December Swim Session

If it's possible for someone to become significantly more brave overnight, Kiki did. Not one to shy away from the water anyway, today's trip to the pool showed she is fearless. She saw the pool, started running, and ran straight to the water and over the edge of the pool without skipping a beat. Soon a mere leap into the pool wasn't a big enough adrenaline rush for her anymore, so I resorted to throwing her into the pool to Bruce. Here's some fun underwater shots:

Look at the smile on her face- even under water.

DB

Ellyse- look for Kate's behind in this shot- thought that was pretty funny.

Jake

Kate gives it a try, but the arm floaties and desperate need to plug her nose impedes the shot.

DB again.

It was another fun day. We are starting to wind down and getting ready for the return trip in the next couple of days. My kids are going to be devastated when we arrive home in sub-zero temperatures and feet of snow. Kate said, "We should move here!" Bruce asked if she would miss her friends, and she said, "Nope." I have a feeling though, that a week here in the summer would change her mind about relocating. It has been really neat to see Kate bond and play with her cousins, aunts, and uncles. Kiki has been a little slower to warm up, but she has admitted a select few into her circle. "Bye, bye, Boppy!" she said to Aunt Christy. I don't know what "Boppy" is supposed to mean, but it sounded like a term of endearment.

I received a linguistic promotion today: Instead of just being "Ma!", Kiki calls me "Mommy" now. It's one of those "Title change, but no pay raise" situations.

Made an Early Trip to the Store Today...

I didn't really have a choice, since when I stumbled into the bathroom first thing this morning, I laid eyes on a naked Kiki (not unusual) happily scratching her hiney crack with my toothbrush.

My first thought: "Thank goodness I caught her the first time."
Second thought: "What if this WASN'T the first time?"
Third thought: "Listerine! I need Listerine!"

No wonder I've been sick for the last three weeks. I've been brushing my teeth with Kiki's butt germs.

The Play by Play and Random Anecdotes

We have been busy here! We spent the day after Christmas like many others: the girls (even Kate) got pedicures and went to lunch, then we went shopping. Bruce and Kiki spent the day at Grandma Hatch's. That night we went to Golden Spoon for a little fro-yo, and decided that Kiki was actually a caveman. Here's the evidence: she only grunts to communicate, she has terrible table manners, and her posture is not so good.

On Saturday, we went with the Whittaker's and James and Tiffany to Freestone Park, which is a great park just across from where we are staying. Due to an egregious math error on the part of the girl working the ticket booth, we had plenty of tickets for the kids to ride the little rides there.

Kiki on the merry go round

Jake and Kate on the bridge

Kate and DB riding the mini-ferris wheel

We did eventually run out of tickets, but the girls still wanted to ride these horses. Uncle James just shook the horses and said, "It's a recession, girls. Sorry."

We went with Christy and Wes and family for fro-yo (again! yum). I asked Jake about school, who his teacher was, and was she nice or strict? He said, "Nice AND strict." Kate added, "That's just like you, Mom." Christy assures me that it was a compliment. Later, Tiffany exposed me to the joy and beauty of a grocery store called Fresh 'n Easy. It was as named, and also cheap!

Today the weather was beautiful- 70 degrees. I think that 70 could be the perfect temperature. Bruce and Wes played 18 holes of golf, while Christy, Cheryl, and I took the kids swimming. Kiki thinks she can swim, so we were there only a few seconds before she took the plunge into the 4'6" deep section. I wasn't planning on swimming, but obviously I went in after her. I managed to grab her by the ankle and only got wet to my knees. The rest of the swim session went much the same- Kiki making a leap for it, me coming to her rescue.

All this playing has been EXHAUSTING! Kiki illustrates it best. Here she is this afternoon- she fell asleep mid-Cheeto.

Christmas Day Recap

This is the night before...Rudolph dropped off new Christmas Pj's for the girls.

The scene at James' and Tiffany's. It was so nice of them to let us crash here for a week, and also so nice of them to give Santa directions to their house.

Kate was thrilled with her new Leapster. She originally wanted to ask for other things from Santa, but I thought a leapster would be a good gift, so I bought it anyway and then used the power of suggestion/Jedi mind tricks to get Kate to think she'd ALWAYS wanted a leapster.

Burke, Mark, Tiffany, James (festive in his Christmas sweater vest!) and Kate. If you would like to marry either of the two lovely gentlemen on the left, please let me know immediately.

Kiki stripped down to make friends at a later get-together. She really has a way with people. This trip alone she's added several important "friend-making" words to her limited vocabulary: DON'T!!! and MINE!!!

I'm always a little sad Christmas night- the day seems to go so fast. I conned my sister-in-law Tiffany into hosting Christmas dinner at her house last night, hoping to prolong Christmas as long as possible. She was game, and I'm indebted to her to responding in the affirmative when I asked, "Hey, Tiff, can we stay with you a week, and can we bring our kids, and can we host dinner for 25 on Christmas?" What a trooper. Bruce served a mission to England, so I though a pseudo-English dinner would be fun. I wanted it to still be GOOD, and edible, which is why "pseudo-English" was as far as I was willing to go. We ate roast beef and gravy, new potatoes, and the star of the feast was the Yorkshire puddings. Bruce has often reminisced about the Yorkshire puddings on his mission, and when I did a little research I found that they are simple ingredients and pretty easy to make. We had pound cake with Bird's custard for dessert, and I think the meal was a success. Perhaps Bruce will comment with his feelings on the topic...

I also must say that even though she was far away, my mom saved Christmas dinner. Christmas morning I put the roasts in the crock pot, and when we returned at 3:oo, Tiffany and I were horrified to find that they were still raw in the middle! We were eating in two hours and I did the only thing I knew to do in such a terrible situation: Call my mom. She gave us specific instructions which we followed to the letter, and at 4:45 we had delicious, tender roast beef. Thanks, Merrilee, you saved our bacon.

All in all, it was a great Christmas spent with family and friends.

Christmas Eve (and a few Sea World Pictures from Tues)

It's a miracle! A genuine smile from Kate as we ride the Sky Ride. I think this is my favorite picture of her lately.

Bruce's self-portrait with Kiki at the Sea Lion show. Poor girl was so tired...

The flamingos

They were looking at sharks, but I really just like this picture because Kiki's legs look so chubby and cute.

Kate touching a starfish at the tide pools.

As mentioned in the previous entry, we went to see the lights and a short concert at the Mesa Temple last night. I was happy we went- it definitely helped me to feel the Christmas Spirit. That is, until the girls both had screaming fits the entire car ride home.

Some of us were less interested in the lights than others (John playing his Nintendo)

Kiki, Bruce, Burke, Wes, Christy, and Jake

Ruth, Ali, and Donna

Kate loved the lights. She was excited to see the "activity" (Nativity). Kiki busied herself by gathering handfuls of mulch from the beds at the temple and emptying them into the purse of the hapless individual who sat next to us. Then I busied myself by sidling away silently and acting natural.

California Vacay Morphs Into Arizona Vacay

My use of the word "morphs" could be a leading misleading, since I feel "morph" indicates a quick transition, whereas the drive here was 6 hours plus and I felt every minute of it.

Yesterday morning we hit Sea World- there were a few attractions that we had missed that Kate really wanted to see: the Tide Pools, the flamingos, and the sea lion show. We were there just a couple of hours, but it was enough to tire Kiki out to sleep all the way to Yuma, AZ. She woke up in Wellton, AZ, where we gassed up and I got a new boyfriend. I was standing in line to buy travel food (Diet Coke and Pringles) and the old men in front of me were arguing about who was going to pay for their coffees, and I said, "Well, if you all are just dying to pay for something, then pay for this," gesturing to my stuff, and one of them said, "Hey, I'll buy anything...or anybody." Now, why'd he have to go and ruin a pleasant exchange between strangers?

Kiki happily watched Elmo for a couple hours, but then things really started to come apart. She and Kate were bickering and crying, and so we whipped into the Burger King in Gila Bend, AZ, just to let the girls stretch their legs and get their wits about them. Let me say this: I have a strong tolerance for public restrooms. It takes a lot to disgust me, especially when I have to go real bad, but the restroom in the Burger King was right up there with the worst. I still went, of course, but I hovered, and I RARELY feel the need to hover. So, as a word of warning to future travelers: You will be better off relieving yourself in the bathroom at an abandoned Chevron, or a construction sight outhouse, or a public restroom in Pioneer Park, than at the Burger King in Gila Bend, AZ.

The last leg into Arizona was a two lane highway through the Sonoran Desert, and the conversation obviously turned to shape shifters. Some believe, some don't. I related the following story to Bruce (and this will probably hold no one's interest except for Brooke and Rose, so consider yourself warned): Brooke, Rose, and I had gone to the cabin over spring break, and were meeting some friends. One guy drove up from New Mexico to meet us, and he was sort of a believer in the shape shifters. He told stories that he swore up and down were from reliable sources about shape shifting. It was night, and Rose said, "Oh, yeah, I believe in that." Brooke and I, if I may speak for her, were both thinking, "What the heck? There's no way she believes in that crap." Rose went on, "One night, I was driving down Hoytsville Road. I must have been going at LEAST 25 miles an hour. Maybe even 30. And I looked over, and I saw this squirrel running beside me, and it looked at me, and it had ONE RED EYE." By then our friend had figured out Rose was making a joke of his closely held beliefs, and he was MAD. But I still laugh about Rose's shape shifting squirrel. Aah, memories, and it the trip down memory lane helped to pass the time until we arrived at James and Tiffany's house.

Kate asked me, "Is James in love with Tiffany?" I thought that was cute that she is starting to sort out feelings and relationships.

I can't believe it is Christmas Eve! Having grown up in Utah, it doesn't feel like Christmas to me when I'm in the desert. I'm trying to get in the spirit, and we are going to see Christmas lights tonight, so that should help. Kate is so excited for Santa to come tonight- just when I was growing tired of Christmas, my own children have helped me see it in a whole new way.

CA Vacay: Rainy Day

We spent Monday in the Balboa Park area, and we took the girls to the science museum. It's a great museum with lots of hands on displays and an Imax theater.

The rain broke long enough for a picture in front of the fountain.

We learned about poo and other sick stuff like tapeworms, fleas, and flies at a display called "Grossology."

I taught the girls how to get bangs like I had in junior high.

As if there wasn't enough excitement, Kate lost her second tooth last night! She was so excited, but is also a little worried about how the tooth fairy will find her.

Today we are going to Sea World for a couple hours, then are heading to Phoenix for Christmas with the Hatch's.

California Vacay: Sea World!

"Kate," I said, "Would you rather go to church or Sea World?" Of course she chose...
SEA WORLD! Bruce said I was cruel for even posing the question.

This picture isn't half bad considering Kiki's finger was in her nose almost the entire time we were in line.

Me -n- Bruce
Just kidding, don't get all offended.

Moments later, Shamu or one of his brothers came to the surface and regurgitated fish all over a guy near Kate. That was a close one...

Kiki relaxes in the Sesame Street Playland. "Mo-mo," she kept saying, which means "Elmo."

We had a fun day at Sea World. No one had a melt down or a screaming fit, so as a parent, that's a success. Kate was thrilled to finally be at Sea World, and I only hope that the reality was as great as what she had hoped for and imagined in her mind. Kate also took her first real roller coaster ride, and the snapshot taken by Sea World was hilarious- Bruce had to buy it, because it showed pure unadulterated terror on her face. When I write that out that way...not so hilarious I guess. Sorry Kate, if you are scarred for life. The weather has been beautiful, but tomorrow may be rainy, so we are formulating contingency plans.

Our California Vacation: Part One

We made it! We left Friday morning hoping that we would avoid any bad weather, and the plan worked. The roads were good and there was no snow. The girls behaved decently- they passed the time sleeping and watching movies. We stopped for lunch at the KanKun Cafe in Beaver, UT, and if you are ever in the area, I recommend it (Thanks for the tip, Dad.). Bruce passed the time after lunch making endless jokes along the lines of, "I like to eat in Beaver." He really outdid himself.

We stayed in Vegas at the South Point Hotel. Thanks to the sluggish economy and Priceline, we booked a 5 star room for $50.
There was snow in Vegas, but it didn't matter to us! We went swimming in a pool that was heated to the temperature of a bathtub. Kate and Kiki were in heaven. Dinner was a fiasco- we wound up just getting it to go and eating it in the room. The next morning, as we gassed up, we noticed a used pregnancy test laying on the ground next to the pumps, and Bruce said, "Are you done with Vegas?" and I said, "Let's get out of here." If you don't gamble or drink, a stay in Las Vegas has its limits.

We arrived in San Diego yesterday and took the girls for their first visit to the ocean.



Kiki face planted into a wave within five minutes of arriving, which is why she is sporting a diaper above. They loved the ocean. Kate collected shells and Kiki practiced her bullying skills by throwing sand and stomping out my sand castle.

Today is SEA WORLD! Kate has been talking about this for months- I hope we meet her expectations.

Do You Need a Little Perspective?

Ah, December! A month of craziness, consumerism, and crashes (both economic and emotional). I've felt that the "true meaning of Christmas" has been lost to me in a flood of tasks and stresses. I know that others have felt the same way, and I remembered something my cousin Rose sent me a couple of years ago. It bears repeating:

Earth City

If Earth’s population was shrunk into a village of just 100 people, with all the human ratios existing in the world remaining, this is what our village would look like...

61 would be Asian

21 would be European

14 would be from the Western Hemisphere

8 would be African

52 would be female

48 would be male

70 would be non-Christian

30 would be Christian

70 would be black

30 would be white

6 people would possess 59% of the entire world’s wealth,

and all 6 would be from the United States

80 would live in substandard housing

70 would be unable to read and write

50 would suffer from malnutrition

1 would be near death

1 would be pregnant

1 would have a college education

1 would own a computer

If you live in a good home, have plenty to eat and can read, you are a member of a very select group. And if you have a good house, food, can read and have a computer, you are among the very elite. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more fortunate than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation...you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death...you are fortunate, more than three billion people who cannot. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If you can read this message you are more fortunate than the two billion people who cannot read at all.

I need a reminder, that Christmas or no, we all are truly blessed with things that we absolutely take for granted. Somehow, whether or not my child gets a Leapster seems to matter a whole lot less when I think of the suffering and pain in this world. Starting right now, I'm refocusing myself: on family, on giving, on gratitude.

Celebration and Vacation

Kate was waiting up for me when I arrived home from gym early Monday morning. She was so excited to open her birthday presents.

Yay!! It's a Hannah Montana doll, guitar, and microphone.

I hate the damn microphone.

If I don't respond quickly enough to a request for a snack or a channel change, Kate assumes I just didn't HEAR her, and turns on the microphone and restates her request at an amplified volume.

Blowing out the candles on her Hannah Montana cake.
We are so happy we got to celebrate with family and friends- thanks for giving Kate a special day. She is so excited to be FIVE. She has reminded me several times that she is a grown up girl now. She also counted her money in preparation for our Sea World Vacation and informed me, "Mommy, don't worry if you aren't rich, because I am rich!"

December has felt like a series of hurdles. I seem to have been constantly planning, preparing, or executing some event or another, but last night was my last "thing" before our vacation. (In case you are a reader of this blog with a sinister purpose, our home will be watched by a sharpshooter in our absence, and I'm not kidding.) I am so looking forward to spending time with Bruce and the girls- we are going to San Diego for a few days before heading over to Phoenix for Christmas with the Hatch's. I just have to gear myself up to two days of laundry, packing, and errands. I can't wait to fire up the truck and hear the back door slam behind me on my way out of here.