I Could Not Ask For More

Finding Jody

2011-03-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

214 Hillward~ Slemboski Home

And then there were 10! It seems there are 10 Slemboski siblings instead of 9.
Before Grandma Slemboski passed away 25 years ago, she told us she had given a baby up for adoption 35 years earlier. I wrote a letter to Oprah, to Donahue and we even contacted a family locater. No success. But 2 months ago..."Jody" found us.

After she was born she spent a few months in a children's home in Chicago. While there on business, her parents adopted her and took her to their home in Colorado. She is an only child. She grew up knowing she was adopted. She had a wonderful life with parents who adored her. Jody never had children of her own. Recently she had to put her elderly parents in a home. While going through their belongings she found her original birth certificate with Grandma Lyda Mae Slemboski's name on it. Jody's husband John decided to do a little research. He went to ancestory.com and put in "Slemboski." and the rest is history! So this weekend Jody came to town. We had a wonderful celebration! Sadly while Jody was here visiting...her adoptive mother Jacqueline passed away. She had to fly to Colorado and be with her father. It was so ironic to me that she was able to feel the love and support of siblings who have longed to find her while grieving the passing of her dear mother. I feel that dear Jacqueline's mission in this life was done. She raised a wonderful, amazing daughter and knew that Jody now had an extended family to carry on that love. I can only imagine one of the first to meet Jacqueline on the other side was Grandma Slemboski...thanking this dear woman for taking care of her baby.

A Mother's Christmas Wish

2011-01-01T20:52:00.000-08:00

I wish you love- a life to share

And when you find someone to care

I hope that time is kind to you

And all your dreams come true

This is a Mother's Christmas wish for you

I wish you peace - of heart and mind

To use your strength but still be kind

To learn to give to learn to lose

To live with truth in all you do

This is a Mother's Christmas wish for you

And when you wake on Christmas day

With children of your own

I know that then you will see-

What you have always been to me

You are the Greatest gift of all

A child was born - On Christmas Day

A shining star to lead the way

And Mary's love was pure and true

That's the way that I love you

I pray that love will guide you through

This is a Mother's Christmas wish for you

It's another Cougar...1st Down!

2011-01-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

Watching the BYU Football game from the 5th row behind the home team...Exciting

Meeting Cosmo the BYU mascott...Hilarious

Weather in Provo, Utah in October...Freezing

Dinner at 5 Guys Burgers and Fries...Yummy

Red Velvet Cupcakes at the Cocoa Bean...Scrumptious

Spending the weekend with Jake...PRICELESS!

Apple Annie

2010-10-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Apple Annie, Apple Annie, How are you today?
Tell me all the things you know about the letter "A"

Alligators, Astronauts, Apple Trees that sway
These are all my favorite things that start with letter "Aa"

This was one of the silly songs my kids loved to sing in kindergarten.
We had quite the Apple Annie Adventure when we went Riley's Farm to pick apples.
We saw apples, pears, pumpkins and cows with verrrrrrry long tongues!

Me and my Beautiful Girls

Mooove over girls here comes that tongue!

Sweet Makenna and Casey

When life (or Riley's Farm) gives you apples...
Make Apple Cake!

1 3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 c. oil
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 t. soda
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 c. sliced raw apples
1c. chopped nuts

Bake 350 approx 35-45 min. Dust w/ powdered sugar

Casey Nicole

2010-10-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time in a far away land...

A little princess was born...

she brought much joy to her family...

Her smile could light up a room...

Her laugh was contagious...

The family was blessed...

HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY PRINCESS

BYU

2010-09-25T16:33:00.000-07:00


Jake's home for the next 4 years!

$500 in Books....YIKES!!!

Temple Doors

Salt Lake Temple

Parking for the General Authorities

Cousins....

Cousins...


Cousins...


Cousins...

and...more cousins!

Goodbye "Y" and JakeY

TS- 3

2010-07-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

Bring the tissues! I'm not just talking about a tear or two, or a lump in the throat...but a full on cry. Yes I cried in Toy Story 3...and it's ok! Andy has grown up and is heading to college. I am not sure which is sadder, Andy not wanting to let his childhood and therefore his toys go...or the toys not wanting to let Andy go. With each Toy Story I have enjoyed a peek inside the secret world of toys. I love how the army men rock side to side so they can walk with that solid plastic piece between their boots. Ken and Barbie are hysterical in this movie! I missed Bo Peep, Mike and Etch though. Sadly they were sold at yard sales. And Wheezy...poor wheezy after he lost his squeeker... ah too sad to think about what happened to him. Some of my favorite quotes: Mrs. Potato Head:"I'm packing you an extra pair of shoes and your angry eyes just in case." Buzz Lightyear to Hamm: "Hold on...this is not the time to be hysterical..." Hamm: "This is the perfect time to be hysterical!" Rex: "Should we be hysterical?" Barbie to Ken: "You have everything" Ken: "Except someone to share it with" The girls and I went to the garage and found the boys old Toy Story toys and cleaned them up ...All except for Woody...He's heading to BYU!

Billy, Elder Slem and Mike

2010-06-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

Every Monday morning at 8:00 am... we get an e-mail from our missionary. Of course we are so excited to hear from him each week. But, I would really like a picture of him. Finally this week after I read his e-mail I noticed he had attached a picture. When I opened the file...this is what I
saw:

BILLY

Now I realize that it has almost been a year since I have seen my missionary, and he did say he put on a few pounds...but I do not think this could be him! I think this picture went with last weeks e-mail that read "...we did some crazy service this past Saturday. We cleaned goat hooves and gave them haircuts. We had to handle those things like crazy style. We also had to give a horn cut to one of them. They are crazy...all your dreams come true in Florida."

Then I looked further down in the attachments and here is what I had been waiting for:

ELDER SLEM AND MIKE

"This is Mike. He rides his bike to church every week in a suit in the HOT Florida sun! Mike is a great kid...he is only 15. He is about my height but twice my weight and he wanted me to baptize him. It took a couple of tries to get him all the way under and out...My next goal for him is a mission! I know that this is God's one true church upon the earth. The Lord lives and has a plan for us. I know that God's Hand is in this work. He lives."

Goodbye ... E-High

2010-05-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

A Little "Dougie"

It's official...as of Tuesday May 25, 2010, Jake is a High School and Seminary graduate. It seems like just yesterday he entered kindergarten. Many fond memories were made at E-High. Teachers, Best Friends, Science Olympiad, Water Polo and early morning Seminary. Congratulations Jake! I have been so blessed to be your momma. You are amazing in every way!

The Last Dance

2010-05-22T06:31:00.000-07:00

Chad & Alysa
Kelsey & Jake

What's the POINT?

2010-04-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

Fundraisers and Book Fairs....ugh! For years we have had a "we do not participate in fundraisers" rule. When the boys were little they would come home with these cool pamphlets full of prizes they could win if they only sold $1,000 worth of wrapping paper, or books with coupons for restaurants that we had never heard of, or 1/2 gallon of cookie dough for $12.00. All this for a purple silly straw or a stuffed gorilla. I would make a deal with the boys. If you don't participate in the fund raiser...I will buy you 3 toys at the 99 cent store. This week Lindsay had a book fair. "We already have lots of books," I told her. "Pleeeeeeeeeease mommy!" "Fine." I gave her $7.00. "Please use your money wisely," I cautioned. After school she came running to the car. "Mom, you won't believe what I bought!" She pulls this long, red plastic thing out of her backpack. "What is that?" I ask her. "Mom.......it's a pointer!" "What do you do with a pointer?" I ask. "Mom, you point at things " "What kinds of things?" I asked. "Things that need pointing at!" What a bargain! Only $7.00 for a pointer! She points at the clock. She points at what we are having for dinner, she points at her sister (actually this is a poke), and finally... she points at the place for me to sign her homework every night. I think I have made my POINT!

The Adventures of Jake

2010-01-28T13:25:00.000-08:00

HMMM...WHAT CAN I DO NEXT?

What can I say? Life is an adventure to Jake. Everyday a new one. He was always an adventurous little guy. He decides to do something and then just goes for it. When he was 12 he came home from school with a trumpet. He practiced and practiced and that year marched in the Christmas parade...playing the trumpet. When he was a junior he decided he wanted to be on the water polo team. He had never played...He didn't care! He worked as a tutor at Kumon learning center. Last year he discovered "jerking"...(not involuntary movements) a dance. He made a video "Jerk so hot I make the Kernels pop" and posted it on YOUTUBE. The most lucrative adventure would have to be driving all the way to Las Vegas in the middle of the night with Eric to meet my nephew who had forgotten his passport at our house and was headed home to Utah. Jake and Eric drove through the night for $200.00! Joining the Science Olympiad team and taking 1st place in the forensics competition. This year he worked at the Christmas tree farm cutting down trees with a hand saw. Starting a facebook group to clean up his high school campus. The most organic adventure would be growing wheat grass in his room and bathroom...why? I don't know.

Last week he found out he will be embarking on probably the greatest adventure of his life so far...College. He was accepted to BYU and will attend in the Fall 2010. I have to admit I'm a little sad that this adventure will take him many miles away. CONGRATULATIONS JAKEY!
You deserve the best!

Clo-Jamas

2010-01-06T08:48:00.001-08:00

My husband just informed me that when you wear Pajamas during the day on a regular basis they become clothes. He may have a point. Last night while I was at Joann Fabrics I walked by the window and caught a glimpse of my clothes/ pajamas (let's just call them clo-jamas). I had on my favorite Avon t-shirt, striped capris, Christmas socks (not matching) and penny loafers. Wow, Carl might be right. I love my Avon t-shirts...no I have never worked there

(although the cashier at Target asked me if I had) but, my dear friend Marlene did for 17 years. So, I have 6 Avon t-shirts. 3 for everyday wear and 3 for the extra grungy projects like painting, gardening, bleaching the shower, etc. I also love my Curves t-shirt. Now this one is good because it says "30 minute fitness and weight loss center" so you might actually think I just came
back from working out...couldn't be further from the truth. My capris...oh I love them all......especially the reversible ones- 2 for 1. Ok, let me explain the socks. You see we have a stray sock basket. We have about 25 socks without a partner. Why throw them out? I just put the odd pair together and wear them around the house. The problem comes when I forget I'm wearing the oddballs and go out in public. Don't I worry about what other people think? Not really. There are a few places I will not go with my clo-jamas: Any school function (don't want to mortify the kids), church (for obvious reasons) and Nordstrom's (oh yeah I don't shop there anyway). So if you see me around town in my clo-jamas I will completely understand if you don't want to admit you know me. Even Carl feels that way sometimes. Wait a minute... he just slept on the couch in his clothes last night. I think the pot just called the kettle black!

Picture a Christmas

2009-12-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

I remember the Christmas we were in Children's Hospital with our son. There were no gifts that year. No Christmas cards, no lights, no baking, no wrapping. But that was the year I really felt the true meaning of Christmas. I watched as my sweetheart spent night after night, day after day sleeping in a chair just inches away from our son. Tenderly caring for him. I watched nurses and doctors tending to their small patients. There were sweet little children who might not come home that Christmas - or ever. I thought of Christ and how he was always the giver. He gave gifts that could not be wrapped or returned. He gave sight to the blind, legs to the lame and breath to the lifeless. He gave of himself, his love, his service and even his life. As we enjoy this Christmas Season may we emulate the Savior. May we "Picture the little baby Jesus. Think of his life and words so dear. Sing praise to him; Remember him, as we (you) picture Christmas this year." -children's songbook

MERRY CHRISTMAS DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

Under The Sea

2009-10-19T16:12:00.000-07:00

HE JUST WANTS ONE BITE!

To celebrate Casey and Lindsay's Birthdays...we decided to go to the Aquarium of the Pacific.
We saw dolphins, sting rays, sea horses, sharks and lots of other slimy, but beautiful things. A perfect day, except when we came upon the Parrot Palace. As you enter the Parrot Palace, you can buy a very small plastic, $3 cup full of nectar. It looks like watery Elmer's Glue. Jake, the first victim to enter, didn't notice the preying feathered friends perching above the door . They swooped down and landed on him like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds." Some on his head
some on his shoulder and several on his hand with the cup of nectar... We figured out the trick is to stand verrrry still. Sort of like if you catch on fire...the more you run...the more damage...

DO NOT...I REPEAT...DO NOT...
TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE BIRD!

The girls were verrrry still and the birds were verrrrry
gentle with them. After all..... they do want to be veterinarians.
Don't all little girls?

Elder Slem

2009-08-20T17:56:00.001-07:00

I have read dozens of books on how to raise
your kids...but, never one on how to let them go.

Elder Scott and Elder Slem
Redlands Temple- July 31, 2009

The only time I've ever gotten Eric to go to the mall

We'll Take it! Hopefully those tires are
big enough to squish the gators!

Personally, I think this would be a great idea.
The perfect missionary bike.

The Gordon B. Hinckley building @ BYU

Cousin (Elder) Dallin Heywood reported to
the MTC the same day. He will serve in Lima, Peru.
New Elders eat free at Denny's!

Curbside it is

Here we are..................the MTC

Elder Slem and his big-little brother

Handsome Dad-e-o

Ok, I realize I look out of control
well maybe I was- momentarily

Sweet Sisters

Eric's Host Elder- He's basically in
charge of prying all the crying mom's
away from their sons

I think this is it!

Lotsa Love

A Mother's Prayer

As he went through the MTC doors, I said, "Heavenly Father, he is yours." With tears burning in my eyes We said our farewells and good-byes. He's not off to kindergarten, he's not out to play, He's doing the Lord's work today.
I guess the mailbox will become our best friend As we wait for the letters he will send. A strange silence fell on our home. Someone is missing, I feel alone. No, "Hey, Mom," or even his voice on the phone. The basketball is still in the hall I see his smiling photo on the wall. His keys are still hanging on the rack It will be two years until he is back. Too much food in the fridge, no more wash to do. My work load has lightened, but, Son, I miss you.

Crying, I walk into his room. Then I remember Christ's empty tomb. My sacrifice is so small Compared to it all Christ bled and died for me; I will not act selfishly Bitter sweet, the words repeat, "Feed my sheep, it's time to reap. The fields are covered- white as snow Let your sweet, little boy go." I look at this missionary with testimony strong- Yesteryears, where have they gone? Memories run quickly back in time Of his childhood when he was mine. That little boy with a toothless grin. Oh, my heart did he win. For all the times and memories and such, It's been great, Lord, I thank you so much.

Rites of passage, children at play, I carefully close the door on yesterday. Please write us, keep in touch For we love you- oh so very much Its' time to go, hurry run Good-bye, my precious little son. It's hard to let go of my boy's hand For when he returns, he will be a man. Father, I'm blessed as can be That he has chosen to follow Thee. As I turn to walk away "God bless our boy," I silently pray. Into the bright light, through the MTC doors Once again, Father, I know he is yours

As we drove off I watched as hundreds of
families bid farewell to their most precious gifts.
Yet a sense of peace overwhelmed me
knowing that this is where the Lord wants him
and where he wants to be. Dozens of missionaries
sitting and standing on mounds of grass anxiously
awaiting the arrival of these new young elders to help and to mentor.
Beautiful flowers, leafy trees, a beautiful blue sky, a slight breeze
I couldn't help but think how this must be a little like heaven
those who have gone before us wait to welcome us with open arms.

One young missionary stood and waved at me
"All is well," he shouted.

Indeed...........All is well. All is well.

Big Bros. vs. Lil Bros.

2009-08-20T13:25:00.001-07:00

WATER BASKETBALL THEY CAN'T GET ENOUGH
JONES, SCOTT, SLEMBOSKI VS. JONES, SCOTT, SLEMBOSKI
LET'S JUST SAY NOW I KNOW WHY THEY ALWAYS COME HOME ALL SCRATCHED UP.

I

IS THAT LEGAL?

THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT!

AND THE WINNER IS.................... THAT DEPENDS ON WHO YA ASK!

Lindsay vs. Balloon Launcher

2009-07-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

My girls are daddy's girls all the way. From the moment they were born they had a bond with their daddy. He would rock them to sleep and gently hum in their ear. They can't wait till he comes home.
When they were little, Carl worked the night shift. He would come home about 2:00a.m. and find little treats they had left under his pillow. One night Lindsay left a special cherry pixie stick under his pillow. When he woke up he was covered in ants. Casey once asked me "Mom did daddy look like that when you merweed (married) him?" "What does he look like?" I inquired. "He looks like my dad." She proudly replied.
Imagine when they found out there was going to be a Daddy Daughter Dinner at our church. Two uninterrupted hours with daddy. I have to admit I was a little excited too. I could really use two uninterrupted hours myself.

I remember my Daddy Daughter Dinner. I was 11 years old. It was the bicentennial year,
1976 (for those too young to remember, or who weren't even born yet). My daddy and I had to decorate a cake, a patriotic cake. My dad had the brilliant idea to shape the cake like Abe Lincoln's hat. It was amazing. We won first place.

So, they set off for an evening of fun. Should I watch a movie? How about a taco at Miguels? The possibilities were endless. 30 minutes later my phone rang......"Mom? it's Casey".... "Yes," I replied. "We are coming home." she says.............. "Did you forget something," I ask. "Ah, no we'll show you when we get there."
Show me? That doesn't sound good. As the car pulls up in the driveway I curiously stare out the window. Carl, ok, check. Casey, ok, check. Lindsay..........what is the huge thing she is holding on her eye? It's a gallon sized ziplock full of ice wrapped in those hard brown paper towels from the church. "What happened?" I ask. Casey recounts the incident "There was this water balloon launcher, and Lindsay turned around and ........." Poor little Linzer. By the time we got to the eye specialist she couldn't read anything on the eye chart except for the large E at the top (a little scary). Lots of eye drops, visits to the optometrist and a week off of school she's good to go. Whew!

For Shredder or Worse

2009-07-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

I love summertime! No homework, no alarm clock, basically no schedule at all. We can have breakfast at 11am or dinner at 8pm or not at all (the one I prefer). We can come and go as we please. The one thing I'm having a hard time with is that my girls think bathing is not necessary. I asked them yesterday "When was the last time you took a shower?" They quickly answered "Mom, we swam all day, and besides- it's not Sunday."
"That is true, but I think soap once a week would be a great idea."

I love how they can play for hours at a time, making up the silliest games. Like today. As I was showering (I do bathe daily) I could hear a motor running. I turned off the shower and didn't hear it again. Then I heard it again. It kept bogging down. I always hear things when I'm in the shower. I think it's a mom thing. I always think I hear the phone ringing or a baby crying. But this time there was a noise.
I went to the window. No, not out there. It was coming from downstairs. As I came into the kitchen I noticed hundreds of small shredded pieces of paper all over. Look! A trail of paper leading to the bedroom. The noise it getting louder. There in the corner of the room are the girls...........feeding hundreds of papers into the mouth of the paper shredder. Shreds everywhere, even in their unbrushed hair. Laughing as each piece is sucked through. How can I complain? They are havin' a blast. I only have one question. What were they shredding?

Our Daddy

2009-06-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

Carl is an amazing daddy. I asked each one of my children their favorite memory of their daddy.

Eric- loves dad's sense of humor and playing street football with all the neighborhood kids

Jake- loves dad's sense of humor and how he used to lift them up in his tractor and
drive them around our yard.

Casey- loves daddy's humor and how he throws her up in the air everytime he sees her
(not for much longer............)

Lindsay- loves how daddy makes her laugh and gives her lots of kisses

I love all the same things about Carl. For 25 years he has made me laugh. But, my favorite thing about my husband is that he is a man of principle, no matter what. He never waivers. There is a right and a wrong in his mind and nothing in between.

It has been said that "A father's love is reflected in the eyes of his children." I believe it!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY SWEETHEART

The Call

2009-06-11T04:29:00.000-07:00

I never knew how important a mail box could be. Today I took my little gold key, opened the lock and inside of this small metal mail box was an envelope that we have been waiting for- for 19 years. Inside of this small envelope contained a letter with the words that read: " Dear Elder Slemboski, you are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Florida Orlando Mission- Spanish speaking.

I have often wondered how these young missionaries receive their assignments. In a devotional address delivered at the Missionary Training Center Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles states:

"We go into a room, and...it will be a two or three hour session and sometimes longer. Because of technology it is possible for us to have your picture and the information about you displayed. And then quickly on that same screen, all the missions of the Church and their needs are displayed. Within minutes, and sometimes less than a minute, the impression comes so powerfully that it would be, if it were a single instance, something that you would never forget. In a world so large, the Creator...somehow not only knows you but loves you enough to ensure that your call is where He needs you to go to teach the children of our Heavenly Father."

Eric is excited beyond words. He knows his Heavenly Father has protected and watched over him so that he might be able to share something he has known his whole life.......with those who have searched their whole lives.

The Project

2009-05-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

It's 10:30 pm and Casey has 8 hours until her cereal box book report is due. Here she is. I don't think it's gonna happen! Should I wake her up? Or do you think through osmosis she will be able to finish the last 47 pages? This is my fourth time in 6th grade (counting myself, Eric and Jake). Each year the projects get more elaborate. "A cereal box report," I ask her. She says "Mom, you know you make up the name of a cereal to match the theme of the book and then decorate the outside of the box." Ok, this is a first. How do the teachers dream up these projects? Are they at home on Saturday morning eating a bowl of Fruit Loops and suddenly they think "Let's do a cereal box report."

When I was in 6th grade I remember making San Juan Capistrano Mission out of sugar cubes. No book to read, no materials to buy, and you got to eat the sugar cubes. All of the missions looked the same. Those are a thing of the past apparently due to an ant problem. Now you can actually go to Michael's and BUY a mission. Complete with fake trees, fake people, even a bell tower. On Open House night Casey excitedly walks me around the class........."Mom, isn't Hannah's mission neat?" "Look at Tyler's." What, is Tyler's dad an engineer? That thing doesn't even fit on his desk, the well actually has water in it, it looks so authentic I think I can hear the padres ringing the bell in the tower!

So back to the cereal box. The name of the book is "Bud, not Buddy." It's about an orphan boy in search of his trumpet playing father. Should we call the cereal "Daddy-O's," "Orphan-bites?" We settle on "Trumpettes." Since Casey is busy reading :(.........I must look on Print Shop for some small trumpets to cut and paste all over the box. Ok, done. Now for the game on the back of the box. She wants to do a maze..............too difficult we decide after creating a maze that we can't even find the end to...........How about a word search? Sounds good. 45 minutes after methodically placing 100 letters in a box, Jake suggests "Mom, why don't you go on wordsearchcreator.com?" Amazing 10 seconds............done. What would we do without computers.... and Jake?

Midnight..............one completed cereal box project............one tired 6th grader.
The next day after school I ask her "Well, how did it go?" "Mom," she says "You got an A."

Mormon Prom

2009-05-05T19:04:00.001-07:00

Every year at our church they have a MORMON PROM. All the kids get to go to the church for a yummy dinner and dance. Aren't these kids just adorable?
GOOD-CLEAN-FUN :)

My Favorite Things...

2009-05-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

My four favorite things about being a mommy.
Eric, Jake, Casey and Lindsay. I have loved
every minute of my 18 years of mommyhood.
I love every big moment and every little moment.

Eric- my little peacemaker
Jake-my little thoughtful
Casey- my little tenderheart
Lindsay-my little cuddler

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY EVERYONE

Dr. (no) Payne

2009-04-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

Well Eric only has a few more things left on his list to be able to send in his papers for his mission. This is Dr. Payne's office. He has been our dentist for 16 years. Don't let his name fool ya.........he's as gentle as can be. Many years ago Dr. Payne was in the bishopric in Carl's ward. The bishop was Bishop Thorne and his counselor's were Brother Payne and Brother Akin. Can you imagine? Payne, Thorne and Akin?

The Tooth Fairy

2009-04-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

One of the joys of childhood.............
The Tooth Fairy. I'm not kidding it seems like Lindsay looses a tooth a week. For each of our kids it has been a different experience. For some they cry in pain. For some it's get down to business and yank that thing! That's Lindsay.
Last time she had a loose tooth, I heard a door slam and I ran upstairs to find Casey on one side of the door Lindsay on the other and about 4 feet of dental floss wrapped around their doorknob. Well long story short - it didn't work and she opted for the twist and yank.
The problem is our Tooth Fairy. She can be forgetful. Poor Lins when she wakes up to find the little baggie with the tooth in it still under her pillow. "She must have been busy," I tell her. "It's probably because you were laying on your sister's pillow instead of yours." Or my favorite "Look, it fell on the floor, she probably didn't see it." Tonight she decided to actually hold onto the baggie.
Ugh! All I have is a $20 dollar bill. How much do you think a tooth is worth? After all when I was little my tooth fairy gave me 1 quarter per tooth. Our tooth fairy goes according to size, you know the molars are worth more, but not $20. Lindsay has a silver cap and she thinks when that comes out it's gonna be a big payoff............ "At least $12.00," she told me. Does anyone have any ideas on what to do with these cute little chicklets after they are carefully lifted out from under the pillow?

Do you throw them away? Do you save them? With this you run the risk that the kids might someday find them, and then the secret's out...........maybe that's a good thing:)

Mamma of a Tween

2009-04-14T06:01:00.000-07:00

It's official...............I am the Momma of a Tween. I have been a Momma of a Tween twice before, but not a Girl Tween..... this is entirely different from a Boy Tween. How do I know this you might ask? Today Casey declared "I have nothing to wear." This is one of the first signs of tweenhood. So I went to her room to investigate. Surely there must be a mistake. This is what Casey considers Nothing................... "What's wrong with these," I ask.........Her reply "Those are too short, those are too tight, those are too loose and I have no belt, those are too dark, and those are too light!" The truth is she only has one pair of pants that she likes. But where are they? In the washer of course where they are everyday.........pretty soon if we keep washing them this often these too will be light and tight . I have to say this predicament is not entirely her fault. As any momma of a tween knows, they do not make clothes for this transitional stage. Is the size of the pants supposed to match their age? Cuz in our house this has never worked. For instance, Casey is 11 years old, so do I buy the 8/10 or the 12/14? Neither one fits her. When it comes to shoes the problem is even worse. She has informed me that she is way too mature for the little white sandals with the leather butterfly (they are so cute:). But, have you seen the size 5 women sandals with the 3" heel, I think not! Not for my little girl (tween), not yet anyway!

"I always am Mom"

2009-03-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

Today I turned around and realized my little boy has grown up. What a bitter-sweet moment. I waved goodbye, and instead of watching a little boy get on a school bus, I watched a young man get in his car. As I hollered "Be careful!" He blew me a kiss and replied "I always am, Mom," and drove away.
I remember the days when he would plaster me with wet kisses. Soon he will be leaving, perhaps to a foreign land. How I wish I could catch that kiss and wrap it up and open it everytime I think of him.

The New Family Pet

2009-03-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

Meet Bob and Bobigail, Casey and Lindsay's new pet marshmallows. O.K. so I'm feeling a little guilty.............after the hamster died I insisted "no more pets." So they decided to compromise. There are actually advantages to a pet marshmallow:

There's no odor, they actually smell quite nice
They are unusually quiet
They are inexpensive...... about 99 cents for a family of 30

WARNING: KEEP AWAY FROM WATER