Halloween 2007

Getting everyone in costumes this year without spending a cent. Priceless. Literally. Here's how it ended up looking:

Maggie: Halloween Princess- used the dress that all the girls have worn on their 2nd Halloween. $0

Kate: Porcelain Doll- or China doll as she calls it. Used a dress that we got from Shayne's cousin, Athena who wore it when she was a little girl. $0

Clayre: China girl- used the costume from Clayre's dance recital last year and the real Chinese paper umbrella was a gift from Brooke. $0

Parly: Bride- used her white baptism dress and my wedding veil. $0

Shayne: Old Man- clothes came out of his closet, YES he shaved 1/2 his head, cane brought over by Susan. $0

What a cute and cheap family.

Love comes in a Box

So the other day I made Hamburger Helper for dinner. In my defense, Shayne wasn't coming home for dinner and we needed to hurry so the girls could go with Nanny Susan to Wizard of Oz at Dixie High School. Anyway, the girls loved it! Yes, the musical and the Hamburger Helper. Here is the conversation we had at dinner:


Clayre: "Mom, how did you make this?"
Me: "It just came from a box."
Clayre: "This box is genius."
Parly: "Clayre, sometimes you just make me giggle."

Again, to be the Best Mom Ever....really isn't that hard. It comes in a box.

Worried? Don't be

Have you ever wondered what my kids are doing while I am "blogging"? Yes, of course you have.

Okay, technically most of my kids are at school/preschool (at least for a few hours), so it is just Maggie and myself at home. Here's a little glimpse of how Maggie keeps herself busy while I am in a computer trance:

Yes, that is a doll stroller. (above)

Yes, she is sleeping on tile.

Such a cute thumb sucker.

Can't her mom just pick her up and put her in her crib? No, that would require me to get up from the computer.

Mom's Out

I just got back from a "Mom's Out" weekend. It was at a cabin in California, and by cabin I mean pretty much it is just surrounded by trees. There is nothing "cabinish" about this 6,000 sq. ft. luxury home. To see pictures see this blog.

My sister invited me... so I was there mostly amongst strangers. I knew a few people... some of Em's sister-in-laws and some from going to this annual trip two years ago, but mostly new faces. There were about 17 women in all. Sooooo.. that meant, lots of different and interesting (some even possibly: coo coo) personalities AND that meant for lots of fun. I enjoyed sitting in on a lot of conversations... and sometimes even adding to them.

The favorites of the trip: Panini sandwiches, apple stuffed croissant French toast, amazing Mexican tacos, white chocolate-cinnamon-caramel-apples (Yes, I made these....don't seem so surprised. They are actually quite easy to make....and they turned out to be more than just my favorite of the weekend. Although I probably did eat the most. I'm glad I got to contribute something.) I know it looks like most of the favorites are food....so I'll move on. Sitting or rather "hanging out" in the hot-tub (a little bit of a subliminal there, funny...if you got it), watching movies, taking walks and then a hike back up...before and after all the eating, getting a massage (they had 2 massage therapists come up on Saturday). This was my first massage - yes, I was a massage virgin and everyone enjoyed that fact. This was the perfect time and place to get a massage and it definitely was a highlight of the weekend. But I have to say the best was: all the fun girls I met. I laughed and laughed all weekend : my favorite of the trip.

So, everything was fine at the home front. I don't think the girls even noticed I was gone. They called me once just to ask where one of the clues to a treasure hunt I made was, and once I told them they were off.... I love you too. You can read more about their weekend on Shayne's blog here.

Favorite time of Day

So yesterday I went to get Maggie from her nap. I usually know when she is awake because there is a very loud banging coming from her room. This is from her rocking her crib back and forth which in turn hits against the wall. Side note: This is the same crib we have used for all the other girls...it is a little on the getting-quite-old-and-almost-falling-apart side. We just hope it lasts for our last...Maggie. Back to the loud banging...you might say just pull it away from the wall. Well, we would have to put it in the middle of the room in order for it to not bang a wall...it sways from all sides a lot. So it is safer in a corner, touching two walls and a dresser. Mother of the year, right here!

So...I went in to find Maggie very much engaged with a sun spot that was on the wall. She was trying to grab it. And each time she did this she would move in front of the sun ray and thus make the spot disappear. Of course then she would move back and it would reappear. This little dance repeated over and over. It was so cute. It is at these are the times.... I am reminded.... Of how glad I am that: I was the one that got to witness such a sweet moment and not someone else.


Going along with the Mother of the year bit. After our drive home from Logan (6 hours) I took Maggie out of her car seat and noticed that she was wet all over. How? I just figured some of her milk from her sippy cup had leaked. Not so. When I changed her into her jammies I also changed her diaper...I have never seen a fuller diaper... and I have had 3 others. Sorry Maggie. So I should either 1. Change her once during the trip or 2. Get a bigger diaper size for trips. What would the Mother of the year do?

Time to move to Logan

We just got back from a weekend in Logan. It's always fun to go up north and visit my parents...and 3 of my siblings + spouses. There is always great company and always great food. Probably too much food. But I'm not complaining.

It was really great to go this time of year. It's so beautiful in Cache Valley in the fall when the leaves have changed colors. As we drove through Sardine Canyon we oohed and awed over the red and orange trees, yes even the girls look up from their movie for a second to gasp once or twice. It was there that I realized that this is the time of year I need to live in Logan. Now? I know what you are thinking: wouldn't you rather live there in the summer when the temperatures are much more bearable. Okay, yes. But here was my thought for a second anyway: See, I am not a very festive decorator. My kids have asked me why we haven't put up any Halloween decorations yet, since every house around us has and then some. So if we lived in Logan, with all the leaves changing colors, etc., there would be no need to decorate. Your house already looks festive. You wouldn't have to buy any hay bales, corn husks, pumpkins, fake spider webs, or fake leaves because you already have those in your yard. Well...at least we would have the right color of leaves and probably the spider webs...and then those other things if we lived on a farm or at a pumpkin walk. Sooo... This is why I said it was only my thought for a second. Regardless.....there are two facts here: 1. Logan is gorgeous this time of year. And 2. I am not a decorator festive or not. Annnd let's add 3. I'm all about doing things the easy way.

You won't believe it!

So I finished. Awesome. Do you believe I ran my best time ever? A little surprising. Now do you believe that I qualified for the Boston Marathon, by running it in 3:39.41 ? Even more amazing, right? I am still shocked myself, although my sore sore muscles are still telling me it's true. I'm very glad that I did it.... and that it's over.

Side notes: My pony tail didn't even bother me. Thank goodness. And I discovered, during the race, how great Icy Hot is for cramping calf muscles. Many thanks to those volunteers who helped apply it.

26.2

So, yep I'm running the St. George marathon tomorrow. A week ago, I wasn't so sure. I got the nastiest flu (?) bug.... and was pretty much in bed for a few days (A special shout out to Mr. Mom- the girls survived and the house didn't even burn down) and then it left me pretty weak for days after. It lasted 11 days total. I will never look at the 24 hour flu bug the same. 24 hours? That's nothing...now.

I ran for the first time last Saturday since my 20 miler (which was 3 weeks ago). I ran 5 miles. It was a little disappointing. My pace was very slow and I even came home and complained to Shayne that my pony tail felt too heavy. Yes, that's right.... my pony tail. I don't think that is a good sign. Of course maybe the recent weight loss will help me run even faster...lighter is better. Right?

Good luck to me. And good luck to Shayne.

BEST MOM EVER...easy as 1, 2, 3

I have discovered that being the best mom really doesn't require that much work. And anything that is easy and practically sweat free is what I am all about. I know you must be thinking, but everything about being a mom is hard and hard work. Yes. I couldn't agree more. But what I am talking about is that it's easy to make your kids think you are the BEST MOM EVER! Here are a couple of examples:

1. Today Parly called me from school. She does this pretty regularly...and it is never an emergency. I don't know what she does to have those grumpy school secretaries putty in her hands. Anyway, today it was because they are having PB&J sandwiches for school lunch...and she hates peanut butter.... I know you can feel bad for me. A child that doesn't like peanut butter.... She was wondering if I could bring her a cold lunch. I told her I was sorry, and that sometimes they change the menu and she will just have to eat whatever else they have with the sandwiches. She might even try trading with someone. I thought that was a good idea. Parly said okay...kind of sad. I told her I loved her and I would see her at home later. I started thinking about it, "why can't I take her a lunch?" So I made her one and took it to school. When I walked in her class and motioned her over. She had the biggest grin on her face. I handed her the lunch bag. "Thanks mom!" Best mom ever.

2. Clayre came home from school a couple of days ago and told me this: "Mom, you know Jakies mom? I was walking home and when he came home from school I heard her yell, 'Jakie, you're home!' I want you to do that for me. Can you do that on my birthday when I come home from school?" So cute, right? I told her of course I would. So then Monday rolls around and Clayre comes home and I yell, "Clayre-be you're home! I'm so glad!" She came over beaming and said, "You remembered." see.. Best mom ever.

3. I asked Kate, "Why do you think I'm the best mom?" She said, "Cause" I asked again, "But why?" And she said "Because you said." So if everything else fails you can just brain-wash them into thinking it. Easy. Best mom ever.

Library : Home away from home.

So the library has become like a new best friend for me. They call me all the time now to let me know that a book I have on "hold" is now ready for pickup. Fun. It's like getting a package. I don't know which book it will be until I get there. Yes.... it is a little sad, I'm a "hold" hog. I always have 5 books on hold at a time because that is the limit. But the really sad part of this "hold-it" story is when I get a couple of books come in at the same time and I have to decide between them. It's like choosing between children. Seriously? No. But I can't read two books at once. I'm gifted, but not that gifted.

Soooo, I frequent there often. Kate and Clayre like to pick out a movie or two each time I go. No reading for them...just me...movies keep them busy while I am reading. Well they picked a VHS movie the other day, I think it was "Fly Away Home." Good movie. Clayre came home and put it into the VCR (yes, we still have one of those VCR's) and a minute later came downstairs hysterical saying that she broke the movie. I scolded her for interrupting my reading...but then told her she probably didn't break it and I would go check it out. It wasn't broken, yet. I actually broke the video trying to pry it out of the machine. I ended up having to take the VCR apart to get it out. No worries...I put it back together in working order, before Shayne could lecture me about how we are not made of money and buying a new VCR for $5 from DI wasn't in the budget this month.

But the video was still broken and could not be repaired. I didn't want to pay for a new video probably over $30 because Library's like to charge a lot for out-of-date VHS's. I thought of a better plan. AMAZON. I got online and found a "Fly Away Home" VHS for .... now brace yourself, .01, yes... 1 cent. I ended up paying just under $3 because of shipping. Nice work, Dais! And the best part is that it got here before the week was up, no need to renew. I just took the library stickers off of the old broken video and retaped them on the new one. Genius! A little devious. Yes. But dishonest? No, I'd like to call it Resourceful!