My favorite item to clean my kitchen (well almost)...It's The Shark Sweeper

No dramatic dun-da-dun-da-dun-da needed to make this shark cool. No offense to my Dyson, but I would die without my Shark Sweeper. It picks up crackers, cheerios, fragments of dinner thrown on the floor, etc. It vacuums on carpet & tile and it's portable. It is a quickie cleaner that makes all the difference in the world. This is Austin's chore every night after dinner (sweeping under the table). It makes him feel like a big helper and it is so easy to do. This is a MUST for mom's! Honestly I don't know what I did without it!! Any other favorite kitchen gadgets ya'll can't live without?

Truck Rodeo

The annual TRUCK RODEO was yesterday. The kids were in paradise. Each year the local library brings in trucks and cars of all kinds (i.e. a fire truck, an ambulance, a police car, a tractor, a dump truck, a water truck, etc). The kids get to climb in the cars and see how they work. They get free stickers, popcorn & lemonade to boot! This is definitely a HIGHLIGHT of Spring.


Smilin' Blakey getting ready to go out!


Chase livin' it up on the tractor

I'm sorry...I can't quite tell, what are you eating?

Sitting with the EMT


Chillin' in the dump truck

Singing Boys

This is a clip I captured a few months ago of the boys. I added it to the end of my family video for 2006. They aren't shy of the camera at all and they love to sing. I have NO idea where they get this from?!? Austin's rendition of "Rudolph" has a bit of rocker tones. Chase breaks out to dance in the middle of his song. Oh! These are so my children....






Chase & Austy Singing on Vimeo

Austin Playing Soccer

For all the grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles and friends that don't get to see Austy show his stuff. Here's a clip of him playing soccer...





Austin Playing Soccer on Vimeo

The Latest in Mom Fashion

Oh! there are many joys of motherhood. But dressing frumpy is NOT one of them. There are some days (really bad days) when I probably look homeless. But then there are really good days too. When I slip my dry clean only pants and sweaters on that I know very well will need to be dry cleaned again by the end of the day. It's a sacrifice I am willing to make.
Here are two fabulous links I have found from friends to show the latest trends in Mom Fashion.

The Mom Jeans

The Swimwear

A Wicked Week End....

This week end was busy, but so much fun! I went to a baby shower, we had our stake service project, Austy had a soccer game, and Dave and I labored in the yard for an inordinate amount of time. But the highlight of the week end was Dave and I going, with a few other couples, and seeing "Wicked" on Friday night. For Christmas Dave bought us tickets for all of the Dallas Summer Musicals:) So we will be enjoying a very musical summer...This was our second time seeing Wicked and it seriously got better the second time (which is almost impossible because I didn't know I could love it more than I did the first time). If you get a chance, go see it for sure! The music is fabulous and the story is so clever. Maybe if I didn't grow up watching "The Wizard of Oz" then maybe I wouldn't have loved it so much.
I am not sure if it was a compliment or not but all of the girlies that were there turned to me and told me I act just the Glinda. Who me? It made me laughicus!

A few of my favorite things.....

So I thought it would be so fun to hear about everyone's favorite things. So I wanted to start a series of posts about favorite things. I was thinking that I have all of these wonderful women surrounding me (somewhere out there in the virtual world) and I would love to learn some great new ideas for parenting, new products, good recipes, etc.
For this post I would love to hear about favorite family games. Ours is Balloon Lagoon. We play this with the kids all of the time. It is quite fun!!! For some adult game nights we love Settlers, (and don't laugh) but we love Dance Dance Revolution :) You would be surprised who we have gotten to get jiggy with it. Please share some of your family favorites.

Three little monkeys

As parents sometimes we forget how incredible the children we are living with are. Sometimes I focus a little too much on what naughty things the kids are doing (use your napkin not your shirt, do not wrestle in the living room, coffee tables are not human launch pads,etc.) that I forget all of the wonderful things they do do. My kids mean the world to me and bring me happiness I truly did not know existed. I love you boys and your Dad and I are so happy with the choices you make (99.9% of the time :) )

So here is a quick update of accomplishments this month of our three monkeys we live with... (As promised to Mom)
AUSTIN WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU FOR.....

-Learning to read on your own over the last few months
-Learning to ride your bike without training wheels.
-Bridling your urge to torment Chase relentlessly
-Scoring your first goal in soccer on Saturday
-Learning to swim in the deep end all by yourself
-Learning to play the piano even though it takes a lot of practice
-Choosing to be happy and see the good things in life

CHASE WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU FOR...

-Learning to go potty on the toilet
-Being brave and going into gymnastics all by yourself
-Learning to be a good friend and share
-Making "baby bwakey" laugh when you sing to him

BLAKEY WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU FOR.....

-Learning to walk around the furniture (you'll be walking in no time!)
-Being sweet even when you teethe
-Laughing at your brothers funny jokes and songs
-Learning to communicate (Daaadaaa, Maaamaaa)

American Experience and FRONTLINE: The Mormons

I was excited when I saw this trailer for the upcoming documentary on "The Mormons" airing in April on PBS. If you have a minute check out the trailer.

http://www.pbs.org/mormons/

Sunday...Bloody Sunday?

Sundays, while wonderful, always seem to start so crazy. We wake up early and get ready for church. No matter what time we get up we always seem to be racing out the door so we can still get a soft bench. Getting a soft bench is critical because toys that are hit against the soft benches don't make as much noise as when they are hit against the hard chairs. Also, we have found that felt sticks to the back of the soft benches so felt dinosaurs and scripture characters are well worth their cut out time. So Dave and I grab the kids (plus one today because we are keeping one of Austin's friends for the week end), our bottomless bag-o-tricks, stuff for sharing time, snacks to feed an army and head out the door. We are fortunate today because 10 minutes early means we have a soft seat. We make it through Sacrament only leaving 2 times and the time out room was only utilized once. This is quite miraculous considering we had two 5-year-olds, one 2-year-old and a 9-month-old. Sharing time turned out great, but I think every child must have had read on the door coming in "Please be as silly as you can today". We shared a story of a little boy that drowned and ended up in a wheel chair. We talked about when he is reurrected he will be made perfect again. A child replied "He really should have worn a life jacket". We also had the question of "What is an ever living head?" (from "I Know That My Redeemer Lives") We explained that Christ is the head of the church and the leader who broke the bonds of death. A child said "If Christ is the head of the church who is the church's bottom?" I always get a kick out of the cute things the kids say, silly or not. After church was Ward Council and now after 5 hours I am home. I am always amazed to find the mess in which we left our home before church. Clearly a tornado is responsible each week. Anyway, now that the house is picked up it is time to relax and enjoy the day with my family. The kids look forward to see what we will pull out of the Sunday box. Austin was disappointed that his efforts to sneak his "play lego star wars" card into the Sunday box were foiled. We will probably end up writing a letter to Grandma & Granpa or watching some old family movies. Dave and I will end up snuggling under a blanket while the kids jump, summersault, and couch dive around us, and we will be happy. So, while Sunday's start out pretty bloody they clean up pretty nicely.

Family Pics

I just added these pics to the side bar :)

The Giga Ball

So Grandma Farnsworth sent us the most amazing toy at Christmas....The Giga Ball. Neighbors line up outside when we play with it, just to watch and with, of course, hopes to be invited in to play. I do have to say I have even enjoyed a time or two in it!

Marshall & Mark Oelkers have enjoyed a round in it too! We put it on the tramp and jump around. Good thing there is only a weight limit and not an age limit!!!

Dave Farnsworth Family Blog

Thi is a great way for all of you to stay updated, at your own pace, on the life of the Dave Farnsworth Family! Everyday is such an adventure! This past year has been so amazing for us! We added our third little boy to our family in June, Blake Allen. I finally got through grad school in May (9 months prego) and Dave officially became "Dr" in May as well. I still can't bevlieve we made it!

The boys are growing up so stinkin fast! Am I really old enough to have a 5-year-old? They are the loves of my life. Who would have ever thought I would be the only girl in my house? I have found being the only princess in the family really does have its perks. Here is our year in a glance... Vacations, babies, everyday stuff and all!

Welcome Baby Blake-June 2006

Just chillin' in the yard

You can't say no to this pouty face

Cancun, Mexico

Island Park, ID

Happy Halloween!! (I am too embarassed to post the pic of Dave as a football player and me as a cheerleader)

Chase helping daddy with the yard work

Just another spill... :) I think spills occur at least once a day.

Cowboy booted bandits

Soccer stallion

Weekend getaway to NY at Christmas! (Unforgettable)

"Baby Bwakey"

Our family trip to Utah