School!!

I am so excited to announce that all three of our school-aged kids are now in school - yipee!!!

Alicia in 4th grade, Kimberly in 6th
and Natalie in Preschool.

When Natalie isn't in preschool, she and Megan find PLENTY of things to keep them busy. They are happy as clams to be on their own without their older sisters around and they follow each other EVERYWHERE!

They love to do each others hair.
Well, let me clarify, I think it's Natalie doing Both girls' hair.

They spend time coloring together.

They are constantly in the sand pile -
it is my absolute favorite thing we have put in for the kids.
(Okay, John put it in, but I did help with the sand - that is BEACH sand I had put in,
not the more popular regular sand most have -
it is luxurious)

I wasn't kidding about them doing everything together.
I think mostly it's Megan following Natalie around,
but thankfully, Natalie puts up with it.

As we speak, they are both playing the piano -
Natalie on the low notes,
and Megan on the high notes.

Okay, so there's more...

yes, they are getting hooked on junk food together.

And they watch Sesame Street together.
Monkey See...Monkey Do.

And one of their other most favorite thing to do -
playing Legos for hours.

Hours my friends.

Best investment we ever made for the kids
way back when Kimberly was two.
Kudos to Legos for building such sturdy toys.

So, you'd think Megan would have a hard time while Natalie is off at preschool.

Not one iota of trouble.

Today she spent most of her time playing contently with her cars.
Sigh. I am a happy mother right now.
Of course, that might change when 3:30 p.m. rolls around,
but for now, I'll relish my sanity having returned to normal
and my blood pressure back to regular levels.

Spots - Never a good sign

I was thinking that I love blogging about my adventures, but I've decided I would like to blog on occasion about my thoughts, you know, those ramblings that occur in your head that you don't ever say out loud. So feel free to peruse through my more thoughtier blogs if you so desire, but by no means will I be offended if you skip over them (not that I'd ever know, really).

I loved being in my 20s. I liked my bod, my hair, my face, everything really, that is until a few years ago when gals started moving into my neighborhood that I thought looked about my age. Come to find out, I am a mere 10 years older (and now even more than that for the even newer newcomers).

Sadly, I started reassessing my real age and the fact that my skin was no longer as taut looking as it was back then. I really did believe that in my 20s, I would be happy and love turning the older ages - of course I wouldn't complain like all of those other 30 and 40-somethings who were always griping about some body issue that wasn't the same anymore. I would be happy to be alive, no griping from me, no-siree bob.

That is, until I hit 29 and three-quarters and the looming 30th birthday was skidding my way. I was not the happy camper I had envisioned in earlier years. I got the uncomfortable blues about my age and started examining my face and discovered the nitty gritty that I had been denying for the months previous. I began to take inventory of the dark age spots that had begun forming on my face, the crinkles that were just starting to make themselves known between my eyebrows, and the less-than perky looking skin that used to glow at an earlier date.

I was not happy. whatsoever. I set up an appointment with a dermatologist to find out how to make those horrid age spots disappear. He gave me the unpleasant news: not a single over-the-counter product would work removing those spots, no matter how much those advertisers try to tell you otherwise and the only stuff that would work was some crazy-expensive small bottle of miracle spot remover. Of course, if I wanted to try and buy it from Canada, it might be a little less expensive he told me. Now, things might have changed since then - this was 6 years ago, but I seriously doubt it.

Though I was seriously considering buying the stuff just so I could feel better about myself, that is until he told me the next unpleasant bit: no using the stuff while pregnant. We were thinking about getting pregnant at the time, so out the window went that idea.

I went home and found some great {expensive} make-up that I bought for my birthday, and that seemed to do the trick for awhile, until I realized a short while ago that without even realizing it, I slowly stopped worrying about the age spots. I quietly stopped saying hello to my forehead crinkle lines every morning, and I stopped squishing my pudgy gut that has been looming ever since my first baby, and no matter how many sit-ups, diet plans, or exercise plans I have done, 11 years later, I still have an extra friend around my waist keeping me company. But really, I have come to accept my fate and am finally happy with myself - age spots and all.

I can't say what the magic formula for coming to this conclusion was, only that it took some time, it took a smashing of sadness for loosing the younger-version of me, but eventually that sadness dissipated without even saying good bye to me, until I realized belatedly that it was gone.

Now, I'm not saying I won't go through this again when the grey-hair fairy starts sprinkling her magic on my head, but until then, I like this feeling, so I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

That's all for now.

One Doesn't Look Like the Other

Our lone zucchini from the garden got put to good use tonight. How can such a disgusting looking creation of brown goo with chunks of thinly sliced vegetable actually turn into such a sweet-tasting concoction? I have never figured out the secret to zucchini bread's success, but here you have it, my zucchini bread from tonight where I added my favorite ingredient to one loaf, while my other loaf remains naked.

I have one daughter who hates having chocolate chips in anything other than the occasional chocolate chip cookie. How can that possibly be when she is of my direct lineage? I put chocolate chips in everything - cinnamon rolls, Rice Krispie treats, Brownies, and yes, even zucchini bread. Every time I make something, she requests I leave some chocolate-chip less. How un-fabulous tasting is that? Apparently to her taste buds, mighty taste worthy. My thoughts? Simply atrocious. and yes, I do buy chocolate chips in bulk, on a very regular basis.

The other thing I discovered about the zucchini bread making process tonight, is that I think my oldest daughter, Kimberly (the very one who hates the brown kissy-looking things in the baked goods), has surpassed my baking skills.

She has been the one baking zucchini bread for the last couple of years. Apparently this year, she has moved on to bigger and better things as I couldn't talk her into whipping up a batch with our lone zucchini, so I was relegated to the infamous chore. I mean really, we can't have a garden zucchini go to waste, especially if it will be our only budlet this summer, right?

I opened my recipe book up to the page with my delicious zucchini bread recipe, and lo-and-behold, she has made her own notes! What?!? ...and I quote...'add ginger for extra sweetness.' Uh, guess I should take some cooking classes, as I'm a stick-to-the recipe type gal, nary a waver from the printed out instructions. I do believe Kimberly has got some of her dad's culinary skills when it comes to adding a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, always informing me she has added a secret ingredient to things. So far, she's had good success with amazingly, no weird tasting secret ingredients out of place.

Well, now that the bread is done, I do believe I will have a bedtime snack before getting some much-needed shut-eye. mmmmm...

Hodge Podge of Adventures

I am avoiding the mountainous pile of school papers that need my signature by doing something much more exciting - blogging our weekend adventures.

Adventure #1

Wedding bliss for John's brother, Justin, and his now wife, Heather, whom we love dearly - and her oh-so-cute 4-year-old daughter who just fits right in with all of the other cousins. Cheers to the two of you!

The whole Rimington clan came to celebrate (minus the sorely missed twin missionaries).

Okay Justin, you thought we were the nice, sweet sisters and mom? mwahahaha...

Bet you didn't expect that one from us!
Don't worry, he made sure to dunk all of us (well, most of us) in Bear Lake the next day.

Adventure #2

Nothing like celebrating your honeymoon with the ENTIRE family at Bear Lake. With all due respect to the honeymooners, they knew what they were getting into when they planned their wedding 3 weeks ago. Marian and her family were in town, so the blissful couple decided now would be the perfect time for their union. We thought so too.

Anyway, as you all know so well by now (since I have blogged about our annual Bear Lake trip with the Rimingtons for 3 years in a row, and it just might be getting old), I'll just give you a brief low-down with pictures:

all of the grandkiddios in attendance.
Since our normal beach just south of Garden City was completely covered in water, we had to relocate ourselves to the north beach. Crowded, but plenty of sand to go around.

Who is that sexy mama?
The mama eating junk-food galore with chips, oreos, licorice, pop, and many, many more tasty things not so good for the bod, but alas, what makes the lake trips all the more memorable.

Yah, bet ya didn't know you could make snow angels in sand? Well, on second thought, you probably knew that already. Cute nonetheless.

I am a tad disappointed with myself. I only took a handful of pictures. You'd think we'd been to Bear Lake with the clan a time or two already. I'm getting photo-lazy. Seriously need to step up my game.


Adventure #3

Getting all of the kids new school supplies to fit in their backpacks Sunday night for the sweet, sweet joy of school today. ahh, Blessed was the peace and quietness for a few hours before, of course, an early out on the first day. Thankfully tomorrow resumes normal schedule for the full-day of much-needed older kid-free time for me. I might even make strawberry jam. That is a big might because the lure of the back porch and my book may be calling to me. Oh, and of course, playing with the only one left at home not in school this year - (that is when Natalie starts preschool up next week)

This was Natalie's attempt at doing her hair. She is quickly surpassing her mother in hair skills, wouldn't you say? (you did notice my beautiful do in the lake picture above?) I ask myself on an almost daily basis why I was blessed with four girls and I was not blessed with an ounce of hair talent. At least I know how to take them to my hair stylist for cute hair cuts.

That would be the end of our weekend adventures for now. We'll see what adventures this week has in store for us.

What to Do With Your Pennies

Wow - two blog postings from me in one day. I do believe that is a record-setting event for me.

I just had to share my good-found news with my pals that live around here because there are deals to be had on school supplies my dearies!!

Thanks to my expert couponer sister, Shannon, I was informed last night of some steals on school supplies, her being a teacher and all, trust me when I say she knows her deals.

A simple visit to Office Max (asap by the way) will provide you with 100 sheets of college-ruled paper for .... ONE CENT!! I didn't think I had read it correctly, but all 3 packages rang up as 1 measly penny. Onward to pencils, 12 count for $0.99. Next up, spiral bound notebooks - 70 page count for 99 cents as well - and, Aaaack - HALT - I just noticed, the guy rang up Kimberly's foam board twice!! Dangit. I'm going to have to go back and get that fixed. She's entering some photos of hers into the Davis County Fair and they need to be on foam board.

...anyway, onward to my steel-of-a-deals, which now that I was overcharged an extra $6 does not seem like such a steal anymore. Colored pencils were $1.99, composition books $1.79, and crayons for $1.99.

I still have a few more items to get (and now a return to Office Max for a refund), but I can see how people get hooked on couponing. I have been on cloud 9 all evening thinking of the deals I got away with.

On a total side note, Megan said the cutest thing this evening that I just have to share with you. We were on the way home from a wedding reception and Natalie's tummy wasn't feeling so hot - probably from the 3 suckers she had at the reception, so she had started to wimper. Megan (who is only 22 months mind you,) looked over and in a very tender voice asked, Sad? Sad? You could just see the concern for her sister in her eyes and it just melted my motherly heart. Moments like those make the other frustrating moments more do-able.

Now, back to the issue at hand. Ladies, get a jump on those school deals and do let me know if you find some other good sales elsewhere.

Sand In the Nether-Regions

...and just for the record before I proceed - 10 more days. You would think I would be a little more prepared for the girls' start of school, but all they have so far is new shoes. I would have their other stuff too, but after the ghastly cost of shoes taking up my entire back-to-school budget, I will now be looking for extra change in the couch cushions to afford the page-long list of supplies the girls need to have by the first day of school (not that I'm complaining - those poor teachers spend way too much out of their pockets for my girls, so I am more than happy to provide our fair share).

Things are actually going quite swimmingly with the girls at home, especially since a good portion of the last two weeks have been spent at the beach or water parks with the lovely summer shine upon us turning my girls' skin ever-browner.

Here we are at the beach with my sister-in-law Marian and her kids - I love having them in town from New York.



We enjoyed a day at the water park with one of my other sisters-in-law, Gail a few days ago, but after getting the car jumped before we left due to one of the girls (who still has not fessed up to it) leaving the car door open all night, I completely forgot to pack my camera.

We also visited Liberty park last week where they have a fun section of park filled with water holes, wading areas, and waterfalls. A blissful day in the sun keeping my kids occupied.

Yesterday, we made our way back to the beach with our friends. Just try and keep track of your kids with this sea of neighborhood kids:

That's right, there were about 20 plus kids there from our group.

Here's a few of the girlies from the midst.
And of course, their lovely mothers -

I am blessed to have such fun and loving gal pals from my neighborhood to hang out with at the beach.

One more week with one more beach trip and then it will be back to the grind of school. I must admit, I have enjoyed our lazy, care-free mornings and late nights out in the summer sun. All good things must come to an end though.

19 Days

Oh my friends, it is that time - you know, the time when I have hit my absolute max of kid-time summer fun. I have officially begun the days until school countdown. So, as of this very moment, 19 days it is.

Look -

Even Kimberly is ready for school having done up this diorama 'for fun'. She kept booting me off the computer for what I thought was going to be computer games, but she insisted she wanted to learn more about endangered whales.

See? Summer school paid off.