What's new with the Kopps

So I think we have established that I am not very good at keeping up to my Blog, but I promise to start writing on here once a week for posterity. So Seth and I just returned home from our wonderful trip to Seattle, WA. It was a much needed break for me to eat, tour the city, sleep late and be as completely lazy as I wanted to be. We were able to take one day and even drive out to Forks, WA and through the Olympic National Forest. It was absolutely amazing, and well worth the almost 4 hour drive. (My husband puts up with so much!!!) In reality though, it was nice to get to spend so much uninterupted time with Seth. We actually were able to have conversations that weren't spaced over the course of several hours because our children kept delaying them. It was beautimous. We were also able to see several of the "sights" including famous "Underground Tour", Pikes Place Market, The Space Needle and the Seattle Temple. Not to mention the fact that Seth did an awesome job with his presentation at the CEC (Council for Exceptional Children) and how proud I was to watch him recieve his award for Teacher of the Year. It was a great week, and we have many wonderful memories because of it. Sunday morning at 0'dark thirty we left our hotel at the Sheraton to drop off our rental car at the Airport and start our journey home. The plane ride was for 4 1/2 hours non-stop to JFK in New York. It wasn't too bad...we watched a movie on our laps, and even played some trivia gaming on the little TV's located on everyone's head rest....Airplanes have suddenly gotten a little more fun....However the connecting flight from New York, to Baltimore was not that wonderful. We basically boarded what I refer to as a "puddle jumper" which is basically a schoolbus with wings. I am serious people....little planes are NOT fun. First of all...there is NO room on these things...not to stand..sit...stow your stuff...anything. Second...I don't even know what the stewardess was needed for, because she sat right in front of us the whole time....Maybe it was because the flight was so short.....35minutes to be exact. But I can tell you, I will not be taking any little planes again anytime soon. I thought I was going to have a panic attack from the lack of space/air/room to breathe. But we made it to Baltimore thankfully, and were greeted by our wonderful children. I almost cried when Jaxon ran up to me and hugged me!!! I had missed that little bugger so MUCH!!!! And Evie!! It looked as if she had grown a foot since we saw her! As soon as she saw her Momma, she had this look of pure joy on her face. I must admit, it was heartwarming. From that point on she would not let go of me for 10 minutes....I had to squeeze in sideways between their carseats so that they could hold onto my arms and hands...The joys of motherhood!!! It was a really wonderful moment to see how much they missed us. Once we got home, it was funny to hear Jaxon talk about his week with Grammie and Pap. He immediately asked us where his presents were....and then showed us the stuff that Grammie had bought him while we were away. Yesterday he asked us the funniest thing.....
Jaxon-"Mommy when are we going to Target?"
I said to him, "Jaxon, we are not going to Target today."
Jaxon-"But MOM...We need to GO there"
Me- "Why do you need to go to Target?"
Jaxon- "Cause, Mom! That's where you GET stuff...at Tar-GET."

And while we are on the subject...here are another few conversations that we have had lately...

Seth was shaving for church one morning and Jaxon was watching him in the bathroom. Jaxon thought that the whole process was quite intreaging. Seth apparently uses clippers to cut his beard down, so he can then shave off the stubble with a razor. Jaxon, sitting nearby notices that Seth's beard hair was falling down into the sink.
Jaxon-"Daddy what are you doing?"
Seth-"I'm shavin my beard"
Jaxon-"But DADDY!!!!! Your FACEFEATHERS are falling OFF!!!!!!"


Another night, Seth and Jaxon were sitting around a campfire at our neighbors house. As they threw on the logs to keep the fire going, the sparks would fly up into the air. Jaxon saw these and commented:
"Daddy!!! Did you see those FIRE SPRINKLES???????"

I will keep you all posted on any exciting new conversations that are to be had with Jaxon...

Scaredy Cats, Sleepless Nights and Bed Tents

Do you remember this show?? I used to watch it when I was probably about 12 or 13. It was one of those 80's Nickalodeon shows that came on. It was about a group of kids that would get together and tell scary stories around the campfire. I recently was able to watch a re-run of one such episode on some re-run channel. I must say, it was rather cheesy/wierd/ yet funny. I have no idea why I watched it other than morbid curiousity and bordom. So recently we have had our own scary version of the show. It all revolves around Jaxon, and getting the child to sleep in his own bed. The miraculous and wonderful powers of a TENT. I really don't know what VooDoo magic it has, but thank you Jesus for allowing us to stumble upon its redeeming qualities. You see, for the past oh...3 months or so. Our wonderful, sweet little boy has been sleeping on the floor in our bedroom. Yes, thats right, 3 long and horrible months. I have no idea how it started, maybe the child was sick. Maybe he had a nightmare, I don't even remember. But I warn you people, NEVER, I repeat--- NEVER let your child sleep with you in your room, because it will always work against you in the end. Needless to say, it caused quite the situation in our home for more than one reason that I will just let you figure out yourself..... So, we had been trying without much success to wrangle that little man into his own bed. And of course we would be greeted with much protest and tears, hyperventilating on both ends, and quite a few sleepless nights for all partys involved. The conversations would go something like this.....

Me: "Jaxon, it's time for bed, we have to do prayers now."
Jaxon: "Noooooooo Mom!!! I can't go to bed!!!! I just went to sleep!!!!!!!!"
Me: "You didn't even take a nap today!"
Jaxon: (starting to get teary eyed)"But Mom! I can't sleep down here, I'll be scared! I want to sleep upstairs with you!"
Me: "No! Your not sleeping with Mommy and Daddy anymore, your a big boy now, and big boys sleep in their own beds."
Jaxon: (Spilling more crocodile tears) "But MOOoooooom!!! I'm not Big, I'm just small!! and I will be scared by myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Me: (the heartless, cruel mother) JAXON!!! GET IN BED!!! YOUR SLEEPING IN THERE TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Ensue alot of tears and emotion as the child runs off to his bed, and close curtain)
Even when we managed to make him stay in his own bed, and fall asleep, the wily bugger would creep up into our room in the wee hours of the night and fall asleep either on our floor, or we would wake up with him asleep in our bed. We have tried being nice and telling him that Heavenly Father and Jesus will protect him...We have tried bribing the kid...We have tried punishing him with all sorts of things, but nothing worked. Finally, one evening my friend Melissa came to spend the night and brought her two kids with her. Seth was camping with some friends, so we decided to have some "girl time" in the form of a slumber party. We set up her two kids and Jaxon in his room, and Meliss had the great idea of making a tent on the floor for the boys to sleep under. This would be the turning point in my life, because the very next night Jaxon asked to sleep in the tent again on the floor in his own room!!! I heard the angels sing at that moment!!!!!!!! I had visions of sleeping in my own bed, without a 3 year old crowding me off of the side! It was a miracle! Needless to say, Jaxon now enjoys sleeping in his room. Since then, Seth has purchased a wonderful new thing called a "bed tent". I remember these things from when I was a kid, and always wanted one, but never got one. Basically, it a tent that clips onto the mattress, and now the kid will sleep in his own bed!!!!! So along with that and what we call a "magic quilt" that also has special magic to keep him safe, I believe that we have succeeded. Thank you Jesus!!!!! And thank you Melissa for opening my eyes to what a restful nights sleep can be.