Kids, Meet Richard Simmons

I know, ‘where have I been?’ Spring is almost here and at our house, that means baseball season is in full swing, pun intended. Tyler has started Little League. Games don’t start until April sometime, but right now he practices three times a week. He is so fun to watch. Bailey and Trevin will be starting their coach-pitch league games in April as well, and I will be coaching that team. It should be a lot of fun. It is really supposed to be for ages 5 &1/2 to 7, but we talked them into letting Trevin play. He’s ready, too.

In other news, Caden has made another visit to the naturopath, and returns this week for a follow up. We really hope and pray (all the time) that it will work again, because he’s had fluid in his ears for more than three months straight. As for good news, Caden has gone to nursery the last two weeks and this last one, I left with about 45 minutes to go, and he stayed the rest of the time without any problems. That is so exciting, considering he’ll be 3 in a month. It’s about time. Little Ammon is growing like crazy still and although he doesn’t quite crawl yet, he moves around everywhere and every-which-way. And, he has finally started to willingly eat baby food. Yeah!

One other note, Tyler was supposed to give a talk in primary on Sunday, but he was sick all day Saturday, and still not quite well on Sunday. But he had written his talk out, so Bailey stepped up and nailed it for him. She gave it flawlessly and we were so proud of her. Later that day, I went to give someone a blessing and she followed me out to the car with a note she had made while I changed into church clothes. It had a heart on it and said: “I hope you fil (feel) good.” She is so thoughtful of others. So that’s what’s up in a nutshell, and...

…now to the funny part of the story, to kick off this edition’s funnies: When I got home I told here that the person was grateful and that he and his wife and Bishop Priebe (who accompanied me for the blessing) were all very touched. Then she said to me: “Did Bishop Priebe say: ‘Bless her heart’?” Now if you know Bishop Priebe, then you’ll know that that is one of his most favorite things to say. It was quite funny.

So I was flipping through the channels and came across Richard Simmons as a guest on Dr. OZ. As I flipped to the next channel, Trevin said: “Sweet hair dude.” Carol and I chuckled then I flipped back. They took a wider shot of him and then Bailey said: “Look at his outfit!” We laughed again, and then Trevin topped it off with: “He’s not being modest.”

I had asked Trevin to do something and he didn’t do it. So a couple minutes later he asked me to fill his water bottle. I told him no. He kept pressing me, but I told him that he didn’t do what I asked, so I wasn’t going to do what he asked. He didn’t really think I was serious and he said: “Yes, you are going to fill me water bottle.” I told him no again, and then he finally realized I meant it. He responded: “Oh yeah, then I’m gonna go draw a stinky picture of you.”

Carol and the three younger boys were at her parents one afternoon and Trevin said to Ammon: “Your feet stink.” So grandma Shirts said: “His feet don’t stink. Your mom’s feet stink.” Then Carol said: “Look, Grandma’s feet are right by your head. Do they stink?” So Trevin smelled them and said: “Ooh, your feet stink!” Then Grandma asked: “What do they smell like?” Trevin replied: “Like Korea.”

If you’ve ever seen Trevin play the Wii, then you know that he never sits still. In fact, he doesn’t even stand still. He constantly jumps up and down while he plays (mostly NBA and MLB). So the other day he wanted to play the Wii and we told him no several times. He continued his pleas, then said to me: “Dad, I need to exercise…on NBA.” Gotta give him credit for trying.

We were getting ready to say prayer and the kids were not being reverent, as usual. Caden would not stop talking and he was getting upset at Tyler for trying to share the blanket he was using. Tyler wasn’t saying much of anything to him, but then Caden said: “Stop talking to me Tyler. We’re saying prayers.” Then he let a big sigh and said “Gosh.” Then after a couple minutes of us trying to compose ourselves he said to Tyler: “We’re saying prayers. And we’re not laughing.”

I was pushing Caden on the swing and he said: “Do a wiener dog.” Of course he meant an “under dog.”

I started up my truck to go to my Sunday morning meetings, but it would not move. It started and it shifted into gear, but I found out later that the emergency brake was stuck. But that morning I couldn’t understand why it wouldn’t go. Bailey, in what seemed to be all seriousness said: “Dad, maybe there’s a ghost that won’t let you go?”

I found a crumpled up note on the ground the other day which read: “Tyler needs to get fater (meaning fatter) today. From Bailey to Tyler.” I told you she is a thoughtful sister.

We were shooting baskets and Trevin did the old two-handed under-hand shot, otherwise known as a “granny-shot.” And that’s exactly what Tyler said to him: “What kind of a granny shot is that?” A couple minutes later, Trevin ran up to the hoop, stopped and just before doing it again shouted: “Neda-Shot.” For those of you who don’t know, that is his Grandma Livingston’s first name.

Our little main man, Ammon chillin' in his skivies
Are you serious?
She's Batwoman
Caden discovers that Ammon's baby food is not that bad for 3-year-olds either

I think the look on Mr. Potato Head's face says it all...



Carol got funny with her hair. Not to stereotype, but we see many, many women from Eastern European countries with their hair quite tall. Bailey's reaction was hilarious. But she was a good sport and we got this lovely picture of them both.
I'm telling you Monkey, don't mess with me, again.
Brothers rockin' the night away...