October Rundown - Week 2

Jayson's playschool teacher was on a cruise this week - yeah you, boo me. So I took him to California Adventure to keep us both entertained. He's never really watched ANY Disney movies so he doesn't know the stories or know the background of any of the characters. He doesn't even watch any Playhouse Disney shows. Such an interesting idea. All the rides and characters have meaning to me routed in the stories or movies I saw with my other kids.

We went on Monsters and I told him that the blue and green monsters were nice and the purple one was sneaky. He loved it and didn't want to get off, so we rode again - love no line days!!! Then we were off to Animation. They have a Toy Story exhibit that I'd never seen nor can I really explain. It was like a merry-go-round that would spin and then the dolls were all animated. Very cool. Jayson found out that he is most like the character Cogsworth from Beauty & the Beast.

There was a street performance outside. Out came Cinderella, "dat scare me." Out came Woody, "dat scare me." And out came the beloved Mickey Mouse himself, "dat scare me." So we left early to see Playhouse Disney. Jayson did NOT dance in public or cheer, but he did enjoy the bubbles.

Next stop: Flik's Fun Fair. Jayson was THRILLED when he saw the bumper cars. I remembered there was a height requirement. What had I done?!!! Goose is going to throw a fit. But the advantage of being nearly three for your first visit, is that you are taller and CAN ride. I made him eat his orange before he rode. He downed that fruit at lightening speed. I tried to sway him away from the bumpy ladybug ride because I knew I hated it. Turns out he hated it too and I hated it extra. Heimlecks Choo Choo was just the right speed with all the sweet scents.

I was hoping to go to Toy Story Mania, but it had been closed and had an enormous line. I got even more dizzy on the merry go round - just in time to race home.

Race?? Who was I kidding. I got stuck in random afternoon traffic. I had to call Jon to go pick up James from his basketball practice.

This week was all the the Fall Harvest Social at the school. Which means I got all my costumes together EARLY :)

Okay - so Jake's costume was DRAMA. He wanted to be something "scary" (which turned out great since he was invited to a friend's "Scary Party"). This plastic chest piece has an attached contraption to pump fake red blood through the ribs - gross. It was really gross when the plastic cracked and red stain was leaking everywhere. Dad ran Jake back to Party City to make an exchange during the first 45 minutes of the party - great. He did love this costume. I think he also placed in the costume contest at the church party, so I guess it was worth it.

Jayson was SO SHY that he didn't really want to play the games (nice use of $7). He didn't like people talking to him, but he wanted to go back so he could choose some candies. James spent most of his time following Jayson around the playground. Thanks James.

I was trying to keep track of Jessica and snap a few shots for the yearbook.

I liked that Jessica chose to be a cat this year. A cute costume that was quite easy to find. We found a game on the Party City website where you could answer questions about yourself and then it would stir your answers in a cauldron and then suggest the perfect costume for you. I think it told Jacob to be a transformer and James to be a white ninja. When it told Jessica that she should be Ariel, she took it as true fact. She was ready to ditch her kitty costume and march off to buy an Ariel outfit. I didn't like the website so much after that. It took some convincing to get her to dress up in her original (and adorable) costume. Next year Ariel is fair game, but this year it's all CAT:

To finish off this week I was making some corn chowder soup for the Craft Super Saturday at the church. I signed up to help with the food and didn't really sign up to make anything. I purchased supplies to make button wreathes with my kids in December. I just felt to overwhelmed to start another project. I have several photography projects coming up and choir music to memorize and family coming to town, so I just showed up to see my friends.

Wow. Another busy week. Until next week....

Star Wars

We played Star Wars movies most of yesterday. We started half-way through episode 2 and kept playing through episode 5. That's a lot of light saber and space cruisers for one day. So glad we had the day off to catch up from the non-stop rush that's looming to continue again tomorrow.

Too Bad

Jayson blasted into my bathroom the other morning. I bent down and said, "kisses." Then with a big grin on his face he said, "TOO BAD," turned and darted back out.

We've been hearing this a lot lately, "time to eat" - TOO BAD "time to change diaper" - TOO BAD "time to get dressed" - TOO BAD. He doesn't think it's so funny when he asks for a bottle of milk and I say TOO BAD you have to pick up your trains first.

October Rundown - Week 1

There was the usual: Jessica's dance, Jessica's Encore Choir, Jayson's Playschool, James' after basketball camp, Jacob's Cubs, James' Scouts, Volunteer in Children's Classrooms for an hour and a half, & Mom's OCMCO rehearsal. And also Jon commuting into LA and me coordinating the Stake Baptism for Saturday morning (sounds so simple in one sentence, but it's LOTS of behind the scenes work).

Then there was the pleasant surprise: My friend Hyla popped into town for a whirlwind visit. I didn't even have 24 hour notice before she was knocking on my door to stay the night. What an absolute delight. Oh how I miss her living here!!!!

WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY: Weather dot com predicted morning clouds with increased chances of showers around 1 p.m. I figured that Jayson and I would need to leave Disneyland around then anyway, so we went. It was POURING rain upon arrival - thankfully I grabbed a couple ponchos. It all cleared up just as it was time for us to go home. Does anybody use a RELIABLE forecast system???

Perhaps I haven't mentioned that I've been secretly going to Disneyland with Jayson. That's because I'm the only one with an annual pass and Jayson is free. My other kids are going to be sad that we are going without them. But I took each of them when they were Goose's age, so I owe it to him :)

We went of Buzz Blasters - TWICE. Jayson got so upset when we reached the exit of the ride. He wasn't sure if he could believe me that I was leading him around to the front of the line so he could ride it again. Then we bought him a blaster and he convinced me that we needed Goofy Sour Balls too - LUCKY!!!

The Nemo line deceived me so we waited much longer for that than I would have liked. Then we rode the train across the park so we could ride Winnie the Pooh TWICE. Jayson is always so relieved when I tell him we can go again. At the end of the ride he says, "don't want to off."

FYI - my camera does not get to go out in the rain. I borrowed Jacob's point n shoot.

On top of all that Disney Fun I took the kids to LA Zoo - well two of them anyway. When my older boys get a day off school, they'd rather play video games. So we went with friends instead. Kids were happy. Mommas happy.

Jessica was mad at me because I wouldn't let her use my camera. I might need to get my hands on another point & shoot.

Happy Week!!!!!

How I Wish You Could Come

October Calendar

Here's a glimpse into our daily life right now:

Monday

Mom walking

Jayson playdate

Elementary kids home early

Jessica Dance

Family Home Evening

Tuesday

Jayson at PlaySchool

Mom's only 2 hours per week to get things done without a sidekick (errands, shopping, photo editing)

James Basketball Camp

Jessica's Choir

Wednesday

I like to plan a Wonderful Wednesday activity with Jayson

Jacob Cub Scouts

James Boy Scouts

All Homework packets complete

Thursday

Jayson Playschool

Mom volunteer in two classrooms at school

James Basketball Camp

Mom goes to Orange County for Choir Rehearsal and gets home LATE

Friday

Activities vary weekly

Saturday

Lots of Activities that vary weekly

Mom on Photo Shoots for Christmas Card Photos

Just One For Now

Happy Halloween!!!

I Heart Toy Story

After dinner but before dinner was cleaned up, Jayson came to me and said, "a more Ta-do-head." Using my advanced mothering skills I deciphered that he was saying, "more Potato Head." What I hadn't gathered in the translation was that he was requesting another serving of baked potato. CUTE!!!

In other Toy Story news: Jayson loves Buzz Blaster ride at Disneyland. We have to ride it twice in a row - never just once. When we get to the end of the exit tunnel, he freaks out and tries to dart back. He really puts a lot of trust in my promise that I'll bring him back outside and around to the ride entrance again.

Another Night Owl on our Hands

After a nice warm bath, Jayson races to his drawer and pulls out Dockers. Wouldn't most of us reach for some cozy lounge clothes? Well, he does NOT want to go to bed and pajamas are a symbol of bed time.

Yesterday I forced him down for a nap (as in I let him bang on the door for five minutes after I transferred his sleepy self from the car to his bed and he woke himself up). He yells things like, "Mommy, a get out." "I don't want to go to bed." and my favorite "I want to wake up." Anyway, he had a solid nap after a weekend of no naps. Basically I'm exhausted and need him to sleep.

So I diligently put him to bed on time. He was not dozing during stories. He was lids were not drooping. He was bouncing from book to book and getting up and down from bed through our whole bedtime routine. Still, I kissed him goodnight and walked out the door.

Once all the other children were in bed and I finally gave in to Jayson's continued pleas of, "Mommy, a get out please. A get out please." Seriously - please and thank you ARE magic words. So he joined me in the family room. He assembled very funny Potato Head guys. Then he built extended tracks from the train set I had just finished putting away an hour before.

I was falling asleep on the recliner and he was not. When he finally dozed off a bit, I started to get out of the chair. He sat up and said, "I don't want to go to bed" and then lied back down and fell back asleep. He woke again as I carried him to his room. He kicked the door and screamed for nearly 10 minutes before he finally surrendered to the eleven 'o clock hour.

Blog Marathon - Mile 26 - TWENTY SIX on Tuesday :)

1. I auditioned for THIS choir mid September and with delight received word that I made it. Oh how I've missed gorgeous choral music. It's been a challenge and a push to dust off a talent and put it back in use. I've been assigned to sing in the Alto 1 section (I've sung soprano my whole life) so it's really forced me to read music and memorize harmonies. SUPER FUN!!!

2. I am inviting you to come to our Christmas Concert. If music puts you in the Christmas Spirit, you have to race over and purchase tickets HERE before they all sell out. Remember that we sing with a live orchestra and share the stage with the Children & Youth Choirs. Delightful!

3. My daughter also sings in a choir with a bunch of her friends. She loves it when it is choir day and has been singing, "Go Tell it on the Mountain" around the house this week. Cute!

4. Jayson's vocabulary (and our ability to understand it) has dramatically increased. My lists of his cute phrases (and my unpublished and incomplete blog posts) are constantly outdated. What he says a lot THIS week is, "I don't want to go to bed" or "I don't want to...." We've also noticed that he calls me "Mommy." He's the only one that does. To Jessica I am MaMa or Mom and to the boys I'm just Mom.

5. I haven't used my gym membership for nearly two months. I do have guilt. I'm walking more on my own or doing nothing at all :) - great.

6. Another of Jayson's phrases is, "a go now." Don't tell him we are going somewhere until you are REALLY ready to walk out the door. The other option is to set a timer and tell him we will go when it rings. The minute it dings he expects to GO.

7. On a roll with Jayson - when the kids get home from school, they like to ride bikes or run around with the neighbor kids. They are always darting through the house and slamming doors because they don't want to get "stuck" watching Jayson. "a funt" (the front) or "a pay a me" (who will play with me in the front yard) are daily phrases. He hates being stuck inside or in the back yard.

8. Jacob has a new nickname given lovingly by Goose. OHBUD. That's how he says Jacob. ohbud this and ohbud that. "A ohbud is?" (Where is Jacob). Jacob builds the best trains and legos and owns the best Nerf guns. He has won a favorite spot in Jayson's heart. Especially when he takes him in the front to ride bikes.

9. James is in an after school basketball camp. I think he plays every morning before school too.

10. Jon's foot is in it's SECOND cast. The foot doctor has ordered x-rays again for later this week. Then they determine if Jon should have surgery on it.

11. Do I have sympathy pains or has my twisted ankle STILL not healed from July? It's bugging me. I do use that as an excuse for not going to the gym :)

12. Since I started this list, Jon's second cast has been removed. He wears a brace and doctor says he does NOT need surgery - YEAH!!!

13. Some days I wonder if all children quarrel as much as mine. It makes me so sad. Both Jon & I try to be clear, consistent, and engaged in keeping them on task and involved in good things. Sometimes it doesn't feel like it even matters. Our biggest issue is respect. It's so frustrating and exhausting. Where is that blissful, happy family I imagined in my head??

14. I am looking forward to upcoming visits from my sister and family & my parents and Brandon. Despite the fact that we don't live near family, it looks like we will be spending holidays with family. YEAH!!!

15. Jayson loves going to PlaySchool. I have to set a timer so he knows that I haven't forgotten. He keeps bugging me, "a go now. a go now." I remind him to wait for the ding. When the timer goes off he is super excited.

16. Jayson throws a fit when it's time to leave a friend's house. After all the blissful play and entertainment, I carry him out screaming "a don't want to go. WHY???? a don't want to."

17. Drama seems to be a very HIGH component of our life right now.

18. With a few of my dearest friends currently going through divorce or talking with me about a past divorce, I'm increasingly grateful for my marriage to Jon. I appreciate his constant love towards me.

19. Jessica talks about a girl at school who is the luckiest because she has her ears pierced AND she has braces :)

20. Jessica has already prepared her birthday wish list with three VERY important items. She would like an ipod, a phone, & a camera. Seriously - is she just six or sixteen???

21. Jon found the most awesome bundle of Legos at a garage sale - by our calculations, hundreds of dollars worth of complete or nearly complete advanced sets. Jacob paid $40 bucks for them and has enjoyed building.

22. Jacob has also been building fancy tracks for Jayson's train. It is a delight when he is there to man the tracks and fix any broken spots, but a pain when he is away and Jayson can't get the track to work. "a ohbud a play with me."

23. Jon recently traveled for work and was gone one night. This always sets my children off. Jayson kept saying, "my Dad gone. a Dad is?" I told him he was away at work and he kept checking the home office.

24. It dawned on me one day while i was working in the kitchen that my son, James, is almost 12 years old. That's a huge step in our church. He will be old enough to pass the sacrament and he will attend weekly young men activities.

25. Going hand in hand with the above realization, Jayson will be turning three in January. This explains why the 2T clothes are not fitting. My kids usually move up a size 6 months before they turn that age. 3T here we come :)

26. I wish I blogged more because this is our family journal and my personal journal. I always feel like I'm too exhausted or pressed for time. Thanks for those who encourage me to keep it up.

POINT 2 miles: so glad this marathon is over :) I'm worn out.