In Mammas Shoes

For all of you who don't sit on my blog following links to all of the friends on my blog list I would just like to announce.....

Courtney has started her own blog. Gabby will be soon to follow. We will set it to private for the safety of my children so hurry and add them to your list or send us your email address or something or other....not really sure how to set a blog to private but we will figure it out soon I hope.

Go read her blog, it's prety good stuff....

thecrazysideofme.blogspot.com

While Mom's Out Driving...

Dear Mom,

I know you're eventually going to want to check your blog, and through past experiences you might have realized that I'm not the best when it comes to saying how I feel. But you know what, for you right now I'm going to try, and while trying I'll also do my best to avoid sounding cheesy...no promises though.

I tease you-a lot. I give you attitude-a lot. I mumble and grumble about half the stuff you make me do-a lot. But mom, I also love you-a lot.

I know that I've given you a lot of grief over getting a job, and the idea of you making money seemed like it would be the perfect fix for whatever financial fix we're in. But sitting here, I'm thinking about the things I'd be miss out on if you were hardly home. A homecooked, made from a recipe meal for starters. Could you imagine me trying to cook every night? I already feel bad for my future husband who will undoubtedly either be having 1) a lot of Ramon Noodles or 2) a LOT of overcooked/undercooked/burnt meals. Not only would our whole family be missing out on the yummy food (I know you're thinking 'sure because you eat my food ALL the time', but really it's just me being stubborn) but I know that if you weren't around waking my butt up at 11 or noon every day I'd probably end up laying there in bed, eating, sleeping, and eventually getting fat.

You also, though sometimes I really wish you wouldn't, drag me to church. I don't think you realize how grateful I am, and yes I am to blame for not letting you know, that you have raised us with the gospel. Being able to fall back on the teachings and lessons, and things that I have been taught and that I know are true have actually come as a great relief to me during some of my dark days.

I've always known where Courtney gets her peacemaking skills from. Our house would probably be a living hell hole, with us all laying in a puddle of blood because we killed each other (nice image huh) if you weren't there to straighten out the petty arguments over the computer, a new toy, or the remote. Not only that but you discipline us when we need it. (I never need it of course ;) I haven't been afraid of dad when he gets mad or yells or whatever for a long long time, but you...when you get all fired up and mad, it's really very terrifying. I swear you Morrison women....

I realize that in our entire family, extended and otherwise, I am sort of viewed as Public Enemy No. 1. I'm the rebellious teen who can't seem to get a hold of her life, makes bad choices, and everyone feels sorry for her parents because they know how hard they try. Of course people in our family are way too subtle to go outright and say it, but I notice how everybody takes to all the other kids, and then you know "there's 'ol Gabby, remember when she used to be a sweetie..." Ok I kid, I was never really a sweetie, and I'm probably overexaggerating, but Ma I do love your side of the family even though I pretend that I have absolutely NO Morrison blood in me. Sure Jess and Mona are the 'mean aunts' in my book :D, and I hardly get to see Vic, but oh well when I do see her it's always fun, and i still love all of my aunts and uncles nonetheless.

So Mom, you're probably almost home...hopefully, and to wrap this up I'd like to let you know that I love you very much. I already know that I don't tell you nearly as much as I should, but I want you to remember that even when it may seem like I don't, that's really when I love you the most, I'm just too hardheaded to admit it. And I saw your expression fall after you got done reading the conversation that went on between me and Trent's mom, but you need to realize that YOU'RE the best mom out there, and that I am SO grateful that you're my mother. I wouldn't replace you for anyone. Just always remember that in this family you're worth a lot. Definitely a TON more than everyone gives you credit for. Don't ever forget how much Heavenly Father loves you, and how much your family loves and needs you. You could never be replaced.

I love you Mommy!
Love,
Gabby

Swathing With Dad

Since Larry has been a Manager here at Horizon Organic, with all the paperwork and schmoozing that goes with it, he doesn't have many opportunities to drive the equipment. Which is kind of sad in a way because Braden LOVES to ride with his Daddy.

However, every once in a while Larry will get to drive a swather or chopper and call us to come and ride. And by "US" I mean Braden rides and mom drives him to and from the field. The other day Braden rode with Larry from eleven in the morning until four in the afternoon. Today I needed to take Larry a lunch on the swather so I loaded Braden up and away we went. I told Braden that we were going to ride with Dad and that Mom was coming too. He was a little concerned that Mom was "too big" for the buddy seat in the swather. (What's he sayin anyway?) That we wouldn't both fit.

(Larry got the functional swather and we were able to go 3mph. Saul wasn't as lucky)

Braden, who was sitting on my lap thought I was cramping his style because he asked me more than once to sit on the floor so he could sit on the buddy seat by Dad. We only stayed about an hour, much shorter than Braden would have liked, but he was torn between staying with Dad and coming home with Mom.

(A disgruntled three year old )

(We were clowning around for our blog)

Spilled Milk

Tonight as I was reflecting on my day, wiping the microscopic bugs off my counter in preparation to make dinner

(Picture of the bug, the staple is used as a size reference)

I found myself wondering what it would be like to live in town. Where the grass is greener and the bugs are fewer. At least that's how it is in my fantasies. What would it be like to live in a house of my own choosing? Preferably one that hasn't been lived in previously by four generations of farmers. A house that I wouldn't have to co-habitate with rats, mice, bugs or spiders. A house within walking distance of the mall or some major shopping center, that way when these doldrums strike as they sometimes do I would be a few short steps away from the endorphin releasing pastime that is shopping! Oh man, what would it be like?


These were my thoughts as I was preparing the potatoes to bake in the microwave (if they bake in the microwave can I really call them "baked" potatoes? There must be some other name for microwave baked potatoes).

And then my thoughts circled around and I asked myself what had I done today? Why did it feel like I had accomplished nothing.


I mean, we were having baked potatoes for dinner for goodness sake.....as a MAIN DISH!

But then I remembered all that I had done or rather, the few things of consequence that I accomplished that took so much of my day.

Cleaning the car for example, took three hours! Three hours! What possesses me? It seemed so simple at first. Vacuum the sand out of the car from the dirty feet after swimming at the lake the day before. Pretty easy right? Well then, what was that funky smell coming from the rug on the rear passenger side? Spilled milk? Why yes, yes it is. Mmmmmmm! Does anyone know what spilled milk smells like when it soaks into a rug in a hot car? Not a smell you would want to drive around with for hours at a time that's for sure! So after I vacuum the car, I move on to shampooing the carpets. Not just the spilled milk carpet because then the color of the other carpets wouldn't match. After the carpets are clean, roughly two hours later, Braden and I move on to washing the exterior. Why, you may ask am I washing my car by hand rather than taking it to a car wash to let them wash it for me for six dollars? Well, I am saving money, that's why. Something that takes a car wash technician (yes, they have been elevated to technician status in my book now) all of five minutes to do, takes me a full hour to do. BUT, I am saving money gall darn it!

Then later as I am dragging my tired self into the house Braden meets me at the door and tells me Santa is here! That perked me up just a little bit because I know Santa doesn't usually make house calls but once a year so I started to picture the things Santa might have brought me in June, like a million dollars or a house in town. Sadly, it wasn't to be. It wasn't REALLY Santa but his inflatable look alike that we keep in the storage room until the snow falls on the grass. Braden thought it would be a good idea to bring him inside, plug him in, and give mom a little bit of the Christmas Spirit. It worked and I didn't have the heart to tell Braden that Santa won't be coming for another six months

(you just try telling that adorable little boy no.)

And then, because Braden didn't feel like he had helped mom enough already today he decided to pour himself a glass of milk. Most of the gallon ended up in a sticky pile at his feet. He was quick to offer to clean it up (he's good at guessing when mom is about to the breaking point).

And he's good at teaching mom lessons. I learned (yet again) from my three year old that there's no sense crying over spilled milk, wishing for a house in town or resenting the small insects that live in my home.

The milk gets cleaned up, the house in town probably DOES have bugs

and I bet you, I just bet you, the grass isn't really greener over there anyway!

My Abundant Apologies

It has very recently come to my attention that there are certain people in my life who are not happy with my blogging frequency {or lack thereof}. So I come here today to:

1. offer my sincerest apologies to my loyal readers {all six of you}

2. do my best to explain my absence,

3. make up for this discrepancy by posting a new blog!

Since this blog is entitled "my abundant apologies" and item number one actually says in its text "offer my sincerest apologies" thereby using the word apologies five times already in the first few sentences of this post we will consider that item finished and cross it off of the list. {I really am sorry, I should blog more often, for the good of everybody. Thank you for the reminder you whose name starts with a V and ends with an A. {I endeavor to protect the privacy of all my readers}}

Now on to number two. I could sit here and explain what I have been doing, where I have been and who I've been doing it with but I'm afraid that the mundane details of my life would bore you to tears. Suffice it to say, I have been busy. I know, I know, it's the old standby...but it's the TRUTH. To save you from straining your eyes too much as you read this post and to keep it relatively short I will just give you the highlights.....

Saturday last we hooked up a rented U-Haul, and headed off on one of our small time adventures. My mother in law who lives in Nampa is remodeling the upstairs of her house and had some things that needed to be thrown out. So while she was throwing, I told her I could catch! We ended up with some really great new {to us} furniture for our house. Gabby got her long awaited for queen size bed, I got a new t.v for the bedroom upstairs, Courtney and Ally put the small arm chair in their bedroom and we used the small entertainment center for our family room {Larry had been hating ours for quite some time}. There were some small odds and ends that we found a place for. The landscape has changed just a little in our Family Room.

The next morning, Sunday, we had most of the stuff put away but our family room was still a mess. The new stand was set up but that left the old entertainment center in the middle of the room right in front of the TV. As we were getting ready for church Braden who in his own words "not like church mom" {to which I reply, "but you have to like church if you are going to go on a mission"} was nowhere to be found. I searched high and low, calling his name to no avail. In my wanderings I noticed the TV on downstairs, decided to check it out and found this.....

tucked quietly inside....

And for those of you who know me, you know that I am a little bit impulsive...it's a curse and a blessing. But Sunday night I was looking at some new pics of my adorable baby nephew and realized that he was almost two weeks old and I hadn't gotten to see him! It was a crime of the highest degree that we live only an hour and a half away and I hadn't even made the short drive to hold him. So in that moment I decided that Monday morning we would go see him. Well, at the gas station on the way to see baby I was chatting for a moment with a gal I know from town when her brother in law pulls up and asks us both "hey anybody want a dog?" One peek at this little guy and I knew he would be ours. He was half starved both for love and want of food so we named him Charlie {or Oliver it's not quite decided} and gave him a home.

(Charlie)

Finally after two weeks I got my baby fix. And it's probably a good thing I am fixed otherwise......

(Baby James)

See what happens when I don't blog for awhile. There, I have fully satisfied all three items on my blogging to do list. Thanks for hanging out long enough to read to the end of this post. I hope you were well compensated for your efforts and from here on out I shall endeavor to do better.

Apology Accepted?

Culinary Masterpiece

Did you know being a parent is a tough job? If no one has ever told you this before then consider yourself forewarned {you can thank me later}. It so tough in fact that every once in awhile I just don't want to do it. You heard me right! One or two days a week {okay seven} I take some time to myself and just chill. Whether it's with a book, a hot bath, a quiet walk, or some precious hours of afternoon sleep. About an hour to myself in the afternoon and I can handle the rest of the day. This is an especially important time when the kids are in school because as soon as that school bus arrives we are slogged down with homework, ball games, dinner and the coming day. When I take this time however, it leaves my children to their own defenses. I'm mostly okay with that. It has encouraged independence and tenacity in my kids AND leaving them to their own wiles has also taught them that if mom doesn't want to be bothered, then they just have to do it themselves.



These past few days every time Braden is left to his own defenses he has been experimenting with his culinary skills. This last time happened the other day while I was in the office taking my break on the internet {hey Larry gets a lunch break, why dont' I?}. I heard the banging of pots and pans from the kitchen above and knew that I would soon be treated to the delicious flavors of salt and pepper soup, Braden's specialty




Apparently the soup has to simmer in the oven for a few minutes as well.


It's a good thing he showed me these little plastic dishes hiding in the oven lest we have a situation like the one Courtney created {she was about the same age actually} when she put a stick in the oven and mom turned the oven on not knowing about the stick. Did you know that if you leave a dry piece of wood in the oven and turn it on to about 400 degrees that said wood will start on FIRE. FYI for anyone needing an indoor campfire.

He was good enough to clean up after himself everytime he spilled soup on the floor.

I don't know about you but I think I've got a chef in the making.

GOOD! Here in about two more years, he can make dinner and I can have a BREAK!

I Feel Violated....!

So I mentioned my new neighbors a few posts back. How they are always staring at us and seemed so overly involved in our lives.

Courtney had the idea that we might actually be entertaining to them. She asked me the other day "Mom, what if we are like their reality TV?" They sit on the ground right out in front of our kitchen window just watching. They have about twenty acres to wander and this is where they choose to spend their time. I hadn't considered this but it made sense especially after breakfast the other morning....We were sitting eating our breakfast, Courtney, Ally, Braden and I when we hear a MOOOOO! that sounds awfully close to the house. We all looked out my laundry room window and were a little bit surprised by our fence jumping neighbor. She didn't have a camera hanging from her neck but I thought she should have the way she was staring in our window and ignoring the rules of polite society.

It was a little bit creepy and kind of made me feel like I was in a fish bowl. I believe Courtney that we are like celebrities to them but what about our privacy? I wouldn't be surprised if she had one of those pen sized spy cameras and was selling our blown up pictures to "Udder Weekly".

But in all seriousness, this stalking as got to STOP. I have children. They have needs. And I don't want to end up like some of those crazy celebrities who have their lives destroyed by the papparazzi.....ever heard of Jon and Kate? Yah, so you get my drift.

She was quick in her get away and I would really appreciate your help in locating the perp. A description and larger picture follows....

She has big brown cow eyes, four legs and only speaks in MOO. Goes by the name Gertie. If you happen to see her please don't try to detain her, I don't think she is armed but she is definitley hoofed and could be dangerous.

Keep an eye out for me will ya? Thanks!

She's Bonafide and Official, Look Out Teenage Years Here She Comes!

Uh Oh, I'm not going to make it. This post is supposed to be Courtney's online shoutout for her birthday but by the time I actually press the post button it is going to show June 2nd. Oh man do I feel like crap! She has razzed me and razzed me about my posting activities saying "oh look another post about Gabby" and "Who's this one about now? Not Braden?" The poor kid is having some major middle child syndrome and I'm not sure why.......

She is however, doing her best to cope in her Courtney way.

Making me laugh constantly. Her quips about her ghetto upbringing are some of my favorites. She's going to have a ton of good stuff for Dr Phil here in about ten years. She'll sell books, count on it!

Hovering near always. Did I ever mention the time that as a five year old she was laying in the middle of the kitchen floor arms and legs spread wide, spinning around talking to me while I cooked. I tripped on her three times before I had to ask her to move.....and she did.... about six inches over. Just left of center.

And helping out where she can. Today as we were leaving our birthday induced shopping trip at the mall Braden cried all the way out to the car that he wanted a smoothie. I didn't want to wait in line so we just skipped it. Courtney who was a few minutes behind because she was getting her own smoothie came out bearing two smoothies, one for her and one for Braden. What a GREAT kid.

Courtney at Three years old. Can you believe she did that makeup job all by herself? Fabulous if you ask me.

And now Ten years later, she's a teenager now! Look out world here she comes!

Happy Thirteenth Birthday my little lambchop!

Hope it was a great one!

P.S. I made it in time! Whew!!

"Me Not Have Nuff"

I just LOVE taking the kids shopping with me. {Please read that with all of the sarcasm intended}. They are constantly begging me to buy them this or that, and there is usually something that they have needed forever and just now remembered to tell mom about. No, is a word that they have come to both despise and expect. I learned by reading an article in the Ensign the other day that it's okay to say "we can't afford it" so I have been using it a lot lately!

Two days ago while shopping at Walmart Braden said something that I have been mulling over since then. When I go to Walmart with all of the kids sometimes it is easiest to send Courtney to the toy section with Braden and Ally to let them LOOK at the toys. Ally understands that they are just browsing but Braden has a little bit of trouble with this concept. To prove it he comes running to find me in the garden section [right next to the toy section] with his arms full of toys. A new tractor and a great big fireman's helmet. He presents them to me and says "me buy them mom?" What could I say to those adorable blue puppy dog eyes? He really did look cute standing there all pleading like. But considering we had just bought a new loader and truck set the last time we were in Walmart [he's kind of good at what he does] I had to tell him No. I'm sure you can imagine how that went over.....like a load of bricks. He ended up throwing a fit in the middle of the hose and glove section after I asked Courtney to go and put the toys back on the shelf. Since this wasn't my first turn around the block with this sort of thing I calmly lifted him up and put him in the seat of the cart.

While I'm pushing the cart he is wailing [yes, I was one of THOSE mom's with one of THOSE kids in Walmart who yell and cry as they are working their way through the store] still trying to plead his case "mom buy me toy" in his loud crying voice and me trying to calm him with the adult rationalization that "people are looking at us buddy, they are thinking that we should be hog tied and gagged or at the very least kicked out of the store, can you calm down and we will discuss this like the rational adults that we are not?" Can you imagine the scene? It would have been funny had it not been so tragic.

Then Braden drops the bomb that got me to thinking.....in the middle of his hysteria he sobs out, "me.... not.... have...[sniff, sniff]....nuff.... toys". I stop the cart and just look at him [incidentally the lady in front of me turns around and gives me the biggest grin]. I ask him "what did you say bud?" he repeats himself "me not have nuff toys". Oh it was priceless I tell you. My poor little boy who's bedroom is overflowing with cars, and tractors , who can't find enough places to store the abundance doesn't have enough. I then reminded him about the many toys he had at home waiting for him and for good measure asked him to pick up his toys when he got home reminding him again to notice how many toys he does have.

Once again, I got to thinking [I'm sorry, I just think too much, hence the many blogs] and I remembered that morning whining [in essence] in my prayers that, although grateful for my blessings, I still didn't have enough. "Could I please have this," or, "I need that". I wonder if sometimes Heavenly Father feels like we're on one great big shopping trip and He is the parent that has to gently and firmly say no, not this time or please notice all that you DO have. Being human as I am it seems so easy to forget, sometimes, the abundance that we have been blessed with. Our lives are full to overflowing with everything we need to be happy [that's what I tell my kids at least].

Since it seems to be an issue with myself as well as Braden, in the future, I am going to try and remember that I do have e"nuff".

Progress

It only took Fifteen Years, Nine Months, Two weeks, and Four Days....

Can you imagine washing fifteen~twenty loads of laundry a week? Well, that is my work load every week, fifteen on a slow week, closer to twenty or more when the bedding gets washed. So something's gotta give, right? Other than making the kids wear the same clothes that they put on in the morning throughout the day {novel idea isn't it?} I have been at a loss about how to lighten the load {or loads in this case}. As a solution to this problem I have asked everyone in my family for a couple of years now to reuse their bath towel for the week. You do the math; six people times seven towels {6*7=42} equals 42 towels a week, now ain't that something? But when you multiply six people times one towel, well, that's another story. Gabby and I so far are the only two that fully comply {maybe it's because we are the only ones who actually do any laundry around this joint}. Courtney and Ally both have good intentions I think. They wear a towel to their room, hang it on the bedpost to dry to be used the next time they shower, right on top of the other three that they have there from days before {guess where I go when I am running short on towels to wash}. Braden just grabs a hand towel and wraps it around the important parts and drips dry {what a man!} . And Larry has absolutely refused to reuse his towel {"it's disgusting", again, not doing laundry, has no idea how much time it takes}.........until now.


I came in to take a shower the other day and was confused by this......

I had no idea who's it was so I took it down and used it to stomp my soaking wet feet all over. Only later to be asked by Larry "hey, who took my towel off the hook?" Imagine my surprise!!

Larry is FINALLY reusing his towel! What prompted this? I don't know but as Katie said "miracles still do happen". He will only reuse it once {unlike Chad Kennison who knows it's time to throw his towel in the wash when it can stand alone in the corner}

but that folks is what we call Progress!