Wednesday, January 25, 2012

I just don't know

“I Don’t Know How She Does It”

I found myself renting this little diddy a few days ago and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since.

I rented it because I thought “Hey there’s a title I can relate to…why I can think of several occasions where I have thought that exact thing about myself.”

“I Don’t Know How She Does It.”

Well, here’s my review: ppppfffffttttttt

I know exactly how she does it. About 10 minutes into the movie I knew. It’s called a full-time nanny, house cleaner, cook, totally unrealistic overly understanding husband, a never ending supply of cash, ONLY 2 kids, a hyper metabolism or never eating thus not feeling the pressure to exercise…ever, a personal assistant, and most nights spent in a hotel room that has room service and the luxury of watching whatever you want…all night long.

REALLY PEOPLE? Who is writing this stuff? I get that this movie is based (loosely) on the reality of some women but I would LOVE to see it based on the reality of a stay-at-home-LDS- ward calling- PTA- mother of 2+,ages ranging from 0-18, on a budget-clips coupons-no nanny-no house cleaner-lucky to shower 2 times a week- daily uni is sweats-hair in a pony tail-and then ask the question “I don’t know how she does it” and the odds are that by the end of the movie you will find that she doesn’t….and it’s OK.

I know that woman won’t get her own show. Can you imagine “The Real Housewives of Stay at home-ville”: A “procedures” free face and body, no fancy shmancy clothing on a daily basis, rarely lunching with friends, doing her own pedicure on their bathroom floor trying to maneuver her thighs over her post baby belly which is taking a lot longer to get rid of because working out a and eating healthy is a joke. Eating those little gold fish and left over Halloween candy is sooo much easier than peeling an orange or blending together a green smoothie.

One review I read said: “Fun, Sexy, and Smart” yah, I was too before I got married and had kids.

Or- “A hilarious comedy about having it all. Because we deserve it.” What exactly is the “All” that they are talking about?

I am quite certain that their “All” and my “All” are very different.

My “All” right now isn’t remotely close to the world's definition. Although- I'm not gonna lie, most days I wish it was. But right now, right now it is about frozen nuggets, tantrums, laundry, making my own chicken stock from a chicken carcass to save a few dimes, wiping bums, doing puzzles, putting my almost 3 year old in time out for the 5th time today and asking daily (to one of my 4 girls) “Why are you crying?”

Tonight my “All” was listening (in complete exhaustion-head ready to hit the pillow) to said almost 3 year old plunk out a few keys on the piano and sing at the top of her lungs “My mom’s awesome. My mom’s nice. My mom’s bootiful”

She's my ALL.

And that's about ALL I can handle!



Monday, January 23, 2012

Tomato-palooza

I am a lover of traditions. I always have been. Ever since I was a little girl there were certain things I looked forward to and that I counted on happening every year. Like: my mom making monkey bread every Sunday morning of General Conference, making caramel apples during October General Conference, Buying Girls scout cookies in the spring, the first summer snow cone, going to the state fair and eating all you can for $20.00, Halloween, Canning in the fall, Christmas goodies....hmmm there may be a theme to my "traditions".

In fairness, is there really any tradition that doesn't include food?


One of our favorite traditions is:

TOMATO-PALOOZA.

Every year it is award winning and 2011 didn't disappoint!



Best ever tomato soup with a puff pastry on top




Fried Green tomato's





Broiled mozzarella and herb tomatoes






Tomato cake (not really-a delicious red velvet cake with a tomato garnish-we have yet to find a tomato dessert)




Great friends+Fabulous food+perfect weather=favorite tradition of the whole year!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

at long last

The Hall's are back and ready to post (finally)
Here are the pics that I kept telling myself I didn't have the time to download and post


Enjoy!


She did it! Kirst graduated from 6th grade. Can we say Honor Roll?!!!
Woo Hoo!


Jim's incredible Garden
we got lots of salsa and tomato sauce from it.
It is my favorite thing about summer


We took a trip to St George this summer
(I know, I know who goes to St. George in August? The Hall's do. It was educational... I really wanted the kids to have a frame of reference for what hell was really like)

We hiked "The Crack"



Weekend with the Hall cousins-best weekend ever!




Trip to the Dinosaur Museum



Lilly and Soph are BFF's-reading (while I get ready in the morning)


They often end up in bed together


Lilly's fabulous Dora cake for her 4th birthday (yes, way back in may of 2011)
Aunt Caralee made it and Lilly LOVED it!

Pre-school Orientation for Lilly
Her teacher Ms. Monica



Sophia wanted to be in the First Day if school Picture but Lilly refused...


And then she decided it was OK
Anna and Kirsten on the first day of school
Anna 9th grade- Kirsten 7th grade
Prettiest girls ever!





The entrance to our neighborhood at the peak if fall.

So beautiful!


Soph doing time in Nursery

More to come.......