10 signs of “Phantom” overload.

1- The two year old wanders the backyard with a look of longing on her face singing “Think of me..” over and over.
2- The Beast from the Belle  polly pocket set is now known as “The Phantom”.
3- When the girls play house, the plot revolves around marrying Raul or Phantom.
4- They fight over who gets to marry Raul.
5- The other day, while in my bathroom getting ready, Peyton turned my and Merrill’s toothbrushes into Raul and Christine, and they began singing “All I ask of you”.
6- If stopped mid word, on any word that starts with a “D” sound, Peyton quickly finishes it off with, “Duhhh….. da, da, da, duh, duhhhhhhh..” (Opening music to the movie..)
7- Lynn and Ashley are often found with the dark green fleece blanket draped over their heads, trailing down their backs like a cloak, wandering the house singing, “Wishing you were somehow here again.”
8- Ashley wishes she had long, dark brown, naturally curly hair.
9- Ashley also wishes her name were Christine Daae (still).
10- Peyton asks at least 562 times daily to “watch fantam”.

Further proof..

Here’s more recent proof that a two year old lives among us:

She painted her own toes Sunday after I had just finished the other girls’ fingers and toes.  I turned from curling Lynn’s hair to find this, and the blogger/scrapper mom that I am, ran for the camera before I grabbed the polish remover. :)

While making the FHE treat last night, she was right there with me, asking what different kitchen items were.  The next thing I hear is, “Uh-oh mom..  mess.”
She found the straws!
But isn’t that smile sweet?
Life is pretty exciting around here to say the least! :)

Terrific Twos..

It is Saturday today, (newsflash, I know) and I was looking forward to sleeping in today.  Every other day in this house, I am the wake-up Nazi.  It is quite difficult most days convincing the young’uns that it is time to get up and get going so we won’t be late.  So you’d think they would relish their Saturday to sleep-in just as well as I do…
Not quite the way it goes.
Peyton and Ashley are up at the time I am normally trying to wake them up every other day.  Peyton is so chipper with her first thing in the morning request of “choc milk mom?”.  Girl after my own heart….
So that’s where the attempt to sleep-in ended and my day began.
I decided to forgo eating breakfast at the table (breakfast was a bowl of Lucky Charms this morning, I needed them!) and eat it while watching the news in bed (where’s the snow?!).  When I had finished my bowl of sugary goodness, slurped the remains of the sweet milk, I got ready to hop in the shower.
Peyton came to me in distress.
“Mess mom!”
I followed her back out to my bedroom only to find her small bowl of the same tasty breakfast spilled on my bed.
ON MY SHEETS THAT HAD JUST BEEN WASHED YESTERDAY.
But amazingly not a drop or morsel on the ground the distance from her seat at the table to the bed.
(By the way, it was on your side honey :)..)
(Sigh.)
Into the washer went the sheets, AGAIN, while I went to wash myself in the shower.
I got out of the shower only to find another surprise courtesy of my little two year old..


It is a priceless original that was mostly removed by Mr. Clean and his magic sponge.
The little puncture marks, however, were not removed.
She has also created other works of art, on objects which we also use to lounge..

Isn’t two terrific?
Thank heavens for microfiber!
Oh, and Mr.Clean. :)

Dinner time discussion..

We had a fun morning today, getting up and all ready for church..
I don't know if it was the rain, the unseasonable coolness, or the fact that I stayed up past my bedtime to dye my hair, but I opted to sleep in.. for an extra hour :)
I quickly got ready, had the girls up by quarter of eight, and that is an accomplishment, considering the fact that waking Lynn on the sabbath, and when she realizes it is Sunday, is like talking her off of a ledge. She dislikes going to church, sheld rather be sleeping, that is. I told her it was "Fast Sunday" and that helped, because she believes it really is fast.
I tried to con them and their still sleepy tummies that it was indeed, time to eat breakfast. Nobody ate very well.
After feeling much like a broken record, I had them dressed, shoes on, and was trying to make the chore of fixing hair sound more like a trip to LaGoon. It was 8:40 when I announced, "We need to get a move on.. We need to be in the car in ten minutes!!" I then realized that Merrill was still in bed, asleep :)
We got there maybe five minutes late, and that ain't bad.
It got even funner as Peyton decided to go ahead with her morning constitutional during Sunday School. I was thankful earlier in the morning that that one detail didn't occur, to further throw off my morning. But the Sunday School surprise got better when I started searching the "church diaper bag" (we have more than one, each for different occasions.. softball, grammy's house, out and about, and church.. each has an individual purpose.) only to discover, the diapers and more importantly, the wipes, were not in this particular bag.
So to the car I went, to find only diapers.
We went home.
With a bum smelling much better, I put our chili (lunch) on the stove to simmer, then lunch would be waiting for us when we got home.
Our smelly diaper had a silver lining.
Sacrament meeting went well,with only one emergency phone call from the hotel.. someone with a trailer took out some of the stucco pillar, and a guest smoking much like a chimney on the third floor, stinking up the place.. the goldfish spilled only once. I did get to bear my testimony, something that has been a month in waiting, I didn't get up last month, I put it off. It has been bugging me ever since.
I love my ward!
After eating our yummy chili that was warmed to the perfect temperature, we chatted about the morning's events. I commented how I had no idea how mothers with more children do it. Seriously!
Merrill said, "See, you don't want any more. You couldn't handle this (motioning to the three crazies) doubled."
Just to avoid an argument, I told him he was right..
Lynn and Ash understood what we were talking about and one of them said, "You're not having anymore babies?"
Mer answered, "Nope. My hair is already going gray. I don't want to go bald too."
"You were gray when we were dating.." said the sassy wife sitting to his left :)
"It was preparation for having three girls."
We all got our Sunday nap in.. well, all except for Ash, she needs it most..Sunday naps are awesome.

Fun night out..

First and foremost: Happy Birthday Jen!!
I really did have a fun night out.. good food, good friends.. mmmm dessert.. fun..
Right?
Most definitely, until I arrived home.
Chaos greeted me at the door.
I was reassured, quite immediately, that my choice in locking my craft room door was indeed the correct one..
It was the ONLY room in my house that didn't require my immediate attention.
There is something about lemonade, cleaned-up half-heartedly (or by a 6 and 4 year old) and sprinkles, distributed throughout the top floor (comprising the kitchen, dining room, 3 bedrooms, and a bathroom.. oh and the hallway, conveyance to previously listed rooms..) of my humble abode, that stick to the feet :)
I, personally, find it awfully annoying.
Even Peyton would stop, mid stride, to sit down, and brush the small, yet very colorful, annoyances off the bottoms of her feet.
It's all vacuumed.
Thank heavens for the Dyson.. I had to empty the canister twice!! What would I have done if I still had the annoying non-sucker kicking it around these parts?
Now, the floor needs to be mopped.. there's still the lemonade, or should I call it "lemonade residue", to deal with.

*NOTE: There is no finger pointing at the "designated responsible adult" (Dad) here.. the poor guy got called into work last night at midnight.. worked till nearly two, and then tried to sleep at work, only to come home to shower, and be back at 9 am.. he's pooped, not negligent :)**

Another Haircut?!?

So.. apparently, paying a professional wasn't all that it was cut up to be.. pun totally intended..
So she did it herself!
This was the pic I captured after her explanation to me of why she cut her hair, followed by my response (see below).. it was in her eyes?
I told her that her hair was going to look messed-up for a while.. it is mostly underneath, you can't really tell..
If you think she looks upset here.. you should have seen her reaction when I tried to throw the lock of chopped hair away..
FREAK OUT!!
She wanted to keep it.. she thought I could "cut it back"? She deliberated on me gluing it back or even sewing it back to her ends.. but she feared looking like "a blanket". I have it all on video..
But DC 14 swooped in for the rescue.. sucking up every stray snippet of coiffed hair..
I even caught Peyton giving Mr. Dyson some love..
Total adoration..

Just another day...

Woke up this morning after having nothing but Obama dreams.. I woke up, not wondering if it was real, but remembering the night before; witnessing history. No staying up late, watching the returns come in, wondering who will eek away with a lead.. no. That was decided pretty early on in the evening. Months ago, really...
I must say, that both candidates speeches were very eloquent and gracious.
I somehow feel hope.
But on to fun stuff...
We spent the afternoon at mom's. Catching up, crocheting/knitting, and laughing.
I am so thankful to have my mom! I have realized lately, that everything I do, is either something my mom has taught me, or something that she, my grandma, and I would do together. Sewing Lynn's costume, with Grandma's machine, I felt like she was there, reminding me to take out the straight pins before they passed under the presser foot ;)... While I crochet, with her hooks, I remember her teaching me how to hold them so my hand wouldn't cramp.
I miss her.
But I am so thankful that my girls and I still have my mom, their grandma, who can teach them the same things.
Grandpa said such a sweet prayer over dinner as we were getting ready to leave. His voice is so sincere and tender.. I can't help but think of how much he misses Grandma too. He prayed for all of his children and grand-children. He prayed for us to be safe as we drove home. I love my Grandpa!
Ashley and I had an interesting exchange today while picking up a few groceries...
It involved her favorite word as of late...
Ass.
We were picking out bananas.
Me: "Ash, you have a banana ear..."
Ash: "Mom, you have a banana nose.."
Me: "You have a banana mustache..." (There was an old cowboy walking past with a good looking mustache...)
Ash: (Now brace yourself...) "You have a banana ASS..."
Me: "Ash! (Trying not to laugh...) We don't say that word!"
Ash: "But mom, everyone has an ASS..."
Me: (Still trying not to laugh...) "We still don't say it."
Ash: "Why?"
Me: "Because if any of these people heard you say that, they would know that I am a bad mom..."
Ash: "Then the police would come and under-arrest you, huh?"
Now what would Grandma think of that?

Politics...

I am so happy that this whole circus will soon come to an end, for a few years anyway...
I have avoided blogging about this.. friends and politics usually don't mix... but this is my journal...
So this is one of "those" moments..
It is a bit surreal how times are. What morals and values are on attack, what seems crazy, but I believe should be the norm. As I went to vote today, I felt it all come to the surface again. I have felt the importance of this particular election, and have been what the media calls, "an undecided moron"... I honestly have been pondering the choice I made today for quite a while. I've been praying and discussing the choice at hand with people I trust, and look up to.
I nearly cried standing at that machine thinking, here it is... listening to Peyton and Ashley giggle behind me as I stared at that screen, I prayed yet again, to make the best decision.
All I can say, is the right people's names were not on that screen.
I can't wait for it to all be over.
The funny aspect, is remembering how today seemed so far away just 9 months ago. I was prego with Pey, voting at the primary, and slipping and falling on the ice... four years ago, Ash was our newborn. We stayed up watching the returns come in. Hoping for better with our baby then.
Now we still hope.
And pray, a lot.
Funny to think that in the 2020 election, Lynn will be off, just by a little bit, in her first opportunity to vote in a presidential election. That freaks Merrill out, to think of his little girl being that old...
I was organizing the last months pics, burning them all to a CD and deciding which ones were scrap worthy... I found these:
Peyton's favorite place to hang while I blog. It does cause some problems every now and then, cords get pulled, posts disappear... thank heavens for blogger's auto save!
And this one is from today...
This is her new grin... she shares it with us when she knows she's doing something extra silly.
Ashley proved, yet again, that she is my child too... after dinner, which she ate almost all of the black olives (which Merrill is NOT a fan of) she drank the olive juice straight from the can! My girl!

Flashback Friday...

So you might think that this post will be riddled with details of my non-sexual life... naw, I'll give you a break (for a second) and instead, take you back to 1987...
The last day of first grade... (it's the last day of school for kids in these parts...)
This is me: (but not on the last day... just that year, sometime...)This is the award that my teacher gave me...You see, because of my hairstyle (mom claims that I asked her to do my hair just like hers...), my teacher gave me the nickname "Muffy" after her dear dog... she seemed to think we looked alike... nice to grow up with the same kids my whole life, and they all remember, "Muffy"... real embarrassing nickname to have in junior high.
So for my life... in the present...
I got Mer to seriously (as serious as we can be together...) talk about our "life" together... as roomates ;)
When I brought it up, after some silliness, he said, "Well if you wanna.... then let's..."
Encouraging!...
But I want to be a picky, needy woman, and have HIM initiate it. I told him that and he says he feels bad "buggin'" me, when I am so busy doing mom stuff all day, and he thinks I am just too tired at the end of the day.
And then there's the same old excuse that there's nothing sexy going on around here, to which I gave him a little twirl in my well-fitting jeans, and asked him if this really was so un-sexy... he just smiled.
So I asked him if I needed to shake my hips a little while I was bent over wiping children's bums, you know, to make something sexy happen around here...
I really must say that it isn't as debilitating as I make it out to be, it's just funny.
But I seriously cannot live without sex...
Who's ever been too tired for that??? Not me! I have that "horny housewife" condition that Dani L. so wisely called it.
But I did think of a cute name for a 4th girl... obviously I am not preggers... but I can dream!
Macy...
I love it...

Let Me Explain...

For those of you still reeling from the candid post I did Monday, let me explain...
I grew up in a home where nothing was off limits. There wasn't a question you couldn't ask, or one that wouldn't be answered. While my parents were very open and honest, they also taught us when the appropriate time would be to participate in that... and I only use that word as to not offend further...
How open?
Remember my flashback Friday about camping? Cereal boxes having sex in the cupboards? That was basically every day at my house. There were questions asked, conversations that followed, always humor... it's not like we are all perverts, or obsessed or something. We knew how sacred it was (and still is... when it's happening;)...) we just didn't cringe when the subject was brought up. We weren't shy to ask, because my parents weren't shy to talk.
There was one time my dad was bragging to me about how knowledgeable he was. He said that there wasn't a question I could ask, that he couldn't answer.
So, I tested him.
Me: "Does it hurt to use a tampon?"
Dad: A brief look of panic, then a smile, cause I got him... "You got me... But the answer is, it doesn't hurt me!"
Another time, at the dinner table of all places (talk happened there a lot too...), we were talking about toys from our childhood. I get my words all mixed-up sometimes when I am talking faster than I can think and I say something wrong, that happens a lot, and I asked dad if he had a erection set when he was younger. Everyone laughed, my friend Teresa was in shock. Then I realized what I had said, then dad answered, "Yep. I played with is all the time!" As if Teresa weren't already red...
Then I said the correct word, the word I had meant to say, "I mean, an erector set..."
Dad said, "Yeah, I had one of those too."
So in contrast, Merrill grew up in a house that wasn't, well, that open. He described his "sex talk" or, "the birds and the bees" to me like this:
His dad: "Son, do you know how a girl gets pregnant?"
Mer: "Yeah."
His dad: "Don't do that."
See... I think that is what affects us now, some of us are more open than others.
Some of us also cope with humor.
So that's why you might be reeling, or laughing...
And no, he doesn't know. But he does know me, he knows that if something is bugging me, it'll get talked about...
So I'd like to say sorry if you are shocked or offended, but I can't, cause I am not, this is the way I am!

an old friend...

I found an old friend last night when I was packing my things back into my cedar chest... isn't he cute?! I love Elvis!!! I always have. I think that I turned Lynn into an Elvis junkie too... You might be shocked at all of the Elvis stuff I have... his hips go back and forth with every tick and tock...
We went and helped Promise paint her very bare and stripped kitchen. Her dad is giving her and Ken a new custom kitchen, so she gets to paint in colors that will compliment the new cabintery. That is her dad's profession. What a lucky girl! We got priming done... more work for tomorrow! James won't complain, he loves us, especially Peyton. He cried when we left!
I've been watching "Mythbusters" with Mer. It sucks that his theories always pan out... I was never any good at science...
It did get Peyton to sleep. She has had this "keep mom up while I fuss till 1 am" thing going on the past few nights... it sucks that she doesn't like binkys... I've bought three different kinds... I just don't want her to find her thumb... I was a thumb-sucker... can anyone say, "orthodontist"? Yes, I should have seen one. As soon as I heard "headgear", I said, no thanks...
Ashley's been on a funny kick. Besides thinking that someone came and took Grandma, which Grandpa got a kick out of... she has also had these few funnies:
Referring to her new haircut: "Mom, I lub my new hair that we bought at the store..."
After eating an apple and seeing the seeds: "Mom, apples have apple peanuts in them..."
Remember that Ash cannot say "f", "p", or "v"... they watch PBS kids, with a show called, "Fetch with Ruff Ruffman"... she came to me when it started: "Mom! BETCH is on!" Now what do you think that sounded like to me?

P.S. I got tagged too... sorry Jacks, almost forgot!

Here are the rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages).
2. Turn to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog
5. Tag 5 people

Hmmm... nearest book...
Closet at my left...
"The Simpson's"...
"Bart goes to the Kwik-E-Mart to buy ice for Homer's injuries."

- Brooke, Em, Christie, Ally :), &.... Ashley.