Ode to Mckenna!

Mckenna turned 5 on Sunday the 27th and has enjoyed 3 days of fun! Saturday she went to build a bear and made a pink poodle named Sara. On sunday, she was treated like a queen. We had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, a princess cake and a fairy pinata. The place was decked out in pink, blue and purple decorations. She recieved some roller blades, shoes, and a skirt. I think her favorite was the rollerblades, she puts them on a couple times a day, just to wear them.

Later that evening, we went over to Grandma "B's" and opened presents and sang songs. After cake is when we found out that our dear President Hinckley had passed away, I felt a peaceful sorrow upon hearing the news. He was a great man!

On Monday, we went to Mckenna's well check appointment to make sure she was growing properly, she didn't think that was too fun, especially while getting her blood pressure checked. She flipped out which didn't help the reading. That evening we went and picked up Mckenna's friend Sydney and we went to Chuck E Cheeses. We ate pizza and played lots of games, it was a lot of fun.

4 things we love about Kenna

1-Witty remarks

2-Beautiful Eyes

3-Friendship with Josh

4- The funny names she makes up (doodle-grandma)

There are of course many more, but help us name more things we love about Kenna!

What to do when the questions come!

So, I pose this question to all of you, with or without kids, in hopes of some good advice. As a parent I have asked myself, usually during the event, what I would say to my child when asked certain questions about life. Some of these questions include the following: 1-How do babies come out? 2-How did Jesus make the world! 3-How do you know it is October? 4-Where does Jesus live? 5- Why are some kids mean to me? and 6-How do you know it is tomorrow? Is it just me or do kids tend to ask the questions that we don't quite know how to explain? Each time one of these questions come up I stutter, hem and ha, and end up feeling like an idiot, because I don't know how to explain in terms that they would understand or in a way that would appease their curious minds. For example, while we were in California, Mckenna asked me "why are there crows in this world," and I said because Jesus put them here, she asked "why?" and I said maybe he thought they were beautiful. She responded, "well I don't." I said, well when you make your world you don't have to put them in. She thought about that for a minute and asked "when will I make my own world" so I told her if she was good, obedient, and followed Jesus, she would go back to live with him and become a queen and then she could make her own world.
Since I have been home she has asked many questions about making her world. She even asked me how Jesus made this world, and I have to say I didn't know what to say. I guess I could of gone into the combining of the elements and all that, but even then I don't know. Unfortunately, I have resorted to answers like: I don't know, because it just is, or changing the topic all together.
On the other hand you just don't know what kids are going to pick up on. For example, if you were to get into a conversation with Mckenna about having a body, she would tell you that she chose Jesus' plan and not Satan's, and that all of us in this world chose Jesus because we have bodies. I am proud to say that she and I have had many discussions about what that means and she even deduced that not everyone knows that we chose Jesus' plan because they are not always making good choices. I think the hardest part is the anticipation of more questions that I don't know the answers to upon the answering of the current question. At this stage in her life she is very interested in our pre-mortal life, and I am sorry to say that I don't always know what to say. Kind of disheartening, don't you think?

California Fun!

So, it occured to me that maybe not everyone would be interested in a boring dialogue of our trip. Those to whom I inteded this for have already seen it. Therefore, I will give a picture description, and hope a piecing together will tell the story.

At Amy's house in Loma Linda, CA. Shanell making cookies & Mckenna playing wack-a-mole!

At Dustin's house in Poway, CA. Mckenna loving on baby & cute pictures of baby Cade!

La Jolla Beach-a beautiful day on the beach.

Baby rub down by Shanell, fun family photo at Old Poway park, Shanell and Amy doing a crazy puzzle.

Shanell posing with a naked Cade (whom tinkled on her soon after this picture), Divas Amy and Mckenna, Mom and baby Cade, Daddy and baby.

Shanell and I overjoyed by Mckenna (RMS) finally falling asleep.

We think we documented our vacation throughly by taking over 600 pictures, the above are just a couple of my favorites. We had such a blast and would like to thank all our California family for a fabulous time and we are excited to see you soon.

A mothers folly!

Okay, so something they don't tell you when you want to start having kids, is that kids sometimes "WILL BUG YOU!" Not that, that would have stopped me or anything but at least I could of read a book and thought: "see they told me so, this behavior is normal." I just happen to be in that moment right now!
Underneath my cool exterior I am screaming and yelling for a reprieve. The constant questions, the interrupted sleep, the talking and talking and talking. Now don't get me wrong I love being a mom but sometimes, just sometimes, I just want to scream and run away and hide. The patience I think I had once is slowly dwindling. My mother-in-law says I look so calm, but inside I am screaming at the top of my lungs. Luckily, these symptoms will eventually go away and I will realize how great my kids are and how lucky I am, but for now I am in survival mode. Mom says not to lose my sense of humor, but when there is nothing remotely funny I can't help it. Any good advice? Let me know! (ps. I chose this picture not because of Josh but because I look half-way decent.)

To hunt or not to hunt?

Okay, so I was feeling a bit bad that our whole blog has been child-ridden. So, to upstage that a scosh here is Dave in all his hunting glory. This is a picture of him and his rifle this past October during the deer hunt. He along with many male members of his family (no girls allowed) take a week to live in the wild. Well, the word "wild" is all relative, if you consider carpet in the tents, a big screen TV and yes even the kitchen sink "wild" then he is really roughing it. Though he has not yet nabbed his own deer, he enjoys the atmosphere and the thrill of the possible kill. This past year the weather got to be so bad, that trucks and trailers were sliding down the mountain. Dave experienced his own weather troubles when he not only had to clear his camp site of debris and tree branches, but snow as well. Through thick and thin he still loves it! Go Dave!

I'm a big boy now!. . . . Well maybe

Joshua experienced a monumental situation today! He not only tried on his first pair of big boy underpants but he also dropped his first adult doodie in the porcelain pot! I caught him today grunting and hiding, so I did what any good toilet training minded mommy would do I grabbed the kid plopped him on the toilet and told him to push. He did not think this was a good idea and immediately squirmed to get off! I held on for a couple minutes and seeing nothing in sight, introduced him to his car underpants. He liked them and for the next couple of hours I spent asking him every 10 minutes if he needed to go potty? He would of course say no, and I would occasionally put him on to see if he would do anything. Well this routine got old for me, so I got a little preoccupied with a project. All of the sudden I realized Josh was nowhere to be found, so I raced to find him, knowing that if he was hiding he was trying something. Sure enough there he was grunting and squatting in the play room, so once again I grabbed him and we ran to the toilet, and would you know it the doodie was coming out, and he was terrified! He was screaming and squirming and I held him in a hug (while he sat) and I told him how proud I was of him and that is was okay. When he continued to scream I began bribing him with treats and snacks of all kind. After 5 minutes he dumped his little log, and the excitement from me was all over the place. Little did I know that he had more coming, soon enough the screaming started again. After talking to his dad at work Joshy got up the courage to let another couple logs drop. Yeah! Though this experience has shown me that he may not yet be ready for full blown big-boyhood, he is on his way. The day ended with Josh wetting his underpants and having an early bath. But thumbs up to Josh for giving it a go. From a loving, tired of changing diapers, mommy! Ps: don't feed your kid corn when it comes to potty training time!

Joshua David Wadley

Joshua is our little two-year old, and he is all boy! He loves cars, balls, football and the color blue. He also doesn't know his own strength-when he gets frustsrated he comes out swinging. From first hand experience it hurts! On the other hand he is a little lovey-dovey boy. He loves to give hugs and kisses and is usually very sweet to think others. Josh is currently in a speech therapy program with kids on the move and showing improvement. His increased speaking abilities has helped cut back on his violent outbursts. He enjoys reading books and watching signing time. Josh likes to act grown up and follow around with the grown-ups, but when it comes to doing anything too risky he is glad to be left out, he gets nervous quite easily. For Christmas Josh recived a crash and shake race car and a punching bag, both are getting good use and he is having lots of fun. Josh is entering his 2nd year of nursery and is becoming an old pro at going in without a fus. (thank goodness)!

McKenna Lyn Wadley

Mckenna joined our family in 2003, almost five years ago. She is a very active child, not only in actions but also with her mouth. She loves to talk and ask all sorts of why, and how questions. She attends school twice a week and loves it. She has never been nervous to try new things on her own. On the first day of school I had to beg for a hug and kiss goodbye. She also is in Dance showcase company, where she performs twice a year. This last December she was the best rootin-tootin cowgirl dancer. She is excited to turn five and has made a list of her new years resolutions. They include:
1. Learn to ride a two-wheeler
2. Learn to read
3. Learn to do a cartwheel
4. Learn to tie her shoes.
She came up with these all on her own, and I don't anticipate she will forget about them. She is a joyful child, full of both, life and drama.