Roller Derby

Introducing the DORKIEST mom in the world!!!!!
We got our car back Thursday evening and I was ready to PARTY!! We went to dollar skate night at Classic Skating. We've never taken our kids roller skating before and it was a smashing success. I was so proud of all the kids because they tired really hard and they DID IT!

Elinor said to Abe, "I had no idea Mom could roller skate!" And check out my skates! They are official roller derby skates and I bought them at D.I. my freshman year at BYU. I know everybody was jealous of them.
The three oldest all rented roller blades and made it around several times with no major injuries.

I'm happy to announce that roller skating is just as fun and trashy as it ever was. There is this subculture of roller skating/ break dancers. They skate/dance in the middle of the rink with their little groupies cheering for them.







Roller Skating rinks have come a long way in one respect. When I was a kid you could only roller skate. Then along came roller blades and that was okay too. Now you can skate, blade, and scooter and tricycle, and stroller. We didn't hear a peep from Cannon all evening. He loved the wind in his hair as his UBER dorky mom roller-strolled him around the rink.







Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen. Faith wore Winnie-the-Pooh skates and she was quite pleased with herself (as she should have been).


















And this kid was seriously focused on learning to skate. We're hoping to go again soon so call us to go if you too want to channel your inner roller derby champion.

It's Been Fun, but. . .

Today is Thursday and I am now on day six with no car. I previously compared the joy of a brief time with no car to the joy of a brief power outage. I also said that the power outage is only fun for a little while--like until the food starts to spoil in the warm refrigerator.
I think the food is starting to spoil. I am ready to have my wheels back. I'm ready to GET OUT and about again. Boy, you sure do save a lot of money when you NEVER leave the house!
My garage is lonely. It misses its' van. I know what you're thinking-- how can a garage be lonely with so much JUNK in it? Pathetic. I apologize for burning the eyes of my OCD, clean- freak friends.

Are you wondering what we've been doing this week since we haven't been going anywhere? Probably not. But I will share anyway because I am indulging myself right now. I have Wimbledon on in the background and Cannon is sleeping and I'm relaxing.

I have been reading A LOT. As I ignore the goings on of the household the three year old says to me, "Mommmmm, you are reading that too much." Hey, I'm just trying to set a good example! I just finished reading Glenn Beck's Common Sense and Thomas Paine's Common sense. Excellent reading. The result of reading both right before the Fourth of July is that I will probably super- embarrass my family when I openly WEEP at the parade and during the fireworks this weekend. I think we will try to go to a tea party on the 4th.

I have a good friend (hello, good friend!) who recently asked advice on children who fight and argue a lot. My mom used the word "bicker". Hmm, maybe this friend didn't actually ask my advice and I just offered it unsolicited. Oh well. I gave my two cents worth. I advised a summer with NO FRIENDS. They have to just play with each other until they can get along. Call it the "parent-trap school of discipline".
If you've been around our family AT ALL you know that we do have disagreements. I don't know any families that don't but because our kids are around each other so much they do get along quite well and love to play together. I have no problem declaring no-friend days to encourage sibling friendships.
Today Bethany was headed to a friend's house and Faith really wanted to go. I thought back to my childhood and occasionally having to take my little brother out to play and I remember being a real stinker about it. So I asked Bethany if she minded it Faith went with her. I was delighted when she happily consented and helped Faith get dressed to go. This makes a mommy happy-- even a mommy that has been home bound for six days!

What If. . . . . ?

Tonight was Elinor's big date night. She and I went to see Hello Dolly at the Hale Center Theater. We had great time together but we did have some unusual conversation to and from the theater.

Elinor is the QUEEN of the "What if. . .?" game. You know, like WHAT IF you drive your mother crazy with questions?"

Here are actual "what if. . .?" questions I had to answer this evening. Where does she come up with this stuff?

Elinor: WHAT IF you lived at the temple and you could swing on the chandeliers?
Mom: I don't think I would want it to fall and break into a thousand pieces.
Elinor: WHAT IF it just broke into two pieces?
Mom: I don't think it's a good idea.

Elinor: WHAT IF a giant cut into someone's brain. Would they die?
Mom: Yes, I think so.

Elinor: WHAT IF Slimer (the ghost from GhostBusters) came out of that sign.
Mom: That would be scary.

Elinor: WHAT IF an Indian came to our town? Would you be scared?
Mom: I don't think Indians nowdays are scary.
Elinor: WHAT IF they took your whole family?
Mom: I don't think they would do that.
Elinor: WHAT IF they said to give them food?
Mom: I would give them food if they wanted it.
Elinor: WHAT IF you starved because you gave him all your food?
Mom: I'm sure my neighbors would give me some food.

Elinor: WHAT IF someone broke this window with a rock?
Mom: no comment

Elinor: WHAT IF there is a fire at the theater? Then can I scream?
Mom: yes

Elinor: WHAT IF you are crying because you ran away from home and your dad caught you?
Mom: Elinor, I don't know what you are talking about.

I love her death, but WHERE ON EARTH does she come up with this stuff? Is it the age? I don't remember this with Clark and Bethany.

On a side note- Abe was planning to take her, but as I am still home bound with no car Abe thought it would be best for me to get out. What a wise husband!

Moments I want to remember. Clark is so tender with Cannon and "always has time for his brother."

Homebound

We are having a little car trouble with our minivan. It's looking like it is not going to be terribly expensive (thankfully), but we are going on four days with one car that 1. doesn't fit all of us and 2. Abe is driving to work all day.
Hopefully we'll get it back tomorrow. However, I am enjoying being temporarily without a car. It's like when the power goes out. I would NOT like it to be without power long term, but for a few hours it is delightful. You can't do any heavy duty cooking. You play games or read or go to bed. If it is storming outside you get to watch the rain and lightening and trees blowing.
Similarly with no car you don't go anywhere--except on walks to the park. You invite friends to come to you. You relax at home and get into projects. Of course the house is no cleaner since everyone is into projects, but it's a little calmer.

Clark is Surprised and Older

Today was Clark's surprise 10th birthday party-- pizza and games at the park. The party goers were all at the park when Abe brought Clark--blindfolded. This first picture is Abe removing the blindfold.











Clark first sees the party!





Here are my favorite pictures of the day. The girls immediately ran to Clark to hug him. When I told them this morning (after Abe and Clark left) about the party I thought they would explode with excitement. I don't think they could have been more excited if the party was for them.


































Here are they all are eating pizza. It was a nice mix of boys from the neighborhood, home school friends and dear old friends.













I think Abe's favorite part of the party was the game of kickball. There are so many parts of homeschooling that I love, but we do miss some of the P.E. games like kickball. They had a blast.








I loved watching Clark feeding Cannon some of his doughnut. Nothing makes a mom crazier than hearing children fight, but nothing makes me happier than hearing them be kind to each other.

What does a girl have to do to get out of practicing the piano??

Something more than breaking a wrist.

Someday she'll thank me for this.

I did ask and the doctor said it was fine for her to practice. Isn't her cast beautiful?
Can you believe it is WATERPROOF! She can swim, shower, and play in the sprinklers. Casts have come a long way. She just needs to wear if for three weeks.

The Return of the Back Yard Campout

According to Bethany, we are "the only ones" who don't have a "house car" (a camper/trailer). For the first ten years of our marriage we tent camped every year with babies and toddlers up in the mountains. I just don't want to do it anymore. At least I don't want to camp up in the mountains. I hope I will come back around. But I'm taking a hiatus from real camping.

Enter-- The Backyard Campout. You just set up camp in the backyard. No packing up food. No mountain dirt- just a few grass clippings. No fear of bears dragging your children out of their tent in the middle of the night. (I know--I've got issues.) You can even bring a real mattress to sleep on. It's not the most adventurous way to go, but you do get to sleep outside in a tent.

We don't do friend sleepovers but our family has become very good friends with a family in our ward and so we joined up for backyard campout together. We had a great time. Abe's quickfire is fabulous for ambiance and warmth. Not so much for actually cooking food because it just turns marshmallows gray.








These little cuties are sticking their heads through the doggy door of our tent.

I am a Mom-of-All-Trades

On a friend's fabulous blog--- messagesfromthemothership.blogspot.com----- she wrote that her three year old daughter announced to her church class she wanted to be a mermaid when she grew up. My friend celebrated the idea that the you-can-be-anything-you-want-to-be-lessons were getting through.
This reminded me of my childhood dream job -- I wanted to be a game show host. Not a Vanna White type, but I was gunning for Bob Barker's job on the Price is Right. In the fifth grade I even did a school project/report/presentation in game show format where I was the host and my fellow colleagues answered questions about the subject into microphones I'd made from aluminum foil and plastic cups.
Earlier in my childhood I wanted to be a scientist--more specifically a chemist. I think I just liked mixing the chemicals in my chemistry set.
I was sure I would be a future organist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
I would be a public official- like a judge.
I wanted to be a veterinarian.
I've always had a desire to be an actress.
I could be a fashion designer.
I have entertained thoughts of writing a book someday.
Did I have visions of grandeur? Perhaps. But I believe it is fantastic for children and adults to have dreams of things they want to do. Big things. Varied interests. Here's why.

In very real ways I have gotten to do all those childhood dreams and much more. I am a mother.
As a mother, almost every day I get to do most of these things--just on a smaller scale. Let me explain.

Host the Price is Right--I am constantly helping children figure out what things cost. I help children choose one thing over another based on what is the best value. I also offer prizes to the kids for jobs well done.

A scientist - I am Clark's mom. Enough said. I do science experiments. I read books about science. I let my children keep reptiles in the house. We hike in the mountains.

Organist for MoTab- I play the organ at church once a month. I keep the volume pretty loud! I teach piano lessons to aspiring young musicians.

Judge Betsy- I am judge and jury all day everyday. Five children living and working together all day- you better believe we need conflict resolution.

Actress- We read a lot of books aloud and I do great voices for the characters.

Fashion Designer- I help pick out lots of clothes for people and gently notify them when their clothing choices are not acceptable.

Veterinarian- We have a dog and have played a part in helping many reptiles pass to the other side.

Author- You are reading my words I wrote that are out there for the whole world to see.

Motherhood, (as all things) has it's challenging parts. Challenging might be too light a word. Down right, tear inducing, screaming in frustration, HARD things. But in the flip side is the glorious adventure and fulfillment motherhood provides. I find the more I invest in my family and children the bigger the payoff. The more I search for ways to fulfill my needs for physical activity and mental stimulation in ways that involve my family the happier we all are. I do need time alone sometimes. I need time to read by myself. I need walks alone. I need time with friends and most importantly, dates with Abe.
But for me, it is within my home and family that I find the fulfillment of my childish (and not so childish) dreams.