A is for Airsoft

A is for Airsoft--Jake got an airsoft gun for his birthday this week. I don't think it's overstating it to say that this has completely changed his life. Whether moms approve or not, there's nothing like having a firearm of your own to make you stand a little taller.

B is for Bathroom--We are gutting and remodeling the kids' bathroom. I am so excited! As of late, the only way I can stand to be in that room is with my eyes closed and/or holding my breath. A new paint smell will be such an improvement.

C is for Campout--Brad took Jake on his first overnight Boy Scout event. Sleeping in a tent in January. Then repelling down a 100 foot drop in the morning. Good times.

D is for Dentist's Office--My new favorite hangout. Fun! Convenient! And inexpensive! (I'm being sarcastic, Jeni...)

E is for Emily--She took advantage of Jake's absence to host a girl's night this weekend. There was giggling. There was pizza. There were whispered conversations regarding the cuteness of Sterling Knight. (What?! Never heard of him? Well, I guess that's why YOU weren't invited...)

F is for Fabulous Fundraiser--Tonight our neighbors hosted a Cupcake Party for all the kids on the block. Each child donated money to send to the Red Cross in Haiti and, in return, got a free cupcake and a juicebox! The total amount raised was more than $300. Isn't that a great idea?

G is for Goodnight--Gee, I'm tired. ABC ya later!

A Book to Inhale

Mom gave me this for Christmas and I could not put it down.

The words were so beautiful, the thoughts so poignant. If you read Mitten Strings for God, you are familiar with Kenison's gentle advice on mothering young children. Here are her thoughts on raising teens and letting go as they grow up. I am going to re-read with a highlighter in hand.

Eleven Years Ago

Eleven years ago I was awake in bed wondering if you would ever come.

Afraid of jinxing the adoption, I had not purchased a single diaper or pack of undershirts or any of the baby furniture I'd been coveting for years.

All I had was an empty bedroom next to mine and the What to Expect book which I had secretly read with religious devotion while on vacation with your dad in Hawaii. No one knew you were coming, so I couldn't read it by the pool or on the beach. Our traveling companions probably wondered why I kept sneaking into the hotel room and, if they had looked closely at my face, they would have seen it hovering between hysterical laughing and hysterical crying. I could never decide which.

On the long flight home, I took advantage of Dad's laptop and typed up my twenty page Mothering Manifesto. All my hopes and dreams. The kind of mom I would be. The kind of person I would train you to become. Unfortunately, this brilliant piece of philosophy was forever lost in some tangled mess of binary code and, though I hunted for ages, I was never able to find it again. Too bad. I think it would make me chuckle these days.

Eleven years ago I lived in a brand new house that was spotless with white carpet in every room. All of my Magic Markers had lids. I kept coffee table books on my coffee table. And I bought dry clean only clothing.

My life was different eleven year ago. I didn't know how to unfold a stroller or sterilize a bottle or love unselfishly. Believe it or not, I'd never watched a single episode of Phineas and Ferb or made a peanut butter smoothie. I had never been to the orthodontist and there were no action figures in my bathtub.

Eleven years ago I didn't need to color my hair and the backseat of my car was completely crumb-free. But I'd never had a Mother's Day card or heard you read Bears on Wheels all by yourself either.

Eleven years ago a new life began. And I don't mean yours.

Happy Birthday, Jakey! Can't imagine my life without you.

Brad's New Girlfriend

My husband has a new love in his life.

And I couldn't be happier.

Who cares if she's European, ubersexy and a whole lot younger than I am? This little cutie will do things for Brad that I haven't in years. Things like taking him to the airport at four in the morning and telling him which way to turn on a roadtrip to Lancaster County. She'll warm his buns anytime he likes.

The thing is, Brad has been completely faithful to a solidly built Japanese gal for the past eleven years. (Well, except for a brief infatuation with the petite, vintage German number. But she was expensive and high maintenance and mostly pouted in the garage, so she doesn't really count.)

Anyway, Ms. Solid has been good to us, but she's starting to show her age. Her rear end is sagging and she makes embarassing noises. I told Brad I don't want to be seen with her in public.


And, after an absolutely agonizing selection process, he found his new love just in time for his birthday.

Sooooooo much better than the gift he got last year.

Resolute

So. We're six days in and I still haven't made any. Resolutions, that is.

The kids did...

• Luke--Learn to read.
• Sam--Learn to tie shoes.
• Em--Memorize times tables 0-12.
• Jake--Achieve First Class in Boy Scouts.

Now those are some resolutions. They have a beginning and an end. And they will all, most likely, be checked off the list before the ball drops next December. In other words, they will be resolved.

But what's a thirty-nine-and-a-half-year-old supposed to do? I'm not sure.

I refuse the usual exercise more/eat less/save more/spend less/organize more/clutter less promises. Those are about as exciting (and unending) as a resolution to keep the kitchen counters clean. I want something a bit more jazzy this year.

If you have some good suggestions, I would love to hear them. Seriously.

In the meantime, here are a few glimpses of our frozen tundra. The snow is gone, but the air is absolutely painful and all the moisture in the grass has turned to ice.

So, of course, my kids are outside with no coats on.

We have our own skating pond!

(Yes, camouflage is considered a wardrobe neutral. Try it sometime.)

Object Lesson

After a little bit of early morning destruction, we all settled in to our first day back at Seminary. Starting my day this way is like exercise, I dread getting started, but once I'm warmed up there is no place I'd rather be. I'm lucky to be part of this elite early riser club.

But I need a new alarm clock.

In Denial of the Fact That...

1. Seminary starts back up tomorrow. My alarm clock will be buzzing at 5 am. Eastern Standard Time, people.
2. This week's high is 36 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Two of my children--the ones who have been living on candy canes for four weeks straight and whose daily oral hygiene routine is over before you can say gingivitis--have dental appointments right after school.
4. 10 pounds Christmas cookie pleasure = 10 pounds New Years' pain. (Welcome back, Carbface. How I have missed ye...)
5. A couple of my favorite guys have a birthday this week. They will be expecting cake, balloons and thoughtfully selected gifts, preferably not wrapped in Santa paper.
6. 2010 is the year I turn 40.
7. The toys-- that looked so cute wrapped under the tree and stuffed merrily into the stockings --don't look so cute now that they are unwrapped and strewn merrily throughout the family room.
8. My Gapcard payment is due.

Anybody with me?

Of Sleep, Sun and Salsa

A million thanks to all you Southwestern sweethearts. It wasn't just the sunshine that kept us warm and the best gifts weren't the ones under the tree.

You made our Christmas magical! We love you.