If you have something to say...

Clara is a talker. I remember when I took her for her 2 year check up. Dr. D asked how many words she was able to say and I just looked at him. Seriously, you want me to count? I had no idea so I just told him...about 50? I know I shortchanged her.

Lately it seems like the words are multiplying faster than hamsters. She is talking in sentences - big sentences. Granted, there are quite a few consonants that are interchangeable, we speak her language and know what she is saying. She is also giving her opinion, which I find entertaining. The other day I had just gotten my haircut. I picked her up from Grandma and we were driving to the store. From the backseat I hear this little voice say, "I like your haircut. Did you get a sucker?" First of all, I was thrilled with the compliment from one of my favorite people. Second, I was tickled that she thought I would be crying during my haircut and need a sucker to calm down.

This afternoon she came to me clutching her hand-me-down Cinderella dress and garage sale fairy wings. She said, "Will you put my wings on so I can fly." It sounded like, "'ill you put my ings on toe I can pie" I stripped her down to her diaper and helped her dress herself in her "priddy kirt." I strapped her wings on her and watcher her take off with her hands high above her head while making the best swishing sound she was capable of.

Earth Day, 2010

Yesterday was Earth Day. I didn't realize that it was a real holiday, I always thought it was just some kind of Valentines Day for Environmentalists. Don't get me wrong...I am all about saving our planet and not wasting. I was just surprised when someone said "Happy Earth Day" to me. I think my first memory of Earth Day was when I was in college. I remember walking from one building to the next and passing the courtyard. There were tons of booths set up and about 1,000 elementary school kids running around campus, visiting the random activities sororities and fraternities had created for them.

As much as I wanted to go visit my old university and see if the tradition was still going strong after 15 years (ouch), we played in an unexpected spring rainstorm that blasted through the desert.

We have been blessed with quite a bit of rain these past few months. It has been fun for the kids to stomp in puddles and actually have to change their clothes in the middle of the afternoon because they got too wet as opposed to too dusty.

Umbrellas have suddenly become priceless toys that create a magic shield around the person lucky enough to possess it. The problem is, we only have 1 umbrella and 2 kids. This is not a good ratio.

Luckily, I have 2 kids with 2 very different personalities. Thomas can entertain himself for a long time with one thing. Clara, on the other hand, has been blessed with my ability to become distracted by something else and move on.

So, Happy Belated Earth Day!!! I hope you were able to get out and play in the rain, sun or snow and enjoy this beautiful earth that was given to us by a loving Heavenly Father.

My kids love Grandma's house.

She let's them do whatever they want.

Get it straight, Mom!

I was sitting on the floor in my sewing room this afternoon. I had the TV on. I had been watching a bunch of army men doing yoga - I don't know why. When that ended an infomercial for the Brazilian Butt Lift came on. I was watching it and Thomas was standing by my side watching me watch it. I braced myself and then asked him...

Me: Do I need to order that?

Thomas: No (he said it with a smile on his face. I am not sure if his smile meant..."Oh, please why would you even ask such a ridiculous question." or "Oh crud! How am I going to get through this without hurting her feelings?")

Me: Really, are you sure?

Thomas: No, you don't need it.

Me: Don't you think it would help my bum?

Thomas: Mom - you're not a model - your a mom.

Do you think I should take that as a compliment or an insult?

...They long to be, Close to you...

Proof that it is completely impossible for a mother to take a nap while her children are awake.

***

In my defense: I was only trying to take a nap because I was doped up on allergy meds. I guess this way I know she isn't getting into any trouble. And to answer your question, I have no idea why she is playing with a wrench or where she found it.

p.s. I am so proud of Thomas. He was able to take this picture without any help - it always pays to have a point-and-shoot within reach of a 5 year old.

Flashback

This afternoon the kids had commandeered the big screen and were watching Wonder Pets. Even though I was dying to find out what distressed animal they were able to rescue, I peeled myself away and snuck into the office to watch an episode of a TV show I had missed. (I would insert the name of said show here, but I don't want to embarrass myself.) After about 15 minutes Thomas made his way into the room. He climbed up on my lap and started to watch the show with me.

I was thoroughly enjoying my snuggle with my first born when he looked up at me - I had a flashback to his birth. All of a sudden I felt the warmth of a new little baby on my chest and saw his HUGE brown eyes look into mine for the first time. I had to catch my breath. I was looking into the same big eyes, but the body had changed. Instead of fitting nice and cozy on a small section of my torso he was now stretched out across a large portion of my body. How did that happen? How has 5 years passed so quickly? How is it possible that this little baby is going to kindergarten in the fall?

Instead of hyperventilating I grabbed my camera that was within reach and started to click away. These were blind clicks. Ones that I hoped would come out even though I couldn't see through my eye piece. I was hoping to capture the feeling I was having - nothing but love

and happiness.

Observations

10 and a half years ago I opened this fortune on one of our first dates.

I think it is safe to say that particular fortune has come true...and will continue to be true.

Clara opened her fortune cookie today.

I think she already does.

Dirty Girl

This afternoon Clara was enjoying her bag of Cheetos. The same bag that had the contents fall out over and over again. Each time I picked them up and stuck them back in the bag and headed for the trash can only to be sidetracked by something else. Each time Clara found the bag and continued to eat the chips.

.

When I finally got them away from her and out of reach, I told her she needed to go wash her hands. I followed her into the bathroom where she went to lift up the toilet lid to wash her hands in the only water she thought available.

.

I read somewhere that the water restaurants use for their ice makers is actually cleaner than toilet water. I hope that is true for her sake.

For the hips.

I have absolutely no will power when it comes to oatmeal raisin cookies. I must have been a horse in a previous life* because I have a great love for all things oats. On Monday I was craving some oatmeal raisin cookies and wanted something better than the old stand by recipe. I started searching the Internet and just for fun typed in "world's best oatmeal cookies." I figured something was bound to come up. Sure enough, plenty of entries came up. I scanned through them and was intrigued by a recipe posted that not only had the old standby of cinnamon in it, but it also had ginger and nutmeg. I figured I would give it a try. I am so mad that I did because they were delicious. We ate the entire first batch and made a second one today.

If you are at all like Steve and don't like "spicy" cookies, these are not for you. He also feels they are a waste of space because they are oatmeal raisin and not oatmeal chocolate chip. In my opinion there is a time and place for chocolate chips. This is not it. These are a cross between a soft, mild ginger cookie and a chewy oatmeal cookie. If you're having a hard time being at one with the raisins you could substitute chocolate chips, but in this house it will never happen. Sorry babe.

(* For the record: I am Mormon - I do not believe in reincarnation. )

Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 C butter

1/2 C shortening

3/4 C white sugar

1 C brown sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

1 Tablespoon Vanilla - I spelled that out so you would no it's not a mistake - T.a.b.l.e.s.p.o.o.n.

1 1/2 C flour

1 tsp salt

1tsp baking soda

2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3 C quick cooking oatmeal

1 C raisins

1. Beat the 2 eggs in a bowl and add the tablespoon of vanilla. Go get your raisins and dump them in the bowl. Now walk away for at about 2 hours. DO NOT START THE RECIPE UNTIL YOU HAVE DONE THIS. MUY IMPORTANTE!

2. Set your oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, shortening and sugars in the mixer. In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients - except oats. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Then add the raisin and egg snot (yes, that's what it will look like) and mix well. Finally add the oats and mix until it all comes together.

Bake for 9 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.

You can thank me later. If you don't like them, go make yourself a "Team Steve" t-shirt and wear it with pride.

How many times can you say wiener?

I wish I would have dressed Clara up a little bit. I can also see from this picture it's time for a haircut. Someone is going to turn me in for child endangerment - the poor girl can't see!

We were lucky and got Wiener Whistles. Not just 1, but 2. I can't even begin to tell you how much fun I had on the ride home. I am happy to report I didn't lose my patience once - I let them blow all they wanted. That alone should qualify me for mother of the year.

Thomas was in heaven. On the way home he asked if we could get a Wienermobile when our van breaks down.

The whole gaggle of kids. 2 out of 5 looking at the camera - not too shabby!

Sometimes

Sometimes I am able to catch tender moments with my lens. Ones that I don't want to forget. Images that tell a stories of love, happiness and peaceful times.

And then upon further inspection, those same images become even more priceless because of one small detail that could have easily been missed.

Belly Up

A picture story.

I am too distraught to put our feelings into words.

Advice

If you have one of these...

and one of these...

Make sure you have a good one of these...

New Dictionary Entry

This morning Steve was getting ready for work. I was in the other room listening to the conversation Thomas was having with dad.

D: Today is your last day of school for the week. Do you know all about Q? (letter of the week)

T: Yes

Thomas and Dad start listing off words that start with Q.

D: There's really not that many words.

T: I know, it's kind of Quard.

For clarification:

Quard: \'kwärd\ adjective difficult or troublesome in respect to any word that starts with the letter Q.

How to sell on ebay

I am in the de-junking mood. I want my closets clean, my drawers organized and my house in semi-functional order. Today I was walking through the house pulling stuff to give away. I have had this workout DVD set sitting on my office desk for months now. I figured, "what the heck, let's try selling it on ebay." I was feeling a tad punchy when I sat down. I wrote the following product description thinking I would never really hit "sell now" - but I did. I guess people like honesty. Who would have thought it would sell in less than and hour.

Here was my listing...

This is the Tony Horton 10 minute trainer DVD set. I only used it 3 times - if that. What can I say, I'm a wimp!

The set includes:

-2 DVDS -one DVD has 3 workouts, the other has 2 workouts.

-1 Workout band - Used more by my kids to play "tie you up" than actually used to workout. Don't worry, still in great condition (both the band and the kids)

-The straps to use on your door to make the workout more intense - who am I kidding...I never took them out of the plastic.

-Measuring Tape - to measure all the inches that will just melt away once you start using this (hint: you have to do more than just own the DVD to see results - I learned from experience)

-Some papers that talk about what to eat, how you can look good in your jeans, and how to be a lean, mean, workout machine! There is also a nice little set of note cards you can take on vacation so you can workout in your hotel room. I am guessing there are some people out there who like to workout on vacation, go figure. That would not be me.

-Seriously, it is everything that comes in the box from the infomercial. The only thing you will not get is the 5 x 7 note card that you write your measurements on. I already used it. If you want, I can send it with my measurements written on it. This should make you feel pretty darn good about yourself!

Please buy it. I want it sold so I put the money towards my gym membership. I am hoping a membership card in my wallet will work better than a DVD in a box. Wish me luck.

Cha-Ching!! It sold for $52.99 in less than an hour. Not too shabby!!