Life with the Brudfam

only I didn't say Heaven's....

 My mother never ever swore while I was growing up.  Ever.  To this day, I haven't heard a single cuss word come out of her mouth (although she came close in 1988 when one of her children was certainly deserving of being sworn at.  But I'm not pointing fingers, Michael) I'm not much of a swearer myself; in fact, I have taken pride in not swearing in front of my children either.  Until recently.

It's hard to picture my sweet children giving me a hard time.  But occasionally it happens.  Let me set the scene on this particular day...it was a Saturday.  The Guy had a chance to go golfing with some buddies and I was all for him getting out and enjoying himself. So the girls and I worked on chores and getting the house cleaned up.  But soon things headed south and all three girls were angry and upset at me for making them do something they didn't want to do.  The details aren't important.  The point is, after an hour and a half of hysterics, I hit breaking point. 

"Stop crying and just do it, for Heaven's sake," I yelled.  Only I didn't say Heaven's.  I said the H word. Which sent Drama Queen into hysterical laughing and the other two into deeper hysterical crying.  

It's a good thing The Guy turned off the ringer on his cell phone while he golfed. He had several messages and a text waiting when he finished golfing.

From Blue Eyes, who maintained control of herself and very bravely articulated her disappointment in me:  "Dad, I'm sorry to bother you while you're golfing.  I guess I shouldn't tell you what mom did over the phone.  But, well, oh I don't know.  Ok, fine.  Mom said the H word at us today.  Ok bye."

Freckles wasn't able to contain her emotion on her message:  "Dad. sob. sob.  Come home.  We need you here.  Mom called me the H word today.  sob. sob. sob.  Please come home."

And then I texted him: "The girls were hysterical today.  I said the H word.  And I don't regret it."

And well, I still don't.  After they settled down, the girls actually did what I asked them to do.  It's like my dad once told me (and I've only heard him swear twice), "there's a time and a place to swear."  I guess I figured out mine.

A secret hiding place

Blue Eyes and I cleaned out the couch on Saturday. My kids are slobs. This is what we found hiding in all the deep crevices of the couch:

24 pencils and pens
12 sharpies and markers
an assortment of elastics and hair clips
a fork
lots of crumbs and a few wrappers
some costume jewelry
and other miscellaneous stuff

Go Away!

Can't you wait until after Halloweeen?
We are not emotionally prepared for all this white stuff!

Connections

 Last month, I was feeling nostalgic and domestic.  I love early fall and the abundance of produce available.  So I talked my sweet mother into coming up and teaching me how to can peaches.  And tomatoes.  

 

We spent the day talking and enjoying one another.  We talked about my amazing Grandma Grace (my mom's mom), who put up bottles and bottles of peaches and pears, cherries and pickles.  I have vivid memories from my childhood, visiting my grandparents in Lake Tahoe each summer.  Every morning my Grandma would have us set the table with her china.  And she had the cutest small bowls that we would set at each place, and it didn't matter what else we were eating for the meal, there was always a jar of fruit that we would serve in those bowls.  I think the cherries were my favorite.  

We also talked about my other amazing Grandma Luana (my dad's mom), who canned her whole life.  She even went so far as to have a second kitchen put in her basement with two stoves in it. I now appreciate how much she must have loved being able to can away in the comfort of a cool basement.  Canning is hot.  And takes a long time.  And involves a lot of pots on the stove.  Yes, two stoves would have come in handy.  

Canning became more to me than just harvesting and preserving produce for the winter.  It connected me to the past.  Remembering my grandmothers, both of who have long since passed away.  And gave me a new appreciation for their hard work.  And memories of them suddenly came back.  

 Plus, I got to spend a lovely day with my mom.  She inspires me to be a better person.  She is wise and thoughtful and patient and full of grace.  

 

what's for dinner?

 

I've been thinking alot lately, about how to find more enjoyment in the day to day duties as a wife and mother.  Particularly when it comes to say, cooking.  To say I've struggled with cooking dinner might be an understatement.  And I can't figure out why.  I want to feed my family.  Family dinner is so important to me---I love gathering everyone around the kitchen table each night.  But lately I've been throwing whatever together.  No planning ahead or making sure I have ingredients on hand.  So it's not been a coordinated effort.  Rice with butter.  Pasta with parmesan.  But not real meals.  So I am working on that.  

I am posting my weekly meal plan in hopes that I follow thru. I'll let you know how I do.

Monday:  Chicken Curry with toppings

Tuesday: Tacos

Wednesday:  I'm out of town on business. hmmm maybe I'll freeze a chicken casserole for them to reheat.  Or reheat leftover curry.

Thursday:  I'm still out of town, so they will have to fend for themselves. I'm guessing Cafe Rio might be involved.

Friday: Minestrone with cornbread

Breakfast, on the other hand, is fully covered. Thanks to my most amazing husband who wakes up early and makes breakfast every. single. day.  Thank you very much.  French toast, yogurt with toppings, pancakes, scrambled eggs are all part of the weekly breakfast rotation (see above chalkboard in the kitchen where he posts the weekly menu).  Lucky kids.  It's his special time with them and they love it.  While he cooks, I make the kids lunches.  I love all being in the kitchen together each morning.  It's a great way to start the day.  But there are sure a lot more dishes than the old days when I made breakfast.  I stuck to the basics of cold cereal and hot cereal. Easy peasy on the dishes.

Accident? Or not?

Two days in a row I thought I was cooking dinner in the oven.

Two days in a row I actually turned off the oven and my dinner did not get cooked.

Day one: We ran to Cafe Rio instead.

Day two: Cold Cereal to the rescue.

Duh!  Maybe I need to learn how to use my oven... (or maybe not).

**but I do make a mean Raspberry Chocolate Pavlova, as shown above**

Things on my mind...

Random thoughts going thru my scattered brain today...

1.  Is there such thing as over-grounding my children?  They keep fighting so I keep grounding.  HELP!

2.  Growing old stinks.  Sometimes I feel old at 37, but that's not what I'm talking about.  Being 91 and losing the ability to take care of yourself is what stinks.  

3.  I love fall.

 

4.  I love a clean house (so why isn't mine clean more often?).

5.  I love my kids.

6.  I don't get nearly enough done while my kids are at school.

7.  If I repeat in my mind: "I love folding laundry" over and over, will I begin to love folding laundry?

8.  How did I get so lucky to have married a patient, loving, supportive and incredibly thoughtful man who loves me despite all my weaknesses.  Lucky, I say, lucky.  I am so very lucky!

9.  The suicide of a friend of Jeffs has reminded me that we never know what struggles and trials others are carrying.  I need to love more.  And judge less.

10.  And last, but not least--do I have enough time to whip up that chocolate raspberry pavlova and eat the entire thing before the kids get home from school?  

Fall

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year.  

(Truth be told, I actually love three of the four seasons, and each one is my favorite, except winter, which I only enjoy during the month of December)

I love

cooler temperatures after a hot summer. 

football games. 

changing leaves.

and back to school.

These two little cuties headed back to school today.  

 

And I felt kind of sad all day long.

Mourning the end of summer.  

Ferocious the dog was even sad, watching them run into school with their friends.

But don't worry, we'll get over it (meaning me and Ferocious).

We'll adjust to a quiet, clean house all day with no fighting.  And no whining.

{And Drama Queen doesn't start 8th grade until Wednesday, so she'll keep me company till then.}

Making me happy this week...

1.  Listening to the this soundtrack

2.  Reading this book 

3.  Buying pencils, erasers, notebooks, glue sticks, colored pencils, etc. to get my girlies ready for school.

4.  Looking forward to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Dedication on Sunday (and not just because there is no church that day)....The whole family can go to the dedication since we are now all older than 8.

5.  The weekend!  So glad to spend a the next two days with my little family.  We'll be making last minute school preparations, celebrating the end of summer, and setting goals for the coming year.  Hooray for weekends!

Did you know?

.....that Nevada boasts it's own Beverly Hills?  Impressive!

...that it's always funnier when someone else falls out of their own chair during game night? Sorry Dan (my baby brother).

...that my baby just turned 8 and is getting baptized on Sunday?  So exciting (and a little bit sad too--she is growing up too fast!).