Holiday Wishes

For those of you not on the mailing list:

Dear girl in Michaels

Dear tall and too skinny girl in Michaels,

When you bent over to look for paints on the bottom shelf and exposed your lavender lace g-string--it took all the restraint in the world for me to not reach out and snap it. Seriously? Your nerdy brother was right there and could probably see it. Gross. And if that is your boyfriend and not your brother--you need to get another boyfriend because he looks like he could be your brother.

Happy Holidays.

Sincerely,

Me

p.s. G-strings were so late 90's

Dowton Abbey

Just saw on PBS that Downton Abbey 1st season will be showing Sunday nights at 9 pm here in AZ starting this Sunday.

I am going to watch it again--this will make my 3rd round.

Why not?

The Christmas Story

I'm loving this Christmas story told by kids. My kids loved it too.

For those who are waiting

For those of you who are waiting--I wanted to share this.

This is our new TV. This is the first one we've purchased in our entire marriage. It's the first one I've purchased in my life--I am 36. We've always had hand me downs--and when we upgraded--it was because we got a new hand me down.

We have a lot of stuff like that--like our mattress. We've never had a new mattress, it was always given to us from someone. And now that I say that outloud it seems gross--but we were very particular I assure you.

And it's hard to watch your friends get cool stuff--even just normal stuff like mattresses, and to not be able to get one yourself.

Hyrum worked extra shifts to buy this--and he's wanted one for years---YEARS. But we work hard to not be frivilous with our money. Many a person has helped us out here and there financially, or with service and we could never justify purchasing something that seems to me extravagant as it would be a slap in the face. Until now. We actually have money in the bank--and that is beyond amazing. We paid cash for this. And it didn't come out of any budget allotted for anything else--it was a special purchase.

And it feels good to be able to do it.

So for those who are waiting--in neverending school, or with a new baby, or in that apartment that is too small and in a sketchy area--your time will come. When the time comes you may be in your mid thirties and buying something that seems to be a big deal to you--when it means so little to others. But it will feel good--real good.

To me things are always better when you have to sacrifice--and wait.

Besides--it makes for a great story.


Post Script: As I was reading my entry after I posted it I noticed my hilarious picture. Is that rabbit ears on top of my band new TV??---why yes it is. We are frivilous enough to buy a new TV--but not enough to pay for Cable. Bahhaaa! You can take the girl out of the ghetto but can't take the ghetto out of the girl.

Mischief

Zeek had a good time on photobooth--he even made himself my desktop wallpaper.

Saturday Night

Nothing to do Saturday night? Go here. It's at Mesa High. It's going to be super fun--I've seen some of the rehearsal and I'm excited.

It's the Final Countdown--da na neer neer da na ner ner neer

And the answer is . . . .Season 2 premier!!! I was going to wait and see if anyone figured it out, but I was too excited. So excited I rewatched season 1 on Netflix.

Don't know Downton Abbey? Well you should.

Watch Downton Abbey Season 1 Episode 1 Preview on PBS. See more from MASTERPIECE.

It's the best drama mini series. If you like any of the BBC Masterpiece classics like Pride and Prejudice--you'll love this. This one has more going on though.

It will suck you in. The acting is magnificent, the plot lines are well thought out and criss crossing. And the characters, you'll hate some, love some, feel sad for some, and excited and frustrated and so much more. It's witty and clever and --well--I could go on and on. It seriously is the best.

You can stream it on netflix. I just rewatched the whole series and it was even better the second time because I picked up on more details. And I learned that some local stations are rebroadcasting the first season before the second one arrives so check there.

Just a heads up--if it's already 9:30 and you think you going to be able to watch just one episode . . . so wrong.

You'll be on episode three at 1 a.m. telling yourself that you can probably still fit one more in before going to sleep.

But do it--even if you have to suffer through grogginess the next day.

For those who have watched it---the teaser for season 2!!

Watch Downton Abbey Season 2 With or Without You Preview on PBS. See more from MASTERPIECE.

If you go to the site there are more. MORE!!

It's coming!

It's soon!

This is a picture of the countdown calculator you can find on the web page for it.

January 8, 2012.

You ALL should be so excited.

I am

What is it???

(Cicily you don't get to guess because I already told you)

It's been a while

My kids used to spend lots of time on photobooth, but then they stopped. They just renewed their love for it. And it's funny. Maybe only to me--but it's still worth a watch. You'll at least think they're cute.

Buy local

My good friend Kizzy as a very talented husband who makes cool stuff.

So if you are going with a "Made in the USA" Christmas--check here.

Stuff for iPhones, iPads and some cool toys.

A local blogge did a post about him CHECK IT.

Busy Bee

I will get around to telling the rest of the story . . .eventually. I'm super busy now with photos and such so I will be M.I.A. for a while  So I thought I'd give you with something funny.

My friend Marlo at a Witches party we had.

Happy Halloween!

A Party Rock Anthem Halloween?

Yeayuh!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!

My Parenting

I'm not quite sure that other people mess with their kids like I do.

Like the time Josie told me she couldn't fly--and I told her to try harder. And then laughed and laughed to myself watching her try.

This morning we dropped off my oldest at the new school. On the way there I let the youngest girl sit in the front. And #2 girl was upset by that. "It wasn't fair!" So she was crying. Not a real cry a whining fake-pushed sort of cry. THAT DRIVES ME CRAZY. It old her if she didn't whine I would let her sit in the front on the way home. She chose whining.

So when she tried to crawl in the front I reminder her of my offer and that she chose to whine therefore--she sits in the back.

So the exact cry/whine-forced emotion started on level 10. It drives me beyond bonkers.

So I asked her "Do you know how to get home from here?" "Do you have a plan for how to get home when I drop you off on the sidewalk?"

And we discussed her plan. I suggested she walk straight for miles and miles. I checked to make sure she knew our names, phone number and address. Then I said, "Ok. good". "Now what are you going to do if you don't know the way?" I suggested she walk straight until she sees the blue domino Pizza building then cross the street and walk until she sees 24th street.

She asked in a small scared whimper, "How do I know it's 24th street?" --I answer, "The big green sign will tell you"

I suggested she had the option to walk into a store and tell the store clerk that she was lost and to call the police.

"What if I go in the street and get ran over? You WANT me to get ran over" he said a little crackly voiced from her holding back tears. "No I don't. So just make sure to stay on the sidewalk." I'm not giving that kid an inch.

Little sister was concerned about stranger safety, "I have a card that says don't talk to strangers. I don't want her to talk to strangers." So I give a little speech on stranger safety and assure them that a store worker would probably be the best bet.

And her whining has stopped. It might be on account of her being curled up in a ball, slightly rocking, with her head tucked in, arms around her knees and fear written all over her face that has made her silent.

And then we pull on to our street. And then into the garage. And she darts out--with a whimpering cry and the sniffles.

I should write a parenting book. It'd be a best seller. I'm sure of it ;)

My Barefoot Kid

The big Question:

So how did it go?

The Answer:

FANTASTIC!

She loves it. And I love it. I never realized how much I was affected by her school--and her being at her school.

I have always been a "suck it up and deal with it" sort of person. And the older I get--the more that is softening. I put her in Franklin--which is a back to basics school--because I wanted her to get a good education and I thought I could supplement with the arts and other sort of enrichment activities at home. Besides, kids in China have to do way more school work-- 6 days a week-so what are these sissy American kids whining about?

For anyone not familiar with Franklin philosophy--it is a no nonsense sort of school. It starts with phonics (which I love) and accelerates their learning in all areas. So kids are doing school work a year ahead of their peers. You know, 4th graders are doing 5th grade work and so and so forth. They drill math skills and just stick to the basics. The kids have art once a week which is done by their teacher, so they do have it. They have music class. So it's not like they don't have anything.

They have four class parties a year--one for season. But that's about it. No dressing up for anything, no red ribbon week with pajama day. Nothing. They also have a strict dress code where the kids have to wear pants, girls can wear skirts to their knees--but absolutely no shorts or even capris. No show and tell or anything of that sort. The have a stack of homework. It's all business. And I always thought I was an all business sort of person.

Turns out I'm not.

We changed schools at the perfect time. Her first day of school she went to Art class with and art teacher and they did oil colors. Hale is having red ribbon week. And they are doing different things. Wednesday was hat day, today was pajama day, and tomorrow is crazy socks day. Annabelle is over the moon about that--and she got to wear shorts on her first day of school. She wasn't nervous at all, and when I picked her up she had a HUGE smile on her face. She loved her first day and had a new friend with her the whole time. And as I was driving her to school the next day she said "I LOVE my new school. I didn't like Franklin. It was ok--I didn't NOT like it, it's just that now I WANT to go to school."

AUUUHHHH (that was the angels singing a chorus) .

That is exactly what I wanted for her--just to love it. She gets home earlier than the other kids because she starts earlier. She doesn't have much homework, which is actually hard for me to grasp. Franklin has homework starting with Kindergarten and it increases each year. I always thought it was necessary for a good education--but apparently it isn't. The school she is at now has good scores--not as great as Franklin--but still at excelling level. So she gets home and does the homework she does have and then she just smiles and bops around the house. She helped me make dinner and was so excited to do it.

I dropped her off this morning and then I had to drop my other kids off who are still at Franklin. And it was such a dramatic difference. When Annabelle got out the lady standing there said, "Good morning sweetie". And then when I pulled up to Franklin I looked at the lady standing at parent drop off and she was scowling. It's just a different feel. As I drove away I felt so happy. So happy that she is now happy--when she didn't even know she wasn't.

Because she's a barefoot kid. She is a barefoot kid who was in a laced up boots school--and now she's at a slip on sneaker school. Still snug, just more colorful and comfortable. And she's loving it.

I'm not naive enough to think that she'll be this excited forever. But I do think she'll be happier. How do I know?

Because when I dropped her off at her new school this morning--the principal was out front at unloading--and she was in her PJ's.

All butterflies

I did it! I pulled my 4th grader from Franklin. She's going to Hale.

Tomorrow.

That's fast, and I feel a bit uneasy about it.

But it's not because of where she's going, it's because I have to run kids at two schools. That's going to be crazy.

And I only know one person at the new school. But one is better than none, and it's a good start.

When I told her she was switching schools she said, REally!?? When!?? Not, NOOO or, :(

She even asked if she could start today. So I'm not so worried about how she'll do. She's a confident kid. (And also she has a cool lunch box.)

So if you know anyone with a 4th grader at Hale--tell them to be nice to the new girl.

And the thing she's most excited about .. . . wearing shorts!

Hale Elementary

I am interrupting your regular scheduled programming for this important announcement:


I am back to the drawing board with schools.

I visited Hale today and LOVED it.

So I was wondering what do any of you know about Hale?

Anyone have a friend who goes there?? I need some feedback.

It seems to be realistically what I want in a school and it's not too far away!:)

I have heard that some people have pulled their kids from Franklin and put them at Hale--do any of you know any of them?

or ANY parents?

Give me anything you have! Please. :)

The Why

Part 1

I was standing at the gas station, putting gas in my car, and I was crying. Just crying. Nothing happened, nothing set me off. I was just standing at QT last Tuesday, crying. My friends who know me well enough know that it's not typical. I am pretty steady emotionally. Maybe an occasional weep at that time of the month. So I ran through the checklist in my head . .. pregnant? nope. period? nope. And I got in the car and headed to Home Depot and the tears were still flowing, and increasing to a mild sob. I kept my sunglasses on and went in to buy my Lantana and a new pot for the front porch. I got back in the car and they were gone. But my curiosity as to why they began wasn't. I hadn't felt sad or angry--so why was I crying? That was a week and a half ago. So my day went on as normal and then a light bulb. It's not one thing, it's everything. On my trip I came up with an analogy to explain it. A pitcher can overflow if you leave the faucet on. Or you can keep putting a half a cup of water in at different times and eventually it will overflow. THAT was why. I had a half a cup of responsibility here and half a cup of worry there and a half a cup of tasks to do. And so it goes. My pitcher was spilling over and it wasn't that last half cup it was the culmination of all of them. So I was breaking.

This is the point in which one person reaches for a glass of wine, or another has a good hard sob, or another takes a Xanex. I drive. But not just a little drive. It has to be somewhere I've never been before so my mind becomes at rest--busy with the new and not with the familiar. Problem was--I had responsibilities-- a class I had agreed to teach, a Primary responsibility I was supposed to help with. But I was there overflowing. And at that point I am good to no one. And really at that point--I didn't care. I didn't give one frick as far as giving a frick goes. I have a friend in Spokane who always jokes about me getting away and coming to her house. So I shot her an email--she thought I was joking, or just crazy. I convinced her that I was absolutely serious. I needed to get away--like now. "Come on up". So by this time it's Wednesday and the guilt of dropping responsibility it diggin in my brain sharp like. You see I don't do that well. I've always done what I was supposed to do. I am a rule follower. A plan maker. So as much as I want to pick up and leave--I have the need to set things in order and fulfill commitments. But I knew. If I didn't do this--I would find myself crying for the next weeks and who knows how that might build up. If I am I going to fix this--it must be now--because the kids have the next week of school off. So underneath the sharpness of guilt is actually my balanced self saying--if you don't go and get your version of medication--then it won't go away and QT will stop letting you get gas there because you are freaking out the other customers.

And my husband? He's all for it. He's the spontaneous one. He's the one who comes up with these trips and then I give him a long list of why we can't go. 1) money 2) responsibility 3)1994 Suburban 5) money . . . and it goes on. And he gets it. That is where I'm lucky. Also something that I was reminded of during my 3,000 miles. He is truly my best friend. And he knows that I'm not right. Crying at the gas station--not very me. So Wednesday night he calls and asks for the final word--because he has to let work know he's not showing up next week. He can do that at his work--just tell them that the next week he'll be out of town--that is just how it works there. And there I am faced with my crazy and my need to be responsible. What do I do? What do I do? And I know. I know what needs to happen. "We're doing it". And I cry a little. Because now I have to face the responsibilities. I have to shirk commitments. I don't do that well.

So I open up my email. I send an email to the lady in the Stake--something has come up, I have to go out of town, I can't teach the Photography course. Sorry. I'd love to do it another time if you have need. That wasn't so hard. But I don't know her. Then the second email--to the Primary Presidency that I am in. And I am sobbing. I keep pulling my fingers from the keyboard because I don't know where to start. I feel horrible. I just can't do it--but I have to. I begin. I had a breakdown today. I need to get out of town so I can't help with the activity. I'm SO sorry. I just can't. I'll will set everything up and make sure it's set before I leave. Again--SO sorry. That was hard. And I cry more until I feel better.

THURSDAY

One of my best friends/college roommates happens to call for something. And I tell her about the gas station. "Oh yeah, that's weird" she knows. She's me. Another thing that I have been blessed with is a few really good friends that are me. And I tell her about how I feel horrible about dissing responsibilities etc. etc. "You HAVE to go. I did that once too. And I tell you--it will fix everything, you will feel so much better". She gets it. And she's responsible. She's me. She's not a crier. She's me. She is a road tripper. She's me. And she is telling me to go. That is what I needed to hear. That it's not a big deal. Bailing on stuff is not a big deal. Everything will be fine. She's right. You see--I am not that person who wants a hug. I don't want a look of pity--those looks of pity make me want to scratch eyes out. I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. I want to leave. I want to go away. I want to be left alone. And then I deal. And then I'm good. I get that from my mom. When my mother's mother died, she had us packed and in the car within 30 minutes so that no one would find out and call her. She wanted to be left alone. I get that. I am that.

Some of the Primary Presidency show up at my door step. They don't know me well enough to know to leave me alone. They are concerned. And that is nice of them to care. I can see it on their faces that when I said, "I had a mental breakdown" they thought I meant it in the literal depression commercial on TV kind. I sob and I apologize and they don't understand why a trip to Washington with my kids will fix anything. Because for them it wouldn't. That is not their drug. But for me it is. I try to emphasize to them that I will be fine. They express concern that when I come home I might not be fixed and they hope I face that and get help. "I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I know mental health. Hyrum worked in it for years. I'm fine. Don't worry". But I can see it in their eyes. They don't believe me. And they hug me and leave. That was hard. And awkward. But it's over.

Frenzy. Washing clothes, getting out suitcases, a trip to Trader Joes for basic snacks. I have to say one of the funnest things about this is that I didn't have time to plan. Not time for lists no time for overthinking. I make some haphazard piles as I'm folding--but nothing definite. I sit on the floor in my girl's room and start placing things in the suitcases. And the phone ring. It's my sister--"Hey do you still have your sewing machine and do you have multiple colors of thread?" My sister lives 3 hours away--this is a weird question. "Um yeah, why do you ask?" "Because I'll need it for the remodel I'm doing this weekend down at my condo--you are still up for helping right?" . . . . . . . . . . . . It hits me with the force of Thor's Hammer "Oh crap, I forgot--I'm packing to go to Washington" "What are you serious? I told you about this months ago and you said you put it on your calendar" and she did--and I forgot. I feel horrible. BEYOND horrible. I can't go. I just can't. My sister and her husband do EVERYTHING for us. They drive hours just to fix our air conditioning unit, they helped us remodel our house, I'm not kidding--I owe more than I can ever repay. I just can't go. "I forgot! Ok, I'm not going I can't". I give her a small narrative of my breakdown and why I'm going to Washington. "Go, I'll be fine". This is uncharacteristic of my sister. I expected her to be pissed and rightly so. I would have been. And her voice is kind and soft. Exactly what I needed. But I am resolved. "I'm not going. If I go, then I'm a jerk". And she reiterates that it's fine. And we hang up.

So Hyrum wakes up super excited and I break--I am sobbing. I tell him I can't go. I just can't. And I relay my conversation with my sister. And he understands, but he also knows I need to go. Hysterically sobbing and curled up on my bed I tell him to go get the kids from the bus. And I sob, hiccup sob. Because now I'm not going--and I need to go. But I also need to stay--I need to help her. And he gets home and shuts the door to the bedroom and curls up behind me. "I called your sister". WHAT??? "You called her?" He tells me that he called her to explain how horrible I felt and how I wanted to stay and help her. And she insisted that I should go. And that if I tried to stay she would push me out the door and not let me. She tells him that it took her 44 years to have her breakdown and that she is glad I reached mine earlier. And that she understands how I need to go. So I sob more. I love her more than ever.

I jump in the shower. He walks out of the room and I hear him tell the kids about our trip--and they are squealing with excitement. And I tell him that I didn't have time to pack them so he needs to. THATS RIGHT MOMS I left it to the husband. And I didn't care. Because I have no plans. If we make it somewhere and we don't have it--we'll go buy it. I don't care. By now my guilt has washed and I am ready.

Ready for my medication.

Get out the Map

There is an Indigo Girls song that lyrics just fit--

Get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down, we'll leave the figuring to those we pass on the way out of town . . . . I'm gonna clear my head . . .

And that is just what I did.

Off the grid.

Way off

Like over 3,000 miles worth of Road Trip off.

In just over a week.

I'll explain later.

It was Fantastic.

Just like that

I have decided to go off the grid for a while.

So if I don't answer and email or a phone call or if I seem like I'm missing.

It's because I am.

And I'm pretty stoked about it.

Poof

Do you ever just want to disappear? Start anew? Reinvent yourself somewhere else?

I'm feeling it. I'm a little ho hum with things. I'm just trudging along doing the same ol' same ol'. Which is what everyone does. But every once in a while I want new or different.

I want to take a year of photography, take classes, buy new gear--do new things.

I want to live somewhere else--maybe somewhere that HAS a Fall.

I want to travel. Get lost.

I want to stop thinking about things--like the news.

I want to stop worrying about what my kids may turn out to be.

I want new music.

I want new foods.

I want a new perspective.

I want change.

Grafitti

I am looking for a grafitti'd wall somewhere int he East VAlley.

Does anyone know of one?

My kids are rad

My kids are RAD.



GO HERE to see the full get up (note the feet).

Assignment

I assign things genders.

Like Trucks are boys

and

Cars are girls.

My daughter suggested that our Suburban marry our friend's new truck.

I thought--OBVIOUSLY they can't because they are both boys.

Am I alone on this one?

Blarg Math

Anyone else dreading Parent Teacher conference? Actually I wasn't dreading the teacher, I was dreading the discussion with child post discussion with teacher.

My 9 year old is failing math. FAILING. She doesn't like it. But she can do it--she just doesn't like to. She needs to improve her math facts--and that would help everything else. She doesn't like subtraction and addition, but for some reason she likes multiplication and division. So confused about that.

She WILL NOT do flash cards. Well, she will, and by the end I want to rip her hair out. That is not great.

So I want to go electronic. In dream world--I'd buy an iPad. Because I think it would be perfect. But unless some money drops from the sky, that ain't happenin.

So I want to get an electronic hand held math device. I looked up on Amazon and I found the Math Shark and another one.

So does anyone know of one I can use? Have you tried any? Reccomendations please.

My sister gave me an old school one, and i put it up so my kids wouldn't mess with it, and now i can't remember where I put it.

Classic me.

Anyhow, help!!

A random Pet Peve

Okay, I have many a pet peeve. But there is one that somehow irks me like no other.

And that is what I see as INCORRECTLY holding hands.

What? you say? There is such a thing?

Yes. There is.

I'll show you.

Correct:


Incorrect:



Do you see? The man should lead, his hand should be on top/in front. That is correct. I've mentioned this to other people and they gave me a crazy look.

Justin Bieb needs to learn a thing or two--but then again, he's just a boy. Maybe he'll man up.

Why does this irk me? I have no idea, but it does--to no end. Luckily, when I was looking for holding hand images, it was hard to find one that was incorrect. Which backs up my point, at least I think so.

The man leads, he should be the protector, the gentleman--opening the door and such. In a crowd, he should lead the way--and make a path. He can't do that if his lady's hand is on top.

I have never held hands incorrectly--in fact if someone ever tried (and I do have a faint memory of a boyfriend trying to do that to irk me)--I would rather NOT hold hands thanks.

And it's for his own good--I don't want people to think he's a pansy.

FREEDOM

Last weekend was my annual girl's weekend outwith my friends. THis year it was not one, but two nights of pure awesomeness. I know these highlights will mean nothing to the general public that reads my blog--but this was the easiest way I could journal it and get it to my friends.

My highlights from the weekend:

#1 Marlo surprising us with Lenor
#2 Hilarious drunk man in the pool
#3 T.P.ing as an adult
#4 Staying up until dawn and rolling into Bashas at 6:30 a.m. for donuts
#5 Only going on 20 minutes sleep Saturday
#6 Darcy's stories involving hookers and Care Bears
#7 The ice cream tower
#8 Lazy River
#9 Staying until the last minute of checkout
#10 Getting a text from my husband telling me to not go to church, that he'd handle it and i could take a recovery nap
#11 Strawberry Coladas
#12 Snacks, treats, snacks
#13 Finally falling asleep for a little afternoon nap on Saturday
#14 Staying up until 2:00 a.m. the second night
#15 laughing, and laughing, and laughing
#16 Lenor's Bib story that made me cry with laughter
#17 Sarah doing my hair
#18 Wearing a white t-shirt, because I didn't have any kids there to get it dirty.
#19 Getting cozy with Molly and Cicily
#20 Squeezing into the clown car to go get ice cream
#21 Kizzy stealing MY PURSE

Seriously--everyone needs a weekend with the coolest/chillest girls on the planet.

You guys are the best.

ANd shout out to my husband for not just being ok with me going, but happy for me--and creating a weekend of fun for the kids--and hooking me up with that nap on Sunday.

And just in case you didn't believe me, here is a shot of Darcy and I at 7 a.m. after our donut run.



Seriously. So much fun.

For those who went--what were your top three of this trip???

What's your Virtue?

My friend is part owner in an awesome lip gloss company with an awesome message.

Down East Basics Blog is hosting a giveaway for the lip gloss company What's your Virtue?

It is the only lip gloss i use. I love it. And it's also a stick it to the whoreish world sort of message.

So head over to Down East Basics BLOG and enter the giveaway.

And also, head over to What's your Virtue? and order some lip gloss.

What's my virtue??? It's Curiosity.

Conversations

My kids were in the back yard on the swing set enjoying the storm that was blowing in. I walked out there and began pushing my 5 year old on the swing. My other girls didn't notice I was there because they were in a heated discussion on the end of the swing set, this is what i heard:

9 year old: "I can't do it, I'm just not good at it--YOU ARE."

7 Year old: "I am good at it, it's easy for me. I can talk to them."

9 year old: "I just can't talk to guys."

SCCCREEEECH. (that was the sound in my head) Guys what guys? Oh no! it's starting. NO it's too early!

My 9 year old turns around and notices that I'm there and has a slightly sheepish grin.

So I speak up:

Me: "Did you just say you can't talk to GUYS???"

She gave me the most absurd--you are crazy look.

9 year old: "No!!! FLIES, I can't talk to Flies. Josie can talk to flies."

Josie: Yeah! I can talk to flies. And I can talk to worms." **squeak squeak chatter chatter squeak.** "See mom."

Me: "What did they say?"

Josie: "They said I have a cool mom."


Yes. My kids are still kids.

Kizzy (age 5), "I talk to flies, but they don't talk to me"

A proposal of Sweets

If any of you locals have a sourdough starter--I need some.

And if you share, I will have my husband attempt a batch of these SOURDOUGH CINNAMON ROLLS, and I'll hook you up with some.

Anyone???

Modesty--for kids?

I have an issue with Modesty.

I don't think it fully applies to children.

I can hear someone reading this saying, "ahem . .. if you don't teach them as children then when will you teach them?"

Well--I think things are appropriate for different ages, and I don't want my kids thinking things too early.

I have heard my kids point people out in public and say, "SHE IS NOT MODEST". And truthfully, I am a little horrified--because I didn't teach them that--and I think they are judging those people, and that is the LAST thing I want.

I remember thinking my mother was a stickler for modesty--but now in retrospect--she was just like me--some things are driven home, while others .. . .not so much.

I was NOT allowed to wear short shorts. EVER. At least not when I was old enough for them to be considered short. If I look back at my early childhood in the late 70's early 80's--I wore short shorts--and those tank tops that had those pin tucks around the top and were super itchy--the ones with the spaghetti straps. In fact i remember being college age and seeing a picture of my friend from her childhood--and she had the same thing on--and her mother was all about Modesty.

It was fine--we were kids. So that led me to believe that the whole overboard with modesty thing kicked in sometime after my childhood.

Which is part of my point. I blogged my beliefs years ago after I read a Segullah article that i loved, but I can't find that post or I'd link it. I just remember the author saying that kids should be asexual and not worry about their bodies or images.

There should be a point in a child's life that modesty isn't a concern--being obsessed with our clothes and others shouldn't matter. You know, the less my kid thinks about her body and others bodies and who is and is not doing something wrong--then the better.

My kids wear short shorts--not gross short, but short. I don't care. They are little.

My kids wear tank tops. It's frickin' hot here--and they are kids, I think it's super cute.

But what i don't let my kids do is bare their stomach. I just think that's trashy at any age.

Well, unless you are swimming. But even then, when kids have bikinis on it weirds me out for some reason. Not the tankinis--but bikinis. ON babies it's cute because it's funny, but once they hit school age--then it starts getting weird for me. I don't know why.

So, basically I am doing what my mother did. Letting my kids be kids. And adjusting as I go. Annabelle is 9 and I'm starting to adjust for her. TAnk top dresses are just now seeming to not look right. So those are out. And when she gets boobles (you know, when their little boobies start to grow) then for sure she's done.

The reason this is on my mind is because I have to teach a lesson to the Primary kids on modesty. WHAT??? They are too little. I think. What do I tell them? Mostly--I don't want to say things because modesty isn't a black and white issue. There is not a clear list of what is right and wrong listed in the church's handbook. It is a general issue, with basic precepts, left to the parents to teach. Especially not for kids. And besides, not EVERY family believes the same thing.

I had one of my girl's friends say something to my daughter about her clothes being immodest--when she was 5. 5!!!!!!!! My kid was wearing a tank top.

Many mothers would be proud, I would be horrified. I don't want my kid telling other kids that they are doing something wrong, or unacceptable.

So I am going to tiptoe around the subject on Sunday--I actually saw on Sugardoodle that someone else didn't like this lesson either--so I'm going with her idea. The Primary manual for this lesson doesn't give specifics--it just says--teach modesty.

So I'm going to teach all of the kids that it is ok to wear tank tops until they have boobles. That's ok right?

Post note:

(I am NOT the right person to teaching this lesson, because just a few days ago I saw a picture of me in a bikini in college--and i thought "I am so glad I rocked that when i could--look at my abs" Not exactly a warrior or modesty ;)

post note of the previous post note:

My friend from the blogesphere linked me to an article she wrote--i thought it was great READ IT HERE>

1st day tales

You know what's NOT AWESOME about the first day of school?

When your husband goes to pick up kids from the bus stop and calls to say--our second grader wasn't on the bus, nor was our kindergarten niece that we are in charge of. And adds that another kid on the bus says that she got on the wrong bus.


. . .. um . . . .what?

***commence slightly panicked phone call to school**

"Hi, school, we are missing two of our children (insert name and description)"

I hear from my end of the phone . . "are (insert children's name) here?"

"Yes, we have your niece here, but your second grader is not here."

then nothing, no questions nothing.

me: "Well, she was supposed to get on the red bus and she never did, another child from her bus said that she might have gotten on the yellow bus."

them:"Well--I will call the drivers and then call you back--what is your number?"

Husband comes home and drops off the oldest child--then sets out to school to retrieve niece and get info on second grader.

School calls me back and says that they have called the buses, and they haven't called back yet. And that is all that she says.

Hyrum gets to school and calls me every 5 minutes or so with updates saying that they haven't found her, and that the bus drivers aren't answering their radios.

. . . um---try not to panic, try not to panic . . ok panicking---

You see, if it was my fourth grader, I wouldn't be so worried--she's the oldest child, and she is very aware and grounded. If she were lost at age 7 I would have not been panicking as much--because she is one to walk up to the bus driver and say--I'm on the wrong bus--but this never happened with her--due to her awareness, she never got on the wrong bus.

But this is my second child. She is the one who used to put her clothes on backwards for the first 4 years of her life--even jeans. Oh and her shoes on the wrong feet. She isn't aware of anything---a giant wildabeast could sit next to her at church and I doubt she would notice. All of last year I feared that she wouldn't get off the bus at the right bus stop--so I went to the bus stop every day--or had my friend check everyday--so that I knew she got off. And last year . . . nothing. I only wish that she has just missed this stop--and stayed on this bus, because I know all of the other stops on it's route--just in case she doesn't get off.

But--she never got ON the bus.

And I'm near expletives--why the *********** did the second grade teacher not make sure that she got on her bus???? She's 7!!!!!!

That is answered later--when my husband asks, and they inform him that they do make sure kids on the bus . . . in Kindergarten and First grade. Apparently 7 year olds are capable of doing it themselves.

um . . . or NOT. Well, not MY 7 year old.

I then call my friend whose kids are at the same bus stop, "Hey, Julia, (and then the voice crack and tears roll) what do your kids know about where she might be?" I explain how I'm trying to hold it together, but I'm starting to panic.

So, I say a prayer with my other two kids--that she is safe and not scared.

In retrosepct, I should have said a prayer that I wouldn't panic. Because I AM panicking.

My friend shows up and takes my other kids so I can go look for her.

Because remember--she's that kid that isn't level headed. So I imagine her getting off the bus at the first stop--because her normal bus top is the very first stop on her route.

I get the cross streets of the yellow bus route's 1st stop. I have to google it and look and look, because it's within a neighborhood.

And yikes--it's in the hood. Like hood hood. But luckily, I am close-that stop is about 1/2 a mile away.

Hyrum calls--he has talked to the teacher--Josie got on the bus with her friend Rachel that she said was on the bus with her last year. PROBLEM---there is NO Rachel on her bus. And the office says that they still haven't heard anything.

***we are nearing 45 minutes at this point***

So I jump in the burb and haul butt--driving around that neighborhood.

My thoughts during this:

If she DID get off, then hopefully a mother at the bus stop would notice she wasn't at the right stop and call the school

I'm sure this happens every year, it's no big deal, she's fine

If she is with some friend named Rachel--then her mom will call the school. Then I think--that mom might have last year's school list--with my home phone number, maybe I should go home.

But what if she gets off somewhere and no one notices--and no one finds her--what is the next step . . . police? Then I try to calm myself with the thought that I have never seen a missing persons report on the news--due to the first day of school and busing issues.

But what if?

***phone rings**

It's my husband, "I have her (I can hear muffled crying in the background) she's crying and so scared."

So I cry--because I am so relieved.

And I go to pick up my kids from my friend's house, and I get a text from her:

"Out looking for Josie, text me when you have news"

Now that is a good friend.

So I call her--and she brings my kids home, and just then Josie gets home--gets out of the car and jumps into my arms and just sobs. And I wipe away a few tears of my own.

And she tells me her story.

She thought she was on the yellow bus--because her little Kindergarten sister is on the yellow bus--and that's true--she's half day and rides the Yellow bus HOME from school and gets dropped off at my front door. But she rides the red bus TO school.

I am just glad we knew to check that bus.

So turns out, once she was on and got going--she realized it was the wrong bus and was so scared. But a friend of my fourth grader was on that bus--and sat with her, and told the bus driver that she was on the wrong bus. So she just stayed on until they came back.

My husband tells me about how he was about to lose it on the school staff--because he is running around the school trying to get information--and when he comes back in to the office to check--they act like they have never seen him before, and are calm as anything "we haven't heard back yet from any of the buses". Then after he goes and talks to the teacher--as he is going back to the office--he sees her get off the bus.

But seriously school staff---why the frick aren't your bus people answering calls? Why didn't that bus driver call in and say that he had a stray? 45 minutes a 7 year old was unaccounted for--and you are calm?

That makes me want to punch them in the face.

So the moral of the story is---if your kids haven't started school yet, and they ride the bus--take some time to go over these things:

#1 Know their bus--and make sure that they don't confuse it with another

#2 Tell them not to get off a bus if they get on the wrong one

#3 Tell them to tell the bus driver IMMEDIATELY if they have gotten on the wrong bus

#4 Tell them that if they ever find themselves somewhere they don't know (in case they did get off the bus) to tell a mom that they are lost

#5 Make sure they know your cell number (she knows our home number--but no one was home if she did try to call.


Well--that was quiet a first day of school tale, now wasn't it?

Dance lessons?

Are you looking for a dance studio to put your kids? Yes kids--both girl and boy?

My friend has a studio and it is awesome. Classes start this week. It is the most affordable dance studio that i have found--and has fantastic instructors.

GO HERE for the Fall Schedule.

dreamy

This makes me want to bail on my mortgage, and become a traveller.

Because I forget how much I love it.

Watch them here, or even better click on the links below them and see them bigger on Vimeo.

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

A view of Mormons from the outside

This is an interesting little article from a British newspaper

crush

Is my new celebrity crush Neville Longbottom?

Just, maybe.

School Shopping

I can predict the future.

I can predict that I will be spending money on these close at H&M.

Because how fabulous are these colors.

I want my whole family to look like this-and then we are gong to get our pictures taken.

want to see more of their fall line? go HERE.

Mother moments

Sometimes my patience wears thin. And by sometimes, I mean often.

And my temper shows--when my children walk away from me when I ask them to come here.

So I say something like:

"Get your ASS over here!"

And my 7 year old blondie says:

"What's and ass?"

Date night

My husband and I make a great pair.

Why? Well--he has invented his own super power--so together, we can solve the world's problems.

Or at least the things that annoy us here in the Phoenix Metro area.

For our date on Friday we went and ate at Cafe Boa--holy delish. Go there. Get the bruschetta. And the Mushroom Ravioli in Tomato Cream sauce.

While there--Hyrum created his super power. He can get anyone's cell phone number--and call it without being traced.

How does that super power help? Well, it helps us greatly.

Like when we were at the restaurant and the couple at the table next to ours were both texting. That's when he realized his potential. He wanted to send them a text that said: "your date is lame"

Then later, when we were in the Ross parking lot (yes we have spicy dates). We witnessed a drug deal. When a cute little car with teenagers wheels speedily into the handicapped parking lot, and simultaneously a SUV wheels into the handicapped spot next to it, and a cute little blonde girl hops out and runs over and gives a slow/tight hug to the dreadlocked fella through his window, and then turns and bops back to her car and speeds off. Like then. He could have swiped the girl's cell phone number (and access her phone list) and text her parents saying "you're daughter just bought illegal substances in the Ross parking lot" and then also text that to her--with and ending tag line that says "you're busted".

See? Totally helpful.

And then when we were driving to the next shopping center--there was a dude on a bullet bike. You know--weaving in and out of traffic. We decided to combine our super powers when we saw him narrowly cut in front of the car that was in front of us. I would have zapped him with diarrhea and then Hyrum would have texted him and said, "we just saw you crap your pants. How do we know? Because it's coming out of the top of the boxers that are hanging too far out of your pants."

Then, when we were at Wal Mart--and there were three college girls checking out in front of us. And at first I was distracted by their short shorts. I was thinking--my girls better never wear those or I will flip. Then we saw what they came for--a pregnancy test. I think it was because she wears those shorts--or doesn't wear them :) She would get a text that read, "Hope it's negative. Good luck!"

And then, as we got in the car--we noticed the people in the car parked in front of us--feeding their parrots. Yes, not one, but two parrots--just hanging out on steering wheel of the car. The people were super nice--they were enjoying McDonalds hamburgers and fries--and sharing it with their parrots. One bite for the ladies, one bite for the parrots. They let us take a picture with them. Because that just doesn't happen. And they would get a "thanks for the pic with the parrot". See? We can use our powers for good.

I tell you--we make quite a pair. And I wish all of our date nights were that interesting.

Upcycle

Why buy new when you can redo?

That's my new motto--I swiped it from Robots and tweaked it a bit.

Check this little metal thing I got from a junk swap (actually leftover from a junk swap they had at bunko that i didn't get to go to)



Add a can of plum spray paint from Ace Hardware and a fun church quote that my talented friend Cami did and gave to us as our bunko gift. And here it is:



so cute right? The print is done in grays. I thought it meshed with with the plum

Phone service

Our home phone is internet based and since our internet likes to be tempermental, we thought we'd go with Qwest and get just the super basic phone line for emergencies mostly--then we wouldn't have to worry about the internet.

So the guy said it was $13.18 + tax. Then I had the sign up fee and whatever, so he told me the bill would end up being $52 for the first month, so after I subtracted out the sign up fee and such it left me with $24.00.

Taxes aren't that crazy are they?

Does anyone local have Qwest, and if so could you look at your bill and tell me what I should expect in taxes.

THX

Neville?

I randomly found some video footage of the permiere of the last Harry Potter--and Hyrum and I were both surprised at neville. He turned out to be handsome cat. What? Then someone posted this on Pinterest and I had to share.

Crazy eh?

The haboob

This is one of the coolest pics I found on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbryant/5909578468/

Sunday Morning Post

It's been a while since I have posted on Sunday.

As I am writing Annabelle's talk for Primary--yes it's in a few hours *procrastinator*, I came across a really cool quote and then I linked to the talk.

The quote:

"contractors are told that there is to be no graffiti on the walls of the temple. Often, workers at construction sites will write inappropriate things on the walls. Brother Rowley shared an incident he had experienced a few days previously. He had noticed some inappropriate words written on a wall of the temple and reminded the contractor of their agreement. The following day, he noticed that the words had been painted over. He went to the contractor again and told him that the offensive words were still on the wall of the temple and needed to be removed. The next morning, the paint and the words were sanded off the temple wall."

That can be used as such a great metaphor. I love it.

Read the rest of the short article HERE.

It's a wall of dust

If you are not from Arizona, or the middle East--you are probably not familiar dust storms. They are amazing to watch rolling in. My kids looked out the window and thought it was rain. But it was dust--they wanted to play in it, so I let them. What's more fun than being pelted with flying dirt? They opened the doors a few times getting in and out--which left a thin layer of dust on my desk. It was crazy. Josie ran in an asked to see the news (which is super random) and there was some cool video. On one of the stations they showed the reporter and he was covered in dust--like he had rolled around in it. Anyhow--check this out. Watch until about 3:30 on the video--it is amazing.

Big Dust Storm Rolls Through Phoenix: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

Here is another quick time lapse. It's cool seeing it come across the city:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

here are some other pics you can click through:

Jill's guide to Provo

We go to Utah once a year. And I LOVE IT. We stay in Provo. Each time we go we do something new that we add to our list of "musts" for our visit. I think as an outsider--we probably hit things that are just old news--been there/done that sort of places for the locals. But we tingle with excitement over the fun things we have on our list. The kids name them off on our trip just to make the time go by a little faster.

So what do WE do while in Provo? .. .so glad you asked.

#1 We hit burger joints. The one thing that Provo has--that I don't think Provoians(?) know is that they are a mecca of mom and pop hamburger joints. We are stuck with chains--booo! And the best thing is that some are combined with greek food. A gyro at a burger joint--whah??? Heck yes! My husband's favorite is Burger Supreme (1796 North University Parkway) I always get a gyro there. Another place we've hit and loved--and also I believe is a local favorite is Stans (525 North 900 East). My sister in law says their pie shakes are unreal. I just remember that their burger was good.

#2 BYU Bookstore. I don't know why we find this fun--but we do. We have to go there--you can't NOT go there. We usually let the kids get a book--and then something from the candy counter. I always get the chocolate covered cinnamon bears (yum).

#3 Monte L. Bean Museum. Short funny story--my brother in law told us to go here a few years ago. My kids were 7, 5, 3. He said, "It's a museum full of stuffed animals--your girls will love it". So I was thinking--that's crazy! My kids LOVE stuffed animals. So I was a tad disappointed when we showed up and it was taxidermied (is that a word?) animals. But he was right--they did love it. And it's free. I love that FREE.

#4 BYU's Museum of Art. We love this too. FREE again. Here is a pick from our most recent trip:


those are books. Cool right? And what is also awesome is that they had an exhibit about war posters/media. They had some cartoons playing and the kids sat down to watch, so Hyrum and I took the opportunity and wandered around a bit. Maybe--2 minutes. And we realized that our 2 year old was missing. But it's UTAH--and on BYU campus--and no one was there. So although I tend to have high anxiety--I wasn't worried. Turns out he climbed some blocked off stairs and was just chillin with the security guard at the top. I LOVE PROVO!!!

#5 Paleontology Museum. FREE--I mean all of the museums would love a donation, but you don't have to . FREE. We just hit this one this year. It's not fun with a 2 year old boy who likes to touch things, but the other kids did well. And there is a window into their work room. We got to see a student working on a fossil. I thought that was cool.



#6 Hike. It's summer and you can go outside (we can't do that here unless we are in a pool). We went to Rock Canyon. It's just past the Provo Temple. Super easy to find. Parking is right there. We actually didn't hike up the canyon. We started walking toward the mountain from the parking lot, and took the trail off to the left that goes over the bridge. It was gorgeous--and so easy for the kids. Provo is gorgeous. Ridiculous gorgeous.




#7 Bowling at BYU. It's on the bottom floor of the Wilkinson Center. My kids loved this. It was cheaper than normal bowling--so that made me happy. And again--it's Provo/BYU Campus so you didn't have the somewhat questionable people that can be found at dirty bowling alleys. Go. do. It's fun. See:


#8 Ice cream. You have so many options here. Hit any of the burger joints and order a shake. For some reason Provo thinks that shakes are just slightly soft ice cream that overflows over the top of your cup. Not strawable. But delicious. So that's one. Then there's the BYU creamery. You can also get burgers there. Or Sub-zero(1774 N University Pkwy). We actually have one in AZ, but we originally found it in Utah. They use cryogenics to freeze your ice cream in front of you. Kids dig it. I dig it.

#9 Donuts. Provo Bakery (190 East 100 North Street). Melt in your mouth donut holes. HOme made crumb donuts. And lots of other options in including a GIANT donut. Closed on Mondays--how do we know? It was Kizzy's birthday and we wanted our traditional donut cake. But it was a no go. We got these on Tuesday. Holy snap. De-lish. It's hard to notice because it's not a bakery looking sort of building. Look for this:


#10 CHUCK-O-RAMA.(1081 South University Avenue) My husband had stories of his Grandma taking everyone there because she lOVED it. Being that my husband is a foodie he never wanted us to go. But our friends suggested it as a good option for kids because of the choices. And they were right. My 9 year old can't stop talking about it and wishing we had one. What is it? A buffet. A delicious home cookin' sort of buffet. With slushies and a dessert bar (which is what won over the kids). They have big puffy yummy rolls, and good mashed potatoes, and crispy fried chicken. And they had all of the premade salads I love that I only usually get a babyshowers--you know, the brocolli one with craisins and sunflower seeds and the the one with cabbage/chicken/ramen noodles. Yep. It was good. And legendary to all of the kids. L.E.G.E.N.D.A.R.Y. (my kids are fairly deprived kids)

#11 Startup Candy Co.(534 South 100 West) This is the place that makes those big yummy suckers that sell at the one scrapbook store in Mesa. They just have this tiny little room with suckers, and it's only open from I think noon-2, Mon-Thurs. But my kids love picking out their suckers. And I buy the Loll-FLOPS--that is just their messed up lollies. It's fun. And something random to do in the middle of the day.

#12 South Fork Park. I don't know the official name, but that might be it. Just drive up Provo Canyon until you see the South Fork turn off. Turn right. There is a park right there as you turn off. That's not the one I'm talking about. Continue up the little canyon road for a few minutes and you'll see it off to the side. Take a picnic. It has a little creek that runs through it that is super cold, but not deep nor fast--so it's great when you have little kids--it's no worry. It's gorgeous. It's a must for every visit. Provo Canyon is the canyon that is just north of provo--it is where you end up if you just take University North and stay on it. It's the 189.

#13 Sundance. Sundance is fun to visit because you can eat there, and their ski lifts run during the summer so it's kind of fun to take them up and the walk around on the mountain for a bit. It's gorgeous there too of course.

#14 Drive up provo Canyon. Provo CAnyon is gorgeous. Just keep driving until you get up to the top by the resevoir. You'll pass Bridal Veil Falls (I haven't taken my kids there yet) and just see some pretty scenery. You could always keep going to Park City if you want something else to do and you have time.

So that is what i have, or at least what i can think of. Oh--if you are there on Saturdays--definitely hit their farmers market--it's the best Farmers Market anywhere. Tons of food booths, and crafty things, and it's in a gorgeous park. OH and there's Thanksgiving Point--we haven't been there in a while. So much to do, so little time.

OH and for your trip back to AZ--take the I-15 to Cedar City then cross over toward Kanab on the 14. It's the most gorgeous little drive. It was super fun this year because there was still snow. In JUNE! My kids thought it was the coolest thing. So we stopped for pics in our AZ-bound outfits:



Oh and a little lingo tip for out of towners--if someone gives you directions and says 3rd South they mean 300 south. Or 9th East, that means 900 East. I love the way Provo is set up--everything is so easy to find. Go Provo!

Marriage Ref is Back!

A TV show where couples send in their problems and comedians/celebrities discuss/be hilarious about the whole thing. Then the super funny host decides who wins the fight.

It's laugh out loud funny.

Season Premiere Sunday night. I'll be watching fo sho.

Something borrowed

Does anyone have the Living Scriptures audio c.d.'s?

It's dramatized scripture stories.

Let me know.

Look better soon

This is my sister-in-law's sister. She does a fantastic job and this is a ridiculously awesome deal.

Go.

do.

My fave

I have been editing pictures from this year. These are some of my faves. Shout out to my buddy Kristin(whom I've actually never met in person) for showing me how to do this.

make animated gifs like this at MakeAGif

Teacher Thanks

I wasn't going to do it, but I did, at the last minute. As usual.

I got the idea HERE. She's a creative genius.

I called up my talented friend Molly and begged her to whip up a little label for me. I stopped by Wal Mart and got the Avery 25395 name badge labels, and all of the candy--and what do you know? They are cute as can be:



I had seen this project before so I had been keeping Crush bottles--and I had quite a few. My friend Darcy had given me some spray paint--so I painted the lids purple.



I filled them with either M&M's, Skittles or Reeses Pieces. Once my oldest saw them she said, what about the music teacher? and the P.E. teacher . .. and more. So I ran back to the store. By then i had figured out that it is cheaper to go with Skittles, so that is what i bought from then on.



In case you want to make them yourself, I figured it out to be about $2.50 per bottle. You can get a 6 pack of Crush for $2.66 at Wal-Mart. It takes a large bag (14 oz.) of candy to fill it, and has about a handful left over. Skittles are $1.98. M&M bag about the same size was $2.67.

They were fun to make--and I'm totally going to use this gig for everything now.

The girls were so proud handing them out today. And I bought a 6 pack of coke for the Day Janitor who had two clean up Josie's barf this year---twice.

Ungrateful little turd.

Dear Other Mothers,

GRRRR.

I told the girls that when they got home from school today they would have to have their rooms cleaned before they could leave. Josie and Kizzy share a room. So I told Josie that I would have Kizzy clean half of the room, and she'd have to do the other half when she got home.

During the day Kizzy said "Mom, come look I cleaned the room!" And she had. Minus a few random items like a ruler, some game pieces and a few other objects she had stuck in a box on Josie's desk.

So I pick the girls up from the bus stop, and Josie's friend asks her over, so I let her go home with them, but she needed to come get her eye patch. So they walk over to our house and Josie gets on an eye patch, and I show her her room and say, "Kizzy cleaned this for you--isn't that nice of her?"

and Of COURSE--the brattiest of brats says:

"But look what she did--she put a whole bunch of stuff on my desk--that's not cleaning!"

the words " ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" come out of my mouth. And she says, "well--she put all of this stuff on my desk".

So of course my short temper forced my arm to swipe all of the crap off her desk and on the floor. "There--now YOU can clean it up"

Then I let into her about how her reaction should have been to run to Kizzy and say thank you a million times for doing her chores.

And she just kept saying, "well . . but . . well"

And I grabbed her by the back of the neck and told her that she WOULD go and thank Kizzy--and then she would do ALL of Kizzy's chores next week. WITHOUT whining

"well, . . .but . . . well"

Then I said "That's it! You are grounded all of next week--AND you have her chores. Now clean this up."

And then I walked away so I wouldn't pull her hair out.

She has been super rotten lately, and this was the worst.

But now I'm regretting grounding her--because then she's stuck in the house with me for a week.

So I need something more creative--and punishing--something that would help her to remember to be grateful. And not so bratty.

What ideas to you have?

Anyone??

xoxo Me

Over orange chicken

Our dinner conversation:

Josie told us that she learned about the planets, but she couldn't quite remember them all. So Hyrum was helping the girls put them in order. And he got to one and paused and looked at me--as if I'd know the answer.

Me: "Like I'd remember--my memory is bunk".
Hyrum: "It's Saturn"
Annabelle: "Dad--you're the smart one"
Me: "Then what does that make me?"
Annabelle paused: "Uh... the pretty one."

Which was funny in itself--then Kizzy (age4) says to Annabelle "Nailed it."

It was super funny. And then Hyrum said Uranus--and i bust out laughing--immature laughing--and Annabelle said, "What is so funny about Uranus" Baahhhaa--I laughed again, and then she kept asking me and I spent the next 10 minutes trying to make up some sort of other story as to why I was laughing.

Uranus.

Still funny.

For Inspiration

You have to watch this. My college roommate sent it to me, because one of the mothers in it was her friend in High School. And this happens right here in the Valley.

It makes you hopeful for the youth of today. It's a fantastic story.

Michelle S.--you have to watch this, I thought of you when I saw it because your kids do triathlons. You have to get them to watch it--I think they'd like it.

It's a Mormon Message--so you'll hear him use the term "deacon's quorum". That is what they call the age group of 12-13 year old boys in each ward (congregation).

Fair warning--grab a tissue before you press play.



Then if you are local you can join him in his effort:

Share your talents

Do you want one of these? My awesome friend Cami made it available on her blog HERE for free!

If you followed me on Pinterest, you'd already know that.

Check my cool new button on the left.

Leave her some love if you use it. Everyone likes it when people say nice things about how cool they are.

Sort of

I promised pictures:






Annabelle came in with those in the morning. I love that she not only gave me and ipod--but specifically an ipod touch. Everyone needs a child with an imagination like hers.

OH . .. and she also gave Beck a laptop.

Apple visited me

For mothers day I got . .

breakfast in bed

loads of homemade cards,

oh and . . . .

an iphone, ipod touch, and an ipad.

What did you get?

**I'll post pictures once I get them all processed!**

A public mothers day card

I never think to get anything in the mail on time. So my mother will have to do with this.

It is well known among my friends that I have the confidence and self-esteem that is above and beyond what they've ever encountered. I attribute this to 2 things:

My mother and father

So in order to give props to the woman who helped me become such, I will divulge what things she has done to contribute to such a mindset--and also to acknowledge that my brothers and sister are also confident, independent and super likeable.

Ode to my mother:

*She listens. My mom isn't much of a talker. In this she is genius. Because I am a talker. So she would just listen. Now that I am older I realized that I divulged way more to her about the goings on in my life in order to cut silence in a car ride. I think she was able to keep reigns on me, and gauge my danger level because she listened and knew when to actually speak up.

*She doesn't take crap. She doesn't take it from anyone. Not me, not my siblings, not anyone from the outside world. If you choose to try to give her some, you will be dismissed. Dismissed from her presence. She won't come around--nor let you. Thus she surrounds herself with people who are good hearted, fun people. I've done this all my life--it wasn't until I just wrote this that I realized I somehow inherited this from her.

*She serves. She was the pianist/organist in our ward her entire life in some auxilary or another. I really can't remember her having any other calling. That would seriously make me want to stop going. But she loves it and keeps doing it. And when they finally did cut her off--she just about went crazy. But she accepted her next calling--although not enthusiastically--but of course does it like a champ. What a fantastic example this has been to me.

*She expects to be respected. I have never said the word "no" to my mother. NOT EVER. I can't remember ever attempting to do it--so I don't know what would have happened. But I do know that I am still scared to do so. When my mother asks you to do something you do it. Doesn't matter who you are. Son, daughter, son in law, grandchild, best friend from high school--it doesn't matter. She taught me to respect adults. And because of this I am teaching my kids the same.

*She had genius parenting skills. When I was in 7th or 8th grade (in the late 80's) my friend and I discovered the magnificence of eyeshadow. Half pink/half blue eyelids. Hideous. It drove my father CRAZY. And he kept suggesting to my mother that she do something about it. And my mom's response? "Her friends will take care of her". Meaning--they'll make fun of her and then she'll stop. And she never said a word to me about it. And as you notice--I no longer do that. In fact I don't really wear makeup if I don't have to. Genius.

*She has your back. Once my mother lets you in her circle, she will take a knife to anyone who wrongs you in anyway. (she hasn't ever really knifed anyone--that I know of). My point is that she is a good friend and relative. She is loyal and will do anything to help anyone that she loves.

*She taught all of her kids to deal with reality. Although I don't think she uses these terms--"suck it up" or "be a man", those are the things I'm talking about. We weren't allowed to whine--about anything. Just get it done and deal with it. So, as far as I know, my siblings nor I sit around and feel sorry for ourselves. Sucky things happen--to everyone. Deal with it. I remember a specific time when I was told by a doctor that I wasn't able to have children (which is a fantastic story if I ever get around to telling it), and I told her that everything was going to be fine. And most mothers would try to soften the blow--not my mom. Thinking that I was in denial, she patted my hand and said, "you need to deal with this." And I did, and I'm all the better for it.

*She can do hard things. She took all 4 of us kids to church every week by herself. I dread the days that Hyrum works on Sundays because it is hard. And she did it. Bravo to you mother.

*She doesn't sweat the small stuff. My mother set VERY CLEAR rules and boundaries in our house. My curfew was midnight. Not 12:01. Midnight. Period. And when I overstepped those boundaries I suffered consequences. But other than that--she was pretty hands off. She let us govern ourselves within the boundaries her and my dad had set. And this made us all very independent and capable people.

*She didn't fight our battles. My mom would defend us if she needed to, but other than that we were expected to fight out own battles. I had friends whose moms would call other moms when they got into tiffs. And girls get into tiffs--all the time. My mom didn't. It was my business, my doing, my situation, and I was left to deal with it. And that helped me so much as an Adult knowing that I was capable to deal with the crap that was dealt to me.

*She's Independent. I'm not worried about my mother. She is quite capable of taking care of herself, and as I wrote before, she can deal with stuff--just like she taught us to. It's nice to know that if something ever went down--she'd be alright. Because as she always says, "I am a big girl. I can take care of myself." Which usually means leave her alone. I get that. I am that. I am a very independent person. I can deal with stuff by myself, I can go places by myself (like when I travelled for 2 weeks without my travel companion in Europe), I can be by myself. My sister is the same. We are big girls--because our mother taught us to be.

So as you can see I have big shoes to fill in my own children's lives. Was my mother perfect? No. But luckily my memory sucks so bad I can't remember her doing anything bad. I only hope that I can be half the mother mine is.

And mom: I may not look like you, AT ALL. But turns out I'm more like you than we both ever knew.

Love you lots.

xoxo Me.