really, him

Eli can't believe it either

What I did on Friday Night!

Ok, Ok, this is what really happened......

I went to our community movie night to help a friend man her super extra large twister mat. We were folding it up, with some help from a nice community board member, when he walked away our other friend said, "Do you know who that was?" No. "That was Mike Lookinland!" I am sure he gets people staring at him all the time because he looks somewhat familiar but he also looks like a little, every day man. His kids go to our neighborhood schools and he seems like a happy, nice fellow. I mean, he helps out with community events and such and he is a '70's icon. Now behind the camera. But he really is Bobby Brady and everything I posted about earlier is true...

First in First

The first child. He paves the way for the rest. He breaks in to the heart of his mom and others, he makes a nest in there, and then the time comes when he leaves the nest for over 6 hours a day, 5 days a week and my heart seems to big for my chest and quite empty. This is how I have felt about the first week of school. I am glad he is out there - we both need it - but around lunchtime I have a phantom limb, I want him resting his head on my hip, asking for a popsicle. Caroline wants her big brother, Joey wants his favorite entertainment.

I have a lump in my throat right now, sad and happy and proud all at the same time. I love public school. I love most of what it has to offer. I wish it offered air conditioning in the classrooms, but alas, there is none. Eli has always been a friend maker. He doesn't even have to know your name, if you give a good vibe, count him in. In his class are two of his favorite buddies from last year, and a room full of new ones. School has a few of his favorite things: friends, recess, learning from someone other than his mother and new big kid cred. Eli loves to learn new things, his mind soaks it up. His teacher is new to our school, pretty new to teaching, has a great 1st grade teacher voice, wants to push them to do more, try harder and be kids. I couldn't be more thrilled.

I am having a hard time finding the balance. He gets home near 4, we should eat around 5:30, bed for Joey is early, I need E and Caroline in bed earlier than they are getting in. But I want him to have time to decompress, wiggle, smile wearily and get his homework done. So far it has been very unsettling. He reads really well, but not for me. I think that we come together at the hardest time of the day for each of us. By 4:45p I am close to throwing in the towel, I need to learn to keep my patience for him. He is tired, his brain is a little rattled (a full day of school for a 6 year old is tough!). He still wants his rock-star lifestyle of friends and fun, but I feel the need to set some rules and regulations. Please feel free to offer any advice of what works for you and what does not. No really, I need the help.

I miss the boy, but this boy is destined for knowledge and goodness. He'll never purposely let anyone know just how bright he is. Not that he plays dumb. He is humble and kind. I worry that he will learn how to be cocky and mean at school, but hopefully he will learn that his humility and kindness is even more important. My dad has always loved E's face, he thinks it is fresh, beautiful and perfect. I agree and I hope his schoolmates are appreciating seeing it all day long.

Wandering Waif Collection GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Wandering Waif Collection GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Have you seen this gal's blog? She makes clothes and then gives them away - just because. And I want some.

There are so many exciting things happening these past few days, I need to settle my brain a bit before I share them. In the mean time you can head over to the Lost website at abc.com and see what cute Sawyer would nickname you. He calls me Ladybug. It might tide you over until 2009. AND, I recommend this to everyone, have you ever listened to the podcasts (available on iTunes) that are broadcast by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse? It is my favorite, laugh out loud, good Lost info, super smart listening pleasure.

My Self Portrait of my Beautiful Kids and Fantastic Home

I think everyday there is a post on a blog about why they post, or oddly, why they don't. Is blogging self-centered? Sure, it can be. Is it a little like "look here, at me, and my smoothed over, sugary, bright side life!"? Sometimes, but aren't we supposed to make lemonade out of lemons? And maybe their life is really that peachy. Is it sometimes a "look what I have done" or "my kids are cuter and smarter and more agile than yours!"? Yeah, but I have done something and want someone to see it and my kids are pretty awesome, although I am sure that yours can swim faster. Is it sometimes a bitch and moan session? For me, yes. But who else to better vent to than someone who is faceless (so I can't see the pitying glances), can't interrupt me until I am finished, and frankly, when someone else does it I like to read it to know that I am not the only one who can be frustrated.

I also like to blog so I can give little shout outs! Like this one,

My husband is pretty amazing. He helps me fold laundry, he puts up with my unintentional eye-rolling, he makes Daddy's Favorite Noodles for the kids, he likes to be hugged and he is handsome. Thanks honey. This is my blog, I can brag all I want.

If people didn't blog how would I know what my friends are up to? I love their updated pics, I love seeing what their kids are up to, what they are doing, and I admit I like seeing who they are blogging with. I've admitted I am a virtual voyeur (blogs only people).

I like to look here for a laugh and a dose of my kind of reality, I go here and here to see what I wish I could add to my life (I mean, I wish talent wise and energy wise and admittedly coolness/fame wise because frankly, my life is pretty T-riffic this would just be icing), here and here to see fun, crafty/sew me some things (actually if you look at my links off to the left, I look very regularly at the sites over there), I look here because she has such nice things to say about everything, I look here and here because the first sister is a witty gal and the second sister has a lot of super things to say about her family (in a way that I am trying to be more comfortable with expressing myself) and now unfortunately, to check updates on the condition of the second sister. I read now to be inspired by the the faith and optimism that this family is expressing in this time of trial. No self-pity, just love and faith. That is also why I look here, because for months, so many of us have cried, cheered and been in awe of how you guys live everyday. By the way, Coop has had to do something cool like make a new sound, so update already!

Blogging, as I have said before, has reconnected me to so many, allowed me to find new friends, let me express myself in my often ridiculous way. I went here last night and milk came out my nose when I was reading her reprimand all of us lazy bloggers. I also head there to see her photo site, she is the gal who took these beautiful photos.

Others' blogging helps me find new things, read new perspectives, give me perspective, laugh, ooh and awe, smile or just sit and relax a bit. I think the blogging world is pretty cool. It helps me remember I am not alone, we are all in this together, and I can waste some looking at what others are blogging about. And I really don't mind if sometimes it is a little egocentric, we all should be sometimes.

art provided by linzie hunter

Tooth Hell

Eli has had his second loose tooth. All was good until his shark tooth came up and lodged the other tooth into being "un-loose". So for the past six weeks (maybe longer) we have been wiggling his tooth daily (with much opposition from him). Yesterday, on our way down the canyon we hear this blood-curdling, someone-just-cut-my-pinkie-toe-off-and-is-threatening-to cut-off-my-ring-finger scream. I whip around, "E, what happened?"

"PUT IT BACK IN!!!"

Put what back in?"

SCREAM!!!

"PUT MY TOOTH BACK IN!!!"

He had put something in his mouth and it had somehow pulled his tooth out.

More screaming.

"PUT IT BACK! I DON'T WANT TO GO TO TOYS'R'US (I had told him that if he let us wiggle and get the tooth out we could go and get a Pokemon at T'R'U, I am not above bribery)!!!!"

More crying, me turning around and biting my fist I was laughing so hard. I told him that we can't put it back in.

BLOOD-CURDLING SCREAMING!!! Mouth as big as the moon.

"I AM NEVER WIGGLING ANOTHER TOOTH EVER AGAIN! I WILL NEVER LOSE ANOTHER TOOTH! PUT IT BACK!"

Since I was dropping Dave and Eli off to a father and son camp out, we decided that we would save the tooth for the fairy for tonight. Dave lost it. So I had to put his other tooth in it's place.

Eli, "Dad, where is my tooth? Oh no, I shouldn't have said that word." He said this while shaking his head sadly.

Dave, "What word?"

"Tooth. It makes me sad, we can't say it anymore."

Me, coming into the room with the replacement tooth (good thing I kept the creepy thing) and showing it too him. He looked at it for a good 2 minutes, I thought we were sunk, it does look different from the one that came out yesterday.

Me, "Here is your tooth."

Eli, "We can't say that word."

"What word?"

"Tooth."

"Why?"

"It makes me very sad. Will you please tell the Fairy (notice he did not say tooth) that I would like to keep it?"

"Keep what?"

"IT!"

"Ok, I'll send the message."

"Will I still get money?"

********

the view yesterday was so pretty!

Tonight, I told the kids to stop running with suckers in their mouths. Caroline stops short, turns the sucker around, puts the stick back in her mouth with the sucker not in her mouth and says, "Can I run with the stick in my mouth?"

This may lead to more loose teeth

Did you know that when I type "tooth" this many times, it begins to look as though I spelled it wrong?

This is...

This week's "This is..." (a meme by the very talented Three Buttons, and one I have hardly participated in, but need to do it) topic was chosen by The Bird Bath (great blog, by the way), it is "This is how I like to spend my weekend".

So many different ways. For instance, this weekend Dave took Eli on our ward Father and Sons campout, so after I stopped holding my breath when they got home, I went and got my hair cut. My gal has been on maternity leave, so it has been about 4 months since I have had a trim. And then some yard work, some badminton with fun people, some Olympic action. Yesterday we spent time up in the mountains before the guys went camping. We four-wheeled, froze while tubing the river, breathed fresh air.

Last weekend, we went boating with Dave's sis and family. Ever since I had kids, I have been a wuss. I have never had kids that fall asleep where ever, whenever, so doing fun things during nap time or bedtime with kids, isn't fun - really. Not convenient equals not much fun. But, I did it. I missed Joey's nap so we could cross counties and wakeboard in some water and mud. It was so fun! I wakeboarded for the first time in 7 years (back not conducive to boarding, risky business) and got up within seconds, stayed up for a while and fell so hard 2 1/2 times. Brain rattling, and it felt so good.

So, I guess, the way I like to spend my weekend (but don't always get to do it) is some recreational activity, reading, being pampered, family time, going out with friends, gardening, lazying about. Whether I get to spend my weekend the way I like is another story. I hope your weekend was good.

Choir

On Thursday, my kids and I went to our elementary school for a free concert given by The Singing Children of Africa, a choir from Kenya. My eyes teared up the second these bright-eyed, fresh-faced kids danced in.

It all started when Maureen McIntyre and her husband were in Kenya on a vacation. Circumstances led them to a little boy named Samson Chivatsi, a boy that they ended up sponsoring. After helping poverty-stricken children gain access to education (from which some of their funds were used elsewhere), they decided to open up their own school in an old disco club. They named it the Samson Civatsi African Children's Appeal. The school employs over 40 local people ) a huge boost to the community), and is educating over 750 children at this time. Things that have been noted in the community with the addition of this school is peace in a time when other areas of Kenya are surrounded in violence. (Did any of you read Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortensen? It teaches the same principle, give children a future by educating them and you will have less violence and war.) Their booklet says that recently the charity has acquired some traditional African houses next to the orphanage (another charity they started) that will be converted to workshops for making jewelry and other local crafts, providing jobs and skills training for the young people of the village. Can you imagine how much of a difference this one woman's goal to enhance the life of the people in this village?

In any case, I was so touched by these children who were singing and dancing. Many of them are orphans that have found a home in this charity. They tour in order to raise money to build, furnish and fund the Joshua Tree orphanage, to make others aware of this charity's work. We left donations as we left. I think a lot of time we are looking to help in some small way, but don't know where to begin or don't feel like we have the time. If you feel like you want to learn more, go to http://www.educatethekids.com/ and http://www.singingchildrenofafrica.org.uk/Welcome.html.

This is out of character for me, I don't like to feel as though I am preaching, but I wanted to share how this touched me.

some songs from college

Today I heard one of these songs on the radio and it threw me in to flashback craziness - you know the Sidney Bristow-type where a million different memories pop like flashes of light in your brain? Nothing too crazy here, just the ones I could remember - ooh, I forgot Toad the Wet Sprocket - next mix.

Do you think that with every gymnastics uniform the gymnast also receives very large bag with barrettes and multiple scrunchies?

I like to paint, I like to work with paper, I like to sew. I am just starting to work up any talent in the craftiness realm. I have made things for myself that people have then asked me to make for them or for them to give as gifts. That is rewarding. It is also rewarding to be asked to sell at boutiques and local stores. But it is time consuming, and fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on the day) I am at a time when the dedication and time that needs to be committed to such endeavors is far less than I have after the rigors and joys (cheesy word, yes, but don't know quite how else to express it) of being a mother and wife and neighbor and rester of my own head.

I have to have more than one thing to define me - sorry but true. I grew up in a home where my mom somehow fed, bathed, pta'd, ironed, mowed the lawn, sewed our clothes, painted all things with a surface, worked in the community, loved us and still had time to have friends. Maybe she set a bad example of self-mastery, I don't know. Being a mom and wife is foremost in my life, as it should be. Sometimes I have to escape that reality (especially this last dingbatty year) and I paint, sew, sneak in a girls' night or just hide in my studio. So being a friend and a creator of things helps me appreciate the title of wife and mother. Does this make sense? It doesn't to me. But I at least know what I am trying to say, you are on your own until my brain stops chugging and starts spinning. To clarify, I love to be a mother and wife, but to help me keep loving it, I have to have supporting roles, if you will.

That all said, I have been asked to do more boutiques with my nursing aprons and plaques (lucky me, seriously, I love that people love things that I love to make) but for the time being, my supporting role of "artist" will be more recreational than business. I will make a few here and there, when I have the whim or the time, but I can't crank out 50 in two months to be ready for the show without my home becoming a disgrace of a living space, both physically and emotionally. The bad thing is, especially where I live (and maybe in other communities, but I don't live there, just here, so I can only give my expert opinion on my community), you do something people like, it will be copied. So you can either keep cranking them out, so yours are more dominant, or you can do them a little here and a little there and someone else will just take your idea (which, I think, my plaques are quite unique!!!) and flood your region with it. Oh well, tis the nature of the creative beast, I guess. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and really all art is a bit of copying here and there.

The good thing is, I can still make things for fun, sell them for fun, create for someone or just for me. Someday I hope to be well on my way to super-crafty stardom, but for now I am set for super mommy twinkling. Now, off to make Breakfast for Dinner, who doesn't love that?

** (the next day) So, I have been thinking about what I was trying to write here. I think the reason that creating is so compelling for me is the instant gratification that it provides - I can see the end of the project, I can see others enjoying it. Raising a family is so much more abstract. In fact, right now, my kids' so prefer there very capable, handsome and level-headed dad to their somewhat moody, busy with two other children than the one needing the one on one, impatient, trying to get it together mom. In the long run, the rewards from family and all that blah blah blah will be great, but I am admittedly impatient and very much a "let me see results now!!!" person. Ah, that is it for now, I'll try not to dissect it further.

I love the Olympic Games.

I love choking up when someone who has put that much heart, dedication, will, strength into a sport wins. I hate seeing them lose. They made it all this way just to be blown out of the water? Or just miss it by hundredths of a second?

I really like seeing the Opening Ceremonies. Some countries have hundreds (the U.S. has 600 athletes, only 39 less than the host country) competing and some have only 3 or 4. But they qualified, they worked so hard to wear their nations colors. I also like to see what the countries are wearing for the Opening Ceremonies (did anyone see this week's Project Runway? They had to design an outfit for the ladies for the opening, some were quite interesting). How exhilarating for these athletes to feel all that buzz and energy. I know it is in China, I know there is some major world anger at this, but get over it and celebrate the athletes and their accomplishments. I don't know how many of them will care about the smog and injustice that is China for the next couple of weeks. How would it be to be an Olympic Athlete? Unbelievable I bet. Go USA!

I am so out of touch with the pulse of America, it is a good thing that I am not running for president. Can't wait for the tour.

The Finale

I haven't begun to watch yet and won't be able to until late tonight, but I am SO EXCITED for the finale of So You Think You Can Dance! With a little annoyance on the side.

- I think Joshua is fine, not fantastic, not un-talented, in fact he is strong and I am betting has some training (although he says he doesn't...), he is a good dancer, but I never care what he is doing. Ever. Never overly thrilled to see what he has to bring. So, I wish it was Mark. Mark at least brought tons of originality and quirkiness.

- The girls are both fun to watch. Katee has been given some amazing choreography and done beautifully. Courtney is so cute and also has done well, but I wish it was Chelsie.

- I like Twitch. I like Chelsie, I like Mark. Too bad.

And since I really have no idea what I am talking about with regards to the technicality of dancing, this is purely from an entertainment standpoint. I guess I hope it is either Twitch or Katee.

Who do you want?

Blogger Block

the kids decided to not smile for this picture, Caroline being the only one to pull it off

I have it. I don't know why. Wish it would lift. Any suggestions?

In other news, thank you to the lovely 6 foot 5 man with the lovely 5 foot 11 wife (6 feet really) who saved little Joey from taking a summer nights walk and swim in the front yard of our lovely verbacious friend and his cheery little wife with the smiley eyes. Thanks for the get together. We had a fantastic time tonight and I am amazed at how chill you two are. I need it to rub off on me.

To my verbacious friend and his cheery wife, Charlie is, in my eyes, making huge leaps. Since I only get to see him once or twice a month if I am that lucky, I may see more progress than what you might notice seeing him every day. For instance, I leaned down, gave him my usual three stroke nose greeting (this is mine, I dubs it, no one else use it, or else) and his mouth moved, his eyes widened and it looked like he was trying to talk. Then I leaned over and put my cheek next to his and hummed and he was humming (not necessarily in response, but maybe already doing it). This must be newish, right? He is making sounds! Different sounds. Kind of soothing, delightful, sing-songy hums. Oh I love this kid. My heart is jumpy just thinking about these little, maybe insignificant changes. I just popped over to your blog and after reading every third word while Rob got to the point, I read about Charlie grabbing your hand. I noticed this tonight also. He would squeeze my fingers. If I moved them, he would re-grab them. I also noticed that each time I came over to talk to him, he would be alert, changing his body language, acting like he was acknowledging the attention that was being given to him. He seems to be soothed by other things now too. Like I was just stroking his cheeks, or his arm, or his Rob-clone belly. He seemed to just be soaking in the feel of things. He seems very aware. Aware of his little friends running around him like whirling dervishes, his buddies applying all sorts of lip balm to his lip-balmed pouter, aware of the glee and joy in the air of these little kids who, I think, realize that are in the presence of a magnificent little boy. There is something about Charlie. The calm he creates in me, in others. I know it is easy for me to say, since I can just pop in and out, hold him and then leave, but thank you for sharing him with us. Although I hate the way it has happened, I am glad that he has brought us together in more frequency, because you, my smiley-eyed friend are priceless. And my 5 foot 11 friend, you are just as dear.

photo by caroline, both of them wanting to take pictures, they were both being goofy