Almost Comical

I will be laughing in a few days...hopefully sooner. Today has been a bit of a crazy day! Matt called me mid-morning fretting his minor mistake...he had taken my suburban keys with him all the way into ABQ, a good hour away. The problem is that we have been meaning for a while now to get a spare key...do you understand the "minor" part now? He asked, in high hopes, if I had anything to do today. I didn't even check my calendar...because it is a given that the most important things I had to do today were to take Chloe to the school to catch her preschool bus and pick her and Carter up from school. We live a little less than 2 miles from the school.

My first feeling was disgust...but at least he gave me an hour warning and didn't leave me to find out while in a mad rush out the door...or frantically trying to get out the door while turning the house upside-down trying to find the keys. I was also feeling aggrevated.

My second feeling was hopelessness. I just decided that Chloe wouldn't go to school because I didn't want to figure out how to make it work. I was still feeling aggrevated.

My third feeling was a tiny bit of relief when I realized that I could walk the kids to the school and silently feeling a little gratitude that I had enough time to walk to school. I figured we would need at least 30-45 minutes.

The gratitude quickyly faded when I remembered that the stroller was in the back of the suburban...felt a little hope that maybe the door was unlocked...called Matt and found out it was locked. Ok, back to feeling aggrevated and hopeless and getting very angry.

My next feeling (I forgot by now how many emotions I was feeling!) was a glimpse of excitement to ride my bike with the bike trailer...but too angry to allow myself to feel excited. (I will mention that I have thought about riding my bike with the kids to the school on several occasions, but hadn't had the opportunity...yet) I decided Chloe could ride her scooter and I could fold it up and bring it home in the bike trailer.

I began to feel like I needed to release some of these quickly building emotions, so some exercise sounded great...yet still allowing myself to escalate the frustration, anger, aggrevation and excitement inside me.

We quickly had some sandwiches and loaded the kids in the bike trailer for our begrudging journey. Part of me wanted to feel self pity and the other part wanted to make Matt feel horrible for his tragic "accident" of taking the keys with him across the country, or so it seemed.

Well, after the long journey, which Mason and Josie thoroughly enjoyed (riding cozy and snuggled up together in the bike trailer) we survived the lovely experience. Chloe was totally thrilled that she got to rider her scooter to the school where she told her preschool bus driver all about her scooter-riding experience.

After returning home from the first round-trip, the kids didn't take naps because they slept all the way home. I was exhausted and wished I could lay down for a nap with them...but nobody would go to sleep...which added to my frustration. By now, I had burned up a lot of unnecessary emotion and was feeling better...mostly just tired.

So, as time went by, it grew time to get back on the bikes to go pick the kids up from school. It was a long uphill journey that seemed harder than the first time. I think part of it was that I didn't have any rest periods because Chloe wasn't with me to take breaks. Somehow I made it to the school...by now feeling like I am seriously out of shape and need to start riding every day just to get in shape. I felt a little shakey, but everything was good when Carter saw me on my bike and realized that he got to ride his scooter home from school.

As we waited for Chloe's bus to arrive, Carter and his little friend rode the scooters around for a while. It was a great energy release for them. I think I might bring the scooters for them to ride everyday during this wait. Well, when Chloe finally arrived, we started on our final journey home. It seemed to be a slow journey, but mostly downhill for the kids. We had to take a few breaks...thankfully. As we got closer to home we stopped to get our mail. We still had about 1/4 of a mile or less to go before getting home...when all of a sudden my bike pedal decides to break off...so I end up walking the rest of the way home.

By now, I don't even know what emotions I am feeling...other than total exhaustion...mentally and physically. The great thing was that the kids got home and were exhausted also. It took about 45 minutes to get home.

So, the moral of this very long story...is "I have no idea!" :) I think I got all worked up over nothing and deep down inside thoroughly enjoyed the fact that I was out on my bike getting some much needed exercise! :) I think that I just might do it again someday.

Oh, and I did forgive Matt, since he really did make an innocent mistake. I think we are going to get another key made soon! :)

I think I am about ready to laugh about this silly...way too long...travel log! Sorry for wasting some of your precious time. :)

Going Home for Christmas

My mom is moving back into her home in Idaho and we are all so excited. After my parents divorce, she moved to Arizona to be closer to her only grandkids, at the time. Well after many amazing experiences with the passing of my father, she is moving home to Idaho. (I know it sounds odd to say amazing and death in the same sentence, but those of you who have lost a loved one close to you, know that death can be an amazing experience.) My dad had a goal this year to "put his family back together" and he has passed away doing just that. He left his life insurance for my mom, providing a way for her to be able to purchase their home, our home where we grew up. It is the home and land that was given to my mom from her parents when my parents were first married. There are so many neat experiences through it all, and I know that this is exactly what my dad wanted her to do. I feel so much peace knowing that through the Savior's atonement, our families can be healed. I am happy to say that I believe families are forever. We are excited to be going "home" for Christmas, yet saddened that we can't "see" dad's presence there. I know it will be felt.

One Year Old Cuties

I have heard so many people say, that Josie looks just like me when I was a little baby girl. So, I found some old pictures and I decided to do a post showing Josie and I at our first birthday. :) Who's Who?

I also asked Carter and Chloe to tell me some of their favorite memories about Josie since she has been in our lives 1 year now.

Carter said, "Well, she's the cutest thing ever!  She's learning how to walk good.  She can say 'hi' by waving."

Chloe said, "She's learning how to say things like 'mamma-dadda'." 

Josie is so sweet!  She calls Matt and I at the same time because she does say "mamma-dadda" and she is really a sweet blessing in our lives!  We just love her adorable smile and beautiful blonde curls.  What a sweet-pea!

To Be Thankful

Today is Thanksgiving Day and I have much to be thankful for. Here are a few things on my list...

• Family ~ Where would I be without my family? I am thankful for my parents, my grandparents, my in-laws, my siblings, brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews...but most of all I am thankful for my husband and 4 beautiful children who keep my world running.
• Friends ~ I have been blessed with many good friends throughout my life. You know who you are and you know all the fun we have shared. Thank you for helping me become who I am today.
• Freedom ~ This year I seem to feel more gratitude for the freedom I have of living in this country. Many freedoms that I take for granted most of the time.
• Home ~ The discovery that home is the place where my heart truly is and where I can find peace and refuge from the world.
• Trials ~ I didn't think I would ever say I was thankful for my trials...but this year my trials have really helped me understand "what is" and "what is not" important. This lesson, I am truly grateful for.

Little Skunk Dancers

So, I found a picture of me when I was 4 wearing my little skunk costume. It is the same costume that Chloe wore for Halloween this year. See if you can figure out which cute little girl is me in the group picture! :)

Happy Birthday Kipp

Kipp had a birthday a couple days ago also, and we wanted to wish him a Happy Birthday! I thought I would ask each of the family what their favorite thing about Uncle Kipp was and make a post special for him on his special day. (Even though we are several days late!)

I will start...My favorite thing about my dear brother Kipp is the way he brings a smile to my face and a laugh to my belly every time I think of him. Every message he leaves on the phone, he says something silly that makes me laugh. I really love him and am grateful he is my brother.

Matt said, "Kipp has an ability to bring a simple pleasure of happiness to our lives."

Carter said, "My favorite thing about Uncle Kipp is that he is really, really, really, really, really, funny!"

Chloe said, "My favorite thing about Uncle Kipp is smiling and he makes me laugh because he is kinda funny!"

Mason said, "uh, uh, uh, uh, uh," with a few pointing gestures. :)

Josie just smiled. :)

Hope you had a really great birthday Kipp! Love you!

Carter Turned 7

Well, Carter has finally made it to 7. He has been waiting all year, since his last birthday, to have another birthday. It is such a highlight in life for him! He has complained all year that his birthday is the last one in our immediate family, and has questioned numerous times about why his is last. Well, it's finally here!

We had a hard time getting him to commit to what he wanted to do for his birthday. As the week went by and his big day got closer, he kept giving me little glimpses of what he wanted. One day he came home from school and said something about who he was inviting to his party. I questioned him about what party and what we were going to do at his party...because I didn't have a party planned for his friends. I finally discussed with him that we would have a "friend" party for every even birthday...and since this was an odd birthday, we would just have a family party. (That seemed like a good idea considering our budget is pretty slim.)

Carter wanted a Clone Wars Party. So, Matt made him a light-saber cake out of twinkies, ding-dongs and oreos. It was pretty neat and Carter was excited. Matt was gone on a campout that morning, so when he got home, we went to a sandwich shop for lunch, let Carter pick out a game boy game from the video game store, and gave him his new bike. He thought it ended up being a pretty good day. I was glad, because all morning he was disappointed that he hadn't woke up to all kinds of presents. (Apparently he must think birthdays should be like Christmas!) Everyone who called and asked him what he was doing for his birthday, received a disappointing response that he wasn't going to do anything for his birthday.

Anyway, it all turned out ok, and he is another year wiser. The cake thing turned out pretty fun because after Carter blew out his candles, he just stuck his face right into the cake and then all the kids joined in for the fun. It was quite heathenish...but cute and fun. :) A good memory!