Caroline.....

is 5 months all of a sudden!

She's been busy discovering her toes....

And practicing her back-bends.

She can roll over and grab toys & hair and  tries to eat everything!

She's so yummy, I just want to eat her!

This is the stage where I tend to think that I want to have another one right away because I'm so head-over-heels in baby love.  It's happened with every one of my babies.  Like a temporary insanity.  Then it passes.

It better.

I just wish this stage could last forever.

She's such a  dream baby.

much love

my big baby girl

She let me take some pictures of her the other day.

Three things I love about Marlee right now......

1.  I don't have to worry about her grades. Never have.

2. How fabulous her hair is.  Especially when it's curled.

3.  That she's a music freak like her dad, so they can be music freaks together without involving me.

and one more.....

How she absolutely adores Caroline & can't wait to see her when she gets home from school.

Both of their faces just light up.

It's the most beautiful thing to watch.

Ivy League Preschool

That's what we like to call Gus's preschool.

But it's actually called Discovery Club.

They just finished their solar system unit. 
Gus knows more about the planets and asteroids and gravity than I do.  We couldn't believe the astronomy facts that were coming out of him.
And they learned a song about the planets that Gus will sing at the top of his lungs on demand.

This preschool totally rocks!

Right now they're studying volcanos, among other things, and I came to take pictures when it was build-your-own-volcano day.

watching the demonstration

They would go get a little cup of baking soda,(I think), then squirt vinegar in it to make a lava flow.

Way cute.

They're probably learning algebra next.  Or maybe a little biochemistry.

I'd really like to hear a song using all the African countries. 

Now that would be something!

Why wouldn't you come here???

to this  awesome place called

Garn and Mason Orthodontics!

I mean, just look at how cool it is......

  

You're greeted by a super-nice receptionist when you walk in, like Lisa.

Not a snotty or grumpy one like some offices I've been in.

And what is that  amazing smell?

Oh, it's  freshly-baked cookies for me to partake of!!!

And the waiting room.....which is funny that it's called a waiting room because you don't ever wait very long there.....

I could hang out there all day long on the cool white couch and read all the good magazines they have......no old or boring ones like some offices have.

If you're really lucky, there might be someone cool like Jake there helping out.

There's lots of Halloween decorations around the office right now, because  they're cool like that.

There's usually a fun contest or drawing going on.......

                 like right now, you can enter to win a ticket to a special viewing of the new Harry Potter movie, the night before its' official release!!!

And, you can win prizes if you bring in a decorated pumpkin.....

How fun is that?

There's lots of pictures of cute people like Elle, for instance, all over the office.

And they even have an 'on deck' room with Guitar Hero & other cool games to play.

Then there's all the  fabulous assistants that work there, like Julie, that really care about the patients, and are really nice, too.

Then, to top it all off,  you get a doctor like this guy to help you get your perfect smile! (Notice the black & orange gloves for Halloween.  That's how fun they are there.)

I may be just a little biased, but

why would anyone go anywhere else?!!!!!

Wanna see something frightening?

Forget haunted houses and monsters and ghosts........


This.....

...... is truly  FRIGHTENING!!!!

I knew this was coming.......

With 4 boys, I've had 'Scouts' written on my forehead.

And I can't believe I'm posting this stupid picture of me.

Anyway, after a nice church calling maternity leave, I was just called to be the Wolf Den Leader.

And actually, I'm really excited.

There are way worse callings.

Like when I was the Primary pianist.....when I don't really play that well.  It was horrible!  I was constantly messing up.....kids trying to keep singing......me sweating, frantically trying to pick it back up again.......kids singing to no music.........me wanting to cry.......kids saying things like "Please bless Sister Mason that she can play the piano today" in the opening prayers...........

I'm not exaggerating.

So I'm loving this scout thing.

And I totally get boys.  I'm used to the noise & rowdiness.

Bring it on.

birthdays and such

I turned 39 last week and I can't say that I enjoyed it, except for the Sprinkles cupcakes that Brian got me, the evil man, right when I'm trying to lose a load of baby weight!  I'm feeling way too old.

But I also got a whole day off, which is pretty much the best thing ever.

A whole day to myself, uninterrupted by carpools & baby naps & 4-year-olds.

I definitely enjoyed that.

Too many calories to count, but you only turn 39 once, right?

Actually, maybe I'll be turning 39 for many years to come........

Two days later, Jake turned 13.

It wasn't a party year for him, but he had a few friends over for a scary movie late night.  He & his friends are so into scary movies right now.  They love to freak themselves out, even though they can't go to sleep that night because of it.  At one point I walked into the family room to find them all huddled together screaming like little girls.  So funny!

We took him shopping at Sidewalk Surfer & to lunch at Red Robin.

We just can't believe he's thirteen already.

It seems like just yesterday that I was holed up in our student housing apartment, running the vacuum for hours trying to soothe this colicky baby.

Good thing he was such a stinkin' cute baby!

The other day I walked into my shower to find this......

......and I smiled real big.

Zane & Gus had taken a shower in there the night before & had rounded up all the rubber duckies they could find.

I love finding unexpected evidences of little people around my house.

I know I'm going to miss it some day.

Although, that day seems very far away.

Brian finally put to rest his ancient Palm Treo and got an iPhone.

I think he loves it more than me.

This was a stupid idea.

These candy jars were basically full two days ago.

We got a new exersaucer.

Caroline's toes barely touch the bottom.

She must be teething because she's very slobbery lately.

We ended the week with General Conference & stayed in our jammies all day.

Zane & Gus got alot out of the afternoon session.

And that sums up our week.......except, of course, all the soccer & volleyball & basketball games & practices & piano lessons & scouts & a preschool program & Dr. appointment & lots of homework & laundry......