Surviving Sunday

We had a special church meeting today.  Three hours long.  Normally you can find us Mormons in church every Sunday for three hours, that's not the out of the ordinary part.  Usually that looooong stretch of time is divided into 3 different parts.  That means moving around and changes of scenery and different teachers who usually aren't your parents.  You know, things to make life better.

Can you imagine her saying "no more church please, you're killing me!"  Or maybe I'm projecting...

Today it was three hours.  In the same room.  With the same boring parents and the same boring (to the short people) broadcast.

But the husband and I aren't rookies so we had a plan.

Sort of.

It involved lots of paper, pencils, blank address labels and some bribery in the form of food.  We also took a walk around the building around the first hour and made several trips to the drinking fountain.  Oh and don't forget the "pick your battles" talk the grownups memorized.  It goes something like this.

Yes Grant is sitting in the windowsill.  That's okay, it's not like there's a line for it.  Oh and look at Anna, she's helping Nathan fill in the address labels and then sticking them on his shirt.  At least they're not putting them on the walls.  Jennie has had about a pound of cranberries and still wants more.  They're supposed to be good for your bladder right?

I'm pretty sure that all parents who make it through long meetings with their offspring are getting a fast pass to heaven.

We deserve it.

Travel Like Me!

I left the Beehive State and went to the Land of Enchantment via the Grand Canyon State (bonus points if you know what I'm talking about WITHOUT using Google).  I was there for five days and took seven pictures.  Yep, seven. 

And I call myself a blogger...

Here's a short list of what I did not record forever (at least it would have been forever until my phone met with a sad and tragic death, like they always do)

• the lady on the plane who could not stop using the f word but had gorgeous hair
• my 8 day old niece, she's the most beautiful thing ever
• my sister's spread of land (Collette, would you call it a ranch/ farm/ homestead/ plot o' land??), whatever it is, she's living in paradise
• my mom milking her goat, because frankly, I never thought I'd live to see that day
• my brother and his gorgeous wife, although if I had a picture of the two of them I'd probably just feel bad about myself
• my other brother and his beautiful wife, again I would feel bad about that picture because she's the mother of the perfect baby and her baby pooch was significantly (read, non- existent) smaller than my 3 year old pooch
• my nephews, watching them sort of frightened me because I was certain we were going to have to call 911 ANY SECOND NOW!! (the boys have no fear, none)
• myself giving my siblings parenting advice which was totally awesome because my kids weren't actually THERE, you know, to prove me wrong
• aunts, uncles and cousins that I haven't seen in many years, like double digit years
• the gorgeous mountain I sorta ran up and definitely sprinted down

Perhaps the next time I travel somewhere I should include on my list something revolutionary like

• camera: check
• use the camera: check
• take pictures of people you care about: check

Top 8: things that aren't really related, at all.

1.  It finally snowed here.  Like real sledding snow, yes it is March but I guess Utah didn't get that memo.

2.  There's a new museum in the valley, super cool, so much fun.

3.  Obviously I only take pictures of my youngest child.  I do have three others, they are photogenic but, well, I don't have an excuse.  The following picture is not one of my offspring.

Although they do resemble that at dinner time.

4.  I bought these earrings at the museum gift shop.  I'm a sucker for shiny, slightly strange things (sorry, you have to click to see them, the screaming in the background is not conducive to technical maneuverings).

5.  Check out this blog for an eye- opening look at the world and how you view things.  It's written by one of my best friends and one of the most tolerant and loving people you'll ever know.

6.  My sister and her husband are getting ready to adopt a baby.  Their story is beautiful and real.

7.  My other sister is visiting this week.  She's a nice little addition to our family.  Here's why: she plays Tickle Monster with the kids while I do, well, whatever it is I do all day long.

8.  While she was posing for this picture we were standing off to the side heckling her.  It's possible that she retaliated by stuffing snow down my shirt.  I threw some back but unfortunately, and this is a secret so don't tell, I'm worthless in a fight.  There might have been rude remarks made about my throwing arm.

Have a good weekend!

Kristen

Week 6 or a chronicle of my action filled life.

This weekend I:

• lost my debit card (it's been cancelled so if you find it don't get any ideas)
• did not go grocery shopping, we're scraping the bottom of the barrel around here but I just can't find my gumption
• went to an excellent yoga class, if you're in the Salt Lake valley let me know and I'll get you the info, the teacher was AMAZING, no really she was
• took a Sunday nap, it was beautiful
• ate multiple Tootsie Roll pops, they're not even that good, I don't know what my problem was/ is
• did not give my sons or my husband haircuts, the husband is starting to get what he calls Alabama hair, poor guy
• went for a walk in the rain with my family, it was surprisingly cold
• lost 1 1/2 pounds, okay so I didn't lose that all over the weekend, it took a whole week but still!

Those are just the highlights, we live an exciting life.  Can you tell? 

Happy Monday!

Kristen

Oh and this contest, it's interesting.  So far I haven't made it into the top 5 but I'm hoping to be one of the slow and steady losers and eventually come out on top!  That's the plan anyway, so I should probably stop eating Tootsie Rolls...

No, I'm not bitter. Why do you ask?

I often write from a picture.  Meaning I'll find a picture and then let the words come out.  Today it ain't working.  Blogger is rejecting all my pictures and that's a bad thing because I definitely need inspiration this morning.  Hmm... what to write, what to write.  I could tell you about my weekend, but we didn't do much.  Actually that's not all the way true.  I took a knitting class on Friday.  Here's how it began.  A few weeks ago I was cruising through Barnes and Noble sans children (it was very quiet) and I ran across this book.  Because I've been known to impulse shop I grabbed it, paid for it and went on my way.  Except, there's a problem, just a little one.  I don't know how to knit.  I've never even held knitting needles, well except for that whole knitting needle as hair accessory phase I went through.  So after getting this cute book home and flipping through it and not understanding what the heck was going on I took action.  I found a great yarn shop close to my home and signed up for a beginner class.  Friday night was my first lesson and so far so good.  I still don't know what I'm doing but all that yarn is turning into something.  Would you like to see a picture?  Ya, so would I. 

Saturday we started working in our neighborhood garden.  The Miles family has been assigned a 30' x 10' plot and we're supposed to fill it.  Oh and not let the weeds take over.  That's no good because I grow weeds quite well.  I've also been known to be overambitious in the spring.  I plan and plant more than my family can eat or that we can maintain.  The conundrum is that the growing season tends to last longer than my gardening gumption.  Can you see my problem?  Oh wait, you can't BECAUSE THERE ARE NO PICTURES!  Sorry, focus Kristen.

My niece turned 4 this weekend.  There were lots of kids, noisy kids.  We ate too much cuz that's what we do at parties.  She had a Strawberry Shortcake cake.  It was good if you like birthday cake with too much icing and ice cream on the side.  And I like, yes I like.  She got a new scooter for her birthday.  Her mom and I tried it out.  We raced down the road, I think she won.  She always wins, I don't think I want to play with her anymore.  Imagine a picture of my sad face saying "I never win!  It's not fair!"  In the picture I'm channeling my inner 3 year old.  I look pathetic don't I?

I belong to a church that is all about families.  That means that when you're sitting in Sacrament Meeting with your little bedlamites, you're not the only one.  Your kid isn't the only screamer/ thrower/ crier.  You're in good company and you can exchange those looks of pity and empathy with the other parents.  It's good place.  Sorry, no pictures of that either.  Although who would really want to see a picture of me wrestling with my teething baby while my boy is trying to climb on my lap while my daughters are asking for more paper?  Didn't think so.

Have a good day.  I'm going to take lots of pictures today.  Maybe you'll see some of them tomorrow or maybe not.


Kristen

How to gain 10 pounds in just one weekend!

1. Go to The Cheesecake Factory.  Thank you Kaydence for initiating me and making it so that I can never celebrate a birthday, anniversary or made up holiday without this restaurant. 
2. Skip your Friday AND Saturday workouts
3. Eat Cheetos for lunch.  Dang those fake cheese sticks, why must they taste so good?!
4. Let yourself be influenced by your children and take them to Arctic Circle for dinner and rather than eating just a burger and calling it good, eat an entire Southwest Chicken Salad (translation:  cheese and meat inside a fried tortilla shell with just a smidgen of lettuce) then don't forget to raid the kid's french fries and top it all off with a mint Oreo shake.  Uggh.
5. On Mother's Day be sure to eat as many mint truffles as you can put your rapidly expanding fingers on.  Also you should definitely gobble down the chocolates the kids bring home for you (you can share with them if you want to feel good about yourself for not eating the whole thing but be sure and save the biggest piece for yourself).
6. At dinner complete the weekend of overeating by eating as many hot rolls as you can stuff in your face.  Don't forget to drown them in butter, it makes them slide down better.
7. Sunday night has to finish off with some serious slothing on the couch.  Oh, and don't forget one more truffle before bed.  Just to top it off.

Don't be like me.

Kristen

It's almost May, why is it so dang cold?!

Check out those ominous looking clouds.  It looked the same pretty much all weekend.  What this picture doesn't show is the wind.  Oh, the wind.

This is the fort before it was blown away.  

Notice how they're all wearing winter coats, yes it was that cold.  It was also starting to rain. 

We went to a cool museum on Friday.  

If you're ever in the valley you need to go.  So many fun, interactive kid things.

Of course, the biggest attraction ended up being the drinking fountain. 

There was a line for this baby.  It had a foot pedal.  Nothing is as enthralling as stomping on something and getting water.

This is my sister in law.  She is one of the coolest people I know.   

She's very photogenic too.  And she kills me every time we play the Wii together.  I should dislike her but I don't.

Cake is good.  Cake with chocolate covered cherries, very good.

I think there's still some in the fridge.  Cake is good for breakfast, right?  Right.

Someday I'll tell you about my gift for taking self portraits of me and the husband and chopping his head off.

Have I mentioned before how much I need photography help?

Happy Monday people!

Kristen

It doesn't get better than this

Friday nights around here are pretty competitive.  Like, cutthroat.  We put all the niceties away and battle till the end.  The game of choice:  swordplay.  Because after all what better way to teach your children to love and respect each other than by engaging in mortal combat?  Of course it is only virtual combat and you don't actually get hurt, you just fall off the platform and go swimming.  By the way, see how the punks I gave birth to are all laughing?  It's because Pinky just took me out for the second time.  Nice.

Check out our proper form, I'm certain jousting instructors all over the world are applauding.  Or not.

By the way, what I'm wearing in this picture is my standard uniform.  Jeans, with or without holes, t-shirt, hoodie/ sweater, depending on the weather and flip flops or boots.  Again depending on the weather.  For mom style ideas that are way cooler than I could ever be  click here and go to Ain't No Mom Jeans.  I like the way they dress over there.

We had hamburgers on Saturday.  It was kind of a family date.  I've also discovered a good way to limit your fry intake.  Only eat the ones your kid feeds you.  It's surprisingly effective. 

Even the husband tried it.

We might be on to something here.  We could market it and make millions.

And finally, I've been trying to be in more pictures rather than in my usual spot behind the camera.  It's my April resolution or something.  Here's the problem, it's a lot more comfortable behind the camera.  The Knot Princess is helping me with camera insecurities by telling me and then showing me what I need to do.  A perfect example follows.

I think her head tilt is better than mine.  Guess I need to practice. 

Happy Monday!

Kristen

Eddie Bauer, Name Changes and What Not To Watch

Date night is back!  We started off at the Temple, hit the Eddie Bauer 30% off clearance sale and finished off at a wedding reception with the perfect caramel cheesecake.  Definitely a change from our usual MO:  throw the kids in bed and hang out on the couch in our really old sweats for 3 or 4 hours. 

See, that's how excited I am about getting out of the house.  Moving on now. 

My kids changed their names.  This happens occasionally.  The hard part is remembering what the new names are.  Right now they're Granthum, Annabelle, Nathaniel and my favorite, Kasha. 

My baby had his tubes put in on Friday.  As far as procedures go, this is an easy one.  We were home within two hours, there's no pain after and it gives the kid immediate relief from that awful plugged ear feeling.  The med's they gave him did make the kid loopy.  See how hard it is for him to hold his head up? 

On Sunday morning we watched In The Womb:  Multiples with our kids.  I had found it at the library and thought it would be fun for the kids because it was about multiples, turns out I was wrong.  Very wrong.  It shows several multiples from ahem, conception to birth.  Try explaining what those fishy things are to your 4 year old.  We didn't finish the show.

Have a good day people!

Kristen