I'm hungry

Ever wonder how a 3 year old (4 in 2 weeks) tells you how they're hungry. Well, mine has an unusual way. It doesn't matter where we are, or what we're doing. If Jared wants a snack or lunch or something, he says he smells it. So, today, we were at the store (not a grocery store, Mervyns), and Jared pipes up, "Ummmmmm.....I smell a sandwich and crackers, Mommy." Is that what you want for lunch? Yep, but you know he surely can smell it in the middle of Mervyns, can't he?

Field Trip

I guess it's time for some more updates. I went on a field trip with Joshua's class before Thanksgiving. We went down to Salt Lake to see a play put on at the University of Utah. It was a play about pirates. It was so much fun spending that special time with Joshua. He was in heaven! He was so excited to ride a school bus for the very first time! Here are some pics.

Turkey Bowl

The weekend before Thanksgiving we went to the local bowling alley for their annual Turkey Bowl. They were giving away free turkeys and hams for different winners in different categories. It was a lot of fun. We didn't win anything, but we all had a blast.

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving we went up to Montana to visit John's grandma and his other extended family. The kids had fun meeting everyone for the first time. Ethan was a huge hit with everyone! No one could seem to get over how smiley he was, and how big and sturdy he was. They all just loved him to pieces.

Family pictures

Christmas Plans

So, this is for all my Arizona fans out there. :) I'm excited to say that we will be in Mesa for Christmas! Yay! We're going to be there on Christmas Eve (Wednesday) through the following Sunday (the 28th). So, gear up for some Cowgill fun! I'd love to see all of you guys! I know it's kind of a crazy week and all, but maybe you can find some time for us. :) We'll also be going to our old ward (Viewpoint) on that Sunday, so hopefully we'll see tons of you there. I was even kinda hoping that we could get together for a girl's night one evening! Let me know if we can work something out like that! I'm so excited!! See ya'll in December!

Wait, there's more..

Ok, so I don't have time yet to get my other posts done, but I just want to pose a question out there. Do any of you have a child who just seems more difficult than the rest? I do. Almost every day I shake my head and wonder how I'm supposed to deal with him. Some days he's a saint and a perfect child. Other days, I just don't know. How do I deal with the disagreeable nature of this child? How do I teach him anger management? How do I teach him that life's not fair, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, and that's just the way it is. How do I teach him not to talk back and talk to me like he's the adult? I'll tell you what, I've had to learn a lot of patience from this boy. Patience not to react, patience to wait for him to calm down on his own, patience to teach him the same principles over and over and over and over again. I love him dearly, but oh my. He sure is difficult. He has been ever since he was little. I keep hoping that someday everything will just click, and he'll be a perfect child. I know, wishful thinking, right? Anyway, my wonderful child has just come from having a break in his room. So, I'm off to teach him his piano lesson. Maybe, if he doesn't have to go back to his room for being mean to his brother. Or back talking to me. Or just plain being rude... Oh the joys. Aren't children wonderful?

.............

A few hours later...He's really not a bad kid. He's just very intense. Either intensely happy or intensely mad. There's not a whole lot of in between for him. I just got done doing homework and reading and piano with him. We've been at it for about an hour and a half. He does really well with piano. He loves to play and he's a natural at it. He also loves to read. He's required to read 20 minutes every day, but he usually reads for about an hour every day. Sometimes more. And his teacher has started sending home more difficult homework for him. He's a smart kid. And focused. He can get a job done when he wants to. When his brain is being challenged and utilized, he's a good kid. Really good. And happy. When it's not, when he's between activities or bored, that's when he gets upset or doesn't handle things properly. Like when his little brother doesn't want to play what he wants to play. Or when his little brother runs away from him and so he yells at the top of his lungs. "Come back here! Come back here! Jared! You little!" Etc. etc. That's normal right? :) To be bored? And not happy about being bored? I don't like to be bored either. Sigh. Anyway, enough rambling for the day. I've probably written more today than I have in the last 5 months. So, enjoy. If you're lucky, it might happen again. But, not likely. Off to make dinner now.