Merry Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year (as we always do). I especially loved getting over to my grandpa and grandma's house and visiting with extended family. We spent all day Christmas Eve at my mom and dad's, where it snowed like CRAZY! The kids loved seeing their cousins, we missed the ones in Idaho though :( Brody and Canon ended up with new bikes and even Kelsi got a little trike to ride! She also was introduced into the wonderful world of Barbie. Now, that is something I can work with. So far even after 5 years of trying to play Star Wars, Batman, and the Incredibles, it's still a challenge. Onto Barbies, I say! Then home to our house that evening so Santa could visit. We had a fun Christmas morning and then made our way over to Linda's house for the afternoon. We had such a nice day!

Grandma, Brody, Kelsi reading a special Christmas story.

Dad helping Kelsi into her new kitchen attire.Ready for dinner! Ahhh, we love each other. Christmas stockings on Christmas morning-yeah for SANTA!

Kelsi counting down the days 'til Christmas. Bryce and Granpa RexThe kids and their cousins at Grandma and Grandpa Seaberg's house. Kelsi, working the Radio flyer...complete with her new Barbie shoved in the back trunk. Baby Tyler's going for it though. Brody and Canon All the girls together....Kelsi and Miley with BaumieLook at that snow. These were the biggest flakes I have ever seen in my life-no exaggeration! The camera just does not do it justice. It snowed all day like this. It was beautiful and magical to have snow on Christmas Eve.Our sweet family :)Look at this hottie! He even does kitchen work.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Legend has it that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was a coded song written in England during the 16th century. From 1558 to 1829 Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. So someone wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It had two meanings, the surface meaning and a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Whatever the origin may be, the hidden meanings fill the song with faith and make it interesting for believers today.

1st day of Christmas: "a partridge in a pear tree" a symbol for Jesus Christ
2nd day of Christmas: "2 turtle doves" the Old and New Testaments
3rd day of Christmas: "3 french hens" 3 Christian virtues: faith, hope, charity
4th day of Christmas: "4 calling birds" symbols of the 4 Gospels
5th day of Christmas: "5 golden rings" 1st 5 books of the Old Testament
6th day of Christmas: "6 geese a-laying" refers to the 6 days of creation
7th day of Christmas: "7 swans a-swimming" 7 gifts of the spirit outlined by Paul in Romans 12:6-8.
8th day of Christmas: "8 maids a-milking" the 8 Beattitudes
9th day of Christmas: "9 ladies dancing" recalled the 9 fruits of the Spirit Paul taught the Galatians (5:22-23).
10th day of Christmas: "10 Lords a-leaping" symbolic of the Ten Commandments
11th day of Christmas: "11 pipers piping" represented 11 faithful Apostles
12th day of Christmas: "12 drummers drumming" the 12 Apostles

Fundays

Here is Bryce checking out the snow levels in our front yard Saturday night.

What every mom wants, a daughter who wants to help her in the kitchen! I can't even mix anything in a bowl without Kelsi jumping up on a chair and asking to help. I love it. Here we are making Yummy Potatoes for Nana's Christmas party today.

After a long, hard day sledding with the neighbor kids.

When the outside looks like this:

And the inside looks like this:

You might be pretty bummed, but, you realize it could be worse, it could have happened NEXT week, so then you feel like this:

Carbon Monoxide Dilemma

Yesterday afternoon Bryce called me from home to tell me that our carbon monoxide detector was going off. Now, the kids and I had been gone all morning so I knew nothing had been on at the house to cause any false alarm. We decided to call the fire department who quickly came out to examine the house. The conclusion? We did indeed have an over-abundance of c.m. in our house. Hmmm, fun times.

So we aired out our house (well, let all the cold air in to the tune of 57 degrees in the house after the 'airing.') and waited for the heating company to get to us. Well, after waiting about 6 hours, they finally made their appearance around 8:30pm. I wasn't too annoyed, these are long days for them, apparently people's heaters always go out when they need them most...on these cold, cold days.

After a promise to be back today with their manager (because they were unsure of an exact diagnosis), they left. We stayed the night at Linda's house and woke up this morning to a good 3-4 inches of snow on the ground. And it snowed all day long....with more promised tonight and another drop in temperature tomorrow. So not the time you want to be without a functional furnace. I took Kelsi home around 10:30am to try and heat the house with our little gas fireplace (which honestly didn't work too well. I don't think we ever got above 60 degress after 5 or so hours) and patiently wait for the heater guys.

We waited....and waited.....and waited. Finally around 3:30pm or so they got here. After spending around 2 hours at our house checking EVERYTHING that has anything to do with natural gas we got our diagnosis. Apparently all they can find is that it must have been a 'build up' of c.m. in our house from a mixture or our range, our furnace, and just general living without airing, due to the cold weather.

For a total worry wart, this was not quite a comfortable diagnosis. When your family's lives are possibly at stake you really want someone to be able to tell you , 'yes, this is what was causing it, yes, we have fixed it.' You know? Now, I feel we are just hanging our hopes and our lives on a $45 carbon monoxide detector.

The Santa Clause Effect

Brody loves The Santa Clause movies and we just watched #2 last night on tv. So he totally must have elf-on-the-brain. Today we were playing at the kiddie land in the mall and Brody runs up to me and says, (so excitedly) "Mom, I just saw a kid with really pointy ears! Do you think it's an elf or a kid?"

I leaned over to him and semi-whispered (just in case the pointy-eared kid's mom was close enough to hear), "I think it's just a kid." He leaned back and whispered confidently, "I'm pretty sure it's an elf."

Snow day

It's so exciting to see any kind of snow falling around here. I love watching it, it's so beautiful. I was so excited to hear there was snow in the forecast. I have to be honest though, I expected a lot more than 2 inches. However, when we came out of church today, our cars were slightly covered and there was no holding the kids back when we got home!

Here they are playing in the backyard. Yeah, it lasted about :10 minutes or so until their hands were freezing cold. They only have little stretch, cotton gloves, not any real snow gloves. I guess Santa will have to get on that one. I love seeing it out there though.

There's Nothing Like the Holiday Season

As a kid we had superb holiday celebrations. My mom is the oldest of 11 kids in a mixed family, but the mix didn't matter, we were close to everyone and saw everyone on a regular basis. This makes for a pretty wild Christmas Eve (the day we all got together at my grandparent's house). I am the second oldest of 41 grandkids and counting. My mom's youngest sisters are all right around my age. It was incredibly fun to grow up near them. I love them like they were my own sisters.

My youngest aunt (just turned 30) is a regular contributer to a local paper and while at my mom's house recently, I picked up the paper and read her column. It was entitled, "A sure-fire, 12 step plan for a nicer holiday for everyone." As I read her tips I was touched by the sweetness and charity of her "plan." Since I am pretty sure I'd be violating some sort of copy law if I re-printed it word for word here, I am putting the link to her article on line here http://www.thevidette.com/thisweek/regarding.html.

Go there, read this, and do at least one. I guarantee it will make your holiday a little more special. I know I plan on it.

Tis the holiday season

I love the holidays and especially love holiday parties. Kickin' off the holiday season I went to The Victorian Christmas last Wednesday with mom and Whitney. We had SUCH a fun day walking around all of the buildings filled with holiday cheer. Thank you Linda for watching my kids!

Then yesterday we had our Elders Quorum ward party. That was such a blast. It is awesome to get to hang out with other adults (and no kids!) and just get to visit, eat, and gear up for the holidays. We always do a white elephant exchange and I was surprised at how many couples showed up this year-as opposed to last year. I swear we must have doubled in size~of course there were a lot of fun gag gifts at the exchange, but I feel like the Schneiders scored pretty well. We ended up walking out of there with a boardgame (The Battle of the Sexes, which I have already looked at and think we will have fun playing).

A CD player for your car (which is junk to most people, however, I still drive a 1995-er and yeah-no CD player there folks).

Then someone else gave us an Atari joystick that plugs into your tv and has 11 classic games on it. Just so you know, Kendra and Whitney, I am so kickin' butt on Pitfall! Brody is loving it too.

So bring on the holiday cheer because the RS party is on Tuesday and the ward Christmas party is this Saturday. Hmmm, if it wasn't for our membership in the ward I'd be out of luck on the party scene, eh? Hope you all are finding lots of fun-filled Christmas parties to go to, to get you in the holiday spirit!

More Brody-isms

Man, when I get an itch to blog, it just all comes out...Brody is so funny. I just have to throw some "Brody quotes" on here because well, 1) it's been awhile since I have and 2) he's thrown a few doozies out for me lately that cannot be ignored.

sick: adjective. an expression to say when you don't want to. Ex: mom says, "Brody can you please get dressed now?" Brody says, "sick." (with a disgusted look on face).

blast: adjective. a word to use when something is really good. "Mom! Their house is blast!" (used to describe this house we always admire down our street).

Here are a couple of his classic phrases:

"It takes me back" "Mom, remember when I liked Batman when I was a little kid so many years ago? It takes me back."

"Fixing my hair is like evil to me" said when I asked him to come get his hair combed.

Or how about tonight when I gave him a bedtime snack, after setting his plate and yogurt in front of him he says (really upbeat and chipper, with truly great thankfulness), "Mom, this is great service!" I just laughed, but Bryce asked if he was going to leave a tip...I think that confused him a little. But made me laugh harder.

How about when my sweet boy comes to me tonight to tell me that he's been having bad thoughts all day. At first he doesn't want to tell me what it is, but asked if we could pray about it and said he's said "like 10 or 12 prayers all day!" about it and he's still having bad thoughts. I told him to tell me and I won't be mad. I didn't know what to expect, but I wasn't expecting his sad confession of, "I watched the Simpsons. But it was all dad's fault! He didn't turn it off!"

Hmmm, well, probably dad was too busy on the computer to realize it was on, so I told him we couldn't blame dad. Then told him how proud I was of him for telling me and for realizing that it was wrong to watch that show and that because he was feeling so bad about it, I knew he had a really good heart. How can anyone not just love being a mom? These kids make it all worth it!

Oh boy...

Okay, so I really wanted to go private with my blog, but then found out that for some reason it is not updating new posts on any of my friend's blogs. I am sure this is some setting somewhere on my blog and should be totally easy to fix, HOWEVER, I cannot find it! So for the time being, unless some genius blogger out there can tell me how to fix this, I must go back to a non-private blog. Let's face it, no one knows when I post and that's all of the fun of a blog is knowing people are reading it!

So, here's to anonymity.

Holiday Fact Check

I got this from a friend's blog and due to my insane dedication to everything holiday, I must answer and post!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Oh, Egg Nog, for sure, only Darigold though please. Santa used to bring each of us four kids our own half gallon which we would then label and devour.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or sit them under the tree? Oh wrap them, definitely and always places his special HUGE red Santa bow on them so the kids can tell they are from him.
3. Colored or white lights on tree and house? The house is white, always white. Hmm, this year we did two trees-one pre-lit, white light tree and then we added colored lights for the kids. The formal tree always gets white lights with red strands woven in.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? My mom does every year, but I have only hung it once. I'd better get on that.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Are you kidding me? Umm, I seem to have department store syndrome, because it gets earlier every year. This year I put them up the Saturday before Thanksgiving-fake tree with presents under it and all!
6. What is your favorite holiday dish, not including dessert? Aunt Carol's crescent rolls or Aunt Kerry's yummy potatoes.
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? I really have to put a couple here because I cannot choose. #1) dancing around with my sister to White Christmas, thank you Vera-Ellen for years of dancing entertainment, I so wanted to be you in the 'Mandy' dance. #2) getting my talking doll Julie-I had peeked through the wrapping paper and seen her big blue eye from her picture on the box! What a stinker I was, but don't think that ruined my Christmas, just made me more excited to know I was getting what I wanted!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I spent many a Christmas Eve camped out on the stairs with any willing sibling trying to catch mom and dad putting presents in stockings. I believed in Santa, but thought they were the culprits (because come on, we had a wood stove and I know he wasn't coming down our chimney!). However, they were super sneaky and never made their appearance until I zonked off.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Hello! Do you know my family? Duh, we opened all of our gifts on the night of December 23rd!!! We were so busy on the 24th and 25th going to grandparents we never had a day to ourselves and finally it ended up being either the night of the 23rd or the night of the 24th. In my family today we open Christmas morning, although this year to get a special evening, we will be reading the Christmas story the night of the 23rd and opening 1 gift while eating delicious white chocoloate peppermint popcorn. How Christmas-y is that?
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I always do my formal tree with white lights, red lights, and all the decs are red, silver, or white. I also put on white sparkly poinsettia flowers in the tree branches-beautiful.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? Love it! Love watching it fall, love bundling up my kids to play in it for all of 5 min and don't mind driving in it too much if only around town.
12. Can you ice skate? No, never even have tried.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Yes, doll Julie who talked. She was so neat!
14. What's the most important thing about the holidays to you? The feeling and spirit of Christmas. Remembering the goodness of our Savior during this time. Seeing the goodness of mankind reflected in 'Santa,' I always tell my kids it's called Christmas magic.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? So hard to choose...I love Nana's Peanut Butter pie and any kind of pudding/trifle/pie.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Gosh, I have to say December 24th. As a kids we always went to my grandparent's big Christmas Eve party and it was topped off by a visit from Santa handing out presents. As an adult, I still think it's December 24th, now spent all day at my mom's house with my siblings' families. The 24th is the best! (We love the 25th too Linda!).
17. What tops your tree? A lighted angel
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? As a kid, receiving was the best, as an adult, definitely giving.
19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Any Roger Whitiker from his Christmas album, The Carpenter's- Merry Christmas Darling, Bing Crosby- White Christmas, any version of O Holy Night, The Christmas Waltz, You're All I Want for Christmas, Frank Sinatra-Mistletoe & Holly. So many more, as long as they give me the tummy tickles.
20. Candy Canes. Yuck or Yum? Only crushed up in a peppermint/chocolate trifle. Come on, with all of the great desserts during the holiday season who has time for sucking on a candy cane?

Merry Christmas Everyone!

My Christmas Angels

Moms always say, "I can't believe how fast my kids are growing."

Really, before I had kids I just figured this is what old people had to say to account for their wrinkles and bad memory. Time was going by, people get older, what was so hard about that to remember? For me (and every kid) I thought time was crawling by and I was definitely not getting as old as I wanted as fast as I wanted (especially in high school). However somewhere between ages 25 and 32 I got into my mother's time zone because now I find myself sighing while looking at pictures taken only a few years ago and thinking "where does the time go?"


This picture was taken for Kelsi's first Christmas and seriously, sometimes I think this is how old my kids still should be. Look at the adorableness. How did they get so big? (That's me talking and not my mother....okay, I am going right now to look for those wrinkles...really).
I am just so grateful for every second and every minute that I get to spend with these little stinkers. And I am so happy to watch them grow up, but sometimes I wish we could slow it down a bit-you know? I just love, love, love my Christmas angels.

Gingerbread Yummies

Busy, busy, busy! Bring on the holidays. Over the weekend we bought the kids a gingerbread house to put together. Seriously, who waits a full :15 min. for the frosting to set? I 'frosting' glued it together and set the timer and then, trying to kill time, we seperated the candy into little dishes, let the kids lick some of the frosting, and pick 2 candies each to eat. Yeah, that took all of about 30 seconds. Next thing I know Bryce is squirting frosting on so they can decorate-oh well, as long as the house doesn't fall apart, I thought. Hey no worries. The decorating went fantastic as you can see, and the kids we so excited. As I was cleaning up the mess and the kids went running off...the timer went off!
Anyway, the life of the gingerbread house didn't last much longer. That thing was devoured by Sunday night. Geesh, Kelsi can't even get off the house long enough to look at a camera! But didn't they do such a good job?

Tag

Okay, tagged by Becky! Seven things you may not know about me...

1) I would much rather take a hot bath than a shower (no I am not worried about soaking in my own filth...geesh, I bathe every day, how dirty can I get?!)

2) I can run a router, and a drill press, and a table saw, and numerous other kinds of tools thanks to a job in college as a plastics manufacturing plant manager.

3) My brother taught me how to cook eggs, when I was like 14 years old (and he was 12)! Yeah, I've never been too bright in the kitchen, thanks bro. I actually once threw away a pan full of half scrambled eggs I was making for some kids I was baby-sitting, because they looked so wrong...and I'd never cooked eggs before and thought I was doing it wrong. Duh-I know.

4) My family LOVES Christmas time and my mom always leaves our tree up way past New Year's. Her personal record is past Valentine's Day. And no, this was not a fake tree. Gosh, talk about a total fire hazard!

5) I once spent a summer selling pest control in California. Please, please have pity on me, that was the hardest job ever.

6) My favorite job I've ever had was being a waitress in Elma at The Rusty Tractor Restaurant. Great food, go there.

7) My sisters and I loved watching musicals when we were little and we always chose our favorite girl in each movie to "be." As a kid I was Dorcas in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Brigitta in Sound of Music and some unnamed chick with long dark hair in Oklahoma.

Okay, now I tag Whitney, Jen, and Nicole

Our Halloween

We had a fun night last night. We went to Linda's Trunk or Treat/Carnival. The kids played lots of games; the football toss, bowling, cake walk (both won yummy treats), hammer the nail, and several others. As you can see, Bryce went as a pirate and I went with as much costume as I like-a little boa and cute little devil horns. Maybe I'll branch out more next year.

The nice thing about having little kids on Halloween is that they have no idea when they don't get a butt-load of candy. Our kids each filled their plasic pumpkins less than half full, but they think they hit the motherload. I am sooo not looking forward to the days when they run out of the door promising to fill their entire pillowcase. As it is, I came home at 9pm to an entire bowl full of peanut butter cups and kit kat-candy I never gave out last night. Now what am I going to do with that candy and the kids' candy? Drown it, I say.

Hummpphhh

Fluke, FLUKE! Oh such a fluke! She KNOWS. She knows that I have figured out she will go potty in the toilet if left unclothed. Because guess what? She now refuses to go naked. After yesterday morning's triumphs we got....NOTHING. Not one more time in the toilet and she insisted on having a diaper.

So, this is what I have to look forward to huh? 16 more years of trying to use some sort of tricked-out-child-reverse-psychology because Kelsi is determined to make parenting an adventure. I'll I can say right now is (insert whatever is your favorite total scream of frustration here!)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So there you go,

Our kids are twins, and apparently, I have been complaining about nothing. They both look more like me by a whole, whopping 3%! This was fun, you should try it.

Schneider Look-alike Meter

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Oh my GOSH, this crazy blogging world

I have SOOOO been on pins and needles while following this fantastic blog called My Super Hopeless Romance. (www.mysuperhopelessromance.blogspot.com ). In a nutshell, this girl, Cordy, is in love with her guy-best friend and trying to figure out what to do about it. This blog had me hootin' and hollarin' and refreshing the page waitng to see what had happened each day. I loved it!

It turns out it was a fictional writing from another bloggy I read occasionally, crazy huh?! This woman did such an amazing job of connecting to all of us because who doesn't remember feeling that gauntlet of emotions that come when you venture into that unknown world of falling in love with someone? You never know how it's going to turn out, how they feel about you, or if you should lay it on the line or hold back how you feel. Hindsight is 20/20. And reading about Cordy going through this emotional turmoil just took me right back into my dating years and all of those emotions. I found myself rooting for her, empathizing with her, and wishing I could tell her not to have any regrets.

Now, any writer who can capture a huge audience like this woman did, with a fictional romance blog deserves one big cyberspace round of applause.

We have lift off!

Apparently, as long as she's naked, Kelsi is potty trained. That doesn't help me much while at Target though, does it? She's one of those kids. You know, the ones whom parents can never keep clothed. She is my little naked booty-baby. So the next time you are at my house, think twice about sitting on my couches, you know where that bare bum has been. (Hey, I kick her off every time I see her there, but still...)

I have been wanting to potty train her for about 3 or so months. I tried pretty hard one day and she flaunted her personal potty independance in my face. She refused to go pee in the pot. Since that day I have thought about trying again. Especially those times when out of the blue she decides to deposit 'it' then 'swish it.' Those are exciting moments, usually followed up with me putting her in big girl panties, which she then proceeds to wet in the next hour-somewhere on the floor. Lovely.

However, this morning I let her run free of her diaper and lo and behold, while sitting up at the counter eating cereal, she looks at me and says, "I go potty." "Okay, let's go," by this time I know not to get too excited, usually she sits down for .2 seconds, then stands up and says, I done. So, we run into the bathroom, she sits, and whoosh! Lift off! We wipe, flush, and clean little potty bucket and away she goes. About :10 min. later I hear her messing around in the bathroom. This is nothing new, yesterday she dragged the potty chair out into the living room and completely dismantled it. So I thought nothing of what was going on in the bathroom more than something I'll have to clean up later. But she comes to me and tells me " I potty." again. Hmmm, I'd better go check this out, after all, whatever she did in there, she did in total darkness because the light was off and she can't reach it. We march in and she proudly points to p*#@p (no this is not some link) in the toilet! Now this is something new.

To conclude, my hope for today is that this is not a fluke. As long as I keep her bottom half naked I hope she will continue to take those cues and run to the toilet when nature calls. Wish us luck.

Pumpkins, Hulas, and Crimefighters

Here are Brody and Kelsi all dressed up for our Trunk or Treat/Carnival on Saturday. Actually, I am kinda bummed we missed most of the carnival because I think the kids would have had a total blast playing all of the games. Luckily we are going to Grandma Linda's carnival on Friday. At least we made it to ours for the food and the treating and it turned out to be a pretty good candy-haul for the kids.

Kelsi turned out to be the cutest-ever Hula darling-diva and Brody (who has been planning on going as Harry Potter for the last 2 months, but refused to put on that costume :15 before it was time to leave) was, of course, totally rockin' the Batman look (having had much practice for the last 3 years..see many previous posts).

I am sorry we were so lame this year and totally dissed on both Lattin's and Hunter's. We had major commitments the two Saturdays before Halloween and I am not taking two crazed kids to either place by myself, while wheel-barrowing 4 heavy pumpkins back and forth from the patch. I've learned that lesson before and this mama's too smart to be falling into that trap again anytime soon. So without the hubby on the weekdays, and with our Saturdays booked, this picture of the kids from last year at Hunter's will have to do.

This one's for you, babe.

Awww, look at those kids. About to embark on life's journey together. Do I still consider October 24, 2002 one of the best and most beautiful days of my life? Of course! But a sweeter memory are the 127 days that preceeded Oct. 24th. That wonderful summer of 2002 when we met, dated, and fell in love. Looking at this picture I see two people who were so excited to be together, bound together here on earth and for eternity. I remember feeling so lucky that this amazing man was mine and I was his. I still thank God every day for the gift of being sealed to him now and forever.

Six years later has it been all it was cracked up to be? Well, to be honest, it has been. I had originally started to write that not all of my naive bridal dreams had come true, but as I tried to think of one dream that hadn't come true....I couldn't. Oh, not everything has been as smooth as dreams seem to make them out. I really thought that 2 1/2 years after having my last baby I would be getting good sleep through the night. So, one dream laid to rest...(at least something's resting). Oh, I also thought after last said baby I'd have lost those last 10 baby pounds. Hummpphh! Enough said on that.

I also envisioned my days as a stay at home mom filled with children who clamored around me , wide-eyed little sponges, as I taught them gospel principles, their abc's, and how to get along with others. We filled our days with singing, playing, baking, and the usual Smurf-y kind of merriment you usually see in seminary videos. (Or am I just remembering those videos wrong? It was pretty early in the morning).

The reality is, my little sponges are more interested in PBS and computer games than my forms of teaching. They don't always get along with each other. And sometimes mom even loses her temper and yells. Insert a large *GASP* from the peanut gallery here.

But, dreams do come true. I have a wonderful and helpful husband who works so hard each day for our family. I have wonderful children who are smart, loving, kind, playful, and I love being with them each day. I am a SAHM, which I wanted to be. I have a beautiful home (that I love) to stay at home in each day.

And I get Bryce. I can't get too mushy for everyone and all to see, but no dream would be reality without him and I am so lucky the guy I married turned out to be my best friend.

Happy Aniversary! XOXO

Genius Genes

"My kid is smarter than your kid...." (in the most annoying, sing-song voice). Yes, I know. Every parent thinks, at some point, that their child is a genius, a prodigy, the next Einstein, you get the picture. So today is my day to oogle, aww, and ohhh over the gigantic brain that encumpasses my 5 year old's head. What did he do? You may be asking? Re-invent the wheel? Tune up the car? SOOOO CLOSE! He read this:
With no help from me and no sounding out. Just pouring the kids' cereal and Brody asks, "Mom, what's play food?" As casual as can be, in spite of the fact that he had just labeled himself....GENIUS!


I knew he had been sounding out words correctly. I have been hearing him in the car reading his little books. You know the ones. Hop on pop. Snow bugs. Pig, dog, cat, etc. But 'play food?!', hey little boy, you just hit one out of the park during a big league baseball game! So kudos to my little smartie pants today. Now mom knows for sure that I have a future BA, BS, MD, DDS, GA or some other title with initials behind it.

One for the picture books

Well, I came across my digital camera this afternoon and loaded the pictures that had been on there for a few weeks onto my computer. Gosh, I had forgotten just how cute my little kiddos are. Yes, I still live with them. No, neither them or myself has spontaneously combusted or moved to Africa or anything. I guess I just take their adorableness for granted so I thought I'd share today.

Here is a picture of Brody showing me his cool Star Wars droid and Spiderman. He is really taken with a new action figure just about daily. Luckily for him, I've indulged this whim for the last 2 years or so and now a new whim no longer requires a trip to Target. Their action figure aisle looks just like Brody's toy bin and now we just recycle.

Oh, you want Batman today? Well, let me go see where...yes, here he is...(mom digs 4 or so different Batmans out of said bin)...oh, and the shirt too? Okay honey, (switch out what he's wearing for Batman shirt or full-blown Batman costume). See, this can work for Star Wars, Power Rangers, Spiderman, Harry Potter, etc. We got it all.

Now, here's the Princess. Actually I should write it like this...THE PRINCESS. She loves dresses, costumes, shoes, jewelery, and just the general prissiness of being a girl. I did not encourage this. Not that I mind and would have encouraged it if we had gotten about this far along and she had not shown much interest. However, none of my interference was neccessary because she became a PRINCESS all on her own. And if you ask her, "I pwincess." And then goes about ordering anyone who is within hearing distance around just to demonstrate her immense authority.

And with all of that girliness, she's got the emotional range of the Milky Way. Her happiness=ECSTATIC. Her sorrow=DEVESTATION (with real tears at the drop of a hat). And I am loving every minute of it. Oh, except last night, when she sat next to my bathtub and cried/screamed for a solid :20 min before I decided she had thoroughly ruined my 'mom relaxation time.'

So, we are so happy with our little kiddos.

I am sick of politics

But with the election only 3 weeks away I find myself reading articles, watching the news, and hanging over the debates. However, I now find myself truly disturbed over something. Last night I was blog hopping here and there and ended up on some LDS persons website where they were singing the praises of Barack Obama. They had something like 60 comments (my guess is quite a few of those came from their LDS/Christian friends and family community) and the majority of the comments were that people were supporting him.

I don't know or care much about Obama the man, (even though my mom thinks that is a whole other issue!) but I have read enough to know that a vote for the Democratic ticket deals with two things I find abhorrent and have a hard time believing that anyone in the LDS or a Christian faith can support. These two things are abortion and gay marriage. I just gave a lesson in YW on Sunday and some of it dealt with abortion and thanks to a wonderful article in this month's Ensign, I had some great quotes from Elder Russell M. Nelson to share with the girls about the church's strong and forthright opinion on this subject. I suggest all people should read this article. http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=b4b8db98e2b9c110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1

Then I came across this article http://www.newsweek.com/id/163896?GT1=43002 about what a vote for Obama means concerning abortion. He believes as part of the women's movement that a women's right to choose to abort is totally and fully her choice! If you click the above article, I believe that Elder Nelson explains quite clearly that a baby is not a choice, it is a consequence of having sex (whether wanted or not!). She already made her choice by starting down that path.

Much to my horror Obama has no support nor shown a history of support for a child in the womb. He also supports the idea that a child who is the victim of a late-term abortion (read between the lines...a fully formed baby), but SURVIVES has no rights to life. Can you imagine trying to abort a baby, yet it survives and what? is then born alive and people believe at this point you just...what? let it die? Yes, I can see that is totally within our Heavenly Father's plan (laying on the sarcasm VERY thick here). How can someone who considers themselves a Christian support this ticket?

I am not even going into gay marriage, but just let me say that if schools and politicians think that teaching such a controversial, moral issue in schools to kids, without their parents permission, does not CROSS THE LINE into religious issues in schools they are nuts. Because essentially, by teaching my child in school that gay marriage is okay, they are telling my child that the God I teach him about at home is wrong. And if that isn't mixing religion in school, then I don't know what is!

So you know, if you want to leave a comment, do, but if you feel like kicking my trash in the comments-don't bother. No one will change my views on the above topics and besides this is my blog and I can write what I want. If what I said bothers you, go complain about it on your own blog!

You want to know the truth

behind the economic issues? In order to understand what's happening now, you need to understand legislation (or lack of it) at least several years ago. This economic crisis didn't just jump up and bite us in the butt....it's been coming for awhile. Some saw it and some refused to see it. This little link will give you great insight as to who needs to stand up and take some blame for no regulation. However, I am sure there is enough blame to go around for everyone from Republicans to Democrats to banks to people who bit off more mortgage than they could chew. I just wish the media could get it right.

So for all of you 4 people or so who read my blog...here you go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5z9lD4C2Io

The Husband Tag

I love this tag off of my friend Stephanie's blog, I never get to talk enough about Bryce!

1. Where did you meet your husband? This needs some background. I had just gotten home from BYU and was living in Elma/working in Olympia. We knew some girls from Elma who were attending the singles ward and activities in Oly and Jen (I was unaware) told them to give my number to a cute guy they see there. So they give it to Bryce and he calls. We end up talking on the phone for several weeks before we decide to meet for lunch. That was all she wrote.
2. How long did you date before you were married? We officially met for lunch July 11, 2002 and were engaged September 16, and married October 24th.
3. How long have you been married? 5 years, 11 months, and 5 days
4. What does he do that surprises you? He has the most eclectic music taste I have ever heard! The other day we were in Costco and he was all ga-ga over the African music.
5. What is his favorite feature of mine? I had to ask him...my eyes. Yes, I did win prettiest eyes in 8th grade-who knew it would snag me a husband?
6. What is your favorite quality of his? I can't pick just one...1) he has amazing people skills. He can read people so easily and knows just what to say to people to motivate them and encourage them and make them laugh or feel at ease. 2) He finds joy and humor in just about everything and helps me to realize life doesn't have to be so serious. 3) He is a do-er. I've never once seen him procrastinate anything-he even eats all of his veggies first thing right off to get them out of the way!
7. Does he have a nickname for you? Oh, probably babe.
8. What is his favorite food? Good BBQ, fruit platters, Hostess cupcakes, and pizza
9. What is his favorite sport? To play when a kid-soccer or football, to play as an adult-basketball, to watch on tv-football
10. When and where was your first kiss? 3rd Sunday in July after the Lakefair fireworks.
11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Projects for our house-shopping stores for stuff for the house.
12. Do you have any children? Yes, Brody 5 yrs and Kelsi 2 1/2 yrs.
13. Does he have any hidden talents? He draws pretty good, sings on key, still plays good soccer, and has a keen eye for dressing and decorating.
14. How old is he? 36
15. Who said I love you first? Me, definitely me. Well, I had to make sure, he was talking marriage and hadn't even said I love you. I kinda had to drag it out of him.
16. What is his favorite music? Refer to #4. So, reggae, african (apparently), 80's rock, caribbean, and who knows what else!
17. What do you admire most about him? His ability to be happy under most circumstances and to work hard for our family.
18. What is his favorite color? Blue-I think
19. Will he read this? I don't think so, unless I tell him it's on here and he gets curious.
20. Who do you tag? Anyone who wants to do this-it was fun!

Skeletons in my closet

Yesterday morning I got an email from the YW's president in the ward asking if I would teach a class on style for mutual Wednesday night. Now, there was a time when I would have considered myself a good candidate for teaching a class about how to dress your body for maximum style results. But those days, my friends, have been in the past, or more realistically, a bin in my garage labeled "Kelly's skinny clothes" for the last 3 years. I shuddered, re-read the email, groaned a little, and then replied that I would. Well, besides being slightly flattered (the prez actually said I always look put together, but let's face it she was desperate and she only sees my 1 day a week), I had guilt because I am the Mia Maid advisor and kind of have somewhat of a responsibility to help out a little and she had asked for a volunteer and no one else complied. So here I go.

I sat at my computer Monday morning and googled, 'dressing for body type.' As I read all of the experts fashion advice on how to maximize your blessings and minimize your curses, I realized how far I had come off the fashion path. I mentally sifted through the clothes hanging in my closet and thought of the circumstance under which each was purchased.

*Bought for Bryce's company Christmas party a desperate 24 hours before said event (about 3 things fall into this category-hey he's worked there 6 years-and every year is the same story)

*Bought while hauling 2 fussing kids around a shopping cart in Target, or the mall, or Old Navy, or Fred Meyer....

*Bought while sitting at my computer....online! This has happened numerous amounts of times and let me say, that almost none of these items were very flattering, just were getting worn repeatedly anyway.

*Bought when pretty skinny in a size I knew would only be mine if I never gave birth again or ate again...but was with the hubby and he insisted and then questioned when I said maybe I should by a size up. Yeah, that dress hasn't been worn since 2004.

Overall, my closet was full of clothes that were bought under duress and nothing was especially flattering. I don't even own a go-to outfit, that is scary. I have shorts that I keep resurrecting every summer-hoping, pants that hang there taunting me to ever be able to fit them again, tops that have gone out of style while waiting to be worn on some ever-elusive day. Seeing a theme here? I have a closet, but it is someone else's.

It was a true wake-up call to me. So I went to the library and stocked myself on fashion/style books to help me plan the class, but also to re-plan me. As uncomfortable as it was to come face to face with my worst nightmare (okay not really, I know there are way worse things out there...but in the category of "this is not life threatening, but still a big deal"), the mom I swore I'd never be, the proverbial "I've had kids and I look it," mom. I know it's time to purge and build.

So here goes for the rules for the new closet.

1) I will not go shopping with children, on a deadline, or for clothes at Target.
2)I will not buy something that I do not try on first.
3) I will buy higher quality clothes that will not fall apart, lose shape, or get these mysterious little holes in the front (finally figured out why ALL of my shirts were doing this-leaning against a porous kitchen counter top 10 hours a day puts holes in cheap fabric).
4) I will only buy clothes that are flattering. I know this sounds like a duh! statment, but its been happening, usually due to the screaming kids/deadlines.

But now I must get back to planning Wednesday's lesson and figure out how to pack a lifetime's amount of style info into :15 min.

You think wha???

I found these questions on some person's blog and thought it would be fun to corner Brody and see how he answers:


1) What is something mom always says to you? I love you

2) What makes mom happy? When I hug her

3) What makes mom sad? When I don't hug her

4) What does you mom do to make you laugh? tickle me

5) How old is your mom? I don't know

6) What was your mom like as a child? quiet

7) How tall is your mom? shorter than dad

8) What is your mom's favorite thing to do? putting on her makeup

9) What does your mom do when your not around? get groceries

10) If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? famous for money

11) What is your mom really good at? washing the dishes

12) What is your mom not so good at? getting on stilts (sticks he said) and jumping over things

13) What does your mom do for her job? wash the dishes and make her bed

14) What is your mom's favorite food? junk food

15) What makes you proud of your mom? when she hugs me

16) If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Hermione

17) What do you and your mom do together? cuddle

18) How are you and your mom the same? I don't know

19) How are you and your mom different? we don't talk the same

20) How do you know your mom loves you? cause moms love their kids

So that's what my son thinks of me!

Ten Quirks of Kelly

Okay, here we go....tagged again. Thanks Natalie. Actually, really, thank you-it gives me something to blog about.

1) All the clothes in my closet hang by color. In my kids' closet they hang by color, then long-sleeve/short-sleeve. Bryce's closet hang by style, then seperated into color.

2) Every single night I have to take a walk around the house and check every window to make sure it is locked, the garage door to make sure it is closed, and all applainces turned off or unplugged.

3) My checkbook has to be balanced to the penny. Yes, sometimes it gets off and sometimes I search for the offage and sometimes I just write it in and move on-see how relaxed I am getting?

4) I can watch the same movies or read the same books over and over and over and over and over again! Myhusband thinks I am crazy....

5) Apparently I tend to have over dramatic reactions to minor things. Again, this drives my husband crazy. (He came up with that one).

6) Okay people, I know everyone out there probably thinks I suffer from OCD, so here's one to solidify your assumption. Every thing in my pantry faces with the labels out and turned at precisely all the same angle. So does everything in my cupboards. Don't knock me-I like it that way, you can see everything and it looks pretty.

7) I totally hate it when people driving in cars do not use their blinker. Hello! I'd like to know if you are turning or changing lanes so I can drive accordingly. I, law abiding citizen that I am, always do, but my husband never does and this drives me crazy...

8) I like to dress my kids in coordinating holiday outfits. I tried church outfits for awhile-always dressing them in the same color or shade of color but now that Kelsi is totally into pink, pink, pink, with a willing purple thrown in there-it ain't so easy. I can't wait for the next baby, because you'd better believe it will be coordinating with someone.

9) I love old music and listen to my GRANDMA'S station-KIXI 880 AM (680 AM is also a great station for anything pre-1950's music)...oh I also wear support hose, a flowered house apron, and get my hair permed down at the 'beauty salon...'

10) I am a nighttime freak and can awaken to even the tiniest "what was that?!" noise, sure at any moment I will come face to face with some crazy wandering around in my house. I have planned escape routes from every room in the house, including how I would get my kids and what household items I would use to smack an intruder in the head with. So beware....there is a 14in heavy metal candlestick that I keep in Kelsi's closet for just such an occasion!!

So now I am going to tag Whitney, Emily, and Nicole.

10)

Ooohhh, The Life!

Happy Aniversary to me...and Bryce. Well, almost. Actually our anniversary is October 24th and this year will be 6 years for us. But this last week we were able to stay at a wonderful resort about half an hour away from Olympia, Alderbrook resort.

I just want to thank (again!) my great MIL, Linda, who was able to take the kids Wednesday night, Thursday and Friday. Thank you so much!

We had a great time, eating in the resort's restaurant, walking the beautiful grounds, and enjoying the perfect sunny weather! I couldn't have asked for a more perfect setting for a great anniversary get-away.

Kelly's Yummiest Apple Crisp

Here is my recipe for apple crisp. I took the crisp my mom makes and tweaked it. As in added more butter and sugar-yes, that makes it the yummiest. So if you are not into a crunchy, sweet, buttery topping on your crisps, back off and quit reading because this thing is delectable.

For the topping:
1c brown sugar
1 1/2c white sugar
2 1/2c flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/4c oatmeal

*Mix topping together, set aside

For a 9x13 pan, peel approx. 8 Fuji apples (this is the kind I like, use whatever you like though) and slice into a greased pan. Sprinkle approx 1/3c of a sugar/cinammon mixture (you know, just sugar mixed with cinammon to taste) onto apples and toss until well coated. Now for the yummiest part....

Melt 2 sticks of real butter and mix into dry ingredients until all the dry has been covered with butter. If you need to melt more butter to make this happen, melt away and add it. Spread buttered topping all over top of apples. If you want more topping than this makes, repeat above steps for topping. Some people like it really thick and honestly, I can't remember HOW thick the original amounts make the topping. Let's just say it ain't skimpy though, okay?

Cook in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and crispy. It may not get super crispy due to all of the butter, but it will harden a little upon cooling.

There you go, impress your hubby tonight!

The Natalie Tag

Okay, I got tagged by Natalie a few days ago and then forgot! Sorry Natalie, but here ya go:

Three Joys:

1. Sunny days (most beautiful sunny days ever in the Northwest)
2. Feeling and looking good (oh I know, how vain am I)
3. Fun Family Outings (the zoo, talking walks, Farmer's Market)

Three Current Obsessions:

1. Betsy-Tacy books (Maud Lovelace, so nostalgic)
2. Kelsi's pigtails (They are so, so cute)
3. Getting Pregnant (The time is NOW, I just have to convince the hubby)

Three Surprising Facts:

1. I'd like to be a good seamstress (my kids would love it if I could actually make them little costumes and stuff)
2. I love driving in the car by myself with my radio turned up (with kids I always listen to their stuff, I'd like to know what's actually on the radio)
3. I make the best apple crisp (surprising, yes, since I am not nationally known as a great cook)

Brody turns 5

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRODY!!

Our wonderful son turned 5 years old yesterday. And I'll admit, I was feeling a bit nostalgic all Friday night and all day Saturday because the day I went into labor with Brody 5 years ago was a Friday afternoon around 3pm and he was born the next morning, Saturday, at 7:47am. So, I don't know, something about knowing that it was the exact same timeline as the evening and morning I was in labor with him and he was born, was totally getting to my mind. I kept looking at the clock and thinking about where I was in labor with him all evening long on Friday. Then remembering Saturday morning to a morning 5 years earlier when his birth made Bryce and I parents. It was very special.

He invited his cousin Canon, to come spend the night-me telling him he could have 1 friend over. We took the kids out to pizza and then went to Charlie's Safari-a fun place for kids to play, with several air-inflated bounce houses and a huge climbing area with slides and etc. Bryce and I played putt-putt golf while the kids played and he whipped me soundly! I ended up owing him a foot massage for a hole in one.

The next day all the family came up for cake, ice cream and presents. It was a beautiful and sunny day and we were so grateful to have family close to come and celebrate the special time with us.

Laundry for the insane

I have just had an 'aha' moment. Do most of you ladies out there hate doing laundry? Well, call me freakin' crazy because I LOVE it! Why? Because it incorporates some of my very most favorite things:

Organization
Sanitation
Fanaticism
Efficiency
Repition

First you take smelly, dirty clothes and separate them into little neat piles (organization).

Then you fill up your washing machine with said clothes and dump in the soap (sanitiation).

Next the clothes go into the dryer and come out smelling sweet, feeling warm, and I love it when I can smooth out the wrinkles on warm, pliable clothes and put them into neat and concise piles for each family member (again, organization).

Now said piles get formed into one large pile to be carried upstairs. I always go to Kelsi's room first, then Brody's room, then upstairs bathroom, master bedroom and master bath. Therefore, when I pack small piles into one large, the piles are in descending order from bottom to top opposite of the order I move from room to room. So, of course Kelsi's stuff ends up on top and master bath ends up on the bottom. (fanaticism).

Then upstairs we go and next comes probably my most favorite part....putting them away. I move from room to room, like one in a dance, placing piles of laundry on each person's dresser, starting with Kelsi, until I have placed all laundry piles in each person's room. Then I move back through and put each item away. (pure craziness)

I enjoy the sight of a full and clean-clothed closet and when I glance in the laundry basket get a thrill when I see it filling up again, knowing I can soon do more laundry. Sometimes I can't even wait for a full load and have to get everything clean and all laundry baskets empty-even if it means a half load. Oh wait! There are always towels, rugs, or the clothes I am wearing to throw in to make a full load. (totally insane, oh and repition)

Oh man, just writing this is getting me excited. I think I'll send my kids out to play in the mud.

A Christmas Story

"Every family has a kids who won't eat..." That was me. I hated mealtimes. I hated meat. I hated warm food. My only food desire between the ages of 2 and 31 (and counting) was cold cereal. Unfortunately the apple doesn't fall from the tree and I have been amply punished for driving my parents crazy every mealtime, in the form of my son Brody.


What a NOT eater. Every meal is a huge fiasco. Because we have tried every method known to man. The bribes, the threatening, the isolation table (where he is currently residing this very second), the ignoring. We've done it and nothing works. It is driving me crazy.


On the other side we have Kelsi and her little antics. The latest is her lovely phrase, 'ZIP IT', during which she also sticks her chubby arm out and uses a slashing/zipping motion directly aimed at the object of her 'ZIP IT' phrase. The first couple of times I thought this was pretty funny. So did Bryce. Yet tonight as I watched her yelling this at her dad as he attempted to cajole Brody into eating, I had a sudden flash forward and realized this may be cute in a 2 yr old, but if she thinks she's pulling this at 4, she's nuts. And if we think we can let her get away with it for the next two years, only to try and put the kabosh on it then-we are nuts!


So tonight we learned the important lesson of---if your kids are saying or doing something now that won't seem funny or cute by Kindergarten, you'd better stop that bus. And laugh with your spouse about it later on that night.

Amen

Brody is getting really good at saying his prayers. He volunteers at home now for dinnertime prayers, family prayers, and car prayers. He seems to have his own little things he says and is usually good for a few standards:

"Thank you for the earth and sky"
"Please bless the gas stations so we can buy gas so we can drive"
"Bless us to have safety"

And then a new one popped up last night while he was blessing dinner,

"Please bless when I turn 5 and go to Kindergarten that I can wipe myself"
Sometimes as a parent it is so hard to stay reverant during the prayer and that one about knocked my off of my seat. But I am very happy to know that my continual threats of "when you turn 5 you have to start wiping yourself," are settling in. Although, he isn't going to Kindergarten when he is 5, so apparently there is still a little confusion there. Oh well, I'll just keep telling him he starts Kindergarten next year and see if that sticks at anytime. At least he really does still have a full year to get the wiping thing down.

So Annoying

Okay people, I just have to throw this out into the universe because my husband can only 'um huh' and ' yeah I agree,' me so much on this issue. Yet, I am not done ranting and raving about it, especially when I come across some 'update.' So here we go:

I am so sick of hearing about the 'man' from Oregon who is pregnant. What?! You say? How can this be? Have you heard this story? Well, I'll tell you, the media and Oprah (not a fan!) have done a fabulous job of promoting this fantastic story, but in all reality there is NO story at all. This 'man' is in fact-a woman. Yes, a woman who has decided to dress herself and carry herself and pass herself off as a man, while trolling around with her little mousy girlfriend. And she has become pregnant. Ooohhhh, shock of all shocks! A woman who can become pregnant. Because she IS a woman, whether or not she wants to admit it, she is a God-designed woman and I will not call her otherwise-even if she does have some little, thin, pathetic mustache.

And what is this chick? A lesbian? A transvestite? (I cannot believe I am even writing those words on my blog!). I don't even think she knows what she wants to be. Well let me illuminate it for you sister...you are a woman! A pregnant, child-bearing woman, who is supposed to be with a man. And whether or not you believe in God, you must believe that somehow this universe came into being and whatever higher law dictated the earth's universal law, that law states and shows that unless you are some sort of amphibian, men and women are supposed to go together! Not any other way. So let the record show, religious or not, no one can dispute that Universal Truth.

Okay, that does make me feel a little bit better. But I can't promise for sure that Bryce won't have to do a little more, 'yes honey, mhmmm honey, you're so right honey,' a few more times because-gosh darn't-that is just a sad state of affairs when even the media can't or won't call such an obvious spade a spade.

Peer Pressure

Okay, I have succumbed. After talking to my sister last night, I have decided not to pull the plug on the blog. However, I am going to pull a 'Tia', which means I will probably just post irregularly and make sure I put on pics of the kids so family who don't live close (and any others who are sneaking a peak) can check up on us periodically.

If I have an exciting insights on life, kids, etc I will make sure and throw them on as well. In the meantime, I will still continue reading and enjoying everyone else's blog!

All Done

Hi to all out there who have read this blog. It has been a fun time, but I think I've grown bored with the whole blogging thing. So I am going to post this so you all know its coming. I will be taking our blog off starting in September-thanks for the looks and the comments!

Random Ramblings

Why is it that my kids can be completely absorped in their own little tasks, but coming running like moths to a flame the second I start up the vacuum cleaner?


Why is a couch-cushion fort the funnest thing for kids to do at home?


Thank goodness for a 2 year old who can hug, kiss, and say I'm sorry. Now if she'd just potty train....


Thank you Burger King for still giving out those great crowns.


There is nothing better than watching your kids play together, unless it is watching them hold hands in the backseat of the car or give each other good-night kisses.


What about those days you put your kids down for a nap in their pajamas?!

Why do people in Washington think 75 is a great high for August? PATHETIC!

Why won't my tomatoes turn red? And really...no strawberries all summer?

Why does painting always take 2X the amount you expect it to?

I love being a summer Olympics junkie! I love that my husband is to. Thank goodness for the Canadian station which plays Olympics 3am-9am, 3pm-9pm and NBC, 10am-1pm and 8pm-12pm. You have filled my August days with happiness.

Fair Days

We love the fair, well at least I do and I am doing my best to pass that on to my kids. I grew up going to the Grays Harbor County Fair, but I swear everyone always just called it the 'Elma Fair.' Today I got confirmation of that as a neighbor and I talked about fairs. She grew up in Cosmopolis (near the coast) and she exclaimed that her family always went to the Elma fair and how it was so great! See...confirmation.

Now my kids still get to go to the Elma fair, Brody has been several times and tomorrow when my parents take the kids it will be Kelsi's 2nd time. I love knowing that they are enjoying the same fair I grew up with, it's a great one. But now we live in Thurston County and it's time to begin a new tradition of loyalty (not stopping the old one of course) and last week was our fair.

I packed the kids up Wednesday for the first day of the fair. They have a great deal, 5 and under are free and anyone else gets in for $1 if you bring a can of food for the food bank. So, after getting the best parking spot on the nearest side road I walked my crew up to the entrance and got in for a whopping $1. Alright, feeling pretty good here. Also, all of the rides are only $1 and there are several food stands that lower their prices to $1 also. We are gonna have a blast.

First stop, rides. The kids are so excited. We went on the cars, the motorcycles, and Brody went on some big swinging seat-thing. Then we moved over to the games, each kid 'picked a duck' and got a small stuffed animal and Brody tried his luck throwing balls into glass jars. He got really close a few times! Good aim, bud.

Next we went to the food court for $1 corndogs, yummy! We saw some of our friends from church there and went with them onto the animal barns. The kids saw goats, cows, horses, pigs, and sheep and we watched a horse riding event. Then ice cream cones and time to go home.

Hmm, looking at it like that, it doesn't sound like much, but that took us almost 3 hours to complete! Here are a few pictures of the day.