Lullaby Songs

Tonight Carter walked into the girls room as I was singing Zoe her lullaby.  He wanted me to sit with him and asked me why Zoe's bed song didn't sound like his so I told him they all had their own lullaby song I used to sing to them as babies (or 7 and 9 year olds apparently!!).  He had me sing all 5 songs tonight and I decided I wanted to write them all down so when I lose my mind ---scheduled to happen sometime next week by the way things are shaping up---we will have this blog post to refer to.

Jackson's song:  Rock-a-bye don't you cry, Jackson go to beddie bye. Rock-a-bye don't you cry, Jackson go to sleep, beep, beep.  (just to further embarrass Jackson I used to pat his little diapered tush-tush on the beep, beep part!)

Sammi's song:  Baby mine don't you cry, baby mine dry your eyes, rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine.  Little one when you play, pay no mind what they say, let those eyes sparkle and shine, never a tear, baby of mine. From your head to your toes, your so sweet goodness knows, you are so special to me, sweet as can be, baby of mine.    Sammi's song is the lullaby Dumbo's mother sing to him when she is put in "jail" and he goes to visit her--took about 100 times singing it before I could forget that scene in the movie and not tear up!!  But I think it is a pretty song.

Sierra's song:  I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream.  I know you, the gleam in your eye is so familiar a gleam.  And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem, but if I know you, I know what you'll do, you'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream.  OK, now let's name that movie--if you said Cinderella you would be correct!

Zoe's song:  You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.  You make me happy, when skies are gray.  You'll never know dear, how much I love you.  Please don't take my sunshine away.  The other night dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamt I held you in my arms.  When I awoke dear, I was mistaken, and I hung my head down and cried.  You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray.  You'll never know dear, how much I love you.  Please don't take my sunshine away.    An oldie, but a goodie.

Carter's song:  Rock-a-bye Carter in the treetops, when the wind blows the cradle will rock, when the bough breaks the cradle will fall, and down will come cradle, Carter and all.  When I sang this to Carter tonight Zoe was listening and yelled from her room "that's a sad song Mom", and Carter yelled back, "no it's not cause Mom catches me!"  PHEW!!  Actually, Sammi's is from the sad part of Dumbo, Zoe's refers to a lost or departed love, and Carter has to be caught before he and his cradle crash out of a tree.  I think its too late to turn back now for cheerier lullabies, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit. 

All these songs have made me sleepy--nighty-night.

Carter Swag

Carter came up stairs for school on Wednesday wearing this.  His infamous purple shirt that he had to have when we went school clothes shopping because it makes him look "skinny".  When he walked in the living room for scriptures Sammi told him he was looking skinny and swag.  I walked in seconds later and told him he was "styling" to which he replied "Mom I think you mean swag"!  My bad.  After the big kids left for seminary I went to the kitchen to start breakfast and Carter brought me the camera and said "in case you wanted a picture of me in these school clothes", of course I did! 

After a traumatic dentist appointment yesterday I offered to take him to the dollar store.  This is what we purchased---swords and three suits of armour.  I didn't even have to ask why 3 suits because as a student of Carters' mind I know weapons and armour are no fun if you don't have similarly decked out buddies to go to war with.  Before he left for school I told him he had to pick up all his gear so I could vacuum today, when I came back in this was what I found!! Not bad, he has the makings of a good equipment manager!

I don't have a picture from last night, but Carter had to sing in a Stake fireside with other kiddos and I had back to school night at the high school.  That meant Grandma Louise had the privilege of escorting Swaggy Carter to Othello.  He insisted on wearing his "tuxedo" (a black suit I bought him at WalMart for Christmas last year), I warned him it would be hot, but that's what he wanted to wear.  I grabbed a tie and threw it on, and he said No, he wanted the tie from Mason's wedding, so I swapped the tie out and he asked me to get the tie pin off another tie because he wanted to look "important" for singing!

I hope I can keep Swaggy Carter swaggy, having no swag myself makes the job difficult!

First day of School 2012

Name pancakes for breakfast were a bust--after the t in Carter the lid blew off my squeezie bottle and I succumbed to regular, boring round pancakes.  I saw my cousin does just the first letter of her kids name--brilliant, I am stealing that plan for sure next year!!

Then the first day of school pictures, you try taking one of Jackson, the boy refused to act normal for me.  Jackson actually started chemo today but they let us start them late enough for Jax to be at school for 30 minutes.  He is on the ASB and they start the school year with an assembly.

See...

                                                                       My son.

Here she is, my 15 year old daughter Sammi that I am so proud of.

This 15 year old daughter wearing a Justin Beiber backpack--hmmmm.  I hope all the boys in her sophomore class get Selena Gomez's backpacks.

Sierra starting Middle School Today.  They better keep her as sweet and wonderful as she is.  I mean it--you break her you buy her!

                                            

Sweet Zoe.  Wearing jeans, smiling on cue, only needing one picture to get it right---I predict an amazing year for Miss Zoe.

Cool Carter---I would like to state for the record that this is the "scratch and sniff" planet of the Grapes t-shirt Grandma Louise bought him for school (he picked it out--Grandma is a pushover but she has better taste than that shirt) I tried hard to talk him into wearing it the 2nd or 3rd day of school, to no avail, obviously. In Carter's head this is 1st day of school worthy!!

Mocking Sammi....always fun.

                                     

Trying to get five of them looking, smiling, and not moving----ahhhh the joys.

Good enough.

The traditional first day of school in Grandma Louise's office picture. 

The last two Red Rock students--2nd day of school.

2012-2013 Family Theme

Our Fourth annual family theme dinner.  We have started the tradition of having a fun (in theory) family dinner the night before school starts and unveiling a new family theme for that school year.  This year the kids picked broccoli cheddar soup with hot sandwiches.

They each had a "gift bag" on the table with gum, balls (to throw at Jackson as part of his physical therapy!!  we love physical therapy) and candy.

Then it was dessert--giant ice-cream sundaes.

And the 2012-2013 Noftle family theme:

LEAN FORWARD

Thanks to Brenda for making such a cute poster to frame and hang on the wall this year.  We talked about walking into the wind.  If you turn your back to the wind, can't see where your going and even when you think you are walking in a straight line you get blown off course.  But if you put your face to the wind, lean forward and take it one step at a time you can do it.  The best way to deal with adversity in any form is to rise up (last years theme) and lean forward.  We are obviously dealing with some trials in our family, health trials and other trials,  just like every other family.  But besides just dealing with adversity we want our family to LEAN FORWARD and be the best we can be.  We put some phrases on the poster that explain what you are doing if you lean forward; go further, initiate, be proactive, be engaged, listen closer, and act faster.   I love how excited they get to hear the new theme, but this year I asked them to share specific incidences when the theme from last year, or the years before helped them.  I was worried no one would be able to come up with one, but they all did, some had more than one example they could recall.  Warmed my heart right up.  We ended with Father's Blessings and the usual, insomniacs because after all it is school tomorrow -- woohoo!!