One Year Ago Today...

...Tyler was baptized in the beautiful waters of Hawaii.

The past year has come and gone so fast. My kids, although not noticed on a daily basis, have grown so much.

I promised when we got back last year that I would recount all the comments we received along the way....here it goes...better late than never right?

While at Disneyland before heading to Hawaii, we turned countless heads with our brood in matching shirts (which were an absolute life-saver!)

Many people thought we were a school group. One even asked if I was a home-school mom because I "look like one". Whatever that means. As the night wore on and people we leaving, we took that as our opportunity to hit the rides once more. Randy took the older kids on Splash Mountain while I headed in the direction of The Haunted Mansion with the little ones. Just after we parted ways, I felt I was being followed. A man dressed in baggy pants with chains hanging from his belt loops made an unexpected comment: "I thought us Latinos had a lot of kids. But I think white people have a lot, and they make good moms, too." Why thank you, I think.

As we boarded the plane, we heard whispers of, "Do you think they are all theirs?" Then the pilot greeted us with an, "Oh my gosh! It's the Von Trapp family!" ( I got the biggest kick out of that one!)

Everywhere we went we were asked questions like, "Are they all yours?", "Are any of them twins?" and "How do you do it?"

My ego was stroked a few times as well with compliments like: "They have the most gorgeous blond hair and blue eyes!" and "You have the most beautiful family I have ever seen!"

And you could always hear people counting "One, two, three four, five, SIX!" The funny thing is, I have to count them too. Not because I can't keep track of them, but because it never seems like there are that many of us (and, no, I don't take that to mean there is another waiting for us...)

We have such good memories from this trip.....I want to go on another. Somebody mentioned Puerto Rico- I think that sounds fantastic!

Kids Say the Darnedest Things!

Nathan has been on a roll lately! Here some things he has said in the past few days....

He found a phone and said, "Mom, I have to call someone, seriously."
(I guess I use that word a little too much, seriously.)

I finally cleaned out the microwave. As he opened it to make his oatmeal one morning, he proclaimed, "Wow! It's absolutely clean!"
(You know it's bad when the toddler notices...or when the toddler is making oatmeal, for that matter!)

We returned home from an evening activity and all the lights in the house were off. But somebody forgot to turn off the TV. The room was glowing blue and as he walked in, he said, "Oh, It's so beautiful in here!"
(It's those aliens again...)

I was helping him clean his room and he jumped up, threw his hands in the air and ran out of the room screaming,"Run from your lice!"
(I didn't realize my problem was that bad!)

He says such funny things that sometimes I forget that Nathan is only three. And then he throws a tantrum, and I am brought back to reality...

Hannah walked up to me after church on Sunday and asked, "Mom, are you Dad's life, or his wife?" I answered, "I'm his wife. Well, actually, I am his life!"
(It's all the same...)

Hailey was talking up a storm at lunch one day and a girl said to her, "Your name should be 'Shut Up'!" Hailey made a quick comeback, "You finally learned my name!"
(I'm so proud of her!)

Kids Say the Darnedest Things!

This morning, I was determined to be on top of things. So, as I was getting Emma ready for the bath, I decided I would just get in and shower with her. Nathan and Hannah were occupied in the living room- watching through the window, waiting for the garbage man to come. So this was my chance. I hopped in the kids' bath with Emma and showered. I was very proud of the fact that I was showered by 9:15 AM- in fact, it could be a record! After getting out and getting dressed, I was wrapping my hair in a towel when Hannah and Nathan came in. They looked at Emma, and back at me.
Hannah: "Did you take a shower in here?" (As if it is something strange.)
Me: "Yeah."
Nathan: "You got in all the way?"
Me: "Yeah."
Nathan: "You fit in there?!"

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Last week, Hannah was holding one of the kittens we named "Oreo". She turned to me and said: "I know that 'oyo' is black and goes in cars."


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Tuesday night after dinner, Randy and Casey hadn't returned form scouts yet, so I took the kids to Arctic Circle for ice cream cones. When they got back, Nathan ran up to Casey and yelled, "We got pine cones and you missed them!" (Ah man! I was hoping to get one of those!)

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I will post more of my favorite, all-time classic "Kids Say the Darnedest Things" another day. In the meantime, I would love to hear from all of you and some of the funny things you have heard kids say! Just leave it in the comments below....