We've Had Our Windstar for almost 10 years...

My friend Sara just shared an awesome video about the Swagger Wagon (see it HERE). My ride is NOT that cool, especially after nearly ten years of sharing the minivan with the kids.

Case in point: I raced home to vacuum out the van before picking up a friend. It helped a little, but still lots of sand ground into the floor. Then I found out that my husband had just vacuumed it the weekend before. Maybe we need an industrial vacuum cleaner.

Anyway, I totally drive the embarrassing: Mom My Ride. Check it out HERE. So sad, but true.

And we did actually have rotten milk ooze all over the carpet in the back seat when the car was still very new. We had to have it professionally cleaned more than once to finally get the smell out.

The streaks down the side of our car were from the automatic door being opened by a child while in our garage next to the lawn mower. Metal scratching sounds still haunt me.

It's Still Weird

It's still weird to me that my husband I and exchange emails or dialogue like this:

I made Jacob’s scan appt today. I can plan on taking him.

June 16, 9am CT

June 16, 1:20 pm Dr. Mathias

We have been so far removed from the worst of it, that some days it doesn't seem real. Then the quarterly check up sneaks up.

I have been thinking lots about our treasured memories from the Wish Trip last April. I'm also painfully aware that I never finished writing all the details. I'm still working on the poster print keepsakes that will eventually grace my wall.

A Normal Mom

This blog has totally turned into a frumpy mommy blog. Blah blah blah. My kids do this. My kids do that. My life is routine and boring, messy and not necessarily inspiring. I had at least wanted to pour out my inner soul about the greatness of motherhood or sharing insightful perspectives or creative antics. But I don't have any inspiring thoughts. My words of wisdom have been hidden behind my other regular phrases, "stop bugging your sister" "please go wash your hands" "who left the door open" "let's go, let's go, let's go" and "why can't you stop teasing each other."

When I dreamed about being a mother, I was going to be amazing and fun and nurturing and insightful and approachable. I was going to be a wonderful example, etc. etc.

Some days I do note I have moments of greatness, but most of my mothering is practical, consistent, and boring. I'm an average mom trying to do the same stuff that good moms are doing. It's a bit discouraging, but something I heard Jessica say has cheered me on.

I was driving her to dance last week. Her friend said, "when I grow up, I'm going to be a cowgirl." Jessica turned to her and said, "when I grow up, I'm going to be just a normal mom."

My mom was just a normal mom too. She struggled to balance work, family, home, carpools, cooking, cleaning, etc. She held our hands when we crossed the street and tied our shoes. She yelled sometimes and forgot stuff sometimes. But she was there for everything - the good, the cranky, the excitement, the unjust - all of it. She has cheered me forward more than anybody I know. And somehow, doing all that normal stuff for me has made her extraordinary in my eyes. So I guess I'm glad that I'm just a normal mom.

Breaking the Honor Code

My boys have bushy hair - it's dense, thick, and packed with unique color. Jacob's hair is no longer growing in curly, so each trim means we bid farewell to his curls. I've been quite lenient in regard to boys' hair length because I figure that it may be the only time in their lives where they can showcase their curls. With Jacob especially, he didn't get to choose to be bald. Life's circumstances inflicted that on him. I was ever mindful of the turned heads, stares, and double looks that he got in public. He didn't notice. He refused to wear the collection of new hats I had purchased. He wore his bald head boldly and without shame. Keeping his curls has been his choice. Having people turn and take a second look at his curly locks has been his choice. He loves to jump and watch them bounce.

Last December I insisted that he get a trim because we couldn't see his eyes. When you grow a whole head of hair at once, it all comes in at one length. I hoped that adding some layers would help showcase his curls even more. I do admit that I cried at the hair salon seeing his locks drop to the floor. He kept making a sad face, but after a couple weeks it worked to his advantage.

It's April now. His hair is growing like crazy. Being on BYU campus last weekend made that very obvious. Everyone was walking around with their trim cuts. Then my California boys are strutting around with their mop tops.

I can't see their eyes - and they are beautiful too - light blue. So today I insisted that they needed a trim at least around their face. I can't find my hair scissors (that need to be replaced anyway). So I finally had willing subjects and no effective scissors. I didn't let that stop me. I did a trim with my ol' paper scissors (I don't recommend that). But tomorrow we can see eye to eye.

Three Words About Zhu Zhu Pets

Jayson loves them.

P.S. Happy birthday Jessica!!!!

Band Concert 2010

We (along with our neighbors) have heard every note that the trombone plays in the three pieces learned this year. And I mean that Jayson (he's the two year old) will walk around the house singing the harmony in perfect rhythm. We had not, however, heard what it sounded like together with the band. That has all changed. Tonight we heard James' first concert. It was quite impressive that students from three different schools who only practice a couple days per week can learn a new instrument and come together like they did.

James practices faithfully - usually on our front porch (thus the neighbors can track his progress too). I remember when he came home beaming because he knew three notes. Now he talks about moving on to dotted quarters and slurs. Good Job James!!!!!

Maybe we can help

Do any of you need to make a pinata or paper mache puppet - like RIGHT NOW??? You could come over to my house because my kitchen sink is full to the brim of all of the flour from my pantry (with a little sugar too) and plenty of water. It would likely make a wonderful paste.

I was IN the kitchen with him cutting papers. I knew he was washing the dishes (he always does). I thought the pantry was locked (it only takes one person one time to leave it open for disaster). I came out to the printer - I'm making pink Bingo cards for the birthday party on Friday. He brought me conditioner from the kitchen (Jessica got a salon style hair wash in our kitchen sink this morning due to whatever dew was keeping us from combing her locks). I wanted to get that out of there before we were out a whole bulk sized bottle of shampoo and conditioner. I made it to the shampoo in time, but that's when I discovered the pasty floury globs floating in my sink.

Which costs more to replace? Shampoo & conditioner or 10 pounds flour + 5 pounds sugar?

I am not enough person to watch this one toddler. I'm always three steps behind. Right now he totally has me beat.

Dear Sandbox

Thank you for taking care of my boy for 15 minutes while I tried to catch my breathe from the antics from this morning.

• screaming at top of lungs while arching back and hanging head off the side of stroller for the last 1/2 mile home from a pleasant walk
• driving bike inside house
• accidentally dumping Fruit Loops all over chair and tile and then proceeding to mash them with a plastic cup until they were in a fine powdered rainbow
• using 1/4 bottle of Palmolive - finger painting it in the grout of the tile countertops.
• smashing chocolate chip granola bar into the carpet - twice (still don't know where he got that)
• After peeling a Cutie and happily eating it by himself, I was thrilled to let him have seconds at his request. I guess the second orange was for an experiment. I found him jabbing a pen in and out of it - sticky everywhere.

We're Back

We've been gone to Utah this weekend. Jon attended the BYU Ballroom 50th Reunion and our family got to attend the Ballroom Spring Concert at the Marriott Center.

So here's the list of Awesome & Not So Awesome-

AWESOME

• Gorgeous, moving, entertaining Ballroom Dance Concert
• Enjoying Hogi Yogi dessert in the remodeled restaurant and remembering the trips I made there with my college roommates.
• Spending the afternoon with Jon's sister, husband, & kids.
• Dining out with Jon's parents & family
• Celebrating Jessica's 6th birthday with grandparents & cousins
• Reading Goose Girl (a very nice read)
• Photographing my cousin's daughter in new and different locations
• Being with my sisters & girl chat late into the night
• Hearing my Mom tell about their visit to Boston to visit the sites & see my brother & his family
• Kissing my 87 year old Grandma. Hearing her tell me about how she was trained in massage and feeling her frail hands demonstrate on my very tense shoulder. Borrowing her ice pack for the pain.
• Seeing my brother and his family & feasting on chicken recipe from Philippines.
• Seeing the kids feed the geese & ducks at Thanksgiving point. Watching Jayson & Jessica ride ponies
• Pointing out locations in Provo where Jon & I dated and got engaged.
• Meeting some of Jon's ballroom buddies & their families.

NOT SO AWESOME

• The $1 McChicken Sandwich in Utah is actually HOT & SPICY - way gross
• Cat allergies
• Sinus cold on top of cat allergies including pounding headaches each afternoon
• Seeing Jessica get her finger slammed in the door
• Losing Jayson who was sleeping on the floor beside my bed - finding him WAY under the bed the next morning
• Never getting enough sleep
• Trying to put Mom's house back together so the real estate agent could have an Open House for 3 hours.
• Jayson insisted on sleeping on top of me - calling out "momma" every 15 seconds even while I was holding him
• Getting gas in Primm - waiting in the gas line, waiting in the long bathroom line, waiting to get back on the freeway.
• Screaming, fighting, dumping of sticky substances during the extended 10 hour drive.
• Coming home and finding the flyer that announced Yearbook Pictures for the 5th Graders, the Basketball team, & the Band and realizing we missed it. Wishing that we had the info before so we could have adjusted our travel day so James could be in all those photos. Really so sad and disappointed about this.
• Jon lost some seedlings that couldn't live without him in the wind and heat.

Today is a Special Day

Happy Birthday Friend!!!! Happy Easter too. Love you. Miss you. Wish we were having our Mimi's Lunch.