Dear Costco...

...thank you for switching from diet Coke to diet Pepsi. You see, I hate diet Pepsi and now I have no reason to go visit you any more. I used to like to wander around with Malia, and a diet Coke in my hand, and just check out what was available for me to spend my hard earned money on. Now, I have no incentive. You see, by abandoning my life elixir, you have abandoned me and now, I will do the same to you. So goodbye Costco...thank you for saving me money...

Random things you didn't know about me...

I'm super crabby in the morning...but you knew that already. So, in order to get rid of the worst of the crabbiness, I must exercise before the children get up in the morning. I love to sleep. I hate to get up early. In order to minimize the problems with those things (the sleeping, not wanting to get up, and having to exercise early), I wear my workout clothes to bed. That's right folks, I go to bed looking like I'm going to the gym...and wearing double sports bras so the girls stay in place while I run the next morning. It's true. Rick is a lucky man, don't you agree? Who wouldn't want to sleep next to me?

My unofficial day off...

In 11 years of marriage, ten of those with children, I have never gone back to bed after the children get up...NEVER. Well, there's always time for a first. This weekend's festivities combined with the weight of various decisions that need to be made caused a first for me. I dropped the children off, turned on the house alarm ('cause I'm paranoid like that) and promptly went back to bed! And, I actually fell asleep...until 11:00! It was a beautiful morning. The house is a mess, laundry needs doing, beds need making, but I have to say, I feel pretty darn good. It's cloudy outside and a perfect day to crawl back in bed. So I say...Good for me! Now when my children get home, I can greet them happily as I now feel well rested and ready for the day. Never mind the fact that the day is mostly over. However, I have plans for dinner, an FHE more or less prepared and intentions to clean later in the week. After all, the mess isn't going anywhere, right? So, Happy Monday to you...hope your day was equally fulfilling!

Say what????

We just returned from a trip to San Jose where Jake competed in the State finals for Destination Imagination. It has been a lot of preparation and a lot of fun and today was no exception. Their skit was FANTASTIC! They did a great job and enjoyed every minute of it, including some impromptu additions. They are a wonderful group of kids. Anyway, we joked that we didn't want them to win at the regional level because we didn't want to have to practice more and then drive all the way to San Jose for the state finals. Well, they won first at regionals which is how we ended up in San Jose today. We then set our hopes at getting third place at State so the kids would medal, but not advance to globals in Tennessee...well, they outdid themselves and won first place today! Those kids are animals! Now how in the world are we going to work out Tennessee? It is expensive...about $1250 per person. It would be so much fun but there are lots of logistics involved...what to do, what to do...

Either way, great job guys! WE are proud of you!!!!

Sweet success...

This morning, I found a fantastic recipe for apple bran muffins that I wanted to try...so, I mixed it all up and put it outside in the solar oven, went to take a shower and get ready, came back, and voila! They were done! Yummy. Malia and I enjoyed them very much. It has to be one of my new favorite recipes. And, then, this afternoon, I had some extra kids coming home with Carter so I popped some "cookie bars" in the solar oven. They loved watching them cook outside and were absolutely amazed that it worked and they tasted great! I am loving this solar oven. It is the most fun ever...

And tonight, we are missing somebodies...a cute little 4-year-old and her bucky tooth smile and her daddy...who have ditched us for Valencia this weekend. The rest of us will be heading up for Jake's Destination Imagination competition in San Jose this weekend. Should be fun...the boys have to leave by 5:00 AM. Just what I was hoping to do on a Saturday morning...Luckily, Bella and I don't have to leave til 9:00 but I still have to get up and drive the boys to where they need to be at a RIDICULOUS hour.

And lest you think my children are always at odds with each other...Jake offered to let Bella sleep in his room so she wouldn't be alone tonight and she accepted. He even made her up a nice little bed. See...sometimes they're nice to each other.

Maybe we're doing something right...maybe

Tonight, one of my children came down to tell me he had told a little white lie earlier in the evening. He was in tears. It was a silly little fib, one that didn't really matter in the scheme of things. I was so proud that he chose to come and tell me and that he felt so bad about it. I don't want my kids to feel like they have to lie to me and I'm glad he came clean. Earlier in the day, Malia and her friend were walking suspiciously downstairs with their hands behind their backs. I asked them to come back and show me what was in their hands. Turns out it was valentine's candy that no one cared about, but they thought they were being sneaky and taking it. When I explained to Malia that I didn't care if they ate the Valentines candy, I just didn't want her sneaking around, she seemed so relieved. I try to pick my battles and eating leftover Valentine's candy found who knows where...not one of my battles. But, I hope Malia learned that she doesn't always have to hide things from me because I just might not freak out. She is very sensitive to whether I am mad at her or not and she said to her friend, "See, my mom's not mad at me. It's okay if we eat them." Little lessons that will hopefully translate when bigger issues are at stake...

Can I fire myself?

Today was one of those days...when I want to fire myself as a mother and a wife...before I do irreversible damage. Seriously. Maybe I should get a job...one that pays, that is. The only thing redeeming about this day is that it is about to end. That's it folks. And there you have the long and short of it. Oh, and nothing like cub scouts to top it off...where my own son is the shining star of why we have a "Behavior Code." Carter has lost every privilege he ever thought of having until he turns 18 or until I forget this night ever happened. Is it tomorrow yet?