Our Easter was sugary sweet...

A day filled with chocolate bunnies, flowers, egg hunts with cousins, bow ties, yummy food, and numerous reminders of why I am grateful that He lives.

We really are good parents, I promise...

Last night there was a mix-up at the Harvey House.
You see Isac's fifth grade class had the option to make a catapult for fun and bring it to class today.
Ryan was working late and I was not about to get mixed up with that especially on a Thursday night, post "Sam Day".
So Isac was pleasantly surprised when a friend called at 7:30 p.m. and invited him to come over and help build one.
I willingly took Isac, dropped him off and instructed him to call me when they were finished and I would come to pick him up.
So home I went. I cleaned up dinner, laid out PJ's, and got the kids in the tub.
Once they were sufficiently cleaned, I removed them from the bath and proceeded with the bedtime routine.

Ryan got home around 8:45.
I gave him the run-down on the happenings of the day:
this is what was for dinner if you want some,
please but the towels in the dryer so they don't mildew,
don't lock the door because my dad will be back late,
oh and Isac is at Troy's, I am sure he will call soon for you to go pick him up.

Then I retired to bed myself since I had to work the next morning.
Ryan went about his own business and at 10:00 p.m. decided that being a School Night and all Isac needed to be home.
So he called only to be told by the flabbergasted parents that they had brought Isac home an hour and a half ago!
Yes folks, our child was home and we didn't even know it.

He came in while I was bathing the kids and I guess I didn't hear him because of the running water. He went downstairs to his room to read and then went to bed before we even thought about looking for him.
I think we will just chalk this one up as:

"Our 10 year old is so responsible even though he was actually
suppose to call us"

rather than

"We, the parents, are completely oblivious to
the comings and goings of our children".

Very embarrassing....

You probably won't care about this post unless you are related to me...

Today was a "Sam Day" (I keep my 2 nephews every other Thursday) and we uncovered an interesting probability:

While discussing "The Wizard of OZ" with Sam and Emily we realized that one day Emily could be called "Auntie Em". That led to an explanation of how when she grows up and Isac or Mackey have kids she will be an Aunt.
Weird to think about but anyways...

Then Sam needed a personalized explanation of what would make him an Uncle and that is when we discovered that he would be an "Uncle Sam"!!!
Random I know, but maybe it would be a good idea for a future
Halloween costume!

Did I ever tell you about that time...

Last summer when my WHOLE side of the family went camping and floated the Provo River? It was a clear back in August, but looking at the pictures today in iPhoto made me remember and wish we could go back.
We had so much fun!

Happy Birthday MOM!!!
I love you, even if you are getting OLD!!!

Ode to Girl Scout Cookies

Oh Caramel Delights* how I love you.
I bought $21 worth of you on Saturday,
and this morning I threw away the last empty box.
Our time together was so short.
Why must you come only once a year?



* I know, I know they are called Samoas. But when I was selling Girl Scout cookies in Oklahoma they were called Caramel Delights which in my opinion is a much more appealing, and appropriate name. So that is what I will always call the delicious little morsels. I mean come on wouldn't you rather eat a Caramel Delight over a Samoa any day?

Charming, isn't she...

Earlier this month, Emily's preschool teacher invited the kids to come to school dressed as a character from one of their favorite books. I thought Emily would be perfectly adorable as Fancy Nancy. However, she had something else in mind...And since apparently I am no match to the will of this 3, soon to be 4 year old, she went happily as Peter Pan.

After reading my last post...

My mom posted pictures of some of my dresser handiwork on her blog. It's way worse...click here to check it out.

What is up with kids, stickers, & dressers?

Is it simply an impulse that kids can't resist?
I remember doing it.
At least she only put them on the knobs and I guess it kind of looks cute, maybe.

Sympathy for Mack

Last week Mack dropped a 5lb. dumbell on his big toe. Emily had been "exercising" at Dawn-Dawn's house and decided when she was finished it would be wise to bring the weight downstairs and place it on a barstool in the kitchen that has tile floors where her baby brother was playing. Awhile later Mack moseyed over to the barstool, attempted to pick it up, decided it was too heavy and dropped it on his barefoot. For the record I am not blaming it Emily or Arin because I was standing right next to him when it happened, but come on Mack, 5lbs., really I thought you could handle that. Anyways it cause some serious emotional distress and also broke his toe, which caused more emotional distress for his parents over the next 2 days. We knew it was probably broken, but didn't think the doctor would do anything if it was, etc. I won't get into specifics but it was looking worse after 2 days and he would periodically throughout the day point to it or touch it and say "OOWW?" Pathetic I know. So we called or neighbor who is a P.A. and specializes in Orthopedics for some advise and before we could do anything he was at our door. He looked it over and decided it was definitely broken but only the first joint so there was nothing to do about it and it would be fine. That was a relief but we still feel so sorry for him, poor baby. Plus anyone could really have felt sorry for him simply because he seriously needed a haircut but thankfully grandma took care of that this weekend. Now he is cute with a broken toe instead of scrounge.

Our camera has been missing for awhile. I have turned the house upside down looking for it but no luck. I was convinced that my dad must have taken it without permission on his latest trip to the Philippines. The missing camera plus the fact that I have been working more has meant a lot less time spent wasted on the computer. Plus with all the nice weather this week the kids and I have been spending the afternoons outside in the sunshine and so I decided to start on a project I have been putting off for too long. This beauty has been hanging out in our dining room for at least a month now and it is driving me crazy.When we started working on it guess what Ryan found in one of the drawers...

The camera.

Anyways we are glad to have it back but even more excited to work on this 'diamond in the rough'. It is a hideous, FREE desk that I saw tons of potential in. I have sanded it down and hope to slap on a coat of paint today, add some new handles, and then VOILA a lovely new addition for Isac's room.
Wish me luck...you should have seen the muddy mess Mack & Emily created while I attempted to work on it yesterday.

Spring where are you?

After several lovely spring-like days in a row why did we have to wake up to snow this morning?
We want to be doing this:

Not this:

I am so ready for Mr. Sun to come back so that the kids and I can spend the majority of our days outside again. I have big plans for our yard, our garden and our summertime adventures in general. Plus I had my wisdom teeth out earlier this week (not fun by the way) so I have been shut up in the house eating milkshakes and Jello. I am hungry for real food but every time I try to eat any I have issues with it sticking in my gums and mixing up with flappy pieces of skin and stitches so that's not really working out very well. Sorry to gross you out but I'm living it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY!!

Monday is Amy's Birthday and I wanted to take a minute and wish her a Happy Birthday. She is such a wonderful wife and mother and puts up with a lot of crap that we give her. I really think she could be some type of new super hero because I don't know how she does it all, and so often she has to do it by herself because I am never home to help. Thank you Amy for all that you do and for loving me even though sometimes I am just that 4th child. Happy Birthday!!
Love,
Ryan

Remember that time...

Remember the time when Isac didn't bring home homework all week so we had to try to print it off of the school website, except remember how there was no ink in the printer. Remember that was the same week that Emily decided to pee her pants at least once a day. Remember that while we were trying to print unfinished homework Emily peed her pants right in front of the potty. Remember how Mack is her shadow and that he slipped in the puddle and slammed his head on the bathroom tile. Remember that while I was trying to comfort Mack and strip down the 2 littles for a shower, Isac jumped up to investigate all the commotion and stepped on a random sewing needle that was loose on the floor. Remember how it jammed itself over halfway (almost 2 inches!) into his barefoot. And remember that while I was dealing with the pee mess Isac came hopping on one foot, hysterical into the bathroom. Remember that when I pulled the needle out, blood squirted all over the carpet, and that when I returned to the bathroom for a washcloth, Mack had copied his sister and was standing in a new puddle of pee on the floor.
And do you remember that all of this happened in about a minute.
That was fun.

And now the moment we have been waiting over 9 months for...

He's FINALLY here! Our newest nephew Stockton Wyatt Jeffs made his intro this morning at 3:38 a.m. after a LONG day and night of labor. He weighed in at 7lbs. 5oz. He is absolutely adorable with dark eyes and light hair. He seemed to have a very mellow, sweet demeanor and we are looking forward to getting to know him! Arin & Troy did a great job. Welcome to the world baby Stockton, we are so glad you came!

It's like Christmas Eve all over again...

Isac and Ryan are going to see Walking with Dinosaurs tonight. Isac, being the dino-lover that he is, is SO EXCITED he is practically counting down the minutes until it is time to go. I even suckered him into doing extra jobs around the house to ensure that he could still get to go because you know "We could scalp these tickets if your room isn't spotless...."
The anticipation is pretty intense so I hope the experience is all that he expects it to be and more!

Playing Church

Emily has always been our Church-y child.
She just started going to Primary (children's church) as a Sunbeam and loves it.
She has gone twice and hasn't stopped talking about it!
She came up with a new game that we must play at least once a day...
she calls it Mom & Dad Church.
She pretends she is in charge and calls on me or Mack or Isac or Ryan
or who ever is home
to come up to the "front" (the couch) and tell our name.
Then we have to repeat some "scriptures" which she makes up.
We also sing songs and look at random pictures and maps in her Bible.
She tells us the stories about them and if she doesn't know it she makes something up.
Her favorite picture/story is Samuel the Lamanite because she thinks that it is her cousin Sam standing on top of the wall.
Mack doesn't really enjoy the game.
Or play it very well.
Emily tries to convince him that Jesus is not pleased with his behavior.
He doesn't seem to care.
I thought it was cute the first few times, but now I am thinking about not going back to Mom & Dad Church.
It's just too demanding.

This is mostly for my mom...

This morning I came downstairs and found Mack lying on the floor,

sucking on his pacifier,

rubbing a Q-tip on his nose.

I wasn't able to take a picture because our camera died on Christmas.

So here's one of me.
He really is his Mother's Son.

Highlights of 2008

This year has been crazy at The Harvey House, and I had pretty much decided we would not send out our Annual Christmas Newsletter, but then decided that I would regret it if I didn't document our life in 2008. So here we are at the last minute throwing something together, so if our life in letter seems a little jumbled or hectic then we have done a good job at capturing what it is like around here as of late. Thankfully we have not had any major home projects this year, but Amy's sister Arin & her husband Troy, & their 3 lovely, BIG dogs lived with us for several months over the summer, while their new house was being built. It was fun having them and they actually still love our kids, even after seeing their true, TRUE colors so it's all good. We also took a week long trip back to Oklahoma in October to visit family. It was such a refreshing time for all of us and really made us wish we lived in the country. Maybe someday....but for now:

Ryan is still chugging along in school. We realize that most people who have gone to school as long as he has have Doctorates, but what can we say. He is transferring to the University of Utah this Spring and has applied to several Nursing Programs. We are keeping our fingers crossed that he gets accepted to the U's program but really we will take whatever we get. He is still managing Pearle Vision in West Valley. And serving as a counselor in the Elder's Quorum Presidency. Ryan is holding strong under all of this weight and despite such a busy and demanding schedule, he does his best to make time for our family and tries to do whatever he can to help out when he is home.

Amy is still busy, busy, busy and wishes that just a few more hours could be added to the day. She is still working one day a week at Target and is not looking forward to working more once Ryan starts the Nursing Program. Amy finally got smart and turned her love of bargain shopping into a profitable endeavor thanks to ebay. Now not only does she get the thrill of snagging a good deal, she gets a double thrill when she sells it and makes money! After being released from the Primary Presidency earlier this year, Amy was called to serve as the Home, Family, & Personal Enrichment Co-Chair. It has been a lot of fun being involved with such wonderful activities and women.

Isac is 10 now & in the 5th grade. We are loving this year in school. He has a great teacher & the curriculum has reminded me why 5th grade was my favorite year in school. He is learning a lot and while science is his strong point, he is really enjoying geography and history. Isac is our creative child and we often marvel at the things that his mind comes up with. He loves watching Discovery Channel and his favorite is Survivor Man. He claims that when he is 18 he plans to move to Antelope Island and live off the land. Good luck with that Isac. His most exciting news of the year is that his parents were actually nice for once and gave in to his years of begging for a pet and allowed him to get a hamster. He also ditched the glasses for contacts. He will be grown up before we know it.

Emily is still our little fireball. Always the strong-willed child, at 3 she continues to keep us on our toes. She started preschool this year, & after approximately 3 weeks of screaming bloody murder everyday, she has decided that she absolutely loves it! She is always learning something new & we think she is brilliant. However our sweet little Emily has become such a tomboy that there are times when we worry about how she will turnout. Most days she will only answer to the name Lightning (McQueen), can frequently be seen wearing Spider-man clothes, & she is convinced that when she grows up she is going to be a dad. Emily is a good sister, always willing to cater to & take care of her brothers. She loves her daddy & is her mom's best friend.

Our little baby Mack is getting too big, too fast. When he reaches the 18 month milestone this month, he will go to nursery and opposite of the previous children in this family, he cries because he wants to GO to nursery and he can't yet. He has been such a joy to our family, with his sweet face and charming demeanor. He is a cuddler and gives the yummiest kisses. He LOVES to be outside and is obsessed with shoes because he has learned that they are his ticket to freedom. Mack is fascinated with anything that goes, mostly trains & trucks. We think he might be a long-haul trucker when he grows up and we wonder if we should have given him a different name.

At this time, with so much uncertainty, and so many challenges facing each of us and the world as a whole it is comforting to know where we can always turn for peace. We recognize that we are truly blessed and we acknowledge the love and mercy of a tender God, who has shown us the goodness of His ways and the truth that He is mindful of us all. We rejoice in the coming of His Son, even Christ, whose birth causes us to publish these glad tidings. With love and gratitude for wonderful children, a warm place to live, and food to feed us, we extend our love to you at this wonderful Christmas season.

Love, The Harvey's
Ryan, Amy, Isac, Emily, & Mack

I'm Mack

Tomorrow I will be 18 months old.

Today I went to nursery.
All by myself.

I loved it so much I didn't even notice my mom when she came to get me.
I think I might do the same thing next week, and the week after that.

Aren't I big?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMI!!!
I believe you should celebrate yourself today! Maybe you could go get your hair done or something fun like that. I think this perm would look nice, don't you?
However you choose to spend your birthday just remember that you're
Queen For The Day and that we love you!