Home Bound

You would think that after reading the title of this post that I'd be talking about my little brother about to return from Ecuador.
Sadly, no.
Home bound is what my little ones are.
Especially after our outing this morning.
Went on a small shopping trip and they acted like they had never left the house.
Like manners weren't discussed before we left.
My eyes burned with almost tears on the way home. (but I wouldn't be defeated.)
Just frustrated.
They are young and can't always be expected to... whatever,.
They are old enough to know how to behave when we go to a few stores.
Not Lyla, she needs practice, but she doesn't know better.
I was feeling kind of done when we got all buckled in and Emma says,
"Mom, I am so so sorry. I don't know about Regan, but I am."
And Regan says, "Ugh, Emma I am so so sorry too. I am Mom. Emma doesn't know."
Emma says, "Regan I just meant that you can say sorry for yourself."
Regan says, "Uh, yeah...I can say sorry for myself."
Emma: "I know. That's what I said."
Regan: "No, it's not........"
And on
and on
and on.

I'm going out with my mom and sister tonight.
(I think my sister was inspired last night to text with a plan)

Crazy About Life

This morning we slept late.
Ok, the big girls watched Arthur while Lyla and I slept late.
Then I made my morning call to my mom.
We ate breakfast.
We cleaned rooms, made beds, and got ready.
Then we washed the kitchen table and chairs,
which led us to the cupboard fronts,
and finally the floors.
Somewhere in the middle of all this fun Lyla fell and hit her head.
She had a red bump with a blue line down the middle on her forehead.
It was the kind of cry that begins in silence while they try to get their breath.
SO sad. A popsicle break was necessary.

During our break, this was the question asked by Emma,
"Mom, does your mind ever go crazy about life?"
My first thought was,"Couldn't you tell?"
But I instead chose to reply with something like,"Yeah, it does. What does yours 'go crazy' about?"
Emma: "Like, just when I think about the world and try to understand how big it is."
Me: "It is incredible."
Emma: "I think about it when I lay in bed at night and it is incredible. I just can't believe it."
Me: "What else makes your mind crazy?"
Emma: "Lots of things...it just depends on the day"
"Me too kiddo. Me too."
Back to popsicles and mopping the floor.
A little conversation that made me smile & made me glad I was here to listen to her thoughts.

I need to post with pictures, but I'm too tired for that...maybe tomorrow.

Welcome to my Wednesday

Loaded the girls up early this morning.
9:20am is early for us in the summer.
And pulled into the parking lot of the movie theater, along with 1/2 of the other suv's in Gilbert.
The other 1/2 are at the other movie theater...
for summer movie club.
We were happy that today's movie was "Ramona & Beezus".
E & R adore that movie.
Lyla wasn't a fan.
She sat on my sister's lap and shoveled handfuls of popcorn into her mouth.
Literally, SHOVELED it in.
Like she had done it before, even though she hadn't.
When she was sick of eating it she smashed it and threw handfuls on the floor.
Then she ate pretzels, goldfish, and tried a sucker.
No luck.
She arched her back and screamed until I took her out into the hallway.
Along with all the other moms with a 1 year-old.
Chatted with the cute wife of a good friend from "back in the day"...
And it was time to go home.
We were exhausted.
Can't wait til next Wednesday.

Other news: I am speaking in church on Sunday.
New ward so it had to happen sooner or later.
I am really anxious.
Luckily, we have 8am church-this is the only time I am glad for that- so I won't have to worry all day.
I can come home and sleep it off.
I always shake when I get up in front of people & then I usually feel fine.
But when I sit down it's like it never happened and I don't remember much of what I said.
Silly, right?
It shouldn't be that big of a deal, but that's how I handle things like this.
Hopefully the bags under my eyes from my lack of sleep over this won't be too noticeable.
Glad my topic is something I feel relatively comfortable with (more about it another day) so preparations are going well.
I do love that about our church...we get to teach each other and in so doing...we learn more ourselves.

Recap

Does anyone else think "The Bachelorette" is one step away from belonging on VH1 with all of their absurd reality shows?
I mean Ashley is a basket-case and they knew it when they cast her...like she was ready to 'move on' & 'find love'. blah.
She gave it like...what? days? a week? Doesn't matter, she clearly still has some unresolved issues.

And the guy in the mask?
Creepy. Did they just need the ratings?
Is every season going to include someone who wears some sort of costume now?
Is a girl on the next season going to wear a beanie so we can't tell what color her hair is?

And Bentley. Are you serious?
Like he ever would have made it past the first week in earlier seasons.
He was so crude and over-the-top it got really lame.
The jerk who made her cry during the 'roast'?
Shouldn't have come back after his (fake) 'walk of shame'.
I guess they have to have some entertaining guys to make up for the 'bland' choice they made with the 'bachelorette'.

But don't get me wrong...
I'm going to keep watching.

Memory Monday

I'll have to add a picture later because I know just the one.
I'm in a light pink bathing suit and I am jumping off the diving board, bravely I think, into the deep end.
I was maybe 5? Yeah, I think I was around 5.
Anyway we were at the Rhodes Jr. High Public Pool.
It was the place to be in the summer.
"Back in the day"...am I old enough to use that term? I must be, cause there it is.
I loved the snack bar there. My mom provided $.50 for each of us...
Lemonheads were my candy of choice and just the perfect snack after a few hours of swimming.
The radio used to play the coolest radio station around, Power92...Mariah Carey, Paula Abdul, Vanilla Ice.
My mom would pull up into the narrow hill so we could see her through the gate and we knew to hurry up.
It was time for showers and dinner, because we stayed all day, of course.
I thought I was so brave diving off the boards.
Not the high dive though.
I climbed that ladder and turned around to see the baseball fields and Baseline road.
It was SO high up...long jump down into the cool turquoise blue water.

Then I grew up a little and swimming there wasn't so cool anymore.
I swam with friends, or just laid out...cause we were so cool. (haha)

Well, I grew up a little more, had kids & our nearby junior high pool is suddenly cool to my kids.
They long for the frog slide and Pringles in the snack area.
I take pictures of them diving off the boards because someday they will remember what it was like to put on their favorite swimsuit of the season and splash into the deep end.
What seems like an easy way to keep the kids happy and wear them out a little is actually creating memories for them. Memories of these hot summers and the only way to get through them.
And I, in my very sentimental way...am all about that.

What Matters

We went to a baby blessing.
It was sincere and sweet.

We spent the afternoon visiting and eating with family.
It was funny, relaxing, and delicious.


Tonight I will write to my little brother.
I've been writing to him every Sunday night for almost 2 years.
I will only write him a few more times.

Today reminds me that family is what matters.
It's what we take with us.
It's what can last forever.

102 degrees

Today there was
dance
yardwork
piano
goodbyes to a goldfish (third one this week)
Kung Fu Panda 2
good dinner
and
Brady actually used the word "glisten"...
it's what happens when you live with 3 princesses.

bedtime

Today I am loving
date nights
my little sister's new 'toms'
McDonald's french fries
and out missionary countdown chain.

I'm also loving tucking our girls into bed at night.
(for many reasons)
I love when all that lights the room is their nightlights, giving us just enough light to see their sweet faces.
And their eyes seem bigger and they have a lot of love in them.
Each girl has a specific routine that is tailored for their bedtime needs.
Some extra songs,
Stuffed animals,
x's & o's,
And goodnight girlies.

Tonight we only tucked Lyla in because the big girls are at Grandma's.
Missed them, but the routine will resume tomorrow night.
Lyla was super-gooey (as Emma would call it)
That's when she wants to lay on my shoulder, cuddle into my neck right under my chin (E calls that my "dark"), and giggle when I whisper in her ear.
That "gooey" stage just before sleep is one of the best parts of being their mom.

Things to Remember Thursday

Today we got ready.

That's rare in the summer.
We unexpectedly went to my mom's house...always a treat for everyone.
Lyla walked ALL over the place and made silly faces while she waddled around.
Emma wore my old Ballet Arizona "Nutcracker" sweatshirt (she loves it like I did when I was 7)and played legos.
Regan wore a turquoise w/ lace dress that my mom made for me when I was that size, but only after she twirled in the dress I wore the day I got baptized (dresses were so much fluffier then). She was in heaven.
Mom made everyone whatever kind of waffles we wanted. Chocolate chip, bacon, whipped cream, strawberry jam.
I laid on the couch under a blanket and watched it all.
Lyla napped for 3 hours when we got home.
Emma and Regan had a long bath that ended in water ALL OVER my bathroom and Disney character figurines thrown everywhere. Those things do make the best bath toys.

Brady had a bad day at work, but I told him he still has to go tomorrow:) He envies the schedule we have going on at home right now. We miss him, everyone should get to take the summer off.

We had spaghetti and bread sticks for dinner and Lyla threw hers on the floor. Emma was bothered by the mess so she cleaned it up without me asking. Regan ate 2 bread sticks and wanted more.
Brady is bathing Lyla right now. Love the sounds of that.
Emma and Regan are playing "the Carr's" (more on them another day). It sounds funny, but it's serious to them.
I should be doing dishes, but I had to make note of today...
it was one to remember.


my old baptism dress, ruffles all over it

Emma was so happy to find this...she LOVES the Nutcracker... love that grin:)

homecoming

I am playing this over & over today.
His two years is coming to an end. SOON.
We made a red, blue, & yellow countdown chain because it's that close.
It will for sure be the highlight of our summer.