A Day in the Life...

Copper and kool-aid hair dyeing.... My worker in Manti gave me a David Hasselhoff chia pet when I visited her yesterday.  It's pretty amazing, and hilarious. I fully plan on eating his head of hair when it grows.  So if you come over, don't touch it with your nasty fingers... Any picture we can get of Taryn is a good one... Tim and I. This was take four after Kota tried to photobomb all of them... Here she is acting like herself... Family Sunday picture surprise by Red the Dog.... Amber thought it would be a lovely idea for the cousins to get together to sew aprons.  I had a long day at work so she took my girls fabric shopping the day before, but I hadn't told them what we were doing.  Honestly, I kind of dreaded it.   Amber: Pick out the fabric you want because you're all going to sew aprons. Kota: Can't someone else just make mine? Amber: No!  You have to make your own; wouldn't it be fun to pick out a dinner and cook it in your new apron? Kota: No. Can't

 I had a doctor's appointment today and we talked more in depth about exercise; and I learned some things about myself. For a long time I went to OrangeTheory Fitness and literally worked my tail end off doing 60 minute HIIT workouts at 5:00 o'clock in the morning five days a week.  I left after an hour having burned 500 calories and exhausting every muscle in my body.  It's a tough workout and I was pretty committed for a long time.  For years I didn't see any results (except mental health and friends made); in fact I gained weight (not muscle) and it showed in all the parts of my body that were already heavy.  I finally stopped going after it shut down for COVID and then I just couldn't muster up the energy to keep going.  Plus it's way too expensive and I didn't find the value anymore. Today I asked my doctor if there was ever a possibility of going back to a workout like this; for the last five or so months I've been advised to do 20 minute HIIT, wit

If this conversation doesn't illustrate personality + birth order, I don't know what does... Kota: I don't want to go to school today!  We have to take a test on how to divide decimals! Copper: That's not hard. Kota: Yes it is!  Copper, you don't always have to know everything, you know.  It's annoying. Tim: Cops, you're going to have to learn what to say with people like this.  They want, you know, validation or something. Cassie: Yeah, but they don't want you to be condescending like dad is... "with people like this?" Kota: Yeah, Copper! Cassie: Copper, say something like this- 'Kota, I was in 5th grade once and I remember what it's like to do that; it is hard, and you're going to be okay.' Copper: (under her breath) But it wasn't hard for me in 5th grade... Cassie:  Copper!!! Cassie:  Kota, what do you need to feel good about the test today? Kota: I don't know... Micah: Wait a minute, there's a test today? 

During the week between Christmas and New Year's the kids play a fun game: who can go the longest without showering, who can guess what day it is, and who can eat anything that resembles a vegetable. Shandee and I swapped kids the day before New Year's Eve, so I had Maci and she had Kota.  I took the three girls I had sledding.  It was pretty awesome because I sat in the van on the side of the road and watched them out the window at the football field at Skyridge.  I stayed extra warm the whole hour! After we picked up Kota the next day, we had a fun New Year's Eve of playing a ton of games.  I happily went to bed by 10 (that's late for me!) and Tim stayed up with the girls until midnight. I think the girls were up until 1:00 a.m., the lunatics. Kota and Micah ran barefoot out into the snow, face planted it, and ran back in.  I guess for fun?  I also taught myself how to reupholster our ottoman.  My mom told me what to do and then I tried it.  I probably should have had