August 31, 2009

September already? Weren't we just working out summer plans and hoping for sand between our toes? Popsicles and sunscreen? Now we are into schedules and school. I think that I am feeling a bit on edge today, no specific reason, just anxious. I know that there is a whole lot to do. I have a new calling, which is good, but I am now learning to do some new things. I am set to start planning a Christmas activity this week. Uh huh. Christmas. With this calling, it looks like Christmas will be with us a little earlier this year.

Time for an update

Woke up today with no desire to be productive.

Amber had the same thought.

The temps outside were pleasant and needed to be enjoyed.

So, we packed lunches and headed out.

Kimball wanted nothing to do with it, so he stayed with some friends today while we took the rest of our "little" crew out for the afternoon.

Our day in pictures:

We brought home some tired, filthy kids but they all said that they had a great time, even though the Fried Pie Company was closed before we could get there to indulge in the yummy treats they offer. Wendy's frosty's helped out, but only a little.

So much to share...so much sleep to catch up on!

First Day of School 2009

Yes, first day of school! Fun for all. The kids all did a great job of waking up this morning, despite a restless night's sleep for all of us. Even Kierstin had to wake up before the sun, not because we asked her to, but because she just felt the need.

Kierstin's Perspective of Life

And then we have this little gem. First thing this morning Miss Kierstin wanted to use my camera. She has done this before and generally takes pictures of nonsense. But these are just priceless. I laughed out loud when I saw what she sees from her little 3 year old perspective. Enjoy!

We hope to have an idea of what to do next after the adjuster leaves tomorrow, on that whole insurance thing. Things are looking better, but we won't know until he is finished.

But now, I must sleep! Early morning with a baby shower to co-host at 9:30am, have to cook as well. SLEEP!

Simple Update on a STRESSFUL day!

It's too loud in our house to call anyone at the moment. The plumber, Chris, is back and has sent his trusty camera down into the depths of our plumbing system and uncovered the source of our current disruption. Sadly, it looks to belong in the "worst case scenario" category. Several breaks in the pipes in the front yard, back hoe on my lawn, and an undetermined cost on the repairs. UNDETERMINED! Needless to say, we are a little on edge and afraid to use water in the house at this point. I am choosing to stay on the up side of this chapter, and being grateful for the fact that we are not in Vancouver with renters in my house, can you even imagine! That would have been so much worse. I am grateful that Larry has work that we didn't expect that will eventually get us caught back up. I am also happy that the kids will be in school tomorrow and away from this noise for those few hours. I am also grateful that Larry is home, though I am sure that this isn't how he wanted to spend his time home. I can't imagine if I had to do this without him here. But, with all of that said, I am certainly aware of how serious this is and I would just like to say that a movie may be necessary for all of us today, out of the house, good old fashioned laughter and no fans. I know it's Sunday, but I choose to think that we will be forgiven for this one. We shall see how the day goes and how hard it will be to peel Larry off of the ceiling after the plumber leaves.

End of day: Update

I wish you could hear the sound my house is making right now. Fans. Fans. Fans. On low, they still sound like they could possibly lift this house right off the ground as in "Up" and fly us to the beach we should be sitting on. There are about 10 or 11 fans and a dehumidifier in the house. We had NO idea what we were in for when we woke up this morning. No pancake breakfast, no movies today. Water, plumber, water extraction experts (who were also very nice) and dollar signs. On the one hand, we will get new flooring on most of our main level. On the other, slightly larger, more dominant hand, we may have to fork out some cash that we were hoping to use for our family trip to Vancouver for Christmas. Now, what will come of that remains to be seen. What I know at this hour is that Larry is home until Friday morning. In the coming days we will have to empty the main level of any and all furnishings so that a new floor can be put in. We hope that the fans will only be temporary visitors, but won't know until they come out and read our water levels with their fancy water reader thingy. It's cool. We pray, all of us, that the plumbing issue is merely that of overzealous toilet paper users, and not a branch inching its way into the rather deep pipes in our front yard. Expensive. We start school. We wait for estimates and approval. We get a check of an unknown size and then we have to pick flooring, hire someone to put it in and then move back into our main level, all hopefully before Larry leaves Friday. If I were betting money in Vegas, I would not bet on that possibility. But, as always, we remain hopeful and relatively calm given the situation. Really calm, to be honest. So, there you have it. It is that bad. But, it will be corrected and we will move on. All will be well and the floors will be lovely. They better be.

AND, the lesson in church tomorrow is on Adversity.

And what I learned about today

If you are unfamiliar with my house, this is my master bath and master bedroom, drowning. Back flow? Toilet? Shower? No idea just yet, but this is the 3rd time in a week that this has happened and we have had to use every towel in our house, beach towels included, to clean this up in the bedroom and in the family room as the other toilet releases its contents at the exact same time, all the way to the windows on the other side of the room. Nice, right? We shall see what is next.

As for me and my crew, we are getting out of this mess and going to lunch and a movie. "Shorts". What could be better?

What I learned on Larry's 40th birthday

1. He loves the pictures that Kristen took. (check them out)

2. Reading the phrase "hump day" on a restaurant wall is exponentially funnier with two boys who have never heard that phrase before, the meaning had to quickly be explained.

3. Babysitters are glorious!

4. I actually do really like sushi.

5. Ham & Eggs in Lewisville has the biggest pancakes I have ever seen. (see above)

6. Naps run close second to babysitters.

7. Larry actually really likes the new Dodge Charger aka Muscle Car. NEVER would have guessed.

8. My toilets hate us. We now have a back flow problem and have NO idea how to fix it without a plumber. Can you see the same dollar signs I am now seeing?

9. It is high time for our road construction to come to an end.

10. I really, really love Larry and appreciate him and the fact that he is now 4 decades old. So, to Larry I say Happy Birthday and ENJOY every moment of the coming year. We love you so very much.

What I made and other funny stuff.

This is what fun looked like with two of my very favorite three year olds today. These two are hilarious! Always have been!!!

So, Kristen asked for a mural on Carson's wall. She did have a picture of something that had been done in Pottery Barn Kids, so it wasn't out of my imagination. I do think it turned out pretty cute though. She has plans to put up some other really fun things and I can't wait to see what the finished product looks like. FUN!

Reviews are in:

We have tried a few things this past week that I thought I might share my thoughts on. Here goes:

"Time Traveler's Wife": Only about a 7, no a 6.5 out of 10 for me. I enjoyed enough to maybe even watch it one more time. I had hoped for something much greater than that, but it just couldn't get there.

"Julie and Julia": So, so fun! Meryl, Meryl, Meryl. It is definitely at 10. I was only sad when it ended. Everyone was fantastic and it was a delightful story. I highly recommend it.

"Bandslam": Pretty good. Probably an 8 out of 10 on that one. I enjoyed it more than the kids did, but they aren't old enough to get it. It was fun and well done. Worth watching.

(Gosh, I have seen a number of movies in just a matter of days.)

Ok, those lovely Junior Mint cupcakes down there...not great. Very dense. Very. I think I enjoyed the next day better. The cake batter was very thick and then the mint just kind of threw it off for me. I made too many, of course, and they were ok but I wouldn't make them again. I'm going with 3 stars. (out of 5)

Burger King Burger Shots. If you don't know what they are, you don't go to Burger King with big boys who think they're great. We tried them once and they were great. After much discussion of food at the pool today, I was ready to try them again. Today; however, they were not nearly as much fun as before. As with all fast food, you never know what you are gonna get.

Oh, and by the way, our school is making those blankets again this year. Remember way back when we did the fleece blanket service project? The kids still talk about it so they decided to do it again. Makes me smile. :)

You just never know what's in store.

Tom Murphy, Sprint VP, Killed by Falling Boulder

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Sumthins a brewin'

I got a call from someone in the Bishopric today.  He asked to meet with me BEFORE church tomorrow.  He asked if my inactive husband could be there as well.  Obviously, sweet 

'Larry is in Vancouver so he can't be there", I said...cautiously.  "That's ok!  Can you still come in?"  Now, for those of you who might not know what that means...that generally means a new calling, or job in the ranks of volunteers at church.  It means something different when they want the husband to come in as well.  Amber says they only do that when they want to call you into a Presidency or something.  I also know that we are about to be without a Cub Committee Chair.  SCOUTS!  My breath is getting faster just thinking about it.  Pulse quickening.  Might pass out.

Well then, all is well.  My episode has passed.  If you are laughing at this, you know well that what goes around comes around sisters!  While I am more than happy to serve in any capacity, it would be quite the little challenge for me to take on Scouts in such a role.  HUGE.  CHALLENGE. (breathe Heather)

I will let you know what I know when I know it.  Say your prayers people, say your prayers.  (and for crying out loud, stop laughing Mom)

Blessed Distraction!

Boomerangs! For a mere $19 enjoyed 4 blessed hours of busy, sweaty, laughter inducing fun! They ran and ran and ran! Meanwhile I sat at a table working on my menu for the week and reading. Bliss!

That little boy had NO idea who he was up against. Kierstin used her LazyTown super powers to thwart this little demon. (He was actually really sweet)


And then there is Kyra. What can you say?

All in all, it was a great day. Finally did my big grocery trip so the pantry is restocked and the laundry is slowly but surely getting taken care of. The new air conditioner is going in tomorrow morning! Yay me! That is a huge relief! Yesterday I was feeling a little down and bothered, but today has been a good one. In the number of days we have left before school starts, I want to enjoy being lazy and still get lots of playing in.

By the way, I picked up the necessary ingredients for those lovely cupcakes today. There will be cupcakes!

Why are the days so long!

Summer has flown by, really it has. But since Sunday it seems that the days are so long, painfully long. Can't find enough to do for everyone long. The sound of whiny kids is making me nuts...long! We are officially at the end of our summer budget which means that summer entertainment is officially back to finding free in an endless sea of expensive options.

BUT!

I got paid today! I did!!! I got paid for painting that mural in my neighbor's son's room. I don't know why this is so spectacular to me, but it is the smile at the end of my very long day today. I am having to be so careful with money, so so careful...I know, I can't really complain because the reality is that we are fine and we have our home and new contracts mean that the fall will be more comfortable. So this sweet note and payment from my neighbor just made me happy.

Now, what do we do about these last 12 days before the kids go back to school? On a limited budget, that is. Ideas?

This looks like Birthday goodness!

I believe that these will have to be made...for any number of birthdays but I will make the sacrifice and try them out on mine. Tell me these aren't beautiful!

Chocolate Fudge Jr Mint Centered Cupcakes | Picky Palate

For your enjoyment

The air conditioner is broken. 86 degrees in the house, downstairs. We are seeking refuge upstairs for the next couple of days, as the unavoidable new one goes in on Thursday. After a well planned meal of pizza, as no one is cooking in this hot kitchen, I decided to head out for ice cream. Here's what it looked like:

And then Kierstin decided that she knew of a better way to eat it:

I do not know why the photos won't open in another screen. I don't really like the way I download photos on here, but I am not having much luck with picasa on my mac either. At any rate, we had a great time on our impromptu visit to Beth Marie's in Denton. We enjoyed the Extreme Sundae with 8 scoops of ice cream and brownies and cookies. Actually it was a better deal than getting ice cream for all of them. :) Hope your homes are cooled off nicely this evening!

"I am a mother"

So, I have been thinking. Thinking about words shared by friends and family and strangers about the work of a mother. Now, let me state first that I get it. To some, choosing to be a full time mom/ homemaker/ whatever you want to call it seems archaic. It seems that we can have "more" than that and that those of us who willingly choose this role are somehow not as bright, or talented, or dedicated to ourselves as we should/ could be. And the truth is that for some that may be true. For some; however, and I consider myself to be one of these people, we are mothers and could be anything we want to be. We could be lawyers or doctors and anything in between, but we choose motherhood. Now, before anyone gets carried away and takes this entry personally, please know that I don't think that anyone is entirely right or wrong on either side of the great debate. Yesterday's entry got me thinking though. Do we hide behind guilt to avoid the work of living and say that we are simply living for our kids? Are we wallowing in the muck of mommy and complaining that we don't have enough time for ourselves, when we could and should be making that a priority? Well, the truth is that I think that only one person can really answer that. You, for you...not for me or for any other mother out there. I can't begin to know what it's like to be in anyone else's shoes. Mothering is a full time labor of love, whether you get the choice to be home full time or you get the choice of working at something you love... or maybe you don't have a choice but to work to provide. You are all still mothers first. Well, at least that is what I think. Mother is not a four letter word. It is an honor and a full time gig. To underestimate a mother is an exercise in futility. You have no idea what we are capable of. Why are we less than because we are mothers? Why do we think that we have any right to diminish this job and by extension, this woman?

I believe in the eternal nature of Motherhood. That doesn't mean that everyone else does, or that I expect that. The job at hand is to create and produce and nurture a new generation and that doesn't happen by accident. These babies are a majestic destiny in a fragile world and I don't trust just anyone to do the job of raising them. I know that I have an absolutely divine calling in being their mother. They, for whatever reason, chose me and it is my privilege to know them, let alone be their mother. Whether I get to the gym, or get a night out every now and then is not what defines me or makes me happy. Certainly we would all do better to take better care of ourselves. Walk more. Breathe more. Sleep more. Laugh more. Would I like to be strong and vibrant? Yes. That is a goal. I am happy to wake up with them. I am happy to sit and talk to them. I am happy to turn out the lights at the end of a good day and know that they are all safe and sound and taken care of. I am happy that they are mine and I am theirs. I am happy being Mom.

May we honor Mother, honor ourselves and support each other in these paths we are on. Remember well that we are all on the same path, the sets are just a little different and the characters are never the same.

I read this article by Jane Clayson yesterday. It speaks to this topic incredibly well and I hope that you enjoy it.

LDS Living Magazine

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Transition

Ok. So you know that part of child birth, that very ending part right before it's time to push. The time when you really think that something is literally trying to kill you and the medical staff you are paying to help you get through it seems to be helpless in your plight? That time that seems to go on forever, until...it stops. The baby is suddenly no longer inside of you and for a few blissful moments the pain has given way to the thrill of this newest accomplishment. Visualize, those of you who can, that period of time...some of you are more recently familiar with it than others of us...but just go there for a moment...Ya with me? Ok, that is called transition.

I have come to both hate and love that word. Now, obviously I am not pregnant, nor will I be. So this little analogy is just that, an analogy. The latest transition that I am finding myself in is still just a giant pain in the...well, you know.

From baby, to toddler, to preschool, to elementary school to middle school. No more baby to chase. So you ask yourself, or at least I did, what now? What will I achieve now that walking and talking and potty training are all checked off the list? Obviously there will be continual parenting choices and challenges, but for this moment in my life I am choosing to make it about me. (gasp!)

I know, it's not the mommy thing to do, but selfish is as selfish does and it's time. I have been reading a bit on this newest cleanse fad that Gwyneth, my pal, is raving about and it is interesting. I have read lots of books on cleanses and weight loss and being healthy. I know a lot. It is the practice and the diligence and proactive...wait, that's Larry talking. I am doing nothing to make that knowledge work for me. It isn't just about weight loss or being healthy though. It's school, and style, and singing, and travel and love and so many things that I really do cherish in this life. Life has been busy, and hard, and numbing sometimes, but happy is here these days and that makes room for growth. I am sure that we are growing when we are suffering as well, it's just not the kind of growth you get to order on a menu. It's tough. What I am saying is that I am transitioning. Into? No idea??? Where to start? No clue??? Is it worth it? Yes. Absolutely yes. The transition is hard and the stretch is necessary. As a famous fish friend once said, "just keep swimming".

Don't know at all what I will do with this yet, but this is what I am thinking about these days. Back to school. Waning summer nights. And becoming. Transitioning.

Pictures as promised...a little late.

End of Summer 2009

20 days

How do you set to saying goodbye to summer vacation? To late nights and sleeping in. To bickering kids made better by games and popsicles. To sweltering heat softened by thunderstorms. I am keenly aware of time these days. Time measured by birthdays, trips home from Vancouver, and deadlines brought on by jobs and projects and school systems and, of course, myself. Time seems to be in some sort of fast forward motion right now. For those wishing for jobs to end and Daddy to be home more often, time can't move fast enough. But for those watching the babies become 7th graders, it is all too much. How do you treasure 20 days? What can be done to stop time for this short 3 weeks? School will claim them soon and with that comes so many things. I am happy for the renewed structure and chance to improve on old habits never broken. I am optimistic about all that comes with these new years for each of the children, and myself as I enter into this new phase of motherhood, sans baby. Baby has been such a tour guide for us for so many years that I don't know which path to take without that to lean on. With Baby, you know that certain things just wait. With Baby, time is a friend for a short while as you learn to crawl and walk, talk and play. The lessons come hard and fast as Baby leaves and you find children working towards independence, all looking to adulthood. Along that path, from time to time, you ask yourself if you are doing enough. Will they be successful adults? Can they make good decisions? From Baby to Adult is not as long as you might think, though some days feel like eternity. We have one who has only a short 6 years before the world expects him to be an adult. I am not sure that I have yet mastered it myself, so the idea of making sure that he is ready is daunting. And thrilling. And sad. And hopeful. From Baby to Adult.

How do you treasure 20 days? How can we treasure 1 day, or 1 hour? Zoo trips and bowling, ice cream parlors and movies, board games and swimming pools, bike rides and band-aids. My goal is to make the most of each and every day and along the way, get ready for entrance into new grades, friends, challenges and triumphs, and visits home from Daddy.

Are there things here that prolong summer days:

thelongthread.com » 50 Summer Crafts for Kids

August

Well, I have to say that I am greeting August with some hesitance and sadness. I thought that so much more would have been accomplished by now. I am not ready to go to school. Larry is leaving again tomorrow. I am feeling a little blue about the whole thing, to be honest. It doesn't help, or maybe it doesn't matter really, that I am turning 36 in two weeks. I like 36. It sounds good to me, so I suppose that I am not really sad about that one. I told Kyra that we would have to celebrate all month long. And I believe that we shall. We are now on countdown to August 24th, which is when school starts. Kierstin is set to start a preschool, don't know which one yet, on September 8th. Countdown is on.

And I have decided to go back to school this semester. Don't know how many credits yet.

I will share pictures and fun stories tomorrow. :) Until then, enjoy the waning days of summer vacation.