THAT kind of day

Some days are harder than others and some are just more enjoyable as well.  Today started with the anticipation of a few things I was NOT looking forward to. 
First, getting up early to take two kids to get physicals so they wouldn't miss the first day of tryouts... which start today.  Nope, doesn't start till Monday.  Ahhh. 
-Looking inside the fridge to notice not one person ate the left over pizza from last night...breakfast!! 
-Getting work over with first thing so it wasn't hovering all day.
-Saying a prayer and finding the thing you were sure you would never find.
-While searching, finding something you needed but totally weren't looking for!
-NOT having to run the the DMV today.
-Only being on hold for 3 minutes when you were expecting 30.
-NOT having to call the person and tell them you couldn't find the thing you really needed.
-Having 2 hours all to yourself to can apple pie filling
-Having exactly enough apples to fill just the right amount of jars to make two full batches.
-Having the exact right amount of cash to pay for preschool since you just ran out of checks (that was before I found an extra one)

All this before noon???  Should I be afraid?  Nope, just gonna enjoy all the little tender mercies.

Fat Pants

I'm sure anyone who has seen me in the last few months knows I'm not the same size I was last year at this time.  Actually a good 15 pounds heavier.  Totally sucks.  Well since the weather has cooled a tiny bit, I've had the opportunity to get out my jeans.  My last years jeans.  As you surely know, 15 lbs does not keep you in the same size!  I have squeezed my fatter butt into jeans they should not be in and even had to do the pregnancy rubber band trick a few times.  It's highly uncomfortable and extremely disheartening. 

Before we went to San Fran I bought myself some fat pants.  Ahhhh, sweet relief.  After our last camping trip, they disappeared.  What??  I need those pants!!  I stuffed myself into my old jeans for another couple of weeks sure they would turn up.  I questioned every kid, insisted they go through their rooms and closets to see if they somehow got up there.  Nothing.  Finally, the other night, I bought another pair.  I won't buy many cuz I'm NOT staying this way very long. (I've said that since January)  But really, not gonna do it.  I wore my new fat pants all day Saturday to Glee practice and out on our date that night.  It was wonderful.  Seriously.  I have no idea why people intentionally where tight jeans. 

So this morning I mentioned out loud (sarcastic voice totally included) that I bought new fat pants since my old ones mysteriously disappeared. Whitley piped up and said "oh yah, they're up in my room."  Are you kidding me??  I made her go get them.. at least I can trade off fat pants now.  Hmmm, they look vaguely familiar.  Let me check... yep..  exactly like the pair I just bought.  Nice, now I have two pair of identical fat pants.  Who could ask for anything more??

Stretching

I'm not super good at stretching myself.  It's uncomfortable.  My calling dealing with the young women is very far out of my comfort zone.  Trying to get back into running has not been at all comfortable.  Recently I decided to try my hand at directing.  I volunteered to assist the production of Glee at the theater.  It's not like Glee the tv show, just like a show choir.  I thought that would be fun and insightful.  Well, it's turned out to be a little bit of a mess and slightly chaotic and stressful.  You see, the girl who was supposed to actually direct it, who has experience.. decided to drop out about six weeks into it.  Had she done it close to the beginning, it would have been challenging, but being in the middle made a lot of pieces for us to try to put back together.  Unhappy girls and parents and a lot of catching up to do.  The really ironic part of all of this is that it left me and another girl, Sarah, to put on the whole show.  Neither of us have ever done it before and I don't sing and she doesn't dance.  Funny, huh?  We were left the sole responsibility to choose, choreograph and teach all 35 or so numbers for about 80 kids.  Still funny?  Not so much. 

We enlisted the help of a couple of other women and my daughter Chelsey.  They have been so helpful, but the drama that has transpired because of this has been almost unbearable.  Lucky for me I have been able to keep control of my tongue, for the most part, to complaining and critical parents and girls. 

I would never quit on them or shun my responsibility to them although it has not been the experience I thought it would be.  Because I know how much my own kids have benefited from the theater experience, I am committed to making the best possible experience for my Glee kids as I can.  It has involved a few tears, a lot of hours and much anxiety but it's finally starting to come together.  This last Saturday was the first time I could actually see that maybe it was going to all be OK.  The directer at the Theater, Molly, has been a lifesaver to us and is quite inspiring to be around.  I love the way she relates to the kids and the way they respond to her.  I can only hope for that kind of rapport.  We have about 5 weeks till our performance and it's filled with a lot of last minute cramming and teaching and perfecting.  I'm determined to enjoy it.  Sometimes we stretch a little farther than maybe is even good for us, but we always come out with learning and understanding and appreciation for things we didn't necessarily understand before.  I have definitely come away with that!  I just hope these kids walk away feeling proud and accomplished and excited for more opportunities.  That will make it all worth it.

Grandpa's Visit

Grandpa Whitley came to visit us a week or so ago from Illinois.  He got in very late on a Sunday night and stayed until Thursday afternoon.  On Monday, since the kids had school, we went to get the big kids and take them to lunch since they had already left before Grandpa woke up.  We went to Arby's and then a quick stop at Costco before taking them back.  That night we all went to see the kids do their final performance of Camp Rock.

The next day the kids had the play during the day for field trip kids to come watch so Glade took Grandpa golfing.  I don't know exactly how it went but they came home in one piece!  That night Glade and I had our final marriage class so Granpa got left for dinner duty.  He made his famous Maid Rite sandwiches.  I wolfed one down as I went out the door and it was delicious!

On Wednesday we let the kids play hookie from school and went for a hike in the San Tans.  It was a really pretty day to be out and we were able to make it up and back with only one skinned knee.  That night we went to the pumpkin patch farm and corn maze.  It rained on us just enough to get everyone wet.  I think everyone had a really good  time though. 

Thursday we mostly just kind of hung out till it was time to take him to the airport.  It wasn't terribly exciting and adventurous, but it was really nice to see him and have him with us for a short time.  Unfortunately he just got to join in to our crazy daily lives for a bit.  We sure wish Grandma could have made it with him!!

Halloween 2011

Halloween was cheap and easy this year.  I'm not sure I really bought anything.  The kids did great at coming up with their own things or buying it themselves from the dollar store.  We had our Ward Trunk or Treat on the Saturday before.  Some of the big kids left to go help with a haunted house their friends were putting on, while Nick was our diligent candy passer outer.  The little ones ran with their friends and collected goodies.  Always a family favorite event.

Stephen

Nick wasn't going to really wear anything and I found this shirt one day so I bought it.  It bugs the crap out of me that he uses the phrase "I'm too lazy" for just about everything, but I couldn't resist. 

Brooklyn

Rhett and his newfound love for the fedora. (I guess the girls like it )

Katy

Boldon

Dalin's costume just never really came together. I felt bad for him.  We ended up putting a blindfold over his eyes (with cutouts) so to be like zorro but that only lasted a short while.  Lucky for me he can be pretty laid back.

On actual Halloween we had some friends over on a last minute decision to not go trick or treating.  Instead, we ordered pizza, decorated cookies and played a few games.  It was a hit and there wasn't a single complaint about being home.  The big kids all jumped in the van to go visit a couple of haunted houses close by.

Whitley dressed up like a nerd. 

No shortage of children here!

Nick, and Whitley with one of their friends

Kenna and Katy decorating cookies

Tanner and Bo

Stephen and Cole

I didn't see much of Chelsey this Halloween, she's all big now.  This is a picture of her and Spencer at their ward's Halloween party.  Too cute! 

It Makes Scents

Glade says I have an overactive sense of smell.  I smell everything.  I'm pretty sure it's a girl thing.  I buy most of my beauty products based on smell alone. (Now you know why I look like I do!)  Yesterday I got the job privilege of babysitting for Chelsey while she was supposed to be babysitting so she could go the Temple with Spensy-poo.  Since I was required to stay out in the living room the whole time to make sure the nine year old didn't sled down my stairs again, I decided to get out my fall decorations.  Fall is definitely my favorite season!  Well it would be if we had one.  So I lit my pumpkin pie candle and outed all the orange and yellow fun stuff.  It was perfect that the high that day was only about 74 so having the door open was pleasant and I didn't sweat even once. 

Later that evening, my friend Jenny and I were able to have a girls night out.  Her husband was out of town and mine was happy to stay at work so I could do some girl stuff.  (Which was highly needed, but that's a whole nother crybaby post)  BUT, thank you Glade! ♥ We went to dinner at SomBurro and then went over to walk around the mall.  I haven't done that without a man or child in tow for a really long time!  It's just different without someone pulling on your pantleg or waiting outside tapping their toe.  We didn't need anything in particular, just to look at stuff with no restraints.  I was fortunate enough to have just gotten a $10 off  $30 in the mail for Bath and Body Works.  I haven't gotten anything there in a really long time!  We were able to browse and smell and chat and smell some more without any hesitation.  I walked out with a really cute little bag of good smelling hand soap and a few other cute things.  I get in trouble in that store.  I want to buy things just on the cute packaging alone!  While in a store, it rained... for a minute or two... but enough to wet the ground, send up the smell of dirt (rain), and chill the air.  Perfect!! 

Since the mall was closing, we decided to run over to Kohl's and roam around there.  It was so nice to just wander.  Although, by the time I was done with the night I really just wanted to go home and put up my Christmas tree!  I don't care that Christmas is not for another 6 weeks, I can thoroughly enjoy it that long.  While we were in Kohl's, we heard a really loud noise and stopped to listen.  Is that rain??  Rain so hard we can hear it inside a big store??  We went to the door to check and sure enough.  Only for a minute or two, but it was glorious.  Rain, cold weather, good smelly stuff, Christmas everywhere and a good friend.  Absolutely, positively, perfectly what the Doctor ordered!!

The Holiday Season

It's here, it's finally here!  While scanning FB earlier I came across an e-book about making this season simple.  Of course, that appealed to my very fried brain.  As I read it, it occurred to me.  It's actually here.  The season that is.  I'm so glad someone reminded me of it so I can enjoy every single day of it.  All year I look forward to these couple of months for so many reasons.  As my family gets busier (and it seems to every year) these months sneak up, fly by and are barely enjoyed. 

Last year I remember re-evaluating Christmas and thought "there just wasn't anything special about it".  It was fine and I got everything done and had some fun times, but nothing "special".  That's because I spent my time making sure I checked everything off, got it done, made the memories.  Only, I think I missed the last part by hurriedly doing the first two.  I swore that this year I would slow it down and do it right.  Well here it is November 1st and I haven't really taken even one minute to figure out HOW I was going to do that.  This little pamphlet asks some very pointed questions and helps to put a plan in order.  Not a "get it done" plan, but a "how's it gonna be" plan.  With everything else going on in everyday life, I am busy and sometimes even a little overwhelmed, but I'm not letting this Holiday Season pass by me and not suck every bit of enjoyment out of it I can.  And that includes a lot of slowing down. 

You can find the pamphlet HERE .  It's not the pamphlet that was so eye opening and inspirational, but the realization that I might have missed it and how sad that would have been.  I possibly could have gone through the next 60 days in a flurry of "get it done" and missed the good stuff.  Having wonderful and memorable holidays is intentional, it doesn't just happen.  Thankfully I'm now on my way to an intentionally fabulous Holiday Season!!