New Year, New Me

Farewell 2010. Hello 2011 !

2010-12-31T15:56:00.000-08:00

It has been a good year. I am ready to tackle another one. I wonder what next year will bring?! Be sure to check it out on my new blog:

http://www.memoriesandmumblings.blogspot.com/

See you next year!

Home Improvement projects 2010

2010-12-31T15:54:00.000-08:00

New Garage Doors (still need to be painted)

New Refrigerator

Tree Removal

Christmas 2010 Highlights

2010-12-31T15:50:00.000-08:00

Gullivers Travels PG

2010-12-30T09:40:00.000-08:00

We took the troops to see Gullivers Travels last night for a belated FHE. Oats thought it was horribly boring, Bobo thought it was okay, the three other girls liked it and I thought it was hilarious! There were a couple of funny scenes where I laughed so hard I thought I would lose my breath. It was a little emarassing because I think I was the only one in the theater who thought the movie was as funny as I thought it was. I really really enjoyed it. I wouldn't give it a super high rating though, because it was a kid movie and definitely movie fluff but it was great for a laugh.

We have been enjoying our winter break. At least I have. This past week I have been super busy cleaning and organizing anything I could get my hands on. Our house is just about spic and span. I am not sure it is impossible to get my kitchen or upstairs bathrooms impeccably clean because of the condition of the wood work in the those rooms. I will scrub down the cupboards only to peer at them when they are dry and see that all the old dirt is there. Things just don't come as clean when the finish has worn off. That is the case with the tub and and shower as well. Have I also mentioned I HATE grout. It stains so easily and is hard to keep clean. I know tile looks beautiful and modern but it is a pain in the rumpus to keep clean.

We had a really nice Christmas. The kids actually loved the one present method we used this year. We gave them a monetary limit and said they could choose one gift up to that amount that they wanted for Christmas. It simplified it so much and the kids really had to think about what they really wanted/needed. They realized that they didn't need or want all that much. They happily exclaimed their joy over their gifts on Christmas morning and said how much they liked a simple Christmas.

Christmas was much more low key at Grandma and Grandpa Shane's house as well. Mom had really pared down on the gifts and we had the kids open gifts Christmas Eve and the adults opened them the following afternoon on Christmas. My dad suprised us with hand written envelopes filled with Christmas money that was so very needed by some of my siblings. The Christmas dinner was yummy and we all just enjoyed ourselves. I have even worked out a mutually pleasing deal with my mom where she does all the cooking and I handle all of the clean up. I don't mind cleaning and she doesn't mind cooking.

I will be finishing up the preparation for the new year in Primary singing time today and tomorrow. I am excited to teach and learn new songs. I fought ovewhelming nervousness the first 3 times but I think I am settling into the job now.

My next big blog project will be to upload all of the Chistmas photos we took.

Fa La La La La....La La, La, La

2010-12-21T13:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was our 10th annual family caroling FHE activity. This year I didn't feel like making a million different treats so I only made one type. I think I will stick with this format. It is so weird but when my kids were little I seemed to have so much more time to do stuff. The older they become the more busy I become and the less I seem to get done. I made peanut butter/chocolate bars this year. We all kind of dread this activity each year but then when we do it we have fun. There are so many things like that in life. This was the first year Oats didn't come as he came down with a horrible cold and was sick in bed and sleeping all day yesterday. It was also a first that Miso did all the driving. Of the 6 homes that we went to 5 families were home. We sang Joy to the World and ended with a rousing rendition of We wish you a merry Christmas. We even did some harmonizing with Joy to the world as Miso can sing Bass and Bobo can sing alto. Pretty snazzy. Most people seemed to love our songs and treats but at one house we got an odd reception. The families teenage son came to the door with his mouth foaming with toothpaste and a toothbrush sticking out. He greeted our singing with a smirk and then in ran his 4 year old brother covering his ears. We had a hard time continuing to sing after that but it all turned out good. Another fun tradition carried out.

One happy dog!

2010-12-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

The girls played with Cooper for a long time and he is thrilled at all the attention!

Death to a Gingerbread House

2010-12-15T11:44:00.001-08:00

We couldn't wait until Christmas.....

Away in the Manger....

2010-12-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

Monday Night our friends and neighbors and ward members invited us to a live nativity at their house. The had also invited various other neighbors none of who were church members to be a part of it. The children dressed up in costumes and they had an outdoor fire burning and the play was acted out under the moon in their little pony pasture. It was really cute. Cold, but cute. The three atheists stayed inside but allowed their children to act in the play. We sang some carols and then had treats.

A play and then a Choir recital

2010-12-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

Zoo was in the play Peter Pan and did fantastic! She was a character who provided comic relief. After the play we went home briefly and then returned for the School Choir recital that Zoo was also in. It was a busy but enjoyable evening.

Ward Christmas Party

2010-12-15T11:35:00.000-08:00

I hate large social events but I decided to go the ward Christmas party this year. I think it was the best one yet. They had Costco ham which is delicious and people brought delicious potato side dishes and beans. They had Santa come and pay the kids a visit and they even had some musical numbers. Mony played her Cello and Oats and Bobo played a fantastic piano duet. It was a lot of fun.

If a tree falls....

2010-12-15T11:32:00.000-08:00

Oats is going hog wild on the home improvements and I am in Heaven. We got the garage doors replaced, he has just purchased granite counter tops and we had some big obnoxious tree's removed. We removed the two that hung over our house and made a big mess and then our neighbor came over and asked to pay for 3 more tree's to be removed that dropped a mess on his house and yard. I said "as long as you are paying you can remove however many you want!". We shared the cost of our Oak tree with him since it was more of a pain for us than him. My yard has brightened up so much I may actually be able to grow some things this summer. The kids had a blast watching the workers scale the trees and lower down limbs. We now have huge trunk rounds all over the yard that we have to chop up and get stacked.

A Christmas Story

2010-12-15T11:27:00.000-08:00

November 26th Oats and I went to see the first ever Musical production of a Christmas Story. I love the movie so thought the play would be fun. We blew through a couple of months date money and bought really nice tickets, we were 5th row center from the front. It was great! However, after the announcer joked about people coughing I began to cough. I had that acidy stough start heading down into my lungs and by the time I went to bed that night I was full blown sick with the flu. Totally bizarre how that happend. I snuck a couple of pictures before it started and I learned that was not okay.

A gift from my Visiting Teacher Karen

2010-12-09T22:15:00.000-08:00

First Question out of my childrens' mouths. "When do we get to eat it?!"

The flu that never ends and thoughts from a 4th grader...

2010-12-09T19:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Zoo went to school. I had told her the night before that if she didn't go to school we wouldn't be able to have our kid night and get her new tennis shoes. She hadn't had a temperature and seemed fine when she went to school. A couple of hours after school got out we headed down to Red Robin for our little dinner out. I was dressed in my cute new sweats but had forgotten my wedding ring. I think the waiter thought I was a single mom out with my kid. That made me feel weird. Anyway, we had fun at dinner and then headed over to famous footwear to pick out some new shoes. She wanted really expensive vans or converse and I politely told her that I refuse to pay a lot for a child's shoes that will be worn out or outgrown in 3 months. She understood but was still sad. We found some converse on sale but she didn't like the design. Then we found some on sale keds that looked like the new style of vans. She relented to getting them but I had to throw some new socks into the mix for her to be happy. As we were nearing the end of our shopping I looked at her an noticed she had hives springing up all over her face, I looked away and when I looked again they had almost doubled. I started to have a little panic attack. I asked Zoo if she was having trouble breathing or felt like anything was swelling. I kept asking her this to the point of annoyance as I was thinking she was having an allergic reaction. She assured me she was not running out of air but then all at once looked pale and said "I don't feel good, we need to go home right now!" We paid for the shoes and left in a hurry. All the way home she kept urging me to "hurry up". When we got home she ran up to the bathroom and then began to moan for me to come help her. She got sick and the hives looked worse. I took her temperature and it was 101 degrees. She felt awful. I gave her medicine for the hives and about an hour later all she was left with was a rash. Poor Zoo, my only baby who "nursed" longer than 2 weeks and she has been my sickest child ever. She gets sick often and usually for a long time. This time it has been a full 7 days.

Yesterday at dinner she shared with me some funny stuff. I asked her if her friends missed her after being gone so long. She said they all gave her hugs and told her how much they missed her. I asked her if any boys gave her the "love eye". She replied I don't know but if they did I hope it wasn't "Fred" He looks like a rabbit! He has bulgey eyes, pointy long teeth and long ears!

She then went on to say "Bud" likes "Betty". He said he liked her on a note and gave her a picture of him giving her a present and then he winked at her. He is old fashioned like that.

She then said "Buster" also likes "Betty" but he:
1.Wears a teddy bear necklace.
2. Wears Neon blue sweats.
3. Has no personal boundries.
4.Chatters all the time.
5. Pushes people

I think she is glad she has no secret admirers at this time.

Dream Themes

2010-12-08T15:48:00.000-08:00

I have talked about my dreams before so if this is repetitive, I apologize. But before I begin...something funny happened this morning. I was all bundled up in my pink fuzzy robe at nearly 10 a.m. in the morning sitting in my car at a traffic light. I had just dropped off my daughter at school. Whenever I am out in the mid morning still in my pink fuzzy robe I am hoping people who may peek at me think that I am just wearing some big puffy sweater. Maybe I am just one of those big puffy pink sweater kind of people. I certainly don't want anyone to think I am that kind of mom who is still in her Jammie's and pink fluffy robe and actually driving around town like that in the middle of the morning. Even though I am. Anyway, I am sitting there at the light and the big old school bus comes pulling through the intersection with it's male driver oblivious to the fact that his giant vehicle now has a purpose besides carrying kids from point A to point B. It is the billboard to teenage anxiety and wonderment. His big yellow (although it is more of an orange hue) bus has the letters S-E-X spelled out for all the world to see in the fogged up window toward the back. I couldn't help myself I just laughed.

Now back to my dreams. I had another Poo dream. I know, gross! I am telling you I can not figure out why I have the repetitive nightmare of sorts that I am unable to find a clean public toilet and worse yet I am forced to do my business in such a way that others in the bathroom can see. The toilets are always nasty, truly disgusting, piled with feces, urine and toilet paper. Many times it is all over the seat or the floor. I search and search for one decent bathroom and do so in vain, because I never luck out. I have had the nasty bathroom dream my whole life. I think this may stem from my persistent problem with concern for the ability to find a decent bathroom. Whenever I read a book or see a movie or hear of any kind of situation where someone is imprisoned or held hostage I constantly worry about what the poor soul will do for a bathroom. The ability to go "potty" is a constant concern for me and the welfare of others ability to also go "potty" when they need to and furthermore someplace clean is of great importance to me.

A couple of days ago my dreams fell upon two more recurrent themes. Gardening and the inability to stand up tall and walk. I had the same dream that I had previously had where I had a HUGE yard and we got it all cleared out and I was able to plant row after row of vegetable and vines and well, everything. All that I planted grew like gangbusters despite my frequent lack of weeding and watering. I had so much produce I could open my own market. My only problem was that I could never stand up straight I always had to waddle around with my knees bent. It is always so darn embarrassing. I have yet to figure out what my inability to stand up straight and my prolific gardening skills may mean.

I made sweet potato pie. It was delicious. I used a store bought crust. That is kind of what I do. Still good.

Cancer, Who knew it could be so fun?

2010-12-07T21:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday night as I lay in my sick bed Snoogly came in to talk to me. She plops herself down on the "couch" (recliner) and says " Guess, what mom? Hannah's mom still has cancer and she has THE BEST life! She is soooooo lucky!" I raised my eyebrows to this strangeness coming out of my daughters mouth. Now, truth be told she wasn't even a twinkle in my eye when her daddy was fighting for his life from stupid, dreaded cancer, but still.....I have NEVER heard anyone describe someone who has cancer as having the BEST life ever!"

I continued to listen as my daughter went on and on about why having cancer is so great. Namely you get a bucket load of lemonade flavored candy canes and ice cream and all kinds of candy, just for you!!!!! Again she went on and on about how great having cancer was and how her friends mom was the luckiest person in the world.

In a way it was very humorous but in my heart I was hurting for this little friends mom who has battled cancer for at least 2 or 3 years non-stop. When her little friend came for meet the teacher day at the beginning of school she was pushing her mom in a wheel chair. I tried to explain as gently as I could that her friends mom was not very lucky. That she was very sick and could die. Snoogly shook her head and said, "no", she has the best life.

I told that story to Oats later that night, he about had a heart attack both from shock and the humor of it all.

I'm Alive!

2010-12-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

It is almost 1p.m. and I am still in my pajama's, but I am ALIVE! I have had the nastiest flu for 9 days and today I finally woke up feeling good. The nasty cough remains but I feel almost great! This was the weirdest flu too....it came on suddenly. It gave me chills, body aches, laryngitis, and a deep gunky cough. No upper respiratory stuff at all. I haven't been this sick in years. However, every time I choose to get the flu shot I always end up with the flu that year. Strange coincidence? I think I will forgo the flu shot in years to come.

Zoo woke up bright and bushy tailed last Thursday and went with her dad to parent/student/teacher conferences and then came home looking awful and spiking a high temp. Her temp has gone down somewhat now but she still has chills and body aches, a sore tummy and a sore throat.

My husband, the man who HATES being a nursemaid was a WONDERFUL help to me while I was sick. In the past I have never had the luxury of resting in bed when I was sick, I had to just try to get through the day. My loving, kind Oats would get kids to school in the morning and then come home early to pick them up and take them where they needed to go. He encouraged me to stay in bed and got upset when I would get up and do stuff. It was down right weird. I would sneak up while he was at work and clean the house or do laundry or even go to the grocery store but I would jump right back in bed when he came home. He was not happy about my activity because I always felt tons worse afterwards but there is only so much grime and filth a woman can handle. By Friday my bathrooms were so dirty I didn't even want to use them, they were too much like a public bathroom. So I got up and cleaned them. I cooked a little, had a meal brought in one night and my Bobo made pancakes twice. We weathered through together. My family was very good to me.

I got a lot of reading done. I think I read 3 or 4 novels. I also got a lot of sleeping done which felt great. I hope this is the last time I am sick for a long time!

Things I am grateful for post Thanksgiving.

2010-11-26T14:58:00.000-08:00

Traffic lights that seemed to always be green.
Wonderful deals on gifts I was buying.
A wonderful mother who called me early to tell me how much she loved me.
Figuring out a huge math error in the budget and doing it all by myself.

I am not a very nice person, and other Thanksgiving revelations......

2010-11-26T14:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. It has never been one of my favorite holidays. When I was little we only really went to my grandparents for Christmas, not Thanksgiving. For the longest time I even hated pumpkin pie. Seventeen years ago when I was engaged a lot of family came to our house and we had the most wonderful Thanksgiving I ever had. We played games and laughed and laughed and I think there were new foods to try that year. It was a happy time. By and large Thanksgiving has never really been a highlight in my life.

I was a little excited for Thanksgiving this year because all of my family except one brother was supposed to be in town and together for Thanksgiving. When we were kids we did not get along. As adults we have done better and in fact some relationships have improved a lot. My other brother who was supposed to come for Thanksgiving with his family decided at the last minute that they would rather spend time with his wifes family. HUGE SLAP IN THE FACE. I really adore this brother and love to talk to him. I love his wife and his sweet boys and despite the fact he moved home nearly months ago we have never gotten together, he and his wife are content to occasionally visit my mom but have no interest in spending time with us. So our party of 20 was bumped down to 15. My other brother and his wife and two little boys also informed us they won't be coming home for Christmas.

What in the heck is so bad about our family? I found out yesterday. I have frequently prayed to know what my weaknesses were but felt like the Lord didn't really have much work to do because I pretty much knew what they were: I am impatient, have a temper, and can be super critical (negative). I hate these qualities and now how rotten they make me but believe with the Lords help and constant practice I can conquer these negative personality traits. Yesterday, I learned there are more problems with me than I realized.

It was as if Heavenly Father allowed me to step outside of myself and observe the whole afternoon and evening from a distance. I saw every sarcastic comment, every joke at someone elses expense, every jealous look, or thought or feeling. I saw not only myself but that everyone else was doing it too! It was as if it was a race to see who could be the nastiest. You automatically think, "I am just doing it in fun" but looking at things from a distance I realize it is not as innocent as it seems. Every put down, critical comment or competitive remark they mark everyone with invisible red ink. We came to the family gathering with red marks from previous hurts, some had faded with time, some were still fresh, some had disappeared, but by the end of the evening everyone there walked away nearly blood red from all the darts that had been thrown. I saw that I may be a nice, caring,kind and patient person with everyone outside of my family but within my very own family I can be very mean. I was/am ashamed.

I watched a really good Mormon message. The different people in the message talked about how we see things so much that they begin to disappear. We become numb to the beauty of a bird, the rich green of the grass, the gentle breeze, the warm sun, the lights that turn on and even more than that, the family that we live with. We become so used to interacting with the same people that we take them for granted. Most of the time it takes a tragedy; a serious illness, or accident where we almost lose or lose the person that we love to realize how deep our love really is. My mother always repeated the phrase "everybody has a heart" that she learned from her grandmother. I think that phrase nearly every day of my life. I need to be especially sensitive to that phrase with my own family. It is their feelings I should treat with the utmost tenderness, care and consideration. The Savior never made fun of someone, made a joke at their expense, or pointed out their weaknesses. Neither should I.

Just a sweet picture of Snoogly

2010-11-24T16:35:00.000-08:00

Looks like a delayed THANKSGIVING

2010-11-24T16:33:00.000-08:00

I have indigestion and heartburn. It was so bad last night I nearly started crying. I have no idea why I have heartburn and indigestion. Sometimes I get raging heartburn when I swallow my pills at night and don't rinse them down well enough and then they burn my esophagus. I usually feel better the next day though...hmmmm.

I woke up feeling just as lazy as yesterday, but I have actually been working hard today. Laundry, cleaning, the dreaded homework etc...it is done!

Miso is at one of the bazillions of parties the Mormon kids his age throw. Bobo has spent the day cleaning, organizing and changing her room around. Holy cow it looks wonderful. It was disgusting before. I hope she learns to like the feeling of a clean room.

I remember growing up that my mom would frequently change around our rooms, sometimes even giving us a whole new room. I shared a room with my sister L off and on but also had my own room much of the time. I absolutely loved coming home from school to a newly organized room. I was a pretty neat and tidy kid but even I couldn't keep up with my moms brilliant organizational skill.

After talking with mom today we may postpone Thanksgiving until Friday. Bobo was NOT happy about that idea but with the roads they way they are we want everyone to be able to come. UPDATE....mom just called, we are going to go for having Thanksgiving tomorrow like it should be. That means I need to now scramble and get the desserts made. Did I just spell that right?

Just finished reading two books. I read pertinent portions of a new book by Temple Grandin about making your animals happy. Didn't real learn all that much and didn't get the help I was looking for with my chickens. I also finished "Whistling in the Dark". Loved it!

Three bean casserole for dinner. I am very motivated to start cooking much healthier in the new year. Oats is not excited about this.... at least it should be fun.

November Pictures

2010-11-23T12:22:00.000-08:00

Bobo is apperently laughing at something while we clean the road.

My poker stick was a dud. At least I stayed warm in my snowman coat.

The tiny snowman Zoo made.

First Day Off

2010-11-23T12:18:00.000-08:00

It is 25 degrees and it has snowed and school is cancelled. They sand the main roads but the side roads in our neighborhood don't get any attention. We have a lot of steep hills so everyone gets stuck in the neighborhood. The kids were up at 6 a.m. ready to go sledding. They spent about 3 hours out there before they came in for cocoa.

I have been staying cozy in my jammies doing what I love to do - READ. I really should be doing my homework...what else is new? I just went down and cleaned up the humongous mess. It is interesting how yesterday my house was somewhat sparkling clean and then the kids came home and now clothes, books, paper, dishes, pine needles, crushed cereal and chocolate drips are everywhere.

Last Saturday we cleaned our road. No one was that excited about it but it had to be done. Luckily we came to find out that when we had cleaned it the last time and it took forever and there were about a 1000 cigarette butts it had probably been years since it had been picked up. This time there were only a few butts, some little whiskey bottles, wine bottles, beer cans and water bottles along with some stray plastic bags and candy wrappers. No hypodermic needles, thank heavens. We were done in about an hour and with the exception that Zoo started crying half way through that she was freezing, it went well. The Lord heard my prayers as I prayed it would not rain on us. It had been rainy and stormy most of the week.

Last Saturday Oats and I and two of the girls went to see the Harry Potter movie. It was only a 2 watch checker, which was pretty good. I fairly enjoyed it, it was very dark and somewhat sad though. I haven't read but the first Harry Potter book, but I have seen all the movies. They all bored me except the last one and this one wasn't so bad.

I was keeping a list of situations that were awful but I chose to see the humor in them, but they had to do with the girls and I began to feel guilty about having recorded them to write down, so I won't mention them here but I laugh thinking about them.

Not much else to say...it feels like the weekend and I was just wondering what Oats and I were going to do for a date when I realized, geez it's just Tuesday. Happy Tuesday.

Irony

2010-11-15T18:41:00.000-08:00

Today I was driving down the hill to go pick up Bobo from highschool. As I am headed around the corner I see lights and two ambulances. I immediately thought "oh, no! I hope no one is hurt or died!" Then I notice that the ambulances are outside the funeral home. I immediately started laughing thinking "oh the people there have already been injured/are dead!" I kept laughing and related the story to Bobo. She said "so do they really just drop you off at the funeral home after they get you dead from your house?" So funny.....

Tip of the day from Zoo:

"You know your pants are too tight when you can't scratch your butt!" Said after having me come from behind and button a pair of her skinny jeans.

An easy peazy workout....

2010-11-12T12:14:00.000-08:00

I think, oh how I think I may be starting something here..... I have exercised 3 days this week, 2 of which were running!!!!! Today I had a sick child at home so I decided to do a workout video. It is a short 40 minutes but usually challenges me enough to get my heart pumping. It is Kathy Smith's Fat burning workout. This time, not much got burned. I got a little sweaty, my breathing picked up a bit but I never felt the burn in my chest or my heart pumping. Bummer....I think after running not much else compares. I have been so stinkin sore the lat 3 days. I can barely sit down on the potty or walk downstairs, I have to steady myself like an old lady. I am so heavy right now that I worry when I support myself on the toilet lid while sitting down that I am going to rip it right off the hinges, that would be embarassing.

Miso passed his drivers ed. class. He has the habit of putting the drivers side armrest up when he drives and doesn't put it back down when he gets out, kinda like he is the ONLY person in the family to leave the toilet seat up. I get frustrated at Miso when he leaves the armrest up. I hoist myself into the car by leaning on the armrest and dragging the rest of my body into the car. When I go to lean into the car and it is not there I pretty much fall over into the middle. Miso laughs at this.

It is a gosh darn beautiful day today. Coooooooold but beautiful. Probably a nice day to run, but I am as I said at home. Book Club is today. I am about done with book club. I eat toooo much and the books are not really my favorites. However, today was MY day to do book club. Another lady was hosting but I chose the book. It is a wonderful book "Call the Midwife". LOVED IT! A conundrum that I am supposed to be leading the discussion and I won't even be there. I called several ladies in the club and finally got a hold of someone and asked her if she would lead the discussion. She said she had read most of the book and would be glad to do it. Well....hmph, most of the book.....

I am beginning to wonder if my youngest has bi-polar disorder after all. Here we have had so much trouble with her and it seems all she really needed was a good nights sleep. She is not completely free of symptoms, she still slings mud at people in the form of mean words and is tempermental but is NOTHING like she has been, nothing at all.

I think back to when I was a kid and there were no labels. No one had bi-ploar disorder, depression or ADHD. They were just moody, sullen or hyper. I mean there was that boy in first grade, Kenny. He had a red hot blazing temper and would push over desks when he got mad. We would all just kind of stare at him in disbelief and then look at our sweet teacher and see what she was going to do. She NEVER lost her temper or got mad, she just loved him like she loved all of us. I think If I ever knew anyone who had an undiagnosed problem it was Kenny. And not to be stereotypical but he was asian and I have never know asian people to lose control, especially at school in an academic environment.

I babysat a kid once who I think also had undiagnosed mental health problems. I don't remember his name now, just his behavior. When he was naughty and I sent him to his room he would seethe with anger. He wouldn't shout or scream or swear or anything he just seemed to internally boil over with anger. I remember on his way to his room one time he ripped the thermostat right off the wall. It is a good thing kids back then didn't pull out guns or knives when they got mad, I could have been killed!

Did I mention I bought some grandma jeans? They are really high waisted but don't taper at the ankle. They are loose and baggy and comfortable but totally dorky. Sometimes I wonder why I do certain things. I also bought a bunch of black exercise pants, mostly snug fitting although one pair turned out to be a smidge too short and I had already ripped off the tags. You would think at 36 years old I would know myself by now. I recently discovered my personal fashion "style" but grandma jeans and black stretchy athletic pants aren't it. That is what I buy when I am having a "fat" day and probably a hormone surge at the same time and nothing feels right. Everything seems too tight. I have really got to stop wasting my money.

My son is a ladies man...and other thoughts.

2010-11-10T13:10:00.000-08:00

I have only one son. I tell him this is because Heavenly Father has a quota on how many really good boys can be sent to one family, He gave us such a wonderful one that we could have no more. My son loves the ladies. He loves the ladies so much that he is willing to attend more than one sacrament meeting and Sunday school lesson to be around them. When Oats goes early to church for leadership meetings Miso gets up and gets ready and heads to the early ward sacrament meeting. He scans the room for one of his ladies, waits to be invited to join the family one of those girls and attends meetings with them. At 11 a.m. he then comes to our ward and attends round 2 of church with his own family. Miso attends his ladies' sporting events and orchestra concerts as well as their get togethers and parties. None of these girls is his "girlfriend" they are just his ladies. He is not the only young man to do this, although at this point he is the only guy willing to attend more than one church service. When I asked him why none of these girls seem to go to the guys' activities, with the exception of football games he told me "they are busier than we are mom!". Hmmmm

I continue to dole out the Melatonin at dinner time to my girls. Last night Miso consented to take a pill as well. When I came home from my relief society activity at 9 p.m. 4 of my children were asleep the only one still awake was the same one who refused to take any Melatonin. I have had no melt downs, or extended temper tantrums since the kids started taking the Melatonin and getting good sleep. My son informed me that he lay in bed last night ready for an hour or two of gameboy only to find his eyes closing and quickly falling asleep. He said he felt great this morning.

Last night I wen to the ward RS pre-Christmas activity. It was pretty fun. We learned about making Christmas spiritual, budgeting, side dish ideas and little gifts for the extra people on your list. While there I was watching one of the ladies I used to visit teach for many years. She was getting teary over something said during the spiritual lesson (I did too) but I was thinking of another time I saw her crying. I was visiting her and she seemed to be having a hard time. She started to cry and I was ready for her to tell me something very serious. She began to tell me that her two year old son was biting kids and they were going to ban him from her Gyms care center. She was in dire straights, just miserable, the gym was her life and the thought of not going was killing her. I was stunned, dumbfounded and amused. I tried to show empathy for her but in my mind I was thinking "oh my gosh, this woman is truly addicted to exercise. I wonder how it would be to feel so passionately about your workout at the gym?" We laugh about it now but it is still one of the funniest things that has happened to me when visiting teaching.

Today I attended the really cool Veterans day assembly at my kids' school. It was so beautiful I nearly cried several times. Zoo was singing in the choir and they were honoring vets. My brother in law was honored and Snoogly and Zoo got to stand up while he was being honored. My sister also came along. The kids sang lots of songs and it was just really nice.

I am so grateful to the Veterans. So grateful to live in this country and to have my freedoms. So honored to have family members who have served our country.

My camera is awful but I will try to post some of the poor quality photos I took.

Thank Heaven's for one of them!

2010-11-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

This morning started out well, then it was time for number 3 to leave for school.Number 3 had been very happy up until it was time to go. As she went to collect her p.e. clothing, surprise surprise it was no where to be found! We went through clean and dirty laundry and could not find it, she found something she could substitute for her clothes but then was only able to find one tennis shoe. Tears, anger and rage erupted as she could not find the missing shoe and she was convinced she was going to be late to school. I dug my tennis shoes out and told her to tie them tightly but that they would do until we found hers (she is one size smaller than me). This idea was unacceptable to her and at that point my patience was gone. Her dad and I dragged her out to the car where my husband was verbally abused while driving her to school. My guess is that she is happy as a clam right now and everything has worked out great.

Child number 5 is typically a raging inferno in the mornings as those are the toughtest time of the day for her. Today she was happy, pleasant, no name calling, no tantrums. She was compliant and helpful and thoughtful and used her manners. Truly a tender mercy from the Lord.

My youngest two have a hard time getting to sleep at night. I read that it was okay to give kids melatonin so for the past few nights those girls have taken 3mg. of melatonin and have blissfully fallen to sleep and woken up on their own in the mornings and been relatively pleasant. The wonders of sleep.

I am sitting in a clean, quiet home and there is nothing better, nothing. I so enjoy the peace and quiet.

Yesterday I woke up in kind of a funk. I felt weird, uncomfortably so. Sometimes that happens to me. Something will feel wrong and it just bothers me and nags at me. I usually end up feeling a little depressed and I hate it. Unlike in the past, I don't panic. I know I just have to make it through the day and the next day I will probably feel much better. Sure enough today, the weird feeling was gone and with the exception of a short loss of temper this morning I am doing great. Now in a few minutes kids start coming home, so that could change, but for now I am enjoying my blessings.

Getting old is so hard.....

2010-11-06T18:23:00.000-07:00

I have not written in a while. My few loyal readers must go crazy with my stream of writing and then absence of it for weeks at a time. It really is my goal to be more consistent. Life gets so busy and some days nothing funny happens, or at least I don't remember it in time to record it here in my blogournal.

I may have stopped being a nanny but I have not slowed down. I am really busy volunteering and just running around for the kids and errands etc...that the days just buzz by. I manage to avoid exercising, I only did it twice this past week and put off homework although I did that about 3 times. I am so relieved to be done with my math class.....I passed the final!!!! I even got a C on the final and managed to get a C+ in the class (I think). I have now moved on to Humanities 202. I am really enjoying it! I stayed up late one night this past week reading the book "The Girl Who Chased the Moon". I loved it! A very lighthearted, quick, fast paced novel, pure fun.

Today I went and visited with the elderly sister in our ward that I visit teach. I have known this sweet lady for 26 years and watched her go from a busy mom to slowing down and becoming feeble in her old age. She is now very dependent on help from her husband and from friends and loved ones. Her husband was gone today and she was all alone. Lonely. I came over for a couple of hours and talked and laughed with her. I shared the talk that President Monson gave in this past conference about gratitude. It is a wonderful talk. I learned some new things and saw areas where I needed to repent and work harder. This sister and I talked about how easy it can be to put blinders on to your blessings and instead see only what you are lacking, or missing, or what is wrong.

I shared with her how after having babies I have never again taken for granted the simple joy of not having your stomach hurt all day. My stomach hurt so much all through my 5 pregnancies and when each baby was born, Finally, that pain would be relieved. Every day that my stomach doesn't hurt I am grateful. A few years ago when we had that horrible wind storm and the power was out for 4 days and then restored I became ever so grateful for light and heat. I never take for granted, especially in stormy weather the blessing of light and heat.

This poor sister is now in a position where she needs help with her housecleaning, bathing, laundry things that able bodied people don't enjoy doing but take for granted their ability to do them. I am going to help her but while she does not carry any more pride and has been humbled as the tables now turn and it is her turn to recieve love and service from others her husband still has not come to accept that the help is needed. Until he is humbled his poor wife succumbs to living uncomfortably. She and I discussed how when you are born and later when you are close to death you are dependent on others to help you, serve you and care for you. It is many many years in between that you provide the service and care and only very few years that you need help from others. Still, it takes humility at the end of your life to allow others to serve you once again.

It is hard to grow old. Hard and humbling.

My Eagle Scout and other important pictures....

2010-10-31T21:51:00.000-07:00

Describe your grandparents' houses. Did you viist them often?

2010-10-25T18:42:00.000-07:00

My one set of grandparents, the Shane's lived on Lake Washington. We went there for every birthday and holiday. We had a lot of fun there. My other grandparents the Allison's lived in a wonderful little retirement town called Ryderwood. Every Summer from the time I was 6 until I was 14 I would go and stay a week or two. I loved it! Some of my fondest childhood memories were of staying with them. I would ride my Grandma's old fashioned bike down the gravel alleyways and pretend my bike was a car, or feed the ducks at the lake, or visit the little general store and get ice cream cones. Every Summer grandma would be working on a new craft or project and I would learn right along with her. I remember every night watching Wheel of fortune and Jeopardy. Their house was tiny but perfect. one of the funnest things was washing dishes by hand using their wash master thingy that connected to the faucet.

Their house it self was a butter yellow with a cute front and back porch. They were very in to gardening and taking care of their house and it was always beautiful. After they died the people who lived in it did not take good care of it and it made me sad. Those people must have died and the new owners have once again made the yard pretty though not near as nice as grandma and grandpa kept it.

I miss them.

A Monster Concert and Dressed up adutls

2010-10-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

The Monster concert was a blast. Oats and Bobo did fabulously! The adult Halloween party was so much fun. We laughed so hard that Greg even cried which hasn't happned in all the 17 years I have known him! Oats is standing next to our friend DC who is slash from Guns and Roses, his outfit one first prize. Our friend AH who hosted the even with her husband was great as well. I was supposed to be Olive Oil but the wig that came with the outfit fit my 8 year old and NOT ME!!!! I didn't even have black hairspray to fake it so I was a wee bit bummed by that let down. Oats was a half bald/blonde Fred Flinstone.

Pictures. Enough said!

2010-10-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

These are the girls dressed up in their Halloween costumes. Bobo is a pink fairy. Mony is a house witch. Zoo is an old lady complete with saggy bosoms! Snoogly is an angel.

Tonight Oats and I head to our adult Halloween party and will post pics.

Snoogly has a birthday party this afternoon and has been miserable waitig for it to come.

Oats and I are headed to the sealing of some friends in the Temple and then tonight is the monster piano concert and then our party.

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!!

The Nail Salon

2010-10-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

I was in my car, in heavy traffic this morning. I was driving into Seattle to once again have my gums looked at. On the radio was the Jackie and Bender show and they had TLC's What not to Wear guy, Clinton Kelly as a guest. I guess he has a new book coming out and so they were asking him about his fashion pet peeves. He said that he hated French manicures on women. He stated that he had just gotten back from Paris and that not ONE woman had a French manicure. He said that porn movies now have women that have french manicures and unless you wanted to look like a nasty porn lady you should avoid them. I looked down at my suitably short nails. I had been wondering if I was ready to jump into the fancy nail department but his comments made me re-consider. I actually like keeping my nails short. I have exceptionally sharp nails no matter what their length and have cut my own skin accidentally when slicing myself open by a nail as I flail my arms around while trying to express myself in conversation. Short is good for me.

I was thinking about pedicures. I usually get them during the late Spring and Summer since my feet are pretty much exposed a lot. I pay a reasonable amount for them. Sometimes when I really scrutinize my toes after a pedicure I see flaws. Like where they didn't quite get the polish all the way onto the nail, or worse yet smudged over onto the skin! I don't think that they consider that there are women like me who sit on their toilets and contort their bodies to get their toenails to be visible. I always have to wonder if I shouldn't just examine my feet at the Nail Salon. I am waaaaaay too nice. I even give a generous tip when the service has been sub-par. I just have such a fear of being disliked. That is why I had a horrible time being a telemarketer the summer after my freshman year of college.

I hadn't planned on coming home that summer but this "old guy" 32 years old, had the hots for me and well I just felt the need to run home as a newly minted 19 year old. I worked as a telemarketer selling extended warranties for appliances bought at KMart and Sears. The thing was that the 18 month extended warranty only came into effect when purchased. So lets say that your warranty ended in January but we didn't get in touch with you until June, If you bougt your warranty it would only be good for about a year not a year and half. Not too many people figured that one out. I hate rejection and having people decline to by my scam warranty really hurt my feelings. I felt like I was personally being rejected. I would get so nervous about this dumb job that I would usually get sick in the bathroom before my shift started. Had it not been for a very funny fellow employee I don't think I would have come away from that Summer as well as I did. So you can see that rejection is really hard on me.

When I was coming back from Seattle this morning I passed by the huge soccer fields at Marymoor Park. Soccer is pretty big here. Well actually HUGE. I even took my turn as youth soccer coach despite not knowing a thing about it when my daughter was in first grade. I HATE sports. I really do, I am not sure there is any one who hates them more than me. It was kind of fun coaching that team. We played on chilly Friday nights at a field next to a city Elementary school. I am extremely competitive if I think I have a chance of coming out on top. So competitive in fact that when at the Temple I am usually always the first one to sit down when changing and when I help at hearing days I carry on an internal race with the other testers to see if I can get my patient in and out the fastest. I got really into these little games and even began to bench some players who I knew would not help us win. I know, truly disgraceful. None of them really knew what they were doing, no one even more so than the coach. I would run around the field shouting out requests to my little players. We mostly lost. I gave it my all, I just don't think the players cared as much as me. As I mentioned it would get really chilly, freeze your fingers chilly. Some of my little girls would refuse to play and instead huddle in their shirts or sweatshirts on the side lines. I had to literally pick some of the girls up when they were clumped up in the fetal position and carry them out on to the field and tell them to go. As the years have gone by none of my kids have taken a liking to soccer, and Oats and I are grateful. Who wants to sit on a wet and soggy field with the rain pouring down and the temperature in the 40's and watch kids run back and forth for over an hour. Not me.

A busy weekend coming up!

It's Spooky around here !

2010-10-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

I used to dust at least once a week. For many years I did what my mom always did, clean the house on Mondays. I cleaned EVERYTHING. In the past few years dusting has fallen out of vogue for me. I just don't like it. I have too many surfaces. I get to it about once a month or so. The other day I was looking around and there were cobwebs along the ceiling in several spots. Ick! I thought. Then I began to see what great Halloween ambiance they created. I think I will let them stay until the end of the month.

I am so proud of myself! I sat down and studied for probably 2 hours yesterday. That is major. I truly abhor math and to dedicate myself to that much study of it was stupendous, empahsis on the stupid. But I did it!

I have been on a reading kick, just devouring good books. I have been in feast mode. Yesterday I got the book UNDER THE DOME by Stephen King. He is noted as such an incredible writer but due to the fact that he writes so much horror and for many years I thought he had to be the devil himself, I have avoided him. This book is more sci-fi so I thought I would give it a chance. It lived up to the hype and was awesome. I quickly read 100 pages of the 1072 page book but then stopped to evaluate how the book lived up to my standards. Sadly the book was filled with foul language and vulgarity. So I had to stop reading. I am pretty much a prude when it comes to books. The church has standards about books and sex, foul language and vulgarity really aren't all that uplifting. That is why it is so hard for me to start new books. I am always afraid I will really get into the book only for some graphich sex scene or a slew of the Lords name in vain or other swear words will take over and I will have to stop. It is easy to think "Oh it is just one book, it won't hurt you." But I know that isn't true. Just like the world thinks that all human beings would be miserable if they couldn't have sex (which after a few babies, you realize is NOT true) . You aren't going to die if you can't see that really good R rated movie with the excption of those few parts, or if you can't read that great book except it has some really vulgar parts. I am not a saint and have plenty of weaknesses but I try to do those things that are no brainers. Anyway....I'm just saying.

I am drowing in laundry and peed on bed sheets so must get going. It is another gorgeous day, gotta love Washington when it has beautiful weather!

I went to the Temple....

2010-10-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

I went to the Temple yesterday night. I had planned on going and then changed my mind. Oats asked me why I wasn't going anymore and I said "fine, I'll go!". It was ward Temple night but I didn't want to wait for our wards session so i went to the session just before it. It was the living endownment session. I always seem to end up going to those. Sigh. It was fine though, just fine.

When I was walking out of the dressing room to the escalators I passed a worker who was sitting and talking to herself. Very quietly. She would stop and smile and then giggle and then keep on talking. Hmmm I wondered, who is she talking to? For a minute I thought maybe she had a blue tooth on but then thought, wait a minute I am in the temple, she isn't talking on a cell phone! So I peered over my should to see if their was someone down the hall who had her attention. Nope, no one. That Temple worker was apparently talking to an angel that I didn't see. Strange.

When I got back from the Temple I came home to a mess. This is not at all unusual although over the past 16 years I always secretly hope that Oats will have things picked up while I am away. No such luck. He was watching the history channel while the kitchen was in a state of messiness. Sometimes I wonder why I am the only adult capable of picking anything up, whatever the reason I cleaned up the kitchen and vacuumed and straightened up the house for the next day. When I went upstairs I saw a huge hole busted right through the wall. "What happened?!" I shrieked. Oats replied "Guess?". Living with a bi-polar child is quite the ride, let me tell you. Our child routinely has severe temper tantrums over nothing of significance. The hole in the wall was achieved because she couldn't find a toy to play with in the bathtub. Several times a day I get called an idiot, dumbhead, worst mother, stupid etc.. Many people would think she is just being a brat and we are being submissive parents. Wrong. Unless you have had a bi-polar child you have no idea what it is like. You can not discipline a child like this whilst they are in the midst of a meltdown, it will only escalate. It is hard to parent these children. In many ways your hands are tied. The best thing you can do as a parent is to carefully watch for triggers that may ignite your child and if they ignite then stand clear and ignore the behavior. Our bi-polar child has become violent and we all have bruises and gouge marks from attacks. I took her into the psychiatrist today. We are tying another medication. She has been on about 7 already. It is frustrating. Our daughter is sweet and loving and a peacemaker except for when her rages kick in. She holds it together in school and explodes at home. I tell you sometimes you want to cry. What pains me the most besides when I have been physically attatcked is watching her suffer. She does suffer. When she has lost all control you can see it, like something is gripping her and pulling away her sanity. When she is done with her fit she is breathing heavy as if she has just run miles and miles. She is exhausted and usually collapses in a big heap in your arms. Many times she will feel real remorse and sorrow for her actions. My poor child.

In other news. I have once again changed my emphasis to writing for my Bachelors degree. I almost was able to withdraw from my dumb math class but because I had sent for the final, no such luck. Now I have to pass that dumb final or I fail the class. I would like to fast forward to this time next week so it will be over.

Sorry for the downer blog, I guess that is just my life right now.

Hmmmm......

2010-10-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

I have not been good about blogging, which in essence is journaling for me. Every night I watch oats write in his journal and think "why can't I just sit down every day and blog?" Then I remember that Oats is just writing a laundry list of facts of his day and I try to get a little creative in what I write about. As I tend to get lazy when trying to be creative thus the cunundrum.

I have to stand on my soapbox for a bit as this is my perogative as the blogger. Here I go....I sometimes feel like I am the only parent on the earth who has taught my children party manners. Namely IT IS RUDE TO TALK ABOUT A PARTY IN FRONT OF A CHILD THAT IS NOT INVITED!!!!!!!!!! I can not tell you how many times I have had one of my girls come home crying because kids were talking about a party in front of them or passing out invitations when they were right there next to the inviter. THIS HURTS!!!! Why don't more parents teach their children that in essence their behavior is bullying, cruel and way out of line. Ugh!!!! There stepping down now.

It is not winter yet but I am already having a horrible time getting out of bed in the morning. I am sometimes, oh who am I kidding, many mornings not getting out of bed until 8 a.m.! How disgraceful! When I was working I had to be dressed and showered and out the door by 7:30. I also have become a complete sloth at returning to exercise, and it has been beautiful weather. But cold. Dark mornings and cold weather keep me inside. Of course, that doesn't mean I couldn't work out inside but well the next excuse is if I can't get it done in the morning I don't want to do it at all. Oh geesh I am one big excuse.

I am down to my last test for this stupid math class. Have I been studying, no, no I have not. Why? BECAUSE I HATE MATH! I failed the last midterm despite my studying. I am taking a big chance with this final because If I don't pass I don't pass the class and would have to re-do it and well that is just a waste of time and money! I must take this chance because I don't want to do it anymore. Oh and I technically didnt' fail, I got an "E". Yes, BYU is kind enough not to give F's they give E's for Extremely Stupid. Oh I just hate math.

Last week finished up Miso with drivers Ed. and Tennis. It will be nice to have a break from those things. He is taking a month off of tennis and then starting back with lessons in December or January.

Wow, Oats just left for work and all the kids are in school and it is quiet. So nice and quiet. I am grateful for that.

I really can't remember much else...I will try to be better.

The Spirit speaketh in strange ways.....

2010-10-12T13:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday night my son Miso came home a little late after hanging out with a friend after school. He requested to hang out with this same friend the next day. I got my "wo is me" mom voice on and whiningly complained that I didn't want him always going to someone elses house but wanted him and all the kids for that matter to have their friends hang out at our house. Miso replied that because we were on game restriction and also because our game systems were inferior that it was funner to hang out at this friends house. I indignately replied "what is so special about your friends game stystems?!" He said that the good games systems were x-box and playstation but that they only had M games that were fun. My mind comes screeching to a halt......"DID YOU SAY THEY ONLY HAVE GOOD M GAMES?!!!!" "GOT YOU!!!!" Miso sheepishly tried to back his way out of that one. I said "YOU are NOT allowed to play rated M games, and you know that!" Because I still have some childishness in me I called "yooo hooooo Oats! Guess what are son has been doing?!" When Oats came in the room and was informed of the situation he calmly, but nonetheless blew a gasket! Miso was required to call the friends mother and tell her that he in NOT allowed to play rated M games and he is sorry he took advantage of the situation. My friend, the mom, talked with him at length about the situation and then got on the phone with me. She had no idea that the game was rated M (as she doesn't play and had failed to look at the rating before her son purchased it) and apologized up and down. We both have the same rules about games so I knew it was all good. At the end of it all I said to Miso that it was a good thing that he still had the Holy Ghost with him or he never would have said anything. He said he didn't mean to say anything. I told him that when you are trying to keep a lie it does't just slip out but that he knew in his heart what he did was wrong and the Holy Ghost just helped him to "slip it out". Got to throw in a spiritual connection when you can!

All 3 little girls went in to the school nurse yesterday and them including me were checked and no nits or lice were found. Hallelujah! This time I will be more diligent about checking heads every day over the next two weeks. What a pain in the monkey that all is!

I had the most bizarre dreams last night! I woke up a lot and so was very groggy this morning and didn't drag myself out of bed until after 8. I got the girls to school on time and then came home and just kind of sat there like a lump in my pajama's not feeling like doing anything and tempted to crawl back in bed. I got up and made the bed and then sat back down like a lump still wanting to get in bed. Large doses of unhealthy guilt kicked in and I dragged myself to the shower. Went to Target and spent a bucketload, I can never NOT spend at Target, it is my favorite store. Still doing well in the budget though, which is good. It is a really nice day an I have yardwork and can always take the dog for a lengthy walk but I am still just feeling sluggish and ugh.

I keep obsessivly checking my grades in my math class waiting for the latest math test grade to show up so I will know if I need to take it again or if I can just send for the final. It is driving me nuts! Why does it take so freakin long for a dumb test to be graded and posted?! I really hate school right now, I want to hurry and finish this class and move on.

Garage door people came yesterday to finalize the measurements for the installation of our new garage doors. Should be 3 to 4 weeks and it should all be installed.

Ummmm I think I am done writing now.

Just the facts, nothing but the facts.....

2010-10-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

MONDAY- Day going smoothly, get a call from school, Snoogly is throwing up. Pick her up and pray she doesn't throw up in the car. Make it home okay, she continues to throw up, no fever determine vomitting is caused by gorging on peanut butter frosting the night before.

TUESDAY- Supposed to be in charge of annual vision and hearing screening, forced to stay home with child that is no longer sick but who has to be home for 24 hours following a throw up session. Study for my second math midterm, freak out because I still am not getting it.

WEDNESDAY- Husband gives me a blessing. Put on an adorable outfit to make myself feel better. Take test, will be lucky if I didn't flunk. Still keep a smile on my face because outfit is so cute. Go in to Bellevue to sign refinanced home loan, a wonderful deal, very happy.

THURSDAY- Husband drives me into Seattle for 7th and final oral surgery. This time I am having anesthetics, so excited! Surgery goes by fast and wonderfully. Fantastic visiting teacher picks my up and takes me home and then shuttles children home from bus stop for the next 2 days. Have a very delicious meal brought in from other visiting teacher, can barely open my mouth and so squeeze food in the corner of my good side of my mouth.

FRIDAY- Spend blissful day zoned out on pain meds cozy in my bed sleeping away. Another delicious meal is brought in. Husband goes to Parenting class alone.

SATURDAY- Spend morning relaxing and sleeping in bed, get up at lunch and decide recovery is over. Having a wondrful day until friend calls to tell me her daughter has lice and she is picking up the daughter currently playing at our house. Check heads, lice is back! Spend the rest of the day cleaning heads and doing laundry, not happy.

Hoping for a better week and lice to be gone for good this next week!

A Fabulous Fall Weekend

2010-10-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy weekend. The highlight of course has been General Conference, which was wonderful. I was able to see three of the sessions. Saturday morning I headed downtown to take my girls to dance. The first weekend in October is always Conference and Salmon Days. I really thought about going but then realized that I would just spend money. What we need to do is go down there earlier in the week and take the kids to see the fish, that is the funnest part. The traffic was horiffic and at one point I thought I wouldn't be able to get back to dance but would be re-routed. I did make it back a little late and the girls were waiting on the stairs reading books.

Zoo is a wonderful little girl. She has a huge smile, beautiful big eyes and full lips. Her hair is shiny and a gorgeous shade of copper that just gleams in the sunlight. Zoo has many talents but one of her faults she got from me. She wants to try everything but then gets bored quickly and wants to quit. I hate it. She is super talented but is such a homebody she would rather be home than anywhere else, except maybe a friends house playing. We had a big battle earlier in the week about her wanting to quit dance and take up karate. After spending a small fortune on dance stuff as well as the lessons themselves I put my foot down. I said whether she liked it or not she was going to have to stick with it the remainder of the year, preferably a year beyond that to finish up Elementary School. She grudgingly has relented. However, after Saturdays class she informed me that next year she wants to do hip hop instead of Jazz.

Zoo decided that she wanted to be a part of the School "Relections" contest this year. The theme is "Together we can". Every day she has been making these really cool paintings and I encouraged her to do that. She argued with me a bit but finally decided to write a paper and then illustrate it. She is very artistic. She said something very kind the other day. She had made a painting of some Fall leaves. We were talking about how pretty the picture of the trees were that she had painted. She said "the leaves picture isn't as good because Snoogly didn't help me with it." She went on to explain how she had been working side by side with her little sister to create her other master pieces. It was a little thing but for her to bring up her sister and compliment her was soemthing huge for Zoo to do, I thought it was very sweet and honest of her.

I have a busy week ahead of me. Thursday I have my final oral surgery and am hoping to have more powerful anestetic this time. The other days are filled as well and I take my second midterm in my math class on wednesday. Busy, busy.

Help! I 'm Hungry!

2010-10-01T22:19:00.000-07:00

This past week being the end of the month meant my budget was at it's breaking point. I had spent everything there was to spend and there was still month left at the end of my money. Within the last 6 months my children have become mass consumers of food. Our food budget is stretched to the max and they are like locusts and come in the kitchen and devour everything in sight within 2 to 3 days after a grocery trip that was meant to be a weeks worth of food.

I did my best to use up what was left in the cupboards but the past 4 days we were really down to milk, a little bread and some tortilla chips. We had dinners just not much breakfast or snack foods. I said to the kids "listen we are broke, we have no food so slow down your eating cause there isn't much left". Mony really took this to heart. Yesterday she went to school and said to her friend "we don't have anymore money for food and I won't have a lunch tomorrow (which wasn't true, but that is how she percieved it.). She said her friend felt really bad for her and offered to buy her something, to which Mony replied it was okay she had something to eat that day. Today she comes to school and tells me her friend told her mother that we didn't have any money for food and her friends mom prepared a special lunch just for Mony! I said "Mony, we aren't broke! We had money to buy food if we had to but I was determined NOT to go over my food budget for the month." She blushed and said "I just told my friend what you said." Boy was I mortified. When I related this story to my older daughter she said "I did the same thing! She said you remember my friend so and so, I told her we were broke and she has never forgiven me, she found out and said that I was a liar that we aren't broke!"

Note to self. Elleven year olds are still highly impressionable, literal and gullible.

Just call me Yard Babe

2010-09-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was awesome! I worked in my yard the whole day! Just the other day I was complaing to Oats that it seemed like I could only ever work out there for a couple of hours before getting tired and needing to come in. I did so much. I hacked down a huge laurel bush at the top of our driveway. Miso says If I give him an axe he will dig it all up for me. I hate Laurels. They are sorry excuses for bushes. I still have a couple of them up there but my neighbor shares them with me and she likes the jungle look.

We are hopefully getting 2 king kong evergreens taken out sometime soon. They drop pine needles and pinecones everywhere and clog up our gutters multiple times a year. I am hopeing we can also afford to get the little mound leveled and and the tramp put into the ground. We are also getting our garage doors replaced- yee haw! Things do get done around here, just not always in the order I would like them to be done. In fact most every home improvement we have made in the past almost 11 years of living here has been some outside change. That is okay, our house will look beautiful outside just don't open your eyes so wide when you come inside!

I got a D+ on that dumb math test I took. It is not even technically math, it is family finance. However, you have to remember all these sequences and formulas and despite 4 days of study, practice and review I couldn't even squeak a C out of that test. Major dissapointment. Luckily the final is not comprehensive so I only need to study for two more tests and hope that I pass. Still....I feel like such a math dummy.

My "diet" is going well. I haven't lost any weight yet but I feel better. I normally get horrible aching headaches multiple times a day and now they are gone! This diet has you eat 6 small meals every 2-3 hours. I guess my headaches were do to low blood sugar. Happy to have that all resolved.

I helped out in the library at the elementary school today. I had to shelve books. Shelving books is right up there with doing math. Despite knowing the alphabet my whole life I still have to quickly go through it in my head for each and every book. Luckily I don't have to start at A anymore but can start a few letters away from where I need to be. That is pure improvement, I tell you. My snoogs was thrilled to see me and I gave her lots of hugs. She had a friend come over so she could introduce me. This friend was half the size of Snoogs, she came to her middle and probably half her weight. I whispered to Snoogs that she looked like she could be her friends mother. She gave me a funny look.

Right before I came into the school I had a coughing fit, the kind that triggers your gag reflex and you think "oh no I am going to throw up". Luckily I didn't throw up but instead walked in looking like I had been crying.

I am now avoiding homework and looking outside to see when the sun that is supposed to be here will show up so I can either go on a walk or get back out into the yard. Maybe I will go iron, that is fun.

Keep on Walkin' !

2010-09-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I walked 5 miles. My legs and bum were sore and I developed a blister on the bottom of my foot but I totally loved it! While out walking I got behind a garbage truck. That was smelly. What was funny was the garbage truck had a big sign all over it advertising that it made clean air (because it used fancy fuel) but as I was taking a big whiff of it's horrible odor I couldn't disagree more with its claim!

My dog Cooper (real name) is a doggy devil sniffer. My dog can pass 10 people and not growl or bark once but then someone will pass by and he will start barking and growling. It doesn't matter if it is man, or woman, child or elderly. I have always wondered if my dog can sense a "bad seed". It is all hypothetical but still pretty interesting.

The other day I was sitting at dinner and looked down and the crotch seam of my pants had completely ripped open. Mortified! I wondered how long it had been like that. When I stood up it closed back together so I am thinking I was pretty safe but still.....I had the exact same pair of pants the year before and the butt seam ripped apart. I don't think I will be buying those pants again!

My teenage daughter has a hard time with me. Sometimes we get along great but many times we are both doing our best to be civil with each other. She is keeping a list of things that she does not like about me so that she doesn't repeat them with her own children (she has informed me of this list). Her newest complaint is that I don't love driving the kids all over or back and forth, back and forth. We got in a big "discussion" about this in the car the other day. Her job is to try to make me feel guilty for my inferior parenting and my job seems to be to get mad and feel defensive. I turned to her and said "One day when you are a mom of 5 kids, and I said it had to be at least 5 or it wouldn't count, and they have activities all over the place I was gonna call her up and see how much she loved driving back and forth all day!" She replied that she was going to be "Super mom" and would never complain and would hop right in the car and drive her kids willingly and happily whenever they wanted or needed to go somewhere! I will admit that I am a complainer but when I have just been out dropping a daughter off at piano and then get home and immediately get a call from my son at Tennis to come pick him up I am not happy. Had he called me while I was out and told me what time he needed to be picked up I could have swung by and gotten him, but he didn't. I don't think kids get how expensive gas is and how wasteful it is to do back and forth driving when you would rather make a round trip. Anyway.....I wonder what horrible parenting attribute my daughter will harp on today.

One thing that is great about Oats and my parenting is that we are "equal opportunity parents". When I grew up despite having a mom and a dad, mom was the only person we ever wanted or needed. In our home the kids are just as happy to have mom or dad around. I love it! It is nice to be able to share kid duties with Oats and have it all be fine. It is nice to be able to leave the house and not have the kids go nuts if their dad is home to be with them.

Just some random thoughts I had yesterday.....

Hey, do we live in Miami?

2010-09-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took the longest walk of my life (with the exception of the miles you walk at Disneyland). I actually was really sweating when I was done and I didn't think it was possible for me to really sweat when walking. It was only too bizarre for me to take the kids to school at 9 in the morning and have it be 65 degrees. Not only was it warm it was humid. Miami is humid. The heat surrounds you and feels almost moist. It wasn't as hot as Miami but sure felt as humid as Miami. The weather itself was crazy. Each hour almost the weather would go from sunny and blue skies to cloudy and raining or misting. All day long this happened! My walk was successful because I listened to music. The boredom factor almost dissapears.

After this long walk I showered and within an hour had to be at the school for Popcorn training. I expected this little training to take all of 20 minutes but an hour later I had to dismiss myself because I could no longer stand the boredom. We had to stand this whole time and my legs were complaining something fierce. They hurt and I kept shifting from foot to foot, it probably looked like I had to go potty. I am not a stander, I am a sitter. It is weird, skinny or fat I would rather sit than stand. The only exception to this rule is when I have been sitting in a car on a long distance trip. There was a 9 month pregnant lady at the training and I felt really bad that she had to stand. I looked down at her feet and they were puffed up like sausages. Ouch!

Oats came home late last night not a very happy man. After months of a long drawn out and frustrating fight with the city of Renton over land use rights, his camp lost. Stupid big ego city government!!!!! Oats has poured out his woes and anxiety and frustration by being fully obsessed with some Nintendo Wii game. He has stayed up late at night playing this game. The kids have felt it is their responsibility to assist him. This morning Miso woke up late and was basically having a sleep deprived melt down, which is not typical of Miso. Miso is pretty laid back kid. I was not very happy about his having been up late on a Seminary school night "helping" his dad win the game.

The seminary kid who drives my kids had is dad call at 5:20 this morning because his kid was sick. I had to get up and take them. When I got back home I crashed in bed and slept until 8:20 so now the elementary kids were running late. I was grateful for the tender mercy that they did not go balistic as they sometimes will in the mornings but both girls were happy. It truly was a blessing.

It is another warm day today but currently raining. I would like to go on another long walk with the dog but am having a hard time getting motivated to do so.....

The Missionaries for dinner.

2010-09-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

We currently have sister missionaries serving in our ward. I invited them to dinner tonight. I was a little bummed to have sisters after years of Elders who would crack me up. My opinion changed tonight. One of the sisters is from Korea and her English is still rudimentary. I think she understands what we say and she can say quite a few things but her diction isn't that great and things kind of slur together. To make conversation I asked her what her favorite and least favorite things were that she has been given to eat since coming here. She seemed a little puzzled while trying to come up with the right words. She finally responded what sounded like "wips". Wips? I wondered aloud. yes, Wips. Lips? I said. oh yes, Lips. I began laughing and said "someone actually fed you lips for dinner? I said they must have been very poor. Then I said that I wasn't sure lips were even something edible. We are all kind of laughing as I still can not believe this poor sisters favorite American food is Lips. Finally her companion says , I think I know what she is trying to say "ribs". Aha the shining moment of understanding when we all were cracking up including the Korean sister. I said, well that is one to write home about!

A little later in the conversation we had gotten on the topic of weird names people give their children as well as nicknames people get that seem to come from no where. The American missionary said "my dad said he never liked his name and so he told people to call him Freak. " I started laughing and said your dad wanted people to call him "Freak"? ! No, she says, Frank. Then we were all rolling laughing again.

It doesn't seem to matter if you speak english or not I will find a way to misunderstand what you are saying!

A very funny dinner.

A Spiritual Day

2010-09-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

Church today was wonderful! I normally dread church, it is kind of like the dread I feel at having to exercise. Once I am at church though and have gotten the proper mindset I really enjoy church. The same is true for exercise. I think I dread church so much because the idea of sitting for 3 hours makes the ADD part of me go a little stir crazy.

Today was the Primary Program. It was really good and not at all boring which on occasion it can be when it heads into overtime. The Program was well written and ended right on time. Mony sang a duet with another girl from her class and did awesome. My two younger girls had their parts memorized. Where I got all choked up was the song they sang at the end, My Savior Loves Me. I just cried and cried, the spirit was so strong as those sweet children belted out those lyrics. I cried in Relief Society as well when I shared an experience about how Relief Society had benefitted my life. I had to ask myself   "are you pregnant, is it your monthly? " No I cannot be pregnant, not possible anymore and I also no longer get a monthly so it must mean the "old me" is returning! The old me easily felt the spirit and was affected by it. After the cancer and the string of trials we had for about 5 years I had kind of hardened. I still felt the spirit but it was harder and I certainly didn't get teary over much.

Last night on our date I told Oats that I didnt' like it when he practiced church hymns on the piano becuase it made me sad. I told him that when I am at church and feel the spirit I cry. I said hearing church songs reminds me of being in church, feeling the spirit and crying so in essence they made me melancholy or sad. He thinks I am nuts.

For our date we went to Red Robin and I had their new Mt. Oympus burger, it was delicious! It did however leave crud in my teeth that made me look like I had fungus growing between my teeth. Thank Heavens for the dental floss I leave in my car! After dinner we saw the movie "Wall Street - Money Never Sleeps".   It was pretty good, a little long but good. Oats thought it was boring. Weird how two different people can have a different opinion about the same event. Kind of like how some people LOVED Mockinjay and I thought it was dumb.

Lice are NOT nice. For two Septembers in a row the elementary kids have caught lice. There was a total outbreak in one of my daughter classes. My daughter picked it up at a late night at a friends house. Luckily we caught it early and got it killed right away. It is still a huge pain in the rear to wash all bedding including comforters, and vacuum every nook and cranny in your house, not to mention feeling like you are crawling with bugs and itching everywhere for days! It was much better than last year. No one else but this one child in our home caught it and it was quickly destroyed. Last year having never been through Lice before it was a full blown outbreak and nearly everyone in our family caught those nasty buggers. It took a lot longer to get rid of it and was horribly embarassing. This time around I wasn't embarassed and neither was my daughter. With everyone getting it you just come to realize it is nothing to be ashamed of and you can get it almost as easily as catching a cold.   That is why I tell all parents to do frequent head checks. You feel like a mother monkey preening your babies as you leaf through their hair. I pray it never returns!

I had an eye appointment a week or so ago. I have had burning and watery eyes and frequent headaches and wanted to check to see if I needed glasses. I found out I have dry eye and now need to use drops and that I was far sighted but my prescription was light. It would seem that as I age I won't need glasses but will need reading glasses. I plan on getting the cutest funky ones I can find! When I need them that is.

My teenage childrens social lives are crowding out my social life! Every weekend they have football games, parties or other activities they are doing with friends. I make my nice little plans and the kids inform me at the last minute that they need to be driven here or there. Only 5.5 months and Miso will get his license and can drive himself, I AM SO EXCITED!    I hope his driving improves somewhat. I had to cover my eyes the other day when he slowed down at a green light and then decided to run the red one. It really is a scary business. If I don't distract mself then I just sit their and critique his every move and drive him nuts and myself crazy as well.

Missionaries for dinner tonight. I think we will have Ranch chicken.

The Smell I Smell!

2010-09-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

I have a hyperactive sense of smell. Sadly it is not usually the pleasant smells that are magnified but the horrible, nasty, putrid smells. Pretty much anything that does not smell pleasant will waft its way up my nose.

A couple of days ago I got home from running errands and opened my car door and was bowled over by an awful smell. I said "kids do you smell that?" Often no one smells a smell but me. They acted like they kind of smelled it but not really. This gross smell got stronger and for the next 3 days I smelled it, it was driving me crazy! I finally said something about it to Oats and he said I was smelling fertilizer. After cleaning out the shed my husband was unsure of what to do with bazillions of bags of near empty fertilizer. He decided to let Bobo empty it all over the front lawn, despite knowing it would burn holes all over the lawn. I am okay with the burn holes, they will grow back lawn, but I don't think he was counting on the stench. It is AWFUL! You expect to go out your front door and smell fresh air, maybe even the faint scent of a flower if you are lucky, but I step out my front door and smell a fertilizer factory! I am talking the chemical fertilizer not the all natural animal poop variety. The animal poop fertilizer smell goes away after a good rain, but I am stuck with this smell for who knows how long?!

I truly do HATE bad smells! That is why porta potties are so offensive to me. They overwhelm me.

I continue to enjoy my peace and quiet each day. I am getting a lot done and very proud of myself. As much as I loved being with babies all day when I nannied, nothing compares to being by myself. I am my own best friend.

Tuesday I took an elderly friend to the Temple with me. She is deteriorating in health and is very dependent on others to help her be mobile. I just love this friend. She has the best sense of humor and is so patient. It was a trick getting her into the van and I tried my best to hoist her up into the seat but mostly I just had to shove her and put my whole body into it. We were both laughing so hard. In the Temple I had to help dress and un-dress her and despite my clumsiness she just was as patient as could be. I admire her so much. I think I would be a bit or maybe a lot short tempered and grouchy if my dignity were put to the test. What a Saintly lady.

Today Oats is sending some people to give us a bid on some garage doors and installation. Our garage door system has finally bit the dust. The cool thing is that Greg is allowing me to pick unique garage doors instead of your standard boring fare. He normally likes standard and boring, that is why we have french vanilla colored walls. He wants cool garage doors though. I am hoping that my kitchen will have a big earthquake hit just that room and so it can be replaced too!

Miso started driving and it is a slightly scary business. Sometimes I just want to cover my eyes and pray. He isn't that bad, just really jerky. He has not figured out the pressure to give the brakes or gas pedal. He says Oats is much more laid back and that I give play by play instructions. I guess I do. You never know what kind of driving instructor you are going to be until you actually have to trust your life to a teenage driver.

Had curriculum nights this week. Same old, same old. I only go to sign up to volunteer. The spiel is pretty much the same from year to year. I never go to the Middle or Highschool curriculum nights and I am feeling a little guilty about it this year. Heck, I have to find something to feel guilty about or I wouldn't know how to function!

This Saturday night is the Stake Chocolate Ball. It should be fun. We are going out to dinner with some friends first. I always get a little anxious when Oats and I have a date that is not the normal dinner and a movie. I dont' know why, but I think the change in routine is unsettling. What is funny is that I love change, just not always when it comes to date night.

I think I hear the garage door people.....

A Wonderful Event

2010-09-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my baby "Snoogly" was baptized. Leading up to this momentous of occasions I was a wee worried about her readiness. She didn't seem to quite get what it all meant and didn't really act all that excited about it. In fact she would complain that if she didn't get this or that that she was "NOT going to get baptized!". My fears were allayed when on her actual baptism day she seemed very excited, very ready and very aware of what was going to happen. I was relieved.

Like the dork that I am, I completely forgot to issue an invitation to anyone and had my mom not mentioned it to a few of my siblings no one would have shown up from our family! As it was my sister L was not given enough notice and couldn't be there. I was happy that brother C and sister K and their families as well as both sets of grandparents were all in attendance. It was a rather large baptism despite there being only 4 children baptised, 3 girls and one little boy. I think one of the kids had about a dozen families from their ward there to support them.

Snoogs was first. They put up some new safety glass in front of the font so unlike in the past you couldn't just step over a little ledge and assist your child in the changing room, you had to actually go around. As far as I can remember my child has never been first. Snoogs was baptized and I quickly went out to the hall and made the short trip to the changing room. There she stood sopping wet and shivering waiting for me. Oh I was so happy! In hushed voices I quickly helped to dry her off and dress her. While this was happening in walks a little girl in a white jumpsuit chomping her gum. She asks If I know where there is a trash can, which I do not so she says I will put it on my moms bag. She heaves the door open and a few seconds later heaves the door open again this time soaking wet. It was the funniest and weirdest thing ever. Kind of like assembly line baptism. I had never experienced it like this before. As I said normally moms are assisting in both directions but with the safety glass the little girl did it all on her own. It was pretty funny.

After the rest of the service we wen to the lobby and took our traditional family pictures and she opened her little gifts from family and friends. It was a very special day.

After the baptism we went back to my mom and Dads for a luncheon and cake for Uncle C's birthday. Miso and Oats and Grandpa left early and Miso got his drivers Permit. Today Ammon drove us to church. I covered my eyes in fear. He did okay. We all survived!

A week of Wacky

2010-09-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

This has been a wonderful week, all except for Wednesday. Wednesday sucked! I mean Wednesday was the most horrible day ever. My kids were rotten, I was rotten and I ended the day in tears. It was horrible. But.....the rest of the week has been incredible!

Stories before I forget!

Wednesday one funny thing did happen. I had gone shopping and bought some sugar wafer cookies to bring to a Primary activity. One of my rude friends told me that wafer cookies are gross, but I think they are delicious and so do my kids. Anyway....I bought them and we were rushing out to pick up my older two girls from school. I put the cookies on top of the van and then dug around in my purse to try to find my always hiding keys. Keys were found and then we dashed off to pick up the girls. When we were driving back we entered the neighborhood and there was some weird bright pink stuff in the road that looked like silly string. I said "what is that weird pink stuff?" We dropped off the older girls at home and then turned around and raced out of the neighborhood so we wouldn't be late for the Primary activity. While on the road I asked the girls, "where are the cookies?" Zoo said, "mom you put them on the roof of the car!". I bust out laughing and couldn't stop for quite a while. That is what that weird pink stuff was!!! On the way home we stopped and got the wrapper with the remaining smushed cookies in it and threw it all away. By the next morning there was no evidence of the cookies as the birds had pecked the road clean, I am sure they were grateful for such a yummy snack.

Friday I worked in my garden trying to rid it of weeds. At the start of the season when things were coming up there were these weird plants popping up all over. I didn't think they looked like weeds but couldn't remember what I had planted that would look like that. Friday since no apparent squash had grown I started ripping them out thinking maybe they were weeds. As I was ripping them up potatoes come right on up attatched to my strange plants! Boy, was I surprised. We got a nice little harvest of potatotes that I am cooking up for dinner tonight. Last Summer I had planted potatoes in a barrel but often forgot about watering them. Nothing really happend so this year I dumped out the barrels and raked the soil in the pots into my garden soil. I didn't notice any potatoe spuds so thought it was just ordinary soil. Guess I was wrong!

I got my hair colored this week. The first round didn't work and so I went back on Saturday for round two and another 2 hours in the styling chair for a color and haircut. This time it worked! My hair had gotten so dark from having kids and aging and I wanted it the blonde of my childhood. Not a platinum blonde but a nice warm buttery blonde. You can't duplicate childhood hair but my stylist got pretty close. I feel much better now!

The kids all loved school although bobo was chomping at the bit for homework, real homework not just stupid short stuff. That girl is so darn academic. I am adjusting happily to my empty house but still am so busy there has been no time to get bored. I need to make a commitment to getting back to work on homework. I still have more to do around the house but will carve out some time for school.

Picture is Mony in one of her adorable new outfits.

Heaven on Earth

2010-08-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

Children all back in School. No longer nannying. Heaven on Earth. It was such an incredibly wonderful day! All that I dreamed it would be like. I took Bobo down to school at 6:40. She was worried about her outfit and if she would find the right place to meet and if she would get lost etc.... Zoo rode along as she was up early with all the excitement of her first day. When we got back home Mony was headed out the door with her Dad to head to Mony's School. He came home and reported that she did not need him to walk her across the street because she met up with a friend and managed just fine. That left the two little girls (Ammon had caught the bus to highschool) to sit around bored for over an hour. I calmy dealt with the contention they still had to dish at one another. I left at 8:40 to help at their new school as the bus greeter. Oats got them off on the bus.

As well intentioned as the new school was the drop off procedure was pretty chaotic. The buses didn't know what to do and some were circiling while others dropped their kids off way too early. I did my best and frantically wrote bus numbers on little hands while the rain drenched everyone and tried to rinse the newly written numbers off.

When I got home it was fantastically quiet. I was so darn happy. I cleaned and cleaned and ironed and cleaned some more. ( I am still not done). I had a little visiting teaching meeting and got some paper work done. Then all too soon it was time to go pick up kids. It was fun though. Each child happily told me about their day. Emilie groaned that she wanted "real" homework! Honestly she loves school that much.

At dinner all the kids took a turn telling about their day so Dad could get the scoop. Zoo got bored and turned her new outfit into a dork outfit. She is pretty funny that Zoo, she had us all laughing.

Literally going insane!

2010-08-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

As I have posted many many times before. As much as I love children, especially my own, more than 2 at a time and I go insane. Today has been the worst most horribly very bad day, but hopefully it is the last one for a long time! My kids go back to school tomorrow. Oh the joy and thanksgiving!

My kids were at their all time worst today. The fighting, hitting, arguing with each other and me, Aghhhhhhhhh! My head was pounding by 10 a.m. and that headache doesn't usually come on until 4 or 5 p.m. It pains me to see how child number 3 and 4 who used to be the best of friends and partners in crime can hardly stand each other anymore. I feel bad for them. Number 3 is turning into a young lady and number 4 is still a kid, so their likes and interests have diverged as they each are at different maturity levels despite just being a year and half apart.

I started training for the Beaver Lake mini triathalon. It is a 4.2 mile run, 1/2 mile swim and I think around an 11 or 12 mile bike ride. Today I ran/walked for half an hour and then lifted weights. I am so stinkin sore! I could barely walk today and that sure didn't help my already nasty mood from being part of family from Hades today!

Right now Bobo has that song from Adam what's his name from American Idol "What do you want from me?!". That is my total theme song as a mother. When I hear a whiny "Maaaawwwwwwm" that is what I want to shout. Can you tell I need a vacation from kids extremely bad!

Saturday I kept my word and took the girls, minus Snoogly to Ensign Ranch to ride horses. Snoogly woke up early and stood in our doorway and announced she was going to throw up. I told her to quickly run to the toilet. My poor little babies whole body convulsed several times and then she threw up bile, which is pretty nasty. I remember bile from my tortorous pregnancy days. She said "mommy it tastes horrible!" Indeed it does. She made it to the toilet so there was no cleaning up to do. I held her tight and she was burning up, back to bed she went where she slept most of the day. I rubbed her back and stroked her head and felt so badly for her. Anyway.....back to the Ensign Ranch trip. Oats and Miso got out of it and stayed home with Snoogs. I threatened the girls with their lives that if they fought on the way up there I would turn around and we would go home! Unfortunately Ensign Ranch doesn't let you make reservations by phone, so we had to take our chances that they would have an opening. We got there hoping to take the 2p.m. ride but all that was left was one spot. Our hearts sank. She said there were spots at 4 p.m. but then Bobo reminded me that she had to babysit at 6. I am sure we were all praying in our hearts that something would work out for us. The missionary felt bad and called to see if some people would be willing to switch. We lucked out and she was able to rearrange some spots so the girls could ride at 2 p.m. On the way to the car I told zoo it was our horse miracle and said she should say a thank you prayer. She did and told me what she was thankful for.

The next day I had another teaching moment with Bobo. She found out that a very stawlwort couple that used to be in our ward was getting a divorce. It was pretty devasting and she wondered why. I told her because the dad had decided to abandon his covenants and his marriage. I explained to her that he had stepped off the path and turned his face away from the Temple, so to speak. She said you and dad will never get a divorce will you? I explained to her that both her Dad and I held sacred the covenants that we made in the Temple. That we believed our marriage was eternal and that so long as neither of us stepped off the path we would be okay. I was grateful for teaching moments with my girls.

Today was meet the teacher at the new Elementary school. What a mad house! I turned the corner into the neighborhood and cars were already lined up a half mile from school. I took my place in line behind them and out we got and trudged to the School only to find that half the parking lot was empty! Dumb. We met their teachers and I was pleased to see that each daughter had some friends she knew in them. Oats gave back to school blessings yesterday and I hope we are in for a good year.

The countdown is on to peace and quiet!

Pics. Squirrel the girls befriended and Zoo in her new classroom.

Anything but that.....

2010-08-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned how I got the book Mockingjay in the mail on Tuesday. Under normal circumstances I would have consumed that book that very day. There is a problem. Mockinjay is not that good. I have found myself reading everything BUT that book. I will sit down and read the Book Of Mormon, then get out my Ensign and peruse a few articles. I then read through the catologs the daily mail has brought to me. Okay, now I will read the book. I make the mistake of laying down on my bed to read it. I make it through one chapter and then find it has lulled me to sleepiness. I put the book down, curl up in my quilt and take a short snooze. I am very sad that this book is not good. I had high hopes for it. I loved the fist two books in the Hunger Game series so much! I liked them better than Twilight. What a total bummer. It has really been a rotten summr for books.

I got back in my exercise routine. I swam. It felt wonderful, I enjoy it a lot. I think I need to change lanes though. I always choose the middle lane. I like it because it has the ladder to get down. It is in the middle, protected, from what? I don't know. It has a disadvantage. The heating vents are along the middle of the pool. You would think this would be a good thing. Nope. I swim along and then Foosh a huge blast of burning hot water sizzles me as a I swim over it. The morning must be the prime heating time. My lane is weird in fact because the shallow end is very warm and then you get into the deep end and it is cool. Warm, cool, warm, cool. A shock to the senses at times. Espcecially at 6:30 in the morning.

The girls dance clothes came today. They were so excited. Zoo's tap shoes don't fit. Dang it! Luckily they are a half size bigger than what Bethanie wears so she can grow into them. I did not relish the thought of trying to send them back in the mail.

My Dansko clogs came today too. Mine are cute, not the clunky kind. They are like a sandal only enclosed. I will have to take a picture. I still can't believe I spent $120 on them. In all my life I have NEVER paid that much for one single item of clothing ever! They better be worth it! A friend says they last 5 or 6 years and they go with so many things. I have a pair of sandals that I bought from Bass that are like that. They still look like new even though I have worn them for 5 years. In fact this Summer is the first year I didn't wear them. I mostly hung out in some really comfortable rocket dog flip flops. I go through so many shoes. I don't buy crappy ones but I guess they just weren't me or didn't fit right. I am hoping that by buying higher qulity shoes that I will hang on to them for years versus months.

I did so good on my diet until dinner. Dinner my worst binge meal of the day. I was going to eat a salad with chicken but instead I ate pizza like everyone else. I hate feeling like I am depriving myself. I need to learn to eat one piece instead of 3.

5 more days until school starts!

6 Days and counting!

2010-08-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

There are 6 more days of Summer break and then School resumes. It has been a hard Summer. I remember last Summer I actually was a little sad to see School start up again. The kids have been at each others throats most of the Summer and I feel like I am on the verge of a meltdown of my own. I keep reminding myself that I have only 6 days left. I read about other mothers who act like every minute they spend with their darlings is Heaven. I have my suspicions about those people. I am not thinking they are riding the honest train and they just want to Tom foolery everyone into thinking they are some kind of saint!

Kids are noisy, messy, they fight, they break things, they invade your space, they give you no privacy they doubt almost everything you say. In short they are monsters. Don't get me wrong...they give the best hugs and kisses. Kids make you laugh they fill the empty spaces in your heart that can only be filled with a childs love. They give you something worthwhile to do with your life and your time and they are a fun to watch grow and develop. Some of them even turn into people you would have chosen as a friend if you had met them growing up.

Despite the good and bad about kids, they are still just that, kids. Everyone has adult needs. The need to go through a whole day without someone yelling at you or interupting you when you try to shower or use the bathroom. Everyone has the need to some degree or another of solitude, peace, quiet, the chance to start a task and finish it.

I think what I want the most is just to not have bickering and contention for a few hours every day. I love these kids but it drives me crazy that they have such a horrible time getting along with each other. Those of you who have kids that actually like each other, count yourself lucky. My only hope is that they end up friends when they no longer live together!

I was a lazy tush and didn't exercise this morning. I have not been sleeping well. I wake up a lot. Oats had to get up in the wee hours for a flight to Alaska and I woke up. Some of my best sleep came after he left. I did walk the dog. I am just discouraged. I have been "working out" (I kind of hate that phrase, I think exercising is more accurate) and I have cut back on sweets and improved the quality of my diet but have not shed one single pound this month! I feel like giving up, but yet I know that exercising has also helped me feel great and given me more energy. I will be back at it tomorrow.

Oats gets home tonight. Yes, it was a one day trip. Crazy!

I am still not that into Mockingjay, kind of a disappointment.

More efforts at beauty....

2010-08-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

This morning I went swimming and came home showered and took the doggers for a walk. I then headed out with Mony to get some more shopping done. Ugh. Never thought I would say that but the girls' drawers barely shut because they are so full of clothes. Mony had a gift card to use up and a couple of shirts to return. She chose skinny jeans at Justice and a shirt, jewlery and candy at Target. She wanted to keep looking for clothes but I reminded her that there was no where to put them. While we were in shopping Bobo who we had picked up from a sleepover waited in the car watching The Last Song.

Mony was pleasant to shop with and I remarked as much to her. She said, she told me she was good to shop with. We both agreed that had I wanted to look for anything for me it would have been a different story!

About an hour after I got home I took Snoogly and 4 of her new pants over to my friends for her to hem them. I anticpated this little errand to last 30 minutes or less but I ended up being there for 2 hours! I bought some make-up from her (she sells Mary Kay) in an effort to try to beautify this rapidly aging face of mine. I didn't really think my face had aged all that much but the brownish circles around my eyes that make them appear slightly bruised as well as the little double chin and slightly sagging skin and I am looking my age. Hopefully the miracle products I bought from her will do their magic.

Today the book Mockingjay that I had pre-ordered arrived in the mail. I started reading it but wasn't sucked in, at least not yet. I am thinking I should have mayber re-read the last one as I have forgotten a bit of the story line. I am slowly catching up.

My dog is having his crazy time right now. He will run around in a figure 8 occasionally jumping on the bed before racing off again. He attacks his squeaky toys and it is pretty darn funny to watch. He probably needs more that one walk every day.

One week from today School starts! Yee haw!

Can you say Oops!?!

2010-08-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

Today was the big back to business day at the girls' new Elementary School. Their old school didn't have such a thing, so this was all new to us. I had read some where that there was possibly pictures today, but since we didn't get a picture packet I figured there probably wouldn't be pictures. I was wrong. As soon as I show up I see all the children dolled up and their parents preening them like little birds getting them ready for pictures. Shoot! I thought as I looked down at my scraggly two little girls. They were wearing new shirts but their hair was atrocious. I kept agonizing over our fate not pleased about paying for pictures where the girls would look like something the cat drug in. I paid for the stupid pictures. My girls thought they looked great. I swore on sentence of extreme measures that if they did not let me touch their hair to try to finger comb it they would be in big trouble. I did my best. Sigh. Later when I came home I looked at their pictures on the fridge and realized they didn't look that great last year either. Soooo if they are smiling cute I will hang on to the pictures and not do re-takes.

We got a cool tour of the new school. It is incredible. I am so excited for the girls to go there. It was weird though to feel like a new parent. I have had kids in Elementary school for the past 11 years. Being in a new school though where half the student body comes from a different feeder Elementary that is exactly how I feel, like I am new. The girls are excited. I did my normal routine and signed up to volunteer in way too many things and the regret started seeping in when I got home. There is a fine line between not enough busy and too much busy.

Got some discourageing news today. I basically have to do more math or pay to take more German. Can I say no to both options? I am getting serious with my kids (girls especially) to finish college while they are there and not wait. Coming back and trying to finish 15 years later is a nightmare. It is probably one of the hardest things I have ever attempted to do.

The kids and I are getting on each others nerves and we are all chomping at the bit for School to start. One more week!!!!!!

Funny things said by my kids today...

Miso "Mom, is it a true story?" Said after watching the movie "Babe" .
Snoogly " I am a little girl, not 16 years old!" Said after trying to teach her to soften butter and her refusing.

Raging hot summer ANGER!

2010-08-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

I think the Summer is wearing thin on nearly everyone in my family. There has been a lot of anger and sadly much of it has found its way into me! Today after a horrible shopping trip with the 3 girls in tow I gave a lecture that made 2 out of the 3 of them cry. At least I know I got through to them. ugh.

I find that when my children shop with me that I tend to spend like a rich person. They ask, whine, beg for something and I buy it. In fact we buy waaaaay too many wants sometimes to the neglect of what we really need. For instance, we went to Rite aid looking for a couple of things for Mony's locker. We found no locker things but I walked out of there $30 poorer buying extra (unneeded) school supplies for the litle girls. We have a zillion lunchboxes floating around here but we couldn't resist the allure of NEW ones and I bought each girl a new lunchbox. There is something about things in pristine condition with tags still attatched that is so mesmorizing. The colors are still vivid, the designs so new and fresh and cute. They then each picked half a dozen adorable animal folders because the ones that came with their school kits were boring and plain.

When we went to Fred Meyer to look for locker stuff I got bamboozled into buying locker magnets, markers, white board and too expensive locker shelves. I put my foot down on locker paper. We never had locker paper. I am all thumbs with contact paper and the thought of Mony trying to measure, cut and expertly apply said paper by herself in 10 minutes or less and I saw a bad situation. Now she didn't see what I saw in my mind, she just heard "no" and of course "no" is the magic word for melt-down. It is my own fault but I have 3 spoiled little girls who are used to getting what they want. How do you change your ways from 11 years of that? Bobo complains frequently she and Miso have it much harder than "the girls". She is sooooooo right. Both of the older two have had to work for a lot of what they get and have been expected to do a ton more around the house. In my defense 2 out of the 3 younger girls have had delays of one kind or another and I have always used that as an excuse. The one without delays is just stubborn and beligerent half he time. I think I need to freshen up my reading with the old parenting books and see if I can get a clue how to change things.

It is beautiful this afternoon and much cooler. Perhaps I will take this weird book I am reading for Book group outside and enjoy it. I still don't like cooking and laundry is never ending.....

Combined Swimming Birthday party for Snoogly and Mony

2010-08-19T14:01:00.001-07:00

Mony's birthday, Goodbye Dubby and Kenna Woo.

2010-08-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Cousins.... Mony, Snoogly, Zoo, M, W and S.

2010-08-19T13:57:00.001-07:00

Cooper and Swimming

2010-08-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

Zoo and her Lizard Sandy

2010-08-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

Zoo convinced to let her get another pet....a Bohemian Anole. She named her Sandy. Amazingly Zoo has taken great care of her.

Nothin'

2010-08-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

I hate coming up with something to write about. Normally throughout the day ideas will come to me but I am too busy to write them down, so I just abandon the thought of blogging. I wanted to get one of those digital voice recorders and I saw one at Costco but the next time I went they were no longer carrying there. My mind is swiss cheese and ideas and thoughts come and just as quickly leave through all the post baby holes in my brain.

Last Friday was my last day of work. It has been nice to be done. I have gotten a lot of dejunking and organzing done. I have a bit left but overall the house feels much better. I took a whole van load to the DI trailer and have quite a bit to donate to Eastside baby corner. My kids have so much stuff! They really do have a lot of clothes and I see my shopping addiction in each and every one of their packed drawers and closets. I must reign myself in.

Yesterday I took Mony to register for Middle School. She looked so adorable. She is turning into such a pretty pre-teen. She applies make up like a pro and accesorizes much better than I do. We did her hair up all curly using a curl activator and she got so many compliments on her new necklace and hairstyle. She seemed very grown up. I should have taken a picture but that slipped my mind. Speaking of losing one's mind.....I posted this on face book but this past week on Sunday I asked Snoogly what she had learned in Primary and she said "I don't remember, I lose my mind a lot these days!" . She cracks me up! She is in love with the new clip on ear-rings she got for her birthday and loves to show them off and match them to her outfits.

Shopping with the kids has truly turned into torture. I had to bribe Zoo with Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal in order to shop at Costco after her eye appointment. She was still a pill. My kids think they run the show and sadly sometimes that is true. Zoo is expecially effective at manipulating me to get what she wants or to avoid what she doesn't want. Poor Zoo has a very sensitive tummy. Both She and Snoogly have had a swim teacher they don't care for. Zoo works herself up into having a big stomach ache with worry about swim lessons. It is very weird. I realize now that the many faker days Zoo had at school this past year were really anxiety stomach aches. I have got to uncover what made her anxious about school and try to stop it from happening this year.

I have a bunch of pictures to upload.....I still hate my hair, and cooking is not my favorite thing.

Almost done....

2010-08-12T22:58:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my last day of work. Hopefully forever. I got my baby fix. I am no longer baby hungry. It was a good run. I am ready to move on with my life now.

After packing up some of the baby things my house now feels a little empty. Rooms have grown larger, it is easier to walk around. Babies really do have a lot of stuff and take up a lot of room. I have learned from past mistakes however, and am not giving away all of the things I have acquired. I will pack them neatly in case I once again need babies in my arms to feel complete. Hopefully that feeling won't come until grandchildren are on the way.

I filled out 5 packets of back to school forms and wrote too many checks. My older children each had 10 page sports packets that needed to be completed on top of all the emergency forms that you fill out in triplicate. I am done now. Yay!

This morning I had a great swim when I went lap swimming. I have learned to really love swimming. The YMCA pool is normally as warm as a bathtub so any kind of speed swimming can be uncomfortable but today they had turned the temperature way down. When I first got in I was not happy as I was expecting it to be nice and toasty but once I began swimming it was wonderful. It is funny how you get used to routines. Every time after a swim as I am leaving the life guard will ask me "Did you have a good swim?'. Today when I left he had disappeared. I peeked in the office and looked all around and then walked out feeling weird because my morning ritual had been broken.

Today I took yet another daughter to get her back to school physical. Mony had been freaking out for days at the thought of getting shots. I know all about needle anxiety. I nearly have a panic attack every time they have to draw blood but I was unprepared for what would happen when we went to the doctor. As soon as we were in the room Mony began to tear up. I thought I was seeing things. After the nurse left the room Mony went into full on melt down mode. Huge tears streaming down her face she began to beg me, plead with me to skip getting the shots. When I told her that was not an option she began to plead for only 1 shot, not two. I informed her that in 6 months time she would not magically be in the mood to get a shot. She argued that indeed she would. The tears, and panic increased to the point where I became the enemy and she began shoving me and calling me rude and mean. I had to get up to avoid being injured. The nurses were trying to be nice and said they would each give her a shot at once to save her from extra pain. She did not want that at all and insisted she would rather take them one at a time. The nurses and I all raised our eyebrows in disbelief at her logic but shrugged our shoulders and consented. As was to be expected the shots were given and she survived. Poor sensitive, tender hearted Mony.

Big double birthday pool party coming up on Saturday. Please help me remember the party favors....I have nightmares that I forget the party favors for my kids' birthdays. I also have a nightmares that I forget all about the party and the guests start showing up. Wonder what that means?????

Burnt Pancakes

2010-08-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

Bobo has been making pancakes most mornings for a while now. She burned one really really badly this morning. My house stunk to high heaven and hours and hours later still does! I actually HATE the smell of cooked breakfast. It stinks up your hair, your house, clothes, it is as bad as cigarette smoke in the stink department. Play it safe, have cereal.   I told Bobo, "no more pancakes every morning, just once in a while!". She agreed.

I think I am thoroughly sick and tired of Summer. Not really of Summer, mostly of having all of my children under foot 24/7.   I think if I have to hear one more "Maaawwwwuuuuuummmmm!" I am going to strangle myself. I really mean it, one more petty argument, screaming match, "I'm bored", sound of cupboards banging open for yet another meal amongst the 6 or so they eat in a day I will literally blow my brains out. I am tired of the referee job. I am craving a vacation from children.   I am even getting giddy about my little minions leaving this week. Wednesday afternoon I say goodbye to one and then Friday it's Sianora to the other. I have visions of packing up baby toys as we speak. No more baby proofing, no more baby gates, no more baby playpen taking up space in my room! Wooooweeee! I will miss their sweet cuddles and kisses and hugs, however. Sigh. Can't have everything, so I will take my peace and quiet!

I had to take my 2 youngest with me to Costco today for Bobo's contact lens fitting. No one told me this would consume most of my afternoon. We pretty much got right in for the appointment but the actual trying on of the contacts took nearly 2 hours!!!!! I figured 20 minutes max of trial and error and we were good to go. After 45 minutes of the girls and I trying on pretty much every pair of glasses and sunglasses in the joint we were ready to go. We went to Fred Meyer. As usual with the girls input I spent twice as much money as I would have if they had not been with me.   We went back to Costco and picked up Bobo.   Oh, some advice. DO NOT buy underwear at Fred Meyer, they are a total rip off. I am sticking with Target, oh how I love you Target.

I felt like Pizza so that is what we had for dinner. Bobo is supposed to be making dinner every night over the next 2 weeks for her Young Women's goal, that will be nice. I let her off the hook tonight though, cause stressed as I was , I needed some Pizza.

I have begun filling out forms and writing out checks for the kids' schools. It is not cheap to have a big family. I would still have taken 2 more kids if that had been the Lords plan. Yes, I know kids drive me crazy, but they also make me happier than just about anything else, besides Oats.

I better go to bed. Laundry never ends.

Another Random thought not to be dismissed.

2010-08-06T22:05:00.000-07:00

I was on the computer and Bobo was in the bathroom straightening her hair before leaving for her River Rafting trip. (She takes vanity to a whole new level). I mentioned that I had a number #2 to do. She immediately starts singing:

"If you don't poop like most people do, some people walk away from you, but I won't, I won't. If you don't poop like most people do some people laugh and point at you , but I won't, I won't. I'll poop with you, I'll scoop with you, that's how I'll show my love for you!!!!"

Thanks grandpa for another memorable song.

I have fond memories of my dad dancing around the kitchen Island in his underwear singing "toot toot, toot toot, we always go toot toot!" encouraging us kids to join in on the conga line.

Potty humor was HUGE in the Shane household and is now being passed down to the next generation.

Tonight I squezed Snoogs and told her I loved her like a monkey without a butt. She looked up at me with her face all squinched together and her eyebrows raised and then we both burst out laughing. It is hard to beat the love of a monkey with no butt.

And finally confessions of a horrible person. I am not sure I am that into NieNie anymore. It is horrible what happened to her and she has an awesome attitude about it and all, but I am jealous of her Anthropolgie, home remodel, cupcakes and non working husband life that I don't think I can stand to read about it anymore

Glued

2010-08-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I take a nap and am trying to wake up it feels like my eyelids are glued shut. My mind has registered that I am in a dream/awake state and it is time to fully wake up but my dreams are stubborn and some unforseen force is holding my eyelids shut. Such was the case today. I had no intention of taking a nap today when I awoke this morning. Since fixing my meds I have been doing faulously at having energy and feeling alert.

At 1 p.m. when my last little minion was retrieved by a parent I had the whole day ahead of me. The summer has proven to be quite busy with running around obligations but this afternoon I had nothing. My yard and the mild weather were begging me to pull ugly weeds and do some back breaking digging, but I thought to myself. "No", not today.

I had one final chapter of homework to complete but again I rejected that option. I chose instead to tidy up, zombie to the computer, do a little reading and then around 3:30 zonk off into dreamland. As I said I wasn't really that tired or so I thought. The moment I closed my eyes for a "test run" my body did it's electric shock thing, Have I mentioned this? When my body is ready to slumber but my brain doesn't want to put on the breaks as my body drifts rapidly into sleep mode my brain will jolt me awake. I hate this. My husband hates this. My children are alarmed and confused by the behavior, but my body keeps doing it. So when I closed my eyes and was immediatly jolted awake I knew that a nap was in order. It was just hours later when I tried to wake up that the eyes glued phenomna took place.

My 3 girls are on a Phinneus and Pherb marathon. I think they are on hour 5 now. I hate that show and it is total mind garbage espceially considering my 9 year old knows the Summer theme song by heart. Sometimes I just get a little lazy as a parent. Shame on me. Not really.

Two of my girls have been sick with a cold/mild fever thing. I got that cold but seem to be symptom free now. Hallelujah! One of my daughters called to me while I was on my computer binge saying "mom, can you come down here?". In a second, I replied. The child again requested me, the topic: diarhea. I came to her aid unprepared for what I would find. The child stood in a bathroom with poop all over the seat, floor, toilet, herself and a mound of toliet paper in the toilet. The stench. I felt bad for my sweet child. I cleaned up the child, the floor, the toilet and did the plunging task ( I usually assign this to Oats) and the room is now clean. The child is bathed and we are good to go.

I have possibly the third eye infection of the Summer in my left eye. I really am beginning to wonder if their is some monster within. The girls told me yet another tale of some kid who had a maggot in his eye. I with almost 100% certainty told them I think I would know if I had a maggot in my eye. Please let it not be a maggot in my eye! I just bought some new make-up to but had to go make-up less today because of my yucky infection.

Oats, Bobo and Miso are having the time of their lives on a river rafting trip. I am jealous. I always wanted to do that. They have much better youth activities now than when I was a kid.

Tomorrow is Sea Fair. The plan is to go to my parents for the day. I hope the kids are better.

I LOVE MY FAMILY!

2010-08-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

I did it! I grew up in a less than perfect family with siblings who made me cry and with whom fighting was almost constant and I at 36 years old can say I love them to pieces!

My brother C who as I child I could not stand is now one of my best friends. He and his wife and kids (who I also adore) came from Boise to visit over the weekend. They spend a lot of time with my sister in laws family when they come up so you can imagine my joy when my brother and the boys came over and spent the WHOLE day with us! I had to do the normal mom thing so couldn't sit down and enjoy my brothers company as much as I would have liked but just having him in my house and watching the funny antics of his kids made my day and made me SMILE.

Yesterday the whole gang minus my brother D and his family and my niece S were at my parents for dinner. It feels so great to be with my brother because he thinks I am funny and he gets my sense of humor. I know I have talked about this before, but I just love him. I sure hope he and his family can find a way to move back "home" in the near future.

Yesterday at church I was sitting next to my son and told him he needed a haircut. Oats had mentioned to me that Miso had said that he didn't want to go bald any more so Oats suggested it might be time to take him to the Barber. I mentioned this to Miso and he said NO! He said the girls liked him with a "one or two" on the razor blade setting. Despite being at church I couldn't help but laugh! My son gets his haircut based on what the girls want him to get.

I am down to my last two weeks of work. I will be sad to say goodbye to my babies but I am getting so excited! There is so much I want to do......I want to take an institute class on Mondays, try to get to the Temple on Tuesdays, do volunteer work on Thursdays and be involved with the kids' schools. I also plan on working on homework for 2 hours a day and taking my dog on more regular walks. This stuff may sound ordinary but it is an ordinary I am craving.

I think I got called an idiot and have been told I was hated at least twice today. The kids are working hard on keeping the statistics up! I bemoan the day Miso ever came home with the word idiot. The impressionistic ears of a toddler with anger issues has made that word the "swear word" of choice at our house. Shut up has also become a favoirte shouted phrase around here. Oh and don't forget that everything must be said at volume shout! Sigh.

Took the kids school supply shopping this past week. It has basically cost me $100 per kid to just get stinkin school supplies. I guess I didn't win the frugal contest this year. Next year I will do better.

Oh wow, I have a headache now. I need to scrub some bathrooms.

Awesome!

2010-07-24T21:23:00.000-07:00

Last night for our date Oats and I went to the local Mexican restaurant. We have actually been going there a lot because I am sick and tired of Red Robin an neither one of us is real enthusiastic about leaving town to go eat. Anyhoo.....we were enjoying our dinner and a Mariachi band started up. They were wonderful! They serenaded a neighboring table and then came over to ours. They were so cool. It was a great surprise.
After dinner we went and saw the movie SALT.

SALT (A+) !!!!!!

That movie was awesome!!! I am so glad they are turning it into a franchise similar to the Bourne movies which I also love. Angelina Jolie is the best butt kicking female action star (Jennifer Garner was awesome in the Alias series)! I don't know how someone so skinny has any energy to do the things she does but she is amazing.

This morning I drove up to get the girls from Girls Camp. Can I just say that going to girls camp makes me feel like a loser teenager all over again. I get there excited to see my Bobo and she barely acknowledges that I am there and then ditches me. Over the next 45 mintues I was repeatedly ditched standing there looking dumb. I might as well as have an L tatooted on my farhead! I have mentioned before my love hate with girls camp. I loved it, but hated it to. Socially it was a landmine. I felt like such a loser outcast loner half the time. The other half of the time was wonderful. My inability to feel at ease in large groups has proven to be one of my biggest social stumbling blocks my whole life. It was the worst in the teen years though.

When I got home it was out the door once more to run a bunch of Saturday errands. I had to go to Justice so Zoo could get her best friend a Webkinz for her birthday. Then over to Target for paper plates, toothpicks, and a baby shower gift. Next up we went to the Grange and picked up chicken feed for the chickens. The chickens, by the way, look pathetic. Every morning I wake up to find more bloody holes in one chicken or the other. After the Grange we went to Fred Meyer for groceries.

Shortly after I got home the family took off for the Stake carnival over at the Stake Center. I took a nap and then did some cleaning.

I am getting good at slapping masquito's when I sit outside in the evening on my lawn chair and study or read.

Hot and beautiful today!

The Weather is Crap

2010-07-22T17:24:00.000-07:00

The weather is crap! I can not think of a worse Summer day than today. It was down right depressing. The sun hasn't come out once! When the weather is like this and it is the wrong season to be like this you feel kind of like you are floating in day with no name, no season, kind of like you are having a waiting day. Please let the sun shine tomorrow!

My girls were lazy bums today. Snoogs finally got changed around 11 A.M. but the other girls stayed in their Jammies all day. I have a daughter who turned into meanzilla today. When she is like that I want to pack her up in a box and ship her to the grouchyland for the day. This particular child is getting hard to handle and I need to come up with a better discipline plan. Grumble.

Sorcerer's Apprentice (C+)

I was tired today but I think it was more out of boredom. The baby did not want to be put down today and so I got very little done in the morning. This entry is turning into complain station so I will end now.

Memory Question:

Where was your childhood home located? Did you like living there?

I have already mentioned that I had three childhood homes. I enjoyed them all. My first home was in Renton. It was yellow and in a normal neighborhood subdivision near the Elementary School. There were a ton of neighborhood kids and we would meet outside and play in backyards or the street. I remember making good use of my big wheel with these friends.

My second home was in Bellevue. We lived on the side of a very steep hill. Our house was bigger than the first and we lived on a dead end street. We had two annoying boy neighbors but my best friend lived at the top of the street. From the time I was 5 I remember walking or riding my bike or bigwheel up to her house. She had the steepest driveway that was so fun and scary to ride down on our big wheels. She also had a plum tree with the best plums. I remember we played tag and hide and go seek. Erica was a great friend.

Our third house was in Issaquah. It was pretty rural out there but our house was the biggest one yet. I remember how fun I thought it was when we first moved in to feel like I was lost in my own house. We had a huge yard and horses and dogs. We had a really dumb German Shephard named Mandy. She was mostly an outdoor dog. She would come running from any direction and nip at your heels as we would race to get from the door to the fence. Neighborhood kids would come in full protective gear knowing Mandy would knock them over.

The neighborhood also had great horse trails that I would ride on my 10 speed bike and pretend they were freeways. The woods behind our house were fun to explore and packs of Coyotes would come out at night and howl in our pasture. That was a bit scary.

Every home I lived in while little held it's own magic.

I like to smell it!

2010-07-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

Today as I sat on the couch I looked over at Snoogly. She was sucking her tongue and sniffing her blankie. I asked her if she was tired. She rather angrily responded that she was not tired that when she sucked her tongue and sniffed her blanket it did NOT mean she was tired!

Well then, I continued to look at her blankie and noticed it had some dirty spots. I suggested that I might wash it because it was dirty. She again angrily replied that it was NOT dirty that what I saw was food! She paused and then said I like to sniff it. I burst out laughing thinking about my daughters protectiveness over her scratch and sniff blankie. In the mood for pizza? Just take a whif of Snooglies blankie!

As far as the fatigue issue is going. I think I am doing a little better. It is too early to tell. I feel great when I get up but "hit the wall" after a couple of hours. I think as long as I am on my feet and moving around I do great, but when I have to slow down and sit down to feed or rock the baby I bottom out. I just need to move I guess.

I am taking two of my girls and their friend to see The Sorcerers Apprentice this afternoon after Dorby gets picked up. I am determined to see every remotely interesting movie put out this summer. Friday Oats and I will see the movie SALT. I will give my reviews later.

Oats and Miso left at the crack of dawn for a Scout backpacking trip. Miso has informed me that he is no longer interested in this kind of stuff. Unlucky for him he has a good 4 years left of it. I was always grateful that I only had 4 years of girls camp to go to. I was such a wuss....I completed all the requirements for my camp medallion but didn't go on the 10 mile hike. I didn't think I could make it. Even when I have been skinny I have always been really just a mush. I wonder if I did the hike now if they would let me get my medallion? I still am not ready.

Bobo is at girls camp hopefully having a blast. I pray hard for her. She likes camp but the social issues amongst girls can sometimes be a real downer. On a high note she and Miso are getting along much better and it is great to see.

Memory question:

What kind of prayer did you say before you went to sleep? Who taught you to pray?

I didn't have a formulaic prayer like some religions do. We believe that we are literally talking to our Heavenly Father. We speak respectively and use proper prayer language like saying Thee and Thou but we also talk to Him as our friend and our Father. My mother taught me to pray and I never remember a time when I didn't. We were taught first to thank him for all of our blessings and then ask Him for help with what we need and just to tell him about our day and share with him our Feelings. It is really easy to rush through prayers and see them as an obligation versus a chance to actually connect with the person who loves us most. When I take time to think and communicate when I pray my prayers are more meanigful.

From the time you are little your parents get after you to close your eyes and be reverent when you pray. I certainly learned to do that. However, fifteen years into parenting I find it hard to completely close my eyes as I am so used to scanning the room seeing if my children are being reverent and closing their eyes! I need to re-learn that skill!

The Fatigue Battle rages on...

2010-07-19T18:48:00.000-07:00

I am still drowing in fatigue and exhaustion. It in and of itself is wearing me out. I wake up after 8 hours and still have no energy. I yawn all day long. My eyes get heavy and I can barely keep them open. I HATE IT! I am waging war on my medications. I believe they are mostly to blame (although my lack of exercise and poor diet could also be a factor.)! I have always been a sleepy person in general, but I was never one of those teenagers who slept until noon. I just have loved naps. The being tired all day long thing has been bothering me for well over a year now. UGH!!!! I am only 36 NOT 96!

My little girls are now happily on an overnight field trip with Grandma and Grandpa Utah to Mt. Saint Helens, they are with cousin M. I bet they are having a blast. I am appreciating a nice break from sister bickering.

I am sooooo glad to have Miso home. I have missed my sweet boy. He is turning into a man before my eyes and it almost makes me cry to think I will only be his full time, day to day mom for 3 more years. What will I do without a child like him at home? He is so darn cute and so darn good. Some girl is going to be so lucky to get him for a her husband. He is a sweetie.

My bobo heads to girls camp tomorrow. She is having an awesome summer and absolutely LOVED EFY. She is saving up to go to two or three different EFY's next summer. She had her first COW. COW stands for crush of the week. I know dumb name, but it is what they are calling it now. He is a cute boy and they spent time together at EFY. He does't live near us so theirs is a long distance friendship/crush.

Zoo finally got her anole. It is a Behemian anole. Looks like a small brown lizrd. A lot of expense for a $7 pet. She wanted to get a water crested dragon but they get huge and Oats said no way.

Tomorrow night a friend from church comes to stay with Zoo while her parents are out of town. Yay, another girl!?

3 movies seen recently:
Shutter Island (watched on the filthy filter). ( B+)
Inception ( A)
Despicable Me ( B)

Books Read recently:
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale ( A-)

Memory Question:

Describe what the family Living Room looked like as a child.

We have only two Living Rooms that I remember. They looked very much the same. Spotless. They had beautiful furniture and decorations. We never went in them except on Special Occasions. They were clean in every way. There were neat vacuum lines on the floor (I love vacuum lines!). I liked it that they were special rooms. I tried to duplicate it in my own home but after a while Oats and I realized that a big portion of the house was just being ignored. While I hate not having a perfect room I am glad that we live in and use all the rooms in our home.

I have been sick....

2010-07-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

I have been sick this past week. Some weird flu. Fatigue, body aches, head ache, weird feelings etc...I am still a bit tired toay but all that seems to remain is some sort of eye disease that I am using stocked up pennicilin to treat.

It has been gorgeous weather. Just perfect. I love it here when it is like that. My girls have been fighting non stop. Don't love that so much. I am back to being productive, grateful for that.

I haven't been taking any pictures. I should I planted a bunch of new things that I am trying not to kill. I will make it a goal to get some pics. on here.

Memory Question:

HOW DID YOUR MOTHER SPEND HER DAY? DID SHE HAVE A JOB OR DO VOLUNTEER WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME?

My mom was hands down the BEST stay at home mom out there. She magnified her calling. Our house was always immaculate. We were always immaculate, bathed with our hair done. Dinner was always yummy and on time. I always had clean clothes. My mom always knew how to cheer you up and was a great listener. My mom never had a job outide our home. She claims that she was a room mom and art docent (I have no memory of it) and she also was involved with the anti abortion movement when we were little. Yay mom! My mom always brought surprises home from the grocery store for us. It was usually candy but for a while there it was Sesame Street books that the store was selling. I loved diving in the grocery bags looking for our surprises.

My mom was the best book reader ever. She would read to us every night and Dad even took a picture of what we looked like as she read to us. I remember my mom would usually go swimming with us but never wanted to get her hair wet. She would swim around with her head bobbing out of the water and just the ends wet. I understand now why she did this.

My mother spent a lot of time involved in her church callings. She was always going above and beyond with any calling she had. She set a great example for me.

My mom made my childhood a happy one. I loved that she was always home when I got home from school. She made me feel safe.

So tired....

2010-07-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

I thought I was just feeling down but I am pretty sure I am sick. Since I don't get fevers it is sometimes hard to tell, but I am very tired, and achy and feel cold. As soon as the baby gets picked up I am headed to bed.

In family news...

Zoo wants to be a farmer. She is also currently saving up (at warp speed) for a green anole and all of its stuff. This was the biggest shocker to me. I have totally ended my quest to own a zillion animals and am happy to just have one dog and some chickens to care for. I had no idea that when I told Zoo to ask her dad if she could have a new pet he would actually say yes! She is saving up $200 for a pet that will just go bye bye as soon as she gets bored of it. Oh well.

Bobo after being on a spiritual high from EFY has now informed me that she has a goal to read the scriptures 3 times a day for a half an hour each time. Good luck with that!

Memory Question:

WHERE DID YOUR FATHER GO TO WORK EVERYDAY AND WHAT DID HE DO?

I never really knew what my dad did growing up. For as long as I can remember he worked from home in his home office. I had no clue what to tell my friends or classmates when that question came up. I think when I was older the term we came up with was that he was a real estate developer. Now my husband is the property manager who runs all the properties he devoloped.

A bare faced kind of day.

2010-07-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

My eyes are puffy and swollen so it is a bare faced no make up day. I finally succumbed to allergies and all night my nose and eyes were filled with crusties from the excess of goo my body was producing. My face is tired from the work out my body gave it all night.

Yesterday I wanted to try something with the chickens. I wanted to let them have a little freedom and graze outside their barn. The girls were very anxious about this and would only allow me to let one chicken out but I had to hang on to the dog! We let out cocoa and she happily made her way to the grass and began pecking around. After a bit I let the dog loose just to see how it would go. Very bad idea. The dog didn't know it wasn't another dog and chased after her. The girls were hysterical and crying. Grabbed Cooper. My next act of cruelty in the girls eyes was to open the barn door and see if any friends wanted to join. They must have been observing what had just taken place and they weren't going anywhere! After being traumatized Cocoa was frantically trying to get into the chicken run where all the chickens were. Finally I said, "alright" stick her back in. My children sighed in relief. The drama was over.

We have 10 million mole holes. I need to get some juicy fruit gum and get to work eliminating them. A family in our ward swears by the juicy fruit trick. You spear a piece of juicy fruit gum with the wrapper on and jame it down the hole. The mole will eat it and then can't process the wrapper and dies. Sounds good to me.

Memory Questions:

WERE YOU BAPTIZED OR DEDICATED AS AN INFANT? IF SO WHERE AND BY WHOM?

I was extremely blessed to be born into a home with the Gospel. I was given a name and a blessing as infant during sacrament meeting by my father.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST GO TO CHURCH? WHAT ARE YOUR EARLIEST MEMORIES OF CHURCH?

I probably first went to church when I was one month old. I have been going to church ever since and have only missed when on vacation, sick or recovering from the birth of my own babies.

My earliest memories of church are few but very ingrained in my mind. I remember sitting on tiny little benches during junior Sunday school and taking the sacrament there. I remember mid week primary. I remember it being dark when we would come home from Sacrament meeting at night. I remember one time when I was about 3 being naughty in church and coming home and my daddy spanking me. I remember he was very embarassed to do it.

I remember my mom being Primary President. I remember learning the song "We are as the armies of Heleman". I remember my favorite song was As I have loved you. I remember my dad subbing my primary class on occasion and me not paying any attention when he did. I remember one primary teacher who was very special to me. I was 9 years old. She was a very large older lady. We had earned a party and so one Saturday afternoon the kids went over to her house and she let us look through her "shell room". She collected shells and had thousands of them! She let us each pick one to take home. Then we all loaded in to her ancient car, without seat belts, and drove to Seattle to Gas works park. What a brave old lady she was. She is the only primary teacher I remember.

When we moved to Issaquah I remember Primary would meet in the gym before we would go to classes. Our class met at the stage. I would run and jump right up on the stage with no hands and I thought I was pretty neat. Everyone else did that too.

Mostly I remember feeling Gods love for me at a very young age, knowing he cared about me. I knew He and Jesus lived. I felt safe and at home at church. I felt the spirit there.

Why is it?

2010-07-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

Why is it that floor lamps always seem to tilt a little?

Why is it that no matter where you go children will follow?

Why is it that when I get in the shower swarms of children feel compelled to talk to me and no it can't wait!

Something weird is going on with my left eye. It is watery and getting all gooby in the corner. When I mentioned this to Snoogs she said "Oh, Oh! Maybe you have a monster within you. You know that show from animal planet about the monsters inside us?" I assured her that we didn't live in a tropical far flung place where that kind of thing happened. That is what I am hanging on to anyway.

It is a roaster today. My kids BEG me to come outside so they can play without feeling like a boogy man will get them. I go outside. They come sit next to me and complain. After baking for about a half hour I head back in to the Heavenly Cool air in our house. Thank you dear Father for having an air conditioner in my house.

Day 5 million of putting off finishing my stupid finance class. I hate it!

Prayers of inspiration. I was reading my scriptures last night and the thought and fear popped in to my mind that I had completely forgot to get my BYU bishops endorsement taken care of! Got a letter from BYU today reminding me that I have until August 1st. Maybe I will just let it slide......NO I AM NO LONGER A QUITTER!!!!

Oaky...Memory Question of the day:

DESCRIBE YOUR CHILDHOOD BEDROOM, WHAT WAS THE VIEW FROM YOUR WINDOW?

I had 4 different bedrooms growing up. The first two I was too young to remember. The third bedroom was my favorite. It had deep soft khaki colored carpet. I had yellow wallpaper with white butterflies on it. My furniture was white with delicate green and yellow flowers and carvings. I had a desk and a blue chair. My bedspread was white eyelot lace. It was so pretty my room. I had a daylight basement room. To this day I am shocked that I was brave enough to sleep in that room. I doubt I would let my little kids sleep in a room like that. Anybody could have just snatched me right out my window and no one would have known! My view from my window was our very well manicured back yard and a slight view of Seattle. I was a pretty neat and tidy kid. My room was clean most of the time. It was my favorite place to be in the whole house.

Life is Grand

2010-07-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Summer has arrived in the Northwest! It is so incredibly good for the soul. I LOVE the sunshine! I have once again gone crazy for my yardwork. I just want to spend my time in the yard. I am taking a new med. for ADD and wowzers does it give me energy and focus! I am so excited! No more dragging my bum around all day barely able to stay awake.

Sunday a new family came to our ward. Not to be believed the mom and dad are around the same age as Greg and I. They have 5 kids. The oldest is a boy and then 4 girls! Unbelievable! Miso is very excited to meet the new guy so he can swap stories of how much it sucks to have so many sisters and no brother! They are super friendly and we look forward to them moving in come August.

Yesterday was the funeral of a girl that grew up in our ward. She was 23. Still unsure of how she died but think it was related to her diabetes. It was a beautiful funeral, the spirit was strong. We took Mony along with us but she was nervous. Oats felt like she was old enough to attend a funeral and better to start with someone who was not a family member.

More memory questions:

WHO GAVE YOU YOUR NAME AND WHY? DID YOU HAVE A NICKNAME AND HOW DID YOU GET IT?

My dad liked the name Julie and my mom liked the name Christine. She wanted to name me Christine and call me Chris. I am so glad she didn't win. Christine is pretty but as girly as I am I would not have liked the nickname of a boy. I have always like my name. I am huge on nicknames but don't like them for myself. The only people who ever called me anything than Julie was my mom and my brother. When my little sister was small she could not say Julie so she called me "Wooby". My mom shortened it to Woob and calls me that to this day, that or Ooby. Not sure about how Ooby evolved. My sister eventually learned to pronounce my name correctly so the nickname didn't stick around for her. My brother called me "jules" a lot. Not such a bad nickname but I like Julie better.

Geneaology Sunday

2010-07-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

I am taking a Geneology class for Sunday School. In an effort to do my own personal history I thought I would take some questions from a book I have and answer them on Sundays.

PERSONAL PORTRAIT

Some of my favorite things:
my favorite flowers are wild floweres
I love perfume but it makes me sneeze
my favorite color has always been the combo of yellow and pink
My favorite Hymn is All Creatures of Our God and King
My favorite book is one that should not be my favorite because it has bad language but I also really love the Dean Hughes Childen of the Promise Series.
My favorite author is Kaye Gibbons
I have too many scriptures that I love and I have a rotten memory for remembering them, so I can't say off the top of my head.
My favorite desert is Nestle Pie
My favorite vacation is Brugge, Belgium
My favorite food is Thai Coconut soup
My favorite sport is Kickball (the only sport with a ball big enough for me to make contact with!) I don't really like sports that much.
My favorite leasure activity is reading, watching movies, working in the yard, organizing things and surfing the net. I am also in Heaven when caring for infants and toddlers (thus my work as a nanny).

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PASTIME AS A CHILD? DID YOU PREFER DOING IT ALONE OR WITH SOMEONE ELSE?

I have always been a homebody. I enjoyed being by myself as a child and still do. I have always been most comfortable one on one with friends and have not ever been super comfortable in large groups. At home I mostly played by myself or with my younger sister Lisa. At school I usually played with my best friend at the time or one or two other children. At school I liked to go into the woods and pick up tree bark, and rocks and then get sticks and put mud on tree stumps and pretend I was making pancakes, eggs and bacon. I was the handclap quenn and would sit on the cold cement playing hand clap games with a friend. I also loved to jump rope and learned all the rymes and would play with my friends. I also loved the bars. Sports were never an interest to me.

At home I spent hours playing with my barbies or my dolls. I got vey into it and would make family group sheets for my barbies and "read thie names in" at pretend church. I would line my dolls up and pretend they were my babies. I also loved to read (still do). I spent hours and hours reading. I used to love board games but hate them now. I spent a lot of time daydreaming. I also loved animals and spent a lot of time with my cat. I loved all things girly and feminine and played dress up with my moms high heels. I had for the most part a very happy childhood with many pleasant memories.

Movie's

2010-07-04T17:07:00.000-07:00

So far this Summer I have seen 3 movies and LOVED them all!

Toy Story 3 (the best one yet!)
Karate Kid (Ten times better than the origional!)
Knight and Day (hilarious! and fun.)

I think I have turned into my father, laugh wise that is. Last night at the movie when I was laughing my head off this older couple in front of me kept turning around and smiling when I laughed. Anyone who knows my dad well knows that he has the kind of laugh that makes you laugh. Not a bad inheritance.

Reminder to self...

2010-06-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

NEVER, NO NEVER, SHOP WITH CHILDREN IN TOW.

Birthday Pictures

2010-06-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

Does this really look like the face of a 36 yr. old?My oats and me.Gotta love ties for your birthday.Zee cake.

Miso on left and his best friend and cousin "N" about to fly back to Utah for some more adventures.

Me and my new apron, can't tell from the pic. but it has cupcakes all over it, I looooove cupcakes!

Said by Zoo and other news..

2010-06-27T21:56:00.000-07:00

I had one of my little birthday gifts in my hand, a sachet. I went in to tuck Zoo goodnight and she asked me what I had in my hand. I told her it was something to put in my underwear drawer. She said "why"? I said "to smell good." There was a short pause and then she said "wouldn't that be uncomfortable?" I thought for a second and then said "no, i just put it in the drawer." "ohhhhh" she says.

Tonight I am finishing reading NIGHT by ElieWiesel. Oats has read it. It has sat on our shelves for a few years. I have always been afraid to read it, afraid that what I read would be too horrible to take. In the meantime I have read many Holocaust memoirs as well as novels. I have read of horrible suffering, pain and also great courage and determination. This book is no different I almost laugh to myself wondering after all I have read why I was afraid of this one skinny book.

My birthday yesterday was WONDERFUL! Each of the last 6 birthdays I have had have been wonderful. Ever since my friend told me upon turning 30 that she made each birthday great and didn't depend on anyone else to make it happy for her.

I got a massage in the morning and then somehow got wrangled into making a life long committment to a monthly massage. I then went to lunch with my mom to Thai food. Had my mom cancelled at the last minute I would have just adjusted my plans and found something else fun to do. We then went to Anthroplogie the one store that is almost exactly who I am to the tee with clothing and household things that I love. I can't bring myself to buy very much for myself from Anthropologie though for two reasons. 1. It is very expensive even on sale! 2. I don't feel like those pretty clothes should be worn by fat/chubby people like me but are best reserved for thin pretty people. I like to admire them though and feel thier soft fabrics and run my hands along the ruffles and smile at some of the whimsical motifs on the fabric. I gently run my fingers along the jewlery although I have no clue what I would wear it with. I admire the dishes and imagine my pink kitchen (of my dreams) and think about the pretty dishes and glasses and serving utensils sitting on my shelves or at my table.

That night Oats and I dropped Miso and Cousin N off at the airport and stopped for a quick bite at Jimmy Macs ( i love that place) although I wasn't too hungry. Then we did a first. I had gotten us nice seats to the Village Theater production of 42nd street. I loved it! I had an achy mouth after smiling so much! The costumes were incredible and so many costume changes I don't know how they did it so fast. It was great!

Now tonight after one last celebration at my parents house my mouth is incredibly sore and I am gearing up towards another week.

Woo wee here comes the 21st century!

2010-06-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

Finally, Finally!!!!! Yay, for my tax return I now have a new fridge. You would have thought it was Christmas the shear joy upon my miserably sore (had the 6th oral surgery on Monday) face. I am in heaven. My 30 year old fridge is out of here!!! I know I should have taken a picture before decorating the new fridge with momento's and yes I know it makes it a little more tacky, but hey that is how I like it!

My dog....

2010-06-22T18:22:00.001-07:00

Birthdays, Birthdays!

2010-06-22T18:21:00.000-07:00

Oats and Emilie had a birthday this month. Mine is on Saturday, the 26th. Yes THIS Saturday, hint hint, wink wink. Oats in now 39 years young and Bobo turned 14. I gave Bobo a movie themed birthday. She got her own personal DVD player and several movies. Grandma gave her a Vera Bradley wallet with movie tickets and some clothes, they head off on their back to school shopping spree in August. Aunt K gave her a Vera Bradley purse (way to be generous, Aunt K!) Oats got premo seats to a Mariners game and a new suit. I think they had nice birthdays. Oats never wants to shoot for a good birthday but I am sure glad he was born. I love him like crazy. I am also thankful for my Bob my right hadn WOOman. She is such a good girl, with such a strong testimony and a kind and obedient heart. I am so proud of her!

My Dorby, How I love him....

2010-06-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

This is my Dorby. The boy/baby I have watched since he was a newborn. He is now 2. I love this boy like he is my own child. I went to his birthday party on Saturday, he hugged me and climbed in my lap and lay his head on my shoulder. He is perfectly wonderful. By the way I don't spend all of my tending time sitting in the recline position on the couch. It was almost time for his dad to get him. Not that I am paranoid or anthing....

5th Grade graduation

2010-06-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

Fifth grade graduation dawned cloudy and rainy. Was it really June or just February in disguise. Despite the nastiness Mony put on her summer dress and sandal and charged up her smile and off we went. She looked so happy as she marched down the aisle to take her seat and then again when she went up to get her "diploma". They had a slide show with all kinds of nostalgic music and I found myself getting teary until I realized "hey, this isn't highschool graduation, all these kids will get to see each other in a couple of months at Middle School". I wasn't alone as other moms were shedding tears. What a bunch of cry babies.

Bring on the Heat!

2010-06-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

I am talking about the weather not the sports team. I could care less about what the sports team does. Today it feels like summer. Yesterday when the kids got out of school for the year it seemed like the end of winter with rain and cool temperatures. Sigh. I will enjoy this beautiful warm weather while it lasts. I do believe it is going to get yucky again.

Yesterday I still had Dorb to watch. Oh I just love to kiss and squeeze that little guy. I wish I could still watch him next year but it just doesn't work. In fact I am so stinking excited to be FREE. I have big plans for my freedom.

The kids got bored pretty quickly. I got annoyed with this pretty quickly. I informed all children living under my roof (including our cousin) that if I heard "Im bored, there is nothing to do etc..." Said child whining would be pulling 10 weeds to feed the chickens. That threat also goes for tattling, name calling, basically any infraction worthy of some tiresome punishment that will in turn benefit me.

We got free tickets from the Orthodontist for an Orhdontist showing of TOY STORY 3 at the movie theater this morning. It was a mad house when we arrived. Hundreds of patients and family swarmed the theater. Thanks be to Mony who agreed to sit in the seat ahead of us so me and the little girls could sit in the back row. The last time I sat at the front of a theater I was 18 and in college. My neck and eyes can't take that kind of abuse anymore. So luckily I found 4 seats for us in the back of the mega theater. The movie was awesome we really enjoyed it.

I actually have a thing about good seats. I get very agitated to the point of tears if by some disaster we are late to church and have to sit in the hard chairs. I am ashamed to admit it but at this last Stake adult conference I had assumed that my husband after being there for meetings would save us seats for the adult session. I rode over with friends thinking he had saved us 4 seats. We were late and all the comfy chairs were filled up. I wandered around asking if anyone had seen Oats. No one would admit to it. Finally in a huff I sat on the back in hard metal chairs, I saved Oats a seat and sat there fuming. My fuming turned to tears of frustration at the injustice of it all. I should NOT have to be sitting in hard metal chairs when my husband had been at the building for 2 hours in meetings! Finally he shows up with a friend of ours and my eyes shot lasers of anger into him and he slunk into the seat next to me. I angrily whispered "Why didn't you save us seats!!!!!!?" He looked sheepish and said "I was hungry and we went to get something to eat with Sam and we didn't have anything to save seats with." I hissed "What about your suit jacket?!" He just shrugged. I have a real disgust of having to sit in bad seats. I will do almost anything including showing up an hour early NOT to have to sit in crappy seats. If I had known I would have been there early to get good seats. I have a few issues I am a bit immature about, don't ya think?

This afternoon I got my drivers licence renewed. I had to actually go into the DOL to do so because it had been 10 years since I got a new picture. Someone found out about my once quiet DOL and it was swamped. Luckily I had ZOO to keep me company and a new issue of PEOPLE magazine. It takes me an hour to read through a whole PEOPLE magazine so luckily that is about all it took. I have a nice new picture with the exception that I am not really looking at the camera and my eyes seem to be half shut. Better than the picture that Costco thought was just dandy of me completely closing my eyes. Do they have no decency that they must brand us with a picture where we look like a weirdo for the next 10 years?

I am being paged to go look at a dead mole in the yard. Should be exciting!

What exactly is wrong?

2010-06-17T14:49:00.000-07:00

If there are lemons to be had, I will certainly find them and buy them. That may be appliances, cars, hotel rooms the list goes on and on. My 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan is a lemon. I am not sure if it started out being one but at 5 months old after being creamed by a doofus fellow driver it instantly became one.

Sometimes people are hard to figure out. You think the individual speaks English like you do but everything you say must come out garbled and messy because the person you are speaking to doesn't seem to comprehend your version of English.

I took in my van for the umpteenth time to the Dodge dealer. This time my purpose in turning it in was because the air conditioning was not working as in it was broken. I am assuming it still is. Anyway I go up to the service desk and the guy working says "what is wrong with your vehicle?" He prepares to diligently type down my every word. I tell him "the air conditioning is broken". He looks up confused. "What exactly is wrong with the air conditioning?" I thought I had made myself clear. "It's broken." He still confused asks, "but what exactly is wrong with it?" at this point I am a little frustrated. He say's " Is there no air blowing out?" I say "yes there is air blowing out but it is not cold.". Ding Ding Ding his face lights up and now he knows what to write! Isn't that what a broken air conditoner means, that no Cold air is blowing out?

Just me speaking weirdo again I guess.

A few pictures of the Disney Band trip...

2010-06-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

Snoogs

2010-06-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

It isn't her birthday for another two months but I just felt I needed to sing her praises anyway. I am talking about Snoogs. As a family we have been trying to be more harmonious. With many dominant personalities it often feels like WWIII at our house. For some reason our kids still want to be at home together though. I guess I should be grateful.

One of our children, Snoogs, is the only one who really has taken this harmonious thing to heart. My sweet snoogly is one of the most generous, kindly, sensitive, empathetic, sweet spirited souls I have ever known. She routinely is the child to give up the good seat in the car, sacrifice the last piece of desert, share the prized toy etc... with her siblings. She never complains she just gives and gives. She hardly ever is thanked for her good works but still continues to give and give.

I want to be more like Snoogs.

While the Cat's played.....

2010-06-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

I have a ton of great pictures that Oats took of Bobo's Disney trip. The weather was great and they had a blast. We meanwhile back here at home were water logged. I believe I mentioned that I spent a bunch of money putting in vegatable starts for my garden......It is now drowning like Noah is ready to pull out the ark. We have had consistent downpours and already my cucmber plants have dissolved. All of my yummy tomato plants are shriveling up with yellow leaves falling all around them. The onions have proven pretty hardy and the peppers don't want to give up. The peas are reaching for the non existent sun reminding me that I need to provide them a trellis or all their bounty will grow along the ground and get eaten by bugs.

Our chickens stink. Not only are they ugly but they reek. I thought it was the coop so I had Miso go out and shovel a bunch of their bedding out. The smell continued. One of those chickens has horrible gas when she doodles. One or two of the stinky doodles send a smell that penetrates most of the culdesac and makes it seem like we live on a farm. This is a weird occurence because I don't remember that problem last year.

Last weekend while Oats and Bobo were in California we at home got to enjoy Snoogs in her dance recital. Normally I dread these things, having to sit through millions of other little dances that are only cute but for a minute. However, this show was wonderful! The costumes were elaborate and colorful and the music and dances were sweet. The older kids who performed in everything from jazz, to tap to ballet were awesome! It inspired Snoogs not to give up dance and now Zoo has shown an interest. I singed both girls up for a jazz/tap combo that starts in the Fall.

We are now having swim lessons at the YMCA. The girls both love it. The pool is warm and Zoo who tends to get extremely cold stays nice and toasty and can enjoy her lesson. I went ahead and re-joined the YMCA so the othere kids could swim during free swim as well.

The school year is winding down but they still have the upper grades loaded down with tests and projects. It is funny to watch the difference between Bobo and Miso. Both of them procrastinate projects until the last minute but the difference is that Bobo wants to cram 15 hours of preperation into 2 or 3 hours. Meaning she wants her work to be excellent so she is a basket case preparing for perfection. Miso on the other hand just manages to pull things together without much fuss and be on his way. Now there grades are a bit different but personally Miso's laid back approach seems less likely to induce ulcers. Ideally I wish they would plan things out a little better so they could both achieve what they needed giving themselves adequate time.

I am on a major procrastionation jag right now. I don't know why but I keep putting off studying my homework. It is not that tought and really not very boring but I just can't seem to do it. I am feeling a lot of guilt. I need to buckle down and just get it done. In many ways I regret going back to school. It is kind of like the feeling I had each time I got pregnant. I would be very excited at first and then the sickness would start and I would panic feeling like a prisoner of my own body for the next 9 months. When I started school I was super excited but now I wonder why the heck I felt like I needed to go back?! This is self induced stress. Stress I could have avoided. I guess in the end I shall hopefully get the grand reward just like the baby is the reward for the 9 months of agony.

I have been fiddling around with my Ipod adding songs from various genres. I added some Etta James, Ottis Redding, Adele, Duffy, and movie theme songs like that from the Black Stallion. I am in the mood for soothig music. I also added a few classical pieces.

I just finished the last book in the THESE IS MY WORDS series of books. This one was called STAR GARDEN. I ejoyed it but none of the three can top the first. I LOVE to read. I have always been a reader. I also love movies. I watched The Curious Case of Banjamin Button Saturday night. I had never seen it. I really liked it. I have never thought Cate Blanchett was all that pretty. The roles I had previously seen her in made her more manly womanish. She was gorgeous in this role, abosolutely stunning. She is a dancer and unless she is a fast study she must have been a dancer before she became an actress because she looks so natural at it.

I usually stay away from Drama's because I avoid doing things that make me sad but I have kind of gotten into them again and have rented THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMA'S which I know will be sad, but I read the book and loved it. I also rented a period piece that has Cate Blanchett in it. Because we still have no t.v.'s inside I will watch them on the little portable 7 inch screen. Better than nothing.

The last 4 days I have been seriously crate training my dog. It is a lot of work and makes you have to be a bit parnoid but I think If I keep it up Cooper will be successful. He has only had one accident but I swear he was trying to tell me he had to go out, but I ignored him. I won't count it against him. What is funny is that he peed on his own bed.

Something funny.....One song that I have always loved is SAILING by Christopher Cross. I have it on my Ipod and we were listening to it in the car yesterday and Zoo starts singing "Sailing, takes me away to where I always doo doo do do." I was singing too and of course sang the right words and she looks at me and says you mean it doesn't say "Doo do do do?". We both started laughing and now I tease her about it.

Strange Dreams

2010-06-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I have a night of dreams that are so vivd and yet so weird. Have you seen that preview for the movie INCEPTION about dreams come to life? It looks totally cool and I am excited to see it.
As it is now almost noon I have forgetten all but bits and pieces of my dreams. I do remember being in my own home and apparently waking up from a nap or just appearing on the scene or something, but my house was a dump!!!! My kids and husband know that nothing makes me crazier faster than a mess. I really do get crazy and have problems controlling the rage that wells up inside me. I hate chaos! So back to my dream. There were several different people from church in my home and I was mortified that they would see it looking so horrible. I started raging around complaining that less than 24 hours ago the house had been spotless. My son and one of his frenemies from church were sweeping the floor and my mom was at the sink trying to tidy things up. A lady from church claimed she found some pornography right on the table. I exploded. What?! What?! WHO HAD PORNOGRAPHY!!!!!! Turns out it was my sons frenemie and he just burst out crying. Then I looked at all the food my kids had left out from the night before instead of putting it in the fridge. All ruined! I started into another tirade about how I was sick and tired of cooking for my family when no one would eat anything. I was throwing away tons of meat. I realized that my mom was there and so that must mean that she lived with me. I said I am not cooking anymore! You cook! She said that I should maybe focus on bread and salad and she would do the rest. Sounded like a deal to me!
Bleep on over to my job. I went to pick up the kids I watch but was a little late. I was dressed really cute and of course my skinny college weight. I picked up the kids opened a door and I was suddenly at microsoft meeting friends to be introduced to some celebrities. My friend Eric was their but was being really dorky and acted like I didn't even exist. Next thing I know I am taking the kids down tons of winding stairs and a BYU parking garage. There are hords of students all around me. Then the kids are gone and I am looking for my dorm room. The dorms are very high tech and in the middle of campus but huge and futuristic. It is now the morning and I am dressed in a bath towel with my wet hair put up in a turbon. I walk outside my dorm and it is beautiful and sunny and quiet. I look up and on the hills are new modern married housing and some single housing. There is a high fence with a wide opening at the street. I go to the corner of the yard and sit down to think. I stand up and am now surrounded my a mass of students heading to class just like when I was at BYU for real and thousands of students would pour out of classrooms and clog the sidewalks and hallways. I wondered where they had all come from so quickly. What had once been so peaceful and calm was now filled with thousands and I was naked and in my bathrobe being swept inside the building!
I frequently have dreams that I am naked and the only one like that. It is alarming but not as strange as it would be to find someone in a store naked in real life. It is always kind of like some people go naked but very few and it is still acceptable. Only I am always the one who is naked and all I want is some clothes.
I could talk about my day, but perhaps I will do that later. I just had to get these weird dreams written down.

Thomas Jefferson

2010-05-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

Mony's poster for her Thomas Jefferson speech.

Bangs or No Bangs?

2010-05-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

My hair is thinning at the bang area. I have long contemplated going without bangs. Please even if you don't normally comment can you tell me what you think, Yes or No?

A Bad Burn

2010-05-31T14:22:00.000-07:00

Thursday morning as Mony was getting out of the shower Bobo warned her about the very hot straightening iron warming up on the bathroom counter. Mony then proceeded to trip over a towel and sear her hand on said straightening iron.

Making use of time...

2010-05-31T14:20:00.000-07:00

A week ago Oats took all the t.v.'s out of our house and banned all computer and DS use. All because my children live like complete slobs. Said items will be retuned when my children can consistently clean up after themselves. Zoo and Bethanie have gotten quite creative at entertaining themselves and for the most part are playing well together. They have done a lot of creative play and dress up. As they dressed up like country girls they decided to give themselves freckles with a Sharpie. Not such a great idea.

Ballet Observation Day

2010-05-31T14:14:00.000-07:00

As usual I was having to run kids around during Snoogs observation day. Mony volunteered to take pictures for me. Snoogs has her big performance this coming Friday. Her outfit is adorable and I am hoping to get some good pictures as this will be her grand finale of her dancing career. Swimming starts this week.

Alki Beach

2010-05-31T14:09:00.000-07:00

I have now been to Alki Beach on a field trip twice. The first was two years ago with Zoo. It poured rain and the wind blew it sideways at us. My feet were soggy wet and cold and it was just plain miserable. I thought I would take a chance and go with Snoogly this year. All week it poured rain and I began to really regret signing up to go on this field trip. I prayed for all I was worth for days that it would please NOT rain. I lucked out. It was cold to start out with and gloomy but then got warm and the sun even came out a couple of times. My only regret was that I did not bring my blasted sun glasses. I have been having major problems with my left eye and whenever I wear make up it just runs and runs. It turned out to be a lot of fun. I had three little girls and the little girl with the bright pink jacket had the most adorable giggle. We found lots of gooey ducks to squish and watch squirt and whenever we did she would just bust out laughing. I am glad I went.

ONE MORE THING!

2010-05-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

This morning when I was on the computer Zoo was looking over my shoulder and saw a sidebar with a mother asking the question/making the comment " My 9 year old daughter is sassy and has a bad attitude...". My 9 year old daughter says "Mom, did YOU write that?!". "No" I assured her although we both knew I could have!

MAESTRO MY "KEYS" !

2010-05-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Oats and Bobo had a their year end piano recital yesterday night after the track meet. They both did wonderful and Bobo got "props" for playing an 18 page Concerto! I am really proud of both Oats and Bobo and so impressed with how hard they work to develop thier talents. (They both practice like crazy...a skill I have yet to develop!).

RUN, BOBO, RUN!

2010-05-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

Oats, Miso, Snoogly and I all went to see Bobo at her home track meet yesterday. She did so great! She runs relays, throws discus and does the long jump. I am so proud of her for how hard she has worked this season. She really gave the season her best. She has one more home meet that I am helping at next Thursday and then Finals the following Tuesday.