Dinner Conversation

When the last person sits down, we begin with a prayer.

"Hey mom, hey mom does this gives you a heart attack?" says Owen. I am attempting to toss the salad with the remaining tablespoons of blue cheese we have in the jar, and don't answer.

I look around the table and ask, "Who's ready for a prayer?" William is sniffing the Ranch dressing and moaning while rolling his eyes to the back of his head. Emma is chomping, Lily is comparing her steak to Emma's and Owen is chattering.

"What are you doing?" Mitchell asks Will in an baffled tone. Mitchell lives in a land of munchkins. His closest sibling is 8 years younger and while he enjoys them much of the time, he is completely bewildered and exasperated by them a lot of the time.

"Mmmm it smells good." Will croons. I guess he is hungry after running around and flying kites at the park.

Richard asks Emma if she would like to give the prayer, she is chewing on a piece of steak.

"Hey where's my fork?" Will pipes in.

"It's right there by your plate." I say

"I've already had a bite," Emma confesses. In our house if you have eaten part of the meal then you can't offer the prayer, why, I do not know. Really, does Heavenly Father care if you have had a bite of the meal or not. Are we not worthy to give the prayer if we've had a little smackral of the dinner?

"Oh," Richard says, "Will, how about you, will you give the prayer?" Will shakes his head no, I guess he has had a bite too.

"Mom does this gives you a heart attack?" There is Owen again asking me about the piece of steak stuck on the end of his fork. I shake my head no as I stand and begin serving the salad as Richard asks another family member to say the prayer. . .

"Yuck I don't want yettuce! No yettuce for me it's gwross!" Owen shouts

"Yes you will get salad, you like salad." I serve him up some salad making sure there are no tomatoes, that is one fight I will not fight now. If I can get him to eat his carrots and brocoli, I am happy. When Owen sees me place the salad on the plate he sticks out his tongue and makes gagging noises. Everyone giggles.

"I yike yettuce," Will states sticking his nose in the Ranch dressing again, "especially wif wranch."

"I can't say the prayer, I already had a bite," Lily confesses

"I can't either," says Mitch, I am next in line. I've already had a bite too, but so that we can get the ball rolling and actually begin eating this meal "legally" I keep my little secret and say the prayer.

Right after the prayer:

"Mom, hey mom, does this stuff gives you a heart attack?" Owen chirps again sticking his fork with a piece of steak in my face, he is serious. How in the world did he get that in his head?

"No the steak does not give you a heart attack. If all you ate was steak every day, every meal, all the time, and you were my age, it could hurt you. . . give you a heart attack, but your little."

"That would be bad," says Emma. "You'd die."

"You wouldn't necessarily die, but it isn't good."

"It would hurt," says Emma.

"Yea but we don't eat a lot of red meat!" says Mitch,

Will still is sniffing the bottle of Ranch as I continue to serve up the salad. "Will's a sniffer," Mitchell concludes, "like you dad."

"Yep I am a smeller. I have always got to smell things." He is right, he is part hound dog. The first thing he did when our children were born was smell them. It was quite sweet really, It was like he wanted to experience them another way, sight, touch and smell. He then confesses he smells everything, even his belly button to make sure it's clean, and he checks his breath by smelling his upper lip. "Italian dressing is the worst!" he says, I shake my head staring down at my meal, and ask to change the subject.

"Mom, Mom, hey Mom, does this gives you a heart attack?" Owen asks AGAIN! everybody laughs.

"How did you get that in your head?" I say.

"I told him, we learned about it in science," Lily shares. "It clogs your arteries."

"No honey, it won't give you a heart attack. Don't worry, enjoy it."

"Yea, and eat your salad, because that keeps your body from having a heart attack!" Richard reminds Owen.

"Yea, those veggies are good for you. eat up!"

"What would you rather have, cancer or a heart attack?" Lily curiously asks.

"Neither of them!" Richard says, I nod my head in agreement. I don't want to talk about that either. I would rather talk about smelling belly buttons.

"Yes neither!" I agree.

"Is there any more steak?" Will asks,

"Eat the rest of your salad and potatoes, and then you can have more steak?

"There's no more steak." Richard warns

"There's no more steak?" Mitchell whines, he has half of his left still.

"Your piece was hUge," I say

"Yeah you got the biggest piece," Richard chimes.

"Oh yeah," Mitchell backs down with a smile. I look at my piece, Mine was Uge too. I cut off a chunk and reserve it for the "wild pack" less they attack.

"Eat your veggies and then you can have more."

"Stop that, your always putting tomatoes on my plate!" Lily squirms. She looks at me tilting her head to the side and moans,"She always puts tomatoes on my plate and the juice and seeds get on my stuff." Emma is smiling at her joke. I glance at her sternly and she picks up her tomato and pops it in her mouth then she comes over to me and sits on my lap. "It's irritating Emma, it really bothers me!" Lily shares.

"Mom, mom, hey Mom. Dos this stuff gives you a heart attack?" Owen is sitting next to me holding his fork full of steak in my face, and is looking up at me. I stare back at him smiling. I really don't know what to say.

A Christmas Story

It all started last Thursday. The kids were running to the car after school, first William, then Lily then Emma. I could see their lips were moving but since the window was shut I couldn't hear them yet. They were obviously anxious to share something with me. Once the door was opened Emma breathlessly states, "I went to pick up Will, but he was in the office so I ran to the office and he had already gone soooooo, I had to go all the way back to Ms Paddock's room and he wasn't there either. Ho, I'm tired," she takes a breath, "So then I had to go to Dad's classroom to see if he was there, and he was, but when I asked him why he was in the office, he dropped his back pack and ran off and, . . .I CAN'T STAND IT WHEN HE DOES THAT! I always have to carry my back pack and his back pack. . .its so frustrating."

"Wow, you had to traverse the whole school to find him didn't you?"

"Yeah, what's traverse?"

"Go back and forth."

"Oh, yeah, I traversed. I asked him why he was in the principals office and he said he didn't want to tell me and he ran off."

Lily pipes in, "Will you talk to him because he keeps running off and he doesn't listen to us."

"Yes I will talk to him. Do you want to play in the park?" Off they go. Will had already stopped in and made a b-line over to the park, without saying a single thing. I was wondering why he was called into the principals office. Every time he hits his brother, or pushes his sister, which isn't all the time, but it does happen, I ask "Do you know what would happen if you did that in school?"

to which he replies, "I would be sent to the principals office. . ."

And then I add, "Yes, it is serious stuff!" Why did he go to the principals office? Did he haul off and sock a kid? Did he talk back to his teacher?

Later when we got home, I asked him, his response was, "I don't want to tell you, but I didn't get into trouble."

"Is it a surprise?"

"Yes, it is about Christmas." Well come to find out, the local paper was at the school and they wanted to interview first and second graders about what they wanted for Christmas. In particular they were looking for kids who were missing their front teeth--That describes Will perfectly, just add loves to laugh and kiss girls and it would be a definitive description. Needless to say, Will was one of the children chosen. We waited for the day when our Will would be famous. He was excited.
Yesterday, Richard brings the paper home from school and on the front page, we see our Will and his quote "I want lots of legos because my dad is going to help me build with them." Richard is the best lego builder in all of the western hemisphere, seriously, I am not a lego expert by any means, but Will is, and in his eyes, he is the best.

"Hurray for Will!" we all cheer, "Your famous!" To which Will does a little dance, runs around the house and kisses Emma on the cheek.

Fast Forward to today: I decide to check my messages on the home phone, I don't do it often because we have no reminder for our voice mail so there are usually A LOT. One of the messages is from a Wilma, whose soft scratchy voice shakes slightly, it was 9: am Sunday Morning: "Hello, I am calling because I saw in the paper, a little boy by the name of William who wants legos for Christmas. I have a big box of legos that I would just love to give to him. I hope that this is his house, please call me at this number. . ." How sweet is that, I thought. She was so excited to give him this box, and to make his wish come true. . . before I was done listening to all the messages I heard another message from her. She was obviously anxious to talk to him.

I called her right away, I was unable to get a hold of her, but left a grateful message anyway.

Later that afternoon I had Will call her, again, no answer. I asked him to leave a message, when mid message, I overhear her pick up. Her muffled voice is excited and full of enthusiasm as she speaks to Will who shyly answers and says thank you. Once they are through talking I get on and make plans to meet her. I offered to bring her dinner because of her generous spirit, I made soup and felt she would enjoy it. She gratefully accepts.

We arrive and knock on the door and she answers, looks directly at Will, claps her hands and says "I recognize that face." She reaches down and gives him a big hug, then she grabs is face in her hands and says, "I fell in love with that face the moment I saw it." then she looks up and asks us to come in. I introduce each of my children to her and she in turn gives each of them a big hug. The kids gravitate over to her little puppy and this gives me a chance to talk with her for a few moments. I wanted to find out about this lady, I wanted to know what we could do for her. Was she lonely, did she have family near, was she married, Did she have a place to go for Christmas Eve? It seemed that all those things were in the affirmative. I mentioned that I would love to have her over for dinner some time and I would call and make arrangements. She was excited and grateful.

She called Will over and gave him a big bucket of Legos that she kept for just the right little boy. All her grandchildren and great grandchildren were all grown now and so she wanted to give them away, but to whom? Once she saw Will's picture in the paper she knew where her legos were going to go. Will shyly accepted with a big toothless smile.

I gathered the children and prepared them to leave, I gave her a hug and once again expressed my gratitude to her for her thoughtfulness. And then I witnessed her reach down and give Will another big hug as she said, "William, always remember that there are angels all around you, they are always watching you and taking care of you. Do you know that?" Will nodded shyly, And then I saw her vigorously hug each of my other children like they were her own grandchildren. I saw the joy in her face and the smiles on their faces and I felt a wave of emotion at witnessing this angel, this loving surrogate grandmother, love these children like they were her own. And seeing my children accepting her love and giving it back. I couldn't hold back the tears.

It has been a little over a year since their grandmothers have passed on. My children lost both of their grandmothers within 8 weeks time. Both losses were sudden and unexpected. Both women were strong, talented matriarchs and full of love and devotion. Both woman served their families and their grandchildren tirelessly. My children often say, I miss grandma and nana. They are missed.

I grew to understand that this gift that Wilma gave was not just for Will, but for all of us. She was extending a grandmothers warmth, a grandmothers joy, a grandmothers love to my family who are without a grandmother now. She welcomed them with the same enthusiasm that my mother would welcome them. She gave with the same warmth and joy that their Nana would give to them, and she loved them with the same tenderness that they both gave. I know that my mom and Nana are pleased that a grandmother touched my children and loved them since they are not here to do it themselves. Wilma is right, angels are watching and taking care of them, which is what I tell them all the time, I feel knowing this softens the loss for me and for them, as well as I BELIEVE it to be true

How simple it is to love and to reach out. How far reaching it can be. How blessed we are. Now, how can I do the same?

I Feel Wicked!

I got a call from my sweet sis Adie:
"We have two extra tickets to Wicked for this Friday. Would you like to go?"
What? a free ticket to Wicked?. . .Is Elphaba Green? (That is what I wish I had said if I had been familiar with the play, but since I had never seen it before I said, "Wow, let me check!" definitely not as clever, but as Alli says, I must maintain blogger integrity.

Needless to say I found myself driving to LA on Friday for a chance to see the much acclaimed Wicked.

We all met out at the Pantages for the big event. Here is a shot of Barbara, Dad and Rob (their chaperone--doesn't this shot look like he is?). Notice Dad is very serious and keeping his hands to himself.

As always, Scott and Adie looked great. I have decided that Scott should run for office. It seems that everywhere we go, Scott seems to know someone. When were taking a group shot some women jumped into the shot, we were all bewildered and come to find out she knew Scott. Then, when sitting in the theater, he knew the people sitting in front of us. However, I have decided that I won't be impressed until he can introduce me to Bono. . . Work on that one for me will you big brother?

When entering the theater I wanted to record the moment. "Hey dad, will you take a picture of Rob and I."

"Sure!" dad said, after handing him the camera and pointing out which button to push (my dad gets exasperated when it comes to technology) Rob and I sat where we could get the stage in the background. Just as dad was about to take the picture, a petite usher approached us,"Um please put your camera away, and don't take any photographs."

"Who says?" my dad said in a voice that was as intimidating as he could muster. The usher looked at him with wide eyes and Barbara put her head in her lap. Once everyone began to laugh, the usher shuffled away nervously. My dad did this soley for Barbara. He likes to tease her and keep her on her toes. She doesn't know quite how to read him yet, and he enjoys her expressions.

"Oh just take the picture, just make sure he isn't looking" says the lady behind us. She flashes us her camera showing her support. We agree feeling that we have the right to disobey this ridiculously unfair rule enforced by this enemy army of vested ushers. I look up the aisle to try to locate the usher and encourage my dad to take the picture. "Go ahead dad, just turn the flash off an take it." My dad looks at me with a quizzical expression that says, "Huh?"
"Oh yea, let me do it." I hand the camera back to my dad and look up the aisle for the usher.
"Okay dad, take the picture!"

SNAP, great shot! almost immediately,
"Um excuse me, I warned you not to take any photos. . . will you please follow me to check in your camera?" Where did that guy come from? Did he drop down from the ceiling? He was smug! I didn't like his attitude.

"He didn't warn us," my brother mumbles in such a way that only I can hear, as he stands to go back to his seat. He motions that I should follow. Standing there looking at my family for support, they stare back at me with vacant expressions.

"Here, I will erase the picture," I flash him my camera showing the dark fuzzy picture was gone.

"Chu need to follow me. Come now." I look back at my brother who is now back to his seat. He is obviously civilly disobeying. Yea, it is easy for him, it isn't his camera. I look back at my family, still silent. I look at the lady behind us, her once supportive voice was now squelched by the vested soldier.

Should I chose to disobey the petite usher and exercise my rights? or should meekly follow? HMMMMM I could see myself being hauled out of the theater by the manager, with a "No show for YOU!" So humbly, I followed the usher, my head held high as I was escorted out of the theater. "I thought we couldn't take pictures with the flash," I lied, trying to excuse my defiance.

"There are signs all over warning you!" he says as he points to a sign on the wall. He was really hung up on that word "Warn!" ewwwww scarey! He didn't intimidate me with his rhetoric, Actually the sign is asking us and rather politely, I quote, "Please do not take pictures inside the theater." I think about telling him this and then decide against it.

"I was probably admiring the art deco interior when we passed that sign and didn't notice it," I said nonchalantly. He was unimpressed by my knowledge of the Pantages interior, or figured I didn't know what I was talking about, and continued steadfastly to his destination.

This guy must have been new. You can always tell the people that are new. They can't think for themselves. I just wanted a break, to return back to my seat, couldn't he pardon me? . . .No, not the new guy.

"I don't want to miss the first act, will this take a long time?"

"It won't take long," he says as he scurries through the empty lobby.

Once I get to the counter to fill out my claim slip, a man turns around to leave and says,"Oh they got you too huh!" I smile and nod yes as we both share a common understanding of the injustice of it all. After I fill out the slip to turn in my camera, I snap a picture of the guy at the counter, the one who is confiscating my camera, before I hand it over to him.

"Hey, can I get a picture of you? I want to show my dad, The Big Guy, who it was that took my camera." With a nervous smile, he claims he is the middle man, he isn't responsible. Um hummmm, your either for us or against us, I think as I take my yellow copy of the claim check and return to the theater.

As I walked down the aisle, back to my seat, I see the theater was lit by a about a hundred flashing digital camera LCD screens, and I think to myself, those vested ushers sure have their work cut out for them. My once felt irritation turned to a type of giddy empathy-this job for him is like the laundry, no matter how hard he works at it, it's never done--as I passed the petite usher I smiled.

Once Upon a Time--Before I was a Mom. . .

Before I was a mom, I was a girl--a sassy, silly girl who found herself in some ridiculously, inane circumstances. Usually this girl was accompanied by some zany friends who would encourage such foolhardy behavior. The motto for our pack was anything for a laugh(with in reason) for example going through the drive-in backwards and ordering with a southern accent at the pick up window, pretending the entire time that we were from Texas and didn't understand that we were doing anything wrong (to all my friends from Tx, I apologize) You see, this girl and her girl friends didn't seem to mind making themselves look horrifyingly ridiculous for a laugh(But then again, isn't laughing healthy, and doesn't it burn calories?) Too all of this was done while being completely sober.

Yes, before I was a mom, I was carefree, fun and some would even say, funny although Mitchell would argue that point. Those were simple fun-loving days where we had no concerns but what to do on a Saturday night. I had the chance to revisit those times when my childhood friend from Chicago, Brenda Kay and her daughter Brianna, came to visit to share their joy and lighten my load.

Friday we wanted to have a girls day, so I took the girls out of school early and we had plans of taking them into LA. to go to the LACMA. The girls were adverse to the idea and in real, almost tweener girl fashion, began chanting Shopping - shopping - shopping in the back seat of the car. Of course, being in mom mode, I reminded that shopping - shopping - shopping is not any fun when the funds - funds - funds are low. At this point, Brenda breaks in and reminds me of the girl I was before I was a mom. . .

Most of the time, these bouts of silliness were done unaccompanied by an adult, (They would have ruined our fun for sure) but sometimes, this girl's mother was involved. One such time Brenda and I went with my mom to affluent Oakbrook. She took us into Neiman Marcus, or as we like to call it "Needless Markup" to try on furs. From there we decided to try to find the most outrageous ensemble we could find. We would then model our outfits to determine the winner.

A good memory and one that I almost forgot had Brenda not reminded me. Brenda posed the idea to the girls--did they want to do some silly shopping? A resounding YES.

And so our girls day began. . .Brianna, Lily and Emma outside of Nordstroms

First things first, Brenda had to lay down the rules of engagement #1 You have to be sneaky and not let the employees know you are goofing off. #2 The clothes you pick out must NOT match and must look hideous. #3 When you are dressed in your outfit, you must be fierce with your poses and be proud of your ugly self. #4 Good sportsmanship is a must! always compliment others on their ugly choices. No jealousy of ugly outfits is permitted.

Brenda setting the ground rules for the girls.

The girls were eager to get started. We escorted them up to the children's section in Nordstrom and let them have at it. As they shopped, Brenda and I found our own unique pieces to add to their creations.

Our First Model, Energetic Emmalique:

Emmalique striking a pose

Emmalique with attitude. Get over it baby!

Pouty Emmalique work it girl!

Our Second Model Beautiful Breezy:

Breezy headshot

Oh Breezy the Beautiful

Sweetest girl

Our Third Model Lovely Lilli-ana-rama

love those baby blues Lili-ana-rama

Lili-ana-rama strike it rich! Go girl friend!

Lili-ana-rama is Deliberately Dazzling.

The girls had so much fun dressing and posing. Here is a shot of the three of them together.
Lili-ana-rama, Emmalique, Breezy: truly professionals.

Brenda was a wonderful fashion coach. Here she is coaching Emma on a pose.
Our silly shopping was quite an adventure. It wore some of us out:

After our silly shopping at Nordstrom, we needed some sustenance, so where else would two moms and three girls go but for chocolate. Sees gives out a piece just for showing up, then we got a piece just so we could show up to get our free piece. . . if you know what I mean.The girls wanted to go and try on some party dresses, so after the chocolate was wiped off of our hands and faces, we headed over to get dressy!
And of course we need to try on the shoes to match the dress.

After a good meal we had about an hour before the movie started. We sat wondering how we could spend our hour and then my ever creative, joyful friend Brenda suggested that we go to the church parking lot to dance and sing in front of the headlights of our car (throw back to our youth) So here we are grooving to funk tunes.










After about a half hour, we figured that we better get to the movie theater. We all climbed back into the car. We noticed the automatic door wasn't working very well and that the head lights were flickering.

"What if the battery is dead," my ever creative, fortune teller friend said.

I cranked the key, click, clickkity. . .that was it.

"No, no, no. let me try this one more time." crank the key, click. . . nothing.

You guessed it. It was! We sat in the parking lot praying that the battery would charge itself up again (literally, we did pray.) As we sat silently hoping that the next turn of the key would fire up the motor, we saw some hooded tall figures begin walking toward us. We had seen them wander from the other side of the building and sit on the steps of the chapel earlier. They probably were looking for a little entertainment and saw it in our silly dancing styles (there is the fisherman, where you cast an imaginary line to your partner and reel them in, or the cowgirl who lassos the partner, and pulls them in, and then of course we did a little soul train.) Now they were walking to our car. Embarrassing! They were from Cucamonga ward they offered to give us a jump. They seemed to be enjoying our situation but were happy to help us, thank goodness. We sat a few minutes until the jumper cables arrived. They arrived in a Big Gold Escalade with tinted windows and a gangsta bass beat. They hooked us up, started our engine, coached us to keep it running for alittle while and then vanished into the night air. After saying thankyou to your gracious heros, and watching them leave, we decided we had enough fun for one night and went home.

So if you want to have a guaranteed great time with your girls, if you want to enjoy the joys of shopping without the bill, if you want your daughters to tell you that was the best girls day
ever . . . give silly shopping a try. It was a memory that will keep. Too if your really lucky, your daughter will tell everyone in primary about the dancing in the head lights incident and how our prayers were answered by some gangstas in a gold escalade with a bass beat. (A little embarrassing but that's the way it is.)

Thanks Brenda for coming and creating so much joy. I love you.

The Changing of The Light Revisited

Mitch needed a ride to work again. . .

So up, up, up I went to where the pavement ends and the earth begins.
and this time I took my camera.

I have been wanting to capture the light since that evening when I needed an hour to myself.



I think I captured it--the changing of the light.

Lil' Lucy

Children have the most amazing power of persuasion. . . I mean, don't they?. . . is it just mine? Or is it that I am a big push over? I will tell you the story and let you be the judge.

I think it was about the first of August that one little Ems decided. . .

"Mom, I want my own, pet, one that is only mine. I don't want to have to share it with anyone else."
"So you want a pet huh? I understand, but Ems we already have two pets that need to be cared for and loved. Let's take care of our own pets."

Well, I thought that I handled that well. I didn't stutter. I spoke plainly. I felt I listened, validated and then gave an answer that was direct. Score one for MOM!

The next day.

"Mom, guess what I am thinking about?. . ."

"What's that Ems?"

"My new pet. I know what I want. . .," a long pause, "don't you want to know what I want?"

"What pet do you want Ems?"

"I want a hamster. Casey and Lindsay say that it is only $10 for the hamster and only $20 for the cage. I am going to buy a hamster with my allowance. I am going to save up and buy the hamster myself." I was stunned. She could buy the hamster by herself? That just about takes me out of the loop. I found myself scrambling for something to say--some form of rebuttal.

Ah Ha!

"Well, Emma, if you want to buy your own hamster, you will have to take care of it entirely. That is a lot of responsibility. You need to prove that you can take care of your current pets before you will be able to have permission to purchase one on your own." Phew! That was a close one, I am sure it bought me some time.

"Okay mom. I can take care of Kiki Lila! I will feed her and give her water every day. And if I do that can I get a hamster?" At this point Emma's enthusiasm is building and she is speaking in high pitched shrieks while jumping up and down shaking her hands.

"Emma, now calm down, don't get too excited. I have to see that you can be a good pet owner, all on your own. You have to show me that you are responsible. By the way you will also have to change the kitty litter every day."

"WHAT? the kitty litter. Moooommmmmmm, that's GROSS!"

"Emma, you will have to change the hamsters cage etc, so you must do this to show that you are mature enough for all that responsibility."

"Okay, I will do it!" She said it with confidence and determination. She'll do it? She wasn't discouraged? It's not that I wanted her to fail, I just didn't really want to have another pet!

Score one for Ems

Emma went right to work taking care of our Kiki Lila. She fed her and gave her water every day. She changed the kitty litter every day and she did all this WITHOUT BEING ASKED!

All the while, each day, every day, many times through out the day, Emma would approach me and say, . . .

"Hey Mom, do you know what would make me happy?"
"What Emma?"
"If I got a hamster!"

"Hey mom, I got an idea,"
"What's that Ems?
"Let's go to Petsmart and look at hamsters"

"Hey Mom, I have something important to tell you,"
"Really Emma? is it about school?"
"No, it's that I want a hamster."

"Mom, can I tell you something?"
"Does it have to do with a hamster?"
"No,"
"What is it Emma?"
"Can I get a bonus on my allowance so that I can buy a hamster."

"Mom, if I can get a hamster, I will wash the dishes every night forever!" Looking back now, maybe I should have taken her up on that one.

"Mom I have a great idea for a birthday gift for daddy!"
"What Emma?
"Let's get him a hamster and I will take care of it for him!"

These are just a few of the tactics that she used on me INCESSANTLY. I was finally glad when school started so that I could have a reprieve from her hammering rapid fire hamsters messages into my consciousness. However, I was very impressed with her work ethic. She did everything she was supposed to do and she did it well.

While putting Emma to bed, the lights were off and I was kissing her good night, Emma wrapped her arms around my neck and whispered, Mom, it would make me so happy if I could have a hamster. It would make my dreams come true."

"Ems, I must admit, you are proving to be very responsible. I will talk to dad and we shall see. There is no guarantee however. I am not saying we will get one tomorrow, but we will talk about it."

"Thank you mom. I love you."
"I love you too."

I thought that the talk to dad tactic would buy me at least a few more months, but Emma went right to the source herself and began working on him. Before I knew it, he was checking out cages on craigs list. Daddys have a hard time saying no to their little girls.


Score one for Ems

A week later, Lil Lucy was a part of our family

So, are all kids this persuasive, is it just my kids, or is RICHARD a big pushover! HA!

G'night, Sleep Tight: A Glimpse Of Bedtime

"Lily and Emma, Come in the boys room, let's have prayer!"

It's Friday night, 9:30, the kids are complaining about not being able to stay up later, but I know what it is like the next day if they do so. . . off to bed they go. Even though they complain, as soon as their teeth are brushed, their hands are washed, cozies are on, their heads hit the pillow they start drifting away to slumber land. . .

"C'mon girls, we are ready for prayer." Will and I have been cleaning up the boys room: little lego bricks strewn haphazardly around, books shuffled between bed clothes, blocks stacked, guys here and there. (Guys is our name for any boy toys that are fabricated out of plastic. They can be animals, monsters, GI Joes, cowboys, indians, star wars, spider men, bat men, (notice I use the plural) disney, happy meal etc. This name originated with Mitch and stuck. Is it just me, or are boy toys absolutely ugly and scarey. I don't know, but they love them.)

Will is working his tail end off as Owen lays on the bed with his feet up. O is still in a cast and will need to be for the next 4 - 6 weeks with crutches because the DR. misdiagnosed the treatment. Although he has been in a cast for 5 weeks already it was a walking cast and so it was all for naught! BLAST! completely unfair for a four year old. But he is enjoying kicking back as his brother picks up all the toys.

I have to leave the room to put some clothes in the laundry. Smack! then a whale of a cry. When I left the room, Will retaliated by winding up and pitching a fastball of a stuffed animal at Owen's face. Time for hugs and reconciliation.

"Lils, Ems, come in."
"Mmmmoooooooooommmmmmmm!" in a dramatically whiny tone, "we are already in bed. We are tired. Why do we have to go in therrrrre." Dutifully, Lily gets out of bed and comes into the room. Emma stomps to the door and shouts, "I'm not coming."

"Thank you Lily for choosing to join us!" Emma doesn't fall for the positive reinforcement trick and chooses to go back to bed.

Since Richard and Mitch aren't here at the moment, I ask Will to call on someone for the prayer. Will looks around lazily with a grin on his face. He likes it when he gets to be the man of the house. Owen, shouts, I want to give the prayer! Will looks at each of us and then says, "I want Emma to give the prayer." Emma is still in her bedroom exercising her rights to a sit out of family prayer.

"Emma, Will would like you to pray." pause, no answer. "Will, Emma chose not to join us, who else would you like to ask?" Owen shouts, "I want to say the prayer. I want to say the prayer." Will looks at him and chooses Lily.

"I said it yesterday" Lily says lazily. At this point I know I have to take over and I ask Owen to say the prayer. He excitedly agrees, sits up next to me and begins.

"Dear Heavenly Fader. . ." at this point he looks up and says, "will you help me. . ."
"Sure," I whisper, "thank you for this day. "
"Thank you for this day. . ." then I tell him to thank Heavenly Father for what ever he wants to thank him for, what ever makes him happy. So Owen jumps right to the meat of his issues, "help my leg, help me to get out of my cast, help me to jump on the trampoyeen, help me with my crutches." Good stuff! I am glad he knows he can ask for help. We close after blessing the family and our night sleep with an Amen.

The children disperse to their beds, which is just Lily because Emma never left hers. I give kisses to Owen and Will and tell them I will be right back after say goodnights to Lily and Emma. Most nights I have to sing and scratch the boys backs, but I am hoping they might go right to sleep as I look at my watch and find that it is now 10pm. Lily is cuddled in already and Emma is laying comfortably with a wash cloth on her forehead. I ask Lily about her week in school and she tells me about the 3D map they made today. Ryan, Lily's desk partner won Rock, Paper, Scissors so he got to take it home, but we will be able to see it at open house.

"MOM!" Owen shouts in a terse sounding cry. "MOM! I'M SCARED!"

I give Lily a kiss and make my way over to Emma, who is pretending to be asleep. I am perturbed she ignored me when I asked her come into pray and felt like being ornery, but when I lean over her and see her sweet face I remember it never works when I am angry so I tickle her arm and quietly say,. . .

"MOM! . . .MOMMY! . . . MOM! . . .I am scared!" Owen cries from the other room.

"Emma, I know your awake." She turns over with a grin and smiles at me. "I need you to come to pray with us. We need you and you need to be there. Will you come next time?" She shakes her head yes and I give her a kiss.

"MOM! MOM! I am scared." the shrill determined pleadings continue as I leave the girls room and re-enter to boys. "Mom, the pictures scare me!" he says as he points around the room to each picture, showing me the culprits. I suggest that he change his thoughts and think about something different. Think about something happy. He looks at me and continues to point to the pictures, as if to say, do you not see what is around me. Can you not see these fearsome things. Then he looks me in the eye and says holding up three fingers, "Mom, you have free choices, one thing is you lay wif me. Anoder choice is you turn on the lights so I can see. Third choice is you sweep wif me." He looks at me plainly and logically and so I must make my choice. I look back very seriously, considering my options. Really though I am smiling inside at his ability to negotiate the situation and realizing he is mimicking the same tactics I use with him.

"Okay," I say, as I look into his serious little eyes, "I chose to turn on the lights."

"Okay," he says with a smile as big as a plate. I swear I could serve a whole dozen cookies on that smile. I give him big kisses (two kisses and two hugs) and then stand up to leave. Will looks up from his pillow and asks me to sing. I escaped Owen, but not Will. He loves the routine and loves the touch, so he rolls over and exposes his back.

"Will, what do you want me to sing?" I ask. He looks at me over his shoulder incredulously. I have been singing him the same song almost everyday of his life. I ask him every so often so that I might perhaps get a change, some times I just start singing another song just to see if he will let me, he rarely does.

"The Flower song!" he says shaking his head. And so I begin. . . I often go walking, in meadows clover. . .And I gather round me, flowers of Spring. I gather these flowers, the whole meadow over, dear William, these flowers, remind me of you. . .I continue to hum as I put my cheek next to his and continue to scratch his back. Will's eyes flutter to sleep and I kiss him on the cheek. As I leave the room with the light on, I know exactly what I need to write in my blog tonight!

A Mermaid I Would Be

If I could be something other than the homosapian type mammal that I am, I think I would want to be a mermaid! Yes! a Mermaid! and I would marry a merman and we would have merchillin's or meryoungin's, or lil' mers (Does anyone have any idea what you would call them?) Especially if while being a mermaid, you could come to shore and walk around like in the movie Aquamarine (I know this movie because I have almost tweener girls. I probably wouldn't have picked it off of Block buster shelves on my own. Why I felt I had to tell you that I don't know) I absolutely love water and this last month of July was all about water for me and my family. It was heavenly, or as close to heaven as I could possibly imagine. So I am going to give you a little snippet of the upcoming posts. Just a few pics of what is coming up. Kind of a teaser for what your gonna experience. Hopefully it will make you want to tune in.

Lots of swimming

enjoying a water park in MN

Snorkeling at Scorpion Bay

Kayaking at Scorpion Bay

Sea Species Ricardo Montabeardamus

St Croix River

Waves at Carpenteria

Enjoying the surf at Lil' Corona

Beautiful Water of Santa Cruz Island
(Thanks Kirtley Family for the photo)

Lost Boys Swinging from trees at Craguns

Sailing