Mother of the Year- NOT ME!

I'm busy...

I don't need to explain...

I know you are all feeling it...

Oh, life is a whirlwind...

I'm trying hard to keep afloat...

In the midst of my chaos...

I'm making mistakes...

forgetting important things...

and trying not to rake myself over the coals for it.

You see.....I'm learning life lessons,

just now realizing...

that....

When I was in the second grade and my mom forgot to sign my permission slip to go swimming, so I sat in the school library with the librarian, sulking, while everyone else was having the time of their lives in the pool....

It wasn't because my mom didn't love me. She was busy too...

But those are the things we remember!

So, yesterday, the kids and I jump in the car and take Avery to Tavasi (her singing/dancing) class.

We wave good-bye to Aves as she enters the building.

Next we drive to Maverick to get frozen yogurt.

We're in filling our cups when two, young girls walk by in their Halloween costumes.

Just like that...

I'm reminded...

Avery was supposed to wear her costume!

Panic....

She'll be the only one...

She'll be devastated....

She'll never forgive me...

I could picture her sad, little face....

I call Robert...nearly in tears. I tell him,

"These are the things they remember!"

There's nothing I can do. We live 20 min. away.

So, I try hard to brush it off, although it gnaws, and gnaws, and gnaws at me.

45 min. later, we pull up to Tavasi.

All of us get out and run inside.

I am thinking Avery's going to need me to swoop her up and love on her.

She'll be distraught, for sure.

She's beaming...

"Guess what, mom?!"

She holds up her sour Skittles...

"I was the spotlight!"

That's right...

NOT ONE WORD ABOUT NOT HAVING A COSTUME!

She was elated!

Every, single, girl was wearing her costume.....except Avery.

I couldn't believe it.

Her teacher is a genius.

I look at Payton with wide eyes. This is code for, "Don't say anything about the costume!"

The entire car ride home, we rant and rave about how great it is that Avery was the spotlight.

I call Robert....."We've witnesses a small miracle. Do not mention the costume, I repeat, Do not mention the costume!"

And so I realize, that even though I love my kids more than anything and try hard to do right by them,

It's not always going to happen.

I'm going to forget, just like my mom did.

Mother of the Year- NOT ME!

And it's o.k!

Family Photos

Family photos...

Although looking back brings fun memories,

it can also be pretty heart wrenching for this mama.

Reality is staring, rather glaring......back from the photos themselves.

No, I'm not talking about my added wrinkles, although those are rather frightening too!

My sadness stems from seeing my babies.....they're NOT babies anymore!

Look how they've grown.......in just one year.

Sniff, Sniff....Giant Sniff!

Their sweet, little, soft, chunky faces are maturing.

I almost can't stand it.

And yes, I know, I know......Robert is getting old!

(wink, wink)

Avery Has A Boyfriend!

Owen and I were lucky enough to spend a morning with Avery and her Kindergarten class at the Pumpkin Patch.

It was fun to see her so excited for her very first bus ride!

We enjoyed running through the giant corn maze and tried desperately to keep up without rolling an ankle!

Hunting for the "perfect" pumpkin is always a task. Perfect for me means they're small enough for them to carry!

All this was good.......until something interesting became quite obvious.
Look over there, Avery....we could run away together!
Easy, my main man, my mama be watching!
I'll pretend I'm not enjoying this even though I really am!
Oh, I'm going to get you.....and when I do......
Who is this kid separating us, and why is he ruining our picture, our moment, our lives?!

Oh brother, yes, she is still watching......don't worry....I will never invite her on another field trip again!

You're not invited. I mean it, mom!Too bad, sista. After today's display of puppy love...I think Owen and I will chaperon all your field trips!

Obvious....I told ya.

The frightening conclusion........

AVERY HAS A BOYFRIEND!

Ritual

i'ts late...

the house is quiet...

although the wind is howling outside...

i'm grading away....

i'de rather be snuggled in my cozy bed...

or watching smut on t.v.

or cleaning toilets, really...

anything but this....

i need a little something, something...

cocoa with hazelnut syrup

yup, you'll do...

my dear, late night ritual...

you're back!

p.s. the shift key on my computer died. it is posing quite the problem.

Upon Request

My friend Karrie Jo, who happens to be my sister-in-law too, sent me an email requesting a blog post with photos of my kids. So, I hunted through some old picture files for some snapshots of the monkeys. I happened across some adorable ones of her little man, when she, Beckham and Robert's other sister, Aunt Mikkel, came to visit for the weekend. Is he the cutest, little, blue-eyed baby boy, or what?!
We spent an afternoon in downtown Boise....and had fun dressing Beckham in all the cool hats at Helly Hansen.Owen was looking killer in his over sized, red shades.The girls danced around the fountain. I had my camera ready, secretly hoping to get a shot of a slip!We enjoyed our pumpkin spiced fraps. while strolling the streets.Crazy, fun, Aunt Mikkel.... has some serious hops!And this picture below, is my favorite for sure.

Nothing staged......just a lucky capture of mid-air bliss!

So, there ya have it, Karrie Jo!

I hope these pics. will make ya smile.

They made me miss you all.....and warm weather too!

Jumbo Box of Kleenex

Nie Nie on Oprah... tomorrow?

Oh, you know I'll be watching.

I can't wait!

There's just one thing this girl's going to need,

A...

JUMBO BOX OF KLEENEX!

( I chose this pic. of Oprah, not because she looks fab. (which she does), but because of the expression on the man's face in the background! Cracked me up!)

Missing... Book Club

So, I finished my book last week.

It was cold and windy outside.
The kids were playing in their new spot under the stairs,
so I snuck up and snuggled in Pay's pillow filled bed,
and READ!


I might have fallen asleep too.
At least that's how Robert found me when he arrived home from work.
I opened my eyes to find him staring at me, wearing a crooked smile.
You know, the, "So this is the life you live while I'm slaving away at work all day?" look.


Anyway, I sadly finished the book. Sad because now it's over.
Currently I'm speaking and writing as if I lived in Guernsey.
How does that happen?
What's wrong with me?
It's absolutely ridiculous how overcome and involved I become in a good book.


So, it's no surprise that my thoughts are on Guernsey, the characters, the author, etc.
My mind is racing, and I am making all kinds of connections.
For example, remember how I commented on my last book post that the story reminded me of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales?
Well right there on page 243, just about 30 pages from the finish, it's mentioned.
Yup, discussed at the Society and referenced as Sidney's favorite book.


Aah haaaaa... a light went on.
I knew I had a connection to this author and book.
I became giddy and looked her up, you know, did a little google research.
You bet, she majored in Medieval Lit.
Medieval Lit. the genre that finally awakened my senses as a learner of Lit. at USU!

Guernsey has sure left me pondering.
Which really makes me miss book club,
and long for discussion, delicious food, and wonderful company.


Some day my life will allow time for book club again, right?
Oh, I can only hope.
Until then, I'll briefly blog about the books that take a hold of me and carry me away.
All I know right now is......
This grey, rainy, too cool weather, makes me long for another.


(Bob just came in and read my post. He laughed out loud at how ridiculous, dramatic and nerdy it is. "Ridiculous, Dramatic and Nerdy,"......he knows and describes me so well!)