Mountains

We went up to Vern's parents cabin on Thursday for Labor Day weekend. We didn't actually get up there until late Thursday night after stopping at my parents house, Vern's parents, Degen's house, R and R Pizza and Wal Mart. But finally we made it just it time for bed!

The next day which was Friday, Grandpa had one of his famous lists for the boys (and Mattie) to get done. This list was full of fun stuff though! The boys had to go to slide rock, Treasure Island, pick an apple and I can't remember what else... maybe roast marsh mellows or something like that.

The boys sliding down slide rock

Riley on slide rock

Mattie on slide rock

Riley at Treasure Island

Mattie with her sucker she got for a prize from Grandpa

The boys were so excited to be with each other and be in the mountains. We were on our way to Cluff Dairy to pick apples. You have to walk down into the dairy and Riley and I were bringing up the rear. We had gotten to the point where we could see the apple trees and some of the boys were starting to pick apples. I heard Caeson screaming and I couldn't tell if he was hurt or playing or what. Then Maddux was screaming and then Parker started screaming. All of the sudden everyone was running towards us and those three boys were running around screaming hysterically and I knew it was serious. The first one I got close to was Parker. He was hysterical and grabbing his legs. Then I saw bites and heard that it was bees. Meat bees to be exact. Maddux ended up having eight bees just in his hair and he had them in his pants and his shoes. I am glad Riley and I were slow getting to the dairy. Those poor boys. I don't think they will ever want to go back to Cluff's Dairy and neither do I!

The boys in the back of Grandpa's truck on the way to Cluff Dairy to pick apples before the attack

Other fun stuff we did at the mountains included playing on the tire horse swing Grandpa made, riding four wheelers, making forts, riding in Grandpa's truck, playing cards (my favorite) and of course Riley's favorite playing heroes with his cousins. He was always Batman. We took our camp trailer and stayed in it. It was nice to have the extra space and I am sure everyone in the cabin was glad we were in the trailer too when Mattie screamed to the top of her lungs every night before she fell asleep.

Perry cabin on the Grahams

Riley with his sock gloves and Mattie on the 4-wheeler

Connor and Mattie

Sunday night we had tortilla soup, dutch oven tater tot casserole, and dutch oven sweet and sour chicken for dinner. It was very yummy! However, all the boys had cereal. Notice I say boys- Mattie had sweet and sour chicken and the casserole.

So, the blog wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention something funny that Riley said. I was changing Mattie's diaper and she was running around with just her shirt on (sometimes its impossible to get the diaper back on her). Riley was watching her and said, "Mom Mattie has a little weenie, it just hasn't come out yet!" Vern's like, um no she doesn't, she's a girl. Good times here at the Perry's.

Mattie is 18 months!

Mattie Carole Perry

Mattie is 18 months today! I cannot believe it. Over the past couple months she has really developed her own little personality and went from being my peach of a baby to this stubborn, independent, sugar and spice little girl we like to call MATTIE.

Mattie loves:

1. Playing with Riley- she follows him around and tries to play whatever he is playing like Batman or guns. She adores her brother.

2. Taking baths- if we mention the word bath she is hunting up wash cloths and trying to get the bathroom door open. Also, if anyone else is taking a bath or shower she has to also and will start trying to take off her clothes the moment she sees water running.

3. Shoes- Loves them. Any shoes especially girl shoes.

4. Purses- She carries around several at a time

5. Eating- She loves to eat. This is kind of like baths, if anyone else is eating she has to eat too!

Mattie does not like:

1. Anyone besides her sitting on my lap or her dad's lap (especially Riley)

2. Being left out- she has to do everything Riley does

3. Having her shoes taken off

4. Riding in her car seat for too long

5. Sitting in a high chair at a restaurant or sitting in a shopping basket at the store

Mattie in time out- she likes to pull out plugs from the wall even when she has been told several times to leave them alone!

Mattie and Riley playing cowboys/cowgirls

Mattie trying to wear my flip flops

Mattie really enjoys life. She enjoys everything she does- bath time, meals, playing with Riley, going places- everything. She is so fun to watch. And most of the time she is so sweet and loving. We are so thankful we have Mattie in our family. She really makes life interesting! I can't believe she is 18 months. Time flies by when you are chasing MATTIE

Family, Chill off, Donuts and the Frog Potty

Last Saturday we were able to attend my nephew, Connor's baptism. It was a special experience. It was nice to have all of Vern's family together (his brothers and sisters and their children). The kids enjoy each other so much its fun to have them all together. During the talk Mattie got passed around from Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Verlynne, Sylvia, Degen etc... Of course she loved all the attention. She won't be the baby much longer or the only girl- Sylvia and Lisa are both expecting and Lisa is having a GIRL!! YEAH!!

Perry grand kids- back row Tevin, Maddux, Conner, Ryan

Trey and Caeson. Front row- Mattie, Parker, Ridge, Riley,

Cody and Kyson

Aubrie, Jason, Conner and Cody

Perry family

Riley and Mattie after baptism

Mattie- I love this dress all pink and ruffles

This has been a fun week. I've been trying to think if anything else noteworthy that happened... We babysat Trudy this week (I think she is 10 or 11 months? or maybe a year?) She is soooo cute! After her dad left she was sad. I told Riley to make her laugh and entertain her. He did and she stopped crying and watched him. Then, he got carried away yelling and running around. I was afraid he was going to scare her. I told him to go sit on the couch and chill out for a minute. He laid down on the couch and then he ran into the kitchen and said, "Mom this is how I chill off, I get a drink!" I think he meant cool off but it was funny.

We went to Crispy Cream last night. The kids loved the donuts of course! We still have the box on our counter and whenever Mattie sees it she points to it and makes the uh uh uh sound like she wants it.

Mattie enjoying her donut

Riley enjoying his donut :)

This week we've been trying to get Mattie to use her words instead of growling, crying, pointing etc... She is making an attempt at saying some words like more and out. Today while Vern and Mattie were at home she used the frog potty! This was the potty that Riley used when he was potty training. I guess Vern asked her if she was going poop (you can always tell because she makes a certain face and noises) and if she wanted to go on the toilet. She nodded her head yes. The big toilet was too big so he put her on the frog potty! My baby is growing up!! I don't know if I'm quite ready for potty training, all the accidents and peeing and pooping on the floor- maybe it'll be easier with her.

She wants to sit on the potty and then she won't get off

I think this week is going to go by fast. We are going up to Vern's family cabin on the Graham's for Labor Day. Hopefully we will go Friday.

Riley Started Preschool

This week has been pretty eventful. Riley started preschool on Tuesday. He loves it! I finally located a Batman backpack. It was quite a search. I guess because I waited so late? Most of the stores were low on backpacks. When I got home from the store with Riley's backpack and some new clothes for him he was so excited. He pulled out some Batman underwear from a sack and said can I put it on right now mom? Then he striped down and put on a pair. Mattie also wanted to wear a pair of Batman underwear. You gotta love it. She wants to do everything he does and wants everything he has including Batman underwear :) When he came home from school on Thursday he showed Mattie and I his school papers. She was carrying them around the whole afternoon.

Riley posing in his new shoes, Mattie carrying his backpack

Mattie trying to get Riley's backpack back

For some reason I let Mattie color with Riley using markers. I thought markers would be better because she eats crayons. It turns out she eats markers too. I came back from the bathroom and she had black all over her mouth and teeth. Luckily it was the washable kind and came off. I don't remember Riley eating crayons or markers. He is really picky with his food though...

Mattie trying to push Riley out of his chair so she can color on his coloring book

Mattie coloring

Riley had his four year check-up today and got 5 shots. He was hysterical. It took another nurse and I just to hold him down. Another nurse was holding Mattie. He kept yelling, "I just want out of this place!" After the first shot he yelled, "I'm dying I'm dying". Poor baby. I told him he wasn't dying he was going to be okay. I felt terrible. It was really an ordeal. The only thing I can say is he won't need anymore shots until he is 12.

We went bowling tonight with Jen and Joe. Riley and Taylor had a lot of fun.

Riley and Taylor

Riley setting up his ball

On the way home Riley and Vern has this conversation:

Riley: Dad how do you make the van stop?

Vern: The brake.

Riley: Which one is that? The one on the left or the right?

Vern: The one on the left. The one on the right makes the van go

Riley: I had to ask because someday I am going to drive the van and drive you and mom

Vern: He's 4 going on 16

Clarification and Weekend

My Mom told me, "Rebecca, turrets is a disorder where you yell out profanities and inappropriate things." I told her I know, I was being sarcastic. I know my kids don't have turrets. They do like to yell all the time and thank heavens they aren't yelling profanities. They are probably like most kids and don't understand about inside voices and don't care that they are talking so loud! I'm glad they are so carefree and wish I could be a little more like them. I wonder what Vern would say if he came home and I was just as loud as they are...

We had a wonderful weekend with my parents. Sadly I didn't take any pictures at the hotel. It was lots of fun though and Riley did really good swimming. My Mom took Riley to the bathroom at the restaurant and he was in a stall by himself. The toilet flushed automatically and it was really loud I guess. My mom asked Riley if it scared the heck out of him and Riley said, "No Grandma. It scared my heck out of me." For some reason this struck me funny and I keep chuckling to myself about it. I was also informed that he told his primary teacher that his family included, "My mom, my dad, the Wii, and Mattie." Vern asked him if the Wii was his brother or his sister. Its his brother.

Sharing time and teacher training went great and I am so relieved they are done! Tomorrow is Riley's first day of preschool. He is pretty excited. Hopefully I can get some pictures.

We went to the library today. I could not get Mattie off the computer. I guess she couldn't believe her luck because she was actually allowed to touch the key board and mouse.

Why Are They So Loud?

I told myself I would not update the blog until I had everything finished:

1. House in shape for teacher training on Sunday

2. Sharing time prepared for Sunday

3. Teacher Training message prepared

4. Guest room ready for my parents

The house is in okay shape. I want to hang up some of our pictures before Sunday and I'll need to mop the floor before Sunday too. Everything else is pretty much ready with a little fine tuning. I am so stressed! I wish it was all over with!

I realized today that this week the kids and I had not left the house since Sunday with the exception of Riley going over to Jakes. This is complete insanity for us. No wonder the kids have been going crazy! I have been so wrapped up in getting things ready, the house clean etc... I've lost all track of days. And the kids have been going crazy! We ended up going to town today thank heavens and Riley got to go play at Lisa and John's and Vern, Mattie and I ate lunch at Super Salad.

Mattie eating an ice cream cone at Super Salad

Yesterday I was beginning to wonder if my kids have turrets. My kids yell all the time. Riley will sometimes yell what he is saying. I'm like Riley, we are right here there is no need to yell. At dinner yesterday I was trying to talk to Vern and Riley was just making this strange loud noise over and over. Vern's says to me, hold on I can't hear you. Ya I wonder why. Then Riley stops and Mattie starts with this growling/yelling noise. She's even louder than Riley. Who are these kids? Vern and I are not very loud people! We went to Walmart today and Vern went to the restroom and then found us in the toy section. He said he could hear Mattie all the way in the bathroom. She had been carrying on because she didn't want to hold my hand while she was walking.

Riley in his batman shirt

Mattie carrying around three purses

Reviewing this week I can see now that we definitely need out of this house! Since it's my mom's birthday on Sunday, my parents are coming down for the weekend. It should be really fun with the exception of my doing sharing time and teaching at the teacher training on Sunday. Tomorrow we are going to spend the night at a hotel in Phoenix with them. I hope we all can relax and enjoy each other's company. I think its exactly what the family needs.

Harry Pot and the Mattie Shuffle

So I can't stop changing my blog background. I Iook at tons of them, pick one out and then the next day I log in to my blog and think oh no this has to go. I can't seem to find one that fits. So don't be surprised if the background is changed again the next time you take a peek at this blog. Okay on to more interesting topics...

It must be amazing to be child and have such a vivid imagination. Since we got the Harry Potter Wii game Riley is into "Harry Pot" and wants his name changed to Harry Pot. He has a red straw from Arby's that is his wand and we cannot throw it away because, "it's his wand". Tonight after Mattie and Riley had their baths Riley said he had water in his ears. I told him to lay down on the side he had the water in. He tells me, "Mom the dinosaurs in my ears help me get the water out. They pat it out." He says funny things a lot but as you know Riley he talks from when he gets out of bed until he is asleep so its hard to keep track of everything cute he says.

Riley and his Harry Pot wand

Riley decided to color his hands green in the car

Our house is a disaster. That is probably not news to anyone. But, we did have to clear out all of our stuff from the old house and now its piled in the garage and living room. If you ever saw the spare room, you know what I'm talking about because now its all in my living room. Except for the death bed. Vern's parents kindly took it off our hands. Whew. I have to get this place looking somewhat decent by the 15th for our primary teacher training that is here. Tomorrow is going to be operation clean-up.

Yesterday Mattie had four breakfasts. Can you believe it? She ate a bowl of cereal when she got up and Riley was not ready to eat then. When Riley ate his breakfast she climbed up in her chair and wanted more food. I gave her some Trix and strawberries to snack on. About half an hour later I had a bowl of cereal. Again, she wanted to eat. She sat on my lap and ate my cereal with me. When Vern came home at 9:00 a.m. from work he also had a bowl of cereal (we eat of lot cereal at our house). And again Mattie wanted more. She sat on Vern's lap and ate with him. She loves to eat and has to eat when anybody else is! I actually love this about her because Riley is so picky and I sometimes have to beg and plead with him to get him to eat. Sometimes Mattie will even fight Riley for his food! She also has this cute little dance she does after she gets the food that she wanted from you. We call it the Mattie Shuffle. Here is a video of her trying to steal Sylvia's otter pop and then trying to put all of Vern's cookie ice cream sandwich in her mouth. Then she does the Mattie Shuffle and falls down. It's hilarious.