Hidy - Ho

I love our Christmas tree, I love presents, I can't wait to start my Christmas cards... I keep forgeting. I am making gifts that I enjoy making but the receiver will probably wonder what I was thinking! I love Christmas music, Nat King Cole, Celtic Christmas, Loreena McKinnett, John Denver... even good ol' Garth Brooks (a gift from my rez teaching days). Love it. I can't wait to start my neighbor goodie plates... they are going to be extravagant I tell you! Might I just add that I am so glad not to be working. Sorry... Even the humiliation I suffer at the WIC office can't make me wish I was teaching.

Last night we had to go back to the church for a practice for the Christmas program. I feel it sheer craziness to go back to the church after one has been able to leave once on Sunday. We had to wake the babies, find shoes and socks AGAIN, it is the day of rest for Pete's sake. ( You know, I think of Pete Black every time I type that.) So, at the church I am exhausted and the Branch Pres's wife acts like I am over the top. So, I start processing... Why am I tired? Well, I am getting sick (although I am still holding it off pretty well with "Airborn")... but that dind't phase her. She told me I was just like her sister that was always complaining, tired, she is super fat, hates children and had three kids, teaches school and complains about it. I was feeling pretty uncomfortable by then and had to beg my leave. I do sound like her... But I am still tired.

Here is a shout out to all family members. I need pictures for the calendar! Email or mail a CD would be genial. I like to throw in Spanish words for a little spice. Also, you might not catch my spelling issues because you may think it is probably a Spanish word. : )

Apparently Pinochet is dead. Maybe Mom can teach him the gospel. Wouldn't it be just his luck to repent and not have to suffer endless torment for all of the disgusting things he did.

Speaking of disgusting, I am still lamenting Mel Gibson making "Apocalypto." I wish he had made it PG because I think I would have loved it. Especially in lengua... in a Mayan language. Too bad ...

Happy anniversary Jan! Too bad she never reads my blog to see the good wishes.

Love to all! Merry Christmas!

Julie

Howdy!

A few highlights of my life since Thanksgiving:

... I went visiting teaching on the last day of November (shocking). All of my cats were playing with her kids and we were chatting. I could hear a muffled, "Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom," coming from somewhere behind a closed door. My subconcious listened for awhile before I realised it was B and he was probably calling from the bathroom for a "wipe." To my horor I found that he had already gone "number two" in his pants. I'll let you imagine how great the clean up was etc.

... Same visit, the lady gave Sarah a dress up Cinderella outfit. S was tired so she screamed and cried about the velcro scratching her, the waist line not laying quite right, the skirt poofing out too much and many other disasters. We had to drag her out of there kicking and screaming. That, my friends, is how you invite the Spirit as you do your VT.

.... S had some problems with constipation. She sat on the toilet for about 20 minutes-ish and then starting calling to me. "Mo-om! Sarah can't stinky!" I went in to find her in pain and crying. I am so glad Susan taught me about the exsistance of baby suppositories... I stuck one right in. S clung to me crying. "What happening? What happening Sarah?" It was so sad! She was in pain and so confused. "What happening Sarah stinky?" When she finally went she exlaimed, "I did it!!" Lets all drink a little more water and eat more fruit and veggies. Talk about mothering guilt... if only.

... Great times were had at the Treehouse. One night we went and learned about Hannakah (sp? Guess I didn't learn quite enough) They gave us all Dredels and B memorized what all of the Hebrew symbols meant for the game. Brilliant, brilliant child. We also went another day for cookies and milk with Santa. !Que vive el Treehouse! Love it...

... I had a WIC appointment at 9 AM and I actually got there in time... only to find that I had brought papers from October instead of December. I started crying. They made me reschedule. I told them that I was really greatful for the services they were providing but it was so hard for me to get there! They have complained about me having such a big family and they won't certify all four kids at the same visit. So, they have me going in almost every month... OK, every other month... It is hard being poor white trash sometimes, especially when I get treated like poor white trash while recognising that I am. Any who, the good news is because of the scandal, I now get to certify all of my cats at the same time and will have to go in only twice in six months instead of three times in six months. Actually, I have always had to do a follow up one month later because L is too small and they want to make sure I am feeding her. So, sometimes I do go in every month!

....Let me just state once again that I am so greatful to be home with my crazy cats.

... R and L have discovered that canned goods on my Lazy Susan (no offense). Bad news. Yes, I have had a can of tomatoes dropped on my toes. (Yet another argument for wearing steel toe boots in the kitchen).

... The lady I "released" from VT came to me to ask if she can do visits. She told me that her VT should be "released" because they haven't visited her for over a year. I kept my mouth shut even though I know she makes appointments and then will leave home. I even went to one when she wasn't there. So... I tell her that we would love to have her do visits and that I had been thinking about putting her with fulana. She immediately starts telling me that she doesn't have time to visit so do not give her more than two sisters. Are you kidding me? "Get out of my face!" I yell, shoving her to the ground right in the foyer of the church. Her dress flies up, covering her face. A gasp runs through the crowd of members gossiping after meetings.... The natural man is an enemy to God... I actually just smiled and nodded.

.... A guy who completely depends on the church (disclaimer: as far as I know... rent, food, furniture) has accused the recent converts he is renting a room from of taking advantage of the Welfare system. They have had a couple of food orders since her open heart surgery. He also pointed out that he hasn't seem them pray or study the scriptures. Is that what I sound like when I judge? I am afraid so...

... We are making felt stocking for enrichment. It hurts me, I actually burned my fingers when I reached out to touch the felt with sequin embroidery. The good news is that an inactive sister is teaching us. : ) I will be stiching one for all of you!

... My husband is excited because now he knows I can make money typing on the computer, because I love it so much.... Secretly he means, "Get off the computer, wench!"

Love ya tons!

Time:
I don't have time...
I didn't catch the investigator that visited church yesterday to meet her. I didn't talk to the sister who felt her baby move for the first time.. I didn't have time to talk to the Pres. and ask where we were with callings and meetings. I didn't even find the missionaries in time to give them their list of eating sites for the week. No time I tell you.

When I say I don't have time for me, I am not referring to sitting down to eat my bon-bons (are those even a real treat any more?). I mean I don't have time to go to the bathroom. For me to escape to empty my bladder before I pee my pants, I must leave someone crying, dirty, hungry... or like last night... someone (R) sitting on someone elses head (that would be L). I'm telling you I had to run.

No time to do my hair or make-up or get dressed. Don't worry though, I do steal time from my children to do these things. At least I am not walking around naked.

I can't put my finger on what has changed this last week, but life is getting busier! The girls, all three, are the biggest mess-makers in the universe. Combined they are like a tornado. It is all I can do to follow them around taking care of toys, blankets, underwear, wipes, diapers, clothes, canned goods, pencils (a favorite of Rachel's), paper, books, sheets. You name it, they are into it.

I am so glad to have B back from Vegas, he is such a big help!

Almost time for Thankgiving... ooo-oooo Can't wait to see everyone.

TTFN (flashback!)
Ciao

Today is Great!
Today is already shaping up to be a great day. I went walking in the morning, we walk three miles. I have already vaccumed and washed dishes and I made eggs for breakfast. Something about cooking breadfast makes me feel like a better mom than just giving them cereal.
The cats are all bathed and clean and the girls might go to sleep. Yipee!
I changed my blog to accept anonymous comments and now Steve can leave comments. Hurray!
Don't forget to be good citizens and get out and vote!
Love ya!

OK... I did bad things yesterday.... I made a lady (McCroby) want to leave the branch. And I was abrupt with negative lady yet again.

So, I taught the lesson yesterday. We were told to teach the lesson on faith and follow the outline given at the workshops right before conference. I felt strongly that I should emphasize that faith leads to action. At the end of the class I mentioned following the counsel of our leaders, just because they are our leaders. Having faith that they were called to lead us... I also gave everyone enough cards to write to the ladies they visit teach and asked them to mail a little note today. (Our number of visits have been very low... 18 out of 40 low)

Separately... Hna. McCroby (M) was released from the YW, is feeling a little sad... and refuses to come to RS. She also never does her visits and "tricks" her companion... saying that she will on this day, at this time, but never shows up. She also begs them not to go without her because she promises she will be able to next week, etc. Sunday I see her in the hall doing "secret combinations" (that's what Ana calls them) with GN during Sunday School. They are both notorious for talking and crying in the halls and missing SS and RS. Week after week after week. I never see M... and GN comes about once a month. So.... I am friendly and kind and tell M how much we miss her and I hope she will come to RS today. I am smiling, kissing, kind, kind, kind. M starts telling me how she has the hardest time doing her visits because she never has time... I jump in and tell her that I have great news. She can take a little break and not do visits for a few months (I had actually given her companion a new sister not even 2 hours before).
She was worried saying that they wouldn't give her a temple reccomend if I took away her assignment (??)... but I reassured her that she could just take a break for a while. I left her smiling and content... or so I thought.

After church M was seen in secret combinations with Hna. Huerta... another lady always angry with me... and then ... Hno. M went into my husband, very angry and said something like I have no right releasing her from her calling as a Visiting Teacher. They have stripped his wife from all of her callings and they are leaving the branch. They also talked to a counselor in the Branch Presidency ( who just happens to be Silvina's husband... yes she is still maddish at me) and apparently he went to the Branch Pres. and told him I had no right yaddah yaddah... I just had to laugh. Who knew I could cause so much damage smiling and showering kindness.

I think it was the class that threw her over the edge. Following your leaders and doing your visits. Sorry, Charlie... 1 Ne 16:2

Now to negative lady... last Wed. she complained about the way we were tying the quilt. Saying I should have asked her how to do it before we started. She, however, has never tied a quilt before in her life. Grrrr. Yesterday my counselor asked her to help lead the music. We bought the CD's to play in the background (we have no piano player or anyone to lead the music). The first hymn, "Todos los santos" (something like All of the Saints in English...?) she complained about, out loud, while walking up to lead... "No one knows this hymn, Why did you choose it?" I made it through with no comment. Counselor turns on CD and we sing. At the end of class she starts up again, but worse!

Lead Kindly Light was the hymn.. It is my favorite and we sing it all of the time, enough that I feel guilty. I even chose it as a practice hymn that we sang a few times before going to SS after sacrament meeting. She comes up saying, "Who is choosing these hymns?! (that would be me) Nobody knows this hymn, we have never even practiced it!" Talk about killing the Spirit....

My counselor tries to be nice and says,"We chose the hymns because they talk about faith."

I had had enough! I jumped up and said, "I'll do it!" and she handed me her hymn book and two seconds later I was singing. Then I looked down at her sitting there all sad and not singing. I felt stupid. But not stupid enough not to type this all out, apparently.

So, I must say I feel guilty thinking about how much time people are going to waste trying to read this. It is so long and so not important. You should all be doing something much more important! I am so sorry... not really... you know I can't even type a lie. I love blogging and I love reading your blogs!

Love ya!

I'm Back....

I didn't even go anywhere, except for in my brain. Halloween was glorious. ("Is it Christmas now Mom?" asks Brigham... ) I let the kids dress up for a couple of weeks. It freaks E out, so I bought $5 dress up clothes at Family Dollar. Superman and Snow "Wipe" have been spotted in my house often. As well as a tiger, duck, Sleeping Beauty and two Cinderellas. Saturday the Treehouse had an "Enchanted Woods" that was fun. We helped Dorothy prove that "ding, dong the witch is dead," and we met many princesses and fairy tale characters. Then Monday the Treehouse had a Pumpkin Party for toddlers. Pumpkin painting, storytelling, singing, etc. Fun, fun, fun...

The Trunk-or-Treat was last night and we Trick-or-Treated at Walmart. Who knew... we just went in to buy milk and found out that there were 10-ish stations around the store. They didn't skimp on their candy either. We got some great stuff.

At home we only went to one house, our neighbor made special bags for our kids with pencils, necklaces, erasers... so sweet! The worst was he asked if I was going to "Boo" them... he wanted to do it but couldn't remember the poem. Just great... I tried to "Boo" a couple of times, made treats and everything. But I didn't ever get the poem printed off of the computer. Grrrr.. and they had been waiting for it. How embarrassing. Next year.

We gave most of B and S's candy away to the Trick-or-Treaters who came to our house. B loves handing it out and then we don't have to worry about being on candy patrol. I, of course, kept all of the "good stuff." E and I both have our stashes. No need to worry out there. B and S eat way more candy than they need to.. and B is so good at finding my stashes.

B is watching the Wonder Pets... he just reround a part for me to watch... it was Lenny, Tuck and Ming Ming doing the Hula. Ming Ming was wearing coconuts you know where and B couldn't stop laughing. He said, "Mom, I wish you had coconut garments!" : )

Let's see if I can take care of this "Ticee tagging" thing. Five things about me that you don't know.
1. Anytime I have things with a variety of colors (crayons, candies,etc.) I must organize them into the spectrum. It makes me wild if the red is by the blue. Therefore you can see my sorrow that the rainbow has been used in ways that I don't like. Susan, however, has reminded me that we know that the rainbow is the sign of the covenant Heavenly Father made with Noah. You have got to love the spectrum of light!

2. I have a weakness for stamps. I have collected stamps all of my life... usually tearing them off of letters. But, if I go into the post office I know that if I see stamps I will buy them. The Postmaster in Brigham really had my number because he would just start pulling sheet after sheet out of the drawer and I would buy them all. I love STAMPS!

3. This one is something I really need to change. I feel guilty that I have such a great husband and such cute kids that it is hard for me to "brag" on them. I don't want others to feel bad. In the end I will hurt their self esteems.. I am working on bragging about them. The members of my family are all so attractive. : )

4. I aready came out of the closet on my stamp weakness... I also have a weakness for stationary and cards. Sitting here at the computer I can see 11 separate boxes of different cards. You will all be receiving a card from me soon. ( I am seeing a pattern here. Don't forget my freakyness about needing to buy every Chevron car, still collecting PEZ dispensers, I also love cute notebooks... boy oh boy)

5. I contribute eveything to the Spirit. I made Ticee laugh when I told her the Spirit would help her scrapbook. The Spirit helps me with everything! I owe that to Dad, he has always been a great listener of the Spirit.

OK... now I tag Steve, Alicia, Ana and Chiquis. You must share 5 unique, weird, or crazy things about yourself!

Love ya so much!

Coro del Tesoro

It is finally here! Tonight is our big dress rehersal for the final program tomorrow. My greatest wish is for someone to be able to go with me tonight and record the program.... but I don't have anyone. I can't see the program because from my seat in the choir, a pyramid blocks most of the dancing... as does the stage. Bummer.

The spirit of the program is amazing and so right up my allie, ally, alley. ( I like the last one best). The whole program is based on the traditions/beliefs in a Dios Blanco (White God). It talks about the Samoan islands, the Native Americans, the Maya, the Aztecs... There is dancing from all of the above in addition to Peru, Mexico, Brazil, Nicaragua and more! We sing some very fun songs...

Towards the end it talks about the Book of Mormon and how it identifies the Dios Blanco as Jesus Christ. We get to sing "From Cumorah's Hill, It is the Christ? ("El Cristo Es") and "We Will Shine". The program ends with such an amazing spirit. I am so excited to be a part of it.

I just wish my husband didn't hate it so much. He just finds the whole thing annoying. Then I have to see other husbands coming and filming their wives. Granted, their children are grown... but it still makes me jealous. It takes me back...

Last night we had a devotional before practicing. The guy talked about representing our families, our parents, grandparents etc... "Listen, and you will hear your loved ones who have passed on singing with you." I, of course, was quite teary... remembering how much Mom loved to sing, the "Chauntanettes" in Orem, going to choir practice with her since I was like 11 years old. Craziness, a 11 year old alto. I remember that after she died people would pick me up so I could keep going to choir practice. That was charity, the pure love of Christ.

Any who, I tried to tell Ana about it ( she missed the devotional). She mentioned that our loved ones would be singing on key. It really is funny singing in a mass of wrong notes, flat notes, and who knows what... But many seem to have enough faith to make it sound great. : )

One more sad thing... In the devotional he talked about becoming one pueblo in Christ. We mentioned all of the countries represented by the 1000 or so people in the production... all of Central and South America are represented as well as Spain, Portugal, Angola... Like 20 different countries! It really is amazing how the gospel brings us all together.

I was super sad to remember what I had read earlier about Escondido, CA passing a law making it illegal to rent to illegal immigrants. Thank goodness we can rent to drug dealers, drug makers, pedifiles, rapists, peeping Toms, burglerers, ex-cons, runaways, abusive parents, dead-beat dads... but keep us safe, please from those scary illegals! I guess people fear what they don't understand.

I am off to straighten my hair for tonight! Love ya!

Headache

I have a headache... hence the title. I am sure that it will go away as soon as I drink a little water.

Today a girl from our ward spent the day with us. She is 13 and just as sweet as can be. Her mom is out of town and her dad had to work, so she chose craziness over solitude.

I so remember Susan saying she would give anything to switch places with me just so she could be alone. That was eight years ago. I would cry and think she had no idea what she was talking about. Now, I would love to have one day alone. Can you imagine? What would I do? Read? Scrapbook? Window shop? Geneology? I would probably sleep... Good thing I have much to keep me busy.

We went to the Dinosaur Park today. The people who help us have no idea how wonderful it is to have just one more pair of hands. She helped me so much it was great. Then, after everyone had eaten and was down for a nap she cleaned up and swept my floor. I wanted to kiss her feet... but I just said thank you instead.

R showed her brilliance again today. When she saw the Dino Park, she totally said dinosaur. You go girl! And she has been "walking" for a few days now. Just first steps stuff... but it is coming!

Best news. I went to the Post Office and left the kids in the car with the wondergirl who spent the day with us. Dreamy. Just getting out of the car and walking directly away towards the Post Office. No stroller, no car seats, no jackets, no fighting... just walking and entering. Lovely. I know you can't appreciate it as much as I do... but some of you out there have an idea. I mailed Time Wise to DiAnn... the lady asked if there were any liquids. I am still feeling guilty about the last time I mailed moisturizer at the 24 hour machine thing and I lied. We all know that moisturizer is not a solid, gas or plasma. It is most definitely a liquid. So, I asked the lady if moisturizer was a liquid and she justed shushed me and said no, no, no. Now she is feeling the guilt and not me. : )

I also mailed Pampered Chef to Ticee. I couldn't take the guilt even one more day. You see, she is awaiting her egg seperator... I bought one too. I used it this morning making pancakes, thanks to Susan for the recipe. The egg separator has a little indent where it can sit on the bowl all by itself as you crack the egg into it! I enjoyed using it so much this morning that I could not cheat Ticee from that experience even on more day. Hopefully she gets it soon and makes a big Pavlova. Yummy!

Ana is home from Mexico. Hurray! I pretty much need to talk to her everyday. When we don't walk, I really miss it! DiAnn... Ana went to the same place you did in Cancun... Ixcaret... She loved it, too. I can't wait till I get to see a real sea manatee... Ana also swimmed/played with the dolphins. She got to give them many commands and they obeyed! Dolphins are so smart. Do you remember that B (my son) used to speak Dolphin when he was only a couple of months old?

Love you all!!

Blogging:

The exact second I started to type, Leah cried. She is apparently waking up from her nap. I am always so confused as to why I don't feel like I get anything done... more like I can't get caught up. I honestly don't know if it is because I am a lazy daisy or if it is impossible. It could be that the number of my chores is increasing logrithmically (sp?) and I will never be "caught up." I will, however, let L cry for a moment and blog.

I must say that the sheer beauty of my children brings me joy. As soon as the Target pictures are on line, I will send a link to all. We bought them all Asian outfits which are to die for... and B really looks like a knight in shinging armor protecting beautiful princesas. We are all a little excited for Halloween.

I wonder if Silvina will invite us to the Golden West Halloween party. We have gone for the last three years and I love it. It is a carnival for all of the kids of the employees... but Silvina has taken us. I should have thought about that before last Sunday. She came in at the end of RS and asked if she could make an announcement... I asked her if it was nice. Not going to be a fond memory for her, I am sure. Then, after choir, I was so anxious to get home. Our director always has much to say at the end.. we didn't get out until like 9:15 or 9:18... then I had a long wait for those in the car pool... and I was very distraught about the news that we would have to be there Saturday from 9-12 am and again at 4 pm for a complete run through, which might take like three or four hours... Anywho, I wanted to get home to my cats and some car was just stopped behind me in the parking garage. I couldn't pull out! The Audi is so loud anyway... I revved it and backed up a little, then a little more and then a little more. Getting louder each time. Then the car honked at me. Out loud I said, "I know you are there, I want you to move so I can get out."

A girl that rides with me says, "Oh, that's Silvina. She is talking to someone." Bummer... The good news is that they were struck with the fear of the Audi. Actually, they probably couldn't hear each other over my engine... and they moved.

Question. Was I ever nice? Is the kinder, gentler Julie in the past or in the future? It seems that I am on quite a short fuse. Bummer.

A lady in the branch had triple by-pass surgery. I get light headed thinking about her. She has me worried. Last week she got a blood clot in her leg. She told me about it like it was no big deal. She is wearing those support hoses and putting her leg up. I was freaking out inside about strokes and death. Sister Nielson, DiAnn, Dad... (I guess I should qualify.. Sis Nielson would be the death by blood clot traveling to lungs, Dad would be the stroke and DiAnn would be the good ending of blood clot in leg but no death or stroke.) So, I hope she will be OK... they are a little old couple and they have only been members for a little over a year. I have no recollection of their baptism so it must have been around the time the twins were born. Life... Hmmmm...

Leah is quite now. Does anyone else ever wonder if the slats in the crib are close enough together to keep her safe?

S threw her tantrum today because I flushed the toilet after I wiped her. She started chanting, "No! No! No, no... that my stinky, my stinky!" She then cried for 10 minutes straight. Refusing to put on underwear or a diaper or pants... or go potty again... or just flush water... or wash her hands. It was long... but we got past it. or it passed...

Oopsy, E is home. He is wondering why L is crying and I am typing. I'm not quite sure why...

Wonderful news! Jodi started writing her blog called the "Wheat Beat" which is a super catchy name. Ticee also decided to show us all how its done and you have got to check out her scrapbook pages. She is so honest in her journaling, which we all know I love. So, the links are over in the sidebar. Must reads.

I haven't written for a week! Life just takes up all of my time. Right now as a matter of fact, B and S are starving, looking for food in the pantry. S just spilled the chips on the floor and they are grazing off of the floor in the pantry. That is what a girl has to do to get amoment to herself. Let children graze.

I set traps for a would be boogie man that might want to come in through our door in the kitchen. I put the chairs in "his" way... then I put this toy, that always scares me, in front of the door. It makes music when you play with or push it... but somehow it turns on by itself when you get close to it and starts playing its little song. It has made me jump many a sleepy night when I am turning off lights to go to bed. That would show "him." If only a boogie-man would come in barefoot, then all I would have to do is leave out Legos or GI Joe guys. That would send anyone running (more like hopping or limping). They hurt!

By the way, we are very safe and absolutely nothing has happened to us or our belongings. And I only set traps for a few nights.

Potty Humor
Warning! The following is "Potty Talk" and is not appropriate for any age. The other day I respond to the shouts of, "I need a wipe!" by rushing up the stairs and into my bathroom. Only to step into something wet with my bare feet. Eew... and it is yellow! Then I see little drops of yellow liquid on B's leg and I ask him what happened. He begins to explain how he hates his potty thing (no, I haven't taught him the anatomically correct names of all of his body parts). His potty thing (as he calls it... poor kid) went crazy and shot potty all over the place, and he doesn't want it anymore.
"Well, what are you going to do with it?" I ask.
"Well, maybe I will keep it if it will just point down and shoot into the potty." (You can see how important the word potty is in out home.

I don't know how we would communicate with out it.) So, B has decided to keep his potty thing...

Although, he wet his pants on Saturday. E asked him why and B replied that he was in the bathroom trying to get his pants down, but the potty just came out so fast, as fast as a NASCAR. Finally I saw E laugh at potty humor. It is hard at times to find humor in the "house of urine." I am sure that when you enter my home, you can tell that here lives a boy who pees all of the time and everywhere. He has been potty trained for two and a half years. Hmmm.

My husband was so funny. Right before praying last night we were talking about work and he mentioned a name I have never heard. So, I asked who it was etc. He tells me that it is some Navajo guy. "What! Why didn't you tell me? What is his full name? Where does he live? Where is he from? How old is he?"

So... E says, "I don't know if he is Navajo or Ute but he is from some place like Mon-ti...Creek... something like that." So then I realize that he is messing with me, but I never know how much. He just knows me too well, he loves to torture me by never telling me all of the exact details. All who love to tease/torture (like my brothers-in-law who can no longer make me cry... maybe) all of "those" can see the beauty in my husbands actions. He is pretty funny. But I want to know who that guy is!

Today I must take the kids to get pictures at Target. By myself! Yes, we are doing an outfit change. Pray for me!

My husband scared me last night. He was standing at our bedroom door when he froze, staring downstairs. I asked him what he could see and he signaled me to be quiet. He then went downstairs to look out the window. He told me that he had heard someone trying to open our front door. Oooooooo, Spooky.... So I prayed and prayed that we would be protected and safe... and we were. I would like to talk to our neighbor, the detective. Just because.

B is in this stage of saying the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over. I do not know where he gets it from, from , from, from, from....

Ana and I are still walking in the mornings. It has been chilly but realitivly nice this week. I think of Janett and Georgette braving any type of weather and extreme darkness, not to mention lack of sleep. What brave souls!

I feel like I should just mention that I love my kids and I think they are cuties. R, my little scientist, is at the moment amazed by a PEZ dispenser. L is distraught because she has hit her head twice on the computer desk. She, of course, is howling. Oh wait, she is done now... she found a coupon treasure to bring me. S and B are up brushing their teeth... I just heard B say, "That's mine Sarah, its for boys."

Then a shout, "NO BOYS!" From S of course.

Well, we are actually going to try an outing. Wish me luck!

Positive mixed with the Negative

What an interesting weekend! We had tickets to the RS broadcast. Our ladies kept changing their minds about going. One lady signed up to drive and take 4 others, but ended up throwing a surprise party for her daughter (-). Luckily the four others didn't show up either (+).

We met at the stake center at 3 pm and the meeting didn't start until 6pm. Even I thought it was early (-), but with the crowds, parking, walking, ticket showing, meeting people to give them their tickets etc. ... we only had like 15 minutes of sitting time (+). One sister complained about her peanuts in the snack bags that the stake made 220 of (-), she complained that our seats were on the side and not in the middle (-), she complained about our parking spot (-), that I had to walk a block extra to meet someone (-), that we had to go down so many stairs to get to our seat (-), that her back would hurt from sitting for too long (-), .... after that I stopped listening to her. But the meeting was so great (+) and we saw and listened to the Prophet (+!)! It was so worth taking even her.

A funny thing happened while we were sitting there. One sister brought her camera in even though they are prohibited (-), free agency (+)... then she asked me to take a picture for her! I felt like a teen when my date took me to the movie theater in BlanJuan and there was only one movie showing and it was rated R (-)... so uncomfortable! I just started saying, "No, no, no, no... I just couldn't take a picture for you."
"Why not?"
"Because it is prohibited, and I just can't."

It would be so nice not to be put in those awkward situations!

Sunday choir practice was in the Assembly Hall... one more in a chapel then all of the rest are in the Conference Center! OOO-ooo, exciting. We had a great practice (+) except for being in a sea of altos that can't read music and were not singing the alto part 75 % of the time. Ana kept me on track though. She had a fiesty sitting next to her. Fiesty lady started tellling Ana that she was not singing the right notes. Ana tried to show her the notes on the page but nothing doing. Fiesty was sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was right. She would not leave Ana alone. I almost had to fight her. I kept telling Ana not to talk to her, kind of Jr. Highish I admit. So many bosses.

After singing we had a fireside about Quetzalcoatl. How could anything be more beautiful? I was in heaven.

My children have taken apart the couch and are jumping on and off of it. I am so tired! They behave until I want to do something... like blog, or eat, or go to the bathroom. They require constant, and I mean 60/24 (60 minutes and hour, 24 hours a day) attention. I am going to go CRAZY!

Well, I must go clean up the puzzle off of the kitchen floor, put the couch back together, pick up the things B just knocked off of the shelves and clean up the toys scattered everywhere. I vaccumed @ 10:30 this morning and it was spottless. No one would ever guess that now.... What about dinner, dishes, shopping, laundry, bathrooms...

I need a routine.

Love to all!

It has been a rough week. We have been trapped indoors everyday. The kids haven't gone out to play because it has been cold and rainy. I haven't had the guts to go out because of some bad experiences a week ago. S can throw some very humiliating fits in public when she is tired. We didn't even go to the Treehouse. I really need to get on the ball. Maybe going to the meeting tonight will spark a little something and get me going. I could certainly use a blast of the Spirit.

When S is with me, she must wear underwear. She has done very well with minimal accidents. When E is home he gets S to wear a diaper. So, all of the child psychologists out there who are dying to tell me that if I want her potty trained we can't change back and forth... I have decided that I might as well not fight with my husbando. She is only two and I feel certain she will be potty trained someday. So, whatever.... I do get tired of arguing. It just doesn't seem worth it.

B, all of the sudden, loves Pokemon, which annoys me greatly. He sings some sort of Pokemon song, throws pretend balls around that open, talks to Picachu and who knows who else. It is all very disturbing to me. Can't he just like Dora and Diego forever? B also loves Power Rangers... weird.

S is still a Princess freak... enough said.

R and L love dogs. They fight over a puppy book Susan gave us. They also love cats and both have their unique but precious way of saying "Meow". Love it!

Ciao

Babies
I'm amazed at all of the different emotions women get to experience because of babies.
Sometimes a baby is so saught/sawt (I really want to use that word... but how on earth do you spell it? I blame my scientific mind for my lack of spelling ability. You wouldn't believe the vocabulary I have in my brain... I just can't make use of it because of a spelling disablility)... anywho, you want a baby so bad that you cry every month when you are not pregnant. You go to the doctor and have to be naked (I hate that!) for ultrasounds and ovary probes. You take fertility pills and suffer through hot flashes, cold sweats, mood swings (mood tsunamis). And you make your husbands suffer through a variety of tests that they didn't even know existed and they will never mention again (pretending that they don't exist). Then one day, you are pregnant!

Some don't want to have babies and do everything humanly/medicinally possible not to have a baby. Sometimes they get pregnant anyway.

Some think they won't get pregnant and do nothing... and they get pregnant with twins and cry for 9 months or a year.

Some think they don't want any more, but they really do. They don't know whether to get pregnant or not... mostly they don't want to suffer the wrath of a husband.

Some teeny boppers get pregnant and won't give their babies up for adoption. Then it is the baby that suffers (and their teachers that try to teach them in public schools).

Babies.... my babies are so beautiful. I can't imagine our family without them. Our oldest son who is already the protector. Fiesty girl who just might be potty training herself today. She insisted on underwear, has gone on the Dora potty four times and hasn't had an accident yet. Dramatic girl who has cried more in her short life than many 25 year olds... but steals the hearts of many with her curls and blue eyes.... and last but not least Felicidad girl... she laughs at everything, but get her mad and watch out! She is, as a matter of fact, yelling/crying out from her crib right now. I must go rescue her because apparently she is done with her nap.

Toodles!

May all who desire a baby get pregnant,
those who don't ... may you stay unpregnant...
and may your husbands, just this once, not have a different opinion

So many things...

We were at Walmart. Ana helped me go with all of the cats and we were in and out in record time. For her it probably took forever, but it was less than an hour I think. I usually spend a couple of hours wandering around wondering what I need. Before we left the house I had made a menu and a shopping list. So the shopping trip was as smooth as butter.

Brigham saw some underwear and started begging for new underwear. So we started to bargain about him not wearing diapers anymore at night (price: $14.00/three weeks). If he would not pee in the bed at night we would buy him new underwear (price$3.68/package of three). I had tried this same technique a year ago, but B acted like it was the first time he had ever heard it. We narrowed down the choices to Scooby Doo and Power Rangers (the results of letting a "devil" into our home in the form of TV). He chose Power Rangers. He had to carry them around the store in his own hands... at one point he said, "Mom, my heart is beating front and back because I am getting Power Ranger underwear." How cute is that!

B also noticed boxers and started asking many questions like, "If I wear shorts for underwear, then do I have to wear other shorts too?"

Friday we went to a fiesta in SL for Hondurans. It was fun for quite a while. They had a "show" of dancers and two couples were so good... they danced the fox trot, samba, tango and cha, cha, cha. As on couple was gliding around the room S started yelling, "Princesa, princesa!" I think S needs to be a ballroom dancer, it was so beautiful to watch. After the food and the show came dancing. The music had been too loud the whole time and I couldn't believe that it got even louder. That was when things started falling apart. B wanted to play on the stage and I said no.... while I went to the bathroom B asked his papa who put him on the stage. Kids were running around hanging on the curtains and making me crazy... very uncomfortable at the least. So, E and I start to argue... S must join B on the stage.... babies start crying... everyone is sleeping. S got mad when we took her off the stage and she just tore out of the room crying. I tried to follow and she just ran blindly down dark hallways... anything to show me she is boss. She is a fiesty cat!
Anywho, soon all children were strapped in car seats watching a movie and E went back into the party to see if he knew anyone. He only saw a couple of people that he knew. Not even his ex-girlfriend was there... bummer (hallelujah for me because she is/was thin and lovely).

Saturday we danced in downtown Ogden. The ladies who wouldn't come to practice for the last two/three months, decided we should practice every night the week of. No thank you. We did practice Wednesday and Thursday... then they decided we should practice on Saturday before we danced. We agreed on 11:30 am for practice because we were supposed to be dressed and ready at 1pm dancing for sure by 1:30 pm. At 12:00pm there were still only four of us. A while later two more showed up and we practiced a little. At 12:50 another couple of ladies show up and at 1:00 pm I had to call Silvina (who set the whole thing up and told us to be there dressed and ready by 1pm). I asked her if she was going to dance with us. She was annoyed with me. Which is turning out to be quite common.

We have tickets for the General Relief Society meeting on Saturday! I am so excited. The stake wants us to meet at 3pm and leave at 3:30pm which seems really early...One sister in our branch has asked me several times what time we are actually going to leave. I kept telling her 3:30pm. She has a baby the exact same age as R and L and she says she doesn't want to leave her any longer than necessary. Finally I said remember Saturday and we said 11:30am (she was one of the four on time). I can't control the other sisters, they come when they want to. I don't want to leave my babies either (Wait a minute... yes I do).. anywho... it was nice to have one more person start to realize that coming late to everything effects others as well.

Holy cow... that was a long ol' explanation of pretty much nothing... Sorry... The dancing went very well, by the by. And the ladies were annoyed when I said it was our last. They said they can keep dancing anyway. As long as it is not affiliated with the church, said I... They came back with the fact that I am only over the RS. Talk about fiesty cats. People in our branch pretty much do whatever they want. We'll see how much I fight....

To end I would just like to say hurray for Kevin Harrvick who won on Sunday (NASCAR). He drove a dreamy Reeses car. Even the car looked delicious.... and go Jeff Gordon! (He took third) Que vive NASCAR!

Honesty
Not being able to lie is really getting in the way of my parenting. B has learned to turn on the TV in my room and find the channels he likes... but I don't really groove on Pokemon and American Dragon etc. So, I like to hide the remote. Well, when B asks me where the remote is I would love to tell him that I didn't know. Instead I say, "I hid it."
"Where?"
Now would be a great time to tell a lie... but I can't... Instead, "Under something soft." Which was the pillow.

Sure do wish I could lie everynow and then.

Technology

I am on a technology high... I followed instructions and figured out how to add links onto this page. Oh yeah, oh yeah... I'm an Html master!

I needed this moment because Sunday I was technologically challenged. Ana has an I-pod that I was trying to help with. We wanted to listen to our choir music and do a little singing on the way down to choir. Well, if you are like me.. it may surprise you to know that just running your finger around a cirlce thing can turn up the volume (counter clockwise I believe) and scroll down the menu (clockwise). No pushing buttons etc. Simple as it may sound, it is rather challenging to get the motion down. I started cracking up because I remember vividly "older" teachers trying to double click a mouse. They kept moving the mouse in between clicks and it wouldn't open the program. They were completely at a loss as to what was happening, and I laughed. I still do laugh thinking about it. But Sunday, in the car, trying to do the finger movement thing... I suddenly realized that these foreign movements are difficult and they (me) should not be made fun of. Who needs I-pods anyway?

(maybe Ana will let me practice in secret until I "look" comfortable doing the finger scrolling thing)

In case you are wondering... my R and L will not sleep today! I just heard L doing her little scream. It is not an angry scream, just a conversational scream. They are so cute! I keep trying to upload photos... I'm afraid that may be beyond the reach of our feeble computer.

A family (mom, dad, and two teens) took care of our cats last night for their FHE. E and I went to the mall and walked around just looking. We were shocked at how far out of style our clothes were. Even more shocking is the fact that we had no idea! Bummer. We had a great time with no stress, no money spending etc. Our kids were in heaven with so much attention. The ones that suffered were the teens. B made them watch "Scamper the Penguin", a movie even I refuse to watch. So long and so, so D-U-M-B...(spell it out, then it won't sound like a "bad" word)

Isn't it funny how great life is when the follow the counsel of the brethren. Are you all getting ready?.... It is right around the corner.... General Conference... Yipee!

Love to all...

9/11
Ana and I talked about where we were five years ago when "the 9/11" occurred. The emotions were still real and I shed a tear. I remember how long it took me to understand that we had been attacked. I just couldn't fathom the USA under attack. When reporters insinuated that it was something bigger than a flight going very wrong, I was annoyed. Even after the third plane hit the Pentagon. What a horrifying day. I am so grateful that the war is not here in my neighborhood. We are so blessed to be able to go about our daily lives without fear or interruption. No check points... I can go months without ever seeing anyone carrying a weapon. Even though the hunt has already started.

Speaking of which, our neighbor got a deer. I didn't, however, see it hanging from a tree outside. Honestly, not until 10 seconds ago, did I think about the oddness of deer hanging in trees. Back in the day we would drive around town and you could see who had a successful hunt and who had to settle for a spike, or even worse the doe permit! (Not to laugh at Richard on his birthday or anything. Happy B-day Richard!) My kids would probably be scarred if they saw someone skinning a deer in their front yard. Oh boy, we are city folk.

Peach Days were smashing. So much easier now that the twins don't need to nurse every two hours. We loved the parade... Although a small tractor actually ran over a little girl. This Peach Days will go down in history. The parade stopped for a long time... then they waved the floats etc. around the accident. So, the HS cheerleaders were cheering and smiling... it was a little bizarre. But the parade must go on and cheerleaders must be peppy. We talked to one of the police officers later and he said that the girl wasn't bleeding or anything. She looked OK but they took her to the hospital just to give her a thorough once over.

B and S went on a few rides. On the little dragon roller coaster we waited in line for ever. When it finally came time B climbed in the seat with S, then just as quickly climbed right out. He chickened out and left S sitting all alone. I thought she would freak out and cry, something... but she just sat there and had the time of her life.

After the rides we ate yummy pulled pork sandwiched and baked beans... and the best Dutch oven peach cobbler with ice cream. Yummers!! E thought everything was just a little too sweet, which means it was right up my ally. Our friends had a booth selling wooden jewelry from Costa Rica. E surprised me because he had saved a little money to buy me something. I bought a necklace, bracelet and earrings. So cute! By this time the kids were exhausted. I ended up bringing them home and E stayed in town with his mami and brother. I got to get out of dodge when I was exhausted and E got to have a little alone time. Which the poor guy never gets. He is set now for another couple of months.

My alone time is every Sunday for choir practice. Love it! The music is so beautiful. Our branch never sounds beautiful when we sing. So when we sing a hymn so start choir practice I always feel moved by the beauty of the hymn and how nice it is to hear people sing parts. Some of the songs that we are learning sound so good. Last night was hard though, because we worked on two songs I don't know at all. I was so lost, and I couldn't hear "director" (in quotes because she doesn't deserve the title). It reminded me of teaching. When the students feel offended by the teacher it is so hard for them to learn. I know I did that to many a kid... bummer. Because last night that lady was buggin' and I was really trying to be adult about it and just focus on the music. But no, she buggs. Anywho, the choir will be spectacular. You must all come on October 21st and enjoy a very cultural experience.

Well, I must leave blog land and get back to reality. L is standing by me just sobbing. Someone hurt her feelings and she must go down for a nap!

Studio 5

I am so proud of Brooke Walker, I taught her when she was in Jr. High. I have had fun watching her show all week. They had Sheri Dew on, starting a Studio 5 book club. Hello, I'm there. (The first book is the recent one by Virginia Pierce... we all know who she is, nudge, nudge.) They had the 5 Browns who I love... and they (the hosts of Studio 5) are going to Peach Days tomorrow to ride in the parade. We too are going to Peach Days tomorrow. Anywho... I reccomend Studio 5, channel 5, at 11 am. I likey.

We have even been setting a little money aside so we can let B and S ride on the little tots train. We'll have plenty to buy our annual dutch oven peach cobbler and ice cream, maybe even a Navajo taco... but only if it is made by Native Americans and not by some other ethnic group.

My trauma this week is a giant blemish right at the end of my left eyebrow. It is deep and painful. May it please go away quickly!

Dance is hilarious. The ladies wanted more practices (especially since they haven't come for the Wednesday practices each week for the last two months). So, they scheduled one for Thursday. It turned out to be Ana, myself and one other girl/lady. Oh, I cannot put into words how tired I am of this!! One more week, one more week, one more week...

Silvina has decided that "our" next dance should be Celtic dancing, like Riverdance. She talked Milla into taking a class with her. Wednesday they notified me that, "for our next dance, we are going to learn it then come back and teach the rest of the group." What group is what I want to know.

After the 14th (In Pursuit of Excellence) and the 16th (dancing for a Hispanic festival) RS will finally be done with the activities from the last RS presidency. Hallelujah!

Some need a testimony of the order of the church. A sister from the last RS Pres cannot bear not planning activities. She has been helping with the music in the Primary (which has been a story in and of itself... like the Sunday they sang "Are you Sleeping, Farmer John.") Last Sunday she announced to the kids that if they behaved she would throw a Spooky Halloween Party for them. She is not working with the Primary Presidency, she informed me that it is just her, on her own. That would be fine if it were at her house! She just doesn't seem to understand that the church already has a certain order to things built right in. I have learned that it is just as important to follow and let others be leaders... not only to be a great leader ones self. Actually, I would love to just sit back and let others practice their leadership skills! Sounds good, eh?

You must check out Ana's blog. Read Wednesday about dancing!
www.a-la-gran.blogspot.com

Lazy Days

I can't seem to get myself motivated today. Maybe I am still afraid from this morning. We went walking at 6 am and it was pretty dark. The dinosaurs scared us a little... then there was the scurrying of an animal right by Ana. I was trying to be brave, but when Ana asked if that was a man in the tunnel, I must admit fear coursed through my body. There was no man, just big rocks lining the entrance of the tunnel. On our way back we saw a police truck (a K-9 unit might I add) parked in the parking lot. Assuming the worst I was afraid the bad guy would take us hostage on the path or something. No hostage situation took place. Then, walking under the street, the path goes under the road and a car drove over us. Ana grabbed me and said it sounded like a ghost. It did sound a little like the ghosts I know. Oh boy... was I jumpy.
So, I get home and I'm telling E how spooky it all was when we hear the front door close. AAAHHH! E just lays in bed looking at me. I keep trying to push him out of bed, "Go and see what that was, go and see! Hurry!"
E gets up and starts digging around in the closet. I figure it was either B, who has met me outside in the morning before... or my father-in-law who has a key. Finally E stand up with a golf club in hand and heads out the door. I quickly grab the phone and follow. We check B's room first. He is sound asleep... Spooky! Creeping around the house we check every room and closet. Nothing. We even checked the garage and under the van. I don't know....... but nothing has happened so far. It turned out to be a pretty chilling morning.

We received a great package from Grandma and Grandpa Slade today! Brigham's moon and star curtains that Donna fixed up, Jeff Gordan teddy bears! and a gallon sized pitcher. I had bought a Pampered Chef pitcher, it turned out to be the small one and I thought I was buying the big one. D happened to hear me bemoaning the situation. Turns out that she had a big one.. so we traded! Talk about win/win.

Six years ago would anyone have ever guessed that I would want a gallon sized pitcher. My how life has its twists and turns.

Sunday --> Choir practice... People are slowly weeding themselves out by not going to the practices. They take roll of who goes every week and if you miss too many, you are not invited to sing. So, we walk up to the roll taker and a girl with us says, "Nicholson."
"Sanchez?"
"Nicholson."
"What?"
I am not sure why I thought it so funny, but Ana and I started giggling a little. Sanchez? Where on earth did she get Sanchez?

One thing that does get under my skin at choir is the constant praise of the Sopranos (sorry Sopranos of the world, I know you think you are a little better than the other voices. I don't blame you for thinking that, what for all the praise you receive.) But... has any one else figured out that the Sopranos are singing the melody? Everyone else must learn a new part. Is it any wonder that the Sopranos always know their part a little better? Hello...the Altos could use a little positive reinforcement now and then. And let's not forget the poor Basses!

Tree house mania --> On Labor Day the TH had a Pirate Party. There was face painting, a family treasure hunt, Pirate school (which we all passed with flying colors). We made pirate hats and the kids all got a baloon sword. We had a squashbuckling good time!

Today I spent three hours at the TH again. It is so fun for the kids and we do something different everytime.

ABC --> Today was "A" day. Last night I printed out 10 a's in different fonts, then taped them to objects around the house that start with A. When I got home from walking B yelled out to me from the window before I even had a chance to get inside, "Mom, we have ABC's!" He was so excited. After breakfast we went around the house writing down the words and drawing pictures of the objects. His picture of agua from the bath tub and agua from the shower was to die for. I need to make sure I get the b's up tonight.

Imagination --> B saw some kid with goggles on his head on TV. So he started talking about how if he put those on his head, then he could see in the water while he was swimming. "If you see a shark, then get out. If you see fish, then stay in. If I see an octopus I am getting out because they like to wrap their arms around me. But when I see the shark and the octopus, I will tell them that S is my sister and then they will leave her alone....." (Believe me, he goes on and on and on.)

B is also begging for a Pokemon from "Old McDonalds". When I said not today, he asked what about tomorrow. Not tomorrow either. "When it is night, then day, then night, then day, then night, then day, then night, then day?" I just laughed and told him of course!

S has realized the power of 'NO' and uses it often. Fiesty! This morning she was on her way into our bedroom when B stepped in front of her. She shoved the door, making it fly open and giving her space to walk in. The only problem was the door hit the wall and bounced back and bammed her in the head. She only stumbled a little and just kept right on marching. Fiesty!

R learned a new word today. She has added "go" to the list of no and boo (said as bow). I know it is boo because she uses it when we play peak-a-boo. You go girl!

I am off to hide B's around the house. Wath out bathroom, bed and babies. Here I come!

Lies, lies, they're all lies!

So, I must start off by correcting a huge error in what I wrote about milk in our home. We receive not nine gallons, but 17 gallons! How did we run out of milk? I have no idea!
I was supposed to take rice to the wedding fiesta on Saturday... E made it.
The Sunday School teacher asked if E would teach his class on Sunday, I said, "Of course!" ... I taught it.

Sheer craziness.

The wedding fiesta was nice. One week ago a new convert in our branch was driving to the chapel to get married. He got in an accident three blocks away from the church. We drove up on the accident and decided to stop, then I saw the bride come running up to her fiance's smashed car. She was in her wedding dress and her veil was flying out behind her. It broke everyones heart. Strangers kept coming up to her to tell her everything would be alright and wish her well. I stayed for a while and helped translate for the police and the ambulance paramedics. The bride climed in the front of the ambulance and the groom was strapped to the gurney and put in the back. It was heart wrenching to watch.

It turned out that he wasn't broken, just bruised. They ended up getting married that night at 9:30 PM instead of 5 PM. Some members of our branch were in the church and saw that the couple had no family, no party, no food etc. So they organized a fiesta for the following Saturday. The sisters decorated, we all brought food, there was music and dancing (and cake... my favorite!). It was really nice.

Tears came to my eyes when I compared it to my fiesta. My parents were there and I got to dance with Dad. There was tons of food. The music was great and Alma sang his heart out. The decorations were more than I could have asked for. It was so perfect, thanks to so many. I am really grateful for my perfect fiesta. Other than the fake candles my mother-in-law brought to put right at the entrance. She just wanted to feel a part of things.

Yesterday we also went to MZ new restaurant. She is a sister in our branch from Africa... she speaks Portugese. It was bizarre... all of the "waitresses" are the YM and YW from our ward. The food was OK but kind of coldish. It felt just like we were at a ward party. Only we had to pay $22. I told her I would help with the menus... but she never got with me. I assumed that she had gone a different avenue. The menus were hand written by the YW! Oh, boy....

Today when asked what he learned in Primary, Brigham answered, "About the tall guy who had a big stick and a kid who had a swing with rocks, and he hit him and knocked his helmet off and he killed him." One never realizes the violence in the scriptures until one sees the excitement of a small boy learning about David and Goliath or Nephi and Laban. Hmmm....

Special Delivery

Oh baby! Our Branch Pres.'s daughter had her baby this week. She is only 16 (a young 16 at that) and her boyfriend is 18. It was very sad when she got pregnant. Even worse, the YW leaders want her to feel supported so they have set her up as a hero. They are telling all of the YM and YW that they will all be aunts and uncles of the baby, since the parents are both from our YM and YW!
So, Abish goes into labor in the morning and into the hospital in the morning. Many of the YW and YM took the day off of school and their parents took them to the hospital to await the birth. Poor Abish kept asking her mom to tell the people to leave the room! Think of having your first baby, then add to that being a teen... how horrifying to be surrounded by teens, boys and girls. As Sarah says "Eeauww."
Hna. Ibarra said that McCroby (a YW leader) called and said she was on her way to pick up her daughter and take her to the hospital. Hna. I said that no, she couldn't go. Abish would not want visitors while she was in labor, and afterwards she would need to and want to rest. Hna. McCroby was angry, if you can believe that, and said that they were just trying to show support.
I just remember how tired I was... oh, poor, poor girl. And ignorant, or shall I say ignornt YW leaders and some parents. Both definitions of stupidity and rude would work in this situation.

We are slowly but surely turning into white trash, I tell you what. The other day S spilled chocolate milk all over her (and the car) on our way to a WIC appointment. We had to go in with her looking like that. While in the appointment Sarah went stinkies, shall we say, in her diaper. I took everyone into the bathroom to try and change her diaper. B recognized that it was a ladies bathroom and he, my friends, is a gentleman. He threw himself on the ground and cried that he would not go in. I grabbed him and pulled him crying into the bathroom just to find that I didn't have any S diapers, just R and L diapers. Fun times.
I am also becoming shockingly accustomed to receiving free milk from WIC. We get NINE gallons a month and we drink every drop! This month I ran out and found myself annoyed that I had to buy a gallon of milk.
We like Nascar, the whole family. B can recognize Jeff Gordon (of course as he is our families choice), Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tony Stewart. S just calls all Nascar drivers Jeff Gordon.
I also freely admit that I love Spam!
Dad gum! Trailer park look out, because here we come.

Oh, back to the new baby in the branch. She is really cute, by the by. Abish wanted to nurse her... but when I went to see her at 1pm she hadn't eaten since 4am. I'll bet that there are people in there all day long and Abish won't try to nurse in front of others, duh. Then her mom said, "Why are you going to nurse anyway, you are just going to go back to school..." Can you believe that?

I felt super guilty because I stopped nursing at the beginning of World Breast Feeding Month. Then to top it all off, I hear that comment to finish up World Breast Feeding Month! What about clostrum, did anybody think of that?

I went to the doctor this week and I shamefully report that all is well. I was hoping my iron was low or something, anything. I am sooo tired! I am afraid it is laziness, bummer.

Nap Time

There is nothing as quite as sweet as nap time! I am taking advantage of the twins sleeping to ramble a little. My brother just started back to school, I am so proud of him. I am trying to deal with the fact that he didn't go to the "family school" where Dad graduated from and five others of us graduated from, along with two brothers-in-law. I am sure he can get a good education at a different school... especially since he won't be in Science/Math... he will be in business (Freudian slip not to capitalize business) and I don't really know the professors anyway... He sounds like he is doing great and I am so incredibly jealous! When I go back to get my PhD I will totally appreciate the opportunity. I just played so much in HS and college, I didn't study as much as I should have. Go, Steve, Go!

Last night E tells me he needed to go help a lady paint, she is trying to open a restaurant (she's from the branch). I was annoyed and made him do FHE first. He taught a little lesson about service, complete with the picture from our Gospel Art Kit of men helping someone move. Nice touch E. So this morning I told him that was pretty sneaky... and he swears that it wasn't planned. He just reached into the Gospel Art Kit and grabbed a picture. It just miraculously turned out to be about service. Heavenly Father always has to be in my face to teach me something. It is like I am a little deaf. Thank goodness my husband is such a good example.

So, E spent the night painting. He said that many from our branch showed up to help, but there were more supervisors than workers. The women just sat and chatted. One guy walked around a lot and nodded and gave advice. Thank goodness he was there!

Selfish?

My father-in-law loves using the MK Timewise Moisturizer. Everyone ooh's and aaw's over how great his face looks (like my mother-in-law). So, he was out and needed to buy some more. I go down stairs to grab it and I saw the kind with sun-screen already in it. You see, I sell Day Solution separately that has sun-screen, but you can also get the moisterizer with sun screen in it. I only had a couple of those and I wanted to save them... then I felt guilty and thought that he is family and I should give him the best. So, I gave in to the angel on my shoulder and brought up the moisturizer with sun-screen. I explained to him that it had protection from the sun which was really important for your skin.

Not even 15 minutes later we receive a frantic call from my mother-in-law. Thank goodness Elder answered! My father-in-law was very upset because the product I had given him was not the same as the last time. He was sure he had told me he wanted the same thing, he liked how it worked and that was what he wanted. Oh boy. I made Elder explain about three times about the sunscreen.... When he hang up I got the giggles. Why oh why hadn't I just given him the plain ol' moisturizer? I would have been happy and he would have been happy. Lesson learned... it is OK to be selfish. Wait, was that the lesson?

Leah is taking out CD's and opening them up. Rachel is trying to type with me. (She still isn't walking. When I am helping her walk her legs go faster than her body. Funny.) Brigham and Sarah are outside chanting the name of our little neighbor girl because I told them they couldn't go knock on the door. Annoying?

Saturday Michael asked us if they could use our house for Silvina's B-day party. Our little neighbor girl invited us to her party... turns out it was at the same time. So, we floated back and forth. B and S were the only little kids at their party besides the birthday girl. We made a haul on the pinata, I'll tell you what. We have so much candy hidden around the house from all of the B-day pinatas... The sugar police are going to come and make an arrest.

Did a visit today, a new lady in the branch. It was like a tornado was invited into her house. S pulled B's hair and then wouldn't take her feet off of him because it made him mad. B crawled in between the end table and the sofa, banging and clanging the glass on the table. I don't think we broke anything... There were also little cute pots with African Violets on the floor by the glass door, a candle that smelled delicious, a camel from Iraq... oh boy. At least I keep my visits very short. I know it is time to go when I start sweating.

To the Treehouse after the visit. My cats had a great time, but I was exhausted when I got home. R and L are turning into the biggest mess makers of the universe. Just taking every toy out, books off of the shelves, messy, messy, messy. It is a good thing they are so cute!

Ciao

Check out these blogs of my sister's families:

Susan's www.splinfamily.blogspot.com

DiAnn's www.reese8.blogspot.com

Giggles

Some funny things have occurred in my life this week. Let's start with a church activity. My counselor (she actually did all of the work!) Hna. I asked a lady from Peru to teach us how to make some cookies, traditionally from Peru. Kind of shortbreadish like cookies with caramel sandwiched in the middle. Sounds good right? Well, Hna I asked her a month ago, checked with her the week before and the day before. It was all set and she was bringing everything herself. Then, one hour before the activity, Peru lady has her husband call me and say she can't go because she doesn't feel well. Blah, blah, blah happens... and it turns out that she sends her daughter (15 years old) to teach us. The Branch Pres gets after me because one - we should not be cooking in the church (Stake rule... I don't know what happened) and two- the daughter is missing YW. He says I should have just cancelled the activity. Maybe... but we were also supposed to dance afterward.
Anywho, the girl has hand written out the recipe and instructions, probably in the last 20 minutes. She has brought everything, is explaining the process...Did a great job... but... the cookies turn out horribly! They tasted of rancid shortening. One Hna. was saying, "These are not going to turn out. I can tell from the dough. You put in too much shortening.... etc.." Then we took the first batch out of the oven and the girl was no where to be found. Come to find out, she had run out crying and ran to call her mom. She came back sobbing. Everyone gathered around her to comfort her. Then, so quickly I don't even know how it happened, everyone was shoving cookies into their mouths. Voices calling out, "These are great!" "Look, everyone is eating them." "If they didn't turn out, do you think they would be disappearing so quickly?" It was hysterical! A surreal scene of a crowd of eager women and girls munching down disgusting cookies. She felt much better after the "show" so, I guess it worked.

Another funny event: I was coming home from early morning walking in the Audi. The idle timing is off, so at reast it like revs up and slows down. Revs, slows, revs, slows, vrrrrooom, bom, vrrrooom, bom, vrrrrooom, bom. At a stop light I notice a sporty Mitsubishi next to me started reving his engine. Before I know it, the light turns green and neighbor boy peels out and zooms off. All I could say was, "You won!"

I think Brigham is a little traumatized over the death of Hippety still. The other night he said, "I don't want to have any dreams." When I asked why he told me they were too scary. So, we said a prayer asking that he would be blessed with good dreams. The next morning at breakfast he told me that Jesucristo gave him good dreams. Wonderful! I asked him to tell me about his dream and he said, "I dreamed that Hippety came out of his hole and was hopping all around me and then he hopped on my head and I just laughed and laughed. Then he hopped back into his hole." Sounds like a spooky dream to me!

This morning Brigham told me that he thought my belly was getting full. "You probably have some babies in there. Mom, do you remember? You're belly got bigger and bigger, then you went to the doctor and she cut you, and Rachel and Leah came out, and they looked like this (draw squigglies in the air), and it hurt you and you had a big band-aid like tape, and when it came together then you took it off and threw it away. Do you remember?"

Yeah... I remember...

Ghost week
I call it ghost week because it is a little hazy and blurry. Some of the highlights:
Monday... visit to new sister in ward, embarrassing dinner (cheese pizza and peanut butter ice cream) and Treehouse preview
Tuesday... took a sister to Bishop's Storehouse and to register daughter at her school, dance practice at the church
Wednesday... funeral day, I made the program and E had to go to the funeral
Thursday... Pampered Chef Party, dance practice and Dad, D and B came ; ) (we made some glorious brownies with a topping of cream cheese, cool whip, white chocolate, and lemon juice --> So, delicious!!)
Friday... Open package from T, Dinosaur Park with Dad, D & B, and the Fairy Tale Ball at the Treehouse
Saturday... RS Presidency meeting @ 8am, garden lunch at home and dragging everyone to SL to watch us dance. Two dances went well but we bombed the flamenco. I started on the wrong side and then we were in the wrong places for a variety of steps. Oh, well, we looked great at least.

This dance performance came from Silvina talking us up everywhere. Some one said that we were going to dance in front of 400 Stake Presidents. It turned out to be a very casual dinner... about 200 people there maybe. The organizers had invited a choir to sing like five songs at the beginning... then they scheduled 18 dance numbers! Who on earth thinks that anyone wants to sit for that long? Too much of a good thing is still too much, but too much of mas o menos is not so good. Everyone was very kind, though. And we had a good time, good food.. you know.

The week was exhausting! Even E was asleep when I got home from choir on Sunday. We did get home late because a compadres car broke down. All the ladies thought it was funny that I got out and helped push. When we were pushing Dad's car all of the time, I was always so grateful for another pair of hands/legs. I can't believe we went anywhere! We should of just stayed home with the cars we had. But, as Di and I were saying, we are grateful for our legacy of faith. If everything always worked, we wouldn't ever have to exercise faith.

Day to Day

It takes a special person to find so much humor in my life. But it really is quite hilarious. Sunday, I possibly had an ovarian cyst rupture. But who really knows, I had to go to choir practice because I love it so much! Then, I can't actually tell people I am not feeling well and I may pass out at any moment because the world is turning black, so they just think I was acting very stand-offish and even a little rude. That is not the type of behavior expected from a leader in the church. Get her out of there.

I am afraid there is a underground movement to get Ibarra out of the YM's Presidency and hence, Scouting. The leaders are McCroby (mother of a soon to be Eagle) and the mother of a recently donned Eagle Scout. I hear that Ibarra made them work at the week long camp out! Like clearing space for the tent, hauling wood and even, heaven forbid, reading scriptures. They may not get him released. They may have to move to tar and feathering or something huge.

Our Branch Pres. went on vacation, camping. He didn't decide where he was going before he left. Either a half hour away or two hours away. They just wanted to get away for four little days. Well, a guy died who was baptized in our branch, then moved to another branch... but didn't ever go to church. (So we still had his records, that might make a difference when casting judgements.) The counselors in the Branch Presidency were complaining on Sunday because the Pres. didn't leave any instructions for what to do when the guy died. I commented that death is a little sneaky and one never quite knows when it will come. They assured me that the Pres. knew he was dying and he just wasn't magnifying his calling because he didn't leave instructions. Poor Pres. he gets it from every side.

Sunday I asked a lady to take dinner to a couple who had just had a baby. I knew she didn't want to, but I was hoping I could shame her into it. I called to check at 6:15... Nope... So, I was rather curt I'm afraid and I just said I would do it. We had an appointment to check out the NEW Treehouse at 7:10 ... so , I thought we could stop by Walmart on the way, buy a big ol' pizza and some ice cream (my husband thought the ice cream was going a little too far... this from the guy who fixed a car during the B'day party we went to on Saturday). So, getting the kids in the car...phone rings. Guy from Saturday is having problems with his car. We head to Walmart and my husband informs me that we have to drop some tools off at the guy's house. I thought that was going a little too far.

I make my husband go in to Walmart, because I walk so slow after sitting. It still takes a minute for my back to stop the spasms. He comes back in record time with a Cheese Pizza and Peanut Butter Ice Cream! I just started stammering, "No, no, no, no, no... We can't give them a Cheese pizza (I am maturing and I let the ice cream go... as we were already on egg shells about it). But, poor E had to go back in and buy pepperoni so they could top it if they would like. I was so humiliated taking them that dinner! Her husband got out of prison on Sunday... his parents were there asking who I was (in Spanish) and him saying, "She's from the Church." You wonder how the Church gets such a bad rap. Now you know.

We got to the Treehouse a half an hour late, went in with a different group, and all was well. I hid the tears in my eyes... not quite sure why I love the Treehouse so much, but I do! It is glorious, and safe, and my kids love going there, I feel like they are learning... Love it! They gave the kids wooden flutes... Thank you Treehouse, for bring "music" into our home. The flutes have made it through one day... but I think E secretly hid one.

Today I took a lady to the Bishop's Storehouse. Her neighbor was very pleased and told me that she had called her RS Pres to find me. Neighbor lady thinks a she worked a miracle, but actually I just happened to go visit her yesterday because she is knew in the ward. I would have gone before, but I didn't know where she lived. Hmmm

Talk about not listening to the Spirit. Yesterday, gas was $2.85... on the way home from the Treehouse I said, "Should we buy gas, you never know, it might go up tomorrow." E was tired and just wanted to go home. Today gas is $2.92 Bummer!

Bad news... our city is increasing water and sewer rates by 3.4%... bummer Yes, I really do read the insert that comes in the bill. Otherwise I probably never would have gone to the Dino Park or the Treehouse or the festivals downtown!

Love ya!

Potty Motty
I bought S some Feel and Learn Pull Ups (warning!) and they gave her the worst rash! They stay wet so she can feel it and she got a big fat rash. So, I had to hide the Pull Ups, she knew where they were and demanded to wear them. Yesterday, we had a big fight and I had to wrestle her to put her diaper on. She threw her head back and my mothering instincts wanted to protect her head from the corner of the bed post... Now I am the wounded one with bruises on my knuckles.

She tore her diaper off as soon as she could stand up. So, I figured I would try undies. She was thrilled. She wore her underwear with pride and peed in about 10 pairs. She loved wearing Dora, Princesses, polka-dot, etc. Finally, when her dad came home he put a diaper on her and it stayed. That's why I am married.

Yesterday afternoon I heard screams coming from the deck. I ran out and saw our rabbit hopping around madly and screaming. I brought him in and he just laid down and never got up. I cried and cried. We dug a hole in the backyard and burried him. The whole family was present, B and S helped dig. As soon as Hippety was covered S freaked out. "Where's rabbit? Where's rabbit?" It isn't easy explaining death to a two year old. B understood very little as well. He kept asking when Hippety Hoppety was coming back. I explained that all living things have a spirit and a body, that the body was dead and in the ground but the spirit was still alive and with Heavenly Father. B started kind of yelling, "Heavenly Father needs to give Hippetys back to us!" I told him he was very happy there.... but that didn't cut it. Then I tried to use my mom as an example, that she died a long time ago, but she is very happy in the Spirit World. Then I started tearing up a little and I think B didn't believe that sounded very happy. Maybe I should mention endless fields of clover with lots of flowers to eat... Who knows.

I have been walking with a kindred spirit in the mornings. We get up at six and walk till seven. It is really fun for me because I never get to see A often enough. I wake up just so I can talk to her. I am sure we will make friends with all of the early morning walkers, maybe they will accept us into their club. Cool.

In closing.... something no mother wants to hear at the crack of dawn... Mom, I went stinkies in my diaper... that from four year old B who shouldn't be wearing "Good Nights" in the first place!

Ode to Sisters Day

Ever since I got home,
I've been trying to write a poem.
About how much fun I had,
I hope it won't be too bad.

I've become one of those mothers,
Who just leaves her kids in the care of others.
Thanks to sisters, nephews and nieces,
Who just loved my kids to pieces.

Our time together was so keen,
Even Alma wasn't mean.
I laughed, I cried, I aspirated water,
No one peed their pants, except for my daughter.

I love Slade girls, they're just so good,
Lets get together again in any neighborhood!

Sunday/Monday
The Sabbath was great. I had an early morning Welfare Committee meeting. Sounds like the Branch President is doing my work. Good man, good man. R went with me and E brings all of the other kids, he has never made it before the sacrament. Doesn't give B and S much time to act out I guess. I can see the positive in everything.

They consecrated oil right in the meeting ... Wierd.... you never know what you are going to see. Also my quiet counselor was so happy, I thought it was a little strange. She ususally is quietly suffering. I found out what was up when she told us she is moving the end of the this month. She really was the most upbeat I have ever seen her. We know how she feels. Nothing like a good move every now and then to clean out the closets a little and get rid of some callings. I'd have to say the worst moment at church was sharing a wet-my-pants story with Hna. I and her just looking at me. Not knowing how to respond. Awkward. Gosh, I guess she never wets her pants.

Choir practice again last night. Heavenly. Hna. I showed up at 4:40 and we weren't leaving until 5:30. So, E thought I should get on the road. I was taking 5 other sisters and I thought maybe we should wait for them as well. Then I realized they didn't have music, so I started printing out copies and E just about had a stroke. For half an hour he was throwing out little one liners about me being a leader, setting the example of punctuality, how hard it would be to find a new address, etc. He is a chum for not complaining about parenting alone for hours.

Choir practice was fun, fun, fun. I love seeing so many people and how different they are. Jr. High kids just turn into adults. The one who knows more than the director, the one who doesn't know the material and must blame it on the "teacher," the groups who are completely lost and don't say a word... just silently hoping that someone will save them, and the ever annoying question guy who doesn't seem to notice that it is 10 minutes past the end of "class" and he is asking questions about October! Dude, ask them next week or even better, one on one after we have left. The directors really were great, very positive and patient, even believing the know it alls sometimes. Flashbacks....

I loved it when a couple of sisters just got up and left. The lady talking said sisters please will you sit down and just wait for the prayer, but they were out of there. So, "talking lady" says, "I guess not."... and goes back to "October question man."

My favorite moment of all brings to mind the Trident commercial where the teacher is up front and dramatically announces the topic of the day and the students jump up and cheer. We were broken out into groups for an hour and a half, then we all came back together to sing. There is between 200 and 300 people. The director speaks into the microphone, "We are going to sing..." The room is silent, no one breathes...after a dramatic pause, "Alma Llanera." A reverential cheer rolls through the room. Just soft ah's and a couple of ooo's. It struck me as hilarious and I'm afraid I gafawed (sp?). Thank goodness the music had started. Good times, good times. Imagine me in my college days and someone telling me that story as one of the funniest things that would happen in my week, month! I might have cried. But last night, I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Today I have accomplished pretty much nada. I will be doing the dishes here before long. Eh.

B just gave me some bubble gum and I am entertaining them by blowing bubbles. S blinks her eyes really fast and backs away when I blow the bubbles, like I do when someone is about to pop a balloon. But then she begs for more. Funny. I like to blow them right in her face. Poor girl, come on, she loves it.

We went to a Bday party on Saturday night. Out of control. Princess theme, the Bday girl had a princess dress on that her mother had made. Hispanic Bdays are for the whole family, you know, so there were many families there. The mother had cooked so much food! Enough for like 50 people, there were two huge cakes. Two garbage bags chock full of goodie bags for the kids, some for little kids and some for teens. Princess plates, cups, napkins, decorations (Sarah was in heaven!). THREE princess pinatas. The kids broke one, then they brought out another one and I was like, woah. They broke that one and they brought out a ginormous one, and I was like, WOAH.

My children did embarrass me a little because the little McCroby girl won a prize and gave it to S. (We didn't get home with it, though. So maybe she secretly stole it back once it was dark.) Then, B lost at musical chairs and threw himself to the ground sobbing. They let him back into the game and let him win. You've gotta do what you've gotta do, you know what I mean.

E is about to get home from work and I must get the dishes done! Let alone dinner... What a domestic goddess I am.
Love to all!

I am a giant freak (Madagascar) in many ways, but one of the freakiest is that when something big and bad happens I can't talk about it for a while. Once time passes, then I am able to mention the tragedy. So, the tragedy of the week is that I hurt my back again last Friday. It is getting better, thank you. It is so amazing how important the back is to a person. I have come to realize that my body will never be the same after the close pregnancies of Sarah and the twins. My hips are still clunking, if you can believe that. Exercise you say? Great idea.

I finally hid our soccer balls in the garage so the neibor teens have nothing to play with. Not very Christ like, I admit... but they still have our ladder, so that is something. It is so odd to be more uncomfortable or embarrassed by their behavior, when they don't mind in the least. They helped B catch the rabbit this morning. Very kind. B always gets the rabbit out, then Hippity Hoppity runs away and B lays down and cries when he can't catch him.

Hey, I made a little box garden this year and our two tomato plants are enormous! Many green tomatoes which B wants to harvest everyday. I also planted a green pepper (no fruit yet) and onions. I planted cilantro, but it is dead. Dead, dead, dead. Just like the last time I planted cilantro. Any one out there who knows the cilantro secret?

Our neighbor, the cop, is hosting a wedding in their backyard this weekend. We all must be on our best behavior! Just until the drinking begins, then they will be noisier than we could ever be. A DJ is coming and we are planning to dance the night away. All are invited to come and dance in our yard.

B is playing with our keyboard right now. He puts on a "beat" then asks, "Mom, do you hear that rock and roll?"

Happy weekend to all!

Fun times. We sold my little teeny sister's car. All we are waiting for is the money. $$ A guy from our old ward is buying it for his daughter. They had to come look at it four different times over the course of two weeks, but they have decided to take it.

Last night E got home (I love using one letter for names, it makes me feel very Victorian). He changed a few diapers then fixed the lawn mower that I broke last week. A tire just fell off, probably from the vibrations. I am always very well shaken after mowing the lawn. Like on a Tom and Jerry cartoon when Tom runs into something.

Then E helped me fix dinner and right when he was ready to take his first bite, his brother showed up wanting him to look at a car. While he was doing that, the guy showed up who wants to buy the car and blah, blah, blah. Before he left the neighbor came over to ask him if he could fix his daughter's car (that he already fixed one thing last week). E was coming in to tell me when I had already started FHE, so he sat down with us for about 15 min. Then he went to fix the neighbor's car. He got home around 9:30 and could finally eat. Poor guy would like to move away and get a new job cooking french fries at McDonalds. His words, not mine.

Sarah has a sudden fatuation with the Disney Princesses. She calls them "bonus." I think she means princess. Any time she sees one she asks me her name. It is shocking to find out how many times they pop out of no where. It is actually starting to scare me a little. Ooooooo, Cinderella, Oooooo Little Mermaid, Woooooooooo, Belle. Watch out!

Love to all,
Snow Whi..... I mean Julie

My friend Alicia sent me a link to their blog and it was so fun, I thought I might give it a try. This should be a fun way to let everyone have a glimpse into our crazy life.

The Sabbath is always a big day in our home. We were, of course, late for church. The President said that 40 people were there when they started church and 125 people were there when they counted about half way through. Something wrong with this picture?

I get to sing in the choir for a huge Hispanic Celebration in the Conference Center in October. Last night was the first practice and I drove down to SL with four other ladies in the van. We were gone for four hours! It was the first time without kids for at least a couple of months. I think this choir thing is going to be my salvation. Yes, all of the songs are in Spanish.

While gone, S slammed the door on L's tiny little finger. E said she cried and cried and cried and cried. They were all asleep by the time I came home. : )

I am getting excited for a sister's day!! Nothing like getting together once a year. Some day we will all be able to get together whenever we want.

What to watch for in the future on this blog. Comments children say that only their mother's think are so adorable. Crazy branch stories like my friend S calling church headquarters to offer our services as dancers.
Tender learning moments that may bring tears to your eyes. Stay tuned!