Sign of the Times

Our car is broken down. sniff. sniff.
We use her a lot.
She was a gift, and she has been a blessing.
The morning routine of getting Scott and his powerchair to the bus stop has become grandiose.
It involves a borrowed minivan, a borrowed trailer, hitching it up, unhitching it, returning said minivan and jogging home. Repeat at 5:30 pm.
Today after the morning routine I dropped the kids off at school in our friend's minivan and then returned it to their garage, hit the button to shut the garage door, jumped over the sensors and began my jog home.

I noticed a neighbor ahead with his driver door open pushing his truck down the street.
"Looks like we've got similar problems", I yelled.
He replied with something like, "Poor, broken down car, no job?"
Then he told me he could usually jump start his truck after he turned the corner and headed downhill, and would I like a ride.

So I hopped on the bumper and held onto his truck rack.  There was an occasional jolt as he tried to get it to start while we floated down the hill towards my house.  It was cold and that winter breeze blew in my face.  I found myself silently praying that his truck would start for him.  It finally roared to life, and he stopped at my driveway and I hopped off the back.  I helped him scrape the ice off his windshield.

And then, he turned to me and said, "What can we do for you?"
I'm tearing up just thinking about it now.
It was for me a sure sign of the times.

Chloe's Reflections Project

She has entered a 3-D project in the Reflections program every year.  This year she won!  I was so proud.  The theme was Beauty Is...She came up with the idea on her own and executed it by herself and did it very well.  Her inspiration is the hanging art in the SL Library's Urban Room.  Scott and I attended the award ceremony.  She had just finished basketball practice and slipped on a dress.  I thought her piece was so unique.

e11even

Chloe turned eleven on the 17th.  My how she is growing up.  So fun to see, but I'll always remember that little 5 pound 13 ounce baby they laid in my arms and the way my heart already knew her. Becoming a mother for the first time is amazing- it changes who you are.  It is wonderful.  She is wonderful and we are so lucky to have her.

TAG- you're it.

I was tagged by Kelly.  Thanks, I'm honored. And without further adieu...


5 Things I Don’t Leave The House Without
I'm stuck here. I've left without kids, shoes, a purse, makeup, the list goes on...

1. clothes (usually)
2. contacts or eyeglasses (I'm blind)
3.  freckles, lots of them
4. my head full of my "to do" list

5. underwear (this one time I even accidentally brought an extra pair tucked up my pant leg that kept slipping out, much to my dismay, as I was shopping at Macey's )


5 Cartoons I Watched When I Was Younger 
*Sidenote: Tonight at dinner Aidan was describing a loin cloth that Chloe should sew and sell.  Asher says, "That's something they wore like in the 1980's Aidan, nobody wears those anymore".  I was there in 1980, I don't remember the loin cloths- you?

1. Gummi Bears
2. Fraggle Rock

3. Kissyfur

4. Smurfs
5.Rescue Rangers

5 Things That Terrify Me
1. Spiders
2. Falling in a deep hole and having dirt fall on top of me (recurring nightmare)
3. Getting lost in the ocean 
4. Old meat
5. Big changes (not really TERRIFIED, but uncomfortable, whiney, complaining, stubborn)

5 Things I Hate/Dislike That Everyone Else Seems To Like
Again, this was a challenge, so I just came up with things I dislike, I don't know if EVERYONE else likes them

1.  My muffin top (see, I only know 3 people who like it.  HA! Gotcha, i don't know anyone who really likes it)
2.  Canned cream of broccoli soup (any takers? This is connected to a bad memory. First solid food I was able to eat after having my tonsils out. Blech!)
3. Oh I got one!  The Twilight  movie.
4.  When people won't try a new food.  I don't really hate it,  but I can get irritated.  Just try it. Open up your mind. More often than not, you just haven't had it prepared in a way that suits your tastebuds.  Unless you're allergic to something, don't put certain foods mentally off limits.  Disclaimer: I use to do this with lots of foods, so I feel safe saying what I've said. :)
5.  Cleaning urine around my toilet. I know some people just LOVE that.  If you are one of those people, please contact me yesterday.


5 Things I Want To Do Before I Die

1. Go on a walk, hand-in-hand with Scotty
2.  Go on a sibling vacation to relive the good ol'days and have some good laughs
3.  Go to NYC 
4.  Learn another language
5. Take ballet classes 

5 Friends/Family I Tag

1.   Kenz 
2.  Sharlene W. 
3.  Mike 
4.  Em 
5.  Katie H. 


Can't wait to read these.

A lot of Firsts for the Firstborn

Is it a sign?  Is there some message I'm suppose to be getting from all this?  I don't know.  Chloe's birthday is coming up, and we had her "Amazing Race" Birthday Party last weekend.  It was a lot of fun to plan and watch.  She'll be eleven.  One short year before she'll graduate from Primary.  I mentioned this to her the other day.  I said, "Sis, only one more year until you get to go to Young Womens".  She said, "I don't want to leave Primary- I like it there".

*flahsback: I thought back to being 11 and my 2 best friends had left Primary in April and gone on to Young Womens- glorious, coming- of- age, Young Womens.  I was still in Primary, AND we were to sing in Sacrament Meeting for Mother's Day.  I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb as I sang, "Mother I love you, mother I do..."  I couldn't wait to be included in Young Womens.

Anyhow, it seems Sis is happy in Primary, but soon enough she will move on.  Anyhow, this is about firsts so lets get on with it.  She was asked to babysit by a neighbor friend on Saturday!  She was so excited as she packed a bag of games and Halloween candy.  She's babysat for us before but never a neighbor.  Anyhow, she did great and had a great time.

Next first, she got a phone call on Saturday letting her know that she her 3-D project had won in the school Reflections program.  She has entered a 3-D project every year, and this is her first win.  I am so proud of her.  She came up with the idea all by herself and executed it so well.  She used the hanging art in the Salt Lake Library's Urban Room as her inspiration.  The theme is Beauty Is..., so she did a little replica of a monarch butterfly on a book.  The book tells what she thinks beauty is and she aged the pages.  She also printed off a picture of a monarch butterfly so she would know all the details to paint on hers.  It is made completely of clay.  Anyhow, I haven't taken a picture yet, but I will.

Lastly, she is playing city basketball for the first time.  Turns out, she's good.  She's got a great shot, and some good coordination.  We all went to watch her first game on Saturday.  We cheered and yelled, and she had a great time.

She's growing up, and she's doing it beautifully.

Sink Bath

She may be 2 short months from turning 1, but she still fits in a sink for a "sink bath", and in my book that makes you still a baby.

What are the requirements for toddler status anyway?

Sleeping on the job

As I was taking the kids Halloween pics Scott was manning the backdrop.  When it is pulled to it's full height it can be a bit tippy.  So he was laying behind it keeping it stable.

Or so I thought.

 I heard a bit of snoring.  I ignored it and kept working.

Then Pretty Baby decided to stand an yank on the backdrop.

Down it all came, and this is the shot I got of the help, who was sleeping on the job.

Do You Know the Muffin Man?

Conversation @ Dinner Last Night:


Aidan: Mom, when do people get muffin tops?

Asher: What's a muffin top?

Aidan: You know when people's bellies grow over their pants and they can rest their arms on it.

A Message from Sis

The kids gathered a lot of candy on Halloween.

  They placed it in large baggies, zipped shut, with their name on them.

Chloe took it to the next level to protect her supply.  She knew where the real danger lies.

 I found myself mysteriously in the candy cupboard today and this is the message that greeted me:

Chloe: do not eat, that means you Mom