iLovin

Day 10 - Evening

Many nights I am on my own putting all three kids to bed because Alex is still on campus. When that’s the case, I almost always put on a short 30 min show for the older two while I put Anna down. I’ve tried so many times not to resort to the television, but when I don’t, they almost always barge into Annie’s room and wake her up, or they dirty up their newly cleaned room. My nerves just can’t handle it sometimes!

And why is it that almost every night when the lights are off, and I’m singing songs trying to get them to settle down, Lucy decides that now would be the perfect time to “exercise”?! Her version of exercise includes slamming her legs down on her bed, twisted somersaults, flapping her arms, and kicking the wall. And the best part is that since she is on the top bunk, whatever she does is extremely loud for Todd who’s down below and he usually joins in on the aerobics. It drives me nuts because once she starts up, Todd starts up, which in turn I start up with the scolding and threats. I beg her to stop but she insists that she needs to exercise and to be healthy. I can’t argue with that, but I try to explain to her that there is a time and place for exercise. No use.

I’m sure I’m doing a whole bunch of things wrong while trying to get them to bed. I used to think I had the whole routine down when it was only Lucy. She was a piece of cake to get down compared to now trying to do all three. But that’s ok, I guess. I’m learning and I’m hoping that as the kids get older and a little more mature, the evenings won’t be such an ordeal. I’m trying to at least set in place the routine now so that things will go more smoothly down the road. Crossing fingers. 

Day 9 - Purchase

I look forward to the day when we are out of school and can actually start earning money. (The light at the end of the tunnel is verrry faint!) Right now, we are living off of school loans. I sometimes make a little money here and there doing photo shoots, but for the most part, our debt balance gets higher and higher as the days go on. We try not to stress about it, because it’s really our only option at this point in our lives. Instead, we try to live frugally the best that we can. We take out a certain amount of money in cash each week and try to live within those few bills. It’s been working great for us! It has really helped us decipher between needs vs. wants and we are always sure that we leave enough money for a date at the end of the week (we wouldn’t survive without it!) In fact, our kids are as pleased as punch to have us leave them with a babysitter. I mean, just today Todd was crying for whatever reason, then all of a sudden he starts crying because he wanted a babysitter to come over! I get it, I get it…they are probably a lot nicer and give you all the juice you want!

Though being students can be rough at times (especially with three young children), I’m really enjoying this stage of our lives. We are learning and growing together as a family in ways I never imagined and I am basically forced to be creative with what I do have. Old cereal boxes are used for storing art supplies and coloring books, and pages out of old books and random buttons are used for holiday decorations.

I love it. We truly have a wonderful life. 

Day 8 - Transportation

Gray Nissan Maxima – This is the car in which I: learned to drive, drove to seminary, commuted to/from work at Disneyland, took to college, drove away from our wedding reception, and carted around my first baby. Its last adventure was in San Francisco. We had taken a trip up there and it DIED. Straight up died on us. Sad, sad day. It’s said that some people leave their heart in San Francisco….we left our car.

White Acura Integra – My aunt LaDell had taken me out in this car to teach me how to drive stick shift. We went to a crowded parking lot (of all places!) by the Chili’s. When I finally got the hang of it, she challenged me to go to the shopping center across the street. I was extremely hesitant because it required me to go up a hill where there was a stop sign at the very top. I made it to the top of the hill and stopped, but now I had to go again. I was at an incline and if you have driven a stick shift you know the predicament I was in (my heart is currently pounding as I write this, the memory itself is causing me stress!). I was freaking out! There was NO WAY I could make it. I was sure I was going to roll into the person behind me, who left me little room thank you very much! The volume of our voices got louder as we argued back and forth if I could do it or not. I had given up, protesting “I can’t do it! I can’t do it!” while my aunt was saying the opposite – “Just step on the gas, release the clutch and GO!” And with that, I made it up the hill without a scratch or dent in someone else’s vehicle. PHEW!

I felt pretty darn cool driving in that car, which was short-lived since the car died in an accident (not by me!!)

Blue-ish Toyota Tercel – Aahh, the Tercy. Otherwise known as Blanch. This is one of three cars I associate my husband with from high school. I’d like to think that I taught Hannah how to drive stick in this car (because you know I was such a pro) but I’m sure she learned from someone with a little more experience. :)

I’m amazed at how long that car survived. It not only traveled between CA/UT many times, but it came with us to Kansas City and even to Arizona. That car was running on fumes…literally. Every time I’d drive it, I’d look in the rear view mirror and apologize to the person driving behind me because I knew they were getting fumigated. The car was on its last leg. What should have only been an hour and a half drive to Mesa, took us nearly 4 HOURS! It was our only car at the time and we had to take the frontage road most of the time because otherwise we probably would have been crushed by some other car going twenty times as fast. But we still just putt-putted along, talking and listening to music. Ha! Good times. I hope Blanch’s new owner can find as much simple joy in it as we did.

Red Chrysler – Homecoming had just ended. I was Alex’s date. We were walking out to the car, his arm around my shoulders keeping me warm. We stopped on the passenger side, hugged, and kissed for the first time. A simple, sweet kiss. Cloud Nine!

This car was also a fun drive-to-the-beach-with-your-best-friend car. We thought we were so cool. :)

15 passenger van – This was THE van! The big, brown Beatrice. You knew Alex was almost to school because you could see this car from a mile away, waiting to turn in. He’d pull into the parking lot and we’d all pile in, listening to Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard, hanging out before the first bell of the day rang. Best memory of this car was when Alex had turned it into a fancy-shmancy car for the Prom (oh my gosh! I love my husband!) It was complete with lights streamed on the inside, a fuzzy bear rug, window paint, large speakers, a love seat (as in an ACTUAL love seat), a cooler of soda, and a tub of Red Vines. This is how us Mormon kids rode in style! Even though Alex and I weren’t each other’s date that night, this is still a fun memory we have together.

Green Honda Civic – We bought this car from Alex’s sister, Allison, after the Maxima died. This car eventually got the name “Bobisa” simply because that is what the license plate spelled with its letters and numbers. We love this car and it is currently Alex’s car as he drives the 15 miles to school each morning. We had a BYU magnet on it for years while we lived in Provo and KC. About a month after moving to Arizona, it got stolen. Go figure.

Black Toyota Sienna – I honestly didn’t think we’d be at a minivan status for a couple more years. But how grateful I am for the extra room! Lucy and Todd sit in the far back and Annie sits right behind me for easy access to hand toys and snacks to. My aim has gotten far better over this last year as I have had to throw things to the kids in the back seat. 

Oh, you want a cracker? A book? Catch!

I am constantly yelling at Todd to sit down because that little weasel can wiggle his way out of his car seat! My mom calls it Karma because I guess I used to always do the same.

Day 7 - Work

I’m not sure how old I was, but I was old enough to remember. My aunt had a computer that when every time you turned it on, a little sound bite would play. Kind of like a “You’ve got mail!” welcome, only it was my squeaky little voice coming through the speakers.

“When I grow up, I want to be the Little Muhmaid!”

I remember hearing that over and over again and getting the biggest kick out of it!

As time went on, I realized being a real mermaid wasn't plausible. Instead I decided that I wanted to be a vet, then a teacher, then a zoologist, a teacher again, a chef, a nurse, and an artist. (can you tell I couldn’t make up my mind?!) But most of all, I wanted to be a mom. I always knew that. No matter what course of education I took or what job I had, I hoped that children would be a part of my life.

Well, here I am. Being a mom. And I feel so very blessed. Though, it’s not all hunky-dory all the time. I wish I was always walking on the sunny side of the street, skipping and holding hands with my kids. But the truth is it takes a lot of hard work. A lot of energy, consistency, time, love, talking, teaching, cleaning… and the list goes oooooon. My feet hurt by the end of the day.

I have found myself devaluing my job as a mom and I have sometimes felt that what I do is never enough. Then I remind myself that “No other success can compensate for failure in the home” (David O. McKay) and I keep on working.

Now if I could just get Lucy to clean up the crayons when she's done with them, I'd say that's a success :)