*a night out*

Thursday night was a night out for me. Our church was having a baby shower for Treven, so Tyler stayed at home with all the boys, and Uncle Deryl came to hang out too, because the shower was at his house. :-) Too many women for him, I guess! What a delightful group of girls too. It's been a long time since I've seen many of them (if we make it to church these days, I usually am in the nursery with Weston!) and it was nice to visit and relax, with no little ones hanging from my ankles. Treven was a doll... really! He never made a peep the whole night, and was quite the charmer. He knows how to work a room full of women! (Ruh-roh!)

Tanya made the dessert, a chocolate truffle cake (mmm. mmm.) and Aunt Shari provided the coffee, punch and a few other munchies.
Look how cute the centerpiece was! Kara, I think your mom was missing you this night, since you went off and got married, she's lost her cohort in baby shower crimes!
And this next picture cracks me up. You fellow bloggers reading this will understand, and for those of you "stalkers" out there, hopefully it makes you laugh too. Since starting this blog almost TWO YEARS ago, there have been lots of times where I run into someone I know, but don't see too often, and rather than a polite, "Hello, how are you?" I get a BIG hug, and a "I read your blog every day!" Nothing pleases me more folks, to know that I am worthy of your time and you find me mildly entertaining! And this night, we got a good laugh at how many in the room were readers. So, being the blogger that I am...

I insisted on a group picture. Now, technically Cindy had not yet read the blog, but after rave reviews, she took down the address and is going to peak in on us. Welcome Cindy!
Other blog readers at the shower, not pictured: Mom, Breanne, Tanya and Angela! Thanks everyone for a wonderful night!

Living on the edge

Oh yeah folks, just because we reside in E-town, doesn't mean we can't live on the edge! It's been a really, really good day. The boys have been AMAZING and I can't tell you how long it's been since we've had a day like this. Even so, I've been a little down in the dumps. Just the fall blues settling in, but nevertheless, feeling like I needed a pick me up. So...

I made cookies.

Not because we need cookies in the house.

Because....

I don't know if I can even confess this.


This is hard.


Okay. Because. ... I wanted to eat the cookie dough. Nothing on this earth is better than cookie dough, raw egg and all. It's worth the risk. I've been eating cookie dough for years, and never got sick from it. If I do, it will be worth the price. I drank milk straight from the tank until I was 5, does that make me immune?

I love cookie dough. I LOVE chocolate chip cookie dough.

Wayne does too.

The other boys were sleeping, so there we were, in the kitchen. Perched over the mixing bowl. Dipping our fingers in for as big a scoop as we could gather.

Wayne: Mmm.. Dis is good! IT is delcja;omocious! (that's delicious, if you didn't already figure it out.)

Me: Yup. It's go-ood!

Wayne: We don't need cookies. Just dis!

Me: Yup.



Well said Wayne, well said.

this post's gonna be a doozy...

I realized just how far behind I was in pictures. And I'm sure you've all noticed! :-) So, without further ado...


Wayne sure was looking tough... using a puke bowl, head banged up, chapped lips. Poor guy!
Here's Wyatt's 3 month onesie picture!

Wayne loved the gooshy insides of the pumpkins while we carved.
Wayne graduated to knife welding authority, under supervision.
Three of the four Silves boys, hard at work.
Tyler is soooo going to kill me. I'm always threatening to take and post a shirtless picture of him, but he hides. This was as best I could get!
Wayne and his good friend, Dora.
Weston and his buddy Mickey Mouse.
Wyatt and his Dad, who's on the computer. Good enough for "quality" time, right?
Trisha and the Master's Blend girl who made us all coffee's last Saturday while we scrapbooked!
Wayne and I posing with my pumpkin... He finally got the "W" down!




Wyatt and Wayne were playing.
Brothers from the same mother!

Pray: Update!

There's no way that package is coming. I even tried to reorder it, paying an exorbitant amount for shipping to have it arrive next day. Problem, is, "next day" would be Monday! Darn Halloween on a Saturday!

However, Auntie Breanne came over this morning, and asked Wayne if he could be a fisherman for Halloween. He is now over the moon excited to be a fisherman, wearing his boots and carrying his pole. YippeE!

So, if you see Wayne tomorrow, and you mention the C-O-W word and upset our little fisherman, I'll punch your lights out!!!!

And if you think I'm kidding.... Don't try me!

Pray!

This may or may not qualify as something you deem worthy to bring before the throne, but...

I do.

Wayne's cow costume is "en route." It says it's not expected until Nov.2. That's NOT the 31st. For a little boy COUNTING on being a cow, this will not be pretty if that black and white bovine doesn't show up. I'd hate to disappoint him. Argh. I should've just sucked it up and paid the extra for shipping 2 day.

Pray.

Thursday.

It's loud. Really loud. The boys are playing crashing derby. It's ridiculous. I can hardly type. Tyler just said to me "can you imagine what it will be like when Wyatt joins in?" I gave him "the look."

Thought you should know.

Cozy, cozy, and cheeks that are rozy!

Do you love the fall weather? I watched bright yellow leaves flutter to the ground today, and it made my heart sigh. Not to often lately where I can slow down enough to see the little things (I'd say "smell the roses" but that's not really possible!) We've been hanging at home, recovering from the flu and colds. Just as everyone else was coming out of the woods, Tyler came down with it, b-a-a-d. He always gets it in his eyes, and just has tears streaming down his face. Hopefully he is feeling better soon!

I've been back to work for one week now. I work on Mondays and Wednesdays. Tyler has the kids one day a week, and Tanya has them the other. Today was the first day I brought them to Tanya's, and it seemed to go well. She's got to have her hands full, but it helps that Ethan plays so nice with them and entertains the big boys. And Auntie loves to get her snuggle on with the little guy! I worked for 5 hours, and then spent the afternoon with the boys here at home, catching up on the computer, playing with toys, and watching a show together. Everyone seems a little sleepy, but not enough so to ACTUALLY sleep (a very common state of mind around these parts!) It's getting dark so early, they are usually in bed by 7:30, and Tyler and I by 9:30/10pm. I know, I know, the old people stay up later than us!!! I'm still up once a night with Wyatt (piece of cake) unless the other boys chime in. Two nights ago, it was a party at the Silves house at 2am! I quickly kaboshed Wayne and Weston's attempt to play trains at that hour!

The coming week is a full one... We have Madelyn for a few hours tomorrow, then Tara is watching Wayne and Weston while I take Wyatt to a doctor's appointment. He has the genetic marker for type 1 diabetes and is going to be involved in a national study. We'll see how it goes! Wednesday I work all day, Thursday Tyler is going to Tara's and I am having Trisha over, and then I have a baby shower for Breanne that night, Friday morning we're having coffee with Mom and Breanne, and Friday afternoon a friend is coming. Saturday will be low key until it's time to go trick or treating!!!! Whew.... I'm tired from typing it, how will I live it? :-)

I'll get some pics up later.... Gotta go, kiddos are calling! (Okay, it's Weston wanting to be let out of his room)

I'm Ready

I am soooo READY! For Saturday, that is. I've been mostly cooped up in this house for two weeks now, taking care of sick kids, or just with no where to go. I know, I know, welcome to my pity party! :-) And today, the state of affairs is so bad that... I have no sweats to wear. None. They are all puked on, spit on, or otherwise dirty. So I am wearing "town clothes" at home. They are the only ones clean. By the way, am I the only one with "town clothes?" Hope not. That makes me weird, or strange or... alone. The kiddos are all back to normal, except for Wayne's butterfly band-aid on his head. He split open his glued cut, so prepare yourselves for some nice, life long scarring to occur. I've made peace with it, and am very thankful he's a boy. I'm hoping his wife finds it as endearing as I find all of the scars on Tyler's head. And why are they all on his head? Another conversation I guess.

Poor Wayne had quite the education. Thus far in his 3 1/2 year life, he has not thrown up. Has not. Ever. So when he got sick, I had to teach him what a puke bowl/bucket was! He got the hang of it pretty quick. During one of his uses of the bowl, I was telling him, "It's okay, you'll be fine. Mom's right here." He finally came up for air, and turned his huge, glassy eyes up to me and said, "Thank you for helping me Mom." at which point he started using the bowl again. Be still my heart! I had tears in my eyes, my heart hurt so bad for him, and what he said in his moment of pain.... Oh my! What a sweet, sweet boy. I am soooo glad he's back to normal today. Thank goodness!

I just realized I typed two paragraphs without telling you what I was sooo ready for. Sorry! :-) I am soooo ready for Saturday. I am scrapping at Master's Blend all day with a group of girls. At this point, I can't comprehend the sheer joy of it. Coffee, good coffee, and scrap booking with friends. Without interruption. With TWO hands! (I always seem to be holding someone in my left hand when I'm scrapping, and it makes it hard to journal, hold the shift, and control keys!!!!) I have also met my goal of having all books and people caught up to July 1, so I can start with a clean slate. Yippee for me!

Okay, I'm off to enjoy a few minutes of solitude with three shots of coffee (one for each boy. See? I think of them often! Hmm.. what if we have 5? Perish the thought! :-))

we're dropping like flies...

Okay, that might be a little dramatic, but after Weston was sick last week, I thought we were in the clear!


Until 5:30am this morning. Poor Wayne's got something now too. A low grade fever and a cold to be sure. Whether it's the flu... we'll see. He's thrown up, but he was coughing so much it could just be that. I'm home from work today, taking care of them all. Weston's better, except for a cold and a lingering case of the crabbies. (No, not crabs people, CRABBIES!) He's brought the "scream until someone pays attention to me" tantrum to a whole new level. Too bad it still doesn't work!!! I will NOT give in to screaming. Crying, fine, I can deal with that. But not shrieking.

Ulgh. More later, better scoot.

Sunday. And tomorrow's Monday.

Earth shattering, ground breaking, I know. Oh, and Wayne's just announced for the 154th time in the last 10 minutes, he's hungry. Never mind that he ate a TON for lunch 2 1/2 hours ago. Weston's fever broke yesterday, after running at 104 for over 24 hours. Today, he's back to normal, except for a runny nose. So far, no signs of it spreading to anyone else, so I'm cautiously optimistic! As we speak, Weston and Wayne are building a farm together, and Wyatt is in his bouncy seat, making goofy eyes at me while I type. He is so darn cute, did you know that? :-) Oh, and Wayne's head is doing well. We've managed to keep all the steristrips on since Wednesday night. I think we deserve a medal! When the doctor asked how many he wanted, Wayne told him "LOTS!"

Speaking of Wayne, lately he's been my biggest cheerleader. He likes me to carry him upstairs for rest time, and everyday I say, "You are too heavy for mommy!" Every day he tells me, "You can do it mommy, you are STRONG!" And today after breakfast, he cleaned up his dishes and wiped the counters, then came to tell me, "Ta-da! I cleaned up!" I told him good job, and then put my dishes in the sink too. Then he said, "Good job Mommy! You did a good job cleaning up. You a good girl!" Thanks buddy, I appreciate the appreciation!

Well, we can't have Wayne stories without a Weston story so.... Before Weston's bought with the flu was over, he did manage to throw up, directly in my face. I was leaning over him, so it went right back all over him. Nice. Both of our heads covered in his vomit. And he was freaking out. And Tyler was working. Needless to say, he was cleaned up and calmed down long before I was. These are the things you don't realize you are signing up for as a mom, but are more than happy (okay, somewhat happy) to do them for your little boys! And one more story of Weston.... Last night in the bathtub, it was Weston and Wyatt (Wayne can't have one because of his owie.) Apparently Weston didn't approve of Wyatt's bath seat, because he was grunting, screaming and pointing at him. I finally figured out (after a tidal wave nearly put Wyatt under) that Weston wanted to HOLD Wyatt. In the tub. I let him (my hand was right there, don't be freaking out on me folks.) Weston was SOOO happy, and helped to wash up Wyatt before they were both done. What a good big brother! He's a good big brother, and a good little brother, that's a pretty special role around here!

That's all folks! I've bribed the boys, telling them if they are good this afternoon we'll go for a car ride to Lynden for nuggets and french fries. Thank you McDonald's, you bailed me out yet again!

Harvesting Wayne's Pumpkins

Back in May, Wayne went to the store with me and picked out a packet of pumpkin seeds. He wanted to grow pumpkins! While I acted all excited about his new adventure, I was already trying to figure out how to explain to him why his pumpkins didn't grow (they can be a little fickle!) Oh well. Nothing like learning about life, right? (Yeah, I flushed goldfish down the toilet myself when we were kids.)


We NEVER helped him with his pumpkins. He insisted on doing it all himself. They were his babies. First he cleared the spot and fluffed it with a shovel. Was it as good as what we would have done? No. Did I care? NO!!!! Then I put down 5 rocks and told him to pile dirt on top of them. Hmm. I think I remember Tyler throwing a shovel or two of dirt on at this point to help out. Next, we handed him the seeds, and he pushed each one into the dirt with his finger.


Every night Tyler came home from work, Wayne met him at the back door, "Time to water my pumpkins Dad!" And he would. Every night.


As the green vines started growing, you know if you came to our house you were greeted at the front door by Wayne with, "Do you want to see my pumpkins? They're GROWING!" And they were.

Then they started blooming. We explained that each flower would turn into a pumpkin, and Wayne sat there with a look of complete awe on his face. If it's possible, he became even MORE dedicated to his nightly watering.

And then.


Pumpkins grew.



And they grew, and grew and grew.

Again, if you stopped by, you were greeted with, "Come see my pumpkins, they are growing with water and sunshine. They will be turning ORANGE!"


And a few weeks later...

They DID! :-)


Now, finally, it was time to pick them. After dinner on Thursday night, we went out to pick them. Wayne did most of the work, with Daddy helping him with the ones that were too big for him to carry. Cute little Wayne was ecstatic. It was finally time! In fact, he kept walking around shaking his finger at me, with those big eyes saying, "it's time mom! It's time. Daddy says!" And so now that you know what it took to make them grow....


I present to you: Wayne's Pumpkin Harvest!
This is how you break the stem from the vine.
"Look mom! It's BIG!"
"it's too heavy. I am small. Get Dad!"
"I have LOTS of pumpkins!"

Thanks for helping Weston!
"I make mommy's stairs PRETTY!"
"Mommy, I love my pumpkins."
And here's what the porch looked like after all Wayne's pumpkins had been brought over.
Stay tuned for what we carve them into. Wayne says he wants Dora!

The Cutest Pumpkins in the Patch!

Okay, I think these are my top twenty pics. First off, I love this hen house. It just looks cool and begs to be photographed.

And here's your first of Weston. This shot was taken just before he tripped and fell into Wayne, who proceeded to fall on TOP of Weston. All of this happened while standing in the wet sawdust. So Weston got COVERED in sawdust right off the get go. Thankfully, I brought him extra clothes!
"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Wyatt was quite the good boy, even going an hour late for his feeding so that we could enjoy ourselves and stay longer. Of course, the fact that we had FOUR nannies with us doting on him helped a little too!!! Thank you sooo much Taylor, Brenna and the Scheffer cousins!

I love getting this shot. It's actually probably their number one money maker. Just when you think "nah, we don't have to go this year" you remember this shot. Gotta go, can't miss a year!!!





By the time we hit the corn maze, I was getting tired! Bless Tyler, he grabbed the camera and took the two older boys.... He took a good 50 pictures in there! He said Weston was an animal, running along the paths, until he realized that he could make his OWN path!
They thought they were so tricky, hiding from Dad.
Run, Weston, Run!

Ride 'em cowboy!



Oh yes, I did!!!
Family of Five - Fall 2009

Aren't you impressed with his head holding skills?

One of the nannie's. I told them they should have a "nanny for hire" stand at the entrance. They could be like Kate Goselyn's nannies, only appearing "off camera" for families, while helping to coral their kids!

We TUCKERED the kiddos out, that's for sure. Two hours of running and walking, and they both went straight to bed when we got home, even Wyatt!