Spring Break 'Staycay' Day 1

We have loved living in So Cal and having so many vacation-worthy outings within an hour or so from where we live.  When you live in the middle of it all there's hardly a reason to venture away... except when we take 'real' vacations which, with six kids hardly ever happens anyway... cause, let's face it... there's a huge difference between a trip and a vacation.  Typically six kids= trip, two adults= vacation.  Both are great, but a stay-cation with oodles of kids is sooo much easier.

Spring Break on Balboa Island

We don't usually encourage this with our minors... but it was funny.

Brayden was too scaredy-pants to jump in the pic.. maybe that's a good thing

 Who doesn't love a ferris wheel?

...or a merry-go-round for the little ones

The kids had a choice to either play in the arcade, get a caricature...

 ...or play on the jumbo trampoline

We took a drive down to Crystal Cove Beach in Laguna

... and topped the day off at Ruby's Diner

BYU Women's Conference turned into a 5K

One of my favorite girls' trip every year is BYU Women's Conference at the end of April... because it's the best of both worlds.  Fill your spiritual cups, partake of mostly amazing speakers and devotionals with thousands of other women... old & young all there for the same reasons... and most of all because I get some R&R with a few of my favorite people in the whole world!

Pee-your-pants and LOL fun...

Mom treated us to a-mazing massages and our new fave-- the flavored oxygen bar.

We stuffed our faces with mom's version of BYU mint brownies, Cafe Rio, Rumbi, Lion House Pantry, Starbucks--you go knowing you're going to gain at least 5 pounds cause if you didn't, then you didn't really do it right.  We stayed in mom's RV right on campus-- perfect place. Mom made us her version of the famous glitter cup-- can't leave home without it!  

 

The shopping is always a highlight too-- gotta hit all the favorite little Utah boutiques and giant decorating warehouses to file away yet more ideas and spend money you really didn't want to spend...

(and get matching cute hats on clearance)

I always love the 'Evening of Service' ... where thousands of women crank out several projects which benefit women's shelters and various humanitarian needs. The Sharing Stations, which are booths filled with wonderful ideas and 'helps' for our busy lives is always a highlight as well.

I promise we didn't wear the same clothes the whole time...

And this year?  Fun SIL, Tallie, talked me into running a 5K on Saturday.  I'm not a runner.  I wasn't a runner then.  But I was dang proud of myself after I ran with freezing cold ice bombs pounding on my face with soaking wet-to-the-bone shoes.  It was all worth it for the massage and Magelby's Fresh afterwards... and beyond sore legs.

There were record cold wintry temps and conditions the whole week... it's May!  We even drove through a massive blizzard through Central Utah to get there.

And I always leave more than filled and eager to apply all that I learned... and ready for a long nap!

(isn't my momma purrty?)

Summer Bookworms

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

- Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"

I think because I don't have a home of my own... because I can't go tear down a wall or install tile, build a pergola in the backyard, or start a new design project, my creative outlet is suffering.  So, lately, my pastime of choice has been to stick my nose in a book.  I have loved being transported from the current crazy of our own lives into other adventures I never would have discovered.  And I love peeking in on the boys... still reading at midnight because they just can't put the books down.  Gotta love it when you find a series that captures you.

Brayden and I have been sharing such titles as The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, The Lightning Thief, and I've ventured off to read a few novels about civil rights... The Help, and Little Bee among many others.  The older kids are sharing 39 Clues & Fablehaven... Izzie is a budding reader, and Alexandra can read beginner books on her own, McKenzie & Monson are good readers but prefer not to, and Brayden has even started writing his own book.

Our library has a summer reading program for the kids... if they read the previous week, then they can go to the library once a week and receive fun prizes like stickers and lanyards, and restaurant freebies like frozen yogurt, BJ's, Chick-Fil-A... Such a fun treat since we don't have a fast food budget at the moment.  

Like with many things she does, my SIL, Becky, inspired me to introduce a summer reading marathon with our family.  I have loved having the 'excuse' to spend much of our hot summer days with our noses in books.  We write our completed titles/authors on a popsicle stick with our initial at the end, and add it to our reading pot for a visual representation of how far we've come.  If we reach 100 books by the end of the summer as a family, with each child having read a minimum of 5 books (some love reading more than others), then the kids will earn one Wii game they've wanted... and we'll do a family fun day-- yet to be determined.  

Summer reading can be fantastically fun!  

Basket o' Crap

Do you have one of these at your house?

..for the freezer goodies or other 'treats'...

It works wonders... miracles... turns your kids into little worker bees.  I haven't perused my enormous google reader blogroll for 4 months...until now.  Too many amazing ideas were awaiting me.  Summer crazy solved.  We've always had incentivizing chore & behavior charts ....some more complicated than others.  But the simplicity and loveliness of this idea captured all the summer bribery we needed.  The kids so affectionately named it our basket o' crap... cause that's precisely what it is.  Their own personal store full of junk, crap... the kind I usually don't buy but the kind that makes them clean toilets, wash windows, dust blinds, stairwells, scrub walls, pull weeds, as well as do all their normal everyday stuff like say prayers, make beds, clean rooms... without even whining.  

Miracle worker bees.  

Oh, and it alleviates the kids asking all. day. long. if they can have chips, juice, crackers, gum, etc. etc.  because they know they can't unless they've earned enough points to visit out little store aka basket o' crap and cash them in.  They earn points by completing their chores, including my fave, 'mom's choice,' and being caught doing kind things, treating each other with respect, responding the FIRST time they're called, etc.  They also earn points doing their workbooks and reading, piano & violin practice, you name it--- it can have points!  Now, this is after a day of redeeming... and yes, they can lose points too... when attitudes and mutual respect is lacking.

Each 'room' of kids (x3) share a jar.  Each child has a different color they shaded in at one end of their sticks.  The chore is written on the stick, and they start the day off with the color facing down.  When they complete the chore, they turn the stick, color-up.  Easy peasy... visual representation of progress, and the best part is that they can do it themselves so momma doesn't have to micro-manage.  Chores are expected, so they don't get points for each chore... but they do get one point if ALL their chores are completed.  I wanted this basket o' crap to be attached to the 'extras' and especially an incentive to have less chaos and more order around the house (attitudes included).

   Go make yours today!

All Points Bulletin Re: Alexandra Shay

July 2010:  Alexandra announced.... and has repeatedly reminded us that she does NOT want to be called 'Lexie' anymore.  She doesn't like it that her nickname starts with an 'L' instead of an 'A'.... so she's telling ALL that from here on out that she'll respond to Alexandra or Alex, and with some coaxing from Mom... she might respond to Alexie or Alexa.  Six?  How 'bout sixteen!  Who made these little people so independent and opinionated, anyway?

Alexandra the Great (miss snappy pants)

turned ..... SIX  on April 27th... and I'm late!

We don't want to forget these faves on her important date:

Color: all the colors

Sport: tennis

Animal: a puppy & kitten

Holiday: My Birthday & Christmas

Song: Round & Round (Selena Gomez)

Primary Song:  God Gave Us Families

Celebrity: Selena Gomez

Subject: craft/art time

Car: green zip!

TV Show: Avatar

Restaurant: In-N-Out

Food: cream tuna

Dessert: chocolate cake

Candy: butterfinger

Temple: Salt Lake City

Thing to do: wii

Movie: Alvin & the Chipmunks:  The Squeakel

Place to travel:  Arizona

Book: Rick is Sick, Purplicious

Scripture Story: Noah's Ark

When I grow up I want to be....a Mother & a missionary

Viviana was just as excited as Alexie to celebrate & open gifts...

Ama made her the cutest apron

What birthday isn't complete without lipgloss and jewelry?

amazing copycat strawberry Sprinkles cupcakes

Six Months Closer

Is there a such thing as playing hookie from blogging?  Cause that's where I've been for three glorious months... playing hookie.  And ya know what?  It feels reaaaally good.  But now I'm reaaaally behind in documenting our life for the kids.

Sometimes I wish I could play hookie from my own life as just getting through the day-to-day is exhausting at times (actually, just about every day when the clock strikes 3 I'm struck dumb and want to collapse).

but here we are... six months later... still unemployed.

And Curt's six months closer to graduating with his Master in Psych... (only 5 classes & a practicum)
...and six months closer to starting a PhD program.
Six months closer to Brayden's last year before high school
Six months closer to McKenzie's first year of middle school
And six months closer to Izzie's first year of school--period.
Six months closer to me losing my mind (I do still have some left).
And six months closer to me going back to school for my Masters in ????.

The other night in bed after another exhausting day of summer, I turned to Curt and said, "you realize we only have another 5 years with Brayden at home?"

And then I felt a little panicked.  Only five more years to teach him moral discipline, service, selflessness, teach him truths and consequences, teach him to love life fully, teach him about love and loss, sacrifice, and God.  And that's a heavy load.

So we'll see how long it takes me to load a gazillion pictures from my three-month hookie.  Cause life goes on in unemployment and we're six months closer to forever... living it one day at a time.

And Breathe...

Perhaps it came because I was feeling gratitude for our trials... Publicly, in our monthly testimony meeting at church. We should know that when we publicly express gratitude for trials that we're just going to get more-- isn't it part of Murphy's Law? It's like I was baiting the Lord to just bring it on. He did. Or WE did. Either way...

Our world hasn't been quite right these last couple weeks. Moving? Staying? Going back to what we left 8 months ago, or moving forward in a straight line? Okay, maybe that line has seemed to move a little backwards and sideways... and has become the can't-make-sense of it-line the last 8 months... So what's best for the kids? What's best for our future? Are we nuts if we don't take the opportunity in front of us? What about stability? Safety? Is it overrated? Is it a tender mercy... this place we have now, or is a tender mercy... this opportunity in front of us to get back what we thought was lost? Can we really handle the insane roller coaster, all the variables, the unanswered questions, the crazy that is spewing from all ends of our lives with no end in sight? Is there even a right and a wrong answer? I know, I'm being vague. This is only the half of it.

My mom says I should just look at the next lesson I teach in church a couple months ahead of time to know what my trials are going to be that particular month-- because they seem to coincide. This next one is prayer. And I think this situation has probably broken into the top 10 struggles of my life to find a concrete answer. I wasn't sure that there was a right or a wrong answer... I wasn't sure the Lord actually cared which direction we headed, as long as we're serving, remaining righteous, and loving our children. I had more heart-to-heart talks than usual: with family, my bestie, the Lord... more time on my knees, more visits to the San Diego Temple than normal, and more diving into the scriptures than typical for me. I'm convinced that the issues and things that are 'broke' right now in Temecula can be fixed... but that the pathway, at least for the next little while, needs to remain where we are. And for that sure knowledge, I am so grateful.

I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm deeply saddened. We had fabulous neighbors and friends in San Elijo. We already left them once... I can't even bear to think that I'd have to maybe repeat that again.  But I have to admit I'm also relieved, and hopeful for the future. I've learned a lot about myself in the last 8 months. I've also learned that renting isn't as horrible as I thought it would be... {that really is a revelation for me} Having a safe place we can actually afford... even during unemployment. That's a real blessing. Our unemployment benefit is to the cent exactly what our rent is. This situation has also been an exercise in humility, in recognizing the tender mercies and feeling the gratitude for all the blessings, large and small, in our lives right now during this unemployment crazy.

We could have prolonged our crazy move all this time. We could have been there saving money when unemployment knocked on our door. What lender 'loses' a file and 'miraculously' finds it 8 months later? OURS.  We thought someone was acting as 'us' and applying for mod after mod.  Nope... just inefficiency.  We should have played the game.  We could have moved back in to wait out our unemployment, save some money and then capitalize on the 'new' mortgage relief that was just announced. All legal and completely ethical... we still own the title. I find it odd that we have been considering moving back for the last couple weeks, even before any new legislation was announced. We had no idea it was coming. We just knew the bank hadn't foreclosed... and that there was an opportunity. Our mortgage company has been the most inefficient, most difficult beast to work with. Hands down.  We do kick ourselves for not staying and waiting all this out; hindsight is always 20/20. But there are just some things that need to be left alone once they're done.

I think for one, the Lord knows I just couldn't bear to have to leave that home & our dear neighbors & friends again if it just didn't work out for the second time. I think my family would have to pry me away and carry me out kicking and screaming this time. So maybe partially the answer was about me... but mostly it's about the greater good of the family.  And we have an omniscient, loving, merciful Heavenly Father and for that, I am thankful.  Plus, I don't have to spend my kids' two weeks of spring break packing and crying... and whining some more because that's just a long, long road of unknowns.

Lá Fhéile Pádraig

aka St. Patty's Day

Curt has become a St. Patrick's Day freak... the same way I'm a Valentine's freak.  He has collected things on clearance over the years.

So all of this was his creative outlet-- who knew?

The kids LOVE all their food options on St. Patrick's Day... he always makes green milk and green pancakes or waffles AND yummy sugar cereal (with the lovely side effect of green poop, I might add)

If it's green, it earns a spot on the table, apparently...

The girls made their leprechaun traps

Any excuse for another party at our house!

Girls Club Rocks

McKenzie's first day of middle school starts in August.  Soon a new kind of anxiety will be introduced in her life... a whole new world of crazy, and hopefully exciting and new experiences.  But we know that middle school can be a major transition and a world of cruel too.  She isn't moving up to the same school as the kids from her 5th grade year.... and so that's where Girls Club fits in.  

Last year a friend of ours had the foresight to start this club for these 12 girls in surrounding schools that are also members of our faith.  Since last September they have rotated being 'host' and hung out once a month so that on that often cruel, awkward and nerve-wracking first days of middle school they have several friendly faces ready to help each other through the exciting and crazy of it all.  

Our turn was March... and we hosted a fabulous & fun scavenger hunt... and then made homemade pizzas and ice cream cookie sandwiches.  

Weeds, Anyone?

Some people in blogland like to paint this pretty little picture of their perfect little families and how everything is joyous and lovely all.the.time. I know, it's rather easy to put your best foot forward when you're in control behind a computer screen, and perhaps I'm guilty at times, but let's face it...It can get annoying super duper fast and make others feel really inadequate. So I might adore my children tomorrow and feel better about how my parenting is working, but today I'm cranky and I'm tired and mommyhood seems more of a really really giant mountain... a snow covered mountain covered with mountain lions that I really can't climb... don't want to climb with a smile on my face.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not one to sugar-coat things. I don't have as much of an 'edit' button in my head as I should sometimes. I prefer transparency and sometimes brutal honesty to the fairytale when it comes to really any situation that has my feelings attached. The reason for all of this today?

The Golden Rule...

Sometimes I'm just certain that my kids are the only ones on the face of God's green Earth that just don't get it. Actually... the more disturbing part is that they absolutely DO get it, but are choosing to not live it. And I've had it!

The biggest problem I see is that essentially we have two different age groups... and the older kids are generally really stinking at setting a great example for the little kids... and so I'm seeing my sweet innocent little girls whom I absolutely adore become snappy, disrespectful, loud, and sometimes physical, they are telling little lies here and there and testing the boundaries and all six of them are now doing it at the same time. Well, it's still hard to ever be upset at Vivs with those big blue eyes... she's still an innocent little love.

{SCREAM}

Does anyone else feel like your kids make it super hard to love them fully and completely all the time? Am I the only one who sometimes struggles with these awful feelings at times? Maybe love is the wrong word... but how 'bout LIKE? Do we have to like our children all the times? I know I certainly don't like what they do and how they act- and they know it.

I remember years ago a friend told me that she literally had to pray daily for guidance for how to love her child because he was so difficult and had brought so many different challenges into her life. I remember thinking, 'Wow... I can't even imagine feeling that way about your own child!' Serves me right for judging her inside my head. Truly, though... I usually do adore my kids... they ARE good kids full of great traits and I have many reasons to be grateful most days. But...

Even after a family home evening last night about order in our home and making a very short & simple list of family goals to achieve 'order,' one being the golden rule {seriously, how hard is that really?} This morning one (to remain unnamed) told another that "I wish you never were born" and they continued to battle and punch each other with their words. This is just one little example of what they do to each other. Sometimes I want to just press the rewind button and start all over like 10 years ago. Maybe it's US and not them.

A couple weeks ago we decided that if they said something inappropriate tabasco was the answer for the older kids, soap for the little ones. Only when Monson was the first to get it this was his reaction: "Wow, Mom, this is good stuff!" So I piled it on and gave him like 10 drops of the hot stuff. He still loved it. Reminded me of my brother, Brett, & his love affair with tabasco and alum when the same thing happened to him as a kid. Sometimes I just want to throw my hands up in the air cause I'm tired of beating my head against the wall.

So now they're pulling weeds. Keep it coming and test us, kids... cause there's a lot of weeds and once our yard is immaculate I'm not afraid to send you to the neighbor's house or the park to pull theirs too.

Or maybe I just need some dark chocolate & a vacation?

My Dearest McKenzie Beth:

I can't believe it's been 11 years since I was shoving tubes up your nose, down through your throat and into your lungs every 2 hours (at home) to suction you, and keep you breathing and alive. LONG moments with an incompetent Pediatrician that we will never have to relive.

There's NOTHING I wouldn't do for you

Having you play hooky with your Dad & me was the best

{especially when you have big tests on your birthday...

cause that's just WRONG}.

Off we went for a special lunch

and every tween's dream... a trip to the mall to pick out one thing

{which turned into 3 things cause Old Navy just rocks

with great deals & coupons}

The bestest ever breakfast for dinner topped off with decadent chocolate cake & homemade ice cream. Yummers... except for the part where we all wanted to puke afterwards.

Kenz... Eleven things we {love} about you:

1. You're the best babysitter ever
2. The biggest helper a Mom could ever dream of
3. So very determined
4. Cheerful
5. Responsible
6. You give me gray hairs less & less {oh, please let it continue that way into the teens}
7. Things are black & white for you... you have an amazing sense of right & wrong
8. You are a towering influence for good
9. You're an extremely loyal daughter & friend
10. You're super creative... always working on a project or two
11. Miss Affectionate... always wants hugs & kisses from Mom & Dad

McKenzie's Faves:

Color: Blue

TV Show: American Idol

Sport: hockey

Animal: dog

Holiday: My Birthday

Song: Let It Rain (Kris Allen)

Celebrity: David Archuleta

Subject: Reading

Car: Hummer

Restaurant: BJ's

Food: shrimp

Dessert: Pazookies

Candy: twix

Temple: Salt Lake City

Thing to do: beading jewelry & riding bike

Movie: Cheaper by the Dozen

Place to go: Utah

Books: The Tale of Despereaux

Scripture Story: Nephi getting the brass plates from King Laban

McKenzie's goals this year:

• to get honor roll
• finish the Faith in God program
• complete 'Scripture University' with my mom.

You Go Girl!

Happy, Happy 11th Birthday Angel Kenz!

love you more!