The good, the bad, the ugly, the pretty... and the winner

The worst thing about a giveaway is not being to give something to all of you! Thanks to everyone who played along. Since 20 of you left comments, I put Scrabble letters A through T in a bag to represent comments 1 through 20, and from the Scrabble bag I had Isabel randomly pull out a letter. She pulled the "S," which correlates to.........

ELIZABETH!!!

Congrats! I'll get your stuff to you. Enjoy! (I just realized how fitting this is, as she's the inspiration for my color-coordinated bookshelves).

And now let's journey back through the events of our spring break week. There were many.

The Friday before break started I spent a lovely evening with a lot of friends at a Charming Charlie social event. Have you ever been Charmed by Charlie? It's fabulous. A "girls' wonderland" as Isabel quipped when I told her about it. My friend Ashley arranged a social evening there, where many friends shopped together for an entire evening, enjoyed snacks, and all got a 20% discount off of our entire purchase. Um, pretty much the perfect way to spend an evening. I'm sharing my pretty new baubles simply b/c a few of you teased me about doing so ;) Simply buying new jewelry: not blogworthy. Spending a really fun evening such as this: blogworthy. At least in my over-documenting world. And perhaps you'd like to know that I did a dance of joy when I found me this turquoise ring, for which I only spent about an hour hunting.

The rest of our rollercoaster week:
Monday: spent the day with dear friends Kristie and Paula on the other side of the city for a marathon playdate (we are rather good at those). The kids played and played and we talked and talked, and even shopped a bit as Kristie's husband was home for the day and watched all the kiddos minus Mason. We stole away for a time so they could help me pull together boys' outfits for our upcoming family pictures. Let me just say: shopping with your photographer = perfection. Kristie (our talented photog friend) has such a great eye, and really helped me fill in my clothing gaps. It was most fun, and I am swooning - swooning, I say! - over the results. I'll give you a peek at the Amy Butler fabric I bought, which will be Isabel's dress (thank heavens my friend Jen is helping me sew it, I am rusty in the sewing-from-a-pattern department). This has served as the inspiration for all things family-picture related. Very excited. It's been 2 1/2 years since we've had family pics done.
Tuesday: I took the kids to the Under the Sea 3D IMAX movie. They really loved it. My only complaint is why don't they offer child-sized 3D glasses? Isabel and Lucas were swimming in theirs and had to hold them in place during the movie. But it was entertaining to see them reach out and try to touch the various sea creatures. The deadly poisonous sea snakes in our faces was particularly interesting.

Wednesday: In the morning I took the 3 older kids swimming at the rec center. Brian, who took some vacay time during the week, stayed home with Mason on a few outings such as this. Taking a crawler out and about is challenging, to say the least. We had such a fun time! For the first time ever Connor went off of the diving board, even doing full 360 flips.

In the evening I went painting at this incredibly fun place, Canvas and Cocktails. Clearly, as non-drinkers, we went simply for the Canvases. I had a couple of friends who have done this, and thought it looked really fun, so I got some friends together and we spent an evening in artistic heaven. A (really bubbly, energetic, entertaining, almost-over-the-top enthusiastic) artist instructor walks the class through the entire process of painting a pre-determined canvas. But between instructions she plays great music and you just get lost in painting, and at times, singing and dancing. It happened to me. Shocker, I know. We all were happy with our finished results, and it was great to see how uniquely different everyone's paintings turned out. Awesome night.

I arrived home late, to news that we are moving. It hit me like a ton of bricks.

So, like half the country these days it seems, we've been renting our house. You see, Brian's in an industry that is... changing a lot, and not for the good. So much as we love the area we live, we don't feel like it's the time to commit to permanence. And in this housing market, you've got to be prepared for permanence (I just read an article that reported 1 in 4 homeowners are underwater in their mortgages; what a mess). Brian's company was sold last month and there are some uncertain changes happening and we'd really like to make a job/career change. Don't know how or when this will happen. I had just started working with a lender on the possibility of buying (because let's face it, amidst the uncertainly, it's a stinkin' good time to buy) when the very next day we got a call from our landlord that we have 30 days to get out. They are renting to a friend and planning to sell the house. I panicked. I had a near nervous breakdown. And then I prayed.

To get to the heart of the matter, within 24 hours we had found a new place. We will be renting from some friends in our ward (truth be told, he's our Bishop). They've been trying to sell for a year and were just getting ready to turn to renting, so it all sorta fell together. I'm incredibly happy to be staying in the same school and ward. But it's going to be an insane 3 weeks. And of course there are a lot of things happening in April. Just 'cuz it's fun to add 58 events to an already full agenda just with packing and moving.

So that was Thursday. Panic, worry, chaos and uncertainty quickly followed by peace, calm, reassurance and blessings. For that I am so very grateful.

Friday
The kids and I enjoyed a fun picnic, park and walk in Boulder along Boulder Creek.

Saturday and Sunday
General Conference came at a great time (it always does!). We were thrilled to hear news of a temple being built in Fort Collins, closer to us than the one in Denver. Hooray!

Almost as sweet as that news were the caramel rolls I made. Bliss.

A couple of memorable Connorisms during conference: When the General Primary 1st counselor was talking about a boy helping an elderly lady walk, Connor (who has done similar acts of service), said, "She's talking about me!" I said, "Well, it certainly sounds like you, doesn't it?" "No, I mean she's really talking about me!" he said. "I LOVE it when they talk about me."

During Elder Holland's talk about doing family home evening amidst bedlam, when he then referred to children as "bedlamites" (my new favorite word), Connor asked, "What is a bedlamite?" I casually indicated in the general direction of the children, who were sitting on the floor. Connor, not catching the drift, looked around and said, "What? Bedlamites are those crazy pieces that come out of the carpeting?" ROLF.

So that's what we've been up to. In recording this series of events, I am reminded that there really are good, bad and ugly things that happen to us in life. But the most beautiful thing is coming out on the other side of trials, having endured and been strengthened and knowing that no matter what, the people I love the very most in the whole wide world are with me every crazy step of the way, from the highest hills to the lowest valleys. And that sometimes when we think we are experiencing a series of unfortunate events, the key is to find the "fortune" in the middle of it all. It's there.

500 and the giveaway

Here we are... my 500th post. I've been accused of being an over-documenter, and perhaps this is proof. But when it's all said and done, I'm never going to wish I had captured less of our moments. So I press on. Plus, I'm a journalist by nature, training and profession. So cut me some slack; blogging comes very easily and naturally to me.

I've actually been thinking about blogging as a whole lately. I still like it. Even with all the more instant social media. It helps me record all the moments and memories that shape us on our journey. It keeps me in touch with family and friends near and far. It gives me ideas, and helps me share ideas.

I try to record some of the downs, not just all the ups (and let's be honest: no one's life is all ups). And boy have we have some serious ups and downs here the past week. Rather big news. That's my next post. Let's just say we're hanging onto our hats 'round here.

To celebrate my 500th post, here's a little giveaway:
It includes:
1. Chocolate: a Cadbury English Toffee bar. Toffee is one of my favorite sweet treats.
2. A mini notebook: perfect for your purse or bag, and seriously cute
3. A set of 4 mini bowls from Anthropologie. I have a thing for little bowls and ramekins. They are perfect for small servings, little treats, cooking/baking prep, condiments, and more. Love these colors.
4. A set of two pillow bookends that I made. Here's a closer look:

I based them off of a set my SIL gave me for Christmas one year, and I love them. They are pure happiness, and I get lots of compliments on them. I made a bird one similar to the one I have, but decided to go a different direction for the other. I love the felt flower pillows, so I did that instead. Think I need to make me some more of the flower pillows, big ones for my chairs or couch. Here's how mine look on my bookshelf:
It's especially cute if your books are organized by color. Or, if no bookshelf, these would be cute on any shelf or something similar.

So thanks for reading and making blogging even more fun. Just leave me a comment by 5 p.m. on Thursday (April 7) and I'll draw a random winner. Can ship if you don't live near me. And here's to 500 more!

March madness

I realized today that after spring break next week, there are only eight weeks of school. Eight weeks. Makes my head spin right round, baby, right round, like a record baby, right round...

Let's catch up on March, shall we?

Connor finished his first basketball season. He made great improvements during the season, and was named the Most Improved Player. He said he loved playing and wants to play again next year. During his last game he actually attempted to make two baskets during the game (his first attempts). He was thrilled. We were proud. He especially loved getting a medal at the end (he's #7):

Isabel
Isabel is wrapping up preschool in about 5 weeks, and every day asks how much longer until kindergarten. She can read huge words and is going to do fabulous in school. I'm excited for her. This week was her 2nd and last observation day for the year; her recital is in a month, and she already getting so excited to perform her dance. This has been her first year in the Shining Stars class, after 2 years as a Mini Mover. This has been a huge leap in terms of skill; she has learned almost twice as many dance moves this year (56 steps) as the last two years (29 steps). Here are pics from obs day; the studio she dances in has one wall that is all white windows, and it makes for interesting pictures, some good, some not. I love the silhouette shot of her I snapped!


Also, my brother JJ passed through town earlier this month and we were able to spend a day with him. He and I spent part of the day in Boulder, hiking and shopping; we have lots in common, especially hiking, music and reading - and love hitting up spice shops, kitchen stores and bookstores. My kids love their uncle, and I love this shot of Isabel and JJ sitting on the deck railing, sporting shades and framed by the dazzling blue sky as a backdrop-

Lucas
I have thoroughly enjoyed watched Lucas blossom as a big brother. He's loved Connor dearly for some time (dare I use the word idolize these days, really), and he liked Mason fine from the beginning, handled the adjustment well with no jealousy or anything, but as Mason has become much more interactive, Lucas has just flipped for his baby brother. He thinks entertaining Mason is the greatest.thing.ever. Works for all of us! He recently introduced Mason (gently) to the fine art of wrestling. Although it appears as though Mason is the one who got the pin. Love watching them together.
I also love how Lucas loves to use the term "boy trapped," as in Isabel and I are boy trapped; this simply means boys outnumber the girls. Sometimes no one is trapped, as during the days when it's two and two, as Brian and Connor are at school. He especially loves when Isabel is at dance and it's just me and my 3 sons and then I am TOTALLY boy trapped. At which point he laughs so hard and my cheeks hurt from smiling. I, personally, happen to love the times I am boy trapped.

Mason
This little boy is just pure fun. He is such a joy. He is really developing a strong personality, has opinions about things, and really loves to play. Loves it. And looking so much like a boy and not so much like a baby.

His hair is crazy. Some days it looks a bit like Bieber hair-

He loves swinging-
I love this hat, which I bought for baby Connor, then baby Lucas wore, and now baby Mason. One of my favorite little boy accessories (along with those baby blue dazzlers)-
And just pure cuteness. And looking olderness-
and for my mom, who hates missing these things, a couple of videos. Here is the last part of Connor getting off a shot-



And Isabel doing a ballet move, changement-



FYI - my next post is my 500th, and there is going to be a giveaway!

Kiss us, we're Irish

This was the first year I've had some decor for St. Patrick's Day, even if some of it came together at the last minute. I'm still feeling a bit in that first-year baby fog. Just a teeny bit.

I made these LUCKY blocks, love how they turned out. I was working on them while I watched all the coverage of the horrific events happening in Japan, Libya and throughout the Middle East, and every time I looked at the word I just kept thinking, "yes, I really am."
I picked up this cute sign-

A thoughtful friend gave me this cute wreath-

Same thoughtful friend made me this fun Irish saying, done in fun fonts and shades of green then printed on cardstock, which I framed. We snagged this awesome project idea from my friend Monique's blog, who had some really creative and fun St. Patty's decor this year (thanks for the inspiration!).
I framed a St. Patty's day pic of the kids to put next to it, perhaps I will update the picture each year with the most recent one-

On St. Patrick's Day morning, the kids woke up to discover Lucky the Leprechaun had made a very tricky visit; he had hung lucky seven green streamers from their bedroom doorways-

and they also had tons of fun discovering all the other tricks he had played on us (milk turned green, dining room chairs and barstools overturned, message on the bathroom mirror in green marker, shamrock confetti sprinkled all over the counter, funny things stacked that normally aren't, and more). Seriously, it was like Christmas morning they loved all the little tricky surprised so much. Oh, children. Everything is better through their eyes.

For breakfast we had Lucky Charms, and shamrock scones with shamrock sprinkles-
various green foods made an appearance throughout the day, like green applesauce and green Jello.

We wore our green (don't mind Lucas, who had an eye incident of some sort and I didn't have time for him get happy as Connor had to catch the school bus)-

After school we did our annual treasure hunt for a pot of gold (chocolate coins); I hide the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow and then make a treasure map for them to use to find it. They love this.

We listened to my cousin's Meeting of the Waters, a beautiful instrumental CD (mostly piano) of traditional and original Irish tunes. Brian and I are both very Irish (his mom's a Kelley, mine's an O'Neill); I've posted before about his famous Irish poet/author relative, Padraic Colum. In reading last year's post I was just reminded that I intended to check out some of his books from the library this year, we'll still have to do that-

In the evening I went to the 8th Annual (2nd for me) St. Patrick's Day Girls' Night Out dinner with fabulous fun friends, and enjoyed every minute of it. Lucky, lucky, lucky to have so many wonderful friends in my life.

A couple of boys

Mason was 9 months on Friday. Turns out 9 months is somewhat eventful. That very day he pulled himself to standing for the first time, and repeated the feat several times throughout the day. He also moved out of our room. I know. I don't wanna hear it.

But the biggest event, perhaps, is that he is totally weaned. Not my doing. He just totally gave it up pretty much overnight. We have struggled through the past two days of him biting me (a LOT!) and getting mad with each attempt, and just flat out refusing. So he is totally on formula/bottles. I've nursed all my babies for a year, and I'm feeling a little sad/guilty about this. Although it's freeing at the same time. I have been pregnant or nursing for approximately 7 of the past 8 1/2 years. And now I'm done. Forever. A new chapter. It's good. (Right? It's good?). Yes. It is good.

Basketball has been going pretty well. Connor's coach suggested we try a headband and wristbands to help him focus and block out some of the sound of the game, which really overstimulates him. It did seem to help a bit. Plus, he looks so stinkin' cute in them. We always tell him there are two rules when he plays: 1. Have fun. 2. Always keep his eye on the ball. He's good at following the first rule. :)

Connor has been into dressing really nicely for church. He likes to look handsome. And he has been getting a ton of compliments on how handsome he looks. He likes this. On Sunday he was totally posing for me, asking me if he looks like a missionary, and to take his picture. Wow, he is darling (but only lets me call him handsome) and getting older. Less than 3 months until he turns 8. He has the ability to do serious melting to my heart.


Another spontaneous John Denver dance party broke out, this time a slow dance between Connor and Isabel. Which brings us to, yes, another video. The main reason I'm posting it is that my mom wants to see it. Which brings me to point out how my mom said watching Isabel in the other dance videos made her feel totally like she was watching me as a child. Carbon copy. Like I said, we are the same. Anyways, here you go mom. I love how Isabel finishes her moves. And this song, Annie's song, is what I used to dance to with Connor every rainy summer afternoon when he was a newborn. And look at him now. Again, with my heart...

Life and death

I was just getting over my sinus infection (days of a fever, enlarged tonsils, swollen glands and lymph nodes that made my neck in excruciating pain) when Brian came down with a high fever and significant chills and headache. Knocked him out for a few days. In the midst of this he served as a pallbearer at his Grandma's funeral, shivering his way through the entire service.

Speaking of Grandma's funeral, I had to record a few things my boys said. I sincerely hope this does not come across as offensive; I'm sure Grandma herself had a good laugh at these.

As we were preparing for leave for the funeral, Lucas asked what time the funeral would be done. I said I didn't know, but that we were going to have lunch there. Then he asked what we were having for lunch. Again, I said I didn't know. He replied, "well, at least I know there are going to be rolls there." I asked how did he know that? He said, "because it's part of the word." What? "You know, he said, 'it's a fune-roll."

Then as we got to the funeral I asked Brian if the children have been to a viewing before, to which Brian pointed out we should have had this conversation before we were pulling into the church parking lot. We have had 6 funeral in the past few years, but for various reasons there either hadn't been one, or they hadn't attended it. We had a quick overview with the children as best we could to prepare them.

So we're in the hallway outside the Relief Society room where the viewing was, visiting with family. I thought none of us had made it into the room yet, when suddenly I heard Connor come out of the room and say, gesturing, "Hey, Isabel, Lucas... if you guys want to see a dead body, come with me!"

At which point I dropped my conversation like a bad style and immediately joined the children in the room. To my relief, they were being very reverent and respectful. Connor was holding a program in his hand with a picture of Grandma on the front. He kept looking at the program, then at grandma, then at the program, then at grandma. Then he quietly says to me, "according to this paper in my hand, her hair is the wrong color." (as she had always colored it, but now it was grey). And then, "are you sure this is Grandma? How do you know for sure?" I about lost it.

Then the children all quietly said, "goodbye Grandma, see you in heaven." I found it so very sweet and reassuring that their pure faith gave them such comfort and knowledge. Later we reviewed about how the body is like a glove and the spirit is like a hand, and the body can't work without a spirit and how grandma has moved on to do good things and see loved ones again. Grateful for the gospel.

Isabel came down with a fever and monstrous headache next but it quickly passed. I'm thinking we're back to normal.

Not so quick.

Mason is a mess. I'm not sure if we're talking teething mess, or sick mess, or both. His nose is pouring forth congestion and his mouth is pouring forth drool in such volumes I have not witnessed in some time, save for the prolific amount of crud pouring forth from Charlie Sheen's mouth. Yesterday Mason woke up at 3, 4, 5 and then 6 a.m. for good. This morning it was 4:20, which woke up Connor at 5, which woke up Lucas. In my dreary state I got Lucas back to bed, somehow Mason fell back to sleep for a bit and as best I can recall I caught a few more Zzzzzs on the couch.

And grumpy! What a grumpy baby. His top gums are fat and full, I'm ready for some teeth to drop in any minute. Have I mentioned he his my worst teether? Isabel went through a rough spell around this age, but I don't remember it being quiet this dramatic. The last couple of weeks have been a foggy blur.

On a happy note, I am dancing a jig of excitement at having bought tickets for Brian and I to go to the John Denver Rocky Mountain High Earth Day Tribute Concert, as part of his being the first inductee into the new Colorado Music Hall of Fame. The concert is hosted by Olivia Newton-John and features members of John Denver's original band and the Boulder Philharmonic, with performances by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Lee Ann Womack, John Oates, Olivia Newton-John and more TBA.

I have mad love for J.D. We often have dance parties here, and John Denver is a frequent music selection. Isabel and Lucas especially love him. Isabel really thinks she has moves. If you have ever wondered whether she is my daughter, you need not look further than her love of dance and performing for verification.

I present you some John Denver dance parties. I personally quite enjoy the fiddle and guitar playing at the end of the second video.