life today.

My new visiting teachers came to see me. I love them. I love that they are assigned to me. I love the message they brought with them and how it fit exactly into my life right now.

I was set apart in my new calling and appreciated the promises that were made regarding my family and current concerns.

Progress on the potty front. He's a little stubborn, but he's also the cutest thing ever. I am grateful that I didn't have to clean up any messes and that he's awesome to run errands and stay dry.

I picked up carpool from dance class today. After we loaded the girls in the car we went to pick up Cooper from a friend's house. He climbed in and looked around at all the pink and floofy tutus and said, "there sure are a lot of girls in here!" I'm glad Senny has an outlet to be a floofy girl!

Denten is working late quite a bit lately and will be gone for part of the weekend. I'm grateful for deep breaths and perspective that allow me to handle dinner, learning time and bedtime alone and not lose it.

I have a project involving files, purging and changing the system a little that will help with the paper madness we have going on around here and help me feel more organized. I don't think it will take a super long time, but life keeps getting in the way of me getting it done. Isn't there a clone or something that I could hire to do things like run to Costco for me so I can have a morning home? That needs to get done but I'm not excited yet to do it. I have decided it could be a full-time job just to keep up on bills, paperwork and business around here. We are changing health insurance carriers and the phone calls alone have logged me enough hours to earn overtime!

The husband just walked in. I like him too much to sit here anymore. good night.

good things in my life right now.

1. beckham is in big boy underwear today. so far, so good. he’s in it for the treats, all the way. his sister appreciates every time he goes seeing as she gets treats when he goes potty, too. it’s a win-win. he woke up from his nap dry and we even ventured to get groceries and to the library today without incident. I have high hopes for this endeavor, although he has consumed a great amount of candy today!

2. I believe there is no other feeling I appreciate more than peace. the kind that settles deep down in your soul and lends itself to friends like strength, contentment and patience.

3. I love that cooper will come home from school and immediately get his stuff done. he goes from practicing his music to math, reading and writing and usually does it with no complaints. I’m glad he enjoys learning and finds creative ways to make it fun. he is currently sitting on the swings outside with his notebook and pencil writing very intently.

4. Senny and Beckham are great little friends. They miss each other when one is missing. it also means they aggravate each other, but they are a pair and it seems to be a good arrangement. it is apparent to me time after time that Heaven did not drop these two where they landed by accident. they make my days happy.

5. being in sync with D.

6. the upcoming weekend.

7. I’ve made actual dinner two nights in a row. celebrate that and pray it’s some kind of streak.

girls getaway!

 

You can remove girls from south phoenix, but they’ll either pull others away too, or get sucked back in.  Mostly for the friends.  Ok, only for the friends.  Shellie decided we needed a girls trip and invited herself and the rest of us to Jackie’s home in Escondido.  Her parents were the perfect hosts, leaving gift bags on our beds and providing better-than-restaurant quality meals. 

Day 1:  scrap.  Yep, you read that right.  Didn’t know I had it in me, did ya?  Well, I don’t really, but I have children and memoirs to preserve and I like to hang out with these ladies, so I fake it to fit in.  They know I’m all fluff but they let me tag along anyway.  We started the day hitting a darling little store for a few fun supplies then meeting Ashlee and her cute boys for lunch.

 

  Pic taken by either Boston or Jackson… can’t be sure.  It’s a shame we don’t have any pics of the actual masterpieces being created, but it was jolly good fun.  Jackie’s mom has a great craft room big enough for all of us and our space-consuming projects.  We spent hours creating, singing (was that just me?), laughing, talking and teaching amberly how to use the cricut.  There was marked improvement by the end of the trip.

Day 2:  garage sale-ing.  Is that a verb?  We did it.  Again, are you wondering if you know me?  Do I shop garage sales?  I was a novice but found a few treasures.  The community we were in has a once-a-year neighborhood garage sale. Many houses were purging their junk and we consumed three hours finding the gems.

ready to hit the neighborhood. 

shellie thought the recliner on wheels was the greatest invention ever.  jackie looked all day for a dresser and found the perfect one at our very last stop!  deirdre just liked driving with ski goggles on.

My mom called during the garage sale extravaganza and said, “could you please go find a mall?”  so we did.  Lunch at norstrom then a stroll through the mall without children was a treat.

Ah, there I am in my element.  Sadly, I had to leave the gorgeous specimens with the very kind man at Nordy’s.  I hope he takes good care of them for me.  (yes, they are the same ones I blogged about here.  I just needed to feel them on my feet.  and smell them.)

Due to mad packing skills we fit it all in.  Well, not the dresser, but an amazing amount of junk.  I mean stuff.

Heaven bless Lindsay and Denten who held down the fort at my house while I disappeared.  No obligations, no children.  Just girls, laughing, crying, and conversations that have, for better or worse, bonded us for life.  Girls weekends away should be mandatory for mothers.  I came home a much happier one that I left.

escaping reality, 2010

“this part of the country makes me relax really fast.”  -dad

picking out my lunch, still alive.

no longer alive.  ready to be consumed

 

the aftermath.

the lobster pound is a unique experience, one that everyone should experience before they die.  I had lobster several times this weekend, but none was as authentic as seeing it wiggle around, meet its fate in a pot of boiling water and then dipping it in butter.  oh, divine.

incredible food, shopping, reading, naps, ocean kayaking, running, and all without children.  

next year can’t come fast enough.

for the moment

all the bathrooms are sparkling. all the floors are vacuumed and/or swept and mopped. all the laundry is done. all of the dishes are clean. all of the beds have clean sheets and are made. all of the garbages have been emptied and taken out. cupboards have been organized, desks have been cleared, toys are in their proper places. it is a cryin' shame I'm not sticking around to enjoy it all.

but I'm well aware that eventually someone around here will need to use the bathroom, have a meal, take off dirty clothes and climb in bed. things will be taken out, played with and read. and then it will be normal around here again.

however, for the moment it is glorious. and I am beyond exhausted. time for vacation!!

seen and heard: weekend edition

seen:  the oldest trying out swimming boot camp for the first time.

seen:  hired white boys attempting to help with the yard. 

heard:  the mom expressing her prejudice and wishing they were hispanic.  there is a marked difference in efficiency and thoroughness.  and preparedness to handle the task at hand.

seen:  the dad hobble around all weekend due to pulled calf muscle.

heard:  classical music competing with football as the oldest practiced his music lesson while his dad cheered on the cards.

seen:  the dad mopping the whole house.  even with pulled muscle.

seen:  the mom making impressive strides in the laundry room.

seen:  the mom and the dad enjoying a dinner out with new friends.

seen:  the little boy uncharacteristically laying with mom for a while before getting out of bed.

seen:  the little boy getting sick in sacrament meeting.

heard:  mom cancelling fun dinner plans with friends due to sick little boy.

seen:  the little girl pumping her little legs on the swing endlessly while wearing her apron and pink jelly shoes.

seen:  the oldest practicing soccer drills in the back yard.

heard:  the little pathetic boy asking for toast over and over and continuously being denied.

heard:  the entire house quiet as everyone rested.

seen:  the dad being paid a visit from a member of the bishopric making his former calling official in the new ward.

heard:  the counselor asking the mom what she likes doing in the church.  if asked, what would you request??

seen:  the mom spending lots of hours with katniss and catching fire.  shhh.  I’m not done yet.

special day

when cooper started school, we made a big deal about it.  there was a lot of preparation leading up to the big event and it was deemed, “his special day.”  seneca has been waiting patiently for “her special day.”  it finally arrived. 

the first day of preschool.

with Miss Kerry.  don’t let her face fool you, she had a ball.

the only downside was that her brother didn’t get to go with her.  it was such a bummer for both of them that I wondered more than once today if I shouldn’t have thrown him in too. 

thoughts for the day:

thoughts for the day:

- scorpions are way scarier when I have bare feet. they are usually dead when I find them, which isn't often, but even dead they are creepy.

- how do mothers who have children in school get dinner on the table every night? between after-school lessons, activities and learning time, there is zero time to prepare dinner! this is when dinner co-op would be very handy! brilliant amy has me thinking about freezer meals... cooking one day a week, freezing stuff to pull out and heat up. do you have favorite recipes that freeze well? we all know dinner isn't my forte anyway and this lack of prep time is really a problem!

- I am working on how to fit in one-on-one time with cooper. we need to practice music every day and it goes so much better if I can sit and focus on it with him rather than call to him from the kitchen what he should be working on. I find the same struggle with reading. we do so well when we have time to sit together unrushed, but that time is so rare. with the other two busy bodies around, it's hard to find alone time for music, reading and so on. he's good at working on things by himself, but sometimes me sitting with him works better for both of us. darn school, it's taking up too much of my time with him!

- everyone is sleep deprived due to our weekend away. it is most evident in the coopster. at 7:01 tonight all children were in bed with lights off. we started bedtime early tonight in hopes of getting a catch-up hour in. it could backfire in the morning with the little ones, but coop needs more sleep, we all suffer when he is a grumpopotomous.

- the little miss starts preschool tomorrow. it has almost been overshadowed with all the other hustle and bustle going on around here. tuesday was music class, today was swimming and dance, friday soccer starts and saturday is swim boot camp. I think preschool will be fantastic, I hope she'll love it. I also hope bexie doesn't go crazy with only me to hang out with. poor kid is used to having a constant playmate, hope I fit the bill.

- random thought. a year ago we were in southern utah over labor day. we were seriously contemplating moving back there, working towards starting a law practice. I even had my house picked out. well, not that exact one, but I knew what it would be. I'm glad heaven stepped in and set us straight. this place has a long way to go, but it's more right for us than cedar city would have been. I had great experiences there, well... I had experiences there, but it's not a place I long for at all. while the house in my head was very cool, I'm glad we're not there.

- I need to wipe off the table. why does that get forgotten when I'm cleaning the kitchen?

a quick road trip

Southern Utah is…

sleeping in grandma’s attic on squeaky beds. sweet rolls for breakfast. being reprimanded by grandma for eating sweet rolls for breakfast. and for not putting enough blankets on my children at night. playing catch on the lawn. breathing ridiculously clean air. allergies. morning runs. the county fair carnival. hearing “I want to go on the merry-go-round” 57 times a day. actually getting to ride the merry-go-round. taking turns between beckham-sized rides and cooper-sized rides. laughing so hard I cried riding the sizzler with cooper. kettle corn. very strange fair people. church in paragonah. grandma’s pizza. grandpa’s latest discoveries. seneca picking grandma’s flowers. cook-out at the cabin. wind. delicious dutch-oven dinner. watching my kids explore the mountain. the tire swing. a boy and his stick. seneca and the outhouse. cousins. cooper camping with his dad. and getting hot chocolate for breakfast. searching the hills for wild animals. learning to bugle for elk. a husband who could easily stay on the mountain for days and days. the county parade with the littles. dancing in the street. putting exhausted children to bed each night. hitting traffic on the way home. moving 20 miles in 2 hours. feeling gratitude for air conditioning, a full tank of gas, a dvd player, a vehicle that was comfortable and functioning well, sleeping children. spending time with family. grateful to be home.

pick a title, any title

sometimes I wish I could have a break. just long enough for someone to come in and clean up the kitchen from dinner and handle bedtime. those activities shouldn't be so exhausting or require so much patience, but perhaps because they fall at the end of the day that has already been filled with such activities, they do.

reading portal of genius. it has me thinking. good thing we have a road trip ahead of us. I have lots of thoughts to bounce off of denten. I need a few more thoughts to pop into my head, trying to be open to them arriving.

headed to southern utah for the weekend. dent keeps saying the kids need a mountain experience. we should just be honest about who really needs the mountains. but they'll have a blast. except that they are excited to go the "cabin." trouble is, they think the mccall house is a cabin. the horse valley cabin pretty much the polar opposite of the mccall cabin. hope senny isn't disappointed. hope the five of us can figure out how to sleep in a one-room cabin with two beds.

cooper and I used the timer tonight to see how fast he could get through his flashcards. it was motivating and fun for him. I like when his competitive side is self-motivating. I remember doing flashcards nightly with my dad when I was young. I remember that occasionally it was torture. I am trying to remember what it felt like to be on the other side of the card.

I am impressed with how well beckham knows the sounds of his letters. he surprises me every time we work on them. He doesn't know all the letter names, but is getting the sounds.

Seneca had a rough and whiny day. sometimes life just needs to stop so I can sit and hold her. I appreciate that my current lifestyle allows for moments like those. I appreciate that while days like this are exhausting and I'm ready to be done that I'm the one who gets to hold her when she's just down and out. I'm glad it's me she wants and not another care giver.

Dutch got to spend the day at the dealership today. He got pampered. New interior door handles, a few recall issues taken care of, breaks and 4-wheel drive checked... he enjoyed his time away and is now back in service, ready to haul us to utah. best of all? didn't cost us a single dime. I love service trips like that.

today is harrie's birthday. that's my little sister, for those unaware. beckham sang to her all day long, too bad she wasn't here to hear it. we all love aunt linny. she's coming to save us all in a few weeks and we can't wait!!

this is why you have girls.

the anticipation for dance class was just too much.  man, I love this little girl!