Word Problem 101

My friend, "Shemily", makes a delicious 9x13 pan of chocolate orange brownies.  If she takes a 2 inch squared bite 8 times a day, how many days will it last?

I think I might need a farm in New England...

I may fight it. I don't want the commitment.

But if I can't get over how incredibly beautiful it is, and it feels so right and comfortable, does it mean that deep down inside I really want one? I  mean I really like them.

Do they come with farm hands? I want cricket songs and big fields, enormous trees and crops maybe.  Homegrown vegetables, rubber boots and an apron.  Some kind of farm vehicle and hardworking children.  Quiet and seclusion but plenty of room for company and a cow.  A Jersey, preferably.  A stream somewhere nearby and tree swings.  A big front porch, bacon.  I am just so happy there.
(And also a large grocery store and Target within 15 minutes.)

Stuff

Life is just swimming along with not much to report while we settle into a new routine.
So all I got to share is stuff. Stuff I like.

Hazel wore a big, brown bow and I loved it.

Haley had a mystery disease that was enough to stay home from school but not enough to make her miserable...it turns out she has mono, complete with enlarged spleen and everything. When the doctor told her "no contact sports" she got real sad and said, "you mean I can't play football?" I laughed and asked, "Haley, when was the last time you played football?" But she was still disappointed. Before we got back the blood tests that revealed her ailment, she broke out in a wicked rash. Again, she felt fine but looked pathetic.It covered her face, ears, neck, chest and back. She came wandering into my room one afternoon with this lovely back-scratcher that she had fashioned from a wand and a loofa.

The girls go to school. We love waiting for them at the bus stop.

I clean.
We do homework.

Mia and I hang out.

Sometimes we have nothing better to do than lie on the bed and take silly pictures of ourselves.

Lots of pictures until she says "OK, that's good."

And then I have to tickle her until she screams at me to stop it some more.

Hazel takes naps. Two a day still, if we are home.
Sometimes I nap too while Mia is at preschool. Delightful.

We run errands.

I clean.
We eat.
We play Rock Band.
We read.
I clean.

We meet Dad for lunch sometimes.

Abby stuffs things in baskets, bags and bundles and drags them around the house...mark my words, one day that will be a shopping cart...not a bad idea for a Christmas gift.

And all the while, Fall is beginning to spread over Connecticut. And even though it may have taken me some time to get over feeling gypped at our short summer, how can I stay mad at Fall?
(I want you to appreciate that when I slowed down to take this picture I nearly accidentally picked up a scary looking hitchhiker...didn't that happen to you once Mo? What a creepy looking hitchhiker was doing in our neck of the woods is beyond me.)

..............This is the sound of me drumming my fingers on the desk with nothing to write about except that I can't be sure but the school nurse and I should probably just go ahead and call each other by our first names. And also, I don't know what to have for dinner.

Little Boy Blue

For the nine years that Clark and I have been married he has left for work nearly every single morning in the same uniform. And while I have come to love the man in khaki, I'm diggin the new working uniform that the Navy has switched to. Not only does it make his eyes totally pop! but if he were to ever fall in the ocean, you would NEVER see him because of the nifty blue camouflage and all (hey wait, they could be a bad thing too, depending on who it is doing the looking.)
He was only too happy to oblige a flexing picture to show off the awesome rolled up sleeves. One of many of this uniform's features that would appeal to a boy...er, a man I mean. First of all, it's camouflage, that is awesome. Boys like that kind of thing...and heaven knows Clark deserves all the manly things he can fit into this house.
I love many things about this uniform and thought that I would take the opportunity to point them out to you.
Seriously, besides the pleats, the sturdy stitching in the groin area and the elastic waist, what individual that grew up in the 80's wouldn't LOVE to be required to peg their pants every morning?

And no kicky new outfit would be complete without something written across their rear end...I would prefer something that described my personality, but I guess the name works alright too....just a word to the wise though - If you have been caught doing something you shouldn't have, run away backwards before they can identify your pants, or jump in the water where they won't be able to see you.

*A special thanks goes out to this serviceman who lovingly stayed in his uniform long enough for me to run and fetch my camera. (A man secure in his masculinity for sure...do you recall that he also allowed me to post pictures on the internet of his "man garters" last year? Ooh baby.)

Be sure to pop over here and check out the "Dance Off" that we had with our cousins. My kids totally don't get their dancing skills from me, that is for sure.

The Bathing Brigade

I am in a reflective state. You know, sometimes you go through life, just going. And other times, every sight, touch or sound means something other than what it is. Being surrounded by family that I don't see much anymore puts me there. The squirrel analogy was just the tip of the iceberg. My thoughts run deep and my inner dialogues are profound. My family (that is, everyone related to me whether by blood or marriage) is without a doubt the most precious thing to me in this whole world. I really didn't intend to get all sentimental.
It all started like this.

While all the family was here for Haley's baptism, I mean, when they ALL were at our house at the very same time, just being together, something unique happened. (On a side note, I am sooo happy and grateful that our families knew each other before Clark and I were ever "a thing". They liked each other and were friends. It means that when we have family/in law gatherings, it's like a big party of friends. And I love that. A lot.) It was evening, and bath time for all my kiddos. We trudged upstairs to do the deed and without a second thought I was followed by five enthusiastic helpers....Mo, Momma S., Sho, Megan and Sadie came bounding up the stairs behind me shouting out volunteering for the bathing brigade. "I got scrubbing!" "I'll take the drying!" "I'll get the hairbrush!" And WHOOSH! just like that, I was enjoying bath time. You see, with Clark gone a lot and the girls getting older, the bathing task falls squarely on my shoulders...and while the girls are mostly old enough to do much of it on their own, there is a good deal of "supervision" that still needs to take place (to avoid very over indulgent bubble baths, over excessive shampoo use and extended stays in the tub to the point of dangerously soggy skin-ness.) My job was easy. Every little burden had been lifted and the upstairs was a flurry of doting attention on my little people.

So it made me really happy.

And since then I have been thinking. How often in my life have I felt that rally of support? In particular by the women in my life. My grandmothers, my mother(s), my sisters, my friends. How often do I feel their shared excitement for my joys, consolation for my grief and respite for my tired body? They ease the hard things in my life; physically, emotionally, spiritually. This morning I have been reading from my Grandfather's history and I feel an even more overwhelming sense of gratitude and exhilaration to be part of such a legacy of people. I have been blessed that Heavenly Father's angels will be ever at my side. And they are.

Thank you for coming.
Thank you for being good.
Thank you for writing e mails and answering your phones and being validating and supportive and fun.
Thank you for making my life so full of happy and joy that I don't even get the chance to feel down about less pleasant things.

And thank you for helping me to bathe my children.

A whole mess 'a fun and stuff.

First layer. A birthday.
Haley turned 8. Whoa. I won't say it but you know what I am thinking. I guess if I can turn 31, I can have a daughter turning 8...I really don't mind being 31....I do however feel afraid of having such an old child. With Clark gone for the month of August and things being hectic getting ready for school and whatnot, we opted for a night out with a friend instead of a birthday party (score for me, I secretly hate throwing birthday parties.) Haley was thrilled. She got to invite one of her best friends out for dinner, Build a Bear and dessert. I had a babysitter for the other kiddos so it was all her.Two days after Haley's birthday. First day of school. The two oldest were cool as cucumbers as usual. It was almost anticlimactic.They got ready and went about their merry way as though it's what they have been doing every morning for their entire lives. 1st grade and 3rd grade. Again, whoa.The third one however, even though she asked if it was time for school yet every 2.4 minutes ALL morning, had to be pried off of my leg by two very sweet and lovely preschool teachers. She came out all smiles though and promised to keep going back. And the update is that she actually loves going. Her teacher is the best and I love her.Same day. A homecoming. Always, always, always a happy day.There is nothing we love more than watching that boat come up the river.

Next day. Another birthday.Mia turns 4. How many times can I say "whoa" in one post? Whoa. She is 4 and I love her.

Three days later visitors arrive. Clark's Mom, Dad and two sisters came into town. Happy day! We were so grateful that they made the trip all the way from that big state down south. It was so fun to have them here.
Next day my family arrived. Mo, Dad, Spencer and Sho come into town for the festivities. We like them too and were so grateful to have had them here!!
Next day. The festivities that they all came for. Haley was baptized. My first child. It was such a sweet experience. The grandmas spoke at her baptism and did an amazing job. Haley was calm and sweet and thoughtful. An experience not soon to be forgotten.The Grandmas.The Grandpas.The Aunts.Had to get Spencer in there too, he was behind his camera most of the time.
We took lots of pictures and since this is my blog I get to choose the only picture where I look like the normal one and the rest of the family look like goons.
Then we just hung out. We ate and went pretty places. We rocked out on Rock Band and ate some more.
Clark had a birthday. Man, he gets older every single year but doesn't look a day over 30.
We had cupcakes to celebrate all the birthdays.
My parents left to take Sho and Spencer home so we spent some quality time with Clark's fam.
We hit up Boston and Cape Cod.Hazel ate sand and liked it.

My parents came back and we hung out some more (Haley has been sick with some mystery disease that has caused the lymph nodes in her neck to bulge like an alien life form living under her skin.) So here we are just being together before saying goodbye for a very long time
(my parents leave for Sweden in a little over a month for 3 years. Sad but also very happy.)

Papa getting his "man"icure and I'm not sure but we may have killed Mo on the trampoline.

Now it's time to let the post-visitor-fun funk set in...and also maybe some laundry.

Squirrels are dumb animals.

Squirrels that are indecisive get run over by cars.
Connecticut has had a wealth of lessons to teach me and my family. Today I had the epiphany that when we flounder, we are unprepared and we lose control of our situation. A lesson that I am excited to teach my children, the older they get. If there is something that you do not know, I mean really know, figure it out and then stand your ground. Because if I've learned one thing from the small rodents of New England, it's that indecisive squirrels get run over by cars.

*This small jewel of wisdom has been brought to you today in lieu of the very lengthy post about the very happy, very busy last two weeks of our lives. Stay tuned.

You wanna hear something funny?
Today I was out in the garage looking for a stud finder when the phone rang. It was my husband.
True story.