The last couple weeks

A lot has been happening, which I guess is what happens when school gets out and kids begin to go crazy with pent up energy...errr...I mean when kids are home all the time. This year, as most summers, I have A Plan. I've tried to keep it simple, knowing how Plans tend to fall by the wayside after a couple weeks, so basically I'm spending time in the morning trying to teach the kids the right way to do simple chores around the house and then have them spend time reading and doing other school-ish things to keep their minds from melding into the computer or tv over the summer. Felicity had a rough time with her multiplication tables this year in school (I did at her age, too, so I'm sympathetic), so we've challenged (yes, that means bribed) her to have them memorized by the time school starts in the fall. We made flash cards and she's working on it. Caleb is very science-y and I'm trying to find simple experiments we can do with him. Any ideas? We tried our hand at making sugar crystals, but they don't seem to be doing much, so we're going to have to do more research. I'd like Joseph to be a little more prepared for Kindergarten, so we're working on letters with him. Seth has been very involved with his cars and toy dinosaurs and Felicity's princess figurines. The last I saw he had the princesses lined up against the door with a line of toy cars pointed right at them. Yup, he's a boy. So far our Plan is going well, with a few disruptions that have been fun.
Last week my mom ans sister came from Idaho and we met them at my aunts house (well, actually In N Out, but then we went to her house) and had a fun time with cousins. On Saturday my other sister came up so we went yard selling, and then to the Utah Festival of Books. We got there for just the last hour, so we didn't get to meet Brandon Mull or any of the other authors, but we did meet Curious George, Madeline, and Tigger. So cute to see Joseph give Curious George fist bumps and then dash back for a huge hug around George's knees. They also had bounce houses and other inflatables, crafts--Felicity and Caleb made their own books, balloon animals and face painting. Next year we'll have to get there a little earlier, there was a lot we missed.

The biggest news this week has to do with our cats. Farris has had an on again, off again cold for awhile and finally went to the doctor to find out what was wrong. Luckily nothing serious, but he's allergic to cats. I put them on KSL, and within an hour we had a family call for them. They picked them up on Friday. We didn't want the kids to be mourning them for days, so I told them a few hours before the family came to get them. Felicity and Caleb were especially sad. Caleb cried at bedtime because the cats would always sleep on his bed, he loved it. I know how it feels to lose a pet, so I feel bad...but on the other hand, I'm relieved. I was getting worried about having two cats and five kids. They were really good with the litter box, only occasional accidents (yuck) but they both had long fur and it was everywhere, and I didn't want to be cleaning up after them and taking care of brand new baby and everything else. They've also be slowly destroying things around the house, knocking things off shelves and tables, poking holes in the curtains, ripping up rolls of toilet paper and paper towels. It was like having another two year old. I wasn't looking forward to cleaning out the litter box, potty training Seth and changing newborn diapers. I know, I know, it can be done and I'm a wimp about it, but I'm glad I won't have to. Joseph has already decided he is getting a dog and naming it Jack. Not sure where the name came from, but I'll let him name the dog before I'd let him name the baby sister.

We've also planted flowers, planted our garden (not too big this year), done other yard stuff, watched a hot air balloon (didn't get there early enough to ride in it =( ), had dentist appointments, played with friends, took off Joseph's bike's training wheels (that kid took off with no hesitation. It's the stopping that's still a problem), learned how to make beds, clean and wash counters, sweep, do a quick straighten of bedrooms, sort laundry, the correct way to fold clothes (!!!), and rinsing out dishes so we don't have food all over the kitchen sink and counter. Yes, we're still working an all that, and Joseph is doing better with his bike than with the broom. At his size, it's to be expected, though. I'd like to get them pretty efficient at all that so the house won't fall completely apart when the baby comes. I've been trying to do deep cleaning too, so I won't have to worry about it when I'm waddling too bad. Also, it's been wonderful weather outside, not too hot or too cool so we've been enjoying having a lawn. Awwww, love the grass.

All in all it's been a pretty good beginning of summer. What's going to happen the rest of the summer? I have no idea, we're taking it one day at a time for now!

Funny Joseph quote: He fell down and came to tell me about it, sobbing the whole time. Then he brightened and said "But I didn't sustain any serious damage!"

Mini-challenge: Gratitude list

I'm slipping behind on my wellness challenge...sick kids and all that have kept me from exercising as much as I should. At least that's my excuse. And the fact that my stomach is growing at an alarming rate, and my hips don't enjoy bending, jumping, moving, climbing, even laying down. But this is supposed to be a grumbling post, so I'm not going to think about that and here's my mini-challenge to complete today:
At the end of the day, write down ten things you are grateful for.
Which is really kind of daunting. Only ten things? Farris did this challenge today, too, but he did ten categories of things. So I think I'll be general in my list, and add my explanations. Because I always make my posts as wordy as possible. Sorry about that.

1. Family. Of course, of course. I'm thankful for Farris, that he works so hard and still comes home to play with the kids and help me and do things around the house. I'm thankful for my kids. They're still cuddly, they're growing and learning so much it's amazing, they make me laugh and remind me to slow down. My family and Farris' family: my best friends are my sisters and sisters in law, they are all fun to hang out with, they teach me things, inspire me, help me, laugh with me (and sometimes at me, but so do I), my parents and Farris' parents are amazing and fun and love my kids and are good sounding boards (all that wisdom!), my brothers and brothers in law, every one of them, would all come help with anything at anytime, they are all good, honest, hard working, loving fun guys. How amazing is that! My last grandparent passed about ten years ago, but I inherited some wonderful grandparents from Farris. His grandma Rachel is how I want to be for my future grandkids. She's gracious and beautiful, hardworking and loving and still has the guts to de-pants her grandson when he was wearing his baggy pants too low. My nieces and nephews? Only the smartest little (and big, too!) whips on the planet, and good for a dozen funny stories a week. It'll be wonderful to see them and all they accomplish in their lives. Then there's my extended family...how can I even begin! My aunts and uncles and cousins are incredible people. Love 'em. My Aunt Ellen is dripping with creativeness and talent for everything art and is my mom-on-call if I need one before mom or Judy can get here. There's more than ten blessings all just from family!

2. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Don't even know how I would get through a day without it. Knowing that I can pray to Someone who knows everything about me and what I need to do, how I need to be, how I can become better, and He still loves me! Marvelous. Just tonight during scripture study Joseph asked what Repentance was. We explained, and then talked about how Jesus made it possible for us to repent, and how He wasn't forced to do it, He did it just because He loves us. It's amazing being reminded of that and seeing the kids understanding it.

3. Our home. It might not be the cleanest, it might occasionally (ok, more than that) have screaming and yelling and not sharing going on inside it, and it's definitely not going to be featured in the Parade of Homes, but it's more than just shelter to us.

4. The outside world. Growing up, we'd probably spend only about an hour inside all summer long, sleeping, eating, and playing outside. "What are men to rocks and hills?" That's my massacred quote from Jane Austin. Sure, Elizabeth was a little bitter when she said it, and I do appreciate the men in my life, but I love being outside.

5. Modern conveniences. No running water? No running hot water? Couldn't be a pioneer, sorry. Medicine, cars, phones, internet, pens that we don't have to pull off a chicken, I enjoy all these things.

6. America. Everyday there is something else I hear about on the news or where ever that makes me glad I live in this country. I know, there's craziness here, but at least our president was elected cleanly and he doesn't walk around with umbrellas during riots, ordering death to anyone who opposes him. Grateful for the freedoms and that people still care about the freedoms--no matter how pessimistic you feel sometimes about how people here don't care any more, really, they do. We do.

7. Our physical bodies. I hear scientists saying how our bodies aren't designed very well, the legs and the back and the organs fall apart and age. I complain about pain and how I'm getting old. But you know what? Our bodies are amazing. Every time this baby kicks inside me, I am reminded how truly awesome our bodies are. Combined with our minds and spirits, Heavenly Father has created the most wonderful things in the universe.

8. Friends and neighbors. We live in the coolest neighborhood. Before we even moved in we had two people at different times stop by to introduce themselves and see if we needed help. We have people watching out for our kids and we watch out for theirs. If a kid wanders, everyone drops what they are doing and looks. I love our friends here, and I love the friends from my past. I've known some great people, and none of them are famous, but they are the salt of the earth and give savor to my life.

9. Music and art and literature and the beautiful things people create. I know why science and math and geography are important, and I support them wholeheartedly. But I can't forget about what people create, where would we be without Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Monet, O'Keeffe? Austin, Twain, Hugo, Lewis? Handel, Beethoven, Mozart, Pachelbel, even Elvis and the Beatles? We need to create to remember and to share and to feel. I know, I'm getting touchy-feely now, but even President Uchtdorf says we need to create.

10. Sleep. Need I say more? Oh, one more word: goodnight!

Once upon a time...

Once upon a time...it stopped raining and the sun shined down on us all. And there was much lawn mowing, weeding, trimming and general busy-ness in yards across the Wasatch Front. And there was much painting, which brought much rejoicing. The following day was filled with more rain, but the sore, tired people were grateful for a day off.

How was your rain free Saturday?

(We finished painting the trim, doors and shutters on our house, it looks so nice! Much better than the "half done job with tape still around everything" look we had for a week. Rejoice, rejoice. Now we just have the foundation and the shed. I'm excited!)

In other news, Felicity and Caleb both had their class programs this week. Felicity was part of a dance, kind of a Charleston thingy, very cute and she did a good job. Caleb had a small speaking part for the program, which I didn't know about until that morning. Never fear, he had it memorized and could say it all in one breath. His teacher told me all the kids memorized their parts by themselves so they didn't send any home to parents. What good little first graders! Both the kids had a good school year with good teachers. But I'm really ready for the end of the year, it's getting harder to get up every morning and keep the kids on top of homework and other assignments. Three and a half more days! Joseph keeps asking if that means he's starting kindergarten. He's like a little pistol waiting for school. He's a pistol anyway.

Seth story: After the kids were in bed for the night, I left Seth in the kitchen by himself (mistake #1) and went into the living room with Farris. When we washed the dishes after dinner that night we had put one of my Pyrex casserole dishes on the counter to dry (mistake #2). You can guess the rest: a large smash, a kitchen filled with small pieces of glass and a Very Wide Eyed little boy sitting on the counter, looking over his devastation. Farris picked him up and put him to bed and the first thing Seth said to me the next morning: "Breakable. On the floor. Daddy put me in bed." Yup, that's pretty much it. But I needed an excuse to get a bigger one, anyway.

Joseph and Seth story: I opened the bathroom door earlier this week and found a beach party in progress. Joseph was in his swimsuit sitting on the counter with his feet in a sink full of water and all the rubber duckies surrounding him. Seth was on the other side, fully clothed and soaked from his socks to his sweatshirt. They had laid out about five towels on the floor to try to collect some of the overflow, but like keeping sand out of the car at the beach--it's impossible--there was water everywhere. I think my kids need some sun. I think I need my kids to get some sun.

The world didn't end. Although I did get most of the mopping done, almost an end of the world event. Maybe in Heaven we'll have a little more carpet?

grumble, grumble

I've blogged a bit (or a little more than a bit) about how we're painting the outside of our house. It's been kind of a long, long, wet, cold, long spring, but it gave us time to buy and then paint and then buy some more and then paint the seven samples on our walls to choose from. We had a beautiful weekend and got most of the painting done, and then we bought (three...we're funding our local Home Depot with just sample paint colors) more samples for the trim, shutters, and doors. Saturday was supposed to be another wonderful day with a storm moving in on Tuesday, so we got taping and painting and I loved the paint color. It looks like chocolate pudding. Which might seem kind of weird to you, but it looks just right with the main paint color. So we're painting away...and I see clouds moving in...and I paint faster...and then Farris, who is the practical one in our family, says that we better stop. So our house is still taped and half painted. Grumble, grumble. Our neighbors must think we're crazy. Well, I think they knew that after the first Joseph in his underwear incident. How embarrassing to be standing in the driveway lecturing a three year old on the necessity of clothes when your sweet neighbor comes out to put her trash in the dumpster. Oops. Anyway, moving on. I love rain. We never had quite enough growing up in the desert-y part of Idaho, and we'd get a little giddy when it came. The smell of rain on sage brush! Can't even explain, you just have to experience it. But I want just a few days of sun, please! I just want to finish the painting and then I'll gladly stand outside soaked with rain just to look at our pretty (ier) house. Just a wish, Mr. Weatherman. And next time: get it right!

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Wellness Challenge, #2

Here's another challenge from the BYU Wellness department for all of you who want to join me. If any of you finish it, I can make something homemade for you as a prize again! Here's the details: Beginning today until July 2, you either exercise for 800 minutes (which is an average of 20 minutes a day/5 days a week) or walk 320,000 steps (which is an average of 8000 steps a day/5 days a week) and finish 4 of the 8 mini challenges:

--Set a budgeting goal for this week or month to become more aware of your spending.

--At the end of the day, write down ten things you are grateful for.

--Stretch for 10 minutes before or after exercising three times this week.

--Do a secret act of service.

--Call someone you haven't talked to in a while, or someone you feel may need a call.

--Study a gospel topic you would like to better understand.

--Eat at least 5 fruits or vegetables today.

--Read an article or start a book about a topic you want to know more about.

Not too hard, right? You can actually increase this if you want to push yourself (by ten minute increments a day for the exercise or 2000 steps a day for the steps). Anybody want to join me? I'm doing the exercising because pedometers bug me, but if you have a nice pedometer, I think the steps would be fairly easy. How many times do you pack laundry up and down the stairs every day, or chase kids down the street or go from fridge to counter to sink to oven, or even up and down the aisles in a store. Those add up pretty quickly! Let me know if you want to do the challenge, and what prize you would like ( I make bags or purses pretty fast--sort of!--or I can try something you find on-line. Please no full size quilts, or you won't get it for about ten years:)).

And Tasha and Cindi, I haven't forgotten about you! Did you finish the last challenge? What do you want Tasha? When can we get together Cindi?

Happy Mother's Day!

This has been a busy week/weekend, but first I have to pay tribute to my mom and my kids who make me a mom, and my good hubby!
I'm very grateful for my mom, she taught me and loved me and worked harder than I knew (until I had my own experiences with those kind of days!) and I took her for granted way, way too much. She not only loved all of us crazy kids, but she liked us, and still does. She even likes our kids! My mom is creative and taught me to sew for 4-H. She made me unpick things until I got it right...which I hated...but now when my projects are crooked I feel guilty until I unpick them and start again (usually!). If I need help with colors or patterns or arrangements, mom always gives good advice, and if I don't follow it, I regret it (I still want to repaint the trim in the boy's room, the color I picked isn't quite what I wanted, should'a listened to Mom). I love my mom and can't imagine not having her around to vent to, ask for help, or just chat with every week. Happy Mom's Day to you!
I'm grateful that I am a mom. Yes, there are days when I scream (too many), there are days when I just want to drive somewhere quiet for two hours, there are days when I think I must be insane to have so many little quacking ducklings around me. But then Felicity gives me a hug and tells me I'm the best mom ever, and Caleb wants to snuggle and read a story, and Joseph does his funny dance before showering me with kisses, and Seth hugs my leg and says "My mommy!" Even the little girl I haven't met yet does a little dance when I first get up in the morning, making me smile. Heartful moments. I don't know why Heavenly Father gave me these guys, why I've had an (comparatively) easy path in motherhood. But I'm grateful. Every day. Even on those days. You know what I'm talking about.
I'm grateful for my husband. Being a mom without him would be the hardest thing, I can't even contemplate it. Today he let me sleep in (on a Sunday, with church at 9:00, with four wiggly kids to feed and make presentable), gave me breakfast in bed, co-taught Joseph's class--about TEN four and five year olds...yeah, that's what I thought--so the regular teachers could go to Relief Society, let me take a nap while making lasagna, homemade crescent rolls, chocolate cake with homemade chocolate icing, and a yummy green salad, and even let me type for awhile on this thing. And he even let me talk him into painting the house. He loves me even when I'm in tears, and helps me focus on what's important. He balances my more insane moments. He lets me stay at home and be a mom while he works hard all day and still washes the dishes every night. I love you Farris!
Here's a link for a great mom moment: http://www.godvine.com/Pregnant-Women-Celebrate-Life-as-a-Flash-Mob-409.html
I wanted to put the video on here, but it wouldn't let me. Two thoughts I had while watching it: I cannot do that right now and Did any of them go into labor right after this? Joseph was dancing to it and Felicity thought I would be great at it.

This week was a little crazy. Luckily, Seth has decided he's a super hero and has been wearing his cape all day, everywhere (I did convince him to take it off for church, but he cries when we take it off for bed. Great present, Cindi!) so if I needed a hand with any thing, I had my Super Seth right beside me. Tuesday was Preschool at my house. My last week, sad, but also a big Wheeeeeww. Melissa came to visit and we went to Felicity's track meet at the high school and ate a picnic lunch. The day was beautiful--hurrah--and we got a little sun burnt. Felicity picked the 50 Meter Dash because "it's the shortest." She did call it the 50 Mile dash, which I don't think would be much of a dash. She also did the long jump and the softball throw. I think she liked the long jump the best, she practiced in our kitchen quite a bit. Thursday was preschool again, and again the weather was so nice we spent a lot of time outside. They all recognize the letter X anyway, right? That night we prepped the house for painting! Which is good, one of Felicity's friends, when she saw the SEVEN paint samples we tried out on the walls said "Oh! Are you going to paint your house in stripes?" No, I just can't make up my mind. We finally went with Cottage Walk, which doesn't describe it much, but it's a tan with a tint of green to it. So Friday Farris came home about 3:00 and we got to work. Then on Saturday (after a little yard sale-ing, of course) we worked and worked some more. All we have left now is one more coat on the front and then the trim, doors, and shutters. And maybe the foundation. It had been painted the yucky blue, so we'll probably have to paint it, too. And our shed. So we still have a lot left to do, but we're getting there! And it's so nice. But I do think I'll be all painted out when this project is finished. Then it's off to the garden! If it doesn't snow anymore anyway...

P.S. Seth just had me kiss his little basketball because "it has an owie." My kisses are powerful medicine. Mother's Day moment, right there.

What should we feel about this?

Since this is my "journal," I need to record a few things I'm feeling today. Don't get scared away, these are just a few thoughts and I'm the one putting them out into Blogland, and I would even like to get your thoughts on today's news.
This morning we turned on the radio to get the weather and the first thing we heard was "President Obama announced late last night that Osama Bin Laden is dead." The kids, of course, kept eating their breakfast, but Farris and I turned to each other, chins on the floor. We hadn't been married quite a year when 9/11 happened. Farris was schooling (yes, a word) and working for the Herald Journal and I was schooling and working for Anderson's. Farris had gone into work while I was getting ready for school and he called me with the news that Something Big was Happening in New York. What a day! I went to some classes and spent time at friends apartments watching the news. Horrible, horrifying, insane, scary. The pictures are still heartbreaking, so many stories of families being hurt, sobs and cries of gladness, heroics and miracles upon miracles. I still remember the title on a news story from the Herald Journal that said "A Day of Infamy."
And now that evil person behind it is dead. What do I feel? Sad would have to be the first feeling. I know he was an evil person and the only way to stop him was to STOP him permanently. But I still feel sad; not that he is gone, I believe that is justice. Maybe it's that such a person existed, and hurt so many and deluded so many into hurting people. I'm angry that they found him living in a huge luxury home. While so many people who followed him and so many people who were affected by him live in absolute squalor. He even encouraged the opium trade in Afghanistan to fund his horrible mission, how many people are hooked on opium so that he could live the high life while directing evil acts? I feel sad that even though he is gone, what he led is still alive and prospering. I'm worried for the world that my kids are growing up in. Yes, I do know how it will end (thankfully!) but it's the between time that I'm a little nervous about.
I am grateful for our military and their tenaciousness, their intelligence, and how much they have given up to make our world safer. One of my brother's friends was in Special Op.s, and when he came back from Iraq a few years ago, his sister worried for him. She said he had changed inside--hurting, not angry, and that he still can't tell his family where he was or what he did, probably glad he had been ordered not to. He's doing well now, he's a professor at some college, but the things he saw or did have changed him. I wonder what he thinks of this news. What all those wonderful people in the military are thinking, feeling. Relief? Joy tempered with memories of their time in Iraq and Afghanistan?
How did people feel when Hitler died? It almost feels too big, too important and ominous for me to understand now, ask me in twenty years.