Not a REAL tree!

The following is a pure example of the difference between raising boys and girls.

This weekend at my parent's house I told Daniel and Jaxon to go get in the shower. A moment later I went in the bathroom to make sure my instructions were followed only to see a pile of dirty clothes, but no naked boys. I of course started looking for them when I hear Daniel say "do it Jaxon, do it." A naked Daniel ran out and told me Jaxon had peed in the fake tree behind the living room chair only to be followed by an equally naked Jaxon feigning innocence.

Of course they both were in trouble Jaxon for peeing on the plastic tree and Daniel for telling him to do it. I'll admit it was not funny at the time, but I could not stop laughing about it later when I tried to ask my parents how they would like me to go about cleaning pee out of the moss at the bottom of a fake tree. Suggestions?

Reassigned

We have officially been assigned to a job in Fresno, CA. Johnny reports tomorrow then we will move our trailer and the rest of us up there this weekend. Yeah for finally having some direction! I am a little sad the extended vacation is over, but very glad to know we will be having regular pay checks again. I have never lived anywhere near Fresno, which happens to be the 5th largest city in CA. I don't know what to expect, but that is all part of this adventure.

Trouble

I think I am going to officially change Wesley's name to Trouble. Daniel was a climber, but Wesley is taking climbing to a new extreme. The other night when my parent's were watching the boys they turned around to find him on top of the kitchen counter playing with the phone. Yesterday after church we turned around to find him like this:

He of course was so proud of himself. He can climb up to the top step of the bunk ladders now. Even more amazing, he can get down by himself, too. Luckily he has not figured out how to get from the ladder to the top of the bunk bed, but I am sure it won't be long. Too bad he is so stinkin' cute; I can't even be frustrated.

Mountain of Oranges

Johnny has found a new fetish to occupy some of his time. He likes to take the boys on walks or bike rides and give me time to make dinner or clean. It is a great arrangement for all of us and of course the boys love going. Johnny even rigs the wagon so he can pull Wesley in it while riding his bike.

I started noticing that we have been eating tons of oranges that I have not been buying. Not just regular oranges. These are some of the best you have ever had in your life! I didn't know where they were coming from, but without fail at every meal there were orange slices. Oranges for snacks, orange juice in the morning, and Johnny has been having a grapefruit every night before bed. Where could they possibly be coming from? When we went to Arizona we juiced two huge pitchers full of orange juice at his mom's house and I thought that was the end of it. I checked everywhere I could think and confirmed there were no more oranges, but the flow never ended.

Today I changed the sheets on Daniel's bed and was almost berried in a falling mountain of oranges! Apparently when they go on their walks and bike rides they pass many citrus trees in the mobile home park. Johnny was given permission to take as many as he wants and he is bound and determined to make the owners regret giving their blessing. There was a huge basket of oranges on Daniel's bed that I had believed to be Daniel's secret stash of toys he does not want his brothers to touch. Oh no, it is all oranges and grapefruit. The basket is constantly replenished!

Now all I need is to invest in a juicer!

Stay at home dad

What would your husband do if he were out of work for a few weeks (or months) and didn't need to go find a job? He just has to sit and wait for a call. This is the situation in which Johnny now finds himself.

At first it was great. We went on vacation and we visit as many Children Museums and Science Centers as we can. Since we have been back in Ontario we have tackled an impressive "TO DO" list. I have been checking things off like crazy and exercising regularly. But, I have noticed some changes in Johnny that I can only account for by concluding they are side effects of being a stay at home dad.

1. He watches Pride and Prejudice almost every night (rotating both versions) and really thinks Mr. Darcy is "so cool." Johnny is impressed with Darcy's side burns. At first he put it on for my benefit, but we have passed that point now. He now has been caught saying things like "is that objectionable to you?" or "may I have the pleasure?".

2. The other day he informed me he "just needed to get out of these pants." I laughed because I have said that too many times.

3. Today we went to the Discovery Science Center. He asked me if we needed to bring extra clothes for the boys and I told him I had them in the diaper bag. When Jaxon had an accident Johnny was not happy with my choice of emergency pants. Then he commented on us being the only people using baby spoons to eat our yogurt for lunch.

4. This morning he asked me "didn't I just wash all these clothes? How do the baskets get full this fast?"

This afternoon I heard him telling another lineman friend on the phone that going to work was easier than being at home with the kids. I just have to laugh. I feel so very appreciated lately and I love having him with me all the time, but for his sake he needs to go back to work soon or he may go mad. Luckily we are now #7 on the union list and should get a call any time. Yeah!

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for Jaxon

Tonight I decided I really wanted oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I didn't just want the cookies, I wanted some dough. Really bad, I know! Since I am prego and couldn't eat raw dough without feeling guilty, and because I didn't want to leave Jaxon out I made some we could both have.

The recipe I used as my guide is from www.livingwithout.com. I did use GF oats and I changed the flour a little. Instead of the 1 3/4 cups GF flour blend suggested I used 1/2 cup coconut flour which is supposed to be very high in protein and fiber, but low in carbs. Plus Jaxon loves coconut. I also used 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill GF flour mix and 1/2 cup GF oat flour. To top it off I added 1/4 cup sweet sorghum flour. Everything else I kept the same. Except the eggs of course which I replaced with flax gel.

Cooking in this crazy way is getting easier and we all enjoyed the outcome. We have started letting Jaxon have limited items with corn starch such as GF pretzels and a few mini marshmallows every now and then. So far no reactions. He still has no egg, rice, dairy, gluten/wheat, nuts or fish (even though he has had salmon once and did perfectly well). According to the doctor he is now in the 90th percentile for his weight at this age and I was told to cut back on what he is eating. I almost laughed in the pediatrician's face. The poor kid eats salad all the time along with other veggies, fruit, and lean meats. For a child with EE he is thriving and we feel very blessed that he is.

Ice Skating

Last Thursday we hit the LA Zoo in the morning with our three boys and little June. It opened my eyes to what life will be like with 4 of our own. In a word, chaos!

After naps we left Wesley with my sister Diana (nice trade off) to take Jaxon & Daniel ice skating for the first time. Since we had a gift certificate it was only $14 for all of us.

I was a little worried about Jaxon at first since he is still very young to skate, but after a little reassurance he enjoyed being hauled around the ice by the arms with his little belly hanging out.

Daniel is naturally more daring than Jaxon and it didn't take him long to move around the outside wall then let go and start skating between a few cones. By the end of open skate time he was asking for Hockey pads and a stick.

Surprisingly my boys were not the youngest on the ice. One little girl in an adorable little skirt looked barely two and spent most of the time crying during her skating lesson.

Neither Johnny or I had been ice skating in at least 12 years. It was fun, but I spent more time on the wall than either of the boys. I was very glad I never fell (which I was very scared about due to being 21 weeks prego). Johnny ended up with a bloody hand and a sore shoulder from one of the many times he got a little too daring.

What boys need!

A few weeks ago we were in LA for a girls night out with my sisters and to have dinner with my cousins family from Utah. Johnny had school and I was a little nervous to wrangle my boys at my sister's house since they are never as good there as they are at home. But, they actually did very well. My cousin Lisle has three boys and a girl. Her 12 year-old Jo became Daniel and Jaxon's best friend because he taught them how to play a new game. Each one was armed with various trash can lids, broom sticks, rackets, and paint mixers. Then they scored points for being able to tap one another on the legs. Jo was victorious, but really I think I was the winner. Seeing my boys play this type of game, have fun, and not beat each other up was wonderful. I learned to relax a little and just let them be boys. My cousin allayed many of my fears and assured me it will get easier as they get a little older. What a relief!

All in all the night was very pleasant despite a few mild tantrums and one of my boys shutting off the main water to the back yard (which we only just figured out and resolved last week).

Forever 29

Monday the 7th was my 29th birthday. Despite pulling out at least a dozen white hairs from my temples the week before, I am not feeling any older. I will just have to invest in hair dye before I pluck my whole head. I am thinking this is the cause of my premature gray hair.

My boys love to play "rough up" with daddy! I am sure another boy in the mix will not improve my hair situation.

We enjoyed watching the Super Bowl in Hemet with some friends from high school. After the Steeler's loss we headed home and went to bed. Around midnight the dogs started freaking out and we heard my dad charge down the stairs to the door in his bathrobe hoping to catch a thief. I was very confused when he came back upstairs and told me to go to the door. Much to my surprise I caught my old high school girl friends TPing with Green Bay streamers and happy birthday notes.

It made me feel young again! The notes were very sweet. Now that I am 29 (the age many people claim to be for the rest of their lives) it has to be a really great year, right? I think it will be!

And the verdict is....

Hulse baby #4 is a

B-O-Y!

Just like I knew it would be. We only make boys. We already have a name Johnny suggested that I love, but we need to talk about it more before deciding for sure. 4 boys. Wow, that sounds crazy.

What will IT be?

This week we have been playing. A lot of playing.

Tuesday - Kidspace Museum, Pasadena CA

Wednesday - Zimmer Children's Museum, LA CA

Thursday - California Science Center, LA (which Johnny braved on his own with the 3 boys & little June in tow)

Friday - Hemet Youth Museum, Hemet CA

It has been so much fun, but in the back of my mind I keep having a childlike spoiled feeling. This is not how life really is! Johnny gets up and makes breakfast every morning while I sleep in a little longer. Spoiled. Johnny changes sick blowouts in the parking lot while I load the other kids. Hallelujah. Johnny demonstrates for Wesley how to ride the bouncy duck at the park while I push the others on the swings. Hilarious. All of a sudden I have the extra set of arms I always knew I needed. And in the back of my mind I know this can not last and when reality hits Johnny will go back to work who knows where or when. I will have another baby due way too soon and I will no longer be spoiled. Reality has been on my mind a lot this week because in a little less than an hour I will find out what we are having. Boy or girl? What do you think? I think we only make boys and that if I were having a girl I would have had morning sickness, but I'm not sick at all. So there it is. My sisters think I am having a girl, but my parents and Johnny & I think it is a boy. If I were having a girl she would have to be tough to survive a childhood with my boys as older brothers! Wish me luck and cross your fingers. Miracles do happen!