The Forbidden

At our home there a many words that are forbidden.  You know the kind of words that belittle, are negative, or just plain naughty.  My kids could attest that I've said a million times, "If it doesn't build someone up than don't say it at all."  I've always been kind of a Hitler when it comes to not saying bad words.  Just ask my little brother, Seth and he can attest that I'll teach you a lesson if you say naughty words around me.  Growing up I was often the babysitter in the family and therefore took it upon myself (I think my parents might have actually crowned me as "The Boss" since my older brother Matt learned that he could sneak in the family room and watch TV while next in line, Sara bossed around the family teaching them life lessons.)  Anyway, back to the lesson of speaking with a tongue of angels.  I can't remember all the details but Seth who was probably five or six years old kept telling me to...oh, I can't say it..."shut up."   We both knew this word was not okay to say but he wouldn't take it back -- so I did what any big sister should do and punched him in the nose until he repented.  I did feel a little bad about his nose getting all bloody but sometimes lessons just have to be learned, right???

Fast forward twenty-five years and I still hate THAT word and demand that it will not be said in my house.  You can all breathe a sigh of relief as I haven't punched anyone in the nose to teach them the lesson.  We don't say "stupid," "hate," "liar," and "fart."  There's another word that sometimes slips out of one of the kids mouths..."butt."  Now this is really bad.  I prefer bum bum, bottom, gluteus maximus, rump, your other cheeks, etc...  Birch says that "butt" is the proper term and apparently at work he says it ALL THE TIME.  YIKES!!!

So now I must confess.  Just as the kids occasionally use trashy words I have one that floats around my head and sometimes must be used to describe a situation.  The thing is...it's naughty.  It's on my list of potty words.  The word is.....prepare yourself and just open one eye lid so it's not so bad to read..."butt-load."  I would NEVER say it around the children and only in the past year or so have I confessed to Birch that I actually think this word in my head.  But here's the thing; sometimes I go in my room and see a "butt load" of laundry on my bed, or I look out the window and see a "butt load" of kids that are fighting or hungry, or just plain there, or what about the days that the dishes just pile up and there is no better word to describe the mounding dirtiness other than "butt load." Or how about the ever growing pile of bills from Alex's recent surgery...I mean that's a "butt load" of bills for one little surgery.

I should sing a sweet little primary song when this phrase comes to my mind but for now I feel just a tad bit better about sharing my self-indulging naughty word with my readers.  After all admitting is the first step to recovery, right?

 a "butt-load" of laundry

We Remember

Each year for Memorial Day we head to a cemetery to be uplifted and reminded of how blessed we are to live in this country.  Over the years we have been inspired by several wonderful tributes given on Memorial Day morning.

 Chloe and her momma listening to the tribute.

 After the kids ran over and asked if they could have the empty shells that were fired off.  The kids all thought it was super cool.

We feel so grateful for those that have fought for our country.  Memorial Day has also become special to us as we think of loved ones that have passed on.  We always visit the grave site of sweet Elyse and leave a token of love behind.  I have felt the comforting love and peace from the Savior through times of heartache. 

Exiled

It's hard to describe the feelings that a parent has once all the kiddos are sound asleep in bed.  Magical.  Peaceful.  Tranquility.  Relief.  In addition to all those things it is also a mad dash to finish up projects, prepare for the next day, and sometimes even have a few minutes to talk to my hubby.

For the past 1629 days of Chloe's life our yin and yang each night seems to have been thrown off balance.  We've tried conscientiously to not spoil her as it's probably every parents fear to have the last child end up as a brat.  (Shhh....we don't say that word at our house.)  The girl has nighttime issues.  We've tried snuggling, spanking, reading stories, lavender oil rubbed on her big toe, sitting in timeout in the garage, timeout on the front porch, timeout in the shop, timeout on the deck, special peaceful nighttime music, charts to earn fish, charts to earn dates, charts to earn ice cream cones, charts to earn happy meals, going to bed early, going to bed late, etc...  Sure we've had temporary bliss but before you know it we are back in our same frustrations of Chloe coming out of her room for one reason or another.  I mean who poops at 9:30 pm at night? -- the girl should already be asleep.  Or how about Alysee sending Zhu Zhu pets down the hallway with notes attached of all her woes in sharing a room with Chloe.  You know by that time of night all Birch and I want is a little peace...a little stillness...and a little nothing.

Last Friday night was perfect.  Imagine all the boys and dad on a Father/Son camping trip and us girls going out for dinner, movie and treats in mom's bed, TWO stories, and a backrub.  Doesn't that sound like the perfect ending to a perfect night?  It was all bliss until I said "good night."  By the time Chloe actually fell asleep I was so frustrated and I could hardly enjoy my movie in bed (I know, you must feel sorry for me.).  The next day Birch and I decided it was time for a change...like a permanent one.  This sweet, darling, smart girl is almost five years old.

Before putting Chloe to bed Birch went down to the guest room and switched the doorknob so the lock was now on the outside of the door.  He then tucked her into her new room in the guest room and peacefully read her a story and tucked her in bed.  He then closed (and locked) the door.  And the ranting and wailing began!  She must have gotten tuckered out because about forty minutes later the room was quiet.  We fully expected to find her curled up in a ball next to the door but she was snuggled up in the guest bed like an angel.  It's been a week now and the wailing has been cut down into some pounding on the door and just a few irate yells.  Alysee and Chloe beg each night that we will let them have "just one more try" and I remind them that I'm sure when Chloe comes back from college it'll be a great time to share a room again.  I secretly think Chloe actually might like her new bed, and I think Alysee really likes the quietness so she can read a chapter before going to sleep.  Just in case someone out there is worried about her well-being in case of a fire we do carry up the little angel to her real bedroom each night where the door remains unlocked.

For now Birch and I have realigned our Chi and Chloe is still as cute as ever and we are a happy family!

Coop da' man

It must be hard to be so awesome! It's almost hard to remember the first four painful months of Cooper's life where he spent just about twelve hours a day crying.  After a week or so of this he wasn't the only one crying...

Lucky for all of us he became a new boy around four months of life!

 I'm not sure I have seen a kid more excited about his birthday than this boy.  He has been counting down for months and had quite the elaborate plan for how he wanted to celebrate.  We ended up throwing Coop for a loop as we SURPRISED him for his seventh birthday with a few of his friends coming to the park to have pizza, strawberries, and donuts.  The park that Coop had been dreaming of going to is in an el crapo area of town.  (For some reason in our town all cool things are built next to the gangs, poverty, and foul human nature.)  We survived the party and only saw two police officers searching for somebody and a whole heck of a lot of gangster dudes smoking while skateboarding.

 This kid always has a flock of friends swarming by him at school.  The lucky friends that made it on the surprise list:  Abbey Cox, Bryce Hebdon, and William Cobia.  I'm serious though, at school there have been some issues with the whole first grade females chasing him during recess until he will dance for them.  He gets a little embarrassed talking about it.

 Chloe always loves a party and was extra excited to show everyone her new haircut that mommy did earlier in the day.

 A huge sigh of relief for me when Cooper requested a doughnut cake -- I can handle that!

 P.A.R.T.Y.

 "AWESOME!!!!" kept popping out of Coop's mouth as he opened his presents from his family (we requested no friend gifts).  He is in Star Wars Lego heaven!!!

I thought my parent's card was really creative.  

This kid is an entertainer!  He is silly, a great dancer, says the funniest things, and smart.  We all call him our "walking encyclopedia" as he has random facts packed away in his head and shares his information at odd times.  Thank goodness his colicky body worked its way to happiness as I think I might vote for him being the happiest kid on earth!

LOVE THIS KID!!!

Freshman Awesomeness

Tonight Birch and I had the privilege of escorting Alex to the Freshman Academic Awards Recognition Night.  It's hard to not beam a bit (with righteous pride) when your son is awarded three outstanding achievement awards by the Language Arts, Mathematics, and Art departments. 

What a kid!

Momma's Day 2013

Being a mom is certainly the hardest role I have ever had.  I'll be honest and share that there have been times I have wanted to take out an early retirement.  I have had close friends recently lose their spouse to death or divorce (or have married a slacker husband) and have been reminded of the blessing of having a spouse that gives 100% to our family and is teaching the kids to respect their mom.

I feel blessed to be surrounded by so much love! 

 Alex made us these delicious Almond Mounds Brownie Bites.  They were scrumdiliumteous!

 Chloe showered me with several cute gifts she had made at preschool.  On the backs of these chocolates her teacher wrote down ten reasons that Chloe loves me.

The perks of having six kids...check out all my loot!!  Alex made the awesome vase for the flowers that my Lover gave to me.  I'm going to be spoiled for the next few days with all of Nate's coupons.  The only trick is remembering to use them as they all expire on different dates in the next week or so.  Alysee made me several cute cards and the little can of treats. Tyler even saved me a Hershey's candy bar from the Father/Son's camp out and attached it to a cute note. Coop wrote a really neat book about his love for me.

My beautiful mother, who has taught me to serve, listen, and recognize each person's individual beauty!  Love you mom!

"A Mother must maintain proper perspective in order to see the view."

Groundhogs Day - surgery #15

Alex headed into surgery around 10:15 am yesterday morning.  Just a maintenance surgery of being put to sleep and cleaning his ear out really good and drilling his ear canal again (it always stenosis up over time).  I think the technical term for all this is "canalplasty."

Alex wasn't too nervous as this at it was his fifteen time being put to sleep but it is definitely NOT his favorite thing to do.  He hates waking up from surgery.  I was thinking yesterday morning how crazy it is that this is old hat for our family now and Birch still goes to work, crazy afternoon/evening of church, family, PTA, etc...  Guess I'm grateful that things have always gone so smoothly for Alex during surgeries and that we have been blessed with a good job that makes our health care not an overly big burden.

Ready to take on this surgery!!!

The surgery went great.  He was under for about an hour and half and Dr. Black, the ENT, was able to double his ear canal size by drilling and taking bone from the anterior and inferior canal.  He put in a new brand of packing into the newly widened ear canal and is hoping that the packing will hold the canal open while it heals and makes some new skin where the old skin doesn't quite touch anymore.

Alex wanted to sleep for a long time after surgery and didn't request his mommy until the nurses said that I might possibly be a little worried why they were not calling me back after post recovering AND THEN he didn't even want me to stay in the room when he got dressed from his hospital clothing.  I'm his mom...you'd think I've never seen him in his undies :)  Guess he is growing up.

After we were discharged he enjoyed a milk shake, subway sandwich, and worked on his math homework that he missed at school.

We've sure been through a lot together over the years.  This was taken after his first surgery in July 2005.   Looks like we've both aged a bit over the years!

Yesterday the nurses were so complementary of Alex on his kind behavior (even when they went through his vein and had to re-do his IV).  Alex is thinking he might like to be an ENT in life after high school.  I think he would be a great surgeon!!!