Catching Up!

Hey guys. What's up? Yeah, I know, I made all kinds of promises about posting at least once a week and then blew it. But, you know, I didn't actually tell you guys that, and therefore I felt no accountability. Which equals a fail on my part.

In any case, I'm posting now. I finally got all the kids in bed and Mike's downstairs studying the lymph system or other such nonsense. Unfortunately, I'm way too tired to be witty tonight. We've spent the entire last week not sleeping, and now Josh has two teeth. (The two front bottom teeth, in case you were wondering. They are both adorable and very sharp.)

Fortunately, I'm really good at documenting my adorable children. So, this is a picture post. And I couldn't decide which were the cutest, so you just get to see them all.

"Dr. Katie" complete with "white coat" and "stethoscope"

"Yeah, Mom! We're naked! Bring on the sweet potatoes!"

Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting *drool drool OMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM*

Yeah, Peter's wearing a Boston hat. Go Sox! (And this was even before they beat the Tigers!)

This is the closest thing I got to a smile while she was coloring her pumpkin (which is now almost solid red).

This is the face Peter is constantly making. Pretty sure it means, "Okay, that thing over there is mine. I want it. Now I must get to it without Mom stopping me."

Joshy makes this face pretty frequently. It means, "Oooh, what's that, Mom? Can I eat it?"

Apple spice cupcakes with caramel buttercream *drool drool slobber MMMMMMMM drool*

I tried to take a picture of all my kids in their Sunday clothes. This was the most successful one I got.

She is both smiling and holding still. This day should be documented in history.

We have decided that Joshy has the best hair in the entire family.

Ready for the Windy City? (And no, we weren't. BRRRRRRRR!!!!)

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH MONKEY JACKETS!!!!!

Please note that there are several toys within both of their reaches (though off-camera) but they still spent ten minutes fighting over this one.

This is what Mike came home to for family home evening. Go ahead, try one. BUAHAHAHA!

Yep, that's my life. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go furiously crochet some blue hats. (You'll see next week!)

Conference, Coughing, and Cat Jokes!

Before we get to the silliness, I have to put in a plug. This weekend was very well timed, because all three of my kids (and probably my husband) were sick all weekend with a really nasty cough and cold. I'm amazed that I came out of it unscathed. (Not that they would let me be sick anyway . . .)

Want to know why it was perfectly timed? Because there was no nursery to miss. It was Conference! (Yay!)

Twice a year, the entire church (all over the world!) gets together (via internet or broadcast or something) to watch General Conference, where there are five two-hour sessions (I know, that's a lot. It's worth it.) in which the prophet, the apostles, and various other leaders of the church speak to us on any topic they feel we need to hear. It's amazing. One thing that I really love is that the leaders of the church are unafraid to expound the gospel without being influenced by popular opinion. They tell it like it is. And it helps me to be strengthened and not be moved in my own beliefs.

And the older I get, the more I feel I am able to come to conference with the right attitude and spirit so that I feel as though they are talking directly to me, telling me exactly what I need to hear to bring me closer to the Lord. This was definitely the case this time.

In case you didn't get to watch it and are interested, here are a few of my favorite talks (these are the video clips, but you can find the transcribed talks there, too).

Come, Join With Us, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Do We Know What We Have? By Sister Carole M. Stephens

Look Ahead and Believe, by Elder Edward Dube

Like a Broken Vessel, by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (Warning: I cried during this one.)

No Other Gods, by Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Power in the Priesthood, by Elder Neil L. Anderson

Okay, I have to stop before I link to the entire conference. If you go to one link, you can find the rest of it. Please do. It is wonderful.

Now, just a few funny Katie quotes this week.

Mike: Where do we keep the cereal?
Katie: In the hamster! You know, that door over there!

Me: Eek! Joshy is a nudie brother!
Katie: Eek! Hahah, Joshy is a noodle brother! Noodle brother, noodle brother!

Katie: (measuring my head and arms and such) Okay, Mommy. I think you have two arms.

Me: (To the tune of the Spiderman song) Sandwiches, sandwiches! Time to make some sandwiches!
Katie: Look out! Here come the sandwiches!

Oh, you still don't think she's hilarious? Well, here's a video I caught at the pumpkin patch last week. You're going to die.

Final note: I want to know if my comments are working. I'm going to set them to moderation again (because I know it didn't work the other way) and I want you to comment. If you watched conference, give me your favorite quote (or quotes). If you didn't or can't think of a favorite, tell me a joke I can teach to Katie (she wants to expand her repertoire). Ready, set, go!

Pumpkin Patch and Chocolate Dreams. Oh yeah.

Hey team. So, I meant to blog this afternoon while the chilluns were sleeping. (Well, the boys . . . not Katie.) But as soon as the men were sleeping I got taken by a crazy urge to clean my ENTIRE house. I'm not kidding. First of all, with all the shenanigans we had going on my house was kind of . . . a disaster. Like, picture a place that had been hit by a tornado. So, I went nuts. I tidied the . . . everything. And cleaned it, too. And vacuumed and mopped the entirety of my house. And then I made real dinner and cookies. I think I was feeling domestic or something.

Anyhow, moving on. Also, this is going to be a long one, guys. Stay strong.

First, the notepad. (Because the notebook was too big and inconvenient but the sticky note was just too small.)

After I let Katie put on some lotion, she needed me to help her turn the doorknob because she had "spicy hands."

We had to get a new plunger because we chucked our old one in Boise and Katie has . . . a thing for toilet paper. She and Mike went to the store and got one with cool colors, which Katie calls her "silly green plummer."

"Want to hear a secret? I . . . love . . . bananas!" "Want to hear another secret? I . . . love . . . pants!"

"If you didn't have any bones, you would be dead like a jello!"

(I put in a movie for her, then walked away during the previews to do something. Then I heard the menu music.) "Mom! It's the recipe! I need you to start the movie!"

Katie has confused a couple of words. And she does it regularly. And one game she likes to play on Daddy's computer on occasion is "Nervous Birds."

Whenever we're telling stories and/or Katie is doing my hair, we take on special nicknames which Katie has given us. Especially when I'm wearing every hair clip she can find. She is Princess Rainbow-Dash-Katie, and I am Princess Twilight-Mommy. I look awesome. But I'm not going to put up a picture. So don't ask.

A couple of weeks ago, I went over to a friend's house for a REALLY AWESOME craft night. It was at 7:30, so I put the boys down and then left Mike to put Katie to bed. And he was successful, but the rest of the week, whenever we were getting toward bed time, Katie would stop and look at me all pitiful, and ask, "Are you going to a Mommy Party tonight?" And make her little pouty face. And then I want to cuddle her. And then I get kicked in the stomach.

Recently, Peter has taken up a new method of communication. When he is very happy or when he is EXTREMELY mad at me, he does the same thing: he gurgles. Like, the same thing I do when I'm gargling water, but he just uses spit. Copious amounts of it. And I know he's super angry if I hear a furious, "ggggggggggg!!!!"

Another of Peter's oddities is that he DOES NOT LIKE PEAS. Okay, so maybe that's not an oddity. Mashed up nasty-looking canned green peas might not be super delicious. Joshy thought they were cool, but then he had a sore tummy. I think we're going to stick to sweet potatoes for a while longer.

Joshy is such a cuddly kid. He's had a really hard week with his teeth (or, you know, soon-to-be-teeth), so he doesn't have anything funny to put on the list. But I do have to mention how cuddly he's been. When I bring him up to burp, he sticks his face in my neck and hugs me. It's super warm and sweet and he loves me and this is the reason we have babies. Cuddling.

Last weekend, Katie woke up and had a rather . . . smelly disposable underwear. And, of course, she and Mike started bantering about doing surgery. They decided to do a "poopectomy."

Speaking of Mike, guess what! He got a white coat. He went to a ceremony and everything. But it's just a short white coat. So he convinced me not to go. But he's got a white coat! Oooh!

Also, it turns out that Mike and I are totally old people. Last Friday (which is designated no-studying day) we got the kids all to sleep in a timely manner, so we were like, "Wahoo! Let's pick a movie that is for grown-ups! And stay up late and talk to each other without having to pause to change diapers! It'll be great!" So we both stayed awake for about . . . 40 minutes? And then Mike woke me up when he woke up at about quarter to one. And we zombie-walked upstairs and fell asleep there.

Now for the news!

Last Wednesday, I had my very first turn ever of TEACHING PRESCHOOL. AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!! I think it went well. We made bumblebee letters and sheep and played a significant amount. There were no tantrums. It was awesome.

Today I dropped Katie off and then didn't do anything productive until after I picked her up again.

And now, for the pumpkin patch. I'll let the pictures explain.

SLIDE MOUNTAIN!!!!

ISN'T THIS THE COOLEST BOUNCING PILLOW EVER? (Also, see my beautiful friends? Hi Katy and Jessica!)

There were an abundance of tractors.

They said pumpkins, they meant pumpkins.

Also an abundance of tire horses.

Katie was particularly excitable about feeding the goats. I didn't have quarters for goat food, so Katie took to asking the other moms. Little panhandler.

See what I meant? Abundance of tractors.

Porter's such a trooper.

It was a pumpkin patch/apple orchard/food place/AWESOME playground/corn maze/lots of other stuff. It was so cool! And when we got home, Katie was offended that she didn't get a patch for picking out her pumpkin. Also, we came home bearing apple cider and apple cider donuts (!!!!!!) and now we're trying to coordinate a return trip with Mike. It needs to happen.

Now, to finish, I will make you all jealous. It's called Sogno di Cioccolata. (Translation: chocolate dream.) (And I'm fairly sure it's not actually an Italian dessert, I just got it from my Carrabba's cookbook.) (I love my Carrabba's cookbook.)

I'm currently drooling. Maybe next time I'll do an exhibition of Katie's photography. That might not make you drool. It might make you dizzy instead. So maybe take some motion sick medication before you read my next blog.

Armpit muscles and other such nonsense.

There has been a significant amount of discussion in this house related to armpit muscles. Agreed, most of it is to do with Mike's being tested furiously on all the muscles, nerves, arteries, bones, and knobbly "tuberosities" on the bones located in the armpit. But there's more.

Brittany: Are you almost done going potty so you can go to bed?
Katie: Nope! Hey Mommy, we have muscles to squeeze out our poops. See my muscles? My muscles are in my armpits.

Yep, that's Katie. Here's some more.

Mike: Hey Katie, is the refrigerator running?
Katie: No, there's our refrigerator right there!

Katie (Playing blocks): Look, sweetheart, I made you a present because it's your birthday!
Me: Oh really? How old am I?
Katie: Um . . . 32!

Mike: *Explaining all kinds of anatomy stuff of which I have no inkling*
Katie: That makes me sick!

Me: What do you do when you want something?
Katie: Um . . . do surgery?

And now, we're going to compare the personalities of my man children.

First, let's talk about their reactions when it's the other brother's turn for a bite of sweet potatoes.

Peter gets excited.

Joshy gets anxiety.

Next, let's talk about how they treat each other when I put them on the floor together.

This is what it's really like having a twin brother. (Hey Val, how ya doing?)

Next, let's talk (for real) about my silly boys. Also, remember that one picture up there of Peter in his seat waiting for his next bite of sweet potatoes? Well, I didn't make a video, but if I had, what you would hear is manic laughter. Like, manic. It's hilarious.

Also, when they're both done eating, and I'm burping them, Joshy gets a little bit sad and wants to snuggle. Peter, no matter how I'm holding him, wants to see. He takes, like, forever to fall asleep because he keeps fighting off every attempt to snuggle. Even when he's got enormous bags under his eyes. Little booger. But in all fairness, his fighting off sleep is not crying. He's blowing bubbles and giggling. I tend to think of him as more a free spirit while Josh is my snuggly boy. Yeah.

Last boy thing: whenever I stick the boys on the floor there are toys on the floor next to them. And occasionally, if they get upset, I will shake a toy over their faces to distract them. Now, you have to understand that there is a universally accepted toy that is the coolest (it's the jingly ball with grabby things on it, in case you're wondering). Say, perchance, one of them gets a hold of the universally accepted coolest toy. Naturally, the other one wants it. Here's how they react.

Peter: GAAAAAAHHHHHH! Give me that toy! (Manic hyperventilation) I want it! *Grab grab face pull ear grab snatch scratch grab grab* TOOOOYYYYY!!!!!!!

Josh: Oh Pete! That's a strange place to put a piano . . . *Sneakily grab the toy from behind my back and Peter is totally distracted the other direction*

This has happened. Multiple times.

Now, some commentary from me. I have begun official pumpkin season. I have made pumpkin cookies, pumpkin spice white hot chocolate (BAHAHAHAHAH! YES!!!!) and tomorrow will probably be pumpkin bread. I love fall. Fall is my favorite food. Also, it all has pumpkin in it, which is technically a vegetable . . . so . . . eating pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bread is practically like having a serving of vegetables. Yep, totally legit. We're sticking with it.

Speaking of food, here are a few pictures of food I have made recently just to make you feel all jealous and hungry. Buaha.

Yes. I made this. With a broiling pan! *giggle giggle*

These are the non-drug version of cocaine.

Rich chocolate cupcakes with raspberry cream cheese frosting. MMMMMMMMMm *drool drool*

Oh man. I think I need some more baked goods in my life. Bring on the pumpkin bread!

As promised.

Hey everybody. Today is one of those days that doesn't feel like real life. I'm not sure how coherent this post will be. I'm the only one who went to church yesterday because everybody's got the runny nose and stuffy sinuses and cough and gunk, and now my throat is starting to itch. I may not walk out unscathed.

But we shall carry on. Okay, guys. Pictures first? Or anecdotes and such? I choose anecdotes. The pictures are so cute that you won't stick around for boring words when you've seen them.

We were twenty minutes late to Katie's first day of preschool last week because she thought she would make a good first impression if she showed up wearing only her owl backpack.

Katie will now only eat sandwiches for lunch if I use a cookie cutter on them. We've had duckies, bunnies, ginger men, and cowboy boots. The ducky is her favorite.

Our kitchen is right above the garage, and when the garage door is opening or closing, it's loud. So last week, Katie was putting the silverware away while I emptied the rest of the dishwasher (she won't let me do the silverware anymore) when we heard the garage door open for Mike. Katie dropped what was in her hand into the drawer, flung her arms in the air, and bolted for the stairs down to the garage, screaming, "You do the silverware! Daddy's home!"

Remember the whole potty-training thing? Well, it's going rather well. But every night we spend a lot of time in the bathroom while Katie stalls bedtime by claiming she needs to poop. And when I get frustrated, I start saying, "Are you going to make a poopie? Or should we go back to your bed?" And last Thursday she responded with, "I am making a poopie. This big, like a coconut."

The other day, Katie left her cereal on the table almost untouched. I said, "Katie, are you going to finish your breakfast?" "No, I don't want to eat my breakfast! I'm hibernating!"

"I am a Child of God" is Katie's bed time song, and I've had to sing it rather a lot the last couple of weeks because she has refused to go to sleep on her own. But last week she started saying, "No, don't sing that, sing it in Pork-a-cheese." (Mike went on his mission to Brazil.)

This is a big one. Want to know why? It officially inducts the boys into the sticky-note club. The other day, I stuck the boys on the floor (both with binkies in mouths) to play so I could grab laundry or something. I heard crying, so I turned back around, to see that Josh was crying, and Peter had Josh's binky in his mouth. Peter's binky was thoughtlessly cast aside. (And by cast aside I mean way across the room where Peter had launched it.)

I saw a really funny article the other day about horrific things about raising twins you never see in the movies. One thing he brought up was that other people will see your twins interacting and say, "aw, they're so cute! They want to go down the slide together!" And really, they're both trying to be the first one down the slide, and now they're stuck wedged in like that because they wouldn't let the other one go first. This is SO TRUE. It's really cute when my boys hold hands or reach for each other, but I'm fairly sure it's more like arm wrestling or threatening. (Grabbing each other's collar during feeding like, "Watch it, buddy. This is MY mommy.")

And for my last anecdote, Katie took a time when I was really frustrated at her and ready to just leave her in her room all day to say, "I will always be your Katie. I will always make you better." Darn it, child!

Okay, fine. Pictures.

First, our 5 months photo shoot.

Ya know, a typical family portrait for my children.

And then I let Katie take the camera. (With the neck strap on, obviously.)

She made me take my pony tail out for my picture. Hence the wild and crazy mane.

You're never going to believe this, but I'm actually not offended at the picture Katie took of me. It's okay, despite the wild and crazy mane.

Now, for other pictures from the last month and a half or so.

This giant crazy thundercloud outside our back window had so much lightning in it that it was like a strobe light. Seriously.

Katie learned how to eat popcorn with her toes.

Handsome dudes in their Sunday clothes.

Don't you love Petey's giggle face?

Interpretive dance for the neighbors.

Look! Joshy won the rolling over race!

Homemade pizza night--every Friday!

Mike testing out his new blood pressure cuff and stethoscope.

He was quite pleased at the result of his diaper blowout. Peter was jealous that he couldn't be naked.

And, that's our life. See? I totally did a photo shoot of the boys AND did a kind-of photo tour of our house. Sort of.

TTFN!