Kendrick Nut House

Abel-isms

2012-01-16T18:27:00.003-07:00

Seeing the snow: "I need my snowman-suit."

Me: Do you want to get down, little man?

A: No, I not a man.

M: That's right, you're an Abel.

A: No, I not an Abel. I Sam Flynn.
(He's a little obsessed with "Tron Legacy.")

Abel's latest thing when he wants something someone else has is to claim, "He took it from me." Today he said this about a toy his brother had, even though I had been in the room and knew that Buster had it first. I replied, "No, Buster had it first."

"But I had it first, too!"

Hair cuts

2012-01-13T15:39:00.002-07:00

Here is the promised picture of the girls with short hair. I really should post about our awesome Christmas, but I'm too busy today!

One Reason I Haven't Posted Lately

2011-12-13T12:06:00.003-07:00

Ever notice how many unpleasant words there are in English that do contain just four letters? That must be where the phrase originated! Here in the Kendrick Nut House, we have discovered another four-letter word: L-I-C-E. That's right! Three girls with beautiful long hair must have been their dream. I haven't had much time with all the late nights nitpicking. Why am I posting this? Because I think I figured it out and want to share in case these dreaded pests ever come to infest your house and hair.

It all started about a month ago when my friend called to say that just days after her daughter came to play, she found lice. Honestly, I didn't take this warning as seriously as I should, which was my first mistake. A week or so later, as I was brushing Missy's hair for church, I saw bugs crawling in her hair. Ew!!! A quick check also revealed some in Sunny's hair. Kandy's beautiful thick hair seemed clear, fortunately. Ben went off to church with the boys. Kandy stayed home, and the girls watched movies while I dashed around looking for a non-pesticide lice treatment.

We tried lots of things. I did find a gel that kills the lice through dehydration and followed the directions perfectly. I washed everything in VERY hot water for over a week. We vacuumed beds and furniture and did everything just by the book. Except that I forgot to do a second nitpicking a week later. Oops! Mistake #2.

We had them on the run after that with frequent head checks and more laundry, but they didn't go away completely. I tried a few more things. Just over a week ago, I found bugs on Kandy's head. And after everything I had learned, this is what I did:

First of all, I chopped off her hair. Sunny had been shorn earlier that week, and she was all clear of lice. Although Missy had just one bug that night, I chopped hers off, too. Second, I went through her hair quickly with a Robicomb, which is worth every penny!!! (It costs the same as one or two boxes of lice treatment, and it is reusable because it just kills the lice with electric shocks. Awesome!) Second, I sprayed her hair with NeonNits. The directions say to leave it in and just try to brush it out, but I had learned with the other girls to do it differently. I sprayed her hair and then washed it out. The nits were all pink, and the hair was back to its real color. I blow dried her hair, and then I went through it tiny section by section, carefully nitpicking. We did vacuum beds again, but we didn't do all the laundry in the hot water. With the short hair, we have just used the Robicomb every day or two and done a quick look through their hair to make sure it's all clear. I have not found a single bug in Kandy's hair even once since this treatment.

Pictures of their haircuts will be forthcoming! So, if you ever have to deal with this monumental pest, skip the expensive pesticides, and just buy the Robicomb (we even found it in the store) and the NeonNits. (I actually still have lots of this left!) In summary:
1. Cut the hair short. It may cause everyone a little grief, but it makes it so much easier! Our boys have NEVER had any lice.
2. Go through with the Robicomb.
3. Spray on the NeonNits.
4. Wash it out.
5. Nitpick carefully, pulling out every pink egg.
6. Kill the lice on cloth items. Vacuum beds and wash sheets in very hot water. Put away stuffed animals or wash/dry them at high temperatures. (The second time, I just tossed them in the dryer at high heat for 30 minutes.) If that is too scary, put them in a plastic bag for 10 days to two weeks. Without a human host, the lice will all die.
7. Check for lice every 2-3 days, both with the Robicomb and visually.
8. Keep doing this for at least 2 weeks after the last bug or nit is found.

I sincerely hope you never have to use this information. Lice are a major pain in the backside!

Sweet Afternoon

2011-11-03T16:04:00.004-06:00

This afternoon I didn't go to work because Missy had stayed home with a stomach ache. (I detest stomach aches--it's such a non-specific symptom!) Anyway, as I was tucking the boys in for their nap, Abel said "I love you" for the first time. Both boys were sleeping on the floor so much that we took out the crib and toddler bed, laying their mattresses side by side on the floor. Buster asked me to snuggle with him. I laid down between them.

"Mommy," Buster said, "did you take your shoes off?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because my feet will be cold."

"Use a blanket."

"I don't have a blanket."

"You can use my car blanket!"

I obligingly kicked off my shoes and snuggled my legs in his car blanket. He was not willing to share his pillow, however, so I went and grabbed my own.

We chatted for a few minutes about random things, and then one by one, we drifted off to sleep. Well, Abel and I did! When my timer went off 20 minutes later, Buster was still awake. I left him, though, to go accomplish things in the quiet house.

I could have not have better spent that half hour, though. I love snuggling my little people, and it is always a miracle the first time they say "I love you!"

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T11:26:00.003-06:00

We had a great Halloween. We decided on a superhero theme. Buster was Iron Man, Abel was Captain America, Ben was Superman, I was Wonder Woman, Sunny was Spider-man, and Missy was She-Ra. (I made that costume. Thanks to my mom and Debi who helped me with finishing touches!) Kandy decided to be a 50s girl before we decided on the theme, so we fit her in by calling her the damsel in distress. After all, what are superheroes without a girl to save?

Sunset Play

2011-09-27T23:01:00.001-06:00

Over Labor Day, Kandy got to go visit cousins in Colorado with her grandparents. While she was there, her aunt (a talented photographer) took this series of pictures. My sister-in-law wrote: "I haven't even messed with the colors or exposure or anything -- it was this pretty in real life."

I just had to share!

Lost

2011-09-13T08:46:00.004-06:00

My mom always said that when you lose something, you should back-track to see where you left it. It usually works. The problem is when something is mislaid, and you subconsciously keep assuming it will turn up. By the time you realize it's really lost, you can't remember the last time you had it and it was lost. It's pretty impossible to track at this point.

Before Abel was born, I crocheted an edge around a blanket for him. It folded up so nice and small that whenever I took him to places where he would be having a nap, I took this blanket. A few months ago, I realized that it had been a while since I had seen the blanket. I'm sure I thought the first time I looked for it that it had just been put in the wrong place. I became certain that it was lost. Through facebook, I asked several friends at whose house he had napped if they had seen it, but they had not. It made me sad, but as usual, time helped me forget.

This morning Abel found the matching burp cloth, and he started asking for his blankie. Even at his age, he remembers.

I wanted to post this so I keep remembering this blanket I made for him. I also wanted to do it just in case any of you who read this blog remember seeing this blanket around your house!

The biggest irony is that I often have an almost super power to find stuff that my kids and husband leave in strange places in the house, but I can't find my own!

9/11 Remembered and Thoughts on our World Now

2011-09-11T23:59:00.004-06:00

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. There was a wonderful and special “Music and the Spoken Word,” and KSL also had a special news broadcast this evening. I had the opportunity to talk to the girls about it. The world truly changed that day. Much has gone back to the way it was, such as the bickering and political infighting, but we do still have a sense of unity behind it all. It's kind of like a family: you bicker and argue with your siblings, but you still present a united front to others and dislike it when they pick on and bully a sibling.

We will never have the sense of security we had prior to this horrific attack, and although I understand the necessity, I get frustrated with the measures we take to increase security. I'm not certain they actually help prevent atrocities. I think they mostly inconvenience good people. As my mom says, “Locks are for honest people.” A criminal determined to steal will find a way to break in where a casual thief will not not. Terrorists are innovative and can probably find ways to circumvent much of the current personal violations that we suffer through in the name of security. Due to some articles I've read, I would trust a sniffing dog more than most of the machines we use! I think that some of the terrorists are laughing up their sleeves at how we have bowed to this necessity. They have succeeded in wounding our peace and removing our personal freedoms, albeit mostly small ones. We can still choose to fly, but we have to put up with inconvenience, and we are more restricted than ever about what we can take on a plane. For example, Ben once had to choose between throwing away a pocket knife and mailing it to himself at an airport. The people at CakeWrecks have decided that the security isn't worth it and have decided to conduct their next book tour by car! Finally, as we have necessarily gone to war (which I do support), we have lost many more lives than those they originally stole on 9/11.

ANYWAY...big tangent. I was not planning on jumping on my soapbox! Today was interesting to see what has changed and what has reverted during the past decade.

Smith Reunion 2011

2011-08-31T10:07:00.002-06:00

On Memorial Day, we had a big Smith Reunion from my grandparents down. This is a tradition we all look forward to, and as you see, a lot of kids were there! Most of these are my nieces and nephews and kids, but several are cousins or cousins' children (my 1st cousins once removed, my kids' second cousins).

Because of the unusually cold and rainy spring, we had the festivities in a church instead of the traditional park. We played volleyball and elimination and had a blast. Here are just a couple pictures.

The next day we went to the park with just Robin's parents and their descendants.

Buster and Abel on the swings

Several of the bigger cousins climbing

We went up the canyon for lunch.

One of the cars was gone buying stuff, so we packed our van full of cute little blonde girls and Abel.

Lunch up the canyon

Mr. M zonked

Cousins!

Hiking up the very muddy hill

Abel fell asleep very soon after we got in the car. Buster fell asleep just a few minutes after this picture.

A Little Behind

2011-08-30T11:30:00.000-06:00

I am woefully behind. My sister-in-law recently updated six months of her blog at once, which inspired me to catch up on all the lovely things that have happened to us in the last few months. I was appalled to realize that my last post of something other than history or funny things my kids have said was in the middle of May. So...time warp!

This is a picture of our front yard on April 30. This is the year that summer took FOREVER to get here!

Abel holding my old bear and his bunny.
May 6, 2011

I love the fashions preschoolers pick. Buster insisted on wearing this ensemble to church.
May 29, 2011

Wrong Number

2011-08-02T16:16:00.002-06:00

My cousin, Jonathan, walked up to Buster and said, "Hey, dude!"

"No, this is Buster."

Chopsticks

2011-07-24T18:00:00.003-06:00

At dinner, Sunny picked up her rice with her fingers and ate it. Ben looked at her and said, "Sunny, what are you supposed to use to eat rice?"

Silly Sunny got a big grin and replied, "Chopsticks!"

Permission Denied

2011-06-10T19:53:00.002-06:00

Missy: "Mom, Abel was making himself dirty outside by dumping dirt in his hair."

Me: "Well, I'm going to bathe him in a few minutes, so don't worry about it. Take him back outside."

Missy: "Can we make him dirtier? 'Cause it's lots of fun!"

Me: "No!"

No!

2011-06-09T08:57:00.002-06:00

Buster woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. He has been grouchy and contrary about everything. After he contradicted me on about the fifth thing, I said, "Did you wake up and just decide that you were going to disagree with me on everything I say?"

"No!"

Love Story

2011-05-27T08:00:00.002-06:00

In honor of our 12th anniversary, I would like to post my favorite love story--ours. It's kind of long, but this blog is also our family history. I'm not sure if I've ever written all this down anywhere else besides journal entries and letters. So here goes.

Ben and I met sometime in our teenage years. We attended the same church building (but different wards), and we went to the same junior high and high school. My first real memory of Ben happened during his performance in "The Crucible" his sophomore year of high school. I had many other friends in the play, as well. Ben walked onto the stage, taking possession of it immediately with his dramatic flair. I felt a thrill and looked into my program, reading the name "Ben Kendrick." I remember thinking something like, "So that's Ben Kendrick." Perhaps my friends had spoken of him a lot, I don't know for sure.

During high school, we were both highly involved in the dramatic arts. Between the two of us, we were on stage in every single production at Bountiful High during our two years together, but we were never on stage in the same one. (I was on stage and he was in the orchestra pit for "Fiddler on the Roof.") I was always intrigued by Ben and wanted to get to know him better. I would not go so far as to say I had a crush on him. There are a few other memories of him, but not many. We did dance once together during a stomp (an informal dance). I think he was one of the few boys who ever asked me to dance at a stomp.

I graduated and went off to college. After my sophomore year of college, I came home for what looked like a very lonely summer. All the guys I had hung out with in high school were on missions. I hadn't been close to many girls in high school, and my best friend was pregnant and, quite frankly, a little psycho with hormones. In desperation one evening, I called another girl from the grade behind me with whom I had spent some time. We started hanging out. One night she said it was the final party before his mission for one of our drama friends, so I went with her.

Ben was there. Ben loved to organize parties and activities with all his friends. When he saw me, the first thing he thought was, "Oh, that's right. Robin's back from college. I should invite her to do stuff with us." This is kind of funny because as I said, we hadn't really interacted much before. I was profoundly grateful, though, as Ben swept me into his group of friends. Soon afterward, he received his mission call. We were both shameless flirts in our single days, and we soon started flirting more with each other than anyone else. I would arrive at parties early and leave late because I wanted to spend more time with him. It was only a matter of time before our friends started to tease us mercilessly. We maintained a fiction of distance for a couple of months. Ben's official position was that he did not want a girlfriend while he was on his mission.

One night Ben called and said his parents were kicking him out for dinner because they had company. I invited him to my house. "Actually," he said, "I was thinking we might go out." I felt a little silly for my invitation! We went to The Old Spaghetti Factory on our first date. We went on a couple more dates, but we still denied any relationship.

Ben used to host (and we hope to do it again when kids are a little older) an annual Star Trek Party where they would watch all the Star Trek movies in a row. This was usually done in January, but he wanted to host one more before his mission. He was leaving in mid-October. I was leaving for college at the end of September. The Star Trek Party was on September 28, 1996. Ben and I spent a lot of time next to each other, but the rule was that everyone had to be under their own blanket! For lunch, we ordered Chinese food. We started telling stories of fortune cookies that we had received. I mentioned that I had received a cookie some time before that read: "You or a close friend will be married within a year." I said that it must have referred to one of my friends from college because I was not getting married anytime soon. Someone teased that it might still be me, to which I promptly retorted, "It can't be me--I'm dating a pre-missionary!"

We received a standing ovation for that Freudian slip. Ben turned red, I turned purple, but there was no going back. I left for college on Monday. The payphones had a special at the time that you could talk anywhere in Utah for as long as you wanted for $1. Ben and I spent hours on the phone, and I came home all 3 weekends before he went on his mission. During General Conference, we were sitting on the lawn outside the Tabernacle. I had my head in his lap, and he leaned down to kiss my nose. I inadvertently moved, and our lips brushed. So admitting we were dating was an accident, and so was our first kiss!

Ben went on his mission. I dated and flirted some, but no one could hold a candle to him and the bond that we already shared. It really amazed me how quickly and deeply it had developed. We wrote letters, of course. Six months to the day after he went into the MTC on his way to Chile, I entered the MTC on my way to France. We continued to write. We planned nothing, although we both knew that the math was definitely on our side! He changed missions, which changed his release date. I returned home in October of 1998. He returned the first week of November. I thought that was kind of rotten that he was never home without me. If he hadn't changed missions, we would have come home within 12 hours of each other. Convenient, eh?

The next two months were fairly traditional. We spent all the time together that we could. Still in denial, we elected not to attend each others' family Christmas parties. This elicited much laughter and eye-rolling from our relatives.

I returned to college in early January. Ben realized he just couldn't live without me. ;) That next weekend, I returned home. My girlfriends convinced me to go ring shopping with them so they could help guide him IF we got engaged. That evening, we watched a movie at Ben's house with lots of friends. Time passed, and everyone left except our married friends, the Hoffmans. Cami and I were talking in my car, and Isaac and Ben were talking outside. I don't remember much of my conversation with Cami, but here is what Ben says to me about his conversation with Isaac:

"I don't really remember how it started, but Isaac directed the conversation toward marriage and exactly where I was going with the relationship with you. I said point blank, 'If I ask her to marry me, I know what the answer will be. I'm just not positive that I'm ready yet.' " He also says that Cami had gotten me to admit that I wanted him to ask me to marry him. "Essentially, they were pushing."

They left, and Ben got in the car to talk to me. In our conversation, we seriously discussed marriage for the first time ever. We also talked about how we thought the "engagement process" was stupid and that if we were to be engaged, we should be officially engaged. We even tentatively discussed possible dates, but the momentous question had not been asked. As the conversation was about to drift into other topics, Ben took me by the hands and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes!

It was not completely by accident, but it was rather spontaneous. Our parents were happy with our choice of companion. I went back to college, but I returned home every weekend. Ben often drove up to Logan to get me on Friday and drove me back on Sunday night. During the spring, after he had managed to get some money, he gave me a diamond ring and proposed officially, driving up to Logan to surprise me.

After a courtship of nearly three years, we were married on May 27, 1999 in the Bountiful Temple. During our courtship, we were actually living in the same city for about 2 months and lots of weekends. I worried about that a little at the time, but we have been unbelievably happy with each other ever since. We have our trials and struggles in life, but our relationship is not one of them. We often say we wish every one could be as happy as us!

Jack Spratt

2011-05-19T12:33:00.003-06:00

I made bread this morning, and it was piping hot at lunch time. The kids were very excited to eat the bread, but most of them asked me to cut off their crust. I was beginning to think I should have just cut the crust off the entire loaf to save the hassle of cutting it off each piece of bread! Even Sunny succumbed to peer pressure and asked for the crust to be cut so she could be like her friend, "Joy." (Joy is the preschool girl I tend.) Some of them do like the crust by itself, though, so I was giving them their crust along with their bread.

I noticed that Buster was eating his apples and leaving his bread untouched. He hadn't asked for crust removal, but I whisked his plate away to give it a try. I handed it back and got busy with other things. I looked back, and his crust was gone. I gave him some of the other abandoned crusts, and his face lit up. His soft bread is sitting on his plate.

I'm glad I have someone to help me eat all these crusts!

My Sister, the Author

2011-05-19T11:56:00.003-06:00

This is blog post by my sister-in-law that I just had to share.

well-loved: quilts and kids

My kids each have one of these beloved Bama blankies, too. Well spoken, Ally!

"I Done Had My Bath in May"

2011-05-17T16:09:00.006-06:00

There are three things with which Buster does not cope well: 1) Someone sitting in the seat he wants, 2) Someone taking his food, and 3)Washing his hands.

Buster dislikes washing his hands a lot. He would rather cry in his bed than wash his hands, and he gets frustrated when someone gets the seat he wanted at the table because that child obediently washed hands and got there first. Double whammy! Anyway, this is a battle we must wage for sanitary reasons, especially when he has been playing outside or petting the dog.

On Sunday, Ben carried him off to the bathroom to wash his hands.

"I washed my hands!" he screamed.

"Okay," said Ben, giving him the benefit of the doubt, "When did you last wash your hands?"

"Wednesday!"

(My dad and I both responded to this by thinking of the quote from "Pete's Dragon" that titles this post.)

Today Buster was watching the rain, and he and all the kids I was tending were talking about going outside. I don't remember the conversation, but I do remember how he talked about what you need to stay dry: a "bumrella."

Back to the hospital

2011-05-11T21:40:00.001-06:00

Buster got his staples out on Saturday, April 30. On Saturday, May 7, Kandy was cleaning in the basement while the rest of us were preparing the garden. Someone went inside and came out to tell me she was hurt. I went in, and she had tripped over the dog bed. Her toe was pink, purple, red, and bleeding.

She survived the weekend, and on Monday, I took her to the doctor. The nurse took one look at the toe and said, "I'm going to get an x-ray form." The doctor agreed, so on Monday, we went back to Primary Children's for an x-ray.

Yes, the toe is broken.

In 10 years, we have been to Primary Children's a total of 8 times for emergency, suction shack, and x-rays. Three of them have been in the last month.

Lie, Cheat, and Steal

2011-05-06T18:33:00.003-06:00

Sunny came home the other day and asked if she could do her homework downstairs.

"Why?" I asked suspiciously.

"Because then Missy can give me all the answers."

I burst out laughing. "At least you told the truth!"

"Well," Sunny answered, "I didn't want to lie about cheating!"

Static Electricity

2011-05-01T11:32:00.005-06:00

I had just finished brushing Sunny's hair, and I was asking why it was so staticky. (This, according to dictionary.com, is not a real word. The proper adjective for "static" is "statical." Who knew?)

Anyway, Sunny answered: "It's a good thing it has static because we're studying electricity at school!"

Buster's Adventure

2011-04-27T22:24:00.007-06:00

We had an exciting afternoon with Buster a week ago. He split his scalp and got six staples. Want the long story? Keep reading. Pictures are at the end.

Buster, Abel, and the two kids I tend were playing in the living room, and I was getting ready to go to the Carl Bloch art exhibition with my mom. Buster had a stinky diaper. I called to him, but he wouldn't come. I went into the living room and scooped him up, carrying him toward his room. I stepped over the threshold of the gate and stepped on a glossy folder on the dining room floor. I started to do the splits and went down. I was looking right into Buster's face as we went down. We fell into the hallway, and there was a loud noise as his head hit something. I'm not sure if it was just the floor or if he hit the corner of the wall on the way down. He cried very hard, and I was a little concerned. Then I helped him sit up. There was blood on the carpet, and the back of his head was gushing! I put pressure on it with my hand for a moment, then I ran to grab a towel. I called the dad of the other kids. He was just about to leave, so he came quickly to get the kids. I called Z to come help me get Buster to the hospital. I told my mom that the exhibition was definitely out! (Sometime during all this, I did change the stinky diaper.) I texted Ben, and he managed to leave work early to come drive us to the hospital. I'm glad he did because that way I was able to maintain pressure on the wound by holding his head in both hands. He says he was worried because he could tell I sounded shaky and shocky on the phone.

Well, we went to the hospital. They took a look and said he would definitely need staples. The gash is about 4 inches long, if memory serves. It took 6 staples to close it, but at least they didn't have to shave his head. He did really well! Even the medical staff commented on how well he did. The worst part was that one of the staples had to be removed and redone.

It took about 3 hours from the time of the injury until we were in the car going home.

I feel bad about it, but there really wasn't any way the end of the fall could have been avoided. I am amazed that I didn't see that folder on the floor, though.

All things considered, we were blessed. Buster's injury, while bad, is not life threatening. We have insurance to pay for the procedure. Babysitting was all lined up, so I didn't have to worry about WHO could take Abel for me, and the girls were already planning on walking to the other family's house. Ben was teaching something that he could actually leave early, which is unusual.

I had a hard time looking at the wound, and it took some time to get used to the staples. So, you want to see some pictures? If you do, scroll down. If you are feeling a bit faint, that's fine. Stop after the first one!.

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Random Thoughts

2011-04-15T14:37:00.003-06:00

BFF's
A few days ago, I was trying to figure out who I would name if I had to pick my best friend (besides Ben!). I couldn't quite choose. Yesterday I got a phone call from an old friend who wore the title "best" for many, many years. She was coming into town to get her car worked on and needed a place to hang out for a couple hours. We went to Discovery Gateway and had lunch at the food court. Guess what I learned again? Once a best friend, always a best friend! I just have lots of best friends from different places and phases, and I love them all. I can't pick a favorite for the here and now, and it doesn't really matter. You want my top 5? That, I could answer (maybe).

Deposits and Withdrawals
These days two major things that stress me out are my bank account and my weight. I realized they have opposite sides of the same problem: One has too many withdrawals without enough deposits, and the other has too many deposits and not enough withdrawals. If I could just switch those, I'd be rich and skinny!

Surreal

2011-04-07T21:21:00.004-06:00

I love being a real estate agent! I get to look inside other houses all the time. I love to see the way the floor plans fit into the exterior.

Today I had a very odd experience showing a house. I received a call from a client requesting to see a particular house in Bountiful. He laughed as he asked about it because he knows our family, and he realized that this house was where my father grew up! My parents were living there when I was born, too, and moved out when I was three.

It was a very surreal experience as we opened the front door. It was so familiar even though I didn't really remember much of it. I remembered the basic floor plan, and I noticed that the shag carpet had mercifully been removed from the dining room. I couldn't remember which bedroom was mine, though. My brother had a vivid nightmare involving the basement bathroom window, so just looking at it made me laugh! I showed my friend the back of the bathroom door where I decided to play school with lipstick in the middle of the night. I don't remember it, but the picture sure is funny!

My parents are out of town, but we called my dad and talked to him about it. He asked about the pool in the backyard. My grandmother was practically a fish, and she loved that pool. We have old family movies of my dad and his siblings helping to build it. It was a lot smaller than I remembered! Sadly enough, it had has been sorely neglected. My dad asked if there was water in it. "Yes," we replied, "rain water!" It has been used as a garbage and yard waste dump. My first memory is being taken out of that pool to get my diaper changed. Another early memory is standing on the back patio having my mom tie on my swimsuit.

My client liked a lot of things about the house. It might be his favorite yet. How strange and cool if he buys it! Either way, I'm really glad I had a chance to go look around.

My New Obsession

2011-03-25T14:07:00.004-06:00

Greetings, fellow cyberspace citizens! Perhaps you have noticed that I haven't been quite so responsive or around so much lately. This is due to many things such as working twice a week, babysitting extra kids a lot, and other things. One of the reasons, though, is directly related to my new obsession. Allow me to elaborate. And yes, it gets long, but please humor me and at least read the headings.

About a month ago, I hosted a Pampered Chef party. The morning of said party, I realized with horror that I was going to have guests--including a near-stranger-- in my kitchen! I decided it was really time to dig into my kitchen and clean it out. As I cleared the counters, I was horrified and embarrassed as I really opened my eyes to what was there. Some things had no business being there, really, and lots of those had been there way too long. I tidied the clutter, I scrubbed the backsplash walls and stove, and generally spruced it up. When the kitchen was shining, I was so proud of myself. I was more than happy to welcome people into my kitchen.

Only two guests came: one of my best friends and my mom. (I got lots of outside orders, though, thanks!) The party was totally worth it for my clean kitchen.

The next day, I had dirty dishes in my sparkling kitchen. I just couldn't let them spoil the effect, so quick as a wink, I stuck them in the dishwasher. And guess what? The kitchen was still clean! When we ran the dishwasher, I emptied it quickly so we could refill it instead of letting them soak forever. The kitchen was still clean! It made me so happy that I put a chart on the wall to track "Days of a Spotless Kitchen."

They say it takes 21 days to form a new habit. That was a month ago. As I said, this obsession has taken me away from my computer more, but it's not because I'm spending more time doing dishes. I'm spending more time enjoying other leisure pursuits that I used to neglect because my computer was the best place to spend time where I could close my eyes to the messes that surrounded me.

Now I want to share with you a few things I have learned this month. First of all, I used to wait for the Dish Fairy to come do my dishes. Logically, I knew this wouldn't be the case, but I waited for her just the same. She didn't ever come. By cleaning all the time, though, I have learned that while there is no Dish Fairy, the same cannot be said of her nemesis, the Dish Demon. He comes all the time when dishes are left out. He dries the food on and makes the job harder than it was in the first place. I am a big believer in the Dish Demon, and I really want to avoid giving him opportunities to visit again.

Second, I feel like I spend less time doing dishes. I can't actually say for certain whether I spend more time doing dishes now than I did before, but I can say, that it's nice to have it broken up into several small sessions instead of one mega-session. I do have to do less hand-washing because I know exactly when the dishwasher is going to be full instead of guessing how many of the dishes in the sink will fit.

Third, there is more time for baking!!! This is one of the reasons I can't gauge time. Since my kitchen is always clean, I can actually make goodies more often. When I used to get the urge to bake, I'd walk into my messy kitchen, and one of three things would ensue. Sometimes I'd bake in it anyway, more often I would have to clean it first, which meant I lost my window of opportunity, or I would just walk away and give up. Anyway, this in turn generates more dishes, but instead of walking away, I drop them into a sink of soapy water as I go and wash while stuff bakes. Goodies and clean kitchen. Win-win!

Fourth, the bar and table are clean enough that I don't panic if kids set down their homework. And I actually have work space on the bar instead of having that pile at the end growing, growing...

Fifth, I am so much happier. This has really been a blessing in our home, especially with me working two afternoons a week. I used to feed all the kids lunch and run around getting them ready for the switch to the babysitter/home. (I swap with the parents of the kids I watch in the morning.) I'd think I was in too much of a hurry to clean the kitchen. So we'd all come home about 5:30 to a messy kitchen and still have to make dinner. Hello, take-out! That gets expensive. I cannot describe how nice it is to come home from ANYWHERE and have a clean kitchen. With this priority shift, we have been late a couple of times. This is unusual, because punctuality is very important in our family. It is taking time to learn how to clean the kitchen and still be on time, but it is worth learning!

Sixth, I get more help! Even 3-year-old Buster is getting in the habit of putting his dish in the dishwasher every time. It was confusing before. "Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean?" someone would ask. They never knew if they should put their dish in the sink or the dishwasher. I wasn't consistent at asking for help because I wanted to procrastinate cleaning, too. It's a lot more effective to pull your kid back after 3-5 minutes down from the table to put away that pesky dish than it is to ask them 2 hours later--or during their nap.

So if you aren't one of the people who has already learned all this, I suggest you try it. Am I always so prompt? I'm as prompt as I can be. Sometimes it's upstaged by a stinky diaper or a fight, but I really don't sit down to relax anymore until my kitchen is shining. And I love it!

Mission Impossible

2011-03-16T21:24:00.004-06:00

This is your mission should you choose to accept it:

With your husband gone, you must help a five-year-old do dishes. You must also help the same child build a leprechaun trap. Bathe four children and arrange all food for a funeral that will occur in two days. In your free time, assist the 10-year-old with her debate research. A three-year-old and a one-year-old will do all in their power to sabotage your efforts. You have 2 hours until lights-out.

Good luck.

And actually, you don't have a choice.

Clogs

2011-03-06T10:20:00.001-07:00

We were at a friend's house, and Kandy and Sunny were looking at their curio cabinet.

"Look," Kandy said, "there are some clogs!"

"What are clogs?" Sunny asked.

Kandy answered, "Clogs are wooden shoes born in Holland."

Missy's Baptism

2011-02-28T00:01:00.004-07:00

Missy was baptized on Saturday by her father. She has a cousin very close to her age, so they got to share this special day. Lots of family and friends came, and we had a great time. We are so proud of her! I took lots of pictures, but unfortunately, Buster had left his fingerprints on the lens. They didn't turn out too well.

Missy in her baptism dress

Missy with her Dad before the baptism

Well, fuzzy pictures are better than no pictures (we made that mistake with Kandy). It was a very memorable day. We are so proud of her!

Science Fair Follow-Up

2011-02-09T15:41:00.002-07:00

Kandy had her science fair yesterday, and she won the bronze medal in chemistry! We are so proud of her.

I made peanut butter cookies today, and everyone said they were still sick of cookies.

Stump the Toddler

2011-02-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

We have a computer game called Jump Start Toddlers. Buster calls it something that sounds a lot like "Stump That Toddler." It cracks me up every time!

Wiggle Worm

2011-02-06T16:44:00.002-07:00

After church today, the kind brother who helped with Sunny during Sacrament Meeting came to talk to us. He looked at Sunny and asked if she was still being a wiggle worm.

"When I was holding her on my lap, she was wiggling all over the place," he continued.

"That's because I had to go potty!" Sunny exclaimed.

"Well, why didn't you tell us?" he said.

Yum, Science!

2011-02-04T21:00:00.003-07:00

Kandy is participating in the Science Fair this year. Her choice of project? How exactly does the amount of baking soda affect cookies? Well, I'll post all the results a little later. I must say, though, that this is one time when science is delicious. We have had lots of chocolate chip cookies around this week! We have made cookies 3 days, and while they all look a little different, we haven't found one yet that didn't taste good--at least the first day. If you leave out the baking soda, they are chewy the first day and hard as bricks the third day. I don't know what (or if) she'll win, but I wonder if there is an award for the most fattening science project!

Successful Fiasco

2011-01-24T21:06:00.004-07:00

Dinner was a successful fiasco tonight. How is that possible? Well, I would like to share with you our culinary experience.

It started relatively early in the day when I asked myself the dreaded question, "What should I make for dinner?" This was followed by typical questions, such as, "What do I want for dinner? What do I have in the house? If I make that, what would the kids eat?" I settled on a yummy Indian Lentil soup. Ben and I love it, and it is low calorie. (Granola is not a low-calorie breakfast, so I was looking to compensate.) So that's what I planned on. What should I feed the kids, though? Most of them won't eat the soup. I decided to try my hand at naan, which for those of you poor ignorant souls who haven't eaten Indian food, it is Indian bread. I found a recipe that while not exactly traditional, it caught the spirit of the thing and was bland enough that I knew my kids would like it. So it was all settled. Now, this particular soup comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, America's Test Kitchen's The Best 30-Minute Recipe. I have altered it for the Crock-pot sometimes, but I had to choose between making the naan and starting the soup. I started the naan, and the baby woke up. He was unusually grumpy and insisted on my holding him.

I figured I could at least assemble the ingredients and have one of the girls sort the lentils while I held him. I went to the cupboard. No lentils. I went to the basement. No lentils. No coconut milk, either. Oops. Meanwhile, the naan was rising, so I felt like I should stick with an Indian theme. I looked in the same book and found a recipe for Pork Vindaloo. Yum! I figured that in a pinch, a pork roast would do for a pork tenderloin. I did what I could with a baby on my hip until Ben came home.

Now, I love my 30-minute cookbook, but the recipes almost always take more than 30 minutes the first time I prepare them. Even when I'm experienced, a lot of them take 45 minutes. The beauty of it is, though, that you can make something in 30-45 minutes that normally takes hours, like lasagna. The soup took closer to an hour to prepare, at which point I realized in a panic that I had ignored the naan. I made the naan and rice as quick as I could, and we all sat down to dinner about 6:30.

I was fully prepared to hear my children complain vociferously about this weird soup I made. We dished some up for everyone, and I was totally surprised to hear: "This is great! I love this! Make this again! Can we have this every night?" Especially from my pickiest eater, Sunny. I was floored. And thrilled. And it was very yummy. It was as yummy as the pork vindaloo I have eaten at restaurants. The bread was too bland for me by itself, but dipped in the vindaloo it was a chunk of heaven! Butter and honey on it was also excellent.

The planning and preparation were a total fiasco. The final product and reception were a smashing success. We'll be having leftovers for dinner tomorrow, and they're all excited about it. I will never understand their taste buds! Sunny balks at spaghetti sauce but she'll eat pork vindaloo? Crazy.

Resolutions

2011-01-13T11:11:00.002-07:00

In all the craziness of the holidays, I could hardly think of any resolutions. As things have calmed down, I have come up with three:
1. Lose 20lbs by June 1.
2. Exercise at least 3 times per week, even if it's just dancing with the kids for 10 minutes!
3. Write thank you notes. I have been terrible at this. Sunny just got a thank you card from one of her friends for a birthday gift. The mom wrote it, but the child signed it. It made Sunny so happy, and I know thank you notes lift my spirits. I have found thank you notes in storage from my wedding and from baby gifts! Some are written and addressed, some are missing addresses. They weren't sent though. Oops! So I want your opinion: Since they are already written, would you send them even though they are 10 years old now?

Why I Love Companionship Inventory

2011-01-10T09:59:00.004-07:00

When I was a missionary, we were told that every week, we should sit down and discuss anything that was bothering us about our companion.

Since Ben and I are both return missionaries, this has continued as part of our marriage. Every Sunday night, we sit down together. We discuss the schedule for the week, look at our finances, track our progress on goals, and finally, we bring up anything that is bugging us about each other.

I prize this time together. Being on the same page with schedules helps the whole family. During Family Home Evening, we summarize anything that may affect the kids, and they tell us anything we forgot. This minimizes surprises during the week. Keeping tabs on finances and goals keeps us united or gives an opportunity to resolve any differences in what we want to spend our money on. On the occasions where something is really bothering me about Ben or our relationship, we have an automatic time built in to discuss these things instead of uttering the dreaded phrase "we need to talk."

Finances and relationship issues can be so emotionally based. When they come up, we're not always thinking straight, and we can say things we regret. If there is a relationship issue, I take a few days to calm down. Sometimes I realize it's not really worth bringing up. Often, though, it just gives me time to contemplate the best way to talk about it. In this environment, we can approach things with concern and love, and rarely do we feel attacked or get defensive, both of which prohibit problem solving.

I am grateful for my mission for a lot of reasons, and the fact that it taught me this principle is one of them. Ben and I have a very happy marriage, and I'm sure this is one of the reasons why. I look forward to this time each week. More often than not, we don't have any relationship issues to talk about, but when they come up, we have a great way to deal with it.

Why People Are Tech Idiots

2011-01-04T22:13:00.005-07:00

Hi, this is Ben. I teach computers. I am constantly amazed at the number of Tech Idiots that parade their helplessness in all things tech through my classroom every day (almost). I have long searched for the answer of WHY? Why are all of these people seemingly unable to grasp basic concepts? Why, after hours of patient instruction in multiple methods can people still not know how to find the button that takes them up one folder in Windows Explorer? How can people miss buttons labeled right in front of their noses? WHY?

I think I may have a couple of answers.

But first, a flowchart: (Click to see the whole thing.)

This was a great post from xkcd, one of my favorite web comics, and a great many of my computer literate friends loved this flowchart, but I have found two major problems with it. Both problems can be illustrated with stories. The problems may be related.

The first problem is first decision point. Finding a menu item or button related to what you are trying to do. I have found a significant number of people that cannot even recognize what is and is not a button. Why? Because they do not deal with them every day.

A story: About a year and a half ago, I was remodeling the house I had just purchased. My father, a lifelong general contractor, was helping. Or more to the point, I was helping him for a great deal of it. At one point I was sent into the living room to fill nail holes from the paneling we had just removed. I was in there for about 30-45 minutes. I came out satisfied that I was done. My father came into the room and glanced around.

"What about that hole?" he asked, pointing to a hole I had missed. "And that one, and that one, and..." My father then proceeded to point out between 30-40 holes that I had missed all around the room. All it took from him was a casual glance, and he was able to see so much more than I. He looked at my astonished face and asked, "You didn't even see those, did you?" I mutely shook my head. Then he said something profound: "It's just like me on the computer."

Since that day, I have never been frustrated with my Dad when he has computer issues. I just recognize that there are a lot of things that he simply cannot see due to lack of experience.

The second problem that I have found with the flowchart applies to both the first decision point and the box that instructs people to Google for a solution. Googling for a solution would also include looking in the help file. This problem is that many people are conceptually illiterate. I just made that term up, but I could not think of one that I already knew that fit.

What I mean by that is that many people can decode words and understand, often slowly, the written word, but they are unable to understand complex sentences, or quickly evaluate textual information for any sort of value judgment. They also cannot generate a list of words that are related to their current situation that might not be the exact words that they are thinking of. They cannot act as their own thesaurus.

How is this a problem? Let me illustrate with a couple of stories:

1) A few years ago, a friend of mine, Scott, was teaching some graphic design courses for a local private college. He taught all about the elements of graphic design, and he had a class that really seemed to get it. They were able to produce very good images. The final test was a multiple choice exam with questions asking about design principles and the answers clearly in the choices. Every student failed the exam. (Scott, if I am telling the story wrong, let me know.)

Why, when they were clearly able to consistently produce images using good design principles, were they unable to recognize those same principles when they were in written form? It is because they are conceptually illiterate. They never learned to process and internalize concepts in written form. In effect, all but the most basic text might as well be gibberish. They can read the words, but they cannot understand the concept.

The second story. Recently in my InDesign class, I had a student who asked a couple of very specific questions to which I did not know the answer. During a break, I found the answer to both questions in under 2 minutes per question. One answer I found in the help file, and the other in a Google search. When the student asked how I found the answers, I told her they were simple searches. She asked me to show her the procedures to do what she had been asking. I asked if I could just point her to the solutions online. Her reply, "I really have a hard time following any sort of written directions." She also asked what search terms I had used, as she expressed frustration that she had also looked in the help system and in Google. When I told her, she just said, "Oh." I did not have the heart to ask what she had searched for.

Many times in my classes, I have attempted to teach people to use the help systems that come with computers. I have little success. The biggest reason is that I ask people to look for something in the help file, and unless the answer can be found using the exact words that I used, they are unable to come up with their own search terms. They cannot verbalize what they are looking for.

What are the implications of conceptual illiteracy, or the inability to process concepts from written language? People cannot understand contracts. People cannot understand terms and conditions. People cannot understand The Constitution of The United States or their own state. For those that are religious, they cannot understand the scriptures. They are cut off from what should be one of the most powerful experiences of their life.

The only question that I have, and that I have not found satisfactorily answered anywhere: can conceptual literacy be taught effectively after about the age of 12?

What do you think? Are you conceptually illiterate? Do you know those that are? How in the @#$%#@ do they cope with life?

On the other hand, they make failbook a funny place to visit.

Fantastic Christmas

2010-12-25T15:33:00.007-07:00

Well, this week has been tough with a cold going around. It's not so much that the cold has been miserable, but it has prevented playing with friends and cousins. In fact, we didn't even go to my parents' house for the Christmas Eve program last night. We dropped by long enough to pick up the traditional pajamas and trade wrapped gifts to open today.

Today was really wonderful, though. Here are a few pictures from last night and this morning.

New jammies from Bama!

The girls' Santa stuff

Buster's stuff

Kandy has her new American Girl Doll in the cradle I fixed up. She has been asking for an American Girl Doll for 3 years.

And Sunny did get her Baby Alive doll.
Abel got a cool ride-on/push toy. I didn't get a good picture of it, though. He really likes Sunny's doll. I missed the picture of him snuggling it.

Buster and his "cute choo-choo."

We took things really slowly. We looked at stuff from Santa and unwrapped a few things. We played with cool toys from cousins.Then we unwrapped some more things.

Missy got "How to Train your Dragon" and a diary from Santa. This book is from Kandy.

If you're interested, there are tons more pictures in my Picasa album, Christmas 2010.

We managed to make Christmas morning excitement last about 5 hours. The kids have had a great time playing with all their new stuff. Now if we can just get over our sniffles and go play with cousins! I think it's one of our best Christmases ever.

The Christmas Palace

2010-12-24T10:28:00.004-07:00

by Missy Kendrick. Grammar and spelling has been mostly standardized.

This is the story of how the twelve days of Christmas came to life, so listen carefully.

Once upon a time, there was a working and building company. Their boss told them to build a beautiful castle for Santa to work in. The workers started on the first day of Christmas. That day, they got their materials.

First floor: On the second day, they put down the floor. On the third day, they put up the walls, and on the fourth day, a door. On the fifth day, they put in windows. And sixth day, wallpaper and carpet.

Second floor: On the seventh day, they put in ceiling and floor. 9th, walls; 10th, windows; 11th, wallpaper and carpet...

On the twelfth day of Christmas, they put in stairs, hung up lights, decorated the castle with furniture,

And called it the
CHRISTMAS PALACE!
the end

Under the Toe

2010-12-14T14:38:00.007-07:00

Kandy was singing "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" in the car the other day. In case you don't know the lyrics:

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night.
She didn't see me creep
Down the stairs to have a peep;
She thought that I was tucked up
in my bedroom fast asleep.

Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus
Underneath his beard so snowy white;
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night.

Kandy suggested that I should kiss Santa! Sunny piped up and said, "She wouldn't want to kiss him under a toe, though!"

And speaking of the Man in Red, Sunny was talking to Ben the other day about what she wants for Christmas.

"Daddy, I want you to buy me a Baby Alive doll."

"Why do you want me to buy it for you? Didn't you ask Santa for one?"

"Yeth, Daddy, but Kandy hath been athking him for an American Girl Doll for three yearth, and she hathn't gotten it! I don't think he'll bring me a Baby Alive."

Given some of her comments lately, I'm not sure if Kandy believes in Santa. I think Sunny does, but she doesn't seem to have much faith in his actions.

I can't wait to see their faces on Christmas morning.

What Would We Do Without the Internet?

2010-12-05T23:01:00.006-07:00

I really love the Internet, and I am so grateful for it! I'm prompted to mention it tonight because of the amazing support group it provides. Aside from blogs and facebook, you can find support for just about any problem you might be having. Cat peeing on your bed? Lots of other people feel your pain. (This is not my current problem, thank goodness, but I have been there!) Dog won't stay out of the cat's food? Well, you might not find a solution, but it can be comforting to read about everyone else complaining about it. When Sunny had that little episode of HSP a few years ago, I mentioned it on my blog, and someone invited me to support groups for it. There I read horror stories that made me feel even more blessed that her episode was so short and has not recurred.

And if you have something quirky going on in your body (my reason tonight), you can hop on and type into a search engine for ideas. Can you get a definitive diagnosis? Probably not. Can you get scared by all the serious things it might be? Sure. ("I thought we agreed that you'd come to me before checking Starfleet Medical Database." Dr. Beverly Crusher to Lt. Reginald Barclay, Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Genesis.") In my case, it could be anything from a vitamin deficiency to something a lot more serious requiring years of treatment and surgery. It was just really comforting, though, to read all the other people on one of the ask-question pages that said, "Hey, this has been happening to me, too!" It's always nice to know we're not alone when we're in pain or confused.

On a happier note, I love shopping online (Christmas shopping and shipping in one stop!). I also enjoy searching for information just for the sake of learning. I can get seriously lost on Wikipedia, especially after reading historical fiction or watching a documentary. I don't have to take my kids to the library for research projects, either (at this age)--they do it all from my computer. I can research everything from windshields to spiders from my family room.

So hooray for the Internet! I know we all used to live without it, but its prevalence coincided so neatly with my own advent into adulthood that I do not know what life was like as an adult in that pre-Internet world. I'm so grateful I was born in this era!

The Dog Ate My Homework

2010-11-18T09:30:00.003-07:00

Kandy had to make a relief map of Utah for school. She used salt dough, and she did a pretty good job.

She brought it home from school and took it down to her room. The dog found it and ate it!

Apparently the Colorado Plateau looked irresistibly delicious.

At least the dog ate the homework after it was graded!

A Very Special Guest

2010-11-14T19:32:00.002-07:00

I had just been through a stressful quarter of an hour with the toddler boys. The girls had set up a restaurant in their play room, and they had added to the stress by asking several times if I would come be a guest. I couldn't right then. Eventually, the stress settled down. I took a few minutes to find some sanity by building a hot and short little paper fire. Fire can be hypnotic, and I pondered as I alternately snuggled and wrestled my fledgling toddler how fleeting these days can be. I thought about how sometimes I think longingly about a time when I will not be responsible for an infant 24/7. Oh, the freedom! Then I think that I will no longer have a small person to snuggle. Oh, the loneliness! I thought how some days are so frustrating, and some are so rewarding. I thought about how these can even be a matter of moments apart, not days.

Almost on cue, Kandy came up to remind me about the restaurant. Ready to placate them, I asked if I could bring my baby. She said I could, and I said, "I'll be right there." I started to get up, and I heard her run downstairs, calling to Missy: "Get ready! We have a very special guest coming!"

I dined on plastic jacks and imaginary Sprite. Kandy took my order, Missy prepared the plate, Buster kept my cup full, and Sunny cleaned up the dishes. As I left to endure the rigors of bedtime, I heard Kandy singing about their very special guest.

Somehow, for just a moment, all of the stress and frustration was so worth it. I may have to be an ogress sometimes to get results, but I am still a very special guest in their eyes. How humbling. I often think I really should play with them more. I spend so much time cooking, cleaning, and meeting basic needs that I feel there is not enough time. As I did dishes after dinner, I considered the story of Mary and Martha.

I really should try harder to find balance between enjoying my children and meeting their needs.

Halloween 2010 (Finally)

2010-11-14T11:33:00.004-07:00

Woo-hoo! I finally got the pictures offloaded from Halloween. Enjoy!

Kandy as Jeannie

We loved the skin color insert. "So I can still be modest," said Kandy. Notice her classic Jeannie pose!

Missy as a witch

Sunny as a flapper

Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger strike again! I think someone has been Winnie-the-Pooh every year. I'll have to check my pictures.
(Abel and Buster)

A few days after Halloween, I realized we hadn't photographed our jack-o-lanterns. They were a group effort this year. Everyone got to pick one feature to carve.

Buster. "Take a picture of me with the pumpkins!"

Do You Golf?

2010-11-12T13:18:00.003-07:00

Yesterday I finally went to the doctor about my poor arm. He asked a few questions and checked a few things and said, "Do you golf?"

"No," I replied.

"Well, you have golfer's elbow," he informed me. He said it probably did come from carrying around Abel's car seat and just never healed. I guess golfer's elbow is shorter than car seat carrier's elbow. He prescribed a little arm band to support my elbow, and it is helping! That and the recommended ibuprofen. The doctor also told me that I should rest it. I laughed and reminded him that I have five children, two of them under 3. He laughed, too, and said, "I know, but I have to say it anyway! Tell your husband that you need more help."

"He is great at helping--when he's home."

This morning I went to my mom's house for a few hours, and I think the older girls are going to have to get better at changing diapers and folding laundry. Hopefully if I can get a little more rest for it and use the correct brace, it will improve quickly. If it doesn't improve in 2 or 3 weeks, I'll have to get a steroid shot, which I don't want.

But look! I can type again!

Beaver

2010-11-10T16:27:00.002-07:00

Buster has had a couple ear infections lately. I just looked into his ear, and he said, "I have a beaver."

No, he doesn't have a fever, but I don't blame him for saying so.

Long Time, No Blog

2010-11-09T09:53:00.003-07:00

It has been over a month since I updated. The biggest reason is that my right arm is having tons of issues. I can't type very long at all. I don't know if it's carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, or "perchance a brilliant combination of both." The pain has been steadily getting worse. It started when Abel was very young, and I thought it was just from carrying his car seat. Not so, or at least, not just that.

Also, October was crazy. I started babysitting extra kids. I'm very grateful because until this fell in my lap, I was contemplating returning to work for some extra cash. Now I still get to be home with my own kids. The older girls also had 2 weeks off of school. During those two weeks, I had various combinations of children. One day I had 10 kids here under 10 years of age. Most of the time, I had about 8. Crazy.

I also lost my card reader and camera cable. Last I saw the card reader, it was in the hands of Buster. Yikes. So I'm anxious to post Halloween pictures, but it's not going to happen today.

Well, my arm is protesting, and it's snack time for two cute 2-year-old boys. I hope you are all excited for a fabulous holiday season!

To Fix, Or Not To Fix?

2010-10-01T08:59:00.003-06:00

As I mentioned a couple days ago, the Green Beast needs work. Lots of it. After getting the details and doing research, Ben decided we might be able to repair the $1,500 worth of repairs for between $500 and $800 if we omit or put off some things and he does some of the work himself. A ray of hope!

Yesterday, the last day the Beast was legal, I was driving up to my mom's house. I took 1800 South in Bountiful, which is a bear of a hill. The van started seeming gutless. Then it started to shake like I was driving over washboard. The power continued to diminish, and as I turned onto 900 East, I lost all power. The engine would rev, but I would only drift backwards.

I turned it off and asked my mom to come get me. I made some more calls, and the people whose house I was in front of helped me push it closer to the curb and farther from the corner. We left it there until evening when Ben's dad helped tow it home. It will go in reverse, but no other gears will catch.

Broken transmission, anyone?

In summary:

$800 to repair lots of stuff ourselves
$175 for a new windshield
??? for a new/rebuilt/used transmission.

We bought it for $3,000 14 months ago, and we have already put almost $1,000 into it on repairs.

I wish so very much that we could get a new car, but it's just not an option. It's fix this or be down to one car. Also, Ben had his bike stolen recently, which makes that harder. And who wants to wander around with a stroller in the winter?

Even if we do fix it, with a 14-year-old car that has 200,000 miles on it, I just have to ask myself what will go wrong next and when. So far, if you average out what he have paid, it's still lower than a car payment for a new equivalent vehicle. But it still comes unexpectedly in lump sums, and we can't save up for a new car because we are constantly paying for the old one. Grrrrr...

There are 2 silver linings on this cloud of automotive doom: 1) We kept the blue van instead of the sedan, so at least we still have a car that holds our whole family, albeit a tight fit, and 2) At least we didn't have them repair the $1,500 and THEN have the transmission go out.

Any thoughts, hints, suggestions, encouragement, and empathy would be most heartily welcome. I'm really upset about this whole mess.

More Communication

2010-10-01T08:55:00.002-06:00

Abel is really amazing me. The other day we were eating cookies, and he was trying really hard to say it. "Cuh-cuh," and "ki-ki," were among the variations. The next day, he tried to call my mom "Bama." This morning he started dropping food off his tray. I asked, "Do you want to get down?" He grinned at me, said, "Yay ," or "Yeah," and started clapping his hands. So cute!

If You're a Mythbusters Fan...

2010-09-29T14:54:00.003-06:00

you gotta check out this link by my friend, Rob.
Thirsty for Mythbusters

Wunch at da Pahk and Other News

2010-09-29T12:30:00.007-06:00

Today I asked Buster what he wanted to do. He promptly responded, "Wunch at da pahk!" I thought for a second and decided it sounded like fun. Naturally, he wanted to leave right then, but I explained that in order to eat lunch at the park, I had to make lunch.

We live half a block from a small park. We are not too far from Jordan Park. I thought I understood that he wanted to go to Jordan Park. So assuming, I started to load Abel into the car. (It was close enough to naptime that we didn't have time to walk.) Apparently, he really wanted to walk to the park, so I got Abel and the stroller out. We walked to the small park, and he said, "No! Dat pahk!" He was pointing toward Jordan Park. It was getting even closer to naptime to change at that point, so I managed to get him to eat at the small park.

We sat down and got out the lunch. He drank his juice, but he ate only 3 or 4 bites of sandwich before going to play.

When it was time for Abel's nap, I bundled him into the stroller and started to head home. He had been under the impression that we would go to Jordan Park immediately after the small park instead of another time. He cried the whole way home, continuing with the refrain: "No! Dat pahk!"

We got home, and when he finally stopped crying, I tried to give him his pacifier and lovey on my bed so I could put Abel down. He insisted on his bed. I decided to give the same-time nap in the same room another try. Well, they were certainly happy enough. I heard lots of laughter! I went in to tell them they had 10 minutes to go to sleep, and Buster decided to get out of bed. I gave him the choice between napping on my bed or finishing his lunch.

He's eating his squished sandwich at the dining room table.

And all this at a time that I decided the reason Abel is waking up at night is because there is too much flexibility in his routine. Abel cried for a while after he left.

5 minutes later: The sandwich is almost gone, and Abel is quiet after I tucked him in again.

Sometimes getting out of the routine works, like when we went to the zoo last week. Today I wasn't so lucky. Well, I need to enjoy it while I can. Our Green Beast didn't pass inspection, and the quote to fix it was $1,500. Ben thinks he can do some of the work himself for a little cheaper, so we brought it back home. With his campaign and his calling, I doubt he'll have time until November. We also need a new furnace. Ours is a fire hazard and is releasing small amounts of carbon monoxide through the vents. That trumps the car.

Abel Speaks

2010-09-23T08:10:00.003-06:00

Abel is now 10 months old. He has been babbling a good deal. Ma-ma-ma and ba-ba-ba are some his favorite sounds. We have thought he was trying to say the dog's name or doggie, but we weren't sure. Today I was holding him on the couch, and the cat jumped up. Abel pointed right at him and said, "Kee."

He also took a step yesterday without holding onto anything. Yikes!

Multiple Choice

2010-09-17T11:44:00.001-06:00

Buster found some donuts in the kitchen this morning and asked for them for lunch. Of course I told him no, and I said, "What do you want for lunch? Sandwich or macaroni and cheese?" A few minutes went by, during which he continued to ask for donuts and dragged a stool over to the cupboard to get out some plates. Then I heard him say, "What want for wunch? Donuts or donuts?"

Ask Nicely, Please

2010-09-12T19:37:00.002-06:00

At the table, Buster held up his glass and said, "Give me water."

Ben said, "Can you ask nicely, please?"

"Ask nicely please," asked Buster in his sweet voice.

Commentary on the Real Estate Market

2010-08-31T11:23:00.003-06:00

As most of you know, I am a real estate agent. There is an awesome website out there called www.LovelyListing.com that features odd and amazing listings. I have a link to it in my sidebar, but I just HAVE to include a copy of this post in my main blog.

Dear Countrywide, I am Fine. Hope You Are Well.

Aww, look! Another happy Countrywide customer, so pleased with their experience that they wrote them a thank you letter.

Note to furriners: Countrywide is pretty much the evilest villain in the American financial crisis. It has the twirliest moustache, the creepiest hunch, the darkest eyebrows. Booo! Hiss!

Found by: SC

You can't see it very well in this picture, but on one wall it says, "Thank you" and on the other wall it says "Countrywide." Obviously, these people were less than happy with the service they received from the bank! I think you can see it better if you go straight to the source.

Why I Stay Home

2010-08-24T11:57:00.004-06:00

No, this is not about why I stay home as opposed to going to work, so don't look forward to a feel-good entry. In fact, if you don't want to read about toddler drama and mother venting, I suggest you stop now. ;)

Buster really needed some new shoes. Ben just got paid, so I decided today was a good day to go to the shoe store. We got there, and Buster started throwing a tantrum because we forgot to bring his water bottle. I tried to give him a cup leftover from dinner last night, but he wouldn't take it. I managed to settle him down, and as we strolled across the parking lot, I was feeling pretty good about myself. "Wow," I thought, "two kids isn't so hard. Hey, they both fit in the stroller! I've learned a lot this summer about just getting out and doing stuff. Crazy that it took me 5 kids to get to this point."

We got to the store. Buster didn't want his shoes off. He wasn't sure about the whole foot-measuring process, and he liked the pink girl shoes. The salesman came out with some cool new red and black shoes with velcro (yay!) . He didn't want to put them on. Then we got them on him, and liked them. He liked them so much that he wanted to wear them outside. Off he ran, right out the front door. I stuck him back in the stroller and bought the shoes.

As we left the store, he wanted to walk in his new shoes. We were in the middle of a big parking lot, though, so I wouldn't let him. The tears began again. We got to the car, and Abel cried about getting into his carseat. I realized he had a stinky diaper, so I pulled him out to change him. (One of my laments about my big green van is that it doesn't have a great place for changing diapers on the go.) I started to change him and realized he needed new clothes, too. Meanwhile, Buster found the cup I had offered him earlier. He finished it off and started begging for more water repeatedly. He even dripped a few drops of water onto his brother. Abel was wriggling like crazy during the whole change, and Buster kept begging. I finally got Abel dressed, and Buster dropped his straw and lid right onto the dirty changing pad. Grrrr... I got Abel back in his carseat, and he started to cry. I strapped Buster in, already crying and still begging for a drink. I put the stroller in the car. At this point, I saw the mother in the car behind me. "This is why I stay home, " I said.

"Do you have twins in there?" she asked.

"No, just a 9-month-old and a 2-year-old, and they're both crying."

"That's almost the same thing," the sympathetic mother responded.

Anyway, I got in the car and gave Abel his pacifier. He, at least, settled down. I then told Buster I was going to Wendy's. "Would you like ice cream or a drink?" I asked. He replied that he would like a drink. I went and bought myself a Frosty and got a free water for him. He was very content. We drove home, and I marveled at how stubborn a toddler can be. He was so stuck on the drink that he didn't even consider ice cream. We got home, and I asked what he wanted for lunch. Can you guess? "Ice cream," came the response.

We were only gone for about 45 minutes, but it seemed a lot longer. As I told that other mother: Now I remember why I stay home almost every day.

Shadows

2010-08-24T07:33:00.003-06:00

I didn't hear the beginning of this conversation, but this bit caught my ear.

"Did you know all our shadows are Draculas?" Sunny said.

"No, all our shadows are miraculous." her big sister corrected her.

Link to a Cute Post Featuring Sunny

2010-08-23T00:32:00.003-06:00

Sunny has a best friend that moved recently. Her mom did a really cute blog post about these two best friends, and I wanted to share it!

Click Here.

Friendly Offer

2010-08-22T22:23:00.004-06:00

The other day, Sunny had a playdate. She found leftover pancakes in the fridge and wanted one for snack. She asked, "Can ____ have a pancake, too?"

"If she wants one," I replied.

Looking right at me, Sunny said, "She does." Then she turned to her friend and said, "Do you want a pancake?"

New Member of the Family!

2010-08-14T18:30:00.004-06:00

We have been talking a lot lately about getting a dog. I have been browsing adoption websites and making phone calls. Today we heard about a neighbor who was looking for a new home for their black lab mix, Bailey.
As you can see, we have decided that she will fit in just fine at our house. The kids are so excited!
The cat, not so much. He will learn, though! Bailey is a very energetic dog, but the baby is more in danger of being licked by her than anything else!

Ben had a dog much of the time he was growing up, but this is a new experience for the rest of us.

PS. Now it is bedtime, and Buster is saying, "S'eep with my dog!" He has really claimed ownership!

Sunny's First Day of Kindergarten!

2010-08-11T10:21:00.005-06:00

Today was Sunny's first day of kindergarten! It's so weird to just have boys at home. I was up with Abel in the middle of the night, so Ben let me sleep in. He woke me to tell me that the girls had made it off to the bus. I was disappointed that I didn't get to say good-bye to Sunny on her first day, and I was a little mortified that I didn't get to do her hair. (Ben brushed it, at least.) I'm very grateful for the extra sleep, and I'm glad he took lots of pictures.

Sunny is ready to go!

Another picture of Sunny

All three girls on their way out the back door

Sunny, Missy, and Kandy in their matching dresses for one last picture. I'm glad they like to match!

For the Love of Food

2010-08-05T19:49:00.004-06:00

One often hears the phrase "There are ___ kinds of people in the world." The world is then divided in twos and threes by various methods. One that I have heard is that pretty much everyone's attitude toward food can be defined in two ways: Eat to live, or live to eat.

Those who eat to live are the ones responsible for imagining a future where all of our nutrients can be ingested in the form of pills. Those who live to eat can think of no torture more terrible.

I fall firmly into the second camp.

I LOVE food. I love good, rich food. I love sweets. I like fruit, but I just tolerate most vegetables unless they are very fresh or exceptionally prepared.

Why am I talking about this? Because I am obsessed with food. As I mentioned in a past entry, I am really tempted by chocolate and have been known to eat straight sugar. I'm obsessed for a different reason these days. I am trying to be more careful for my health, but I also have a goal to get down to my pre-Abel weight by his first birthday. I was on track until our crazy July, and now I am having to get pretty serious to get back. I'm writing this now so I can talk about food instead of eating it. I am hungry, but I have eaten all my allotted calories till this time of day.

I have found a fantastic website called livestrong.com. This site has a huge database of almost every food you can buy. It tracks your calories, other nutrition, and exercise. It's fascinating! I have learned a lot by doing this. I have learned that aside from junk food, my calorie intake isn't too far off from what it should be. I have also learned that snacking on vegetables is much more filling calorie for calorie than sugary or salty junk food. Also, the more I exercise, the more I can eat! And yes, I did already know some of this, but it makes a difference to see it all in black and white.

A last trip to the zoo!

2010-08-04T09:05:00.003-06:00

Yesterday went to the zoo to celebrate the last day of summer vacation. I went crazy with the camera at the playground. Click here to view the album.

A Definite Sense of Style

2010-08-04T08:46:00.005-06:00

This morning, I pulled 2 shirts out of Buster's drawer for him to choose between. He promptly ran to the drawer and pulled out this shirt. I said it would be too hot, but he would not take no for an answer.
I also had fun spiking his hair for a change. He took one look in the mirror and said, "Hair down!" in his most imperious voice.
This kid has a definite sense of style!

First Day of School!

2010-08-04T08:36:00.004-06:00

Well, for Missy and Kandy anyway. Sunny has her assessment on Friday and starts kindergarten next week!

Why I Love Uniforms

2010-07-27T09:42:00.003-06:00

I just had to post today to say how much I love having my kids in uniforms! Back-to-school shopping is a breeze! I just opened the catalog from my favorite uniform retailer with my kids and had them point to what they liked. We had already figured out how many of each kind of thing they needed. I said, "You can have 5 short-sleeve polo shirts. Here are two kinds. So how many red, white, or blue ones of each do you want? Do you like khaki or navy pants?" I went online and ordered everything. Also, with uniforms, hand-me-downs are not a problem. Size matters, but not taste! In less than a morning and for less than $250 (love the e-mail coupons!), all our school shopping is done!

There is a teeny part of me that misses the adventure of school shopping as I remember it as a child. I miss the shopping trips with my mom and the food we would eat. Trying to find the clothes itself was a really big pain, but the memories aren't all negative! I have clear memories of finding some of my favorite things. I cannot imagine trying to go school shopping with 5 kids in tow!!! So overall, I am THRILLED with uniforms and the internet.

Crazy, Crazy July!

2010-07-21T23:06:00.012-06:00

I have been wanting to blog all month about all the fun things we have done. The problem is, we have been having too much fun to have time for me to blog. So here is the month in summary:

July 1: Hosted a playdate for 2-year-old Buster and fed the missionaries.
July 2: Ben had the day off, and we actually had a date.
July 3: 4th of July Breakfast at Jordan Park and hosted a BBQ for a newer family in our ward.
July 4: Baby blessing in Logan and dinner with my brother from Washington at my parents' house.
July 5: Ben and a wonderful friend chopped down a problem tree in our yard. We had 2 family parties in honor of one of each of our brothers from out of state. We had to divide and conquer, and I had to prepare a potluck contribution for both. Also, Abel did not nap well this day. Probably due to all the chaos!
July 6: Ah, peace and quiet and recovery...I thought. Nope, we had planned a zoo afternoon with cousins! Ben left for Pocatello.
July 7: We actually stayed home all day, and I let the kids stay in their pajamas to celebrate the fact. Ben returned from Pocatello late.
July 8: We went to the zoo again because members got to stay later than usual!
July 9: Free day at This is The Place Heritage Park. This day was chock-full of excitement, and I could write a whole entry about it. The most exciting part was losing Sunny. We were there with 2 of my sisters-in-law and a total of 14 kids. We all thought Sunny was with someone else and didn't realize she was missing for over an hour. Luckily, she had the presence of mind to ask for help quickly after getting lost, and she spent the time getting spoiled in the gift shop by employees and patrons alike. We also found her very shortly after realizing she was missing. Wow, did I feel like a terrible mother!!! To lose a child is one thing, to not realize she is missing for over an hour? Yikes! We stayed there almost all day.
July 10: Sunny's very belated birthday party and a meeting with the stake president.
July 11: Ben's new calling as 2nd counselor in the new bishopric was made official at church.
July 12: Took the Green Beast to the shop for new brakes and took the kids to Toys 'R' Us to use birthday gift cards.
July 13: Continuing Ed class for me and kids to Bama's house! We also got to go to the temple.
July 14: Took sleeping bags to the laundromat and did other preparations for the Kendrick Family Camp!
July 15-17: Kendrick family camp at Bear Lake!
July 18: First Sunday with Ben on the stand. Buster actually did amazingly well.
July 19: Dentist appointment for the kids--except when we got there we learned that there were some insurance issues and we came home. It cracked me up because my kids were pouting because they couldn't see the dentist.
July 20: PEACE AND RECOVERY! Well, for me. Sunny and Missy both had adventures with Bama and a friend, respectively.
July 21: Dentist appointment for me.

Ben also had 2 business trips to Pocatello this month. Every time he goes, he teaches just one day. With travel, though, he usually misses 2 bedtimes for the kids.

What's in store for the rest of the month? We had originally planned to go to Vernal this weekend to spend time with cousins. Given how crazy this month has been for both our families, the fact that we have seen them lots this month, and the fact that my sister-in-law has been out of town or had company almost all month, we decided to postpone it and take a rest! School starts in a week and a half, and although I will miss Sunny dreadfully (just me and 2 boys? What???), I am looking forward to things being a little more quiet and routine.

In the first crazy week, I had planned to post at least one picture for each of the wonderful and exciting events. I don't think I'll add all the pictures, but you can see the best pictures here.

I hope you have all had a great summer, too!!!

There Ain't No Free Lunch

2010-06-25T14:10:00.005-06:00

It's summer, and it is therefore the season of free lunch and breakfast. The school district provides free meals to children under the age of 18 at various parks and schools. Adults can buy a lunch for $3. Adults are not permitted to eat off the kids' plates, and until this year, you were not supposed to remove food from the premises. This year, the kids may take one thing, such as their fruit or cookies.

I have tried this a couple of times in the past. I would go to the park, and it would frustrate me to no end to watch my children waste tax money by ignoring their food. I ceased and decided it was not worth it. Besides, I either had to feed myself first, pay $3, or wait till I came home to eat. With only 2 or even 3 kids, it wasn't worth it. This year, though, I have 4 eating kids of my own plus my wonderful neighbor. Going to the school saves me some money.

I totally agree with the motive behind the rules. The food is for the children. I believe in being honest and following the rules. BUT I also believe in being thrifty and not wasting food. Every time I go to the park, I have this major internal battle. I can justify disobeying the rules by arguing that the children will eat it later or that it would just end up in the trash anyway. Why is it worse to feed me than the garbage can? If they're not going to eat it, why shouldn't I? If I buy my own lunch, does that make me less guilty if I snitch unwanted food from my kids' bags? So this is my moral dilemma: Follow the rules or not waste food?

I'm glad that most days we can go to the school where food is served on a tray, and it would be hard to take the food with me even if I wanted. At the park, though, everything is prepackaged in a paper bag. Anything not eaten would be so easy to take home. And if I bring home Sunny's carrots, you can bet she won't eat them any better at home than she did at the park. So in the mean time, I think we'll keep eating at the school, and on Fridays, we will just eat at home to save me the dilemma!

By the way, I'm not sure how I feel about the whole program, but I'd be crazy not to take advantage of it since it's there!

How about you other mothers? Do you take your kids to free lunch? Do you ever snitch or keep stuff? What do you think about all this?

Oil Spill

2010-06-14T14:04:00.003-06:00

We live very near the Jordan River, as I have mentioned before. The recent oil spill has hit very close to home, indeed. Yesterday we walked over to the river, and it was disgusting! I forgot the camera, though. The fumes were pretty bad, and there was lots of black slime oozing down the river. I walked over today, and it was much better. Here is some visible oil still floating:

This is the nearest pumping site, which is right below the slime in the picture above.
And this is below the pumping site. You can still see a sheen on the water, but there was no more black stuff!
I am really impressed at Chevron's response to this, especially when contrasted with the behavior of BP in the Gulf spill. They are doing everything they can as quickly as they can, and they are bearing the expense to get it all cleaned up. Last night I feared it would be weeks until we could even think of putting the canoe back on the river, but today I am more hopeful. We will see what they say at the community meeting tonight.

I recommend my niece's blog post on the subject as well.

Funny Labels!

2010-06-10T22:55:00.003-06:00

Well, I have started my other blog. You can find it at http://funnylabels.blogspot.com/.

I just have a couple of posts, but one of my friends has graciously provided me with some more funny labels. Now I can keep it up for about a week. If you have any funny labels, please send them my way!

New Definition

2010-06-04T16:02:00.002-06:00

Sunny: Mom, Kandy is exquisive. (pause) Do you know what "exquisive" means?
Robin: No.
Sunny: It means so...cheerful!

It's All About Timing

2010-06-03T12:39:00.001-06:00

The night before last, I realized I hadn't seen our inside cat, Minou, since the morning. Yesterday afternoon, he still hadn't come home, and I started to get worried. I began looking on the websites of local shelters for information. This morning, I looked more and decided we better go look at the shelter to see if we could find him because there was a description with no picture that sounded promising. I put Abel in his car seat and found shoes and socks for Buster and Sunny. We opened the door to go outside, and, as usual, Tripp (the outside cat) was sitting right by the door. As we stepped over him, Minou came running in the house! He made a beeline for his food. He seems healthy, although he is extremely dirty. I wonder where he has been. We are all very glad he is home safe and sound. It is an answer to prayers! The timing is what really cracks me up, though.

The Importance of Being a Princess

2010-05-28T21:32:00.001-06:00

Me: Sunny, did you know your name means "princess?"
Sunny: No! Does that mean I'm the importantest person in the house?

A Busy Morning

2010-05-27T09:10:00.002-06:00

From the IM I just sent Ben:

"It's only 9:00, and I'm exhausted. I have not let Buster watch any screens until now, which I did so I could put Abel down in peace. I have tidied up around the house and started a load of wash. But I can't rest now, I have to go change a stinky diaper and bathe Buster and Sunny. Phew!"

Sunday School

2010-05-16T21:15:00.002-06:00

"Today we learned about the priesthood: the Melchizedek and the Ironic," said Missy.

The Kendrick Family: We Speak, You Listen

2010-05-10T22:59:00.006-06:00

For Mother's Day, Ben and Kandy were asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting. As Kandy got up to speak, Buster piped up (again), "Wanna talk!" My helpful neighbor (sitting with us for just this reason) took him out in the hall so I could actually hear the talk.

Tonight at Family Home Evening, Ben said that if the Bishop asked for one of our children to speak in Sacrament Meeting, he would recommend Missy since Kandy has already done it twice and Missy hasn't. Missy got a thoughtful expression on her face and said, after a moment, "I think it would make me a little embaraththed" (she has no front teeth).

Sunny quickly spoke out: "I want to talk in Thacrament Meeting!" (She has her teeth, she just has a lisp.)

Not to be outdone, Buster rejoined, "Talk Sac-a-ment!"

"Do you want to talk in Sacrament Meeting?" Ben asked.

"Uh-huh!" came the enthusiastic reply.

Oh, sure, Missy is the "shy" one, but only for a Kendrick.

Tonight Sunny didn't want to go to sleep. She did have a rather late nap, so we let her stay up for a while. About 10:15, Ben saw her yawn, and he mentioned it.

"That wasn't a yawn," she replied disdainfully, "that was a silent scream." After watching the weather, Ben saw her yawn again, and he called her on it.

"That was just a thing I do when I'm mad." Right. We turned out the lights and TV in the family room and left her there. She was asleep less than 10 minutes later.

New Blog Idea

2010-05-03T23:01:00.006-06:00

I am an avid follower of some pretty funny blogs, and I have been trying to think of an idea for a funny blog for some time. I finally thought of one, and I would appreciate some help in getting it started! The other night, we were reading a usage label and started cracking up. There really are some hysterically funny labels out there. I have searched, and I can't find a blog that specializes in them. Oh, I find posts here and there, but not a dedicated blog.

So please look around and keep your eyes peeled for funny or bizarre labels. When you find them, please scan or photograph them for me and send them on over to robin [at] realtorrobin [dot] com with a subject line of "funny labels." (Please be respectful of any possible copyright issues from using images already online.)

Thanks for your help!

Church With Kids

2010-05-03T00:01:00.000-06:00

Sacrament Meeting was just comical today for me! We got there about 10 minutes early, which was great. Ben went up to translate for the Spanish-speakers in our ward. Right before the meeting started, I realized Buster was stinky. I got up and asked our 11-year-old neighbor, “Z,” to come sit with the rest of the kids while I went to change his diaper. I got to the Mother's Room and realized I had no wipes! Luckily, there is a sink and paper towels right with the changing counter, so it was just an inconvenience. I got him changed and took him back to the meeting. I had to sit on the other end of the bench because another wonderful neighbor had sat in my spot to help with kids, too. She was by Abel. Anyway, I guess business was short today, because they were already singing the hymn to prepare for the sacrament when Buster and I came back.

During the sacrament, things were pretty calm until Missy said she needed to use the restroom. I encouraged her to wait until the sacrament was over, which she did. Toward the end of the sacrament, Abel started getting fussy. They took him out of his carseat and passed him down the row to me. He started pooping. As the sacrament finished, Missy got up and left. A minute or two later, Sunny informed me that she, too, needed the bathroom. I grabbed Abel, the diaper bag, and Sunny and left. Missy was still in the bathroom. She finished washing her hands, so I sent her into the Mother's Room (which is off the same little hallway but has a totally separate door) to hold Abel while I helped Sunny finish up in the restroom. Sunny finished, so I took Abel and sent the girls back into the chapel while I changed Abel's diaper. Luckily, one of my good friends was there, so I was able to borrow her wipes. Abel's diaper had leaked, necessitating a complete change of clothing. Once that was complete, I started to go back into the chapel.

As I was pulling open the door, a flash of yellow caught my eye. I looked toward the foyer, and there was Missy spinning around! I walked into the vestibule where I found Z with Buster and Missy, both of whom were twirling. I handed Abel to Z and the diaper bag to Missy. Then I grabbed Buster and sat down with him. After a few minutes, I got him settled down enough that we returned to our bench. Z continued to hold Abel, and Buster lay down on the bench next to me with his paci, burp cloth, and blanket. I actually did get to listen to a few minutes of the meeting at that point. It was Fast Sunday, though, and eventually, Kandy decided to bear her testimony. Once Buster saw her up at the podium, he tried to go up on the stand. I restrained him, so he started crying and yelling, “Wanna talk!” He refused to calm down, so I took him out of the meeting again. I sat in the foyer with him for the rest of the meeting.

Freeze!

2010-05-01T23:54:00.004-06:00

Okay, so it seems like the only thing I post these days are quotes. I can think of a few reasons for this: 1) Most of life goes on in a rather hum-drum round of cleaning, cooking, laughing, and playing. There hasn't been much excitement around here. 2) I have been doing better at writing in my personal journal. 3) Most likely, though, it is due in great measure to the fact that I am finally getting control of my bad habit of sitting at the computer to avoid looking at how messy my house is. I have actually been cleaning it more! I am enjoying the cleanliness, and when I do sit at my computer, I am appalled at how much time I used to waste. So I still check out blogs two or three times a week, but I rarely get bored at my computer these days. The house still needs lots of work (anyone opening the bathroom cupboard is in danger of getting clonked on the head by a rogue book), but with 7 people around, it would need lots of work even if I were a master housekeeper. Oh, and I have also been trying to get more exercise.

So on to the latest quotes:

1. Buster found a squirt gun in the bathroom the other day. He picked it up, pointed it at the door, and said, "Freeze, door!"

2. The girls were discussing whether or not they liked boys or boys' toys. Kandy, at the mere age of nine, said, "But girls have to like boys when you grow up or else they wouldn't get married and reproduce!"

3. We had a great get-together with my in-laws on Friday night. Several of Ben's siblings were there, too. Abel was the only child there, so we had a fantastic and uninterrupted conversation. There were several things I really wanted to say, but I had a hard time getting a word in edgewise! On the way home, I mentioned this to Ben. "Welcome to the Kendrick family and the art of competitive talking."

Buster and the Snake

2010-04-26T09:18:00.001-06:00

Yesterday we found a snake on my parents' front walk as we arrived. The kids were all fascinated. Ben picked it up with a stick, and Sunny was brave enough to touch it. My favorite, though, was when Buster came up to me, patted my leg, and said, "'S okay. Don't worry."

Birthday Quotes and More

2010-04-17T10:05:00.004-06:00

1.My birthday was last Sunday. As we were dishing up cake, Ben said, "The birthday girl gets cake first!"

"You're not a birthday girl," said Missy, "you're a birthday woman!"

2. While the kids were trying to pick which piece of cake they would like to get, Sunny piped up, "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit!" Just a few minutes later, she started pouting because she didn't get the piece she wanted. When we reminded her what she had said, she said, "I was just kidding!"

3. This morning, Sunny was holding her bottom. "Do you need to go potty?" I asked.

"No," she answered.

"Are you afraid your bottom will fall off?" I continued.

"Yes!" she replied, giggling.

Blossoms and Meadows and Walking

2010-04-03T19:39:00.009-06:00

One of my favorite songs is "I Often Go Walking." I have sung it to my children a lot over the years. Perhaps it explains why one of the first signs of spring in my house is dandelions picked just for me! The kids delight in bringing me wildflowers. I often set them wherever I happen to be. When it's on my computer desk, it results in dried petals all over the place when I finally dig out all the papers. They make me smile.

Sometimes, though, they have warranted pictures. Here are a few:

I Often Go Walking

1. I often go walking in meadows of clover,
And I gather armfuls of blossoms of blue.
I gather the blossoms the whole meadow over;
Dear mother, all flowers remind me of you.

2. O mother, I give you my love with each flower
To give forth sweet fragrance a whole lifetime through;
For if I love blossoms and meadows and walking,
I learn how to love them, dear mother, from you.

The other night, I was singing this song to myself in the shower and realized that maybe it is why my daughters love to bring me flowers. I'm often too busy when they hand them to me to be appropriately grateful, but I do love it. I treasure these simple gifts, trying to remember that someday no toddler or grade-schooler will hand me a bunch of dandelions with a glowing face, saying, "I picked these for you, Mommy!"

Parenting Books

2010-03-28T15:36:00.006-06:00

Note: Wow, this got really long. It looked a little shorter in the editing window. Oh, well, I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Recently, one of the sisters in my ward came to visit me. While she was here, she asked for a list of the parenting books to which I refer. I thought I would go ahead and write it on the blog in case any one else would like some great references for parenting.

Pregnancy books:
1. What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel. Just a great basic resource for the expectant mother! I have referred to this book at least once with each pregnancy. Sure, I read it a lot more often the first time around, but maternal amnesia made this a necessity in my library.

2. Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Glade B. Curtis. Another great book! It includes weekly measurements and lots of other great info.

3. Husband-Coached Childbirth by Dr. Robert Bradley. Where would I have been without Dr. Bradley??? When I first got pregnant, I was all for pain management. Then I saw the needle! "And you want to stick that where?" I am more afraid of needles than pain. Luckily, my wonderful sister-in-law had told me about the Bradley method even when I wasn't at all interested. Now thanks to Dr. Bradley's book, I had all five of my kids without pain medication. I didn't even take the expensive classes.

Baby Care Basics:
4. On Becoming Baby Wise by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam. This is a great book to start with. I don't agree with everything they said, but it gave me confidence at the beginning. I do stick with the routine of eat-play-sleep. I don't recommend being super strict from the very start. Abel had to eat every 2 hours instead of the recommended 3 hours for the first few weeks, and Sunny got dehydrated at just 6 days old. Was it his method or something else? We will never know! I liked the information, though, combined with my motherly intuition and experience. BTW, I did NOT like Baby Wise II at all. I think his ideas of disciplining a five-month-old (I think it was) rank heresy.

5. Your Baby's First Year by The American Academy of Pediatrics, editor-in-chief Steven P. Shelov, M.D. This is a fantastic book of basic baby care. It has a lot of the medical stuff covered, and it is less slanted toward any particular philosophy than a lot of books out there. I'm not even sure if you can find this anymore; I think it came home from the hospital with one of my babies.

6. This came from an article, not a book. Dr. Ferber did write a book, but I haven't read the whole thing. His method of sleep training does involve crying it out, but he recommends checking on the child in increasing increments. This worked with some of my kids, but it didn't work with all of them. Some kids just will not cry themselves to sleep! And sometimes checking on them and leaving just seemed to make them madder. Made me feel better, though! If you want to read the book, it's called Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber.

7. The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night by Elizabeth Pantley and William Sears. Sunny would not ever cry herself to sleep. She could cry for 3 hours, I kid you not! I thought making her cry for 3 hours till it was time to eat and have her fall asleep at the breast was stupid. That lasted only a few days until I gave up and just kept feeding her to sleep. I finally found this beautiful book. I am not a proponent of "attachment parenting," but this book was a fabulous and life-saving alternative to everyone who said you have to let your baby cry it out. She includes several suggestions and ideas to fit you, your child, and your family. You can pick and choose.

8. Stress-Free Potty Training: A Commonsense Guide to Finding the Right Approach for Your Child by Sara Au and Peter L. Stavinoha. Woo-hoo! I didn't find this until Sunny was potty training. This book is awesome! It has 6 different methods for potty training. You take a quiz to help peg your kid's style, and off you go! I only read the one that was recommended for Sunny. It worked like a charm!!! Granted, she was four years old, but her real bout of potty training that resulted in near total control lasted between one and three days. It mentions other popular methods, such as training your child in one day, but that is just for one personality type. I LOVE books that are not a one-size-fits-all type because no two kids are exactly alike. Speaking of which, I need to get this book again (love the library!) to read for Buster. He is showing some interest, but I know that doesn't mean he's not still 2 years away from getting serious about potty-training.

Behavior and Parenting:
9. Raising Your Spirited Child: A Guide for Parents Whose Child Is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, and Energetic by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. This is another book that saved my sanity! Another sister-in-law found this book years ago while raising her own spirited child. A few years ago, we were in a lot of stress. We were moving around a lot, and Missy really started acting up and driving me crazy. She reacts to stress in the home by causing more of it! I ran to the bookstore and bought this book. Missy is not excessively energetic, but she did come out of the quiz as being "officially" spirited. (Sunny and Kandy are just "spunky" on the scale.) I have learned a lot of coping strategies from this book. It has also really opened my eyes and my understanding of various quirks of my children. For example, Sunny really is an anti-routine child. "Irregularity" is a "bonus trait" of the spirited child. By realizing this, I have become more accepting of Sunny's irregular rhythms and am more willing to be flexible about it. Although we do encourage regular bed times, sometimes she honestly is not tired. We have come up with a good compromise: If she stays awake in her bed for 20 minutes, she can stay awake and watch a movie as long as she doesn't intrude on cherished husband-wife time in the evenings. It helps you look beyond the misbehavior to the motivation. Rather than excusing behavior, though, it helps you work around the problems.

10. The Parenting Breakthrough: Real-Life Plan To Teach Kids To Work, Save Money, and Be Truly Independent by Merilee Browne Boyack. I have talked about this one before. It reminds us that the end goal of raising small children is to turn them into independent adults. The author includes her plan of how she is doing this with her boys. There are certain life skills grouped by appropriate age. This is everything from brushing their own teeth to making their own doctor appointments and running their own finances by the time they are 18. I have added a few things to my own list (boys don't learn to do barrettes and ponytails, for starters), but I now try to sit down with my kids once each month to discuss their progress. One great quote from this book: "It's not my job to make my kids happy." Such an epiphany! It is my job to teach them how to be happy, but it is not my job to try and make it so they never cry. To do that, I would actually end up doing things that are counter-productive to their happiness in the long run!

Honorable Mentions:
The Wonder of Boys and The Wonder of Girls by Michael Gurian.
Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax

And no book list of my "bibles" would be complete without mentioning The 5 Love Languages: The Secret To Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman.
Yes, this helps more in adult relationships, but he has written one that applies more to children as well. This book helps so much in figuring out what makes your spouse tick and in helping to keep a happy marriage. So much of parenting is making sure you have a happy foundation on which to build and a happy place in which to do it. I know I am far more likely to be impatient and grumpy with my kids when I am frustrated with my husband. Also, figuring out how your children communicate love helps you be a better parent to them because you can better communicate your love to them and understand how they communicate their love for you.

I also read parenting magazines. I don't always agree with their politics, but I think it is good to keep up with the latest research. Is it always right? I don't know! They have changed feeding guidelines for babies a lot in the last 10 years. (Start at 4 months, no, wait, 6 months, now 5 months. After cereal, start with fruit, no, yellow vegetables, no, green...) Reading about older kids also gives me a good preview of what is to come so I have it in mind when I need it.

Why do I read so much? Reading helps take what is often already in my sub-conscious and brings it into my conscious mind. Also, I find that the more I read and think about parenting, the more likely I am to be a proactive parent instead of a reactive parent. In other words, I think before I react instinctively to the misbehavior. And instead of reacting, I try to be proactive by being prepared and laying a good foundation to prevent the misbehavior in the first place.

Finally, I read my scriptures and pray A LOT. In the scriptures, we learn a lot about parenthood by seeing how our Heavenly Father deals with His children. I have also learned a lot about how He must feel about all of us by being a parent myself. I gather lots of information, and then I pray about how to apply it. I try to live worthy of inspiration. I talk to other mothers around me, old and young. How grateful I am for my own mother, mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, grandmothers, and sisters in the gospel as we all try to raise the next generation the best we can!

Lots of posts!

2010-03-27T13:23:00.001-06:00

I'm catching up on the blog! For one thing, I was waiting for Abel's 4 month stats. Also, I have been trying hard to spend more time keeping up with children and housework and less time on the computer.

Tripping Midnight and Tickles

2010-03-27T13:19:00.003-06:00

A new little cat has been adopting us. He absolutely loves to wind around our legs whenever we go outside. Because of this habit, we have decided to name him Tripp! Or, as Kandy calls him, Tripping Midnight. I don't want him inside, but I have no problem feeding him in the garage. (I know, famous last words.) Anyway, Sunny said, "I don't want to adopt him because he's too nice."

Overheard from the playroom:

Missy: I'm not ticklish there. I don't laugh when you tickle me. Well, I might chuckle a little, but I don't laugh.

(Does she know what chuckle means?)

Kandy's Canoe Birthday Party

2010-03-27T13:11:00.002-06:00

For her birthday party this year, Kandy invited some friends to come canoe on the Jordan River. They pulled out of the river near our house and walked over for cake and presents. It was lots of fun!

Abel 4 months!

2010-03-27T12:59:00.003-06:00

Abel is 4 months old! Here are several pictures of him on the momentous day.

At his doctor appointment a week later, he was about 14 lbs. and 25 1/2 inches long. I don't remember the specifics because Buster, Kandy, and Missy all had their birthday well-checks on the same day. (Sunny went to a friend's house so she wouldn't feel left out!) With all the chaos, they forgot to write it on the form for me.
Anyway, he is about 50th percentile in height and weight, and about 25th percentile in head circumference. This bears out my feelings! He is smaller than his siblings were at this age, and he does have a narrow head. The cheeks sure have filled out in the last week or so!

He is also sleeping through the night, and he moved into the crib in the room with Buster this week, too. He is still napping in my room, though. He can roll both ways, and he loves to coo, gurgle, and giggle. He is also mastering the art of blowing raspberries and loves to take out his pacifier so he can shove his fists in his mouth.

Apples and Strawberries

2010-03-23T16:01:00.003-06:00

Missy came home with a missing tooth today.
"How did it come out?" I asked, knowing it had only been a little loose.
"Apple!" came the answer.

Sunny spent a day with her grandma, "Bama," a few days ago. She told me a story, so I had her type it up for me:

The other day when I had Sunny here for lunch I made her a sandwich and then sliced some strawberries and placed them in a bowl next to her plate. After a little bit she turned to me and said, "Bama, I think I will like strawberries when I'm 5."

Quotes

2010-03-21T09:47:00.002-06:00

1. Buster got out of the bath. While I was drying his hair, he said, "Where's Buster?" (It was his real name, though.) I wrapped him up, and he kept pulling the towel over his face, saying, "Where's Buster? A-boo!" And finally, "Eh you are! (There you are!)"

2. I was brushing Missy's hair, and she said, "Ow!" and whimpered.
"Saw-ee," said Buster, patting her knee. " 'S okay. A-ssidet." He was clearly trying to apologize, which was especially cute because it wasn't even his fault.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T16:38:00.005-06:00

Well, I don't have significant Irish blood in me, nor am I Catholic. I have gone way overboard for St. Patrick's Day this year, though!

For snack, we had green apples and green cheese (Mozzarella shaken in a jar with green food coloring). After snack, we colored pictures of leprechauns, did a shamrock maze, and made leprechauns out of popsicle sticks and paper cut outs. For dinner? Corned beef and cabbage, green mashed potatoes, peas, green gelatin, and Irish soda bread. I also adapted a recipe for Mint Chocolate Mousse Pie for dessert.

I hope you had a happy St. Patrick's Day!

When Robin Leaves...

2010-02-28T00:29:00.002-07:00

Robin was gone to singing practice, and I had one child clean, one child in the bath, and the youngest crying in his crib. I settled down the baby and went back to the bathroom and found the 4 year old clean and standing naked on the mat. Buster was in the bath fully clothed. Shoes, coat, and all! Ain't parenthood great?

Ben

More Quotes

2010-02-24T20:50:00.001-07:00

Sunny, about her pajamas: "This dress is perfect for princess and prince-ing. You can be the giant prince, and I will be the tiny princess."

Quotable Quotes XXVIII Sticky Sunny

2010-02-21T09:14:00.001-07:00

Sunny, on getting dressed right after her bath:

"I'm sticky. You have to be sticky for church so you don't be silly with your clothes, huh? That's why we have baths is to get sticky for church."

Abel Rolled!

2010-02-19T11:33:00.001-07:00

As I posted earlier today, Abel is 3 months old. I just set him on his stomach, and he lifted up his head really well. I looked away for a minute, and when I looked again, he was on his back! I put him back on his stomach, and he rolled over again. And again!

Abel 3 months

2010-02-19T09:39:00.002-07:00

Abel is 3 months old today!

Resolution

2010-02-17T12:36:00.003-07:00

It's interesting how much easier it is to offer my children healthy foods and less junk food than it is to do it for myself. I have a major weakness when it comes to sugar and chocolate. I wish I could be more like Ben! At the party on Monday night, he stood around snacking on carrots. I stood around snacking on lemon bars, frog-eye salad, and cookies. If there is sugar in the house, I will find it and eat it. In the absence of good treats, I will eat chocolate chips. If those are all gone, I have been known to take a spoon and go after straight brown sugar. I don't sit down with the bag, I just eat a spoonful here and there. I know I really should be better. I know that I should eat more fruits and vegetables and less fats and sugars. When I'm hungry, though, it's so hard. I just want to grab what tastes good and what I can eat quickly. The same lack of time that prohibits careful thought or preparation of my snacks also makes time for exercise tough to come by.

I have known that this could shorten my life expectancy, but in the moment, it's hard to think of the future. All I think of is what would taste yummy right now. And honestly, I'm not thrilled with the idea of getting old. I visit teach some pretty old sisters (2 of them have died since I started visiting them a few years ago), and so visiting them can be pretty depressing. The other option of dying young, though, has little to recommend it, either.

Now, however, my thoughts have changed. One of my friends is in the hospital, and it doesn't look too good for her. She was having some issues with her kidneys, and she has now contracted a blood infection. Her health has deteriorated significantly since I met her 5 years ago. She has 4 living children. The oldest is married, the second is a return missionary, the third (a girl) is out of high school, but the fourth is still a teenager. On Sunday, I saw this teenage daughter, and she looks as though she has been stricken a mortal blow. As I saw the look on her face, it made me truly appreciate how valuable my life is in the eyes of my children. What dreaming of being thinner or the general sense of my own mortal risk hasn't done, the look on her face managed to do. For the first time, I have a sincere interest in changing my habits in an attempt to improve my chances of a long life.

I fight an uphill battle against heart disease because it runs so strongly in my family. Heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure and cholesterol are pretty much a matter of course. My own cholesterol when tested 3 years ago made my doctor prescribe some strict diet changes for me. Did I do them? Not really. That was partly because I got pregnant shortly after and resorted to the "I'll eat anything that doesn't make me feel icky" mentality. Now I wish I could find that paper! In the meantime, though, I'm starting by trying to eat fruits and veggies for snacks instead of junk food. I ate two servings of carrots for snacks yesterday and an orange this morning.

I had thought in the past of putting some visual to remind me of being thinner on my cupboards or fridge to remind myself of my goals and discourage snacking. Now, however, the memory of my young friend's face comes up each time I want to make a poor decision. I want to be a part of my children's lives as long as possible. I want to be there when they become adults. I want to see and enjoy my grandchildren.

I am praying that my friend recovers to remain here with her family. However, I am also praying that they will be comforted in the event that it is her time to return to her Maker. Regardless of the outcome, though, I hope the memory of her daughter's fear and helplessness continues to motivate me to do what I can to prolong my life.

Crazy Valentine's Weekend

2010-02-16T17:05:00.006-07:00

We had a wild and fun weekend! On Friday, Kandy was going straight home with a friend for a sleepover, and Missy and Sunny had assessments for the gifted program. It was right in the middle of Missy's short day. Between that and not having Kandy to walk home from the bus with, we decided she would just miss school. My mom watched the boys in the morning while we went to the assessment. In the afternoon, my friend had volunteered to take all the kids for a massive playdate. I stayed home with Abel and made Missy's birthday cake. (Her birthday was last week, but her friend has the same birthday. Her mom and I decided that she could have her party last week, and Missy would have hers on the 13th.)

So I cooked and cleaned. We had arranged with another friend to watch the kids Friday evening so we could have our Valentine date. Ben was on his way home from work when the car totally stalled in the middle of an intersection! Abel was asleep, and the cake was about to come out of the oven. I called a wonderful neighbor and asked if she could help by either getting Ben or staying with the baby and the cake. She went and helped Ben. He got home a little later than planned! About 6:00, I dashed off to pick up the kids from one friend's house and drop them off at the other! I stayed there while Ben prepared a few things for our date.

When I came home, Ben handed me a clue. He had placed clues throughout the house. Each one had a reason he loved me and a riddle to solve about where to find the next clue. It was lots of fun! After the treasure hunt, we had a wonderful home date. We ate grilled steak and played games. It was wonderful to eat steak without listening to the kids complain about whatever I made them! I actually got to taste and savor my dinner. It was fabulous!

On Saturday, we spent the morning in preparation for Missy's birthday party. At 1:00, her friends arrived. We had handed out the invitations rather late, so only 3 guests came. That was fine with me! Including my 3 girls, that made 6. The boys cooperated by sleeping through the whole thing! That evening, we swapped babysitting by watching the 4 kids of my friend who had watched the kids Friday afternoon for their Valentine date.

Sunday was pretty quiet and normal. We went to Church in the morning and my parents house in the evening.

Monday afternoon, we swapped babysitting again, watching the 2 kids of our friends who watched our children on Friday night. With the rain and extra kids, it was a crazy afternoon. I was feeling cooped up, so I was happy when I remembered that we had fun plans for the evening! We went to a surprise birthday party in honor of one our friends who turned 30.

Today the kids have still been out of school. Thanks to the glorious weather, they have spent most of the day outside. Missy and Kandy have been riding bikes with our neighbor. She is 11 1/2, so she's a fantastic responsible playmate to have around!

Family Picture

2010-02-15T09:38:00.007-07:00

I use Picasa to organize my photos. The latest version has basic photo recognition software and enables you to label the faces in your photos. Then you can search your photos by who is in them. In doing this, I was astonished to discover that the only pictures with Ben, me, and our first 4 children were huge family photos at the Smith Reunion last summer! In an attempt to rectify this, we sat last night for my dad to take some pictures of us. They're not professional, but they are fun to have! The one above is my favorite, but the rest are fun. I'm amazed we got that many of us to look that good in one picture!

Quotable Quotes XXVII

2010-02-13T20:23:00.001-07:00

In the bath, Sunny said, "Mommy, I just made a huge wave--a zombie!" I think she was trying to remember the word for tsunami.

Abel laughed!

2010-02-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

Broken Health Care

2010-02-08T13:10:00.007-07:00

We just finished filling out our tax forms. In so doing, we looked at all the money we spent on health care during the last year. For the vast majority of the year, we were completely uninsured. During the year, Ben had an ER visit, and I was pregnant. I payed something toward my total bill with every OB visit until I had applied for Medicaid. We originally hoped we could pay for the baby ourselves, but the ER visit, the new van, and the new roof really zapped our savings. Anyway, we were horrified and frustrated as we tallied up nearly $6,000 in medical bills! Even more amazing, though, was when we started discussing whether Ben and I should get insurance through his work this year. Last year the premiums for a couple were about $330. Hmmm, $330 times 12 months equals $3,960! That wouldn't include co-pays or other out-of-pocket expenses. For the whole family to be covered costs in the neighborhood of $600. That math comes to $7,200!!! So guess what? We actually SAVED money by not having health insurance.

I was actually quite grateful for this epiphany. I have felt bad and guilty about not having health insurance. It hasn't stopped me from getting my kids to the doctor for their well visits and shots, and we have all received the care we need. In fact, we have received substantial discounts because we have tried to pay up-front as much as possible. For my ultrasound, I was charged less than 50% what they would have charged insurance, and then they even gave me a partial refund after the fact.

Obamacare isn't the answer to this mess. There is a fantastic article I read a few months ago. I may have referenced it here, but if you haven't read it yet, you should: How American Health Care Killed My Father by David Goldhill.

There are several points of his that I want to bring up, however. One of the major problems that the author, David Goldhill, mentions is the "invisible" costs. Those who have insurance spend way more money on health care than those without. The difference is that it's not their money!

Also, Goldhill gives an example of the exorbitant costs that we actually pay through premiums and lost paycheck money due to the employer's share of the healthcare premiums.

Government funded healthcare isn't the answer, either. Other government-paid health care systems have grown at a similar rate to our own. Besides, who pays the government? US! It's still not free--the cost is just hidden from us.

As I re-read it, I find tons that I would love to quote. I can't quote it all, but I do have to share this one: "We all believe we need comprehensive health insurance because the cost of care—even routine care—appears too high to bear on our own. But the use of insurance to fund virtually all care is itself a major cause of health care’s high expense."

If you want to read his wonderful solution, jump to page 6.

So what did we do with Ben's enrollment at work? We signed the waiver and said we wouldn't pay insurance premiums. We just hope that nothing really major goes wrong before we can find room in our budget to pay for medical savings and a catastrophic plan.