what do you think?

My predicted winner this season. He is hands down my favorite. The most talented musician in my opinion. They rode him way too hard last night. As someone who loves "Sugar, we're goin down", I thought he was brilliant. Do I dare use such a strong word? Yeah, I do. It was totally unique. Never off-pitch. I'm wondering if the judges even know the song. Simon telling him it wasn't original enough kindof threw me for a loop. Andrew Garcia...all the way. All. The. Way.

There were really only about 5 or 6 others I was OK with...boys and girls combined. Tyler (funky style, great voice), Alex Lambert, Casey, Lee, Didi, Janell, Siobhan (pleasantly surprised), Katie. OK...9. I would say about half of the contestants were decent, the other half...whew. Not enjoyable. Awkward at times. Blech.

*On another note...

7 weeks ago, I weighed "x" pounds.

Today, I weigh x-12.

By the beach this summer, I hope to weigh x-25.

That's 13 more pounds and I think I can do it.

By typing it here...I'm now accountable. :)

ipod trauma...

Alex LOVES his ipod. Real, true love. We found shuffles for the kids for $30 this Christmas. Refurbished through Apple. The girls are in like, but Alex is in love. He and his darling teacher Miss Rodgers, like to compare music and download eachother's favorites. I think Alex may have a tiny crush, though he would HATE me for putting that assumption out there on the www. He asks me almost every day if we can download some new song. He earns them. By keeping his room clean and such. He listens while he does his homework, while he draws, while he plays games on the computer. I actually love that he is so passionate about his music. He's such a great kid.

SO...yesterday when he asked if his hoodie was out of the wash yet, I told him it wasn't...it was still wet. Then he asked if I'd remembered to take his ipod out of the pocket. HUH?! Dag GONE IT! I ran down to the washer, and sure enough, there it was. It had just taken a nice warm bath. My initial reaction was anger. I was mad that Alex had left it in there but never told me. As he walked out the door to school, I heard him say, "I hate myself". That made me sad. I checked it right before he left. Dead. The computer wouldn't even recognize that it was plugged in. The more I thought about it, the more I realized the fault was just as much mine. I should be checking pockets...regularly. It's one of my 8,000 duties around here. I was so sad for him. I wanted to replace it, but didn't want him to think I would constantly make up for his bad choices. I was really torn. I talked with my mom, and we figured out a plan. I would buy it, immediately, then I would have Alex earn $5 as his part. That would work. Perfect. Just before he came home, I tried it one more time. It was working! It had dried out. I couldn't WAIT to tell him.

As soon as he walked in from school, I grabbed his ipod. He was thrilled. Very smiley. He took it, then said, "That's what happens when you say a prayer." So matter of fact. So sure of what he had just said. That IS what happens. I am so proud of him. So proud that he remembered to pray again, to thank the Lord for his help. I realize that not all prayers are answered this way. SO many of the kids prayers ARE, but not all of them. Sometimes I wonder why. Why people have to lose loved ones. Why people get sick or hurt. Why people lose jobs. Why people struggle. It's part of the Lord's plan. Somehow he knows the beginning from the end. I don't think he would cause pain or sorrow, but I think he allows it. I think he allows it so that we will know how to succor eachother. How to care for eachother. Empathize. Love. These are the thoughts running through my head today. All because of an ipod.

molly and her art...

Molly draws. All day. Every day. Surely I've posted about it before. The tiny pieces of paper all over the floor. The pictures stuck to the wall, the doors, the tv...all with "ticky tack". Most days it makes me nuts. It really does. Mostly because she doesn't quite get the cleaning up part. And she cries, with genuine hurt feelings, if I throw anything in the garbage. If I ever do, I'm sure to stuff it under the cereal box and banana peels that are already in there so she'll never notice. She notices. I go crazy thinking up what to give these kids for Christmas, birthdays. All they need are markers, crayons and paper. Reams and reams of paper. EVERY SINGLE DAY, I find the crayon bag and the marker bag somewhere other than their little box in the computer room.

It's darling actually. It really is. Especially when she draws something like this. She was so careful when drawing Jesus. He is so important to her. She kept looking from book to picture, book to picture, making sure she got it just right.

nothing special...

I have nothing profound to say today. I haven't for a few days, actually. For some reason, that keeps me from posting at all. I skip over the every day stuff. Well not today, folks. I have lots of it...possibly enough for another post tomorrow.

February is dreary. I am tired of trying my darndest to get natural light pictures inside of my house. I am ready for some spring to start happening around here. I heard some birds chirping this morning, but then they realized it was too cold and left.

When I leave the house for any lengthy amount of time, this is the sort of thing that happens. Dave entertains the kids. Here we have a banana car, complete with 4 tires and a steering wheel...all banana. Molly LOVED it. I'm so glad Dave thinks to grab the camera when I'm not around.

Look what my husband can do. I was doing the cross-your-legs-as-hard-as-you-can-and-hope-for-the-best kind of laugh. Dave is a riot. For some reason this makes me think of the post I did about Emily catching flies with her bare hands. Guess what? She caught another...in sacrament meeting. We did our best to stay reverent, but sent her out to release it and wash up. She is truly amazing.

The kids keep putting these Build-a-Bear glasses on Margaret. Once again...crossing the legs. We laugh SO hard at her, and she just looks around like she is Mrs. Cool.

Saturday while I was at a baby shower, the rest of the family was building this fort, decked out with twinkle lights. The kids think Dad is so cool. Not sure what they think about me.

Friday after school. Emily and Elizabeth always run in smiling, looking for Margaret. Alex has better things to do, but the twins...they love that baby. They tote her everywhere. I rely on them a lot. Too much, probably. You know what though, it's good for them. They are learning traits that will make them wonderful mothers. They are gems.

Margaret loves the piano. Playing with the pedals is fun, but she's even happier when someone cares enough to put her up on the bench, then stands there with her so she doesn't flip over backwards onto her head causing a slight rug burn. If she's having a come-apart, it's a sure thing that you can put her on the bench, let her pound, and she's quickly forgotten what she was so grumpy about.

I love my family. So much. They are my joy...and my pain. Pretty much my everything.

luke iceskater...

Which one skates? Which one is Luke Skywalker? And which first name goes with which last name? Mark Hamilton. Scott Hamill. Mark Hamill. Scott Hamilton. Does anyone else struggle with this? Just wondering.

zucchini's...

"Hey Mom,

some people when they go swimming,

they wear zucchini's,

and that does NOT make Jesus happy."

good enough...

my resume:

1. I make the best darn grilled cheese sandwiches...EVER! My kids insist that if they have a stomach ache, my grilled cheese can cure it. They are THAT good.

2. I can rinse kids hair in the tub without ever getting soap or water in their eyes.

3. I can clip fingernails/toenails like nobody's business. All 120 of them. Dave does his own.

Shouldn't I be getting paid more?