Fourscore and seven years ago...

Or, perhaps just seven years ago.

The blogging fast continues, but I would be a bad mother not to post today. June turned seven. I don't know about her, but it made me feel old. My mother pointed out that she has a daughter who has a seven year old. She wins.

I think June had a good day, complete with presents, treats at school, balloons, cupcakes (since the cake comes tomorrow), and much love from all family members. Plus some preview announcements of her gifts (we are still trying to get Ivory to keep a secret—she did a pretty good job up until the end).

I think her wish will come true. I hope it is that she doesn't grow up too quickly.



June, we love you so much. You were a great start to our little family.

Thickest Gums in the World

Daisy seems to be enamely-challenged. Yes, this is a phrase I made up to simply explain that she is a slow teether. She is currently fourteen months old and she has exactly TWO teeth. Count them. One. Two. They are her front bottom ones. I know six-month-olds who have more teeth than she does.

This doesn't slow her down in the eating department. She can probably gum down more than a ninety-five year old man. But I do fret about these teeth that can't be bothered to come in. Most frustrating is that I know they are there; at least the top two. I can see them. I have been able to see them for about two months. They are right under the gums and I think, Oh, any day now they will pop through.

I've stopped believing that. Well, I guess I am still ever hopeful despite the long wait. I mean, they have to come through eventually right? I've decided that she must have the thickest gums in the world (or possibly the most transparent) since it is taking those teeth so long to get through. I looked at her mouth today, marveling yet again how they have not broke the surface. So I decided to take a picture.



I think this gives you the basic idea. And just because everyone loves to have someone poking in their mouth, here is a more accurate picture of me trying to capture the moment (Robyn's foot is in the background because she was holding Daisy's hands down—I'm such a good mother).



Sheesh...those teeth are right there. They will probably come through tomorrow (of course, I have been saying that for the past two months). Maybe I should take bets and give a reward for whoever is closest. At this slow oral rate, she probably won't lose her baby teeth until she is in her teens (she'll be the first one picked for all the dances...you know, that girl with no front teeth). I'm just holding out on the the theory that slow teethers have healthier teeth. We may never have to do fillings on this child...especially if she never gets any teeth.

Do they have baby dentures?

I Like Books...

...especially children's books. Ivory brought home three scholastic book orders last week. I looked through and found all too many books that I wanted to get. Tyler was nice enough to let me get $30 worth of books.

That was narrowed down from the $140 I had picked out originally. What can I say? I like books.

It Sucks When You're Wrong

On Tuesday I distinctly heard scritching and scratching coming from inside my walls. Great, I thought, there is a mouse living in the walls. I heard him in the walls behind the toaster and I heard him in the walls between the pantry and cupboards. Those two areas are not even close, so he must have pretty free run back there. I called Tyler to tell him that we have an unwelcome guest in our walls. He mentioned that it was probably already in the house.

Um...NO! The mouse is NOT in the house. Come on, I would have seen mouse droppings or something.

Wednesday morning I was sitting in my living room giving myself a short siesta as I watched kids bustle around getting ready for school and Tyler cart the baby while he cleaned parts of the kitchen (lest you think I am a complete slacker, I had just thrown up or else I would have been helping as well). A movement caught the corner of my eye and I looked down to see a mouse peering out from under the couch. Dang...I was wrong. Really wrong.

Nothing like that to spur me back into action. I took the baby and Mr. Mouse Hunter went to work. Sadly the mouse got back to his recess behind the fridge/oven/dishwasher area. Tyler pulled everything out and much to our dismay it looks like he has been here a while. After the contractor on the house came and did some work for us on the outside siding a while back, they never closed everything up properly and there was a hole leading from the outside to the dishwasher; irresistible to a mouse. When we pulled the dishwasher out there were droppings all over the top. Eww.

I actually think mice are cute. I had some as pets and when my parents found some when I was growing up, I wouldn't let them kill them. We caught them all live and put them in a cage (I think we caught twelve in the end). Apparently I am not so kind when it comes to MY house. Stupid filthy mouse. Tyler set traps right away, and caught one before the day was out. I would like to think it was the only one, but that would be too easy right? In the meantime we have sealed all holes to the outside and we hope that keeps any others out for the duration.

The worst part is finding where this mouse has been. My kitchen drawer full of measuring spoons and spatulas is right next to the dishwasher; found mouse droppings in that drawer along with the drawer next to it. Eww. Just this morning, I realized that he visited the entertainment center since there are droppings on the DVD player and below. Not to mention the couch where I found quite a few droppings (but that couch needs to go anyway). I just don't like the thought of a diseased mouse running around my house. Let's hope he is gone for good. And maybe next time I will trust Tyler's opinion when it comes to these things. For the record, I'm usually the right one...

Wickedly Fun Weekend

*Warning: Long post, but this is what happens when I don't blog for a week*

I know I have been off the map for a bit, it is not like me to go this long without blogging, but I really was off the map—the Utah map that is. I went to WA for a little mini-vaca this last weekend. It was absolutely fabulous. I guess I will just jump right in and tell you all about it...

Friday

We actually flew in Thursday night since I didn't really want to fly on 9-11 (call me superstitious). I say 'we' meaning my good friend Tricia and me. I left kids at home and sadly Tyler too, but Grandma Vicki came for the weekend, and I really don't think anyone missed me much in Utah.

Friday morning we started at the fair. I love the Puyallup fair. I have been going since I was a little girl, and although my interests have changed (from rides to sight-seeing) the fair has always seemed enchanted to me. The food is terrific, the art incredible, the shopping unique, the experience exhilarating (and slightly exhausting). Also, in the last few years, my mom has encouraged me to enter my stitching. I have won several awards and it is so fun to go and see if we won anything. This year was no different. My mom came in April and generously took back a crosstitch for me and entered it in the fair. Remember this one?



I finished it almost two years ago.

So with great anticipation, we went to see if I got an award. Well...I was blown out of the water. Not only did I win a first place ribbon, but I also got a ribbon for 'Best in Category' as well as 'Grand Champion'. I think Grand Champion is about as well as you can do; they only award ONE (in the needlecraft category). I was stupefied. I wish I could show you a picture, but naturally I forgot my camera (awesome as always). It was certainly beyond my expectations. Even after the fact, I didn't really feel like bragging because it seems so subjective. There were so many beautiful pieces there that obviously took a lot of work. And there have been years when I have looked at the Grand Champion piece and thought, really, that won? Of course, I found out later that you get a $100 along with the Grand Champion ribbon, and now I am pretty sure that my crosstitch was indeed, the best one there.
We didn't stay long in the crafts hall, although I wish we could have because there were so many fabulous works of art. My parents ran into some friends of theirs and the husband, Ismael, showed me a quilt he had made. It was beyond words. The colors were gorgeous and the design was original. He had hand quilted the entire thing. Suddenly my crosstitch seemed paltry in comparison. He only received an Honorable Mention for his quilt; seriously people, so subjective.
Anyway, we actually didn't do too much after that. Tricia and I shopped for a while (bought some gifts for the girls). I made sure to get a scone (I couldn't call it a real fair trip without eating one). A few hours later, with the sun beating down (yes, I know it was WA, but it didn't seem like it the whole weekend) we decided to call it a day.
Back at our car, we realized how hungry we were, so we stopped at a restaurant on the sound (near a park close to my home) and we had clam chowder while I regaled Tricia with my near-death experience with the trains (sorry that will have to be a post for another day). After lunch we walked briefly by the water and noticed that there were dozens of jelly fish washed up on the shore (oddly, I have never seen this before). I dared Tricia to touch one, sure that I would have to pee on her momentarily, but apparently Finding Nemo is accurate in that the tops aren't poisonous. I also learned she is a lot braver than I (since I only touched one after her).

Those were the highlights of the day. There were lows as well, but we'll just save those for the end.

Saturday

This day was very easy going. We did some shopping in the morning, Tricia and I stopped for lunch at a Mexican Restaurant and then we came home and hung out, all in anticipation for an evening of this...



Yep, I got to go see Wicked. That was not the original plan. I was headed to Washington simply to visit family and see the fair, but when I told Tricia about my plans, she was the one with the happy information that Wicked was playing at the same time and we should see it if there were still tickets for sale. And there were. Let's be honest that they weren't great tickets. I think we were one row from the top of the theatre, but who cares? It was still so fun to go see the play for the first time with my family. I think we have all resolved to see it again some time—with better seats. I'm just glad that Seattle is not as Wicked crazed as Utah. Anyone who has tried to get tickets around here understands this because in Seattle... 1) There were still tickets left (not sold out within one day) and 2) the tickets we got were only $50. I know!!

Sunday

Just one of those lazy days where I played games with family, tried to pack 30 extra pounds into my suitcase, and ate good food (my mom made pies just because I was visiting). It was my sister's birthday so we celebrated a bit. We went to church as well, but all too soon, it was time to go home. Back to the airport we went. This time Tricia and I talked more on the flight since we weren't both reading The Hunger Games (like we were on the way there). That book was incredible and we both devoured it by Friday evening.

Then I was back to my home sweet home. All in all, a fantastic weekend.

I wish I could end there and not mention the lows at all, but every silver cloud has its gray lining. I'd like to say that I wasn't sick when I went on this vacation, but my illness has hung on with a vengeance. On Friday, the shuttle bus was rather full on the way to the fair, so Tricia and I opted to stand since we didn't want to wait for the next one. This in itself was not a problem until I had a coughing attack. It lasted forever it seemed and when I was finished, I must have pulled something in my side (probably while holding onto the rail) and ever since, when I cough, I feel like I have a broken rib on one side. I'm sure it is just a pulled muscle, but Holy Pain Batman. My cough is easing up now, but still it is terrible to cough even a little...and sneezes...they practically kill me. I look ridiculous as I grab my side and wince (people must think I am having labor pains).

That was really the only low unless you count coming home to a sick baby who may be as miserable as me (she had a 103.5 fever today). But I did get to cuddle her extra amounts and that wasn't so bad after not seeing her all weekend. Hope you all had a great weekend too.

Can You Tell I Remembered My Camera?

We went up to Idaho for Labor Day weekend. It was a short trip, but well worth it. We actually started the trip with family pictures. They turned out very cute, but I don't have any yet. Fear not, I will get some up here eventually. Even though this new baby will not be in the pictures, I think it was definitely time for the Idaho clan to take some family shots. Their last family picture was before any of the boys married and that was over ten years ago. Granted, that means that this baby will probably be about ten by the time we take another, but that is okay.

The highlight of the trip was probably visiting Amber's horses. She works at a ranch and trains and shows horses so she was kind enough to invite the girls to feed and ride the horses. This is truly exciting for the girls. The most horse riding they have done is probably at Thanksgiving Point or the Fair where they lead you around in a circle. Actually, this was much the same, but FREE. Ivory even asked on the way out if we had brought the money to ride the horses. Not this time around.

I am really not sure how it all works. Some horses are in the barn and others are outside. I don't think Amber is in charge of all of them, and we only rode the ones that were indoors to begin with, but here is the view as we drove up. (Tyler informs me these are neighbor's horses).



If that doesn't get you excited to ride a horse, I don't know what would? Then we did much feeding of the horses with many faces like this one.



The girls were very brave to stick their hands out, but you can always tell they were 25% worried that the horse might take a finger along with the carrot.

The horses were beautiful and we walked around petting as many as we could reach; along with a chicken that Amber was nice enough to hold for the girls.



Then it was time to ride.



Amber brought out two horses and let the girls ride each in turn.



They had a lot of fun, except that Robyn did want to go faster. Even the Raging Stallion tamed the Stallion (although we won't tell him that it was a mare).



Here is Ivory and Tyler giving some love as they passed in the arena.



This is Tess. She is a remarkable horse. She is only two and has been ridden perhaps 45 times, yet she is so docile. She rolled around in the dirt, then curled up and let us take this picture.



Apparently she is also deaf, but she obeys commands well by watching and feeling body language.
There were even a few colts around, although naturally we didn't ride them, but baby horses are so cute.



Also, I think I really like silhouette pictures, so here are a couple I couldn't resist throwing in here.



Finally, you may have noticed the absence of Daisy. It was her nap time when we went to see the horses, but not to be outdone, she rode some beasts of her own on the trip.



This last picture is just to explain why you will see my children's names on their foreheads for a few days.



As I mentioned before, Grandpa likes to label them for church so everyone knows who they are. I actually think it works. No one has to ask them their names, they are welcomed right from the start. Just maybe we shouldn't use permanent marker.

A Pinkalicious Day

Jodi called up Tuesday afternoon and told me that I should come to the Lindon pool on Wednesday. I have never been there, but I have heard good things. I still hesitate to go swimming with four kids (being outnumbered in the water never seems like a good thing) but I recalled what a lame summer mom I have been and that we are reaching the tail end of swimming season...so I told her I would go.

I almost backed out a couple of times. I tried to talk two different people into coming with me, but all to no avail. Yet, I stiffened my spine, blew up a plethora of floaties and decided to brave the water.

Thank you, thank you Jodi for inviting us. We had such a great time. Sorry, no pictures (please recall that I also think cameras and water do not mix well). The kids especially liked the lazy river. Daisy would just chill and float; she dug the smooth ride. Even Ivory could hang out by herself with her inner tube under her arms. I got a lot of "I'm fine, don't touch me, I'M FINE!" Okay, I get it Ivory, you are a big girl and can float by yourself. June could go down the slide by herself (with a life vest) and she was feeling pretty grown-up too.

The company was great although I admit that I am not the best conversationalist as I count four kids' heads over and over again and leave every few minutes to chase down the baby or help one of the others. Thanks for being patient Sarah and Jodi, and I really liked hanging out.

When we got home, the girls changed quickly and by happenstance they were all wearing pink. They talked me into wearing pink as well so we could all be pinkalicious. It really was a pinkalicious day.



I'm only sad that we found the great pool right before it closes. But next year I know where to go.

Not Much Apron Left if You Ask Me

So number three started school this week. A lot of women in the ward got organized and started a joy school and I knew Ivory would love it. She has been watching her sisters leave for school and she wanted in on the action. She even knew that she couldn't go to pre-school until she was four (next year), so she was ecstatic to be doing 'school' this year anyway.

My only hesitation was that I obviously have to be one of the teachers in this endeavor. I think it will be very fun...I just hope I can entertain seven 3-year olds for a couple of hours. I'll give it my best shot. Luckily with so many moms helping out, I only teach every seven weeks or so. That seems doable.

Ivory really enjoyed her first day. She showed each of her sisters the apple book she colored when they got home. Pretty much, this smile says it all.

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit

Why does the most random information and memories get stuck in my head? Parts of my life are a blur and other moments I can remember in minute detail. I can't remember important information given me last week, but I can recall something my friend said as we were walking through the mall over fifteen years ago.

Here is a perfect example. I took a class in high school from a woman named Mrs. Johnson. I wasn't very impressed with her as a teacher. She liked the high school boys. I kid you not. She would give extra credit to the jocks if they found some way to take off their shirts during the semester. Classy, I know. She taught about words and definitions and I don't think I learned very much that I didn't already know (being the ace student that I was). However, she told us one time that on the first day of the month, when you wake up, if the first thing you say is Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit then you would have good luck that entire month.

I would try to remember, but inevitably I would say something before I remembered to say Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit. It is not like I even believed in the good luck; it was more the challenge of remembering. And there is the curse. Now I can't forget. Here it is, September first, and I didn't try to say Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit first thing this morning, but this stupid memory came to mind once again. It probably pops into my head 9 out of 12 months each year.

WHY?? Can't I delete that memory and fill it with something more important? Sadly, we don't really have that choice. Save yourself the time and don't ever try this. Apparently a few months of trying to remember to say Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit will lead you to an eternity of them.