The Tree Nightmares are Made Of

I was scrolling through National Geographic candidates for photos of the year and I saw this one and I thought, "What a weird tree....it's kinda pretty."  I thought that until I read the caption....then not so much.

"An unexpected side-effect of the 2010 flooding in parts of Sindh, Pakistan, was that millions of spiders climbed up into the trees to escape the rising flood waters; because of the scale of the flooding and the fact that the water took so long to recede, many trees became cocooned in spiders webs. People in the area had never seen this phenomenon before, but they also reported that there were fewer mosquitoes than they would have expected, given the amount of standing water that was left. Not being bitten by mosquitoes was one small blessing for people that had lost everything in the floods." Photo and caption by Russell Watkins/National Geographic Photo Contest

Ok...eww.   If you are like me the thought of a spider sends chills up your spine.  If you are really like me then you have weekly nightmares about spiders that are so vivid that your husband has to restrain you.  Imagine what that picture is doing to my mental stability.   

Silver Medal

Last month I discovered one of Gage's hidden talents.  He can bust a rhyme better that Eminem.  Seriously, the kid has been channelling Mother Goose.  I discovered this the same day the Reflections papers came home from school and he was spouting poetry all over the house.  This year the theme was "Diversity means....." and I suggested he write a poem.   He did....

Just Because We Are Different Doesn't Mean We Can't be Friends

By:  Gage Wright

Me and my friend are as different as can be

but that doesn't mean he's not important to me!

He's got black hair, I've got brown.

But we're different I don't need to frown!

He's different.  I don't care!

If we looked the same it wouldn't be fair!

You can't judge someone by their hair.

We're friends,

We're different,

I don't care!

He wrote the poem about his best friend named Rio who says he is from China because that is where ninjas come from, but I'm fairly sure his origins are not so far east as much as south of here.  He is a such a cute kid and he taught Gage how to meditate.  He takes the China thing very seriously. 

Anyway, my Gage won 2nd place which is a silver medal!  Only Gold Medals go on to compete at the state level so that is the end for his poem.  I am so proud of him!  I was tempted to make a few tweaks here and there to make if flow better or be longer but I told the devil on my shoulder to be quiet.  I'm glad I didn't tamper with it because he obviously can do just fine on his own!

I wonder if you think other parents help their kids?  Even just a little?  Some of the stuff I see come out of that competitions leads me to wonder.   

Here are some of Gage's other literary efforts....

Greatest Day, Greatest Night. 
Let no evil being reach my sight.
For this is Green Lantern's delight!

and....

It likes to hide
It's by the side
Of the wide oak tree 

can you tell it was Halloween time?

If You Need a Good Laugh...

It's Alive!!!

Halloween turned out to be a lot of fun this year.  Gage has always loved the holiday but this year Luke was into it and it made for fun times two.  Luke decided early in October that he wanted to be Frankenstein.  I convinced Gage to be the Doctor who created Frankenstein and then I made Claire be the Bride of Frankenstein.  It was nice to have homemade costumes this year.  It saved me a ton of money and the kids loved it!  Okay, that's a lie.  Claire hated being dressed up.  She cried while I put on her make-up and ratted her hair.  I heartlessly pressed on until the deed was done.  So worth it if you ask me. 

Halloween night my dad and Pam came over for dinner and I made homemade root beer for the first time.  The boys helped me make it and I told them we were making Witch's Brew.  I told them each ingredient had a spooky name and that the dry ice was goblin eggs.  They had never seen the dry ice work it's magic before and they were captivated.  Pam went out trick or treating with us and my Dad stayed behind and passed out candy.  We have a door mat that screams when you step on it and my Dad reports that it almost made on kid pee his pants.  I felt really bad!


Yesterday, I rushed to put away all the Halloween decorations...especially the CD of Halloween music.  If I heard, "I'm a Mean Old Witch" one more time I was going to barf.  Claire is so sad that she can't listen to our Spooky Favorites anymore.  :(

The boys made this Frankenstein and brought it to life all month.  I don't know why but every time I saw this on the bed it kinda freaked me out.
  

What I Over-Heard at the Race

This weekend while I was running around the course at the Zombie Run I over-heard something so preposterous and so interesting at the same time.   While I was jogging by a group of people who were walking I could hear their conversation progress right as a group of serious runners ran by.  These guys were booking it.  They made me feel like I was standing still.  One of the walkers said to his friend, "Who are these jerks?  They think they are better than everyone else by just passing everybody and crossing the finish line first?"

Um, hello.  Do you not understand what the word race means?  Isn't that the point?  I wanted to say this stuff to his face....honestly I did except for the small fact that I was totally winded!  It got me thinking that his comment is a symptom of a bigger problem in our society.  The race is a greater metaphor for life and success therein.  Please bear with me while I get on my soap box. 

I hear the words "fair" and "justice" and "leveling the playing field" and frankly those words make me want to throw-up because what they mean is holding someone back so we can all be mediocre together.  Maybe the dudes that were sprinting around the course and left me to eat their dust had better running shoes than me, perhaps they were gifted with better genes, longer legs, better lung capacity and the like.  But maybe they spend a lot more time than me actually training.  Maybe while I'm eating popcorn and watching TV they are off running around their neighborhoods.  Does that make them jerks?  I think not. 

In life and in races there are winners and there are losers.  You can level the playing field all you want to try to eliminate the losers but in reality when we do that all we eliminate are the winners.  What has happened to our society that instead of thinking, "Man, look at that guy run.  If I trained maybe I could run as fast as him."  Society thinks, "NO FAIR! He has better shoes and better genes.  He must be a jerk."  The fact that those guys exsist and passed me by motiviated me to keep running even though my calves felt like they were ready to explode.  It used to be (don't I sound old and wise at 32!) that when someone succeeded people saw an opportuinity to succeed themselves.  Now we think they took our piece of the pie.  Why can't we make our own pie?       

I feel like our society has turned into a bunch of irrational toddlers who kick and scream because someone got a bigger ice cream scoop than them.    I believe in a system where if I work hard that I reap the fruits of my labor.  Not someone elses'.  Since society seems to be thrown back to our collective terrible twos allow me to say what my mom said to me, "Who said life was fair?"  There is no substitute for hard work.                

The Un-Dead Race

Saturday we strapped on our running shoes and hit the pavement and ran in the Night of Living Dead 5k at the Utah State Fairgrounds.  My sisters and I ran the 5k and Tim and Gage ran a 1 mile course.  The proceeds benefited research at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

 Tim is a little scary.  No?

Rach was too good at the whole zombie thing.  Scary!!!

Gage's zombie weapon is a comb. 

Pam has a scar on her neck from a recent surgery.  The fake blood stung but no sacrifice was too great.
  

This is my Zombie Couture Look. 

The boys did a 1 mile course first.  They finished in record time....mostly because the course was not marked very well.  Tim had the whole zombie walk down.

I was determined to run the entire course and I failed!!!  I've never been much of a runner.  I ran about 75%.  I feel good about that considering the last time I ran any distance was probably in my High School gym class.  It was very very hot that day for October.  It was over 85 degrees.

This is our start.  FYI:  costume make-up is miserable to run in the sun with.  Itched like crazy.  

 
Coming in for my big finish.  I didn't stick around to get my time.  I'm sure it would have said slow next to my number.

Somebody is Listening

I believe my testimony of the power of prayer has been achieved by a long line of little things.  Little things like finding a lost contact on a windy day when you are going to take your drivers test and your mom will kill you if she finds out you lost another one.  Actually, the number of contacts I have found over the course of the years is quite staggering.  And it seems the more extreme the circumstance the more likely I am to find it; if I pray. 

I had a little moment over the weekend.  Luke has been playing soccer this season and he and one other boy are the only ones, on their team, who have not made goals.  I see Luke trying so hard only to be aced out by quicker thinking and swifter runners.  While I was watching his latest game I started to pray.  I laid out my case, that Luke tries so hard and it would really give him a boost and he desperately needs one and that my mother heart couldn't take it to see him congratulate his team mates so excitedly that they got goals when he hasn't had the chance to experience that moment.  I don't mind saying that in that moment I got teary.

In the next quarter the trash talk was beginning at the half field.  A lot of stuff like, "I'm four!!! Yeah....Four (hold up 4 fingers)"  One boy from the other team was really getting into it and he threw down, "You want a piece of this (grabbed his jersey) Oh yeah, I usually make 6 goals a game."  Luke did not participate in the trash talk but was smiling through it all.  The opposing team had the kick off.  Somewhere in there the ball got turned around.  Luke was running fast enough to keep up.  His team mate took it all the way down and right when he was going to kick it in he fell.  Luke was right behind him and ran up and kicked it into the goal.  Yes!!! Hand Pumping the Air!!! 

Luke was thrilled.  I was thrilled.  Gage reminded me that I now had to buy the Lego I promised Luke at the beginning of the season if he made a goal.  I don't think I imagined that Luke was walking with a pumped up chest and his performance in the game after that was like watching a whole other kid.  He was confident and got some other good kicks in, turned the ball around once and almost scored again.  I sat there thinking that my testimony of prayer really has come to me from lost contacts and now I can add 4 year old soccer goals.  I titled this post that somebody is listening.  I really do believe that God is listening to me and that if he cares about something so small as Luke getting a goal, a thing that to me seemed all important, that he will help me with the big stuff too.     

The Logic of a 2nd Grader

Gage has long since found girls cute.  I believe he began to flirt with girls when he wasn't even a year old.  Each year in school has produced a crush.  I like to check up periodically to see who has caught his fancy.  This year he has said he didn't have a crush.  He said it in such a way that I knew he did but he didn't want me to know. 

Then last week at dinner I was asking the kids about their happy and sad moments of the day.  Gage started telling me about a sad moment and then he was laughing and said he needed to tell me, "in private" what had happened.  I thought, "Oh Boy!"  He would divulge at the table that it included a girl in his class...we'll call her Eden.  Only because this girl is also named for a place.  So as is typical I said, "Do you have a crush on Eden?"  He got this dreamy look on his face and said, "Well, she's really pretty!" 

 He took me into my room and told me that he let his friend take the fall for his crush in front of Eden to save face.  His friend got mad...hence it was a sad moment of the day but he didn't regret not looking dumb in front of Eden.  We had a good laugh.

Well, I guess he keeps getting caught looking at Eden and then Eden says, "What?  Do you have a crush on me?"  This has been going on for several days and so this morning I said to Gage that when Eden asks him that today he should say, "Why?  Do you have a crush on me?"  Here's where the logic comes in.  Gage said he can't say that because then Eden would know he had a crush on her.  I'm not sure I follow but it sure is fun to hear about each day.  I have no clue what he is actually learning or being taught at school.  Hmm.     

Summer Round-up and Back to School

So, I'm not awesome at blogging lately.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I went through my pictures to remind me about what has gone on for the last month.  Here are some highlights....

 

We spent a lot of time in the mountains this summer.  Is there anything better?

Claire is obsessed with horses and that is where it pays to have a friend who is a bonna fide Cowgirl as your friend.  Andrea took us to meet her horse Sampson.  When we went into the stable, Gage said, "ohh, I love the way it smells in here!"  That tickled my dad because whenever we drove to his home town in Idaho he always rolled down the window to smell the country air.  Country air to me smells like poo but to Dad and Gage it smells good.  Go figure. 



Claire and Maisey were too scared to ride Sampson.  He is a big boy. 

Sampson really liked Luke to pet his nose. 

Gage was unsure at first but he took it like a man.  I want to be Andrea when I grow up!

That pretty much sums up Summer except one last picture.....



Claire starting throwing whole body fits this summer.  I call them her Road Kill Tantrums.  I think she wanted a sucker and when she didn't get one this is what she did. 

That brings us to Back to School!  This year was a great back to school year.  The last couple of years have been full of firsts.  New schools, full days etc.  This year everything felt comfortable.  Gage and Luke were comfortable and  knew what they were doing and so did I.  It was a much needed break in the stress department. 

Gage didn't want new clothes.  Just new shoes.  He chose them himself. 

Gage is apparently old enough to be embarrassed by my very presence.  Especially with a camera.  Oh, the horror.  Can you see it on his face?  How dare I try to take a picture while he lined up for his first day of 2nd grade.  What will his friends think?  Gasp.  I don't think his friends mind but what do I know....I'm just a mom!

Luke doesn't mind if I'm around.  In fact, he asked me to walk him to the door.  I know, give him a few years and that will change.  I'll enjoy it while I can!

Next comes Fall Soccer.  Luke is playing on his first team.  I wish I could say he is loving it.  I think he likes to be with the other kids and he likes to run, kick, block and the uniform is always good.  What he does not like is this guy's constant yelling.....

Obviously neither do I.  While not the most flattering picture of me it does sort of say it all in terms of my feelings toward a dad who thinks that it is appropriate to yell non stop at not only his son but all the other players to the point that poor Luke when he comes out of the game came over to me and said, "Who is in charge of my team?"  Poor thing is so confused because the coach will say one thing and helicopter dad will yell, in an infinitely louder voice, something else entirely.  It sort of drives me up the wall.  Come to think of it though, right after Tim snapped this photo and I made some snide comments, not quietly, about how he needed to calm down and shut up he hasn't been back.  Hmmm.

Pretty cute. 

Bike rides have become a family favorite in the last few months.  Gage is finally good enough to ride up all the steep hills in the neighborhood.  Flat ground is hard to come by in this neighborhood.  I resurrected my old bike and I had forgotten how fun it is to ride.  Tim had been hauling Luke and Claire in a trailer and it was getting really heavy and they were practically sitting on top of each other.  My friend loaned us her tandem bike for Luke and he is loving riding along with me.  It is a full on work out for me and the tandem bike seems to bring joy to all who see it.  Every time we are out people stop us or smile so big as they pass us in their cars.  We are loving it.  

What I am not loving is how fat I look in this picture.  The ruffles on that shirt look really cute when I am standing up straight...when I am bent over it is doing nothing for the physique.  Ewww, or the jeans for that matter.  P.S.  Luke wears a helmet....just not for the picture.

Dear Mom,

You've been gone for 6 months today. I don't cry as much as I used to, but I still cry at the weirdest times, just wishing you were there. I called your cell phone last week and it wasn't until I heard the operator say that the number was no longer in service that I realized what I had done. The kids have been rascals this summer and I'm sure that I'm screwing them up. I really needed your advice - I think that is why I called.

Claire says she misses you every day. Doesn't she seem too young to remember, let alone articulate that? She likes to look at the picture of you on my night stand. It was taken at her baby blessing and I'm holding her; you and I have our arms around each other's waist. You would not believe how well she can talk. The doctor says her head is fine. She did a summersault for the first time on Sunday and I worried about her balancing on her head with her soft spot still open. I know you would say Pam's was big and open for a long time too and look how smart she is. I know Claire will be fine.

Gage can't wait for school to start. You know how he is. It's a constant challenge to keep his mind engaged. Can you believe he is starting 2nd grade? He reads at a 4th grade level. You were right about putting him into kindergarten on time. He mouthed off to me for the first time last week, and I'm still trying to decide if he meant to. He is sweet by nature. He worries about Dad missing you. He hesitates to say your name or bring you up and it sort of breaks my heart.

Luke has had a rough time. He faithfully searches for you everytime we visit Dad. He says it's too long to have to wait to see you again. He can't seem to figure it out. When I went to Girls Camp this summer he told me he thought I had died. It's like he is waiting for the next bad thing to happen. I don't know how to help him and the person I know would have the answer is you!

After your funeral, Tim declared he was done crying and he has stayed true to that until a couple of weeks ago. He said he was thinking about that talk you gave him when we thought he had cancer. His eyes got misty and he said how much he missed you. He was sick again this summer. I'm sure that's what made him think of your little talk. It turns out he has a thyroid problem. Who knew? I can live with that.

The other night one of my young women was complaining about her mom to me. I told her that her mom does the best she knows how to do and that kids don't come with an instruction manual. I laughed to myself thinking about all the times you said that to me growing up. I do that a lot. Sound like you, I mean. It makes me feel like you would be proud of me. I'm giving people the benefit of the doubt all the time - it's disgusting actually! Ha ha.

When I'm missing you I focus on how strongly the feeling came to me, after your funeral, that you are so happy where you are. I know you are enjoying being with your mom and dad, but I also know you are busy teaching the gospel. I'm thankful you and dad married each other in the Temple and I'm sealed to you. It is nice to know that I'm just a little link in a great big family. Thank you for teaching me about Jesus Christ. I miss hearing your testimony of his love and mercy. I'm trying to teach my kids the same. How nice it must be for you to get up without your hip or your back or your liver hurting. I'm so happy for you, but I agree with Luke that it sure seems like a long time to have to wait until I will see you again.

Love,
Jess

Bless His Heart

Luke has a fear of water.  He hates getting water in his face when he bathes and the swimming pool is no exception.  This year his fear has bordered almost on phobia.  Gage has taken swimming lessons all summer, but I put Luke into the last session hoping that he would get bored watching all the other kids and when it finally got to be his time that he would be excited.  Ok, that didn't work.  Nevertheless, he has been in swimming lessons the last two weeks.  Today, was the dreaded day.  The last day.  The "isn't it fun to jump off the diving board and go down the water slide day!" 

Every day Luke has had a "stomach ache" before swimming lessons.  Today, he was very convincing that he actually had one.  Heck, he was wound so tight he probably did have one.  Once we got to the pool he was literally jumping up and down with anxiety.  It really breaks my heart to see him that way.  He has had so much emotional distress since my mom died that is just made me teary eyed to see him upset....again.  I shook it off though and gave myself a pep talk, "Keep it together Jessica.  Kids can smell hesitation."  The music from Rocky played in the background.

I calmly took him up the stairs to wait our turn to go down the slide.  He got more and more upset while we waited.  Then a kid from his class went down and got turned around on the slide so he was heading head first.  There was a look of sheer terror on his face as he made the turn by us.  Luke stopped crying long enough to say to me, "That was no good!"  I agreed.  We went back down the stairs in utter defeat.

Now onto the diving board.  I had every intention of not making him go, but I started to get nervous that if I didn't force him this fear would just grow and I reasoned that he had been off the diving board before.  So, I pumped myself up for the wait again.  No sudden movements, no eye contact, no harsh words.  See Luke, everything is happy and calm.  Oh, except you.  You are still jumping up and down.  I whispered, "It's okay to be afraid." 

And then as fate would have it.  The same kid who got turned around on the slide was in front of us.  As I side note I should tell you this is a rotten child.  He pulled the teacher's hair and pestered the kids in his class for the last two weeks.  To be truthful, when I saw him looking scared on the slide I thought it couldn't have happened to a better kid.  His mom is clueless.  Back to my story.  So, clueless mom has the life guard force her boy off and when he comes up his face is full of fury and his voice is dripping with venom and he yells to his mom, "I hate you!  I don't even like you."  Clueless mom says, "Oh, you'll thank me one day."

At this point I'm starting to get cold feet.  What if Luke comes up hating me?  Should I really force him?  I had this internal debate for what felt like 5 minutes but really only a split second had passed.  I brushed the life guard aside.  I'll do my own dirty work.  The walk never seemed so long on the blue diving board.  All the while I'm telling Luke it's okay to be afraid and that I'll help him.  I tell him his teacher will catch him.  I grab him by the shoulders.  For one crazy second I think he is going to pull me in with him and then I launch him.  He goes completely under the water but.....comes up smiling.  Luke gets over to the edge and I help him up and he says,

"Mom I was scared."

I say, "I know you were buddy but you did it!"

Luke comes in for a tight hug and says,

"Mom, thanks for helping me learn."

I tell ya it was one of those moments that makes it all worth it.  What a kid.                         

The Crazy Train....Um I Mean Mini-van

I have seen the face of insanity and it is ugly.

Instead of padded walls....heated leather seats
Instead of a straight jacket....a seat belt
Instead of the State Mental Hospital...the Inter-state Highway
Instead of voices inside my head....three voices yelling mommy at the same time
Instead of medicine to make them stop....goldfish, fruit snacks, and graham crackers
Instead of hallucinations....vision of three sleeping children

Our family made the very short drive from Lagoon to Sandy last night and I wish I would have counted but I estimate that I heard the word, "mommy" at least 150 times.  It can and has driven me mad!!!

Once a word I couldn't wait for each of the kids to utter I now wish I could fling from their memory forever. 

S-E-V-E-N

Did you ever see the Seinfeld where George tells his friends that he wants to name his first born, Seven, as in the number.  And he makes a seven with his finger in the air.  Haven't seen it?  Ok, totally random and moving on.

My oldest boy is seven and if you could see me, I am making a seven in the air with my fingers.  This was an off year for a friend's birthday party so we celebrated with just ourselves, which is fun and a bit of a relief.  We ate his favorite pizza on CARS2 plates and went swimming.  It was the first year that Gage didn't want a toy for his birthday.  When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday I could see that he was struck by the same reality and that he really had to think about what he wanted.  It was weird to watch and a little sad. 

He did finally come up with a DS Game that he wanted.

My mind keeps going forward to think that in January he will go to the, "It's great to be Eight." activity and learn about Cub Scouts and the Faith in God program and most important his Baptism.  Totally freakin' me out over here.  But at the same time there is something so rewarding in seeing your kid become competent.   

Gage is really just a lot of fun.  He has the strangest ideas and imagination that just blows me away sometimes.  He loves to read and I have found him many a night at 11pm still reading, with a flashlight, in his bed.  He read an entire novel one night.  I love it and I get excited to hear his enthusiastic report in the morning about what happened in the book.  The kid wakes up at the butt crack of dawn and never seems to tire.  I swear Tim is slipping him caffeine.  He loves Claire even though she treats him so rudely sometimes.  But, when I discipline her for hitting him for no reason at all, who do you think goes to comfort her....Gage!  I hope he never loses his sweetness.  It is hard to take his picture.  He looks like a mad scientist a lot of time unless I catch him off guard.  I don't know why he thinks when I say "smile" he should weird out his eyes and smile so fake and wide.  He does have another look that is slightly gangsta and it is funny.  I guess I should just start capturing those faces. 

The Gangsta Face

Yesterday, he had his 7 year check up with the doctor and he had Gage write his name and ever the conscientious one, Gage took his sweet time so he could deliver a perfect signature.  His doctor was really quite impressed with his handwriting.  I was too.  I had no idea he could write so neat.  It was the one area on his report card that his teacher said he needed to work on this summer.  I now realize it is just getting him to take his time so it looks neat...not that he doesn't know how.

Gage loves swimming.  He is good at it and loves being in the pool.  We gave him a soccer ball for his birthday.  He wasn't too thrilled when he opened that one, but he and Tim have been playing at night and Tim was so excited one night when I got home from mutual to tell me that Gage was aggressive and went after the ball!  Tim had his proud papa look that I love so much.   

Gage, you have been my faithful buddy for the last seven years and I sure love you!             

Where did June Go?

President Mckay's Family Home

June seemed to pass me by in a flash.  The kids went to school later into June this year and the day after they got out I was on my way to Youth Conference.  The conference was held in Huntsville UT, where President David O Mckay was born and raised, and we spent time at his family home doing service.  I left the conference thinking that President Mckay was the Man.  We had nightly fireside's and one was given by one of his secretaries and she had great stories to tell.  One guy who came, brought $10,000 in cash and let the kids handle it and the point of his fireside was, "Would you sell your testimony of Jesus Christ for $10,000?"  Obviously, we all said no but he pointed out that we sell it for much less everyday in lots of little ways.  It was very thought provoking and left me wanting to do better.

Some of President Mckay's Family live next door to the house he was raised in and I thought it looked like it could be a post card.  So beautiful.  

After I got home I thought, "Ok summer is here!"  Um, not so much.  For the next week and a half someone in our family was either barfing or getting over barfing.  It was good times for sure.  And then I left for Girl's Camp.  Camp was fun although I use the word camp very loosely.  We had a large cabin complete with big screen TV, hot tub, and granite counter tops.  We were joking that it should have been called Girl's Spa Retreat. 

I got home from camp on the 30th and I wondered what in the world happened to June?  All I know is that somewhere in there Gage finished 1st grade, Claire turned 2 and the next day Gage would be 7, and my upstairs was painted the most heavenly shade of grey with no chair rail.  Double Yea!!!   

In spring a bunch of women from the hood signed up to do a 5K Dirty Girl run at Wheeler Farm and although it is totally unlike me I signed up to do it with them.  We dressed in white shirts and decorated our shirts to say, "Another mom bites the dust."  and on the back, "Another one down...."  Oh my word, I had so much fun.  I didn't run the whole time (gotta work on that) but it was a blast getting dirty and being with the girls.  Lots of people say how much they love to exercise, which I frankly find so odd, but after the run I had this feeling in my chest like my lungs had been working....a lot....and if felt really good.  I guess that is what they mean?  I'm signed up for another 5k in October that I'm doing with Tim and my sisters and Gage.  Did I totally just rock your world?  It just rocked mine.

 

This post race pic is missing my white tube socks. I had to throw them and my shoes away. My shorts at one point were baby blue. 

And then comes the 4th of July.  I love the 4th!  Even though I never seem to find my decorations until after the holiday has passed.  Don't let my lack of decoration fool you...the 4th is one of my favs.  I love parades, fireworks, and family.  There is nothing more beautiful than the old stars and bars and bands and I could just go on and on.  But I'll stop now.  

 

The kids got a mother load of candy at the parade.  Sorry for the lame picture.  A photographer I am not.  

 Claire was afraid of the sirens on the fire trucks.  Grandma is helping her out. 

        

Claire Is Two

Claire's birthday was last week.  It is hard to think that two years have passed since she came to our family. I was reflecting today on all the things I have learned about Claire in the last two years.

Before You Were Two I Didn't Know.....

* How crazy your hair would look in the morning
* How you would sleep on your tummy with one foot stuck through the slats
* That you would talk and talk and talk and then talk some more
* That Snow White would be your favorite princess
* That you would hit your brothers and then smile and tilt your head to make it alright
* That your Dad would be in love with you from the moment he saw you
* That you would hug me so tight
* That you would learn to make car and gun noises as well as the boys
* That you would be convinced that every string was a spider sent to get you
* How much of an opinon you would have on what you would wear each day
* That you would love shoes more than me
*That unearthly sounds would come out of your mouth while you throw a fit on the floor
* How much you love to read
* That dancing is part of who you are

That one smile, one "hi mommy!" or one hug could brighten my whole day. Happy Birthday my sweet girl you really are my sunshine.

Are Your Apples Blue?

If you don't have a Blu Apple then run to the store or the Internet and buy one.  It is a plastic blue apple that you place in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator and it absorbs the Ethiline gas that fruits and veggies emit and slows down the decay process.  I throw away tons of produce because I don't eat it fast enough.  NOT ANYMORE! 

I have had some green leaf lettuce in my fridge for 3 weeks and it is still crisp.  I even felt so bold as to buy two heads because I knew it would stay good in my crisper.  The Blu Apple works for 6 months and then you need to replace the little packet inside and their website will sent you a reminder.  How cool is that? 

The average household throws away $450...or was it $650 in produce in one year.  Not my household.  Loved it so much I thought I'd pass it along.   

In Orbit

Today I sat on the couch and watched as the children ran up and down the hall.

The pounding of their feet and the sound of their laughter was like music for my soul.

I noticed again how tall Gage is getting. 

I think how he probably won't play like this for too much longer. 

He is slightly gawky and his teeth tell me is about seven years old. 

He will need braces for sure.

I noticed how Luke watches out for Claire.

He loves being an older brother.

I can still see traces of the baby I held over 4 years ago. 

I hope it doesn't disappear too soon. 

Claire runs for me with arms outstretched.

I smile to think it is to me she runs to share her joy or pain. 

I notice how fast her chubby legs can run.

Her hair fans out like two wings and I think I've never seen anything more charming.  

I try to look into the future.

I wonder who these sweet babies will become. 

I picture myself as the sun.

Stationary and watching the unique and beautiful planets that are in orbit around me. 

I wonder if Gage will become an Apostle? 

Was I as interested in the scriptures as he is when I was seven?  

I don't think so. 

He was born knowing right from wrong and wanting to do the right.      

I try to picture Luke as a doctor. 

That's what he says he will be. 

He is certainly patient and smart enough to be one. 

I better start saving my money. 

For now, all I can picture for Claire is my baby girl. 

My saving grace. 

I wonder if she will call me friend when she is grown?

The Beauty of Motherhood

My mom always gave me a book about motherhood or womanhood for mother's day.  It is so funny the things you miss when someone you love dies.  Something that I took for granted and was so simple made my heart ache knowing she wouldn't be giving me one this year. 

I was visiting my dad when I found an old book from the 60's on my mom's bookshelf.  I've looked at the bookshelf many times and never seen this book.  The title is The Beauty of Motherhood and the artwork is so gorgeous.  Dad let me borrow it and in a way I got my mother's day book from my mom. 

Once I started reading it I realized where it had come from and why I hadn't seen it before.  See, when I opened it up I saw some passages that were underlined in a red pencil and the lines were so straight that the person made them with a ruler.  I instantly knew that this book belonged to Grandma Charlotte.  Red pencil and ruler precision is Grandma's hallmark.  My mom must have gotten it when she passed away in October 2010.

One such red line was from "The Teacher" and it is so quintessential Grandma Charlotte and Grandma Paulette that it made me smile. 

"Into the woman's keeping is committed the destiny of the generations to come after us.  In bringing up your children you mother's must remember that while it is essential to be loving and tender it is no less essential to be wise and firm.  Foolishness and affection must not be treated as interchangeable terms... Teach boys and girls alike that they are not to look forward to lives spent in avoiding difficulties; teach them that work, for themselves and for others, is not a curse but a blessing; seek to make them happy, to make them enjoy life, but seek also to make them face life with steadfast resolution, and to do their whole duty before God and man..." ~Theodore Roosevelt    

I have heard advice such as this many times from Grandma and my mom.  I'm so thankful to have had such wonderful examples of a Wise Mother to look up to for as long as I did.  I hope that I don't disappoint them as I try to raise my own family without their sound advice.    

An Entire Decade....

is how long Tim has put up with me!  We have been married for 10  years.  We celebrated by having a Staycation last weekend.  That is a cheap parent's version of a weekend getaway for their anniversary.  Tim's mom had the kids overnight and we stayed at home and went to dinner and stayed up late watching Harry Potter.  Tim slept in until 10 am!  Lucky him.  My kid alarm went off at 7:30 am. 

Through the ups and downs of life my Timmy is a constant.  I love him dearly.   

Our anniversary was during the week and I woke up to see that Tim had left me flowers.  He's a keeper!

Love These Girls

Rachel and girls came down last week and visited before they were off to Moab for a friend's wedding.  I love seeing her girls.  They always keep things interesting!

Luke and Piper contemplating the mysteries of life......

Feeding the Duck.   Ahem, ok, the Seagulls.. .....

Luke and Piper thought my van was dirty so they cleaned it with wipes.....

Too cute. 

Easter Happenings

This is the dreaded "update" post.  Painful but they have to be done!  The kids had a great Easter.  We had a neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt that Claire and Luke went to while Gage had his swimming lessons....

...this was Claire's first egg hunt that she knew what was going on.  She yelled, "EGG!!!" for days after. 

We also had the Traditional Easter Egg Hunt with my family.  While our numbers have grown smaller over the years my Dad and Aunt Pammy are so nice to keep fighting the good fight for my little ones.  The kids leave with far too much candy and big smiles on their faces!

Grandpa helping out Lukey...

There was one of them smiling but I can't figure out how to delete this one....

Gage had this awesome hound dog routine to find eggs....

By this Easter Egg Hung Claire had it down......

I love getting the kids dressed up for Easter.  I hate trying to capture their pictures in their new digs because they are rotten children who never do what I want while trying to take a picture.  This is sadly the best one.

Easter held a new meaning for me this year.  My testimony of the Risen Christ has never felt so personal and so desperate at the same time.  I guess since I'm 31 it was about time that I started to really ponder the resurrection and what it means to me.