Running

Today I feel like a million bucks.

I even tapped danced for the toddlers.  (Only they would truly appreciate it and laugh with me, rather than at me).

I love the feeling of getting up before the kids and getting a good hard work out in. (almost puking = pushed it hard AND should not have eaten a half pan of mint brownies yesterday)  I love when I can make a yummy breakfast and have the kids ready early enough to not bring out mean mommy before they leave for school.  But mostly I am super nervous AND super excited for my race this weekend.

I am signed up to run the Pacific 1/2 Marathon in Agoura Hills California.  I didn't find this article until after I signed up, but it sure got me even more excited: http://issuu.com/lasf/docs/lasportsandfitness_novdec08_pacific_half/3?e=1056390/3160107 .  I wanted to find a race near my Grandma so we could go visit her and take the kids to the beach. This one happened to be within the time frame I wanted and runs right past my Dad's high school from when he was a kid.

I am excited because I had such a great 12 mile run that I know I trained hard and can do this.

I am nervous because I have never done this, and there are HILLS and MOUNTAINS in the race...which I know I will just be slower, but I am a little scared they will be harder than I am imagining.

But then I remember I can do hard things, and it is going to be a great weekend!

Still tap dancing with excitement.

Off to enjoy the weather and take a walk with my babies.

words

Today Preston changed the way he says Emali's name.  We have all kinds of loving names for Emali.  We call her Emali, Emi, Emers, Lou, Emi Lou, Emali Anne, Sugar, Princess....but never Ema.  Preston calls her Ema, or at least he did.  Today he called her Emi.  I love that he had his own name for her.

Last night Emali surprised me with a response.  She was crying and had just come into the house from the backyard.  I came in moments behind her and asked her what had happened.  She told me, " I ALMOST DIED!"   uhhhhh....what??  " I ALMOST DIED!! I hit my mouth on the couch mommy!"  Apparently she thought she almost died.  It was just so random and I have no idea where it came from and she was so cute.  Love her.

I heart my babies.

Genius

I love my Travis.  I keep saying he must be a genius.  He has so many ideas and projects and inventions on his mind, ALL THE TIME.  But really, he forgets all the little things.  This morning he could not find his reading glasses.  Just as he was heading out  the door I ran up stairs and found them sitting on his dresser.  I was feeling accomplished because that would mean one less trip to the school today, and may be none at all! (unlike friday, when Travis was having a rough morning.  So he missed the bus, and then also forgot his glasses, and then Nate fell in mud and needed clean shoes and socks and wardrobe! =3 trips!)  But then, after they are all out the door, Emali is snacking on a sandwich and has a bag of grapes, and I find Travis' empty lunchbox (mind you it is the back up lunch bag because his lunchbox is probably on the bus, or still in the lunch basket at school).  This kid is going to have a high paying corner office/or secret laboratory kind of job...but his wife is going to be a busy lady! I am trying to train him though! :)

FIRSTS

I didn't cry when my kids left for the first day of school, or on the same day when my baby cut his first tooth, AND took his first steps.  Or the next day when the kids took the bus and it was Brelee's first time and she ran ahead of us the whole way and had zero fear to step on the bus in the line of 30 or so other kids at our bus stop.  Or when Preston was walking between furniture and using the wall to even stay standing and Emali is showing signs she is excited to potty train (trust me though, we drag that step out as long as possible!). But darn it, I want them to all come back home and to stop growing up.

I think Emali wants to stop growing up too, or maybe she is just confused because all the big kids are at school and she only has Preston and I to copy.  She helped me empty the dishwasher and insists on putting the laundry soap in the washer and pushing the buttons for the dryer, and REdoing EVERYTHING I try to do for her.  But then some days, she asks me to carry her in the front pack (hence my shoulder having issues lately) and puts on a bib and asks me to spoon feed her in the high chair.  But today, just a minute ago, she broke my heart.  She asked me to nurse her.  She was crying, "mommy! feed me! and lifting up my shirt."  I love her so much, she makes me smile and I wish she was small enough to nurse her and just cuddle her to sleep.  But thankfully, she let me get her a snack and cuddled with me on the couch without throwing a fit that I wouldn't nurse her.  She usually (weekly?) has a day or two that she will throw a fit because SHE wants to nurse Preston.  She really wants to, and I let her try, but he cracks me up and for some reason hates it when she choke holds him and forces him to sit in her lap.  haha!  She is such a good little mommy.  and she and Preton really are bet buds.  I love it.  I love my family so much and I was tearing up thinking about how big they are.

HOWEVER, lately the kids like to do things I LIKE to do to!  I love playing with them when they are little, don't get me wrong.  But last week we all learned the cup game together and last month the big kids learned how to play Settlers of Catan and we can all play together.  I LOVE riding bikes with my kids and some of my favorite memories are teaching each of them to ride without training wheels.  And this summer we read out loud and listened on CD to several books that I couldn't put down and I wanted to stay up just as badly as they did, and finish reading the books to see what happens!  The last two days after school, we have gotten a snack and then turned on a movie.  We watched High School Musical, High School Musical 2, and Freaky Friday.  I had never seen the first two, and we all loved them.  Emali was dancing all over the place and Brelee even got up and danced with me a few times.  We have just been relaxing together and enjoying each other's company after they have been away all day.  We miss them, I hope they miss each other.  But I know they are doing great things and I love them so much.

can you see my first tooth?  only 10 1/2 months old! :)

notice Brelee, to the left of the trash cans way ahead of us walking to the bus

my big helper!

Dear Daddy Day 11

Today started off AMAZING.
I woke up, and I thought it was about 6.  You know, our alarm clock is crazy fast.  But I don't think I told you that I never reset it after the power outage...and today I forgot that.
I decided to get up and shower.  I got ready for my day and before leaving the room, I even ironed the kids' church clothes.
Before I left the room I heard a couple kids get up.  Someone was digging in legos, and I was pretty sure it had to be Travis.  Last night I had to peel him from the Legos as he was inspired to build a double decker couch and Emmett's car, after watching the extras on the LEGO movie blue ray.  I also was pleased to hear someone practicing the piano.  I LOVE it, when the kids get up and want to get their chores done right away.  I love how the boys are progressing on the piano.  Wesly was busy at it, and it sounded great and those noises made me smile.
I came down stairs and went to work on Nathan's talk for primary. When I was done with that, I think is when you called to chat.  You were passing through Delaware on your way to Philidelphia to do some site seeing with your group.
We eventually had breakfast, played the never ending game of monopoly where the kids left off yesterday, and got ready for church.

We headed out the door about 15 min till the hour and I wasn't too disappointed with our time being later than normal, I was just glad we were going to be there before it started.  The boys offered to get my bags and go get us a seat while I unloaded the little kids, Preston slept through sacrament meeting last week, and I was sad to see he had not dosed off yet and would be adding more excitement to our 70 minute workout called sacrament meeting. 
However, before I was even in the door, the boys came back and told me that it was a different ward in the chapel.  uh???  really?  I was trying to figure out what was going on, and Emali slipped in the door to the church.  It was only a moment later that I heard her scream...I wasn't sure that it was her, and then I was.  I knew exactly where she went.  She has been fascinated with the stairs to the stage lately.  But I found her in the cultural hall, she can't open the cultural hall doors, and there was no one else around (slight miracle because I am beyond embarrassed now).  She had ran up the stairs and the curtains were shut on the stage and I am not sure how fast she was going, but she fell off the stage. :(  She screamed for a bit and I got her to the car.  She kind of freaked me out when she suddenly got calm and almost looked like she was going to take a nap.  concussion?!  I threw everyone back in the car as I had by then figured out we were an entire HOUR early to church.  (i need some sleep)
I got everyone food once we got home and checked on emali, but she was back to normal.  I wasn't sure how I would muster up the energy to go back to church.  I called you and vented a little, but we didn't have much time before we were loading back up to get a RE-DO, and I really needed that re-do.
We headed back to church and miraculously Preston went to sleep. :)  We slipped into a bench next to the Parkers again (yay!).  Brelee quickly found her spot next to brother Parker and the boys were good.  We lasted most of the time and only had minor incidents of Emali choosing to lay spread eagle in the middle of the walk way and I had to take Brelee and Emali out once for Brelee being stubborn.  Emali also had two little friends that sat in different rows and the three of them would take turns eying each other and saying "MINE!" as they thought the other 2 yr old was looking too hard at her cereal cup or water bottle or toy.  They were kind of cute.
Primary was great, Preston was great, the kids did good.  Wesly did come to me and say he wasn't feeling well amd he did say that his throat felt like it did when we thought he was having acid reflux.  I think I (we) need to pay attention to that and try some more ideas for him. If it keeps coming up like this.
5 minutes before church got out, I decided to take my bags to the car so I wouldn't have a hard time later.  Then, when church was over, I got the kids and I tried to start the car before buckling everyone in to cool the car off....but it wouldn't start.  I looked at all the lights and I hadn't left anything on.  I was confused agai and stepped out of the car ready to cry.  Wesly asked what was wrong and I said I think our battery is dead.  Just then, Brother Miller was walking by and heard what I said.  He asked if you were around and I said no.  He said he would pull his car up and give the van a jump.  In the meanwhile, the Parkers also came by and noticed my distress and Rich and AJ and Zane got htings hooked up to get us on the road.  Only it didn't work.  More trying and what not and it was determined to not be the battery.  Sister Parker offered us a ride home and I got worried that maybe we would be locked out because the garage door opener is programed into the dead car, and my key to the house is the same as yours, and yours has been finicky lately.  AJ was able to get the 3 boys in his car and Preston and the girls all road with Tracy.  I left my keys with Rich and he said he would take a further look at the car and let me know.
In the meanwhile, we were going to get you in PHX tomorrow and worked on finding a ride for you and canceled our fun water park plans :(  Just as we were leaving the church, Sister McKinlay came back to check on us because she had seen our issues before she left.  She is super in tune with the spirit, because Saturday she offered to bring us dinner for Sunday, and it was super appreciated tonight!!
You asked me to call Brother Esplin to see if he could help Brother Parker with the car and they showed up at our house just after 5 with the van rigged up to come home once, but it needs work on, or a new, starter.
I had been feeling kind of sorry for myself, so I did as my Father would tell me, and I found someone else to serve.  Of course, in the best way I know how, I made mint brownies. :)  We went for a walk after dinner to deliver them and the family we chose was not home.  We decided to go further around the block only to have Emali run away out of the stroller (I thought I told myself to always strap that girl in?!?!) and out into the middle of the street, where the family we had meant to take the brownies to, drove up in time to see me chasing her down the road, and then they drove off again (we'll have to try tomorrow).  just a little embarrassed again of my awesome parenting skills.
We then hi-tailed it home and thankfully so, becuase the Eagars were at our door ready to take the kiddos for a ride in the Mule.  (fourwheeling golf cart-ish)  Awesome, because then they came in and I got them to eat some of the tempting brownies and I was so happy for company to pick up my spirits.  (even if the house wasn't clean)

Dear Daddy Day 10

Saturday is a special day...well, it was today.
I got a text in the morning from Micaela.  She and Jackson got engaged....so Micaela is getting MARRIED!  super exciting.  The kids thought it is funny that Jackson's last name is Skinner...since we just watched 101 dalmations (not the cartoon) an dthe taxidermist's name is SKINNER.  :)
 We cleaned and cleaned and then had friends over for lunch.  The kids played hard with the Glausers again.  They started a monopoly game as well that is yet to be put away.  Saturday night we were feeling lonely, so we asked the McKinlays to come over and join us for a movie party night.  Where of course, we watched....THE LEGO MOVIE. and had to watch all of the extras and repeated the sing along version of EVERYTHING IS AWESOME. because IT. IS. AWESOME.

Can't wait to hear more details about your trip!

I love you always forever.

Dear Daddy Day 9

The power went out today and took out the internet.
We didn't make it to the movies, but Brelee and Travis had fun birthday parties to attend.  We made a fun minecraft creeper  shirt for one friend and Brelee had fun picking out a My Little Pony purse for her friend.
When Travis got home from his party, we headed over to the Ora Mae pool for free swim time and met the Glausers there.  We also go to hang out with the Gallions and the Toone kids. I can't wait to show you Brelee's progress! And Emali is a FISH!!  Preston was so comfy, he fell asleep and napped while I held him in the water too.  Nathan was super excited to also bump into Rowan at the pool, those boys get a long super well.
After swimming we hussled home to change and eat hot dogs before heading to the church for the ice cream social.  Wesly invited Jaxon K. and Nathan asked me to invite Rowan and his family.  Jaxon was able to come and Rowan's mom said she appreciated the offer, but they couldn't that night.  The kids loved the ice cream and I ran one rotation of games before I had to take off early for my soccer game.
Enter the tantrums: Everyone was having a great time and was mad that I pulled them away.  We picked up our babysitter (jordan) and dropped off Jaxon and I was quickly back on the road for my soccer game.  Preston crying and I picked up Kortney.  Preston pretty much didnt stop crying until half time of the game when I nursed him to sleep.  Zane came to the game to watch him for me and I felt so bad for him.
The game was great, we ended up winning 2-1, but I wasn't really in it.  We are trying to figure things out with new players still and the baby was crying and it was hot...excuses excuses...but I am hoping I am more pleased this coming week.
BIGGEST EVENT of the DAY:  Travis LOST A TOOTH!