She pooped!

In the toilet. Super lucky I think....but I'll take it. She was sure proud and wanted to call Dad and Grandma!

Love,

Momma

The Songs We Sing

I really think someone should write a book about the songs we sing to our children, and the stories of those songs.  Currently I have a list of 3 songs that I'm singing to the kids.

1. Three Little Fishies:  This was a song that Grandma has song to me and to my kids.  I think after having 3 children, and with each kid she came and spent a good chunk of time with them I wanted to continue  her tradition.  Plus it's a fun song.  Plus it has 3 fishies=3 kids, and 1 momma!  Perfect.  
2. Dominican Song:  This other song that I sing is a Haitian song.  I actually have no idea what it means, but I always enjoyed it when I was down in the Dominican Republic.  We would sing it at the church that I was helping out at, as well as on the transportation back to where we stayed.   Someday I need to look up the lyrics and find out what it means!
3. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot:  This again was another one that Grandma has sung to my kids.  Instead of the full version we just sing it about the kids.  "Swing low, sweet Aylen John.  Coming for to carry me home.  Swing low, sweet Ryker Lee.  Coming for to carry me home.  Sweet low, sweet Dempsey Snow.  Coming for to carry me home."  The kids like to add their own versions- Sweet People, Momma, Daddddy, Sampson Boy, Fruvellhoffs, etc

Russell sings the National Anthem.  According to him, "It makes a great lullaby.  It's patriotic.  And it means a lot to me."

Makes me happy when we sing to the kids.  I never considered myself a singer, but I'm pretty sure if you asked those kids if they thought that I was a great singer, they would say "YES!"

<3 div="" momma="">

Demp-isms.

Oh sweet Dempsey Snow.  I can't get enough of her lately.  As usual, I suppose but she is just so darn cute and sweet and sassy.

• "No, Dempsey Doodles does it!"  Becky, her awesome childcare person, calls her Dempsey Doodles and she clearly has adopted the name.
• "I did it, I did it, I did it!"  After she climbed a structure at a new park that she visited.  I'm pretty that is one of those top 10 moments for me, when I see my kid achieve something and be completely proud of themselves!  I've read alot about praise and when to give it and when not to.  I still don't get it often, but I know that it is sure something to see your kid praise themselves.
• "Swing low, sweet people.  Coming for to carry me home!  Swing low, sweet people.  Coming for to carry me home!"  I sing 3 songs at night.  One of them is a version of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.  I ususally sing "Swing low, sweet (Insert kids first and middle names).  Coming for to carry me home."  I've enjoyed going into her room and giving her a private concert.  She sings with me too, which there isn't anything sweeter than that.  Tonight she added on her own line for the song of "sweet people".  Love. Heartmelt.
• Dempsey got interested in going to the bathroom on the toilet.  She never actually went but she put on a good show.  "Mom, get me a book, please!!!"  "Mom grab me another!"  "All done." "Wait, I need to try and poop!"  "Mom grab my book!"  "Mom-go AWAY!!!"
• She loves her Daddy like nothing else, unless he says the dreaded, "No."  And in that case, she will swiftly switch allegiance to Momma.  I watched it happen in about 10 seconds.  
• Hair braids;  I tried to get Dempsey's hair cut when I went to get mine, but she was very much against it.  Her hair gets so ratty so easily, that I decided to start putting her hair into braids.  A. It's cute.  B.  It is easier than ponies, especially when pulling the hair ties out, and C. It creates that fun curl.  Anyways, the other weekend Grandma got to partake in the braids.  It was pretty rad seeing Grandma do the same thing to my daughter that she used to do to my hair.  A bit of nostalgia for sure!
• "Mickey Mouse!"  She is obsessed!  She has a stuffed Mickey Mouse and a book.  She loves to read the book, and carry Mickey is this little baby carrier thing that she has.  

Oh Demps.  She is at such a fun, independent, funny stage now!

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First time!

Pictured here are these firsts:

•Russell formally coaching our kids for the first time!

•Ryker's first time formally playing soccer.

They both are naturals!!!

❤️Momma

Butts are IN

Butt and toot jokes are totally in right now in the Fruvellhoff household.  I hear about 50-100 butt or toot jokes a day!

Here's the latest courtesy of Rykerman:

"Knock knock"

"Who's there?"

The butt man, who's going to throw all the poop and butts on you!"

Here's another random gem from Ryke that you just can't make up:  "Hey where are you going!?  Let's have a tongue fight!"

In other news, this morning AJ told Meg:

"It's strange the world is a sphere.  Why aren't we dizzy all the time?"

He asks the best questions.  

Denver Day

Denver Day

Meg is working this weekend 8-5 both days, getting some PD credits so she can get another raise in another year or two (great job Meg!).  So, that leaves us kids.... errrr Dad and kids, yeah I'm supposed to be an adult, that's right..... home alone all weekend.  

So yesterday I gave the kids a choice of what we should do:  go see a movie in the theater or go rid some buses and trains.  AJ wanted  a movie, but was outvoted by the other two!  So we all put clothes on, I packed a day pack, and we headed down to the Roosevelt Park and Ride.  

You see, for the past 2 months I've basically been working down in the basement every waking spare moment.  I've been feeling like the poor kids have been neglected lately.  General family time has been impacted too, since usually when we're all home Meg watches the kids while doing other things and I am downstairs building away.  So I'm feeling like all of us are probably feeling a little strain.  Such is life though, and a little bit of it is good for us overall right?  Feelings of neglect like I've been having lately are quite part of the natural balance, and therefore indulging those feelings by intently spending time with those whom are neglected helps to restore the balance anew.  And so the Earth keeps spinning round.

Anyhow, we had a great time!  Ryker keeps talking about how much fun he had riding the trains.  I have a vivid memory of him, while riding on a train yesterday:  "I LOVE LOVE LOVE riding trains Dada".  Demps really enjoyed the trains too.  And to a slightly lesser extent, Mr. AJ as well.

We caught the "L" bus line down to Union Station in Denver, then found a little sandwich shop and had some lunch.  Feeling much better, we then went and hopped on the light rail and headed out!  Rode it down the line a few stops, then hopped off, caught another back a few stops, then caught another one back down a few stops, then found an elevator at a station to ride, then finally caught a train back to Union Station.  

Having 45 mins to kill before the bus back to L-town, we explored the newly renovated Union Station, very neat in there!  And the bar inside was a bit inspiring for our bar we're building... very old time-y and neat.  And of course we needed a snack, so grabbed some ice cream.  

Finally got home around 4pm, and we were pretty tired but all of us were overall satisfied with the day.  

My only complaint is that Meg wasn't there to experience it with us.  That being said, I'm sure we'll do it again.... especially since this wasn't our first time, already the second.

Cheers,

R