Out of the mouths...

Chloe and Ryan have said some pretty funny things these last few days.  Before I forget or lose track, here's what I remember and/or have managed to write down.

During Sacrament Meeting on Sunday, Ryan held up a picture he had colored for me. 
Chloe glanced at it, and immediately gave him an encouraging thumbs up while whispering, “Ryan, that’s REALLLY pretty!”  Chloe's over-exuberance, especially when the "picture" was really just a tiny scrap of paper containing a few yellow crayon marks made me chuckle, but it was Ryan's response that finished the deal.
Virtually offended that Chloe would have the nerve to tell him his picture was "pretty," he arguably whispered back, “No!  It’s NOT pretty!  It’s a monster!  And it says roaaaarrrrrr!”

Then while driving home from church, Chloe said, “Hey Ryan, when we get home, do you wanna put regular clothes on and pretend we’re homeless?”

Here's a gist of the conversation Chloe and I had while driving to school Monday morning:
Chloe: “Mom, is it more proper to call Ty’s daddy 'Brother Holt' than it is to call him 'Spencer'?" 
Me: "Well, yes, it actually is.  When we are at church, especially, we should always refer to adults as 'Brother' or 'Sister' followed by their last name."
Chloe: "What if I don’t know their last name?"
Me: "Then you can politely ask them what it is."
Chloe: "And adults are 18, right?"
Me: "Yes, you are technically an adult when you turn 18."
Chloe: "And that’s when you get kicked out of the house!?  That’s what daddy says anyway."
...pause...
Chloe: "Wait, is it 18 or 80?" Funny kid.  And I am positive that Chloe was accurately quoting her father.  He frequently jokes about what a glorious day it will be when the kids turn 18, though I'm not sure he's really joking.  Sometimes I can't blame him.

Shortly after being reprimanded for something small, Ryan asked, “Do I get an 'X' on my chart when I get home?”
Me: “Well, do you think you deserve one?”
Ryan: “No.  So can I get a marshmallow instead?”

Ryan: “Mom, if you color on this...” (pointing to his Thomas & Friends coloring book), "...I’ll give you one of those...” (pointing to a glass jar of candy hearts), “...k?” 
Clearly he's grasped the concept of bribery.

Yesterday on our way home from Chloe's ballet class, and after asking me a hundred times if we could go to McDonald's, both before and after her class, Ryan just to more boldly get his point across, said, "I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really want to go to McDonald's."

I should also share this fun experience from last weekend, when the kids, as usual, attempted to prolong bedtime.  This, by the way, represents a typical night for us.

So picture this. It's 7:15pm. Kids have both just been tucked into bed. I'm in our room separating freshly folded laundry and getting ready to put everything away. Chloe suddenly steps out of her bedroom and says, while pointing to the hall light just ahead, "Oh. I was just going to ask why that light was still on."

Instantly I recognize her efforts in prolonging the time before she has to go to sleep.

"It's because I'm still upstairs putting clothes away.  I'll turn it off when I'm done.  Goodnight, Chloe!"

Clearly oblivious to my irritation, Chloe then races down the hall (passing Ryan's room along the way) into my room to give me "one more" hug and kiss before racing back down the hall (again passing Ryan's room) into hers.

A few seconds later, and just as I could have predicted, Ryan emerges from his room and stands in my doorway.

"Why did I hear running?"  Now he's come up with an excuse to get out of bed.

"It was Chloe, but she's back in her room now. Go back to bed!"

Ryan, having taken a few steps closer, "Why was Chloe in here?"

"That is a good question, Ryan. Now go back to bed!"

Ryan, now standing within a foot of the many piles of laundry surrounding me, "But why did she come in here?"

"It doesn't matter, Ryan! It's time for you to go to bed! GoodNIGHT!"

And once again, I see Chloe outside her bedroom door, peering back down the hall and asking, "Mommy, why do I hear you and Ryan talking?"

"Oh. My. Gosh. Both of you! GO TO BED! NOW!!!!!!!!"

Both Chloe and Ryan promptly turn around, race back to their rooms, and crawl into their beds, not to be seen again for the night.  I shake my head, mutter a few unkind words to myself, finish putting clothes away, MAKE SURE to turn the hall light off so not to produce further questions from my six-year-old, and head downstairs.

Just as I approach the final steps, I hear Chloe say, "Goodnight, Mommy!" followed by Ryan, who repeats his sister's words. "Goodnight, Mommy!"

I sure do love those kids, but man, they suck the energy out of me sometimes. This scenario is only one of MANY like it where they manage to complicate something that isn't complicated at all, like a hall light.

It's a good thing they're so dang cute. 

Some days that's their only saving grace!

Life is a delicate thing

"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor the man be perfected without trials." - Chinese Proverb

I know that lately my posts have been heavy, lengthy, and lacking of pictures.  I'm working on that.  But for now, here's one more.  Sorry, can't help it.  Lots on my mind right now.

These last several weeks I've heavily pondered the delicacy of life.  It's difficult not to when it seems like families all around me are facing life-threatening realities.  Some friends of ours have close friends out of state, two of whose daughters have a rare condition called Leaky SCID, which basically shuts down the immune system.  Currently the girls, ages 8 and 2, are preparing for chemotherapy, which will be followed by bone marrow transplants.  A couple months ago, Ryan's Sunbeam teacher's son, late thirties, a healthy firefighter and father of four young children, died instantly and unexpectedly of a heart attack.  My neighbor across the street was diagnosed with breast cancer in September, and has undergone four surgeries since.  Her prognosis is good, but it continues to be an excruciating battle.  And just this week I learned that one of the ladies I visit teach's husband, who was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer, which has already metastasized to several other organs, has been given 6-12 weeks to live.  He can't be far past forty.  They have four children also.

I hate stories like these.  Simply hate them.  And of course the natural questions follow, like, why them and not me?  Will something like this happen to me?  What would I do if I was told I had only 6 weeks to live?  How would I react to and cope with one of my children having a life-threatening illness?  What kind of single mother would I make?  Oh, I hate to even imagine any of this, but I can't help it sometimes!
 
I had an ectopic pregnancy in early 2008.  Boy, do I remember that day well!  I arrived at my doctor's office for my first prenatal visit, knowing full well that things weren't good.  Upon various undetermined tests, excruciating pain, tears, and witnessing Dr. Baer in a scared and frazzled state in which I'd never seen him before, I remember him (after gathering his composure), walking into the exam room where Neil and I were waiting, and very calmly saying to us these words: "You are going to get into your car RIGHT NOW, and you are going to drive straight to the hospital.  I am going to follow you there, and we're going to figure this out."  Not 30 minutes later, my pregnancy was officially over, and my ruptured fallopian tube, gone.  It was an extremely sad and frightening loss.  But it also brought to light the grand scheme of things.  Yes, that human being once growing inside of me was no longer.  But that human being also had a spirit, and someday, I would get to meet and raise that spirit.  As humans, we simply cannot recognize or see the before and after, but only the now.  We are told what happened before this life, and we are told what will happen in the next.  We are also told that our time on earth is but a tiny minute compared to what will follow.  And yet we still can only see the here and now.  I wonder sometimes how my perspective would change if I could see the after.  Even though I physically cannot, my faith that it exists and is real brings me such a quiet peace, that life's trials, losses and sorrows suddenly feel lighter.

My miscarriage, while awful at the time, cannot, in my mind, be compared to the loss of a spouse or child.  The experience did broaden my perspective and make me a more empathetic person.  But even coming out of it, I still had my loving husband and daughter by my side, not to mention the strong potential for another healthy child down the road (who was miraculously conceived only 26 days following my emergency surgery).

It is insane when you look at some people and the trials with which God has entrusted them.  Sometimes your heart aches so badly for these people, who, from your limited perspective don't deserve the one-thing-after-another fiasco they've come to call life.  And yet, God sees the big picture.  He is in charge.  And He knows exactly what He is doing.  We just have to trust that, as impossible as it may be at times.

I have had some pretty amazing opportunities to serve many people in need these recent weeks, and I have been so humbled and inspired by their goodness and strength. It's so true that doing service blesses lives. When I am serving others and my heart is in the right place, I am convinced that my blessings far exceed that of the recipients'.  As Elder Derek Cuthbert of the Seventy said, "Service changes people. It refines, purifies, gives a finer perspective, and brings out the best in each one of us. It gets us looking outward instead of inward. It prompts us to consider others’ needs ahead of our own. Righteous service is the expression of true charity, such as the Savior showed."

Life is delicate; life is imperfect; and life is short.  We should, of course, make the best of it, and enjoy it to the fullest.  But we should also remember, amidst our very darkest days, whether they consist of temporary difficulties which will eventually pass, or some of the most devastating, like witnessing a loved one knocking on death's door, that these days have been placed in our lives to teach us and help us grow.  This is our probationary time, after all; our time to prepare to meet God.  And just as the Chinese proverb says, without trials, we cannot be perfected.

New nephew and a birthday wish

I've been awaitin' for Jared and Lori to hurry up and get a picture on their blog so I could steal it for this post!  Not that they've had anything better to do this week than write blog posts.

On Saturday evening, the 18th of February, 2012, a perfect little boy entered the world...

Tyler George Croft

 ...weighing a hearty 5 pounds, 14 ounces, and measuring a lengthy 19.5 inches. 

Just LOOK at this sweet, sweet family!

Jared and Lori, and "Baby Katie," who's not much of a baby anymore, we are so thrilled that Tyler has arrived, safe and sound.  I sure hope I get to hold him before he grows too much!  Congratulations!!

And on a side note, but absolutely, positively worth the mention (!!!), I would also like to wish my brother-in-law, Brad a very Happy Birthday, tomorrow!

Brad & Courtney - Lake Powell, Sept. 2011

The 24th is definitely a great day to have a birthday!  Trust me, Neil and I have years of experience behind us!  :)  Brad, we hope this is a memorable one for you!  You and Courtney have reached many well-deserved milestones this year, and have some awesome adventures ahead!  We can't wait to see what's in store for you both!  HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Man, I married into a great family.  Okay, thee end. 

Finding the joy

Today, like most days, consisted of a mixture of things, both good and bad.

The bad:

• Discovering our once smooth and flawless black leather bound wedding album had been "decorated" with an unknown, sharp and pokey object.  Thank you, Ryan.
• Forking out $70 to fill my gas tank. 
• Discovering my pink sweater, which I'd worn one time, and which I'd intended to air dry but inadvertently thrown into the drier, was now two sizes smaller.
• Forking out $35 at Lowe's for new brackets and sliders for our kitchen drawers, which are falling apart.
• Having to intervene during one of many fights between the kids - this time, over a chair at our kitchen table - the same chair they fight over every single day.  Why on earth this chair holds an ounce of value over the other identical five is beyond me.
• The resurfacing of unsettled feelings toward an individual with whom I've struggled for years.
• Pulling weeds.
• While sweeping the front porch, discovering my favorite green flower pot, shattered below the porch banister, from where it had fallen.
• Other circumstances, disappointments and frustrations, too personal to share.

The good:

• Gorgeous weather.
• No school (though there were moments today when I would have categorized this with the bad).
• Receiving a UPS tracking number, indicating that my camera, which has been in Nikon's hands since January 17th, is FIXED and on its way home to me, expected to arrive Monday before noon!
• Seeing, enjoying, visiting, venting and laughing with two of my closest local friends.
• Receiving a text message from my sister-in-law, informing me that our sweet nephew will be arriving sometime tomorrow!
• Pondering the comforting words from a Priesthood blessing I received on Sunday.
• Receiving a heartfelt phone call from my brother.
• Watching Chloe practice her ballet routine to "Music Box Dancer" for her first and upcoming dance recital in May.
• Movie night with Neil.
• Ryan wandering downstairs at 11pm, requesting a drink of water, which led to being carried back upstairs "silly" by Daddy, Daddy then reading aloud to Ryan Alma 25, to which Ryan said "the end" as Daddy closed the book; then some snuggles and kisses, which entailed Ryan, at one point, saying to Daddy, "I kissed Mommy and Mommy kissed me. That's silly." all before racing (and beating) Daddy from our bedroom to his, and quickly falling back into dreamland. 

Some days really stink.  People say hurtful things.  Your child throws a tantrum the size of China.  You can't justify buying that super cute throw pillow at Target even though you realllly want it.  Your body aches.  Then other days seem close to perfect.  You wake up actually wanting to exercise.  You remember to bring your coupons with you to the grocery store.  Your husband tells you you're pretty.  Your friend willingly watches your child so you can go to the temple.  No matter the combination of events that take place on a day-to-day basis, there will always be some good and some bad.

The topic of my young women's lesson on Sunday was Finding Joy Now.  As part of my preparation, I read President Thomas S. Monson's talk from October 2008's General Conference entitled, Finding Joy in the Journey.  I think I highlighted more of it than I didn't.  It contained many needed reminders about life, the use of time, and change.  It was powerfully written, and I needed every single sentence. 

Monson started by talking about the "inevitable aspect" of life, that being change.  Said he, "Nothing is as constant as change."  Then, after reminiscing about the many changes that had taken place over the 45 years he had been an Apostle, he said, "The changes over a period of 45 years that were incremental now seem monumental."  Isn't this so true in all our lives?  The every day occurrences often seem monotonous and uneventful.  Yet these days turn into years, years into decades.  And before we know it, the boring and mundane have produced some of life's most significant moments and milestones.  Monson goes on, "This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now."

The second to last sentence about "that illusive and nonexistent future when [we'll] have time to do what [we] want to do" just makes me laugh.  It's like that board on Pinterest we've all created, containing ideas and projects that we'll all get to "someday," even though deep down, we know it'll never happen because inevitably, something else will always fill our time.  I love Monson's way of conveying both humor and truth in the same sentence.    

In referencing The Music Man, one of Monson's favorite musicals, he quotes Professor Harold Hill, “'You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.'” 

I emphasized this point to my young women, that we so often sit and waste away our days, dreaming about perfect, future tomorrows, when the reality is those days are never going to come.  That's not to say twelve and thirteen-year-old girls don't have plenty to look forward to: high school, first dance, first date, driver's license, college, marriage, motherhood, etc.  These are all wonderful things, but not one of them defines or guarantees perfect happiness.  Disappointments and opposition are simply inevitable.  No matter how you live your life, you can never escape these things.  What you can control is how you spend your time and what type of attitude you have.

Monson shared a short but powerful story, about a father who had promised to take his young boys to the circus, but received a phone call from work requesting his immediate assistance.  After telling whomever it was that business would have to wait, he hung up the phone and came into the kitchen, where his wife and sons sat, waiting for him and expecting the worst.  When his wife, who assumed he'd be going into work, said, "The circus keeps coming back, you know," as a way to brush off the disappointment, the father replied, "I know, but childhood doesn't."

Monson shared another few remarks about making the most of our time with regard to parenthood.  Of the things he said, I loved this most: "...Be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.

Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know.

Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of 'what if' and 'if only.'"

Then, in talking more specifically about gratitude, Monson said this:

"Our realization of what is most important in life goes hand in hand with gratitude for our blessings.

Said one well-known author: 'Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend … when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.'"

And:

"If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sings, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."

Despite the changes which come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days—as much as we can—with those things which matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed."

I felt like so much of this talk was written just for me.  Too often, I allow the distractions of life to fog my view of what's really important.  Slowly, though, I'm coming along.  As life presents its many surprises and changes, both good and bad, I am learning better how to just roll with it, and enjoy as much of it as I can.  Life really is short, and even though it's hard to see it sometimes, there are millions of reasons to feel joy and gratitude along the way.  My wedding album may look not as pretty as it once did, my pink sweater may not fit right anymore, and, at times, I may strongly despise motherhood.  But without a doubt, my blessings outweigh my struggles.  And those blessings continually bring to me immeasurable joy and happiness.

As President Gordon B. Hinckley once said, "In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured."

Week in Review (January 8-14)

STARTED TUESDAY, JANUARY16th.  FINISHED TONIGHT.  :)

Another few weeks have come and gone, and once again, I'm behind!  So let's catch up, beginning with the week of January 8th, which started off a lot worse than it ended.

Monday, the 9th felt like a typical Monday - uneventful; mostly pleasant.  Neil had a big case that morning with a surgeon he's been trying to get into the OR with for over a year and a half.  The case ran smoothly, and the surgeon seemed happy, which is always a good thing.  The rest of the day was pretty slow and quiet.  Then came the BCS National Championship game.

I'll be honest.  I had a pit in my stomach from the moment I woke up Monday morning.  I'm sure it stemmed from LSU/Alabama's November 5th match, which many referred to as "the game of the century."  Anyone who watched it will agree it was tortuous.  We won, but not without a bloody battle.  It really wasn't the fact that we had to fight so hard that put me over the edge.  If anything, a consistently close score and even performance are normally components of really good game.  It was all the back and forth punts, the numerous short and unexciting plays, and the zero touchdowns scored that made me want to pull my hair out.  Both defenses played so incredibly well, that neither offense could move the ball.  By the fourth quarter, I had a pounding headache.  And by overtime, Neil and I were both pacing the room.  I wondered if it would ever end.  Then, finally, with 19 seconds to spare, Alleman kicked a 25-yard field goal, bringing LSU to a 9-6 victory.  Neil instantly grabbed me like a bear, while I burst into tears.  Go ahead, laugh it up.  I know I'm a nut.  I was just so worn down mentally, and so relieved, not just that it was over, but that we had actually won, that I couldn't do anything but cry.  Up to that point, I don't think I'd ever been more emotionally invested in a football game, perhaps with the exception of Superbowl XXIX, when MVP Steve Young led the 49ers to a record-breaking victory against the Chargers.  That game was pretty much a blow-out though, whereas this one was nearly the opposite.  I'm still a bit startled by my level of anxiety over the November 5th game. I suppose it just goes to show how much I've grown to love LSU.  I've been a fan since 2004's Nokia Bowl against OU, which you can read about HERE, but my fandom has grown intensely since then.

Taken just before the first game (05 November 2011). The kids loved having paw prints on their cheeks.

So, jumping back to January 9, 2012: LSU and Alabama, AGAIN.  Part of me was afraid that we were about to face a repeat of the last game, which I really didn't think I could handle.  But honestly, a bigger part of me just had a feeling we were going to lose this time, and I think that was the true source of the pit.  Unfortunately, I was not prepared for the kind of loss that ended up taking place.  Let's just say Neil turned the game off right before 'Bama intercepted the ball and ran it for a touchdown to finish things off, 21-0.  LSU was in the twilight zone.  There was no fire, no passion, no drive; just timidness, fear and a strange sort of frantic disconnection through the entire four quarters.  It was truly bizarre.  Even a single field goal would have saved them an ounce of dignity, but they couldn't even achieve that.  It was awful; the worst football game I've ever watched, and certainly the worst LSU has ever played.  To go from carrying an undefeated record and owning the #1 ranking all season long, to playing like a group of amateurs in the game that mattered most, was surely a let down.  But I'll tell you what!  LSU played an incredible regular season, and that is something to feel good about.  And regardless of what coulda or shoulda happened, or even what's bound to come (which, I am confident will be pure goodness), the Andersens are still forever fans.  It's been in Neil's bloodline for years, and only a passion I inherited upon marrying into the family.  That's right!  I may be a west coast girl, but that doesn't mean I can't love a good Southern football team!  And I do!  GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Chloe, waving the flag I got Neil for Christmas (left); Neil sporting his Christmas presents: hat from Brad and Courtney; shirt from David.

And to add to the satisfaction of Neil's shirt, here's another one for ya. Made me chuckle.

Still makes me laugh, even now.  Clever thinkin' on some one's part!

Yep, we're total dorks.  It's cool.  We had a lot of fun, and made our neighbors laugh.

So, at that rate (that, being the brutal, in-your-face beating we took), the week could only get better, right?  :)  And guess what?  It did.  Neil turned on the sprinklers, or, "sprinkles," as Ryan likes to call them, which obviously means we have continued to have gorgeous weather.  And the warmer weather must have rubbed off on Neil, because this same week, he signed up for the Survival Mud Run in Lathrop April 21st.  Personally, 3.47 miles entailing muddy obstacles sounds miserable, but he's quite excited about it.  It's really right up his alley, so I'm sure he'll enjoy it and do great.

The kids have a new obsession: She-Ra and He-Man.  Now, with the variety of super hero movies and shows Netflixcheesies out there.  Whenever the kids turn on The Secret of the Sword, which is their absolute favorite these days, Neil and I just shake our heads and laugh.  I'm sure there was a time when we thought they were super cool - it was 1985, after all - so I guess we can't criticize too much.  But it sure is funny.

Saturday Chloe was walking around the house carrying two of her dolls, and informed me that she'd had twins and that their names were Adam and Adora.  She and Ryan also kept placing these long foam sticks they have behind them inside their shirts and then pulling them out to fight, as if they were their "sword[s] of protection" and "sword[s] of power."

Ryan has also grown to love and repeat the saying, "By the power of Greyskull!", except Ryan has instead said, "By the power of preschool!"  I can't bring myself to correct him.  It's too cute.  Neil and I are both hoping this obsession with She-Ra and He-Man passes quickly, but we aren't getting our hopes up.

OTHER EVENTS OF THE WEEK:

A painful trip to Costco, where I am certain we broke a record for the most money spent in a single Costco transaction in the history of the Neil and Valeri Andersens.

 

A Starbucks date with Ryan while my car got an oil change next door.

He shared a couple bites of his cinnamon roll, but that was about the extent of it.

Victory, and a ticket to the NFC Championship!!!!!!!!

So now you can see what I meant when I said the week started off a lot worse than it ended!  Yes, LSU lost the BCS Bowl, but the 49ers beat the Saints, earning a place in the NFC Championship!  Never did I imagine 2 things: first, that both of our teams would go SO FAR this season, and second, that it would be possible for the worst football game of all time and also one of the best to be played within 6 days of each other.  This one was intense like November's LSU/Alabama match, but with much more excitement and charisma.  It truly was one of the best football games I've watched.  Oh, that final play, when Vernon Davis, bless his sweet heart, caught that winning touchdown pass from Alex Smith.  It was impossible to not get emotional watching him in the end zone, then in Coach Harbaugh's arms, crying like a baby.  I love seeing the soft and humble side of these big scary players.  It's pretty sweet.

Neil was finishing a crazy 32-mile bike ride with some friends when the game started, so he missed the excitement of the first quarter when the Niners scored 2 touchdowns.  Just before the game started, I took the kids to the grocery store for a few things and, without fail, every time I'd see someone wearing 49ers gear, I'd say, "Go Niners" loud and clear!  Hey, I've got no shame!  This season's been a long time coming and I've been a little excited about it!  And besides, every single person I said it to smiled at me, many repeating it back, including a scary group of Hispanic guys, who I think were caught off guard by my exuberance and willingness to talk to them.  What was even more funny about all this is that every time I'd say, "Go Niners!" (there were a lot of people wearing Niners gear in the store), both Chloe and Ryan would repeat it, so I had my own little army with me, cheering on our team in the middle of SaveMart.  I'm sure someday this side of me will embarrass my kids, but for now, I'll gladly encourage their support!  :)

I did scare Chloe a few times throughout the game, especially near the end when it got crazy.  Neil, Ryan and I were sitting on the couch cheering, clapping and being noisy, while she isolated herself on the floor, pouting and whining that we were being too loud.  Ryan, who wasn't the least bit bothered by our enthusiasm, then said, "Chloe needs a nap because she's really freaking out."  It was so funny.  I did get down on the floor with her several times, explaining why it was so exciting to me and trying to get her pumped.  I also apologized for being loud, but told her I couldn't possibly hold back.  She was completely over it by the end of the game, and cheering with the rest of us, so I don't think she was traumatized.  It was a really fun and exciting game, and I still can't believe we won!   

CLASSIC QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

After falling off the bench at the park and having a good loud cry, I held Ryan close and asked if he was okay.  He angrily shouted: "I want to stick my tongue at someone!"

And, along those same lines, I should mention here that Ryan's current statement/comeback whenever he's mad is, "I don't like anyone!"  Love that kid, even though that's not a very nice thing to say. 

After Neil informed Chloe that we were going to go to Costco, she complained, begging to stay home.  As soon as she realized that we were not going to leave her home alone and that she was indeed coming, she made one last shot at negotiation with this: "Okay, but if we go, that means you have to bring me to the park!"

Saturday (just before the game), as we were pulling into the grocery store parking lot, Ryan asked if he and Chloe could ride the merry go round (just outside the store).  This was after a handful of other requests from both him and Chloe, not to mention endless bouts of whining and complaining.  Because I wasn't feeling inclined to let them have anything they wanted, I muttered, "Gosh, you guys ask for everything!"  Chloe then chimed in with, "I don't ask for tomatoes very often!  Because I don't like them as much as Grandpa Roy!"
Well, I've gotta give her credit for a fast and witty response, however they still did not get to ride the merry go round. 

Well, that was quite the lengthy summary, especially for just one week.  Sorry, but there was a lot to cover.  :)  I'll probably sum up the remainder of the month in my next post.  Until then...

Celebrating 10 years, and a few other things, too.

87 years ago today, Neil's Grandpa Don was born.

Happy Birthday, Don!  And Geaux Tigers!

73 years ago today, my Grandpa and Grandma Butterfield were married. 

Happy Anniversary, you two love birds!  Hope you're celebrating well in heaven!

11 years ago today, my best friend, Wendy got married.

Happy Anniversary, guys!

And 10 years ago today, Neil took me on our first date. 

First photo ever taken of us - on Valentine's Day, I believe, during our shift at Chevy's.  Awesome exposure, I know.

I love the significance of this day.  It has always been an extra special one to me, and it's no wonder! 
  
Thinking back to the events of February 9, 2002, here's what I remember:

• The 2002 Winter Olympics (in Salt Lake City) began.
• I attended Mindy Mickelson's baby shower.
• I worked an afternoon shift at Chevy's.
• When Neil came to pick me up (sometime after 8pm), he was wearing his green Abercrombie shirt - the same green Abercrombie shirt he still has and wears today.  Ironically, Neil also wore this shirt the day Chloe was born, and also the day Ryan was born.  Purely coincidental.  Needless to say, the shirt is terribly faded and has a few holes.  Yet, he continues to wear it without shame.
• When we first got into Neil's car and he turned the ignition, the song, "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Krauss started to play.  Turns out, Neil had a "date" CD that he'd play in the car whenever he was taking a new lady out on the town.  Well, I broke that trend.  :)  I didn't forget that song, nor did Neil!  By default, it became one of our songs, and the day he proposed, he, again, had it cued to start playing when he turned the ignition, on our way to temple square, where he popped the question.
• We ate dinner at Guru's in downtown Provo.  I had a burrito, I think.  We were there with Neil's roommate at the time, Jed, and his date, whom I don't remember at all. 
  After dinner, we headed to the movie theater to see a 10:00pm showing of Mothman Prophecies.  I honestly don't remember much about the movie, as I was focused on other things, like Neil's right hand, which took a hold of my left hand about a quarter of the way in and held onto it until we left the theater.  It was an unexpected and bold move on Neil's part, as I didn't feel like we'd really made a strong connection yet.  I was flattered nevertheless, with no complaints.  After the movie, and while we were walking to our cars, Neil and Jed ran up a grassy hill off the side of the parking lot, and proceeded to roll down it.  Not sure if they were trying to show off or if they were just being boys.  Probably a combination of both.
• When Neil took me home that night, he walked me to the front porch, gave me a hug, and thanked me for coming.   He was very polite and gentlemanly, and just made me feel well taken care of.  I liked that. 
  
  I honestly don't remember many other details, except that I was pretty much smitten.  It took Neil another 24 hours before we were on the same wave length, but once we were there, well, that was it.  We were Neil and Valeri. 
  
  Neil had a long work day today in Roseville, and called me the first chance he got, upon walking to his car at around 4:00pm. One of the first things he said was, "Happy Anniversary of our first date!" For him to continually remember this day - a day few husbands are obligated to remember - means so much to me. It's the day that marks the beginning of us, and that's kind of a big deal. I love it. And I love that it lands on my amazing grandparents' anniversary. What a privilege to share with them such a connection! Sometimes I wonder if they took part in the planning of Neil and me. 

I really can't say enough how grateful I am to have crossed paths with Neil ten years ago, and to have somehow convinced him to fall in love with me.  He is such a good person, so solid in his beliefs and ambitions, and such a wonderful provider, husband and father.  He has always, always put my happiness first, and I've seen it day in and day out for years.  We had a really nice time together tonight after the kids went to bed.  We talked about those early days, and about how incredible it is that an entire decade has already passed by.  We also talked about how fortunate we are to have found each other, and to be living a happy, healthy marriage, even ten whole years later.

Happy Anniversary of the beginning of us!

Flashback Friday

Yesterday, while searching for a picture I know I have but couldn't find of my parents and brother in our front yard the 1988(?) morning it snowed in Vacaville - see previous post, I came across this one of my dad and me, taken in the summer of 1989.  Upon discovering it, I was immediately reminded of another picture of my dad with a different little girl, taken last September during my parents' annual visit. 

My dad talks all the time about how much Chloe reminds him of me when I was her age.  I love that.  And I love that he can now experience many of the same joys with Chloe that he experienced with me.  They certainly have an unbreakable bond, those two.

When Ryan hopped on my lap and saw this picture, he immediately said, "But where's a picture of me and Grandma Jill!?"  Sweet boy, never wanting to leave anyone out.  I also might add, Grandma Jill, that Ryan requested your scrambled eggs for dinner tonight!

A musical masterpiece and snow

"Songs and smells will bring you back to a moment in time more than anything else.  It's amazing how much can be conjured with a few notes of a song or a solitary whiff of a room."  - Emily Giffin

Being the sentimental girl I am, I hold this quote dear to my heart.  It's a beautiful concept if you think about it, that a simple piece of music or smell can instantly take you back to a precious moment in time, of which you might not have otherwise been reminded.  It happened to me yesterday afternoon, unexpectedly, like usual.  I was unloading the dishwasher and Ryan was watching Looney Tunes.  A few episodes in was "Rhapsody Rabbit," featuring Bugs Bunny, who plays a concert pianist and performs Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2.  The episode was naturally silly, and together Ryan and I giggled from start to finish.  Bugs shot the guy in the audience for coughing (some would not find that funny, I suppose), then incorporated boogie woogie, chopsticks and taps into his piano masterpiece, all whilst battling an annoying and equally talented mouse.  It wasn't Bugs' silliness or Ryan's giggles that left a lasting impression on me, though both were entertaining.  Instead, it was the childhood memory which instantly surfaced upon hearing the music.

When I was eight or nine, my dad took me to see the snow for the very first time.  Vacaville never got snow, and the one stinkin' time it did, in 1988, I believe - a whopping inch or two, I was in Palo Alto visiting my grandparents!  I remember talking to my mom on the phone that morning and sensing sadness and disappointment for and in behalf of me.  There she, my dad and brother were, witnessing what would be a one-time, short-lived winter wonderland outside our front door, while I sat, only 90 miles away, unable to do anything about it.  It was a real bummer, and I remember feeling so disappointed.  Not long after, my dad, who understood and wanted to make it up to me, suggested that we go up to the mountains and find some snow to play in.

He had recently compiled a cassette tape (hey, it was the 80s) containing some classical masterpieces.  Among those he and I could recall were Brahms' Symphony 3, Op. 90 - III, Smetana's Die Moldau (which I learned today my grandma Martha and great aunt Gertrude used to play on the record player when my dad, as a baby, would cry in the night, to lull him back to sleep), Mahler's Symphony 5 - Adagietto, Mahler's Symphony 1, Movement 2 (one of my favorites), and Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (my absolute favorite).  My dad brought the tape along in the car and played it during our two or so hour drive toward Tahoe.  I can't tell you which of those masterpieces I'd heard prior to that drive, but what I can tell you is that each time I hear any one of them now, but especially Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody, I'm instantly taken back to the day, more than two decades ago, when I saw snow for the very first time.

I still remember so vividly driving through the sunlit mountain roads, listening to the beautiful music and gazing out the window with anticipation of spotting that first clump of white on the side of the road.  We eventually found those clumps, and what a magical sight it was for eight or nine-year-old little me.  We parked, hiked around, threw snowballs, possibly made a snow angel or two, and just enjoyed the gorgeous crisp, clean air and stunning views, before hopping back in the car, stopping for Chinese food, and heading home.  It was a fun day with my dad, one I've never forgotten, and one with which I will always associate Franz Liszt's musical masterpiece.

You can watch "Rhapsody Rabbit" HERE, though it's not the English version.  I think Ryan laughed harder watching this than the original because of the "funny talking." 

Curious, helping hands

Last night, as I was deseeding jalapenos, Ryan climbed onto the counter.  Normally such activity is discouraged, and both the kids know this.  But he showed such intense (and instantaneous) fascination in what was happening, that I simply couldn't bring myself to put him down. 

"Do we like this?" he asked, pointing to the jalapenos.

"Um, not the seeds.  They're spicy!  But the peppers themselves?  Yes, we like those!"

"Does Grandpa Roy like some? Your dad? Does he like some?"

Ryan knows Grandpa Roy likes spicy things, so of course he'd like jalapenos, right?  I told him to be sure and ask the next time they talked on the phone.  Ryan, now showing more interest in the sharp knife sitting in front of him, simply replied, "Okay." 

After "helping" me chop said jalapenos and transferring them to the pan, Ryan watched, from above, to ensure that our spaghetti sauce was cooking just right.

So glad I have my curious kitchen helper to keep my brain sharp and cooking in check.

Week in review (January 1-7)

WRITTEN SUNDAY, JANUARY 8th.

I've been back from Utah now for one day shy of a week.  It's always nice to get away, but man, it sure feels good to be home, too!  I also have to say that it was nice getting home and knowing I still had a solid week left of Chloe's break before the normal routine started up again.  Even still, I'm not sure I'm ready for the craziness to begin tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, ready or not, here it comes! 

First off, here are a few more pictures of Ryan on his first day as a Sunbeam (last Sunday).  I snapped these right before Primary began. More on our Utah trip eventually. 



Our week was pretty uneventful.  The weather was nice, so the kids rode bikes and played outside, and Neil and I got some yard work done.  It's looking like we may be turning our sprinklers back on next week, which is just a puzzling concept to us.  I guess we're still in the mindset of Coloradans, who have a solid three months before they'll even be thinking about sprinklers.  In addition to soaking up some warm, January sunshine, the kids played super heroes with their capes and masks, taking turns playing hero, villain, and victim, which, by the way, was and is absolutely hilarious.  They're pretty dramatic.  The dialogue they come up with constantly has me giggling to myself.  Must be all those old school super hero shows they watch on "Neck-fwix," as Ryan calls it.

Confession: these were actually taken the week of Christmas, but since they so accurately depict what these two look like when they play super heroes, and since I didn't happen to capture them in action this week, I just decided to throw these in.  Yes, Ryan is wearing Chloe's mask, and no pants.  And his shirt is on backwards (over the top of a pajama top).  Stylin'.

Chloe broke in her puppet theater, which I'll blog about in my Christmas post.

And among other things, the kids played legos (a favorite of both), marbles, and trains.



Here's a video Neil took of Ryan playing with his Marbleworks set the other day.  Neil is the first to admit that he loves the thing as much as his son does!

Saturday afternoon, we drove to Pleasanton to celebrate a post-Christmas with Scott, Heather and JD.  It was comfortable and relaxing, as always. 

The kids took turns driving the ATV and loved every minute of it.

Chloe jumped on the indoor trampoline (left) and all three kids played in the shower (right).

Heather is becoming more like a sister to me these days.  I love having family close, and I love how our relationship has blossomed.  It's strange because she's nine and a half years older than I, and while we've always stayed in touch (hello, we're family!), we've never been in the same stage of life or had much in common.  I'm sure she'd agree.  But I still remember when she called me to announce she was pregnant with JD, and how fun it was that I'd just barely found out that same week that I was pregnant with Ryan.  I guess that was the beginning of our bond - being pregnant at the same time and then delivering our boys just 5 weeks apart.  Then, of all places, Neil's job, just before the boys turned two, moved us less than an hour from Heather.  Really, who would have even imagined that happening?  It's fun.  Another perk to having her and Scott close is that I get to see my Uncle Jim and Aunt Karen (who live in Oregon) and come out to visit a couple times a year, as well as my other cousin, Misty (who lives in LA), who also had a baby boy just six days before Heather had JD, and also Tanya, who's in San Diego.  It's a true blessing having family close-by, seeing them regularly, and building memories together.  It has definitely made the transition of moving here easier.

Today was a lazy Sunday.  We were terrible and didn't go to Stake Conference.  Ryan had a particularly rough night last night, crying out a handful of times, which made it difficult for me to sleep soundly, and then coming in at 4am requesting to crawl into bed with us, which I naturally said no to (mean mom).  Then came a good, long meltdown right there on our floor, followed by getting Ryan settled back down again and, eventually, asleep - on our floor.  Then he was back up before 7 and still obviously tired and in need of more sleep.  The kids got up and entertained themselves downstairs while Neil and I stayed in bed for another hour or so.  Between Neil's back hurting (once he was up) and Ryan's constant meltdowns over anything and everything, we just decided to stay home rather than fight Ryan to sit still for two solid hours.  We turned on the NFL playoffs, and enjoyed a quiet Sunday at home.  The Broncos beat the Steelers unexpectedly, which was awesome (so happy for Tim Tebow), we had a yummy dinner, and, best of all, the kids were in bed by 7!

Eating apples and edamame with "chopsticks" (aka straws).  On Friday night, we cashed in a gift card to a local sushi restaurant here in Ripon (with Richie and Christie, who gave us the gift card for Christmas), and there was some leftover edamame that we brought home.  The kids LOVE this stuff and eat it like candy.  Chloe was nice enough to let Ryan wear her bracelet while they enjoyed their grub.  Again, stylin'.

CLASSIC QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

Me: "Chloe, please go finish your applesauce."
Chloe (groaning): "Why do I have to do EVERYTHING around here!?"
Apparently I ask too much of my six-year-old.

Chloe (while trying to get Ryan to be patient while she put together a toy for him): "Hold your horses, Ryan!"
Ryan: "But I don't have a horse!"
The boy makes a point!

It was a good start to a new year!  I can hardly believe we're already into 2012!

April 2011: Easter festivities

I'm slowly getting through my 2011 pictures.  Here's a glimpse into our Easter festivities (yep, 9 months ago).

Chloe's preschool did a fun Easter egg hunt and party the Thursday before Easter.  Chloe, as well as the rest of the kids had a blast hunting for eggs, frosting cookies and doing fun crafts.  This also happened to be Chloe's last day of preschool since we were out of town almost the entire month of May and therefore pulled Chloe out at the end of April.  Because it was her last day, Miss Sheryl let Chloe be the leader walking to and from the egg hunt, among a few other special things.  She thought she was pretty hot stuff.

Here's little miss Chloebug with her teachers, Miss Sheryl and Miss Brittney, both of whom she adored and still talks about to this day. 

Miss Sheryl lives about a mile from us and attends most of the local events here in Ripon.  Since preschool ended, we have bumped into her a handful of times, including Baskin Robbins' Dollar Scoop Tuesday, National Night Out, a Ripon High School football game, and Ripon's Labor Day Balloon Fest. These random meetings have enabled Miss Sheryl and Chloe to maintain a sweet friendship. They've become real pals, and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before we run into each other again somewhere.

The Easter party was a fun finish to a great (and final) preschool year for Chloe! We were both kind of sad to say goodbye, but also anxious for summer and gearing up for kindergarten! 

Saturday, the kids painted eggs.

And on Easter, we did the normal morning routine of finding baskets and eggs, and taking lots of pictures.

After the kids had located their Easter tins/baskets and picked up all the eggs, we headed outside for a few quick pictures (for the purpose of distracting the kids while Neil did a favor for the Easter Bunny and placed the kids' new razor scooter and plasma car in the front room).

As soon as we walked back into the house, there awaited their surprise!  They were thrilled with their new rides (and fun treats and goodies).

Following the morning's events, we headed to church and then enjoyed a quiet evening at home.

Sometime the following week, the kids received a small package from Grandpa Roy and Grandma Jill, including bug catchers, which the kids promptly went outside to play with!

The kids also had haircuts, as you can see! It was a fun Easter week all around.

CRAVE Photography's Giveaway

Hey, photog friends!  CRAVE Photography is doing a pretty awesome giveaway right now.  It ends Saturday, January 8th, so hurry over and enter HERE!  There are 5 different prizes, including the lens I've been eyeing for the last year and a half! 

Happy New Year! I'm a Sunbeam!

In the words of Ryan Grant himself:

My mom's hopeless.  Her blog is so far behind.  SHE is so far behind.  And yet, life never seems to slow down.  It doesn't help, of course, that she's got me to keep her on her toes.  Good thing I'm so darn cute!  Mom often asks the question, "Why can't there be seven of me?"  To be honest, the thought of having seven moms seems like a bit much, but I guess I can see her point.  Hopefully she can catch her breath one of these months, and, in the process, get this blog in better (and more current) shape.  In the meantime, life goes on, I suppose.

We had a really nice Christmas at home.  More on that eventually.  My sister's still on break through the end of this week, and she, mom and I just got back from a quick and spontaneous trip to Utah.  This is the first trip we've made there where mom hasn't told a soul we were coming (with the exception of the usual, obvious people: Grandpa Roy, Grandma Jill, Uncle D, Great Grandma Martha, Great Aunt Gertrude, and Wendy).  It was quite nice, actually, not having a ton on our plates, though I think mom's in trouble with a few people now that it's out in the open that we were there.  Oh well.  There's always next time.

So, onto more exciting events!  Guess what milestone I reached on Sunday?  You got it!  I became a Sunbeam!  Mom and I could hardly believe it, and just as we sat down in Sacrament Meeting, I proudly announced, "I get to go to Primary today!"  I wasn't nervous or apprehensive in the least.  When Sacrament Meeting was over and it was time to head to Primary, I took Chloe's hand and together we skipped down the hall and down the stairs (we were at Grandma Jill's ward) to the Primary room.  Mom sat with me through Sharing and Singing time and I couldn't have done better!  The opening song was, "I Love to See the Temple" and I sang every word, loud and clear.  Then the other children sang a welcome song to Chloe and me, since we were visitors and all.  I sat reverently through all of Singing and Sharing time, and was a very good boy.  I even went to my class happily and without hesitation.  Mom took a few pictures of me sitting in the Primary room before Sharing time began, but she'll have to share those with you later. 

I feel like such a big boy going to Primary!  Mom says she can't believe I'm old enough!  I suppose it wasn't all that long ago that Chloe was in my same boat.  Time really does fly!

My funny children (emphasis on Chloe)

Chloe and Ryan (but mostly Chloe) had me laughing pretty hard this evening.  Neil was working in Sonora until late, so it was just the kids and me.  As soon as I announced dinner was ready, Ryan disappeared.  I didn't notice where he had gone because I was busy getting food on plates.  As I headed to the table and asked Chloe if she'd seen him, she replied,

"He's in timeout."

When I asked why, she shrugged her shoulders and said,

"I don't know.  He heard you say dinner was ready and ran straight to the laundry room." 

I had to laugh, and let me explain why.  Lately, getting Ryan to eat has been gosh darn impossible.  In his own defense, he's had a bad case of the runs for the last five days straight and has been on a liquid diet minus a few bites a day of this or that.  But aside from that, eating issues have been present for months.  Generally when we sit down at the table he's already fussing, "it's too hot!" or "but I'm not hungry."  We coax him, humor him, reverse psychology him, whatever it takes to get him to try a bite and realize that I'm not such a bad cook.  What we've done in the past when he's refused to eat is sent him straight to bed.  Well now when we're sitting down to eat he'll often automatically say, "I want to take a nap instead."  But that's just too easy of an out, and frankly, if it's only 5:30 in the afternoon, that's the last thing I want him doing!  So we've changed our strategy a bit and now send him to timeout for however long it takes before he's willing to eat.

Tonight, Ryan was a step ahead of me.  I'm still laughing at the fact that he put HIMSELF in timeout.  I tried and I tried and I tried to get him to eat, but he would have nothing to do with it.  Even after several attempts, more timeout and a spanking to finish it off, he just wouldn't give in.  He was in bed by 6:25, which is not too early (unlike 5:30).  Thankfully, due to the fact that he doesn't nap anymore (or at least regularly), I can get away with putting him to bed as early as 6:30 and he'll sleep a solid twelve hours, which is perfect since I get up at 7 every day.  Perhaps we'll have better luck with food intake tomorrow. 

So onto Chloe.  Amidst fighting Ryan to eat his potato soup and green salad, Chloe chattered away like always, half the time not even noticing that I was preoccupied with her brother.  One thing she said did catch my attention though, and I just had to share it.

Chloe: "I can't wait to go up to heaven and see Heavenly Father and Jesus."

Me (wondering where on earth this came from): "Why are you excited to see them?"

Chloe: "It's gonna be fun!  They love me so much and I'm just gonna get up there and jump on them and hug them!" 

After a slight pause, she went on: "But  when you die, your body stays on earth, right?  Like a statue?  But the rest of you goes up?!" 

Another slight pause (while contemplating).."So that's called your spirit!  So your spirit goes up to heaven!"

While I found it interesting that Chloe would bring up such a deep and random topic at the dinner table, I was pleased to see that she is beginning to grasp the basics of our mortality and the purpose behind it.  Love the way her smart little mind thinks.

After dinner, Chloe and I were practicing her reading.  Each week she's sent home with a new set of words that all end with the same few letters.  They're called "word families," I believe.  Anyway, this week she's working on the "ot" family.  Well, she whizzed right through the packet of words tonight and I was so impressed, as always.  I swear the kid's smarter than I am.  At one point, in addition to reading the words, she started tacking on an example of how the word could be used.  This is how it went, and again, this is ALL her:

"Lot!  ...like a parking lot!"
"Not! ...like 'I'm not going to paint that!"
"Pot!  ...like 'I'm cookin' something up in a pot!'"

This one's hands down my favorite:

"Rot!  ...like 'rat' in a British accent!'"

The final word in the packet was "Tot," to which she said, while giggling, "I thought that was 'toot' at first!"  Then a few seconds later, "How do you spell 'toot' anyway?"

Let me give you just a bit of background before I share the final conversation of the night (which, I should warn you contains a private body part name).  A few weeks ago, Chloe asked Neil what he does for work. He explained that he watches a lot of surgeries and helps the doctors to know how to use the various instruments that he provides for the surgeries.  In explaining what a surgery is, Neil referenced my c-section and showed Chloe my scar.  When we told her that that's where she and Ryan came out of my body, she naturally then wondered if all babies were born that way.  We answered honestly and told her that while many babies come out that way, most babies come out of their mommy's vagina.  Hey, we are all about using anatomically correct terminology.  Anyway, here's what Chloe said to me as I was tucking her into bed:    

Chloe: "I wish I had a baby sister.  And a daughter."

Me: "Well, you've got quite a while to go before you have a daughter!"

Chloe: "I know.  But I don't want to have them cut my stomach open to get her out.  I want her to come out of my vagina."

I chuckled and kissed her goodnight.  Love her honest, blunt innocence.  May it continue to blossom!

It is currently 12:54am.  Guess who just wandered downstairs?  A certain grumpy boy who refused to eat his dinner.  And what's the first thing he said?

"I'm hungry!"

The second thing? "Can I just snuggle with you for a few seconds?" 

Guess I'd better get to it.  Goodnight, everyone.

The rest of Fall break

Well I had good intentions with my Fall break posts.  Obviously those intentions didn't mean squat though because Fall break was nearly two months ago and I didn't make it past Day 3.  That said, let me quickly summarize the rest of the week.

The kids went to the dentist!  This was Ryan's second time having his teeth cleaned.  The first time he had it done was in April, and it was after watching Chloe have her teeth cleaned and deciding that he wanted to give it a try too.  Both kids did awesome and neither had cavities!  Always good news!







After their cleanings, the office staff took the kids back to a special room containing a treasure box where each was able to choose something to take home.  Um, can we say generous?  Chloe left with a 20-pack of markers and Ryan with a race car!  They don't mess around!  Between their treasures and goodie bags containing new toothbrushes, floss, stickers and a pencil, they were in absolute heaven.



On our way home we stopped at the mall to cash in a coupon I had for a free candle at the new Yankee Candle store.  Naturally everyone was hungry by this point, so what did the kids get?  A cinnamon/sugar pretzel!  Yep, that was their lunch - straight from the dentist's office!  Where's my super mom award?



We took it easy at home that afternoon.  Ryan astonished us by taking a nap, and Chloe played quietly in her room.  At one point she did a puppet show for me...

...which prompted a Christmas present idea.  That's right.  Neil's building Chloe a puppet theater for Christmas!  She loves doing puppet shows or any kind of performing for that matter, so this is really perfect.  We went to IKEA today and bought some new hand puppets to go with the theater.  I can't wait to see the look on her face come Christmas morning!

As soon as Ryan woke up he wandered into Chloe's room to see what we were up to.  I took a few more pictures.

Here they are watching Chloe's puppet show I'd just recorded a few minutes earlier.

I miss lazy afternoons like these.  We don't have them too often anymore.

The following day, the kids made an Autumn window display.  It was super easy and a huge hit!  Original source: HERE.  I'm pretty sure this will become an annual Fall craft tradition at our house.  We all loved it.  In fact, it's still up on our door!  Probably time to take it down.

Who knew coffee filters and water colors could be so entertaining?

While we had originally planned to cut out leaves, Chloe decided snowflakes would be fun as well!

Waiting for the painted coffee filters to finish drying.

The finished product!

 It was a fun-filled week.  I enjoyed not having to set an alarm and just being on a more relaxed schedule.  The kids liked it too.  Less stress, and more time to play.  Now with the Christmas season upon us, we have another break just around the corner.  I can hardly wait!