Like Mother, Like Daughter

Dear Eden,

I love how your perfect little plump cheeks wobble back and forth with each step you take. Kind of like my cheeks... my other cheeks... that, as I've been informed by my loving son, jiggle up and down when I run... or jump... or walk... or do anything that involves some sort of motion. So now I just stand in one place. All of the time. And I have strongly considered getting a segway to help get me around.

If I, for any reason, am forced to move, I take great caution in walking-  trying not to cause any sudden movements that might start a ripple effect, similar to when you throw a rock in the water. I tell the kids that I can do the ghetto booty shake so well because once I get started my butt practically propels itself with all the momentum it creates. They think I'm kidding. I'm not.

I feel that this is a special little bond we share. You and me. Me and you. Cheeks that jiggle... Unfortunately, mine aren't quite as cute as yours.

Sincerely,
Your Mother

My Mom is...

A mother is so many things... a doctor, a maid, a teacher, a referee.

A mother is joy. A mother is love. A mother is a safe place.

A mother is someone who feels are hurt when we are in pain and rejoices at our happiness.

It is amazing that so many so many qualities and attributes can be embodied in just one word... MOM.

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A few posts back I wrote about the sweet idea Marta had for her cousin (and my friend), Whitney. I loved the idea so much had to use it for my mom for Mother's Day.

It was quite the feat getting pictures of my Dad, my 7 siblings & their spouses, and 37 grandchildren and I'm happy to say, I did it! (even if a little photoshopping magic was required)

I printed out a paper that said, "Mom is..." or  "Grandma is..." and then with photoshop I filled in the blank with their words. It would have been just as easy to have everyone print there own and fill in the spot (which is what Marta did), but knowing my family they would have never done it. So I chased them down to take their pictures... it was a labor of love. ;)

Originally, I was going to print the book through Shutterfly or Blurb, but I ran out of time... so it was off to Walmart to be printed. Definitely not my first choice, but they were my only option for same day printing. I think I had them reprint it like 4 times before they got the color to look decent.

For the cover page I did a collage of words that my family used. I was really excited about how it turned out and needless to say, my mom was even more excited.

My only goal was to see tears...

...mission accomplished.

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Today I Miss My Parents

I just got back from a week long trip to the Dominican Republic visiting my parents, who are serving as MTC presidents there. It was so great to see my parents- to hug them, love them, and spend time with them.

It's been a year and half since I've seen my Dad (my Mom's been able to come home a couple times) and we did all we could to fit a year and a half worths of time in one short week... one short week in paradise, mind you.

I sure miss my parents a lot and I'm reminded how much more I miss them when I get to spend time with them.

One thing is for sure, I'm so lucky to be blessed with such amazing parents!

And now, I am currently suffering from a severe case of post-vacation depression and I have decided the only antidote for such a thing is going on another vacation. Sounds completely fabulous to me.

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The Train Crash

A short story, by Kaleb

One day we were going to my cousin's house. We wanted to ride the train. 

The next morning there was another train going 5,000 miles per hour. There were people in the back of the train. They screamed, "Aaahhhhhhhhhhhh! Someone help us, we're going to die." 

The engineer had fallen asleep and the train was heading toward the other train. "I don't want to die! Someone help us or we will die because of you it will be your fault and you will pay us $1,000,000,000,000,000."

The train crashed into the other train and no one survived the crash. 

 The end.

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I have been left almost speechless... almost.

I just wonder what his school teacher thought when he wrote up this story.

It's really quite a shame no one survived to collect the

$1,000,000,000,000,000

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The Little People That Were

Have I expressed to you my affinity for little people?

Not these Little People,

but rather the Fisher Price Little People. 

It started when I was young. My Mom had a collection of the old school Little People with wooden little circle bodies and perfectly round shape heads with painted on smiley faces. I knew we were moving up in the world when my Mom upgraded to the Little People with plastic bodies with perfectly shaped hair.

Now that I'm a mom, and I have spawn of my own, I wanted to share the joys of Little People with my children. Fisher Price has come a long way since the days of my childhood. All of the Little People  have cute chunky cartoon-like bodies... and I love them. I did my best to keep my Little People in pristine condition; keeping them in their own separate box and making sure the right people stay with the right set. Heaven forbid the Noah's Ark Giraffe should end up on the Farm House with the cow. That would be just awkward.

As it turns out, I'm not the only one who has a love for Little People. Millie, our dog, has been lovin' on the Little People a little too much. This is a sight that physically pains me...

This dog is KILLING me. I don't know how she does it. It's like she has a super sense that can sniff out Little People from anywhere... just like she does Eden's binki's.

Now who's going to ride the bus to school with the little handicap boy in the wheel chair?

Who's going to father the children in the Little People House?

How are they supposed to eat their cereal on the farm if they don't have any cows to milk?

I guess the farmers going to have to figure out a way to milk the sheep.

And the poor, poor other giraffe on Noah's Ark. She's going to have to live a life of celibacy.

So much for multiplying and replenishing the world with little giraffe babies.

(It's okay, I can say that. He can't hear me)

These Little People have now found their final resting place in the garbage next to last nights leftovers and the kids Gogurt wrappers. May they rest in peace.

As for the Millie dog, we are currently in a love-hate relationship... unfortunately, right now it's mostly hate. And if she doesn't change her Little-People-eating habits soon, she might quickly turn into the Millie dog that was. Tread lightly, dog. Tread lightly.

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Birthdays

I received and email from Marta several weeks ago. She was scheming a little birthday surprise for her cousin (and one of my best friends growing up), Whitney. I'll have to admit that I was a little envious of Whitney when I read that email, and for al little while I had a severe case of cousin coveting  (yearning to possess one's cousin and wish they were yours).

Marta had sent an email out to all the people that love whitney and asked them to take a picture of themselves with one word that described Whitney... I couldn't come up with just one.

She printed them all out and made a collage poster board for whit. How perfect and sweet is that?! And I'm sure, without a doubt, that Whitney was brought to tears at the sight of mine- no, not just tears, but fetal position sobs.

So my mom's birthday is coming up next month and I want to steal this idea and make a book for her. Right now, it sounds great in theory, I just usually struggle with the follow-through part. We shall see.

In other news, it was my birthday week and a great week it was. It looks like all my subtle threats of our marriage depending on my birthday happiness paid off.

Nate surprised me by kidnapping me and taking me to dinner with all of my siblings, then staying over night at a hotel. It was perfect! I just wish we could celebrate my birthday EVERY week for the rest of the year. Do you know how happy my life would be? So happy.

Thanks for all the birthday love!

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Open Letter Friday & Completely Unrelated Picture

My first official open letter, I dedicate to my sister. 

Dear Kristin,

Can you please get your dog, Duke, to stop humping inanimate objects? It makes me feel uncomfortable. It also puts me in an awkward situation when my kids ask, "Mom, why is Duke shaking his bum on the chair... table... shoe... your leg... Eden... that Elmo toy?"

It's not cute. It's not funny.  Well, maybe just a little bit funny, but still... you can only watch a dog try to do the naughty with a stuffed animal so many times before it begins to lose its thrill.

So I think it's time to take away Dukes dog-hood or at least lock him up when we're at your house until Eden is old enough to defend herself.

Thank you so much for your consideration on this fragile subject matter.

Sincerely, your sister,
Ginnie

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• I know I have 3 other kids, but they're just not quite as fun to take pictures of right now •

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Keeping my baby 'the baby'

She's getting too old for a bottle. I realize that. 

But you should see how excited she gets when I hand it to her. 

And who am I to deny cuteness such as this?

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Competitive by Nature

The majority of my morning was spent debating with my sister, Kristin, about who had the messiest house.
Since I went over my cell phone minutes last month ($120 worth... ouch!)  this conversation took place via texting. We were sending pictures back and forth of each room in our house titling each picture as 

"The kitchen mess" 

"The laundry room mess"  

"The neglected-corner-in-my-room mess"

We even sent pictures to each other to prove who matched their nasty house the most. It wasn't pretty.

Meanwhile, my silent destroyer was on the move. I found her fully enthralled in the the bathroom and giddy with excitement pouring out cupfuls and cupfuls... and cupfuls of toilet water all over the bathroom. And if that wasn't enough, she had given all the kids toothbrushes and dog toys a bath in the toilet.

It was a special moment for me.

I ended the texting debate with this last picture titled, 

"My walking mess"

I think I win.

Messy house update: 5 hours later both of our homes are in the same disastrous state they started out in.

On the upside, we have managed to carry on an intense game of Words with Friends throughout the day.

And just for the record, I'm winning that too.

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Let's pretend I posted this a month ago

(because that's when I actually started writing this)

Picture from last September- canyoneering in Zion's

Do you ever feel like your going crazy? 

Not party-like-it's-1999 crazy or ... wearing-socks-with-sandles crazy.

but, like backwards-speaking, head-spinning, projectile-vomiting crazy.

Maybe I'm possessed. Maybe I've had one too many candy cane chocolate coated almonds. Or maybe, it's the fact that my van broke down and I will be van-less for the next week. Which means going anywhere as a family of 6 will be impossible. So in order to resolve this little problem we will vote off one member of our family for the week. Imagine something similar to survivor, except you don't get voted off the island... just the car. I'm hoping it will give the kids incentive to be especially good this week. 

Fast forward 6 days. The van is fixed and I go to pick it up. The mechanic looks at me and says, "I'm amazed this van didn't blow up on you.". I thought he was kidding. He wasn't. 

This was my loving text to Nate: 

Just picked up the car from the mechanic. He told me that we were lucky the car didn't blow us up. That's comforting. 

2 minutes later I sent another text: 

Dear Ginnie, I love you, but not enough to buy you a new van- one that won't blow up while you and the kids are driving in it. Sincerely, Nate 

5 minutes later this was Nate's reply:  

Dear Nate, Thanks so much for all you do for me and our family. I know you are working hard for us and it's okay, I can be patient and keep driving this old van until we can buy another one. I love you so much! 

Ginnie 

1 minute later from me: 

Wow, I'm incredibly sweet! 

Another minute later from Nate: 

I know. That's why I married you. 

There are two things I'm am sure of, 

1. Married life would be better if we just did the talking for our spouses.

2. Three things could possibly survive an atomic bomb: cockroaches, a McDonald's cheeseburger, and my minivan.

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