It's a bit depressing... (updated)...

I've been realizing for awhile now that I am indeed getting older. I'd like to sit in denial a bit longer, but there are more reminders around every corner.

Like the fact that something seems like it just look place a few months back, when in actuality it was about a year ago. The other day my sister-in-law told me she repainted her hallway (a few too many handprints) and I said I was impressed since she just painted it about six months ago. She had Beth over for a design consultation and painted shortly after. She reminded me that was actually in January last year, as in 16 months ago...I was about a year off.

Then I was replacing my vacuum bag and noticed I had about three bags left (it's a box of 10). I felt like I had gone through them really quickly. Then I noticed the receipt stapled to the front that said Dec. 2007. Are you kidding, 2007? I'm still in denial about that one. It couldn't have been that long ago that I bought that box of vacuum bags. I have to buy them at a specific store because I have a Sebo sweeper (which I love). They close at 5:30, so they let me buy them over the phone and pick them up after hours, thus the receipt stapled to the box (too much information, huh?).

My body feels different...I walk on campus and hope I could pass as a college student from a distance, but in reality know there is no way. I'm getting older. I don't have to carry a diaper bag any more. I drive a minivan, I can't imagine wearing a (***update) bikini ever again. I previously said 2-piece, but I always wear a 2-piece, I never wear a bikini...I'm getting older. Maybe I am old. I suppose 'old' is a realitive term. To a 16 year old, I'm definitley old. To my grandma, I'm a 'youngin'.

Anyone else feeling older lately? Any examples? I'd love to know I'm not alone. :)

A Trip to the Museum

We were finally able to head to the Children's Museum with our cousins. We had planned to go in February, but then all the cousins were really sick. So this time, with six healthy kids in tow, we headed down for the afternoon.

They had never been, so it was fun to watch the kids enjoy the day together.

Easter

Easter was how long ago? And I'm just now blogging about it?

We had a great Easter with my family. Finally an Easter where the weather was nice! We enjoyed coloring eggs, having an Easter egg hunt, enjoyed a great service at my brother's church and being together.


This photo is sweet to me. Little sis in the middle of her brothers.


The kids hunt at my grandparent's house. They have a great back yard for an hunt. I have no photos of the 'big kids' hunt. They hid jelly beans for Mark and I and my brother and sister-in-law to find. After we found them all, they reavealed the 'prizes'. The white jelly bean was worth $5 and of course my brother found it. I was the lowest winner of the day...my brother and I are pretty competitive in these situations, so I was a bit annoyed with my poor performance. Actually, I found more than he did, but the only colors worth cash were white, pink, red and purple. I found one pink and the rest were other colors. I thought for sure my two black jelly beans would be valuable...not so this year. It was really fun though.

Easter Egg Hunt...

Well, it was more like 'run around frantically picking up some of the hundreds of pieces of candy and eggs that the dads of the group threw out upon the lawn'. A friend emailed a bunch of people and invited us all to head to her house for an Easter egg hunt. She made giant egg cutout cookies with icing and sprinkles for decorating. Notice the mound of red sprinkles on Millie's cookie...

This is a shot just after she licked a clump of icing off the plastic knife (which she then tried to stick back in the icing).

This picture below cracks me up. It looks like Bronson is proposing. He's actually describing his son checking out an Easter egg (I had to put it on here Deborah!).OK...all we said to all the kids was sit somewhere on the steps. Hayden was trying to find a spot and someone said, go ahead, sit front and center. Let me just say, he does tend to pose for a picture. Usually it's pretty natural looking, but...not this time. We love you bud!

It was quite cold, but of course the kids didn't seem to notice. They had a blast and I'm so thankful to Kristin for inviting us all. It will be a great memory (and maybe an annual tradition Kristin...? :).

Oh, the things they say

I wanted to document a few funny conversations I've had with my kids over the past few days (I'll omit the not so funny ones...)

Conner-
"Mom, why when I get in trouble you punish me, but when you do something wrong you don't punish yourself? I think you should punish yourself and take away Polar Pops. You don't need them, you just want them." He feels a lack of injustice (such a firstborn) that he gets punished when he does something wrong and 'I don't'...according to Conner.

Hayden-
We were talking about Conner's chores and his allowance. Hayden said he wanted an allowance too. Then he asked if Conner had to chance Millie's diapers for his chore. I said, no, and Millie doesn't wear diapers. Then he said, good, I'm never changing diapers. I said, not Millie's, but you might someday when you're a dad and you won't get paid for it. He said, no way, I'm not doing that. We'll, I'm being a Dad, but not changing diapers. Anyway, I'm goin' out in the western with Alden.

I started laughing. I said, oh, you're not getting married, you going 'out west' (that's what he meant) with Alden (a friend from school...obviously they've made plans)? You don't want to get married?

Hayden said, no, because K-I-S-S is gross.
Well, there you have it...Hayden's plans for the future...


Millie-
Mom, can I bring this to Mrs. Demorest's house? It's my sword. She said this in reference to my sweeper attachment.

Beth made a point to say she needs to play with some girls. They were leaving Beth's to head to the Kesler Center and Millie wanted to know if she could take some weapons with her...

Yesterday she really was playing My Little Ponies with friends and making bracelets! She certainly is willing to play along with anyone.

The Annual Praire Burn

Each year the field across from Taylor is set fire to burn it to the ground (some environmental project at TU). It's a fun tradition to take the kids over, let then run around like crazy, and enjoy the show...or intense heat, rumbling sound and occasional ash of the fire...whatever you'd like to call it. Here are a few photos...




Only in Upland. :)

While the Mom's away...

This is what I came home to last night...




Mark can be very good about making a memory with the kids. He told them the next day it rained, he would make them a fort in the house...well, he did. They had a great time building the fort...then sleeping it in last night. They slept all night and didn't wake up once...good fort I guess. They had tunnels and beds and music and lights. Hayden asked me to please save it until he got home from school. Then Conner asked me to please save it until Noah came over. We're now at dinner time and the fort remains.

I'm afraid the fort will come under enemy attack in the next hour.

It was fun while it lasted.