It happened one birthday, but I don't remember when...

Birthdays.

They commemorate the day you arrived in the world. Though you may share the day with others, it doesn't diminish the unique nature of the day. It's a day when those close to you celebrate YOU!

I have memories of birthday parties as a young child. I lived near many of my cousins and we would usually invite them over for cake and ice cream and of course, presents. I don't remember "themed" birthdays like those I've celebrated with my children, but I do remember being so excited to have a day dedicated to me.

I know adults who still LOVE their birthdays and expect huge celebrations. I think at one point I was one of those adults because I remember getting REALLY mad at Rex one year when he didn't wish me a Happy Birthday prior to leaving for school. I thought he had forgotten. I was in a bad mood most of the day and it seemed my birthday was ruined. He learned from his mistake and hasn't forgotten an early morning birthday wish since.

But at some point it changed. It turned into "just another day." Well, not really just another day because cards are still delivered in the mail, good friends still invite me to lunch, a friend still knocks on the door with a card and chocolate covered cinnamon bears, a high school friend sends a text, my mom still calls to sing to me, and Rex still has several presents for me to open. Somehow, however, its not the same as the parties of my youth. I have to admit several times today I forgot it was my birthday. I did many of the same things I usually do: a load of dishes, a workout, and a short nap. When did it change? Why did it change? Am I the only one?

It was my birthday today and though several times I forgot, I appreciate all who helped me remember, especially my wonderful husband and four fabulous children. Thank you for celebrating me and the day I joined this beautiful world. The world wouldn't be as beautiful without each of you. Thank you and I hope I have another forty-two years with all of you.

Look what an almost 11 year old can do with mom's IPhone camera app all in about 3 minutes.

More fun with the camera app - Brooke and Mom

To celebrate we ate dinner at an Italian restaurant in town. I tried the new salad that was served on top of warm bread with melted cheese on top. It was delicious!

Raising a daughter

It seems that Erin grows taller every night. At 10 (11 next week) she still hasn't mastered doing her own hair, so on school days and Sunday I do it for her. Last time we measured she was 5' 3" so the new setup in the bathroom is a small chair where she sits so I can reach the top of her head. It's a melancholy feeling to see her growing up. Many days I want to push a magic button and slow time down. I look at pictures of her from even last year and she has changed. For one thing her feet are HUGE - bigger than mine which has its advantages because she likes trendy shoes. Last year we bought her a pair of shoes in a size 8 for the Daddy Daughter Dance and now they are too small. Guess who gets them now? Yes, me! They're great shoes to slip on early in the morning on my way to seminary.

I remember exchanging clothes with my mom. Mostly sweaters - it brings back so many memories. You know how your mind wanders as you jump from memory to memory? Thinking about sharing clothes reminds me of my graduation from having my laundry done for me and doing my own. It happened sometime during my teenage years. I don't know how, but on SEVERAL occasions I would wash a red sock with my whites - instant pink clothes. A red sock you ask? Yes, in the 80's it was a big deal to wear socks that matched to color of your top. I really like red. I digress.

As I shopped for presents this year for Erin I realized that she is moving from toys to more practical things. She received a hairdryer, straightening iron, boots, and a jewelry box to name a few. Most of those she had asked for, so I wanted to find something that would be a surprise. I don't know if you know, but nails are HUGE for teenage girls right now (at least around here)....lots of fun colors (who wouldn't want to wear a color called "meet me at sunset" or "decadent dish"), vinyl that can adhere to your nail and techniques to make your nails a work of art. If you doubt me watch this video:



Once you watch the video I'm sure you'll ask yourself if we've tried out this technique. So in advance, yes we have. It's fun and very time consuming.

So I found on Amazon (yes, I did most of my shopping there this year. I love you Amazon Prime.) "stamps" for your nails. Again, here is a video if you're intrigued:



Secretly this 40+ mom wanted to try the stamps and what better way than to buy them for Erin as a gift.

There is a learning curve in using the stamps and despite what people say we did find that the "special Konad polish" worked better than the regular polish we had. It's not as time consuming as the nail marbling, but does take some time.

I waited a while before I tried them on myself because after all they were a present for Erin. One disappointing thing about stamping is you spend all of that time making your nails beautiful and in a couple of days they are chipped. For more than I year I have been painting my nails with GELISH a special polish that cures under a UV lamp (many people recognize the brand Shellac that is used in salons). This polish is seriously AMAZING. It lasts for a least two plus weeks without chips or signs of wear. So I combined the two polishes and here is my result. I think it looks pretty cool and I feel like a hip 40+ year old mom. Maybe soon Erin will start asking to wear some of my sweaters?

I had to really zoom in so you could see the design.
Please don't be distracted by the wrinkles and the unusual shininess of my hands.
I had just put lotion on them to try and hide the wrinkles. Result: Shiny Wrinkled Hands.

A Year in Review

Since I didn't blog a single entry in 2011, what a great way to recap some memories of the year.


1. What did you do in 2011 that you've never done before?

I went to NYC with my hubby and boys - we left the girls with a good friend. It was an amazing trip. So many things that I loved...traveling with two seventeen year olds is so EASY, no whining or fighting, the food was amazing, the people were fun to watch and the shows were great!

2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions and will you make more for next year?

The only one that I remember is one we set as a family. We committed to read the Book of Mormon every single day in 2011. We did it!! I haven't made any for this year that are specific, but I do want to lose weight and get more organized.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, my sister-in-law just barely did.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Not anyone close.

5. What countries did you visit?

The Bahamas for one day on our cruise.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

More patience with my kids - it's a constant battle for me.

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory and why?

October 8th, the day Brooke got baptized.

8. What was your biggest personal achievement of the year?

Training for and running a 5K.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Weight gain

10. Did you suffer injury or illness?

No, pretty healthy this year, but I do want to remember that Erin got Pityriasis Rosea.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

An Iphone for Rex

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Jacob and Erin for playing a piano/harp duet on Christmas Sunday. Michael for developing a real friendship with his 3rd grade teacher. Brooke for perfecting her dance move "the pull chain."

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Casey Anthony

14. Where did most of your money go?

Our mortgage - we're hoping to pay it off in the next three years.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

The cruise that we took to celebrate 20 years of marriage. The best part was we took the kids. Everyone would say that the best part was fishing in Key West.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

Grenade by Bruno Mars - only because Brooke can sing almost the entire thing.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?

Happier, Fatter and Richer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Taking pictures in NYC.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Spending time on Facebook, but I am proud to have deleted my account.

20. Did you fall in love in 2011?

No, just continued to be in love with my hubby and four kiddos.

21. What was your favorite TV program?

Even after all these years I LOVE Survivor!

22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Nope

23. What was the best book you read?

I really liked Matched.

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?

That my daughter can play the harp.

25. What did you want and get?

An Iphone 4S and new hardwood floors in my living room

26. What did you want and not get?

A new banister.

27. What was your favorite film of this year?

Hmmm, I don't watch many movies, but we just saw We Bought A Zoo and I loved it, minus the swearing that seemed to be abundant for a PG movie.

28. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

I was 41. We celebrated at Chili's and Rex surprised me with an IPad.

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Immeasurably? I feel pretty satisfied with how the year went, but more sleep would have been great.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept for 2011?

Lazy, I'm perfectly content in sweats and it drives Michael and Jacob crazy that I wear them in public.

31. What kept you sane?

A cat nap in the afternoon to keep me going after getting up at 5:00 am.

My Poor Neglected Blog

I love reading blogs. I love keeping up with relatives by reading about what they are doing. I love finding tried and true recipes. I love finding really cool crafts. I love reading a candid, honest post written so well that sometimes I cry (this mainly happens when I read an awesome post by my sister-in-law, Lucy). Oh, how I wish that I had one of those blogs. I want to be a good blogger. I really, really do but somehow it never happens. Many times I take pictures of something we have done as a family and think, "This will make a great blog post." Somewhere between that thought and my busy life it never happens.

Tonight is New Years Eve. Over the past week I've thought a lot about what 2012 will bring and the goals I would like to set. One of those is that I'd really like to be better at blogging. My reasons are purely selfish. I want a record of the next year. It's a big one for us.....Michael and Jacob will graduate from High School, go away to college and more than likely get their mission calls all in one year. I want to remember every moment.

There you have it - one of my resolutions. One I promise to keep.

I day like no other...

That would be Thursday every week - the day of the week with so many places to be all while Rex is at meetings at church.

Here is the agenda today:

4:30 Erin Ballet

5:00 Jacob Birthday Party

5:30 Michael Play Practice

Brooke Soccer game

Pick up Erin from Dance

6:30 Pick up Brooke from soccer

7:00 Erin Activity Day

8:00 Pick up Jacob from party

Pick up Erin from ADG

8:30 Michael done with play practice

So basically there isn't time to go home, so I'll be spending the next four hours in the car. I wouldn't change it EVER because that would mean I didn't have four wonderful kids!

Turn and Shoot

So Brooke may turn out to be the most athletic child in our family. Anything sports she LOOOVES! We had a White Elephant party at Christmas and I opened a deflated football from Uncle Patrick. Pretty soon it was inflated and Brooke was playing catch with Uncle Patrick in the family room. She couldn't get enough of it.

Well now that Brooke is six, she is old enough to play basketball through the Rec. Center. She had two practices last week and her first game was on Saturday. At this age the girls need to be "coached" about the most simple things, like which way to run and several reminders about dribbling and not just running around with the ball. The other team had one girl that could really shoot and she seemed to have the ball most of the time and most of the time when she shot the ball she made it. Brooke was one of the point guards and would take the ball down the court. We were impressed that she was sharing the ball and passing to her team mates (she doesn't like to pass when we play as a family).

During the last quarter we still hadn't made a basket and you could tell the girls were discouraged. We were on our end of the court and something was called on the other team. Like I said the girls can get confused and before we knew it both teams had run to the other end of the court. Brooke's teammate threw her the ball and then took off to the other end. A light when on in Brooke's little mind. She looked at the stands where everyone was yelling, "Shoot, Shooot, Shooooooot!!!" She smiled and turned to the basket and shot the ball. AND SHE MADE IT! I really wish that I would have got it on video. It was so perfect!

At one point during the game Brooke came over to tell us that they hadn't scored yet. Rex started to quiz her, "Does your coach want you to pass the ball when you get down to your side?" Then he gave her just a bit of fatherly advice: I think you should bring the ball down and just go straight to the basket and shoot it.

Later that day we saw Brooke's coach (she's good friend and a member of the church) and she let us know that when she was talking to girls during a halftime she encouraged them to find someone who is open and pass to them. Brooke said, "My dad says that I don't need to pass that I should just shoot the ball." Neither of us knew quite what to say, but we did learn that no secret is safe with Brooke.

Forty Fabulous Memories from my Fortieth Birthday

1. I rolled over in bed and realized that Brooke's stomach must be feeling better and despite waking me up several times during the night to ask for a drink, she hadn't thrown up again.

2. Breakfast in bed: Carnitas breakfast burrito from Santiagos and a yogurt parfait.

3. Erin telling dad that he couldn't give me just fruit for breakfast. They had to make me a yogurt parfait - yogurt, fruit and granola.

4. Feeling stuffed after the burrito and offering the parfait to Erin. She happily at the whole thing.

5. A handwritten birthday greeting from Erin.

6. A phone call in between classes from Jacob to wish me a Happy Birthday.

7. A card from Rex telling me to put my feet up, today was my day.

8. Being chauffeured to my 9:00 a.m. massage.

9. A nice 75 minute massage with only a few uncomfortable moments when I should have said the pressure is a little much. The masseuse found some really tender spots on my scalp - OUCH!

10. Brooke and Rex greeting me in the waiting area to take me to my next appointment.

11. Crocodile tears from Brooke that she couldn't go to school because she was afraid the lunch ladies would make her eat ALL her lunch and what if her tummy didn't feel like it.

12. Consoling Brooke in the back seat while we were chauffeured to my next appointment.

13. Brooke spilling the beans: you're getting your nails painted AND your toes!

14. A manicure with paraffin hand dip

15. Dark purple nail polish.

16. A pedicure downstairs at Rumors - wow, their basement it nice.

17. A nice, relaxed conversation with the gal doing my pedicure.

18. Being asked by the nice girl what my secret is to nearly 19 years of marriage.

19. Wearing funky, cheap flip-flops outside when there is still snow on the ground. A man can't think of EVERYTHING.

20. A sonic diet coke with fresh lime.

21. Walking into a clean house with the carpets freshly vacuumed.

22. Four cell phone messages - two friends actually singing to me!!

23. Lunch out with my hubby at The Olive Garden.

24. Chicken Gnocchi Spinach soup

25. Shopping at Bed, Bath and Beyond for new pillows and threatening to buy his and hers comforters. I have been recently accused of stealing the comforter.

26. Brooke's first basketball practice.

27. Brooke begging to eat at Qdoba instead of Mimi's

28. Kids fighting in the car which caused me to change my dinner request from Mimi's to Chili's (it's closer).

20. Dinner at Chili's where soooooo many things went right over my head!

30. Entering my house and KNOWING that someone had been there.

31. Candles flickering in the darkness.

32. Wonderful friends snuck in my house to surprise me!

33. Having "Happy Birthday" sung to me - hasn't happened in a long while

34. Costco Cake and ice cream!

35. Wii "Just Dance" - I have pictures to prove that so many people danced for me including Bishop Ackerman.

36. Presents along with two cards that were exactly the same.

37. One present: vintage Diet Coke

38. A present from Brooke that she wrapped herself: a half-eaten box of Tic Tacs

39. Brooke's last words as I tucked her in, "Mom, I think you had the best birthday for a grown-up." I think so, too!

40. Climbing into my Sleep Number Bed a 40 year old woman who is blessed beyond measure.