parenting

Being a parent is hard.

Really hard.

Due to a series of unfortunate events I was forced to take Anna's cell phone away for the day

Her reaction was quite literally taken from that scene in Steel Magnolias (click movie title) where Sally Field freaks out at the cemetery yelling to God and asking "WHY? WHY?" (Anna too qualifying for an Oscar by her fantastic performance)

I have thought about it and came to the firm resolve that she will thank me one day. Probably during her valedictorian speech at graduation when she is mature enough to see that everything we do as parents is truly for our children's own good.

Right!

Really?

So the time my mom made me walk to school because I didn't wake up on time for car pool really wasnt' necessarily teaching me to wake up on time for carpool so I didn't have to walk to school. . . but to be responsible?

Ok OK

But what about the time I had to run an "errand" and was told to be home by 6:00 so we could all go to the movies and my dad/entire family left me. I was only ten minutes late. Man I was so mad! I had to sit at home while they all had fun. I was however never late again and learned the importance of being on time.

Hey, what about the time my mean mom wouldn't take me to the mall and buy me that Forenza sweater at the Limited the day I wanted it-ALL of my friends had one! NOOOO instead she made me wait for my birthday (3 whole months) but wow was I happy and grateful to get that sweater. In fact I took such good care of it-I still have it today (ok just kidding but I did take good care of it) But we shouldn't always get what we want when we want it-it makes us less appreciative for what we have.

I didn't say any of this at my valedictorian speech haha - I was too dumb to have figured it out back then - it took me 38 years and I am still learning.

Thanks mom and dad. I guess it really was for my own good.

First Snowman

These are the girls first snowmen of the season

This is Lilly's first Snowman of her life

Seems fitting that the face is made of gummie treats, lolli-pops and one carrot

Top Ten

Jim was asked to emcee the ward Christmas party and to come up with a top ten list. We asked a lot of people for their ideas and here are a few of them along with the actual list. Sorry it has taken me so long to post this but it is finally here:

The Top Ten Things You Can Say or Do to Get Out of a Calling:

10. Show up the interview with a starbuck's cup in your hand
9. Share with your bishop how your mission was the best 4 months of your life
8.Suggest inviting Tiger Woods to be the guest speaker at your next fireside
7.Did my parole officer approve this?
6. I can do anything that doesn't involve nights or weekends
5. Mention something about starting your own church
4. When you arrive ask if it's okay to smoke in the foyer
3.Make a deal to pay 12% tithing to get out of it
2.When asked if you have a problem with porn, Tell them you have a hard time remembering all of the passwords
1. I would love to be young men's president. Let me just check with my boyfriend first

Here are the ones that didn't make it-all though highly worthy of the mention:

Take your class to a bar to affirm that they don’t want to live that lifestyle.

Allow Men at Work and Erasure to be played as prelude music.

Have your next class party catered – spare no expense.

That's what she said!

Children and most adults hate me.

Announce during testimony meeting how happy you were to learn that the church finally decided to support gay marriage.

"Accidentally" use every word in the book when cheering for the teacher's volley ball game

Talk about plural marriage every chance you get with just the slightest sympathy (lessons, talks, testimonies).

Start a discussion group with some ward members that are on the fringe, but mostly in-actives.

Name one of your children Bathsheba, Jezebel, Cain or Judas.

Start calling/texting the bishops wife

Photo copy your face on the Library copier and insert into the programs

During your Sunday School "lessons" just play pictionary or Heads Up 7-Up

During church, take your primary kids to the YMCA to practice baptizing

If asked to be the ward chorister, demand that the choir only perform using kazoo's and nose flutes

Ask if this calling came straight from the Pope

"It's so cool you let Baptists teach Gospel Doctrine in this Church."

Bring a six-pack to your interview with the Bishop.

Ask if it's okay to leave your adult website up through the holidays.

Fake a seizure.

Pick a fight with the 1st counselor during a friendly church basketball game.

Fill the sacrament cups with Sprite.

Steal the Relief Society table doily.

Truly Inspired

I decided to take the girls to a museum today since they were out of school.

Anna informed me that she HAD to go to dance practice at her friends house (they are trying out for the Jr High talent show-heaven help em!)

So it was Kirsten and I with the babies

We had a fun time, the museum was nice and the art beautiful but I was most inspired by the conversation I had with Kirsten on our way there

At one point (and I'm not even sure how the conversation found it's way to this point) we were talking about God and Kirsten simply said:

It's like a big circle cut in half. One side is God and the other side is you. He does his half and you have to do yours if you want His help and answers to your prayers. Like the time I found my glitterball. Which I don't even play with anymore-0nly just Lilly does. But I prayed to find that ball and God told me where to look and I looked and found it. We both did our parts."

I asked her where she learned that analogy. She replied "Ummm, I was was born with it". I asked again if someone taught it to her at church or something and she said "no, I've always known it."

And that was that. The rest of our outing was typical: singing at the tops of our lungs, finding the pacifier for Sophia, eating fries at Mcdonald's, trying to decipher Lilly's sentences and just talking about stuff.

I'm glad we went to the museum today- it's rare that I have the opportunity to bask in the magnificence and brilliance of such talent.

Or is it? :)

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Before we headed out for church on Sunday, we told Kirsten to get herself something to eat. The picture is what she prepared. Pickle, Banana, Fortune Cookie and Fruit Snacks.

And FYI: it was also the meal Lance Armstrong ate just before winning his last Tour De France.

much to my shagrin. . .

We did it.

And she couldn't be happier.

The reaction was priceless.

I actually think I saw a tear or some sort of salty discharge leaving the corner of her eye

But who can deny the ongoing pleadings of a kid who:

Has a 4.0
Babysits for us
Helps a ton with the babies
Keeps a pretty clean room
Practices piano with little complaining
Really is a good kid
And is actually paying for it with her hard earned money (which she claims is no big deal since she earns like a ton of money babysitting every month!)

It was a huge decision for us. Jim compared the phone to the OP shorts he wanted so badly in the 80's. For me it was the walkman I would have sold my baby sister for, had I been given the chance. Every generation has it's own version of the cell phone right? Bummer for the generation that wanted that 8-track or those pricey Girbaud jeans.

I'm the kind of mom who. . .

Some how manages to get a gummy fruit chew stuck to her bottom on her way out for the day (without noticing)

And then sits on a heated seat for 45 minutes while driving her car on her way to performing an amazingly charitable act of service

And doesn't notice it until she is driving home

so she pulls over to see what is going on and as she turns to look, said bottom hits the steering wheel and manages to get it all over that too

So she put a paper napkin between her and the seat

(Just a few pieces left that I couldn't un-stick)

which becomes really stuck to both

and now has made a complete mess of both car seat and jeans

and doesn't have an extra pair of pants to change in to :)

(WARNING: Object in picture appears much larger than it actually is! sheesh! No wonder I had a gummy stuck to it- I'm surprised I didn't find the cat and a stray sock there too! )

I'm the kind of mom who hopefully looks like the kind of mom that has kids and is met with an occasional gummy snack mis-hap. (The kind of mom I prayed for so many years to be.) Gotta love it!

O Tannenbaum II

GOING. . .

GOING. . .

STILL GOING. . .

GONE!


And so it begins: Jim vs the Garbage Man

Another Tree

Another Year

To be Continued. . .