted by the whole thing at this point.

Corey asks Jared – what is puberty?  Jared says it is when you talk about your favorite teacher.  Wow, I guess his parents better do a better job with “the talk.”

I ask Eric If  he would like me to cut up some strawberries for him since I am cutting some up for Reagan.  Eric say, “why wouldn’t I?”

Every floss container that we have around the home has a new purpose.  Reagan pretends that the floss container is her own personal cell phone.  We have had many discussions on the floss phone.

On one of the first days of summer, my boys did one of those remarkable things that I wish would happen everyday.  Jared, on his own accord, decided to go out and clean the side yard.  Our side yard has a lot of dirt, weeds, and toys scattered all over the place.  Soon, Nate and Eric caught the vision and joined him.  Jared spent a good two hours outside working, without being asked and without expecting anything in return.  Of course, in the Devenport household, we believe in rewards, so they were all rewarded with beads afterwards.  They even got some bonus beads because they decided to do this on their own, without being asked.  That is absolutely priceless.

The next thing is just one of those funny random thoughts.  A couple of months ago, I bought a rice cooker.  I do not buy many extra, not totally necessary, appliances because I just do not have the room to store them.  I decided a rice cooker would be a nice addition to a less stressful dinner preparation time.  Boy, was I right.  In fact, many times I just put the rice in during the morning and set the timer so I do not have to think about it again.  Thinking and dinnertime do not go together for me.  Any prep that I can do in the morning, when things are less stressful, is great.  The brown rice takes two hours to cook, so this way, I make sure that I get it done.  This is one of those totally unnecessary appliances, but I have fallen in love with it and we get yummy brown rice all of the time.