Whew!

What kind of friend am I? I drop an opinionated hot-topic bomb on you and then leave for two weeks? There are good excuses my friends. Good excuses.

Excuse #1 Visitors!

Excuse #2 More Visitors!

My brother and his family from New Mexico came to spend Valentines/President's Day weekend. The cousins were thrilled to be with each other; so thrilled they couldn't sleep at night. Spouse and my brother stayed up to the wee hours of the morning discussing important things like guns and freedoms and stuff. My SIL pulled through for me and helped out at our primary activity on Saturday morning. Spouse and I did our best to convince them to move closer to us. After a morning at the zoo, they left for home around noon on Monday.

#1 and cousin - static heads

It wasn't like this all the time. #2 and his cousin were great playmates.

My good brother and my good Spouse still solving the world's problems.

Lunch break at the zoo.

SIL, brother and their little baby, outside the monkey village - at the zoo, people, not my house.

Quick change of bedding, bathroom cleaning and a trip to the grocery store and we were ready for our next guests, Spouse's parents, who arrived Tuesday afternoon. As usual they came bearing gifts, hugs and happy times for us. Grandma J tirelessly read to, played with and indulged my children with grandmotherly attention. Grandpa J treated us to movies, boat-rides, and many meals out (something we don't do much of anymore). They left us with full hearts, an extra 5 pounds for me, and a closet full of pressed shirts for Spouse.

#3 and her Grandpa at the Tempe Beach Park

#2, #3 and patient Grandma playing Sequence For Kids.

Spouse's dad is a real guitar player, so he caught onto Guitar Hero quite naturally. Spouse's mom is trying not to get sick from the rolling notes on the screen. I can relate.

#3 rockin' out on the drums

#1, with her Grandma at Mimi's for breakfast.

Now it's back to reality and the responsibilities I seemed to forget while our visitors were here. That is unless I can entice any more visitors our way...... (hint. hint).

An all boys party

Several months ago Spouse informed me that #2's 4th birthday party was going to be with all boys. Spouse made baseball card invitations with #2's face superimposed over Kurt Wariner's body. He painted lines on our grass and set up a football goal standard. There was going to be nothing girly about this party.

And so 8 little boys came to our house yesterday to play soccer, baseball, football; break open a baseball pinata; and wrestle each other WWF style in our bounce house. I naively had planned fun little games involving the sports equipment. But 4 year old boys have no attention span, and resist being directed when they're interested in other things. After a while I just gave up and let them play. If I hadn't already been convinced, yesterday proved again how different girls and boys are.

For example, at a little girl's party the girls socialize and pretty much stick together as a group. They say please and thank you. They like organized games and can sit still for a number of minutes. However, little girls are fixated on order and fairness and who gets to sit where and by whom. And ultimately, someone's feelings get hurt and there are tears.

Compare that to a little boys party where the boys are happy to play by themselves and aren't very interested in what the others are doing. When there is a disagreement, the stronger one just rips whatever he wants from the little one and it's over. They aren't interested in rules and winning games. They just want to do what they want to do. Cleaniless and good manners are just things someone tells them to do and which they usually ignore.

You mothers of all girls may be smugly relieved you don't have to deal with the unknown - the masculine side of life - things like your almost four year old son exiting the bathroom in just his briefs with half of his privates squished out of one side saying "hey mom, look at this!" But little do you know how much you are missing of a boy's uncomplicated affection and easiness to please.

I think we could have thrown rocks at a wall for an hour and #2 would have been equally pleased with his party - providing there was cake and balloons of course. Next year I'll be wiser. Happy Birthday #2!

$$$ lessons

A few weeks before Christmas #1 got her ears pierced and yesterday marked the 6th week.  And as all girls know, that is an important week.  No more cleaning and twisting the earrings three times a day.  Six weeks means that you can safely remove the studs and finally wear the earrings you've been waiting to wear. 

In celebration of the 6th week, #1 took the contents of her big and small piggy banks to the Coinstar machine at the grocery to see if she had enough money to buy a new pair of earrings.  I warned her not to expect much, maybe only $6 or $7.

We were both surprised that the machine counted up $25.46!  #1's eyes glossed over with all the possibilities.  At Target she picked out a nice set of earrings and proudly removed her twenty dollar bill from her little wallet to pay for them.  

Do you remember how confusing money used to seem?  How could one bill (say, a twenty) be better than four bills (like, four ones)?  #1 experienced a bit of that confusion when the cashier gave her $4 back in change.  #1 reacted like she had just hit the jackpot!  

"Four hundred!" she exclaimed!   

I told her, "Actually, those are four one dollar bills."

"And each one is a hundred!"

"Well. Each one is one hundred cents. One hundred pennies."

"I know!  Four Hundred cents!"

We walked around Target a little bit longer, to see if there was anything else she wanted to buy with her money. She wanted to buy #2 a birthday present and kept choosing things way out of her price range.  When I would say, "That costs $42 and you only have $9."  She would briefly look deterred then she would say, "Then you buy it!" After a while she started to understand things like:

Once your money is gone, you don't have anymore.

You can only buy something if you have enough money.

You should only get things you really want.

You know, things most adults haven't figured out yet.  She finally decided on getting him a $0.98 Bottle Pop.

On our way home she opened her wallet and spread the remains of her wealth across her lap.  Maybe feeling little sad that she didn't have $25 anymore, she asked, "Mom, how can I get more money?"

Before I had a chance to answer she added, "And I don't want any of your money. You're low on money. I want new money."

Yes. I am low on money.  So I pose the question to you readers: How can my 6 year old get more money?  Any simple money raising ideas?

PS This really is for #1 and not for me.  

#4

You are familiar with my children, #1, #2, and #3. But have I ever mentioned #4? #4 does not live with us on a permanent basis. But once or twice a year we get to enjoy him for a 7-10 day stay. The symptoms started early in the week and by the weekend we said goodbye to Spouse and hello to #4. The culprit this time: strep throat.

Here are the differences between Spouse and #4:

Spouse is helpful. #4 lays in bed all day.

Spouse is independent. #4 needs me to bring him water and tuck blankets around his neck.

Spouse is fun and playful. #4 needs peace and quiet.

Spouse listens to me complain and wants to solve my problems. #4 can't hear problems and in fact is a problem.

Spouse takes care of me. I take care of #4.

Spouse is a MAN. #4 is a CHILD.



Fortunately I think #4 has one foot out the door and I see glimpses of my man returning to life.

Here are some gross and disturbing pictures. Faint of heart: look away. I say, look away.



What you see here is a picture of normal mouth structure and color. Notice the size and color of a normal uvula (that little piece that hangs down at the back of the throat). And isn't that a lovely tongue?


Compare that to this uvula. Gross huh? Apparently sometimes the infection will spread to the uvula causing this freakish appendage. What made me notice? Spouse complained that he felt like he couldn't breath. I had a hard time getting a great picture. You know, to really do the thing justice. But you can see the thickness of the base.




It was about the size of a pinkie hanging down the back of his throat.


It's almost the size of his nostrils.



I love you Spouse.

Went to the snow

At the last minute Spouse and I decided to take our family to the snow. Having spent my childhood years in snow-less country, I can relate to my desert children's uninformed excitement over the mysterious white stuff. So we braved storms, and snowdrifts and drove all day finally reaching the icy driveway of my in-laws. The next morning was busy getting ourselves ready for 9:00 am church. Somewhere in the shuffle #2 went missing but was soon found shivering and panicing and covered in a white layer of snow. No one had told him that snow was cold! Just like in the movies he'd been watching, he bounced outside in just his church clothes, dove into the snow and rolled around only to discover that wet and cold isn't very comfortable.

Later that day we surprised my parents by showing up at their doorstep. We hadn't told them we were coming. Fortunately, they were happy to see us. My mom cried! She said the only other time she's been so surprised was when we announced we were pregnant with #1.

It was a wonderful week full of family, cousins, late nights, the in-laws cabin, yummy food and of course, SNOW!

#2 working on his snow angel

my snow angel #3

Spouse helped the kids build a snowman. It's not finished in this picture. They made Shi-fu (?) from Kung Fu Panda (which they watched 3 times on the drive) complete with mouse ears and droopy whiskers.

#3 and her beebees. She was thrilled this one actually moved and cried!

#1, #2 and cousins "helping" Nana with the cookies.

Our wintery view at the cabin.

Spouse trying to re-live his pool hall days in the brother's tournament.

The Elfmobile. This is what brought us (and all of our stuff) up and down the mountain.

With Their Eyes All Aglow

For Spouse and I, our joy at Christmas comes from the smiles and excitement in our children; hearing them tell the nativity story in their own words; listening to them talk of Santa when they think they can't be heard.

Our Christmas was happy and fulfilling. Here's some of the action:

Christmas Eve party with friends, complete with pinata.

#2 giving it a crack

White elephant gift exchange. Here is the lucky recipient of my goofy offering.

Just before bed on Christmas Eve. Judging by their faces in this picture you would have thought the children would have had trouble sleeping. Actually they conked out quite fast. The days of laying awake all night haven't arrived yet. Did you do that?

Christmas morning galore! #3 and her "beebee"

Argh matey! #2's pirate ship was a pleaser.

Does #1 look disappointed to you? She was though she never confessed it. You see that doll next to her stocking? Well, Santa couldn't afford the real American Girl doll, so he found a very nice generic brand hoping she wouldn't notice. She did. Here's the kicker: later she opened a real American Girl doll from her Grandma. Ahhh! Foiled again. Point: Grandma J

#3 fell in love with this kitten at her cousin's house at Thanksgiving. Point: JLJ & Spouse.

#2 was so polite and restrained opening his gifts this year. A far cry from last year's performance!

#1 mastering her Leapster game.

Son, don't you think you're a little too big for that chair?

Christmas Feast!

This is how we all felt after dinner. "I ate tooo muuuuch."

Me and the Spouse

Woo hoo! New jammies! Check out those Spiderman wings.

And goodnight.

Rest Assured

Never fear, concerned readers. Since my last post I've gotten my act together (a little bit). And just to prove I haven't been holed up in bed, eating peanut butter balls and shirking responsibilities I've included a few pictures.

Little rat spazzing out at our ward party.

It's uncanny how many people have stopped us lately to say that #2 looks just like Ralphy. Not so much in this picture with the fake nose.

#1 at her ballet recital. She was heartbreakingly lovely, grown up and graceful.

Ralphy was a blur during the recital.

#1 and I braving the crotchety ushers to see the student matinee of Ballet Arizona's The Nutcracker.

Nothing like lights at the temple to get your kids hyped up. This is a direct quote from one of the 6 year olds, "Oh look at baby Jesus! He is so cute! Mary is so cute!"

And so you see, I've been out and about. Now, don't press your luck. But if you're really, really good I may just out-do myself and post another entry before the end of the year.