A Smattering

I don't like to go this long in between posts because it's harder to get started again, but here is a smattering of what's on my mind

Operation: Get in Shape Girl is going well, but it takes a lot of time and thought and energy.  I have now lost 30 pounds since the middle of September.  I exercise 6 days a week morning and night-- so I do think I've earned every one of those lost pounds.  They sure were a lot easier to gain than to lose!  That being said, I quite enjoy the exercise and am considering running a half-marathon on March 31st.  Anyone interested in joining me?

You can only have so many "top priorities".  The thing is to not get down about what you are getting done or doing well.  I have to remember that if other things were my top priority I would be getting them done.  It's not that I can't clean my bathrooms or do fun art projects with the kids.  It's just that that isn't my focus right now. 

The children in Primary today were rather naughty.  It wasn't much fun and I didn't particularly enjoy it.  Perhaps the sheen of the new teachers has worn off for the kids and now they are seeing what they can get away with. Today, it seemed like they got away with quite a bit.

Abe and I love to watch Downton Abbey on PBS Sunday nights.  Oh, happy day--it is Sunday night!

Clark gave a great talk in Sacrament Meeting today on keeping the Sabbath Day holy.  But Downton Abbey is okay, right?

George had an ear infection this week.  Clark had a nasty-bad sinus infection that took him out of life for the entire week.  Both boys seem to be recovering.  When babies get sick that get exponentially harder to take care of.  When bigger kids get sick they get much easier.  Clark is so gentle and mild when he's sick.   I do feel badly for him... but...
No, no, of course I don't want my Man-Child to be sick.  But nor do I particularly enjoy taking the brunt of 12 year-old mood swings.

Last night Abe took the kids to Walmart.  I was busy preparing tasty victuals for my family to eat and I suppose they all wanted to get out of the house.  With her own money Faith purchased a $5 pink and purple golf club set.  Now, if it had been me, I'm sure I would have forbidden such a purchase.  I know-- I'm so mean.  But whereas Abe saw a fun harmless toy for cheap, I see a matched set of weapons for children to fight over and damage property.  
Need I mention there has been much fighting over the golf clubs already, even thought they clearly belong to Faith.  Cannon and George just don't have any respect for property rights yet.

Elinor tested for her purple belt in Tae Kwon Do on Saturday.  She did great and she LOVES Tae Kwon Do.  There is a Japanese cartoon called Avatar that we can watch on Netflix.  To say Elinor loves this show is an understatement.  Actually, all the kids love it and and they quote it ad nauseum.  Clark regularly reminds Elinor that it is not real-- there are no such things as air benders or water benders.  Occasionally, I'll overhear and episode and I'll realize, "Oh, so that is where Elinor has heard that phrase or tone of voice or inflection of words." 

Elinor did have a better week with getting her stuff done each day and didn't have to miss any days of Tae Kwon Do.  Which is good for her, because this is what she loves.

And I agree, num-chucks are fun!

Breaking a board with your kicking is really fun!

I am currently reading Middlemarch by George Elliot.  I'm very much enjoying it, although I'm not getting through it as fast as I'd like.  Just not enough time for reading.  Once again, I remind myself that if reading was my top priority I would get it done.  Dang all those dishes and laundry! 
The other day Bethany asked me if I like being a mom.  I told her I liked it very much.  She asked if there was anything I didn't like about being a mom.  I told her that it isn't so much anything I dislike.  I don't really mind the dishes and laundry.  It's more that there is so much I would like to do that I don't have time for. I must remember that eternity is a long time and I'll have time to do every good thing, eventually!

Hey There

"Hey, there ladies.  I'm Cannon."
Bethany and Elinor set up a photo shoot for Cannon and Faith.

There is a little black twisty thing on a lamp that turns it on and off.  Cannon had untwisted it and lost it.  When Abe realized it was missing and he was unable to turn the lamp on he called out, "Does anybody know what happened to the little black twisty thing?"
Cute little Faith responds, "Oh, I know where that is!"
And sure enough, she went straight to it.  How does she do it?

Thursday night (January 12th) we went to a Twelfth Night Shakespeare banquet.  Clark is a part of a Shakespeare class taught by our good friend Andrea Flynn.  The kids, ranging in age from 8-16 put on a skit with several scenes from Shakespeare plays they have done.  It was great fun to see Clark and his buddies reprise their drunken monster scene from The Tempest from a couple of years ago. 

Elinor was the Dr. from MacBeth.
When the kids have 20 days of getting all their "stuff" done they get to go on a date with Abe or I.  Today, Elinor and I went out to lunch together at Wingers.  Unfortunately, we were seated in an area of the restaurant with a lot of TVs.  Elinor is like a moth to the flame when the TV is on, so the conversation was less than rewarding since I couldn't really get her attention away from the screens.   Next time we'll have to take a quiet walk by the river.

From my very brief research, I believe Mario Kart was one of the most popular video games in 2008.  We are a few years behind the times and we just got it for Christmas.  But it is fun and we're playing it too much.  Abe and I enjoyed a night out with our friends, the Butterfields, last night.

I love this man for many reasons, but tonight the top reason was how he played with the little kids, even though he had a head ache.  The big kids were all gone to different activities and so it was just the little ones. 

Helicopter is the Daddy special!

He really picks up speed.

Abe was a little saddened to realize it has been a while since he's worn through the knees of a pair of jeans by rough housing with the little kids.  He figures he was down on the ground playing a lot more with the older kids.  It's all good though, because these little ones have the older ones to play with them a lot.   No one in this house is starved for someone to play with!

Yo! 
Peace out.

At the Car Wash

I don't wash my car very often.

As in, I haven't washed my car in about 3 years.

When we bought our minivan in 2002 is was a really nice car.  It had lots of bells and whistles and automatic everything and such.  It has been a very comfy and reliable car for the last ten years.  Forgive my pride, but for many years as I drove around town I was confident that I had a nice set of wheels.

Nowadays, when I taxi my people around the valley I am ever more conscious that my van is getting older.  The automatic doors have long since become manual.  The automatic door locks make a horrid grinding noise.  The passenger side sliding door won't open from the inside.  The DVD player has had the same movie stuck in it (Veggie Tales: Jonah) for the last two years.  Maintenance and breakdowns are more frequent.  However, I purposefully only think happy, grateful thoughts towards my van.  I don't want my van to get hurt feelings and seek revenge on me someday by not starting when I need it most.

Anyway, for several years I didn't really think it necessary to have a sparkly, shiny, clean car because I had nothing to prove.  It just was a nice car.  Kind of like how a very wealthy person can get away with wearing junky "vintage" clothing and messy looking hairstyles.  They don't have to prove anything with nice clothes and perfectly coiffed hair.  They just are. 

It took me a while to see that I couldn't rely on the merit of my car anymore.  It was getting older and run down and and perhaps I needed to start doing something to enhance it's value.  I couldn't discern between the dirt and the rust.  I needed to make more of an effort to keep the inside cleaned up, and heaven forbid, it was time to visit the CAR WASH! 

Last week I took Cannon and George with me and paid a visit to the Sparkle Express Car Wash.  I splurged and bought the fancy pants car wash that involved some actual human elbow grease.  I like to think that one of the reasons I haven't washed my car very often over the years is that all of my children from the age of 12 months to about 4 are terrified of the automatic car wash.  I realize I could wash my car at home with a bucket and a sponge, but that seems like an awful lot of work and extra  laundry when I consider that everyone would want to be involved and everyone would get soaked.  And as I write that I realize I am probably depriving my family of a good Mormon Ad family time moment, but, oh well.

But I digress.  Back to the children being terrified.  They have been genuinely frightened, as Cannon and George were this time around.  But it's not just them.  I try to cheer and smile and say, "Oh my!  Isn't this exciting?  Look!  The car is taking a shower!!", but secretly I do not enjoy the experience.  Mostly because I'm convinced I am going to miss the little grooves that you are supposed to drive your wheels into and then somehow I'll totally mess up all the gears of the car wash and it will stop working right when my car is in the middle of it and the giant brushes will just keep washing and slapping the car  and the kids will be screaming and I'll have to get out of the car and...

You can see I have issues.

Anyway, my car cleaned up real purty.  It isn't as old and beat up as I thought it was.  All that automatic stuff on the inside still doesn't work but I think I gave my van the equivalent of a face lift.  It looks at least 3 years younger!

Hodge Podge Post

Georgie found a friend and now when anyone has Pebbles out of her cage, he is right there demanding the bird be put on his shoulder.  She is such a marvelous bird because she'll actually let him walk around with her.
But enough about Pebbles. 

It's Lego League competition time again!! The PiPod team competed in the Utah regionals and won the Robot Design category.  The state competition is in a couple of weeks.  The boys have worked together for 3 years now and I consider the parents of all these boys some of my closest friends.  The competition was great fun, but I really enjoyed getting to spend several hours with my friends.

 They do 3 robot runs and the judges take their best score.  The theme is "Food Factor"-- thus the chef hats.

Clark and Taylor were California Cantaloupe farmers for their skit to present their project to the judges. 

We gathered at the Flynn's house for a post competition pizza party and the adults played "Things".  I tend to be rather obnoxious when I play games.  I can see my children following in my footsteps and I know they get it from me.  At the end of an evening of games I usually feel embarrassed by my behavior.  Why do I continue to behave this way?
I do not know.

 Here is a picture of a Christmas gift we got for the girls this year.

 You can imagine how thrilled they were Christmas morning.
Not.
I was so happy to order six rooms of doll furniture from Overstock.com.  Little did I realize it would come in wooden sheets that we would need to punch out and super glue together.  You can imagine how thrilled I was when the "doll house furniture" arrived.

Sunday night Abe was a nice daddy and sat down with the girls and started building the popsicle stick doll furniture.  Actually, it is much stronger than popsicle sticks, but it doesn't look much better.

 I thought this would definitely be a dad job, but I have been surprised to find that I quite enjoy wielding the superglue myself.  Abe built the table and chairs, but I have since spent about 6 hours building several more rooms.  Who knew I was a carpenter at heart?

No One Ever is to Blame

Sing with me now "No one everrrrr...is to blame, da da daaa."

Did you realize what you were supposed to be singing with me?  Howard Jones--"No One is to Blame".   So the great question to be asked in this evening's post is, who, if anyone is to blame for the life happenings at our house this week.  I suspect on some level I am responsible for them, but really... is anyone ever really to blame?

• A couple of days ago I dropped Clark off at basketball practice and he had worn his shorts under his jeans.  He shed the jeans and headed into practice.  When I got home I grabbed the jeans out of the car and threw them in the washer.  I'd have them washed and dried before the man-child even missed them.  As it turns out, he did miss them because his new mp3 player from Christmas was in the pocket.  Oops.  Big oops.

         His exact words through his tears were, "Mom, you killed my mp3 player!" 

         There really is no other way to look at this one-- I am to blame.  Guess I'll be shopping for
         a new mp3 player.  Good thing it wasn't the expensive ipod touch that "everyone" else got for  
         Christmas.
         .

• Elinor and I had a rough day yesterday.  I get it, full school days are not as much fun as Christmas vacation days.  The expectations for productivity are through the roof compared to just being expected to change your underwear and maybe comb your hair.  We butted heads, if you can really call it that.  You see, Elinor is not a fighter, at least not outwardly, so she just moved slower and I yelled louder.  No, it was not one of my finer mothering days.  But I ask you-- who is to blame for our rough day?  

        I was afraid you might say that.  I better find a new tactic.

• As part of Operation: Get in Shape Girl, I have given up my beloved Dove Dark chocolate. But I have found a worthy, albeit slightly less satisfying replacement.  I keep a large bag of mini tootsie rolls in my kitchen pantry.  They're chocolatey, and sweet and they hit the spot for me.  I try to eat them surreptitiously, but of course my people always see me and then they clasp their hands together and beg for some as well.  BUT I DON'T WANT TO SHARE!!!!  I know, I am a stinker, but I had to endure watching everyone in this house gobbling Christmas candy and treats and anything else they wanted.  Can't they just leave me alone in peace with my tootsie rolls?  Am I being selfish?  Am I not setting a good example?  Can you blame me?  

        Don't answer that.

• George gets a new change of clothes not less than 3 times a day, every day.  It does seem excessive, but the boy is on a liquid diet, and diapers can only hold so much.  That is probably too much information.  He's not actually on a true liquid diet, but it seems like it.  He doesn't eat much food, but he loves his milk and juice.  Good heavens, listen to me!  I should know better, but there it is.  Also, I am on a campaign to encourage all members of the family to CLOSE THE FREAKING BATHROOM DOORS!  It's not going so well, and that accounts for at least one clothing change a day.  Sorry, way TMI.

         You don't need to say it.  I know I am to blame.

• Bethany got her first pair of point shoes this week and I went with her to the first part of her dance class on Wednesday so the school's director could talk to the moms and dancers.  She began by assuring us that they would be taking things very slowly, which was comforting, because I am not so keen on her starting point yet.  The director then proceeded to describe how to best deal with the inevitable blisters on their toes with foot soaks in epson salt and taping the toes and corn pads.  She told us that even if the girls have blisters they will still have to wear their point shoes because they need to build up their calluses.  Other moms were reminiscing their days of point work and blood soaking through their beautiful satin point shoes.  I left the studio thinking, I am leaving my sweet daughter to the wolves.  They don't really care about her feet!  I care about her feet!  Why are we doing this?  Are we making the right decision?  Will she blame me in the years to come for allowing her to mutilate her feet?  

For as much as I am to blame for much of what goes on in this house, I am enjoying a deplorable lack of actual guilt.  Must be all those endorphins:)

Pebbles and Friends and Holiday Wrap-Up

Pebbles, the cockatiel seems to be settling into her new home.
She is like a celebrity around here-- everyone wants their picture with her.  Or does Abe just really like to take pictures? 

Abe's youngest brother, Baden with Pebbles.

Cousin Eliza with Pebbles.

My favorite picture of cousin William with Pebbles.

Pebbles belongs to Elinor, but Pebbles favorite person is Clark.  Elinor does not like that, so sometimes we have to ban Clark from holding the bird (on his shoulder), so that she'll like Elinor more.  Pebbles wings are clipped, but she can still fly a little, so occasionally she'll flap like crazy to get across the house back to Clark.  Very upsetting to Elinor.

Pebbles with our neighbor.

Pebbles with our neighbor's dad.  This neighbor also came to my rescue when my van broke down today.  No fun, but at least it broke down close to home.

New Year's Eve was great fun and it was my first time playing Mario Kart.  I lost every single time except once, when I miraculously got 1st place.  In hindsight, I'm pretty sure it was a charitable win thanks to my fellow competitors.

I'm fairly certain this was a posed picture, but it makes me feel like there was a true celebration as we rang in the new year. 

The traditional banging of the pots and pans.

This one was most definitely posed, because the three older ladies missed the big moment.  They were upstairs and we thought they were outside with Elinor. 
Bethany was NOT happy with me, but has since forgiven.

This fantastic group is several of our close homeschooling friends.   We went to an awesome holiday party last week.

The entertainment was provided by TLC Trio-- 2 violins and a piano.  They had the pianist's dad playing the drums.  They played beautifully. 

Then a few of us got to 'jam-out' with the violinists and percussionist.  It was so FUN!! 

Today we were back to regular life and it felt SO good to me!!!  I am sleepy and my brain has shut down.  One last thing-- an update on Operation: Get in Shape Girl.  I have now lost 26 pounds!!!!  Yay for me!

Should I Be Jealous?

Please be aware that the blog-post you are about to read may not be appropriate for all political leanings. 

Sigh.

This is Mitt Romney and my husband really likes him.

No, not strong enough.  It doesn't really convey the depths of devotion.  Let me try again.

Abe's most prized possession is his signed copy of Mitt's book, No Apology.  I recently suggested we give it away as a white elephant gift.  I'll never forget the hurt look of betrayal in his eyes.

Abe was almost overcome with joy when he realized how close he is to almost being related to Mitt.  My sister-in-law's cousin is married to Mitt's son.  Abe's reaction, "I'm pretty much Mitt's other son!"

Abe is the president of the Mitt Romney fan club and he's got the membership card to prove it.  This card came in the mail today as a result of his $5 donation to the campaign.

Several of Abe's brothers call him numerous times a week seeking understanding and comfort.  They have heard "this" or "that" in the media and are concerned that Mitt won't win the nomination.  Abe talks them down from the cliff and assures them that Mitt has it in the bag.

I have recently become aware of a secret life Abe has as a regular commentator/contributor on a political blog that follows the Republican race for the nomination.  He assured me he only checks it three or four times a day, so it's alright.  

At several holiday gatherings this season the conversation has been dominated by the latest polling results in Iowa.  How festive.

Much like a devoted sports fan, Abe need not actually play the game of actual politics with real issues.  It is great fun to analyze and dissect the players and discuss every move they make.  He looks forward to the daily polls like the fan looks forward to the latest team rankings.  

Abe has a man-crush on Mitt.  And who can blame him?  Mitt is very good looking and polished.  Abe is considering growing out his hair and getting grey highlights.  This bro-mance is the real thing.

I, too, thought I would like Mitt Romney to win the nomination, but I am reconsidering my position.  I think it might be healthiest for everyone involved if Mitt breaks it off with Abe.  And the sooner the better.