Overheard: Cat

When my little sister was on her mission in New Zealand, she became really good friends with one of her companions from the Philippines.  She had a terrible family background and not a lot of hope for her future.  My parents are sponsoring her so that she can go to school here so she has become an adopted member of our family... we call her Cat.

Tayvin: "Hey Mom, you know we're all homo sapiens right?"
Me: "You're right buddy!"
Tayv: "But you know who's NOT a homo sapien?"
Me: "Who?"
Tayv: "Cat."
Me: "Yes she is! She's a human being too-just like us!"
Tayv: "Not Cat like Catherine. Cat like Tom Cat."

_____

Me: "Wow Tayv, you're getting awfully tan."
Tayv: "What?"
Me: "You're getting tan. It means your skin is kind of brown from being in the sun."
Tayv: "I don't want to be brown! Cat doesn't like her brown skin."
Me: "It looks cool when you're tan."
Tayv: "MOM! I'm not supposed to be brown, I'M WHITE!"

I am not a type A personality. But I definitely have some type A tendencies. Like planning and lists. I HAVE to plan. I haven't always been this way. I've always liked lists and I've always liked being in control (because, really, who doesn't?) But it really started once I had kids. You can't just up and leave for hours with kids. I guess you can but it's probably make many people miserable. Kids need naps. And food. And diaper changes. And routine.  Without a little bit of planning, they'll be missing out on at least one of those.  So.... I plan. And I make lists. And I schedule. And I have a routine.  And when one handsome man who makes decisions based off of everything BUT 'the plan' it makes me crazy. Not like I yell at him or start talking to myself. But I stew and wonder what will happen. And I have little patience for things that I can normally control.  So you can imagine how I'm functioning right now with things like this going on...

• We have slept in our own beds a total of maybe 10 times in the last month and a half.
• There has been talk about a new job opportunity (again) which would require putting the Masters Degree on hold..
• Tayv will be starting Kindergarten at a brand new school. Because it's a new school I won't find out about his schedule until right before he starts. As in, the night before.

I think the universe is trying to send me a message. Let go, Stacia. Just let go.

Overheard: Selfishness

I had an experience yesterday at a snowcone shack. Long story short, this guy wanted me to pay FULL PRICE (as in $4.50) for an EMPTY cup. Anyway, I was annoyed and Tayv picked up on it. When he asked about it I told him that the guy was just being selfish. We discussed smart business practices and what is acceptable and what is not in business. A few minutes later....
Tayv: "Hey Mom, I have an observation about why that guy was being selfish."
Me (chuckling about the incorrect use of the word): "Oh yah, what's that?"
Tayv: "Maybe Satan put some evil in him."
Me: "Haha! I don't think so."

A conversation then ensued about how Heavenly Father has given us a sort of protection from Satan, that he can tempt us but  Satan cannot put evil in us unless we allow him to do so.

Tayv: "Mom, is the protection a big CTR shield or CTR ring?"
Me: "Not exactly, but good guess."
Tayv: "It wasn't a guess. I was just wondering."

Overheard: The Simple Life

We spent a BEAUTIFUL 3 days up on the farm this weekend at my parent's house. We go up often but it's usually only for 2 days and it goes by way too quickly. It, of course, went by too quickly this time too but it was a nice slow few days.  Here is a quick overheard:
Me: "You've gotta admit Nate, there is something incredibly appealing about this simple life... Saturday afternoon horse ride, visiting with family on the deck in the shade, napping in the hammock, an evening of rodeo, riding in the back of the truck, Sunday afternoon dutch oven dinner in the mountains..."
Tayvin lounging in the back of the truck with the wind blowing through his cute little buzz cut with the most content look on his face: "Well Mom, sorry to tell you this but that's just part of life and it's a life I love."
Guess what little dude? It's a life I love too. I love sharing it with you and little makes me happier than seeing how much you love it too. Thanks for reminding me that simple should just be part of life.

Overheard: homework

Tayv while pretending to type on my old laptop: "Mom, I can't get dressed right now. I've got to get my homework done or they'll fire me from school and then I won't be able to go to kindergarten. Speaking of which, how do you spell Kindergarten and website? I got most of website."  And he did.

This sweet big brother

Tayv singing to Aree this morning:"When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change cause you're amazing just the way you are. And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for awhile. Cause girl, you're amazing just the way you are."

Kitchenaid, you just made my life so much easier!

I heard this tip last week and just got around to trying it tonight. Seriously, people. WHY did I not think of this before?  Tayvin is usually my chicken shredder. He does a great job but really, it takes him or I just as long to shred it as it does to cook it. But not anymore friends! Take the cooked chicken, throw it in your kitchenaid, put the paddle in, turn it on, whala-it's shredded. And then to make it even easier, I just added my ingredients for chicken salad to it and it was so easy!
(I know it's lame that I am so excited about this but try it... if you cook much you're going to LOVE it.)

Keeping it real.

I finally went and bought a pair of pants yesterday. They're a size bigger. :(  But they're NOT maternity pants and my 'bread dough' is not hanging over the edge.(Sorry about the mental image.)  This last pregnancy continues to wreak havoc on me... medical bills, the cost of formula from loss of milk, headaches, and I won't even get started on my body.  But to be honest? I would do it a thousand times over to have this sweet, adorable, happy girl in our family. Even if she didn't sleep through the night.

Happy Me

A few things that make me happy today....

• We got to spend an entire week of evenings with daddy! No school, no church meetings, just us.
• Only 5.5 more hours until our favorite time of day begins... when Nate pulls in the driveway.
• For the 2nd week in a row, Nate will be here to run family night instead of Tayv & I doing it ourselves.
• Tahn's chubby little flinstone feet that won't fit into any shoes.
• The image of Tayv waving goodbye with a look of love on his face as I dropped him off at school.
• Aree's tiny feet, tiny painted toenails, and beautiful big smile.
• The possiblity of a lightning storm.
• Cute little fingerprints on my newly washed windows and fridge.
• The sound of giggling then fighting then giggling brothers at 6 am.

Find some of your own happys today!

These cute kids of mine...

I'll just put this out there.... pictures of the kids this year were a joke! The night before, Tahn got about

half the amount of sleep he usually does and WAS NOT going to sit for more than 3 seconds at a time,

Tayv tried but once we got Aree situated in his lap and turned around to put Tahn in place he just

had to move, and Little Miss was hungry. So basically,

 I didn't get a real smile from any of them. But they are cute little stinkers. :)

Miss AJ

What can I say about this beautiful little girl? She has brought such joy to our entire family when I didn't think there was more to be had. Her brothers LOVE her, her daddy is COMPLETELY smitten, and her mommy is having the time of her life dressing up this little angel. And to add to it, she's now coo-ing and grinning from ear to ear at anybody that walks by. We just can't get enough of her.

Pictures soon!

Our little book worm

Tayv has ALWAYS loved books. And especially now that he's reading and spelling. It's too much for me to handle... he can't be old enough to read yet.  Please, time, won't you slow down?

Tahn the man

This little dude is such a cute stinker. He is so happy and loving but can get so angry too. He's such a little smartie-looking at things for just a minute then figuring them out...like untying knots. Double knots. Anyway...
Tayv saw Tahn's baby book the other day and was looking through it. Guess what he said... "Mom, isn't there anything in here?" Yep, that's the kind of mom I am. So until I write something in it, here is a list of most of his words at almost 20 months.

• AJ
• apple
• Arahlee
• bampa (grandma)
• bampa (grandpa)
• banana
• bath tub
• bear
• blanket
• blinds
• book-book
• brr
• bruber (brother)
• Bye
• car
• cear-cel (cereal)
• cheeks
• cheese
• chicken
• chow-chow (chocolate)
• co-co (cookie)
• color
• cook-cook
• da-da
• danger
• diaper
• dinosaur
• doggy
• door
• dressed
• drink
• ears
• eat
• eyce (eyes)
• fishies
• gone
• head
• hi
• hor-hor (horse)
• hot
• jacket
• juice
• like that
• lion sound
• lotion
• love you
• ma-ma
• marmellow
• mine
• monkey
• moo moo (smoothie)
• mooom
• more
• mu-mu (muffin)
• nigh-nigh
• no-no
• nose
• oatmeal
• on
• ouch
• out
• peanut bubber
• pibow (pillow)
• pie
• pineapple
• play
• please
• prettydone
• rare-uh (shara)
• sal-sal (salad)
• scee-scees (scissors)
• shoes
• sisty (sister)
• socks
• sor-sor (sorry)
• Stacia
• stinky
• strawberry
• string cheese
• Tayvin
• teeth
• thank you
• trash
• trash can
• wall
• water
• whoa
• window
• wow
• yah

Remember this?  I certainly do-it was the best mother's day I've ever had. I thought it a good idea to revisit the idea.

Our Sweet Little Miss

Arahlee Jayde

joined our family

February 28th, 2011

at 7:03pm

7 lbs 8.5 oz
19 1/2 in

She has been such a sweet little addition to our family and of course, the boys just can't get enough of her or give her enough kisses. (Especially her smitten daddy.)
We are so grateful she made it here healthy and safe!