Everyday Katie

Year End Letter

2012-01-05T09:33:00.002-05:00

I almost hate to say goodbye to 2011. 2011 was good to me (despite the fact that I turned 30). I ended the year much, much happier (and twenty pounds lighter) than I began it.

Some of the highlights for me:

The previously mentioned weight loss.
Plus the even greater weight of depression lifted. It feels good to be happy.
Spencer started teaching (as a grad student) at OSU.
We got rid of the last of our baby stuff.
The kids started at a new school this year. It's an improvement from the last school on so many levels.
All three boys are in school.
I made new friends.
I surprised myself with how much I loved girls camp as an adult (I hated it as a youth).
I re-claimed my love for motherhood.
Spence and I both had a brother get married. We happily welcomed two great sister-in-laws and enjoyed the time visiting family.
I fell in love with Chicago while Spencer was there speaking at a conference. I hope we can find an excuse to live there one day.
And all of the little things along the way made for a great 2011...so I'll include way too many pictures that I failed to post while I was too busy living the good life to update my blog.

Holiday baking with new friends

Girls Camp

The Santa Maria

Summer Fun

80's Kareoke Night

Running around downtown

Soccer Season

The Zoo

Playing in the Mud

Lightsaber Duals Before Church

Taking Flat Stanley on a tour of OSU for our cousin

Columbus Museum of Art

Exploring Chicago

Christmas

Birthdays (I think I posted pictures of Reid and Parker's)

Apple and Pumpkin Picking

Winter Concert at School

An unplanned twin day

Playing in the Fountain

New Years Eve

We ended the year the same way we rang it in...in the company of good friends. Here's to 2012 bringing even more happiness and adventures!

Last Night

2011-11-17T12:06:00.000-05:00

I asked my kids what they want to be when they grow up.

Parker: An architect.

Reid: A spy chef. (Whatever that is.)

Grayden: A mummy. I'm gonna need a lot of toilet paper. Or, a zombie. A real, live zombie. I'm gonna be so awesome when I grow up.

You better watch out.

2011-11-10T19:50:00.000-05:00

As of today, my kids are officially, prematurely excited about Christmas.

Carols were sung.

Elves were being hunted.

Speculations were being made about the jolly fat man himself.

And only two days after I posted Halloween pictures.

Breaking the Silence

2011-11-08T11:40:00.002-05:00

...to bring you this years Halloween costumes.
(I have more interesting thing to write about, but this one is for you Carrie.)

I have to say, Halloween is one of those times I am so grateful for a houseful of boys. It would make me sad to limit my costume making to variations of tutu's and fairy wings year after year. Boys have the coolest costumes. They're my favorite thing to make. I get to be creative and use unique fabrics and materials. Plus, because they're just for Halloween, I don't worry myself about linings or perfect seams. It's just pure fun.

Here they are (a little late):

Wolverine

Cyclops

Night Crawler

Can you even tell which one is my kid and which is from the X-Men movie? Not hardly.

Overheard...

2011-10-07T14:59:00.002-04:00

Parker (to Reid): You don't know what a spa is?! It's the place people go and put pickles on their eyes.

Great Gatsby!

2011-10-04T14:49:00.001-04:00

"Can't repeat the past?... Why of course you can!"
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Did I mention I threw myself a 30th birthday bash?

It started with an invitation inviting all to celebrate the last weekend in my 'Roaring 20's.'

I have to say I was a little disappointed in the turn out. I blame myself. I should have known that most of my friends wouldn't buy in to a costume party. But it's not like I would have kicked them out for showing up sans costume.

Plus, it was Labor Day weekend.

All the more reason to thank my friends who did come to humor me...with or without costume. Thanks friends. It was a great night!

The Hosts

(I should really include these two as hosts, too. It was at their house. They braved the sweltering heat to help set up. And Autumn was full of great ideas. Thanks you two.)

The Friends

The Family

The Food

The Girls

The Men

(I love the progression of these pictures)

The Details

The Dancing

The Kids

The Croquet

The Movie

(Singing in the Rain with popcorn and sparklers)

I've been wanting an excuse to throw a 20's party for years.

This was the perfect night for it (aside from the crazy humidity that day.)

Thanks again to my friends who made the night for me.

I have a problem with fall...

2011-09-16T15:47:00.001-04:00

Problem being...I love it too much.

Fall isn't even officially here yet, but once labor day hits it's all fall clothes for me. There's no turning back. I've already worn tights, loafers, cardigans, scarves, tweed skirts, plaid shirts and today, I even busted out my swede boots from their summer hibernation. Luckily, temperatures in Ohio have been conducive to this type of clothing. And I'm loving every second of it.

Potato soup is stewing.

Welcome fall. Stay as long as you like.

Making Eyes

2011-09-13T17:13:00.000-04:00

Do you ever sneeze right after applying mascara and the still-fresh mascara from your lashes ends up all over your eyelids?

Oh you don't?

Yeah. Me neither.

On Aging...

2011-09-12T12:26:00.002-04:00

At library story time few weeks ago, someone said to me, "Are those your boys? You don't look old enough to have kids that age."

At first I took it as a compliment. But then I thought...does that ever get said to young people? I'm now old enough to warrant that kind of comment.

Later that same week I walked into a clothing store. A girl I would have considered in my same age category (actually, I would have guessed she was even a little older) called me "ma'am." "Ma'am!" Do I look like a "ma'am?" I hope not.

My self esteem was redeemed when I walked into Madewell...my new favorite place to window shop. A well dressed man complimented me on my style. It's always a better compliment when it comes from someone well dressed.

I did in fact, turn THIRTY last week. Yikes. I'm not sure how much I'm enjoying being 30, but the day itself was great. My friends and family treated me well. And to top it off I dropped Gray off at school and had a full three hours to spend my birthday money...all alone...in the middle of the day. It was heaven.

Thanks all for making turning thirty a little easier.

...party pictures coming soon...

School Days

2011-09-06T17:44:00.000-04:00

It's back to school time here...just like every where else in the blogosphere. I had been unhappy with the boys assigned school and transferred them to a new school this year.

Parker is already excelling in the second grade...Mr. Smarty Pants is being pulled out once a week for special reading work with 4th and 5th graders. I'm happy he is finally being challenged in this area. Being the new kid was hard on him. He's pushed himself and reached far beyond his comfort zone the past two weeks. He's loving school more than ever and I'm really proud of him.

Reid entered the wonderful world of all day Kindergarten. He comes home so animated and chats my ear off clear until bed time. He loves everything kindergarten has to offer. And to top it off, the principal wears a prosthetic leg, which Reid thinks is the bomb. He's thriving at school...just as I suspected he would.

And as luck would have it, this new school has a special needs preschool. Gray got chosen to be a peer model for the afternoon preschool class (which means FREE preschool). I've heard it's nearly impossible to get your kids into this and the waiting list is crazy long. We really lucked out. We're a week into school and his excitement level is still super high. He loves everything about it and made friends quickly.

The boys love being in the same building. Their classes are all in the same hallway and they pass each other throughout the day...which they love. I have become a mother of all school-aged kids...which I love. The kids all have INCREDIBLE teachers. The parents here are really involved and really friendly. We're falling back into our school day schedule.

I'm happy. The kids are happy. Things are looking up.

While sitting down to dinner...

2011-09-03T09:35:00.001-04:00

Reid (throwing his hands in the air): This is my lucky day!!!

Me: You really like everything we're having for dinner?

Reid: No. But there's nothing here that makes me barf.

And that is how to successfully cook a meal for a picky five year old.

This Is The Place

2011-08-16T16:50:00.004-04:00

Thank goodness for in-laws...they take pictures when you accidentally forget to pack your camera on a trip to Utah.

You know it's a good trip when all you do is over-eat and under-sleep. Spencer's youngest brother got married down in St. George. It's been a full three years since we've seen his family. We were way past due for a visit.

I lucked out. I married into a really great family. The more I spend time with them (which is not often enough) the more I love and appreciate them. This visit was the best yet. I loved every minute of it. We had a fantastic trip. I don't usually mind living so far away from family, but I came home this time wishing we lived close enough to get together more often.

I really have nothing bad to say about this trip. The wedding reception was a lot of fun. Down time at the house and by the pool was perfect. The trip included late nights, good talks, crazy games, the best ice cream, cousins galore, too many trampolines, not enough sleep, daily outings, delicious doughnuts and lots and lots of laughter.

There's no way we can can make it another three years. The kids are still asking to move to Utah and are making plans to buys houses out there when they're grown.

I'm happy to be a Smith. It's a great family to be a part of.

Birthday Magic

2011-07-25T13:02:00.000-04:00

Parker turned seven earlier this month. As per usual, we packed our day with birthday fun.

After opening presents and fulfilling a birthday breakfast request, we spent the rest of the morning putting together Lego sets and practicing magic tricks (Grandma Benson sent him a magic set for his birthday and I hate to brag, but I'm pretty sure I'm the best magician in the house).

(Chief apparently wanted to be next...he must have known we missed his birthday.)

Then I whipped up some cow costumes (thanks to Autumn and her generous donation of a lifetime supply of felt) and we headed to Chik-fil-a for cow appreciation day. (I'm ticked I didn't take any pictures.) Then off to Target for more Star Wars Legos courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Smith.

We hustled home to change for a trip to Zoombezi Bay. (No pictures again...who wants to worry about a camera at a water park?) I've always been hesitant to take the kids to a water park so young, but it was a blast. Parker was tall enough for every water slide. And Reid could ride a few. But they were mostly content to shuffle between the wave pool, the lazy river and the kid section.

We came home for some late night cake and sparklers left over from the 4th.

(50 points to anyone who can tell me which location from Star Wars Parker requested for a birthday cake.)

Parker is everything you would hope for a seven year old to be. He's a very bright kid and can apply his smarts to all parts of his life. He's observant, inventive, and precise. He's helpful at home...even when I don't ask it of him. And I can always count on him for a job well done. He's a responsible kid with all the traits of an oldest child. I love watching him grow up.

Do you remember?

2011-07-13T14:47:00.004-04:00

Y'r'member when I used to be a regular in the blogosphere? That was awesome. (To be read like Chris Farley in this interview)

I've been trying to figure out why I used to blog so often and now I can't seem to make time for it, even though I still love it. I came up with a few things.

One, I'm busy. Who isn't? And to top it off my kids are past napping age now. Bummer. Big time.

Two, my kids are growing up (hence the no naps). Park turned seven last week and Gray is almost four. That's right my friends, my baby is almost four. Reid is sandwiched right in between at five and a half. I realize that's not so old, but old enough that we go about our daily business without any blog-worthy catastrophes. We can hop in the car and all three kids can buckle their own seats belts. My purse is just a purse...no wipes, no sippie cups, no fruit snacks. There have been a couple times this summer I've braved taking all three kids grocery shopping... an outing I would expect to generate a great story. Nothing. We went, we shopped, we left. That doesn't make for a good blog post at all. I used to turn to my kids for inspiration for writing. Now I'm lacking that inspiration.

Three, I'm a happier person these days...which is a direct result of number two (not that number two, the other number two). I can't tell you how happy I am not to have really little kids anymore. I went through quite a dark phase. It lasted about three years...and by dark I mean I really struggled to get out of bed. I didn't want to face my days. I spent too much of the past three years in tears. I think I'm coming out of it. I haven't had that kind of a breakdown in months and it feels good. I'm glad my kids are growing up. I think when I was depressed I needed blogging...it helped me focus on the good and the funny in my rough days. Seriously, I think blogging really helped me make it through. I don't need it like I used to. I love it, but don't need it...making it fall lower on my priority list. (Also, I hate to admit this, but more time with my family and less time on the computer contributes to my happiness.)

Four, my camera is failing on me. I'll try to catch up on summer fun at some point, but pictures will be limited.

One of these days I'm going to think up something great to write about (and find the time to write about it) and it's going to knock your socks off.

A day in the life...

2011-06-10T14:59:00.001-04:00

I've been dying to share pictures from our family photo shoot last month. It's taking some serious restraint not to post all 300 pictures, but we only had ten of them edited. I love them! Thanks to Laura from 2Q Studios.

We haven't had family pictures in years. I'm glad we finally have this time in our lives captured on film.

I'm pretty sure our family tree produces nuts.

2011-05-31T15:19:00.002-04:00

Cousins are one of the greatest relationships ever. I used to think it was because you get to be friends with people you wouldn't normally associate with. But after spending time with a lot of my cousins while in Arizona, I've changed my mind. I think I'd choose them all to be my friends.

Cousins are your earliest friends. They knew you during your awkward phases, poor fashion choices, temper tantrums and perms. Yet at the end of the day, you're still related. I like my cousins even better now that we're mostly grown-ups. As kids you were kind of expected to play with the cousins your age and sometimes you got along and other times you didn't. But now? age gaps are not important.

A HUGE majority of my cousins on both sides live in Arizona. And thanks to Jeff for getting married, I had them all in one place for a day. I loved having a chance to visit with them (and aunts and uncles and grandmas).

A handful of my cousins and Aunts (and uncles who ditched the party and chatted in the other room) showed up at my moms house one night after my kids were in bed. Aside from the wedding, it was the highlight of my trip. We played a rowdy game of "In the Manor of the Adverb"; a charade-type game. Spencer had us rolling with his Tyra Banks impression and the 3rd date doorstep scene he acted out with my great aunt Vicki. To be honest, everyone had us rolling. It was a fun night. (Does anyone have pictures? Can you send them my way, please?)

With cousin visits so few and far between, I kinda forgot how fantastic my extended family is. They really are the greatest.

Holy Matrimony!

2011-05-27T16:21:00.001-04:00

I have a lot of things I want to remember about my trip to Arizona last week, but there's no way I'm writing them all down in one long blog post. And since I don't know how much I'll really get to, I might as well start with the reason for the trip in the first place.

My brother Jeffery got married. I knew I would like Olivia and this trip just confirmed it. (Though we had very little time to hang out...it was like she was preoccupied or something.)

We did get to spend a bit of time standing around my mom's kitchen on the night before the wedding preparing things for the next morning's wedding brunch. Lisa, Mike's fiancee, came down for the weekend, too. Even though I live too far away to hang out with these girls on a regular basis, I have decided having sister-in-laws is pretty much the best thing ever. I've never been part of a family where the girls outnumber the boys (and I suppose if you factor in my boys, the girls are still outnumbered, but they were in bed so they didn't count). I love that our family is expanding and I couldn't be happier to count Lisa and Olivia as sisters.

Olivia was a stunning bride. Her dress was to die for. And to be honest, I thought it would be all about her. But when the two of them stepped out of the temple after their sealing, I have to say that Jeff held his own next to his beautiful wife. They were a picture perfect bride and groom. Flawless, really.

These were taken a few weeks before their wedding so as fantastic as these pictures are, it doesn't quite capture the moment when Jeff and Olivia stepped out of the temple as husband and wife. Those two just radiated eternal happiness at that moment. But you can still get a clear picture of how stylish, hip and fun they are.

These two are a perfect match and I'm so happy for them both.

Making Up is Hard to Do

2011-05-06T21:45:00.005-04:00

Raise your hand if you think parenting is hard... Unanimous! Just as I suspected. (If you didn't raise your hand, you're obviously doing something wrong.) I've had a rough go at it the past month... evidenced by my lack of appearances anywhere in the blogosphere lately. I'd like to think that will change soon, but reality tells me it won't. Curse reality! May is jam-packed. Then summer begins. I'm hoping summer brings me a little more face-to-face time with my iMac. We'll play that one by ear.

We did in fact celebrate Easter with the rest of the world. The boys got some new shirts for church. Is anyone else as grateful as I am that H&M sells cute kids clothes on the cheap? Though I haven't had any luck finding church pants...which is why I made them last year. I failed to take any Easter pictures. After a lovely day at church, we celebrated with good friends and good food.

We also celebrated Cinco de Mayo in the usual fashion...with good friends and better food. I can say that. I hosted both parties and cooked both meals. I could seriously eat Mexican food every day of my life and never tire of it. I've decided Cinco de Mayo is my favorite holiday. You think that's a joke? Low stress, the BEST food, Mariachi music, fake mustaches. Honestly. How can you top that?

Well maybe Mother's Day tops it. But Cinco de Mayo is a very close second. Spencer and the boys (but mostly Spencer) pull off the best of Mother's Days. I'm looking forward to it. I could use a day off. Plus Spencer already gave me my gift. And it's a good one. I'm talking Banana Republic good. I guess that settles it. Mother's Day is the best holiday. No one gave me a new skirt for Cinco de Mayo.

Spencer and I celebrate 9 years of wedded bliss this coming Tuesday. Want to know how we're spending it? At the hospital for Grayden to have surgery. Romantic, huh? He has to have his adenoids removed and tubes put in his ears. Poor kid has been walking around with significant hearing loss in both ears for who knows how long...at least a year.

Has spring been unseasonably cold everywhere? Or is it just Ohio? There were a couple of days this week that the temperature never rose above the 40's. I seriously haven't even unpacked my summer clothes yet. I'm going to be in for a rude awakening in Arizona in a few weeks. To be honest, I don't mind this weather. I much prefer cold weather clothes. If it weren't for all the rain I'd be fine. The rain has got in they way of spring yard work and our yard is desperately seeking help.

I had a battle with poison ivy a couple weeks ago. The poison ivy won. I've got it before (it grows rampant out here) but never this bad. Two weeks later and I'm still itching like crazy.

We're getting our family pictures taken next week. It's only been four and a half years since our last picture, but we decided to go for it anyway. Any suggestions for locations? Or clothes? Local friends...I need your input...what do I wear that makes me look 20 pounds lighter? RUDE! But you're right, that's impossible. Long distance friends...you'll only see the pictures if I come out looking 20 pounds lighter. Or if my hair looks really good that day.

Does this count for a month worth of missed blog posts? Cause this might be it for a while. (Thanks to Spencer being on a camp out.) And when he gets home tomorrow evening, I'm going out alone. Bra shopping. Your welcome.

Empty Threats

2011-04-22T08:17:00.002-04:00

Me: Grayden! Go to back to bed or you're in trouble!

Grayden: I pick trouble.

Unanswered Prayers

2011-04-20T07:57:00.003-04:00

Last night Reid said the blessing on the food.

"...and please bless that we won't have to eat green beans..."

Poor kid had to eat his green beans anyway.

OO-EE-OO I look Just Like Buddy Holly

2011-04-04T12:46:00.002-04:00

And ironically, we have the same birthday as well.

I got new glasses. It's been a few years. Glasses are a fab fashion accessory, but they're kind of annoying to wear. I picked myself out a hip pair of nerd glasses in hopes that it would get me to wear them more often. We'll see how it goes.

Dear March,

2011-03-30T07:53:00.003-04:00

What's your deal?

Didn't you read the memo?

IN like a lion...
...not OUT like a lion.

Sheesh! There's snow in today's forecast. I had no intentions of waking my coat from it's summer hybernation. Yet the weather has been requiring it all week.

Come on March, it's spring. Get with the program.

The difference between Parker and Reid

2011-03-29T15:16:00.001-04:00

I make the boys put their own clothes away.

Parker and Reid share a dresser.

And again:

Parker came out of the womb with these intense organizational skills. I remember a time when he was still crawling (so younger than 9 months). He pulled out all my mixing bowls and lined them up by size in an orderly row.

I don't know where he gets it. Because if I'm being honest, my drawers more closely resemble Reid's.

I need to put Parker to work on the rest of my house.

For those of you wondering, Gray is somewhere in between.

Who knew...

2011-03-22T14:26:00.002-04:00

...cardboard could look so good.

I followed THIS tutorial.

Stutzneggar

2011-03-18T21:30:00.002-04:00

But we just called her Stutz. Her first name is Carrie, but with 2 Carrie's in the group we preferred to call her Stutz. She preferred to be called the Queen of Everything.

(Funny side story...I thought her last name was Stutz for like 6 months. When someone told me it was actually Stutzneggar I didn't believe it.)

I think the thing I admire most about Stutz is her work ethic. She was the first one of my roommates to get out and get a job; a "custodial engineer" at a nearby middle school. That job had great perks...like free toilet paper. She's always been hard working. But besides that, Stutz is adorable, devoted, spunky and tough.

It took me a little longer to get close to Stutz. You see...she had a boyfriend back home. She did whatever she could to catch a ride home with someone every single weekend for a little extra time with the BF (despite our best persuasion efforts to the contrary). I guess it paid off. After he served a two year mission he came home and married her.

Now she's just as hardworking, adorable, devoted, spunky and tough to the benefit of her cute family. She supports that same man as they've moved around the country while he goes to law school. She has an adorable little girl (named Bentley...is that cute or what?) and another coming soon.

I'm a little sad at my limited number of pictures of Stutz. But if you recall...she was never around on the weekends and she worked during the week. I love her just as much, there's just less photographic evidence. Looking back, I'm pretty impressed. It must have been hard to go off to work day in and day out while we all begged her to come have fun with us. That girl has always had a good head on her shoulders.

Our lovely rendition of "My Little Buttercup" from the Three Amigos

A trip to Temple Square

We all had various places to go that night, but felt it necessary to take a group picture.

I think I might have realized at this point how few pictures I had of Stutz and I made her take a picture with me then and there. I'm not sure how happy she was about that.

What college apartment was complete without an inflatable couch? Just thinking about that one makes me laugh.

Sophomore year (while her BF was on a mission and we saw a little more of her) Stutz's mom gave her a HUGE turkey. She brought it back and slaved away all day to serve the whole apartment complex.

Riding the LTD.

None of us had a car freshmen year and we rode the bus to get anywhere. The boy is only vaguely familiar...somebody's high school friend maybe? It seems like his name was Brett? Did we run into him on the bus? Why is he in my picture?

Picnic on the Quad

No better way to celebrate the end of finals week than a slumber party! (Preceded by the best apartment dance party ever!)

I had to swipe a current picture off her blog to show you just how adorable Stutz and her family are. My pictures don't do her justice. Cute right?

Stutz has a busy couple months ahead of her...with a new baby due soon, a husband taking the BAR, a move a few states away, and a little visit with her family in the mix. I have no doubt she'll handle it with ease.

Miss you!

You guys know Jeff, right?

2011-03-17T10:02:00.001-04:00

Last night I was giving my kids the healthy eating spiel. You know...healthy food is good for your muscles and good for your bones... (blah, blah, blah) ...eating healthy helps you grow.

Parker: So if we only eat healthy food, we'll be as tall as uncle Jeff?

Me: Not necessarily. That has to do with your genes.

Parker: That's why uncle Jeff is so tall? He wears skinny jeans so he can just squeeze his body up taller and taller?

I went on to explain the difference between genes and jeans with my 7th grade knowledge of genetics.

And I used to think learning about genes would never help me in the real world.

To see Jeff in all his skinny jeans glory and to get a sneak peek at his strikingly beautiful fiancee, Olivia, you can check out their engagements HERE.

Hell Week

2011-03-15T15:03:00.001-04:00

I'm talking about finals week.

As hard as finals week was when I was going through it myself, I think it's even harder when Spencer goes through it. And by harder, I mean harder on me. I'm selfish like that.

I'm not sure if I really need to refer to it as finals week. He doesn't have any professors giving actual tests. It's all about the papers. And papers when you're getting your PhD in philosophy are not a walk in the park. Spencer has been on campus until 10 or 11 every night only to come home and work on the computer until 2 or 3 in the morning.

I'm exhausted (because I'm selfish like that). And I kinda miss Spence.

It's all over tomorrow (though he still won't be home for bedtime). If I'm this worn out from the past week and a half, I can't imagine how tired Spence must be. He has a break on Thursday. Then the poor guy has a scout camp out to be at on Friday night.

Next week we have one blissful class-less week before spring quarter begins.

High Above Me

2011-03-07T16:38:00.000-05:00

This is the entry way between my kitchen and family room.

Zooming in...

And we have chocolate milk. On the ceiling.

I can think of numerous possibilities for how chocolate milk ended up in that unreachable spot; each possibility involving any combination of three crazy boys. I'd love to give you a humorous account of what they were doing to get the milk to it's final resting place.

The thing is, all three boys have alibis for when this incident took place.

That, my friends, is the work of Chief. My dog. Please explain that one to me because I can not quite figure out how a dog managed to get chocolate milk so high.

I have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeves...

2011-03-01T13:43:00.003-05:00

Pet Peeve:


Image from GAP.

Dark shirts with white sleeves.

We have at least two navy blue shirts with white sleeves at our house. (And several white baseball T's with navy sleeves.)

How in the world am I supposed to keep these sleeves white? Can't wash it with the whites. And washing it with the darks turns white sleeves less-than white.

Advice?

(RubyAnn...are you reading this? You're the queen of clean laundry. I need help.)

Surprises let me know she cares!

2011-02-25T14:52:00.002-05:00

And Heidi was FULL of surprises!

Heidi was another of my college roommates and the most loyal friend I've ever had. Can I still call her loyal if we haven't talked in a couple of years? It's just that she's off on a foreign adventure and time zones make it nearly impossible.

I was immediately drawn to Heidi for her hilarious sense of humor, her good nature and her infectious laugh...as is everybody. It's impossible not to love that about Heidi. But after living with Heidi and developing a deeper relationship, there are so many things I love even more about her.

Heidi brings out the best in people. She is compassionate, self-less, in-tune, and a great listener. Despite her petite size, Heidi is a spiritual giant. She is a huge nature lover and the most adventurous of all my roommates. She spent her summers in far off and exciting places; places like Norway, China, Alaska, and Coeur d'Alene. She has spent the past few years working on her master's degree in England and liked it enough stay after graduating.

I think it's impossible to find fault in Heidi. I love her so much. So much that I thought if I ever had a girl, I'd like to name her Heidi. (Or at least the middle name because I think Spencer thought it was a little funny to name a kid after my roommate.)

The majority of the pictures I have of Heidi are depicting her funny side. For example:

I am happily posing, oblivious to Heidi and Brooke in the background.

I can't tell you what the outfit was about, but I'm pretty sure that was the infamous pan, clearly labeled with Heidi's last name.

Just for a laugh.

Thanksgiving, freshman year. Leah, Heidi and Tiffany dressed as Indians. (Excuse my political incorrectness.)

I can't have a Heidi montage without a dog picture. She loved dogs more than anyone I know.

On a spring break in So. Cal. Heidi insisted on being buried in the sand. And Brooke is about to get fresh with mermaid Heidi.

I was surprised how many pictures I have of Heidi, Tammy and I in our Sunday clothes and aprons holding up a dessert we just baked. Apparently it was a favorite Sunday past time.

Trying to explain what is going on in this picture wouldn't do it justice. But I hold this moment as one of my all time favorite college memories. Leah is on the left and Heidi on the right. Those girls were a riot together.

Heidi broke the freezer. And apparently the cupboard in the background. Don't worry, it was Heidi's cupboard. She's the only girl I know to label her stuff with animal pictures.

I think Heidi got these in the mail one day.

Picking wildflowers. This is one of my favorite pictures.

Leah and Heidi. In braids.

When Heidi left for her semester teaching English in China I was so sad. We decided that a pirate party would ease some of the pain. We even played pin the eye patch on the giant blow-up Heidi that we kept posted on the inside of our pantry door.

Happy 30th Heidi!

( a few weeks late)

Miss you.

Meet George Jetson

2011-02-24T13:55:00.001-05:00

I have to say I'm a little disappointed in the 21st century. Here we are 11 years in and we have yet to be cruising the airways in our flying cars.

The kids found The Jetsons on DVD at the library last week. It was fun to watch a little blast from the past (about the future).

My biggest disappointment in the 21st century however, is not the lack of hovering automobiles, but that homes don't come equipped with robot maids. I could make good use of Rosie.

unpredictable

2011-02-18T15:05:00.005-05:00

Sometimes life is unpredictable.

Like when
Gray decided to jump pants-less on the trampoline. (Gray is full of laugh out loud unpredictability.)

Or when
Reid announced that there was a poop-smear on the back of the toilet that looked like a Valentine heart. (Thanks to whoever left that special one-of-a-kind Valentine's Day surprise.)

Or when
Parker was disappointed when he saw me curling my hair. Turns out he prefers it spiked. (I kind of always worry that my kids might think I have boy hair.)

Or when
I came home and found Spencer like this:

I laughed myself to tears.

(Don't worry, his beard grew back and I once again find him very sexy.)

Or when

After 20 months of serving as the ward Primary president, I got called to be the first counselor in the Relief Society presidency. (Now if all goes well, I'll actually get released from primary too.)

My Funny Valentine

2011-02-15T17:00:00.002-05:00

My lover had a late night class on V-Day. By late night I mean he didn't get home until almost 11pm. Don't worry about us though...we made time for a little Valentine's romance over the weekend.

I spent the evening with the other boys in my life.

What happens in Ohio when it warms up to 35 degrees? We play outside without coats. We're having a heat wave this week. This is the first time in about 6 weeks that we haven't had snow on the trampoline and the boys have been itching to jump again. (As much as I enjoy the warmer weather...this is the ugliest time of year in Ohio. UGLY.)

Then after some heart shaped pizza, I sent the kids to bed, slipped into something more comfortable and spent the rest of the evening figuring out how to do this:

Why yes, that is news paper print on my fingernails. I saw it somewhere and HAD to try it. It's the perfect manicure for a nerd like myself.

We Both Kinda Liked It...

2011-02-11T13:48:00.000-05:00

Breakfast at Tiffany's that is.

As I was belting this tune down the freeway the other day in my efforts to drown out whining in the backseat, I had to laugh at the lyrics.

A couple is falling apart because they have nothing in common. In an effort to keep from breaking up, the guy points out that they both kinda liked Breakfast at Tiffany's. Now there's a strong foundation for a relationship.

Even still, it's one of my favorite songs, ever.

I'm a child of the 90's. What can I say?

My boys recently found some tapes that Jeff made me back when I drove a car that only had a tape player. It included this song and many, many other of my favorite 90's tunes. It's about time I get myself a digital version of what Jeff so appropriately named, "Music That's Not Lame."

Also included on the tape (and also good for drowning out whining) I'm Gonna Be (500 miles). I can't write about 90's music without mentioning Cake, Weezer, Bare Naked Ladies. And I went through a ska phase...Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris, Buck 'O Nine, Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Oh shoot. I don't like to post about music. I have way to many 90's favorites. It kills me to leave out so many good songs.

Ahh the 90's. What are your favorite 90's tunes?

F-I-V-E

2011-02-04T12:37:00.004-05:00

If you're wondering what five looks like these days...

But if I'm being honest, it probably looks more like this...

My favorite is when it looks like this...

It makes me laugh every time.

(ps. If you're wondering what the cake is supposed to be... it's a giant Lego. I think it's my worst cake to date.)

How Spencer and I are like old people

2011-01-24T12:12:00.001-05:00

We look forward all week to Masterpiece Theatre on PBS.

And sometimes watch Antique Roadshow.

Snow Day of Epic Proportions

2011-01-21T14:52:00.004-05:00

We took today's snow day and ran with it. Wind chills of negative ten had me convinced we needed to stay indoors.

I knew as soon as I heard school was canceled that I was going to talk the crazies into making movies. But it wasn't until some time after breakfast that I had the brilliant idea to make Lego movies. That cut down on the mess and craziness. Not to mention how easy the set was to construct.

Come to find out, Lego men are much more camera shy than little boys. It was basically me recording the kids playing Lego's. Luckily, Reid was leaning on the card table that we used for our set and the whole thing collapsed. I busted a gut. (Don't worry, he's fine.) If it wasn't for that, the whole thing would have been boring (much like the real Star Wars).

Thanks Reid. You win for best leading actor.

And now, I present to you, my superior cinematography skills in Lego Star Wars as interpreted by the Smith brothers:

Prepare To Be Amazed

2011-01-20T14:53:00.003-05:00

I was in the middle of a particularly bad moment at the library last Thursday. I had three boys struggling with the definition of a library voice (and library behavior). It was a moment of pure chaos.

I heard some one refer to me as "Darlin'." I turned to look at the man. I wasn't looking forward to what was coming next; sure he was going to chastise me for not being able to control my children.

Then he said, "One day they're going to be off in all different directions doing so many great things. You're going to be amazed."

Wow. What a change from, "You sure have your hands full." Or, "All boys, huh?" Or, "Would you please exit the library post haste and kindly not return until you learn to behave appropriately in a public place."

It was a breath of fresh air. And a nice reminder that these exhausting outings will pay off one day.

Livin' in the 80's

2011-01-19T11:48:00.003-05:00

I told Gray to put his shoes and socks on.

He left the house like this today.

The Circle of Life

2011-01-10T12:44:00.002-05:00

I finally get why parents embarrass their teenagers.

PAYBACK!

Spencer and I had a meeting to go to last night and the boys were banshees. Their behavior was most definitely embarrassing.

I plan to embarrass the heck out of them for that one.

They earned it.

Yay! Yay! Yay! for You!

2011-01-07T13:43:00.010-05:00

Carrie is one of my very, very favorite people. Ever. No matter how long it's been since we've chatted, she remains at the top of my list.

Carrie has always been full of life and love (and hot chocolate). She was the perfect room mate for me. We had fun beyond measure and a closeness to match. She was always up for a dance party or a good cry. And I value her advice just as much now as I did then.

She is now the mother of four with a husband working on his residency and she makes it seem effortless. If that weren't enough, she's the most talented writer I've ever known. When she publishes her novel, I'll let you all know. I'm sure it will be worth reading.

My stack of favorite Carrie memories captured on film was so huge. I hate that I'm leaving out so many good ones.

Spontaneous Tea Party
...to get a laugh out of some one that was coming over...or something like that.

Freshman year...Up the canyon

Carrie came to visit me in So. Cal one New Years while I was home for winter break.

Ward Talent Show
For some reason Carrie and I thought it would be funny to sing "Take Back Your Mink" from Guys and Dolls. Looking back, it may have been a little inappropriate.

This is how we started the song:And this is how it ended: Our clothes scattered on the floor. I'm willing to bet it's the only church talent show in the history of church talent shows where a strip tease was one of the acts.

We spent a few days at Heidi's cabin one summer. Thinking about that trip makes me laugh. It was right before our junior year. It was the first time Carrie, Heidi and I would all three live in the same apartment. That year makes me laugh even harder.

A Sunday afternoon in the canyon.

Carrie's Fondue Birthday Party

Decorating for Christmas

Luau...I believe it was some one's birthday.

Granny Panties (bet you never expected my blog to go there)

Halloween 2001

I think this was around our last few days as roommates. Can't you just feel the love?

Some days I still miss living with Carrie. Hey Carrie...want to move in?

Poser

2011-01-05T13:16:00.008-05:00

Let's pretend for about 10 seconds that I'm a fashion blogger.

(Right...as much as I love fashion, I feel totally vulnerable in front of the camera. Plus I'm like an amazon woman in comparison to my favorite fashion bloggers. I applaud you Kendi, Tania, and Sydney. It's a rough gig.)

My mom and I made new cowl neck scarves while she was visiting. All the cool kids are wearing them. See here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. (And yes, I'd jump off a bridge if they did it.)

Here's my version made from an old sweater. Ok, so it's not as great as a hand knit one. But I don't knit and this one was easy as pie. Actually, I don't make pie, either. But it was as easy as eating pie.

So much for my resolution to dress up a little more. But I did put a button down under my sweater. Baby steps.

Bring It On

2011-01-04T20:06:00.000-05:00

Following the natural order of things... New Years came a week after Christmas.

We rang in the 2011 with some friends.

This year I'm putting my best foot forward. And by best foot, I mean a foot clad in heels. I'm going to stop feeling sorry for myself for having no reason to get dressed up and just dress up a little more. So if you see me (all dressed up and no where to go) I don't want to hear, "What are you so dressed up for?" I'm dressed up for life. Bring it on.

Of all the areas in my life that need improvement, this is at the very bottom of my list. But 2011 is going to be awesome. I might as well look the part.

Bringing me to my new mantra for 2011. (Thank you Barney Stinson.)

Welcome 2011!

And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again...

2011-01-03T14:31:00.011-05:00

So Christmas did in fact happen at our house and brought with it:

Christmas morning excitement,

Star Wars everything (games, legos, light sabers, shirts, action figures, pajamas, underwear, you name it),

a trampoline from Grandma and Grandpa Smith,

new pj's,

traditions,

and even a visit from Grandma Benson.

But the crazies favorite part was after-Halloween-clearance costumes they found under the tree.

It's 2011 Yo!

2011-01-01T20:23:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!

Heart Felt

2010-12-21T13:37:00.009-05:00

It's true. I heart felt. (Thanks again Autumn for the lifetime supply.)

It seems to be regaining popularity in the craft world. I don't know if it's because it's made from recylced plastic making it eco-friendly, or because retro style is in, or because it's so easy to work with, or just because it's so freakin' awesome. What ever the reason, I'm diggin' it.

I've hated our stockings for years. I finally did something about it. Feast your eyes upon these babies:
I planned to make them all uniform but the kids were throwing fits. So I quit being a Scrooge and let everyone choose their own (and Gray wanted a monster). I think they look good together anyway. Is it wrong to love them so much? 'Cause I do. I love them so much.

Also from my supply of felt, I give you this:
A snowman kit. I even came up with the idea to turn the top hat into a carry-all drawstring bag. genius, huh?

And in non-felt related news...

We froze our tails off at Wildlights at the Zoo on Friday night. At least half the animals froze their tails off, too...and they actually have tails to freeze off. It was 7 degrees outside. I only took pictures at the indoor exhibits. It was much too cold to stop and take pictures.

As per Christmas Sunday tradition, we got new church clothes. My dress was thrifted. I brought it home white (and dingy) and dyed it red to try and copy this dress which I'm in love with (I even wore leopard print shoes). It wasn't every thing I hoped it would be, but I'm pleased with myself anyway.
I can't tell you what's happening in that picture of me. But I'm telling you honestly, it was the best of the four pictures Spencer took. This is why I don't model professionally...or even amateur-ly.

We built a gingerbread village. Can we still call it gingerbread even though it was made from graham crackers? The kids and I decided we want to move in. Parker even wants to be an architect so he can design houses like that. (Gray has decided upon applesauce maker as a career goal. Parker has promised to eat his applesauce on all his lunch breaks.) Gray took a fist to his house when we told him it was bed time. His house didn't make it to the village.

Spencer and I stayed up long after the kids were in bed trying to out do each other with the best house. There was an obvious winner. See for yourself. That best one? That was mine.

We've had snow for weeks and more is in the forecast. It looks to be a white Christmas on the home front.

Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.

A Lazy Parents Guide to Potty Training

2010-12-12T21:50:00.003-05:00

Step 1. Resist the urge to potty train when your child is showing signs of readiness at an early age.

Step 2. Make excuses for resistance. IE: We're planing a trip and I don't want to potty train until after the trip, We just had another baby so I'll wait until things settle down, or Arbor Day is coming up and I don't want to be tied down to potty training during all the festivities.

Step 3. Wait.

Step 4. Wait some more.

Step 5. Keep waiting. (The longer you can put it off, the easier it will be.)

Step 6. Bribe your child. Bribery is the secret to every lazy parents success. Skittles for number one. Break out the big guns for number two (blow-pops, ring pops, air heads, trips to McDonalds...whatever appeals to your child.)

Step 7. Eat half the bribery candy yourself. You deserve it. You've been working hard on this potty training business.

Step 8. Take diapers away cold turkey. If you've done this correctly, your child is now old enough to just know how to use the bathroom without any training. They can hold it for at least two to three hours.

***This method is guaranteed. After all, no child will still be in diapers at high school graduation.

Yes, this means Gray is FINALLY potty trained. And yes, he is my third child to potty train at a late age. I used to think my kids were just late bloomers. But by the third late bloomer in a row, I started to think it might be me.

Missing in Action

2010-12-09T14:42:00.004-05:00

Action being the key word.

HO-LEE SMOKES! I've been busy. Isn't that how things just seem to go this time of year?

I sing in a community choir. You can make fun of me if you want, but I love it. I've been part of it (on and off) for the past 6 and a half years. The choir has been around for 50-some years. The women range from age 20 up to 70 something. There is one woman who has been in the choir for 50 years, though the majority are young moms. I love the association with all these women. We carpool to all our performances and driving there and back is some of the most fun I have during my week. But Christmas time does keep us really busy with performances. Really, really busy.

Our ward Relief Society put on a Christmas program last night; the theme being Christmas through the years. It was a really nice event. I wrote and acted in the scene from the 1940's and was heavily involved in the costuming for the whole event. In the past week I sewed two Little House on the Prairie costumes and five Dickens Caroler costumes. Actually, when I counted it all up, there were about 20 women in the program and I made 13 of the costumes. Luckily, lots of my costume stash worked well with a few minor adjustments. It's amazing how quickly Princess Leia can turn into Mary.

The rest of the busy-ness is typical hustle and bustle of the season (and of everyday life); events to be at, goodies to bake, shopping to do, a million projects I'm in the middle of all at once. Plus Primary keeps me pretty busy this time of year.

I scratched everything off my list today. For the first time in my life (when I'm not sick or post partum) I got out of the shower and back into my sweats. I'm not really a sweats kinda girl. To me, they'll always be for sleeping or working out. But not today.

I've spent the day catching up on laundry, getting to the bottom of my pile of dirty dishes, and single-handedly clearing out the national disaster left behind from hurricane costume design. Turns out I had a few kids in there. I was wondering where they were when the hurricane hit. I was happy to find them alive.

So much for scratching everything off my list.

'Tis almost the season...

2010-11-22T19:42:00.004-05:00

I made one of these today. It cost me $4 and 5 minutes.

And I am in LOVE.

Back For Good

2010-11-19T14:37:00.003-05:00

After a twenty year hiatus, I recently re-entered the wonderful world of leggings. I was a little hesitant to hop on board this train.

I last wore leggings in the fourth grade...Miss Burns class. I had a great blue leopard print pair. I got teased for those pants. Sheesh! I was just way ahead of my time. I've steered clear of leggings ever since.

Until now.

I can't believe what I've been missing out on. What's not to love about elastic waist pants and a long, loose shirt?

I'm back for good.

Friends With Benefits

2010-11-16T13:26:00.002-05:00

And by friends I mean my lover. And by benefits I mean his new iPad.

(Or I could say by friends I mean my brother. And by benefits I mean his family discount on all things Apple.)

There are very few benefits of being married to a perpetual student. (Sorry babe. I'm very supportive of your career goals. I'm just sayin' it's a tough road.) But a new iPad is one of those benefits.

Spencer got a scholarship this year (yes, he's that awesome). He also works for the university which pays full tuition. But the scholarship had to go directly to something that would benefit his education...meaning not for living expenses (though I say a full stomach and a roof over your head benefit your education). So he used the scholarship to pay for student fees and for books. That left him with just enough money for a new iPad using Jeff's discount. Totally justifiable for many of his assignments.

Sweet!

It's even more fun than it looks.

New Addition

2010-11-12T13:22:00.003-05:00

Up-cycling old furniture is my favorite new hobby. Have I mentioned that? I don't share every piece I work on, but thought this was a big enough transformation that it was worth sharing.

A friend gave me first dibs on this beat up old dresser that she no longer wanted.

With a little silver paint and a lot of elbow grease, I give you this:

Unfortunately it wasn't the exact silver look I was hoping for...and it's not my best work. But it's pretty cool, huh? I need to invest in some knobs and maybe some new knick-knacks...I'm not crazy about the way it's styled right now. Even still, it's a nice addition to my humble abode.

P.S. The birdcage is also an up-cycling project from like two years ago. It still had the $84 price tag on it and I got it for free off some ones curb. Then spray painted it.

Tidbits

2010-11-08T19:52:00.002-05:00

The other day Reid saw garbage left in a parking lot. "Mom. Some one's been glittering!"

I was busy putting groceries away last week when I noticed the front door wide open and two kids were missing. Reid and Gray were out front with all their snow gear on...standing still, arms out stretched. I snapped at them to come in and never go out front without telling me. Gray replied..."We're being snowmen." Which also explains why every toy they own was dumped out so no floor was showing. Toys= snow. I'll give them one for creativity.

The Toys R' Us ultimate Christmas catalog recently came in the paper which really has the boys thinking about Christmas. It couldn't have come at a better time. I've had some real trouble trying to settle these crazies down since Halloween. But the thought of Santa's elves possibly watching their behavior and sending notes back to Santa has whipped them right into shape. I'll see if I can possibly use this to buy myself three months of good behavior. (It usually works for a little while after Christmas, too.)

And since Christmas is part of our daily conversation... I mentioned that Santa was fat. Parker was upset. "You really shouldn't call him fat. It might hurt his feelings."

Jenni, Jenni bo benni...

2010-11-05T14:15:00.009-04:00

...bannana fanna fo fenni

It's been a while since I've mentioned my roommates. In case you've forgotten...these girls ARE my sisters. There were seven of us...roommates and neighbors our freshman and sophomore and even into junior year of college. Five of the seven of us grew up without sisters. I think that's what helped establish this sisterhood. We needed (sill need?) each other. Never have I experienced friendship like this. I miss these girls.

This is the year we all turn 30. Holy Smokes! Have we known each other that long? Jenni was the first a few weeks ago. And though I'm late...it's not going un-noticed.

Jenni is such a romantic. She was the first girl you wanted to tell you got asked on a date and the first one you wanted to talk about it with when you got home. (Unless of course the guy she liked asked you out instead...I still feel bad about that.) She had that rule book about dating and she'd read it to us on lazy afternoons. I loved day dreaming with her about getting married.

She had all the best catalogs and hung the best pictures. Jenni had a big box of great sweaters that she'd outfit any of us with for a date.

Jenni went home for the summer after freshmen year and came back in love. I wasn't sure if it was for real because we always thought we were in love. Then Eric came up for a visit the following fall and I knew it was the real deal. She was married soon after.

I love getting glimpses into her life as a wife and mom. She is the most perfect homemaker. I am amazed at all she does and how together she has it...even with child number 4 on it's way.

In no particular order...some of my favorite Jenni shots:

First snowfall of freshmen year...Sunday morning before church.

I think we were all going various places but snapped a shot before we left.

Aggie Ice Cream

College Football (not that we had a good team, but USU did beat BYU this year)

My favorite Jenni picture of all time at our Christmas dance in my apartment sophmore year.

Valentine Breakfast...Carrie...you can thank me for cropping you out of that shot. You think Jenni and I look like we just woke up? You looked worse. (love you)

Chocolate chip pancakes...A Sunday evening favorite.

Bonding up the canyon...wasn't that one of the best nights ever?

Spring break road trip!

Miss you Jenni! Thanks for paving the way into your 30's. Let me know how it goes.

May the Force be with you...

2010-11-01T17:24:00.008-04:00

I have to get one more post of Halloween costumes in before we get too far into November. November 1st is not too late, is it?

Still no great pictures, but a few more details.

The Stormtrooper costume was made with white vinyl. I had no idea how easy it would be to work with. I sewed some parts by hand and others by machine. It went through my machine without a problem. The best part? It cost less than $3. I picked up a white hard hat from the thrift store and transformed it into a stormtrooper helmet with a little black duck tape. My only complaint is that it was impossible to sit down in...you'll notice in the pictures.

Darth Vader was also made with vinyl and black duck tape we had at home. Then I searched my random hardware stash for all the buttons and things. I borrowed the helmet from a friend. Too bad she's never getting it back. Kidding...sort of.

Yoda...pretty obvious. Muslin from my stash and a little wool felt for the hat, gloves and shoe covers. The ears used to stick out much better, but it's already got so much use that they've softened up a little too much.

No more pictures of me and Spence. My headband was made with balls of yarn. Our costumes were pretty self explanatory. And I wasn't wearing it a second time. Once was enough for the year.

I'll try to post about something other than costumes next time.

Taking One for the Team

2010-10-23T15:39:00.007-04:00

When it came time to start deciding on Halloween costumes, my crazies quickly jumped on the Star Wars train. Even Spencer willingly hopped on board. Me? There was no way in the world I was riding that train.

I am as far away from a Star Wars fan as you can get. I've never even sat all the way through any of the old classic films. Can't stand 'em. (Though I did watch all of Episode I on a date in college...what kind of boy takes a girl to see Star Wars on a first date? Obviously, that relationship didn't work out.)

And even if I liked Star Wars (which I don't), the kind of adult women I picture dressing up in Star Wars costumes are the sci-fi geeks who wear costumes to conventions. Not me.

Then came pleading from my kids and Spencer. For weeks. Who can resist those cute faces ? I always get so irritated when we come up with a costume theme that one kid doesn't buy into and ruins it for the rest of the family. A light came on. I was the one ruining it for the family. There will only be so many times in my life I'll be able to get the whole family to do themed costumes.

Before I knew it, I found myself at the fabric store trying to figure out how in the world to pull off Princess Leia hair. I'm pretty sure this is the first of my 30 Halloweens that I've dressed like a princess.

Now I have to pat myself on the back. (Not for braving the Princess Leia geekery, though that deserves a pat, too.) I'm pretty sure these are the most awesome costumes I've ever made. Designed them myself. And this set of costumes took a lot of creativity. Spencer (of little faith) didn't think I could make a Storm Trooper costume.

We attended a little Halloween party at church last night. Someone asked where we bought such nice costumes. They certainly don't pass for the cheap (but overpriced) ones hanging on racks at Walmarts across America. And they cost less than half the price.

Unfortunately, we left the house in a rush and I didn't take the time to get some good pictures of all the little details. We got a few pictures at the party. Just know, if I get some better pictures on Trick or Treat night, you're going to have to see the costumes again.

Now you can congratulate me on this achievement.

The Magic Age

2010-10-18T11:56:00.002-04:00

For any of you wondering...

Six is the magic age when kids are FINALLY old enough to make it to the toilet to throw up. (Or 'puke-up', a term Parker coined years ago and he still calls it that now.) Parker demonstrated that repeatedly over the weekend. We were more than grateful.

Reid, however, continued to remind us that a four year still can't make it to the bathroom to puke-up.

Spencer was actually able to stay home this weekend and we celebrated with a bang!
(bang=stomach flu)

Mama Loves Mondo

2010-10-14T12:30:00.007-04:00

Apparently, all my free time has been spent watching Project Runway rather than blogging. Has it really been two weeks? That's not like me.

It seems the impossible has happened and Spencer's schedule has become busier. I put the crazies to bed by myself most nights. Three meals a day alone with the kids can be pretty wearing on a girl. But if something good can come out of this (besides a husband with a PhD and a job he loves)... it's my discovery of Project Runway (online). I just needed something to keep me company while I sewed Halloween costumes. And now I'm hooked. I know I'm like 8 seasons late coming into this, but we don't have cable. It makes me want to learn to draft my own patterns. I should take a class...with my loads of free time and all.

My favorite contestant is Mondo. Hands down. He is everything I love about fashion. He can mix patterns and prints like nobody's business. I love it!

See Mom. No Nylons.

I haven't been able to get this outfit out of my mind. I even searched the fabric store yesterday looking for a large, bright, hounds tooth print in hopes of replicating this look. No luck.

Does anyone else watch? Do you share my love for Mondo?

Plus...it's looking like Spencer's campout this weekend may be canceled. We haven't both been home on a weekend in a really long time. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

We meet again at last...

2010-09-30T12:29:00.005-04:00

Reid came into the kitchen a couple nights ago while I was still cleaning up the dishes. He was looking for a glue stick. I pointed him in the right direction and went on with KP.

When I had finished, I found Reid like this:
My genius 4 year old used the glue stick to glue paper directly onto his face. (No eye holes.)

He was Darth Vader.

Perspective

2010-09-28T16:09:00.003-04:00

Today has been chilly. I don't think it's even hit 60 degrees yet and it's 4pm. I pulled my box of sweaters off the top shelf of my closet this morning. We sipped hot cocoa from snowman mugs when Park came home from school.

Come spring, a temperature like this will mean pulling summery skirts off the top shelf of my closet and breaking out the sandals.

But today it feels like fall and I am loving it.

Ba-da-ba-ba-ba....I'm lovin' it!

Scenes From Saturday

2010-09-27T14:16:00.003-04:00

Happy birthday little man!

A Celebrity in Our Midst

2010-09-27T08:08:00.005-04:00

David Archuleta was at church yesterday.

The poor older primary girls... The bishop was coming to speak to the primary kids for a couple minutes right before church was over. Without remembering there was a pop star at church that day, I announced that we had a special visitor coming to speak to them. Naturally, they assumed I was talking about Mr. Archuleta (Bro. Archuleta?) and were quite disappointed when the bishop walked in.

Too bad the only time I ever voted for an American Idol was his season. And I voted against him.

So Providential

2010-09-21T18:00:00.000-04:00

Just another one foot advantage...

I can shoe shop for Reid without having to take him with me.

Reid got a new leg last week. A new leg always means new shoes. The only shoes Reid could fit into were Parker's crocs. So I left at bedtime to shoe shop....with Reid's leg, without Reid.

Reid's prosthetic leg never embarrasses me or makes me uncomfortable. I have no problem with people asking questions. We've embraced it. But I'm not gonna lie, carrying a child's leg around while shopping was a bit awkward. I don't have a purse large enough to conceal it. I'll tell you what, I turned quite a few heads.

Shoe shopping for Reid is a treat. His prosthetic foot does not have the same flexibility as a normal, flesh and bone, foot does. I have to be able to get his foot in a shoe flat footed. It really limits the shoes he can wear and always results in buying a size or two larger than he would normally wear. But because I had to get a couple sizes larger, I found a smokin' deal on clearance. The last pair left. It was providential.

Party People

2010-09-20T12:57:00.004-04:00

Spencer's schedule is out of control busy this fall. Between camp outs (yes he's the scout master around these parts...it's the bane of my existence), classes, ushering football games, and conferences (Spencer is presenting a paper at one in few weeks...awesome right?) I don't get the hubs on weekends all that often. It kinda stinks.

We were stuck at home without a car this past weekend while Spencer was living it up at a BSA scout leader overnight training.

So what's a mom to do while stuck at home with three crazies?

DAY 1:
A perfect pajama party.

DAY 2:
Saved the world from the comforts of our own home.

Gray didn't really get it. This picture cracks me up every time.

So we survived this weekend. But I'm not sure how many pajama parties we can have before they're no longer exciting. (Or before I tire of kid movies.) (Or before our teeth rot from too much candy.)

Strike a Pose

2010-09-17T20:15:00.004-04:00

I'm tellin' you...there are very few ways to have more fun on a girls night than renting a private karaoke room. There were doubters in the midst, but I'm pretty sure most of them were converted by the end of the night (and they weren't even drunk).

Whether you sing or not, it's a riot. A riot I tell you!

Try it. And you'll like it.

Thanks for humoring me my friends.

I swiped Abbey's pictures off facebook. The crazies ruined the USB port in my camera and I cannot currently download my pictures.
Kids! Hmff!

Extreme Budget Makeover

2010-09-09T13:39:00.008-04:00

This summer (per the request of three crazies), we moved all the boys into one bedroom. I sold a few things from the boys room on Craigslist to make room for Gray and that's where my budget came from. Brilliant.

Brace yourselves.

And once more...just to lock in the ugliness:
Now soak it in:

If you click on this pic, you can see Gray's artwork is starting to take form...not bad for a kid who's not yet 3. (His are the vertical clipboards.)

The run down:

Paint - $0 (It was leftover from the living room. I paid for it once, but leftovers count as free.)
Striped fabric - $8 (IKEA had a duvet cover on clearance and I turned it into curtains, pillowcases and pennants. It was genius. There is no way I could have got that much fabric for so cheap otherwise.)
Curtain rod - $2 (IKEA)
Fitted sheets - $8 (IKEA 2 @ $4)
Metal book bins - $13.98 (Target 2 @ $6.99)
Clipboards - $12.96 (Walmart 9 @ $1.44)
Fabric for shelf slipcover* and pennants - $0 (scrap fabric, same as paint-it counts as free.)

Everything else was already in their room.

GRAND TOTAL: $44.94

* This was not my ideal color scheme, but I had to work with that army green. It was the only fabric I had on hand with enough yardage for the slip cover.

Gray is currently sleeping on his toddler mattress that we slide under the bed. We're planning to buy a real trundle bed. And I think they need a picture or piece of children's art over the dresser. And I'm still contemplating this rug. The good news is I still have money leftover. I'm sure the room will evolve over time. And although I could dream up something better, I am happy with the results. Especially considering the price.

This Day in History

2010-09-07T13:19:00.005-04:00

September 7

1533 - Queen Elizabeth I, of England, was born in Greenwich.
1813 - The nickname "Uncle Sam" was first used as a symbolic reference to the United States. The reference appeared in an editorial in the New York's Troy Post.
1822 - Brazil declared its independence from Portugal.
1860 - American painter Anna Mary (Robertson Moses) was born in New York. Today it is known as "Grandma Moses Day."
1880 - George Ligowsky was granted a patent for his device that threw clay pigeons for trapshooters.
1888 - Edith Eleanor McLean became the first baby to be placed in an incubator.
1896 - A.H. Whiting won the first automobile race held on a racetrack. The race was held in Cranston, RI.
1921 - Margaret Gorman of Washington, DC, was crowned the first Miss America in Atlantic City, NJ.
1927 - Philo T. Farnsworth succeeded in transmitting an image through purely electronic means by using an image dissector.
1930 - The cartoon "Blondie" made its first appearance in the comic strips.
1963 - The National Professional Football Hall of Fame was dedicated in Canton, OH.
1966 - The final episode of the original "The Dick Van Dyke Show" was aired on CBS-TV.
1977 - The Panama Canal treaties were signed by U.S. President Carter and General Omar Torrijos Herrera. The treaties called for the U.S. to turn over control of the canal's waterway to Panama in the year 2000.
1979 - ESPN, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, made its debut on cable TV.
1981 - Katie Benson Smith was born to Kevin and Lauri Benson of Phoenix, Arizona during a Jerry Lewis telethon.
1984 - American Express Co. issued the first of its Platinum charge cards.
1986 - Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins threw his 100th career touchdown pass, in only his 44th NFL game, which set a NFL record.
1986 - Desmond Tutu was the first black to be installed to lead the Anglican Church in southern Africa.
1989 - Legislation was approved by the U.S. Senate that prohibited discrimination against the handicapped in employment, public accommodations, transportation and communications.
1998 - Mark McGwire set a new major league baseball record for most homeruns hit in a single season. The previous record was 61 set in 1961.
1999 - Viacom Inc. announced that it had plans to buy CBS Corp.
2001 - Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants) became the only the fifth player in major league baseball history to hit 60 home runs in a season.

(all information, with the exception of year 1981, from onthisday.com)

(82) Days of Summer

2010-09-02T14:58:00.005-04:00

I was feeling bad sending Park back to school after a lame summer break. We didn't take any sort of a trip. But as I look back at the pictures I took over the summer, it wasn't so bad.

WE...

...celebrated.

...(mostly me) worked on projects...way more than pictured.

...discovered that the city pool is worth going to. No pictures...you try watching three non swimmers at a pool alone AND take pictures. (Though Park did learn to swim by the end of the summer.)

...bowled. (Thanks to Groupon and Abbey for purchasing a summer pass.)

...added a little culture to our lives via Columbus Symphony Orchestra's summer concert series.

...had a visit from Grandma.

...spent many Friday nights listening to live music in the park.

...went on a few outings. Most of which my camera never left my purse.

...went out to the ballgame.

...of course hung around the spray ground.

But mostly, we played LEGOS.

Adios summer! Until next year....

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2010-08-25T10:54:00.004-04:00

School started today.

I've never seen Parker more calm and collected about something so big. He has been nothing but excited about first grade. I was certain that would change as we got closer to the big day. No sign of nerves last night at bedtime. I thought it would hit hard this morning. Parker proved me wrong (in a good way) and walked down the halls with complete confidence, gave me a good bye high-five and I was outta there.

I was so proud of him. Last year he struggled for months. It took him until January to decide he liked school. What a change. (Hopefully he's still singing the same tune when he gets home.)

Parker's confidence probably stemmed in part from his new clothes. He was very specific about what he wanted to wear to first grade (no matter how much I tried to talk him out of it). All he wanted were Star Wars T-shirts and Sketchers. (Good bye Converse All Stars. Sniff. Sniff.) I am definitely a believer that the right clothes can boost your confidence so Star Wars T-shirts and Sketchers it was for my first grader.

And somehow he still looks out of control cute.

Summer Break: Day 78

2010-08-20T14:23:00.007-04:00

It was one of those days.

No. Not that kind.

The good kind.

The kind that makes me feel guilty about all my whining this summer. Why can't I enjoy my boys this much all the time? Just look at them. They're fantastic! Why am I so anxious for school to start next week? I should soak up this time at home while they're still so young and under my wing (I have wings...have I mentioned that?). Have you ever seen a cuter brood of boys? (Does three boys qualify us for a brood...because it sure as heck feels like a brood.)

Columbus has a life size replica of the Santa Maria. (I know, right?) Certainly not because Columbus sailed to this lovely land-locked state...but my home town is obviously named after the man. We've never been on the tour so today was the day.

I forget how much I love my city. Columbus is glorious. I spend way, way, way too much time in the suburbs. Downtown is magic to me. There are so many beautiful old buildings. We put two hours worth of quarters in the parking meter and used up every second walking along the riverfront, enjoying the green, green grass, reading all the plaques at every statue and sculpture, and finding a surprise fountain for cooling off.

Then we got back to the car and the whining picked up right where it left off before they were even buckled in. I'm back to looking forward to school starting next week. But I'm glad we had those two magical hours together for our last full week of summer break. My kids really are the greatest.

Spectacular! Spectacular!

2010-08-18T15:19:00.007-04:00

I've been holding out on you my friends...

As you can imagine, I have a very fun, very creative extended family.

My cousin Roni got married out in Arizona this summer. It was apparently the social event of the year and I missed it. I can't tell you how sad I've been over this.

The reception was spectacular! You HAVE TO check this out. Roni and my Aunt Debbie did this all themselves in their backyard. And that bouquet? Made completely out of thrifted brooches.

I can't include enough pictures on my blog to do this reception justice...just enough to make you want to check out the link.

And in case that first link wasn't enough...Check this out for more photos. She looked every bit as cute in her simple white belted dress and fantastic shoes when she left the reception. Plus it's a good portrayal of what a fun family I have. Her and all her brothers bustin' some moves on the dance floor. Not to mention Uncle Dave* in that vintage yellow sports coat. What a riot!

*Dave is not Roni's dad...he just got the shout out for that sweet jacket. Sorry Uncle Garry (Roni's dad). I know you made this all possible and I'm sure you were quite busy behind the scenes so props to you as well.

Sorry I missed it.

Summer Break: Day 71

2010-08-13T14:23:00.003-04:00

On the lunch menu:

Peanut butter and jelly. Hold the peanut butter.

Yet a spoonful of peanut butter was requested as a side.

Kids are so weird.

For those of you seriously interested in a tutorial....

2010-08-11T15:04:00.008-04:00

My tutorial skills do not match the mediocrity of my re-fashioning skills. It was seriously simple and I think I made the directions seem more complex. I don't know if I made sense. I promise it's a breeze.

Here goes:

carefully remove pocket with a seem ripper.
cut sleeves, shirt tail, and a round neckline.

****note: Before the refashioning, the shirt fit me with the shoulders hanging down about 2 inches too long on each shoulder. Cinching it was all it took for the shoulders to fit properly. If the shoulders on your shirt hang down farther, I'd consider cutting it off at the shoulder seem for cute capped sleeves.

cut strip from excess shirt tail to make casing for collar. a minimum of 2 inches. preferably 2 1/2.
cut 1 inch strips from sleeves and sew together in one long strip to make drawstring.
snip about 1/2 inch right against button strip on each side.
attach lace or embellishments down center near button strip with zig-zag stitch.

***note: You could reverse this and make a strip for the casing with the sleeves and the drawstring with your shirt tail depending on your leftover fabric.

To make casing for neckline:

use strip from shirt tail and fold raw edges toward middle as shown. press.
fold in half to hide all raw edges. press.
Pin around neckline with neckline in between fold.
tuck raw edges under at each end.
top stitch around outer edge.

make drawstring with sleeve excess. fold in same manor as neckline casing as skinny as possible.
top stitch entire drawstring.
use a safety pin to feed drawstring through casing at neckline.
with shirt inside out, sew along each side beginning at arms for desired fit.
cut off excess fabric.

hem sleeves, bottom of shirt, and top of button strip.
Cinch and tie drawstrings at neck.

wear.
impress.

Summer Break: Day 63

2010-08-05T16:05:00.006-04:00

This top used to be Spencer's:

You guessed wrong. Spencer does not dress in drag (often).

I didn't take a before picture, but we all know what a man's shirt looks like: long sleeve, collar, button-down, one large pocket on the front. Yesterday, the shirt looked something like this:

Impressed?

Plus, let's keep this on the down-low. Spencer still doesn't know I took his shirt.
...kidding.

Summer Break: Day 59

2010-08-02T09:26:00.003-04:00

Parker: I see Chief's tenders. (A lovely term introduced to my crazies courtesy of Kung Fu Panda...we can't eat chicken tenders around here without a few giggles.)

Me: Chief doesn't have any tenders.

Parker: Why not?

Me: They were cut off when he was a puppy.

Park: Why?

Me: To make sure he never has any puppies of his own.

Park: Puppies come from tenders?

Giggles all around.

Summer Break: Day 56

2010-07-29T15:37:00.002-04:00

At least he's taking a nap.

Daydream Believer

2010-07-26T19:56:00.007-04:00

THIS is almost worth having another baby.

It KILLS me that I didn't think of this when I was a mother with one infant. I'll probably still try to make my crazies do this, but it won't be quite as funny.

You can see what else this baby girl is dreaming about HERE.

Summer Break: Day 50

2010-07-23T14:08:00.004-04:00

So today I was at a luncheon at the church for a friend who is moving to Idaho. I sent the crazies to play in the gym with about a bazillion other crazies. I got interrupted from pleasant conversations by my older two...that I HAD to see what Grayden was doing.

I found him in the men's bathroom; naked and sitting on a urinal.

It's been one of those weeks. The kind where even the sound of a child's voice makes me break out in hives.

Adding to it all: Two power outages. Not like a little flicker, but no power well into the wee hours of the morning. AT&T trouble; no phone or Internet for SIX DAYS! Grayden went five days without napping. He's two. Oh yeah, Grayden is two. That definitely added to my difficult week. Spencer's fully loaded school schedule is really starting to take it's toll. There are too many days where he leaves for work at 7:00am and doesn't get back until long after bed time. And a power outage when your husband is gone is really boring.

Plus the rest of the week was chalk full of late nights and early mornings, doctor appointments, watching friends kids (don't worry friends...I'm happy to watch your kids...it means I get to reciprocate), and the usual obligations. Blah, blah, blah, wah, wah, wah. I certainly am not implying that I have it any worse than the rest of you.

On the upside, I anticipated the entire summer to be this hard. I don't think this week was much worse than any other. I've just reached my limit. I've made it SEVEN WHOLE WEEKS without loosing my cool. Sure, there have been grocery trips from hell and all around bedlam for moments out of each day, but I've pulled myself together throughout.

I think at bare minimum, I deserve a nomination for Mother-of-the-Year. I don't expect to win. Once I can make it to eight weeks, that's when I'll start writing my acceptance speech.

Summer Break: Day 45

2010-07-22T12:23:00.002-04:00

Awesome.

Christmas in July

2010-07-15T20:41:00.003-04:00

Parker's thoughts tonight:

I wonder how Santa can stay awake all night. He must stay up really late on Christmas Eve. Is he nocturnal or something? It's not really good for you to stay awake all night. He must be really tired.

And so the count down to Christmas begins...

Whoomp! There It Is!

2010-07-13T15:03:00.006-04:00

When Mom comes to visit she usually insists on helping with a project. This time she only got as far as the funding. (Thanks Mom.) She paid for the supplies but the trip was just too short. So I did it myself the very next day.

I bought this gem of a toy box at a garage sale last summer for $2.

After a little spray paint and piecing together some pillows...BAM!
I'm especially pleased with the green and white chevron patterned pillow. My intentions were not to piece the pillows, but I couldn't find fabric I liked so I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Do you love it as much as me? I use it as a drop box for shoes and backpacks so they don't clutter my kitchen floor. (Theoretically.)

Summer Break: Days 29-33

2010-07-09T13:41:00.002-04:00

Grandma Benson managed to arrange a visit to Ohio in her busy, busy life. Thank heavens! It's been way, way, way too long. I saw my mom briefly when I went to visit Mike after his accident. But other than that, we haven't seen my mom in nearly a year. A YEAR! That's nuts.

Mainly I just used her for babysitting services. She came on Friday and Spencer and I went out running errands together that night. We went on a day date on Saturday. We went out for ice cream (and more fireworks) on Monday night. And Tuesday afternoon I went out all by myself...a luxury I never take for granted.

Yet somehow I felt we got a good visit in. Probably because she's on Arizona time and so we stayed up too late every night. She's not tired at 12:30am because it's only 9:30pm her time. We had a great visit. It was really good for me and good for my kids (and probably good for her, too). I didn't take pictures. I never think to get my camera out when she's taking so many pictures. But really, the pictures are all on her camera and she's in Arizona. I should have taken pictures. You can see them HERE.

Disclaimer: As for Reid's suspenders? He found them in the costume box and was certain they transformed him into some kind of superhero. He insisted on wearing them all evening.

Boo-Yah!

2010-07-08T15:31:00.004-04:00

Is that how you spell it?

Parker turned six today. (I know, right?) Like any other kid on the eve of his birthday, he could hardly contain himself last night.

Spence and I stayed up late hanging streamers and making cake and wrapping presents. The usual. Parker heard us around 12:30am and since he'd been asleep for a few hours, assumed it was morning. He popped out of bed bright eyed and bushy tailed, sprinted down the hall, and exclaimed, "BOO-YAH! It's my birthday!!" Who has that much energy when they wake up?

Reid rained on his parade this morning (the real morning like when we eat breakfast) by telling him he looks exactly the same as he did yesterday when he was only five.

I disagree. He totally looks six.

Summer Break: Day 29

2010-07-02T08:48:00.004-04:00

It's official. I sold all my baby clothes on Craigslist this morning.

I went through all of them earlier this week. I thought I might get a little sentimental. Didn't happen. I'm hard-hearted. The only thing going through my head was, Man we dressed our babies cute! Cuter from 0-24 (which is what I sold) than we do know. That was before they had any sort of opinions. Parker, who gets most of the brand new clothes, has had an opinion since he could talk. He does NOT like anything with buttons or collars or anything that will make him stand out. It's t-shirts all the way. Kind of sad. So our babies who couldn't express opinions dressed exactly how Spencer and I pleased. It was lovely.

So I wasn't sad at all about giving it away because I kept thinking how much someone would appreciate this collection of stylin' clothes. How lucky would they be to have such a well dressed baby at a small portion of the price. A woman contacted me. I pictured her to be this cute, young mom just starting out and wanting exactly what I had to offer.

Then I met up with her this morning. She was smoking while pregnant...if that tells you anything. I almost turned around. I'm dying to give a more detailed description of this woman, but it's awfully judgemental and not very nice. But I will say that if she was shopping for baby clothes and money was not an issue, I bet she still wouldn't pick the kind of clothes I gave her this morning.

And then I was sad. I had a pit in my stomach all the way home. I was fine getting rid of them to someone who would appreciate the beauty of it all, but not so much if they won't be appreciated in the way I wanted them to be.

But I did it. And I'm sure she will still appreciate it on a different level. (Only after I grabbed out a small handful for a friend of mine who has a baby boy. She would TOTALLY appreciate them. I don't know why it didn't occur to me to ask her if she wanted them in the first place. What a jerk I am!)

Summer Break: Day 28

2010-07-01T20:18:00.006-04:00

I have spent the summer running from doctor appointment to doctor appointment. Today marks the third appointment this week. I am quite envious of those of you who have kids without health problems. My kids are healthy, it's minor problems...totally manageable, but SO MANY appointments.

Reid, of course sees an orthopedist and a prosthetist PLUS the Shriners doctor who has to approve all his funding. Did you know prosthetic legs for a 4 year old can cost $6,000-$10,000. YIKES! We've had cars that cost less. Thank goodness for Shriners. But it's a tedious process. We started back in March and he still doesn't have a new leg.

Reid also has a speech delay. Appointments for that are scheduled.

Grayden has torticollis...twisted neck. (See HERE for prognosis or HERE for a visual.) Looking back on when I first found out, the doc didn't think it'd be a big deal. And now he's almost three and I am taking him to weekly OMT (osteopathic manipulative therapy) appointments 25 minutes away.

And if that weren't enough...Grayden had his first ear infection back in February or March, but because of his head tilt, the fluid hasn't been draining. So he's been through all kinds of garbage for that, too.

Plus other normal appointments.

It's been a rough week. And yet, my problems are so minor. Definitely not life threatening. I've been reading the blog of the family that had the auction a few months ago. The family with the son who has the rare skin disorder. It is HEART WRENCHING. I can not fathom the pain baby Daylon endures. Or Jennifer, his mother. I bet she hurts every bit as bad as her son. The Edling family could use some prayers.

Summer Break: Day 25

2010-06-29T15:17:00.002-04:00

We have air!

That's right my friends, we have spent all summer up until yesterday without air conditioning. (Though, I have to admit our low electric bills have been pretty nice.) Our relatively new AC unit was a dud. Faulty parts. Luckily, it was still under warranty, but the specific unit we bought is no longer made and getting a company to help us out was a long, horrendous process. And we have spent a lot of nights where the temp in our house was in the upper 90's PLUS humidity. It has been unbearable.

We've kept our thermostat at 80 since it's been fixed. It's amazing how cold 80 can feel. I will never again take central air for granted.

Mark my words.

Summer Break: Day 22

2010-06-25T14:29:00.003-04:00

Day 22 already? Woohoo! We're a fourth of the way through!

Today I got out of the shower to find this:

Along with dirty foot prints all over my rug and a naked 2 year old who had recently marked his territory behind the yellow chair.

I used to let the crazies watch tv while I showered just for my own peace of mind. They are pretty good at being lazy in front of the television when they have the chance. But this summer, silly me, I instilled a rule limiting tv time and now they're really selective about which shows they watch. It rarely works out for me to shower while they're sitting still.

But, my day got better. I have a friend with a pool...which is a rarity around these parts. We spent a good few hours in the water and it was heaven!

Summer Break: Day 8; back tracking

2010-06-24T14:13:00.005-04:00

I almost forgot...

A couple weekends ago, we decided to spend Friday evening at one of those summer family concerts in the park...not knowing at all what no-name local performer would be entertaining us that evening.

As luck would have it, it was a mediocre Elvis impersonator. What a riot! He had the clothes and hair down, though he was older and overweight. And he was not bad on vocals, but he faked the guitar. He held one, pretending to strum, while pre-recorded music played.

We had a great time nonetheless.

Thirty-Three

2010-06-23T08:01:00.005-04:00

Today is Spencer's birthday. I'm starting a petition to turn this day into a national holiday. I for one, and you'll probably agree, think it's the perfect reason to shut down banks and postal service for a day. (And maybe even Universities...Spencer deserves a day off.)

And to Spencer...I couldn't be happier that you were born.

At least he raised his hand...

2010-06-22T14:57:00.003-04:00

On Sunday, I was teaching a lesson to the jr. primary (that's the younger half...kids ages 3-7).

One little boy raised his hand.

I called on him.

His response: I can't wait to go home.

It's a sure sign I'm not cut out to teach the kids. My poor kids have to come home to me, too.

Summer Break: Day 14

2010-06-17T13:03:00.002-04:00

I imagine hell to be one endless grocery shopping trip with three young children.

I need to start repenting now.

Help: Mike's Turning 30

2010-06-15T14:02:00.007-04:00

It's about time I give an update on my sleepy big brother. One of my cousins pointed out that he's going to have to stay awake for a LONG time to make up for all this sleeping he's been doing.

Mike is definitely making improvements. But it's just small things spread over several months so it's been hard to know what to write about. There isn't one single defining moment. It's certainly not like the movies where someone goes from comatose to talking in an instant.

He is not so much in a coma anymore as he is in a "vegetative state." Which for some reason sounds much worse to me. But really, it's better. Mike has opened his eyes, though is not yet making real eye contact. Physical therapy is going well. I hear Mike is getting in some pretty good workouts. How someone in a vegetative state can workout, I'm not quite sure, but that's what I'm told.

And some of the really good news is Mike's pain levels are up. No, I'm not harboring any resentment from childhood wrestling matches. But him feeling pain is a great sign that something in his brain is doing what it should be. His nerves are reconnecting.

A major downer this week, however, is that Mike is turning 30. I think turning thirty in a nursing home sounds pretty rotten. Can you imagine going down in your twenties and waking up in your thirties?

So I want to bombard Mike's room with well wishes on his birthday. He turns 30 on Monday, June 21. If you are interested and willing, whether you know him or not, please send Mike a note or a card. Email me (kmbsmith@gmail.com) or leave a comment with your email and I'll give you Mike's address.

Summer Break: Day 10; Mad Hatters

2010-06-14T08:31:00.007-04:00

***This post is dedicated to my mom who has apparently had enough of my whining.

Yesterday Park was itching for a creative outlet. Unfortunately all the art supplies were nicely tucked away in in bedrooms of his napping brothers. Since the Sunday paper was out I suggested he use that. I even folded him a traditional triangular newspaper hat. That was not sufficient for Parker or me. I had every intention of leaving him alone with the newspaper and masking tape and taking a Sunday afternoon nap. Pretty soon we were regular milliners and created clear until his brothers woke up and we had to make more for them.

Parker and Reid turned theirs into wearable collages. Gray was satisfied to keep his black and white and I embellished mine with a few Sunday ads. I can't imagine why Spencer didn't want in on the fun (except that he was enjoying a Sunday afternoon nap only to wake up from time to time to tell us how awesome we were).

With as much complaining as I've been doing lately, I really, really love my family. Sunday got off to a rough start. Our wards were realigned yesterday and there were a lot of changes made at church that were tough for me to swallow. Who knew that newspaper hats would be the perfect distraction? I found so much comfort in my rockstar family. They make me happy.

It Feels Like Rain

2010-06-11T12:58:00.004-04:00

Today's rain totally reminded me of moving to Columbus. Spencer and I moved in seven years ago this very weekend. It was Friday the thirteenth and we moved into a haunted apartment. Not a joke. But that's a story for another time.

Spencer and I sold both of our cars right before we left so we could drive together in the moving truck and not have to tow a car. We seriously drove that truck for a couple of days until we found something.

It was bright and sunny when we pulled into Columbus, but the weather around here is so fickle. By the time we got things straightened out with our apartment (which was supposed to be ready and waiting for us but was NOT) it started pouring rain. In Ohio, the weather can go from sunshine to a torrential down pour in seconds. Especially in the summer. It was POURING. Can I write that one more time? POURING! And the phone company who was supposed to have had our phone line ready and waiting for us did NOT (for like four days and we had no cell phones). Not that we had anyone to call for help anyway.

So all alone, Spencer and I moved tiny amounts of furniture in at a time. Every time the rain would let up a little, we'd go get something else from the truck. The two of us (in the rain) maneuvered each piece of furniture around the odd corners that apartment complexes always provide. And since we were trying to move as much as we could during those moments of lighter rain, we dumped everything haphazardly all over our living space.

We grocery shopped in our big moving truck (with half of our furniture still in it) when it was raining too hard to get anything accomplished. I still have this vivid picture of us wearing university t-shirts and sprinting through ankle deep puddles in the Big Bear parking lot. We stopped at White Castle for 45 cent sliders. (A fast food chain we had never heard of but quickly realized it should be avoided at all cost.)

It was such a strange and difficult day. Yet oddly, very fun. The memories of it make me so happy. I think Spencer would agree that the following summer was the best summer of our lives. I don't think I have ever been happier than I was then.

Summer Break: Day 4

2010-06-07T15:27:00.008-04:00

Today I spent the kids mandatory quiet time searching the classifieds for employment. Unless I am willing to operate the clothing press at the dry cleaners, I'm kinda stuck at home with the crazies for the summer. I kinda forgot that until I further my education, there aren't a lot of job opportunities doing anything remotely interesting. And although a master's degree is always on my mind, that doesn't solve any problems here and now. (But really, it's only two years and the rest of this summer break until all three kiddos will be in school all day...Yes, I've already begun the countdown.)

After the morning I had, the dry cleaners is sounding pretty appealing.

POST EDIT: To avoid confusion...After crying to Spencer on the phone about how I can't handle three kids home all day and wishing I wasn't a stay at home mom, he casually suggested not staying home if it was making me so unhappy. I decided that was not a bad idea and checked the classifieds. I thought ANYTHING has to be better than staying home with three kids. After reviewing my options, I think I'll stay home for the time. Having said that, I'm certain I'm taking the harder route. Work sounds like a nice break.

Summer Break: Day 1

2010-06-04T20:26:00.003-04:00

Why is it that we rush to get Parker to school by 9:00am, but when we're heading to the zoo we're out the door by 8:40 without a problem?

The Graduate

2010-06-03T14:42:00.006-04:00

I've been out-of-control busy volunteering at Parker's school. Why are all the activities saved for the last three weeks of school? Couldn't these be spread throughout the year? I've been to field trips and field days and picnics and promotions. It's exhausting. And there are very few parents willing to volunteer. Are there really that many working parents? or just lazy parents? Either way, I've been happy to help and it's been great getting to know the teachers and a few parents.

Though today is the official last day of school, yesterday was kindergarten promotion. It was adorable. The kindergartners put on a cute little program for all the parents. And now I am the proud parent of a kindergarten graduate. Parker's teacher has been FANTASTIC. I couldn't ask for better. She will be missed.

I was trying to collect phone numbers from the parents of some of his friends at the little program yesterday. Parker asked for Braylens number amid all the boys. I asked him about it...a little surprised. My boys are usually proud members of the No Girls Allowed Club. Parker cleared it up when he said it was because Braylen knows how to play the wii.

Parker is horribly shy in front of a crowd. He was near tears as he was waiting to sing. This is him avoiding me at all costs in attempts to keep it together. But once the singing started, he loosened up...a little.

I'm already freaking out about summer...and it hasn't started yet. Wish me luck.

Post Script: I picked up Park from school and said we could go anywhere for a last day of school treat...Graeters, Culvers, Dairy Queen, Sonic, Steak 'n Shake, the sky's the limit. Want to guess where he picked? Speedway. The boys got Icee's from the gas station convenient store.

The thing about living in a house full of boys is...

2010-05-24T15:40:00.005-04:00

...when you ask what stinks, EVERYBODY claims it (even if it's not that kind of stink) and it sometimes results in a fight.

My boys wouldn't dream of passing the blame.

We were merely freshmen...

2010-05-21T15:05:00.003-04:00

One fall freshman afternoon quickly turned from this:

to this:

Leah was one of my freshman roommates. She was crazy. I loved her. She was always up for an adventure...especially if you want to define adventure as dating a man DOUBLE her age. (Remember when we thought 36 was really old?) She spent a lot of time with him. But when she hung with the rest of the 18 year olds, you can bet fun ensued. She was full of life.

Oh Boy!

2010-05-19T15:58:00.004-04:00

Grayden just smeared peanut butter all over the dog's back.

Chief was covered in peanut butter in places he couldn't reach to lick off.

Gray's sticky fingers were covered in peanut butter and dog hair.

It was gross.

The end.