A quick trip

Last week I got to fly back to Iowa with Heidi to be part of some special events with my family.

Thursday Heidi and I flew 3 1/2 hours from Portland, OR to Minneapolis, MN. Mom and Dad came to pick us up from the airport. Mom was wise and brought Heidi fruit snacks and a baby doll. Her two favorite things. Who says you can't buy love? Then we hopped in the car and drove 3 hours back to good 'ol Cedar Falls, IA.

The next morning we got packed up again and drove 1 1/2 hours to Iowa City to meet up at my brother's house for a family lunch. My sister Steph came up with her family from Kansas City, my other sister Becca came in from Muscatine with her hubby and two week old baby. Amy lives in Iowa city as well, so she was there with her family and of course all four of my brothers, Mom, Dad and Grandma were there. The only ones missing were the rest of my family and my sister Elizabeth and her family. We had a great lunch and afternoon together. Then we got back in the car and drove another 1 1/2 hours down to Nauvoo, Illinois.

We stayed in a house down there for the night. The next morning my brother Joe got to go through the temple in preparation for his mission to Spain. We spent the rest of the day playing games and going on walks. Early Sunday morning we loaded up in the car again and drove 1 1/2 hours to Muscatine, IA. My sister Becca and Brother in law Matt were blessing their baby. After church we had a nice lunch at Matt's parent's house. Then back in the car again and we drove 1 1/2 hours back up to Iowa City. We stopped at my sister Amy's apartment for a while then finally drove 1 1/2 hours back up to Cedar Falls.

Monday was my last day there, so I took my brothers Ben and Jacob out of school at lunch time and we went and got ice cream and pizza (in that order). Joe is working at Little Caesars Pizza for now, so he hooked us up with a delicious supreme pizza. When it had almost been an hour my brothers started saying they needed to get back to school and they couldn't be late. At that moment I started wondering if we were truly related. Really? They didn't want to go anywhere else? They really wanted to get back to school ON TIME? So I brought them back, one minute early. I think I'm going to get my DNA tested. When Joe got home from work, he and my Dad drove Heidi and me the 3 hours back up to the airport in Minnesota. Then we got on the plane and flew the 3 1/2 hours back to Portland. My friend picked us up and after I brought him home, I took off to drive back down to Monmouth. It was midnight.

I decided I should stop and get something to eat to keep me awake. I went through the drive through at Jack in the Box. I'm not sure I've ever eaten there before. I ordered a pita thing, and some fries. Whatever it was that I was eating was very spicy, which ended up being a good thing because it kept me alert for quite a while. I turned on some good 'ol talk radio and tried to concentrate on what they were saying. I got home somehow. I don't actually remember driving there, but we made it. I brought Heidi inside, dumped her in her bed and collapsed into mine. I got to sleep at 2 am, just in time to wake up at 7 and get the girls out the door to school.

Valentine's Day Fun

Yaya's cookie...Your dentist thanks you for your business Leah's frosting mountain Leah frosting her cookies Naomi fighting with the sprinkles Yaya frosting (in her Giant's cheerleading uniform, of course) True to tradition, we made and decorated Valentine cookies. My teeth hurt every year just looking at the mountains of sugar I so willingly let my children consume when they decorate their own cookies. But once a year won't hurt them....right? I'm also posting a little video of Heidi cutting out some cookie dough. Leah is filming it, so you might get a little motion sickness, but I think it's entertaining enough to be worth the wooziness.

I have a dream

I dream every night. Normally they are just little snipits, disjointed, jumping from one place to another. Recently, though, I have been having long, complex, very detailed and colorful dreams. The only common element between all of my dreams is that at some point I'm trying to get back to my home that I grew up in and I'm either running or riding a bike through the streets of Cedar Falls.

I am going home next week to visit my family and especially my brother Joe before he goes on his mission. I know this is influencing my thoughts because I also had a dream that I read my plane ticket wrong and missed my flight and brought Leah instead of Heidi. Then Leah kept running through the metal detector with her shoes on and there were a bunch of Asians behind us in line putting fresh produce through the x-ray machine. It was a little weird. After that dream, I woke up and made very detailed lists and preparations for my trip!

A Stange Obsession

Oh Naomi. Every night that girl throws a fit about brushing her teeth. The reason is usually that we don't have the right kind of toothpaste. She refuses to use regular toothpaste, "spitting toothpaste" because she thinks it's disgusting to spit. (Honestly, I have no idea where this kid came from.)
So I bought her "kid toothpaste". Naomi is SO picky about the flavor. I'm pretty sure I have purchased at least one of every kind of children's toothpaste ever made. Berry Bubble, Watermelon, Bubble Gum, Fruit Blast, Fruity Bubble Burst, you name it, we've tried it. She's been brushing her teeth with only water the past week, and I figure something is better than nothing. But tonight Naomi informed me that if I bought her the High School Musical toothpaste, she would brush tomorrow. I'm fairly confident that I'm being manipulated by a five year old. But in the end, I'd rather buy Naomi a two dollar tube of toothpaste than a whole new set of teeth.

I have a little shadow

Friday was a BEAUTIFUL warm, sunny day. We all put on our jackets and shoes and went outside to play. As we were walking down the sidewalk, Heidi suddenly noticed her shadow. She kept staring at it and started walking slower and slower until she finally came to a complete stop. Then Heidi squatted down, lifted up one shoe and tried to pull the shadow off the bottom of it. When that didn't work, she stood up and started walking backward to see if she could get rid of it that way. Finally she just refused to walk, so I had to pick Heidi up and carry her until we got to a shady spot where she no longer had a shadow. Once she could no longer see it, she hopped down happily and ran off to play.

Well, it's official. I'm "OLD"

The other day I was at my friend's house and we were in the kitchen with the music blaring, dancing around. Her son, who is ten, came in and saw us dancing. He rolled his eyes and said, "Now that's just scary."

Suddenly I remembered being his same age and seeing my mom do something a bit silly with her friends and being totally embarassed. And then I remembered just how old I thought my mom was and realized, she was just a little bit older than I am now. YIKES!

It didn't help that shortly after Naomi asked me, "Are you more than 29?" "Yes," I answered, "I'm 30". "Woah!" she said in shock, "That's almost like 60!"

My little Chef

Most kids like to watch cartoons. Mine like to watch cooking shows. Leah especially will beg me to turn on Paula Deen, or Rachel Ray (she knows them all by name)and then will put on her own apron and start making concoctions. Some of her creations have been surprisingly good, or at least not completely repulsive. Leah can read a recipe and follow the instructions. She even surprised me once and doubled a muffin recipe accurately. I think she's got a talent in the kitchen.

I have started putting Leah in charge of Sunday dinners, with my help if she needs it. Last night she made us "Spinach Carrot Muffins". She mixed up some corn muffins, chopped up spinach and carrots and layered them in the muffin tins. They were actually quite tasty.

These are just a few...

Yaya loves to dress herself. Personally I don't care what she wears as long as she's fully covered and has something on her feet. She chooses some pretty interesting outfits. So I have decided to keep a "photo journal" of what she wears. I am sure for several years Yaya will be mortified that I let her go out in public like this. But after the embarrassment wears off, I'm sure she'll thank me...when she has children of her own.

Dear Lofthouse,

Dear Lofthouse,

Please stop making your delicious sugar cookies. My will power dissolves at the mere sight of them. Our grocery store has strategically stocked them right next to the bread so I have no choice but to drool over them every week. This is a desperate plea from my waistline. Since I simply can't control my urges, I just need you to stop all production.

Sincerely,
Over-eating in Oregon

I have NO recollection

All of my children have decided it's a great idea to wake up at 6:30 every morning. Could be worse, I know, but I don't "do" 6 am. Too many late nights and early mornings have made me a wimp I guess. Anyway, yesterday I was laying on the couch dozing off...I mean, astutely observing my children's interactions. I must have really passed out because the next thing I know I heard Lars telling Leah to come inside and bring the shovel with her.

Apparently Leah had asked my permission to go outside and use the shovel from the fireplace to plant some potatoes. She was out there with my five pound bag of potatoes, digging holes and planting them whole...straight from the bag. Leah claimed she asked me and I said she could do it. The scary thing is she probably did ask and I probably DID agree.

The other day Naomi asked me something when I was in a similar state of unconsciousness and I answered "Cheese." She busted up laughing because my answer had NOTHING to do with what she had just asked me.

I just hope my kids don't figure out this would be the best opportunity to ask me for candy because apparently I will agree to anything. Then again, maybe they already have and I just don't remember! :)