Eat At Your Own Risk

The missionaries came for dinner tonight. I'm sure they were desperate. Why else would you come here? Willingly? They have been to our house before, so they knew what they were in for. I did warn them. Here is just a sample of the questions they were asked:

• What color is your room?
• Do you sleep in the same room?
• Do you sleep together?
• Do you have kids?
• Why don't you have kids?
• Do you have a mom?
• What's her name?
• What is your favorite color?
• What is your favorite thing to eat?
• What is your favorite number?
• Why do you like that number?
• What color is your phone?
• Why don't you have any freckles?
• Did you know you have a lot of hair on your arms?

These poor boys made it through an entire hour here. And lived. Maybe it's because they are doing the work of the Lord. They have a force field of protection. I gotta get me one of those.

Six

First Birthday

I don't think she has closed her mouth since then.


Sixth Birthday

When did time speed by from 1 yr. old to 6? Looking back makes it all feel like it's passing faster than I want it to. It also makes the moments of joy stand out brighter than they did at their original occurrence. Reflection is funny that way. The bad is always there, but the good becomes better somehow. It happens every birthday. I look at my child and remember the bad, the hard, the heartbreaking. But my mind seems only to dwell on the good, the joy, the love.

And so I gaze at this child of mine who looks and talks like a tornado, and all I see is the good, the joy and the love. I see the kind of mother that her spirit is nudging me to be. I try to see what He sees.

Addie is many things, but shy is not one of them. She oozes freedom and independence, regardless of my instruction. She has an incessant need to talk ALL THE TIME and to cling to those around her like velcro. She is smart and stubborn and ridiculously determined. She is my Addie. And today she is six. I looked at her today and told her how happy I was that Heavenly Father let her be mine. I'm sure I'll change my mind about that tomorrow. But for today, she is my good, my joy and my love.

Happy Birthday Bean


Addison is quite obsessive over wintergreen lifesavers (and bacon).
Nana bought the smallest bag she could find....


Painting pottery with her friend Alexis.


Celebrating at Red Robin.

Crack In A Wrapper

Did you know that they are now selling crack at Costco? And they were nice enough to decorate it with sprinkles. It doesn't look like a narcotic when it's pretty. Pick some up for the feast tomorrow. Why eat pie when you can eat frosting?

Something Wicked This Way Comes

I could feel it before we even got in the car...that mother instinct that whispers, "somethin' wretched is a comin'...." I knew what was in store, but I was just too tired to gear up for it. Stake Conference. Super-sized church. Two hours of threats to make my kids behave. Two hours of looking at all the parents who gave birth to reverent children. The ordeal was yesterday, and only now can I write about it. Cringe.

My first hint should have been the family that moved 5 minutes after we sat down. When we first plopped into our seats, I turned to warn them of what it was like to sit by us. They left soon thereafter. The mom leaned down and said to me, "I promise it's not you." Oh, uh huh, and I'm Nancy Reagan. As the meeting started, I tried channeling all the positive mom-ness I possessed. It lasted 8 minutes. After that, I was reverently yelling at them through my clenched teeth. At one point, Addie was trying to color on my shoe and hit me, Makell was laying on the floor in the isle with a 2 yr. old, and I'm trying to get them to both return to their seats. As I sighed with stress, I noticed a note from one of my kids. It is laying out in the isle for all to see, written in big letters, "You're A Loser!" At least all the words were spelled correctly.

Just as the freak show was in full tilt, I looked to Todd for help. He doesn't notice my distress call because he's coloring! In--A--Coloring--Book! He is so focused on his parrot, he doesn't have a clue about his surroundings. His greatest concern is the pattern he is coloring on the parrots wing! For the love of all that is just and true, are you kidding me!? I swear I almost clocked him, along with the kids.

After the meeting ended, my fury had caused me to be mute. I couldn't speak for fear of the profanity I would use in the church. You can cuss at home, but not on hallowed ground. A woman from my ward commented, "wow, you sure have been blessed with some....uh....lively children."

For reals, my calling and election is made sure.

Sew Perfect

During the summer, Makell decided to sew. She wrote her name in her own handwriting, traced it on muslin, and then stitched away. 14 minutes into the adventure, she realized that it just wasn't possible to sit still long enough to finish her masterpiece. So until now, her needlepoint has sat in a drawer. Today it was revived. What else are you going to do when you have strep throat and can't play with friends? Sew of course. This little lightning bolt girl actually sat still. For an hour. Pure delight.

Experiment Upon My Word

This is the entrance to our back door. It is the main door that we ALL use at least 84 times each day. For some reason that I have yet to discover, the girls leave their shoes here. Right outside the door. If they would actually open the door and take 1 step, they could put their shoes INSIDE the house.

I'm so sick of picking up everyone's shoes, I could just gnaw my finger off. So, I decided to try an experiment. I would leave them. Surely someone OTHER THAN ME (and there is another adult who lives here) would pick them up:



It is now 10 days later. Just look at the progress:


For the love of sanity people!! Pick. Up. Your. Crap.

Babies, Babies, and Babies

I absolutely adore babies when I don't have to be the one to incubate them. Lately I have gotten a slight reprimand from several of you, for not posting updates about the twins. So, here are all the girl additions to this family...

Two days after the twins were born, my brother and my sister-in-law delivered this sweet piece of goodness. Her name is Tess and could she be more beautiful!? I think modeling might be in her future. I'm over the moon about her hair. It's killing me not to fly to Chicago to accessorize it.



One twin home, one to go....Keagan came home last Friday. She weighs 4.7 pds. She makes her car seat look like it was made for Goliath.


Riley is still in the hospital. She now weighs 2.9 pds. They are projecting that she might come home on Saturday. She definitely won't fit in her Goliath car seat. Maybe she could fit perfectly in the doll carrier I've got upstairs.

Little pieces of heaven.