thoughts on a sunday

• Ah, blogging!  I am hanging on here, so I guess once a month is kinda how it goes now.  Really don't feel like doing this now, but I just gave myself 15 minutes and then I can stop.

• Sometimes I feel bad that finding the time or inspiration to write things down doesn't come as easily to me anymore.  It has been a chore for quite some time now, when it used to always be mostly fun.  That saddens me because I should be able to do this better.  But when your heart isn't in something, its hard to make it great.  I know my writing-when I actually do it- has suffered.  

• Okay, enough about that.  Lets get to it.  You know how kids will change the way they say yes or no?  Like how suddenly a toddler will start saying "Yes" all proper when before they would say "uh huh"?  Well, I love how Layla has started saying "Ummm, yes" or "ummm, no."  That's all.  I just love it.

• I've been asking her a lot of yes or no questions lately.  "Layla, do you have to go potty?"  On Monday we had the famous or infamous, depending who you are, Potty Day.  Brian was off for President's Day and took the kids up to the land with the family.  I knew Layes and I wouldn't have another opportunity to have a whole day to ourselves for who knows how long, so I decided it had to be done Monday.  We got a later start than I wanted- we had to go to the store to pick out potty treats and undies.  

• She did great.  By far my easiest, and I've been telling everyone that after Ellery, I deserve easy.  Ellery took FOREVER to train.  Like years.  So this was a nice follow-up to her experience.  We're still not finished yet and accidents still happen, but she caught on really quickly.  Yay Laysie!

• It's funny, we call them undies around here, but I think some people have been admiring her big girl "panties" because she's been throwing that term out here and there and correcting me from time to time.  "Not undies, they're panties."  

• Also, today at church I took her to the little potty in nursery.  She was completely enamored with the little potty, the little sink, the fact that they had toilet paper and paper towels.  She just thought it was all so great that there were these things in her nursery.  That's why I wasn't surprised at all when I picked her up and they told me that she was in that little potty three times.  She's kind of obsessed, I think.

• Part of me is a little bit sad to have her in undies.  It means she's growing up.  She's not a baby.  It's only a matter of time before she gets a big girl bed, sippy cups are rarely used around here anymore.  She's big.  My baby.

• McKay lost another tooth over the weekend.  He told me it was loose in the afternoon, and by the time we got home that night (late) it was out.  

• McKay has taken on the role of Layla's peacemaker.  If she's upset he will say anything to make her feel better.  Lies.  Impossible promises.  He'll say he has candy, or that she can go swimming or who knows what else he comes up with to get that baby to stop crying.  It's actually really sweet.  He is quite protective of her.  If she gets in trouble or gets put in a time out, he is literally squirming around with discomfort and/or crying along with her.  He's a sweet brother like that.  He does it with Ellery sometimes too.  He and Layla have this little thing going on right now though.  

• My cousin, Amanda, was here this weekend.  We went to a movie, went sledding and down to Riverwoods.  It was an exhausting weekend, but we had fun.  The kids were in heaven over all the cousin time.

• Today Brian was on call all day, so it was just me and the kids at home.  I thought it would be a really long day, but it was actually quite nice.  We watched family movie, did McKay's alien autopsy thing, and had a nice dinner.  Then I asked everyone if they wanted a bath.  Only Layla agreed to that.  Then I asked everyone if they wanted a bath in my tub wearing their swimsuits.  Everyone was excited for that.  They splashed a lot and were crazy, but they had fun.  After that McKay remembered an old memory of making shadow animals with a flashlight, back in our condo when he was little and really wanted to recreate that memory.  We did.  And finally, in bed by 7:15, which hasn't happened in the last four nights.  

• It's no secret that I am not a gourmet cook.  I struggle with cooking with ease.  But I want to give cooking up altogether because lately it seems like everyone hates what I make.  I cannot stand to prepare food that my kids won't even try.  It's driving me crazy right now and I have been on a pretty bad streak the last couple weeks.  The only reason I am not completely devastated is because Brian has eaten everything I've made- happily I think.  

• Although, tonight I made homemade black refried beans and to my astonishment, Mack ate them right up.  Loved them even.  

• Then there's Ellery.  She is completely obsessed with cucumbers.  I buy the mini ones for her and Layla.  Layla likes them, but Ellery devours them.  We had been out of them for a week or so and both the girls asked for them several times for a snack.  I've never been hungry for a snack and thought, "You know, a cucumber would really hit the spot right now."  Never.  This week I bought two regular ones because they were out of mini's, and they were gone within two days.  She just chomps them right up.  

• This reminds me of McKay.  He is to a point where he would rather eat home lunch.  I am still feeling the school lunch for now, but occasionally I will make him a lunch, especially on Tuesdays.  Tuesday is pizza day and the pizza that was once his favorite on the school lunch menu, is now completely disgusting.  These things change fast, you have to keep up.  So sometimes on Tuesdays I give in to the poor boy.  Anyway, the other day I packed him a lunch and we didn't have much.  I packed cheese, pepperonis, wheat thins (to make mini sandwiches), carrots, a granola bar, two large gummy bears for a treat and the only thing I had in the house to give him to drink was one of those squeeze-it drinks left over from Potty Day.  I would NEVER have those in my  house normally, and I would NEVER send them in a lunch to school.  But I did.  Well, I told him that there were some treats in his lunch, but he had to eat his healthy stuff before he ate the treats.  He promised he would and ran off to school.  That night, when I was getting his homework folder out, I noticed his lunch bag was in his backpack.  Took it out and what do you know, everything was there except the drink and the gummy bears.  His reason:  I didn't have time to eat it all.  Nice.

• "That's not my talent.  Playing with friends is not my talent.  Staying at home and coloring is." quote from Ellery Jane

• Okay, fifteen minutes is up.  That's it for now.  Pictures probably to come later....

Happy Sunday.

my sweet ellery,

Today I took you to the ballet.  

McKay gets to go on lots of dates with dad,

 and a special night with mom was WAY past due for you.

You had been waiting for weeks for it to finally be time.

You had to wait even longer when we accidentally had tickets to the night show instead of the matinee.  

At first you were content just to sit quietly on the way up, 

asking to listen the Muppets cd.

Then, when it was getting dark, you started talking.  

I think the excitement of being out late, at night, woke you up.

You wore your fanciest dress, and as you were getting ready

McKay helped you put on every piece of jewelry you own.

You looked beautiful, and very fancy.

When we got to the capital theatre you were mesmerized by it's beauty.

I saw that special twinkle in your eyes as you looked up and studied the beautiful chandeliers.    

We stopped at the refreshment counter and I let you pick out a treat.

Gummy bears.

From the time we walked into the theatre to the time we found our seats

you counted how many people commented on your pretty dress.  Five.

We found our seats and pretty soon the show started.  

You kept looking over at me with those shiny eyes

I could tell that you felt so grown up, so important.

And that's just what I wanted you to feel.

Cinderella was beautiful, the tutus were exciting

the step sisters were especially funny because they were boys

and during intermission you showed me your own ballet moves.

On the way up we talked about what manners to use at a ballet.

You remembered all of them, including clapping during appropriate times.

There was, however, a lot of clapping.

After awhile, we found our own way of clapping using one of my hands, and one of yours.

You really liked that and that's how we clapped the rest of the evening.

After the show was over, we made our way through the crowds to the elevator

where you almost got smushed because you were the only small person in there.

Within two minutes of driving on the freeway, you were fast asleep.

I loved my night at the ballet with you.

I hope you will always remember it.

I hope you will always remember how special you felt.

How special you are.

I sure love being your mom.

we went to see george

We took a little family vacation to St. George for our warm weather trip.  We had so much fun visiting the temple grounds and visitor's center, swimming in the cold hotel pool, going out to eat, celebrating Valentine's day all together, spending a day hiking and driving in Zion's and playing in the red rock park.  It was a fun trip.  I love traveling with just our little family. 

 

We had fun at the temple- both on the grounds and in the visitor's center.  The kids were way excited to see and touch and hug palm trees, and loved running around on the grass.  We looked at the beautiful temple where Grandma and Granddad had been married, and remembered the time that Brian and I had visited those grounds ten years earlier on our honeymoon.  In the visitors center they gave the kids Mica (I don't know how to spell that), which is what is used to make the St. George temple so white.  By the time we left St. George I'm pretty sure all three stones were lost.  

It was Valentine's Day while we were down there and so I made sure to bring a little something for my kids.  Brian and I didn't do anything for each other...except he bought me a box of See's chocolates, which is one of my favorite things.  I shared with everyone.  The kids were expecially excited about these chocolate dogs because I gave them to them on V-day in Oregon and they always remembered them.  I could only find two at the store, so Layla's didn't have a doghouse, but she didn't care.  

One of our favorite activities was visiting the red rock park.  It's kind of sad that I can't remember any of the details, but I am writing this way after it happened.  I can't remember the name of this park, but it is right on the hill of the city.  It was so fun climbing and exploring the rocks, crevices and caves.  We could have spent even more time here- the kids loved it.

We spent a day in  Zion's, which was really fun.  I am always amazed at all Southern Utah has to offer that I haven't even seen before.  We went to Weeping Rock, hiked to the start of the Narrow's trail and drove through the heart of the mountain through tunnels with amazing views.  

One of the highlights of our time in Zion's was the rock shop.  I loved these places when I was a kid, and they remind me of my Nonnie- probably always will.  She was always one for a special rock or stone, so this store would have been right up her alley.  The kids were mesmerized by the rocks and gems as well, and I insisted that we let them pick something out as a souvenir.  This was a very difficult task for McKay and Ellery.  It took them probably an hour, especially McKay.  Ellery chose a purple crystal rock which I can't remember the name of and was IN LOVE with it.  Still is.  I talked Layla into choosing a worry stone- another thing that reminds me of Nonnie.  I got one too.  Layla's is pink and mine is a really cool orange- the color of the red rocks.  McKay stewed and stewed, like he does, and finally decided on a little monkey/troll man with a staff.  It's tiny and I hope he doesn't lose it, but he was happy with his choice after a lot of stress.

Fun trip.  Love our warm weather trip tradition.  I can't wait to explore more things with my little crew.

the best friend

Now that I live in Utah, it's not quite as hard for me and my three best friends from elementary/high school/college to get together.  With Katie living in Newfoundland, Canada, it still isn't easy, but now that three of us live here in Utah and with Katie coming to visit family for Christmas, it happened!  

I love these girlfriends of mine so much and I'm so glad that even though we don't see each other often, I still get to call them best friends, because some things never change.  

We decided it would be fun to get our whole families together this time.  We had dinner and dessert and just visited while the kids ran around.  It has been a really long time since all us girls, our kids and our husbands have been together- and although we were missing Mark- it was really fun.  

I really love when our kids get together and play.  My kids love it and I'm so glad that we're fostering the next generation of friendships.  I love to think that they will have memories of playing together when they were little.

Gray, Carter, Brady, Jude, Nash, Ellery, Layla, Halle and McKay in the back.

Love these kids.

Along with Layla, these are the only girls.  Halle is so sweet to Ellery, even though she is much older.  We took this picture because they had matching coats.  

Hopefully we will be able to have many more pictures like these to come over the years!