'Tis The Season

I finally got the Christmas decorating done yesterday.

Soungsik took Isabelle to work and William took a 3 hour nap, so I had the perfect opportunity!

My house now looks like Jolly Old Saint Nick threw up in here.

It's hard to believe this mess could turn into something beautiful.

 

But it did.

 

 I am a tree Nazi.

My children are not allowed to touch this tree.

They can't help decorate it either.

Sometimes it's hard having a mother that is a complete control freak.

Because I feel guilty about not letting the kids help decorate the tree we gave them this one to decorate by themselves..

 

It takes every fiber of my being to have this in my house and not want to rip all of the decorations off and start over.  I never give in though.  I just try not to focus on it.

The poor ornaments on this three are somewhat akin to the misfit toys on misfit island.

They were the unwanted ones that got banished and no one really cares if they get broken.

Which is really a good thing, because the tree has only been up for 48 hours and I am pretty sure that at least 5 ornaments have been broken.

Isabelle did sneak a couple of "nice" ornaments to this tree, hopefully they'll survive the season.

It's finally starting to feel like Christmas around here.

Now if only we could get a foot or two of snow, that would be just perfect!

The Person That I Am, But Not Really

I have an honesty in blogging pledge.

Not to the three people who read it, but to myself.

I blog so that I can have a small history of our lives.

I could only write about how perfect I am, my children are, or my life is.

But sometimes life is less than perfect, sometimes I am less than perfect too.

The last little while I have been in a bit of a funk.

Actually it's been about two months now of zero motivation and some discouragement.

The person I am right now is not the person I am.

My bathrooms haven't been cleaned in weeks...extremely embarrassing to admit, but true.

Cleaning the house has been on a bare minimum basis.

My patience with my children has been next to nothing.

Laundry had been piling up like snow on Mount Everest.

Isabelle's school has dropped of the chart and her practicing of various things has slackened a lot.

The boxes for our Christmas tree have been stacked in my living room for 4 days.

Decorating for Christmas is usually one of my favorite things to do each year.

The list go on and on  and on, believe me.

Now that you all have me diagnosed with clinical depression let me tell you how I plan to deal with this.

First of all, I don't have depression.  

I don't even really believe in depression, it's just life and we all have to go through it. 

I have decided that the only way to get over this funk is just to buck up and do all of the things I don't want to do. 

So far today I have done 5 loads of laundry.  I now have sparkly clean bathrooms and a mostly cleaned house.  Isabelle did double practices for violin and piano.  She also had a dip back into school - she was thrilled. Tomorrow I am going to tackle that Christmas mess.  I also plan on sticking to my somewhat new rigorous exercise routine.  

I am not sure if all of this will help me get some motivation, but even if it doesn't at least my house and body will look better!  

I have been thinking about the words to a song that I love by Carrie Underwood called "So Small".

I know it's hard on a rainy day
you want to shut the world out and just be left alone
but don't run out on your faith.

It's so easy to get lost inside
a problem that seems so big at the time
it's like a river that's so wide
it swallows you whole.
While you siting 'round thinking 'bout what you can't change
and worrying about all the wrong things
time's flying by
moving so fast
you better make it count 'cause you cant get it back.

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
is just a grain of sand.
And what you've been up there searching for forever
is in your hands.
Oh when you figure out love is all that matters after all
it sure makes everything else seem so small.

Tomorrow's a new day.  I think the mountain I am climbing right now is just a grain of sand.

Hopefully I will wake up in the morning with more motivation.

It's time to be the person I really am again.

Scrumdiddlyumptious Thanksgiving!

Yesterday was my favorite holiday. I can't really pin down why it's my favorite.

It could be the food. It could be the family.

It could be that I don't have to go anywhere.

It could be the relaxing 6 hours of food preparation ending in the glorious stuffing of our faces and tummies.

It could be the 7 choices of pie that follow.

It could be the parade in the morning or the wonderful smells that fill my house.

It could be the 13 children running around the house and playing with absolutely no arguing.

It could be just the feelings of gratitude that we all tend to feel more fully on Thanksgiving.

I think it must be the culmination of all of these things.

We had such delicious food this year.

We had 3 tables of people full of people.

Here's the breakdown.

(Please notice the increasing niceness of dishes - even the little people get glass though)

You have the table reserved for the young and beautiful.

Then you have the table for the cool kids.

Here is the wise adult table.

I remember being a kid and wishing I could sit at the awesome adult table.

The one with the China and all of the food.

I finally made it, but it sounded like they were having more fun at the cool kids table.

Perhaps I want to go back to that table!

 

We were honored to have Grandma Cain (Tootie) with us this year.

She is 92 years young and one of the funniest people I know.

Or one of the easiest people to make laugh I know.

She is so positive that she would be proud of her Gandkids and Great Grandkids for just getting out of the bed in the mornings.  She would say something like "The way you get out of bed is just so impressive!  How do you do it so well?  Great job, really great job!"  She always makes you feel like you're loved and special.

She keeps trying to figure out why she can't just die already.

She said "I am not really sure what I'm supposed to learn anymore.  

I think I've learned it all."

I told her she's still here because while she is praying to die we are all praying to keep her here.

After a while all of the girls flocked to Grandpa.

 

This is not an unusual scene with this group.

I love Thanksgiving!

It doesn't get any better than this!

Hard Things

I saw a sign in a store the other day that I just HAD to get for Isabelle.

 

It is now sitting smack dab on the piano.

I felt she might need the extra reminder, just in case I stop saying it for a minute.

I bought it for Isabelle and then I started thinking how hypocritical that is.

Why should she be the only one expected to do hard things?

I have been thinking for a couple of days now about it and have decided that we can all do hard things.

That we all need to do hard things.

Why? Because it is our purpose in life as humans.  Because it is our responsibility as citizens.

But most importantly because we are part of a family.

And families can't stay together and be happy unless they are ALL willing to do the hard things.

Sometimes the "hard things" aren't really that hard.

Such as giving the kids some Christmas presents early and with a good attitude because they happened to stumble upon them underneath my bed.

 

 They were very happy and I learned a valuable lesson.

Underneath your bed is off territory for presents a month before Christmas.

Sometimes we do things that aren't very enjoyable because we are part of a family.

 

Soungsik asked me today if he was the only one who hated putting up Christmas lights.

I told him everyone hates putting them up, but we all love them once they are there.

This "hard thing" was to make other people - small people - happy.

So maybe it's worth it.

My hard things today were hard simply because they are so mundane and never ending.

You mothers all know what I am talking about.

The dreaded laundry, cleaning, dishes, helping children practice, feeding people, making sure people wash hands after using the bathroom and brush their teeth, etc. etc. etc. and so on and so forth forever.

But I do it.

Why?  Because I am part of a family.

I am learning more everyday that the mom is the super glue of the family.

When I get weak and fall apart so does everything else around me.

So we will continue to do the hard things.

Why?  

Because we can.

Because it's worth it.

Because when we do hard things they become easy.

Because when we do hard things we get blessings.

Because when we do hard things we become stronger.

Because when we do hard things our love for others grow.

Because most of our hard things aren't actually that hard.

Because we have been given this life as a gift,

we will not waste it.

I can do hard things...and so can you.

Sr. Blue Belt Test

This morning Isabelle had belt testing for her Sr. Blue belt.

This puts her just over the halfway point to her black belt. How cool is that?

Today she had a decent test.  She did pretty good, but it wasn't the best I have ever seen from her.

 

It was still very impressive for an almost 6 year old!

Isabelle doesn't get nervous for testings anymore.

I still get nervous enough for the both of us.

I love that taekwondo is a part of our lives.

 

I especially love that it is something my kids can enjoy doing with their dad!

Here's Isabelle's breaking technique.

Fast, Frantic, and Fabulous Friday

We had a very busy day today.

Here's the breakdown of all of the fun.

We went and watched the youth performance of the "Nine Dragons" at Kingsbury Hall. 

 It was quite cold.  We are expecting a big winter storm tonight but it seemed that the big winter chilly wind came first. On the drive downtown we had Isabelle and Natalie in my car. 

Because of the lame "Occupy Wall Street" movement there was 1, yes 1, tent set up in Pioneer Park.

As we drove past Isabelle said "Look there's a tent!"

Natalie quickly and excitedly replied

"Wow that is an awesome place to camp!"

Jenny and I laughed pretty hard after that one.

The kids LOVED the show.  They all said it was great.  I almost fell asleep twice.  It wasn't horrible, I was just really tired I guess.  It was slightly politically correct, but that seems to be the norm with everything these days. The girls loved all of the costumes and Isabelle has been acting like a dragon for the better part of today.   Kingsbury Hall is located on the University of Utah campus so we decided to stop at the campus cafeteria for lunch.  That was a little interesting.  I didn't have any college boys hit on my which I am pretty sure would have happened 10 years ago. They have a cool soda machine.  It's very technologically advanced with a touchscreen and everything.  Luckily I had my 5 year old daughter teach me how to run it! My sister said they also have a technologically advance sink in the bathroom that automatically turns the water on, pumps the soap and dries your hands in the same location.  Luckily for her there was a young college student who was nice enough to assist my elderly sister and she showed her how to use it.

It was very clear that we 3 old moms and our group of little ducklings were quite out of place on a campus.  I think I may go back to college just so I can sit in a college cafeteria and read a book.  Those kids think their lives are hard - sheesh I would kill for their cafeteria and with it's cool soda machines and fancy shmancy sinks!

Then it was off on a shopping trip to Kohls with Isabelle.  It is so funny taking my daughter shopping.  She gets very analytical and says lots of things like "Ooooh mom, aren't these earrings just the best?  They would look fabulous on you!" and "Ooooh, this thing is something that I have always wanted.  Don't you think I would just be the cutest in this?!?"

After that we ventured to the Primary's Ice Cream Party. 
Where there is is ice cream, there I'll be.

The kids ate buckets of ice cream and had a lot of fun!

We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE primary and can't wait until William is officially in it too!

Tonight we had a girl party.  I love girl parties.  I love them when they are for the big girls and I still love them when they are for the little girls.

We big girls know how to have fun, but the little girls take fun to a whole new level.

 

Faith (right) was giving all of the girls makeovers.

She did a pretty good job.  I may hire her to come do Isabelle's hair before church on Sundays.

 

Lois fell in love with Yepi and didn't put her down the entire night.

If by chance she did put Yepi down for a second another girl would sweep in and pick up the poor neglected dog.

 

The girls opened up an ice cream shop.

(I know these pictures aren't great.  I am still learning how to take pictures with my phone.  Thus far I have had very little success, so just take what you can get  please.)

 

How could you not love a group of girls this adorable?

And they have adorable personalities to match too.

We are so blessed to live in an area where Isabelle can have so many wonderful friends.

Long live girl parties!

It's my turn next time!

It's nice to have days like today, however, I am grateful that most days are a little less eventful.

It is snowing a beautiful heavy snow outside now. 

The storm is officially upon us.

I will rest well tonight.

Locked Out

The kids and I were recently locked out of a local Utah business and we had to wait for someone to get there to open the door. We waited in our car for around 40 minutes.  Actually we were locked out of our Taekwondo center in Lehi.  I may or may not have left the keys at home.  

Sometimes when you are stuck in a car people start to get strange.

To be more precise 1 person got strange.

And 1 person grew impatient and angry.

His preferred position in the car these days looks more like this.

1 person liked the fact that she had 40 minutes to sit down with nothing more to do than watch a couple of goofy kids and listen to music.

Someone eventually came and broke up the party and unlocked the doors. Then the crazy busy routine of life didn't miss a beat and we were back to normal.  Perhaps I'll forget my keys at home every once and a while when I need to recuperate.  Maybe next time I'll get a babysitter for my kids and then go somewhere and just sit in my car.  Worse things could happen. 

My Soapox: Chocolate Lovers Unite

I'm thinking of adding a new feature to my blog.  My Soapbox.  These will be posts were I rant and rave about things that make me crazy.  Feel free to pass these posts up if you are only looking for the positive things in life!

There is a new disturbing trend happening with our food.

Food companies are having a difficult time and consequently are trying to think of new ways to charge the same amount but give us less food.  They think that the general public is too dim witted to see what they are doing.
And perhaps they are correct.

First they started doing things like making cereal boxes skinnier.  They look like the same size from the front but when you pick it up you can see they are much smaller.  Pieces of gum are also getting smaller.  You have to eat at least 2 if you actually want something to chew.

The trick that bothers me the most is that they are filling up our food with air.  They first did it to yogurt.  They knew that no one truly loves yogurt so most people wouldn't care. I tried "whipped" yogurt once - it's not good.  Then they started whipping frosting and pudding.  This made me upset.  Whipped pudding is also not tasty and yet millions of women are buying it believing it's luxurious.  Wake up you women - it's not luxurious - IT'S PUDDING (also "pearl" tampons don't make you a princess either)!  Whipped frosting actually spreads nicely but it takes twice as much to frost a cake.  The only food that should be whipped is whipped cream.  They can whip the daylights out of that for all I care.
Those evil food geniuses! They have finally crossed a line.  I will be apathetic only so far.  They have now started filling my chocolate kisses with air holes.  AIR HOLES!  And they are marketing it like it is some great gift they are doing for us!  When I buy chocolate I expect chocolate - not air!  If I want more air I will breathe more deeply.  Chocolate lovers unite.  We must not fall for their tricks.  Make a pledge to yourself today to never buy chocolate filled with air.  You deserve better.  Our monthly hormones deserve better.  Our 'late nights we can't believe the kids are actually in bed' deserve better!  

And off of the soapbox I step.

The Grades For The Day

Some days we just don't bring our A game.

Today was one of those days for me.  In all honesty it's been one of those months for me!

If I am going to grade myself today I think it's only fair that I grade my family.

William has earned a 95% for the day.

He lost 10% for ridiculously stinky diapers and knocking over my crafting table, but he earned 5% back for extreme cuteness.

He was such a good little boy today that it starts to make you think "Why don't I have another one of these little darlings?".  These thoughts don't usually last for more than a day - hence no new babies.  We had our primary program today and since Soungsik and I both needed to sit on the stand we opted to take William up with us.  This was a risky decision that could have totally backfired.  We lucked out and William was better than he has probably ever been in sacrament meeting.  Maybe I should speak to the bishop and see if we can sit on the stand every week.  He was even better than a few of the older children!  When I went to take him to nursery he just went in all by himself and when Soungsik and I went to pick him up after he joyously yelled "mommy!"  so he got a few brownie points!  He took a nap, said thank you for lunch, cuddled and gave me at least 10 kisses before he went quietly off to bed.  Thinking about it now I should give him 100% but some smells are just inexcusable.  

Isabelle has earned 95% also.

She started off the day great by sneaking into my bed and cuddling up to me.  She waited until I woke up and then we had girl talk for about 10 minutes on important issues like what dresses we wanted to wear to church, how we would do our hair, what color of nail polish would look beautiful on us and what we should make for breakfast.  During the primary program Isabelle had her part perfectly memorized and did so great.  She sat so quietly and sang lovely as well.  I have no idea how she was the rest of church - I hope good!  I took 15% away from Isabelle during piano and violin practice and 5% for spilling milk after I told her I'd pour it. She earned 15% back when she told me at bedtime "Mommy you are the best, best mommy a girl ever had!!!"  Even though we have our rough mommy/daughter moments most of the time she is a pure joy.  I just love watching the person she is growing into.

Soungsik has earned...hummm...it's kind of hard to grade your husband.

I'll do it anyways.  He gets 85%.  He had lost 50% for making us late to church this week (not entirely his fault) but I gave him 35% percent back for cutting and sanding wood blocks for me in the freezing cold for two hours yesterday.  He is so mellow and laid back.  In fact sometimes I wonder if we get along a little too well.  Oh we have our "conversations" every now and again, but for the most part we are just enjoying growing old together.  Today Soungsik took William with him during the primary program - brownie points.  He also made lunch and was so patient with me when I had a meltdown this morning.  He is my new team teacher in primary and I love it.  He thinks he is very serious and mean with the kids, but in reality the boys in class are having a blast playing with him.  The jury is still out on if he helps in class or not!  He keeps making me watch really stupid westerns, but then he makes up for it by making me laugh. Yep, I think I'll keep him.

Me?  I only get 65%.  I started off the day so well.  I had the best of intentions.  We had a nice, relaxed morning. My lesson was prepared the night before including delicious cookies.  Isabelle and I got up and painted nails and made a hot breakfast for a cold morning.  The kids got in the tub. The begged to play for 10 more minutes so being the great mom I am I said "you bet kids, no hurry, we have all the time in the world."  Oh yes, I was really on the ball this morning.  I took Isabelle into the bathroom to start off on the beautiful ringlets we had previously decided to do in our hair.  My husband came into the room, still in his pajamas and asked "What time does our church start anyways?"  I looked at him like he was one of the most mindless people ever, rolled my eyes a little, and then said "11:00 honey...the exact same time it has started for the past 2 years."  I mean really..DUH!  He then informed me "Well it is 11:00."  From there my voice began in a normal tone and increasingly got more high pitched, loud, and frantic.  I sounded something like this..."What?  What time did you say?  Are you kidding me?  That's not even funny Soungsik!  Not funny one bit!  What time is it really?  We still have an hour left before church."  Of course I didn't wait for him to answer.  Walking over to the clock..."I can't believe you would tease me like this!  It is not 11:00.  That's not possible.  Some of us have been up for four hours.  It doesn't take 4 hours to get 3 people ready for church.  You are so mean to tease me like that...HOLY MOLEY!  CRAP - IT'S 11:00!  But my hair and makeup aren't done.  Isabelle and William's hair isn't done.  We don't have shoes on!  I don't' even know where the shoes are!  Is William stinky?  NO - we don't have time for stinky!!!  I don't care if I rip all of your hair out Isabelle - we don't have time to care!  The tangles must be gone and gone now!"....Getting in the car... "We don't need seat belts.  We don't even have time to die! A car crash would make us way too  late - no we won't be doing that today! Why of all weeks do I have to loose my mind on the day of the primary program!"  If we would have missed Isabelle's part I don't think she ever would have forgiven me. Luckily we got there well before the program started. Granted my makeup was bad, my hair, Isabelle's hair, and William's hair was still undone, but we ALL had shoes on and they even matched!  It was then that I realized I forgot my program so I didn't know when I needed to send kids up, bad teacher (they all made it anyways).  I also forgot to bring Isabelle's scriptures.  She was one of the only kids without them when we sang Scripture Power, bad mom.  I watched jealously as one of Isabelle's cute friends walked up to the pulpit with beyond curly ringlets, bad mom.  One of the boys in my class had his chair breaking.  I just sat and watched him fix it on his own, bad teacher.  I watched as one naughty boy, no make that 2 naughty boys that were being annoying.  I did nothing. I was emotionally spent, bad teacher.  In class I only gave a 10 minute lesson and we talked and ate cookies and goofed off the rest of the time, bad teacher.  I fed my children peanut butter and honey sandwiches and peaches for dinner, bad mom.  I put Isabelle straight into her pajamas after church - it saves time right?  It is almost 11:00 and Isabelle is still awake.  It turns out that tonight I don't really care, bad mom.  My sink is full of dirty dishes that I have zero intention of washing tonight, bad wife. 

All that being said I was pretty happy today.  Today was a nice day.  I think I'll do much better tomorrow.

I think I'll care a little more.  I have the best of intentions... we all know how well those worked out for me today.
I am the best best mommy a girl could have!

I could probably take over the world if I put in an A day!

Children's Museum

The kids and I headed off to the Children's Museum on Friday.

Now I am going to be a little bit of a fuddy duddy, but I don't like the Children's Museum.

I can't really get over the employee making me spit my gum out last time.

Just like a mean teacher in middle school or something.

That incident and the fact that my kids end up playing mostly in the "grocery store" with the exact same plastic food that we have at home are two of the reasons why I don't love it there.  Since I am an awesome mom I take the kids, because they love it there.

 Here's William playing with the same trains that are at Grandma's house.

 

Yippee kay yay my city children...

 

There's a new sheriff in town.

 

As it turns out you don't have to teach boys how to use cranks.

The water was a pretty big hit.

My musical children also loved this.

 

Their favorite thing was the ball area. 

I don't know what it is actually called but there are hundreds of balls that you can drop down tubes or get them sucked up tubes, ect.  I was so proud of both of my kids on Friday.

 William had about 8 bigger kids just rip balls out of his hands.

I was watching and thinking "Should I butt in and be one of those mom's that does everything for her kids?"

I decided not to since no one was being hurt.

After a while a kid came up and tried to grab a ball out of Williams hands.

William gripped that ball like his life depended on it and looked the kid straight in the eyes and ROARED as load as he could. The kid looked frightened and I just sat in my chair and chuckled a little inside.

Why on Earth was I thinking William would ever need my protection?

I have learned my lesson and so has that other little ball stealing boy.

Many of the children were lets say "ball hogging".

Filling up baskets with 20 or 30 balls and then keeping them all to themselves.

(Another reason I don't love the Children's Musem)

Not Isabelle though.

At first she was just sharing with William

After a little while she got a basket and filled it full of balls.

Again I just sat and watched, to see if my daughter would become a ball hogger.

Instead of keeping the balls she took about 4 or 5 younger kids up the stand with her and shared all of the balls.  In fact she did this multiple times.  I was such a proud mama.

So I guess the Children's Museum wasn't as bad as I remember it being.

I got to see a glimpse of what I hope will be my children's etiquette for life, 

and they got to have a great time.

We may even go again sometime.

It's not hard being a mom when you have kids like these!

We Love Halloween

This past week Soungsik, William and myself took turns being sick.  Isabelle lucked out of it this time. Because of the sickness not much got done this week and Halloween crept up on us.

We have had a wonderful time this Halloween. 

It was so warm this year that it didn't even feel like the end of October.

(It started snowing today, so we got very lucky!) 

I am not complaining about the warmth - it was perfect.  

 Isabelle wore her rag doll costume from last year to school.

Her costume this year would have been destroyed at school.

After I dressed her up in this I wondered to myself

"Why on Earth did I make a new costume for this year?"

The answer echoed loud in my mind, it is because she is my first child.

It's easy to forget that you are a "first time" mom when your baby is almost 6.

I am sure I will have this revelation over and over again over the next 14 years.

On Sunday night we had a family party at our house.

It was quite fun.

 For dinner people brought different kinds of soups.

I never knew you could get so full on soup.

It was delicious!

After dinner we got into pumpkin carving.

It was very messy.

 

Isabelle is looking at Cameron like

"What moron gave an 11 year old boy a knife that big?"

The answer is, I don't know, it wasn't me, and fortunately no fingers were amputated.

I had dreams of carving all 7 of our pumpkins.

After completing 2 Soungsik and I decided that was plenty of pumpkins guts for 1 year.

 

I did the ghosts and Soungsik did the cat.

If you ask Isabelle the cat pumpkin is hers.  She did it.

I mean she did pick the pattern out and delegate a little, 

we all know those are the most crucial parts of pumpkin carving.

Then it was onto the costum fashion show.

Ooh la la.

 

Best costumes of the year were the minions.

William thought they were real.

He was fascinated by them and just kept saying "hi...hi...hi".

All of the cousins looked adorable.

 

Hayden was using his Jedi force around the house.

It was very intimidating.

 Lily declared herself the Queen of ALL People.

Yoda and the Queen kept battling each other for superiority.

I still don't know who won.

William was a puppy.

 

I am a horrible mom. 

I didn't get very many pictures of William.

He never stops moving so I can't ever get good pictures of him.

He was a pretty cute little puppy!

William LOVED trick-or-treating.

He got the hang of it after about 2 houses.

After all he wasn't born yesterday!

Isabelle was a peacock.

 

We had fun making this costume this year.

Isabelle was especially excited to get to wear makeup.

 

She is as pretty as a peacock!

A peacock with attitude!

Happy Halloween!