First day of School 2011

The first day of school always comes too fast. I just don't want to admit my kids are another year older in school. But it is fun to see them get excited to see their friends and learn new things. Haley is in 9th grade and Josh and Max are in the 3rd grade. I think this will be a great year for all of them. Jr. High will be fun for Haley to be the big kids on campus. She is in dance and band and loves school. I am pretty sure she is the social director there. She has such style and presence that I admire her and have to be thankful she is such a good person with such a good heart.

Even if her attitude shows up every once in a while, it's all good! Of course after she did this I yelled from the car "I love you Haley, make good choices!" Which every 9th grader wants to hear from their mom walking into the building. She turned, ignored me and walked away quickly. Ah.. mission accomplished.

I always make the kids pose for pictures. The roll their eyes, but secretly I know they like it. It is a tradition on the first day of school, and they indulge me in taking a million pictures when all they really want to do is get on with it. 

Josh was very ready to go to school. Max was happy to go to school but had that little nervousness when things are new.

 The hardest part is walking away from them as the enter the school. They had a good day and it was fun for them to see all their friends, like Marlee.

Think Spring

I am oh so ready for spring! To go for walks, go to the park, and picnic outside will be wonderful. But I know living in Utah we still have some snow ahead. I am starting to think of what to plant, where we are going to go for some instate adventures. Something to get these kids away from the TV. The Zoo, Liberty Park, MillCreek Canyon, Park City, camping to name a few.

I'm looking around my house and it is so full of stuff, spring cleaning would help but I just lack motivation. I clean all weekend, and when I come home Monday after work, it looks the same as when I started to clean. It is like I clean off a shelf, and then something fills it back in again! I take clothes to charity and then someone gives us clothes to fill back the drawers. I can't win. Then I picture my life in 10 years. And what will my house look like. Haley will be 24 and could be living on her own? The boys will be 18 and there won't be power rangers on my bed and on my floor. There will be big shoes, and jackets, books and gear. So I try not to get too angry at my messy house. Because I would rather have the three kids here and all their mess, than a clean empty house. It will come someday. I try to enjoy what I have right now, no matter how messy it is.

Christmas 2010

The days before Christmas are always busy with last minute shopping and trying to get everything done. I think today we will try to make some Christmas cookies. It never goes as well as I think it will. It is always a test of my patience. The kids are wound up and usually end up crying by the end of the day. So having the patience to make cookies with two 8 year olds is...well...a trying time. I may end up crying by the end of it. I think all they really want to do is frost the damn things. Maybe I will buy already made cookies and just have them frost them. What an attitude! The way I would like it to be is like the commercial of the mother in her clean house baking cookies with her children, who are quiet and patient. And at the end of the commercial, they hug and the kids look at their mother like she is the best mother in the world. My house, the scene is quite different. Clearing space on my counter, flour everywhere, fighting over the cookie cutters and who will roll the dough, "are they done yet", "can I frost them now", and a disaster of a mess to clean up. But, as I think about it, I wouldn't want it any other way. I mean, if I didn't go to bed exhausted every day, then what is the purpose. I know someday I will miss the chaos. At least I keep telling myself that. I hope that I don't go completely insane in the meantime. Until then, Merry Christmas, from my crazy house to yours.

Summer Vacation

We went to San Francisco for our family vacation this year. First we went to Santa Cruz for a couple days to stay on the beach. It was fun to stay on the beach, but northern California beaches are not warm. They are cold. But still a beach. So us Utahns endure. Josh's favorite place to be is on some ride anywhere.
Santa Cruz has an amusement park right on the boardwalk next to our hotel. So yes, we spent some serious time there. The boy just is in heaven on a ride and smiles the whole time. Luckily for me, Haley and Troy like rides, so that gets me off the hook. Max rode a few rides but would rather throw sand in the ocean, well after we name the sand Harold, then we set it free.
After Santa Cruz, we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which was awesome, and then drove to San Francisco. We went to the Wharf, China Town, Japan Town, rode cable cars, Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, Redwoods (near Santa Cruz) and North Beach (which is like a little Italy and next trip I am going there more). We ate a lot, shopped a lot and completely wore ourselves out. We even found this weird guy hanging around. Hey look it's uncle Kenny!He was a great tour guide and we always knew where to find him, at this bar near the Wharf. The trip was fun. We had a good time being together and seeing all the sites. I learned a few things from vacationing with kids. Number one, before you leave for your vacation, tell the kids they all get $100 to spend on their stuff. Keep a little notebook for each one. We started that little game about the second day and it saved us. Next, I would schedule a little down time day about the third day in. Just a swimming at the hotel, watching tv, maybe go out to dinner. Pack light and do laundry at the hotel. It's way better than lugging tons of luggage (and cheaper too since the airlines charge for each bag). Vacations are crazy. I came home just wiped out. But we all had such a fun time and it was nice to be together.

Coloring Eggs

Coloring eggs is something I look forward to doing. Then in the process, I think, thank goodness this only comes once a year. But the kids have fun. And I have fun watching them make all their creations. Most eggs turn out pink. It's the favorite color. Or brown, when we have put the eggs in all the cups. My mistake is letting Troy buy the eggs. Troy's brain has something in it that says, we have a lot of kids, so I must buy a lot of eggs. He came home from Costco with 10 dozen eggs. But, as I gasp and think, Holy shit man, what's the deal? I try to rationalize and say, well, we can give some away, and the kids will have fun. Troy just gets carried away. So we colored eggs all morning. Max doesn't use the little wire thingy to lower the eggs in the color cup. He thinks those are just silly. His fingers will be green for days. Tomorrow the Easter bunny comes, we are very excited. Egg salad sandwich anyone?

Update on my New Year's Resolutions

In referring to my list of things I am going to improve this year, here is a little update. So far, I am still late to everything (although I think about it more), I nearly forgot my log in information to this Blog (shows you that I am not updating it as much as I would like) and I have exercised twice since Jan. 1. TWICE PEOPLE!!! For the love of God I can't get in a workout. Next year I am making resolutions that I can actually keep. (fifteen minutes later) I have just been trying to think of things I can actually adhere to... and came up blank. Man I suck. Maybe that will be one, suck at everything. There, I can achieve that one.

A Valentine's Song..well sort of

The boys are excited for Valentine's day. They sang me this song. I think they need more sugar..Don't you?