More fun

                

                                   

Holiday Fun

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
            
    
I wanted to share a few pictures from these past weeks. I know that I have shirked my responsibility here and I do apologize for that. Enjoy a few tonight and let's see if I can add this to me resolutions for 2008.

Some pictures I just have to share...

This is how the three babies celebrate! Each of them with their own way of eating...you'll see that Carson does end up wearing his all on his own...RJ needed a little help from Kyle...and Kierstin had to use a spoon.





Kierstin was so cute this Halloween. She wouldn't keep the hat on, but that cat is still her favorite toy!

Mark this day in your calendars!

A very strange and sad thing happened in our family yesterday. Now, I know that in the scheme of things, it isn't earth shattering, but for me it was fairly heartbreaking. In order to understand this, I have to explain a little tradition we now have in our family.

Last year there were stories floating around about magic elves visiting the kids at our school. The kids loved them and their teachers were guilty of perpetuating a most fun little charade in the hours that our kids were away from us. These elves would create mischief and hide from their owners. I had the chance to meet these little critters when a little friend of Kyra's brought his to school. I thought they were adorable. I saw the fun in the eyes of the kids and all of these adults joining in to help fuel this myth. I then started seeing them everywhere. Finally, I did a little search of my own...google! After a short search, I found them. You can order the little guys and they come straight to you with little magic snow flakes, a cute little pouch for sleeping and this little creature...along with parental instructions on how to make this little thing come to life. It was such fun! Each of our bigger kids got one. They didn't arrive until right before Christmas but, boy did they make messes. It was always a surprise to wake up and see where they were and what they had done in the night. For a little while, there was that same nostalgic magic that surrounds Santa Claus and Rudolph.

Of course, they had to come back this year. In fact, they had to come back early! The kids wrote letters to them every night begging them to come and see them. They would put out crackers and water to invite them...for that is how they get their energy to stay up late making toys of course. Each of these children would sit with great thought trying to figure out what to say to insure that their little friends would come. Kimball, who is now 11 and perched on the edge of disbelief, wrote things that were so very sweet. He says, "Please come visit me. I believe in you. I really, really do. I love you." Now, know that I know how fragile that is. I know that allowing a child to believe so completely can set them up for disappointment. It also ignites creativity and wonder. It was one of my greatest joys seeing each of them so committed to the fun and mystery. How did they do all of those crazy things?

Now for the heartbreak! Yesterday was already a particularly rough day. It was like the storm before the storm. You could feel the clouds swirling and the wolves circling as we handled one mini-crisis after another. As I walked by the office I noticed Kimball was on my computer and on the screen was the website for Elf-magic. I said "Kimball?" He turned and looked at me with tears in his eyes and fell apart. I sat down with him, clicked out of the website and wrapped my arms around this little boys who had just grown up a bit in that instant. A girl, a stupid girl from school told him the truth. I knew that there was this chance because he is in the 5th grade...but I was not ready yet. He was so sad. He could not speak. When he did he said things like, "It's like someone died", or "I wish I had never looked at that site", or "I am just so disappointed". Imagine that moment when Santa Claus is no longer real, when the tooth fairy is just a sweet parent, when the Easter Bunny is just a cartoon. That happened to my baby boy last night. It was heartbreaking. I am sure that this all sounds very shallow and I am sure that there are much bigger issues in the world, but my children's imagination and creativity are absolutely vital. I know how hard it is to get through this life, we must be able to imagine with the Disney's and Spielberg's of the world.

The night went on this way for more than an hour, talking and crying and trying to make it better. I wanted to pull of a Christmas miracle so that he could still believe, even if it is for one more day. What came out of it was something interesting though. I invited him to be a part of the magic...on my side of it. He insisted that we had to make sure that the "little kids" could still believe. The fact that they are referred to little means, by default, that Kimball has crossed over into the land of "big kids", a terrain I am not at all prepared for. He helped set up some pretty good tricks with the elves and promised that he would think of all new ways to help the kids believe.

That was the magic that came out of it for me. He said to me later in the evening that he was glad that he could work with me on this, but that he wished so much that he could still believe. We again talked at length about the magic of believing and being a part of that magic. I explained why it was important to continue such traditions. I think he understood, but I can say with certainty that we both wished that we could have gone back one more day to relish the magic of believing for just a few more minutes.

It's been awhile...

So, it seems that when life gets really busy I tend to forget to keep up with this blog thing. The funny thing is that it is just the time when I should be posting more so that I can look back and remember the blur. Things move so fast now. I suppose they always have but it's when you look at the lives unfolding before you, these babies who keep getting bigger, with or without your permission, that you remember that entire weeks and months have passed you by without even realizing it. Summer break turned into back to school and that has turned into Fall which rallies the end of the year with the Holiday season. Walking through major shopping centers you can't avoid the sights and smells of Christmas before you get to the candy and costumes for Halloween. There is, of course, more to say...but dinner needs to be made and movie time with the kids and BEDTIME!!! Then, I can try to collect a few thoughts and pictures to catch you up.

Just wanted to share a few more

Just a few funny Kierstin moments and then I am off to bed

Seriously?

Mmmm, maybe I will bother this person...

I just want to walk up the stairs people.

Ok, I really am just an innocent baby...what?


She has so many funny faces these days and so much personality. These looks say so much.

More

We spent an amazing time in Florida for two weeks. I know that we are a bit spoiled by that but it was a hard earned vacation. Here are a few more pictures to enjoy. The kids had so much fun and were really good, unless you add Dad to the mix and factor in him aggravating the princess a few times. :)

Be a little jealous :)

I know it's been too long...

So, we are getting ready to go on vacation and right after that we start school so things around here have been a little hectic. I am reminded that this time five years ago was the last relatively quiet and seemingly happy time in our lives before all hell broke loose. Kyra was the same age as Kierstin is now and Larry and I took the kids to Seagrove for a wonderful vacation. I remember standing on the beach down there on our last day begging to just stay there in Seagrove forever. I knew that we were facing some big issues when we got back from vacation and we absolutely did, and then some...some we even brought on ourselves quite without hesitation. We had the move back to Salt Lake, the Gina episode, the divorce, my business, and then that business failure, kids in childcare all day long sometimes starting with me in tears as I drove away leaving them there and then the move to Texas. Of course, we then faced the Kels episode and the divorce that came from that and then this sweet baby that I am always in amazement of. And then, we...meaning, LARRY and I got married again. Now, many would say that we are insane for trying it again, especially with all of the surrounding drama, but we did and I am happy every day for that risky jump. It took some real faith or delusion or something to actually make that step but I know that it was the right thing to do after all of this. I do wish that we had been able to fight for each other a bit more the first time but it seems that we had a little humbling to do and some hard lessons to learn. I am grateful for those lessons because they brought my family back together and gave us Kierstin. Quite a full circle...back to the beach with baby in tow.

This is the deck before. You can see the two tone deck color as we were in the middle of pressure washing the deck, which is my new favorite pass time.


This is the next phase with new railings and cool sun shades and lights. It looks really cool when its all open.


We now need to sell the hot tub and stain the deck and pergola. That will be a big job, but I can't wait to see the finished product. Just wanted to share the fun.

Another Monday

Kierstin is not walking all the way just yet, but she does like to take about four or five steps...and then she lays down.













This was Father's Day. I love this picture of Mom and Dad with the babies. I just wanted to share.








And now...stayed tuned for my next rant.

This is my day: we wake up late because we have been up with a tremendous storm in the middle of the night. It was the kind of storm that made me bring each of my sleeping children downstairs to sleep one in my bed, two in the "cave" and the baby in the play pen. The lightning was unbelievable. So, we wake up late. We have to be at swim lessons by 10 which means we have to leave by 9:30 and we wake at 9. So, we are running a little to get everyone together. Larry is staying home with the promise of a new big job. We get there, by the way, Kierstin is sick...not happy. We get there, get everyone set up and we realize that we have forgotten goggles, which Kimball simply cannot swim without and I am an idiot for even considering it. I then here Kaden quietly say, "oh crap", in response to just realizing that he had walked out of the house, gotten into the car and driven all the way to the gym without shoes on. SO, we are late, we have forgotten many things, I have eaten nothing, the baby doesn't feel well...but we get Kaden in on time. Kimball and Kyra get ready to swim in the "outdoor pool" while lessons are going in the inside pool. Remember the bad weather from last night? Well, it had one more good laugh at us this morning. Kimball jumps in, I sit down getting the baby who does not feel well situated and Kyra comes to me to use the restroom and the thunder starts, then the rain, then the lightning...which closes all pools. Ha ha, right? And that was all before 10:30 am.

We come home, I get Kierstin ready to go to the doctor. She ends up with just a cold that has to pass but she is really angry when we have to force a breathing treatment on her. But, we get home and all is quiet. I then get the good news that Larry has booked a massage for me because I have been complaining of a sore back for a few days. What a treat that was. I feel restored so I offer pizza and family movie night to the kids. Pizza goes okay. Movie was resisted at first because they all just want to play with their friends, duh. But, they give in and we set to watching "bend it like beckham"...which I really enjoy but quickly realize that the children are not interested. One by one they leave my family night, with my permission of course. They play, I watch the movie and then it's bed time. Kierstin decides its time to throw up with all of the coughing she is doing. I have failed to mention the ongoing battle of wills today with Kimball. He is now old enough to think that he is entitled to an opinion and an argument with his mother. He is not nearly as afraid of me as I was of Mom. That is something that will have to be remedied if we are to make it through the teenage years. He is a beautiful, intelligent, well mannered, genuinely good kid, but boy did he inherit my temper. So, after another welcoming breathing treatment, talking a little sense into Kimball and sweet good nights, everyone is down...but I still hear Kierstin coughing in the baby monitor. I wonder what kind of night this will be. Hopefully it will not include flooding.

Why weight?

Ok, for those of you who have noticed the weight scale recently added to my scale...I have digressed. I have gained back the two pounds plus one more. Now, the thing that bothers me more than the gaining three pounds, which really does by the way, I am more aggravated at myself for caring enough about the number on the scale but not at all about doing anything to change it. I don't want to go to the gym. It's not because I don't enjoy working out because I kind of do once I get there. It's just that it is such a process. It is laziness but with balancing the kids and where they are and what they need and then making sure that it all works is irritating. I don't AT ALL want to count calories. The idea is so offensive to me for some reason. I want to just eat to feel satisified and not have to think about it. I am developing something of a hate for food and cooking, which is silly I know. I want to enjoy the process of eating and feeding my family...and I don't want to keep gaining weight. I want to eat well enough to lose the weight. I want to have the discipline to go to the gym because it is what I want to do not because I have to. I don't want to be the girl who is obsessed with what my weight is or whether or not I worked out today. I don't want to ever care that much. I don't want my children thinking that they have to be obsessed about it either. There is so much more to life that gym time and BMI!!! I am ranting, trust me, I know that. I am just so irritated about the whole thing. I care, my body cares, maybe no one in society really cares but I think they do. I know that it is something that must be given proper attention, but not every time I eat or think about what's for dinner. It's just so silly to me. Of course that's why I weigh 176 pounds today. I have not cared for nearly every meal that we have eaten out this week. I have to declare a moratorium on eating out, at least for myself. It's too much. ok, i am silly for being so bugged about this...but I am so not this person and it is annoying me.

And...

1. I hate mosquitos and they could be an overwhelming reason not to live here.

2. Brittany called and said that all is well and that the little buggers name is William Joseph...or Billy Joe. :)

Holy Crap with all this Rain!!!

I have had it! I am so sick of the rain. I don't know how people live in Seattle. I guess that living there one would come to expect it...but here...I don't. I was expecting sun today and was ready to make myself put on a swimsuit...a task I despise...and go to the pool and I hear thunder. For the remainder of the day Kyra has reminded me of what a bad mother I am for not letting her go swimming today. I suppose she thought I might let her swim in the lightning and hail. I suppose she thinks that I control the weather. I am important and all, and I may be capable of many things...but controlling the weather is not in my bag of tricks.

In other news, Brittany had a boy today. His name as of this morning was Jackson Taylor...but she was not sure once he was born...so I am not sure where that will fall. But he is healthy and happy and I am assuming cute as I have not seen a picture yet. The technology in those parts is not quite up to speed. :)

Oh, funny thing! The other day Larry and I were laying in bed watching "Celebrity Fit Club", which is not a show I watch except that Screech had a big fight with Marsha Brady and I was laughing my head off. Anyway, they are weighing in and Larry nonchalantly asks me how much I weigh. Mind you, in all the years we have known each other he has never once asked me that question. I am not bothered by it because I have said my weight to him before...he just never remembers. SO, I tell him that I now weigh 175 pounds...aghast as I am by that number on me he then says, "Wow, I didn't think you weighed that much. I would not have guessed that...................(long pause).......Wow." So, now I am keenly aware of the number. 175! I have never weighed that much and now Larry knows that it is higher than he thought. Now, one might say that I should be happy that he didn't think that it was that high as I don't look like I weigh that much...and there is that. BUT! He is then prompted the next day to make sure that we are both eating really well and that we both go to the gym. SO...the moral of the story is that while I knew that I weighed too much, someone else knowing that you actually do weigh too much and then experiencing a "Wow" moment are two different things. Needless to say, I went to the gym and took all my vitamins and ate around 1400 calories today. That is motivation.

This is too fun not to post

So, I am now playing with my iphoto and came across a picture from two years ago. It's Kaden's first baseball team, the Tigers. He is #3 in this picture.

Just some fun pics

Kierstin discovers Cocoa Crispies on her own...and so proud!

Flash back to Kyra doing the same thing...Lucky Charms being her mess of choice.


Nobody better take anything from me!


I just know someone is bound to take this so why even try...


See? What did I tell you?

Seriously?

Birthday Babies

Too funny!

Want to head to THE BEACH!!!

Ok, so it's late and I really have nothing interesting to say except that I am so sick of this rain. I am ready to be on the beach! It is supposed to rain through Wednesday!!! I was just reading Kristen's last post about moderating comments and was really amused by the rudeness of some people! Why would other people who have been invited into a glimpse of someone else's personal life have to say anything negative at all! I just don't get it. Anyway...

Kaden's big baseball tournament is back on and scheduled for Monday, June 4th at either 6 or 7:15. We haven't been informed as of yet but we should be able to win the first game. We will see about the next one. :)

That's all I got...except to say that I am in need of a tan and other superfluous vanities...like having my nails done and a pedicure...and my eyebrows...oh I am so vain...makes you want to sing that song doesn't it...:)

(I know Kristen has the tune in her head right about now.)

Surprise, Surprise!

So it turns out that we are not playing the mighty Cubs after all. They have been disqualified from the tournament. They have been using a player that is not registered with the HVA which is not a wise decision, I suppose. They played a great game last night against another strong team and won. After the game was over the other team made it known that they had an uregistered player. That made it an automatic forfeit. It is all actually really sad because the boys have worked really hard. Their coach made a bad decision in the name of winning the game and in the end it has been their undoing. I do feel bad for the boys because they have played hard and this will now be the talk of the season. It is a good lesson for all of the boys though. Play fair! I don't know what happens in the tournament now or what time we play next, but our little team that could is still in there.

AND!!! It is the last day of school!!!

Baseball Update!

Our little boys won again! I think that the boys may actually be a little tired of baseball these days with all the games they have played back to back. The big news is that we play the Cubs tomorrow...Jackson's team. Now the boys are great players. They were "hand picked" to play and they are quite a good team. The coach is reprehensible though. He is just one of those coaches who has a big temper and has been known to be a little obnoxious on the field. Bear in mind that these are 7 year olds we are talking about...not major league...not even high school! So, Jackson has assured me that they will beat us tomorrow. While that is most likely true, they are hard to beat...I would just love to be the little team that could, the little david up against the big goliath of a team and actually wins!!! Let me assure you that our boys won't care one bit if they lose. They are the best sports in this league. They just love to play ball and they have fun every time they play. The downside is that Jackson will make sure that we remember that they won...all summer long. Anyway...that game is at 6 and if we win you will hear about it!!! If we don't then we get to go home and enjoy the beginning of our summer as it is also the last day of school.

Josh and Ada's love child

I am not sure how many of you will remember Josh and Ada. I know that Mom and Brittany will, so this may only make sense to you. I got this picture of Mac last night who is their first child...with another on the way. He could not look more like Josh. Ada has gorgeous dark hair and skin, that latin in her...and Josh is a white boy with the same blue eyes as you see in this picture. I am so sad that we have not met him yet. I am sure that we will soon though. He is just beautiful and I wanted to share. I hope they get a girl...though two boys are great fun as well.

More later...

Kyra's Kindergarten Days

It is the end of the school year and each of our children have had a great year. A few days ago we had the opportunity to watch Kyra in her first of many school performances. Then came the Kindergarten play day. It is so funny to watch them all get together and play and laugh and fight, when necessary. The show was adorable!!! They did some great songs!!! Here are a few pictures from the last week of school with Kyra.

Baseball Heroes

I will post more fun pictures later as I have found that my mac has some fun capabilities...but for now...here is Kaden. He loves this coach and, from watching the other obnoxious coaches on the other teams, so do we. We are so happy that he has found a team that he loves. More later...

By the way, our dear friends Ada and Josh are having another baby!!! We just found out for sure today and we are so happy for them. And! Amber is having a girl!!! So much good news today!!!

Just have to share!!!

So, Kaden is in play-offs this week...baseball, in case you don't know. Anyway...they lost their first game so that dropped them into the second bracket. So, tonight they played at 8:45!!! They played the Astros. We are the Indians. Following this? Ok, so Indians were up through the entire game until an error in the fourth that let the Astros score. They were up by one. Time ran out. But!!! It's the play-offs so the umpire says it doesn't count unless we got our at bat, which we were supposed to get. So, we played one more inning. WE WON!!! The boys scored two and won the game. Larry said it was as good as the World Series. Being the mom that I am I was home with the other little buggers getting them to bed so I MISSED THE WHOLE THING!!!!! I will have to get a sitter for the rest of the games because I won't miss anymore. When Kaden walked in he had the biggest grin on his face. When I tucked him in he had to tell me the whole story and I am just so proud I could pop. I love these nights. It was too late for them to be playing but they had a great time and won the game. It is something they will remember for a long time. That's it. Just too excited not to share!!!

Stupid move of the week...

Ok, so...as you know I had no desire to go the gym yesterday. But I went. I was grouchy and tired, but I went. On my way home I realized that I was starving and grouchy and tired and that I had just worked out so I could afford to eat out if I wanted to. Here is the stupid part...I went to Captain D's.




Fish & Shrimp Dinner CALORIES 1507.97 Protein 33.89g Carbs 126.10g FAT 96.23g SODIUM 3577.10mg

Now, I confess that I hardly ate the whole meal but the fact that it was THAT high in calories and protein and sodium is just horrifying to me, oh and let's not forget the 96.23 g of FAT. I think they ought to have to have warnings on their menu that says what's what. I mean, the cigarette people have to and the liquor people have to. Hell, the gym has to in case you do something stupid and hurt yourself. I was sick after I read that. I mean I knew it would be high, but nowhere near this ridiculous number. I was so irritated. SO irritated in fact that I ordered pizza for dinner. :)



Since this is what happens when you eat like that I am happy to say that I am back on track today and I am taking my vitamins and drinking a protein shake as we speak. So no long term damage, but man, someone should have warned me. YUCK!

In case you ever need to check your nutrition facts as I did, hopefully with less painful results, check out this website:
www.nistn.com/nutritionallinks.php