Conversations With Alex

Alex and Brach had a sleep over two nights ago. I went into Alex's room in the morning to wake them up but they were not in bed. I figured they'd gone downstairs to play video games or eat breakfast. But I didn't find them downstairs. I started calling for them and they came down from upstairs. Hum...? Later when I was tucking Alex in for bed that night he told me:
Alex: Me sleep locker.
(And he pointed to his closet and pantomimed closing the doors.)
Me: "Oh you slept in your closet when Brach slept over? Where did Brach sleep?
Alex: Floor bed
(And he pointed to the small space behind his bed on the floor)
So, while they had a queen size bed with a pillow top mattress with fresh clean sheets to sleep in, both boys elected to sleep on the floor-in a closet and behind the bed. No wonder I couldn't see them when I walked in!

When I found out yesterday that James was heading home from work I asked the kids to help me clean the house (not that James would care in the least what the house looked like-but I being the creative parent thought it would help motivate everyone to clean!) Alex has very specific jobs each day but this was more of a real cleaning event. I wasn't quite sure what he could do and I didn't want to have to oversee him the whole time so I assigned him to clean the basement. It's partially unfinished, so he really couldn't hurt anything down there-no toxic cleaning products and besides he's really the only one that plays video games down there.
Alex: Me clean-music yous I-pod?
Me: Yes you can use my I-pod.
He stuck that I-pod on and then he cleaned that basement like none other! He actually rolled up the area rug and took it outside to shake it! I couldn't believe he could even carry it! When he was done he proudly showed me his work and I made a huge deal about it and hugged him and told him how I love clean! Clean houses and clean boys!! Then I asked:
Me: Alex, who taught you how to be clean? (I was wondering if the rug thing was something he did at the orphanage on a regular bases.)
Alex: You.
Me: I taught you how to be clean? (Realizing he's thinking I'm asking about who taught him to be a clean boy.) Why would I teach you to be clean?
Alex: Because you loves me.

This morning while heading to swimming lessons:
Alex: No get little this?
Me: What?
Alex: Hum....
Rylee: Sara?
(We have been picking up a little friend around the corner for swimming but her mom was driving her today.)
Alex: Yes, no get little Sara?


On the way to swimming lessons we were talking about James and Austin being in Mount Pleasant and when the funeral will be and Alex said:
Alex: Me no grandpa die
Me: I know sweetie, no one wanted Grandpa to die.
Alex: No yours Dad-me no want die.

James's Dad....

Last night we got a late start on our dress rehearsal and finished the show around 11:00 pm. It was a full dress and with the extreme heat our little tent/dressing room felt like a sauna!

We were heading out to get "notes" (lectures from the director about what we are doing wrong and what needs to be fixed) and Kambree noticed James had called her cell phone about five times. I checked my phone and he had tried at least that many times to call me too. The last call was at 10:45 pm so I knew something was wrong, James doesn't call much in the first place but to be trying to get a hold of us so late and over and over made me know something was wrong. I called him back and did the same thing my mother does when I call after ten, the first words out of my mouth were "What is wrong?" James sadly told me his Dad had died. He had a heart attack and the neighbor found him. He lives two hours away in Mount Pleasant. He lives alone so no one really knows for sure how long ago he died-well, we know it was sometime on Monday-but the fact that he was all alone just made it extra sad. Yes, this was unexpected and I guess with my grandparents and mother in law being so sick for so long before dying, I thought that we'd have a chance to say goodbye? I guess I thought that everyone takes a long time to die? It just seems so sudden. He had called just last week to make plans to visit and bring us more things he's found in the house that belong to James. (You would think after 19 years that we would have collected most of his stuff?)

I can't help but be a little happy for my father in law, you see, he wasn't your average Joe. He loved to think about things, question things, had many theory's and ideas and now not only is he with his sweet wife, parents and three sons, he is getting all the answers! It makes me smile to think about how excited and how many "ah ha" moments he must be having.

Pioneer Trek

Wow! I came across this old photo of some of my ancestors that crossed the plains! Don't they look just like Austin and Kambree?

Teeheehee, because they are!
Austin and Kambree went on Pioneer Trek with the youth in our Stake this week and they LOVED it!

These are pictures I took before they left, they're all showered and clean but...

they came back dirty and tired but BOTH had a great time!
(Despite this very serious picture they posed for before leaving!)

Grease Rehersals!

"Grease"
plays July 27th, 29th, 31st
and
August 3rd, 5th and 7th
Murray Park Amphitheater
8:00 each night
Gates Open at 7:30
Tickets are eight dollars per person!

Here's the cast on the "stairs" leading from Rydell High. (Very scary stairs!)


The girls at the Pajama Party

Dancing in front of our "lockers"

A farther back view of our very unfinished set!

That's my cute Kambree in the purple!

Nope, no picture of me. (I'm behind the camera!)
We open a week from tomorrow!

Home Sweet Home

Rylee and Alex were having a discussion with Brach in the backseat of the car. Rylee was saying how she likes staying in hotels and Brach was agreeing. Alex said "No me. Me like home. Home sweet home." That's his phrase for the day, "Home Sweet Home". I don't know where he picked that one up at.
We had tutor today with five girls from Alex's orphanage. Later in the day I asked him a question and he answered "Da." At first it didn't register then I looked at him as he realized what he had said and we both laughed. I told him I could tell he'd been hanging around with his Ukraine friends today. I guess I haven't noticed it until today but he rarely uses ANY Russian words with us any more. He even calls my mom Grandma and not babushka. I really don't want him to lose his language and I'm glad he gets the chance to speak in his native tongue every week with these girls. I love to hear him speak Russian and I ask him to talk to me in Russian sometimes but he won't.
He wanted to send his friend Sasha some matchbox cars & since Jen was leaving this week to pick up Nastia, I asked if she could deliver a package to Sasha. I had Alex write a note but he couldn't remember how to make a Ukraine "B" and I'm no help, so I had to get the computer translator program up to remind him how to make a Ukraine B. (I'm sure it's not even called a B but it probably makes the same sound as our B? Anyway that's what Alex called it, a B.) I guess when Alex left the orphanage his friend Sasha asked for his matchbox cars. Alex left him three and he brought home about three then a sweet friend of mine gave him more when he arrived here. He must have decided he only needs one car-the green one- as he bagged up ALL the rest to send to Sasha. I love this sweet, giving part of Alex's personality and I hope he never looses it. (He wanted to give Sasha his DI walkie talkies too-the one's he bought for $1-but Jen had limited luggage space.)
Today after Alex got off the phone with James he was telling us that Dad says when he gets home he will take the family camping. Then later Alex was telling us about when we go family camping "Me make ummm (searching for the word)... camping house?" and then made a triangular shape with his hands, "Tent?" I asked. "Yes!" he said. Apparently he helped put up a tent at scouts this week, little does he know that my idea of camping is pulling the trailer (affectionately called the Tajmahall-not for it's great beauty or perfection but because it is HUGE and sleeps nine!) and sleeping on a mattress not a tent floor!
You should have seen his face talking to James when they were talking about camping, he's eyes lit up and he asked "Fishing?" and then "Shooting guns?" He has a list a mile long of things he wants to do when James gets home. The other day I told him he needed to go play with friends as he was sitting around being bored and he said. "Dad not home! Dad working." We had a little talk about Dad not being his only friend and that when Dad does come home he has lots of work to do and Alex needs to have friends his own age. I don't think it sunk in, he's not only counting down the days until his birthday but the day after when James gets home!
Rylee and Devree had a bake sale this afternoon. They made brownies, chocolate chip cookies, cake mix cookies and cupcakes and made over $50. They made everything except the frosting for the cupcakes, I made that but they frosted them.
Austin and Kambree left for youth conference. They're going on a pioneer trek. They looked so cute in their pioneer clothes. I hope they're loving it and safe and warm. I'll post pictures later.
Rehearsals are in full swing. I'm just getting home, sweaty and tired but I wanted to write before I forget these cute Alexisms...

New words...

Each day Alex learns a new word or phrase. Two days ago he picked up "Horrible" (Probably because I told him the combination of bright yellow and red he had on looked horrible-much like Ronald McDonald!) and the same day he learned "Just Kidding". So he spent the day saying something is horrible (like the food I prepared, my hair, someones clothes) and then in the next breath say "Just kidding!"
He has also leaned "delicious" which is a nice break from "yummy" which he says about 10 times every time we sit down to eat. ("Me yummy, yummy, yummy." Or just a string of yummy's while he's eating!)
He's also leaned "never mind" which he used non stop one day by saying "Mom!" me saying "Yes?" and him saying "Never mind!" and then laughing.
Today he learned "Good luck." I was working on the computer and he told me. "Me say you good luck work Mom" then later when I was trying to take a nap he came in and told me "Good luck you sleep Mom!" Which sounded more like an ominous threat then a sincere wish.
Each week I give him a list of spelling words as part of our studying. This week one of his words was "his" and aside from learning to spell I try to get him to use the word in a sentence. "His has Ipod" was his sentence.
But my favorite sentence of all time is "I loves you so much Mom."

Alex, Grandpa and The DI

So, Alex's new favorite store is the DI (Desert Industries) he has told me this repeatedly since purchasing his crappy walkie-talkies on Saturday. Luckily for him it's one of my Dad's favorite haunts too. I told Alex that Grandpa goes to the DI quite a bit, maybe next time he could go with Grandpa.
I asked him what his plans were for today after swimming lessons and he told me he was going to make a Grandpa a "prisint". I wasn't surprised because I knew he loved those huge Walkie-Talkies so much that he wanted to do something nice for my Dad. Alex made him a huge wooden "hold the drill bits" board and then took it down to my Dad's. Grandpa wasn't home. I guess he kept checking back until he caught my Dad home and then Alex came home and announced that Grandpa was going to take him to the DI this afternoon. ("Me talk Grandpa DI-him say yes DI afternoon!") I found out later that Dad said he "might" go to the DI this afternoon but "might" isn't a word Alex has mastered yet.
After lunch Alex asked me "What is afternoon?" I said anytime between noon and five. Then pretty soon I get a phone call from Alex from my Dad's house. He's all fired up, and saying something about the DI. I tell him "Alex, you are stalking grandpa? You should have stayed home and waited for grandpa to pick you up. He's not even sure if he was going he said he might go". (I can tell Alex isn't understanding a word of this.) Let me talk to grandpa. He hands grandpa the phone. I apologize that Alex is stalking him and Dad says not to worry, he's going to the DI in a few minutes and he doesn't' mind taking Alex.
Alex came home with a $1 cassette tape player/radio that takes yet more batteries! I told him he's going to have to start buying his own batteries and we don't even have cassettes to play in it. He asks "You mad me?" No I say-how can I be mad at him? It's just hard because he's buying crappy/junky things but it's his money. (Well, MY batteries!) And this boy is a saver of all things and I know this crappy-battery eating toy is going to be with us for a long time! Speaking of saving, he also wants me to save every picture and origami folded paper thing he makes. I on the other hand am not a saver, ask my other children. I LOVE to throw things out and I'm just not super sentimental about school work or every picture my children draw, call me calloused I prefer to call myself selective and anti-cluttered. I tried explaining this to Alex when he hastily folded a large paper in to a lopsided heart during church and told me to put it in his book. (I made the mistake of telling him I keep a book of special things my children have done and that I have started a book for him.) I explained that I only keep very special papers that they spend a lot of time on or write special things on. Things that are special to me. He then quickly folded a 3-D helicopter out of paper (yes, he is THAT creative!) spending about ten minutes to make it-which is about nine minutes longer than the heart he made- and told me to put that in his book. Good gravy....

Sunday

Here is Alex making Chocolate Chip cookies for the first time. I helped him quite a bit but he did most the measuring and mixing on his own.

What concentration.

One of the fun things Alex and I get to do is go to the airport to greet the other children that have been recently adopted from Alex's school. On the way to the airport to see Kayta & her family arrive, I was asking Alex what he likes about America. He said, "Everything!". I know I said but what is your favorite thing? (Thinking he'd say video games or walkie-talkies or having a bike to ride) And he said "Having a Mom & Dad & family!" Yep, I almost teared up....
Since we brought home Alex there have been six other girls adopted from Alex's orphanage and Kayta is girl number seven! Here's Alex (we left church after Sacrament Meeting to go to the airport-hence his Sunday clothes but doesn't he look great?) at the airport.

With Lena and Sara waiting for Kayta's arrival. The bag Alex is holding contains his homemade chocolate chip cookies.

And here's Kayta... in the red shirt. Funny, when we get these kids together they go right back to caring for each other. That's Lena's Sprite that Alex is drinking. When we were all in Ukraine together we all shared everything.(In fact when I go to lunch with Amy, I try to catch myself before I eat off her plate-we just shared like the kids did and besides that way we got to try many different foods!) Alex still hands out candy at home and makes sure everyone has some of everything. It's a good trait but not when he forces me to eat candy I don't want and mostly don't need!

Sara, Kayta, Lena and my Alex!
(He doesn't seem to mind he's the only boy!)

(Amy & Ann-feel free to copy and paste any of my pictures of your children.)

I'm Walking and Talking....

As mentioned, Alex bought himself some crappy Walkie-Talkies for a dollar at the DI earlier today. After him sneaking them into my office for the third time-trying to talk to me on them-and me hearing nothing and if anything not understanding it at all-we walked down to my Dad's to see if he might have the missing Motorola Walkie-Talkie we already own. (We really do have some nice Walkie-Talkies but having only ONE doesn't do much good.)

Well, we went to the right place. No, he did not have our missing Walkie-Talkie but he gave Alex these:

They're CB radio type Walkie Talkies that my Dad also bought from the DI but for $3 each but they don't work with his boats radio frequency. They are clear as a bell and have a huge range-how huge we just haven't figured out yet but so far you can talk from my Mom's house to ours. Alex was so excited that I think he's still grinning! Luckily we got THREE of them. One for Alex, Brach & Tyler. Each take TEN batteries each. OMGoodness!
I can't decide what is huger, the Walkie-Talkies or Alex's grin!
THANKS GRANDPA!
While I was typing this I looked out to see Alex with his new treasure and his neighborhood friends. I made them pose for me! With their weapons and walkies!

Ward Campout

Friday night was our ward camp out. Thinking we had rehearsals Saturday morning we did not plan to stay the night but just went up for dinner.
Here's Kam & Aug who enjoyed hiking for the second time that day-to Donut Falls

Alex who really enjoys playing in the fire and eating about TEN desserts after two plates of food! (Where does he put all this food?)

Austin-probably being bit by a mosquito-there were a ton- and Kam & Dev and their cheesy smile pose!

And the only picture I got of Rylee. (I really didn't do a good job on photo's. My parents and Kam and her family were there too but did I take a picture? Nope. )