Growing up I always knew what to expect on Thanksgiving weekend.
Wednesday night we'd leave "when dad gets home from work" and drive to Logan. We'd pull in the driveway at Grandpa's house and he'd be watching Lawrence Welk, or the news, and we'd all come in a drop our stuff. The old ones would sit and talk and we'd go look for the fun games (I think booby trap and checkers were the only games he owned). Dad would make us a bed out of blankets on the floor downstairs and we'd all sleep in the same room. I think this changed the older we got. The "little kids" slept in the blanket bed on the floor and the "big kids" slept on the couch and the floor upstairs.
Thanksgiving morning we headed to the church where dad set up tables and chairs and mom went straight to work in the kitchen (after hauling in the pies). The rest of us did typical "kids in a church" stuff. Basketball, tag, hide & seek.
Friday on our way home we'd pick out a Christmas Tree from the tree store in American Fork and head home to put it up. We'd listen to Manheim and decorate like nobody's business. Dad did the lights, and we all put our homemade ornaments on the tree and watched the bubble lights boil.
I like these memories. I like that on the way home from Logan if mom & dad were thinking of not getting a tree right that second we could all whine "but we always get the tree now!" and they'd have to give in. Because....you know...tradition!
Josh's family's Thanksgiving weekend is not the same but is every single bit as predictable. While in turkey-coma with muddy buddies still ready for snacking, mom brings out the ads. Misty and Mom are die hard Black Friday shoppers. I mean it. Die. Hard. Not just the "camp out in the freezing cold all night for that 1 really great deal" die hard either. We're talking about the marathon kind of die hard. The "pack your bags cuz we aren't coming home until everybody we know has a $100 gift that we found for $2." kind of die hard. The "4am - 9pm no break for lunch" die hard. The "route the map the night before" kind of die hard.
Josh & I are not big on shopping, but somehow after paroozing the ads with Mom & Misty we had to go out the first year we were married. When you get married they should warn you that all the things you do during the first year are considered "traditions" and become mandatory for the rest of eternity. We were not die hard. Not in any sense of the term. We went out together, got some great deals on stuff and went home because we were bored of shopping. We did not wake up any earlier than we wanted to, we did not wait in line outside of any store. We did not get all of our shopping in one day.
The next year we actually stood in a line outside Circuit City because they had cheap movies. We wasted all kinds of time and I swore I'd never shop Black Friday again.
Last year I "casually glanced through the ads" and found some boots I just had to have. And I got them. And I love them. And I've never been so proud of a shoe purchase in my life. And Black Friday was wildly successful.
We've sortof combined our Thanksgiving Weekends and created a very casual, mellow, enjoyable holiday weekend. We shop and get great deals reassuring each other the whole way ("totally worth it", "I'm so glad we got that", "we just saved a ton of money!") because we both think it's a sin to spend that much money in 1 day. I can't do Black Friday shopping without him for this reason. Nobody else has the authority to tell me it was OK to spend that money, and those are word I need to hear. We wind up doing a little Redboxing, but it's not so bad because we're together and the "working breaks" are relatively short in comparison with the time we spend chillin in the car and shopping. Then we come home, put up the tree, watch a Christmas movie, listen to Christmas tunes and enjoy a cup of something warm and bask in the glow (and warmth) of the tree lights.
This year I think we have to start all new traditions because life isn't the same with a little one.
We shopped - a little. No great finds. Just some mediocre stuff. Partly because we're trying hard not to spend money....partly because the deals just didn't seem that fantastic this year.
We Redboxed - a little. It was nice to get out of the inversion and breathe real air.
I had every intention of getting Christmas put up, but somehow it didn't happen. Something about not being able to stay up until midnight if my life depended on it.....
I swore I'd do it today. Josh even brought the Christmas tree up from the garage. It's still sitting in the box in the middle of my living room floor - along with the 2 other boxes of Christmas decorations that have been out since Monday.
It seems that due to the adorable child in our midst who takes up 100% of our attention 95% of the time, we're gonna have to let parts of our "relaxed mellow enjoyable holiday weekend" go.
Unfortunately it can't be Redbox.
So beginning next year, we EITHER shop or decorate. Our carefree years of 19 hour days and doing everything we feel like are over.
It's time to start some very specific (and limited) traditions.
In the meantime, who the heck is gonna put up my tree?
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Projectile binkie
You know when you pinch a watermelon seed between your fingers and the pressure combined with the slipperiness makes the seed shoot across the room?
Same concept applies to binkies.
Same concept applies to binkies.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
One thing I love about Heber
Camping gear is ALWAYS in the "seasonal" aisle at the grocery store.
Right across from the Christmas trees and the thermometers currently reading 21 degrees we have fishing poles, water filters, and tents.
Right across from the Christmas trees and the thermometers currently reading 21 degrees we have fishing poles, water filters, and tents.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Things I've never been grateful for
This year I'm thankful for a whole bunch of things I'd never really been thankful for before.
So this year's gratitude list is not the things I'm most thankful for, or the profound stuff, it's the new stuff.
Bathrobes to keep me warm in the middle of the night.
That the alarm clock has an "off" switch. I've never used it until now.
Thomas. Tommy. Tom. Little One. Babe. Sweetheart. Handsome. My little man. Sweets.
My body. I've never been a big fan until now.
Living in baby central.
Hand sanitizer.
Formula. Even though it stinks and is sticky.
Josh's natural fathering abilities. This might be cheating because I've always loved that about Josh, but I never really knew just how good a dad he was until now. So it's expanded....that counts as "new" right?
3 sets of grandparents for my little one.
Visiting teachers. (Hi Nikki! Invite me to your blog, OK?)
HGTV.
Dr. Man, Hospitals, modern medicine.
Nutrimirror.
The ability to broadcast my baby's screams through the whole house. (aka baby monitors)
That little button that releases the straps in the carseat.
Tennis shoes.
So this year's gratitude list is not the things I'm most thankful for, or the profound stuff, it's the new stuff.
Bathrobes to keep me warm in the middle of the night.
That the alarm clock has an "off" switch. I've never used it until now.
Thomas. Tommy. Tom. Little One. Babe. Sweetheart. Handsome. My little man. Sweets.
My body. I've never been a big fan until now.
Living in baby central.
Hand sanitizer.
Formula. Even though it stinks and is sticky.
Josh's natural fathering abilities. This might be cheating because I've always loved that about Josh, but I never really knew just how good a dad he was until now. So it's expanded....that counts as "new" right?
3 sets of grandparents for my little one.
Visiting teachers. (Hi Nikki! Invite me to your blog, OK?)
HGTV.
Dr. Man, Hospitals, modern medicine.
Nutrimirror.
The ability to broadcast my baby's screams through the whole house. (aka baby monitors)
That little button that releases the straps in the carseat.
Tennis shoes.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
I worry
Wanna know what kinds of things this crazy mom worries about?
An upcoming trip to the dentist. Josh will be working so I'll take Thomas with me. What if he doesn't sleep through it? What if he wakes up and starts to be fussy? What if he cries while my mouth is full of fingers? What if I bite the fingers off and jump up from the chair and dash to my child's carrier to rescue him? Will they charge me for their hospital bills? What if he cries and I don't have the guts to bite the fingers and instead I try to talk and it comes out like everything I say with a mouthful of fingers "ah ay ae ih cah eeh" (my baby is crying)? And what if because I'm such a gutless pansy I don't get to rescue him? What if either of those embarrassing things happens and Lisa (the lady who works on my teeth, and also my Aunt) tells the whole family and we are the joke at every household dinner for eternity?
Talking about the upcoming blessing with Josh (back when it was "upcoming" instead of "recent") I asked him all the details of how the circle works. How do you hold the baby? Do you just have to hold him straight out with both hands - you'll use both hands right? I mean you're not just gonna try to palm him and count on the other guys to support the rest of him, right? They don't make you put your hand on someone else's shoulder do they? Promise me you'll use both hands! (He didn't promise. Rude.) Well when you hold something straight out like that your arms are going to get tired - what if you JUST started, but your arms are too tired to hold him, do you just quit? "The name you'll be known by....will be Thomas -" ugh. You're heavy, I'm putting you down. What if my baby never got the rest of his name because he's so heavy and too hard to hold straight out like that? Josh wasn't worried at all about either of those things. Weird huh?
I'd like to think the baby brings out the psycho-worrier in me, but probably I've always been this crazy and now I just have something small that brings new topics to worry about.
An upcoming trip to the dentist. Josh will be working so I'll take Thomas with me. What if he doesn't sleep through it? What if he wakes up and starts to be fussy? What if he cries while my mouth is full of fingers? What if I bite the fingers off and jump up from the chair and dash to my child's carrier to rescue him? Will they charge me for their hospital bills? What if he cries and I don't have the guts to bite the fingers and instead I try to talk and it comes out like everything I say with a mouthful of fingers "ah ay ae ih cah eeh" (my baby is crying)? And what if because I'm such a gutless pansy I don't get to rescue him? What if either of those embarrassing things happens and Lisa (the lady who works on my teeth, and also my Aunt) tells the whole family and we are the joke at every household dinner for eternity?
Talking about the upcoming blessing with Josh (back when it was "upcoming" instead of "recent") I asked him all the details of how the circle works. How do you hold the baby? Do you just have to hold him straight out with both hands - you'll use both hands right? I mean you're not just gonna try to palm him and count on the other guys to support the rest of him, right? They don't make you put your hand on someone else's shoulder do they? Promise me you'll use both hands! (He didn't promise. Rude.) Well when you hold something straight out like that your arms are going to get tired - what if you JUST started, but your arms are too tired to hold him, do you just quit? "The name you'll be known by....will be Thomas -" ugh. You're heavy, I'm putting you down. What if my baby never got the rest of his name because he's so heavy and too hard to hold straight out like that? Josh wasn't worried at all about either of those things. Weird huh?
I'd like to think the baby brings out the psycho-worrier in me, but probably I've always been this crazy and now I just have something small that brings new topics to worry about.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Josh & Am Aren't Lame.
I wish we were a reality tv show...only the title of the show would need some help, "lame" and "Am" were the best rhyme I could think of....it's late....or it's 9pm and I just think it's late. Whatever.
If we were a reality tv show, I wouldn't have had to take 62 pictures to get this one.
And all of the sweet moments of my life would be well documented.
I'd have video of our family nap on Sunday. Because who doesn't want to watch video of a nap?
I'd have evidence that Josh makes me laugh every single day.
I could show off that I've made my meal plan for the month of December and it's only the 23rd of November.
People would be impressed when I do things like....grocery shopping.
I'd never think "oh dang! I forgot my camera!" or "hold that face for just 2 more seconds little one." or "stupid flash." because the professionals would be in charge of all photo ops.
And maybe you'd be able to see the 3 LOOONG hairs sticking out of the top of my baby's head in this picture.
Of course then you'd also know that I cried for 10 minutes this morning because I dreamed that Josh cheated on me with the slutty mom from Mean Girls....and that we're eating our dinner in 3 phases tonight because I couldn't manage getting it all done at once.....and that phase 3 will be out of the oven in 9 more minutes.....I can't make this stuff up.
If we were a reality tv show, I wouldn't have had to take 62 pictures to get this one.
And you would already know how blue his eyes are and not have to rely on this photo to prove it.
And all of the sweet moments of my life would be well documented.
I'd have video of our family nap on Sunday. Because who doesn't want to watch video of a nap?
I'd have evidence that Josh makes me laugh every single day.
I could show off that I've made my meal plan for the month of December and it's only the 23rd of November.
People would be impressed when I do things like....grocery shopping.
I'd never think "oh dang! I forgot my camera!" or "hold that face for just 2 more seconds little one." or "stupid flash." because the professionals would be in charge of all photo ops.
And maybe you'd be able to see the 3 LOOONG hairs sticking out of the top of my baby's head in this picture.
Of course then you'd also know that I cried for 10 minutes this morning because I dreamed that Josh cheated on me with the slutty mom from Mean Girls....and that we're eating our dinner in 3 phases tonight because I couldn't manage getting it all done at once.....and that phase 3 will be out of the oven in 9 more minutes.....I can't make this stuff up.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
G-thug
In the hospital Josh started calling him "my little thug" because he was wearing a beanie.
And everybody knows beanie = thug.
Cuz how much more hardcore can you get? Really?
Blessing Day
Today Josh blessed Thomas.
Thomas was as beautiful as ever. Sporting booties made by Anonymous and wrapped in a blanket made by Karleen - one of my favorite people in the world.
During the photo shoot he got all serious and thoughtful.
Meanwhile I was just plain happy.
Because this good lookin' family is mine. All mine. For eternity. And that is a blessing that I'll never be able to express my gratitude for.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
New loves
Da Babe is starting to love things he's never cared about before.
Like me. I was doing the "getting into the car shuffle" (Did you know that I can't go anywhere without making about 3 trips out to the car? Re-freakin'-diculous!) and as I pulled the car out while the babe was in the carseat just inside I swear he pouted and whimpered because he thought I was leaving without him. I wasn't. I just had to pull the car out so I could close the garage door and run and jump over the sensor while carrying the baby in the carseat. You wish you were my neighbor so you could watch this, don't you? It could be a coincidence that he started crying right then, but I prefer to think he loves me.
Waking up slowly. Gone are the days of waking up from a dead sleep screaming bloody murder. Now he eases into it slowly and gently and is even content for quite some time. If he can keep this up, the 2 of us will get along swimmingly.
Sleeping. We're trying really hard to teach him how to sleep and the past 2 nights he's had at least one 5-hour stretch and has slept for close to 13 hours at night. A very welcome miracle.
Being held like a big baby. Grandma Egbert came to visit last Sunday and held him over her shoulder like this
and he promptly fell asleep and stayed just like that for hours.
Ever since then he hates to be held "like a baby" and much prefers this new version of grown up baby holding.
Tummy time. Maybe "loves it" is too strong - but he doesn't cry. So I'm gonna take it.
Moving. He's never been fond of the "set down a blanket on the floor and leave me there" approach to mothering. But suddenly he's taken a liking to the ability to lay down and stretch out. I guess there's something appealing about the freedom that comes with not being held tight to somebody's body.
The car seat. So far this is the only sure-fire way to make him fall asleep. He gets buckled in and once we're moving (in the stroller or the car) he falls asleep and stays that way until we remove him. That's why he was still in the carseat 2 hours after we got home from the grocery store.
Like me. I was doing the "getting into the car shuffle" (Did you know that I can't go anywhere without making about 3 trips out to the car? Re-freakin'-diculous!) and as I pulled the car out while the babe was in the carseat just inside I swear he pouted and whimpered because he thought I was leaving without him. I wasn't. I just had to pull the car out so I could close the garage door and run and jump over the sensor while carrying the baby in the carseat. You wish you were my neighbor so you could watch this, don't you? It could be a coincidence that he started crying right then, but I prefer to think he loves me.
Waking up slowly. Gone are the days of waking up from a dead sleep screaming bloody murder. Now he eases into it slowly and gently and is even content for quite some time. If he can keep this up, the 2 of us will get along swimmingly.
Sleeping. We're trying really hard to teach him how to sleep and the past 2 nights he's had at least one 5-hour stretch and has slept for close to 13 hours at night. A very welcome miracle.
Being held like a big baby. Grandma Egbert came to visit last Sunday and held him over her shoulder like this
and he promptly fell asleep and stayed just like that for hours.
Ever since then he hates to be held "like a baby" and much prefers this new version of grown up baby holding.
Moving. He's never been fond of the "set down a blanket on the floor and leave me there" approach to mothering. But suddenly he's taken a liking to the ability to lay down and stretch out. I guess there's something appealing about the freedom that comes with not being held tight to somebody's body.
The car seat. So far this is the only sure-fire way to make him fall asleep. He gets buckled in and once we're moving (in the stroller or the car) he falls asleep and stays that way until we remove him. That's why he was still in the carseat 2 hours after we got home from the grocery store.
I'm still a 14 year old girl.....and so is Josh
Friday nights aren't quite the same as they used to be.
Our carefree, hop in the car at a moment's notice, fly by the seat of our pants, hanging out with friends, playing games with 10 million pieces that take an hour of undivided attention, go for a midnight hike in November, days are over.
Instead we spent out evening watching Mean Girls because it was on TV (let's hear it for free movies!) and we are both far too lazy to go in search of something farther away than the remote.
Here's the best part - Josh thought the movie was hillarious.
I offered to change it to something else that he'd like more and he just shrugged and said "it's fine if you leave it...whatever." Which we all know is the man-equivalent of "noooo!!!!! I really wanna see what happens! Don't change it, please please please!!"
The way I know he really liked it is that he watched it THROUGH all the commercials. I know. Amazing, right? He wouldn't watch 007 through all the commercials, but Mean Girls?...sign us up!
Of course I enjoyed it too, because I (not so) secretly love 14 year old girl movies. I never grew out of that and I probably never will. Turns out Josh is just growing into it.
Our carefree, hop in the car at a moment's notice, fly by the seat of our pants, hanging out with friends, playing games with 10 million pieces that take an hour of undivided attention, go for a midnight hike in November, days are over.
Instead we spent out evening watching Mean Girls because it was on TV (let's hear it for free movies!) and we are both far too lazy to go in search of something farther away than the remote.
Here's the best part - Josh thought the movie was hillarious.
I offered to change it to something else that he'd like more and he just shrugged and said "it's fine if you leave it...whatever." Which we all know is the man-equivalent of "noooo!!!!! I really wanna see what happens! Don't change it, please please please!!"
The way I know he really liked it is that he watched it THROUGH all the commercials. I know. Amazing, right? He wouldn't watch 007 through all the commercials, but Mean Girls?...sign us up!
Of course I enjoyed it too, because I (not so) secretly love 14 year old girl movies. I never grew out of that and I probably never will. Turns out Josh is just growing into it.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
To think...I used to just sleep at night
As much as I miss my whole night's sleep....I kindof wonder how a person can do nothing but sleep all night long.
So far tonight I've caught up on The Biggest Loser and The Office (thank you hulu).
I've read A LOT of blogs.
I've fed the babe.
I've rocked the babe.
I've changed the babe.
And I've read some of the sleep book in preparation for actually being allowed to use it.
And it's only 4:30am. I still have 30 minutes before my night is over!
Imagine if I were actually productive during this time - laundry, dishes, cooking, cleaning, working.....I could take guilt-free naps ALL DAY LONG!
So far tonight I've caught up on The Biggest Loser and The Office (thank you hulu).
I've read A LOT of blogs.
I've fed the babe.
I've rocked the babe.
I've changed the babe.
And I've read some of the sleep book in preparation for actually being allowed to use it.
And it's only 4:30am. I still have 30 minutes before my night is over!
Imagine if I were actually productive during this time - laundry, dishes, cooking, cleaning, working.....I could take guilt-free naps ALL DAY LONG!
My ward rocks: Parts 456 - 458
Monday morning I went to Mommy and Me Music at my ward's playgroup.
Partly because I'm insane.
Partly because I wanted to prevent myself from being MORE insane.
Partly because I like music.
Partly because I could use a destination for our morning walk.
Mostly because I wanna be in the "cool mommies" club in my ward. If you were ever going to try to get into a club, this is the one I'd suggest. It's better than the one that gets you into Disneyland for free on your birthday. And right up there with Costco.
Thomas slept through the whole thing, I sat on the floor and sang the songs and did the actions anyway. We're definitely going again.
*******************************************************
Tuesday we had a "mingle" activity for not-enrichment.
I went 100% because I felt like it.
I haven't laughed that hard with people that aren't my family since the night Jamie, Chelsea and I got drunk on chocolate milk and put on goofy hats.
******************************************************
Tonight my visiting teachers came.
I can count on 1 hand the number of times I've been visit-taught in my whole life. That's why I'm still scared of calling back and saying "yes! please come over and entertain and uplift me!"
Maybe it's because I talk too much and keep them here for 45 minutes.
Who cares, it was a fantastic 45 minutes getting to know these people better and talking about the gospel. I hope they come next month too.
*****************************************************
There's no way we can stay away from church until spring. No possible way.
Partly because I'm insane.
Partly because I wanted to prevent myself from being MORE insane.
Partly because I like music.
Partly because I could use a destination for our morning walk.
Mostly because I wanna be in the "cool mommies" club in my ward. If you were ever going to try to get into a club, this is the one I'd suggest. It's better than the one that gets you into Disneyland for free on your birthday. And right up there with Costco.
Thomas slept through the whole thing, I sat on the floor and sang the songs and did the actions anyway. We're definitely going again.
*******************************************************
Tuesday we had a "mingle" activity for not-enrichment.
I went 100% because I felt like it.
I haven't laughed that hard with people that aren't my family since the night Jamie, Chelsea and I got drunk on chocolate milk and put on goofy hats.
******************************************************
Tonight my visiting teachers came.
I can count on 1 hand the number of times I've been visit-taught in my whole life. That's why I'm still scared of calling back and saying "yes! please come over and entertain and uplift me!"
Maybe it's because I talk too much and keep them here for 45 minutes.
Who cares, it was a fantastic 45 minutes getting to know these people better and talking about the gospel. I hope they come next month too.
*****************************************************
There's no way we can stay away from church until spring. No possible way.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The bottom dropped out
I heart winter.
I love the snow, the cold, the seeing of the breath, the first snowball, the hot drinks, the fireplaces, the holidays, the lights, the sun going down at 6, the whole thing. I love it all.
But it was really nice to wear clothes like this
for a week before driving into this
Friday we left Mesa at 85 degrees and pulled into Fillmore at 23 degrees just 10 hours later.
I love the snow, the cold, the seeing of the breath, the first snowball, the hot drinks, the fireplaces, the holidays, the lights, the sun going down at 6, the whole thing. I love it all.
But it was really nice to wear clothes like this
and see skies like this
and hang out outdoor pools like this
for a week before driving into this
Friday we left Mesa at 85 degrees and pulled into Fillmore at 23 degrees just 10 hours later.
One things I love about this picture
One thing I love about this picture is that Thomas's pants come up to his armpits and his toes only hit the knees of the britches. But you can't tell so much here.....right?
Bitter disappointment
You know how you go to church and look at all the perfect families and the beautiful mothers with their lipstick and their matching clothes and think "they only do this once a week. It's just because it's Sunday and the other 6 days per week are spent in sweat pants and oversized t-shirts with their mouths full of bonbons."
I'm here to ruin that dream for you. It's not true.
Those people do it on Sunday, and then the next day they wake up, get their kids dressed up all preppy and cute and have them out the door and at a Ward Playgroup at 10am on Monday.
Sucks huh?
I'm still clinging to the other 5 days a week.
Early to bed and early to rise
Last night Thomas went to bed at 7:30. Josh and I went to bed as soon as possible after that. I don't want any lip from you - it was already dark outside.
I tried to get him back to sleep until about 5:30.
Josh and I have a deal. Pre-5am is still "the middle of the night" and therefore my responsibility. Post-5am is "the wee hours of the morning" and therefore Josh's responsibility.
So at 5:30 I put him down in his crib, ran across the house so I could jump in bed and pretend I was asleep before Thomas started crying, therefore making it Josh's job to get up with him.
Fortunately Josh was still sleeping, so I didn't have to be very convincing in my fake sleep. A simple "Josh, it's after 5, he's yours" accompanied with the screaming that we love to broadcast through the house with a monitor was all he needed and he was up with the babe.
I snuggled down into bed to get warm and went back to bed until 8.
I suppose 7:30 to 4am is a good night's sleep. But there's just something inherently wrong with getting up at 4am and not going back to sleep. I refuse to do it.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Friday the 13th.....or why I hate Risk
I went to geek school starting in 5th grade. The program was called A.L.L. and I don't remember what it stood for. Something about Learning.
A lot of people (the cool kids) made fun of us (the geeks) and they called us the "All Lindon Losers". 11 year olds are very creative when they need to be.
But mostly I didn't care because I made some awesome friends from that class. And we (the geeks) all liked us.
Annette, Joanna, and I were totally inseperable. We played together at recess, worked on group projects together, and Annette was my companion for my very first "just drop us off at the mall and pick us up in a few hours" trip. I heard that they had cameras behind the mirrors in clothing store dressing rooms, so I made sure to turn backwards when I was changing so nobody could see my nakeds.
One of our favorite traditions was a sleepover on Friday the 13th. We always got together for the 13th. We watched movies, played games, ate pizza and did normal sleepover stuff.
But the night I remember best is the night we played Risk. Rather they played Risk and I watched....because I'm such a loser.
I had never played before (which was unheard of in a geek class full of 11 year olds who cared about politics and were into strategy-take-over-the-world games) so they kindly agreed to teach me.
I remember struggling to figure out why it mattered if you rolled the red dice or the white ones. I remember not knowing where to invade first and trying to kill off my friends with one little man when they had a whole cannon in their country. I couldn't figure out where all of the countries were (Geography still isn't my strength.) and I couldn't see how they could go clear across the board in one turn. The worst was that I had to decide when I was done with my turn. How was I supposed to know whether I should stop or keep going?
With their careful advice and my uncanny ability to roll 19 1's in a row, I was out after the first hour of the game. The two of them continued to play....for 5 more hours.
I'm sure I was a very gracious loser and didn't pout at all. But I've been pouting ever since. Josh constantly tries to get me to play, I constantly refuse. Maybe that's why we have so many games - so I can distract him from Risk. And that weekend is why I hate Risk.
On the flip side I love Friday the 13th. It's not a real Holiday and it hapens all the time so nobody does anything big, but somehow I was ALWAYS allowed my traditional sleepover "because it's tradition!"
We haven't celebrated Friday the 13th together in years....but I still always think about Annette and Joanna when it comes around.
A lot of people (the cool kids) made fun of us (the geeks) and they called us the "All Lindon Losers". 11 year olds are very creative when they need to be.
But mostly I didn't care because I made some awesome friends from that class. And we (the geeks) all liked us.
Annette, Joanna, and I were totally inseperable. We played together at recess, worked on group projects together, and Annette was my companion for my very first "just drop us off at the mall and pick us up in a few hours" trip. I heard that they had cameras behind the mirrors in clothing store dressing rooms, so I made sure to turn backwards when I was changing so nobody could see my nakeds.
One of our favorite traditions was a sleepover on Friday the 13th. We always got together for the 13th. We watched movies, played games, ate pizza and did normal sleepover stuff.
But the night I remember best is the night we played Risk. Rather they played Risk and I watched....because I'm such a loser.
I had never played before (which was unheard of in a geek class full of 11 year olds who cared about politics and were into strategy-take-over-the-world games) so they kindly agreed to teach me.
I remember struggling to figure out why it mattered if you rolled the red dice or the white ones. I remember not knowing where to invade first and trying to kill off my friends with one little man when they had a whole cannon in their country. I couldn't figure out where all of the countries were (Geography still isn't my strength.) and I couldn't see how they could go clear across the board in one turn. The worst was that I had to decide when I was done with my turn. How was I supposed to know whether I should stop or keep going?
With their careful advice and my uncanny ability to roll 19 1's in a row, I was out after the first hour of the game. The two of them continued to play....for 5 more hours.
I'm sure I was a very gracious loser and didn't pout at all. But I've been pouting ever since. Josh constantly tries to get me to play, I constantly refuse. Maybe that's why we have so many games - so I can distract him from Risk. And that weekend is why I hate Risk.
On the flip side I love Friday the 13th. It's not a real Holiday and it hapens all the time so nobody does anything big, but somehow I was ALWAYS allowed my traditional sleepover "because it's tradition!"
We haven't celebrated Friday the 13th together in years....but I still always think about Annette and Joanna when it comes around.
The man I didn't marry
Tonight we're staying in Fillmore. Which reminds me....
Josh isn't the only boy who proposed to me.
Quinn proposed to me once. At my Grandpa's house. We were taking a walk from the clubhouse in the backyard toward the trampoline where we'd meet up with the rest of our friends. Somewhere near the woodpile he told me he thought it would be really cool if we got married and asked if I'd marry him please.
I think I blushed. And told him yes.
That didn't really pan out for us though. We wanted different things in life. (He wanted to marry me so he could be brothers with his best friend - my little brother. I wanted to marry him because I'd get to wear a big white dress and look like Cinderella.) We changed a lot. We grew up. (He was 7, I was 10.) He moved away and I haven't seen him since.
His mom and dad made him move to Fillmore with his 4 little sisters. By the time he moved we had drifted apart. He and Nate were still best friends (right Nate?) but Quinn fell out of love with me within a week. I think 7-year-olds are fickle and unprepared to make lifetime commitments. Rude. I wondered for a long time if we were really going to get married when we grew up. I don't wonder anymore.
So while I sit in this hotel room in a town with a population of 12 - or something close to that - I can't help but wonder where he is tonight. And what he's doing with his life. And if he even still lives in Fillmore, or if he's proposed to some other girl and has married and moved on with his life. Maybe his mom is still here....
Josh isn't the only boy who proposed to me.
Quinn proposed to me once. At my Grandpa's house. We were taking a walk from the clubhouse in the backyard toward the trampoline where we'd meet up with the rest of our friends. Somewhere near the woodpile he told me he thought it would be really cool if we got married and asked if I'd marry him please.
I think I blushed. And told him yes.
That didn't really pan out for us though. We wanted different things in life. (He wanted to marry me so he could be brothers with his best friend - my little brother. I wanted to marry him because I'd get to wear a big white dress and look like Cinderella.) We changed a lot. We grew up. (He was 7, I was 10.) He moved away and I haven't seen him since.
His mom and dad made him move to Fillmore with his 4 little sisters. By the time he moved we had drifted apart. He and Nate were still best friends (right Nate?) but Quinn fell out of love with me within a week. I think 7-year-olds are fickle and unprepared to make lifetime commitments. Rude. I wondered for a long time if we were really going to get married when we grew up. I don't wonder anymore.
So while I sit in this hotel room in a town with a population of 12 - or something close to that - I can't help but wonder where he is tonight. And what he's doing with his life. And if he even still lives in Fillmore, or if he's proposed to some other girl and has married and moved on with his life. Maybe his mom is still here....
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Mom Olympics
Kristina can change the sheets while her twins are jumping on the bed. I can't change my sheets because I'm still in bed.
Nancy can type one-handed....sort of. Something I'm still working on but find completely infuriating because it's so. dang. slow. Plus there's that whole "shift key" thing.
Wendy makes two-day treats. Without neglecting her child. I can't make easymac without neglecting my child. Seriously.
Katy does man jobs. Willingly. No comment.
I can read a book with my eyes closed. At 2am. Actually the only evidence of this would be the "teach your child to sleep" book I borrowed from my mom....judging by the fact that I'm up and "reading" at 2am maybe this isn't really true.....
It seems that motherhood comes with a very unique skill set. So why don't we get our own Olympics?
I bet I could get a gold medal in one-handed bottle making while bouncing a screaming child, holding a binkie in his wide open mouth - (wait. Why do I do that? I just realized that he's screaming anyway....I could let him scream on the floor and use 2 hands....do other moms know about this??? Must share this mothering tip as a Christmas gift.) and bossing his dad around.
What would your gold medal be for?
Nancy can type one-handed....sort of. Something I'm still working on but find completely infuriating because it's so. dang. slow. Plus there's that whole "shift key" thing.
Wendy makes two-day treats. Without neglecting her child. I can't make easymac without neglecting my child. Seriously.
Katy does man jobs. Willingly. No comment.
I can read a book with my eyes closed. At 2am. Actually the only evidence of this would be the "teach your child to sleep" book I borrowed from my mom....judging by the fact that I'm up and "reading" at 2am maybe this isn't really true.....
It seems that motherhood comes with a very unique skill set. So why don't we get our own Olympics?
I bet I could get a gold medal in one-handed bottle making while bouncing a screaming child, holding a binkie in his wide open mouth - (wait. Why do I do that? I just realized that he's screaming anyway....I could let him scream on the floor and use 2 hands....do other moms know about this??? Must share this mothering tip as a Christmas gift.) and bossing his dad around.
What would your gold medal be for?
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Caption Contest
When you take 200 pictures in one day, every once in a while you catch a really great face just crying out for a really funny caption.
So we have a contest on our hands. You all try to come up with a great caption for this photo, and later I'll tell you all what actually triggered this face. We'll all get a good laugh, I promise.
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