Happy 12th Birthday Reilly!!

This picture was taken of Reilly earlier this year in Primary by Sister Alger.

Yesterday was Reilly's birthday. She has been waiting and waiting for #12 to come along so that she could FINALLY go to Young Womens and be done with Primary. At last the big day arrived. We are really proud of Reilly. She worked hard and finished her Faith in God and left Primary with all her goals accomplished.

Reilly's first day as a new Beehive in Young Womens.

These pictures were only taken about 6 months or so apart but the growth and change in her is amazing. Bye Bye little girl...hello teenager!!

A woman stopped me in the bathroom on Sunday and was marveling that Reilly was already 12 (she has known her for years in Primary) she asked me how it felt to have a 12 year-old. I told her that it just felt like time was flying by. It reminded me of a conversation I had with a wise friend of mine, Sharon, whose children are grown and always has such great perspective on life. We were talking about how Reilly's 12th birthday was approaching and I said how I felt like Reilly was just 2 years old and I blinked and now she's almost 12. Sharon told me that the next time I blink my grandchildren will be 12 and that it is just so important to enjoy the small moments and try to really be "present" in them because life doesn't slow down. One of the reasons I love blogging is that not only do I record small moments, big moments and milestones but I feel like I look for these moments each and every day.

Reilly picked for her birthday dinner: Broccoli Divan, 7-layer dip and chips, Cold Duck Sparkling Grape Juice, homemade pecan pie, and homemade cherry pie with whipped cream and ice cream.



11 1/2 to 12 years old has been a VERY emotional roller coaster. Mood swings left and right. Laughter, tears, sullen grump, pleasant daughter...you just never know. Her birthday dinner was no different. Fraught with highs and lows.

Reilly with her very favorite gift: Mascara. If we only knew how happy a little pink and green tube was going to make her we would've saved our money on everything else. I remember when I turned 12 and my mother allowed me to wear mascara. BIG EXCITEMENT!! All other make-up will have to wait until further down the road of life for Reilly just like it did for me.

While on partial bed rest it has given me and Reilly lots of chat time. One day she was complaining about how mean I am and how I don't understand what it's like to be in 6th grade and how there's no way I could understand what she is going through. So we found my old journals from 6th and 7th grade. We were laughing our heads off reading them. My complaints about my parents, always having to babysit, hating to always have to do chores when none of my other friends had to do them, boys I liked and how much I liked them and on and on. I sounded just like Reilly!! We also found out that in 6th grade we both had piano lessons on Tuesdays and a few other fun facts. Reilly had a great time mocking me and my 12 year old self but she did say "Oh Mom if you were in my class we would be best friends!!" That is a huge compliment from a 12 year old!! ;)

Reilly also wanted me to read her what I wrote in my journal about the day she was born and read all that was going on while I was pregnant with her. Even Kameron was quite interested in listening to my journal entries. It was better than TV. Yesterday Kameron brought to me a clump of papers he had stapled together into a journal. He told me he was going to start keeping a journal so that his kids would have something to read and laugh about. What a cutie!!

All in all Reilly's birthday was a lot of fun and it is so neat to see her making her way toward womanhood. She is a great girl who brings so much joy, laughter, heart and soul into our lives. We love you Reilly!!

Aunt Kelley, Reilly, Kameron and Ailey...who apparently all got the memo to wear brown. Or as Kameron called their little group "brown heaven"!! :)

Thanks to all the family who called to wish Reilly a Happy Birthday she loved it!!

Kameron and Ailey talking to Aunt Jordi after Reilly was done. Ailey got tired of waiting her turn as Kam was having quite a long and involved conversation with Jordin. Ailey thought she was pretty clever when she grabbed the other phone and started talking too.

Happy Birthday Rye!! We love you!!

Two Questions

Question #1: Barack Obama will you be able to live up to your hype?

I didn't vote for you so I'm saying my prayers, crossing my fingers and wishing upon a star that there is more to you than charisma.

Question #2: What can you buy for $14?

Reilly's 6th Grade School Picture = $7

Kameron's 2nd Grade School Picture = $7

$14 = Endless Amusement

Plus there are always fun games like: Compare: Who was more hideous in this same grade Mom or Dad? Or the equally amusing Time Line: line up all the school pictures thus far to see the progression of missing teeth, hairstyles, huge teeth etc. Guaranteed to provide hours of amusement for children.

Personally I think this year's pictures were much better than last year's so I would say $14 well spent!!

Non-traditional Halloween

Happy Halloween!! This has been a bit of an odd holiday this year. It is so weird not to be doing all the usual things that I do to celebrate this particular holiday. Due to my partial bed rest I feel like I've just been watching everyone and everything go by. As far as the pregnancy goes...things are going fine. The baby and I are hanging in there.

This year I didn't get to go with Ailey on her field trip to the pumpkin patch. Tyler stepped in and Ailey had a great time having her daddy all to herself.



I also didn't go to the pumpkin patch with the rest of our kids and pick pumpkins and apples and eat pumpkin donuts...I got to stay home. But Tyler did take me on a drive and got us some hot donuts from Harvest House so I didn't miss out this year. They were SO good. But since I wasn't on the pumpkin-getting expedition...no pictures.

I also had to bail on volunteering at all the kids Halloween parties which I do every year and enjoy. I was particularly excited to volunteer at Ailey's preschool. Her teachers always do really great holiday parties and Ailey was excited to have me come help at "her school". Thanks Janyse for stepping in and taking my place. I appreciate it!!

I also didn't participate in the carving of the pumpkins...I didn't really mind...it's more of a Tyler thing anyway.

EW...Pumpkin Guts!! Thanks for taking a couple of pictures Reilly!!

But we didn't get many pictures of the finished products. Here is one from Trunk-or-Treat. We put them up on the top of the Suburban.


Also a huge THANK YOU to Reilly who got our three big tubs of Halloween decorations and did an extraordinarily festive job with decorating the house as a surprise for me. I'm glad she did it because otherwise I probably would've skipped the decorations this year. I'm glad things at least felt Halloweeny around the house.

When the actual day of Halloween arrived I was feeling pretty good and could be up and around for short bursts. So I had fun getting Ailey all decked out as a "mean old witch with a hat" for preschool...picking her up from her party...making a special Halloween dinner of Butternut Squash Lasagna, Orange Frappe Punch and pomegranates...getting out of my pajamas and putting on "real" clothes and attending our ward's Trunk-or-Treat...following Tyler and the kids in the car as they hit the neighborhood trick-or-treating...and even visiting Kelley where we were not attacked by raccoons like last year!! So yehaw...I felt almost normal. How nice. Of course the next day I had to take it super easy to make up for all my activity.



Reilly was a cheerleader this year. Very cute. Alas she informed us that this was her last year hanging out with us (her lame family) at trunk-or-treat. She is too cool for us now and will be going trick-or-treating with her friends from now on...good luck shaking her dad...who will undoubtedly be tailing them!!



Kameron was Darth Vadar. I'm loving his "action" poses!! Let me just tell you how much I love boys and Halloween. Could it get easier? Every year it's either someone from Star Wars or a super hero. I buy a $20 costume and call it good. It is so nice!! No drama...no tears...no arguments. Delightful.

Kameron and his friend Kathrine at Trunk-or-Treat

Ailey the spooky witch!! She was so darn cute. I love this costume. My mom made it for Reilly when she was Ailey's age. Cute cute!! Reilly could keep the wig on but Ailey was having difficulties so it survived only for a picture. I like her better without it anyway.

Ailey extra "mean and spooky" with her witch hair.

Hanging out waiting for Trunk-or-Treat to begin.

Aaahh...here I am actually out in the fresh air and wearing real clothes. So nice!!

Here's a picture of my cute niece Jaylah that Jordi emailed me. She was so darn cute I had to post a picture!!I was actually going to use another song this year but there's just something about Halloween that screams cowbell. I really wanted to use "Hells Bells" by AC/DC but Tyler felt that might be a little "too much". What do you think?

Happy Halloween

Super Scary

I really wish I was one of those women who were made to bear children...who have great complication-free pregnancies...but alas it just isn't my reality. A week ago today Tyler rushed me to the ER with heavy bleeding. I had just been sitting at the computer...doing absolutely nothing...when I felt a big gush and realized I was drenched in blood. I thought my heart would break. After hours at the ER and lots of sympathetic nurses things weren't looking that great. Tyler and I felt so bad that we had gotten the kids' hopes up only to devastate them yet again.

As I went in for the ultrasound I wasn't feeling very hopeful. Lots of tears were shed. But miracle of miracles...we saw our baby on ultrasound alive and well...active as can be...and completely unstressed by the scary goings on. The baby was just fine!! Thank goodness. Now just tears of joy were shed. Once again they told us the sex of the baby...same as before...yay!!

The diagnosis: Subchorionic Hematoma. I have never heard of this before. You would think that after having several kids you would be familiar with most things that can occur in pregnancy...apparently not...it is always something new and different. You can click on the link for a more detailed definitition. Basically it is a pocket of blood that can form between the membranes of the uterus and placenta that can rupture. After a doctor's appt. the next day I was put on bedrest...I could take the kids to and from school etc...but needed to be off my feet as much as possible. Easier said than done...but I really tried to stay down as much as possible. I was also put on "pelvic rest" for another 5 weeks...bummer. Nothing jarring to my pelvis for weeks...and that's coming off a three month exercise/sex ban due to danger of miscarriage... I forsee a long "dry spell" in the bedroom department and me with my gigantic pregnancy boobs!!
The irony!! ;)

I had another dr. appointment yesterday and the baby and I were both doing great. I am now off my week of bedrest and just on partial bedrest for another two weeks. I can do my usual normal routine but nothing that requires me to be on my feet for long...lots of feet up and taking it easy. Good news!! My bleeding has stopped and now it just needs to stay that way. Unfortunately with this condition many women have several series of bleeding/bedrest during the remainder of their pregnancy. Not fun. But I am really trying to stay down as much as possible...we really want this baby to arrive safe and sound in April!!

A HUGE THANKS to all my wonderful friends who have refused to take no for an answer and have taken such great care of me and my family. We truly appreciate all the meals we have received, kids that were picked up and visits and phone calls to alleviate my boredom. You will never know how much your love and support has meant to our family. Thanks for all the prayers that have been coming our way...we love you all!!

A BIG THANKS to Kelley...for dropping everything at a moment's notice to come and stay with our kids...AND for taking them for ice cream and never even hinting that anything was "wrong". Thanks to my family for all their phone calls of support as well.

Until next time... I will be "taking it easy"!! :)

Book Reviews

In my vomiting/gestating state one would think that I would be able to get a lot of reading done. Not so. My attention span is about that of a gnat. Anything that requires too much "thought" just hasn't happened. I can't watch movies...much too long...too much concentration. What I can handle to my ultimate chagrin is episodic TV...which I pretty much hate to begin with...except for a few choice shows. I have now watched every episode of Heroes...which is REALLY good and nearly every episode of Leave it to Beaver...SUCH A GOOD SHOW!! A show were kids actually chose to do the right thing and each episode has a moral...flabbergasting in this day and age. I've also gotten hooked on old episodes of The Cosby Show and It's a Different World. But in between my viewing of these programs I have managed to read these books.

#39 The Girls by Lori Lansens

This is the fictional story of two conjoined twin sisters Rose and Ruby Darlen. The book begins when "The Girls" are 29 years old and the oldest surviving cranipagus twins in history. Rose, the intellectual sister, sets out to write their autobiography. I wasn't sure if this book would be my cup of tea but it came highly recommended by my sisters and mom. I am so glad I read it. I LOVED IT!!

"I have never looked into my sister's eyes. I have never bathed alone. I have never stood in the grass at night and raised my arms to a beguiling moon. I've never used an airplane bathroom or worn a hat. Or been kissed like that...so many things I've never done...but oh how I've been loved."

This is a strange, wonderful, funny, and tragic tale full of the most remarkable and haunting characters. I absolutely fell in love with Uncle Stash and Aunt Lovey. The characters from this book have stayed with me for several months now...they just seemed to leap off the pages....and refuse to go away. I found the writing evocative and deeply moving.

So if you are looking for a unique and interesting book...not to mention thought-provoking...I would highly recommend this one.

My rating: EXCELLENT

#40 Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons
If you belong to a book club...a book club you love...you will like this book. I belong to one...and I love mine. In January I will have been in my book club for 8 years. Wow. This book was recommended to me by my friend, Janyse, who is in my book club. It sounded familiar and I thought I had read it before and as I read it I felt like I had read it before...but it was still a good read.

This is the story of 5 women in a book club in Minnesota. The five women are all very unique with their own perspectives on life, love and relationships. The story spans 40 years of their friendship...through the 60's, 70's 80's and 90's. Through the years these women have been through it all together...marriages, raising of children, divorces...all kinds of ups and down. This book depicts the amazing friendship of these five women: Faith, Slip, Audrey, Marit, and Kari. It is a powerful story of friendship, strength, forgiveness and support. It will have you laughing and crying...I did.

My rating: EXCELLENT

#41 Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist



This is a book that I saw exchanging hands between quite a few of my friends so I thought I would check it out. This is the story of Rachel Van Buren who along with her younger sister and brother end up stranded/orphaned/ penniless in the the gold rush madness of San Francisco in 1849. Rachel meets the dastardly Johnnie Parker, the handsome saloon owner, who takes her under his wing and protection and with whom she ultimately falls in love against her better judgement and strict morals.

This book was an easy read. It reminded me of a series of books that I read in Jr. High where there was a picture of a girl on the front with two different guys on either side of her and each book was set in a different time period. Every book was about a different girl in a different time choosing between different men. They were fun, romantic, and sexless...very chaste for a nice girl in Jr. High. This book was a lot like those...not deep... pretty predictable...but refreshingly chaste and wholesome.

My rating: Better than OK ...leaning toward GOOD...if you like Frontier Fluff...which I do...sometimes...even though I am not in Jr. High anymore. (Thank goodness!!)

#42 Austenland by Shannon Hale




This book was recommended to me by my friend, Janyse. It was an excellent morning sickness read. Light, interesting, not too deep and and pays homage to the man among men...Mr. Darcy. (Second only to Jamie Fraiser of Outlander Fame). Who wouldn't like a book where the main character, Jane, gets to live out her Elizabeth Bennett/Mr. Darcy fantasies at an English country house.

Jane is a thirty-something professional whose love life has been less than stellar and who spends lots of time watching/obsessing over the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice (and Colin Firth as one Mr. Darcy.) Her wealthy aunt dies and leaves her an three-week vacation at Pembrook Park in England. Jane goes hoping to kick her Darcy habit.

Darcy habit? Who has one of those? Surely not I. Wink Wink. I doubt there is a girl alive who hasn't swooned away many an afternoon reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and dreaming of her own Mr. Darcy.

If you are a lover of Pride and Prejudice (the book) or Pride and Prejudice (the movie/ies)...the BBC version especially...you would enjoy this fun light read. (FYI: I really liked the Keira Knightly version too...I know...boo...hiss.)

My rating: Good...but fluffy.

Tales from the Toilet Bowl

Where have I been for weeks...months...you might ask? Just hanging out with my new best friend...the toilet bowl. We've become very good friends over the past few months. VERY GOOD FRIENDS!! Why haven't I been blogging or reading blogs or doing anything like that? It is because I have been throwing up all day every day and pretty much all night too for the past 8 weeks. It has been absolutely wretched. I'm convinced that the sight of my blog induces vomiting...so I may need to update my layout in the next few weeks.

I am happy to announce...although highly superstitious and very afraid of getting too excited...that I am over 3 months pregnant . Wow!! It has been one nauseating roller coaster these past 13 weeks. Truly I've never had worse morning sickness in my life. But we've hit enough milestones now that I am feeling a bit more optimistic about the whole thing. Two weeks ago we heard the heartbeat and just this afternoon Tyler and I got back from the our first ultrasound...we saw our baby and even have some really amazing 3D pictures. Everything looks good. Whew. The doctor even felt like he could tell the sex...he said he would put money on it being a----. Nope...not going to say until we get further confirmation next month at our next ultrasound. You'll have to stay tuned.

Until then I hope to be kicking this morning/noon/and all night sickness soon and will try to drag my pasty sallow flabacious vomitous self to the computer more. Oh yeah there will be no floating baby counting down to the due date to to my extreme superstitiousness and fear of jinxing everything.

Until next time...I will be gestating.

Need A Laugh Friday!

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Happy Birthday Jayme!!



Today is my sister-in-law Jayme's birthday!! Kirk is out of town and we just want her to know how much we love her!!

As Kirk is the only boy in our family I used to wonder what it would be like when he decided to get married. I really hoped that we would like the girl he married and that she would fit in with all of us. Well...things couldn't have worked out better. Jayme is so much fun...she fits in perfectly...and brings so much excitement and humor to our family. She and Kirk are a perfect match. The two of them together have me laughing my head off. Kirk is extremely funny and how he managed to find a wife that is truly just as funny as he is...is amazing.

Jayme is so loving and giving. She lets us crash at their apartment for days when we are in town and makes everyone feel welcome and wanted. My kids adore her...as do Tyler and I. When Kameron was about 4 years old we were in town and meeting her for the first time. Kirk asked if we wanted to come over to his apartment and Kameron looked over at Jayme with love struck eyes and said "Will SHE be there??" He would go anywhere and do anything if Jayme was there.

Jayme is such a good aunt. While we were in town this summer she spent lots of time with Reilly cutting her hair...teaching her how to style it...and listening to Reilly's preteen woes. That means so much to me to see the time and attention she is so willing to give to our children. And when Jayme is around Ailey is nowhere near us...she follows Jayme around jabbering away.

Jayme is a wonderful sister and I so appreciate all the time she has spent hanging out with all of us. She is an absolute riot and always up for a good time. There is never a dull moment when she is around and I absolutely love that about her.

She is also an amazing mother to Kaiden. That kid is one of the coolest, smartest, and most loving children I have ever met and that is due to her hardwork, love and dedication. She also makes my brother extremely happy and for that I am truly grateful.

Jayme we love you and miss you so much!! Wish we were closer so we could go out for sushi to celebrate. Our one complaint is that you live too darn far away!! I hope you know how much you mean to all of us.

Have a wonderful birthday!!

WE LOVE YOU!!

Sick

Hurricane Ike...YOU SUCK!! When I woke up to the news this weekend and saw the devastation of Galveston it literally made me sick. Houston is my old home town and my heart goes out to all the people who are struggling though the aftermath of the hurricane. I love Houston and I love Texas and I would move back in a flash if possible. Tyler and I always say we want to spend our "golden" years living June-Jan. 1st in our town and January -May 31st in Houston.

Galveston is one of my absolute favorite places in the world...

My family and I spent lots of time there and after I got married it was one place I couldn't wait to take Tyler too. We had a fabulous vacation in Houston and Galveston when Reilly was a baby and Tyler fell in love with the area too. I have so many great memories of time spent there.

Houston and Galveston you are in our thoughts and prayers...as are Kelly A. and her family!!

Book Reviews up the Wazoo

I've been reading lots of books but not taking the time to write reviews. So in case you are looking for a good book to read here are a few reviews.

#34 Lie Down In Darkness by William Styron



This 1951 novel by William Styron won several literary awards. It is the tale of the dysfunctional Loftis family...their betrayals, infidelities, and disappointed love that ultimately results in the suicide of their daughter Peyton. The story is told as the family accompanies her body to the cemetery.

I really wanted to like this book...in fact I really wanted to LOVE this book. But I didn't. This book was recommended to me by my Uncle Steve. He LOVES it. So do lots of other people I know. I was surprised that I didn't. I usually love books of this genre. Dark Southern novels...quirky characters...psychological turmoil. It didn't happen for me with this book. I really wanted to feel something... anything for the characters...but I didn't. Maybe that was the point...all I felt was cold and remote like the relationships they had in the story. But in the end I want to "feel" something and I didn't.

The writing was excellent...the stream of conscious narrative in one part of the book...amazing. But all in all, it just didn't do it for me.

My rating: OK

#35 Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

After Lie Down in Darkness I needed something lighter to read. As I still hadn't read the final book (or so I thought) in the vampire series I thought I would. I feel just the same as I did reading the rest of them. Entertaining...cheesy...Bella Swan is STILL the most annoying character on the planet. I just constantly kept asking myself...Couldn't Edward (and Jacob for that matter) get someone better? Really? In a hundred years of immortality this is the best Edward could get? But saying that I read it...and I'll read the next one too. Could someone please just make this girl a vampire and shut her the heck up!?!

My rating: Better than OK but not quite Good.

#36 Thirtynothing by Lisa Jewell

This book I found at the lake...someone's cast-off. As there wasn't much else of interest to read I read it. It is the story of two 30-something Londoners, Dig and Nadine, who are best friends and unlucky in love. After a decade of failed romances they decide to get their lives together and find their perfect mates.



This book had a lot of charm and some very funny scenes. Laugh out loud scenes. It was sassy British fiction and romantic comedy ala Bridget Jone's Diary. The problem...literally the most horrendous language imaginable. I'm not easily offended and I was cringing throughout the book. Which is unfortunate because otherwise I would have really liked it.


My rating: would be Good but due to horrible language is just OK.


#37 The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

This is the book that I had been savoring all summer to read. A thick historical fiction that came HIGHLY recommended. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Everywhere I went people raved to me about this book. In Costco as I picked it up a woman just gushed about it, at swim lessons other parents told me how much they loved it, literally everywhere I went fans of this book stopped me to exclaim their love for Pillars of the Earth.

I opened it up and was hooked right away...a hanging...a curse...a mystery. Good stuff. It is the story of the humble mason, Tom Builder and his family...The quirky Ellen and her odd son Jack...the lovable pious monk Philip...the lovely Aliena...and the treacherous Hamleigh Family...and the conniving Bishop Waleran Bigod.

I started out really liking this book...but the "true" main character of this book was the cathedral and all the details of the architecture and building process literally bored me to tears. Now don't get me wrong there are people who probably love those parts of the book...architects...engineers etc. I think my husband Tyler would really like it but not me. I felt like it really slowed the story down...bogged it down. That is my main complaint...the story dragged too much for me...with not enough pay off in the end. But saying that there were aspects of this story that I really loved. The whole complex world of monastery life that I learned about, the love story of Aliena and Jack, and the EVIL EVIL Hamleighs.

Sometimes as I read I hoped that the book would be worth the time and effort it required. Was it? For the most part yes. But is it one of the best books I have ever read like I hoped it would be? No.

My rating: Good.

#38 A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

This book was given to me for Christmas by my friend, Carolyn. This is another book I have had on hold for the perfect time to savor it. This summer was the time. I really loved The Kite Runner so I couldn't wait to start this book.

This book tells the story of two incredible women...Mariam and Laila. Two very different women who face unbelievable adversity in Kabul, Afghanistan, personal tragedy, loss of freedom, and national tragedy and yet form this amazing friendship. This story is truly the story of the triumph of the human spirit despite overwhelming odds.

I LOVED this book!! I loved the characters, the story, the story within the story, the insiders view of Afghanistan during the last several decades, and that it is all seen through the eyes of two women. I really liked that this book also told the story of the amazing love between Laila and Tariq. I loved this book from start to finish. I was in tears through out and took away such gratitude for the country that I live in and the personal freedoms I enjoy. This book is a must-read!!

My rating: EXCELLENT!! Read this book. Even better than the Kite Runner in my opinion.

Ailey's First Day of Preschool

Ailey FINALLY got to start school too!! Preschool started this week and Ailey was thrilled. She is going to the same preschool that Kameron went to and that we just love. It was fun to go to the open house and see the wonderful women who run the preschool. Kameron felt like a celebrity...they were so excited to see him and kept hugging him. That made Ailey even more excited to go to "Kameron's Old School".

Finally the day came that she could don her backpack and head out the door with her big brother and sister.

Outside her school and ANXIOUS to go in!!

No fear here...she was on her way in!!

She loves going and I'm glad that she has such a great preschool to attend. Yay Ailey!!

Exciting!!

Ballet is in full swing again. This year Reilly had the opportunity to audition for Theatre Ballet Junior Company. Reilly's instructor told her on Thursday during her class that she wanted Reilly to audition for the level above the one she was planning on auditioning for...Reilly was extremely nervous!! The auditions were downtown on Saturday morning. Reilly did FANTASTIC!! She made it!! Now she is a proud member of the Theatre Ballet Junior Company. She will be at the ballet studio twice as much now...which is already a lot...4 days a week just for classes (including one on Saturdays) now she will have extra rehearsals and will be at the studio nearly all day on Saturday (I know all you soccer moms are laughing...this is what we have always tried to avoid...disrupted Saturdays. Oh well. What can you do?) But...she is really excited and will have lots of opportunities to perform at different venues in our community.

Good Job Reilly!! We love you very much!!

New Cook in the Kitchen










Remember my post about the Daffodil Principle? Where I was bemoaning the fact that my plans for the summer weren't working out the way I wanted them too and that one thing I had really wanted to do was to teach Reilly to cook this summer? Well...all is not lost. Apparently all that was needed was two sick parents and kids that were tired of eating Ramen and Mac and Cheese. Behold a new fantastic cook has emerged...Reilly!! Truly impressive.


In our stint of sickness Reilly took the reins in the kitchen (something she hasn't ever done before) and made vegetarian tacos, spicy tortilla soup, pesto pasta AND her finest creation yet...Gourmet Baked Stuffed Confetti Tomatoes. For most of these recipes Reilly would come into where I was moaning on my sick bed and ask for step by step instructions...which she followed to a T. For the stuffed tomatoes she asked her dad if she could have free reign in the kitchen and could make something out of a cook book. As kitchen Nazi mommy was asleep...dad said yes. Reilly grabbed a cookbook and without any help whatsoever she made these amazing gourmet stuffed tomatoes...a never tried before recipe. They were fantastic. Tyler ate three of the huge stuffed tomatoes. Even Ailey and Kameron...our super picky eaters scarfed them down.


What joy!! What bliss!! I can put the ladle down every once in awhile now. Reilly rose to the occasion and really liked cooking. Growing up in Tyler's family all the kids had one night a week when it was their night to plan and cook dinner for the family. I think we will be instating that soon at our house. Good job Reilly!! We are so proud of you!!


Tonight she is making Tuscan White Bean Salad...I think she will do great!!

The First Day of School

The past few weeks since our family vacation have been germ-filled. We have been sick for what seems like forever...fevers, colds, vomit, bronchitis...ugh. It's been fun. We are slowly but surely recovering. Needless to say summer ended on a low note...and now...School already? Bummer.

My friend Tiffany mentioned on her blog that she isn't one of those people who longs for school to start each fall. Neither am I. Sure my house is cleaner and I get more done...but I love those long lazy days with nothing to do, no where to go and no schedules to adhere too. I love lounging around laughing and talking with my kids. Like Tiffany I HATE the frenetic pace of the school year...running, always running, here, there, and everywhere...the phone ringing off the hook...obligations up the wazoo. Summer is a nice breather...albeit much too short for me.

My kids, on the other hand, were utterly ecstatic to go back to school. Remember Reilly the crier on the last day of school...still baffling to me. My mom called after the kids left for school and asked if the kids were excited to go back or did I have any one who tried playing "sick"...not in this house. I would feel a little hurt if I didn't catch Reilly on the phone about a week ago telling my sister, Jordi, that yeah she was excited to go back to school but she would miss a few things...and hanging out with her mom was on that list. That must be documented. Ailey, on the other hand, was less than thrilled to have me all to herself...she was ticked off that preschool starts next week.

Here are Reilly and Kameron all raring to go...


Reilly is a 6th grader this year and was stoked to "rule the school" this year. I can't believe it is already her last year of elementary school. The girl has grown about three inches over the summer and her feet are a size and a half bigger than mine. Unbelievable. She is excited about her teacher Mr. Nye but was bummed because none of her good friends are in her class this year. She is very outgoing and confident so I'm sure she will do just fine.

She was funny in that I thought she would be "too cool" to want her mommy to walk her into class on the first day...but oh no...she had me in the death grip so in I went but she drew the line at a picture at her desk.

Kameron is a second grader this year. He is still totally toothless and lisping which is truly one of the most adorable things EVER. Although those big front teeth have cracked the surface and are just starting their descent. He was ok with his teacher this year...and his class...even though most of his buddies are in a different one. But he knew his great friend Jonathon was in his class so he was happy about that.

Ailey and I walked Kameron into his class which was complete mayhem. For every child there was at least one parent if not two...taking pictures...filming their child's every move. You could barely get around. And...the parents had work to do...we had to unload and organize all their school supplies into specific tubs...which included removing everything from it's packaging. It was hellish. I made Kameron help me which he did by flinging four large glue sticks over the top of several other parents heads...completely missing the tub...and and nearly taking out a girl and her mom. Whoops.

The parents had papers to fill out and Kameron was trying to shoo me out the door. Other parents were lingering until the bell rang sitting by their kids and Kameron was hissing "Go! Go!". I did manage to snap a few pictures of him at his desk though.

Picture #1...graciously agreed to...

Picture # 2 a little annoyance is showing..."Why are you still here?!?"

I left Kameron grousing about the busy work they were supposed to be doing. They had to draw a picture of how they were getting home...bus, car, walking etc. Kameron was grumbling about why did he have to draw a stupid picture when he can WRITE the word...he's not a baby!! I told him to take that up with his teacher and off we went.

Both kids ended up having a great day and it was fun to hear all about their classes over our family's "ice cream dinner" at Baskin Robbins. I'm still sick so I couldn't enjoy "ice cream dinner" to it's fullest. But all in all it was a good day for everyone.