Day 39

Good:

Today was the wedding of Lewis' cousin Nick and also officially "the most exciting day of Kylie's life." Today was the day she got to be a flower girl. She had been looking forward to this day for months and months and I'm pretty sure that she couldn't have been more excited (and more nervous) if it had been her actual wedding day. (Which.....good golly....is years and years away...I hope. I'm not ready to think about that just yet.) She looked beautiful in her red and white dress with her brand new patten leather Mary-Janes (with a heel, no less) and cute little wreath of flowers on her head. She was smiling from ear to ear as she got to walk down the aisle tossing rose petals from side to side and said she only got a "teeny" bit nervous in front of all of those people.

And that was all good and fun....but the pure comedy came later with Savannah. (Did we expect anything less.) On the drink table there were two kinds of drinks: Punch and Wine. And wouldn't you know that you could barely tell one from the other. So.....my Mother-in-law (being the wise woman that she is) told me that I might want to point out the difference out to my kids so that they didn't accidentally grab a glass of wine. I took Zach and Kylie over there and told them that if they needed a drink to take one from the area of the table marked "punch" and it was all good. Then later....as I was standing in line chatting it up with Lewis' Aunt and waiting for my chance to load hoards of hot wings onto my plate, I see, (out of the corner of my eye), Savy grab a glass from the "wine" section of the table and start heading back to sit down.(Whoopsie....guess I forgot to show Savannah where not to grab her drink from...)

Not wanting to make a scene (but still managing to make one anyway) I yell....."NOOOOOOO.....Savannah....." and go running across the lawn to intercept her before she took a big ol' swig. Then I very non-chalantly grab the glass away from her and tell her that I'll get her a new glass of punch. Later, at the table, as we were reliving the humor of it all, Lewis says to me: "What's the worst that could have happened? She would have taken a sip and found out it really wasn't what she thought it was?"

Well.....Lewis.....I prefer not to be arrested by the authorities for letting my four year old drink wine. And also......Hello??!!! She's FOUR. Four. Did we forget.....wine is NOT okay for a four year old? At any time. In any quantity.

The last little moment of humor came when it was time to give the toast. They made the announcement to gather round so that the bride and groom could toast and suddenly Savannah starts tugging on my arm..."Mom....I want some toast. Where's the toast? Will you go and get me some toast?" One would think she was a little bit tipsy....but let me re-stress.....she did NOT have a sip of the wine. I promise.

Bad:

This morning...in the wee wee hours of the morning....I was awakened three times in three hours by three different children. Are you confused? Well....I was too. I mean really....what was the deal?? After fumbling around in a sleep-deprived stupor...playing musical beds and taking care of one child after another I was ready to crawl back into bed and sleep until the cows came home. (Which would be a very long time for me seeing as we don't have any cows.) Alas....this was not to be. At 7:24 I hear this from my youngest two:

"Mom.....We're hungry."

"Then get a snack." I tell them. (Yeah....that's right. Now my dirty little secret comes out. I have been known to let my children eat goldfish to "tide them over until breakfast" at 7:24 in the morning. So sue me. I gots to survive somehow.)

Then....at 7:44

"I wanna get dressed."

"Then do it yourself." I mumble. I mean really. Who's kid's are these anyway?

And why, oh why, won't they just let me sleep???!!! I need a nanny. And a private chef. And some Ambien.....for me ( and maybe for the kids so that they won't keep waking up at all hours of the night!)

Is that so much to ask?

Ugly:

Oh.my.good.heck.

Today I was flipping through the channels of boring old Saturday T.V when I came across the marathon of a show called "Hoarders" on A&E.

Well.......5 hours later I was sufficiently horrified, disgusted, and dry-heaved out! I have never, ever, in all my years seen a show so terrible, horrifying, and strangely intriguing at the same time. One lady (among the many that I saw....like I said.....it was a marathon) had so many cats that when they came into the house to remove the cats they found over Seventy-Five cats! (That's right people.....not a typo....SEVENTY-FIVE cats.) And that's not even including the number of dead cat carcasses and skeletons that they found as they were cleaning the house.

Well.I.never.

I couldn't help but watch in a strange "can't look away from a car crash" sort of way. It was just so beyond anything I had ever seen before. And it was slightly terrifying because many of these people had not been hoarders all their life, but then something set them off and BAM! They were collecting crap and garbage and cats like it was no body's business. It left me wondering....could I possibly have the hoarding gene inside me just waiting to rear it's ugly head and send me on a downward spiral of collecting randomness and junk?

If you'll excuse me....I think I have some organizing to do.....

09.12.09

Day 38

Bad:

Sigh. I'm afraid we've come to the end of an era....a "nap" era, if you will. After weeks upon weeks of no naps for either Savy and Braden, I'm pretty sure that ship has sailed. And I'm a little bit bitter about it....to say the least. I mean, Zachary napped until he was a whoppin' FIVE years old! Yeah, that's right....my oldest was napping when he was still in Kindergarten. (Granted, he woke up at the butt crack of dawn, but still.....) I keep thinking that Braden is too young to give up his naps, but in all honesty, he is three years old. And that's a pretty respectable age to give up naps, I guess. I'm just not quite sure that I'm ready to give up my naps. I'm pretty sure that the neighbors would frown upon me letting my kinds wander the streets while I curled up in my bed and slept the afternoon away. Then again....maybe not. I'm sure they've got my back.....

Good:

Today was Savannah's first day of preschool.....and it couldn't have come a moment too soon. Why must preschool and Kindergarten start two weeks after the regular school year starts? That's just cruel and unusual punishment for a little child who's used to having her siblings and friends around to play with. Especially when that little child is Savannah who is OLD for her age to begin with and spends the whole day following me around, talking my ear off, and just plain being BORED. She was SO excited to be able to go to Mrs. Wall's preschool again....and being one of the oldest, basically got to run the show.....that girl is BOSSY I tell you, but oh-so-

smart!

Today will also go down in the history books as my "first day of eating sushi." Things got a little freaky-deaky when I stepped out of my comfort zone and suggest to Lewis that this is what I wanted to have for dinner. I went pretty low key for the first time....not too daring.....only getting a California roll. BUT, I did try some of Lewis' and found that I quite liked it and can't wait until I get a little more bold with my sushi tastes. Bring on the raw fish, baby!

(Never mind. Strike that. I changed my mind.)

I'm not that freaky yet.......

Day 37

Good:

For the past several months, one of the major roads that you use to get on the freeway from Springville has been under construction. This poses a serious pain-in-the-butt problem when needing to go to Wal-Mart for a couple of reasons. First, one must go the back way to get there, (which is not such a big deal, but still.....pain in the butt.) The other reason is that every time we get in the vicinity of the road that is closed down, Braden starts begging for me to drive by and see the construction vehicles. This wouldn't be so bad if it happened when I was driving to Wal-Mart seeing as Wal-Mart is evil and I rarely visit that place, but Savy's gymnastics class is right by Wal-Mart and so on Thursday every dang week this is Braden....

"Mommy......look.....a backhoe. A dump truck. A paver. Let's go see them. Can we please drive over there and see them?"

And every week I make an excuse....."I'm in a hurry. That road is closed so we can't go through. They won't let us go over there. All backhoes, dump trucks, and pavers have broken down....." (Did I say I make up an excuse? Making up a lie is more like it!)

So, today after I dropped Savy off at gymnastics, I had nothing better to do than make my little boys day. First, I braved all of the construction traffic and drove right through the midst of all the equipment so that I could get on the freeway. Well....if that wasn't the most exciting day of his life, I don't know what was. Then, we rode the freeway to the next exit, got off and what do you think was right there on the side of the road? Well.....if you guessed a paver, then you guessed correctly. So, like the most excellent Mom that I am, I pulled off the side of the road and let him look at it 'til his hearts content. It was exciting, let me tell ya......all black and covered with tar....the highlight of my day for sure. Then we flipped around at a stoplight and went past the paver AGAIN and got on the freeway a second time and exited off that construction exit so that "B" could see the equipment for a second time. Mother of the year? Yeah, I'm pretty certain I made it this year. I'm pretty certain that I just made his day a little bit brighter. The only question I have is this:

"Why do we keep spending all of this money taking Braden to Disneyland when he is perfectly content to watch construction equipment for free?"

Bad:

There is a strange phenomenon in my house. It involves four little kids, one Mom and food/drinks that are no longer my own. I can no sooner sit down to eat a plate of food, (whether it's delicious or downright mediocre), before they start milling around like birds waiting to be fed. What is so appealing about a Mother's food? Or any other person's food for that matter. My dad comes over for lunch at my house every Tuesday and this is one of our most common statements to each other: "We could be eating a T-U-R-D and still, they would want some!"

(Why the freakish spelling of the word turd, you might ask? I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the fact that if we said it out loud they would say, "A turd. What's a turd? Is it good? I want some?" So we continue to spell the word to each other. One day they'll wise up, I'm sure.....but maybe by then they'll stop eating my dang food!!)

Some days I can use this to my advantage....especially with the two younger kids. Do I want my kids to eat their fruits and veggies? Then pull out the baby carrots,apples and ice water to snack on, and before I know it they're filling their stomachs with the likes. But some days I want to hide in my closet and eat my coveted piece of cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory and not share it....BY DANG.....it's MINE. It's a double edged sword. So excuse me while I slip into the bathroom with my Hostess ding dongs.....I've got some eatin' to do.....IN PRIVATE!

Thankyouverymuch.

09.10.09

Day 36

Bad:

I woke up this morning to five, count them, FIVE mosquito bites on my hind end. My derriere. My tush. My rectus endus. (I'm quite certain I just made that word up.) My butt. Some little pesky bug must have had a hay day in my pants while I slept and I was none the wiser. Dang.....those bad boys really itch. And unless my name is Homer Simpson, they are not in a location where I would like to be caught scratching. And not to deter you with a horrible mental image or anything, but have you ever tried to put Calamine lotion on your own butt. Yeah. Not the easiest task and not the prettiest picture. I shall end with that. And try to resist the urge to scratch. It.is.driving.me.mad.

Doh.

Good:

And now the continuation in what has become "The Smarshmallow Saga" around our house. Awoke this morning, and yep, you guessed it, the dog was still on our lawn. Mangy, dirty, calm....just begging to be pet with a stick or washed off with cold hose water. When the kids went outside to get on the bus they were simultaneously overjoyed to see the dog and saddened because they knew what was going to happen. Kylie looks at me with tears in her eyes and says" Promise Mom....Promise that you won't call the police to come and take away Marshmallow."

Oh mercy. What was I supposed to say to that??!! So I promised....(but not before I crossed my fingers behind my back.) What was up with this dog? Why was he attracted to my house? Why was he willing to put up with kids, and noise, and chaos, and all things Nuttall. And why wouldn't he just leave already?

Well, by lunchtime the dog had not moved and I was at this point, quite frankly, worried that the dog was going to die on my lawn and then I would have a REALLY big mess on my hands. So......not wanting to break a promise to my daughter, I walked over to the neighbor's house and made her call the police. See.....I didn't break my promise. Since the policeman was right in the area he was there in minutes and he knew exactly who the dog belonged to. Within 15 minutes of calling the police, someone was at my doorstep picking up Marshmallow and being very grateful and relieved that we had called in the first place. (Apparently it was someone who was dog sitting and the dog escaped and she was in full blown panic mode. I would be too. I mean, it's not like you can run out and replace a dog and try to pull a fast one over on the owners.....like I wanted to do when I killed my Dad's parakeet. I didn't, mind you, but I could have.) But I digress. Marshmallow's babysitter was overjoyed to see the dog. She informed me that the dogs name was Sammy (see kids, I told you it was an average name) and promptly took the dog home for what I assume was a bath, a gourmet meal, and plenty of lovin'. (Gee....that kinda sounds like a couple of dates I've been on. ) And I was left feeling like I had done my civic duty for the day..... Except I didn't make the call.... And I let the poor dog starve on my lawn for two days...... And my kids tried to give it a bath with freezing cold water...... But other than that, I totally rocked it. The question is.....will Kylie ever talk to me again?

(Geez.....I don't see why not. I'm not the one who made that call....right?) Fare -the- well Smarshmallow/Marshmallow/Sammy......we will remember you always.

09.09.09

Day 35

Good:

What's {almost} as good as becoming a Mom? Becoming an Aunt. (In some ways it's better because I get to hold, snuggle and love a brand new baby and then leave him with his Mama and go home and sleep through the night.) Today my Sister-in-law (Aubree) had the cutest, sweetest, tiniest baby boy Macoy.... and I couldn't be more excited for her. No really. I'm not quite sure I have been more excited for someone that I know to have a baby. He was a long time coming and will make a perfect addition to their family. And did I mention how cute he is?Seriously. Oh the cuteness. And so stinkin' tiny. He weighed 5 lbs. 13 oz. and is a perfect little bundle of bliss. And I'm going to admit something.......for the first time since I've decided to be done having kids.....I got a little teary about it. Not that I regret my decisions or anything, but it made me think back to having my own kids. Kylie weighed exactly what Mac weighs and for a minute it made me think back to the tiny little baby girl that she was and reflect on how quickly she has grown and how fast time is passing.....And now I'm getting all weepy and depressing. Let's just say this: I am glad to have baby Mac join this crazy family and look forward to watching him grow. Enough said.

Bad:

Here is an ode to my poor, pet- less children. They are deprived of any joy and happiness that a pet can bring them because their Mom (and Dad.....I'm not taking all the blame on this one) just don't want pets in the house. I'm not quite sure what's wrong with me (I mean, us.) I mean, my parents let us have any and every pet within reason. Mice, gerbils, birds, cats, dogs, rabbits.....you name it, we had it at one time or another. I'm pretty sure that if we could have gotten a hold of a few hippogriffs we would have had those too. (Shout out to all my fellow Harry Potter nerds.....holla.) Alas, I am a pet Scrooge. And today that was made abundantly clear.

This morning while the kids were outside punking around and waiting for the school bus, they noticed a stray dog laying on our lawn. The dog was white.....(was being the operative word.) It was very, very dirty and very, very calm (which is a big plus in my kid's books as they are slightly terrified of dogs that are crazy or jump up on you.) and all it proceeded to do was lay around on our lawn. The kids tried to pet it with a stick. (Like I said.....dirty dog.) Then they proceeded to try to give it a bath with the hose. This is where I caught them in the act.

Calling Zach and Kylie over to the front porch.....

Me: " WHAT are you guys doing to the poor dog?"

Them: "Giving it a bath. It's dirty. See how dirty it is?"

Me: "Yeeeesssss. I see. However, are you a little bit chilly waiting outside for the bus to come?"

Them: "Yes."

Me: "Well.....how would you like it if I tried to wash you off with the hose?"

Them: Silence.( And point taken.)

So, thus far the poor dog had been pet with a stick and washed off with cold hose water. Lovely. (This is the exact reason I am not prepared to be a pet mommy. I have to babysit my own children.) Then, as Zach and Kylie get on the bus they yell "Mom....make sure you take care of Marshmallow!!!"

What the? Now they've named it. Oh crap. I may be up a creek with this one. So I wait and wait for the dang dog to leave. But it doesn't. All it wants to do is lay in the sun on my lawn and look so pathetic and hopeless and hungry and I can't do a dang thing about it! I am very hesitant to feed it because 1. I don't have any dog food and 2. I'm not quite sure I want the dog to think this is home. So I wait some more. Mostly I am waiting until the people who just moved in get home from work because I am thinking that "Marshmallow" belongs to them. So the kids get home from school and they are beyond overjoyed to find their dog still here. Marshmallow is starting to become a family name. They spend the afternoon outside petting the calm as calm can be dog (without a stick this time....I guess they got a little more brave) and plotting as to how they can convince me to the keep the dang thing! When the neighbors get home from work they quickly run over there only to find out that the dog DOES NOT belong to them. Crappity crap. Now their little brains start plotting. And at dinner time it becomes abundantly clear what they want me to do:

Them: "Mom....can"t we just keep Marshmallow? She's a good dog. We'll take care of her. We'll love her. Just you wait and see."

Me: "No you cannot keep Marshmallow. That dog belongs to somebody else. What if you guys had a dog (when hell freezes over) and that dog ran away and some other little boys and girls decided to keep your dog? Would you like that? I don't think so. And while I'm at it: Marshmallow? Really? Is that the best you can do? It's real name is probably something normal like Sam, or Max.

Braden: "But we love Smarshmallow."

(And right then and there I had half a mind to keep the dog so that I could listen to Braden call it "Smarshmallow" every day.) But I had to be strong.....

Me: "Kids....we need to find out who that dog belongs to. If it's not gone from our lawn by tomorrow morning I'm going to have to call the police and have them come and pick her up."

Them: Silence. (No really. Pure Silence.) And Oh.....were they MAD at me.......

Kylie didn't talk to me for the rest of the night. There were moans and groans of course, but mainly silence. And super mad kids. Mad at a Mom who just won't back down and let them keep the dang dog already. Mad because they wanted a pet and "Smarshmallow" fit the bill. Mad because the police would come and take their beloved dog away and who knows what would happen to her from there.

Like I said......I'm up crap creek. And those paddles? They're LONG gone.

09.08.09

Day 34

Bad:

Anyone who knows me will be the first to say that I am a very independent woman. That Destiny's Child song......"all the women who are independent, throw your hands up at me"......could have been written about me. Really. And I rarely admit defeat. However, today I shall wave that white flag and admit.....Taking four kids by ones self to a self-proclaimed "relaxing" destination has turned out to be one of the least relaxing things I have ever done. I am a mother. I know how hard it can be to be alone with four children. I've done it before. But seriously, I was unprepared for how draining this was going to be on me. Here's what I heard approximately 4 million times at the pool today: "Mom, watch this. Mom watch me. Mom, see this cool trick that I can do." And let's not talk about the number of times that I had to take Savy and B to the bathroom. I swear......their pores absorb pool water. Well.....either that or their drinking it down like a sailor. (I prefer to imagine the former.) Also, it was virtually impossible to sit by the pool,read my book, and relax and enjoy. Maybe I'm just having a crappy day. Maybe my crappy night of sleep added to my crappy mood. Maybe I'm being a crappy Mom......but hey, at least I tried. Is it time to go home yet?

Good:

Well hello bed. I missed you. How's about you wrap your soft, comforting, loving arms around me and lull me into the perfect slumber. Oh yeah. That's gooooood.

The best part of coming home from vacation? Sleeping in my rockin' bed!

09.07.09

Day 33

Bad:

Being the only people in the St. George condo pretty much means we get the run of the place, but since we were only spending two nights there, and since I didn't want to spend all of my time cleaning, and since I'm kinda lazy that way......I decided that the kids and I would all stay in the same room. Uh yeah. Pretty much not my greatest idea. Whenever I stay anywhere.....whether it be a four star hotel or camping.....I can plan on the first night of sleep being pretty terrible. There is really no exception to this. It's just the way it is. However, why I decided to spend my first "terrible" night in the company of my four children and their wicked sleep habits is beyond me. Let me just say.......not the greatest night of sleep I've ever had. We had a little bit of sleep walking, a little bit of sleep talking, a Mom who heard every rustle, grunt and groan, and children who woke up at the butt crack of dawn. Made for a pretty awesome night of sleep.....(in my dreams.) Here's to night two and a better night of sleep. Or perhaps some Tylenol PM.

Good:

I really, truly am in love with St. George. I love the relaxation that it provides for me whenever I visit. (Well, with the exception of the above sleeping saga.) For the most part, days in St. George are filled with sitting by the pool, snacking, and soaking up the sun....you know, the usual. Today we did just that. Here is our routine: Up and at 'em (at the butt crack of dawn) and breakfast down the hatches. Then, dressed in swimsuits, pool bag packed with a sundry of really unhealthy,( but definitely delicious and necessary), snacks (what's a pool party without the Funyuns?) , books to be read, flip flops on and out the door to the pool. Then we swim. And get out of the pool and dry off. And eats snacks. And hop in the pool again. And then out again for some sunning and reading. Then more snacks. Then a lunch break, more swimming, more snacking, more sunning and then the icing on the cake? Really, really, water-logged, sun soaked, purely exhausted children (and mama) which makes for a most excellent nights sleep. Peace at last.

09.06.09

Day 32

Good:

Labor Day weekend and what's a girl to do? Lewis had Burgers Supreme catering events all weekend long, which ruled out going and doing anything fun as a family. So......I bit the bullet and decided to take the kids to St. George BY MYSELF. Four kids, little ol' me and a whole weekend ahead of us. We had a family event on Saturday morning, which postponed my leaving until Saturday afternoon, but with no school on Monday we'd be okay. We'd just sit by the pool, eat snacks, relax, watch movies-you know, the usual St. George itinerary. I was slightly nervous to drive to St. George all by myself.....mainly because I NEVER drive (I make Lewis do the dirty work) and all I ever do is read my book and sleep......both of which I could NOT do if I was driving myself and the four little wild ones down. After a quick stop to load up on plenty 0'snacks (and a Five hour energy shot for moi-again, couldn't have any sleeping on the job) we were ready to head down. The ride was pretty uneventful. The kids are all really good travelers....they just watch movies or sleep. (Plus we make the trip to St. George so frequently it's really nothing to them.) But here is the highlight of the trip........because I was the one in charge, and I was the sole driver and adult of the car, I got to pick the music that was listened to......and here's the clincher......I got to listen to said music AS LOUD AS I WANTED. And the cherry on top? I got to sing along to the songs at the top of my lungs and NO ONE said anything about it. (Take that Lewis.....you singing-along-to-songs-SCROOGE!) And just in case you're wondering......I should really be a professional play-list maker. Man......I sure do know how to put a good play list together. Not to toot my own horn or anything.......but my taste in music pretty much rocks. So, in case you ever need anyone to put a kick-a play list together for you, I'm your gal! No seriously. I really am. I'm that good. Toot. Toot.

Bad:

Here are the questions that are running through my mind as I sit in the St. George condo by myself (well....with my four kids too, but you know what I mean.....)

Will I be okay alone with four kids by myself?

Will I want to lose my mind?

Will I be patient enough to handle all the ups and downs? (After the trip to Wal-Mart tonight to stock up on supplies, I'm pretty sure that I can confidently answer this question with a resounding NO.)

Will I be able to keep the children entertained?

Will I be able to watch all the kids at the pool by myself?

What if I have to take Savy to the St. George Insta-care for the umpteenth time, what will I do with the other kids?

Will I eat myself sick and gain 5 lbs. ?

Would watching a show about a serial killer who kills serial killers while staying in the condo all by myself be such a good idea?

Will I get any sleep at all if I share a room with ALL of my kids?

These questions and many others remains to be seen. I guess the next few days will hold the answers to these riveting questions and many others. I'm on the edge of my seat with anticipation....and I'm sure you are too.( No really.....this is pretty exciting stuff right here.)

09.05.09

Day 31

Bad:

Have I ever told you the story about how I scarred my child for life and caused her to have severe claustrophobia and a fear of being locked in places. Well.....I did. Unintentionally, mind you.....but I did nonetheless. We are not "spankers" in our house. We don't believe in it. So naturally, our most preferred method of discipline is a good old fashioned "time out." About a year ago I started to notice that whenever Savy would go into time out she would flip out. I mean, the girl would go ape and cry and scream and I would often think to myself, "Wow. That punishment is really effective." (Chalk one up to Mom.) It wasn't until a few months later when she refused to go to a friend's birthday party because he had child proof things on all of his doorknobs in his house, (and she was scared that she couldn't get out of the house) that I realized "Oh.my.gosh. She's got one of those child proof things on her doorknob on the inside of her room." (You know, so she couldn't let herself out of time out.) So......basically what I was doing was causing her pure pain, terror, and torture every time she went into her room for a timeout because she thought she was never going to get out of the room again. ( I'm a mean Mom, but c'mon. I'm not that mean.) Hence the really hysterical, "I think I'm going to die" crying every time she went to time out. (Yes....I'm pretty sure I'll be paying her therapy bills in several years.) So now.....every time she goes to timeout (yes, still using that method of punishment) I make sure that I leave the door open and make her sit on the bed.

Well.....today we were having one of "those days." And usually if I threaten timeouts it'll whip her right into shape (again, having scarred her for life and all that jazz) but today? No go. She was being naughty and she knew it. So? I whisked her right to time out and made her lay on her bed while I put Braden down for his afternoon nap. There were tears, (lots of them), and screams and hysteria and then? Nothing. So I look in her room and wouldn't you know it.....she had fallen asleep on her bed. So naturally, feeling like the most horrific mom in the world and realizing that I further have scarred her for life by letting her cry herself to sleep, I kissed her, covered her with a blanket and slowly tip-toed out of her room lest I wake the sleeping beast. I mean, I was sad and all......but two sleeping kids? That's a Christmas Miracle.

Good:

Let me reiterate: TWO SLEEPING KIDS (at once). Both of them napped for 2 1/2 hours and can I just say, the silence was loverly! It was almost like I didn't know what to do with myself. Who are we kidding.....I didn't know what to do with myself. Should I clean? Veg on the couch? Eat treats that I keep hidden from kids? Organize? Waste time on the computer? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And Yes. I got a momentary glimpse into my future and all I can say is IT WAS FABULOUS.

09.04.09

Day 30

Good:

Tonight Lewis had to work late at work..... so as soon as I put the kiddos to bed I was able to start my date with my favorite serial killer: Dexter Morgan. It was just him, me, and my cherry limeade and oh baby.........life was gooooooood! I know I am sick and twisted. I know that the Showtime drama "Dexter" should not have such a hold on me, but man......it does. Whoever thought that a show about a serial killer who kills (what else) serial killers would be so DANG addictive? Who ever thought that I would be rooting for a serial killer and praying he doesn't get caught? Not I, says the little pig.....yet I find myself loving every second of that show. Maybe there is something wrong with me after all?????


Bad:

The brownies and I had a stand-off and the brownies won.

Me:0
Brownies: 1

Why is losing weight so hard? Why is dieting such a &*$#! ?{Insert handy expletive here.}
Why can I never resist the lovely, gooey, chocolaty powers of a brownie????

I am so shamed.
And 30 pounds overweight.
Suck.

09.03.09

Day 29

Bad:

Dare I even say this? Should I even put this out there? I know it's only (September 2nd.)* I know I have a good month and a half before things start to cool down, but really.....I think I am ready for that. GASP. Now we all know the "love" that I have for the Winter season. (And by "love" I mean really, really intense hatred.) I don't like the snow. I hate to be cold. All the days start to feel the same. (Of course, the Winter brings Christmas.....which I love.....my Anniversary.....and Valentine's day.....but can't we do that without all the snow and cold? ) So, that brings me back to the beginning. Did I really just say that I'm ready for things to cool down? Well.....today I am. Mostly because I am sick of kids being outside all day. I am sick of kids knocking on my door asking to play. I am sick of not knowing where my kids are at any given moment. I am sick of my kids trying to beg snacks off neighbors. I am sick of neighbors trying to beg snacks off me. I am sick of kids asking to play inside the house when it is a beautiful day and they should be playing outside because in a month and a half they will not be able to play outside anymore. (Phew.....how's that for a run-on sentence.) I think mostly, though, I just want my kids by me. I want them to be content playing with each other for awhile. I want to hunker down in my house with a blanket, a lovely beverage and a good book and have my kids do the same.

Is that too much to ask? I don't think so.

*Actual date I'm journaling about

Good:

Well, what initially started out as a bad thing, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The other day I was gnawing down some good old fashioned cinnamon bears......(I mean I was pounding those bad boys)......when I felt something funny. When I pulled the half-chewed cinnamon bear out of my mouth there was my crown staring me straight in the face. (Yes, that's right. I have a false tooth. Don't judge. Just blame it on my crack-pot, crook of a dentist who had me get a root canal when one probably wasn't necessary. But NO......I'm not bitter or anything.) So.....I called my current dentist (not the crack-pot) straightway and scheduled an appointment to have that bad boy glued back on.......or at least that's what I thought.......
Well, long story short.......there was some decay under the crown, but it was just tiny, so he was able to fix it in no time at all, glue that bad boy on, and I was good to go.....Crisis adverted. Gosh I'm so glad my current dentist isn't a greedy crook!

09.02.09

Day 28

Good:

Sometimes a little piece of inspiration just comes out of the blue. Or in this case.....on the container of the Daisy sour cream. Have you ever bought a tub a Daisy sour cream? Well....not only is their low-fat sour cream the best in the west, fo' shizzle, but apparently they also market toward people looking for a little tidbit to brighten their day. When you open a brand new package....right there, under the lid on the aluminum seal that keeps all the wackos from poisoning your food, is printed little snip- its of motivation. This is what mine said today when I opened the sour cream for "taco night."

"Little acts of kindness can add up to a lifetime of happiness."


Poignant, huh? But really, when you think about it, so very true. And then.....to top it all off, my dear sweet husband made a Cherry Limeade for his tired, worn out wife tonight and he DIDN'T EVEN MAKE HIMSELF ONE. So, not only did I get the very best Cherry Limeade in the world ('cause really? NO ONE makes them better than him) but a reminder that sometimes the little things make all the difference in the world.
And imagine.....him making me a lovely beverage on the exact day that I came across this quote. It was, like, fate or something.


Bad:

So I'm just going to put this out there: WHAT IS IT WITH MY KIDS WHENEVER I GET ON THE PHONE??!!?? Seriously. They act like little monsters every time I try to have a conversation. And believe me, they are not picky. Whether I am having a conversation with the Sears repair man or my best friend they act the same. They are pretty much equal opportunity monsters. And to top it all off.....they must have phone radar or something. They can be outside playing it up with their friends and I will get on the phone ready to have a long, juicy conversation with my sister or bff and suddenly there they are crowding around, maybe one or two of them screaming their heads off, asking for snacks and whining and just acting like little savages.
I have tried EVERYTHING. I have snapped my fingers and pointed ( as if you say, "shut your yapper") like my dear old Mom used to do.....but to no avail. I have locked myself in my room to try and get some peace and quiet, but all that happens when I do this is the kids panic and scream and cry and try to kick my door down. I have given into to all their crazy antics of asking for brownies at 8:00 in the morning and letting them drink all of my morning diet coke.....but still.....IT PERSISTS. It's almost like they can't stand to have my attention taken away from them for one little second. What can I do? I'm at my wit's end. And quite frankly, I'm sure the Sears's repair man is wondering just what kind of psycho kids I'm raising over here......
09.01.09

Day 27

Bad:

Remember how I said I have a "following through with things" problem? I am starting to wonder if I am ever going to catch up on this journal/blog. Now what I'm going to say is probably not going to make sense to anyone but me (and I'm starting to wonder if it's going to make sense to me) but I'm going to say it anyway. As I sit and write this today, it is 10.10.09. The date that I am currently journaling about is 08.31.09. When I wrote this down in my journal that I jot my ideas down in I was 20 days behind on my journaling. (That was back in August.) Right now.....who knows how many days I am behind.....I don't want to count, it's too depressing. Suffice it to say: I am really, really behind. But, my fellow readers, don't dismay. I HAVE NOT given up. Mostly because I actually DO want to follow through with something. I am always saying that this blog is mainly for me.....a way for me to journal daily that I will actually DO. And once it is under control, journaling about one good thing, one bad thing, once a day is totally manageable. That's why I am doing this for me.....and no matter how behind I get I will keep on keepin' on so that for once in my life......I can have said I actually followed through with something.

Confused? Yeah. Me too.

Good:

Nothing does this Mama's heart more proud than seeing what good little readers I have produced. They are definitely their Mother's children. (Sorry Lewis, but I can count on one hand the books that you have read while we've been married. I know it's not your thing....that's fine with me.) Lately, the two younger kids have been taking a real interest in reading and having me read books to them and I am constantly reminding myself to sit down, chill out, and read them a book when they ask. I love it that Braden has finally reached the age where he can settle down for long enough to sit through a story or two.....even if it is the same old book time and time again. I love it that Savy will sit on the couch with a pile o' books on her lap and read for hours and hours. (Hmmmm.......sounds like someone I know VERY WELL. Only this Mama wishes she had more time to do just that.) I love it that all of my kids think that taking a trip to the Library is almost as good as taking a trip to Disneyland. (Okay, not quite, but it's definitely better than taking a trip to the Carney.) I hope that this love for reading will just grow and grow and continue and continue......

08.31.09

Day 26

Good:

Today is the second Sunday in a row that I have had a Sunday nap. Now, we've already established how much I love me a good nap, but I especially LURVE me a Sunday nap. Why you might ask? Because I don't get it often enough. My days on Sundays are CRAZY, and without me getting into the whole spiel let's just say that most Sundays you'll find me muttering" A day of rest? Yeah right." First things first, let's clear this little bit of information up.....when I say nap......I mean NAP in the most literal sense. No tricky word-play and innuendos here.....No "Afternoon Delight" if you catch my drift......A NAP. No more. No less. Secondly......did I tell you how much I love naps? I did? Oh well. I do. I'd take a literal "nap" over the figurative "nap" any day......it's just how I roll.


Bad:

Let's just clear this up straight-away. Sleeping until 7:24 a.m is NOT my idea of sleeping in. Especially when my church starts at the horrible hour of 1:00 p.m and I have NO GOOD REASON to be up at the butt crack of dawn on a Sunday morning. Can someone just throw me a bone for ONCE and make my children SLEEP IN! (Maybe a little Benadryl....huh? Huh? Just kidding. I jest......kinda.) This morning I was so rudely awoken by coughing children which most of the time I have sympathy for but was at the end of my rope because the coughs had been lingering.....and lingering......and lingering. (Cue Cranberries song here: "Do you have to let it linger. Do you have to let it linger?") You know when someone that you love dearly has a hacking cough and they just cough and cough and it gets on your very last nerve? (Please tell me I'm not the only one with this problem?) Well, after two weeks of listening to FOUR kiddos with the coughs.....I have had enough! Why, oh why, did they ever take that good cough syrup that doctor's used to prescribe off the market? Some people that insist on abusing things like that and accidentally OD'ing their child just have to go and ruin it for the rest of us! It's going to be a very long day. I can just tell.

08.30.09

Day 25

Good:

Today we had Lewis' company party up in Park City at the Olympic Park. Now, you might think of me as less of a Utahan with what I'm going to admit to you. From time to time, I forget that SLC actually hosted the winter Olympics. In 2002, I was in a stage of my life where I had two young kids, a husband in school, and not even a second to breathe, let alone relish in our little states "moment of glory." I participated in the Olympic festivities exactly ONE time by heading up to SLC to go and see the Bare Naked Ladies in concert and what I remember more about that night was after I came home and Zach and I got the stomach flu and we laid in my bed and took turns throwing up all night. I guess you could say I really didn't get into the Olympic "spirit." Well......that being said, you can automatically assume that I have never been to the Olympic Park in Park City. Why? I'm not quite sure.....we just haven't. So naturally we were all excited to go up there and spend the day and see what the park had to offer. Plus.....the park was being reserved and so only employees and their families would be there and also......his company paid for everyone to have unlimited rides on the zip line, bob-sleds, alpine slides, bounce houses and so forth. We had a fun day doing a couple of those things. (We wished we could have done more, but the lines were waaaaayyyyy long and plus the age of some of our children limited us.) The very highlight of the night came after the terribly mediocre dinner we had (during which Lewis and I critiqued the catering company and listed the ways in which Burgers Supreme catering could have done a better job. Sorry. But it's true.) when we got to watch the Ariel ski jumpers put on their show. It really was quite amazing and impressive and a good time was had by all especially Braden who cried hysterically when the show was over because he didn't want it to end.....Then he promptly added "Ariel ski jumper" to his list of current career aspirations.....and hung the poster on his wall where he can look at it every day and talk about the day that he gets to become a ski jumper.


Bad:

Only one teensy, tiny little blemish on an otherwise great day occurred when my family was waiting up at the top of the mountain for the chairlift to take us back down. The kids and I rode to up there to see if we could convince Z-man to go down the zip line with Kylie and Dad, but after seeing the height and speed he promptly backed out. (And I don't blame him. His dear old Mother has a fear of heights and only just recently has become better at stepping out of my comfort level.) Well......for some reason they had this wacky rule that would only allow one chair full of people going down at a time. So we had to stand there and wait for the chair to get all the way to the bottom before someone was allowed to load again. Pain in the butt, but oh well. What can I do about it? So I'm standing there trying to be patient and this lady and her child, and what I assume to be the child's grandma get in line behind me. And then the complaints start. "Why do we have to wait in line? Why do we have to only let one chair go at a time." You know.....those sorts of things that really don't matter, yet some people can't help complain about. Pretty soon it's Zach's turn to get on the lift. (I was having him and Braden ride together so that I could ride with Savy, and plus.....I trust Zach implicitly. I had no doubts for Braden's safety.) So I am standing across the way from them and the lift operator (who I'll admit was a total tool) is standing by them and I say, "Could you just help him lift the little guy on there? (referring to Braden)" and he looks at me and says, "Am I allowed to do that? Lift him on there, I mean?"


Well at that moment the chair swings around for them to get on and Zach is trying to lift Braden up and get him on the chair and the chair lift operator (punk) is still humming and hawing over the fact that I asked him to DO HIS JOB and debating whether or not he is "allowed" to help kids on the chairlift because of liability reasons. (Like a said: a total tool.) But that is beside the point, because now the lady that was in line behind me goes into full blown PANIC-MODE and she rushes over to Zach and Braden and plops Braden on the chairlift and tries to get the bar down for them but is too late and the chair just takes off down the mountain. And she screams, at the very top of her lungs behind them...."Hold on to him.....hold on to him. (referring to Braden)" And down the mountain they go. And I am left at the tops to deal with the likes of her.

So she looks over at me and says, "Those weren't your children?" (emphasis on the question, but she knows darn well they were my kids.) "No, they're mine, " I respond. "Well.....you're awfully calm, "she says back to me. "Um yeah. The situation was under control. And you, quite frankly, are stressing ME out.....and I NEVER get stressed." I respond back. Well if that didn't shut her up quickly. But then I overhear this little nugget that the Grandma says to her Grandson...."Don't be scared.....your Mama's going to put you on the lift because she's a good Mom......she won't anything happen to you because she loves you."

Shut.The.Front.Door.
Can you believe the nerve of some people? Here's what I should have said back to her, but hey, I'm non-confrontational:


{Talking to the one and a half year old} "Sure, your Mom's a good Mom, but watch out. She'll probably wipe your butt until your 8. Also, good luck the first time you fall off your bike. And I hope you really love her, because I'm pretty sure she's going to be escorting you to your Senior Prom."

Geesh. Some people.

08.29.09

Day 24

Good:

So I have decided to jump on the couponing band wagon. I know....how cliche, huh? It seems like it is all the rage these days, and who of us couldn't stand to save a few bucks every now and again? When my sister was in town I had her help me get all organized and show me the ins and outs of the couponing world.....and today I set out on my own to spread my wings and fly......and I was terrified! I had my list of items to buy.....my coupons to go with them.....and the place in which to go to receive some stellar deals. I just wasn't sure I had the cojones to go through with it. (Looking back I don't know what I was so afraid of. I probably worried that some cashier at Walgreen's would call me out on all my great deals, tell me that NO I could not get this chap stick for free, and send me on my merry way.) Plus, couponing can be kind of complicated. I mean, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out, but there is a little bit of a learning curve. Trust me. So......I stood there in line with what I lovingly refer to as "butt sweat" (Thanks Jenny for that term) running down my derriere and my stomach in knots, but guess what? I DID IT!
Now, before ya'll go off and all me some kind of crazy coupon lady.....let me explain just a couple of things. No, I do not make a list of all my deals and post them on my blog and facebook account. No, I do not fight with cashiers to save a couple of cents. No, I do not drive all around the town looking for the one Walgreen's that still has that free baby lotion (okay, I may have done that once, but I quickly learned my lesson. I do not have time for those sort of antics.) I have, however, been able to save about $100 a month, by doing my part......what little it is. And hey, maybe one day before you know it......I will become a crazy coupon lady. But as for now, I'm just happy that today I was able to get something like $48 worth of items for $7 and some change!

Bad:

So I'll admit it. I'm a pushover. And probably not the strictest of Mom's. And I probably let my kids get away with too much. But I'll just say this.......sometimes you just have to pick your battles. Does your son want to wear the same outfit for three days in a row? Does it really matter if he does? I mean, other than smelling a little rank, what's it going to hurt? It is this exact frame of mind that has got me into trouble and now I am trying to discipline my two sassin' kids and lay down the law and boy.....it is NOT pretty. Today I switched from "go-with-the-flow-laid-back-mom" to "drill-Sargent-you-will-jump-when-I-say-jump-mom." It was a rude awakening for Braden and Savy when they found themselves in time -out three times BEFORE 8:30 in the morn. (I told you, I was laying down the law today. No joke.) I guess what I am really trying to curb is their tendency to talk back. I can take most anything with a grain of salt.....but that talking back and whining? OHHHHHH.....that really gets my goat. So today, a little tough love was in order. Now what remains to be seen is if they can take me seriously. I am SO not the drill sargent type.

08.28.09

Day 23

Good:

Here's a commonly known fact about yours truly......I LOVE sleep. Love it. Love it. Love it. And I, quite frankly, don't get enough of it. (Hey.....I'm a poet.) Some might say (coughLEWIScough) that I place too much value on sleep. What ev. I have always been that way. Just ask my parents. I was always the child that would go to bed without being asked. I never really had a bedtime.....I would just go and put myself to bed when I was sleepy. ( I was such an angel, wasn't I?) And except that short bout in collage when I would stay up until all hours of the night hanging out at the boy's dorms (Hi Dad and Mom.....NOW the cat comes out of the bag) I still go to bed fairly early. I mean, a gal needs her beauty sleep, doesn't she?Plus, Hello??!! Four kids over here.....sleep is a precious commodity. So.....along those same lines.....I really, really LOVE me a good nap. Here is my favorite thing to do from time to time. I take my phone off the hook, put the house on lock down, and snuggle up in bed with one or two of my kids. I especially loved this when I was pregnant and had an excuse to nap daily, but now, with no excuse I can only rationalize it from time to time. Today was the perfect day for such rationalization.....therefore.... A TWO HOUR nap was just what the doctor ordered. There's nothing like it.....to me, it's just heavenly. (Again with the poetry.....I kill myself......)

Bad:

First things first.....let me just start out by saying that I am NOT pregnant. I have some members of my family that may question this part of the post, mainly because of what I call the "Chloe dream.".......(this being a VERY vivid dream I had a while back about me being preggers and giving birth to a child named.....Chloe....duh.) Well, some of us thought this dream might be prophetic....that it might mean something. (Which quite frankly, scared the living tarnation right out of me because I am most certainly done with that baby making bidness.) Well.....today, I thought I was pregnant. You know that sick feeling that you get when you're pregnant that most of the free world calls morning sickness (and if you are one of those fortunate enough to NOT get that feeling.....then dang you straight to heck....) but when you're not preggers you just call the "blahs"? Well.....today I felt that ALL DAY LONG. Not throwing -up sick, just pukey feeling and extremely....well.....BLAH. Not pleasant. So I called Lewis.

"I'm sick"......(emphasis placed on the whiny voice.)

"What's wrong, " said my dearest hubby.

"I feel blah. Pukey. Not good. Like I might be pregnant." I respond (still at my whiniest. I mean, I'm sick and still taking care of kids. Not a good mixture. Not a happy mama.)

" Sweet. Maybe you are pregnant. That would be awesome." He says.

{Not even in the mood to humor his antics} "Yeah. Awesome. Too bad I'M NOT PREGNANT. So sorry to dash your hopes."

"Oh well," he deadpans, "There's always next month. Maybe we could get some good practicing in?? Whadda think?.......Honey.....hello.....are you there? Did you hang up on me. Figures."

(Author may have taken poetic license with above conversation to spice things up a bit!)

So this whole episode got me thinking.....what would I do if I were pregnant? I would be lying if I said that since the big snip, (V-Day) the thought hasn't crossed my mind once or twice. I also would be lying if I said that I hadn't taken a pregnancy test or two since closing down the baby factory. I guess there's always that what-if in the back of my mind. I mean, it has happened. Everyone and their dog has a story to tell about that......Just please, please, please.....don't let it happen to me.

No really. That would be bad. Really bad.
Please tell me the Chloe dream was just a fluke. Please.

08.27.09

Day 22

Bad:

Is it just me or is it virtually impossible to keep a house clean with four little rug rats running around? Today I spent hours cleaning the house......I mean it took ALL DAY.....I didn't shower until the evening (which is gross, but necessary) and about 23 minutes after I had finished cleaning, it looked as if a bomb went off! I mean seriously......it is such a thankless job. I always say that cleaning with kids is like taking one step forward and two steps back. Just when you have one mess cleaned up, you turn around and BAM.....another disaster is staring at you right in the face. It's enough to make me want to lose my ever-lovin' mind! And while I'm on my little soap box of complaining......why does it take so DANG long??!!?? I do not live in the largest of houses. It should take me a couple hours....TOPS.....and yet, every time I clean my house I have to chalk that day up to a loss. I can pretty much expect that I will spend the day in my sweats, my hair pulled back in a pony, bra-less (shhhh.....don't tell) and un-showered. So, um, yeah.....try your hardest not to come and visit me on this day because 1. I will not look like a jewel and 2. I will {most} likely not ACT like a jewel and 3. I will be very close to losing my EVER-LOVIN' mind!!! Consider yourself warned......


Good:

A couple of weeks ago while I was chilling at Lew's softball games, I struck up a random conversation with a guy about reading. Weird, right? Well.....not quite. He was reading a book and I asked him if it was any good (because fellow readers MUST unite) and our conversation turned to a little website called "Paperback Swap." The whole premise of this website is a place where people can post their books that they no longer want to keep and people can request those books and in return you get credits to request books that you want to read. Have I confused you sufficiently? (I'm pretty sure I just confused myself.) It sounded like a great idea....(one that I wish I would have thought of myself so that I could be making the big bucks and I could hire a maid and avoid situations like the aforementioned post)......but I initially balked at the idea. (Shhhhh......lean close and I will let you in on a little secret. I loooovvvvveee books. All books. And once I buy them......they are MINE. They become like my babies. And what kind of mother just flippantly gives her babies away for different babies? I don't know how you were raised but c'mon.....have some common decency. ) BUT the more I thought about it, the more it weighed on my mind. I could use some new books to read. I'm sure I have SOME books that aren't worth anything to me. So.....before I knew it I was down in my bookshelves, rustling though my "babies" and tossing the unwanted ones into a pile. And then....before I knew it I was listing those books on the website and eagerly awaiting the new books that I had requested. I'm pretty callous, right? But in my defense.....if you've read one Oprah's book club choice....you've read them all. (What was I thinking buying all of those crappy books??? Sorry Oprah, but you KNOW I'm right.) Well.....today was the grand day of all days because I got my very first swap in the mail and I am currently awaiting TEN more books to come to my doorstep and I am very excited because not only will I have a while new stack of books to read, but it's like Christmas when I check my mail! And that, right there, is worth giving up a few of my "babies." Just don't call the authorities......

08.26.09

Day 21

Good:

Zachary and Kylie have finally reached that special age of maturity......you know, that age when you can send them unassisted into the grocery store with a couple of dollars to buy a loaf of french bread for dinner. And all I can say is: It's about dang time! It is one of the great moments in a Mother's life when you can take these little wee ones that you've raised for so long and turn them out into the world to do all the little tasks that you despise. It's like the circle of life or something. (I think.) Zach was a wee bit nervous to do it. He thought the cashier would hassle him, ask him where his mom was, take his money and run. So......I talked Kylie into going in with him (there's safety and comfort in numbers) and they were good to go. After a quick trip in and out (and no pedophiles lurking in the aisles of Ream's to grab them.....they were okay Dad, I promise) they were out with the loaf of bread and pleased as punch that they were able to do it for me. After all, that's why we have kids, right? Child labor.

Kidding.....kidding......


Bad:

If you were going to purchase a flat iron for $100 dollars.....here are some of the things that you may expect it from it:

Make your hair straight and silky smooth
Guarantee a good hair day every day
Clean your house for you
Do your taxes
Babsit your kids
Tell you how pretty you look
Wipe your bum
Be covered in gold and diamonds

And most importantly:

Have an automatic shut off!

Apparently the makes of the Chi flat iron think different from me. (That's why if I were to be in the inventor of a flat iron it would do all those things and more!......for only $9.95) Alas, if I were to pick one of the things from the above list that I desired the most it would be the automatic shut-off (although the cleaning the house is verrrrrry tempting.) I would pick this feature mainly because I am a complete air-head when it comes to shutting off hot appliances and therefore an automatic shutoff would be very handy.....to say the least.

Today I left my flat iron on for hours and hours, and after I discovered that it had been on practically the WHOLE day long, I had a momentary minute of panic thinking of all the things that could have happened with the flat iron. I mean, those bad boys get really, really hot. A child could have burned themselves, I could have burned myself, my house could have burned down. (It was a pretty stressful minute.) But then I was over it. And the only thing left fuming was me. I mean seriously? A HUNDRED dollar flat iron that doesn't have an automatic turn off? That's just criminal.

08.25.09

Day 20

Bad:

I've discovered that it is probably not the best idea to take four kids miniature golfing. Not only is it impossible for Lewis and I to even play along with them (so we got smart this time.....and didn't) but it is an even worse idea to continue playing with four kids BY MYSELF because Lewis had to head off to a softball game. Let's just say it was not a grand idea. It was pretty much a golfing free-for-all....with no rules whatsoever.....and kids hitting balls wherever and whenever they dang well pleased. It's a good thing that we decided not to keep score because I'm pretty sure that each of the kids would have shot a 208 for 18 holes.......And that's being generous. Oh well. It was all in my name of fun.


Good:

Well. I have been holding off for a few days now just to make sure that I don't announce this prematurely....................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
(And I'm sure that what I'm going to say is really going to surprise you. And it is shocking, and surprising, and wonderful and Lewis and I couldn't be more pleased. And I bet you're just DYING to hear my announcement.......so I guess I better get on with it.................................)


Ahem. Drum roll please................................................................................................................

Our little Braden is finally potty trained! Ta Da!

(What? Did you think I was going to announce something else?)

I know it's been a few entries since I've talked the logistics of potty training. And I know ya'll sorely miss it, but I'm going to keep this entry detail free. (Plus I've talked enough potty talk to last me for months and months......maybe even years.) Let's just say this......It has been FIVE whole days and nary an accident has been had.......#2 and all! I think he's finally grasped the whole "If you poop on the toilet, not only is it much easier, but also, a monster will not come out of the toilet and grab you in" idea. Seriously, I don't know what the boy was so afraid of. He was terrified to drop a deuce in the toilet......take the kids for a swim.....baptize a Lamanite.....you get the general idea. (Oopsie. Sorry. I forgot that this entry was supposed to be detail free. Oh well.) BUT, I am so proud to say that we have definitely overcome this hurdle and now my little Beepers can move on to bigger and better things. Without diapers. And poopy bums. In his cute little underwears. Good work B! (And it's about dang time!)

08.24.09