RETRACTION!!!

Just in case anyone may have taken parental tips from the last post (may I say you must have been really desperate coming here for parental tips), for the record, I have been informed that using a Magic Eraser on skin can cause chemical burns or abrasions. My son DID NOT have this particular reaction, however, if I should cause ANYONE chemical burns or abrasions because of my ignorance of what is on the label, ((which happens to say: DO NOT USE ON SKIN OR OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY (Do not ask me what other parts of the body they could mean))I would NEVER forgive myself. For this purpose I make a formal rectraction for the first time on this blog:

DO NOT USE MAGIC ERASER ON YOURSELF OR YOUR CHILDREN!! I would much rather know all you out there have unburned, unabrased skin!! I am sorry to suggest such a barbaric means of removing permanent ink!!Thanks to all those willing to forgive me!!

I am sure there are better ways to remove permanent marker, or better yet, just become/remain anti-marker and your child will never have to endure being Magically Erased like mine was!!

Well, Color Me Happy...With Permanent Ink!!!

Crazy thing. I was just trying to think of what to blog. Careful what you wish for.

Oh, the joys of family life. I just happened to be checking my email and stocking some blogs while the kids were eating lunch, and I came up to check on them, when...I FOUND THIS!!! Yes, Avery had um,..."beautified" her younger brother with BLACK, PERMANENT MARKER.

Now, let me explain why we had a permanent marker out in the first place. Kendal's Valentine cards for his kindergarten class would not take a regular marker or crayon without wiping right off, so the permanent marker was the only thing he could write with (I could rant quite a long time on the Valentine candy industry and how they attempt on every hand to irritate and torment every parent with their choice of wrap). Apparently, this parent had not yet put the PERMANENT MARKER away...yet.

While I was contemplating what to blog on next...the next blog just came to me. See how lucky I am????

Oh, and one more thing. This may be "off-label" for the uses of a Magic Eraser, but I have to say it worked beautifully to get the marker off Drew's head, and he didn't mind it a bit.

Oh, What A Blissful Year It Has Been...

Happy Birthday, Drew Baby!! I cannot believe you are already 1 year old!! It amazes me how time can fly!! Our son Drew has been delightful every day of his life since the very first day we met him. He changed our family in so many ways, and even though it was difficult for me to adjust to three children in our family, he has never been difficult. He has been ever happy and sweet. The first time I held him was just like meeting an old friend again. He felt just like home to me. I am the happiest mom ever because of the three children Heavenly Father has blessed me with...well, so far.

We love him for his cheerful spirit and happy disposition!!


We love his dark eyes and very light skin. Even not having a hair on his head is incredibly endearing.


He is playful and bright, easy going and mostly calm.


He is fiercly loved by his sister and brother, and certainly his mom and dad!! He is a great addition to our family!! We are happy that he is ours!!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, OUR LITTLE BIG MAN!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Stairmaster...

Okay, so we have been teaching Drew how to navigate the stairs for a couple weeks or so, and now he thinks he can just go up and down without anybody there to catch him. We have found that he will go to incredible lengths for any squeaky balloon available, so I saw a great opportunity to get some footage. This isn't the best clip, but the other ones wouldn't load. I guess I am just asking the computer to handle too much cuteness at once. He seems to think he is the stairmaster...AND if he can get the gate open ( usually a slightly bigger sister is always willing to help) at the top of the stairs, he thinks he is KING OF THE WORLD!! It is so fun to watch them develop and grow. It is almost like you can hear a faint chorus of "Climb Every Mountain" in the background of his triumph. GO FOR IT, DREW BABY!! You sure know how to master those stairs!! You da stairmaster!!

Ken O' Lantern

Kendal lost his fourth baby tooth today!! It was his first top front tooth. It has been loose for long time, but in the last couple of days, Kendal hasn't been as graceful as he could have been and has had a couple run-ins with furniture and bus seats. We sent him to school with a ziplock sandwich bag just in case today was the day, and he came home with a gaping hole in his beaming smile of pride. He is so adorable with that silly toothmissing grin!! We love him.

The Toothfairy, on the other hand... is just about broke!! She may need to take on selling Girl Scout cookies door-to-door, babysitting, or selling homewoven handicrafts on ebay.

No matter what, though, a Ken O' Lantern is always welcome in our home, no matter what time of year it is. Halloween could never outdo this boy of ours. Never.

Bustin' Basement Blues

How in the world do we ever accumulate so much...STUFF? It is everywhere, lurking around every corner, taunting me. I am continually reminded it is around because it is, well, AROUND, ALL OVER THE PLACE, EVERY WHERE I LOOK, WONDER, OR EXPLORE. This STUFF is taking over.

This year our ward's relief society motto is "Less"ons for Life. We are focusing on living on less, making life more simple, streamlining our lives...just having and needing less, because less is more.

Our basement could sure use some shaving down. I had had about enough of clutter here and there and crushed boxes with junk inside. Why are we holding on to all this stuff, anyway? It was time to get brutal. It was time to weed through our mounds and piles and turn them into corners and places of space and serenity.

We are still in the process as I believe we are never free of the daunting task of keeping clutter at bay, but we have D.I.ed several boxes and just thrown out quite a few, too. As just a taste, we have gone from this:



To this:



AHHH! ThAT is BeTter!! It iS nOt peRfeCt, buT it Is a StArT!! The storage room has taken on a whole new look and feeling. I love it!!

Look out HOUSE, you are about to learn a serious "LESS"on.

Butikofer Family Christmas Party

Tari's family always gets together after the actual holidays have passed to get together, exchange gifts, and just be together. This year was no exception. This year was really fun because we brought out the old super 8 projector and watched some really really old home movies. I wish I had taken pictures of that but I was too preoccupied with running the projector until...the lamp burned out. That certainly darkened the evening. Then we brought up all the projectors we had and found a way to watch just a few more. I have missed those old movies. It was great to get back to my roots. LOVE YOU BUTIKOFERS>>>WHEREVER YOU MAY BE!!! THANKS FOR THE GREAT WEEKEND!!!