A Summer Promise to My Kids

Just when I was ready to sink into despair, and abandon myself to the ruinous life of motherdom to which there can be few, however, deep joys and far too much heartache and too much work and too much negative emotional output heaped on one for all my good intentions. Just when I was ready to give up all hope and sacrifice my dry, tired bones to being a zombie mom, I visited with my sisters, mother, N8s mom and sister in Boise.

Going to Boise renewed me. I don't know what it is about family but there is strength in it for me. Seeing Nathans sisters and my sisters-these wonderful women and mothers that share love and friendship just renews me, I feel so loved.

A few months ago, we determined that I needed to get the kids out of the house so N8 could work on the bathroom without interruption, we decided I would go to Boise with all the kids in the limo. I called my sister to tell her I was coming. I told her that N8 got to stay in Provo and live his dream of doing a project without interuptions. There was a pause on the line and she said, "No, I am pretty sure that is your dream." Oh, you're right, why am I the one driving to Boise again?

So since I am have a renewed joie de vivre, I am making a few promises to my kids that may keep me from the head aching, parched bones and clenched jaws of yesteryear.

1. I choose not complain about otterpop wrappers left in the backyard or fret over juice/popsicle spills that cause me to stick to the floor.

2. I choose not care about about the inch of sand that gets tracked in our house and am willing and happy to clean it out of the tub. Sorry you don't like to bathe on it, I haven't had time to clean it yet. Sandpaper bum might be good for you.

3. In our attempts at being sweeter, the girls and I set a goal to make caramel popcorn Sunday evenings and eating it out on the stoop, inviting anyone walking by to join us.

4. We will go to the pool once a week, dare I say twice? (Usually, we went 2-3 times a week before the babies, but by the end of the summer, I was so burned out I was praying for rain and cold) I don't know how Sylvia does it.

5. We will finally make the PVC pipe ride through bikewash we have wanted to make for a long time!

6. We will go camping if all the babies are walking, oh oops, on second thought, I will let dad take you camping, and I will stay home with the babies...I was getting carried away in my generosity and good humor.

7. I will say, 'Oh Well' in my head much much more, instead of, this is killing me, this is too hard, I can't do this!

I am looking forward to a wonderful summer, full of happy little girls with messy braids streaming behind them and dirt eating babies in yesterdays onesie and well watered gardens. I relish it!

P.S. If you can't handle the sight of muddy kids, don't come over because I love it! For my kids, it is needful, healthy and happy.  

Blanket Pass

I haven't caught this on camera, I suspect I never will, but the babies play "pass the blanket" either before or after their naps while they are kicking it in there. Blankets that I have given to Quinn end up in Wilson's bed-and they have to pass through James' bed first, since he is in the middle. I get such a kick out out of this. I hear them in there, monkeying around and laughing- thats fine, I have time to get one more thing done.

I caught them today right before bedtime gearing up for blanket pass! Look at James (green blur) he looks so tired- and peaceful like he is about to drift off to sleep har-har, Wilson already has one blanket over the side.  Quinns bed is on the other side of James

Baby Triplets 1st Birthday

We took the babies and the girls to Boise to visit family for their 1st birthday. I felt a slight pang of guilt over that since our friends and neighbors have truly supported us daily in so many ways I wanted to celebrate with everyone! It was a huge triumph for us to make it to a year. Nate took it all in stride, like it was nothing at all to have 3 babies and two 4 year olds without willingly buttoning oneself into a straight jacket.

Someones gots bikes for their birthdays! Wil and Quinn test out their new wheels

Here are the 1 year old birthday stats: Quinn 95% for height and 22 pounds, James 75% for height and 22 pounds and Wilson bringing up the rear with a solid 80% for height. All are healthy and fat, Wilson is a pound less than the others.

Abilities: No one is walking yet, Quinn and James are close. Wil is just hanging out happy to scoot. I remind you that CC didn't walk til she was 19 months so he may be following her lead. Nathans Gramma Dorothy has a sister with a set of great grand-baby triplets born the same month as ours, crazy eh? So I check in with Dani every once in a while to see how we compare. My babies are tall butterballs with tons of hair, but all of hers are walking.

Bottle feeding. The babies prefer to eat on their own, I grab one or two of them a few times a day to feed and be close but they want to roll around and knock bottles more than have mom time

Holy cow this Quinn baby is as sweet and cheerful as  a flower

Nate and Quinn

Babies First Birthday!!!

Carrot Cake

Happy Birthday Babies, thank you for coming to our home, we are so blessed to have you

Words: Quinns first word was "bug".  She says dog, and answers various animal sound questions, what does a snake say, a dog, a kitty etc (woof and meow). Wil says Uh-oh. That seems about right for him, he barks and says dog too. No, we aren't getting one, I am allergic. Besides the obligatory Mama and Dada- James can say dirt and boy does he love it.

If you can imagine, James is a human wrecking ball hanging from a chain in my house. Swings once, BOOM there goes the computer, books, mouse, keyboard overturned, swings again (huge smile on his face) BOOM there goes the phone stand, phone books, phone etc, WEEEEE! BOOM, garbage can overturned and what looks good to chew? Total busybody.

The other day Quinn and James were playing in my room. James knocked over a lamp, it came down with a crash, made a huge ruckus.  I ran in to see what had happened. Quinny, stared up at me with her fat little finger stuck halfway down a tube of my favorite chapstick, frozen in mid dig and staring at me as if to say, "Mom, this is peanuts compared with what just James just did."
Help me, I am in for it now.

Have I played with you yet today? Sometimes, my home tasks become so repetitive -it takes so long to to prepare, feed, bathe, cleanup, and dress everyone I go into this robot mode. Towards the end of the day I find myself waking up from robot mode with a little free time and it is like I am seeing my children as children for the first time. Hello Wilson! Have you been played with yet today? James have we cuddled?
Sometimes, I feel like we could do the routine of- nap, change, eat, bottle, nap, change, eat, bottle all day without any time for play. What am I the keeper of an orphanage? Everyone! Line up beside your bed and let me see your fingernails! Where's my whistle?

Who wouldn't want a piece of this to play with

 It is so important for me break out of my task list to laugh with my kids, I know I need it just as much as they do!

Yes Sir!

I was so excited to get new pots this week I am going to write about it. I swear Hazel comes up with those doofball faces all on her own.

After thinking and thinking about what to do with my old pots, I chose to give them up to the kids for their big sandbox. As you can see they are just as excited about their new pots...

As I am about mine.

Oooooo Shiny

RESTO

Yes, we pulled it off

Going to a restaurant

With just us

And nobody had a freak out

Not even me.

Thousand Dollar Carrots

My family came into town a few weeks ago to celebrate my little brother marrying Mikell Brockbank in the Temple. Check out their pictures- they are a ridiculously handsome couple. www.gordongoodlife.blogspot.com

I have been waiting to post this so I can post pics too, but pictures or no pictures, I just need to get this off my chest. 

Our wonderful Grammy Pammy (N8s Mom) offered to drive down from Boise and watch the triplets so we could go to the pre wedding dinner (stay out late and not worry about the babies) and the sealing the next day (and not worry) it was so kind of her. That night, Haz and CC stayed with my sister Natalie at her hotel for some girl time. I haven't heard from Natalie since...

We had a wonderful time. My parents rented a room at a country club in Bountiful the night before the wedding (in LDS culture, we use the term wedding and sealing interchangeably if they are getting married in the Temple.) Mikells' family and friends and our family enjoyed a wonderful time getting to know each other and eating a fabulous dinner. My dad got out his guitar and sang a few songs- some in jest and some about love. I loved being with my sisters, they are some of my best buddies. (Mom, I knew you would appreciate hearing that.)

Do you know, I wonder if I have been able to converse since I have had children. I catch snippets of conversations in between chasing and wiping and I add my two cents but as to sitting down and burying myself in a good conversation, I give it about 4 more years maybe more. I am happy to wait. N8 is fond of saying, There is something about waiting that sharpens the senses.

As my dad was making out the cheque for dinner, Mikells' dad mentioned that all the leftovers would go to waste. Pans of buttery carrots, honeyed ham, turkey, stuffing, salad and fluffy cheesecake couldn't go to waste! So we grabbed some to go boxes and had them piled high with food. We felt like the proletarian, blue collar, wager earners we were, (sorry for the redundant-redundancies) walking out of an elegant country club with our ghetto doggy bags piled high.

I swear the triplets fed on those cut up carrots and ham for about six days. I totally didn't have to cook. What is even better, I didn't have to think of what to cook. I am happy to cook, I just get so tired of thinking up what to make for every meal. Thanks Dad!

Thanks Mikell for marrying Spence. We love you guys so much.
Reception was a blast, everyone loved the triplets in suits and dress. Temple was wonderful and we are especially grateful for Pam and her thoughtful grandma ways- there isn't even a Nordstrom down here anymore and she came anyway.

Grocery Store with Five 101

Sometimes, I am up for a challenge. Like taking five kids to the grocery store. Here is how we do it.

Two carts, one cart has two babies in their car seats, that takes up the whole cart. Hazel and CC push that cart and it goes behind me. I keep one hand on it to protect the delicate skin on my heels from getting nipped and to protect myself from having to buy a whole row of smashed pickles should the girls become distracted by anything too brightly colored. Hazel and CC think pushing the cart is all too funny and grown up, so they are happy to do it.

There is no time to read food labels, you can't stop to talk, you gotta know exactly what you want and keep moving. Fast, fast, speed is of the essence. At any moment someone will decide that are bored and start making trouble for everyone. That is the challenge.

I push the one baby cart in front of me and put the groceries in that cart. Like I said, sometimes I am up for an adventure. For some reason, I haven't been lately and I would like to get back to challenging myself. Maybe taking everyone to the library or a museum. Send me good thoughts that I will get my joy of motoring and adventuring back. Where did it go? Did it get taken? Who has it?