My day

Maybe it's because my house feels like a complete mess (again)...

Maybe it's because two of my kids weren't being nice to each other...

Maybe it's because all I felt like doing was holding/taking a nap with the baby...

Maybe it's because the electric bill was over $600 (and I'm still hot!)...

Maybe it's because there is still so much to fix, replace, and buy for our "new" home and it's all so expensive...

Maybe it's because I don't get enough sleep...

Maybe it's because I'm trying to "ween" myself off of sugar...

Maybe it's because making new friends isn't always easy...

Maybe it's because my hormones are still crazy...

Maybe it's because I have a ton of personal goals that aren't being met...

Maybe it's because the two-yr-old didn't nap and is into EVERYTHING (he "decorated" the banister with the entire contents of my brand new floss, ripped into a box of cereal, pulled out all of the books out of the bookshelf when he got upset--oh wait, that was the 4-yr-old, etc.)...

Maybe it's because I feel alone a lot even though I am surrounded by people...

Maybe it's because I miss my friends...

Maybe it's because I miss my mom...

For whatever reason, I had a good sob today (well multiple sobs, it was just one of those days). It made me wonder, does a woman really need a reason for a good cry? As I waited for Burke's bus this afternoon (and yes, I drive to the bus stop; it was over 110 today), I turned on the radio which is rare, and my favorite Coldplay song happened to be on. I turned up the radio as loud as I could allow myself and tried not to worry about what the neighboring parents were thinking of the hysterical, ugly-crying, half-laughing woman in the "Utah" plated minivan. And for the next three minutes my world seemed wonderful again. My tried and true combo (tears and a little music) was just the right therapy.

Facelift

I thought it was time for another facelift. I figured that I might at well embrace the palm tree (hey, better than a cactus, right? ha, ha) as they surround me here. I've never lived anywhere where palm trees grow (so in that aspect it still feels like I am only here on vacation), and I have always loved them thanks to a mother that spent a semester of college at the University of Hawaii... My laundry room is even decorated in palm tree wallpaper!

The other feature that stands out here: blue sky. Every day. Thus the blue background. Now you have a glimpse into my new "world."

Just giving "the people" what they want...

more photos of Liv!

Chins:

absolutely. love. them.

Smarty pants

Burke just got glasses. Not really a shocker since Rob and both of my brothers got glasses in 2nd grade. Rob and I don't think he looks that much different really...it sort of "fits" him if you know what I mean (looks like the smarty pants that he has always been).

Speaking of being "smart," Burke was complaining after school yesterday about being "SO hungry." We've had the problem lately of him not really eating any of his lunch (too busy visiting with friends--hey at least he's making new friends, right?), and then he'll come home wanting all sorts of snacks to eat. Well, I went into my whole shpeal about how he is welcome to finish what was left from his lunch and that we'd be eating dinner soon (blah blah...), and he says, "Mom, you need a stomach like mine. You don't know what it's like to be hungry!" Umm excuse me? Too bad the comment made me laugh out loud even though I was trying to act all upset. Smarty pants indeed.

Project central

We've stayed VERY busy this week with various house projects. We enlisted the help of some great visitors (thanks guys!)...we'll see if they ever come to visit us again. I don't know if I have ever painted a room in my life and was surprised at how much fun it was to pick out colors and paint (stripping wallpaper was another story). I gained some confidence in some areas that have always scared me to try and also learned that I'm actually pretty good at painting edges without taping--who knew? I have to give a brief testimonial on "sample-size" paint: I think it's well worth spending $2.99 a can to really see if you like the color on the wall...some of the colors we ended up going with seemed like they would be too bold or dark in the store and ended up being my favorites!

The first room painted was a perfect pale pink room for Liv, of course. The crib-size quilt I made for her this spring finally has a home... and we are beginning to feel more and more "at home" too.

Opa

If I had to sum Tosh up with one word it would probably be charismatic. This kid has so much life and enthusiasm stuffed into one little body that it's no wonder he has curls--an extension of his lively demeanor and zeal.

Every morning Tosh greets me (and everyone else he may see) with pure excitement as if he is seeing some long-lost friend. I look forward to this greeting every day, even when the greeting comes earlier than I would like (no daylight savings in AZ = he is always up before 6:00am)...

This morning Tosh greeted me with an enthusiastic, "Hey Babe!"

As I write this, he is running around the house yelling "Opa!" Seriously, "opa" like he is at some Greek festival and he is having the time of his life! And that sums it up.

Conversations and there you have its

Hewitt: How many eyes does Jesus have?
Burke: Two
Hewitt: How can He see everyone?
Burke: How would He see everyone with ten eyes? He just can, Hewitt.
Hewitt: Mom, Jesus is an expert.

Hewitt: You know laughing without laughing? Well that's smiling. It's laughing without making sounds.

Burke (holding Liv): What do you want to be when you grow up, Liv?
Hewitt: A fairy or a princess!
Burke: She wants to be a Mom.

Girl-geous

I've mentioned in earlier entries how cute Hewitt is with Liv. He spends so much of his day talking to her, kissing her, singing to her, etc. He repeats so much of what we say and will often greet Liv with, "hi, baby girl!" just like I do. The other day I was calling her "Gorgeous," and Hewitt must have heard this because the next time he greeted her he said, "Hi Girl-geous!" I thought that was darling! Wouldn't "Girlgeous" make at great name for a girly boutique or salon?

I got a couple of new shots of these two this evening (Liv is very into her hands lately, as you can see). What cuties.

Mr. Toad's wild swim

Well here I write from the state of Arizona. I haven't had the time or ability to write about our happenings over the past few weeks as it's been crazy busy and we're still unpacking and trying to get settled in... not to mention that I didn't have internet until a couple of days ago and just found my camera this morning.

We had a surprise visitor today. Burke mentioned to me that he felt something "like a fish" touch him while he was swimming in our pool this afternoon. Being the *concerned parent* that I am, I told him that it was probably just a leaf and not to worry about it. About five minutes later he flew out of the pool as fast as you can imagine yelling, "There's a fish!" I bent down to take a look and about died when I saw the following swimming around our pool:

You cannot tell by the picture, but this thing was HUGE (it had to have been at least 9 or 10 inches). I was so grossed out by this (still am) and told the boys, no more swimming for the day (pool guy comes on Monday). Hewitt was pretty excited about the toad and said, "Now we have a pet!" When I told the boys that we needed to figure out how to get rid of it Burke said, "Let's take him to D.I. (Deseret Industries--like Goodwill)." That is the funniest thing I have heard in awhile.

Rob and I have subsequently learned that the Sonoran Dessert Toad is common to this area and that they really like the water during monsoon/mating season. We caught him and set him free in front of our house. He held nice and still for a close-up (well, as close as I was willing to get) and although it created some excitement to our otherwise work-filled Saturday, we hope not to see him again.