You win some and you lose some

I'm kind of a lazy mother some days.  I like to say things like "I SAID __________!  Now if you guys don't listen there's going to be trouble."  "Don't make me come over there."  And of course their actions beg me to rise off my keester and provide some enforcement--which I don't.  I spew forth all the verbiage that Love and Logic tells you will ruin you and your kids but I do it anyway--cause well, I'm lazy--some days more so than others.

Well, I've always thought the kids watch too much TV.  Now by TV I don't mean Judge Judy.  Generally we are dancing along with the Wiggles or practicing bath tub safety as directed by Barney or expanding our vocabulary with Word Girl but nevertheless the TV is transmitting power.  I think the TV is affecting the kids concentration levels as I can talk to Matthew and it's like talking to a zombie. 

So today I actually had a little more parenting energy and despite the death threats, I declared that the TV was going off this afternoon and we would play games.  In fairness to the kids, I really don't play with them that much.  If you count washing dishes or folding laundry as playing, then I do but most kids don't count that kind of stuff.  We brought the good old fashioned colored blocks to the surface.  I was amazed by what the kids conjured up.  Spencer built a horse pen for his tiny horse (like 1 1/2" horse).  The horse needed a blanket so he used his genius switch and pulled off the unused portion of Caroline's tissue for the horsey blankie.  He then got his own pillow and blanket and took a little snooze (unfortunately pretend) with his horse.

Matthew built a dragon, which I have to say I have never seen made out of blocks and was quite original.  He is on a How to Train Your Dragon kick so we eat, breathe, and sleep dragons right now.  How fortunate for me that I found a dragon costume at the Methodist church consignment sale last month for it will house the body of a little trick or treater tomorrow night.  Matthew is extremely imaginative and always has been, despite the TV, and this was reinforced by his creation today.  He is a master of 3D creations using paper and a roll of tape.  If I provided him the the amount of tape he requests, perhaps I wouldn't have the TV problem because we would have a totem pole erected in the front yard using construction paper and tape.  There isn't anything a roll of tape won't fix, just in case you're wondering.

After blocks, we boarded the minivan and went to the library where the kids headed straight to the DVDs--as usual.  After they selected every one that wasn't nailed down, I suggested they each pick one book.   I guess you can't win them all.

And sweet little Caroline only heard "Get her away.  She's wrecking my blocks." Say, who does (or doesn't do) your hair?

{And now for some random photos of fall}

The aforementioned dragon costume.  Please note Lady Gaga in the left of the photo.  Should I be scared that a kindergartener is dressed like that?  Note to self, direct Matthew to choose a different prom date.  Perhaps Little Bo Peep?   Snow White is already taken.

Engh Gardens

Dragon painting

Don't forget, curls make you crazy.

Double Life

I'm not sure this topic is even worthy of a blog post but that could probably be said about other posts I've written and it's been on my mind.

So this week I've been thinking about those who lead a secret double life.  Some double lives come in a respectable sort of way--like if you have to pretend you're a florist because you work for the CIA.  Others are brought on out of stupidity or bad lifestyle choices.  Such is the story of a co-worker who looks all gum drops and lollips but is a really baaaaad egg.  I am relieved that after almost four years of ethical obligations to remain mum about his misdeeds that I don't have to any more because they are now a matter of public record.  Whew!

So this is not so much about his story, although it is a riveting tale, as about me wondering how many people out there are doing the same types of things.  Hasn't everyone known of someone who has pulled off some bizarre lifestyle that no one ever suspected because they ate whole grain bread and were the president of the PTA?  Happens all the time.

I must confess that I lead somewhat of a double life--I say I want to lose weight but pack away the cake when no one is looking and we look like we are clean people but we really have a dirty toilet. . .but that's not going to land me in the clink, which is exactly where my "friend" should be.   So now I'm looking around my neighborhood saying "which one of these people is not what we think he/she is?"  It's a sick game but it's true.  I wonder who the next one to be "revealed" will be. 

And don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about we've all known someone. . .

FHE Classic

Matthew was in charge tonight.  I couldn't have come up with anything better myself.

The boys played General Conference for FHE. 

We started with some "organ" music, moved to the prayer phase and then the talk.  The talk (delivered without notes or a teleprompter) started out making sense but by the end was moving in some random direction.  It was classic.  I only wish I had it on video tape.

Props include Step 2 slide, Sterlite plastic container and Wendy's kids meal microphone.  Only going to prove that the gospel really is basic.

Odd & Ends

In random news:

Today we launched.  Not into space.  We have been working on a new website since June 21.  It looks snazzy but we need to work out the kinks.  I was a little naive to think it wouldn't have any.  It apparently has some shopping cart issues, which is really you know, why we built the thing in the first place.  Hopefully they will be a quick fix.  The web world has been a new experience for me but kind of intriguing.  If I had more time, like alot more time with a cook, nanny, housekeeper and gardener, I might enjoy learning more but after all, I'm one soul without the aforementioned assets.

Last week the kids were off school and we took a trek to Lagoon.  The kids never seem to tire.  The older I get, the weaker my stomach becomes. There was a time in my life (back when I did my hair and was skinny) that I could ride anything and remain virtually unaffected.  My mom always sat out and I didn't get it.  Now I do although with small kids, I have to participate whether I think my stomach may hurl or not.  I think the merry-go-round has even gotten a little out of control.  I thought may lose my footing somewhere between the frog and the osterich.

On Saturday we visited This is the Place pioneer village while Corbin was busy at home pulling his back out laying pavers.  The pavers have been in the back yard since we moved in four years ago but who was I to stop him when he woke up on Saturday morning and proclaimed "I'm going out to do the pavers."  I was happy right up to the point when he announced that he pulled his back out and would be out of commission for a time.  He managed to emerge for dinner last night but otherwise has tried to keep it flat.  Hopefully it's not a long term issue. 

The little man is not so little any more.  Matthew turned 6 on September 21 but we are a little behind posting photos although we have made great strides in the photo department.  He hosted a Superhero party for friends.  Nothing is so exciting as a birthday when you're six.  It is so fun to watch him grow.  It's a perk of motherhood after doing diaper duty.  Thanks to my friend April for being on photo duty while I herded cats.

Notice that the best of friends and worst of enemies (that would be Matthew and Spencer) appear together in almost every shot.  The other day I saw Matthew get close to Spencer's head and say "I like your curly hair, Buddy."  And in reply Spencer offered up, "Thank you."  Love abounds no matter what.

What unsupervised Elmo bubble bath can do

When I was a kid, I loved the Brady Bunch.  I was kind of a Brady Bunch groupie.  Within the first ten seconds of an episode I could pretty much tell you which one it was going to be.  It was a wholesome pasttime.

In one episode one of the six children put way too many soap suds in the washer and when Alice went in the room the whole place was filled to the brim with suds.  I always kind of wondered how she cleaned it up. 

Well, now I know . . .

In keeping with my goal to preserve childhood, I took the kids on a bike ride and remained calm while they tromped through water puddles in their shoes.  Upon return, I thought it would be best to bathe them to rinse off those icky street germs.
 
The boys wanted to get in the master bathroom tub . . . and add bubble bath . . .and turn on the jets.
 
A lethal combination.  But SOOOO much fun.  So I'm told.  Bubbles speweth forward in all directions when I surveyed the damage.  I'm sure they were at least three feet high on the floor.  I did laugh--just for the record.  What else could you do when you see those little faces?
 
No good deed goes unpunished.

Photo Journalism Special: Spies and Underworld Superheros of Sandy, Utah

Rule one:  Disguise your tool kit as a .25 cent Bob the Builder backpack from a garage sale.  A low hanging diaper will also throw them off the trail.

 Rule 2: Stand up straight and look like you know where you are going.

 Rule 3: Don't show them you're strength until you have to.

 Rule 4: It doesn't matter if they are clean or dirty, don't let them see your face.  Oh, and always protect your shins.  (see photo #2)

 Rule 5: Without a tool kit held in very close proximity you are nothing.  And a  fork in the undies never hurt anyone no matter what your mother told you.

Rule 6:  Raise your hand if you're sure.  (now that one dates me)

We need better armor

This past weekend was General Conference for our church.  During General Conference we hear current messages from our leaders instructing us how to be happy, which of course, coincides with making good life choices.

I love General Conference weekends.  They are relaxing and it seems that one of us always falls asleep.  Of course the kids are in and out of the room and we are up and down tending to business but it's still a motivating experience.  This time the kids had a bingo card to cross off when they heard certain words which they were pretty jazzed up about that.  Matthew chose one talk (Pres. Eyring) to listen to the whole way through and much to my surprise, he stuck with it marking off this card as he went.  He was even able to regurgitate some the the addresses the next day.

As much as I love General Conference, it's a little uncomfortable too because it alerts me that I need to get off my keester and do more.  I need to be more spiritually in tune and work harder to have peace and harmony in our home.  During one of the conference talks, I looked over at the kitchen table where all three kids were coloring and/or climbing.  It struck me that I am their mother, they will grow fast, and I am responsible for the welfare, the total welfare, of these three little souls and someday I will miss this.  I snapped a photo which will win no awards but I wanted to memorialize exactly how my children looked at that moment in time.  

Since Matthew started school in August, I've been thinking more about how high the stakes really are.  He needs to be armed because he and all the others will fight a mighty battle the likes of which have never been fought in the history of the world.  Sometimes I think about the young Greek warriors who were trained to fight so young and how they considered it an honor but as a mother I think it is horrid.  But if I were a Greek mother, there is no way I would send a young son to battle without the best possible training in all the land.  Similarly, our children must have the best, most durable, armor in the form of spiritual strength that we can afford.  And for me I must afford more in the means of teaching time and energy.  I don't want to look back someday and wish I would have done more when they struggle, which will surely happen at some point in their lives.

I've discovered that bedtime is our prime teaching time.  The kids are more receptive to chatting and start to relax and unwind right after they wear themselves out from jumping on the bed and having a pillow fight.  They love to read stories from The Friend and it gives us a prime chance to discuss spiritual topics.  The other night we found ourselves knee deep in a story that I was frankly, a little uncomfortable with.  It was about a little boy at the playground who had friends who were trying to get him to look at pornography.  My sweet boys, thankfully, are clueless, which is exactly how I want it but it left me holding the bag as to how to explain what was happening in the story and why it's wrong.  Matthew then informed me that he would buy a gun, turn into a real live super hero and destroy the bad guys and the blow up the buildings where the bad people were.  A lofty and admirable goal to rid the world of evil, no doubt.  When I asked him what he would do if someone tried to show him a picture that wasn't nice he promptly informed me that he tell them he was a kung fu/karate master from one movie (thank you very much Kung Fu Panda).

So the next night we talked about baptisms for the dead, the resurrection, and accountability for children less than eight.  It kind of seems heavy duty but he's eating it up and he needs to learn while he's receptive.  Spence just takes it all in, as much as his little miniature body who still fits in some 18 month clothes can understand.

Some days this mom business is serious stuff.