Oh, the list! The list!

I just came across a note that my dear Charlotte wrote to Santa Claus.

In the note, she indicated that she was sure she was on the

"good list."

She also made it very clear what she would like him to bring her.

I'm guessing this is because she was worried he might not have known PRECISELY what she wanted.

She even mentioned the other day that we should go see Santa again, just to make sure he remembered what she had already told him.

I told her no. Come on, Santa remembers! He's magic! The guy can squeeze through skinny chimneys, and ride in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer- he can definitely remember what she asked for.

Apparently, she wasn't convinced and felt compelled to write him another letter.

But, the best part of the note-

 

"I hope my brother and sister are on your good list."

 

Such a sweetie!!

I love my blue-eyed girl!

 

Definitely on the good list!

She is here!!!!

I have a new niece, and she is lovely!

Berkeley Keely Lance

arrived on 12-10-12 at 8:59 p.m. weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces.

Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of her, for two reasons:

1- One of us was too busy holding the baby to take a picture,

and

2- The other was too busy being gimpy on crutches to take a picture!!!

She is soooo cute, trust me.

I will post a picture as soon as I remember to bring a camera, and when Colby can pry sweet little Berkeley out of my arms for a picture.

Congratulations, Stephie and Travis, you have a beautiful baby girl!

Happy Turkey Day!!

And now, pearls of wisdom from the Great Fat Garfield:

"Ahh, Thanksgiving.

That's the day people celebrate having food

by eating as much of it as possible.

Yes, that's the day people try to eat every turkey, pumpkin, and cranberry

on the face of the earth!"

Happy
"Stuff-yourself-until-it-hurts-but-you-still-eat-more"
Day!!

Grrrrrr, traffic......

I love/hate driving on the freeway.

Love that it is sometimes a faster way to get from A to B.

HATE that the always stellar Utah driver skills (*caught the sarcasm, right...*) seem to plummet to absolute zero on the freeway, however.

Today a huge Chevy Suburban cut right in front of me, attempting to fit where even a Geo Metro would be a tight squeeze.

Always annoying, but to make things even more pleasant, it had a huge New York Yankees sticker on the back window.

And that's not all.....

it had a BYU sticker too!!

Grrrrrr.

SWEEP!!!!!!!

What a fantastic series!!

The Detroit Tigers

SWEPT

the New York Yankees.

That's right, swept. As in the Tigers beat them 4 games straight.
The Tigers starting pitchers only allowed the Yankees 2 runs in the whole entire 4 game series.
The Tigers dealt the Yankees their first sweep in the ALCS since

1980.
The Detroit Tigers rock!!!

 

Go Tigers!!!!

I cannot wait for the World Series!!!!!!!!!!!

I've got your back, Big Bird. . .

I am not super politically active, or motivated, or anything.

Generally, I tend to let politics go their own way, and I go mine.

But......

Apparently a certain President-wanna-be thinks we should stop funding PBS.

Now I'm angry. Who doesn't like Big Bird??!?

Are there really no other issues in the country bigger and more worth the time?

This is the biggest problem?

PBS?
Grrrrrr.

At least he didn't malign Oscar the Grouch.
We'd have some serious problems if he attacked my favorite Sesame Street character.
Really, Oscar is one of my very favorite characters, from any show, ever.

Boy, does she know me. . .

A small conversation I overheard this afternoon, about three minutes after I heard the school bus on my street, and before the kids even set foot in the house...

Barrett:   "Do you think Mom is home yet?"

Charlotte:   "I think so, she didn't have to go to work today."

this next one is my favorite...

Savannah:   "Of course she's home, can't you tell? Her music is WAAAAAY too loud, I can hear it from out here."

Apparently, I listen to music too loud. The thing is, though, I like it that way. Loud is good. It makes me smile.
So, what does this mean?

But I thought I was older than Savannah??!!  Hmmm, maybe I can buy Savannah some earplugs!!

(Recent) History Class. . .

 

 

Just listened to Savannah, my eleven-year-old, tell Barrett and Charlotte all about September 11, 2001.

In exceptional and accurate detail.

She even recounted things that I had forgotten, such as the third plane that crashed into the Pentagon.

And the fourth plane, that attempted to crash into the White House, but was thwarted by the bravery and heroics of the passengers on that plane; all of whom died when they managed to divert the plane and crash-land on an open field.

 

I was quite proud.

Proud of the 6th grade teachers who obviously presented a wonderful memorial and tribute, and gave a lesson that the students remembered.

Proud of Savannah for listening, and taking a very sad lesson into her heart. Proud that she became a little teary during her recitation of something that happened when she was just a 6 month old baby.

Proud of Charlotte and Barrett for listening, and for trying to understand events that transpired years before they were born.

 

As for me, I remember that day, eleven years ago. My darling sister Steph was holding  and playing with Savannah, and suddenly shouted to me to come downstairs. I could not believe my eyes. I made it to the TV just in time to see the second plane crash into the tower.

Utterly in shock and disbelief, Steph and I just sat there, holding Savannah between us, crying and trying to understand what we had just witnessed.

 

I'll never forget that morning.

It made me happy, if that can be possible, to hear the events of that day retold by my daughter, and to hear the new generation of children understand, in their own way, and on their own level, the solemn importance of such a tragedy.

 

God bless the USA.

Back to school. . .

 All ready for the new school year!! All the kids at the same school, on the same schedule.

 Barrett ready to rock first grade! When did he get so big?!? 

 In his class, with his very own desk! He was so excited! Going to be a great year!

 Charlotte, all ready to begin second grade. So cool!

 At her own desk, with her friend Ellie sitting right across from her. Yay!

 Savannah. Sixth grade. Enough said, or I am going to cry some more.

 Savannah in her class. Apparently she has hit the traditional 6th grade milestone- the "I'm not going to look at Mom for the picture, I'm too cool for that" phase. Despite her embarrassment, I continued to take pictures, even if she wouldn't look at the camera!!

 

That's it. My babies are all big and grown up enough to be in school. All day.

Just me and the cats, at home all day.

I think I might survive...

 

: ~)

 

Finally!!!

Attention everyone!!!

Barrett has a loose tooth!

He has been waiting, quite impatiently, for this momentous occasion;

ever since Charlotte got her first loose tooth, which was before she started kindergarten.

It's been a long two year wait.

He is soooooooooooo
excited!

It's just not possible...

You know the family photo we have as the header to this blog??

Well, I love that photo. Truly, I do.

Except, there are times when I look at it, and I am completely bewildered and confused.

Surely, that beautiful and lovely young lady on the right cannot possibly be my oldest daughter!!!

I look at this photo, and Savannah just looks so grown up and lovely.

This troubles me.

It seems only yesterday that she was a tiny little six-pounder.

When did she grow up?

She just looks so grown up, so lovely and so much older.

I blinked, and she turned into a young lady.

Sometimes I cannot even look at this picture, because I start to cry.

Who decided the kids could grow up so fast??

Love Letters. . .

From Charlotte!!  Charlotte surprised all of us with sweet and tender little notes that she had written. I sure do love it when the kids do something totally unexpected, and that "unexpected" takes the form of kindness and love.

This is what Charlotte wrote to us-

"Dear Mom- I love you so much. You are the Best mom in the world, and you are being loved so much. Love, Charlotte"

"Dear Dad- I love you so much. You are the Best dad in the world. You are being loved. Love, Charlotte"

"Dear Savannah- I love you and your loveness so much. Savannah is always kidding. Love, Charlotte"

"Dear Barrett- Boy, you are always kidding, but I love you and your goofyness so much. You are the best brother in the world. Love, Charlotte"

It just made my day. Love her sweet and sincerely kind little heart!

Getting to know you. . .

I was asked to take a quiz the other day. You know the kind of quiz that has about 20 of the most random and pointless questions, all aimed at "getting to know you" through your answers to such questions??

I filled out one of those.

On request from church, mind you.

Apparently, people at church don't feel they know me well enough.

Maybe they were happier in their ignorance.

:)

One of the questions was:

'What is the most-played song on your ipod?'

My answer:

"God Called In Sick Today" by AFI.

Yep.

Church asked the question.

"God Called In Sick Today" is the answer.

I love the universe when it is awesome like that!

By the way, it is a great song, on a great album, "Black Sails in the Sunset."

Anyone who really knows me will find it funny.

I think it's funny, anyway....



Notable quotables. . .

Some funny things heard around our house lately...

Savannah and Barrett talking about their respective softball and baseball teams:

"My team is the Blue Jays, Barrett. And I'm number 9, just like you!"

"Cool, Savannah. But my team is the Bats, and that's more awesome than Blue Jays. Hey, Savannah, do you think Dad would still let us play if our team was the Yankees?"

"Well, maybe he'd let us play, but we would have to wear a different shirt to the games."

Charlotte to Barrett:

"I don't care what Spiderman's other name is Barrett, I'm a girl."

"It's Peter Parker, Char."

"Barrett, I don't care. But you're a boy, so you can care about Spiderman, I guess."

Barrett to Mom:

"Mom, where are you?"

"I'll be right out, I'm in the bathroom."

"Oh. Are you draining your sea monster, Mom?"

A Very Nice Day. . .

Today, the kids got home from school, and we listened to this:

 

and this:

Listening to the rain softly pound the windows, while Otis Redding plays on the Ipod.

A rather good afternoon, don't you think so?

Allow me to step up on my soapbox. . .

Today I was more than a little bit annoyed by the behavior I witnessed.

There was a school bus picking up students.

It was completely STOPPED.

It had "flashing for safety" tail lights.

There was a completely visible line of students boarding the bus.

And, last but certainly not least, the bus had

a large, glowing and flashing red

STOP SIGN

sticking out to the side of the bus.

A STOP SIGN.

That clearly indicates you should stop, right?

I hope I was not the only one who was both amazed and outright angered by the not one, not two, but THREE people who totally disregarded the

glowing, flashing stop sign, and drove right around the bus.

Really, people!!??

I admit to my fair share of idiotic driving when I was younger, but not now.

And certainly not around a school bus!

Come on, people, please slow down, and please, please, please,

for the safety of our kids,

DO NOT GO AROUND A SCHOOL BUS SPORTING A GLOWING, FLASHING STOP SIGN.

Please.

Our kids are definitely worth the extra two minutes it will take to wait for the bus to finish loading.

Thank you,

and now, I will get off my soapbox.

End of an era. . .

 First we lose manager Terry Francona. . .

 Then we lose pitcher Tim Wakefield, who retired after a stellar career. . .

and now we lose our beloved Captain, catcher Jason Varitek, who also retired after a phenomenal career.

As if this isn't enough bad news, our new manager is Bobby Valentine.  Ugh.   :(

All in all, I am not overly excited about the new baseball season starting up in a few weeks.

Sorry Colby, my dear, but now seems like the perfect time to start fresh.

I'm thinking of flip-flopping my baseball teams.

I just may become an ardent Detroit Tigers fan, and downgrade to a casual Red Sox fan, instead of the other way around.

Ooh-La-La!!

Today, we celebrate a magnificent milestone:

5,478 days of wedded bliss!

Or, in simpler terms, 15 years.

I mean this very seriously, and very honestly-

the past fifteen years have been

Heaven on Earth.

Truly.

All the good times, and even the not-quite-as-good times.

I adore you, Colby Hill.

Happy Decade-and-a-half!!!

Happy Birthday Charlotte! ! !

Happy 7th Birthday Charlotte!!

Wishing you a special day just as sparkling, twirly, fabulous,

fun and glitterific as you are! 

Love you, our Princess Blue-Eyes!!

Sick, sick...

Charlotte is home sick today.

I knew she was not feeling well when. . .

She came home from school yesterday, and spent almost the whole afternoon and evening on the couch. Not like her at all.

At dinner, she only ate 2 teeny-weeny spoonsful of soup. Not like her- dinner was chinese food, and chinese soup is one of her favorites.

And of course, there is always the unmistakable sign of your child's sickness :

waking up seven times in the night to throw up.

Seven times.

:(

Poor girl.

I can't see how such a tiny little tummy can hurl so much.

Here's hoping it passes quickly, and that Savannah and Barrett don't come down with it.

It is so sad to see your kids sick, and knowing there's really not very much you can do about it.

Back in the day. . .

When we wanted to watch a movie, it was on one of these sweet babies. . . . .

 Yep, a "video." A "VHS tape."  Which we watched on this. . . . .

A video-cassette recorder.  A "VCR."

How very old-school, charming and retro these seem to me now! But, I still remember when my dad purchased a VCR for our family. It was awesome! Movies in my house, at any time??!!

YES!!

But times sure have changed.

For our family movie night, the movie I wanted to watch was only on VHS (we still haven't quite finished upgrading our movie collection to DVD yet!).

So, after trying to remember how the VCR worked, we popped the video in, and pushed 'play.'

After the initial confusion as to where the odd "hissy/static-y" sound was coming from (remember the sound of tapes!!) we fast-forwarded through the opening credits.

And I mean, actually fast-forwarding. No clicking on the "menu," selecting our chapter, and being instantly transported there, like magic.

And so, we watched the movie.

On video.  : ~ )

Then, it was over, and we told the kids it was time for bed.

Charlotte asked me then. . .

"Mom, what is that?"

I asked her what she meant, what?

"Mom, that sound, the "whiiirrrrrrrrr" sound- what is it?"

Then it clicked for me- my kids had never heard the sound of a VHS video being rewound!

So I explained that the video was rewinding. Her response?

"What does that mean? Why is it so loud and annoying?"

Oh, the days of rewinding a movie, not just merely clicking the chapter you want.

The static-y and hissy sound of VHS movies.

You know what?

I almost felt sad that we own a DVD player!

I kind of liked the trip down memory lane, to about 1982 or so.

I am so old.

I remember our old VCR from when I was a kid.

And, while we're on the subject. . . . .

I owned a record turntable, of my very own!

I remember the Sony "Walkman."

I remember cassette tapes.

I remember the very first CD player I ever owned. I remember the very first two CDs I bought.

I remember Atari games.

Man, I kind of miss 1982!!

Goodbye, Hello...

I was thinking about posting some photographic proof of my family's existence over the past few months, but then I just got

overwhelmed by the prospect.



So, goodbye 2011,

hello 2012.

I'd say that my New Year's resolution is to keep a better record of my family's comings and goings, and adventures and mishaps, but-

1.  I hate the whole New Year's holiday, with it's irritating and annoying, yet somehow obligatory "need" for improvements and goals and resolutions, and,

2.  Let's be honest:

besides me, who even reads this silly little blog anyway!?!?