sunday

- seneca sings at the top of her lungs during the hymns at church. we're working on our "reverent" singing. she also needs to be holding a hymn book.

- when the sacrament was being prepared, beckham pointed at the table and the priests and said "making pizza!" sorry, buddy. just bread. but it'll be great!

- the nursery leaders told me today that my children immediately fold their arms when it's time to pray. I asked if they then fought over who was going to say it. no, seneca always says it. guess she wins in nursery. at home, everyone at the table gets a turn, every mealtime. our food is extra blessed.

- D and I were called to be primary workers today. I'm ok about it. I always am a little bummed when removed from RS- I just feel spiritually fed there, but there is good work to be done with the kids in our ward and it will be great to get to know the people in primary. I've never team-taught with Denten... that could be fun.

- I sat on the back patio tonight and read a few talks from the Ensign. It was peaceful. So pleasant outside and good words from our apostles.

- tonight Beckham sat down on the couch and started reading, "little pig, little pig, let me come in," to himself. I love when my kids recognize books and read to themselves. Makes me think the reading we're doing in our home is having the impact I'm hoping for.

- I'm looking for some good summer reads myself, let me know if you have a favorite
I shouldn't miss!

- I love that tomorrow is a holiday. Love it. Dent has been feeling crummy today, hopefully he's better tomorrow.

- Fitness challenge starts next week. I'll have to improve my time management a little to make things work, but I'm looking forward to it!

- I was determined to make it until the end of May before turning on the air conditioning. we're almost there!!

seneca's birthday party!

we didn't have any fun at all.

click on the pic and choose slideshow.

it really is a bummer more people don't love this little girl!

Fitness Challenge… who’s in??

 

A while ago, my friend Shellie participated in a “fitness challenge” with several other people.  She never fails to remind me that she won!  I was happy at the time to be a supporter, checking in with her regularly and providing encouragement, but sometimes I quietly wished I had joined her quest.  Apparently I wasn’t the only one as several others have asked her about it.  During the 12 weeks, she was successful in breaking herself of her soda habit, her afternoon chocolate snacking, developing a 6-day-a-week exercise habit and reading her scriptures every day.  She also lost 15 pounds during the process.

So… she’s introducing “Fitness Challenge Part Deux.”  I’m feeling the pressure to join.  In all honesty, there are parts that will be hard for me so I’ve been dragging my feet, but I know it would help me develop a few good habits myself.. and I just might be more motivated if you would join me!!  If you want in, you will need to mail a check for $25 to Shellie (or me, and I’ll pass it on) by next Wednesday, June 2nd.  The Challenge will begin Monday, June 7th.

Here’s the lowdown:

Each of the following will earn you ONE point per day, plus ONE bonus point per week if you don't miss a day:

No Desserts                                                       (6 points possible, plus 1 point bonus = 7 possible per week)
No Soda                                                            (6, plus 1 = 7 possible per week)
No Eating after 7:30pm                                   (6, plus 1 = 7 possible per week)
Exercising (30 minutes, elevated heart rate)  (6, plus 1 = 7 possible per week)
Scriptures (at least 1 chapter)                          (6, plus 1 = 7 possible per week)
Weekly Challenge                                             (6, plus 1 = 7 possible per week)

Wait, you say!  There are SEVEN days in a week!  That's the beauty of it, my friends - you have Sundays off. Yippee! You can look forward to that one dessert or that one soda one day a week - easier to stay on track and get back into it on Monday!

There are THREE MORE possible points per week.

ONE point per week for Weight Loss - if you've lost at least one pound, or maintained your ideal weight, you get a point.

ONE point per week for Family Home Evening - that's right - doesn't matter which night you hold it on, just as long as you organize and carry it out!  One point if you do!

ONE point per week will be a Mystery Point – participants will offer suggestionsand then one will be drawn each week.

THAT MAKES A TOTAL OF 45 POINTS POSSIBLE PER WEEK - WINNER AT THE END OF 12 WEEKS TAKES HOME 80% OF THE PRIZE MONEY, SECOND PLACE TAKES 20%!

So… what do you think?  Some of you already have awesome healthy habits and no desserts or soda will be easy-peasy.  Some of you run your little pants off anyway, so doing some form of exercise daily is no big deal.  The extra weekly challenges include things like fitting in your 5 servings of fruit every day for the week, doing 100 sit-ups every day, or getting your recommended 7 hours of sleep.  These change weekly to add a little variety and new challenge. 

Come on, you could win some decent money here… and get in shape… and develop or break some significant habits… all while having the support (and competition) of a fun group of people across the country!  We’ll share ideas and probably taunt a little, it will be great.  Let me know if you have questions… and let me know if you’re in!!!  Swimsuit body, here I come!!

end of the week.

- the rose bushes have had their first complete trim. they are all the same height. there is lots to clean out still, but progress has been made. I should acknowledge that I know you don't really care, but it's a project that for me is both strangely satisfying as well as drive-me-crazy frustrating.

- had friends swimming today. that may be the easiest way to watch six children. all contained, not making messes, having a great time... the three little ones just kicked around with me and took their turns off the diving board and the big ones played on their own. it was fun.

- I read where the wild things are tonight while the kids finished their dinner. it is a book the captivates all of them. I also found some fairy tales and other fun children's stories on itunes and loaded up my ipod. I love that they will listen to them in the car. It's like I can see them thinking back there!

- I'm on the hunt for some decent quality inexpensive lounge chairs for the pool area. No one has the thick plastic stacking kind. They would be low maintenance.

- I'm excited that it's saturday tomorrow and even more excited that monday is another saturday... what a fantastic way to do a weekend.

- Denten informed me that we have interviews at the church sunday before our meetings. hmmm... any guesses at to what new callings are coming our way??

let’s talk about jack (and steve)

 

I had a whole wonderful post written and then closed live writer without saving it.  bummer.  It talked about how jack was more emotional this last season and how even though it started out slow, the day definitely picked up.  falling for renee let us see he has a heart, although in my personal opinion, jack should not do bedroom scenes.  after she died, he spent the rest of the looking for redemption, and he was out for blood.  in a big, bad way.  it was gory and gruesome and intense. 

I was hoping that the cover-up would be leaked to the media in the end.  how great would it have been to see logan sitting in his ridiculous office and have his scandal suddenly be plastered all over the major networks as breaking news?  so great.  I really wish that would have happened, but they didn’t ask for my input when writing the finale.  I couldn’t quite form a great opinion of allison taylor.  I wanted to like her, but she was a little too cowardly for me.  and logan was such a piece of work.  I loved watching him squirm under jack’s telescopic lens, but his ending was kind a bummer, too. 

it was perfect that the drama in the end centered on jack and chloe, as they have been our favorites from the beginning.  “just shoot me, dammit!”  oh, jack and chloe.  they have the best (unromantic) connection.  it was sad seeing them say good-bye, but I’m holding out hope that there will be a fantastic big screen reunion.

Shifting networks,  Grey’s finale had me holding my breath several times.  It never slowed down!  it was one bang after another, all night long.  and it was good.

and moving to the present, nash and the boys had a rough one last night.  nash, himself, had a pretty nice 4th quarter all things considered, but the number of turnovers last night is completely unacceptable.  I mean, really.  I’m holding to my opinion that when you get paid millions of dollars to play a game… play it well!!  Take care of the ball, don’t keep turning it over, make your stinkin’ foul shots and get a rebound now and then for heaven’s sake!  The 2nd and 3rd quarters last night were torture to sit through.  The 4th got good and ended with a lot of noise coming from our couch to the tv.  which denten told me was pointless because we were watching it delayed.  as if the yelling would have mattered if we were watching live…. anyway, let’s pray amare steps up and has another stellar game, the bench puts up a little fight and that richardson, hill and channing can hit their three’s like nobody’s business.  it will be great.  I like the number seven.  it’s a great number.  last night should have instilled the confidence that even after a crummy game, they can totally win it in LA.  so let’s do it, boys!!

the birthday.

a wonderfully simple day with gifts, swimming, and pink cupcakes.  she delighted in girly gifts like her tutu-swimming suit, frilly skirts and a crown.  princess dolls and a new game kept her and the boys busy all day.  she’ll celebrate on saturday with her friends. 

we received a sweet note from her birth mother who said she couldn’t let the day go by without saying happy birthday to the most beautiful person on the planet.  three years ago we knew having this little spirit in our family was a possibility, but we didn’t know she had been born yet.  she spend a quiet two weeks with her birth mom before she changed our world.  I think those two weeks were magic for both of them and as impatient as I felt at the time to meet our little girl, I’m so grateful that D got to spend that time with her daughter before she became my daughter.

she’s gorgeous and smart and hilarious and amazing.  she’s a complete blessing.  happy day, senny-bug!

Miss Seneca

is THREE today!!!

more to come…

reading: post edit

* beckham says, "oh, man" all the time. with great inflection. wish print could capture the sound. he also says, "oh my goodness!"

* I tried to call D tonight on our way home from swim and couldn't get him. cooper said, "just text him." what? I text a lot, but I don't really use that word. I asked him how he knew about texting. He said he learned it when grandma robinson was here. she is a great texter... funny that he caught on.

* Seneca is into talking about making good choices. She'll tell me in the car, "look mom! I'm making a good choice and keeping my arms in my straps!" or, "mom, I'm not kicking your seat!" a while ago I asked her to make a good choice and stay in her bed and she said, "ok, I will make a good choice and stay in my bed because it makes you sooooo happy." well, that's true. it's not really the reason to make a good choice, but at this point, I'll take it!

** I'm reviewing an awesome book, the read-aloud handbook. It's amazing what reading to a child does for their own reading and language skills. I'm convinced that kids start speaking earlier and with greater clarity when they are read to, and that they enjoy reading more on their own. This book has several great principles, completely worth your time. I think it will be my go-to baby gift. It makes me grateful that my parents read to me growing up and that we have that as part of our daily routine in our family.

My mom has always loved children's books and gives them to us as gifts every year. It is a gift I look forward to. She has a knack for picking out great ones and it's fun to have our home library grow. It's also so nice to have the public library system be easy to use- go online, reserve the list of books we want and go pick them up. I have rediscovered some great childhood favorites with my kids the past few weeks, like Amelia Bedelia, Harry the Dirty Dog, King Bidgood and learned about others like the Magic Tree House series. It only takes a time or two reading a book until Cooper knows it well enough to tell it to the others. I caught Beckham on the couch by himself the other day reading out loud about the "dirty dog." It was pretty cute. We are just discovering Pinkalicious and Fancy Nancy. What are your favorites to read with your kids??

The weather has been so nice lately that it's a bummer to come in for bedtime, so we've been taking the books outside. We throw a quilt on the grass, take out pillows and lay and listen to stories as the sun goes down. It's pretty magical. The change of scenery helps the kids hold still and listen, I could easily read for 45 minutes before they're restless. I see a lot of reading in our summer future.

post edit: I was thinking about some of the great reading memories I have and I don't know that I've ever recorded them. The one I best remember is my dad reading Huckleberry Finn to my sister and I. We lived in the duplex, in the basement bedroom with the flower wallpaper. The doll hutch was in between our two twin beds. Dad would sit on the floor or bring in a chair and read to us before we went to sleep. I think I loved the adventures of Huck and Tom because my dad did. I'm excited to read that with my kids someday. My dad doesn't read a lot of fiction so that stands out to me, how much he loved that book. And Jane Austen. He loves Jane Austen and therefore I do too.

I also remember reading the BFG together as a family. I don't know where we were, but I kind of remember that we read part of that on a trip somewhere. Mom was reading to us from the front seat and we were laughing about whizpoppers. I also remember reading the Indian in the Cupboard. I don't know if mom read that one to me, or if I read it on my own and talked to her about it, but I remember really liking that book.

Everything from the Berstein Bears to the Baby-sitters Club... I loved hiding away and escaping to other places through books. My reading for pleasure was more sporatic once I started college, but I'm grateful to have a love for books and reading instilled me and I'm excited to share it with my kids.

once in a blue moon do I have a day like this.

 

there was no church today.  zero obligations.  I don’t think I’ve ever had a day like this in my life.  unfortunately, denten missed it, being in Supai today.  we stayed in our pajamas all day.  we ate outside, played games, watched movies, made cookies, had naps, read stories, had a parade and created new train tracks.  I even got to read my book, which never happens during the daylight hours.  as much as church is filling to me, this was a wonderful day.

 

saturday swimming

beckham went off the diving board today about 50-11 times. that's a lot. I watched kids jump off the board for the better part of an hour, after we had already been swimming for a while. it took seneca a while to warm up the idea, but once she did, she was unstoppable as well. cooper had already gotten out and dried off, but couldn't resist jumping back in after dad started doing cannonballs. one could have gotten dizzy watching them jump, paddle to the side step, climb out and do it again. over and over and over. I finally left them to see what I could round up for dinner knowing I'd have hungry little ones on my hands when they were done. we've been swimming every day this week, giving a short lesson to the two little ones and having coop practice his swim team stuff, but saturday swimming with dad is different, and always a good time!

honey-lime chicken enchiladas

easy as can be and so yummy!

6 Tb honey
4.5 Tb lime juice
1 Tb chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 lb cooked chicken, shredded
flour tortillas
colby or monterey jack cheese, shredded
10 oz. can green enchilada sauce

Mix first 4 ingredients together and toss with shredded chicken. Let it "marinate" for at least a half hour. Pour some green enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 10x10 casserole dish or 9x13 pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese. Pour the rest of the can of green enchilada sauce over enchiladas then sprinkle with more cheese. (When using a 9x13 I like to use 1 1/2 10 oz. cans) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (Put it under the broiler at the end to make the cheese brown and crispy on the top.)

-courtesy, shellie.

writing project, 2010: My Children’s Names

Topic submitted by Tiffany:  my children’s names.  how they were chosen.  special meaning and nicknames.

My children’s names do not stem from any one particular event or occasion, we simply liked them.

Cooper Benjamin

We had neighbors in Cedar City who had named their little boy Cooper.  We didn’t know them well, I just remember hearing it and thinking it was a cool name.  Cooper was down to that and one other name just before he was born.   Coop was my choice and the other might have topped D’s list, however we both liked them both.  I wrote in my journal in June 2004 that I started calling him “Cooper” in my tummy.  It became natural and felt right.  The funniest comment we got about his name came from my maternal grandmother, Grandma Nina.  She said, “do you know what people will call him?”  I had thought of several unfortunate things, actually.  She had something totally different in mind.  “Coop.  They will call him Coop!  Like a chicken coop!”  Well, yes.  We do call him coop, and I don’t think it’s an insult!  I’m sure creative peers with a not-so-nice streak will be much more brutal.  As I think on the other option for his name, I’m glad we didn’t go that direction for this kid. 

While there are many Benjamins in my family line, Cooper’s middle name is for my dad (despite what my brother may think).  I wrote in Cooper’s baby book,

“We finally decided that your middle name would be Benjamin, after your grandpa.  He is the man that I love most in this world, except your daddy.  He is the kind of man we hope you will be someday.  Your grandpa has a very strong testimony of Jesus Christ and shows it by the way he lives.  He makes good choices, he is kind and smart and strong.  You are very blessed to have great examples in your life.”

I feel like Benjamin is a noble name, one to be proud of.  A good reminder of a piece of where he came from.

Seneca Kate

When we were in New York,  we spent a summer in Milwaukee.  During our trip there, we passed signs for the Seneca area of NY.  I was on the hunt for great names as I was pregnant with Cooper at the time and didn’t know if he was a boy or a girl yet.  “Seneca” caught my eye and I just loved it.  I loved that it was associated with Native Americans.  I loved that it was beautiful and a little different.   I have held that name in the back of my heart for a long time and knew that if we had a little girl, that would be at the top of my list.  In my head, she looked native.  She had dark skin and dark hair.  I didn’t know if that was what my little girl would look like after Cooper arrived with blond hair and blue eyes.  When we got a call from the family services office letting us know that a birthmother wanted to meet us regarding adopting her baby, I knew immediately that it was a girl.  She confirmed that and I had Seneca in my head. 

We talked about a middle name and whether she needed one, being a girl.  I always wanted one when I was younger, but now I’m glad I don’t have one.  I love my maiden name and I am happy to have that one stick with me.  There were several names we considered, most of them being one syllable and relating to someone we loved.  Kate was my first choice, but we hadn’t decided until we met our new little girl, who was introduced to us as “Kate.”  That was the name her birth mom had chosen for her and what was on her original birth certificate.  Her birth mother asked us if we were going to change her name.  I said we hadn’t quite decided, but in my head she was already Seneca Kate.  I loved that she could carry the name with her that her birth mother had chosen for her. 

Denten and I talked about whether it was strange to have a Navajo little girl named after another indian tribe, but didn’t think it was a big deal.  Our niece Cheyanne is also Navajo and named after another tribe and I don’t think it has been an issue simply because the name fits her.  Grandma Bitsilly commented once though that both of her little Navajo great-granddaughters were named after other tribes.  Everyone laughed and said, “well, did you want their parents to name them ‘Navajo?’”  Seneca fits this little girl.  We call her Senny for short and that fits too.  I haven’t ever regretted choosing this name for her.

*something else to be recorded:  after we found we were bringing home a little girl, my mom called me and asked if we had chosen a name yet.  I told her we were still deciding.  She shared with me a dream she had where there was a little girl in her family named “Tessa,” and she wondered if it was ours.  Denten and I threw it around a little and liked it, but it didn’t end up feeling quite right.  The little girl I had in my head did not look like a Tessa.   Katelyn shared with us a short time later that she was expecting and kept her little girl’s name quiet until she was born.  When she shared her name with us, Tessa Jane, I told her the story of mom’s dream.  Mom was right on the money, just one little girl too soon!

Beckham Bitsilly

When we were expecting Beckham, we revisited some of the names that were on the table with Cooper, but none of them stuck.  We wanted something a little unique, but it took a while to find it.  I remember having a conversation with Katelyn where she mentioned that one of her friends had just used that name and I really liked it.  Again, it came down to this one and one other.  The other one is cool, too, especially this time of year, but it wasn’t right for our little boy.  Denten was concerned about having a good nickname.  “Beck” didn’t do it for him.  We liked “becks” ok but it was really aunt Katelyn that gave us the right one.  She texted me when I was in the hospital just after having him and said something to the effect, “I can’t wait to meet little Bex!”  Denten and I looked at each other and smiled.  He liked that a lot.  That was the right nickname and the right spelling. 

Bitsilly is Denten’s mother’s maiden name.  It is our Navajo connection-name.  We had not incorporated the Navajo heritage into our children’s names yet and this one represented so much to us.  It was a tie to the Robinson line as well as the Bitsilly tradition.  It was Dent’s first choice and not a hard sell.  We actually had a funny conversation about this name yesterday in the car.  I called him “Beckham Bitsilly” and Seneca said, “mom, he’s not silly, he’s happy, and funny!”  Trying to explain that middle name to two-year-olds was useless.  Cooper used to call Grandma Bitsilly, “Grandma a-little-bit-silly,” thinking the term referred to her demeanor rather than her name.  They’ll get it someday.  I’m glad that Beckham carries his Navajo heritage in his name, even if he is a little blondie with fair, squishy skin.

I believe we have one more to add to this little crew of our.  I have a name in my head that I have liked for a while, but we’ll wait and see what heaven has in store for us.  If you’d like to have this surprise revealed sooner rather than later, let’s encourage Denten to go get his physical taken, shall we?  Then our adoption file can be on its way!  

I think the process of choosing baby names is both fun and daunting.  Perhaps names shouldn’t matter so much, but when  you’re choosing what one will be known as while on earth, it seems a big responsibility. Mostly I’m just grateful that I’ve had the chance to be a part of these decisions, three times!  Because the people behind the names are pretty great.

my kids.

 

I walked in to see him eating lunch and reading.  Loved the sight.  Had to capture it. 

I’m having a blogging quandary.  It’s easy to write in list-style and account for the goings on around here, but it’s getting blah.  Isn’t it more fun to read a good piece of writing about something interesting rather than a bunch of unorganized, random facts?  I agree.  Perhaps a few more posts of that sort are coming, but in the meantime, this is still my record of what’s happening in this household, so here’s some more random.

grocery store trips are much more fun when we’re all in a good mood and learning together.  beckham monitored the goods in the cart and joined seneca in trying to identify the numbers on the aisles.  she’s a great counter, but it was funny to hear her say we were on aisle 41.  we were actually on 7.  cooper was in charge of the list.  he read what we needed next and led us to where it could be found.  everyone practiced their left and right when it was time to turn.  I don’t know if beckham makes great guesses, or has an uncanny sense of direction.  we found shapes and colors everywhere.  a much more enjoyable trip than when kids are in and out of the cart the whole time, whining for snacks or rifling through my bag.  I still prefer shopping alone, but when I’ve got to take the crew, that’s the way to do it. 

seneca is outside trying to scare the birds away.  she brings me roses on a daily basis.  she is being very sweet to her brother today.  I should make note of that.  it is not always the case.  she is quick these days to let people know that she is two, her birthday is coming soon and she will be three.  she attempts to climb trees everywhere we go and is still the first person awake in the morning at our house.  the last few mornings we have had a good half an hour to read together on the couch before anyone else wakes up.  her current favorite is “silly sally,” from the library, one that cooper enjoys reading to her. 

he did not want to be left out when I started taking pictures.  beckham loves to be with the big kids.  he likes kicking the soccer ball with his dad, playing hide and seek with his siblings and giving me squeezes.  he loves to eat and will happily go gather everyone when it’s mealtime.  he’s a pro at peddling the tricycle and can spend lots of time riding around in the backyard.  bex is into wrestling and will come jump on me whenever I am sedentary.  he requests to be tickled just to run and squeal.  he is delicious.

then there’s this one.  sometimes he’s a bossy pants and tries to get everyone to do things his way (yes, I know where he gets it), and sometimes he’s patient and kind and I hear him teaching beckham what letter “g” says.  he is delightful to me.  sometimes he’s my little boy who loves to cuddle and read and play games and sometimes he’s growing up way too fast, knows way too many things and calls me out on stuff.  he still believes that eating vegetables and getting to bed on time are the way to become big and strong.  I keep telling him I’d like him to stay just this size forever, so don’t close your eyes at night and it’s ok if you don’t eat your beans.  he’s determined to keep growing and he keeps eating his beans.  he’s a crazy pants and I love him.

snipits

all the kids had learning time at the table today. the little ones worked on rectangles and letter "b." cooper did club work and handwriting. I took them one at a time to help me clean the bathrooms and empty garbages. the system worked well, kept two busy while I worked with the other one.

swimming lessons at home are getting better for the little ones. I wore coop's rash guard today and was warmer. I need to get my own. beckham is a champion on his back, jumping in by himself and loves getting rings. seneca is a strong little kicker and can swim to the wall or the step on her own power.

went running this morning and beckham didn't turn the treadmill off on me. we're making progress.

whacked at those rose bushes some more. I will conquer them.

made a real dinner. emily's chicken pasta. everyone wanted seconds.

took coop to a swim team prep class this afternoon. it was the first time he's been in a class with kids that were noticably better swimmers than he is. it was great. lots of new things taught in a really fun way. grateful to have found this teacher.

gosh darn those suns. seriously. if you get paid millions of dollars to play basketball, don't miss your free throws! and don't take shots that aren't yours. and play an inside game. ugh. let's rid ourselves of the intimidation, shall we? we'll try again wednesday.

race season is upon us.

And I mean US.  no disrespect to the actual athletes, but I’ll have you know I ran a race of my own today.  Between the hours of 5 and 6 a.m. I dashed through breakfast, readied myself for a busy day, gathered a change of clothes for three kids, loaded the car with stroller, water, snacks, underwear, diapers, wipes, various cameras… you get the picture.  at 6 I pulled peacefully sleeping children from their beds and we trekked to tempe to find that the parking garage was closed for the day.  plan b.  except that I didn’t have one until that moment.  we found a spot across the mill bridge, piled in the stroller and high-tailed it back across the lake to the swim start.  I was sweaty before the race even started.  we found dad, kate and friends and wished them luck as they entered the water.  moved on down the way for a better view and enjoyed our cheerios and bananas.  there were several waves, and not as many racers as the last event, so it was easier to watch individuals in the water.  Cooper and I analyzed the swimmers’ strokes… not a big splash from the kick, most of the leg work is hidden under the water, elbow out, slice the water in, those that kept their heads down and breathed to the side went quicker than those who kept looking up. 

beckham trying to find his dad in the water

then we moved to where the swimmers come out of the water and into transition.  no wetsuit strippers in this event… gotta do it yourself!  we practiced ringing the cowbell and told racers they were doing great while we waited for dad to come.  we were super fast.  as soon as he passed us, we raced to where he exited transition on his bike and were there in time to send him on his way with lots of love.

 

exiting the swim

next we hiked around to the street side where we set up camp for a while.  we lost seneca’s flip flops somewhere on the way, but found them later.  we almost missed dent’s first pass… amid sunscreen application, water needs and snacks you can imagine that my intense focus on the athletes was a little disrupted.  he yelled “coop!”  and we all cheered for him.  it’s tricky, you know, not missing your guy.  they’re flying by so it takes some good looking out.  white helmet?  yes, but not solid.  oh, there’s a solid one.  orange top?  don’t know, could be red.  black bike?  yep, but not the right shoes.  oh, there’s silver shoes… it’s dad, hurry, it’s dad!!  yea!!!  ok, he’s gone, back to climbing on rocks for 12 minutes while he makes his turn-around. 

flying by on the bike

after we see his second pass, we hustle back down by the water for a quick potty stop and then to transition entrance.  in he comes, around we go to the other side.  run, cooper, run!  people get out of my way when I’m pushing a double bob.  great job, babe!  awesome ride, have a great run!!  yea, daddy!!  and he’s gone again.  we took a few minutes to figure out the course so we could be in the right place to see him again.  drag bob through the sand to assume position, let kids out for freedom.   need the potty again.  line up to see if the racers will give high-fives.  they do!  they love us!  beckham, don’t get on the sidewalk!  seneca, come back here!  amberly, you look like a crazy woman trying to run in five directions!  spot dad on the bridge, he’ll be coming around the corner any minute.  there he is, cheer like crazy!  cooper jets across the grass to catch him one more time around the corner.  breathe.  have a discussion about where we want to be when he finishes, keep cheering other racers on… you look strong, you’ve got this!  great run, it’s all downhill from here!  you’re doing awesome!  more high fives. 

lining up for high-fives. 

we choose a spot along the finish chute in the shade.  yell with the crowd for the racers finishing.  watch for the white hat, not that one.  white hat, orange top… he’s coming!  wahoo!  you’re almost there, kick it up a notch, babe!  (he totally did).  kick the stroller in reverse to get around the crowd and meet dad in the finish tent.  chill out while he gets food and drink.  congrats and kisses.  dad wonders why we’re all sweaty.

 

good race day.  beat last year’s time.  smiled a lot.                

good things.

saturday.

breakfast outside.

a haircut, finally. what are the chances of an awesome neighbor across the street that cuts hair? fantastic. seneca and I both got much-needed trims this morning.

a good few hours whacking away at the rose bushes. I think it’s therapeutic. and addicting. I need about 20 more yard waste bins.

a car that is so clean it feels brand new. I didn’t want to let my children back in.

a quick trip to tempe to pick up race packet and drop off bike. Tempe International Tri tomorrow!

a family swim where everyone showed dad their improved skills.

shower party!

pizza for dinner.

cooper spending intense time watching michael phelps on you tube.

tuesday randoms.

- do you ever need a catch-up-on-paperwork day? I need one. the mail is piling up, notes that contain items to be calendared, bills, random papers that need to be addressed and then thrown away.

- we have a ghost here at the homestead. sometimes when everyone is in bed he'll make little noises. I used to think it was someone out of bed (which is an unfortunate frequent occurrence) but most of the time it's my little ghost friend reminding me that I'm not alone. Tonight we were all eating dinner and the back door magically opened all by itself. Just our little ghost. I haven't decided what his name is yet.

- our new home teachers are coming tonight. they'll have to come into the family room because we don't have lights in the living room yet. we have our choices narrowed down to two... that's major progress! don't worry, mom. it'll happen eventually.

- we are holding strong at not turning our air conditioning on yet. that's serious business considering we've almost hit the middle of may! at night we sleep with the door in our bedroom open and the screen door closed. in the morning sometimes I swear I live in an aviary. There are so many bird noises outside- it's like they are all greeting each other every morning and there are so many different sounds they make. Some tweet pretty songs, some screech and some sound like they are growling. There are so many species outside hopping on the lawn and flying in and out of trees and the best part? NONE of them are pigeons! I've never really been fond of birds, but these here don't bother me. They are pleasant little happy things and I like waking up to them.

- 24 started out slow this season but has fully redeemed itself. last night I was so thoroughly engrossed in the storyline and then it just ended! I hate when that happens! They have definitely left me wanting for more.

- Denten is gearing up for the Tempe International Tri next weekend. He was swimming this morning and so we went out on the patio to have breakfast so we could cheer him on. We enjoyed our eggs, sausage, toast and juice as he did his laps. It was perfectly delightful out this morning. Breakfast on the patio should become a more regular activity.

care to know how naptime is going?

 

It’s fair to say I was ready to rip out my hair today. 

A certain someone is having a lot of trouble staying in her bed.   

Funny thing, instead of ripping out my hair, she decided to cut hers rather than snoozing.  It’s all crimpy from being in french braids the past two days.

Just a few new layers around the face….

Mama/ Daughter haircuts coming right up!

expectations

I’m not sure if I have abnormally high expectations naturally or if I have just had good experiences that raise them to a new level, but they cause me to be a little intense sometimes.

We were so fortunate to have found great teachers for our kids in South Phoenix. Maybe they wouldn’t have been great for everyone, but they were the right fit for our kids and that was a huge blessing for me. I am not an educator by profession, although I was mistaken for one recently by a principal on a school tour and found it quite amusing. The fact that I have not had formal training in teaching makes me feel a little inadequate about being my children’s primary teacher and therefore I look to outside experts to help fill in the gaps.

We were blessed to have landed in the laps of Ms. Krysten and Mr. Andy at Rogers Ranch Preschool, a spot with great energy and an environment suited to Cooper’s learning style with room to grow. After visiting several preschools in our new area trying to find the right one, we decided on the one Coop currently attends. It offers the opportunity to learn about things he hadn’t been exposed to before, but lacks a few of the things that were great in the previous environment. I’m learning that the “perfect” environment just may not exist, although I feel we had it at one time.

Music is important in our family. I want my children to be exposed to great music and jumped on the chance to participate in the “Let’s Play Music” program. Again, Cooper thrived, loving the new things he was learning and it trickled down to the little ones as well who sing the songs and practice the exercises that teach about the staff and notes. Perhaps a simple appreciation of how music works should be enough, but I can’t be satisfied with that when I know these children are capable of so much more. I want them to know as much as they can, especially when they are enjoying the learning process.

After a round of swimming lessons at the city pool in Sophx, we found Miss Erin. I’ll be honest and say that she was not heaven-sent for everyone, but she sure was for us. She took fear and hesitation and turned it into confidence and skill and a little boy who was thrilled to do the butterfly like Michael Phelps on tv. He loves it, and again that same enthusiasm has rubbed off on his younger siblings and what a fantastic thing, to have kids who love to swim and can do it well. We jumped into the swim season late here after our move and it has taken some trial and error in finding the right teacher, only to find that we’re a little late in the game and need to practice some patience.

I have learned in searching for the right spots for my kids the past couple of months that I’m a better teacher for them than I realized and that I know what I’m looking for and if I can’t find it, I may just need to provide it myself. I have finally found an elementary school that feels “right” for our Kindergarten debut next year, but even that isn’t perfect. It will be great for him and I will need to trust that the teacher who has my baby for a few hours has his best interest at heart and the few things he may be missing at school can easily be taught at home.

As I have searched for the perfect Miss Erin, I have learned a few things…first, she is one-of-a-kind. Second, she was more of a teacher to me than I realized. I know the things I want my kids to know and if another teacher can’t provide all of that, I have learned how to do it from watching her. We went to observe a teacher today that has the potential to be great for my kids, and I hope to high heaven that it works out, but if it doesn’t, I’m ok spending the time in the pool with my kids so they learn how to do it right.

Amy was commenting to me a while ago that her sis-in-law is a “lesson person.” I guess I am too. If someone else knows how to teach it better than I do, I’m happy to let them. On the other hand, I see the benefit in letting them figure a few things out on their own and sharing the things I know with them. I don’t want to go through life always having unrealistic expectations for my children, but I also know they are capable of amazing things. They are like little sponges right now and I believe that the line in my patriarchal blessing that states, “take advantage of the opportunities you have,” applies to my children as well. I know there is a balance between overdoing it and offering just enough for them to thrive, and I’ll find it. I may drive Denten completely up the wall as I overanalyze every option, but in the end the Spirit speaks and knows what is best for my kids. They are happy and healthy and awesome. And it’s my job to make sure it stays that way.

mother's day.

it's been a good weekend. we enjoyed dinner with great friends last night. people that are easy to be with, forgiving of flaws and contribute to a delicious meal.

a lazy morning in bed was followed by french toast. the lessons at church made me grateful for my mother who did so much more for our family than I ever realized during my growing-up years. I also felt the weight and blessing of being a mother today. it's a heavy task to be the kind of mother I want to be and I fall short every day, but it's also an amazing blessing to have these little crazies in my life.

denten took care of dinner and then the kids so I could hear my missionary brother's voice for a few minutes. I couldn't be more proud or happier about the experiences he's having. I'm grateful for the blessings he's receiving. I'm also grateful for my sisters tonight. I miss them.

and then grant hill sunk his free throws and nash hit the shots necessary to move to the conference finals, even with one eye swollen shut. happy mother's day, indeed.

this week, I found...

- a lincoln log in my bathroom.

- a new swimming suit for me.

- seneca's pajama shirt on the butter dish.

- absolutely no creepy, crawly things in my house.

- that beckham loves swimming lessons.


- my top choice for cooper's school next year.

- a fun new daytime baby-sitter.

- time to go running THREE times.

- that planning dinners does not necessarily mean they will get made.

- swim shirts for the boys.

- a new visiting teaching assignment.

- that cooper can read 80% of his scripture stories by himself.

- that denten can create great last-minute dinners from whatever happens to be in the fridge.

- cute new flip flops.

- that I can play pandora stations from my phone through the car speakers.

- beckham is still the most kissable thing on earth.

- seneca is still the most stubborn.

- and cooper is the one I currently have high expectations for.

a discourse on motherhood.

 

I’m a mother.  It’s a big job.  I think the physical energy it takes to be a mother might lessen as children get older, but having your children grow up brings new challenges at each new stage of the game. 

I’ve had several thoughts about motherhood the past while and need to record them, although I’m not quite sure how they are going to come together yet.

I spoke with a lifelong friend this week who is in the middle of simply surviving with five young children, three in diapers.   One of her concerns was that it takes so much to do what needs to be done that there isn’t any time or energy left to do what she would like to do with her children.  I admire her a great deal and know without a doubt that this is what she is supposed to be doing here on earth.  She is one of my top role models as a mother.  She is domestic, patient, kind, and knows how to recognize the spirit in her life.  And my guess is, that even she, has days when she just doesn’t want to do it today.  Days when diapering, potty training accidents, feeding, feeding, cleaning up, preparing meals, doing endless laundry just doesn’t appeal as the greatest way to spend the day.  And yet she does it day after day because she’s a mother.  And maybe because she’s hoping that today will be easier than yesterday.

I have another friend whose children are a little older, a stage I sometimes hope will come sooner rather than later simply because it looks easier.  She has children who are more independent, who don’t need physical help eating, dressing, bathing and playing.  And yet her heart is aching for her daughter as unexplained anger and tantrums seem to signal something isn’t right.  The words she speaks are disturbing and frustrating and no method of discipline seems effective and while it seems to be an overwhelming problem, she doesn’t run from it or ignore it- she faces it and seeks help because she is a mother. 

I woke up this morning with simple desires… I want to go for a run.  I want to get to the library.  I want to get a few household tasks crossed off my list and I want to have learning time with my kids.  My frustration mounted as I explained to Denten that going for a run, even on the treadmill is no easy task.  I have good kids, but they are curious and busy and 30 minutes of unsupervised time could be great or it could be a disaster.  Getting it in before they wake up is a good option, but would require my body getting out of bed before 5:30 a.m. and I’m not there yet.  My days are busy and I am tired at the end of them and I secretly hope that my clock can reach at least 6:30 before I see Seneca’s face in the morning, but it rarely happens.  Getting to the library is challenging because it the hours don’t coordinate well with fitting in lunch and getting Cooper to club on time.  Household chores could be done easily and quickly if it weren’t for lots of interruptions from children who need help reaching a different game, or putting a tractor together or tying an apron, or changing the music. 

I watched Stephanie Nielsen’s video this morning and had a few thoughts.  The obvious one is that my life is not as hard as hers is and that I should be grateful for my dilemmas that aren’t actual problems in any way.  The more selfish one is that if I had an excuse, some awful thing that had happened to me that I would be justified in feeling overwhelmed sometimes and just want to take a break. 

Sometimes in the morning when Denten is leaving for work I ask if he wants to trade for the day.  Could I go do important lawyer stuff today and he could stay here and handle the kids?  Please?  Most of the time he laughs and doesn’t realize how completely serious I am.  The truth is, however, that I have a great job.  I’m a mother.  It’s a big job, but I’m the only one who can do it.  Well, if I died, someone else would have to do it and my kids would probably survive, but while I’m here, no one else can do it like me.  Some of that is that I like things done a certain way, but some of it is that these are my kids, on loan from Heavenly Father and while I feel completely not up to the task some days, I’m the girl for the job.  I have a strong testimony of the fact that in heaven, before we came here, these kids chose me to be their mother and our Father in Heaven knew it was the right fit and made it happen.  It’s a complete privilege to get to spend my days with these busy little spirits.

I called Emily last night to ask for a lesson in using my convection oven and commented that someday I was going to make chocolate chip cookies all by myself, without any little helpers sticking their fingers in everything, making a holy mess.  Someday I’ll serve breakfast and it won’t end up all over the floor and chairs and clothes.  Someday I won’t buy diapers and wipes in bulk and wipe little bottoms several times a day.  Someday I’ll put on the really cute clothes in my closet instead of saving them for a day that doesn’t involve getting sandy at the park or sweaty sitting at swimming lessons.  Someday I’ll listen to my music in the car rather than “follow the prophet” 57 times.   Someday I’ll have gorgeous furniture in my living room, suitable for real company rather than a trampoline.  Someday I’ll climb in my car when it’s time to go and not even thing about grabbing sippy cups, diapers, clean underwear, snacks and buckling in this kid and then that one and then double-checking to make sure everyone has shoes on, even me.  Someday.

But today, I will.  I will do all of those things.  I’ll listen to them dump out a bucket of toys in the room I just picked up.  I’ll wipe sticky hands, faces, chairs and the floor.  I’ll gladly reach for diapers, wipes and toilet paper because heaven forbid I didn’t have them.  I may get a run in, I may not and while I long to have both the discipline and body of Katelyn, it will have to wait until someday.  I might get to the library but if I don’t it will still be there tomorrow.  If the toilets get cleaned today, great.  If they don’t we probably won’t die.  I will hook the trailer up to the tractor and play on the floor with beckham.  I will talk about shapes with seneca, tie her apron and have her serve me lovely creations from her kitchen.  I will read with cooper, push them on the swings and sing silly songs.  I will ask them to be sweet, to talk nice to each other and break up squabbles and dream of someday.  But I will also enjoy today. 

Because I am a mother.  It’s a big job.  But it’s the right one for me right now.  and I’ve got important people counting on me to do it well. 

in words and pictures

went for a run while getting caught up with matt, meredith and ann.

getting jobs done

target

famous footwear- strike out. looking for flip flops for bex.

library- strike out. closed on mondays.

costco. I like my new costco.

naps/ energy session

had tenant call and report water shooting out of the water softener. super. glad it was resolved easily.

pruning rose bushes. sorry, this deserves a few more words. yes, I pruned the rose bushes. that makes even me laugh out loud. I’m no gardener and I’m no lover of roses, but I’m sick of the mess. I cleared a lot of junk out from under the first three bushes and clipped and trimmed dead branches. roses are intimidating to me because of the thorns and yes, they hurt. there is a lot of work still to do, but we filled two big bags with junk.

jambalaya for dinner.

beckham tripped when cleaning up outside. major whallop!

basketball and reading scriptures for FHE. coop practiced lay-ups, tried to block me and I played catch with seneca and bex. we read about Lehi warning Jerusalem to repent and then departing for the wilderness. Bex thought the camels were cool.

(this is cooper’s photo shoot again. he tells everyone where to be and then tells me to take the pic.)

drama at bedtime when senny wouldn’t stay in bed. it’s such a bummer when she loses her blanket!

she’ll tell you how it is these days.

coop beat me at pick-up sticks.

dad just got home from Supai.

there you have it. words and pictures.

today

cooper set up his own photo shoot after he made his bed.

the sprinkler can entertain for hours.

dad was braver (nicer?) than mom and allowed a bathtub party. three splashing kids with (gorgeous emerald green) carpet has not sounded great to me, but oh, what fun!

that’s real gold plating on my faucets. you may be jealous if you like.

everyone is nice and clean for sunday!

in other news... a new race adventure has been in the talks for the past while and the st. george tri today put him over the edge. watching the live coverage was all he needed to make a committment. I must admit, I was wishing we were there too. It's electric.

pest control came today as well as a tree-trimming guy to give an estimate. we have a new timer on the pool's booster pump and a freshly mowed front lawn. bills have been paid and new money in place for may. groceries have been purchased for the week and I stayed under my self-imposed budget. meals have been planned for the next few weeks, hopefully planning ahead will motivate me to get dinner on the table! cooper beat dent and I at candyland tonight. I'm looking forward to fast sunday. there is something I am supposed to be learning right now and I'm ready for all the pieces to come together. I like saturdays. mostly 'cause I like Denten.