{better safe then sorry}

okay...get a good chuckle out of this.
consider it motivation to amp up your food storage
& emergency supplies.

look here
& here
& I refer to here a lot too.

Rod & I have been working hard at it since December.
our laundry room has cabinets that are
pretty well stocked right now.
(with much thanks to my parents!)
because its better to be safe then sorry.

Now laugh at me.
I cant help myself.
I am a worrier.

******

"To provide providently, we must practice the principles of provident living: joyfully living within our means, being content with what we have, avoiding excessive debt, and diligently saving and preparing for rainy-day emergencies."
Elder Robert D. Hales, General Conference, April 2009

thats all.

{Pool Party}

How do you like your ice cream sundae?





I know the kids loved having their friends over.
I know I loved having my girls over.


Thank you Laura & Tamsyn.
You have no idea how much I need you girls!

I also want to thank all my sweet friends who
constantly leave me such uplifting
& encouraging comments.
It feels good to be cared about!
I love you!

{where did you take your bath today?}

I dug out the trusty inflatable pool today.
turns out its only trusty when you keep the air plugs.
so the Sclater families personal super hero flew to the store & bought a new one.
He & the big boys...

While we ate dinner the pool filled
(& I contemplated how to incorporate our FHE lesson into playing in the pool.
Which ended up working out just fine.)
Then we played till bedtime.


Britt thought he was too cool for the pool...

Tre did not.


Britt says a few sentences.
one of the most commonly spoken ones is...
"Its a hat!"
Everything can become a hat...

all the while laughing & chanting "Its a hat!"

Playing in the pool qualified as a bath tonight.
I know , I know,but...
We were all pretty tuckered out & just ready to crash.
washed faces, hands, feet, teeth.
read,prayed sang...
ZZZZZZZZ

Pretty day with pretty boys!

Rod is out with the missionaries right now & the house is quiet.

I miss him.
a lot.


************

Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.
-Abe Lincoln

{Troopers}

The boys were troopers today.
they were great in their primary & nursery classes.
& then were willing to go into the nursery (again for the Britt) & play
while Rod & I attended a strengthening Marriage class after church.
That is a total of 5 hours at church.
& they were great!
We really enjoyed our class & the company of friends.
When we got home it was too late for Britts nap...
so I thought Id go ahead & tucker them out for early bedtime.
So we took them out into the yard to play with the water table.
Feels like summer is here & we are excited!

{Another Finklea party!}

The Finkleas had another birthday.
Jaxon turned 3
so we all headed over to the park
to play, eat cake & mingle.
(okay...really we just chased Britt the whole night, but still had a blast!)
Jaxon has the most contagious smile,
calls every member of our family "Tre-Tre."
Jaxon loves batman, superman & all things super hero.
We love him!



The boys had fun playing in the sand, & riding their bikes with friends.
Laura made an amazing batman cake,
It had black icing all over it...
which in turn ended up all over Britt's face & shirt.
The Smith family said he looked like
Papaw did when he would come home from the coal mines.
He was that covered!
It was a messy, sticky & fun night!
Needless to say the boys all clonked out when we arrived home.

{tempting & taunting}

yesterday Rod received a present on the doorstep.
Rod is on the elimination diet to improve
health & focus in time for the boards.
(read about it here)
its a really neat diet not used solely for weight loss.
Our friends the Whitings have been on it over a month
& I give ms. Tamsyn major credit.
That girl is dedicated!
I on the other hand said I would do the diet with Rod...
& faltered on day 2 at girls night.
I thought I was being sneaky...but Rod caught me.
we had a good laugh about it.
Im starting the diet all over again...
for at least the next hour.

Well... our clever friends Austin & Laura are very well aware that Rod cannot refuse an oreo,
not to mention double stuffed oreos.
So they dropped off a tempting treat & a hilarious card.
Gave us Sclaters a good laugh!
Thanks Finkleas.
so far Rod is holding strong.

I wish I could say the same of myself!




I have to say my favorite part is the last line.
"let us know if you can do anything for us."
too funny!

{little boys}

We sure love these busy, often dirty, sweet little boys.

{Girls Night}

Some fun girls from our ward got together for a girls night out...but in.
We went to Tamsyn's house & watched Steel Magnolias.
I was laughing & then crying & then laughing & crying.
Everyone brought a treat.
We tried to capture all of us in a picture.
Every one's so fun & animated.
When I put them on my laptop I laughed at each photo.
I feel so blessed to know these great women!
I had so much fun!

Rebecca & LeClaire making silly faces for our guest photographer, Jeremy.

Poor shelby, I dont think any of us realized her hair was sticking up. She still looks fabulous! & Tamsyn...where did you go??

Nicola & Sara always looking so pulled together & lady like.
I could learn some things from them!

Laura flashing that pretty big smile. & Me just laughing & having fun!



Cant wait to do it again!
(don't you just love Tamsyn's super Victorian couch?! I do!)

A speacial I love you to Rod for helping me make tonight fun & baby free.
I missed the boys...but Its fun to be jenni & not "mommy mommy" for a few minuets now & again.

{Just another Thursday for the Sclaters}

Its 2:49,
Britton is taking a nap,
Maddox is in my left arm,
Tre is in my apron eating a piece of cake we made about 2 hours ago.
Often while nursing or bouncing a fussy baby I will scan through the days pictures.
I love how pictures tell a story.

I picked Tre up from school & was greeted by THIS...

(anguish, tears, rage, frustration, ridiculousness!)
Why is my 4 year old demanding a tattoo?
ASK HIS TEACHER!
Its rather sweet actually.
Ms. Shannon has a treasure chest with prizes for good little boys & girls.
Today T picked out a temporary Tattoo of a frog.
He wanted to wear it right away.
I told him we would use water to put it on when we get home.
(momma & her big mouth!)
poor little guy went to the potty, i started making lunch.
I heard T crying so i went to investigate.
he tried to apply the tattoo solo...& it had washed down the drain.
It was the end of his little world as he knew it.
45 minuets later he started to redirect.

I had to be understanding..
.but I had a difficult time not laughing with my 4 year old screaming for a tattoo!

Next is my Britt.
Oh dear.
That kid makes me laugh all day long.
He has started to detest wet diapers...
so he is forever doing what I refer to as the diaper change dance.
It starts with a little wiggle,
then a pulling on the waist,
then a little bobbing
then you drop your pants
& finish with a wiggle.
Its hilarious to watch.
He seems too young to potty train. hes not even 2.
But maybe with big brother running around in cool sports undies hes itching to learn.
I love that boy.


& last but not least
my littlest Sclater.
Hes had a case of the tummy aches all day.
I started to think it was more then just his bubbles bothering him today...


could part of it be that your mommy cant find any matching socks for you?
(really I cant...Ive tried! honest!)
Sorry Maddox. Ill try harder!

I really enjoy these boys!

(Can I brag? Tonight Rod is on duty. Its Girls night out!)

{Little Green Thumbs}

The boys & their green thumbs...



What is growing in those pots?
sunflowers & basil just to name a few.
now my goal is to keep them alive....the plants & the boys!

we opted not to start a real garden this year

as we hope the house & yard will soon belong to another family!

{Boards arent funny...}

Medical school can be pretty hard on the hubby (& us at the home front too).
Big exams heading our way...including Boards in June!
Pressures on.
thought Id post some medical/doctor humor to lighten the load....
because lets face it, boards aren't funny, but this guy is!
laugh away...

(youll want to turn off my music so you can hear Brian. scroll all the way to the bottom)

{Mr & Mrs Sclater have a date}

(back when I didn't know what a hair iron was.)

Mr & Mrs Sclater had a really wonderful weekend.
With exception to a very ill little boy &
lots of GI study for an exam on Monday Id say it was perfect.
My parents came into town to baby sit.
Our Friend Laura helped our stake book
Barbara Barrington Jones
to speak to the youth, women & couples.
It was important to me to support Laura & go.
Ill admit that was my initial motivation.
I asked mom & dad to come down & watch the big boys while Rod studied
& Maddox & I headed to Knoxville.
I arrived Late.
I am NEVER late. I hate being late!
But Britt had been so so so so sick the night before &
I was not going to leave the house for the day without knowing he was going to be okay.
So I left Tre & poor baby Britt with Omah & Opah & drove 2 hours to the stake center.
I walked in & the prettiest song was playing.
INSTANT TEARS!
I thought.."what already? I just got here! Pull it together Jennifer!"
The lyrics were about a mother, busy exhausted, cant fit in her old jeans, warn out...but our father in heaven knows her & loves her.
After I turned the faucets off & wiped my nose
I realized what a blessing it was to be in attendance.
everything she said I needed!
I am so grateful to Laura for arranging the weekend.
I know it was a lot of work for her.
I called my mom at lunch break to check up on the home front.
Brittys fever was 105...& (don't tell my parents) but thats about the speed I drove to get home.
I wanted to be there!
So Maddox & I left the women's session early,
but with a wonderful feeling of the spirit.
Britt was clothed in only a diaper & his "sleepy blanket" when I arrived home.
I held him for a good long time, helped him drink some fluids
said prayer after prayer that he would feel better.
the poor baby couldn't move. He was lethargic.
Doctor Dad had left his study session when I left Knoxville.
He had been home making Britt drink pedialite to hydrate him.
(My husbands gonna make a mighty fine Doctor. )
Rod & I discussed with my parents whether or not we should go through with the original plan of attending the couples session.
We resolved that we would go.
Oddly enough I felt at peace as we left Tre, Britt & Maddox with my parents.
My parents are great.
as soon as britts temp went way way up they stuck him in the cold tub.
I love them!
Rod & I went to dinner.
We ate Bonefish Grill. Go find one & eat...now!
It was heavenly!
Im pretty sure the words that left my lips were...
"I want to eat this everyday for the rest of my life."
It was that good!
We sat on the same side of the booth & watched all the prom goers strut there stuff.
We called to check on all the boys...all were sleeping & happy!
We arrived at the stakle center with minuets to spare. We sat with members of our ward & really enjoyed the happy & enthusiastic spirit that was in the chapel!
Sister Jones discussed 5 things a man needs & 5 things a women needs! It has blessed our marriage already!
I love Rod & I love that he is constantly trying to improve our relationship. He makes adjustments so I can be happy! He is my perfect counterpart. He truly does complete who I am. I don't think I have sat in one place for 2 hours for over 4 years!
It was lovely sitting with my hubbys arm around my shoulders, hearing the laughter of our bishop & his wife & all our friends.
We were laughing, we were crying, we were making mental notes. Rod knows what he wants to work on & I know what I want to work on. I love him. I want to do my part!
We called home after the session ended & my mom happily announced that britt's fever had broke! What a relief.
We drove home happy & filled with ambition to improve our relationship.
Id say this was by far the best date so far. Thanks Rod for putting your studies aside right before a test & taking me out on the town! Thanks Mom & Dad for driving all the way here to watch our boys!

{An Empty Parking Lot}

can be a lot of fun!



This afternoon I took the boys to Rod's campus &
let them wheel around an empty parking lot.
Those boys used every inch of that cement!