tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68654862024-03-07T15:29:37.565-08:00My Little KingdomA day in the life of me and my kingdom. Thoughts of a mother of four amazing little boys, a wife of an incredible husband and a woman trying not to forget about herself.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-27090823763852044432009-09-25T20:17:00.001-07:002009-09-25T20:30:39.317-07:00A DAY IN THE LIFERANDOMNESS<br />I walked into the bathroom to find Hudson rubbing deodorant all over his tummy.<br /><br />DEBONAIR<br />The boys have three styles of hair: flat, pokey and spy hair.<br /><br />CRAVINGS<br />Hudson wanting a snack asked me for some 'bagel butter' aka cream cheese.<br /><br />KITCHEN HELP<br />Everest helping cut slices of cheese for sandwiches, carefully carved a half pipe out of the cheese block.<br /><br />WHEN IN DOUBT<br />The boys love using my dishes to bug hunt. One afternoon they gathered a Tupperware full of ants for pets. <br />Isaac: look at Jack.<br />Mom: which ones Jack? <br />Isaac: they're all Jack<br /><br />TRUE BEAUTY <br />Isaac(5yo) to Hudson(3yo): oh look how cute these ants are, aren't these ants cute?<br /><br />WHO KNEW<br />Isaac while running across the grass at the city park slipped in a huge mud puddle. Quite unhappy he declared, “Great! now, I‘m going to smell like a gorilla. This is my worst day ever!”<br /><br />VERSING<br />The boys love to watch football with their dad. He explained that the vs. means verses as in opponents or one team playing against another. They always ask who’s “versing” who and when playing together such as when the wii or chess they’ll say, “Wanna verse me?”<br /><br />OK <br />Hudson came in from playing outside and announces, “I’m gonna put my flip flops on so my toesies don’t get cold.” and dashes back outside.<br /><br />SLACKER<br />At the park one afternoon quite unexpectedly Isaac blurts out, “Push me woman, push me!” Apparently I was slacking off at swing duty.<br /><br />FLUFF<br />That time of year when the cottony fluff that makes so many of us sneeze and wheeze was floating around in the sky, we were playing outside and it was quite heavy. Isaac delighted, shouts “look, pieces of the clouds are falling!”<br /><br />NO DUMMY<br />Isaac not pleased with something I wouldn’t let him do packed his pillowcase and headed out the door. Over his shoulder he informs me “I’m staying outside for a few days but not for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”<br /><br />BIRTHDAY WISHES<br />In response to what he wanted for his 4th birthday Hudson replied, “A power miner thunder driller Lego set, Lego cake and meat.”<br /><br />ROBBERS EAT TOO<br />Eating out at the Olive Garden while passing the time until the food came the boys tied their dark green napkins around their faces and pretended to be robbers. It was such a hit that they kept their disguises on while they ate, laughing and demonstrating “Look I’m a robber eating”.<br /><br />MORE FLUFF<br />Every once in a while we’ll buy Grandma Sycamore’s White Bread. Isaac asked if we could get some and I said, “white bread makes you soft and fluffy” as I tickled him. He giggled and said, “I’m already soft and fluffy” (he’s really not, but it was cute to see him blush)<br /><br />OUCH<br />Isaac: Mom you lived in the old fashioned. Dad lived when it was old fashioned so that means you did too.<br /><br />REALITY<br />MoM: the perception of age changes with… well… age.<br /><br /><br />CALL EM LIKE YOU SEE EM<br />Mom to Hudson and Everest: I think you’re tired and he’s fiesty. And when tired and fiesty get together it’s a disaster. <br /><br />OH REALLY<br />I received a call from school, Edison insisting his throat was too sore to stay. So I go and pick him up. Later upon walking into the room he exclaims, “I’m playing cause it’s just my throat, the rest of my body is ok”.<br /><br />BODY GAURD<br />Hudson came running into the kitchen wedging himself in between me and the cupboards as he locks his arms around my legs. Everest taunting him from the other room, “Hudson, come and get me”. Hudson unable to resist, “I have to go get him, can you come with me?”<br /><br />ENOUGH <br />After watching the movie KungFu Panda the boys liked to mimic one of the lines, “enough talk, lets fight”. So we heard all kinds of versions such as ‘enough work, let’s play’, ‘enough play lets sleep’ and ‘enough talk, let’s eat’… I overheard Everest telling his brothers that his teacher stepped out of the class and instructed everyone to quietly work on their assignment. While the class was chattering up a storm. He chimed up and instructed the class, “ enough talk, let’s write.”<br /><br />WISDOM OF A 4 YEAR OLD<br />Hudson: You’re not the boss.<br />Mom: Sure I am.<br />Hudson: No. You’re not.<br />Mom: Then who is?<br />Hudson: Daddy<br />Mom: Oh yah? Why’s he the boss? Hudson: He’s the tallest.<br />Mom: Well, then who am I if he’s the boss? Hudson: The King. And the king tells the boss what to do.<br /><br />PUTT A’ROUND<br />On my way out to some stores I commented to Cameron, I’m going to go putt around for a bit. Isaac overheard and blurts out, “I wanna go golfing with you!”<br /><br />WORTH A SHOT<br />The boys will try anything for ice cream such as: “I’m too skinny, I need something to put the chubbies on. Like ice cream...serious, I’m too skinny.”<br />or<br />“It’s hot out there, I need something cold… I know, ice cream... Really I’m sweating.”Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-61304536645016056332009-08-18T19:23:00.001-07:002009-08-19T11:35:41.345-07:00Summer SnoThe other day the boys minus one and I headed out for an evening of our own since one of our sons had a special evening lined up with his dad. As we headed to the city park I spotted a sno cone shack and held the vehicle in a hard left turn through the round about. The boys all piped up this isn’t the way, what are we doing, where are we going…. It didn’t take long for them to spot the sno cone shack either and their hopeful excitement got the better of them. After they each picked out their flavors we made our way back through the round about and to the park. <br /><br />As we filed out of the car the boys all jabbing their ice with their plastic straws panic filled the air, “Moooooooom, I poked a hole in my cup!” Overwhelming disappointment washed over his little face as flavored syrup began trickling out the bottom. I had to act quick or the evening would be left to ruin. Rummaging through the console, AH! a band aid. Of course. I could tell the boys were impressed with my quick fix as we chuckled and joked mom pulled a MacGyver. And off we went with not another thought of the near devastation. <br /><br />It was a gorgeous evening. My favorite time of day in fact. The sun's rays filtering through the sea of emerald leaves as they gently swayed back and forth in the evening breeze. The sky a flawless clear blue overhead framing the soon to be setting sun. The sound of water babbling over pebbles in a nearby brook. With sno cones in hand we made our way to a relaxing little spot to finish off our refreshing treats. <br /><br />The boys still each jabbing their ice while mixing their syrup, after all this is how you eat a sno cone. Casually talking and enjoying each others company. Pure bliss. Until. “Moooooom, I poked I hole in my cup!” For some reason I happened to have another band aid on me. Another disaster diverted. Our chattering, playing and jabbing ice resumed. Only moments later to hear the earth shattering “Mooooom, I poked a hole in my cup!” Unbelievably I had yet another band aid on my person. Seriously I am not a walking first aid kit. Even though I like to think I’m ready for anything and we really do have a first aid kit in the car, I honestly never walk around with band aids in my pockets. It was like a magic trick and the boys thought it was great in fact I was just as astonished as they were.<br /><br />Three sno cones, 3 holes, 3 band aids, 3 happy boys thank goodness for 1st aid kits. And 2nd aid kits. And 3rd aid kits. <br /><br />Though summer is winding down here in our neck of the woods sno cones will never be out of season. They are a year round treat in our house. Last winter our boys invented their own sno cones. Our freezer was full of them all season long until the sno shacks started showing up. With a natural ‘sno’ maker outside the boys took advantage of the snow and would bring cups full inside then pour various liquids over the top. Some they’d eat, some they’d offer me to eat while some remained in the freezer to admire. My favorites (not for taste but for creativity) were the o.j. sno cone, the gatorade sno cone, the milk sno cone and the mystery mix sno cone.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-29154428191555906192009-08-11T13:49:00.000-07:002009-08-11T14:00:10.706-07:00Saved by Creative InspirationToday I awoke in a funk. Wallowing in pillows clambering for something to pull me up and into the day. Slumped in a heap on my bed my eyes fixated in the corner of the room still dim from the early morning hour. There in the corner of an already undersized out grown bedroom is a space. A space Cameron cleared just for me. Placed in this space is an enormously gorgeous easel that spans well above my head. Upon it’s poised frame was a canvas to match it’s beauty. It had sat there pristine white for weeks as I lay and gazed at it’s beauty. Endless images running through my mind’s eye of the possibilities. Until one morning I covered it in blues. Again it sat in the corner as I scrutinized it’s color. <br /><br />But this morning while sitting on my bed in a mood a spark of creativity took light. Staring more intently at the canvas held in it’s grandeur the vision was coming. Out came my palette and oils and brushes. Creative inspiration quickly replaced the mood I was in and emotion began to expressively engulf the canvas.<br /><br />To sum up my day I awoke in a funk, was rescued by creative inspiration which led to an enormous canvas filled with expressive emotion and a really great day.<br /><br />Days Later...<br />The other morning I found myself stir crazy. Not wanting to delve into any of the usual or not so typical chores. Only 11am and I was feeling compelled to take a nap. I refused after all I hadn’t even had lunch yet. There’s just something about taking a nap in the morning that seems strange to me, unless I’m ill or recovering from childbirth. Looking for something to do to keep me occupied, rebelling against any chores or ‘to do’ items. I do those every day. I craved something that would challenge me, something I could find growth in, development, improvement, progress, expression. Something to send me spiraling along my own personal path. <br /><br />There it was resting waiting calling from it’s easel. The oil painting I had started weeks ago. I’ve been letting it dry before I began phase II. It’s time I thought, even if it’s still tacky it’ll add to the texture giving it the character I want it to have. But it’s in three pieces the large canvas sits in the corner of our bedroom approximately 2’x4’ and the other two canvases rest down in the basement on my art table each approximately 2’x18”. I started racking my brains. I have two large art tables but neither could accommodate all three canvases. And I really needed all three pieces to be lined up beside each other to complete this phase. Our poor little rental is too tiny and the floor plan quite poor. There was no where to paint. Do I dare take it all outside? Frustration was really beginning to set in.<br /><br />When suddenly the creative inside me took over. Or maybe just desperation. I removed all of the dinning room furniture and shoved it all into the front entry. What are the chances someone is randomly going to stop by to visit anyways. Piled the dishes into the sink, I know they’ll be kind enough to wait there. <br /><br /> The boys all begin to pop up one by one watching and wondering. When they see the art supplies come out they all exclaim, “You get to paint?! Aw can we?” Of course they can paint. I wouldn’t have it any other way. So I spread my canvases across the dining room floor and spread newspaper across the dining table that is now in the entry and set them up along side me. And for the remainder of the afternoon we painted side by side. We would check each other’s art out and ask for opinions while literally rubbing elbows. I still have the paint on mine to prove it. <br /><br />Lunch proved to be an obstacle but we managed through and back to painting we went with little paint footprints tip toeing through out the kitchen and dining room. They were thrilled and Isaac was so excited he commented, “Wouldn’t it be great if our whole house was an aquarium? Could we make our house an aquarium?” I guess he could see the thought process in my eyes because he went on to explain, “you know where we can hang up all of our art work for people to look at.” “Oh a museum, you mean an art museum, of course, I think that’s a great idea”.<br /><br />When they were really young, like all of about 3 years ago. I would post all of their art work on colored paper as if on a frame and then hang them in the laundry room. It didn’t take long before my entire laundry room was filled with their bright cheerful imaginations. It made me smile every time I went in there and became one of my favorite rooms believe it or not.<br /><br />That evening a request came in, Everest has requested we paint in the park like we used to. I have forgotten about all of the art opportunities I used to expose them to. I love that they enjoy it so much and that it’s something we can do together. Next adventure will be at the park with our paints. I think it’s time to redo my laundry room too.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-51619051789267915242009-07-28T20:37:00.000-07:002009-07-28T20:54:38.847-07:00Molls on a Mission<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuEkdbQFUivaw_pjTmRoW-EYEJ0znqqAH55Z40NffU3cGbmpLLh4kwvBCRuOej_kFAsN7Irv95MVHa63dm4m29nlZLcReI2aT-hmxiqSwZQc7Vwr5OVbRfJEXEzS0M-bvQ_pt_w/s1600-h/IMG_0696.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuEkdbQFUivaw_pjTmRoW-EYEJ0znqqAH55Z40NffU3cGbmpLLh4kwvBCRuOej_kFAsN7Irv95MVHa63dm4m29nlZLcReI2aT-hmxiqSwZQc7Vwr5OVbRfJEXEzS0M-bvQ_pt_w/s400/IMG_0696.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363722820960708130" /></a><br />A last minute trip to the store arose the other morning. I knew this was the last place my little troop would want to spend a gorgeous summer morning like this. It certainly wasn’t what I had in mind either. However, creative inspiration struck and I was minus a couple of supplies to carry it out plus running short on milk. I know from experience that the later it gets in the day the harder it is to get them in the car. Not to mention I wanted as much time as I could get to unleash my creativity.<br /><br />“Where are we going, what are we getting, why do we have to”, sang the chorus. “We’re on a secret mission” I informed them. That got their attention. The questions then shifted to curiosity with me replying with “I’ll tell you when we’re all in the car”. That was my elbow grease for getting them in with minimal hassle. Not being able to keep them at bay any longer I announce, “Silly faces, we’re looking for silly faces”. Bewildered this only brought on more curious questions. With fingers crossed I pulled up to the nearest dollar store and in we marched. With a personal sigh of relief, thank goodness they had silly faces. I had been banking on it. If they hadn't have had what I was looking for I would’ve really needed a creative streak to come up with a back up plan. The boys went bonkers picking out which pair of thick black glasses and big noses with mustaches they wanted.<br /><br />Now masked with humor we were ready to tackle my errands. This was just the distraction we needed to get us through a few unplanned errands that had pulled us away from summer play. We giggled and snickered our way through the grocery and art stores trying to act as normal as possible. Not only did we liven up our own errands but we cheered up a few long faces and left a wake of chuckles in our path. I’m just really grateful that no one mistook us for holding up any of the joints. <br /><br />I'm pleased to report that our mission was a success and then some. Please be aware this memo will self destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-83308435899692518502009-05-28T11:45:00.000-07:002009-05-28T11:58:55.965-07:00EuphoriaI had the sheer and utter thrill of off-roading today while riding shotgun with my son behind the wheel of his rugged well used jeep 4x4. It was spontaneous and exciting. I had barely stepped outside to see what was going on when he asked if I wanted to take a ride with him. How could I resist!? Barefooted, I hurdled the side of his jeep throwing all caution along with dinner preparation to the wind. I could feel the adrenaline rising with the thought of my hair blowing circles around my face. Not to mention a wild rush of excitement coinciding with the precariousness nature of our expedition.<br /><br />Pleased as I could be I nestled in as best I could as it was a rather tight fit. Did I mention my son is 4 and his jeep well… with my knees up to my chin, grinning from ear to ear, my backside resting on the back of the seat stretching my arms behind us I gripped either side of the jeep. He lurched into reverse to back us out of the front walk and then paused. Leaning into me he kindly whispered, “um I might not be able to go too fast cause your too big”. He had a point as he looked up into my eyes with me towering over him. I must admit I felt like and most likely looked like a giraffe squeezed into a tissue box. <br /><br />Nonetheless, it didn’t deter his enormously adventurous heart from giving his mom the ride of her life and off we went. Simultaneously as he floored it the front wheels lifted up off the ground high into the air, we popped a wheelie! A surge of giggles erupted from the both of us. My mother’s heart melted in his little sparkling eyes filled with pure joy. Needless to say I quickly discovered how to anticipate and maneuver in order to keep us from flipping his jeep. <br /><br />Oh the thrill as we drove through thick green lawns catching air over curbs, speeding through bark filled landscaping leaving a wake of wood chips in our tracks, dodging and clipping all sorts of obstacles. What a rush! I can’t remember the last time I roared with such uncontrollable delight.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-32080424149671793332009-02-21T13:42:00.000-08:002009-02-21T14:06:09.391-08:00The Great Salt BlogSo a very small few of you know this and I’m only blogging about it because it was such a bizarre and somewhat humorous experience. For the past 2 years we’ve been trying to discover the cause of a couple of odd symptoms one of which is high blood pressure. Yes, I have high blood pressure, really high. I’ve been to four different doctors, five if you include the nephrologists. OK, make that six including the cardiologist. I’ve undergone all kinds of lab work and wonderful tests including an angiogram. I even have my very own blood pressure monitor gizmo. The first thing I hear from each new physician accompanied with a puzzled look is, “You are too young, fit and healthy to have high blood pressure. If you were overweight or older, yes, but this isn’t right. Something isn’t right.”. To make things even more fun the last two visits with two separate doctors I was told, “You are a mystery” in fact one called me a “mystery girl”. Um, mysterious is OK. But “mystery girl”?! What am I a character on PBS’s Word Girl? Not what I want to be dubbed as in the land of medicine and health. <br /><br />We’ve pretty much ruled out any problems with the heart and now we are looking at the kidneys, hence the nephrologists. He is conducting some more extensive labs in hopes of avoiding having to put me through more invasive testing. As part of these labs I was required to take sodium chloride. Yes, table salt. He said that he could just send me home and tell me to pour salt on everything I eat until it tastes bad for three days or he could give me tablets. I opted for tablets. Especially since he said that every one who has opted to over salt their own food had not poured on enough salt and therefore was required to redo the lab work. <br /><br />Salt tablets, I can do that. Simple enough. Not so, just finding the tablets (we’re talking table salt here folks) in and of it’s self was an ordeal. I couldn’t find a pharmacy that carried salt tablets, which are mostly used by marathon runners I am told. The one pharmacist suggested I go home, take my saltshaker, measure out the proper amount of spoonfuls of salt and shovel it down. Hmmm, that is unthinkably disgusting! I can’t even imagine taking a spoon full of salt and eating it! Let alone multiple spoonfuls.<br /><br />Rehearsing all of this to Cameron (he's always able to see the humor), he jokingly said, “Well you know, the feed store down the road carries blocks of salt.” Yes, I can see it now, a big giant salt block in the middle of our dinning room table. Neighbor kids asking, "dude, what is your mom doing?". While throwing a waded up napkin and laughing at him I responded, “Well then don’t be surprised when the neighbors mention they saw your wife down the road fending the cows off for their salt lick”. <br /><br />Finally I find it at a specialty pharmacy. Thank heavens, I was getting worried I would have to face those cows. However, they are out of the tablets and will have to order some in. So a few days later I have the coveted salt tablets. I thought the worst was over. By the second day I was miserable, I couldn’t eat anything. My appetite was ruined. Nothing tasted right, foods I normally loved I couldn’t eat. A perfectly wonderful batch of chocolate chip cookies I had made, couldn’t even get through one cookie. I kept double checking everything I ate because it didn’t taste anything like what I had put in my mouth. Anything salty like tortilla chips and salsa sent me into a down hill spiral of endless nausea. I could see the look in my boys eyes, their expressions said something like “uh, there’s something wrong with mom”. One even asked, “Have you thrown up yet?”<br /><br />If any of you happened to see me around town and wondered why my mouth was gapping open like a frog with a fly stuck in its throat, well now you know. It was the salt. No amount of water or other liquids helped either. In fact the more I drank the more I felt like the Dead Sea was churning within the very depths of my belly. If you’ve ever been to the beach and caught an unexpected mouth full of salt water you’ll understand how it burns inside your throat and nose, your stomach feels ill and your lips and tongue are so salty you can’t stop smacking them together. Well multiply that by the Pacific Ocean. It was literally uncomfortable to close my mouth, as this seems to produce more saliva, which was saturated with salt. I constantly felt like I swallowed a wave right out of the Gulf of Mexico. I’d say the Great Salt Lake, however, there are no waves in the Great Salt Lake. <br /><br />Seriously I was so overly saturated with salt I made sure to stay clear of any cows. A human salt lick is what I was. I highly don’t recommend it unless of course your doctor does. And if you are unfortunate enough that he does, you now know what to expect. <br /><br />Friday morning I anxiously went to the nephrologists to finish the lab work. As I left his office with a skip in my step singing rapturous melodies I couldn't help but to think it was a grand day indeed not only was the sun shining but no more salt tablets!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-39729149248579291322009-02-03T15:13:00.001-08:002009-02-03T15:13:53.534-08:00A Day in the LifeGrocery shopping with Hudson: we found ourselves on the cracker/cookie aisle and he asks for Oreos. Now we are really not an Oreo family however they had a cool limited addition NFL packaging that really caught his eye, the power of marketing in play. I told him I’d like us to pick something healthier. I could see the wheels turning in his head and then he quickly came back with, “If you dip them in milk like this then they are healthy”.<br /><br />Isaac was saving up money to buy the Lego Batman Wii game. He was earning money by doing his chores. Hudson in anticipation to play the game too, was losing patience in how long it was taking his brother to earn the money. One afternoon Hudson came to me begging, “mama can you please go do Isaac’s chores so we can play Batman Wii?”<br /><br />Cameron was complimenting the boys at the dinner table and expressing his appreciation and love for them. He made a statement about how important they each are to us. Isaac, immediately responds with, “say it again, a hundred times”. <br /><br />Discussing the levels of maturity one afternoon Edison declared, “I can tell I’m getting old, I’m having trouble remembering what it’s like being a kid”.<br /><br />I don’t really remember what Everest and I were talking about. I think I was trying to encourage him to do something out of his comfort zone when he innocently made the comment “yah but you’re old”. Even though it was meant in the sense of me being the experienced parent. I teased him and my eyes got big, he instantly replied with, “bold, I said bold, You are bold”. <br /><br />In response to watching safari animals stealing food from people on TV one night, Hudson exclaimed, “Dude, that’s just not nice.”<br /><br />The first sounds of Christmas as Cameron and I lay in our bed listening to the wrestling of blankets and jingles of the boys discovering their stockings lying next to them on their pillows. We hear Edison exclaim “Holy Moley!” from out of the predawn darkness.<br /><br />Sloshing through an ankle deep ice-y parking lot Hudson clinging to my side seeking shelter from the frigid bone chilling wind Hudson remarks in all seriousness, “we should be in Florida already”. <br /><br />Isaac wanting to be excused from the dinner table while patting his tummy, “my tank is full”. <br /><br />Taking the boys out to a burger joint called Five Guys Burgers and Fries one evening, the name quickly transformed to Five Guys Boogers and Flies on the way there. Our youngest grew worrisome and adamantly exclaimed he was not going to eat there. I had to reassure him it was called Burgers and Fries and we were not going to eat boogers and flies. Upon realizing his brothers’ joke he was all over the boogers and flies chant. <br /><br />From the other room I hear Hudson struggling with something. I hear him muttering something about his fingers. Just as I’m about to inquire he comes to me holding his hand. I ask him what happened thinking he pinched them in a door or something. Uncovering his hand there is a gold ring on his pointer. He found a gold washer in his brothers’ room. It was not going to budge from his chubby little three-year old finger. I scooped him up. Went straight to the kitchen. Set him on the counter with his hand over the sink. Poured extra virgin olive oil on his finger. Lubricated it real good. Spun it off. Good as gold. Gotta love EVOO.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-63486903813617366302008-12-13T12:31:00.000-08:002008-12-13T12:37:56.498-08:00Halloween in DecemberHalloween in December<br />Yes that’s right. First, I’m late posting about our Halloween and second, if Christmas decorations can sit side by side Halloween decorations in the store then I most certainly think it acceptable for myself to write about Halloween at Christmas time. <br /><br />Halloween always begins with one question. “What do you want to be for Halloween?” And I usually ask this question months in advance so that I have time to piece together costumes especially if there will be much creativity and making involved. So there I was asking my boys the question. In which they already had put much thought into. Everest immediately replied, “Indiana Jones”. Edison followed with a quick, “ a scientist”. Isaac exclaimed a “clone”(Star Wars) and Hudson concluded with, “a little character”. I chuckled inside thinking, well that won’t be difficult. But I was still a little confused. I inquired a little more and he remarked, “you know, a little character guy”. I leaned over to Everest and asked quietly what he was talking about. Everest then explained it was a Lego character. And they proceeded to show me the specific character on the front of the Indiana Jones Wii game. Sure enough there was a little character in the background. Wearing a ball cap and holding a wrench. <br /><br />I began to figure out in my head how to make Hudson look like a Lego Character guy. I started saving small boxes that I could use for the Lego legs and so forth. And we started saving and gathering things to use for the other costumes as well. Hudson came into my room one afternoon and asked if he could dress up as the Character Guy. Yes, of course I told him. He darted off and soon I heard him so pleased with himself that he got all dressed up by him self with a ballcap, grey pants a button down shirt and a wrench. He danced and sang throughout the house, “I’m a little character, I’m a little character, I’m Character guy”. Yes, indeed you are a little character I smiled. <br /><br />To my dismay as Halloween neared and he saw his brothers clone outfit he changed his mind and wanted to be a clone too. However, that did not deter him from dressing up as character guy for weeks to follow. <br /><br />Pumpkin time came and this year we picked out the biggest pumpkin yet. It was a beauty and we had to put it in the front seat secured safely with the seat belt. Each of the boys picked out another small pumpkin so when it came time to carve them all, oh my! We set up an assembly line. Everyone drew the face they wanted and we began one at a time. First cut each top off and so on.<br />My little pumpkin carving knife was futile when it came to our big beauty. The blade bent in at least two places and was pretty much useless after that. <br /><br />Time for the innards, I pulled out a massive fist full of pumpkin guts and seeds. Edison sickened exclaimed, “EW, if I see that stuff again, I’m gonna throw up”. It really was rather disgusting and the smell of all those pumpkins quite overpowering. My hands and lower arms were stained orange for what seemed like days. But the final products were incredibly delightful and frightening. <br /><br />Halloween night we set up Cameron’s computer and speaker so that we were able to talk into the mic and it would change our voices. We blackened the front window except for a little peephole so we could see those approaching our door and talk to them. It was absolutely the most hilarious thing ever. The boys had a blast. Sitting there with their headphones on talking into the mic to the trick-o-treaters, it was the most fun.<br /><br />Some other little tidbits of our Halloween include the following:<br />2 impromptu stories:<br /><br />Written and illustrated by Everest Moll<br />Title: The Haunted House <br />Introduction: Once there was a haunted house it was very haunted. I went in.<br />Characters: Me, ghosts, spiders, monsters, skeletons and bats. There are others.<br /><br />Chapter 1 <br />When I was in I got scared. Then jumped out a spider. It almost landed on my face and scared me to death.<br />I fell!<br /><br />Chapter 2<br />I landed on a skeleton. I got very scared.<br />“AAAAHHH!”<br />I saw something green. It got closer and closer until I saw it was a bat. Thank goodness!<br /><br />Chapter 3<br />I saw an eye. Not just an eye, an eyeball! It was walking towards me!<br />A ghost kept swirling and twirling around me! I got so scared I fainted just for five minutes.<br />When I woke up the ghost was gone but pumpkins were dancing around me! <br />HEELLLPP!<br /><br />Chapter 4<br />I went out of the haunted house and saw a whole bunch of skeletons coming out of their graves! <br /><br />Chapter 5<br />I went in, I was trapped. A monster came bounding up to me! It grabbed hold of me and saved me from all of them. Yiipeee!<br /><br />I’m Saved.<br /><br /><br /><br />A Scary Halloween Night!<br />Written and Illustrated By Edison Moll<br />Live Narration by Edison (in the most seriously suspenseful voice ever)<br /><br />Pg.1 On Halloween night I saw a haunted house. Then suddenly a ghost appeared.<br />Pg.2 And then I ran into the haunted house and when I got inside I saw a spider.<br />Pg.3 And when I walked farther into the haunted house then suddenly a bat flew down in front of me.<br />Pg.4 And when I walked even farther into the haunted house I saw a skeleton.<br />Pg. 5 And after that a monster jumped out of a closet right in front of me.<br />Pg. 6 Then I saw a pumpkin alive.<br />Pg.7 And after that I saw a live eyeball!<br />Pg.8 I saw a sword a spider was on it.<br />Pg. 9 FFeeeewww he’s on my side.<br />Pg. 10 I saw snakes, the spider bit them all and they died.<br /><br /><br /><br />I did find out a lot more about witches this Halloween. These things I did not know and maybe you didn’t either.<br />Facts about Witches<br />*They are only females<br />*They have blue spit<br />*Their pupils change<br />*They wear gloves cause they have claws<br />*They don’t have toes<br />*They can smell a child from across the street on a pitch-black night<br />*They have wigs (they are bald)<br /><br /><br />Molljokes:<br />Why’d the apple cross the street? To get to the other cider.<br /><br />Why’d the skeleton go to the movies? He had no-body to go with him.<br /><br /><br />Post Halloween<br />Mom to Hudson: What are you doing?<br />Hudson quiet.<br />Mom: Are you eating your candy?<br />Hudson: yes<br />Honesty pause<br />Hudson: I’m eating all my candy gone.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-74653352223314439242008-11-12T14:02:00.000-08:002008-11-12T14:06:00.858-08:00Game On!What do you do when it’s been raining all day? Play baseball, of course!<br /><br />The first official day off track, no school, and not only is it supposed to rain all week but it is. Never fear though, even the most extreme of weather can not keep us from playing ball. Itching to get a game on, the boys could wait no longer for a break in the rain. They put on their mismatched uniforms that consisted of various jerseys, shorts, short sleeved T’s, cleats and topped with ball caps and batting helmets. While I put on a heavily insulated ski jacket and snapped it up around the lower half of my face pulling the hood down over the upper half of my face. The rain still coming down at a steady pace we marched outside with glove, bat and ball in hand. Although, it was more of a rain-slush-snow-hail kind of rain. We braved it none-the-less.<br /><br />There we were out in the yard our bases more puddle than plate. Hudson hit his heart out until his fingers were too cold to hold the bat and then he and Isaac set up camp in the mouth of the garage with their blankets and pillows dubbing themselves as referee and commentator. <br /><br />Making up for short numbers we had to bend the rules a little. I was now pitcher. Everest up to bat and Edison took outfield. <br />The ball was hard to hold and would often slip out of our hands prematurely making it rather comical, especially when pitching. Wiping the rain from my eyes I threw the ball, Everest hit it square on with a splat, water spraying out from between the ball and bat, sending it over our heads. Edison with ball in hand and wet grass and leaves flying up from under his feet and sticking to his bare legs ran as fast as he could chasing his brother who was looping around bases, dodging and darting, trying not to be tagged out. He had to make home, there was no one to bat him in if he didn’t. One or the other or both would inevitable slide across the slick wet ground as if on a slip-n-slide piling up at home plate. <br /><br />By now Edison too was feeling the cold and ventured inside to warm up. Everest and I were left to ourselves. Between the rain and the hood over my eyes I couldn’t see the ball to hit. We resorted to playing catch which wasn’t any easier but just as comical. Everest threw the ball high and as I jumped up to catch it with both hands well over my head, my right handed-ness overreached my left, which meant I made an unbelievable catch without a glove. A wet ball on a wet hand stings! Everest cheered and rallied himself with each pitch and catch as if we were watching the World Series in slow motion. He dove and somersaulted and leapt, dramatizing each catch. <br /><br />He threw a hard high one at me. I didn’t notice him bend down to tie his shoe I was too busy getting a running start. I climbed the air like stairs. Reaching well above reach. Amazingly I caught the ball behind me as I twisted around backwards and landed solidly on the ground with the ball in glove. “Did you see that?!”, I exclaimed in mid victory dance. Still tying his shoes and with a “huh” expression shook his head no. “D’oh!” “You just missed the greatest play ever!” (No one will ever believe me. sigh)<br /><br />We reluctantly headed inside, really the only reason we came in was because I had to get dinner going. It was probably a good thing though as we entered into the warmth of our home our faces began to sting and the nose-cicles began to melt as we began to thaw. No wonder we didn’t think it was that cold and played for so long. We were numb and half frost bitten. <br /><br />AH but it was fun.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-88479245489677144422008-10-25T10:47:00.000-07:002008-10-25T11:02:59.764-07:00A Day in the Life(Everest 8, Edison 7, Isaac 5, Hudson 3)<br /><br />I was reading some nature facts with the boys that were rather puzzling to my three year old.<br />Mom: …wolves prey on…<br />Hudson (interrupting): How do wolves pray?<br /><br />Hudson has figured out that if he’s sick he doesn’t have to do things or that he gets special privileges.<br />So whenever he doesn’t want to participate or do something he says with a forlorn look, “ I can’t cause I’m sick”.<br />Or when he wants something like a popcicle or to eat down stairs in the armchair again with a sad little expression, “I’m sick so I can”<br /><br />Edison attempted to use the restroom down stairs until he noticed an ant. Making his way upstairs he went into the master bath and again attempted until he saw a spider. In a huff he then went into the boys bathroom and on the third attempt exclaimed, “ I’m only using my bathroom, it doesn’t have any wild animals!”.<br /><br />Edison does not like Mondays at school due to Monday Miles and will do anything to avoid going if possible. Sunday afternoon, he casually asked, ”Is it time to go to the dentist again?”. “You can call them and we can go tomorrow if you like, we’d have to miss school all day, it’ll takes a long time.” Then whispers, “I don’t really wanna go to school anyways.”<br /><br />At the doctor’s office Hudson notices a water dispenser in the waiting room. He studies it for a minute looking intently at the blue and red valves and then asks, “Which one is the milk?”<br /><br />Trying out something new we've asked that no one be excused from the table until mom is done eating. Tonight Isaac leaned over and whispered, “Can you please be done?”. <br /><br />As we’re driving along Edison spots a dog and declares, “Look guys a Chihuahua!”. Isaac exclaims, “A what what?”.<br /><br />Taking out the trash I was greeted with an unusually foul stench, I commented that there must be some rotten meat in there. Hudson yells out, “yah or COW POO!” <br /><br />More favorite words to add to my list:<br />Mousemints = announcements<br />Smarsh smallows <br /><br />Random Quote<br />“Before I was married I had six theories on raising children, now I have six children and no theories” John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester<br /><br />Quote of the day: This one given to me by a complete stranger while waiting in line with all four boys,<br /> “Are you going to have any more? Oh just one, you do such a great job.” <br /><br />Jokes from the Moll household<br />Everest: Why’d the spider get on the computer? He was looking for a new web page.<br /><br />Safety Tip of the Day:<br />Everest: Never run on ice! Why? Your head will fall off!<br />(Everyone in Everest’s class was asked to make a poster of a safety tip complete with illustration. His included play by play sequence of a stick man slipping/flipping upside down (now headless) with the caption "thump" and a bowling ball for a head shooting into the air.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-88126571117929023722008-09-11T13:44:00.001-07:002008-09-12T07:08:50.352-07:00Mountain TigersWhile the boys are off track I’ve been trying to make the most of our time together. Such as trips to the park, fun with art, dinosaur museums and so forth. I had been planning on taking them on a hike this morning, one of our favorite things to do. I usually save the hikes for when dad can come not only so he can enjoy in the fun but also, if something were to happen I’d have another adult with me. Feeling our summer slip away I decided to just go. Thinking we wouldn’t go far. <br /><br />So this morning we awoke and dove into chores and piano lessons and off we went. The boys were so excited they packed their backpacks with water bottles and snacks. Once we reached the trailhead that is just at the foothills south of the Draper Temple nestled in a lovely neighborhood we piled out of the car. I noticed that their backpacks were rather full and sagging. So I asked if any of them wanted to lighten their load and leave some of their stuff in the car. We could have a picnic when we came back down from the mountain I mentioned. I chuckled as bottle after bottle of water was emptied out of their backpacks and huge boxes of crackers and goldfish were pulled out. After we modified our lighter load we headed up the trail. <br /><br />There was excitement in their step as they bounced up the trail leading the way. A little ways up the trail I reminded them to stay close to me as we meandered up the switch back trail. The sun was still coming up over the mountain, it’s rays of light were filtering through the foliage above. It was peaceful and nature’s beauty encompassed us on our little journey. We rounded a corner and came out of the densely clustered trees. The trail bringing us out onto a peak that over looked the valley. I pulled out my camera and took some pictures while the boys took the opportunity to sit in the dirt and eat a snack. As I put my camera away something tugged at my thoughts. I began to think, “How would I fight off a mountain lion? What would I do?” And those were not comforting thoughts. I began to grow increasingly uneasy.<br /><br />As the boys bounded down the trail ahead of me, I called them back to my side. I was trying to decide just how far we should go as I scanned the terrain around us when I felt an intense impression to pray for safety. I could see homes close by in fact we could see into their back porches, how much danger could there be? But, I felt it. The trail cut into the steep mountainside and was only about 2’ wide, there was a steep drop to our left although it was buffered with dense shrubs and trees. While to the left the mountain shot straight up above us and was thick with overgrown shrubbery. The path however was fairly smooth and clear and we were used to such hiking. The feeling was persistent and it consumed my thoughts. I halted our progress, the boys only a couple yards in front of me I asked them to come to my side and just as I was prepared to inform them that we needed to head back. A loud but low deep growl came from behind my left shoulder. I knew immediately what it was and I could feel the heat from it’s growl on my bare neck. Instantly I put my arms straight out to protect my boys I told them quietly and firmly, “Go! Go quickly” pointing back down the mountain and to “stay close together”. I stood there with my arms out creating the only barrier I could with me in between the mountain lion and my children as I ushered them past me. I had slightly turned my head to see for myself, to look eye to eye with this creature. But at the last minute I thought better of making eye contact. Who knows why, I just knew I better stick with my instincts at this point. I had turned just enough to see and know that it was there in the bushes that were pressed up against my back. <br /><br />As my last son carefully passed in front of me I turned and followed them close like a mother and her ducklings with my arms still outstretched. Down we quickly went. The boys still didn’t know why we were headed back down the mountain or why we were going so quickly. Or why their mother was singing hymns so loudly and really badly to boot. Everest asked what was going on and when I felt we were far enough away I quietly said, “mountain lion” and we quickened our pace. His eyes grew wide and asked, “is that what that was, I heard it.” I’m so proud of my boys, in that moment, the moment I needed them most to quickly obey without any question they did. Now we were all singing and we were flying down the mountain. Every so often I would glance back behind us or up above as the path zig-zagged it’s way back down. Coming across some loose dirt Edison lost his footing and tumbled. A cloud of dirt circled about our feet and rocks scattered under his knees but he jumped right back up without missing a step. I scooped Hudson up onto my hip as I knew his little legs must be tiring to keep up but remarkably he had been doing an incredible job. Upon making it down to the trailhead Edison asked “Wow, how’d we get down the mountain so fast?” I quietly replied, “I think we had a little help” knowing we had never ran that we had only marched a steady pace back. Isaac chimed in, “Yah we flew down!”.<br /><br />The car was in sight and I couldn’t get the doors opened fast enough. At this point we were safe and that’s when my nerves of steel turned to trembling. We climbed in and locked the doors and caught our breath. Not that mountain lions can open doors but it felt safe. I called Cameron and told him what just happened and as we were backing out Hudson asks, “can we go to a different hiking place, one without mountain tigers?”, my little outdoorsmen. <br /><br />Who knows how long it had been watching us. Or if it was merely napping in the cool shade from the rising sun when we came upon him. I know that that lion could’ve attacked us if it wanted to. Instead it chose to give us a warning that we weren’t welcome there and we were too close. Rather polite of him, when you think about it. I find it interesting that it didn’t growl until I came up in front of it. Maybe the boys weren’t threatening enough. I have always had a powerful testimony of prayer and this only strengthened it. I know with out a doubt there was divine intervention. That was too close for comfort.<br /><br />It took the rest of the day for the adrenaline rush to wear off. The boys have been drawing mountain lions, even my three year old has perfected a ‘mountain tiger’. In fact I found his life-sized masterpiece of one drawn in blue marker on a beige carpet canvas. Hudson asked why the mountain lion growled at us and if he wanted to bite us. He said that they shouldn’t be there where we’re hiking. I told him that mountain lions don’t have homes like us that they live in the wild. So actually we were in it’s home. He giggled at that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-40462783601829916342008-08-21T08:02:00.000-07:002008-08-21T16:12:46.971-07:00A Heart Filled with StoneSitting in the cool grass under a splendidly blue sky listening to the water trickle over the pebbles in the brook nearby, the boys laughing and exploring the grassy banks for water snakes and snails. I couldn’t soak it in fast enough as I was studying high up on the bank. Anxiously wanting to join them as they kept calling out, “Mom are you done yet? When can you come play?” My surroundings and their pleas got the better of me. Kicking off my sandals I climbed over the wood railing and tiptoed through the wildflowers down the slopping bank. Through the brook, across the smooth pebbles they waded in search of fantastic finds. Ah, to have children is to be young and alive.<br /><br />Just a few moments earlier Isaac ran across the wood plank bridge gently tossing a rust orange colored stone at me. Tumbling across the sun filtered grass perfectly halting as it reaches my side he yells out while turning and running back across the wooden bridge, “ this will make you feel good inside!” It most certainly did. He brought a smile to my heart and laughter to my lips. <br /><br />The rusty orange colored stone now proudly rests lovingly upon my kitchen window seal with the others. Yes, there are others, many others. In fact my window seal is beginning to look a lot like a sea wall or the foundation of a castle being built with tender love in each perfectly picked stone.<br /><br />I adore my kitchen window as odd as that may seem. My kitchen window is the only window in the entire house that I can open and still have privacy. It frames a beautiful mature shade tree that provides a sea of green leaves that sway soothingly in the breeze. In the winter it provides shelter for a variety of little feathered friends, which brighten my soul to watch on a cold dreary winter’s day. I am fond of the tree as it brings me something with every season. As I am fond of the window as it shares things with me.<br /><br />But, most of all, the window in my kitchen is a very personal very special very meaningful place for me as a mother. For this is were I stand day in and day out as my boys run in and out and all around me. This is where I stand with aching feet and tired back and dinner roasting by my side. This is where they burst in through the door racing to throw their arms around me beaming from ear to ear with a flower picked from the neighbors yard, a uniquely shaped piece of wood or stone. And so very often lined upon my window seal and along my sink are little cups of flowers, twigs and stones. More permanently are the stones up on the window’s ledge. One in the shape of a surfboard another as a heart, some even sparkle. Each and every one possesses some characteristic or quality the boys found worthy as a gift for me. Visitors might scoff and think of me as a little peculiar with all those rocks piled in my window. Little do they know those are treasures rare. If they knew how my heart valued these little tokens of love they’d surely want some of their own. For these little treasures represent my children’s love and adoration for me, their mother. These little tokens touch my heart and tell me that I’m in their thoughts even when I’m not in their presence. These little random acts of kindness spread a smile inside out and I know I am loved and someone is thinking of me. Yes, Isaac it certainly does make me feel good inside.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-11472331578652865482008-08-15T19:32:00.000-07:002008-08-15T19:57:09.260-07:00Backyard OlympicsI love the Olympics, who doesn’t? I think everyone at some point has imagined or dreamed of being an Olympic star. Whether it’s for the awe inspiring self-discipline, the optimal physical form or even if it’s the pure desire to win, to feel what that’s like at that level is what we long for. It’s in each of us, that kind of personal drive and potential. Tapping into it is another story. At any rate, I’ve always enjoyed the Olympics, when the winter Olympics were held in SLC Cameron and I were able to get in on the action and what excitement it was. I only wish they’d hold them here again so that our boys could be apart of it. Not wanting to wait for them to come back this way, I decided to do something about it.<br /><br />Even though the Olympics are on the other side of the world with modern technology not only are they in our living room they’re in our car, on the subway, in the elevator, at work, well you get the point. However, I have something even better than all of this splendid technology has to offer. I have them in my very own back yard, no really. The Olympics are literally in my back yard and it doesn’t stop there! We were so lucky as to have had the opening ceremony held there too! Seriously, it was an incredible affair to behold. <br /><br />It went a little something like this. The excitement building as the countdown grew shorter, schedules left open, Olympic embellishments began to garnish the halls and the Olympic spirit was alive and thriving. We gathered together downstairs. Olympic rings hanging above and with great anticipation we held our opening ceremony. A description and background of the Olympics was given. The Olympic motto being “Citius, Altius, Fortius” Latin for ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger’ (1894 De Coubertin) and later he added “The Most important thing is not to win but to take part”.( I love that. Some of the greatest Olympic stories don’t always come from those who place but from those individuals and those countries that rise against all odds to be a part of the Olympian experience. And it sure fosters good sportsmanship.) Then the boys each picked out their favorite of the Chinese <a href="http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/beijing2008/graphic/n214068254.shtml">mascots</a>. <br /><br />We held our Olympic torch high and set it on the mantle as we all marched out the back door into the cool of the evening for the grand events. The weather was perfect a glorious blue sky, golden rays of sunlight setting the mood. Lining up were the highly favored Olympians Everest, Edison, Isaac and Hudson. Everest known for his fierce competitiveness, Edison for his agility, Isaac for his vivacious energy and Hudson, don’t let his size fool you. <br /><br />Now what we’ve all been waiting for…<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">“First event to kick off 2008 backyard Olympics is the relay race. Mom sounds off and the race begins, Everest is off like a rocket. Amazing, look at that kid run. He makes it around the house in lightening speed time. Edison in position, bent over one leg in front of the other, head down and hand stretched behind him for the passing of the paper towel baton. Everest slides the baton into his hand flawlessly and Edison snatches the baton up while taking off, rounding the first corner effortlessly and with legs of phenomenal speed. Isaac now waiting for the baton to be placed in his hand you can see the excitement in his face. He is in his element. Edison comes tearing around the final corner of the house and lands the baton square in Isaac’s hand as Isaac tears out of there and off he goes. Little Hudson takes a deep breath steps up to the mark with confidence and waits. Isaac is flying, he’s got sparks under his heels as he comes in behind Hudson and passes the baton dead center in Hudson’s hand. Hudson wraps his fingers tightly around the baton and just as he accelerates slips! Oh my, landing smack on his belly. But, wait he’s up! With no hesitation this kid is up and back in the race. Wow! This kid’s amazing. Look at him go, he just might have a chance at a medal. Oh, wait… he’s taking the lead. Look at those legs go! He’s going for gold….and he takes it! What determination! The Moll team wins the gold! What a team effort, purely unbelievable.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"With little time to cool down they are in place for the next race, it is a tough line up of events for the evening. However, the Moll boys are up for the challenge, if anyone can pull it off it’s these four young men right here. Next is the 40' sprint to the slide and the 80' sprint to the slide and back followed by the 200' marathon. Then moving into the standing long jump followed by the running long jump (or hop for some). The rest of the night’s lineup proves to deliver excitement and entertainment. What thrills, chills and spills. It doesn’t get any better than that folks. This is athletics at it’s best."</span><br /><br />There was a hush among the dandelions as they stepped up to the podium to be awarded their gold medals that night. They stood tall and proud, after all they earned this gold.<br /><br />World records were broken as each Moll boy took home a dozen or so gold medals. Never before in history has anything remotely come close to what was experienced. <br /><br />Atferwards, we went inside for a treat only worthy of an Olympian and to relax while watching the ‘other’ Olympic Ceremony kick off. Absolutely stunning in it’s own right but not nearly as exciting or entertaining as was what we just witnessed here in our own backyard.<br /><br />The Olympic rings still hangs high on our wall. As for the Olympic torch it disappeared somewhere but the Olympic spirit is still burning strong. It’s a race to see who can stay up the latest watching the Olympics every night.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-37294879282104671002008-08-02T12:18:00.000-07:002008-08-04T16:42:11.560-07:00I DID IT!!!I did it! I did it! I did it!<br />I am diaper free! Well not me, literally. But, our household, our bank account, our boys! It just happened out of nowhere unexpectedly. I’ve been dreaming of it for what seems like forever and even bought little undies in anticipation months ago. <br /><br />So this is how it happened. One morning a couple months ago I was cleaning up breakfast dishes or sorting laundry or something of that nature when Hudson, the youngest comes in the room and announces he has to go. I paused, more like froze as I tried processing what this meant. He said it again and I promptly ushered him to the bathroom and he went! A couple hours later he said he had to do the other kind so I proudly and excitedly escorted him to the bathroom again. But, that was it. He was no longer interested in it after that and wanted his diapers. I didn’t want to turn it into a battle so I obliged. Every so often I would ask him if he wanted to wear underwear today or if he wanted to try the potty again. He’d answer with a ‘no’ and shrug of the shoulder. Bummer, I thought.<br /><br />Then the other morning the boys were all out on the lawn bright and early helping their dad load up and head off for a high adventure camping trip. As I emerged through the front doorway I saw a hilarious sight before me. There was Hudson running around with his diaper so full it nearly touched his ankles and knocked against his knees as he ran. Quickly changing his diaper. I didn’t think much of it until Cameron had left and things had quieted down.<br /><br />The next diaper change I asked the question again, not expecting a positive response. BUT, he shook his head yes and asked for the transformer underwear! He’s never gone back! Having the right underwear is key in pottie training. He also liked the idea of surprising daddy with his new ability as well. <br /><br />Okay secret’s out I am a professional diaper changer (it’s true there is such a thing)after four boys, an estimated <a href="http://cameronmoll.com/acrhives/2006/11/14000_diapers/">14,000 diapers</a> and 8 consequtive years I think I qualify. I know a thing or two about diapers, diaper changing and well everything else having to do the subject. I can change with the best of them and <a href="http://mylittlekingdom.blogspot.com/2007/09/gum-bum.html">have been exposed to it</a> all as well. I can change an explosive diaper on an airplane on my lap in the midst of high turbulence, alligator rolls – bring it on, any position – not a problem, in their sleep w/o waking them up, speed, discretion… <br /><br />So here are a few of my tips for the diaper stage and the transition to the non-diaper stage as I feel a sense of duty to pass them on to all diapering parents. <br /><br />1)If at all possible don’t skimp on quality diapers for obvious reasons. It’s worth the extra little bit.<br />2)Don’t skimp on wipes either. The higher quality ones are tough, durable and don’t rip in the middle of their job and they are the multi purpose handi do all cleaning tool for everything in the home to the car and of course in regards to the bum.<br />3)A+D or Butt Paste are THE best diaper rash ointments. They don’t sting, not that I’ve tried them personally on myself. However, my boys don’t scream bloody murder ‘it burns, it burns’ with these brands as they do with say, um Desitin and the like.<br /><br />1) Like I said underwear is key<br />2) Incentive is also helpful, such as a reward, a pizza/movie night, storm trooper…<br />3) Praise, praise and more praise, build the confidence<br />4) Never turn it into a power struggle or associate going to the bathroom with negativity<br />5) Timing is everything. Every body is different. Talk to your pediatrician if you need. My pediatrician told me (after I had already gone through three) that white males are the last to learn. So don’t rush or push you will only be met with frustration and resistance. <br />6) Involvement and exposure: let them pick out their underwear, toilet seat, casually and randomly discuss the topic <br />7) Patience <br /><br />A method I used with my first two:<br />‘boot camp’ which is anything but boot camp. Just something I dubbed it as. It’s more like block-out-a-week-with-no-appointments-or-dinner-dates-and-stock-up-the-pantry-we’re-ditching-the-diapers-this-week-camp. It’s low key, friendly, no stress and they can run around the house and yard in their underwear.<br /><br />Whatever method you find that works for you, it’s good to prep them. Shop for underwear, toilet covers and so forth letting them choose the ones they want. If they don’t want to start when you get home, it’s something they can look forward to. Bring out the toilet seats and training potties making them visible and accessible, sparking interest. Accidents happen, never make your child feel bad for that. It takes a lot to get the hang of it. Relay that thought to them, they’ll be more relaxed and unafraid wanting to try harder and will be more confident. After all they are new to this and shouldn’t be made to feel bad about or punished for something they’re learning. So teach them and teach them tenderly. <br /><br />I’m still in the clouds somewhere, NO DIAPERS! There’s more room in my shopping cart, more money in my pocket, space under the bathroom sink, no more smelly packages. We’ve officially graduated to another phase in familyhood. No more cribs, no binkies, no bottles, no cumbersome diaper bags, no stroller/infant carriers, no diapers…. <br /><br />WAIT, where have all my little boys gone!?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-35392056532027289652008-07-10T18:47:00.001-07:002008-07-10T18:47:56.791-07:00The Big BangThe Fourth is a favorite in our house. The patriotism, the Red White & Blue, the Stars & Stripes, flags swaying, freedom, independence, grilling, staying up late, fireworks-hello!....<br /><br />When Cameron and I were first married we could see the Stadium of Fire display from our front lawn. When we moved south to Springville we could still see them from our front lawn, although distant they were still a spectacular shown to watch. When are boys started coming along we bought a few firecrackers to light off in the road and it literally exploded from there! It was such a hit, not just with the boys but also with the neighbors. They all brought theirs over and lit them too. It turned out to be quite the party. The next year there were so many people spontaneously joining our little front yard gathering we ended up bringing a table out and setting it up on the lawn. We loaded it with our left overs from our BBQ for everyone to snack on. Others added too. We had quite the buffet of goods and assortment of fireworks. That’s how is started. Good friends, good food, good fun all in honor of our freedom and those who pay the price for it. <br /><br />I remember Edison’s first 4th of July. Every time a firework was lit he would tremble and shake. But, he loved it, he refused to go inside and wanted more. Yet it never failed, one would be lit and he would tremble uncontrollably. That’s where his love for fireworks began. <br /><br />He waits all year and while he waits all year he talks about the last Fourth of July and plans for the next. This year he ‘made’ his own fireworks out of household items and then begged that we light them. Very creative, he’d take toilet paper rolls or empty juice boxes fill them with string, tissue and so forth and then wrap them with tape leaving a piece of string out for the wick. We did light one for him, which had a Lego man inside and boy did that stink up the place. Little brother Hudson was not happy a Lego man was sacrificed. <br /><br />Edison made lists. A list of all the fireworks we had and a list of all the fireworks we would still need to get. He gave me a copy more like a calendar counting down the last two weeks. On each day he wrote instructions as to which fireworks I would need to buy. As he explained very seriously what was expected of me he then said, ‘Can you store that in your brain?’ <br /><br />Everyday we had to drive by the fireworks tent to see if they were open yet. It was a glorious day when they finally opened for business. Oh did we buy fireworks. He spread them all out, organized them, and stored them carefully for the big day. <br /><br />Finally the Fourth arrived and we were busy getting ready for our gathering. Not as many neighbors joined us on our lawn this year. Still being in a new neighborhood and many had prior plans, yet quite a few were out and we all had fun together. The kids were the real entertainment. We gobbled down our food and set out the chairs lining them along the curb. Everest got a fierce game of soccer going and we mingled as long as we could hold them off. Edison was about to burst. So we broke out the sparklers and a few others we could do in the daylight hours. Trying to pace our selves as not to run out of fireworks. Finally twilight arrived. Dark enough for the real show to begin.<br /><br />Edison never stopped moving with anticipation and sheer excitement as each firework was lit. The night air shimmered with explosions of firelight, smoldering wisps of smoke danced playfully across the pavement along with all of the little feet skipping and jumping with delight. It was magical and captivating. <br /><br />And it ended all too soon. Clean up began, sticky melted otter pops and singed cardboard boxes plastered the pavement. I had forgotten about the neon glow bracelets I had for them and pulled them out. As we swept the streets the boys and their friends adorned themselves with fluorescent glow in the dark tubes making all kinds of wearable designs. Isaac looked like a little island boy dancing in the streets with his ankles, wrists and neck cloaked with colors against the coal night backdrop. Too tired to climb into their beds there was a string of boys curled in balls all the way up the stairs. Hudson never made it, he was at the bottom and conked out cold. The rest we wiped down with wet wipes and tucked into beds, falling asleep before their heads rested on their pillows.<br /><br />No wonder we love this holiday. No doubt the greatest gift of all, freedom. <br /><br />(The planning committee is already hard at work for next year’s celebration.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-78130998420465924872008-06-11T12:38:00.000-07:002008-06-11T12:48:10.491-07:00A Day in the Life<span style="font-style:italic;">Everest(7) Edison(6) Isaac(4) Hudson(2)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Spooky Monday</span><br />A particularly windy day the boys come running in the house with their neighbor friends. Very seriously they exclaim “it’s Spooky Monday”. Spooky Monday? “Yah! It’s Spooky out there”. Why is that? “Cause things are moving and no body is around them. Like the swing is swinging by it’s self, look!. And the dumptruck in the back yard, moved and nobody touched it! It’s Spooky Monday alright.” And the little pack of boys ran back outside.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lesser of Two Evils</span><br />Hudson has been picking his fingernails. At bedtime I came around to check on everyone, with his hands under the blanket he says, “I’m not picking, mom”. So I lift the blanket and tell him he’s a tease. Then I ask why don’t you find something else to do with your hands, before I could make any suggestions such as play with your hair or a stuffed doggie he immediately sticks his finger up his nose and with a little smirk says “pick my nose?!” <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Isaacisms</span><br />Isaac:“Did you know if you have bigger feet you run faster?<br />Yah the bigger feet you have the faster you run”<br />This after his brother Edison started layering on the socks, I lost track (after 20 something) of how many socks they had on each foot. The boys looked like they had casts on their feet or at least like something off of Super Mario. <br /><br />Do you know how to make snow?<br />Water and fluff, not the fake fluff, the real fluff.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Makes Sense</span><br />Edison and Everest made signs and taped them above their beds. Edison is always looking for things to invent including ways to make money. The signs read, 1c for me to read to you. Hudson comes running in, “Where’s my money, where’s my money? I need my money!” He had just received some birthday money. I handed it to him and he darted out of the room. I was pretty sure I knew where he was going. After a moment or two I moseyed on in to their room and there they were, Hudson sitting next to Edison listening intently as his big brother read to him. I smiled and smiled even bigger when I noticed Hudson’s $3 sitting in the bowl next to them. I casually commented ‘wow, you already have three dollars’. Edison chimed up, “Yah, Hudson didn’t have any cents”. I couldn’t stop chuckling. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Off the Beaten Path</span><br />While hiking back down the mountain the boys resort to the road less traveled. As they meandered back and forth through the rugged terrain intersecting with us on the path occasionally, Isaac announced, “Look, we’re taking the ‘long cut’ “. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Words to Love</span><br />Yesternight: Remember yesternight when we stayed up late and rode our bikes?<br />Panpakes & Cattipitters (Hudson)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Thoughts to Think</span><br />Sand in my sheets is much more welcomed than shivering in my sheets.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span><br />Personal Challenge: Changing diapers in the midst of an alligator roll? Try putting on soccer socks over shin guards on not one but eight little wiggly legs.<br /><br />I can still close my eyes and see azure skies and crystal blue water, the two meeting at the horizon becoming as one canvas of calming blue. <br /><br />Cast Away(Tom Hanks): Just keep breathing, the sun will rise in the morning and you never know what the tide will bring in the morning.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-91680626306145040442008-06-03T21:28:00.000-07:002008-06-03T21:49:51.093-07:00Vacation Fun!While on the airplane, Isaac noticed a distant factory far off on the horizon. <br />Isaac exclaimed, “Look guys, the cloud factory, I see the cloud factory!”<br /><br />Cousin Vanessa giving the boys a 101 on how to catch lizards. They are all following her around watching her every move.<br />Hudson comes running up to us: I saw a lizard!<br />Mom: Did you catch him? <br />Hudson: No<br />Mom: Did you talk to him?<br />Hudson: No<br />Mom: Why?<br />Hudson: They don’t talk.<br />Mom: They don’t?<br />Hudson: No, Only de little ones talk.<br />Mom: Really? What do they say?<br />Hudson: Spanish.<br /><br />On the way back from the pool I picked a gorgeous tropical yellow flower and tucked it behind my left ear. A few moments later Hudson asked with puzzled eyebrows, “Why you have flowers growing out of your ears?”<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMQ5MBFZLOS_nTLPm7mgcishSg4wOGMJZDL40c96DVlRHxnIeEWIcYg0p2kYraIHnbDoOh1Y79zoNpukp2QicCFsAk3VsHXy-Bpmz7STNrQLmfk6T3zZjvQrj7KSA4fc__EutTQ/s1600-h/IMG_1716.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMQ5MBFZLOS_nTLPm7mgcishSg4wOGMJZDL40c96DVlRHxnIeEWIcYg0p2kYraIHnbDoOh1Y79zoNpukp2QicCFsAk3VsHXy-Bpmz7STNrQLmfk6T3zZjvQrj7KSA4fc__EutTQ/s200/IMG_1716.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207882725862196706" /></a><br /><br />I noticed Isaac was taking a longer than usual amount of time in the bathroom, he comes out asking, “do you smell me? Do I smell nice?” He found the febreeze and was rather proud of himself.<br /><br />Dad asks Edison, “Do you want mom to fish with you?” <br />Edison’s reply: “Super Yah!”<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymVxL1fp33Mkzym0UfZU7Oxv4HNgXtW6ztcYvbsBOB5IuRDg_HtD3wISSPfAfMkF9O4CFSgDvSoN3xCqMKN_eyz-8qL086-N8dVKMNCBcmPBbhH3MD-5Jp7l_LJiuhyphenhyphenVwjT32fw/s1600-h/IMG_1687.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymVxL1fp33Mkzym0UfZU7Oxv4HNgXtW6ztcYvbsBOB5IuRDg_HtD3wISSPfAfMkF9O4CFSgDvSoN3xCqMKN_eyz-8qL086-N8dVKMNCBcmPBbhH3MD-5Jp7l_LJiuhyphenhyphenVwjT32fw/s320/IMG_1687.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207882004307690962" /></a><br /><br />My sister-in-law had a dream about me. It went something like this: <br />Suzanne: Emily, I want to show you something. (I then lead her into an opera house and reveal my secret as I begin to belt out opera.) Little did she know it’s always truly been a secret desire of mine to be able to sing like an angel. <br /><br />One afternoon we took the boys to Orlando all for Legoland. We instructed that they could pick one big thing or two small things. Isaac was having a difficult time narrowing down his choices and coming to a decision. I attempted to help him out by giving him examples and showing him what fit into the category. You can get this or you can get this and this… as I was doing this he promptly interrupted me saying, “Stop telling me all those things, it makes me want to have three.”<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlsktYlObCDGcbyRdV00NK3AvYnyAfN94-YH3qNk579psHDUHpPnSpgFT6oAgQVLElLLvGieHgIqlh6t0z-laRb3cOW1xi-nEYKikFOQewBrTZp-4BOszNW0ajq7PisKz_DBWcA/s1600-h/IMG_3557.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlsktYlObCDGcbyRdV00NK3AvYnyAfN94-YH3qNk579psHDUHpPnSpgFT6oAgQVLElLLvGieHgIqlh6t0z-laRb3cOW1xi-nEYKikFOQewBrTZp-4BOszNW0ajq7PisKz_DBWcA/s200/IMG_3557.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207883163948860914" /></a><br /><br />After Legoland we stopped at CA Pizza for lunch and ordered their carne asada pizza. We went outside to eat it. Cameron opened the pizza box and it looked and smelled scrumptious. Upon seeing the pizza<br />Eidson exclaims, “ew! There’s bark on it!” ( it was the moist chunks of shredded carne asada)<br /><br />In the car the boys would pat their legs and chant “pat pat pat” so dad would drive faster. A Little Einsteins thing. <br /><br />Grandma explains how my brother Justin looks just like his great uncle. She had pulled out a picture and was amazed how it was the spitting image of him. Then went on to say, except he(great uncle) was short and square and bald. Justin replies, “so I look like Spongebob?”<br /><br />Everest: If we don't move to FL, I'm moving without you!<br /><br />For days after returning home, Hudson would repeatedly ask: “When are we going to our beach house? I wanna go to our beach house.”<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZvDc7Es0eeaWI8v8FyBsoYYhq_0xap3GOyweJLUOcw9ErQ2S1cE-juPrAGEmSSBOAi0tyI64lWLSZ2Kpy_eRt5hWSpTnFTiPnJfgki7qBIYJajV9sEGtdhXVIAY0p3EPQexEuQ/s1600-h/IMG_3686.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZvDc7Es0eeaWI8v8FyBsoYYhq_0xap3GOyweJLUOcw9ErQ2S1cE-juPrAGEmSSBOAi0tyI64lWLSZ2Kpy_eRt5hWSpTnFTiPnJfgki7qBIYJajV9sEGtdhXVIAY0p3EPQexEuQ/s200/IMG_3686.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207883846848660994" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-66611518003670748412008-05-29T11:30:00.000-07:002008-05-30T14:53:26.603-07:00Fun in the SunHudson can't resist relaxing in the cool soft sand.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqo1jMoXtuxKQjO_e87V_Dnz7O7vRH0npdqIbRj7hjoVdXJ6gUrW2tM7Pe_0ihjMCnH4HKgYJ5KDq4jz6LuH25VhAZl1MyK8cCLrF9FWQOReQCJQzaKHzT0tAek6yWqBEVtvIHcw/s1600-h/IMG_3585.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqo1jMoXtuxKQjO_e87V_Dnz7O7vRH0npdqIbRj7hjoVdXJ6gUrW2tM7Pe_0ihjMCnH4HKgYJ5KDq4jz6LuH25VhAZl1MyK8cCLrF9FWQOReQCJQzaKHzT0tAek6yWqBEVtvIHcw/s320/IMG_3585.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205875833673663858" /></a><br /><br /><br />Cameron shore fishing early one morning.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtbgGIeUy3yCkNfm7E1FyCImtuF6hY-LSxg47XwoBHysi4xbk0cLT6HsPP3xUKDv3GDgQ59wOn8foqMs0lICKckWSXnyiPYI_7oDn_YNcHhvbvN8Q8Qtd4aUlSb-nZfktDAPqsA/s1600-h/IMG_3625.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtbgGIeUy3yCkNfm7E1FyCImtuF6hY-LSxg47XwoBHysi4xbk0cLT6HsPP3xUKDv3GDgQ59wOn8foqMs0lICKckWSXnyiPYI_7oDn_YNcHhvbvN8Q8Qtd4aUlSb-nZfktDAPqsA/s320/IMG_3625.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205875249558111586" /></a><br /><br /><br />Everest at one of our fishing spots, seawall at north bridge to Siesta Key.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZYxNJwAKWriCw_Pq26dS2EOLgCR-SCz-fIjJugdQXieSS59ice7iCvSCnYeh4IkbUyiXKEjveBGDTe5nkwf9uVXxTYnsxVFrfzHloeLqdhtEpNv_m28oBY_ZmbVYi50lxUD1uA/s1600-h/IMG_3531.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZYxNJwAKWriCw_Pq26dS2EOLgCR-SCz-fIjJugdQXieSS59ice7iCvSCnYeh4IkbUyiXKEjveBGDTe5nkwf9uVXxTYnsxVFrfzHloeLqdhtEpNv_m28oBY_ZmbVYi50lxUD1uA/s320/IMG_3531.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205874304665306450" /></a><br /><br /><br />Edison and one of their many finds.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiMDaL7R8K5MHVb0WblxEdUe5du1Dv-fTYi6JBoLVJwPNDaonz9qTMzsKMX3MtHhdJ2AI4Bhdpbjv2g60yR55tPHW1hFsO0czVPcNXgRVIMk46aTftpSCufruT2YbBgR0hGUYWQ/s1600-h/IMG_3591.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiMDaL7R8K5MHVb0WblxEdUe5du1Dv-fTYi6JBoLVJwPNDaonz9qTMzsKMX3MtHhdJ2AI4Bhdpbjv2g60yR55tPHW1hFsO0czVPcNXgRVIMk46aTftpSCufruT2YbBgR0hGUYWQ/s320/IMG_3591.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205873209448645954" /></a><br /><br />Morning view from our beach house, look close and you'll see a bunny. He and his friend joined us every morning for breakfast.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AlSnWLFecByfkHenmsFc03x3f7-JaLJ2-Ews90cDzSy8LUCgBg1LDWbjXgeFnMMzzHWogeiYeQd1MrYfJcoAVbcwH4w0pJF6rP9acoiN-MKz1F-pBSFEVJPMd-Md46sba1PT2g/s1600-h/IMG_3612.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AlSnWLFecByfkHenmsFc03x3f7-JaLJ2-Ews90cDzSy8LUCgBg1LDWbjXgeFnMMzzHWogeiYeQd1MrYfJcoAVbcwH4w0pJF6rP9acoiN-MKz1F-pBSFEVJPMd-Md46sba1PT2g/s320/IMG_3612.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205870907346175266" /></a><br /><br /><br />Isaac, the beginning of another great day.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgPM43mcPtVhyphenhyphenLoxu8us1LJY6txjW8KraRnpiyEcdxzLrO_iUIJ0SVH6TNMPTbFU-T9tdS_-CwloP2HeR_y1bYGsAnipEnVVb_kml2urxRDZXDHke0t3UlIDOXkY3ZbbC6zE04QQ/s1600-h/IMG_3651.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgPM43mcPtVhyphenhyphenLoxu8us1LJY6txjW8KraRnpiyEcdxzLrO_iUIJ0SVH6TNMPTbFU-T9tdS_-CwloP2HeR_y1bYGsAnipEnVVb_kml2urxRDZXDHke0t3UlIDOXkY3ZbbC6zE04QQ/s320/IMG_3651.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205880519482983810" /></a><br /><br />Me swinging Hudson over the waves.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxY4uPvb4kjGSS_meDuE0Oj_t9QjInxWtPUqRzqrobXj0wuJuOYEzFw-uXvl_QbX1sV-gO-yej-NAES_5kr7WongiHxrxjcFHg3WMSJrt_vC4NAhoXWmHRBNWTuJUaAURt1tjtQ/s1600-h/IMG_1762.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxY4uPvb4kjGSS_meDuE0Oj_t9QjInxWtPUqRzqrobXj0wuJuOYEzFw-uXvl_QbX1sV-gO-yej-NAES_5kr7WongiHxrxjcFHg3WMSJrt_vC4NAhoXWmHRBNWTuJUaAURt1tjtQ/s320/IMG_1762.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206292106198959506" /></a><br /><br />Just a few pics of many to come.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-46811588396810840202008-05-27T18:20:00.000-07:002008-05-27T18:55:36.426-07:00Take a Break AlreadyCome with me, spend a day with us. Come on…<br />Ssshhhhh, can you hear that? It’s the sound of the palm fronds swaying in the gulf breeze, the waves caressing the shore, laughter mingled with sea gulls and tranquility. <br />Sshhh Can you smell that? It’s the smell of sea salt soothing your senses, fragrant aromas of exotic flowers, a hint of coconut sunscreen and hamburgers being grilled in the distance. <br />Ssshhh can you feel that it’s the combination of the suns rays warming your soul, the powdered sugar sand underfoot, a smile spreading across your face, stress and worries melting away.<br />Can you see that? The flawless azure skies and crystal clear water, soft white sand, an array of brilliantly colored flowers framed against lush green foliage. <br /><br />It’s early morning, I have no idea what time, I haven’t bothered to look at the time since we arrived at our beach house which boasts of only one clock. There’s a reason for that. If you really need to know it’s in the kitchen I think. The sun is rising, the sky is a pale blue and I take in a deep breath filling my soul with all the goodness that surrounds me as I slip out of bed and outside onto the back deck. Cameron is already up, of course. I join him with a bowl of cereal and some quiet conversation as we watch a couple of rabbits come out from their maze of tunnels among the sea oats and nibble on the more tender shoots along the path that leads from our deck to surfside. Come join us. It’s quiet and calm and you can hear the ocean calling as we watch the waves come in and out from our little oasis on the beach. I steal away a few moments for myself along the waters edge as I take a walk in those undisturbed hushed moments of pre dawn. The air is alive, the ocean speaks to me, the sand is cool and soothing, there are new treasures on the shore from the night’s tide. The day is beginning and I know little ones are stirring, I must get back to the beach house, for excitement and adventure await. I hope you will stay. Soon we’re all on the back deck eating our cereal and witnessing the day awakening together. We’re packing our beach bag with essentials and putting on our swimsuits that pretty much don’t come off until bedtime. <br /><br />Racing down the path, the bunnies scurry back into their burrows, we slip off our flip flops as we reach the powder soft sand. The boys run on their tip toes in the fine sand relishing in the squeaky sound it makes and discover with glee that they’ve made bear tracks by running on the fronts of their feet and not letting their heels touch the sand. They delight in themselves as they run circles, criss-crossing one another and exclaim, bears have been on the beach. Try it! It’s fun and now there’s been a papa and mama bear on the beach as well.<br /><br />Drop your towel next to ours, here in the sand and don’t dawdle. The water draws us in. Quickly we sum up the tide. If it’s going out we’ll have the sand bar to play on, if it’s coming in the water will be deeper and we won't be able to drift out so far. The water is choppy, not too rough for swimming though, just right for boogie boards and kayaks. Grab one, there’s plenty to share. Cameron is teaching the boys how to kayak by themselves. I’m going to savor just a moment in the sun on the sand as I soak it all in before I grab a boogie board myself. The waves look perfect for an exciting ride. Look! Look at all the fish, there are schools of them swimming in and around us. You know where there is a fish there is always a bigger one to follow. ;) Those are mullet I think, but that’s a red snapper that just swam between Edison and I! The pelicans are busy this morning. Those two are inseparable. They mirror each others every move. They’re amazing, they’re beautiful. There is something splendid about the way they glide along the surface and soar through the sky and the sheer force and power they use as they dive, plunging into the sea. Did you know that they have airbags built into their shoulders to protect them from the impact? Did you know that pelicans are my favorite bird? Wow, look at all those fish over there, way more than usual, thousands. They’re tearing up the water, something must be chasing. Look at all the birds coming in from everywhere to take advantage of the feast of fish. Word travels fast. Whoa! Did you see that? Over there! A tarpon just came screaming in over the sand bar to get in on the action. It looked like a torpedo. He disappears just as fast. Wow, how exhilarating.<br /><br />It quiets down and we play away the morning, again no one knows what time it is, do you? We brought waters and snacks, our stomachs will tell us when it’s lunch time. A morning of playing in the sand, swimming, riding the waves and soaking in life really worked up our appetite. We’ve cleaned out the supply of granola bars and wheat thins. Let’s head back up to the house. While we eat our lunch on the back deck, we sigh at the beauty before us and around us for that matter. Edison’s been asking to go fishing, why don’t we go now? Let’s try the north bridge of the island. We gather our gear and are on our way. Just a couple minutes of a jaunt and we all pile out and head for the seawall that stretches all the way under the bridge and around. The boys are catching pinfish like crazy. I love saltwater fishing and haven’t fished in years. I didn’t want to pry the pole out of Edison’s hands but couldn’t bare it any longer. Thankfully he thrilled in the idea of his mom fishing and gave me a turn. I was hooked again.<br />Here goes, my first cast in years, whooops. You weren’t watching were you? It just went sailing up over the bridge. I know it had to have landed on someone’s windshield. So much for my live bait, it isn’t now. Let’s slow that down and try again. Ah, that’s more like it. I think I’ll have better luck catching something in the water. It’s relaxing and fun even if nothing is biting except for the little pinfish. That's enough to keep the boys enthused. It’s hot, maybe too hot for the fish. I just saw a sheepshead swim out in between the piling! It’s deeper and cooler out there. We should probably try again this evening or in the morning. I’ll start taking things back to the car. What? What’s that Cameron? He’s waving at us to come back. Oh, look! Dolphins! A pair of them. How incredible, I've been waiting to see them. There’s something magical about watching dolphins. <br /><br />Back at the beach house, we fuel up and head back to the beach of course. Wanna join us? There’s still time before dinner. In fact there’s always time. Don’t mind them, people are always stopping to watch the boys play in the surf. Often they’ll conjure up and share stories of when they were a kid and reminisce with us. Some will congratulate us or compliment us on such a fine family. Everybody loves a family at the beach. I’ll admit it brings me great joy to watch my boys out there having so much fun and to be experiencing it with them. Makes me feel youthful and alive again. Watch Isaac roll in the sand, he’ll cover himself from head to toe, face included. I love watching him love life. Everest has really gotten the hang of the kayak. He has a few scratches from when that one wave rolled him, but that didn’t stop him. Edison too. I think he’s enjoyed the fishing more than anything, if we’re not careful he’s going to turn into one. I can’t believe Hudson let me cover his body in sand all the way up to his armpits. He was made for this. We all were. The visibility is fantastic for snorkeling. Look, they found a sea urchin and a starfish. How cool, look at that, you caught a pair of crabs too. Sweet. Good thing you brought your buckets down. Look at that, the starfish is trying to crawl out.<br /><br />Someone is waving from the beach house. Dinner time? Ok, I guess we should go in. Don’t worry we always come back down after dinner. Someone fired up the grill and it smells good. The boys and all their cousins are busy exploring, hunting down lizards and seaside treasures while the adults set the table and lounge in the chairs over looking it all, catching up with each other. These are the days you remember as a kid, The perfect days that last forever. Mmmmm dinner is great, did you have enough. Oh, you’ve got to have room for dessert. It’s the famous Publix chocolate chip crème cake. Absolutely sinfully scrumptious. <br /><br />Who’s going back down to the beach? I’m going! Bring the football and Frisbee. This is my favorite time of day. I love it when the sun begins to lower and everything is a sun kissed gold, a heavenly honey hew, so warm and inviting. Everything within the reach of the sun's rays is made flawless. As if seen through Heaven's eyes. The boys have really picked up on sand sports. The diving into the soft sand is the best part. Funny how sand and surf slows down the world, it can even make a game of football relaxing. It doesn’t get much better than this. What a sunset, a soft palette of pastels perfectly smeared across the sky. The intense oranges and purples often accompany summer sunsets, still remarkably beautiful. You can’t go wrong with a sunset at the beach, even in a down pour. <br />The boys are enjoying a few more runs with the boogie boards before it’s too dark to see. They'd stay out here all night, me too. Hey who’d like to walk down to the Big Olaf for some ice cream. The Village on Siesta Key is a fun little place, outside music and what not. We always like to just sit out front of the ice cream parlor on the purple benches and eat our ice cream enjoying the atmosphere and each other. I think we got more ice cream on our tummies rather than in our tummies. Ah, well. We enjoyed it all the same. <br />Back at the beach house we’ll start to wrap things up for the day. I’ll tidy up the deck while the boys chase lizards in the moonlight. I love that we can hear the ocean. Evening on the deck is so relaxing. Not that the day hasn’t been. I’m glad you decided to come along and share a day at the beach with us. <br /><br />We’ll be back, will you?<br /><br /><br />(pictures, funnies and other anecdotes coming soon)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-777316302770493852008-05-01T10:22:00.000-07:002008-05-01T10:48:10.011-07:00We're Not Coming BackIt's snowing!<br />Cameron put it best this morning when he said, "We can't get out of here fast enough."<br />We leave for Florida bright and early Saturday morning. OK, Maybe not bright, but early indeed.<br /><br />Here's a few funnies til I get back. When I will undoubtedly be saturated with entertaining material from our vacation.<br /><br />Edison thrives on science experiments, creating and discovering. He's been making all kinds of clever things out of household items. The other day he raided my shelves and closets and made his own 1st Aid Kit, last night as I tucked him in for bed he exclaimed, "look mom, I made my 2nd Aid Kit". On the outside he inscribed 'Edison's 2nd Aid Kit' and placed it next to his '1st Aid Kit'.<br /><br />After an already busy day and an even busier evening ahead of us, I announced we would have to stop at the store on the way home. A resounding sigh echoed throughout the car, AAAHHHHH! I don't want to, do we have to....<br />I tried to get them excited by telling them we had to get airplane food. HUH? was the expression on their faces. "yes, we have to feed the airplane don't we?", "naw". "Sure we do, it needs energy to get us to FL." Giggles and snickers rippled through the car.<br /><br />Isaac was exhausted and upset after our long day and wanted to rip up and shred all my computer paper. I nonchalantly asked him if he knew where paper came from. Trees. He stopped, 'nuh, uh.' "really" I said as I continued to try and convince him. "Yah, they cut it down, slice it up and put it through a special water chemical solution". "nuh, uh" came his reply again with a grin. "Yah, it's skinny wood", I exclaimed. He burst into an infectious roar of giggles."<br /><br />See you in a couple weeks for lots of good stuff. That is if we come back to this harsh climate.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-13252994543262512122008-04-30T08:17:00.000-07:002008-04-30T08:19:41.010-07:00The Head Trauma ContinuesYesterday was a beautiful day, the weather was finally perfect. Sun was shining as we rejoiced with exclamations of, “Let There Be Light!” the sky was blue, it’s true it was blue. Something we have not seen here in UT for a very long time. The boys spent the entire day outside in the sprinklers, riding bikes and gathering up families of rollie pollies. However, that came with owee after owee. Everest had so many band-aids on when he took them off before bed he had polka dots on his legs from the sun and dirt. He also acquired a cut in between his toes, which we hope will heal so he can wear his new flip flops in FL next week. Oh, yes FL, moving on up in our bumps and bruises, yesterday Hudson collided with the pavement and landed on his forehead, right smack on top of his last injury that required industrial strength super glue and a plastic surgeon. Ah, yes. And so the afternoon went, scratched knee after scratched knee, scrape after scrape, bonk after bonk. There was no slowing anyone down. Not on a gorgeous day such as this. We had to soak it all in and cram in as many sports, activities and adventures as possible. After all the forecast for the rest of the week is grim.<br /><br />It doesn’t stop there Cameron and I decided to take advantage of the weather and took the boys up the canyon for a picnic that evening. We brought a couple balls and thought we’d hike a little too. The boys were so excited they couldn’t sit still long enough to eat. Finally they pulled us away from our sandwiches and up the mountain. They knew exactly were they were headed. We had been up this way a couple times, straight to the stream. After all it is spring and there is fresh snowmelt so the river bed actually has water in it.<br /><br />We hiked and climbed and made it to the little mountain stream. We spent the next 30 minutes climbing over river rocks, over and across as we made our way up the little river exploring as we went. The water too irresistible the boys gave up climbing the rocks and gave way to wading the ice cold water. Again, accumulating scratches and scrapes all the way. Including a nice big scratch on Edison’s face from the outer corner of his eye all the way to his ear, thanks to an over hanging branch. <br /><br />The big family pictures are in 5 days. We will wear our wounds proudly. As they are a symbol of our adventurous and active family and all the fun times we have together. Besides, a picture without at least one of us mangled in it would be misrepresentation. There we will be polka dot legs, scratched faces, skinned knees, banged up heads with cuts, knots and scrapes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-87745404023113578162008-04-23T13:51:00.000-07:002008-04-23T13:52:23.920-07:00Family Portraits & Head TraumaI’ve come to realize and even unwillingly accept that family pictures and head trauma go hand in hand. Maybe it’s just our little family but why is it that whenever someone schedules, plans or mentions family pictures we are headed to the emergency room?<br /><br />We will be going to FL shortly for a family vacation and reunion. Of course we decided to take family pictures, isn’t that what you do at family reunions? Not to mention we haven’t all been together for years and years and well years. Once it was unanimous that pictures were a must and arrangements were under way, I tried really hard to put the bumps, bruises and gashes out of my mind along with the urge to strap football helmets with face guards on their heads. I tried consoling myself with all kinds of reasons why this time would be different. However, On Wednesday evening shortly after Cameron left to take the young men from our church to a Jazz basketball game in SLC it happened. I was finishing things up in the kitchen when I heard it, That Cry that isn’t quite a cry or a scream or even a whine or whimper. But I knew exactly what it was and I raced up the stairs after it. There coming out of my room was a woozy Hudson holding his head looking as though he was about to collapse. I scooped him up and started talking and comforting him to keep him from passing out. He had his hand on his forehead and I placed mine on top of his. I knew I had to assess the wound, I was dreading having to make the call if he’d need stitches or not. When I saw that he wasn’t going to pass out on me I removed our hands from his forehead and blood just started gushing out. I couldn’t contain it, I was trying to keep it out of his eyes and then blood started going down the left side of his forehead and then the right. Now I was trying to keep it out of his ears while pressing my hand on his wound and yelling out instructions, “get a washcloth, get the phone, bring me my wallet!” Once we finally got the pressure back on and the blood stopped I called the pediatrician to see if they were in that night. There was no doubt he needed stitches.<br />The receptionist told us to come in right away. I’m passing out orders left and right as clearly yet as urgently as I can, “ get your shoes, I don’t care what kind just get some shoes, Everest grab a box of crackers and some waters, Get your jackets, everyone in the car now, right now…” I was able to get a big oversized bandage on Hudson’s head and whipped away most of the blood, grabbed his blanket and then frantically was looking for my keys, they are always in the same spot, running through the house unable to find them, I go outside to see if they’re in the car. THE CAR?! Where’s the car? Cameron took my car so he could fit all the young men in it! So back in the house I go to search for Cameron’s keys, we’re throwing in the car seats and boys and off we go. On the way, we go through our checklist, who’s wearing shoes? Who brought books? Who got the snacks? Does everyone have a jacket? Meanwhile I’m forcing myself to take long deep breaths.<br /><br />Finally at the pediatricians we take a deep breath as they take us back and phase II begins. The nurse has me peel back the bandage to see if we really need stitches without saying a word she secures the bandage back on his forehead and goes to inform the doctor. Meanwhile we are all piled into a little room, the boys spread out their books and pencils and their shoes and jackets are now strewn all over the floor. They’ve found a toy car and have made ramps out of their books, seeing who can make it jump the highest and farthest. The noise level is climbing and as I’m catching my breath I realize how messy I am. That’s my other big question, why is it that you always look your worst in an emergency? I had been cleaning all day. I had sweats on and my hair was a mess, any make up that may have been on my face wasn’t anymore. Then I look around, oh, the boys don’t look much better after an afternoon of playing outside either.<br /><br />The doctor comes in and introduces herself, we hadn’t met this one yet. She just so happens to specialize in plastic surgery. Finally something is going our way. She recommends super strength super glue. Since the cut is straight and clean, plus he is so young he wouldn’t have to go through the trauma of the shots and stitches. She reassures me that if she thought stitches would leave less of a scar she’d recommend them. I was fine with the super glue route, it would be quicker and less painful and frightening for Hudson. However, he’d never be able to boast about how many stitches he had in his forehead. Glue just doesn’t sound as cool or manly as stitches. In no time they were rinsing out his wound and holding the gash together while trying to super glue it without gluing their own fingers to his head. I, the boys, the nurse and the pediatrician all huddled around Hudson’s head with a bright light above while Edison paced the floor. Hudson didn’t flinch not even when she used pointy tweezers to pull a side of the skin closer for a snug fit. I even thought to myself, ‘ouch, that’s got to hurt’. He just watched all the commotion going on above him and then it was over. They raved about his bravery and they each got a little prize from the prize machine. And back home we went. It was much nicer and quicker than the ER not to mention less expensive. But it was still head trauma and we’ll have the scar and pictures for proof.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-46972598961543820862008-04-16T12:09:00.001-07:002008-04-16T12:19:37.485-07:00Top TenYou know spring is near when the snow, all the snow suddenly melts and your basement floods.<br />Luckily the basement is unfinished, not so luckily all of our unpacked ready to move when we buy our house boxes are down stairs. Cameron brought up a good portion of the boxes and we tried to contain the water. However, the snow kept melting and the rain kept coming so while he was at work the next day I and the boys brought up the rest of the stuff. It was more than we had realized. I was trying so hard not to be grumpy, I kept reminding myself this is one of those bonding times with my boys where I can make the most of the worst.<br /><br />So what do you do when your basement is flooded, your garage is now in utter disarray and your house now looks like a storage unit.<br /><br />Top ten things to do with a flooded basement:<br /><br />#10 Put your snow boots on and slosh and splash around in the basement.<br />#9 Get out the boogie boards.<br />#8 Invite the neighbor kids over for a pool party.<br />#7 Become a wild life refuge and let the local ducks enjoy a warm swim.<br />#6 Test everything that says ‘waterproof’ or ‘water resistant’.<br />#5 Make sail boats out of house hold items and see whose floats.<br />#4 Play adventure, where you can’t touch the floor or you’ll get eaten by sharks and alligators.<br />#3 Have a contest to see whose shoes are the most water repellant.<br />#2 Add bubble bath and run around in circles as fast as you can.<br />#1 Throw a Flood Party!<br /><br />Despite the utter chaos not to mention mess our home had become over night the boys were loving it. They had become flood experts over night and would go down and check the status then come up and report just how much worse it was getting. They were rooting through stuff, digging in boxes and getting into all sorts of things. They had come across my storage box of wrapping paper. At this point I had thrown the towel in a long time ago. It was still too cold and miserable to be outside and they needed something to do which was really hard with so much storage in the way. And I needed a break so I gave them the green light and let them have what they wanted from the wrapping paper box. They began to wrap things and give them to each other. They went to bed that night wrapping away and in the morning we had gifts to open. Wrapping stuffed animals, old hot wheels, balls… That morning they went back to the box to sift through what was left and to their astonishment not only was there wrapping paper and ribbons in the box, but there were balloons and silly string, a boys delight! Their imaginations were running wild with creativity. Seeing I needed to quickly channel that creativity I mention they should focus their efforts on Dad and throw him a surprise party when he gets home. They spent the rest of the afternoon wrapping with duct tape, masking tape, string, ribbon with all sorts of papers. Piled neatly on dad’s bed were their lovingly wrapped packages. Anxiously waiting for the sound of dad’s jeep they paced the floors with excitement. When is dad going to be here, they’d repeatedly asked. Finally, when they heard his jeep pull up they ran to their positions and when he came through the door, they ambushed him leaping out yelling surprise while spraying silly string all over him. Chasing him through the house and up the stairs and backed into a corner we laughed ‘til our bellies hurt, our faces were red and we were gasping for air. Now it was time for presents and they took him to his room. He opened them one by one, finding all kinds of thoughtful personal and meaningful treasures even a wipes box full of loose change and allowances. They had taken such care in their wrapping and had planned and waited all day and now it was all paying off. It was a grand party indeed. Actually, it was the perfect party, I couldn’t have planned it better myself.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbSOOf61fa6Ytziq0OOhtVAO8ALM4t1GuYxBPDv7WCgCzMwM0FlqnIeDX4guIbzAVavM7kbPMyTzfc9XElHpZawns6XPYZUkS0bdt6bNOH9qpCLB306OB4DMErMspd5mtUGaTyw/s1600-h/IMG_3224.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbSOOf61fa6Ytziq0OOhtVAO8ALM4t1GuYxBPDv7WCgCzMwM0FlqnIeDX4guIbzAVavM7kbPMyTzfc9XElHpZawns6XPYZUkS0bdt6bNOH9qpCLB306OB4DMErMspd5mtUGaTyw/s320/IMG_3224.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5189924038677339010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY66eqio7IczsKYyqlj7ct-eOOAYGs2Lz8nss4gEKGIzTDZcJkf2zuwOx851yMO0gucyDRw5XC2NOCP4ZlRf1oSzxU_7zR76pE8Kl7Z_o-hFRre54OI3HQ_zpQgFWdSok_mOLWg/s1600-h/IMG_3230.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY66eqio7IczsKYyqlj7ct-eOOAYGs2Lz8nss4gEKGIzTDZcJkf2zuwOx851yMO0gucyDRw5XC2NOCP4ZlRf1oSzxU_7zR76pE8Kl7Z_o-hFRre54OI3HQ_zpQgFWdSok_mOLWg/s320/IMG_3230.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5189924042972306322" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyDmhyvSbmRRj2rYeziHzLpEBjqlLV3XCgTEtbcr2T4-rln6Qxg_rmsUrxJY1bdbxfCq4DEWT-obM1vS-133FEBnPDIBSzcv2QrTmgSPcNHNGj8Royubu3BPjvOJJBbNkM9fwhg/s1600-h/IMG_3231.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyDmhyvSbmRRj2rYeziHzLpEBjqlLV3XCgTEtbcr2T4-rln6Qxg_rmsUrxJY1bdbxfCq4DEWT-obM1vS-133FEBnPDIBSzcv2QrTmgSPcNHNGj8Royubu3BPjvOJJBbNkM9fwhg/s320/IMG_3231.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5189924051562240930" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwS3n033NdmHN8eUi1KDhKfZ_ZZN96T-ukrj5WdZ93A2wsRBDQv9Lee6CjaMP-5YeYGqjQYDM2n7P5s-m2R18RjZOABv0cItsBiEmr0apH_2ZP2ch7eTpGVhz91FgbCm0aNYDMw/s1600-h/IMG_3229.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwS3n033NdmHN8eUi1KDhKfZ_ZZN96T-ukrj5WdZ93A2wsRBDQv9Lee6CjaMP-5YeYGqjQYDM2n7P5s-m2R18RjZOABv0cItsBiEmr0apH_2ZP2ch7eTpGVhz91FgbCm0aNYDMw/s320/IMG_3229.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5189924064447142834" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-23573740440823547642008-04-12T10:33:00.000-07:002008-04-12T15:03:20.038-07:00A Day in the LifeAre Your Smarter Than a 4 Year Old?<br />While checking out at the store a woman began speaking over the intercom. She was making an announcement for the store clerks and asking certain departments (which was an amazing amount of them, I didn’t realize how many departments there were) to come get their pick ups at customer service. She began rattling off numbers of departments something along the lines of, ‘…13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 33, 37, 38, 39, Isaac leans into me and whispers, “she can’t count very good". The woman continues to rattle off department numbers 44, 46, 47, 53, 61, 62, 63, 66, 69, 70, 71, 72, 75, 77, 78, 83, 87, 88, 90, 91, 96, 97, 99. " giggling he whispers she’s doesn’t know how to count does she?”<br /><br />Why Is That?<br />While waiting for Edison to get out of school, I started thumbing through a magazine the usual way, backwards. I realized I had caught Isaac’s attention as he watched me intently for a moment and then when he could bare it no more he informed me, “You’re reading that wrong, you’re supposed to start from the front.” He then showed me how you begin at the beginning of a book. “Like this mom”<br /><br />Improvise <br />You can always tell when it’s spring around here, one sign is the sudden outbreak of cuts, scrapes and bumps. Edison did just that, his scraped the skin right off of his knee and elbow and obtained a few bumps and cuts in between. After the sting had subsided and he was feeling good enough to give into the temptation of warmer weather calling, he joined his brothers outside. Only a minute later did he bounce back in the house asking for packing or duct tape. When I couldn’t find any he said, that’s ok, this will do as he proceeded to tape up the hem of his shorts with scotch tape. He taped the whole hem a good three inches up his thigh to keep it from brushing against his scrapes and cuts. He’s a strong disbeliever in band aids. <br /><br />Call It Like It Is<br />Isaac: Ding bell is what Isaac calls the school bell at the elementary school.<br />Another saying around here: “you took my flavor”<br />Hudson: Panpakes (pancakes)<br /><br /><br />Headroom<br />Isaac pronounced the need for a new bigger car because when he stands up inside ours his head brushes against the top.<br /><br />A New Holiday<br />While driving home down a certain stretch of road, we came upon a ‘construction zone’. The road was lined with an absurd amount of cones. Isaac gasps, “HOLY COW! Look at all those cones! It must be cone day.”<br /><br />Cannon Boy<br />After making popcorn for the boys, Hudson sat down with a big bowl and dove in. He took a humongous handful, tilted his head back and shoved in the popcorn. Suddenly he let out this strange little whine that didn’t let up. I kept asking what? Checking in his gums and teeth to see if any kernels were stuck. He kept his persistent somewhat panicky whine going. Lost, I asked what one more time, with his head tilted back again he pointed to his nose and revealed a small piece of popcorn in one of his nostrils. Trying not to laugh or make a big deal about it, after all I didn’t want him to inhale and suck it up further. I told him to breath out his nose really hard and fast. He blew and boy did it shoot across the room. His brothers thought it was cool and we all laughed hysterically. <br /><br />Hudson: I love you mom<br />Mom: you love me?!<br />Hudson: noooo (pause) I love you SO much<br /><br />Isaac: Having a rough morning, I sympathized with him and said, ‘you’re having a rough morning aren’t you?” he nodded. 6:15pm that night, he says “ I’m still having a rough morning”.<br /><br />How Much Is the Horsie in the Field?<br />Mom:I see Horsies.<br />Hudson: ah, I wanna buy one<br />Mom:Where are we gonna put it?<br />Hudson: In a cage.<br />(Hudson loves and adores animals, as long as they stay out of his comfort zone)<br /><br />Road Trip<br />Literally a short jaunt down the road, maybe 1.5 minutes and <br />Isaac sighs as he opens the door: ah, man it’s so good to get out of that car.<br /><br />A Family Poll<br />Edison: All I wanna do is eat dinner ‘N’ get in the pool.<br />Isaac excitedly casts his vote for the evening: Aw, that’d be so fun to eat dinner in the pool.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865486.post-59178747222608424592008-03-24T09:52:00.000-07:002008-03-24T10:16:16.045-07:00Ski Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6D0Ap3m7HvUAGlohysCDcQvCruRuSxTDATMq3Z3i5xHI3p8ARaAlsyo4gOgV3uMKJceoGAhlwFsG60gt0SgwzXXfccOEAmTJdWDAHyCM07l23sJvgKNhxkGK6cs062O2znWg8kw/s1600-h/IMG_3234.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6D0Ap3m7HvUAGlohysCDcQvCruRuSxTDATMq3Z3i5xHI3p8ARaAlsyo4gOgV3uMKJceoGAhlwFsG60gt0SgwzXXfccOEAmTJdWDAHyCM07l23sJvgKNhxkGK6cs062O2znWg8kw/s320/IMG_3234.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181354768537934258" /></a> Me and my boys just arrived at Snow Basin<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBRja2w3_cMMjTymsKOM3Sw8axfuyMqiJSpeYdcGIB3QpPGLBtdzZmWQeHDLtPNcXOrC65j1kyJ8It1GKj-j509BOXCJxVYSnfaKB9mJkb8-XIIGrhiZOKWiF7UmYhuQWyfOJHA/s1600-h/IMG_3238.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBRja2w3_cMMjTymsKOM3Sw8axfuyMqiJSpeYdcGIB3QpPGLBtdzZmWQeHDLtPNcXOrC65j1kyJ8It1GKj-j509BOXCJxVYSnfaKB9mJkb8-XIIGrhiZOKWiF7UmYhuQWyfOJHA/s320/IMG_3238.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181354794307738050" /></a> Cameron and boys after lunch, storm rolling in<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFPqrDfMVPWqEjAC9m93uQ-5fK-iJbCcCemC-DYfbjM8t12BH0p977ORFe5Dw_ikbrl0dbwRfec0Hx34RsjLmWxo2dYPh72X7jq9sdSlVJNMWjJN1lNzKMSmMhp6zvwPD0HSYsg/s1600-h/IMG_3241.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFPqrDfMVPWqEjAC9m93uQ-5fK-iJbCcCemC-DYfbjM8t12BH0p977ORFe5Dw_ikbrl0dbwRfec0Hx34RsjLmWxo2dYPh72X7jq9sdSlVJNMWjJN1lNzKMSmMhp6zvwPD0HSYsg/s320/IMG_3241.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181354802897672658" /></a> Hudson pressed against the glass <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAQeoIVD4WlmkSwZSQwApV2OF6F7r9etUfrbgl49gAkGlQRVk3qbPIZIQlZ4cweP8ooqh8jViJ47h4gHOdjE5G-53zY7jWKvtsyEynA6YRp4YAp1KMSxiGkAY33DevW4PcDNt5Q/s1600-h/IMG_3243.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAQeoIVD4WlmkSwZSQwApV2OF6F7r9etUfrbgl49gAkGlQRVk3qbPIZIQlZ4cweP8ooqh8jViJ47h4gHOdjE5G-53zY7jWKvtsyEynA6YRp4YAp1KMSxiGkAY33DevW4PcDNt5Q/s320/IMG_3243.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181354815782574562" /></a> Hudson on the gondola <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEJK8Gbd4RZGyWhkk5-1DkiAc2sz40WRfhruX_RQK4CfNAlyHWHNu4V95rI1WIRbQJZ_2xo1wzaseuwOdg3sgD8WCaPUgHFw0wNGqq1zi0_4p-yDegtrZ2ojoTxOt-FgIrY7EGQ/s1600-h/IMG_3247.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEJK8Gbd4RZGyWhkk5-1DkiAc2sz40WRfhruX_RQK4CfNAlyHWHNu4V95rI1WIRbQJZ_2xo1wzaseuwOdg3sgD8WCaPUgHFw0wNGqq1zi0_4p-yDegtrZ2ojoTxOt-FgIrY7EGQ/s320/IMG_3247.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181354828667476466" /></a> Boys braving the incoming storm<br /><br /><br />I’ve never been skiing a day in my life. I’ve never even had the urge. Some might consider this a sin, living here in one of the world’s or at least nations top ski spots. Never, say never isn’t just for the big screen. Every month or so Cameron’s team at work participates in a team bonding/growth kind of thing. He always comes home from these excited to share what they talked about and the experience with me. I love hearing all about them.<br /><br />One of the most recent ones was a day at a posh ski resort. He went on and on about how spectacular the resort was and how awesome the restaurant at the top of the lift was. He wanted to take us so bad, that we canned our weekend trip to St. George in hopes of finding some warmer skies. We spent the next week searching through end of season clearances and snatching up apparel. I nor the boys had any appropriate clothing to keep us warm and dry on the slopes. <br /><br />Though I was excited for some adventure and to experience what he had just a week before, I had to conceal my panic. He wanted to share this with us so very much and I kept having visions of Everest whizzing uncontrollably past everyone at lightening speed unable to stop, Edison catching air and landing mid way up a fir tree, Isaac doing cartwheels head over skis down the mountain leaving a trail of knocked down skiers in his wake, the wind blowing in Hudson’s hair with his arms wrapped tightly across Cameron’s face while clinging on to the back of his dad as he chases after everyone and me spinning 360’s wildly before I face plant into a snow drift. How in the world was he going to take four first time skiers out by himself? Not that I doubted my husband, I never doubt Cameron. If he sets out to do something, by golly he does it and he does it in style and with flare exceeding expectations. I was in wonderment not doubt.<br /><br />The end of the week came and the morning of, the car is packed the boys are ready, I’m dressed and Cameron comments on how good I look. I reply, ‘That’s my plan, to look like I know what I’m doing, then I just avoid the slopes and talking to anyone and no one will ever have to know’. It was a really nice drive and then we arrived at the top of a mountain that I had never met. Snow like you wouldn’t believe. A skier’s heaven. We piled out and headed to the heart of the resort. While Cameron went inside to get the passes we huddled together and soaked it all in. Just then a guy comes up wearing a rescue vest and has a litter of golden retriever pups. Apparently he and his kids were training the dogs for search and rescue. Hudson was ecstatic. Snow Buddies is his new favorite movie and if all we did that day was see the ‘snow buddies’ as he called them he would’ve been just fine. He couldn’t take his eyes off of them. But alas, it was our turn to get on the ski lift and up we went to the top of the mountain. It was amazing, it was beautiful, it was breath taking, it was really really high. We shared the gondola with a veteran ski couple. They knew the mountain inside and out. My plan was unraveling as we the conversation deeped. But they were a delightful pair with many fascinating experiences to share. The restaurant at the top was cozy and warm and huge. It was every thing you’d picture a resort lodge being. Beautiful wood and rock, rustic, huge fireplaces, panoramic views and the food was divine. If we called it a day after that I would’ve been just fine. It was as though we were in a completely different world up there, that we had left ours behind down below. It was just us and the mountain.<br /><br />Tummies full, back down the mountain we went as we watched the skiers and snowboarders below us. Hudson with his nose pressed against the glass. Storm clouds began to roll in over the mountain. A sense of urgency began to set in as the sky grew tumultuous. Trying to organize everyone and get the skiing started. We decided I’d stay at the ‘base’ of the bunny hill with the boys while Cameron took one at a time up, we hadn’t figured out how I’d get my turn we’d figure that out when the time came. Cameron and Hudson headed out first. There was a conveyer belt that took them to the top of the bunny hill and then they would ski down. While they were gearing up and making their way up I decided to bring the boys out to watch. There was a covered area with chairs and some snow the boys could play in. The other three boys are playing around on their skis while I’m lugging all the boots, skis, what have ya’s from one side of the building to the other and it starts snowing. Not thinking much of it, it’s a ski resort, it’s the top of a mountain, it’s the middle of winter. But the sky kept getting darker and darker and the snow heavier and thicker as it came alive. We huddled behind a huge pillar of stone under an outside covered area. It didn’t provide much protection.<br /><br />Cameron and Hudson finally made it back down the mountain and Hudson was laughing the whole way down. Edison’s turn is next but he had taken off his beanie and some protective layers so he’s a little wet and very cold. At this point he’s done and let’s Isaac go in his place. Just as Isaac geared up they shut down the bunny hill, the conveyer belt is turned off due to the heavy snow, so they try the next hill up. They hop on the mini lift and up, up and away they go. Cameron and I have our walkie talkies and have been communicating that way. He gets to the top and tells me they’re shutting down that lift as well, that he might have time to take Everest if they’re fast. The snow keeps coming, Hudson is stiff as a board in his snow gear lounged back in a patio chair and is falling asleep but those pillow sized snowflakes keep landing on his eye lashes. Isaac and Cameron zoom down the hill we swap out Isaac for Everest and off they go. At this point the snow is blinding while the wind has really picked up and Edison is screaming ‘I wanna go home, I hate this, I never wanna ski again’. I scoop them up and head for the entrance to the lodge, kids in tow. I abandon all the equipment put Hudson on one hip grab Edison’s hand and keep calling for Isaac to stay close. We’re doubled over trying to keep the snow out of our faces which doesn’t help, cause we still can’t see where we are going. I see the entrance and pull the kids through the large wooden doors. I headed straight for the oversized fireplace and sat the boys down on the hearth. Peeled off their layers and let them snuggle up in the warmth and glow of the crackling fire. Ah, that’s better. While thawing out I look around, the lodge is packed, everyone is finding refuge from the storm and I hear they’ve shut all lifts down and people are still waiting for friends and family to come down off the mountain. The boys are beginning to get sleepy and are mesmerized by the fire dancing beside them. Cameron and Everest make their way in and they too warm up by the fireplace before Cameron braves the storm to gather up all the abandoned equipment. <br /><br />While making a plan for our next move a gentleman came to stir up the fire and began talking to the boys, he then introduced us to the nice elderly gentleman sitting in an oversized overstuffed chair next to us. He just so happened to be the man who envisioned, built and owned the ski resort. It was pretty cool and we told him how much we loved the resort and thanked him. Then we gathered up the boys and with an arm across our face, heads bent and a boy or two on board we made our way to the car. Where we peeled off outer layers, cranked up the heat and dove into the stash of snacks while Cameron braved it back to the lodge to collect the items left behind. <br /><br />It was crazy weather. A real blizzard, I’ve loved having 4 wheel drive but never as much as I did today. We slowly made our way down the mountain lined with cars stranded or stuck on the slick icy roads. I never made it out onto the slopes, but I did get some good use out of my attire and at least looked like I knew what I was doing for a day. <br /><br />And that was our first day of skiing ever, would I do it again. Surprisingly enough Yes, as long as I get to eat at the restaurant at the top of the mountain.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1