Oh yeah. Ohhhhh, yeahhhhhh.

"Look Back."



I have lots to post, and will do so tomorrow. But for tonight, I give you John Thornton. Shiver.

(Watch "North & South"! Watch it tonight!)

The Great Garage Cleanout, Day 2

Today was a lazy day, the sort of day that ambles along with no true agenda and I loved every second of it. The parents slept in while Isabelle & Max tended and entertained the baby. I am loving the older kid thing! It makes me want to have 3 more babies. In theory.

In theory.

I remember asking my good friend's mother, who had 8 children, how in the WORLD she raised eight kids. To which she breezily replied, "Oh, I didn't! I raised four children. The older ones raised the younger four!" So true! It's a beautiful thing. But really, I am so grateful that Sis and Max love Jack so much and enjoy watching him. When I need help, they just scoop him up and take him off to entertain him. And in the mornings one or both of them fetches him out of his crib and they just keep him upstairs with the kids while I do my thing downstairs. I've got a stupendous gig here, I tell you.

So today Mike & I (almost) finished the monumental task of organizing the garage. In all fairness, Mike did 90% of it. But I figure he owes me for 13 years of ME cleaning TOILETS 90% of the time. So. The mountain of boxes that should have been in basement storage for the last 2 years is now where it belongs and the garage is gloriously empty. It gives me a thrill.

Max spent four straight hours working on his fort on the back patio. As soon as his Boy Radar detected junk being purged from the garage, he was out there scavenging odd bits and pieces to create a fort, which looks like a lean-to shelter from the ghetto and is the cutest thing I've ever seen. He whisked Jack away as soon it was finished and they hung out in the boy fort for a long while.

He kept Jack entertained for some time by giving him rocks to drop out the fort window.Tomorrow is full of dance, last-week-of-school mayhem and baseball, but today was delightfully slow. A taste of summer. Ahhhh.

37

My birthday was yesterday & I started the day off right. I slept in 'til 10:45am and then poured myself a big, fizzy Diet Coke for breakfast.

I am so off the wagon.

(Or is it on the wagon? I can never get it right.) Disclaimer: if you are reading this and you are also my neighbor Christine, I promise I will return your yellow cup. I keep washing it with good intentions, but then it beckons yet again! It is the perfect DC cup.

I emerged from my nest to be greeted with birthday loot...

And a puppet telling me "Happy Birthday."

The night before, Mike & I went to dinner and a movie--Terminator (don't you think that was selfless of me to go to an action flick on my birthday?)--and the kids had been very good while we were out. So, as promised, I took them to get a glitter ball. An outing to buy toys for others on my birthday! Another example of my supreme selflessness.

Kids looking into Partyland. Irresistable.

After obtaining the much-sought-after glitter balls, all the rage in gradeschool, I went home and helped Mike clean the garage. Seriously? What was I thinking? On my birthday. You may roll your eyes....now. Cute little Max kept hovering and berating me for doing such a thing on my birthday. I really had been looking forward to it, though. A gritty-floored garage makes me cringe. But Max wanted to be more celebrational and I realized he was right. I cut that project short and made a beeline for the park, wacky picnic in tow compliments of Max. I realized at the end of the day that my kids like to do traditional birthday observances for me, even though I kind of just want a day all to myself...a day off. (Mike, if you're reading, you've got to kick it up a notch and do the full-fledged party from now on. Cake. Ice cream. Balloons. Party-ish atmosphere. For the kids, you understand.)

So next year I will endeavor to let my kids hover about me and provide them with appropriate party materials. We all know that the Man Party is a bit more low-key than that. (Again, you may roll your eyes....now.) I will plan ahead to have a movie night or day full of games or some such kid-fun. All I really wanted to do was get a pedicure and have some alone time. Which I will do this week. They really were cute, though, and gave me the BEST birthday present ever, a charm bracelet with all of their initials. It's the best present ever.

Ever.

Here are some attempts at my annual birthday photo. It was more difficult this year to capture a good one because Jack is so wiggly!

I love these urchins.

Ann came over with a candy poster! I was so happy to see all that chocolate in one place, just for me! Bring on the Diet Coke and the stolen yellow cup!



And here is the rest of my birthday loot. Cards and tidbits galore. (the Hello Kitty coloring book page from Mimi is not to be missed.) A pink package from my mom, the Grande Dame of Good Mail. Do you see the Diet Coke and lemons from Stacey?
Seriously, ribbon & cellophane do make anything adorable! They are still sitting on my desk, almost a week after receiving them, just because they are so cute. A 2 liter of DC with a pink bow--perfect decoration.

And look here......at the package of tags, sent by Michelle. Oh la la, the glory! And in my new favorite color combination--although I don't think she even realized it. Each and every time I see a Creative Friday post by Michelle or Jill featuring these tags, I covet them. In a very jealous, covetous sort of way. In a "I'm going to just show up at your Creative Friday and invite myself in and leave with some of those glorious tags," stalker-ish sort of way. So Michelle, you have no idea the trouble you saved yourself by just sending me some. Merci.

After my coke-guzzling, glitter-balling, garage-cleaning, park-playing, cupcake-gobbling, present-delighting, birthday-kissing day, I went into my room and enjoyed a Bajio salad while watching Lost in Austen. Oh, sweet silent Birthday Bliss.

Goodnight!

Friday Funny: Give Me the Beat Boys

We're WAY overdue for some Friday Funnies around here. I give you...Andy at the wheel.



youtube clip found here

Bless You, Unknown Mother in Jammies

Yesterday as I was walking Max into school, about to embark on his field trip (another post), I caught sight of something that made my heart sing. SING.

(You can't see her well at all, because it took me too long to grab my phone and snap a photo! And I was trying--at least a bit--to be surreptitious. She got all the way to the end of the grass, dangit.)

A mom walking her child to the school door in her jammies. Yes, jammies. And bedhead. Pajama pants, baggy sleeping man-shirt, no makeup, and hair that was respectable but by no means brushed or styled. She walked him right up to the school door, kissed him, then proceeded to walk down the block to her house. Not into her car, waiting at the curb, but down the entire block!

Whomever you are, dear woman, I love you.

(can we be friends?)

Finding Joy.

Yesterday in church the sacrament talks were on the topic of Finding Joy, and it fed my soul to sit and listen to the thoughts that were shared. And when we sang "Improve the Shining Moments," the words hit me in a way they never have before. Probably because I had been so touched by the talks. Anyway, it is a topic that I definitely need right now--we probably ALL do, in some way or another--and my spirit just soaked it all up.

Improve the Shining Moments
Improve the shining moments,
Don't let them pass you by.
Work while the sun is radiant;
Work for the night draws nigh.
We cannot bid the sunbeams
To lengthen out their stay,
Nor can we ask the shadow
To ever stay away.

Time flies on wings of lightening;
We cannot call it back.
It comes, then passes forward
Along its onward track.
And if we are not mindful,
The chance will fade away,
For life is quick in passing,
'Tis as a single day.

As wintertime doth follow
The pleasant summer days,
So may our joys all vanish
And pass far from our gaze.
Then should we not endeavor
Each day some point to gain,
That we may here be useful
And every wrong disdain?

Improve each shining moment,
In this you are secure,
For promptness bringeth safety
And blessings rich and pure.
Let prudence guide your actions;
Be honest in your heart;
And God will love and bless you
And help to you impart.

It was as if the song was singing itself to me! Giving me a little reminder and nudge to seize what I have and wring every moment of joy from it. Lately it's been so easy for me to allow stress to bog me down and suck me into feeling sorry for myself, but there really is so much in my life that radiates with happiness. I should be flying on the wings of those blessings.

I love how this hymn says to improve the shining moments. Not just notice them, but improve them. Take hold of them and wring all there is to get out of happy moments and beautiful blessings.

And then I went home and guzzled a Diet Coke. Ahhh.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Thank you for loving us so much.

I asked the kids these questions and here are their answers:

Isabelle's answers:
My Grannie's favorite food is: RASPBERRIES
My Grannie's favorite color is: BLUE
If my Grannie had a million dollars, she would buy: A BIGGER PLAYGROUND
When I am not home my Grannie likes to: HAVE QUIET TIME
My Grannie likes to play OLD MAID with me
My Grannie is silly when: WE GO TO THE ZOO
I love my Grannie because: SHE LOVES ME
What my Grannie loves most about me is: I COME VISIT HER
If my Grannie had one wish it would be for: ME TO BE LITTLE AGAIN
I wish my Grannie would do more of this: PLAY GAMES
My Grannie says this to me the most: I LOVE YOU, SISTER BEAR
My Grannie is the prettiest when: SHE'S HERSELF

Max's Answers:
My Grannie's favorite food is: LEMON CAKE
My Grannie's favorite color is: GREEN
If my Grannie had a million dollars, she would buy: BABY JOE
When I am not home my Grannie likes to: PARTY! MISS US!
My Grannie likes to play: WIFFLE BALL
My Grannie is silly when: SHE'S PLAYING BILLAGE
I love my Grannie because: SHE IS VERY NICE TO ME AND VERY, VERY PRETTY
What my Grannie loves most about me is: I AM HER BEST GRANDSON
If my Grannie had one wish it would be for: TWO BIRTHDAYS EVERY YEAR
I wish my Grannie would do more of this: BE A SUPER BASEBALL PLAYER
My Grannie says this to me the most: I'M SO CUTE
My Grannie is the prettiest when: ALL THE TIME

Mimi's Answers:
My Grannie's favorite food is: MUFFINS
My Grannie's favorite color is: PINK
If my Grannie had a million dollars, she would buy: ME
When I am not home my Grannie likes to: PLAY BILLAGE
My Grannie likes to play: FAMILY
My Grannie is silly when: WORKS ON THE COUCH
I love my Grannie because: SHE PLAYS BILLAGE WITH ME LOTS OF TIMES AND SHE GOES TO THE ZOO
What my Grannie loves most about me is: THAT I LOVE HER BACK
If my Grannie had one wish it would be for: THAT WE COULD LIVE TOGETHER
I wish my Grannie would do more of this: PLAY BILLAGE ALL THE TIME
My Grannie says this to me the most: THAT SHE LOVES ME
My Grannie is the prettiest when: SHE GETS IN HER CHURCH CLOTHES & HER PINK HIGH HEELS

I'm so excited to be at Women's Conference, but I forgot that at BYU
it's BYODietCoke!