Out of the mouths of babes

1.) Capture what it's like to spend a day or moment talking to your kiddo.

Elliot (3 1/2 years old): So mom, why you so pregnant?

And that's pretty much the extent of our conversation around here.....

My Reverse Bucket List

My REVERSE bucket list

aka The Top 10 Things I Will NEVER Do

1. Sky dive 

2. Go underwater in one of those shark cage things

3. Hunt an animal for sport
4. Eliminate yoga pants from my wardrobe
5. Stop eating bread
6. Lose touch with my best friend
7. Fold a fitted sheet
8. Take my husband and children for granted
9. Spend a large sum of money on clothing for a child
(come on, they grow out of it in like a day!)
10. Admit I'm a control freak
(oh, wait.....did I just admit that?)

He's growing and I can't stop it!

1.) A moment you realized your child was growing up.


We have a motion sensor light in our laundry room. You walk down the hall, pass the laundry room, and the light comes on....and then goes off about 5 seconds later. This may seem annoying, but it's actually kind of convenient because whoever built this house decided the light switch should be at the very far end of the laundry room, so you either walk in and fumble around for the light switch OR you flip it to motion sensor and it comes on when you come in the room.

Anyway, this isn't about a light. It's about Elliot....who is 3. I will never EVER forget the first time he walked by the laundry room and the light came on. Up until that day, he was too dang short for the motion sensor to pick up his little bopping head as it went by, but on this day, he had grown tall enough that it "detected" him, and it shocked me! My first son is now tall enough to set off motion sensor lights! He's growing up! Ahhhhh!!!!!

Elliot....smiling =)

Crawling through Windows

Once upon a time I crawled though a window.
A window that was approximately 8 feet from the ground.
It was my bedroom window.
It was 8:45 in the morning
And 90 degrees outside.
I had to balance on a very rickety, plastic, chair to even see in the window.
The reason I was crawling through the window in the first place?
I left my car keys in the house....which was locked.
Outside with me, in the soon-to-be sweltering heat
Was my almost 2 year old son and my 5 week old son.
That's right, I climbed and pulled and jerked and heaved myself
Through a window.
5 weeks after a c-section.
It's a story that I'll always remember.
I felt like Superwoman.
I suddenly realized what it meant to use strength you didn't know you had
All because you had no other choice.
Climbing through that window....
PULLING myself up into that window.....
5 weeks after a c-section
Was one of the hardest physically demanding things I've done
But I did it
And we all lived happily ever after.
The end.

1.) Write about a time you had to crawl through a window.

10 TV Shows that really need a comeback

It's Thursday, which means I'm taking my cues from Mama Kat. This week it was a total no-brainer. The hubs and I talk about this ALL.THE.TIME.

So, in particular order, 10 TV Shows that sincerely, honestly, truly, really really hecka bad, need a comeback (in my humble opinion).

1. Kids Incorporated. This show rocked my world.

2. Double Dare. So awesome.

3. Full House. Seriously, Uncle Joey was hilarious.

4. Are You Afraid of the Dark? I loved me some scary kid stuff.

5. Salute Your Shorts. That was some funny stuff. (Maybe, my memory could be a bit cloudy)

6. Doug. The theme song still runs laps in my brain.

7. The Mickey Mouse Club. 90's style. How would we ever have Britney or Justin or Christina without them? (Not that I really care about Britney or Christina......notice I didn't mention Justin....) (and am I the only one who remembers "The Party?")

8. Step by Step. I guess one of the characters (Cody?) got busted for domestic violence not too long after the show ended........but it was a good show!

9. Clarissa Explains It All. Enough Said.

10. The Cosby Show. I know they'd all be grown up and old....but I can never get enough of the sarcasm and the awesome song and dance numbers.

The hubs would question my sanity if I didn't at least mention Ren & Stimpy and Pete & Pete....so there, I mentioned them.

So, what shows did you LOVE? Want to share?
Thanks for stopping by!!

Rylee Hannah Smith, an inspiring little lady

One of my dear dear friends, Megan Boyack Smith, passed away last November, 5 months after giving birth to her first child. She had a healthy pregnancy, everything was going as planned.  She contracted cancer at some point between her routine blood work (2 weeks before delivery) and during labor. It was all rather strange and horrible. It seemed she was supposed to have that baby girl at that time in order for the cancer to be caught when it was. After a very valiant and brave fight, Meg passed away. And she left behind a beautiful, happy, shiny little girl named Rylee Hannah Smith.

I've met Rylee only once, when she traveled to my hometown for her Mother's memorial service. When that baby girl entered the room in her Father's arms, everyone stopped. The room became so full of such a special and sweet calm. It was such a wonderful experience, I will never forget it. Seeing Rylee was like seeing my dear friend Megan in a smaller body. So special. She has the sweetest disposition, the sweetest spirit.

I can't really explain why, but Rylee is such an inspiration to me. She is the epitome of moving forward, of not giving up, of happiness, of joy, of perseverance. She has one of the most perfect women in the world for a Mother and yet she will only see her in pictures. When I think of Rylee, I think of all the special things she stands for. She is seriously the poster child for hope. Seeing Rylee, I can't help but know that we all have a reason for being here, we all have a reason for being who we are, we all have a reason for being where we are.
Rylee, you are amazing.
Thank you for the light you shine in this world.

2.) Write about a child you find inspiring.

My Summer "Bucket" List

My Summer Bucket List...which is supposed to be 50 things long, we'll see how that goes.

1. Swim...with an actual bathing suit on

2. Potty-train Elliot

3. Paint the ceiling in the kitchen

4. Paint the master bedroom (if you stop by sort-of regularly, you would know this is something I said would be done before June 25th........that's not happening)

5. Eat something that came from our {first ever} garden.

6. Figure out how to stay cool in triple digit heat

7. Make my laundry room somehow feel like a cool place. Cool as in awesome.

8. Go camping {that ones for you hubs}

9. Read at least one book {any recommendations?}

10. Put together a scrapbook for Caleb's 1st year

11. Figure out how I'm going to teach a choir and drama class with no school budget

12. Go to the ocean, at least once.

13. Go to a zoo.

14. Take Elliot to see Cars 2 for his birthday, his very first time in a movie theatre {wish me luck!!!}

15. Go see Harry Potter in the movie theatre {yes, I cannot wait}

16. Get a new phone

17. Let everyone in on a big secret {no really, I have one and I'm gonna spill}

18. Get new kitchen towels {you know how they just look dirty even when their clean? It's time}

19. Learn how to BBQ

20. Cut my hair shorter

21. Get the cars detailed....they're pretty kid-ravaged {aka, crumbs in places I didn't know existed}

22. Do some family history

23. Go on some regular dates with the hubs.

24. Go to the mall and spend money on something that I wouldn't normally allow myself to

25. Drink tons of water. Tons.

26. Organize my closet {this is a BIG goal....}

27. Not freak out when I see a rattlesnake right outside my back screen door

28. Plant flowers in my front yard

29. Finish the trim on the house that we started last summer

30. Get the sprinkler system fixed

31. Get some clients for our new business

32. It is taking me about 2-5 minutes to think of new ideas from here, and they're less fun and more boring, so instead of racking my brain to make a list of things that I will probably stress about doing I think I'll stop while I'm ahead =)

I almost made it to 50, half way at least!!

What about you? Any plans for the summer? Anything super excited that I can be jealous of?

Thanks for stopping by!

Followup to the Six Word Memoir

Last Thursday, I wrote a six word memoir, here it is again just in case you forgot =)

This week I'd like to let you all in on the reason why I chose those particular six words.

Besides the obvious "You are married to a man, you have 2 sons, your animals are also in the male category (well, they were before they got "fixed")"

Obviously my life is run by boys. But did you know I totally called it? Before I was married, I always said that I knew I would be a mom of all boys. Once I got married, I continued to say it. When I got pregnant, I made a bet with one of my brother in laws that I would have all boys. And while the first ultrasound told us our first child would be a girl (and everyone started buying pink things), 4 weeks after that first ultrasound we found out it wasn't a girl at all (and everyone proceeded to return all the pink things).

So, my life is run by boys. A large boy (aka, the hubs) two smallish boys (aka Elliot and Caleb) and 2 furry boys (aka Samson the dog and Maxwell Silver Hammer the cat....yes, we're big Beatles fans). Who knows what the future holds, if there will be further boy additions to this family or if we'll all be thrown a curve ball and a girl will show up.

All I know is my six word memoir is definitely true: Life run by boys, loving it.

Have a great day!!!
Thanks SO much for stopping by! I absolutely love your comments!

(This post is linked with Mama Kat's Pretty Much World Famous Writer's Workshop!)

Six Word Memoir

Writing Prompt #1: Six Word Memoir. Write about your life in six words.

       

                                                 Thanks for stopping by!!!

the time I got in BIG trouble

When I was a kid, I was pretty independent and sure of myself and brave and loud....and, well, I think you get the point. I knew what I wanted and how to get it. How do I know this? Yes, it was a long time ago but I've heard my parents say on many occasion that Caleb (my youngest son) is payback....and since he is all of the things I listed above, I'm pretty sure it's safe to say those things are true.

Me and my awesome Dad.

When I was younger, I did a few things that got me in BIG trouble. But the one that I recall with the fondest memories is the time I told 3 lies in one day. That's right, 3. But for some reason, I only remember the first 2 lies.......but I know there were 3, so you'll just have to believe me =)

1. My mom had just made some fabulous chocolate chip cookies and told me to keep my little hand off. She walked out of the room and what did I do? I went straight to the cookies and ate one (maybe more than one, the details are a bit foggy). She came back into the room and I had chocolate all over my face and hands and she asked "Emmie, what are you chewing on?" and my reply: "my teeth........."
2. I was a little upset that I had been caught red-handed (or should I say chocolate-handed) with the cookies, so I proceeded to grab a hammer (where I found one, I couldn't say) and pound on the water heater/air conditioner/something-that-was-big-and-not-supposed-to-be-hammered-on. My mom walked over and said, "Emmie, what are you hitting (that thing that I can't remember what it was) with?" and my reply: "my hand....."
3. The third lie must have been real good...I wish I could remember!

So, that's my story about the time I got in BIG trouble. As I grew up, the stories got juicier and juicier, but when I was younger something like 3 lies in one day was kind of a big deal. We still talk about the ridiculousness of it to this day =)

Thanks for stopping by! I love your comments!
(Linked up with Mama Kat's Pretty Much World Famous Writer's Workshop!)

My best friend

Date: Summer 1999
Place: Band Camp
Time: After "lights out"

We were roommates. She was on the top bunk and I was on the bottom. We both played the trumpet. We were both super awesome and full of energy and giggles.

1999

Late one night, the most feared horrible creature of all time came into my view.....a spider!!!! Dun dun DUHN!

Little did I know, but this super awesome girl who also played the trumpet (and was full of energy and giggles) who was sleeping on the bunk above me was a master spider killer! (Ok, I know there are those of you who are against killing things, even spiders, but this had to be done....sorry). 

She totally saved the day (well.....it was night) and I was so scared of a return assault by the spiders to avenge the death of their brother (or sister) that I slept in the same bunk as this super awesome girl who also played the trumpet (and was full of energy and giggles).

Today, I call her Beaner. Back then, her name was Lorena. Well, her name is still Lorena, I just don't call her that :)

2007

And that my friends, is the story of how I met my best friend.

Great right?!

(ps Hubs, you're my best friend too)

(Linked up with Mama Kat's pretty much world famous writer's workshop)

The Most Rockin' Mom of All

The Most Rockin' Mom of All

We were born to rock

My mom knew this

All 4 of us girls

Just had that special "gift."

She made us instruments

out of cardboard

She popped in the Neil Diamond

and we were all floored.

"Today!" we jumped and screamed along

For that one was our favorite song.

 Us girls still talk about those funfilled days

How could we not?

We had the most rockin' mom of all.

My rockin' mom, and awesome dad, me (with the huge smile and closed eyes next to my dad) and my super great 3 sisters.

(linked up with Mama Kat)

New parents and crazy ideas

3. What is going on in the bedroom? Describe a memorable sleeper.

When Elliot, our first son, was born we were soooooooo new and NERVOUS. It's true what they say, those feelings that come when you walk (or ride in a cool wheelchair) out the hospital door realizing there is no nurse waiting for you at home, realizing that this is your baby, yours, ALL yours. Those feelings of "oh crap. what am I going to do with this baby? how will I know what he wants when he cries? how do I keep him safe and healthy?" etc etc etc. We had all of those feelings, plus some. 

Elliot slept in his crib, directly across the hall from us. Seriously, no more than 12 steps away. We had a cat and a dog at home and we were mortified of them getting in the crib with Elliot (I mean, of course a welsh corgi with stumpy little legs could jump up into a crib with high rails, right?) So what did we do to ensure we could keep Elliot's bedroom door open and keep the animals out of the room?

We stacked child gates in the hallway. Vertically people. We stacked child gates vertically in the hall way. That's right, one on top of the other. Building a nice, tall, wall of child gates. No stumpy leg welsh corgi was going to invade Elliot's room in the middle of the night. No extremely cuddly fat cat was going to jump in his crib. It wasn't happening.

We did this for at least a couple weeks. Until we realized the animals could care less about Elliot and his crib. We talk about this now and laugh. Good, hard, laughter comes from this memory. I mean, really? Stacking child gates? What kind of paranoid crazy new parents do that?

We do =)

If you really knew me....

If you really knew, like really really, you would know that:

• I have 3 sisters, I'm the 2nd oldest
• I grew up in a great LDS (Mormon) Family
• I used to fly co-pilot (with my Dad as pilot) in an airplane named "Woodstock" when I was about 6 years old
• The first talent show I ever sang in was at a local community college and I sang "Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel and got maybe 10 words right.....still to this day when I hear the song on the radio it makes me cringe with embarrassment.
• There was a time in my life that I was really lost and I am so glad I found myself again
• I can play 9 different musical instruments, a few of them really well
• I said I would never co-sleep with my children, but then they actually showed up and changed my mind
• I love Target
• I am addicted to carbohydrates
• I am really impatient. Like REALLY
• I stress out about things that haven't even happened yet
• Right now, my hair is the longest it has been since I was 16
• I met my extremely good looking husband when we were in high school doing the play "West Side Story" (he was a Jet and I was a Shark.....)
• Instead of buying new clothes, I sew up the ones that I have, which means I have been wearing the same clothes for at least 5 years
• I fantasize about having a huge family, but then I think about how much that is going to cost me and resign myself to just 1 more babe (ok....maybe 2 if I can talk the hubs into it)
• I have been cutting my own hair for a very.long.time. My mom jokes that they will put the words "Look Mom! I cut my hair!" on my tombstone.
• I used to be really really good at kickball, they called me "steel boots" (I'm totally serious)
• At my 8th grade graduation, I was speaking and the boys behind me were moo-ing. I blame them for my weight complex that still bothers me to this day....

If you really knew me, you would know that I love my family. More than anything. You would know that I cried as I wrote that last sentence because I'm an emotional girl.

If you really knew me, you would know I love you for taking the time to read all these silly things. Thank you =)

Writing Prompt: If you really knew me.....

Committed

Writing prompt #3, what I know for sure

I have recently discovered how awesome podcasts are (yes Hubmeister, you have been right this whole time, they are awesome) and I have been listening to one lately, CutTheFatPodcast.com, that has really got me re-thinking this whole weight loss thing.

Me and losing weight are like best friends, forever. For as long as I can remember, I have been trying to lose weight. I've had small successes here and there, only to have the weight come back (*cough cough* plus some). I have recently really buckled down and stopped the dieting

(totally off topic, but my Grandma has had a magnet 

on her fridge f-o-r-e-v-e-r that says "DIET is a four letter word." 

As a little girl, I would read that and think

"yes, there are 4 letters in it, that's kind of a stupid magnet......"  

but now I totally get it. 

I know, totally ridiculous. Where was I??? Oh yeah, buckling down 

and stopping the diet thing...) 

and started changing the way I think about food and how I go about eating in my daily life, and let me tell you, it's working. Really working, like 4 weeks in and it's still working....and that's a big deal for someone who doesn't stick to things when they get hard (yes, I am one of those people who gives up if it gets too difficult...unless it's a piano piece, I stick to that baby like glue). I've lost 10 pounds in about 10 weeks, slow right? But awesome! Ok, back to the podcast. 

While listening to it last night (on my way home from a group meeting titled "Mindful Eating".... good stuff, good stuff) the lady (Blythe is her name, such a cool name) said this, and it totally caught my attention: "If you can't write down what you eat for a week, one week, then you haven't committed to yourself yet." I had a total A-HA! moment.

Committed to yourself.....

Committed to myself.......

Committed....

hmmmmm, could it be true? 

Have I not been committed to myself until now? Is that why I haven't had any great success in losing weight?

The answer? Yes. I have not been committed to myself. 

Did I know this until last night?

No. No. Heck no.

What I know for sure is that committing to myself is a total win-win situation. I know for sure I cannot fail if I commit to me. This is a total profound thought. I am really good at committing to other people and other things but I've never even thought about committing to me. Crazy right? Yeah, it totally is. 

So, have you committed to yourself? It doesn't even have to be about eating, it could be about anything! I would love to hear what you think about all this.

Thanks for stopping by and reading about my profound thoughts =)