Just a Taste of Disneyland

We had a WONDERFUL vacation to Disneyland for Spring (ha, ha, ya right!) Break! And, while we both drove out in a snow storm, and returned in one, the weather was significantly warmer on our vacation! We were blessed to be able to spend some time with James' parents both on the way to and on the way from Disneyland. They are such great examples of kindness, generosity, and hospitality.
Here are just a few of our pictures. I will try to write more about our trip later, but it's late now, and tomorrow the kids and I are off to take care of my mom for a couple of days. It seems that I gave such rave reviews about how fun it was to have my gall bladder out last summer, and then fly back east to visit my sister six days post-op, that my Mom just had to try it herself! She had surgery today, and flies out next week to visit my sis! (Seriously, mom, the surgery and recovery part really weren't that fun, but the visit will be wonderful!)

Conversations with Brianna

Brianna: I wish I were the George's kid, instead uh yours.

Me: You wish you were the George's kid, instead of mine?!

Brianna: Ya.

Me: O.k., ... why?

Brianna: Weyw, I don't wuv you in your jammies. I do wuv you in your dress, but I don't wuv you in your jammies.

This was all said matter of factly, and without malice. I guess my tendency to lounge around in my jammies for half the day is getting to her.

**********

Brianna: Where we goin'?

Me: Well, we're going to run home, and check some things, and then we're going to run some errands.

Brianna: I don't wanna run some errands. I'n too busy to run errands today.

Me: You're too busy?

Brianna: (Big sigh) Ya.

Friday

There was so much whine around here today that I should be completely drunk!

After picking up the fifteen hundredth teeny tiny lego today, I put a household-wide ban on legos for the foreseeable future.

Just a question: why is it that a dog will methodically sniff half the lawn before choosing a place to pee? Is it all about "location, location, location"?

I made dang-good oatmeal chocolate chip cookies today, and they were beautiful to boot. Come on over and we'll share a cookie and talk!

Snow - by Ben

I love to sled, one time when I went I fell off and did a flip and then I lay there, so I made a snow angel. Before that I went ice skating with my family. It was hard because your in shoos with blades on ice. I like to go sledding because your going down a hill or mountan very fast. Snow angels are fun, but you usually get snow down your back, of course not when you have your hood up. Skating is hard but fun. It is hard becaus your on blades.

Monday

It's Monday.
Monday is one of my laundry days.
Thursday is the other one.
I find that with two laundry days my laundry load (no pun intended) stays manageable. Otherwise, I get overwhelmed.
I get overwhelmed easily.
Most of my laundry today is in our large suitcase;
Waiting to be unpacked and washed from our wonderful, sunny, weekend.
It was hard to get into the car and head back yesterday, because the temperature was 60 degrees.
60 degrees and sunny is heavenly.
Brianna got to plop herself down in the wet red dirt and dig.
Ben climbed trees and beat his dad at the actual old-fashioned Battleship game.
We went to a park where the kids played on the swings, the slides, and on several twisty-spinny playground things that I'd never seen anywhere else.
James and I were able to go to the temple, and even stayed awake for most of the session.
I love the temple.
Caspian got to play at a dog park, and with his doggy-cousin.
James' parents fed us fabulous food, and we laughed and visited.
Great-Grandpa was a delight, as usual, and the kids each ended up with a crisp one dollar bill from him.
Now, James is at work.
Ben is at school.
Brianna is playing in the bathtub.
Caspian is in the backyard (he can hardly bring himself to go out in the 30 degree weather now).
And I'm writing this post.
When I'm done I'll sort the laundry, start a load of darks, and unload and load the dishwasher.
It's Monday, afterall.

You know, Mondays aren't so bad after a wonderful, love-filled, sun-filled, family-filled weekend!

Sing. Sing a song. Sing out loud. Sing out strong.

Brianna LOVES to sing. She usually knows most, if not all, of the words to the songs she sings.

We gave the kids a karaoke machine -- really a microphone that hooks up to an ipod -- for Christmas. She loves it! She has no fear of performing in front of others, and often does so for us.

She is now in Primary (Sunbeams) and her class sits in front of mine during opening exercises, sharing time and singing time. I pretty much ignore my class during singing time, because I can't tear my eyes away from her. It's so cute to see her singing along and feeling so grown up! She is one of the loudest singers in there, and it just melts my heart to see her throwing herself into the music.

My favorite thing to hear her sing is I Love to See the Temple. Partly because of the sacred experience that we shared with her as a family when she was sealed to us; and partly because instead of singing the line "I'll prepare myself while I am young..." she sings, "I'll prepare myself while yum, yum, yum, this is my sacred duty." :)

I love our musical little firecracker!

A Word to the Wise, ... From the Not-So-Wise

Even when you're in a hurry, the garage door still only opens at one pace.

Please be sure it's all the way up before you throw the car into reverse and apply the gas.

Really. It's a good idea.

Really.

RANDOM

So, you probably caught that we got a puppy.
He's really cute.
And mostly potty trained.
And relatively good on a leash.
And he bites.
And he barks incessantly if anyone comes to our house.
I have learned that I am NOT the dog whisperer.
Even though I've tried his techniques.
He's now wearing a "training" collar.
I now have hope that "Dog Round 2" might turn out favorably.
Brianna's haircut is really super cute.
Like she could be anything BUT cute.
The left side of her face is a mass of healing scrapes.
Ben thought it would be entertaining to dump her off of her sled, not realizing how scratchy the ice-covered snow was.
Ben felt REALLY bad.
Ben still hates his new school.
He tells me nearly everyday.
Ben is learning the Articles of Faith.
I received a cub scout application for Ben.
I don't think I'm quite ready for scouts to begin.
Brianna loves the dog rather too exuberantly.
Usually right around his neck.
This often results in the "biting".
I considered putting the training collar on Brianna.
I decided against it.
For now.
Brianna is a wonderful and entertaining child.
I missed my parents anniversary.
And my dear mother-in-law's birthday.
I suppose, when I start out the year missing important dates that I should just be consistent for the rest of the year as well.
Otherwise, it would appear that I'm playing favorites.
And that's not how I play.
So, here's an advanced birthday greeting to all of you: Happy Birthday! I hope this year is your very best yet!!
I'm still trying to process the fact that it's actually 2010.
I think I'll eventually get there.
Maybe in 2015.
We had a get-together at our house last weekend.
It was really fun.
Even though I felt a rather high degree of anxiety about it beforehand.
Brianna is mostly potty-trained.
She was just ready, I guess.
And, we told her we'd go to Disneyland when she was potty-trained.
Unfortunately, I need her to grow about 3 inches before we go in March, so she can ride the rides.
I love my new vehicle.
I love my husband.
I can't wait for this weekend.
We're headed to James' parents.
And to warmer weather.
I miss my Cincinnati friends.
I think about them a lot.
Well, this is why I haven't blogged in SO LONG.
It's because this is pretty much how my thoughts roll lately.
Random, random, random.
Oh, the dog's name is Caspian.
He's a miniature schnauzer.

Deep (Potty Training) Thoughts

"Stinky toots are good for our underwear." -Brianna

Mama Said ...

It's 11:04 am. The dog has had three accidents in the house so far today,
and the three and a half-year old has had two.

Oh, and the three and a half-year old cut her own hair -- majorly chopped!

If I was reading a really good book and was sorely distracted, I might understand how I could let this happen. But, I don't even have a really good book to escape to.

Bye, I better go check on everyone, ... again.