Thanksgiving 2009

We used Thanksgiving as an opportunity to take our annual Christmas card picture, so here's a preview:

I know some people really think these things out and buy matching clothes in advance, but we were fifteen minutes late getting to the in-laws because I was rummaging around the house looking for things that might possibly coordinate. I can't believe Brandon ended up in that shirt he has had since medical school, but hey, the picture turned out better than I thought considering how little preparation went into it. Someday I hope to have a Christmas card that features all of us standing in front of a glowing sunset on the beach with leis around our tan bodies, but until that day comes I will settle for scrambling before Thanksgiving dinner.

I wasn't very deliberate in my picture taking and left out a good chunk of people, but here are some of the pictures nonetheless:

The neighbors sported an inflatable turkey. Sweet.

We had somewhere between 25-30 people for dinner at my in-laws' house. I'm sad I didn't get a picture of the kids table this year!

Elizabeth and Rachael pretty much ate dessert with their fingers, dessert being whipped cream. And frosting. I remember someone asking me what happened to the frosting on the delectable Swedish tea ring my mother in law always makes and one look told me all I needed to know.

A fork! Maybe she will eat like a civilized person someday!

I know there was a football game on briefly, but it looks like video games won out in the long run.

A few of the guys: my bro in laws Trenton and Brent, cousin Chris and his son Britain.
I love this picture of Great Grandpa sleeping after dinner - it's so Thanksgiving! The cute girls are the two Elizabeth's of the day. "Biz" is my sister in law's sister, fresh home from a mission in New Zealand, and that other cutie is my Liz. Biz and Liz.

Laura with her two visiting sisters: Mara and Biz. They were so much fun! I wish I had more time to talk to all of them!

Someone always ends up in a tussle over this wig from the dress up trunk. Beckham looks pretty pleased to be the one with it on.
Elizabeth is positively NUTS for Great Grandma Petersen! She could hardly leave her alone. They were visiting from Arizona. When we had them over for haystacks and Zooleretto on Tuesday night, Elizabeth sat on Grandma's lap as much as possible.
Linda is almost always at our family gatherings for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, so we will miss her when she moves to St. George on Monday.
Lani, Kathleen Lani, and Kathleen. (Is anyone else tired of Kate's blue BYU sweatshirt? She lives in that thing!)
Brandon and Grandpa. He was nice enough to spend a good half hour the day before with Kate's best friend, telling her stories from when he flew with the Navy during WWII. (She is a big plane and WWII buff.) Will is currently making a clothespin doll of Grandpa in his Navy uniform for a school project. Pictures to follow.
We had some pretty good blessings on the tree this year including scabs and platelets, Netflix, and the sense of smell.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Singular Moments

There are so many zany, singular moments that encapsulate motherhood so perfectly I wish I could capture each one and make a little book - it would be so darn funny. Moments from the last couple weeks that come to mind:

Standing next to naked in my bathroom at 7:30am applying toner to my face while talking on the phone to my children's piano teacher.

Getting a pinch in the behind from my 2 year old while she squeals "ouch" and then laughs while saying "sorry".

Dropping the early birds off to school in my pajamas while listening to Sesame Street Platinum.

Waking up disoriented, realizing I fell asleep in my daughter's bed and slept there all night!

Getting a classroom of kindergartners to lie on their backs with their eyes closed and listen to Aaron Copeland's 'Appalachian Suite'. (And scaring them to death with the following 'Fanfare for the Common Man!')

Indulging my kids with homemade waffles and boysenberry syrup on a Saturday morning at 10am.

Going through the checkout at Target with diapers and training bras in my cart.

Lying on the floor - barely conscious - while two or more children use me as a personal beanbag/trampoline.

Playing basketball with my son while my two younger daughters go at my legs with their little plastic bikes.

Watching my two year old scrub the heck out of a table top at Jack in the Box with Wet Ones, her entire body crawling all over the table.

Finding a binky and little toy kitty in my purse while at dinner with my husband.

Having a family dance party in the kitchen while cleaning up together. (Numa Numa!)

Sitting on the bed with one child crying over homework, at the piano with another crying over a difficult song, on the floor of a bedroom with another crying over being left out and at the kitchen table with another crying about wearing a bib. So much crying!

Motherhood really is funny if you think about it.

I Want Candy

Despite my best efforts to dish out the candy at a rate of only 2 small pieces a day, I recently discovered I am being bamboozled. Anyone have any suggestions for what to do with all the leftover candy? Can I just throw it away or does that make me a mean mom?

The Gold Box

On Saturday night we drove to Santa Monica to see my brother in law's art show.

Before I knew it, William was zooming around this floor on his Heelies.

The in laws. Trenton (brown shirt) is the artist.

This was called "Hummel Hell" - isn't that funny?

"Grace" - I liked this one.

I forgot the title of this one, but the golden maggots kept my interest for awhile.

This Hokusai "reproduction" used little screws.

Kate has a thing for blown glass.

Rachael analyzing "The Digger"

Trenton's "The Gold Box" - I dig it.

It's Turkey Time!

Evening Breath

You've heard of morning breath, but how about evening breath? My favorite time of day with my kids is when I'm snuggling them before bed and it's just the two of us. My son William has taken to telling me what my breath smells like when we're there talking in his bed. Apparently tonight it's bean burritos.

Nice.

Halloween '09

(I have no idea WHAT is up with the underline!!)

I have trained my daughter well. When I suggested we go to the local pumpkin "lot" rather than the real pumpkin patch (over an hour away) she was NOT happy about it. When I slipped and referred to it as a "patch" she corrected me and said it wasn't worthy of the title. So it was that we got our carving pumpkins at a pumpkin LOT last Friday. I had every intention of taking them to a real patch, but once Friday actually rolled around we were all pretty beat. (Dad had been out of town since Wednesday and we had a very busy couple of days without him.) Once Kate agreed that the most important thing at that point was just getting pumpkins, she admitted she wouldn't mind having more time to relax at home and finish her mummy costume.

Here's one little pumpkin:

He's faking.

See our car in the background? Yep, it's a pumpkin lot.

It didn't take too long to get our pumpkins so I thought I'd spice up the evening (and give myself a break from dinner) by taking them to our favorite Japanese restaurant, IchiBan. In case you're wondering, it means #1. Pretty lame name, but they've got some OISHII (delish) food! The kids are particularly fond of the miso soup and shrimp tempura.

Saturday morning William woke me up wanting to carve the pumpkins, NOW. Rachael wanted to get in on the action and was (thankfully!) pacified with markers. Elizabeth was dangerous enough with the little carving tools.

Will's pumpkin was an alien invasion (see the UFO and beams of aliens coming down?), Brandon got home by afternoon and carved the one with the stem for a nose, Kate specifically chose hers so it would look like a spider web (see the spider under the "web") and Elizabeth used a pattern to make her cute little bat. (Then she went bananas with the carving tools and free styled "Rachael's" pumpkin.)

Kate didn't get out of her pajamas until after 4pm. She was working on her costume ALL day.

The final product! She was happy with it, and I was happy she was happy since at one point she was in tears. Once she got to her friends house she blacked out her eyes so it looked even better.

It's amazingly easy to follow the directions for the cheap, drug store make up kits.

She's already got the next two years' costumes lined up: cheerleader and Hermione.

Cute as a bug!

The fearsome foursome.

Brandon's t-shirt says, "The beatings will continue until morale improves." Nice. Elizabeth begged me to wear my "Disco Mama" wig so I did, but next year I am determined to get real costumes for Brandon and I as well. Why should the kids have all the fun?

This is just a great pic of downtown I've been meaning to take for awhile. I took it from Will's best friend's driveway when I went to pick him up for trick or treating. Every time I go up there I think I've got to take a picture! You really get a feel for how close we are even though you'd never know it in our every day life. Our town is pretty small and quiet.

Another Halloween in the can!