The All-Purpose Stomachache

The kids are gone now, but I wanted to add something funny Evelyn did. She said her tummy hurt the first day here when she didn't want to eat any more dinner. I didn't really believe her, and I don't remember what happened after that. The next day, Evelyn claimed that her tummy hurt and she therefore needed cookies. She continued this pattern of useful tummy aches.

She said her tummy hurt again another day and soon after had to poop a lot. Shauna was surprised at the quantity and we started to believe that maybe Evelyn was telling the truth some of the time.

But Evelyn reached her creative pinnacle on Wednesday night. In the middle of dinner, she said her tummy hurt and then...

"I think I need a brownie."

"No, you need to eat your dinner and we don't have any more brownies."

"I just want some. I just want a brownie. My tummy hurts."

And so on. She quit asking after a moment, and like 3 minutes later we told the kids that they were all going to take baths after dinner. Evelyn didn't want to at first and was kind of complaining when she explained:

"My tummy hurts."

"I'm sorry Evelyn. Are you OK? Do you need to use the bathroom?"

"No. My tummy hurts means I don't need to take a bath."

This may be one of those things where you had to be there, but Shauna and I just cracked up laughing. You could tell Evelyn was unsure about what was so funny, but she smiled and was proud of her joke anyway. She eventually took a bath, all was well, and her stomach made it to Salt Lake all in one piece.

Let me think, what did we do Tuesday? It seems so long ago even though it was only yesterday. Adam was up every couple of hours last night. Evelyn and Eli slept well, although I think they woke up a little early. Pat helped them get breakfast while I slept in until 7:00. Okay, about yesterday. We hung around the house a lot except for one outing to the park for our playgroup. It was a beautiful day, but not quite warm enough to swim. Evelyn has been wanting to swim all week. Today is warmer and I filled the pool right when everyone went down for their naps today, so hopefully the weather will cooperate. The kids have really enjoyed the activity bag you sent with them. Yesterday they spent quite a while playing with stickers and the foam shapes. Today they painted and did stamps.



Here's a picture of the kids dancing to Disney Music after lunch today.

Memorial Day BBQ w/ the neighborhood in which Evelyn finagles many treats

We had a fun time with a bunch of neighbors, but we didn't get many pictures. It was pouring rain at the supposed start time, so we had to wait 20 minutes before walking around the corner. The neighbors have a covered back porch and the rain had stopped, so the kids explored the wet yard. Evelyn was bummed that the slide was so wet. We ate and talked and the sun came out. The kids were able to play on the slide and swings, and the older kids even started playing on a water slide in the front. Evelyn was bummed again when we told her she couldn't go swimming until tomorrow.

All of the kids were enjoying the huge number of brownies, cookies, and M&M bars, and Evelyn was in hog-heaven! She got several treats from Shauna and I individually, and also asked other adults for treats when we started telling her she had eaten enough. She much enjoyed the fruits of her crafty labors.

Afterwards, the kids were tuckered out. Evelyn asked to go to bed and Eli just said, "Crib! They went right down. Evelyn had been crying over something just before her nap earlier and told us "I'm having a hawd time. I need a nap." We laughed and they went right down for their naps too. They have been really great about sleeping!
Eli on the right, Hannah on the left.
Chocolate mustache goodness.

Monkies Jumping on the Bed

Glee, joy and Pontiac excitement.

Church

We walked to church and actually made it on time, well almost. Eli did well in nursery. He didn't cry at all, until a little bit toward the end when he started asking for his toothbrush. Evelyn liked her sunbeam teachers and proudly displayed the picture she drew in class and told me that she got to have a gummy worm.


They all took good naps after church and then after dinner we went on a drive out to Utah lake and threw rocks in the water. Evelyn was very happy to get to ride in the back seat.

Playhouse

Cherry Hill Park

Evelyn rode her bike all the way to the park. Hannah and Eli enjoyed their wagon ride. I love that wagon!

Everyone was really hungry by the time we got home. They wolfed down their bean and mushroom quesadillas. The Gaskins went down really well for their naps at 1:00. The Mosbackers however...