working and dancing

B just got home from a work trip. He was gone for 8 days.

When Zane first heard about it, he said, "A whole week without Pops? This is going to be so terrible." I'm with you, Z. Especially since my kids are on to the fact that B is the fun one. We ALL missed him.

But, we survived. And while he was gone, I came to some realizations about my own limits and was able to edit my life accordingly. I tell you what, hindsight is a remarkable thing. 

And we managed to still have dance parties this week, so I think my kids survived. 

Can you say "Just Dance Kids 2," every day? Annie can. It's our morning workout. 

"Do you LOVE it guys? I LOVE IT!" She just said that this very second.

My favorite: "Shake your groove thing, shake your groove thing!" Annie's favorite: "I DON'T WANT TO GO TO SUMMER SCHOOL!" Zane's favorite: "I am a gummy bear, I am a yummy yummy yummy yummy gummy bear." If only the speakers weren't so close to the computer.

Also, Pandora. Tea Party Princess. Sorry Zane, that's the name of the station. I think we were rockin' out to "Life is a highway!" at this point (wink wink, sure).

And actually, right after this, they whipped right into each other, and Zane's homework pencil may or may not have stuck Annie in the cheek. Weeping while dancing, anyone? Luckily, Zane's there to entertain her with his moves. Soon, we're back to giggling.

 

Did you notice Annie's hat in the above combined set? We're celebrating Chinese New Year, of course! Every Wednesday since we got home this summer, Annie and I have gone to this great little storytime/craft hour at a local educational/toy store. It's been just perfect for her. Coloring, stories, then a little (or in this case big) craft to take home. Happy camper.

And like I said, B is home now. More happy campers.

A kid trip to the temple

A few weeks ago, I learned that the children of our ward/local congregation were invited to a "morning at the temple" in Orlando.

Did I mention it was in Orlando?

I thought the planners of the activity (one of which is a great friend, hello there great friend!) were crazy. But that's because I don't like to leave my house, let alone travel for 2 hours anywhere.

But as it turns out, it was an inspired activity and I'm glad I trudged along. The weather was beautiful, the kids were enthusiastic (I kept wondering when they were going to figure out that only 12 years old and up people get to go INSIDE the place, so that didn't include THEM), and the experience was a wonderful net good.

We started on the temple grounds with muffins. Great idea.

There was a great grassy area right in front which made a perfect gathering/run around after the car ride spot. The time of day made it not so great for seeing children's faces, but oh well.

Here we are, all gathered (this is picture 117 by the way. The kids were incredibly patient. Valium in the muffins, maybe?)

(Way to crop out the angel Moroni up top Michelle. I miss the boat.)

Yes, that's our primary, or about 75% of them. I know you people in wards with 120+ kids are amazed. If I ever have to do singing time for those kinds of numbers again, I will think back on these little people and weep. 10 kids in senior primary = bliss.

Here's a closeup with my little ones and not so many shaded faces.

After the pictures, we met up with the temple president, who took us on a lovely tour around the building. We stopped on each side, talking about the beautiful windows and rooms inside, the promises we make to Heavenly Father, and the happiness it brings us. Amen.

Then the kids all touched the temple and got a happy little postcard which they drew their hands on and wrote the date. Annie was THRILLED to have HER VERY OWN TEMPLE NOW.

Then, we were off to a nearby church for lunch and more running around. As we were saying goodbye/walking to our cars, I needed a quick picture of my kids so I made them stop mid-stride and CHEESE me. I love these little bugs, and you would be so impressed with the amount of people on either side of them also in mid-stride that I didn't have to make pause in order to get this. One shot and GREAT! we're done.

As we were leaving, Annie asked, "When can we go on ANOTHER temple trip?" Impression made.

And as a total bonus, while we were eating lunch, a big group of missionaries showed up to share the pavilion with us and I glanced over and saw Brandon's cousin, Sis. Reynolds. She is currently serving in the Orlando mission, and thus far we had been good citizens and not tried to see each other in person. But seriously, we were under the same pavilion! So we were able to say hello, give big hugs and take pictures, and hopefully spread some family love to that wonderful sister missionary. See, I'm glad we came, for many reasons!

(Annie wouldn't be in the picture. Anyone surprised?)

We won't talk about the skinned knee on the way to the car, or the crying that ensued for the next couple of hours. We'll just remember that it was a very nice way to spend a beautiful January morning in Florida. Take that, Michelle's bad attitude!

This week, in code

I feel like we're living top secret lives over here. Well, no, we're actually living our normal, boring lives. But I feel like anything interesting I'd like to blog about just can't quite be blogged about yet. For instance.

This week, Brandon --- --- --- --- --- day ---. He will --- --- ---, then --- to --- --- --- ---, after which --- --- --- --- --- --- for another ---. ---! Not to mention, today he --- --- --- with ---, which would be --- --- great --- --- ---! And it doesn't stop there. After --- ---, he will be --- --- --- few ---, then --- ---, then --- --- --- --- ---, then ---. Exciting times ahead. Pray for us!

As for me, I --- --- --- --- -- of ---. My --- --- is --- ---, which is the --- one. --- the --- --- music --- --- ---. After the ---, I --- --- --- --- world, --- ---. Thanks --- --- ---.

Maddening isn't it?

At least our children remain uncensored.

Last night, the kids and B were playing the "who would win" game. You know, Yoda versus Master Woo, Rapunzel verses Pocahontas, etc. Zane busted out with, "I know a good one. Who would win at a singing game, Pops or Chewbacca?" I'll just leave it there, folks. :)

As for Annie, she's really stepped it up on the crying lately. Take this exact moment for example. She had completed a drawing of our family (complete with lowercase m eyebrows, a new addition), and was labeling the members therein. Pops was accidentally identified as "Michelle." Can't have that. Erasing starts. Erasing on construction paper doesn't really work all the much. Annie declares, "I know, I'll put water on the eraser! That will HELP!" So of course I have to say, "Oh, Annie, no sweetie, that won't quite work. Water actually kinda ruins erasers (hear how gentle I'm trying to be?). Instead, can I help you try and erase it?"

Well, that's all it took. Big tears coming out from either eyes, she runs from the room wailing. WAHHHHH. Wah wah WAHHHH. Which morphs into WHOA. WHOAAAAA. OH. oh. oh. Which moves more into a song of sorts, the "ohs" finding various pitches. mi. so. mi. (a minor third, very sad sounds.) Then, out of the 'ohs' comes a sad, sad song:

"Oh, whoa, whoa. (mi so mi)
I don't want to draw (do re mi so la)
any more more more. (la so mi re do)
I only want to do what I do (do do re mi so la so la so)
at story time. (so mi re ti) (ti is the worst)
I never.... want... (so la so..... mi)
to...write....again. (mi ... re... do... ti...)
wah wah wah....wah.... wah...." (la so mi...mi.....mi.....)

Luckily, as the wahs die out, a new distracted song takes their place:
"Colors colors I see colors (mi so mi so la la la la)
purple blue green indigo.." (so mi la ti la la la)

And she's back to playing happily. Phew.

That's us today! :) Peace out.

Ninja-go! and other things

We spent some time outside yesterday. I just keep telling myself, you crazy person, get OUT there, this is January. Cherish cherish, enjoy enjoy.

Lucky for me I have kids who get me out there.

Annie kept bringing me treasures. Look how BIG mom. I can't help but notice how big SHE'S getting.

This is a treasure, mom. I am just glad it's actually the thing in focus in the picture and not her shoes like my usual tricks.

Have you all been properly introduced to the world of Ninjago yet? If not, I've done a disservice. We educated the masses about Thomas the Train when it was the highlight of our lives. Then again with Star Wars. The newest insanity? It's Lego Ninjago. As in, "Ninja--GO!!" (listen to 1:05-1:30, it's the best says zane.)

What makes it even cooler is that one of the characters is named Zane. Oh yeah, boo yah, he says.

Anyway, it's the latest obsession. My favorite part? That it somehow captures the attention and heart of 5 all the way up to 10 year old boys (and girls). As in they play make believe together. I thought that happy stage was over. I'm thrilled that it's here in full swing, although I'm sure it helps that there is fighting involved. 

Zane the ninja (he did not know I was taking these pictures):

This was before I made them drop the sticks. Then they got sad and whiny and I had to pull out the "Didn't you hear about the kid who lost an eye due to a stick accident?" line. Bummer, mom. Oh well, Ninja-GO!

Anyway, this enormous part of our family life is now covered. check.

Speaking of Zane, here's another funny. All year, he's been taking spelling tests. And all year, there is a special message at the bottom of the paper.

(Side note: Brandon was very proud of Zane for misspelling 'catch.' "Spelling it like it sounds, that's my boy!")

(Now, back to the story.)

Did you catch it? The 'I love tests' part? Man, that teacher is impressive with the brainwashing, I thought! So I asked Zane:

me: "Does your teacher always have the class write 'I love tests' at the bottom of the page?" 

Zane: "No, I just write it myself."

me: "But why?" 

Zane: "Because I love tests!"

What in the world? Who is this child?

me: "Do other kids write it too?" (thinking he got the idea from someone)

Zane: "I don't know. You're not supposed to look at anybody else's test!"

I {heart} this kid.

And on a less charming note, one more story.

B is on the job hunt. We don't mention it here, because of worlds colliding. But he's in the thick of it. This week, he had some positive attention from a favorite on his list.

That night before prayers, he said, "Hey Zane, guess what? ------- called me today, interested in setting up a job interview. Isn't that good news?"

Zane, honestly, said, "Well, actually, that isn't that interesting. But yeah, it's good news. Can we pray now?"

Awesome. 

more words from our kids

Look, a picture from our past. It was part II of our annual picture taking tradition/bribery agreement. Why oh why are those things so good?

**

Tonight at dinner, Zane and Brandon were (gasp) daydreaming about living in a bigger house.

Zane says, "If we had a huge house, upstairs we could get a pool table, and a big tv for the wii, and a romantic table for four!"

Brandon laughed and said, "Actually, son, romantic tables are usually reserved for just two people."

"Oh!" said Zane. "Okay then, we'll get two romantic tables for two--one upstairs for me and you, and another one somewhere for mom and Annie."

Who knew the love/need for a man cave was so intuitive, so early?

**

As I write, Annie just said, "Don't worry mom, I'll be done in a JIPPY!"

Which reminds me. We just barely broke the news to Zane that words like "wrong" and "song" end with a "g" sound and not an "n" one. "Really?" he said, dejected. "REALLY? I've never known that, in my whole life! REALLY?!"

It's hard to grow up.

New Year Catch Up

Well hello, 2012. So far so good, ay?

I have been not-taking-pictures and therefore not-posting. I might need to get me one of those phones with a camera in it one of these days. 

BECAUSE! There have already been picture worthy memories. I'll do my best with words instead.

Last Sunday was the first church day of the year, meaning the kids moved up to the next age-leveled classes. Annie is no longer a sunbeam; instead she is a CTR of some sort (apparently, so is Zane, still. He is confused. Me too. Anyway.). When we picked her up, she had a CTR shield necklace around her neck and she shouted, "CTR!" with a big smile whenever she saw someone new. Brandon asked (after the 5th "CTR!"), "Annie, what does CTR mean?" "I DON'T KNOW! CTR!" She seems to be taking after her brother.

Also last Sunday, before church, we went on a long walk/bike ride. The campus was practically empty, so our risk-taking 7-year old could scare the wits out of his parents while still remaining relatively safe.  The phrase I will remember most from that walk? "Zane! COME BACK!"  Anyway, near the end of the ride, Annie wanted to get out, so I told her she could get out by the alligators. Brandon took off towards home, looking for Zane (enter the well remembered phrase here), and us girls took the back trail to the alligator look out.

I say look out here because usually you walk to the bank and "look out" at the alligators in the lake. Except not that day. That day, there on the bank of the look out, sunning himself in the beautiful morning sun, was a 5 or 6 ft ALL-I-GA-TOR. We got within about 15 feet before I even looked up and noticed. Holy deena, Annie, we need to turn around right now.

Oo, come to think of it, this is better WITHOUT a picture. I'll let your imaginations run instead.

:) We made it back to the boys safely, then came around the other way to get a few more looks at it. Except then Annie asked, "Could we please go somewhere SAFER, mom?"

Other great quotes this week by Zane, whose sarcasm is getting sharper every day. Pretty awesome, and pretty sad at the same time. First, Brandon was complaining about something he had to do that day. "You'll survive," came the reply from Z. Then, we were on our way to Target, and Brandon was using the back roads to get there. When Annie asked him where he was taking us, he said, "Oh, we're going to Target, but the way I'm going is SUPER SNEAKY." And our snarky little boy said to himself but just loud enough to be heard, "Hardly." We should probably let him know this is unacceptable instead of giggling at him, huh? Tomorrow.

Finally, one from last night. Brandon was telling Zane money doesn't grow on trees. Zane replied back, "But if it did, we would need to go tree shopping!"

***

Florida's been really cold this week, have you noticed? Two days in the 20s at night, not even breaking 50 during the day! We basically thought we were going to die. How do you normal people do it? Good news though, I just checked and we're back to 68 degrees. Phew. High of 74 tomorrow. Double phew.

**

I am excited for this new year. There are wonderful things ahead, for all of us (even without accompanying pictures). Especially if the weather stays warm. 

Ten years!

As of December 28th, 2011, Brandon and I have been married ten years. 

Really? Ten years? 

Well, you know us, we wouldn't have done anything besides a fist bump or something. We have kids. We (Brandon) have work. We are boring people. We'd have to leave our house. Etc.

But then our St. Pete friends heard tell of our "decade long accomplishment" and told us we would be doing something for ourselves, and we would be leaving our children with them while we did it.

Wow. I mean wow. Anyone who knows us knows that our daughter is a little, ahem, tricky. Plus, we spent Thanksgiving with these people, a time when Annie had been PARTICULARLY freak-out-for-no-reason tricky. And yet, the offer was on the table. We had to go for it.

We had a wonderful time.

I took 5 pictures. I think that's how it should be. Pictures, schmictures. What will I remember more than pictures? The quiet. The peacefulness. The deep breaths. And of course, the food.

We went to Lido Key, just past Sarasota. We stayed in this funky little place called the Gulf Beach Resort Motel. Note: emphasis on "motel," not so much "resort." The place was straight out of the movie "Cars," having hailed its original fame and popularity from the 1950s, when families first started "road tripping" to the Florida beaches. It rocked. 

Look, it even had signage.

And it's amazing what life experience will do to your perspective. The quaint little space was complete with a bathroom that more-than-closely matched our upstairs Corry village one, except that it had actually been cleaned properly and regularly for the past 60 years. Instead of wrinkling our noses to this "vintage" feature (as we would have pre-florida, pre-corry), we enthusiastically noted every detail. "Look how the grout is so CLEAN! And the sink, hot water actually comes out easily! Come, see!"

Hee hee. I love Corry.

Anyway, it really was RIGHT on the beach. We took one hundred steps or less and there it was, paradise, complete with peach and white striped lawn chairs. We parked the car and walked directly to the ocean. Sigh. Happiness and a half.

(This picture may or may not actually be from the next day, at a different location. But you get the picture.)

Other highlights of the trip: dinner at The Columbia. Hot chocolate and fudge at some fantastic treat shop. Walking home on the beach and seeing an amish family complete with bonnets and suspenders equipped with headlamps, jumping around in the waves, searching in the dark for crabs (you KNOW I wanted to take a picture of that!). Searching to no avail for a Publix, asking directions, and finding out how close yet how far we'd been (we miss the boat). The cold and wet morning on Anna Maria Island, reminding us of the Puget Sound and our many happy moments together there (did we have any idea then Florida was in our future? In ten more years, where in the world will we be?). Walking on the beach in our fleece jackets and beanies, giggling sadly for the other beach goers trying to tough it out in their teeny bathing suits. Finding beautiful shells to take home to our babies. Cheesecake, to end the adventure.

As the new year begins, we are realizing more and more how close we are to the end of this chapter of our combined life adventure. It, like the others, has been a trying yet fantastic chapter. And we still have six months to go. Hold my horses. Enjoy the sunsets.

 We really needed some time away. St. Pete friends, we're yours forever. Especially after Annie threw up at breakfast that last morning at your house. 

Happy tenth, super Brandon.