A Letter from the Boys

Dear Mommy,

Oh foolish Mommy! Did you really think that because we were quietly playing and occupying ourselves that it would be safe to get on the phone? Don't you realize that's exactly when our fun starts? That's when we would decide it's time to get the crayons out and work on our masterpieces. We thought you would like the decorating job on the kitchen chairs. And that picture hanging above the couch, we aren't sure how it fell down. We were just kicking it with our feet. And that cake! You know, that cake that you spent time making for the Relief Society dinner tomorrow night? Well, who could resist the heavenly smell. It isn't our fault! Our legs just carried us to the kitchen chair and our arms forced us to push it up to the counter top. We just thought we would take a few little nibbles. You can still take it to that dinner right? Frosting should cover that up. But really Mommy, maybe next time you shouldn't get on the phone. It's never safe. And it's probably best if we don't mention the other things we've been "occupying" ourselves with.

With All Our Love & Affection,
Your Boys

PS. We probably won't be too hungry for dinner now.

A Bout Of Sickness

Homesickness that is. I'm absolutely homesick for Madison, Wisconsin!

A primary song has been going through my head for the past few days (yeah, I'm the primary chorister so that isn't too surprising). "Home is where the heart is, where warmth and love abound . . ." So pretty much my heart is still in Madison. Clark wanted to know if it was for our "blue abode". (We need to speak in code around here because I have a 3 1/2 year old who tells me regularly that he misses the blue house.)

I think it is combination of things. It's our ward, the people we knew in the area, it was the place itself and yes, sometimes I miss our house. When I hear that Madison is getting dumped on with snow, I miss it. When I found out that some ward members here where in Wisconsin for a funeral, I was envious!

I'm working on this sickness. I wish it would go away. I wish there were a quick and easy cure. I'm working on that thing called "attitude" so that hopefully the sickness will start to wane and not be so intense. I don't know what else to say. I just felt the need to fess up. Maybe by writing it down and telling people it will help it not hurt so much.

It Says It All

I've been contemplating lately the advice, or maybe warning, people having given me about having three kids. They say it's hard. Somewhat like our first year of marriage, I keep wondering when the hard part is going to start. Maybe I'm blessed with the ability to be blissfully unaware or unconcerned.

I know that I've been blessed with easy babies. Clark asked me the other night if I think Eliza smiles more than our other babies. It's funny when we have a lengthy discussion on this topic because all our babies have been happy, smiley babies.

So I've been pretty proud of "keeping it together". Yes, there are challenging days. Days were I make a list of the one item I've completed. Days were all three kids need me at once - that's when I suddenly have a strong urge to use the bathroom. Yes, I know I look very frazzled when I'm getting my kids in and out of the car. It's hard. Three kids under the age of 3 1/2 and they all need assistance of some sort - not a party.

Every day seems to be chaotic in its own way. I had one of those days recently where I wondered where my head was. I was frantically rushing to get dinner made so we could hurry the boys out the door for swimming lessons. I was making grilled cheese sandwiches to go along with some leftover soup. As I sliced into one of those sandwiches I had one of those "it says it all" moments. No cheese. Yep, grilled cheese sandwiches but hold the cheese. Ok, so maybe I'm not "keeping it together" as much as I would like to think.

Ahhh, but it's all worth it!!