Friday, April 9, 2010

The Other Side of the Mountain

Things I learned on the Big Girls' Trip to Park City:  
Double Stuff Oreos really are as good as the regular ones.
Shopping can be fun in moderation.
Watching a movie you've already seen is a worthwhile indulgence.
A late-night soak in a hot tub under a starry sky is better for you than going to bed.
Tweens rock.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

The Office

When I was little, I always hoped there would be a giant blizzard and we would all be snowed in at school.  It would be a read-a-thon day, so we would all have our pillows, blankets and healthy snacks.  It would be so exciting to be at the school at night!

Well, it never happened, but we did the next best thing last night:  a sleepover at Scott's office!  Poor little Xanth was asleep in her own bed before the office sleepover took shape, so Scott stayed home with her while the rest of us hit the library and set up our "beds" in the reception area of the King & King.  Later, Scott got Coco to stay with Xanthe while he surprised us with hot fudge sundaes and french fries.  I read my book while the kids watched a movie.  I didn't pay much attention to the movie until I heard sniffles and sobs.  Ari and Free were asleep, but Golda and Ruby were captivated by the tragic and heartbreaking conclusion to their show.  When they told me the plot, how a dog had waited for his owner outside the "station" for nine years after the owner died, I started crying too, and I didn't even see the movie!  When the dog finally died and trotted toward "the light," his owner finally came to get him.  It was all so sad that we had to watch Xanthe's hula video over and over for a laugh. 

Laughing and crying, we went to sleep late, only to be jolted awake by the grandfather clock chiming every fifteen minutes throughout the night.  As soon as we figure out how to turn the chime off, we'll probably do the office sleepover again.  There is something mysterious and exciting about being in a daytime place at night.  I like our version of The Office much better than the one on TV. 

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Aloha Spirit

Xanthe has been practicing her own version of hula, one that will probably offend anyone with ties to Hawaii!  Thank-you, Kim, for the big box of luau stuff that Lee dropped off today!  You are a great example of the Aloha Spirit!  :)  Xanthe, on the other hand...just watch the video!

Is It Saturday Yet?


With four more days until Xanthe's birthday, she is in a constant state of anxiety.  This morning, she tried to change reality through denial.

Is my birthday in one more day?
No, four more days!
ONE more day?
Four.
You mean ONE?
Four.
So it's tomorrow?


So, what I need are volunteers to take two-hour shifts around the clock from now until Saturday at 4:00.  All you have to do is answer continuous questions about the birthday party.
"Will you count the candles quietly?  What will the people bring me?  What color are the cupcakes?  What do they look like?  Where is the party?  Will there be food?  Who is coming?  Are all the kids getting a present?  What will the party look like?  What color is it?  Who will sing to me?  What will they sing?  Where are the hula dancers?  Where are they right now?  What are they doing?  What does their house look like?  Where is the food?  I'm hungry.  Can we hang up some decorations now?  I'm not getting the plates out.  I'm just looking at them!"

Let's get that volunteer sign-up sheet passed around quick!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

The New Babysitter


A new business opened today at our house. It's called Araceli's Babysitting Service. Her first day on the job was packed! She entertained Abram with food, Play-Doh and toys. She kept Abe and Tolly busy with a photo shoot, singing and dancing. She held and strolled and fed the other little babe who visited us. The little babe cried the whole two hours, but it didn't phase Araceli one bit. Some of her dolls cry, so she can handle it.

Ari's mission statement is, "I am a really good babysitter and today was my first time babysitting. I promise to take good care of the babies by watching them and making sure they don't fall down the stairs. I'm just used to babies and I love babies.  For me to watch them, they can be three or under, but a week old is the youngest they can be." She adds, "Parents should bring a baba, diapers, wipes and anything the babies need. Don't put water in the bottle, just the powder.  Drop them off at my house.  The price is one dollar for one hour. So if I babysit for two hours, that's two dollars, and if I babysit for half an hour, it's two quarters." For a few cents extra, she'll teach your baby math!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Freestone's Excellent Adventure

Freestone did it!  He earned his new DS game from Grandpa!  He completed his last task today, which was recording Song of the Wind.  Grandma and Grandpa came and picked him up in their big truck and took him and ONLY him to the MALL!  They went to Game Stop and McDonald's and came home with major loot.  When they returned, Freestone raced in the house with his game, explaining what it was and why it was cool before flying downstairs to play it.  Thank-you, Grandma and Grandpa, for devoting so much attention to Freestone this week.  He felt very special and just loved all the attention and the nightly phone calls, not to mention the new game! 

All evening, Freestone had stories to tell about his outing with Grandma and Grandpa.  Until he stopped talking and threw up all over the kitchen.  I was on the phone when the McDonald's smoothie made its reappearance.  I don't know what this says about my mom skills, but I gave Freestone the "just a minute" finger and handed him a bowl.  The phone call was something I had to get resolved.  Not that the vomit wasn't, but there are limits to multi-tasking.  All in all, it's been a pretty great day for Freestone.  First, a solo trip to the mall with Grandma and Grandpa, and now a slumber party in my room.  (Yeah, I'm not schlepping sheets and towels up and down the stairs all night.)  And when he wakes up in the morning, his new DS game will be waiting, instead of a big, long list of chores!  Grandma and Grandpa, we love you, and we hope you don't get a stomach flu in return for being such fun grandparents!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

You Wait, Little Girl, On an Empty Stage...

...for fate to turn the light on.

Both Golda and Ruby were fortunate enough to get parts in The Sound of Music as Louisa and Marta, respectively.  We found out the casting just as Scott was leaving today to enjoy some alone time.  Araceli felt disappointed and left out, of course, and Scott couldn't walk out on that sad little face.  One look at his little girl huddled at the kitchen table with tears spilling off her chin, and he postponed his retail therapy to take Ari to lunch at KFC.

Later, we dyed eggs with the cast names on them and watched The Sound of Music.   What fun to have the classics of good old Rodgers and Hammerstein filling the air.  I had forgotten how wonderful the music is!  One of Scott's favorite places in the world is Austria.  This musical is as close as we're going to get to the Alps for awhile, but it's close enough.  Congrats, girls!  Love ya!

Empty Tomb Cookies

We did this and it turned out really meaningful and fun.  I recommend having a designated scripture chaser who doesn't have their hands in the egg whites!  Our oven is sealed.  The rest of the lesson will be later.  Thanks, Jennifer!