if you're a super hero...

you must have a secret identity.

that way you can run around,

fighting bad guys, and defending the innocent.

and still have a normal life.

it's hard to be batman. (especially when batman is obsessed with spiderman.)

Squeal.

My third child is squealing in his bedroom right now. Not screaming, or crying, but squealing. He doesn't want to take a nap and he really really needs a nap right now. I'm sitting here listening to him, wanting to go in and pick him up, but knowing that it won't do any good. As soon as I put him back down, he'll just start squealing all over again. I feel a little sad, because I know that all the squealing going on right now, and at many other times of the day, means that Mr. 3rd Child isn't a baby anymore. He's a rip-roaring toddler, squeally grumpy disposition and all. I'm sorta bummed out that as of next month I really can't call him a baby anymore, and I have no immediate plans, or hopes of another bundle any time in the next... however many months. I really don't think I can do a 4th right now. I really don't want to not have a baby either.

I might go in and rock Mr. E now. Even though I know it won't do any good. Just to hold on a little longer.

the state of the sink.

My sink is backed up. My kitchen sink. Then center of my world. Of every mom's world. The place where I wash and peel and scrub half of my life away. The center of my home is the kitchen. The center of the kitchen: The sink.

I spent 200 dollars on groceries today...

Don't gasp (although I still do every. single. time.) I spend that much every other week. Feeding a family of five is really really expensive. But I took the boys today. Usually I go at night when Craig can be home with the kids. But Craig has class on Thursdays, he'll be in Seattle all day tomorrow, till late, and I'm flying to Logan on Sat. morning. So I went with the boys today. All things considered, it went well. But, they both fell asleep on the 5 minute drive home. Which meant that neither of them took a nap. Which also meant a screaming temper tantrum afternoon, while I tried to shove 200 dollars worth of groceries into our teaspoon size kitchen.

Then I did the dishes and cleaned out the stinky old leftovers from the fridge. As I was running the disposal, I noticed a problem. The sink wouldn't drain. Disposal is running fine, but the sink won't drain. And I just poured 2 tons of stinky mouldy food down it. Fabulous.

2 hours, alot of plunging and still a big soupy, mess.

Pause. Go get Hannah from school, come back. No better. Plunge, and poke the sludge some more, still no progress. Pause again for the evening with 2 screaming boys, and my poor kindergartener who has to deal with mom being at her limits. We played t-ball, went to the park, cleaned the rest of the house (except the sink, of course- still backed up) had baths, cold-cereal for dinner (every mom does this sometimes), vaccumed, did homework, scriptures, prayer, book, teeth brushed, and bed.

Now I'm going to fold laundry, mend a few clothes, do some of my own homework, finish a project, and do pilates (if I can still stand at that point)

My sink smells like vomit.

Craig doesn't get off school until 10:00pm and then it's a 35 minute drive. Please let him have the energy to fix the sink as well...

I'm feeling grateful for that plane ticket to Logan...

I need a break.

tattoo.

there is a girl with a flock of tattooed black birds flying across her back in my literature class. it could be a tribute to the Beatles' song, in which case that would be cool. they are surprisingly realistic looking. every time i see them, i wonder how in the heck she held still long enough to let them etch those birds so perfectly in her back. i could never get a tattoo. never mind the fact that i think they are disgusting, and the idea of doing anything damaging or restricting to your body (including tying up the tubes) just seems really really wrong to me. (it's a long time to live to have the nickname from high school written on your arm, what if you want another baby in 5 years? etc.) and also, i wriggle and writhe when in pain. i can barely hold still long enough for them to insert the epidural needle when in child birth... tangent...

but walking to my car tonight after class, i felt empty. it was a good class, very stimulating, cool professor, studying jane austen right now (can life get better!?) but still i was empty. and i missed byu-idaho. there is a tangible spirit in the air there. and you can feel it where ever you go. ASU is a good school, but void of that. and when i walk back from my class to the parking garage that houses my vehicle for the 3 hour stretch of class, i find myself wishing i could be back there, (if only for a moment) so bad it almost hurts.

my professors used to begin the classes with a prayer. can you think of a better way to start? now i walk out of the building and right into a cloud of cigarette smoke (possibly my least favorite thing in the world). sad.

i'll always be grateful for the time i had at byu-i. it brought me a lot of fun memories, a husband who rocks my world, an associates degree, and a greater testimony of the Lord's power to improve the educational experience.

everything is better when you let God into it.

thank you byu-i.

for many many things.

idolized

Sitting on the grass next to the park this morning, I was trying to shove my little boys' feet into their shoes. It was a warm Arizona morning and the sun shimmered in their blond hair. Their toes were sweaty and covered in sand, which I tried to brush off. I could hear the children playing outside at Hannah's school around the block and wished I could drive over and give her a little hug in the middle of her Kindergarten morning. I didn't. I wouldn't want to be that embarrassing mushy mom. So I sat on the grass working Carter's dirty little boy feet into his sneakers. He sat on the grass being silly and waiting while I moved onto Ethan's feet. He'd lay back in the grass, and then so would Ethan. He would sit back up, and once again, his brother would follow suit. He laughed, Ethan laughed. Laid back again, and so did the younger. All the time the baby's little cherub cheeks glowed as he watched carefully and imitated everything his big brother did. Then his idol stood up and scampered across the lawn. Only one shoe on, he wriggled free, his only thought to follow Carter, and ran after him. His feet, only half shod, bounced up and down with his little hop run. I stood up and walked behind, his other sandal dangling from my fingertips.

happy.birthday.meg.

25 is half way to 50.

go you.

Happy Birthday.

kisses,

your big sis.

six.

then:

now:

stats:

6 years

3 kids

6 apartments

1.5 houses

2 degrees.

4 states

3 "real" jobs

a few vacations

alot of stress

and...

one husband who still likes to check me out.


happy anniversary.

i still love you.

more than ever.

set-back.

remember how last week, i showed you a picture of our "firm foundation?"

by thursday we had framed walls and ceiling trusses.




yesterday we had this.

remember the song about the foolish man building his house upon the sand, and what happens...

apparently, you get the same result when the foolish man accidentally lays the house out 2 feet back and to the side from where it was supposed to be plotted.

...and the house on Roselle got bulldozed away.

sniff sniff...

ps. since they are starting over completely, it adds another 2-3 weeks before we move in. we got a free rv gate out of it, so it's not a total loss i guess.

so much for hoping for a drama-less home build.

book worm.

i went in to get ethan up from his nap the other day and this is what i found.

apparently he's following in his mother's footsteps.

can this child get any more delicious? i think not.

you've got to have a firm foundation...

and now we do.

YAY!

side note: this is a house just around the corner from ours, same model, that's a few weeks ahead of ours in the building process. they're all framed so we like to go over there and look at the way the rooms will lay out. this is not my kitchen, but it is the way my kitchen will be laid out. that island has me leaping for joy.