Family Traditions

One thing that Matt and I quickly realized when we got married was how differently our families "did" the holidays. Once we had kids, we really wanted to set up our own family traditions that were both meaningful and fun. This is the first year that we haven't been able to do a few because of the move, but below is a list of our usual family Christmas traditions:
*Throughout December as cards come in the mail, we open them at dinner and try to pray for whatever family has sent them.
*We make a paper chain the weekend after Thanksgiving with the "ABC's of Advent" on each one, and the kids take turns every day ripping of a link and reading the verse. This one didn't happen this year, but we will go back to it next year.
*On Christmas Eve our kids bake and decorate birthday cakes for Jesus, which we let them eat after church services. We used to let them do their own, but last year we had so much leftover birthday cake I think we are going to have a joint cake this year.
*From us, our kids get three gifts each - one representing each of the gifts of the wise men. We try to do one thing they want, one thing they need, and one surprise.
*On Christmas morning we all get up together and the kids get to open their stockings from Santa, then we eat breakfast and read the Christmas story out of the Bible before they open the rest of their gifts.
*This year we let each of the kids pick out a gift for each other, as well as fill Operation Christmas Child boxes to help get them a little less self-focused.
*Our last tradition is that the week of Christmas I spend the entire time trying to pull my children off the ceiling from their sugar highs and gift giddiness and threaten continuously that Santa will not bring them anything. This is the most fun one of all.
Hope you all have a great Christmas!

Twelve Years Ago Today

Today marks are 12th wedding anniversary! In some ways it feels like we have been married forever, in other ways we feel like we still have a lot to learn about each other! We spent last night at the Apple Farm, which is where we also spent our wedding night. Last night my bag wasn't filled with rice though, which the maids are probably very thankful for. Personally, I am incredibly thankful for my amazing sweetie, who drives me absolutely crazy but I love him more and more each day.
Okay, so this was sappy and short, but I have to slowly get back into the whole blogging thing :)

We're home. I am surrounded by boxes and mess and my kids keep asking when we are getting a Christmas tree and I am doing my best to keep my sanity. Moving is not as much fun as it sounded a month ago, but we are very thankful and are trying to keep a positive attitude.
So, a funny thing happened at Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday that I have been dying to share. Despite the fact that we have a bazillion unpacked boxes I felt the need to buy more stuff and went shopping yesterday. Smart, I know. I was looking for a big glass cookie jar to hold all of my cookie cutters in, but apparently they don't sell anything like that in Santa Barbara and when you ask an employee to help you they look at you like you are on crack. Anyway, I settled on a really big clear canister and went to the check out, which is where all my troubles began. Without knowing, I chose an item that did not have a UPC bar on it. I know, I am so ashamed. The price tag was there, but no code that could be scanned. So I waited for TWENTY minutes while the checker consulted other employees, tried looking something up on his computer, and gave me dirty looks. Seriously, was it my fault that there was an item on their shelf with no tag? Did they think I purposely took it off? And honestly, I don't think he was really trying to look up the item in the computer. I think he was playing video games waiting for me to run out of patience and leave the store. I very politely asked if they could just sell it to me based on the price tag which was clearly on the item, but was given the "this lady is so dumb eye roll and sigh" and told that the computer wouldn't know what it was selling and it would throw off their inventory. Explain this to me, please. If the item has no UPC code anywhere, then how do you know it is in your inventory to begin with? I think I should have been able to walk out the store with it for free! Of course I didn't say any of this, but tried to wait quietly and patiently until the kind checker said, "Are you sure you want this?" No, I am not sure - I have just stood here for 20 minutes because I really like to look at you. I gave up and found something else. Although I kind of want to go back and see if they are still on the shelf, it drives me nuts to think that they probably just put it back and the whole scenario is going to play out with someone else next week. I guess I should just let it go, it's not my store, right?
Anyway, I should be unpacking. Hope you all are well! My email of course is not working, or my phone, but I hope you all are having a great week!

Twas the day before moving...

Twas the day before moving, and all through the house, there was chaos and messes and boxes about. And despite the chores that need taking care of, I decided to brave the stores for the deals I was aware of.
Okay, enough of my sad attempt at rhyming, my brain is way too tired. I got up early today to try and save my family a little bit of money and hit a few of the sales. However, I must say, I am not one of those crazy people who camped out at the stores last night to be the first in line. Are they insane? Unless I was promised 30 seconds to grab whatever I could and it would be free, you would not find me camping out for a sale. And it turns out that the places I went really weren't that busy, and I found everything I wanted and didn't have to wait in line at all. The only long line I hit was at Starbucks, and let me tell you there were some tired looking people in that line. Between coupons and sales I ended up saving over $50.00 on stuff this morning, not bad, right? Although now I am exhausted and the task of moving tomorrow seems incredibly daunting. Do you think if I wish really hard tonight when I go to sleep that I will wake up in the morning and everything will have magically placed itself in the right spot in the new house already? What, don't you believe in almost Christmas miracles?
Anyway, I will be off of Internet and phone for the next few days. Possibly longer depending on how long it takes me to figure out how to re-set everything up. So, worst case scenario, I will talk to you all in the New Year :)

Happy Tuesday

Happy Tuesday to you all! I am still recovering from a weekend of birthday fun. Despite the fact that I am older, with more wrinkles and white hair, a quickly dwindling brain, and weakening eyesight, I had a great birthday. I am so thankful for all of my family and friends who did so much to make my weekend special! Although I spent far too much time eating this weekend and am now paying for it! Fortunately all the take-home boxes and leftovers are finally gone, but I guess since Thursday is Thanksgiving I won't have too much time to recover.
I had a friend send the following, so I am dutifully filling it out to share :)
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No, but I do know my dad wanted to name me Sophie

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? yesterday

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? usually, it depends on the pen

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? salami

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? yes, 3, but we refer to them as monkeys

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? depends on the day

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? umm, no, never...really

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? no

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Yes

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Frosted Flakes

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? no, especially since they usually don't have ties

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? yes

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? java chip or chocolate fudge brownie

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? smile

15. RED OR PINK? Red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? trust me you don't want to go there

17. Who do you MISS THE MOST? My sister Michelle and her family, I wish we could live closer!

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Not sending it to anyone else :(

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? pink

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? left-over tri tip

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? my kids watch a video

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Blue

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Kendall's hair after it's washed, yummy candles, fresh flowers

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? my landlord

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? football, gymnastics, ice skating

27. HAIR COLOR? Blond

28. EYE COLOR? blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No

30. FAVORITE FOOD? Italian

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? HAPPY ENDINGS!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Nim's Island

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? black

34. SUMMER OR WINTER Summer

35. HUGS OR KISSES? Both

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Yes

37. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Amazing Grace by Francine Rivers

38. FAVORITE SOUND? my kids laughing, rain on the roof

39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? neither

40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? The Caribbean

41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can tie a cherry stem with my teeth :)

42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Santa Barbara, CA

Sheep and Cows and Pilgrims...oh my!

So, for those of you who read a couple of days ago you know that Bennett will be playing the part of a cow in the school Christmas play. We received notice today that KJ will be playing a sheep. Which means I now have 2 costumes to make, hooray for me! I am actually really excited to see them, and hopefully whatever I put together won't cause them too much embarrassment.
On the subjects of costumes, this Friday is "dress like a Native American or Pilgrim" day at school. When we first received the notice, Matt and I privately joked that we should send Bennett in a loin cloth and see what happens. Talk about breaking the christian school dress code! I know, we are horrible. I didn't really think my kids would care about dressing up, but boy was I wrong. Bennett asked me tonight what he could wear. Another costume, are you kidding me? He said he wanted to be a Native American, and I chose not to bring up the loin cloth option. I asked him what he thought he should wear as a Native American. That is when Kendall joined the conversation and said,"Mommy, Native Americans wear red, white, and blue." Umm...what?!?! Apparently the "American" part of Native American caused KJ to think that they wore flags. In her defense we did just celebrate Veterans Day and the kids all wore red, white, and blue in honor of our Veterans. Anyway, so far all I have gotten out of Bennett is that he wants to wear feathers. So...I'm thinking a big bird costume? Just kidding, hopefully I can come up with something that is both creative and school code appropriate in the next 24 hours. Wish us luck!

The Joys of Moving

I am surrounded by mess, piles of boxes, and general chaos. None of these things fit well with my personality. Growing up I lived in the same house for basically my entire life. In the past 13 years of marriage we have moved 4 times, this will be the 5th. I am praying that we can stay put for a little while! The last time we moved I thought we did a really good job of clearing out unnecessary items, do you know how much stuff our family has accumulated over the past year and a half? I can't tell you how many school papers and happy meal toys I have thrown out this week. It is actually really sad how many happy meal toys we have found, I swear I did some cooking in the past year. Oh, and we have also uncovered several black widows while packing. Gross, yuck, scary, why did God create these death filled spiders? Aren't spiders in general bad enough without adding poisonous venom to them? I refuse to pack anything else in the garage for fear I will find more; and whenever Matt goes in there I always make sure I have the phone in my hand just in case I need to call 911.
To top it off, Camden locked himself in the bathroom today. I immediately had flashbacks to when we lived in Buellton and Bennett locked himself in his bedroom and we had to remove the door to get him out while he cried hysterically from his room. Fortunately, Camden remained calm enough that I could talk him through unlocking it from the other side of the door. I can't help but wonder what other mini adventures my kids will have in the next week while we are occupied with packing.

Soccer Season Is Over!

Last night marked the end of our first soccer season - hooray! And while I thought it was also the end to our last soccer season, KJ announced joyfully last night that she was ready to play again. I am not sure if it was the cupcakes, the cool soccer dvd that they watched of themselves, or the trophy that convinced her. She also scored her only goal of the season in our last game on Saturday! I am not sure who was more excited, her or me :)
Bennett was also very supportive throughout the season, but I think he is glad that soccer is over and the attention will be a little more evenly dispersed throughout our family. He did star in his first play on Friday at school. He was a "friend" who was on the Mayflower with the pilgrims. I would attach a picture but his part was over so quickly my camera caught only a blur. Even though it was only a small part he was really excited to participate in it, and he is looking forward to the Christmas play now. Apparently some of daddy's theatre genes made their way to Bennett. He gets to be a cow in the manger for the Christmas play, and he told me tonight that he wants his costume to be brown with white spots. So, when I make this costume, do I add udders even though he is a boy? If not, how will they tell that he is a cow and not a dog? And what do cow ears look like? I am telling you, they need more parent prep classes for second grade!

Catching Up

Yes, I am still alive. I have been having computer issues lately. Not the virus kind, more the every time I sit down to write my inbox is flooded and my kids decide to go crazy thing. We have just over 2 weeks left before we move, so we are in that awkward what do we pack that we can live without for 2 weeks because we have to get something done stage. Notice all the run on sentences? That is my brain lately, one looonnnnnggg run on sentence that never seems to stop. In the midst of the craziness I also have made my first attempt to sell things on Craigslist. Probably not the best choice on my part. I had an amazing friend help me, but I am horrible at this whole process. I don't like bartering, and I don't like having strangers in my home - why did I think this was a good idea?

Anyway, onto more fun things. Below is a very late attachment of the kids at Halloween. They had a great time, we STILL have candy in our house, and Camden has now decided he wants a baseball party for his birthday. Apparently he has inherited his mommy's "plan way ahead" gene :)

The Votes Are In

I am so glad that election day is over! While I appreciate the right to vote, I am so over this election. I saw people putting away their signs today and shouted for glee, I am so sick of seeing all that stuff. Our neighbors, who had like 10 in their yard that showed us that they were our complete opposite in regards to their political views, have yet to take down all of theirs. They will probably leave them there until we move. And it is so nice to turn on the television and not see a political ad on every channel. Do the people running actually watch these things? They are horrible! On both sides! Please tell me that we are smart enough to make decisions based on things other than poorly made television commercials and a slew of posters strung around town. Apparently some people decide that way, otherwise why would they spend the money to continue to do it? Although it is fun to see things/people you support on bumper stickers or lawn signs, and I do admit I loved the Sarah Palin skits on SNL. But now it is over, and hopefully we can all move forward and enjoy the regular graffiti and crappy commercials that are on television.

Jack O' Lanterns

Our pumpkins have officially turned in to Jack O' Lanterns! Which, when you hear Cam say it sounds a lot like Chicken Interns, not sure why. The kids all got to draw their own faces and then we helped them carve their pumpkins. There is no easy way to get out all that pumpkin goo is there? We couldn't find the cheap little plastic pumpkin scooper that we usually use and it took forever to get all the stringy slimy pumpkin guts out. I think it is the pumpkins way of protesting the carving. Last night the kids also got Halloween cards in the mail from my parents, and when Camden saw the Mickey shaped pumpkin on the front of the card he took it over and introduced it to his pumpkin. It was so sweet, I wish I had gotten it on film! We still aren't sure what he is going to dress up as on Friday, but I still have two whole days to figure it out :)

Weekend Away

We went up to Pismo Beach this past weekend for a Student Ministry staff retreat. It was really nice to get away for a few days! The only downside was that the house we were in totally smelled like fish. We never could figure out why, although I really think there was something dead in one of the locked closets :)
I took the kids to the Avila Farm while Matt was leading his meetings. I love that place! The kids loved all the animals and pumpkins, and then when we went shopping through the barn they had all sorts of free candy samples and my kids totally left on a sugar high. Kendall kept saying, "We can have another one? Really?" Yes darling, that is what vacation is all about!
The above picture is from the "dinosaur park" at shell beach. Can you tell they had fun? Oh, and I have a quick funny story for you. Last week in the car Bennett was "teaching" Kendall about geography and he said "Did you know that there is a state in the middle called Nebraska and they don't have any ocean around them so they don't have any beaches? If they want to go to the beach they have to drive all the way to Washington or Oregon or California or Texas, and that is a really long drive!" Oh, my sweet child. I guess they haven't covered the eastern states yet. I think he was pretty concerned for those poor people in Nebraska who don't have beaches, I probably shouldn't tell him about all of the other landlocked states. Hopefully we won't get called to minister to a beach-less state anytime soon :)

My Li'l Pumpkins

We finally made it to the pumpkin patch! I love this time of year, and I love our local pumpkin patch. We have been going there forever and it is so much fun. Yesterday was rather chaotic because we went with our family group which has about 900 kids in it. Okay, maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but when they are all running in different directions it sure feels that way. They all seemed to enjoy it though, and Bennett made it through the corn maze this year! I hate the corn maze, that is one thing that is a daddy only job. I think I watched too many scary movies growing up, I get totally claustrophobic in them and then I get embarrassed when I see five year olds whizzing past me with no fear.
Now we need to carve our pumpkins and roast pumpkin seeds; did I mention I love this season? I think I am more excited than the kids!

Slacker

Okay, I know I promised to be better about updating this post. I am a huge slacker who has spent the past week taking bubble baths and eating bon bons and for the life of me I couldn't tear myself away from the luxury long enough to write anything.
Seriously though, I can't believe how crazy our life has gotten. We try hard not to overwhelm our kids with too many activities, and yet our entire month has something written down on the calendar. How is that possible? I blame it on coming from two large families and having too many friends, which I suppose is a good thing!
Matty had his 35th birthday last week, so for those of you who live in states that accept write in nods for the President you can cast him your vote on election day. We didn't do a lot to celebrate, but we had a small family/friend lunch which he loved and got a free date in thanks to my mom. The weekend prior to his bday he spent as Superman for his niece's birthday. Let me tell you, a grown man must really love his niece to wear tights in a public place for her. Either that or his sister has some dirt on him from childhood that she threatened him with :)
Kendall has done much better in soccer the past couple of weeks. I realized though that she is not really enjoying the game much more, but rather the crowd of adoring fans that show up to cheer her on (thank you grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, and darling best friends for your support of her). What can I say, she loves being the center of attention. Not sure who she got that from...
I promise to add pumpkin patch pictures this week! Now it is back to the bubbles!

Apple Picking

Kendall had her first field trip last week, a trip to the apple farm in Santa Ynez to pick some apples. Doesn't that sound like a great fall activity? Did I mention it was like 90 degrees? Anyway, the kids were all gathering apples and talking about what they wanted to do with them. Some had parents with them that had huge bags of apples and rambled on about everything they were going to do, make apple sauce, apple juice, apple cake, apple muffins, apple crisp, etc. And even though it is way too hot to bake, I thought it might be fun to teach the kids how to make apple pie. My mom has always been a great baker and I knew she would have a yummy recipe for us. That was my grand plan, until we got home and my daughter very seriously looked at me and said, "Mommy, please don't make a pie". Okay....how on earth am I supposed to take that? Is she afraid I am going to burn down the kitchen with my baking? Does she fear food poisoning because my food tastes so bad? Seriously, who wouldn't want pie??? I eventually realized that she was enjoying eating the apples whole, which is apparently a treat I deprive my kids of because I usually slice them up so they can share them. Who knew?!?

Can You Spot The Real Indy?

I know that in some parts of the country, when you mention Indy people first think of the races. However, around our house, it is all about Indiana Jones. Even though they have never seen the movies, my kids love playing Indy. We also love watching the Raiders of the Lost Brick on the Lego website, which is pretty funny if you get a chance to look at it. Anyway, below are all my Indy's:


Kendall Joy is more the adventurer/ballerina, but whatever works for her. Bennett is going to use the hat for his Halloween costume, although I have a feeling Camden is going to want it, too. I am thankful that we still have 30 days to work that one out :)

In the beginning

I decided last year that I really wanted to join a Bible study. Good idea, right? As I was deciding which one to join I really felt led to one that a couple of amazing women that I know are in, people whom I admire and look up to and promised that it wasn't too hard or intimidating :) To sweeten the deal, I found out they were studying Genesis. I admit I thought, I could do that! How many times have I read Genesis, like 4000? And I have taught it so many times that I really thought it would be a piece of cake. Apparently arrogance and over confidence will always come around and bite you in the behind. Today marked our second meeting, and I already feel overwhelmed. I get so shy in groups of people I don't know and I hate talking. I know, big shocker, but I really don't like speaking up. I feel like what I have to say is not inspiring or smart and I like being right so if I am not certain that I am right then I don't want to say anything. I know, I am a total control freak with major issues. I just wish that I had a friend with me, I work much better in a pair than on my own. Matt thinks this will be a good learning experience. I would write what my initial thought to that was but this is a G-rated blog. I just wish that I could walk into a room of people (other than that in my little circle) and be myself, not feel totally insecure and like people are expecting me to do and say a certain thing. Does everyone feel this way? I am going to give it a month and see what happens, I will keep you posted. Oh, and if you have any brilliant insight on Genesis 2 that I can claim as my own and share next week pass them along (hee hee, just kidding).

Adventures In Dining

Many of you know that we have had a really bad week...month...few months. So, noticing that my kids are starting to feel the burden of some of our issues I wanted to do something nice for them. I talked to my dad who agreed to take us out to dinner tonight to KJ's favorite place, IHOP. Not sure why she thinks this is her favorite place, since we only go there once every couple of years, but she has it in her head that it is like the bees knees of restaurants. I was reminded tonight why it is not my favorite place, and why we only go there once every couple of years.
To start, how the heck do you decide what to order when it is dinner time but the pancakes look so yummy in the pictures? The kids quickly decided on hot chocolate and the boys wanted chicken and Kendall wanted the funny face pancake. Okay, this is a special treat night, so have whatever you want. Mind you as soon as they lick all the whipped cream off of the hot chocolate I know they won't want to drink it because it will be too hot but that's okay, whatever they want tonight. So after we order, we wait. Usually my kids are good at the dinner table, but for some reason Camden was really antsy tonight. Thankfully, there were not too many other guests at the restaurant. He waited about five minutes before very loudly asking, "Where's my food?" I am sorry dear, not every restaurant is as fast as McDonald's. My poor boy has already been tainted by the speediness of fast food! When our food finally did arrive, we were all a little disappointed. First, the funny face chocolate chip pancake was replaced by a plain pancake with banana slices for a smile. Second, the boys got apple slices with their chicken instead of french fries. When I questioned the waiter he politely explained that they had replaced some of the menu items with healthier options. Hello, I did not come here for healthy food!!! If I wanted that we would have stayed home, we are here to get sugared up feel good food, which is what the menu you gave us offered! He quickly offered to "fix" our order, which meant poor Kendall waiting on her dinner even longer and the boys started to eat hopeful that their fries were coming. Bennett also decided that he might enjoy the healthier fare and asked for the apples, which is when I noticed that the apple bag they gave us was not the crisp preservative filled kind we get at McDonald's, but some "healthier" version that apparently had been sitting around too long because I could tell just from picking up the bag that the apples were slimy and squishy and I knew if I opened it my nose would be filled with the gross stench of sour rotten apple. So, needless to say, we passed on the "healthy" side. Yuck. We finally got everything straightened out, KJ got her meal and the boys got their mouth burning hot from the oil french fries, and we ate our dinner. Once we were done, we tried patiently to wait for our check, which only took about 20 minutes to retrieve. Can you believe it? Could they not see us tapping our fingers, me pulling Camden off of the walls, and Kendall saying she was tired? Finally we gave in and went and got it ourselves, which we probably should have done a lot sooner.
Ending the evening on a high note I took Kendall and Camden to the bathroom, only to get a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I am really hoping that the lighting in there was off because I seriously looked like death on a cracker, pale & pasty and about 50 years old. Not that looking 50 is bad, it's just not something I aim for while I am still in my 30's. And to top it off, when we got in the car Kendall asked if she could have a treat. Seriously? You just downed a chocolate chip pancake with whipped cream and a cup of hot chocolate and now you are asking for a treat? I guess there is no denying that she is her mother's daughter :)

Mommy Mistake #5432

As I looked in the fridge last night I realized that the fridge fairy never showed up yesterday and we had very slim pickins' in the house. Shocker. So I bravely asked my children what they wanted to eat. That was mistake number one, because although my kids share the same gene pool they all have very different tastes in food. Of course you know the one thing that they finally agreed on, was the ever nutritious Golden Arches. I gave them the task of searching for quarters in the couch and when we gathered enough I packed them in the car for their special meal. As we pull into the drive through I realized I was in trouble, because for whatever reason I thought I could do the penny pinching thing and get one big meal to share with the kids and only spend the $3.00 that I had. Totally forgot about the huge sign displaying the toys that come in the happy meals. How do I talk my kids out of wanting the crappy toys that come in those cute boxes, that only last in the house long enough for my kids to turn their heads so I can sneak them in the trash? And what is with the blue doll? Right now for girls they have mini Madame Alexander dolls in Wizard of Oz garb, and I recognized all but the doll with the blue hair and blue dress. Now I know I slept through parts of the movie, but I don't remember a scary looking lady with blue hair. And I definitely didn't sleep through Wicked (which as a side note was awesome and I wish I could take matty to see it) and there was no blue lady. Did I miss something in the original? Anyway, I knew that I would hear nothing but whining all the way home if we didn't get the toys - but I also knew that there was no way we had the cash. Not that my kids are usually that demanding and whiny, but it was the end of the day and they were all hungry, and I know that I am probably making excuses but please don't email me and give me parenting advice, trust me this is not the week I want to hear it. All this to say that the next time I look in the fridge and think there is nothing for dinner I may re-think the whole asking the kids what they want and let them dine on fishy crackers and applesauce. They would probably just think it is some sort of special occasion and be excited for once to clean their plate :)

My Bennett

I saw Bennett yesterday. No, I mean I really saw him. I watched his eyes sparkle as he looked at something, and I really saw him. And I realized how much I miss him. Obviously I spend time with all my kids, but as Bennett gets older and our lives get busier we don't spend as much one on one time as we should. And sadly I think he has gotten accustomed to standing aside so that his little - and louder - siblings get the attention they crave. He is getting to that quirky awkward stage where his body seems too skinny and his head seems too big and you never know what is going on with those teeth, and yet he is so beautiful to me. I guess boys go through this awkward stage for the next twelve years, don't they?
I realized that Bennett was only a year and a half when I got pregnant with Kendall, and that that nine months is a complete blur where all I really recall clearly is throwing up in various locations around the house, neighborhood, and freeway. Now Bennett is seven and I can't help but wonder where all our time has gone. It's weird having Camden around, just by himself. And it is weird having a two and a half year old without having an infant around. I find myself questioning all of my parenting, and wishing there was a way I could go back and re-do some things. It's funny to think about how much I remember of second grade, knowing that Bennett is in that stage of life right now. I hope and pray that I am building good memories for my kids.

Picture Day

Tomorrow is Picture Day at school, so of course I have spent the whole day trying to figure out what Bennett and Kendall will wear. I totally remember picture day when I was a kid, trying to stay clean all day and then using those little black combs to fix your hair. I am not in my kindergarten class picture. I always thought that I started kindergarten late, but actually I was just absent on picture day. Didn't figure that one out until college, not that it matters that much. I do remember my first grade pictures. I was wearing a royal blue jumper dress thing with a white shirt and I had pigtails with blue and white pom poms. Not my favorite picture. Who decided pom poms in the hair would be a good idea? Did someone look at a cotton ball one day and think, hey, lets put a string on that and stick it in your hair? I know I probably loved it at the time, and I know they are coming back in fashion. For kids that is, in case there was any confusion. I'm not sure what to do with Kendall's hair. Her self inflicted half bang cut from the summer has grown out a little, but it almost makes it look worse now. At least when it was super short it just looked like she was missing a chunk of hair, now you can definitely tell it is just badly cut, especially since the rest of her bangs are pretty long. Although I am aware that rule #25 in the mommy handbook is never ever cut your daughter's bangs the day before picture day, I just might try it. It couldn't look any worse, right? Bennett's hair is a little easier, I just slick it down with water and pray that when it dries it doesn't fling out it quirky ways. Even if it does, it still fits his personality and looks cute. If only it was that easy for us girls :)

Catching Up

Okay, so I am the worst blogger in the world. Sorry it has taken so long for a new post! We have been crazy busy lately. Is it summer yet?
There was a time in my life (around college, you know, young and stupid) that I thrived on busy-ness. I took pride in working 2-3 jobs and going to college. It made me feel important, almost worthy. It was something that I really had to work on to get over. I think it is embedded in our culture, don't you? Normally now I try not to get overly busy. I am a huge planner and I like having things scheduled to do, but try not to overwhelm my family with too much. This past week has been an exception. Although I confessed to someone yesterday that I am kind of finding peace in the midst of chaos. I figure I can at least control our meeting times, soccer practice, ballet class, volunteer hours, and special events. I manage them. I schedule them. And when I am in control of those things, it helps me not to think about those difficult areas of my life right now that I am completely not in control of. Those things that I daily and nightly try to release to God, gently reminding him that I am still here and waiting for His response. Desperate to have some control over those things, but also oddly thankful that I don't.
Okay, bummer moment aside, and on to other items. Kendall had her first soccer game this past weekend. I would attach pictures but our camera batteries died, so you will have to wait until next week. She looked cute and I thought she was having fun until near the end of the fourth quarter when she started crying and said that soccer was too hard. Of course, since I am coaching, this is not the best example for my team. And it is not like we can quit now. We decided that she will probably need to sit out the third quarter, so she has a nice long break to rest up. And I think she is going to play more of a defensive role, even though the girls don't have positions, don't keep score, and basically just run back and forth on the field in a big clump fighting for the ball. It really is kind of fun to watch.

A Couple of Gross Things to Brighten Your Day

I hate ants. Seriously, I despise them. I have no idea why they were created. I can imagine Adam, when presented with the animals, saw the ants and then immediately looked over and said,"Hey you, you shall be named anteater, and you shall eat these up."
Can you tell we have ants in our house right now? I feel like they are crawling all over me. It is like when someone mentions lice and immediately your head starts to itch. I am ready to pack up my things and move. They aren't even going after anything in particular, just wandering around the house. Apparently they heard about us and wanted to check us out. It makes me feel like I have a dirty house, and while I admit it is not immaculately clean it is also not dirty enough to bring in ants. Or so I thought. I remember when I was in 5th grade we had to put together a bug collection and I couldn't find any ants at our house. I even put a pile of sugar in the backyard to try and attract them but had no luck. Maybe these ants heard the story and are trying to make up for their past absence in my life.
And while we are on the subject of gross things, I forgot to post Camden's lovely incident last week. Since we started potty training we have him sit instead of stand so that he doesn't have to transition when he has a bowel movement. Lately we have been not using the potty seat so that he could get used to using any regular potty, and lately he has taken up a habit of watching himself go. Good times. Anyway, last week while he was watching himself I saw him put his finger in the stream of pee. I said, "Camden, we don't touch our pee, it's dirty" and then he proceeded to lick the pee off of his finger. EEWWW, gross, gag, yuck. The joys of raising a little boy, Kendall never would have done that. Sorry to gross you out, but that is just the chance you take in reading our blog.

Adventures in Camping

We had our first family camp out this weekend. Friday we loaded up the car with mattresses, blankets, stuffed animals for each of the kids, clothing, and a partridge in a pear tree. We then drove about 2 minutes across the freeway to our friends backyard for a camp out. Baby steps people, baby steps. The kids LOVED it! We had such a great time. There were four families who were there and we had dinner, went for a hike, got sugared up on s'mores, and watched a movie outside before heading to our tents. Camden was a little apprehensive about sleeping in the tent but it only took a few minutes for him to settle in and they all slept fairly well. Of course they got up with the sun but that is okay, it is all part of the experience I suppose. We came home after breakfast and spent a good 20 minutes unloading the car. It is amazing to me how much stuff you need for one night! We were tired but the kids are already asking when we can do it again. I really liked the whole backyard part, it was nice being next to a bathroom and knowing that if we needed to run home in the middle of the night we could. As much as I want to be, I am not sure if I am a real camping kind of person. Call me crazy but I like showers and clean bathrooms, and I am pretty fond of my bed. Not to say I won't try it again, I just don't think I am ready yet for a backpacking trip in the Andes. Yet.
A special thank you to our amazing friends who hosted the whole thing, you guys are great :)

Fab Five for August

Since the month is almost over, I figured I should do this month's fab five before I forget. Here you go:
Fav Candy: My old standard is a Snickers bar, and has been forever. Have you seen the new M&M's though? They are chocolate, so of course they sound yummy, but they have different flavors and are in a sparkly box. I was going to try them until I saw the price - $4.29!!! Can you believe it? They may be good, but I don't think they could be that good.
Fav Olympic Event (still sad that they are over!): To watch would definitely be gymnastics. For some reason the three years of tumbling I took as a kid makes me feel like an old pro when I watch. I also love watching synchronized swimming but they rarely show the whole thing in prime time. If I was actually in the Olympics though, my event would be the 100 meter backstroke. That would probably be my best chance at a medal. Yeah, it could happen.
Fav Movie: This is incredibly hard to pick, but I am going to have to go with Emma. I love the romance of that time, although if I lived in it I would get tired of the corsets I am sure.
Fav Bible Verse: I think the passage that I always come back to is Philippians 4:4-7. For someone who is anxious alot this is a comfort.
Fav Book: I was thinking about this because I actually read a book last night, and reminded myself why I don't read. I can't pick up a book and start it unless I have the time to finish it, I hate putting it down and saving it for later. Part of it is probably because we live in a world filled with commercial interruptions, where it is okay to take a break because you won't miss out on anything. With books, it is all right there waiting for you. And yes, in suspenseful books I am one of those people who read the end. Usually I get to the middle, wonder if the characters I like will survive, then glance (just a quick glance mind you) to see if their names are in the end so that I know whether or not they live. Last night I read The Shack, and cried through almost the whole thing so this morning I woke up with a headache. Word to the wise, don't read it right before going to bed or you will wake up with puffy eyes! Anyway, as far as a favorite book it is hard to choose, but I am going to go with the Little House on the Prairie series. They are classics for me, and even though they are children's books I have probably read them a million times. I also love Anne of Green Gables.
Hope you enjoyed this month's list!

First Day of School

I can't believe that summer is already over! Probably because it is only August, why on earth does school start so early now? Anyway, today was our first day back at school! Everyone was very excited this morning, except for Camden.

Notice the backpack? He desperately wanted to join his siblings at school today. Bennett wasn't exactly helpful either, pointing out to his little brother that he had to wait three years before he could go. I think he meant well.

Kendall couldn't wait to get out the door today. First day of kindergarten!!!

I didn't know how she would do since she never went to preschool and she is usually shy when she is around strangers. She LOVES school so far. She was actually bummed when I picked her up at noon, she wanted to stay all day like her big brother. I guess that means she had fun! It helps that she already knew a lot of the girls in her class, and that she has been waiting to go to kindergarten ever since Bennett started two years ago.

And to answer those inquiring minds, no I didn't cry. Shocking, I know. I was hysterical on Bennett's first day of preschool, and teary on his first day of kindergarten. Not sure why the flood gates didn't open up today, although I do cry at all her ballet performances and got teary when she tried on her first soccer uniform the other day. Go figure. I think it helps that I love her school and trust her teachers, oh and maybe it helped that I was actually at the school all morning visiting with people and helping out where they needed it. Maybe the tears will come tomorrow when I actually leave her there by herself :)

Goodbye Olympics

Tonight will be the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. Sigh. Small tear falling down cheek. I have loved watching the Olympics this year. I always enjoy them, but it has been fun sharing it with my kids this year as well. I totally remember as a kid my dad taking me to watch the Olympic torch run through Santa Barbara during the Los Angeles Olympics. I can't tell you how many times I have teared up watching the events, and watching the medal ceremonies. This year I also did a lot of yelling at the TV because of judges scores that seemed off, but it was still fun. And it was fun watching someone you kind of know win an Olympic gold medal, how many people can say that? Okay, so the other thousand people that went to high school with Todd Rogers probably feel the same way. I am kind not sure what I am going to do with myself now, since for the past 2 weeks I have been glued to the television every night until midnight. I guess it is good that it is ending, since school starts tomorrow and I should probably get to bed earlier. And now I can spend my evenings planning for the Vancouver games. I think we are seriously going to try to go in 2010, and it will take a lot of planning and saving over the next 2 years to make it happen. Especially considering that I didn't even know where Vancouver was until a few weeks ago (yes I knew it was in Canada, but I thought it was on the other side). And I am pretty sure that we all need passports now, doesn't that sound exciting?

Playing the Odds

My son has a new fascination - sweepstakes. Matty was drinking something the other day that had a picture of Indiana Jones on it, so of course Bennett had to take a look. He started reading the can and got all excited and explained to us that we could win a bunch of prizes. Ah...youth. So young and hopeful, not yet discouraged by reality and honestly believing in the chance of winning. We tried to explain to Bennett about the odds of winning prizes but he is ever the optimist and insisted that we at least try. Since then he has discovered how many things in our house have prizes listed on them that you can win. I am so glad that he can read. What ever happened to the days of instant winners? Now you have to go online and punch in a special code before you can be told that you are a loser. I remember as a kid watching the Publishers Clearing House commercials and truly believing that my family would win. And I remember once that Pepsi did a game where once you drank your Pepsi you would find a letter at the bottom of the can and if you collected the letters to spell "Pepsi" you would win. My dad kept the cans lined up in the garage waiting for the winning can, I guess I know where Bennett gets it. Although I must confess that I do tend to frequent McDonald's more often when they are doing the Monopoly game. I suppose that there is a little something in all of us that believes that someday it will be us, we will win the prize or be the millionth customer. I guess it is not a bad thing, as long as it doesn't become all-consuming. Someone has to win, right?

Bass Lake Pictures

Here is a sampling of pictures from our Bass Lake vacation:

my three little monkeys poolside:

Camden getting a feel for the lake:
Kendall Joy creating a masterpiece in the sand:
Matt & Bennett in Yosemite
The three monkeys warming up next to the hot tub:
And finally, my favorite picture. Matt showing Cam the fine art of peeing in the woods. Its a right of passage, right? Hopefully no authorities will see this and give us a fine.

Things That Go Bump In The Night

Last night we were awakened at 2:00am by a noise that has yet to be determined. We have ruled out sonic boom, car backfire, and a gunshot. The fact that it was able to wake both of us up, and by that I mean that it was able to shoot us both straight out of bed despite the fact that my husband sleeps through everything, you know it was pretty loud. Stuff like that drives me crazy. We both looked around the house and didn't find anything wrong, so of course I was up forever trying to figure out what it could have been. We have only lived here a year and have already had our car broken into and our mailbox smashed, I think that the people who were evicted before we moved in are seeking their revenge. To top things off I set the kids in front of a video this morning so that I could take a shower (I know, I am a horrible mother, but cleanliness is next to godliness right?) and as soon as I was wet and soapy I hear Camden banging on the door and shouting. I immediately think about the crash last night and worry for my kids safety. What if someone had broken in last night and had been hiding out until I got in the shower? What if the noise had been some minor gas explosion and it had taken this long to ignite a small house fire? I jumped out of the shower and opened the door sopping wet only to find Camden with the phone in his hand, because apparently he heard it ringing and thought I might want to answer it. Wasn't that helpful of him? Thankful that the house hadn't caved in, I took the phone and thought maybe it was someone wanting to break the boredom of our day and play this morning. Wrong. Simply a reminder call that Bennett has a doctor's appointment on Thursday. I hopped out of the shower for that?!?!? Oh well, as I said before, at least I am thankful that the house hadn't caved in.

We're Home!

After a brief vacation we are all home and safe, back to the day to day which includes Staci doing 5 loads of laundry to catch up from our trip and Matt answering the 184 emails in his inbox. Crazy! We spent the past four days in Bass Lake, my home away from home. I have been going there since I was 5, and it is so amazing to be taking my kids there now. The drive is long but it is always worth it. Whenever we arrive there I feel an instant sense of peace. Isn't that weird? I can't explain it but I have a weird connection with the lake. As we drive up past the rolling hills filled with vineyards, through the dry flat lands filled with olive trees and dizzying rows of corn and raisins, when we finally reach the beginning of the tree line I feel amazingly calm and content. Although our trip was a little less than calm, but I guess that is life with three kids. Vacation isn't exactly the romantic and relaxing time that it once was before kids, but it is nice to get away from cell phones and computers and just "be" with our kids. Kendall was sick almost the entire time we were there with a fever, sore throat, and headache. She was sleepy a lot but still enjoyed the pool and train in Yosemite. Camden, as expected, had his first trip to the emergency room. We actually talked a few months ago about the fact that he would be our first kid to go but we didn't realize we would be in a different city when it happened. He was jumping around like a crazy monkey and gashed his head on a corner of a baseboard heater. It wasn't too bad, but deep enough that we thought he would need stitches. It turns out that he just needed some Dermabond, so thankfully no needles. Bennett was very upset and worried about his brother, it was really sweet to see his concern. Despite these minor mishaps we all had fun, and Bennett loved being in the water and showing off his swim lesson skills. Once we unpack and download the camera I will attach some pictures, but for now I am off to do more laundry and figure out what smells in the fridge.

Three Things

Okay faithful followers, so sorry I have been inconsistent this week. It probably won't get much better the rest of the week but I have a lot to say so just read slowly and it should get you through until Saturday. Sorry it is all random, but they all simply add up to the quirkiness that is me.
First of all, I had a thankful thought the other day. I saw these two guys who were dressed in suits on Monday afternoon who were not Mormon but actual guys who I assume had to dress that way everyday for work. I was kind of shocked. I know it has been a while since I was in the work force but I guess I just assumed that no one dressed that way anymore. Come on people, it is summer, in southern California, why on earth would you make some poor guy wear a suit? I was immediately thankful that Matthew doesn't have to dress like that for work. There is no way we could afford it, and there is no way that I would iron everyday to keep his clothes nice. Don't get me wrong, I love the way he looks all dressed up, but I hate ironing. And to be quite honest, all of Matt's clothing is worn out and somewhat holey (although I guess you could say "holy" since he is a pastor - ha ha just kidding, bad corny joke) because when we do have money for clothes he graciously lets me spend it on the kids and never complains about his attire. Which reminds me, I am also thankful that God has blessed him with friends who wear his size clothing so he can borrow stuff when he needs to do a wedding or funeral.
Second thing - why on earth do strippers make so much money? I was once again trying to figure out how to make it work for me to get a part time job. What I basically need is to work as few amount of hours as possible and make a decent amount of money. Sounds impossible, I know. However, as I was thinking, do you know the random job that came to mind? Stripper. Why on earth would that even pop into my head?!?!?!? Even if I did think I could get a job doing that I never would, but wow they make good money per hour. And what is the skill set required? Be under 25, wear a size 2, and be able to take off clothing? What if I just apply, and when I get denied I could sue for discrimination. Wouldn't that be an awesome headline? "Pastor's wife sues strip club for job". Yeah, that wouldn't embarrass my shy humble husband at all.
Finally, one last sad thing to confess. My children learned a new joke this week. Ready? Why did the chicken cross the playground? To get to the other slide! Want to know what is so sad about that? When I heard it, I honestly started busting up. I think I am not only desperate to have my husband back for some witty conversation but incredibly tired. Usually I sleep great when he is gone, but this week has been a tough one emotionally for a bunch of different reasons and it has definitely put a damper on my evenings. Only a few more days to go :) Hope you all are having a great week!

Survival Mode

As of 8:00 this morning I am officially in survival mode. Matty left for camp today. It has taken me many years to not be bitter and resentful every time he leaves to spend time having fun with other people's kids, and while I try to be supportive it is still not easy. Usually survival mode for me means that I have the entire week scheduled; filled with play dates, dinner at friends houses, way too much fast food, and lots of carefully planned videos. Unfortunately this time since I have been so sick lately I haven't been able to plan much, so survival mode has now turned in to panic mode. And to make matters worse, all of our Zoo & Museum memberships have expired and we don't really have the extra money to do anything like that this week. Isn't it sad to that the thought of a week alone with my children with nothing to do would give me anxiety? I should be thankful for these bonding moments. I should cherish the extra alone time with them. I should spend the week humbly reminded of the years I spent yearning for children and praising God for the wonderful husband that I have who helps out so much around the house. I should do those things, instead of trying to figure out how we can afford a nanny the next time Matt leaves. I should also probably get off of the computer and actually pay attention to the children, who are currently knocking down block walls on the coffee table with space ship toys they got from their happy meals. Yes, the fast food has already started. Have a great week everyone!

The blind leading the blind

Have you ever heard the phrase "the blind leading the blind"? Usually it is said somewhat derogatorily. However, today it meant something very different for me. There is an older couple who lives in Goleta who I have seen quite a few times over the past ten years. By old, I mean maybe late 70's, and they are the cutest little pair in the whole wide world. What first catches your attention is their guide dog, and upon closer look you realize that not one, but both of them are visually impaired. They seem to manage incredibly well, using public transportation and walking closely together with their guide dog. I can't imagine living like that, but the amazing thing is that every time I seem them they seem to have a glowing inner joy and they seem to really love and care for each other. How sad is it that this kind of love and commitment is so rare. So today, despite the fact that I don't know them and didn't even speak with them, I was totally inspired by them. Have you ever been inspired by someone like that? I was inspired today to be thankful for all of the blessings in my life, and to treat my husband with the love and respect he deserves. I know that these are things that I typically try to do, but today was like a special mini reminder to try a little harder.

Yet another reason to hate Kmart...

Sunday morning I had to teach Sunday school and, of course, waited until the last minute to get what I needed. I decided to run to Kmart in the morning before church to quickly grab what I needed. Big mistake. As I was walking through the store I noticed the huge back to school section. Need I remind you of my pen fetish? Let me tell you, it was like I was walking by Disneyland and couldn't go in. I knew I didn't have time (or money) to shop so I literally had to tell myself over and over "you can come back later, it's only July, you can come back later". Seriously, people in the store must have thought I was insane. Being the ever patient person that I am, I waited until Monday to go back to Kmart and check out their stuff. Sad, I know. You know that part in You've Got Mail where Tom Hanks says that if he knew who he was writing to he would send her a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils? I love that part. If Matt walked in with a bouquet of pens and clean notebooks I do not know how I would contain myself. Anyway, back to Kmart. I was so incredibly disappointed! The only thing that had good sale prices were the crayons, but not the washable ones, and I had a horrible time trying to find stuff for Bennett. Do you know how hard it is to find stuff for boys that isn't gross or scary looking? I found tons of cute stuff for KJ - princess, strawberry shortcake, care bears, and lots of pink polka dot stuff, but they didn't really have anything for Bennett. He is kind of over the Cars thing, and they didn't have any camo-type stuff which he likes right now. They didn't even have solid blues or reds, everything was pastel. No wonder girls like school more than boys! Once again I was reminded how badly we need a Target. Now that gas prices are so high it is hard to justify a quick trip to Ventura just to go to Target but I don't know what else we are supposed to do. Maybe I should open a target. Or run for president. You know, since both are equally as likely.

Being Two

There is nothing in the world like a two year old, and Camden spent the week being very, very two. Here is a list of why I love my two year old:
Camden has an incredibly large vocabulary, but because he speaks so fast and in such a two year old way, I feel like I am always saying, "What???" And he gets incredibly frustrated if I don't understand him and looks at me like, "Are you kidding me mom? Surely you must know what I am referring to!"
I love how incredibly excited Camden gets when he sees trucks and motorcycles on the freeway. I just wish he would stop screaming "TRUCK" when he sees one, or one of these days he just may get a closer view.
I love that two year olds are not easily embarrassed and are very proud of their accomplishments. For example, when my mom took us to a nice restaurant for lunch the other day, Cam came running out of the bathroom and shouted to everyone within earshot "I went poops in the potty!" Yeah, that one came out nice and clear. And loud.
Two year olds are the most intelligent people on the planet, and they know that because they are two, and they are cute, they can get away with just about anything by either turning on their charm or screaming at the top of their lungs. Both are incredibly annoying and incredibly effective. Camden also has learned that if I am not in the room and he starts crying, his siblings will likely be blamed for whatever just happened. Even if they aren't home.
Two year olds are very independent, and mine wants to do everything himself. Including pour his own juice, put on his own shoes, close all the doors in the house, and drive. Which is why all this week I was a good ten minutes late to everything. Not because I let him drive, but because everything that I won't let him do leads to a minor delay in our day involving lots of tears (mostly by mommy) and a few time outs (again, mostly by mommy).
Don't you just love two year olds? Seriously though, Cam is scarily cute and a charmer. We are in huge trouble. His new favorite thing is to say something he thinks is funny or cute, and then cock his head and giggle, which we then laugh at and he says "I sooo funny". My little monkey already wants to be the class clown. Pray for us!

Fab Five for July

One of the only times I ever watch Oprah is when she has her "favorite things" episodes. I don't know why I bother, it is not like I can afford anything that she picks, but for some reason I like hearing about things other people enjoy. On that note, I decided that each month in my blog I would list 5 of my favorite things. Mind you, I have no corporate sponsors to back me so no one will be getting free stuff for reading about them, but I think it will still be fun. So, here you go!
(1) Favorite Household Product - Mr. Clean magic eraser. I think they should rename it the miracle sponge. I love this thing! I have no idea how it works or what it is made of, but it really does magically erase all smudges, marker, crayon, boogies, etc. off of my walls. I can't help but wonder if they confiscated the material from some alien ship in Area 51, but seriously they should test it on cancer or something because it really is amazing!
(2) Favorite Snack - Dale and Thomas White Chocolate & Peanut Butter Popcorn. To borrow a phrase from Rachel Ray, yum-o. It is the perfect balance of salt and sweet, and its only fault is that it is impossible to find unless you order it online which is expensive. Besides that, it is the perfect snack. And since white chocolate is basically like dairy, and peanut butter is a protein, and popcorn is full of fiber, it is totally healthy. Really!
(3) Favorite Shoes - It is summer people, can you find a better shoe than the flip-flop? And not the cheap ones with the plastic thing in the middle, the really cushy ones with leather or nylon in the middle. My current fav's are sketchers and they are pink and brown. Could there be a better shoe? It is the least amount of footwear possible, which is great for me since I would rather be barefoot all the time anyway. Ironically, the only place I don't like wearing them is at the beach, because either the flip or the flop causes sand to kick up to your bottom. Why is that?
(4) Favorite Beverage - Iced Nonfat White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks. Not too heavy, not too sweet, cool & delicious. The juice of the gods, need I say more?
(5) Favorite TV Show - Okay, this probably changes daily. However, right now I am totally addicted to Deadliest Catch. Crazy, I know. But something about crab fishing in Alaska is oddly entertaining. Maybe if I lived somewhere that it snows I wouldn't be so fascinated by it, but it is very intriguing and I urge you to give it a try.
So, there you have it. My Fab 5 for the month. Please feel free to leave your fav's for the categories listed, they will change each month :)

The Mommy Shield

Sorry I have been a slacker blogger lately, I have been sick and didn't think that the medication would lead to coherent blog journals. Matt has been great, even though this was probably the worst week for me to get sick. Between KJ's party and getting ready to preach, he has had his hands full. Although I must say, I think he likes showing me how competent he is on his own :)
I think overall my mommy shield is broken. Usually I am the one avoiding cold germs, yucky coughs, and random constipation. Moms can't afford to get sick, so we don't. So what does it mean that in the past month I have had a pinched nerve in my neck, a weird gross rash on my arm, and now this horrific throat virus that makes me feel like I am swallowing glass? Where has my mommy shield gone? Maybe I just need to have another baby - you know, since I am never sick during my pregnancies. Ha ha. Wait a minute, that really isn't a joking matter. For those of you thinking I am getting the baby bug fear not, for no matter how much I may want another one Matt is uber content with our 3 little monkeys. Do you think my mommy shield would come back if I got a puppy?

Happy Birthday Kendall Joy!

( KJ, Five years ago)

To my darling Kendall Joy Ellis on your 5th Birthday,
I cannot believe you are five years old! It seems like just yesterday that I anxiously awaited your birth, praying that the ultra sounds were correct and that you really were a little girl. It seemed too good to be true, I had waited so long for a baby girl and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw how beautiful you were. Watching you grow up is a true joy in my life. I love to listen to you sing along with the radio, and watch you dance to any and all music that you hear. I am thankful for your helpful heart and pray that you will find delight in serving others with your kindness. I am glad to see how well you get along with your brothers, I pray that your sibling relationship would always be strong and that you would remain close as your grow older. I enjoy the quiet of your gentle spirit, and pray that your shyness would not stop you from doing anything that you desire. Thank you for being my daughter. Thank you for helping me grow my patience and creative side. Thank you for allowing me to love you as only a mommy can.
Happy Birthday KJ!

Self Reflection

Recently I was told by someone that I seemed cold and unfriendly. I really took it to heart and have tried take time for some self-reflection and even have tried to make more of an effort to be friendly in general. I have worried about it, prayed about it, talked with others, and now I am done. Last night I got the privilege of having a dinner out with girlfriends and I was reminded not only what amazing friends I have, but that I wouldn't have these amazing people in my life if I was the horrible person some people have labeled me as. I spent so much time in my high school and college years trying to be who I thought people wanted me to be and frankly I do not have the time or energy to do it anymore. I was challenged by a good friend before I had kids to live authentically and I really appreciated that advice. It allowed me to deepen some of my relationships and begin some new friendships with people who cared about who I really was. And while I do desire to offer genuine kindness to people around me, I don't think that means that I need to bend over backwards to cheerfully greet everyone who comes into eye contact with me. And even though I have joy in my life, that doesn't mean that I am always cheerful, but I don't think that anyone else needs to take that personally. If they do, that is their issue, isn't it? Obviously I am human, and I want people to like me, but I want them also to see me for who I really am. I am kind of shy (shocker, I know, since I cover it beautifully with my wit and charm), it takes me a long time to warm up to new people, and I am uncomfortable in large groups of people. I guess those things make me seem cold and unfriendly, but they are also who I am and I can't really change overnight and still remain true to myself. I guess my question would be, is it better to be plastic and fake or appear unfriendly to people who don't know me well? And yes, I realize that I am also overly sarcastic at times and that people can be easily insulted or turned off by it; I am working on that one.
Okay, so enough self reflection. This post was as much for me as anyone else, so hopefully I haven't offended anyone, that is the last thing I need right now. I think I need chocolate.

Kendall's First Haircut

Many of you probably read the title and thought surely KJ has had a hair cut before. While this is true, yesterday was the first time she tried to do it by herself. Ahh, the joys of motherhood. I should have known that any time I plan to take professional pictures of my kids they will either somehow manage to bruise their forehead, get permanent marker on a cheek, or decide to cut their own hair. We have been debating for a couple of weeks about whether or not to give her bangs or grow out her hair in front, and now the decision has apparently been made for us. I must admit I was rather livid, but tried my best to remain calm. I had a flash in my head of the scene in Mommy Dearest where she cuts off all of her daughters hair. I didn't go that far, but I was pretty upset. First, I found out that she got out of bed during nap to commit the hair crime (strike one), plus she used super sharp scissors that she knows she is not supposed to touch (strike two, and no comments about how she managed to get them, I feel guilty enough), and she tried to cover up her deed by throwing all the hair she cut off in the trash (strike three, although she does get brownie points for cleaning up after herself). Not only did she cut a decent chunk out of her bangs, she picked the spot right where her cowlick/callick (how the heck do you spell that) is, so the remaining inch is sticking straight up. Crazy girl!

Good Clean Fun

Below are some pictures of the kids from last week's shaving cream extravaganza. We try and do it at least once every summer. The upside is that the kids get really clean and it is relatively cheap entertainment. The downside is the kids smell like old men for a good 24 hours and if anyone gets it in their eyes you need to be prepared for the onslaught of hysterical crying. Fortunately this was a successful year, not to cold to rinse off in the sprinklers and no one ended up blind. I thought about switching to redi-whip instead of shaving cream but I am afraid the bees might get to attracted to my sweet little monkeys.

Bennett tried to cover every inch of his body. By the end of the

morning he was pretty much rolling all over the table with the

shaving cream.

Kendall joy was pretty much laughing the entire time.

Camden was a little leery at first. He really doesn't like being
messy, but he eventually folded to the peer pressure (not a good
sign for later in life) and started to get into it. He didn't cover as
much of himself as the others, but that worked out better to clean him
up anyway.

A final warning to anyone hoping to enjoy some shaving cream fun. Sunscreen may be waterproof but it washes out with soap, and shaving cream is pretty much like soap. KJ got a little pink and I couldn't figure out why since I had lathered her really well with sunscreen, and then I made the connection. Now you know :)

Finding the off Button

Forgive me if the following seems incoherent, I am working on very little sleep these days. Actually it started about eleven and a half years ago when I got married....just kidding. Seriously though, the past few nights I have not been able to sleep! I am totally exhausted, but as soon as my head hits the pillow I am tired but not sleepy and I can't seem to do anything to remedy it. Matt says I need to find my "off button", but at my age if I haven't been able to find it yet I probably never will. Which leads me to my next question, why is it that guys seem to be able to fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow? It is so frustrating, and admittedly it makes me a little jealous. While I am laying there pondering summer plans, budget worries, fire escape routes, homosexual marriage, and frustrating new cell phone laws, my darling husband is snoring next to me. How rude! And I know that if by some miracle I am able to fall asleep, my kids are going to end up getting up at night and needing something.
So, if you have any suggestions for getting a better nights sleep let me know. However, please take note of the following:
Warm milk - yuck, gag. Hard to fall asleep when I am throwing up warm milk. Nasty! I would rather be awake for the next ten years.
Exercise - if running around after my kids all day isn't exercise than I don't know what is. I have tried going on long walks in the evening, but it actually wakes me up more than makes me sleepy.
Taking a shower - this kind of works, but lately I am too tired to think about taking a shower at night. And I have to take one every morning or I feel gross and greasy all day, so if I have to take one at night too then I know I am just going to sit in bed and worry about my quickly climbing water bill.
Hitting myself on the head with a large blunt object - I am totally open to this, but for some reason Matt objects.

My Love of Pens

Those of you who know me well know that I am in love with pens. It is a pen fetish, really. I am addicted. In general I have an addictive personality, but that is a whole other issue. Someone asked me recently why I love pens, and I have been trying seriously to figure it out.
When I was a kid, I used to love those big sets of crayons and markers. All of those colors were hypnotizing for me. Which is probably why my kids have an entire drawer full of markers and crayons, which I honestly probably buy more for me than them. Who doesn't love the pen aisle in the craft store, all organized and color coordinated? The perfectionist in me loves to see that visual rainbow of straight, neat, markers. I have issues.
I think part of the reason that I love pens is I love writing. Not creating stories, just handwriting. When I was little I would look at my friends writing and try and copy it. I know, the psychologist in my head tells me that it was due to a lack of self esteem and a weak attempt to find identity in someone else by emulating something personal like writing. Pretty good, huh? I should pay myself for all my psycho babble, we would be rich! When you look back at school papers from 4th grade through high school it is amazing to see how many vastly different kinds of handwriting I had. Even now I can't write an entire page without modifying my writing at least once. I think maybe I am schizophrenic. I wonder what a handwriting expert would say about my writing; wait, maybe I don't want to know.
Some of my favorites? I love super fine point felt tip markers in lots of different colors. I hate erasable pens (too smudgy), roller ball pens (the ink gets inconsistent), and ball point markers that get that ink goo build up at the end of the pen. I also like pencils that are super sharp, but I don't like them as much as pens. Like I said, I am a perfectionist who has issues. Don't we all?
As a side note, I hope you all are well and avoiding smoke and fire. Sorry I haven't posted in a couple of days, but my computer was packed up in case of evacuation and our power has been in and out.
Feel free to leave a comment about your favorite type of pen! Or just tell me that I am crazy, it's not like I haven't heard it before :)

Goleta Fire

For those of you who don't already know, there is a fire burning in the hills above Goleta. They have named it the "Gap Fire", which makes no sense to me whatsoever. Seriously, what's next, the Pottery Barn Fire? Anyway, for those of us who remember the Painted Cave Fire (which was 18 years ago, wow does that make me feel old!) the past couple of days have been a little eerie and uncomfortable. Last night the power was out in all of SB, Goleta, and Carpinteria for just about 4 hours. Being the ever-optimist that I am (ha ha, yeah right) I decided to come up with a list of all the good aspects of this fire. Here you go:
1. While rummaging through my house trying to find important papers in case we evacuate, I was able to throw away a bag full of garbage that had been collecting in my drawers. A little late for Spring cleaning but I will take what I can get.
2. For the past couple of night everyone tends to walk around the front of their homes at dusk to watch the flames. It has provided a great opportunity for us to get to know our neighbors!
3. Last night when the power was out I had several hours with no t.v, internet, phone, lights. Ahh..peace and quiet. Kind of like when you wake up in the middle of the night and your mind is racing and you can't get back to sleep, only better.
4. Matt has come home early from group the past 2 nights! Of course we have still been up late watching the news, but it is good quality time.
5. The police authorities have been too busy to strictly enforce the no cell phone while driving law. Woo hoo! I know, I am a rebel.
Hope you all are safe and doing well!

Zoo Day

Grandma Loza said she wanted to do something special with the kids, so today we all headed to the Santa Barbara Zoo. Normally I try to avoid the zoo in the summer, or at least avoid the bazillion screaming wild children in zoo camp, but we decided to take our chances and remarkably had a really good time. Bennett and Kendall Joy were a little sad that we "ran out of time" and couldn't see the bugs, but I think they have overcome their disappointment. We have plenty of bugs around the house they can look at, I really didn't feel like entering the dark cavern labeled "eewww" to look at the black widows and tarantulas that I usually try to avoid in everyday life.

The highlight of their day? Let's see, with all the incredible animals they got to see and the zoo train they got to ride I am going to have to go with the big hill. Yes, you heard me right. While surrounded by God's creatures my children gravitated towards the astro-turf knoll in the play area. And had an amazing time. Ironically, when mommy tried it, something about the heat of the day and the friction of the astro-turf kind of hurt and warmed my buns just enough that I chose not to try it again. Can you imagine having to go to the hospital and say you got a rug burn on your butt from sliding down the astro-turf hill at the zoo? Anyways, here's some pics:

aww...don't I have the greatest kids?

flyin' down the "hill"

my sweet littlest monkey, who chose to scoot down on his bottom rather than slide. Dare devil he is not, but that's okay with me!

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

I have to start this post with a little insider info - my kids do not like going to the movies. Kendall Joy thinks it is too loud, Bennett is easily scared, and Camden gets antsy. That being said, today Matt & I took all 3 kids to see Wall-E. We had shown them clips online to make sure they knew what the movie was about, which I think really helped them all. Camden was already in love with Wall-E and managed to sit through the whole movie - shocker! Kendall really wanted to see it, and only had her hands on her ears for the first 1o minutes or so, which is pretty much a new record for her. Bennett took his Indiana Jones Lego Guy so that he would help him be brave, and I think it actually worked! And as I am sitting there towards the end of the movie (which was great, you should see it!) in shock and disbelief that we had a successful trip, I notice tears slowly running down Bennett's cheek. I don't want to give away the ending for those of you who haven't seen it, but it is pretty emotional at the end. I sat there watching Bennett, his eyes glued to the screen with hope in his face that everything would turn out okay, and I realized that he is just like me. (When I was little I soaked my dress with tears when I saw E.T. for the first time) Which is probably why he drives me crazy sometimes. He wears his heart on his sleeve, which makes him somewhat over emotional, very sensitive, and incredibly compassionate. I know that many people would look at him and say he needs to toughen up, act more like a boy, etc., but how can I fault him for being tender hearted? It is who God created him to be, right? So, when others inevitably tease him for his "soft" personality, the only consolation I will be able to give him is that I know that his future wife will be thankful for some of those traits later in life.

When Daddy's Away...

Let me start by saying that Matty is out of town this weekend. I think that when he is gone the kids get together and figure out ways to challenge me, so that they can help me grow as a mom and an individual and gain new strength as a parent. Yeah, that's it.

So, take note of the above picture. This is a model of a truck that Bennett built a few months ago and decided to play with it last night. By play, I mean he decided to see if he could stick his middle finger in the window hole and stretch it all the way across to the other side. While I appreciated his creativity, the ten minutes he spent screaming while my mom and I tried to get his finger out was not so much appreciated. And as I sat there, slowly watching his finger turn a lovely shade of eggplant, I can't help but think that poor Matty was missing out on all the fun. Thankfully we avoided a trip to the emergency room, I guess we will just save that until the next time Matt goes out of town (which is in August - pray for us!).

As a side note - Happy Birthday Julia!!!! Hope you have a great day :)

VBS Finale

Today was the final day of VBS, and we ended on a high note with a celebration tonight at church. The kids had a great time, and I have no doubt that for the next few weeks they will continue to talk about the mentos and diet coke explosion, the bowling ball that broke the aquarium, the dry ice bubbles, and - oh yeah - the bible stories they learned. This year it was kind of like science camp met Sunday school and they ate it up. I have lasting memories as well, including a new repertoire of kids songs that constantly run through my head. And while I understand that most kid music only has a limited number of words so that the repetition promotes easy learning for the kids, I would kill for a second verse once and a while! Seriously, I think it will be Christmas when the broken record effect of VBS music is finally replaced with an ongoing chorus of Jingle Bells. Am I the only one that has continuous music running through my head? And you wonder why I can't speak in clear sentences. I am assuming that my kids also constantly have music running through their brain, which is probably why they never seem to hear me when I am talking to them.
Hope you all have a great weekend!

Surfer Girl

Okay, so a couple of months ago Matt & I had a talk about what we thought our kids would be when they grow up. It was fun to think about their personalities and interests and imagine what their future could hold. After a serious debate, we decided that Kendall Joy was destined to be a rock star. However, going through the pictures from this past weekend, I may have to change my vote to pro surfer. What do you think?

Mommy Did Go To College...Really!

Okay, so I get the feeling that my kids don't think I am very smart. This week is VBS for our kids, and they are so excited about it. The theme is Power Lab and they have been listening to the cd non-stop for the past few days. The other day in the car Kendall says "Jesus is powerful, and Power Lab - get it mommy? They are both power!" I affirmed her for her brilliant observation, but didn't admit to her that I actually hadn't really made that connection yet. Then I realized that she probably already realized it, which is why she added the "get it mommy?". I think that she has already deduced that mommy is not too bright. It reminded me of one of Bennett's winning comments a few weeks ago. We were sitting at the dinner table and he asked me if I was good at playing video games when I was his age. I told him that mommy didn't have video games like the ones he plays when I was little, and then he proceeded to lean over to Kendall Joy and whisper,"they didn't have much electricity back then when mommy and daddy were little". So my daughter thinks I am not too bright and my son thinks I am old. Don't you just love kids? Do you want to borrow mine - they are great for your self esteem!
My favorite comment of this week came from KJ and Addie yesterday. We went to lunch with the Tuttles and when I asked the girls what they wanted they both said they wanted chicken. Being the ever entertaining mommy that I am, I started making chicken noises. Addie looked at me and said, "no, not THAT kind of chicken". And KJ, wanting to back up her friend, said "no mommy, not the kind with feathers, you know, the nugget kind." Okay, so maybe I do know a few more things than my kids, I just choose not to share them. Why break their sweet little hearts? I have plenty of time to do that in the future :)
And my brilliant son, do you know what he asked today in the car? I think our conversation went something like this:
Bennett: "Is the salt in the ocean the same as our salt we use?"
Me: "umm..(flashbacks of high school chemistry and the periodic table)..yeah, kind of"
Bennett: "What about metal?"
Me: "What do you mean?"
Bennett: "How do you make metal?"
Me: "umm, well it is kind of hard to explain, maybe we could get a book from the library"
Bennett: "But do you know how?"
Me: "Yes (little half white lie), it is just complicated. And it depends on what kind of metal you want to make"
Bennett: "okay"
Whatever happened to questions like where do babies come from and what is the meaning of life? Those I can answer! I think I am being punished for not paying more attention in high school. So now I need to spend my days with my kids and spend my nights taking refresher courses online to brush up on science and math and MAYBE by the time Camden is old enough to start asking questions I will be better prepared for them. And maybe in the process I will find the cure for cancer and solve all the world's problems.