We arrived

There was a lot of hustle and bustle last week and I didn't have much time to write but I had a lot going on in my head. I will have to write about some of those another time. Today I am playing catch up on some of our events.

Wednesday night the youth went caroling around the neighborhood. We piled into 2 trailers (one with hay bales) and went knocking on doors. These trailers were our sleighs.

Thursday the girls and I picked oranges to take up to Salt Lake. We decided to continue a tradition we started last year. Macy had such a great time last year and everyone was excited to receive our fresh gift. Travelled a couple of streets from our house and picked about 50 lbs. worth of oranges and tangerines. They smelled so good. I hope everyone wanted oranges. The girls had a great time. They saw horses and chickens and heard roosters. Both got in on the picking action. Kelsey pulled on one so hard that when it finally broke free she went flying and landed on her behind.

Friday morning I sent the girls to a neighbors and finished up last preparations to leave. It was the most relaxing last minute packing ever, until they came home for lunch. We took off at about 12:40 PM, picked up Brian and were on our way to a winter wonderland. We drove straight through this time and arrived at my parents at about 1:30 AM. We had a hour stop in Page, AZ where Kelsey spilled chocolate milk all over her car seat. We had to buy a roll of paper towels and a hand towel for her to sit on for the rest of the trip. Good thing she has a diaper. The roads weren't bad, but it was cold outside. Our temp. reading throughout central Utah said it was about 13 degrees. What were we thinking! We saw a lot of Utah license plates headed towards Phoenix.

Last night was a Kartchner Christmas party with Santa and all. Today I had a nap and have been able to have breaks from being a mom. Even though it is cold, family is making everything merry and bright.

Quick Clarification

I am not a germ loving freak. There are definitely times to pull out the old hand sanitizer. I myself disinfect my counters on a regular basis, wash my hands and have been known to use the paper towel trick to leave a public restroom. I also know that there is no way to live in a bubble and I also recognize that a 2 year old and 3 year old will never be completely germ free. I just think of it as developing their immune system.

There also seems to be more that I need to be concerned about besides the superbug. This includes prevention of chronic diseases. I am currently reading a book called The Culprit & the Cure. Did you know that "compared with 1971, women now eat 335 more calories per day" which is "equivalent to eating six Oreo cookies or one and a half bags of low-fat microwave popcorn every day." I don't know about you but if that is the case I need to cut back somewhere so I can actually eat the Oreos. The idea behind the book is that our Western culture leads us down the path to preventable diseases such as diabetes, strokes, heart disease, heart attacks, and cancer (yes science has found that most cases can be prevented). Not all of the cases are preventable but with healthier living we are more likely to live a longer, higher-quality, more active live. Who really dreams about becoming "crippled" 20 years before they die? Our Western culture the author refers to is obesity, over-eating, sedentary lifestyle, bad food choices, and smoking. The author talks of eating high-fiber foods, more fruits and vegetables, a little less meat, getting physical exercise and how to make these behavior changes. He does a wonderful job making his case with quoting many studies, giving statistics, and explaining the scientific findings (including the inconclusive results and results for and against healthy living). I am really impressed with the book and recommend it to all my family and friends because I want everyone to have a healthy life. God needs us to fulfill our missions here on life.

Mall Santas and washing

Sometimes I have such writers block. There are things that happen all the time in life and I am prepared to write about the event as soon as it happens, but when I find the time to write the thoughts have left me. I have made an effort today to remember my observations.

Today I took the girls to visit a mall Santa for the first time in their life. Yes I know I sound like an awful parent, but who wants to wait in line for them to visit a man they don't understand and appears big scary to them (we have all seen the crying pictures). They have visited with Santa at parties, but they never quite understood what was going on. Sometimes I seem extremely practical or a scrooge, whatever you desire. Well today was the day to introduce Macy to the jolly elf. I figured she has an idea about the big guy and can actually talk to him. I also needed to purchase a gift and was headed to the mall anyways. I can safely say it was a waste of time and $15. I should have opted for just a visit and no picture. In my heart I knew Kelsey wasn't going to go along with this scheme (she didn't nap today). What a sucker I am. Macy went along with the situation and told him she wanted a candy cane for Christmas. She wouldn't sit on his lap but sat next to him for a picture. Kelsey flat out refused to be anywhere near the man. I tried for the classic screaming picture but she slid away from Macy too quick. I now have a picture with Santa and Macy doing her awful, classic cheesy grin. As we were walking away Macy looked at the big guy and asked where her candy was. This guy was sharp. He replied that she was just placing her order now and would have to wait to get the candy cane. When all was said and done Macy could have cared less about visiting him. I don't know how often I will waste my money and time on mall Santas. I guess I will have to see as my kids grow.

Another interesting event at the mall made me question, are we too paranoid of germs? Of course Macy had to visit the restroom and while we were in the stall another mother and some children came in to wash their hands. She spoke the entire time she was in there and there was such urgency in her voice. She would say "don't touch anything metal or plastic", "don't touch that", "rub your hands more", "scrub your hands longer", "keep rubbing we have to get the germs off", "keep rinsing", "no don't touch that", "don't touch the door our hands our clean", "don't touch the handle we don't have any germs on our hands" etc. The amount of worry and the constant talking made me laugh in the stall. It seemed as if the world was coming to an end if her and her girls didn't stay germ free. Yes I will have my kids not touch things especially in public restrooms, but I don't do it with such paranoia. Every where you turn their is some new anti-bacterial product and something to help keep us completely germ free. In my mind it is a little bit over the top. We need some bacteria to help our immune systems and some of the stuff we kill is actually good for us. Just the other day the Today show had a special about how we as Americans are too concerned with bathing and the amount of showering we do can sometimes have negative side effects. We hear this all the time but the answer might be moderation and circumstance dependent. Anyways this situation gave me a laugh and made me think a little too.

Another quick thought. I am sure the lady opened the bathroom door with a paper towel (not a bad thing, I do this if I can), but think of all the other doors she opened without a paper towel to get into the stores of that outdoor mall.

The weekend

We had a good weekend. No one was sick. Luckily no one caught Brian's illness from the previous weekend.

Friday night we made it to see the temple lights. I made the girls take a nap that day with threats of not going. I wasn't excited to follow through with this threat, but I also didn't want to take grouchy children. I am happy to say they both napped and it was a pleasant evening that ended with hot chocolate and marshmallows at home. Macy and Kelsey were thrilled with new mittens and Macy had to wear 2 jackets because we don't have a big winter coat for her. Macy also wanted to have her picture taken by every bush on the premises. We tried to see the exhibit of nativities from around the world, but as soon as we made it into the room Macy had to go to the bathroom and we didn't want to wait in line again.

Saturday was our ward Christmas party. Again there was the threat of not going if children did not nap. Again they pulled through for us and everyone was able to go. The activities committee did a wonderful job. They really wanted to make it a community event so everyone within the ward boundaries were given an invitation. There was tastings from all over the world. A family who has lived in Japan brought Sushi, pot stickers, and spring rolls, there were Italian meatballs, some Mexican appetizers, and cream puffs and these cheese/ham rolls (not sure of the nationality). Guests were invited to display their nativities. Then there was a wonderful Christmas program that was really entertaining.

Saturday night Macy and Kelsey didn't go to sleep until after 11 PM. There is a chance that Brian and I were asleep before them. They were up by 7:30 on Sunday. Sunday night they decided it would be another late night. Again they were up until 11 PM and Brian and I may have gone to sleep before them. However, Monday morning I had to wake them at 8:15 because I had to be somewhere. Of course the morning they sleep in and we have an appointment.

Help with cleaning

Before big events or trips I like to get my house as clean as possible so I have less stress when I come home. This I think leads to more stress before the event. Today I have been cleaning and preparing. I attempted to clean my blinds and remembered why I hardly ever do them. They are difficult and time consuming, but I can't stand to see the build up of dirt when little fingers leave their mark. I can usually close my eyes quickly and then I forget about them but there are in some need at this point in time. Any suggestions on how to make this task less daunting? I have received estimates to have someone else clean them and they range in the price of $400 to $1,000. Outrageous!

Also an update on our gingerbread house. It is almost completely gone and I am cursing it at this moment. Gone in less than a week and I have eaten the majority. Although I took pleasure in the moment of every.

You know your children are weird when:

Last night Macy exclaims - "Thanks mom for making us squash for dinner. I love spaghetti squash."

Macy is having a difficult time doing #2 on the toilet lately. She is so stubborn and refuses to relieve herself. She says it is gross. Instead she holds it for 5 days. Yesterday all day long I tried to convince her of the importance of this task. She still refused even when offered a quarter for attempts and then denied candy and hot chocolate. Of course out shoe shopping she scouts out a restroom. She comes up to me and says she needs to poop. We start to head in the direction of the bathroom when she stops and says she doesn't need to go. Again some for coaxing and she tells me she just needs to toot in her pants. Whatever. Five seconds later she starts shouting "I've pooped in my pants mom." Her legs are stretched far apart and I make her toddle that way to the bathroom. I had one more quick stop so she had to go without underpants to Old Navy. In there she shouts to me "I don't need to wear underpants mom. I'm okay."

Kelsey is sometimes stranger than Macy. I just can't think of anything off the top of my head right now. But trust me, she is following in her sister's footsteps.

Candy trains and Gingerbread houses

This week has had some major ups and downs. I am almost ready to throw in the towel with being the mother. The job has some really trying and disgusting moments that usually bottleneck everything else in life. Brian keeps telling me that one of these days I am going to look back and wish my kids were this age again.

We have had some really great times. Last Sunday we got together with friends from Brian's BYU days. We made candy trains. Here is a picture of ours.

The train did end up in a wreck within a few days of arriving home. Macy was very upset that dad (I threw all the blame towards him) kept eating the train. Everyday she notices big chunks missing and says he is going to be in big trouble.

At posting time only the mid-section of the train is left and that is because it is not anyones favorite candy.

The kids and I also did gingerbread houses. This has been a tradition for me ever since my freshman year of college at Dixie College. I love to make my own cookie because I am a firm believer in eating the house. That is the whole reason for the house and store bought ones taste awful (trust me on this). I also love the smell when you bake it. My Grandma Lue gave me a gingerbread mold last year after Christmas and it was wonderful. No more mis-matched walls and fancy architecture work. I did 2 houses this year because the plan was to let each girl have a house and a parent to help. That fell through so instead a couple of Macy's friends were over and I let the 3 of them go to town on one house and I took the other. Kelsey was more interested in eating the cereal than putting any on the house. Because I had my own house I was able to comfortably let the kids have complete control over their house.

Here is Josh, Jesse and Macy's house:

Here is my house:

Here is my house again less than 24 hours after completion. Brian came home from work and the chimney disappeared along with portions of the fence and brick work.

Tonight I plowed through my Christmas cards and hope to get them in the mail soon. This year I have had writers block and a lack of desire to do them. I have put them off and put them off and decided I couldn't put them off any longer. I love to receive and read Christmas cards so I felt like I should continue with mine.

Well it is off to the couch for me. Brian is really under the weather tonight and I don't really want to catch whatever it is. Kelsey has been sick too. She had a fever last night and today, but it doesn't appear to be the same thing as Brian's (Thank goodness) Please cross your fingers for me that Macy and I can steer clear of whatever those 2 have.

Tidbits of the week

Rain, rain and more rain. Do I really live in Phoenix? Yesterday it rained as if we lived in a wetter part of the United States. It rained for at least 8 hours straight. It wasn't the monsoon down pour either. It was a light, steady rain. This morning my pool's water level was at least an inch higher. Today it was cloudy for 1/2 the day and we had some more rain, but it was more typical of the desert. It was a lot of water in a matter of 10 minutes and then the sun came out.

Another odd thing that happened the other night happened when I was driving home at night. I was on a main road near my home and I saw two animals crossing the street in my headlights. At first I thought they were cats, but as the second crossed I noticed that they were too large to be cats and so I thought dogs. As I got closer the second animal looked at me and his yellow eyes glistened in the light and I realized that they were coyotes. Yes, coyotes. I was shocked because I don't live in the middle of no where. I live in a big city suburb and we are not that rural. There is some open land where they were crossing but across the field was a subdivision. Luckily it wasn't mine, but it was only a mile from my home. Crazy. Hope the little dogs were inside that night.

My last announcement is that I am done with my Christmas shopping. Okay I have 2 items left; slippers for Brian and candy for the stockings. It is the greatest feeling. I can't wait to wrap them. I feel very organized this season, so I seem to be enjoying it a little bit more. Besides wrapping I need to finish my Christmas cards and a homemade gifts and then I can put my feet up, sip my hot cocoa, and read my book. Ho, Ho, Ho.

cean up, cean up

A funny moment from today.

As I went to get in the shower I heard Kelsey singing from the other room.

"Cean up. Cean up. Cean up. Cean up. (repeated as many times as she desired)
"Ebody do ss hare.
"Cean up. Cean up. Cean up. Cean up. Cean up...
"Ebody do ss hare."
repeated over and over

Translation:
Clean up. Clean up. (Should have only been 2 times)
Everybody do their share. (actual lines "Everybody everywhere")
Clean up. Clean up.
Everybody do their share.

It was funny. The girls were cleaning the family room for me. Kelsey was picking toys up from the ground and moving them to the coffee table or to another place on the floor. Macy had removed my couch cushions and was using her play vacuum to clean the couch. The cushions are still on the floor because she wouldn't let me put them back on because they were still drying. The vacuum has been put away in my pantry and the toys are still all over.

Can the Holidays get any better?

Eggnog, chocolates, the smell of spices and pine trees, shopping, Christmas music, parties. One more plus, I don't have to go out in the miserable cold to do all my errands that creep up this time of year.

Today the girls and I spent quite a bit of time at Walmart. Not my store of choice, but I had a return and needed a few items. Macy and Kelsey had a great time seeing all the Christmas items. They were enthralled with the dancing/singing stuffed animals. Their eyes grew big seeing the blow up yard decorations. Macy found a misplaced basketball and believing she could dribble chased it down the aisle. Then came the bikes. They were in heaven. Of course there was the motorized jeep out for display that they had to play in along with the little kid 4-wheeler/quad. I couldn't get them to leave. Their smiles and enthusiasm brought a grin to my face. I always thought that Christmas was the best when you were child and still believed in Santa. I was wrong. It is the best when you get to play Santa. I just want to get them everything and I can't wait for them to open up what I did buy. If I was to actually write out the list Macy keeps mentioning (she has asked if I will write a list for Santa for her) it would be 20 pages long. The gift giving isn't the only great part. One of the neatest experiences is teaching my kids about Christ and the reason for Christmas. I get just as excited to plan FHE this time of year and to take my girls to the temple lights. Last Monday we talked about His birth and when we passed a yard nativity Macy exclaimed "We talked about that the other day." I wanted to hug her and say "you were listening".

About the motorized vehicles. Brian is dying to get the girls one of these things. I have to admit I almost bought one last night and today (especially when they were happy playing with one that didn't run). They are a little more expensive than a regular bike and I want Macy to learn to actually ride her bike before I let her become lazy. I told him maybe next year and I had to remind myself that they will be excited for whatever they get this year.

And so the season begins

Turkey day has come and gone already. I proud to say that I did not come home 10 pounds heavier. I believe I ate the feast in good moderation. I was still feeling quite full after the meal so maybe my idea of moderation isn't exactly in line with experts, but oh well. At least I didn't gorge myself like some past holidays. Actually the moderation thing went down hill on the last 2 days of the trip. Vacations always kill me when it comes to eating.

Besides the eating I did a lot of relaxing. I spent some time visiting Brian's grandma, playing lots of card, and reading my current novel (Duty and Desire by Pamela Aiden). The girls did some swimming and lots of playing with their cousins. Brian played some golf. He and his friend thought about cancelling their 8:30 AM tee time because it was so cold in the mornings, but they would still have had to pay. So he sucked it up and played. We also did some cheering during the Utah/BYU football game. There was some consoling and mourning to be done afterwards but I think we are all on the up and up again. Of course I did some shopping. Not as much as I would have liked but I already had planned most of the Christmas gifts I need and none of them were on sale. I would have gone with the crowds but I am always tempted to buy myself a gift and I am just plain over spent in my personal spending account.

Now that I am home I have had to reacquaint myself with work. I feel like I have laundry coming out my ears. I have been slowly whittling away the mound today. Soon I will have to get to folding it. For some reason laundry is one of my least favorite chores. Maybe because there is no real way to cut corners. I have also been wondering why this week I have more than usual to do. It has only been a week since last laundry day.

Besides laundry the girls and I frosted some sugar cookies. They were supposed to be for family home evening but Macy got in trouble and treats were cancelled for the night. They are not the best cookie frosters. Macy licks her knife and fingers when I am not looking (I don't let her dip her knife in the big bowl). Kelsey likes to put the sprinkles on her half frosted cookie. Then she picks them off covered in frosting to eat them. She then wants more sprinkles and soon there is hardly any frosting left. I wasn't as picky about them licking fingers and utensils because we all have colds so we won't be sharing these cookies with anyone but our family. Besides this was store bought dough and doesn't even compare to homemade sugar cookies.

Sweet Caroline

I know that I have a couple of friends that are Neil Diamond fans so I wanted to share some info I just saw on Yahoo. Neil Diamond officially said the Caroline Kennedy was the Caroline in his hit song "Sweet Caroline". Just a little fun trivia.

It's begining to look a lot like Christmas

Our stockings are hung on their hooks with care
and all six Christmas tubs are bare.

Saturday we plunged into the holiday season with the retail world. I was just too excited with posts of friends talking of Christmas cards and putting up their trees. I also thought it would start off the season with less stress. We could enjoy Thanksgiving and start the next week without the rush of decorating. Plus I could pull out our Christmas music. I also did it because I could because this is my house.

This year I think the decorating was done in record time, about 4.5 to 5 hours. In past years in seemed to take forever. Maybe the reason for the quickness is my kids are older and there were no arguments about who had to put the lights on the tree. Brian did it.

My favorite decorations are the ornaments that my Grandma Lue has given every year since I was born. By now that number is quite a few, plus she give Macy and Kelsey each one and my mom has started this tradition for her grandkids. My mom gives me one too because she is sad that all the ornaments on her kids tree disappear when we get married. She always wanted a set of her own to keep.

I bore Brian every year as I reminisce about each ornament given and all the good times I had decorating my home when I was little and helping my Grandma Lue decorate for the holidays. I had to laugh during this speech because of a glimpse I had into the future. As background I used to put my ornament on little pine trees when I lived in Utah. I had 5 of them; a 4', two 3', and two 2'. When I moved I thought pine trees just didn't fit with the desert so I only kept 3 of the smallest trees. Well there isn't room for all these ornaments on my memory trees so they have had to extend into some garland that my Grandma Lue gave to me when I was in my first year of college. I have used it ever since to decorate each Christmas. Anyways I was laughing because I could just see myself in 30-40 years decorating and rambling on to my grandchildren about how I acquired this garland and how I have always used and about how I came to have a memory garland and memory trees; blah, blah, blah (this is when my future grandchildren might start to roll their eyes because they have heard this many times before). Then I started to think that then I would go into the history of each of these ornaments from their great-great grandma and great-grandma, giving them a glimpse of their ancestry. Hopefully I will have raised respectful children which will then teach their children to take in this treasure and not roll their eyes and snicker as an old woman takes a trip down memory lane.

Macy and Kelsey got into the action too. They helped place the ornaments on the tree. I was going to re-position some of the ornaments after they were in bed, but decided against it because the tree doesn't need to be perfect and it is a reminder that they helped.

Above was one of their contributions to the tree. I am not sure if you can see it but there are 3 ornaments on one tiny limb.

This is a quick shot of 2 my memory trees and a small portion of the memory garland. These are high up so I couldn't get the best picture.

Friday

Yesterday Macy received her pay back for all the children she has bitten. At the gym daycare a little boy bit her finger hard enough to leave bite marks for the rest of the day. How her finger wound up in this little 2 year old's mouth, I don't know? All I know is the embarrassment the other mother was feeling. The other mother and I happened to pick up our kids at the same time (the staff couldn't find her earlier). I guess this is the second time the boy has done this and so he cannot come back for awhile. I know the feeling. I tried to discreetly tell her that it is okay because Macy used to be a biter and that I was not upset. I think Macy may have to be bitten a few more times before all the little kids she harmed are revenged.

The best thing the girls and I found was the playground at the new outdoor mall by our house. I think the girls and I were there for at least an hour and a half. The weather was so nice. However, Macy and Kelsey were in the minority when it came to wearing shorts. Most of the kids were in long pants. It was 80 something! I brought along a book and buried my nose in it. It was a wonderful, leisurely afternoon and I felt like a good mom because we went to a playground.

One of the best advantages to the playground is that all the children's stores surround the playground. This makes returns/exchanges/shopping convenient. The kids would play and then they would tell me they were ready to go into a store. We would browse and then go back and play. In the summer I believe there is a splash fountain too. Right now Santa's little both is being set up in that area so we couldn't check it out.

What a Wonderful Feeling, What a Wonderful Day

Today has been a wonderful day so far. This morning a lady in my ward watched my kids so I could go to the temple. I love that place. The minute I step on to the grounds I have the the most wonderful feeling course through me. Nothing makes me happier (eating all the dessert I want comes close). It was our stake temple day and I happened to pick the busiest session. Every seat was filled for the 9:30 AM time. I was amazed.

The next best thing to happen was when I walked out of the temple the sky was still overcast from the morning. Some may be puzzled but when you live in a place where the sun shines 360 days out of the year this kind of change is does wonders for the spirit. I didn't even mind the dirty water spots that were on the windshield (my car was dirtier than I thought). These water spots told me that there was a tiny, minuscule leak from above. With the cloud cover we could continue with the option of long pants for the day. It is still mid-70s but we would look weird wearing shorts. I am sure most Arizonians are wearing sweaters and long pants because it is so cold. Also I am in need of a wardrobe change right now.

When I picked up my children this wonderful friend had Macy and Kelsey all fed. I didn't have to worry about lunch and now they are down for a nap. The two of them refused the nap thing yesterday, went to bed later than planned last night and Kelsey woke up at 6:30. They needed this sleep.

New photos

I have updated our family photo album on shutterfly. It has pictures from our family's visits, Halloween and Kelsey's birthday. If you have forgotten the password, shoot me an email or give me a call.

Best Friends

Yesterday I was a little hot after doing some shopping. I suggested to the kids we head out to the pool. The water was chilly, but the outside temperature was 95 so it felt good to dip yourself in the water and then get out to read a book and play. For my family I repeat, I did get in the water and swim. I thought to myself, "if I am getting in water this cold I should be water skiing."

After the kids were cleaned up I let them watch a movie while I showered. The shower was very peaceful. Not a noise came from the other room and there was no whining or crying about someone being mean. Then I came out of my room and found this:

Isn't this the sweetest thing? They were worn out from no naps, getting up early, and lots of play time.

They had another moment like this last Friday, but we didn't take a picture for fear of waking them up. We had a babysitter that night and Macy insisted that her and Kelsey sleep in the same bed. Of course they got their way and it was the cutest thing to come home to.

New Beds

The girls were promised the new beds after grandma and grandpa left. So Halloween night we had to live up to that promise. They each got to sleep in their new bed.

Along with these new beds came new room assignments. The girls had shared a room while my parents were in town and they liked that idea. Mom and dad's plan was to place a bed in each room and keep them separated. (They play instead of sleeping, especially during nap time.) Well there was a change of plans and the girls now share a room Kelsey's old room and Macy's room has become a play room. They still have a lot of trouble going to sleep but I have stopped forcing naps so lately they have been going to bed exhausted at about 7 PM. Hooray!

Here are some pictures of their new room. I didn't take any of the play room. It is full of toys. In fact, as I was rearranging things I started to think that Santa may need a letter telling him to be careful on the number of gifts.

Someday I will sand and paint the dresser white. Just don't plan on it tomorrow or the next day.

Happy Birthday Kelsey

Yesterday was Kelsey birthday. I hate to admit, but I didn't do anything real special. The family did all the celebrating when grandparents were in town. I did blow up two red balloons for the girls to play with. We have had plenty of candy that cake really wasn't necessary.

When Poppy Alan and Grandma Carol were in town she opened their presents and did some coloring with the color wonder marks they gave her. Her gift from them was in a sack. She was so into throwing tissue paper from the sack that she didn't stop when she reached the new clothes. She tossed them over her shoulder too until made her slow down and realize what they were.

Last Tuesday we celebrated with Poppy DeVon and Grandma Wendy. After the Cheesecake Factory and before Kelsey came inside the house, I placed out all her presents. Her and Macy quickly found them. Luckily Jeff stopped the two from tearing into the gifts. They waited patiently for the adults. As they did Jeff began to explain that all the presents were for Kelsey. Her eyes grew wider and her mouth opened. She then covered her mouth as Macy did. Finally when it reached the climax both girls were jumping up and down squealing with delight.

The first gift was a newborn cabbage patch. Kelsey cried "a bebe, a bebe". When then had to re-focus her attentions to the other gifts. Each one brought her such excitement and happiness. I can't wait for Christmas. She was by far more animated than Macy ever was. Macy might be more so now. We had to open every toy that night and she played with everything too. Macy did her best to take over the toys. In fact, Macy has already adopted the cabbage patch as hers and she has convinced Kelsey to give her some of the dress up shoes (one of the gifts was a package of 6 pairs of Disney princess shoes).

After gifts we sang Happy Birthday and Kelsey/Jeff blew out candles. Only Kelsey and Macy had some cake. The adults waited until they were asleep to indulge in the pieces of cheesecake brought home from dinner.

Kelsey, I am so grateful you came to our family. You have such a sweet personality that it brings such love and joy into our home. You and your sister are the best of friends right now and I hope it stays that way. I love to watch the two of you interact, especially as you learn to stand up for yourself. I love you!

My Parents Turn to Visit

I am playing catch up today on all the fun events that have taken place this past week.


A week ago Saturday my mom, dad, and brother flew out for a visit. We had a lot of fun each day. My favorite part was I got to sleep in. My parents would always be awake before me and so when the kids got out of bed they would grab Macy and Kelsey before they could make their way into my room. Thank you!

The kids were excited to see grandma, poppy, and Uncle Jeff. The first thing Jeff wanted to do was check out the pool and go swimming. I warned them that the water might be cold, but that did not stifle the desire of Jeff, Macy or Kelsey. It was too cold for me to go in. The water temperature didn't stop my dad from swimming later on in the trip. He even took an evening swim one night.


Saturday night after the kids dried off we went to Schnepf Farms for the Pumpkin and Chili Festival. There was a little petting zoo where Kelsey was able to chase some little goats. Macy just turned her nose up at the animals. She said they stink. There were rides for the kids and we even watched some pig races. We tried pumpkin donuts that were delicious and grabbed a huge bag of kettle corn after wandering through the corn maze. That bag lasted us 3 days.

Sunday we went to the LDS Mesa Temple and Visitors Center. Monday we tried to go to the Children's Museum in Mesa, but I forgot that it is closed on Mondays. Luckily we found a really good cafe for lunch. This is where Kelsey found one of her most prized possessions: a little plastic tambourine. She carried that with her the rest of the week.

Tuesday we took a road trip to Sedona and Slide Rock State Park. At Slide Rock there was water so Macy wanted to get in. During warmer seasons this is a popular swimming hole, but that day was not a warmer season day. Macy tried to convince me otherwise. Here the kids were able to throw rocks into the water to their hearts content. In Sedona we walked around and ate fudge. When we got back home we all voted for a night free of cooking so we could celebrate Kelsey's birthday and carve pumpkins. Cheesecake Factory was the winner. By the way Ghiredeli chocolate cheesecake is still the best in my book.

On their last day here we went to the Cerretos Candy Factory. We didn't make it for a guided tour and the self-guided tour was not worth the drive. In fact it was a disappointment so I am hoping that the guided tour is what put this destination on the "100 places to take your kids in the summer". The bright side of things we bought some yummy candy and chocolate.

On the way home from the factory we made a spontaneous decision to try the Hanger Cafe at the small Chandler Airport. At this airport it is mostly flight schools and small private planes (no jets that we saw). Besides Halloween, this stop saved the day. The cafe is right by runway, so we could watch planes land and take off all through lunch. Nearby was a helicopter school so we saw several helicopters flying around and practicing. The kids thought this was neat. The food was good and we had a perfect day to eat outside.

Of course that night was Halloween night. We did some trick-or-treating and then said goodbye to Poppy DeVon, Grandma Wendy, and Jeff. Come back anytime.

Happy Belated Halloween

My mom, dad, and brother were just here for a visit. They were able to come over Halloween. They flew home last night, so today I had to get back into the doldrums of life. I will post a little later on our activities. This post is dedicated to our Halloween fun.

Tuesday we carved our pumpkins. Macy was quite the little guts cleaner. She had no hesitations about sticking her hands in the pumpkin and tearing out a handful of innards. Macy described her pumpkin face to Jeff who sketched it and carved it for her. I helped Kelsey with hers. Okay, mom did all the design work and carving. There was a little help from Target's $2.50 Mr. Potato head pumpkin kit. Kelsey could care less about the pumpkin. I don't think she ever looked at it even the finished product. We celebrated her birthday that night so she was into the new toys.

This year Snow White and Cinderella came to visit. In a mother's opinion, I think my girls were the prettiest princesses out on the streets. Jeff stayed home to hand out candy so grandma, grandpa, mom and dad could escort the princesses. Macy did her best to embarrass me. At one house she looked at each individual variety of candy in the bowl and would throw it back. After a minute she threw the last candy into the bowl and stated, "I don't like any of this candy" and turned to walk away. I grabbed a package of M&Ms and told her she liked this kind (this house actually had a wonderful selection). She threw it back and said no she didn't. Mortified, when we reached the sidewalk again I told her we do not act that way and to be grateful or we were going home. At another house, she again started to go through this routine. I quickly told her that none of this candy had nuts in it (I had figured out the problem). She was satisfied and picked a piece. I again had to discuss etiquette. A third time she went to a house picked out a 3 musketeer and asked the neighbor if it had nuts in it. I was turning redder by the minute. With a negative response she was satisfied. She became pacified and accepted the candy at other houses but there were a few times back at the sidewalk when she would haughtily give Kelsey or me the candy and say she did not like that kind. By the end she was tired and well-behaved.

Kelsey was happy to accept anything. In fact she was content to just have a continuous flow of candy into her mouth. She slowed the train down many times as she was unwrapping her latest piece. By the end she didn't care to get out of the stroller if she had candy in her hand.

Halloween is the best holiday here. The temperature is not too hot and not too cold. There was no need for jackets (our party wore shorts for the outing) and many people sit outside to hand out candy because the weather is so nice. In Utah I volunteered to stay home to hand out candy. It was always too cold. Here it might be a fight at who gets to go. Our street is so quiet that not many kids come by and not many neighbors are out so it could be kind of boring. Have to see what next year will bring.

All Day Shopping Experience

Yesterday the kids and I packed up for some shopping that turned into an all day event. We left the house at 11:30 AM and returned home at 5:45 PM. They were very good little shoppers, but I was still worn out from saying "Come back here" a bazillion times.

We were on the hunt for new bedding for the girls new beds. I needed comforters, sheets and of course mattress protectors for those night time accidents. It took forever because I realized that I forgot my wallet at home when I finished at our first and farthest destination. Of course I had items to purchase there. Then we hit Costco twice, two different locations. Once because it was the closest gas station to my destinations (I was seconds away from being stranded all because I forgot my wallet and never filled up when I actually thought about it last week) and I promised the girls a hot dog for lunch. The second was the last stop. I had to pick up my new glasses and purchase a few grocery items. I also had to swing by two different Kohl's because I found a quilt I liked, but the first store only had one twin. Of course today I returned them because I found a better quilt some where else.

The kids had a great time. They had a pillow fight with their new pillows at the discount linens store. They were giggling and running through the aisles knocking each other with their over sized pillows. Of course when I realized what was going on I put a stop to it, but I am sure the employees were thinking awful things about me while the other customers were laughing. At Bed Bath and Beyond they set-up 4 rows of 2 folding chairs (that is 8 total for the math challenged) in the aisle. These were however little kid folding chairs. They also finished their Costco hot dogs sitting on the ground without shoes "watching TV". It was some infomercial but they found it fascinating. It is hard work to keep an eye on children when reading labels on mattress covers to make sure you get a waterproof one. They also had a hard time staying together when we were walking. Macy would be 20 feet in front of me and short-legs Kelsey would be 20 feet behind me (someday she will grow taller and be as fast as Macy). When they were together they would sometimes fight over who's turn it was to be in the stroller.

The funniest part of the day was when Macy finally fell asleep. We were at our last stop, Costco. I pulled her from her car seat asleep. She remained asleep in my arms. Kelsey wasn't going to have that and Macy was heavy so I placed her in the cart. She wouldn't wake up. I place my purse on the handle to be her pillow. She slept the whole 45 minutes we were there. People were laughing each time they saw us. When we got to the car she finally roused. On the way home she looked at the groceries next to her and asked where we got them. She had no clue we even went to Costco.

It sounds like Macy and Kelsey weren't that great, but remember we were gone a long time. The majority of the day they were okay.

Poppy Alan and Grandma Carol's visit

Macy was so excited to have her grandparents come and visit this past weekend. Of course Kelsey was too, partially because Macy was excited but mostly because she loves her grandparents.

Macy wore Grandma Carol out with hide-and-go-seek the first day. She would not let grandma stop and of course Macy would hide in the same spot each time. Macy even got grandpa to play a couple of times. If they didn't hide where she told them to, she just wouldn't find them.
Both girls quickly realized that grandpa usually had gum around. Kelsey figured out the gum chewing (she used to swallow it and so was banned for a period). She loved to show and tell anyone that she had gum in her mouth. I am pretty sure that between the 2 of them they went through a package.

We a few things besides visit to fill their time. We hit 3 local restaurants: Joe's BBQ, Paradise Bakery, and In and Out Burger (I hamburger was not enough for Alan. He had to buy 2 more. I don't think he will live that down). We went and saw two of the model complex's Brian had built. Carol and I went shopping for birthday and Christmas clothes for the kids. We took Macy Christmas dress shopping. This was a treat. She didn't like any of the dresses or skirts and when we finally talked her into one she was hooked. Of course after the fight, they didn't have her size. We let the kids play at the mall playground where a little boy pinched Kelsey's nose and she lost all control. We took a drive up to Payson and saw Tonto Natural Bridge (the largest natural travertine bridge). We also took Snow White and Cinderella to our church Halloween Party. And of course we played Hearts and I lost each time.

Macy wanted a coat instead of a dress, so Kelsey had to wear one too: a couple of sizes too big.

I think Calee has been teaching Macy how to be photographed.


Are we still in Arizona?

This was a very enjoyable and refreshing visit. Grandma Carol and Poppy Alan are welcome back any time.

Polly, our Parrot

The kids are really sleeping in this morning so I thought I would catch up on the blog. Yesterday Brian's parents came in to town to visit, so the kids were up late. Hence, they are sleeping in. It was a pretty low key afternoon. We just visited and took them to a wonderful BBQ restaurant. If anyone comes our way and needs a good place to eat, definitely stop by Joe's.



Now to our exciting news. We have the cutest parrot living with us. She can repeat pretty much anything you say especially Macy. Not only does she talk, but she mimics everything Macy does and does not like to leave Macy's side. We have nicknamed this Kelsey parrot, Polly. This interaction between the 2 girls is hilarious. Kelsey is always looking towards Macy. She sits how Macy sits, she jumps when she jumps and yells when Macy screams. The other day Macy had to go to the bathroom so Kelsey did to. Macy went into one bathroom. Luckily, she was out of toilet paper. I went into the other bathroom and there was Kelsey. Her pants were off and the diaper was just about off. She was going to sit on the toilet herself. She just looked at me and said "potty". I think this is how Kelsey convinced the gym daycare that she was potty-trained when in reality she still has no clue. (The daycare had to come and get me because Kelsey had a messy diaper and it was everywhere in the bathroom.) Briefly I considered making Kelsey go as a parrot for Halloween and Macy a pirate captain.

Kelsey could also be consider Macy's puppy. Macy has her fetch items for her all the time. Macy tells her to jump and she jumps; roll-over and she will. The funny thing is Kelsey is so proud of herself when she does this. Next time I will have to scratch her behind the ears after a good job.

This behavior does worry us a bit. We hope Macy doesn't realize the full power she has over Kelsey. That could lead to some serious problems. We have to keep talking to Macy about examples. We have to remind her that she needs to be a good example because Kelsey is always watching. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. We just hope there is no bridge and cliff around that Macy decides to jump off of because the lemming will go right along with her.

We might be crazy

The weekend has come and gone. Friday we had a new tree planted to replace the ficus tree we lost to the terrible frost last winter. Like most of our purchases we went with the motto larger is better. We didn't want to wait for the tree to catch up to the rest of the landscape.

Saturday was yard day. Brian and I planted our winter grass. Officials here try to discourage this practice because you use a lot of water to keep grass growing. Besides saving water, you can save time because you don't have to mow and fertilize dormant grass. Call us crazy, but we spent 5 hours on the process called over-seeding just so we can pay more and increase yard maintenance in the winter months. First we scalp the lawn so it becomes a dirt yard with patches of dead looking grass. This equaled about 15 bags of grass for the garbage man. Then we spread 20 pounds of seed between the front and back yard. Once the seed is down we sprinkled mulch across the top to help retain moisture and to help hide the seed from the birds. We had to sprinkle 17 bags of the stuff (we are talking the large Lowe's bags out in the garden center). It was after this that I realized I might be getting old and weak. My legs and back did not want to pick up another bag. I was afraid I would not be able to walk today. Don't worry all is well. I am still young enough to recover quickly and had no side effects today. We did this back breaking labor because we feel that it is worth it. The nicest weather here is in the winter. We want to use our yard then. No one wants to sit on their beautiful green lawn when it is 115 and when our temperatures are moderate the bermuda grass turns brown and scratchy. That is why we plant it. Last year our grass was the softest grass I have ever laid upon. Macy would always tell us that we needed to feel the grass.

Our reward for our hard labor was a murder mystery party that night. Brian and I got a babysitter, found some costumes and had a wonderful time. The theme was pirates. I was Antonia Napier, the wealthy governor's daughter. Brian was Sealegs Sam, a poor merchant sailor that I was in love with. When we all arrived (there were 6 couples) we were given given money and information about our character and tidbits about others. We then mingled and set up the plot. Then a murder took place and the goal was to find the murderer anyway we could and/or get the most money by using bribery, blackmail or good old fashioned questioning. We had such a good time. The costumes people had and the way people got into character was so funny. My sister, Breathless Betty, was a hoot. She would talk in this french accent and was just out there. Her husband told me at church today that it took her awhile to get out of character. The most shocking thing that happened last night was my Sam (Brian) turned out to be the murderer. I am proud to say that I did guess him to be the murderer. Like I said before, this was a fun party and many other guests enjoyed it too. Some of us would love to do it again. Maybe next Halloween.

Today has been a quiet, relaxing Sunday. After church the whole house took a nap. I woke up before everyone and it was a little odd to have the house silent. At the same time it was very peaceful and rejuvenating. The kids had a sugar cookie for dessert and Kelsey was so entertaining to watch. Of course she only ate the frosting, but the manner in which she did was hilarious. First she picked off all the sprinkles then she would bite/lick the frosting off. However, as she would do this she would inhale through her nose. She would pull the cookie away and gobs of frosting would be hanging from her nostrils. I tried to wipe it off, but she would sniff forcefully and it was quickly gone. I think half the frosting made it into her mouth and the other half in her nose. The next disgusting thing was Macy finished off Kelsey's cookie. Once most of the frosting was gone she was done and that was when Macy moved in for the kill.

Macy wanted to show what was in her mouth.

The positive side of AZ

Brian thought I was a little negative in my last post (and I have to admit it did come across that way), so I am going to list the best part of living here.

1. In the past year and a half we have used our patio furniture more times than in the four years we lived in Utah.
2. If we had a boat, our ski/board season would be 4 or 5 months instead of 3 months.
3. I participate in a babysitting swap.
4. I have palm trees in my yard and flowers that bloom all year long.
5. Our garage can be an extra room of the house. Brian and I have not bought into this idea quite yet. However, many of our neighbors have TVs mounted in their garage and at night they sit outside in the garage and watch sports and drink (I believe it is often the Diamondbacks or Monday night football). My garage seems a bit dirty for me to have a desire to do this.
6. My kids can wear flip-flops or no shoes all year long. I think Kelsey's name might have to be changed to "Shoeless Joe Kelsey". The kid refuses to wear anything but Macy's green flip-flops. She takes them off as soon as I start the car or walks into the house. Last night at Costco she took them off and was walking around the optical department for sometime before we noticed. On the chance that I can get her into her sandals the same thing happens, however, when we get home she plops herself down in the middle of the entry way and tries to take them off and usually starts screaming because she can't. Of course I am of no help because my arms are usually full and she has caused a traffic jam so I can't even get through the door. All this happens within five seconds of entering the house.
7. We get to pick our own oranges come December. Lemons are in abundance. People can't give away grapefruit and salsa is a staple.
8. We can escape the summer and visit family and they can escape the winter and visit us.
9. Disneyland, San Diego, and the beach are only about 5 hours away.
10. And the number 10 reason (drum roll please)... Brian can use his Spanish daily. I couldn't help throwing that in.

Creepy Crawly

There are just a few drawbacks about where I live.


1. My family is not nearby.

2. The exceedingly hot summers.

3. The bugs. Most people laugh when I make this comment because from my understanding this is not a usual complaint among inhabitants of this city. I have no idea why these people could care less about the infestations. There are so many pest control services down here and most people I know use them. Scorpions tend to be a problem, but not very many people complain. To them it must be a normal part of life. I for one can't stand for it.



I bring up bugs because in the last 24 hours I have had two horrible experiences. Last night I went out back to take care of some pool maintenance. I was looking around because the crickets are out of control. I happened to look up and there was the largest spider I have ever seen in the wild. I almost screamed but I didn't want my kids to come running out of their rooms and teach them to freak out over bugs (that and I just put them to bed). Instead I grabbed my knight in shining armor and my camera. The plan was to whack it with a magazine. Brian had to grab a stool to reach it. I warned him that if he missed and it fell or jumped on him he was out of luck because I wasn't going to save him. Lucky for me (and him), Brian has a good aim.



My second horrifying episode was with a bug that was living in my swimming pool. Yes, I repeat living in my swimming pool. I couple of days ago I noticed a brown leaf on the bottom of the pool. I didn't think anything of it because my pool vacuum was having some issues. Well yesterday the issues were fixed. When I took the kids out swimming today there was that brown leaf on the bottom of the pool. I thought this strange that after 6 hours of vacuuming Nemo somehow missed this debris. I was smart enough not to try to pick this leaf up with my toes (who wants to touch something slimy with their barefoot and I also had the thought that it might be a dead bug). Anyways, a few minutes later the leaf was on the top step. When I examined it more closely I realized one of my worst nightmares is true. It was a large bug. I went to get a cup to scoop it up and that is when I found that it was alive. The little beast was fast. I thought I had lost the creature and was going to make the kids get out. Then I found it and captured it. I could hardly believe that a bug could actually live in the pool. I put chemicals in last night and it didn't kill it off. I took pictures and have insect frying in a bucket outside so I can show Brian that this is a true story. I see a scorpion next and I will be moving out of state.

My cooking secret

I admit it. I love to lick bowls clean (now that I am grown I finger swipe or scrape with a spatula). I do wash the bowls and utensils thoroughly before using them again.

Today I made 2 Texas Sheet cakes for the youth etiquette dinner tonight. That equalled 3 bowls, 6 beaters, and 3 spatulas dripping with leftover batter and frosting. (I made a double batch of frosting so I had less mess in the kitchen because I hate to clean up my kitchen messes. Just ask my dad or Brian, they both can confirm this.) I timed this project so perfectly that I did not have to share the cleaning process with either of my children. All of it was mine and it was delicious.

Can I have that for Christmas?

Oh it has begun. Yesterday the girls and I did some browsing of Costco's holiday toy section. Macy began by demanding a book. I told her maybe she could get it for Christmas. From that point on every toy she saw she asked if she could "have that for Christmas too". This was a lot of toys. She must not realize that Santa tries to use a budget.

Today I ran to Walmart and picked up a Santa gift for Macy. It happened to be on sale (supposedly). I left it in the sack in the front seat. Macy happened to find it and asked if it was for her. She was real excited for a new toy. The dilemma I face is that this child has an amazing memory. Just the other day she was asking to do Easter Eggs again. She can identify all of our family's members cars down to the make, model and color. Do I still give her this particular item? This will probably be her first year of understanding about Santa and I would hate to ruin it. The other thing is this. This is a gift I have had my eye on for her for sometime. It is the Fisher Price kid digital camera. She loves ours and is constantly taking pictures with it.

Dance Class

Tuesdays Macy has been taking a community dance class. Each week they watch a scene from a princess/Disney movie and then learn a dance to the song. They also give them costumes to dress up in. I am not sure Macy is into the dance thing yet. She complains every week when we have to go. She won't wear the little leotard I bought her and usually the ballet shoes are gone by the end of class. Half the time when the parents come in to watch she doesn't dance. Today she performed but it could have been because I had the camera. The other 3 year olds seemed to get into it a little bit more. She leans a little bit more towards a tomboy than a princess.

PS My camera doesn't record sound. Sorry.

Another gum run-in

Yesterday we had our second gum incident. I forgot Macy had gum when she took her nap. As Brian and I were getting her ready for bed, Brian noticed a white gob in her hair. Gum! Somehow it managed to get underneath the top layer of hair. Needless to say I worked tirelessly for at least 45 minutes. I didn't want to have to cut it out. It has taken her so long to get a full head of hair and this gum was close to the scalp. Macy was a trooper and there wasn't too much screaming. Thanks to Heather's comment about vinegar and a piece of ice, I was able to salvage most of the hair. By the end I had to cut some pieces off. Like I said before, luckily it was not in the top layer so you cannot see any missing hair. She never lets me really pull her hair up so I don't think anyone will notice. I did snap a picture of the amount of hair lost. It is not the best, but I know some of my family will worry and wonder and I wouldn't be able to say exactly how much was lost. It is in a bowl because we had just finished eating some ice cream when the discovery took place.

Miss Independence

This could be a long week at the Kartchner household. Last night Kelsey fully realized she can get out of her crib. The bad part is that she is not graceful when doing it. I believe she just falls out as soon as she gets her leg up over the railing. I heard her hit the toy box. There are not bruises today so I am not completely sure of the scenario. Anyways, she was too fussy and wouldn't stay in bed so the mattress came out and she was going to sleep on the floor until I find some new beds for the girls.

Kelsey loved this new found freedom. She would not stay in bed. She would get up and go into Macy's room or play with her toys. One time Brian and I saw her walking down the hallway. When she turned our direction she froze for a second like, "uh-oh. I didn't think they would catch me." She then turned back around. At this point it was almost 10 PM. Brian took her back to her room and this time shut the door. She finally fell asleep.

Macy didn't help much. She was out of her bed just as much as Kelsey. However, she is smarter and listens to hear when we are coming so she can jump back into her room and lay down. Brian's favorite thing is to have me keep talking while he quietly goes to the hallway and then he runs around the corner and surprises Macy in the act. Macy was excited the Kelsey was out of the crib because that meant someone to play with.

Back to Kelsey's new found independence. I thought for sure she would sleep in this morning. I was wrong. She was up even earlier than usual. At about 6 AM I noticed that my room was usually bright. I opened my eyes and saw that my door was open and so Macy's night light "the bathroom light" was shining in. It took a while to register that this was strange because Brian has to have the door shut to block out the light. Then I heard a toy. I walked into the hallway and saw Kelsey's door open. I found her in Macy's room. Luckily Macy can be a heavy sleeper. Who knows how long she was up for. I can't imagine that it was for a long time. She can't stay that quiet for any length of time. We never had a problem with Macy because she has always come to find me instead of playing with toys.

Right now the two of them are still up. I put them in bed an hour ago. I finally locked Kelsey in her room and it seems to be quiet in there. I am afraid that there will rough days ahead with the lack of sleep that may take place until Kelsey learns to go to sleep instead of playing.

One other item to note in childhood milestones. Macy got her first item stuck up her nose today. I was leaving someone's house and she tells me she wants "this out before we go" (pointing to her nose). I am thinking this is a bugger. I tell her when we get home. She gets upset so I take a look. I looked like a huge bugger, so I said when we get home and grab a tissue. She insists on doing it now. She is not normally so adamant about buggers in her nose because then she can pick them and taste them, so I thought there might be something up there. She told me it was stuck. Then I saw the toilet paper and asked if she had shoved a piece up there. She gave the affirmative. Luckily all I had to do was have her blow really hard. Gross. Hopefully she learned her lesson.

Macy's other favorite questions

Macy has become quite curious about the male and female body. In particular, she is fascinated with "boots" or "boopts". I haven't corrected her pronunciation for 2 reasons. One reason is because I think it is funny to hear her say it and two because then on lookers don't really know what she is talking about unless they are listening to the whole conversation. She really likes to compare sizes. I have larger ones than daddy and she has small ones. Sometimes she asks, "do I have boots?"

Her question of the day is, "what are those little things for? Why do you have those little things? What are they for? Do I have them?" She is referring to nipples. How do I keep a straight face and answer her. What do I tell her. I did my best. I tried to use all the advice that books and articles have given when it comes to this stuff. I am not sure if she is satisfied and I am sure the question will arise again. If it doesn't come up again, I am sure she will again bring up the idea of standing to pee or peeing outside on the side yard (a friend had to do this while we were swimming).

Gummy

Macy's favorite line is, "Can I have a piece of gummy? I went potty on the toilet."

If I gave her a piece of gum every time she used the toilet during the day, her mouth would not be able to close to actually chew it. She chews her gum until there is nothing left. She will take it from her mouth while she eats, but will resume the chewing when finished with her meal. Today we ate lunch in the car and she wanted me to hold her gum for her. Where was I supposed to stick it? I think that this eating scenario which plays out daily is what led to gum getting stuck to her shirt. After church I found her gum stuck to the bottom hem. I am assuming that during snack time she removed her gum and it somehow wound up there. I am now calling for any and all advice. How do I get the gum off her shirt? Is it a lost cause? I removed the majority of it by placing the shirt in the freezer and then pulling off the chunks, but the last little bit warms up to fast to get it off.

Lots of things have been going on.

First our camping trip was a lot of fun. We had to set up our tent in the dark, but the weather was perfect for camping; not too hot, not too cold, the smell of pine trees, and no mosquitoes that met me. I did take my dad/Jeff's advice for keeping them away. I ate a lot of craisins. Supposedly there is something in craisins that repels the bloodsuckers. Kelsey and Macy had a blast. They played with their friends and Macy got to throw pine cones into the fire. They both were able to stay up until 11:30 PM wrestling and playing in the tent (they love bouncing on air mattresses). I loved it because it required minimal work. We ate dinner at Sonic on the way up and breakfast was provided. We borrowed a larger tent from some friends so the sleeping was pretty comfortable. Macy did end up sleeping with me on the queen air mattress. Brian was kicked on to the pool air mattress and Kelsey slept in Macy's sleeping bag because it wasn't working with Macy and I. Of course Brian and I were able to sit down and play Quiddler and Five Crowns with our friends, the Ralphs.

Sunday we ate dinner over at a neighbors house. We invited them to our house but it would have been a little difficult for this family. Nate is a retired air force man who is taking care of his mother and brother. He and his wife own a house on the west side of the valley (she lives and works over there), but he has had to pretty much move in to care for Hester and Ben. I am not sure when he sees his wife, but from the sound of things they make it happen. Hester, I believe, has some dimensia and is just growing old. Ben has either cystic fibrosus or cerebral palsy (I can't remember, but he was involved in some accident to make it worse). I made dinner and we carried it over there. We had a great time chatting. Hester loved to watch Macy and Kelsey play with each other and see all their energy. Ben loved the brownies I made. It was an enjoyable evening.

Between now and my last post I finished 2 books. The Face of a Stranger I read for my book club. It was an intriguing, clean, murder mystery. At the meeting I found out it is a series. I am not sure if I have time right now to dive into the series, but I will have to add it to my list. The second book was one I was listening to as a ran at the gym. It was The Goose Girl. I loved the book. One of the reasons had to do with the fact that this was the best reading I have listened to. It was a full cast instead of one person reading and doing all the different character voices. It was like listening to a play and my imagination created the stage. If anyone is going on a trip and needs something to listen to I can find out what company produced this book on tape so you can have as good as experience as I did. I also loved the story. It is a classic fairytale that has been embellished to answer some of the whys that are lost in the childhood versions. The author, Shannon Hale, got her idea because one of her favorite authors when she was younger was Robin McKinley. Not everyone I have spoken with said that The Goose Girl was their favorite from Shannon Hale. They all liked the book, but liked the The Princess Academy better. I guess I will need to grab that one next.

The weather here has cooled off this week making it perfect for the pool. It gets to just below 100 degrees during the day, so the girls and I just had to get outside. I say it is perfect because I can sit in my new lounger chair and read comfortably. I do have to dive in everyone once in awhile to cool off, but isn't that the point of laying out by a pool? The water temp. has also cooled off because the evening lows have fallen to the upper 70s. I checked the water temp and it was 83. It is funny because the girls were shivering sometimes and Macy's lips were a little discolored but there was a pretty good breeze blowing. It was so enjoyable that I put the girls down for a nap and tiptoed back outside for another hour of relaxation.

I have the greatest life

I don't claim I am a night person or a morning person. I actually don't mind staying up as long as it is not too late and I am having a good time. I don't enjoy getting up early in the morning to an alarm. I don't mind waking up at 7 AM as long as there was no alarm blaring in my ear. Luckily for me my life is like that right now. I wake up when my kids get up. No alarm and lately I have been aiming for 7 to 8 hours of sleep. I am the happiest person when all the morning universe's align.

The morning was bliss. I got to sleep in until 8 AM. The day couldn't have been better. I went to the gym came home, picked up the kitchen, swam in the pool and now I am off to a church camp out.

The Dustbuster

Brian and I love our dustbuster. I gave it to him for Christmas last year kind of as a joke, but after a week of having it we were asking ourselves why we did not buy one earlier. I think everyone with kids should have one. I have been tempted to give them as baby shower gifts, but you don't really need it when they are little. They become most useful at around 1 year of age because that is when the crumbs start falling.

However, having a dustbuster can sometimes make you feel really old (this is why I gave one to Brian). It seems that only grandparents have these useful tools. Case in point, this weekend when the Cranes were over Brian had to clean up a mess so he whipped out the old dustbuster. One of the girls asked him what it was and then said that they don't have one but her grandpa does.

Mad House

My house was crazy this weekend. We had a 3 children join our family Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Some friends of ours wanted to go to the BYU vs UCLA game so Abby (6), McKenna (4), and Zachary (3) came to play. There were times when the noise was making me crazy. All the kids would be running around screaming and then Brian would have a football game on. There is something about that sound combination that makes me cringe and want to hide. There were also times when Abby, McKenna and Macy would just fight and not get along. Girls are just plain mean sometimes. I don't think I can have any more girls. My parents must be saints for raising 4 of us. Of course with that many young children, Brian and I discussed the possibility of 2 being the magic number. I was in awe at church for the mothers who had 7 children. They must have some trait I don't. These women reassured me that it is different when they are your own. I will just keep repeating that comment to myself. I am proud to say that on Sunday we did make it to church on time. We don't even do that when our numbers are smaller.

The only really awful thing that happened this weekend was when we had to evacuate everyone from the pool. The plan was to spend the day swimming. Well Macy had an accident while swimming, but she quickly told me of her #2 problem. My pool background and our family telling us of the pool epidemic in Utah (I guess children had to 5 years plus to swim in community pools because of some awful disease that came from children pooping in the water) I had to seriously consider what to do. The decision was to let everyone continue to swim because she got out as soon as it happened (which is not what apparently happened in Utah. The children would continue swimming with messy pants). Well a little later an awful smell blew by my nose. I asked Zachary the dreadful question. He answered no, but I checked anyways. We immediately blew the whistle and made everyone get out. He had definitely been swimming for awhile. I had to superchlorinate the pool (dump a lot of chlorine in to kill everything) and we all made our way to the shower. At this point in time, no one seems to be ill and I think we are now in the clear.

One last thing on having lots of kids. Brian and I are afraid we would end up broke from the amount of food we would need to buy. In 2 days we went through a box and a half (large boxes) of cereal. The cereal was a "snack". I made large breakfasts everyday. It seemed that 5 minutes after we ate they would complain about being hungry. In fact usually when they said this Brian and I were still clearing dishes.