Go Murray! Go Scarf! Go Hair! Go China!

A while back Eva and Katie went to a little cheer clinic that the Murray cheerleaders put. They had two practices, sat together for the first half of the basketball game and then did a cheer and a little dance during half time. She loved it. Driving home from the first practice, Eva was saying one of the cheers and couldn't remember the words. I helped her out. She was amazed that I knew the words. Well, Eva, Mommy wasn't always that old lady that just cleans your house and drives you around. I love it that when I amaze you and you think I am a genius. From what I hear, it won't be for long. So, I am enjoying it while it lasts.

Unrelated #1:

to short. Not to heavy, but still warm. A great punch of color for my mostly neutrals wardrobe. Went with everything. Always got compliments wearing this thing. This is the only picture I can find of it, Eva is wearing it because it was fu-reeeee-zing and Mom let her out in a flimsy coat (uh, parenting mistake # one billion and three?). I didn't know I would need a picture of it for this tribute of sorts.

I loved this scarf. I lost this scarf. Went to the rec center. Didn't want to wear it after exercising. Too hot. Carelessly stuck in/on my bag. Gone. So sad. So so sad.

Just a scarf, right? That is what I thought. I have had two dreams that I have found that scarf. I wake up and go check the places that I see in my dreams. Sorry, cold neck. But I guess that is your choice that you would rather be cold than wear an ugly scarf.

Unrelated #2:

I love Samuel's hair like this.

He does not. He started complaining, "I don't want my hair to grow!" He even woke up in the middle of the night upset about it. He is obsessed with girls having long hair and boys having short hair.

I finally took him to get it cut. He was so excited. He didn't even know I was taking him to the Disneyland of salons. Cookie Cutters is insane. They get to choose a movie, choose a car to sit in, they get a sucker and a balloon when they are done, and they have a slide for the kid to play on while Mom pays. Amazing. Totally worth my $8 (with my coupon). See photo number 2? If I ever were to become a hair cutter person, is it rude to ask you to remind me to not wear little cap sleeves? Just wondering.

Okay. So the REAL reason I took him to get his shag chopped off is because Karl and his dad are going to China and the wives are tagging along. My mom is so nice to watch Eva and Samuel. I am so lucky to have such great, free babysitting. But, I would be terrible if the same thing happened again!

I have been to China twice before. Once, when I was a college student, I carried everything in my backpack, and 8 of us would cram into a rat infested hostel (not hotel) room just to save what I am sure is the equivalent of like two dollars. The second time we were going to move there so we spent most of the time looking for an apartment. My "roughing it" days are over and we aren't looking for a place to live this time (or ever, again).  

Seems like a lot of people have gone there lately (I mean Amy and T and any other friends). Anything suggestions on things I should (or shouldn't) do? We are going to Beijing and Changchun.  This time I do plan on having more than two dollars. Hmmm, maybe I can find a cute new scarf.

Eva, so glad you joined our family...

Six pounds 9 ounces. You were a tiny little thing.

Then you grew and grew. I love your face in this picture. Look at you all comfortable at the former stomping grounds of the president.

You grew into a great artist. Look at the art work on your face.

You grew into a great lover of literature. You still need a book to go to bed. You are sleeping at your grandparents' house tonight and you called me and reminded me to pack some books next time. Oops.

You grew into a lover of beautiful things. You decorated my room for me. Materials: 4 plastic kids cups. 4 fake flowers. Instructions: Place a flower in each of the cups. Line them up on the dresser.

You grew into a beautiful girl. With great big charming eyes. (You still let me dress you and do your hair. From what I hear, I am lucky. Thank you. I seriously love doing these things so much).

You grew into a real live princess and out of the fakey Disney kind. I once described Disney Princesses as crack for little girls. You loved them. But, now, you are done. I can't believe it. You still have an invisible crown.

You grew into a sweet, big sister. Samuel was grouchy, so you made him breakfast in bed. Menu: cereal, milk, a clementine, and... m&ms. YOUR m & ms. You are so sweet.

You grew out of dress-ups in general. You said you are done. Kinda sad. But that is okay. You are a real live "Wumer woman," too.

Just to remember:

You like your covers off.

You like your toast with butter. Just butter. No jam, no honey. And you leave a little pile of crusts.

You don't like jeans (but even your stretchy pants bug you sometimes).

When you are frustrated (like when your stretchy pants are bugging) sometimes you don't say anything, you just rub your feet together and kind of grunt.

You are an excellent folder. You put me to shame with your neat towel piles.

Your hands get really dry on the back. I don't know why, they just do.

You are a saver. Just like your Mom. You like to save things because you can make something out of it later.

You can play for hours which means you never get bored which means you have a great imagination.

You completely zone out (or in, however you say it) when the tv is on.

You love cantaloupe (so sorry that I am not a good melon buyer).

You crack me up (I found a little box in your room. Opened it, and there were little locks of hair from several different dolls and ponies. Wish I would have taken a picture).

You are so forgiving (except when we take you to a too scary movie like Coraline. You still remind me daily that we shouldn't have taken you). Lucky for Samuel. Lucky for me.

You grew from a tiny little Eva bean (I remember calling you that, you were so tiny) into an amazing six (oh my goodness, that sounds so old!) year old.

The Fort

You built the fort. You played for days in the fort. Sometimes you fought in the fort. You ate breakfast in the fort. You slept in the fort. You freaked out when Mommy made you take down the fort because she got sick of it blocking the pathway to the living room. Sorry guys.

Getting all sentimental

My mom just showed us these pictures. It is her. I really love these pictures.

I don't love how foreign it feels to me. I don't love how even more foreign it must feel to my kids. It makes me all teary. Sometimes ideas float in my head about how I can make this less foreign, but then the day to day stuff takes priority. I mean, I drive a Toyota.  Eva has Hello Kitty sheets.  We eat a lot of Japanese food.  Maybe I can start making peace signs every time I pose for a picture.  I know I have way bigger worries in my life. But I just don't like how this part of me is kind of just slipping away. I thought I would teach my kids Japanese (along with a bajillion other things I thought I would teach them), but sometimes it feels like they don't even listen to me in one language.  So why throw in another?  And doing something about it, well, that would be adding just another thing to my list of not-done-yets...

my girl

She often says she is her dad's girl. For so many reasons. But here is one reason that we know she is my girl, too.

Artichokes. She loves them as much as I do.

Parenting Mistake # six billion and two

   

If you family is enticed by a movie about a cute little girl and eating popcorn, m & m's and the whole 3D experience, let me just warn you not to make the same mistake we did.  I am sure most parents already figured that it would be a mistake, but, us, well, we tend to learn for ourselves.  

It was dark, it was creepy, it was not for little kids.  

Eva couldn't sleep because she was scared, woke me up, said we needed to pray, and then prayed that she wouldn't have nightmares about Coraline.  So sorry, Eva.  Bad parents, bad, bad!  

This isn't the kind of mistake like where Daddy takes daughter to Grandma's house wearing tights and no skirt (yep, that really happened.  Today).  Because, with that, daddy doesn't care, daughter doesn't care, and well, no one cares but (uptight-gotta-wear-a-skirt-or-pants-or-something-more-than-just-tights) me.   This is the kind of mistake that haunts Eva for a long, long, long (maybe, but hopefully not, forever) time.  

They are in the tub right now talking about who has button eyes.  

Don't be like us (and the other mom that took her little daughter out before it was over muttering, "We didn't know it was going to be like this."), don't take your kids to see this show.  Especially on the big huge, 3D, screen.  

And speaking of theaters...

My friend, Jorja, just commented on my "too short" post about how lame it is to be short in the theater seats.  I can't believe I forgot to put that on my list.  So, here it is:

One more non-benefit of being short:

-Sometimes when you are sitting in church (or at a game, or at the theater...) your husband looks over, laughs, and says, "are you swinging your legs?"  Yes.  I am.  What of it?  It is so so so hard to get comfy when your feet don't reach in chairs.  A lot of times I will put my legs up in "criss-cross applesauce" as my kids would say (I think "Indian style" must not be PC anymore) because my feet get tired of just dangling there.  Chairs were not made for short people.

  

More baby gifts

I think I make stuff in phases.  If you have a baby, try and have it during one  of my make-stuff phases.  

Kari had a boy and so I made her these:

     

It is so so so hard to come up with boy embellishments (that I like).  These guys have a dog so I went off that.  I asked (begged) Karl to draw a silhouette.  He is a really good draw-er.  So good, that he came back with an exact replica of the dog.  Silhouette, schmilhouette, huh?  After freaking out because I just wanted a silhouette so I could cut it out of fabric, I put the picture on the t-shirt and it turned out super cute.  Even cuter than some fabric silhouette.  I like to pretend that that sheep-emu-blob is actually a chenille dog. (That right there is the reason why I needed Karl to draw the silhouette).  

Two days after I finished Kari's (baby's) onesies, Cyd had her boy.  Another boy.  Another challenge.  I am sure they would have love one of my chenille blobs but I went with birds.  I didn't make up the tie thing, I must give credit to the bajillion people that have them on etsy.  

I know I should be ashamed, but this is what my craft room looks like after my projects.  

I need to figure out a way to organize this so it doesn't look like a tornado hit every time I work on a project.  I swear, I just make a card or wrap a present (or embroider and iron-on and sew some onesies or make 10 aprons) or whatever and all of the sudden it is an insane mess.  Hopefully this is a "before" picture.  It is insane.  The Oprah crew would be ashamed.  Don't tell them about me.  They would make me throw stuff away.  I can't.  I love my stuff.  I love my ribbons.  I love them so much that I even think they love me back. 

Cyd-o-nee, he is beautiful.  You are beautiful.  I hope he like birds.  

Quick Question

I take a ton of pictures.  Sometimes I take pictures and people say, "Can I get a copy of that?"  Then it takes me like a year and a half to send it to them.  

There has to be a better way.  I kind of just want to upload them and then you can take what you want.

Do you know of the best way to share photos?  Do you know anyone that knows?  Will you ask them and let me know?  

Thanks!

Too Short

Fantastic friend, Kristi, picked up some jeans at one of those sales you pick stuff up even if there is a chance that it might not fit just because it is a great deal. Lucky for me, they were labeled "short" and therefore too short for not "short" Kristi. Unlucky for me, I am too short for the "short" jeans. 

Benefits of being short:

-You can get more comfortable in small spaces like in the airline seats.

-In the dating years, the short guys are not out of the question (even though I ended up with someone like a foot taller than me).

-You probably hit your head less.

-You can sleep on your queen size bed in any direction (I don't know why you would want to, but I am running out of benefits).

Non-benefits of being short:

-People think you're a kid (try being a teacher and not daring to teach above 3rd grade) when you really need the respect of an adult.

-Anything above the 1st shelf, or in the very front of the 2nd shelf is unavailable without the help of your super tall IKEA step stool or your taller husband.

-When you are cutting vegetables (which are still not organic) in the kitchen, you sometimes stand on your toes so you can get better leverage and you don't even realize it until husband points, laughs, and says, "Are you standing on your toes?"  What of it?

-Sometimes, at the grocery store, you want something but you can't reach it. If someone that is tall and looks really nice isn't around, you just think, "forget it" and walk away feeling too short.

-You can't see over stuff (couldn't see a thing at the University of Texas football games except the hat the guy in front of me was wearing. Good thing it was fascinating... completely covered in beer bottle caps).

-Gaining 5 pounds means you have to wear your fat jeans (less place for the weight to get distributed).

-And speaking of jeans, they are so so so hard to find!

Where do these guys get their jeans? No, really.

Can't Stop Thinking About It...

Along with my obsession with food, comes my obsession with all aspects of it...

We went to see Ballet West perform Gong and Madame Butterfly last night.  Even with the chocolate that we bought from Siegfried's, I was having a hard time staying awake during Gong.  Madame Butterfly was amazing, though.  

So, we ran into some friends that we haven't seen since Samuel was a baby.  I noticed they looked significantly slimmer and finally asked.  I always ask.  Like I said, I am obsessed.  I love weight loss stories.  Oprah knows just how to keep me watching.  She had lost 80 pounds and he had lost 60.  That is a lot of pounds.  She went from a size 16 to a 4.  I asked how and she said they started eating organic, no preservatives, and eating meat less days of the week.  I don't know that I can explain why this is so intriguing to me.  I do know that I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.  

I started looking online last night (isn't it funny how you can post anything online and some fool like me is going to take it as fact?) and came across a simple experiment that someone did... inspired by Fast Food Nation.  They took a burger patty and fries from their local diner and and the same from McDonalds and sat them out.  Days later, the stuff from McDonalds had hardly changed as the the stuff from the local diner was getting all moldy and gross.  Why?  The preservatives.  I haven't bought McD's in over a year because in an effort to  live a healthier life, I thought I would start by cutting out McD's and WalMart.  Gotta start somewhere.  There are a thousand reasons to cut them out, now I just have one more.   

I have never thought preservatives were good for me.  I have  never been enticed by fake sugars or an all meat diet.  I really like the idea of eating all natural stuff.  It just makes sense to me.  Cutting out food is not an option.  If you know me, you know it isn't an option for me.  But eating a ton of good stuff, I might be able to do that. 

But, then again, I love eating out too much.  And I really don't like to discriminate.

Today, I stopped at Whole Foods just to get inspired (like any new project that fascinates me, my favorite part is going to buy the stuff.  My house is full of stuff to start fascinating projects.  Just full.  Sorry, Karl).  I was scared of the organic produce.  It scared me.  I am kind of scared of produce anyway, the way it starts getting all gross when you don't pay attention to it.  But, lately, produce and I have become friends.  Organic, however, looked scarier... and more expensive.  Like, I would really need to pay attention to it before it started changing forms in my fridge.  Panic.  So I left the produce department.

These organic ice cream sandwiches didn't scare me, though.   So that is what we bought.  They were good.  Yep, I'll be sure to let you know when the pounds just start melting off.  

{Late tonight... I should probably mention that I have just been thinking about this stuff.  Just thinking how great it would be.  Reality is that tonight I had a hot chocolate from Starbucks, Doritos, and dinner was at Acme Burger Co..  Just didn't want to mislead any of ya'll.}

What do you think about this?