Figure types

This is a rough sketch of my current figure type.

It may or may not be slightly exaggerated to give you the idea.

I’m having a hard time finding clothes that are flattering.

Weird.

Sign language

Jonah has been learning sign language in preschool.  Yesterday I figured out that it is a good way for us to communicate during church.

He got mad at me during sacrament meeting when I asked him to please stop asking me questions so I could listen to the speaker.

He went and sat by Savannah in the row in front of me and glared at me over the back of the chair.

I smiled really big and gave him the I love you sign that he recently learned.  He had a response ready, and immediately set out to spell it back to me in sign language.

I could make out an I, D and O. 

After thinking for a minute he put his scowl back on and hissed “How do you spell I don’t love you?”

Choosing to see

When we bought this house (and property), our realtor said “You guys must have a real eye for potential!”

And we did.  What she saw as a run down, creepy old house and shed, we saw as limitless possibilities.

I have a metaphorical pair of glasses that helps me see things as I want them to be.  It’s all about what I choose to see.

For example, I choose to see this:

…instead of looking slightly to the left and seeing this:

I choose to see this:

…instead of this:

Oddly enough, these two (following)  pictures are the same place, seen from opposite perspectives:

 

This one can be seen as pile of old junk, or a magical fort.  Again… depending on what you want it to be:

Lately I have been thinking that I need to do a better job of wearing my “glasses” when I see my children.  Instead of feeling frustrated by the unpleasantries of daily life, I want to focus on the beauty  and goodness in my children.  I want to see them loving and serving each other.

When I looked at my dark, dreary 1980’s kitchen, I had a vision of a cheerful country kitchen instead.  And magically, (the magic called Jeff) that is what it became.

I can’t help but think that it will be the same with my children.  If I see the great potential in them, then that is what they will see, too.  And if that is what they see, then that is what they will become.

Random

I just had to post this picture because this sign makes me smile every time I look at it.  It was created for one of Caleb’s business ventures that never got off the ground.  Never even got out the front door, actually.  Once he did the math of splitting the money with all of the people he had recruited as helpers,  he decided it wasn’t worth it.  I think the sign adds just the right touch to my dining room!

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In other news… last night, after lights out, I heard Jonah in his bed beatboxing.  (Yes, that is a word.  I googled it.)

Puh, puh choo, puh, puh, puh choo!

I had heard him earlier, explaining to his preschool buddies that his big brother Caleb told him that if he practices a lot, he can get really good at it.  He’s well on his way.

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I am currently preparing for battle.  Last week, after scouts, both of Caleb’s den mothers showed up at our front door.  They were very kind, wanting to work together with us to help Caleb learn to be respectful.

Since he was disruptive last week during flag ceremony, (this is not the first time we have had these issues) I have prepared some reading material on respect for the flag, and questions for him to answer.  Instead of going to scouts with his friends, he will be staying home to learn those principles a different way.

This will not be an easy afternoon for me.  I don’t anticipate happiness or cooperation.

Wish me luck.

Two Parents

There is a reason that babies need both parents in the home.  It is so that when they are throwing up in the night, Mom can care for the upset baby while Dad cleans up the crib and gets it ready for the next round.

Jeff is out of town this week, and Simon has the throw-ups.  It looks like I get both duties.  Yuck.

Circle K

When I was little, my Papa would take us to Circle K whenever we visited him.  It was a much anticipated part of every trip.  We got to wander up and down the isles, as we faced the monumental decision of which candy bar to pick.  Any one we wanted!

My dad continues this tradition with his grandkids, and it is equally as magical for them.  Every time he sees the familiar logo as we drive by, Jonah yells out “I see Circle K!”

Apparently, though, even Circle K is being affected by these difficult economic times.  Yesterday I heard my 7 year old nephew explaining to all of his cousins:

“Ever since President Obama got elected, the prices of candy at Circle K keeps getting higher and higher.”

Follow your nose

It makes me really nervous when people walk in and say “It smells like the Davis house in here.”  I mean, I know that every house and family has their own distinctive smell, and it’s usually not a bad thing.  But I’m pretty sure that the smell of my house is NOT a good one.

The last couple of days I have noticed a worse than usual smell brewing around the kitchen.  I followed my nose to the refrigerator… definitely the culprit!

I took out the most likely offenders, sauerkraut, aging chili, and a liquefied cucumber in the deepest corner of the vegetable drawer.  And still the mystery smell grows stronger…

I can do hard things

Sometimes I forget who I used to be.  I forget that before I was a wife or a mother, I was a person.  There were things that I hoped and planned and loved.  Things that I did just for me.

One of the things that I loved was nature.  I loved camping and hiking…  just getting far away from civilization.  In college I would occasionally take “mountain appreciation” days.  I would ditch all my classes and head for the hills. 

This weekend was a long-overdue mountain appreciation weekend.  Jeff and I went with several members of his family on a backpacking trip to a place called Powers Garden.

On the way there, somehow I ended up driving a four wheeler.  I had planned on riding, but I was needed to drive.  They told me “If it gets too scary for you, don’t worry about it.  Just stop, and one of us will get you up (or down) the scary part.”  Well guess what?  I did the whole thing myself!  I thought I might die a couple of times, but I did it!  I kept repeating in my mind “I CAN DO HARD THINGS!” It’s a motto I borrowed from the general relief society president, I think.  And it worked!  Thus the title of this post.

 

Here are a few other “hard things” that I found out I can do.

I can hike for 4+ miles with a backpack heavy enough to leave bruises on my hips… along a trail that had been very recently used by a mountain lion!

I can stay in a really cool 100 year old cabin whose regular tenants are, apparently, mice and raccoons.

I can drink water, filtered from the stream, that had a brownish greenish tint to it. (It actually tasted really good!)

I can spend all night with my freezing legs curled up into a ball small enough to keep tucked into my coat.  (A little yoga in the morning got them all stretched out again.)

I can listen to hunting stories around the fire that were spoken in  an authentic American Redneck dialect.  You know, like “I aint never seen nothin’ like it!”

And I loved every minute of it!  Seriously… I kept turning to Jeff all weekend to say “This is fun!”

Some other highlights include:

Riding a horse.

Splashing through the creek as the trail wound back and forth across it.

Watching the campfire burn green from the aluminum that got tossed in it.

Seeing millions of stars in the sky!

Spreading out a blanket to take a nap on the banks of the creek.

This trip was just what I needed.  My body feels challenged, my mind feels rested, and my heart feels rejuvenated by the beauty and stillness of nature.

A Good Trade

Today Caleb and Jonah worked out a trade.  Jonah really wanted “cool lessons.”   He learned to spike his hair, wear a necklace and sunglasses, and how to jerk his head in greeting.

In exchange, Jonah helped Caleb gather eggs from the chicken coop.

It was a win-win situation.

If I had a nickel…

You know that saying “If I had a nickel for every time I ______, then I’d be rich!”

If that were the case, then these would be some of my most profitable sayings:

Balls are for outside!

We do NOT hit (or kick) our mommies!

Don’t tease, please.

What should you be doing right now?

No picking or licking (reference to Jonah’s favorite habit)

If you have something kind or helpful to say, we’d love to hear it.

You may come out when you’re ready to be pleasant.

Are you 100%? (Meaning all ready to go?)

Why NOT you? (In response to “why me?”)

Yesterday Kami called and asked what I was doing. I was sitting on the couch singing “The Eensie Weensie Spider.” She said “sounds like fun.”

That’s when it hit me.

I HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THE COUCH SINGING THE EENSIE WEENSIE SPIDER FOR 12 YEARS!

Singing the same songs, repeating the same phrases, applauding the same sweet little acheivements, and getting my earrings yanked out for 12 years! Wow.

Time flies when you’re having fun!

A New Skill

Here is what is going on here today.

Simon has learned that he can stand up.  AND he can applaud for himself at the same time!

This morning the whole family was gathered around watching him and cheering for him.   No fighting, no teasing, no complaining.  For a few minutes it was just everyone smiling, cheering, and being proud of their brother.

Families are a good plan.

He said that

This morning in the car Jonah asked me:

“Mom, do scientists sometimes let stuff out of their ears and it smells like toast?”

What????

He really said that.

A Great Mystery

I cannot figure out why, with a perfectly good hamper sitting right there, one would choose to put one’s clothes on the floor?

Especially when you know, based on past experience, that your mother will call you in to put them in the hamper… as soon as she discovers the crime.

I don’t get it.