How Could I Forget

While I was giving you the December blow-by-blow, I completely forgot about the party of the year AKA Shawn's birthday celebration. Due to Thanksgiving and my NYC trip, we had to celebrate a little late this year, but I think the fondue fest was a big success. While good food is always great, the best part was definitely gathering with old and new friends, having uninterrupted conversation without kids, and talking late into the night with the hardiest partiers - you know who you are! I really meant to take photos and completely forgot, so you have to pretend. Here is my favorite place in my house, the kitchen. See the center island? Picture the oil and broth pots here, along with sirloin, chicken, shrimp, and six dipping sauces to choose from. Moving to the counter space to the right of the island, this is where the three cheese pots and dippers were located. Finally, the chocolate and caramel pots were on the table in the Florida room/area beyond that with cheesecake, brownies, rice krispie treats, marshmellows, pretzels, fresh pineapple, and strawberries. I love having enough space for the whole party to gather in the kitchen, since that is where people always end up hanging out anyway. And since you didn't see any photos of Shawn and I opening Christmas gifts, it's because we're giving each other the mortgage this year - what a great gift that gets to be given not just in December, but every month of the year! And Happy Birthday Shawn! I'm already looking forward to next year!

And Ryan Turns Three...

December birthdays blow. Everyone knows it and there are a million reasons why. We had a small friend party at the Rec Center soft play room earlier in Dec., but had a "ree-oh" cake and ice cream on his actual birthday with the grandparents. Ryan loves everything "ree-oh" aka firetrucks (he can actually say firetruck now but everyone in the family continues his baby-talk version of using the sound instead of the name). He has not taken off his fireman boots that Santa brought except for to sleep at night. This is the awesome outfit he wore to the grocery store the night before his bday to shop for ice cream with me. I officially don't care if he wears pajamas all day long, everywhere we go. It makes him happy and I think he is adorable even if the rest of the world is saying in their head "What is she thinking taking him out of the house like that?" He held my hand all through the store - I love chubby little boy hands, YUM, I will be so sad when they don't hold my hands anymore.

Christmas Day with the DuBies

This will be short and sweet after that last one. Promise. Just a few pics for memory's sake. No photos of all the fighting we did over whether or not Santa was visiting our house or grandma's. Wouldn't be Christmas without some family fighting now, would it!




When Grandma and Grandpa were ready for some peace and quiet, we hauled the stash home and spent the evening having dessert and some laughs with some good friends. The kids gave us a bonus Christmas gift by entertaining themselves late into the night so we got to discuss all kinds of important topics like what type of plastic surgery the men would have done. I mean, we talked about the state of the economy and healthcare reform. All in all, it was a low-key, relaxing Christmas and I was motivated to come home and finish painting the basement so we can get the carpet installed ASAP and move Toys R Us downstairs in January.

Dear Blog:

I feel like we have been growing apart lately. Don't worry though, it's not you; it's me. Can we still be friends?

WARNING: LONG POST. I repeat, LONG POST.

December is always a hectic month, but don't worry, we did try to remember the whole reason for the season. As we performed some service for a family on Christmas Eve, my 5-year old began insisting "Christmas is about getting, NOT giving!!" and my husband and I looked at each other and said "How have we screwed this up so badly? What is wrong with our family?" Maybe nothing is wrong with us. Maybe it's just part of being five. I don't know. Anyway, here's what we've been up to this month:

NYC - I was lucky enough to spend a very cold but very fun three days in NYC for the first annual? Mother-Daughters weekend. I came home happy and relaxed to a husband who was overheard saying things like "I don't know how you do this!" as he collapsed in bed from utter exhaustion. We decided that it is good for both of us for me to have a get-away each quarter, whoo-hoo! What did we do? We watched movies, slept in, browsed the Bryant Park Christmas booths, ate too much delicious food and got to catch up with our friend Nichole and see her amazing new home in Tribeca.

Ryan's Preschool Christmas program - Emphasis on CHRISTMAS, thank goodness for a Christian preschool since you better not actually say the "C" word at public school, where my kindergartner celebrated every holiday but. We spun the dreidel, talked about Kwanza and and busted a pinata for La Posada, but do you think we talked about the little babe who changed the world? Sorry, tangent. Back to preschool. How cute is Ryan. How cute are his friends. How cute is he singing Jingle Bells all the time. Just pretend to hear the singing. He is cute.

I'm going to go ahead and interrup this Christmas-themed post to share an interesting fact since this is the next photo on my memory card. If someone happens to pee all over your Sonicare toothbrush (and your face as you are running in when called to assist and find them spraying the bathroom counter and not the toilet), Sonicare toothbrush heads apparently don't do well in boiling water if you try to disinfect. Just so you know, in case you ever find yourself in this situation.

Christmas Outfits - thanks Grandma! So cute! Too bad it's impossible to get a good photo of all three of them smiling. They tried, it just didn't work out that great.

Christmas Traditions - We like to go the the National Botanical Gardens to see the train exhibit and then went to walk around the National Christmas tree downtown. Here is proof we were all there together:

I cannot count how many people stopped to stare at this cute kid in his dalmation hat and gloves (complete with little tongues!). What can I say. He's my kid, I have the right to think he is the cutest kid ever.

Here is the kid who was so determined to throw change into the cars of this train, he desperately retrieved his coins every time he missed until he finally claimed victory. We spent about 10 minutes watching him from the opposite side of the tree, actually we were mostly watching other people watch him and look around to see who was supposed to be parenting this child sticking his legs under the fence to retrieve money.

Where was Ryan? I'm not sure. But they all ended up wrestling on the ellipse after warming up by the Yule Log.

Okay, listen, this is getting too long even for me to stand. Christmas Day will have to be a separate post. Because I know you are just DYING to see my kids and their presents.

Ode to Plumbing

Twas Christmas Eve Eve
And all through my house
was the smell of fresh sewer
that would kill a small mouse

A few hours ago it smelled of freshly baked bread
and thoughts of Christmas Eve dinner were filling my head

Then "oh honey, look here, oh no, what is the matter?"
It seems a clogged kitchen sink is causing quite a clatter.

"Don't worry my dear, I've got a concoction for this
don't mind the skull and cross bones, it will do the trick!
Hmmm, well that didn't work let me remove a few pipes,
jam this thing down the drain and see what happens next.

Whoops sorry honey - I knocked the pipe out of the wall
Quick grab the towels so the concoction doesn't go down the hall
A splish and a splash and my wall is all brown
Whatever was put in the garbage disposal didn't go down
Instead it's all over my wall and my floor
and now Dave is trying to fix even more

Wish us some luck and send us some wishes
I need to be able to wash my Christmas dishes!

Kids Say the Darndest things

I mentioned last week I had to drag everyone to the pet store for food. The reason we were at the pet store and not say...Target where I usually buy cat food is because I actually needed to go to Staples to finish up a present for a friend. Staples and Petsmart are right next to each other so when I pulled into the parking lot and saw Petsmart I thought to myself "who-hoo, two birds with one stone". So as we were meandering around Staples checking things off my list I warned the kids that IF they wanted to go next door and see the animals then they MUST behave while mommy tries to finish her shopping.

Now, we all know that was an empty threat because we all know I HAD to get cat food and what crazy mom is going to waste a walk next door to finish an errand as opposed to loading and unloading three kids somewhere else to accomplish said errand? NOT ME. But I made the threat just the same. After two warnings for their behavior in the store I said "that's it! we're not going to the pet store to see the animals, I've had enough!" At which point they started begging and pleading.."please mom, we'll behave now, we prooommmise, pleeaasse!" and a few tears were shed.

I was actually going to stick to my guns on this one and I said "Nope, sorry. I gave you warnings and now we've lost the chance" to which Emma retorts "but mom...don't you remember Jonah! God gives everyone a second chance. And if God can give everyone a second chance than so should you!" How do I reply to that? I caved of course. "Alright"...I said. "One more chance and that's it". They actually did behave the rest of the time and if Jacob started acting up Emma would whisper to him to stop so we could go to the pet store.

My Cat Likes Refried Beans and other things I've learned this crazy Christmas Season

So, it's been awhile since I've been able to make it to the store for cat food. My poor spoiled cat won't just eat dry food but insists on having something mushy to moisten his pallet. I was completely out of cat food and was searching for something to feed him so he would stop rubbing on my leg and biting at my toes. I'd already used up the remains of the turkey lunch meat on him the night before. The only thing mushy I had in the house was refried beans and voila! he liked them. I drug the kids to the pet store last night (which they actually love to do) and now my kitty is happy as a clam now that his pantry is restocked.

Speaking of the pet store -let me digress with a funny story...When we lived in Virginia and got to hang out with our favorite blogger Andrea and her first born, it was inevitable that whatever phase Nick was going through or new trick he learned, Emma would follow by about a week. It became uncanny to me but great because I always new what I was in for. It was always about a week to the day that Emma would say or do something that Nick had done the week before. Anyway, when I rushed the kids through the pet store last night and tricked them out the door without getting their fill on guinea pigs and geckos they were not happy with me. Emma exclaimed: "that's fine mom...I'm just going to run away then if your not going to let me see the animals!". I had to chuckle because it had been exactly a week since I Annie had posted about Nicks threats to run away. It's good to hear that even though we're so far apart, I can count on Nick to keep me one step ahead in the parenting game.


Anyway, back to things I"ve learned this Christmas season:

Glue sticks are meant for kids crafts and not for making Christmas cards. If you get your card and your tree has fallen off because the glue stick from the 99 cents store didn't hold up, well, then...I'm sorry. I obviously didn't learn this tip in time. And if you don't get a card from me, well, then...Merry Christmas!

Don't decide to make handmade Christmas cards, a scrapbook for a friend, several baby blankets and 15 plates of homemade goodies all one week before Christmas while at the same time volunteering to run your daughters kindergarten Christmas party. I guess it just wouldn't be the Christmas season without a little bit of stress though - it keeps me on my toes. I'm looking forward to this next week of R&R now that everything is done (except the wrapping) and hoping the kids new toys will keep them occupied for a few days while I slip into a deep sleep after downing a box of Sees candy!

Don't forget the true meaning of Christmas. I love the Little People Nativity set we have that the kids can play with and learn about the true meaning of Christmas. Ben said "Jesus" for the first time today and it was so darn cute because he adds a little lisp to it. I'm trying, in all this holiday madness, to teach my children that Christmas isn't just about the toys and the parties, but it is a time to celebrate the birth and life of our Savior. This year I told them that we each get 3 presents from Santa to represent the 3 presents the wise men gave to the baby Jesus. I thought it was a good way to keep things simple and at the same time give some meaning to a wonderful tradition of giving and receiving.

Story of the Day

Oh Ryan. Sweet Ryan.

One of Ryan's girlfriends had a potty accident outside at a playdate today, so her mom took off her wet pants (insert weather note: it was a very atypical 65 degrees here today). Ryan immediately begins to unbutton his jeans because, well, if she can run around with no pants, then why can't he, right. I explain that no, she has no pants on because she went pee pee on them. Wanna guess what he does next? Yep. Looks at me, intentionally pees his pants, and begins stripping off the jeans (and pantyhose. Yes, pantyhose. I hid my swimsuits from him so he's gotten into pantyhose. Direct quote: "comfy and keep me warm").

Needless to say, our playdate was over.

Silly Me

Sometimes I confuse I-Tunes and You-tube and I say I-tube. "Dave, you have to go watch such and such on I-tube, it's so funny". Silly Me.

Earlier this week I was rushing around cleaning and I heard a crash outside. I went to run out the back patio door, which I thought was open, but apparently the screen was closed. Nose first into into a screen door kinda hurts. I ran into it so hard I knocked it down. Silly me.

Yesterday was Jacob's 4th birthday party. It was wonderful - everything he wanted - the presents the wrappings, the spiderman trimmings and trappings. I was snapping pictures left and right of delightful faces enjoying themselves. Jacob blowing out candles, bouncing in the spiderman bounce house. Last night I went to download the photo memories and -
uh oh...apparently digital SLR cameras still take pictures without a memory card in them. Ouch, learned that the hard way. Silly me.

It's late right now, it's so late that it's tomorrow and I'm still up. Sewing projects, making presents on the computer, typing the Christmas letter. It was that nap from 7 - 9 tonight that got me. For some reason I think since I had that little nap I won't be tired when little ones wake me up in a couple of hours...silly me...silly, silly me.

Another Beliver

For those of you who don't know, I believed in Santa Claus until I was about 11 or 12. I got the news from reading my mom's Redbook magazine, where a reader wrote in about whether or not to tell her kids that Santa wasn't real. I was devastated. All of those years I spent fighting and arguing with my nonbelieving friends, I remember clear as day insisting to my friend Kajal (who didn't celebrate Christmas) that she just didn't believe, that you had to believe in order for Santa to come to your house.

So we were reading scriptures tonight about faith and I asked Nick what he thinks faith is. We talked about knowing that something is true even if we can't see it, and he says "Mom, some of my friends at school say that Santa isn't real. But I know he is. My friends Charlie and Preston and Wesley, we know that Santa is real even though the others say he isn't." Can you imagine how thrilled I was to hear this? I LOVE the magic of Christmas and I am so glad to have a true believer in the family!

Why You Should Never Leave Your Husband

...Home alone with the Christmas Tree. Because when you leave it will look like this:



And when you return it may look like this:

Did you notice besides the lights and ornaments are missing that the bottom half of the tree is missing! Apparently said tree toppled over so said husband thought maybe it was too bottom heavy. Some pruning shears and 50 branches later - my tree is half naked. I guess it's my fault for pining over (yes pun intended) such a beautiful tree.

Picking a tree off the back of a flat bed truck at Costco isn't exactly the same experience as going out to the woods and cutting one down as we always did as a kid. But who could pass up 33 dollars for a 7 ft Noble fir. We didn't even actually see the tree until we got it home and untied the ropes - and boy was it a beauty. This is the prettiest Noble Fir tree I had ever seen. It was perfectly symmetrical on all sides, no holes in it, and a nice strait top for the star. Even said husband whom I affectionately deem scrooge at Christmas time ooed and awed over such a beautiful tree. And when we got the lights on it, it was spectacular. I always let the kids put the ornaments wherever they want and have given up on having a perfect looking tree. It's more important to me to see the kids enjoying the tree and having their favorite ornaments where they want to put them. But this year, even with the ornaments all scitter scatter...it was a beautiful tree.

Now the lights are back on and the ornaments are placed where they were (75% of them on the front and grouped together) and it looks a little better. But I'm going to miss that big bushy bottom portion of my tree. sniff sniff

Run Away

I still need to post about my NYC trip last weekend, but this is fresh, doesn't involve photos, and I need to remember this moment: the first time my own child threatened to run away. I clearly remember many, many plots to run away, but did any of them occur this young, mom? Five???

After a very fun evening playdate that involved dinner with friends, we came home to get ready for bed when the wailing began. Can you believe that Mom said "No" when Nick started begging to watch Polar Express at bedtime after our fun evening out? After about thirty minutes of crying (who needs a girl anyway with this kind of drama?), he began listing all of the people who are mean to him: different friends and their offenses and everyone in the family except for Gavin. The plan was hatched: he decided he was going to get a tent and hike to Charlie's neighborhood to spend the night. He dressed himself in jeans and his favorite red polo and started to pack the PJs but got distracted as I read a book to Ryan. As I explained to him how much I loved him and how cold and lonely and scary it would be to run away, the crying began again as he wailed "But GOD will be with me!"

Oh dear. It took everything to not laugh out loud. I finally convinced him to get under the covers and he fell asleep, still mumbling that he was going to pack in the morning so he could run away....

What R U Up To?

Emma - sitting in front of the T.V. watching "Trashy Town" our new favorite show. No it's not what it sounds like. It's about Mr. Gilly who drives around Trashytown in his Trash Truck and collects the Trash. "Dump it in, Smash it down, Drive around the Trashy Town" "I love to clean up Trashytown". Sung to the catchiest tune ever that sticks in my head all day. Anyone ever seen it?

Jacob - Having a sleep over with grandma and grandpa for a couple of nights. Last night I realized how quiet it can be at night without someone getting up to go the bathroom 3 or 4 times and leaving the lights on. Seriously...small bladder on that kid.

Ben - throwing his cheese on the floor as he chants "ruit, ruit, ruit" (fruit). He's already had 2 fruit cups. Our last conversation goes something like this:
Mom: Want some yogurt?
Ben: ruit!
Mom: Cereal?
Ben: ruit
Mom: Eggs?
Ben: ruit, ruit, ruit!
Mom: Cheese?
Ben Cheese??
I give him the cheese...soon it all hits the floor "ruit, ruit, ruit!"

Mom - (that's me) sitting in my nice warm robe, peeling sticky foam tape off the wall next to my computer that some little hand stuck on there, and wondering which project I'm going to tackle in the next 2 hours before it's time to leave for school...pay bills? clean my room? Unpack from last weeks vacation? start designing my Christmas card? Start making that baby blanket for the shower tomorrow? clean up the kitchen? start planting the 100 bulbs sitting in a bag outside? get dressed? take a shower? so many options...I think I'll just sit and blog. Then I'll check all my friends blogs. Then I'll check their friends blogs so I can find out what interesting things other people, who I don't even know, are doing. That should fill my time until it's time to leave for school. I might try and squeeze that shower in there though...

I Am What I Create

Last week I blogged about Paradigms and left off with a promise to blog about the second person who has recently influenced my thoughts about motherhood. I'm sure you've been just waiting on pins and needles for more of my verbose diatribe that is my mind so here you go.

In October, Elder Uchtdorf gave a wonderful talk in Women's conference titled Happiness, Your Heritage that you can find here if you didn't hear it. It is a wonderful talk and I urge you to read it. The whole talk was awesome, but the one thing that stuck with me was when he talked about creating things. He talked about our inherent need and ability as humans to create things.

The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.

He then went on to talk about how some might say to themselves that they aren't good at doing anything, they aren't crafty, good at cooking, etc etc. but it simply isn't true. Everyone can create something. Everything we are doing as a mother is an act of creating. Having children in and of itself is creation. So, I have taken this to heart. I try to look at my daily tasks as tasks of creation rather than tasks of mundane routine. It really has made an impact on me and how I see the things I'm doing each day.

I created (with some help of course) three human beings. Three beautiful, amazing people and their very lives depend on me each day. I am responsible for what they eat, what they do, where they go, and what they learn each day. Although they have their free agency and decide how they feel and what actions they are going to take - I am the one teaching them either by my words or my actions how to act and live in this world. I am helping them fulfill the measure of their creation. Wow. That is a big but wonderful responsibility. One that I can either rejoice in and accept as an honor to fulfill each day, or one that I can wring my hands at and wonder what in the world was I thinking. (I have had both kinds of days and sure there will be many more of each).

I love creating things with my hands - scrapbooking, sewing(although I'm no good at it), paper crafts, baking, decorating, gardening... but this past year with the addition of a third child it has thrown off my ability to balance things I want to do with things I need to do to keep my family running and happy. After Elder Uchtdorf's talk I realized 2 things: First, the things I do for my family each day are acts of creation and there is so much more I can do with them to fulfill both my needs and theirs if I look for those opportunities. I've tried more to involve them in all the little projects I have going on around the house (even though it ends up taking twice as long sometimes) and I try to make the things I do each day - cook dinner, keep up the house etc. be more of an act of creation and love instead of something I just have to do. And second, I do need to make time to pursue my interests in creating as well so that I can be a happier mama. Emma and Jacob have been looking at their baby scrapbooks lately and asking where Ben's is...guilt, guilt, guilt.

So, I am trying in each task I do to look at it as a creation. I don't just make dinner, I create a pallet of flavor and aroma for my family to consume each night. I don't just clean the house, I create a healthy, clean atmosphere to raise my three cherubs in (ha ha). But you get my drift. So, here are a few things I have created lately in my new found world of creativism:

I created these yummy Halloween Cupcakes for Emma's bake sale at school.

I created these fun bunk beds for Jacob and one day for Ben. They used to be Dave's and they were this super ugly brown wood color from the 70's. I spent weeks sanding them, priming them and painting them a deep blue to match their dresser. Then I found these cutest airplane bedspreads online that both Jacob and I love.

Anyway, over the next few months I'll post other things I create...

Inside my head

Baking with my kids is not fun. I keep forgetting that I hate it and then I find myself with two flour-covered children sticking their fingers in their mouths and then back in the bowl and I can't tell where the dough ends and the snot begins and I feel cranky instead of joyful that they are making wonderful childhood memories with Mom.

We are "those" people at Costco. When we first joined five years ago, we decided it was worth the membership fee for the savings on diapers and milk. We saw a cute family from church there last night with their little baby and five things in their cart and I had to laugh as I looked back at our TWO carts full to the brim, two children strapped in and one on my husband's shoulders. And I don't even browse the "middle-aisle death-trap", sticking to my list. We did finally sign up for the Gold Star and AmEx rewards, so on top of the $38 in coupons I saved last night, we should be getting several hundred dollars back from Costco at the end of the year. I seriously cannot imagine how anyone affords to feed more than five people.

I love my middle child again. He has spent the last month or so pushing me dangerously close to the brink of insanity, but I finally grew up and started loving him for the sweet, tender, compassionate, and imaginative boy he is. I have really enjoyed stopping whatever I'm doing and playing with him and found myself completely in love with his cute little face again. He loves me so much even when I am yelling at him at the top of my lungs for completely unloading his closet AND all of my baby clothes out of their bins organized by size and season. I don't get it.

While on the subject of Ryan and clothes, he is obsessed with raiding my bathing suit drawer and prancing around the house in my women's tankinis. I love him too much to post photos of these lovely ensambles, so you'll have to visualize him with my bathing suit bottoms on and then hiked up around his shoulders to secure the suit on. I guess he'll be comfy in a singlet or speedo if he decides to pick up wrestling or swim team one day.

Why do I always feel the need to nominate myself for Mom of the Day when I let my kids play with play dough? Why do I hate it so much? Why do I get excited when I pack up less playdough than we started with? Why do I even keep it in the house and then just whine about it?

I am counting the minutes until girls' weekend in NYC tomorrow through Sunday! My mom and sister and I are all going up to visit my sister who lives there and YEAH we are going to have a good time! My little sis is a walking expert on everything NY. Last time my husband and I were up there, we called her at every meal time, gave her our cross streets, and she pulled out an amazing recommendation. Food. Check. Shopping. Check. Fun. Check. Did I mention 50 hours of time without my adorable children? I'm sure I will come home loving them even more. And their dad. Can't forget him now!

Loving Christmastime, yes we actually got out our Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving and I love having my tree up. It makes my empty dining room seem a little less empty. And for some strange reason Gavin hasn't discovered the joy of undecorating it yet. I swallowed tradition and went fake this year and LOVE IT! It's nothing amazing out of a magazine and I don't take beautiful magazine-quality photos, but here's a photo anyway.

Christmas shopping is not done but under control. I am feeling relaxed and happy. Is there a giant ball of stress waiting for me to walk around the corner so it can dump on me? Will I really make a "poo-poo butt" cake like Ryan keeps requesting for his birthday? What is The Office going to be about tonight? What will I wear my new boots with? Did I tell you I paid $45 for $200 worth of black and brown boots? Does my husband appreciate what a good shopper I am? Well, I'd love to chat more but my kids are banging down the pantry door, gotta get some food on the table!

Many Thanks

Here's the post-Thanksgiving recap. We went to Arizona this Thanksgiving to spend time with my grandparents and family there. We had a very nice time together and yummy food cooked by grandma. Is there any meal better than a Thanksgiving meal? Honestly...is there?

The road trip wasn't too bad. Here are a few of the most popular phrases of the trip:

Emma: "Are we there yet?"
Jacob: "I see a train!" (lots of trains on that drive)
Jenny: "Um Honey, do you think you could not check your email while your driving next to the semi...in the rain. Thanks."
Dave: "I just love this new Guns and Roses album. It's so unlike anything they've done before. Listen to this song. Oh, and you have to hear this song...It's just like, so cool. I just love this new Guns and Roses album." (Jenny: snore, snore.)


Anyway, I know it's after Thanksgiving by I've been thinking of the many things I'm thankful for. Here are just a few:


My wonderful family, of course - children, husband extended family - somehow I lucked out.
Awesome, wonderful friends that I couldn't live without.
My hard working husband that provides me with the income to have fun fixing up my yard.
Warm flannel sheets.
A house I love coming home to after a vacation.
Sales and bargains. Seriously, I've gotten some good ones lately. Like 15 free bags of rubber mulch from the guy at home depot because he didn't want to load them back on the pallet.