Family Update

In May, my (retired) parents sold their Texas home and decided to come help us. They found a house to rent on our street, really, a few doors down! Boy, going from having no family in town to having parents on our street has been wonderful. Actually, it seems like we traded our good friends the Nemelkas, that lived next door for my parents. Mom and Dad literally moved in the same day the Nemelkas moved out. It cushioned the blow of losing Amanda and Jeff. So did the fact that the Culvers (new neighbors) seem sociable, fun and patient...

So we have these wonderful Mary Poppins grandparents that are here until the wind changes and we are putting them to good use. My dad is building a playhouse/shed in the backyard of his own design. We are adding on a breakfast nook in the kitchen and making the basement a more pleasant place. My mom is fun and crazy useful and can help out in a pinch.

The new recreation center opened in Provo. My life just keeps getting better and better. They have daycare! They also have awesome swimming outdoor/indoor, kids classes and yoga.

We made July our month of travel but not by car, we decided to use our feet (older girls hate it) and take the bus or front runner everywhere. So far we have loved it. I did forget that swim lessons were this month so I am driving a bit for my own sanity. We have taken the bus with the kids and walked most places with them. I enjoy living where we have the flexibility to walk. Our location is amazing, not a ton of space but who's complaining? I love the neighbors.

So we can swim, go to the library, visit friends, take the bus and really get out now. Life is opening up since the babies are getting older, and with my mother here, I'm less trapped than ever.

I still haven't made a swimming pool in the bed of our truck, and I still haven't made a ride thru bike wash out of PVC pipe. I feel like the summer is already gone! Maybe next year kids. And next year on the flower beds too.

Trying to recreate a favorite Norman Rockwell painting of a girl losing her first tooth.  Hazel was pretty gracious about Claire snatching her "first". 

Us on the Bus

Quinn and her dad

Nate and I walk a few blocks to the Hub and get on the train to Salt Lake for a date

Boot Camp

Maybe you would look at me and think I am just a normal gal. But over the last few years I have grown so much-- I'm not taking about when pregnant with triplets,  five feet around and tipping the scales at 250lbs. I mean my heart, on the inside, what I can endure, what I am capable of carrying.

I guess I wonder how tough I am now, compared to how tough I was before. I wonder if I could hack it at boot camp.

Could I handle a drill sergent yelling in my face. Well, the kids do it to me all the time and I love them like crazy. Constant yelling and babbling, crying and screaming. Hands outstretched to be carried, demands real or imagined that need to be met, the pressure that comes with saying yes (now I have to facilitate something, pull out paint, crayons, mix cakes and clean -up afterwards, all the while fighting off babies so the girls can have an activity) and weight on my heart that comes for saying no. Babies dropping things, ruining things, climbing on counters, water spills, food fights, food wasting, constantly tripping over little people, little people scrums where they all fall over and cry. My heart could be torn in a thousand pieces if I let it.

Exhaustion. I have been wearied to the very core of my soul. So I wonder, if boot camp might not be a little bit of a break.

Swimming

The pool is 8 blocks away. Only 8 blocks! I require myself to walk it. So, I load the babies, the sunscreen, the puddle jumpers, towels, a change of clothes and diapers, snacks and sippy cups.

I get the bikes out for the girls, sometimes my friend Hannah Lee comes with me or Lucy the neighbor girl or sometimes I go alone.

By the time I have everything loaded into the stroller, there is no room for anything for me. Not even a towel. So, I wear my swimming suit to to walk the 8 blocks to the pool and I wear it home, wet legs slapping together as I cross the road. I'm only mentioning this in case you have seen me, now you know that I am not trying to look like a wanton woman running around in my nothins'.

However, even if I did have room to bring a towel or change of clothes, I probably wouldn't. If I took the time to change, someone would be playing in the toilet of the family changing room, and someone else would be testing the pool/pee wet floor with their tongue.  Get into the pool and get home. That's my motto.

Triplets are the orange puddle jumpers. Sitting by Wilson is our buddy Hannah Lee. Hannah, sorry I didn't ask your permission to be photographed or posted. How do you feel about being posted on my blog pregnant in your swim suit? I didn't think so.

Snap Judgement

It is common for us seeing ones attempts at parenting, wow, she is a good mother, or wow bad mommy. I had this experience the other day.

One of the perks of living downtown is that we are a stones throw from lots of wild entertainment. I woke the babies and Hazel up early for such an occasion Nathan was running a race that started around six am. We walked down to cheer him at this finish line, then walk home with him.

While we waited for him near the finish line of a half marathon the crowd was asked by the police to cross to other side of the street. I had the babies in the triplet stroller, Hazel and Claire on bikes. We waited for a break in the racers and I ran across. The girls weren't as quick at gauging their timing as I and they got in the way of a runner. He didn't fall but I saw he was visibly upset with the girls. I felt really bad about my judgement in crossing when I did. In reacting to those feelings, I grabbed Claire while she was still on her bike, picked her up, none too gentle and pulled her bike out of the way of the racers. I did the same with Hazel. I didn't make it look nice, it was clumsy, I was frustrated, embarrassed and sorry. When I dropped Claire back on her bike, I heard a guy yell at me from behind, Hey lady! and Whoa lady! Geez, lady! (I'm not sure I like being called lady even on a good day.)
I felt even worse, but I rallied and in the end, all the cheering the children and I did, made up for any downward dip my emotions experienced about the race crossing.

I sort of wish that instead of saying in our minds a quick judgement, bad mom, or good mom. We could say something that is exactly as we see it, not just a judgement for all time.  Wow, that mom seems more worried about the racers feelings than her own childrens' feelings. Or, that mom is acting out of guilt and concern over what just happened with that racer. See, no bad mom here, just a mom that is trying. Like we all are.

Darn The French

I recently read a sample of a book called, French Children Eat Everything. I was so inspired by their eating habits, I decided to put some of them into play that very night. I made a really delicious Ratatouille with zucchini and cauliflower, mushrooms, peppers, onions and loads of tomatoes and garlic.

In the french opinion, if your children don't like something, it is because they haven't tried it enough, americans don't let their children try healthy food enough before they give up serving it. We sat down to eat, well some of us did. Hazel was bouncing up and down in panic mode, 'I'm not gonna eat that!' Flapping her hands and grabbing her mouth. Because that behavior is her usual custom for anything without sugar in it, I was undeterred. I turned to the babies, Wilson was lapping it up. Quinn was tentative, James was smearing it all over his tray, he wouldn't even try it. Claire was tolerant.

Kindly, I held James' hands so he couldn't refuse and started feeding him. His reply was gagging and intermittent sharp cries. Quinn started to cry, fearing for James. I plied James with a few more bites.

By the end of the meal, it had escalated to this, Quinn threw up because she was upset for James, James and Hazel were crying because they didn't want to eat it, Claire wet her pants out of some sympathetic reaction to our family crisis and Wilson asked for another bowl.

For right now, just eating around the table without anyone crawling on it or throwing their food is a major victory for us. I chose to be happy with that.

A Donut to Defend

Quinn eats really slow. She keeps her fingers clean and uses the right utensil for the job. The boys are still holding a fork in one hand while scooping breakfast into their mouths with their hands.

One busy day the triplets were eating donuts in their highchairs. James and Wilson scarfed theirs down. I washed them and set them to play. In a stroke of genius, I handed Quinn a spatula to defend herself against the circling shark brothers eager to cash in on a quick duck and grab. I will not make excuses for myself!

This Is Our House

This is the new City Center Provo Temple, it is well under construction. Once it was a historical community hall,  then severely damaged in a fire, the church decided to restore it as a holy temple. We walk by it every few days to check out the diggers and see any new progress. This is our temple. It is built with our love for God and our faith. It is a few blocks from our house. When it opens, before it is dedicated, people can walk thru and visit it. You are welcome to come and stay at our house, we will walk over and tour it together!  Neither Nate or I want to move until we can walk to our temple!

This Quinny is one pleasant grampa loving kind of girl. (Honestly, it is like Hazel, Claire and Quinn are the triplets and my two boys are just... yahoos.) 

Helping with strawberry jam

Least you think it's all tulips and strawberries over here, this is something to ponder on... since the weather is warm and we are not wearing onesies anymore, this duct taping is the pre-nap ritual to assure that no one has to clean up anything nasty after naps and yes, the duct tape goes all around

Raiding Dads closet again. These girls are trouble

Why does everyone have a thing for Quinns pink boots?