A mom of boys

You know you are a mom of a boy when your little one comes up the stairs with delight and announces, "Mom, check it out:  I just learned how to burp."  He then swallows some air and promptly releases a belch on cue.

Way to go, buddy.  I am so proud.

Seriously cool photos (from a biased mom), part II

(THANKS FOR THE PHOTOS SUZEE!)

Seriously cool photos (from a biased mom)

(insert applause here)

Today marks my 'Decade with D'!

Love you, babe.  Here's to another decade.

Coal

While we were out on Friday night, my neice, Avenly, who was babysitting had this to report:

She asked the kids if they wanted to stay up a little later than normal, and Davis paused to reflect.  Then he announced, "We are going to get coal in our stockings."

It took Avenly a minute to convince him that staying up a late didn't constitute a coal-worthy offense.

We've really got these kids trained don't we?

Christmas is coming,

my wallet is getting skinny.

It'll all come out in the wash

During college, D had a great group of roomates.  They tried to loosen him up a bit by drinking his milk and borrowing his detergent.  "It'll all come out in the wash," they cajoled.  When we were first married, I repeated this phrase to loosen D up, and somehow, it has stuck with our family:
"Mom, Davis got more Pringles than I did. . . . " 
"Don't worry, it'll all come out in the wash."  "

"Why did Roger get a treat and we didn't?"
"You got a treat when you were his age. . . .It all comes out in the wash."

This morning I was pleasantly surprised to find something that, quite literally, had come out in the wash.  I've been missing my credit card for a few days, and was about to report it lost, when I went down to the laundry room and saw it peeping back at me from the window.  As a bonus, I even found 2 dollars at the bottom of the bin.   I love it when my sayings come true.  Now I can tell the kids with complete confidence that it will, indeed, come out in the wash.

Halloween, for those who were wondering

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Keep Calm and Carry On

Have you ever had an hour that started out with your toddler falling off the couch and cutting up his lip, followed by the realization it is dinner time (by the kids whining, "Mom, I'm hungry), and you have no idea what you will make?  Then you head to the kitchen where your week-old addition to the family (a 2 month old puppy) piddles on the floor and you step right in it. 

The hour conintues.  As you are cleaning up the yellow mess and putting the puppy in her crate, another of your children (one of the older ones who should know better) screams they NEED you in the bathroom right away.  As you open the bathroom door, you are welcomed by a pile of diarrhea in your child's underwear, and streaks all over the toilet seat and a guilty (albeit cute) face.  "There is no way on this earth (you at least refrain from taking the Lord's name in vain) that I am cleaning that up for you, " you reply and shut the door.  The next five minutes of chaos are overshadowed by the guilty party crying in the bathroom that it wasn't their fault and they don't want to clean it up.  You resist the urge to open the door and yell.  And by resist, I mean literally grit my teeth.

The next half-hour conitunes as you pull together 'breakfast for dinner.'  Waffles, the old stand-by.  As you are finishing up, you open the cupboard and realize there is just a small amount of syrup left.  Finally everyone is sitting down.  Calm exists for the 30 seconds it takes Roger to say a prayer.  Then the question comes, "Why doesn't mine have syrup?  This is gross."  I explain that every waffle does indeed have syrup, but in limited quantities.  Whining ensues.  You grit your teeth again, and convince the kids that a huge dollop of jam will do the trick.  The kids relent.  You look at the clock and, miraculously, it is time for America's Funniest Home Videos.  Saved!!  The best T.V. hour of the week.

D calls just as the show is ending, "Wow, it has been a crazy day for me."  I answer, "That stinks.  Thanks for working so hard for our family."  (I think a few other things, but refrain from sharing).

And yes, you read that right.  D decided to get a puppy.  She's adorable.  The kids love her.  Her name is Izzy. I have decided I am crazy to have agreed to this. . . . but isn't this the cutest thing?

Jumping on the political bandwagon OR I put a Philpot sign in my yard

I have generally been hesitant to put someone's political sign in my yard.  I've never met them.  How can I personally vouch for a person I don't know??

But, this year, I've had enough.  Do you know how much money our country is in debt?  13 trillion dollars.  I heard someone say that if you had a million dollars every day for 274 years that would equal a trillion.  A trillion dollars is A LOT of money.  Our Congress as it is now governed doesn't seem to grasp the gravity of that number.

In my mind, the federal government WAY overstepped its bounds this year.   The gigantic stimulus package (which we have been told saved our economy-- unfortunately the housing and unemployment numbers do not agree), entitlement programs, bailouts, takeovers of the car industry, and the disastrous Obamacare have put our country on a path I don't think we should be on.

I have voted for Jim Matheson-D in two elections as my Congressman. No one wants to be wrong, but I am sitting here thinking I made a mistake.  I've listened to 4 telephone town-hall meetings Mr. Matheson put on, been on his website, and written him letters.  I think that puts me above the general electorate in how connected I've been with him.  I've come to the conlcusion I do not agree with several of the choices he's made as my Congressman in the last 2 years.

•  First, I am totally frustrated with the telephone town hall.  A person asks a question, then Matheson gets the floor--whether or not he actually answers the question is irrelevant: the questioner and all others 'involved' in the town hall have no chance to question his reactions or statements.  This is not a good forum for public debate.  If you do not look your electorate in the eyes, you can not truly gauge how they are feeling.
• He voted for the Stimulus Bill.  This was a HUGE government waste program. Obama promised if this bill was passed, unemployment would not rise about 7.5%.  Now we're at 10%.  Foreclosures are nearly as high as they were a year ago. The bill didn't work.  The idea that the federal government can create jobs is wrong.  Now our children are stuck with a gigantic and unethical debt.  This is unpardonable in my mind.
• He voted for Cash for Clunkers.  Come on. The bump this program gave to auto sales was a small blip on the economic map and it cost tax-payers 2 BILLION dollars.  One economist said it best:

Government policy should not favor some industries at the expense of others, but that is exactly what cash for clunkers does. The program helps consumers who can take advantage, and it increases profit and employment in the auto industry. But funding for the program comes from all other taxpayers, so it harms the consumers and industries not supported by the program.

• His  recent vote, with Nancy Pelosi's encouragement, helped to adjourn Congress before they had voted on a tax code for next year.  Why the early adjournment?  So the members of Congress could get out and campaign.  LAME.  Do your job, Congressmen.  Figure out tax laws before you figure out how you are going to win your upcoming election.  He defended this vote during a debate by calling it a 'procedural' vote.  Procedural or not, it still has consequences.
• He has attacked his political opponent with half-truths.  I won't go into the particulars, but listened to Morgan Philpot go point-by-point to defend himself agains these misleading ads.  This was the last straw for me.  I always thought Matheson was classy and above such things.  Apparently, when push comes to shove, he cares more about his precious job than his integrity.

Those are the main reasons I voting for Morgan Philpot and AGAINST Jim Matheson.  It is time for a change.  I've checked out Philpot's website, and listened to a debate online.  Look for yourself.  I urge my fellow Salt Lakers and Utahns to look at my arguments and hopefully you will come up to the same conclusion I have.