12.25.2008

it's official


I
(aka Mrs Clause/Professional Procrastinator Parent (P.P.P.))
AM OFFICIALLY READY FOR
CHRISTMAS
...



thank goodness for the help of a little elf (my sister amanda)

....and a yummy gingerbread house and cookies that Santa shared with me.

Whether you were ready on the 3rd of December or 3 a.m. Chritmas Morn...I hope you can just sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. I hope I'll be able to stay awake for it all.


Most of all....HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS....Where there is ROOM for HIM!









p.s.: "driving down the road, in a one HORSE open sleigh*.
* you can say oddessay in place of open sleigh....to go with the rhyming bit.
the kids will love it...thanks mom.
...and my living room is one step closer to being a barn!

p.s.s.- the virtual Christmas card.

So do you think there is any chance that the kids will sleep until
9 a.m. so I might get at least 6 hours of sleep?????

12.23.2008

dinner menu: christmas week

i'm not proud of this.




monday: main dish-Christmas cookies

tuesday: main dish- Christmas cookies

wednesday: main dish- Christmas cookies

thursday: main dish- Christmas cookies

friday: main dish- Christmas cookies

saturday: main dish- Christmas cookies

sunday: main dish- you guessed it: Christmas cookies

(oh, and maybe some other real food on the side)

anyone else see a
problem
with this
???????????????????????

12.18.2008

Late For Work!

His excuse: THE SNOW!
(well to be more precise...playing in the SNOW...but that's just between you and me O.K.? )


Dreamy,
white
,
wet,
cold
,
exciting,
slushy,
fun,
enchanting
,
unbelievable:
SNOW!
They even canceled school today for the first time in 30 years in LV on account of the snow...

We've had so much fun enjoying the record snowfall over the past 24 hours and pray it will stay on the ground as long as possible!!!

Our only casualty:
Our poor little broken tree paid the price....but it was worth it!


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12.11.2008

the truth...

"my mom"

by JUSTIN age 4.

What is something mom always says to you?
"Wash your pants" ....because I never do it on time. (yea, I'm mean. I make him wash his pants every time he wets them - which has been A LOT this week. If you have any ideas on motivating an almost 5 year old whom has been potty trained for 2 years not to leak in his pants and wipe his bum...do share.)


What makes mommy happy?
When I do what you say and I obey.(yup)


What makes mommy sad?
If I break your sprinkler and don't tell you. (insert MY pouting face...yea, already!)

How does mommy make you laugh?
You say funny words like, "someone has a cactus on their head."

What was mommy like as a kid?
I did not see what you acted like. I think you acted like an astronaut.

How old is mom?
80....(puzzled look on my face.) mom, you are 80(persistently.)

How tall is mom?
70 lbs. (o.k. so he did pounds instead of inches...Thanks Justin!)

Whats moms favorite thing to do?
Clean the house when I'm at preschool and watch your kids.

What does mom do when you're not home?
Work on the house and take care of Dallin and Anna.(i see a trend here!)

If mommy was famous, what would she be famous for?
Cleaning the house. (i hope he stays delusional for AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!)

What is mommy really good at?
Sports like games. You are really good at sports like Hi-Ho-Cherry-O. Oh...and feeding Dallin, who is a baby.

What does mommy do for her job?
Watching the kids is your job.

What is Mommy's favorite food?
Spaghetti. (really?)

What makes you proud of your mom?

When you go on the toilet. That's what I like you doing. (i know...i've got seriously amazing skillz!)

If mommy was a cartoon character, who would she be?
The Beauty on Beauty and the Beast.


What do you and mommy like to do together?
Go to church. (i must admit i probed to get this answer. He first said, "watch tv." which is sooo not true, especially since the TV hasn't been on once in the last month (except when dad is babysitting of course)....a little wishful thinking on his part eh?)

How are you and mom the same?
We have the same skin, and both have hair which is brown. God created us that way. We'll also be together when we die.

How are you and mommy different?
You have a baby and I don't. Plus, I have fancier clothes than you. You don't even have characters on your clothes, just colors.


What can I do to be a better mommy?

You should not say "go to time out"....ever!

(In a tender moment one Sunday I asked the same question he said, "Wear more make-up and get some pointy, shinny black shoes." hmmm...not what I had in mind.)

How do you know mommy loves you?
Because you always say, "I love you" and I give you a hug.

and now it's my turn..

What time do your kids wake up?

5:30/6:00...lucky thing Patrick is the charge boy then!

On a good night, what time do your kids go to sleep? 8:00pm (that's ideal remember...realistically it is 9 or 9:30. yuck. when i got home from HFPE last night at 10 p.m., Justin was still awake!!)

How long have you been a mom? 4 years and 9 months

How old were you when you became a mom? 25

What is your favorite kid show? Signing Time.

Least favorite kid TV show? Sponge Bob...even if I've seen I for a total of 2 minutes at Grandma's.

Favorite meal to cook? Dinner...the only time I really cook. The other times I just throw stuff together.


What's the meal cooked most often? Vegi Stirfry on brown rice with pot stickers.

What is the kids favorite meal? Spaghetti

What are your favorite things that Patrick does with the kids? Wrestling with them and putting them to bed.


When was the last time you and your husband went out without the kids? To the temple 1 month ago...it's been tooooo long!

One thing you said you'd never do as a mom? Have a tremendously messy car like the ones I saw sported by virtually every mom (except my own)...What on earth was I thinking!? Needless to say, reality has set in!

Favorite past time with your kids? I just love the times when I stop what I'm doing to just hold them and love them. I love having Justin's big boy self on my lap. I love the bashful look anna makes when we cuddle. Dallin just melts my heart when he stares at me.Watching them as the snuggle close and stare at me with loving eyes is about as good as it gets.

Advice for a new mom: Don't assume you know it all....Get LOTS of advice and learn from those seasoned moms. Having kids changes everything. Be gentle on yourself and enjoy the adjustment!

When was the last time your kids said "I love you"? While I was asking him the questions.

What are 5 things that make you smile while being a mom? 1-How blatantly honest Justin is (like his dad).2-When Justin and Anna play together-nicely 3-cute bare bums 4-Anna's new use of language..all sorts of mixed up but sooo cute! 5-Dallin's newly aquired laugh. 6- I just love all of the new things kids are constantly learning. Watching their growth brings me great joy!

thanks, Jane, for the idea...even if you have no clue who i am!

12.03.2008

GOing green in 5 easy steps:

step 1: buy GREEN trees.
step 2: open GREENISH (ACTUALLY, IT'S AQUA) van doors.

step 3: insert GREEN trees.

step 4: close
GREENISH van doors.
step 5: GO!....
(ONLY when the stoplights are GREEN of course!
)

got it?


(follow steps above and substitute grass for trees to GO green with grass if you wish...
but trust me, it's a MUCH messier choice.)
justin's "GREEN" worm.

step 6(optional): plant the trees and grass





(and while we went green....grandma played with the kiddies. thanks mom!)


11.28.2008

the perfect....

thanksgiving.

at our house for the first time......

the PERFECT bird chef (and his assistant), cooking our first bird ...

anna picked the PERFECT place for a pre-dinner nap....
the PERFECT spread (prepared for over 6 hours....eaten in about 6 minutes!)....

i created the the PERFECT centerpiece...

justin found the PERFECT part of the bird for him...while my mum served him.anna discovered the PERFECT spot for her during dinner nap.....

my sister amanda made her PERFECTLY gorgeous (and yummy) blueberry pie....


my dad offered PERFECTLY wonderful headlocks...
the PERFECTLY GINORMOUS sink full of dishes is no more (thanks mum and aunt tanya)... my step-brother Aaron posed as the PERFECTLY stereo-typical teenager....


and to end a WONDERFULLY PERFECT day....the kids were locked in, ready to head over the river and through the woods (to their grandparents house of course.).....so mommy and daddy could.....
fall fast asleep, exhausted from the PERFECTLY EXHAUSTING (and wonderful) thanksgiving day!

11.20.2008

to do

1.
read this
....for the first time.
like those who have gone before


with only a "little" help


2.
of course i'll fit in lots of "visiting" with dallin

and make sure to offer easy access to the cheerios, ricemilk and straws. 3.
oh...and i should take care of this too.

wish me luck.

i'm hanging on the bandwagon for dear life

for this:


not that i'm a twerd...

just a wannabe.


i'm just thankful for this newly greenified spot:


....and 75 degree weather in NOVEMBER!


now to decide what to bring for potluck...any bright ideas?