My New Love

I just found this website:

http://knockoffwood.blogspot.com/

I'm in love.

Now I just have to wait for it to be warm enough to set up the table saw in the garage....hmm....looks like it's my turn for the patience lessons.

John's patience...and why I have no pictures

I've been teasing John for the last couple of weeks, telling him I hope he learns his lesson in patience so the testing will cease. First, we were just about to lay the last tile in our bathroom we are remodeling when I dropped the hammer and cracked one that had already been placed. So John had to cut another one so we could fix that. A few hours later, Avery dropped the laptop and the screen turned into a colorful rainbow. It was pretty, but it rendered the laptop useless. A few days later, John was trying to multitask-take care of the kids and work on the bathroom. That ended badly. Macy went in and knocked the new sink off the new vanity resulting in a sink that was in pieces, and another cracked tile whose grout would now have to be redone. This brings me to my conclusions.
1. My husband is a very patient man. In all of those things, he responded so calmly and nicely. He didn't even get mad. For real. When the laptop broke, the first thing out of my mouth was, "Oh crap Avery! Daddy's going to be mad!" To which her eyes got all wide and she started asking why he would be mad. I tried to backtrack and say frustrated and sad, but she was very nervous to tell him about it. I was surprised when there wasn't a huge lecture or anything. He just told her she needed to be more careful and told her it was okay. Cute little girl, she told him again yesterday how sorry she was that she broke his computer :)
2. I kind of like not having a laptop. Yes, it feels inconvenient at times, but we spend less time on the computer since our desktop is downstairs. I don't know how long it will last though because John disagrees :) I thought he'd jump on the deal I offered: no electronics for the same amount of time as no sweets. He's always unhappy with the amount of sugar in the house, and I'm always unhappy with the electronic time (about 30 minutes a day for kids, but we're so exhausted by the time we can sit down late at night we turn into couch potatoes). But much to my surprise and dismay, he didn't want to do it. And here I thought I'd come up with a clever way to get what I wanted.

What it means to be a girl...

Today I was watching Macy and was overcome with emotion. It was just an ordinary day, Avery and Carston were at school that morning, Kate was sleeping, and Macy was just going about her business. She had a little dance in her step as she went along, she wanted to go play out in the backyard with Sadie, she was just so cute. And it struck me how much things might change as she gets older and feels more of the world's pressures on her. Will there be a day when she omits the dance in her step? Will there be a day when she looks in the mirror, not to confirm how beautiful she looks, but to wonder if she's beautiful at all? Will there come a day when she starts moderating her behavior because she is worried about people's opinions? The thought of those things happening just breaks my heart. I love how confident Macy is about who she is. She doesn't have any desire to be different than her strong, beautiful, little 2 year old self. And yet I wonder if it is possible for her to keep that. I look at myself, how I went through all those things, the doubting, the longing to be someone different, the desire to have the approval of other people rather than the approval of ourselves. Just the other day I found myself looking in the mirror and realized my subconscious was using the time deciding all over again if I was pretty or not. What is up with that? Of course I'm pretty. We are all beautiful. Why does it seem impossible to find a girl who has escaped this path. Why do our girls especially lose their confidence and assurance in who they are, and their determination to be who they are and find joy in it? It breaks my heart. I don't ever want to see my sweet little Macy crying because she doesn't think she is pretty like so and so. I don't want her to lose the dance in her step and have it replaced with a self-conscious huddled-shouldered walk. I don't want to ever see her thinking she isn't talented or gifted. I don't ever want her to wish that she was someone else. But I wonder if that is even possible. I see all the pressures and influences that are out there right now, and I know they will only get more intense. I feel like I've got to be actively fighting back, preparing my sweet little girls who are so young, so that hopefully when the time comes that they are assaulted on all sides, they will be strong and prepared.

Kate=Mischief

A few months ago my sister would call me and tell me all the "naughty" things her little one year old was doing. It made me laugh hearing all her stories. Well, I'm not laughing anymore because Kate is so following in her footsteps (it is going to be trouble when all these girls get together, they will be getting into some serious trouble). Anyway, so the other day, I look over to see that Kate has managed to crawl out of her highchair and is sitting on top with a big smile. Not good. Two seconds later, she has crawled onto the couch (the con of having such a tall baby). Our couch sits against the railing to our stairs. I thought she'd be okay because the bottom cushions were off. Oh no. As soon as she gets on, she grabs onto the rail with both hands and starts pulling her little body up. Not good again. Now my couch has to sit away from the railing in what seems like the middle of the room. Ten minutes after the couch episode Avery yells out, "Kate's in the toilet and it has pee pees in it!" No! I run in the bathroom, relieved at first to see that she isn't actually sitting in it. But that feeling quickly passes as I realize she is EATING THE TOILET PAPER OUT OF THE TOILET, which in actuality did have pee pees in it! SICK! Sick, Sick, Sick, Sick, SICK! So needless to say, Kate is finding herself with the nickname of mischief. Good thing she is so stinking cute to neutralize the situation :)

January Moments

Carston
*While we were opening presents at Kate's birthday party, I was so happy to hear Carston announce that "he kept farting." He then proceeded to tell his friend Tanner, "Seriously! Smell the air!" Thanks Carston :)
*When we were driving home from piano one night Carston let me know his thoughts about a teaching career. "That's why I want to be something other than a teacher or a principal because I don't want to yell at kids. Like, I don't want to raise my voice. Well, you yell in the army, but not at kids. I don't want to hurt my voice."
*It was around the age of 2 that Carston started refusing to let me do anything to his hair. If I tried to spike it up or anything, he'd get mad and smoosh it back down. I bribed him for his school picture. After 4 long years I finally heard the words I'd been longing for: "Mom, can you spike my hair?" Apparently he realized how good it looked after watching his younger self on a home video!
*Carston's prayer: "Grateful we can have family home evening and learn about the gospel and learn about the things they didn't teach us at church."
*I caught Carston helping Macy and Avery work out a situation: "Avery, you can't just take it away from her because that makes her sad. Just say 'Macy, can you please give it back.' " You wonder sometimes as a parent if things are sinking in, so it always feels good to see the evidence :)
Avery
*Macy was upset and yelling because she didn't want to take a nap. Avery tried to make her feel better by saying in her sweetest voice, "Macy...You'll dream of SANTA! I just KNOW you will!"
*"I know we like some snow because some snow sparkles. Like the flat snow. It sparkles. So at our house, I try to be careful with the flat snow. I like sparkly snow."
*"When I grow up, I STILL want to be a sister!"
*"I'm going to tell you a secret! When I grow up I want to be a mommy! And I'll do the DISHES! I'll be a really good mommy because I practice everyday!"
*I don't want to go live back in heaven. It's too fun here!"
*"When I have a baby, I'm not going to let it play with my toys because it might break them."
*What does 'carried away' mean?"
*Avery is reading really well and is in the third set of books for preschool.
*Avery lined up all her ponies and cut all their hair. She likes to get out all her barbies and do their hair using insane amounts of hair product.
Macy
*When we were driving, we passed a car accident. "Oh no! They need to put a bandaid on the car! A Scooby Doo Where Are You bandaid! (Brielle gave her one the day before)"
*Macy holds the world record for shortest prayers. If we are ever running late in the morning, John knows to call on her! It was quite the surprise when she had a marathon prayer one night before bed. She wanted to recite EVERY SINGLE DETAIL of her day. She'd run out of things to say, turn to me, and ask "what else Mommy?" When I couldn't come up with anything she'd say, "NOOOOO! What else Mommy?"
*Avery was talking about Littlest Pet Shop toys and I responded with "That's cool!" To which Macy promptly said, "NOOOO! That's not cool! It's CUTE!"
*"Hi I'm a princess!" "Oh hi Princess" "NOOO! You don't say Hi! You wave like this!"
*Macy knows all her sounds for the letters.
Kate
*Kate is officially walking, and likes to see just how fast she can go!
*Kate thinks Sadie's water is her own personal swimming pool. I caught her first putting one foot in, then the other, then splashing in it with her hands, and finally sitting down right in the bowl laughing and giggling and waving her limbs around.
*Kate says "Hi Sadie" She loves her doggie. It is funny to watch her find Sadie laying somewhere because she'll back into her and sit so she can lay back on her belly. And she seriously pets her :)
*Kate has mastered the stairs to the point that I no longer have to use the gate.

What is Love?

My sister and I always joke about how different our husbands are from most of the other guys we dated back in the day. When we were young and in high school, the stereotypical displays of affection scored big points. There were dozens and dozens of love notes, flowers, obviously well-thought out dates, etc. I have to admit too that we seemed quite skilled at manipulating (don't know about that being the nicest word) our followers into producing these love tokens (we knew how to be clear about what we wanted, and we got it :). Fast forward to now. I've been married for almost 9 years, we have four kids, a dog, a house to take care of, a fridge to keep full, a sink to keep empty, a job to bring home the bacon, some seriously time-consuming church responsibilities, etc. Going into our marriage, I knew John would never win any awards for "leading romantic man." All of his love notes were occasion cards, just not the occasion we were celebrating. My valentines card was a "Get Well" card. For my birthday I received a "Sympathy" one. And it was rare that John actually signed his name. Most of my love notes from the time were from "Travis." The first time John tried to give me a flower (bought from a lady on the pier), his approach was so comical, I seriously thought he bought it as a joke for his friend Todd who happened to be with us. I think the whole event ended with him throwing the rose in the ocean. Our first kiss....I won't even go there. Let's just say we both agree it would win awards for "Least Romantic Kiss."

But here is the point. I don't have a Costco membership. John signed up with his mom before we were ever dating, and it never seemed to be a problem until the last year or so. We liked going to Costco together, it was kind of fun. But now with all the demands on our time, it is really hard to find a night we can squeeze it in. I know we need to fix this, but that is another story. So the other night I ran out of milk (I hate that I'm in that stage of life where I run out of milk). Considering everything else I needed at Costco, I decided we better make a trip. I asked John if we could pick him up for lunch and head to the Costco by his work. Nice hubby that he is, he agreed. Well, lunchtime was coming and he called. He said he'd just meet us at home, we'd go to the one down here, and that way he'd be able to help me unload it all before heading back to work. Now THAT is romantic. The kind of romantic that doesn't win awards, but leaves a bigger mark on my heart than flowery words and plants. Right before he called, I was thinking about how much I was not looking forward to unloading everything and putting it away.

We get programmed in our culture to assess love based on the things the world has deemed "romantic." But really...what is more romantic? What is a better indicator that our spouse loves us? I love my husband. I love that he changes diapers, that he does the dishes WHILE he's watching the kids so I can take care of the Young Women. I love that he goes to work everyday even though there have been times it was total misery. I love that he will drop anything to be with me when I need him. I love that not only did he not get upset with me when I backed into his car, but he felt bad that I was so upset. I love that he shares the computer and the tv :) I love that he never complains when we are having another crappy dinner. I love that he lets me put my cold feet on him at night. I love that he'll give me his jacket even though it is my own dang fault that I didn't bring one. I love that he pushes me to do things that are in my best interest. I love that he never complains about how much I like to hang out with my family. I love that he takes out the trash. I love that he'll get up in time to take Carston to school every day. I love that when he's all out of options to lift my spirits, he never fails to resort to tackling or tickling me. I'm so blessed to have such an amazing husband who loves me in the ways that truly matter.
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1. What other grown man climbs on the M&M in New York? 2. Is it really that funny when you get in my shot of the shower I like? 3. Why in the world was it so important for me to get on your shoulders? 4. I don't think any other 30 year old man had as much fun as you did in the subway-nor was there another wife more embarrassed :) 5. Do you see my frustration in trying to get a picture of us we could actually use?













(Chelsey-John no longer has legitimacy when he calls you a "poser")

Dear Miss Kate

Dear Miss Kate,
I would really appreciate it if you would stop crawling on top of the dishwasher. It struggles even without your weight atop of it. And while you're at it, do you think it would be possible to stop eating the dog's food and splashing and dumping her water all over yourself and the floor. I know Daddy would really like it if you quit stealing his toothbrush and either sucking on it or putting it in the toilet (if you can't do both, I'm sure he'd prefer you give up the toilet thing). Macy would be very happy if you stopped crawling into her room when she is trying to go to sleep. And I'd like that too because it would mean less yelling and screaming from her. Oh yeah, about feeding the dog.... It is really kind of you to share your food with others, but the pattern of one piece for you, one piece for Sadie, one piece for you, one for Sadie....I don't think that is working out. I think it makes her a bit lazy in licking up all the crumbs. What dog would go after such a lousy tidbit when they get the jackpot every time you are put in the highchair? That was supposed to be my perk in having to take care of a dog. So yeah, that one would be great if you could swing it.
Love Mommy
PS-It would also be nice if you stopped being Sadie's partner-in-crime getting into the garbage.
PSS-If you could just leave all the movies alone, that would be great as well.
PSSS-Just because something is within your insane reach doesn't mean that you have to pull it down (ie. food on the table, drinks on the table, the lamp in the girls room, Carston's homework, the piano books, Carston's legos, mommy's paperwork, etc).

Following in Grandma Robin's Footsteps

When my mom was a young lady, she was in the Junior Miss pageant. It was quite the big deal back in the day. Not only did she WIN, but she also won an award for her hairstyle which she designed herself. If I had the picture, I'd scan it for everyone to see. Her hair was a little past her shoulders, and she curled one side under and flipped the other side out. They had pictures taken from all angles to make sure it was well documented for replication. Switch over to Avery. Just like her grandma, she doesn't like to follow the crowd. Who wants to follow trends when they can start them right? I'm sure many people in my family have probably been embarrassed by some of the things she comes up with that I let her walk around in. I just can't find it in me to make her conform. I don't want her to follow the crowd or conform in other areas, so why not let her gain confidence and be happy expressing herself in her appearance? Anyway, the other day, she topped herself for sure. She came up with this little winner.

"I want this side pulled back in a ponytail, but I want this side to be down around my face. And you can put these pretty, sparkly ones in it."

So what do you think Grandma? Could this one be a prize winner?

Kate's Birthday Bash

Kate wasn't quite sure what to make of her candle or her personal birthday cake. After a taste though, she dug right in!For someone who doesn't really like cake, I always am surprised by how much I enjoy making them. I have a REALLY good recipe that uses a cake mix if anyone is interested :)

Everyone except for Kate was really excited to open her presents.

Mommy! PLEASE FIND A DAY!

This girl is SOOO ready for the potty. I keep feeling guilty remembering how the other two had accomplished the feat of potty training long before the 2 year 7 month mark. Dang preschool and 1st grade. All those trips driving to drop off and pick up sure make it hard to stay home for a day with the floor covered in plastic and towels. And dang all the after-Christmas clearance. Because those sure aren't helping either. I can't miss the Target clearance (mutiple times and multiple stores). Or the Dillards New Year's day one. Or the Kmart pj's one. Or the Barnes and Noble one. Or.......Sorry, I got distracted remembering my personal store that is nicely organized in the basement. Back to the story at hand. My little go-getter seems to be taking it upon herself. There is a chocolate chip prize for any pee-pees in the potty. At least five times in the last two days she has taken it upon herself to get her diaper off while I'm running in to find her peeing on the pot. Very exciting. However, tonight when she took off her diaper after she pooped.....NOT so exciting. I love this little girl. She has one huge independant streak that I'll have to try and keep up with!