Thursday, November 22, 2012
Gobble Gobble Super Turkey
This is a week of firsts for me:
1. This is my first blog entry made completely on my kindle. So it will be shorter than usual.
2. I used a hot glue gun in bed this week.
3. I had what can reasonably be called my first nervous breakdown.
4. I was alone during my nonexistent Thanksgiving dinner. I was invited of course but did not feel well enough to attend.
5. I found a narcotic that does not cause me an allergic reaction.
6. My sweet husband made both the mashed potatoes and 4 dozen homemade rolls to take to his parents today. There is something very desirable about a man who can work the yeast.
7. I watched the parade and some dog shows. I don't even like parades or dog shows but it was so great to feel good enough to repose on the couch rather than my bed that I didn't care what was on.
8. Finally, while getting a heparin shot in the hospital, the nurse said my stomach didn't have much fat and didn't look like I had birthed 6 children -and I couldn't respond with my usual "You haven't seen me with my clothes off!" because, well, you know. . .
It has been a very difficult week for me as I struggle to recover from my second surgery this Fall. My husband has been my wall to lean on, quite literally. I have received tons of help and support. Of course I am grateful to everyone and especially to Heavenly Father for the blessing of life and even for excruciating challenges that leave me forever changed. I was on the brink this week, hours away from a return to the hospital,physically and emotionally spent, when we called on a friend to help my husband give me a priesthood blessing. I was able to calm down, go to sleep, and resolve the issue in time to avoid the hospital. It wasn't a miraculous healing, but just enough improvement for me to keep on plugging.
There is always good to be found if only you look. There is always happiness to feel if you want to, maybe something small on the darkest days, but no matter what, "Let us resolve to be happy, regardless of our circumstances."-Dieter F. Uctdorf
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Confessions of a Serial Trick or Treater
Why should Halloween be just for the kids? Okay, I really do understand the reasons why trick or treating is for children, but it took me a long time to get it out of my system. A VERY LONG TIME. It may have involved trick-or-treating as an adult on more than one occasion. Okay, it did involve that. I admit it. I LOVE TRICK-OR-TREATING!!!!!!!!!
Trick or treating as a child was perhaps the highlight of my entire year. I loved candy, I didn't have an allowance most of my life, and this was my one chance all year long to hit the mother load. Easter and Christmas were great too, but Halloween offered so much more! I grew up in a nice flat Texas neighborhood and we would trick or treat for about 3 hours straight, often running from house to house. I probably pulled in 5-10 pounds of candy, which I never managed to make last past Christmas, unlike my friend Ronni who would eat one piece a day. Some people are just born with incredible discipline. Some of us are born dreaming of Reece's Peanut Butter Cups. Oh, sweet memories of childhood!
Well, I had really awesome parents who let us trick or treat every year and didn't make us stop at any particular age. But, my older siblings naturally stopped around 16, so I thought I would too. I was planning on my last year of trick or treating to be the best yet. Then my dad got a job in Moscow Russia and 6 weeks later, in September of 2001, we were living there. They don't have Halloween in Russia. Ahhh!!!!! Horror of Horrors! I was traumatized. My parents couldn't even go out and buy me candy to make up for it because they didn't have much imported American candy and Russian candy was just not the same. I probably should have felt worse for my little brothers, but hey, I was a selfish teenager, and I just felt bad for me. I slowly simmered about my lost candy for 3 years. Then I moved back to America, 17 years old, as a Freshman at Brigham Young University. Halloween quickly approached and I made my plans. I would go trick or treating!
I selected my partner in crime, a boy in my ward who was also very youthful looking. We dressed up and we headed on foot up to the married housing apts. at the North of campus. And it worked! They gave us candy!
You might think I felt redeemed, but no, it was more like the having the pump primed. The next year I was dating my husband and we trick or treated around his cul-de-sac. So, it was 6 houses, but I did go. The next year, we refrained. The next year we had a 3 week old baby- plenty old for trick or treating. And by the next year, when he was 12 months old, he was totally old enough to beg for candy, and still too young to eat it! Ha ha !
Since then, we've been legitimately taking our children trick or treating and not even stealing their candy.
And I was almost recovered from my need to go, but I needed one more jaunt into the magical world of Halloween. I was 27. Yes. I was 27. I looked very young. I dressed up as a butterfly and took my 14 year old sister out with me in my in-laws neighborhood. These people knew me, but I wore an eye mask. I hauled. And I didn't have even one person look at me strangely . I had 3 children at this point. I know, I'm pitiful, but I wanted the candy. I shared it with Judd. We were poor. But, the good news, I'm sure you'll be glad to read, is that I was finally cured. Time, and better income, finally satiated my desire to beg door to door for goodies. I am a recovered trick or treater. It doesn't hurt that my mouth issues prohibit me from eating most candy these days. Anyway, that is my confession, my deep dark secret? What's yours?
Trick or treating as a child was perhaps the highlight of my entire year. I loved candy, I didn't have an allowance most of my life, and this was my one chance all year long to hit the mother load. Easter and Christmas were great too, but Halloween offered so much more! I grew up in a nice flat Texas neighborhood and we would trick or treat for about 3 hours straight, often running from house to house. I probably pulled in 5-10 pounds of candy, which I never managed to make last past Christmas, unlike my friend Ronni who would eat one piece a day. Some people are just born with incredible discipline. Some of us are born dreaming of Reece's Peanut Butter Cups. Oh, sweet memories of childhood!
Well, I had really awesome parents who let us trick or treat every year and didn't make us stop at any particular age. But, my older siblings naturally stopped around 16, so I thought I would too. I was planning on my last year of trick or treating to be the best yet. Then my dad got a job in Moscow Russia and 6 weeks later, in September of 2001, we were living there. They don't have Halloween in Russia. Ahhh!!!!! Horror of Horrors! I was traumatized. My parents couldn't even go out and buy me candy to make up for it because they didn't have much imported American candy and Russian candy was just not the same. I probably should have felt worse for my little brothers, but hey, I was a selfish teenager, and I just felt bad for me. I slowly simmered about my lost candy for 3 years. Then I moved back to America, 17 years old, as a Freshman at Brigham Young University. Halloween quickly approached and I made my plans. I would go trick or treating!
I selected my partner in crime, a boy in my ward who was also very youthful looking. We dressed up and we headed on foot up to the married housing apts. at the North of campus. And it worked! They gave us candy!
You might think I felt redeemed, but no, it was more like the having the pump primed. The next year I was dating my husband and we trick or treated around his cul-de-sac. So, it was 6 houses, but I did go. The next year, we refrained. The next year we had a 3 week old baby- plenty old for trick or treating. And by the next year, when he was 12 months old, he was totally old enough to beg for candy, and still too young to eat it! Ha ha !
Since then, we've been legitimately taking our children trick or treating and not even stealing their candy.
And I was almost recovered from my need to go, but I needed one more jaunt into the magical world of Halloween. I was 27. Yes. I was 27. I looked very young. I dressed up as a butterfly and took my 14 year old sister out with me in my in-laws neighborhood. These people knew me, but I wore an eye mask. I hauled. And I didn't have even one person look at me strangely . I had 3 children at this point. I know, I'm pitiful, but I wanted the candy. I shared it with Judd. We were poor. But, the good news, I'm sure you'll be glad to read, is that I was finally cured. Time, and better income, finally satiated my desire to beg door to door for goodies. I am a recovered trick or treater. It doesn't hurt that my mouth issues prohibit me from eating most candy these days. Anyway, that is my confession, my deep dark secret? What's yours?
I am Old
I am officially old.
Yes, I am.
Okay, maybe not old, but definitely a complete and total, no denying it, grown up. I just turned 35 - halfway through my 30's. 40 will be here to smack me in the face before I can say "Stop kicking your sister under the table" 1,825 more times, or something like that. Time goes so fast!
Not so long ago, I was a cute little baby. It's taken me years to agree that I was cute and not some mutant with quadruple cheeks. They were big. But, I guess that's okay.
Before I knew it, I was 5 years old. Those early years really flew by for me. Then things slowed down a little, but, Wammo!, Junior High was just around the corner. And just when I was getting the hang of things, we moved to Russia.
Fast forward past three amazing years of homeschool High School and a little maturing and I descended upon the college scene like, well like an American teenager who was starved for cute guys who spoke English. I had a goal of 3 dates per week. So, naturally, with that important mindset,I quickly found an eternal companion. We wed.
Then, we bred.
And here I am 35 years old, married for 15+ years, mother to 6 children. I have a 14 year old child. I was 14 when I moved to Russia. It doesn't feel like that long ago. Time felt so sluggishly slow when I was a child, like I could actually touch it while it dripped along, bit by insanely slow bit.
And now. . I can't seem to get life to slow down. And before I realized what happened, I've left my young life behind. Many of my friends, older than me, laugh at the concept of 35 being old. I know that it isn't really old. But, it isn't really young anymore either. It's time to be a grownup.
It's time to admit my greatest weaknesses and to overcome them. I'm not going to admit them to you, but I'm admitting them to me, and to God, and I'm going to change. Because, before I know it, I'll be 60, then 70, then, one day, I'm going to pass on from this life.
It's also time to embrace my talents and consciously develop them further. While I was recovering from surgery and had a lot of spare time, my parents had me do some projects. I painted flowers on rocks. I painted a soccer ball. I painted a bird house. We sewed. I realized that I have not been developing some abilities that mean a lot to me. And I'm not getting any younger! I shouldn't let my time be spent only helping my children with their many activities, but I should also set aside a little time for me to continue growing.
I want to improve my sewing ability, my art abilities, my music abilities. I want to do things I've never done, but always wanted to do. I want to do things I haven't done enough. I want to go on hikes. I want to do amazing things with my garden. I want to explore art. I want to write about things that matter and reach a wiser audience than my facebook friends. I want to play difficult piano pieces flawlessly. I want to teach, not for money, I just want to teach. And I want to be in a play, a real play, not just starring as the devil in the ward roadshow 21 years ago. That doesn't count.
This might be my little version of a midlife crisis. I'm just really starting to understand the fragile nature of mortal life. I don't want to have regrets. In some ways I have been in limbo for 2 1/2 years, my life on hold while I deal with my strange mouth problems. Next Friday I will have surgery to hopefully fix another problem I've been dealing with since Timothy's birth. Then, I'm going to start doing these things. My midlife crisis is going to be one of self-improvement, not selfishly, but balanced with my most important roles of mother and wife. Let the crisis begin! I'm feeling old and times a wastin'!
p.s. I also want to know who actually reads this blog. Please feel free to comment. I adore comments!
Yes, I am.
Okay, maybe not old, but definitely a complete and total, no denying it, grown up. I just turned 35 - halfway through my 30's. 40 will be here to smack me in the face before I can say "Stop kicking your sister under the table" 1,825 more times, or something like that. Time goes so fast!
Not so long ago, I was a cute little baby. It's taken me years to agree that I was cute and not some mutant with quadruple cheeks. They were big. But, I guess that's okay.
Before I knew it, I was 5 years old. Those early years really flew by for me. Then things slowed down a little, but, Wammo!, Junior High was just around the corner. And just when I was getting the hang of things, we moved to Russia.
Fast forward past three amazing years of homeschool High School and a little maturing and I descended upon the college scene like, well like an American teenager who was starved for cute guys who spoke English. I had a goal of 3 dates per week. So, naturally, with that important mindset,I quickly found an eternal companion. We wed.
Then, we bred.
And here I am 35 years old, married for 15+ years, mother to 6 children. I have a 14 year old child. I was 14 when I moved to Russia. It doesn't feel like that long ago. Time felt so sluggishly slow when I was a child, like I could actually touch it while it dripped along, bit by insanely slow bit.
And now. . I can't seem to get life to slow down. And before I realized what happened, I've left my young life behind. Many of my friends, older than me, laugh at the concept of 35 being old. I know that it isn't really old. But, it isn't really young anymore either. It's time to be a grownup.
It's time to admit my greatest weaknesses and to overcome them. I'm not going to admit them to you, but I'm admitting them to me, and to God, and I'm going to change. Because, before I know it, I'll be 60, then 70, then, one day, I'm going to pass on from this life.
It's also time to embrace my talents and consciously develop them further. While I was recovering from surgery and had a lot of spare time, my parents had me do some projects. I painted flowers on rocks. I painted a soccer ball. I painted a bird house. We sewed. I realized that I have not been developing some abilities that mean a lot to me. And I'm not getting any younger! I shouldn't let my time be spent only helping my children with their many activities, but I should also set aside a little time for me to continue growing.
I want to improve my sewing ability, my art abilities, my music abilities. I want to do things I've never done, but always wanted to do. I want to do things I haven't done enough. I want to go on hikes. I want to do amazing things with my garden. I want to explore art. I want to write about things that matter and reach a wiser audience than my facebook friends. I want to play difficult piano pieces flawlessly. I want to teach, not for money, I just want to teach. And I want to be in a play, a real play, not just starring as the devil in the ward roadshow 21 years ago. That doesn't count.
This might be my little version of a midlife crisis. I'm just really starting to understand the fragile nature of mortal life. I don't want to have regrets. In some ways I have been in limbo for 2 1/2 years, my life on hold while I deal with my strange mouth problems. Next Friday I will have surgery to hopefully fix another problem I've been dealing with since Timothy's birth. Then, I'm going to start doing these things. My midlife crisis is going to be one of self-improvement, not selfishly, but balanced with my most important roles of mother and wife. Let the crisis begin! I'm feeling old and times a wastin'!
p.s. I also want to know who actually reads this blog. Please feel free to comment. I adore comments!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
ONE MORE DAY!
My surgery was exactly 6 weeks ago! Tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock I will see my oral surgeon, have an x-ray, and hope to see some good healing in my upper jaw bone. I am done with these bands! I hope.
It has been super fun to develop such a close and loving relationship with my blender.
I have blended things I didn't think I would ever blend- almonds, oats, chicken, hamburger, beans, kale, rice, bread, tortillas, -even lettuce.
I thought you might enjoy some photos of my dinner last night.
And that's the way it goes- 3 or 4 times a day. Delicious! I'm hoping that tomorrow I get the clearance to start chewing soft foods like scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and noodles. If not, I might see what happens when I blend tortilla chips. :)
Seriously, I know this looks really gross, but I am forever grateful that the Blendtec blender exists and that I was able to get one. It has kept me alive and healthy. It has even kept me from losing any more weight, which is shockingly disappointing. I had hoped that giving up white flour, candy, cookies, cakes, chips,. . . and all other good sweet or salty treats would make a difference. Oh well! I am just grateful to be alive and for all of my wonderful working body parts.
It has been super fun to develop such a close and loving relationship with my blender.
I have blended things I didn't think I would ever blend- almonds, oats, chicken, hamburger, beans, kale, rice, bread, tortillas, -even lettuce.
I thought you might enjoy some photos of my dinner last night.
 |
| This is how it started. Beans and rice, salsa, sauteed celery, leeks, and peppers, sour cream, water, and lettuce. |
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| Blend for 40 seconds on the smoothie setting. |
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| Mmm, it's looking good! |
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| Voila! Cafe Rio flavor, baby food appearance. Yummy! |
Seriously, I know this looks really gross, but I am forever grateful that the Blendtec blender exists and that I was able to get one. It has kept me alive and healthy. It has even kept me from losing any more weight, which is shockingly disappointing. I had hoped that giving up white flour, candy, cookies, cakes, chips,. . . and all other good sweet or salty treats would make a difference. Oh well! I am just grateful to be alive and for all of my wonderful working body parts.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
5 weeks post-op
Wednesday October 10th, 2012 -(awesome photo at end)
5 weeks! It seems like just yesterday I was still waiting for surgery. But, hopefully I have just one week left of being banded. I have an appointment tomorrow and I'll see what my doctor says then. The week that I came home- about 2 1/2 weeks ago, I worked really hard to clean my home and get back into the swing of motherhood. I guess I worked too hard, but I didn't feel like it at the time. The next week I crashed hard and had to watch all my hard work revert while the children spread crumbs over the carpet and dirt on the walls. It's not really totally destroyed, but I did have to take it easy. Instead of cleaning, I sewed. I'm working on a quilt for Emmeline . It is simple but absolutely gorgeous! I'm very close to having the top finished.
Being home has been wonderful, but also difficult. I've been hit in the jaw three times. Audrey caught a cold and gave it to me. That's sharing at it's finest! I'm not sleeping well, even though Judd is doing all of the middle of the night child duties. The hardest thing has been watching my family eat junk food all day long. There seems to be a constant stream of candy, cookies, chips. . . and I can't eat any of it. I just smell it and tell myself that was as good as eating it. It really is close. I'm hoping to maintain this new habit because I REALLY do not want to gain back the 10 pounds I lost. Those 10 pounds were a new addition that I gained after losing weight when I got my braces on. I'm not sure how to prevent them from coming back. My plan is to only eat when hungry and to continue exercising. It's been so interesting to eat from my blender for so long. I'm focusing on getting a lot of protein and also fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. I would like to keep the switch to whole grains. It's going to be hard because my family is anti whole wheat, anti- whole grain pasta, anti brown rice, anti oatmeal. So, I might just have to offer both kinds for a while. I know I can win some of them over to the dark side! In the meantime, I made them homemade rolls and cinnamon bread yesterday. They were so excited that I baked again!
As can be expected, I continue to learn from this experience:
1.I've learned that not having feeling in a body part is really a handicap. While I'm grateful to not feel pain in my upper teeth, eating against a palate void of all feeling is difficult. Today I held an ice cube against my palate- nothing. I have been sensing twinges of cold in my two front teeth- at least I think I have. But, when I touch them, I can't feel it. I know that when I start to chew again, it will be challenging to do so with no feeling in my top teeth.
2. I've learned that healing from a broken bone actually does require more sleep. For me, it requires about two hours more sleep than I was getting before, so 8-9 hours instead of 6-7. I feel like a little kid again.
3. I've learned that yelling with clenched/banded teeth is really difficult and not worth it. It causes me pain later and at the moment when I attempt to yell, I get the distinct impression that I resemble a frothing dog. My children say I sound like I am mad all of the time. Try talking with clenched teeth and you will see what they mean.
4. I have learned that raw frozen spinach really has no taste when mixed into a smoothie. I have tried it with every possible combination, including with just ice cream and peaches. That was the most delicious peach spinach milkshake, even if it was green.
5. I have learned that I had a habit of licking food off of my fingers, based on the number of times that I try to do it, only to be thwarted by the fact that I cannot open my mouth.
6. I have learned that I do not lick my lips. While I am addicted to chapstick, being banded shut has not made any difference. I still need it just as much as before. My lips still get chapped.
7. I've learned that some food tastes pretty good after being blended, like beans and brown rice, and some food turns into super baby food cement- like potatoes. DO NOT BLEND POTATOES!
7. Another thing I have learned is something I already knew. But, I think I learn it deeper each time it happens. I have learned that "With God, nothing is impossible". No matter what it is, God will make you equal to the trials that you face in life, if you turn to Him. People have been shocked and horrified by what I have gone through with my mouth problem and the jaw surgery. Yes, it has been really hard. There's no doubt about that. But, I knew going into this surgery that I would survive. During the awful initial recovery period, I used two techniques to get me through. When I started to panic, I chanted over and over in my head, "The Lord is my light and my strength." This was a mutation of Psalm 27 which starts, "The Lord is the strength of my life. The Lord is my light and salvation." I couldn't remember it correctly. My brain was so foggy. It didn't matter though. Turning to the Lord gave me the strength to take one more breath.
The other technique was suggested by someone, who shall remain nameless. I was having panic attacks while trying to fall asleep, afraid that I wouldn't be able to breathe. The suggestion was to pray myself to sleep, praying in detail for each of my children, and to just keep going until I fell asleep. So, maybe praying with the intention of falling asleep isn't very righteous, but I think Heavenly Father understood, and my prayers were sincere. It was comforting to be praying for the welfare of others instead of focusing on myself.
Many people have remarked how they couldn't have their teeth banded or wired shut for 6 weeks. I would have thought the same thing of myself. But, it's not true. You can do anything with God. ANYTHING. Whatever He requires of you, you can do. Whatever trials you face, you can emerge from the darkness with strengthened faith. In the LDS church we like to talk about the refiner's fire a lot. We consider large trials in our life to be our own personal visits into that fire. It isn't a pleasant trip, but going through the refiner's fire strips away impurities and strengthens what is left behind. Afterwards, you wonder how you were ever happy living with those impurities. You are changed. If you have ever experienced a planned empowering natural childbirth, the feelings are similar. It's the power of learning that you can do HARD THINGS. So, to my wonderful friends and family, all blessed with your own kaleidoscope of trials, YES, you could do this too, if it were asked of you. You can do hard things. We all can. With God, nothing is impossible.
Thursday October 11, 2012
I just had my dr. appt. Everything looks good. He said I could start opening my mouth a little bit now and a gain with the bands on. I have my 6 week appt. next Thursday. I think scrambled eggs are in my future!
And my quilt top is done!
Friday, October 5, 2012
Amahl For This! Happy Birthday Reuben!
Today is my oldest son Reuben's 14th birthday. Which means that my 35th birthday is just around the bend. I brought Reuben home from the hospital the day I turned 21. That was a hard day. My sweet hubby left me home alone with a new baby and spent hours shopping to buy me presents . I think he had a great time. I was miserable. It was night time. I was in pain. I didn't know what I was doing. And I was alone with a brand new baby in a small dark basement apartment. That sounds kind of appealing now- the being alone with just one little baby part. :) But, joking aside, Reuben is really starting to grow up, inside and out. We've come a long way from that day 14 years ago.
Reuben came into the world after just 3 hours and 33 minutes of labor- at 3:33 a.m. on Ocober 5th, 1998. He was small- 6 lbs. 12 ounces and 19 inches long, with chubby cheeks and an elf bump on his ear. He had these incredibly alert eyes that stared right into our souls.
Reuben was a nursing fiend. He nursed for 12 hours every day with one hour breaks in between.
By age 6 months Reuben was an ice cream eating pro. The next month Grandma Kristie fed him french fries along with ice cream at the Cougar Eat while I was in class at BYU.
At 8 1/2 months Reuben decided to walk. He never crawled. I guess the commercial carpet was too scratchy.
At 10 months Reuben walked with Mommy and Daddy when we both graduated. He was adorable in his little cap and gown.
Around 16 months he started to sing and NEVER STOPPED.
At 20 months Reuben opened the fridge and told us he wanted some 7 "U" ""P"
We knew we were in trouble then.
At 2 he woke up one morning and said, "These are my demands. I want a donut, carrots, and some chocolate milk!"
At 2 1/2 Reuben stood on the bench and gave birth to his stuffed duck in the middle of sacrament meeting, pulling it out from between his legs and yelling, "I birthed Ducky!"
Reuben became a big brother at age two and has graciously welcomed a total of 5 siblings into the world. He is the best big brother!
It has been so fun to watch Reuben grow and see him develop his talents. And he is soooo talented!
Reuben plays the trumpet in the concert band and the jazz band at school. He also recently auditioned for and joined the Granite Junior Youth Symphony.
He has been a member of the Janeen Brady Children's Choir for two years ( by force)
He has been taking voice lessons since he was 11. ( by force, but he has stopped complaining)
Reuben recently auditioned for an operetta and was cast as the lead in "Amahl and the Night Visitors". He may not be thrilled about still being a soprano, but he has the most beautiful voice. I wish I could sing like
that!
Tomorrow he will sing in a choir for General Conference. He's so lucky!
He missed a 4.0 by one A- last year. Drat! But, more importantly, he always does his homework without being told.
He is best friends with his brother Tim.
Reuben is a few merit badges away from being ready for his Eagle Project and finished his Duty to God requirements for a Deacon- with plenty of time to spare LAST NIGHT!
He has faithfully served as the Deacon's Quorum President for about 6 months.
Reuben is hoping to outgrow a lot of clothes this year and surpass me in height. He is currently about 1 inch shorter than me. It's wonderful and a little sad to see my first baby about to overtake me vertically. Before I know it, he'll be driving. And dating. 5 years might seem like a long time now, but that mission call is really just around the bend. My little boy is getting so big, but not too big to accidentally call me Mommy now and again when no one else is listening. Not too big to hug me goodnight. Not too big to chase his little sister around the house and swing her through the air. Happy Birthday Reuben. I love you! And I hope you will forgive me for putting this into cyberspace.
Reuben came into the world after just 3 hours and 33 minutes of labor- at 3:33 a.m. on Ocober 5th, 1998. He was small- 6 lbs. 12 ounces and 19 inches long, with chubby cheeks and an elf bump on his ear. He had these incredibly alert eyes that stared right into our souls.
Reuben was a nursing fiend. He nursed for 12 hours every day with one hour breaks in between.
By age 6 months Reuben was an ice cream eating pro. The next month Grandma Kristie fed him french fries along with ice cream at the Cougar Eat while I was in class at BYU.
At 8 1/2 months Reuben decided to walk. He never crawled. I guess the commercial carpet was too scratchy.
At 10 months Reuben walked with Mommy and Daddy when we both graduated. He was adorable in his little cap and gown.
Around 16 months he started to sing and NEVER STOPPED.
At 20 months Reuben opened the fridge and told us he wanted some 7 "U" ""P"
We knew we were in trouble then.
At 2 he woke up one morning and said, "These are my demands. I want a donut, carrots, and some chocolate milk!"
At 2 1/2 Reuben stood on the bench and gave birth to his stuffed duck in the middle of sacrament meeting, pulling it out from between his legs and yelling, "I birthed Ducky!"
Reuben became a big brother at age two and has graciously welcomed a total of 5 siblings into the world. He is the best big brother!
It has been so fun to watch Reuben grow and see him develop his talents. And he is soooo talented!
Reuben plays the trumpet in the concert band and the jazz band at school. He also recently auditioned for and joined the Granite Junior Youth Symphony.
He has been a member of the Janeen Brady Children's Choir for two years ( by force)
He has been taking voice lessons since he was 11. ( by force, but he has stopped complaining)
Reuben recently auditioned for an operetta and was cast as the lead in "Amahl and the Night Visitors". He may not be thrilled about still being a soprano, but he has the most beautiful voice. I wish I could sing like
that!
Tomorrow he will sing in a choir for General Conference. He's so lucky!
He missed a 4.0 by one A- last year. Drat! But, more importantly, he always does his homework without being told.
He is best friends with his brother Tim.
Reuben is a few merit badges away from being ready for his Eagle Project and finished his Duty to God requirements for a Deacon- with plenty of time to spare LAST NIGHT!
He has faithfully served as the Deacon's Quorum President for about 6 months.
Reuben is hoping to outgrow a lot of clothes this year and surpass me in height. He is currently about 1 inch shorter than me. It's wonderful and a little sad to see my first baby about to overtake me vertically. Before I know it, he'll be driving. And dating. 5 years might seem like a long time now, but that mission call is really just around the bend. My little boy is getting so big, but not too big to accidentally call me Mommy now and again when no one else is listening. Not too big to hug me goodnight. Not too big to chase his little sister around the house and swing her through the air. Happy Birthday Reuben. I love you! And I hope you will forgive me for putting this into cyberspace.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Clara: Episode 5
I think this is the funniest set of Clara-isms yet.
1. I made homemade chicken noodle soup the other night. Clara has decided that she loathes chicken, unless it comes from Chick-fil-A. (But, that's a secret). So she was thrilled when I served her bowl of soup before adding the chicken. She was so thrilled that stopped in her tracks, held her hand together near her chest, and then ran over to my side hugging me. "Oh Mommy! I am 100% sure that I will never regret living in this family with such a good Mommy!"
2. The kids were playing a game with some homemade cards that have pictures of our family on them. They had devised some system where they would decide the fate of the person on the card before turning it over. The planned action didn't happen, but it made the kids laugh. Before one turn they decided that the next person flipped over had to have their arm amputated. They turned over the card and it was a picture of me. Clara screamed, "No! Not Mommy! She already got her mouth amputated!"
3. This one is actually something funny that Audrey (5) said, but she said it to Clara.
1. I made homemade chicken noodle soup the other night. Clara has decided that she loathes chicken, unless it comes from Chick-fil-A. (But, that's a secret). So she was thrilled when I served her bowl of soup before adding the chicken. She was so thrilled that stopped in her tracks, held her hand together near her chest, and then ran over to my side hugging me. "Oh Mommy! I am 100% sure that I will never regret living in this family with such a good Mommy!"
2. The kids were playing a game with some homemade cards that have pictures of our family on them. They had devised some system where they would decide the fate of the person on the card before turning it over. The planned action didn't happen, but it made the kids laugh. Before one turn they decided that the next person flipped over had to have their arm amputated. They turned over the card and it was a picture of me. Clara screamed, "No! Not Mommy! She already got her mouth amputated!"
3. This one is actually something funny that Audrey (5) said, but she said it to Clara.
Clara: Did you know that Jesus' name is really Jehovah?
Audrey: His name is not Jevolvah!
Clara: yes, it is. It was his old name, and then he changed it to Jesus.
Audrey: I'd change my name to Jesus too if My name was Jevolvah.
4.During Church on Sunday while I was recuperating -
Clara, jumping up and down on the bench. Clara, climbing all over people during the sacrament, almost bumping the tray to the floor. Clara, climbing under the benches.
Daddy: Clara, you are behaving the worst you have behaved in forever. Now sit down, and think about Jesus.
Clara: (Loud enough for everyone to hear in the chapel) Daddy, I AM thinking about Jesus. I'm Jesus' Cat.
Daddy: You are NOT going to be Jesus' cat during the meeting. Sit down now.
Clara: (crawling into the isle, being sacrilegious) My name is Christ. Christ the cat. Sister Bell can call me Christ, Jesus' Cat!
5. And finally, at dinner tonight, Clara admitted to writing a love letter to a boy at school. She has loved him since Kindergarten. He went to a different school for 1st grade and came back to her school this year. At first she loved him because he used blue scissors and because he was so handsome. Now it has evolved further. I confiscated the note and told her that it is inappropriate to give to him and she can write him a note complimenting him but not professing love. Here is her letter:
Dear ________,
For some time now I have loved you. I egmiyered ( admired) you for such a long time. I like the way you shine like a flower. You are so hansom (handsome) Sine- Your secret egmiyer.
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