Odd Things

There has been a guy playing the bagpipes at the park every morning this week at 8 am. It's the best music I've ever heard coming through my bedroom window.

All my kids were up at 6:30 this morning. I went back to bed as they snuggled on the couch to watch "(In)credibos" together. The 2 girls weren't feeling well and ended up staying home.

I was trying to make a rocket cake for PT's birthday and was quite disappointed in how it was coming out. As I voiced my opinion and was about to give up, my oldest daughter pipes in with, "M0-om, he's 2. He's just going to see Buzz sitting on top and be happy." When did we switch roles?

I've done more cooking and baking this last week than I did all last month. It concluded with 2 new yummy recipes this evening at 1am (I guess that's actually tomorrow morning).

There's been a fly on this computer screen the whole time I've been typing and it hasn't budged a bit. Not even to move a little leg or flap a wing. Whoops, there he goes... he must know I'm talking about him.

Speaking of him and her, It's odd that we give gender identification to certain things. Yesterday I told a friend that the compost cake we made was looking good. I said, "I think he's done" as we threw on a few more crushed oreos and some sour worms. She giggled and said, "oh, it's a him is it?" Funny how gross things like stinky compost and annoying flies are boys.

I've been reading this person's blog for a while now and I'm pretty sure he's posted about a keyboard he likes more than once. It reminds me of Greg Kinear's character in You've Got Mail and how he has 3 or 4 typewriters at his various places of writing. Even though I want to mock these people in their specific preferences, I have recently become annoyed at our keyboard and (not so secretly anymore) covet this guy's obsession because it lights up and has a cool kind of glow to it. I think I'd be happy if I just didn't confuse the backspace key with the \\\\\ key. That's annoying.

There are 3 movies that keep replaying on our movie channel that I will stop and watch at any time of day: Easy A, Dear John, and Burlesque. Dear John is playing right now.

We have some pillows on our couch that have feathers in them. Sometimes they will poke out the fabic of the pillow and poke at you. When this happens, Bill pulls them out and then searches for more. It annoys the crud out of me, but also makes me laugh because he makes a funny face when he's found one and trying to get a grip on it. Now, of course, I sort of look for those boogies to pull out as well.

The Cardinals won the World Series! Woo Hoo! This isn't the odd thing, we have to go to last night's game for that. (If you don't follow baseball you can skip over the rest of this paragraph.) Last night the Cardinals were down by 2 runs. There was one out, runners on 1st and 2nd, and the guy at bat struck out. The next guy up hit a long fly ball to center field that scored 2 runs and sent them into extra innings. If they had not won last night they would have lost the series. Now, if you've stuck with me this far, here's the odd thing: if that guy had not struck out and given them 2 outs, the runners would have had to stay on their bases in case the ball to center field was caught. But, because there were 2 outs, they started running as soon as it was hit and both scored.

We've been talking about getting a land line again for a long time and finally did it. We haven't given out the phone number though because then we'd have to answer it. So far it's just a bunch of telemarketers, which reminds us of why we got rid of the line in the first place. We mostly use it to call our cell phones to find them. It's quite convenient for that since it's attached to the wall and isn't going anywhere.

That dumb fly is still there and is now inching (or maybe millimetering) his way down the screen to interfere with my ability to see what I'm typing. I guess it's time to go. Goodnight!

The Best Thursday, EVER!

Some days I seem to get nothing done, while other days I accomplish plenty. If I have a fun day but get nothing done I try not to feel too guilty for goofing off and it typically involves one of the kids so I call it motherhood. The accomplished days are usually good because things get done and I have something to show for it, even if it's just empty laundry bins and folded, clean clothes.

Today was something entirely different. I had a blast, got a lot accomplished, AND spent plenty of time with friends and family. Here's what went down:

First I spent 5 hours decorating cakes for a fundraiser on Saturday. I've never done this before and got to use all kinds of fun tools. I didn't have to make the scrumptious looking frosting and didn't have to clean up. I saw plenty of friends and acquaintances that I haven't seen in a while, and I got to be creative all at the same time.

It was so much fun I called it a play date for moms!

After that I came home and helped Tasha finish her homework before we headed off to IKEA. Anyone that knows me knows that IKEA is one of my favorite places to go. I'm not sure why, but it is. This time was even better because it was Tasha's idea to go and it was just the 2 of us. I needed to find some lighting and picked up a few more things because that's what I do. It was a productive trip and Payton was asleep when I got home.

Also when I got home, Billy and his girlfriend were sitting on the couch chatting with Bill. It was great to see them both again, and we set a couple more dates to get together for PT's birthday and pre-Christmas festivities.

Sadly, Kyra was sick for most of this day, but I did a few motherly things for her and she mostly just needed to rest. She, too, was in bed when I got home from the store. I got her some more medicine and she's resting well now.

When everyone was tucked away and Billy had gone, Bill and I watched the end of game 6 of the World Series. It didn't look too good before extra innings, but the Cardinals pulled it off and we're going to the final game tomorrow night. Go Cardinals!

During the bottom of the 9th inning, I put together 2 of the lights that I bought at IKEA. I heart IKEA and the keen folks that put together the products and their instructions. This is one of my favorite guys:

He doesn't talk much, but he isn't afraid to admit that he doesn't know what he's doing. He'll ask for instructions and then is very helpful and draws pictures for me to assemble things. Over all, he's very thorough and gets the job done. I especially like it when he tells me that I need a friend to build something big. I didn't need anyone else tonight, but that's OK.

Finally, I finished the sewing I needed to do for Halloween. This is odd, like really odd for me. I'm usually working on it as the kids are dressing and here it is 2 days before they need the dang shirts and 4 days before actual Halloween.

Oh, and now, as I type up this blog post, I'm using one of the desk lights that I bought and assembled to light up the keyboard and not hit a bunch of keys I don't mean to.

Aaah, here's to bedtime and a good Friday.

My mom passed me a note at church today. She asked, "Does Payton say, 'oh crap'?"

Yes mom, yes he does. It comes out "oh cap", but it is used appropriately with the right intonations so you really know what he's saying.

He also says:

"give it" when he wants something

"give it bak" when you've taken something from him

"shu-up" when he wants you to stop talking

"go way" when he wants you to leave

"cum ON!" when he's ready to go, usually while pulling on a part of your body or clothing

"ah dis" when he wants you to hold him or something else

"oh can-ee, can-ee, caaaannnnn-eeeee!" when he'd like a piece of candy

"chock-it" for chocolate chips, only when "yem-en-emm's" are not available

"shu-de-door!" which is actually quite cute. Sometime he's telling you that he will shut the door, sometimes there is a question mark at the end of the statement as he's asking you if you would like him to shut it.

"gim-me" if it's clear that he'd like what you have

"NO PUTER!" as he climbs onto your chair, up over your body, onto the desk, and puts the screen to the laptop down. What can I say? The boy takes things into his own hands if you've been on the computer for too long. Unfortunately for me, "too long" is not very long at all.

And a nice rendition of the "clean up" song that he sang today, on the bench, during sacrament:

"keen up, keen up, evee buh-ee, shu-up!"

I couldn't be more proud of this rowdy boy. (please note the sarcasm!)

Oh Mother!

My mom took Bill and I out to dinner this weekend. Just as she sat down, she said, "hey, my grandson didn't call me like he was supposed to". So what does she do? She whips out her cell phone and sends him a text.

I believe it was only a short year ago when she was lecturing my brother and I about putting our phones away when we were out with her. My, how the times have changed.

(sorry for the lame picture... MY cell phone doesn't take that great of pic's, especially in dim, Outback lighting!)

Score One for The Dinosaur Train

I love how children's shows change for the times. You have politically correct characters, kids excited about recycling, and parents using modern parenting techniques. These things make me sit back and wonder who writes these shows and how they come up with the topics and dialogue.

I have no doubt how the following dialogue appeared on The Dinosaur Train. Someone had my house bugged (they just changed the word "park" to "beach" and added in the train bit).

Child dino: Mom, can we go down to the beach?
Mom dino: Sure kids.
Child dino: We're gonna find ... and ... and ... (I wasn't really listening until...)
Mom dino: OK kids, you're father would be happy to take you!
Child dino: Alright! Can we take the dinosaur train?
Dad dino: (a bit hesitantly because he just got hosed into taking the kids to the beach) Sure kids, let's go down to the beach and give your mom some quality time to herself.

I KID YOU NOT!!! That show just taught my 2 year old that I need quality time for myself. LOVE IT!

Long ago were the days when those kids would come home to a glass of milk and homemade cookies with mom in an apron, dress, heals and pearls, mopping the floor. "Awe shucks, Beaver, what'd you have to go and do that for?" I still have a crush on Wally Cleaver.

Above is a picture of all the EXTRA computer paraphernalia I found on, under, behind, and viciously tangled around the computer desk and floor.

Below is a picture of everything that we actually need.

How To

Today I should have googled many "how to" articles and videos, including:

• How to remove vanilla scented lotion from carpet
• How to remove vanilla scented lotion from leather
• How to remove vanilla scented lotion from Bullseye, the plastic horsey
• How to save lunch after it's been dumped on the floor
• How to teach a toddler to make a pb&j sandwich
• How to read the directions on the dinner that takes 5 hours in a crock pot to prepare, before it is an hour until dinner (oops)

Instead, I watched a how to video on how to make avocado rolls. I can now make them, but I am deeply disappointed in humantiy. The girl on the video was annoying as all get-out, but very thorough. The comments were more about her appearance and asking her out than they were about the food she prepared. Don't concern yourself with the fact that she claimed her eggrolls were vegan and then smeared egg on the wrapper to seal them, go ahead, leave your number and contact information for all utube fans to view. Ugh.

And the video that I should have made:

"How to get age defying face moisturizer out of your son's hair" would have included a fit as I shoved his head under the shower head and would have ended in a nice soppy towel that he decided needed to be on the floor of the shower instead of hanging up.