Like Father Like Daughter

I wasn't going to blog today because I'm so stinkin' tired but I just HAD to share this.

If you know my dad very well then you know he is famous, or is that infamous, for bumping his head.

So, this afternoon I was heading out the front door to watch the kids play out front. I opened the front door and whacked myself in the head with the front door. I (not so proudly) admit, I cursed (thankfully the kids were outside). It freakin' hurt! And now I've got a goose egg on my forehead.

I mean honestly people, who whacks themselves in the head with front door?

ME

Dad, I appreciate you passing on your height and build to me but you could have kept the whole head bumping thing. At least I'm in good company.

LISTEN UP Bloggers Everywhere

ATTENTION!! ATTENTION!!

-

You! Hey you! Do you have a blog? If so, pay attention! Let me tell you about a little trick that will make life easier for everyone reading and commenting on your blog. Do me a favor . . .

-

1. log into Blogger

2. now click on "settings"

3. now click on the "comments" tab

4. third option down, click the little circle that says "pop up window"

5. now click "save"

-

This 30 second adjustment makes it so when a reader/commenter clicks on " comments" to leave a comment, the screen comes up in a separate box. The separate box is helpful so weirdos like me can read a post, leave a comment, then EASILY close that comment box and read another post (without all the back arrowing and clicking "yes" for secure or insecure something or other. I realize that its probably the security on our computer but I can't help/fix that.

So please, do it for me. PLEASE! I've love you forever. I'll bake you cookies.

p.s. I'm wound a little tight tonight. Can you tell? Nah

Disco Night

We went to Disco Night at school last week. The girls picked out their own "outfits" and they did an . . . interesting, I mean excellent job. Ella was double excited since her best-est friend in the world was going too.

This was the beginning of many awesome moves.

Which, of course, inspired Grace to do some moves of her own.

The night was filled with 70's classics and some not so 70's classics.
The night was also filled with all the cool 1st grade dance moves a mama can handle.
And all the preschool dance moves a mama can handle too.
(I haven't a clue why she was on the floor but she was happy.)


I twisted Adam's arm to stay home with Joseph and let me enjoy Disco Night with the girls. The girls love, love, loved it. How often can they dance around like maniacs, in a huge room, with a disco ball, loud music, tons of friends, in the coolest outfits in their dress-up boxes and get their very own snow cones?
Apparently, I'm the coolest mom ever! Just ask my girls.

p.s. I must admit I was disappointed that we didn't get to "Do the Hustle" a single time. What's a Disco Night with the Hustle? Come DJ, get with it!

Wandering Around One Night

I was craving . . . something . . . the other night. Adam and I found ourselves wandering around Target trying to figure out what I "felt like". Perusing the soda aisle, look what we found? RC and west of the Rockies too. Just seeing RC takes me back 20 years (I know, you're shocked that I'm that old!) to family vacations. My dad was/is a driving machine, partially thanks to RC. RC will forever make me think of my dad. (Funny thing is, I can't drink caffeine after noon or I'll be up all night and RC tastes a lot like Pepsi. Kinda yuck! And still we bought it.)
RC in hand, we continued on to the cookie aisle. With my dad on my mind I was instantly drawn to the Double Stuff Oreos. Double Stuff is SO where its at!

( my dad with his peeps)

So on some random weekend evening, wondering around Target, I took a stroll down memory lane. Me, Adam, RC, Double Stuff Oreos and my dad.

Feeling the LOVE . . . blessing number 7.

Every now and again my kids just need mama time. A few days ago all three needed mama time, at the same time.

The girls, being bigger and faster, got to me first. I was standing when they jumped on me. By the time Joseph got to the kitchen, they'd dragged me down and my lap was full. Thus the pouty face.

-

Ella was out of school for President's Day so we'd spent the WHOLE day together . . . mostly at home . . . in close quarters. Why they, all the sudden, needed mama time is beyond me. Kids are so funny.

-

I admit, there are times when I need my kids to love me lots and lots . . . from the other room. But I love, love, love moments like these. They won't be little and need/want mama time forever. I want to enjoy and always remember these precious days when my babies want to be near me, like me, love me and think I hang the moon.

I love being a mama!

Kudos II

So I did a "Kudos" post a while back and decided to make it a weekly thing. It might not happen exactly weekly but you get the idea.

These are the new running shoes I got for Christmas. They're pretty comfortable besides needing an arch supporting insole but that's not my point.
Point is, running is going well. These shoes carried me for five wonderful miles today. It felt great. I wasn't tired, my legs felt good, my lungs were fine and, despite these shoes needing extra arch support, my feet and toes felt good too.
The mileage is really starting to increase on our training schedule so I'm hoping, praying for more days like today.

Kudos to me for running and not giving up and quitting. It feels good!

Happy Valentine's Day to all

Our kids love, love, love any and all holidays! It doesn't take much to please them and its awesome to see them get so excited.

Ella and Grace loved their flowers. Grace reminded me about seven times today that the flowers still have the nectar in them.

Steve and Vickie were sweet enough to babysit of us that evening so we could get together with Randy and Angie. We decided not the fight the crowds and stay in. The guys made us a delicious steak dinner then we relaxed and watched a movie in front of a fire. It was awesome. Thank you, Randy and Angie, for inviting and hosting us. Thank you Steve and Vickie for babysitting and putting the kids to bed. We came home to a quiet house full of sleep children. Happy Valentine's Day to us!

This is Why We Went Digital

The other night Adam made Orange Julius for our FHE treat. It was a hit with the kids and I love me some Orange Julius. Joseph had a killer OJ mustache going on that I really wanted a picture of. Adam and I took 84,000 pictures to finally get this one.

Want to see some of the 84,000?

I'm pretty sure I heard a yes so here we go.
Is the flash blinding you?

And I wonder sometimes how my child gets so dang sticky? Hum, I wonder.

Close but the extra drool fixin' to drip from the chin is just too much.

Is he putting a hex on us for harassing him with the camera again?

This is the standard 'smile for the camera' smile these days. Cute but just a little creepy. We'll be doing candid shot until he passes this phase.

Anyway, the Orange Julius was fabulous and easy spleasy. I'll be posting the recipe we used and more pics on happyme tomorrow. Don't miss it.

More Firsts for Our Kids

We were all excited about getting to go to the Draper Temple open house. The girls thought they were so big to get to go INSIDE the temple. Adam and I were excited for them to have this experience at such a young age. Joe was . . . less than thrilled.

The tour "begins" at one of the nearby meetinghouses. We watched a short video on temples featuring . . . the Draper Temple. Did you know that it will be the 129th operational temple and the 12th temple in Utah? Betcha didn't know. Aren't you glad you read this blog?

Then we waited just a few minutes in the gym for the bus to take us up the hill to the temple grounds.
My girls said the bus rides were the second best thing about getting to visit the temple.

Joseph, once again, less than thrilled.

And here, according to my girls, the best part of getting to visit the temple: getting a cookie at the reception afterwards.

Our girls seemed particularly impressed with the baptismal font on the back of the twelve oxen (they thought it was a hot tub) and all the stairs we got to climb. So in order of impressiveness

cookies

bus rides

oxen carrying hot tub

stairs

I love going to the temple. It was especially cool to be able to have my children with me and to watch their expressions and hear their honest comments.

I particularly loved the artwork in the temple. Lately, I've found myself paying particular attention to what hangs in the temples. The Draper Temple has several Minerva Teichert paintings that I love, love, LOVE! It was like a scavenger hunt for me, looking for the next Minerva Teichert around the corner.

I also loved that the shape of the pansy (you know, the little flower) was used quite a bit, especially on the ceiling of the celestial room.

If you are or will be anywhere near Salt Lake between now and March 14, take the time to go visit the temple. Until March 14th, ANYONE can go, member of the church or not. It is requested that you get a reservation but they certainly won't turn you away without one. They didn't even ask us for our tickets just welcomed us in.

If you have questions, go. The church representatives, missionaries and not, do not approach people in the temple or the reception afterwards. They wait to be spoken to.

Visit http://www.mormon.org/ to learn more.

Another Big First

Ella had a big FIRST yesterday. She lost her first tooth. That thing had been loose for nearly a month but yesterday she finally played with it enough that she knocked it out with her tongue. Yes, Ella is six and a half years old and just now loosing her first tooth but what I can I say, she's mine. I only pray she won't be the orthodontic nightmare I was. Oh I pray!

( I took eleventy thousand pictures of Ella yesterday trying to get a good one of her missing tooth hole but Ella doesn't show her bottom teeth in her regular smile. So I got eleventy thousand weird face pictures with excellent views of her nasal passages. )
This is a Hutchinson Tooth Fairy pillow. Adam had one as a kid that his mom made for him. Ella was so excited when Grandma made one for her too. The tooth pillow is hanging on her bedpost right now just waiting for the tooth fairy. Hopefully the tooth fairy won't be so tired and forgetful tonight and he/she was last night.

A First for Joe and Blessing #6

Joseph hasn't, yet, been much of a prayer. It could be because his sisters are more than happy to pray whenever asked and are sure to remind us when the other prayed last.
Joe has been saying, "I pay." for months and months now but when it comes to actually saying the words, no.

Last night Adam asked Joseph if he wanted to say prayer. Joe said yes, no shocker. Adam started,"Dear Heavenly Father" and Joseph actually repeated the words. Well, most of them.

Funny thing is, as soon as Joseph said,"Men" Ella and Grace jumped up and showered him with hugs, kisses and "good jobs." Joseph was excited about praying but the girls were crazy excited.

It was one of those warm and fuzzy parent moments for us.
I love those!

My Mama is Blessing #5

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

My mom had a birthday this week. I don't know if my mom would mind me sharing her age or not so I'll be safe and opt for not.

I have a very loving mom. She worries endlessly about her family, her home and her future.

My mom is very into her genealogy, scrap booking, sewing for her home and family and her work at the temple. My dad swears that mom is going to go blind in front of the computer or hunched over her sewing machine.

Every mom/mammaw shows their love in different ways. My mom likes to use her talents to spoil her children/grandchildren.

Each grandchild gets one of these for Christmas the year they're two. My kids LOVE their "big dolls". They're customized Raggedy Ann/Andy dolls, made to match the grandchild. At our house, each doll is given the child's middle name. Ella has Christine, Grace has Anne (Annie, lately) and Joseph has Adam (though, Joe doesn't talk to or about his yet).
My mom is also famous of these hooded towels. She doesn't just sew two pieces of towel together. These, too, are customized with lace, ribbon and their names. My kids are very particular that they use their towel and only their towel and they can tell you in a heartbeat where the towels came from. Mammaw!
Yes, this is a picture of my mom sitting on the floor of the church kitchen in her wedding clothes making sure my sister's wedding cake (which mom made) is as perfect as can be. This is how mom shows her love and support. Our mom is awesome!This picture was taken in 1987. I was eight or nine and mom was, are you ready, 34. (Sorry, I just gave away your age.) Can you believe that? 34? My mom has always looked young. (And yes, that is a stuffed chef angel "flying" in our kitchen. Mom went through a killer country phase in the 80s/90s.)
And one short year later, mom entered into her famous, or was it infamous, 80's permed hair phase.
See that statue in the upper left of the picture? No matter where I see one it reminds me of mom. It has always been in our house. When I was young I thought it was my mom. I can not count the number of times I barged into my parents' room interrupting my mom prayers. Even now I know that my family and I are in her prayers every single day. I've never doubted that.

Though I'm a grown woman my mom is still a great comfort to me. I love it when we get to visit though we make due with lots of phone calls.
My kids love their daily reminders of their mammaw. Their towels and dolls, their mammaw made Christmas stockings, Ella's snow globes and Grace's flowers.

I love you mom and Happy Birthday!