Blast from the Past

We recently signed up for a Netflix free trial and it has been so fun searching out my old childhood shows. I showed my kids Inspector Gadget, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Benji, Free Willy, the list goes on. I saw She Ra on there too. She would be an excellent role model for my girls. I used to love to find the hidden animal in each episode, what was that creatures name? Was it a bird? Someone out there has got to know! I used to watch a lot of Jem and the Holograms too, but I think I'll keep that hidden in my queue away from my children and watch it some late night when Mat is out of town. "Truly outratgious, her music's contagious, Jem!"

We also made cakes in Gretchen's Easy Bake oven that she got for Christmas this past weekend. Between this and working on uploading old pictures, I might as well start feathering my bangs and pegging my pants.



(Don't mind Micah swigging from the milk jug)

The Breakup (Job Love Triangle Part 5)

Like I say, Mat and I were lying in bed Friday night, not talking and tired of thinking about thinking, really. We had replayed every possible scenario in our aching minds about what Sacramento was going to do with the job. Occasionally, sighs would drift out and occasionally one would say, "what if we....." but, we mostly just laid there staring up at our textured ceiling.

We decided to call Sacramento the next day, Saturday. Not too early, not too late. We didn't want them to have the afternoon crankies. We let them get some breakfast, read the morning paper, go for a run.... then we dialed. Perfectly timed. The first doctor didn't answer so we left a message. The second call was to the head chief, the Chairman. He answered and immediately sounded nervous. After Mat hung up with him, and said, "I certainly don't feel any better after talking to him. He just said they haven't made a decision and they would let us know next week, but he sounded so uneasy, like I caught him off guard." An hour later, the other plastic's doc returns our call. He was totally cool. He told us they hadn't made a decision yet. Mat was still high on their list. Fair enough. I'm still breathing, deeply and very intentionally now. Well, at least we'll get their decision soon, I thought. Frankly, I'm just happy to have a decision and move on. You either want us or you don't, but we have to make a move onto Palm Springs if you don't.

Monday morning comes. Our inside guy in the company, who we've been in contact with, calls telling Mat that the Sacramento position has been given to another guy from San Diego. This guy's wife was already hired by the company as a radiologist so, by hiring him, they were a golden couple for them. (Queue the wedding bells) Mrs. Radiologist and Mr Ocular Plastics Guy were happily married to Sacramento, Monday January 31st, 2011. I'm sure they will have a wonderful life together and I guess I shall be happy for them.

Mat called me to deliver the bad news. During Mat's phone call to me, the chairman finally emails us his one liner decision that we didn't get the job. How disappointing.

My stomach feels like it just got punched and I quickly took a seat on our bench to curl over. I didn't cry, just blurred a bit from the rejection. That one liner email from the chair made me too sick to cry.

Devastated. How could he just break up with us like that? We loved you guys, you said we were a good fit. I thought you loved us too! Maybe you'll change your mind if you just take a moment to think about it? Maybe you'll create a new position for us because you'll realize you MUST have us? you had us at..... hello. (Do you want your pen back?)

To be continued

(last one coming tomorrow, if you're still with us, if you still care and I hope you do)

The Picture Process

We are in the middle of uploading our pictures to the Internet as a back up and BOY, is it ever a process! But, I have been relishing the one-on-one time with each my pictures even though I'm a product person and would just like to have it all done. I've had a lot of "Oh yeah!" moments.

Here are a few favorites I'm sharing:


We went to Vermont for Tom's graduation and we were so tired from the days activities that Paul passed out on the dinner cruise. Needless to say, we had a little fun at his expense.



Becket and Sequoia playing peek-a-boo at Shelberne Farms. Both are unaware that the other should be hiding.



I love how comfortable Greti was in diaper and how early she started multitasking (a broom and an apple at the same time, that's my girl!).



The days of being misshapen and awkward. I still feel misshapen and awkward.



And, how cute Mat looks in a ladies coat. He was so excited to get to Co-op in Parowan, that he forgot that it might still have snow. Thank goodness he had Tom's mother-in-law's snazzy red coat.

The Monthly Newsletter Home

The school counselor copies and generates a newsletter for parents once a month and then sends it home in my kid's folders. I read over it anyway, even though it is some district program she is using. I scan it for new tips and behavior techniques. This month's little blurb in the bottom right hand corner reads:

Is your child feisty or defiant? (No, not really, but they have their moments)

There's a difference between being ornery and downright defiant. Does your child:

Shift from being happy to upset. (hmm Gretchen can flip like that. Yes, usually once a day)

Argue over small things (Yes, and then it can escalate into tears and a repeated "but" )

Insist on getting her way when playing with friends (Not really, she is pretty good with friends but in a bossy sort of polite way)

Seem angry or hostile (When she is in a mood, but definitely not all day nor everyday)

Melt down compared with other kids her age (Don't know what she does at school, but in our house you know when the berg begins to melt.)

If you consistently answered yes, your child may have a true problem with defiance. Talk to her teacher or pediatrician. (Oh Dear! It's not that bad?)


In other news, Becket carries his bedroom door key on his CTR ring (Choose the Right ring from church). It's quite awkward, especially when he tries to eat his waffles or play the piano. Paranoid? Well, he says he can use it in combat when the girls stake out their girl's only territory in their bedroom. This will give him access into their room. He says he will also grant Adam and Piotr, the neighborhood boys access too. A very strategic commander indeed!

Have You Tried This!?

Mat and I rented some cross country skies over the weekend. BINGO! Has anyone done this? Well, you should.



Of course, it is my new favorite leisure activity! Although, leisure doesn't seem like the right word, let's say full body gliding workout.

It was very spontaneous, like 15min until the rental office closed spontaneous. This genius idea was sparked by this couple, Matt with two t's and Julie sometimes known as Jiggy.



Isn't it true that you have the most fun when things are planned last minute?

Maybe it was the stillness of the flocked trees

Maybe it was the quiet time I had to absorb thoughts in my head without being interrupted

Maybe it was Matt W's lovely snow coveralls from the 80's.

Whatever it was, it was lovely and I'm craving to do it again soon.

Blek. January. Here is Something To Do

It's cheesy, but very exciting--a photo scavenger hunt. Very juvenile? I think not. Very intense? Oh! I think so. Motown sorta shuts down in these cold winter months. Too cold. Too hilly. Too many times to the Chic-fil-a indoor play place.

So, here's what you do- You have teams list five actions of things that all teams must take a picture of. State that each item must be a separate photo. My favorite this go around was having the oldest member of your car jump off something that is at least 2ft high.



I also had on the list to take a picture of someone walking their dog, but that didn't work so well because it was raining. Endlessly. I ended up asking this semi-hung over college man to pretend to walk his dog for me:



If the timing works out, sometimes you are startled when you cross paths with another team:



Sometimes when you find the letter J and try to pose "like" a letter J you end up posing dyslexic, but you realize that after the picture was already snapped.



And sometimes, you get really competitive teams that show up in matching Sun Kitten t-shirts and then they inspire you to put your matching shirts on as well.



Afterwords, you sit back and watch your pictures you took only minutes ago on the big screen and laugh and challenge your opponents photos while eating a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup.

That is something you can do to make these long winter months feel a little warmer.

Tips: Choose a few places that are specific around town. It's fun when you have to cross paths with your teammates. Also, be detailed in your descriptions, for example, two people have to be in the photo doing an action, like a thumbs up or bottoms out kind of pose, or take a picture of someone with brown hair that is not in your car. And, text or call when most of teams have arrived so a team isn't wandering alone out there starving for some chicken noodle soup.

"Can I Stay up for New Year's?"

I knew it was coming. The day my kids ask to stay up for the New Year. I tried to tell them that it's not all that it's cracked up to be: lot's of stalling, especially in the last five minutes, skimpy clad rockers, lots of kissing, and no one bangs pots and pans anymore (police come and get ya).

Well, at 11:50PM Gretchen and Micah conked out and I couldn't get them to wake up. Are you kidding me? It was like slapping a dead fish. WAKE UP!

Here's proof, Becket took the picture because Mat was already in bed.



Becket managed to keep his eyelids at half mast. Once the ball dropped, that was enough for the both of us and I said, "Time for bed." I hauled the girls upstairs and then my second wind kicked in. I was up until 1AM and I knew I was going to pay the price for it in the morning.

7AM I hear crying. I check on Becket to make sure he is still not crying about Christmas being over and then I slam into Gretchen coming out of her door. She's wailing, "I miiiisssssed NEW YEAR'S! Oh! Why?! Why did I have to miss New Years? Oh!" I rushed her downstairs to keep the others from waking and we watched the 2009 version on YouTube.

Gretchen:"But it says happy 2010?"

"Good Enough!" I told her.