Valentine's Day??

As I write this it is getting late on Valentine's Day. Why am I still up late on Valentine's night? A romantic dinner? NO. A fun, wonderfully relaxing day? NO. Actually, I am waiting for the laundry to be done. Great....I know. Exactly what I wanted to be doing today. Along with all the other stuff I had to do today... Why? (because the world is conspiring against me?? might be....)
What I want to know is.... Who are the freakin' geniuses who decided to plan a bunch of stuff that I had to go to on Valentine's Day? Or maybe it has something to do with my inability to say no.... That may be it, too. At any rate... It wasn't the fun romantic, pampering day that society has made it out to be.
I started out my day with kick-boxing...that was my choice...and I was glad to go. Nothing like getting all sweaty and stinky to get the day going! From there I had exactly an hour to get cleaned up and shuffle my tired body to a baby shower (on Valentine's Day?? Come on!!) I probably would have bailed, but my sweet friend Nancy was putting it on and I would hate to disappoint...plus she puts on pretty good parties. (thank you again Carl for getting my truck up your snowy driveway!)
I had to leave early to make it to Tadhg's Council Court of Honor for Boy Scouts. (Again....must it really be on Valentine's Day??? Really?) Thankfully, this particular Court of Honor took a fraction of the time that our own troop does, so maybe that was a good thing? Hmmm... I thought we had done fairly well getting there on time, and we had managed (well Curtis mostly, as I was at a baby shower...) to get Tadhg there in uniform. Scout shirt..buttoned....check. Hideous green pants....check. New blue neckerchief....check. New sash with merit badges sewn on... check. Nasty green scout socks.... .... uh.... nope....and they did check! Really!! They made him pull up his pant leg to see if he was wearing the green socks! Needless to say, our troop did not "pass" inspection and therefore did not get the totem pole. The boys were really torn up about that one.....*still crying now* He did get two rank advancements and 6 merit badges...so I guess we are still on the right track.


You can tell he was thrilled to be there!

Home again...and we are trying to determine if we (Curtis and I) want to risk mutiny by suggesting that we all go down to Fresno for dinner and a few errands. Babysitters at this point in time are fairly difficult to find. Not only because it is now Valentine's afternoon... but our boys are at that age... Tadhg is kind of too old for a babysitter, but not responsible enough to be left home alone. Especially in charge of his younger brothers.... Can you say unrighteous dominion? We had been using some of the teenage boys in our ward...but alas they have all turned 16 and now want to drive and date and all those other things, besides ride herd on our lot... :(
We tried to separate ranks, wheedle them one by one... but they weren't falling for it. A no go on dinner in town. I, alone, went down, ran my few errands and brought back pizza and ice creams and we spent the night watching "Prince Caspian". You are all jealous...I know.
Friday nights, at least from January to March, are church ball nights. This last Friday was no exception. As I might have mentioned we did get snow...well not at our house, exactly...but because our ward is so spread out most of the boys did get snow at their houses and as a result only 5 showed up for the game...or I should say, games. Our little guys had two games, back to back, again. The first game was against the other Yosemite team, the big guys. It was brother against brother, literally, and I think that the big guys showed some serious class by not going too hard on the little guys...but they did not roll over, by any means. It was really fun to watch. But kind of hard because you are cheering for both teams... The B team (little guys) played awesome. Maybe it was because they weren't intimidated by their friends, or because they knew that it was, in fact, a "friendly" game...??? They all lit it up. Tadhg (you knew this was coming...right?) was on fire! He had 4....yes 4!... three point shots that were just beautiful to behold. All the boys scored multiple times.
You know I have documented proof of all 4 shots... go to Tadhg's facebook for the rest. :)
After the first game....remember that there were only 5 of them there.... they had to play Sierra. (Dun...Dun... Duh! their arch nemesis!) These little guys had played their hearts out in the previous game... had all of 5 minutes rest and then had to hit the boards again with the same 5 guys...no substitutions, for another whole game. Once again, I will not elaborate on the absolutely appalling unfairness or lack of class exhibited by the ........ (maybe that bit of self-restraint there < < will make up for some words spoken in passion last night...)
LOST... final score 80 something to 20 something. Couldn't see straight. The boys never gave up... Good for them. They'll get their day.
Last, but not least... funny boy Brock. He knows how to entertain himself. He has a hard time sitting still during the games and can't wait for half time or the break between games. He jumps off the stage and skate/slides across the floor til they tell him to get off the court. What is a guy to do? for 2 long hours?

This last pic is of his new "tat". He came home from school Friday after his class Valentine party with a new secret. He had gotten a special valentine and bashfully told me where he had put his new tattoo...so no one could see!








Gotta love the fact that he's not too cool for Cinderella!

fun stuff...

Mondays are about to get way more interesting....
Yesterday, Tadhg started the first of his "official" guitar lessons. Tadhg found a guy in our ward who is really good and has played with some big people and offers lessons.
Tadhg asked for a guitar for his 6th birthday, I think, and he takes it out now and then and messes around for a while. About 2 years ago, he took an elective at school for GATE and learned some basics. He and Pop-pop talk guitars and when Yasha was here this last summer they worked on it a bit too.
But this....THIS is real. Tadhg really impressed me by taking the initiative. He approached Matt and asked for lessons, then did the e-mails back and forth of when and where and how much. Impressive.
Sunday at dinner with Pop-pop and Gramma he told Pop-pop all about starting his lessons and hit Pop-pop up for the red electric guitar.... Don't know how he managed it, but sure enough... he left with the guitar and all that went with it. (Thanks Pop-pop, you just made his day, week, year....)
It is so funny to watch Tadhg. I can actually see him struggling within himself.... I know he is excited, but he is trying so hard to be cool, play it down. He arranged for a half hour lesson, but I was pretty certain he'd want to go the whole hour....
I walked him up to the studio and then went back to the car to help the other two boys with their homework, while we waited. At a half hour they both come out and I knew he didn't want to quit. They went back in, we finished the homework and I walked across to their house and got some "girl time" visiting with his wife and her sisters. (I don't realize how much I like girl time until I get it. So used to being one of the boys....) When the hour was up they both came in and I was talking with Matt about how it went. I asked Tadhg a few questions trying to see how he liked it and only barely got a head nod... What's up with that!
Tadhg came home and showed us his awesome-ness on his new electric guitar. His homework is Sunshine of my love, One by U2 and Lithium by Nirvana. I can recognize the songs, so that is a good thing... Later he told me he had been waiting all day (ALL DAY!) to go to guitar lessons.... :) Guess I need to get better at interpreting this whole teen-age behavior stuff. Apparently, a barely noticeable head nod means, "Wow, heck yeah! I love this!"

Brock came home from school with a surprise.... He is the cutest little boy! He was all excited and wanted me to guess what it was. He hands me a paper, all folded up. I open it and there are 5 hearts, colored in marker. Not sure what to think at first... did he make it for me? I look at his face and he is blushing and smiling hugely... NO, apparently not.... I said, "It's beautiful." "Guess who gave it to me?" he asks. I had to think for a minute, but I guessed right (always a good thing to try and keep up with their latest crushes..) "Emma" I say. The smile grows. He then proceeds to tell me that she gave it to him at lunch and had to walk over from another table (!!!!) to hand it to him. (and valentine's day is still several days off, ahhh...young love!) :)


Brock's Valentine from Emma

Monday morning...

Got up this morning and started in on the daily routine...started some laundry, general house cleaning. I like to get the vacuum out and do all the floors that way, if I can... (if the chunks aren't too big!) So here I am... plugged into my ipod...vacuuming. Here... there...carpet....hardwood.... I get to the front door and I know that the boys aren't as careful with getting the cat food (which hides behind the front door and the cat dishes which are just outside the front door) all the way outside. There is usually a trail... sometimes I can get the vacuum to pick it up, sometimes I have to break down and get out the broom and dustpan... So I'm going at it and I see something a little bigger.
*We have gotten a lot of rain this last weekend(which I LOVE!) and that normally means that "stuff" finds it's way in out of the rain.
I look, then look a little closer, just to make sure it's not a lego or something. It is one of those wormy things with about a ba-gillion legs... (I have gotten MUCH better about the bugs and crawly things since we moved to the hills. There is always something I find repulsive... lurking...) I have the vacuum right there and I think, "I'll just pull out the hose attachment and suck it up, no messing with the tissue and toilet flush this time!" I pull out the wand and go to suck this millipede thing up and UGHHH! I have one hand on the hose and there is this huge thunk, right where my hand is holding the hose, as it gets sucked up. Major jibblies!!! (He-bey-leys ...just for you Mom!) I can still feel the crawling shivers up my spine! Gross! Might have jumped a foot of two... can't be sure, but the adrenaline is pumping....Gaaa!
Now, back to work! :)

Still recapping the weekend...

I was only able to get through Saturday skiing last post...I'll try and fill in on the rest of the weekend and through to today if at all possible. (How many interruptions and distractions do you think will occur before I get this posted? Bets, anyone? I'll say at least 5 and a continuation before it is done!)

Sunday, we finally got back to Gramma and Pop-pop's for our usual Sunday dinner. We hadn't been since the beginning of January. It has gotten so bad that I have to text Gramma during church to let her know if it looks like we will actually make it for dinner. Sad! I even got dirty looks 2 weeks ago when during the Scout Committee Meeting (which lasted 2 hours... after our regular 3 hour block!)to say we wouldn't be able to make it. Between new callings and various meetings we missed at least 3 good, nutritious, home cooked meals! One of which was tri-tip! Dang. Sometimes Gramma's Sunday dinner is the only good, nutritious, home cooked meals my boys get! (sad commentary on my cooking skills) Needless to say, they like when Gramma cooks and love to go there each week.
Having missed multiple weeks-in-a-row I (we, I guess it was put to a vote...) decided to bail on the 'Break the fast' after church and go to Sunday dinner. I almost lost it when I learned that there would be a cub scout planning meeting for me and a missionary correlation meeting for Curtis after church (could feel that case of "bad attitude" coming on!) I managed to hold my meeting to 30 minutes and then recruited help to 'bust' Curtis out of his...Thanks Travis! As it was we still didn't get there until well after the Superbowl started....
Sunday dinners are more than just eating good, nutritious food. The boys normally get some one on one time with Gramma and Pop-pop's television, watching the Disney Channel(since we have no tv at our house) Curtis normally gets to watch some sort of sporting event with my dad (also because we have no tv at home *evil grin*) and I get to play card games with Gramma and Great Gran. Everyone wins!
After a rousing game of Phase 10, (and Great Gran always wins...how does she do that??) we took a break and watched a few minutes of the game. Curtis is a life long fan of the Steelers (growing up in Utah? who knows why?) Chris was rooting for the underdogs... the boys were split. Gran, on the other hand, is sitting next to me and leans over conspiratorially and says, "You know... some women watch football just to see the players from behind..." I look at her and my face breaks into a huge smile, "Yeah, checking out their tight ends!" "Don't look at them from the front," she says, "that ruins it. Just look at the back." Can you believe that? What a hoot! (interruption #1) I love my Gran. Almost 86 and as sassy as can be!
Gramma always makes sure there is dessert. Tonight it was pie. She asked around for votes...dutch apple, cherry or raspberry. The boys really don't care, so the girls won out with dutch apple. After a game of Kings Go Wild it was nearly time for dessert. Gramma said that the pie would be done in a few minutes... and then my dad said something about it having to cool for an hour. Chris pipes up from the kitchen, "Like the hour you wait for your brownies to cool?" At this Brock's head pops up, "BROWNIES?" He had been sitting there concentrating on something, not really paying attention to anything or anyone, but at the word brownies....BAM! instant attention. He knows what he likes. (interruption #2 and #3) He was a little disappointed that there weren't really any brownies, so sad.... (interruption #4)

Monday it was back into (major interruption #5 triple chat window in facebook!) the homework grind, after school chaos mode. Brock decided to lighten things up for us, as usual. He came back down the hall to the laundry room wearing my shoes! He was wobbling around and was quite proud of his cute-ness. Tadhg had to find a way to tease him and said, "Brock, you are a girl!" True to form, Brock responds without even batting an eyelash, "Yes, I am a girl." and does a little dance in my shoes! I ran to grab the camera. He kept it up for over half an hour... at one point he asked if he could wear them to school, but I explained he might break his leg and he decided they would be hard to run in! So funny.

Caden had homework that asked him to come up with an (American) Indian name for himself. The kind that becomes legend...Wind in hair, laugh like lightning... We brainstormed for a little while about what he liked to do, what he is good at.... trying to find a cool, unusual 'Indian' name for him. We tossed a few ideas around, but couldn't come up with something really neat. I kept coming back to him and his love of reading. He devours books. That was it.... he became the "book eater". The indians might not approve, but I thought it fit him, to a "T".

I am really loving my kick boxing class. Jennifer is one tough cookie, and I hurt when I am done, but I have found that I smile now, when it gets really tough. Hasn't killed me yet! Coordination is still a very real worry, and I fear for my class mates' safety. But I love pushing myself. Maybe it's the boxing, or the push-ups...they empower me. Weird?! Anyways... I walked to class on Tuesday. It was kind of brisk out so I was walking quick-ish. When I got to the parkway I came upon a nice little old lady walking her poodle. I thought, "Oh, I'll just breeze by her and be on my way..." It takes me a bit longer to come up beside her than I thought and then I realized that she was walking fast! We ended up walking together for about 1/4 mile and I had to work to keep pace! She said she has walked her dog every day for years and sometimes does 5 miles! Did I mention that her mom is going to be 103 soon. So that makes her.... like really old...at least 80. Ouch! Pride wounded... dusted by a granny and her poodle. Few more months of kick- boxing and I bet I could take her...

February....already?!

So, here we are. February already. When, exactly did that happen? (Like 2 days ago, Bek.) If this is how fast this year is going to fly by then I am in T R O U B L E!

I didn't post for a few days, feeling horribly inadequate after reading my cousin's absolutely hysterical blog. Then, just when I think I might be able to be marginally clever...the internet goes out.

So, now that I have this wonderful relationship with Lee, our local hillbilly internet provider tech, I am back up and running. I am seriously considering having him over for dinner. *laugh* (well maybe not yet, but....) Goodness knows I've talked to him more in the last few days than my own husband...

How shall I do this? Go back and start from the beginning or go backwards starting now? Decisions...
I'll go back and see how I do from there.

Friday night was church ball. Need I say more? It was, as usual, frustrating and exasperating and really gets your blood pumping. (and that was just for me!)
Since our wards combined we now have more boys than you can shake 3 or 4 sticks at and necessitated another youth team. A & B. Or older and younger. Big and little. The A team is 16+, B team 12 - 15. Tadhg falls under the Team B heading. The B team had 2, back-to-back games on Friday night to get them caught up. Fridays are mountain area ski school, so most of the team had also spent the whole day skiing at Badger. We rushed down as soon as the ski bus showed up and then those boys ran and ran and ran some more. Their coach,(what a slave driver!) Curtis kept telling them to keep their hands up. Our boys were, like a full foot or more shorter than the first team. The second game /team wasn't much better, but the boys really kicked it up and had the game in the bag.....but for the officiating. Let's just say they were robbed in the last 30 seconds of the game and lost. [Long, horrible back story that I will not force you to listen to :)! ]
Meanwhile, I am sitting there on the stage, watching these boys play their hearts out, trying to get a little of the action on video. Brock (you knew he'd factor in here didn't you?) is trying very hard not to die of boredom. He's imagined up several games... all of which require my attention and the, more than occasional, whack on the arm (camera jiggles and jerks) to get me back on track. At one point he was rolling and wiggling across the stage and I thought, "If he did this at home....my floors would be clean." Completely random thought there.
Burgers and fries and Fanta at Rally's did a pretty good job of soothing the disappointment. In 3 years....when they "have grown a foot or two" (sing it!) and have gelled together as a team, they'll dominate. That's what we tell them.

Saturday...we finally got to have our family ski day. We'd planned it for a few weeks now, but what with one thing and another... and no snow! we had to wait. I always get nervous before we ski. I worry about everything, car wrecks on the icy roads, lost mittens... but the biggie, "Will I bite it really bad on the slopes today?" is in the forefront of my mind. It is always nice to get to the end of the day, still in one piece, the kids, with rosy cheeks, too tired to tease each other, and realize all was truly right in the world.
Brock made his skiing debut this weekend. We figured last year he'd rather spend the day with Gramma and Pop-pop than sit in the cold and snow. I was worried (again with the worrying!) that he'd get frustrated too easily, and sure enough after falling several times and having his skis pop off as he tried to figure out the tow rope on the turtle run. It came to tears rather quickly, so I did what any self respecting mom would do (right?), I signed him up for a 2 hour lesson. He won't cry for a perfect stranger. We peeked in after each run. No more tears. He did this really cute thing with his arms. They said to make a pizza shape with his skis... but he was having a hard time getting his feet apart and knees together so he'd stick his elbows in the air, like a puppet on a string or the scarecrow from wizard of oz with his wrists and hands dangling... It was like his arms and legs were connected and couldn't move independently.... knees together, elbows UP.


Caden decided he wanted to try snowboarding this year. While I was working with Brock, the big boys went to Bruin to try out the boards. After about the same amount of time and the same frustration level...Caden got a 2 hour lesson too. This is when the serious worrying sets in...(about me eating a face-ful of snow?..yes) and will my babies be okay without me....? thus the peeking after every run!


I have to say I had a really good time. I loved watching Tadhg snowboard. He makes it look sooooo easy. To have that carefree confidence! Beautiful. It was also nice to realize that I could keep up (and NOT fall down!) He wanted to progress to Eagle, but I convinced him that the "old folks" needed to work our way up, gain some confidence (and courage) before we tried out something steeper.

I tried getting some pictures of him "catching air"... I guess I missed the really great one.