Hyrum

Me: Hyrum! I love you!
Hyrum: Mom, I love your light-saber.

Fair Finally!

You know, we've lived in Texas (married) almost 10 years now. I was here off and on another couple years before that, and Mark was here 4? years before that as well? Anyway, it's taken us this long to finally make it to the Texas State Fair. But we finally made it -- Yeehaw!

Here is our documentary proof:

Jacob was not happy we tried to make him stand still. Heaven forbid! But as you can see, he's roughly 32" tall. That equals free. Hooray!

Tallest ride in the North Atlantic Western hemispherical side, South of the East coast! ....errr, something like that.

It's tall.

Enjoying the free Girl Scout cookie plunder. Nom, nom, nom.

What's the fair without fried food???

Fried & chocolate-covered bacon & fried lemonade.
Mmmmm.

We got to see the big guy the day before he burned down.
Rest in peace, Big Tex.

Stripes

Last Sunday I posted this on Facebook. I'm reposting for "journal-ing" purposes. Sorry if you get a double dose. 

My poor girls had to learn about death tonight in a very hard way. Just as we sat down to dinner I received a call from a neighbor saying our cat had found his way over to her house. I went to retrieve him and tried to explain he was an outside cat, so the fact that he crossed the street was not a surprise. The girl remarked that she didn't like cats until she met this one -- he was so sweet. I la

ughed, telling her I felt the same way. We're talking full on cat-hater. Don't-do-pets kinda person. Until Stripes won me over.
In cruel irony, that was the moment Stripes chose to leap out of my arms and run into the street. Just as a car passed. And couldn't stop in time.
Sweet Stripes, we sure loved you. We will miss you dearly.

Small follow-up:

Stripes was buried in our front yard and has had many funeral 'services.' I think Lacie understands, but just isn't so saddened by it. Andrea was broken-hearted. Hyrum keeps telling Mark that he was "mean, putting Stripes in the dark hole," and Jacob just keeps looking for the kitty.

For my part, I was surprised at how hard it has been for me. Sunday night I bawled. And bawled. And bawled some more. Over a cat!! If you'd told me 3 months ago that I'd be doing that, I would have said you didn't know me!

I guess this cat really was just that special. Honestly, he never once hissed or clawed at my kids. Not once. Not when they pulled his tail; not when they tried to make him walk on 2 legs; not when they'd throw him in the bushes or try to force him into a basket. He'd leap away, but then he'd always come back -- purring like crazy as soon as you showed him any kindness.

I really loved that cat. And I really miss him. I don't want another cat. I don't believe I'd ever find one like Stripes. But then, I never thought I'd ever like a cat to begin with. :)

M/W/F

6:40am: wake up girls, get them dressed & ready for school
7:10am: get girls out the door and to the neighbor's house for carpool
7:12am: wake up boys, get them dressed and fed
7:45am: load boys & stroller in car, head to Park
8:15am: meet w/ friends to walk 2-3 miles around the park, play/talk after
10:30am: get home, feed boys snack, jump in shower
11:15am: Jacob's speech therapy appointment
11:45am: Hyrum's speech therapy appointment, Jake goes down for a nap
12:15pm: speech appts over; lunch for Mom and Hyrum
12:40pm: wake up Jacob, load boys in car, drive to elementary school, pull Lacie out of class, race home
1:00pm: Lacie's occupational therapy appt; boys must be kept out of the room and quiet
1:35pm: Hyrum's occupational therapy appt; Jake and I take Lacie back to school then go back home
2:10pm: occupational therapy over, feed Jake lunch
2:40pm: load boys, drive to elementary school to pick up girls and neighbors
3:00pm: snacking, playing, fighting, screaming/yelling, tattling, running in/out, crying, and pouting commence
3:01pm: Mom locks herself in the bathroom for the next two hours...

Do you ever...

Notice when you're driving in your car and coming upon a 4-way stop, and another car is coming up to this same intersection perpendicularly to you (so, on your right or your left), and suddenly you find yourself in a race to 'stop' first so that you can then 'go' first, but then the cheater other car stops waaaay before the white crosswalk lines just so that he can be first and, therefore, win?! Grrrr.

McDonald's with Jake

My cute little buddy.

Andrea-ism

"...and he pushed me down and I fell on my maximus booty-mas."

Posting

Wow. So my last post was August 23rd. Of this same year, but still. It's October 10th. We've had some excitement going on since then and I haven't even taken the time to blog about all our wonderful (and not-so-wonderful) exploits. Shame.
There is a reason, however. It's simple, too.
I'M CRAZY.

No, seriously. I have the pills to prove it. Although, I've had the pills for a while now, so I guess that's not much of an excuse for the last month or so. Hmm... I need better pills? Lol

Take today, for example. Well, more like right this second. Life turned to chaos at around 3pm today. Coincidentally, that's the time the girls get home from school. And so do their 2 next-door neighbor friends. With whom they have a love/hate relationship. So they argue and play and fight and run around and cry and boss and laugh and eat and all the while constantly going inside, then outside, then inside, then outside, then inside, then... you get the picture. And of course with all this exciting commotion the boys feel super sad (read: throw tantrums) if they don't get to join in -- inside, then outside, then inside, etc. Problem with that is, well, the boys are 1 and 3. I would need the Great Wall of China along the perimeter of my house to keep them from running off to the street, Taco Bell, or who know's where else. And no, I don't have the Great Wall of China outside. Last I heard from the consulate, they aren't willing to move it. Blast.

So. We're back to chaos and crazy. And did I mention a small, cramped house with WAY more stuff than space? Doesn't help. And being the problem-solver that I am, my first inclination is to go hide in my bed. But there is a smelly diaper afoot. I cannot in good conscience sleep, knowing that my kid is reddening up his cheeks with a healthy dose of diaper rash. Actually, maybe I could. But I wouldn't sleep well thinking about what would happen if the diaper leaked. Drat.

Plan B: blog.

Useless Knowledge

Did you know...?

The Land Before Time has the longest running series of movie sequels? Okay, I don't actually know that for fact, but I'm 90% sure. More than Rocky and Star Wars combined. Even more than all the different takes on Batman and Superman.

In case you don't have your calculators at the ready, that's 13, people.

THIRTEEN.

And for those of you who have dodged, er, missed this movie series I thought I'd fill you in so you don't feel bad. Nice of me, huh?

• The original was directed by Steven Spielberg and is actually quite decent.
• The rest of the movies are 80% screaming, 20% (cheesy) singing.
• There are 7 different actors over the course of the 13 movies who voice the main character, "Little Foot."
• The third (and final) "Ducky" actor should win an award for Most Obnoxious Voice. Ever.
• Keifer Sutherland (aka Jack Bauer) has a large role in movie #10.
• No one ever gets eaten. Weird.
• T-Rexes never seem to prevail against brontosauruses. Again, weird.
• Cera, the Triceratops, never learns. Seriously. She makes the same mistakes every. single. movie.

Can anyone guess how it is that I came to possess all this awesome knowledge? 

Stupid stupid stupid

Last night I was finishing some things up before doing the dishes. When I got to them this is what I found:


(those are ants, by the way)

adding to the Hyrum list

I poured Hyrum a bowl of Fruit Loops. As I walked away I swiped a couple loops off the top. I didn't think Hyrum noticed until he protested,
"Hey! Spit those out of your mouth!"

Hyrum-ism

Hyrum: (speaking to Mark) "Punch him in the nose!"
Mark: "Hyrum, that was not nice."
Hyrum: "Oh. Okay, Dad... punch him in the nose, please?"

Lately

So I realize I haven't posted in a while.
I have a whole lot to catch up on. That so is not going to happen right now.
I'm just going to whine about why I'm not blogging.
:)
I've been swimming in medical appointments. And it's not over. Not even close. In April-May we had over 24 appointments. They involved 2 surgeries, 1 ER visit w/ accompanying hospital stay, 1 urgent care  visit, lots of shots, lots and lots of Rx-es, strep, infections, allergies, asthma, bladder reflux, and even more unknowns that will surely involve lots more doctors & appointments.

I'm feeling overwhelmed.
I need a hug.

Hyrum-ism

While waiting in the foyer area at the bank, Hyrum climbs up on a padded bench and holds his chicken nugget up to the light. He cocks his head to the side, looks at it with a little squinty look, and declares for all to hear,
"Hmmm, tastes like chicken!"

the Essence of Lacie

Hyrum: "No singing at the table!"

Lacie: "You mean, on purpose?"

Need a laugh?

For some reason this is tickling my funny bone to the extreme right now. Much more so than when I first saw it.

I needed a good laugh tonight. This worked.

Happy? Easter?

Each year I have grande plans of doing some great, elaborate, spiritual, meaningful Easter celebration... It hasn't yet happened. Last year we told the kids the Easter Bunny couldn't make it because our house was too messy, and that he had to come a week later... Hey, at least they bought it!

This year I was determined to get matching/coordinating Sunday outfits for everyone. Can I just remark on how incredibly hard that was?! Sheesh! For anyone who hasn't gone dress shopping for girls lately, let me educate you on this frustrating little fact: you can find every kind of frilly, ruffly, girly, fun, plain or elaborate, darling, gorgeous, cutesie, or whatever-you-are-looking-for dress in sizes newborn through size 6/6X. After there that? Fat chance. Everything is fashioned after trendy teeny-bopper styles that are WAY too mature for the pop singers, let alone the teeny-bopper fans. Aargh!
So after 7 hours, 16 stores, 2 cities, and a couple of fist-fights later when I'd finally collected an ensemble that would work I was THRILLED! And then too exhausted to do a proper egg-hunt. Priorities, right?

Easter loot

Andrea's haircut I gave her. Not bad, huh?

Dinner from our very generous neighbors. Fortunately they made it "to go" so we didn't have to actually eat it in front of them. I've never been a big fish fan, and the eyeballs seriously creeped me out!

Also from the neighbors. You can't see it very well, but that's shrimp and avacado. I imagine it was divine for anyone who likes seafood, but, like I said, not a fan.

So?

I fed my kid a piece of bread, string cheese and green beans for breakfast this morning.

...

I like to think of myself as nutritionally progressive.

See?

He's happy.

Aargh.

At least my bathroom is clean.

Well,

one of the two.

Confessions

They say that confessing is good for the soul. They never say what it does for relationships... Oh well. I figured I'm on a roll and may as well go ahead and clear my conscience.

* When talking on the phone, I hide in the pantry closet so the kids can't find me.

* On the corner of our street there is a Taco Bell, then a field, then the houses start; we're the third house. Some nights when my dinner is especially awful I sneak up to Taco Bell and get their $2 meal deals even after enforcing our "Eat it or Starve" policy to the kids.

* I always drive to Taco Bell.

* I may have "accidentally" once or twice left the cell phone home when going to the store, and then found myself unable to call Mark and consult him on a purchase.

* If I've bought junk food while running errands I try to throw away any evidence in gas station garbage cans before I get home.

* I like eating cookie dough more than cookies because 1) it's awesome, and 2) with cookies, there is always a running count of how many you've eaten. With cookie dough, on the other hand, there's no way to know. I mean, who's to say that huge blob isn't how much goes into one cookie before it gets baked?

* I hate the act of swallowing pills. Sometimes I will walk past and look at my vitamins 12X and still not take them.

* I secretly hope that my 'double' in the play I'm in isn't as good as I am.

* I'm fairly certain that I could grease a car with the oil slick from my hair right now.

* I dread 3:00pm. (when the girls get home from school)

* At Stake Conference we were apparently sitting in the 'Cry Zone' and far enough back that I could barely hear the speaker... so instead of straining to listen I took Jake out to the hall to play with him. Ironically, I could hear better out there.

* I rarely read the 'fine print.'

* I turn the fan on in the bathroom to drown out whatever it is that my kids are trying to tell me through the door.

* More than once I've let the same movie play 3 times in a row because it kept the kids occupied and I could keep napping.

* I will only answer the phone (landline) if I know the phone number or I hear the separate ringtone I can assign to 30 programmable numbers. Even then, it's still 50/50 whether I'll bother.

* I have let the girls skip school because I was too tired to get up and get them there.

* I have done that (see above) more than once. In the same week.

* I make Hyrum give me kisses because he's still little enough that I CAN make him.

* There was a time before Hollywood Videos shut down that I couldn't find a single movie in there that I hadn't seen that wasn't porn, horror or rated R.

* Yesterday I fed my kid a chocolate doughnut for breakfast to keep him from squealing on me.

confession

I have found my Kryptonite. Naturally it's food, but particularly the chocolate covered cake doughnut.

W.O.W.

Combine it with a late night sorting receipts and a Taylor Lautner movie and I devoured 11 in under 24 hours.

ELEVEN.

Let's just let that sink in for a moment.

One. Two. that was good. Three. ooooh, yum. Four. I shouldn't, Five. have I already eaten Six? where did Seven go? might as well Eight. holy cow, I can't stop now Nine. are you kidding me - Ten.

...

get rid of the evidence: Eleven.

(Twelve was given away when I got busted by my 3-yr old.)

Dang. I need help.

For you, Tess

I was kindly reminded that I don't post much about my littlest buddy, Jake. Oops!

Look at those baby blues!

Looking all smart in his new suit --

"Let me outta here!" (staying waaaayyy late after church)

I love this shot--

In Rosalie fashion...

Oh, I love me my Jacob! He is such an ANGEL BABY. No joke. I take him to play practice with me. You'd think that would be a total hinderance, what with me rehearsing and costuming and playing my violin. For FOUR HOURS! Plus the 1-hour drive each way! You'd think it'd be an absolute nightmare. Nope. This kid is a complete joy. The only noises I hear from him are the happy squealing and laughing he makes as the rest of the cast goes ga-ga over him. Incredible, I tell you!

Cooking

Question: what do you do when your kitchen looks like this?

Answer: well.... most people would probably clean it. Me? Nah. Let's just make some more mess!

Today I decided to play with some whole wheat recipes:

Tried-&-true bread:

Whole-wheat brownies that, oddly, had no chocolate/cocoa in them except the choc. chips I opted to sprinkle on top. Weird, but tasty!

Half white/half whole-wheat breadsticks. Tastes fine. It lacks a little in the presentation...

Oh, and here's a random shot for you - wanna guess what it is?

Scout camp-out dinner, of course! Mark has lofty goals of getting the verrry urban boys in our ward un-citified. Yeah. Like I said, it's a lofty goal. But he sure tries! On his last scout camp-out he brought 2 live roosters with them. Why? Look back at that picture. Oh yes. He made the boys kill, pluck and cook their dinner. Personally, I think he let them off easy by cleaning & cutting them himself. But then, he had to eat it, too. So maybe that was just a smart move on his part? But it didn't stop there. Later on he boiled down the carcass and rolled out from-scratch noodles, to make a delicious chicken noodle soup. Impressive!

Here's the best part: rather than chopping their heads or wringing their necks, they SHOT the roosters. One bullet to the back of the head, execution style. You can take a boy out of the city, but...