Neglect with a purpose...

So, I am falling quite behind here...something I never intend to do. So many times, as I'm going through my days, I think to myself, "I really want to write about this..." whether it be a thought process I am having, a fun moment with the kids, or an event.
Then...I don't.
But...it's mostly because I am busy deciphering those thoughts, enjoying the kids and the events.
And also because we have a lot going on around this ol' homestead.
All the moving around, and preparation for it, is happening this week. Yay!
So, for now, instead of worrying about when I will blog, I will officially sign off for a week or two. For some reason, declaring it on the world wide web makes me rest more easily. :)

When I come back, I will be doing more of that...hopefully.
And I will speak of birthdays, rainy days, and projects (hopefully) (mostly) completed.

Until then!

To Daddy, From Ben

Dear Daddy,
When you left this morning to go hunting for a few days, I knew I would really miss you. I love you so much and can't stand the thought of you being away. That is why I threw a fit of large proportions and refused to give you a hug and say goodbye. (That, and Mama didn't have the kind of snack I want. And...I'm two.)
After you were gone for a bit I started to feel badly for my behavior. So, I thought I would make things right.
First, to feel close to you, I took a big drink of your water from your Bubba Keg. Mama would rather I not be raised in a world where there are Bubba Kegs but...it's a losing battle.



After my thirst was quenched, I asked Mama to take a picture of me smiling big for you, sending my loves. (holding the snack I finally settled on)

I love you Daddy.
Happy hunting!

Winds of Change...WE HAVE A KINDERGARTENER!!!...etc.

Hi, my name is Mandy.
And I don't like change.

But, guess what? It happens. And regardless of the fact that I quite often want to lock myself in the bathroom when change comes around, (I know that is a very dramatic yet unromantic place to lock myself up...yet it is the first place that comes to mind...) I still can appreciate the fact that some change is exciting. And fun. And maybe even...welcome?

Well, let's not get carried away.

Anyway, in all seriousness, we have some fun new stuff going on around here!


This last Monday, I totally was planning on getting in the swing of a school-day-ish schedule (Bethany was to start kindergarten on Wednesday) so that we would have some practice being up-and-at-'em and actually, you know, being prepared to leave our house for once.
So, I'm feeling all in control, all on top of things and...you guys know the drill around these parts...Ben came down with a fever.
Poor little guy.
Seriously, it was so pitiful. One minute he's all full of life then the next he's all 'I cold mama, I want you make me comfy mama, I want watch somethin, I sick mama.' And into the couch he snuggles, on goes the tv, out the window goes mama's ambitious plans.
But at that point, she doesn't care all that much, just wants her baby to feel better.

And so began our week. SO, instead of focusing on getting into the swing of a new routine, we let our day just collapse around us and did some work on the current household project...yes, the big move. The take back of our master bedroom. The re-establishment of the playroom as it was always meant to be. The demolition of the last glimmer of hope I had that my kids are still babies and need me sleeping a few bedrooms away instead of a few flights of stairs away.
(That last one could just be an emotional response to what, for some reason, is an emotional project for me...just ignore.)

SO, we started taking stuff to the next level, a small piece at a time.

JC moved some large pieces of furniture out of the way so he could continue removing chair rail and doing patch work and start painting our future/past room!

Things started piling up in strange areas around the room...ever since this day, this room looks like some variation of this.

And our master bathroom (that we have never really been able to use as such) looks about like this. The new catch all.
Okay, it was always kind of a catch all.
Okay, my whole house has always been kind of a catch all.

The boys did this while we worked.
Okay, the boys did this most of the week.
I can't tell you how much I hated TV by the end of the week.
But, sometimes, it's what works.

Ben seriously felt miserable all week. Fever all week. He would never really let me sit and hold him, but always wanted me near. So...I took some pictures to keep myself busy.
James clearly did not want to catch what Ben had so he got some veggie consumption going.
It was so funny watching him go at this vegetable tray. JC had picked it up from the grocery store just to have around for the weekend. Easy snack.
Man did James go to town on it!
(Notice how I sneakily removed the ranch dressing from the center. Told him it was supposed to be empty in the middle. Like a doughnut.)

This picture is my consolation from the week.
He DID get up off the couch for at least a few minutes one time to do a puzzle! Yay!

Back to that Monday...Bethany helped JC wash off some of our air filters.
Then took it upon herself to get soaking wet. I think it was her way of striking out against the rigorous school days ahead.
You know how kindergarten is known for being rigorous.

So anyway...on that note.
The day finally came.
We had meet-the-teacher on Tuesday night, the night before school started.
And I was cool. Met her teacher, Mrs. Standage. Met the sub, Mrs. Tokoph, who will be there for the first month as Mrs. Standage is finishing up her maternity leave. They were both sweet, fun, lovely ladies. The classroom was crawling with fun and excitement!
We got home, got the kids in bed, JC headed out for some errands and I got to work on filling out some paperwork and making my first school lunch. :)
And...totally lost it.
Totally.
You really would have thought an evil force was trying to rip my child away from me.
I really remember kind of deciding that that was exactly what kindergarten was and that I had changed my mind and I was just going to have to homeschool all my kids forevermore. Even through college. And missions? Out of the question.
And then I got it all out of my system.
Finished filling out paperwork, packed a yummy cute lunch, took a shower, sat with my hubby for a while and went to bed.

Next morning was lots of (kind of frantic) fun. Isn't it funny when you're doing something for the first time? I wasn't sure how fast we needed to move, or how leisurely we could go...so we just kind of got our act together, did our morning stuff, made sure we had everything, and headed out the door! JC was so nice and took the first hour or so of the morning off so he could be there for her first day. Ben was feeling better that morning (some weird fluke that wore out by mid-afternoon...back to fever) so we all loaded up in the stroller and/or put on our walking shoes and off we went!

The camera had a blurry spot but in my rush/non-rush I didn't pay much attention.
Here she is, all ready to go! So excited, back pack and all!

Even with the sun in her eyes, she looks darling.
Her brothers are always there to support her!
(Yes, I know they don't have anywhere else to be but...still.)

Walking to and from was really funny...well, sort of funny, sort of exasperating and sort of overwhelming. See, the boys decided they were terrified of flies. And there were a ton of them out since it was all muggy and warm. It was kind of gross but you would have thought a swarm of killer bees was attacking. The screaming and crying was ridiculous. I think everyone in the schoolyard (and neighborhood for that matter!) thought the boys were out of their minds.

One of the moms in Bethany's class, who also happens to be in our ward, said, "Oh, that's so sweet, are they going to miss her?"

I think my kids are pretty close but I am not sure that a few hours' separation would ever inspire such wailing and gnashing of teeth.

(Unless you count me the night before.)

Panicked boys on the way home:

She was the slightest bit hesitant getting dropped off but I could tell she was going to be just fine. When it came time to go into class, she waved goodbye and walked right in...everything went great!
She has had a great first few days!
It sure is taking some getting used to on my part though! It is so strange to have your child away from you for most of the day, not knowing what exactly they are doing, when they are playing, learning, eating...not being the one to meet all their needs...it really is strange.
But good. She loves it and I am so excited for the year ahead!!

The week was super weird, considering Ben was really sick and we were just getting the hang of the new routine. I am definitely looking forward to when everything kind of falls into place and I feel like an old pro at having a kid in school.
Right now I feel a bit like an imposter in this grown-up-mom role. It's easier to fake when you just stay home with your kids every day! Hahaha

I can't imagine what it will be like once James starts having preschool three days a week after Labor Day.
And Ben starts up in this playgroup some moms in the ward are doing.
We are like...ligit.

My computer doesn't think that 'imposter' or 'ligit' are words.
Come on, really?

Anyway, life rolls on around here! New stuff around every corner. I think I just may be learning to like it!

A shot of the sky over our house on Bethany's first day of school.

Just thought it worth capturing.

A Comprehensive List:

Things that excite/amuse me as of late . . .

Little boys who, after church, put on their baseball cap and end up looking an awful lot like Forest Gump.

Dress-up.
Preferably involving a troubled princess and her cat in danger of fire.
Along with a fireman to put out the fire.
(You will notice the carpet in our playroom needs a cleaning...)

Children who forgo the dressing up part of dress up and just utilize the props.
In this case, a doctor examining a cat who recently underwent some trauma during a fire rescue.

Beautiful, blurry, messy-faced babies.
With eyebrows piled high and deep.

Tents made from rearranged furniture and king-sized sheets.
Are there any other kind worth having?

Handsome firemen.
That is not really a new development.
Though age-preference has changed.

Sidewalks that are freckled like this:

Skies that look like this:

Weather that inspires this:
(If you look closely at Bethany you will notice it was a face-painting day)

Boys who get along so well when they play make-believe.
(My apologies to my husband if 'make-believe' is not an acceptable term for man-child play.)

A cat that bites me when I poke at him too much with my feet, just for fun...

...but endures like a champ when a child obnoxiously waves toys in his face...

...and watches one of his little people like a hawk when he feels she is too close to the street.
This is his concentrated stare.

Also, little girls who sit (yes, sort of close to the street) and watch the rain while trying to collect it in a small cup.

Trying to use the blurred/broken spot on my camera lens to make Scout a pirate.

The fact that Scout actually likes love and attention from the kids...
but pretends he doesn't.

Riding bikes in the rain.

Soaking wet children who love the rain just like their mama.

Soaking wet children who love their stuffed cat enough to bring them out to enjoy the rain as well.

Handsome, photogenic little boys.
(Who drop my camera and damage it, therefore creating the permanent black spot which is no fun to have unless being used to make a cat a pirate.)

Freshly popped popcorn tossed and topped with whatever we feel like that day.
This day it was melted down dark chocolate and peanut butter and a bit of organic powdered sugar. I like to say organic because it reminds me that at least it wasn't as bad as it could have been. :)

A ballpit that eats my children.

A James that has an incredibly infectious laugh.

Buckets of balls.

And (unrelated) buckets of tears.

Cats who curl up in laundry baskets.

Boys who do the same.

The fact that I can't cook without the counter turning into this:

The fact that I still love to do it anyway.
(The fact that I take pictures of the process and the finished product amuses JC)
Mexican lasagna. MEXICAN LASAGNA excites me.
But...um...all that cheese does not. Well, okay, it does. But, you know...it probably shouldn't.

Leaving notes to my hubby on the giant whiteboard.

And, since the start of school is coming up, watching it turn into a timeline of to-do.

Back to the cooking...
Chicken that looks like this as it simmers.
(and judging from the last two cooking pictures, apparently cilantro amuses and excites me lately)

Before we get away from the cooking, texting with my sister Monica about our cooking endeavors, adventures, and...ahem...failures...
(no picture for that...it might be better that way)

Watching JC begin to tear down our playroom while Scout watches in preparation for what will be the move of the century.
And by tear down I mean take off the chair rail. And by move of the century I mean switching the playroom and master bedroom back to their original locations. And by excite/amuse me I mean unnerve/emotionally imbalance me.
That's all about that for now.

Making cutesy hair clips for Bethany.
This is my very first attempt.

Cutesy if I do say so myself.
My first batch.
I think this kind of craftiness is rather addicting.

(As are the girls' outings with my dear Ali that provide all the supplies for such craftiness. It is all rather dangerous - - and wildly fun - - if you ask me)

Laying out some of Bethany's school clothes so that she may choose what she would like to wear in her first days of kindergarten.
Along with applicable hair clip choices.
I think that this may be some kind of sickness...but a rather enjoyable one...

Watching her wait like this while I got it all set up.

Watching her mull over her choices, excitedly examining her new hair clips.

Every.

Single.

One.

And then scratching her head at the options...taking plenty of time deciding. It's a big decision, after all.

Catching my boys being silly together with their toys while Bethany and I were being silly with our clothing and accessories.

Sitting with my little girl and choosing what she will take in her lunch for the first week of school. Complete with drawings.
If they won't give me the option of half day, I will make up for it by packing the best lunches ever, darn it. (Though she did inform me that only one of the three strawberries I drew actually resembled a strawberry in any way. ...strawberries are hard, man.)

A few more things...

This ENTIRE website...
http://thepioneerwoman.com/
Especially the cooking part.
No, wait, especially Black Heels to Tractor Wheels...the love story part.
Okay, especially the ENTIRE thing like I said before.
I meant to save that Black Heels story reading for two weeks from now when JC is out of town hunting for several days. I figured it would be a nice thing for me. And it would have been. But I made the mistake of reading just the first chapter. Couldn't stop.
So, instead, one of the nights that JC is gone, I am going to watch a movie that is just for me. That he would not enjoy. That I would never have seen if it weren't for his hunting adventure.
I just...have no idea what it is yet.
Hmm. Perhaps my kind friends and family will help me with this conundrum.
Criteria: Must have at least one female main character. May sound sexist, but for a really enjoyable story, one must be able to relate, yes? Must not have more than one explosion, scene involving drunkenness and/or yelling, or near death experience. I would outlaw these things altogether but I seem to remember even Anne dealing with this stuff at one point or another so I will try to not be so condemning of such things. Must have at least a little love story no matter how cheesy or, on the other end of the spectrum, abstract it may be. I actually prefer the later but I appreciate them in all forms. Must not involve horrifying situations even remotely resembling kidnapped children, scared children, neglected children, or people being lost at sea. No car chases, for the love of all that is holy. I love stories that make me contemplate and characters that make me sink into them. But I also love light-hearted and sparkly. :) (which would be why 13 Going on 30 makes my list of favorite alongside some much more respectable choices)
So...someone tell me what to watch that weekend.

This recipe:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/07/grilled-chicken-with-lemon-basil-pasta/
which I shall make for myself the same night I watch the movie in question. After the kids go to bed. With homemade pasta. All for me.

Sandals. Just sandals in general. I have lived in them all summer (as one should) and have enjoyed it immensely.

The prospect of the season to live in boots coming up. Now if I could only incorporate leaving my house into my schedule, I would have the opportunity to justify purchasing all manner of boots.

Our elliptical machine.
Is it called an 'elliptical machine' or just an 'elliptical?' I don't know.
"I don't know much...but I know I love youuuu."
That is what I say to our elliptical...machine...

This show, Top Shot, that my husband has been watching. It is like a reality show for gun...men?
Gun...people? I don't know, but it is amazing the things people can do with all different kinds of...weaponry?
Obviously, I don't qualify to even comment on that show. But I WILL say this: I have, unfortunately, watched a few different reality series in my time and I have never ever seen such class in one.
I am pretty darn sure we should leave the men up to running everything. No matter what anyone says, I think they can do it all with ten times more class than we can.
Except running the home. Obviously, we are made for that.
Home.
Not reality tv.
Home.
Not the government.
Home.
Not reality tv.
But I already said that.
And it's a good thing this blog here is private because I am sure I would anger an awful lot of people with that display of opinion there.
ANYWAY...

Also, Smallville.
After Lost ended and a piece of me died, we decided we needed to have a new show. So, we decided to get on a superhero kick and watch something a bit lighter and amusing but still interesting and a bit tangled. And that it is.

And, last but not least, Slow Death by Rubber Duck.
I can't talk about it at all or I will never stop. It is an extremely informative and exciting (in perhaps a twisted way) book. I am so tickled by its existence. And my life is officially changed.
That is all.
Read it.
READ IT.

The fact that someone has made a movie based on Eat, Pray, Love.
That is all.

Okay, this feels unfinished but it is time to wrap it up.
Now tell me what movie I should watch.
Yes, you.

And...wish us luck. Bethany starts kindergarten in less than two days. She is SO excited.
Heaven help me!