Sick Days

Two nights ago I went to bed with a stuffy nose and this morning I woke up with a full-blown cold. I am not sure how people handle being sick--and is a cold even considered being sick? Blech. I should be grateful because somehow I have almost 100% of the time miraculously avoided getting whatever nasty sickness everyone else in my family goes through--including the stomach bug that infected every person in my family except me a few weeks ago.

So I haven't made my bed this morning because I intend to crawl right back in whenever I get the chance. Grant thinks he is in heaven because I let him turn on a movie as soon as the big kids went to school. Unfortunately, Ammon doesn't understand that mom wants to shut her eyes for a few minutes, and he uses this opportunity to turn me into a jungle gym and a pin cushion for fingers.

So I am blogging.

I thought I had a ton to say, but I can't remember it all now.

We've managed to get into some sort of a good after-school routine. The kids get home, get a snack, and continue on to do their homework. As I've mentioned, my home has become the hangout place for the neighborhood, which has its goods and bads. Anyway, the kids start knocking, and my kids have learned that before they can go out to play (or their friends can come it) they have to complete their homework, practice their piano (all their songs 3x's each), and do a chore for mom. Playing with friends is a very good motivator. Random info--someone left a pair of blue kid glasses in our backyard. I cannot find the owner, whose parent's are probably not very happy that their son lost his glasses.

I went on a field trip with Logan a few weeks ago and a mom came up to meet me. Apparently her son is also in 3rd grade and lives in our neighborhood and has asked if he could come play at Logan's house because that is where all the other kids played. She wanted to meet me before sending her child over to a stranger's house. I appreciate that, and understand, because several kids come over to play and I don't think their parents have a clue where they are--and they certainly don't know who I am!

Yesterday I made whole wheat oatmeal cookies for book club. I never bake because I am the one who ends up eating the junk while everyone is at school. Anyway, I sent some cookies home with the neighbor kids, and a few minutes later they returned with cookies their mom had been baking and had sent back to us! We need to be better at inviting these neighbors over--not just their kids.

Also, this is not aimed at anyone, just something that has been on my mind lately. I have really great kids. They are well-behaved, good students, hard workers, good listeners, helpful, honest, etc. I am very grateful for the experience I have as their mother. That said, I am told often--very often--how lucky I am to have easy kids. People will say, "I don't know what that would be like to have kids that________(fill in blank)." I agree--I am lucky. I agree that all children have different personalities and strengths and weaknesses. But I also believe that I have something to do with how great they are, and in turn, how lucky I am. I work hard! I spend a lot of time teaching them, I spend a lot of time trying to make sure they feel loved, and I spend a lot of time making sure I follow through with what I want to happen (one that I struggle with is making sure they practice piano or do a chore in the afternoon, because honestly, it would be easier or faster a lot of time to not fight it, or to do it myself, or to let them play so that I can have some time to myself). I have high expectations of my children, and I hold them to that. I don't think I am mean about it--as in a yelling, forceful way--but I am strict about it, hopefully in an explaining, helpful, way. This is not to say that I am always patient or that I do everything right--trust me, I am very aware of my failings as a mother, and I'm always trying to do better. Luckily, I think kids are very forgiving. I should also mention that my kids are not perfect, either. They struggle and make mistakes and so do I. Anyway, I do have good kids, and they each have different personalities, and we work together to become good people. I am lucky to have them, and I hope that they feel lucky to have me.

And finally, I wanted to share a bit about their different personalities.

Logan is my cautious, wants to do everything right, very sensitive child. He learns very quickly, and he likes having rules. He loves to help others. He hates to be wrong.

Madison is my social child. She loves words. She finds power in words--talking or writing. She makes friends easily, and she instinctively knows how to pull people to her. Her artistic creativity is coming out.

Grant likes to role-play. He loves to dress up and pretend to be a superhero. He wants to be brave and strong. When in a big group he tends to become quiet. At home is my wilder child--at school and church he is the quiet one. This worries me a little bit, and I am trying to come up with ways to strengthen his confidence. He has a lot of potential, but often gets overlooked because he is the 3rd child.

Ammon is my cuddly flirt. He gets people's eyes and makes funny faces for them. He understands almost everything we say, and he is wonderful at following directions. I hope this is a forever thing!

This Boy

The fourth child. The baby. Joe's mini-me. Ammon.

I already put this on facebook, but I wanted to add a little more of the story for journaling's sake.

This morning Joe took out the trash and I rushed the kids to school. Then Grant, Ammon, and I spent our morning running errands and then at the grocery store. Then we went to eat lunch with Madison, after which we dropped Grant off at preschool. (Luckily, it is a rare colder day in Texas--39 degrees this morning--so I was able to leave the groceries in the car for about an hour.)

After we drop Grant off, Ammon and I usually come home, read a book, and then Ammon takes a nap. Today I had to put away groceries before we could get to our book, and of course, Ammon was in the kitchen helping me.

As we were finishing up, I noticed that he had a plastic Walmart bag. He went over to the garbage can and put that bag in, hooking the edges on the sides perfectly. And then he put the garbage can back under the sink!

Needless to say, I was impressed. He is one smart, observant and coordinated boy!

We are Grateful!

Oh  my, it's been a while! The McGregor's have been busy celebrating birthdays, getting through holidays, watching soccer games, throwing up (not me, knock on wood), getting done every-day stuff, and laughing as much as we can. Here are a few highlights, in no particular order.

Halloween. 

Logan's birthday (how to turn this?)

disguises

Joe's note to Madison's teacher

fruit-loving, fruit-sneaking boy

fruit-loving, fruit-sneaking boy with a haircut

Tom Turkey on his 5th year displaying all we are grateful for. My favorite is Madison's "grateful for a family who is grateful for me." And Joe is grateful for legs that work. . . and his sexy wife. ;) 

Madison won second place in a district-wide art competition.

Madison says it takes 10 minutes to clean up her extra-dirty house. 

Forts, forts, and more forts. At least Ammon can get away with using a dish towel as a blanket.

Logan and Mom went on the third grade field trip to the Dallas Aquarium. The best part is watching the sharks during feeding time. Ug. 

Now we are looking forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. We feel His love everyday, and we feel so very blessed to have each other. We truly are grateful!

Table Talk

I love hot breakfasts, and I don't care for cold cereal. But since Joe started teaching seminary at 6:00 a.m. every morning, we have been eating cold cereal at least once a week. The kids happen to love cold cereal: it is fast, the kids eat it quickly and without complaint, and the boxes inspire a game they call "nutrition facts."

The kids each take a box and ask, "How many calories? How many sodiums?" You get the idea.

This morning, Madison looks at her "Kix," box and asks, "How many coppers?"

Grant, cute boy that he is, shouts, "Sixty!"

Madison gasps and says, "Ohhhh! Grant said S-E-X!"

Joe and I look at each other, trying not to laugh.

Logan says, "No, he said 'sexy.'"

The kids were kind of laughing and joking, and Joe and I were trying to be serious, and I said, "This isn't really something we should be laughing about. Do you know what the word 'sex' means?"

Quiet.

"Madison?"

"No."

"Logan?"

"No."

I look at Joe, because he was the one assigned to give Logan the talk when he turned 8. Joe nods his head to me, reaffirming that, yes, Logan should know what the word 'sex' means.

"Logan, do you remember when Dad took you to the pet store and you talked about how babies were made?"

Logan nods "yes."

"That is what sex is."

With big eyes and a red face, Logan ducks his head under the table.

I look at Madison and ask her something about hearing the word sex at school.

She looks at me very straight-faced and says, "I didn't say s-e-x, I said s-O-x."

Joe and I are having a very hard time holding it in right now.

"Madison, we know that isn't what you spelled. It's ok, we want to talk about it."

"I don't even know how babies are made!"

"Well, you know it takes a mommy and a daddy, right? They each have a special part that they use to make babies. It is something very special, and we don't make jokes about it. You know what? We will have to talk about this sometime when we aren't going to be late for school."

Grant pipes in, "I said 'SIXTY!'"


And this, my friends, is why families should eat together.


Also, it looks like we will be having the talk a little earlier than originally anticipated.

This is an old pic, but I was trying to find one of our table, and I found this, and it was almost as funny as what happened this morning. 

being a girl is hard

This is one of those topics that I've wanted to talk about for a long time, but it's not an easy one to bring up.

Also, for the record, being a boy is probably hard too, but I just don't know very much about it, as I am not a boy. Maybe that is why Heavenly Father gave me 3 little boys. Or maybe it is so I can teach them right, so that some other girl's life doesn't have to be so hard.

I have always assumed that other women have had similar experiences to those that I have had. I realize this may or may not be true, but I do know that as I have opened up to others, and as I have come to know more people, that my experiences are not unique or uncommon.

I think it is safe to say that all girls feel at times that they are unattractive, or ugly. Without doubt, we all have physical features that that take us longer to embrace and love.

I can remember a specific moment in time that took place in ninth grade, after 4th period, and before lunch. I went to the girl's bathroom, and as I washed my hands and looked into the mirror, I felt so incredibly sad that people had to look at me. I remember wiping the silent tears off my cheeks, honestly feeling that I must be the ugliest person that God had ever created.

As an adult, I've wondered from where this self-hatred came. Hormones? Physical changes that I didn't understand? Uncertainty in my purpose of life? I have no doubt that those are real contributors to why adolescence is so difficult. But there were also the comments: how small my chest was. Where my chest was placed on my body. Shoe size. How clothes fit. How my hair looked. The amount of makeup I wore. These comments usually (although not always) came from boys. Of course, there are always the comments we hear about other girls: chest sizes, bottoms, legs, clothing, what they were willing to do. You know the comments, you've heard them.

It is not hard to understand that a girl quickly assumes that the only thing that gives her value is how she looks, or doesn't look. Also, if a girl wants attention, she should act ditzy, because then people will laugh and make comments about the girl's silliness. I've often wondered if my increased seriousness is a result of my pretended ditziness.

I ran cross-country in high school. I felt flattered when I figured out that the boys would run with me, and then hold back just a little so that they could watch me run in front of them. I am embarrassed just thinking about it.

Luckily, I made it through those ugly teenage years, and I met a wonderful man who reminds me daily of not only how beautiful I am, but also my intelligence and all that I am capable of doing. (Although, he did question my intelligence when, just a few weeks ago, I told him about my moment in the girl's bathroom. I guess boys really don't understand. :)

Not long ago, I took Logan to a plastic surgeon to have the stitches taken out of his eyelid. The office was filled with pictures of gorgeous women with little notes about how plastic surgery could lift eyebrows, tuck wrinkly skin, fatten cheeks and chins, enlarge lips, nip off a little of one's nose. I have to admit, I started thinking about what changes I would make: the nose, most definitely. And wider cheekbones. And. . . And. . .


 (I am including this picture because it shows my nose in profile, which I have not-so-fondly termed my hook nose. Grant happens to have my nose, and I apologize to him for this misfortune more often that I'd like to admit.)

Last week some of you saw my facebook post about leg-shaving. I'm ok with shaved legs, but I admit, I always have that nagging feeling, making me wonder if I am shaving my legs because of my insecurities, or for someone else who would judge me by my appearance. The only one I should shave my legs for is me. (I guess I am ok with shaving my legs for Joe, too, but he darn well better love me no matter what!) Does that make sense?

My little Madison, at age 7, has been hiding her legs for the past year, at least, because she is embarrassed of her hairy legs. A classmate made a comment. Recently she has started to ask me if she looks fat. I have to admit: I'm scared. I don't want her to feel how I felt. I don't want her to feel like she needs to compromise herself in anyway to find acceptance and love from her peers. And I don't want my insecurities to play a role (surely she takes note every time I say something about how gross I look, or my own hairy legs, or the belly fat I try to hide).

I do not want my sons to make some foolish comment that will make a girl question her worth.

I don't know how to solve this, except to make people aware, and to teach our children. Teach them that they are beautiful exactly as they are. And to help them find ways to feel value in who they are--in their talents, their intelligence, and in the knowledge that they are God's own royal offspring. To teach them that we don't judge people, especially by what they look like--and most definitely, "if you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all."  Talk. Listen to your children and form a bond of trust so that when something happens (and it will) they will come to you and talk. 

They really do love each other

 Two blog posts in one week. Whoa!

I think it is very important to note that, despite the fighting and yelling that seem to be so common-place in our home, our kids might actually care for each other.

Examples from Friday:

1. Madison and Logan's school is closer than Grant's school, and they get home about 10 minutes before he does. Everyday, Grant gets home and asks if he beat the big kids home from school--and every day he is disappointed. When the kids got home on Friday they came in for their after-school snacks as usual, and I got my shoes on to go wait at Grant's bus stop. Logan and Madi whispered together for a minute, grabbed their backpacks, and hid in the backyard. Grant and I walked in the house and Grant asked, "Did I beat Madi and Logan?" Right on cue, Madi and Logan walked in the door with surprised looks and words like, "What? You beat us home?" Grant squealed in delight and kept saying, "Can you believe it?!" That was the first thing he told Dad when he came home, too. Needless to say, I was touched by their small act of love for Grant.

2. Madison got to take a stuffed animal to school on Friday. She chose a pink bunny. As she walked in the door of our home that afternoon, she burst into tears saying, "Someone on the bus told me that my bunny was stupid." Logan rushed over to her side and gave her a hug. He asked, "Who said that? Was it _______? Well, he's wrong. Everyone thought your bunny was so cute. You chose a good animal to take to school." Again, I was thankful for this act of kindness. This is not the first time Logan has come to Madison's defense, and I hope they can continue to confide in each other throughout their teenage years.

3. Madison had soccer practice Friday evening, and dad was home in time, so we all went to practice together. When it was time to go, Grant hopped in the car first and therefore had the seat of his choice. Madison was furious, and she started whining and crying--and absolutely refused to sit in another seat. In a very nice voice, Dad asked Madison to come talk to him on the sidewalk. I didn't know what was said at the time, but apparently he told her she had the choice of choosing a different seat or walking home. Madison started walking (this sounds a lot like her mother). Dad shut the van doors, climbed in, and put the van in reverse. Grant started bawling, saying, "Nooooo! Don't leave her!! Please don't leave her!!" Madison, seeing that the car was backing up, turned and sprinted back. Grant, still crying, said, "Madi, please go home with us. You can have my seat." I think we all felt this was a successful lesson.

4. Let's not forget Ammon (and although this probably did happen on Friday, it is not a specific incident). Ammon has been trying to fit in with the big kids, and one of the ways he gets attention from them is to bite them. He has been spending a few minutes on the naughty floor everyday. Anyway, after doing something naughty and then spending his 1 minute in time-out, we get down to his level, look him in the eye, and say something like, "Ammon, biting is not nice. You hurt Grant. No biting. Go tell Grant that you are sorry." Ammon, looking very penitent, goes over to the person he offended and gives him or her a big hug. (It really is very adorable.) The hurt child hugs Ammon back and instantly forgives little brother.

And finally, I want to note that not only is the pantry clean. . . but the garage is clean!! We could even  park in it! The problem is that there is no garage door opener, which makes opening the garage door a huge pain. :( Anyway, I bought shelving Lowes, we worked together to tidy up the garage, and it looks wonderful! Towards the end, Madison found some big papers that came from the shelving box, and she asked me if she could have them. Of course, I said yes. And I'm so glad I did! This is what she did with them:

Notice Joe's crown, and the rest of us in a row.

Dad Thank you for all the hard work you dun for us! You are great! Who is the best? You are! The best dad ever! You are made for me! Love it! That's right!

Mom thank you for all the hard work you dun for us! You are the best! I love you! You are a mom! Better than anyone! That's right!

Notice that I am holding the baby Ammon, also, all the peace signs. 

Joe said he got a little emotional reading his sign. 

Truly, being part of a family is a wonderful, wonderful experience. 

Family of 6, or, Proof

In today's world, a family of six seems pretty big. In the Mormon world, a family of six is pretty normal. But sometimes I wonder who in the world gave me permission to be in charge of the souls of FOUR children?

Anyway. A family of six can do a many things together. Some of those things include food ingestion (lots and lots of food), and inevitable unorganization.

Today I am documenting that my pantry is FULL and ORGANIZED.


I can promise you that it won't stay that way for very long.

This food will go fast! 

Earlier in the week I went into panic mode as I started reading about how groceries and gas are supposed to increase significantly this month. Lots of people=lots of groceries=lots of $$$ (hence the Aldi off-brand everything). Joe and I talked, and we agreed that we needed to follow our prophet's advice and prepare for the future in the form of food storage. We got on the LDS Provident Living site and decided we should see what it would take to have 3 months of food storage for our family of six.

Just the very, very basics include:



600 lbs of grain (eeks!)
80 lbs of legumes (I think we would all have stomach issues if this were our only protein source!)
40 lbs of dairy
80 lbs of sugar
8 lbs of leavening (very doable)
8 lbs of salt (this I can definitely do!)
40 lbs of fats

Let's be honest--that's a lot of food. And it isn't going to be that fulfilling if that is all we are eating for 3 months!

Those buckets are filled with wheat, rice, and oats. . . but probably less than 200 pounds worth. 

It is all a little overwhelming, really. So we filled up the pantry (and the deep freeze, but no pic) and we set a date to go to the cannery next month.

I think we can fit a little more in there. . . maybe? We are definitely going to have to get creative with food-storage space around the house. :)

Oh, and did you know that if something terrible should happen, even Ammon would be able to feed himself? He knows right where the cereal is, where his milk is, and he can get to both. However, this does mean a mess for mom is she isn't paying close attention. :/

How do you do food storage?

True stories:

So I'm playing single mamma this week. :( But it's just for a week, right? Well, 10 days--but I can DO this!

Sunday: Joe went to China. Did church alone. It went ok. Grant fell asleep on his friends in primary. 

Monday: Grant threw up at the table just as we are sitting down to eat breakfast. He throws up again right be fore we go to take the kids to school.

Tuesday: I knew it was going to be a hectic night: 5:00 soccer practice for Madi, 6:00 3rd grade meeting at the school, 6:30-8:00 soccer practice for Logan. I tell the kids if they get through the night ok then we will have ice cream when we get home. 1 minute later, as I am backing out of the driveway I hear yelling and crying. 

Me: WHAT is going on???

Madi: Grant hit me with his thermos! 

Grant: Madi spit at me. 

Me: So sad. No ice cream.

Practice one goes ok. We get to the school, which is supposed to have babysitting. They tell me the big kids play in the gym, the little kids go to the art room. I explain that the baby will do much better if he has a sibling. I drop everyone off and head to the classroom. 50 minutes later I return to find a screaming Ammon and a crying Grant. Apparently it is not so cool abandoned in a strange place with strange people. 

We arrive at practice two 30 minutes late. It goes ok.

On the way home (at 8:00--bedtime) I tell the kids that if they hurry and get showered and dressed for bed, then they can have a banana bar and milk (we ate dinner at 4 and had been out running around in 90 degree weather for 3 hours, they had to be starving). I hand Logan the keys to the house. I get in the house to see Madison and Logan kicking each other and calling each other names. 

Me: Welp, you just lost the banana bars. You may have a glass of milk.

Crying and gnashing of teeth for the next 30 minutes. By Madison and Grant. But mostly Madison. There may have been some voluntary head banging on the walls. GEESH!

Wednesday: I've been looking forward to this day. No soccer. No meetings at school. I scheduled an appointment at a car shop because the van had been making a funny noise.

OK, quick side story. Last week I spent two days at the car place because 1. I had to get the car inspected and 2. the Noise. They didn't diagnose the problem until the end of the day, so Joe went in to pick up the car and find out what was up. The mechanics saw his "BYU Law" shirt and immediately said to each other that they had to be careful because he was a lawyer. Then they said it was highly unlikely, but legally they needed to tell him that the worse case scenario was that my tires would BREAK OFF while driving!!! Joe explained that he would be out of town for a week. . . would it be ok for a week? Probably, but no promises. Sounds GOOD!

So anyway, I arranged with some friends to drop our other car off at the car place so I could drop the van off, switch car seats, and then drive the car home. 

The car wouldn't start. 

Seriously. I can't even make this stuff up. So I go back in there and hand them my car keys and explain that they are going to make a bundle of money off of me today. They feel bad for this mom with 2 kids (they don't know that there are actually FOUR kids!) at 8:00 am, so they have someone come look at it right then. It's just the battery. Whew! So I walk next door and buy a $120 battery and it takes about 5 minutes for the mechanic to fix it "for free." Not really, because he kept my battery that I could have gotten a $20 refund for, but oh well. At that point I just wanted to get out of there.

(I just heard back from said car shop. Along with the $100 I spent last week to diagnose the problems, it is going to cost me another $500 to get everything fixed. I guess it could be worse, much worse, but I can think of a lot of things to spend $750 on!)

So.... It seems to me that when Joe goes out of town, there is some crazy going on. It might be funny. Like in a year from now. 

I do have to acknowledge that it could have been worse. I mean, Grant only threw up twice. And since he hadn't eaten for 12 hours, it wasn't really that bad. Knock on wood, but no one else has gotten sick. And the car? What better place to be stuck than at a car shop? And friends? I had several friends ready to come and pick me up and cart me around town. A good friend even brought us a delicious dinner and a stack of paper plates and boxes of plastic ware! So my life is still pretty good. Baby, I've GOT this! 

Any bets for what will happen tomorrow?

Randomness running through my head. . .

To be honest, I'm having a hard time being motivated as far as summer updating goes. Time consuming. Lots of words. Boring. So today it's just: what I am thinking.

Oooh yeah.

1. I was thinking about some of my favoritest, happiest, things. Most of them involve me being lazy. Like someone else making dinner. Someone else cleaning my house. Those things don't happen very often. Does that mean I'm not lazy? Anyway. One of my favoritest, happiest things is when I am still sleeping and Joe goes to work. That sounds bad, I know, but hear me out. This also doesn't happen very often because a) the kids are in school most of the year and b) even when they are not in school they get up at 6 a.m. c) I have this thing about us all uniting for a hot breakfast before everyone leaves for the day. Soooo...... on the rare occasions that Joe goes to work before I get up, he stops by the bed to give me a kiss and tell me good bye. And he smells SO GOOD! Think shower gel, shaving cream, toothpaste, mouth wash, mouth rinse, and cologne. There is nothing like waking up to that mixture of clean smelling goodness. And he's a lawyer (I'm married to a LAWYER!!), which means that on most days he's all dressed up in a suit and tie. It's a nice way to wake up, that's all.

2. I said something to a friend about 5 years ago, and it has haunted me ever since. We invited a few friends over and one of the gals said, "Every time we come to your house it is spotless. Is your house ever dirty?" Trying to be honest, I said, "Well.... I hate messes. So yeah, I try really hard to keep it clean." *Don't those people make you so MAD?* That was right before Grant was born. And as we add people we add things. And also there are more people. Did you know that more people = more mess? Also, contrary to popular belief: the older people get the more mess they are capable of making. Funny how that works. So let me tell you right now: My house is not always clean. I still spend more time than I'd like cleaning, but it is rarely ever spotless. And for heaven's sake, do NOT look in the garage. Or the master walk-in closet. I realize I talk about the state of my home on here a lot. I believe it is a sensitive subject for me--one that I am trying to overcome and become comfortable with. Because the truth is: my house is not always organized. And that is ok. There are 6 people growing, playing, living, and learning here--and cleaning should not be my main priority. (Plus, to be honest, I don't really love cleaning toilets. Surprise!) I worry that it takes up too much of my life, but if I don't do it I go crazy. It's just one of those things that has to get done. So as we are preparing to send kids off to school (wah!) and the 50 bags of school supplies are piled up by my front door. Etc. Etc. I am trying to remind myself that I am in the business of raising children. And Melinda, if you somehow read this: please forgive me for my ignorance!


Joe: While I appreciate that Jenny thinks I smell good in the mornings (it's Acqua Di Gio, case you're wondering), I am compelled to set a record straight. The truth is that I teach early morning Seminary each morning, and I can count on one hand the mornings she got up with me. 

Catching Up is So Hard to Do:

*I forgot to mention that the 3 older kids sang "The Army of Helaman" with Brent on his last Sunday before leaving on his mission. I played for them and they sounded so great! Even Grant knew the words, and I don't think any of them really got stage fright.



Week 2 kind of running together and getting all mixed up with week 3, but to the best of my memory:

Monday: ?

Tuesday: we invited Priscilla and her boys over to play and for lunch. Fun, fun! Grandpa also butchered two hens for us to eat for dinner. They were yummy, and I ate them, but it was kind of weird to know that I was eating something that had been running around on the farm a few hours earlier. Then. . . the electricity went out and somehow (coincidentally?) the water pump died. No water pump means no running water anywhere in the house. It was a little stressful. So while Grandma and Grandpa rushed to get water going before all the stores closed, the kids and I went swimming at a friend's house down the road.

*Side story: Grandpa told the the kids that they couldn't flush the toilet because the electricity was out (this is before we knew the pump had died). He was explaining the science behind it--so we didn't notice Grant walk out of the room. A few seconds later he jubilantly runs back into the living room and announces, "You are wrong Grandpa! The toilet still flushes!" SOOOO.... the last flush was all for nothing. :) What could we do but laugh?

Wednesday: we met up with some of my high school friends and went swimming. We stayed much longer than anticipated, but only because we were having so much fun. I was a little worried that it would be awkward because I haven't seen these girls for years and years--and we are at different stages in life. It was fun, though.

Thursday: ?

Friday: we went to McDonald's for lunch and then walked around the mall while Grandma got a perm. I was going to get my hair dyed for the first time ever. . . but chickened out when I found out it would cost $100. This is when Grant had his freak-out moment with the poopy bum in the men's restroom. Anyway, I was checking out the prices of jeans for new school clothes, and the best I could find was $12 at JCPennys. Now, this is not a horrible price but Logan needed new pants, Madi needed new pants, and you'd think I'd be good on pants for everyone else, but Logan started going through pants every 4ish months when he turned 5. Grant happens to need size 5 pants: Grant needed pants. Luckily, we still have hand-me-downs for Ammon. So even if I skimped on pants and just got 5 pairs for 3 kids--that's
  15
x12
------
$180

That's not even thinking about shirts, socks, shoes, dresses, underwear, etc. So I asked Dad if I could leave the kids with him for a bit while I checked out the thrift store. As I was on my way out I saw my mom paying for her hair, so I recruited her to go with me. We ended up with 16 pairs of pants and 1 dress for $28! Every single article of clothing was in great condition, and we are all set on pants for the next year! It was a tender  mercy.

Saturday: We went to a pioneer day celebration at Kinzua Park. I think that is where it was. The kids fished for a while, we ate dinner, there were some games (3-legged races, watermelon seed spitting, Red Rover, and a shoe-hunt where Logan won $5). Then we went over to the beach side of the park and let everyone swim for a few minutes. Our goal that evening was to get the kids in bed by 8:00, and we didn't know if we could make it because of the mandatory showers that needed to take place. What did we do? When we got back to the house I hopped out of the car to grab everyone's stuff, and then we drove up into the woods and all the kids took separate showers at the same time at the girl's camp (that's right--my parent's have a girl's camp up in their woods!). There is nothing quite like taking a warm shower out in the open air! (There are wrap around shower curtains, but when you look up it's all sky and tree branches). They were in bed by 8:09.

Sunday: The McGregor kids made up about 50% of the primary choir that morning, and they sang 2-3 pioneer songs in Sacrament Meeting.

Summary of Characters:

While I'm at it--I wanted to do a quick a summary of people rather than events:

Ammon: can talk. He is especially good at saying, "no," "done," "more," and "mine." But he also says, "please," "cup," and "yes." His names include "momma," "dad," "grandpa," and "Ammon." Other random words include: car, cat, dog, book, uhuh, and animal noises, plus so many more that I can't remember right now. He's brilliant, you know. 

I am pretty sure he is allergic to milk. I am not sure to what extent, and I probably should take him to an allergist to find out, but in the meantime we are dealing with lots of ouchy poopy diapers and lots of bottom medicine. We are grateful to live in a time of Almond milk, electric ice cream makers (with Almond milk), artificial cheese (which is gross), and other alternatives to milk. Unfortunately, milk is in almost everything we eat, so I have started to make Ammon separate food so that we can still have some variety in our diets. 

Grant: Is getting ever-more super hero crazy. He now turns all of his shirts around because he thinks it is more super-heroish. Grandpa bought him a watch and he is learning how to tell time. He knows how to swim--sort of. He gets under the water and kicks but doesn't really go anywhere. He also needs to learn how to wipe his own bottom.

Story: We were walking around the mall a few weeks ago and he announced he needed to go to the bathroom. I sent Logan as his escort while the rest of us waited in the hall. And waited. And waited. I started calling "Grant? Logan?" Finally Logan came out and explained that he had taken the opportunity to go to the bathroom, too. And Grant was going poop. Uh-oh. That took a while, and then I was yelling into the men's bathroom, "It's ok Grant! You can wipe all by yourself! You are a big boy." He wasn't convinced. Logan went in and wiped him. That wasn't good enough. Then I started hearing Grantee sobs, "I have a poopy bottom! I need help! Mom, come wipe me!" I shouted back, "Grant, I can't go in there, it's the men's bathroom!" A man came out and informed me that it was empty and I could go in to help him, but as he was walking away two more men went in. Finally, I called my dad, who was at Home Depot, and asked him to come over and wipe Grant. 

He's been practicing ever since, but I tell ya, it's not pretty. I hope he doesn't need to poop during preschool this year.

Madison: Is no longer terrified of the water! When she saw how everyone was praising Grant for swimming she got her act together and got her head in the water. Now she's a fish, swimming and diving in the water. 

Logan: Asked me today if he could have something to put in his hair. I gave him some Matrix gel-wax that we picked up at mom and dad's, and I have a feeling that we are entering a new tween stage. Yikes. He did look pretty cute handsome, though. He is also a fish in the water. But more on that later. 

Jenny: Oh my gosh, what a summer!! I can't wait to talk about it--but all in due time. I was spoiled rotten this past month, and I loved every moment. I should mention that my sister informed me that my posture is pretty sad, and even though it was sad to hear, it has been confirmed in too many pictures to not be true. So that is what I'm working on. Standing and sitting straight. 

Joe: He's my favorite man ever. Need I say more? Plus he's not telling me what to write about himself. 

Oh Summer!

How do you sum up a month's worth of summer? In 50,000 words? In 400+ pictures (and I didn't take nearly enough)? Over days? Weeks? Bear with me....

Week 1:

We drove 22 hours straight through, took two 20 minute gas/potty stops and arrived at 2:00 am here-- in the northwest corner of beautiful Pennsylvania.

This is the house I grew up in, surrounded by hundreds of acres of fields and forests. Beautiful. 

We did a lot of reading. 

And relaxing. Outside! In 70-80 degree weather. 

We picked raspberries.

And ate them. 

We swung around. 

And we helped out on the farm (in our church clothes, apparently). 

We sent my baby brother, Brent, on his 2-year mission in Brazil. 

And Joe and I celebrated 11 years of marriage by spending 3 days in New York City. Alone. Without kids. !!!!

Joe has all those pictures on his phone, though. Also, it deserves it's own post. 

We finished the week by joining the kids and grandparents at Cayuga Lake and campgrounds. We camped, swam in the lake, kayaked, saw the Hill Cumorah Pageant, toured my Dad's hometown, and took Joe to the airport. 

I don't have pictures of that, either. 

In short, week one was busy, memorable, and fun, fun, fun!

Getting Domestic

I'm not shy about telling people that I do not enjoy crafting. Mostly it's because I am in some ways a perfectionist and the things I make are far from perfect. I get very frustrated, and making things is not that fun when you have an idea in your head and the end product does not live up to that idea. Plus I just don't have the patience (or time) it takes to make things look the way I think they should look. This is one huge reason I did not stay in the Interior Design program at BYU-I, but that's another story. 

I actually do know how to sew. My mom sews very well (she made my wedding dress), and she has spent hours helping and teaching me to sew. When we lived in Ohio I would save my sewing projects for trips to her house and then we (she) would make the ideas I had in my head. 

Like these super hero capes. 

 The aprons.

 And Halloween costumes (She made Leia's dress and the cloak without a pattern out of old sheets).

Joe bought me a sewing machine for Christmas because now it's not so easy to bring projects over to my mom for help. I have ideas in my head, but I have been afraid to actually pull the machine out and learn how to thread it. I told a friend (Kristy) I wanted to make pillows for the sofas and beds, but I was afraid to start. She called me up a few weeks ago and said, "Let's make pillows." It turns out the machine has numbers to remind me how to thread it and the pillows were pretty easy to make. I did "break" my machine the first time I tried to use it away from Kristy, and she had to come to my house to help me figure out that I was not threading it right. :) 

Anyway, I have pillows. Turns out it was a silly thing to want because the kids think they are personal trampolines. They throw them on the floor, jump on them, line them up on the floor and lay on them. But when they go to bed I put them back on the furniture and it looks nice. Just don't look too closely. 

Another thing I don't love to do is cook and bake. I think I have gotten lazier about this over the years. I don't mind the cooking so much as I mind the cleaning up. My goal is to use as few dishes as possible. We eat a lot of casseroles and crockpot meals. I also am not a food-lover. I think that might make a difference as far as my enjoyment of cooking. I eat because I get hungry and I need to eat, but eating does not bring me pleasure. When we go out to eat I am almost always disappointed that we spent so much on a meal that didn't even taste that good to me. I know, I'm crazy. 

One thing that I do love is breakfast. And I hate cold cereal. As a result, I DO make a hot breakfast almost every day. It is unfortunate that the norm is to invite people over for dinner instead of breakfast, because this is the meal I would feel most comfortable making for others. My breakfasts are good. :) 

Unfortunately, good breakfasts often mean unhealthy. At least for me. Lots of sugar. We also do breakfast burritos and biscuits and gravy often. But I love the sugary breakfasts. 

I have recently rediscovered a pancake recipe that is actually very, very healthy. The syrup will never be healthy--but at least I can feel like I am putting something yummy AND healthy into our bodies.

It is from a Good Housekeeping magazine (mom subscribed it) a few years ago. So easy, fast, healthy, and delicious. This is a recipe for 12 pancakes (they must be tiny), but I double it for my family of 6. Some people add the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls--not me! You do the wet first and then the dry with the baking powder very last. One dirty dish. 

Whole-Grain Pancakes

mix:

1 egg

1 1/4 c milk

1 T veg. oil

add on top: 

1 c. wheat flour (use white wheat. if you don't do half white flour)

1/2 c. oatmeal (I use old-fashioned, not quick)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

blend until wet and make pancakes! 

I usually add some vanilla and cinnamon, and because I use the bigger oats I let it sit for about 5 minutes to let them get a little more wet. I often throw in some blueberries. Yum!

The kids LOVE them! Today Logan ate 5, Madi 4, Grant 3, and Ammon 2. And I feel good about it! Sometimes I mix some berries and a little bit of sugar to make a berry syrup. We also make our own lite-syrup with Mapeline. (I double the recipe on the bottle but use about half the sugar it calls for and add vanilla and cinnamon). Once you try it you will never go back to store-bought syrup. And if you want to keep it all healthy, don't do syrup at all! We also like our pancakes with yogurt (homemade is best!) or applesauce.  

So my point is: I'm pretty undomestic. If I can do these things, anyone can. :) 

Hello Summer!

Summer is:

Swimming

Friends

Homework

Naps

Wii (sometimes)

Reading

Cleaning

Movies (sometimes)

Library

Cooking 

Eating

Siblings

Fighting

Singing

Dancing

Computer (sometimes) 

Working

Playing

Late nights

Ice Cream

Traveling

Sleeping in (I wish)

Writing

Chores

Creating

Piano 

*****************************
What I've been thinking about:

I recently watched a home video of a one year old who could dance! It was very cute, but made me feel like I was a bad mom because my kids don't know how to dance=we aren't doing enough dancing at home. Silly? A little? I know. But nonetheless, it has made me think about how as mothers there are some things we are really great at teaching our kids and somethings that we struggle to teach. For me, I think I am good at getting the kids to read, play on their own, and we do a lot outside. We don't watch t.v. or movies (seriously, maybe 3 hours a week--and that is including our Friday family movie). I wish I was more dedicated at teaching the kids piano (we've had one lesson in the last 2 weeks). I feel like I am constantly cleaning, but yet my house is never completely clean! I wish we danced more! I wish we did science projects and crafts (ok--I wish the kids had that experience, but it's not something I really enjoy, so we don't do a lot of that stuff). How do you balance it all and find time for everything?

Along with this, I read something about a mom who decided not to stress so much about making her kids clean their rooms. They had an hour on Saturday where they tidied it up for the week. I thought it sounded interesting, and I was going to give it a try, but it lasted ONE day! It does something to my stomach when I walk into their bedrooms and the floor is covered in clothes, papers, and toys. I don't know how to find balance as far as that goes. I don't want everyone to spend hours every day cleaning, but I start to feel frantic when there is a mess--and it's hard for me to be happy, which means I'm grouching at everyone to "hurry and clean" and "why can't you just pick up your stuff?" then they aren't having a good time either. Ideas on how you find balance would be appreciated. :)

Balance.

Moment of Impact

To make a long story short: lice. Not that long ago I would have been shocked to think of someone talking about this, but I guess it's like modesty when you are having a baby: you get over it.  :)

So here is the longer story, and if it makes you queasy: stop now. Also, don't think less of me or my family. I am really trusting you by putting this all out here.

We went to church on Sunday and on my way to primary we were told that some of the kids in primary had lice. Madison and I made a detour to the bathroom and a few other moms and I started pulling her braids apart looking. It didn't take long. Madison started crying before I did.

The bad news is: lice. And Joe is 10,000 miles away.

The good news is: we caught it very early. If you know anything about lice, you know that they multiply very, very quickly. I think we caught it before any of the eggs hatched, and that is very, very lucky. Also, it looks like I do not have it. 4 women in the past 3 days have checked my hair and all with the same verdict. It is almost unbelievable, but this good news has kept me on the more-sane side of things. :)

Also (and this deserves it's own paragraph), my kids are AMAZING. We left church and I immediately called my parents in PA and started sobbing on the phone about the timing of the matter. I have to admit, I was kind of hoping my mom would come and save me again. She said, "I'm sorry honey, but we have 2 state tests this week and I wish I could come to help you but I can't (she's a principal)." So the kids and I sat in Wal-Mart's parking for about 20 minutes and I said, "I need your help. I'm all alone and this is a lot of work, and I can't do it by myself."

We got home and the 3 big kids pulled off their bedding and put them on my bathroom floor. Madison emptied her dresser and closet and added to the pile. While I started working on Madison's hair Logan cleaned the upstairs and vacuumed the entire house. He took a whiney, tired Ammon and entertained him for several hours. Logan and Madison have also been helpful in switching the laundry when asked.

Luckily I had put some meatballs and marinara sauce in the crock pot, so we had an easy, fast dinner--because the last thing you want to be worrying about in the middle of this ordeal is making, feeding, and cleaning up food.

A friend came over to cut the boys' hair (I didn't even check them, and I'm sure they didn't have anything, but I just didn't even want to ever check or worry about it). After a little internal crying I decided to go ahead and have her cut Ammon's hair. We then spent a few hours going through Madison's hair, which as I mentioned, was actually (and thankfully) not too bad.

most recent "before" picture of all the kids when sending dad off to China.

Ammon's first haircut!

After picture

I keep imagining the "moment of impact." I imagine it had something to do with her long hair (that is always pulled back!) and a well-intentioned hug. Madison loves to hug, and how do you tell someone to stop hugging!! Today while we were going through her hair again she said, "Mom, I kept telling my friends that I'm not allowed to hug, but they didn't listen." So we talked.

I've done a lot of researching, and I found this quote by Patricia Heaton (mom on "Everybody Loves Raymond"): "I've learned how to pick out head lice - and I don't really mind doing it, which is scary." I can't say that I don't mind doing it, but it is what it is, and I'm not alone.

The other good news is that Joe feels terrible about not being here to help out. He wrote me a sweet email and promised to make it up to me. He also poetically said, "your feet will feel like pillows"(because I love it when he rubs my feet).

My mom, sister, and sister-in-law, and I are also planning a get-away trip to Puerto Rico. I am SO excited!

So: we're pushing through!  This has been a trial, but I feel like Heavenly Father made sure I could do it. I should mention that this didn't even compare to last year's experience with a 4-day old baby.

And if you ever get lice, call me. I know just what to do!

Wishing I still had nothing (to talk about)

So it's 12:38 a.m. Yes, you read that right: A.M.--as in the middle of the night and I should be in bed--A.M.

I'm not ready to talk about it yet.

Suffice it to say that I'm grateful that we got Ammon's pictures last week.

And I'm thankful for friends.

But I'll be glad when Joe gets back.

Because I'm done, only that's not a choice, so I'm not done, but I am.

Hint: the boys now all have almost buzz-cuts and I broke the Sabbath by going to Wal-Mart and doing 32 (I'm almost not exaggerating) loads of laundry.

Tomorrow is looking just as swell.

I've got nothing

Usually I can find something to write about each day--whether it is something funny that happened or some resurfaced memory. But I've got nothing. Has there been nothing? Am I missing things? Inspiration: gone.

Still, there is a need to write.

Today: played, cleaned, folded, watched, fixed, cooked, listened, read, talked. Did not exercise. Did not yell (as much).

What's your story?

Nothing Fabulous, Nothing Bad

I have nothing entertaining or enlightening to share, only that we are doing o.k. Sunday was brutal.  The problem: fighting kids and a tired/impatient mom. Both of those things together = unhappy family. Let's just say I was feeling very guilty by the end of the day. Luckily, we have almost another week to recover and prepare for the next one. 

I have some fantastic friends and visiting teachers in this ward, and that has made life sweet. I mentioned the surprise book drop last week, but since then: my kids were watched for a few hours on Saturday so I could attend a church meeting for women, we were invited to a yummy dinner, given a prepared FHE lesson (!), invited to go swimming, and today there was a cookie-drop off. I truly feel cared for and loved--and I think that means more than the service itself. Every time I go through an "experience" I am reminded of ways I can be more compassionate and charitable to others; this has been a good experience, and I hope I can be better at finding ways to help those in need of lifting up. 

 

Oh, and something kind of exciting: I visited a second-hand shop during Grant's speech today. I was in there for about 15 minutes and found 3 pairs of perfect-condition GAP jeans (that fit!) for $10.99. Boo-Yah! 

Quiet!!!

It's 8:03 and the house is QUIET! It's 90 degrees outside and it was field day at the elementary school. Grant and Ammon and I had a shortened nap because we went to JCPenny's this morning. Add that all together and you've got tired kids and reading time in bed. YES!

Two stories.

First: I make my bed everyday. I gave up on making the kids make their beds everyday (maybe we'll try again this summer). Grant's bed is never, never made. When Madi and Logan were four they knew how to make their beds and they were held accountable for making their beds each day. Grant could probably make a normal bed, except that he destroys his every night. Like--even the fitted sheet is pulled off each morning. Grant has the privilege of sleeping on my bed during nap time so that he doesn't wake up Ammon. As mentioned, I make my bed everyday. But yesterday I just kind of threw the covers up over the pillows and I didn't smooth it down. When he went in to take a nap he said, "Mom, I can't sleep on this! It's not made! You have to make your bed everyday or I can't fall asleep." I don't get it.

Next story: We are going to have to watch Ammon. He is a kisser. If I say, "let's change your diaper," he runs away. If I say, "it's time to get dressed," he runs away. If I say, "can I have a kiss?" He smiles big and runs over with his mouth wide open. He falls for this trick every time.

And lastly, we finally went to get Ammon's first year pictures. We got some cute ones, no thanks to him. The little stinker became shy for the first time in his life and all he wanted to do was hide his head in my chest.

If you want to see them (please do!) there is a link on my facebook page. I don't know how to attach it to the blog.

UP

I know, I know. This photo is old news, as I have already put it on facebook. But it cracks me up every time I see it, and it's been over 12 hours.

About 3 weeks ago we went on a bike ride on some dirt trails around the lake by our house. There is a mesh covering that goes over the bike trailer, but somehow a rock (supposedly) slipped through and lodged itself in Grant's eye. He screamed and cried and rubbed it all day until his eye was swollen and red. The next morning I thought time had healed it, but he continued to complain so I stuck him in a warm shower for something like 20 minutes and he said that fixed it. Ever since then he panics if we go on the dirt trails because he is nervous another rock will fly into his eye.

Grant also loves to dress up. Every day he is a different character, and if I forget his new name he is very fast to tell me, "My name's not Grant. It's {insert name}." The most common characters are Super Man, Obi Wan, and Spider Man. He has also been a ninja, a person named Kai, Darth Vader, Batman, a Pirate, and an Indian. (One of the funniest things is that Logan also loves to dress up as his character of the moment. Madison hates to dress up. I have bought her so many dress up clothes that she has never worn and grown out of. Isn't this backwards?) Anyway, yesterday Grant found these goggles in the dress up box. I think the kids all got a pair at one of the Lowe's Saturday building activities. When we got ready for our bike ride this morning he put them on and announced that they were for keeping rocks out of his eyes. I am happy to say that they worked.

This picture of him reminds me of the boy explorer on the Disney movie UP. So of course, we had to watch the movie , And, of course, I had to bawl. Every time!! The dog part is a little weird for me, and I wish they had done something different, but the couple getting old and breaking the bank is so touching--probably because I can relate. Except for the not having kids part. Obviously, we have other trials in our life.

While I watched it I thought about how almost 11 years ago Joe and I were both in China, promising ourselves that we would get back there--hopefully to live there with our own family. It hasn't happened, and the goals have kind of changed. Except that now he is there and I want SO BAD to go back! And the breaking the bank part. . . our van is 9 years old, and it has been a good van. It has been paid off for years, and it has been wonderful to not have any car payments. We have been saving money so that we could run this car to the ground and have enough for a new car--in a few years, that is. Well. . . . I took the van in to get the oil changed today, and I asked my dad about the trouble I've been having with the gears shifting, and it sounds like we might have to get a new transmission. It's time to break the car-savings bank. . . it's part of life, but definitely not how we were hoping to spend the money we've been saving for a new car. Ah well, such is life.

Today was a productive day: dropped kids off at school, went on a bike ride, went visiting teaching, went to Aldi, ate lunch with Madison in the school cafeteria. Put the boys down for a nap, played the piano, read some of my book, and had a surprise visit from my visiting teacher, who brought me a few books to keep me busy! Kids came home, we finished homework, played UNO, ate dinner (rice, chicken, and salad), and took Logan to scouts. Got the oil changed at Walmart (in record time, I should add), and bought a kiddie pool to help us to enjoy this 90 degree weather. Is there such a thing as enjoying 90 degree weather, anyway? Every time we got out of the van today Grant said, "boy it's hot today, isn't it mom?" Yes, it is hot.

And I got to talk to Joe TWICE on skype! He is safe in Shanghai and he has wireless Internet. We got to kneel down together and say a family prayer even though we are over 10,000 miles apart! It is hard to be so far away, but I'm grateful for modern technology. Also, it blows my mind that there is no facebook in China! Sometimes I wish my free-agency for facebook was taken away from me, though. But can you imagine if facebook was in China? That's like 2 BILLION more customers!

Anyway, my thoughts are getting random, now. :) Remember to look UP!