Milestones

Dearest Children,

October 1st marks a huge milestone for your mother.
2 years.
I think this is the first time I've ever managed to do anything for two years straight.

Ironically, I have felt the tempting pulls of the adversary more this past week than ever before. The powers of Satan are real and he will stop at nothing to keep us from doing anything that brings us peace or happiness. Satan wants us to feel hopeless. Satan wants us to give up, to feel sad, to question our ability. Satan wants us to fail. Satan wants us to be unhappy.

Satan is desperate.

Lucky for us, we are smarter than Satan. We know his secret. We know he is trying to destroy us, and we have been given everything we need to crush his attacks.

You are growing up in a world that expects a lot from you. You will feel the need to be kind, smart, pretty, popular, witty, athletic, talented, coordinated, funny, sincere, and so much more. Be driven yet meek, and successful yet modest. And above all, you must be confident, yet humble. The pressure of living up to each and every one of these expectations can pile up and start to overwhelm you.
Satan will always be there to tell you that your best efforts are just not good enough.
Satan. is. a. liar.

PLEASE remember that feelings of inadequacy do not come from the Lord.

I have learned so much from the scriptures in the past two years. Many times, all I had to do was take my concerns to the Lord in prayer, turn to the scriptures, and the words would jump off the page and shout the answers to me as clearly as someone standing in the room and speaking directly to me. Some answers came so simply and clearly that I couldn't imagine why I didn't have a solution only moments before I had queried.

Other times, answers have not come so quickly, and were much more subtle as I searched, listened, worked out a solution over time. These are the answers I might have missed had I not been watching for them and exposing myself to the Word of God each day.

I am far from perfect. You see my imperfections every single day. I conveniently post the great and interesting things that are happening around here and our accomplishments more often than the mistakes and trials our little family faces. When you go back and read these entries, don't be fooled into thinking the trials didn't exist. I blog to give you a daily morsel of something good...or at least something humorous. (Quincy, you handed me a piece of poop from your diaper, today. Seriously. I wouldn't necessarily categorize that as a "good" post...but perhaps a predecessor to the post where I announce that you are finally potty trained and that you will never ever ever do that to anyone ever again. ever.) Hopefully, the memories of our experiences will make you laugh, uplift your spirits, and embarrass you just the right amount.

Reese, Quincy, and Corbin, you are each wonderful, unique children of God. I feel honored and blessed to be your mother. I'm doing my best and hope you'll forgive me when I lose patience, or fall short of my potential. Today, I can post something good. I've faithfully read my scriptures every single day for two years. In a hospital bed, by flashlight in a tent, in the dim light of the lamp on my bedside table, outside, in the temple, at the park, in the rocking chair with you on my lap,in the car while I waited to pick you up from school, anywhere and everywhere.
...but SOMEwhere. For one moment each day for two years, your mother was doing something good. I will continue to make it 3 years, 5 years, 25 years...but for now, I post my thoughts so that someday, when it has been 25 years, you will know that it wasn't always 25 years, and it wasn't always easy.

But even at 2 years, it has already changed my life.

You CAN do all things required of you and more...and right in the face of adversity.
Do not allow the pressures of Satan and the expectations of the world to smother you, overwhelm you, and suffocate your growth.

Do your best.
I love you madly.
-Mom

Good (really? me?) Driver Reward Credits

Good news: I have excellent auto insurance.
Thanks to 3 years of "good driving reward credits", it looks like the (not-so) little collision I had in the van on Friday is only going to cost me $100.

AND I get a free rental car for up to 30 days while the van is in the shop.

Could be worse.

If you get bored, I can ALWAYS find something for you to do.

Yeah, I know it has been over 2 weeks since I took the curtains down to launder them. But they are SO WRINKLY! I can't bring myself to spend 3 hours ironing like I did last time, so instead they sit in a pile. Maybe clean windows will motivate me...

S-S-S-Saturday

Mom on the Run
Sometime around 5am I wake up.
I feed Corbin and put him back to bed.
I get dressed (sort of)
I eat a bowl of frosted mini-wheats with fresh blueberries in it while my ipod syncs (still not really sure how to work it, but I can get a play list to download on it or whatever, so I'm making progress).
I lace up my shoes.
I kiss the hubby.
I'm out the door.

6am Saturday morning runs.
They are killing me.
Who the heck gets up that early? It is so wrong.
AND it is so dark that I'm too scared to use the bathroom at the start of the trail.
No lights...someone could be hiding in those stalls, waiting to attack me.
I should not have watched that episode of Dateline last night.
I need mace.
or pepper spray.
Is that the same thing as mace?
Where is Kasey, I have too many words.
I see several deer.
A buck jumps out of the trees and scares me so bad that I scream out loud.
Yeah I thought it was an attacker.
Yeah Ok, no more Dateline.
I jump over spiders big enough to eat me. I climb a monstrous hill that would be impossible to push a stroller up.
People are passing me. Why are they passing me?
How far have THEY run this morning? Maybe they just started and that's why they are passing me.
Does it matter that they are passing me?
No. They aren't passing me.
I am on a different course.
I pause my music every so often to carry a brief conversation, enjoy the sound of a rushing creek and waterfall yards away, and listen to my breathing.
Wow is that what I sound like?
I sound like crap. I am tired.
The volume goes up and I catch a second wind.
My arms are flailing on the way back down the big hill.
Why are they flailing?
I guess better to be flailing than jiggling.
Do I look like Phoebe when I run downhill?
My arms feel disconnected from my body...so WHY, then, am I so aware that they are flailing?
They are usually holding something.
A baby, a phone, keys, a bag (or 3), food (mmm), laundry, furniture, tools, SOMEthing.
They are empty.
My arms are free to flail about ridiculously on my Saturday run.
I'm just a Mom on the Run.

2 hours.
10+ miles.
I really don't care that I averaged a 12 minute mile today.
I felt so great when I was done I easily could have run 2 more. 3 more. 5 more?
ok maybe not 5 more.

But instead, I rush home just in time for Aaron to leave for an Elder's Quorum Activity. Then I:
Feed my hungry 4 month old, take a (much needed) shower, go to the bank, run errands with the family for an hour, give Reese a reading lesson, scrub the jell-o stain from Quincy's blankie, pick up some butternut squash at the farmers market, clean poop from the bathtub, spend 20 minutes trying to figure out which child is lying about WHO pooped in the bathtub, switch the laundry (is there no other way?), bathe the baby (who ALSO poops in the freshly bleached tub...what the heck?!), make lunch, eat lunch, and get everyone to nap at the SAME time, and call a friend. Then I crash on the sofa and get my nap on as well.
Of course, Aaron walks in the door to find me nearly asleep and asks, "what did you do today?"

Girls On the Run 1/2 Marathon.
November 21st.
I'm SO in.

Why not? I'm on the run all day anyway...
It's going to take me forever.
or at least long enough that when I cross the finish line,
my flailing arms are ready to stop flailing
and be filled with my husband and children.

Parallels.

Q.

I guess it's better than this:

and THIS role has already been claimed by the big sister:

Maybe Quincy will spout off a monologue this year and remind us of what Christmas is all about.

"It's Friday I'm in love..."

Today started off wonderfully.
Took Reese to preschool.
Ran twice around the lake (pushing 50lbs of love in the stroller...my butt better start tightening up pretty soon, here).
Lunch with friends and visiting teaching at the park.
I ran home to pick up some paperwork that I need to get notarized.
While I was inside, my neighbor's yard maintenance guy pulled in front of his house.
I saw the truck in my rear view mirror as I backed out.
I did NOT see the 15 foot trailer BEHIND his truck as I backed out.

I bailed right into it.
Genius, right?

Charlie, tell us what she's won!
Well it's a new bumper, taillight, and fender!

FYI-I did not put the duct tape on the van. My neighbor, Doug (retired junk collector down the street, grandfather to naughty neighbor boys 1 & 2) appeared out of nowhere, and while I apologized to Mr. Lawn Care Trailer Owner, Doug was taping up my car and checking to see if my taillights still work. Nice guy. I probably would have opted against duct tape on the van, since it will probably destroy the paint...but looking at the state of things...paint isn't really my biggest problem right now.

The event was followed by rejection from the notary at the bank, requesting that Aaron also be present for anything to be notarized, because his name is on the paperwork as well.

So, what is it about Fall and auto damage?
-My sister, HolleeAnn was in horrible (near fatal) car accidents 3 YEARS in a row in the fall. -When I was in High School, I was dumb enough to write "Honk for 2000 Senior Pride" across the hood of my 1989 Dodge Dakota Pickup in white shoe polish for the Homecoming Parade...yeah that never came out after parade day, and I spent my entire Senior year driving around with "Honk for Pride" on my car. Yes. I got honked at.
-Not even 30 days after we bought the van, it was hit by a rock that flew off the back of a semi on the freeway and I got a nice crack in the windshield.
-The following year, we were hit by a deer (my long-time readers probably remember my I Hate Deer post of 2007).
-And here we are, now, with a smashed back end.

Whew!

Good thing I have some butter rum toffee and this gummy smile to cheer me up.
And how 'bout those brown eyes?
They're like Dove chocolates on a baby face.
I could eat them.

Happy Friday, everyone

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Remember this little guy? I fell in love with it immediately and knew it could be the perfect piece for my kitchen after a little TLC.
Nails removed, shelves made and added, a piece of bead board fitted as a back, some caulk, then paint, paint, paint, and more paint, hardware refreshed with paint and reinstalled....
Ta Da!!!

Welcome to your new home, little Baker's Cabinet.
I think you're going to like it here.

{click on the photo to zoom...but don't over analyze my craftsman ship. One of the things I love about old furniture is that it is not perfect, and comes with a personality of it's own.}
I picked up some little LED battery operated touch spotlights for $3 (a sweet deal. Thank you, WM Associate's Store!) and I can't get over how just a little bit of light can make such a difference in showcasing the items inside.
It's starting to look and feel like Fall around here...

In the witch's hat candy dish: 50% candy corn/mellow creme pumpkin medley 50% salted party peanuts. Eaten together=Halloween's best kept secret. It's like a peanut roll candy bar. I'm thinking we might add some chocolate chips because...well everything is better with chocolate.

Halloween Tree 2009: I think this year's tree is my favorite so far. We had a tree cut down in the side yard a few months ago, and when I saw this little branch fall to the ground, I set it aside to be our Halloween Tree. I left some leaves on this time and added a strand of purple lights (that you can't see in this picture, because it is light out, but look awesome at night). I'm looking for some little craft birds to paint black and perch on some of the branches. It's the perfect catch all for all the little chotchkies that Reese makes.

Spooky!

Now if I can just get some Gooey Butter Pumpkin Cake in me...it would REALLY feel like Fall!

"In God's Country..."

As we were getting the kids ready for bed tonight, Reese grew impatient with Aaron, who was changing Corbin's diaper in the other room, and announced that if he didn't hurry up, we would read scriptures without him. She then perched herself on the edge of the sofa, opened the enormous hardbound copy of Book of Mormon for LDS families and said,

"Everyone listen up. It's scripture time. We've gotta get to bed. I'm just going to read."
She continued to "read" the following:
"And it came to pass that the Lord of the United States of America and to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, inbeebivable, with liberty and justice for all. Amen."

Apparently they recite the Pledge of Allegiance at preschool.
And apparently she has it memorized.
I might be biased, but I think she's one smart lil' 4 yr old.

My Fair Ladies

A few photos from the fair:
She DID hold a chick for a minute, but then it wiggled in her hands and she freaked out, and launched the baby chick for his first flight---four or five feet out in front of her. At least he landed on his feet. He'll be ok, right? Another little girl picked him up and put him back in the tire with the others.

Eventually, she came around again.

The girls have a teacher's helper in their class that is....a little odd. Ok. She's REALLY REALLY odd. Nice lady. But weird.

She kept taking Reese and Quincy and wandering off with them at the fair. It was driving me crazy, and freaking me out. Maybe I was overreacting, but who wants to be the Mom who loses a kid at the fair? Not me.

I decided to "create a diversion" and took the girls over to brush a cow when the rest of the class went to a different activity. I was really hoping the teacher's helper would find another child to "help", but instead she came over and got really upset that we were not staying with the group. Yeah. I told her we'd join them later. (we didn't.)

Gotta love the old lady in the denim dress.

They milked a goat. Both Reese and Quin managed to express milk on the first shot. But on MY turn...you'd think it would be a piece of cake for me, considering I have my own pair of lactating "udders"...but no! The dang thing wouldn't give a single drop for me. Maybe she was holding out for the kids. Maybe she felt betrayed by one of her own-with my hands all over her goods. Sorry Goat. I just wanted a chance to see what it's like to be on the other side...and just to warn you...now that 'they' have been milked...they'll never be what they used to be.
I had to ask what animal these were, and gave away that I know nothing about life on a farm. I suppose I could have saved myself the embarrassment and just read the sign above them.
Mmmm....Bacon.

We ended the day with pony rides. I was so proud of my girls for being brave and riding the ponies! They are usually such ninnies when it comes to this sort of thing. I tried to talk them into camel rides...not a chance. Maybe in a few months.

Quincy was pretty mad when the pony ride ended. She was NOT done.
Cotton Candy, Funnel Cake, a lost (then replaced) balloon, a zillion stickers, a walk past the creepy carnies taking their break, and a Disney Princess sing a long later....we were DONE. All of us. Exhausted.

But where are my keys?!
I found them.
In the ignition of my car.
My car was on.
Awesome.

"Bend me, shape me, any way you want me..."

Cute.

(Aaron, you probably should have gone into Orthodontics.)

Business in the front. Party in the back.

Dear Quincy,

I COULD tell everyone that YOU got a hold of a pair of scissors and decided to play "beauty shop". But, we both know the truth is that your own mother did this to you. I was attempting to do something about the "Flock of Seagulls" fauxhawk thing you had goin' on and ended up with something that (unless you are sporting pigtails) can only be described with one word. Mullet.

I am so sorry. Here's to hoping that it grows back quickly and that someday, you can find a good therapist that will help you work through the emotional trauma I have caused.

Love,
Mom

PS-Remember that time when you were like, 10 months old, and you threw up in my pants?
Can we call it even?

If you feed the stray cat once, it will keep coming back...and next time it will bring the whole litter.

A few words of advice for the neighborhood kids:
(Jenny and Jamie's kids excluded, because I like them. And also because they are awesome kids and would never do ANY thing to require a lecture like this.)

-There is a community swing set at Kingsdale Park. Not in my backyard.
-I know you've been there when I go outside to find all the swing chains raised up to 4 ft off the ground. This bugs the crap out of me, by the way.
-Just because my garage door is OPEN, does not mean you can go inside it to play.
-The next time I find a dang razor scooter on my driveway, I will NOT get out of my car and move it before I back out.
-I don't like your "potty mouths". Please set a better example for my children. And Aaron was pretty pissed when you told him to "shut up" the other day. You should be nice to Aaron. He is super cool. And he has a boat.
-The old man in the house behind mine has a gun. And he is blind.
-the crawlspace under my house is full of black widows and snakes. Don't open the door. And don't throw your bike against it's wooden door at 6am. It makes more noise than you think. Also, that's a compost pile next to it, sooo...you might reconsider leaving your bike there at all. It's only .2 miles downhill to your house. Walk, boys.
-My daughters are at least 4 years younger than you, and you are boys. They can't come out to play.
-I am out of popsicles.

"...and I say Hey Y'all and Yee-Haw..."

Well, MiMa, we did our best.
There were many entries.

Due to the fact that the Benton County Fair indeed, does NOT taste the entered goods, your Jalapeno Jelly Recipe did not bring home the bacon.

It did sport a cute little sticker, labeled "Blue Award"...but no one seems to know what that means, exactly.
My Salsa was donned with the same sticker:
As was my Grape Jelly (does every entry get one of these? I saw some "red awards" on jars, too. Which is better? Does it mean one jar is more beautiful than another? Should I be excited?)

But wait! What's this?

2nd PLACE: Sweet Memory Peaches...

2nd PLACE: Pickles

....and (drum roll please...)

FIRST PLACE: Applesauce! What are the odds?!

I think I'll spend my $7 whoppin' dollars of prize money on funnel cake.
...and hand sanitizer to wash the fair off me. I still feel like I've just been licked by a goat.

"So I'd like to know where you got the notion. Said I'd like to know where you got the notion..."

In all her glory.
Yep. That's the view from my office (aka the window above the kitchen sink).
15 ft of boat on our lawn.
But he loves it.
And I love him.

Don't Eat The Cheeto.

This guy has been melting my heart non-stop lately.
I pretty much spent the entire morning sitting around holding him, and doing nothing else. It was perfect.
He is perfect.
He deserves to be spoiled.
He is such a sweet little boyfriend. We are all totally smitten.

I could just eat his fat little cheeks...really.
If I knew it wouldn't hurt him...

I would totally take a bite.

Yummy.
Wouldn't you?

"I feel the earth move under my feet. I feel the sky tumbling down, tumbling down..."

"Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea.
Joy to you and me..."

"Country Roads, take me home
to the plaaaaace, I belooooooong..."

"Wake up Maggie, I think I got something to say to you.
It's late September and I really should be back at school..."

"I am I said. To no one there.
And no one heard at all not even the chair.
I am I cried. I am, said I
And I am lost and I can't even say why..."

"It was just my imagination, running away with me..."

1971.
a GREAT year for music.

I mean, really. "She's A Lady"? You can't compete with that kind of goodness.

Now that we've covered most of the good things that happened in 1971, let's move on to some of the more tragic events:

A big ugly boat was built.

38 years (and who knows how many divorces) later,
it sits in front of my house.
Perhaps it has come here to die.

Fair Play

The County Fair.
Never been.
Never been to ANY fair.
I thought the Gilroy Garlic Festival counted, but after learning that REAL fairs involve animals, I realize that I have never truly had the experience. Did you know kids can earn money for college by showing animals at the fair? Seriously. That's awesome.

So...when in Rome, right? I'm in the South. I will go to the Co
I entered 6 items in the Benton County Fair on Monday.
Really.
Why not, right? My MiMa's Jalapeno Jelly is boss. It deserves a blue ribbon on it.

So it took me like an HOUR to drive out to the fairgrounds.
THEN I had to wait in line for an hour in the Exibit Hall. No. Not the ExHibit Hall.
The Exibit Hall.
Really.
See for yourself
Then THIS sweet little lady took my items and placed them on the shelves next to 100 other jars that look EXACTLY THE SAME.
By MY jelly tastes better than any of THOSE jellies. MY jelly has the secret ingredient.
Grandma's love.
Just kidding. It really does have secret ingredients.
"My jelly will win." I thought smugly as she placed among the 100's on the shelf.
"Ok, you're all set. You can pick up your items on Sunday." said she.
Pick them up? Why would I want them back after folks have been diggin' in them and stuff? Ew. No thanks.
"You mean people actually want them back after they've been tasted? Why? For the jars?"

"Oh they don't taste them, honey...everything is judged based on LOOKS"

They Don't. Taste. The Jelly.

What's the point, then?
THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME.
Hundreds of them.

It's like a beauty pageant for jelly!

"Wait. What? What do you mean you don't TASTE them? I called my Grandma this morning. She's expecting a ribbon, man."

How will anyone know that mine is better?
Did I mention that they all look the same?
The lady at the booth then reminded me to bring my self addressed envelope with me on Friday to the fair, so that if (by some miracle, now) I DO win, they can mail me my PRIZE MONEY.

Prize money? For Jam?
Now we're talking.

"Money?" my spirits have lifted, "How much?"

"Well, let's see, it's three dollars for first place, two dollars for second, and one dollar for third place."

Really.

The county fair is starting to sound like a sham.
But I WILL go back on Friday.
First, to chaperon Reese's preschool field trip, so she can see more of these:
Second, to see if I won. Because if I did, "I want my two dollars!"
and Third, because I saw this on the way out:
I must have some.

Scapegoat.

Today, Reese and Quincy were playing and got in a fight over a toy.

Reese bit Quincy on the leg. Bad. (seriously, she's 4 1/2, what the heck?!) I saw the whole thing happen. Quincy came to me crying. To get her to calm down and use words, I asked her, "Ohhh What HAPPENED?" She sloooooowly looked at her bite mark and looked at Reese, then looked at the toys. "Umm... Daddy bite my leg, Mommy!"

Huh?

I said, "no, Daddy is at work. Tell me what happened to your leg." Then Quincy said, "Grandma bite my leg, Mommy!" "No, Quincy. It wasn't Grandma, either. She lives far away. Did Reese bite your leg?" Reese then came running to her side and gave her a hug. Quincy then finally admitted that it was Reese. Reese knows better than to bite. I sent her to time out. Quincy burst into tears. Hysterical. Fell to the floor. "NOOOOOOooooooo!!!! Mommy, it was CORBIN. He bite my leeeeeeeeggggg! I want to play with Reese, don't send her to time out!!!"

I'm glad that even though they fight sometimes, they are best friends. I didn't think it was fair to take away Quincy's friend when she didn't do anything wrong. But Reese definitely needed a consequence for biting her sister's leg! What's a mom to do? I decided that Reese's consequence for biting Quincy would be to do service for her sister instead. She spent the next 20 minutes helping her get dressed (in quite the outfit) making her bed, helping Q brush her teeth, and putting away some toys. I think it was a good solution.
Sometimes I feel like I have no idea what I am doing.

Today I guess I got lucky.