Fireworks

I try really hard not to listen to Katy Perry songs. For a number of reasons. But the biggest reason is that they are so addicting to me. I kind of love them. However, they, more often than not, don't have lyrics I agree with or have lyrics that are very suggestive. Either way, when one of her songs comes on I am quick to change the station. Sadly, it's a hard choice, to listen or not to listen. For the most part I am able to make the right choice.

That being said, I am in love with Katy Perry's song "Fireworks". Finally, one of her songs with lyrics I can let my kids listen to. The lyrics speak to the place I feel like I am in  on my journey of fabric design.

Maybe the reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow
And when it's time you know

You just gotta ignite the light, and let it shine
Just own the night like the Fourth of July

'Cause baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go "ah, ah, ah!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go boom boom boom, make em brighter then the moon moon moon

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time you let it flew

 As a result, I cannot help but cry when this song comes on. I turn it up full blast and cry and dream and cry some more. I'm sure my kids think I am loony tunes seeing that the only time I have time to listen to music right now is in the car during my chauffeuring duties. I do try to keep the tears to a minimum. Lest the children feel like they need to call their grandmas to rescue them.

I realize that is so cheesy, or maybe we could say passionate? But it perfectly describes how I feel most days. That there is this light, these fireworks, just waiting to explode. All they need is a little ignition. A little recognition.

For now I  suppose I am just setting up the show.

Someday, my friends, someday. 

A few things about Sanders

As you have probably guessed, taking pictures every day is not my thing. This post would be perfect with a cute picture of Sanders, but alas I did not think of it until just now.

Sanders is either super happy or supper grumpy. You ALWAYS know how he is feeling. He is a big goofball and is often found singing as he is walking silly and waggling his head just to get a laugh. He's also been known to throw a big, huge fit if made to wear a shirt he doesn't think flatters him that day.

He skips nearly everywhere he goes. It's the most delightful thing to watch.

He wants to be my pickiest eater ever, but what he doesn't realize fully is that doesn't work for our family. So he has a few hard lessons ahead of him. For example, tonight he didn't like what we had for dinner. Tough luck, Mister. You may be young-er but I know you won't ever let yourself starve.

It finally came down to he had to have at least ONE bite before he could get down (not before he got different food, that wasn't an option). We put one bite of food on a fork and then sat next to him on the table.

He whined, and pleaded, and sang, and made silly faces, and blew kisses. But picky eating doesn't fit in our family life style and I won't encourage it not matter how stubborn they chose to be. They don't have to like everything that is made for dinner but they do have to be grateful for the time and effort that goes into feeding anyone. That is done by eating something that isn't what they would have chosen. They don't have to eat ALL of it, but they need to show gratitude.

Lest you think this rule completely harsh, lunch is a lot more laid back. There are more options and I am willing to cater to everyone's cravings. They still need to be grateful for the service they are receiving, but they do have more of a say.

Dinner is different. Everyone is tired by then. I want to be able to sit down and actually eat with my family----not be running around fixing different things for everyone. One meal works best for that.

He chose to sit there for 30 minutes after everyone had finished. He knew what he had to do. He's a very smart boy.

Eventually, getting out and playing with his siblings out weighed winning the picky-eating battle. He willingly picked up his own fork, put it in his mouth, chewed, swallowed with a big smile on his face and we all celebrated!

That's the thing about us. We celebrate BIG time for well chosen decisions. Even decisions as small as one bite of food.

How long can one day last?

Today has taken for.ev.er. Seriously. I swear the kids must have been running around turning the clocks back just so they could see mom sway a little when hardly any time at all has gone by.

I've been getting up earlier, but I've also been going to be earlier. Still I am tired!

This thing that I am doing, well the second part, is so hard. It has taken everything I have to get through it and I've only done it for TWO days. The end result so better be worth it.

And for some reason Beckham is incapable of doing anything I ask, no matter how small or completely expected, without saying, "No!" first and throwing a little fit. I'm hoping it's just a phase, but he may be sent to one of your homes for a night or two just so we can get some space. He's actually quite a nice boy when it's not me asking him to do something.

We got the tree undecorated today. The rest of will come down this week. I'm always kind of glad to get back to my normal decorations after Christmas. I guess that goes to show there can be too much of  a good thing.

A normal day

Whew. Today is nearly over.

It started out really well. That thing I was anxious for turned out pretty good.

But the second part of that thing made the rest of the day go REALLY slowly (sorry to be so cryptic. As soon as I get the go ahead I promise I'll let you all in). This second part is going to be very challenging but I'm determined.

To keep myself busy I got a lot done. All the laundry folded. It was a ton of laundry. It took most of the day.

Also, our dish washer died. It's pretty old so we aren't surprised, but it's not the best timing. In the mean time, we will be doing all of our dishes by hand. It reminds me of growing up so I don't really mind it. That, and the kids seem eager to help because it's still a novelty.

There is something about putting your hands in soapy water and washes dishes that is extremely calming to me.

The kids were pretty emotional today. That always happens when there is a major shift in our schedules such as going back to school.

I helped with Karaia's class and actually remembered to bring her birthday treat. Hooray for me! I TOTALLY forgot about going in December and she was SO sad.

"Mom, I waited for you ALL day. You could have come at any time. But you never came......" 

Doesn't that just break your heart?

To keep it in context, it was the same day as the Lion House party, which was one day before the baptism so it's not like I had forgotten her birthday....I had just forgotten there was yet another way to celebrate it.

Thankfully, her teacher rocks and smoothed things over for me and rescheduled.

After a great family night lesson on tithing, perfectly capped by Karaia's testimony, I decided to cut Beckham's super, super long hair. HE proceeded to throw a big fit. That kid hates hair cuts. He told me,

"I don't like hair cuts because then none of my classmate know who I am."

That's only because we let it grow SO long before we actually cut it that he really does look like a different person.

Maybe I need to add one more goal to the New Year: Cut Beckham's hair consistently so he doesn't have an identity crisis at school.

Anxious

We stayed home from church today to add in operation Let's-not-get-the-WHOLE-world-sick. It is officially day 8 of just the six of us. Not surprisingly, we have a great time together. Lots of laughing and playing...as much as sick people laugh and play that is.

Tomorrow I start something that will aid in one of my New Year's goals. I can't give specifics right now because I promised someone I would keep it under wraps for a few weeks, but I can say I am excited and super anxious to start tomorrow.

I hope this helps with the change I've been wanting, but it doesn't come without a price. I am really going to have to work for it.That is what makes me anxious.


Still, the success that come from the hardest amount of work seem to be the most satisfying.

Familiar Start

I love that I know how the first day of every new year will be spent. It comforting and comfortable.

The first day of each new year is always spent with the three cousins I am closest too. We call ourselves the Four Musketeers. OK I call us the Four Musketeers, but I haven't heard a petition for a different name and until I do that is how I will always think of us.

This year, instead of the usual movie and lunch we chose pedicures and lunch. It gave us more time to talk to each other and now our toes are all cute and sparkly.

I give you full permission to laugh at my weirdo shaped toes but not at my cute green toe nail polish

We went to Q nails in down town SLC. The price was perfect and the service fantastic. If I were more of frequent pedicure kind of a girl I would definitely go there again.

This is also usually the time we exchange Christmas gifts with each other. Chrissy gave us each two. The ones she hadn't quite finished last year which were super cute mini scrapbooks of New Years Eve at Disneyland and then this year's, darling, darling, ear warmers with matching gloves. I pretty much adore mine.

Not the best picture but it's WAY better than the one I'm not using. We are all MUCH cuter in person *wink*

Sarah was also very thoughtful and gave us fuzzy socks with yummy smelling lotion to keep our pedicures looking nice. Catherine is pregnant and just recently out of her 1st trimester so her gift to us was the pleasure of her company, something we all will greedily take. I had high plans of making something this year, but the week of sickness interrupted that and I bought a small token to show my love. Next year though.

Afterward, we went to the Spaghetti Factory for lunch.



I can't imagine the year without these girls. I am so grateful they are in my life.

A goal

As you are all highly aware, a new year is often coupled with a few resolutions or goals. I too have made some of these goals.

1. Have my own fabric line.
      --This will continue to be a goal for at least this decade. I hope it doesn't take that long, but if it does I will probably be the most grateful fabric designer you would ever care to meet.

2. Lose the last of the baby weight
     --My mother-in-law is giving me a great gift. The gift of a month with a personal trainer. If I can't lose the baby weight after that....well than I am a pretty sad thing.


3. Post on the blog every. single. day. for ONE year
     --I remember my sister, Annie, telling me about a blog that did just such a thing. Two sisters made a deal with each other that they would post something everyday no matter what.

Now this my not be a big deal to blogs that have sponsors or multiple posters, but it will be quite the feat for me. In my dream of dreams this will be a really BIG year for me. Regardless of whether it is or not,  I want every last emotion documented. Well, maybe not all my emotions. I'm not perfect you know. I'm not sure how much of my lack of patience I want documented for my children to remember. I'm kind of hoping to have that all worked out by the time they are a bit older so that they only remember a super patient mom. It's another goal.

So that's the deal. A post every day. They won't always be long, or interesting, or even have pictures, but they will be about me and my family. We aren't super exciting, but we sure love each other a whole lot.

'til tomorrow.