temporary insanity

Dearest Readers,
Please forgive the insane nature of my previous post. Let's put it under the category of "Mothering Guilt" (raise your hand if you've ever suffered under its effects). Nate and I will be heading to the east coast in a few weeks. While he is discussing the interiors of other people's heads, necks, ears, throats, nasal glands and sinus features - I will be sight-seeing, reading whatever I want, and sleeping in. I will be partaking of room-service, I will find the nearest spa, and I will not cut my trip short.

Your Most Repentant,
me

choices

I'm interested in your opinion. I have a chance to get out of town with Nate - with NO children. I'm excited about this and I think the kids are too (they will have lots of attention from some grandparents during that time). However, by skipping town I will also be missing out on the kids' Primary program (this is the children's service that the kids 3-11 do once a year - it involves speaking parts and lots of songs). This will be Jimmy's first one (although he has sung with the kids at other times during the year - Mother's Day being one). If you had a chance to be in my shoes would you
a: buy new shoes and skip town and let the grandparents revel in the kids' glory
b: buy a new plane ticket, cut your trip short, and be there for the event
c: cancel everything with Nate, see the kids perform, and then buy lots of new shoes with your "saved" dough

geographic theology

Today Jimmy said that Jesus lives in a town called Heaven. I thought you should know.

the center

You may know a little about this gal and if you know just a little, you know she LIVES for the spotlight, for drama, for fun, and for all of this with an amazing amount of enthusiasm. I figured when we moved here I'd see if there was a little community theater she could be somewhat involved in. Well, there is. And it isn't so little.

By the time we got here (and then got back from all of our traveling) we had missed all the summer camps and things, but were just in time for auditions for The Wiz. We've never auditioned for anything! We have no head shots, no resume, no dance experience (outside of our living room or of course Rachel's wedding). That's okay, they say. We love to find new talent, they say. Just have her prepare 32 bars of an upbeat song and come prepared to sing. Okay, we say.

Grace is so very excited, and knows that she's up against kids that have been doing these sorts of things for years. But this is a chance to sing her guts out in front of other people! What could be better than that?!!?!

Nate and Jimmy take her to the audition (Jimmy was most insistent he went). While the boys waited in the hall, Grace marched into the room, handed them her music, and performed. It lasted a whole two minutes. How did it go? "It was AWESOME!" she says. The theater coordinator of auditions (not quite sure what her job is called) said, "well, that's what the directors really like - confidence!" Well, we've got that, sister.

The next day she called us back for Call Backs.
That was last night. We'll see...

In the meantime we'll say "Break a Leg, Girl!"

where is our mother?

I'm right here. But you don't notice me as much because I am sick. Strep this time. Seems that 2010 is not my most excellent year of health. At least it is one of those things that drugs work wonders on.

I came down with it on our weekend away with Nate's extended family. Usually I am the one not as enthusiastic about all of our outdoor adventuring. This time I thought I was especially grumpy about it. 12 hours later a high fever confirmed that at least I had a right to feeling grumpy about traversing over slippery, hard rocks submerged under freezing cold water in 100 degree temps.

The next day I had a free "I Pass On This Adventure" ticket, fevers are good for that. I missed a long hike (long by my standards and the kids' standards, coupled with the high heat). Jimmy came back all sweaty and said he had been on a long, long hunt. I wondered if it was a/c he had been hunting for?

Monday began a busy week. Grace headed to school, Nate was home long enough to see her off (what?!!? yes, I love his new job). Jimmy and I tried to find our way to the insta-care clinic (yes, we so need real doctors). But we couldn't go. The car wouldn't start. Seriously. Nate called AAA (I was basically unable to because by that point if I spoke it resulted in tears and that's not the best way to communicate with mechanics). They came, changed the battery, and all has been fine.

We ventured forth to the clinic. One look inside my throat and she says, "oh my!" Instant strep test confirms our suspicions. Rx is written. Oh, and my fever finally broke on the way over to the clinic.

My cute German neighbor invites both kids to come over and play for the afternoon. I sleep for three hours. Nate comes home. His evening meeting was cancelled. He takes the kids to Grace's audition (I'll tell you more about that later).

Life is good and will continue to be so.

my girl

She was most insistent on taking the bus her first day. She was most insistent on wearing her brand new shoes to school (who could blame her? They were sparkly rainbow sneakers with an under-current of cheetah print. They were awesome). She was most insistent on bringing her lunch in her new lunch box in her new backpack.

Well forty minutes after I expected her home, her bus shows up without her on it. One minute later an unexpected bus shows up behind it with one tough cookie on it. The school put her on the wrong bus and she had quite a tour of Scottsdale. The driver told me she must be brave. She told them she was okay and somehow managed to fight back the tears.

Once parked in front of our house, she leaped out of the bus to me and wouldn't let go. We said goodbye to the bus and the tears started to flow.
"They put me on the wrong bus!"
"My new shoes hurt my feet!"
"I couldn't find my lunch in my backpack!"
"I was so scared."

Do you know what this girl of mine did? She prayed on that bus that they would find her home. She ate her lunch for a snack at home (which was in her bag the entire time ("Well, my backpack smelled like lunch - I just couldn't find it. I thought someone must have taken it!"). She did her homework ("Can you believe we have homework on the first day?!").

Then this morning she woke up and told Jimmy, "I don't have time to play, Buv. I've got to catch my bus."
I said, "Grace, are you sure you want to take the bus today? I'll be happy to drive you."
Grace, "No problem, Mom. I can do it. I'll be on the right one for sure today! But how about I buy lunch again today, it was so good yesterday!"

My, oh my. What an awesome girl I have!

bonding

We just love Grandma Shirly!

ps Bonus Points if you can tell me what her husband name was!

shhhhh, Nate makes me laugh

Jimmy seemed to sleep a lot more than usual in the car this past month.

He often would be in strange positions and look hilarious.

However, it was only when Nate decided to impersonate him did the true hilarity ensue.

I'm such a lucky woman!

family fun

While in Utah we had a fabulous family reunion. This of course took place on the only rainy night we had. The kids didn't seem to mind, they played on the playground all soaked to the bone. The adults didn't seem to mind, we just chatted, renewed friendships, and enjoyed dinner. The only time anyone seemed to mind anything was Jimmy...





Good thing he's such a good sport about things.
Hmph!

we didn't go to the triangle

While in Utah Jimmy decided he wanted to go to Temple "Triangle," we had to make do with Temple Square.
It was beautiful!




I just love self-portraits:

boy crazy

Grace sure has it for this guy. Can't say I blame her!

Ps. We're now back from the whirlwind of travels. So now I only have to unpack boxes AND suitcases!

sweet summertime

The last few weeks have been a treat! We've spent time with family in Arizona, visited some nearest and dearest in the Midwest, and now are mingling with some of the best Utah has to offer. Time is flying by. Real life begins one week from today.

cool

Water temp is 92 degrees. It seems so very cool and refreshing. I'm serious.

mindless update

The kids and Nate were in the pool this morning around 7. Crazy huh? What is crazier is that I joined them around 8.

We're back from Chicago and STL. We got to see so many people we just love! I'm sad to not live near them, but I'm excited to be here.

In other news, I got a new welcome mat. It has a blossoming cactus on it for the letter "o" in "welcome." I'm totally excited about that.

Perhaps the heat is getting to me and that's why my post is so silly today. Perhaps it is living out of unpacked cardboard boxes. Then again, it could be our wild traveling schedule - we're headed to Utah on Friday.

feeling hot, hot, hot

It was only 112 today. It was also slightly humid. Yes, really it was. And it rained for about 2 1/2 minutes.

In other news, we are here in our new house. There is enough cardboard and paper here to drive a somewhat rational woman insane.

Our pool is awesome. I love it almost as much as I love our cactus garden. I love having a garage where we can park both cars. I love saying to the kids, "go to your rooms" and then they go and can't bug each other anymore because there is a wall separating them - awesome. I love saying to the kids, "go outside," then they actually go outside. It is amazing. They have consumed a lot of popsicles in the last few days. And each one was outside! I also love our sweet new fridge. Silly to love a fridge, but I do love it. I love our neighborhood. I love our neighbors who introduced themselves to us and seem quite happy to have us as neighbors. I love having enough space for everyone (and once we get these boxes empty we'll have space for everything).

There you have it. Now, if you don't mind I might just go and turn my a/c down a bit. Its cooled down a little bit - only 98 degrees at 11:23 p.m.

time to go

We're bustin' out of this joint!

The movers come bright and early tomorrow morning.

Its time to say our last goodbyes.

Ensure our seatbelts are fastened.

We're beginning the journey to our new home.

We'll search high.

We'll search low.

We may even stop and ask directions.

We're prepared for some heavy lifting.

And are ready for the adventure!

Watch out Arizona, we're on our way!

too much

When your family looks like this, you know you have succeeded in having too much fun. We left after entering the park 16 hours earlier. Not bad for a day's work. Needless to say, it was a good day.

Also, word to the wise - if you pose for a picture with Goofy, please note that you too will look goofy.

induced by stress

When I'm stressed, I find some crazy solace in making cookies. It can be so bad, that most of Nate's residency we often had a LOT of cookies.

He would tell his hospital friends he dreaded the smell of freshly baked cookies at home because what it really meant was that his wife was hanging on the edge. Why the creaming of the butter and sugar can slowly ooze my angst away is beyond me.

I really haven't made many cookies this year. So when I broke out the mixer and the butter and sugar last week, the kids were more than delighted. Nate, not so much, but he was appreciative of a nicely turned out cookie.

For the record, that was last week. This week is much different. Also for the record, the movers come one week from tomorrow. I celebrated this by going to the beach this morning. I think I can make it back at least two more times during the next seven days.

our new obsession

The kids are now living and breathing Star Wars to epic proportions. Earlier this week Grace insisted on dressing as Princess Lea to go to school. Thankfully she chose her combat look (y'know, from Return of the Jedi, or maybe you call it The One with Those Ewok Guys). She wore a khaki skirt, a green shirt, had neat braids framing her face (which truly were so cute I think they will be a common 'do this summer), but we were stumped with the combat boots. We just don't have any. She went with long pink socks and Teva sandals. Somehow that brought it all together.

Jimmy has declared he is Luke because they have The Same Hair. The Luke and Lea that reside here have also constructed various light sabers (or Lite Savers, depending on what you choose to call them and what kind of importance you associate with them) out of wrapping paper and paper towel tubes. There is often much discussion as to how many buttons should be on each saber.

They have decided Nate is Chewbaca. I think this is fitting for various reasons such as - he is good at fixing things, does a great Chewy roar, and is the tallest in our family.

I can't decide between Obi Wan or Yoda. I may just go with Yoda as he is all knowing. But Obi Wan is pretty great with his Jedi mind games. Sometimes decisions are hard to make!

loosing it

I have a lot to do. The people I hang with aren't that helpful. Nate is at the hospital more than he and I would like (a LOT more). This is leading to me loosing any marbles I may have left. It was suggested that I just plan on him not being around for the next while. With our without him, any plans I have have seem to crumble. These other two that hang with me seem to not be interested in the least in cleaning up, going through, tossing out, and packing things. Two weeks is an eternity when you are them. Two weeks seems an eternity to me if I calculate the amount of whiney-ness and sass I will most likely face.

Piña Colada, anyone?