So, my kid is better than yours...

Essentially when any parent brags about their kid, that's what we are saying, let's be honest...
not because we really think our kid is better, but because our kid brings us so much joy more so than someone elses kid, doing the same stuff would do. It's kinda a pride moment.

So here's a story about a little girl I am proud of.

So, it might not be hard to pass the first Grade, most of the time. But it seems like a pretty big deal here. :) Today was Olea's "end of year celebration" at school. She was one of three kids that doesn't have to go to summer school. So it is not a "graduation." And end of year reading was supposed to be level 16-18 and she's a 24.
YAY!
We had a rough start to reading so this is thrilling for me.

So here are some pics from her "end of year celebration" ... I am once again thinking of the interchange between Bob and Helen on Incredibles...

Olea holds Nevy Olea and Ms. Tello, the reading mastery teacher. Olea just loves her.

Cast introductions, Olea curtsied instead of bowing. How cute is that?

(While snacking afterward, a lady told me, "Four? Oh that's enough, you gotta stop."
..........
didn't ask for her opinion. Gary was like, "Don't be offended: you agree with her." He's right and I'm not offended, but seriously, that's not her call to make. I should probably get used to it though.)

After it was over I checked her out and we went to a friend's for a pool party. Good stuff. It's nice to be able to get to know some people outside of church setting. Gary got home from his trip just a few minutes before us and had a bouquet for Olea. He felt bad he missed her special day. She was so thrilled with the flowers, and the princess balloon that came with them. She was so excited that it was all hers. She was sweet though and said she'd share a flower or two with me. (I didn't take her up on it.)

Mischief is...

These two: Zurich and Nevy

on the top of the pile of boxes in the spare room... that was dangerous

at the bottom of the stack of boxes in the spare room...

running off the wrong direction while waiting for Olea's bus

decorating the baby's saucer with an entire sheet of stickers

helping Daddy with yard work by loosing his gloves

Apple on a serving fork anyone?

This is just cute, Nev in her Jammies from Michelle. (Tshirts from the place she worked) The long sleeves on it are so funny and she handles them well.

Nevy really likes to shred paper lately I find this all to often

Having fits while I am stuck feeding the baby


but they are pretty dang cute:

Secret loves

I recently commented on Facebook that

I secretly really like the postal system.

Now that the secret is out I'd like to elaborate.

Back in the days of my childhood I patronized our local library quite often.

I was one of those lucky kids who had a library card. Who participated in Summer Reading Programs and even took some of the kids I baby sat to the Library.

I also really love public libraries.

Summers were spent with a sunny walk to the library for some new literature and a nearby convenience store called Island Market for candy. I'd take the loot home and put out the picnic blanket on the lawn, or climb up in the apple tree and read and snack away... ya, I know we're not supposed to eat and read.... Ladies, you are also not supposed to take books in the bubble bath, but I know you do. ;)

One book I remember was about mail. (You are welcome to send me a copy of this book.) called the Jolly Postman. This book incorporates famous fairy tales as well in a humorous way. But it wasn't your regular old book. No, it was awesome! It was like you were a nosy (and criminal) postman who read all the mail. As I remember it there were envelopes of all types on the pages and letters that were folded up tucked inside. Postcards too. The book had all sorts of cool die cutting.

I also really like stuffing envelopes.

One summer I had a job working with my sister at Embroidery.com and they needed someone to send out coupon mailers to the customers. It was the dreaded job that no one seemed to want to do, so when I was presented with the job, I was T-H-R-L-L-E-D. Stickers, folding, hand addressing, stuffing envelopes, seriously, what isn't fun about that?

The very idea of mail is magical, you put a piece of paper in an envelope.

Add a special sticker

and a little bit of spit

and a wave of the magic red flag off it goes

and can make it to wherever you addressed it faster

than you could get there on your own.

Those envelopes hold cards, love, gifts, sentiments, gum, dollar bills, stickers, drawings, pictures, pretty things and all manner of written word. When you find something addressed to you in that box you feel all sorts of special. Hey, add parcel post and the excitement is quadrupled!

So why do I love the postal system? Because it is magical.

Batman

Tonight we attended a dinner and silent auction to raise money for the young women in our ward to attend Girl's camp.

Gary found this:


And said he was buying it for Zurich but we know the truth!

as a side note, Nev ate her dinner on his shirt...

I donated some Tatties and bid on a few items too, some pretties and services.

Afterward we took the kids to a cute little candy shop so they could pick out a treat for taking a nap this afternoon. I saw these, and was nostalgic and a little shocked.

I didn't think they could sell these anymore. I did not, of course, direct the kids' attention to them but pointed them out to Gary.

The kids of course got those ridiculously large lollipops that will sit on the counter for the next week till the kids forget about them enough that I can throw the sticky remains away. Gary and I had agreed before hand that we wouldn't let them get a candy that would sit on the counter for the next week... for some reason that went out the window when we went in the door of the shop.
Lesson learned... maybe.

my budding photographers...

So tonight I was looking through the camera pictures... and lo and behold....
Zurich and Nev had had more than one photo session all on their own-sies!
Not surprising.
At all.
Here is some of their awesome talented work:


The first line is awesome, because it shows how Nev gets up on the counter.
The rest of it proves that Zurich is a little liar when he says Nevy was the one playing with the camera when I find it with finger prints on it, or the memory card in it backwards.
Well, some of the time... Nev just hasn't figured out how to turn it on AND take a picture.
Yet.

I just put the one of Nev's Bed head as my desktop.

Nice. That will freak Gary out.

I think this post is the fault of what's his face "Special Agent Oso," for teaching my kid to take a picture with "MOM's CAMERA" nice one. Too bad, Zurich didn't learn the tip about keeping his finger out of the lens.

A little Determination

Recently Zurich and Nev have taken to sneaking off and playing in the garage.


...and yes, I drew on some shirts for my little girl since she often refuses to wear them in real life and I love and protect her.

So a few days ago I flipped the door knobs around because one side was a lever and one was a bulb. Nev can't get the bulbs open yet. Of course Zurich still can but it slowed them down a bit. I was going to put on a safety knob cover but couldn't find one yet. There was one on the front door already.

Thursday I had to pick Olea up from the bus stop and Gary was working at home. Zurich wanted to come with me and I was stressed about him coming because he couldn't find his shoes and then Nev would want to come and I couldn't get her to keep clothes on. And if I wasnt there waiting when the bus happened to stop then I would have to go to the school to pick her up. Gary said to just go. I said, "But Zurich will follow me." Gary encouraged me again to "just go."

After picking Olea up we headed home. As soon as we could see our street I also saw two unwelcome sights in the middle of the road: Nev, in only a pull up and no shoes of course and her enabling big brother who had found some shoes.

As we got closer I noticed the garage door wide open and my concern was confirmed. Gary was not with them and completely oblivious to their escape.

How did he do it? A little Zurich determination is all it takes. First he found his shoes, then he opened the house garage door, then he retrieved a stool, when that wasn't tall enough he emptied and flipped over one of the recycling buckets. Stool to bucket and he could reach the garage door button. Their escape route was clear.

This road is pretty dangerous some people really barrel down it, and there are the heavy fern trucks going all the time. I feel blessed the road was so clear for them at this time.

So when I got home I multiplied my efforts to find the safety knob. So for now they are safe...

from that...

The mail receptacle

I should have gotten a picture of the box in it's sad tipped over and over grown shape, but I didn't.

Last week for FHE we painted and personalized our mailbox. It was Olea's idea (from UP) and we thought it was a good way to make our family mark on the place. Gary used our old porch swing frame (that the movers made us take apart) to make a new mailbox stand. Some bleach and a scrub brush on my part. And then some trusty acrylic paint and the little people in our family. We had the kids white wash the stand after we put their hand prints on the box. Giddy we had to use a foot because we couldn't get him to uncurl his fingers.... thinking that might have been a good idea for Zurich too since we had to re-do his over seven times, and only one of those times it was because he smeared his with a paint brush...


Ya, I know I did a crappy job on the Name part, it was free handed with a lot of distraction.

Now accepting parcel post as well. :)

A little Opposition

Today every little annoyance is supersized. I have a lot I could complain about (because I am in my own shoes after all), but instead I'm going to ask a question. Why do we have days like this? I know I'm not the only one who has them.

Is it because I am just choosing to see everything in a negative light? Or is it just because the balance of opposition is tipping dramatically today? Or am I just completely ungrateful?

I'd like to think that I am not ungrateful. So, moving along...

2 Nephi 2:11

I believe heavily in opposition. It's why there is male and female. Opposition isn't just about Good vs. Bad. It's about progress and balance. Opposition is kinetic energy. Opposition creates new ideas, joy and change. Opposition creates life. Think of that.

2 Nephi 2:14

That it might be for your profit and learning...

So what am I learning from a day like today? Am I learning to complain? Or am I learning to change my thinking? Am I learning to problem solve, organize, create, share?

On a day like today, I am glad I sat down to reflect. Because in all the chaos that has ensued in a very short period of time, it is important to note: I am still very blessed

and so are you.

It's only because of opposition that I am even aware of that.

2Nephi 2:22-26

And while I am fairly certain that the scales of opposition are severely off balance to the negative side today, that also means that there is a day out there that I will or have already experienced that is totally off balance on the positive side. so with that in mind, I look forward to the balanced days.

Join the Give Away

Hey friends, readers, humanoids...

I am having a birthday celebration for Tatties!

Head on over to Corettadeesign.com and Leave a comment on the post to enter.

Win them for your Little Pretty, a baby shower gift or an embellishment.

Blessings

My mother sent me this picture a few weeks ago.

It doesn't seem like much. It's not a super flattering picture of me or a demonstration of what a good house keeper I am or, what nice things I have... it's about how blessed I am.

Unpacking, whatever, Let's go to the beach!

We've been in Florida for two weeks. Unpacking is going very slow and it's been a point of frustration for me... and I am sure the kids. So Saturday after having a impromptu yard sale (because of all the stuff left in the house by the previous owner) by default in getting the stuff out of the garage to show to the auction man... and then having people stop thinking we were having a yard sale. We ended up selling a few pieces since the auction man said he'd give us 200 for the lot. We made more than that from our impromptu sales in two hours that morning. And then decided to make good on our promise to the kids and spend the rest of the day at the beach.

The first time we went was after we bought the car, so we got there at Dusk...
Zurich was super whiney at first but got to enjoy it at the end... As for Olea, for the record, it's not that I don't take pictures, it's that she never looks or comes when I call or stays still long enough for me to get a decent picture. Nev loved it.


So we had to go in the day time...The kids loved it. Obviously. Nev loves to follow us out into deeper water so she has to be watched but she does have a healthy respect for it. I didn't get a picture but she often would lay in the shallow water on her stomach facing the beach and let the waves crash around her. Gideon handled it very well. Olea is a little too brave in the water and Zurich liked to chase the birds and kick around in the water and play in the sand.


We stayed till dusk. It was so beautiful.

Cleanliness

We moved across the country. It's still unreal. The last few months have been so insane. Add having a baby in the middle of it all and you can imagine how worn thin I am... just figuratively. I am still plenty fleshy. No worries.

I will get to all the adventures of the cross country move... later. When I have time.

This is why I don't have time:

In order to move in, I have to clean everything first. I mean when the closet racks look like this:

and they should look like this:

And a side by side just for fun...er something

well.... lets not forget I have 4 kids. One that is a newborn. So it's not like I do anything other than feed and clean up food all day.

That's how it feels anyway. But somehow there is some progress being made, SLOWLY. There still are way more boxes than not. I have so many bruises from box corners...