Let's All Breathe a Sigh Of Relief

Before Ben had to run out the door for work Lily said, "Stop Daddy!  Your tie!" and handed him Skyler's tie.  You know what, it actually goes with his shirt.  Maybe people wouldn't notice the slight size difference...

This weekend Ben went to Utah.  By himself.  To visit family.

Now we've been separated for a few days at a time before, but only when I've lived with my parents.  So this was kind of a big deal. 

Here are this past weekend's biggest accomplishments:

1. I did not get killed by a serial killer who apparently WASN'T lurking around my house at night time with a variety of scary weapons.
2. I managed to get through all 3 hours of church.  Ummm.... that's a big deal.  I happen to have a son (who shall remain nameless) who is infamous for crying gallons of tears each Sunday in nursery (for example, someone in my ward said that when her kids heard a baby crying in Sacrament Meeting they didn't even turn around and said, "it's probably [my nameless son]".  I'm begining to wonder if our nursery leaders have to stick an IV in him to keep him hydrated.  When that is combined with another sibling who is new to using the potty, church is quite the adventure.  But it was a miracle.  I actually survived.  And managed to make pudding for my CTR 4 class.
3. I listened to my children stay up until 9:30 because they're party animals when they share a room.  Might I add that they requested to go to bed 15 minutes early (6:45).  I honestly thought to myself, "HOW AWESOME!"  They converted their beds into trampolines and jumped their hearts out.  Not literally, though.  That would be really gross.  AND deadly. 

So it was a successful weekend but we're excited to have Ben come home.  The babies always look at me so disappointed when I get them out of bed first thing in the morning.  :(

And stay tuned for a post this week about an addition to our family.  And no I'm not pregnant.  And no, it's not a pet.  Although I can say that it will be babied probably as much as either.  By Ben, that is.  Not me.  I doubt I could baby something that weighs over 600 pounds.  Dun, dun, DUN!!!!

Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

Double: 2 of something

Toil: hard and continuous work; exhausting labor or effort

Trouble: to disturb the mental calm and contentment therof

Yeah.  I don't think that Will Shakespeare knew that he perfectly described my children this week when he was writing about King Macbeth.

They got into the cabinets to try on different "bowl"er hats.  Can you imagine the fashion faux pas should they wear them in public?!  I mean, they're practically identical.  Thank goodness one is 3Qt. and the other is a 5 Qt.  Let's all breathe a sigh of relief.

So this wasn't trouble, but it was very cute.  One day they walked around the house, side by side, joking in their own little toddler language and cracking up.  I couldn't understand any of their words to save my life.  Then Lily took my library book and started teaching Skyler his ABC's.  Although I think it's pretty safe to say that Skyler knows just as many letters as she does.

 No I don't have bad aiming skills with my camera.  I just have a daughter who was very jumpy after eating cookie dough.  And speaking of making cookies, here's another one of my Double, Double, Toil and Trouble stories. 

We were going to make chocolate crinkles.  You know, the chocolate cookies that are small, round, and thick that are covered in powdered sugar?  Yeah.  Well, my little "helpers" decided to change the cookbook's page on me when I went into the pantry for more ingredients.  Unfortunately the other recipe was a chocolate cookie with the same ingredients, just different amounts.  So I didn't notice what they had done until I had finished making the cookies.  I give you 1/2 chocolate crinkles, 1/2 Cocoa Mexican Wedding cookies. 

They're DISGUSTING.  Good thing the kids think they're great!

Apparently I have been sitting on stools the wrong way my whole life.  And since every time I told him to smile he pulled up this face.....

I made Lily tickle him.  :)

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while, but honestly, it's just not that interesting.  Ben and I aren't rolling in money.  I wish we were.  But most of our spare money right now is going into things that we need in our house and food storage.  Now I am no expert at getting food storage done, but it's a relief to have something extra just in case.  I think the most painful thing that I could witness is to see my children go hungry because I wanted to spend my money on something frivolous.

And speaking of food, one thing that Ben and I have been trying to do for quite a few months now is to become "part time vegetarians."  We try, emphasis on the word "try", to eat vegetarian every other day because it's healthier, cheaper, and Word of Wisdom-ier.  We're still not perfect at it yet.  Don't worry, I'm not going to judge anyone who does anything differently than us, because let's get real: I could eat filet mignon everyday if I could afford it and if it was healthy.  But I can say that my body feels better and now when I try to eat the same amount of meat that I did before I feel pretty miserable. I am always on the lookout for more vegetarian recipes so if you have any good ones send them my way!

All on a Sunday Morning

Ben's Post

Yesterday, Lily and I had the opportunity to stay home from church. I have been sick and Lily was acting like something was wrong with her. She was so upset that Mommy and Skyler went to church without her that it took quite a while for me to calm her down. I finally asked her if she wanted to watch a movie about church.

I put in the Joseph Smith video that the church has playing in the legacy theater and then we snuggled on the couch. She got up and ran around a bit, but she would always come back when something important was happening and sit quietly until it finished.

During the the movie the spirit was so strong. As it neared the end I could feel the spirit telling me that the things I was see really had happened. That the Lord does not want us to wander aimlessly here on earth and that he really does have a plan for each and everyone of us, but especially for me. The church was reorganized so that you and I can know of our potential and get an eternal view of what God has done for us.

As the movie ended I looked at Lily as she sat looking at the TV. I asked her, "Lily, how do you feel?"

She looked at me with one of her amazing smiles and said, "really really good, Daddy."

I pulled her in close and explained that the reason why she felt good was the Holy Ghost telling her that what she had seen was important and that Heavenly Father loves her so much. What a special experience this has been for me. Many times Heather and I have wondered if what we are trying to teach our children is making an impact. Watching Lily and seeing her response to the spirit reinforces that that we are doing something right.

I am so grateful for what he Lord has given me. He has given me everything I have. A beautiful wife who loves me a lot more than I deserve most of the time and children who love me too. A good job and a home. Parents who raised me the right way and were willing to let me make mistakes and were there for me when I needed them most.

I am eternally grateful for the Savior. His life He freely gave so that I can be made whole. He was the perfect example of how to live and how to love. I know that God sent Him to help lift us and support us in our deepest trials and to rejoice with us when we suceed. I know that He lives.

I can't imagine my life without the hope that the atonement brings. How difficult it would be for me to go day to day without knowing that God loves me and that I have a chance to be with Him again. To know that my family will be there for me even after this life and that I can be with them eternally. To know that I have worth.

Honestly, I have known these things for most of my life, but to sit with my daughter on a Sunday morning and experience these feelings all over again, I can't quite discribe what that is like.

You Know... The Holidays When I Celebrate My Mom

Yes I know this post is coming late.  And I'm a pretty punctual person.  Actually I'm pretty OCD about being on time.  But anyway, Easter was a fabulous holiday in that it was also my mom's birthday.  So we went to church with my parents and then went back to their house for a fabulous faux-thanksgiving/birthday dinner. And holy guacamole!  The Easter Bunny stopped by their house, too.  He left stuff like candy, toys, and an easter egg hunt in the backyard.  My kids were pretty excited.  It's a good thing the Easter Bunny barely left them anything at our house because between potty training, Nanni and Papa's birthdays (my dad is 3 days older than my mom) and Easter, my kids had their fair share of sugar.  Let the bouncing off the walls commence.

 Captain Handsome Pants got his shirt all wet so he had to do the egg hunt in just his, er, Handsome Pants.

I'll give a gold star and the remainder of my kids' easter candy to whoever can find my dog in this picture.

Mother's Day was awesome as usual.  I woke up to chocolate chip waffles, bacon, and eggs in bed.  We went to church where the kids were untoddlerishly awesome.  I came home, ate lunch, took a 3 hour nap, and woke up to a steak dinner, which my parents also accompanied us for.  Oh yeah and Ben made us chocolate covered strawberries.  Yum-o.  

And a pic of me and my mom.  Because I can't even remember the last time we had our pics taken together. 

One of the curses of being a family member or dear friend means that you have no idea when you're going to be mentioned on my blog.  HEE!  HEE!  HEE!  HAW!  HAW! HAW!  (That's my evil laugh that I stole from the chef in The Little Mermaid.  Watch it.  You'll realize how awesome it is.  Please note that you must do it with a French accent to perfect the scariness.)  Anyway, here are a few things I bet you didn't know about my mom:

• She was an interior designer in Beverly Hills before she became a mom.
• She served her mission in Madrid, Spain.
• She lived in Samoa for 3 years when she was a teenager.
• When she laughs hard, I laugh harder because I'm laughing at her laugh because it's just, well, laughable. Oh yeah, and then I cry afterwards because I laughed too hard.  My sister, Becca, does it, too.
• She only turned me down once when I said the infamous words: "Can I keep him/her?!?!?!" regarding pets of every species.  Although I'm pretty sure she's said those words to my dad quite a few times, too....
• Her favorite flowers are lilies.  Good choice, Mom.  And no, I'm not biased toward lilies AT ALL.  I would never name my daughter that or anything.  Or put them in my wedding bouquet.  Or plant them in your yard.

Just for the record, I don't need holidays/birthdays to remember how awesome/cool/lovable my mom is.  Because she's like that all the time.

Things I've Learned Along the Way...

I've been thinking a lot about motherhood lately.... if "lately" means every day for the last 3 years.  And in honor of Mother's Day being this weekend, I thought I'd write this down.

Besides getting married, becoming a mother is the best choice I've ever made.  Not even kidding.  And to my children: I truly mean it.  I'm not just sucking up to you so you don't stick me in a mental hospital when I'm old.

I've learned a lot of unexpected things on this journey:

• Kids are super forgiving.
• You don't have to be on drugs to have hallucinations.  Sleep deprivation will do the trick.  And no, this is not an exaggeration.
• Kids can eat PB&J every single day.  I meanwhile convince myself that there's got to be SOME nutrients hiding in all that sliminess.
• If you have a boy you will inevitably be peed on at some point.  Although, as of today, (BRACE YOURSELVES FOR SOMETHING NASTY) I have officially had Lily's pee in my mouth.  Long story, but let's just say it was an accident on my part.  Whoops.  And yes, I did just put that on my blog.  Because it's another battle scar that I will have to live with.  Bless the people who invented mouthwash.
• My mom gave me some of the best advice ever: park next to the shopping carts so that you don't have to drag in a car seat or child all the way into the store.  Just pop 'em in the cart and go!
• Kids don't notice when you eat cookies for breakfast.  Or ice cream.  Or chocolate chips.
• Before you become a mom you say, "I will NEVER do this!" or "I will NEVER let my child do that!"  But you will.  Oh. You. Will.
• Epidurals rock.
• Being pregnant and nursing are two forms of torture for me.  I do them both, but I despise them both.  Kudos to y'all who love it.  You rock.
• Just because you lose baby weight doesn't mean you lose baby flab.
• Morning sickness = all day sickness.
• Sweats are my uniform half of the week.
• I used to be easy going.  Really.  I was.  And then my kids learned how to tear apart speakers, trample over our precious garden, throw their cereal on the floor, and go through my purse in the store and start throwing out the cards in my wallet.
•  Husbands are EXTRA hot when they play with their kids.
• Children can hide food anywhere: under sofa cushions, in cabinets, in toy bins, in diapers...
• You will learn all the songs of your child's favorite TV show or movie and will start singing them during the day when you're by yourself.
• When you're pregnant, people ask you super personal questions that in no other way would be normal.  Like: "how many centimeters are you dilated?" or "was this an accident?"

Now not all of my bullets seem peachy.  And that's the truth.  Motherhood for me isn't peachy all the time.  It's a real lesson of patience.  But you know what?  This week I had one of the best moments of my entire life.  Lily was sitting on the potty (just forget that little tidbit) and said, "Mommy, a hug?" so I leaned over and hugged her while she was plopped on her Seseme Street toilet seat and she just kept whispering in my ear "Mommy, I love you so much," maybe 10 times while she was brushing my hair with her tiny hand.  I almost cried.  

So while I always say, "these kids are going to be the death of me," sometimes I wonder if it's the truth.  But you know what?  My mom isn't crazy.  Ben's mom isn't crazy.  And I know what we both did to our moms.  So maybe there's hope for me, too.

I love my kids.  I'm so glad I'm able to be a mom.  Aaaaahhh... I think I'll go upstairs, tuck them in (while of course I'm smelling all their baby deliciousness), and brace myself for tomorrow's adventures.

The Princess and Her Throne

For a while now we have been really wishy washy about starting up Lily's potty training.  She would tell us whenever she did something in her diaper, but no way was she about to put on the precious little panties she chose out herself (even though we caught her sleeping with them like a teddy bear on multiple occasions.  And not just a few.  A MOUNTAIN.  That must have been awkward....)

But then last Saturday as I was perusing the grocery store, I finally succumbed and decided to buy soda.  We never buy soda.  If I'm going to fill up on empty calories you better believe I'm going to ruin my health and jean size properly [1].  I put them in the pantry for, you know, the future.  Then WABAM!  The future hit about 2.5 seconds later.

"Mommy, can I have some Daddy Juice [2]?" asks Lily.
"You only get Daddy Juice if you put on panties and start using the potty.  That's why I bought it."

So we put on her cute little girl panties and pumped her full of Daddy Juice.  She visited the potty about every 15-30 minutes.  Day 1 = 11 successes and 3 accidents.  We gave her a jelly bean after each success.  And that has actually worked out well because I was worried about how Skyler would react to Lily's rewards.  I simply took her into the pantry each time, Skyler closed the door on us with zero idea of what was happening, I'd let Lily choose her color, and then we'd jump out of the pantry and yell "BOO!" as if we were playing hide and go seek.  He'd giggle like the whole thing was a game.  Fabulous.

Day 2 was a different story.  It was like a dream [3].   Lily always told me when she needed to use the potty and we'd run through the kitchen to the powder room with Chariots of Fire music blaring around us [4].  She was a little Olympian.  9 successes and 1 minor leakage in her panties.

Day 3 was the same as Day 2 except the music was getting louder.  She's my little gold medalist.

Then Day 4 was very interesting.  Very interesting, indeed.  0 accidents.  But the kicker?  "Lily, what color jelly bean do you want?" "I don't want a jelly bean, Mommy.  I'm good."  Uhhhhh..... WHAT?  You don't want a jelly bean [5]?  Are you really my child [6]?

And that's how it's been ever since.  No jelly beans.  No accidents.  Just happy potty time.  And she continues to hold it for longer and longer each day.  Can I hear a "Woot woot?!"  Aaaahhh.... it's almost like I can hear the cha ching! in my bank account right now.  One down, who knows how many to go.


[1]  I only waste calories on chocolate.  It's the only thing that's worth it.
[2]  "Daddy Juice" is the term our kids use for soda that's so diluted it barely has any color.  GAG.  But they love it.
[3]  But not the one where you're naked at school or the Inception 4-level kinds.  The good kind.
[4]  So I didn't actually turn on Chariots of Fire music.  But it did go on in my head as I imagined us running slow motion through the house as Lily was yelling, "Oh no!  Potty!" holding onto her panties.  If you seriously have no idea what music I'm talking about go HERE.
[5]  I wish my parents would give me a piece of candy every time I used the bathroom.  ESPECIALLY when I'm pregnant.  :)
[6]  One of my earliest memories came from when I was being potty trained.  My parents and I still joke about it.  I used to think it was such a rip off to use the potty when I ONLY got 1 lousy M&M [1].  It was worth at least a few.

The Macbeths and the Curse of the Black Pearl[s]*

*Please note that this post has absolutely nothing to do with the first Pirates of the Carribean movie.  Although my story does involve two little pirates.  And a damsel in distress. And a place off of the Carribean. And, of course, black pearls.

See those babies up there?  Those are my black pearls.  One of the many wedding presents that Ben gave me on that special day.  But that's not where my story starts.  Let's go back to somewhere between 2002 and 2004. 

It starts in Venezuela.  That's where Ben served his mission after all.  In case you're unfamiliar with Venezuela, it's really, REALLY, RRREEEAAALLLYY creeptastic.  OK.... back to my story.  So Ben bought his future wife (or may I name her "The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Him and Gave Him the Two Cutest Kids In the Entire Universe Because She's Cool Like That and Always Has a Perfectly Clean House, a Perfectly Mild Temperment, and Is Saving The World One Blog Post and Diaper At a Time?"..... FYI the acronym for my new name would be "TBTTEHTHAGHTTCKITEUBSCLTAAHAPCHAPMTAISTWOBPADAAT."  I'll give $10 to whoever can pronounce that.)

Phew.  To make a long story short...... (read this part really quickly, or skim over it if you would prefer not to read anything creeptastic)..... Ben was robbed at gunpoint with his companion and had to give up everything that was on him, including my necklace.  So Ben had to come home necklace-less.  True story.  Start up the violins.

Fortunately for Ben when TBTTEHTHAGHTTCKITEUBSCLTAAHAPCHAPMTAISTWOBPADAAT (aka me) entered his life his parents were living in Samoa (ironically called "The Pearl of the Pacific").  So they happilly brought back a replacement for Ben to give me.  (If we were in an auditorium I would ask for applause at this point.  But on a blog that would just be weird and then you would be stuck in front of your computer with the rest of your family staring at you, wondering why on Earth you're clapping your hands... so we'll just skip that part). 

Fast forward to the present.  My kids, although incredibly adorable in pictures, aren't perfect.  They got a hold of my bracelet a while ago and decided to have a competive round of Tug of War.  Those pearls were scattered EVERYWHERE right as it was time to leave for church.  So we picked up as many as we saw and promised we'd look for the rest later.

We looked, but not all were found.  But then Lily frequently started coming up to me with her hand balled into a fist saying, "Look Mommy!" and she'd have a pearl for me.  So I made her a deal.  One mini marshmallow for every pearl.  Let's just say that child has eaten her fair share of marshmallows the last couple of weeks. 

So when I tell my kids not to grow up I halfway mean it.  It's so nice to smell their baby-ness, to see their sleeping positions, to hear their attempts at speaking English when it comes out sounding something R-rated.  I love my kids.  They're the best.  And it's also awesome that they're growing up so that when I need their help, they're there.  Although Lily's in the process of ditching her diapers for good, I'm NOT looking forward to the day when she has to return the favor by changing mine.  *shivers*  Why don't we all just take our time growing up?