5SF Edition 44

FIVE SENSE FRIDAY

***

TASTING-

sweet treat FOR our weekend guests

sweet treats FROM our weekend guests

*

SMELLING-

Papa Bear wearing

Juicy Couture Dirty English Cologne

*

FEELING-

wrapping paper for Addisons birthday tomorrow

*

SEEING-

four kids conked out on Addy's daybed

*

HEARING-

SIA- We Are Born

*

Anniversary Lovin' updates on Facebook

.april 26 1997.

***

"There once was a family in I.F.... 13 year marriage in one sweet breath... he is hotness says she... she is goddess says he... man and wifey will love beyond death... you had me at rollerblading..."  -Sara

"Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

After 13 years,

You're still stuck with,

You know who!"

-Chris

"13 years of sweet wedded bliss... ups and downs to our marital list... lots of kids we did make... lots of land we did stake... good thing we have forever to kiss!"  -Sara

(and we both remembered it this year)

THE YEA-HOO GALLUP (april 24)

What is it like to give birth and shed that motherly figure that so delicately cushioned your baby?  It's hard man.  I've never been that hot at shedding those extra pounds gained each time I have a child, and so making a goal of running a 10k with my family was just the thing I needed to make sure I was working towards the prize.  I feel so lucky to have a family that makes memories by promoting a healthy lifestyle and supporting eachother along the journey no matter what fitness level you are at.  Dad made this run extra special by surprising us with tshirts and naming it "The Yea-hoo Gallup" in honor of our beloved passed dog Spam.  He had speakers booming at the start and finish line with heart pumping music, balloons, access bars and plenty of water.  You could just feel the love in the air, and my sweet husband and kids cheered me along the way in our blue swagger wagon... Tade even helped me finish off the race and I'm so proud of Addy for running the whole thing with our dog Tucker.  I'm sooo not a natural runner like some of my siblings... I sweat like a banshee and did my fair share of jiggling, but now I'm down to pre-pregnancy weight and with our next family goal of running Ragnar in Vegas, I'm sure to lose the rest that I've been lugging around all these years. 

Here's to healthy living!

Mexico (april15-17)

WHERE MEN BECOME...

scorpion catching, fish snorkeling, board surfing, salsa eating, golf going, poolside laying, sun soaking, spanish speaking hombres.

.chris.dad.tony.trent.sam.sammyd.jairus.
.xavier.jessie.devin.shawn.jacody.

enjoy the silence?

***

I have not.

Every day that went by without a post overwhelmed me. Another event and story passing meant more work down the road, and with time memory fades making things harder to recount, oy.  I can't believe that it's been two plus months since my last post... you know it's bad when you get more than five emails wondering if everythings okay... you're so sweet.

Everything is okay, in fact everything is terrific, busy and terrific!

Five kids has not left me with the "me time" where I can afford to immerse myself in the blogging world... but there will come a season for that... and hopefully I can catch up bit by bit.

Here's to breakin' the silence!

woe is not me

i just sent out a very snarky reminder to the mothers of my cub scouts that went a little something like this...

***

*reminder for tomorrow, wednesday april 14th*
kids come home from school and mom nags to do homework 3pm

peel a video game controller out of their hands 3:05pm

feed kids a snack because heaven forbid they starve 3:30pm

wolf and bear den meeting 4-5 my house!

webelos den meeting 5-6 my house

dinner for family sometime, somewhere, somehow.

relief society birthday dinner 6pm at the church

hip hop dance class 7pm

kids hungry again, toss 'em a piece of bread

baths? maybe next week.

put kids to bed 8pm

assess the damage to the house and kitchen, cry a little.

put kids to bed again 9pm, and 9:15, and 9:30 and...

have a stiff drink(dietpepsi) and half a pan of brownies 10pm

think of all the things you forgot to do,

eat other half pan of brownies...

eventually pass out on the couch.

***

i hope they know i was kidding,

sort of.

my sarcasm stems from several places...

*

the place on my hands and knees where i've been cleaning up spilled milk, permanent marker, bright red lipstick, desitin, toothpaste, chocolate, and who knows what else put there by the devils apprentice (aka, the leprechaun, aka, tade) he has been on one serious tour of terror lately.  i'm sure it has something to do with charlie, but i give him tons of attention, and have never had such a "busy into trouble" child like this before... more on this later.

*

also on the docket, every day since "the incident" (a boy got sick on the bus) i have had to convince my kindergartener that it's okay to go to school... he's been traumatized and thinks about it constantly.  not a day goes by that he doesn't talk about "the incident".  i'm trying to act cool and brush it off, but i also want him to know that i care and love him and that his feelings are valid...  i just really want him to get his mind off it and back into life.  i don't know if talking about it feeds his fear or resolves his issues.  it's kind of like that story where you walk into a doctors office and read all the pamphlets on the table about diseases and start wondering if you have them yourself, even when you didn't know they existed just a few minutes before you sat down. oh well, this too shall pass.  

*

then there's the blooming tweenager in all her glory.  to add to her list of woes, including no cell phone, and no life (according to her), papa bear accidentally broke her finger with a broom.  i think he feels as bad as she does... but amongst the tears a little part of her feels cool to have a broken finger (you know that part that feels cool to get braces and glasses).  we let the puppy out in the front yard and it started to dart for the busy road, so chris got a broom to do some tough love and then addy reached for milo's collar just as chris went to strike the dog (which for the record, does not jive with me) at least she doesn't have to go to piano lessons today right? there's always a silver lining.

*

and then there's me.  little 'ol me with my messy house, to do lists, lack of training for the 10k i'm supposed to run in two weeks... and the things going on in our life that i can't share on a public blog.  one day at a time right?  the funny thing is, even if our list of woes stretched to the moon and back again, there will always be someone who has it easier or harder than we do... and as i sat down to share my thoughts i found the following pictures on my desktop.  they are from my aunts husband corey who is a doctor and went to volunteer in haiti.  he is amazing and has a huge heart, to drop everything with his crazy busy life and go down and help those in need, despite danger or the unknown.  these images immediately humbled me and i've stopped complaining... i just wish i could retract my snarky message to the cub scout mothers.

5SF Edition 43

FIVE SENSE FRIDAY

***

TASTING-

metro mints- lemonmint water

lavender vanilla bean fleur de sel caramels

kings cupboard- three chilies caramel

*

SMELLING-

more paint...

lots of projects brewing

*

FEELING-

longing for papa bear who was busy traveling for a few days...

this lotion reminds me of him.

*

SEEING-

...thrift store art chic...

i'm working on a paupers budget trying to collect art for a wall in our home but it almost makes the chase even more exciting.  it's like the concept i try and try to teach my kids, that you feel so much satisfaction when you work hard for something instead of just getting it handed to you on a silver platter.  you appreciate what you have more, and the patience is good for your soul.  like all thrifting, it takes many trips pillaging through junk until you find that one perfect piece..

*

the lady below was a steal at $5.

i'm totally in love with her lips and hair

vintage portraits are delicious.

*

this is actually not a real painting but i can't resist the colors

and i'm hoping to use it as inspiration for a painting of my own.

it was $8.

*

this little cowboy number is hanging above the toilet in the boys bathroom... he is affectionately known as "the pee sheriff"... he's there ready to bust any boys who don't aim their shooters in the toilet. (creepy you say? you clean up after little boys who pee all over the floor, and then we'll talk creepy.)

he was only $7

*

finding this rose oil painting was one of those moments where you want to squeal out loud with excitement for just scoring something fabulous, but you don't want to alarm the other nice folks thumbing through old records and musky stuffed animals, so instead you calmly pick it up, non-chalantly place it in your cart, and then proceed to act cool as a cucumber, in a fridge, in antartica... with a big 'ol fat smile on your face. (it needs a new frame)

this was $10.

*

another moment where i thought i would die from heavenly thrift store glory, was when i found this french chapel painting... it needs a great frame and some cleaning up, but i stole it for a shameful price of $6... where are the people giving up this art and what are they thinking?

*

HEARING-

...lisa mitchell...

*

adventures in babysitting

a wee little part of me hesitates in posting these pictures...  you know, in the off chance that one of my kids run for senator one day and these photos come back to haunt them...

but so far, their career ambitions include serving a mission in space,

and being a wendy's food giver,

so i think we're safe.

***

it was only a matter of time

that Addy in all her hormonal "I'm the only girl-ishness"

started using her brothers as human dolls

and dressed them up to her liking...

at least the adventures in babysitting include fruit, floss,

and an occasional cleaning prop.

the dying flowers add a classy touch too.

addy snapped the following impromptu photo shoot

while papa bear and i were out on a date night.

***

i'm so debonair that i don't even need

to wear a shirt with this tux.

no cowboy sheriff is above eating fruit 

at a french bistro...

and yes, i'll pay the tab with my spidey wallet.

nothing says awkward more,

than a boy in a genie outfit,

with pom poms,

and a pale outie belly button...

...except for maybe this picture.

the old man stache tops it all off.

nicely done stylist addy.

nicely done.

dragons in diapers gotta floss too yo.

fear the felted batman.

like i said before,

ketchup goes with everything.

he learned last time

he was made to walk the plank,

wearing goggles was key

to avoiding underwater eye irritation.

the child witch cackled with glee

after he zapped the 70's housewife

and stole her broom and mumu,

for he knew,

deprivation of sweepage

was the ultimate insult.

and so,

on the twenty fifth day of march,

the munchikin from oz

with the androgynous haircut 

defeated the last zombie that threatened

to steal away its lollipop.

if i can't see them,

they can't see me.