Friday, July 30, 2010

And we’ll call it ‘tour de feet’


My sister, Kate, and her boyfriend, Jake, and the gang on the four wheeler.

"If you want to see ugly feet," Katie declared while we were all piled in the living room at my little sister's new house in the country, "then check-out Kim's feet!"

"Shush-up!" I answered as I tried to hide my feet and all their hyped ugliness.

"Her first four toes are all. the same. length," she started in on the details. "And then the little toe in only this big"

I've heard it all before. In fact one high school summer, Heath Blackwood took one look at my sandal exposed feet in Sunday School and exclaimed, "Dude! Do you even have a pinky toe?"

It true. My feet are u.gly!

First four toes: all the same length. Pinky toe: short, fat, barely there. Width: wide. Toenails: uneven, brittle, always breaking. Arch: shallow. Heals: calloused, cracked, dry, painful.

Summertime's the worse time for my feet. They're dry. They crack. And their ever present ugliness only becomes more glorified.

This time of year, about August, my feet start to out shine all things ugly and repulsive. Months of flip-flops and moseying outside barefoot are ever so evident. My toe paint is chipped, at best, but usually just stained with unverifiable remnants of the last real polish job. Even the tips of my toes are calloused.

It's gross.

*****

Today was the epitome of a great day.

The kids and I spent the morning rock climbing.



We didn't let the fact that we weren't wearing the proper footwear slow us down.

We lunched at the park, and then played on the toys.


We came home and Jace napped.  Brynlee and I spent the afternoon, barefoot, eating popsicles and playing Go Fish underneath the crabapple tree.  Go Fish was followed by a quick nap for the tuckered out four-year-old.

Spencer came home. The two of us watched the storm through the front window. We woke the kids so they wouldn't miss out on the perfect summer storm. Boots, jackets and a couple paper sailboats. Puddle jumping.


Dinnertime, followed by a couple loops around the neighborhood. Brynlee on her bike and Jace in the stroller. It smelt like rain.  Backyard swinging, jumping and a few weed pulling. Pajamas, bendaroos and a movie. Bedtime.

*****

Last night I had a thought. An epiphany, if you will.  An epiphany that was only confirmed by today's great day.

These feet, albeit ugly, are my feet. Feet that live. Feet that swell with each pregnancy and are dirty black at the end of a good summer day. Feet that blister when I set a weight loss goal, and are speckled with paint after home construction. Toenails that break when stubbed on playroom toys. Feet that never cease to carry me and tired children. Feet that jump on the tramp, walk around the neighborhood, help push strollers and set the rocking chair into motion for me and my babies. Feet that get warmed up on Spencer during the winter and soak in the kiddy pool during the summer. Feet that work. Feet that play. Feet that enjoy. Feet that tell a story. A story that I love.

******

Sunday starts a new month, August.

I'll just let that sink in for a minute.

Not tomorrow, but the next day! It's August, people.

Sunday, August 1st, is also going to be the start of a new little mini-series challenge on this here blogity blog. It will be in honor of it being August and, therefore, my feet registering at a ten on the uglometer.   

I'm going to title the challenge tour de feet{Feel free to refer to it as tour de ugly feet is you feel so inclined.} Throughout August I'll give you a glimpse of our life unedited via a foot picture. My u.gly feet, my hubby's feet, my children's feet, playmate's feet, your feet, Spence's bosses feet, all feet are on equal playing ground {Well, except for maybe Spence's bosses' feet. What? My feet need an income.}

In August, the feet will tell the story.  And before then I'm going to try to put a fresh coat of paint on these toenails of mine.

P.S.
I love company.
If you would like to join me on the tour de feet,
consider yourself personally invited.
And also,
as always,
my blog my rules
your blog your rules.
If you decide to join me
feel free to change up the tour de feet
to fit you and your blogging style.
You don't have to post everyday if you don't want.
Or for the entire month of August.
Your blog, you make up the rules.
M'kay.

Oh, and if you're going to play along
let me know.
What good is company if you don't even know they stopped by to visit.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

booyah


Guess who learned to do a front flip on the trampoline?
My daughter did.  She rockin'!



Video of Brynlee doing flip: Take One.



Video of Brynlee doing flip: Take Two. 
{For some reason I couldn't get the audio to upload on the second video.
To be honest, I only tried once and for some reason there was video but no audio.
I may or may not have done a tiny celebratory dance.
Hearing my {high-pitched talking to children} voice on the video camera. . . it's like fingernails down the chalkboard.
Only worse. [[shudder]] }


P.S.
And in other big news,
Jace can land on his bum while jumping on the tramp.
That kid is RAD!  
{Did you miss it?
Re-watch
Video of Brynlee doing flip: Take Two}

Ready, set, RUN


Do you want to know what makes my mommy heart sing?


Watching my little guy run, that's what.

Both arms semi-straight. Uncontrollably swinging; back and forth, left and right, back and forth. Head bobbing. Legs kicking outward. Both legs leaving the ground at the same time. Sorta floating, sorta skipping, sorta jumping, sorta an accident waiting to happen.

But oh so adorable.

It's like all things good. And fun. Wrapped up into one little running package.

Sometimes I ask if he wants to race just so I can watch him. It really is that cute.

And he's mine forever! Am I one lucky mommy, or what?
 

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Room for our luggage AND the double stroller.


Shortly after my big sis, Jessica, had her first little pink bundle of joy she bought a minivan. Her way of embracing motherhood, I guess.

Spencer and I were newly married and didn't have any kids to claim as our own. Or to drive around town, for that matter. It was just the two of us, so we traveled light. "Let's never drive a van," I told Spence. And he agreed, wholeheartedly.

Pssst. . . over the weekend we bought a van. Oh yes we did. And I think its rad.

We tried to talk ourselves into buying a SUV. We read about SUV's, we looked at SUV's, we test drove SUV's; and then as a very last vehicular hope, we drove a van. The kids squealed with delight. All their cool cousins ride backseat of vans.

We drove around town mivivan style. We played with the gadgets. We listened to Brynlee's four-year-old voice of peer-pressuring reason. And then. . . we fell in love. WITH A MINIVAN. We bought it. Just like that. Papered signed. Minivan purchased.

I drove the van home. Spencer told me I looked sexy driving a van. I laughed. Then he said that we needed to have three more kids to fill up all the empty seats. I rolled my eyes.

Later that night, Brynlee and I went grocery shopping. Like a broken record she repeated, over and over and over, how cute our new "band" was.

We worked on saying Vv-Aa-Nn instead of band. No real success. But that's okay, because our BAND is rockin'. And we're proud.

For those of you that want the band details.
We bought it used.
A Toyota Sienna XLE Limited.
It's gray.
With leather seats, a navigation/dvd system
and oodles of cup holders.
And since 98% of my readers are female,
I'm positive that's all the details you were looking for.
Right?

Don't we look like van people?

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Cream of the Crop


It thundered today. Big, loud thunder. And then it rained. We left the windows open and smelt the rainstorm. It was rejuvenating.

Spence took the day off work.

Instead, we worked on tiling the master bathroom while the kids sat on the massive bed in all its massive glory and devoured butter popcorn. And then they both took a nap.

While the kids dreamt, Spence and I cranked up Pandora and tiled like we were getting paid to do it. Except nobody would really pay us, because. . . well, were annoying. Spencer can't sing a song without changing the words and I can't listen to a song without singing back-up. And neither of us can sing a note in tune. And then Spencer makes up jokes about stupid things, and I laugh really loud, because I think he's funny. And then we play 'remember when' and laugh at some of the dumb things we've done together.  And there's quite a few.  And then we swear that we are getting more mature. Except for not really, because we're not. And we know we're not. And then I'll try to put a tile on the wall and Spencer will tickle my armpit, or pinch my butt. Because, chivalry is not dead after all! And then I tell him to knock-it off. But he never does. And I know he never will. And then we will sit back and admire our FAYN-CEE improvements. And we'll talk about what a good construction team we make.

Because if you ask me, Spencer's a dang good construction foreman. And not to brag, but I totally ROCK at being the construction peon.

I'd hire us!

Probably.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

a (seventeenth) confession


Confession: Sometimes, in Sunday school, I multitask.

Proof: This post, originally written July 18th on the backside of a Sacrament program. 

******

May 7, 2010
The first day our yellow tulips were in full bloom.
Brynlee got a marker and a notebook
and went outside to make picture documentation.

"Mommy," Brynlee cautiously questioned while standing in the back of an orange Home Depot shopping cart.

"Yeah. . ." I mumbled not taking the time to look up from unloading tiles and supplies.

"What if you accidently forgot me in the shopping cart?"

"Oh Brynlee, that would never, never, EVER happen." I said while kissing the tip of her little freckled nose.

"But mama" she continued unsatisfied with my answer, "what if you accidently did?"

"Then I would come right back here, and I'd get you, and I would kiss you a million billion times and tell you I was sorry."

"But what if somebody else came first and they took me before you could!?"

"Then I would chase after them. And I would catch them. And I would take you back."

"But what if you couldn't catch them?"

"I WOULD!"

"But what if they took me to their house?"

"Then I would go to their house, and I would get you."

"But what if they locked the door?"

"Then I would kick it down."

"But what if they were really strong and they were holding the door up?"

The shopping cart was empty now and the back of the pick-up loaded.

"Well then," I said laughing, "I'd find a gun!"

She paused for a moment and then continued, "Just don't ever forget me in the back of the Home Depot shopping cart, okay mommy!"

And then I wrapped both arms around her, carried her to the cab of the truck and buckled her safety in her car seat with her little brother right by her side.

*****

Confession: I'm not that good at multitasking durning Sunday School.

Proof:  The post where I told my 4 year old daughter I would 'find a gun' and then, AND THEN I wrote it all down for hard evidence.

*****

Confession:  The part about the gun. . . I so wasn't kidding.

Monday, July 12, 2010

i know you love me because. . .


spence and i seven years ago today

i know you love me because you ask my advice and then you listen.

i know you love me because even when you don't really want or need my advice, you still listen.

i know you love me because i've never mowed the lawn, yet the lawn always gets mowed.

i know you love me because you don't complain when i order a salad and then eat all your french fries.

i know you love me because you tell me.

i know you love me because you know the stories behind all my inside jokes.

i know you love me because you've 'got my back'. always have, always will.

i know you love me because you support all my bright ideas. even the really, really stupid ones.

i know you love me because if the potatoes are lumpy, you insist that you love lumpy potatoes. if the toast is burnt, you insist burnt toast is your favorite. if the chicken's dry, you insist that you prefer your chicken dry.

i know you love me because you've seen me with food in my teeth, nine months pregnant, in labor, with the stomach flu, overwhelmed and frustrated and/or without make-up and you still tell me i'm beautiful.

i know you love me because when i tell you i'm cold in sunday school you offer me your tie.

i know you love me because every morning you get up and get the kids breakfast while i sleep for just 'five more minutes'.

i know you love me because it's been seven years and, to me, we're still newlyweds.

 

i know you love me
and
i know
you know
i love you, too
happy 7th anniversary, babe.
you are my everything.
and i wouldn't want it any other way.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Joy

Joy
Pronunciation: [ˈji]
Function: noun
Definition: A Sunday afternoon with my family, a sprinkler, and a trampoline.




Showoff
Pronunciation: [shoh-awf]
Function: adjective
Definition: My husband!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

On the 4th



I've written a million posts lately. Some sit unpublished on my blog dashboard, some scribbled out on scratch paper or written in the dayplanner and some just floating in this noggin' of mine. But none of them have actually made it to the blog. I usually blog, relaxing on the couch next to Spencer, after the kids are peacefully sleeping. However, our "Lost" addiction has taken over blog time. We are halfway done with Season Six; that makes me happy. And a bit relieved.

We didn't go to church today. Brynlee woke up with a fever hot enough to start firecrackers and we were all feeling a bit groggy. So instead, we stayed home and Spencer made Belgium Waffles {FROM SCRATCH} topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries and a hefty dollop of whipped cream. Very patriotic. Very delicious. And then per Brynlee's request we roasted marshmallows over the stovetop and treated ourselves to a mid-morning S'more. Also delicious.

We spent Friday & Saturday celebrating Independence Day with my mom & dad and their 4th of July small-town-tacular. It didn't disappoint. The whole gang was there minus Jessica and Brad, but they had a good excuse. And if the kids are feeling well enough we will celebrate again tonight with our towns fireworks show.

Our goal for the day is to get the kiddos feeling 100%. We plan on spending tomorrow in a post 4th of July celebration: attending a parade, barbequing and snuggling the handsome Baby Luke. It will be the perfect grand finale for this year's 4th of July celebration. Here's to hoping they feel 100% by morning time.

I need to get my mother-in-laws fried chicken recipe.  Every year I forget. And then every year, on Independence Day, Spence mentions how much he would like to eat his mom's fried chicken. Eating his mom's fried chicken was a 4th of July tradition that Spence enjoyed as a boy. And I think that's a tradition I would like to carry on. This year I'll get her recipe. Next year we will eat his mom's fried chicken on the 4th of July.

If I made a list of my top three holidays the 4th of July would be on it.  It might even be in slot #1. I love every single bit of what this holiday has to offer. Fireworks, sparklers, BBQ's, family, parades, red, white & blue, watermelon, sun, America, camping, sunglasses. It's summertime perfection, if you ask me.

I think I'm going to make cobbler for dessert tonight. If you're around, stop by.

Happy firework day, dear friends! Tonight, write you and your true loves name in sparklers. And then, snuggle up and watch some fireworks.


Thursday, July 1, 2010

Photo Album: The Zoo


We spent the day at the neighboring town's Zoo









I agree with the boys.

It was a great day.
Spent with great people.

I love days like that!

P.S.
It was also a great day for
Congrats!
Love you guys.
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