Tying Everything in Sight!

Last Sunday during church, Stella was being rather disruptive and not using her quiet voice, so I gave her an occupation. I was wearing a blouse that had a tie in the front, so I taught her how to tie it into a bow. She was so excited when she finally figured it out that she probably made more of a disruption as well as me exposing myself everytime she pulled on my shirt, but I was so proud of her that I didn't care! She's been tying everything in the house now!

I need new running shoes.

Hiking

Elliot, Stella and I took the light rail over to hike the "A" mountain by ASU on Saturday. Of course, we chose the most humid day ever, but we had a great time! Stella met a new friend towards the top and had to give her a hug before they made their descent to the bottom of the mountain.

Stella was like a monkey across those jagged rocks at the top whereas I sat still so I wouldn't take a plunge to my death . . . or a scraped knee (depending on your level of drama). The point is that I hiked. First hike since that wretched Pioneer Trek in March 2008.

The Dentist

Stella had her second dentist appointment of her life last week. I've always tried to talk about it a lot so she can be prepared for it, but she seemed a little too excited about this one. Seriously, the day before the appointment Stella held up one finger and excitedly said, "Only one more sleep until I get to go to the dentist?!" We thought that she was either really confused as to what the dentist was or she's mastered sarcasm.

Truth is that she just really likes going to the dentist and she did another great job! No cavities!

Raise Your Hand If You Thought It Would NEVER Happen Again!

After that last incident almost 2 years ago and the following interrogation, I never thought this could possibly happen again! She's 5 for crying out loud! She knows this! I was making bows on Friday afternoon and Stella was helping me by cutting the ribbon. She disappeared for a while and later I discovered several missing locks of hair on the front of her head.

She's practically bald in front. Good news is that she was so distraught that I sent her to her room and she actually took a nice nap. I should send her there more often.

I can sort of cover it up by parting her hair on the other side. Sorry, no video documentation this time. I was more upset about this one than the last one. She just had her hair cut last week. She owes me $10.

They Just Make Me Laugh!

Stella is always trying to come up with ideas to get out of doing things I ask her to do. One day to grab my attention and make her idea sound even better, she said, "Oh, I have a brilliant idea!"

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No context, but still very funny. Elliot said, "Shall we eat and flee?"

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Stella and I try to be very supportive of Daddy in his calling, but sometimes it gets a little overwhelming for Stella when he's gone a couple of nights in a row. Elliot was getting ready to go to yet another church meeting one night when Stella asked, "Are you the bishop of the whole United States?" That would explain all the meetings.

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Stella went swimming with her friend Rachel a couple of weeks ago. They were taking turns jumping into the pool and Stella said, "After you m'lady."

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I've been re-evaluating things that I can do better. I can always be a better Mommy and Wifey, so I told Elliot one night at dinner that I was going to make his lunches every day. A few minutes later he stood up, passionately kissed me, and said, "You have become more attractive . . ." I should add breakfast and dinner in there too.

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My friend recently broke her foot after stepping wrong and falling down a few stairs. Last night after she explained to Stella what happened, Stella said, "I don't fall down stairs because I know how to walk."

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During sacrament meeting this morning, Stella leaned over to me and said, pointing to my watch, "You need to put that gold in the mail so we can turn it into cash!" Stella watches entirely too many infomercials.

Elliot's Surgery

Ok, it was just a procedure. Elliot's had this little thing on his arm for the last year that used to just be an ingrown hair and then it turned into a giant growth that kind of just stared at you and occasionally, when daydreaming, spoke in a Scottish accent.

When Elliot got strepp throat earlier this year, Elliot asked the doctor about it. After the doctor man-handled the little guy and determined that it was just a clogged gland that kept producing oil and grew into a little cyst, he happily volunteered to take it off. Elliot chuckled and the doctor was like, "No, I'm serious. I love cutting stuff like that." Hum, interesting.

So Elliot went to the doctor to get the little nubby cut out. He was sad that he wasn't in a position during the procedure to watch it, but he got to examine the cyst with the doctor. Gross. He got a stitch. And a band-aid. I think pulling the band-aid off along with all of his arm hair is more painful than the actual procedure. Poor little bunny.

Stella's First Day of Kindergarten!

Last night we met Stella's Kindergarten teacher. I'd been totally fine and calm up to the point of walking up to the school. Then I started thinking about Stella getting older. What if someone picks on her? What if, heaven forbid, someone hits her? You know there are mean kids. I don't think I've ever been an overprotective mother, Stella never let me be. She's always been so independent and social. I paniked for a moment last night and then made myself be more positive. Her teacher is really cute and they have a very small class. Stella already made 2 new friends on top of the one she already had from preschool.

I already got in trouble this morning. Are all crossing-guards cranky? Apparently I parked in a school zone, which is illegal. This morning I walked Stella onto campus towards her class. As we got closer, she wiggled her hand free of mine and it made me frown a little bit that she wants to be grown up and do everything by herself. Of course, she grabbed my hand again in the congestion of parents and students, but once she saw her friend, she was free again. If it weren't for her teacher telling all of the kids to say good-bye to their parents, I'm sure she wouldn't have looked back. Luckily she acknowledged me and marched off to her frist day of school!

What did she remember from the day? As I predicted, she only remembered recess and snack time. She made it across the monkey bars ALL BY HERSELF! Today was a big day.

Poll Answer: Most Frequently Viewed Video

As of this second in time, you are correct. "The Haircut" is the most frequently viewed video on my blog which means THAT YOU ARE ALL SICK! Watching me torture and interrogate my own daughter over and over again! SICK! Anyway, thanks for playing.

Tiny Tim - 124 views (1 vote, 10%)
Miss Idaho - 115 views
The Haircut - 134 views (6 votes, 60%)
It's A Real Song - 105 views (3 votes, 30%)
How Dare You - 110 views

Poll: Most Frequently Viewed Video

I've been working a lot in One True Media where I do my videos for my blog. It shows how many times the video has been viewed and I got a kick out of it. So I'm doing a poll to see which one you think is the MOST FREQUENTLY VIEWED VIDEO on my blog. Here's a refresher if you don't remember the videos! Remember to vote!

A) Tiny Tim

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B) Miss Idaho

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C) The Haircut

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D) It's A Real Song

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

E) How Dare You!

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Live Footage

I don't know if you can hear Elliot giggling next to me, but it was comedy hour for him. Stella LOVED her dance class, especially because she got to see her cousins Anabelle and Claire!

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Stella's #5 Birthday!

Click on the links to see the following:
Stella's #1 Birthday
Stella's #2 Birthday
Stella's #3 Birthday
Stella's #4 Birthday

Good Grief

I made a goal in 2008 to read more books . . . or, for me, to read a book. So I joined a Book Club and read a book a month as well as a few others. This year I'm already feeling good about the books I've read and I am excited to read the other ones on my list. However, some books are just plain depressing. "Angela's Ashes" (by Frank McCourt) for instance.

I just finished it yesterday and though I actually didn't, I wanted to spit to get the sick taste that it left in my mouth. Even the first paragraph is depressing. I liked his style of writing, but it was just a sad existence for this guy. And boys are gross.


Now I have 2 books on the docket for Book Club and Book Worms (for church) which I hear are also depressing. Check with me later after I've made my appointment with the psychiatrist and popped a few prozacs then hand me the first 300 pages of "These Is My Words" so I can be pulled out of the depths of despair.

Whoever is next better pick a happy book.