Eli's creations

This is just a quick post because I didn't want to forget the cute things Eli did yesterday and today.

Here is his picture that he colored in his Sunbeam class yesterday. I guess it's of his family. I have no idea what the big blue squiggly is, probably something that makes perfect sense in Eli world. The faces are the family, obviously. Guess which one is Noah? That's right! The one with the tall spiky hair! I love it!

So, just a few minutes ago I was sitting down feeding the baby and Eli was back in his room. He was being really quiet. Usually that means he is up to something, hiding something, eating something he shouldn't, coloring on something he shouldn't, etc. You get the picture. All of a sudden he comes bouncing out of his room saying, "Mom! Look what I made!" And here is what he made:

Can I just say how much I love this child? I should say it more and out loud many times a day. Because, as much as he drives me to pull out my hair, he is so incredibly amazing I can't even believe he's mine. I love you little man!

Uncle Rex House!

We took a recent short trip over to the "West Side". That's what people in Eastern Washington call Western Washington.

We spent a couple of nights at Kendall's brother's house. The whole thing was pretty spontaneous and it turned out so well! We had a BBQ on the Monday night. It was pretty amazing that on that short notice, 2 of Kendall's other siblings were able to attend with their significant others. We had 4 of the 8 brothers and sisters as well as 9 out of the 21 grandchildren in one spot at one time. Pretty good for no advance planning!

6 Little boys! They were in heaven having each other to play with! Well, I guess Lucas didn't have a clue, but if he knew any better he would have been super excited!
Matthew, Noah, Paul, Andrew, Eli and Lucas.


Rex and Angie...Thanks for hosting guys! It was so much fun!


Ben and Lacey....awe too cute!


The girls: Beauties having a ball togther!


Eli and Matthew in their favorite place...dirt! I joke now that they were twins separated before birth. They got along so well and neither one of them wanted the other to go away, EVER!



Noah enjoyed some personal time on the trampoline.


Lucas was just happy to watch everyone doing their different things. What a happy kid!


Cousins...


Eli and Payge making French Toast.


It was so much fun and I'm glad that we grownups had time to talk and hang out as well as giving the cousins lots of needed play time.
Thanks Rex and Angie for having us. We love you!

Visiting Grandparents

We finally decided that we needed to visit Grandmas and Grandpas. I say that plural because, all of a sudden, they live really close to each other. My parents and Kendall's parents now live just about 4 1/2 miles apart. Pretty cool, huh? The kids are having a great time and I think they now are convinced that they will always see both sets of grandparents on any given visit. Both G & G's happened to come up to Spokane for Kendall's graduation too, so the kids are getting used to the idea of 2 Grandmas and 2 Grandpas. Fun! I'm really happy that they can have this time together. We'll have a traditional BBQ for Memorial Day and I'll get good pics of everyone. I promise!

Eli loves to hold his baby brother. He's really proud of his accomplishments as a big brother.

Rare moment: Our two oldest playing together. Thanks G & G Batson for building the sandbox. It is truly magic.


Grandpa Batson is good at putting kids to work. I don't think he had to work too hard to convince Eli to dig a hole in the dirt though!


Eric: by the fence



Super Eric!

This is for me, but you can read if you want to.

I have been wanting to blog a lot lately, but my desire to blog seems to be met with my kids' desires to, well, distract me. One needs a new diaper, then another one does too. One is hitting another, the other is slapping the first back and/or jumping on him. Then one spits up, then another one needs a diaper again. Then there's the one with the homework and while homework is being addressed two others are eating sugar and throwing it all over....Oh! see? I got distracted again. Blog, Sharon, blog...

Today is May 30th. My brother turned 36 yesterday, my other brother turned 30 last week and my sister turned 34 last month. What does that mean? It means that I'll turn 38 very soon. I'm not sure what that means, maybe just that I'm seeking the magic that will give me the energy of a 28 year old instead. I have these little boys that suck everything out of me. I love them so much and I can't believe I have been this blessed! I sat in Sunday School today and there was actually a portion I was able to pay attention to. That portion of the lesson was the teacher talking about how Hannah just wanted a son. She told God that if she could have a son she would give him back to him (God). I asked for a little while (It felt like forever to me, but I know it wasn't really that long) to have children. So, I was reminded today what my job is...it is to give them back to God. Oh Please, I don't mean right now, literally back to HIM. I mean I know it is my job to do everything I can to teach them and train them to be HIS servants, to be good priesthood holders, amazing missionaries, good husbands, and overall just valiant men. Oh boy am I overwhelmed by that responsibility, but Hey! I asked for it, didn't I? That's all. To Eric, Eli, Noah, and Lucas: I am committed to you my loves!
Love, Mom

Kendall has a BSN!

So, I started this post when I should have, but am just barely finishing it. I want to tell the whole world how proud (yes, I used the word proud, so sue me!) I am of my husband! I know it hasn't been easy for him what with having a demanding wife and bringing boy after boy into this world. But, he did it! He graduated from Washington State University with his BSN, that's a Bachelors in Science in Nursing. Now it's just test time to get his license. He's got the degree, he just needs the license to get a job as a real nurse. Please send lots of prayers our way that he does well and passes the first time around.

My baby today April 22, 2010

Baby Lucas is 12 weeks and 1 day old today! Where has the time gone? He is growing so fast and is an absolute joy to all of us.

Thank you my sweet angel for your smiles and giggles and for "talking" to me so much today. I'm sure you were telling me all sorts of valuable secrets, or maybe just how much you love being here in our family. Either way, we love you so much!

I ELI

***My first born turned 4 years old a couple of months ago. Since I was 100% in the newborn fog at the time, I am finally writing my little tribute to Eli. Here it goes:

I ELI
Age 4

All of a sudden:
I want to color in the lines.
I want to use different colors of crayons.
I love to write my name.
I draw stick people with really big heads.
I get my hair cut and I think I look like a missionary.
I am sure that “I am the leader!”
Everything is a race or a competition.

I pick out my own clothes.
I want to hear the same story every night. The 3 little pigs who are named, Eli, Eric and Noah.
I try to reason my way out of doing things I don’t want to do.
I interrupt by saying, “I love you” when being told something I don’t want to hear.
I also say, “I love you.” About 1,000 times a day.
I must touch, snap, scratch, color on, bend, crack, lick, punch, stomp on absolutely everything.
I think I am as big as my 12 year old brother.
I have some awesome dance moves…mostly involving wiggling my bum!
When asked why I do things my main answer is, “Because I Eli!” Or it could go something like this, “Eli, why are you coloring on the carpet?” “Because I doing it.” Oh! Of course!
I now ask WHY about everything.
I love to sing along to the songs on my favorite TV shows. Don’t tell anyone, but I have a bunch of favorite TV shows!
I don’t forget ANYTHING! “Mom, you said I could ride my scooter with my helmet!”
I build my own designs with Legos and Trios.
I am often heard to say:
“Hey Mom! Cows give us to milk!”
“No Noah! I the leader!”
“We’re right here…this is the earf (earth) we live!”
“I can have this in my election (collection)”
“Catch it to me”
“Heaveny Fader (Heavenly Father) made our bodies.” According to me this explains everything about our bodies, and I mean everything!

I can climb the walls, yes the actual walls. Heck, I can climb anything. Mom thinks it’s funny that someone suggested she put a baby gate up to block me from going in the kitchen. Really, if I can get things off the top of the fridge, is a baby gate going to stop me? Don’t think so!
I will run circles until I finally drop to sleep.
I have to be up and going before 6:00 am. I don’t want to miss a thing!
I never stop moving. Heavenly Fader (Father)

Sitting on a big Moose statue. It looked like a chair, so I had to sit in it!