Living Full on Life

All the Food I Want Right Now

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This is the title of the document Sam recently gave me, “All the Food I Want Right Now”.  This is what is on that list:

sesame chicken
orange chicken
sweet and sour chicken
ham fried rice
sushi
bacon ranch cheeseburger
pancakes
eggs
bacon
waffles
onion rings
Arby’s curly fries
bacon maple doughnut
steak
pulled pork sandwiches with fluffy rolls
JDawgs (a local hot dog joint)
baked potatoes
cheesy scalloped potatoes
ribs…

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Some Notable Things

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This is a post I wrote more than a week ago but kept forgetting to publish:Sam asked for a longboard for his birthday. He picked it out a month ago and I hid it in the most amazing hiding place of all time! I will never tell…William and Lizzie have been pretending that they know where it is and are not telling either. Sam, the tortured one is doing everything he can to either find it himself or bribe the others to tell him. The other day I heard him say, “William, I will give you my birthright if you tell me where my longboard is.”

Last week I had a whole day of errands to run for school needs and to get ready for our backpacking trip to the Wind Rivers. Anna had been an absolute dream to have along, very sweet and patient but apparently I pushed her a little far. We were at REI getting long underwear for Lizzie (among a few other things)  when Anna discovered some pants she wanted.
I informed her that she didn’t need any and so we left that area and started looking for the next thing on our list (a footprint for our backpacking tent). She was pretty annoyed that she didn’t get the pants and for some reason she REALLY wanted them. (They were long underwear for goodness sake!) A few minutes later she told me that she wet her pants and that we needed to buy her some new ones since hers were wet. I had this sinking feeling and then felt her pants to see how wet she was. I was imagining urine running down her pant leg and puddling on the floor but was relieved to find that she had just barely leaked a little out.  I told her with great encouragement (thinking she was embarrassed that she had wet herself, never imagining that she had done it on purpose!), that it wasn’t that bad, that it would dry in a few minutes and asked if she needed to go potty. She said she didn’t. I kept shopping…Less than five minutes later she opened the floodgates and totally wet herself (just like I imagined at first). She said, “NOW can I get those pants?!?”
She most certainly DID NOT get those pants.
School started last week. This summer has been amazing. Truly amazing. But also very exhausting. I erroneously thought that life would be less exhausting when school started. We get up at 5:30 am M,Th, F, 4:55 on Tuesday, and 6:45 on Wednesday (our blessed sleep-in day!)

Growing and Growing…

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I took Sam to the doctor tonight with an injured thumb. Lizzie also came. While we were there I asked if we could measure them. Sam was 5’6″ and Lizzie was 5’4 1/2″. I sure love my bean sprouts!
William lost one of his big front teeth today. It has been hanging on for dear life! The one next to it is perilously close too. We are hoping he can get it loose enough for me to pull out before school starts on Monday.

A Little Introspection…and Some Mother Guilt

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I just finished reading the blog of a very wise friend of mine who has two adorable children and lives four houses down from me. I read that a mother sets the tone in the home. Oh, how right she is! I am sorry to say that in my attempts at planning the perfect vacation I have been a little (very) short with my sweet children. Today I heard Lizzie snap at Sam over a very small thing and she sounded just like I have been sounding.  I said, “Lizzie, please change your tone. I don’t want my little girl to sound like her stressed out mom.” (I am hearing, “Do as I say, not as I do”, ringing in my ears!)

I should probably work on my patience, and my tone of voice.

Influenza

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We have been sick, sick, sick! This week has been a week of laying around, fevers, aches and pains, chills, runny noses, sore throats, coughs, throwing up, lethargy and sleepless nights. Today I overheard Sam and Lizzie trying to express how sick they are:
Sam: I’m so sick that if I just relax everything my eyes CROSS!
Lizzie: If I just relax everything my eyes CLOSE!
See? Aren’t we sick?!

Is There Anything Dad Can’t Do?

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A couple of days ago we were talking in the car (where we spend most of our time these days). Lizzie asked after we were discussing something positive about Grant, “Is there anything Dad can’t do? I wanted to say, “Yes, he can’t beat me at chess.” Instead, Sam answered, “No, Dad can do anything!” then, thinking he amended, “Actually, Dad can’t relax until his work is done! That is something Dad can’t do!” Thanks for the great example Mr!

Bad at blogging…3 years later!

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Another school year! Sam started sixth grade, Lizzie fourth and William in kindergarten. They are all so happy about their teachers. As Sam came walking out to the car after the first day of school he gave me the two arms raised “Victory” sign because he was so thrilled about his teacher (a man no less and the first time he hasn’t gotten the notoriously strict teacher!) Lizzie is always happy with the sweet grandmotherly types and William is just excited to finally be in school with his big siblings as he always feels left out. Anna and I have been spending time together everyday. We dance together and she likes to go from being my big girl who talks well and who is potty trained to my baby who needs a diaper, must be cuddled and carried places and who can’t talk except to say in a pout-y way, “Naboo” (Why naboo of all words? I’m not sure). It must be so confusing to be 2 1/2!
A few notable discussions from the last week:
Today as we were getting ready for church Sam, Lizzie and I  had the following conversation:
Me: What are you kids fasting for today?
Sam: Gramma (who just got re-married)  and myself.
Me: Why you?
Sam: I’m fasting so I can stop teasing.
Me: Oh Sammy! That’s wonderful! I know that Heavenly Father will help you! Lizzie, what are you fasting for?
Lizzie: A horse.
Me (laughing): I’m not sure if Heavenly Father will help you there!
Hey, but what do I know? I shouldn’t be surprised if we end up with one in the near future.
On the way home from cello lessons on Tuesday night Lizzie was looking at my new ring and I asked her how and where she would like her future husband to propose to her. She said (without hesitating), “On the top of the bounce house at Classic Skate!” Oh these dear, dear children who bring so much light and laughter to our lives!