The almost two crowd

Anna and Harris have been blessed with lots of cousins. It is guaranteed when you parents each have seven siblings, right? So, although Harris hangs a head plus taller than the rest of his cousins on A's side, Anna finds herself with three buddies her same age. There are some draw backs, though. Grandma soon discovered having two babies for three baby-toting girls wouldn't work. So, at the family party a purple outfitted doll joined the blue and pink ones. Now all three girls had a doll to tote and now fits of raging jealousy. So with that taken care of, thank you grandma, all girls were fine.

Anna has a little friend next door, Ellie, she called her "Baby" up to a week ago and now its "E-E." We go outside she begs to see baby, I take her out of the car she jets across the lawn to see what E-E's up to. It could be said that she adores her. Yet, as soon as they are let loose in close vicinity screams thunder, tears roll, hair is pulled, toys taken away, and an all out girl fight begins. So, it is more refereeing on my part than adoring my cute little girl and her friend playing ring around the rosies and sharing. Yet, after all the trauma, the next day Anna wants to start the whole routine again.

So, we laughed all week, knowing of how well Anna 'plays' when she would repeat "La-ya," her cousin's name, constantly. Yet, maybe it was because it was family, Anna and Lania spent most of the time mirroring each other and yelling their names across the room with great adoration. Yes, and I did sit back and watch them play ring around the rosies with out one strand of hair being touched. We came close to a screaming match but, Anna was quick to tell Lania that the purple doll she was holding was "Nanna"'s and Lania decided that the pink doll she had was good enough.

Just wait until they all want the pink doll.

The Freedom to March

Don't be fooled! I am not some big protester. Aaron, Harris, Anna, and I are not about to go and march up the capital steps to protest the war, teacher salaries or something like that. I love a parade but, didn't really feel like going to sitting on black asphalt soaking in the hot sun on the fourth. So, we had our own march. Aaron and Harris have been marching for years. Aaron cranks up the patriotic tunes and they march in small circles in the living room, carrying my mop and broom over their shoulders for some reason. In fact, after Harris's first experience with marching when he was two, HE and Aaron marched almost every Saturday. As this tall thin boy marched with a straight back and brave spirit, I couldn't believe he was the same boy who was so full of jubilance at the prospect of marching. Now we have new marcher, Miss Anna and boy, does she have patriotic spirit in her blood. The funny thing is that her favorite song is the Animaniac's Presidents song. She lifts her short legs so high I was a bit afraid she would fall down with each step. The best part is that we can do this, of course in the privacy of our own home. It seems with all that is going on right now it is hard to find that little peaceful place that freedom can create. Yet, as my children and husband paraded around my living room I found myself in that safe place.

Tagged, again

Thanks Jen, I hope that others will follow suit...5 names hmmmmm.....

The rules are as follows:
List 3 Joys, 3 Fears, 3 Goals, 3 Current Obsessions, and 3 Random Surprising Facts About Yourself.
Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names.
Here goes...

3 Joys:
Anna running to see Aaron after work as soon as she hears the garage door open yelling, "Daddy! Daddy! Tickle!"
Everything Harris.
Sitting on the back holding Aaron's hand and looking at the stars, talking about nothing in particular.

3 Fears:

This morning while I was running I went across some train tracks the the warning lights and bells announcing a train came on. Of course, I jetted off them but now I have a bit of a fear of being hit by a train, maybe more then being bitten by a dog.

Black widow spiders, like the one I saw sauntering from under our bed when we lived in University Village.

I am a bit afraid that some of the ground beef in my freezer has e-coli. I got a warning on my sales receipt that some of the beef from Smiths could be contaminated between 5/02/08 and 7/03/08. I am sure I bought beef at that time and have already used half the package. So far so good though.

3 Goals:

Run the Great Salt Lake half in August hopefully under two hours, that is a bit of wishful thinking

Finish three dress for my sis-in-law's wedding and have them fit perfectly on three toddlers.

Beat Aaron and Harris in Scrabble.

3 Current Obsessions

Blogs. What more is there to say?

30 Rock. Well, know that we have watched both seasons we are a bit out of luck.

The Clearfield 5K results. O.k. so I finished fourth in my age group but beat out all the runners in the younger one and all except first in the one after that. Go figure. No blue ribbon for me.

3 random facts.

I love random facts.

I have a metal rod in my back and Aaron likes to tell our children that I am a robot. No joke. I think Harris partially believed that up to a year a go.

I split a banana every day with Anna. It is our ritual.

Enough about me, now it is your turn Debbie, Jenny H, Jenni E, Juliann, and Debbie D. have fun.

Beauty can be Painful

Have I really become one of those moms? You know the ones that go to any length to get their daughter's hair looking perfect? Most of the time gussying up Anna is a simple task. A little water to make it curl up and maybe a clip or bow to sweep back those slow growing bangs. Once in a while I get a little crazy and I decide to do ponytails. Today was one of those days. So as Anna sat and watched Barney, I secured her hair in two tiny tails, very cute indeed. She pulled the right one out twice and while I was fixing that side for the second time she pulled the left side out. So, I quickly redid the left side with no qualms or squawks from our little princess. This is the girl who thinks sunscreen is make-up and acts if she is Marilyn Monroe as I apply it. She loves being stylish.

Of course after nap time she wakes up having pulled both ponies out and her hair was a nice lion's mane framing her face. So, I put her in her high chair to re-do her hair, while she is eating popcorn, and as soon as I start fixing the right side she pulls my hand down and screams. I wasn't about to let her win this battle of wills so, I didn't give in. After much head shaking and little girl wails, I finally secured two pretty ponies atop her head. I kept thinking, "Anna, this is the price you pay for being a girl. Beauty isn't painless."

Now the guilt has set i. Why is that an eighteen month old girl can make me pause and adore her with brownie smeared all over her face or pause with warm flutters inside as she snuggles up to Aaron with morning hair and droopy eyes? Yet, I feel the need to implore her to hold still so I can pull her hair neat and tight. Maybe letting her be a little Au natural is O.K. even if she could be Simba's cousin.

I got Tagged!

Jenn, I feel so loved! The two big 0's next to the comments the last two weeks seem invisible.
What is his name? ~ David Aaron, Aaron, Aar, Honey, Smoochems, How long have you been together? ~ married ten and a half years, togetther a year and three months before thatHow long did you date? ~ one year…three months of me in Rexburg (I once got a lovely potato poem from Aaron), three months of him in Washington D.C( the miracle of e-mail was still young and exciting at this time)…the heart definitely grows fonder.How old is he? ~ a smokin’ hot 34 years oldWho eats more? ~ Aaron. No contest. Who said I love you first? ~ me, luckily it was returnedWho is taller? ~ Are you kidding, Aaron Who is smarter? ~ Of course me, what a silly question. lol. Aaron is a genius and definitely outwits me…most of the timeWho does the dishes? ~Mostly me but, on Sunday Aaron always does to his infamous ‘dish doin’ music.Who pays the bills? ~ Me. He earns it , I spend it.Who mows the lawn? ~He always does. I did fertilize the lawn once.
Who cooks dinner? ~ Me! Yet, I love coming home from a long run with Huevos Rancheros or some other breakfast treat waiting for me. Thanks babe.Who kissed who first? ~ Aaron but I soon followed.Who asked who out first? ~ I think Aaron did, although I don’t think I knew that until a month later.
Who proposed? ~ He did with a bit of gentle nudgingWho has more siblings? ~ we are equal on this eight kids eachWho wears the pants? ~ We both wear pants but sometimes I like to wear a skirt or a dress, depends on my mood.
Thanks for putting up with me babe. Even if my FHE lessons are a bit girly. Love You Always!
O.k so who do I tag? Since I was tagged by one of two people who actually read my blog, and the other is on hiatus. Anyone who drops by is tagged. Sorry, this is a little cruel but, I’m sure you’ll

Summers Here, School's Out?

So, I'm sitting at the computer a few days ago and here the neighborhood kids screaming and giggling on their trampoline. I think, that's funny, shouldn't they be in school? The neighbor girl comes over when Anna and I our out and asks if Anna can play (push her around in the stroller and dote on her). I about ask her why she isn't at school then I realize, oh it's time for summer vacation for all those lucky children who aren't in year-round school. So, I am know having dilemmas. Since half our neighborhood goes to the one or another charter school and a lucky few are already done with their track assignment, Harris is partially thinking it is time for summer.

Example A: (this is probably more weather related really) We are moistening the garden the other day and it is about 55 degrees out. He grabs the hose and points it at me and Anna. Anna loves it, she has no sense of being too cold, being soggy is to enjoyable. I, on the other hand, don't enjoy shivering. Harris says, "Mom, it's summer."

Example B: Our lovely extended daylight savings time has again stretched the hours of light to forever. 9:30 to be exact. We go outside one night and Harris is doing his famous flip with his scooter. Let me clarify: the scooter flips not him. About 8:10, thinking I'm such a generous mom, I yell to Harris it is time to come home, tomorrow's a school day. As the rest of the boys continue playing, Harris mopes up the driveway and says, "It's summer, Mom."

Example C: My family goes camping this week and my parents have scheduled the camping spots from Thursday to Saturday. So, we will head up Friday at Five. As long as no one has an urgent need at A's clinic. I would like to say, "But Mom, School District, Neighborhood Clinic, It's summer!"

Thank goodness for the spectrum program and Harris switching to traditional schedule. All the testing and form-filling out is worth having a normal summer. So, next year I won't have my boy shooting jealous darts at the kids who already done or counting down the days until he can realistically say, "Mom, it's summer."

long week...no blog

I have to apologize, at least to myself, for missing a blog for last week. I had to take a break. My week was just to darn packed with stuff. Stuff that consisted of looking for a new car and keeping up with my other duties. I have to say, I am so grateful for Aaron's car. It has done its job. Needless to say, it is on its way out, or that is what we keep on thinking is going to happen for the past six months. So, I put everything on hold to do some serious car looking on Monday and Tuesday. I hate used car shopping. We have been so excited to finally have our CR-V paid off that we have enjoyed the freedom of no car payment a little too much. So, trying to find a car we can pay cash for and will run for a while has become a bit of a challenge.

After lead after lead (thanks ksl.com) going no where I decided to take a break from that and get a tooth pulled. A quick note: between babies and not having six of my permanent teeth, I have had my share of dental work done. We are hoping that the placement of this last bridge will be the finale. So, Thursday I had my tooth pulled and felt great. I really felt fine. I hate feeling doped up and nauseous on pain pills, so I was ecstatic that ibuprofen did the trick. That was until Sunday morning when I woke up sore. I took some more Advil and that took care of things until that night. I got so sore. So, I went into the dentist (not the one who pulled the tooth or the dentist I regularly see) to find out that there is still one root of the tooth still up there. Which could be o.k., he tells me they do it all the time. The bad news is that they couldn't do my bridge prep work due to how tender the space is. Now I have to go around with a big toothless gap in my mouth for four weeks. They also put me on antibiotics as a precaution. As I leave the dentist with Anna on my hip, I realize that it stings more then hurts. When we get to the car, I take a look in my mouth and see a gigantic canker sore where I had said tooth. Being a little frustrated with the dentist, I call Aaron. He reassures me that it is easily taken care of with topical stuff, which is true as I feel much better today. I love my personal physician!

Sorry for all the rambling, it seems I am again entering a week with unscheduled incidents and appointments. So, excuse the uncreative selfish blog. I just had to vent my frustrations somewhere.