not the best thanksgiving

As far as Thanksgivings go, this one was not the happiest.  After being sick for a over a week, my house was a wreck and laundry was WAY behind.  Not as bad as it could have been, thanks to my wonderful husband and children, but still bad.   I woke up Thanksgiving morning and was in a pretty good mood.  Unfortunately some things were said and down my mood plummeted.  I took a shower (after being sick.....boy did I need it!) and then realized I was way behind schedule.  So much for doing my hair and makeup! I forgot I needed some things at the store.  CRAP!  I wasn't gonna ask Matt because we weren't on the best of terms at this point.  I delegated some chores to the kids and off to the store I went.  (Kind of a mad house at the store!  Can't people plan ahead?!)  I came home with 30 minutes to go before time to leave for my moms.  CRAP! So much for eating breakfast! And I realize one of the things I needed at the store was forgotten!  DOUBLE CRAP!  Genesis assures me she is ok and doesn't need them.  Matt comes out at this point and says, "Are we still going to your moms?"  Of course we are!!  And thanks for making me feel so much better about my time management skills!  I scrambled around trying to get the broccoli cheese casserole and mashed potatoes (for 19 people) going.  I am totally stressed out at this point and not eating had compounded the problem.  The little kids are running around screaming and being noisy, as kids on school vacation do.  I am going as fast as I can.  Matt is nowhere to be found (he tends to disappear when I am on a rampage.....I'm scary!) and the older kids are walking on eggshells around me, but being very helpful.  My phone rings.  Don't people know I am stressed out at this point and don't have time to answer my phone??!!  I have Genesis see who called.  It was Mom.  Great! Probably trying to find out what is taking so long!!  More stress.  Genesis calls her back and Mom says I can just finish the potatoes at her house.  Easy for her to say.  How do you transport boiling potatoes?  Not to mention half of them weren't even peeled yet. At this point, Glory gets in my way as I am transfering hot potatoes.  I lose it and scream at her to "GET OUT OF THE WAY!!"  My sweet sensitive daughter looks up at me with confusion and a look on her face that tears my heart out and says, " Why did you yell at me?"  (I'm telling you, I will be getting the Mother of the Year award for sure!) I finally finish and we load everybody up. It is now 45 mins. after we were supposed to eat and I still have to finish the potatoes. CRAP!  I can imagine everyone starving and waiting around impatiently for me.  We arrive and I was right.  Everyone waiting, although now that I look back, I don't think with impatience, but at the peak of stress and annyance and starvation everything gets distorted.  Mom apologizes about the miscommunication....I didn't need to make the broccoli.  FANTASTIC!  Isn't Thanksgiving supposed to be about enjoying family and traditions and being thankful??!!  How did I lose that?!  I finally get food in my belly, and man it was good!!!  The best sweet potatoes I've ever tasted! Everything was really good and my mind is finally becoming undistorted.  I realize it doesn't matter that we were a little late.  Why do I stress out so much?!!  It is what it is and nobody's perfect. I enjoyed visiting with family and playing games.  We get home and Matt and I still have words that need to be said.  GREAT. I'm in for an emotional night.  Why is it that guys bring stuff up and make you feel horrible and then go to sleep??!!  He woke up to me crying and asked what was wrong.  Hmmm....what do you think!!??  Then as I am starting to talk to him I hear him sleeping again!  Why did you ask, if you're not going to listen??!!  More crying and it starts over.  Finally, I ask him to choose.  Sleep or conversation, cause I'm really getting angry.  We talk it out, and it ends up being not as big a deal as I was thinking.  Man, that boy needs to learn how to communicate!  The day ended (or I should say morning started, as it was 2am by this point) wonderfully.  Why can't we just skip the fighting and go straight to the making up.  It's way more fun than the fighting. ;0) So, as far as Thanksgivings go......not the happiest, but there's always next year!

I am grateful for my experiences that cause me to grow and be better, as painful as it is.

I am grateful for wonderful forgiving children that love me even when I'm an ogre.

I am grateful for a loving husband that helps me to become a better person and find balance in my life. 

I am grateful for a new day to try again.

disco hair, bedtime weapons, new rule, and more ear fun

We were watching something on tv and Simeon said something about the "girl with disco hair".  I cracked up  because he was talking about a girl with an afro!  Man, where does he come up with these things??!! How does he even know what disco is??!!

 Matt gave Sim a cheap leatherman to sleep with.  (Are we good parents or what?!)  Here's why.....I was watching a new show called "Grimm".  If you've never seen it, it has some pretty creepy characters.  I was in my room watching and the kids were supposed to be in bed.  Simeon came in and I paused my show, but not before the scene changed to a very creepy monster guy with his sharp-toothed mouth agape in a roar and his sharp-clawed hands raised to strike.  I was at a loss as to what to do because I didn't want to unpause.....who knew what was to come next?!  It might be worse.  We told him to go to bed, but not before he came over and looked at the screen.  Poor guy!  He immediately turned and went to bed, but he was soon in our room again......scared out of his wits.  Great.  He was asking about bad guys and what to do if they came.  We assured him that no bad guys were gonna come in our house.  (Which probably isn't very comforting because there was a stoned guy that walked into the house once when the kids were home alone----that's a story for another time.)  So, Matt gave him a cheap leatherman to take to bed with him, so he can defend himself when the bad guys come.  Poor little man! 

I cleaned the family room (finally!!) and the kids came home from school and were amazed!!  Here's how the conversation went:

Kids:  Oh!  Wow! It's so clean!  You can actually see the floor!

Me:  I know it's amazing.  It feels good to have a clean area, doesn't it?!  Let's keep it that way, ok?

Brooklyn:  I know!  We should have a new rule that when you get something out, you put it away when you're done.

Me:  That's always been the rule, Brooklyn!

Brooklyn: REALLY??!!!

Ummm...where have you been the past 11 years, Brookie, when I lectured and lectured about picking up after yourself????!!!

I'm glad to know that my life lessons are sinking in.

In other news....Genesis had another eardrum rupture.  That girlie and her stinkin' ears!!  Poor thing, she was in so much pain before it ruptured.  She has begun to hate doctors like her dad.  They both also have a touch of hypochondria.  But we love them!!

here's what we've been up to this summer....

Gen's first year at Girls Camp


Went to Puyallup Fair (Sim's "tatoo" is on his arm)

made headbands to (hopefully) sell

built loftbeds

Glory's baptism (where the kids crashed Matt's car into another parked car....very traumatic, but everybody's ok)

Matt got a motorcycle for free. It's an ongoing project for him, but we've been able to ride it.

My sister and her husband took us to the Seattle Science Center. Simeon fell asleep during the laser show.

Went to the Space Needle for the first time. Forgot my camera when we went up, but we got some great pictures by the weird sculptures outside.

Played with cousins at the Palmer family reunion

Brooklyn played in the ashes from our 4th of July hot dog/marshmallow roast

took advantage of one of the non-rainy summer days and walked to the river to go swimming



Genesis exhausted from the walking!

Genesis practiced her motorboat face....she's gettin' pretty good!!

Phew!! No wonder I was so tired all the time!

birthday time again!

Brooklyn's birthday was last week and she is now 11. Man, how the time flies. Next year it will be young womens, middle school and, knowing Brooklyn, probably boys. (hopefully not that last one quite yet.) I remember when she was on her way to us and Michael Trammel drove me crazy with his incessant timing of the contractions. She has grown into a sweet and helpful young lady. I can usually count on Brooklyn to help me when nobody else will. Her favorite color is yellow and she likes pandas. She loves to go shopping with me and we have a notebook that we write notes to each other with. She has a hard time talking about her feelings and that was an idea I got from a workshop we went to. She has made a few friends this year and I'm proud of her for making the effort. Homework is going much better this year. It's not quite the struggle it was last year. (Hallelujah!!) I can see her making strides to becoming a responsible young lady and her confidence in who she is has grown. She's starting to do/like things because she wants to instead of because her older sister likes it. Happy Birthday, Brooklyn! We love you!

happy birthday

Another birthday has come and gone for our household. Glory is now 8 and I'm not sure how that happened. Her birthday was a few weeks ago and it too was her party year. She had a few friends over. They played and made flower headbands. Glory chose to have doughnuts instead of cake this year (which was less work for me). She was so excited to get her very own scriptures and asked me several times if she could read them. I thought that was cute.....as if I would say no to reading scriptures. :0) She is very excited for her baptism on Saturday and we are so proud of her for making that choice. She has grown into a young lady and I find myself impressed with her sense of responsibility and thoughfulness. She is tender hearted and still loves to mother. Her favorite color is pink and she likes penguins. She has grown a fondness for reading and her skills have improved quite a bit. She helps me to remember to be patient and kind. I love her so much and am so blessed to be a part of her life! Happy Birthday my sweet Glory!!

matt.....

This is how I feel (except for the "beer" part). It applies to my kids too.

I love you guys!!

things I hear almost daily

This is what I hear at random times throughout the day from my little man.....

I will never stop loving you.

I know you will never stop loving me.

You will never stop being pretty.

You're the best mom.

I love you.

I have a secret. (he gives me a kiss or whispers in my ear I love you.)

The other day, I got mad at him for doing something. (I can't remember what anymore) He was upset, crying and apologizing. As I angrily stomped out of his room like a 2 year old, I heard this in a sobbing kind of voice, "You're the best mom!" Who can stay mad after that??!!

I'm not sure, but I think he may have already learned the fine art of manipulating women. And DANG IT! It works. I wonder how he already has this skill??? He definitely didn't learn it from his dad. :0)

happy birthday

Yesterday was Genesis' birthday. She is now 12! Yes, I know. Weird! This was her party year and I think it's safe to say, she had fun. She invited her 3 best friends over. They had tons of sugary treats and played Just Dance (Wii game). My friend Gwen came over and taught the girls how to do their hair and makeup. (This is the age Genesis gets to start wearing makeup. One item is added each year from now on. She chose eyeshadow this year.) She is growing up too fast and I'm not nearly old enough to have a 12 year old!! I think she is excited to be 12 and to start a new stage in life. Me......not so much. I get a bit of an anxiety attack when I think about her growing up in this world of too much sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. :0) But seriously, I do kinda freak out a little in my head when I think of her liking boys and going to the mall by herself and being alone out in the world unprotected. There are too many things out there to harm my baby. Being in the Young Women's program at church has given me a perspective on things that I didn't have before. The youth today have way too much to deal with! But, I digress. I'm not posting this to rant and rave about the horrible state of the world. My baby had a birthday and I wanted to wish her a Happy Birthday! She has grown into a beautiful and responsible young lady. She loves her siblings and her parents (even tho we drive her crazy sometimes). She likes to have fun and tease, and she still has a strong desire to do right. Her love of reading has not diminished and for that I am grateful. She constantly has an open book by her side and we like to share good books we have read. I can't imagine my life without her and am grateful and so very blessed to be her mother! Happy Birthday, Genesis!!