I need a "Clapper" for my keys

Argh! Does anyone else lose their keys as much as I do? I have a special key place and everything. Yesterday I went to take Burke to swimming lessons and my keys were not in their "place." I was able to grab Rob's keys so this wasn't terribly frustrating at the time. As I heard Rob pulling out of the garage this morning I called him on his cell to say, "Hey can you come back and leave me your van key in case I can't find mine?" I've learned from experience that there is no way I can handle getting myself and three kids out the door and on time for church (or anywhere else) if I have to search for my keys on top of it. I spent a couple of hours looking for my keys tonight. I was finally able to remember the last time I had used them...last Sunday! How many women that you know can go an entire week without even realizing that they are missing their keys because they haven't even needed them? Kind of sad isn't it? For the record it isn't that I never left the house...but I rarely leave my neighborhood during the day and was able to walk Burke to school this week. So, to make my long story shorter, the keys were finally found in the side pocket of the backpack that I took to my parents' house last Sunday.

My face was not the only sad one in our home today. I'm not exactly sure what Hewitt was doing, but I believe he tried to jump off an ottoman with his arms full of toys (this child ALWAYS has various things in his hands such as Lego people, ninja figures, random little things in general--you get the idea) and was not able to brace his fall... he split his top lip and it's gotten pretty fat.

Poor Hewitt

Sounds of the Sabbath

Isn't there a local (Utah) radio station that has has a Sunday program called, "Sounds of the Sabbath?" For years I've claimed that Sunday is my favorite day of the week. When I was in college, Sunday was a great day because I could go to church, hang out with roommates, linger at ward prayer (c'mon fellow Cougars, you remember) and pretty much enjoy socializing without having to worry about homework or feel any guilt about not studying. On my mission I craved Sundays...it was an opportunity to gather with other members (many times only three or four other members) and get a sense of unity and belonging. When we were first married Sundays were awesome as we could worship reverently together while holding hands and then come home and nap! Although I still treasure Sundays (I really do love going to church and the mental and spiritual boost that it gives me) I have to admit that most of the "sounds" that I hear on Sunday have to do with tired and fussy babies and kids who loathe getting dressed for church and insist that they are starving the second we get to church even though they just ate 20 minutes prior. Well, my husband just got home from his Sunday church meetings an hour and a half earlier than expected...maybe I'll catch that Sunday nap after all.

Just plain cute

I would suppose that most blogs authored by mothers may have a high consistency of cute quips about their darlings and photos to prove so. I took a couple of photos of Tosh yesterday that admittedly are pretty cute even if I say so myself. It's hard to get a good photo these days as he is rarely holding still...already so busy at nine months! Tosh did not take an afternoon nap this afternoon. I could hear him banging the walls and playing in there fairly contently. When I finally decided to go in to see what he was up to I found him sitting there laughing with his pants off! He seemed very proud of his accomplishment.

Dec(k)or

Home decor has never exactly been my forte. In the first seven years of our marriage we had lived in nine different "homes" so quite honestly it was never something I thought much about. For that matter I grew up in a very simple home and so I don't really require all that much to feel comfortable and happy. Well, we've been in our first house for 2 and 1/2 years now and I still have some commitment issues...with paint and with decorating walls in general (notice my plain white-walled blog?). Thankfully we've focused our attention (and checkbook for that matter) to outdoor matters. We didn't exactly realize this at the time, but the lot we built on made for a very tricky yard situation. The backyard was at such a steep slope it was risky to have children even walking in our backyard for fear that they would begin to roll down the hill (much like the character Westley does in the "Princess Bride") except that our yard is MUCH smaller.

We (and when I say "we" I pretty much always mean Rob) spent one summer building retaining walls. Three walls to be exact. Two of them have been rebuilt already and the same two still need more work. The next year was spent (again working on walls) doing concrete, fencing, and grass. And so this year, we really have the itch to get our backyard finished and most importantly be able to send the boys outside to play! For 2 1/2 years Rob talked about building a deck himself (with some help obviously), but we ended up biting the bullet and hired it out. I was seriously amazed as I watched 4 professionals work full time to complete the deck in 5 and 1/2 days. This project would have taken us (and by "us" I mean Rob) 10 years--if ever to complete. So this spring I am thankful for a deck in a fenced backyard where I can send my kids out to play.

So our goal (ok, this time I'm really just talking about myself) for this summer is to "finish" landscaping the backyard including planting our garden! I think it is possible although it will be a lot of work. Who knows, maybe by fall most outdoor projects will be completed and I will have to focus on the inside projects I thought I would have finished by this winter.

Elephant in the bed

Each of my children has a stuffed animal (all in fact from Pottery Barn) that they have slept with and have treasured since they were babies. Burke (my oldest) still likes "Dog" in his bed at night even though it isn't a necessity anymore. Hewitt (my three-year-old) has managed to lose one "Hippo" and the other two (yes, we've purchased three hippos) are so worn from being loved near death. Tosh (our baby) just got his very own "Bear" and is starting to take to it although he doesn't need anything (including binky) to help him get to sleep for which I am grateful.

When I changed the bedding on Tosh's crib today, Hewitt noticed "Bear" and said, "Tosh has Bear, Burkie has Dog, Hewitt has Hippo and Daddy has elephant!" My first response was to want to ask, "Elephant? what are you talking about? Daddy only sleeps with mommy." That's when it hit me...could he be referring to me?

Slow to Trends

I've always been slow to trends. For example, a few months ago I was actually wearing black leggings under my skirt but just couldn't see it through and pulled them off minutes before leaving for church. Too soon. Too trendy. "Crocs" shoes have been around for how many years now (4 or 5?), and I am just starting to think about getting a pair. So it is with blogging. I've always enjoyed writing and I do keep a journal although I don't write in it as much as I'd like or should. I send stories and happenings out in e-mail form to my parents and siblings all of the time. In fact, I spend a lot of my day crafting words in my head and noting funny things that my kids do or say. Honestly, I've considered starting a blog for many months now; many of my friends have blogs and I truly enjoy reading about their lives and laughing at their experiences which at times seem to mirror my life almost exactly. So, even though my instinct is to wait another year to start one, here's to overcoming my fear of following a growing trend...