Misnomers

The kids have been watching an old video my parents have called "Mighty Mouse and Friends." I was talking to Ariana about it and thought this was pretty cute. (P.S. Those of you who didn't watch as much TV as I did as a kid might not find this very funny.)

Ariana: There was only one show of Mighty Mouse, then a ton of Gumbo.
Me: You mean Gumby?
Ariana: Yeah. Then there was Poppy the sailor.
Me: Popeye the sailor?
Ariana: Yeah. Now there's something about a coyote.

I had to smother my chuckles so she wouldn't feel bad. :-)

An Ideal Vacation

I am at my dad's house in CA, and let me tell you, this is my idea of a perfect vacation.

Here's our schedule:
Eat Breakfast
Swim in the pool
Eat Lunch
Quiet Time
Swim in the pool
Eat Dinner
Watch movies as a family
Go to bed

Ahhhhhh.... I'm in heaven.

Good news all around!

I went to see my midwife last Friday and I was measuring small, so she ordered an ultrasound for me. (My insurance won't pay for routine ultrasounds, just "medically necessary" ones.) I was a bit concerned about having my date moved back, but figured I'd rather have that than to be induced when I'm not actually at term.

Well, we got two pieces of great news at the ultrasound:

1. My due date stays the same

2. We are having another girl!!!

Very exciting!

My favorite thing to read

Want to know what my favorite thing to read is right now? The manual for my new DSLR camera. Seriously, I'm so excited about it that I would rather read that than anything else. You are likely to see a whole lot more pictures on my site in the near future. Also, if you live close by me, you are likely to receive a call with me asking if I can practice taking pictures of you or your family. Who wants to be a guinea pig? Any volunteers?

The Latest News

For those of you who haven't yet heard, we are expecting Harrison baby number FIVE. I'm still a little freaked out by that number, but excited nonetheless. (Especially since I'm coming out of the first trimester and obligatory morning sickness.)

My girls are so excited. When we announced the news to them, they were literally jumping, dancing, and singing around the house, "Mom's gonna' have a baby! Mom's gonna' have a baby!" Then they told every single person they could possibly catch at church that day.

The baby is due in December. On Dec. 8th, actually, but with my track record, it's likely to be born between the 15th and 22nd. Ah, the life of a slow-cooker pregnant woman. :-)

Word Clarification

Yesterday as we were driving home from Salt Lake City, Kiara asked me about my lesson for family home evening.

Kiara: Is it going to be fun?

Me: Yeah, I think it's going to be interesting.

Kiara (in a disgusted voice): Mom, I said, "fun."

No pulling the wool over that girl's eyes!!

You know you've had a long day if....

....If your kids have been so demanding that when the microwave beeps, you call out in frustration, "Just a minute!"

(Yes, I was actually talking to my microwave. Please tell me I'm not the only crazy one out here...)

That's IT!!!

I woke up to snow this morning. That is IT!!! I am moving.

The honesty of children

The is a true conversation. Names have NOT been changed to protect the overweight.

Katarina: You're big and fat!!!

Me: (stunned silence)

Katarina: I mean... maybe not...

Me: (still trying to catch up) Did you just say I'm big and fat?

Katarina: Well... You're big and fat like a mommy!

Oh, that makes it all better.

Feel Good Mom Story

Here's a little something I got in my email this morning. Thought it might give all you moms out there a little lift.

JUST A MOM?

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office,

Was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.

She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.

'What I mean is, ' explained the recorder,

'do you have a job or are you just a ...?'

'Of course I have a job,' snapped the woman.

'I'm a Mom.'

'We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation,

'housewife' covers it,'

Said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself

In the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.

The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised,

Efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like,

'Official Interrogator' or 'Town Registrar.'

'What is your occupation?' she probed.

What made me say it? I do not know.

The words simply popped out.

'I'm a Research Associate in the field of

Child Development and Human Relations.'

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and

Looked up as though she had not heard right.

I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words..

Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written,

In bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

'Might I ask,' said the clerk with new interest,

'just what you do in your field?'

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice,

I heard myself reply,

'I have a continuing program of research,

(what mother doesn't)

In the laboratory and in the field,

(normally I would have said indoors and out).

I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family)

And already have four credits (all daughters).

Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities,

(any mother care to disagree?)

And I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).

But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers

And the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.'

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she

Completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career,

I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3.

Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model,

(a 6 month old baby) in the child development program,

Testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!

And I had gone on the official records as someone more

Distinguished and indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mom.'

Motherhood!

What a glorious career!

Especially when there's a title on the door.

Does this make grandmothers

'Senior Research Associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations'

And great grandmothers

Executive Senior Research Associates?'

I think so!!!

I also think it makes Aunts

Associate Research Assistants.

You can handle it!

Just now I was making sweet and sour meatballs for dinner (one of the kids favorite meals) and Ariana came into the kitchen while I was shaping the mixture into balls.

Ariana: Isn't that disgusting to roll it into balls?

Me: Yeah, it is, kinda'. But you get used to it.

Ariana: Yeah. You're a mom, so you can handle it.

I smiled because I thought that was pretty cute, but as she left and I continued to work, I felt there was a whole lot of meaning behind that statement. Ariana has faith in motherhood--in the abilities and powers of moms--simply because they are mothers. Perhaps she even has confidence that she'll be able to do whatever is necessary someday in her own role as mother. Or perhaps I am just reading way too much into that statement, but in the meantime, I am adopting it as my new motto: "I'm a mom, so I can handle it!!!"

What's at the top of your to-do list?

For my girls today, the thing they wanted to do most in the world was to paint rocks. Now, that may have been at the top of my list at some point in my life, but it certainly wasn't so today. Today my lofty goal was to do yard work before the next snow storm moves in on Wednesday (sigh. Utah springs). But having kids inside using tempera paints without supervision is just not an option in this house. And besides, they had spent practically the whole day outside playing. So, being the sucker that I am, I finished that small section of yard work and came inside to supervise. This is probably one of those things that will be a good example later in my life of choosing the "better part." But for now, I must admit that the lawn invading my planters still haunts me. Ah, well. It will be there tomorrow. It will even be there when the next snow melts. And so will I.

There IS something you can do about Health Care

Hi everyone! If you all hate this new health care bill as passionately as I do, then read on. If not, please don't read this because you probably won't like me by the end of the post.

I'm taking a class on the US Constitution right now, and our teacher had what I think is a fabulous idea for shooting down the new health care bill. If the US Supreme Court finds it to be constitutional (which, in my opinion, should only happen if they aren't able to READ), then as states we have the power to fight back. We have been given sovereignty by the US Constitution and we need to use it to take back power that our bloated federal government is amassing.

SOOO... call your state representatives and tell them that you want your state to pass laws that refuse to enforce the national health care bill. I am going to write to mine and tell them that I don't care if they have to use taxpayer money to go to court over it--I WANT this bill out. If enough states refuse and make enough fuss, then the federal government is going to have to back down. It has happened before, just a few years ago, with the government mandated ID's that none of the states wanted to enforce. Guess what? The US Congress couldn't fight all the states so it had to lay off. You CAN make a difference.

I felt so empowered by this option. I think I've been taught to believe that the US Congress is the final say in all things and there are few, if any, ways to fight back when we don't like what they are doing. Well, here is a way that you can fight back. It is legal, it is reasonable, and it is our RIGHT, given by God and our great Constitution. Take it and run with it.

P.S. I don't claim that our current system of health care is perfect, but the federal government does NOT have the power to reform it. That should be reserved to our local or state governments, or to the private market sector (I haven't made a firm decision which of those options I think is best).

WHO LEFT THE BATHROOM DOOR OPEN?!!!

Not one of my better days...

During this deployment, there have been many days that I would term "not one of my better days." In fact, there have been so many that I'm worried it's throwing off my average!! I may have to start saying, "it's one of my average days." Not a pleasant thought.

Well, today started out that way again. By the end of chore time with the kids, I was ready to pull my hair out. So instead I told the girls to entertain Xander because I needed a time out. I proceeded to lock myself in my room and pray that I could change. I prayed and I prayed, but it wasn't one of those times when an answer comes right when you want it. Finally, I just decided I was at least calm enough to not yell at my kids, so I came out from hiding. Then inspiration struck:

CHOCOLATE

That's what I needed. So I told the kids we were going to bake today for school, and we made Chocolate Scotcheroos (I got the recipe here.) I even had Ariana memorize a poem while we waited for the butter to melt. Then we all dug in. Ok, I must admit that it was not even 11 a.m. when we started pigging out on chocolate, but everyone has days like this, right? Am I alone here? Yeah? Well, ok. But take a good look at our chocolate treat. It's going to be gone soon.

So after a nice healthy dose of chocolate (is that an oxymoron?), some chat with a friend, and reading an uplifting post by my sister-in-law, I'm doing better.

All of you religious friends out there, keep praying for me. I've only got a few days left until Kelly gets here, but sometimes those are the hardest.

Too much information

I think I may have taken my kids along with me to one too many doctor's appointments. They are playing veterinarians right now, and Ariana just demanded a urine sample from Kiara's patient.

Oh, Xander!

Let me tell you how many times today I've said, "Oh, Xander!"

#1 I came upstairs from schooling the kids and found Xander playing in the dog's water bowl (his favorite toy, incidentally) and putting the water on his hair. I can only assume he was making his hair pretty like his sisters.

#2 Shortly after the above experience, Xander managed to get into the paint that we were using for a school project (I swear, I put it out of his reach!) and proceeded to paint the dining room table.

#3 Only a few short hours after experience #1, Xander was again at the dog's water bowl, this time dipping a dress up shoe in it (oh, and I forgot to mention that at some other point today, he dipped Katarina's toy nutcracker in the water).

#4 As I was cooking dinner, I looked over my shoulder to find that he learned how to climb all the way up onto the dining table. Oh yeah, that's going to make life interesting.

#5 Just as I got ready to set the table for dinner, he dumped out a large carton of crayons all over the table.

And it's only dinner time! I'll let you know if I have more to add later...

Kleenex Ettiquette

Xander has a runny nose. Today I wiped it off for him and then threw the kleenex away. When I was done, he grabbed the kleenex box and pulled out several tissues, blew his nose into them and wadded them up. Then he promptly crammed them back into the box.

Ewwwww.

Music to my ears

Kiara came into the kitchen tonight and this is what she said:

"What are we having for dinner tonight? .... Asparagus! Woo-hoo!!!"

I'm not joking.

Yeah, I feel pretty good about myself right now.

Cooking dinner

I've noticed that the number of compliments I receive from my children about the dinner I make is inversely proportional to the amount of time I spend making it.

For example:

Costco ravioli's with bottled spaghetti sauce--prep time 20 minutes--compliments: loads

Homemade chicken and corn chowder --prep time 1 1/2 hours--compliments: zip. zilch. nada.

I think I give up (especially because Kelly is gone for the next month).

Katarina's joke

Katarina was pretending to read a Laffy Taffy wrapper just now and this is what she came up with:

Katarina: Knock knock.

Me: Who's there?

Katarina: What the

Me: What the who?

Katarina: (whispering) You're supposed to say "the cat"

Me: The cat

Katarina: That's right!!!!