I Really Should Get Out More....

There was a retirement party last night for a lady at Chris' work, so he took me with him to the dinner. I think Shelby was more excited than I was because as soon as she got home from school, she started pulling things out of my closet trying to decide what I should wear! She even resorted to running up to her room and getting things from her closet that were "really big" on her because she was sure I would fit in them. While I am flattered that she would think I could fit into her size 1 skinny jeans, I knew there was not a chance they would come up past my knees! Much to her chagrin, I ended up wearing my own clothes (which weren't quite as "edgy" as hers) and fit me better!

I couldn't believe how much fun it was to get dressed up and spend way more time than normal doing my hair and make-up. I curled my hair and used more hairspray than I have used in the last ten years combined (Shannon, you would have been so proud!) and realized that I can look like something other than a MOM!

We ate at Texas de Brazil, a Brazilian Steakhouse, and the food was GREAT!

If you haven't eaten at one of these, you have got to try it! I ate more meat than I usually eat in 2 weeks! Basically, you get your salad from their salad bar (which is incredible, by the way) and then they just keep bringing more and more meat until you have had enough. My favorites were the filet mignon and their house special sirloin. I had chocolate mousse cake for dessert and it was to die for!

We ended up being at the restaurant for 3 hrs. and the kids were in bed by the time we got home, but Shelby asked me all about it on the way to seminary this morning. Chris and I stayed up late playing with my new toy to burn off all the many calories we ate!

Not that I am trying to brag or anything, but I can kick his butt! Yes! Finally a game that I can beat him on! Life may never be the same around our house again! We now have our own virtual personal trainers (yes, I picked the hot male one and Chris picked the girl just to spite me!) and we will see who wins next week!

All in all, it was a great night and it reminded me of all the many reasons that I am so glad I am married to my best friend!

Future Gymnast

Savannah started gymnastics on Tuesday! Her Intro to Gymnastics class was at 1:30 pm, but her leotard went on first thing in the morning, followed by the question, "How much longer?" asked repeatedly until 11:30 when I finally caved and left the house to run errands so we could at least be on the way to gymnastics!

As you can see, Savannah has real potential, so we are already blocking out the summer of 2020 so we can be with her at the Olympics!

We are thinking perhaps Deer Park bottled water would be a good sponsor for her! What do you think?
Now I just have to work on getting Samuel a sponsor for swimming since his goal is to be the next Michael Phelps!

Fundraisers...

I know I am opening a can of worms, but here goes. I HATE FUNDRAISERS!!!! Yes, it is that time of year again--we just get the kids back to school, and after spending hundreds of dollars on school supplies and fees, we are hit up with the dreaded fundraiser! I am not a fan of fundraisers, by any stretch of the imagination. As a matter of fact, at my house, the envelopes usually go straight in the trash without ever being opened. I cannot feel good about pressuring friends and family into buying overpriced junk just because they happen to be associated with us. I think it is a sugar-coated way of exploiting my children, and I will not buy into it.

I know it takes money to run a PTA, really, I do. I get that there is an ultimate purpose to fundraisers, but I also think that selling to PTA's is big business. In one of my school districts, the PTA actually had a cultural arts fair where they would invite all of these community groups to come and showcase their cultural programs and then each school's PTA would choose which programs would come to their school. Our school had $5000 budgeted for cultural arts and we could usually get 3 different groups to come for that amount. In my opinion, this was wasted money! The elementary aged kids would have thought it every bit as cool to see the high school drama department present a play or hear the high school band or orchestra perform or to watch a dance performance by the high school drill team. It wouldn't have cost a cent and everyone would benefit.

The computer programs, play equipment and school store supply companies are set to make a lot of money off your school too. Make no mistake, the fundraisers that are marketted to your school are also big business. Yes, the school gets a profit, but the fundraising company takes a huge cut. It is all a big scam if you ask me!

Last year, our middle school decided to do away with all fundraisers. They asked for a $20 donation from each family, and about half of the families in the school participated. It was relatively painless and I was all for it! In the end, they were a little short of their fundraising goal, but they were able to analyze their programs and cut some that weren't necessary.

I think we are all a little guilty of buying into the idea that we need more money to make life better for our kids than it was for us. Who hasn't been dazzled by the idea of purchasing a new play structure or a rock wall for your kids' school? But the truth is, these are not necessary purchases. A study was recently done that showed that activity levels were lower at schools where a large play structure had been installed. Small play equipment like balls and jumpropes promoted higher activity levels! Now isn't that our ultimate goal? Why can't the PTA focus more on organizing our time to help out in classrooms or plan special events rather than spending so much effort on pressuring my family to fundraise?

Until we see a major reform in the mindset of PTA parents, I am afraid we will continue to see runaway budgets (one of our schools had a yearly budget of $60,000!) and the continued pressure to fundraise. In the meantime, my fundraiser envelopes are right where they belong......my trashcan!

Ever Wish You Were Born in a Different Day and Time?

Yes, this is me, in 1964. Not a very flattering year, we must admit, but there were merits......like miniskirts....hey, the girls obviously couldn't use their looks to attract the guys! This is how my dear husband looked in '88, the year I graduated from High School. Perhaps it is a good thing that we didn't meet until later.....
And this is perfect payback for Shelby for always mocking me about my BIG bangs! Check out 1994!
Thanks, Darla, for a fun diversion tonight! Everyone else, go see how you look at www.yearbookyourself.com

Free Bowling

So, you know those coupons you get in the mail for "FREE BOWLING"? We had one that was about to expire, so Chris and I decided to take the kids on Saturday since Hurricane Hanna had become Tropical Storm Hanna and was dumping rain on us. The coupon was good for up to 10 people, so being the cheapskate that I am, and not wanting any of the coupon to go to waste, we let the kids invite some friends and turned it into a big old bowling party!

Just so you know, there is no such thing as "FREE" bowling......we ended up paying $30 for shoe rentals(ouch!)......but everyone had a great time, so I guess it was worth it!
It was Savannah's first time bowling, so she got to use the buddy bowler to make things a little easier.
The competition was fierce, but in the end, Shelby was our bowling champion! Congratulations on the victory, Shelby! It was a great way to end a rainy Saturday!

FAT!!!!

Being a dietitian, I have always tried to have a low fat diet in my home. I use skim milk and lean meats, I buy reduced fat butter spread and peanut butter, I scrutinize the fat content on labels before I buy foods for my family, I usually try to cut back on fats in cooking, I use canola and olive oils, I basically do everything I can to keep foods healthy. Apparently, I have done TOO good of a job!

I took Caleb in for his yearly physical yesterday and was shocked to find that he has dropped to the 5th percentile for his height and has fallen off the growth chart for his weight. His BMI is so low that he is at risk for malnutrition. Yes...you heard it here first...I have a malnourished child! Caleb has always been small, usually measuring around the 25th percentile, so I have tried not to worry about his lack of growth or how little he eats. Obviously, I needed to worry!

What do you do when you need to add fat to your diet and gain weight? You add more of everything you cut back on when you are trying to lose weight! So, contrary to my healthy eating plan which I have recently established for my family, I will be making milkshakes for Caleb every day after school. The trick will be doing this without Shelby feeling like she needs to have a milkshake too! (Shelby gained 20 lbs this summer, which is exactly what she needed to do, but she is not currently needing to gain anymore weight!) I will also be using abundant amounts of butter on his food, mixing up a nightly hot chocolate made with cream, and using Pediasure or Carnation Instant Breakfast mixed with cream as additional snacks or breakfast.

Check back next year to see if Caleb has grown 6 inches and added 50 pounds (geez, that would almost double his current weight) on my "get fat diet"!

When is it Okay to Quit?

Shelby has been taking piano lessons for 8 years now. When we started her in piano, she really wanted to do it, but within a year she HATED piano! Knowing that it was hard work and required dedication on her part, I have used some very creative bargaining techniques over the years to keep her dedicated. I even resorted to bribery, using horseback riding lessons as a reward for continuing to take piano lessons! Along the way, Shelby has become a good pianist! She realizes now that she is glad she stuck with it this long.

So now she is in 10th grade and wants to quit again. Truth be told, I never thought she would continue this long. She says that her life is too busy to be tied up in piano lessons. She can already play several hymns and she thinks she can self teach herself the rest as she wants to learn them. I had just hoped that she would take lessons to the point that she would be able to pick up the hymnbook and play whatever was asked of her. Part of the reason she has progressed slower than most is that she hasn't LOVED piano. Practicing has been a chore that she puts up with. Shelby doesn't really like her teacher either, although she is very nice.

While I don't want to encourage my children to be quitters, and while I know that this skill is worth the work she will put into it, I have to wonder if it is time to let Shelby make this decision without me making it for her. As anyone with teenagers knows, they consider themselves to be knowledgable beyond their years.....so even though I know Shelby will regret quitting later on, she is sure that I am wrong about that! I can't help but think that it is time for me to give up the reins a little, let Shelby assert her independence and make the decision to quit, then stand by as she learns from her choices. Isn't that what parenting is all about anyway?

In Case You Were Wondering, I Am.....

You Are Aurora! (A.K.A. Sleeping Beauty.)

Thoughtful and loving. Authority figures probably have been sheltering you all of your life. Thankfully you're a very tranquil person who is content with what life has given you, but secretly you want to know how the outside world works.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Thanks to my sister, Shannon, for helping me to find my true inner princess! Wouldn't you know it, Sleeping Beauty was my favorite book when I was little!

First Day of School

We survived! Sometimes that's all you can say about the first day of school! Shelby left first to meet her friend, Devynn, for a 6:35 a.m. bus. She managed to make it in the nick of time, so there wasn't a chance for me to take any pictures. Her report of the first day at a new school was "okay". She wandered around at lunch because she didn't have a group to sit with and didn't want to "look like a loser" if she ate by herself. She just happened to stumble upon a girl from our ward who has started into public school for the first time this year (she has been homeschooled up till now) and the two of them were so thrilled to see each other because it gave them someone to eat with! There are only a handful of kids from our church at that school, so I was so glad that the two of them were able to help each other through their first day.

Caleb, 8th Grade

Caleb left next at 7:45 a.m. He decided all of a sudden that his new shoes were too big and wouldn't wear them (WHY did I take him with me to pick them out and try them on?????) He says all of his teachers are weird and he doesn't like any of his classes.....hard to please, huh?!!!

Joshua, 4th Grade

Joshua's bus picked him up in front of our house at 8:40 a.m. and he was so excited for a new year at school! He couldn't wait to ride the bus, but wanted dad to meet him at school and walk him to his class. He was happy to find two of his best friends from last year in his class this year.

Samuel, 2nd Grade

Samuel wanted to ride the bus with all his buddies too, and he got picked up at 9:00 a.m. He liked that he got 3 pieces of candy for being good and 3 tickets to turn in for a prize at the end of the week. He didn't like that he had a short recess, a very short lunch time, and an incredibly long bus ride. His school gets out at 3:40 and is 5 minutes from our house, but Samuel didn't get off the bus until 5:00 p.m. yesterday! Apparently there are still some kinks they need to work out on the bus routes. The driver was running late from the route before, the poor kids sat on one bus, then changed to another, then a child got on the wrong bus and they had to go back to school. We are hoping for a much shorter ride today!

Savannah's last year at home

Poor Savannah was a little sad when she watched all her brothers and then her neighborhood friends get on the bus. She is the only one out of all her friends who misses the kindergarten cutoff date this year. I am planning to do preschool at home for her, so as soon as we got the last child on the bus, we set off for Kid's Club at the mall. We got balloons, breakfast, and a fun science show to watch. It also gave Savannah the chance to play with other friends! Afterwards we stopped by the beauty salon and got Savannah's hair cut. When the boys asked about her day last night, she said "BORING!" See if I try to do anything fun with her again!

Another Year, Another School

Well, tommorow is the big day. All our kids head back to another year of school. Once again, I have 4 kids in 4 different schools.....lucky me! I have to admit that the child I am most concerned and anxious about is Shelby. Last year was somewhat of a disaster for her and she made a lot of choices that she really regrets. This summer has been just what she needed. She has been strengthened and lifted up, she has gained a testimony of her own, and she has put her life back on a positive track. I am in awe of the young woman she has become and her ability to recognize her mistakes and learn from them.

For Shelby, part of the transformation involved a decision to change high schools. So tommorow Shelby heads off to start her sophomore year in a new school. I can't help but feel a little nervous for her! Tonight we sat up talking and I felt impressed to tell her what a beautiful young lady she is. I told her that I worry that she is always concerned about whether or not she measures up to the popular crowd and she just needs to let that go. She is worth so much more than she gives herself credit for. Then I played a beautiful song for her by Jenny Phillips, To Become Like Him, and told her that I wanted her to make this her theme song for the year and listen to it on her ipod on the way to and from school.

Here are the lyrics; they are words that I don't think we can ever hear enough. If you want to listen to the song, you can click the title above and it will link to it.

You look around you
And you wonder if you’ll ever measure up
In this world it seems you may never be enough
Don’t let anyone convince you that it’s true
So much beauty lives inside of you
And you are enough
Just look up

Remember you are greatest
When you walk with God
When His light is in your eyes
You are truly strong
You don’t have to prove your beauty
In the eyes of men
You are divine within
You were sent here to become like Him

When you’re uncertain
Of the place you hold and who you are inside
He will share with you your part in His design
Seek for His meekness
Seek to emulate His life
And you will feel Him always by your side
You have His love
Just look up

Remember you are greatest
When you walk with God
When His light is in your eyes
You are truly strong
You don't have to prove your beauty in the eyes of men
You are divine within
You were sent here to become like him


So here's to another year in another school. Shelby, I know you can succeed! You are beautiful and you ARE more than enough. I love you!