Super not-so-secret identities

Paul reminded me today of the super identities he gave the boys a few months ago. We still haven't determined whether these identities make them super heroes or super villians. Usually it depends on the state of our sense of humor. Christian is Captain Obvious and Jordan is his sidekick as Literal Boy!

Santa's cookies Ho Ho Ho

Tonight, we tested the snickerdoodles we made for Santa. Then we set out Santa's cookies on the special Santa platter and milk in his special Christmas glass on the coffee table, lovingly placed the Christmas Quilt on the couch for him to snuggle in and set off to brush teeth and jump quickly into bed. I was in the boys' room reading Polar Express and Paul was brushing Emma's teeth. Suddenly Paul came in and informed me that Jenna had been dunking Santa's cookies in Santa's milk and frantically eating them. When he asked, "What are you doing?" she answered with a grin, "I eating Santa's cookies, ho ho ho!"

Our Anniversary

Just wanted to post a few pictures of how Paul and I celebrated our anniversary. We have been married 13 years and been good friends for 22! Wow how time flies when you are happy!


Paul arranged for us to go up Logan Canyon to stay overnight in a lodge and snowmobile. It is so wonderful to rediscover the adventurous, fun loving people we still are under parenthood! We had a blast! Even digging out was fun. Thanks to Trenton and Whitney for watching the kids. It is so good to miss them every once in a while.

The way we say things

Emma was watching an episode of one of our favorite cartoons, Backyardigans. The cute characters were singing a song that has the lyrics, "into the thick of it". Last night she was singing the song and insisted that, it was in fact, "into the fickle bit". When we asked her what it meant she said it means to go around in circles just like the song says. She still argues days later that the song says "into the fickle bit".

After Jordan watched Wall-E for the first time, he walked around saying Larrr-y. When we tried to correct him, he argued to the bitter end. When he began to read, he finally laughed and admitted that he had been saying it wrong all along.

The kids love to hear about themselves and the things they used to say when they were younger. I am glad I have worked to keep a journal for them while they are young. It has not always been easy or consistent but I have tried to record important and favorite things through the years. Inspiring them to write in it themselves as they get older is another challenge all together.

Babysitter's tutorial

Since I haven't been asked to run a babysitter's workshop since I had children and I have much to say on the subject, I thought I would provide my expertise and insight here for all the world' s benefit (at least the 3 or 4 people who read my blog). I guess what it really comes down to is, I have an opinion and since no one asks me for it, I am writing it here because I can, so pthhbbpt (that's me blowing a raspberry).


If a babysitter wants to be assured of never getting another babysitting job anywhere in the neighborhood (parents talk), follow these simple suggestions:


Top 14 dos to prevent future jobs

1. Do let children talk you into doing chemistry experiments in the kitchen. Just trust me on this, the children will make it sound so educational and fun !


2. Be sure to bounce the family pet gerbil on the trampoline. They love to have their brains rattled!


3. When allowing the children to eat in their rooms (even though they know it is against the rules), and someone spills popcorn on the floor, be sure to tell them the best solution is to brush it all under the bed.


4. Be sure to take the kids to the park without mentioning the idea to the parents so that when they call and call and call to check on things they are absolutely frantic when no one answers.


5. If a child falls and is injured, especially if blood and swelling are involved, be sure to leave the house as quickly as possible without telling the parents.


6. Please, leave the leftover pizza sitting on the counter and food on the plates, for the parents to clean up when they get home 5 hours later.


7. Be sure to lock yourself and the kids out of the house half way through the movie the parents have gone to.


8. When the parents come home, be sure to have all the lights in the house turned off so everything looks deserted and they will find you sitting, texting in the dark.


9. Do not change the baby's diaper so that the parents can have the joy of being awakened to a shivering cold screaming child and spend the next hour changing pajamas and sheets and quieting a hysterical child.


10. Be sure to take the children to your house so your mother can watch them for you, making the parents question if you are actually capable of babysitting.


11. Let the kids play video games for 5 hours straight so you don't have to interact with them.


12. Always have something better to do so that you are never available when someone calls you to babysit.


13. Let them stay up until the parents get home even if their bedtime was 2 hours earlier, that way they will be cheerful and happy for school the next morning! Parents love to end their evening by putting tired, wound up kids to bed.

14. Please disregard the dinner choices the parents provided and just feed the kids hot dogs, graham crackers, and candy. This will make it easier for them to fall asleep.

All of these have happened at our house with the exception of #2 which happened to a neighbor. A couple of these occurred with the same babysitter. We wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt and another chance. It just didn't seem to work out. Most of these babysitters were not called again. If they were it was an emergency and we could find no one else.

We have had some wonderful babysitters too! Girls that have not only rinsed the dishes but either emptied the dishwasher and reloaded it or washed the dishes by hand. They have brought games, toys and treats for the kids. The kids ask the next morning when we will be having them come again. They are girls that know how to say no to potential problems and redirect kids' attention to another appropriate, fun activity. We have come close to perfection with a couple of babysitters. The problem is, they are in such demand, we can rarely get them. It is so nice to come home to peacefully sleeping kids, a straightened house, and a calm babysitter.


I am not expecting perfection. My basic hopes and dreams in hiring a babysitter are as follows:

1. The safety and well being of the children must come first. This, however, does not mean let them do whatever makes them happy. Family rules and common sense must be observed.

2. I would like to return to a house that is in at least as good of shape as I left it. For example, no food left out, toys basically picked up, etc. I expect that the kids would be asked to help with this too.

3. Do what needs to be done. If a diaper needs changing, change it. If someone spills, clean it up. If someone gets hurt, take care of the injury (depending on the severity).

4. Pay attention to the children. You are there for them not to text or call your friend, read a book, watch t.v. etc. I don't mind if you do these things after the children are in bed.

5. Under no circumstances should you have someone else at my house with you without my approval.

6. Listen and follow my instructions for meals, bedtime, etc. If you have questions or need clarification, ask. If something comes up, don't be afraid to call.

7. Above all, show common sense!!

We had a babysitter who babysat for us for many years. She knew our kids, was interested in what they were doing, and we considered her an extended part of our family. She would even babysit for us when she came home from college. She is married now and we miss her very much.

I would love to hear your stories or additions to my list!

This post was featured on Mormon Mommy Blogs. Check out all of the comments and suggestions here!

Somedays I'm Mommy tired

Ever have one of those days when you'd like to stop being a parent, just for a little while? (If you've never felt that way, don't tell me, I have enough guilt thank you!) Don't get me wrong, I'd never in a million years give up my kids or the joy of being a mommy, but sometimes I'd like to step outside of myself, just for a little while. I'd like to take that nap I promised myself last night as I stayed up late again tying a quilt, unloading and loading the dishwasher, and putting breakfast in the crockpot to prepare for another crazy thursday. (Some people hate Mondays, I hate Thursdays. Everything hits at once.) As I looked forward to that nap, I realized I only have 3½ hours to finish what will amount to 5 loads of laundry which I haven't sorted yet, the breakfast AND lunch dishes have yet to even be rinsed let alone loaded into the dishwasher, I have costumes to sort for the children's nativity I have planned for the extended family Christmas party of which I am in charge, and there is an inexplicable noise growing in volume coming from the basement where Emma and a friend are playing. Boy does that bed look soft....(sigh).

And the whole self control thing, wow, is it tiring. When I want to yell at the visiting neighbor kid, "stop rolling your yogurt covered fruit snacks off the table for me to retrieve" I have to stop and say "oh no, your snacks are escaping, don't let them get away!" When a visiting friend whose mother is gone for a couple hours continually whines "I just want to go hooooommme", I can't tell them "well you can't, so get over it". And when I want to scream into the night "You rotten kids, stop doorbell ditching! I just got my kids to bed only 30 seconds before I completely lost my sanity and so help me if even one of them gets out of bed, curious to see who's at the door, I...WILL...HUNT...YOU...DOWN!!!". Instead I just have to let it go. I can't ruin my kids' chances of having any semblance of a normal social life by being known as the crazy witch mother of the neighborhood!

As I mentioned before, I have guilt. I think this is imbedded in the female DNA but becomes magnified a google (Jordan's favorite number) times as soon as a woman becomes pregnant. Logically, I know every mother has strengths and weaknesses and there is no such thing as a perfect one but there are so many who are just so close. Why can't I have yummy, healthy snacks ready and waiting for my kids and all their friends who love to be at my house because it is such a welcoming place? And why can't I want the whole neighborhood camped at my house all the time? I should. Why is it hard for me to let it go when a neighbor kid walks into my house at 5:30 pm opens my pantry and helps himself and my kids to half a package of oreos effectively spoiling their dinner? And why do I ever so slightly (okay, not so slightly) resent the neighbor who looks like she has a professionally decorated house that is always uncluttered and clean? I bet my socks wouldn't even stick to her kitchen floor! Then of course there's the mother who makes all meals from scratch and they're so good her kids don't even know they're organically healthy! And don't even get me started on the family of five children who all look like they've been dressed by the most fashionable designers and have their hair professionally done EVERY day! Their children would never TRY to be the record holder of the least pairs of underwear in the weekly laundry. Oh yes, true story. We're lucky to even locate a comb most days, and navy socks are close enough to black aren't they? They'll be black by the end of the day anyway. Then there's the kids who never forget to say please, thank you, no thank you and call me Mrs. Bruderer. They would never say "ewwww, that looks so gross, it looks like...." at a large family dinner. And the guilt goes on and on and on and on.......

Somedays, I am mommy tired and would love to be all by myself somewhere that doesn't have to be cleaned, with people who don't have various body parts needing to be wiped, whining voices, or complaints about trivial things. A place where clothes and dishes don't need to be washed and dried, food to be planned and prepared (isn't figuring out what to fix the worst part), floors that need to be vaccumed or mopped, toys and clutter to move from one surface to another......It never ends. I guess what I need is a nice quiet, white room with lots and lots of chocolate. Anyone know where I can check in?

I argue with myself all the time, pointing out to myself that I have so many things to be grateful for, healthly kids, a beautiful, warm home, a dishwasher to wash those dishes and a washer and dryer to wash those clothes.... but then I have to tell that part of my brain, "Shut up, you're interferring with my pity party!" (Shhh, don't tell my kids I said that, we don't say shut up in our house. Just my attempt at that well mannered ideal.) Well, I'm off to climb Mt. Laundry, wade through the dirty dishes swamp, be nice to the neighbor kids, change a poopy diaper, turn off every light in the house AGAIN, serve leftovers nobody wants to eat, and sort though costumes my supermom sister sewed from scratch.

If you'd like to come to my pity party join right in. If you have positive, uplifting comments save them until tomorrow when I take the duct tape off the mouth of that other side of me, you know, the party pooper.

Gold, Frankincense, and Mold

We were telling our traditional puppet Christmas story (I had to copy my sister Laurie's puppets. Aren't they adorable?) when Paul asked if any of the children knew what gifts the wisemen brought. Christian piped right up, and as fast as his tongue could blurt said, "gold, frankincense, and mold". He knew the real answer but his tongue was running faster than his brain at the moment. As I thought of this a few days later, I smiled with chagrin to think of the times my tongue has run away leaving my brain behind.

A few Christmas projects

Loved this idea at Thrifty Decor Chick and so decided to make our own. Check out the tutorial if you want to make one too! Here is a picture of how ours turned out: I imediately thought "stringing things on a long wire" sounds like a preschool project! So while I glued the tops on (a necessary step), Emma began stringing our Dollar Tree ornaments on a coat hanger. A not so easy twist of the pliers, a pretty bow, and we've got a beautiful decoration that I will be keeping around for quite some time!

When I saw this reindeer I wondered where she got it and then happened to see them at Dollar tree and had to have them 2 for $1. I used them with some leftover ornaments like this:

This floral arrangement took me forever to do! Just kidding, I don't have that kind of time. This is a garland I just bought for 60% off at JoAnn's. I was surprised it really looked this good! Gotta love the really simple!

Dollar Tree at Christmas time definately Works for Me! I even found the same brand Christmas village they were selling a JoAnn's 60% of 4.99. My favorite Christmas supply store DOLLAR TREE (mentally put it in twinkly lights) still beat that sale price! I'm participating at WFMW and over at A Soft Place to Land for DIY day and Today's Creative Blog fo Get Your Craft On. Check out all the great ideas.

Our favorite Christmas tradition

We have a favorite Christmas tradition. We call it our Christmas quilt. My wonderful and creative sister-in-law, Sallie gave us everything to start this tradition a few years ago. She gave us a small lap quilt, a storybook, and a beautiful poem with all the kids' names in it telling us how to use our "Christmas quilt" each night of December. Over the last few years it has evolved into quite the production. On December 1st, after pjs are on, we bring out the quilt and lay it down in front of the Christmas tree. Then we read our poem about the "Christmas Quilt Magic" Each night family members take turns choosing a Christmas carol to sing, and a story to read.

We have family prayer on the quilt and then rush to watch the chosen person open the advent for the day and hang the mini ornament on our felt tree.

Then, in procession, we all help to carry the Christmas quilt to lay on the foot of their bed ensuring sweet Christmas dreams that night. Each person really looks forward to their turn and we are true believers in the magic!

This tradition has led to another. As one of our family Christmas gifts, we must get at least one new Christmas book each year. As you can imagine, we have quite a collection by now!

We made two of these quilts to give to some friends this year complete with a poem describing the tradition. It was a bit of a race to get them finished, but I think they were appreciated. It is sure a fun DIY gift. Though not a usual crafty gift, it is the gift of a tradition.