Stage Mom

I volunteered to be a back stage helper for M's third performance.
I was nervous. I haven't helped out before, and didn't know the protocol.
I didn't need to worry, the girls have it all under control. They take great pleasure in herding each other about.

(playing with my ipod)

I basically just "shushed" a lot (little girls are extremely screechy and giggly) and tied bear head bows a couple of times.

(waiting to go on stage for the water scene)


This was a special performance because Sarah, Madison and Mark came to watch.
It made Miriam's day...especially when no one mentioned that she forgot to exit the stage after one of the dances and had to run off alone. She cried about it after they left, but took comfort in the fact that no one mentioned it. She can be so hard on herself!
Julia and Jared came last week as well, but there are unfortunately, no pictures. Thanks for coming all the way up you guys. It means a lot.

Little B and big D had a manly day. A trip to Home Depot, and then some tub re-caulking. It's drying as I type and looks fantastic.

Darin and I ended the evening with a few classic scenes from the movie "Killer Klowns from Outer Space". He had stumbled upon this masterpiece last week while watching TV, and was thrilled it was on the Netflix view instantly menu so he could share it with me.

notable line: "what are you planning on doing with those pies boys?"
(Spoiler alert: they were body dissolving pies!)

Our Week

Miriam is reading her last two Dr. Seuss books today. Man alive, those books are loooong. Cute, and so fun but so long.

She also lost another tooth! This one she pulled out by herself.

Our tooth fairy started a fun tradition of giving money folded into fun shapes. Last time it was a ring, and this time a basket.

Lucky Bub had a playdate today.

Happy Birthday Dr. S!

Miriam is reading Dr. Seuss like crazy! Her goal is 10 Seusical books by Friday.

(Luckily, my friend Jami had a great selection to borrow from)

I'm Tired

I've been up since 4:00 am. That's about when the baby starts to really thrash around, and then I have to go to the bathroom, and then realize I am hungry and the next thing you know I am awake for the day. I am tired. All the time.

The funny thing about this third baby is that although I am tired, and uncomfortable, I feel no rush or urgency. 8 weeks doesn't seem long enough to get ready for everything. I feel very content to be pregnant, to love and nurture this child from the inside. Perhaps thats because I get my hug and snuggle fill from the other two, or maybe I know too much about the work a baby brings. No matter how tired I am, I know it can get worse....much worse.

So what are we doing these days?
Car shopping so I can leave the house with the three kids. We are in the market for an amazing car that can handle 3 car seats and snowy canyons, has plenty of trunk space, and costs virtually nothing.

Joining the Boy Scouts (Darin got another calling)

Being inspired by the Olympics

Young Women's Young Women's Young Women's Young Women's

Swimming (Miriam is doing so well!!)

Four Saturday performances of the Tin Solider for Miriam

( tights Miriam ripped one hour before her first performance. Oh the tears! Oh the drama! )

Enjoying the alone time Bub and I have at the moment. Loving our errand running, our walks, our bathroom cleaning (he loves the toilet brush).

Hiatus

Did you see the snowboarding last night??
The air the "Flying Tomato" (or Animal, as he would like to be called) got??
I'll be busy for awhile.

My Valentines

I tend to show my love with quality hand dipped chocolate. I know it makes me feel loved, and when it's monogrammed....ohhh I know someone was thinking of me.

I do love these three...and the little thing tumbleing around inside of me as well.

Happy Valentines Day

Change of Plans....

We were suppose to leave this morning for a family snowshoeing adventure.
We were ready.
Bub woke up at 1:58 am burning hot with flushed cheeks.
It's most likely just a virus, but plans have changed.

We did this instead

and this is why I hardly ever make sugar cookies. I am a messy baker.

Thanks for the cookie cutters Grandma
and thanks for the recipe Ris!

Tatum Visits!

Wyler came too, but he crawls too fast for a good picture.
You should see Tatum dance, that girl is a crack up!

Bub loves this hand-me-down hat someone gave me when he was born. Miriam told him cool guys wear them backwards. He just oozes cool doesn't he? With that cute pop belly, and long long eyelashes (not to mention his name in a heart)....supa cool.

Valentine Shmalentine

My own lovely valentines have been getting the shaft this February.
I overbooked this month...big time.

The Young Women and Young Men had a fabulous etiquette dinner (pictured above) and our Olympic themed New Beginnings should be great as well as the combined activity I am in charge of the first week of March. I think I spent all my valentine energy on the Young Women this year (and some of it growing a baby).

Miriam made her own valentines. All. By. Herself. She cut the hearts, pasted on the doilies, and added the stickers and script. She even licked all the envelopes before I could get a picture of them. I am lucky she is such a mature little thing.

Darin actually has this weekend free after working like a mad man for two weeks straight. He needs a break, he needs to see the good snow for himself. So, we are headed up to my parents cabin again. No, I shouldn't be going...not with all my irons in the fire (and my messy house). But... he is my special valentine after all, and I have nothing to give other than my willingness to share in a snowshoeing adventure. PLUS the snow will be gone soon!

(added bonus to leaving town...I get an extension on that whole Valentines Day thing)

Last Hurrah!!

We went to find the good snow for Miriam's party with cousins.
We were not disappointed.
It was beautiful, white, heavy snow. The cousins played all day long.

Until they were exhausted.

Thanks for the party Mom and Dad!!

We did miss Darin, who has been working like a maniac for 2 weeks. He couldn't join us since he was working all weekend! I am not complaining, just sad he couldn't be with us.

Birthday Re-cap

The day started around 3:00 am when Miriam could no longer sleep due to anticipation.
She is so much like her Mom.
After back rubs, deep breathing exercises, and visualization ("you are a piece of dandelion fluff") I finally put her in bed with Darin around 5:00 am and went off to do some kick box boot camp (if you can't sleep, you might as well exercise).

7:00 am the party begins.

At Miriam's school, on your birthday, Mom or Dad can come tell the class about you, read your favorite story, and bring a treat. Miriam has a new favorite book every week so we focused on the holiday, bringing treats to match.

Someone once told me they were "sorry" when I mentioned Miriam's birthday was on Groundhogs day....I still don't know what that meant. I think it's a fantastic day to celebrate your birthday. It's not a holiday where anyone travels, but everyone easily remembers when your birthday is. It is one of the most quirky, bizarre holidays out there, and it made for a great joke when Miriam was born "well, she was here, but after seeing her shadow went back in for 6 more weeks of winter"...classic Darin.

Miriam loves serving her class treats, and being the center of attention. Bub cracks everyone up with his class clown ways.



Grandma Rass comes by for a quick visit, bringing a gift both Miriam and I will love forever.

Daddy comes home with a kiss and some flowers for me (tradition) and we all run off to Miriam's end of term student parent teacher meeting. Miriam gets praised by her amazing teacher and leaves feeling like a million bucks.

We meet Uncle Mark and his friend Whitney for some....

Think we are finished?

Not quite yet.....

Clever

When I was One,
I had just begun.

When I was Two,
I was nearly new.

When I was Three,
I was hardly me.

When I was Four,
I was not much more.

When I was Five,
I was just alive.

But now I am Six,
I'm as clever as clever,
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.
-A. A. Milne

I love Wednesday...when it's not my turn.

I love being involved with playgroup.
Especially when it's warm out and the kids play outside the whole time.
I love love LOVE when it's hosted by someone else.

(game board from Sparkle Power!)

Today was my turn, and it was cold, and I loved when it was all over.
6 kindergartners and one 2 year old is a lot of energy for my townhouse to handle.
It's a lot of energy for this pregnant body to handle.

I attended a Sound of Music sing-a-long tonight. I belted out with much feeling the song Maria sings about needed courage to become a nanny for 6 children.
Amen sister.

What to do with yucky snow?

We have yucky, hard, gross snow at the moment. We can't sled in it, build a snowman, or even throw it. I though I was being super creative when I came up with food color/water to paint that worthless snow but I have actually seen it blogged about several times since we did it.

Someone once told me "there is no original thought" and at least in my case, that is the truth.
It was a successful activity, and kept the kids entertained for about 40 min. which is heaven for me so I recommend it.

The snow should be on it's way this week! If it's not I am in trouble, because I will have a ton of disappointment and sadness to deal with and no one to blame (except maybe the meteorlogists)! The kids and I planned to go to my parents over the holiday but the fear of driving through a snowy canyon alone with the kids kept me from going.

I was so looking forward to not cleaning my house, not doing laundry, not planning meals or trying to stay in our food budget, not making dinner and not entertaining my kids. I was looking forward to working out in my moms suped up exercise room, getting out of this terrible inversion, hanging out with my sisters mom and dad, and seeing the kids completely in cousin heaven. And if you think my disappointment is bad you should see Miriam...that girl can mourn!

Come on snow...come on snow....come on snow.

Diiiiiiinoooooos!!

I am a loyal Carbon High Dino Fan.
So even though this is a bit disheartening, it's still exciting to hear about my dear high school on National Public Radio!

This American Life: Long Shot
(you have to listen to the download rather than read the article to hear about CHS)

I love that school.


"Dinos in the front, let me hear you GRUNT!!"

Did you catch this Nanci? Were you as excited as I was?

The last of the baby to go.....

She discovered a lose tooth one morning

It was out by the next evening.

Say it ain't so.....

For my own documentation, I wanted to post Miriam's small, non-paid, modeling career for our church.

2010 Outline for Sharing Time Guide

December 2009 Ensign
The Power and Protection of Worthy Music

Since it's a global magazine, and we live in an area inundated by blond blue-eyed children it's not likely that my children will be asked to pose in many church pictures. I feel lucky that Miriam got the chance to be in these two small articles. It was just fun to open up the magazines and see her. Plus, my chin and neck made the cut so that was a bonus.

The Sharing Time photo was all fun. They played songs and games with the kids for about 10 minuets while snapping pictures, led them to a snack table and we were done. Not so for the singing photo. Miriam actually had to sing along to a CD for at least 30 minuets, turning this way and that, looking here and then there. I was pretty impressed with her patience during the whole thing...especially since there was no snack table at the end (gasp!).

Miriam doesn't seem to care much about either photo, she just smiles when anyone mentions it (which is not often). I guess it is something that parents get more excited about than kids. For me, this was waaay more exciting than seeing her as a blurp on the news during the cryptosporidium outbreak a few years ago. Way better....not so gross.

I feel an urgency to whip these holiday posts out as fast as I can. I have so many other things to catch up on I fear if I don't get this up, I will drowned in holiday clean up/catch up and never post again!

Plus, I am dreading tomorrow, when Darin has to start working full weeks again...when the holiday is officially over. I am always prone to holiday let down and this year it's compounded by a terrible cold and a very sick Miriam. So, this may be an attempt to prolong the inevitable.

We spent New Years with my sisters, their families, and brother Mark at my parents cabin. Unfortunately, my Dad was sick and so my parents didn't come but we forged ahead with tradition.

We did use those anniversary snow shoes.
Darin and I took two hikes, both of them beautiful, and exhausting!
It was so fun walking on snow but the best part is trying to "glissade" down the hill.

The traditional cheese and chocolate fondue was nothing to brag about...somehow my mom makes it way better. The won tons were a success however, thanks to Sarah's gourmet skills.

My Uncle Damon, and his friend Gwen brought up a fantastic display of fireworks which may or may not have had the ability to get us in BIG trouble.

It was SO MUCH FUN lighting them off from the lake. I didn't light any myself (we had to use a blow torch it was so cold) but being there right underneath was exhilerating!

(I am not a proficient firework photographer, this was the best I could do while screaming and jumping)

The kids and my sisters watched the display from the cabin deck while screaming and beating pots and pans.

Whoo Hoo 2010!!

We came back and all got about 2 hours of sleep. Which didn't keep us from sledding till our bums went numb the next day.

Uncle Damon was our shuttle service up hill, which makes going up just as fun as going down!

On your mark...get set....go!

Marcus wins every time, he is a mad man.

We spent the rest of the day playing the Wii, watching movies, and cat napping. Bub and Tatum took turns being best friends and mortal enemies...but mostly best friends. Baby Wyler spent the day gazing at us with his big blue eyes and tormenting his big sister just by being near.
Marcus, Madison, and Miriam spent most of the day outside playing an Eskimo game they made up.

That night we let off fountains and sparklers (also courtesy of Uncle D and Gwen) not as exciting for me as the night before, but the kids love swinging fire around.

Another night of very little sleep.
The next day was another day of sledding and playing Eskimos for the kids while the adults pack, clean, and load things up. My amazing mom who had spent the weekend taking care of my father drove up to help us with the chores. I know, she really is amazing.

We hit my cousin's white elephant party on the way home, getting to see cousins and family we only see once a year at this party. We received a used bar of soap from the white elephant exchange...which is hidden under my cousins couch at this very moment.

And now....it's all over

Till next year.