Belize UnderH20

Fat Lip

Just as Ben was walking out the door to go watch a fight Miles crashed and burned on a neighbors too small bike. Ben said he needed stitches and I incredulously asked him if he was going to do it...I forget, one, that Ben really is a doctor and two, that the face actually falls under his realm of care. So I hesitantly gave authorization. Miles didn't like the "pinch burn" (the numbing shot) but otherwise handled it like champ...while looking like first runner up.

Backyard Project.

BEFORE

AFTER

Sunday Photos.

127

Daaaa, da da da da daaaaa, da da da da daaaa...

For their birthdays this year, we sent Avery (7) and her grandma's to the Phantom of the Opera production in Las Vegas.

Avery came back with a $40 mask that she bought with her "own"* money. Clearly, this will sit on a shelf until some sorority party in 2022.

We're missing a grandma here. She must be out riding the gondola.

*For the record Avery, you did get some birthday money this year, but you also steal from your brother's piggy bank.

One Cold Cat.

Dead bobcat killed by car on Banning Bench, salvaged and frozen by Dr. Westbrook.

This is a photo of Ben's dad who is undoubtedly giddy from his good fortune. He loves a good animal encounter, dead or alive. I wonder what else he has in that freezer...

Dirty Bird

Another theme you could categorize photos of Cruz under would be 'Filth'. No wonder I don't wear nice clothes. I have to be in contact with this creature.

Hungry Bird

When going through my pictures I found an interesting common thread in the photos of Cruz. Not surprisingly, he is always eating. And at least 75% of his vocabulary is food related.

Good Stuff

I am glad I took the time this evening to get a babysitter and go listen to this broadcast. It is also one of the reasons why Dieter Uchtdorf will take the crown as my 2011 crush (succeeding Rick Bayless 2010)*. There is something for every woman in this talk.

*Ben's 2011 crush is Ryan Gosling.

Pinteresting!

I may very well be the last person online to know about Pinterest. ( What, I'm not stylish enough to be invited? I think I addressed that issue fully in my last post, but what better place to help the style and time challenged than this site?)

If I am indeed not the last person, allow me to introduce you to this amazing place- a virtual pinboard to collect design ideas, recipes, books you want to read, trip plans etc. etc. This just may solve the problem I have of keeping a million browsers open at one time and dragging down the speed of my computer. I can also do without lists scattered around everywhere with things I need to check out. Plus it is fun to see what your friends have pinned. Since I can't dedicate any time to Facebook, I am happy to network on this visually stunning site with a quick visit. It just makes me happy to look at it. And hungry. Will it make me a better mom? Probably not, but the kids just might get a better playroom out of it.

Rededication to Blogging

I really enjoy blogging. Because of that, I consider it a treat, something to reward myself with when I complete all of my chores..much like TV is and why my DVR list is constantly erasing itself. I realized yesterday that if I wait until my house is clean and every project is finished that I will NEVER EVER blog again. If I commit to getting a post up every other day, or thrice a week, I will be happier than if I am re-cleaning the same fingerprinted window for the second time in a day. What good is having a spotless minorly spotted house, if I can't post pictures of it and show the world how easy breezy living my life is? ;)

I was actually going to post pictures of me doing the various chores that take me away from blogging, so that my real life could be seen in plain view, but when I saw that in pictures taken over multiple days I was still wearing the same clothes (and no, I did not work out today Jerilynn, thank you for asking) it was just a little too real. As I was on the phone disparaging the groundhog day laundry scenario that takes place here last night to Ben, I told him I don't know where all of the laundry comes from because he doesn't live here and I don't produce much because I had in fact been wearing the same outfit for 48 hours (most of my weekday outfits have this life cycle). I know I scoffed before but maybe I need to just order some pajama jeans and simplify my life. My 'suspect hygiene' (as Ben calls it) could be a whole 'nother post of it's own...and putting this in writing will lead me to analyze why I don't feel the need to 'get ready' everyday unless Ben is going to be around...even when I am going out in public.*

Just like we all have our things that we choose to spend money on (travel), we do the same with our time. And although clean sheets doth not a clean girl make, and while the majority of the week I am no sartorialist, I invite you to come dine off of my floors**, drink from our commode, peer through a smudgeless window, admire the pristine walls that leave no trace of having been patched and repainted, examine the baseboards, and go ahead and take a look in my oven while you're at it (I just cleaned it yesterday!). But if you do stop by, please call ahead, remove your shoes and don't let your kids touch anything. And don't look in my junk drawers...they look just like everyone elses.

So I am starting off the fall pledging to myself to do more consistent writing, more frequent perusing of friends blogs and a smidge less tidying up. I have to remind myself that the whole house in it's entirely doesn't have to be clean all at once, except on special occasions. If a couple of rooms at a time look good I think that'll have to do.

Luckily, there is not a big chunk of my riveting history missing from the universe. In the absence of blog posts I have been more faithful in recording the personal - content which ranges from the mundane to the spiritual to the distressing - and residing in a black leather Moleskine that is easily scribbled in and toted around (plus I'll always have the ever relied upon back-dating and mass posting), or an even smaller floral notebook that briefs what I have read, or a yellow composition book that records both to-do lists and some of my most heart-felt/vitriolic messages to my husband that he has never read (99 cent therapy). This site is equally important to me and will remain a display of life's pleasures and public musings...and pictures of plants.

*I can trace this problem back to at least college, when my choice of attire for the first day of class was called into question by my dear (and highly fashionable) roommate. What were "shower shoes" to her was my footwear of choice. And when you are going to swim for three hours a day who really wants to do their hair...swimmers, a little help here?

**Only if you come in the next five minutes and only if you enjoy pine needles as a side dish.

What's Blooming

I may have 8 foot tall quinoa plants growing in the garden but I am really most excited about the flowers. Makes me forget about the sad state of the tomatoes.

Top to Bottom:

Begonia*

Begonia

Fuchsia - "Blackie"

Cordyline, aka Hawaiian Good Luck Plant, aka Ti Plant

Hydrangea - Peegee 'Limelight'

Rose

Stargazer Lily

*I HATE the look of Begonia leaves but I love the flowers, they have the craziest stamens!

Poor Man's Piano Lessons

Like most parents, I want to give my kids every opportunity to develop talents and learn discipline all without over scheduling the little dears and going bankrupt at the same time. The Y gives us the chance to explore all varieties of dance, gymnastics, swimming and martial arts as part of our family membership, but it doesn't do music. And I would really hope that each of my kids can have a basic understanding of and read music (like their dad), instead of squandering away the opportunity to do so by cheating and playing by ear (like their mom).

Miles has the concentration and desire to sit and try to play from books I bought them. But we didn't have a good system for him to be able to learn new songs on his own, and I only have so much time/patience to dedicate to "Here we Go Up a Row". I was wishing that there were some stickers that I could put on the piano to indicate the notes but not ruin the keys. But I found something better than that - dry erase markers! Hopefully that will get him through a few low level piano books and buy me some time (and $$$).

Looking rather gay!

At church a few weeks ago, during the Sacrament (the quietest and most reflective time of the service), Avery leaned over to me and says:

"Mom, I know there are two meanings to the word gay...and I don't know what one of them is... but I do know the other and boy Cruz sure is looking gay right now. (Cut to Cruz who is looking extremely extremely happy).


Here he is looking the other meaning.




*Note: It is very surprising to me that Avery, ever curious and wanting to know all, would not want to know (or insist on knowing) what the other 'gay' is. That wasn't the moment to discuss it (although I'm sure that the two lesbian sisters a few rows back wouldn't have minded) and I tried to bring it up another time when it seemed appropriate but she didn't seem interested. So, I guess we will shelve that conversation for another day.