LOST Princesses

"Mommy, will you play princesses with me and talk to them?"

They have their own cliques.

I hear this at least 10 times a day. Those princesses (purchased at Target for $9.99) are the best thing anyone has ever bought this child. They provide hours of entertainment. They have all kinds of adventures. They sing every song imaginable. They act out every episode of every TV show she has ever seen, ever.

Those shows include Clifford, Super Why!, Dinosaur Train, Maisy, and, of course, the Disney Princess Sing-Along DVD.

They do not include LOST.

And yet somehow I think she might be sneaking down to watch it with us when we're not looking, because her princess world bears a striking resemblance to the world we adults have all come to know, love, and be grateful is finally back on TV.

The princesses drive around in a hippie Dharma bus - and though it's yellow, not blue, it's goofy/tripped-out smile more than makes up for the color difference:

I have checked it thoroughly - no Dharma beer to be found anywhere

They live in posh Dharma barracks, complete with "a doorbell that actually rings!" and "a washing machine that buzzes when it's done!":

And a baby carriage - this must be pre-Juliet and all the fertility problems the Island has

Though they live the life of luxury, they venture out into the "jungle" in their crazy Dharma bus, finding lots of strange and exotic creatures:

I don't know which is worse - polar bears on a tropical island, or giant lady bugs bigger than your Dharma barrack.

And no LOST storyline would be complete without a little romantic tension/drama. All the princesses are vying for the same guy - Prince Charming. Only this one seems to be a little less Jack/Sawyer/Sayid and a little more Hurley:

The true Boy Scout - always prepared with sunglasses and Starbucks

And finally, just to add a sense of terror, their little world constantly finds itself at the mercy of the monster - who is bound and determined to not only throw them around, but rip their limbs right off their bodies:

Don't let the cuteness fool you - you should see her when she turns Smokey

Good thing those princesses aren't scared of anything:

Is that a Dharma tattoo on her hand?

PS - Shaelyn totally referred to Rachelle as the monster today. And the princesses ran away screaming.

PPS - Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are the current front-runners for Prince Charming's affection.

Great Day

Today was a really great day. Yes, I stayed up late watching LOST (all 10 hours, as Grapefruit put it), but Rachelle slept through the night, and when Shaelyn woke up for the day at 5:30, Michael got up with her. So by the time I rolled out of bed at 7:30, I was feeling quite rested and happy.

Which is a good thing, because Tuesday morning I woke up quite grumpy after a night of back-and-forth between both girls and no longer than 2 consecutive hours of sleep at a time. And when Shaelyn saw my grumpy face, she said, "Mommy, no one likes a frowny face. Change it for a smile!" After that dose of my own medicine, I vowed to have a better night the next night so as to avoid my usual case of morning grumpies, and now 3-year-old commentary on said grumpies.

Shaelyn went to her music class this morning, leaving Rachelle and I home alone to do whatever we wanted. We played, giggled, and read a gazillion books. I did two loads of laundry and read a LOST recap article. Then we both took an hour nap. Fabulous.

We picked up Shaelyn and headed over to Sam's Club. I swear you cannot go to that store and spend less than $100. I dare anyone to do it. Which is why I hardly ever go there. Which probably explains the reason why I end up spending more than $100 when I finally do.

The girls are so cute together in those "double front seat" carts. Why can't all grocery stores offer these? They played and hugged and giggled at each other for the whole 45 minutes we were there. I received several "oohs" and "aahs" and smiles from grandmotherly ladies, causing me to beam with motherly pride. And not because I did anything spectacular to cause this behavior. I could have just as easily been the mom with the screaming children and the look of murder on her face. It just so happens that luck was in my favor today.

We came home, ate some of our Sam's Club spoils (Smart Food - YUM!) and vegged in front of Maisy. Which I think everyone in my house now has memorized. Even our friends who babysat for us a few days ago at least have "oats and beans and barley grow" stuck in their heads.

Then we trekked upstairs for Rachelle to take her second nap, and Shaelyn and I got down to business. We folded the two loads of laundry, stripped the beds, washed the sheets, picked up the books and toys, and finally settled down to read some books together ourselves. I was super impressed with Shaelyn's willingness to help me with the chores. She's usually enthusiastic, but this was a whole new level. And she was actually pretty good at folding her clothes. Even more impressive - she would let me help her when she couldn't get it right.

A few days ago, Shaelyn had earned another date with me. The date this time - baking pink cupcakes with Mommy. We had yet to do it, so today, with a 1/2 hour of Rachelle's nap to go, we set up our baking station downstairs and got to work. Shaelyn smiled and talked up a storm. She loves these dates. And I amazed myself by not freaking out ONE BIT when the dry ingredients got slung from the bowl during a stirring attempt. Or when half the measured contents of the oil landed on the floor. Or when Shaelyn's first attempt at cracking an egg ended with eggshell everywhere in the bowl. I calmly laughed my way through it, and we turned out some pretty good cupcakes.

When Rachelle woke up, the three of us made some English muffin pizzas for dinner. Even Rachelle climbed up on the step stool and helped smear sauce (or make a bigger mess) and sprinkle cheese (or eat it faster than I could get it on the pizza). I had bought a fresh pineapple while at Sam's Club, and as sad as it is to admit it, it was my first time ever buying a fresh pineapple. Nevertheless, I cut it up like a pro. Well, I forgot to core it, but one bite into the pieces still attached to the core remedied that. We had a yummy dinner of pizza, pineapple, and cupcakes for desert.

The girls even cooperated for bathtime/bedtime, both eventually curling up in my lap together to read Green Eggs and Ham. At one point Rachelle even put her head on Shaelyn's shoulder.

I've been reading my scriptures every single day. EVERY SINGLE DAY without fail, since I had my major emotional meltdown a few weeks ago. It obviously didn't magically change my children or make them perfect. But it has given me a huge boost in patience, empathy, and compassion for my children. Which has in turn helped their behavior.

And probably led Shaelyn to make a very sweet observation today. While at Sam's Club, we passed a little boy who was screaming. His daddy (I assume) was holding him and trying to calm him down. But it still upset Shaelyn. We passed him and Shaelyn looked up at me with wary eyes and asked:

"What's wrong with him, Mommy?"

I smiled at her and assured her everything was ok, but that he was just sad. She thought about it and responded:

"He just needs his Mommy."

Predictions

Tonight. Are you ready? The whole world's going to be watching. The whole world, I tell you!

Ok, I know it's tonight, so by the time you read this, you may have already seen the first episode. But what I want to know is your predictions for the season.

Specifically these predictions:

Who's going to die?

Who's going to have a happy ending?

Who's going to have the saddest ending?

Who's going to end up together?

How many more times will Ben get beaten up?

Which side is going to win the war?

Not what you WANT to happen, but what you think WILL happen. (Yes, there is a difference.)

And even if you hate the show, but just watch it with your husband (Grapefruit), you still have to make a prediction. Of some kind. Any kind.

And finally, will Richard wear a different color this season other than brown, black, navy, and dark purple? Will we finally see the man in something yellow? Red? Turquoise?

This just might be his year...

"Self Taught, No Lessons!"

Please tell me you know that line. Steve Buscemi? The Wedding Singer? It's one of my all-time favorites. Lines, that is.

This year I was pretty bummed that I didn't do much to celebrate Rachelle's first birthday. I know, I know - she won't remember it. But I did so much for Shaelyn's, it made me feel like things weren't quite equal. I know, I know - Shaelyn was my first and therefore I had nothing/no one else vying for my attention.

On Shaelyn's first birthday, Michael took the day off of work. We went to story time at the library. We went to the children's museum. I cooked her favorite dinner. And made her a killer cake.

So today we were going to go to the natural science center. Maybe an indoor playground somewhere. Eat Rachelle's favorite foods. You know, full-on birthday stuff. But it looked like this outside:

And I looked like this inside:

Poor birthday girl. Stuck inside with two sick parents. No museum. No playground. No favorite food.

But she did get a killer cake. Made by me. And this skill, I have to say, is "self taught, no lessons!" I'm pretty proud of this one. It's my best one yet.

However, maybe I do stand to gain something by cake lessons. Because it seems my first-birthday cakes cause this reaction:

In spite of the bad weather outside and the pathetic parents inside, Rachelle managed to have a good time on her birthday.

It had to have been the after-effects of that killer cake.

Happy Birthday, Positive Thinking

I think first birthdays are the hardest for every mom. Don't you? Well, maybe 16 is hard. But I'm not there yet. I'm surrounded by young mothers with young children, all having faced, or soon facing, first birthdays with their little ones. They're met with a mixture of emotions. Happiness over the milestone. Excitement over the planning - the cake, the presents, the pictures. But mainly, I find, sadness over "losing" a baby. Because this first birthday marks the end of babydom. And closes the door, in some respects, on so many things moms love about having a baby in their house.

This year went by very fast for me, in terms of Rachelle. In other ways, the year seemed to drag on forever, time standing still, as I pushed through some challenging times in my life as a mother. But Rachelle grew up, in spite of time standing still, and here she is, a bonafide TODDLER.

I've chosen to look at the positives of this birthday. To not wish for her to stay an infant in my arms, as is often the case. To not re-live the baby days in my mind while missing out on all the adventures (and challenges) that toddlerhood holds. I have too many friends whose arms ache to hold a baby at all, and mine have been lucky enough to hold two. I have friends whose babies never reached a first birthday, and mine is happy and healthy and thriving.

So instead, my heart is filled with gratitude at this birthday. That our family has it to celebrate. That this life has been intertwined with mine. Rachelle has been my ray of sunshine in many dark places this year. I am grateful to have her.

PS - In spite of the sentiment, I think she is still a baby. I'm not ready to crown her with the title of TODDLER just yet...

Coming out of Retirement

When Michael and I moved to North Carolina almost 7 years ago, I was friendless, jobless, homeless (well, almost - but that's another story), but not hopeless. I was excited for this new adventure in our lives, for what the future would hold, for what we do and accomplish here.

On this list:
*Michael getting his MBA (the reason we moved here in the first place)
*Shelley getting her law degree (not from the school she had originally intended, but a good school nonetheless)
* Finding fulfilling employment for the year that I was taking off before going back to school
* Moving to the Northeast post graduation

Little did I know that I would spend almost 4 years in a job that brought me anxiety and misery, I would not go back to school, and we would end up staying here in NC, buying a house, and starting a family.

And fall love with knitting.

My first calling when we moved here was teaching Institute for our stake. And after days of absolutely hating everything I was doing with my life, I was grateful for the refuge that gospel teaching brings me. That, and I made some great friends out of the CES director and his wife. When Michael had to be up on campus until all hours of the night studying, preparing presentations, taping mock interviews, all the things I wanted to be doing, I would spend my evenings at their house. They fed me. They taught me. They loved me, at a time that I was feeling very alone and vulnerable and afraid - afraid of what this unscripted future held for us.

And it was in their home that Suzie taught me how to knit. She was a very patient teacher, full of enthusiasm and knowledge. She had all kinds of yarn, patterns, and books. She worked with me through my first project (a scarf - isn't it everyone's?), helping me fix mistakes, encouraging me when I got frustrated, and expressing heartfelt pride at the completed project. As I got better, we started knitting things together - patterns she would find at knitting shops while she traveled. I enjoyed this new-found skill and the pleasure it gave me to create something with my hands.

I soon invested all my time (and most of my money) to this world of knitting. I collected needles. I bought yarns without a predetermined project in mind. I horded knitting books.

Knitting got me through hard days at work. It helped keep me company during the summer I lived alone while Michael worked at an internship 3 states away. And it was what passed the time of waiting for my first daughter to come to our family.

But with my new life, the one I didn't expect I'd have, I find my time gets taken up with things. Other things that I love. And after teaching knitting in my home for the last 2 1/2 years, it had finally retired from my life this summer.

Today, I found myself wanting to do something. To create. My fingers itching to hold some yarn. I searched for something to inspire me. And I think I've found it.

Source: Knitted Toys, by Zoe Mellor

I cast on my first stitches this afternoon. And struggled to get back into the rhythm of holding the needles, of passing the yarn between them, of seeing the pattern come to life before my eyes.

But it didn't take long before I felt that I had embraced an old friend. And we picked up right where we left off. Yes, the girls wanted to play in the yarn. And Shaelyn wanted to draw all over the pages of the book. And Rachelle wanted to hold the sharp, dangerous needles. So the dynamics have changed a bit. But I'm excited to have this back in my life. To be creating. I'll keep you posted on the progress . . .

I Exist

"Mommy, will you blog about me tonight? You've been talking so much about sister, I'm afraid no one is going is going to remember that I exist!"

I just love these nightly conversations I get to have with Rachelle while she's nursing. They're so sweet and reassuring. And her little voice is just so adorable.

You know what other mind-blowing, genius thing Rachelle did today?

While watching "Circle of Life" with her sister, she pointed to the elephant when it came on the screen and said "Bbbbbbpppppp!" A really big raspberry sound, spitting and drooling everywhere.

A perfect imitation of me when I do it.

She's also perfected the art of sitting - sitting on a foot stool, the pink princess couch, the little kid chairs, and most importantly, my lap. Sometimes she does it with her reverse lights on, beeping as she backs up, bum already sticking out with 2 feet to go. Other times she grabs your shoulders, gets in your face as she climbs in the nest that is your lap, then does a 180 at the last minute to gracefully find herself in the crook of your crossed legs.

Learning to sit has brought along other new skills, like knowing how to climb off of things by turning around and sliding on your tummy. So when she's all done nursing, she flips over and slides down the side of the chair. (That makes me kinda sad!) She also knows how to climb onto, and finally off of, all "riding toys" - making her older sister really mad as Shaelyn felt she owned this skill, and therefore all riding toys as well.

She brings you puzzle pieces when you're working on a puzzle (even if they're not from the one you're currently working on). She helps put away clothes (even though they're the very ones she just ripped out of whatever open drawer she is currently putting them back into). She helps throw things away (then reaches right back into the trash can for some nasty treasures, resulting in an up-to-her-elbow bath in Lysol).

And every night, after she's done nursing in the "green chair," she looks up expectantly at me and starts singing, in her little Rachelle way. Because she knows I'll join in with "I am a Child of God." Every night. And it's my favorite way to end the day.

Start your day with a SMILE!

"No Mommy! I do it! Myself!"

Is this a phrase you hear 500,000 times a day, like me? Are you constantly finding yourself in the midst of tantrums, screaming battles, a myriad of contradictions, and lots and lots of "nervous rules*?"

*meaning you are terrified to say, do, look at, or make mention of the wrong thing for fear of causing a chain reaction of atomic behavior from which the family will never recover

The day Shaelyn turned 3, I mean the DAY, she made the decision that she (and only she) was going to dress herself from here on out. NO HELP ALLOWED! Hey, independence is great, right?!

Not when your child refuses help, even when she needs it - like when the arm sleeve is turned inside-out and both legs keep going into the same pants-leg over and over and over and the sock just doesn't want to turn the right way. Throw in time restraints (like "Preschool starts in 45 minutes..." an eternity to you and me; only enough time to put on a sock for a dawdling do-it-yourself 3-year-old) and "have to"s (like "you have to wear pants AND a shirt AND socks AND underwear"), and you end up with a tearful Mommy, a tearful Shaelyn, and a destroyed bedroom.

Enter some creative parenting! And a manual of "nervous rules."

Rule #1:
Do not stay in the room while your independent child is dressing herself. This way you can refrain from saying things (like "your left foot goes in that hole") and trying to fix things discreetly without saying things (which she ALWAYS discovers) and wanting to pull your hair out in frustration. You're happier in your oblivion of what is going in there, and she's happier knowing you can't sneakily pull her pants up over her hips when she's not being at her most vigilant.

Rule #2:
Let it stand. However she comes out of the room, that's the final say. No matter how badly it matches. Or if her pants and shirt are on backwards. Or if her pants aren't pulled up all the way. Or if both her legs are in the same leg hole of her panties, resulting in a "panty ring" above her pants, making her look like she's wearing a hula-hoop thong. Or you take her to the public library, where she tells you she has to go potty, and upon pulling down her pants to do so, you realize she has no underwear on at all. As long as her body is covered in something to keep her warm and modest, let it stand.

Rule #3:
Try covert re-dressing. On days when you have something scheduled with friends, upon your arrival, discreetly point out to another mom whatever it is that absolutely has to be fixed - like the hula-hoop thong. Then leave the room while the other mommy addresses your daughter in a lighthearted way. She will cooperate with this covert re-dressing 7 times out of 10.

Rule #4:
Only fight about clothes and dressing yourself one day a week, when it really matters. (read: church on Sunday) Then set yourself up for success in every way possible. Laying out clothes the night before, with your daughter's help. Making her sleep in her tights so she can't fight you in the morning when time is of the essence. Picking dresses she actually CAN put on herself, with minimal buttons and zippers. Point out the buttons and zippers the night before, instructing her that these are things "Mommy will have to do," getting her approval and understanding before the battle ensues in the morning. Vigilance in this area has reduced Sunday tantrums and fights TREMENDOUSLY.

Rule #5:
Create opportunities for success. This is a big rule, with a long list of applications. Enlist your daughter's help. Convert from a dresser with drawers that bunch everything up and make things hard to find to an armoire that shows everything at once and resembles a "refrigerator." (It's a lot more fun to say you get your clothes out of the fridge than a drawer.) Ask her what shelf she would like her shirts on, pants on, jammies on... Then let her put her own clothes away after they've been washed and folded. (And refrain from trying to fix the clothes when they inevitably become unfolded and wrinkled in the clothing refrigerator.) Have a box that panties go in, and a box for socks. Take the extra time when your folding the laundry to have everything in a "ready to put on" state - clothes turned right-side out, pants legs and shirt sleeves straight and easy to access, footy jammies completely unzipped. And while your daughter is at a friend's house, sneak into her fridge and draw smiley faces on the inside of the front of all her panties. At a time when she's calm (and NOT getting dressed, about to get dressed, having just gotten dressed...), point out that if she can see the smiley face, she'll know which hole to put which leg in.

Rule #6:
Smile, smile, smile! Stay calm and give it a few weeks. Because she will get better at it. And she'll start coming out of her room with all her clothes on, and even facing the right way. She'll start coming out of her room after 10 minutes instead of 40. She'll even excitedly say in the morning, "Mommy, I'm going to go get dressed!" And you'll hear her talking to herself through her door. "Can you see the smiley face? Yes! Put your leg in here! I need two socks. O...n...n...n...n...e sock. (grunting with exertion) T...w...o...o...o...o socks! (exclaiming with excitement)"

And when she's beaming about her accomplishments, you'll be swelling with pride too. Pride in her and her new-found abilities. Pride in yourself and your ability to navigate this tricky personality. Happy that, at least for now, your days are starting with a smile.

Is this thing on?

The other day I was out with a girlfriend talking about a movie we had both recently seen. I was asking her opinion of it, mentioning that she hadn't written anything about it on her blog, which was so unlike her. She answered by saying, "Well, I updated my Facebook page to say..."

Is this what it's come to? Facebook?!

This time last year, I was having a hard time keeping current with my friends' blogs - everyone was writing all the time, and I wanted to know what was what. Even the counter on my own blog showed a lot more traffic than it does now. Now I can read my friends' blogs in about 5 minutes, because there is nothing to read.

But then I hear about all these things going on on Facebook:

Me: Oh, I'd love to see your new family pictures. When are you going to update your blog?
Friend: Well, they're up on my Facebook page. I guess I'll put them on the blog at some point.

Me: I haven't heard from so-and-so in a while. I wonder what's going on with her. Is she doing ok?
Friend: She's on vacation in Europe. You should read some of the stuff she's doing! Haven't you been to her Facebook page?!

And then comes the look of pity. The "you really are out of touch" look. It's the same look that people give me when they find out I don't have cable. Or a cell phone. It's the look the Sam's Club employee gave me when I asked him where they moved the blank VCR tapes they used to sell. It's the look I used to give my mother when she didn't know how to email.

Am I the only one NOT on Facebook? Even my husband finally caved. Mutual friends of ours will post on his wall (is that the right term?), "Where's Shelley? We want to see her on here!" My email inbox floods with invitations from people asking me to join Facebook and be their "friend." (Well, not as much anymore as I have never acted on any of these requests.)

So is this why none of you blog anymore? Because you're too busy on Facebook? Come back to blogging. I miss you!

Am I a Sucker?

I have a bunch of stay-at-home-mom friends who somehow have found ways to make a little money on the side. Some do the traditional Mary Kay, Avon, candles, educational toys, whatever. Others work at dance studios or cheer gyms or beauty salons after their husbands get home from work. And some, and I would dare say this is the majority, have found a way to make a buck with their creative talents.

They sew. They knit. They photograph. Or even make money just by writing. They run fledgling start-up businesses. I've often been so impressed with the blogs out there dedicated to this arena. C Jane. Nie Nie. Lisa Leonard. Dear Lizzy. My Happy Little Life. (It's also interesting to note that they are all in Utah.) Reading their little inner-creative world can make you feel like a little fish in a big, big pond.

Until today I read this. On My Happy Little Life.

"what: come learn to knit openwork patterns and make the softest, yummiest scarf in the world.

prerequisite: have taken my knitting 101 class AND/OR know how to garter stitch comfortably. you will be learning the purl stitch, a yarn over, knitting two together, passing stitches over, and how to read a pattern.

when: thursday, february 4th. 7-9:30 pm.

where: in my craft room!

how: email me quick if you want a spot! the first TEN AND ONLY TEN people to email me and complete the payment request will secure their spot in the class.

cost: $55 paid through paypal. includes instruction, treats, yarn, and needles. you bring nothing!

After reading this, I just had one question for myself.

Am I a sucker?

For 2 1/2 years (YEARS, people), I hosted people twice a month in my home for a knitting night. There were a few in our numbers who were already knitters and were coming to work on projects and socialize, but the majority who came were people who had never knitted before in their lives. I taught them. From scratch. Gave them needles and yarn. Not needing them to be returned. And helped them with new projects from start to finish. I saw many a scarf, baby blanket, and hat.

And I didn't charge them a dime. Not a DIME!

What kills me isn't even that Happy Little Life is charging people (good for her, I say!), but that people are willing to pay $55 for a 2 1/2 hour class! (The starter class, where you learn to cast on and garter stitch, is $45!) And when she says "hurry up and register," she means it! Her classes fill up like crazy!

I could never get anyone to pay me $55 to teach them how to knit.

I have a friend who sends her son to a lady's house three days a week for preschool. It's not a co-op - this lady is the only teacher and the preschool, its curriculum, and the administration of it are solely her responsibility. She pays this lady a monthly tuition. A LOT of tuition, too, I might add.

But here's the thing. I run a preschool out of my house. That is solely my responsibility. And I love doing it. It never even crossed my mind to charge a monthly tuition for it.

So this idea that there are women out there doing what I do but getting paid for it got me thinking.

Am I a SUCKER?!

The Land of Make-Believe

"Wanna play pretend with me?"

Looking to capitalize on a napping baby sister, Shaelyn approached me with wide blue eyes and a doctor's kit in hand.

"You be Shaelyn, and I'll be Mommy, OK?"

I guess "Mommy" is also a doctor, because pretty soon I was being administered a shot. Wanting to put on a brave face, I grimaced, but immediately smiled.

"No, Shaelyn. You're supposed to cry."

Yet another shot was administered. This doctor was ruthless! This time, I obediently shed the obligatory tears.

"Good job!" said Mommy/Doctor. "Now let's go get a treat."

Because this was make believe, I was expecting an outstanding treat. A castle made of ice cream. An indoor-bouncy-castle playground permanently attached to our house. A McDonald's instead of a kitchen.

"Here we are at the store!"

The store?!

"Hold my hand. We'll go get you some socks."

Some SOCKS?!?!

Turns out, Shaelyn (I mean "Mommy") wanted to reenact everything that the real Shaelyn does in these situations. After a trip to the doctor, we always hit the $1 bins at Target for a treat. And what does she usually pick out? Some character socks, of course. We have Lightning McQueen, Mater, Cinderella, Ariel, Hello Kitty, and Abby Cadaby, just to name a few.

I was handed some "mermaid socks."

And my own pair of Lightning McQueen shoes.

My pretend crying must have been really good.

We also went to the library. I had to be buckled into my car seat for this one. I, of course, did NOT want to be buckled in my car seat and did NOT want to climb in the side where "Mommy" had opened the door and did NOT want to hold her hand in the parking lot. "Mommy" was very patient with all of this. In fact, she seemed to know how my mind worked, that intuitive lady!

But she laid down the law.

"Hold my hand, please."

"I don't WANT to hold your hand."

"But there are cars."

"I don't SEE any cars."

"Shaelyn, there are cars and they will hit you. Hold my hand or we go home."

Hmmm . . .

After swallowing a dose of my own medicine, I held "Mommy's" hand and entered the library. (Complete with the sound effect of two sets of automatic sliding doors opening - I was impressed these little details were remembered and entered into the imaginary world.) I went to story time, where I was told I had to "sit back down" and did a craft project of gluing fish and frogs onto a piece of paper. When I asked if I could go look at some books, I was told I had to "glue one more frog" to my paper, then I could.

This Mommy is a hard-nose. I don't think I've ever said that!

Finally, after enduring story time and fish/frog gluing, I was able to go look at books. I picked out a Clifford book. I asked "Mommy" to read it to me.

"My name is Clifford. I am a big red dog. I'm Em-ee-wiv-bef. My dog is Clifford."

It was a good book. So I decided to check it out. "Mommy" took it to the check out counter for me, beeped it a couple of times, said "thank you" to the imaginary librarian (that Mommy is so polite!), and handed the book back to me.

"Shaelyn, you were so good today. You can look at it in the car on the way home."

This time, when she grabbed my hand for the trek across the parking lot, I didn't fight her.

In fact, I hoped she wouldn't let go.

An artist's rendering of Mommy and Shaelyn, commissioned at the request of Shaelyn

Funny Discoveries

The first Sunday of a new year seems to be buzzing with excitement. At least for me. New curriculum. New manuals. New meeting times (well, not for us - we'll be at 9:00 AM forever).

And sometimes new teachers.

I was so excited for Shaelyn to go to her first Sunday of Primary. I knew she would love it. Singing Time. Sharing Time. Tiny chairs. Kids talking into microphones. I knew she would eat it all up.

But we missed last Sunday, due to unforeseen circumstances of behavior. And my heart was heavy as I thought of all the things Shaelyn was missing in Primary.

So this week we practiced. We practiced saying our new teacher's name. (Sister Moorefield!) We practiced being reverent. (I fold my arms like this, Mommy!) We practiced raising our hand to answer questions. (The answer, as it turns out, is always "Jesus.") We practiced sitting still. (I don't tickle Clara!)

Today I got the report . . .

Success! Shaelyn loves Primary! And her new teacher, Sister Moorefield.

Shaelyn's commentary on Primary:
S: We learn about Joseph.
Me: Joseph Smith?
S: No.
Me: Joseph and the coat of many colors?
S: No.
Me: Joseph and Mary?
S: No. Just Joseph.

and
S: I raise my hand in Primary.
Me: What did you say?
S: Yeah.

and
Me: Did you sing songs in Primary today?
S: No.
Me: What did you do?
S: Sing "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam!"

and finally
S: Mommy, I love Primary! Can sister come, too?

At least my life is not this bad...

... not yet, anyway

(Disclaimer: I found this image on Google Images when searching for something else. I do not know these kids.)

Goal Reached

Last year I set a goal to blog twice a week. That's it. Just write a post. Achieving that goal would mean I would write 104 posts in the year.

So tonight I counted how many I actually achieved.

And drum roll please...

119!

I'm pretty excited. I'm hoping to keep it up this year. Maybe even a little bit more. Because I heart blogging. And here's why:

* Let's just state the obvious. It keeps me in touch with family and friends. Especially important since both our families live on the other side of the country.

* Also obvious - it serves as a great "family journal" - documenting our lives in a very easy-to-read format.

* Blogging is very cathartic for me. It allows me to vent, or relish, in the day-to-day aspects of my life. And put into words feelings I've felt (frustration, elation...) - which let's those feelings have an outlet.

* It has improved my writing. Just look back in my archives. Way back in 2007. You'll cringe. Seriously. Thank goodness I've gotten better.

* It makes me "document my life." Some people don't like this aspect of blogging - that it makes them look at the world through a "blogging lense," writing a post in their head as they experience life. For me it's just the opposite. It makes me savor moments, want to capture them on film permanently, and remember all the things I'm doing with my life right now.

* It gives me a way to archive photos that doesn't involve scrapbooking. Enough said.

* I get to pretend I know things about computers, like html codes and pixel size as I mess around in Blogger.

So I updated for January, and the new year. I've found some fun ways to add photos using Photobucket and Picnix. Interested in knowing how? Just ask! I promise I'll only slightly bore you to tears.

(1 post down, 155 more to go...)

2010 Movie Reviews

January

Sherlock Holmes * * * * *
I really loved this movie. I mean really loved it. It is possible that I only loved it because it was the first even halfway decent movie Michael and I have seen in a long time, but I don't think so. The writing is really good - Michael and I found ourselves laughing several times. The plot is good - keeps you engaged and guessing. The story is good - no loose ends, no dangling plot lines, fully developed characters... The acting is EXCELLENT - I think Robert Downey, Jr. is fast becoming one of my favorite actors. I highly recommend this movie, although I must say it is possible you may not agree with me on all points. My mom was disappointed, because Sherlock's character was a little too "modernized" for her taste. She wanted to see him portrayed exactly how he was in the books. For me, I loved the update!

A Christmas Carol * *
Another one of those disappointing movies Michael and I found ourselves wasting money on. We went for tw reasons: 1) We love Jim Carrey. 2) We wanted to get into the "Christmas spirit." Don't waste your time. I should have known. I hated Polar Express, too.
A note to Robert Zemekis:
Just do live action movies for Pete's sake, and stop with all the weird-looking action capture. It's very distracting. And actually seeing the actors would be much better.
And don't make a movie just to show off your 3-D effects. Because those of us seeing it in 2-D will find it rather LAME and TEDIOUS!

Angels and Demons * * * 1/2
Liked this adaption better than the book. Although I still had to wait for it to come out on DVD before I would watch it, so that Michael could fast-forward through all the violent parts. (Really didn't want to see all those priests dying, you know?!) Ewan McGregor is great. So is Tom Hanks, although I know a lot of you are boycotting him these days. And Ron Howard is a lot more respectful of the Catholic Church than Dan Brown will ever be. The movie was a lot more adventurous, a lot less controversial than the book. Thank goodness!

Night at the Museum 2 * *
Ok, I would give the first one a half star, so 2 stars is an improvement. But not worth seeing. Some funny one-liners. And Amy Adams is adorable, as usual. And Michael and I now like to say crazy things like "rigamorams" and "highfolutan" with a 1940's Hollywood accent, followed by the other person saying, "I have no idea what you just said!" But that's about all we got from the movie.

Elf * * *
A holiday necessity, right? Cute, simple, Will Farrell, and Santa - great combo for killing some time (and some brain cells). Although I dare you not to laugh out loud at that 30 second burp, no matter how many times you've seen it. Or Will Farrell dancing in the mail room.

Up *
Please, I beg of you, don't ever see this movie. Or if you have, don't talk to me about how much you love it. I seriously didn't even want to give it a single star. More like negative stars. Maybe I should just change my rating right now. You bawl within the first 5 minutes of the movie with their little dialog-less montage, then are utterly confused the rest of the movie. Talking dogs? Annoying tag-along kids? Weird do-do birds? Were the writers high when they wrote this? Hallucinating? I'm telling you, it is a crazy movie that doesn't even make any sense. And kind of violent, too - especially for a kid's movie. (No, I did not let Shaelyn see this.) And what is the moral? Environmental consciousness? Don't give dogs talking dog collars? Dead-beat dads ruin lives? (Now, that's a good moral!)

February

Avatar * * *
A friend offered to watch our kids so we could go on a date. Another friend gave me a gift certificate for Christmas that I have now used twice to see movies IN THE THEATER! So Michael had been wanting to see this, and I agreed to tag along. I have to admit, I went into it skeptical and figuring I would hate it. I told Michael I didn't want to be brainwashed by some environmental liberal agenda, so of course I went into the movie looking for it.
It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was kinda like "Dances with Wolves." So if you can stomach that one-sided story telling, you can stomach this. Plus the indigenous people (I can't remember what they're called) on the planet are really pretty to look at. But it has a one-dimensional character, more like a caricature, that drove me nuts the whole movie. I couldn't get past him.
However, I did cry. Of course.

Pink Panther * * * 1/2
Ok, I love Steve Martin. But I was afraid this movie would be cheesy and ridiculous. It turned out to be quite funny. I laughed out loud several times. Plus it has Beyoncé. Which makes Michael happy. However, I was surprised at the inuendos they allowed, especially with the PG rating. But it's definitely nothing worse than you would see on TV, so I guess I shouldn't be that surprised.

Pink Panther 2 - a 1/2 star
A 1/2 star. Maybe even a 1/4 star. Why Michael and I actually finished this movie and wasted that 90 minutes of our life is beyond me.

Julie & Julia * * * * 1/2
This is my BF's favorite movie. So I had to watch it to find out why. She is obsessed with cooking, food, and Julia Child. Oh, and France. And she writes about it. So basically she is Julie. Luckily, I read "My Life in France" before I saw the movie. And I think it made it that much better for me. Not being a foodie, I never knew much or cared much about Julia Child. But I grew to love her in the book. So I could appreciate that story line. And had I not read reviews of Julie's book before seeing the movie, I would have probably loved Julie's story line too. But unfortunately the reviews of Julie's book don't paint Julie in such a nice light. Luckily, Amy Adams portrays her to be sweet and lost - a lot like I feel sometimes. I just couldn't stop myself from picturing the Julie I had read about in the reviews, no matter how good Amy's acting was.
I think I liked it the most though, because it was like getting to see into my BF's soul - to understand her better than I did before.

The Proposal * * 1/2
A rom/com with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. I swear, Sandra Bullock never ages. She'll just be cast as a 30-something single woman forever. There were some funny one-liners, and part of the story was sweet, but I just feel like every movie out there these days is trying to shove immorality down my throat. Ugh!