She ran for president of her school's student council. There were 9 kids running, 2 boys and 7 girls. If the 2 boys split the boy vote, the girls don't stand a chance. We'll find out next week! I'm always so proud of this girl just going for stuff and not worrying about the what ifs. I told her we'd throw her a celebration party win or lose...so she's happy about that!!! Her speech was Star Wars themed. She even used a light saber and played the Star Wars theme during her speech!

This one had the best preschool field trip ever.
Sarah cut some roses and set the table like this just because. Always a project, always decorating. She even cleaned the whole house (without me asking) while I was visiting teaching. Could I love this girl any more? I don't think so!

Because one straw is never enough and eating pizza with no arms tastes better.

A Week of UPs and DOWNs...

Eating a donut with a bird on your head is definitely an UP.

Our beloved blue parakeet, Cody, dying...a major DOWN of course. We had a funeral (pictured above) and a prayer. We loved him very much. He was a funny wild maniac that loved chasing mirrors and hanging upside down in his cage. He was on Chad's shoulder a few hours each day. Chad's prayer, "Dear Heavenly Father, please accept this beautiful bird into your kingdom."
Watching Russ play "Family Wipeout" was definitely an UP. He and the kids made all sort of obstacle courses.
Including this one called "Bucking Bronco". That was an UP and DOWN! :)
Chad walking in the door like this after riding his bike, an UP. Him telling me he feels invisible at his school, a DOWN. He eats alone and does free time alone every day. Those kids are SO missing out! I can't get enough of his hilarious, smart, easy going, and clever personality.
Teaching preschool this week was an UP and DOWN. The kids are all UPS. SUPER cute. We had MANY many UP moments. But at age 3, the fighting and short attention spans make me realize they aren't ready for this. Some are ready, some aren't. I'd rather set up a bunch of small play dates and do more one on one instruction. Kids this age need lots of mommy time.

Heading to the temple with the honey 2 nights in a row, definitely an UP.

Friday night we headed to a sealing session to meet friends. Friends weren't there. I got the date wrong! So we stayed anyway and did it again the next night. 2 nights in a row is a record for me! Thank you, Holly, for setting us up!

The first night gazing into Russ' gorgeous eyes for a long period of time across the altar was a bit awkward. I was SO disappointed in myself! Why does having a staring contest feel that way now? What am I afraid of?! Why am I always the first to look away? It's a piece of cake for him. But for me it's like it's soul piercing or something. Like staring into the sun. I used to stare into his eyes for hours only taking potty breaks. Seriously. It was SO easy and fun to do. And now that we've been married for 14 years, I get too embarrassed if we stare for more than a few seconds. Well, I'm happy to say that after 2 sealing sessions in a row it is very easy to do once again! Hooray! I realize I'm not alone in this. Nobody looks at each other across the altar. They look down or at the sealer. We old married folk could learn a thing or two from those young marrieds! ;)

After 2 temple/dinner dates in a row, happy to say the week ended on an UP!!!!!

And so it is with life. The ups and downs make it a very full, rich, and glorious ride.

My Rock Star Life

Caught a bit of the Whitney Houston interview today. She said she has traveled the world, had fame and fortune, but the thing she longed for and wanted MOST was something I have every day. She wanted to wake up with her daughter. See her off to school. Be there when she came home from school each day.

I have this life! I am SO blessed beyond words!!! I get to soak in moments like today when I caught Ava with 6 dum dums in her mouth, and 7 in the other hand. She was sucking on each fist full of lollipops going back and forth. It was such a darling sight. I didn't take them away (Russ, forget you just read that!!!!) because I was quite impressed with her ambition, really. So instead she shared an already sucked on dum dum with me bringing her total down to 12. That was good enough. ;)

Moms Love a Theme Party

Or not. Depending on how you look at it! We do tend to over do it. But it's just so much fun!!! After this party, I was pooped. Happily pooped. The last theme party I did was Wizard of Oz for Sarah so long ago. Recreating the Emerald City, I overdid that one too. Happily so.

Sarah was the party planner! She made the invites, and did a thousand other things. I love this girl. She is my right-hand lady.

They decorated these.

They dug their collars (candy necklaces) out of the litter box.

The kitties decorated their own cat cupcakes.

They played "Blind Kitty's Bluff"
Russ only got hit once where it counts by a wandering bat! Aren't these traditional Mexican pinata's beautiful?
Pin the name tag on the kitty's collar.

My favorite birthday moment was when I was in the next room setting up the next activity, the girls all got lost in their imaginations and came up with all sorts of games and fun things kitty. They laughed hysterically and squeeled with delight. Who needs a mom with a plan? Kids know what they like and how to do it best! It's best we not interrupt imaginations at work.

Happy 6th Birthday, my love!

What Am I Going to Do With Myself?

That's what I said to Russ after plopping on the couch after seeing 75% of my children out the door for the first day of school. He said with joy, "WHAAATEVVVVER you want!" He loves having a stay-at-home wife.

Well, that feeling lasted about 30 seconds. I brushed myself off and got to work as always. I still have my Ava at home and a million places to be. I am teaching preschool this month too.

Somehow I managed to take a 30 minute nap after lunch. I am a professional nap taker and am trying to figure out how to squeeze it in with the new schedule!!! I will always find a way. Naps are the most delightful luxury in the world! I smile every time I hit the pillow. A BIG huge grin. I love myself so much I try to take a nap every day. It is my gift to myself and I deserve it. :) I know I've said this before, but it also makes for higher quality girlfriend time at night for my hubby. Naps make the world go 'round! The benefits are endless.

Wow, that was quite the tangent. Back to the first day pics...

My Super Sweet and Grown-Up Kindergartner! She is by far the TALLest in her class. (I can't relate...naturally short, starting young, then skipping a grade...I was always by far the shortest!)
I love these ages! Chad was too cool to smile this morning, Sarah is at the perfect age where she is old enough to be super fun to hang with like a girlfriend but young enough to still love her mommy, and Alyssa, she's just full of that first day of school and first ride on the bus joy!

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Changing subjects...I must post a bit about our Labor Day/Back to School/last party with the family yesterday. I still can't believe I live here:

Oldest Building In Idaho: The Cataldo Mission

The paved Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes goes for 72 of miles of quiet high mountain splendor and is SO breathtaking. I kept screaming through the silence..."THIS IS SOOO BEAUTIFUL!!!" It POURED rain on us the last half. We were dripping wet. DRIPPING!!!! I knew I wanted to soak in every last drop of summer, but didn't know I'd soak it in quite literally. The rain made the smells of pine and dirt and forest and lillipad lakes so intoxicating. I loved EVERY second of it!!!! The kids did too. Approaching the parking lot we were all yelling some "Woo hooooo!!!!'s" some "I'm number one!"'s or "I'm number five!!!!"'s and some "Woot wooot!"'s. I'll always remember this day.

Dukes

Sarah: What is a duke?

Dad: That depends on what kind of duke you are talking about. A duke is like a dude that's royalty. But a dookie...that is NOT the feminine form of duke........that's poop.

So her favorite word for the rest of the night was dookie of course. I can't complain because she is so darn beautiful it scares me to death and maybe a bit of potty humor will keep the boys away. Or maybe they'll come back for some more. Note to self: stop laughing at potty humor. It may attract boys. Oh forget it. I like potty humor (when used sparingly of course).

Speaking of dookie, so we're driving home from camping all weekend yesterday. Completely smelly, dirty, hair skiwompous, and heading straight to a stake baptism where Russ is conducting and I'm chorister. We took two cars and Russ left first. While I was loading up the rest of the 1000 items we brought, the 2 youngens were literally rolling around in a pile of talcum powder like dirt. They thought they were cleaning the sand off of them from the beach. Needless to say, they were COVERED in powder dirt. Head to toe. And here we are going straight to the stake baptism. I thought it was a funny moment because we were in such a hurry I had no time to do anything about it. So I called Russ on the cell to let him know what sight he'd see when we arrived at the chapel. And he said, "Well, it could be worse! It could have been poop." To that I said,"Awwww. I love you!"

This weekend's camping pics that make me smile:

Ava fishing old school style.

Friends like this who pose like this holding hands!

A camping birthday party.
Burnt marshmallows, funny campfire songs, and not so scary ghost stories.

Sarah's first fish ever.
Super Lollipop Girl entertained for the hour drive up. Who needs toys?!
The rest of the pics are from my solo bike ride. The quiet and beauty was surreal!This dear leaped ten yards in front of me across the road right after I watched 20 wild turkeys graze in a meadow.It's no wonder Mom and Dad retired here.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
The End.

A Caged Bird

I am a log roller! I can stay up until it rolls to the slimy side.

As a mother, our work at home is NEVER done. There is always a meal to prepare, a dirty floor somewhere, a closet that is overflowing. Because of this, I am passionate about dropping things where they are and doing things like this. As often as possible. When our children are grown, they will not say, "Mom...remember that day when all the closets and drawers were organized and the house was so clean and the laundry was all done and you made warp speed on your to do list?!" NO NO NO! Of course they will not say that.

Instead they'll say, "Mom...remember that time we went to the lake and I thought we found diamonds in the sand, you taught me how to log roll, we collected mica for our sand collection, and I found 3 dollars at the bottom of the lake while snorkeling?"

That's what they'll say.

So that is why I am gloomy about school starting. During the school year I feel like a caged bird. I want to fly so badly but the routines and schedules and homework and practices keep us grounded.

My kids are growing up too fast and I enjoy their company so much. Their excitement for life and wonder at the world make the world taste sweeter. They are just a bunch of really fun people.My older kids are at that age where they are HUGE helpers (I've waited a long time for that one!), and I enjoy their company like I do friends. I just want to hang with them.So forgive me if I feel like I'm at the funeral of summer as school starts. Summer is never long enough and I am soaking in every last minute of it!!!

Summer, the love of my dreams, please stay forever and ever and ever!