I wish I could bottle my day.  Well, minus about an hour at bedtime, but someday I might miss that too.  I had a calm morning, hours at church that were truly fulfilling to me.  Messages that spoke to me, that answered questions, were given in each meeting.  Topics covered that I didn’t realize were so pertinent to my soul right now.  Tears surfaced that surprised me and made me wonder where they came from.  Peace.  Happiness.  A feeling that I’m right where I belong and that there is a lot of good to do here.  Feeling blessed that I am surrounded by people who, the more I get to know, the more I love.  There is a see-saw going on in my stomach as I wrestle with being overwhelmed and the temptation to hide from stuff coming my way, and then a feeling of calm and knowing that whatever the next while brings, I’ll handle it.  We’ll handle it.  We’ll be ok. 

A good Sunday nap, a clean kitchen… both work wonders for me.  As does a happy family. 

Halloween 2010

Our little miss was slated to be Cinderella until hours before the costume debut when thanks to a last-minute change-up by Miss Elsie, Snow White became available.  I, personally, was thrilled.  I mean, Cinderella would have been ok, but Snow White was perfect!

When the girl was going to be a princess, this one wanted to be a dragon, so he could get the princess.  Loved the idea.  Then the big one could be a knight and save the princess!  Well, it worked in my head.

The big one, however, was not going for the knight idea.  He was bound and determined to be a spider.  His mother was beside herself trying to figure out how to make that happen.  You may be impressed with my attempt.  I am not a “homemade costume kind of mom.”  He’s really not angry.  or bored.  He just refused to smile because spiders do not smile.

Tinkerbell and Snow White.  Cute Miss Elsie with Seneca.

  

Happy Halloween!!  Hope yours was as great as ours!

book report.

I recently finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It took me quite a while to get through, but I'm not sure why. I really liked it and was disappointed when I finally reached the end. It is written as letters back and forth between key characters in the book and took me a while to figure piece things together, but once I did I really enjoyed this format. The book is a good combination of heavy, more serious topics and light-hearted characters that are so witty. The way it was written made me want to be a part of their world, to see where they live and visit in their homes. I think it took me longer because I was not glued to it as I had been a few books previous but rather kept it by my bed and read a few letters each night. I would call it pleasant, and delightful.

I am now reading, Eat, Pray, Love. I bought it a while ago, before I saw the movie and after I saw the movie I had no desire to read the book. I felt the movie was slow and while it had a few great ideas, it wasn't put together well for me. Therefore I drug my feet in reading this, but I actually like the book much more than the movie, which is usually the case I suppose, but usually I read then watch! Anyway, I know this story has a reputation of promoting selfishness, but there are other great redeeming qualities that provoke thoughtfulness and reflection that don't have to involve leaving your current life and escaping for a year. And the writing is good, in my humble opinion. I did not get that from the movie. I'll let you know if I continue to like it as it progresses.

Do you have any fantastic suggestions for my next read??

today.

Beckham does not appreciate the peanut component of Monster Munch. He will consume his entire portion of popcorn and leave me a little pile of peanuts.

Seneca believes the best thing about candy corn is using them to stick in her teeth to make fangs. She has a very spooky voice when she threatens to eat me.

I am not sure who invented candy corn, but he and I have very different palates. G.R.O.S.S.

I visited another preschool this week as I was contemplating throwing Bex in the mix and trying to work out what would be best for the two littles. I am not an educator by profession. Not even close, so I'm not sure where my expectations come from, but I am not easily satisfied. I would have never guessed that one of the biggest stressors in my life this year would be related to my children's education. It has kept me awake at night far more than any other issue. While it stresses me out sometimes, I am completely grateful that I do not have bigger things to worry about in my life right now. I know I'm blessed. I really do.

It's a little chilly outside in the mornings these days and my children insist on getting out there as soon as possible. I insist on shoes. They like to pretend I don't. Today I told Seneca and Beckham that they were welcome to play outside if they kept shoes on their feet. As they tried to sneak out the door, I added that if I saw them without something on their feet, the princess skirts would go up high and be gone today. That stopped them both in their tracks. Yes, they were both wearing princess skirts and shoes have not been an issue today.

A month after first beginning potty training, I can say that I don't even think about it anymore. He runs in there when he needs to do his thing and despite my best efforts in trying to get him to sit down, he stands on his little tippy-toes, reaches over the edge of the toilet and gets it in there. That's what dad and Cooper do, after all. There is no more potty laundry, no wet beds, and no more diapers... yipee!!

Cooper has been interested in the basketball court lately and is not satisfied when I say I can see him from the window. He wants his audience giving him full attention, outside next to the court.

I've been working on Halloween costumes this week and I will admit that I am one lucky woman that my children do not have high expectations. The admiration for all of you who make your own every year and have them looking fabulous has grown 100 fold. I must admit that I just don't care that much! What will be, will be and I am completely ok with it.

We have been out of butter all week. Butter! Of all things.

I've decided that running up and down the park lawn passing a soccer ball back and forth with Coop, trying to defend his goals and then helping little bodies across the monkey bars over and over and over constitutes a very admirable workout. I was sweaty! They were sweaty and we all slept well.

Dent has been super busy at work lately. He came home early enough to carve pumpkins with us last night but I'm afraid we'll pay for it for a while as we'll probably all be asleep before he arrives tonight. Late nights are a bummer, but I'll take them over unemployment any day.

festivities

Monday the kids and I took off for the pumpkin patch.  We love our dad a lot, but if we were going to make this happen, we couldn’t wait around for him!  The corn maze was great- it had a ‘clue’ game incorporated so we trailed through the corn to find different clues to help us solve a mystery.  Cooper was all over it. 

barrel train rides…

cooper being a super strong man…

 

peddle cars…

 

add animals, a hay maze and other fun games and it was a good time had by all! 

Last night was the much-anticipated pumpkin carving party… throw in new friends, favorite friends, treats, goopy pumpkin goop and crazy kids and you’ve got yourself one screamin’ good time!

sunday thoughts.

denten made a great roast today. and mashed potatoes, because he said we haven't had them in way too long. I love when he takes over in the kitchen. he did that yesterday with a new pasta sauce that I am a fan of. he's like chef ramsey in hell's kitchen... give him a random set of ingredients and he loves coming up with something delicious.

the past two weeks we have had incredible musical numbers in our ward. really impressive. great quality and humility were both displayed. the spirit filled the chapel and I had tears surface both times. last week was a teenage girl who sang , "I Know that My Redeemer Lives." It was as if you feel her bearing her testimony through the song, it was so powerful and she sang it clearly without pushing anything. today there was a men's quartet who sang "Come Thou Font of Every Blessing, " acapella. They were right on pitch the entire song and it was riveting. I am impressed with the talent in my ward and the quality of people here.

we had cousins over for dinner this afternoon and had a long discussion that left me very grateful for my activity in the church, the testimony that takes me back there each week and dictates my behavior between sundays. I am also incredibly blessed to have a husband who believes the same things I do and supports me in my callings in this life.

my kids love other kids. they were in heaven all afternoon playing with our company. I'm grateful for a home and a yard that allows them lots of space to enjoy each other.

the announcers during the cardinal game had a very high opinion of derrick anderson. I'm not sure I share their inflated opinion. give max hall a chance to gain a little experience and the team might be decent. I don't often take the time to site and watch a large portion of a football game, but sometimes it's fun to get into.

end of week stuff.

it's fall, officially. I wore a jacket all day today and had to pull out the slippers. I get that it's terrible to say it's going to be a long winter when I live where I do, but I already miss my body being enveloped in warmth all the time.

coop had soccer tonight, he did awesome. he's getting the hang of new things despite an average coach. we miss coach eagar!

beckham and I made cupcakes to 'boo' friends today. we went to deliver as an entire family tonight. yes, even the little, not-so-quiet ones. it was pretty fun, and coop is pretty fast.

winter grass is coming in. I love driving around and seeing big, vibrant green lawns. that is a plus of this time of year here.

today I was sitting in this very spot and kept hearing rustling in the den. I called for seneca to come out of there and she approached me from the opposite direction. that was immediately alarming... who or what was in my den?? a bird, it turns out. a bird was trapped in there, and had been there for quite some time judging by the mess the stinker made. now, birds are a little freaky to me. this one was light brown and had a long beak that curved down at the end... creepy. I was not immediately sure what to do about this situation, so I shut the door and told the littles not to open it. thankfully the solution was easy and I didn't have to chase it down with the pool net (denten's suggestion). I removed the screens from the outside and slid the windows open hoping the little thing could find its way out. he did, eventually. thankfully. not quite sure how he got in there. the front door was open for a while this morning and he could have come in then, but not so likely he'd make an immediate u-turn into the den, but there was evidence of bird in the entry way. or, he came in through the fireplace. I'll never know. and now you probably know more than you ever cared to!

I love weekends. I feel like it's going to be a good one.

I love my spooks.

Dear Gram,

Thank you for our Halloween package… we LOVED everything! 

And don’t we look darling in our new jammies?  We love you to pieces. 

Love, Your Little Spooks.

 

Fall break is over.  Cooper asked in his prayer this morning that we could all have a good week now that we’re not on fall break.  He was anxious to return to school, though.  We did a lot of this while he was home:

Beckham is into parties.  He must be his mother’s son.  He is anxious for a party and talks about them all the time.  We got together with friends for dinner twice this weekend and both times it was a full-on party experience for him.  He is always very helpful in getting things ready when he knows there will be friends involved.  He is very much looking forward to our ward Halloween party where there will be costumes.  He was disappointed there were no costumes last night.  If we see decorations in someone’s yard as we are driving, he says, “it looks like a party!”  Bex is also looking forward to his birthday, which isn’t for more than three months.  There will be balloons for sure and this morning he requested waffles for his birthday.  I figure I’m safe to agree to any requests this far out. 

He is smart when it comes to potty-training.  He will stay dry and clean all day and then when bedtime comes around he knows just what to say to come out of his room.  He’s a smarty-pants and uses the bathroom as a stalling tactic.

There’s so much more I could say about Seneca’s antics lately, but I’ll leave you with this for now.

friday.

Do you ever have several windows on your computer open at a time?  I mean several??  I have, for several days in fact.  I finally sat down today for a good while and handled the things that were open and waiting for me to call on, make decisions about, etc.  I also purged my desk of paper.  Lots of stuff found the recycle bin.  Lots of stuff was filed, calendared and organized.  I’m not sure why I let it get so busy, but it sure feels good when all this paper mess is cleaned up.

Need to record the following:  a while ago when we were having a major storm at night, it started hailing after the kids had gone to bed.  Beckham came out of his room with huge eyes and asked, “what happening??”  “ I hear funder!”  He was scared, really scared.  His little eyes were darting back and forth trying to figure it out.  He sat with us for a while and then said, “I sleep in mom and dad’s bed where it safe.”  He said it so matter-of-factly it was funny.  We assured him that his bed was just as safe and that his angels were in there with him.  He crawled back in bed and immediately put his covers over his head, “I need to hide.”  He is wonderfully cuddly when he’s scared, and pretty funny, but I’m glad it doesn’t happen often.

I’m a budgeter.  You knew that, right?  I found a system a few years ago that has been working pretty well for us, but it doesn’t have all the features I desire to keep track of everything easily.  There is the prospect of something new and I am anxious to try it.  (Pete, I’m being patient!)  I just like to know what is coming in, what is going out and where it’s going… it doesn’t sound like it would be that difficult to manage, but I want the process to be smooth and easy and be able to see all accounts without a hassle.  I have high hopes for this next tool.

This, being the last fall break weekday, was fairly lazy.  We did hit Trader Joe’s this morning however and you’d think we were going to the moon.  Beckham cleared the table from breakfast while chanting, “tra-der joe’s, tra-der joe’s!”  The fact that he gets to push his own cart just his size is so exciting, and serves as awesome bribery for anything I need done beforehand.  In the car everyone was listening to Halloween music and out of the blue Seneca says, “Mom, I love Joe’s.”  Who knew grocery shopping could be so fulfilling for everyone??  We got delicious things and headed home. 

There has been lots of playing outside, legos, projects at the table and tv.  I told them they could watch a show if they folded laundry while they watched.  I got a load of towels folded out of the deal… folded and put away.  That should be the deal all the time!  Granted they didn’t look like when Rachel does my laundry, but even I don’t have stuff looking that good.

We have a home phone now.  I was happy doing without, but it isn’t so safe to leave my kids with a baby-sitter and no way to contact me if something goes wrong.  And Denten is sick of everyone from church calling his cell. 

I got to hold a baby for a long time tonight.  Little Sydney was all mine for hours tonight.  I’ve learned that I would be pretty good with a baby in this house.  My kids were so sweet with her, reading her stories, talking so soft and just laying down next to her.  She smiled often at Cooper and he thought he was awesome.  “She really likes me, Mom.  I really like when babies, you know, want me.”   I’m grateful for her sweet spirit and that my children recognized it.  Having the Malinka’s across the street is such a blessing to me. 

answer any or all:

1.  what’s the one household task you wish you could hire out?  you know, not do but have done… by someone else who would do it well?

2.  what is your guilty pleasure?

3.  if you had three hours to yourself, all by yourself, what would you do?

4.  what do you usually eat for lunch?  what do you wish you usually ate for lunch?

5.  what is your “staying healthy” vice?  baked goods, soda, lack of desire to exercise… what, if you could kick, would make you better?

6.  is there one book, aside from your scriptures, that you feel you have allowed to actually change you?

7.  what kitchen utensil would you not want to live without?

8.  do you sleep in pajamas?  actual pajamas?

fall break: thursday

Bob got dusted off as we strapped Senny and Bex into the stroller for a walk to the park with Emily and her girls and Coop on his bike.  Good conversation, good exercise, good energy exertion by the littles… great morning.  Lunch and naps, lego projects, thank-you cards, clean sheets on the beds, a trip to the library, quesadillas on the patio for dinner.  Dad is sleeping at the bottom of the Grand Canyon tonight so we’re holding down the fort.  Beckham is learning (over and over) that the bikes don’t come into the kitchen.  Cooper is learning that he can spin really fast on the swings and Seneca has been doing her workbook and coloring since we got back from the library.  I’m liking her hair, although it makes her face rounder… chubbier.  Her cheeks are awesome and I love them.  Coop is totally into Halloween and was on the hunt for Halloween books at the library.  He wants to be a spider for the occasion… I’m thinking pool noodles spray-painted black and attached to his back so they stick out to the sides?  Someone brilliant let me know if there is a better way to create a spider.    I think we’ll read new books and head to bed early. 

fall break: wednesday

This morning’s plan was the children’s museum.  It did not disappoint. We missed friends who were going to meet us, but enjoyed the fact that it was less crowded than the zoo was earlier this week.  My kids all have their favorite stops at the museum; Cooper loves the climber and is good to stay with Seneca so I can follow Beckham at a slower pace.  Seneca could stay in the art studio all day and paint the castle.  Give her a smock and a paint brush and she’s good for hours.  Beckham couldn’t wait for the race cars and I appreciated that they weren’t crazy busy.  We enjoyed the hay maze and lunch outside before we came home for naps. 

This afternoon Coop flitted from project to project not committing to anything, although he was great about coming home and writing his sentences right away.  His assignment this week is to write about what we do each day and he’s been good about doing it without me asking.  He worked on ‘thank-you’ cards this afternoon for birthday gifts.  More playing outside after naps.  Endorsement of the day is Trader Joe’s Organic Jasmine Rice that fully cooks in the microwave in 3 minutes.  It comes out perfect and makes for a super quick and easy dinner.  Thanks Eryka for the find!

Cooper has yet to learn the value of putting his shoes in the closet when we get home.  Every time he wants to go outside or it is time to go somewhere, he is scouring the house for footwear.  He is reminded often that I am responsible for my shoes and he is responsible for his.  It is a bummer that I don’t keep track of them.  Today he was bordering on frantic because he couldn’t find his flip-flops and was begging me to find them.  I reminded him that if they were in the closet, they would be easy to find.  He went around the corner into the hall and found them and exclaimed, “it’s a miracle!”  He has been learning about miracles and fully believes in them.  The fact that his flip-flops magically appeared is a miracle is questionable, but I love that he believes it!

I’ve written before, and often, about this job I have as a mother.  There have been several times in the past when Denten is getting ready for work and I am pleading in my head for the opportunity to switch places for the day simply to have a change of pace, a break from the whining, the times where no one listens, the messes and mundane repetitive tasks that make up this job.  Earlier this week I woke up with the thought that I felt a little sorry for Dent that he had to leave us; go to work and do things that didn’t involve these fun kids.  I was excited to spend the day with them, to laugh with them, to watch them learn new things.  I wished he didn’t have to go and miss it all.  I was grateful for that feeling of wanting to be home with my children.  I know it will come and go and I wanted to record the fact that I am grateful for my job.  It’s hard and often thankless.  It can be lonely, messy and aggravating, but I chose this and I love these little ones that I spend my days with.  Love them to pieces. 

fall break: tuesday

grateful for:

happy children in my bed.  super absorbent paper towels.  don aslett and his wonder mop.  the big human who invented the bicycle and the little humans who ride them in my backyard.  tinkerbell and redbox.  naptime.  model airplanes, homemade bouncy balls and lego creations.  progress made with file project.  imagination in full swing creating games on the trampoline.  an afternoon with emily, elsie and sydney.  new hair for the girls!

this is the before version.  the side where she cut it herself has grown out a little and has made the whole thing a little mullet-like.

 

emily fixed it right up!  shortened the back and helped the front… I was nervous to cut it but it’s so cute and it will grow!  and see, beckham thinks she’s adorable.

fall break day two:  success!

fall break: monday

I laid in bed until 6:30.  that is sleeping in and it was great.  took care of breakfast, laundry and cleaned bedrooms.  trip to the zoo with my three plus cute elsie and darling ava.  animals, picnic, merry-go-round.  a car full of happy sounds; laughing, teasing, singing.  terrific naps.  writing sentences.  play-dough.  riding bikes outside.  senny and beckham have mastered the two-wheeler with training wheels.  dry cleaners, bank and redbox.  pick up milk and eggs.  dinner outside.  more bike riding.  ending with movie night, folding laundry and awaiting dad’s return home.  I could get used to fall break!

sunday.

fasting. prayer. a fairly reverent testimony meeting. a relished day in relief society. running to the potty. finishing a movie with dent. an excellent nap. making cookies with little helpers. playing outside. soup for dinner on the patio. fhe on the sacrament. games at the table. pengaloo and sequence for kids. enjoying fhe treats. listening to seneca read to us. learning halloween songs. watching videos from coop's party. lots of laughing. planning fun things for fall break. ending the day with a clean kitchen and a happy family.

this morning

this morning I threw a bunch of veggies into a pasta sauce.  eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, onions, garlic and sausage with tomatoes and sauce.   fresh basil, rosemary and italian parsley.  then I threw a prayer up to the culinary angels and asked for it to all come together.  it's brewing now and not smelling half bad!

this morning I found a bag of potatoes in my hallway.

this morning my little ones have been playing outside all morning.  except when they want snacks.  I see them every so often.

this morning I forgot to send important stuff that needs to be faxed with denten to work.  I also forgot yesterday.  do not let me forget again tomorrow!

this morning I intend to finish cleaning my bathroom and get that end of the house vacuumed.  with a new vacuum!  I'll let you know if I like it. 

this morning I woke up with a very strict plan to have no plans to leave the house today.  I was down a can of tomato sauce, but I'm improvising... I am not running errands today!

and now for some random photos:

This is what we did during conference:  the little ones colored, Coop sorted all the paperclips in the house and made a graph, I completed the last of Senny’s baby book pages and did a few for Beckham. 

Cooper is six!

 

Last night I was telling Coop about my day six years ago:  When I thought I was ready to have a baby, we got into the car in New York and dad kept taking one-way streets because we didn’t really know how to drive to the hospital.  I was having contractions that hurt, but we kept laughing because we were in a rush and couldn’t get anywhere.  They gave me a special bed at the hospital and after a while there was a little problem so I had to go to surgery to get you out of my tummy.  The doctor lifted you up and at first I thought you had reddish hair!  You were so dang cute, I loved you to pieces. 

Six years later you are more than I ever dreamed of having in a child.  It is for sure that Heavenly Father wanted you to come first to our family and that you have an important job being the oldest child.  You are smart and motivated.  You are clever and funny.  You like music, art, soccer and swimming.  You like playing games and riding your bike.  You work well with a schedule and a list.  You enjoy being outside.  You enjoy your siblings and are generally very sweet and playful with them.  You are sensitive and have a tendency to worry, but you also have a testimony that your Heavenly Father hears your prayers and that if you ask Him for something, He will hear you.  You know you have a great army of angels with you and you call on them periodically for assistance.  You are kind and a good example at school.  I miss you when you’re gone and am always anxious to see you round the corner at the end of the street when you get off the bus.  You are happy and full of light.  You are going to make one amazing six-year-old!  And yes, if you keep eating your vegetables and getting all that sleep at night, you are going to keep growing and I am NOT ok with that!!  I love you, Coop. 

60-second update

birthday party in the works. thank goodness cooper has denten for a father, otherwise birthdays would not be nearly as fun as they are.

loving the rain and dark skies. major downpour complete with thunder this afternoon, it was awesome.

helped out in coop's class this morning. it was fun to meet his friends and see how he spends his days. I'm glad I'm not a teacher who has to teach such a wide variety of academic needs.

feel like there is always something around the corner... a trip or an event of some kind. I'm looking forward to a few solid days with enough unplanned time to dive into a few projects. what are the chances of that happening anytime soon?

worked diligently on the laundry yesterday. have towels to fold, but most everything else is done.

that's all I have time for at the moment.

I’m 32.

 

I had a lot of people ask my how my day was yesterday.  I told Denten it didn’t really feel like my birthday, but I don’t know if I have had a birthday that really felt like one since I was, maybe, eight?  Bummer about that, but it was a pretty good day nonetheless.  The little joys of my life accompanied me to Costco and we ran a few errands.  I had a yummy treat waiting by my door when I got home.  This is what life looked like on my birthday:

 

This one thought he was genius to put himself in a box and slide off the couch.  He did it forty-eleven times.  He’s hiding the fact that he’s been wearing nothing on the bottom except underwear all week, but he’s staying dry for the most part and taking care of business in the bathroom. 

This one has been having one continuous tea party for the last three days. 

This one practiced all of his music lesson, even if it was horizontally.

We got a baby-sitter and flew the coop last night.  Caballo Blanco of Born to Run was in Scottsdale last night and we went to hear his stories.  He lives a pretty nomadic and minimalist lifestyle that is admirable although hard to fathom.  He views running with such a unique perspective, one that mainstream athletes today could gain a lot from.  It was an interesting evening.  We grabbed dinner on the way home and walked in to sleeping children and a clean house.  Doesn’t get better than that! 

And just a few photos I found on the camera to prove why my children think aunt Linny is the best thing on the planet and one cute little soccer star: