Reasons Why I love being a Stay at Home Mom (SAHM)

1. I don't have to wake up to an alarm clock, no annoying buzzer, just the sweet sounds of young children. Only problem with this method of waking up is that I have found that by bopping them on the head it doesn't allow me a 7 minutes snooze.

2. I don't have to follow direction from anyone, unless you count "when I poop you must change me." or the "I am starving will you feed me." Or the "read me this book." or the "lets go to the park." or the "I want so and so to come over and play." or the "mom I don't have any clothes to wear, can you wash my jeans."

3. I can sit on the couch, eat bon bons and watch tv all day, though it's not usually bon bons, mostly cheerios, or whatever food item a child decided to bring in the family room and leave on the table. And as far as the TV goes, I don't get to watch soaps but I am sure learning a lot of Spanish from Dora "Aloha." And as far as all day goes, well, that seems to be a relative term, these days.

4. I can talk on the phone with anyone for as long as I want, as long as they don't mind the screaming or toilet flushing in the back ground.

5. Clothing is an option. One would think I don't have designer clothes or like clothes shopping, and you would be right, but with not leaving home most days who needs them. I prefer to wear my stained overly comfortable pjs! You know its a sad state of affairs when you try on 10 different outfits to just take your child to the pediatricians office, as if it were a first date or something.

6. I am able to stay up as late as I want, because I don't have to get up. And I'd stay up really late, if my eyes would just cooperate with me. But with kids coming in early in the morning it isn't the wisest of ideas.

7. I can take naps, as long as the stars are all aligned correctly, and each kid is sleeping so soundly in their beds. But typically as soon as my head hits the pillow, on those oh so rare days, someone starts to cry, or I smell something burning in the microwave.

8. I get to be a nurse too, I have always wanted to be a nurse, and think daily about going to school to do it, and I will, just the timing thing and three kids at home, anyway, daily I get to apply band aids to invisible wounds, apply ice to swelling lumps and kiss away tears.

9. I am a referee! I never knew I wanted this type of job, until I had kids. How fun is it to say "10 minute time out for rough housing." or "2 minute time out for head contact." I have been tempted to go buy a black and white striped shirt and a whistle and just blow it, look around and say in my most distinguished loud voice "Foul on #32" bring my hands out in some type of sign language, "sibling teasing, ten yard penalty."

10. There isn't anything else in the world I'd rather do than watch my children grow, and hopefully I am doing an ok job at it. We will see once I get the psych consults.

Tribute to Pres. Hinkley

I don't know how to get the youtube video to put here, but please take a moment to watch this video tribute by clicking on this link. Its a few minutes, but documents such a wonderful life. It has left me inspired.

President Hinkley's Inspiring Video Tribute

Scelerophibia- Fear of bad men, burglars.

Did you ever wonder if you had a phobia? I have always thought that phobia's were silly, well still do, there really is no rational behind them. To spend so much time worrying about something that most likely won't happen or its happening is out of your control is just a waste of time.

Well I was introduced to a sight today called Phobialist.com There is every fear known to man. Well until I went there today I didn't realize that I am one of those crazy people that have an irrational phobia. Yeah so if you think you don't have a phobia, check out the list, most likely you do...we all must!

So what's my fear? Yeah you got it "bad guys gonna get me." as Emily says. I don't actually fear that a bad guy is gonna get me, but my kids. And I use it as a terrible ploy to be a good mom. For example, kids are playing in the front yard and I want to go in. Kids don't. So what do I do to get them to come in "Bad guys are going to come and take you away if you don't hurry inside." Most likely a bad guy is not going to come by at that moment and snatch my kids, but he might and they don't need to know that he isn't. What they do do is run after me, pushing the door open, usually terrified and crying.

I hate to go shopping with my kids, and not make them strapped in the shopping cart, because I fear they will be taken by a mad man in the store. I think I watched too many times the story of Adam Walsh as a young child. I do not want that to happen to my kids.

The other place where bad men lurk and I will not go, is Zilker Park. I have a hard enough time taking my kids to parks anyway, you never know who is lurking behind a bush, or when your child will run off somewhere. I am not one of those mom's that can go to the park, sit on the bench and chat and let the kids play, I am getting better, but I am typically following them, constantly counting them. But Zilker park, man that is too open of a space, and it gives me a heart attack to try to watch the kids there, so don't invite me to go to that park because I won't go.

So now you know, I am a Scelerophobic. I admit it. And I am sorry to my children for instilling in them my own irrational fear. Though I do get a little giggle when Emily asks "bad guy get me?"

So I heard...

In no way am I making light of the passing of our dear Prophet, see below post, but hearing about his passing seemed to come with a little bit of his humor.

You all know how much I love my sleep, and how rare it is to come by these days. Well last night the kids were all asleep IN THEIR OWN BEDS before 8. Yeah for us!! I watched the final half of Extreme Home Make Over, always with tears of course. I was going to try to stay awake to watch the recorded Hallmark movie The Russell Girl...(did this morning don't think I have many tears left) but decided I should just join my group in the art of sleeping, that they seemed to have mastered (well last night for a brief moment anyway).

You know when you hit that point where you just fall into a deep sleep? Well I got there and was awoken by the last ring before the answering machine went off. I hear my brother in law explain that Pres. Hinkley has passed away. I wasn't saddened, I actually had a calm warm feeling over come me, and the thought "he is finally with his love." Though I can't mention his death today with out welling up tears, thought I had run out.

So I heard the news from Nelsen, via answering machine. My mind began wandering over all his teachings, how he just always encouraged us to be better! How his love for the Savior and all shined through his eyes. And how he could give a spiritual lecture and still make you laugh. I began to doze off again, when the phone began to yell! The ringer was so loud. (I have a phone with 50 different rings so I went through and changed everyone's number to a different ringer not that I remember who has what ringer) Anyway Eric jumps out of bed, grabs the phone. I hear him responding quietly. It was his dad. He hangs up and I say "so did he call to tell us President Hinkley passed away?" Eric looked at me like I was a mind reader. But before we could finish that conversation the phone was beeping again. This time it was my mom to let us know. We told her thanks and curled back into bed.

Finally we can sleep, no one else should be calling us. Well once again 30 minutes later, we are both awoken by the phone. This time it is a call from church. Eric speaks to her briefly and hangs up the phone. I asked who it was, he told me. I was surprised she called us. But she called to ask me if she thought it would be appropriate to call other ladies from the church to let them know but she realized when she heard Eric's tired voice that maybe in the morning would be a better time. Eric explained that there are some things that are important but not urgent. This was one of those things that was important to know but not an urgency. She thanked him and hung up the phone. We turned off the ringer and went to sleep.

Timmy slept until 4 am. After I fed him and couldn't go back to sleep, I looked at Eric and said "who should we call to let them know Pres. Hinkley passed away." He just laughed.

Pres. Gordon B. Hinkley Passes away

Pres. Hinkley was a kind, loving, funny, amazing man. Because of him many of us will be living better lives, trying to be better mothers, fathers, children, friends. Because of him we strive to be better people. His humor brought smiles to millions of faces, as he lovingly taught about the Savior and his love for us. You can't look into his eyes and not see the love that he has not only for his wife, his family, but for his love of Christ, God and of all people. Members and non members a like will miss his tender sweet spirit. Though he will be missed here, I am sure he is happy to be in the tender embrasses of his sweet Marjorie.

You be the judge....

Gregory says to me on Saturday...."Mom Emily looks like a pug dog! Don't you think so?"

So what do you think?


Well I was just speaking to Greg and I think I have taken to many drugs because I was asking him what kind of dog he said Emily looked like (because I was wondering how he knew what a pug dog was...guess I just had it in my mind) and he said he called her a Pimp Dawg.....Where he heard that I don't know but anyway I still think she kind of looks like a Pug Dog.

"I'm Sorry what did you say Emily?"

Maybe I have a crazy sense of humor or hear bad things when things aren't bad, but this just cracked me up! As you can hear....

My Interview

1) tell me about one of your favorite moments before marriage/kids. tell me about one of your favorite moments since marriage/kids.

This is a really hard question- to pinpoint one favorite moment...I think I will pinpoint one of my favorite times-Sunday dinners growing up around my house, were more than a pot roast and potatoes, we would sit at the table for literally hours and just talk, play zilch ( mom kept six dice in her drawer.) When Eric and I were first dating he was amazed at how long we all sat at the dinner table and just talked, no more eating just chatting. We had many good laughs that way.

I also loved college and our late night frozen food aisle runs to get cheese sticks and chicken nuggets and french fries....sounds like what my kids always want to eat. But we would run to Food 4 Less, by the junk food and cook it and sit up and talk and eat it. It'd be 2 or 3 in the morning and we'd always regret it the next day and plan on going to bed by 10 but for some reason it was always 4 before we were hitting the sack. I also remember same room mates sitting by the piano and one of my talented piano playing roommates would play and we (mostly I) would make up songs and we'd just sing.

Since marriage, and this may sound rather trite, but its every day, I have a favorite moment, I think the most amazing moments were the births of each and every child.

And also I think my wedding day, the limo ride to the reception. Need I say more!

But even though I pretend I can't stand not getting enough sleep and hate those little feet in my head, my favorite thing is to wake up with my little brood all around me, they may not know by the way I usually react, I am not a very pleasant person when woken up several times a night, but I love that my kids love me and want to be near me, because I love them very much! And if it really bothered me I think I would have been locking my door at night so they couldn't join me.

2) what attracts you to another friend? and what do you like to do with your friends?

As you probably can tell I just enjoy sitting around and talking with my friends. I like to have people over and just hang out. I have always been good at being satisfied and content with little or no entertainment because I feel that I am pretty good at making it. As far as what attracts me to friends, that's harder....I think I am pretty good (use that word a lot) at being friends with anyone.

I have a five attempt rule though, that is if a friend doesn't reciprocate the friendship after my five attempts I give up and don't try to be a friend anymore. Not that I am rude or not nice to the person, at least I don't think I am but I just don't make an effort to be overly friendly and invite them to do stuff with me. I figure if they weren't interested in being my friend, its their loss and I need not try anymore. I like people who just call me randomly to say hi, and invite me to do stuff.

I often find myself as the party planning friend and I get tired of doing it. I go through waves, where I finally realize things aren't going to happen if I don't do anything so I will start planning things. And most likely people are doing things but with out me. And I am ok with that mostly, I'd just hope I am a good enough friend to be included. But I have always been the friend that invites and includes all my circles, I don't like to leave anyone out.

It is difficult also for me to have a "best friend" I have never liked using that term because I don't like to isolate myself to one person. I love all my friends and they all have different things to offer how can you have a favorite?

3) eric has taken the kids, all of them, even little T, on an outing and will be gone all day. what would you do with your corrine time?

Honestly, I 'd stay home and clean the house then climb in bed and read a book and drink a diet coke. Check my email, read some blogs, maybe make a few phone calls. Pretty simple. Though one day I'd like to go get my nails done, but if Eric had all the kids, I'd stay home like I said above. He is pretty good about doing that for a couple of hours every Saturday.

4) what are you passionate about lately?

hmmmmmmmmmm...... I think blogging :) I am also very much into making storybooks, memory books...and I am hopefully going to become passionate again about swimming and exercising.

5) what differences do you see in your life since you started
writing an online blog journal?

I feel like I have opened a creative side of me that I had hidden for a long time...my writing. I also am opening my eyes more to the fun little happy moments that happen each day. I am also making new friends and learning more and more how fun and normal everyone is and at the same time how unique we each are. I love reading friend's blogs because many times there are things I never knew about them that I don't think I'd ever know about them had I never read their blogs, not that they wouldn't tell me but that it never most likely would have come up.

Flu Flu Whatcha gonna do!

When it rains it pours and over here its pouring down fevers, chills, running noses, running other things, crying kids, cranky mom, missing dad....where did he go this week?, coughs and nasty tasting food. You know when you are really sick when everything taste nasty! Gregory was in the kitchen pulling food out, taking bits of things and throwing it in the trash, during which he states "Everything thing taste nasty!" And it does!

The kids and I have pretty much hung out in my bed all week, well other than their brief moment of thinking it would be a lot of fun to clean out behind the couch. Which they did finally put back. Though someone needs to vacuum and since I am sick I am not doing it, which means it won't get done.

Speaking of things getting done I have got to go get my sheets into the drier so I can make my bed. Maybe we will all be healthier with clean fresh linens. Its worth a shot. I did Lysol spray down all the door knobs, drawer handles and bleached the bathrooms. Need a big bottle of bleach spray to hose down the kitchen. Too bad I'm not living in Brazil with my cement walls and cement floors, we literally would hose down the place, scrub it with comet and then hose it down. Great way to clean up.

Someday I am going to have an all stainless kitchen, I am not talking the trendy fridge and oven, I am talking counters and shelves, and table and flooring! And its going to be self cleaning (thanks Rachel A for the idea) where you can just close down a few doors and hit clean, and it will just spray down everything and be cleaned and sanitized. While I am at it I think all my bathrooms will be self cleaning as well, like those fancy port-a-potties. And while I am at it might as well rip up all carpeting and have hard surface flooring. Maybe make all my couches and stuff out of stone, like in the Flinestones, I could make cute pillows so that it wouldn't feel so uncomfortable. But then it would all be so much easier to keep clean and keep the germs away.

Ok well off to get some things cleaned....dude maybe I should lay off of the Nyquil for awhile.

My helpful Brood!

My sweet and thoughtful kids thought it would be a great idea to clean behind and under our massive sectional upstairs. Such a great idea, since I have no idea when the last time it was that I moved it to clean out underneath it. So they tipped all the pieces over, exposing the huge mess. They grabbed out what they wanted and then took off, only coming back to me calling them to take a picture of their mess. Now I get to go and finish cleaning it up. Nothing like forced motivation.

Bucket of fun!

Not sure what they were thinking but my cute kids, put T-man in a bucket and then decided to fill them with pillows and blankets and themselves. Cute kids. T-man enjoyed it at first as in picture number one, but towards the end he grew tired of it.

I've lost.....

my mind among other things. But no I have lost five pounds since going to the doctor this week and having him tell me "lose weight or die." Well he didn't say it in so many words, but yeah basically it is what he has said.

Anyway I'd like to credit it to my great will power and my dedication to exercise, however I have been dealing with a high fever and throwing up most of my meals. Oh well, at least I have a quick start to weight loss. Maybe this lack of appetite will carry over once I am feeling better. Though I think laying in bed fighting a fever off, is helping me by keeping me out of the kitchen.

I have decided to post a before picture....some sweet ones have commented on how they didn't think I needed to lose weight but assuredly according to the medical field I do. Here is proof- notice I too am eating :) Thanks Bethany for the great picture.

People always say I have a big heart

I have been told because of my sweet and generous personality that I have a big heart, little did all know how right they are. I went to the cardiologist today to get an update on my echo cardiogram and past check up post my scarlet fever/rheumatic fever scare this summer. Well I have a heart murmur as well as an enlarged upper chamber. Not sure what to say or do. Feeling a little concerned because he said that if we don't take care of this it will lead to heart failure, last time I checked heart failure is um death....don't know too many people walking around with out a beating heart. I was scolded for not taking my blood pressure meds like I should be, well basically not taking them cuz I stink at taking drugs, I rarely take a tyenol for a headache. There is a patch but because I am nursing I can't use it. Maybe I should quit nursing, maybe I should take my meds. He suggested losing a little weight, well I am working on that, sure wish it were as easy as it is said. Or I wish I could just dream myself thin.

The other concern that I have is my little sister was just diagnosed with Graves Disease, which this past summer, I had all the same symptoms she has. I had the same tsh level as well as the same problem of an enlarged thyroid filled with nodules. My doctor told me to get it rechecked in six months, hers is talking about taking it out ASAP because it will enlarge your heart and can lead to that once again term "heart failure" i.e. death....Anyway I am a little disenchanted with the medical field and wish I could find a doctor that I can sit down and talk to about all that is going on and give them suggestions of things to check. I know I didn't go to medical school but I have had my body for 33 years and know when things aren't right....oh well, I just am feeling a little glum, and bummed and at a loss for what to do... I swear if I got a breast reduction my world would be a little better, there has to be at least 20 lbs of weight on my chest and that has got to put a lot of pressure on my little well not so little heart.

Anyway enough of that serious stuff....

A Shout Out To DigiHeaven

I haven't done this yet and needed to. Thanks Patricia for posting the Help My Friend blog on your blog! I really appreciate it! And if you are in the market for great digital layouts check her out! Thanks again Patricia.

"Do your boobs hang low?" (sung) to the tune of "do your ears hang low"

I was taking a shower, enjoying the warm water on this cold morning, when Bethany's head pops in. I start chatting with her as I am rinsing shampoo out of my hair. Then she asks "Mom why do your boobs hang down?" (the thoughts come flooding, 4 kids, 4 nursed babies, weight gain, weight loss, weight gain...age...genetics, gravity you name it. All of which was beyond a 5 year olds understanding)

"Do you like them to hang down like that (she points with her little pointer fingers to the ground.)?" "Um, no not really." I tell her. Though I am not sure I want her to think big saggy boobs are not beautiful.

"Do you like them better when they are like this (taking her little fingers and pointing them up and out at the top of her chest.)? I think I do."

What can a mother say? The only thing I could, "I'd love for them to point up like that, that is why I wear a bra. " I was going to go on about how one day when we have lots of money and I fit back in a size 6 jean, I will pay someone to make them like that but didn't figure it was the time or place, plus she was on to the subject of going to the library.

I need a hug...

Do you find yourself needing a hug or someone to cuddle with? Nights are lonely and you are cold and all alone? Husband is asleep on the couch? Well you need to be lonely no more get a hug me pillow!


You have got to read the reviews on Overstock.com I am not laughing at them, actually I am! I may be mean laughing at ones loneliness but call me crazy this seems like an ad on Saturday Night Live and its got me laughing.

What is going on in their minds?

Do you often wonder what is going on in your young child's mind? What could they possibly be thinking when they do things.

For example: Emily took all our Wii game's out of their cases and shoved them under the TV? Why? And the great thing about her, is she is honest as much as she can speak. I found the cases all over the floor and asked G and B if they knew where they were, they were quick to point a finger to Em. I got her and asked her "where are the games?" She walked right over to the TV and pointed to a four inch dust free line. I am glad she told us because I was tearing apart the room. But my goodness what would posses her to do that?

Welcome to my Bloggerhood

As I was up late last night with Timmy, who has a terrible runny nose and fever, I was thinking about my new blog life, my new bloggerhood. I love going to friends blogs and clicking on others blogs and going from there. Last night I was amazed to find so many awesome sights linking people together. I don't know exactly where I went or if I can get there again, I read some wonderful blogs, so if I commented on your sight please comment on mine so I can find you again!

It is amazing how just sitting down to type your thoughts, your life events, you get a chance to know so many other wonderful people. I have been inspired by many blog entries and things written. Many of which have sparked in me many ideas of things I need to write and do.

Thank you for being a part of my bloggerhood, just wish we could get to know the people in our neighborhoods like we get to know our people in our bloggerhood, I think the world would be a much happier place. Keep posting! Keep commenting!

Need a good laugh?

I dare any of you to top this embarrassing moment. Check out this I know Victoria's Secret blog posting. Warning, don't drink anything while reading it may come out your nose. A challenge for y'all post your embarrassing moment here, come on I dare you!

What's going on in there?

I am sitting here at the computer trying to upload photos to my blog when I hear the tub running and Emily grunting. I go to the bathroom and find her sitting on the toilet reading Fortune Magazine. Not only is she just potty training herself she is enriching her young mind.

Had to include a pic for proof!

Some Photos

Sorry All I have been overly talkative, and just writing way too much boring stuff! I think I am going to create another blog, called my boring thoughts. Anyway here are some pics:This is Bethany after her "make over" at her birthday party. We did a beauty parlor, with a nail salon, a facial area, hair salon and a jewelry making center. The girls all had fun. We even took before and after pictures in the portrait studio. We also enjoyed ice cream sundaes in the ice cream parlor. This is bethany with her pjs under her new gymnastic leotard. Cute girl! Mind you this is what she was wearing when we went to the store yesterday. The pj bottoms which you can't see are multi colored strips! :)
This is sweet little Timothy with a little bit of his rash left after having a 102+ fever this last week. Not fun having a sick baby.
All four of my sweet kids new years eve day at the arboretum. Not sure why this is underlined and blue...I must have hit something. Below is Emily after getting her hair curled and cut by me. Well I cut her hair a few days ago, not sure why I think I am a hairdresser, I need to stop cutting my girls hair, or at least go to school to learn how to do it. I need to run, she is playing musical tubs, she just got out of hers and jumped into mine. Never a dull moment around here.

A Day in the Life of Me!

Last night after our fun dinner experience, Eric took Gregory and Emily to Gregory's basketball practice, only 15 minutes late! Bethany, Timmy and I headed to Toys R Us to spend some of her birthday money. Bethany didn't have a ton of money to spend, so we talked about how she could pick out anything she wanted but we had to make sure it wasn't more than her money she had. She said "thats fine we just have to go to the girl aisle and find something with those numbers." When we walked through the door she took a b-line to the girl's section. I think her hands fell upon everything there, until she finally picked a Polly Pocket art supply kit, went on and off the shelf several times before she decided on it.

Well I wanted to look at the clothes that were on sale. So while we were looking through, she said she wanted to get clothes instead, and that she had to try them on in the dressing room. She pulled some items off the shelf, many things getting no's from not only me but her. She found a really cute swim suit. She tried that on and looked in the mirror and said "mom don't I just look so cute in this." I agreed. Then as we were walking to the register she saw a gymnastic leotard outfit with princesses on it. So she put the swim suit back and took the leotard with assurance that her dad will get her gymnastic lessons. We are working on that one.

We got home after 8. And laying before me were the piles of fabric that I had started to cut to make really cute party bags/purses for Bethany's party tonight. I had 15 to make, and had made one, a test one that we gave for Bethany for her scriptures. The night was looking like it was going to be a long one.

There was/ is a huge pile of laundry in our room, one that has overtaken our lives, forming its own life, ready to swallow the next poor person to enter the room. I am seriously afraid my kids might get lost in there. So as I am trying to sew these purses with out cursing too much, one for the thread always coming out and two for me taking on such a project when the last two weeks, I haven't had time to really sit down and do them, anyway I hand Eric a bucket of laundry and ask him to fold it. I figured if he folded it today I could get to it. I finished one purse and he said he was done folding the bucket of clothes. He went as far as to tell Gregory to becareful not to knock the bucket down because the clothes were nice and folded.

I sat and tried sewing while the kids were running around well past their bed times driving me crazy. Eric wakes up from his little slumber on the bed, pretending to fold clothes must have worn him out, and takes the kids to their rooms to read them stories and put them to bed. They all were asleep pretty quick, I mean all, including Eric. I woke Eric up to help me cut some more fabric for the purses. He did, and then went to sleep.

Its approaching 10 by now and I am not making much headway on the purses so I decided to shut down shop and finish the other half in the morning. Because I can't go to bed with out checking my email I came out to the computer, and crying begins. Bethany for some reason couldn't sleep and was crying. I made her go get in our bed, so I could get her asleep and put her in her bed in awhile.

As soon as I move her to the floor, fall asleep little Timmy wakes up screaming. So I feed him and put him to bed. No sooner than I am asleep dreaming about driving too fast and rear ending people, Emily comes screaming into our room. After about an hour of her crying and kicking me, I put her in her crib. Then back to sleep for me. Then Timmy wakes up at 4:45 am and I feed him, and am unable to go back to sleep because of all that I have before me for the new day. I begin to sew purses...and 10:30 I finish all 16. Does anybody need a purse??

Well I decide to tackle the mountain of laundry by putting away the bucket of clothes Eric had so nicely folded last night. But what do I find, only the top few items are folded! Busted!! The twirp! I couldn't believe he did that to me.

The kids and I cleaned up to the best of our abilities and then headed to the store. Why would one be crazy enough to head out in the rain, 38 degree weather, with four young kids? I don't know! Plus none of my kids were dressed appropriately for this type of weather or going out. Bethany was sporting some old navy long john pjs with her leotard on top. Emily had a dress on and her jacket, poor legs were freezing. Timmy was bundled fairly well. Gregory was wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

When I got to the store, the kids actually stood by my side behaving fairly well, helping me get items and didn't ask for anything other than the special k with strawberries, could be worse items to ask for. I was thinking to myself they are so good, then Gregory started this moaning screaming noise thing. He sounded like someone who doesn't have control of their vocal cords, or possibly a child with terrets syndrome. I told him he needed to stop doing it. He just seemed to get more and more wound up and pretty soon everyone was staring at this poor kid with special needs.

Once we made it to the cash register, he was flicking rubber bands and spinning the bagging thing, opening and shutting the soda fridge, and making those noises. Then he ran to get on the quarter operated cars. I just looked at him, as I walked out the door, and said "Have fun here, I will come back to get you tomorrow" and I walked out the door. The greeter was laughing. I think he thought I was kidding. But I was ready to leave him there.

But over all it was ok, you know just a fun family trip to the store.

We are home and I need to make a cake, clean the kitchen and really need to finish the laundry! Where does the time go!

Sorry this is ow so boring....

How to get a free meal!

Happy Birthday Bethany! We celebrated her birthday by having our family birthday pancake cake, and we added a side of sausage for Bethany our carnivore. She opened her gifts which she so gratefully thanked us all: a few books, shirts, scripture case/purse, chocolates and five carnations. The girls and I and Timmy hung out today and had lunch at the church with some friends. Then came the really fun part.

My sweet sister Alyson gave us a gift card to go to Chilli's for dinner. I thought well Thursday night is Gregory's basketball practice night and there is a Chilli's down the corner, we should go. I called Eric and told him to meet us there. Sounded like such a great idea, gather the family for dinner. Even though every time I take the kids out I ask myself why.

Well it took a little longer than planned to get the kids in the car, couldn't find shoes, and jackets. Don't forget the gift card, I couldn't find that anywhere and that was the whole reason we were going to Chilli's. Anyway after a few not so nice words uttered by me, as I tore apart the kitchen, Bethany remembered putting it away with the Christmas cards. So we found the certificate, and we all got in the car.

As I was driving to the restaurant, I decided to call my sister, well called the other sisters number and confused a poor babysitter. Once we are about there, I realized I took the wrong road so I had to back track. We make it to the restaurant and meet up with Eric. The place wasn't busy so we figured we could be out in 45 minutes to make it on time to Gregory's practice because we had arrived about 30 minutes later than we had planned. Blasted mind for not being able to remember where I put things anymore.

Takes a while for us to get a waiter, then to place an order. While we are sitting there, Timothy not happy to be sitting in his seat, starts really crying. I take him into my arms and he grabs my ice water, just filled, and dumps it all over me and my purse. I hand him to Eric and begin drying the table with the few napkins we had. Then I reach for my bag, and there is ice in every pocket. I had Heritage Makers books in my purse that got wet. So I took them out and propped them on the table to dry out.

The kids and I then begin to enjoy the chips and salsa, and I decide to give Timmy a chip, which he begins to gag and choke on. Great I am going to kill my son on his sisters birthday, but what was I thinking he has no teeth, and chips are hard, I guess I wasn't thinking. Then I decide to ask the waiter for a spoon to feed Tim his baby food. He brings me a soup spoon that doesn't fit into the bottle. So I go with my next option feeding Timmy with a straw.

I notice we have been waiting awhile, because the kids are getting fidgety. The waiter comes and says that it will be just a little bit longer and he apologizes for the wait. Bethany then spills her red slush on herself. We clean that up the best we can, it matches well with her queso spill as well.

The food finally comes. Turns out they dropped Eric's first plate on the floor so they had to remake his dinner, letting all of our food sit there and cool. I ordered a salad with the dressing on the side, the waiter handed me my plate apologizing because while he was walking out he spilled the side cup all over my salad. He said he could get me a new one but I was fine with it. They also apologized for Gregory's corn on the cob not being ready yet. Awhile later, they bring Gregory his corn, his eyes light up, he opens his mouth wide and attempts a huge bite, and screams "its frozen!" I tell him to quiet down, and didn't really believe him. Eric touched it, sure enough it was frozen.

When the manager walked by again, she had already been by to apologize and tell us a desert was on the house, she was so embarrassed when we told her the corn was frozen. She took it back and brought him a new ear. She told us she was going to take care of us.

So we finally all finish eating, well I was trying to finish up as the kids started moving around chairs. Emily was saying hi to people at tables near by. Timmy was screaming. They bring us our bill and only charging us half of what we owed, and less than our gift card. They felt so bad for us. And I wasn't really bothered by it all. Seemed like a pretty normal eating out experience for us.

Eric took Greg and Emily, I took Timmy and Bethany. As I was driving to Toys R Us for Bethany to pick out a birthday present, I remembered the HM books I left on the table. I called Eric to have him go back and get them. When he did the manager again apologized and gave him a $15 gift card to come back another time, and also asked how we made the books. He gave her my card and she said she was going to contact me.

The night didn't end up so bad.

Can you tell me?

Okay, this one is different - this is funny. YOU
> fill in the blanks about ME and send it back to ME.
> But FIRST send a blank one out to all your friends,
> including me, so we can return the favor to you. Be

> honest!
> They're really SCARY to get back. It only takes a
> few minutes, so just do it! First send (forward)
> this survey to everyone you know to see how well he
> or she knows you. Second, hit "reply" and fill this

> survey out about the person who sent it to you and
> send it back to them.
>
> Where did we meet:
>
> Take a stab at my middle name:
>
> Do I smoke:
>
> Color of my eyes:
>
> Do I have any siblings:
>
> What's one of my favorite things to do:
>
> What's my favorite type of music:

>
> Am I shy or outgoing:

>
> Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules:
>
> Any special talents:

>
> How many children do I have:
>
> If you and I were stranded on a deserted island,
> what is one thing that I would bring:
>

Sweet Sweet Bethany

My sister in law LESLIE came to help me clean up some of my messes, ie organize some closets, pantries and cupboards on Monday. As Leslie was getting ready to leave, Bethany asked if she could spend the night. After Les and I spoke we decided it'd be ok and off they went. It is now Tuesday night and she is staying yet another night. I miss her! It is really quiet around here with out her, and we consider her the quiet one, maybe she is just the pot stirrer, but none the less Bethany we miss you!

Some things I love about Bethany:

1 She comes up and gives me kisses, rubs my cheeks and says "I love you mommy."

2 When it comes to words starting with ch or tr she can't say them. And if someone asks her what she said she will just kindly look at them and say "i have a hard time saying those kinds of words."

3 she is turning five this week and all she wants for her birthday is scriptures, so she can teach her dolls and friends about Jesus....such a strong spirit she has.

4 she told aunt leslie she wanted to spend the night again (they live in San Antonio, 1.5 hrs away) but that she'd have to run home to get a pull up. Leslie assured her she could get her a pull up and they didn't have to drive home.

5 I am just proud of Bethany, someone was laughing at her because she has to wear a pull up at night and she just looked at them and said "i just can't wake up at night to make it to the bathroom." so mature and so glad she isn't embarrassed by it.

6 she loves to plan parties and is always wanting to know who she can invite over and who can come play with her

7 she loves to eat eggs for breakfast and i get the fun chance to make them for her.

8 she is very pretty and the other day she said to me, as i was trying to get her out the door, "i can't leave yet i don't have my makeup on and i don't look pretty with out it." I turned to her and told her she was beautiful and didn't need makeup to look pretty. not sure where she learned that from because heaven's knows i always leave with out makeup and by gosh by golly i'm gorgeous! :)

9 she takes care of her brothers and sisters and is always willing to help me out, well almost always, always is a strong word. its amazing what counting can do.

10 she has the most amazing highlights in her hair and everywhere we go people ask if they are natural...Yes they are natural, if I had money to do highlights like that it wouldn't be on my 4 year old

11. She is fun and funny. She comes across shy, usually because she is holding my leg and won't smile at strangers or even people she knows sometimes, but then at home she just lets lose.

12. She is so observant, she is aware very much of what is going on around her and has an amazing memory. I will say something like "Sarah called me...." and Gregory will say who is that, and Bethany looks at him and says "thats faith's mom, you silly." Most of the time it will be something I had no idea she had any idea of.

I LOVE YOU BETHANY! HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY!

A Mayo Freewrite Prompt: So here is what I came up with!"

"It is 102 outside, I really don't want to drag all 4 kids into the car, over to the church for the ward picnic, its just too hot to be outside. My jello salad will never hold up to that type of heat." Corrine complained to her husband, as she was fighting Emily to get her sandals on.

"Honey Br. A went to a lot of trouble to plan this activity and we need to support him." Reassured her ever so right husband. "But why do we have to support everyone in all their activities", she murmured to herself, as she looked around her air conditioned home thinking about all she could be doing inside today. Seems like other activities always take precedence to the things that need to be done at home.

Being the supportive wife and ward member, Corrine yells to her kids to get in the car. "1...2....3. ...so help me if you don't get in there, we are not going to go!" This is more of an ultimatum for herself than the children. The kids make a mad dash to the car. "Buckle up. I didn't hear a click." Once everyone is in their seats, did it really take 10 minutes? Corrine remembers she forgot her raspberry pretzel jello dish. As she quickly apologizes to her already frustrated husband because they are already going to be a minute early and not ten, she runs inside, pulls her 9x13 out of the fridge, and heads for the door. But before she walks out the front door she notices a few more toys on the ground so she quickly picks them up, puts them away, and then out the door. "Crap." She turns around, grabs the salad off the coffee table. With sweat dripping down her head, she climbs in the car and looks to her husband, "ready."

Many people are gathered around the tables, some families are getting out of their cars, and heading to the picnic tables as they finally arrive. When what does Corrine see? Sister P. already seated on the picnic benches. Set before her, her famous deviled eggs. The realization of how the family is going to end up in the ER after this potluck quickly becomes a fact because heavens knows how long those eggs have been sitting out in the heat, let alone how many days in advance she made them. And everyone knows mayo, eggs (the main indgredient in mayo) do not hold up well to non refrigeration. "Kids, kids...no eating the eggs ok?" Corrine says as she pushes Timmy in the stroller, holding Emily's hand, well dragging her by her wrist is more like it, crossing the parking lot.

"Hello Sister S" greets Sister P., "I made my famous deviled eggs. You and your family will have to have some." What is one to say, what is one to do. "Hopefully there will be some left when we go through the line." Corrine lies through her teeth, though kind of hoping there are some left, kind of a sick twist of fate.

The prayer is said, and Corrine is pretty assured that people, while other's had their eyes shut during the prayer, standing reverently, slowly started for the line. Because as soon as the words amen were uttered, Corrine opened her eyes to see a mile long line for the food. 'Well at least they will all get food poisoning. But there is no way I am going to end up with some firm jello salad.' Corrine thought as she watched the hoards of starving people standing in line, looking in front of them and behind them thinking there is not going to be enough food.

By the time Corrine gets in line for sure there will be no more mayo filled eggs left for her to get food poisoning from, though she really does love a good deviled egg. With the sweltering heat, even the salads, not just green but tuna and potato other mayo filled treats, are sweating. Heat, crowds and hunger are not a good match for Corrine. At this point, after standing in line, Timmy screaming, Gregory running around with his friends, Bethany holding on to her mom's leg from fear of someone talking to her, and Emily reaching up to Corrine wanting to be held, Corrine is ready to just leave. But its finally her turn. She is hungry and even over heated eggs, sound appealing, and with the empty dishes that lay before her, there aren't many choices. 'Can't people just take a little and not fill their plates so full? No one here is starving. And next time how about bringing more than six cookies as your dish to share.' Corrine stops her thoughts and
just begins to dish her plates.

The life altering decision unfurls, does she eat the eggs and risk the chance of ending up in the hospital or dead for that matter, or forgo one of her favorite treats knowing its for the better? What would you do? After all the food has been blessed right?

Nothing more than Pure Brain Dumpage

I mentioned the other day about my repeating dream of speeding and breaks going out and not being able to stop in time, therefore ramming my car into something. Life is just going way too fast. But not where I want to go tonight.

I want to sit down on my Freudian lounge and analyze the dream of my mother running around with a butcher knife trying to chop my head off. Ok a little gory but really its not! My neighbor and one of my best friends growing up, Chris B.'s mom had a curio cabinet with old dolls in it. Some that were just the heads. I am guessing the cabinet is what triggered my nightmares, probably triggered the same ones of dolls coming to life trying to kill me...but that is another issue.

Earlier I had this dream all figured out...but all of a sudden it has slipped from my mind like a wet bar of soap in my hands.

My mom plays a huge roll in my life, well duh! Most moms do don't they, good or bad? My mom is wonderful. I love her, flaws and all, but she is mostly perfect to me, but that is because I am the favorite child, ask any of my siblings. I am the favorite. I feared so much of making a mistake growing up, and not being the perfect child. Part of that comes from being the middle child, trying to be the pleaser. Too, it has to do with the fact that I want everyone to like me. I think part of me was afraid that I could never please my mom, and the only way to have her pleased was to preserve me as just a head in a glass cabinet. Nah I just think the Benjamin's glass doll cemetery freaked me out.

I love my mom. And I think with every mother and daughter relationship comes some interesting baggage. I just wonder what kinds of things I am doing in raising my kids packing their baggage, and how much are the therapy bills going to be to unpack.

This morning, my computer was out of commission so I actually took time to read. I read a wonderful article by Pres. Gordon Hinkley on raising children. He mentioned that if people would spend more time worrying about how they are raising their kids, than they do worrying about how bad the world is, the world would be a happier place, well basically his words are much better than mine. But if we raise happy, good kind kids then the world will have good kind people. Right now there isn't much time being spent at home making happy, kind kids. I am trying, I really am.

I love being able to stay home with my kids, though lately I feel like I haven't been doing as great of a job as I should be doing. I guess there is always room for improvement isn't there?

Ok a pat on my back today, grant it this person only spent a few minutes with my kids, but true story:

Eric stayed home today with our sick little boys- Timmy had a fever of 101, and Greg Strep. So I took my sweet little girls to church with me. Surprisingly they weren't doing too bad during sacrament meeting (the mixed adult kid one hour 10 minute long meeting). I don't know but about half way through, Bethany was reading a book, well I like to call it performing her own opera. She can't just read a book she has to turn it into a full blown musical. Emily was yelling at her to give her back her book, and I am trying to quietly shhhh them. So I just pack them up and go into the Relief Society Room (another room with a speaker to hear whats going on in the sacrament room.) We get in there and there is a sister trying to nap, sorry Sister Alger. But I felt better about letting the girls kind of roam while I listened to the last speaker. Then another sister from church came in and started preparing for her class. My girls just stared fascinated with her, as she wrote scriptures on the chalk board. Then the sweet gal lets them doodle on the board, and she actually starts to draw for them. Sacrament is finally over (about fifteen minutes after we got into the room.) So Sister Taylor, said to me "you have the cutest kids and they are so well behaved. I know because I work in a daycare." So that made me feel really good, that my kids as totally out of control I felt they were, received a compliment on having great behavior.

Though why is it that as a mom, it seems my kids are the worst? Why do I giggle at someone else's child for doing the same thing, I want to ground my child for doing? Is it the emotional attachment? Who knows, I just know I am tired and have written way to much jibber, thats not even a word. Oh well, good night and thanks for making it this far!

To Delete or Not to Delete

I tormented my husband tonight about not reading my blog, was just teasing...well a little bit serious. So he could not sleep, and woke up and read my blog, the whole thing, I woke up mid reading and sat by him watching him chuckle here and there. Made me feel good that he found the humor from our lives and my writings. But as he read, and I finally re read many of my posts I had a huge urge to delete, rewrite, change all my blogs.

See when I write, I just freely let my mind communicate to my fingers, typing away just as fast as the thoughts hit the keyboard, some days slower than others. I don't like to re read, or edit or change much because mostly I feel this is my journal, and well I am just lazy. But now that I am awake and my mind is spinning, kind of like a little hamster on its running wheel, I want to change so many posts. I see so many little errors, ways to make a sentence more humorous or more dramatic. But then I realized hey I am just posting to share and remember.

I'm driving too fast and my breaks keep going out!!

Ok its been a long time since..no not since I last posted, heavens knows I am so addicted to blogging its ridiculous, since I have dreams repeating over and over. When I was younger I had the same dream of my mom trying to chop my head off to put in a doll cabinet with porcelain dolls. Maybe I can share more on that later. In high school I had the same dreams of over flowing toilets. Then in college I had dreams where people were chasing me and I'd just start flapping my arms and fly away. Now I keep having dreams or rather nightmares of me driving with my kids and several other children in my suburban and all of a sudden the car just starts speeding up and I can't stop the car before running into something. Believe me I am slamming hard on the breaks but no slowing down. Think there is something to my dreams?

Since I asked...I do. I really feel like my life is just going by too fast and I just don't have time to slow down and enjoy the little things. But as cheesy as this may sound, I really feel that now that I have started journaling again, though its not in my typical journals with me complaining about my weigh...oh I can if you want, but this blogging/journaling sure has helped me stop, sit and think about all that is going on around me. There truly is something beneficial about recording your life stories, and I'm not talking about leaving behind a record for your posterity which is great in and of it self, but of allowing you the opportunity to reflect and regroup and plan ahead.

I love my little kids!

I believe truly that each child comes with their own personalities. Parents help in grooming the children and directing them but they each are so unique. Sometimes children repeat what they hear but other times, it just comes out from no where. I had to share some of the few things that happened last night and today.

Gregory: This morning we are all sound asleep, in our own beds, well not really Emily's snuggling in between myself and Eric. Bethany is crashed out on our couch, which she turned into her own bed. Timmy asleep in the closet, darkest quietest place in the house. And Gregory asleep in his bed. The phone rings, stirring up the gang. With in a matter of seconds, I hear Gregory pounding his feet against the floor, running as fast as he can into our room, and jumping into our bed in about 5 seconds flat. Emily disturbed by this all starts to kick Greg. Then Bethany climbs in. Timmy hears the commotion and starts to bark from the closet. At this point, sweet old me is done with all the noise. I respond, for sure with the sweetest mother's morning voice, "Get out of my bed!" Gregory looks at me and says " We are just showing you how your parents felt. Do you think they liked having you in their bed? No, so that is why we are showing you the same respect that you did them.....Respect, what does that mean?" Eric and I just chuckle.

Emily: While sitting at the kitchen table this morning enjoying our scrambled eggs with ketchup, Emily and Bethany decide to open the mail that is on the table. While ripping open a piece of mail, Emily's hand knocks over her plate. Eggs, ketchup, fork and her bowl go flying to the floor, ketchup down. I hear Emily say..."Oh my "fuk, oh my fuk." I look at her..."What???" I promise not a word I use. "My fuk mommy, my fuk." She points to her fork on the ground. I thought she would have been upset about losing her eggs and ketchup but no she was upset about her fork hitting the ground. The mom I am I scoop up her eggs and put them in the bowl, hand her back her fork, and say "eat."

Timmy: Last night I went to a Relief Society board meeting leaving all four kids home with their dad. When I came home, I opened the door. I put down my purse and from the recliner chair I see Eric's legs and I hear a "hi." I think "what is Emily doing up." I walked closer and see Timmy's head peek over Eric shoulders. He bounced and squealed with excitement to see me. It made me feel so good. He knows me! And he likes me! For that brief moment it made me forget about the huge mess that was left to greet me.

Bethany: One would think is our silent creature, and she really isn't. She likes very much to make a lot of noise, usually a nice big fat tantrum about me using her bag of Reese's Peanut Butter cups to make cookies. Eric came home last night to Bethany screaming. Screaming that had been going on for about an hour at this point. We're talking poor cat dying screams, back arching fist tight screams. Sounds that earned her banishment to her room. All over a bag a candy she told me to make her cookies with...go figure.

She is sweet though and loves to hang out with me. She usually is reading books, playing with Timmy or holding a doll. Yesterday she was playing with Timmy on his play mat and pulled the head off of something. I looked at her and said "Bethany why did you pull his head off." Her nonchalant reply was "Cuz I can!"

7 things I have done that have proved others wrong :)

1. I sucked my thumb until around 8, when my grandfather told me it was going to fall off if I sucked it any longer. That worked better than those nasty thumb paints. My thumb never did fall off and I never had to have braces because of sucking my thumb.

2. I wore a body cast for three months and leg braces for six months. The doctor's thought I might not be able to have children because of all they did, and boy were they wrong! They also weren't sure about my ability to do sports and I beat a 20 year record in the 100 yard dash!

3. Je m'appelle Corrine. I took french from 7th grade until my junior year of college. I over all took french 1 about 5 years....Fr. 1 in 7th and 8th...then repeated it in 9th....then after taking up to Fr 3 in high school, I took French 101 in college :) By the time I was getting ready for my mission my French teacher said to me " I hope you go English speaking because I know how hard it is for you to speak a foreign language." I got called to be a missionary in Brazil and I speak Portuguese!

4. I got married at the ripe old age of 25, all my friends in high school, well not all but some, teased me and said I would be married by 19! Ha!

5. I used to be very patient. I am not so patient anymore. They call me the nice sister, and I am not sure about that. Just to share an example, my older sister put me on speaker phone the other day while I was getting after my kids, so that her husband could hear "the nice sister" being not so nice. They both were laughing at me.

6. Sophmore year of high school I was the class secretary. I ran against some popular fellow which no one thought I'd be able to beat! I felt wonderful that day when my name announced over the loud speaker.

7. I was a witness to a murder and had to testify in court. I wasn't scared, I thought the whole thing was exciting, like watching Matlock on TV. After it all happened, before the court trial which took 4 years to happen, I was told I shouldn't go back to BYU Hawaii because of my safety, well I listened this time and didn't go against their advise!

So funny, and so true!

The world with out kids would be like an ice cream sundae without whip cream and chocolate sauce. Kids just add so much to the world, especially the ever so needed laugh once in awhile.

I wish this story was about one of my children, but its a friend so close enough. Atalia, my friend, and her husband, Rudy, make sure their five year old is content resting in his room, watching tv so they can go and take a nap. They set their alarm so as not to leave Julian alone too long. The alarm goes off, and that is the only sound to be heard in the house.

Atalia gets up to look around for Julian, he is not in his room, nor is he in the family room. They peek into the kitchen to find Julian, with a pair of scissors cutting out the elastic in his underpants and surrounded by ice cream sandwich wrappers. Atalia asks "what are you doing Julian?"

What was he doing? Is stomach was so full, his underwear was too tight. Instead of just taking them off he decided to cut the elastic off. How clever is that? I think I might do that with some of my underwear.

The moral of the story, if you over eat, don't undo a belt loop or unbutton your pants just cut the waste band off!

Bethany's morning blog

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I guess Bethany has seen me blogging and typing and she wanted to write this morning. She wanted me to write about her, so we read through my earlier post, she laughed pretty hard about hers. She wants us to make a book, wow she isn't the only one! :) Have a great day!

Can you make your eye pee?

Ok not trying to fill my blog with potty humor but living with four small kids, and one large one things like this come up. We're sitting at our dinner table tonight enjoying a last minute thrown together meal by me. Part of the dinner, the green part, includes sweet petite green peas, a personal favorite of Eric's. So much so, he very carefully shovels a few fork fulls onto each of his surrounding children's plates with out them noticing. Oh but I notice, shame on him. As we are finishing up this wonderful meal, consisting also of some open cans of fruit on the table, Eric asks if he can be excused from the table, I look at him a little in shock, one because he's asking me to be excused and two well he is asking to be excused. Before I can muddle out a reply Gregory says "not before I pee out of my eye." I look at him "What?"

Gregory carefully takes a pea and holds it to his eye and pops it to Eric. Well Eric can't be topped by a six year old with an inappropriate table manner, so he pops a pea in his mouth, and then starts snorting and blowing, and he "pees out a pea" from his nose, along with some other stuff, causing me to just want to get up from the table a puke.

I wish the story ends here but something about kids they kind of like to make true the saying "monkey see monkey do." So Gregory following his dad's lead, though taking a short cut, sticks a pea up his nose and then snorts it out. At this point I am totally bewildered can't think of anything to say or do.

Emily takes care of that for me. She grabs a little pea and sticks it into her tiny little nostril. She giggles and makes a little "heh" with her nose, mind you being only two she really hasn't mastered the art of nose blowing. You should have seen her little nose with the bulging little green ball clogging her narrow nostril. I give her encouraging blows from my nose, hoping she will try to blow it out her self. I know that I can not get it out by picking it because it will only lodge it further into her nasal cavity. Emily decides she's going to take her little finger and retrieve the foreign body. However, each attempt the green mass gets smaller and smaller, until we no longer see it. Great! We are gonna have to spend $100 at the ER to get it removed.

I decide to call my mother in law to thank her for her well raising of my husband, while Eric looks through the cupboards. As I explainto my mother in law the details of the evening, Eric pulls out a toothpick and gently extracts the pea. Yeah for us! Then Helga, my mother in law, tells me that Gregory asked her the other day if she taught his dad all the funny things he knows. She had to explain to him that many things he just learned on his own. I think sticking peas up his nose was one of those things he taught himself.

Though if you ask Eric it was really Gregory who taught Emily, or showed Emily how to stick the pea up her nose, because if you remember correctly Gregory literally stuck the pea in his nose, where Eric went a whole other route.

Moral of the story, one can't make their eye pee but one sure can make their nose pea.

Poo Poo Happens: viewer discretion is advised!

Emily has begun the fun process of potty training. She typically gets right in my face and will say "poo poo mommy" Which translates to "mom I need to go" or if she says the same thing and turns around showing her diapered bum means she already went. So the other day she runs up to me and says "Mommy me poo poo" and doesn't flash her bum to me. I say "oh do you need to go potty?"

"No Mommy, me poo poo>" I say to her " ok go to the potty." She looks at me and takes my hand and says "no mommy me go poo poo." As I start to congratulate her, I then notice she's only sporting a shirt. The terrible thoughts run through my head of all the places she possibly had gone and how it is going to be a huge mess and I just don't feel like I am paid enough to clean up poop off the floor let alone smashed in the carpet.

I look at her, refraining from getting upset and say in my sweetest most calm voice "where did you go poo poo sweetie?"

She tugs on me and says "come mommy come mommy"

Grabbing my hand she leads me to the kitchen, yes a hard floor with no carpet, thank you sweetie thank you. She then points to the ground and shows me her present for me. Being the mom I am I had to have my camera in hand to mark this moment. I am so proud of my daughter even though she missed the toliet, even the bathroom, it wasn't in her diaper and it wasn't on the carpet...we are making progress!

Why I write with Crayons

Have you ever had a fleeting thought, need to make a grocery list, a quick idea or a phone call which requires you to quickly jot something down. You quickly reach in your pen drawer to pull out a pen and the only things you can find are a dried up pen (that you throw back into the drawer to become frustrated at a later date, much more fun than throwing it away), an unsharpened pencil or a half chewed on crayon? Since you have tried several swirls to get the pen to work, you don't have the time or a sharpener for that matter, to sharpen your lead, you go for the crayon. Then you try to write down on a piece of paper..another rare item to find, but luckily you can find bills and other junk mail lying around which make great substitutes. So with your back of the envelope and your crayon in hand you begin to take note. Problems with writing with wax wrapped in paper are it is broken down to about an inch, so holding it becomes a challenge and then the head is flat making fine print next to impossible leaving the note almost undecipherable. Then you place the "note" aside in a very special place to later pick up, open, realize you have just been pre-approved for a $10,000 loan with only 35% interest, so you rip the whole thing up, toss it in the trash, forgetting the very important message etched in crayon on the back. Thus leaving you with nothing but a chewed up crayon and a memo lost.

Comments with no google account

If you have the urge or need to post a comment, you can do so and click on the anonymous button and go from there...I use my yahoo email...anyway just thought I'd let you know

Spelling Errors....I apologize

Dude so I post and don't read what I have posted, I just type and hit submit, and I rarely go back and read my posts, well you probably are here today because you got an email from me and dude, sorry for the errors, like "may latest" instead of my and for some reason I left off a lot of "ed"s on words that should have been past tense. Please over look those errors and know that I am only human, not an editor and am only blogging to release my brain from all the trapped thoughts that need to be freed!

I'm Flattered...me an author?!

I really truly appreciate the comments to me about me being a great writer and how I should publish a book. I'm rather shocked, surprised and flattered, so much so I fell off my chair, flipped right back onto the ground, feet in the air!


Well it has been a life long dream of mine, and when I was younger I'd sit on the curbs waiting for my mom to come get me, and think of stories in my head. (What was I doing sitting on curbs waiting for my mom... that's a whole other story but childhood friends, one word "The Villages." I also received encouraging comments from my English teachers when I applied myself to my papers. Also while student teaching my ever so encouraging student teaching supervisor said to me "maybe you should think of a career in writing instead of teaching. " I was hurt by his comment but maybe I should have listen to him. However, I don't foresee myself penning to a point where one would actually purchase my stories, but maybe that is my problem I need to see it to believe it. Though the comments have sparked in me a couple of things.

1. (have you notice I am totally into lists lately...not sure why but anyway) I am going to join the story circle and go to writing classes and seminars and get started pursuing something for myself.

2. I am going to make more written Heritage Makers' books for my family, including pictures and scrapbooking of course but include more journaling and text for their enjoyment...well probably not enjoyment but helpful memory reminders.

3. As of now... if you know of anyone could be yourself, I am going to help, well will turn your blog into an 8x8 storybook. So consider me the Blog to Books lady! Contact me for more information or send your friends my way. Take a year of blogging and turn it into a book. So it won't be my writings which you seem to love, but your own...I could make editorial comments :) haha...but anyway just sparked a little business idea for me. So let me give your blog a shot!

4. If I get 403 people to comment on this blog saying I should give writing a try, I will sit down and start a book, so if you think I should pursue a life long dream, and you think its worth a shot, tell your friends and their friends and lets see if I can get some comments here telling me to go for it...if I don't get the comments...I still will probably try it but will feel like no one likes me :( and I might have to go eat some worms.

The letter you'd send to your friends: (see I am helping you help me):

Dear Friends,

My dear (friend, sister, neighbor, daughter, well not my dear anything but some chick on a blog) needs your help in pursuing a life long dream. Your task, if you choose is simple. Please visit her blog, www.4kidsnodog.blogspot.com and read her post, "I'm Flattered...me an author?!- Jan 6, 2008" and just post a comment basically saying "go for it." That is all you have to do, you don't even have to read the blog if you so choose. But please leave a comment. Heck you can even say "dude its not worth the effort" but please take a few minutes, visit the blog and make a comment. It doesn't cost you a thing, just a tiny bit of your internet time. And if you so desire, browse her blog and read some of her posts, she is rather entertaining in my humble opinion. Have a good one.

Thanks,
(here is where you'd sign your name)

5. With the writers strike maybe I have a chance to move to Hollywood and do some screen writing...JK...but not a bad idea probably a good time to get in.

Teenage years....ramblings for the most part. READERS BEWARE!

Last night Eric et al, were invited to a young girl's sixteenth birthday party. We thank them for the personal invitation, flattering actually, because my sixteenth birthday did not have the crazy church family with four young kids showing up. It was a fun surprise party thrown by Maren Nelson, and I remember knocking on the door with Shannon Mitchell by my side, as a whole bunch of high school friends yelled "Surprise" as they opened the front entry and out of my mouth came the words..."You dorks.!" Yeah that's right the only thing I could think to say was you dorks.

I don't remember much of what we did, but I got one of those C. Moore Buns guys, the little plastic person you put in your back car window and it has a little pump you push and he B.As the people behind you. We quickly plastered the fellow in my mustard yellow 1974 Ford truck and piled in about 16 16 year olds into the back of the pickup....not sure where we were headed or what we were doing however I do remember slamming on the breaks for some reason, probably to avoid a run away cat and all my friends flying forward, being plastered up against the window smiling at C. Moore Buns! (See I am laughing now! achieving my new years goals!)

Anyway so at this little teen party, I just thought about how much I want to SCREAM to these young people that "it all doesn't matter!" and "just enjoy" and "don't get your panties in a wad over that!" But then again that would just take away the whole fun and pain of being a teenager wouldn't it?? What would be the fun of young pubescent- hood with out being mad at Susie for having a crush on the same Brian Smith that you are "so totally in love with!" I mean really 10 years from now Brian Smith is probably going to be still working at Burger King, smokin' pot and you are going to be married to some really smart handsome guy! Or at least glad you didn't end up dating him, and dude why were y'all fighting over the guy when he wasn't even interested in either one of you, he liked Jenny or was it Bill? What a waste of Junior year. Not that I am speaking from any personal experience...no really I am and names and actual jobs have been changed to protect their identities.

But really, there is such a bigger picture to life, than what we think and know at the innocent young teen years...really? Remember what was included in your big adolescent world? Some days I'd love to just go back and be caught up in those worries, you know like wondering if Robert really really likes me, or if I am going to pass that chemistry test, or what place am I going to take in Backstroke at regionals. Not that I am making light of those problems, because they were real and scary and caused me to not sleep at night, but after it is all said and done, I realize what the heck was the big deal? If there is any words of wisdom I could impart to my developing adult audience, because I know I have a huge following, it would be this:

1. Spend less time worrying about what others think. If you spent half the time worrying about what other's think of you, you'd realize they are worrying what you are thinking about them and not thinking about what you are doing. So participate in the silly games, dance by yourself in the middle of the dance floor--Heck they won't think your crazy they will think you have a whole lot of self confidence.

2. On another note to that, they are watching you not because they want to see what you are doing but watching to see if you are noticing them.

3. Have fun, really you are a teen and you are suppose to be having fun, and acting stupid, you get the "act stupid free card" because you are a teen.

4. Dating its over rated, there will be plenty of time for one on one relationships, spend time developing friendships, one they will last longer and you will be a better person because you will learn more from friends than singling yourself with one person. Go out with friends, mix company and all, but no need to get serious with one person.

5. Say your sorry, we all make mistakes, and half the time we don't even know we made a mistake or hurt someone's feelings for that matter. You know our hormones are so out of whack, well you think they are so out of whack wait until you have a baby talk about whacked out hormones....anyway we are moody and sometimes the wrong look can set us off, just be prepared to say.."I'm sorry"

6. Never fight over a guy/girl. If you and a friend are crushing on the same dude, let her have him, or just realize as in #4 it is over rated...have fun go TP the guys house, better story for your kids later on anyway. Eat some apples and put the cores in a brown bag on his doorstep, much nicer than dog poop.

7. Do well in school, study and learn, because "friends may come and go" but you will always have your brain and its not going anywhere, unless you do something stupid like lots of drugs.

8. Stay up late, make jello at 3 AM, and realize it won't set up for several hours, so find another snack and enjoy the jello for breakfast when you wake up at noon....oh to sleep in again.

9. Tell your parents you love them, and realize yes they are so totally right, they so do understand and they have so been there. Right now you think they are so imperfect but give it a couple years and realize how hard it is for them, and how they actually did a pretty darn good job.

10. Listen to your gut and not your friends, unless your friends are listening to their guts telling you not to do something. Regret and bad mistakes are totally hard to erase. We can choose our actions but you can't choose your consequences.

11 And last I realized last night that I so wish I could take away the pains of growing that y'all have to experience but I can't its part of life! Take it one day at a time, smile lots and realize these truly are suppose to be some of the best years of your lives, but it does totally get better, just different with different responsibilities.

Well that so wasn't what I was planning on writing about but hey it just came out so anyway, sorry for the lecture! But if it helps just one, I'd be happy to know.