Kangaroo as Ariel and other disguises

What do Cruella DeVille, Little Einstein's June, Zorro, a monkey, and a mermaid-kangaroo have in common? Almost nothing.

I know its not the most attractive Ariel costume I've seen, but it really works for my three year old, who insisted that Ophie be Ariel for Halloween. It's amazing what you can accomplish with some construction paper and a whole lot of staples. (like the red hair and the purple bikini top???)

On the other hand, I have much more pride in Leah's Little Einstein's June costume, which she donned with perfection. Notice she even has pretend earrings!

Don't let this picture fool you into thinking that these two actually like each other and get along:

Zorro and Cruella were there, too. Can you tell we are recycling costumes here?

(Pardon the camera phone pictures--ran out of batteries!)

I have 300 children...

"Are you having a bake sale?"

"No, I just have 300 children"

Well, it's actually 332. Or 334 if you count Leah and Samuel.

This is what I was asked today when I purchased over 1000 eggs at Sam's Club. I always get strange looks when I load up my shopping cart with 40 pounds of zucchini, or 20 bags of spinach, or 200 pounds of flour, or 14 half-gallons of ice cream. Those innocent bystandards must think I have a very unbalanced diet.

If you must know, I am not shopping for myself, I am a grocery shopper by trade, and I get paid to do it. I am the official food buyer for all the cooking classes at BYU, or "Food Procurement Specialist" if you want to sound official. There are 17 classes per week; 332 students, 4 instructors, a dozen TA's, a lab manager, and me! (And where would a cooking class be without its food.) You see, I'm quite essential, and I love being essential in a way that doesn't involve feces or diaper rash.

(Come on, you know how much I really do love being a mother)

And I'm needed as much today as I will be tomorrow, for there are always food emergencies. Such as "The students used too much parsley, and the lettuce froze at the back of the fridge," or "the students ruined their stir-fry so we need more millet" or "Someone opened the mayo and didn't put it in the fridge." You get the idea. Yesterday it was ice cream and honey, today its onions and cilantro. What will be the crisis of tomorrow? I can now identify such things as acorn squash, leeks, and mung bean sprouts (although I don't think I will have any.)

There was that one time the bottom of my onion box broke and I had onions rolling in ten different directions and into the street. Or that time when the ice on top of my two cases of broccoli melted and I flooded the walk-in fridge in a matter of one kickboxing class. And that one time I accidentally ordered an 11 pound block of cheese instead of 1 (1 lb) block of cheese. (parenthesis---overrated!)

When purchasing such things as 10 boxes of Red Hots Candies, 48 candy bars, 14 heads of cabbage, 12 pounds of tofu, 20 lbs of frozen raspberries, 32 tomatoes, or in todays case, 90 dozen eggs, I try to come up with answers such as "Oh, I just really like cabbage. I eat it three times a day" or "I'm on a chocolate-only diet." You get the idea. "Haven't you heard of the tomato/raisin home remedy?"

Whenever I explain the contents of such a grocery cart, I am always admired for having such an interesting job. It is so unique, yet perfectly fitting that someone like me should shop (albeit for groceries) for a living!

In a nutshell, it is a very cool job and I work with awesome people. I always know what is on sale. I occasionally get to eat yummy things. I have a chance to miss my children for 18 hours a week. (I get paid!) And of course, college student TA's make great babysitters.

Happy Harvest Cheese

I finally put up some decorations!

I like Halloween, but I don't necessarily want to have a ghost, witch, graveyard scene. Plus, I like the idea of decorating for the fall season, not necessarily for the Halloween day, and this way I can leave the decorations up through November. The inspiration for this was the $5 corn stalk at the grocery store, which seemed to sum up the whole season. Then Leah helped me pick out the baskets, which we spray painted green and red. I elected to get real pumpkins and colorful squash, which were actually cheaper than fake, plastic ones (And I guess if we got really hungry, we could eat them). The baskets, paint, and chalkboard were only about $25, and those things I will be able to reuse every year!

Now the kids are playing with chalk on a little chalkboard in the house. That $.79 box of chalk will go a long way, I think. I plan to carve the big pumpkin on the left soon--it's at least 30 pounds.

Here is our new and improved front door. The kids wouldn't get out of the way, so I figured they could just be in the picture. Leah "helped" me right Happy Harvest on the little chalkboard, so when I told her to say cheese, she said "Happy Harvest Cheese."

Two Top Tens (Top Twenty?)

Happenings lately at our house:

1. Leah's cute new haircut. I had to convince my mother that it is appropriate for her to look like a sophisticated little girl rather than a toddler. After all, she's almost four, attends Preschool, and has been potty trained for over a year. The picture was taken at Jumpin' Jacks, an indoor playground with inflatable jumping things that we did as a family activity on Labor day (Which was a great hit with both kids and with our coupon, cost us less than $11!)

2. "I'm sorry Samuel, you just can't throw poopy diapers around."

3. Searching through the cereal cabinet: "Mom, do we have any more kid food?"

4. We differentiate tummy aches at our house by saying hungry tummy ache or potty tummy ache. One day on the way home from the gym, and with the promise of icy cold lemonade, Leah announced: "I have a lemonade tummy ache."

5. "Leah, that zucchini is food, not a toy. We have plenty of toys in the house--you don't need to play with vegetables."

6. Leah: "Mom, why do you love me?" Mom: "Because God gave you to me. Why do you love me?" Leah: "Because God gave you to me." *smile*

7. Today I realized something vitally important, and it took me 26 years to make this observation: while a watched pot may not boil very quickly, an empty pot will never boil at all.

8. "Mom, why do we have to go potty every day?"

9. Playing with her toy kitchen and stuffing a stuffed animal in the toy microwave, "I'm making a dog for lunch." I asked her if it was going to be a hot dog, and no, its just a dog.

10. And as we speak she totally zonked out on the couch next to me. I was just too involved in blogging to go put her to bed, so she put herself to bed!


And its been awhile since I blogged about Stampin' Up! Here are 10 good reasons why you should get stamping this month!

1. Holiday Mini catalog is live and wonderful! View the pdf here.

2. New product line: Build-a-Bear Workshop stamps, paper, and sizzix dies.

3. New product line: Design your own necklace charms.

4. Awesome new product that I want for Christmas: My Digital Studio. It is software for making scrapbook pages, cards, and more with Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colors, patterns, papers, stamped images, even SU! embellishments that look three-dimensional! It is a must have!

5. Hostess promotion through November 30: hold a workshop totaling $250 or more and receive any item in the Mini for $10! (excluding hostess sets and My Digital Studio)

6. Limited time offer: Decor Elements Growth Chart. It is only available until September 30! $24.95

7. Join me for a Workshop at my house on Thursday, September 17! It will be so fun! I will be giving out inkpads to those who bring a friend. Plus I'll be holding drawings for catalogs, merchandise, and retired stamp sets!

8. Hold a workshop with me in September or October and I will give you your choice of Designer Series Paper. That is a $10 value! Also, you'll get a free catalog and hostess benefits. See also number 5.

9. It's not too early to start thinking about your Holiday projects! Plan them and get started before October and November hit and you get even busier!

10. Help me reach my quarterly minimum by September 30 so that I can stay active as a Demonstrator!!! Visit my Demonstrator Business Website for more information or Shop Online now!

The What's and the Why's

I distinctly remember when Leah was going through the "What" phase when she was about two.

"Mom, what are doing?"
"I'm emptying the dishwasher."
*30 seconds later*
"Mom, what are doing?"
"Uh, well, I'm still emptying the dishwasher."

And now that I think Samuel is about to the "What" phase (Watching me inquisitively he says"What doing?"), I've noticed with much trepidation that Leah has just stumbled upon "Why."

"Time to go inside now."
"Why?"
"Because I have to got to the bathroom."
"Why do you have to go to the bathroom?"
"Uh, well..."

Naperville visit in review

So I took several hundred pictures in the three weeks I was out of town, so you can't blame me for delaying so long in posting, and for having a hard time deciding which ones to put up. (Plus I have to argue with Blogger's awful format to make this presentation...presentable.)


Treat yourself to a self-guided tour of some highlights, including but not limited to Chris's big 3-0, a family bike ride, playing in the sand and water (notice the girls both have The Little Mermaid on their suits?), visiting the arboretum with Grandma and experiencing all the fun animal houses, and some general good cousin and grandparent time, etc. And I haven't even posted about the wedding yet!

Thanks to Jane

I just finished reading Sense and Sensibility and thoroughly enjoyed it. It makes me want to use long, flowery words that I'm not quite sure of their meaning, and talk in a British accent, if only I could come up with something eloquent to say.

Here are a few gems I dog-eared as I read. Such a perceptive commentary on society! and how much does Marianne remind me of someone...myself!

• On avoiding awkward pauses in social gatherings: "Lady Middleton had taken the wise precaution of bringing with her their eldest child, a fine little boy about six years old; by which means there was one subject always to be recurred to by the ladies in case of extremity, for they had to enquire his name and age, admire his beauty, and ask him questions which his mother answered for him[...]. On every formal visit a child ought to be of the party, by way of provision for discourse. In the present case it took up ten minutes to determine whether the boy were most like his father or mother, and in what particular he resembled either, for of course every body differed, and every body was astonished at the opinion of the others." (Vol 1, chapter 6)
• The maturity of seventeen. "Marianne began now to perceive that the desperation which had seized her at sixteen and a half, of ever seeing a man who could satisfy her ideas of perfection, had been rash and unjustifiable." (Vol 1, chapter 10)
• Ever heard people say that the baby looks just like someone on their side of the family? Mr Palmer got it (who in the 1995 movie is played by Hugh Laurie, of course...): "Mr Palmer maintained the common, but unfatherly opinion among his sex, of all infants being alike; and though she could plainly perceive, at different times, the most striking resemblance between this baby and every one of his relations on both sides, there was no convincing his father of it; no persuading him to believe that it was not exactly like every other baby of the same age; nor could he be brought to acknowledge the simple proposition of its being the finest child in the world." (Volume 2, chapter 14)
• Ever try to argue with someone who just doesn't get it? "Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition." (Volume 2, chapter 14)

Next is Northanger Abbey while I wait for Pride and Prejudice to come in the mail.

What is your favorite Jane Austen?

Toy time lineup

Within an hour of free play at Grandma's house, Leah and I found the Little Einstein Annie, who had been MIA since Christmas. She was lost in a box of toys, of all places. And now back at home, here is the whole Little Einsteins gang back together again. (If you are not Little Einsteins savvy like some of us, Annie is the one with blonde hair).


And here she is with a lineup of Trolls, which I collected when I was a kid. Aren't they cute? I even remember some of their names. Becky and I each got one for Christmas when Frank was serving in Bonners Ferry, ID, so we named our Trolls Bonnie and Ferry. The one with the mask and cape is named Calvin, after the alter-ego Calvin from the comic strip. The bride is named Bridely (don't ask), and Leah walked around all week saying that Bridely was Lala and Calvin was Carl and that they were getting married. There is a red, white, and Blue one that I named Liberty. I can't remember any of the other ones names, but I'm sure they all had names and family groups.

DC in a nutshell

Here are some hightlights of DC:

• Leah and I getting poured on while crossing the mall with Ruthie and Josh, and finding the promised carousel ride closed. Leah was a really good sport about running through the rain. After that she got to go inside a butterfly habitat, and that was very satisfying. Then Grandma and Grandpa took her on the carousel a couple days later, so double score!
• Seeing the Marine Band and the Navy Band perform (I made mom her very own ring-tone of Stars and Stripes forever, recorded live from the Marine Barracks. How many can boast that?)
• Went to the top of the Washington Monument, did a night walk of the monuments, and a guided tour of the Capital building
• Saw Seinfeld's Puffy Shirt and Dorothy's ruby slippers at the Museum of American History
• Stood inches away from the only DaVinci in the hemisphere at the National Gallery.
• Went kayaking!
• Emceed the family talent show at the pool party.
• Shelled out 8 bucks an hour for a sitter who managed to put Samuel's diaper on inside out. (Explain that one to me...) Us small town Provo folk aren't used to $8 an hour anything...
• My GPS Vanessa led us all over town and through the back roads to get anywhere, and Dad's van was too tall to fit in any parking garage in the city. Way to be a trooper, Dad!
• My parents were truly glorious to help with the kids so much and give me some opportunities to sight-see without them.

A Screeching Halt

Now that I am home from vacation, it is time to get back to reality. Since I have been away partying, not working, living without any semblance of routine, I've noticed that habits of the past few weeks are forcibly coming to a screeching halt.

• No more second helpings (or first, for that matter) of cheesecake, birthday cake, carrot cake, etc. You might notice my weight-loss tracker, which has gone up several pounds 0(super OUCH!!!) because I basically pigged out for 3 weeks and didn't get to kickboxing more than once in that time. Lets just face it: thighs don't lie.
• No more frivolous spending! Its time to crunch down and stick to a budget, lest we slowly (or quickly) eat away at our savings.
• My paychecks stopped coming. I guess they only pay me when I actually work. Time to get back to the grind. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. And amazingly, fall semester is just a mere two weeks away from starting. (And that means fall is close, with winter hot on its tail, which is depressing to think about...)
• No more staying up late being lazy. It's back to responsibility aside from just keeping my kids alive...I have to actually clean house, pay bills, make food, do laundry, water grass, get dressed before lunch, etc.
• Time to get back to blogging! I have several hundred pictures that I have taken in the past few weeks that need documenting. Stay tuned...