JOY school

We do a little joy school with friends in the neighborhood.  This is my week and I called Kay (Jim's mom) to ask for craft help.  Because she's a kids' craft pro...because it would be D's dream come true...

And because I have the built-in best thank you in the world:these little arms around the neck are plain, pure magic.

almost as good as his dad's.

thank you Kay for the possibility of both (and for an hour and a half of craftiness, of course).

fall break: day five

Imagine you are a small boy.  It's Friday, late morning, and your dad has taken the day off work.  A giant dump truck appears on your street, stopping directly in front of YOUR house.  Your parents scurry you out of the way as the truck "beep beep"'s its way into your driveway, and then drops an enormous pile of dirt.  Brother beats you to the top, and by the time you catch up he reaches to wrestle you down the dirt. THIS is the high life.

One huge pile of dirt from Dad outdoes an entire week of planned fun from Mom.  Irrevocably confirming Papa's longheld theory about the best toy in the world.  I'm definitely a believer.

Tomorrow's agenda:  500 wheelbarrow loads to the backyard.  And lots of cursing.  The little boys may be excited about the pile, but the big boy only sees work.

The big girl?  Well, she sees a garden.  

Special thanks to SDC for dirt.  Super special thanks to Jim for labor.  As he was carving away at the pile tonight, I yelled out a "do you love me?", half expecting him to simply flip me off (just keeping it real).  He didn't smile, but did reply with:  "a ton"...then smartly corrected himself:  "many yards".  Because that's how you measure dirt.  And I'm proud to be an Eight Yard Wife. 

claim to fame

A few months back I was at a bridal shower and a woman approached me saying that I looked familiar. Well, 20 years ago I babysat for her. The fuzziness was forgiven with that time gap, of course, but her next statement floored me. Her son is an NFL football player. For the sake of the story I’ll call him Ernest. First, she squealed. Then she said, “Oooh (part of the squeal still)..so fun for you to be able to tell everyone you babysat little NFL Ernest!”. Exact words.

And how many people have I told about Ernest in my life? Uhhh….exactly zero.

I came home reeling. That anyone would consider that as even a remote possibility for my claim to fame. That I detest football. That perhaps I don’t actually have any claims to fame (?!).

But I’ve thought about the incident a few times since…And I realize that I’m that same mom. Equally unabashed. My little men are so, so little, but already I gush & swell. To me, they are brilliant, charming, devilishly sweet.  And whether they are throwing footballs or sweeping stadiums, I'll still be gushing in 20 years (former babysitters can gawk away).

(faces mostly stay dirty at this house) 

(and bodies mostly stay naked!)

I love these two heart & soul.  Today I told them I chose them to be mine before we were all born.  Cheesy, perhaps, and I'm not honestly sure who did the choosing, but I like to think I was smart enough to know how much I needed these two specifically.  I'm completely honored that they gave to me the title of Mother.

us today 

catch-up

It has been four years since I taught.  But each spring I am reminded of the joys & sorrows of high school English when I have the honor of helping to grade research papers.  The good papers bring me joy for obvious reasons.  And I'll admit that the awful papers bring me a certain red-pen euphoria as well.  I want to make order of chaos.  But it's the mid-level papers that do me in, torture my soul, weigh down my eyelids, force me into frequent breaks.     

And my current break has been long..considering how behind I am on getting these papers done.  I'll simply justify it as a necessary blog catch-up and pat myself on the back.  One step forward, one step back...definitely my signature dance.

Katie's visit

As soon as I hopped in the car after my afternoon with Katie and her cute family a few weeks back, I cursed myself for not getting a picture together.  I hadn't seen Katie for years...had never met her Tim or their two littles.  But the stars aligned and they took an Arizona detour on their Las Vegas to Virginia move.  Old friends are incomparable. No awkwardness.  No nonsense.  Simply picking up where you leave off.

KT's family in front of the Mesa Temple

But I think Katie's a particularly rare kind of person who any & everyone feels comfortable around.  We first met at BYU, and then she introduced me to her native D.C. when I moved there as an intern...very flimsy words for the way she took me into her heart & home at that time, really.  For that I'm in her debt.  And eternally, unrepayably indebted for an October road trip to Vermont.  Ilovermont.

Our kids were kids on our Wednesday afternoon outing - Davyn turned demon in the museum, and her girlies caught the disease through exhaustion by lunch time.  Yet, we comfortably enjoyed the child-rearing discomfort together for a few hours.  I love you, KT & wish you the best of luck in your move!

Davyn did manage to pause mid-hysteria to kiss Nelly and flirt with the camera...there's definitely good reason we deemed this boy Davynova! 

 
Lunch with Grandma & Grandpa Jones

We met up with them for Grandma's birthday lunch two weeks ago.  I loved this picture of Davyn & Grandpa.

and Savs with Grandma...

My children are blessed enormously in the grandparents department.

 
Haircuts

First, a picture of Aidan at that Grandma b-day lunch above.

and a fuzzy side view...

...and I didn't snap a picture of his tail in the back.  Far too shocking.

Obviously, we were in dire need of hair help.  The next day the whole family did some running around.  After lunch, Jim spotted a barber shop and there was no ignoring the need.  I so wish I had had my camera there.  The experience was hilarious.  These were true barber shop barbers.  And Aidan's wide variety of facial expressions were killing me.  Davyn didn't need a haircut, but when Aidan was finished, he ran up to the seat so we definitely couldn't deny his enthusiasm. 

Here they are the next day in Sunday best:

I know longer hair has swung back into fashion for boys, but the clean cut, old-fashioned styles are my favorite on this dapper duo. 

& in other GOOD news...

My good friend Angie started a blog.  I've been {not-so-}gently persuading her for quite a while.  She resisted steadily through her pregnancy, but was finally & irretrievably reeled in this month when she realized she has the world's cutest twin girlies.  At least that's what I'm assuming.   Whatever the reason, I'm Elated.  I love Ang & you'd think that  & the fact that we live in the same place would equate significant interaction...but life somehow intercedes.  So I love that I'll now be able to keep track of her & her littles in this blog world even when I lag in the real world.
 

Now back to the red pen... 

52 Blessings

week 5:  Reading with my Boys

 

When they approached me this morning with this book, I had to bite the "no" that was rising from my throat, and stifle thoughts of my endless to-do's (recovering from birthday party & Superbowl & DB's cold that just won't quit).     In no way did I realize how enjoyable our poetry hour would be.  This book isn't among those they typically bring to my lap, but we laughed and giggled through all kinds of nonsense & new words.  A definite blessing in this stolen moment.

The poem they made me repeat at least five times --
(must be read aloud with children present for full effect, of course)

On the Ning Nang Nong
Where the cows go Bong!
And the monkeys all say Boo!
There's a Nong Nang Ning
Where the trees go Ping! 
And the tea pots Jibber Jabber Joo.
On the Nong Ning Nang
All the mice go Clang!
And you just can't catch 'em when they do!
So it's Ning Nang Nong!
Cows go Bong!
Nong Nang Ning!
Trees go Ping!
Nong Ning Nang!
The mice go Clang!
What a noisy place to belong,
Is the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!

Spike Milligan