A Day With Me

Unwavering Faith

2012-02-17T21:03:00.000-08:00

Today my brother passed away. When people ask how I am doing I say fine. And really I do feel okay. Sure I am sad. I will miss him. I have pictures of him throughout my digital albums, but mainly of us goofing off as a family. This one, which I stole from his facebook account, is probably more flattering than mine. But I can't help but feel okay because those pictures I have, he's always laughing and smiling and playing rough and tumble-like with one of his nieces or nephews. And I guess these last months or so I missed him, that side of him. My sadness has been increasing by degrees so that at this moment it isn't so overwhelming or crashing down around me.

And now that he is gone there is a small kind of relief. I feel glad knowing that he's with the Savior and probably laughing and smiling once more. I feel comforted knowing that he's probably still watching our family and will continue to. Mostly I just feel an immense amount of gratitude for a knowledge that I have that life continues and goes on beyond this life and world. That an eternity awaits us in heaven and that a great reuniting will take place another day. With such unwavering faith in this principle alone, my grief feels manageable. Love you, David!

Wyatt's Baptism

2012-02-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it is so frustrating that on the most important days, where I would love to have thousands of pictures, I never have many. It is just because I am so caught up in living in the moment, I forget. But at least we caught a few of Wyatt before his baptism. And even though we didn't get family shots, everyone looked super cute.

Dear Wyatt,

2012-01-29T14:37:00.000-08:00

How have you gotten so big? How have you arrived at this momentous birthday? How is it that I have another child turning 8 and getting baptized? Man, I can't believe how proud I am of you. Those are just a couple of the how's I've been thinking of.

I can't imagine life before you. I really don't even try because each day since having children I have had so much more happiness. In some ways you share the most special place in my heart with Daddy. Although I don't have favorites each child claims a piece of me another can never claim. The piece you claim has to do with how extraordinary you are. So much like your dad. So kind, considerate, loving, pleasing, without guile - just the best little man I've ever known. You two could not be more alike if you tried. And I love that my first born son is now the second greatest man I've ever known and I believe that someday you'll surpass your daddy to be the one of the greatest tied with your brothers of course.

You are brilliant and I love to discuss things with you because I see your sponge brain trying to soak it all in. Someday you'll be so smart, smarter than me, smarter than Dad and I love to watch it happening right before my eyes. I love that you love school and your perfect attendance since your first day of Kindergarten makes you more excited than any good grade. I love that every teacher you've ever had has oozed excitement about how much you love to learn.

Today we celebrated your birthday, well I guess yesterday since I write in the wee hours of the morning of your birthday. And all you wanted was to go to the temple and play around DC absorbing more of the culture and historical importance that exists there. And that is what you are, a perfect mix of intelligence and spiritual belief. I know you think you want to be the first missionary in China and if not there go to Japan, but I know that wherever you go, you'll be amazing- you know how to work hard. And I love that at dinner tonight in preparation you practice using chopsticks picking up one piece of corn at a time.

Could you be any more precious or special? Probably not. Thanks for existing. Thanks for putting up with Dad and I as your parents. Because we feel like the luckiest ones in the world.

Love, Mom

P.S. Here are some of your memories of your b-day celebration and a special moment in your life lately - your yellow best testing and critique from your Sensei.

It's a Labor of Love

2012-01-26T05:42:00.000-08:00

Due to tradition and desire, I made these six stockings. They are the same style as Travis's mom made for all of her kids, and many if not all of the daughter and daughter-in-laws have carried it on. They are gorgeous, really they are. And they aren't hard really - numbered felt, sequins, beads and some basic stitching/sewing technique. But these things do take a ton of time. And since I never work on them until after Halloween, I finally finished them all just before Christmas this past year. Just two years after I bought them. Don't you love them? I do. And the finished product our fireplace mantel. Each of the kids picked their design and even that is telling as to my children's personalities.

Girly Noises

2012-01-18T08:25:00.000-08:00

Bella this year has become very aware of the types of girls there are. She has come home asking me if she is a girly girl or a tomboy?

A couple of days after that she came home declaring she thought she was a bit of both. I agree.
Likewise I would have classified myself the same way. But alas apparently I am delusional.

Because while laying on the floor stretching the other day, I was informed by Travis, I love when you do that. I asked, "Stretch?" And he said, "No, make that girly noise." Me "What?" Travis "You make a little girly noise every time you stretch whether in the morning or whenever. I just think it's cute. It's one of the few super girly things you do."

This is the scathing look he received afterwards. For one, taking pictures of me stretching and, two, uttering inanities like the one above.

Because of You

2012-01-16T09:34:00.000-08:00

I thought that I would marry late in life. And when I had a family they would come much later too. I thought I would be a "ball busting" career woman. I thought I didn't need anyone to be complete. I thought a lot of things.

But on this day, 35 years ago, you changed all the things I unwittingly thought. Because on July 11, 1999 I met you. And I didn't need you to be complete, but I sure wanted you. And I wanted to marry you immediately, even though I was 17. I wanted to have a family shortly after that and I wanted my career to be a wife to you and a mother to our children.

And so today I celebrate your life. Because as son, brother, father, and husband you have made every person's life better, especially mine. Thanks for being you babe. Your just perfect in my eyes.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Faces

2012-01-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day is all about happy faces, happy dances, and being absorbed in playing with your new toy. And under this definition, our Christmas was a huge success. Here's hoping yours was too!

Grandma

2012-01-13T07:34:00.000-08:00

Dear Grandma,

Just so you know, you are often on my kid's minds. Although I wonder if you would totally love the things they are saying. Just remember they are innocents. That's why when I heard these things recently, I just had to laugh. And post them, so that all could join in the wondrous joys of children who speak their minds.

First before Christmas as I asked Travis what we should get you for Christmas, Issac piped up "I know. We should get her a new wheel chair. She could really use one of those."

Then after the days you spent over at our house for Christmas Wyatt walked in the house and sat down one day and said, "You can tell Grandma spent a lot of time in this chair. It smells like her." I asked him what it smelled like and he said, "Flowers, weird powder, and old."

Then a week or so later as we drove in the car with the kids and Bella's one friend, I overheard talking. The conversation went something like this. Bella said I love Christmas cookies. My grandma is the best. She is always getting us Christmas cookies. I especially like to eat them in the summer. Her friend said you mean the winter. And Bella said no the summer. My grandma always has Christmas cookies in the summer. She gets them on sale.

Now to your benefit I know that it is probably late winter with the cookies thing. And the kids really do love them. Just wanted you to know they are thinking of you.

Love,
Mary

PS It's crazy to realize you are a grandma, like I used to remember Grandma, with all of her food tasting just a bit musty and her house having a specific scent and knowing that she would always have fruited jello waiting for me to eat when we got there. I only hope that my kids are saving up all these precious memories of you just like I have of Grandma. Because to me you are still "Mom".

Severely Taken Out of Context

2012-01-10T06:49:00.000-08:00

When people ask me how I've been, I often think,

Big wheels keep on turning
Proud Mary keep on burning
And we're rolling, rolling
Rolling down the river.

Although lyrically not a perfect quote, it's what comes to me. Life keeps moving, I keep being the driving force, and our family just keeps pushing forward.

But if you're the type who likes details we had:

a Beaver son (he likes to take paper and turn himself into animals)

the Merry Mohawk

One bout of stomach flu right before Christmas - we kept it contained to 1 child

my sous pastry chef - layman's terms cookie helper

the teachers sang christmas carols to the kids on the last day of school - love Manheim Central

ward christmas party - bishopric dressed up as elves and skipped about

the "original" pastry chef

what travis does with a camera - takes pictures of my butt and boobs, i spared you the other

christmas eve party: aka Shepard's dinner

happy cousins

the mom's chatting

6 Christmas stockings sewn, take that, doubting Thomas(s) - you know who you are

trolley ride - downtown Manheim - new year's eve

a happy wyatt

dancing in the square

Myself - I prefer the details.

Pensive Ponderings

2012-01-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

So much of this blog is quickly written, copied, and pasted to act as a journal for my life. Memories for when the Alzheimer's kicks in, for when my life is aged past the point of telling my life with efficiency and thoughtfulness for future generations. It is the banal daily happenings and the contemplative evening moments when my mind slows down and my thoughts deepen to what really matters. This post is one of the later.

Tonight I can't help but think of three major themes and how interwoven and consistent they have been in my life. This weekend I have played single mother to four kids. When Travis is out of town there is a sense of freedom from my more ridged schedules and strict discipline. Often times, it is a time where some of my most profound beliefs are shared with the kids through this glimpse of shapeless living. This weekend I felt myself once again telling the kids about the importance of good tools, their proper care, and their many purposes. But surprisingly it wasn't the wood and metal of a craftsman's tool that I referred to. It was words of which I spoke to them about. I emphasized that each tool has a purpose, that finding just the right tool for the job often makes it easier. They can be sharp, blunt, build or destroy, and they have the power to rev up or to retard. But that with proper construction the end result can be more powerful than anything you can imagine.

As I listened to Bella talk on the phone to Travis tonight sharing her thoughts about the weekend without him, she uttered one phrase so perfectly spoken with absolute clarity and precision to perfectly illustrate her thoughts and feelings on a particular subject. It was so perfect that I looked to my cell phone resting against Bella's ear as if Travis were there so that we could exchange an unspoken acknowledgement, through our eyes, of the most serene happiness we feel when we watch our children blossom into adults who have exceeded our every expectation and reminded us of the perfect healing power of the Atonement.

This weekend Travis went to Texas, to his childhood home. His grandfather passed away at the age of 95; it was expected and so free from some of the more intense grief that can come at a sudden loss. His life was long and well lived. And as Travis and I spoke tonight on the phone for over an hour and a half during his airport layover he filled me in on all the details of the weekend. I remembered why he is my very best friend. He spoke lovingly and sometimes tearfully of the viewing and funeral, of the numerous family gatherings that took place and the story telling his cousins and he shared about their memories of their grandfather's life -their last living grandparent- and their memories with him.

I can't help but consider repeatedly the legacy of this man. It is something I had considered numerous times while he was still living. His life was rich and colorful with stories that even I with my wild ways can't compete with. Most notably he ran away from home, seeking relief from horrific abuse, to start a life of his own starting with the lifestyle of a bum hopping on trains to live. Within that one story lie a thousand stories and tales of the ways that God intervened and had preserved his life for some reason he hadn't at the time known. Eventually he found his way to Texas where he worked from a homeless, penniless, abused childhood to a landowning, modest, Texas rancher. He was father to 4 natural born children, several foster children, and a religious and community icon. And throughout the services held for him all who knew him spoke of his legacy, the lives he changed, the man he was, and the lessons he taught. He is a man who will be missed, but joy cannot begin to describe how I feel when I consider that this is now my and my children's legacy to carry on.

I wonder what that legacy will be. I am not the wordsmith I wish I were, despite my love for the spoken and written word. I without morbidity think what people will say about my life when I too have passed on. I first and foremost echo the sentiment Grandpa made when he said, "Dorothy (his wife) and I just wanted to raise a righteous posterity." But what character traits will people attribute to me? Will it be the flippant attitude with which I sometimes approach life, or with joyfulness and silliness with which I draw people to me? Will it be for the deep spiritual wells I hold further within for those closer to me to actually see? Will I be known for my work ethic, honesty, intelligence, pretty face -I can't help but throw that in there- or my non "shrinking violet" attitude? I have heard each of these things to describe me within the past month. I am not really sure what one fundamental trait I want my legacy to be, but recently in my life through many experiences I keep contemplating honesty, not the hard, sharp edged, brutal kind. But the truthful, authentic, equitable, virtuous, open, free from deceit sort of honesty where words matter and mean something and that perfectly crafted sentence is exactly what you wanted to portray and that one character is the foundation for which all others can be built.

At Arms Length - 2011

2011-12-31T23:46:00.000-08:00

This is what Travis and I look like
-at arm's length.

Man I love these pics.

I love "US"!

Kick Off To Christmas

2011-12-15T17:27:00.000-08:00

So the first weeks of December were crazy busy.
Our PTO does a Holiday Craft - each student makes a gift to give to someone.

Women's Club of Manheim assembled cookies, had a cookie auction, and a Holiday Tour of Homes.

Bella's dance studio did multiple Saturday preformances at retirement centers and the town square.

We went to the Manheim tree lighting with friends and their kids.

We took the kids to the Washington DC Temple grounds to see the lights, a Bell Choir, and enjoy the Christmas Kickoff.

I'm totally entrenched in the Christmas Spirit. What about you?

What do you do to get ready for Christmas?

Issac Birthday Wrap Up

2011-12-11T20:07:00.000-08:00

Issac's Big Day - Enthusiastic as always Issac treated his 6th birthday as the best ever.

He wanted a dragon cake!

To go to Chuck E' Cheese!

To get a Degadar race track!

And to stay up late to play with his toy after all the kids were in bed.

All of his birthday wishes came true. What an easy kid to please!

Below the Knees

2011-12-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

So ran a new personal best mile today.

7 minutes and 21 seconds.

Feeling pretty proud.

Hoping to get below 7 minutes by February.

Someone told me today that I have the most defined calves in bootcamp class.

They are getting quite toned.

Especially when I am running/jumping.

But still I can't find a pair of knee boots that fit around these calves.

There is way too much muscle.

Let alone fitting the jeans I want to wear tucked into them.

And let's be honest, it wouldn't be a great look on me anyway.

Big thighs too. Mostly muscle.

But I still want to wear it.

And speaking of limbs I have fingers.

They have been used for the past month to create beaded masterpieces.

Christmas stockings from Mary Maxim.

So many inappropriate jokes have been made in our house recently.

About my beadwork being Native American.

About Asian sewing sweatshops.

And occasionally a bit about more sequins than a wedding dress.

But I swear these babies will be done by Christmas.

Even if it kills me. Which it won't because

"I'm a survivor, I'm not gonna give up, I'm not gonna stop, I'm gonna work hard".

Yeah sorry about the Destiny's Child lyric quoting.

This is what happens if you work out at the gym to much.

Crazy tough girl music gets stuck in your brain.

Mini-Me

2011-12-01T10:59:00.000-08:00

Dear Issac,

I love your blond hair that is as shocking to me as Kody's red. I guess I just expected brown in all of my kids. I love your eyes that change color with some frequency alternating between blue, gray, and green. I love your little pug nose, your full little kid lips and kisses. I love that your hands are always warm and super soft and that you love to hold my hand still.

I love your fierceness, your energy, your enthusiasm. I love that your whole personality is infectious and wherever I go people comment on all of these things. I love that you are a leader and not a follower. I love that you are the first of all the kids to say thank you for anything whether it is a little snuggle time, taking the family out to eat or finishing a family vacation.

I love that your passion extends to those things religious and how deeply you feel them. I love that you pop off the bench for dinner to kneel for prayers extending that to almost every time you pray whether the rest of us or kneeling or not. I love that you love when I sing to you at bedtime and always request church songs. I love your sleepy little voice that sings along fading in and out of relaxation so deep you are barely singing at all, but you can't help it. I love that when you are in church your singing is filled with as much excitement as you have when playing sports.

I love how much you adore learning and school specifically. It makes my job so easy when you soak up knowledge like a sponge trying to absorb every last drop. I love that you walk around the house all day saying words and then spelling them out as best you can. I love the notes you leave for me all over. I love that your Kindergarten teacher laughed at parent/teacher conference and said, "You warned me. He isn't like Bella at all. But he is equally great." And then went on to gush about how much she loves you and how well you are doing acclimating.

If you haven't guessed yet, I just love you. I love the little things and the big things. And I love even more that people always think that you and I not only look exactly alike, but act the same too. Because I love who you are and it makes it a little easier on those less than great days to look at you and know there is even a modicum of so much good floating in me too. I am in awe of you and know that someday you are going to be the man that every girl dreams of calling her husband. I love that about you too.

Love, Mommy

PS Happy 6th Birthday!

I Like It That Way

2011-11-28T17:51:00.000-08:00

Insert: (if Travis were here he would say): That's what she said.

So today I was at the gym trying to get my kids from the daycare room. Other friends and gym mates were picking up and some were dropping off. It was madness in the room and one friend said, so I see Manheim Central doesn't have school today. And I was like you guessed right. She asked, "Why not?  Hunting season???"

Actually yes. You see here in Manheim we are a farming community. We are the hunting, small town, good ole' boys established city. And with every Thanksgiving break we have, we give the following Monday off to respect the start of hunting season. And logically let's be honest to avoid all the absenteeism they would encounter if they had school anyway. A local Manheimite commented "Geesh, I didn't know that is why we had off. We get off for Farm Show week and hunting season. Man we are hicks."

And to this I say, "yes-sir-ee" and proud. Because I moved from one small town, Spring Grove - Pennsylvania and established myself in another small town Manheim - Pennsylvania. And it wasn't because I had never been anywhere else and just settled.  It was because after 6 states, and 10 plus addresses I realized that I love small towns with all their "Funny Farm" charm.

Note:  We also have Ladies Night, the same Monday - start of hunting season- at the local hardware store, although that hardly does justice to the store that carries a little of everything - Longeneckers. And I swear to you it is the Manheim equivalent of Black Friday.

Celebrity Visits Baron's Ridge...Again

2011-11-21T08:23:00.000-08:00

And he's back. Edward Cullen. Yeah we could care less about Robert Pattenson or whatever his name is. The builders and realtors hate when we cover their signs with our signs. But we all laugh for days.

Tonight is our neighborhood viewing night. First time for some, repeat viewing for others. My first. I'll let you know tomorrow what I think. We're silly, but that is why I love these girls.

Amelia Bedelia and Other Literal Things

2011-11-21T06:23:00.000-08:00

I get my groceries at half price. This is not an exaggeration. Just like the books where Amelia Bedelia takes everything to a ridiculous and very literal conclusion I do the same when it come to grocery shopping and my bragging rights. It's why I can feed our family of 6 and always some extra neighborhood kids for a whole month for under $400.

So where do I shop, well for the most part I shop monthly to avoid the impulse purchases I know I can't help and stock up on bulk stuff from stores like Amelia's. I know I have blogged about this store before, but seriously people each time I come out I am a little amazed. Note: they are super overpriced on certain things. Not everything is a good deal, but some things are and when they are - they really are. Buy tons.

This week I got:
14 Boxes of cereal
2 boxes of Wheat Thins
3 bags of Chips and 1 Heluva Good Dip
2 boxes of Gogurt
3 boxes of granola bars
4 packages of cookies
3 boxes of crackers
2 bags of pretzel sticks
2 boxes of fruit snacks
1 cake mix
1/2 gallon of Tropicana OJ
2 gallons of milk
2 lbs. of string cheese
4 32 oz. bags of frozen veggies
4 lbs. of frozen mozzarella cheese sticks
4 lbs. of frozen french fries
3 lbs. of chicken nuggets

How much would you pay for these groceries?

Twins or Look Alikes

2011-11-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

I'm always just a little nervous when someone says I look like someone they know. From past experience when I finally meet, see, or view a photo of that alleged person I'm a little woebegone and sometimes a bit offended. In my head I am often prettier than the person they thought I looked like and it is always a temporary let down.

Likewise about five years ago, people started saying that this newer actor looked like my husband. Initially I had never heard of him. Then as his career picked up more momentum so did the claims that my husband and him could be twins. Even today at the gym, the claim was made again. You see I think my husband is much better looking than this guy, Jason Statham. What do you think?

I see similar head and face shapes, wrinkle lines between the eyes, and no actual ear lobes, and a near constant state of 2 day beard growth, but otherwise my husband's way hotter. Case closed.

When Church Is...

2011-11-17T06:23:00.000-08:00

at 11am - the perfect time -

there is time to start your day with a romp in the snow.

Especially when there is fresh snow from the night before.

Give The Man an Award

2011-11-16T11:46:00.000-08:00

Travis came home the other night and asked "What's for dinner?"

I promptly responded, "Whatever you make."

Not out of rudeness more just sheer exhaustion from the day.

After a bit of hmming and hawing, I gave him a recipe and said try this.

It was for Cajun Chicken Pasta.

The man went over board and even made his own Cajun spice from online too.

Who says men can't follow directions? It was delish.

And I repeat...Travis rocks my world.

That's what she said.

October in Headlines

2011-11-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

Life seems to be slipping by me. I can hardly keep up in terms of living it let alone documenting it for posterity's sake. Here is the wrap up of October that I haven't gotten around to. Yeah just ignore that fact that we are over halfway done November and the week before Thanksgiving.

The Beauty of Fall

my mom's back yard has one of the best views ever this time of year

Bats, Wolves, and Cats Oh My: Pumpkin Carving Was a Huge Success
Corn Meal Made With Cars

Lancaster County = Spilled corn, cars and cornmeal

Best Teacher: And the Award goes to a Man

I love Wyatt's teacher so much!

Homecoming Football Game: Barons vs. Crazy Kids
Freakish Snow Storm Pounds the East Coast on Super Saturday
Last Minute Costume Changes Imminent

Thirty Things of Thanksgiving

2011-11-08T05:52:00.000-08:00

For the month that celebrates an attitude of gratitude

here are 30 things I am grateful for,

one for each day of the month.

1. my home being my refuge

2. older pictures

3. a husband who can follow a recipe and cook me dinner

4. the excitement of a first snow - even if it comes early in the season

5. wet kid kisses

6. the beauty of the Earth

7. cute pictures of me

8. the gym, gym friends, and pushing myself everyday

9. going out to eat

10. reading a book with absolutely no substance whatsoever

11. watching my husband turn our old VHS family videos into DVD's

12. crafting Christmas stockings

13. hearing the primary children sing really loud and full of excitement

14. children who consider each other best friends

15. attending sporting events

16. bread bowls filled with hot soup on cold evenings

17. forever friends

18. a vacuum on each floor of the house

19. posing for family pictures - sometimes I'm thankful, sometimes I'm angry

20. this blog to record life's little moments

21. parties, social gatherings

22. educational toys - i enjoy them more than most

23. new recipes

24. really good fast and testimony meetings

25. cuddling with a child and talking about their day

26. listening to music while i pay bills - it eases the stress

27. getting stuck in traffic and being able to get to know the person in the car with you better

28. sunny, cool autumn days filled with the smell of burning leaves

29. being a part of and living in a great community

30. the birth, death, and resurrection of our Savior

I hope you are considering the things you are grateful for this month too. What are they?

Waiter...

2011-11-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

What happens when you go to

Texas Roadhouse and get

the world’s best, friendliest, and gay waiter?

This! And I love it and he got tipped big time.

The Great Underwear Debate

2011-10-31T10:47:00.000-07:00

Many have heard the argument on the great underwear debate. Boxers or briefs. The great compromise was made and some company came out with the boxer brief starting in the 90's. Kudos to them. Since then few have heard the underwear debate much. This solution has satisfied every man, women and child alike.

But in our house we still have the great underwear debate. Names have been changed to conceal identities and avoid teenage embarrassment when the archives of this are found. I have one son we'll call him Willy - he is under the distinct impression that the only time your underwear needs changed is coming out of the bath/shower (every other night in our house) or if some kind of damage has been incurred. I'll spare you the details on that. But you get my drift. Willy gives me the heebie jeebies with his distinct beliefs on underwear.

Then we have Isaiah. He thinks that underwear should be changed at a minimum daily, but often times will do a mid-day change, especially if there is a clothing change already taking place for some reason - say into a Karate uniform. Each time I do laundry this child always has at least double the pairs everyone else has on their piles.

And last we have Dexter. He is a precocious child. And although many conversations on underwear have taken place, he is under the distinct impression that this is an optional item. More days than not he is sporting nothing under his jeans, pants, sweats, etc... And on those days that I take matters into my own hands and wrestle a pair onto the child, say for Dr's visits or something, more often than not I will find hidden pairs of underwear behind the toilet. Yes that is right, he takes them off after peeing and hides them.

So I implore you, lest you think the great underwear debate has been solved, to weigh in on your boys underwear habits so I don't feel like I have three little freaks running around. Unless your kids do it the right way. And then by all means keep it to yourself. I don't need to feel anymore silly about this than I already do.

In Other News:

2011-10-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to the Hirshhorn Museum in DC. And my kids who claim to love art thought there was no art in the place. I told them to go tell their art teacher that in school on Monday. Wonder what she thought of that?

Also in other news:

Our first official case of croup struck for this season. Suck.

And last in the news:
What would possess a grown man to wear blue spandex pants? Well Halloween. More updates – read posts – on this later.

Rick's Will Live On Forever

2011-10-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

Many people ask me about Rick’s College. It was where I went for my first two years of college. Yeah it has a funny name. People joked about going to Sam’s college, etc… When they heard it was in Idaho, I would get a lot of comments like “Yeah you are ‘da ho!” Clever I know. Perhaps I surround myself with some lesser scholastically minded individuals. Regardless the college is now known as Brigham Young University – Idaho. It’s a legitimate 4 year college, accredited, etc…it just had a crazy name back in the 90’s when I went.

When people ask my general consensus is that I loved it. I think everyone should go. Sure there were dumb activities such as Prayer Meeting(s), despite meeting my husband at one, and sure they give fake assignments like Family Home Evening Moms and Dads for our little college groups, but overall all these social events they thought up lead to a great education and a whole lot of friends and fun.

So when I was asked to come up with games for Women’s Club of Manheim meeting, I went to my old arsenal of Rick’s college standby favorites. And it didn’t matter that the demographic of these two groups is largely different. Fun is fun and watching someone shove 8 full size marshmallows in their mouth and then try and talk is fun. Doesn’t it look fun?

Issac

2011-10-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

How does this boy spend his time?
• expending more energy than any human has ever known
• and then promptly falling fast asleep while sitting up

That’s what happens when you play as hard as he does.

Cah-Rah-Tee

2011-10-25T17:13:00.000-07:00

You know how when you buy something but then it's junk that overwhelming feeling of disappointment. Likewise it's a good feeling to see the quality when you pay for something. Well after putting some money into the two middle kids (wyatt and issac) into Karate it was good to see them learning something. They are in different skill classes, issac's more fun based while integrating skills while wyatt's is more disciplined with some fun. Well wyatt this week earned his first belt by completing his first Kata (read the first paragraph and background section) and passing a physical fitness type evaluation.

I'm thinking we have our first official Karate Kid in the Whiting household. What do you think? Would you mess with him in a fight? Well I hope not because the reality is I would hunt you down and kill you with my bare hands, but potato - patato.

Punk Rock Band - Kabuki Style

2011-10-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

Bella has a little “Bestie”. They spend lots of time together at our house and her house, which is only like ½ mile away. Fantastically convenient if I do say so myself. Well during Farm Show week in Manheim and the 5 day vacation, Allie spent several days here. The girls are great at occupying their time.

This particular game was dressing up like different genre punk rock bands. Well they dressed in inverted colored clothing and matching makeup with Geisha style lips and then danced their hearts out. This girl is awesome and I totally give my 100% parent stamp of approval on her. I love these silly girls.

Trends I Don't Want to See

2011-10-19T05:33:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been seeing some trends I'm not so excited about seeing.

First - Non Matching Socks; okay this is just me; but it looks dumb. Will I let Bella do it? Sure. I mean I am not so staunch a parent as to repeat the Graver household tight rolled jean crisis. Oh yeah, my parents took an official stand on this one and absolutely forbade it. And since this was the height of fashion for quite a few years many Graver children could be found once they boarded the bus tight rolling their jeans. And on the bus ride home you would see them un-tight rolling those jeans and also making mighty efforts to smooth out the creases and wrinkles. What I learned? That if everything becomes a battle you will make even the most obedient child (myself)- disobedient. Okay so perhaps I wasn't the most obedient child, but you get my point right. A silly thing to fight over. And also you give a Graver child a problem and they will find a way to solve it. Who knew my parents with all of their rules were creating resourceful children. And fear not those who are non resourceful you need not create your own, you can buy them unmatched.

Second - Boob Gems; be still my heart. The first time I saw it, I thought okay - trashy girl. The second and third time I was like - what is going on here? After a little tete a tete with my girlfriends I found that body gems are in and that just happens to be where they are landing. Will I let Bella do it? Heck no.
*Note - don't google this phrase. Bad news. But I did find the body gems done on the hands and that is sort of cool looking. Also saw them on your teeth. Freaky deaky.

Third - Shoulder Pads; I was watching the evening news the other night, when low and behold I notice news lady is wearing shoulder pads. Not the huge square shoulder pads of the 80's but not too far from it either. Whoa I knew the 80's were coming back. Really I did, but this was one of those things I thought would never return. I mean what women really looks good with linebacker type shoulders. I for one, having been born with them naturally, try to minimize their breadth whenever possible. Unless of course I am trying to distract you from my even bigger hips. Will I let Bella do it? Sure, but once puberty hits, I'm pretty sure genetics are going to take over and provide her with the all natural ones too.

Amendment - okay if you are this skinny, you sort of can rock the shoulder pads. But they are not made for the likes of me.

* Note: while having a massage the other day, the massage therapist said (oh look how PC I am in saying that instead of masseuse) told me I had the broadest shoulders and chest she had ever seen on a woman. Awesome. She then asked if "people were always confiding in me". She told me that people are drawn to confess, disclose, and confide in people with broad shoulders. But Travis was laughing when I told him. Because he thinks people always tell me things they normally wouldn't tell other people. I thought it was just because I ask a lot of questions and am generally curious. But maybe all these years it was the shoulders working for me. So for one specific husband of a friend who thinks I am a scuttle butt or bug, I can't remember which he called me - please note I do not go out trying to gather every detail about every person. It's my shoulders. Wife of this husband - I know you are reading this. Pass this on to him.

So what kinds of crazy trends are you seeing in your "neck of the woods"?

Bambi Lovers

2011-10-14T04:57:00.000-07:00

Go no further. I swear you won't like what you see.

And what you see is that Travis is the ultimate "deerslayer". On his last hunting trip somewhere in the outskirts of nowhere Texas he shot this guy with his bow.

What does this tell me? Well that I'll never starve if a crisis comes, but more importantly that I am going to have one happy husband for the next few months. Yeah!

The Measure of a Man

2011-10-11T06:27:00.000-07:00

Okay I admit it. I'm biased. I'm totally prejudiced. I have favorites. It's true. And lucky for me I got the one I was biased towards, the one I preferred, the one I thought was the best - Travis.

Many ask me how I got so lucky with Travis. I joke I knew immediately I wanted him and so I "cave woman style" clubbed him over the head, drug him back to my cave, and seduced -okay I wish, this should actually read brainwashed- the heck out of him. When he finally was aware of what was going on it was too late for him. He was under my power and control. Mwahhh ha ha ha! (hearing the evil laugh?)

The real answer is I have no idea. But I did know almost instantly he was the one. Tons of clues really but one that still sticks out is this: He had asked me to a dance in college called Cabaret aka Prom in high school. I was shopping for a dress to wear since I had nothing this formal and modest at Ricks College. He knew I didn't love shopping so he went with me. I picked a dress and as he bulked at the cost $80ish, I know a deal right?, he drug me from the store with my new purchase in hand for a surprise. He took me to Payless. And said pick the shoes that go with that dress and I'll buy them for you."

What does this all mean? Well it means he knew what was important. The shoes - yes I am still to this day a shoe girl. But he knew all kinds of stuff about the inner workings of me and I'll spare you those details, but to know a guy for only a few months and realize he cares about all those details, it was a big sign. So long story short, I got shoes that would go with the dress...but just barely because what I really wanted was something I could wear over and over to remind me how great he was and still is. This was over twelve years ago. Sadly the shoes have been hot glued, super glued, polished, and protected as long as possible. In Texas they met their untimely demise, but I took pictures to preserve their memory because I knew these shoes were only a symbol to determine the measure of "my man".

When Large Amounts of Time Lapse

2011-10-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

you may wonder what is happening when large amounts of time lapse in my life and there are no posts. has she disappeared, died, or just gone insane. well those are valid concerns, but here is what i was doing this week:

- being a single mom (see earlier post)

- taking the kids to Dutch Wonderland for one last visit before winter
- creating new hairdo's for Bella
- helping out at the Manheim Farm Show booth for Women's Club
- going to Hershey Bear's games with friends
- visitng my mom in York
- trying to plan and execute a primary program that doesn't stink
- having sleepovers during school vacations and entertaining even more children
- chaperoning field trips
- getting sucked into reading a new triloby, okay two new trilogys (don't judge me) AND
- watching my kids grow and enjoying those moments with them. (How the heck do I have such a grown up looking daughter. I know she is almost 10 but whoa!)

Look What He Can Do!

2011-10-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

This is a classic case of my husband is better than your husband. Okay not really, but he does constantly amaze me. So recently he went on a hunting, bow hunting trip, in Texas. The requirements for traveling with bows are retarded since most bow casses count as oversized luggage and cost approximately $200 each way to travel with it.

So while I was in Texas, one night Travis decided to fashion his own bow case fitting the airline standards while just barely containing his bow. The man is brilliant and it looks totally awesome. No time to stain it, but eventually we will.

Isn't he handy?

Dallas and Emma

2011-09-30T20:51:00.000-07:00

IT WAS AWESOME. And I could leave it at that, but I won't. We talked, we ate out everyday, we watched more reality tv than any person should in one day, we met up with other friends for lunch, we went to a Dallas Cowboys game - be still my heart, we went to another friend's bday party, we shopped, we played with her beautiful twin babies, and we laughed tons. See pics below.

*Note - the night of the game I got hit on 5 times. Perhaps tying a personal record for one night. But to hear Emma tell it is a whole lot different than me, but either way it was very flattering and made for lots more laughing.

Emma and Ahna - the Blue Goose (mexican restaurant)

Me outside the new Cowboys stadium - holla'

Cheesin' it up!

We scored - and by we I mean Dallas.

Yeah....

2011-09-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

TEXAS here I come!

Pass, Punt, and Kick Competition

2011-09-21T05:02:00.001-07:00

Since when did mediocre become abyssmal failure. Well when you have two uber competitive parents that's when. So on Saturday there was this competition. Wyatt wanted to participate. It's free, it fit in the schedule, so we said sure. Travis took him and by no means did he win, but by far he wasn't as bad as some of the kids. But Travis came home saying I've failed Wyatt as a father because he couldn't pass, kick, or punt near as far as Travis thought he should be able to.

But Wyatt loved it, the experience and all. He is already talking about doing it next year. And me I'm thinking maybe it's not so bad for our kids to be just okay at some things. Perhaps there is something good to learn from it. But I'm not going to complain if Travis wants to put in more ball time with the kids. I'm just about the father/son bonding.

Big Bash Obstacle What???

2011-09-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

Dash - Yeah it's a mud run. Like Tough Mudder, although that is like the hardest one, or Warrior Dash, or Muddy Buddy or well if you need more examples this probably isn't your cup of tea. But click the links if you think you might be interested in this type of thing.

This particular one 3.25 miles of running fun intersperced with 12 obstacles such as climbing hay bales, crawling under barb wire in arm deep mud sludge, scaling walls, jumping barrel hurdles, burrowing though tubes, and wading through chest high muddy waters to name a few.

the finish line

My time you ask: "If you wanna know, here it goes". 41:40. Not too shabby. It was a good mix of pacing my run and having fun. Next year's goal sub 32 minutes. In the meantime, bonus point for whoever can source that quote. And if you google it, don't post the answer. I'm looking for pop culture divas or divos.

the happy couple

America's Favorite Pasttime

2011-09-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

Quiz Time:

Q. What girl likes watching sports as much as most any guy?
A. This girl - Yeah me, Mary

Story:

So the other night Travis was to go to a Barnstormers Game for a work mixer. Yeah I"m calling his work thing a "mixer". They had skybox tickets, with food vouchers, and so of course Travis asked if I could go along. In the end the answer was a resounding yes. So date night was scheduled, babysitter gotten, and I sat in the skybox turned around in my seat talking to one of Travis's coworkers, Connie, who I adore. By the way Connie this was not your fault. I love talking to you. My arm was braced on the table to help me twist in my seat when I heard shouts of "Watch Out!" I turned around to watch the 80+ mph foul ball whack me right in the arm at the elbow. The crack was a horrifying sound. The pain was immediate. My eyes were welling with tears despite my trying to be tough in front of about 20 men. But as they all coddled and babied me -something I'm not used to since my brother's were of the "stop being a girl" variety and Travis has learned- my pain won out in the face of sympathy and I cried. Just a little. Okay maybe more than a little. Embarrasingly probably too much. Which made me feel dumb. The Barnstormer Staff was amazing as person after person came to check on me, send EMS, file incident report, and waivers after I refused the ambulance ride to the hospital.

And all I could think was please don't be so hurt I can't do my Big Bash Obstacle Dash on Saturday. That night I doped myself up with triple my normal amount of IB Profren and went to sleep alternating heat and ice. Well despite declining a hospital visit, I am on the mend. As for the race we will have to see.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

2011-09-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

the good:

feeding the ducks
the two boys learning to ride bikes without training wheels
travis being the world's best teacher (this man has patience like you can't believe)
bella testing out curly hair
my new hair color
arriving at the temple at sunset

the bad:

our van's belt slipping off every time it rains
our SUV needing $900+ work to pass inspection a month ago
the SUV all but dying yesterday, two days before it was supposed to go to the shop to be fixed for other issues
your neighbor having to help push your car into your driveway when said breaking occurs
your employer constantly changing insurance companies

ugly

your son accidentally abusing your gum causing you to have a chance of having to have a gingival recession surgery
travis getting a bacterial infection on his upper lip - in his resourcefulness he grew a goatee till the antibiotics healed it
a week straight of rainy weather
your son peeing whenever/wherever he needs to

Another Year Older and Wiser Too

2011-09-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to You!

Kody Man

I could talk about you for hours that how much personality you have.

Kody realizing I have made him breakfast in bed - picture progression.

His requested Batman cake. Bella loved helping.

Now 4 - you are practically a man.

My favorite four things about you (in no particular order)

1. How you wear your emotions - your facial expressions say everything

2. What a snuggling, loving boy you are

3. You are one of the best sharers (that's a word) of all times

4. The littlest things make you happy.

Re-Vu

2011-08-31T12:11:00.000-07:00

At the end of each school year, teachers will tell you how important it is to keep practicing the skills your child has learned that year. You hear about the regression that occurs during the summer. And each summer I mentally commit to do a little school time each day with my kids. Well this summer I spent maybe two days reviewing skills. My kids probably can't spell, remember their times tables, or a slew of other things, but we had a fun filled family summer. And that in itself is a different kind of education, equally important. August looked a little like this:

unhealthy food

Sportsman's Club Picnics

Carnivals and Fairs

Travis temporarily had the record for fastest pitch

Hershey Park Boardwalk with water rides

Hershey Park Regular Rides: Kody saw this ride and said no way - See Here

Bike Rides and Park Days

and Travis and I getting tired long before the kids did.

And then the last weekend before school we always plan one big 48 hour family fest. This year we went to a friends pool- they filled their broken in ground hot tub to make the world's greatest sand box, then headed to a Barnstormers baseball game, watched some fireworks, had a snuggle in bed with kids morning, played, went to McDonalds for dinner, bowled a little during Hurricane Irene, snuggled in with Redbox videos, attended a baptism, went to church, lingered longer, and snuggled down one more time before receiving Father's Blessings for the new school year. Man it was a good weekend. Now back to a schedule.

What a cute little bum and boy! Yummo!

New Fun

2011-08-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

The summer fun has been had. But a new fun is about to begin. School fun. Yes my kids love school. Yes all my kids. And each is dying to start and I can't wait either. But between then and now we have a whole lot of this planned.

Don't want to start the school on the wrong foot - crying because of exhaustion. So now fun Mary must be temporarily put on hold until the adjustment is made.

Celebrating 11 Years

2011-08-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

My 11 Favorite Things About Travis

11. He is uber strong - pound for pound I have not met anyone stronger.

10. Travis is totally without guile.

9. With him I am a better person.

8. He loves to be near me and will fall asleep on the floor by me if I'm not ready to go to bed yet.

7. The eye contact and unspoken language we have developed as a couple.

6. Literally the World's Best Dad!

5. His very reserved, but hilarious sense of humor.

4. Loves to help out - anyone with anything!

3. Travis is a super hunk.

2. He is the kindest man I have ever met.

1. He picked me to be his wife!

Thanks for the best 11 years of my life so far. Here's to another 50!

ChiTown

2011-08-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

So Chicago is a big city. Although I've been before the kids had not; additionally one of my "Besties" and college buddies lives there currently so we spent the last three days of vacation there. I have the most mixed feelings about big cities. As an individual I love them. Love the adventure, something to do, constant activity, cultural events galore, etc...But as a wife and mother you sort of bug me with your ridiculous traffic, constant horn honking, overcrowding, and inability to be hospitable to the 100+ people you pass daily let alone acknowledge them.

We visited the Chicago Children's Museum which was great - my favorite exhibit was a fort building room, although the kids really loved the fireman exhibit as well. We went to Navy Pier, where I learned Kristy had never had a funnel cake and her husband went to Dental School at Pitt. I know flaming travesty I tell you. We had intended to go to the Zoo, also free, but didn't get there as we got absorbed by all the fun things to do especially just explore, visit and eat. Kristy has kids with similar ages as mine. Kristy lives in a 2nd floor walk up which is seriously gorgeous on the outside and inside. And her funky Italian landlady just remodeled the kitchen and I love her non-fear of color.

Kristy lives just off the Lake, minutes walking to the Magnificent Mile and minutes driving to the Zoo, Navy Pier, Millennium Park, etc... So we were in the heart of down town and loving it, minus the parking fees for everywhere you go or stay. Travis did like that the city has more sprawl than Manhattan and that there are less enormously tall buildings blocking your view constantly. If you are a foodie, you can imagine our visit was filled with food, food, and more food, but still not near enough time for all the food. Uno's pizza is a Chicago started specialty chain, but loco in its pricing. Seriously 3 pizzas for the bargain price of $87. Be still my heart. But local diners-Stella's for pies and desserts-, taco shops-Taco Burrito House, and bakeries-House of Fine Chocolates Patisserie-proved more normally priced and fantastic to the taste buds. If I lived in Chicago I would be poor spending every last cent I owned trying every corner shop and restaurant.

If you are a young energetic somewhat crazy single this is the place to be, for those intolerant of crazy people go elsewhere, because there are some wackos here. Since I minored in crazy in college I love a good visit. And since I practice eating induced food comas it was also fun. More than two weeks later I'm still trying to lose my vacation weight, but our family had the greatest time. Travis commented the other day, "Sometimes our family has moments in life where I think of those family-isn't it about time commercials." Life is one big contented sigh, I hope it's the same for you.

Minn-E-Soda

2011-08-15T06:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Land of 10,000 Lakes,

I had high expectations for you. I had heard so many rave reviews about your beauty, blah, blah, blah. Long story short - I don't know that I'll miss you. You fell sort of short for me. Your scenery wasn't near as gorgeous as all the Alaska comparisons I had heard. Duluth was kind of run down and a bit scary excluding some of the most wonderful gems of architecture throughout the nation that I have ever seen and a lighthouse. I am a sucker for lighthouses. Your children's museum left a bit to be desired, your citizens unfriendly, and Lake Superior in its infinite vastness could not even overcome all of that. It probably didn't help that the day was overcast and we were nearing Day 7 on vacation and waning in energy levels and due to permanent road construction on your only city highway traveling through town was a nightmare.

As for the Twin Cities, well you were much better. You had all the advantages of big city living without the big city. Despite some crazy highways and traffic patterns you still possessed the open air charm of the Midwest. I celebrated my birthday at the Mall of America and although not exciting there was a certain novelty factor I enjoyed. My birthday dessert of fried dough, Auntie Anne's pretzel pieces in cinnamon and sugar, was delicious and our evening spent at the hotel pool was the most enjoyable part of my day - Note: Country Inn and Suites I fall in love with you more each time I stay: your borrow a book program, 24 hour cookies and beverage service and outstanding Continental Breakfast bring me back time and time again. Minehaha Falls was beautiful but even more fun was riding our Wheel Fun Surrey as a family. I thumb my nose at you, Mr. Wheel Fun Surrey Rental Man, who suggested it would not be enjoyable with just Travis and I peddling the trail. How you underestimated the awesome physical stamina of my husband's understated physique and my twice a week spin classes.

I enjoyed the exploration, but I can safely say you are not a state I will be returning to in the near future of my own accord.

Love,
United States Traveler - Mary

Not So Cheesy

2011-08-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

Next state on our vacation tour of states was Wisconsin. Although I wanted to get the kids some squeaky cheese, I was not willing to pay the gas station prices of $6 for a tiny bag. So this family knows nothing of the cheese that Wisconsin makes unless it is prepackaged and sold in our grocer's refrigerator section. From Michigan we swept down and around Lake Michigan through Chicago, the kids sneak preview, and over to Madison.

It was a cool capital city with a free zoo and adjacent beach. The city was clean, green, and very cool with all the natural water flowing around it. The Henry Vilas Zoo was the perfect size for our kids, not overwhelmingly huge, but covering all major animals. It had places to eat with featured Food of the Day. The day we were there $1 hot dogs. Lunch is served. There was a Carousal -pass-, a train -pass-, and a children's play land -nice. There was a feel station where you stick your hand into a wooden box, feel an object, and try and guess what it is. It was really cool although it caused squeamish me, to hurt myself. I"ll spare you the details. Overall a fun time.

From Madison we headed on over to the Wisconsin Dells. Summed up this is the coolest place in Wisconsin to be, one of the coolest places ever, and hands down tons of family fun. I plan to take the family back. We spent two days there, but I could easily spend a full week there. There were several huge resorts, but we chose to stay at Chula Vista. It was perfect for our family. We never left the resort it was so stocked except to head to the drive in movie to see a double feature of Captain America and Transformers 3. Our kids first drive in theater was a success. Note: bring bug spray in the future. Although they sold it there so that saved us. As you can imagine crazy price. We gorged on popcorn, nachos, pretzel dogs, fries, and other very unhealthy but happy food. By the end Bella, Kody, Issac, and I were asleep on the blanket laid on the ground in front of the car, while Travis and Wyatt crazily stayed up till 1:30 to see every exciting minute. A little friendly wrestling before the movie started.

As for Lost Rios, the main water park at our resort, well that was 120,000 square feet of pure bliss for our aquatic family. Tons of water slides, rides, wave pools, beaches, play lands, spray guns, lazy rivers, etc...Seriously we spent seven hours straight one day playing. And I think the kids could have easily spent another three. The resort boasted four restaurants, we ate at the Mexican one - mediocre to poor. But I'll take Mexican when I can get it. Other activities offered that we couldn't escape the water heaven to participate in were the Dells Ducks Boat Tours, Speed Boat Tours, Horse Riding, Trail Hiking, seriously research The Dells online. I can't begin to do it justice. Our resort alone boasted one of the best buffets I've ever seen, think Vegas - perhaps better and cheaper, there was an arcade bigger than an in Lancaster County, with your stay you got a movie card pass to take down to the video kiosk(think Redbox) and get unlimited rentals during your stay, but only one video at a time. There was a bowling alley seriously it was awesome. Words fail me. So here are some pics, but really I took so few, because I was not about to be left out of the fun.

Michigan

2011-08-07T06:42:00.000-07:00

In our fifty state exploration STOP - for those who don't know our family is trying to visit all 50 states. Each year for summer vacation we explore new ones. Our progress after this year 47/50 for Travis and I, the kids, depending on the kid, are around 34/50. RESTART we went to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. What is there to do you ask? Well I had no idea either. That is half the fun of this journey, exploring the unknown. So after some Internet searching, some Facebook questioning, and a whole lot of friend asking I planned a fun packed vacation. We went to at least two cities in each state to give us a more well rounded and accurate feel of what each has to offer. Here starts the breakdown.

Michigan boasts cheap McDonald's food. Yes imagine my surprise and downright Golden Arch delight to find a 50 piece Nugget Value Meal that includes two fries and two drinks for the bargain price of $14.99. Being a family of 6 we added one more fry and one more drink to round out the meal. Family of six dining out for under $20. I love it. Random opinion: If that 50 piece Value Meal is intended for two people, oh my yikes - that is a flaming travesty. And I love McDonald's, but I assure you - that's wrong.

Michigan is also home to Ann Arbor - home of the Wolverines and University of Michigan. Hey it's exciting if you are a college football fan. As previously mentioned it houses a great Hands On Museum. Also the weekend we were there it had what I think must be one of the nation's biggest art fairs, which was great including these guys rapping - may I suggest that they were not the next Eminem or Jay Z. It also has a great looking, cool room colors art deco style Motel 6 that reeks of smoke and will stink your vacation clothes to high heaven for the next week. Hey bittersweet but still fun.

Michigan is also home to Muskegon, a great beach city on Lake Michigan. So huge it feels like the ocean. I had heard this, I assure you it is true. Water as far as the eye can see, a la ocean. Muskegon itself feels like a dying town, fairly run down, a contestant for the craziest streets and intersections I have ever seen -although the other northern Midwest states vied for the title - it housed perhaps one of the most amusing restaurants I had ever seen a Chinese/Steak House. Although the food was pretty abysmal on the Chinese side, the steak was delicious and the desserts amazing. And the owner, a little Asian man, was very nice and super sweet to the kids making sure they got lots of free candy, gum, and lollipops on the way out. As for the beaches so raved about - they are great. Seriously the first day beach was perhaps the nicest I've ever been to for kids, not too cold - as we had been warned they would be - waves just the perfect side, shallow water that went out forever, pretty clear water, and just the perfect crowd size. But the next day further down to the Pere Marquette Beach, named one of the "Greenest" in America, was way below expectations, algae galore as it can't be seaweed, a bit of a fishy stench, weird brown water and next to no waves. But at the back side of the beach are children's play areas, food shacks, and bathrooms. This town also housed the USS Silverside, a WWII submarine that boasts more kills etc... of any WWII sub left. You can get on and tour it as well as visit the museum and get on a Coast Guard ship. You can see life size torpedoes and climb in the hatching tubes. Note: Travis checked to make sure I couldn't close this on him before he climbed in. The other tourists were hysterical. Can you tell we love pranks in our family?

Michigan is also home to Grand Haven, 10-15 miles south of Muskegon. It was a great beach city but boosting more tourism, newer updates and additions, and many more evening entertainment options. It is still great for kids and if I were to do it again or recommend a place for families it is here that I would send you. Evening light shows over the water, a great downtown strip for shopping, eating, and boardwalking where I saw an awe inspiring collection of yachts that were impressive in both their size, numbers, and additional boat features. These were just a few of the draws.

Overall Michigan was a pleasant surprise and very entertaining. Kudos for superseding my expectations.

Preach It

2011-08-06T06:28:00.000-07:00

For a plethora of years my family has been telling the world how we are hot blooded. Yes super hot. Very hot, the hot always kind of hot. Most of my family has some type of sweating disorder I'm convinced. It can be the winter and in the single digits but enter most any of our master bedrooms and you would find a window open. We like our cars cool, our homes cold, and night time sleeping temperature down right fridgid. My worst college experience involved complaints about my always having to have it cold. I'll spare you the story and drama. I myself try to forget it most times. But I digress.

Well imagine my feeling of vindication to find this little exhibit at the Hands On Museum in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It's an infra red camera set up. And the big screen tv colors your heat output as well as giving a digital read out of temperature on the cross section. Let me percolate the data for you. The center of Travis's head radiates 89.8 degrees Farenheit of warmth. The center of my head is radiating 92.1 F. Yes that's 2.5 degrees warmer. And Travis after seeing it thought maybe I had captured some weird spike. We tested it several more times and my average was even warmer by almost a half a degree. The conclusion I may very well be a werewolf. I'll have to study the data further.

Summer

2011-08-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

My house is filthy, my kids are dirty, and each of my kids has some sort of physical ailment. I have been telling myself I am not sick for two days now. But we are having the best summer ever and we're not about to slow down just because our bodies' immune systems can't keep up. It's almost 9:30pm and bedtime is no where in sight. We are still packing in every little last activity before the school year starts. Wish us luck.

Jolly

2011-08-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

So when I stumbled across this picture in one of my friend's facebook accounts I was the one feeling rather jolly. Actually my stomach hurt from laughing so hard.

I don't know what I find most awkward about this picture:
Santa's very badly spray painted beard and eyebrows
His girly bow on his head
His just a little too low on hand on her hip
His immense amount of makeup or paint on his face.
Is Santa drunk? And still I can't stop laughing.

A Challenge

2011-08-01T05:12:00.000-07:00

Many of my blogging friends this year participated in an A to Z reading challenge. Read one book starting with each letter of the alphabet. Exceptions being that "X" need only be in the title. Although I didn't want to commit to anything, I love the joy of reading, and didn't want to rob it by making it seem like work.

I thought I would keep track to see if I could do it just using my natural reading habits. Note: just read lots and lots, everything and anything. By June I had read a book for every letter but three, E, U, and Z. So being that close I went to my local library in search of books to meet this criteria, was pleasantly surprised, and finished.

And here I am just getting around to posting about it. An accomplishment - perhaps. Fun - definitely. I love the world I enter when I read. And let's be honest for me it is about the fun. Attached is my list of books. I will not be claiming any literary excellence only pure delight every step of the way.

A: Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
B: The Book of Tomorrow; Cecelia Ahern
C: A Comfortable Wife; Stephanie Laurens
D: The Distant Hours; Kate Morton
E: The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite; Kessler
F: Frommer’s 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up; Frommers
G: The Great Gatsby; F. Scott Fitzgerald
H: Handle With Care; Jodi Picoult
I: It Had to be You; Susan Elizabeth Phillips
J: Just One Taste; Louisa Edwards
K: Kiss Me If You Can; Carly Phillips
L: Love Me If You Dare: Carly Phillips
M: Matched; Ally Condie
N: Nobody’s Baby But Mine; Susan Elizabeth Phillips
O: Oak Bluffs; Joan Early
P: The Postmistress; Sarah Blake
Q: The Quality Time Almanac: A sourcebook of ideas and activities for parents and kids; S. Adams Sullivan
R: Ready, Set, Play: Parents and Children Bonding Through Sports; Mark Schlereth
S: The Self Esteem Trap: Raising Young, Confident, and Compassionate Kids in an Age of Self Importance; Polly Eisendrath
T: Ten Stupid Things Women Do To Mess Up Their Lives; Laura Schlessinger
U: Under His Skin; Linda Miller, Carla Neggers, Lori Foster
V: The Virgin of Small Plains; Nancy Pickard
W: The Well and The Mine; Gin Phillips
X: Why Men Don’t Have a Clue and Women Always Need More Shoes: The Ultimate Guide to the Opposite Se(X); Barbara Pease
Y: The Yuletide Engagement; Carole Mortimer
Z: The Zookeeper’s Wife: Diane Acherman

For ideas of what I'd actually recommend reading well you would just have to check out my "goodreads" account. And for those readers out there, happy summer reading!

Highlights and Lowlights of July

2011-07-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

Lowlights:

our suicidal fish - Gemma: while at church she leaped out of her fish bowl in background and died in the sink
farm equipment slowing down traffic

our last North Museum visit - we are letting our membership expire for this year

Highlights:

iconic image - our own fireworks (waiting for sparklers to be lit)
proving to Women's Club of Manheim members at book club/pool party that i can tread water for over an hour
a big family bbq and swim - no we don't do burgers and hot dogs; we do London Broil
neighborhood parties
and VACATION (teaser pic)

Fourth of July

2011-07-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

Yeah I'm behind. I know it. I'll do better. I promise. But with the nice weather, smiling faces, and fun outdoor activities shown below is it any surprise that I am outside playing instead of inside blogging.

festive holiday hair - star anyone?

yummy dessert - summer fruit - hmm :)

waterslide fun

i think the adult smiles are as big as the kid ones!

later during fireworks - i love the look of awe

it it any wonder i am smitten with this boy?

about ten minutes into the fireworks, the kids grew still and the night was perfect.

happy fourth of july, good summer, and merry family!

Things That Make You Say Ouch

2011-07-12T03:53:00.001-07:00

Not being able to sleep at 2:30 in the morning and so getting up and starting the day.

And then reading this article: (go on - take a look)
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/big-birth-announcement-couple-welcomes-16-pound-baby-201325980.html

As for that 23 lb. baby well I am leery of those 1879 records because I have had two year olds that didn't weigh that much - for reals. And as for this specific 16 lb baby well that is like having two of my babies in your belly and I thought they were big right at 8 lbs. How does that even fit your stomach? And what do those stretch marks look like because my stomach has been ravaged at half that weight.

Just so food for thought this lovely Tuesday morning. Roots anyone?

It's Been Said

2011-07-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

Wyatt: How do babies come out of Moms' bellies?
Me: They come out their girl parts.
Wyatt: You mean their butt.
Me: No not their butt, their vagina. Remember a boy has a penis a girl has a vagina. That is where they come out.
Wyatt: Ewww. So you mean I touched your gavina at some point.

At the pool in just his swimtrunks
Kody: (pointing to his right nipple) - This is my happy button.
Kody: (pointing to his left nipple) - This is my silly button.
Kody: (pointing to his belly button) - This is my mad button.
Kody: Now push one.

Dakota throwing a fit:
Mom: Dakota, is that how we talk?
Dakota: No
Mom: How do we talk Kody?
Issac: (while holding his hand up a la prophet in biblical times) "We say, Peace be still."

Wyatt was holding his arm out to his side at a 90 degree angle like he is flexing but he isn't.
Wyatt: Last year my arms looked like this.
Wyatt: (full on body building flexing) Now they look like this.

Isabella: Mom do you know any Italian?
Me: No not really. Uncle Joseph does though.
Isabella: Not any words.
Me: Well I know ciao and arrividercci and bella (I don't know the spellings on these)
Travis: ...and cowabunga
Me: What?
Travis: You know cowabunga.
Me: That's not Italian.
Travis: Are you sure? Because they always said it on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and they were Italian.

I Think That Would Be A Good Idea

2011-07-03T19:08:00.000-07:00

It never occurred to me until late in elementary school at least that having wooden saloon doors in your house was not normal. I mean I was born and brought home to this house it was all I knew. And although they stayed predominantly locked open as shown in this picture, these babies were indeed full functioning saloon doors.

My enlightenment occurred as my older brothers' friends would come in and ask about them. And what was even greater is that this door connects the dining room to the kitchen. And right inside the kitchen off to the left of where I am standing is a once again legitimate, fully functioning wood butcher block type bar with three stools. Yeah this is where I ate my breakfast of Grapenuts.

I don't know who ever thought "you know it would be a good idea to put saloon doors and a bar area in your house" but I"m glad they did because I have a hundred memories easily of this very spot: walking through with pistols around my hips, serving up drinks, filling and circling the crystal glasses to make them sing, running in circles trying to tag one another, hiding behind the doors in the smallest corner while playing hide in the seek in the dark for Family Home Evening, making the world's biggest and meatiest salads ever, rolling out chicken pot pie dough, and trying to open the doors into one another's faces purposely. Yes the doors swing both ways.

The house of my childhood may not be in the shape and condition it once was but I think I value you it more than I ever did before.

Pride Goeth Before the Fall

2011-07-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 16:18
"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." And nothing proved more true at the gym today than that. In our Bootcamp class we had a little fitness competition. There were 9 stations or so and we had a minute to do each one, trying to rack up as many repetitions as possible. At the end all your numbers were combined to form your score and winner.

As I went through the first few stations I was killing it: 61 bicep curls in a minute, 71 standing rows, etc... Pulling further and further ahead of the pack I felt secure in my win because for me it wasn't really about doing my best at each station but coming out the winner in the end. My best competition was a friend in the class who followed me at each station. Near the end feeling confident in my winning I went through the stations putting up solid scores feeling no need to push myself to the limits to win. Only to discover that she in the end beat me by four points or overall reps. Never had I been so shocked or appalled. Not at her performance, because I was proud of her, but that I would have such a terrible and proud attitude which in the end led to my failure not in that fitness competition although in that too, but in my character.

It just reaffirms to me what I was telling my sister in Utah two weeks ago. In our family we live far below our potential often thinking that if we are doing better than others than there is no need to be doing our best. This was a good and humbling reminder why I shouldn't compare myself to others and instead should worry about just putting up my personal best. Oh how I hate humble pie. But here's to hoping it becomes an acquired taste.

All In A Week's Work

2011-06-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Truly being a stay at home mom is hard work, but being someone who has never minded doing work and actually loves it for the most part I thrive at my job. Last week I got home on Sunday from being gone a week. By Sunday night Travis had said, "Mary is back home" referring to tornado effort to not destroy but instead organize the house from top to bottom making up from when I was gone. And Monday morning I woke up at 5am to jump back into my life and 40 minutes of fun. Travis and I have been working out together before he leaves for work doing the Insanity Workout. Once he leaves I do my thing till the kids wake up and honestly most mornings that means going back to bed. Hey I get points for working out right? Plus I go to the gym later in the morning again anyway.

But being gone the first official week the pool was open my kids were chomping at the bit to get there. So we spent a lot of time there. And one day when it was raining we headed on over to the North Museum, honestly I love my annual membership here. Priceless I tell you. Then Thursday night we went into Philadelphia to see the Mormon Tabernacle perform. It was awesome and not being a particular fan of MoTab, take that seriously when I say it was awesome. The cultural diversity of the music was really great especially when I was sort of expecting it to be all hymn type music. Then Friday night our family washed and vacuumed both of the cars because of the small rodents who had made nests in my car. They actually really have...they are named: Bella, Wyatt, Issac, and Kody.

Kody bonked his head shortly after arriving at the museum.
This pic is too cute, but he ended with a bruised lump. Poor kiddo!

Saturday morning we headed to DC to go to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints temple there. We went to see a friend take out his endowments in preparation for his mission, another friend do hers, and a sweet couple from our ward to be sealed. Conveniently it was turned into our ward temple day and so Travis and was there early for youth baptisms too. So the kids and I played on the grounds until it was time for me to go in and than others in our ward watched our kids. The weather was perfect though and Bella really showed what a great little photographer she is when she stole my camera to experiment. The only down side was a bug bite Bella had a bad reaction to that made me consider taking her to the doctor. No small feet but literally it had swelled to a 7" in diameter circle of super hot, red and swollen madness behind the back of her knee. Luckily it is disappearing slowly.

Issac found a caterpillar that entertained him for about an hour.
Notice in the pic below Wyatt has his found some critters too.

And I am spent. Time for a nap!

My hope is that everyone is enjoying the great summer weather and basking in the work of motherhood.

That's A Lot of Miles

2011-06-27T04:09:00.000-07:00

So the day after school got out and a short hour after Bella's dance recital, I hopped on a plane to Orlando, FL. I was going to "visit" James. Actually I was going to help him move his family across the country. So after a delayed flight and getting to bed at 2am, we slept and upon awaking loaded the last of his stuff onto the Penske truck. James the lone Penske driver and Adriane, baby Mason (6 mos) and myself into the car. On that first day we drove, saw a fresh car accident with what we now know to be a deceased individual thrown from the car and two others life flighted to a nearby hospital in FL. Not a good omen to start a 40 hour trip. The first day we drove 14 hours, the second day we drove 15 hours, but with an earlier start stopped earlier in the day too. And the last and third day of driving we plowed through 9 hours of driving to land ourselves in Orem.

1. Happy baby Mason. He was like this the whole trip.

2. Macon, GA - I used to live here.

3. Wyoming skyline

4. Nebraska skyline in its nothingness. I love it!

5. Bored Mary

6. Truckers Skillet - 9 lbs. of breakfast; eat it all in an hour it's free if not a mere $49.

7. We saw the flooding, tornado, and severe weather that had occurred all over the midwest.

8. Great sign.

9. Adriane is now a rockstar marathon driver.

10. Wind energy

11. How can you not love this kid?

12. Atlanta - our first big city after leaving Orlando

I jumped right into the madness and joined my sister in law Ashley to attend Relief Society meeting that night, this was our old ward after all. I caught up with at least 20 old friends, hugged at least 50 people, and engaged in one tearful reunion. I harassed my old sugar daddy and started making plans to meet up with friends and family over the remainder of the week. I planned to jog up the "Y" and Ashley wanted to join me. But a mile jog up the side of a mountain proved to be a little too hard and so shortly into it we forgot that idea and improvised to have a lovely little hike. I walked 4+ miles with a friend as we chatted and caught up. I toted my sister up to Tooele to see my sister-in-law in the King and I. I ate myself silly with Elizabeth at my old favorite - Bajio's. I met up with friends for lunches and one even booked Pedi's for us before lunch where I practically got my sister fired. A long story for another day. I saw my nieces swimming lessons, and laid out at the pool.

Mainly I just hung out with my best friends, aka family, out there. It was awesome but I was ready to go home Sunday morning. And nothing beats finishing a trip than waking up to find your sister who is driving you to the airport to be seriously ill, barfing. So even when my overbooked flight was offering $400 plane vouchers for anyone willing to take the next flight, I was like forget that - It's time to get home, see my kids, and finish celebrating Father's Day.

FaThEr'S dAy

2011-06-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

I was going to be out of town on Father's Day.

In Utah actually and then flying home.

But I couldn't pass up the opportunity to celebrate this dude.

The World's Best Dad.

So June 12th, the kids and I woke up early,

made a surprise breakfast, and finally let Dad in on our plans

for the Father's Day switcheroo.

He was sleepy eyed but loving the french toast and bacon.

"Surely the greatest of those things [required of fathers] will be

to have done all they could for the happiness and spiritual safety

of the children they are to nurture."

Jeffrey R. Holland

Travis epitomizes this. And so knowingly he wanted for Father's Day

outdoor/lawn games to continue to make the most of our

family time together.

"A father succeeds when he steps forward and

accepts his commitment as a father, always loving, praying for and

doing what he can for his family, and never giving up."

Loren Dunn

So of course we got him a set of horseshoes, his first choice,

to show him that we want to do what we can for him too.

"Brethren, as fathers and patriarchs in our families,

we are “by divine design … to preside over [our] families

in love and righteousness and are …

to provide the necessities of life and protection for [our] families. …

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility

to love and care for each other and for their children."

L. Tom Perry & The Proclamation to the Family

I love to make this man happy.

And so of course once he picked me up from the airport

on actual Father's Day we celebrated all over again,

including more gifts.

"In terms of your happiness, in terms of the matters that make you

proud or sad, nothing—I repeat, nothing—

will have so profound an effect on you

as the way your children turn out."

Gordon B. Hinckley

This is something that Travis knows and so his life reflects that.

I really do think I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Last Day of School

2011-06-21T14:11:00.000-07:00

Our last day of school is always a half day. By half day I mean my kids are home by 11:20am. So Travis got off just a bit early from work. We ate and then headed for Knoebels. We used the Bargain Night Package and our whole family played and rode from 6-10pm for super cheap. It was awesome. And after a little consideration our family voted in its newest tradition - Knoebels every year on the last day of school. Man I love my family.

Tea Cups - I opted out. One for sure way to make me upchuck.

Me and the Mr.

Ferris Wheel Fun

Have you ever seen three cuter boys?

Kody bravely rode all the rodes.

The roller coaster made him uncomfortable.

But only this the egg dropper made him cry. He does look terrified.

You Have To Be Graceful To Be A Ballerina

2011-06-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

These words were uttered to me by my father when I was about six or seven and had expressed an interest in taking ballet. His words weren't meant to be hurtful but more factual. And being raised by the man I knew that and never took it personally, although as an adult when I tell that story others cringe and I can see how it all sounds so very wrong.

Of course I wanted to take ballet, I was a little girl and my best friend was taking ballet and she had cute outfits, lovely tight buns, and a knowledge of these super secret first through fifth positions. But alas it was never meant to be. I forgot about ballet as I pursued other activities mainly sports. And when I started having kids of my own I couldn't help but have some plans for them and their extra-curricular endeavors, namely gymnastics. But alas that was not to be...Bella was uninterested despite having a perfect body build and muscle structure for it.

Instead she approached me shyly asking to take Ballet. I was not sure how serious she was so enrolled her first in a 6 week Rec Class. She loved it, excelled at it, and was recruited by her teacher immediately to come join New Line Revue in Lititz. The teacher told me that Bella had picked up dance really quickly compared to children her age. So with her love and natural predisposition for it I went in search of a studio that was not cost prohibitive, a user of the Cecchitti Methods, and conveniently located. Cricket's Dance Studio in Manheim met the above criteria and we enrolled Bella. She was starting much later than kids her age, but loved it and after a year was bumped up a class. She has since added tap and equally loves that.

This year as her recital approached she seemed very apprehensive. This was uncommon for her and I had asked her about it. She was worried that the class was not totally ready, their timing was still off, but still her fears seemed unfounded to me. The day of the recital Travis, my mom, and I attended. Each class performs a number. Unbeknownst to me her ballet class started their number and I soon realized why she had been a ball of nerves. She had been excitedly keeping the surprise that she played quite a prominent role in her class's number. She was the Prima Ballerina of sorts. She was beautiful and graceful. And I was so proud to learn that this meant so much to her, that she had kept such a wonderful surprise/secret.

And when I watch her dance I can't believe that she is my little girl because of course up there she is all grown up. And it didn't hurt that their makeup requirements included eyeliner which made her look like a mini teenager. I don't know where the years are going, but I couldn't be more proud of her with each one that passes.

Pictures, Pictures, and Pictures

2011-06-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

Summer Reading Program kicks off on June 1st,

but we had a party in Manheim for it on the following Friday in the city park.

There were balloons, crafts, games and a pinata.

Bella got one corner of the broken pinata which she promptly turned into a princess hat.

What a happy family? The things to do in Manheim never cease.

Visiting Grandpa and Grandma's - we cross the Holtwood Dam.

I'll never get over how beautiful it is.

Kody almost always falls asleep on the way over and even while sleeping he has a crusty old man face.

He has been making these old man faces since infancy. I love them!

Feeding the goats and chickens.

The kids love the animals and we spend tons of time outside.

The poor chickens will probably be forever scarred since my kids can't help but want to chase them.

Wyatt and Grandpa pose for a picture by the goat's rock pile for climbing.

My red hands indicate it is June and therefore strawberry picking time.

I made jam galore this year. Freezer jam, canned jam, and oodles of flavors:

strawberry, strawberry kiwi, and strawberry rhubarb.

As my last act as Wyatt's room mom for first grade we had an end of school year party.

We played lots of "Minute To Win It" style games and this is the winning team of the jigsaw puzzle game cheering their way back to the starting line.

Do you recognize this superstar in red on the couch?

Well you should if you watch Masterchef.

Because she was on it and so of course we had a viewing party but not without having the best breakfast for dinner potluck you could ever imagine -

crepes, sausage, pancakes, waffles, lemon bars, fruit, croissants,

and so much more I can't remember, but I was in food heaven.

Well you can't let the heat beat you and so field day went on as scheduled for the day before school ended. It was "only" 99 degrees.

I was in charge of the Frisbee golf station. They were supposed to get in teams of four.

And all the boys wanted to be on Bella's team.

So starts the passel of men falling Bella around everywhere.

After a very tiring and packed last week, my kids were barely alive for the last day.

These drowsy waiting for breakfast faces are not typical of a normal school day.

Just goes to show you how much they do in that last week.

Issac's had the same last day of school for Pre-K also.

He asked to sport a hat and his teachers conceded.

He loved both his teachers as did I and here they are posing with him.

What a cute little rock star!

Hope your school year was as good as ours.

Mutterings of Mine

2011-06-03T05:58:00.000-07:00

I do not think of myself as an academic nor am I a grammarian. I also don't think of myself as a verbal slouch despite what may or may not have been less than beaming score on my GRE's. Recently though I am starting to second guess this second assumption. When Arielle was living with us she would point out the colloquial phrases that I used, since as a foreigner -read not born and raised Pennsylvania Dutch- she could hear them more readily. The one the she pointed out as most frequent and one I loathed was the superfluous "awhile's" being added onto the ends of sentences. For instance, "Why don't you go make your bed, awhile." or "Start getting in the car awhile." As with any great vice I asked her to point it out because more often than not it wasn't even registering on my radar.

Another friend of mine and fellow The Bachelorette watcher, Dawn, started answering everything I said with "Yeah, I see what you're saying" while laughing. At first I was confused until I noticed and she gently pointed out that if I am not issuing a command with the word awhile attached on the end than I am explaining something banal and following it up with "Do you see what I am saying?" i.e. "When Bentley acts like that on national TV, he makes a bad name for Mormons everywhere. Do you see what I am saying?" This concept is not so complex I should seek clarification but often times as I issue an opinion of mine or explain something I find myself adding on the phrase.

Both of these phrases give insight into my daily living conditions which entail being surrounded by small children and trying to communicate in their language. Every phrase I offer appears to be a command with the added ideal that they should be doing it immediately while I will catch up to them shortly and even the most inane concepts and thoughts should be checked for clarity from the still developing mind and vocabulary of young kids.

As I try to correct these phrases to once again boost me into the adult echelon of communications skills I am finding myself faced with the most horrific of habits...the mutterings and half sentences of speech. I incur these while speaking and then hearing one of the aforementioned phrases, feeling flustered, and being rendered speechless or at a minimum a stutterer. So if in the near future you hear me making very little sense just know that it is happening because I am trying to replace all of my crazy bad habits OR there is just a small chance I am losing my mind. It is a precarious balance I teeter.

Our Town

2011-05-31T09:45:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago I was running some last minute errands late Friday night in an effort to be prepared for Saturday morning's festivities that were to take place in our town. I ran to the grocery store, it's 24 hours, but at only 11pm on a Friday night it was practically empty except the employees and myself.

Then I took some of the items I had purchased over to drop off at a friends where they needed to be for the next day. She lives directly in the square of our town. And this is what the biggest stop light looked like at 11pm on a Friday night. Incredible!

And I couldn't help but think this is one of the reasons I love this town. Sunday afternoons are quiet and relatively unbusy as people are all in church. Late evenings even on weekends the roads are practically empty as people take to their beds or at least make plans other than loitering on street corners. It reminds me just a little bit of Rexburg.

It's one of the only towns where you can still find total solitude during certain times of day. I wish more towns were like this. And I wish more churches looked like this although this is really the town next to ours. You won't find this church in Rexburg, but you will find it in rural Pennsylvania.

Party X 3

2011-05-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

It's just another manic Saturday. And as I plan as strategically as possible I can't help but love my friends. Saturday morning included tons of work, but not without reward. And so Saturday afternoon we went to Prestige Gymnastics for an adult only gymnastics party. I was in heaven. What a brilliant idea!

Christie you rock my world. And happy birthday Derek.

Then we raced home, I got a little freshened up, but just barely and then headed down with the family to a neighbor bbq. These people are some of the funnest and funniest people. Let the good times roll and of course they did. Thanks to the hostess with the mostess - Dawn!

And last our whole family headed over to a Dancey Dance party with Panda and the gang. Everyone dances their hearts out, jumps on the trampoline, plays in the sandbox -if you are little- and just lets loose. Isn't it the best to have friends to do that with? And after that broke up, we took four tired kids home to bed. Some falling asleep on the car ride home.

As we drove into our neighborhood we could hear the bbq still under way. So Travis said why don't you go back down and I'll finish putting the kids to bed and maybe meet you. Well you don't have to give me permission twice and so I did just that. And nothing makes a girl feel better than to pop around to the back yard and hear an excited chorus of "Mary's back!"

Nothing feels more rewarding than a hard working/hard playing Saturday! Nothing!

What Is It?

2011-05-28T06:25:00.000-07:00

And now for another installment of What Is It?

A. a half formed fetus

B. part of a brain from a Med School Lab
C. serious mold growth

D. an impromptu compost pile

Seizing the Moment

2011-05-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

After many days of rain, my neighbor said the news reported

39 of the past 80 days had rain, my kids were getting restless.

What could they do?

I looked at Bella and asked what would you do if it weren't raining.

She answered that she would be jumping on the trampoline.

So I then said, go jump it's not like the rain is going to hurt you. And guess what she did.

And of course it only takes one strong leader to have a good attitude and set the mood.

And quickly the minnions follow rank.

And it becomes a happy mosh pit of jumping children.

But I could only snap a couple of pictures because

the inner child in me longed to play in the rain with them too.

And so we jumped together.

And I was glad that I had postponed dinner and laundry and

whatever else I had been thinking about doing because it was totally worth it.

Field Trip

2011-05-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

Despite living one county over my whole life long, I am often amazed at the little treasures I find while living here in Lancaster County. One of those treasures happens to be Mt. Gretna. It is a cutesy little town that caters to tourism with a sweet lake and awesome kid's equipment in the lake to amplify the fun.

Additionally there is a great ice cream shop called The Jigger Shop, a roller skating rink, and a little camp called Gretna Glen. Cue Wyatt's first grade field trip. We went and spent the day traveling through four stations as well as opening and closing ceremonies with a halftime break for lunch, some of which were partially eaten by the ravenous squirrels.

Stations included Pond Adventures where they let the kids scoop out pond goop with nets in hopes of finding hidden treasures of a turtle, tadpole, minnows, and other stuff which we discovered.

We had a field games station, a hike around the lake learning the ins and outs about wildlife, and Wyatt's personal favorite the Animal Awareness station. It was a blast and the rain held off till we were on the bus and then it poured.

They Say...

2011-05-24T06:02:00.000-07:00

breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

Well if that's the case let's make it yummy.

This is one happy eatter!

It Never Gets Old

2011-05-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

Every year my husband and sons go camping at least once together without us girls. The one guaranteed date is always in May and it is with our church to celebrate the restoration of the Priesthood of God upon the face of the Earth once more. They attend firesides and camp and do all the things that camping entails but while they are away, the mice -or girls of our family- will play.

We started an tradition of Bella having a girl's sleepover. She invited four friends, three came, and two spent the night. Our night included doing nails, hair, makeup, eating more unhealthy and fat filled foods than I consume in a week, and watching movies till late into the night.

Arielle, our friend living with us, and I painted four sets of nails with polka dots, swirls, stripes, etc... They then got in pairs of two and did each other's makeup. The piece d'resistance for the girls was that we let them do our makeup. Let's just say I was covered in a thick layer of glitter gel. Seriously my face was sticky all night, and although I don't normally wash my face before bed you can bet I did that night. Then they came to the computer where they picked hair options from the princess hairstyles website, I previously blogged about, except for one little girl who let Bella do a handful of braids so it would be crimped the next day.

I think everyone had fun, perhaps most of all Arielle. But I was surprisingly thrilled to relive the girlish wonders of the preteen years right along side of them. Somethings never get old and and I think girly makeovers may just be one of them.

Week In Review

2011-05-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

Although they had to convince and cajole me, the kids wanted to learn how to play tennis. So a trip to the tennis courts and an unexpected time lapse later the kids learned to hit the ball consistently. It ended up being a lot of fun and made me think of all the backyard baseball and basketball games of my childhood, the Family Home Evening touch football games, along with a slew of games I'm pretty sure my grandma made up and have been passed down and played repeatedly.

Market on the Square in downtown Manheim which is an event that hosts a pie eating contest, tricycle racing amongst the National Honors Society, the local fire company, and random other group teams enter, local vendors selling both food and crafts, and many kid friendly activities which change from year to year.

A trip to Grandma's house and while driving in the car I was allowed to catch this rare moment of peace between the two younger boys.

An end of school year party with the Steven Courtney Band - who rock by the way and I would totally recommend them for an assembly or party function.

A visit from Aunt Elizabeth filled with snack runs to spoil the kids rotten. She allowed Issac to pick one drink and one treat. And it was a biological chemistry that pulled this child to Mountain Dew. I don't know that he has ever even drunk it, but he knew intirsically that is what he wanted and some Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape.

And lots of rain! But that didn't stop the playdates or the walks around the neighborhood. We just added umbrellas and I got to catch Wyatt and his buddy's huddled walking - a new photo favorite of mine.

What They're Saying

2011-05-18T04:45:00.000-07:00

And now for another installment of what people say:

Bella: Dad do I look beautiful and attractive?
Travis: Yeah Bella you're a babe.
Wyatt: What's a babe?
Bella: A woman in a print bikini.

Scene 2: Elizabeth explaining something to me.

Elizabeth: Well I had a side business.
My Mom: You did? What did you do? Or should I say how much did you charge a night?

Scene 3: Wyatt with our friend.

Wyatt: I can make my butt sing.
Arielle: I so don't want to see that. (thinking he was going to fart)
Wyatt: Then with dancing butt motions vantrilitizes (we're calling that a word) I'm a Barbie Girl with his butt.

Scene 4: Elizabeth, Mom and I talking about the origins of Pon Haus otherwise known as Scrapple

Elizabeth: What is Pon Haus made of anyway?
Me: Shady meet.
Mom: [Outraged] It is not made of shady meet. It is pork, cornmeal, flour, and spices.
Later...
Mom: Sometimes they include the head meat in the Pon Haus.
Me: And that is shady meat.
Elizabeth: I don't think God intended for us to eat face.

...and my personal favorite:
Scene 5: Bookclub with friends all talking at once trying to pick the next few months books

Woman 1: What about The Boy in Striped Pyjamas
Woman 2: I think we should pick Sh*t My Dad Says
Woman 3: What is that book about?
Woman 2: What book?
Woman 3: The Boy Who Sh*t in my Dad's Pyjamas
All: tons of laughing

And that's what they said!

Without Going Into Too Much Detail

2011-05-17T04:27:00.000-07:00

Miracles occur. Things that cannot be explained by science, genetics or any other knowledge that I know of happen. I know this because they happen to me. These things leave me in awe of the impressive and mighty power of our Heavenly Father. I am reminded of this verse and often think of it as I see these unexplainable things happen...

"For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith."

And as the sweet words of this verse echo through my mind I feel overwhelming gratitude and love from my Heavenly Father and Savior. I testify that they are a God of miracles. For I have seen them.

It's Changed My Life

2011-05-13T06:42:00.000-07:00

this website!
This was Sunday night. I should have gotten a picture earlier in the day.

Bella is starting to take an interest in how she looks for school.
Which means I get to play dress-up most days.

It Feels Noteworthy to Me

2011-05-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

So many of my posts have lately been a mere travel log of the events of our life. At one point I would have considered myself clever or witty, those days no longer exist. It's not that I'm not clever or witty anymore it is just that those things require a bit of thought-at least for me and blogging is one area where I am choosing not to think. So what has the past week covered that I've missed...
Well Friday May 6th - Issac's Pre-K class had a Mother's Day Party. Despite coming straight from the gym I ate total junk and loved every minute of my popcorn, Goldfish, Cheerios, M&M, raisins, pretzals, etc...trail mix. I also loved the frosted sugar cookies. Three times I loved those babies. Shh. Don't tell!
The kids had made pictures and written a sentence about why they loved their mom. Well I rocked it out because Issac loves me because I play ball with him. I was feeling good overall and far superior to the mother's who were loved because "my mom lets me have fruit snacks every morning when I first wake up." and "she gives me whatever I want whenever I want." Oh this wasn't a competition? Crap!

Saturday May 7th - I woke up at 7:40 just in time to drive a couple minutes up the hill to the first ever Manheim 5K @ 8:00am. I was excited to give real running a try after so many miles spent on the treadmill and the course ran by my house. There stood the kids and Travis cheering like crazy. Oh and letting me know I was in 52nd place. Well about two minutes into the race I tweaked a muscle in my back. Blast me and my not stretching or warming up. But 32 minutes and 3.18 miles later I felt like I had a really had a good experience. With no watch and nothing but a good pace to keep me moving I average once again a ten minute mile. I had totally forgotten that running in PA on hills is totally different than on a flat treadmill. Note to self: Use hill setting on treadmill from now on.

Then for one of my Mother's Day presents Travis, the kids, and I embarked on our Spring Cleaning. With 6 1/2 of us at work it only took us four hours to spring clean the entire house. Then we played in the back yard, flew kites, and enjoyed the perfect weather. Later that night we went to see the youth of our church in the Road Show. It reminded me just how awesome my ward is. They were a total hit and the choreography was amazing. Shout out to Camille!

Sunday, Mother's Day and May 8th, I had a lovely French Toast Breakfast, a scavenger hunt to find three new purses and extra shelving to hang in my laundry room. I would post pictures, but let's be honest, I am getting to the age where no makeup, bloated morning face, Mary pictures just are not worth sharing. That afternoon we spent taking walks, trying to feed ducks - they weren't that receptive, and Travis giving Wyatt a bloody nose. It was from a football and quickly forgotten amid the fun. No worries. Overall I lead a charmed life and so each moment does feel noteworthy to me.

Any Given Tuesday

2011-05-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

If the weather is nice, you'll find us at the park.

But no matter what on a Tuesday you'll find us at Roots.

When both the weather is nice and it is Tuesday

we'll have gotten yummy treats from Roots and taken a picnic lunch to the park.

Who knew snack foods could give children such happy delight?

No matter what though, if my kids and hubby are happy - I am happy!

Cinco de What-O?

2011-05-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

CINCO DE MAYO!
Is it a real holiday?
Well it's debatable.
But I say it's a good time to celebrate.

And so we have an annual party.

Guess what?

It's tons of fun.

Need proof?

Here it is!
A little under, a little over action.
And then chug a lug the last of the punch at the end of the night.

Student Appreciation Day

2011-05-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

Each year our school district's baseball team hosts a Student Appreciation Day.

Each child is given a coupon for one free drink, popcorn, cotton candy, and prize.

Every student gets an activity book and crayons.

Aforementioned crayons ended up in my dryer, but we are not dwelling on that.

And you get to watch a baseball game, which for Issac is an interactive process as he stands behind the catcher's mound practicing swinging in time to every throw the pitcher makes.

And our family has a night of pure fun with free goodies.

I love where we live!!!

It's That Time Of Year

2011-05-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

Mother birds have built the nests.

We have contributed by making easy and nutritious food sources for the birds.

And baby birds are hatching all around our yard.

Now if we can keep all the neighborhood kids away from these precious birds.

Bible Study Award

2011-05-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

Wyatt has been going with a neighbor to their youth group/Bible Study. They are a non denominational Christian Church whose youth group activities focus on games and learning Bible verses through the Awana Book, a national Bible Study Program. At the end of the school year if you have gotten through the whole book you receive an award.

Wyatt had started the year late only being invited in October and I was claiming a very much hands off approach to this project since I felt like I had enough on my proverbial plate. Travis decided to help with this but more than anything Wyatt worked through most of the book himself. Each week memorizing a Bible verse. Two weeks before Awards week, Wyatt found out from one of the instructors that not only do you work through the book but there is to be a review process where you are quizzed on all 30 verses mixed up and at random to ensure you really have memorized them instead of reading and regurgitating the verses each week. Wyatt had one week to get through the whole book review. His instructor told him it is rarely done, but offered him a bonus incentive if he would work hard all week and finish his entire review in one night.

Wyatt, a sucker for a challenge, hit it hard especially that last Wednesday when he took his book to school to keep reading through during any free time he had. And guess what he rocked it out. So sure enough he got his awards and ribbons and his great instructor gave him a Lego 3-in-1 kit. I'm so proud of Wyatt for working hard almost completely on his own. I'm so happy I really did nothing with this and I'm so proud of Travis but especially Wyatt. Boy - you are destined for great things.

Is It An Alien?

2011-05-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

or my sweat imprint?

Okay big reveal!!! My sweat imprint. Yeah that's how you know you got a good workout with the trainer. When you lay down on the mat for ab work and get up to see every wrinkle line of your tank top, your racer back sports bra, shoulder blades, etc... Just call me one big sweaty beast!

Bits and Pieces

2011-04-29T04:52:00.000-07:00

The previously unpublished month of April:

Issac is really starting to love school.
I can't wait to see him in Kindergarten next year!

Kody has been putting a small chair in bed to sleep with after I leave the room.
What is up with that? I have no idea.

Growing a crystal.
Part of a gift from Christmas - A Science Kit.

Kody chilling at the gym watching TV.
Since birth this boy has had old man idiosyncrasies.

Mormon Helping Hands - Our Stake Service Project Day
Cleaning up Landis Valley Museum grounds.

A visit to the Toy Train Museum.

The awe and fascination of youth.

A trip to DC including the Smithsonian.

The Air and Space Museum - Planets Exhibit.

Nothing says Happy Easter like a good painting project.
Why higher a painter when you can build your own scaffolding?

A brief foray into the world of the stomach flu.
Doesn't he look so bitty and helpless in this picture :(

My morning moment - watching the sun come up over my house.
Oh all the possibilities!

My Big Foot

2011-04-28T04:49:00.000-07:00

It happened like this:

I had been with some friends and all of our kids were playing. My daughter was one of the older ones and the other kids were a bit younger. There was another girl and she just really stood out, sort of like Bella has, in that magnificent kind of way. So I go to the mom to pay her a compliment. Names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Me: Sally really reminds me so much of Bella when she was a young girl.
Other Mom: Oh yeah.
Me: Yeah she is just so good, tries so hard to do what is right, very helpful, etc...[a list of compliments about her daughter]
Other Mom: Thank you. Sally really is pretty remarkable. Everyday I am amazed.
Me: Yeah, hopefully someday she (Sally) grows up to be as good as Bella.

Crap - insert ginormous foot in mouth. I was doing so good and then blammo, AWKWARD.

Okay so really the inverse of this happened: TO ME. Some other woman actually said that to me. She was paying me these compliments about how great Bella was and then said, "Hopefully someday she grows up to be as good as my daughter." Yeah it really was awkward. I tried really hard not to laugh because I really don't think this mother realized what she had said. But I could totally see myself saying something I assumed was innocuous, but really wasn't.

Was I offended?
No way.
Will I probably tell this story another half a dozen times in my life?
You bet because I still smile when I think about how awkward it was.

Here's to all the times we all stick our big feet in our tiny mouths. Okay my mouth is pretty big I must admit, not Julia Roberts big but for many years I could stick my fist in it. But upon trying just now I can no longer so maybe I am growing into my mouth. Hey I said maybe!

Warm...What To Do?

2011-04-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

spend lots of time at the park

ride your bikes

run around half naked all day

play in the sprinklers

and with water guns.

What have you been up to?

Neighborhood Egg Hunt

2011-04-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

it was really sunny out hence the pirate eye

tons of happy children - thanks dawn, jen, and susanne

after hunting, eating, now it's time to play slide down the cellar door

Decorating Eggs

2011-04-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

this requires some serious concentration.

bella's egg was voted most creative and favorite egg.

it's a bunny hopping through the grass with flowers and a blue sky.

hoppy easter!

Egg-ercising

2011-04-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

at the gym last week we did an egg hunt. instead of the eggs being filled with candy, they were filled with papers with assorted tasks: 100 pushups, 50 lunges, 40 shoulder presses, etc...

i liked the idea and brought it home and our kids did an egg hunt. wyatt pumps out 20 situps.

our family holds a plank for 30 seconds.

bella had fabulous lunge form.

we laughed all through and when asked at the end what they thought: issac answered with this.

and the last egg they found was one to decorate and eat a egg shapped sugar cookie. Balance!

Easter Festivities

2011-04-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

He Came:

One Happy Groupie

2011-04-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was my Mom's birthday. She came over for dinner and cake. The kids wanted her to open her presents right away, but she wanted to wait until cake time.

Then out came the presents. She was thrilled before even knowing what it was.

But I knew this one would blow her mind.

My mom is perhaps the biggest Celtic Thunder Groupie. All of my siblings and I went in to purchase her some tickets to their next concert tour. Her trying to decipher what she got.

Realization has kicked in. She is one happy groupie.

She spent the rest of the night telling me about each member, the retirement of one member, the addition of another, their birth dates, birthplaces, and watching You Tube Video Clips.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Goal Not Needed

2011-04-21T05:22:00.000-07:00

I call myself the Volunteer Whore. Well I came up with the title for myself with the help of a friend and current live-in honorary family member late last night as I made sugar cookies to be used in today's school party. As she's lived with me she mentioned that this was what she saw...

Monday I made dinner for a neighbor's family while she was in the hospital having surgery.
Tuesday I purchased, prepared, and delivered Easter dinner to 25 needing families in the Manheim area. I chaired this event on behalf of Women's Club of Manheim.
Wednesday I helped lead a somewhat last minute choir rehearsal for women as part of my church service, I watched the neighbor's kids afters school, and played taxi driver later in the evening. I planned, baked, bought, and orchestrated a class party for 23 little 1st graders for Spring/Earth Day as Wyatt's room mom.
Today I will spend the better part of the day running the party I planned and watching more kids.

I realized I have service opportunities planned for pretty much everyday for the next two years as recently I became President Elect for both our elementary school's PTO and Women's Club of Manheim as well as serving in several voluntary capacities within my church.

Travis was the inspiration for me. When we were dating I was often pleasantly surprised and occasionally annoyed when he would stop for every broken down car we passed, volunteer to help anyone with anything, and often sacrifice his personal interests in the pursuit of other's. It was those acts of kindness though that made me realize this was the man I would convince to marry me. His kindness and ability to help others superseded my highest expectations and in the following years I have tried to follow his example.

This year one of my New Year's Resolutions was to serve 260 days this year. That is everyday M-F all year long or five days a week. But as I have easily plowed through this goal I realized that service has become a part of my life already. I find real happiness when doing it and that is motivation you can't fake. And for bonus snaps I can't help but think of this scripture: Mosiah 2:17 "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

So you may see me running around like a crazy person, a bit frazzled around the edges, treading on the very slippery slope of insanity, but know this I am one happy girl.

What They Say

2011-04-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

On the car ride home from Pre-K:
Issac: Brianna is in love with me and I am in love with Brianna.
Me: No you're not. Where do you learn crap like that?
Issac: Brianna told me, "I am in love with her and she is in love with me."
Nice work Brianna you have officially messed with my son's mind.

My kids are very sensitive and cry a lot when they are tired.
A very tired Wyatt: Mom would you be sad if I died.
Me: Yes
Wyatt: I don't think you would. (Burst into more crying and running up to his room)

And in other news: now that the weather is warm we are spending lots of days at the park and mastering tons of new skills. Issac attributes his rockin' skills to eating carrots, his new favorite food for strength training.

mastering the monkey bars

flipping over with a perfect dismount

Some More

2011-04-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been running, running and running some more. In January, Manheim got a gym this after a three year stint with nothing. Having been a gym goer almost all my life, these 3 years were rough. The first day they accepted memberships, I marched myself right in there and signed my year contract. It's been happily ever after since. Well sort of.

I don't mind working out, in fact, I love it. But I have never been the world's best, fastest, or willing runner. But I had a goal here. I wanted to lose 20 lbs this year. And anyone knows that when push comes to shove it is all about running to slim down. Well at least that is what I have been told.

So now I run. I run when I feel good, when I don't want to, and before and after I have worked out in other the ways that I like to. I run everyday Monday thru Friday. So now three and a half months in how much weight have I lost. Well 1 lb. Yeah it's frustrating and it sucks. But I have lost inches so I haven't despaired entirely only partially.

But you know what I discovered? No it is not that I love to run. I still sort of hate it. But that I am learning to enjoy certain aspects of running. I am learning to enjoy the mind numbing time spent on the treadmill. Because truly some days I think of nothing for that hour except for stepping one foot in front of the other. I am learning to enjoy competing against myself to run further than I have the day, week, and month before. Tuesday that was 8.25 miles in 84 minutes and 50 some seconds. Yesterday, when I had less time to run I ran for speed, 1.25 miles in 10 minutes even. That's an 8 minute flat mile folks. So to realize I am achieving goals I haven't met since high school is awesome. And that in and of itself sort of makes me happy about the running, even if I am not happy about the actual running.

Tourette's

2011-04-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

Yeah I'm pretty sure Kody has this. Because randomly he will shout out words such as poop head, boob, or butt and burst into a fit of giggles. Today as I was dropping him off at the gym daycare and right as I was heading out the door out of the clear blue he shouts, "No, I love you!" An female employee laughs and says "Don't you just love when they shout I love you at you." To this I have to say yes, because it beats half the other stuff he is shouting. Tourette's or a boy thing? You tell me.

Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body

2011-04-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

I don't believe in weakness. Okay maybe I do a little but I fight it anytime I see it rear its ugly face at me. So today when we were at the park and Kody told me he had to go poo, I wanted to die. I said that we could use the Portopotty and he promptly declined and decided to hold it. After a couple of minutes he decided he would after all use that Portopotty. As we walked towards it, I chanted -in my head of course- "Okay Mary you can do this. Don't show Kody it's a big deal and he won't think it's a big deal. Don't pass your squeamishness down to your kids. Your tough, okay let's do this."

We get the whole way to the door I open and am relieved to find there is no stench and look down to make sure Kody makes the step up into it and that is when I notice not one but three sets of feces on the floor. "Oh no way Kody. You are not going in there. Forget that." Who does that? Seriously gross. And who should be cleaning that up. Let's get on that! And this folks is why I will not use public restrooms. I just can't! Call me weak.