A new site.....

My blog has moved.

You can find my incessant ramblings here.

Thanks!

Challenge of the day

Try explaining the devil to a 5 year old in a way you feel comfortable with, that he is capable of understanding, and will stand up to all that he will hear from the outside world.

And while you're at it remember the words representation and personification do not make sense to him.

Update: Using legos seemed to do the trick.

One of a million reasons why I love the Japanese....

A few days ago I hid our garbage cans around the corner of the house because it was super windy and everyone's garbage cans, trash included, were escaping. Then I forgot about them. 

Today I was taking out the trash and remembered yesterday was garbage day. Bummed that now I'd have to really cram my trash into the can, I removed the lid and saw that it was empty. The garbage man had went around, hunted down my garbage can, carried it out to the street to dump it, and then, as if he wasn't awesome enough, returned it where I'd left it.

I love this place.

Where am I?

Truth be told, I'm not quite sure myself. I seem to be lost amongst the sewing, cheerleading, juggling of children's activities, sickness, never-ending housework and Prop 8. 

Honestly, I only have a smidgen of writing time available these days and I've spent mine rambling to loved ones about my feelings on Prop 8, through individual emails, and a reply-to-all here and there.

So when I saw this video today on one of the blogs I frequent, it made me smile. For one reason, it's nice to know we're not alone and for another, I am in love with family dynamics. I love families. It doesn't matter if they are disagreeing, getting along, everyone agreeing and singing kumbaya around the fire, or stomping around slamming doors and in some cases hitting that "send" button with all the passion they can cram into that tiny finger on the mouse.

Because families kick ass. It's why I want 10 kids. Do I want to birth and raise 10 kids right now? 

No. 

And so I'm currently trying to figure out a way to somehow avoid that, yet still end up with 10 kids and 50 grandkids when I am old and actually have the time to bake and sew and sing kumbaya.

so for all of you whose families are driving you crazy - love them anyway, and then watch this video and know you're not alone...

My Little Diego

L's costume is finished, he looks so cute!

Go Diego Go!

A Day of Rest

Last Sunday was such a nice day. So nice, in fact, I am still thinking about it on Thursday.

I woke up in the morning with L, while the others slept in, and was surprised to see my house had fared rather well from the shenanigans the night before. I tossed L into the stroller with a pumpkin muffin, grabbed the dog, and went for a nice long walk. 

We stopped to let an adorable baby pet/bang on Murphy for a few minutes. I did my best to communicate with his mom, but really neither of us knew what the heck we were saying until we got to "bye-bye!"

As we got closer to home I looked up and saw something I haven't seen the entire time we've lived here.

Mountains!

Maybe I have been too distracted to notice them. Maybe Sunday was the clearest sunniest day we've had since moving here. Maybe they just popped up last week. Whatever the reason they have eluded me, I was very excited to see them.

And, to make myself feel better, I just checked out the window for those same mountains and they are gone again. So it's not as if they've been staring me in the face for six months. They're tricky.

I walked the rest of the way home feeling grateful. Grateful for the mountains, for being able to experience this amazing country, for my kids and my husband and an overall pretty damn good life.

What's that you say? The world's economy is in the crapper and a fairly respectable man chose some crazy lady to be his vice presidential running mate? La-la-la-la-la *fingers in ears* - I can't hear you today. Not on my perfect Sunday.

We arrived home and T made breakfast and then I grabbed a cup of coffee, a magazine and sat out on the front porch for hours. T commented that we must be getting old. I don't know, but I was able to peacefully drink coffee and read an entire magazine in just one sitting. If that's getting old, I like it!!

Then, while my oldest baby was off playing "Aliens" I sat and watched my youngest baby do this...

And then this...

And eventually, worried the inside of my home might be feeling a bit neglected and lonely since it's used to always having me around, I joined it to do this for the rest of the evening...

And it was good.

And Nothing But the Tooth!

Some may see the loss of their child's first tooth as a bittersweet moment, excited to start the tooth fairy tradition, yet sad, for it's another reminder their baby isn't quite a baby after all. 

But I say WTF First Tooth?!?! All the pain, trouble, sleepless nights, drool, tylenol, motrin, orajel, wet washcloths, teething tablets and DROOL, for what? 5 1/2 measly years? Then you're outta here? Oh I'm sorry - were you not aware, Tooth, of all our family endured during your arrival? All of the pain and the screaming while you took your sweet time coming in - and now you just skip out on us? 

Disgraceful!