SO DARN HANDSOME

How cute are these two? They have been friends since they were 8 years old. It helps when their parents really like each other, but in the end, kids choose their friends. If there is one thing I've learned as my kids have grown, ultimately, kids choose their friends. Man, I wish I had known that a long time ago. I would have saved myself a lot of grief and sadness as my kids grew and changed and naturally seemed to settle into certain friends. I fall in love with each new friend, and then am super sad when I say, "where's so and so? I miss seeing them around here." "Oh, we aren't hanging out so much anymore." "Why?! They are so fun/great/sweet/add any other adjective here."

So, now I just have relaxed a little and know that kids will work it out for themselves and that it's important for me to let them. Having said that, how lucky am I that Spence and Ben have chosen to be friends? How lucky was I to have been home yesterday to capture these pictures of Spencer and Ben? He is the brother Spencer has needed in a family of all girls. They had a church activity, a mini missionary experience and I thought they looked so handsome in their suits. One short year and they will be looking like this every day. So that I will maintain emotional control, I will stop now.

BRING IT!!!

ok. Just kidding. Please don't bring it. I'm not challenging you. Keep it. Really, don't bring any of it. Take it. Take it away from my baby, my little bitty baby.

Philosophies on sickness:

1- It's going to happen no matter how much hand sanitizer you use. It's a random process, the passing of germs. You are contaminated before the contaminator even realizes they are a walking sick bomb. This is my philosophy. I'm not a germophobe. You can avoid touching door handles and light switches all day long and then, pow, you touch a pen someone touched and you're sick. We haven't been sick all year. Until now that is.

2-Use lots of hand sanitizer. Use lots of airborne, zinc nasal spray, vitamins. Watch for onset of symptoms and then dose yourself up. This is I'm sure the smarter way to be. These type of people probably never run out of gas while they are driving down the street, saying "darn. I thought I had a mile or so left." They think ahead. They also probably lock their doors. These are smart people. However, I would bet that this group still gets sick the exact same amount as group 1.

NOW, once sick there are two types of parenting styles.

1-If you are sick, stay away from the rest of us. We don't want siblings to get it. Stay in your room and call me on your cell or ring a bell if you need something and I will bring it down to the dungeon, oh I mean your room. Minimal contact, just suffer it out. Again, probably smartest way to be.

2-If you are sick, you get mom and dad's bed during the day. Mom gets movies and makes you soup to make your sickness feel as good as it can. Parents know that this is a greater risk to them, but a sick child is already feeling lousy; they don't need to be further punished by banishment to the basement.

These are both extremes, I realize, but I am so mom #2. Right now I have Ali and Sydney IN MY COMFY BED WHERE I AM SUPPOSED TO SLEEP FREE FROM GERMS. Why do I do this? They are watching a movie with chicken noodle soup and milkshakes because it feels good on their throats. Of course I will change all bedding before tonight and wipe down night stands, etc. which is way more work for me.

I think we tend to do as our parents did. Sydney went and got a bell from her school dress up set. She is ringing it for me right now, probably because she is wondering where the shake is. I'm not kidding. The doc said she tested positive for strep and he thought she might have swine flu as well, but said the test isn't very fun. If the fever doesn't go away after you start the antibiotics, you'll know she has that too. She has that too. We're on day 3. Now Ali has a headache and fever. I had the vaccine 4 days ago. I'm just convincing/willing myself to believe that I am so protected and so is my little baby.

Please don't bring it. Take it. Take it away.

I Love the Mountains

Utah in the fall. There is nothing like it. I remember not appreciating it until we moved to Texas. Texas in the fall is, well, a tiny bit cooler than in the summer. It's still flat. It smells the same. Utah in the fall is bright with color and it smells so good. I don't know if it smells like grass or mums or what exactly it is, but Brett always says it smells like college football. And it really does. It's crisp in the morning and perfect in the day. I love to put on a hoodie and I'm not too hot and not too cold.

Last week, we went up to the mountains for a few days. It renewed me a bit. It was 1/2 hour from my home, but a world away. I love Utah in the fall, especially when I get my family all to myself.

where's the pool?

SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

What is happening to me? Lately, I just can't sleep. I can't stop thinking about things, can't turn my mind off at night. I have always slept so soundly. I used to go to bed at 10:30-11:00 and wake up at 6:30 without ever a hint of awakeness in between.

Last night I just couldn't sleep. The last time I remember looking at the clock was at 12:12. I don't remember anything after that until.................12:35 when Kate woke up. UGH I thought as I shuffled in to get her. I put her back down around 1:15 but her huge eyes were staring at me through the dark as I walked away and I knew that wasn't good. After she (of course) started grunting I went back in for the ol' burp baby round 2. Finally about 1:35 it was back to my soft pillow on my stomach. Aaahhh. 2:40. waa waa. What??!! No. Couldn't be. At 3 something I woke up Brett and said, "Can you burp her? My head is seriously spinning." I felt like a total zombie.I think Brett fell asleep around 3:30. Then 4 something- awake and crying hard until 5:30. We were both in the front room laughing semi-deliriously at how dang tired we were. He kept saying, "go to bed. I'll do this." I kept saying, "no, you go to bed. I can take over," as I am lying in fetal position on the floor groaning and laughing at the same time.Wow. That was a night. Weird though, when she woke up at 7 this morning, I had no hard feelings. She was so stinking cute, smiling and reaching for me. What am I gonna do? Love her AND I'm old.

-exhausted erin

2012, THE APPARENT END OF THE WORLD

HOW CRAZY DOES THE MOVIE 2012 LOOK?! I CAN'T WAIT TO GO SEE THE COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE PLANET EARTH. ALTHOUGH, SURE, WE'VE SEEN SOME DESTRUCTION MOVIES, NONE PROMISES TO DELIVER THE GLOOM LIKE THIS ONE. SWEEEEET! WHO WANTS TO GO WITH ME? I'LL BRING MILK DUDS.

September Conversations

Spencer the day after interviewing for a job: "Mom, that's stupid to write a thank you note. That's just not me."

"Spence, trust me. That little gesture is what will set you apart from the other people he interviewed."

"AAAAH, you are frustrating me SO much right now."

"Spence. TRUST ME. I know what I'm talking about. Write the stupid note!!!! Oh, and then answer Brit back for the dance and dad wants you to aerate those 2 lawns you committed to."

"But there's a soccer game at the high school! You are seriously making me mad."

Maddie: "Mom, can I have 6-8 people over for lunch tomorrow?"

"Ummmm, I guess. Maybe. What do you want to eat?"

"Well, the pizza you did last time was great. Anything would be good though". (sandwich stuff for 8, pizza and salad for 8, anything for 8. No big deal. Just go to the store, feed Kate, tidy up kitchen by lunch, oh and make the stuff.)

Ali at 7:45 last night: "Hi mom," as I pull in the driveway from Pack Meeting.

"Ali, what are you doing home? You are supposed to be at dance until 9! How did you get home? What's wrong?"

"Spence picked me up. I'm quitting dance. I told you I wanted to."

"Ali, you're on a company. You can't just quit like that. You signed a contract you would do this for the year."

"I don't care. I just can't do ballet. I hate pointe. My teacher hates me anyway. She doesn't even correct me anymore so I know she thinks I'm not good anyway. Please call them mom. I'm quitting. You can't make me go."

Brett this morning on the phone on his way to Midway: "Erin, what are you doing today? Is there anyway you can take the Suburban down to Sandy to this place that is having a special on a tune up?"

"Well, I am doing this lunch for Maddie until 1. Do I have to?"

"I'll just call you later on it. Remember, tonight's the football game against Viewmont."

"I know, but remember I have to work snack shack for the first half. Can you sit with Kate?"

"Of course! She loves me! I'll take the sling."

Sydney to me on the phone at the pack meeting: "Mom, Maddie is just doing homework and she's not doing anything with me. I'm so bored. When are you coming home?"

"Syd, I've been gone 20 minutes. Maddie doesn't have to entertain you. Find something to do."

"What??!! There's NOTHING to do!"

"I don't know. Color. Do a puzzle. I know. Practice the piano or read."

"OK. Bye. Wait, when are you coming home? Will you give me a piano lesson or read with me?"

Kate: "I'm just a little chunky cheeked baby. I make my mum so happy. She won't ever put me down, not even when I'm sleeping. She is going to mess me up in my sleeping habits, but she just won't listen. She says it makes her too happy to just hold me. Oh well, whatever makes my mum happy. We went to a movie today, my mum, her friends and me. I decided to sleep the whole time. She's already so in love with me, but just wait until I talk to her in this accent."

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ME. OH AND I'M NOT COMPLAINING. I LOVE EVERY MINUTE. (except maybe if I have to take the Suburban to Sandy.)

HADIPPA!! as seen by Zachary Sharples..

My brother-in-law Zach sent this to our family. He made me laugh so hard as I read this. What do you think about what he says? Comment please, except for maybe Melinda, because I already know you'd love it. :)

In the wake of all the serious opinion press about Obama, Healthcare, Advisors, and so on, I thought I would take some time to highlight another issue I have. This one might not have as much global importance but it is a growing issue and it has me deeply concerned. Check out the the latest film released today!

Movie poster says it all!

Movie synopsis:

DIL BOLE HADIPPA is a celebration of the never say die spirit of India. Here, for the first time, the dynamic duo of Shahid Kapoor & Rani Mukherjee, take you on a hide and seek game of romance, passion and dreams. Veera (Rani Mukherjee) is a fire-cracker of a girl who lives in a small village but dreams in 70mm. She works in a local theatre group but dreams of playing cricket in the big league. Yes, believe it or not, she wants to play with Tendulkar and Dhoni for India. While Veera dreams on in India, Rohan (Shahid Kapoor) is an accomplished captain of a county cricket team in England. Rohan returns to India to captain his father’s cricket team which has been losing consecutively for the last 8 years. In a village where girls don’t play cricket, Veera has to put on a turban and beard and become a man to fulfill her dreams. Her brilliance on the field earns her a place in Rohan’s team and Veera Kaur becomes Veer Pratap Singh. And then begins a roller-coaster journey of Veera, Rohan and Veer filled with music, romance and comedy through Punjab and beyond. This tale of turbans, twists and tricks will make your heart go – Hadippa!

I KNEW that since the Slumdog Baliwood thing got some recognition that it wouldn't be the last time we heard from India's baliwood.... Someone forgot to tell these guys that the magic would only work once and that NO WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE MORE of this kind of entertainment. We never should have recognized Slumdog as brilliant because now they think the westerners are all ready for the creepy, foreign soap opera, baliwood sing-song style that is ever present in EVERY SINGLE Indian entertainment production ever made. They think we have finally caught the magic but in reality, it was just short trip to a foreign land... We have all heard the expression.... "fun place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there." Well this fully applies. I have seen india, NOW I want to go home and I don't want to go back!

I am not just making assumptions, actually have some experience with these kinds of films. I have been to the Star of India for lunch many many times and they are always playing Indian movies and shows on a projector and we always have enjoyed watching it while we ate. The way that one would enjoy watching a train wreck, or side show carnival attraction filled with strange people. It's just like feeding a stray animal, or accepting a mercy date with someone you have no interest in and never want to see twice. You do it once and they keep coming back thinking that you LOVE THEM! When in fact, you were either, 1. Felt sorry and simply went along with it. (that's how I felt about slumdog). OR 2. You were naive- and simply didn't understand that if you participate once they come back and hit you up for another, and another, and another.... Eventually it becomes a uncomfortable. (I believe that this is just the beginning of an endless amount of Westernized Baliwood films that are about to thrown at us. It's a shame really.)

There is a reason why America is the world center for big picture entertainment, and why the majority of our films are translated into all languages.... For the most part- they don't suck. AND- we learned long ago that there is a time and a place for a sing-song dance number. It's call a MUSICAL folks, it has its own niche segment and we don't FEEL a burning desire to have it appear in EVERY SINGLE THING WE do.

MY Movie synopsis:

I have "red flagged" the concerning points to support my argument for you the reader.

DIL BOLE HADIPPA is a celebration (I never want to see "celebration" used to describe a film) of the never say die spirit of India. Here, for the first time, the dynamic duo of Shahid Kapoor & Rani Mukherjee, (DYNAMIC DUO of cdksjjkaal & xskawiwlk, THIS CAN'T BE GOOD!) take you on a hide and seek game of romance, passion and dreams. Veera (Rani Mukherjee) is a fire-cracker of a girl who lives in a small village but dreams in 70mm. She works in a local theatre group but dreams of playing cricket in the big league.Yes, believe it or not, she wants to play with Tendulkar and Dhoni for India. (WTH- Believe it or not, that is MY DREAM TOO, small world) While Veera dreams on in India, Rohan (Shahid Kapoor) is an accomplished captain of a county cricket team in England. Rohan returns to India to captain his father’s cricket team which has been losing consecutively for the last 8 years. In a village where girls don’t play cricket, Veera has to put on a turban and beard and become a man to fulfill her dreams. (WTH- this is why I have failed at achieving this dream! Just a turban and beard! Other dreams should be so easily had.) Her brilliance on the field earns her a place in Rohan’s team and Veera Kaur becomes Veer Pratap Singh. And then begins a roller-coaster journey of Veera, Rohan and Veer filled with music, romance and comedy through Punjab and beyond. This tale of turbans, twists and tricks will make your heart go – Hadippa! (EXACTLY my point! See what am saying...I don't want my heart to go Hippo!)