Well, that's a weird place to find them.

We have a thief in our house.

It is not an adult. Or a child. Actually, it isn't a human at all. Our sweet, innocent, large puppy (she's 8 months) Hammer, who likes to steal things. And she is darn good at it too. She comes in, sneaks something in her mouth, wanders outside, leaves it for later, then comes back in. Unless we actually see her take the thing in her mouth, we almost never catch her until the object (toy, shoe) has been destroyed. Obliterated. In tiny scraps all over the yard that have to be raked up into piles and thrown away.

We have done this a time or two, as you can tell.

Anyways, today was a crazy day at the Ivey house. LOTS of people came over, in comparison to the one person we see on a daily basis (Dee), we had upwards of 4 people come over at different times (actually, all in about a 3 hour time frame that I like to call "Nap Time") in addition to Dee.

The back story here is that our internet has been spotty because when Zach build the shop in the back, he may or may not have cut the phone line, then McGuivered it back together with tape/spit/gum, or any adhesive he had on hand. So, internet = spotty.

Which sucks because we 1) pay for it and 2) use it daily for school, both homeschool and college. So, we kind of need that line to be fixed. And thus, a repair team came knocking on my door just after naptime started. Which is the time that anyone comes knocking on my door, if they are going to during the day.

So, there stands a team of guys, ready to dig a trench in my backyard to run a new wire, baby backhoe and all. Which I am actually fine with, so I go and bring the dogs in so they don't bother the nice cable running guys. I go around the side to offer to move my car so they can have better access to the backyard, when, what to my surprise! But I come across, right there in my backyard, a pair of chewed up underwear. MY chewed up underwear. And the repair guys were already back there, making their plan on how they are going to dig up my backyard, that has underwear on the ground. MY chewed up underwear on the ground.

I like to think I was pretty quick about grabbing it and laughing at how silly puppies are and how she chews up everything before running into the house and hiding under my bed.

Ok, I didn't hide under my bed. But I also didn't go back outside, and Hammer for sure didn't get a treat when the other dogs did. YOU KNOW WHY.

As a side note, the repair guys are actually going to have to come back, because they have to get a "dig line" from the gas company before they dig in the back. So I get to see them again. And I plan to THOROUGHLY clean the backyard the day they come back.

Turning 3 is complicated and very pink.

Well, if you are my friend on facebook, you probably noted (or maybe you blocked me from your news feed, which I wouldn't blame you for, but it is strange you are here.) that yesterday, December 16th was my daughter Cadence's birthday. It has been a very interesting journey having a girl, and I love it! She bring so much fun to our life, and has completed our family in ways we didn't know were missing :)

So every year on their birthday, I do a 'survey' of my children, just to see what they have to say. I put these in a journal that I am keeping for them to have when they are adults. Or maybe I will keep them. Meh, I have a couple years to decide.

Anyways, here is Cadence's for this year:

What is your name? Cadence (pronounce Cay-nance)
How old are you? 2! (Bishop: Cadence, your 3!) um...3!!
What is your favorite color? Pink One!
What is your favorite food? Cupcakes
What is your favorite thing to play? Toys! uum...Barbie toys!
What is your favorite snack? Goldfish
What color are your eyes? Pink!
What color is your hair? Um...(twirls hair) Pink!
Favorite song? Popstar (as in Barbie: The Princess and the Popstar)
Favorite animal? Fish
Favorite drink? Chocolate milk! and water
What do you like to play with Daddy? Wrestling on the floor
With mommy? I like to play with mommy.
With Bishop? Play with animals
Who are your friends? Lili, Zarian, Shauna, Daddy, Heidi, Bishop, Lola (which she insists is pronounced La-LO) Jemme, Brooke, Elijah, Levi


She insists that her hair and eyes are pink, though we have shown her several times that they aren't. I blame Barbie. Literally.

A new twist on the Advent season

Well, while perusing a few blogs a couple of weeks ago, I found this really awesome idea that I decided to try out this Advent season with the kiddos. While I was planning on doing an Advent calendar, I have never done one before, and I really liked the idea that was given on this blog for younger kids. So instead of doing candy, we are mixing it up with what we are calling a Jesse tree.

Now, everyone that I say this to has no idea what I am talking about, so let me explain the main concept. The idea is that you trace the line of Jesse through the Bible until you get to Jesus on Christmas. So you learn the lineage, as well as most of the 'main' stories in the Bible. You also get to color an 'ornament' the goes with the story of that day, and hang it on your tree.

While the blog wasn't really specific, she did suggest getting a mini tree, but I had this awesome idea last year (okay, okay, PINTEREST had an awesome idea last year) about cutting out a tree from felt and then letting your kiddos arrange felt ornaments on it to their hearts content instead of messing with the real tree. Since I never got around to that last year, I decided to do it this year (what with all the stay-at-home time on my hands), and then came across this blog, and BAM!! Genius was created. So the littles are coloring their ornaments after we read the story of the day, then putting them on their felt tree.

I know. Creative genius in the house.

So we started today, since it is December 1st and all, and will be tracking our way from Genesis to Luke, I believe. Today we read the story of creation. Tomorrow is the garden and so on. I am excited. Bishop really wanted to do more than one day today, but, alas, Advent does mean "coming" and is a season of waiting for the coming of Jesus. So the boy can wait a whole night. Ah, to be 5.

Anyways, today's ornament was a sun, for creation. We colored them, and then put them on the tree.

I was really excited to get this large piece of felt for a total of $1.40 after all the sales and so on for the week before Black Friday. We will use it again next year! I will keep posting pictures of our tree as it fills up! We will have 48 ornaments by Christmas, so it should be pretty full!!

So, do you have a fun Christmas tradition that you do? Do you have an advent calendar? I would love to hear about it!!

The wandering mind of a 2 year old

Well, it has actually happened. Though, if we are being absolutely accurate, my daughter lost me, not the other way around. And this is not a funny thing to her, as she is my reserved, shy child. Bishop, had he been lost, would have happily joined the nearest family that had brothers for him to belong to without even blinking. Cadence, well, she is a different duck all together. That being said, I do often wonder how well she really hears the things around her, as you will see in a moment. Now, having a fairly intimate knowledge of how her mind works (because, uh...she is my mini), I have OFTEN found myself thinking about something deeply and ended up somewhere in a store that I never meant to be. The difference of course is that I am an adult, and I don't have a mommy I am supposed to be following.

Ok, so as my children have gotten older, and more socially polite, I often allow them to 'orbit' the cart, as opposed to being held hostage within. So tonight, we had to run to Smith's to return a Redbox and because I realized I was out of rice. So there we were, in the back main aisle of Smith's, and Bishop is chatting about dobermans, and Cadence is following dutifully within a couple feet of me. I turn the corner to head to the front of the store, and somehow, in her deep daydreaming thinking, Cadence didn't notice.

Luckily, in my hyper-vigilant mommy ways, I noticed right away, and stepped back out into the main aisle to see her continuing to walk away from me. So I called out to her. A couple time. And she either didn't hear, or was really deep in 'thought' and just continued walking. So I told Bishop we were going to see how long it takes for her to notice, and to not say anything to her. (Mean? Maybe, but I kind of wanted to see how she reacts to being by herself...once she realizes that she is actually alone) So we follow her. From one end of the store to the other, then she turned to corner, and headed into the produce section. She made it almost to the front of produce before visibly realizing that I was no where to be seen.It was like she walked into an invisible wall. At which time, she started to panic, and loudly said, "Mommy?!"

Now, I could have not said anything, just to see how she figured the situation out, but my mommy heart responded too much to the clear distress, and I rushed over to her. She was VERY relived to see that we were behind her. I *may* have scolded her a bit for not paying attention, and then she had to finish out the store trip in the cart, which she was happy with, as she is not my adventurous one by any means.

So no, she was never really lost, but she thought she was. I will say it is more clear that she needs to be watched a bit closer, and even though she turn 3 in less than a month (!!! :( !!!) she is no where near independent. Which is actually pretty okay with me.

A little recipe sharing

So, today is what I call 'baking day' in the Ivey house. I try to bake weekly so that Zach will have homemade muffins and so on in his lunch for the week. I know. I am the best wife ever. Just make sure your husbands don't read my blog or they might expect such awesomeness from you.

In the course of baking day, I baked two items, blueberry muffins, which are always a good breakfast choice, and chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, which are better than they sound. And they already sound good, so that is hard to do. These cookies are hands down my favorite cookies ever, and I only really make them in the fall, when pumpkin items feel appropriate. Maybe that's silly, because they are the best ever, but it doesn't seem right to eat them any other time of year. It's like eating watermelon in December. Which is impossible, because there is no watermelon available. But you get the point.

So here is the best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies ever. They are a bit tedious, but the best baked goods usually are :)

Ok, get out your mixer, medium sized bowl, a measuring cup, and a teaspoon. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In this exact order, you need to use a mixer, and mix the ingredients:

2 sticks of softened (NOT MELTED) real butter (mix until fluffy)
1 cup regular granulated sugar (mix with butter)
1 cup dark brown sugar (mix)
2 eggs (mix)
1 tsp vanilla (mix)
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned, or if you are really ambitious, make your own) (mix)
3 cups flour ( I have been using whole wheat flour-doesn't effect taste) ) (mix)
2 tsp baking soda (mix)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg (mix)
2 cups REAL chocolate chips ( I just dump the whole bag in ) (hand mix with spoon)

I always put tin foil on my baking sheet, but if you don't, spray with Pam so they won't stick.
Measure out the size of cookie that you want, plop it on your cookie sheet, and bake for 10-15 minutes. I set my timer for 10 minutes and then check them, since all ovens vary. I usually keep mine in my oven for about 13 minutes total.

These are the fluffiest (from all the mixing) cookies, and they are so delicious.

Hope you enjoy! And don't forget your cup of coffee to drink with you mouthful of fall.
Best. Day. Ever.

The on-going lesson of manners

As an adult, there are many things that I do everyday without really thinking about it. Certain things that you just don't say in public (because we aren't some of THOSE people, dear). Certain things that you just don't do. Because I am polite. Because I have manners. Because...I am not actually sure why we do some of the things we do, actually. 

And it is really complicated to explain the why of things to my always inquisitive 5-year-old. Bishop is finally getting the "Yes, Ma'am/No, Ma'am" and he is constantly holding the door open for us helpless females (sometimes long enough that people have asked him if he is coming or going, and he usually just points out that his sister has lost her sunglasses/purse/ring/lip gloss/shoe/sticker/mind and she and Mom are frantically tossing the car looking for that one all important item). He is such a sweet boy. 

And here is where the but comes in. I would say over the last several months, he has started mentioning things that he smells. Sometimes, I am pretty sure he just makes stuff up in his endless need to never stop talking, but sometimes, he mentions things in public. And this is where it gets tricky. Because really, pointing out the amazing aroma of coffee on the coffee is 100% acceptable, but pointing out the aroma of fart while following someone? Yeah, maybe not. And that actually happened this past Monday in Walmart. We have talked several times about how it's not ok to point things out (out loud) about people, and that includes smells. However, there we were, on the peanut butter aisle, near a group of people, when my dear sweet boys suddenly gets a whiff of something...

"Mom, do you smell something?"

"Nope, I sure don't." 

"Mom, it smells like...*sniff*sniff*...fart!!"

"Ok, Bishop, that's enough."

"But Mom! I think that guy farted!" (As he points to a heavy guy on a motor scooter (great, now we are targeting people who can't walk)). 

"Bishop, that is more than enough"

"No, wait...I think it might be someone else...but someone here farted." (Which he loudly announced to the group as a whole)

(this would be the point that I get down on his level and say very slowly and quietly)

"Bishop. Lee. Ivey. If I hear you say one more thing about what you smell, you are getting spanked, and we are leaving. Do you understand?" 

"Yes, Ma'am."

After we walked away (with the people staring accusingly at eachother-hey someone back there farted.), I tell him, "Bishop, it is not nice to talk about all the things you smell. It might hurt someone's feelings if you point out that they smell bad. Would you like if someone said you farted?"

"But if I farted, I would'a told them already." 

Which is an excellent point, since he mentions anything his body is currently or might be doing in the near future. 

"Well, it's just not nice to do to someone else. You need to stop mentioning if someone smells bad, ok?"

But really, and I know in his mind, this makes no sense. And while I would love to fall back on the 'even if it doesn't make sense, you don't do it' attitude, I really think it's important for him to get that it might hurt someone's feelings- like his sister's. Maybe someday, when he is older, he will think farting is embarrassing. But let's be realistic, he is a boy, so it will probably never happen. I would just like if he wouldn't mention it loudly in public. Sheesh. Boys.

A five year old

The leader of the Mom's Group I attend used to often comment that the thing about kids is they are always changing. Once you finally get something down and working, the kid changes again, and there you are, with a new situation you have to learn to deal with. Think the first 3 months were tough? Finally got the baby sleeping through the night? BAM!! Something changes, and you are back to square one, trying to figure out this thing we do as parents. It is both frustrating and satisfying to see your kids grow and change, learn new things, and bring new challenges. This is all a fancy way of me saying that Bishop's 5th year has not been my favorite so far. Yeah, we are only 3-ish months in, but I am ready to throw in the towel. Or maybe just throw the towel AT him. 

Yeah, that might work to...if the towel was more like a shoe...or a ball. 

Not unlike every other year along the way, there is a magical transformation that happens around Bishop's birthday where he matures a bit more, learns new things, or starts a new behavior.

This year, we have picked up a few delightful ones, like lying to get out of trouble, and being amazingly disobedient. I know all kids have their disobedient moments, and this is a kiddo who is typically VERY cooperative and usually just flows along with things. 

Not so much at 5. 

Yesterday was a perfect example. 

As I was making dinner, Cadence and Bishop were running around outside, with Zach *mostly* monitoring them in the front yard. Now, when the kids are running around in the backyard, I am way more willing to just let them be, and not check every few minutes. But the front yard is a whole other animal. We do live on a nice street, with several families of kids who all play well together, and we all keep an eye on each others kids, so that's nice. I am more worried that someone could just grab my children off the sidewalk, or they will go too far down the street and fall into traffic on the INCREDIBLY busy Kimberly Rd. 

So, after a couple of minutes, I decide to poke me head outside, and sure enough, there is Cadence, happily playing with her toys in the grass, and no Bishop. So I yell for him, expecting him to come around the side of the house, or down the sidewalk.

And I yell again. And again. And no Bishop. So I tell Zach that I can't find Bishop, and to come help me look. So I jog down to Kimberly Rd, planning on murdering him if he is wandering that far, and still, no sign of him. Zach heads the opposite way down the street towards Bishop's buddy's house. Which, honestly, I should have gone to first. Sure enough, I head down there as well, and Bishop is happily playing in his bud's backyard. 

Now, the rule is, if Bishop is going to JB's house, he has to ask first if he is going anywhere but the front yard where I can see him from our porch. So we send Bishop home, and come to find out from Zach, Bishop had asked if he could go to JB's and Zach had told him no. And he decided to go anyways.

As B get's older, we have had to change our parenting style and have to get more creative. 

So after B spent some time in his room, we had him come talk to us. He very honestly told us that he knew he wasn't supposed to go to JB's house, and wanted to play, so he went over anyways.

We had him tell us what he thought the consequence should be. Which...was not helpful, because he first thought that he should get to go play again (yeah, right), then he decided he should get to be in time-out for a couple of minutes (uh...totally not fitting the crime and heart attack you gave me). Then he thought going to his room for a while would be fitting (uh, yeah, cause all his toys are in there...no). 

So since he wasn't really coming up with anything we felt fitting, and was mostly whining, we decided that he could go clean his room until dinner (which was now burned, thanks to the search), and for the next week, he isn't allowed to play in the front yard. Which doesn't seem like such a big deal, but that includes no bike, and no playing with neighbor friends. Which are two of his favorite things. But, if I can't trust him to tell me when he is going somewhere, then he can't be outside by himself. 

Oh 5...you are not my favorite.