Update...

I am doing much better again. I really appreciate those of you who took the time to respond to me, both because the actual responses were helpful, and because it is just meaningful to me that you cared enough to respond in the first place!

Time is so short lately...we had the Holiday Shoppe at the big girls' school this past weekend (which I am in charge of), with Number One's baptism coming up this Saturday, and lots of other details in between.

I'll be blogging again soon.

A little Christmas mom cheer thanks to my friend Stephanie (I hope I made the good mom list!!!)

I'm generally not a fan of forwarded emails. I get too many, and most of the time I just can't appreciate them like the sender intended me to. However, my friend Stephanie is pretty discerning in what she sends. We seem to be on the same wavelength, so I always read hers. I really appreciated what she sent this morning. In fact, if you read it aloud you just might find yourself laughing out loud. I did.


Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases,
since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find
anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can
hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't
fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning , or the luxury of
eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back.

Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold.

Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on my carpet.

Yours Always,
MOM...!

P.S. One more thing... you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.

What are your tricks?

I am appealing for your comments here...

When you find yourself in a rut, and you know you are losing sight of the joy in your life...how do you pull yourself out?

I mean, maybe you guys don't have the problem of sometimes just feeling burnt out and unmotivated, but I do. And I need some new tricks. Or at least some motivation to pull out the old ones.

I would love to hear what you do...and if it is too personal, please consider sharing anyway, but just leave it as an anonymous comment.

I am counting on you guys to save me from my next large chocolate fix...

PS

And last but not least...our beautiful Number Five.


I just can't get enough of this girl.


Especially when she isn't crying!

Chocolate and More Chocolate...

Warning...sometimes blogging is my therapy. And it was a long day...thus the LOOOONG post. You may want to read it over several days, but there are lots of pictures to help the story along!

So...in running a hostel lately I have returned to my bad habits...no treadmill while hosting basement guests has led me back to a path of coping by ingesting copious amounts of chocolate sans daily exercise or proper sleep.

Not good for my weight loss efforts, or my patience level.

However...it was darn fun while it lasted! After my sister left, we hosted our annual Finger Foods Feast, which was lots of fun. It was definitely more fun for me than in years past because I hired two baby-sitters to man the basement. There were crafts galore for the kids to enjoy, and I didn't have to supervise!!! I didn't advertise as well this year and so attendance was down to probably around 50 or so, but I think most everyone who came had a great time, so all was well.

The next morning one of Dave's many brothers, Rick, and his family arrived. We hadn't seen them since three kids ago! Way too long. They are such easy and pleasant people to have around and they put up with us so well. Our kids loved getting to know their kids. The grand finale of their visit was a trek into the city where we ate at the Rainforest Cafe. We celebrated both Number One's and Rick's birthdays, and Number One couldn't stop raving about how great it was. We hope to see Rick and family again before having another three kids (lol...just teasing you love!). Seriously though, we definitely want to see them sooner rather than later. (PS Rainforest Cafe has an AWESOME chocolate volcano dessert. It is huge and delicious.)


Rick and Janae enjoying the meal. (Or is that Janae enjoying some of Rick's meal?)


Their oldest daughter, S, is sixteen already! It makes me sad to think that we are halfway to a sixteen-year old. At least Number Five is still a baby.


I remember T as a little boy. He is so grown up now.


Dave got to cab it over to meet us. We're so glad he could make it! And he might be even more glad he didn't ride with me to the restaurant. Don't ask why. Also, don't ask how many people fit in a Suburban, or if downtown driving can be difficult.


Though Number Three doesn't like cheese, her favorite food is pizza. Hmmmmm.


Here we see Number One and Number Two with cousins J and K. K is just over a year older than Number One.


Happy cousins.


Can you see Number Four asking for a bite of Dave's chocolate with his eyes? Awesome.


And a happy almost birthday girl!

Then on to the real birthday and Thanksgiving with some great friends. We celebrated with three other families, and included birthday cake for Number One. She received some great gifts, and had a great day. Number One has to put up with a lot. I practice my parenting on her, and rely on her to be responsible. It is a tough job to be the oldest of five when you are just turning eight, but she does it well. Happy birthday my darling baby girl! I don't know how you got so big.


The fashionista! Hat and jacket chosen by the birthday girl at the Rainforest Cafe.


Blowing out the candles in her cupcakes.


Eighteen kids from four families. Crazy.


And the poor family with only three kids hosted the rest of us!


Looks like one happy birthday girl!

This past weekend was so great, as Dave was home! We took the time to cut our own tree as a family, and we decorated for Christmas. Fortuneately for me, we got an extra day with him Monday. Granted, it was because he was in terrible toothache agony all weekend and had a root canal Monday morning before passing out for several hours to exhaustion, but at least he was home! If only we were independently wealthy and Dave could just be around all the time.


We found our tree! Can I say that pushing a stroller through the forest while holding a toddler is not fun? I was thrilled to choose a tree.


Number Five had been sleeping when we arrived, which is why I didn't put her in a baby carrier.


What is it with boys and sticks?


And girls and dolls and purses in the forest. Hello? Fashion and accessories are a priority for this child at the most random times.


Dave at work, while Number Four, ever-interested in what Daddy is doing, looks on.


The lumberjacks line up with their prize.


I love having kids around to help decorate!


Darling Number Three having a fabulous time.


Chic Number Two decorates herself.

Maybe we should have a Discovery Health show about Mormons with lots of kids to support our lifestyle so Dave could be home all the time...Ya know...Mormon People, Big Car: Two Plus Five and Maybe Counting Someday broadcast on Monday nights after Family Home Evening.

In the meantime...Dave continues to put in the hours (he should be home around 10 tonight) while I try to motivate myself to get back in the treadmill habit. Tomorrow. Tonight there is a brownie fudge ice cream and pumpkin chocolate chip cookie sundae waiting for me downstairs.

It was inevitable...

that sooner or later we would start buying glasses for our kids. I got glasses in kindergarten for the first time just to help with distance. By about fourth grade I had to wear them all the time to function. I have had contacts since I was 12. Dave got glasses in high school. He wears contacts most of the time too.

Effective for the kindergarten students of this school year, a comprehensive eye exam with an optomotrist is required for admission to school. Number Two cried at the end of her appointment...she didn't need glasses and so badly wanted them!

About a month ago I noticed that Number One seemed to be having vision issues. I made her an appointment and voila...

I think she looks pretty darn cute with them on.

At least she was nice enough to let her sad sister try them on (notice the sad envy look behind her eyes)...

It has been two weeks now and Number One thanks me often for getting her glasses because she can see so much better now. She doesn't need them all the time, but they sure help the poor girl see the board at school!

And I have a hunch that sooner or later, Number Two will get her wish for the "four-eyed" look. In the meantime, she is trying my patience with her determination to ruin her eyes on purpose...watching TV from 6 inches away and looking at books in the dark whenever I am not right there to intervene. Grass is always greener!

More Growing Up...

My little Number Three started preschool this week. After having been diagnosed with "profound phonological disorder," she was admitted to a special phono preschool program through the school district.

I love how we have to have a label to get help with anything! Kind of cracks me up. Bottom line, Number Three is above average in her vocabulary and sentence structure (scoring 91st and 98th percentile, respectively), and she is all around a very bright girl. However, she makes so many pronunciation errors that most people can't understand much of what she says. Thus, the disorder label and the need for the special preschool.

She has been so excited to go! It was all a whirlwind this week, as we met with the district speech pathologist to go over the results of her evaluation on Monday, and she started the program Tuesday at 8:15 AM. Fortuneately with my sister here, I was able to do all her school supply shopping on Monday and get everything ready.


[Look at the size of that backpack!]

She had a great first day. As soon as the aide helped us unload the contents of her backpack into their proper places on Tuesday (snack, drink, folder, notebook, etc), Number Three looked at me, said, "Goodbye Mommy," (as in, "this is your cue to go now") and found her spot on the carpet.

When I picked her up after school, her teacher (the speech pathologist) told me it was like Number Three had been to preschool her whole life. She just fit right in perfectly, and even knew how to use scissors properly, which most of their incoming preschool kids don't. (Thanks to Number One and Number Two for helping her with that skill.)

Today she wouldn't hold my hand as we walked up the ramp to her classroom. She just didn't want to. She wasn't rude about it...she just didn't need me.

I am thrilled that she is getting the help she needs, and thrilled that she is so capable and competent. But I am a little sad. I hadn't planned to send her to preschool until next year, which would have given her two full preschool years before kindergarten. But now this milestone has come and gone so quickly, and I feel a little sense of loss as she is one step closer to really growing up.

Now if she could actually give up her diapers, she would REALLY seem more grown up, but somehow I don't think I will feel any sadness when that finally happens.