Children’s Museum

 

***PICTURES AHEAD*** Explanations if necessary. 

Pizzeria with cloth pizzas and toppings

This was a loft with plastic half pipe lining the walls and you dropped baseballs from this platform to watch them roll around the perimeter of the room.  Lainy apparently had something they all wanted!

At the carwash yeah.  

A shoe-in for a favorite spot…

Sorry Shell, I know you are not a huge fan of this picture, but it’s all I had, for documentation purposes of course! Thanks or spending such a fun day with me. (I swear I won’t post your noodle forest picture without permission.)

Jared was in supermarket heaven here.  He expressed a deep desire to either stay forever or return home with his grocery cart.

Ice cream you scream, please don’t eat the foam ice cream!

Racetracks that wound around from a top floor to the ground, as did my children. 

 

This was a result of catching a glimpse of…

The noodle forest!   Easily the favorite location of the day.

 

So many stops to take the time and just be silly!

Even Shelli got in on the crazy!

This little beauty was a fun one,  it had air constantly running through it and you popped one of these balls in and it shot through…

another opening and went sailing through the air only to be followed by peals of laughter and a race to retrieve it and start again.

Jared was not a fan of being photographed, this was in the fort-making room, and he permitted me to snap this one. 

The clan, minus Jared for aforementioned reasons. 

 

The utensil cloud.  Very cool. 

 

F words

As we made our rounds at the dinner table tonight telling the best part of our day, Lainy’s was “Learning the letter “F” at school” 

I asked her what words began with F that she learned at preschool.  A list ensued…

Frog (Lainy)

Fantastic (mom)

Flight (Jayce)

Funny (mom)

Frrrroundle (Lainy)

Fast (Jayce) 

Flink (Lainy) 

I Farted.  (Jared)

Sigh.

Rambling

I wish I had the ability to explain something I am passionate about to a person without overwhelming them. (i.e. The gospel, running, or Thrive the new food storage company I am promoting) I tend to just chatter my way through an explanation until I realize I have said too much, in an unorganized manner until they get that glazed over look and have checked out. 

Here are a few possible solutions I have come up with…

• Don’t curb your enthusiasm if it is real.  But don’t force it either. 
• Be an active listener and allow conversation
• Don’t plow through with info if you can’t get them interested
• Think before you speak and organize your thoughts
• Remember, not everyone is in the same place in life.  They just may not be ready

Can’t say that I have to ability to follow all of these things, but at least they came out of my own brain so there is hope!

Night time selfishness

Last night I was tired.  I did not want to spend another night up with Jared and his coughing fits which ultimately result in vomiting.   After 4 months of this, my patience has worn thin. Why can’t we fix this? I got angry when I had to change his clothes after he gagged and got yuck on him.  I was annoyed that he was so particular about how his breathing mask went on.  I sighed a lot when he wanted more than one drink.  And I wanted to sleep! 

I I I.  Me me me. 

Rewind to the last post about not being a very good chorister for my family.  I signed up for this mothering business.  I knew it was going to have it’s perks and its challenges.  And here I was thinking only of myself. Again.  This thought went through my mind about 3 am last night. Yes, I was tired.  But my sweet little one was the one coughing uncontrollably.  He was the one who’s throat hurt.  He was the one who had to drink that nasty medicine. He was the one who had just had his little tonsils taken out.  And he couldn’t sleep either!  All I had to be was awake!  Oh, I did a lot of snuggling and coddling the rest of the night.

A Mother’s Symphony

As I quickly re-applied mascara over yesterdays mascara and threw my hair into a ponytail for the day, I listened to what was a house quiet of children and here is what I heard… 

• Jared snoring in my bed
• the clock ticking next to me
• the washing machine making it’s rounds
• the dryer complimenting with buttons inside rhythmically tapping
• a dishwasher whirring softly
• Flapjacks paws ticking across the floor

A mother’s music.  So many times I have gone through my day stressed and trying to quiet the sounds of my family.  I should be leading them in song!  Directing and teaching.  Not shushing them. 

(Stay tuned for more on this subject night time- version, in a coming post.)

A few of my favorite things…

They named it well.  My lashes are very stiletto-like. Love.

Somehow these make my writing look prettier.

Cannot live without the manipulator.  The smell alone is worth the money. Not to mention it’s awesome.

Shade clothing.  I think my wardrobe is 50% shade.  This little beauty has been on my list for a few months now.

Love AE all around.  Best sweats in the world.  And of course the jeans.

I have skinny feet.  Converse makes skinny shoes.  My feet like these shoes.

Umm.  Pollo Grande.  I get it every time.  I think I will go there today.

Often times twizzlers and milk duds make up my night time snack.  And afternoon snack, and well, all the time.

Simple little flowers that need no fluff for beauty. 

Yes, I like Pink.  I know.  It’s terrible.  I buy all the clean versions of her songs.  It’s the rebel  deeeeeep inside me. 

Chrysler 300

I have no idea why I love this car.  It just caught my eye and stuck.  I’ve never actually driven one, or even seen the inside of one.  But I like it.

Halle-stinkin-lujah

I love to run.  Well,  I loved to run.  Until it became a chore and requirement. I hope to regain that love again. I signed up to race the Ragnar del sol this coming weekend with 11 other crazies.   I had grand images in my mind of the adventure it would be.  (And it will be! Have fun!)  But I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am to have found someone to run in my place.  I tend to be a bit on the flaky side, so I can’t duck behind excuses all day, but it was just really bad timing for the craziness I call my life.  So, to Laurie Glade Janelle and Brett:  Good luck, have fun and be careful!

Glorious greasy goodness

Jason mentioned I was racking up points with my Sunday menu.  Fried chicken strips, french fries and a homemade cheesecake.  I know, I could hear my little heart sputtering as I licked my fingers. 

While the children inhaled (we had to tell them to sit in their chairs and finished chewing before they refilled their plates) the food at dinner, Lainy between bites said, “mom, you are the bestest mom all the way to planet Pluto!”  Jayce quickly responded, “No Lainy, Pluto isn’t a planet, it’s a moon.”   Well, Sonny, back when I was your age Pluto was considered a planet….

Clean and Clear and under control

Now I am no clean freak.  I don’t need vacuum lines in my carpet daily, I don’t need to see my reflection in my floors, but I am definitely happier when my house is clean.  

It has been quite a few days since I have ventured to think of cleaning my house.  Jared has been more of an attachment than I thought after his surgery.  And since he is so little and so rarely snuggles I certainly took advantage. 

And the filthier my house became, the darker my mood became. 

Yesterday the vacuum made its appearance.  I could actually feel my mood starting to lift as the dirt did.  Tonight I could feel myself starting to snap a bit at the kids, (no- you can put your own band-aid on, please just go sit in front of a movie so I can relax, and a lot of because I said so’s)  I found that as soon as I started a load of laundry and pushed start on the dishwasher, things like yes sweetheart, and of course I can hold you started to flow again. 

I knew there was a reason that Monica was my favorite on Friends.

Sleepless = Tonsil/adenoid-less

Poor little Jared had his tonsils and adenoids out this morning after several months of sleepless nights and a diagnosis of sleep apnea.  He did great.  All went well minus his crankiness coming out of anesthesia.  No faulting him there! 

Lainy has been worried about him and asked if she could see what they looked like.  I mentioned that I could look them up on the computer later.  Later came and she asked again, “Can I see a picture of Jared’s asteroids now?”

Sunday meal- the good, the bad and the ugly.

 

BEST cooking magazine.

Not the BEST doughnuts ever, but still yummy!

A childhood favorite made tonight is sausage bread.  In looking for pictures online so I didn’t have to take it back out of the fridge to snap a photo, I came across this beauty…

Gag. Cough. Ew. Jason has dubbed it Bobbitt bread.  Ha ha. 

Below is how it is supposed to look…

It’s coming down in Buckets

Our Father in Heaven has given us, His children, much more than any mortal mind can comprehend. Under His direction the Great Jehovah created this wondrous world we live in. God the Father watches over us, fills our hearts with breathtaking joy, brightens our darkest hours with blessed peace, distills upon our minds precious truths, shepherds us through times of distress, rejoices when we rejoice, and answers our righteous petitions."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Love of God," Ensign, Nov. 2009, 22

I struggle with consistency in all departments.  Discipline, eating habits, exercise, daily scripture and prayer.  It always seems as though I wait until I become depleted and desperate that I have a desire to put these things back into working action.  Each time that I do, specifically speaking of scripture study and prayer, I see and feel significant change and blessings as though they are poured and sometimes dumped onto me and my family.  Today is no exception.  My most recent beautiful blessing came in the form of a prayer by a 7 year old.  Asking that his mom have strength, and his siblings with health.  Seems pretty basic right?  That’s part of the blessing.  That I get to become aware of the small beautiful things I have been given.  An outpour of blessings doesn’t mean circumstances will change or you will be handed a free pass. Mostly, it is strength to overcome, to have gratitude and enjoy what you do have. 

Doesn’t take much

Driving to school we pass many horses.  The boys are chattering in the backseat and then I hear a burst of laughter.  Jayce is laughing and doubling over.   Through gasps of air he says,

“That horse totally farted!  I saw it’s tail go flying outward from it!” 

David, without laughter, says calmly, “Jayce, Horses just swish their tails.  It wasn’t a toot.”

The Run

Mile 1  Adrenaline

Mile 2 Exhilaration

Mile 3 Setting a pace

Mile 4 Getting winded

Mile 5 Reality sets in

Mile 6 Float on through

Mile 7 Kill

Mile 8 me

Mile 9 now

Mile 10 I cried

Mile 11 Anger and frustration

Mile 12 My family found me on the course!  A renewed determination.

Mile 13 The finish line.  Collapse. 

I finished my first 1/2 marathon this weekend.   I wasn’t going to.  I got that anxiety in my chest the day before telling me I had no choice.  I hadn’t trained in weeks.  I knew I wasn’t ready.  But I made it.  2 hours 23 minutes.   I had nothing left.  It was awful and I am so grateful I did it. And you better believe I am doing again, but I will do it prepared.

Battle of wills

For those of you who know me well enough, it won’t surprise you that this post finds me in trouble because of my all too stubborn and strong willed spirit. 

Fortunate or unfortunately (depending on the circumstance) my oldest child has echoed my willfulness.  Tonight it came to a head.  He lost his temper during a video game, and I responded by taking it away for the evening.  His tantrum grew, until he was then grounded for the following day.   It was then the battle ensued. 

His little hands began to make things fly from the countertops to the floor.  It had happened before.  Things had been broken.  My will began to bubble.  And it bubbled over right into his room, where I proceeded to take objects from his shelf and made them fly.  (Softly, just enough to teach a lesson)  but in the chaos, a much treasured little ceramic heart, just acquired from his Grammy not a week before, hit a bit too hard and broke. 

He was rightfully angry, and retaliated in a chaotic vengeful way.  Books flew from the bookshelves.  I knew I had crossed a line.  I quickly found the super glue and tried desperately to glue the broken pieces together.  There were a few splinters missing.  But it was mended.  He came in and seeing it glued back together turned and looked up at me. 

I learned one of the most powerful, regretted lessons in that moment when I said to my son,  “I'm sorry I broke your heart.”  Nothing more was said, and all was forgiven.  I knew in that moment that it was mended, but splinters were missing.

A ray of sunshine

THIS is why I can never move.  Because I have friends like these who leave beautiful sunshiny flowers on my porch when I have a tough week. 

Thank you!!!

Accentuate the positive

 

"I come to you tonight with a plea that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we try to 'accentuate the positive.' I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort. Now I am not asking that all criticism be silenced. Growth comes of correction. Strength comes of repentance. Wise is the man or woman who can acknowledge mistakes pointed out by others and change his or her course. "What I am suggesting is that you turn from the negativism that so permeates our modern society and look for the remarkable good among those with whom you associate, that we speak of one another's virtues more than we speak of one another's faults, that optimism replace pessimism, that our faith exceed our fears. When I was a young man and was prone to speak critically, my wise father would say: 'Cynics do not contribute. Skeptics do not create. Doubters do not achieve.' " – Gordon B Hinckley

Picking up the pieces

I’m sure they wondered where their mom went. Or rather more importantly, who this monster was who has shaken up the day. 

Today was mom-has-lost-it-better-run-while-you-can day.  It’s been a while since she has reared her ugly little head.   I assume my poor children had gotten used to her absence since they all were crying when she blew her top.  Oh, I wasn’t even making sense!  I was yelling and going off on tangents that, as they spewed from my mouth I was inwardly shaking my head thinking how ridiculous I was being.  But I couldn’t stop the train.  I imagine it got started rolling long ago plugging along, until it got going way to fast as it sometimes does.

So, this evening I will clean up my wreck and get back on track.  To my children:  So sorry my little loves.  Sorry you had to be in the wreckage. Love you.

Going without

I know going without TV isn’t really in the category of sacrifice, but I still miss it. 

It was rounding the middle of the night when I saw my husband swoosh past me pulling cords out of TV's and electronics as he went by.  I was practicing playing Mario cart without the distraction of my child kicking my butt, and mentioning how much I suck at the game.  My competitive nature needed to be able to beat that snotty little 7 year old. 

He came through yanking at near all connections to modern technology, mumbling loudly at how much of a distraction- bad prioritizing- waste of time it was and that we needed to take break.  All of my inner connections were screaming no! Gasp. But… my TiVo. But… my shows.  But… my sanity. But… my babysitter.  But… once I came to my senses I had to agree.  We as a family spent way too much time in front of mindless entertainment.

It’s been a few weeks and I still have the urge to just plop down and stare, but we have definitely gotten more done around here, you know, priorities straightening out and all.  Try it, you might surprise yourself.

(we did plug the wii back in the next week, my sanity can only handle so much)

Take what life throws

You know when you work for something, blood sweat and tears (ok, not quite) and you sacrifice to get it?  Say…  an 8 year old does chores for a whole month to earn a new baseball glove.  How will he feel about that glove?  How will he treat it?  As opposed to if your walking along in a store and just hand him a new glove and he says, hey thanks.  That glove in the 2nd scenario is going to end up left outside in the rain and ruined.  While the very same glove that was earned and worked for will be cherished and possible handed down to his son. 

Now slide life in to replace the baseball glove.  Marriage.  Children.  A home.  A church calling.  A degree.  If any of these things came as easily as we sometimes pray they will, would we value them as highly? 

I have learned this week to be grateful for my hard blessings.  They are for my good and my growth.

Wishing and hoping

My sweet little sister made me a wishing star box as part of my (very creative) Christmas present this year.  I used it.  It works!  Let me start way back nine years ago when my gift receiving shanagins began. 

Jason as sweet as he is, is scarily far from being a romantic.  Over the years, I have heard such things on Mother’s Day as “Oh. well. I didn’t know what to get so I just didn't get anything.”  Or on my birthday… “Sooo, you should go pick something out for your birthday.”  Oh he has made progress over the years, take this last Christmas for example.  He sauntered into the kitchen on Christmas Day (mind you, I reminded him several times in the weeks following that we had a $20 budget for one another)  he put his arms around me sweetly from behind, and whispered in my ear, “Your present is in the office.”  I spun around with delight plastered squarely on my face. Could it be? Then he continued his sentence… “It’s pulled up on the computer screen.  It’ll be here in a couple of weeks.”  Really?  REALLY?  Being that he bought me pearls helped the sting of forgetting to get me something until Christmas Day.  So, like I said.  Improvement. 

Back to my wishing star.  It’s a little yellow box shaped like a star and it is filled with teeny tiny slips of paper.  I stuck a wish in it last week, and it materialized right on my desk! The man checked the wishing star!  How many leaps and  bounds does that count for?   A LOT in my book! 

P.S.- Love BBW’s new ‘p.s. I love you’ collection…

Cellular Etiquette

We’ve all been there.   Behind that annoying person in front of you ordering food who can’t seem to get his order out because the guy on the other end of the phone convo says something funny.  Or the girl who is your cashier who you know isn’t supposed to be chattering away at work, scans all of your purchases, hands you your change, and you head out the door without so much as a word?  Today I had one such interaction, at church of all places.  Sitting in Gospel Doctrine class and the lady in the back row is taking a phone call!  She had cupped the phone and was doing her very best (ha!) to speak in muted tones, but I could head loud and clear the one on the other end!  I could swear our poor instructor had lost his train of thought, and I certainly wasn’t the only one who noticed.  C’mon people!  Unplug or you may find someone doing for you!

 

Grin and bear it

 

See that?  It’s a grin.  It’s appearance is rare on his little face.  I had to dig to find a picture with him smiling in it. 

I mentioned to Lainy several times before I left the kitchen to please eat her snack up to the table.   Jared came in to me quickly to share that indeed, Lainy had sauntered to the couch to munch.  I gave a quick yell, “Lainy! Get up to the table”  As I did so, I saw the slight upturn of Jared’s lip curl into a smile. 

Little Stinker. 

He enjoyed tattling a few more times,and listening to me call to her to head back to the table before Lainy called in to me, “Mom?  How do you know exactly when I am eating on the couch??”

 

Swift kick in the pants

Do-not-want-to-run. Do-not-want-to-run. Do-not-want-to-run. 

I am in a slump.  I have two HUGE races coming at the end of this month and next, and I have ZERO motivation.  I need someone to kick me or give me a good shove to wake me up. 

Evacuate the dance floor?  I think so. 

Lean on me

Jared’s car seat was out of commission and while using a side-less booster, fell asleep and the head bobbing began.  Jared, this is for you as proof of how much your sister loves you.  She sat in this uncomfortable position for 15 minutes (and still managed to watch the TV!) and kept your head from falling forward.

And my burden is light

They are a select few.  They remain consistent.  I would like very much become one of them.   I speak of those who readily volunteer their thoughts in Gospel Doctrine each Sunday afternoon.  I have a steady stream of my own thoughts but each time I resolve to make them known, my arms turn to solid concrete.  Then someone else makes their point and I inwardly kick myself because my line of thought was so much more relevant.  (ha ha)   Someday.  

And while on the subject, something that has become somewhat of a Sunday annoyance. When a teacher asks a room full of adults ‘who might volunteer for an opening or closing prayer?’   Not a hand is raised.  Of course until someone from the group steps in.  I leaned over to Jason and mentioned, no vowed to always stick my concrete hand up and never allow prayer to become a burden again.  Hey, maybe it will catch on and instead become a race.

Bittersweet

Sweet isn’t it? 

Too bad it’s forced affection.  A great form of punishment on road trips when you can’t separate them.

Hike ‘em up

I know it looks like we are walking through the land of desolation with a coyote trailing us, but in our town we call it hiking in the San Tans with our dog Flapjack.  Its about a mile from our house and we loved it.  Lainy started to complain that her legs hurt and could we please carry her about 30 seconds after we got out of the car. 

Jayce is quite the outdoorsman.  When we had gone about 45 minutes and were going to turn around to head back, he was ticked that we had not ‘been hiking’ yet.  What did he think we were doing out there?   So, Jason headed off trail and straight up the side of the mountain.  Jayce was happy.  I was not. 

Pretty cool place though.

Invites for Shell

The invitations are finished!

Shelley is due in a few short weeks and we are crossing our fingers that little Hailee stays put until then!

Lainy turns 5

 Lainy bug Lainy bug

Look how you’ve grown!

Just yesterday a baby

And today a little lady.

Your zest for life contagious

your smile wide and bright.

What would we do without you?

I love you with all my might!

Lainy, I am so grateful to be your mother.  You teach me so many things.  Never lose the joy that exudes from you in everything you do.  I love you pretty girl.  Happy Birthday!

Family trip 2009

We headed out that Friday afternoon to St George.  We got to the hotel a full 5 minutes before the bachelorette party ended.  The next morning we went the the temple sealing and the reception that night.  I wish I had taken more pictures of Mike’s restaurant-  it looked AMAZING.   

We spent 2 days there seeing a bit of Zion’s national park and then made our way up to Shannon’s in Logan.  There was a little bit of this…

And a tad of this…

And just a sprinkling of THIS! 

We celebrated mine and Lainy’s birthdays there and Jason took it upon himself to make me a special cake…

When Shannon and I left he had begun the cake, when we got home we poked around the kitchen looking for it’s hiding place, wondering why we couldn't smell it.  Jason was sitting quietly on the couch when we found the remains of batter in the trash. He started out well until while mixing noticed the weird consistency of the batter.  It was a little oily.  He doubled the oil and forgot the water.  Whoops.  I am grateful for the effort! 

We stayed with Jake and Kyra (thank you!!)   And if you remember this little guy Brenden who is not so little anymore!  We had a grand time and froze a bit more up in Washington.  Thanksgiving was spend with the Stolworthy side and it was divine. 

Lainy got quite attached to Gpa Chad this time.   Had to nearly peel her away with good-byes. 

The boys had their day with guns up on his dad’s property.  I stayed clear.  9 years and I still don’t so so well with it all. 

The trip home was 22 hours and we went straight through.  Ugh.  I was ready to jump ship. 

As you can see, the car ride took it’s toll on the kids too- not sure how we got this beauty captured.