Play Ball

It is every father's dream to watch his kids play ball. The other day we were outside and the boys grabbed the tee and started hitting balls off the tee. It was fun to watch them play together.

They took turns and each smacked the ball. I am very impressed with them and most impressed with how they encouraged each other and worked together.

Aubrie also gets in on the act occasionally and I love to watch them all play. Aubrie right now is more into her Heelies and Hoola Hoop. It is amazing to me to watch the kids grow up so quickly. I am always worried that they are going to start picking up my bad habits and doing what I do. I see some of the things that they do and I cringe. I need to keep working hard to not let them fall into the same traps that I did. I need to be a better example so that they can be better than I was. Ethan is really starting to come into his own. He is speaking very well and can express himself very well. The other night he was saying prayers and I thought he was finished. I was getting ready for his closing when he stopped and proudly said, "thank you for letting me hit my balls!" I almost died. I tried so hard to maintain my composure. He obviously did not get what he said since he is innocent and pure and I am jaded and rotten. I love the kids and they are so fun. They always get me when I am not ready. They say the funniest things and really follow our lead. Ethan's favorite expression is "this is going to take 2 ever" instead of take for ever. He is a very sweet boy and is the biggest daddy's boy in the world. When he gets hurt I am the only one who he will go to. I am the only one who can get him out of the car seat. He always tells me that he loves me. It warms my heart when my kids tell me that. I am so lucky to have each of my children.

I pretend a shark is trying to bite my butt!

This will be my first foray into the world known as blogging. I am never bashful and I am sure that Rachel will do her level best to review and edit this before it is posted! We are slowly getting back into the groove of school. I hate it. The worst thing in the world is waking a sleeping child. I guess it is payback for all those early mornings that they gave us. The biggest bummer is not having enough time with them at night. I usually get home from work around 5:00 p.m. and the kids are headed off to bed at 7:00 p.m. The usually don't get to bed until 8:00 p.m. but it is just not enough time. The kids are all doing very well and seem to like school. Ethan also enjoys preschool and talks about playing on the swing set and new friends that he has met. I am glad that he can have something in common with Aubrie and Boston. He loves to go in the car with us every morning as we drop Aubrie and Boston off. He gives them each a squeeze as they crawl over him to get out of the car. He would like to get out and go with them but he understands that he still has a couple of years before that will happen. Boston is doing very well and two years of preschool have served him well. He and Aubrie also had a great deal of exposure to the Waterford Early Reading Program. They are more comfortable on a computer at 5 and 7 then I was at 17. It is crazy how technology changes.
The other day we were out swimming. Rachel was gone with the youth to a temple trip and I had the kids from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Needless to say I was spent. Women have a reserve for patience that men will never attain. The kids were very good for the most part. They tried to take advantage of dad once in a while but I was on to their tactics. I put Sophia down for her mid-morning nap and then we hit the pool. We had a great couple of hours splashing and sliding. During the festivities I looked up to see Boston literally flying across the water. I had no idea that he could swim that fast. I mean he was moving! When he got to the wall I looked over to him and asked him how he swims so fast. He looked over to me and said, "dad I just pretend that a shark is trying to bite my butt!" I started laughing and couldn't stop for a couple of minutes. He is a classic and always keeps us on our toes.
My grandparents were in town for a funeral and I was excited to see them. They are getting older and won't make too many more trips down here so I want to spend as much time with them when they do make it down here. After the funeral and dinner they came over for a visit. The kids ate it up and had a great time showing them the house, the pool and their sweet piano skills. Grandpa Jenkins really loved watching the kids play on the piano and I had to go back into the house as they were leaving to retrieve Grandpa who was instructing Boston. It is always nice for the kids to see their great grandparents. I vaguely remember meeting mine. I was 5 when my great grandfather passed (I think). We were able to get some sweet photos of the kids with them. Rachel got home about 30 minutes before they did and helped me to straighten up the house before everyone got there. Once everyone left we had to get dinner on the table and then get ready to leave for the ward activity. The ward activity consisted of jamming 16 pounds of refined sugar into every small child and then send them home with their parent's! I honestly think that Ethan had 4 or 5 small ice cream cones and 4 cookies. He is a sweets eating machine. Boston looked up at me and said that his stomach didn't feel so good. At the time he was holding a bowl of m&ms. We did our best to monitor the sugar intake, but we were no match for the spread that the activities committee placed before us. 3 or 4 sugar cookies found their way into my stomach before I realized what had happened. They are so good....how can they be bad?! This time I actually stayed behind and help clean up. Usually the kids are acting up and we need to leave anyway. This time I stayed behind and helped clean up. I looked around to see many others doing the same. This ward is so awesome and we are so lucky to be a part of this family. Rachel and I got the kids home and sedated them the best that we could. I think I heard buzzing coming from their rooms as they started to settle into bed. Last night was fight night! Once a month we all congregate over at the Jarman's home to watch carnage. Last night was a great fight and we got to watch as Randy Cotoure retained his title. It is always fun to get together with the fellas. I brought over the chili cheese dip while others brought brownies and other healthy snacks. This was not such a good idea coming on the heals of the ward party. Of course I did not let this deter my crap food intake and pounded more chili cheese dip and candy and soda. Sleep was not very sound last night. I woke up late and missed Ward Council and Sacrament Meeting. We did make it to the last two hours of church and managed to save our Sunday. We spent the rest of today swimming, coloring and having lots of good, quality family time. I love Sundays. This is truly the one day that everything we do is together.