Happy Second Birthday Bloggie Contest!

Looking at those birthday cakes yesterday reminded me that my blog's second birthday is coming up on the 28th. Unfortunately, I will be out of town at the end of the month, so I thought I'd start my celebration a little early - with a giveaway!

In honor of this momentous occasion I have put together a special 'birthday-in-a-box' prize! Forget one of your kids' birthdays? Need a quick visiting teaching gift? Husband not realize that he needs to make a birthday cake for you? No worries - birthday in a box is here! (Okay, I just realized that there's no box in the picture. But it will come to you in a box, so there you go.)

Birthday-in-a-box includes: 1 Devil's Food cake mix, 1 can of chocolate fudge frosting (with funfetti sprinkles that match the primary colors of the rest of the prize - ooh-la-la!), 1 package of red party plates, 1 package of blue party napkins, 1 package green crepe paper, 1 package yellow party balloons, and 1 package of super-fancy crazy curl candles.

You know you want it.

Just leave a comment - any comment will do - and you'll be entered. I'll randomly select the winner on Monday evening at 8pm.

Good luck!

Beautiful Cakes

(Click to embiggen.)

I found a great link on MarthaStewart.com that showcases 30 beautiful cakes. I just love them - most are really simple. (Even I could do them!) The ones above are my favorite. It makes me almost miss my cake of the month challenge. Almost.

No Laughing Matter

As I briefly mentioned yesterday, I've noticed an interesting phenomenon in the reactions people give when they learn I will soon have three boys.

(Side note: I just want to clarify that I'm not judging anyone here. I'm not insulted in any way by any of the reactions. In fact, one of my little philosophies about life is that most people aren't out to intentionally offend you. It's usually done by accident. And if it's not on accident, then don't give them the satisfaction of acknowledging it. I find my life is a lot happier and easier with this idea. And thus endeth Maren's lecture on life today.)

Anywho, I find the reactions tend to fall into these four general categories:

• Laughter: HHHAAAAHHAAAHAAA!!! (And that's it. It can be a little awkard.)
• Laughter and apologies: Hahahhhaaah! I am soooo sorry for you! I mean, it's great. Really. But sorry.
• Laughter and premonitions of doom: Hhhaaaahhaaa!! Oh man, are you in for it. You're house is gonna be soooo busy and loud!
  
• Laughter and not knowing what else to say: Hhhaaaahahaa! Oh... that's, uh... great. Yeah.

First, I find it interesting that everyone seems to laugh. Is it because they don't know what else to do and are buying time? Do they really think it's that funny? Or are they just spectacularly happy for me and are laughing for joy? (Yeah, right.)

Second, I've noticed that those who apologize or bring the premonitions of doom rarely have sons or any children at all. What up with that? How would they know what I'm in for? Sure, there's this preconceived notion that little boys are wild and crazy and loud and very much a handful. And there's a reason for this notion: THEY ARE. But I suspect girls can be just as much a handful; maybe in different ways, but still.

Now don't get me wrong - I know there are big differences between genders. But I don't know that it makes a huge difference in the easiness of raising boys or girls. I think personality plays a much bigger role. Take, for example, my two little XY chromosome carriers.

Spencer: angel baby
Joshie: imp of satan baby (I looovvee you, Joshie! Love. You. But you were a rough baby to have. I'm just sayin'.)

Spencer: loves schedules, charts, organization
Joshie: loves chaos, distruction, and the element of surprise in implementing the chaos and destruction

Spencer: generally obedient and very sensitive to any kind of discipline
Joshie: couldn't care less about time outs or being in trouble; thrives on the attention

I guess what I'm saying is, each gender has different but equally difficult aspects when raising children. Why do people assume boys are so much harder?

Well, anyways, I had been thinking about this a bit when last Sunday I got a reaction that I never received. A woman at church caught up to me in the hall and the conversation went a little something like this:

Anonymous Lady: Maren Madsen! I heard your wonderful news! Another boy!
Me (waiting for the laughter or apologies): That's right! My three sons...
AL: You are just so lucky, so blessed. Really. What a neat opportunity.
Me (thrown off a bit): Uh, yeah, yes I am?
AL (most sincerely): You know, I only got to have one child, a son, and I would have given anything to have even one more, but you get to have two! Little boys are just so special and such a blessing!
Me (still surprised): Yeah. We figure the Lord just needs lots of elder missionaries in a few years, and we're supplying that need. Haha.
AL (most sincerely still): Well, you'll just do a great job raising them. I really am truly happy for you.
Me (happily): Well, thank you! That means a lot.

I think I've found my new favorite response.

I truly am blessed. And will be even more so in May. I can't wait.

Self-Portrait Tuesday: Week 27 and a Few Random Thoughts

Still chuggin' along with this baby.

Yesterday at my doctor's appointment the baby kept kicking the microphone out of place while the doctor tried to listen to his heartbeat.

Auspicious...

(We already have a kid with a freakishly good throwing arm. Do we really need a kicker as well?)

Today I restocked the perishable items from our 72 hour kits. I do this every March, and the kids just love it. I stick all the old stuff in a giant green bowl, where it sits on the counter until the boys and Lance have munched it all away. (This includes things like juice boxes, fruit snacks, granola bars, hard candy, beef jerky, etc.) I let them go to town just to get rid of it all. For lunch today the boys chose Pop Tarts and Top Ramen. Bleeeccchhhh... oh, I mean, good choice, kiddos! Yummy!


I caught Joshie skulking around the bowl tonight after dinner. (Okay, so I don't just let them eat whatever whenever - they still have to eat their real meals.) He was upset that I foiled his plans in stealing a few more pieces of candy.

Random question: why do people look at my kids and then laugh at me when I tell them I'm having another boy? Any thoughts?

Don't Eat Pete!

What's a momma to do when she's had a really long day and is faced with a Family Home Evening sans daddy?

(Side note: I had to have my gestational diabetes testing today. Blllleeeecchhh. Seriously, I cannot stand drinking that orange syrup. It's like soda concentrate without the water or carbonation. Then I had a novice phlebotamist try to draw my blood. She could not find a vein anywhere and I could tell she was really nervous. I'm not at all averse to being worked on by medical or nursing students - they have to learn somehow! But today I really did not want to have to deal with bruised and sore arms as she tried in vain (vein!) to draw blood. Fortunately, her boss stepped in just before I requested someone else. And she did a great job. Happiness is a competent phlebotomist. At least when you need one. Thus endeth the long and rambling side note.)

Anywho, fun, easy, no daddy effin-ayche-eee?

Don't Eat Pete!

We had a Primary activity a couple of weeks ago, and one of the things we had the kids do was color a Don't Eat Pete game board that they could play at their own FHE's. I decided to create a board with churchy graphics, which I got from here and here.

Just in case you would like to print your own, here's the board:


And here are the rules:


Here's the board Spencer had colored. It was during his blue period. (Ha!)


We used trail mix for our goodies because that's what we had on hand. (But you could use all sorts of stuff - M&Ms, Skittles, Cheerios, raisins, etc.)

The boys LOOOOOVVVEEEDD it! It was the calmest, nicest, happiest they had been all day.


I thought Josh might be a little young for it, but he caught on quick and often got down to only two or three squares.


So, despite the long day and the lack of a husband, it was a good effin'-ayche-eee. Way to go, Pete.

Happy Diversions

Spring-like temperatures came yesterday and got even better today. I think it's at least 70 degrees out right now. After such a cold winter, this is heaven.

With the wonderful weather has come many happy diversions:

-The boys got to wear the outfits Grandpa ElRay and Grandma Susie sent for Valentine's Day. Way cute.

And Josh is right. I do rock.

-Josh and I spent 45 minutes at the park today before picking Spencer up from preschool. It was nice and cool and there were lots of little kids (and no bossy big brother) to play with.

-I opened windows all over the house, allowing 5+ months of staleness to waft away in the breeze. I know it will probably get cold again before spring, but right now I'm enjoying what I can!

-Some neighborhood boys (and friends of ours) came over to play this afternoon. Not only are they fun and nice, they're older, instantly making them uber-cool in my boys' eyes. They ran around like wild things outside. They played a little Wii. They pretended to be Jedi Knights and Sith Lords and saved the galaxy several times. A little boy paradise. (BTW, did you know that Spencer's robot makes the perfect jedi droid? Well, he does.)

-I made some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies for our trip to the temple tomorrow. An afternoon with freshly baked cookies? Wonderful.

-With the good weather the boys have been getting along really well. Instead of wrestling and arguing and crying, I hear chattering and giggling, and lots of potty jokes. Because potty jokes are all the rage right now. Josh was standing on the potty the other day, was getting down, and accidentally flushed the potty with his bottom. Most. Hysterical. Thing. Ever. (If you're a little boy.) It is constantly being referenced too, followed by loud and long "Bwwwaaaaahhhhaaaahhhhhaaaas"!

Happy diversions. Happy day.

Hungry Hungry Boy-os

I think both my boys are gearing up for a growth spurt. All day I heard "Mommy, I'm hungry!" And then they'd look at me with their little puppy-dog eyes, sticking out their bottom lips, shaking just a little to show how starving they were.

Usually we have breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack, and then dinner. Not today - it was an all-out smorgasbord. Here's a sampling of what each of the boys ate:

• Two bowls of cereal for breakfast (each)
  
• A large apple
• Teddy Grahams
• Cup of juice
  
• A banana
• A hot dog, some leftover macaroni and cheese, and canned fruit salad for lunch
• String cheese
• Graham crackers
• Cup of milk
• Cheesits
• Mini meatloaves, corn and mashed potatoes for dinner
• Pretzels

We're driving to the temple on Saturday - at this rate I'm going to have to bring an extra cooler for all the snacks we're gonna need.