Hi Blackfoot Friends. Remember the Kesler boys? Oh, you know you do. Well, they and their sisters (and some awesome cameos by Kelly and MarvaLu, even!) had some fun on a waterskiing trip.
ENJOY. I promise you will. Serious.
Edited to Add: Kim, your memory flatters me, but NO, I did not have a "moment" with Landon Kesler. In fact, I think it's safe to say I wasn't even on his radar in high school. But, hey, thanks for the compliment! :)
And Mom, you asked how I came across this. Well, you know me -- I'm like Forrest Gump -- I just sort of fall into this sort of thing!
30 November 2010
29 November 2010
The Season is Upon Us!!!
Hours spent decorating :5
Hours left to finish: Probably another 4 (dang pre-lit tree with 4000+ lights, about 1/3 of which are out this year! Grrrrr.....)
Pepperidge Farm Cookies consumed: Almost an entire box by myself.
Christmas Movies already viewed: Muppet Christmas Carol, The Polar Express, Miracle on 34th Street, Mr. Krueger's Christmas, Nora's Christmas Gift, The Story of the Other Wise Man
Times through the iTunes Christmas Playlist: 4+
Inches of snow on the ground: 16+
Falls on the ice/snow: 1
Hours shoveling/snowblowing: 4+
Cans of Hot Chocolate consumed: 1
Gifts ordered: LOTS
Gifts wrapped: ZERO
What month is it still?? Oh, yes, November!!! Well, it's officially Christmastime at our house anyway!
Hours left to finish: Probably another 4 (dang pre-lit tree with 4000+ lights, about 1/3 of which are out this year! Grrrrr.....)
Pepperidge Farm Cookies consumed: Almost an entire box by myself.
Christmas Movies already viewed: Muppet Christmas Carol, The Polar Express, Miracle on 34th Street, Mr. Krueger's Christmas, Nora's Christmas Gift, The Story of the Other Wise Man
Times through the iTunes Christmas Playlist: 4+
Inches of snow on the ground: 16+
Falls on the ice/snow: 1
Hours shoveling/snowblowing: 4+
Cans of Hot Chocolate consumed: 1
Gifts ordered: LOTS
Gifts wrapped: ZERO
What month is it still?? Oh, yes, November!!! Well, it's officially Christmastime at our house anyway!
26 November 2010
Thankful For...
Today (Thanksgiving Day) I'm thankful for:
*Good roads to travel on
*A big family full of people who aren't perfect and love each other anyway.
*Online Retailers -- I tried the whole Black Friday shopping thing a couple of years in a row. It just wasn't for me. Online steals from the comfort of my bed, though? Yes, please!
*Electric Blankets
*And ---- Chloe, Lily, Brigham, & Cannon. Four little creatures who have rocked my world, changed me for the better (and sometimes worse), given me wrinkles, improved my prayers, made me laugh, made me cry, made me a mother, and filled me with more joy than I ever knew was possible. I love them. They're healthy (praise Heaven), they're (mostly) happy, they're a joy. I'm grateful they're mine forever.
*Good roads to travel on
*A big family full of people who aren't perfect and love each other anyway.
*Online Retailers -- I tried the whole Black Friday shopping thing a couple of years in a row. It just wasn't for me. Online steals from the comfort of my bed, though? Yes, please!
*Electric Blankets
*And ---- Chloe, Lily, Brigham, & Cannon. Four little creatures who have rocked my world, changed me for the better (and sometimes worse), given me wrinkles, improved my prayers, made me laugh, made me cry, made me a mother, and filled me with more joy than I ever knew was possible. I love them. They're healthy (praise Heaven), they're (mostly) happy, they're a joy. I'm grateful they're mine forever.
24 November 2010
Thankful For...
Today I'm thankful for:
*Great babysitters.
*Lazy no school days.
*Kids loving the snow.
*Great friends.
*Christmas movies and music.
*That I'm done making pies. Still not my thing, but I'm glad I was able to do them for a family I LOVE.
***And not so thankful for yucky roads that are preventing my parents, sister, and possibly other sister from being with us tomorrow. Although Stormageddon 2010 didn't happen in Utah, it did in Idaho. I love you guys and will miss you like crazy!!!
*Great babysitters.
*Lazy no school days.
*Kids loving the snow.
*Great friends.
*Christmas movies and music.
*That I'm done making pies. Still not my thing, but I'm glad I was able to do them for a family I LOVE.
***And not so thankful for yucky roads that are preventing my parents, sister, and possibly other sister from being with us tomorrow. Although Stormageddon 2010 didn't happen in Utah, it did in Idaho. I love you guys and will miss you like crazy!!!
Thankful For...
Oops, I've missed a few days. Just busy with real life, ya know?
I'm thankful for:
*Early release from school
*Snow storms, even when they're not as crazy as they've been billed.
*My parents. I always appreciate their counsel and advice and that they only give it when I ask for it.
*Beautiful winter scenes out my window.
*A warm home that provides shelter from all the bad stuff outside. The bad weather, and all the emotional stuff, too. Well, maybe not emotional -- there's plenty of emotional bad stuff that I stir up right here, but I guess that our home provides a shelter from the spiritual storm outside.
*Thanksgiving with my Big FatGreek Mormon Family. I love the Rose Family Thanksgivings in Promontory. I love Scott & Christie for making them happen at their Farmhouse. I love my cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents. I love everything about this holiday and am SO looking forward to being with them all tomorrow!!!!
I'm thankful for:
*Early release from school
*Snow storms, even when they're not as crazy as they've been billed.
*My parents. I always appreciate their counsel and advice and that they only give it when I ask for it.
*Beautiful winter scenes out my window.
*A warm home that provides shelter from all the bad stuff outside. The bad weather, and all the emotional stuff, too. Well, maybe not emotional -- there's plenty of emotional bad stuff that I stir up right here, but I guess that our home provides a shelter from the spiritual storm outside.
*Thanksgiving with my Big Fat
21 November 2010
Thankful For...
Today I'm thankful for...
*Church. It's really, really great.
*Choir. Can't believe I'm saying it right now, but today at least, I really loved my calling. The people who sing in the choir are so great. I love them.
*My kids. They're hilarious and they forgive me when I'm really grumpy at bedtime.
*Stanton's calling. It makes him a better person and our family a better family.
*The Holy Ghost. When I listen and obey, really good things happen.
*Marion, our neighbor. We got to visit him at his knee rehab place tonight. What a good man. We're really lucky to live next to him.
*Church. It's really, really great.
*Choir. Can't believe I'm saying it right now, but today at least, I really loved my calling. The people who sing in the choir are so great. I love them.
*My kids. They're hilarious and they forgive me when I'm really grumpy at bedtime.
*Stanton's calling. It makes him a better person and our family a better family.
*The Holy Ghost. When I listen and obey, really good things happen.
*Marion, our neighbor. We got to visit him at his knee rehab place tonight. What a good man. We're really lucky to live next to him.
20 November 2010
Thankful For...
*A snowy day!!! I LOVE snow this time of year and we got a nice light layer this afternoon, complete with big, fat flakes perfect for catching on your tongue. It was magical. We sang Christmas songs while driving in the van.
*This totally rad phase of life we're in right now. It is amazing.
*A Saturday spent doing some family/spiritual housekeeping. It was necessary and so great.
*Communication. It seems like 8 years is the magic number for Stanton and I -- we are starting to fire on the same synapses. It's a welcome improvement for both of us.
*Cache Valley. This valley we live in is so homey, happy, and lovely. I love it. I'm really glad Stanton didn't listen to my argument that we should live somewhere neutral (where neither of our parents live). We very much have our own life here and I don't know if there's another place on this earth that has the same feel as this little valley. It's perfect for our family.
*A happy disposition and general good will. I'm thankful that I'm pretty easily pleased with life -- it makes the little things mean a lot.
*This totally rad phase of life we're in right now. It is amazing.
*A Saturday spent doing some family/spiritual housekeeping. It was necessary and so great.
*Communication. It seems like 8 years is the magic number for Stanton and I -- we are starting to fire on the same synapses. It's a welcome improvement for both of us.
*Cache Valley. This valley we live in is so homey, happy, and lovely. I love it. I'm really glad Stanton didn't listen to my argument that we should live somewhere neutral (where neither of our parents live). We very much have our own life here and I don't know if there's another place on this earth that has the same feel as this little valley. It's perfect for our family.
*A happy disposition and general good will. I'm thankful that I'm pretty easily pleased with life -- it makes the little things mean a lot.
19 November 2010
Thankful For...
Today I'm thankful for:
*An especially pleasant morning with Chloe Bird. She was ready 20 minutes early!!! She was cheerful, responsible, and enjoyed some time to read her Magic Treehouse book before school. I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this little treat was.
*A great ward. We enjoyed a fun craft night thing tonight and I was reminded why we will probably never move -- we are surrounded by the neatest, most down to earth and fun people in our neighborhood.
*A clean house when I got home. Stanton stayed with the kids while I was gone -- when I got home, the dishes were done, the toys were put away, and the kitchen smelled like Lysol. It was so awesome.
*An especially pleasant morning with Chloe Bird. She was ready 20 minutes early!!! She was cheerful, responsible, and enjoyed some time to read her Magic Treehouse book before school. I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this little treat was.
*A great ward. We enjoyed a fun craft night thing tonight and I was reminded why we will probably never move -- we are surrounded by the neatest, most down to earth and fun people in our neighborhood.
*A clean house when I got home. Stanton stayed with the kids while I was gone -- when I got home, the dishes were done, the toys were put away, and the kitchen smelled like Lysol. It was so awesome.
Where's My Fairy Godmother?
I've got a lot of extracurricular things going on today and really don't have the time to sit down and write, but the inspiration is here, so I'm just going to go with it.
I was quickly checking Facebook on my phone this morning while simultaneously towel drying my hair and fielding requests from my 5 year old to play Skunk in the Barnyard.
The post from a good friend (who's also been a mentor to me through my married life) caught my eye. It said, "having a Cinderella day full of cleaning and chores. Where is my fairy godmother? :)" I had to agree, where is the fairy godmother when we need her?!
But then I paused for a second to think about Cinderella's story. When did the fairy godmother show up? It wasn't during the washing of the tapestries or the scrubbing of the floor. It wasn't during the laundry or even while Cinderella's step sisters were heading out the door to the ball. No, it was after all the chores were finished and things still weren't going her way.
I can't help but compare this to my own situation in life. I've got a lot of household chores, but I have a little extra help there in the form of a twice monthly visit from a cleaning friend, so I want to focus on another couple of aspects of my life. The first is my body. I had four children in four years and it really did a number on my physical body. I've been lucky to not struggle with my weight, but I have struggled with an achy back, knees, and general fatigue, not to mention a belly that hasn't been flat since before puberty and a serious case of 'lunch-lady arms.' Well, for 6 years, I felt sorry for myself about those physical challenges. I wished they'd resolve themselves...that a Fairy Godmother would come along, wave her magic wand, and magically transform me into a thin, toned, energetic hot mama. It didn't happen. Then, one day, I got to work. I started exercising 6 days a week (give or take a day or two -- usually take....). Things didn't change overnight, but over about 5 months now, I have seen a marked difference in my physical fitness. I have energy in the mornings, my appetite has decreased (although my love of ice cream has not diminished in the least, thank goodness), my belly isn't a six pack or even a two pack, but it's getting less and less flabby with each week, and I'm starting to see the first teeny tiny glimmers of tricep muscles -- it feels like my Fairy Godmother is beginning to make her sparkly entrance. She didn't come before I made a huge effort on my own and she's not going to come until I've worked myself as hard as I can. There's something about that kind of magic, isn't there?
As with all things physical, there is a spiritual parallel, isn't there? I am pretty flabby spiritually. My dress feels pretty ripped to shreds at times. But, I know it is just like my physical body, and Cinderella herself: I can't expect the Fairy Godmother to show up, wave her magic wand, and transform me into a spiritual powerhouse without tremendous effort from me, first. I'm starting. I read the scripture primer with my children every week day. It's not the actual Book of Mormon, but I am learning so much from it. The Spirit has whispered to my soul on more than one occasion, some little insight that will help me in my calling as Mother or Wife or in my personal life. My prayers are improving. I find myself kneeling in the mornings and communicating with Heavenly Father about the day ahead of me. My nighttime prayers are fervent and specific -- asking for help to know my children better and love them more fully. My eyes are aware of and my heart is full of gratitude for the amazing life I am blessed to be living. My personal study of the scriptures is less than perfect, but it's happening occasionally. My testimony feels like it is growing and its roots are shooting further into the Gospel soil.
As I consider the spiritual 'chores' that have to be done before the Fairy Godmother appears and magically transforms my spirit, I realize something. Christ is the Fairy Godmother. He is the one with the 'magic.' The magic is the Atonement and it's really not magic at all, is it? It's real, it's effective, and it can make me a new and better person...physically and spiritually. He knows my physical suffering and he made my body, so he knows what will make it stronger and healthier. He is the driving force behind the change my body has made. His Atonement is what changes me spiritually, too. It's what increases my faith, it's what gives me the help I need to teach and guide my children --to help their own budding testimonies to grow. His Atonement is the magic. And He, in the scriptures, has said that it works only when we're doing the things He has commanded (working and getting those chores done):
Mosiah 4: 6
I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life...
Cinderella's Fairy Godmother knew what she was doing when she waited for Cinderella to finish all her chores. Jesus Christ knows what He's doing, too. I've got to trust that and keep on working day in and day out.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go play Skunk in the Barnyard...the kids just finished their chores.
I was quickly checking Facebook on my phone this morning while simultaneously towel drying my hair and fielding requests from my 5 year old to play Skunk in the Barnyard.
The post from a good friend (who's also been a mentor to me through my married life) caught my eye. It said, "having a Cinderella day full of cleaning and chores. Where is my fairy godmother? :)" I had to agree, where is the fairy godmother when we need her?!
But then I paused for a second to think about Cinderella's story. When did the fairy godmother show up? It wasn't during the washing of the tapestries or the scrubbing of the floor. It wasn't during the laundry or even while Cinderella's step sisters were heading out the door to the ball. No, it was after all the chores were finished and things still weren't going her way.
I can't help but compare this to my own situation in life. I've got a lot of household chores, but I have a little extra help there in the form of a twice monthly visit from a cleaning friend, so I want to focus on another couple of aspects of my life. The first is my body. I had four children in four years and it really did a number on my physical body. I've been lucky to not struggle with my weight, but I have struggled with an achy back, knees, and general fatigue, not to mention a belly that hasn't been flat since before puberty and a serious case of 'lunch-lady arms.' Well, for 6 years, I felt sorry for myself about those physical challenges. I wished they'd resolve themselves...that a Fairy Godmother would come along, wave her magic wand, and magically transform me into a thin, toned, energetic hot mama. It didn't happen. Then, one day, I got to work. I started exercising 6 days a week (give or take a day or two -- usually take....). Things didn't change overnight, but over about 5 months now, I have seen a marked difference in my physical fitness. I have energy in the mornings, my appetite has decreased (although my love of ice cream has not diminished in the least, thank goodness), my belly isn't a six pack or even a two pack, but it's getting less and less flabby with each week, and I'm starting to see the first teeny tiny glimmers of tricep muscles -- it feels like my Fairy Godmother is beginning to make her sparkly entrance. She didn't come before I made a huge effort on my own and she's not going to come until I've worked myself as hard as I can. There's something about that kind of magic, isn't there?
As with all things physical, there is a spiritual parallel, isn't there? I am pretty flabby spiritually. My dress feels pretty ripped to shreds at times. But, I know it is just like my physical body, and Cinderella herself: I can't expect the Fairy Godmother to show up, wave her magic wand, and transform me into a spiritual powerhouse without tremendous effort from me, first. I'm starting. I read the scripture primer with my children every week day. It's not the actual Book of Mormon, but I am learning so much from it. The Spirit has whispered to my soul on more than one occasion, some little insight that will help me in my calling as Mother or Wife or in my personal life. My prayers are improving. I find myself kneeling in the mornings and communicating with Heavenly Father about the day ahead of me. My nighttime prayers are fervent and specific -- asking for help to know my children better and love them more fully. My eyes are aware of and my heart is full of gratitude for the amazing life I am blessed to be living. My personal study of the scriptures is less than perfect, but it's happening occasionally. My testimony feels like it is growing and its roots are shooting further into the Gospel soil.
As I consider the spiritual 'chores' that have to be done before the Fairy Godmother appears and magically transforms my spirit, I realize something. Christ is the Fairy Godmother. He is the one with the 'magic.' The magic is the Atonement and it's really not magic at all, is it? It's real, it's effective, and it can make me a new and better person...physically and spiritually. He knows my physical suffering and he made my body, so he knows what will make it stronger and healthier. He is the driving force behind the change my body has made. His Atonement is what changes me spiritually, too. It's what increases my faith, it's what gives me the help I need to teach and guide my children --to help their own budding testimonies to grow. His Atonement is the magic. And He, in the scriptures, has said that it works only when we're doing the things He has commanded (working and getting those chores done):
Mosiah 4: 6
I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life...
Cinderella's Fairy Godmother knew what she was doing when she waited for Cinderella to finish all her chores. Jesus Christ knows what He's doing, too. I've got to trust that and keep on working day in and day out.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go play Skunk in the Barnyard...the kids just finished their chores.
18 November 2010
Conversations
Some of these are really old, but whoa, it's been a long time since I've done one of these.
Brigham while swinging outside (see, from a long time ago): Mom, rainclouds are pillows in the sky that make rain.
Cannon when you point to his nose and ask what it is: Boogers!
He doesn't say this anymore. Whaaaaaaa...
Brigham after passing gas while pooping on the toilet: Mom, you've got to come in here!!!
I go in...
Brigham: Is that what "Spidey Sense" is?
Me big mistake: Yeah, I think it is.
Brigham: Mom, does Spidey Sense come from your bum?
Me laughing: I don't know
Brigham: Mom, someday, we're going to have to take a Heaven elevator all the way up into the sky and Jesus if he knows if that's where Spidey Sense comes from is our bum.
The inner workings of the 4 year old male mind.......
Girl cutting Brigham's hair: Do you love your little brother?
Brigham: He's my favorite brother who poops in his pants.
Lily after having a conversation about Santa: So, why does Santa still bring me presents even though I'm naughty a lot of the time?
Me, talking to Chloe who was laying in bed after gymnastics and was hungry -- I was trying to convince her to wait until morning to eat (I know, I know, I should have fed her. I usually do, I swear): We'll feed you in the morning. I'll feed you a really good breakfast.
Chloe: Can it be pancakes?
Me: We'll see.
Chloe: Well, if it can't be pancakes, at least it has to be something with bacon.
Girl. After. My. Own. Heart.
Brigham: We didn't have vitamins at breakfast.
Me: Yes you did. Remember, Cannon took them downstairs to you.
Brigham: Oh, yeah. Well, that was just a daydream.
Brigham bit Chloe on the cheek really hard. He had a long time out and lost several toys. Later, he asked Stanton if he could have some of them back.
Stanton: No, you won't be able to have them back until tomorrow because you bit Chloe on the cheek.
Brigham really sad: Actually Dad, that was just a joke.
Me driving Cannon to the middle school for a little preschool lab: Cannon, you get to go to Madie's preschool again today, are you excited?!
Cannon while doing a rock and roll fist pump: Yes! Oh, yeah! Oh, Yeah! Ooh, Ooh, Oh Yeah. Yes! Yes! Oh, yeah!
Brigham: Mom, you know what? Relaxing is tiring.
Me giving clues while playing "Superhero What Am I?": I have blades that come out of my knuckles. I'm blue and gold. And I have a name that kind of sounds like Wolf. Who am I?
The kids all started guessing. His name was on the tip of their tongue, but they just couldn't get it out.
Chloe: Ooooh, Oooh, I know! I know! ...........Walter!!
It's Wolverine, in case you're not up on your Marvel trivia....
Reading the scriptures to the kids (talking about King Limhi's people escaping from the Lamanites) It made a connection all of sudden with Brigham.
Brigham: Wait a minute, Mom! The Lamanites are in our nighttime scriptures, too! They're in our nighttime scriptures and our morning scriptures!
Stanton reads the actual Book of Mormon to the kids at bedtime and I read the primer book to them in the morning.
Brigham was listening to a storybook CD of Cars wherein Mater says, "Good Mornin' Sleepin' Beauty!" -- He made another connection where he got the joke because he recognized Mater was saying Sleeping Beauty to Lightning McQueen. It was cute to see his brain firing and making those connections between stories, genders, and characters.
Cannon was going through a naughty stinker stage. Hitting me, pinching me, yelling at me, emptying cupboards, dumping things out, etc. It was my first 2 year old to go through such a stage and apparently I wanted to remember it because I recorded it on my voice memo thing where I record conversations. Thankfully, he is NOT in that stage anymore.
Brigham: Is my scrotum my penis's tummy?
Brigham to Stanton after fishing: Dad, will you cut out that fish's eyes? They're really creepin' me out.
Me to Brigham, who was singing a song from Beauty and the Beast: Oh, that just sounds beautiful, Brigham!
Brigham: No, I don't sound beautiful; I sound fableeous!
Brigham during the entire Halloween season -- referring to Frankenstein: Frank Frankenstein.
He was quite literally convinced that Frankenstein's name was, in fact, Frank Frankenstein. Some Jewish fellow from Florida, apparently....
Cannon first thing in the morning after wearing his Buzz Lightyear costume at the ward party the night previous. He got right in my face and his sweetest voice (like he KNEW it was going to get him what he wanted) said: Mom, hava da Buzza Wecue costyume?
Of course he got exactly what he wanted. He wore it all day, napped in it with his inflatable wings right next to him, and kept it on till bedtime. We got our $25 out of it.
Now for some more recent conversations:
Brigham: Did you know that bugs are people?
Me: What?
Brigham: Did you know that bugs are little tiny animals that are human? I know that grown up bugs are not humans but baby bugs are humans but when they're growned up they're not humans.
Brigham: Is momma human?
Lily: Yes, because she has eyes and a nose and a headband.
Accessories -- they're what separate us from the monkeys......
Brigham after we got home from our cruise...nonchalantly: Hey Mom?
Me: Yes?
Brigham: I want you to be everywhere I go.
Brigham: Mom, will you turn on Superman Batman movie for me while I color?
Me: No, Bud, remember we're not going to watch that movie anymore?
Brigham: But mom, I need it to see what he looks like.
Me: No, you're awesome, you can do it.
Brigham: No, I'm, well, not THAT awesome.
Brigham as I'm coming in to wipe his bottom: Here comes my beautiful mom!
I giggle.
Brigham: No, Mom, you're really beautiful!
Me: Thank you! That makes me feel so happy.
Brigham: Yep, you're beautiful...except for when you're not ready and then you're not really so beautiful.
Gee, you don't sweat much for a fat girl....
Cannon is talking like CRAZY lately. He pretty much says everything and speaks in full sentences. He's extremely understandable and is so aware of everything around him. He can communicate pretty much anything he wants. I need to start remembering some of his cute phrases and words.
Brigham's joke: Knock Knock. Who's there? Pizza. Pizza who? Why did the pizza cross the road? Why? To get to Pizza Hut!
Cannon's joke: Why did a pizza da wode? Why? To getta to wowrk.
Chloe's joke: What's a pirate's favorite letter? In a pirate voice: R!
I just realized there are very few Lily convos here. It seems like she's moving out of that off the wall hilarious phase and Brigham's moving right into it.
Brigham while swinging outside (see, from a long time ago): Mom, rainclouds are pillows in the sky that make rain.
Cannon when you point to his nose and ask what it is: Boogers!
He doesn't say this anymore. Whaaaaaaa...
Brigham after passing gas while pooping on the toilet: Mom, you've got to come in here!!!
I go in...
Brigham: Is that what "Spidey Sense" is?
Me big mistake: Yeah, I think it is.
Brigham: Mom, does Spidey Sense come from your bum?
Me laughing: I don't know
Brigham: Mom, someday, we're going to have to take a Heaven elevator all the way up into the sky and Jesus if he knows if that's where Spidey Sense comes from is our bum.
The inner workings of the 4 year old male mind.......
Girl cutting Brigham's hair: Do you love your little brother?
Brigham: He's my favorite brother who poops in his pants.
Lily after having a conversation about Santa: So, why does Santa still bring me presents even though I'm naughty a lot of the time?
Me, talking to Chloe who was laying in bed after gymnastics and was hungry -- I was trying to convince her to wait until morning to eat (I know, I know, I should have fed her. I usually do, I swear): We'll feed you in the morning. I'll feed you a really good breakfast.
Chloe: Can it be pancakes?
Me: We'll see.
Chloe: Well, if it can't be pancakes, at least it has to be something with bacon.
Girl. After. My. Own. Heart.
Brigham: We didn't have vitamins at breakfast.
Me: Yes you did. Remember, Cannon took them downstairs to you.
Brigham: Oh, yeah. Well, that was just a daydream.
Brigham bit Chloe on the cheek really hard. He had a long time out and lost several toys. Later, he asked Stanton if he could have some of them back.
Stanton: No, you won't be able to have them back until tomorrow because you bit Chloe on the cheek.
Brigham really sad: Actually Dad, that was just a joke.
Me driving Cannon to the middle school for a little preschool lab: Cannon, you get to go to Madie's preschool again today, are you excited?!
Cannon while doing a rock and roll fist pump: Yes! Oh, yeah! Oh, Yeah! Ooh, Ooh, Oh Yeah. Yes! Yes! Oh, yeah!
Brigham: Mom, you know what? Relaxing is tiring.
Me giving clues while playing "Superhero What Am I?": I have blades that come out of my knuckles. I'm blue and gold. And I have a name that kind of sounds like Wolf. Who am I?
The kids all started guessing. His name was on the tip of their tongue, but they just couldn't get it out.
Chloe: Ooooh, Oooh, I know! I know! ...........Walter!!
It's Wolverine, in case you're not up on your Marvel trivia....
Reading the scriptures to the kids (talking about King Limhi's people escaping from the Lamanites) It made a connection all of sudden with Brigham.
Brigham: Wait a minute, Mom! The Lamanites are in our nighttime scriptures, too! They're in our nighttime scriptures and our morning scriptures!
Stanton reads the actual Book of Mormon to the kids at bedtime and I read the primer book to them in the morning.
Brigham was listening to a storybook CD of Cars wherein Mater says, "Good Mornin' Sleepin' Beauty!" -- He made another connection where he got the joke because he recognized Mater was saying Sleeping Beauty to Lightning McQueen. It was cute to see his brain firing and making those connections between stories, genders, and characters.
Cannon was going through a naughty stinker stage. Hitting me, pinching me, yelling at me, emptying cupboards, dumping things out, etc. It was my first 2 year old to go through such a stage and apparently I wanted to remember it because I recorded it on my voice memo thing where I record conversations. Thankfully, he is NOT in that stage anymore.
Brigham: Is my scrotum my penis's tummy?
Brigham to Stanton after fishing: Dad, will you cut out that fish's eyes? They're really creepin' me out.
Me to Brigham, who was singing a song from Beauty and the Beast: Oh, that just sounds beautiful, Brigham!
Brigham: No, I don't sound beautiful; I sound fableeous!
Brigham during the entire Halloween season -- referring to Frankenstein: Frank Frankenstein.
He was quite literally convinced that Frankenstein's name was, in fact, Frank Frankenstein. Some Jewish fellow from Florida, apparently....
Cannon first thing in the morning after wearing his Buzz Lightyear costume at the ward party the night previous. He got right in my face and his sweetest voice (like he KNEW it was going to get him what he wanted) said: Mom, hava da Buzza Wecue costyume?
Of course he got exactly what he wanted. He wore it all day, napped in it with his inflatable wings right next to him, and kept it on till bedtime. We got our $25 out of it.
Now for some more recent conversations:
Brigham: Did you know that bugs are people?
Me: What?
Brigham: Did you know that bugs are little tiny animals that are human? I know that grown up bugs are not humans but baby bugs are humans but when they're growned up they're not humans.
Brigham: Is momma human?
Lily: Yes, because she has eyes and a nose and a headband.
Accessories -- they're what separate us from the monkeys......
Brigham after we got home from our cruise...nonchalantly: Hey Mom?
Me: Yes?
Brigham: I want you to be everywhere I go.
Brigham: Mom, will you turn on Superman Batman movie for me while I color?
Me: No, Bud, remember we're not going to watch that movie anymore?
Brigham: But mom, I need it to see what he looks like.
Me: No, you're awesome, you can do it.
Brigham: No, I'm, well, not THAT awesome.
Brigham as I'm coming in to wipe his bottom: Here comes my beautiful mom!
I giggle.
Brigham: No, Mom, you're really beautiful!
Me: Thank you! That makes me feel so happy.
Brigham: Yep, you're beautiful...except for when you're not ready and then you're not really so beautiful.
Gee, you don't sweat much for a fat girl....
Cannon is talking like CRAZY lately. He pretty much says everything and speaks in full sentences. He's extremely understandable and is so aware of everything around him. He can communicate pretty much anything he wants. I need to start remembering some of his cute phrases and words.
Brigham's joke: Knock Knock. Who's there? Pizza. Pizza who? Why did the pizza cross the road? Why? To get to Pizza Hut!
Cannon's joke: Why did a pizza da wode? Why? To getta to wowrk.
Chloe's joke: What's a pirate's favorite letter? In a pirate voice: R!
I just realized there are very few Lily convos here. It seems like she's moving out of that off the wall hilarious phase and Brigham's moving right into it.
Just Trying to Remember...
The chickens are molting, which means they're losing their feathers and not laying many eggs. It's normal and also explains why there were eggs in my grocery cart for Cannon to break the other day. Apparently, we shouldn't be surprised if it lasts a few months. Also, one of the hens (Fufu, Lily's hen and our best layer) is brooding, which means her biological clock thinks it's time for babies. She hoards all of the eggs and sits on them like she's incubating them. We have to lift up her bum to gather up all the eggs from underneath. She sits in her nest box from morning till night. It's also normal, but sort of annoying. Sorry, lady, I know what you're going through, but I'm not going through it right now, so I don't have any empathy for you.
We left one of Cannon's binkies at Judy's house today (he was napping there while I helped in Lily's class). At bedtime tonight I decided to see if he'd go to sleep without one. I said, "We left your binkie at Grandma's so you're going to have to sleep without it tonight, okay?" He said, "Okay." And he went right to sleep. I guess I had better find the other 2 or 3 that are kicking around here and get rid of them QUICK. I wonder how naptime will go????
Also, I don't know if I've recorded this, but I ended up getting Briggy switched to the afternoon preschool class so he and Lily would have the mornings together to play. It has been the best thing ever.
One last thing to remember. We have a new rule (about a month old) that the kids don't play with friends on weekdays, only Fridays and Saturdays. I made it because I didn't feel like the kids were getting enough time to see each other and play together (especially with Chloe, who is so busy). It has been amazing and the kids have truly loved it. I hope they always love each other as much as they do now and that this contributes to that affection.
We left one of Cannon's binkies at Judy's house today (he was napping there while I helped in Lily's class). At bedtime tonight I decided to see if he'd go to sleep without one. I said, "We left your binkie at Grandma's so you're going to have to sleep without it tonight, okay?" He said, "Okay." And he went right to sleep. I guess I had better find the other 2 or 3 that are kicking around here and get rid of them QUICK. I wonder how naptime will go????
Also, I don't know if I've recorded this, but I ended up getting Briggy switched to the afternoon preschool class so he and Lily would have the mornings together to play. It has been the best thing ever.
One last thing to remember. We have a new rule (about a month old) that the kids don't play with friends on weekdays, only Fridays and Saturdays. I made it because I didn't feel like the kids were getting enough time to see each other and play together (especially with Chloe, who is so busy). It has been amazing and the kids have truly loved it. I hope they always love each other as much as they do now and that this contributes to that affection.
More Carib Pics
Angie shared the pics she took on the trip. She took some really great ones and has such an eye for a good shot.
Thanks, Ang!
I LOVE THIS PICTURE.
Movies Under the Stars -- One of my favorite parts of the cruise.
Rainbow! Beautiful.
Second formal night with the 4 of us. Ang was so sick this night and was still a babe and great company.
Grand Turk. Gorgeous.
Beautiful sunset.
My turnip guy.
Non-blurry picture with our head waiter.
I was trying to sneakily point at this weird dude on a balcony who, before the cruise had even left port, was already in his underwear sitting on his balcony. What I ended up looking like was Chris Farley trying to do a sneaky bicep show-off.
These guys have been friends for a long time -- I think it was really fun for them to have time to catch up.
Thanks again, Angie & Kyle. We like you even more now!
Thanks, Ang!
Thanks again, Angie & Kyle. We like you even more now!
Thankful For...
Today I'm thankful for...
*Kindergartners. Oh, man, they are so stinking fun.
*Ice cream. I love my ice cream. Today I had a choice between ice cream or filling up my car with gas before going to Lily's class. You can guess what I chose. I'm still appreciating it.
*Stanton. Great guy. Ambitious, honest, confident, awesome, mine.
*Great family. I have really great parents, really great in-laws, and really great friends (who are like family).
*Great food. And the internet for its limitless source of recipes for said great food. Made ratatouille tonight for the first time. It was great.
*Blogging. I'm so grateful for the connection with friends and family and new friends. And that I have finally found a way to journal that actually works for me, because scrapbooking was SO not my thing.
*Kindergartners. Oh, man, they are so stinking fun.
*Ice cream. I love my ice cream. Today I had a choice between ice cream or filling up my car with gas before going to Lily's class. You can guess what I chose. I'm still appreciating it.
*Stanton. Great guy. Ambitious, honest, confident, awesome, mine.
*Great family. I have really great parents, really great in-laws, and really great friends (who are like family).
*Great food. And the internet for its limitless source of recipes for said great food. Made ratatouille tonight for the first time. It was great.
*Blogging. I'm so grateful for the connection with friends and family and new friends. And that I have finally found a way to journal that actually works for me, because scrapbooking was SO not my thing.
17 November 2010
Thankful For...
*This hilarious video Stanton shared with me. Holy Heck. I laughed till I snorted.
*This beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. The sunset over the Wellsvilles was breathtaking.
*That Chloe had gymnastics tonight. I would not have seen that sunset if we hadn't had anything going on.
*A really fun after school time. Homework was not a huge pain. Chloe did her math facts with gusto. We laughed, I kept my cool in the crazy moments, and we had dinner before gymnastics. I want to be this mom every day.
*The good man I married. He is a perfect match for me and I really love him.
*This beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. The sunset over the Wellsvilles was breathtaking.
*That Chloe had gymnastics tonight. I would not have seen that sunset if we hadn't had anything going on.
*A really fun after school time. Homework was not a huge pain. Chloe did her math facts with gusto. We laughed, I kept my cool in the crazy moments, and we had dinner before gymnastics. I want to be this mom every day.
*The good man I married. He is a perfect match for me and I really love him.
16 November 2010
My day.....
I just had to record this day in the life. One I don't want to forget.
5:30 -- Wake up to Cannon cheerfully yelling, "Mom! Momma! Mommy! Hi Mom!!"
5:35 -- Get him out of his crib so he doesn't wake up the other kids. Turn on PBSKids because I don't want to stay up to entertain him.
6:45 -- Wake up to Brigham coming in the room needing to potty.
6:45 -- Get up and get ready to work out. Get Brigham situated out on couch to watch TV.
6:50 -- Start Level 3 of 30 Day Shred.
7:15 -- Feel like I am actually going to have a heart attack and die.
7:20 -- Finish work out and lay on floor for 5 minutes trying to see straight and not pass out.
7:25 -- Realize that running every day on the cruise did NOT make up for the constant eating and nightly (and sometimes daily, too) desserts.
7:30 -- Drag myself into the kitchen to pour cereal for the kids. Use every last drop of milk in the house.
7:40 -- Shower and spend a couple of minutes talking to Stanton.
8:00 -- Read scriptures to children (while still trying to recover from exercise).
8:10 -- Start Chloe getting ready for school.
8:15 -- Chloe is needing LOTS of extra motivation to get anything done this morning.
8:25 -- Say a silent prayer of thanks for the scriptures. Try really hard to be patient while I help Chloe be free and make good choices for herself instead of me telling her every single step.
8:25 -- Promise Brigham that I'll get out his Cars toys and Lily that I'll fix her fingernail polish as soon as I get Chloe off to school.
8:30 -- Finally get to the point where piano practice can happen.
8:40 -- Get a phone call from Heather (cleaning friend), asking if I'm planning on her coming. Aaaah! I knew she was coming, but I left the house in a MESS last night. Honestly -- I didn't even start the dishwasher and the upstairs is a disaster. Say Yes, I'm planning on you coming and have a momentary freak out.
8:50 -- Chloe finishes piano practice. Realize she hasn't made her bed or gotten her hair done. (One of our worst mornings in a long time) (Did I mention that school starts at 9:00 am?)
8:50 -- Heather and Kirk arrive to clean. Can you start downstairs?
8:57 -- Say prayers with Chloe and send her out the door to school. (And I kept my cool all morning. Thank you, Heaven.)
9:00 -- Get Brigham's toys out.
9:10 -- Fix Lily's fingernail polish.
9:15 -- Start in bedroom and work my way through the upstairs and basement to get things ready for Heather to clean. I was honestly only 1 room ahead of her the entire time.
10:15 -- Start to have fuzzy vision and physical shut down.
10:16 -- Realize I haven't eaten breakfast, which, when combined with the most difficult day of working out in a LONG time and a post-cruise body used to eating every (what seemed like) 25 minutes, equals total blood sugar crisis and need to eat NOW.
10:18 -- No milk. No bread. No cooking eggs because Heather's cleaning the kitchen. No food in the fridge except a leftover container of Trix yogurt (may as well be eating a bowl of sugar with a spoon) from when the babysitter was here.
10:19 -- Don't care about the sugar. Shakily empty container into bowl and mix with granola and literally inhale the whole thing in 2 minutes.
10:22 -- Laugh with Heather about the situation and discuss Jillian Michael's various workouts.
10:30 -- Go to my bathroom and get myself ready.
11:00 -- Say goodbye to Heather and Kirk.
11:05 -- Read emails and get snack for Cannon.
11:30 -- Start lunch.
12:00 -- Help Lily get ready for school (she's already gotten dressed and made her bed earlier in the morning, so help her brush teeth, get shoes on, backpack, coat, etc).
12:10 -- Say prayers with Lily and send her off to school.
12:20 -- Feeling hungry again.
12:22 -- Still no food in the house. Pour a little bowl of granola and add craisins. Not much, but it gets me through the next little while.
12:30 -- Think about planning a menu for the week so I can go grocery shopping. Feel really overwhelmed at the thought.
12:35 -- Open menu planning notebook and realize I've already planned meals through the end of November. Praise monthly menu planning!
12:40 -- Get started on grocery list and check Google Reader.
1:00 -- Put Cannon down for nap.
1:10 -- Get distracted reading blogs and Facebook.
1:40 -- Really put my mind to getting grocery list finished.
1:45 -- Print a coloring page for Brigham.
2:00 -- Realize that while I have planned dinners for the month, I have no idea what to do for after-school snacks or lunches. Make a rough plan for those, look up some ideas on the internet, and finish up menu.
2:15 -- Cannon is still napping and Brigham is happily coloring -- can't go grocery shopping right now...time is quickly slipping through my fingers to get this done before the girls get home. Just can't bring myself to wake Cannon from his nap.
2:20 -- Call my sister and catch up. I've missed her!
2:45ish -- Finish talking to Cindy.
2:50 -- Accept that going to the grocery store is not going to happen before the girls get home.
2:55 -- Figure out an after school snack from the minimal food that's in the house. Pop popcorn, season it (not a usual occurrence around here, we usually eat it plain) and cut up the 3 carrots that are in the fridge.
3:05 -- Read a book to Brigham.
3:20 -- Cannon wakes up from his nap. Go get him out of crib.
3:30 -- Lily comes in the door and tells me that Chloe has fallen on the playground and is really hurt.
3:35 -- Thankfully, Cannon and Brigham are both playing downstairs. Run to playground and help Chloe who tripped on the ripped soccer net and banged up her neck, chin, and eye. Carry her home sobbing.
3:40 -- Help Chloe calm down and get the girls eating their snack.
3:45 -- No homework for Chloe (substitute and a huge relief), Lily starts her homework.
4:00 -- Still working on homework and reading. Boys come upstairs and eat their snack.
4:10 -- Make Sloppy Joes (not on the menu for today, but the only thing for the week that we have the ingredients on hand for -- except for the buns -- we HAVE to go grocery shopping).
4:20 -- Seriously, People! Can we get things finished up here so we can go grocery shopping??!!
4:30 -- Leave for the grocery store.
4:35 - 6:05 -- Grocery shop. Controlled chaos and really, really challenging. My thankful list today chronicles some of the highlights....
6:15 -- Get home and serve Sloppy Joes (without planned salad).
6:25 -- Take Chloe to piano lessons.
6:30 -- Get home and unload groceries.
6:35 -- Put away groceries while Stanton showers Lily, Brigham, and Cannon.
6:45 -- Help kids get ready for bed and downstairs. Lay out clothes for tomorrow.
6:55 -- Stanton reads scriptures to kids while I go pick up Chloe from piano.
7:00 -- Chat with her teacher for a bit. Chloe's ready to move from her Primer books (finished!) to Level 1. Awesome. Also, 2 week break from lessons. Still have to practice, but Awesome that we have 2 weeks to get through everything.
7:10 -- Get Chloe showered and ready for bed.
7:20 -- Stanton reads her scriptures while I clean up the kitchen and gather the clothes left on the floor from earlier showers.
7:35 -- Take Chloe to bed.
7:40 -- Finish sweeping floor and start load of laundry.
8:00 -- Call my mom -- she'll call me back.
8:05 -- Take laundry downstairs.
8:10 -- Talk to Stanton about Elders Quorum and some computer stuff we need to fix.
8:20 -- Mom calls back. Talk for a bit and start to figure out pie assignments for Thanksgiving.
8:40 -- Type thankful list on computer.
8:50 -- Text with Deyette about the week. Reassure her that the kids had nothing but great things to say about her and Duren and apologize again for Chloe telling her that she hated her. (She didn't mean it and was just overly emotional and I know I'm making excuses for my child, but honestly, I know her and in this instance, when she doesn't even remember saying it, I'm just going to give her a pass).
9:00 -- Start typing this post.
9:10 -- Field a couple of church related phone calls for Stanton. Return something to a neighbor (who came to our house to get it -- Thanks!).
9:20 -- Keep on typing the list.
9:25 -- That's right now. And I still have to fold laundry.
Crazy day, but not too out of the ordinary either, nowadays. I'm caught up on the day to day life things at least, and now only have to catch up on everything holiday related. Onward and upward!
5:30 -- Wake up to Cannon cheerfully yelling, "Mom! Momma! Mommy! Hi Mom!!"
5:35 -- Get him out of his crib so he doesn't wake up the other kids. Turn on PBSKids because I don't want to stay up to entertain him.
6:45 -- Wake up to Brigham coming in the room needing to potty.
6:45 -- Get up and get ready to work out. Get Brigham situated out on couch to watch TV.
6:50 -- Start Level 3 of 30 Day Shred.
7:15 -- Feel like I am actually going to have a heart attack and die.
7:20 -- Finish work out and lay on floor for 5 minutes trying to see straight and not pass out.
7:25 -- Realize that running every day on the cruise did NOT make up for the constant eating and nightly (and sometimes daily, too) desserts.
7:30 -- Drag myself into the kitchen to pour cereal for the kids. Use every last drop of milk in the house.
7:40 -- Shower and spend a couple of minutes talking to Stanton.
8:00 -- Read scriptures to children (while still trying to recover from exercise).
8:10 -- Start Chloe getting ready for school.
8:15 -- Chloe is needing LOTS of extra motivation to get anything done this morning.
8:25 -- Say a silent prayer of thanks for the scriptures. Try really hard to be patient while I help Chloe be free and make good choices for herself instead of me telling her every single step.
8:25 -- Promise Brigham that I'll get out his Cars toys and Lily that I'll fix her fingernail polish as soon as I get Chloe off to school.
8:30 -- Finally get to the point where piano practice can happen.
8:40 -- Get a phone call from Heather (cleaning friend), asking if I'm planning on her coming. Aaaah! I knew she was coming, but I left the house in a MESS last night. Honestly -- I didn't even start the dishwasher and the upstairs is a disaster. Say Yes, I'm planning on you coming and have a momentary freak out.
8:50 -- Chloe finishes piano practice. Realize she hasn't made her bed or gotten her hair done. (One of our worst mornings in a long time) (Did I mention that school starts at 9:00 am?)
8:50 -- Heather and Kirk arrive to clean. Can you start downstairs?
8:57 -- Say prayers with Chloe and send her out the door to school. (And I kept my cool all morning. Thank you, Heaven.)
9:00 -- Get Brigham's toys out.
9:10 -- Fix Lily's fingernail polish.
9:15 -- Start in bedroom and work my way through the upstairs and basement to get things ready for Heather to clean. I was honestly only 1 room ahead of her the entire time.
10:15 -- Start to have fuzzy vision and physical shut down.
10:16 -- Realize I haven't eaten breakfast, which, when combined with the most difficult day of working out in a LONG time and a post-cruise body used to eating every (what seemed like) 25 minutes, equals total blood sugar crisis and need to eat NOW.
10:18 -- No milk. No bread. No cooking eggs because Heather's cleaning the kitchen. No food in the fridge except a leftover container of Trix yogurt (may as well be eating a bowl of sugar with a spoon) from when the babysitter was here.
10:19 -- Don't care about the sugar. Shakily empty container into bowl and mix with granola and literally inhale the whole thing in 2 minutes.
10:22 -- Laugh with Heather about the situation and discuss Jillian Michael's various workouts.
10:30 -- Go to my bathroom and get myself ready.
11:00 -- Say goodbye to Heather and Kirk.
11:05 -- Read emails and get snack for Cannon.
11:30 -- Start lunch.
12:00 -- Help Lily get ready for school (she's already gotten dressed and made her bed earlier in the morning, so help her brush teeth, get shoes on, backpack, coat, etc).
12:10 -- Say prayers with Lily and send her off to school.
12:20 -- Feeling hungry again.
12:22 -- Still no food in the house. Pour a little bowl of granola and add craisins. Not much, but it gets me through the next little while.
12:30 -- Think about planning a menu for the week so I can go grocery shopping. Feel really overwhelmed at the thought.
12:35 -- Open menu planning notebook and realize I've already planned meals through the end of November. Praise monthly menu planning!
12:40 -- Get started on grocery list and check Google Reader.
1:00 -- Put Cannon down for nap.
1:10 -- Get distracted reading blogs and Facebook.
1:40 -- Really put my mind to getting grocery list finished.
1:45 -- Print a coloring page for Brigham.
2:00 -- Realize that while I have planned dinners for the month, I have no idea what to do for after-school snacks or lunches. Make a rough plan for those, look up some ideas on the internet, and finish up menu.
2:15 -- Cannon is still napping and Brigham is happily coloring -- can't go grocery shopping right now...time is quickly slipping through my fingers to get this done before the girls get home. Just can't bring myself to wake Cannon from his nap.
2:20 -- Call my sister and catch up. I've missed her!
2:45ish -- Finish talking to Cindy.
2:50 -- Accept that going to the grocery store is not going to happen before the girls get home.
2:55 -- Figure out an after school snack from the minimal food that's in the house. Pop popcorn, season it (not a usual occurrence around here, we usually eat it plain) and cut up the 3 carrots that are in the fridge.
3:05 -- Read a book to Brigham.
3:20 -- Cannon wakes up from his nap. Go get him out of crib.
3:30 -- Lily comes in the door and tells me that Chloe has fallen on the playground and is really hurt.
3:35 -- Thankfully, Cannon and Brigham are both playing downstairs. Run to playground and help Chloe who tripped on the ripped soccer net and banged up her neck, chin, and eye. Carry her home sobbing.
3:40 -- Help Chloe calm down and get the girls eating their snack.
3:45 -- No homework for Chloe (substitute and a huge relief), Lily starts her homework.
4:00 -- Still working on homework and reading. Boys come upstairs and eat their snack.
4:10 -- Make Sloppy Joes (not on the menu for today, but the only thing for the week that we have the ingredients on hand for -- except for the buns -- we HAVE to go grocery shopping).
4:20 -- Seriously, People! Can we get things finished up here so we can go grocery shopping??!!
4:30 -- Leave for the grocery store.
4:35 - 6:05 -- Grocery shop. Controlled chaos and really, really challenging. My thankful list today chronicles some of the highlights....
6:15 -- Get home and serve Sloppy Joes (without planned salad).
6:25 -- Take Chloe to piano lessons.
6:30 -- Get home and unload groceries.
6:35 -- Put away groceries while Stanton showers Lily, Brigham, and Cannon.
6:45 -- Help kids get ready for bed and downstairs. Lay out clothes for tomorrow.
6:55 -- Stanton reads scriptures to kids while I go pick up Chloe from piano.
7:00 -- Chat with her teacher for a bit. Chloe's ready to move from her Primer books (finished!) to Level 1. Awesome. Also, 2 week break from lessons. Still have to practice, but Awesome that we have 2 weeks to get through everything.
7:10 -- Get Chloe showered and ready for bed.
7:20 -- Stanton reads her scriptures while I clean up the kitchen and gather the clothes left on the floor from earlier showers.
7:35 -- Take Chloe to bed.
7:40 -- Finish sweeping floor and start load of laundry.
8:00 -- Call my mom -- she'll call me back.
8:05 -- Take laundry downstairs.
8:10 -- Talk to Stanton about Elders Quorum and some computer stuff we need to fix.
8:20 -- Mom calls back. Talk for a bit and start to figure out pie assignments for Thanksgiving.
8:40 -- Type thankful list on computer.
8:50 -- Text with Deyette about the week. Reassure her that the kids had nothing but great things to say about her and Duren and apologize again for Chloe telling her that she hated her. (She didn't mean it and was just overly emotional and I know I'm making excuses for my child, but honestly, I know her and in this instance, when she doesn't even remember saying it, I'm just going to give her a pass).
9:00 -- Start typing this post.
9:10 -- Field a couple of church related phone calls for Stanton. Return something to a neighbor (who came to our house to get it -- Thanks!).
9:20 -- Keep on typing the list.
9:25 -- That's right now. And I still have to fold laundry.
Crazy day, but not too out of the ordinary either, nowadays. I'm caught up on the day to day life things at least, and now only have to catch up on everything holiday related. Onward and upward!
Thankful For...
Today I'm thankful for....
*Good credit.
*Getting stuff done.
*The Book of Mormon.
A little insight from the scriptures to help Chloe be more self-motivated: Today we read about the King-men and Free-men in the book of Alma. Basically, the King-men are a lazy group of Nephites who want power and a king. The Free-men are the rest of the Nephites who know that being free, even though it's harder work, is the higher way to live. It's an exciting story that has many things to be learned. But, for this morning, the insight that came was to ask Chloe if she wanted to have me be like a king or if she wanted to be free. She chose king, of course, and so I explained to her that if she wanted me to be her king, then I got to tell her everything she had to do. She didn't get to make any decisions for herself. I got to tell her what to eat, when to talk, what to read, and when to play. She figured out pretty quickly that she'd much rather be free. So, then we talked about what it means to be free and how when we're free, we have to make decisions that get us what we want and need. We can't just dilly dally because then we lose our freedom. It took several reminders and though she certainly didn't perfect the concept in one morning, it clicked for her and she's thinking about it and trying to implement it.
When I really make the effort and pray for the Spirit, the Book of Mormon comes alive with parenting help and insight. I appreciate it so much.
*Food in the house. And monthly menu planning. Just as I was feeling totally overwhelmed with the thought of planning a menu so I could grocery shop today, I opened my menu planning notebook and discovered that I had already planned menus through the end of November. Heaven sent blessing, seriously.
*That I don't often have to shop with all 4 of my kids. I did today and while I never, ever thought I would ever say this, it was WAY easier shopping with all 4 of them back 2 years ago. They all fit in the cart and I didn't have to herd them through the whole store. They don't fit anymore (at least if I want to put groceries in), and it was hard stinking work corralling 3 kids with their own mini shopping carts and my own cart. We made it (whew) out alive and mostly in tact, but I am SO grateful that is a very rare occurance.
*The really, really, really sweet young guy who gave me the eggs right out of his cart this evening when Cannon "helped" me put the eggs on the conveyor belt. It made the mess of 4 broken eggs scattered from my cart to the floor to Cannon's hands, actually bearable. I had tears in my eyes as I thanked him. I know it was no big deal to him, but I'm teary again while I type this. He was an agent of Heaven this afternoon and I don't think I'll soon forget him.
*Wonderful teachers who give my children a whole new view of the world.
*Phone calls with my sister.
*Good credit.
*Getting stuff done.
*The Book of Mormon.
A little insight from the scriptures to help Chloe be more self-motivated: Today we read about the King-men and Free-men in the book of Alma. Basically, the King-men are a lazy group of Nephites who want power and a king. The Free-men are the rest of the Nephites who know that being free, even though it's harder work, is the higher way to live. It's an exciting story that has many things to be learned. But, for this morning, the insight that came was to ask Chloe if she wanted to have me be like a king or if she wanted to be free. She chose king, of course, and so I explained to her that if she wanted me to be her king, then I got to tell her everything she had to do. She didn't get to make any decisions for herself. I got to tell her what to eat, when to talk, what to read, and when to play. She figured out pretty quickly that she'd much rather be free. So, then we talked about what it means to be free and how when we're free, we have to make decisions that get us what we want and need. We can't just dilly dally because then we lose our freedom. It took several reminders and though she certainly didn't perfect the concept in one morning, it clicked for her and she's thinking about it and trying to implement it.
When I really make the effort and pray for the Spirit, the Book of Mormon comes alive with parenting help and insight. I appreciate it so much.
*Food in the house. And monthly menu planning. Just as I was feeling totally overwhelmed with the thought of planning a menu so I could grocery shop today, I opened my menu planning notebook and discovered that I had already planned menus through the end of November. Heaven sent blessing, seriously.
*That I don't often have to shop with all 4 of my kids. I did today and while I never, ever thought I would ever say this, it was WAY easier shopping with all 4 of them back 2 years ago. They all fit in the cart and I didn't have to herd them through the whole store. They don't fit anymore (at least if I want to put groceries in), and it was hard stinking work corralling 3 kids with their own mini shopping carts and my own cart. We made it (whew) out alive and mostly in tact, but I am SO grateful that is a very rare occurance.
*The really, really, really sweet young guy who gave me the eggs right out of his cart this evening when Cannon "helped" me put the eggs on the conveyor belt. It made the mess of 4 broken eggs scattered from my cart to the floor to Cannon's hands, actually bearable. I had tears in my eyes as I thanked him. I know it was no big deal to him, but I'm teary again while I type this. He was an agent of Heaven this afternoon and I don't think I'll soon forget him.
*Wonderful teachers who give my children a whole new view of the world.
*Phone calls with my sister.
15 November 2010
Thankful For...
Today I'm thankful for:
HOME. Home Sweet Home.
4 little children who were thrilled (one even to tears) to see us.
I missed them like CRAZY on this trip and couldn't wait to get home to see them. I know they felt the same. It has been a really lovely day here with little ones who realized just how much they love their parents and parents who realized just how much they love their children.
There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home.
I am so thankful to be HOME.
Oh, and the trip was so fun. Pictures and travelogue below.
HOME. Home Sweet Home.
4 little children who were thrilled (one even to tears) to see us.
I missed them like CRAZY on this trip and couldn't wait to get home to see them. I know they felt the same. It has been a really lovely day here with little ones who realized just how much they love their parents and parents who realized just how much they love their children.
There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home.
I am so thankful to be HOME.
Oh, and the trip was so fun. Pictures and travelogue below.
Caribbean Trip with Kyle & Angie
Stanton and I spent a really fun week on a Caribbean cruise with our friends, Kyle & Angie.
I didn't want to take our big camera, so I relied on my new iPhone's camera for all our pictures. When I say "new," I mean new. As in, I got it in SLC the day before we left for our trip. It's a high-def camera, but the fact that I hadn't used it before meant that some of the pictures were less than satisfactory. I'm still figuring out some of the tricks. It did manage to document the trip, at least, so enjoy the few pictures I took.
This is the exact same picture, with 2 different settings. I couldn't decide which one I liked, so you get them both. This is in Ft. Lauderdale at Port Everglades right before we sailed away.
Getting the cute couple shot of Kyle & Angie. They were awesome travel companions.
Formal night. I have to admit that I love this night on the cruise. I love the excuse to get dressed up and pretend like I'm sophisticated for a night.
This dude was one of hundreds on the island of St. Thomas (US Virgin Islands). They just chilled in the sun and posed for pictures.
On the beach at Grand Turk of Turks and Caicos Islands. A nice chill day (our last stop on the trip). I liked their shopping/swimming/beach setup. Very tourist friendly.
We snorkeled a bit on our own (no booked tour) here and saw a HUGE school of those fish that make shapes on Finding Nemo. Even cooler, and a bit creepier, though, was the barracuda stalking them. Stanton and Kyle saw an enormous one, by the time I had my turn, that one had moved on and I saw one about half the size. They're pretty ominous and I definitely felt a bit of that "fight or flight" instinct kick in (the fLight part of that instinct).
Commandatore Alfredo Marzi. He's the head chef for the entire Princess Cruise fleet and did a really fun cooking demonstration on the cruise. He also autographed the cookbook he wrote (and we bought). Yes.(in my best Napoleon Dynamite voice). Oh, and he's Italy's culinary ambassador to the world or something. His title "Commandatore" is equivalent to being a Lord in England.
My favorite dish on the whole cruise (and that's saying something -- Princess has the most amazing food on board). This was a seafood salad that was out of this world amazing. I would eat it every day if I could get seafood that fresh and have someone prepare it for me and do the dishes afterward. Anyway, it was divine. Light, citrusy, fresh, bright, perfectly seasoned, little taste of heaven.
Seriously, these pictures are SO out of order. I just want to get them blogged so I can get ready for the holidays. Anyway, this is some funny evidence of my attempt at cancer-free vanity. I (we) wanted to have a little color before the cruise, so I (we) got the Mystic spray tan twice. I pretty much sucked it up with the barrier cream that's supposed to keep your hands and feet from giving away your secret. Ha ha. Thankfully it wore off a few days into the trip. I (we) might just be the only person (people) ever to come home from a Caribbean cruise whiter than when I (we) left.
The Holiday Inn Express we stayed in the night before we boarded the ship had this fun little sign out for us. Right on, Ang!
First stop once boarding the ship? Buffet, Baby.
Thanksgiving dinner for a light lunch? Yes, please.
Blurry, but could Angie be any cuter if she tried? Love this picture of her.
In the atrium area. The Ruby Princess is the newest of the Princess ships and is big. It was pretty identical to the Golden Princess we took to Alaska this year, so by the end of the trip, I felt like I had finally figured my way around the thing. It's really quite remarkable and HUGE.
This was before the seasickness set in. Ang and I both have a history of sea sickness and both came prepared with our Scopalomine patches behind our ears. Mine did the trick, but Angie has been having inner ear problems and ended up being pretty sick for a good chunk of the trip. It didn't help that their room was on the very top and very front of the ship -- the furthest away from the rudder, and therefore, the most rockin' room on the ship. Angie was a total trooper, though, and had a good time in spite of her discomfort (that's putting it delicately).
One of our favorite parts of vacationing: Naps! And reading. I read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag (the first two in a delightful crime solving series starring the 11 year old witty, precocious chemist, Flavia de Luce) and started Secretariat -- since I didn't finish it, it will probably be a long time before I'll get around to reading it at home. They were fun reads and Stanton is now halfway through the first one. I've got to order the next one. The chance to just relax and read is a highlight of any vacation for me.
Some really fancy formal night shots. I thought the background was particularly classy. But hey, it beat the lighting in the piazza.
Kyle & Ang on formal night.
Our first stop (should have been our second, but our captain diverted us away from the Princess Cays due to bad weather and really choppy seas. This was the choppiest cruise I've been on. There was very little "smooth sailing," but it's still pretty incredible to realize how little movement there is on the ship compared to what's going on outside. When they decided to divert us, it was because we were in the midst of 17-foot swells in the ocean. Crazy. We sort of followed the tail end of Hurricane Thomas much of the trip. We had a little rain and wind, but not enough to make life miserable -- what it really did was make for some rougher seas to travel. Again, not helping with Angie's sea sickness.
Anyway, St. Maarten ended up being our first stop. We had booked a kayaking shore excursion before we left and I'm so glad we did. We've never really booked shore excursions before, but I am SOLD. It was a blast and such a fun way to explore the island beyond the shops and diamond sellers (crazy crazy crazy how many jewelers have shops on these islands). We spent probably 2 hours on the water in a double kayak while a group of guides led us around part of the island and gave a little history tour. St. Maarten is divided in half with one half being a French possession and the other half being a Dutch possession. They've been that way for a few hundred years and seem to like it just fine.
Just a little view of the massive ship. This was on St. Thomas. We did a Catamarand sea and snorkel excursion on St. Thomas. Another fun excursion. We got to spend about an hour in the water seeing sea turtles, stingray, and other fish. The reef took a HUGE beating from Hurricane Thomas and was pretty meager, but it was still neat. I asked the tour guide how long it would take the reef to recover and she said 10 years. They don't get hurricanes too often and will be anxiously awaiting the recovery of their island's sea life.
The catamarand ride was a lot of fun, too. Open and fast and wet. It was a fun excursion.
These next few pictures are from our tour of the galley (the enormous kitchen where they prepare all the food for the cruise). This was after the culinary demonstration by Commandatore Marzi on the last day of the cruise.
I especially admired the pastry chefs' work. This fellow here carved this rose bouquet from turnips -- for some reason, he decided to share one with me. It was very charming.
I didn't bring it home, but I did get this super classy picture with it.
But seriously, look at what they do with sugar! It was pretty impressive.
Arguably Stanton's favorite hang out on the cruise. This is the little International Cafe in the Piazza. They serve a variety of desserts all day, as well as gelatos (hello eggnog and nutella gelato), specialty salads (the shrimp salad and Greek salad were both delish), and sandwiches. Stanton's goal was to eat a pastry or dessert every time we passed the cafe. He came pretty darn close. I think the only time he missed was when we were in a hurry to get to our dinner table on time.
This was the uppermost deck on the ship and provided a little sanctuary from the noise and smoke by the pool decks. It was windy, but a nice place to read and nap.
This is Samdeep, our junior waiter. He is from India and was very sweet, although a little shy. He's carrying the Baked Alaska, the traditional dessert served on the last night of the cruise. All the junior waiters waltz through the dining area with their desserts aflame (only now they have a fake light instead of actual fire (a change from even last year). I guess the recent ship fire on Carnival has made all the cruise lines a little wary. It was still a lot of fun and a cool tradition.
I didn't want to take our big camera, so I relied on my new iPhone's camera for all our pictures. When I say "new," I mean new. As in, I got it in SLC the day before we left for our trip. It's a high-def camera, but the fact that I hadn't used it before meant that some of the pictures were less than satisfactory. I'm still figuring out some of the tricks. It did manage to document the trip, at least, so enjoy the few pictures I took.
We snorkeled a bit on our own (no booked tour) here and saw a HUGE school of those fish that make shapes on Finding Nemo. Even cooler, and a bit creepier, though, was the barracuda stalking them. Stanton and Kyle saw an enormous one, by the time I had my turn, that one had moved on and I saw one about half the size. They're pretty ominous and I definitely felt a bit of that "fight or flight" instinct kick in (the fLight part of that instinct).
My favorite dish on the whole cruise (and that's saying something -- Princess has the most amazing food on board). This was a seafood salad that was out of this world amazing. I would eat it every day if I could get seafood that fresh and have someone prepare it for me and do the dishes afterward. Anyway, it was divine. Light, citrusy, fresh, bright, perfectly seasoned, little taste of heaven. 
Anyway, St. Maarten ended up being our first stop. We had booked a kayaking shore excursion before we left and I'm so glad we did. We've never really booked shore excursions before, but I am SOLD. It was a blast and such a fun way to explore the island beyond the shops and diamond sellers (crazy crazy crazy how many jewelers have shops on these islands). We spent probably 2 hours on the water in a double kayak while a group of guides led us around part of the island and gave a little history tour. St. Maarten is divided in half with one half being a French possession and the other half being a Dutch possession. They've been that way for a few hundred years and seem to like it just fine.
The catamarand ride was a lot of fun, too. Open and fast and wet. It was a fun excursion.
These next few pictures are from our tour of the galley (the enormous kitchen where they prepare all the food for the cruise). This was after the culinary demonstration by Commandatore Marzi on the last day of the cruise.
This is Zosimo, our head waiter. He is from the Phillipines. We got to know him pretty well throughout the cruise and were really impressed by his dedication. He has been working for Princess for 7 years and plans to do 4 more contracts with them (10 months straight at sea, 2 months at home with his family times 4). He has a wife and 2 children, ages 9 and 4. This is a really great way for him to earn a good living to support his family, but he said over and over to us that he won't do any more than 4 more contracts because he feels like he's missing out on raising his children. He said the younger one doesn't know who he is when he comes home and that he wants to be a good father to his children. It was heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. He was a cool guy.
Well, there ya have it, sports fans. The most disjointed travelogue ever. The trip was really fun, the company was great. The kids were tended by Stanton's great Accounts Manager and her husband, Deyette and Duren. They had a good time. BUT, we all missed each other like CRAZY. I haven't ever felt the longing for my kiddos during a vacation that I did during this trip, and Stanton felt the same way. We missed them so much and really wanted to have them with us on the cruise. The long day of travel to get home about did me in -especially when we realized we didn't have the Jeep keys when we were ready to call Park n Jet to come pick us up from the airport. Thanks to a very fervent prayer (during and after the complete emptying out of every suitcase and bag we took), we knew we needed to call Park n Jet to see if the keys had fallen out of Stanton's pocket in the van on the way to the airport. Sure enough, they were in the lost and found. Huge sigh of relief and prayer of thanks. We left SLC at 11:45 pm and got home at around 2 am. We said goodbye to Deyette and Duren (who, I think, were thoroughly WASTED after a week with 4 kids, homework, extracurricular activities, kids missing their parents, and a baby on the way --- What TROOPERS). After they left, we went downstairs and woke up each child individually to tell them we were home. Chloe was so sleepy, but had a genuine and humongous grin on her face. She couldn't stop hugging us. Briggy and Cannon were happy, but pretty much asleep. Lily, as soon as she realized we weren't a dream, got a huge smile on her face and then burst into tears. When we hugged her and asked her why she was crying, she said, "I just missed you so much! I'm so glad you're home!" Oh, our hearts melted.
This morning, Brigham came into our room and when he realized we were actually home, he burst into giggles and said, "I believed you were home and you're here!!!" He snuggled in bed with us and had a lot of hugs and kisses for us. Cannon was next and was affectionate and excited. The girls came up last and the emotions continued to flow. Chloe hugged me so tight and in her morning prayers, said several times how grateful she was that we came home and that she wanted to always do good things because she loved her family so much.
It was so amazing to see their reactions this time and how similar their feelings were to our own during the trip. On our previous trips away from them, they've been pretty chill and haven't really seemed to notice we're gone. Not so this time and we felt the same way. It was a signal to us that maybe it's time to start taking these trips as a family. Not necessarily cruises, per se (although a Disney cruise is high on my list), but family trips and vacations. They are getting old enough to enjoy them and life is just funner when you experience it with your family. I think we all needed this trip in a strange way. It sure opened our eyes and our kids' eyes to how much we love and depend on one another.
Kyle and Angie were such fun travel companions and we had a really great time in the Caribbean...NOW, on to the HOLIDAYS!
And now I will mention (brag) that I exercised every day of the cruise. I averaged 2.5-3 miles on the treadmill every day except for the last Saturday wherein I swam laps for 25 minutes instead because I had a pokey thing in my foot from Grand Turk. Stanton got it out later after we bought a sewing kit (with needle) on the ship. Anyway, I'm hoping the fact that I worked out every day will somehow make the transition back to Jillian a bit easier. I shouldn't hold my breath, though, because I really enjoyed my dining and snacking on the cruise. But hey, 30 minutes of treadmill beats zero, right?
(Jill, you asked where I got my yellow shirt -- it was from Walmart this summer. It was only $8! If you can still find it, I bet it will be on killer clearance!). If you want to borrow mine in March, just pay the shipping and I'll send it out to you. Heaven knows I won't be using it here in March! Where are you going?)
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