Ivy has the sweetest, kindest, patient, and gentle church nursery leaders. They are mothers themselves, relaxed yet organized, timely yet flexible. They lay on the floor and read stories. They sing songs and do crafts. Ivy is the only girl with eight boys.

So what does it take to get kicked out of church nursery from the likes of saints?

A little foot stomping. A little control freak. A little "my way or the highway." A little bossy-pants.

As we sat in a chair in the foyer waiting for the attitude to dissipate, the lips to unpurse, and bossy to agree to apologize before we would go back, Ivy said, "Ugh mom. Don't talk about this. It's giving me a headache."

This week Ruby asked me if it was true, what everyone says at school...that blondes are dumb.

Now you know why I will not let her fly alone to Utah this summer to stay with her friend.

Some kids don't like wet panties.
Others don't care because there's always a backup in mom's purse and they have no shame.

This is how we left the church last night at 6:45 p.m. in 22 degree weather. 

Ivy waved goodbye to all we passed.

Last week I decided where I wanted doors, what size they should be and which direction they should open.

I decided where to put my light switches and what they should and should not control.

I decided how many inches spread a toilet should have from wall to wall (32").

I decided a $6,500 bathroom floor was getting crazy and I decided I needed to start over at the tile store.

We're finishing the basement (big YEA!!) but if I don't focus my thoughts and start pulling it together, Ruby might be deciding on a new mom after I forgot her at ballet for 25 minutes.

Mondays

I still need to fold the laundry and it's almost 9 p.m.

I still need to take a shower.

I still need to read the scriptures.

My socks stink.

But I did get Ashton to school in time for his turn giving the morning announcements over the school's PA system. Barely.

Wyatt was only ten minutes late for Kindergarten. And he ate breakfast.

Ivy didn't wet her panties until dinner, which means we went the bathroom at the grocery, the gym, Costco, TJ Maxx, and Home Depot.

The laundry is almost done.

It's only 9 p.m.

New Year 2013

I woke up in a panic.

Where have the last two years gone? Are my old posts around or have they been lost in some cyber world, never to be remembered? And if they are lost, so are my memories. Ugh. Is this a sign of dementia, old age, or just motherhood?!

And then I realized that if I do not post I will forever forget Ivy saying, "Mom, you make the best pot stickers in the whole world" (even when they are frozen/fried and from a bag a la Costco).

And what if I forget that last week Wyatt told me, "Mom, no one loves you as much as I love you."

Things like that are worth holding onto.

I especially don't want to forget Ashton's indoor soccer game last week when he was on fire and actually dribbled through some one's legs!

Or Ruby's first babysitting job and how excited she was when she came home after successfully putting two darlings to bed...texting me after each was tucked in. She loves her new ipod touch. It makes her feel so grown up.

And what if I were to forget that this week was the week Cade started letting me kiss him goodnight on the cheek again after a month of eighth grade angst?

Ahhh...so as much as it hurts I HAVE to record life. As it is. In the middle of all the craziness and yelling and laughter. If not it might go away forever and be forgotten. How sad that would be.