Trenton is Da Man

Trenton turned 6 earlier this month.  One of the things he has been wanting for a while is a suit, so he can look handsome.  His friend, Craig, wore a suit to our music recital in the spring.  Craig got a lot of attention for how handsome he looked, and Trenton has wanted one ever since!  I asked his Lita (my mom) if that was something she might be able to make for his birthday.  She did and sent this to him in time for his party.  Here are some GQ shots of my little man (6 yrs. old!).

I realize he is looking solemn in a lot of these (that's the GQ thing).  He was really excited about the suit and how handsome he would be in it.  At first, he thought it came from the store.  He was so impressed when he realized Lita had made it herself.  He went around singing her praises proclaiming that she makes things as good as the stores do (better in many cases)!

 

 

Now if I can just keep him from getting toothpaste/frosting/dust/etc. on it all of the time!

Happy Love Day!

These images were the treat toppers for the valentine that the kids gave to their friends at school. We thought we would share the love (minus the Hershey's kisses) with you all! Hope you are feeling loved this Valentines Day!

Letters to Santa, and mean elves, and a toothbrush

Trenton: "Mom, does Santa have cameras everwhere to know if you are bad or good?"
Me: "I don't know. Maybe he sends his elves to spy on you."
Trenton: "It's not nice to spy on boys and girls!"

We have some version of this conversation everyday in the car on the way home from school. Today he told me it is a lie that Santa knows if you are bad or good. Maybe that is his wishful thinking!


Kira helped Trenton write his letter to Santa. The funniest part was that she wouldn't write "I've been a good boy this year," at first. She would only write that he was trying to be a good boy. She insisted that the first sentence would be a lie, and refused to write it, until I insisted that he could say whatever he wanted in his letter.

Incase you can't read it, here is a transcription:
Dear Santa,
I want a new niga (ninja) turtle. I would also like mini legos, and a lego bionicle. I have been good this year.

Love,

*(mostly erased scribbles)*

(with lots of help from his big sister, Kira)

But you have to read Kira's letter! It will make you laugh. It will make you cry!:

Dear Santa,

I don't need a lot for Christmas. A few things I need are a toothbrush, and a pair of tennis shoes. You gave me a toothbrush the year before last year. I also have another toothbrush, except for it is a grown-up toothbrush. The one you gave me the year before last year is worn out. And I would like lace-up (with ties, I mean) tennis shoes. I wear size two. You can give me whatever other things you want. I didn't ask for a lot for Christmas, because I know times for other families are very hard. They need a lot more than I do.

Sincerely,
Kira Brynne Halterman
age, 7 in 2nd grade.

Mary's Gentlemen??? (A Christmas Trentonism)

I'm singing this very cool arrangement of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (first on my playlist) at a Christmas party tomorrow night. Apparently the children think it is cool, too. Because they bee-bop when we listen and sing it around the house. Today I finally listened closely enough to get Trenton's version of the lyrics:

"We gotta rescue Mary's gentlement, let nothing you dismay!"

Trenton's First Day of School! (and a LITTLE bullying incident)

Trenton had his first day of any kind of formal school ever today. We still haven't worked out a carpool, so the entire time driving and filling out the gazillion papers required, I was wondering what I was thinking when I decided to go through with this. But seeing his cute classroom and the way he jumped right in making friends and getting involved made me feel pretty sure that this is where he belongs right now.

Here he is listening while his teacher gives him a lesson on rolling up his mat. While he wasn't sad to say "goodbye" to me in the morning, I was glad to see that he had missed me a bit and gave me a big hug when I came to pick him up. His teacher said that he had a good first day. I had told her that he was ready to be challenged but not to be surprised if he complained about it (lately, anytime we ask him to do a chore, he declines, saying it will hurt his back). Sure enough she told me that he complained, "I don't want to move the yellow hexagon, that's too hard for me."--all the while showing he knew exactly what to do. Silly boy!

I am sorry to report, however, that Trenton was the victim in a bullying incident today, but not on the playground. Here is a picture of his attacker..

The culprit jabbed a finger up his nostril hard enough to give him a serious nose bleed. He has recovered well, but wants to warn others about the perpetrator. She may look innocent enough, but should be considered dangerous!

*Catching Up* Lake Powell--Trenton Edition-June'08

I have been stuck at Lake Powell for some time now (that is blogiphorically speaking, since I am not actually on a boat in Lake at the moment). Do you think it has something to do with the fact that I took about a gagillion pictures while there? I am getting through them slowly, put I cannot include them all in one post, so I thought I would break them up by subject. Since Trenton just had his birthday on Friday (posts to come), and since he arguably had the best time of anyone there, I decided to start with him.

Here he is modeling the latest in children's PFDs...

with a houseboat accessory...





Helping Grandpa drive the houseboat.

Trenton's favorite thing about Lake Powell...the SLIDE on the back of the boat.

Waving to his adoring fans after a spectacular entrance into the lake.

Practicing for this...

I love this picture! He really is a sweet boy, despite all of his crazy boy energy!


Riding the wave runner with Amber.

And I just don't have words to describe this hairdo, courtesy of his Aunt Amber and most-likely styled with sunscreen.



Navigating back to shore after a week of new adventures.

Trentonisms--Sabbath Edition

This could become a weekly column, since every Sunday, the leaders in primary come to me with a new Trenton story, or we personally hear or witness them. Let's see if I can remember them all...

• The time he said the opening prayer in primary and in the middle of the prayer cried out, "I don't want to die."
• The time he told them his favorite scripture story was Adam and E...gypt.
• Of course, the best was when they were talking about family home even and how sometimes you can sing with out the piano for FHE, because not every family has pianists (can you see where this is going?). Trenton piped up, "boys have penises!"
• We may need to work on his secular vs. religious education. When they were talking about having agency, he started talking about evil A.C.M.E. agents from the Carmen Sandiego game.
• And just last week, the Bishop was in talking about the story of David and Goliath. And when he asked what the giants name was, Trenton shouted "The Pickle!" (I guess he is more familiar with the Veggietales version than the actual scriptural account).
• You know the kid has a reputation, when they make him wait to give his talk in primary, until the microphone is working, because the adults can't wait to hear what will happen. Well, he gave his talk (pretty long one, for a 3-year-old), and it was all going a little too well, until he finished and immediately announced loudly from the pulpit, "I gotta go pee-pee!" The older primary boys thought that was hilarious and all suddenly had to go "pee-pee," too.

Am I forgetting any, those of you who are in primary?

And here are a couple related to parenting:

• We have discussed the importance of giving children choices in our parenting. Barry's version of this, is usually asking the children if they want to do things the easy way or the hard way. Trenton had been getting in a lot of trouble, and was pleased that Barry was posing the "easy way or hard way" question to his sister, instead, this time. Before she had a chance to say anything, he piped up with "Hard way for Kira, Hard way for Kira!"
• And just this morning, to his dad, he said "I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at your BEHAVIOR!"

Pigs in a Blanket...and a box???

Barry and the kids made giant pigs in a blanket one night for dinner.

He's such a good house husband, isn't he? ;-)
I think I've decided to take back all of the kids Christmas presents, and just give them the boxes they came in. (ok, not really) But what toy is more fun than a big empty box?

Knit Together..

There has been a strange phenomenon occurring at the Halterman home, lately--knitting. The strangest part being that the one that has been doing most of the knitting is Barry. I bought the round looms mainly to get Kira going on a project, but Shanda (while she was here) and especially, Barry, have really taken off with it--learning and even inventing new stitches. Barry asks that you keep this quiet because he doesn't want to get beat up by the boys on the playground.

Here he and Trenton are modeling some of his creations.

The Alien and the Astronaut...A Halloween Tale

Once upon a time there was an alien girl and an astronaut. The two had a great time playing together at a church Halloween party, but alas, photographers were unprepared and failed to catch this phenomenon on film. As Halloween night approached, photographers were anticipating another opportunity to capture a photo of the astronaut and the alien together. But shortly before Halloween, the astronaut was called away on a special mission to the distant planet, Prescott. Meanwhile the alien was excited to experience the earthing tradition known as "trick or treating." So the astronaut and alien were apart for Halloween. This must be why they look so unhappy in their pictures, but sources close to the astronaut and the alien, report that they both actually had a great holiday!

Kira & Trenton LOVE Tessa!

People ask how the kids are making the adjustment to having a new sister, and so far, the answer is, amazingly well! They are both so excited about their new jobs as big sister, and big brother, that they have been nothing but soft and sweet and loving to Tessa. For those of you who have seen Trenton wrestling lately, you will understand why that is so amazing.

These pictures were taken the first time the kids got to meet their new sister at the hospital. First is a close-up of the shirts they were wearing for the occasion, which Shanda made with them while Barry and I were at the hospital (can you see why I'm considering nominating Shanda for sainthood?)

Trenton has been very welcoming of Tessa because her being here solidifies his position as a big brother--not to be mistaken as a baby any more. He is systematically rejecting anything "babyish" because he is a "big brother." For example, he was happy to relinquish the hooded towel he has been using to Tessa, because he needs a big towel now!

Here are a few of his comments about his new sister:

“She looks pretty, she looks cute, and very unusual.” (He has said this more than once. I have no idea where he got it!)

“She’s the cuter!”

“She’s the cutest baby in the whole wide world!”

“Daddy can I see your fruit leather man?”---OK. This has nothing to do with Tessa, but I had to write it down. He is referring to Barry's knife, not something to eat.

It seems like Kira had some choice comments, too. Mainly they come in the mornings when it is time for her to go to school. She says something like, "I just can't bear to go to school and leave baby Tessa here all day!" Followed by something like, "when can you bring her to school?" To which I reply that won't be for a while citing germs, etc. Today she was trying to come up with a way to protect her from germs and take her anyway. "I wish I could just take her to school by myself!"

So at least while she can't argue or get into any of their things, the newest Halterman is being warmly welcomed by her siblings!

Prayer Perfect?

Trenton loves to say the prayer, and often feels picked upon when he doesn't get the chance. The other night he started to say the prayer..."Heamenly Father...Thank you for this day..." He then proceeded to start saying a lot of gibberish. I was dissapointed at his lack of respect and tried to give him some more appropriate things to pray about. The gibberish continued until I insisted more firmly that he say what I was saying. We ended the prayer and I told him that prayer was not a time for silliness. His response, "I just wanted to pray in Spanish!" That night we gave him a short Spanish lesson.

The following night he was in tears that someone else had been called on to pray. I told him that when he was reverent he could say his own prayer. It started out much the same way until he started praying for our automobiles, something like this: "Bless our van...bless it that it will get painted and get numbers and turn into a race car...and bless our race cars that they will win." We tried, but Kira, Shanda, and I completely lost our prayer composure. He has quite an imagination!

Kids' check-ups

Kira and Trenton had their well-visits (finally) yesterday. I am happy to report that they both seem to be in very good health. Kira about lost it when she learned she needed a shot--she had been told that she was done with shots until she turned 10--but otherwise the visit went well.

Stats:

Kira
weight: 45lbs. -- 50%
height: 48 1/4 in. -- 80%

Trenton
weight: 38.2lbs. -- 95%
height: 40 in. -- 95%

Anyone want to take bets on when little brother will outweigh big sister? I keep warning her that she needs to be nice to him, because the day is not too distant.

Summer Lovin'

I thought I was about caught up with any pictures/posts to share from the summer, but found a few more on the small camera that I had to share.

Kira found willing dance partner in the Nelsons grandson at their anniversary party. These two danced the night away! They actually looked like they knew what they were doing most of the time.

Trenton and friends at the splash playground for playgroup. Here he is stopping the flow of water by sitting on it

Is it horrible to post pictures of my son grabbing a girls behind? I promise he was just fascinated by the way the diaper part expanded in the water, but it was hilarious watching the scene unfold!