2 Hobbits And A Halloween Princess

Here are the hobbits and the Halloween princess. You can't get the full idea of Ethne's outfit here so I will add another later when I have more time. This version is for those of you who are just too impatient :) Look at those fabulous cloaks made by CA Grandma and the amazing hobbit feet made by our great friend Sharron here locally.

Awesome Feet!

Frankenstein's Monster

The boys and I were looking at a pumpkin decorating kit online and I told them the one with the things coming out his ears was Frankenstein. I turned around to look at the boys and Ezra had a very serious look on his face and these crayons hanging out of his ears and he said "Who is Frankenstein". It was so funny to turn around and see this:

Guess What My Pillows Made Out Of?

Enoch and Ezra went outside yesterday after church and made themselves a bed on the driveway. They had pillows out there and Garrett took them away. So Enoch and Ezra "MADE" a pillow. Underneath the flannel sheet they are laying on is a bed of rocks and sticks that they were so excited about because they were part of their pillow. Funny boys.

Enoch's Latest Dream

"I Dreamed that I cut open a potato and there was already cheese inside it, but I didn't put any cheese inside it. It was just already there. That means they cut it open and put cheese inside and glued it back. That's kinda tricky"

Ezra's Latest Dream

The other night Ezra woke up after a nightmare. He had dreamt that "A fish was chasing me and trying to eat me." Maybe he is feeling guilty for catching and eating fish- you think?

My Girl

This is my Ethne. She was having tummy time yesterday and she spit up. Then I think she sneezed and did a face plant in it. THIs is a hard one to write since she likes to type with me now. She o0ften holds down the SHIFT keY and does .......Capital s for me and s p a ces
lik e thi s. Tha ks ETHJne.
THis is Ethne in her "Snugs-A-Go Go Boots". This was right after the boys soccer practice. She had to be bundled up since it was rainy and cold. So cute! Thanks CA Grandparents for the Go Go Boots.

My Boys

Here is Enoch with his curly hair and excited about his new sweater. Cute boy. He is as smart as he is cute. Now to work on his character-that could maybe use a little work :)

Here is Ezra with his great smile. Is your sons hair too long when you enjoy the many do's you can do with the flat iron? You can't tell here but this morning I fixed his hair all wild and he looked SO different-but cute. He looked like a little punk rock boy. Kind of a Beetles wannabe but more punkish.

Give Me Your ANGRY Face. . .

WARNING: The following is not for the Faint of Heart
I looked down today and saw a very nasty little worm inching around. He was clear an you could see his insides. The inside of him was a liquid that was peach filled and you could see the air bubble inside him moving back and forth as the liquid sloshed while he was inching around--SICK--YUCK!! I saw it and yelled EWWW! Enoch and Ezra came running and said what mom? I said there is a nasty little worm down here. They both crouched down on the ground right by it and Ezra said: Eew! and Enoch said: "That is a very nasty worm. It makes me not want to look at it".

ME: Ezra don't talk to me that way I am your mommy and I treat you nicely so you need to treat me nicely.

Ezra with a scowl on his face says: "I don't WANT to be treated!

So Many Funny Things-So Little Time to Write Them Down

Enoch: "Mom, we just have ketchup, so we need mustard. "
Mom: We have mustard.
Enoch: "no we just don't have mustard in the play food but we have Ketchup in the play food."
ME: Oh, yeah you're right we don't have any.
Enoch: "We don't have any french fries either to just dip in the ketchup."
ME: No we don't do we. What would you use the mustard for?
Enoch: "we would use it for sandwiches and bean burgers and the ketchup for those [sings] too. We just don't have meat or cheese [eder]. Is it weird that it didn't come with cheese or meat or [anysing]?"

Enoch Runs away and plays then comes back and taps me on the shoulder as I am typing this and says:

Enoch: "Oh and it didn't come [wis] any salt and pepper [eider]. Is that weird?"
ME: Yeah that is weird.
Ezra: "What is weird?"
Enoch: "that it didn't come [wis]any salt and pepper."
Ezra: "what's weird?"
Enoch: "I [jus] told you. That it didn't come [wis] any salt and pepper."
Ezra: "what's weird? he he he" Enoch tackles Ezra and shouts "I [jus] told you, you crazy guy."



Ezra: "I'm the king"
Enoch: " You're the king and I'm your servant"

Enoch runs to get a sword and play silk and asks me to tie the play silk around his neck while he turns the Bumbo over and places it on his head.

Enoch: "mom what's a servant?"
ME: you serve the king. You do whatever he asks you to-get him a drink, fix him food, pick up his clothes.
Enoch: "I [jus] don't have any clothes to pick up" they go to play and I hear
Enoch: "tell me to do [somesing]"
Ezra: "Pick up these toys! Pick this up! Put this in the kitchen!"

They move to the bedroom for the Servant to use the play food to cook for the king.

Enoch: "king since there is two of [everysing] (looking at the play food) can I have one?"

later--Enoch: King I need to go to the bathroom."
Ezra: "we don't have any bathrooms"
Enoch: "yes we do it's down the hall."
Ezra: "oh!" follows Enoch into the bathroom.
Enoch: "No I'm taking my hat off." Ezra leaves
Enoch: "Servant is done king"
Ezra: "oh"

I wish I had all day to write this down because it just gets better and better but I have to go make dinner. DARN! Wish you all could see this it is super funny.

Jokes And Not So Jokes

Enoch talking to his Granddaddy says: "I have a new joke"
Granddaddy: "What is it?"
Enoch: "Where does the sheep go to get a haircut?"
Granddaddy: "I don't know"
Enoch "The baa baa shop"

Granddaddy: "do you know any other jokes?"
Enoch: "Yeah, If you go fishing on Sunday, the only thing you'll catch is the Devil"

Ezra: "Hey Granddaddy I have a new joke."
Granddaddy: "What is it?"
Ezra: "I got a new nut--ha ha ha"
Granddaddy: "Oh wow!"
Enoch: "That isn't a joke."
Ezra: "Yes it is"
Enoch: "But I just don't [sink] it sounds like one"

Surprises

Me: "Ezra, what happened to your face?
Ezra silently shrugs shoulders
Me: Enoch did you hurt Ezra's face?
Enoch: "We were wrestling pretty rough and I bumped his head with my head"
Me: You can't make marks like that by bumping two heads together. Look at those red lines on his face.
Enoch: "oh, what do you do to make those marks?"
Me: They look like scratch marks to me.
Enoch: "Oh, I guess I scratched him. (pause) But I didn't REALLY scratch him. (pause) Maybe it was an accident."


Ezra was supposed to finish his lunch. When I walked by his plate was empty and I said: Ezra you're done! Ezra looked surprised.
When I put the baby in bed I walked back through the kitchen and Enoch and Ezra were looking in the microwave. Enoch said: "He didn't finish he put his food in a bowl and put it in the
microwave."
After I sorted things out and re-directed Ezra to eating his lunch Enoch said: "Mom, Ezra tricked you for a reason. And that reason was cause he didn't want to eat."

I was talking to Enoch about setting an example today and he said: "mom, does Ezra do everything I do usually?"

Their Minds Move So Quickly. How Did We Get From Nomads to Noah in 30 seconds?

Ezra said: "Ethne you move from place to place to place"
Enoch : "That means your a nomad Ethne"


Enoch was getting some dip for his carrots and he said ""I want to double dip so I am getting each our own".

Enoch: "Mom you wanna hear my crazy dream from last night?"
Me: yeah
Enoch: "I dreamed there was a cougar and he turned on the light then he jumped on my bed and scared me awake and then he was chasing me on my bed and I fell right on my tummy-head."
Ezra: "then I jumped on him and killed him forever"
Enoch: "no he was nice and you weren't in my dream"

Enoch was bugging Ezra and Ezra said "NO! UH!"
Enoch said "why did you say Noah? He was the one who built the ark" Then he laughed. Funny kid.

Dreams

Ezra: "Momma momma, I had a scary dream."
Me: What was your scary dream
Ezra: I saw a catsnake.
Me: A Catsnake?
Ezra: "yeah, did you ever seen a catsnake?


Enoch: "Mom do you know what I dreamed last night?"
me: no, what did you dream?
Enoch: "I dreamed about a plane that crashed into a robot but it wasn't a robot it was another plane."

CRAZY DAY OF PLAY

I need structions (instructions). We need to know if the cat is there to play with. We are making a machine and I need structions. (grabs pen and paper and goes back outside)



"We are playing a game called Enoch and California Grandpa." --Enoch (they put a sheet on the coffee table to make a table cloth and they were having a picnic with the play food.

Enoch was being crazy and I said Enoch please stop.
Enoch: "you said I could be crazy"
me: no I didn't.
Enoch: "no I was talking to Ezra he said I could be crazy".
Ezra: "no I didn't cause that wastes my time".


Ezra, weepy after his bath says: "Dad, when are we going to buy a house with a fruit tree?"
Dad: "well we might put an offer in on Monday"
Enoch: "Dad, I'm thinking about buying that house with the rope swing"
Garrett: "oh, really?"
Mom and dad simultaneously: "how are you going to pay for it?"
Enoch: "dad's going to pay for it"

Ezra throwing a fit in his bed says: "I don't want to go to bed"

Enoch: "I like going to bed"

Ezra: "I know but I want to go to grandpa's house"

Enoch: "yeah but dad says we can't go until tomorrow"

Ezra: "is it a short time?"Enoch: "yeah"

Phrases from today's play

"Mom, I want you to be done any second"--Ezra

"mom what does a Taxi do"--Enoch

"Ezra the cat came back the very next day"--Enoch

Ezra: "I don't like this baby we're having."

Mom: You don't I thought you loved her?

Enoch: I love her she's beautiful"

Ezra: "I sink she's beautiful too. (hugs Ethne) I love you baby."

Bleed vs. Blood

Ezra always refers to his blood as bleed. He says things like. .Bleedy knight, I have bleed on me, Enoch is bleedy and on and on. One day I said Ezra it's not bleed it's blood. He said "no, it's blood when it's inside you, it's bleed when it comes out". it took me a minute to realize what he meant. What a smart kid to put that together at 3.

The Last of Tahoe

This is a really cool picture that Camilla took up in Tahoe. It really is nice up there.

This one is also nice, but I think I took this one. Not sure.

The boys roasting marshmallows.

Ezra looking so cute.

Ethne sleeping in the sling.

Same--she sure looks happy and cute.

Matthew and Enoch enjoying a view of the lake.

Lacey with all 4 children reading stories. Ethne was listening with her eyes shut I am sure.

Boys Are SO Much Fun

These 4 crazy boys are Enoch, Ezra, Jullian and Jordon. This is an example of their crazy play dates when we get the 4 boys together. They are really great friends and lucky for me their (J & J's) mom is a great friend of mine. Our families work well together. K, Jenny and Ryan Ethne needs a friend too :)

They would run and run simultaneously and collide on the slide in a great heap. Glad no one got hurt.

Jullian the oldest of the group and a great athlete and friend.

Jordon is a few months older than Ezra but can easily keep up physically with the older boys.

Ezra--crazy man! The youngest group member but certainly holds his own and adds to the mischief with his creative mind.

wow this is wet water :)

Enoch-a year younger than Jullian he dreams of being able to do all that Jullian can do. He watches him closely and imitates what he sees. Enoch is often the naughty one of the group by picking on the other three-- keeping things lively he feels. He is full of life and energy and lots of great ideas, but if he gets board watch out.

Sir Kevin of Devin

This is Enoch dressed up like Sir Kevin of Devin. "Sir Kevin of Devin" is one of their favorite books and they like to act out the story regularly. The leaves coming out of Enoch's planter hat are his 'plume'.

This morning Ezra was playing Sir. Kevin of Devin and he was dressed up at the breakfast table. Enoch was blessing the food and he blessed Ezra. Ezra interrupted him and said, in a loud whisper, "no, not Ezra, sir Kevin" Enoch giggled and prayed again "Heavenly Father please bless Ezra" (more giggles). Ezra gets louder and says "NO sir Kevin of Devin". Enoch of course takes this opportunity to get Ezra's goat two more times before I was able to get the situation under control. Ezra got louder with each blessing of himself. It was quite funny.

Kevin was a big dreamer. He wanted to be a knight. It is kind of a David and Goliath story. He volunteers to fight a monster no one can stop who is wreaking havoc across the countryside.

Here is his success. My problem with the book is that the boy actually does nothing and yet becomes a hero. He just follows the mechanical dragon across the countryside until in runs down. How is that heroic??? Maybe just the willingness to fight what is thought to be very dangerous is enough for knighthood. He was very brave.

Primary Temple Trip

This is Enoch, Ezra, Ethne and their friend Corbin on top of the Oakland Temple.

Enoch and Ezra looking at the temple--such pretty flowers.

Our bishop, leaders, and kids from our ward.

Ezra and Ezra are always wanting to hold their sister but she usually doesn't like it much. She actually seems happy about it here.

A view of the grounds taken from on top of the temple. It is so beautiful.

Many Faces

This is Ethne and her many faces we enjoy. So much personality for such a little girl. This was her "that flash is so bright mommy"

wow she sure is cute--Whoa whats that thing you're pointing at me?

Oh I am so sad I just might cry:(

Ha! This is so much fun-but the flash is still too bright.

I'm tired now I think I'll just dose off for a minute.

My Son the Diplomat

Enoch is a regular diplomat. This child at 4 years old knows what he wants and knows how to take you for a ride to get it. He isn't always successful however and lately when he fails the tantrums come on full force. However you who have recently experienced these tantrums will be glad to know that since Garrett has been home more and spending time with him they have almost gone away completely. He has been a little angel the last several days. Thank Heaven for that :)



Anyway, one example of Enoch's techniques is found in the Tahoe memoirs. Enoch had been trying to get a specific seat at the dinner table for a while but his cousin Nathan was sitting in that seat. Enoch, after failing in his attempts to win it with the adults, went to Nathan. He said Hey Nathan come look at your dog over here. It was one line and very subtle and if Nathan had heard him instead of being engrossed in something else Enoch would have been successful. He was luring Nathan away so he could jump in the seat and as we all know possession is 9/10 of the law.

Just between you and me

This funny picture is probably 8 months old and I just can't believe how much he has changed.

Today Enoch came up to me and said "Just between you and me, I think Ezra's kinda loud". I thought I might die laughing. Where does he get this stuff? Who says that-just between you and me?

The Not So Green Thing's

Just as in The March family (and the Anderson family)there is "much emphasis on perfecting oneself" in CA there is much emphasis on perfecting one's Green self. Everywhere you go people are eating green, speaking green, buying green, selling green, looking green. . . hm. I just realized today how un-green our family is in some ways. Children are just naturally un-green. They waste a lot of water, they make A LOT of laundry-what with throwing up, wetting the bed, soaking 4-5 hand towels in the bathroom sink everyday and not being able to re-wear any of their clothing it is next to impossible to "be green". They also waste a lot of food despite my efforts to make sure they eat what is served. It ends up on the floor, in hair, on clothes, in the garbage and most unfortunately on ME. At 3 years old Ezra still finds it most exhilarating (ok guys that was a major typo and no one said anything) and hilarious to "share" his food with other people. When we were in Tahoe he so kindly picked his cousin Nathan as the literal target for his food sharing. Much to my dismay he found it REALLY fun to chuck chicken at Nathan and make him cry. Sorry again Nathan-we love you. Many here would rather have dogs than children because they are more "green"-not us! I guess with our growing household of children it's a good thing I'm not too keen on being all green :)

Don't Cry over Broken Plates

This morning Enoch was spinning around in a chair and accidentally caught the table cloth and pulled off a plate which shattered on the floor. My first thought was Oh that's OK it is easily replaceable. Then as I cleaned it up Enoch was feeling badly and sad the plate was broken as Ezra kept repeating over and over "mom, that's sad that Enoch broke that plate." I said It's OK it was an accident and it isn't the end of the world. Enoch perked up and said "yeah, it's OK it was an accident and it isn't the end of the world. And anyways there's more plates". I am ashamed to say I didn't react the same way when he broke the lid to my Emile Henry Asian style flame clay pot without which I can't use the pan AND which you cannot replace without replacing the whole $200 and something $ pot. AH that still makes me want to cry :( I guess when I can react the same way when it is something of real value to me then maybe I will be close to translation :)

Swimming in Tahoe and baby Ethne

We went to Lake Tahoe for a week and had so much fun. Thank you Darryl and Gwenn for the vacation. Garrett was too busy finishing his new movie "A Christmas Carol" so he couldn't come and we missed him greatly. Uncle Aaron was studying for the MCAT but did manage to come for a few days and Aunt Camilla came to join the Fry's for a very fun time. Everyone enjoyed boating, swimming, hiking, playing games, crabby/tired children, making smore's, Uncle Matt's birthday eating sushi and more.

The drive there was almost without incident but the drive home was the longest three hour drive I have experience with throwing up, bloody nose, bathroom stops, traffic, feeding baby, threatened throw up and more. WOW 3 hours gone 5 is not my favorite. Poor Grandpa still had 2 more hours after he dropped us off. Thank you CA Grandpa for always being patient and a good sport when things go sour. We sure love you!


I couldn't resist putting in several of these because they were my favorite. The boys just adore their little sister.

Oh Ezra don't squeeze so tight. They are so rough with her sometimes. Well OK most of the time.

This is Ezra coming down the water slide at the pool. It was such a great pool and once they got passed their fear of the unknown by going with mom and grandpa they were soon doing it on their own. Ezra was the youngest and slowest to warm up but man he had fun.

This is Enoch going down on his own. The boys would go down the slide and then Lacey, Camilla, Grandpa or I would catch them at the bottom and quickly pass them off to the next person so the would be ready for the next crazy boy who would come down right after.

This is Nathan my nephew. He got to wear he didn't want to be caught at the bottom anymore by the last day but he would take such a beating under the water poor kid. They are all just learning to go under water and swim so it was quite an adventure.

here is Ethne at the pool. she spends her time at the pool much like her time at the beach. Except she seemed to want to eat much more at the pool. She is such a sweet baby.

She really isn't a pacifier baby but her daddy is determined she will be. We try to get her to take it to help her go to sleep on her own but she only takes it about 50% of the time and when she does it only stays in for a few minutes-sigh

Ezra swimming with Grandpa Fry--he sure had a good time.

At the unit right before swimming.

What Camilla did at the pool while I swam (she was keeping an eye on Ethne then we switched). Camilla was here with us for a month and I cried to let her go. We miss her so much and wish she lived with us, but we are so proud of her and who she is and can't wait for her to go to school this January and move on to a big part of her life in college. We love you Camilla!

What Uncle Matt did at the pool while everyone swam. He enjoyed reading complicated info. on how to do his job a little better-hard stuff. We miss you too Uncle Matt-come visit soon!

Aunt Lacey and cousin Nathan at the pool. Having a rest in the shade with snacks. And as always we can't get enough of our Lacey and Nathan. Come again soon--bring Matthew and Camilla :)