creative thinking

Isaac found a way to get a drink, even when all the cups are dirty--or he just doesn't want to bother getting one out of the cupboard. What can I say? He had a problem. He found a solution.

Celebrating Aspen

Aspen turned 12 this week. How has 12 years already passed? It was such a short time ago that she was so tiny. She is such a beautiful young lady. We love her to pieces. Here's a bit about her:

• favorite color: orange
• favorite food: pad thai
• favorite book: Anne of Green Gables
• she is 5'2 1/2" tall
• wears the same size shoe as her mom
• loves to make stuff
• writes letters on her typewriter
• likes to use the red ribbon to type
• is very smart
• has cut more than 2 minutes off her mile this year
• plays the flute
• is adored by Hazel
  
• is great at pretend
• likes to sew and knit
• is very friendly
• doesn't like to "fix" her hair, just usually wears it straight and down
• is a great babysitter
• has a strong testimony
• usually puts off her chores as long as I'll let her
• can cook and bake anything with a recipe
• likes to take pictures
• is a BIG help at home, especially with Hazel
  

I am so grateful that Heavenly Father let me be her mother.

One of those days

Do you ever have one of those days where everyone needs your special attention and nothing goes according to plan? Today was one of those days.

1. Today was Aspen's birthday, which she has been looking forward to for MONTHS. And she has been counting down for the last 6 weeks. So she needed me to make sure it was her special day. So I got up early and brought her breakfast in bed.
2. Then we waited for Nate to get back from the gym to give her her first present. I think Isaac was more excited than anybody. He wanted to know what it was SOOOO BAD! (Nate bought her earrings.) When she opened the box, she was excited (what's not to love about diamonds?) But Isaac was sorely disappointed, and then a little jealous. So he needed some personal attention to remember that he was important too.
3. Then Toby and Hazel woke up sick, with both the viruses that have been going around: headaches, stomach aches, fevers, and then a cough. Yay. They needed some TLC too.
4. Nate has been ironing his own shirts for the past five days. So I needed to get some ironing done for him.
5. Plus I still needed to make Aspen's birthday cake, and birthday dinner. Cake needed to be from scratch to accomodate Hazel and Isaac's special diets (that takes extra).
6. Managed to get Aspen's presents wrapped.
7. Then I ran out of Tylenol. So a run to Walmart.
8. Before I get back, Hazel has barfed all over the couch (luckily the covers are removeable and machine washable).
9. After a bath and a load of laundry, I try to finish the cake. It's not working.
10. I also realize I don't have all the ingredients for dinner. Phone call to Nate so he can stop by the store on the way home to get the bacon and some pudding for the cake (because my pudding from scratch didn't work). Isaac and Hazel will have to just have cake with whip cream instead of the pudding that goes with it.
11. And dinner is late.
12. So we didn't actually get to the cake anyway.
13. Aspen had her first Young Women meeting tonight. So I had to drive her and pick her up.They were meeting somewhere different, so the usual car pool wasn't going to work.
    
14. So I went to Target while I was waiting. Found cute stuff for the girls.
15. After final doses of tylenol and mucinex for Hazel, I put the girls to bed.
16. I meant to do a post for Aspen's birthday, but that will have to wait for tomorrow.
17. I hope the kids are better and that no one else gets sick tomorrow.
18. I had also planned to work on my garden today too because it was 80 degrees today. I guess I'll have to wait for the next nice day.
19. It's been a long day. But there's always tomorrow.

Open wide

One of the things that I can't give up, no matter the cost, is my dentist. He's not on our approved list, but he is the best dentist in Austin and knows his stuff. I had some really bad experiences with previous clinic dentists. Which gave me some MAJOR dental anxiety issues. Due to ongoing TMJ problems and regular dental stuff for me and the kids, I see my dentist once or twice a month. Sometimes I see him every week. So we're all good friends now.
Hazel has been coming with me to the dentist since before she was actually born. She has been sitting in the chair to have her teeth counted for the past year or so. But last week, she got her first real cleaning and checkup. Unfortunately, she has a small cavity and seems to be inheriting my bad teeth and jaw problems. But since I am on such good terms with my dentist, orthodontist, and oral surgeon, we should be good. Otherwise, Hazel did wonderfully, and of course, they all think she's adorable.

Happiness is...

coming home from church at 5:00 pm, opening the freezer (because there are no leftovers in the fridge, there is no cereal, and we had pancakes and quesadillas yesterday) to find something to make for dinner, and finding a home-made, heat-and-eat dinner (sides included).