Keeping Up With the Joneses

So we have been trying so hard to teach Max his colors for quite a while and have been very puzzled about why he just isn't getting it. He knows numbers, shapes, countless songs and rhymes, and is on track developmentally in every other way, but for some reason colors just weren't clicking. We would hold up a red, yellow, green, and blue lego and try to get him to tell the difference and it just wasn't happening. Finally, Marshall suggested that he might actually be colorblind. Colorblindness is very genetic and I'm unaware of anyone in either family that is colorblind, but who knows? So I pulled out some colorblindness tests for toddlers and low and behold, he tests as colorblind. You can't formally diagnose it until he is three which isn't for a few more months, and colorblindness is on a continuum from mild to severe and we don't know where he falls, but right now there is definitely a good possibility he is somewhat colorblind. So, given my obsess...

Poor Mason had a stressful last few weeks of school. He was constantly getting irritated by his brothers, having break-downs, and even ran away (to the end of the driveway). One night after another break-down we were talking and he just cried "I need a vacation from my family!" We talked about it and decided he was probably right. It is tough being the big brother and he needed a break from the job for a few days. So when school let out Friday morning, Mason headed down to Delta to spend the weekend with his grandparents. Over the weekend they swam, went fishing twice, caught three fish, played lots of videogames, and had a great time. I was planning on picking him up Monday, but turns out Mason wasnt ready to come home yet. Now he, Grandpa Delta, and a few of his cousins went out to Boulder Mountain to camp and fish for a few days. I guess he will come back when he is ready. . . But with Mason gone, Marshall and I can't believe how easy two kids are compared to three, e...

On Saturday my mother-in-law hosted a beautiful tea party for all the women and girls in the family. I'm hoping someone will send me pictures so I can post on it later. But she ordered way too many gourmet desserts and so I was left with 4 big bakery boxes full of scones, tarts, mini-cheesecakes, and chocolate cups. So we decided to have a little neighborhood solar eclipse party on Sunday night. We just invited the families at the three houses that border ours, and we had a great time. I love casual summer nights visiting with friends! The desserts--there were abotu twice this many still inside the house to come out when these were gone. Our guests were even kind enough to take the rest home so we weren't stuck with them. Mason and his friend Daniel were really into the eclipse. The nerd-dads. One of the guests was a BYU Physics professor, and the other a BYU Math professor. This means we had some brainy kids at the party. They were playing a game where they could onl...

Mason is freaking hilarious. I wanted to write down a few funny things about him lately. Last night I was trying to convince Mason to put his money in the bank instead of keeping it in his money jar, but he was worried about bank robbers. He asked if my money had ever been stolen and I told him about the time I got an email from the bank asking me to confirm my account information, which I did, and it turned out to be "bad guys" who stole all my money. He started laughing hysterically and said "I can't believe you fell for that! They taught us about that in kindergarten!" Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't believe I fell for that either. Mason was invited to a birthday party for one of his friends in his class and the ward. I told him I was going shopping for the present and asked what I should get, and he said "definitely nothing girly like Barbies or make-up or something. She's not like a girly-girl. She's more like a tough girl." I asked wh...

Today was the day Myles has been dreading for years--ever since Mason's kindergarten check-up. For the last two years every time we go to the pediatrician's office or even just drive by, Myles would start crying and say "NO SHOTS!!!" So we planned this day carefully. Marshall's mom came up to help me and it went a lot better than expected. The worst part was definitely the anticipation and the poke in his finger for the blood test. Boy that kid can bleed! And it didn't help that he is terrified of blood. His favorite part was definitely peeing in the cup. He asked if he could do it again at home later. Myles' vision was supposedly 20/20 but it was a ridiculous test because Myles just memorized the order when he saw the chart close up the first time. His weight was 36 lbs (19th percentile) and his height was 42 inches (37th percentile). Everything looked healthy, and at the end they gave him a "ready for kindergarten" t-shirt and treat-bag with t...

It was a big day for Myles today! He finally graduated from preschool and is so ready to be a kindergarten boy. His little graduation ceremony was cute and after we took him to his favorite place for lunch--the BYU Creamery for a grilled cheese sandwich and green ice cream (mint chocolate chip). While at lunch he decided he should have a "rock star wars" cake tonight to celebrate with his brothers as well. Because he "is a rock star and loves star wars." Star sprinkles is all I could manage on such short notice but he was thrilled. Myles has done great in preschool and mastered everything except tying his shoes, which he has absolutely no incentive to work on since none of the boys own tie-up shoes yet. We'll work on it this summer! Myles' "rock star wars" cake. I loved making this day special for my special guy. They did a cute little program to show off what they learned this year. I remember Mason's graduation he was happily obliviou...

We went on a little family trip to Moab and Arches National Park Friday-Sunday and had a great time. Each day we hiked, swam, then hiked some more.  The kids had a blast and we got to see some beautiful places. Here are some highlights. I sort of apologize for all the pictures, but not really :) Double Arch Marshall in an arch. Max enjoying swimming The boys. Poor Marshall was sick on our drive back Sunday. This is one of the dozen or so rest stops we stopped at. At least it was pretty! Max was a little trooper. He loves to hike. Mason and Myles taking off together. The hikes wore Myles and Max out. They would fall asleep in the car as soon as we started driving after a hike. Mason being a good brother helping Max. One second after this Max biffed it and fell. Max resting while his brothers scaled some rocks. Mason is a hiker at heart. He loved climbing the rocks. Myles said his favorite part of the trip was McDonalds and swimming in...