As seen on T.V.

You know that your kids are

watching a lot of T.V. when...

Maren was brushing her teeth yesterday morning, and I hear:

"No squeezing, no rolling, now your bathroom looks a mess! You need "touch and brush"... Mom? Can you PLEASE buy the touch and brush? We really need it."

*need is relative.*

Appearantly they worry about my back too, because they told me today that I "can have" (how kind of them!) the Upside Down Tomato Planter so that it "won't be back breaking to pick tomatoes from my garden during the summer." Bwahahaha!

And their Christmas lists already consist of Aqua Globes, Snuggi's, Grow your own Butterfly Kits, and Sham-WOW's.

Turn off Nick and go play outside already! Geez.

Candyland Recital

These are videos we were allowed to take during the rehearsals for the Ballet Recital which the kids performed yesterday.

Maren's class was "Sweet Treats" at the end of the Candyland adventure where the children reached King Candy's Castle. She has improved so much in her coordination and mechanics, but she still struggles in some things because of her physical structure :( I am so proud of how she has observed details from her teacher and the student helper of how to move her arms more fluidly, and has really improved in grace compared to last year! This little girl absolutely loves dancing, her heart is probably shaped like a ballet slipper. She is the last little girl in the line entering the stage, with a student helper right behind her.

Kellan has enjoyed Ballet this year too. This was his first year, and his teacher made it so much fun with creativity to learn different mechanics of ballet, such as pretending to be dinosaurs jumping over logs to teach the boys leaps. He appearantly is Mr. Popular as well. Backstage at rehearsals as I would get Kellan ready for his turn with his class, all of the girls would walk past saying "Hi Kellan!" And he would keep walking as if he gets that treatment everywhere, cooly toss his hand in a casual "hey" as he walked on by.

The boys always get more interaction from the audience during their performance. They are such an adorable highlight, how can you resist laughing and cheering during their dance? Kellan especially sparked the most attention, and even got loud cheers as he received his first year trophey. By far the cutest member of the cast in my humble opinion ;)

*Sorry for the shaking of the camera, I was moving closer to the stage to get a better angle.

I may not always say the right thing...

My sister's blog about her peeve of adults butting in line and acting like they have more important things than you have to do sparked my thought process, and since I can't sleep... hey... here ya go.

At the end she said she apoligizes if she has unintentionally done that which she is bugged by others doing. Here are some intentional and unintentional times that I've made a jerk of myself.

Last summer I had a lunch playdate with a friend who's child has Turrets syndrome among other difficulties. And Kellan was going through a difficult behavioral time where he was pushing other kids (remember Tiffany?!) and he'd constantly go through the entire list of 'naughty words' when he got in trouble for it! I'd sit him in time out, and leave the room, he'd start saying "stupid, idiot, ugly, butthole (yes! that one too)..." etc, etc. And I was telling this friend about it after having to put Kellan in time out during the playdate, and I stupidly said "He has 'naughty word Turrets when he is in trouble." I didn't even realize how awful that was, and what she must have thought, until later that day. We've never had a playdate since... :-/

There is a mom at preschool that I see every morning when I would be dropping off one child or another, she seemed really nice, reminded me of a brunette Reese Witherspoon. (see, the celebrity comparision thing I do again.) And I'd see her at Chic-fil-A on Fridays, and at Target. It's like we were constantly crossing paths. I am always social and friendly to everyone, so I said once in passing with a usual hello that "We seem to take our kids to the same places, there's a cute little park near here, if you ever go there too that would be fun to get to know you." I thought she'd say "Yeah! Maybe we'll run into each other again sometime!" But she seriously looked around me and said "Hmm!" with a pursed lip curteous smile and kept walking! Soooo, a few days later she was backing her minivan out of the parking spot, and she backed into an incoming car! I was buckeling Kellan back into his seat, saw it/heard it, and I audiably said "Heh!" Then thought ::whoops!:: and ducked into my car and drove off. I had my cat with claws moment and felt good.

James brings this one up a lot: When I was single, I was super flirty, and consequentially was flirted with a lot too... sometimes not by the guys I would prefer to flirt with, but hey. I took the bus to work in the mornings, and would usually stop at either Einstein's Bagels or Bagel Brother's for breakfasts. One morning getting the 'yooszh' I couldn't remember which side of the street I picked that day, so the cashier tells me my total, and I ask "Who do I write the check out to?" (yes, back in the day when places accepted checks!) The boy said "To the 'Scott Milner who wants to take you out on a date fund'..." To which I quick-wittedly replied "Well, if I have to donate to that fund it doesn't sound appealing." Then I think that is one of few times I have ever blushed, I apoligized for being in a foul mood, took my food, and never went there again. I really was trying to be clever, and often I deliver more of a different kind of 'ness' that rhymes with *itchy.*

When I was pregnant with Max, I was headed to church (yes, I do go there, it's just been a while recently!) and a car in front of me was really impatient. Another driver in front of them signaled to turn right onto a street, slowed down, and made their turn. As the car in front of them was moving off of the road, the impatient car blares their horn and continues on their way after being slowed down for a second. We continue on, them in front of me, and they turned onto a street to the right, so after I slowed behind them as they turned off, I blared my horn at them and continued on my way... thinking I was clever for giving them a taste of their own rudeness. I turned on the next street after them, and cut over to get to church. I pull into the parking lot, and then they did right after me. Yup, someone at my church. I'm not sure if they realized it was me behind them, but I realized it was them in front of me. And I still maintain it was MORE awesome because they go to my church that I did that, maybe they'll be more conscience of their Christ-like strivings! And no, they probably don't read my blog.


*Note from the editor: Yes, I realize I need to work on my compassion. It's on the list.

For those that miss my little people

Maren appearantly loves the sound of her voice underwater, and I love how quirky this girl is, she makes life interesting!

Kellan's birthday wish shows how big his heart is, I love this tenderhearted little dude. He's going to be an awesome man someday.

Max is my little adventurer, he's game for trying just about anything... I"m in trouble when he's mobile!

The insight of a junkie

Yes, I'm an American Idol's fan. Yes, I've probably watched more t.v. these last two weeks than I have in an entire year. And yes, I care far too much about someone else's life.

There, now that's out of the way!

There's a little bit of tension in my house this morning! Haha. James was totally rooting for Adam to win American Idol, and I voted for Kris to win.

When you are as talented as Adam is, to where you can sing a horrible version of Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire with a middle eastern flare to it, people hated it, and still couldn't take their eyes off of him, clearly... you're talented. He toured with the Broadway production of Wicked for pete's sake. He's a veteran. And how do you contrast someone as awesome as him? You pair him up with iconic over-the-toppers like Kiss. When he outsings freaking KISS... hands down Adam is the better one.

BUT...

There are some people out there who watch American Idol for the 'American Dream' hopes that someone gets picked from obscurity and has their wildest dreams come true. Someone who hasn't had a platform yet, or an opportunity, someone who takes on the challenge, rises to the occassion, and is the best of that bunch. That was Kris.

I'm happy that America agreed with me! Now only if every aspect of my life handled in the same way, this world would be perfect ;)

I like the spirit the people in this country have shown lately. That they don't get caught up in the hype and glam of something, and can still see the purpose of the platform someone is pursuing, and give it to the most deserving who fits the qualifications- not the person who stepped down from another platform because they thought they could easily snatch up a different one with a little popularity. Kinda how America didn't bite too hard on the Sarah Palin ticket ;-P

But you just can't top the awesome-ness of this!

This is my 100th post

So it better be something worthy right?

I am a lucky woman. I have many around me, and many far from me who care about me and love me. I am inspired everyday, fulfilled, and loved deeply from this great network of friends and family.

So I've got pnemonia again, a tough bugger, and found myself in the ER yesterday after an eventful afternoon! My resting heart rate (BPM- beats per minute) was over 130, which is twice what it should have been! My breathing was rapid trying to just 'catch' my breath from the constriction, and it was making me dizzy. So I passed out in the ER while waiting to be seen- soap opera style- in the arms of my big strong man ;)
I got an instant headache from it, and hyperventilated for a few minutes trying to catch back up with my rapid heart rate. Let me just say this though- Triage nurses are twits.

The ER doc wanted to keep me overnight to monitor my heartrate because I have a heart murmur (mild, but still) let it be sufficient to say I'll never be an athlete, my heart can't hack it! But I convinced him to wait on a decision after they tried some fluids and an IV antibiotic. 2 bags of bloatedness later, not much changed except the Dr's shift, and the new one said to go ahead and go. My heartrate was still around 124 BPM.

But while I was there, my mind wasn't racing even though my heart was, because I knew my children were being cared for, by one friend then another. But Max was my biggest concern, he's 7 months old, starting to freak out when he doesn't have his Mama, and won't take bottles. He digestively can't handle solid foods yet either. So what do ya do?

I am so grateful beyond words for Tiffany who requested that James leave him with her, though I was expecting to have James bring him back and forth while I was at the ER. She took care of him in my place, and I have to say there just aren't very many women who will nurse someone else's baby without a second thought about it. She waves her hand with an "eh, no prob" attitude, but it is remarkable this friend I've found.

Who'd have thought that this 'hippy, munchy' (modern/crunchy...hey, I didn't trakemark it!) person that I am would find a soul sister in a pediatric nurse? We couldn't have come from any further of perspectives! But we meet in the middle nicely I think. And I'm grateful to her beyond words. I love you dearly, BFF's...woooo! (an inside thang ;)

Dear Children

My hopes is that someday this blog serves as a journal. Maybe a tool to help you understand your mother's strengths, and her weaknesses. But always at the center of my strivings, is to be a steward over you in your progression on this earth until you are accountable unto yourself. Sometimes I don't do such a good job, I'm sure you'll be quick to tell me when your brains have developed with so much worldly knowledge- but no filter for it all yet. But I strive to magnify this calling of my life so that someday you can look back in hindsight and understand my heart.



I fear for you in this world, though it grows strange all around us, and distances the will of our Heavenly Father for his children. I guess every generation of mothers think the same thing, and the later generation of mothers look back at previous worries thinking that might have been easier. But as I think about the pioneer mothers who believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ being restored to the earth, enduring the persecution, being driven from their homes, and trecking thousands of miles across the country for safety to worship our Heavenly Father, I alway said I wouldn't have had enough faith to do it. My heart aches when I think of those mothers burying their children along their journey, never to visit their graves again. Or those mothers dying and leaving their children to face the physical trials required of that people to build up a gospel on the face of the earth once again.



Some say that this generation bears the spiritual burden of being pioneers and being steadfast in our faith. And at times I feel strengthened to continue to carry on the work. And other times I feel persecution. When the world calls religion 'close minded' or bigotry, it's a challenge. I want you to know that to live a different choice is not close minded, but rather single minded with our eye single to the glory of our Heavenly Father.



Our nation which was established for freedom of religion, and the choices it encompasses, is changing many things which are deep rooted with religious tradition. The family foundation is being challenged by determining the technicalities of what makes a family. Of what makes a marriage.



Our church leaders have said this:

"The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan."

As you continue to grow and experience this mortal existence in your journey as a spiritual child of our Heavenly Father, I want you to be stregnthened by my testimony in this principle. It isn't a matter of equality, or agency, which I believe we all are entitled to because we chose the plan of Salvation which provided a Savior to us. But it is a matter of conforming unto God, not unto the world. To be told that it is best to be progressive, insinuates that you must ride the wave of liberated traditions becoming individualized, and also minimalized.

It doesn't matter to me if I'm progressive. It matters to me if I'm worthy for the work. I prayed for each of you, and I promised my Heavenly Father that if he trusted me with his most precious, I would teach them about him, and their purpose coming to this earth.

Your purpose is to be tested. To fail, to succeed, to learn the lessons that it is going to take for you to be worthy of your divine destiny as a child of our Heavenly Father, created in his image, blessed to have an eternal family someday, and continue to progress eternally.

So someday as you go out in this world, I pray that you don't brush off the values I try to teach you as something old fashioned or foolish. I hope that you grow to love your individualities, and qualities that are fore-ordained in your roles, specific to the gender of which you were created. Our Heavenly Father does not make mistakes, but sometimes he is misunderstood. To mistake is human, and to overcome this mortality learning all that we needed, is what it is all about.

Hi honey, how was your day?

Oh mine was good! But which day are we talking about? Oh today? No, not today.

We were 20 minutes late for preschool today. Good thing they aren't graded on their attendance and punctuality this young yet. We had the "woke up too early" drama trying to get 4 people out the door. I forgot to brush my teeth, because I was scarfing my breakfast 10 minutes before we ran out. Fine, I can do it when I get back.

Dropped Kellan off... oh yeah, forgot it was his birthday spotlight time at class today, how could I have forgotten? I stayed up late making the cake batter cookies to take in for it! Ok, run back home to get them. Then rush to Food Lion to get some juice and something fun for him to give his friends since I wasn't wanting to be obliged to do goodie bags for TWO birthday events. Balloon's will do, they're 3 and 4 year olds, they'll think something simple is awesome.

Great. Construction detour. Make me turn down a road leading me the opposite of where I need to head... that's fine, I'll cut back on another road and head back in a minute. Oh, what? That road is closed 2 miles into it also? Great, I'll go back out AGAIN in the opposite direction. Fine! Forget Food Lion! I'll go to Bi-Lo.

"Ma'am. I need 13 balloons' stat, I'm late for my son's preschool birthday party!" Huh? What do you have that is more important than that?! Can I fill them myself instead of wait 15 minutes? No? Ok.... grrr... waiting, waiting.

Out to the car, rush to the preschool, yup, 15 minutes late getting back with what they were expecting for snacktime. Hungry baby? Here, play with my expensive cell phone, you'll be fine for a few minutes.

Gathering things out of the car to load in, and my bum ankle flops out from under me. Yes, that was me that you saw sit down on the asphalt really hard. No, really, I am ok. I break my tailbone all the time, it's awesome. Wow, you look weird from only the vision of one of my eyes, the other one is subject to the migraine I just triggered falling like that!

What did you say? Oh, yes those are beautiful flowers. Who got them for me you ask? I did. When I saw my favorite combination of pink roses and white daisies for sale on the way home from Mommy's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

And it's still early! And the full moon is tomorrow? Ok, we will stay indoors that day for sure.

Rollercoaster...ah, ah, ah

James had some quality time with the family this weekend, which was a much needed recharge for our family life. He camped outside friday night with the kids, watching a movie on the portable DVD player and staying up way too late because of all the fun. Then Saturday Maren went with Grandma Cynthia for a rodeo and a sleepover, to which she politely told Grandma she was bored while at the rodeo. Haha. I guess that's not her thing. Maybe it was because she fell asleep on the bleachers and didn't see it anyway?

While she was with Grandma, James took Kellan for big boy time at Carowinds (amusement park) for his first experience with thrill seeking. Kellan has seen the rollercoasters there while driving past, but he didn't fully grasp the reality of what he was in for. And James didn't really explain before hand, they just talked about how much fun they will have. So they sit down, buckle up, and after the first steep hill that they plummeted down James realized it was pretty intense even for himself, so he put his arm around Kellan (while thinking in his head "Oh no, I've traumatized the poor kid. I've scarred him for life.")

They get off the rollercoaster, check the pictures they bombard you with to buy, and he about peed his pants he was laughing so hard. It was a must-have, totally worth the $10 to capture his first rollercoaster experience.


What this picture didn't show, is at the end of the ride, Kellan threw his fists in the air punching jabs and squeeling "that was so AWESOME!" Whew... not traumatized at all, he's addicted! They spent the next 5 hours having the times of their life... but let's zoom on that picture a bit...

If this was all I posted, you'd never guess that this kid had the time of his life with his Daddy, who he says all the time "Dad, you're my best fwend."

And I have exhausted myself with giggles laughing hysterically every time I look at this almost-4 year old's reaction, ahhhh, priceless moment.

Dear friend...

Who will remain annonymous, This "open mind challenge" goes both ways. You can say that "having an open mind is a choice" all you want. But when a person opens their mind, contemplates the depths and virtues of the situation, and concludes differently than you do... but YOU are the one who can't accept differences, who really then needs the open mind?

Mine is open. Yours is just too closed to tell the difference.

For a good cause

Tonight at the church building, the young women hosted a pasta dinner resturaunt style, where they served up spaghetti for a minimal charge to raise funds for their summer camp. They also asked members of the church to donate desserts for an auction. It was pretty fun watching everyone get excited, even the very young ones, to bid on something yummy to cap the night off with. Some were egging others on in hopes to drive up a good donation amount, and many people went home with several desserts to last them hopefully through the weekend ;)

Here's what I took, I was pretty proud of it. It was a 4 layer french vanilla cake, strawberry preserve filling, with lemon whipped topping, and fresh strawberries and kiwis, and sprinkled with lemon zests. I was hoping it would get more than $8... and it did! It sold for $20. Appearantly it was no cinnamon rolls though, I heard that one made $50?! Didn't they SEE my cake? (Yes, I know who I sound like. As James pointed out, Lucifer didn't want to give the glory away, he wanted it for himself. Yeah, yeah.)