Kudos to Me

Remember that "Successful Mothering" convention I went to with Angie? I learned a ton of cool idea for motherhood wife-hood and being happy with yourself-hood. One of them was,

Don't wait for other to praise you. Praise yourself.
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Here it goes. I took the kids to Carls Jr the other cold, cold evening to play and burn some energy. Carls Jr has the most fantastic burger EVER on their menu. This, my friends, is the Guacamole Bacon Six Dollar Burger. It is mind-numbingly good. There was a time in my life that I could and would eat a whole one by myself. But since we checked the nutritional information, Adam and I split one two or three times a year. But Adam wasn't there and I wanted one REALLY BAD. Really!

But I didn't. I got a much smaller and plainer hamburger that was good but not mind-dumbingly good and I was okay with that.

BUT, if you're ever in the mood to blow 85 grams of fat on one hamburger, this is the burger to do with. Mind-numbing y'all. Mind-numbing.

Multi-tasking at its finest

DISCLAIMER

Though poop is mentioned in this post, this is a picture of Joseph after eating a chocolate donut. Promise!

When a child reaches a certain age, as a parent you start to relax about the possibility of a blowout diaper. I thought Joseph had reached that age yet he's blown out the back of his diaper TWICE this past week. TWICE.

The last one happened at bed time, in a brand new diaper, of course. I got him all cleaned up and changed then put him in bed and started in with a bedtime story and song. For some reason, in the middle of singing I Am A Child of God to the kids I thought I'd text Adam about the blow out. I don't know why then, I just did.

I quickly typed this text,

"God pooped out his diaper again."

The moral of the story is: Don't text and sing bedtime songs. Better yet, don't text during bedtime story and song at all. DUH!

Little Tiny House Guests

This is my niece, our niece, Olivia. Joseph started calling her Ee-ah months ago and now we all do. Well, Ee-ah stayed with us Wednesday day and Wednesday night while the rest of the family was out of town. My kids loved having Ee-ah around the house. Ella and Grace got to mother her to within an inch of her little sanity and Joseph got to be the watchful big brother type that would follow her around saying ,"No Ee-ah" if she got into drawers or cupboards. Ee-ah really likes emptying drawers and cupboards so Joe was pretty busy. Poor little Ee-ah!

Thankfully all parties involved survived with minimal if any psycological damage.

This little guy is another case entirely. This is Floppy the bunny. I was asked to feed Floppy while Randy and Angie were out of town. I, yes, I suggested that Randy just bring Floppy over in his cage since its been so cold. At home in their backyard Floppy has a heat lamp in his hutch and is nicely outfitted there, I just felt sorry for the little thing. After less than a day I, again, got to feeling sorry for Floopy being cooped up in his cage so I blocked off the kitchen with large Rubbermaid containers and put Floppy in there to hop around.

Did you know rabbits are jump clean over a large Rubbermail container? THEY CAN!

Floppy lasted at our house for three whole days then . . . he went back to his hutch at home with his heat lamp. I just couldn't take it anymore. I don't do pets. I realize this makes me unAmerican, a mean person and weird in every way but that's just me. A mean, weird, unAmerican animal hater.

Does this mean I'll never be elected President?

A Sparkling Blessing #4

Ten years ago yesterday I got officially engaged. "Officially" meaning, I got my ring. I picked out a similar ring at a local jewelry store but when we returned to buy it, it had already been sold. They couldn't get another so we found a guy to make it for us. We drew a picture, chose a center stone and waited.
A very nervous Adam surprised me with it (it wasn't supposed to be done for another week) on January 29th 1999. I love to tease him about trying to put it on my right hand.

Adam was very patient while shopping for rings. He was perfectly okay with my, "This is the only earthly thing I will look at everyday for the rest of my life." attitude.
I love, love, love my ring. I still think, after looking at it everyday for ten years, that I have the most beautiful ring I've every seen. Bar none!

I hope every wife thinks that about her wedding ring.

So, without being all materialistic and vain, I'd like my wedding ring to be blessing #4. Not that its the 4th most important blessing in my life, the date just came and went and it was on my mind.

Happy Birthday Pappaw, yet another blessing

My dad had a birthday last week. I don't think he'd mind a bit if I told the blogworld that he turned 59. My dad! 59! Is that possible? Is it possible for parents to make their kids feel old? Isn't it usually the other way around?

My dad is the youngest 59 year old I know. His graying hair looks very distinguished, his smooth face (thanks to him listening to the woman folk in the family years ago about using . . . lotion), his handsome smile (also thanks to the women folk) and his tall, lean build make him look much younger.

I have a really awesome dad. I do. I'm old enough to admit it freely and openly. My dad has aways been a big fan of . . . well, me. To this day my dad will call me out of the blue and ask me what I've done for myself that day.

My dad is a big fan of being a dad. He took/takes the job very seriously. I learned to cut and "weed whack" the yard, change a tire, properly wax a car, demo an old vinyl floor, work real hard and follow a good dance partner like nobody's business.

My dad is a big fan of fun. When I was three, my dad took me and Audra (5) to Myrtle Beach for a week. He even took us to the "Santa's Land" theme park in July (now that's dedication).
When I was 12, my dad took all four of us kids to Myrtle Beach for a week by himself (my sweet mom doesn't beach). He took off his watch and did whatever we wanted all week long.
When I was 15, dad took us four kids to California, by himself (my sweet mom didn't fly back then. Something about barfing from her heels the entire flight.) That's just my dad. He loved being a kid, having kids, acting like a kid. I think it keeps him young.

Since I am blessed to have an awesome dad, my kids are blessed to have an outstanding pappaw. If you were to check my cell phone usage I guarantee that my dad's number gets talked to the most. My girls know that they can call pappaw anytime, day or night. And they do. My dad says that if he can keep them talking and wanting to talk to him now, maybe, just maybe, when they are teenagers, they'll still want to talk to pappaw. I love that my dad worries about that. I think his plan just might work.

I could write a novel about the caring example he sets for me, the friend he is to my kids, the lessons I've learned and all the fun things I've done with my dad.

A few years ago, as a gift, each of us kids wrote three stories/experiences that we remember most about our dad. Once compiled there were 12 different stories. Wonderful reminders of a fatherhood well spent.

I love you dad. Happy Birthday

Sa-tur-day is a spe-cial day . . .

Quick! Name that song. If you got it you were obviously a regular in Primary circa 1985.

I seems like we don't sing that song anymore in Primary. Why not, I wonder?

Anyway, not the point of this post. The real point is that Saturday really was a special day for me. I spent most of Saturday with Angie at the "Successful Mothering Convention." I had so much fun with Angie and I learned/was reminded of a lot. We spent a good seven hours soaking up insights, advice and information about how to enjoy this journey called motherhood. As I get around to re-reading my notes I'll post interesting things I learned and cool facts I gleaned from the day.

Adam had worked a late shift the night before. As I left the house at about 9:45 am, I put a movie in for the kids, snuggled them in with blankets and told them that when the movie was over daddy would be ready to wake up so go jump on him.

Well, when the movie ended Ella decided to "let daddy sleep." Ella proceeded to be the mommy for the day. She "made" lunch for everyone, including me and Adam.

The kids played games and went peacefully about their day. Mind you that Adam was here the whole time, just asleep, much to his surprise. Adam was shocked to wake up to happily playing children and already made lunch, a bit later that day.

How sweet is our Ella is be so thoughtful of Adam and so responsible for her siblings. She continutes to amaze me with new grown up things she says and does.

Thank you, Angie, for inviting me to the convention.

After the convention Adam and I got to go out on a real live date. Vickie watched the kids so we could go to dinner (for Adam's birthday). Thank you.

It was so strange being away from the kids pretty much all day. I got an awfully warm reception when we picked them up at grandma's after our date. I got more hugs and kisses for the next 24 hours than I could count. You'd have thought they hadn't seem me in a year instead of just 12 hours. It was cute, funny and heart warming all once.

Should I Be Worried?

Probably!

Grace goes to preschool at a local high school. I chose this preschool because of the high "teacher" to student ratio. "Teacher" meaning high school students that are learning to teach preschoolers as part of their chosen high school curriculum. I've been very pleased with the program but then Grace brought this home last week.

Three! Three of ten words are spelled correctly. Three! Bananas would make four except it is spelled "Banana's" like the banana is possessing something or its some new-fangled contraction.

I'm leaving Grace in this class since (1) finding a new preschool is impossible this time of year (2) I'm trying not to be a spaz and (3) they aren't teaching Grace to spell.

FOR MY DEAR, SWEET, HILARIOUS HUSBAND

Elementary schools in Tennessee have full day kindergarten. I went to full day kindgarten and children today, in Tennessee, go to full day kindergarten. Adam thought it was so funny (back when Ella started kindergarten in Tennessee) to joke that it must take kids in Tennessee twice at long as other kids to learn the same stuff. Ha. Ha. Maybe Utah should consider switching to full day kindergarten!

Just for the record, having experience both full and half day kindergarten with Ella I, actually, prefer half day. Call me crazy.

I Neglected to Update . . . Until Now.

It was brought to my attention a while back that I never posted a picture of the lovely scar left by my picture framing catastrophe. So, all you curious minds that want to know, here it is.
Could be better, could be worse, so I won't complain. I try to remember to rub on it whenever I put on lotion. I read that doing that during the first year will help the scar tissue not to get all thick and bumpy looking. It seems to be working. So, if you have a new-ish scar, try it.

the Big 1 0 0

Believe it or not, this is my 100th post. I thought I'd use this chance to share my second of 52 blessings. My sweet kids definitely deserve to be right up at the top of my list.

This picture, taken last summer (when it wasn't witch butt cold outside), showcased my kids personalities at the time perfectly.

Ella, our helper, mother, bosser

Joseph, our patient and willing little brother who would eat bugs if Ella told him to

Grace, our fun loving, care free spirit

Now, five months later the kids are much the same only Joseph is developing an independent streak and Grace is trying her best to boss Joe (with little luck).

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They keep us always happy, sometimes frazzled, usually busy and often laughing.

Not Buying It

Joseph is trying really hard to cut nap time out of his day. Same days I will put him down for a nap and he never falls asleep. He'll play in his bed for over an hour. He plays with his socks, his toes, the pictures on his blankets and the matchbox size car or two that he always sleeps with.

Most days he fights nap time with lots of screaming and crying.

On the days that, for one reason or another, he doesn't actually sleep at nap time this has been know to happen. Not everyday, maybe once a week. Yah, go ahead, tell me " Not tie, mama. Not tie." I'm not buying it.

Happy Birthday, My Sweet

Yes, I sometimes call Adam "my sweet" and occasionally "honey" and even "darlin'". My sweet , honey, darlin' had a birthday this week. An understated, "I'd rather forget about it" birthday but a birthday nonetheless. Birthdays are wonderful times to reflect and think cumulatively about someone. I don't think its too unusual that Adam is the person that can make me the happiest and the maddest. But overall, there is way more happy than mad. Thank heaven!

We went to breakfast on his birthday. Spending time, one on one, with Adam reminds me that we are still friends not just married people and parents. We genuinely enjoy each others company and have fun together. This, obviously, isn't a picture of breakfast rather one of us at Lake of the Ozarks, MO back in 2006. My mom watched the girls so we could get away for a few days before Joseph was born. Despite me being just a tad pregnant, we had a blast. It felt like a second honeymoon.
Adam is already the "fun dad". He's the roller coaster riding, rope swinging into the river dad every kids wishes for. Adam is on the left in the white polo making the goofy face.
Adam will forever be my favorite goof ball.
Making things cool, fun and memorable for the kids is a big deal for Adam. This train cake was all his idea and doing. Who's the cool dad who made a train cake for his son's birthday with three little "helpers"? Yep, that's Adam!
And he changes diapers. See, I have proof! I so much appreciate all the help Adam is to me with the kids and around the house.
Adam's wanted a motorcycle forever. His got sold while he was on "the mish" and I'm not sure he ever fully recovered (just kidding). Back in 2005 it worked out for him to get one. He was just a little bit excited. Just a little, mind you.
Anyway, the point is not that Adam rides around looking handsome on a motorcycle. The point is that when I was pregnant with Joseph, Adam (not me) decided that it probably wasn't overly wise for a father of three to ride a motorcycle around when a car was safer. And HE SOLD IT. That's right, out of sheer responsibility and grown up-ness he sold it. I didn't argue.
This is Adam after running the Provo River 1/2 marathon back in 2007. I've never run a 1/2 marathon, have you? He just decided, trained and did it, all by himself. I was awfully proud of him. And he's at it again, Adam came up with the idea to run a marathon for our 10th anniversary (coming up in May). I'm tagging along for the run this time, since its my anniversary too. Adam encourages me and reminds me to get my runs in while I don't have/need to say a word to him. He is on the ball.

I am thankful for my sweet husband, my sweet 33 year old husband. Yes, he's 33 now.
Adam is a wonderful husband that I am blessed to have for my own. Nobody's perfect all the time but he's working on it.

Trauma, trauma, head trauma

Tuesday afternoon Ella went to play at her bestest friend's house. In case you didn't know, first grade girls like to dance and twirl. Lots of dancing and twirling! Apparently Ella and her friend got to doing some serious twirling and Ella fell and hit her head. HARD. Lindey's mom brought Ella home sobbing. She was a pitiful site. I snuggled her in on the couch with her Christmas blanket and finally got some Tylenol into her. I was a little alarmed at the amount of sobbing so since Adam wasn't home I called around and found a few "brethern" to give her a blessing. Soon after that, Ella threw up and that was it for me. I packed everyone up and took Ella to KidsCare. We spent the next two hours or so there where Ella got looked at and x-rayed. She couldn't keep anything in her stomach long enough for any medicine to start working so the poor little thing had a killer headache. Thankfully she was able to sleep after a while.

Adam joined us at the KidsCare. After throwing up two more times they sent us up to Primary Children's Hospital. The doctor at KidsCare told us that two adults had to be in the car on the way to the hospital or we'd have to take an ambulance. No thank you! Randy and Angie were sweet enough to let Grace and Joseph come sleep over (despite their own kids' barfing issues) so Adam and I could drive Ella to Primary Children's. Good thing we were both there since Ella threw up twice more in the car on the way.

We told the new doctors and nurses the story a million more time while Ella threw up again. They decided to do a CT of her head since she was throwing up so much. The x-ray from the KidsCare and the CT came back fine and Ella threw up AGAIN.
(Do you love my emergency room chic outfit? I was in my workout clothes when all this began and when I finally decided to take Ella to the KidsCare I didn't think to change. I just stepped into my snow boots, b/c it was snowing, and was out the door. Cute eh?)

After being there four hours and doing lots of "watching her" we decided to take the pitiful child home and let her sleep. We took her home, put her in bed with us (where she threw up one last time) and let her sleep. She woke up the next morning with a headache (duh!) and a little dizzy. She had some water (which made her nausous) and I got her to take some Tylenol. She slept most of the morning then woke up . . . ready to play.
Ella begged me to let her go to school yesterday (as if!). I did let her go to school today but only with a long note to her teacher and a solemn promise from Ella that she would call me if she felt even a tiny bit funny.

And so the moral of the story is . . . kids will be kids. Little girls like to dance and twirl and into every childhood a little emergency room will fall.

Thank you to the Elders' Quorum presidency for giving Ella a blessing and Randy & Angie for letting the kids spend the night.

What do you find?

I'm a little spazy therefore I clean out my couch every month or so.

I think this obsession stems from one of the places I lived in college. When we moved in, the place was totally dirty (shocking for BYU approved housing, NOT!) So, we got to cleaning. We took the cushions off the couch to vacuum out the crumbs and found an entire donut (hard as a rock). How do you lose an entire donut in the couch and not realize it? Ga-ross

(Chrissy, do you remember that or am I completely nuts?)

Thankfully I found way less disgusting things in my couch last time I took the cushions off.

I think what you find in your couch says a lot about a family. What do you find?

Family Picture

Adam isn't a picture person and I obviously haven't perfected my nagging skills since we've NEVER had a family picture taken. When the kids are grown and wonder why we don't have family pics, I'm so blaming Adam.

This will have to do for now. Thank you, Ella, for this lovely family picture. Its the best we can do for now, I suppose.

p.s. Any nagging suggestions ladies?

SEVEN

SEVEN. We're getting the kids ready for church and check the temperature out of curiosity and its SEVEN degrees outside. SEVEN. We don't live in the great frozen north. We live in Utah. UGH

p.s. I've decided that I think hell is a cold place. Who cares if its hot outside? If we are talking about the sheer misery factor cold is SO much worse!

Top 12 or maybe . . . just 12.

Blogging connects me to people I would never have gotten to know, like Adam's cousin's wife, Krissi Hutchinson. Krissi is hilarious and I wished we lived closer. She would be the best next door neighbor.

Anyway, this "Best of 2008" TAG is from Krissi. I don't consider 2008 a red letter year for us so here's 12 things that made 2008 the year that it was, good and bad. (In no particular order, except to space the pictures out.)

1. We began the year with a terribly, horrid, "kick me in the gut" move. This is the town home we moved from in Kirkwood, MO. Long story short, the semi couldn't get into the complex so last minute we had to rent a UHaul to ferry ALL OUR BELONGINGS to the semi parked about a mile away. Yes, that means we moved everything TWICE. My sweet brother was our only moving help that day and we wore him out. Wait, there is not way to make this story short so you'll have to take my word for it. It sucked!

2. I got to make, not one, but two trips home this year. One in May, just because and another for my sister's wedding in August. I love being with my family and miss living close(r) by.

3. We bought a couch this year. Not a big deal for some but huge for us. We bought a futon when we first got married and loved it. But almost 10 years later I'd grown to despise it. I love, love, love our chocolate and mocha sectional that is ridiculously comfortable and seats a boat load of people.
4. Speaking of buying stuff, we bought a commuter car for Adam this year. We couldn't take being a one car family anymore. So in February we bought a little Toyota that gets good gas mileage and carries Adam to and from work safely.

5. We moved to Utah to get out of debt. Period. Adam was able to work quite a bit of overtime this year and I'm thankful for that. We've made wonderful progress this year and pray that 2009 will be even better than 2008 for paying off debt.
6. Nearly every member of my family has visited us this year. Megg and Kate came in March, Audra in April, Sam in May, Mom in August, Audra and family for Christmas and my dad on Christmas Day. I am so thankful to have seen my family so many times this year. I hope for when three visits in one year seems like little instead of lots. But for now, I'm happy with three.


7. When we moved back we promised ourselves that we'd appreciate the mountains. We did pretty well. We took the kids hiking several times and even got in a few hiking dates. The mountains are so beautiful and peaceful.

8. Ella started first grade this year, which means all day school and two bus rides. She adjusted beautifully and grew to love school. Ella still says the bus is too loud. Good thing our stop is the last of the morning and the first of the afternoon.

9. Grace started a "real" preschool this year. "Real" means "not at a regular house". Grace love, love, loves her preschool class and getting to go to school with her cousin, Isabelle.

10. Joseph started going to nursery this year. No more roaming the halls during Sunday school and feeling like church was a total bust that day. (Warning: Unless you have a crawling/walking, jabbering toddler you are not allowed to judge that statement. Don't even think it!)

Also, Grace was a Sunbeam this year. Grace never did settle into nursery very well but did awesome in Sunbeams from day one. Hallelujah for the small things in life!

11. Again, this may sound silly but we've had a big year for . . . haircuts. I found a wonderful chic who gives awesome haircuts. I don't curse after haircuts anymore. Yeah!

I continued cutting Adam's hair and added Joe to my list of victims, I mean customers. Too bad I detest cutting hair. Oh, the things we do for our families.

Also, Grace donated 12 inches of her gorgeous, shiny brown hair to Locks of Love this year. She liked her new hair for a while but now wants to grow it long again.

12. Our family grew this year. Randy & Angie welcomed Olivia in April, my sister married Nathan in August and Ben & Meggan welcomed baby Luke in November. We are excited to get to know our new additions and welcome any new additions that may come in 2009 (no, I'm not Peggi!).

There's our 2008 in a very small nut shell. I pray that 2009 will bring us closer to achieving our goals and adding permanence in our life. Wish us luck and keep us in our prayers. Happy New Year!

Faux Happy

Joseph was in major need of a trim/cut. We have yet to find a hair style that works for his crazy hair.

Despite the pictures, Joe cries through haircuts. I'll admit it, I bribe him with candy.
I tried to just trim up the back and sides but all his squirming was too much for my very amatuer skills. I ended up having to take the whole thing down.
I always have a hard time getting used to Joe with a buzz. But what else can we do with his super straight "Kevin Bacon" hair?

btw, these pics are old enough that Joe needs a trim AGAIN. I'll try "just a trim" again and see how I do.

Fire Trucks, kind of!

Joseph loves trucks. He started calling them "sucks" months ago and that was pretty stinkin' cute.
Joe has taken the cuteness to a whole new level.

Joe especially likes fire trucks. They started as "fire trucks", then changed to "fire sucks" and now he, affectionately, calls them "fire f**ks".
Yes, in stores he sees a fire truck and runs across the large aisle yelling it in a really excited two year old voice.

The "terrible twos" may be terrible sometimes but funny sometimes too.

BTW, I totally blame Adam. Apparently, two year old Adam said "fire f**k" too.