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Ella's Birthday

Ella turned three August 23rd. She was excited to finally have her birthday and practiced holding up three fingers in anticipation of the big day. Wynn makes fun of me because I always make sure to get a good picture of the cake and table setting at every celebration - preferably without any people to block the view, but look at that cake - can you blame me?

I enjoy the mixed look of concern and enjoyment on Ella's face in the second picture - it's very much her personality.

Life Lessons

I stopped posting during the summer because I was too busy living life with my family. When school started and it seemed too overwhelming to catch up on the last three months so I still didn't write anything. Then last week our computer completely died and for a while there we thought we'd lost everything, including all our pictures, from the last three years (yes, everything is now backed up on discs - thanks Glenn!). Luckily everything wasn't lost and after three days of long hours (on Glenn's part, not mine) we have a computer again and I have learned a few things:

1. All that computer stuff you read in magazines, like be careful what you download and backup your files regularly, really are good ideas. I wonder if they really mean that stuff about identity theft?
2. I can add computers to the list of things in my privileged life that I would have a hard time living without, along with washers, cars, electricity and indoor plumbing.
3. I should write more on my blog so even if I do lose important stuff like pictures someday I will still have some record somewhere of my life.

So here I am writing on my blog to show that I learned my lesson. If only I had something more to say. Hmm. That will have to wait until another day.

What Did You Do Today?

Dangers of Being a Drama Queen

Maddy has complained about coughing for three days. Starting on Saturday she cried about aches and pains. On Sunday she could barely move and uncharacteristically fell asleep at church.

Now a smart mother would maybe put these clues together and think her darling daughter may be ill, but not this mom. I managed to be completely taken by surprise when Maddy vomited all over Aunt Rebecca's living room...and dining room...and bathroom (I tried to move fast, but my hands could only catch so much). Maddy stayed home sick from school today.

Some mothers might feel guilty about not noticing her child's illness until the fourth day, or about telling her to quit complaining and drag herself off the floor so she can get her hair done for church. But a resourceful mother can easily blame it on the fact the the child in question complains about every ache and pain so dramatically that it's hard to take her seriously. And I am above all things a resourceful mother.

Slow And Steady Wins The Race, Right?

Our family's Biggest Loser challenge this week was to time yourself walking/running for 3 miles so yesterday I put Ella in the stroller and off we went. I wasn't quite sure how long 3 miles was but made a good guess and was back, tired, in 35 minutes. Not bad, I thought to myself.

Later that day, while driving the kids to various activities, I checked my route with the odometer in the van and found it was not quite two miles. Hmm. So not only am I slow, I'm a bad judge of distance.

Rapunzel In The Making

Just to prove that Ella's hair is growing here's a picture with her little ponytails Grandma Nelson did for her. So cute, I know. Last Sunday she asked me to put ponytails and ribbons in her hair for church. While I enjoyed the novelty of someone asking to get their hair done instead of being threatened with dire punishments if they don't come Right Now to brush their hair, we were running late and it was a little inconvenient. There's just no way to win is there? Yesterday at the store a woman asked how old Ella was, then pointed out her hair was growing slowly. Really? Hadn't noticed. I just assumed she's working on her brains first.

A New Profession In Hawaii

While in Hawaii Wynn thought he'd try his hand at a new profession. Can you tell who this is? Think he could make any money? Wynn made friends with one of the paparazzi (the one with the parrot) who said he can make up to $10,000 if he sells a picture (the professional, not Wynn!). Here's the professionals at work:


It was an odd experience watching the whole celebrity/paparazzi dynamic at work. In the end I think I mostly felt sad. Sad that some people live their lives stalked by photographers, sad that some people enjoy living their lives that way, and sad that too many people make it worthwhile.

Maddy's Birthday

Maddy turned six on April 1st. This was the first year Ryan and Carter connected April Fool's Day with Maddy's birthday, as seen in this picture of the present Carter prepared for her. Even Glenn and Rebecca look a little fooled.



Maddy has been planning her birthday for many months. Unfortunately we didn't make it to Disneyland for the day, but she did have a Grandma and Grandpa in attendance. One big requirement for the day was no hair combing, so this is what she looked like:




Maddy decided to get her ears pierced for her birthday present. We headed to the mall (her favorite place to go) and she picked out these earrings because they looked like sparkly gold.



There was only one person working in the store so she had to get one ear done at a time. I was more than slightly worried we would leave the store with only one ear pierced, but the woman was fast and Maddy was brave and we accomplished what we came to do. After recovering, Maddy spent some time looking at all the dangling earring she could find.

After the mall we ate lunch at Red Robin with Grandma Nelson and Rebecca. Maddy was completely thrilled when the servers came to sing Happy Birthday to her and reveled in her surprise sundae. Then it was off to school, where the despair of her worst day of the school week (because of her dreaded computer class) was tempered by the pleasure of her mom picking her up from school.

The evening brought hamburgers for dinner, a birthday cake and finally presents and Maddy showed her usual enthusiasm for it all.
We love Maddy and she loves being six.

St.Patrick's Day

Just Ella

I know it's been too long since my last post - and I do have lots to say. I can blame it on many things - Spring Break, visitors, the computer being in the cold basement, World of Warcraft overtaking the computer (for the boys, not me). I can blame it on all these things...and I will, but in an attempt to catch up here's a short story about Ella.

One day I was tickling Ella and called her "Little Miss Piggy." Ella laughed and said, "I not a Miss Piggy. I a Holy Cow!"

Parent Pick-Up

Well, we're back from Hawaii - but more on that later.

Tonight Wynn is at work. We had dinner at Rebecca and Glenn's house, but came home promptly at 8:00 so everyone could be in bed on time. I told Maddy and Ella to go get into bed. Ella started crying because she's scared of her room. Maddy asked if she could be parent pick-up tomorrow after school. I said yes - everyone who got to bed quickly could be parent pick-up. Maddy ran to bed, Carter burst into tears. Carter doesn't want to be parent pick-up; he doesn't know how. It's easy Carter, you just go to the gym, I say. No, cries Carter, I can't do it (I'm editing here. There was a good twenty minutes of reasons why this would be impossible for him to do.). Now Ryan starts crying. Since Carter is taking so long to go to bed Ryan is missing out on his personal t.v. watching time (despite the fact he really wasn't supposed to be watching tv at all). At three kids crying I go upstairs. Ella follows, still crying, which gets her "tucked" into bed with the door locked, with an apology to Maddy who is desperately trying to fall asleep so she can be parent pick-up - her dream come true. Back downstairs where Ryan has wisely just turned on the tv, Carter is still crying. Fine, I say, just take the bus home like usual. (Increase in sobs.) But if Maddy and Ryan are parent pick-up I would be alone! (More editing) Carter, I promise I will make Ryan ride the bus home with you. I will just pick up Maddy. Carter - but what if I forget Maddy is parent pick-up and make the bus late trying to find her. Me - Carter you're smarter than that. If you don't see Maddy you will remember she is parent pick-up, or else you'll say "Where's Maddy? and Ryan will say, "Parent pick-up". Carter - "But what if I don't say it out loud?" (increase in sobbing noises). It is now 30 minutes past Carter's bedtime. I recoginize a losing battle and just walk away, send Ryan to bed and sit down at the computer to document this moment for future generations (or maybe for this generation a little in the future). Now all is quiet so I am off to check to make sure everyone is safely in their beds, appropriately covered, and ponder on that quirky bond of motherhood that made me miss all this last week. Then I'm going to bed. I think I'll need a good night's sleep to face parent pick-up tomorrow.

Sisters That Go Bump In The Night

A few weeks ago Ella had some difficult nights. She woke up three or four times a night, crying, and didn't want to sleep in her bed. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Then one night she woke up crying and woke up Maddy too. In an attempt to getting everyone back to sleep as quickly as possible Wynn told the girls to sleep on the floor in our room. As I was trying to get back to sleep I heard Maddy whisper to Ella, "Ella...Do you want to hold my hand?" pause, then "Ella, if you don't hold my hand the monsters will get you." Hmm. Mystery solved. After a stern talk with Maddy the next day on the misuse of trust and power followed by Maddy assuring Ella that monsters, ghosts and vampires are not real Ella can now sleep peacefully again. Ah, sisters.

Random Thoughts Without Pictures

Again I am having problems with pictures. I don't know who offended who (or is it whom?), but my computer won't even acknowledge the memory card when I insert it into the proper slot. So as a result here are some random non-visual thoughts today:

1. Ella doesn't like going to nursery. On Sunday I was getting her dressed and she said "I don't want to go to church. I want to go to the dentist." Really? Nursery is that bad?

2. We got our tickets for Hawaii. I'm very excited. Wynn has been planning our activities. His only concern is that I want to spend an hour at the Swap Meet. He's pretty sure this will throw off the schedule for the whole week. But other than that I think everything will be good. On a side note it took me ten minutes to spell Hawaii correctly for the spell checker.

3. We did our school Valentines last night. Seventy of them. We don't do anything fancy, because did you notice I wrote seventy of them? The kids just write names on purchased Valentines and we call it good. This year is the first year everyone wrote their own cards, so that was nice.

4. While everyone was writing, Maddy said something about a boy in her class being her enemy. Ryan pipes up and says "Yeah, Kindergarten is a jungle of social power. In fourth grade what's important is who can tell the best jokes - at least for the boys. Who knows what the girls are thinking. They're so weird even if they tell you what they're thinking you don't know."

Eight Things About Carter

I had this ready to go earlier this week - just wanted to put in a picture of Carter on his birthday. Unfortunately I got distracted between taking my memory card out of my camera and putting it into my computer and now my very tiny memory card is lost. So here's a picture of Carter, not on his birthday, and some fun things about my cute boy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARTER!

!. Carter hates to get up in the morning. I begin waking him up at 7:00 and after two or three tries he usually makes it upstairs by 7:30. Later if he didn't get enough sleep.

2. Carter likes to look at the weather in the newspaper. He will only wear his winter coat if the newspaper or thermometer show him it will be cold. He won't take my word for it that winter is a cold time of the year - he needs proof.

3. Carter likes all things Star Wars.

4. Carter likes to collect things. Rocks, pop cans, little pieces of paper, lego creations, past school work, etc. Anything can become a treasured collection. And he remembers all his things.There has been more than one crisis percipitated by the coming together of a boy who likes to collect and a father who can't abide clutter.

5. Carter is a friendly kid and he is very adaptable. He can play with older kids and younger kids. He can play "boy" games or "girl" games. The only thing he has a hard time doing is playing by himself.

6. Carter is very affectionate. He loves to gives hugs. He likes to give punches just as much, but there's usually just as much affection in both gestures.

7. Carter likes money and is good at saving to buy things.

8. Carter can act tough on the outside, but is pretty sensitive inside. He's a good kid and I love him lots!

I Think I Know

On the way home from church on Sunday Carter and Ryan were telling me about Sharing Time (they are excited to be in senior primary together for the first time this year). The teacher asked the name of our Stake President and someone said "Barrack Obama!" Ryan and Carter thought this was hilarious. Then I overheard what Carter said to Ryan: "And he said it like he really meant it- how embarrassing. That's why I never answer like I think my answer is right, just in case it isn't." Then he demonstrated his hesitant answer technique.

I thought this was funny and very Carter - tough on the outside, but very aware of other people's opinions on the inside. Then I wondered if I should be worried about this? I don't know.

Recess: the Kindergarten Years

I think I should have a new category devoted to "Maddy Moments"- since they seem to happen so regularly...

Yesterday Maddy came home from school and told me about recess that day. She said she was chased by some boys, but she ran away and then her friend gave her a makeover (her words). Sometimes she talks to me and I have serious fear about her teenage years.

Blessings

I got this for Christmas it's been fun to listen to middle of my January gloom. The girls like dancing around to the music too - Ella calls it the "Mommy Mia" music, which I think is really funny for some reason.

Anyway...there's one song that always makes me sad "Slipping Through My Fingers"

Slipping Through My Fingers lyrics

Schoolbag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile
I watch her go with a surge of that well-known sadness
And I have to sit down for a while
The feeling that I'm losing her forever
And without really entering her world
I'm glad whenever I can share her laughter
That funny little girl

Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see whats in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time

Sleep in our eyes, her and me at the breakfast table
Barely awake, I let precious time go by
Then when shes gone there's that odd melancholy feeling
And a sense of guilt I cant deny
What happened to the wonderful adventures
The places I had planned for us to go
(slipping through my fingers all the time)
Well, some of that we did but most we didn't
And why I just don't know

Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see whats in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time

Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time
Slipping through my fingers...

Slipping through my fingers all the time

Schoolbag in hand she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile...

Every mother knows the conundrum of time - how it can go by so fast and slow at the same time. It seems like you spend all day with a two year glued to your side, just wishing for a few moments to yourself only to turn around and find the two year old is now ten and doesn't need you around much anymore and you just wish he could spend a little more time with you. I do spend lots of time with my children and try to remember what's the best use of my time, but still I find myself often worrying about the things I didn't do, the memories I didn't make, the things I didn't teach.

A few years ago in General Conference Elder Richard H. Winkel gave this talk about eternal families and this thought still gives me comfort:

"I'm one of those parents who ofttimes wishes he could go back and do some things over.

Like you, I don't want to lose any of my children. I want to be together forever with all of my family. The temple gives all of us extra hope of continuing and improving these relationships, even after this life. Sealings bestowed in the temple promise additional blessings."

I've always understood that relationships sealed in the temple can continue beyond this life, but I had never thought about them improving. I feel a little less pressure to do everything now. If somethings don't get done now I have time to do it later and I still have eternity to continue to get to know, love and enjoy those I'm working on knowing, loving and enjoying now.

So my blessing for this week is the blessing of eternity.

Reverent Carter

In an attempt to achieve an easier transition between Sacrament meeting and class time our ward began singing a hymn after the closing prayer while the teachers leave to set up their classrooms. To help with this transition time our primary assigns two children to stand at the front with their arms folded to be "Reverence Children" while we sing the song.

This Sunday was Carter's turn to be the "Reverence Child." He was not very excited about this honor, but to his credit he got up and walked to the front without too much coaxing. I have never seen reverence look so painful. I really wished I could take a picture - picture in your mind a tall almost-eight-year-old boy who doesn't want to be there standing next to a grinning four-year-old girl who can barely see over the wall and facing the entire ward. You could tell he didn't want to be there, but was trying to be good. It was funny and sweet all at the same time. I can hardly wait to see Ryan do it!

Snow Fun

Yeah! I finally got pictures to load. So here are some from before Christmas on one of our snow days when we all went outside to build snow piles (it wouldn't stick together to make a snowman) and have a snow fight. This is the first year I bought boots and snow pants so I feel good that we actually went outside and used them. And just so you know - the snow is all gone now and it's back to brown and gloomy.

A Good Day

Last Sunday I was talking with Carter about his upcoming baptism. I asked him if he knew all the things he needed to know to be baptized and he said yes. I asked if he believed in God and Jesus Christ and he said sure. I asked if he believed Joseph Smith was a prophet and he gave me his mischivious Carter grin and said, "On a good day."

January

I've been very lazy about blogging lately. I can't get my pictures to load right, which makes posting about pictures less effective, but mostly I think my problem is January. I never feel like doing much in January. In fact I prefer not to even leave the house. (I do continue to shower and get dressed everyday so I'm not completely crazy!) Anyway, that's January for me.

I do have a Maddy moment to share. Yesterday she was supposed to tell about her family in Primary. I was trying to help her figure out what to say so I asked her what kind of things her family liked to do. Her reply? "The kids play by themselves or read while Mom does the laundry and Dad goes to work." Lovely Maddy, lovely.

Happy Birthday