Life as a Mother

*Why is it that my life and my children's (and most people I know) seem to be like the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" books?  Think about it . . .

       For example, if you haven't heard, we got a Mac computer for Christmas, it is big and beautiful.  I absolutely adore it - probably why I have been blogging more.  As soon as we got it, I started making plans to move it upstairs.  BUT, there was no where to put it.  No room, no desk.  So, I started looking online for desks.  I looked at the stores in town, which if you are looking, there is very slim pickins'.  I think because most people just build them into their homes now.  Oh, and I wanted real wood, no press board AND very simple.  After looking for quite awhile I found one that I loved.  It was up in a furniture store up north and was a mere $1500.00.  Wowzer!  So, I came home and thought about and just couldn't justify spending that much.  A month or so later I found a much more reasonable one - around $200.00 so I bought it.  It has been in my living room, in a box for at least two months, maybe more.  Lucky, for me, last Saturday's baseball games were rained out!  I took that opportunity to gently nudge Jared into getting it put together.  And now, it is up, we moved a darling little love seat and put the desk and computer there.  :)  YAY!  So excited.  Back to my point: now I want a chair.  A nice comfy leather chair.  But, if you don't know, nice comfy leather chairs all have rollers, do I want rollers?  Only if I want my kids to push each other around on the chair.  Hmmm.  Any advice?  It doesn't stop there, I want more that just a chair.  I want a inkjet color printer to go with it.  And, now I need something to go on the side of the desk to put "stuff" in and on.  I am not sure what.  And, I wonder, when I get all that - 

what will I want next? (Good thing I know good things happen for those who wait).

*When I was at WalMart today with Josie, Jake & Jainie, we were trying to decide what to get my dad for Father's Day.  We were looking through the magazines when Jainie got a paper cut.  It started bleeding and she got upset and started crying and getting a bit hysterical because of the blood.  I was thumbing through a book, so simply told her to suck on it.  She looked at me horrified and said that would be disgusting, only boys do stuff like that.  So, I sucked on it for her.  Gross? A mom thing, I think.  Everything was fine until the ride home when she looked at me with BIG eyes and said "Mom, my scratch (aka paper cut in Jainie language) has a scratch!  How do I scratch it?"  Good point.  How do you scratch a scratch? Or in this case, a cut? :)

Yep, she really is this crazy.

*Jaxon had a friend over today and they decided to go down to the canal and catch crawdads.  I thought that seemed fine, they are both 12 and can swim so I said go ahead.  Jaxon ran around the house (which was a MESS because Josie and I were gone yesterday and the boys did nothing, so I was cleaning and not too happily) gathering supplies he would need; fishing line, hooks, swim suit, swim shoes, hot dogs, I have no idea what else.  Well, he kept asking me for things and I didn't have them and didn't know where they were so I finally told him if he didn't hurry and go, I would give him a job first.  Meanwhile, Jake had been non-stop complaining that he didn't have friend here and he wanted to go with Jaxon.  I didn't tell him no because I didn't want a full-scale tantrum on my hands.  I simply chose to ignore him.  Good mom, right?  Well, then  a friend came over and I got caught up visiting and realized awhile later, that there wasn't enough noise - meaning no boys were home.  And, I realized Jake must have gone after Jaxon.  Still, too tired to be too worried, I didn't think much about it.  My mom stopped by next so I visited with her for awhile, wondering if the boys were going to come home or not.  Joshua came home from Day Camp and I sent him to the canal to look for his brothers.  (Not very smart, I know.)  Luckily, Jared came home a bit later, so I sent him down to find the boys. (I love having a dad around to help me with the boys, I would be a nervous wreck and my boys would be afraid of everything.)   He came home with all the boys, who had been fighting for some reason and only later did I ask Jake where he had been.  As soon as I asked Jake, Jaxon yelled from his bedroom, "We just went crawdad fishing - that's ALL!"  Suspicious.  Luckily, Jake is only 6 and is still quite obvious about when he is trying to "trick" you - his words.   But, he was trying to catch on to Jaxon's not-so-subtle clues, so he just said "Yeah, we had to get hot dogs first though."  Which Jaxon yells, "Just hot dogs - that's all."  More suspicious.  It was then I decided I had to get more of the story.  Now, we have a rule that you cannot cross main street from our house unless you are with mom or dad.  It is much too busy where we live and there is not even a cross-walk.  It is a firm rule, one that we all know and follow. :)  So, Jake proceeds to tell me that Jaxon and his friend had to go to Lin's to get some hot dogs for the crawdads.  (Do crawdads even like hot dogs?)  Jaxon yells, "Just hot dogs".  Then, Jake says "And a treat for me."  Before I can lose my temper too much, Jaxon also yells, "Jake didn't come to the store with us - he didn't cross the street."  I know he wasn't here though, so where was he?  So, Jake then tells me that he was at dad's new office (Jared is building a new office on Main street - our side).  I wondered where in the office,  he then replied, "Oh, I didn't wait in the office, I just went in the porta-potty and locked myself in."  So proud of himself.  Keep in mind, it would take Jaxon at least 7ish minutes to get to Lin's, and then to buy the stuff, and then back.  Plus, he was with a friend, I am sure they weren't hurrying.  Boys!  (I am thinking at least 20 minutes).  Thus, Jaxon buying Jake a treat was a bribe to keep him quiet. (Good thing Jake didn't know that).  Jaxon yells again, "We only bought hot dogs."  I am really curious what else they bought.  Aren't you?  

Oh and by the way, an hour after the boys got home, this was tipped over by the horrendous wind that day.  Wouldn't that have been great if Jake had been in it.  When do they say boys brains fully develop?  100? lol 

I chalk it up to unknown blessings, only this time I found out.

*So Jake, who is 6, has once again decided to be his own barber.  This is how our conversation went:

Me:  Jake, what happened to your hair?

Jake: (looking completely shocked) What do you mean?

Me:  Someone has cut it.  Who cut it?

Jake:  (still keeping up the charade) Where?  (then he feels up where I show him) Oh, I don't know how that happened.  I think it just fell off.  (big eyes)

Me:  Jake, it didn't just fall off.  Someone has cut it, clear down to your skin!  You did it, didn't you?

Jake:  NO!  It was someone else.

Me:  Who?  I am going to go ask them.

Jake:  Fine, I did it.

Me:  Why?  You know you are NOT supposed to cut your own hair. (He has done this so many times - seriously, at least, 10.)

Jake:  Well, I think I was sleeping when it happened.  (thinks about it for a minute)  Yup, I was.

Me: No, I don't think you were.  Why did you cut your hair?

Jake:  Well, it was an accident.  I just had the scissors and then they ended up in my hair then somehow, I don't know how, they cut my hair!

Me:  No, I don't think that is it either.  You better tell me the truth.

Jake:  Okay, actually, I got this sticky candy stuff in it and I couldn't get it out.

Me:  Are you sure it wasn't gum?  (Background info: we don't allow Jake, Jainie, or Joshua to chew gum anymore for the simple reason that it is everywhere.  Really - on the floor, cement, hair, clothes, in the dryer, bathtub, minivan, plus many other places.  How hard is it to throw it in the garbage?  Jake knows this VERY well, he has been punished many times for chewing it anyway.)

Jake:  Well, it could have been, I can't see in that spot you know, so it was either gum or really sticky candy.  (with a BIG smile).

What is a parent to do?

The spot that looks bald, not just good editing, it IS bald.  Clear down to the skin.  The boys punishment for cutting their hair is to cut it down to the shortest spot.  Jared says we will have to "bic" him.

     Ah, the adventures of motherhood.  I wouldn't change it!

Reminiscing

So I have been thinking - it all started yesterday night, about 11:30, when Jared and I were walking around Wal-mart.  We had to go get lights for the basement, all 8 were burned out, a surge protector because we moved our Mac upstairs and the other computers are still down, a binder for Primary, some pens for my picture a day scrapbook, and some milk (of course, we always need that.)  Anyway, I remembered, when we walked past a large stack of diapers, that the day before I found a really good coupon for Pampers.  I was so excited when I found the coupon - I always loved Pampers for my boys (I still think they hold more in the front area, where boys need it.) :)  Like I was saying, I was excited!  Coupons, I better print one off and go buy some diapers.  Then, I remembered, I don't need diapers.  All 5 of them are potty-trained (and have been for over a year).  Then, I was so so sad.  I just kept thinking that I wished I needed diapers.  So, as Jared and I walked through the store, I was telling him this and he looked at me and said I was crazy.  He asked me if I remembered how much I complained about changing diapers, spending money on diapers, stinky diapers in the house, garage and garbage can.  I told him of course I remembered those things.  I also remembered the cute babies with their sweet looks, darling phrases, innocent, adoring eyes, etc.  And I decided then and there that those diapers were worth it.  Changing those stinky, gross diapers was worth the blessings that come along with those sweet babies.  When I sit here and think about it, I still don't know where the time has gone.  It seems like just yesterday that we had just Jaxon in Salt Lake and we felt like we were so busy.  Ahh, those were the days.  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change a minute of it (well, maybe a minute or two :)), I love my busy, hectic life now, watching my kids grow and learn.  They are growing into wonderful, fun, dare I say, tweens!  But, I sure do miss my babies.  :(  So, those of you still in the diaper changing phase, try to enjoy it, just for me, and realize it will be gone before you know it, along with the peaceful baby stage.

Now, the potty-training phase, that is another matter entirely! :)

Beautiful dancing Josie

I love watching Josie dance! She is amazing, so much better than I was.   She loves dancing too, she learns the dances well and then loves throwing in her own "faces" to make it more fun for her. She really enjoyed this years dances, she thought they were very fun and a little harder than before, she likes to be challenged. She also loves the girls in her class, it is a great group. Fun times! Makes me wish I were still dancing.

This year her class went to Lagoon for competition, they did really well.  This was their trophy, she was so excited and proud.  She has never cared too much about competition but this year she was all fired up about it.  She was so excited after her jazz dance that she was running off stage and tripped and fell (not in front of anyone), she skinned up her knee pretty good and got a big hole in her tights.  She was mortified!  After settling down, we found her dance teacher and she had both a bandaid and an extra pair of tights, thank goodness.  She got back up on stage for her tap dance and did a wonderful job.  She liked it all so much, she has decided to work on her solo again.  (It has been a year since she has performed it.  It will take a LOT of work.)  But, I am glad she has found a passion.

This was during the recital, the jazz dance, which was her favorite!  Isn't she adorable.  I think so. :)

Some of my new Favorites!

Well, summer is here - and that for me means less blogging time!  However, today I decided to let the laundry go, the dishes go, well, the whole house really and BLOG!  But, just a quick one.  I did just import my pictures and there are 823 pictures filing in - that is a lot to blog about.  But, my priorities are in order - first things first, let's start with . . . not the kids, not the hubby, not the weather, or the flowers, but MY FAVORITES! ;)lol

So, here goes, just some of my new favorite things, some of the things I cannot do without at this time of my life.

These are the BEST tortillas ever! Well, not necessarily this brand, although I do love it, but refrigerated uncooked tortillas. They are much better than regular ones and so so easy!  Really if you haven't tried them, you should!

Now, I take the tortillas and make Lime Chicken Tacos with them.  We use our fresh Bountiful Baskets produce and voila! a meal everyone enjoys (even Joshua).  :)

Lindsay got a grill for her birthday and ever since has been making WONDERFUL things on it.  She came home and for Memorial Day and made us this pizza - on the grill.  It was delicious!  I even ate all those veggies on the top!  And, I didn't even mind all that nutritious"ness".  In fact, it was yummy.

Now, for the treats!  I was at Costco in St. George awhile ago and thought I needed a candy bar, well, everyone knows they don't sell individual candy bars at Costco.  Plus, I don't like candy bars, give me a baked treat any day.  Candy bars are usually a little too much for me.  Surprised?  Anyway, I thought this looked pretty good, plus my brain was fried from sitting outside watching baseball games in what seemed 100 degree heat (I think it was 80:)), so I bought an entire box of candy bars I had never tried.  Yep, BIG mistake!  They are delicious!  And, quite nutritious!? Well, as you can see on the box, only 85 calories per bar.  Not bad.  In fact, Sara, who is a nutritionist/dietician was on TV the other day talking about snack bars, she said that if it has at least 5 grams of protein,  3 grams of fiber, and under 200 calories it is a good snack bar.  This had almost as much protein, no fiber, but is way under 200 calories and that is the one I focus on anyway.  So, I say, "Hey, 1 out of 3 ain't bad, eat up!"  (Please no one tell Sara, I am sure she will not like my interpretation.)  And, yes, they are long gone.

I love jellies - the ones you can usually only find only on suckers during the holidays - you know?  Anyway, I found these and they are YUMMY!  Warning:  they will give you a slight stomach ache if you devour an entire box in one sitting.  And the grapefruit are a bit tart.

Chocolate chip cookies are a big favorite of mine, but who has time to make them?  Not me.  So, the reason these are a favorite is because they are Otis Spunkmeyer individually frozen cookies.  They are the best pre-made cookies I have found.  I buy them in bulk from Costco then after the kids have gone to bed, Jared and I pull out 3 each, make them, and eat 'em up!  (No, not every night, I know you were wondering.)

And, finally, something non-food.  My new favorite scent, so light, fresh, summery, mmm.  I got these in the mail without having smelled them before, thinking they would be gross - I don't usually like orange-scented things, I opened them and smelled them.  Since then I have used it everyday.  Definitely worth smelling at least.

So, there you go, be adventurous and try something new! 

 You may just find something to blog about too! :)