• I love that Zach loves to snuggle. There is nothing like a soft little one curled around you with their arms trying to pull you closer and closer. And then falling asleep next to thier warm little bodies is one of my favorite things.
  
• The leprechauns visited our house last week. It is one of the funnest holidays because it requires no prior planning! Mess a few things up, switch up a few drawers, hang a few funny things from the fans, and you have instant choas when the kids wake up. The leprehchauns did bring two more Wii remotes, so now four can play at once, which has really been quite fun.
• Spring Break came and went. We spent most of our week working on cub scout requirements. One pin we did for Brandon was the artist activity pin; we spent one day in Scottsdale walking around thier public art displays. Everyones favorite was "Doors"- 3 wooden doors balanced against each other- the insides were mirrored and if you were quiet enough you could hear various sounds- trains, hammering..., when you looked upward it looked like a kaliedescope- it was pretty cool.




• Andrew turned 6- this was a year for a family party. I asked him where he would like to go out to eat and these were his responses: 1) Johnny Rockets 2) Claimjumper 3) If both places were closed then he wanted leftovers at home! Funny kid. We love Andrew- we love his determination, creativity, his tenderness to Zach and his his ability to make us all laugh.

Play Ball!! Saturday was opening day- and none of the games overlapped! It made for a very long Saturday. Even longer for Brian- since he had all four boys! They were all excited to get the season underway and actually play some games. Andrew who is on the Yankees this year, really wanted #3 -Babe Ruth's number or #5 Joe Dimaggio. And yes, he did know those were their numbers. That's what you get when your the third boy- you know random facts that a six year old shouldn't readily know. He ended up with #7. So we had to do some investgative work on who wore #7. Anyone know? It was Micky Mantle. Once we told Andrew he had hit some of longest Home Runs on Record and hit the most Home Runs in a World Series, #7 became an ok number to wear!

The Bean Game

We have reached the point where the General Conference packets don't hold Matthew or Brandon's attention for long, or in Brandon's case coloring ties just doesn't even appeal to him! Last conference we tried something new, and it worked suprisingly well. We call it the Bean Game. I prepared a bowl full of often heard words in Conference talks: gospel, Jesus Christ, love, Heavenly Father, scriptures.... you get the idea. Each person was given two cups. One full of beans and one empty. Before each talk each person could pick out one or two words from the bowl. During that talk they would get one bean for each word they heard, each time. At the end of the talk everyone puts their words back in the bowl and scrambles to get new words. At the end of each session they count their beans and can redeem them for something in "mom's store" or keep accumulating them.


Also, at the end of each talk we ask the question," What word should it have been?" and then write down. Meaning..... what word would have given you the most beans in that talk. This was not originally part of the game, it happened after the fact last fall. We were talking during one of the songs and one of the boys said, " If I had the word children I would have gotten a ton of beans!" We realized that through this game they were actually listening (and getting frustrated they didn't have a word that would give them loads and loads of beans!)





In October I had Pez, candy bars, ....actually, all the things in my store were candy. This time I am going to add some wiffle balls, or tennis balls; items from the dollar store; coupons for an extra helping of dessert, an extra chapter read of the book we are reading, that kind of thing. With Conference and Easter together I can't handle candy overload.





I realize that most things have to be tweeked for your own children or circumstances, but I posted this in hopes it might be a springboard for some of you, like us, who are getting out of the coloring phase with some of our kids!

I spent a while last week reading some of my older posts from the begining of last year, and realized I started out strong, taking time to smell the roses, but then I either got 1) lazy or 2)got too caught up in everything that I forgot to smell. So I am here to try again...

• my sister and her husband are expecting their first- this is so, so exciting for me! I have one sister and somehow I imagined we would have kids around the same time, but that is not meant to be. On one hand I was a bit sad, but on the other so exciting becuase I can be an auntie and love that baby to pieces, but don't have to be sore, fat or sleepless! Now, if they just lived closer...
• Andrew is becoming more and more difficult to keep entertained in the morning. This is the time of year full day kindergarten is extremely appealing, though I am still not a proponent. We spent one morning last week playing Ticket To Ride- he beat me soundly and legitimately. For those of you who understand the scoring: he completed 11 tickets, got 157 points alone from his tickets and had a total of 237 points. I was seriously the caboose with 6 tickets, and a total of 130 points. Go figure.
• We have a new cousin this week- Hadley Jane. Jamie and Heather had their first and did their part helping to even out the disproportionate number of Teuscher males in this world! Heather is a trooper and earns a gold star for her introduction to motherhood!
• We watched three little boys this weekend while their mom was in the hospital having their fourth boy ( yes another kindred spirit). I wish I had my camera out when their dad came to pick them up and told them baby brother was at home. Their sweet faces were priceless, so excited and already full of love for a new brother! Maybe I got a little emotional remembering the look of my own boys faces as they peeked their heads around the door at the hosptial waiting in anticiaption for the first glimpse of their new brother- priceless moments!
• Brandon slipped down the stairs and sprained his shoulder and wrist- I'm grateful we have comprehensive medical insurance we like (can't say that is going to be the case forever with the current political leaders :-) ) so we better enjoy it now!

Lessons from Lot and Abraham

I have had a great desire to study and really learn from the Old Testament this year. It has never seemed to captivate me, but I believe it primarily stems from my own lack of desire than anything else! Many know that my kids don't watch much if any TV, and so I have had to come to a new level of acceptance in this situation. Curious George is my babysitter, and for that I am grateful for DVR. Zach doesn't nap, so George fills in for a bit.

Here are two thoughts to ponder:
1) This was posed to us by one of the GD teachers, who was sharing a comment his wife made (thanks Jennie) As we look at Lot we first find him pitching his tent towards Sodom, later on he is actually living in Sodom. When commanded to leave he takes only his wife and two daughters, the other children and members of his family won't leave. How do our actions, desires and priorities affect our chidren in the short term and long? Lots choice to live near Sodom didn't seem to have a huge impact at first, but then as the enticements of the city beckoned them closer and closer, until they were in the city. At this point his children are in the thick of it. And when commanded to leave they won't. So, what are your children learning from YOU? how are your thoughts, actions, attitudes going to affect your children in the future?

2) Look at the realities of Abraham and Isaac- Abraham was OLD. Besides the symbolic nature of Isaac carrying the wood, could Abraham have realistically carried all the wood up the mountain after traveling for so many days? Isaac was in his prime- healthy and strong. Isaac could have easily said I am not laying down on this altar, and physically he could have overcome Abraham and walked down the mountain. But he didn't. He ALLOWED his father to bind him to the altar. So this begs the following question in my mind- How had Abraham and Sarah taught him? I'm sure in the course of the conversation between Abraham and Isaac, Abraham told Isaac he had been commanded by the Lord to do this. Isaac had to have be taught well, have a firm testimony and have great faith in his father and the Lord. What am I doing to teach my children to have great faith and believe in God? Am I teaching them what they need to know to build that testimony? Will they recognize and be obedient to those things, whatever it may be, that come from the Lord?

Anyway a little food for thought.

I have also been reading the book Women of the Old Testament by Camille Olson- a great book if you are interested in another perspective of these Old Testament stories we study.

January

We celebrated Brian's birthday with as much fanfare that could be had on a Sunday! We were just happy to have him home for the afternoon. One of the presents he got was new phones for the house. Our old phones didn't have a mute or speakerphone on them and there have been numerous times he has wanted to take conference calls which are later in the afternoon/early evening at home. Some of you bright minds out there might be asking yourself why doesn't he use his cell? Those bright minds have never tried to use their cell phones at our house- we live in the ultimate black hole of cell phone coverage. Yes I know we should be in the digital age, but it like the Flinstones around here.... anyway, one of the phones the set came with was a rugged water proof phone which is neon green ( all of the boys new favorite one). Brandon remarks, "That's great dad, you can take your calls in the bathtub now!" Note to all those who do call the house, just don't ask where Brian is when you are talking to him!

We love him- he is a great dad, father, husband and friend. His ability to keep things straight and take care of everything that is on his plate right now amazes me!

A sidenote: I've come to a new conclusion on why we have been counseled to have dinner as a family- because that is when the boys see him, and then he's off again. FHE is another inspired program, besides teaching our children and stregthening our family ties we can count on Brian being home on Monday night!

PINEWOOD DERBY:

The two cars from the Teuschers this year: The Tornado- Matthew (top); The Predator- Brandon (bottom)

The best part of this picture is Andrew in the background- willing with all his might Brandon's car down the track. Andrew is the third boy from the left on the first row of chairs. Brandon's car is winning in the bottom of the picture.

The boys did well with their cars this year. It's taken a few years to learn how to make a car that will race well. Matthew got 1st place in the Wolf Den this year. Zach is the lucky one being at the end- his cars will be flying down the track. We are a quarter of the way through Pinewood Derby cars- 4 down 8 to go.

Grandma Teuscher even sent Pinewood Derby neckerchiefs- a fun addition to the afternoon.

Really?... Why?

Really, Zach... of all the laundry baskets why did you have to pick that one? Why couldn't it have been the darks or the lights, but the socks?

I know, seeing 60+ socks all over the stairs is much more exciting than 10-12 shirts or pants. And I'm sure seeing them fly through the air was just delightful.

(ps Ihave no idea where I was during this whole escapade, you would think I would have heard something!)