A Girl After My Own Heart

This morning as I was cleaning my house and doing laundry (this is the job that never ends, yes, it goes on and on my friends...), I realized I had no idea where Andie was.

I searched the basement, the kids' play room in the storage closet...not there.

I looked in the family room, the living room, and the kitchen. Still not there.

I checked Andie's room, my room, my bathroom, and my closet. Not there either.

I glanced in the girls bathroom. Still nowhere to be found.

I finally checked Kate's room, and there she was...

sitting in Kate's closet, trying on shoes!

This child is definitley my kid! I L-O-V-E shoes! I wish I had more. Like a pair to go with every outfit.

If you've ever seen Overboard with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, do you remember the shoe closet Dean was building for Joanna? That is my dream closet. I love shoes, and have obviously passed that gene on to Andie.

Andie is truly a girl after my own heart! There is no denying this girl is my child. I guess the saying is true, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

Little Miss Smarty Pants

On Wednesday we made yet another trip to the Library. A scary place, considering what happened the last time we went to the Library (see previous post ENOUGH ALREADY!!!). Unfortunately, we timed it just right that we got there right as Story Time ended. The childrens' section was a ZOO!

I was trying my darndest to keep Kate wrangled, but to no avail. She got away, and when I found her, she was tagging along after a woman there with her granddaughter. I kept trying to get Kate to come with me to help me pick some books for her, but she wanted nothing to do with me. She was happy tagging along after this nice lady.

Lucky for me, the lady said, "She's fine. She can hang out with us while you choose some books." SCORE! Kate was taken care of, and I had Andie in the stroller. I could choose books in peace.

After I had chosen some new books for Kate, I found her over at the little tables where the nice lady was reading a book to her granddaughter and Kate. It was pretty cute. Kate was, of course, inthralled in the book. I waited until it was finished, and told Kate it was time to go check out.

The nice lady turned to me and asked, "Is she really only three?"

"Yes," I replied. "She'll be four in November."

The nice lady then shocked me when she said, "I didn't believe her when she told me she was three. I thought she had to be older. She's very smart!"

"Thank you," I replied. "I think she's pretty smart, but I wonder if I think that just because I'm her mom."

The nice lady said, "No. She's very bright, I've been a teacher for 20 years, and she is very smart. She speaks very well for her age, too."

"Thanks," I said again. "Thanks for letting her tag along with you."

Then we headed to the check out line. Once in the car, I grabbed my cell phone and immediately called Rob, and told him the story. He just laughed, because he knows she's smart too. Then I called my mom, my older sister, and my younger sister, told them all the story, and they reassured me that they also think Kate is smart.

I just smiled and thought, "Then maybe I'm not such a bad mom after all!"

Thanks to the nice lady for making my day!

Only at Girls Camp...

Last week I left my little girls in the care of my mother-in-law so I could spend a week at Girls Camp (aka. Heaven). My reasons for loving Girls Camp are simple. When else do you get to hang out with such cool girls for an entire week?!?

When do you get to have a water fight disguised as a nice row on a beautiful mountain lake? Only at Girls Camp.

When else do girls actually pose like this for a picture? Only at Girls Camp.

When can you wear your mom's sunglasses that were once cool (in the 70's) and not look like a geek? Only at Girls Camp.

When else can you put on a play...oops! Did I really just say that out loud? I meant a SKIT? Only at Girls Camp.

When else can you see one of the ACLs (Adult Camp Leaders) fawn over a picture of her hubby and sing a song about modesty? "Mini skirts just don't seem to cover...what's the word, ME!" Only at Girls Camp.

G-Dog, I think this performance is definitely worthy of a Golden Globe!

When else can you wear "the Deb" (from Napoleon Dynamite), and still be considered cool by the girls in your ward? My husband saw this picture, and said, "You actually wore your hair like that at Girls Camp?!?" Only at Girls Camp.

When else can you play the Skittle Game and have a wad of half chewed and half un-chewed skittles in your mouth and still be cool? Only at Girls Camp.

When else would some crazy YCLs (Youth Camp Leaders) want to "rat" your hair and bring the 80's back? Only at Girls Camp.

When else can you make awesome new friends even though you are wearing "the Deb" or a "rat" on your head? Only at Girls Camp.

When else do you get to hang out with other cool leaders and stay up all night talking like Beehives? Only at Girls Camp.

When else do you get to act like a teenager again, or get to entertain girls with a mime act with one of your best friends? Only at Girls Camp.

When do you get to arm wrestle with girls half your age, lose the fight, and yet somehow still remain cool? Only at Girls Camp.

When do you get so see such love between a mother and her daughter? Can't you tell L loves it? Only at Girls Camp.

This goes out to all my girls of the SS 3rd Ward. I had a blast. Thanks for the memories.

WORD!
(Pound chest and flash ILY sign.)

Check out cjane's and G-Dog's blogs for more "Only at Girls Camp" moments.

God Bless America, Land that I Love!

So, ever since the 4th of July, I've been thinking about the freedoms we enjoy, and the men and women who fight for us to have those freedoms. It's been very humbling. I think about the women whose husbands are fighting in Iraq, and all they have to go through not having their husbands home with them for 12-18 months at a time. I'm not sure I could do it. I'm weak.

I am just so thankful for all that we have. We are very lucky to live in America where we have so many freedoms. I got this in an email and thought I would share it with whoever wants to read my blog. God bless America, and God bless those fighting to defend freedom throughout the world.

You stay up for 16 hours.

He stays up for days on end.

You take a warm shower to help you wake up.

He goes days or weeks without running water.

You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.

He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.

You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.

He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.

You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.

He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.

You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.

He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.

You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.

He patrols the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.

You complain about how hot it is.

He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.

You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.

He doesn't get to eat today.

Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.

He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.

You go to the mall and get your hair redone.

He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.

You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.

He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.

You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.

He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.

He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.

You roll your eyes as a baby cries.

He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.

You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.

He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.

You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.

He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.

You see only what the media wants you to see.

He sees the broken bodies lying around him.

You are asked to go to the store by your parents.

You don't.

He does exactly what he is told even if it puts his life in danger.

You stay at home and watch TV.

He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.

You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.

He tries to sleep but gets woken by mortars and helicopters all night long.

Our 4th of July

Rob and Kate woke up extra early and went to the Balloon Festival. I decided to stay home and let Andie (and myself) sleep in. She's not been sleeping well, she's teething, and has been waking up several times a night. They got there pretty early, and were able to help set up one of the balloons. They gave Kate a pin for helping. Kate thought the balloons were pretty cool.

Once the balloons were all set up, they let everyone walk through them before they take off. They stopped to pick up some doughnuts and orange juice, but Kate fell asleep on the way home. We transferred her to her bed, and she slept until it was time to go to the parade.

This is my niece Sara and her Papa (my dad) at the parade. The girls had a fun time at the parade.
Andie and her daddy at the parade. She did NOT want to be held. She wanted to be down walking around. Sometimes she's just a little too independent!

Andie was hot, tired, and ready to go home! It was really hot! So we went home before the parade was actually over.

At home Kate and Sara decided to play "dress up." Kate was the Princess Mommy, and Sara was the "baby." Kate explained that babies are naked and that's why Sara was only in her diaper.


The girls took their naps in the afternoon, and then we took Andie to Elle's house. Elle is a GREAT babysitter here in my neighborhood, and no, I won't give you her number!!! :)

Rob, his mom, and I went to a BBQ over at a friends house to make a quick appearance, and then we headed to Stadium of Fire.

Kate had a blast at Stadium of Fire. She got to sit with "Christy's Kids." Really they're Christina's kids (a lady Rob works with at the Pharmacy). And she got an American Flag, which she thought was pretty cool, and which is still on our car.
They told stories of families whose dads' were serving overseas. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by a 12-year-old girl whose dad is in Iraq. The cool thing was that they had it played via satellite so her dad could hear her. It was pretty cool. Then a lady whose husband is in Iraq got to talk to her husband via satellite as well. They showed various clips of families on the day their loved ones left for Iraq. It was heartbreaking to watch a newly married young woman yell out "I LOVE YOU!" to her husband leaving for war. It makes me thankful that I have my husband here with me, but even more thankful for those who fight to defend our country and the freedoms we enjoy in America.


Corbin Bleu performed. I had absolutely no idea who he was until one of "Christy's Kids" told me he's in the movie High School Musical. Guess I'll have to see the movie. Brooks & Dunn also performed. They were awesome, if you like country music (which is about all I listen to anymore amongst the endless kids songs). I was so disappointed when they were done and they hadn't sang their song "Only in America." Thankfully they came back for an encore and ended with it. Kate was on my shoulders waving her flag like it was going out of style. It was great! I could have gone home happy right then. Then came the fireworks. They were awesome! The first set was choreographed (is that the right word to use here?) by a little boy who won an essay contest about what he would do if he could choreograph the fireworks. It was fun to see a smiley face that turned into strobe lights.

Then Disney did the next set. They played Disney music, of course. Kate had fun. When she recognized one of the songs she would tell me what movie it was from.

The final set of fireworks was set to all Patriotic music. It was great. Very moving. It ended with the Star-Spangled Banner, God Bless America, and My Country Tis' of Thee. A great ending to a wonderful night!

ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

I was going to do a post about our 4th of July, but I think I'll save it for tomorrow. I've been very emotional today, and I'm not sure why. Maybe I'm stressed. Maybe I haven't had enough "me" time lately. Maybe I'm PMS-ing, although I shouldn't be yet. Anyways, on to my ramblings. I hope they are understandable.

It's been one of those days. I'm sure every mother has them, or at least I hope they do. Because if they don't, then I'm a complete mess! Kate and I had a rough morning. She wasn't obeying, I was getting angry, she was being defiant, I was getting even angrier...you get the picture. To top it off, my mother-in-law was here. This is not a bad thing. I love my mother-in-law. But you have to know her. I don't think I've ever seen this woman get angry. She has more patience with children than a rosebush has thorns. She knows how to deal with Kate better than I do. And it drives me nuts! I should know how to handle my own child, RIGHT???

Kate is SO much better for her grandma then she is for me. So after Terry left, I loaded the girls into the car and headed to the Library feeling like a complete failure of a mother/wife. Why don't I know how to make Kate obey? Why doesn't Kate listen to me? Why can't I get anything done around the house, I only have 2 kids, my friend has 8 and she manages to have a clean house, why can't I do it? The list goes on and on and on.

I was feeling that whatever I do, it's not "enough." My house is never clean enough. My kids are never behaved well enough. I'm not self-disciplined enough. I'm not skinny enough. I'm not spiritually strong enough. I can't teach my kids to obey enough. I don't have enough patience. I never get enough done during the day.

Anyways, on with the story. I went to the library, Andie in the stroller, Kate walking beside me. We headed to the computer catalog. I looked up "parenting." Bound and determined to become a better mother, I found several entries in the catalog. Now I had to find the right section. It's in the non-fiction section, up a level in the "quiet study" area. On the elevator ride up I explained to Kate that this area of the library is for people who are doing homework (a term she understands), so we needed to be really quiet. I thought I had explained it well enough for a 3 year old to understand, right? Guess again. As soon as I located the parenting books, Kate started running down the aisle yelling, loudly. Ahhhhhhh! I could feel the eyes of everyone trying to study staring at me, thinking, "Can't this woman control her child?!?!?"

After chasing Kate down, picking her up, and placing her on the stroller's cup holder area, I glanced through the parenting book section, grabbed a few that looked relevant, and quickly headed back to the down elevator. I selected a few children's books for Kate, checked out, and left the library as quickly as I could with two young children, feeling rather embarrassed by the scene that had just taken place.

At home, I fed the girls lunch and laid them down for naps. Then, I threw in a load of laundry, and looked at the books I had hastily grabbed from the "parenting" section. One of the books happened to be written by Jo Frost, aka. the Supernanny. I sat down and opened the book thinking that it too, was going to make me feel like a complete failure of a mother. This is what I read.

"One day not so long ago, when I was nanny to two little girls, we all went out to the park. It was a hot day and the girls were wearing bandannas to keep the sun off their heads. After we had been playing for awhile, a woman came over to me. 'How did you manage to do that?' she asked in amazement. 'How did you get them to keep their bandannas on?' I looked at her and lowered my voice to a whisper. "Superglue. Just a little line across the forehead.' Judging by her horrified expression, I think she believed me for a fraction of a second. Then she realized I was joking.*"

At the end of the introduction came the best part. The explanation of the asterisk at the end of the paragraph.

"*...So how do you get a child to keep her hat on? It's easy. When she takes it off, you tell her to put it back on. She takes it off. You tell her to put it back on. She takes it off. You tell her to put it back on. She takes it off. You tell her to put it back on. She takes it off. You tell her to put it back on. She takes it off. You tell her to put it back on..."

So, I've decided ENOUGH ALREADY! I'm going to quit comparing myself to other moms. I'm going to enjoy my kids, try to be the best mom and wife I can be, and that, my dear friends, will have to be enough.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe EVER!!!

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips


PREHEAT oven to 375.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
Beat butter brown sugar, sugar, and vamilla until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet.

BAKE 9 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Then remove and cool completely on wire racks.

I usually double everything except the chocolate chips. Then I use my cookie scooper (like a mini ice cream scoop), and freeze in individual balls on a greased cookie sheet. After they have been in the freezer for a couple of hours I take them out and store them in a gallon ziplock baggie. They stay good in the freezer for a long time (3-6 months, but at my house they never last that long).

You can take them straight out of the freezer and put them in the oven. I usually bake them at 300 for about 15-20 minutes. You can also let them thaw completely and then cook them at 375 for the recipe's recommemded 9-11 minutes.

These cookies are so yummy. It took me a long time to find a recipe I liked. The cookies stay soft, they don't get hard and crunchy. Good luck, and ENJOY!