It's Never Too Late

"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

I saw that on the back of a biker's shirt on the way home from church yesterday. By biker, I mean the big, gnarly kind, with a long gray ponytail braided down his back, riding a Harley.

Anyway, I liked it.

Just a little food for thought.

Harry Potter Birthday Extravaganza!!

Anybody who reads this blog probably has an idea of what HUGE Harry Potter nerds we are. I was so excited when Katelyn told me she wanted a HP themed birthday this year. We had to get creative (there aren't many HP party supplies out there), but the party was a success!

The 'cakes.

The youngest seeker in a century--waiting for her guests to arrive.

They're here!!

After all the guests received their glasses, wands and lightning scars,

we got straight to the 'cakes (cupcakes, that is).

The HP cupcakes were a hit.

Zach went to town, and I had never seen a messier onesie in all my days!

Mom, we saved this one for you, but you better hurry on over...

I don't know how much longer he'll last!

After an intense game of Quidditch (Bludgers and all!),

Katelyn opened her presents.


Grandma and Grandpa P hooked her up with everything a young wizard needs: circle glasses, a wand and broomstick. Thankfully her Gryffindor scarf, which I am knitting, will be ready before winter sets in. ;-)

We all took turns trying out her new wizard's gear.

(Yes...Adam and I have lightning scars, too.)

A rare family photo:

The after party:

Wand = Happy

No Wand = Sad

Wow! This has been a long post! I wish I could write more, honestly,

but my scar has been KILLING me lately!!

...not to mention, U2 is on SNL tonight and I can't stand to miss it!

I think Bono is cooler than cool, but we'll save that story for another day.

P.S. I am a nerd.

Patio Paintings

While Zachary slept...

...Katelyn dreamed.

Dear Maggie

*Katelyn, Maggie and an egg salad sandwich in the northern coast this summer

Today I got a glimpse into the mind of a 4-year-old when I dictated a letter from Katelyn to Maggie, who is at the MTC. I think the letter is hilarious. Read on if you dare!!

Hi Maggie,

Katelyn's birthday. I have a Harry Potter costume. I got it for my birthday. Baby chicks is cute and I have something else to say. I like baby hats. And I love Maggie and she is mommy's sister and Jonathan's her brother and Maggie's his sister. And I love Jonathan. I'm getting itchy. And I have something else to say. I have a birthday party coming up! I even have a Sleeping Beauty doll and a pink horsey. Mommy wrapped up my presents.

In school I got to be the line leader. I led the line to the blue bench and to the blue table. That is where we eat lunch. I like blue and pink and purple. And green. And yellow. And gray. And shakeys. And chickys. Chickys and shakeys. And ducks. And mermaids. And scarfs. And flowers. And flying in an airplane. And lightbulbs. And I like my own lightbulb. I mean, it's a Dora goodnight lightbulb. My mom and dad turn it off when the light is gonna die. So, that's all that I want to say.

In school I built a Matman (I think that means Batman, but she insists it's Matman). Matman has ears and feet and legs and knees and elbows and arms and hands. And he has a body and he has this big round thing that's next to your toe (maybe a heel, I think). And that's it that I want to say.

I am doing good. I love Jonathan. I love his gassing. I love his funny knock-knock jokes. I love his funny earrings. I mean, I love Maggie's funny earrings. Now I'm going to make a snow angel on mommy's bed. I'm going to make a snow angel in the snow. Then I'm going to get up. I can't get up on my bottom. Mom, let's do something else.

Kitarita is doing fine. Seriously, who gave me the Harry Potter birthday card? (That would be, Grandma and Grandpa B).

Me: Are you teaching Zach a lot of new words?

Kate: No. N-O. Here, mom, let me teach you how to spell N-O.

I went to Disneyland for my birthday. Aaaah! I'm falling in the ice cream shop! 1-2-3-4 monsters knocking at my door (sung to the tune of Feist).

Me: What else do you want to say about your birthday?

Kate: Nothing. I'll have a great day at my party. Do we get to make the cake yet?

Bye.

I love you.

Katelyn

September 22

Four years ago today, I became a mommy!

Here is a chronicle of how we celebrated Katelyn's birthday:

Last day of preschool:

Everyone looks at her lunchbox and says she must be a big Angels fan. Not really. They were just handing them out free at an Angels game once.We couldn't find any muffins without nuts or chocolate (someone has severe allergies), or Harry Potter cupcake toppers, so we opted for fruit snacks and made these birthday tags on lolipop sticks. We thought the bird stamp was cute.

Katelyn made two friends at preschool today and got to lead the line at lunch. All in all it was a good day!

When daddy came home we rushed off to Disneyland. Katelyn got a birthday gift card from the lady at guest services. Kate told her she was going to ride "It's a Small World" for her birthday. Adam and I exchanged looks...hoping it would be possible (the park was closing in 30 minutes and we had a long way to go still). We entered the park and rushed over to Small World with 15 minutes to spare. The entrance was blocked off by a parade. At first we were a little bugged...until we realized it was a parade to celebrate birthdays!!! So we told Kate that guest services must have phoned Mickey and told him to rush a birthday party over to Small World where Katelyn would be waiting. She thought it was simply magical! When the parade ended we booked it over to Small World and were practically the first in line...no waiting!! Perfecto!

Very exciting!

Does anyone else think the puppets are creepy?

The park was closed by the time we finished Small World, so we went to the Disney store at Downtown Disney to use up her gift card. We found an awesome apron that says "Domestic Princess". I thought that was perfect since I am a Domestic Goddess...(just a little joke)...so we got it. She found a Sleeping Beauty barbie with a pink horse. She had been dreaming that one up for months, but I had no luck in finding a Sleeping Beauty barbie anywhere. It was like a miracle when we saw this one in the store. It must have been the last one left, too. Our trip to Disney was very last minute and unplanned, but somehow everything worked out perfectly. I was so pleased!!

We went home and had a slice of the best chocolate cake around...Blackout Cake from Wholesome Choice...and Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream. Katelyn opened her presents, which including her very own Gryffindor robes!! She'll make the cutest Harry Potter ever this Halloween!

Happy Birthday Princess Katelyn!!

Disneyland

It's supposed to be the happiest place one earth, right?

So why are people there so pushy and rude?

(...including me.)

Dear Santa,

I want this to be me!!

*photo by Kelly Sue on flickr

Pleeeeeeaaaaase?

"This Stage" Resolutions

Resolutions shouldn't just be for the new year. They should be for whenever you're ready to change. That's why I have a new resolution. I resolve to spend less time wasting time and more time with Zach and Kate. And by "with" I don't just mean in the same room, I mean WITH...actively engaged. I mean quality, let's-make-some-memories, TIME.

I used to think I understood what a gift it was to be a young mother of young children. I thought I did, but I didn't. If I really understood, I would have been doing more...teaching them more. What I realize now is that "this stage" is quickly passing. "This stage" is the one in which my kids want unlimited hugs and kisses and aren't embarrassed to express how much they love me and Adam. It's the one where they believe we know best and want to do everything we say. It's the stage in which they are utterly innocent and happy. "This stage" is incredible! But it can't last forever. The other day Katelyn told me, "I DON'T HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU SAY!!!" I didn't tell her so, but she's absolutely right. So before we hit the complicated school years, I resolve to make the most of this precious time we have together.

That said, here is an account of the beautiful day we enjoyed together...

Today we spent a peaceful afternoon at the Arboretum at CSUF. I didn't bring my camera because I wanted to have my hands free. We got our feet, pants, faces and hands dirty. We basked in the sun...me in my floppy hat, holding Littleman as he sucked his thumb, watching the turtles on the rocks, who were also basking. Katelyn found a sprig of white flowers and decided that they would be the flowers she holds on her wedding day...the very same ones!! That plan was thwarted when she lost them somewhere between throwing some of the petals in the pond and rolling down a hill. We learned that baby oranges are actually green, and that fallen cherries are very smoosh-able. We found a dead beetle in the grass and its colors were beautifully metallic...like the shimmery tail of a mermaid or a foil Lisa Frank binder, only better. That's when I decided that the next time we go we are bringing empty baby food jars so we can bring home our favorite treasures. Mine would have been the beetle, Zach's would have been a cherry, and Kate wouldn't have lost her wedding flowers. I think daddy would have loved to see them!

On our way home, we stopped at the Target garden department. I let Katelyn choose a plant to be hers. Hers to water, love and care for. She was so excited! She chose pink mini-roses without thorns. She carried them to the cashier herself. I bought her her very own watering can (she has been begging for one for months). We brought her plant home and set it out on our porch. She named it "Planty" and says she thinks that's a good name for a princess. She stayed on the porch to water Planty and tell her stories. She couldn't wait for her dad to get home...nor could I. She put Planty up on the ledge and stood on a chair next to her. She said she was waiting for kids to go by so she could tell them about Planty, and it was true! From the kitchen I could hear her telling all the neighbors about her new plant, wether they cared or not!

Today was a special day. I feel very blessed!

To all the Mothers and Grandmothers out there:

No one else can take your place, so do what you love everyday!

Free My Gym!!

Free play at MyGym today (and tomorrow). And by free, I mean gratis! The kids had a blast. They were really excited to meet Elmo. He's like a celebrity to them, but when he came out he ended up being huge and creepy-looking and didn't talk. The girl that works there had to pretend like he was whispering things that only she could hear. The pictures crack me up!

The Abominable Snow Elmo. Grrrrr!

This was as close as Katelyn would get. I don't blame her.

Zach didn't know any better, bless his heart.

Loving Jesus

I was tucking Katelyn in to bed tonight. We usually have some some of our best conversations during the tucking. Mostly about things we did that day or what we would dream about. Tonight I asked her, "What was your favorite part about today?" It was a preschool day, so I expected it would be something exciting, but that little sweetie told me that her favorite part of the day was: "Loving Jesus."

Then there's Zach...ooooooh my little Zach! Today I tried taking him to a mandatory music teachers meeting. About 15 minutes into the two-hour-long meeting, he becomes comfortable with his new surroundings...aka he begins to scream. Not the type of screaming that makes sense, either. More like baby Tourette's Syndrome. Totally random. The first scream threw everyone off guard. My funny memory of today will be watching 50 grandmas jump out of their seats in perfect unison. Hilarious! Not to mention, embarrassing.

He also said the word "avocado" very clearly today. This is a big deal, since he is a Littleman of little words. For the longest time, about the only words he would use were "mommy" (even when he was talking to daddy) and "joo!" meaning "give me juice...or milk!" A few other words he's added to his vocabulary this week are: "milk", "apple" and "fishy" meaning Goldfish Crackers of course...it's all about food with this kid. I'm so proud of my Littleman!

And then there's Adam. I'm always proud of him. He is smart, handsome, a great husband and father, he motivates me to be healthier, and advocates Chiropractic...just like me! He has so much positive energy. He makes healthy living easier!

And last, but not least, there's me. I used to think it was wrong to be proud of myself, but I think I was wrong to think that. As a mom, if I don't feel good about myself, the whole family's going to feel it. But then there's that scripture that says "pride is a sin", so if I call it "well-pleased" then it's okay, right?

Right.

So...Today I was well-pleased with myself. I was decisive; I was assertive (well...as assertive as I can be, which isn't much, honestly). I decided to take Katelyn out of preschool and I turned in her two weeks notice. Her last day will be on her birthday and we will bring Harry Potter muffins to class and celebrate. She is doing awesome in her class, it's not that, but I feel good about my decision. Something my mom said made me realize that this could be my last year with her before sending her off into "the system", and by golly, we're going to live it up together! I feel like I'm the only mom in the area not doing preschool, but my friend Beth posted a story a few weeks ago that helped me decide with confidence, and I encourage you to follow this link and read it if you haven't heard it already. I also worked up the courage to confront one of her teachers about something she had said to me earlier which I felt was out of line. Let me tell you, it was a BIG deal for me to call her aside and tell her how I felt and what I expected of her in the future. People who say things that make me feel diminished (like she did) are very hard for me to confront. It scares me to death. Last night I couldn't sleep and I felt sick at the thought of it. This morning I wore my heels because I knew that if I broke down and cried in front of her, all I would have left going for me would be the height advantage, and I needed all the advantage I could get. Luckily, I managed to hold it together...just barely. I may have shed a few tears on the walk back to the car, but hopefully nobody noticed. :) Man, I feel good now!!

And last of all, I am well-pleased because I pulled out my old Brahms Ballade from college days and played it for my kids...and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I think that if I can get over my fear of disturbing the neighbors (growing up I always practiced in perfect solitude...all that heard me were the cows)...if I can get over that fear, I think I can get it polished again. Maybe even totally memorized.

P.S. Katelyn and I wrote a book today called "Zach's Bedtime". This is one of my favorite pictures she drew. Other than being so abstract, it is very true to life. His eyes are closed and he is sucking his (incredibly long) thumb. If she had only drawn his other hand resting inside his pants it would be a perfect likeness!

I guess I had a lot on my mind tonight. Thanks for listening!

My Little Kate

Today I sent my little Katelyn (Apparantly there are a lot of Caitlin's. Mine is now "the one with the 'K-A-T-E'.") off to preschool. It is her first day. She has been so excited about this ever since I brought up the idea (she imagines it's like going to Hogwarts), so even though it is a bit out of our budget right now, I enrolled her for the year.

I was up late last night with my mind racing. I checked her temperature three times throughout the morning, secretly hoping for a fever--any excuse to keep her home. But after the thermometer's thrice clean bill of health, I had no excuses left. I took her to the school, walked her to the door and into her classroom...all the while hiding my emotions. She seemed fine...maybe a bit apprehensive. She cried a little before I left, but she said it was only because I scratched her face with the tissue while I was wiping her nose.

So here I sit. Me and Littleman, who just woke up from his nap. I spent the morning organizing Katelyn's closet (i.e. throwing things away that she would never let me touch if she were here) with a pit in my stomach, missing my little Kate. I remember feeling this way in the days before Zachary was born...knowing that things between us were about to change. Not necessarily in a bad way. But change is sometimes hard. It's hard to let my little girl go...even this little bit. And I know this is silly, but I've spent all morning worrying and wondering about how she'll get her straw into the juice box hole at lunch time. She always needs me to do it for her, but I won't be there. She didn't seem too worried about it, though. Obviously this is harder for me than it is for her.

For the Grandmas: More Ballet

Kate's the one wearing light pink with black shoes.

...and perhaps the only one paying attention to Ms Tina.

Teeny-Bopper for a Day

**Maggie showing off her newly-pierced ears

Remember Claire's?

I do.

I remember being about 11, and getting my ears pierced and thinking Claire's was really cool. Now that I'm older and have discovered stores like Anthropologie...Claire's equals not-so-cool.

Nevertheless, last month my sister and I returned to Claire's. Our piercings had closed up, so we were back for more. I had put it off for a LONG time because I felt a little awkward at the thought of returning...but somehow going with a friend, especially a sister, makes you a little braver. At least we would be embarrased together, right?

Well, it was still as wild as ever. There were cheap, brightly colored makeups and accessories EVERYWHERE I turned. Katelyn might as well have died and gone to heaven, though. She was frantic with excitement. I don't think she could have dreamed of a more wonderful place. HSM3 was playing in the background...and I'll never forget how funny it was to see Katelyn's mad dash to pretend to put on just a liiittle more makeup before we finally made her leave the store. (By the way, I thought it might be fun for Kate and I to pierce our ears together, and she was totally brave and gung-ho about it until I pinched her earlobes to give her an idea of what was about to happen. That freaked her out and she now has no desire to pierce her ears. I guess the moral of that story is: don't pinch your daughter's ears beforehand.)

Dear Claire's,

It was fun to venture back within your four walls and take a step back in time, but life goes on. That is why in ten short days I will be removing your studs and replacing them with a pair of much more fashionable and sophisticated studs from Anthro. But don't fret...although you may have lost me, my daughter's heart still belongs to you for another few years.

XOXO, Dana

Hermanas

Well, I didn't "Ooooh Say Can You Seeee..." at the Angel's game this summer. But I had a good reason for not being there. My little sister Maggie was going through the temple for the first time that day. I was able to be there with her. On a sunny day overlooking the Bay. I wouldn't have missed it for 100 Angel games!

And so today, at 12:45pm MST, as I type this post, she will walk through the gates of the LDS Missionary Training Center in Provo to learn Spanish and to train for her mission. I wish I could be with her as she walks in, but alas, I can't. So I am imagining myself there and what I would say. And hopefully she knows I am thinking of her.

While she is on her mission,we can't call one another. Only letters. I'm pretty bummed about that, but rules are rules. Katelyn spent the morning drawing pictures for Maggie.

Be of good cheer, Hermana Maggie.

Enjoy the mish.

We love you!!

Because We All Need To Throw a Tantrum Every Now and Then...

I try to keep all things positive (or at least funny) on this little blog of mine, but for the love!, can I take a moment to talk about something that I dislike?

It's called "student loans". More specifically, the repayment of them.

Because there are so many other things I would rather spend the money on. Like...I don't know...a second car, preschool, retirement...clothes! But that's all I have to say about that.

Anyway...Last night we found last month's payment on our kitchen counter. Apparantly I forgot to mail it out. Once the check goes through there will be significantly less $$ in our account than I thought. I guess this is where faith comes into play...or at least our savings account.

Curse you student loans!!!

Waaaaahhh!

P.S. I have since repented for crying over such trivial things. I just learned that a young mother and family friend lost her battle with cancer yesterday.

Such heartbreaking news sometimes slaps you across the face. Count your blessings, Dana. Enjoy every moment. Live in the present.

My prayers are with your family, Heather.