Nothing profound

I have nothing earth-shattering to say. It's just been almost six months since I LOOKED at my own blog. Pathetic! The kids are busy and I have a few minutes, so what the hay! This October I ran my first half marathon with four friends from my ward. Megan, our fearless leader and running guru, made each of us a picture of our feet with the words "I Can Do Hard Things" on it. It is in my kitchen and I look at it multiple times a day (most often between the hours of 4 PM and 6 PM weekdays). It is amazing how those five little words help me. I can be patient. I can serve when it's not convenient. I can try something I've never attempted before. I can do hard things. Thanks, Megan.

First day of summer...

...was actually yesterday. I was musing as I sat in the swelter of 95 degrees and almost one hundred percent humidity at McKay's swim meet. Natalie was at home with strep throat "in the depths of despair" because she was still contagious and couldn't compete. Two weeks ago she was furious at me that I would have the audacity to sign her up for swim team. Now she cries if she misses it. It is a good thing I don't always listen to my kids--they don't always know what is best for themselves. But sometimes they do.

For example, several months ago, we found out that Wicked was coming to town. Darren and I had seen it, so we decided that the kids (all except Sammy, of course) were old enough for a fun, albeit expensive, cultural experience. However, David said he didn't want to go and McKay said he didn't really enjoy the music and wasn't interested in going. Natalie was in raptures, of course. She has the whole score memorized. Well, Darren and I, being the all-knowing parents, dragged our rapturous daughter and two reluctant sons to the matinee performance on Saturday, certain that once the two heel-draggers experienced a real Broadway production, they would love it.

The entire first act, McKay was afraid that something scary was going to happen. It is about a witch, after all. He told me afterward that it was okay, but next time he would like to see something happier, something less...wicked. Bless is heart! He has a sensitive soul that one. David just slowly opened about 200 pieces of very well-wrapped candy during the still moments of the show and asked a million very loud questions: "Is that lady really flying? Are those monkey's wings real? Is that green lady bad? How much longer? When is this over? Can I sit by Dad?" You get the picture. (The candy was totally my fault: he had just come from a birthday party and had a bag full. I thought it would keep him quiet. Ha!) Natalie was still in raptures.

I was exhausted. I cam home and immediately went to bed. Remember, we had seen a matinee, so I was tucked in...early. Sometimes, it pays to listen to your kids.

Summer begins

We've already had a whirlwind of activities and we are only two weeks into summer. Short review: "big kid" trip to Washington D.C. with Darren's parents, David's 5th birthday, Darren's 37th birthday, trip to Land of Lincoln, Natalie's first ballet recital, McKay earns yellow belt in karate, one round of strep throat, one round of stomach flu, one swim meet, and a David and mom trip to Utah for Great-Gramma's 90th birthday. Whew!

Okay, we did all that in more like six weeks, but we have to pack it in! Did you know that summer is now only ten weeks long? I swear summer lasted at least six months when I was a kid. I need to relax a little bit, I think. Summers of my youth probably seemed long because I didn't have a crazy mother yelling: "Hurry up! Go have fun! Your childhood will be gone before you know it!" Childhood is all about wasting time. I know that. But can't we morph that into "strategically" wasted time?

Time is moving much too fast. My little kids aren't so little any more and I'm not ready for that yet. I've been a parent for almost a decade and still don't have a clue. Well, I might have an inking of what one of the clues might be, but that's it. So much for my musings. I'm going to read Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles books with David. We don't waste time around here!

The Giant Attacks!

Not really, but it is a really cool sculpture.
The kids had a riot climbing all over it.


With Uncle Agitz, Lindsay and Evan, and Lindsay's two dogs, we had a full house over spring break. Luckily, the weather has been amazing. Darren is very proud of his apple and peach trees in the backyard--they are alive!!

Nothing like a good weather poem...

Thanks, Becca!

Spring Cleaning by Susan Reiner

"Winds of March, we welcome you,
There is work for you to do.
Work and play and blow all day,
Blow the Winter wind away."
"March bustles in on windy feet
And sweeps my doorstep and my street.
She washes and cleans with pounding rains,
Scrubbing the earth of winter stains.
She shakes the grime from carpet green
Till naught but fresh new blades are seen,
Then, house in order, all neat as a pin,
She ushers gentle springtime in."

Some pictures from 12th Night For Kids (at the beach!)

A brave new world...

After eating an entire sleeve of thin mints (curse those Girl Scouts!), I have finally configured this blog and am actually posting something. Oh the stress of choosing colors and fonts! Now I just need some content. This might just be the first content-free blog online. Time will tell...

Well, 12th Night was a success--the kids performed well and loved it, despite all the complaining I heard from them last week. The set has been removed from my dining and living room and all I have to do is move my furniture back and fold about two weeks worth of laundry. If I can actually get the laundry room door open, that is. Stay tuned for some pics from the play.