Puzzlin'

This morning left me feeling down trodden and heavy of heart.  I have done my children a serious disservice.  They are spoiled rotten.  I think the phrase that constantly lingers in the air in our house is "I want"...This morning when I was helping Colton write his talk for church, he told me he didn't know the story of Christ's birth.  What?  Are you kidding me right now?  Do you want me to lose my mind?  My blood went from 98 degrees to a rapid boil in no time at all.  Then once it returned to a mere simmer, I was left with feelings of failure.  If my kids expect things, if they don't think of others, if he truly doesn't know the story of the Saviors birth, it is only me who is responsible...my mood did not improve as the day went on....and I forgot to say, I pretty much told Colton there's a good chance I'm gonna cancel presesnts...

But then, the light at the end of my self loathing tunnel came during Relief Society.  We watched a short video of Elder Holland giving a talk.  There is something about the way he speaks, who he is, that speaks straight to my heart and soul.  I am always left with a renewed sense that I can do better when I hear him speak.  And I can.  So I am actively trying to think of ways I can turn this Christmas around.  I am praying for opportunities for my kids to feel the Spirit of Giving and Kindness...I am going to try and be a better example myself....so far, that's all I got...

This post is so deep...for a family that is currently doggie paddling in the shallow end...

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Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is to not ruin my kids...

*While watching Good Luck Charlie's Christmas tonight, Colton read "Las Vegas Nev-ah-da" and said "is that right?"  I said "It's Nev-a-da" and he said "Oh, so Nevada is Spanish for Las Vegas?"

*Colton acts like he can speak Vietnamese.  If you ask him how to say something, he answers you real quick with some made up word...killin' me smalls...

*Every time Addy and I go outside in the dark, she says "Mom, where's my moon?" then when she finds it she says "Oh, deh it is mom!  My moon!"...be still my heart...I could listen to her say it all day...

*Apparently Aubrey told her Aunt Michelle that she didn't have to do what she said because she wasn't the boss of her...nice, right?  And she's only 5...kill me now...

*I bore my testimony in Relief Society today and I didn't even cry...or pass out...huge personal accomplishment...

*I feel super anxious and unsettled all the time...it's driving me bananas...

*I want to be done Christmas shopping with all my heart...

*I am beyond excited to take the kids to see Aurthur Christmas and get a tree this week...

*Mallary and I have decided to re-dedicate ourselves to a healthier life style, ie- exercise.  I so wish I was happy about our decision...but I'm not happy not exercising either...time to rip the stagnant life  band-aid right off...

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How was this a year ago?  They were babies...they look so much older in just one year I could cry...

Holy crap, it's December 1st already!   Tonight I started a new tradition.  In the past we have always given the kids jammies to open on Christmas Eve, but this year I thought it would be fun to get them at the beginning of the month so I could get some that were Christmasy.  I swear, every year in the past I have seen a million different pairs that I love....this year, I crashed and burned.  I went to 10 different stores to find some for Colton.  10.  Maybe I'm being too picky, but I don't think skull heads in Santa hats count at all...Anyway, I ended up finding some for all of us, we opened them tonight and then watched Santa Claus is Coming to Town.  I still love all of those all movies just as much as I did when I was a kid...it was all fun times, but it felt kinda weird, just because I haven't put up any decorations at all...

Before the receiving of the jammies, we spent our afternoon/evening at Ranch and Home getting our share of pumpkin cupcakes, and visiting Denice.  She is finally back home after a 2 month trip around the country.  We are all excited to have her back, it just wasn't quite the same without her here...

This portion of this post is brought to you by Rationalization, Justification, and my favorite Phrase..."and here's why...."

*Should I really have 2 cupcakes, again today?  Yes, and here's why...because even though the scale has been slowly tipping upward, I still don't weigh as much as I did before...my new jeans aren't even tight yet...

Does hating the fact that church will soon start at 8:30 in the morning make me an ungrateful wretch?  No, and here's why...because it's just some regular guy who picked the time, it isn't some divine time of the day or something...

Am I a total loser for sleeping on the couch this morning until somewhere near 10:30?  No, and here's why...because I still got Colton up and on time to school, and I was tired dang it, and it was the only day this week and for the next few days that I don't have to be up and ready with ready kids in tow...

Is it okay that I still haven't potty trained Addy yet?  Yes, and here's why...because I might as well spare my nice carpet and train her on the crap stuff at our "new" house in a month...and for the love, she just started talking yesterday.....

Pictures...

So these are the jammies I came up with...I scored matching pairs for Aubs and Addy at Crazy 8 for $7.50 a piece, Colton ended up with Chipmunks in Santa hats from Walmart, and Kent has some covered in the Grinch, but I cut them out of the picture because the Grinch's face looked precariously placed on his crotch....

 if you are wondering where Addy's are...they are right here...

crumpled on the floor, because she refused to wear them...like run and hide behind the chair crying kind of refused...

And look at why I love my mom's new Silhouette...I made my little 12 days of Christmas activities using it....

When I was kid, we had a Fisher Price record player.  I remember exactly how it sounded when the record we were playing was scratched and the last few words would play over an over, repeating itself until you tapped the needle.  I think my mental needle needs a good tapping...I feel like my record is stuck, constantly repeating "I want, I want, I want, I want"....I am focusing, trying to get it to say "I have, I have, I have..." I wish it was as simple as just a little tap...

I had a killer Thanksgiving this year.  I think my favorite part of the whole day was way before the food was served.  My grandma came over early that morning to meet me and Amy and prep the meatballs.  Just helping her in the kitchen, and then sitting together watching the Macy's Day parade...it was perfection...one of those moments I will keep in my pocket.  Good company, good food, good times...it was so nice to see Uncle Pete and David, but it just wasn't the same without the ladies of the family...Auntie and Katie, you were missed by us all...

Then Lisa and I thought, hey why not go out shopping at 11?  We didn't get home until 4:30am.  It was nutty.  I came home, watched some tv, slept a bit, and then was up by 9:30.  Damn kids.  Damn phone call from Lisa at 9:30.  I hung out with Steph and sweetie pie Lily pretty much all day, and then yep, glutton for punishment, I went out shopping again and didn't get home until 12:30 in the am...

Saturday we had Thanksgiving again with Kent's family.  After the delicious food we had, Stephanie and spent the day playing Family Feud and Wheel of Fortune on the iPad.  It was just a super chill day, the kids all did pretty well together...and we just got to hang out and relax...but now that I don't have Stephanie's help, I can't seem to win the $20,000 in the Fast Money round...and I miss Lily already...Sunday I got to hold her all during Sacrament...I don't know what it is about her little chubby self, but I could just eat her up...

It was kinda weird having to get up and get everyone ready for school again today.  I let Colton play hooky the last 2 half days, so both my kids had about a week off from school.  I kinda felt a little rusty...and a lot tired...

If anyone still reads this besides my family after 11 long months, and you don't Facebook, I have something you need to know...my cousin Mallary is selling freakin' delish cupcakes at Ranch and Home everyday at the Killian Corn kiosk right in the front of the store.  You should definitely go buy some.  The pumpkin ones will change your life.  And her cream cheese frosting...well, I basically want to bathe in it...

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I think Colton looks like he's about to do a step routine...good form, good form my friend...

Aubrey: mom, I know what 2 + 2 is...7
Me: nope, it's 4
Aubrey:(pointing to the tv) That girl can count to a hundred.  Shes learning math even before she starts school.  We should have done that with me...a more truer statement I have never heard...


Addy with her stuffy nose...

on the swing- Mom, bush me!

chasing a leaf- Dod it mom!

in the morning-mom, my nose iddy(icky)...

Lisa's comment on my post from yesterday made me laugh several times through out the day...so funny...

Tonight we let Colton stay up and watch the last Harry Potter...holy smokes that kid asks a million questions...and he can never say the snakes name right, I'm pretty sure he even called it Linguine once...

Kent, me, and the girls made a little trip out to Ranch and Home to grab a few cupcakes.  Steve and Lisa showed up like 2 minutes after we did...and about 2 minutes later, Lisa, me, and Kent had killed our cupcakes...and I could really go for just one more...to help me sleep...

The global warming weather was a bit odd, but completely welcomed today.  I even went outside and cleaned up the yard a bit...and in case that wasn't good enough, I even played with Addy and took pictures of her...it's like I was super mom or something...I didn't even recognize my own reflection...

Today my mom and I decided to buy the kitchen aid ice cream attachment.  Then we read through the instructions.  And we were all like 'what the what?'  Apparently, you have to make some crazy from mixer-to-stove-to-mixer-to-stove concoction, chill that for eight hours!  Then put it in the ice cream bowl that has been in the freezer for at the very least 15 hours, churn it for 30 minutes, then put it in a shallow dish and chill for 4-6 more hours!  Yeah, I'm pretty sure I could make it to Walmart and back in about half an hour...that certainly beats the 3 day event to make it from scratch...

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Her expressions are limitless...I think it kinda looks like she is threatening to make who she's looking at eat that dandelion,  but she was really just blowing it to pieces...that will plant all over my yard...such a cryptic sky in the background....

with a face like that, who needs math anyway...Aubs was Jasmine for Halloween this year...

I bought my first pair of skinny jeans today.  Not quite sure how I feel about them...if I keep up my habits as of late i.e.-sleeping and eating, they aren't gonna turn out to be such a great investment I'm afraid...

I wish blogger corrected my typos like my phone and iPad do...

This weeks episode of Parenthood gives me anxiety....

Kent and Colton rented the last Harry Potter, and Colton wouldn't watch it with out me...love that kid...

I did me a little Christmas shopping this afternoon.  I thought it would make me cheer up a bit...but holy cow, I swear prices have doubled since last year...and all that decision making, so not good for me.  I feel like I might be getting a holiday ulcer...I might need to eat twice the danish butter cookies to calm myself....you know, and then return my new jeans...

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quite possibly the worst toy out there for little girls right now...it's just eww...I could not believe my eyes when I saw it on the shelf...the box says "Shave Ken for his big date with Barbie!"

So, today the day really, truly started at Amy's house when we got together with my Aunt to make meatballs.  She has showed us a few times, but we have yet to try them on our own.  It's usually just us girls, but today Easton and Kent came to learn the tricks of this family tradition trade.  Thank goodness they were there to mash up all 8 cups of bread crumbs, 32 eggs, and 8lbs of raw pork.  It really is the worst part, for me anyway.  Raw meat gives me the eebie jeebies...I enjoyed myself so much.  My grandma stopped by, we asked questions about her mother and how it was way back then...it made me feel nostalgic for a time I was never really a part of...I hope someday I will find myself in a kitchen full of the strong Italian women I know and the women before them....and holy cow, those meatballs we made today, with the recipe straight from Italy...to die for...

Today was my first official Sunday in the Relief Society Presidency.  This is what I learned...

1-if I had to take a Gospel Doctrine test in order to qualify for this calling, I would fail.  Completely.

2-I felt like a total tool when I realized I was the only one asking questions, and not just simply making comments to add to the lesson

3-I worry they will think they made a mistake asking me to do this

4-I feel like the kid who showed up to class with no pencil, paper, or books

5-I have some stellar people in my life who took the time to ask me how it went today and offer words of encouragement...I am blessed...

Here's to looking at the glass half full...and stepping way far out of my comfort zone...like the other side of the planet far...

I just have to say, I think my kids are kinda great.  I know I make fun of them, and complain about them, and say how they drive me batty, but holy cow, I have kids that make me feel pretty freaking loved.  I don't know how else to say it.  I love how much we laugh together.  I don't know if laughing the whole time Colton was telling me about how he hurt his leg helping my dad today counts, but it's close enough....I'm just feeling super greatful for my kids I guess...

Tonight we face timed with Denice for a bit.  It was super fun.  We haven't seen her since the beginning of October.  I can't believe it has been that long.  Being on the phone with her tonight made me realize how much I miss visiting with her...

Last Thursday night Vikki and I went to the premier or Breaking Dawn that Alicia organizes.  I had such a fun time hanging out with her...I have no idea why we don't do it more...and thanks to Alicia, we were deemed seat savers and didn't have to wait in the crazy line.  Little did I know how many people were gonna be all kinds of mad that we were saving 9 seats in the middle of the theater...

I watched a bit of the Music Awards tonight.  Bruno Mars is a midget, Adam Levine sounded like garb, and Chrisitna Aguilera looked a bit chunky if I do say so myself...


Addy's voice is by far one of my favorite things right now...totally worth the 3 year wait...

My next favorite thing is currently my danish butter cookies in the giant tin I bought at Costco.  At this rate, all my hard work to lose a few pounds will be a battle lost to seasonal cookies....

New Girl makes my week.  Quoting it is the best.

On the Sing Off last Monday Ben Folds really liked a group, and he said "Thumbs aloft gentlemen" while giving them a complete 2 thumbs up.  I have repeated that about a million times this week, and it always makes me smile...

I am in desperate need of a feel good book, preferably set in the South.  Every book I get is more of a downer than the rest. 

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Kent took this pic of us on his phone...a bit blursula, but I love it just the same...Aunt Cheryl made a few test meatballs to check the seasoning, we all sampled, and after a few bites I thought maybe we needed a bit more garlic salt...we ended up leaving it the way it was, and when my grandma came over later she said they were good and then a few minutes later said "maybe they could use a bit more garlic salt"  I practically shouted "that's what I said!"...I was so tickled that she thought they same thing...I know, cheap thrill, but it made my day....

I am so very happy to announce that in the past few weeks Addy no longer calls Colton "uh".  He is officially "Co".  I love hearing her tell him "Bye Co!" when he leaves the house...

I have totally been meaning to start blogging again everyday for like a month, but somehow I slipped into a horrid hormone coma and it seriously jilted my every intention.  It was super crap.  It kinda felt like maybe once or twice in a day for a very brief period the hormone fog would lift a bit, just enough for me to see glimpses of how my life actually was, and not how I felt about it, but then it would settle in again and back into my lifeless coma I would go.  But, I am feeling like I might be on the road to recovery...

In that time however, my goal to not yell at my kids anymore turned into a mere pipe dream...good thing they don't seem too scarred....

I am feeling so overwhelmed with the holidays approaching.  I feel like so many things are totally up in the air, and I just keep suppressing it all.  Did I mention we are moving?  Like 6 houses down the street and around the corner?  And that almost eveyone thinks we're crazy because of it?  But we won't be moving until after Christmas.  So it feels weird to pack, and weird to not pack.  Did I mention that just this last Sunday I was called by my Bishop to be the 2nd Counselor in the Relief Society?  That's like a full on adult calling.  When he asked me if I would do it, I sat there for a minute and then said "Seriously?"....Lots of changes are a coming and it just makes we want to go crawl back in bed....

Addy is talking a ton, and I am loving it.  She makes me smile like a million times a day when she says something new or funny...and then I think about how it is so time to potty train her...dread...

Last week my mom and I went to Colton's school assembly for Veterans Day.  We both cried so much I'm pretty sure people assumed we have a family member currently serving or that died in action.  The coolest part is they have the kids bring pictures of family members that have or are serving and they post them up all over the gym on red and blue stars.  It was so awesome to see both my grandpas up there.  It makes me feel so bad for never having taken the time to really think about what Veterans Day meant before...it was a great experience.  Then we met Amy and Lisa and their kids for breakfast at Magills and compared assemblies.  It was a great day.

Other big family news, Danielle had the most precious baby ever!  Little Emery Lyn is super sweet, and doesn't feel so little if I'm being honest...I can't wait to go back and snuggle her...

Which reminds me, of another story...of how sad I was to miss Lily's baby blessing.  I had everything ready to go, we were supposed to leave Sunday morning at 7:30.  And then, Addy puked all over our bed at 3 in the morning.  So the car load went from the 5 of us, to Kent and Colton.  And then Kent sent us pictures of Lily, and Aubrey and I were even sadder we didn't get to go.  She is adorbs.  Aubrey just kept talking about how much she wanted to see Stephanie...it was super sad...

Poor Addy had caught the stomach bug that Aubrey had the week before.  The one where Aubs threw up at school.  Twice.  I felt so bad for her.  When I got to the school she looked so sad!  She was feeling better by the end of the night, and very excited to learn she couldn't go to school the next day...

Ok, so I think this long list of randomness has gone on long enough...I was kinda hoping that if I started blogging and putting all my crazy thoughts down on "paper", maybe I wouldn't feel so overwhelmed...it might take a few days...But I feel like even though I totally bombed my New Years Resolution, I want to go out with a bang.  The year is almost over, scary enough, and I don't want it to end with some post last dated in October.  So, I am re-resolving to finish the year the way I started...writing a bunch of nonsense....

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Seriously, who's kid is this?

***I started this post like 2 weeks ago.  I think it's time I posted it and just move on...***

Tonight I was putting the kids to bed when Colton remembered he hadn't done his homework page.  I told him to do it quickly, and if he stopped to watch tv at all, he was grounded tomorrow.  Aubrey was right next to me and said...

 "I never get grounded huh mom?"  I said, "not yet, but you're getting close with your  attitude."  She said "you don't about me" I responded "Oh, I know all about you miss"  she replied "you don't know about me when I am somewhere you're not.  Oooh, I schooled you"

Heaven help me.  She said it all so matter of fact.  She already thinks I'm an idiot.  Seriously, Heaven help....

The other day my mom took the kids to McDonalds for dinner and they came home with the Halloween Happy Meal buckets.  Addy was looking at the bucket and noticed the tiny little McDonalds "M" on the side.  She pointed to it and said "mom, fries"  I'm so proud....


On Saturday Colton came downstairs all upset because he had been collecting change all morning and Kent took it from him and added it to the big change jar. I was feeling kinds bad for him, so our conversation went a little like this...

Me: if you clean the family room, I'll give you 50 cents
Him: I want a dollar
Me: then you better do 2 jobs
Him: I'll clean the family room for a dollar
Me: I'll give you 50 cents
Him: I'm not gonna do it
Aubrey: I'll do it mom!
Him: NO Aubrey! Mom said I could it!

They both ended up cleaning it together with minimal complaining....miracle in itself...so anyway this morning, Aubrey says to me 'thanks mom, for the 50 cents....Colton, did you thank mom?' and my sweet son replied, 'I cleaned the family room, doing the job was my thank you'


Last week I was at Toys R Us and Amy called me and said she was at Payless shoes, and they had these really cute scarves on sale for $3 and it was buy one get the second half off, and I should come meet her there so we could get some...She had me at black and white stripes....anyway, the moral of the story is, as I was paying for it, I totally said "This is such a good price, you can't even buy the yarn for this cheap."  as the words came out of my mouth...well...I was totally like 'whoa.  When did I turn into my mom?  That is exactly what she would say...why I am suddenly all old and stuff'...it left me feeling uncool and motherly, and just all wrong...no insult to my mom, it's just that obviously I don't remember my mom so much as a mother of 3 young kids.  I remember the things she said more as I got older, so for the most part, I call her for advice, or I think 'what would my mom do in this situation?'... it's not often that I think of us a twinners...so it was just so weird....that's an awful lot of paragraph about nothing at all....

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the girls at the pumpkin patch...

My Wi-fi went kaput.  And my blog suffered. 

Whenever I haven't blogged in awhile I never know where to start.  It reminds me of all like 15 diary entries I have as a kid in random journals that always start "Dear Diary, I'm sorry I haven't written in so long!!!..."...moral of the story, as a kid I totally over used exclamation points...now it's periods and comas...

Um let me think....

Oh!  Addy is saying like 10 times more words than the last time I posted.  I'm so excited, but it leaves me in a bit of a quandary, I'm not sure what to make her for Halloween anymore...I had been leaning towards a mime...

Her few choice answers to any and all questions I ask her..."ah know? (with upturned hands)"  "Aub did"  here are a few examples...

Who colored on your face?  Aub did.

Where did you get that candy?  Aub did.

Why did you color on my table?  Aub did.

Where are your shoes?  ah know?

Where did you put my make-up? ah know?

She says shoes, purse, bye bye, wadoo(water), bah-bowl (apple), and tons of other words, but still calls Colton 'Uh'...hopeless...

So much has happened lately.  And I can't remember what I blogged about and what I didn't.  Maybe I should just make a random list...reading won't feel that much different than talking to me since I am by nature, a total topic whore...

*some really sad things have happened lately.  When I hear bad news, like Lisa's baby niece Jocelyn passing away in her sleep I picture myself running across a battlefield.  And some how I keep bobbing and weaving and just missing the bullet.  Some bullets are closer than others, maybe a knick here and there...but otherwise I go unscathed.  For the most part, my heart just breaks for others...but a part of me starts to panic, because I know there is no way to get across the endless field without taking some major hits of my own...sometimes it just feels like a waiting game...

*Mallary came over a few nights in a row and I think my kids were a bit spoiled by her company, because the other day when I was going out shopping with my sisters she wanted to go to my moms house, then Amy's, and when I shot down her ideas she said "Well then where's Mallary?"  Apparently staying home with her dad was not a viable option for her..

*I think I need to invest in a giant stash of ear plugs.  Aubrey's voice has been like a microphone on steroids lately.  It's like when Addy and I are at home, we live in a china shop, and then this little in stature, but huge in impact bull comes crashing through our home.  Seriously, there are no words...wait there are and I use them constantly..."Aubrey.  We are all right here.  You don't need to shout."

*It has been at least 2 weeks since I have yelled at my kids.  In Landoni time, that's like forever.  In the last few days I have raised my voice a few times, but caught myself and restrained.  I just keep repeating the words that Amy told me "kindness matters".  I read an article once by a leader of my church that said 'the Spirit cannot be present when there is yelling in the home'  I am a mother of practicality, if Kent and I tried to raise our kids without any help, we would surely fail.

*We had our first official Family Home Evening....with a prayer, a song, a prepared lesson, snack, the whole kit and kaboodle.  I know I am about 8 years late, but whatevs.  I did a pretty dang good job if I do say so myself. 

*Last Sunday, we had 17 kids from 18 months to 3 years old in the Nursery.  It was insanity.  It's still giving me the shakes when I think about it...

*I feel like I keep cleaning, and there is still so much to do and all my efforts are for not...but I am adapting Amy's new rule.  If the mom is cleaning, it's optional for the kids to help with the busy work, but if they choose not to join in, they can go in their rooms.  No watching tv while I zip around doing all of the chores.  When I implemented this new rule today Colton totally scoffed at me, but in the end he cleaned.  And Aubrey did what she has been doing a lot lately.  If Colton is being difficult helping out, she goes above and beyond the call.  She does more than I would even ask her to do...love that kid...and how quickly she has learned to play the game...

*Colton has taken to mooning me.  Like all the time.  He stayed home from school Monday, and I wanted to kill myself by 10.  He bugs Aubrey, winds up Addy, and sasses me all in the name of "just joking"  I didn't realize how much easier life had gotten not having Aubrey and Colton home at the same time for too long...

*Colton is becoming a bit of a math wizard.  He is starting to grasp a little pre-algebra.  He is constantly giving me equations like x+2=5....the best was the first time he did it, he had written out y+3=28.  I was about to explain something about it to him when he said, 'so mom, y is 25 right?'  I about fell over.  A minute before he had just told me his friend Tyler from school had told him some math had letters in it, like x and y.  Come to find out, he thought y equaled 25 because it was the 25th letter in the alphabet.  Pretty freakin cute.  Anyway, it didn't take long for me to explain how it worked, and he was writing up more equations...Good Will Hunting moment...

*the other day Amy, Lisa, and I took my grandma to the egg farm and out for ice cream at Baskin and Robbins.  It was so fun.  We dropped my grandma at home and spent the whole day and into the night together.  I keep thinking about it, I had so much fun.  I have had a lot of fun lately.  I really have been working on having a positive attitude, and I can actually see a difference in myself.  Except the last few days...but I totally chalk that up to hormones...

*I bought my kids little white boards for a dollar at Office Depot, and I cannot believe how much they have all played with them.

*I have really enjoyed talking to my sister about spiritual stuff lately.  She never makes me feel stupid, and always seems to get what I'm saying.  And when she doesn't we will talk it in circles until we come to a conclusion.  It makes me feel good.  Kinda cheesey,  whatevs...

I could go on, but I have rambled long enough.  There is so much text here, I don't know if anyone will make it to the end....

Picture....

Since I posted Colton's, I thought it only fair to post Aubrey's....

Through clenched teeth:  Like this?  You mean move my lips like this?  does this look natural?  am I smiling now?  how about now?....

I have quite a few thoughts to write about, but I cant seem to find the energy or the time tonight.  But I was afraid if I didn't write this now I would forget it...

A few minutes ago I was getting some cereal for me and the girls, and Colton came and sat down waiting to be served.  I told him I would pour him some Fruit loops because that's what I had out, and if he wanted something different he would need to get it himself.   He got up and walked over to the pantry, and as he went he said...

"you're my mom, it's your job to make my life easier."

I laughed...

He said "well it is!"

A few high lights of my evening, before I fall asleep at the keyboard...

A not so good one-  Me not noticing Addy crawling out of the shopping cart until she was racing down the aisle..in my defense, it was one of those stupid ginormica carts with the car thing in front and every where we went it rattled so hard and so loud I couldn't feel my arms or hear anything...I even had to strain to hear Aubs, and if you have been around her lately, you know just how loud that cart must have been...

The phrase I used most- "Aubrey, we are all right here.  Talk at a normal volume"

The phrase Colton used most- "Oh my gosh!  I hate this game!  Mom is the worst shuffler!"  All said with a smile on his face as he took turn after turn after turn while we played Sorry...the best part was when he had already not played in so long and then I pulled a 1, he didn't then Mallary got a 1 or a 2, and then Aubs got a Sorry card.  We seriously went through a whole deck of cards, and he didn't get to play once...

We laughed the hardest- when it was actually semi-quiet, and then Addy blew a huge raspberry on my back.  We all busted up laughing...

Favorite quote- Colton said this to me as he bumped my game piece back home "Sorry mom, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do..."

I had a great time, we laughed a lot, and now I am exhausted...

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typical Jason...I might never be the same....stuff like this is always the best when you go scrolling through all the pictures you snapped that day...then boom! some crack pops up and Lisa and I start giggling like school girls...

I totally went to bed last night, and realized I completely forgot to blog. And I totally had stuff to blog about...

Like how Kent and I took the kids to the McDonalds play land for dinner while we had the oil changed in the Sequoia.  And they ran around and played like crazy, and Addy refused to leave. Then after dinner we headed straight to Carmike to watch Dolphin Tale...I love stimulus Tuesday.  It was a cute movie, basically the animal version of Soul Surfer...and in case we weren't the raddest parents already, after we pit stopped at Hobby Lobby, we stopped to get ice cream cones from Zips...we pretty much rock the house...

So, addy totally says max and apple and match now. Just in the last few days she has been trying
to say a lot more...too bad she still says nothing for Colton...and she is still so far behind...

Tonight I had to google, " how to get gum off my iPad screen". While I appreciated Colton's honestly, about putting his fingers in his mouth and playing with his gum and then touching my iPad screen, it pretty much used up all the patience I had left for the day....like scraping the side of the bowl clean kind of patience...but I did not yell, so kudos to me.

I have noticed lately when Aubrey comes home from school, she has been reaching a whole new level of loudness and talkative-ness. I am coming to the conclusion, that she isn't talking much at school, so she comes home and spews all her pent up thoughts and sound. Seriously, the sheer volume of it would make a grown man cry...

Picture...

Nothing says retakes like....

He swears this is his normal smile, the only way he can smile I think he said...

I am officially living proof that it pays to eat out.  After only 2 visits to McDonalds since Monopoly has been back, we won a $100!  Yeah baby!  So, in 8-10 weeks we should be receiving our cash....when Kent told me how long it would take to get it, I just started laughing...but I am still in shock that we actually won $100, crazy...

Addy said 2 new words today!  After the kids got home from school, I told them if they did a good job cleaning their rooms, I would take them to the gas station to pick out a treat.  After the ever lasting, painful experience of helping Aubrey complete her task, we were ready to go...I told Addy, 'come on, lets go get some candy at the store!'  and she said....wait for it...wait for it...."Wait Mom!"  Jaw dropping information this is!  I just sounded like Yoda...She wanted to grab her Jessie doll off the counter, and so she said "Wait Mom!"  There is hope for my little mute yet...then later when we were eating dinner, our hundred dollar dinner, Kent walked outside...and she said "mom, dad go?" It sounded a bit more like 'doh' but still, leaps and bounds for this little child of mine....

I rearranged almost every room in my house today.  I moved one thing from one room, and then another to the next, and so on, and so on...Kent and Aubrey hate it all, I love most of it and see potential in other places...now if I could just find my giant, stuffed with money wallet I seem to have misplaced....

Picture....

Notice how she has this huge piece of paper, and she decides it would be more fun to paint on the white board instead?  I can't believe how many spots on my wall are colored on that I unearthed today as I moved my furniture around...whenever I point to a spot she colored and ask her what happened, she gives me the same answer every time..."Aub"

'So last week I mentioned how uplifted and resolved to be a better me I felt after watching General Conference.  I have been diligently trying to look a the brighter side and try a little harder.  I have been successful in some aspects, and at the same time, I have completely bombed in others.  But the point is, I'm trying.

Like today for example, I woke up with a headache, my throat was sore, Kent was working...I could have stayed in bed all day.  But I knew I didn't want to miss being in Nursery, not when just the week before I had decided I was going to put more effort in my callings...we made it to church, and I felt good just knowing that I had won my personal struggle with church attendance.  Here comes the important part of my story...almost all of the kids in our class are more drawn to Alicia, but there is one little rascal in there, that finds comfort with me.  I have dark hair just like his mom, and I'm pretty sure that's why he is drawn to me, a fact that I would say was confirmed when he called me mom in class today...anyway, the real point is, once his mom left, he came right over to me, and I kid you not, I think he had one of his best days in Nursery yet.  I left church feeling tired, but blessed.  I felt like it was a tender mercy, an answer to a prayer.  I mattered.  It mattered that I was there.  I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows and loves me.

As thankful as I was for this experience today, I recognize that not all of my 'look on the bright side' struggles revolve around church related things.  It's hard to be all shiny and new about everyday things, to see the silver lining in the day to day.  So this is another example of me over coming my old negative, glass half empty kind of self.

Last night I came home from Danielle's baby shower, where I had received many a compliment on my appearance...so I came home and told Kent 'so, a lot of people told me I looked cute today...', totally spoon feeding him an opportunity to pay me a compliment, and he just said, 'yeah'.  The me I was last week would have been all hurt and down trodden, but the new me tried to look past it.....a few days ago, he came home from work and told me how good the pie was I had made him, he took the time to tell me how much a few of the guys at worked loved it too...so here is my calculation, my silver lining so to speak...Maybe he doesn't shower me with superficial compliments, but age and beauty fade...when I am old, and ugly, and fat, I will still be able to make a killer strawberry rhubarb pie...now that I said that, I'll probably have some tragic accident and have both my hands chopped off...and I don't see myself as the kind of person that would learn to make one with my feet...


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I am thankful for her prayers....Denice, I thought you'd like to know tonight she said "please bless grandma 'nice and grandpa that they will get home safely..."  She looks so silly climbing the gigantic sand dune in her bathrobe...

  

*yesterday after school Aubs said to me ' can we pleeease call Amy and go to her house, she always has the best activities"

*Mallary made the most delicious pumpkin cupcakes ever.  Ever.  Even Kent said how good they were like 3 times as he ate one...

*Clothes shopping is poo.

*I volunteered in Aubrey's class for the first time yesterday...I still can't stop thinking about how cute she looked sitting at her table raising her hand...she just seemed so grown up, but at the same time, she seems  so little, like I could just slip her in my back pocket...but I don't think her ginormous voice would fit inside...she told me there is a boy in her class that won't say the Pledge of Allegiance, so he misses his recess...she said he always gets in trouble...

*tonight when I was headed to the mall, Colton and Aubrey were both disappointed they couldn't go...I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing...

*I keep thinking about how I want to buy a Charlie Brown-Like Christmas tree this year, because it's supposed to look a little ugs, no pressure for perfection...and plus, with a tree like that I won't have to wait for my mom to come over and decorate it for me...

*Addy keeps falling out of bed...she keeps saying "huh?" in the cutest little voice when I say something to her...and then she usually answers me with "no, mom!"  Cutest thing ever...

*I swear, it was just Friday like 5 minutes ago...the weeks are flying by, seriously...

I can' think straight anymore...my head is getting fuzzy...

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of all the things I saw out shopping today, I want these the most...

So today I volunteered in Colton's classroom for the first time this year.  The first thing the teacher told me was, her class is known for being the worse class behaviorally, just a warning she said.  Then she said she has like 12 kids that have serious problems.  Sah-weet...but again, for the second year in a row, Colton isn't one of the problems in the Misfit Classroom...I love how they tell you that like it's some sort of consolation prize.   Do they want me to do cartwheels?  Shout out how grateful I am that he will have another year in school with disruptive rodents that continue to make the class lose out as a whole?  Ugh...

Today when I was getting in the shower, I noticed my conditioner bottle was knocked over.  When I picked it up, I thought to myself, 'why does this feel so light?  Why does my almost brand new bottle of $15 conditioner feel like it's over half gone?  When Kent doesn't even have any hair?'  Later tonight when Colton was in the shower, he said 'hey mom, what's this stuff in the blue bottle?'  When I looked in to see what he was talking about, I could see there was conditioner all over the 2 bottle right next to it.  Kill me now.  I didn't want to ask...'have you been just squirting it out?' he answered with a sheepish expression, and a nod yes.  Holy crap, he  has been wasting my salon brand conditioner?!  Are you kidding me right now?  The heavens opened, and I maintained a tame demeanor, as I explained to him what it was, and if he ever wasted it again I would waste his face off....so I left out the part about the face...but, oh my gosh I can't believe he has just been wasting it over and over...

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When I came home from volunteering, this is what I saw as soon as I walked through the door...

Apparently Addy didn't want anything to do with Kent once she realized I was gone.  I think this might have been her version of a sit in, in protest of being left...I totally stared at her for a second to make sure she was breathing...

Did anyone else cry watching Parenthood tonight when Alex was talking to Christina Braverman about how much he loved their family?  cause I totally did...

Did anyone else totally laugh out loud like 5 different times while watching New Girl?  Cause I totally did that too...

So a few months ago I fell off the exercise wagon with a pretty big thud.  But much to my surprise, as I continued to count calories, the number on the scale kept getting a little bit smaller.  I was overjoyed.  The honeymoon period is so over.  I slowly began falling into old habits...nothing as extreme as my 2 cheeseburger meal large sized, but counting anything has fallen to the wayside.  Slowly, the chunk monster caught back up to me.  Damn him.  Now I am back to feeling like putting my clothes on, is a lot like trying to scoop jell-o with too small a spoon.   Emphasis on the J-E-L-L-O.  Cue depression like feelings, and the desire to cover all mirrors that extend past my neck.
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Today I was grumpy for no apparent reason.  I hate when that happens.  I hate when I am fully aware that I am particularly crotchety, and I can't seem to do anything about it.  By this afternoon it got worse...then I leveled out to a normal state, but it didn't seem like I could stay that way for long, I was up and down all day...

After school Aubrey came across a pumpkin cookie cutter, and for the first time it what has seemed like days, she actually asked for something in a nice voice.  "please can we make cookies?"  I agreed.  Weird right?  Since all I wanted to do was crawl in bed and threaten life destruction if I was disturbed.  About half way through the cookie making, while I was trying to make dinner at the same time, I realized Aubrey and Addy were covered in powdered sugar up to their elbows.  It coated the counter, the chairs, their faces, and the floor.  I just made them get straight in the bath and cleaned up in bitter silence.

Then a little bit later it was time to decorate.  I made up 3 bowls of frosting with hidden food coloring and they each got to choose a bowl to stir up and see what color it would be....

Colton had 'black', Aubs got orange, and Addy had purple...they were pretty excited to see what color it would be, and it was funny listening to them guess what Halloween colors I would pick to give them...

We gave up on the butter knife thing pretty quickly and decided it was much better to pile on the frosting squeezing a ziplock baggy.  When Aubrey realized she could outline the cookie like Colton and I did, her face was all aglow...but, by the time she was finished, there was no out line in sight...

Addy enjoyed doing this...

and this...

and more of that...

but not before finishing this....

By the time the cookies were decorated, there were sprinkles and frosting everywhere the powdered sugar had been.  And since I had made Kent a pie earlier in the day, it was like my gagillionth time cleaning the kitchen.

Not to bad an evening for an Oscar the Grouch mother...

Aubrey doesn't want to eat the cookies because she wants to save them for Halloween and Christmas...which just means me and my jell=o self will probably eat the whole plate...

General Conference was awesome this weekend.  Listening to the Prophet and the Apostles speak always leaves me feeling edified and renewed.

Fried chicken for dinner at Denice's left me feeling beyond stuffed.  She makes gravy like nobodies business.  She told us the other night she is going to be out of town for the next two months, it just seems so crazy every time I think about it.  She will be missed...

Aubrey stayed at Denice's last night, and Colton stayed at my moms.  A break is always nice, but having all my little turkeys back at home makes me feel at ease.  Kinda like when you exhale, and you didn't even realize you were holding your breath...

Today Addy colored all over the window, map, fridge, and counter with a fabric marker.  I was holding my breath concerning her for completely different reasons...Later, when she was watching Toy Story 2, she seriously acted out certain parts and quoted the movie to the best of her ability...it cracked me up...

Picture...

Oh, the irony...

Aubrey-  Ni Hao Kai-Lan was on tv tonight, and Aubrey asked if it was Spanish.  I said no.  She said, is it England?  Close enough sweetie, close enough...

Colton-  He has been playing with his friend Tyler at school a lot.  According to Colton, Tyler's grandpa only speaks 'ven-uh-meese'...close enough honey, close enough...

Addy- We were in the car this evening, and Addy saw a McDonalds.  She reached out her hand and said 'Mine!'...close enough my love, close enough...

Kent- told me that being at Blockbuster so long, and I quote, "put me on tilt".  I was like what the what?  I have never heard that expression.  But watching him explain to me about a pinball machine, being tilted, not right..yadda yads, was quite entertaining, especially because he was making all the arm motions while he was driving.  

Picture...

Lisa and I were face timing on our iPads, while she was talking to Amy on the phone.  Never mind the fact we spent all afternoon together...that's me up in corner trying to find an angle that doesn't make my face look like Helga the Circus Freak...

 

I'm not even gonna lie, when Lisa told me you could take a picture of whatever was on the iPad screen, I thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread...

The last few days Amy and I have been running our own personal pillow sweatshop...We always get on these kicks, thinking 'hey, let just throw together some new pillows, boom, new room'  Holy cow, I feel like I spent hours over there and I have 2 pillows that aren't even all the way stitched up.  Dread.

So, the morning after Colton got yellow for his behavior, just as he was leaving for school he said "and don't worry mom, I have a plan so I can get purple!"  The look on his face was classic, he was so sure of his plan.  I was so proud of him.  He has yet to get purple, but he has had blue the last two days.  Seriously so proud of that kid.  The other day I bought an ap called Math Bingo.  Dead serious, Colton is like a math wizard.  After playing it for a little while he moved on from addition to multiplication, which by the way I have to call 'times' or he doesn't know what I'm talking about.  Any way, I was trying to explain to him how to multiply, and it just clicked for him.  All of a sudden he was all like 'oooh, so the second number is how many times you count the first number?!'  Yuh-huh.  Any way, he has been practicing a ton.  He even gets a sheet of paper out and writes down the equation, and then when he figures out the answer, he writes it all out...best 99 cents I have ever spent...

After school today Colton was getting in to a little bit of trouble.  Nothing huge, but for the love, if he interrupts me one more time, I am going to sew his little mouth shut.  Aubrey was the star of the situation though.  She played the role of the 'good child' so well it was almost scary.  She was so helpful, doing things for me before I even asked, helping out with Addison...I mean don't get me wrong, I ate it up, but oh my goodness, she is a clever one...Tonight it was her turn to say the family prayer, she started, and Kent stopped her to remind her to close her eyes.  She of course insisted that she couldn't.  She decided she was physically incapable of shutting her eyes.  Huh..so I told her, we would just skip her turn for tonight...then all of a sudden she said she would try...when I peaked to check on her, I had to to try so hard not to laugh because she had her one arm folded across her chest, and her other hand covering her eyes...that girl kills me...

Pictures...

So these are my 2 new pillows...I made the flower one, and Amy did a kick-@#$ job sewing piping for the first time ever on the navy polka dot one.  And the flower one, yeah that only cost $3 to make..I know, I'm amazing...

 
Tonight the kids brought home flowers for me.  When I asked Kent what made them pick roses, he said Colton said they look the 'most similar to tulips'  and that was probably a direct quote, because I have noticed he has been saying 'similar' as of late.  My cup runneth over...seriously the sweetest, most thoughtful thing ever...

What the h?  Why did I just see a commercial for Martha Stewart's pet line?  With hand crocheted dog toys.  For reals?  What hell-o kitty does she know about pets?  She has tapped into virtually every market there is.  When will she start making her color coordinating pads and tampons?  With different pattern choices....

Addison-

When Colton was leaving for school, he said "bye Addy!" and she said "bye Unk!".  I know she says it all the time, but when she uses it like it's a totally legit word it makes me laugh...and worry...

She made a hot mess of Stacia's house today...

In the time it took me to get dressed and help Aubs get dressed, she dumped out like 3 bins of toys and was back sitting on the couch watching t.v.

I've noticed she has actually started saying some of the lines to Max and Ruby as she watches them, it's just simple words like 'we' 'do' 'uh'...someday she'll be like other kids...right?

She says mom over and over and it always makes me think of that stupid family guy commercial where the man baby just says mom over and over...mom, mom, mom, mom, Lois, Lois, mom, mom, mom...

Aubrey-

Holy Attitude...

She yelled at me about her clothes and stormed off, and then when I made her come back in her room after she stomped out, was growling and running her nails down the wall...

Called me a punk

When I was washing  her hair a little bit of water went in her eyes so she started thrashing about like a beached whale, yelling "I need to wipe my eyes!  I need to wipe my eyes!" over and over...

When I got to my moms house to pick her up, she glared at me and said "I'm not going!"

When we were in the car, and the music started she covered her ears and yelled at me 'turn this off!'  and started thrashing and going on about how it was hurting her ears...so I just started to sing along really loud...so she yelled at me to stop singing...

She kept saying everything was stupid...

I'm sure I'm forgetting something...and believe it all Steph!  One day I will have to record her so you can see it for yourself...

Colton-

Came home with a yellow for behavior.  They start everyday at green, and they can move up to blue then purple if they do really well, and they can also go down from green to yellow, then red or orange or something.  Anyway he always gets green, and has had an occasional blue.  So when I was talking to him, and I said something about getting 'into trouble at school', he jumped up, started getting upset, yelled that he didn't get in trouble, and stomped upstairs...

I think I had a pretty successful day with my kids...


And in the end it was, because at the close of it all, we had a bedtime snack, we read together, said prayers together, and traded some hugs...

At least after they all went to bed, I had Glee, New Girl, and Parenthood to help me detox...

Now on to tomorrow...but seriously, if Aubrey calls me a punk again, I'm gonna come unglued...

Picture...

So part of me looks at this picture and thinks, man this gives me baby fever...but a bigger part of me looks at it and thinks 'why did I ever think I liked those heinous curtains in my kitchen window...

ps-  Mallary, I have been thinking a lot about you, and how we should hang out, and how I keep thinking I should contact you in some way to find out how your half marathon went, and then I just don't do anything, but tell myself I'll do it later...just thought you should know...

This is my very first post from my iPad. It's pretty much my new best friend. If I go, it goes, we're tight like that....

Tonight we took the kids to dinner at ihop. Once our food got there, our table was silent, shoving our faces. The only other sound besides the scraping of silverware was max and ruby playing on the iPad keeping addy completely entertained...seriously, this thing will go down in my birthday present history...

Since Addy has been out of her crib, we have been one bed short. Today Aubs told me she wants her very own princess bed with the thing hanging down just like Aurora's bed, from Sleeping Beauty. She has been coming in our bed pretty much every night lately, so when she told her dad, he said she didn't need one because she wouldn't sleep in it anyway. Later tonight I told her if she didn't come in our room for a whole week I would take her to buy some lip gloss. She thought it was a good idea, but then said "mom, but how bout we just move my bed in to your room? That would better...".

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I think I found my iPad's one and only limitation.  I can't post pictures on my blog using it.  Had to fire up the old lappy, but I think it was worth it for this stellar picture art Lisa took/made of Amy.  It was right before she was about to get Molly, or right after she found out about Molly, either way, Lisa said she had been talking about the dog a lot...Amy don't be mad, I asked Lisa if she thought you would care if I posted this and she said no.  Just remember, we have admitted, or I have admitted stuff about us way worse than this picture taken in good humor...

Oh my gosh Tommy Boy is on right now, and I don't think I have gone more than 20 seconds without laughing hysterically..."it's not so much here or here...but right here..."

Saturday we slept in and then headed to the Market.  We almost didn't make it, and when I told Colton we probably weren't going, the disappointment on his face was awesome.  I say that with nothing but love in my heart...I am over the moon that he loves to go.  It's one of the only things all 5 of us love to go do together.  After that we went and visited my grandma for a bit.  Then we headed to Easton's baseball game, and on the way we tried out a new taco truck.  I can just imagine all you hand washing people gasping right now...anyway, it was the taco truck in the parking lot of the Super Mex grocery store.  And then Aubrey had to go to the bathroom.  Like ASAP.  So into the Mexi Market we went...good thing I remember 'banos' from high school, and we found the bathroom no problemo.  And yes, every other customer stared at us as we walked through the isles...and the tacos were legit.  So delish...

Next stop Target.  I promised the kids we could look through the whole toy section to get ideas for Christmas.  Every isle Addy threw something new in the cart.  She was most attached to Eeyore, so he came home with us. 

Later on we took the kids to my moms and went and watched Moneyball with Steve and Lisa.  Seriously great movie. 

But by the end of the evening our family fun weekend emploded...ain't that just the way it goes...

Today at church Addy of course was the kid under the table during the lesson, running around with snack in her mouth...but be still my heart when she tried to sing the Wheels on the Bus and Fun to Do.  Listening to her sing "to do"was stellar.  But on the drive home when Colton and Aubs were singing Wheels on the Bus with her was the absolute best.  She even did the motions and knew what verse was coming next.  And that's saying a lot for an almost mute...

This evening at my parents, Lisa and I sat outside playing Monopoly on my iPad with the little propane fire pit turned on.  It felt so good to wear jeans and a sweat shirt, and feel the crisp air on my face.  It was a nice change from sweating my arse off sitting outside.  And then my mom dished up warm apple pie and we all ate outside, in the dark, with the cool air, and I beat Lisa, which made for a perfect ending to our Sunday.

I watched the series PanAm tonight, did anybody else?  I kinda liked it...I think I will find myself watching it again next week...

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every time we are in the car I have to threaten her with whatever I can, because for the love, she will not keep her hands to herself.  She bugs Colton til he is about ready to snap...and when she's called out, she denies it like nobodies business...saying stuff like "what?!" like she has no idea what we are talking about...

Every single Sunday she wants to wear this dress.  And I let her.  I always wonder if other moms are judging me, silently wondering if she has anything else to wear, if they think to themselves, 'spend $10 and go buy her another dress already...'  anyway, I decided to go with the 'who gives a crap' mentality.  If it makes her happy to wear it every week, then she will get to wear it every week until she changes her mind...at least it's cute, and not totally heinous like this dress she picked out once with dogs all over it...

I spent the morning in bed, with a 2am baking hangover.

This afternoon Stacia and I went and got manicures and pedicures.  It. was. awesome.  I asked Kent if he liked my shiny nails...he said they looked greasy...sweet.

 So last night when we had the dinner melt down, Aubrey exclaimed that we never let her pick.  Kent said "ok, what do you want for dinner tomorrow?  You can pick anything you want"  So Aubrey said "Pizza.  The kind you order"  We planned on going to Hubby's, but holy crowdedness...so we ended up meeting my parents and Amy at Round Table.  And of course I spent the drive explaining to Colton that life is much better when you just roll with the punches instead of wasting your time and energy being sad about what's not meant to be...I reminded him that he should just be grateful we were taking them out to dinner at all...and Kent threatened to get a babysitter...

Without fail, all of the kids were trying to arrange sleepovers, who was going where, and with who...But we had a different plan in mind, and our plan started with our 3 kiddos coming home with us...which meant we had 2 kiddos stomping all the way to the car...only oblivious, shoeless Addy ran to the car with real vigor...so I implemented a little reverse psychology.  I started asking Addy if she wanted to come with us to go get ice cream and pick out a movie to rent.  Telling the other 2, that only kids that were happy to be with us got to have any fun, and since they didn't really want to be with us, they probably wouldn't get any...it didn't take long before they were singing a different tune.


Our first stop was Lowes, where I pushed all 3 kids around in the special cart with steering wheels super fast through the garden center.  We even spun a few donuts...


Then we headed to Dairy Queen Drive-Through...we ordered a chocolate cone, a blizzard, and then a chocolate sundae, and when Kent said chocolate sundae, the girl asked us if we still wanted the chocolate cone.  Really?  Like really really?  Is there a chocolate order limit?  Why would she even ask that?

Soon we were on our way to find a movie...and about half way through Aubrey's cone, she says "you were right...to come with you guys..."

Redbox was a bust so we headed to Blockbuster and left with Soul Surfer.  It was a pretty good movie...I thought Carrie Underwood's acting was the definition of corny, but other than that it had a really good message.  I don't think it was Aubs cup of tea though, so it looks like tomorrow we will be trading Soul Surfer in for Nanny McPhee part 2.

And of course, no family night is complete without a race up the stairs.  Aubrey was on my back, and  I declared a race to Colton, which he didn't win, so without fail, he accused me of cheating...

Now it's 11:42, and Addy who fell asleep somewhere between Lowes and Dairy Queen is pretty awake...kill me now...

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I love my grandma...and I believe we will be paying her a visit tomorrow on our way home from the Market...

I feel like crap.  I hate having a cold...but when your husband has one, and your kids have one, chances are you are gonna get it too...

Today when the kids got home from school, Colton came running down the sidewalk, leaving Aubrey behind.  I'm hoping it's just because he saw me and Amy and her kids outside.  Either way, Aubrey was all kinds of mad that he left her.  She through her backpack down, and turned around and started walking the other direction...which oddly enough did not deter Sophie, Carson, and Addy from running after her anyway...I finally had to call her home, and she came stomping all the way...and went straight upstairs yelling down for all to hear "Fine!  But I'm Not Playing With Anyone!" ...thankfully a few minutes later, she snapped out of it, but not before she stomped downstairs, grabbed a paper and some crayons, and let me know she was going to color by herself upstairs...and she was taking these crayons with her!  Diva...

Dinner time reared it's ugly head again tonight.  This time it was bow tie pasta with spaghetti sauce.  Colton cleaned his plate, but Aubs refused.  And she was not budging.  Long story short, about an hour later her dinner was still sitting there, waiting to have a bite taken so Aubs could make her peanut butter sandwich.   Finally she must have gotten hungry enough, because she resigned to the fact that she had to take a bite, but now she wanted me to reheat it.  I politely refused.  And she cried.  The saddest, cry I have ever heard.  And she begged.  "Please Mom!  But why?  I said I would it eat it, I just want it warm...please...please...please..."  and all the while my insides were in knots  while I tried to stand my ground.  Finally I conceded that if I heated it up, she had to eat the whole thing, no sandwich.  You could see the relief spread across her face, and then the conditions caught up with her...and she was sad all over again.  I know I shouldn't give in, but I dare say anyone of you would have caved if you saw her face and heard the despair in her voice...I just kept seeing my mom and dads face in my mind, saying "Rach, come on...just heat it up this once..." Seriously, it would have broken even the coldest heart.  So, in the end I told her if she ate it cold, I would make her sandwich.  Win win right?  Too bad I think Kent just thinks it's win-lose, at least that's what I gathered from the disdainful nod he gave me when I told him what I did...there goes that heart 2 sizes too small again...

Tonight when we were watching tv we heard a kid on the stairs way after bedtime...I called out "what kid of mine is out of bed?"  and I cracked up when Kent said "You better go check, in case it's the one that can't talk"

It's 12:47, and we are still up, because Kent decided at 11pm that he wanted a apple-rhubarb pie.  So we made one...it's not quite out of the oven yet...

Picture...

Addy painting a picture the other day...I was outside painting some clip boards, and when I wouldn't let her help she threw herself on the sidewalk crying...and since I like to reward out of control behavior, I went and got the easel out and set her up with some paint of her own...

So the weirdest thing today...I was all chipper and stuff.  Like in a legitimately good smiley mood.  It's like I didn't even recognize myself.  But I was gonna ride that wave as long as I could...before it petered out and my real self came through...So when I had a meeting to go to this morning, I jogged to the house instead of driving.  And when I came home, I did a really great job of blocking out the complete disaster my house was while Kent played Tiger Woods Golf on my iPad.  All of Addy's whining didn't even bring me down.  And when I went to the grocery store, I rolled my windows down and blasted Gives You Hell while I sang along at the top of my lungs, car dancing all the way.  Soon after, the kids came home from school, and still I retained my high spirits.  Seriously, it was like a twilight zone.  I even took all of the kids down to the park.  I know right?

But, alas all good things must come to an end.  Dinner time.  Not just any dinner time.  Dinner time with the pickiest kids on the planet.  Typically my rule is, if they try a bite and hate it, you can have something else for dinner, but you have to make it all by yourself.  I feel like this is a good compromise, I don't want to be a short order cook, but I have anxiety about my kids being sent to bed hungry.  I was a picky kid, therefore I have a big spot in my heart for those who gag on bow tie pasta like Aubrey did tonight the second it touched her tongue.  Anyway, there was something about it tonight that just made me crazy.  So in the end, I let Aubrey  make a peanutbutter sandwich, and made Colton read the instrusctions on the chicken noodle soup can by himself.  I wouldn't even get the bowl down from the top shelf in the cupboard.  But they sailed through this so effortlessly...it just drove me nuts...so for the first time ever, they had to clean the whole kitchen after dinner.  Unloading the dishwasher included.  Kent stayed downstairs and managed while I took Addy up for a bath.  It took them awhile, but they did it without too much complaining.  When I came back down stairs, I said "wow, this is nice!  We should have done this a long time ago!"  And Aubrey said, in her most sarcastic voice she could muster "yeah, we just had to clean the kitchen!"  her head bobbed a bit, and she had her little arms out to the side, palms faced up...it was classic...

You know what, I take this back.  I had a momentary dip in my mood this afternoon trying to do Aubrey's homework with her.  I don't know if it's a left handed thing, or a dyslexia thing or something, but, oh. my. gosh.  I want to rip my hair out helping her.  It took over 10 minutes to name ten things that start with the sound an s makes.  For example, after she asked for a hint again, I told her to think of something that's at the beach.  I said it's soft.  I said you play in it.  She said 'water?' Colton said it's almost the whole thing of the beach.  He said it's not the water.  He said you walk on it.  She said 'I don't know, can you give me a hint?'  then 'water?  ocean?'  I don't remember what Colton did to finally get her to guess it, but I have never been so thankful for his help.  I said, you have 2 cousins who's name's start with essssssss, she guessed Graycie.  She found an s on a book cover, but it was at the end of the word, not the beginning.  My tongue actually started hurting I made the stupid s sound so much.


Tonight when we were saying family prayers, I was listening to Aubrey, being so smitten with the way she includes other people, and then when she said 'Amen' it sounded a bit muffled...apparently Addy couldn't help herself, she just shoved her little hand right over Aubrey's mouth right at the close of the prayer...

Picture...

A few more examples of Colton's photog-ness...so very un-frame wall worthy...

p.s.  I'm glad the last few days topics brought laughter into your lives.  Getting all your comments brought laughter into mine.  Dennis, I'm not sure it's a good thing or a bad thing that you don't think differently of me.  It might mean you don't judge, or it might just mean you didn't think much of me before...Josh, I am working on the flip flop situation...Alicia, I appreciate your honesty, another reason we are kindred spirits...Kimmie, I hope you enjoyed the half hour you wasted this morning, and didn't curse my name on the way to work....I love you all...Peace Out...Kent, I wish you would have seen the humor in my posts, cause I find humor in your face...booya....