Big Mac!

Ya, so I am a Big Mac girl now! No, not McDonald's Big Mac---Apple Big Mac!

Ya, after 7 years I finally got a new computer- a big 20" new iMac--awesome! I upgraded my other Little Mac as much as it can go and now it is time for this designer to move forward.

I even got an Airport so that I can run both my Macs on the internet at the same time! Wow I have really arrived! Wireless internet--awesome!

So now I have 3 macs. My very first one I gave away so now I have my last 3. Pretty cool, huh. We are high tech family now. My kids and husband have one in the study they can use now without having to wait for me to be done with design work and the little kids have one in the play room to play games and draw on! Wew!

Cottage Cheese

2 LOVES cottage cheese. She loves it so much that when Smith's has their 10 for $10 sale I actually by 10 things of cottage cheese. She eats so much of it that now I just hand her the container and spoon.

Well, tonight she would not go to bed--I was trying to get 8 to bed--apparently Dad reading him all those stories just wasn't enough. Well, 2 was upset and wanted some cottage cheese, so I got her some, set her up in the kitchen upstairs and I figured I was good to go read to 8 downstairs for a minute. Wrong! Just when I think, nah, she wouldn't be able to do anything with that..she does!

As I am reading I hear a thud and crack going down the stairs, it's 2! No, no it isn't 2 it is her cottage cheese! Her open container of cottage cheese!

At least it missed the first five steps and just got the last 10 and the wall and railing in the middle.

Sigh.

Have you ever had to clean half a container of cottage cheese off of the steps and the wall???

But, don't worry, I am OK now...she is asleep. I am pretty sure she won't make anymore messes until tomorrow morning.

Music Monday Challenge

So, since I am a big fan of my cousin, Brooke's, site--I will join her in the challenge of Music Mondays!

My favorite song, today, is: "Mr. Mom" by Lonestar

Why: OK, so I am a redneck at heart and truly that is a hilarious song. I do wonder how Marc would do it all if I were gone for a while. Besides, after the last few weeks I have had I need a week off!!! ;)

check this link to see the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1TTXdsCtvw

Brooke tagged us all!

Joys:
1. My 4 kids
2. Riding my horse
3. Helping the Fragile X Association of Utah
4. Graphic Design

Fears:
1. Not being able to successfully raise 2 children that are mentally challenged
2. Not being able to raise 2 teenagers successfully with all of us still sane in the process
3. Losing Marc or the kids
4. Getting Cancer or some other awful disease

Goals:
1. Lose 15-20 pounds
2. Be able to get my knee in good enough condition to be able to play basketball again
3. To learn as much as a I possibly can about Fragile X Syndrome, and in turn teach many others about it
4. To stop swearing--sorry but it really is a goal--bad huh! (I have two teenagers -- is that a good excuse???)

Obsessions:
1. Learning/Teaching about Fragile X Syndrome
2. Perfection
3. Blogging and blog stocking
4. My husband!

Surprising facts:
1. I was 2nd in state in the High Jump my Junior year in High School and if you search my maiden name you will find me on the track roster for records held at my High School for the high jump!
2. I have never been to Disney Land or anything like it
3. I was married less than a month after my 19th birthday to a 27 year old (Cradle Robber ;) )
4. When I was young I wanted to grow up to be a professional figure skater and a LDS Youth Speaker for EFY

Daydreams:
1. Time- to put all my pictures to DVD movies that I create on my computer
2. Taking a shower EVERY day (I can't leave 2 alone for 5 seconds--if you haven't already read the previous entries to figure that one out)
3. 2 not making any messes or getting into trouble for 1 entire hour
4. Being able to get my kids into bed by 8:00 pm

Guilty Pleasures:
1. Eating chocolate without giving any to my kids
2. Blogging (I really don't have the time--yet here I am.)
3. Bubble baths in the jetted tub
4. Going on long horse rides with my husband on a Saturday while my mother-in-law watches our kids

I tag Jessie--she really needs to update

Bragging

Yes, I am going to brag. I want to brag about my kids.

I have put 8, 12, and 16 in a dance and singing class here in the neighborhood. The teacher has a different musical picked out for each age group. 12 and 16 are doing High School Musical and 8 is doing Annie. They had their first performance today for a local school. My 16 sang her first solo I have ever heard in public and she was fabulous! I loved it. And 12, oh, he was so cute--he knew every step and every word and was concentrating so hard.

And 8 surprised me the most. He has so many challenges and I really was not even expecting him to get on stage to perform. I had just put him in the class so that he could have a social experience with regular functioning children. He blew me away!! Not only did he get on stage in front of the entire audience, but, he sang every word and danced every step. It was amazing--I cried--I mean, any mom out there who has a child with special needs knows what I am talking about right now. He amazed us all with his bravery and talent. He really did so well!!

I am also impressed with 12 and 16 with the way they presented themselves and the respect they have for their dance teacher. They are truly amazing teenagers.

I am proud of them.

For any of you who would like to come see their REAL performance. It is May 30th. The cost is $4. If you want the time and place e-mail me or call me and I will give you all the info. I would love it if you could all come. I am very proud of my kids!!! Come see!

Those of you who cannot make it I will post pictures from the May 30th performance.

Mosiah

So we have this goal of reading scriptures and saying prayers as a family at night before bed. It hasn't gotten too regular yet. But last night I was getting 8 into bed, everyone else was outside socializing with neighbors so 8 and I had our own private session of scriptures and prayers. 8 pulled out his scriptures and said he was going to read from Mosiah.

Now let me give you a little background on 8. He can't read very well, he is at a Kindergarten/1 st Grade reading level and really is struggling even with that. His primary teachers at church have helped him recognize some of the names in the Book of Mormon. Bless their hearts. Mosiah is one of 8's favorite books--don't know why.

OK, so the only words that 8 can read on his own in the Book of Mormon are the simple ones: the, and, it, they, etc. Well, he told me what verses to read in the 1st chapter. I read them with my finger following the words and he would "read" with me. (Really he was just mumbling along pretending like he knew what he was doing.) But there were 3 or 4 times that it said "commandments/mysteries/hand of God" and he would pipe right up on those lines--it was so sweet. I love that he is trying to read the Book of Mormon and that he has such an excitement about it. How sweet!

It's only 2 in the afternoon...

OK, so let me begin at the beginning--this morning.

So I am getting 8 onto his school bus and 2 comes running to the open doorway in her birthday suit. It is cold outside and I really didn't want the bus driver to think I don't dress my children, so I rush her to the couch to look through the window. I didn't bother to put her in a diaper because 8 was about to leave and I figured 2 must have taken off her diaper because she had already peed so I was safe....

Then I feel something warm on my leg and there is the puddle on the couch. (That's #1)

So I get her dressed, clean off the couch and send 12 off to school on his bike and 2 and I set off for work at Kid's Who Count. It was a field trip today--we got to see sheep, goats, swans, geese, ducks and kangaroos! Ya, kangaroos! One kangaroo even gave 2 a hug--how cute is that! I would show you how cute it was with wonderful pictures but, I forgot my camera. (That's #2)

So I stop by the eye doctor on the way home to get my new lenses put in so that I can now see. Then I went to Walmart to get some printer ink. When I get home I realize that 2 has leaked through her diaper--she is soaked. (That's #3)

While I am eating leftover pizza for lunch with 2 I get a phone call from my sweet husband. I had to answer the corded phone because I couldn't find the cordless. So I sat there helpless as 2 poured out 2 cups of water onto the stool and splashed her hands in it so she was able to get it all over the entire kitchen floor. (That's #4) And then she mashed her pizza into it. (That's #5)

Well, as much as I love talking to my hubby I had to hang up to start cleaning up her mess. Which this is an everyday occurrence, that is why I just watched as she did it. (That's #6)

So, then I figure it is safe because 2 has eaten and done her water thing so I call my sister to get my other sister's phone number. I was getting tired--don't know why--so I was laying on the bed talking. I could hear 2 by my door playing and figured she probably wasn't doing anything particularly different than her usual mess of lotion all over her face, water all over the bathroom, my make-up on her face from chin to forehead and ear-to-ear, toothpaste squirted on the sink or all the clothes in her drawers strewn around her room; so I figured I could just listen for any trouble. I never thought to smell for any trouble, but, by the end of the 10 minute conversation with my sister my nostrils began to curl. "She has a poopy diaper, that's why she wouldn't lay down for a nap..." I thought to myself. (That's #7)

When I hung up the phone I saw 2's overalls laying limply on the floor at my door!!!!! Oh no!! Noo!! No! As I move in closer... yes... there it was a pile of poop on the floor next to her really clean diaper and overalls! (That's #8)

But, it doesn't stop there, as I begin to inspect the area I realize that all the other dark spots on the floor are poop footprints! Yes, footprints made with her poop! (That's #9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23)

I find her in her room (because I just followed the footprints) with poop on her legs and feet (#24) and she has the desitin spread on her face and hands (#25). She realizes that she is in trouble or at least knows that what she did wasn't exactly going "potty" in the way I have been trying to teach her, so she runs--more footprints... (#25, 26, 27) and then I catch her and wipe off what I can and stick her in the tub.

The bathroom is right next to the hall that she did her mess in so came into the hall to clean up... I won't even tell you about that experience. (#28, 29, 30, 31 - 55) So I get the vacuum, to help out with the whole deal. This time when the voice said "check on 2" I did. She had thrown the washcloths and toys out of the tub onto the floor so it was soaked. (#56) And she had been eating the soap!!! (#57)

Ya, and it is 2:00 in the afternoon! She's eaten soap and it is going to make for an interesting rest of the afternoon.

Oh, ya, and I am laughing--really! It really is too funny to think that one 2-year-old can do so much in one day! I just hope you all get a real good laugh out of this one, I know my sister and I did when I called her afterward to tell her about the day.