SNOWCAVING!

For those of you who don't know, Robert is the Assistant Scout Master in our ward. So every month he gets to go camping with the scouts. This has been wonderful because he has gotten to have lots of fun memories with Christian, and he usually tries to bring either Madison or Hunter with him too. Last night, he took the scouts and Madison up Farmington Canyon to go snowcaving. I am told that it got down to -7 degrees at the coldest point, but they were toasty warm in their snowcaves. I was proud of Madison because she really wanted to go and had a great attitude about it with no complaining! They had a splendid time and Robert took some fun pictures on his cell phone. (not that high of quality) What an AWESOME Dad Robert is!

Madison Turns 10 AND a little gripe

My little Madison turned TEN on February 20. We only do birthday parties with friends every other year, so this year was a family birthday. We went to The Mayan which is a really neat Mexican restaurant with a huge waterfall and divers that you get to watch while you eat. My parents were able to come which made it extra special for Madison. Later that night we opened presents, had cake and ice cream and she was able to have a "stay up" with some friends until about 10:30pm.Madison is creative, strong, empathetic, athletic, a good friend, and FUN to be around. We love her so much!

Now for the gripe. Everyday while running errands, I listen to the Doug Wright Show. I LOVE Doug Wright because he always says so eloquently everything I already think. So the day after Obama's most recent speech on the stimulus package, apparently there was a lot of negative commentary on the speech as well as everything he has or hasn't done so far in his 5 week administration. It seems to me that people (especially conservative Utah Republicans) WANT HIM TO FAIL and are standing by at every turn to criticize his every move. This is basically what Doug Wright was saying--he is LDS and conservative, but so right on target with this one. Would we all rather have the previous IDIOT back in office that embarrassed us at every turn, ruined diplomacy with most of the rest of the world, got us into a preemptive war in Iraq with no end in sight, and subsequently caused a complete lack of hope and trust on the part of the American people?! No, I do not agree with everything Obama believes, but he loves his country, he is brilliant, he is diplomatic, and he has an oh-so-rare attribute--COMMEN SENSE. Why is it that if people do not believe as we do, we have to turn them into the enemy? I actually got an email that suggested that he was the ANTI-CHRIST!! Wow. Was that because he was black, or democrat I wonder? Oh, and by the way, he was sworn in on a BIBLE not the Quran, wore a flag on his lapel (oh how grandly important this one is) and put his hand on his heart--all to the disappointment and dismay of many conservatives, waiting for him to fail. So I guess my point is, although we may not agree with everything he stands for, we should WANT HIM TO SUCCEED, with all our hearts. Our future depends on it!

Something Must Be Wrong With Me. . .

I have spent most of my life LOATHING all animals. The thought of touching or picking up any animal was enough to send chills of disgust down my spine, and I viewed those who loved animals as slightly disturbed. It seemed that every time I tried to have a positive experience with animals, such as at the zoo, I left feeling disgusted and disturbed. Take the Hogle Zoo for example; the animals are either dead, severely maimed, or MIA. Okay, I guess there's the one exception of the frantically neighing female zebra who can't get away from the horny male zebra on her back. And why do they have to mate with sexual organs anyway--why can't they just touch paws, or rub noses?! Has anyone ever seen a female mating that wasn't trying to get away? The only other memory I have of an animal at the Hogle Zoo is a revolting bat hanging upside down and PISSING, that' the only word for it, on another animal underneath him. EWWWWW!!
I must relate two other negative experiences I've had with animals. The first is when I went to a school fair as a child and won 10 goldfish. I took them home and stuck them in a container about the size of a tea cup, don't ask me why I didn't choose something bigger. One day, my Mom made me clean out the "fish bowl" and while doing this, a couple of the fish jumped out into the sink. There they were, flapping frantically for their lives and I was FROZEN with shock and disgust. So, in a moment of insanity, I TURNED ON THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL because I couldn't fathom having to pick them up with my bare hands and I didn't want them to suffer. What was I thinking?! As if being cut up in a garbage disposal was more humane then flip-flopping around and suffocating in a cold sink!
The next "choice" experience occurred one bright, and beautiful day while at a park. I was watching baby Madison swing on the swings when Christian came up to me with a DEAD BIRD and exclaimed, "Look Mama!" I screamed and then told him to throw it back where he got it. I did not realize that the place he had gotten it was by my car. So, because I was afraid to look at it, touch it, or move it, I rolled back over it with my car as we left, fully knowing it was there. I know I sound cruel, but really it was the bird that was cruel for dying in the wrong place and thus forcing me to roll over it with my car.
The reason that I have told you (all 2 readers) about these experiences is that I have a confession: Although my dog is a dim-wit, I think I may have feelings for her--positive feelings, like maybe fondness or dare I say, love. Just saying that sounds foreign and odd coming from me, but I am perplexed by these new-found emotions and felt I need to clear my mind by talking about them. Now that she (Jasmine) is mine, I find myself thinking she is cuter than other dogs and more well behaved than other dogs. Now I know she is stupid, but that's okay because she is really cute. The other day, while reading on the couch, I found myself enjoying her licking my feet! I know it's gross, but for some reason, I didn't mind it. I have even taken her in bed with me, which I said I would NEVER do. Which leads me to my question, what is it about something being YOURS that causes you to lose your mind? It's the same with kids--I think most parents would agree that you usually think your kids are the cutest, smartest, most noble, precious people on the Earth, but what if it's all a HOAX? What if they really aren't that cute, smart, precious, and talented? What if they weren't yours and you saw them in some restaurant, and you thought, "What homely, ill-behaved children they are?! Okay, maybe I'm taking it too far. My children are adorable, smart, and talented, but why do I like my dog? She poops incessantly on anything soft, she frequently has a "snaggle tooth" because of her severe overbite, she is disobedient, and may have some learning disabilities, she eats her poo, and is mean to her sister Gidget, but I LOVE HER! Go figure.

Update on Kids

It is such a wonderful thing when your child finds something they love and excel at it. This is especially true when you have seen them struggle with something else for a long time and you can see that their self-esteem has been affected, but they have emerged a better, stronger person. This is true in the case of Madison. Because of her dyslexia and ADD, learning has often been a hardship for her. This problem has been exacerbated by the fact that she falls between two brothers that are brilliant and learning comes easy and natural for them. But, my little Madison has found her niche in sports, and I couldn't be more proud! She is a girl who always has a ton of energy and prefers to be outside playing, usually with the boys. She is most comfortable in her Jazz jersey, or her other sports clothes and will only wear tennis shoes. She knows all of the Jazz players, and if she HAS to read, it must be a basketball book. Madison has scored at least half the points at her last 3 basketball games, and got 2nd place at the Basketball Shootout competition where she was one of only two girls who entered. She is an avid skateboarder and waveboarder and hopes to start up soccer again in the Spring. I am so happy that she has found what she loves--she is so much more joyful than when I was forcing her to do dance and piano! Live and learn . . .
My goal with each of my children is for them to be happy and independent by the time they leave my home. With Christian starting Junior High, I have really been so satisfied in seeing him completely take over his studies so that I NEVER have to question him about studying for a test, about doing homework, or help him with anything. Sometimes I find myself feeling guilty that he needs so little from me when it comes to school, but I remind myself that this is the goal. There have been a couple of times that he has, on his own, set his alarm for 4am to get up and study for a test--he's only 12 for pete's sake! Here is his latest report card which I can take absolutely no credit for and that's okay by me!
Hunter (Huntie) is my precious muffin. He is always kind, thoughtful, introspective, and sweet. Hunter also excels at school, but what I am most proud of is his peaceful nature and his love for his family. Hunter's very favorite place to be at all times is HOME. He has turned down movies, dates with me and Robert, a trip to Tennessee, and playing with friends to be at home with his siblings. He is fiercely protective of Ashton, often questioning my parenting in the process. He has an especially close relationship with Madison whom he calls his "best buddy." They are two peas in a pod; both creative, adventurous, and inseparable. Recently, Hunter was telling me how some of his friends are sometimes mean and then he commented, "That's okay though, because I have Madison." How that melted my heart!
Elisabeth is my firecracker. Although this is sometimes a struggle for Robert and I, I respect her strength and determination. These are especially important traits for a girl growing up in time we live in. She is a constant reminder to me of Satan's plan versus Heavenly Father's plan. I have learned that force never works with her, and that reasoning, giving her choices and consequences, and being long-suffering works better. Now don't get me wrong, I have done plenty of yelling, locking myself in my room, and avoiding her, but I do feel that I have grown by having her in my life. I can see the joy in her eyes when she "chooses" to do something good instead of being forced. She will most likely start kindergarten a year early (she is a September birthday) because her peers are all starting, she is tall for her age, and she is ready.
Ash-Bear is the light of all of our lives. He is very mischievious, carries his two stuffed dogs everywhere, and loves to be outside. His favorite words are "ewwwww" which you don't want to hear because that means either he or the dog has gone pooh, or he has made a huge mess somewhere, "shoe" because one of his favorite things is to try on other peoples' shoes, and "thank you" (day-doo) whenever I help him with something. He likes to stick his head in the toilet, drink out of the dog's water bowl, put on makeup, take bubble baths, and help me cook. He has a joyful, inquisitive, and loving soul and I am thankful for all of my days with him. There is nothing quite like being able to witness another human being discover new things and find such great joy in the simplest things.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Catch Up and A Day in the Life of ME

I always feel overwhelmed at the thought of writing a new post because it seems like everyone else's blogs are so much more interesting and well written, but I need to catch up so here goes . . .

We just got back from a blissful trip to Orlando. We went with two other families; the Underwoods, and the Ashtons. We decided to leave our baby, Ashton, home because it would be too hard for him (and us) to endure the 4 hour plane ride to and from Orlando, as well as the long lines, no naps, and his inability to run anywhere he wanted in the large crowds. I have never left him for that long before, so I was apprehensive--not because I didn't think he would be okay, but because I would miss him too much! My sister Kristen, and her husband Zack took care of him for the first half, and then Robert's assistant Tricia and her husband John took care of him the second half. He had a wonderful time and I think it was the right decision because we were able to concentrate more on the other kids and not be as stressed about keeping to a schedule.
The first day, we went to Disneyworld. The weather was beautiful and the kids loved it. Christian was able to go off with the older kids by himself everyday which he greatly enjoyed. We made use of the Fast Pass system so that the lines were not too bad. If you are going to go to Disneyworld, I highly recommend going with another family because instead of just being there for the kids, you are entertained too, and the kids have other kids to interact with who they usually get along with better than each other. Oh, I forgot to mention that the Underwoods used their points from their credit card to get us a 3 bedroom, 3 bath room with a kitchen and large family room at the Marriott for free! I truly believe that hotels can make or break the trip. We all had lots of space, our own beds, and our own t.v.'s. It was beautiful, spacious, and clean and made ALL the difference. That was sooo nice of them! Later that day, we had a reservation for dinner at Cinderella's Castle. It was so fun to go inside the castle and see Cinderella and many of the other characters. The food was really good and it looked like a real castle inside!
The second day, we went to the Epcot Center, which I had never been to before. Our kids liked this better than Disneyworld. Previous to being there, I though all of Epcot was located in the giant golf-looking ball you always see and that it was mostly for adult, but it was totally different. It's a huge park, with rides , a huge lake, lots of restaurants, and the countries looked so real! I am not one for rides because most of them make me sick, but I went on my all-time favorite ride here called "Soarin'". You sit in seats, similar to other rides, but in front of a huge movie screen. The screen has images of the most beautiful places on earth from high above, and you have the sensation you are flying over all of these places. There was another one that Robert and the kids really liked where a flight to Mars was simulated. Everything there was really original and interesting.
The third day we went to Cocoa Beach which was less than an hour from our hotel. This was the warmest day we had and the most relaxing. The beach was fairly vacant, and the kids were able to run and swim freely. The water was freezing, but they didn't seem to mind. The adults had a great time talking and I was able to take lots of pictures--my favorite thing to do. Later that day, we went for a few hours to Universal Studios because we had a multi-day pass. The first ride we went on was Spider-Man which was really cool, but made me sick. Christian was able to go on all of the scary roller coaster rides that he loves, and I was able to safely avoid them.
The next day, we spent at Universal Studios all day. This was my least favorite day because it was COLD and windy! Christian and Robert got up early with the other older kids and Dads and got there when it opened. The rest of us had a liesurely morning and then came. It was a full day, but Hunter and Madison were tired of walking, waiting in lines, and being cold by this point. I have to make mention of the fact that Elisabeth behaved surprisingly well! On previous vacations, she has basically screamed her bloody head off the entire time, making it miserable for all of us, but this time she was excited the whole time, patient, and well-behaved! What a difference that made!
The last day, we kind of just burned time packing, being lazy, and going to the local outlet stores. By this time, I was almost frantic to get home to my precious baby! I missed his big brown eyes, his big smile, and holding him! As always, it was fun to go on a trip, but even better to come home. We made lots of memories with our family and our friends and enjoyed a nice break away from "real life" here.

OKAY. Changing gears. There are many days when I get to the end of it and can't remember what I did that day, but I know that I was busy. So I decided to keep a log on Friday of a typical day in the life of me.

Up at 6am. Couldn't sleep, so I decided to edit pictures for an hour.

7am Wake up Madison and Hunter (Christian is already up) for 30 min. scripture study. Christian leaves for bus at 7:40am

7:30-8:00 Made breakfast for the middle 3 kids. Wake up Ashton and get him ready and fed.

Madison and Hunter leave to walk to school at 8:30am.

Get myself ready and help Elisabeth finish getting ready, and make bed/clean room.

Fold 3 loads of laundry.

Take Elisabeth to preschool at 9am.

Bundle up Ashton and go walking with friend for 1 hour.

Go grocery shopping, pick up lunch for Robert and take it to him.

Pick up Elisabeth at 11:30am.

Feed Ashton and Elisabeth lunch, put Ashton down for nap and Elisabeth for "quiet time"

Fold 3 more loads of laundry, do dishes, and pick up crap everywhere

Lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling for 30 blessed minutes before Madison/Hunter walk in the door at 1:45pm. (Friday is early-out)

Look at papers, notes from school, get out snacks.

Christian walks in the door and needs me to help him get ready for a Scout Campout. I run down to Robert's office to get something he forgot in Robert's truck. Then, drop him off at Scout Master's house at 3.

Take Madison to Achievement Days at 4pm. Pick her up 45 min. later and take her to a Basketball Shootout Competition. (I had the 3 youngest with me and they were wild animals, giving me a pounding headache)

Go home, make dinner for the kids. Robert doesn't come home tonight because he is the Assistant Scout Master and is going to the campout.

Play blocks with Ashton, read to Elisabeth.

2 more loads of laundry and make kids put it away. Much weeping and wailing.

Put on a movie for the kids. Ashton has his 3rd pooh blowout of the day, so I must bathe him, wipe up the carpet do another load of his sheets and clothes.

Clean up dinner and dishes with the kids. Let them play downstairs until 9 pm and then put Ashton to bed. The others try to settle down in sleeping bags downstairs. Only a couple of fights.

Read my book "Three Cups of Tea" for an hour, watch an hour of TV and go to bed.

The kids, who are still on Florida time, wake me up at 6am on SATURDAY when they have decided to give Jasmine (the dog) a bath and she is freaking out.

Wow. I guess I do a lot in a day! Tell me what your day is like--I would love to hear!

Our Trip to Orlando

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Our Trip to Orlando

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