I'm a follower!!!

I love to read blogs. Blogs have this amazing way of drawing people out. There is a sense of safety when you write a blog. I find people are - generally- most real when they consistently write what is happening to them and with them. I enjoy finding out what people think and are willing to write about themselves. I don't know...call me nosy.

I know that this blog has been an amazingly freeing, healing, creative tool for me. I am soooo glad my brother prompted me to start it a few years ago. It took a long time to get into it, but now it is a part of my day. I carry a book around so that I can write down blog ideas.

So the point is... do you have a blog?

If you do, post a link in the comment section of this post. I would love to link to it and read it. I have gotten to know some of you so much better through your writing.

If you don't, consider getting one. This website "blogger" is fast, easy and free. Just start with simple things. Things that interest you. Don't worry about what people think, this is your space. I have a friend who blogs about her compulsion to organize things. I have another friend who blogs mostly about her kids. Whatever the subject, just give it a try. You may find, like me, that you enjoy it.

And I need more to read...

They have ARRRAAIIVVVEEEDDDD

Our furniture...that we ordered on Nov 15th... is in our home!!! This is no insignificant event my friends. We have been living... for about 22 months now... without a stick of furniture in our front room. We ordered these from Furniture Warehouse during that big retirement sale. They told us at the time that it would take about 4-6 weeks for delivery. They needed to order them in. No problem we said. That would put us right about Christmas...we can wait for that.

At about 4 weeks I call to find out if they are in yet... just hoping that maybe they got there at the earliest time quote. I was told that they were not in, but that we would see them just before Christmas. The week of Christmas rolls around...no furniture. So I call again. Nope sorry they will be here just after Christmas. We will call you and let you know when we know what day.

So after the happy day is over, I call again...'cause nobody is calling me. Nope! This time I am forwarded to a manager, lets call him Paul, because that is his name. He tells me that the fabric is back ordered and that it will be mid January before the items will be in. But he will call as soon as he knows a date for delivery.

I am wondering why nobody had called me to let me know this was the case...it would have been nice to know.

So...we are patient until 15th of January. This time John calls. Paul once again makes up some delay and promises they will be in the following Thursday. "I will call you..."

I bet you can guess what happened...

Thursday comes and goes...no call. We call the store that evening, no Paul. He won't be in...we have no idea where your furniture is but you can leave him a message on his voice mail (code for oblivion). The next day I want to complain a little...I mean a lot. So I call once again, just for kicks and giggles. I have nothing better to do with my time than call stores and demand expensive items that I have already paid for...though not yet received. It is a thing with me...

So I call...and miracles upon miracles, the furniture is in! But... they can't deliver it till Monday. I should really learn to throw fits... my life would be easier. People who throw fits well would have gotten their items delivered that very damn day and not a moment longer!!! I am too non-confrontational. So I agree to monday delivery. "We will call you to set up a time for delivery". I actually said to the guy on the other end of the phone..."are you really gonna call... because we have been promised calls for the last two months...and NOT ONE TIME HAS ANYONE ACTUALLY CALLED US TO LET US KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON."

I guess I am not that non-confrontational.

They called first thing the next day and our furniture was delivered first thing Monday morning. I am very pleased with the furniture. It is beautiful and we got a very good price for them. I am also pleased that I never have to speak to another employee of furniture warehouse again. I have no plans to shop there in the future.

And they will never call me...

Drakie!!! The one and only

Dear Drake,

You may be wondering why I would choose to put this picture of you on your blog post. It is simply this... this sweet, tearful face has saved you on more than one occasion! You kill me my sweet Drake. No matter how mad at you I might have been, or what you had done; all you had to do was turn on the tears and Mommy melted like butter in the sun. (I mean real butter...not that other stuff!) You are my heart Drake. You came to me at a time when I had my hands full. Breena was only two and a half and Dana was only 14 months old. I was seriously unsure that I was going to be able to handle another child. You will hear others tell you, I am sure, that when I read the pregnancy test and it said I was pregnant...again...for the third time in two years...I chucked the test stick at your father. This is totally true. The thought of a third baby at that moment almost pushed me over the edge. Luckily, Heavenly Father made sure to send me a wonderful little boy, who could charm me with a smile and render me powerless with a tremble of the lip and a single tear. You are my heart indeed!


When you were three years old you came running into my bedroom, tripped on a pillow and smacked your mouth on the corner off my bed frame. The impact left a nasty gash on your upper lip that required stitches. I remember at the Doctors office, when they went to do the stitches...the wanted to strap you down. But you were being so good and compliant that they thought they would try it without first. I sat next to you...and you talked and jabbered through the whole thing, but you didn't cry once. It was terribly hard for the Doc to stitch while you talked, but he decided it was better to work with that than have you screaming and kicking.



You started talking really very early, but then you were always a little ahead of yourself. You even skipped that whole newborn baby look and just jumped right into infant. You were so adorable. Frankly...you still are!


You are a very emotional kid and you are one of the first to give me a hug and tell me that you are sorry that I had a bad day. You try so hard to make everything better. I appreciate you so much for this. Your compassion is a wonderful asset to you. It helps you to relate to other people and care about what happens to them. Not everyone in this world has this ability. Please don't loose it.

That isn't to say you always see eye to eye with everyone; especially your sisters. Sisters are hard for brothers to deal with sometimes. You will come to learn as you grow up that boys and girls see things differently. Try to learn from your sisters...because some day that knowledge might help you score chicks! Consider it research...on a purely scientific level of course.


You are my sweet Drakie, I am so proud of you! Happy Birthday!

Love,

Mommy

Four months old

Dear Kaylee,


You are four months old...two days ago. One thing you will come to understand about your Mom...I am not always punctual...but I do what I say I am going to do eventually. Patience is a virtue and I am just trying to teach you that virtue...ya...that is it!

You have grown so much in the last month. If we thought you had personality before...well it has blossomed even further very recently. You are...how do I put this...a little high maintenance sweet girl. Much of this is not your fault. We moved you into your crib...which threw you for a loop. We took away the binky which has made you less than pleased with us. Needless to say, you have been a little tough to keep happy. Your Dad hasn't sat down in weeks. Every time his butt hits a surface you scream and flail like your legs have been ripped off. As long as you are completely entertained at every moment of the day things are fine. Heaven forbid we try to take a moment to pee. How dare we attend to ourselves!!! The impertinence of the idea is enough to make any four month old groan.


So there are some entitlement issues. At the moment you are sitting in your very entertaining excer-saucer, surrounded by toys, throwing a hissy fit...because the toys don't talk back or pay attention to you!!! Despite this...or maybe a little because you still manage to be cute when you throw a fit...we are still absolutely enamored with you.
You may be asking yourself right now, why the binky. Well the problems lays with your genetics little one. See...you inherited only one physical trait from me, and that was an over-sized tongue. It is always hanging out and it gets in the way a lot. Especially when you are trying to suck on a binky. We would spend hours, both during the day and at night, holding that annoying piece of plastic in your mouth, because you couldn't keep it in by yourself. When we moved you to the crib we decide the time to loose the bink had come. I had no intentions of standing next to your crib every night to hold it in place while you slept. So far you have done pretty well without it at night. It is during the daytime that you seem to have trouble. You cry...oh heaven help me the crying! You cry like you lost your best friend...like your puppy has just be run over...like your mean parent took away your binky!!! Despite the crying (oh the crying!!!) you are doing really pretty well adjusting.




I have to take this moment to point out...you are huge! I look at this picture of you and it is hard to imagine that you were once so little your tiny head fit perfectly in your Daddy's hands. You are a whole lot of fun...despite the crying (oh the crying!!!) I can't wait till we start solid food! That will be a whole new world of face pulling and brightly colored spit up. Hooray for stain removers!!!

We love you bug! Even with the crying (oh sweet heaven the crying!!!)

Love,
Mommy

Kid speak...The Drake in Disneyland Edition

(tonights phone conversation)

Drake - "Hi Mom"

Me - "Hey Drakie hows your day?"

Drake - "We went swimming, got done, I put on my pajamas, and we ordered pizza...bye"

Me - "Hey wait... are you having fun???"

Drake - "Yup...bye"

Me - "Wait Drake - What did you do yesterday?"

Drake - "Disneyland"

Me - "What are you doing tomorrow?"

silence

Me - "Drake???"

Drake - "I'm having fun!!! Bye"

*click*

Salvation!!!!

The Christmas and New Year holidays were a little crazy this year. We spent most of the evenings this last season traveling around to different houses and parties. It was fun! But...(there is always a but isn't there) the traveling, noise, confusion, and late nights threw Kaylee's shedule completely out of wack. Up till then, she had been sleeping about 5-6 hours at a time, making it bearable to deal with at night. After New Years, she developed this horribly frustrating habit of only sleeping about 30 minutes at a time and then staying awake for an hour or more before crashing again for 30 minutes. She found this schedule fit her needs perfectly. She got to sleep and then play with Mom or Dad all night. What she didn't realize, being that she is an infant and incapable of thinking outside of her own existance, was that she was slowing driving her parents to madness and early death.

MUST HAVE SLEEP!!!

So last friday I was picking my kids up from my sister's house and Kaylee had fallen asleep. As Stacie and I chatted she laid across my lap unconscious. Now...there were 7 kids (at least) in the house. The TV was blarring, kids were playing, phone was ringing, and the two of us were talking. There was so much noise and confusion it was insane...and there she slept. I looked at Stacie and made some frustrated comment about wishing she would sleep this well at night. Stacie kind of laughed and said..."maybe it is just too quiet in her room at night for her to sleep..."

***LIGHT BULB!!!!***

That night John put a radio in her room on the classical station...which didn't come in very well... and she slept 7 and a half hours...woke up for 15 minutes for food...and then slept another 4 hours! AHAAAAAA! We did a snoopy dance and then headed directly to Target for this little gadget. We had to go to two different stores, but finally found it. It plays MP3s, has lullaby music, white noise (ocean, storm, womb sounds, etc.)...it is awesome. She slept the next two nights very well.

We may have found the way to thwart her efforts to end us! I am crossing my fingers that this continues to work...otherwise my sister will need to work faster on her basement...'cause she will be raising my kids!

Kid speak... The Brit's Birthday edition

Brit - "...you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man!"

Chase - "you can't catch me I'm the toilet plunger man!!!"

Kid Speak... the Brit's Birthday edition

*early in the morning*

*knock knock knock*

Brit - "Mom can Tyler and I have our glow sticks? We fell asleep last night and forgot them"

John - (rolls over and groans) "You can have them a little later after we get up"

A few seconds pass...

*knock knock knock*

Tyler - "John...what does "later" mean???"

Panic and obsessive behaviour

I am a panic-er...ya know...one of those people who can take a small little thing and blow it completely out of proportion. Now before I go too far...it must be said that when it comes to my kids...nothing is small and there is no such thing as "out of proportion". If I think that they are being mistreated or are unsafe the "proportions" get re-defined entirely. The panic I am talking about revolves more around things like this example... In reality - the car is making a sound. In my head - the engine is falling out! That sort of panic. Something that is likely inconsequential that becomes, in my mind at least, a source of total hysteria.

I also have the amazing ability to obsess over things...a lot. I get an idea in my head and I can't get it out no matter how hard I try. Like for instance, this last Christmas. Santa was bringing the children Nerf guns...the big ones. A work friend of mine brought his new Vulcan Nerf cannon in one day and let me try it. This is a chain fed fully automatic machine gun (Nerf style); so much fun I almost injured my co-worker. Once I had this gun in my hand, I knew that John had to have one. There is only one way to fend of a 3-4 kid tactical team with a heavily stocked arsenal...and that is with a fully automatic chain fed machine gun. 8 days before Christmas...I begin searching for this gun...and searching...and searching. I call stores and wait 30 minutes for someone to help me. I surf the internet and for a moment, just one moment mind you, consider paying 3 times the amount this gun normally sells for just so that he can have one. HE MUST HAVE THIS GUN...DON'T YOU SEE PEOPLE...IF HE DOESN'T GET THIS GUN IT COULD MEAN THE CESSATION OF LIFE AS WE KNOW IT!!!

I mean that kind of obsessive...

A couple of weeks ago my cousins were in town from California. My family had a dinner get together to visit with them. While we were chatting, Emmy mentioned that she would be doing the Renaissance festival again this year in Cali. My oldest brother and his wife were seriously thinking of going.

Cut to last week...

We are having Sunday dinner at my parents house and Mike mentions to us that we should come along. I would really like to go, but figure we couldn't really swing it. John turns to me and says..."well...it wouldn't be that expensive we could do it for a late anniversary thing..."

Initiate obsessive tendencies now!

I begin calculating days and strategizing ways to save money so that we can maximize our spending abilities within the fair. I get the nod of approval from Mike...since we are crashing their trip. I start looking on the internet for hotels....SKREETCHHH...the hotels that are recommended on the fairs website are filling up!!! What ever will we do!!!

Initiate panic tendencies now!

By the time I discover this it is after 9PM. I pick up the phone and call my brother. "Mike you gotta decide when we are leaving, coming back, what we are going to eat, how much oxygen we are going to use, what the alignment of the planet will mean for the tides, and if this mole on my back looks funny...RIGHT NOW!!! THE HOTELS ARE FILLING UP!!! DO YOU HEAR ME MAN! WHY ARE YOU SO QUIET ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE???

*chirp* (the sound of crickets)

A few long painful seconds pass...

Mike - "Ya know Ang...California is a big place. There are lots of hotels...those five hotels on the website aren't the only places we can stay. We could even stay in Anaheim and drive up...it is not that far..."

Me - "oh... I guess you are right...didn't think of that"

panic turning to a low simmer...obsession at an all time HIGH!!!

This trip is going to be fantastic! A weekend away with my husband, the kids safely stowed with family. I can't wait! REALLY I CAN'T WAIT!!! MAKE IT APRIL! MAKE IT APRIL RIGHT NOW DANG IT!!!! WHY ISN'T IT APRIL NOW!

I just hope the other members of the party survive to go!

Britters

This is Brit. He is my 6 year old...former youngest. His birthday was last Wednesday. In keeping with my plan to write to my kids, this one is for him.


Dear Brit,

You are an amazing little boy, my sweet Britters. You have an infinite ability to love, and you are perhaps the most stubborn strong willed child I have ever known. Well, except perhaps Chase, but you are a close second. You were born just at the time we got our first digital camera, so I have more pictures of you as a baby than I do of your older brother and sisters. You have these enormous beautiful blue eyes.


I don't remember many things about the time when you were a baby. You were born just as we began building our house in South Jordan. You spent the first many months of your life at Joni's house, or at my mother's house while we tried to build a house...instead of hiring a contractor like most normal people would have done. I hated leaving you, and for a while you were more bonded to Joni and Grandma than you were with me. Once we were in the house, I had to work night shift to be able to pay for the house and avoid daycare. It was miserable, and you were left to yourself a lot while I tried to get a little sleep. That is the reason you were able to re-decorate the house on several occasions using black sharpies or stamp pads. I even have a picture of you covered from head to toe in red and blue ink. Most of that time is a blur to me since I was a walking zombie...suffering from lack of sleep. In fact, if it were not for my friend Jasmine, you might not have been bathed...or fed. She was a God send to me at that time and was one of the main reasons I didn't go completely insane.

I do remember how much you loved to ham it up. You were so silly. You loved to watch movies and eat popcorn. You loved to be wrapped up in a blanket and held while Nemo was on. I loved to snuggle you and hold you. I needed that time with you, and you were always willing to give it. Like most of the kids, you were a terrible eater. If it wasn't breaded and served with french fries you refused to eat it. It has been a continuous battle with you to get you to try new things. As you get older, you are getting better. But it has been a long hard fight.

It took you a really long time to speak. Since I was unconscious most of your awake time, I failed to spend a lot of time with you reading books and learning words. When you were 3 I took you to have your ears checked, thinking that maybe your speech was delayed because you couldn't hear. When your hearing checked out fine, we started working with a speach pathologists. She pointed out to me that you had no association between words and objects...that I had failed to teach you English. Jasmine and I started working very hard to teach you word and the objects they went to. Once you learned those, you started talking and you haven't stopped since! You love to tell me about everything. Especially if it has anything to do with sponge bob, or mario.

You are such a smart little boy. Kindergarten was a tough change for you and I thought you were going to push your teacher over the edge. But what we found, once you settled in, was that you were well ahead of most of the kids in your class. You read wonderfully, you know all of your fundamentals, shapes, numbers including basic math. We are so proud of you. Your delayed speach didn't seem to hold you back, and you are excelling at school!



You are a delight to us Brit. John and I enjoy your enthusiasm for games and reading. Your giggle is infectious and it resonates through our home. It is fun to watch you with your best friend Tyler. You two have been planing your birthday party for months now and I am excited to have you do it. It will be your first real birthday party and I hope it is all that you envision it to be. Happy Birthday Sweet Britters! I am so glad you are in our family.

Love, Mommy

I am an Elf!

I am a gamer. I haven't always been...though had I been given an opportunity earlier in life (thanks Mike) I might have become one back in my formidable years. To be fair to my brother, it wasn't really his fault. I was always interested in what he and his friends were doing when they got together and played D&D. (Our mother would say the name of the game and roll her eyes at the same time.) I was so interested in fact, that I would often break into his room when he wasn't home and mess with his dice and look through whatever books were in his room at the time. Sorry about that Mike...*grins*. But in truth...I never asked to play. I am not sure what the conversation would have gone like back then. But there was always this unwritten, unspoken rule that little sisters didn't bug older brothers. So I never asked and he never had to tell me to go stick it in my ear.

I like to play all sorts of games...video games, board games and RPGs. While I like all of these, I tend to favor any game I can play with other people. Video games tend to eat up a lot of time...and I play them by myself. Board game have been around forever, and I will play any kind placed in front of me. John has introduced me to all sorts of new styles and concepts and they are all so much fun. I learned to play RPGs before John and I started dating...or even speaking to each other. I was getting together with some friends playing the RPG that was built around the movie "Serenity". John was there...he was dating a friend of mine at the time...but he didn't speak enough to really teach me a whole lot. He helped where he could, but he didn't know me very well and others in the group were more dominant...or at least vocal. That was a fun, if flawed, game and I was hooked on this role playing concept. After we started speaking, and then dating, then subseqently getting married, he has pulled me completely into the Dungeons and Dragons world.

Role playing is like interactive story telling. It is a whole different type of game, because the characters (different people playing) work cooperatively to solve a puzzle, or rescue a town, or just kill things and take there stuff. It can be anything you want it to be. I am still learning to actually play my character, but I enjoy every session I sit in. We have even gotten our kids to play with us. It is important to be careful about who you play with and how the game is played. Since it is an interactive story...and since the story can go in really any direction the group takes it...there could be the possibility for the story to go in bad or even naughty directions. That is why picking a good group, and having a Dungeon Master who will wreak havoc, death, dismemberment, or gender change on anyone who attempts to hyjack the story to a bad place helps.

We were sitting in Hastur's games yesterday, looking for a new game to play. I was surrounded, but board games, and RPG books, miniature figures, dice, and gaming tables...and I smiled. Being a geek is fun! I have a very large bag of dice...that are all mine. I have my own gaming books. I don't have to sit on the sidelines anymore. If I wanna pretend I am an Elf...I can pretend I am an Elf...and these people completely understand!