*My Week

A few things stick out to me about this week. One is that my oldest daughter has now lost her other front tooth and we now have our own live jack-o-lantern for Halloween. I haven't taken any pictures of it yet but we will carve pumpkins tonight so I will send those along next week.

Another thing is that I baby-sat my sister-in-law's kids on Thursday and my youngest son and her youngest son, both two years old, had quite a little adventure. They were outside by our cars and shed playing with trucks in the dirt. I kept feeling a little nervous about this but told myself that my son does this every day and I always feel nervous and nothing is ever wrong. The worst my boy has ever done is travel out into the field behind our house. Well, I should have realized that two little boys could come up with much greater adventures and danger than that. I had felt the need to check on them for the last 5-10 min. and finally decided to take the trash out and check on the darlings. When I walked outside there was Dad. He told me that as he was driving past the fertilizer plant across the road from where we live (I know, really picturesque, right?), a friend from the ward waved him over. In his truck there were two little toddlers! Those boys had pushed their dump truck and school bus out across the gravel in front of our house and across O Road (who knows how long they played on the road!), over by fertilizer plant and then into the little barrow pit where Joshua had to stop because his shoe-less feet were full of stickers. It seems to me like he might not even have had pants on! (What a great mom!) This episode still makes me cringe inside and thank Heavenly Father that no harm came to those little guys out there. I just wish I had been faster at following those promptings. Rest assured, they were never, and never again will be, allowed to play outside the fenced in area! I have been trying harder ever since to follow through on thoughts that come to me just in case they come from the Spirit.

My youngest also managed to dump a whole container of Brasso cleaner on the desk and carpet this week. My husband uses the Brasso to repair scratched DVD's. He left it on the desk after fixing Cars and I didn't realize it so I left my son there watching a movie while I went and got dressed and ready for the day. He comes to me with this DVD that is all foggy from Brasso being put on and rubbed off and tells me he is cleaning "Caws." I tell him that he is not allowed to do that, only daddy can, and go out to see the damage. A large puddle on the desk and floor! Luckily nothing valuable was in contact with it or ruined but I got sick off the fumes while I was cleaning it up. my wonderful husband had to get out my new carpet shampooer (my requested birthday present) and start the clean up process for me because I couldn't get by the computer without choking. So all in all there was no real damage and I got to try out my birthday present and find out that it is a pretty good machine! Will this boy ever stop being so curious?! Or at least stop making huge messes in his curiosity!?

The only other thing of note is that I got my first speeding ticket. On my way home from town on Wednesday I was driving past one of the schools in town and failed to notice the 20-mph-flashing-lights-sign. Before you judge you should try spending a full day in town with my two year old and see if you are completely alert! I saw that there were a few kids walking around and remember thinking that they must get out earlier than our schools but that is as far as my awareness of the situation went. I was at a complete loss as to why I was pulled over until the policeman told me. Since the original speed limit is 35 mph when the yellow lights aren't flashing and I was going 36 mph I was 16 miles over in a school zone which gives me a whopping $353 ticket! I am trying to get up courage to call Pre-paid Legal and try to get the ticket reduced. I mean, it isn't like I live in that city and am completely familiar with all the zoning there and I have never been pulled over in my whole driving lifetime except for once when I was a teenager and one of my headlights was out! I think all of this should count for some reduction here. I mean, Christmas is coming! Where's the love?

There were other more positive events that happened this week but they don't make up for very entertaining reading so I will just leave it at that. I hope that you can all get a good laugh out of this. I am still trying to find the laughter inside myself, but I am sure it will come. I love to laugh!

*Sorry I have no photos for any of this. I will try to make my next post more visually stimulating!

Room Makeover

I wish that I had thought about this post before. I just redid our old office into my own little sanctuary (i.e. craft room--or as we say, Mommy's Office). However, I never took any before pictures. So unless you were one who saw it before you will not be wowed by the transformation. I am proud of it so I thought I would post pictures since that is all I was able to focus on last week.







This week I am redoing my old craft/storage/trashed room into a new bedroom for my oldest son. Maybe I will take some pictures of its bareness before I decorate it up and then someday when I have finally got all the bedding, curtains and pictures made and put up I will post another blog of a transformed room.

Farming 2008

This is my husband "driving" the tractor in the field behind our house. In case you can't tell what is going on in the picture, he is reading while driving. This tractor is hooked to a GPS device so that all my husband needs to do is turn it around at one end of the field and line it up to head down to the other end of the field and then the GPS takes over until he reaches the end of the field again. He has read a couple books this way. Not that my husband doesn't have other, more difficult and even unpleasant jobs at other times. But when it is his time to drive this tractor around for the day or a few hours I don't really feel sorry for him and his long day away from home (and the mess and the fights and the stresses, etc.) He is happy that at the time of this picture he was reading his scriptures and so was doing something worthwhile and productive. : )

Thanks Ashley for giving me the idea from this post. It never crossed my mind until you mentioned it. I guess I have gotten used to seeing it over the last year or so when they first got it and didn't see anything unusual about it. It took a fresh perspective for me to see the blogging opportunities. : )

Terrible Two's

The photo is kind of blurry and has nothing to do with this post, but it is a favorite of mine. He is doing "Chubby"

Joshua has really settled into being two this week. One day this week, I was in my room reading my scriptures, and it dawned on me that there was water running somewhere. I went into the kitchen and there was Joshua at the edge of the kitchen sink (that is when I discovered that he can now climb on my kitchen counters) and was running water everywhere! Our faucet pulls out from the stand and he was having a great time. I got him down and went to work soaking up all the water. As soon as that was done I turned around and discovered that he had pulled the butter down from the other counter and dumped some on the kitchen rug and was spreading it on his legs. I got that mess cleaned up and he decided to give me a break for the rest of the day. The next day I am again reading my scriptures and he comes in with his hands covered in syrup! I am thinking, "Oh great." However, I go in the kitchen and there isn't any syrup there. I check where the syrup is stored (hoping that it is there and he only just got a little on his hands). No syrup. I go to the family room and there it is. Empty. Sitting in many puddles of syrup! All over the recliner, in the girl's laundry basket (luckily it was empty!), and all over the floor!!!!!!!! I was able to clean up the chair, the laundry basket, and his car garage (forgot to mention that one) and tried to get it out of the floor. We need some major carpet cleaning over here! Yesterday he managed to spill the brown sugar and white sugar all over the kitchen floor while I was trying to get ready to go to town. I am going to have to tie him up or something whenever I need to let him out of my sight! On Saturday when we were doing the chores I got some Windex from under the sink for Emma and the dish soap fell out. I thought I would come back and pick it up when I finished spraying the mirror for Emma, but when I got back Joshua had squeezed a large puddle on the floor. When I took it away he screamed, grabbed the spray bottle we use for hair and started spraying that as fast and frantically as he could knowing I would be taking that away as well. I wish now that I had taken some pictures but at the time I didn't think of it. Just as I was writing this he crawled into the tub, turned on the water and then turned on the shower (much to his surprise). I rescued him and tried to take some pictures of that one, but you can't really tell what is going on in it since I saved him before he was really soaked. Hope you all get a laugh out of this and keep me in your prayers that I will be able to keep my sanity through my son's Mr. Curious phase! I look forward to the adventures of this week!

Summer Days

Far too much has happened this summer to be able to do a reasonable size blog so I thought I would just write a few lists to give a brief recap of summer and maybe add a few favorite pictures. I am burnt out and extremely brain dead right now and so apologize for my lack of creativity. I will try to improve in future blogs! (Key word: try)

Favorite events/things from summer 2008:

• The Hansen Family Reunion
• The Garner Family Reunion
• The Jensen Family Reunion (as you can see, we were pretty busy with family this summer and it was so good to see relatives we only see every 2-3 years.)
• Our little overnight vacation to Leavenworth, Wa with the kids
• taking each of the kids on a special before school/school shopping date (though we were both a little sick of Chuck E. Cheese!)
  
• watching my youngest just get in and LOVE the water
  
• watching my other children work on and improve their swimming skills
• Baby showers, card parties and other times with family and friends
• Hyrum enjoying learning how to cook and Hannah enjoying being his assistant--they made me a yummy scrambled egg and orange juice breakfast in bed one day.
  

Some of my least favorite things/events of summer 2008:

• Trying to get through the insane scheduling for dental appointments (here in Mattawa there aren't a lot of options in town for dental work--one place--and the way they have you set up appointments is often beyond frustrating!)
• Having to do the aforementioned scheduling most weeks out of the summer (either because we couldn't get in or because there were numerous cavities to fill)
• Having to try to get work done with 4 children underfoot and trying to get the older 3 of those children to help clean up the messes they are constantly making! Anyone with children knows what I am talking about and the frustration levels that can be reached when working with children
• Cleaning up the messes that Hyrum made while learning how to cook.
• Becoming pregnant as planned and then miscarrying (this was not something that I was going to post but I think I have healed from that time and it is something that added stress to my summer days. So, there it is. I don't want anyone worrying about me. I am completely healed and just waiting a few months before trying again. If you have a new baby and live by me make sure you give me some time to hold them. It really helps me!)
• Having a two year old with almost no fear of the water.
• Children who can't seem to get along and were fond of telling me how bored they were as if it was my responsibility to entertain them constantly and falling down on the job!
• Finding baby-sitters since my youngest sister finally grew up and left home for Arizona and is no longer here to help us out in this capacity.
• Having to do Sharing Time for the month of August which is a busy month anyway and also a very long one (5 Sundays) and one in which we had our Stake Primary Presidency come visit our ward!

So that is our summer in a nutshell. I am hoping to find a little breathing room again to accomplish more projects now that two of the kids are in school. I just need to take a small breather first and get up some motivation!

Here are a few favorite photos from our summer:


My little toga trucker--he would live outside with his trucks and dirt if we let him!


My fearless swimmer


My sweetie


My handsome husband and me in, I think, the only picture taken of me this summer--luckily it looks good!


My oldest. He is actually mad at his parents in the first photo (for being "unfair" or something) but isn't he cute?


Playing in a mud puddle. His shirt was actually a white onsie to start with. It took a lot of rinsing and scrubbing to get that mud out of his hair and quite a time to get all that dirt down the drain!


Miss Photogenic. She seems to look cute in almost every picture we take of her! That is the watermelon that she grew from a seed, started in her Kindergarten class.


My two year old clapping and cheering on his birthday. : )

There are too many favorites! I better stop now so I can go get the kids in bed. Enjoy this post!

Girl in a Whirl

My mom just handed this poem to me when I picked up my kids. Some of you may have read this before but I thought it was very funny so decided to share.

"The Girl In A Whirl"
by "Dr. Sues" (a.k.a. Vickie Gunther)

"Look at me, look at me, look at me now!
You could do what I do if you only knew how.
I study the scriptures one hour each day;
I bake,
I upholster,
I scrub, and I pray.
I always keep all the commandments completely;
I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly.
I help in their classrooms!
I sew all they wear!
I drive them to practice!
I cut all their hair!
I memorize names of the General Authorities;
I focus on things to be done by priorities.
I play the piano!
I bless with my talents!
My toilets all sparkle!
My checkbooks all balance!
Each week every child gets a one-on-one date;
I attend all my meetings (on time! Never late!)
I'm taking a class on the teachings of Paul,
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all!
I track my bad habits 'til each is abolished;
Our t-shirts are ironed!
My toenails are polished!
Our family home evenings are always delightful;
The lessons I give are both fun and insightful.
I do genealogy faithfully, too.
It's easy to do all the things that I do!
I rise each day early, refreshed and awake;
I know all the names of each youth in my stake!
I read to my children!
I help all my neighbors!
I bless the community, too, with my labors.
I exercise and I cook menus gourmet;
My visiting teaching is done the first day!
(I also go do it for someone who missed hers.
It's the least I can do for my cherished ward sisters.)
I chart resolutions and check off each goal;
I seek each "lost lamb" on my Primary roll.
I can home-grown produce each summer and fall.
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all!
I write in my journal! I sing in the choir!
Each day, I write "thank yous" to those I admire.
My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen!
My kids get straight A's! And their bedrooms are clean!
I have a home business to help make some money;
I always look beautifully groomed for my honey.
I go to the temple at least once a week;
I change the car's tires!
I fix the sink's leaks!
I grind my own wheat and I bake all our bread;
I have all our meals planned out six months ahead.
I make sure I rotate our two-year supply;
My shopping for Christmas is done by July!
These things are not hard; 'tis good if you do them;
You can if you try!
Just set goals and pursue them!
It's easy to do all the things that I do!
If you plan and work smart, you can do them all, too!
It's easy!" she said
and then she dropped dead.

This was very funny to me. All of us do some of these things (some seem capable of doing more than others--that is not me.) However, most women really do think we need to be just like the woman in that poem (I am guilty as charged--three times over!) I want to remember to read this when I start bewailing my incompetence and ineffectiveness as a wife, mother and homemaker and start comparing myself to others to a degree that I begin to judge myself worthless. This adds the right touch of lightness to bring my spirits up and remind me that I cannot be all things and that there is a time and season to do things. Maybe it will help you too. Happy chuckling!

Since My Last Post . . . .

I have played a small part in our high school musical, Oliver!

I worked at making Valentines Day a special day.

I attended Time Out For Women in Spokane with my mom and two sisters.

I went to NYC for 4 days!!!


My oldest started Cub Scouts and we had our first Pinewood Derby.


My husband and his brother started up a new business together (though Paul is still also working for my dad). They are now trying to get into the composting business.

I dyed Easter eggs (which I hate) so my kids would love Easter.


I got through Easter (I had to sing a solo in the program and almost died!)

(The Easter Day finery)
I have done 2 months of Sharing Time.

I helped to put on an Easter Activity Day and an amazingly fun Activity Day about countries around the world.

I went on a long vacation to Seaside, OR with Paul to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary in July.

(Paul and I at the seashore in Seaside. We weren't brave enough to ask someone to take a picture of us together.)
I did daycare a couple of days a week for a friend of mine who teaches.

I volunteered once a week in my kids' classrooms.

Was part of an Elder's Quorum Progressive Dinner.

Went to two school choir music nights and various other school related activities.

(Hannah's Dino Concert. We forgot to take the camera to Hyrum's concert. Many tears and exclamations of "It's not fair!" ensued.)
Helped out at my son's 2nd Grade Sleepout at the school (and, no, I did not stay up all night. I have a demanding almost-two-year-old to deal with. But I was there until 1 or 2 am).

(Hyrum with some classmates getting ready to play hide and seek throughout the school)
Was trying to lose weight. I only succeeded in losing and gaining the same 4 or 5 pounds on a rotating basis, but I did try.

I had the stomach flu during one of my busiest weeks in April (but this got me out of doing a few things and therefore lightening my load.)

Got through Spring Break!

Took kids to or attended various birthday parties, card making parties, luncheons, meetings and church parties.

Was an almost 100% Visiting Teacher :)

Attended numerous dance recitals and performances.

(Hannah's Farmyard and Cruella DeVille dances)
Helped with the end of year activities such as: Arts In the Park, Kindergarten Park Day, Kindergarten Graduation and my youngest sister's High School Graduation.

(Hannah with her teacher, Miss Zirker--also our Primary President--and with her cousin Holly, who was in the same class.)
Took two of my children to the dentist for the first time and found out that at least half of their teeth are rotting out of their heads!

Spent many hours in the dentist office to get the teeth fixed (with more hours to come) and spent (or at least, will have spent) thousands of dollars on dental bills since we have absolutely zero dental insurance unless one of us needs dental surgery following an accident or something (which is why this is the first time we have taken our kids to the dentist--a bad mistake, I know).

My husband and several different relatives spent many hours finally fencing in my backyard (a dream that started before we first moved into our house 5 1/2 years ago!)


So that is my life in a nutshell over the last 5 months (in no particular order). I hope to get better at this. If any of you are interested to learn more about something that I have done (as listed here) let me know and maybe I will do another post on just that thing and fill in any blanks. I was avoiding writing because their was just so much to say so I decided to cut it short and let you decide if you want to hear more. I hope that this post was somewhat enjoyable and not just tedious to get through.


(I didn't really have pictures of Emma and Joshua in this post so I added a few that I liked. Joshua is listening to my iPod and Emma is practicing her Princess curtsy in her Easter dress.)