it's way too early. i'm dozing. the music is annoying, but i've finally tuned it out. except the cartoon is now naming everyone.
wonderpig? seriously? and super reader, princess pea, blah blah blah....i'm just starting to doze, when the t.v. asks "now say your name"
and in the faintest of whispers, i hear "chilli". (well, i hear him use his own name)
as if he is trying to be subtle and pretend that he doesn't care. mostly i think he just doesn't want his big brother to make fun of him.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
funny glasses
the boys worked very hard today, cleaning up and arranging the basement. so they got to go to the dollar store. they all wanted a pair of silly glasses and a whoopie cushion. this is what happened when we got home.
silly boys. i was happy that they did work so hard today. we moved a lot of furniture and cleaned up a lot of mess. we threw away a lot of junk and we all feel better about the state of playroom now. it's funny though, how a silly thing like funny glasses can make the day worth it.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
star wars
there is this old theater that runs movies in the summertime. last night, after a long day of running errands, big d thought it would be fun to take the kids to see the original "star wars" at the theater. 
i learned a couple of things.
1. fussy doesn't sit still through movies. really. he likes movies, and likes to watch them, but in a movie theater situation, he always needs a drink, he always needs candy. he wiggles, he kicks, he generally isn't happy. i remembered this about 5 minutes after we sat down.
2. star wars geeks come in all ages and sizes. but mostly the 30 year old single male that is generally in the shape of a donut. and they smell funny. and they seem to have an awful lot of money for darth vader costumes and props (incidentally, fussy calls darth vader "light saver").
3. people who get into free movies don't always bathe. teaching your kids the basics and reasons of hygiene has never been easier when they can see the reasoning behind it. we had to move our seats because the people in front of us really smelled so bad. like 3 isles up you could smell them. and we weren't really sure what it was, only that it was foul.
4. there was a kid that looked like mr. bean sitting in front of us. no really, he looked exactly like mr. bean. it was awesome.
4. there was a kid that looked like mr. bean sitting in front of us. no really, he looked exactly like mr. bean. it was awesome.
5. the cutest voice was fussy yelling out "D-2 D-2"!!
6. i've seen star wars a hundred times. probably. this time it was cool during the opening credits. guess what, it's still star wars that i've seen 100 times. yeah, i was bored. sure, i think i was being distracted by fussy, and i was still tired from not sleeping the week before. i can tell you that the end battle scene is waaaaayyyy toooo long.
7. kids love going to movies. even if they have seen it 100 times.
8. i think it's better to be a star trek nerd than a star wars geek. while star wars might have more "action", it's really bad acting/script/dialogue. at least star trek is almost smart. just saying'.
9. fussy thinks chewbacca is a big dog. he even called it a puppy at one point. and made barking noises. awe, so cute.
10. the new version of star wars sucks. who really cares about han solo talking to a really dumb looking jabba the hut? or the other random parts. as big d said, the only thing it adds to the movie is time. 
honestly though, it was fun. the kids loved it, big d loved it, and i loved that they all did. although, if they want to go see the other two movies, i think i'll stay home with fussy, send the other two with big d and a camera, and hope that the mr. bean kid is there.
yeah, i'll stay home and get my star wars fix the way it's supposed to be, playing the lego version. ahhhh yeahhhhh...
because really, the video game version is so much better.
Friday, August 21, 2009
vacation, it's about love....er...laundry
we went on vacation this past week. we had a day where we went to the amusement park and watched the kids be crazy stunt men. it's not much. we can't afford to go to fancy places, hell, we can't even afford to leave our state. and the whole amusement park thing would be a no-go if we didn't have an awesome brother in law who spreads the wealth with discounts for us.
here are the pictures though. most of them are fussy related, really, we must hate our other two kids, huh? ah well. most of the time they were off playing with cousins or riding scary rides, or whatever. and you know, that fussy of ours is pretty dang cute
getting ready to ride puff the first time
harry, getting too big for the kiddie rides, but helping his baby brother non-the-less
fussy on the carousel
blurry me and fussy
driving his car
up on the mountain, he stole his daddy's hat
mating bugaflies
here are the pictures though. most of them are fussy related, really, we must hate our other two kids, huh? ah well. most of the time they were off playing with cousins or riding scary rides, or whatever. and you know, that fussy of ours is pretty dang cute
getting ready to ride puff the first time
harry, getting too big for the kiddie rides, but helping his baby brother non-the-lessfussy on the carousel
blurry me and fussy
driving his car
up on the mountain, he stole his daddy's hat
mating bugaflies
random big bug
climbing on the snow lift thing-ee
cousins, playing
the view
harry, master of the swings
and master of the crane
sunset
fussy at the swings...er... ski lift
mastering the swings again
all in all, we had an excellent time. it was wonderful to spend time with family. to let the cousins use their imaginations and get lost in their play. we swam at the pool, we hiked on the crane. we stayed up way too late playing games. it was so much fun, i'm glad i'm home now. although i would love to take another vacation from the laundry that i now have to do.
climbing on the snow lift thing-ee
cousins, playingthe view
harry, master of the swings
and master of the crane
sunset
fussy at the swings...er... ski lift
mastering the swings again
all in all, we had an excellent time. it was wonderful to spend time with family. to let the cousins use their imaginations and get lost in their play. we swam at the pool, we hiked on the crane. we stayed up way too late playing games. it was so much fun, i'm glad i'm home now. although i would love to take another vacation from the laundry that i now have to do.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
who you really are
chilli started fall soccer this week. in our 100 degree heat (i'm not complaining) we get to watch chilli run around like a crazy fool and maybe kick the ball once or twice. he is, shall we say, just in it for the fun. he doesn't really care. that makes me happy. because with an attitude like that, he will always have fun. it's one of the must frustrating and wonderful things about that kid. top that off with an ability at socializing and making friends, and you can see why he begged to play this year.
me on the other hand, well, i'm not quite like chilli. i am competitive, and i am not a natural at socializing. that is quite obvious from the opposing team. it was made up of most of the rest of the 6 year olds from our ward. the parents sort of have a thing going on. and whether we live on the wrong street, or we just aren't as outgoing as the rest, well, you get the idea.
sometimes, when i see how excluded i am, i really am thankful. mostly because that means i don't have to worry about changing who i am to fit in. i know i'm kinda quirky. i know i am NOT cool, by all means. but the pull is very real to fit in. when i am not in the group, i am almost grateful. seriously. sure, who like to be excluded? but when you think about it, i just know i wouldn't fit in. i wouldn't be able to be the real me. i'd always be wondering if what i was saying was stupid, or if my hair and nails and stiletto heels looked okay, if my butt was too big, or if i wasn't sending my kids to the right preschool.
the other side of the coin is this... i see pretty much the entirety of the ward and neighborhood 6 year olds out there, and i think that my poor son is being punished for me. because of my socializing ineptitude, my son won't fit in. because i don't fit in with the ward's inner ring, my kids are probably missing out on playmates. no matter what i do, my children will notice. they do notice. when most of the primary classes are on the opposing team, as well as the best friend and cousin, well...that sort of stinks.
big d reminded me that isn't not a big deal. they will get their own experiences and be able to do the same kinds of things, only it will be with people who do actually like them. and it will probably be when they are older and i'm not around to mess things up. i think he's right.
i certainly don't want to change who i am, nor do i want my kids to have to as well. do i want them to see me change who i am? i know the "inner ring" folks aren't having meetings to exclude, nor are they secretly plotting against my children. it's just how life works. sooner or later my kids are going to learn that life lesson, it might as well be sooner when i can be around and show them it doesn't really matter. it's better to be who you are than be who you aren't.
me on the other hand, well, i'm not quite like chilli. i am competitive, and i am not a natural at socializing. that is quite obvious from the opposing team. it was made up of most of the rest of the 6 year olds from our ward. the parents sort of have a thing going on. and whether we live on the wrong street, or we just aren't as outgoing as the rest, well, you get the idea.
sometimes, when i see how excluded i am, i really am thankful. mostly because that means i don't have to worry about changing who i am to fit in. i know i'm kinda quirky. i know i am NOT cool, by all means. but the pull is very real to fit in. when i am not in the group, i am almost grateful. seriously. sure, who like to be excluded? but when you think about it, i just know i wouldn't fit in. i wouldn't be able to be the real me. i'd always be wondering if what i was saying was stupid, or if my hair and nails and stiletto heels looked okay, if my butt was too big, or if i wasn't sending my kids to the right preschool.
the other side of the coin is this... i see pretty much the entirety of the ward and neighborhood 6 year olds out there, and i think that my poor son is being punished for me. because of my socializing ineptitude, my son won't fit in. because i don't fit in with the ward's inner ring, my kids are probably missing out on playmates. no matter what i do, my children will notice. they do notice. when most of the primary classes are on the opposing team, as well as the best friend and cousin, well...that sort of stinks.
big d reminded me that isn't not a big deal. they will get their own experiences and be able to do the same kinds of things, only it will be with people who do actually like them. and it will probably be when they are older and i'm not around to mess things up. i think he's right.
i certainly don't want to change who i am, nor do i want my kids to have to as well. do i want them to see me change who i am? i know the "inner ring" folks aren't having meetings to exclude, nor are they secretly plotting against my children. it's just how life works. sooner or later my kids are going to learn that life lesson, it might as well be sooner when i can be around and show them it doesn't really matter. it's better to be who you are than be who you aren't.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
finding your roots sometimes means you drive for a few hours to show your kids the exact place you grew up. even if that means a whole county. or a different state. or just really, really great chocolate.
big d had to work today. and in working, i mean, he was gone. is gone. all day. tomorrow too. so instead of sulking away the day, wishing for a more productive saturday (morning run? ha!) we went on an adventure. my 3 sons and i.
maybe it's because i didn't want to stay home and clean up for the 40th million time this week. or finish the laundry that i started wednesday. maybe it's because i just didn't want to be jealous of big d who was out of town, doing cool stuff.
so i strapped them in, and we left. and we drove. and drove.
we stopped at the chocolate factory. the place i remember so vividly. the smells of chocolate and popcorn, the feel of the cold ice cream cooler in the parlor. the ancient look of the place. after buying the kids enough chocolate to make them sick, we left. they loved it. they asked all sorts of questions, and i wished we could have taken a tour of the place.
we drove on.
and we came to the lake that i remembered for it's itty bitty shells that litter the place. the feel of the dark gritty sand and the cold water. the breathtaking view of the vibrant water. i sat back and watched the boys play in the freezing water, and giggled while they secretly loaded their pockets with little shells. i sat content on the sand and day dreamed about being there as a kid, chasing gulls myself, just as the two year old was doing.
after an hour of getting wet and getting very cold, we loaded up again. and drove.
fussy fell asleep. we wandered. we drove to the middle of nowhere and turned back toward home. and kept going. through forest trails and foggy clouds. we watched the trees get taller and then get shorter. we watched farms fade to forest and then back again. and a solitary horse standing at the base of a hill. we saw skunks crossing the road.
we drove on. i pointed out the house that my grandpa lived in. it's changed, mostly because i haven't seen it for real for a long time. then we stopped at the cemetery.
my kids are fascinated by the cemetery. any cemetery. but this one, they were holding their breath as i told them who the people were. from my grandparents to my great grandparents, the the greats that crossed the ocean to live in zion. we cleaned off the tombstones and while the boys were running around looking, i had a heart to heart with my grandpa. i told him all about his namesake. i told him how much i missed him, and how sorry i was that i hadn't been there in a very long time. we piled back into our van and they listened to more stories about me, being a kid, just like they are now.
we then started the journey home. and i felt good. like maybe i taught my kids something about me. like maybe they might someday remember that day trip we once took. and i hope it wasn't just about the chocolate that almost made them sick.
maybe it's not always about going away to some fun filled place with rides or shows or cousins or something cool to do. it could just be that spending time, finding out where you come from might actually be important. but the chocolate doesn't hurt.
big d had to work today. and in working, i mean, he was gone. is gone. all day. tomorrow too. so instead of sulking away the day, wishing for a more productive saturday (morning run? ha!) we went on an adventure. my 3 sons and i.
maybe it's because i didn't want to stay home and clean up for the 40th million time this week. or finish the laundry that i started wednesday. maybe it's because i just didn't want to be jealous of big d who was out of town, doing cool stuff.
so i strapped them in, and we left. and we drove. and drove.
we stopped at the chocolate factory. the place i remember so vividly. the smells of chocolate and popcorn, the feel of the cold ice cream cooler in the parlor. the ancient look of the place. after buying the kids enough chocolate to make them sick, we left. they loved it. they asked all sorts of questions, and i wished we could have taken a tour of the place.
we drove on.
and we came to the lake that i remembered for it's itty bitty shells that litter the place. the feel of the dark gritty sand and the cold water. the breathtaking view of the vibrant water. i sat back and watched the boys play in the freezing water, and giggled while they secretly loaded their pockets with little shells. i sat content on the sand and day dreamed about being there as a kid, chasing gulls myself, just as the two year old was doing.
after an hour of getting wet and getting very cold, we loaded up again. and drove.
fussy fell asleep. we wandered. we drove to the middle of nowhere and turned back toward home. and kept going. through forest trails and foggy clouds. we watched the trees get taller and then get shorter. we watched farms fade to forest and then back again. and a solitary horse standing at the base of a hill. we saw skunks crossing the road.
we drove on. i pointed out the house that my grandpa lived in. it's changed, mostly because i haven't seen it for real for a long time. then we stopped at the cemetery.
my kids are fascinated by the cemetery. any cemetery. but this one, they were holding their breath as i told them who the people were. from my grandparents to my great grandparents, the the greats that crossed the ocean to live in zion. we cleaned off the tombstones and while the boys were running around looking, i had a heart to heart with my grandpa. i told him all about his namesake. i told him how much i missed him, and how sorry i was that i hadn't been there in a very long time. we piled back into our van and they listened to more stories about me, being a kid, just like they are now.
we then started the journey home. and i felt good. like maybe i taught my kids something about me. like maybe they might someday remember that day trip we once took. and i hope it wasn't just about the chocolate that almost made them sick.
maybe it's not always about going away to some fun filled place with rides or shows or cousins or something cool to do. it could just be that spending time, finding out where you come from might actually be important. but the chocolate doesn't hurt.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
there's a reason
that i don't put my kids names, or where they go to school, or our names, or where we live on our blog. that is because the internet can be a scary place.
my blog is not private, which means that i get a lot of people to my blog that i don't know who they are. i kinda like it this way. it's fun to see where people come from and who is reading my ramblings. i like the idea of a private blog. i wouldn't have to worry so much about what pictures i post, and using fake names and all that jazz. but the fun factor kicks in and i know that i won't blog much if i make it private.
that said, please, PLEASE remember that my blog is public. please don't use my kids names if you know me in person. i know it may have slipped a couple of times, and i've been fixing them. if you leave a comment with my children's names, i will delete your comment. it's not that i don't like you, it's just that...i'm trying to be as safe as possible and have as much fun as i can. don't make me go private. i really do love the comments.
my blog is not private, which means that i get a lot of people to my blog that i don't know who they are. i kinda like it this way. it's fun to see where people come from and who is reading my ramblings. i like the idea of a private blog. i wouldn't have to worry so much about what pictures i post, and using fake names and all that jazz. but the fun factor kicks in and i know that i won't blog much if i make it private.
that said, please, PLEASE remember that my blog is public. please don't use my kids names if you know me in person. i know it may have slipped a couple of times, and i've been fixing them. if you leave a comment with my children's names, i will delete your comment. it's not that i don't like you, it's just that...i'm trying to be as safe as possible and have as much fun as i can. don't make me go private. i really do love the comments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
