Going to church

I went to church alone a few weeks ago with Kate, Sam and Alice.  Kate was upset over something I don't recall.  She would not sit on our bench, she sat on the row in front of us with her arms crossed in front of her, laying on the bench on her face with her bottom sticking up.  At some point two women I don't know and who don't know us came and sat on the end of the row blocking Kate's ability to re-join us.  I didn't notice until we had taken the sacrament that these women didn't offer it to Kate.  She of course noticed and started saying loudly how hungry she was.  One thing to note about our ward is that it is a quiet ward especially during the sacrament.  Eventually it was time for the water and again Kate missed it.  I don't remember how that happened, she may have been pouting at the time and refusing it.  Of course she eventually climbs over the bench in front of us and begins saying very loudly how thirsty she is.  NO!  She doesn't want Alice's sippy of water.  NO!  She doesn't want the fishy crackers.  "Mom, you're just going to have to go up there and steal that bread and water!"  Of course the Berkmoes' sitting behind me start laughing, which makes me have to hide my smile from Kate and then she yells, "It's NOT FUNNY!"  Eventually she is placated to some extent and calms down.  At which point I wonder how any single parent could survive church more than once with more than one child?

Being a Pink Girl

I looked at the bright pumpkin orange colored phone my husband handed me, "Wow, orange huh?" "Yeah, they had  pink, but you're not a pink girl," I was told.  "What?  I'm a pink girl!" I insisted.  So the next time my ironman watch died (it happens every 2 yrs or so) Erik replaced it with a pink one instead of my standard black.  I thought it was great for the first little while and then it started to get dirty, you could see the chorine yellowing it, and it really didn't match anything I wore.  I guess I don't really own much pink, really only a pair of biking shorts and a pair of socks.  I guess the closest I get to pink is salmon colored which really is orange not pink.  So what is a pink girl anyway?
I have a darling friend who I would say is a pink girl even though I don't think she wears much pink, she is just so feminine.....she even has flower cutouts on her basket organizers under her bathroom sink, which is full of feminine things like nail files and cotton balls.  She even has pretty curly hair and always wears feminine shirts and jewelry.  I have another friend who is a pink girl too.  She just plain wears pink and is always put together and has her nails always done...they would even look good pink.  If I tried to wear pink on my nails I would look like a mom who is trying to be a teenager....give it up!
I don't really know what a pink girl is, but I think Erik knew me better than I did.  I'm not a pink girl.  I don't really feel so feminine as I think of my two friends being, I feel more practical or plain I guess.  I wear ponytails and NEVER do my fingernails, and my poor sweet daughters....yes all three rarely have bows in their hair unless Meg is dressing them up.  How did they end up with me as a mom?  Imagine the women out there dying to dress up a beautiful little girl in some sweet outfit with matching hair accents and I end up with three I can barely keep their hair combed....which is why I love their new short hair cuts(:
No, I'm not a pink girl, but I am a lot of other colors out there and hopefully my children and husband can enjoy the other colors since I don't have the patience to deal with pink that gets dirty too easily.  I discovered that when you wear black you can't tell!  I was surprised how happy I was when my pink watch finally died and Erik bought me my black standard again...YES!

Someone's Been Busy

This is what happens when someone leaves their cereal bowl on the table and Alice is hungry.  Yes, I made Sam clean up the floor and table since he was the one who left out his bowl!  Of course I had to clean it up too, along with the baby, whom I had just gotten ready to visit Erik in the city for lunch.  This was her second breakfast.

So this is what happens when mom is fixing dinner and Sam is supervising the baby!  I think they were both pretty happy in the mud, Sam just had enough sense to not get caught.

Yes, these two events both occurred today.....nothing like extra laundry and more bath time(:

Meg's Piper of Hamlin

Meg as the Lame Girl with townsfolk and the Piper.

Meg's fan club!

Meg as the Lame Girl!

Meg performed in her Opera today.  She was a child in the first performance and the lame girl that gets left behind in the second performance.  It was so wonderful to be able to see how so much hard work has paid off.  Bee Chow is the Cantabella Children's Choir Director and with the help of many people has put together an amazing performance.  You could tell that singing was the strength in this performance.  Every note was perfect.  The timing was perfect.  It was very professional and amazing to watch all of these darling little children hit their notes with such confidence.  It was beautiful to watch and I am grateful for the opportunity I had to be a part of this.  I am sad that it wasn't better attended.  Meg is hopeful that her soccer team will come to tomorrow's show.  We did have some dear and sweet friends come see Meg perform: Shelia & Emily Alt, Leah Faith, Susan and McKenzie Bezzant (all the way from AZ!), and Adam and Michelle Rich!  Such cute support and love(:  This has been such a fun experience for Meg.  This is a close group and she feels connected with them.  I am excited to see her perform tomorrow and so grateful that she is continuing her singing with Bee and the Children's Choir in the fall!  What a wonderful group we have discovered!

Swim Team

Wow! What an experience swim team has been for Kate and Sam this year!  I can't believe they both competed in the Butterfly this summer.  I have to say it was a highlight of my summer.  I can't imagine anything cuter than these little ones racing in the butterfly, well, any stroke for that matter!  They both are great at backstroke(:  Sam's first IM relay he powered a quick backstroke to help out his team!  His coaches were both so proud of him and so excited to talk to me about how great they thought he was.  They were also super excited when Kate didn't stop during her first race.  It is so cute to see them learn how to work hard and really try their best at these races!  I am so proud of their efforts and willingness to do hard things!

Sam waiting for him teammate to reach the wall.

Sam jumping into the water on the relay freestyle race.

Sam chilling after his races.....being silly in Kate's cap.

Sam & his buddies hanging out at their last meet!

Kate' second swim meet.

Kate and her best-est friend Sophia.    Kate, Sophia, McKenzie and Parker playing polly pockets while waiting for their next event.  I love to watch Kate swim.  At her first meet she was swimming against Sophia.  During the back stroke she stopped grabbed the lane line and adjusted her goggles.  Then went a little longer and stopped again to check on Sophia and yelled "Come on Sophia!" The crowd of parents was laughing and how cute she was.  The second meet she didn't stop the entire 25 meters, Coach Brett was so proud of her!  She did start her freestyle before the horn so we don't have an official faster time on her swim, but we know it had to have been much faster.  They let her continue the swim because she and Sohpia (again) couldn't have gone as hard as they were going again and to make them start over would have been mean!

I'm the Queen!

We were riding in the car and Meg asked me who out of the kids was a toad.  Sam won that title.  Then she asked if Alice was a turkey.  Yes!  Am I the angel?  Yes!  What is Kate?  A stinker.  No, mom she has to be a person or animal.  It didn't take long to come up with princess.  Kate thought about that for a minute and exclaimed, "No!  I'm the Queen!"  I guess she hasn't been fully dethroned just yet.  This could make for an interesting next 18 years!