Once Upon a Time

Happy Halloween!

Another Home Improvement Post

I haven't taken many picture of the basement yet because the trim work isn't up so it's not 100% "finished" but here's the boys' room. This is the carpet we put in the whole basement. That and paint really make a huge difference.

If you're annoyed by my basement-finishing blog posts, be of good cheer. Today's post isn't just about the basement. It's about the upstairs bedrooms, too! We're switching rooms upstairs and getting new carpet in the upstairs bedrooms so I painted over the wall art in the kids' old room. I was sad to see it go, so I took some pictures. They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. This next one speaks volumes about why projects take so long to to finish around here. Isn't potty training joyful?

(When she's a teenager, won't my baby will be glad I don't have her actual name connected with my blog?)

This isn't the girls' room, just a picture of a bed I love. I found plans for making it online. It's our next project, after the upstairs bedroom painting/carpeting. SO is eager for the real bed and keeps asking if it's "coming soon." She can't wait.

Oh, and Halloween is about to crush us like bugs. Bring it on!

Celebrate

Happy Birthday, Dad!

My dad is seventy-seven this week. I haven't joined in on the celebration yet. But that ends now.This is a picture I love of Dad and my Co. taken this April when we were visiting. My dad is a retired professor. He worked in the School of Business at BYUH in marketing then hotel and restaurant management. I was able to take a class from him when I went there and he is a dynamic teacher who encouraged his class to read, and not just the required text for the class. Love that! I have several memories from my childhood that make me smile and remind me of how lucky I am to have a good dad. Whenever I see an insect with a pin in it or a giant fish stuck to a wall I think of my dad. No, my dad didn't work at a museum, but we used to go on campus to visit him and have adventures all the time. The Monte Bean museum is a big part of my childhood memories from BYU Provo.

We'd visit my dad after Saturday matinees. We'd eat at the cafeteria at the wilky Wilkinson center blowing milk bubbles with our straws. But we also met Dad at his office at BYUH where we seemed to always be licking an ice cream cone from the Seasider/Snack Bar. My brothers perfected the "suicide" fountain drink at family dinners there, too.

I remember the kids taking turns riding around with Dad on his moped. I loved when he'd "pedal" the moped. Like it was a bike. Amazing skills.

I also remember that catchy tune, "My Dad," from childhood. I always thought the lyrics were written especially for my dad. The part that goes ". . . he always has money for bubble gum, I haven't figured how he does it yet, but, my dad's the smartest guy. . ." For years Dad always had a Big Red PLENTPAK and we would get a half stick whenever we asked.

My childhood was filled to overflowing with vacations and activities that I took for granted. I wish I were a better writer, so I could adequately explain how lucky my siblings and I are to have such a kind-hearted provider. These days my dad wears the "retired" hat well. He loves watching TV, is a voracious reader, has served several MTC missions with my mom, and even works out at the gym! I love you, Dad. Happy 77th birthday.

Love This!

Sesame Street is turning forty!



(Stay down, doot doot Dora.)

I grew up watching and loving that show. My all-time favorite Sesame Street song is this one:



Six Soccer Socks is also a favorite of mine. And I have to say that Grover and Oscar the Grouch are definitely my favorite monsters and Maria is my favorite human.

Ooh, I just found Six Soccer Socks:


Happy 40th, Sesame Street. And Happy 42nd, Uncle Ryan!

Almost Camping

We almost stayed at another Fire Lookout, this time with Daddy in North Idaho near the Canadian border. Once we got to the park, we drove for about 16 miles up a mountain on Friday along switchbacks for about an hour. We were amused at first by the snowflakes we were seeing and glad that we had some new warm sleeping bags. But the snow got deep fast the higher we went. We decided to turn around the second time the van got stuck. A park ranger in a Rhino reported 6 to 8 inches at the summit.

We ended up staying at a hotel with indoor water park and although I got a great deal at $129.00 for the room and family water park pass, it was the first summer we did not get to have a family camping trip.

Here are a few pictures of the cold kids playing in the snow before we surrendered and headed back down the mountain. JO was making us laugh as he hurried to squeeze as much snow-related fun into the few minutes we were stuck. He made a snow angel, had a snowball fight with RO, ate a big snowball, and wrote in snow with, um, yellow "ink."

Summer School

This mama got schooled.

No, wait. I meant to say:

This summer has been filled with terrific learning opportunities for me.

If I were in fourth grade, this post would be my response to "What did you do this summer?"

1. I learned that it didn't do much good to complain about Ben's work schedule, or pine away for the good ole teaching career of summers off. A bad attitude (mine) didn't shorten our summer days without Ben.


2. I learned that I sometimes saw a little Miss Hannigan (Do I hear. . . happiness!?!) in my parenting (Stop having such loud fun. . . Dad's sleeping!). But many days I succeeded at not having kids who were "bored." This doesn't mean they ignored the siren calls of Spongebob and Patrick. But we had fun at home swinging on the back yard swing (*bragging edit* homemade swing) and hammock, making tents in the bedroom, taking dips in our 12' pool, and injesting two Costco-sized boxes of Otter Pops.


3. I learned that always shopping surrounded by four kids is tedius. Before this summer I'd taken all four children shopping with me, but having to do it this summer anytime I needed to buy anything was somehow way more stressful.


4. I learned that in an effort to compensate for the long working hours, I shouldn't have spoiled the kids rotten by letting them each buy a pound of candy at WINCO. Especially since the sugary indulgence happened to fall on the exact same day that their daddy brought home candy for his little neglect-a-reenos. (Flanders nod.)


5. I learned that free summer movies and summer school are awesome ways to NOT spend money spoiling your kids.


6. Wait, did I just say something about not spending money or spoiling my kids? Oops. I took the kids to the local pizza place about 10 times. The first time we went I talked with the owner about her expensive renovation process after arsons burned it down last year. I learned that when my money goes to a "good cause" my kids eat pizza and play A LOT. Oh, and the kids were always so exhausted after playing there--making it so worth every penny!


7. I stand by my decision to not take four children to any major amusement parks or water slides. I'd go bonkers doing head counts and chasing CO.


8. I learned that there's only one thing worse than mowing the grass hopped up allergy meds. Weedwhacking the grass along a chain-link fence! Hate that tiring combination of allergen exposure, drugs in my system, and ricocheting powertools. Hate. Thanks, K2, for stepping in to mow the yard. I should have given you a call in June, not September.


9. I learned that I am not capable of keeping a 12' swimming pool properly chlorinated for a whole summer.


10. I learned that having Costco muffins for dinner won't kill anybody. (I did this only once, I swear!)


11. Ditto that for Saimin, a.k.a. Top Ramen for dinner. (I did this lots, I swear!)


12. RO learned to make Saimin.
13. When cleaning along the bay window one day, I successfully identified a weird brown spot as a Saimin powder packet spilled on the carpet. I did not successfully identify the culprit. I learned that nobody did it.


14. I am struggling to learn that it's important to get a good night's sleep when you're the only parent your kids interact with all day long.


15. I learned that two year-old CO is not funny when she wakes up one hour after going to bed at night; hands on hips, nodding, and declaring "Is is morning now, Mom."


16. I learned that watching someone paint a room on HGTV is more entertaining than painting a whole basement. . . 18 gallons and counting (bathroom still needs paint).


17. I learned that my boys are awesome. They've decided to play indoor soccer in the spring. A little wiggle-room in their fall schedules will be almost as much fun as their first day of school was. And they still have scouts, piano, and RO is learning cello at school.


18. I learned that potty-training my fourth child is a much smoother process than when I first starting potty-training years ago. The accidents are no big deal and the gummy bear rewards are still as sweet.


19. I learned that showing up late to sacrament meeting (3x this summer!) isn't as inconspicuous as it was before we had kids.


20. Way too many well-intentioned folks at church asked me about Ben with a look of deep "concern" on their faces. Ben suggested I start a few rumors by answering with a sniffle, twirling my wedding ring aimlessly, or turning on the waterworks. If I was a better actor/liar, I'd have totally tried it! I learned that I'm okay with people wanting to know where my hubby is, but I'm not okay with people who kept on asking over and over. And over. Okay, it was one person. No two people. No. One person asking over and over and one person wanting to know how Ben was enjoying his tropical holiday. ehh, heh, hah, ha, hmm


21. I learned that this summer was a big trial in my life. I can live through life's trials and even grow. I know God loves me and my summertime-dysfunctional family and He has blessed my life in so many ways, even this summer.
22. I learned that my four babies were so sweet to run to hug and kiss Daddy. They missed him so much. Not as much as I missed my sweetie WELCOME BACK TO FORTY-HOUR WEEKS AND THE DAY SHIFT, BEN. IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HOME.

This is my sister, Sh-M-A-R-E-N

It's weird to know somebody for their whole life and not know their name. My sister was visiting us this past weekend and I think I know her name now. It's Maren. It always has been. But growing up she went by "Shelley." I love her dearly, but she's gone back to using her given name. It was weird introducing her to people as "my sister [pause] Maren." Folks were probably wondering why I didn't know my sister's name. She did a great job taking pictures of her nieces and nephews and blogs at www.hawaiianshells.net/ take a look at her blog for more photos of my babies.

Keep coming back to visit, Maren. And I'll keep remembering your name.