Merry Merry Christmas & Knottsberry Farms

We had a very nice Christmas and even had some visitors that day from Idaho and Alabama. We'd like to say "thanks Santa" but much more importantly thank you baby Jesus.

Daniel has learned to sing "Jingle Bells" over and over. Not the entire song, just "jingle bells, jingle bells." And he loves to say "Christmas" especially when he sees the pictures from that morning. He was a little freaked out by visiting the mall Santa, but likes to see pictures of him. Yesterday at KnottsBerry Farms on the log ride he waved to all of the animatronic elves. I have to say they all looked a bit creepy, not at all up to Disney standards. But the roller coasters were most excellent. Jacob even did this crazy water ride one all by himself.




Our hands down favorite was the Accelerator. Similar to Wicked at Lagoon, but longer and more twists/turns. Jacob was upset as he was too short for this one and the Silver Bullet.

I Ain't No DumbDumb

So, mean ole mommy is trying to cut me off again. Last week while I was sick she nursed me when I wanted, but now that I'm better, Noooooo. So, knowing that it is a night time snack only, I took her hand and walked her to the bed. Hey, I know how to work it.

Dreading the drive

Ever have those days when you just dread all of the running around you have to do? Now imagine doing it in LA's traffic. It's horrible. Thurs I literally was in and out of my car from about 11:00am to 10:00pm. I would pick up one kid, drop them where they had to be, and run (well drive) to the next stop with the next kid, and so on and so on...and so on. Between, "mom, I forgot something at the library," and "mom, I left my bassoon at school, I have to have it for my concert tonight," and "mom, I forgot something else at the library," and "mom I'm done with track," and "mom, I'm hungry", and "I need something at Staples for my school project," I never thought it would end. Today will be another one of those days. Sigh

Wade's the Man

http://www.scroogeyourself.com/?id=1510316704

hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

mm i like to post on here. you guys are crazy (more like my mother is crazy). i dont like our neighboor at all. i mean what a ______. Use your imagination. Yeah i am legend WAS SO FREAKY OMG. hey why does this blog look like a winter wonderland? Its not very cute...

Sick

Daniel has had a horrible cold for about a month now. 2 weeks ago we put him on antibiotic for a bad cough. That cleared up but his nose never did. He started to run a fever Thurs night and has been burning up and fussy since. He kept grabbing at the back of his neck, base of his head last night and howling. So, back on antibiotic and he is doing 99 % better this morning. Wish mom could say the same. She is tired and doesn't have the energy to follow him around and keep him out of trouble.

Kyrie and Wade have a cold too, but so far everyone else is doing good. We didn't get flu shots this year. Not sure if that was a good or bad idea as I can't decide if they are really effective or not, or just a way for the manufacturer to make some money.

On another note, I took Kyrie to see I Am Legend last night. Of course, I had Daniel and was hoping he would sleep. No cigar. I think I saw a total of maybe 10 minutes of the movie. Kyrie was freaked out and wouldn't go to bed after the show. Hahahaha. Not sure what she expected as I had warned her about it. The boys went to see Alvin and seemed to really enjoy it. Wade even said it was "funny". BTW, the price of a matinee ticket in LA? $9.50 Now, that is truly sick.

Bad Neighbors

So I was thinking today, why is it that everywhere we've lived we've had to put up with terrible neighbors? Is it that people are so self absorbed they can't think of anyone but themself? We passed our upstairs neighbor on our way out this morning. I waved, received nothing back. I think I've only seen this lady smile once or twice since moving in. Usually she has a scowl on her face. She seems to be one of those people who is bugged by everything and tells me how loud my children are every chance she gets (in a passive aggressive way of course). Now, I can understand that this is an old home with high ceilings, plaster walls, and wooden floors. We really try to keep the noise to a minimum, but short of soundproofing one dwelling or the other, she is not going to be happy. And quite frankly I'm tired of "walking on eggshells" in my home that costs me $4,000 a month. Not to mention we hear every step they make too. I think they have taken to clomping around in shoes as loud as possible to "make their point". It really doesn't bother me though. We only have to put up with this for 6 more months, so why get upset? Besides that, the kids are always quite by 8:30 pm at the latest and I have to hear them quite later than that. I don't get why she lets things bug her sooooo much.

Then there were the boys from hell we lived by in Alabama. How any mother can be so oblivious to the perverted nature of her own children, unless she is that way herself, is beyond me. Her language left much to be desired, so who knows what else was going on in that home?

Of course, don't forget the neighbors with the uncontrolled barking dogs at all hours of the day and night in Alabaster. We tried knocking on the door in the dead of night, talking to them about it at a decent hour, calling the police, just about everything short of poisoning their dogs (believe me, we thought about it). Then, when one particularly vicious collie of theirs continued to get into our backyard, it again took police to finally put an end to that.

We always try to be good neighbors, be polite, considerate, take gifts/dinners in, etc. I know we've not been perfect and I'm sure we've ticked our share of people off (although I would have to say inadvertantly, or through complaining to them about their kids/dogs.) I wonder how much nicer a place this would be to live if everyone took a minute to think about others?

HO HO HO. . .bah Humbug

So, I'm tired and grumpy. Daniel has a night time hacking cough that has kept me up for the past 3 nights in a row. It's starting to wear on me. So is he. Poor guy. He has been into everything today. Has pulled out everything from every place he could reach, including my flour, my brownsugar, paper plates & cups, cooked asparagus from the fridge, knocked over the Christmas tree, pulled blankets out of drawers, and the list goes on. Sigh...now I remember why they are called the terrible twos. His new word this week is "WHY?" He asks why after just about every thing you tell him or ask him, but at appropriate times. It's pretty funny. I took him to see the Christmas lights at the temple last night while the other kids were at church. I took a bunch of pictures, but can't find my UBS USB whatever it is called chord. Kyrie was the last one to upload pictures, but claims she put it away with the camera. I'm not sure if maybe it was lost over Thanksgiving and I hope I can get a new one.


Jacob is home "sick" from school. He was crying this morning that his stomach hurt. I made him get ready, got to the school to get out, and he starts sobbing again. Last time he did that he really did start throwing up, so I let him stay home. Now he is wishing he was at school because his class is making paper snowmen and gingerbread men. How do I know this? I volunteered to make Latkes for their Hannukah party. Seeing that I'm not Jewish and have never made them before, I hope they are good. I figured they are pretty much like hashbrowns and hey, since I'm an Idaho girl, surely it couldn't be that hard? So, happy Channukah everyone!!! I'm off to take a quick nap before I have to pick up the other two from school.

Christmas Trees and I HATE WEEKENDS!!

So, I put up our tree and decorated it yesterday with the younger boys. We judiciously decided that Kade and Kyrie should not put up their keepsake ornaments this year since Daniel is so set on removing all of the ornaments. I don't think any of my other kids have ever messed with the tree as much as he has in one day. He is going to drive me nuts. He didn't bother grandma's tree over the weekend. What's the difference?

Speaking of weekends...I hate them!!!! By the time Sunday night rolls around I am so sick of my kids that I feel like a horrible mother and can't wait until Monday morning so they will be off to school. One would think that they would do what I ask them to and help me clean up. But just the opposite. I can't keep anything clean Sat/Sun because they do almost nothing that I ask of them and their dad isn't around to enforce anything. Today Kade got a good "whooping" with a belt and still won't do what I've asked. I think mentally I go nuts with the clutter and mess and it makes me physically sick/depressed. So, along comes Monday and I can clean up again and start the whole laborious process over. I do not envy single mothers who have disobedient children.

Over the River and Through the Woods...

What does one get when attempting to travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas on I-15 the Wed. before Thanksgiving? No this is not a joke with a great punch line. Normally the trip should take between 3-4 hours. It took us 7. Yes SEVEN!!!! It is hard to imagine if you didn't see it, but there was bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic, everywhere you looked and drove. We then managed to drive through to SLC arriving there at a great 5 star hotel aptly named the BS Inn, at 5:00 am to sleep for 3 hours. Waking totally refreshed we then drove on to Pocatello. I think from leaving our home in Beverly Hills, picking up Grandpa at LAX, and on through to Poky took 17 hours. Going home Monday morning, being able to drive between 80-90 all the way, with many more stops for running around, eating, gassing up, etc. took only 12. Whew...note to self...remind the cheap husband that unless he plans on doing the trip himself next time, he can spring for airplane tickets.

Once we arrived we had a great time. Amidst the turmoil of 22 grandkids being crammed together in confined spaces, adults who have different ideas about acceptable levels of cleanliness and voicing opinions on such matters, I realized why it is I love coming home and seeing everyone. Even though it is always utter chaos it is a chaos I love and cherish. We even had great grandma there completing four generations on my mother's side of the family. We were lucky enough to visit with Grandma/pa Foster for a little while too. We really don't get to see our families enough. Now with Wade interviewing everywhere except where I would like to settle, I'm even more worried about this.

I guess we've always known that our living arrangements were temporary, and now that they will become more permanent I can't seem to make up my mind where I would like to live. Everything sounds awful, somehow not just right. I've decided this has more to do with fear than anything. Can I really be old enough now that we will settle and have a real job? What will the schools be like? What will the ward or branch be like? Will any of us be able to make new friends again? Living here has made me realize that we really had things good in B'ham and we miss it. Crazy that I would now consider the south "home" seeing how I couldn't wait to move away for the past 11 years. I'm all but begging Wade to find a job close to family or friends and not make us all move so far away from both. LA has a way of creating a love/hate relationship for the city and all about it and for the most part we can't wait to leave. Sadly, after each interview he comes home loving where he was thinking it is the best place to raise a family. I'm sorry, but Minnesota and Ohio just can't be where I'm supposed to move to next.