Child Says…
17 May 2012 Leave a Comment
Daddy bought donuts last night- a moral dilemma for me because it’s unhealthy, but very yummy, so make sure you don’t eat the last fritter! We had some for dessert last night after a nice healthy dinner, and the kids wanted donuts for breakfast this morning, too, of course. I insisted that they eat fruit with them since, if you think about it, that’s really the only thing they’re missing. (OK, that and protein- which just leaves carbs- but that’s beside the point). So the boys started talking about which fruit they’d eat with it: John said apples, and Sam said,
“You know tomatoes are a fruit. They’re the ancestor to grapes.”
And how do you argue with evolution?
I Don’t Have Time to Blog
18 Apr 2012 1 Comment
No, really. I don’t. I’m doing it though, because I’d rather do this than the other stuff that’s waiting.
It’s springtime. I love springtime. I accidentally walked around the yard this morning and the blossoms were tantalizingly fragrant and made me forget my cares for a moment. I was following my dog. She was locked in the kitchen last night because she’s had stomach problems. Grrr. This morning, I was shocked to find a clean floor. I was more shocked after I followed her and found normal leavings. I even said out loud, “You gotta be kiddin’ me.” And then realized a jogger was passing at that moment. At least I wasn’t in my housecoat.
My kids (three of them) have spots right now. They have Hand-Foot-and-Mouth disease- which apparently is a virus which produces spots on various places -and lots of angst. Peter doesn’t really care and is mostly done with it. John produces angst in others as he chases them around to pretend to try to infect them. Sam worries incessantly about his spots. All of this together produces angst in me. Apparently it will be very dangerous for the baby if I become infected- which for some reason doesn’t worry me. I have been worried about everything else, but not that. Sick kids, sick dog (grr), the baby doesn’t move enough, found a mouse in the house, found out how much the baby will cost (!!!) and an annoyingly optimistic husband. (OK, I am happy that he doesn’t come to me crying about things out of our control. There’s a reason God made us different.)
And now, my charges are awakening, so I really don’t have any more time to blog. Maybe I’ll go outside on purpose today sometime.
Child Says
17 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
Today is little John boy’s birthday. He is on top of the world and acting so grown up today.
Yesterday, we received a new toilet seat we ordered and John thought it must be something special. Mark told him it wasn’t, but John still was disappointed when he opened the box and saw what it was (he wouldn’t speak to Mark afterward).
Today he came over with his beaming new 5-year-old face and said to me, “Mom, I appreciate the toilet seat now that I’m five. Yesterday, when I was four, I didn’t appreciate it, but now I do.”
When I would tell him how sad I was that he wasn’t going to be four anymore. He invariable responded with, “But I’ll still be cute when I’m five.” And he was right!
Whew!
05 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
Yesterday started at 3:30. We received a call informing us that Mark’s dad had a stroke and the siblings were heading up to see him. Mark left. (He’s not great, but with rehab he should be good.)
4:00 Felt my first tiny earthquake. Time to up the insurance!
At 6:15 Luke woke me to help him get ready for his wrestling meet. He left at 7:00 with the carpool, and Mark got home.
Pete woke up, of course, when I went back to bed, and I got up at 8:00 to get ready to go.
Left at 9:00ish to go to a baptism and baby shower in Salt Lake.
Met the family in Orem at 1:00 to go see the Peking Acrobats.
At 4:30, came home. Mark got ready. Luke came home.
At 6:00, Mark and I went to meet the family- and discover the limo.
Then came dinner at the tree room in the library. With the ugly fire place. What were they thinking?!
We laughed and laughed. And I ate an amazing steak.
And we got “free” truffles!
And then we had the limo ride home… or should I say park-n-ride?
At least we had a good view of the river.
“Limo Woe” or “Two Tires Passing in the Night”
05 Feb 2012 1 Comment
How do I begin?…
So there was this limo…
We passed around the plastic champagne glasses…
Sixty-two gallons of milk later…
I feel like Inigo: “Let me ‘splain’. No- it will take too long; Let me sum up.”
Mark and I spent a couple of hours in a white stretch limousine last night with some of our favorite people. It was supposed to be a half-hour ride. The problem? Flat tire. The bigger problem? No spare. I figure I jinxed the operation with my red-neck heritage; The hillbilly seeped through somehow.
And I laughed and laughed. My favorite part was when the help finally came, jacked up the car, changed the tire, and then unceremoniously dropped us two feet back to the pavement (FWUMP) at which time the driver said into his cell, “They just got done changing the tire.” Which was hilarious…
Then from the back, “And now I need to go change my pants.” Also hilarious.
We learned a lot from this experience; We learned how to open the sun roof and operate the radio. We learned that although one door was on child lock, the other actually wasn’t. We learned that there are a lot of friendly people coming down from Sundance on Saturday night. And that’s about it.
But it was hysterical to me.
And sixty-two gallons of milk later…
Joy of Discovery
05 Jan 2012 3 Comments
I think of the time hundreds of years ago during the Awakening as the world discovered new continents and rediscovered forgotten truths. What an exhilarating time it would have been- although for most people, uneducated serfs, it may have all seemed like a fable, or just uninteresting compared to their daily minutiae.
And then I compare it to the excitement I feel when my children make their daily discoveries. They discover number patterns, ask questions about the world; they invent and create. It’s exhilarating to me to watch them. (I’m still waiting for them to discover the joy of a continually clean home. I haven’t quite mastered that yet.) I think to others outside of my little sphere, their little epiphanies about grammar and physics are mundane. That’s understandable. We are put into families on earth so that we’ll each be special to someone. My someones don’t have to be special to everyone else. People only have so much room in their brains and hearts.
So, I wonder if it is at all interesting to anyone else when my baby, upon finding himself unable to climb the front of the couch, moves over to the side where the dog is sleeping so he can use her as a step stool. He was humming all the while and had his drawing utensils with him, emulating his big brother who was already on the couch humming and drawing. It took mere seconds to witness, and was just one of hundreds of little moments that fill my days. There are so many that would bring me pleasure to recall.
Then I remember that I have these little people for so short a time. When they are living their adult lives, these days of my mothering them will be only a blurry infrequent memory to them. And that is as it should be. But knowing that only makes our time that much more precious to me.
Currently, from my vantage point I can see all six of my gems climbing, running, and sparkling in the sunshine out back. They sit toe to toe while making plans and then one poses for her shadow. They all scatter for freeze tag and squealing ensues. I think I’d like to have that power sometimes, too, to freeze the moment and have them stay just like they are for a while.
Some day I’ll miss my messy house. Now that’s quite a discovery.
Seventh = Heaven
30 Dec 2011 6 Comments
I am old. Ok, oldish. I’ll still be 39 in June when the baby is due. I know I’m going to get warnings and counseling. And pain; lots of pain. Old lady pain. But I’m so excited.
I was wary about taking on the body aches and sleeplessness and small bladder syndrome again. The last one was hard on me. When I was contemplating being “done”, though, I was mourning the possibility of never having a little life inside me again, never feeling that magic, never giving birth again. And even now, when part of me really wants that feeling of completeness (after this one, of course) that I hear about, I still feel sadness that this could be actually the last time.
Mark and I prayed to know we were done, and we both received the message that we were NOT. So here we go again, and it will be wonderful.
Child Says
10 Dec 2011 2 Comments
After the biscuits came out a little (ahem) dark in places, Sam was trying to make me feel better about the situation and assured me,
“At least they’re still healthy for you– except they’re ash.”
Sally Becomes… Sal?
10 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
So my mom was keeping her two baby hens in her front room. (No comment.) After a change in her situation, she needed someone to take care of them. So- Sally and Ruby came to live with us. They’re getting pretty big now- close to full-grown.
A couple of weeks ago we noticed Sally acting strangely. She was “herding” Ruby, and being very bossy. Strange. And she has funny fluffy feathers on her face. And her tail and neck are noticeably longer. And now- last night- she started crowing.
Do you think it would help if I trim her tail? Maybe Sally just had a sore throat last night, and it wasn’t really a crow- maybe it was a croak!
After having two bunnies with gender issues, and having just fired two roosters over irreconcilable differences with the neighbors, I am rather disconcerted.
Maybe I’ll try false eyelashes on her (I’m sticking with the feminine pronouns until absolutely necessary).
High heels?
Or I’ll just call her our henster.
This all leads me to comment the way John does after he bows his head reverently when he’s not chosen to say the prayer:
“Dang it!”
December Means…
02 Dec 2011 2 Comments
Christmas lights, baking, sewing, thinking of others, chill in the air, Jingle Bells, Silent Night, planning, hiding presents, granting wishes, secret Santa, AND… guilt.
Guilt. From not feeling able to do everything you’d like to for people. From feeling like I should have said thank you to so many people already, and now I won’t accomplish it. From not wanting to give “just anything” to people because I like practical gifts, so I end up giving them this: .
Now don’t worry about my guilt. He and I are old friends. We hang out a LOT. Guilt has its drawbacks, but I’ve learned to live with it, and I don’t let it get me down much.
No, I feel fine about my guilt. Really.
And I actually love December. I want Christmas to last the whole month. But it’s going to have to wait for me to clean the basement enough to get to the tree. It’s one of those seemingly impossible things at this point, but it must be done.
After school today, I think I’ll go work on the impossible. Must. Have. Christmas lights.
