the gab blog

Braindrain

2011-04-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

A random post featuring some of the things swirling around in my head.

My children are so cute I want to freeze them. A twelve year old boy, a ten year old girl and two six-year-olds on the cusp of turning seven is just the absolute perfect combination for me right now. Personalities are fully formed but no one is taller than me yet. (Although Jake is just a few weeks and maybe a Grandslam Breakfast away from looking down upon me. Luckily I will outweigh him for decades!)

I enjoy my kids so much more than I did just a few years ago. They can read! They can tie! They can wipe! They are smart, funny and delightful. Sam thanks me after every meal in Spanish. Gracias, Mami for the delicious frozen waffle. I am charmed on a daily basis.

I'm so glad when Daddy comes home. Brad flies in tonight after a week in Philly and NJ. He drove by our old house and took photos. He visited some old friends. He even had a quick trim by his beloved Donna at Personal Style. (A fact which made me sooo envious, I actually dreamed I was back at the David Witchell salon in Newtown! Oh, good hair days, why do you torment and elude me?)

I was tempted to fly back with him and tour our old stomping grounds together. But, the truth is, I am just not ready. I still miss it there a lot. As much as I love the sunshine and having a pool right out the back door, I left a big piece of my heart on the Eastern seaboard. I need a little more time to get over it.

I love having Brad in town. I love having him work from home. We've switched roles a little. Now I'm the one who is gone all day and he's the one waiting for the cable guy. He loads the laundry and turns off the CrockPot. We go out to lunch and remember what life was like those first eight years we had together when it was just the two of us. We've still got it.

We are family. I got all my sisters with me! Last month, Marta and Benji came to town for two glorious weeks. It was simply the best. I dragged her along on all our crazy adventures and she was, as always, a great sport. How fun to watch my baby sister as a mother. I learned from her everyday!

I was so sad to see Min go...but now, guess what?! Two more sisters are driving down sans hubbies and bringing along their (yes, count 'em) SEVEN little girls for some fun-in-the-sun next week! Eighteen extra ovaries, people. Don't you wish you could be a fly on the wall!? I cannot wait.

And some things you just can't blog about... The biggest change going in my life right now is my church assignment. Getting a new calling is kind of like being a new mom. At first, everyone says nice things and hugs you and tells you what a great job you will do...and then THEY LEAVE YOU ALONE WITH THE BABY. And you just have to do it.

I'm still at the stage where I don't know what I don't know. I'm trying to study up real quick. I am loving the excuse to make lots of new friends, to do lots of one-on-one visiting. It's a very old-fashioned, non-digital kind of job which I find energizing and enjoyable. I'm doing a lot of listening and I'm learning a lot, but it's not stuff I want to post about. Just trust me, after a short time rubbing shoulders with these women, I will be a better person.

The Gab Squad: Where Are They Now?

2011-04-02T22:34:00.001-07:00

They made you laugh. They made you cry. They were in your living room on an almost-daily basis.

Time to check in with the old gang and see what they're up to now...

You loved him as Shakey, the crazy third grader with a penchant for danger and animal noises.

These days he passes the sacrament at church, spends time at 6th grade Science Camp, and plays clarinet in the school band.

Remember little Lukechop? You couldn't resist his devilish grin.

Of course, now the grin is missing a few pearly whites, but Mr. Luke is happiest when found at the zoo, on the tennis court or in front of the computer screen.

And who could forget Wedgiesaurus?

These days he can be found roaring at the top of his lungs in the pool and on the playground. Don't mess with him until he's had his daily bowl of GoLean.

Super-cute Squeege was the blond bombshell who could make her three brothers cry.

Now that she's hit double digits, Em is the beauty behind the piano.

The one with a killer throwing arm.

Stay tuned for next season...

Ready, Set, Go

2011-02-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

My race is tomorrow! I am so excited I can hardly sit still. I know it is going to be hard, but I'm just ready to do it and get it done. Can't wait for the endorphins and adrenaline and all the fun with my crazy relay team.

Will be wearing this headlamp (and an equally dorky expression, no doubt) for the midnight run.

This Sunday I started training for a different kind of run. I was asked to be the president of the Relief Society at church. Basically a full-time job.

Like running a Ragnar, being an RS President is not something I EVER thought I'd do. But here I am. At the starting line. Hoping my muscles are strong enough. Nervous and excited. Ready to have fun with my new team.

The blog will undoubtedly suffer...but I promise to post along the way...

Wish me luck!!!

Ninja Stars and Valentines

2011-02-08T17:46:00.001-07:00

Yes, there is a sixth-grade boy in the house.

That means Nerf bullets on the stairs and airsoft gun pellets in the vacuum cleaner bag. Ritz crackers ingested an entire sleeve at a time. Mythbusters on TV.

A lifetime ago, I was a sixth grade teacher. I remember being absolutely horrified about the lack of hygiene so apparent in 12 year old boys. Helping a post-recess student with improper fractions, I would think, Does this kid ever shower? Change his socks? Use toothpaste?

My self-righteous little heart would wonder, Where on earth was his mother?

And, of course, now I know. At that very moment, his mother was probably at Target buying Right Guard, Odor Eaters and Colgate in bulk and placing them strategically throughout the house. His mother was bleaching socks and tee-shirts as fast as her little spin cycle could churn. His mother was sacrificing new living room furniture to pay for braces. She was fishing an orthodontic appliance out of the trash.

Now I have learned that boys this age are just pre-programmed to look like they're homeless. For every ratty, raggy tee and grimy hoodie, there are three crisp, striped Rugby shirts in the closet. With the tags still on.

I would like to travel back 15 years and tell the smug, childless me that actually those sixth-grade mothers weren't too poor or lazy to buy their boys new shoes. In fact, they probably did spring for brand-new Nikes to replace the still-pretty-new Adidas which had been "custom air conditioned" during Social Studies. And probably two days after the new shoes were purchased, one accidentally "fell out of the car" on the way home from a ski trip.

Because, once again, mothering is humbling the heck outta me. One stinky sock at a time.

P.S. Anyone seen a black Nike Reax? Size 5 1/2?

Progress Report

2011-01-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

A little update on things around here:

Pool's cool...

Backyard construction is going so fast that this photo is already outdated. Concrete has now been poured and the waterfall is halfway completed. Every day I look out my window and smile at the cute guys digging in the dirt...

(cute girls, too!)

Running rocks...

I am just weeks away from the Big Race and I really do love training. I'll admit to pining for major body changes immediately--shrinking so fast my clothes would just fall off or maybe waking up with naturally curly hair or something equally awesome. But, of course, I'm still just me. Only a lot more sore. This morning I actually ran 8 miles. And the word of the day is ibuprofen.

Adolescence Happens...

Jake and Em are both showing signs. Emotional more than physical. Lots of mood swings and hating clothes I pick out for them. Each of them got a puberty book for Christmas and they have devoured them.

Just the other night, I went in to kiss Em goodnight. Brad was reading to her and she had chosen her new "Girls' Book" for a bedtime story.

Knowing that Brad would rather walk through fire than the CVS feminine aisle, I gave him a raised eyebrow. "What?" he grinned. "We're just learning how to improve our body image."

Chinese Laundry

2011-01-17T21:47:00.002-07:00

Last week, while Brad was out of town, the kids and I painted the laundry room. All by ourselves. Big accomplishment, people.

The color is "Haystack" by Martha Stewart and isn't it cheerful? I love it. Originally I wanted blue, but I decided doing laundry makes me blue enough. I need sunshine while I sort.

Anyway, while I painted I listened to this...

Such a fascinating memoir. Chua is a Chinese-American mom who has chosen to raise her daughters in the Chinese tradition. As a result they are straight-A students who play concertos at Carnegie Hall. The author is honest and some of her confessions are shocking.

Listening, I felt like a really great mom. Except for the chapters that made me feel like a really lazy American mom. I think this will be my bookclub pick, a real conversation-starter.

Which reminds me, this month our bookclub read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. Coincidentally, also a novel about a Chinese-American family. This one is set in Seattle during WWII. A sweet love story with a happy ending! I liked it.

And now, back to the laundry room...

(If you look close you'll see Jake's snow clothes. He and Brad went sledding in the mountains today with the church youth. Also notice Em's swimsuit. She and the twins stayed here and swam in the hot tub, then ran around in flip flops. How fabulous is January in the Valley of the Sun? Please remind me in July.)

Big Day

2011-01-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a very sad day in the state of Arizona.

So, it seems slightly inappropriate to post about all the fun we had that day.

And it seems wildly inappropriate that the fun was mostly gun related...

marshmallow gun, that is.

Brad made kits for all the boys and helped them with assembly.

I supplied the ammo.

January is the perfect month for an outdoor party around these parts.

The kids had target practice and played capture-the-flag until the sun went down.

Jake has made so many great new friends here, it was a delight to gather them all together. They are good, good boys. Respectful and fun and active and goofy.

We weren't just celebrating Jake's 12th birthday. It was a day to celebrate the long strides he's made and the buddies who are helping him make them.

I've been so sad learning more about the tragedies in Tucson, but I'm also sad when I hear commentators blaming the state of Arizona and calling it a hate-filled place.

Because we have found it warm and welcoming and full of wonderful people.

Happy wishes to my two birthday boys! I love you.

Best of Twenty-ten

2010-12-31T21:16:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love reading end of the year top ten lists? Best movies, books, songs, news stories, inventions. Always makes me feel like I'm watching history unfold. My own personal list isn't full of anything new or shocking, but these are ten discoveries that have made my year a little happier...

01. audiobooks

I don't know how I'd ever work out, fold laundry, or get through all my other zillions of mind-numbing momtasks without audible entertainment. And let's face it, once the twins started all-day school, the house was just WAY too quiet. My listening library is a life saver.

02. cerave skin care

Sara Vee? Saravay? Karavie? I'm not sure how to say it, but I love this stuff. It's cheap. It's gentle. It's recommended by my dermatologist. Hey, I'm 40 now. My skin needs all the help it can get.

03. crossword love

Call me nerd if you must, but crosswords are my new favorite brain workout. USA Today puzzles are the best, in my opinion. And, if your husband travels a lot, he can bring them to you from hotel rooms around the country. Sweet.

04. my iphone

Yeah. The whole smartphone revolution...I get it now.

05. friday night lights

Brad and I are addicted. It's enough "All My Children" for me and plenty of "Sports Center" for him. He doesn't seem to mind that I have a teeny crush on Coach Taylor. Maybe because he thinks Tami is pretty cute. Thank you, Netflix.

06. charming charlie

I didn't know such a store existed til we moved West. Can you say "candy store for grown women"!? Cheap and non-fattening. Also known to cure PMS.

07. honey + licorice

These got me through my last East Coast winter. (And it was a doozy...) Sadly, I have not been able to find them anywhere since we moved. I will keep scouring drugstore shelves, though, because my pocketbook is lonesome for their crinkly-wrapped goodness.

08. shower power

Tilex Fresh Shower. You know the kind you spray and leave? And your brand-new, beautifully tiled shower stays streak- and mildew-free? I love housekeeping when it's this simple.

09. digital trainer

I've been using MapMyRun to help me stay motivated this month. Technology is just so great. With the help of #1 and #4, this little app is digitally kicking my trash.

10. babysitters in da howse

The single greatest discovery of 2010 is the fact that my kids can take care of themselves for a few hours while Brad and I catch a movie or grab a bite. In other words, I am saving so much money, I can head to Charming Charlie on a regular basis. And I can go child-free! Happy New Year to me.

What's on your Top Ten?

The Christmas When

2010-12-30T17:32:00.003-07:00

2010 was the Christmas when Opa and Oma came to stay. Oma treated the girls to pedicures, lunch and shopping. Opa got up early to repair and wax all our antique leather books. (How many houseguests do that?!) They spent lots of time loving their grandkids and no one wanted them to leave.

It was the Christmas when, for the first time EVER, our kids got to celebrate the big day with both sets of grandparents.

How lucky am I? My parents are healthy, happy and still in love with each other. My in-laws are healthy, happy and still in love with each other. Both sets of parents get along without a single bit of drama. They all dote on their grandchildren AND make Brad and me feel like capable, successful adults. I realize that we represent a very small subset of the population in this respect, but I am thankful. It made for a merry Christmas.

2010 was the Christmas when Nana brought her world-famous Swedish tea ring for breakfast and helped us start a new Christmas dinner tradition. (And this recipe was perfect for an apres-bain repast.)

This was the Christmas when Santa's elves brought a hot tub just in time for some Yuletide soaking. Mrs. Claus especially appreciated the hydrotherapy.

2010 was the Christmas when we brought our traditional Christmas Eve hot-dog roasting party out west. Instead of old pals standing by the fireplace, we got to know some new friends as we sat around the backyard fire pit. We discovered that the Christmas spirit isn't subject to temperature change.

This was the Christmas when everyone's favorite gift rolled into the backyard...

...and took away more than it left behind!

Come for a dip in 2011!

Happy New Year and thanks to everyone who made our Christmas so merry.

Holiday Hacienda

2010-12-16T22:43:00.001-07:00

Yay! My laptop is alive! The camera is a little blurry, but it would be asking too much for everything to function perfectly at once, right? Anyway, here is a little peek into our desert Christmas.

Last month I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get into the Christmas Spirit without snow or cozy sweaters. But it's amazing how 72 degree sunshine can put you in the ho-ho-holiday mood. I love running all my errands without a bulky coat. I love shooing the kids outside while I play Mrs. Claus indoors.

I love my Christmas cards! Just looking at my photogenic friends and family puts me in the holliest, jolliest mood ever. You know what I think when I look at this wall? I think, If I died tomorrow, these are the people who would care. Is that weird? I find it vaguely comforting.

Unpacking the Santas and little forest of Christmas trees, I felt like I was reuniting with old friends. They help make our new house feel a little more like home.

The train is circling the living room tree, but I'm finding my little engineers aren't quite as captivated with the chugga-chugging this year. Sad.

And the Tooth Fairy finally made a stop at Luke's pillow! All he wants for Christmas is his two front teeth. And a Bakugan. And a plasma car. And Rock Band. And a puppy...

No, I'm Not Dead. But My Laptop Might Be.

2010-12-12T23:14:00.000-07:00

Everyone close your eyes right now and say a little Christmas prayer for the Gabtop 3000. She is in the fight of her life, trying to survive a bout with a deadly online virus. Terminal illness is never convenient. But in the month of December, it can be particularly painful. And since Brad's big old bulky desktop isn't really a fan of snuggling by the Christmas tree, my online shopping (not to mention my cyber social life) is suffering. Big Time.

But here is what I have been doing in my screen-free time:

Moving to a new place is like going to a new high school. You find yourself trying new things. Hanging out with a different crowd. Taking new classes, inventing a new persona. Insecure teens might get talked into drugs or alcohol. Insecure 40 year olds might get talked into running a 24 hour overnight relay.

Yes, I am running the Ragnar Del Sol in less than three months. No, I have never done anything remotely like this in my entire life. Yes, I am racing with 11 other Mormon moms. (We have approximately 55 kids between the 12 of us and are seriously considering the team name "Sister Wives.") Yes, I am training every day. No, I have not experienced any notable weight-loss. But, yes, it is surprisingly fun and addictive.

The kids are running too. I guess 24/7 sunshine just makes everybody want to lace up the sneakers. The PE teacher sponsors a twice-weekly running club after school, so that's where we can all be found Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Some of us are fast, some of us are slow. Some of us whine and some of us glow. Needless to say, the backseat of the minivan is not the place you want to be on a Tuesday or Thursday afternoon. Post-run showers are mandatory.

So this is the part where I ask any runners out there for advice on shoes or training or good music for the iPod. In the past, my eyes would completely glaze over when I encountered any running posts...so I promise not to get zealous.

And, if the sick laptop ever makes a miraculous holiday recovery, I will post photos of our Christmas Casa!

Drumsticks and Sunshine

2010-11-28T23:28:00.000-07:00

Our Black Friday this year was actually quite golden. No mall, no movie theater, no boots, no gloves, no shoveling. Just a big blue sky, sixty degree temperatures and a lovely family hike up Goldmine Mountain. Not sure it burned off the butter fest known as Thanksgiving Twenty-Ten, but it was a start.

Having some family in our hometown made Thanksgiving so easy! Grandparents, cousins and friends came just for the afternoon. No one had to cross a time zone or brave a blizzard or get the airport pat-down.

The food was all homemade and delicious. And nothing makes a house feel more like home than hosting family and friends. Much to be thankful for!

Yeehaw

2010-11-21T21:52:00.000-07:00

Our new hometown is one part Southern California and one part Laramie, Wyoming.

Last night, we hitched up our britches, pulled on our boots and headed to our first-ever rodeo.

Cute cowgirls,

hotdoggies and chili,

country music, pony rides and chicken chasing.

Giddyup!

The Weather, Harry Potter and Other Things I Know You're Dying to Hear About

2010-11-14T20:59:00.001-07:00

Ahhh. November in Arizona is complete heaven. The sun shines every day. Temperatures hover around 75 during the day, then cool off enough for cozy jammies at night. My kids are constantly outside. I go for a jog in the sunshine every morning. THIS is why we live here.

The twins are settling nicely into first grade. However, Luke has decided he wants nothing to do with his brother. Last week, he was "Hero of the Week" and did not want to include a single picture of Sam on his poster. I guess this makes sense developmentally. He wants to be his own person...define himself. But it makes me a little sad.

They have also decided they want to play separate sports. Sam-soccer. Luke-tennis. But I am torturing them both with piano lessons! They started this week.

Last week, Brad and I took a trip to Orlando. We did the parks WITHOUT the kids. Pure fun. Harry Potter at Universal Studios was the highlight. (Crowded but worth the wait!) We really are kids at heart. Thanks, Babe for planning. Thanks to Nana and Aunt Geesh for babysitting.

Em chose to choreograph a roller-blade number for the Activity Girls' Talent Night at church. She performed beautifully, especially considering the fact that the day before she had five (!) teeth pulled. Two of the teeth removed had crowns. Nice. I love paying to have all that expensive work taken out. By the time this kid is 18, she will have a million dollar smile. Literally.

Jake has become a sixth grade party animal. The doorbell rings non-stop with friends asking to play. He bikes to the park everyday with his buddies, has all kinds of birthday party invites and a great scout troop. For the first time in his life, Jake has an age-appropriate social life and I am so happy for him.

Life is good.

November Cleanse and List Day

2010-11-01T22:53:00.006-07:00

November 1 was official Cleanse and List Day around here. I feel so much better. Some serious pumpkin-pitching, one manic trip to the carwash, a fast-acting Fiber One bar for breakfast and I am a whole new woman.

I also got my new yellow legal pad (mini-size) ready for the annual Christmas list.

Now I know there is certainly some higher-tech way I should be organizing my Christmas plans. I know there probably is some foolproof holiday app right at my fingertips. But, quite frankly, I enjoy keeping the holiday a pen-and-paper kind of operation, okay?

Besides, my kids will definitely find the list if it's hidden on the iPhone. But if it is out in plain sight, on the kitchen counter, on the same kind of paper that I use for the Saturday chore lists, they will avoid it like a green vegetable.

I have saved my Christmas legal pads for years all wrapped up in rubber bands. I think it's fun to go back and read what I gave everybody in 2008 (Phillies' World Series sweatshirts) and what the kids wanted when they were really little. (2010 will be the first Christmas in years with no Thomas trains under the tree. Sniff.)

At the back of my little trusty legal pads, I also write a post-holiday review and helpful hints to remember next year. Order more cards! Send packages before Thanksgiving! Neighbor cookie party= big hit! Reading notes from my former festive self actually energizes me and gets me right back in the holiday spirit.

Last year I wrote: Keep It Simple! No Homemade Anything!

Now, I am NOT trying to rush the Christmas season. I honestly became nauseous last week in Hobby Lobby's pine and tinsel aisle. (Seriously, how can anyone stomach Silver Bells and cinnamon pine cones when it is 89 degrees?)

However turning 40 has led me down a path of increased self-awareness and I DO know myself pretty well after all these years. I know that I am an early bird....I get my best day's work done before noon, I get my best holiday cheer on before Thanksgiving. The longer I leave tasks undone, even fun yuletide tasks, the less likely I am to ever get them finished.

So today, I struck while the iron (and desert sun) were hot. I ordered a few gifts online. I planned a few holiday surprises. I threw out the Jack-o-lanterns. I walked off a couple Hershey miniatures. It felt good.

Holiday madness? Bring it on. My legal pad and I are ready.

For now anyway.

Boo to You

2010-10-30T21:00:00.002-07:00

What happened to my cute little scarecrows, clowns and kitty cats? Yikes.

The kids are sugared up, the pumpkins are carved up and my house is seriously messed up.

No time to write tonight. But here is one of my all-time favorite Halloween posts, for old time's sake.

Happy Halloween to everyone. Here's hoping your kids share their Snickers and that the pumpkin guts come out of your new carpet.

Love, The Gab-lin

Not Good, Not Bad, Just Different: Old vs. New

2010-10-23T21:29:00.010-07:00

It's been four months since our little minivan rolled out of a Philadelphia suburb and followed the sun to the Grand Canyon State. Hard to believe, we've already had a quarter of a year to get used to life in the wild, wild West. It's a bigger adjustment than I expected.

Although both Brad and I grew up west of the Mississippi, it is amazing how a dozen adult years along the Atlantic Seaboard turned us into a pair of East Coast snobs.

Now that we have returned to our western roots, we've experienced just a wee bit of culture shock. Some changes have been wonderful (My car actually fits in the garage!) and some not so much (Really? This is the best bagel place in town?).

But, like my dad always taught us kids when traveling to new places, "Remember differences aren't good. They aren't bad. They're just different."

I'm trying to teach my kids the same lesson...and remind myself, too.

Here's one of the biggest differences between living in the Northeast and living in the Southwest... Old versus New.

Every fifth grader knows that Pennsylvania was one of the original 13 colonies. So we got used to old. Historical landmarks and places steeped in tradition. A little crumbly around the edges, sometimes. But charmingly so.

Arizona, on the other hand, was the last continental state admitted to the Union. There's not a lot of old stuff here. Plus, it doesn't rain much, so things don't get damp or dingy. A little dusty, maybe, but no moldy oldies. Our kids have all noticed that the cars here all look new and shiny. Everything here seems new and shiny.

I like new and I like shiny, within reason. In places like the gym or the post office or the grocery store, newness is a very good thing. I love the fact that our new dentist's office and hair salons are space-age and gleaming.

But my heart absolutely aches for beautiful old churches, historical homes, and century-old cemeteries. Driving around a whole bunch of pre-planned neighborhoods and strip malls all day can feel pretty soulless sometimes.

Back in PA, most everyone we knew lived in older homes. All our friends were remodeling or updating or ripping out old wallpaper. A couple years ago, every home in our neighborhood turned 30 and every family in the development got a new roof for Christmas or Hannukkah.

In our new stomping grounds, most houses are less than 5 years old. Everything smells like new paint. Travertine and stainless and hand-scraped wood surfaces shimmer. Nothing is stained or cracked or broken in.

It's fun to walk through all the bright new spaces, but sometimes I have a really, really, really hard time not breaking the Tenth Commandment. Today I took the kids to a birthday party and, while they ricocheted through the inflatable slides and bouncehouses, I wandered the Tommy Bahama-themed backyard and patio turning every shade of green.

That's the main problem, I think with new. It is addictive. A new house calls for new furniture, new appliances, new accessories. New. New. New. And soon, the new stuff is old and you have to start all over again.

But old has its problems too. Progress happens for a reason. I mean, who wants to live without air conditioning or Netflix these days? Not me.

And so, this cross-country adventure has reminded me about the importance of honoring the old while still embracing the new. I'm looking for new friendships and new favorite lunch spots, trying not to miss dear old friends and places too much.

It's tough, sometimes. But it's not good. It's not bad. It's just different.

Off the Vine

2010-10-18T13:47:00.003-07:00

I've been spending a lot of time with my pumpkins the last 2 1/2 weeks and have developed a love/hate relationship with Fall Break. Love the cooler weather. (It's 85 degrees, I need a sweater.) Love the relaxed mornings and unstructured afternoons. Hate the constant mess, noise and feeding. Really? Didn't we just clean up breakfast? Do you people HAVE to eat lunch? Every day?

Sam wins Most Photogenic Pumpkin this week. Actually he wins almost every week. The kid has loved getting his picture taken since before he was born. Seriously, back when he was only known as "Baby A," the sonogram techs were always impressed with his cooperation onscreen. "Baby B" was another story. Still is. But I love them both.

This little pumpkin got her braces on last week. Just in time for Halloween. More Tootsie Rolls for me, I guess. We were worried that Miss Em might be a little dramatic when it came to the orthodontist's chair, but she LOVES it. The sparkle, the shine, a bag full of tiny toothbrushes. It's like her own private spa. Only more expensive.

Halloween is the perfect season if you are an eleven year old boy. It's gross. It's scary. Your mom buys you a rubber mask and a knife with fake oozing blood. You roller blade around the neighborhood breaking them in. Your little sister screams in a most satisfying manner. Plus all your favorite candy is available in miniature size. Heaven.

Brad is gearing up to hike the entire Grand Canyon this weekend. I know.

Luke is ready to go back to school. Fall Break is fun, up to a point. But even the strictest First Grade Teacher is a breath of fresh air compared to three October-weary siblings.

Gab & The Giant Peach

2010-10-14T20:54:00.004-07:00

I've just decided that the second week of Fall Break is not the time to start a new diet.

Or a new budget.

Fall Break can be a very happy family time as long as Mom keeps the snacks coming and the activities rolling.

Since we've been back in town, we have been wallowing in a peach-induced coma. I went a little crazy. I bought bushels and bushels of Utah peaches because they are, and I am not exaggerating here, nature's most perfect food.

We've made peach jam, peach muffins, peach ice cream, peach smoothies, peaches and cream, peach cobbler. If I cried right now, my tears would be sweet and sticky.

Here is my all-time favorite peach recipe. Try it. Eating peaches is good for the complexion. You are what you eat, right?

I Heart Fall

2010-10-06T19:48:00.005-07:00

The absolute best thing about starting school in July is getting two weeks off in October. So beautiful.

We started early and headed up to The Motherland last week.

I know a lot of folks don't like Utah, but they just don't know the right Utah people. Or the good places to eat. I, for one, love visiting the Beehive State. I know all the right people and am related to most of them.

The only photo I can get off my phone. More to come.

Highlights of our trip have included: meeting old friends, a 64th birthday bash, ATV rides, taking the big kids to General Conference, Twinkie Power squared, Alpine Sliding and some serious cousinlove.

We've spent the past few days in Park City and I've loved it. Our family had a getaway place here when I was growing up and a drive up the canyon always meant something fun was going to happen. Feeding the ducks and roasting marshmallows. Singing along with the old-fashioned player piano. Breakfast at a restaurant or skiing at Deer Valley, if we were really lucky.

Brad and I came here on our honeymoon. We've brought our kids almost every year. Now it's a place full of happy memories for them as well as for me. After all the summer upheaval, it is heavenly to spend a few days resting in the mountains. We're loving the autumn colors and crisp weather.

What am I reading? My mom's awesome book, Son of a Gun, of course! Did I tell you she is being published?! And it's really really good. Watch for it at a bookstore near you.

Tomorrow we head to Vegas.

I am seriously loving October.

Jakeover

2010-09-26T19:26:00.008-07:00

6th Grade Crazy Hair Day...but, really, isn't every day a crazy one when you're in sixth grade?

The adolescent and I have been doing a little Jakeover in his new bedroom.

Apparently, he has not been loving my decorating techniques lo these many years. Apparently, the preppy Nantucket cottage look is not jiving with his inner rockstar/sk8erboi. So madras plaid and denim are out. Black, silver and leather are in. Yes, there are fake fur throw pillows, which have been a major source of envy among younger sibs. (Pictures coming, once we hang the black-out curtains!)

Jake has grown a lot over the past couple months. I think I tower over him by a measly inch, maybe two. When I talk to him now, I am looking straight into those baby blues. Of course, this does not mean we see eye-to-eye on much.

Bedtimes, computer time, chore time, homework time, mealtime, dental hygiene time. All continue to be a struggle of wills. Life with Jake has never been boring.

My mom and I laugh about the day Jake learned to roll over. The absolute moment he discovered that he could actually muscle his way over that bulky left shoulder and GET AWAY, he started to roll like a demon tumbleweed from one room to another. There was no stopping him. I've been chasing after him ever since. He keeps me humble and very tired.

I am proud of the way Jake has handled the big changes life has brought him lately. Not only does he have a new school and new neighborhood, Mother Nature's starting in on a more personal sort of Jakeover.

Loathe to blog about it. After all, what kind of tween-hating mom posts about curly blonde leg hair or tiny little forehead breakouts? Certainly not me! (Even though both make him look quite manly and, if I were a sixth-grade girl and not his mother, I would totally have a major crush.)

I think adolescence is just as thrilling to watch as a baby discovering how to roll over for the first time.

But twice as frightening.

Just Trying to Swim to the Surface

2010-09-20T21:36:00.004-07:00

For some reason, I really thought a cross-country move would be restful. A day at the beach. Not the moving part, of course, but the arriving and settling in.

I figured for the first year, I'd just be buried in packing peanuts and painting projects. I was actually kind of worried that I'd be bored and lonely.

Already, though, I feel like I am right back in the deep end. Today I started with a new responsibility at church and a big commitment at the kids' school. Soccer is three times a week, art class every Wednesday, piano lessons, orthodontist appointments, activity days, Scouts and...don't forget!...the laundry pile isn't going anywhere but up.

I guess at this stage of life, there isn't much time for lying in the sand. It's all about keeping my head above water.

Hives at our Hive

2010-09-12T21:29:00.002-07:00

It started with a tummy ache and fever. It ended with a serious case of leprosy. At least, that's what my overactive mombrain decided.

Luckily, the doctor said it was just a virus and all these things are typical back-to-school symptoms. A little cortizone cream, a low-dose steroid and everything is all cleared up.

In the meantime, I had a chatty daytime buddy most of the week and Sam's fantasies of life as an only child were temporarily fulfilled.

We spent a lot of time talking about his plans for the future, which include (in no particular order): becoming a chef, having 12 children, living next door to me, attending BYU, marrying a beautiful girl, going to Legoland and working as a cashier at Fry's.

Sam is a delightful child.

Life with a Tweenage Daughter

2010-09-07T12:15:00.005-07:00

Em just finished my all-time favorite tween romance. Fifteen by Beverly Cleary. Since Salina Gomez got her all pumped about Ramona and Beezus again, she has been devouring all the Cleary books in the house.

I confess, when she reached for my old dog-eared copy, I discouraged her a little. "That's kind of a teenage book, Emmie. About a girl who wants a boyfriend." Well, duh, Mom. She was all over it. A few nights I even tiptoed in to read a chapter with her and it was pure pleasure.

Can I just say Beverly Cleary ROCKS?! I mean, this book was originally published in 1956. It was old-school when my mother read it. The dad smokes a pipe, for Pete's sake. The best friend wears a girdle. No one is texting or online. But the writing focuses on emotions and relationships that are timeless.

When she got to the last page, that climactic moment when Stan finally gives Jane his ID bracelet and a chaste 1956 kiss, Emmie's eyes were shiny.

My little girl is growing up. She is babysitting (a little) and on the phone with old and new friends (a lot). Her moods have always been less predictable than her brothers', but now that she's almost in the double-digits, I find I have to tiptoe even more carefully. Just yesterday, I was teasing her (a little too publicly, I guess) about something we'd always laughed about. But this time, she burst into tears. Yikes.

And that was just the school nurse on the phone, calling to say Em is in her office with a headache. She forgot her glasses. Again.

Time to go. Life with tweenagers is not all a Beverly Cleary romance, if you know what I mean.

I'll Know I'm a Native When...

2010-08-30T22:11:00.004-07:00

...I can wear dark wash jeans in triple digit temperatures.

...I don't keep circling the parking lot, looking for nonexistent shade.

...I get the hang of using all my major appliances during "energy saving" hours.

...I can pronounce Spanish words other than salsa and guacamole.

...I can actually find a location after people say things like "It's on the SE corner of Alma School and Baseline."

...I don't get overexcited about spotting hummingbirds, quail and lizards.

...I can squeeze myself a glass of grapefruit juice from a tree in my own backyard.

We've survived our first August! Maybe I'm a native already...

China Anniversary

2010-08-20T14:04:00.009-07:00

Jumping from one family tree...

into another!

Pretty good yield, huh?

Traditionally, the 20th anniversary is the China Anniversary. You either buy yourself a new set of china or go on a trip to China. We chose instead to buy a leather sectional and have a spa weekend in Scottsdale. Tradition, be hanged.

I feel like I should write something sappy, but if you look through the archives, I've said it all before. All I can say is that I can't believe it's been 20 years. There are lots of things in life that have been hard for me, but marriage has not been one of them. I'm lucky.

**Current photo by Christie...wish she'd been around for the original shots. Early '90s wedding photography should be a federal crime.

Promise

2010-08-17T21:03:00.003-07:00

Blogging, right now, is kind of like the pretty round bronzed mirror that looked so good in the entry of our old house but is now sitting dustily on a stack of cardboard boxes. I love it. I miss it. But I'm just not quite sure where it fits in the new place.

I have many blog-able thoughts and moments during the course of my day, but I haven't quite figured out when and how to get them all down.

My days are so busy right now. I don't know why. So many of the things that used to take up my time--half-day kindergarten, early morning Seminary, driving along winding, country roads to get anywhere--are no longer part of my routine. I've found a handful of new friends, but my social calendar is still pretty empty.

I guess it's the four kid thing that keeps me hopping. When they're around, they need food and help with homework and (unfortunately) a whole lot of sibling refereeing. When they aren't around, I'm buying their food, washing their clothes and making copies on the Riso machine for their teachers.

And what's taking up the rest of my time? As Dr. Seuss might put it... "Oh the house. Oh the house. Oh the house, house, house, house. That's the one thing she's doing. The house, house, house, house."

New houses are a lot of work. I have to keep reminding myself that Rome wasn't built in a day and that it took years before I was happy with all the paint colors and window treatments in our old place. We went ages without a finished basement and eons before Brad built the back patio. In fact, it was not the house of my dreams at all until we put it on the market last spring.

But, in my old age, I'm a lot less patient. I know how I want things to look. And I want them to look that way. Now. I drive myself a little crazy. Hanging things up, taking things down. Buying things. Returning things. And I'm still learning my way around town, so usually each errand takes twice as long as it should. See? Low-stress and inexpensive and eco-friendly!

Brad has been extremely patient with this whole nesting process. I mean, let's face it. The guy, if left to his own devices, would live in a house with one MASSIVE tv and a lone, comfortable (but hideous) black leather chair. A bed with a mattress so firm it'd need a medical prescription with no designer throw pillows. The walls would all be white without a single nail hole or picture hook to be found. There would be no toile in his world.

So, Babe, this post is dedicated to you and your generosity of spirit (and checkbook). I promise once all the drawer pulls are installed and the curtains hung, I will return to my former low-key, easy-going self. Yes, really.

Also, I promise, more blogging. More often. I miss it.

My Take

2010-08-09T09:53:00.004-07:00

On exercise at age 40:

I am DONE with exercise I do not enjoy. Life is too short to spend any more time with you, Mr. Stairmaster. Same to you Dr. Elliptical. We are through.

Because what's the point of exercising for longevity if you keep looking at the Minutes Remaining and wishing you could die?

Hello, Zumba. Hello, Body Pump. Hello, Spin. Hello, Early Morning Walks in the Gorgeous Desert Sunshine. You make me happy.

On having all four kids in school all day:

I will not lie. I have mixed feelings. Some days I love it and feel like I'm getting away with something almost criminal. The mall? By myself? And I don't have to bribe anyone with a free balloon or an extra spin on the escalator? Other days I miss having little buddies around. I miss being needed in that non-stop little kid way.

People, of course, have asked, But what do you do all day? Well. Same things I used to do all day: Clean the kitchen. Go to the gym. Grocery shop. Pile after pile of dirty laundry. Errands and phone calls. Help at school. The difference now is I get to listen to whatever I want in the car and I have no excuse to stop for an ice cream cone.

Together time.(Nimmy...this living room shot is for YOU. Don't worry, I got new lamps.)

The downside of having everyone gone at once, is that everyone is home at once. There is no one-on-one (or two-on-one, in our case) time together and I DO miss that. Everyone is home and at their hungriest and neediest. And, of course, I am usually hungry and needy too.

My kids still need me. Just in a different way. It's just gonna take some getting used to.

On living in Arizona at this historic moment in time:

I feel like I should have a stronger opinion. But, the truth is, I can really see a lot of different sides to the issue. My goal is to get more educated.

In the short time we've lived here, though, I have found the population to be very friendly and welcoming. There are all shades and varieties of people coexisting nicely and acting like grown-ups. That seems like a good sign.

On settling into a new house:

We have cleared away most of the moving-in mess. Which is good. Because now we have all of the regular everyday living-in mess. And I can only handle so much mess.

Moving into a new place means re-evaluating every "system" in your life and re-ordering each one. The laundry system. Where will the dirty clothes go? What's the best place for the dryer sheets? The homework system. How many private study places do we need? Where are they? Why do the kids need to sharpen brand new pencils down to nothing? I find it enjoyable and exhausting.

Here is one of our study areas. In its former life, it was a family room wet-bar. But I learned in our old house that I don't like "wet" and "family" in the same room, if you know what I mean. So the sink is out. New countertops, drawers and pencils are in. A+ for Effort, right?!

The thing about this house is that it is going to take some living-in to get really comfortable. New sheets, new jeans, new houses may look great right out of the package, but to feel great, they need a little wear. (Remind me of this fact after someone lets a pen leak on the new slipcovers or the carpet meets a root beer float, ok?)

On Axe deodorant and shampoo:

I am glad products exist that make my eleven-year-old excited about personal hygiene. I like the instructions on the bottle that say Wash. Attract. Repeat. Along with a cartoon picture of a guy meeting a girl.

However, all four men in the household have been using Axe for a week now and, to date, no women have been attracted. As far as I can tell.

The Books in my Life

2010-08-06T09:04:00.004-07:00

Is anyone else out there a reading two-timer?

I HAVE to have more than one book going, mostly so I don't have to run up and downstairs more than necessary.

Usually I really like one and only sorta like the other...but right now I'm in the middle of THREE amazing reads. I feel it is my duty to recommend.

Here they are:

This is the audible book I am listening to while I clean the kitchen and fold laundry. I will confess it is SO good, I've actually been finding excuses to mop. Along the same vein as The Thirteenth Tale or Possession, the plot jumps from past to present with stops in Brisbane, London and Cornwall. Absolute heaven.

This is my pool-bag book. I've read it before, but I could read it 100 times. Haven Kimmel is in my Top Ten list of favorite authors. Her descriptions are so funny, you find yourself actually giggling. Out loud. I recommend sitting some distance from other pool-moms as you read due to the possibility of audible snorting. Potentially embarrassing.

This is my nightstand book. 1943, Chicago. Three Irish-Catholic sisters writing to their soldiers. Need I say more? Why is WWII so romantic, anyway? Very nostalgic and full of homefront details. I want to go read some right now.

What are you guys reading?

Storms and Calm

2010-08-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

Last week, Mother Nature officially welcomed us to the Valley of the Sun.

We had been prepared for triple-digit temps, sunburns, parched lips. We hadn't, however, realized we were moving in during the heart of Monsoon Season.

The grill was blowing around the back patio like an old roller skate. I took this photo while hollering at Brad to get out there and DO SOMETHING! Also, our cabinet guys were at my side, laughing hysterically, and saying "Welcome to Arizona." Nice.

I'd heard about Monsoons before and was skeptical. But now? I believe.

Monsoons are like huge Nor'easters in the desert. They come out of nowhere and turn the sky all kinds of crazy colors. The winds are so strong they snap trees, frightening small children and their 40-year-old mothers.

There was so much water that our street became the after-storm swimming hole. It was a good ice-breaker. My kids met a whole gang of new friends as they paddled along in the rainwater.

In other, less stormy, news...

the kids started school last Monday!

It felt sick and wrong to drop them all off at school in the middle of July.

But only one of us cried...me.

The children have adjusted beautifully.

I was very concerned about the quality of schools here. I mean, that's what the East Coast is known for, right? Italian restaurants and great schools. How could anything measure up?

However, we've been very pleasantly surprised. Schools are definitely more casual here. (Teachers in flip flops and tank tops? Cool.) But the curriculum is challenging, similar to our old school district. The teachers have been very friendly and well-organized. All the kids are happy.

Jake is being mainstreamed all day into a regular sixth-grade classroom and it's going so well I could just cry. I wish I had known, way back during his blustery kindergarten days, that there really would be so many sunny moments in his future.

But I really, truly do appreciate the calm all the more after a storm.

Glimpse

2010-07-25T21:21:00.002-07:00

Here is a little peek into the new pad. It is spacious and lovely but NOT quite ready for a photo shoot (i.e. double oven sitting in a big box on my kitchen floor, unpainted walls and naked windows).

Still, there are a few cozy corners that are starting to feel like home.

Our new living room is very open and casual. Quite a change from the formal "parlor" in our old house. We got some big comfy club chairs and love our new plantation shutters. Kids are already using it as Lego Central, which is always a sign of decorating success.

The kitchen, as I mentioned, is mid-makeover right now. However, I love my great big island. We chose Silestone quartz countertops with a touch of blue. I'm using lots of blue in the kitchen. (Yay! My blue & white plate collection can come out of the cupboard!) Actually, lots of blue throughout the house. It's a nice contrast to all the desert brown.

I don't miss the basement as much as I thought I would. The kids have this playroom upstairs. Their bedrooms and baths all adjoin the space, so it feels like a big dormitory.

Believe it or not, we do have quite a few trees in the front yard. No cacti. Yesterday we found a huge hive of bees feeling right at home too. Yikes.

Much of the backyard looks like this. I just want the Pool Fairy to come in the middle of the night. Anyone know her number?

In the meantime...thank heavens for kids who would be happy in a mud puddle.

A Few Recommendations

2010-07-22T21:45:00.003-07:00

Number One:

If you, like me, are moving old furniture into a new space, run and get this book at the library...
It's an oldie, but a goodie. Lauri Ward teaches design principles that work with any furniture, in any room. Because the people at Pottery Barn don't want us to know this, but we really don't need ALL new stuff to make our homes comfortable and attractive. I have been rereading this week and learning a lot.

Number Two:

If you, like me, will be sending children back-to-school shortly, don't forget to celebrate Children's Day first! (If you aren't familiar with Children's Day, I detail it in this old post. By the way, who are those adorable little tykes? What happened to them and their high-energy young mother?)

Number Three:

If you, like me, love to be inspired by real-life moms, go check out my real-life friend, Rochelle, here. Watch the clip. Anyone with a special needs child or just a burning desire to see a darling redhead will be more than satisfied. Go Ro!

FAQ's

2010-07-15T15:36:00.005-07:00

OK, so. We've been here for a week and a half now. Seeing the light at the end of the cardboard tunnel. And, I have to say, we're starting to feel at home.

There are a few questions we've heard a lot. Here they are; along with my honest replies.

How do you like the heat?

It is hot. But summer's hot everywhere and, let's face it, I'm not outside digging ditches or anything. We venture from one air conditioned place to another. Parking lots are brutal, I will admit.

Actually, the aridness (is that a word?) takes more getting used to than the heat. We are all parched all the time. My skin cries for lotion all day long. Little fingers are constantly exploring little noses because dry air creates interesting stalactites up there.

Have you seen any scorpions?

Yes.

Brad, Jake and Em caught this one in our backyard with a blacklight. (Scorpions glow in the dark, did you know that? I didn't.) I'm trying not to think about its brothers and sisters scuttling around somewhere.

Are you settled yet?

Well, the unpacking is 97% complete. The rooms are arranged and the closets are all organized. But the work has just begun. Next up: painting, picture hanging, furniture shopping and other activities guaranteed to drive my husband crazy.

How are the kids adjusting?

Pretty well, I think. They love the new house and adore their new rooms. The twins are sleeping solo and they dig it. Em has a "princess suite"--faraway from the boys, with her very own bathroom. Several mornings I have found her curled up in Luke's bed, but I'm sure she'll outgrow it.

The kids have been good sports. Very patient as I have dedicated mornings to organizing and unpacking. We do a few errands after lunch. (Is there anything worse than shopping for table lamps with your mom at Home Goods? Yes! Returning table lamps with your mom at Home Goods the very next day.)

Afternoons we forget about the new house and pretend we are tourists in our new hometown.

Believe it or not, school starts NEXT WEEK here. I don't know who is dreading it more, the kids or me. Our summer has been anything but long and relaxing. Not sure I'm ready for homework, permission slips and packing lunches yet. But it'll be fun for them to meet friends and get into a routine. Gulp.

What do you like best about your new house?

Two words. Laundry room.

It is big and beautiful. Lots of storage. I'm going to paint it robin's egg blue and I might start sleeping in there.

What do you miss most?

Aside from all my dear friends, I really miss our big, green backyard most. Give me ticks over scorpions any day. Plus, my kids miss their trampoline. We have lots of landscaping to do.

What are your first impressions of your new town?

Friendly and wholesome. Family oriented. It feels like the country with lots of farms and open space. But there's a brand-new Nordstrom 10 minutes away. What more could a girl ask for?

We're gonna like it here.

I Feel Special

2010-07-11T19:13:00.002-07:00

Today I turned 40. I don't feel old or used-up or ugly or miserable. I feel lucky and loved. Phone calls, a sweet post from my sweet mom, presents, birthday cards, treats, emails, flowers, wishes from all corners have made me feel blessed.

Life is good and I'm just getting better at it.

Thanks, everybody.

We're Here, It's Hot and I've Been Yelling at my Kids All Day

2010-07-09T21:52:00.004-07:00

Moving to Arizona in the middle of July is not for wimps.

And I guess I didn't realize how wimpy I truly am. But it's too late. Now, the only way out is through.

We got to the new place Wednesday morning and have spent the past two days sorting, unpacking, organizing and looking for the cricket chirping loudly in our kitchen. Somewhere.

The house is awesome. Now that the dust has settled on our remodeling projects and a few of our old favorites are out of their boxes, I can see what a great place this will be for our family. It might not have as much charm as our old place, but what it lacks in historic character it makes up in roominess, closet space and new carpet smell. So fun to have everything brand new!

I vowed not to go shopping until I had boxes unpacked, but today I just had to pick up a few basic essentials, like milk and Mentholatum (helps nostrils acclimate to dry heat), so I headed to the Fry's right around the corner.

Sixty minutes and $200 later, I emerged from Fry's with a serious case of ADHD. That store sells everything. Produce, dairy, patio furniture, pots and pans. Of course I totally forgot to pick up milk, but Sam and I did enjoy some quality time with Cliff from the garden center who educated us in the basics of desert gardening. And helped me pick out my first cacti! On sale!

The kids have really been pretty good. I just get annoyed when they start begging for lunch while I am trying to make important decisions like where to put the drinking glasses. (Above the dishwasher for easy unloading? Or next to the fridge for quick beverage access?) Leave me alone, hungry munchkins, drinking glasses save lives.

We've met two neighbors and the RS President brought dinner. Other than that, I love being anonymous. Knowing you won't run into anyone at the grocery store (except maybe Cliff from the garden center) is true freedom.

Pictures coming soon! Promise!

How We're Spending Our Summer Vacation

2010-06-27T05:04:00.010-07:00

Swimming in Cincinnati.

Pedi-love in Loveland.

Walking a Purple People Bridge across the Ohio.

Finding fishy friends in Newport.

Slugging in Louisville.

Cruising caverns in Kentucky.

Eating Original Recipe at the original KFC.

Speeding in NASCAR country.

Getting hooked in Kansas City.

Looking at Liberty Jail.

Hiking in Boulder.

Snake-hunting in Brighton, CO.

Camping in Little Cottonwood.

The past two weeks have been some of our most fun, relaxing and memorable days ever. Seeing the country at eye-level is fascinating. Spending time with long-lost friends and relatives-- absolutely priceless.

Thanks so much to everyone who has hosted, fed, or entertained our family in any way. You people are amazing. We owe you. Big Time.

Tomorrow will be the grand splash finale--a day on the lake in Uncle Sco's boat.

Next stop: Sunshine Central (or as Brad likes to call it...Satan's Backyard).

I'll keep you posted.

The Post I Have No Time To Write

2010-06-16T18:50:00.002-07:00

I have this really great Goodbye Pennsylvania post in my mind. Super sappy and sentimental. But, the thing is. I am way too tired to create right now. The kids are STILL in school (which shouldn't feel like work, but it does) and the movers arrive in two days and the washer will be disconnected soon, so it's my last crack at laundry.

I'm just too wrung out to be sentimental. Which is probably a good thing.

All I will say is that PA has been good to us. We arrived just two and we leave a busy six. Dreams have come true. Friendships have been treasured. Memories have been savored.

I am annoyed at how easy it is to disassemble a life. It took ages to hang all the pictures in just the right spots, but it only takes a minute to pull them down. I taught six weeks of summer school math to hyper fifth-graders so I could pay for that chair and sofa. Today they sit sagging on the curb. Sad.

Our friends have been so thoughtful. Parties, lunches out, special scrapbooks and beautiful gifts. It's embarrassing. It's wonderful. I can't think too much about any of it.

Moving is a test of family unity. Lots of opportunities to crack under pressure. I'm proud of us. So far, so good. A few heated discussions and several meltdowns. More to come, I'm sure. But we're hanging tight and I think we'll be stronger for it. After all, once we get to our new home, no one else will know about the Yardley Ice House or care about the Philly Phanatic. When we want to remember Inverness Drive, we'll have to rely on each other.

Am hoping to blog the journey west. Heaven (and WiFi) willing, of course. A cross-country drive is not something I plan to do very often. I think it's worth documenting.

But for now, there are suitcases and laundry piles and a whole bunch of thank you cards to write.

Goodbye, Beautiful Bucks County.

Looking Forward, Looking Back

2010-06-14T13:43:00.007-07:00

Brad...

Relaxes with good friends, cheers for the Celtics, mourns the death of his laptop.

Will miss foliage and naturally green grass.

Looks forward to a new adventure Out West.

Emmie...

Gets her ears pierced, pitches her first softball game, takes a field trip to Pennsbury Manor.

Will miss catching fireflies in the backyard and her best friends.

Looks forward to living near cousins.

Luke...

Gets his cast off this Wednesday, performs in kindergarten musical, loves hard boiled eggs.

Will miss having a basement and his friends--Danny and Dave.

Looks forward to catching a lizard.

Sammy...

Gets his first softball trophy, was bummed about the Flyers' loss, made an awesome CD for his friends.

Will miss jumping on the trampoline and winter.

Looks forward to scorpions in the backyard.

Jake...

Thinks his teacher is pretty, skateboards really well, eats nonstop.

Will miss the woods in the backyard and catching toads.

Looks forward to shooting with Papa.

I...

Am enjoying an extra hour of sleep every morning, am cleaning like a crazy woman, have found that denial is my best friend right now.

Will miss driving to the beach and seeing deer (but not the tick-carrying kind) every morning.

Look forward to great Mexican food around every corner.

One Last Bite

2010-06-11T14:47:00.001-07:00

We took one last bite of the Big Apple this week.

Seven kids, two moms and one great big adventure.

Ripley's Believe it Or Not...orange shirts so nobody got lost.

Jake makes a friend...

...and gets claustrophobic.

Subway ride = highlight.

Rock climbing in Central Park.

Great day, great kids, great memories.

Ten Days and Counting

2010-06-10T15:16:00.003-07:00

I'm heating up a long-ago-purchased Lean Cuisine Thai chicken entree and watching the kids play/fight/laugh/squeal on the swingset. They have just polished off the last of the frozen fish sticks. We are down to the final crumbs of everything. I'm trying to make the Liquid Tide stretch for another week and a half, but I just might have to cave and buy a new bottle. Dang. I hate when things don't come out evenly.

A couple of days ago Danelle and I took our kids into Manhattan and it was a perfect day. The whole New Jersey Transit train ride there we discussed The Last Days Before Moving in an analytical fashion. We decided that right now we are like a couple of pregnant women in our eighth month. Dying to get it over with. Knowing that there will be a lot of pain. Unsure what life will be like on the other side.

I'm totally busy but also kind of bored. There are a lot of tasks to do. Today was our last ortho appointment. Tomorrow's the end-of-kindergarten picnic. I'm putting final touches on my talk for Sunday. Making some going-away surprises for a few special people. Cleaning out closets, drawers and cubbies. But all these are finishing jobs and I've decided I don't like finishing that much. I'm a much better starter.

I am very excited, for example, to start our cross-country vacation. We are going to make a leisurely two-week-long-sightseeing-road-trip out of our move and I cannot wait. Gonna see all kinds of friends and family and places along the way. I love road trips and I'm hoping this one will be the pause that refreshes. We all need a little breather between the deconstruction of one life and constructing a new one.

Last night was my last appointment with my cherished stylist. She has been doing my hair for a decade, which is very long in hair years. I feel maternal towards Ms. D. The first time I sat in her chair, she had a blue mullet and a nose ring. Now she is a gorgeous redhead with a wedding ring. Yep. She's fresh off her honeymoon and her new husband's name is Brad. She even calls him B-rad. So, of course, the two of them are bound to be blissfully happy. B-rads make really great husbands.

I guess I'm waxing a little melancholy and feeling a wee bit nostalgic. It's hard not to get too wistful and overly sappy. But tonight, as I was feeding the kids on the back patio, I remembered something our realtor, Maxine, said a few months ago.

She was bringing us some paperwork before we listed the house. That night we were also sitting on the back patio, eating dinner as a family. She teetered back there on her mile high heels and said, "This is perfect! I wish some potential buyers could see this scene. It's beautiful! It would totally sell your house."

And I remember thinking, "Yeah. But this isn't for sale."

I need to remind myself that even though I'm leaving so many great things behind, I'm taking the most important ones with me.

Note To Self: Moving makes you even more sappy than usual.

P.S. On Note To Self: Never again buy Lean Cuisine Thai chicken. Ick.

Break Up Mode

2010-06-02T05:44:00.004-07:00

I think I'm in break up mode with my current life. You know, that point in a relationship when you find every reason to fall out-of-love with the one who captured your heart so completely.

I guess it's my subconscious way of easing the pain.

I sigh and roll my eyes at the snippy school secretary, thinking, "That woman has never liked me. I can't wait to go to a new school with a friendly front office staff." (This, of course, distracts me from thinking about all the teachers, aides and busdrivers who have been living and breathing answers to prayer for the past eight years.)

Luke in The Rubber Chicken Relay

Or I grumble about the moisture in the air, anticipating all the good hair days I will soon enjoy in the dry heat. But, really. Will I ever truly know Good Hair Love again once I leave Danielle (beloved stylist of ten years, in case you haven't been paying attention) and her magic scissors thousands of miles behind? And what is the point of a great haircut anyway if you can't go to the Canal Street Grille and show it off?

Jake and buddy @ DARE graduation

Anyway, we've been eating our way through the frozen food stockpile and cans in the pantry. Last night was freezer-burned chicken wings. Tonight: fishsticks, miniquiche leftover from some long ago bridal shower and Spaghettios. If I wasn't worried about irregularity or vitamin deficiencies, I would stop buying fresh food altogether. (After all, I've never liked that grocery store and their long checkout lines anyway.)

Em's self-portrait (pre-bang-trim) won a spot in the district Art Show.

Today also starts the Big Purge. I don't have to pack, but I do need to clear the clutter. Because why exactly DO I have four Tae Bo workout dvds? A gallon jug of liquid starch? Three half-squeezed tubes of Orajel? It's time to lighten my load.

Nevermind that in a few short weeks I'll be in some desert Target furiously filling at least three red plastic carts with essentials, but, until then, I'm living off the land. (Along with some long-lost tilapia filets I just found under the miniquiche...score!)

Sam--extremely cool --as usual

I keep thinking I should quit blogging for awhile. I really can't justify the time, but this is a historical chapter in my life and I'm sure typing my feelings is good therapy.

More later...I think.

Club Forty

2010-05-28T09:52:00.007-07:00

One of my earliest childhood memories is talking with my girlfriends about The Kindergarten Shot. It was the topic of discussion that summer of '75. Will it hurt? Will you cry? Band-Aid: yes or no? Eyes open or closed?

No one wanted to get the dreaded needle, of course. But without it, you couldn't get on that glorious yellow schoolbus. And, for Pete's sake, what WAS the point of living if you didn't go to school? So, one by one, whether we went to the doctor's office or the county health clinic, whether we bravely rolled up our sleeve or went down kicking and screaming, whether we brought home a yellow balloon or a red lollipop, we got immunized. Shots happen.

Other benchmark moments included losing baby teeth (proud to be one of the first), riding a two-wheeler (definitely one of the last) and jumping off the high-dive (ten bucks from Mom and the loudest belly flop the Canyon Racquet Club had ever seen).

As a tween and young teen, the girltalk turned to training bras, leg-shaving and what the school nurse called Maturation. Oh, how we giggled at those embarassing TV commercials with the butterflies and the girls in white shorts! It was horrible and fascinating.

But, one by one, whether we were ready or not, Old Lady Puberty started in on us. By the end of ninth grade, we all emerged from her clutches, humbled by acne and bad perms. Embarassed-slash-proud that we were starting to look like grown ups.

High school female chatter was all about the driver's license and the junior prom. (Don't ask.) In our twenties, we discussed getting a degree, an apartment, a job, a husband. By my early thirties, I had been to so many baby showers, I could recite hundreds of pregnancy, labor and delivery stories without ever having set foot in a maternity ward.

And when I did finally get my babies, I had all kinds of mommy mentors to guide me. Because girlfriends talk and share and warn and advise.

So, girlfriends. What's next?

In six weeks, I will be 40 years old and I'm not sure what that means. If 5 year olds go to kindergarten and 16 year olds learn to drive, what do 40 year olds do?

If you are a member of Club Forty, I would love to hear from you. I know you have some good advice for me, girlfriends always do. What do you love about this decade? Any books, workouts, products you think a newbie should know about? Any regrets? Any secrets?

I don't know if I want to kick and scream all the way or just take a deep breath and roll up my sleeve. But, I guess, like that dreaded kindergarten needle, forty is inevitable.

Red lollipop, anyone?

The First of the Lasts

2010-05-24T17:11:00.008-07:00

I'm giving myself exactly 26 minutes to blog tonight.

I do not have time to spend on the computer. But I want to a place for all these memories while they're still fresh. So please excuse spelling and grammatical errors.

Right now, life is full. I am just trying to soak up every last day of our Bucks County existence. The calendar is packed with celebrations of all kinds and "just-one-more-time" kinds of outings. It's a month of lasts.

Jake's last concert with The Amazing Mr. Capriotti

Today was our last piano lesson. Not terribly sad.

But, earlier, we had our last pediatrician's appointment and I almost cried. It was hard to say thank you and good bye to my home-away-from-home of more than a decade.

That office kept me well-stocked with Amoxicillin and Cefzil for years. They always squeezed me in when someone had strep. And, on one particularly heinous visit with all four screaming darlings in tow, the receptionist told me that even though my kids were sick and miserable, I looked good! She made my day and I will never forget her.

A last shot of me & Danelle... I love her even though she wears a size 00.

I've had some "lasts" with my sweet friend, Danelle this week. Over the years we have been side by side in so many places--Target, baby showers, spin classes, presidency meetings, book club, birthday dinners, temple trips, visiting teaching (Oh, those lucky ladies who were fortunate enough to have us and our parade of preschoolers come spread sisterly cheer into their home each month!).

Now D and I are side by side in parallel moves Out West. Moving within days of one another. It's been fun to have someone to compare real estate agents and moving companies together. We share the excitement of being closer to families and the wistfulness of leaving dear friends. Still, these venting sessions are numbered too. We'll be in the same time zone, but probably not in the same spin class. I am going to miss her.

Another last...I discovered I'm not really a yard sale person this weekend.

Right now, I feel caught between my two realities. Am picking cabinets and carpets for a new home while still filling and vacuuming the old ones. Just because your life is topsy-turvy and there are 150,000 things on your to-do list doesn't mean you get to quit your day job.

Our neighbor's amazing backyard " Welcome Summer" bash. This is probably the last summer party I'll attend wearing a rainjacket.

Also, hopefully, the last time I ever sing all 14 minutes of Bye Bye Miss American Pie, karaoke-style. I blush just remembering.

Some lasts I am looking forward to: last ball game, last day the alarm rings at 5:03 AM, last homework assignment, last rush to catch that wretched midday kindergarten bus--which is either so early we're breathless or so late the twins have lost their shoes and backpacks.

Also hoping this is the last time Em "trims" her own hair. She has a history with self-barbering, as many of you will remember. A few years ago she looked like a young Haley Joel Osment. Now her bangs look just like her dad's.

I went over my self-imposed time limit by 11 minutes. Oh well.

My Life, Numerically Speaking

2010-05-19T16:24:00.006-07:00

Number of autographs on Luke's blue cast--37

Days until I retire from Seminary teaching--11

Consecutive days I have skipped exercise this month--13

Number of nights spaghetti has been served for dinner in May--3

Number of children who gag when served spaghetti--1

School days remaining--22

Number of cavities filled in my mouth yesterday--3 (but it felt like a lot more)

Concerts/field days/class picnics/parties to attend--16

Pounds of our stuff the movers will pack, box and truck cross-country--16,499

Ball games remaining this season--10

Days til we move--33

Books I need to return to the library--9

Normally, I hate numbers. But it was oddly comforting to total things up mathematically tonight. I guess because numbers are just so final and unemotional and don't gag when you serve spaghetti.

Alzheimer's and Yard Sales

2010-05-17T11:58:00.004-07:00

This was my airline companion last weekend. Excellent read. So sad. The story of a young woman who develops Alzheimer's in the prime of her life. I didn't know much about the reality and tragedy of the disease, but I learned a lot. Fascinating and heartbreaking.

I recommend the book very highly, unless you are a hypochondriac. (Not mentioning names, here. You know who you are.) Because even a non-hypochondriac, like me, closes the book and becomes absolutely certain that each ordinary, airhead mistake is a sure sign of early onset Alzheimer's.

Otherwise, two thumbs up.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The other exciting development in my life is our first ever yard sale this weekend!

Can you believe we've never had one before? Completely out of my element here and needing tips, folks. Simple strategies for selling everything quick, without a whole lot of effort.

Ideas?

Late Breaking News

2010-05-14T11:58:00.007-07:00

Luke is officially a man now.

Until last night, he was the only male in the family to have his original, God-given bone structure intact. And I think he was a little embarassed about it.

But, anyone acquainted with Luke knew that his days as a fracture-virgin were numbered. All it took was a late night tee-ball practice, a dare-devil move on the climbing structure and a pair of slippery sneakers.

Snap! Broken humeris and his initiation into the Broken Bone Boys Club was complete.

We're very proud.

In another health-related story, Jake's upper braces were removed yesterday. Fifth-grade girls everywhere are reporting heart palpitations.

(You haven't seen his retainer anywhere, have you?)

And, finally, I am happy to report that Emily won the flower arranging contest sponsored by her school! She will compete in the district competition later this month. Her brothers were not impressed until they heard about the grand prize: $200 cash.

Now they think it's the coolest thing you can do around here...without breaking a bone.

New House Nuptials

2010-05-11T05:45:00.018-07:00

Brad and I headed out west this weekend so I could meet the new house.

I confess, I was scared and felt like I was going on the biggest blind date of my life.

Or, more accurately, like I was the bride at an arranged marriage.

Would the new place need a lot of work?

A woman's touch?

Or just some window treatments?

I am happy to report that the new house is lovely.

A far cry from our center hall colonial, but it has the potential for true desert beauty.

I am excited now. But, initially, there was some weeping.

Poor Brad. It was hard for me to explain that the tears weren't just about crown molding and entryway tiles. They were all tied up in leaving friends, baby furniture and peony bushes behind. Turning 40 and sending the twins to first grade. Figuring out the next chapter in my life.

And besides, all brides cry a little. Right?

I'll be just fine.

Now we're home and I'm gearing up for the final trek west.

(But it might not be much of a honeymoon.)

On Moving and Mothers

2010-05-05T13:17:00.003-07:00

This month, whenever I start feeling overwhelmed by the whole house-selling-house-buying-moving-far-away thing, I stop and try to channel my mother-in-law. She is a woman who knows how to move. Literally. And she's done it over and over again.

My mother-in-law with the beginnings of her darling family...circa 1970?

Brad's mom moved dozens of times around the country while her kids were little and not-so-little. His dad often had to start working in the new location, leaving her alone to raise the kids and sell the house. Of course, at the same time, she was usually Relief Society President for church and/or pregnant with another baby and probably sewing all her children matching Easter outfits.

(Also, making homemade oatmeal cookies so good that they cannot ever be replicated. I am a pretty decent cookie baker, but to this day, every time I attempt the oatmeal variety, Brad gets this faraway look on his face and wistfully says, "Y'know my mom used to make the BEST oatmeal cookies. You should get her recipe." Of course, I have been using her recipe for at least sixteen years. But they just never quite measure up to the oatmeal cookies of his past. Nana is seriously that good.)

And even more amazing than the cookies is, that even with the constant upheaval of his childhood, Brad doesn't remember his mom ever yelling at the kids or crying in her bedroom or giving his dad the silent treatment.

No wonder he finds our marriage a little puzzling.

Talking last night, Brad was reminiscing about all the fun he had growing up in such a mobile family. Watching the movers bring in his boxes of toys and setting up his new room. Taking his bicycle right off the truck and riding around an unfamiliar neighborhood, hoping to find kids his age. It was always an adventure. Always fun. And I credit his mom for making it such a positive part of his life.

Books, bangs and wallpaper--Mom and me

My own mother didn't have to uproot her family nearly as often. But she did teach me the art of making a home. Mom had an artistic flair for decorating. When I was little, she always seemed to be in the middle of some amazing home project--sanding an old table, tying a quilt or looking at wallpaper sample books. Mom really enjoyed wallpaper.

My childhood home was unique. None of my friends' houses had family names carved onto the mantlepiece. None had moms who designed furniture and got featured in remodeling magazines. None had walls covered with maps and menus and matchboxes from around the world. Or Swiss murals painted across the whole back of the house. Our home was different and interesting and surprising. Just like my mom.

When circumstances changed, and Mom had to move from her dream home to a less-glamorous model, she made the best of her surroundings. She made sure the important things were in place--a big kitchen table, a piano with lots of sheet music, comfy chairs and plenty of bookshelves. And, of course, wallpaper in every room.

Mom is great at analyzing spaces. When she came to help me after I'd had the twins, she took a quick look around and told me exactly where to put changing pads and diaper pails and dirty clothes' baskets. She sorted and outfitted my car so that I could grab everything I'd need without unbuckling my seatbelt. A week with Mom can be an intense organizational orgy.

This Mother's Day, as I attempt to deconstruct one nest and start feathering another, I am grateful for mothers who have taken me under their wings. Just being in their homes and watching them live has taught me tremendously.

I may not make great oatmeal cookies or have an eye for wallpaper, but I DO know that a loving mother can bless an entire family. And I am doubly blessed.

Happy Mother's Day!

A Window in His Smile

2010-05-03T17:35:00.005-07:00

All four of my children have been last among their peers to get and lose baby teeth. This is tough because everybody knows that a gap-toothed grin is the ultimate kindergarten status symbol. So Sam was completely thrilled when his first little chopper came out at school today. Not only did the event totally dominate Circle Time, but he also got to visit the school nurse and received a plastic treasure box, a brushing chart and a sticker! Heady stuff.

Once home, he lost and found the tooth at least half a dozen times. It's hard work keeping such a tiny pearl safe until bedtime.

(P.S. I am very proud of Luke. He has been supportive and hidden his envy well. It must be tough to watch your twin excel in tooth-losing and (worse!) money-getting. Especially when you don't have even the teensiest of wiggles in your own mouth.)

Anyway, I am happy we have some tooth stories on the bookshelf. It's a fun way to make bedtime a little more special.

Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth by Lucy Bate.

A classic. I remember reading it at the dentist's office when I was little.

The Holiday Handwriting School by Robin Pulver

The twins want SO MUCH to believe in the Tooth Fairy even with all the doubtful comments from the sophisticated third- and fifth-graders in the family. What better way to comfort them than a book all about the Tooth Fairy and her buddies, Santa & the Easter Bunny?

Throw Your Tooth on the Roof by Selby B. Beeler

Do you know kids in South America throw their teeth on the roof? African children plant them in the ground. French children leave them for the Tooth Rat to find. Fun and educational. Enjoy!

Crazy Quilt

2010-04-30T11:10:00.006-07:00

Springtime is full of crazy quilt days. Haphazard, random, mismatched and asymmetrical. Nonproductive tiny scraps of time before the bus comes or between Scouts and piano lessons. Seemingly endless stretches like the bouncy thirty minutes spent in the back of the field trip bus or the teeth-chattering hours under a useless blanket at the baseball diamond. There are no solid square blocks in which to accomplish anything from beginning to end.

Laundry baskets carried downstairs on Good Intention Monday are still blocking traffic in the mudroom. (Oh thank heavens the house sold quickly!) And I'm not really sure if their contents are clean or dirty at this point. Life is served on paper plates and I'm running out of healthy dinners to serve on-the-go. Please, don't ask to see the inside of my car.

Luckily, I've made it through a few of these dizzy seasons before. I know that once the field days and spring concerts and softball tournaments are over, life settles into a slower and gentler summer routine. (Will it this year? I hope so. As gentle as moving six people 2,300 miles can be, anyway.)

I'm just hoping that once these insane days are all sewn up, I'll be able to stand back a little bit, take a deep breath and see the crazy beauty created by so many random scraps.

Things Are Moving

2010-04-28T05:56:00.005-07:00

This is really happening.

Our house sold in a quick ten days. I didn't realize how stressed I had been about the whole thing until I signed my name to accept the offer. Suddenly the phrase weak with relief took on a completely new meaning.

And, in the meantime, I put twenty years' worth of marital trust into Brad's capable hands and allowed him to choose a house for us. All. By. Himself.

I'm not totally crazy. It's just that the market has been picking up and Brad had found THE ONE on his last trip out. We had to act fast. So we did. I guess it's meant to be.

He loves it because:

It was a good deal.
It has a big backyard which is completely unfinished and will thus allow him creative expression in creating his own desert oasis.
There are plenty of bedrooms, including one for the mother-in-law. On a separate floor.
It's a "project" house, which means lots of trips to Home Depot.
Most importantly: a man-sized garage. Big enough to live in. (Which of course he will if I hate the new house.)

Six of One, Half-a-dozen of the Other

2010-04-26T08:28:00.005-07:00

(They may look a little awkward, but I made 'em both from scratch.
The cakes, too...)

Can you believe the twinks are six? Neither can I. And, I guess, technically, they're not six for another couple days. But we started celebrating last night since Brad will be gone this week and it's never to soon to start a party around here.

Oh, how I love these boys! Every mom needs twin boys. Double shots of testosterone zooming through the house. One for each hand. One for each arm. They are ideal companions for one another and great company for me. The perfect double play.

More than the older two, these guys have really grown up on my blog. Which is a good thing, since I never did get around to finishing (OK, starting!) their scrapbooks. Remember their humble beginnings? Remember the birthday party that never happened? In fact, my first ever blogpost (March 10, 2007) is a masterpiece entitled Twinsanity! It seems to be a running theme.

Sam and Luke gave me the gift of a pregnant belly and satisfied my curiosity regarding Brad and I mixing DNA. (And you know what? Being pregnant and seeing my own genetics come to life actually taught me how small those elements figure into the creation of a real family. So, amazingly, having biological children helped me love my adopted kids even more. Ain't life great?!)

Still, the twins taught me that hope and faith aren't just words in the Bible. Because it's pretty hard not to believe in miracles, when two of them are sitting in your kitchen eating Eggo waffles every morning.

Sam. Every time I say his name I smile. Can't help it. He's full of catch phrases and funny gestures. "Ouch! That just hurt like the dickens!" or "Sorry Mom, not gonna happen." Even when he's being difficult, Sam's only a heartbeat away from a dimple-cracking grin. Sam looks on the bright side of life and already knows how to charm the ladies. He's a numbers man, a loud talker, a friend to everyone and, definitely, a momma's boy.

Luke. If Luke were a fruit, he'd be a pineapple. If he were an animal-- a porcupine or maybe a turtle. He's a little tough and bristly on the outside to protect the tenderness within. Because deep deep down, Luke's such a softie. An animal lover, a musician, an artist and a poet. He's the carnivore who requested ribs, steak AND bacon for his birthday dinner. He puts up with Mom, but nobody puts a smile on his face like Snitchy (aka Dad).

Happiness was born a twin.--Lord Byron

Celebrating six years of happiness and real-life miracles...

Love you!

April Distractions

2010-04-23T06:37:00.008-07:00

Last night, I came up with the perfect post along with alliterative title. I loved it and it was going to be so great. Then, as I started to type, I got that deja-vu-all-over-again kind of feeling and realized, after clicking around a bit, that I had used the EXACT title and written practically the EXACT same post almost EXACTLY 365 days ago.

So, I guess, the bottom line is this....I cannot focus on blogging (or making dinner or doing laundry or planning a lesson or shopping on a budget or anything requiring thought, patience or restraint) in April. It's not just this year, it's an annual occurence.

Aside from a life-changing cross-country move, children who are growing up faster than my azalea bushes and a calendar packed to the brim with springtime activities, here are a few of my favorite distractions:

Em and I have been reading this together at night. (Jake also usually shows up and lays on the floor "not listening." He's too cool for chick lit.) It is the original Mean Girls story and Emily is at the perfect age to read and discuss. I highly recommend for anyone with daughters (or cool older brothers).

Posession. Loved the book, love the movie. While Brad's been away this week, I have been watching it in 45 minute segments at night, in bed, on my laptop before being swallowed up in exhaustion. Sweet dreams.

And...if you happen to stay up too late reading to your kids or watching movies on your laptop, you will definitely want to get some of this stuff. Bobbi Brown concealer is the BEST for covering undereye circles and other unsightly facial flaws. My mom and sisters told me about it in Vegas and I am hooked. Serious spackle for the face. Thank you, Bobbi. You know how to treat a girl right.

What's distracting you this April?

Capitol

2010-04-20T14:56:00.004-07:00

Why were my kids out of school again? I really don't know. I've stopped asking.

But since they had another free day, we took another fun daytrip.

This time tagging along with Brad on a client visit to DC.

It was truly a memorable day.

I just hope my kids remember...

cherry blossoms,

snow cones,

stopping at an old favorite in Chevy Chase,

and exploring Air and Space at the Smithsonian.

And I hope they DON'T remember spilling in the restaurant, fighting in the backseat, crying because their feet hurt and whining because we didn't buy t-shirts.

Good times.

Spring, I Love You

2010-04-15T11:54:00.004-07:00

Me + spring = happy + busy

When the sun starts to shine in April, I suddenly remember what a happy person I am. I didn't recognize how cold and dark things had been all winter. But once the rays come out and I can pull off the parka, I realize that all I needed was a little light and warmth and some vitamin D.

The natural sunlight, and all the springtime business that goes along with it, has pulled me away from the artificial light of my computer screen. I have much to catch up on...

Batter Up

Base/soft/t-ball has basically taken over our lives. Practices, pictures, games, keeping track of everyone's gloves and uniforms. It's a full-time job. So far so good. Jake is a strong lefty, Luke and Em are righties, like me. Sam still doesn't know if he's a left-handed player or a right-handed player...but we love him ambidextrously.

Can you believe it was warm enough to head to the beach last week?

Have I mentioned the weather is glorious? It's been park-hopping and eating on the back patio for us. Mother Nature is kindly helping us keep our house clean.

Two of us freckle, two of us brown like butter and two of us just turn pink. We are all shades of happy around here.

Want to buy our house?

The realtors have been knocking this week. Lots of foot traffic. Lots of good feedback. I spend an awful lot of time wiping out sinks, running up/down stairs to turn on every single light in the house. My home has never been this clean for so many consecutive days.

The youngest "old man" I know

Brad has been around a little bit more lately. It's so nice. Like sunshine, I don't realize how much I miss him until he comes back and lights up my life.

Here is what we do after dinner. The picture is a little shaky, but Emmie's commentary makes me smile.

Big Leagues

2010-04-10T17:40:00.002-07:00

Today was Opening Day for baseball and softball.

All four are playing this season.

Li'l Sluggers: Then and Now

Thankfully, the twinks can play on the same team. So we only have three fields, three games and three practice schedules to juggle. Four would be suicide.

Am looking forward to a killer farmer's tan and a lot of hot dogs.

Living On Pins and Needles

2010-04-07T09:15:00.004-07:00

As of yesterday, our house is officially on the market. The sign's up and the phone has started to ring. Happily, the closets are clean and all the rooms are freshly painted. My floors are gleaming and the carpets have been shampooed. Now, if I can just teach the kids to levitate, we'll all be ok.

I'm settling in for months of walking backwards out of every room to make sure things look just right. No unflushed toilets, no toys on the stairs and no unmade beds. Yikes.

Our realtor's name is Maxine. We interviewed a whole gaggle of realtors before signing on with her. It is nerve wracking to take cold-hearted strangers through your home. Like a really intense Parent Teacher Conference. Here is my child, my heart and soul. I know her handwriting leaves a lot to be desired, but have you seen her whiz through her math facts? Have you heard her British accent? Does her smile take your breath away?

Except with the realtors, I'm thinking, Here is my house, it's where my heart lives. I know the floors squeak and the corner cupboard sticks, but you should see it all lit up for Christmas. And how about the big shade tree in the backyard with the swing? And doesn't the yellow dining room just make you happy?

Maxine is like the kindergarten teacher who doesn't just love all children. She's the one who loves my child. She totally gets our house. She likes it. She LOVES it. So, hopefully, she can sell it.

I know with a big house on today's market, it might be a long wait. But am still keeping my fingers crossed.

Because it's kinda prickly living on pins and needles.

Philadelphia Story

2010-04-04T12:09:00.002-07:00

Spring Break--Day Two: An Educational Trip into Philly. The kids were good tourists and enjoyed a taste of history.

I'm not kidding myself, though. I know what rings their bell.

Seriously, which Liberty Bell would YOU prefer?

And, would you prefer a trip to the Mint (where, apparently, they are not making coins due to the recession and the fact that casinos use tickets these days) ...

...or a mint shake at Franklin Square?

Sam was the only one to accidentally whack someone with his club. Unfortunately, she was not a member of this family. Oops.

Still, we had a lot of traditional Philly brotherly and sisterly love.

Monday's destination: Gettysburg.

Thank goodness our Spring Break was cut short to make up snow days.

I'm not sure how much more love I can handle.

Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses

2010-04-01T19:10:00.001-07:00

Spring Break--Day One: I decided to take the kids to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

We're always up for an educational outing and the weather has been gorgeous.

Apparently, everyone else had the same idea.

We stood in line for over two and a half hours just to get on the ferry. I actually started to feel like an immigrant mother shepherding my little aliens through the crowd, surrounded by people of every culture and religion. Just how DID those greenhorn mommas do it without CapriSun, antibacterial wipes and PacMan on the cell phone?

Tomorrow: The Liberty Bell

I Know They Call it Sin City, But it Felt Like Heaven to Me

2010-03-29T11:21:00.013-07:00

Leaving three different hometowns, five wonderfully supportive husbands, and one dozen darling children behind, my sisters and mom and I met for a weekend in Vegas. It was sublime.

Why so celestial?

Well. It could've been the supernal suite, the glorious weather, the heavenly food or the supreme shopping. Could've been the bubble baths or dressing up for dinner or sleeping in. Could've been the sensational sights or the masseuse with the fingers of gold.

Could've been any of those things. But it wasn't.

The truth is, any place with these four is heaven on earth to me.

Thanks for a great trip, girls! You are truly my angels.

An Open Letter to My Sisters

2010-03-23T11:39:00.006-07:00

Dear Nim, Heed, Min & Mom,

Right now the entire contents of my kitchen and laundry room are stacked precariously in the dining room. There is a dumpster in my driveway and a jackhammer blasting away somewhere downstairs. I have a major case of early-morning-fatigue-syndrome. My husband's out of town, yet my kids still want dinner every night and clean clothes every morning.

I have a purple bathroom and an unfortunate new haircut.

Suffice it to say, the thought that I will soon be boarding a plane and sitting poolside with you is serving as my own personal drug-free mood stabilizer. I cannot wait.

Don't forget to bring: photos of your kids, your latest book recommendations, cast-off jewelry you think I will like, some really cheesy chick flix, self-tanner, nail polish and a big old Ziploc of Muddy Buddies.

Topics for group discussion: millennial mothering, spring fashion trends, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, improving spirituality, technology-pros, cons & how-to's, what to do with a purple bathroom & bad haircut.

Love you girls! See ya'll in 48 hours.

Never Mind

2010-03-21T19:46:00.003-07:00

Hmmm...I'm having second thoughts about this whole moving thing...

First, all of our friends are being so nice and saying stuff that makes me cry.

Second, our house looks totally amazing now. Check out the beautiful new countertops! I love them.

And the kids' new-and-improved bathroom....

(By the way, please settle a little marital dispute...does this wall look purple or periwinkle to you? All I know is, it's NOT the sky blue I envisioned. Paint chips can be deceptive. Whatever.)

Third reason I am having second thoughts: spring.

Sure, moving sounds great during February blizzard season.

But now it's officially my favorite season. This weekend did not disappoint. Blue skies, sunshine, green, green, green.

Today we picnicked by the stream in our backyard. Heaven.

Tuckered Out

2010-03-18T17:52:00.003-07:00

This is how we've all been feeling around here.

Between the home improvement craziness, a quick-hitting stomach bug (Do I look skinnier yet?), the crazy Nor'easter storm and that ridiculous springing forward nonsense, everybody's been dragging a bit. Especially me.

Luke loves all the construction workers hanging around our place. He follows them constantly, hoping to impress them with his toys and acrobatic skills. Yesterday, he flashed a prized dollar bill at one of the guys who promptly asked, "D'you work for that money?"

Luke got all shy, but I wanted to pipe in from the other room, "Of course, he earned it. We're trying to raise hard workers around here." I was anxious that he not think my kids lazy or entitled or spoiled.

The truth is, the guy was right, of course. Anything kids work for or wait for means more to them. Same with me.

And that's why, tonight, when the sun streamed into the backyard and the kids were all bouncing and laughing and nobody needed a jacket or shoes and Brad was grilling burgers with Monterey Jack and nobody was throwing up, I just sat back with a smile.

And enjoyed the sunset.

Age Appropriate Reading

2010-03-15T07:52:00.003-07:00

Whether it's the rash case of eye-rolling, distinct wardrobe preferences or the fact that entire bags of Doritos are disappearing at alarming rates around our house, I can tell I've got a tween on my hands.

Part of me is absolutely thrilled that Jake is right on schedule with his new 'tude. (Any development is good development, right?) The rest of me, however, is terrified at the thought of any hormones (aside from my own, of course) running amok in our household.

So, I've been doing some research. That's what I call it when I am stretched out on my bed with a parenting book. Mom Research is a vital part of my job. And so what if I do it in my pj's with a couple of Mint Milanos nearby?

Here's what I've been reading:

A friend recommended this book to me years ago and I've read it several times. Each time I read with a whole new set of eyes and experiences and I devour each and every page. Dr. Latham perfectly combines scientific research with scriptural examples. He is completely positive and totally realistic.
Another friend recommended this one and I've loved it. Rosemond is no-nonsense, old-fashioned and empowering. His take: Teenagers probably won't like you sometimes. But did you like your parents when you were a teen? It makes me feel better.

Got teens? Grab these books, put on your pj's and start your research.

And don't forget the Mint Milanos!

I'm Making Plans and I Need Your Help

2010-03-12T06:43:00.013-07:00

Although we're still in the throes of home improvement (Oh, the joys of sharing a bathroom with four children!) and weeks away from listing our house, Brad is visiting our soon-to-be-hometown this weekend and is going to start making the rounds with a realtor.

We've been surfing the net and looking at homes for sale. It's heady stuff. Pebbled swimming pools, custom media rooms, five-car garages, backyard putting greens. Everything looks so shiny and new. Of course, our eyes are bigger than our checkbook, but, still, it's fun to dream.

Over the years we've lived in nine different places. Basement apartments, third floor apartments, rentals, new construction, orange carpet, blue showers, crazy neighbors and amazing friends.

Each home has taught me something and I find that, this go-round, I have refined my priorities in home selection.

For example, front entrance versus back entrance. The first thing I fell for in our current house was the beautiful two-story entry with sweeping circular staircase and hardwood floors. Gorgeous. Somehow I pictured myself wearing evening gowns and making a lot of dramatic entrances.

Well. Reality is this: spectacular staircase+forty pound basket of dirty laundry=dramatic language not dramatic entrances. And, as beautiful as the front hall is, I NEVER WALK IN THE FRONT DOOR.

I wish I had paid a little more attention to the back door and the potential tight squeeze of carrying groceries/kids/drycleaning through a mightytight garage and mudroom space.

These days I am much more interested in the size of the laundry room sink than the size of the master bathroom Jacuzzi. We all know where moms really spend their soaking time, am I right?

So, this is where I need your help. What suggestions do you have? I am interested to hear what you all love about your houses, hate about your houses or wish you had known sooner. Do you love the central vac system? Wish you had more storage? Have a favorite home convenience that has dramatically improved your quality of life? Do tell.

I'll forward the list to Brad and he can pick a dream house for all of us.

Trendy? Who, Me?

2010-03-10T09:12:00.005-07:00

Apparently, the latest trend is to have a kid with Aspergers Syndrome. It's hip. It's now. It's the millennial thing to do.

Is it just because I'm living in Aspergerland myself or is it really popping up everywhere as the disorder du jour?

Last night, I watched five minutes of Parenthood with Brad. The episode got our attention because it featured some parents with an Asperger child. Of course, they were stereotypically uptight and overeducated, with a card catalog of specialists and a whole bunch of psychoterms thrown into the conversation. Their kid was out of control and very very weird. It was funny and it wasn't.

Ninety-five percent of me was thinking, This is entertainment? Why should I watch this? I live this. But another little part of myself could not look away. It was like looking into a funhouse mirror. Wow. Is THAT what we look like? Is that what the rest of the world sees?

This is the book I'm into right now. The story of Jacob, a boy with Aspergers who is on trial for murder. I would've bought it even if I didn't have such a personal interest. I think Jodi Picoult is fun to read.

Although I'm not far into House Rules, I'm enjoying it. Picoult serves up her usual cast of characters--the overwhelmed and self-sacrificing mother, the resentful sibling and the big-hearted cop. I can identify with all the characters, which is the great thing about Picoult's writing. And maybe it's therapeutic to read something far-fetched with a heaping dose of my reality stirred in.

I've said it before. My feelings about media + autism are mixed. While I'm grateful for greater exposure and understanding, I'm also worried about stereotyping. And I don't want to look as if I'm just a trend-follower, grabbing at the latest excuse for poor parenting.

Anyway, I can't help it. Whether it's going through in vitro, having twins, or adopting, my millenial parenting experences aren't novel, they are the norm these days. And I guess I'm in good company.

But thinking about the whole thing makes me want to do something completely untrendy and nonmillennial.

You know, like blog...

The Latest Word

2010-03-08T13:15:00.005-07:00

The latest word for Sam is "soulful." Usually my happy-go-lucky nonstop talker, Sam was uncharacteristically quiet and reflective this weekend thanks, in part, to a nasty flu bug. We know Sammy is sick when he turns down food. I am grateful to report that he has recovered fully and is currently eating a string cheese.

Jake's latest word is "accomplished." Not only a great ice-skater and skiier, Jake earned his Arrow of Light at Scouts last week and started DARE at school. I've been told this will keep him off drugs. Jake is taller than me when he wears skates.

Em's "reflective." These days she has taken to writing free verse in her journal. Also, she is working on a piano composition. It is entitled Despair and she works on it daily. (This is 100% fact. Anyone with three brothers knows despair on a deeply personal level. )

Luke ="diverse." When he's not building blanket forts, riding his scooter or playing with his beloved stuffed cat, Rainbow, Luke is on the lookout for money-making opportunities. Today he gathered up his sister's old Barbies and Little Ponies ("She never plays with them anymore, Mom!") and took them to the park to sell. His strategy was simple: approach unsuspecting girls and ask them if they have any money. Luke's net gain was $0, but his technique was priceless.

Construction Zone

2010-03-04T11:05:00.005-07:00

I'm finally getting the home I always wanted.

Just in time to sell.

Yay.

New kitchen floor, beautiful new bathroom for the kids, freshly painted walls in every room. That water stain on the ceiling? Gone. The basement shelves I'd given up on? Straight and sturdy.

It is exciting and annoying all at the same time.

There are at least eight strange men wandering through my house today. Moving things around. Switching things off and on. Making a lot of noise.

Come to think of it, they're not a whole lot different from my children. Just way more expensive.

I've always thought of this house as a grande dame. Once a great beauty, she still has excellent bone structure, but there has been some sagging and drooping over the years. The genteel shabbiness has been part of her charm.

But this week she's getting the face-lift she deserves. We're still in the messy and painful stage. I'm excited for the bandages to come off.

My only question, if she's the one having the work done, why am I feeling so sore and tired?

Male Bonding

2010-03-01T15:42:00.003-07:00

Sam + Luke in 30 years?!

Just over twenty years ago, I was babysitting my little cousins for a week. I had a supercute new boyfriend who came over to play with the kids (a little) and watch sports on the big screen (a lot). There may or may not have been some lip action. My mom was very interested in this whole situation, of course, and sent my younger brother over to "bring us some donuts."

Mom's carefully crafted espionage may have thrown a wrench in the romance (as if five kids weren't chaperone enough!), but it was the start of a beautiful friendship. Brad and Josh shook hands manfully, grabbed a couple of chocolate-glazed, plopped down in front of ESPN and started a conversation that hasn't stopped since.

Sports, church, business, family, travel, politics, you name it. These guys talk and talk and talk. They solve the world's problems one free-throw at a time, with me watching, amused, on the sidelines. They see eye to eye and, yet somehow, they still look up to each other.

Together, their job is keeping me humble. Not hard to do. Especially when, like last night, I amble into their late-night bull session feeling the effects of my night-time cold remedy, wild-haired and ranting.

It's ok. They've both seen me looking (and acting) worse.

Josh came with an adorable, lanky sidekick for a weekend visit. There was bowling, building, eating, scary movie-making, scary-movie watching, sledding, Olympic-viewing, and, of course, lots of talking.

At the end of the weekend, it was hard to know who'd had a better time. The men. The boys. Or me, watching, amused, on the sidelines.

Love you, Chase! And, yes, you too, Uncle Bosh!

Living Inside a Snowglobe

2010-02-25T16:23:00.002-07:00

This is what it looks like outside my house right now...

And this is what it looks like inside my house right now...

We are living in a snowglobe. A noisy, messy, too-many-snow-cancelled-school-days kind of snowglobe. All shook up.

(By the way, those aren't snowflakes. They are patch marks. Brad started his fix-it-up kick and left polka dots all over the house. Then he left town. The effect of so many polka dots on the mocha family room walls is unsettling. My feng shui is definitely off.)

Yesterday, talking to Emmie via cell phone about the upcoming storm, my mom wondered how our little family would survive. She knew Brad was gone and asked Emily what we would do if we lost power or some other emergency.

Em's answer was matter-of-fact. "Well, we DO have Jake."

And it is remarkable how safe an eleven year old boy can make me feel. Jake built, lit and tended this fire all afternoon. He is quite manly is his woodpile duties and very strict if Sam and Luke get too close to the flame.

Emily and her best friend spent the afternoon building an obstacle course in the basement. It involved every single toy we own and a lot of yelling "not to come down yet!"

For some reason, clean-up isn't nearly as exciting.

Before leaving town, Brad made a SnowDad on the back patio so I wouldn't miss him so much. I enjoy looking at SnowDad through the kitchen window.

But, I think, if we lose power tonight, I just might go knock him over.

Letting the Cat Out

2010-02-23T16:03:00.006-07:00

The first, last and only time a kitty picture will ever be featured.

We are moving.

Not just across town. We are moving across the country, people. Trading Northeast for Southwest. Snow boots for flip flops. Longjohns for SPF. Green for brown. Wet for dry. You get the idea.

Why?

Because, for the past six months, we've been asking ourselves the following:

If Brad's new job can be done any place with a major airport and high speed internet, then why are we living hundreds of miles away from our closest relatives?
Do we love our current house enough to sink a boatload of cash into bathroom and kitchen remodeling? Or do we just want to start over with a newer house? In a place with lower taxes?
When exactly is the least-pyschologically-damaging window for uprooting children? Before, during or after middle school?
Can we just count moving cross-country as our joint midlife crisis and get it over with?

After letting the answers simmer for awhile, and giving the whole thing a lot of thought and prayer, we feel like we're doing the right thing. Gulp.

So, that is the February excitement around here.

Please, feel free to share your advice and opinions.

I would particularly appreciate suggestions regarding:

Blitzkrieg cleaning strategies.
Staging a home to sell quickly.
Keeping a house "realtor ready" with four active children.
And a traveling husband.
Without abusing refined carbohydrates.

Also:

Finding the best homes/schools/neighborhoods.
Helping kids cope with a cross-country move.
Living in the same town as the in-laws. (Just kiddin', Nana!)
Making new friends at age 39.
Camouflaging figure flaws in 110-degree heat.

And, please. Don't ask how I am going to survive without cheesesteaks, water ice, historic charm, spring blossoms, fall foliage, trainrides into New York, day trips to the beach, and thirteen years' worth of the absolute best friends a girl could ask for. I can't go there.

Truly Amazing

2010-02-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

I love that the twinks are learning to read.

Years ago, when I was a reading teacher, I worked with kids who struggled. I went to all kinds of training conferences and read loads of books on the subject and came away feeling truly amazed that anyone, anywhere EVER learned to read.

Phonemic awareness, one-to-one matching, concepts of print. So much had to be in place before the average kindergartener or first-grader could even begin to decode Cat in the Hat or Mrs. Wishy-Washy.

Of course, this was during my baby hungry years. So when I wasn't studying up on Reading Recovery strategies, I was poring over Conception and You and Getting Pregnant Naturally. I learned words like motility, injectables and basal body temperature. I came away feeling truly amazed that anyone, anywhere EVER had a baby.

Babies are a miracle. Reading is too. Having four kids who can find meaning from letters on a page is a wonder I do not take for granted.

I told Brad long before our kids came along that I was confident I could teach all of our kids to read before they started kindergarten. I had lots of experience and tricks up my sleeve.

Of course, that was before potty-training destroyed my self-esteem.

So, I got smart. I let the teachers do the teaching and I do the fun stuff. Trips to the library and bedtime stories and reading Wizard of Oz one chapter at a time. It's a whole lot better that way.

Anyway. I love my kids. I love to read. I love having kids who love to read. It may not seem like a huge accomplishment to anyone else. But, for me, it's truly amazing.

I Know Why It's Called Fat Tuesday

2010-02-16T14:48:00.001-07:00

Things I do not want to eat when it's cold, snowy and my kids have been home from school for six days:

cottage cheese

high fiber cereal

grapefruit

lettuce

hard boiled eggs

rice cakes

baked chicken breasts with a squeeze of lemon over a bed of salad greens

Things I want to eat when it's cold, snowy and my kids have been home from school for six days:

Mountains of spaghetti with homemade sauce, accompanied by garlic bread that's crusty outside and bleeds butter when you bite into it.

Chocolate pudding. The kind you cook on the stove and top with real whipped cream.

Beef stew and my mother-in-law's buttermilk cornbread -so sweet it could be birthday cake- slathered with satiny honey butter.

Giant bowls of spicy taco soup topped with an inch of melted cheese and a hearty dollop of full-fat sour cream. A generous fistful of cornchips crumbled on top.

Basically anything warm, creamy or dripping with butter.

Thank heavens for baggy sweaters and puffy vests.

A Few Parenting Truths I've Discovered This Week

2010-02-15T08:00:00.002-07:00

The best way to get kids to play with something is tell them to clean it up.
If you only serve whole wheat bread and then buy Wonder White in a moment of nutritional weakness, your kids will eat it by the glorious fistful and think you are the best thing since...well, sliced bread.
The best way to get kids to listen to something is whisper it to your husband.
Gambit is a much more enjoyable than Candyland.
Black Sharpie pens have magical power. They can draw on dining room walls. All by themselves.

You Are...

2010-02-14T14:00:00.002-07:00

an island of pink in my sea of blue

Scout + Ramona + Harriet the Spy

not afraid of boys

sensitive

beautiful, but completely oblivious to the fact

going to be a very popular babysitter someday

quick

the original Ms. Independence

confident, capable and competitive

sort of messy, in a creative way

responsible

the best valentine I ever got

nine

Happy Birthday, Squeege! I love you.

So Much Snow

2010-02-11T19:44:00.002-07:00

"It snowed last night! It snowed last night! The angels had a pillow fight!"

Last night was just enough of a winter adventure to make us feel like real pioneers. We were without heat and power for almost 20 hours. Brad, truly, was in his element. Pa Ingalls, Bear Grylls and Jeff Probst all rolled together. He had the fire burning, the sidewalks cleared and spareribs sizzlin' in no time. I love that guy.

I had one Marmee moment warming the kids' winter clothes by the fire. I can see why there were so many references to hearth and home back then. We were hearthside a lot today. Dangerous.

My Lands' End investments paid off. I love when shopping works.

Real men aren't afraid of pink, sparkly accessories.

Even homework looks better by candlelight!

"Alone, snowflakes are weak and delicate...but look what they can do when they just stick together."

Whiteout

2010-02-10T18:45:00.001-07:00

Power out for the past three hours. Candlelight dinner cooked on BBQ grill.Reading Jodi picoult by the fire. Two or more feet of fresh snow outside. Kids played flashlight tag until they dropped. Brad is taking a shower with the last of the hot water. I am doing my first ever post via iPhone.my thumbs are too chubby I think. All night long we've had texts from friends offering all kinds of help. But,supposedly, the power guys Are getting "right on it"...we'll see.

New Shoes, Clean Teeth and a Tiger Named Bwad

2010-02-09T13:17:00.003-07:00

Bwad is the newest member of our family. Named after our venerable patriarch, but with kindergarten pronunciation, Bwad sleeps in a Kleenex box and likes being stroked between the ears. He is my kind of pet and we've taken him everywhere today.

Even with a stuffed tiger tagalong, my day has been productive. I took the twinks shoe shopping and to the dentist. Both activities make me feel like a responsible parent. The Stride Rite man congratulated me on my strapping boys and the dentist (for once!) pronounced everyone cavity-free.

I headed back to the store for Snowmageddon Part II. This one's supposed to be a doozy. I loaded up on all the essentials. This time, I got wise, and bought the disposable hot chocolate cups WITH LIDS. I'm hoping this will drastically improve something. Snow days are a whole lotta fun, but can wreak havoc upon my clean kitchen.

Bracing for this second storm (we're supposed to get 12-20 inches!) reminds me of the day before surgery. I've done everything I can do get ready, I'm hoping for the best and prepared for the worst. We won't know til it's over, I guess.

Snowmageddon

2010-02-07T17:52:00.001-07:00

48 hours and 12 inches later, we are warm, safe and happy. We never lost power or heat. We didn't even run out of milk, toilet paper or Doritos. The kids' cheeks are pink and the fireplace is crackling. Three cheers for Mother Nature.

Hunkering Down

2010-02-05T13:21:00.003-07:00

photo by captpiper

In case you haven't heard, there is supposed to be a massive blizzard on the East Coast. I hope you are ready.

There is no milk at the grocery store. There are no parking spots at Target. The weatherpeople on TV are giddy. It cracks me up.

Having grown up in a location where there was always lots of snow but never any national news coverage, I just think people get a little hyper about precipitation around here.

But it is kinda fun. Between the snowmania and the Superbowl, everyone has been rushing around for the past two days and it's all like we're getting ready for one big party together.

Personally, I cannot wait for my snow day tomorrow. Basketball, Pet Pals and all other extra-curriculars have been cancelled. Snacks have been purchased. Library books are piled near the fireplace. A fresh stack of dvd's wait expectantly.

I am envisioning myself sleeping til noon, reading peacefully by the fire and, perhaps, watching a romantic costume drama. Then taking a nap.

Reality will more likely involve muddy bootprints, spilled hot chocolate and two hundred of those teeny plastic Battleship pegs dotting my family room floor. Still, I'm trying to keep my dream alive.

What are you doing this weekend?

Overheard in the Kindergarten Classroom

2010-02-03T15:10:00.004-07:00

Gap-toothed little boy, showing me a crayon rendering of his family home, "This is my room, this is the baby's room, this is my mom's room."

Then, pointing below the green spiky grass, "And this is my dad's room. He has his own room in the basement. It has a brown rug."

-----------------------------------------

Me, helping a little cutie shop for valentines at the school store, "Ok. You have one for your mom, one for your dad and one for your aunt. Now, your list says you need to buy one more. For your grandpa."

Li'l Cutie: "I don't think he wants a valentine. He's dead."

-----------------------------------------

Precocious kid wearing Star Wars tee, "My mom used to have a job. Now she is retired. She doesn't do anything."

Pink-Headband Girl sitting across table, "Yeah. My mom doesn't do anything either. Except go shopping."

--------------------------------------------

Scary food for thought: What do the twins say when I'm not there?

The More Things Change

2010-02-02T18:02:00.002-07:00

Two and half years ago, I posted the following entry entitled, "You Might Be Raising Boys If..."

(Weren't they teeny?!)

You might be raising boys if...

You own a remote control tarantula.
You sort your laundry into the following categories:
denim, khaki, camouflage and Spiderman.
Your blue bathroom always smells a little funky.
You know the exquisite agony of stepping on Star Wars Legos with your bare feet.
You go through a jumbo jar of peanut butter and four gallons of milk every week.
You can tell the difference between Percy, Thomas and James.
Flatulence is the highest form of humor in your home.
You are voluntarily going to spend 5 days at Cub Scout Day Camp.

Today I have to add:

You might be raising boys if...

you have a rubber snake in your powder room, mud in your laundry room, Froot Loops in your pantry and BB's in your vacuum cleaner bag.

God bless little boys and the mothers who keep 'em.

The Seventh Day

2010-01-31T13:39:00.005-07:00

Last Monday night, Sam was giving the Family Night lesson. He had chosen to teach about The Creation and was delivering a stellar oration, complete with visual aids.

"First, Jesus separated light and darkness. He called them day and night. Next, He made the land and the oceans." And so on. Sam knew it all. I felt so proud. I sat back, feeling humbly superior, having raised such a knowledgeable child.

Finally, Sam got to the seventh day. He was stumped. He looked at Luke. He looked at me. He looked at his picture. The earth was complete with plants, animals, handsome Adam and beautiful Eve. What was left?

I pulled him close and whispered helpfully in his ear. Sam's face lit up. Of course! He knew what came next. He stood up straight and held his picture high.

Clearing his throat, he spoke in that very distinctive Sammy voice. "And last came the seventh day. And on the seventh day, HE GOT ARRESTED."
-------------------------------------------------------

I know Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest, but in some ways, it is the hardest part of my week. All that public parenting. All those expectations --freshly ironed white shirts, homemade rolls for dinner, long afternoon naps. (Translate into semi-rumpled Rugbys, applesauce oatmeal muffins and blogging on an unmade bed, then you'll have an accurate picture of my Sabbath today.)

Mormon moms do a lot to make Sundays special and a lot of the time we do it alone. Sometimes it's because our husbands don't want to come to church with us. Sometimes it's because they have to go early and stay late for meetings. Sometimes they are sitting on the stand at church while we wrestle the children on the benches and give them a Sabbath-appropriate version of the stink eye.

Today Brad has been gone all day, working with an inner-city congregation. He left at 8:00 am with his lunch packed into a cooler. He probably won't be home until it's time for dinner. I hope he likes applesauce muffins.

His Spanish scriptures got dusted off this morning and he's hoping his conversational vocab isn't too rusty. I am proud of him. He is a dedicated guy. I'm grateful. But it's still hard being the one left behind.

All I know is that it's all worth it. The goldfish crackers ground into the speckly meetinghouse carpet. The Mary-Janes and Oxfords that seem to shrink overnight. The rooster-tail cowlick that just won't stay down on Sunday morning.

I know it's worth it because my kids have a whole buncha grown-ups who pray for them and teach them. And, when I'm not wrestling small people into submission on a church bench, I can look around the chapel and see a friend in every pew. I know it's worth it, because I am a believer and this is what we do.

Just remind me next Sunday.

Caramel Cake & Conversation

2010-01-27T08:01:00.003-07:00

I love bookclub. A whole buncha girlfriends sitting around chatting. Not about husbands or kids or church or basketball picture day. Just plot, characters, setting (and, maybe, hair!) for an entire evening. I feel like a grown up at bookclub.

Last night was my turn to host. We read The Help by Kathryn Stockett. If you haven't read it yet, find a copy. Now. I'm not kidding. You won't get anything done for a couple of days, but there's always Pizza Hut and letting kids play "fish for an outfit" in the dirty clothes hamper, right?

The book is about black maids and their white employers in 1960's Missippi. A few desserts played an important role in the story.

I took a picture, because I will probably never make this again. You really DO need a maid to clean up the kitchen when you're done...

One of these is Minny's Caramel Cake. I have never had caramel cake, but apparently it's a Southern tradition. This was the recipe I used. Time-consuming, but enjoyable.

Chocolate pie is important to the plot also, so I brought out this old favorite from Mom's cookbook. (Warning: There are uncooked eggs in this recipe. But, having ingested large quantities of raw cookie dough on a pretty much daily basis, I can assure you that salmonella is highly unlikely.)

Swiss Chocolate Pie

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar, divided

6 oz. chocolate chips, melted and cooled

2 eggs, separated

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

Dash salt

Whip cream until fluffy. Set aside. Whip egg whites with salt until fluffy. Add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Set aside. Beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla, egg yolks and cooled chocolate. Gently fold in whipped cream, then egg whites. Turn into chocolate cookie crust. Chill five hours or overnight. Slice and serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Life and Times on Inverness Drive

2010-01-24T19:42:00.002-07:00

Item Number One: Purple Sparkly Glasses = Instant Status Symbol.

These specs are to Em what the airsoft gun is to Jake. No crying Four-eyes at our house. These babies are polished, adjusted and discussed with an intensity formerly reserved for Webkinz and soccer trophies. This week, Emily heads to the orthodontist to straighten her smile. (In the tender words of her loving older brother, "Glasses plus braces equals nerd.") The tween years can be humbling.

Item Number Two: Twin Kitty Cats are Always Fun, Sometimes a Twin Brother is Not.

Luke told me that he wants his birthday to be on a different day than Sam's this year. He's over the whole wombmate/roommate thing. I don't blame him, but I'm not exactly sure how to handle it. Having twins was very efficient of me and I really enjoy parenting my children As A Single Unit. Individuality sometimes throws a wrench in my plans.

Item Number Three: Jake's birthday was two weeks ago, but I don't have any other photos.

Please note the birthday cake (lemon with cream cheese frosting) which the birthday boy decorated himself. Those are Lego guys battling on top. Brad, of course, chose chocolate velvet pie for his birthday cake. Some things never change.

Item Number Four: Recycling Can Be Fun!

Sam enjoys building with recyclables, counting and the color orange. The best way to freak Sam out is to say "You can have a few marshmallows." He will sit paralyzed for a minute or two and then ask, "Mommy, how many is 'a few'?" Sam appreciates exactness in all aspects of his life

Is There Some Secret Mothering Manual I Forgot to Pick Up at Target?

2010-01-19T06:31:00.004-07:00

I don't know why I thought this whole motherhood thing was going to get easier over time. Those of you ahead of me in the learning curve are probably shaking your head and chuckling, but I really did think that once they were all potty trained and on the school bus, life would be just one big yoga class. Followed by spa pedicures and an Asian salad at Panerra.

But somehow it just gets trickier by the day. I mean, I used to worry about people drinking Clorox or falling out of second story windows. These days I worry more about online images and fighting on the bus. Not to mention how to get Little Sister's pink glittery jewelry kit bead out of Big Brother's brand new Airsoft. (Note to self: Hot glue on a toothpick is not the way to go.)

Just today I noticed Jake subtly put his carefully-selected, brand-new birthday shirt at the bottom of the laundry pile. Isn't it cool enough? Did someone make fun of it? Why would they? What exactly makes one shirt acceptable and another nearly identical shirt destined for the back of the drawer? And, most of all, if someone really cares so much about his personal appearance then just why IS my frequent suggestion to become one with the toothbrush always so offensive?!

Em has been complaining of headaches for a while now. She rubs her eyes and whines sometimes. In my expert opinion, of course, she is just looking for attention. This is a girl who loves vitamins and medicine and Band-aids, after all. She visits the school nurse for cough drops almost daily. So, I chalk it up to middle-child-syndrome and tell her to rest on the couch.

Well, yesterday I finally took her to the eye doctor. (After much begging on her part and me saying, "Why? You just aced the school vision screening.") It turns out she is practically blind in her left eye and has astigmatism in her right. We pick up her purple sparkle specs on Wednesday.

What kind of mother lets her beautiful daughter wander through life under a veil of blurry darkness?! Me, that's who. (I confess to shedding a few tears over the whole thing until I remembered the time I broke my arm in fifth grade and NOBODY believed me for days. Thanks, Mom. I feel better now.)

When does it get easier, people? Exactly when will I go from novice-mom to expert status? And don't tell me to hang on and wait for grandkids. I don't know if I can last that long...

A is for Airsoft

2010-01-15T16:38:00.008-07:00

A is for Airsoft--Jake got an airsoft gun for his birthday this week. I don't think it's overstating it to say that this has completely changed his life. Whether moms approve or not, there's nothing like having a firearm of your own to make you stand a little taller.

B is for Bathroom--We are gutting and remodeling the kids' bathroom. I am so excited! As of late, the only way I can stand to be in that room is with my eyes closed and/or holding my breath. A new paint smell will be such an improvement.

C is for Campout--Brad took Jake on his first overnight Boy Scout event. Sleeping in a tent in January. Then repelling down a 100 foot drop in the morning. Good times.

D is for Dentist's Office--My new favorite hangout. Fun! Convenient! And inexpensive! (I'm being sarcastic, Jeni...)

E is for Emily--She took advantage of Jake's absence to host a girl's night this weekend. There was giggling. There was pizza. There were whispered conversations regarding the cuteness of Sterling Knight. (What?! Never heard of him? Well, I guess that's why YOU weren't invited...)

F is for Fabulous Fundraiser--Tonight our neighbors hosted a Cupcake Party for all the kids on the block. Each child donated money to send to the Red Cross in Haiti and, in return, got a free cupcake and a juicebox! The total amount raised was more than $300. Isn't that a great idea?

G is for Goodnight--Gee, I'm tired. ABC ya later!

A Book to Inhale

2010-01-12T09:53:00.008-07:00

Mom gave me this for Christmas and I could not put it down.

The words were so beautiful, the thoughts so poignant. If you read Mitten Strings for God, you are familiar with Kenison's gentle advice on mothering young children. Here are her thoughts on raising teens and letting go as they grow up. I am going to re-read with a highlighter in hand.

Eleven Years Ago

2010-01-09T20:24:00.004-07:00

Eleven years ago I was awake in bed wondering if you would ever come.

Afraid of jinxing the adoption, I had not purchased a single diaper or pack of undershirts or any of the baby furniture I'd been coveting for years.

All I had was an empty bedroom next to mine and the What to Expect book which I had secretly read with religious devotion while on vacation with your dad in Hawaii. No one knew you were coming, so I couldn't read it by the pool or on the beach. Our traveling companions probably wondered why I kept sneaking into the hotel room and, if they had looked closely at my face, they would have seen it hovering between hysterical laughing and hysterical crying. I could never decide which.

On the long flight home, I took advantage of Dad's laptop and typed up my twenty page Mothering Manifesto. All my hopes and dreams. The kind of mom I would be. The kind of person I would train you to become. Unfortunately, this brilliant piece of philosophy was forever lost in some tangled mess of binary code and, though I hunted for ages, I was never able to find it again. Too bad. I think it would make me chuckle these days.

Eleven years ago I lived in a brand new house that was spotless with white carpet in every room. All of my Magic Markers had lids. I kept coffee table books on my coffee table. And I bought dry clean only clothing.

My life was different eleven year ago. I didn't know how to unfold a stroller or sterilize a bottle or love unselfishly. Believe it or not, I'd never watched a single episode of Phineas and Ferb or made a peanut butter smoothie. I had never been to the orthodontist and there were no action figures in my bathtub.

Eleven years ago I didn't need to color my hair and the backseat of my car was completely crumb-free. But I'd never had a Mother's Day card or heard you read Bears on Wheels all by yourself either.

Eleven years ago a new life began. And I don't mean yours.

Happy Birthday, Jakey! Can't imagine my life without you.

Brad's New Girlfriend

2010-01-07T07:13:00.008-07:00

My husband has a new love in his life.

And I couldn't be happier.

Who cares if she's European, ubersexy and a whole lot younger than I am? This little cutie will do things for Brad that I haven't in years. Things like taking him to the airport at four in the morning and telling him which way to turn on a roadtrip to Lancaster County. She'll warm his buns anytime he likes.

The thing is, Brad has been completely faithful to a solidly built Japanese gal for the past eleven years. (Well, except for a brief infatuation with the petite, vintage German number. But she was expensive and high maintenance and mostly pouted in the garage, so she doesn't really count.)

Anyway, Ms. Solid has been good to us, but she's starting to show her age. Her rear end is sagging and she makes embarassing noises. I told Brad I don't want to be seen with her in public.

And, after an absolutely agonizing selection process, he found his new love just in time for his birthday.

Sooooooo much better than the gift he got last year.

Resolute

2010-01-06T11:36:00.001-07:00

So. We're six days in and I still haven't made any. Resolutions, that is.

The kids did...

Luke--Learn to read.
Sam--Learn to tie shoes.
Em--Memorize times tables 0-12.
Jake--Achieve First Class in Boy Scouts.

Now those are some resolutions. They have a beginning and an end. And they will all, most likely, be checked off the list before the ball drops next December. In other words, they will be resolved.

But what's a thirty-nine-and-a-half-year-old supposed to do? I'm not sure.

I refuse the usual exercise more/eat less/save more/spend less/organize more/clutter less promises. Those are about as exciting (and unending) as a resolution to keep the kitchen counters clean. I want something a bit more jazzy this year.

If you have some good suggestions, I would love to hear them. Seriously.

In the meantime, here are a few glimpses of our frozen tundra. The snow is gone, but the air is absolutely painful and all the moisture in the grass has turned to ice.

So, of course, my kids are outside with no coats on.

We have our own skating pond!

(Yes, camouflage is considered a wardrobe neutral. Try it sometime.)

Object Lesson

2010-01-04T19:57:00.001-07:00

After a little bit of early morning destruction, we all settled in to our first day back at Seminary. Starting my day this way is like exercise, I dread getting started, but once I'm warmed up there is no place I'd rather be. I'm lucky to be part of this elite early riser club.

But I need a new alarm clock.

In Denial of the Fact That...

2010-01-03T19:38:00.005-07:00

Seminary starts back up tomorrow. My alarm clock will be buzzing at 5 am. Eastern Standard Time, people.
This week's high is 36 degrees Fahrenheit.
Two of my children--the ones who have been living on candy canes for four weeks straight and whose daily oral hygiene routine is over before you can say gingivitis--have dental appointments right after school.
10 pounds Christmas cookie pleasure = 10 pounds New Years' pain. (Welcome back, Carbface. How I have missed ye...)
A couple of my favorite guys have a birthday this week. They will be expecting cake, balloons and thoughtfully selected gifts, preferably not wrapped in Santa paper.
2010 is the year I turn 40.
The toys-- that looked so cute wrapped under the tree and stuffed merrily into the stockings --don't look so cute now that they are unwrapped and strewn merrily throughout the family room.
My Gapcard payment is due.

Anybody with me?

Of Sleep, Sun and Salsa

2010-01-02T18:35:00.010-07:00

A million thanks to all you Southwestern sweethearts. It wasn't just the sunshine that kept us warm and the best gifts weren't the ones under the tree.

You made our Christmas magical! We love you.

Flying South

2009-12-21T20:07:00.003-07:00

Adios, amigos. We're outta here.

Trading snow boots for sunglasses and hot cocoa for hot salsa. Santa made an early stop at our house and filled the Christmas stockings with colored pencils and hand-sanitizer and bubble gum for the cross-country plane ride. We are ready for take off.

I love that the kids are excited for some new traditions. Brad can't wait to taste his mom's holiday cooking. I'm just hoping for peace and sunshine. Maybe a couple of really good books and some grapefruit picked right off the tree.

Merry Christmas, everybody. Will be back in twenty-ten.

Glitter

2009-12-19T20:49:00.002-07:00

Amazing what a little sprinkling can do to change things up.

Kids, who haven't wanted to play outside since the leaves blew away, are all sporting red, chappy cheeks after a day in Winter Wonderland. The Lands End snowpants have been broken in. Marshmallows have been toasted in the fireplace. Some of us have stayed in pajamas all day.

I can't think of anything more heavenly than watching four snow angels through a frosted windowpane while packing a suitcase full of t-shirts and swimsuits. Talk about the best of both worlds. I'll sing White Christmas this weekend but hum Feliz Navidad the rest of the week. Cannot wait.

And Mother Nature reminded me again today that moms set the mood. With a little magic fairy dust, a mother can cast a spell. Hush a crowd and soften rough edges.

I did a little sprinkling of my own today. Glitter playdo--a double batch. Enough for the kindergarten holiday party and some to keep in Santa's Workshop.

Glitter Playdo
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 cups water
4 tsp. cream of tartar
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Stir in medium-sized saucepan and cook over medium heat. Mixture will get lumpy and form a large ball in the center of the pan. Add two tablespoons of glitter. Knead to desired consistency. Keep in airtight container.

Ghost Stories

2009-12-16T15:45:00.004-07:00

Charles Dickens knew that December was the perfect time for a good ghost story. While I'm not usually a fan of the genre, this month I've read two ghost stories and liked 'em both.

One was deliciously creepy and enjoyable.

The other was deliciously silly and enjoyable.

Both are set in London. (My favorite fiction setting!)

Both will probably be made into chick flicks. (Jude Law, call your agent.)

Both provided much-needed spirited distraction from the scariness of daily life.

Enjoy.

My Children Want to be Jewish and Other Yuletide Reflections

2009-12-14T19:50:00.003-07:00

This week just about everyone in our neighborhood is celebrating Hanukkah. Including us. We've lit the menorah and spun the dreidels. We've eaten the chocolate coins. But it is not good enough. My kids want presents. Eight nights' worth to be exact.

I keep reminding them that Santa will come soon and that, anyway, we believe in Jesus and want to open presents on His birthday. And, don't get me wrong, the kids love Jesus and Christmas. Of course.

But it's really hard to compete with the brand new air hockey table next door. Oy.

--------------------------------

Tonight I was helping Jake with spelling homework, thinking up sentences for his words. I like to kill two birds with one stone and throw in a little moral lesson with my sentences.

Word: Voluntarily
My sentence: The boy voluntarily let his sister have the first ice cream sandwich and made his mother very happy.

Jake's response: Yeah. Like when did that ever happen?

Word: Enviable
Jake's sentence: He had an enviable scar.
Me: Really? I don't think people envy scars, do they?
Jake: Mom, you've got to start thinking like a guy.

Duh.

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We are doing our annual Christmas card map and have received cards from thirteen different states! As well as Vietnam and Venezuela! Marking the map makes me very happy. So does reading the cards and looking at the photos. Thank you to everyone who has sent us holiday cheer.

We need more Midwest and Southern states represented, though. If you happen to live in those wonderful geographic regions and have an extra stamp, please send us something. A postcard is fine. Thank you.

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Tonight was Family Night. And, I am happy to report, no one was hurt during the game portion of the evening's activities. This is rare.

Luke, however, did need to excuse himself to apply several Go Diego Go bandaids in the course of Jake's (extremely hands-on) lesson about The True Meaning of Christmas.

He might be lucky and get an enviable scar.

Oy.