Wednesday, December 01, 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010

This year it actually snowed BEFORE CHRISTMAS... so this is a little video of us playing in it!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Love,
The Trentadue's

Mike, KaLisi, Josh (8), Caleb (5), Brooks (2)

Friday, October 22, 2010

Calebism 10/22/10

When I woke Caleb up for school, he rolled over and gave me a drunken smile as he said, "Moooommmm, Why did you take my dream away?" Isn't that the cutest way of putting it?

When I asked him what his dream was about, he started giggling like crazy about how Josh fell down and Brook fell down... and a few other people I didn't recognize due to his sleepy-eyed state.... but apparently, there was a lot of falling down.

Ya gotta love this age where their perspective is so innocent and cute!
Right before surgery (to remove his tonsils), they gave him some meds to make him loopy. We call this the "Sleepy Bunny Face", because it resembles the face of a sleepy little bunny from one of our bedtime books.

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKS!!!... He's 2!

Brooks is pretty oblivious to the whole birthday thing... so we did keep it pretty low key. It's funny how even though it was his birthday, he still got annoyed by his brothers and would cry or scream! I kept saying to him, "What? ... you'r crying on your birthday?" He could care less and would keep on crying til we had some cuddle time and he told me all about how Josh and Caleb were torturing him. It's so hard being 2!

But it was a relaxing day for all of us. We watched conference... and Josh and Caleb played legos while Brooks took his nap.... then for the 2nd session Brooks got to join in with the big boys and he managed to scatter legos everywhere, which was a dream come true for him! Half way into the 2nd session (at 5pm) we ate dinner and tried to listen at the same time...almost impossible with 3 (or 4) boys. But after conference, we opened a few presents which included a shopping cart (yes, I know... but honestly, he loves it!), and a remote control train (although I think Caleb and Josh played with it more then Brooks).

We had cake and ice cream. While we were singing to him, he was gazing longingly at his Buzz Lightyear and Woody cake, which was made lovingly by the Walmart Bakery! He really knows what to do with those candles, as he's seen his older brothers do it. He also gets a lot of practice perfecting his "blow" by blowing bubbles. His technique is amazing... he has such a delicate little blow, that whiffs out that flame so effortlessly! And the satisfaction he gets from seeing the smoke rise up is hilarious! When it came time to eat the cake, he politely used his spoon and hardly got anything on his face (bummer for us!).

So, it was a good day for him to turn 2! Although when you ask him how old he is he says, "Dweeeee!", and then laughs hysterically! Even though he doesn't talk much, we think his sense of humor is highly advanced because he knows it drives me crazy to think of him as 3 years old! They do grow up too fast!!!

Now I have to take a moment to just remember some of the fun things that little Brooks does that make us all so happy!!!

- When I pick him up, he slips his little hand down my shirt in the back and just tickles my back... he knows I like that!

- He goes to bed so great.... and he lets me "tuck him in" every night. As long as he has his "doggie" and his binkies (usually 2-3), he's happy and content as can be. My favorite is when he immediately rolls to his side facing away from me... it's then that I know he's going to go right to sleep and not make a fuss!

- Whenever I set a plate of food in front of him, he always (almost without fail) opens his real wide and says, "Oooh... Mmmmm!" If only he knew what great satisfaction that brings me!

- When he wakes up in the morning, or from his nap, he requires a good 20-30 minutes of just quiet time. If I go in too soon, he gets made. He would much prefer to just sit/lay quietly for a while. Sometimes I'll go in his room when it gets too late, thinking that I'm going to have to wake him up... but most of the time, I find him just sitting there... meditating, I guess.

- He is so random. Sometimes we'll look over to see him peering from around a corner wearing an army helmet or staring at us behind a set of binoculars.

- He thinks he's so big... and plays so great with his bigger brothers... and they play so great with him. Even the neighbor kids let him tag along as they play in the yard.

- He LOOOOOOVES to go on walks. Many times I've turned around to see that he's climbed into the stroller all by himself and is now pointing for me to take him on a walk. I count my blessings every time he willingly jumps into the stroller... a tender mercy in my book.

- Whenever you ask him a question, he energetically says, "Yaaaaayyy!" It makes it so fun to ask him questions... our favorite is when we go into his room when he wakes up in the morning. We'll say through the door, "Brooks, are you in there?" And without hesitation he says, 'Yeahhh!" Simple pleasures!

- He loves to point out his body parts... and gets a kick out of learning a new part. His most recent discoveries are his elbows and his lips. My favorite is when you ask him where his eyebrows are. Instead of pointing to them... he just raises them up! It's great!

- Lastly, he's a cuddle bug. He often comes up to me just to be held, and will often sit and cuddle for 20-30 minutes at a time. Or sometimes, he just comes up and rubs his head and face against my shoulder, or rubs his cheek on my cheek... sort of like a cat. He always gets this sleepy eyed look too.... like he could fall asleep at any moment.

He's just a fun little dude and we can't stop kissing on him! We just love ourselves some Brooks!!!

fyi: pictures to come, as soon as I get my act together and dump them off my camera!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

doe eyes

Brooks has recently learned to flutter his eyelashes... and I have to say, his timing is impeccable! This afternoon, he kept getting down from the table while eating his lunch. His sticky, banana fingers were touching everything in sight, and so I told him to get back on his chair. He looked up at me sheepishly with his head cocked to one side, fluttered his eyes and said, "Nooooo" in the sweetest tone that a disobedient toddler could muster. I was torn between spanking his little bum or swooping him up and kissing on those chubby cheeks.

I chose the latter.

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Calebism 2/11/10

The day BEFORE "the first day of school", Caleb got large scratch across his face. I can't determine if the culprit was Brooks or a random kid at the pool... but the thing is a good 6 inches long gracing his entire cheek. The night before school, Mike appropriately nicknamed him "Scratch" to go along with Josh's nickname "Blood Eye", which he inherited a week earlier due to a "toe in the eyeball" maneuver.

Right before giving the annual "Night Before School Blessing", Mike teased Caleb that he didn't remember his full name. Caleb, without hesitation, said, "It's me, Scratch R. Trentadue!"

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

First day of school - 2010


All decked out in their "semi-new" clothes, (we didn't really have a need to go school shopping because they have a ton of shirts, that they never wear, which includes, but is not limited to collared shirts... although they did get new shoes...) Josh and Caleb were excited for the first day of school. CORRECTION: Caleb was excited, Josh was annoyed. Thank goodness for peer pressure, because once we started walking toward the bus and seeing other kids emerging from their houses, he started to get on board.


After a smooth morning of eating breakfast and taming some unruly hair, I thought we were off to a great start leaving 10 minutes early to account for any first day mishaps. Good thing too... because I ended up having to sprint back to the house because I forgot to pin Caleb's "school bus tag" on him. For those of you who are not aware what this is... this is a very crucial part of his wardrobe because it clearly identifies him as a "Kindergartner" and should he get lost, it would notify any adult where he should be.

It was a bitter-sweet moment to see that big, yellow cheesewagon round the corner. I snapped a quick picture, and headed toward the already crowded bus. There didn't appear to be any empty seats in the front, (where the K's usually sit) so I, along with all the other Kindergarten moms were nervously pointing out our little K's. The driver shrugged his shoulders and just said, "I'm full, they just have to find a seat."

I felt so helpless, walking along the outside of the bus, watching Caleb's eyes scan the seats of the bus as he kept shuffling further and further to the back of the bus! But thank goodness for older brothers... although Josh temporarily forgot about Caleb as he bounded on the bus... he eventually "took him under his little brotherly wing" and they sat together about 5 seats from the back of the bus. (breath sigh of relief because at least they were together)

Now, I have to just trust in the school system... and have faith that they will return him to me safe and sound.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Pool time...

We haven't been to the pool very much this summer... partly because we were in Alaska for a month... but mostly due to my laziness. I know... what could be more relaxing then going to the pool?

Well to be perfectly honest, it is getting easier. But I can't exactly close my eyes or read a book yet. I have to keep my eyes glued my toddling little one, because he's been known to bed over to pick up a toy and go UNDER! Not to mention, all the effort it takes to pack snacks, water bottles, towels... find the swim trunks that get strewn - wherever - and then apply sunscreen and load into the car. I'm sweating by this point!

But once we get there, Josh heads to the big pool and is under the supervision of the lifeguards... (am I bad mom for admitting that?) Caleb is often content to play in the smaller pool (we don't call it the baby pool anymore)... and Brooks is happy as can be playing with his balls.... check it out! Sorry, it's a tad long.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Matanuska River

Alaska Trip Tid-Bits - July 7, 2010
We needed to kill a little time. Thank goodness my parents live on a farm with barns to play hide-and-seek in, fields to run and play in, a trampoline to almost break a leg on, and a riverbed to explore in the back yard.

My Dad was the tour guide for this little trip and after investigating a stream and an underground spring, we decided to hike across the riverbed to the main river. Some of our little hikers managed to fall on rocks and bruise up their knees, step in ankle deep water, and walk as slow as molasses.



Plan B:
Ancient Art of Rock Stacking:

The key is to balance the rocks in such a way that they are almost on the verge of falling over, but by fitting them together perfectly they manage to defy gravity. And to make it even MORE amazing, we did it with life-size boulders and climbed up on top of the teetering rocks to pose for a picture. Thank goodness no one was injured!






Another fun thing, is finding rocks that look like something else. For example, we found a "Nutter Butter Rock", and "Heart Rocks". As we were leaving, my Dad drew everyone's attention to a a rock he found that look like a sock. Turns out it was a real sock fossilized into the riverbed. The kids weren't as impressed, but they posed for a picture anyway!

Monday, August 09, 2010

Mini Hike

Alaska Trip Tid-Bits - July 2, 2010
One day we decided to take a little walk across the field to check out the historic John Springer Cabin. It's kind of sad because it has completely caved in. It used to be a fun place to play... I remember going in there when I was younger and looking for old stuff like tin cans and jars and even an old newspaper from "back in the day".

The grass was so tall that Brooks couldn't even walk in it without it tickling his nose!

Now there's a lot of barbed wire around it to keep people out... and with all the old rotten wood and rusty nails, it's really not a place you want to enter. Although Mike tried and almost fell into a bottomless pit never to be heard from again. There really is only one beam that's upright... complete with a swastika plastered on it.

So after a quick look around, we were done with the cabin. But, I did want to venture into the woods to find another old cabin that we used to go to. But after we went 25 feet beyond the tree line, the mosquitos were so bad and swarming around poor little Brooks... they just love that sweet baby blood... that we had to turn around and head back to the house.


Mike, after his glimpse at death... or at least a slight injury.

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Catching the BIG ONE!

Alaska Trip Tid-Bit - July 6, 2010

So we flew 6,000 miles to take the boys fishing... but our timing was WAY off. We were too late for King Salmon fishing... and too early for Silvers. Apparently June or August are the best times to fish... we were there in July. But the "boys" went fishing to a nearby lake fishing for rainbow trout.

Caleb caught the biggest... and he was a wild one! Apparently, blood was flipping all over his face in an attempt to take this picture!


And Josh caught this little guy... and he looks like a wild one too....

... he's flipping around pretty good for a little guy.

Basically, Josh and Caleb got to experience it all... hangin' out with the boys for the afternoon... eating lunch with fish slime on your hands... and a couple close-calls with a flying hook... WHAT MORE COULD THEY WANT???

Next year we'll try to go in August so they can feel the fight of a Silver! Now THAT'S fun!

Hatcher Pass

Alaska Trip Tid-Bit - July 9, 2010

We decided kind of on a whim to take another day-trip up to Hatcher Pass. Considering that we have 10 kids to consider... 3 of them are under the age of 2... we were somewhat limited in what we could do. So we spent 45 minutes on a scenic drive through the mountains in search of a the perfect spot to have lunch and play.

Listed were the preferred criteria:
1) Not too far away from the parking lot
2) A nice flat spot of ground that wasn't covered with high brush or rocks
3) Far away from steep embankments
4) Close to a small, quiet creek so the kids could throw rocks, sticks and maybe dangle their feet
5) Gentle mountain breeze

Turns out, we found the PERFECT SPOT with very little searching!
Check it out!







Thunderbird Falls

Alaska Trip Tid-Bit - July 1, 2010
One of our little day trips included a little hike up to Thunderbird Falls. None of us could remember the difficulty of the hike.... some of us remembered that it wasn't very steep, and most of us remembered that the trails were paved. So we were confident that we could tackle this "hike" with 10 children. 3 hours later, we were packed up and ready to go!

When we got there I realized the jogger stroller that I planned to use had flat tires. So after much debate about whether someone should go back for another stroller or cram Brooks into one of the other strollers, we decided that we would just help our toddling Brooks walk the 2 miles on his own.

100 feet down the path (which turned out to be just dirt), he was already dragging his feet. The first hill we encountered was a doozy! We were worried that we wouldn't make it to the Falls at all... or that we might have serious injuries and complaining along the way... and we thought the kids would have a hard time too! (that was a joke, by the way)

But after that first hill, it evened out... we went up, we went down... there were a few mud puddles here and there (thanks to Brooks' internal radar he was able to find every one), and a few spots where the children could have plummeted hundreds of feet below down a steep embankment. To make things even more fun, Brooks stopped walking and tired quickly of riding on Dad's shoulders, so we spent the majority of the hike swinging him along by his arms. (so I got my bicep workout for the day)




We started hearing the Falls and knew we were close, so I told Mike, "Now remember, this isn't Niagra Falls."
MIke: "Oh, so you're saying it's not that impressive?"

Well, see for yourself!


Calebisms

7/31/10
The other night Caleb was laying in bed and we were doing the "night-time routine". Caleb asked Mike, "Dad, can you make me a mama?" Me and Mike both looked at each other in confusion.... Mike said, "Oh, you mean a mummy?" Then we wrapped him so tight in his blankets that he could hardly move. Perfect! Apparently, there are some things we need to work on with Caleb's vocabulary!

8/3/10
Holding up Mike's electric razor, Caleb said, "I really want to shave my face... today is going to be a mustache day!" Puberty will come soon enough, my friend! Let's enjoy it while we can!

Baseball games are not Caleb's idea of a fun night out. He spends most of the night staring into space. But at least he's quiet.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

trying to catch up....


This is where I was from June 18th - July 18th. On Grover Lane... on the farm, which is nestled right up against Pioneer Peak... where I called home for 20 years!

Over the next few ... (however long it takes me)... I'll be posting some of the fun adventures of our trip, for the main purpose of "personal history". However, if you would like to check in now and then for a report, you can find them here soon.

This picture was taken on one of the first few mornings we were there. Me and my sister, ShaLene, took the kids for a little walk up the road collecting "Grover Lane Artifacts", sticks, flowers, pine needles, rocks, horse hairs and even a few mosquito bites.
Good times.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

I'm back!!!

I've been home from my month long trip to Alaska for 5 days now, and I'm still adjusting to the time change... 4 hour difference. I don't feel tired until at least 2 am... and I need at least 8 hours of sleep before I even consider crawling out of my nest... so, you do the math! And the kids have been going to bed around 8:30-9am.... and they still sleep in til 10 or 11am. It's crazy!

Along with my jet-lag, I've also been a little cranky. I guess after a month of hardly seeing my children (because they were so busy playing with the cousins), this three vs. one ratio is a bit overwhelming... I miss having my sisters and mom around for constant companionship... and please don't remind me that it's 100 degrees outside!

But I need to get back to real life again... and so there will be more posts to come soon....

**** NOTEWORTHY NEWS: I unpacked my suitcases on day 2 of being home.
**** CONFESSION: the empty suitcases are still haphazardly stacked next to my bed.
**** JUSTIFICATION: The attic temperature is currently 3,000 degrees and I just can't get myself to go up there!

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Brooks said "Go!"

Hallelujiah!

Thursday, June 03, 2010

Brooks said his 3rd word!

We made some progress with his talking today. Up until today he has only said 2 words meaningfully. "Dad!"... and "Uh-oh." Occasionally he says "Mom", but only when "forced". I know that he is comprehending a lot... and he has his own way of communicating... it's just not in the form of actually words. So I've been thinking that it will all 'click' and he'll be talking like crazy (similar to what Josh did when he turned 2). But the past few weeks, I have been a little more concerned because he doesn't even TRY to mimic words... only sounds and voice inflections.

But today he said "BALL!" We were sooooooooo excited you would've thought the circus was in our house!

This may seem like a little thing (especially after having 2 kids whose speech has always come easily)... but this is a big milestone for us... and hopefully the first of many more new words!

Monday, May 03, 2010

I would've taken a picture...

... but there was nothing to take a picture of since Josh actually swallowed his tooth!

He does not like to wiggle his teeth, so they hang on by threads for weeks. We always tell him that he needs to just pull them out before they "fall" out. But he can't stand to wiggle them. So, tonight he took a big bite of juicy quesadilla, and *poof* it was gone.

I don't know which is worse... seeing a tooth all crooked and eventually hanging... or knowing that he now has a tooth in his stomach. (shudder!)

Monday, April 26, 2010

Take me out to the ball game!

Josh started baseball this year... and as usual, he is doing great! He's especially sensitive to his biggest fans... his little brothers! Just comin' over to say hi!

Coach Dad and Josh #9. He sure likes having his Dad on the field with him!

And he sure is a great hitter! He's been working on his swing in the garage with the famous "Hurricane". Even Caleb follows after Josh's example and tries to perfect his form. And Josh is a good teacher and gives pointers to him!

What a hit!





Good job Josh!

Caleb's talk in primary

Caleb gave a talk in primary today. He did a great job... and I didn't even have to bribe him! He's given a couple other talks... and I think I have them written down somewhere... but just in case I forget... here's what he said.

"A little while ago, I had my tonsils out. I was nervous at the hospital. My dad gave me a blessing that it would be ok. After the surgery, I was only a little bit sore, and I could play with legos the same day. We are learning about how Joseph Smith helped bring the Priesthood back to the earth. I am grateful that my dad could give me a blessing."

Good job, buddy!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Bye Bye Tonsils

March 30, 2010

Caleb's pre-surgery gifts... along with a lego set. And he earned every bit of it! His last meal of choice was McDonald's... even in spite of Mike and Josh's complaining, Caleb held strong and insisted that we go to McDonald's for his last meal! He loved every minute of it. And before bed, he was allowed to eat/drink anything he wanted, since we had a long day of fasting ahead of us. this was the beginning of a very sporadic/non-traditional eating schedule

We had to be at the hospital by 10am... and we arrived about 9:45 just to be safe. I didn't want the surgery to be postponed until any later. Especially since I spent all morning keeping him occupied to keep his mind off of food. He did really great!

By noon, we were snapping a bunch of silly pictures... and saying one last goodbye to his tonsils! Little did we know that we still had a couple more hours of waiting left. We had our own private waiting room, which made Caleb feel less embarrassed about his fancy jammies and booties. This waiting room was fully equipped with the latest technology... a VHS. We spent the majority of the time waiting for the movies to rewind... come on people, "be kind, rewind!"

Once the anethsethiologist came in to talk to us... I thought we were on our way. Once again we waited and waited and waited..... they gave him some oral medicine, aka truth serium, where he professed his undying love for a little girl in his preschool class. He gazed longingly at a card she made for him, and spouted out his best 4-year old pick up lines, and announced that he was going to kiss her. Next thing I know, he's puckering up and moving the card slowing towards his lips, slowly closing his eyes. I'm still wondering where he learned those moves!

FInally around 2 pm, they loaded his weak, food-deprived little body into the wagon and rolled him down the hallway into the OR. He was so brave, (more like loopy and dazed) and that was the last time I laid on eyes on those problematic tonsils!!!


After about 50 minutes, I was back in the recovery area, rocking him in a rocking chair, while silent crocodile tears filled up those big eyes. Never once did he complain of a sore throat... which was in stark comparison to the little girl in the next bed. She was screaming and crying. Caleb let out no more then a few wimpers and coughs!

Then, one glass of apple juice later, we were on the road heading for home. We arrived around 4, and he laid on the couch for a couple hours while his curious brothers looked on. Then by 6, he was up playing legos and walking around acting almost normal. This first night, I slept in his room so I could help him. He woke up and coughed a couple times every 4 hours just in time to get a dose of medicine... then he would go back to sleep. I think it was the best night's sleep he's had in a year because he didn't snore, snort, gasp, or stop breathing! Hallelujiah!

For about a week, we hardly heard a peep out of him... I received a lot of taps on the leg, and motioning with his hands... and when he did talk, it was in his high-falcetto voice to avoid any pain on his throat. But when I would ask him if his throat hurt, he would always say "no." Not only is he brave, but he's tough too!

Now, about 3 weeks later... he's eating like normal, and even his voice is back to normal.

So if anyone out there is considering tonsilectomies (for just cause, of course), I would highly recommend it. Caleb was such a trooper!