Kid Update!

It happened.

I knew one day it would.

It was inevitable.

At Costco today I was checking out. Alex and Rylee were with me. They're standing side by side watching the guy fill our cart and he's telling them silly jokes and then he looks closely at them and asks....

"Are you two twins?"

Yep.

He did.

How's that for fitting in?

It's been awhile since I've updated what's going on with each of my bambino's. So here goes...

KAMBREE  is in California as we speak at a drill competition. She just interviewed for an ambassador scholarship, and just put a deposit on her apartment for next year. She hasn't been home since my birthday but we've been in contact almost daily. Thank goodness for FB and texting.

AUSTIN is heading to California next month with his Acapella. He needs to find a job. I just don't want him to work on Sunday's and he just doesn't want to.....work? No, I think he wants to work but nothing yucky. Well, at sixteen not a lot of un-yucky choices. He's taking the ACT next week. The Saturday I got home he had nothing to wear. (Because no one did any laundry while we were gone. Except Devree who only washed her basketball uniform.) So he wore his PJ's all day. The matching one's that look like little old men? I bought them for him and Alex for Christmas. He wore them ALL day. (He actually did have jeans and plenty of shirts to wear but since his daily apparel consists of gym shorts and plain white T-shirts. Every. Day. He claimed he had nothing to wear!) He even went to his friends dressed in his PJ's. Met a girl there who apparently comes from a very rich family, went to her house (which was "sick") and now she refers to him as PJ's. Yep. That would be my son.

DEVREE's basketball season is over.....hallelujah! Not that I don't love for her to play but I am so looking forward to not picking her up every day and taking her to practice. Did I mention that it was every day? Geez.

She's still pulling straight A's, has an active social life, serving in student government and just all around crazy busy. We've been trying to work out her 10th grade classes and she wants to do so many things, try out for the musical, be in PLT (Peer Leadership Training) and of course basketball. Not sure we can fit it all in with her regular classes and seminary. It's almost as if each child has to pick ONE thing and do it. What ever happened to being well rounded? If you're on the bb team you need to take Woman's Athletics all year, yet musical rehearsals are over and done with before basketball starts. We're hoping she can do 1/4 musical and then switch over to basketball. Who knows? I just know that she can't turn 16 fast enough to drive herself places! (And she only turns 15 late July!)

ALEX also had to select his classes for 7th grade. Slightly easier than Devree. He went with choir, art and shop. He's pretty nervous about going to junior high with all the "mean" kids. I asked him if all the kids in his elementary are "mean". "No." "Well, all the kids in Junior High are not mean either. They're just like you." Then after he went to 7th grade orientation this week he seemed much more relieved. He's trying really hard in school, expressing himself better, joining in on conversations, and really such a sweet boy. I joke that he is the child that will take care of me in my old age but really....I'm not joking. He is very concerned about me. Asking how my day went, if he can help me with anything and letting me know where he is if I need him for anything. He's worried about growing right now. He's grown a lot since arriving home and is now weighing ninety pounds but I think the fact that Rylee is approaching him in height has him worried. I tried to explain that girls get their height earlier than boys but you can tell he's a tad bothered by it. He wants to be big and have big "these" (pointing to his biceps) like Dad and Austin. Austin's biceps come from heredity. He's done nothing to deserve them, James on the other hand goes to the gym, works out and has a well deserved, large set of guns that I think Alex is hoping he'll magically wake up with one day. Not so sure Alex has those genes. We'll just have to wait and see.

RYLEE is looking so much older in her braces. I told her I wouldn't sign her maturation permission slip because then she couldn't grow up. She didn't go for it. She is a whirlwind. Even Troy commented on it. You know everywhere Ry's been because she leaves a path of destruction. Shoes, back pack, coat, dance bag....all through the house. I refuse to pick things up so about ten times a day I'm calling her in a room to figure out what she needs to take care of. After coming home from our trip and realizing that my single brother even noticed her whirlwind effects....I had a plan. THREE days of leaving NOTHING out. NOTHING. Would earn her a (gulp) a  Webkin. I picked three days because I sincerely didn't think she could do it. But she did it. Without a mistake. (That was why we were at Costco today. Buying a three pack of Webkins. Three at Costco are cheaper than ONE at Toys R Us). I felt a little snookered after our deal but quickly thought up plan #2! Now that I know she can clean up after herself, if I have to mention to her more than TWO times each day to pick up her stuff.... I get to KEEP a Webkin for 24 hours and that time will double after each incident!!! (You should have seen the terror.) "My Webkins?" "Yep." So far, I am noticing marked improvement on Whirlwind Rylee activity!

JAMES is working on the basment (hurray!) and building a new sled. (Yes another invention!) It's been great to have him home a little longer this hitch but next hitch he's gone for three weeks instead of two as he's switching hitches. Boo.

Midnight & Ella still dislike each other. Just in case you were wondering.  Ella just tries to steer clear of Midnight. Usually it's the dog that has the higher pecking order isn't it? Not in our house. The cat rules the dog.
And although both are adopted into this house....no one is mistaking them for twins!

And The Cats Came Back!

Cat #1

Months ago, I found a new home for our cat, Midnight. With my brother Troy. My single brother without a dog. She LOVED living with Troy. She had the whole place to herself, she was spoiled rotten, she didn't have to contend with Ella and I didn't have to contend with her! Win/win for everyone. Except my kids. They missed her, but since she was gone a few days before anyone really even noticed.....how bad did they really miss her? Not much I'm telling you.

Cat #2

For Christmas Rylee got a new Webkin's cat. For those unfamiliar with Webkins, consider yourself blessed. (Stuffed animal with special code to log into a website and create a virtual world for your pet, complete with an apartment to furnish, games to play, parties to plan.) Rylee decided to name this cat Midnight after our beloved pet that had gone on to live the high life with my brother. Once you type in your name for your Webkins pet, it's set in stone for the life of your Webkin in their virtual world. Well, she had a slight type-o and now this cat is forever known as....Midnighr. Yes. That's right. Just like it sounds. 

January 5th Midnighr went missing. Gone. No where to be found. He was lost somewhere between my bed and Rylee's bed. We looked, we cleaned, we moved furniture. Nothing. Disappeared. I have had one sad little girl over this missing cat.

Fast forward to this week.

Well, my brother Troy got a great job doing something similar to James. Working away from home for two weeks then home for two weeks. So, guess who now has joint custody of Midnight? Yep, that right. Me. She's back. As fat an sassy as ever and will go back home with Troy when he comes home. We'll be making the cat exchange every two weeks. Lovely. (The kids were thrilled.)

The night before Midnights arrival, I went to tuck Rylee into bed, she has silent tears streaming down her cheeks,  "What's wrong?" I asked. "I miss Midnighr!" she cries. 

*Sigh* 

I told her I had no idea where he was, maybe he was stolen and then I got the brilliant idea that maybe Ella dragged him out the dog door? The next day Rylee checked the yard and brought a bucket of dog toys in, my salsa bowl, my 1/4 cup measuring cup and......Midnighr!

Both cats back on the same day.

When you don't have the words....just shrug!

So, this is the 2nd trip we've taken....just the two of us, since bringing Alex home. The first time was about six months after he came home. Despite me going over and over our agenda, and what he would be doing, and who would be taking care of him and assuring him we'd be coming home, he had a really rough time. He announced to his teacher the first day we left, that his mom was gone and was never coming back. He was very upset. I had clued the teacher in before we left and she assured him I would be home but he wouldn't be comforted. He would just shrug like "Yeah, whatever. You don't know." He was sure we were never coming back. As the week progressed he relaxed and let up until the last day he told his teacher "12 hours and my mom home!"

This time Alex has been home just over 21 months and much more acclimated to life here. Before leaving this time I talked to him again about leaving, about how upset he was last time and he laughed about it and sort of a shrugged with a  "I'll be fine. Just go. Don't worry." attitude.

Whew. 

(Last time I felt very guilty!)

So imagine my surprise when I heard he stayed home sick from church AND school on Tuesday. Sick to his stomach, yet able to eat and go to basketball practice. My brother Troy was pretty sure he wasn't sick but just missing his mom. 

We talked about it when I got home. I asked if he was really sick. "Yes, my tummy hurt."  We talked about having a nervous tummy and how our tummies can feel sick when we are worried or scared. Alex shrugged a maybe and then gave me a nod. Ah-ha, he was worried and missing his parents.

Later, I read over his journal entries he wrote while we are away. The stress he feels is pretty apparent:

2/14  (First day gone) I am grateful that I have a mom because she helps us when we need help.


2/15 (We called in and checked on the kids) I am grateful that my mom and dad are safe.


2/18 (We had been calling from the airport and checking on the kids) I am grateful that my mom and dad are safe because they are the only family I have right now.


2/20 (Yesterday) It is awesome having mom and dad home because I like them bossing me around. (I asked for an explanation on this one and he explained that he'd rather have us bossing him around then his sisters!)


2/21  (And again today) I am grateful that my mom and dad are safe at home.

On Sunday I was making breakfast and Alex was watching me and just blurted out "Mom, do you know how awesome you are?"  I looked at him a bit surprised and asked him why I was so awesome? He shrugged.
That afternoon after church a sweet lady in our ward (who is enamored by Alex) asked me if he missed me? Alex was standing right behind me and upon hearing his name popped in and asked "What?" She asked him, "Did you miss her?", pointing to me. His eyes got big and he nodded vigorously. I think most boys he's age would have scoffed and/or made a joke.
Nothing funny about not having mom around with Alex.
Love, love, love that part of raising Alex. He does not take having a mom for granite.
In his reading this afternoon he came across the word  "itsy-bitsy" and asked what it meant. I told him the meaning and then I pulled him into my lap and taught him the "itsty-bitsy" spider song, complete with actions, explaining that most children learn this song as a baby. We laughed and cuddled for a minute.
*Sigh*
. Pretty soon he'll be too big for me to pull on to my lap, and treat him like the toddler I missed raising.
Sometimes when I'm around little boys, I try to imagine Alex at that age.
I talked to him once about it, telling him how I wish I had the chance to know him as a little guy. And guess what he said?
Nothing.
He just shrugged.

Our Bahama's Cruise!

Sunday morning at 4:30 am my fabulous Dad picked us up and took us to the airport. James and I were headed to the warm, sunny Bahama's to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary! (Yes, it was last November but we saved the trip for the cold, dreary month of February!)

After paying $120 to get our BAGS on the plane. (Yikes) We flew to Dallas airport where we sat and sat. Right before our flight we were offered $300 in traveling vouchers each to give up our seats and wait until the next flight three hours later. We were just going to sit in Fort Lauderdale at our hotel so why not make $600 and sit in the Dallas airport? We bought a pack of cards, played cards, played on my new Kindle that James bought for my birthday before we left and we slept. 

In this picture I am actually awake trying to catch this photo, but unlike my photo savvy daughters, I have yet figured out how to hold the camera and get our heads centered in the picture.

We finally arrived in Fort Lauderdale and took a shuttle to our hotel. Here's a picture of James waiting for our shuttle. We're playing cards....again. Something we did lots of on our trip.

We stayed at a pretty dive-y hotel but at least there were not any bed bugs! We had called a cab as we needed to get to the Miami Port (we flew into Fort Lauderdale as it was $150 cheaper for each ticket) when we got out to our cab, our cabbie asked if we'd like to split the ride with two older couples that needed to go to the same port. Of course! It only cost us $20 to get to the Miami Port. Whoot! Here is  a picture of our cabbies cool cowboy boots. He was a very black french man from Marquis. His name was Mark. Mark from Marquis. I even got hugs from the ladies we drove with - they were taking a different cruise than us.

We got on the boat and headed straight to the buffet as our rooms were not ready. I must say that we were NEVER hungry on this trip. Yes, we ate that much!

Here is James with his best Captain of the Seas's look.

Here we are at our first dinner. (Yes, I took a picture of the picture they took. Shhhh!)

The next morning we landed in.....

Key West

(Again, this is another picture of the picture they took....but off of James' I-pod)

We rented a moped and went all over the island. (Notice our safety conscious helmets?)

Why did the chicken cross the road? So I could take it's picture!

This is the southern most point of the United States. Yes, I only got half of it. Give me a break, I was zooming by on the back of a moped and we didn't want to stand in the twenty person long line to take a picture!

LOVED the real estate in Key West.  Well, LOVED the big houses. We saw some dives too. Housing is extremely expensive here.

We stopped and parked at the beach and here is proof I put my feet in the ocean. Too bad you can't see my cute palm tree pedicure!

The beach...

Biker guy and his chick....

Warning....the next photo is very romantic.....

What a bad biker moped guy!

Then we went back to the city part and drove by tourist traps but didn't go in.

James petting the light house cat.

Another shot of Earnest Hemingway's house.

Key Lime Pie

Crazy pirate guy that charges you to take your picture with him. Luckily I was on the zippy moped and snapped this without him noticing.

Another tourist picture trap.....have your picture taken with a rooster. No thanks!

The pier

There are chickens all over the island, and we found some baby chicks too!

James with a fish statue...

That night was formal night back on the boat! Here we are and me with my famous blink! (I do this all the time in pictures! That is why there are so few of me on this blog!)

And yes....that is my Ukraine costume jewelry I bought at the outdoor bazar.

Nassau

The next day we went to Nassau. Last time we went on this cruise we booked an excursion to a beach and snorkeled and had a lovely lunch on a white sandy beach. This time we thought we'd do some shopping and see the city. Not a good idea. The city smelled HORRIBLE. There had been a big fire there and many buildings along the port had burnt down. The fire was out but the place smelled bad. I only took two pictures. This one of this horribly dirty alley way. 

And this one of the street. Which didn't really give you a true view of how packed and crowded the city actually was. We managed to find the straw market but it was like a Jamaican Tijuana. We managed to find the kids beach towels that say the Bahama's. Chances are they were made in China just like all the other junk for sale.

James took ONE picture. This picture below. He was besides himself about how unsafe and unharnessed these guys are up on this scaffolding. He has video too and plans to use it at work to show unsafe work practices.

I know that there are beautiful parts of Nassau....we just didn't visit any of them on this trip.

The next day we went to Coco Cay

(Royal Caribbeans private island)

 It's a beautiful island but not very private once the cruise ship of 3,000 arrived!

 Here we are with the cruse ship behind us....

Here's yet another attempt of me holding my arm out with my camera trying to get the two of us in the same photo!

This one worked out better....the picture that is....not my hair!

 And our shadows....

We dined with some really nice folks each night. Vincent and MaraLouise from Malta and Mary & Pam from Canada....here we are with Mary & Pam. (Pam is now my facebook friend)

We spent ALL day Friday after getting off the boat sitting in airports and staggered in after midnight Saturday morning. Thanks Dad....again for picking us up and a big thanks to Troy for staying with our children.

Sunday (today) it snowed. 

Now, when am I going to show off my palm tree pedicure?

Friday Night Pedicures...

 Friday night Alex and James were heading to the Jazz game with Alex's Junior Jazz team and Austin had plans with friends so I decided the girls need a night out...besides, I needed a pedicure for my upcoming trip!

Here are our finished toes-ies!

Happy Birthday James!

Dorito Super Bowl Commercial Finger Licking Fun Weird Guy licks fingers ...

Yesterday we watched the Super Bowl!

A big deal because we don't watch sports. On TV. We sit in the bleachers and watch hours of our children playing sports but we really NEVER have sports on TV. (Thank goodness! What a waste of time?)

Anyway, I went all out. I made a spiral cut ham, potato salad, veggie plate in a football shaped bowl and I let the kids set up TV trays and eat in front of the TV.

The boys ate and soon lost interest and Alex went to work on re-typing his science stuff and Austin went to play Xbox. Dev and Ry cheered and booed the entire game. They were really into it. They even had a special handshake for when their team (The Steelers) made a touch down.

My personal favorite part is the commercials. My fav was the rich people in jail. Not even sure what they were advertising but it made me laugh.

When I saw the following commercial I laughed too. Sort of gross but funny. However, I knew I had seen this actor before. I asked the kids if they knew who he was? Nope. Was he on Napoleon Dynamite? Nope. I just knew I knew him from something.....

Then this morning while watching the news they mentioned this commercial was shot in Utah and it hit me! Remember this blog post: http://blessedwitharichhart.blogspot.com/2010/03/vampires-mother.html The one where I played the vampire's mother? THIS FINGER-LICKING-GUY PLAYED MY SON!!

Teeheehee!

I DO know him! I did a film with him and I spent a good hour hugging him over and over in our last scene. 

Oh, I hope he becomes famous with this commercial. He's a very nice guy. I know somewhere - in the cobwebs of my mind - I know his name but since it took over 12 hours to just remember where I know him FROM, it might be next week before his name comes to me!

(Okay, just read my post and his name is Aaron. Whoot for blogging. It's better than my memory!)

Lessons

This weekend we've been trying to complete Alex's science experiment. (I stole this idea from my friend Lori.) We're making chocolate chip cookies, one with all name brand ingredients and one with all store brand ingredients and doing a taste test to see if expensive taste better than thrifty.

Realizing, that science projects are due the 17th or 18th but that I'm going to be heading out of town 13th -18th, they need to get done this week. (Yes, THEY! Rylee has one too!)

We made the cookies Saturday and I told Alex -while I was running around like a crazy woman - to type up his list of ingredients, hypothesis, etc but to NOT print them out! I think I mentioned DON'T PRINT THEM about three times. 

Saturday was crazy! Running kids, running myself (Rylee's science experiment is me running and wearing a heart rate monitor to determine if running on a track or treadmill burns more calories) going to Alex's bb game, picking up Austin' corsage, attending a bridal shower, getting a listing signed, making cookies, and going to Junior Prom. Busy day. At one point I was collapsed on the couch with a ten minute window until my next get up and go and Alex come in with papers in hand. PRINTED OUT PAPERS. The very papers I told him NOT to print out. Grrr.....

I asked if he remembered me telling him NOT to print out the papers? 

Yes. 

Why would I ask him to wait? 

So, you can fix mistakes? 

Yes. 

Are they corrected? 

No.

And his eyes filled with tears and he told me he just cannot listen. I told him listening wasn't the problem. He heard me perfectly well. Obeying was the problem.

*sigh*

Later as I was attempting to throw on a skirt and freshen up to go to Prom later that night, Alex came in and told me "I am just hurting every one's feelings today." Again, eyes brimming with tears. I asked what he had done? He was on his new Facebook account (Yes, he found 20 friends.....my plan backfired!) having an instant message chat with Kambree and Devree kept telling him what to type. He was getting frustrated and told her in his Ukraine-I-will-kill-you-voice "Stay our of my life!" Now, unless you have a Ukrainian import you have no idea how ice-like, cutting and gruff one little sentence can be. Not to mention dirty looks? Overly exaggerated body language? Daggers? Words delivered in a way that sends ice to your heart? These are things that happen regularly. Often times for the smallest things and he doesn't even realize. I sincerely believe it's a cultural thing. Alex has "a look" that could melt ice.Over something as simple as a missed spelling word. He will bark something at someone and it makes the hairs on my neck stand up. We've talked about this time and time again but this is the first time he's come to me for help.The first time he has actually realized that his words hurt.

He had already told Devree sorry and was truly repented. (He had also come and rubbed his cheek against mine, hugging me and promised me he would try harder to listen early with regards to the printing episode.) I told him how he just has a way of giving looks and saying things that are so hurtful and angry that we think he hates us? I told him it's not his fault. But he needs to find a way to be friendly. A way to disagree or defend himself with out making us feel like crawling under a rock. I did tell him that the great thing is that he is noticing that his words and actions are hurting others and that's the first step in fixing it.

I gave him an example of me asking him to take his shoes off before he goes in the living room. Delivering the exact same sentence but once in a friendly but serious voice and one in an angry and hateful voice. I asked which one made him feel loved and which one made him feel like I didn't like him? 

I hope he can conquer this. It really is hard to help or have compassion for a child that can - with one dagger like look - make you feel like you're dealing with hardened KGB agent!

I think he took it to heart. He also told me he's going to start praying to listen better. (Again...listen and OBEY is what I'm hoping he'll be aiming for!)

Today I brushed an eyelash off his cheek in church and had him make a wish.It didn't blow away. I teasingly said,  "Oh darn. Alex, now you won't get your wish. What did you wish for? Super hero powers?"

"No, I wished for listening better."

*sigh*

Austin's Junior Prom!

Before he left....posing for Devree's cell phone....

Talking to me on his cell phone while waiting for the promenade. (Austin is in the white jacket next to the pillar)

Still waiting....they were number one hundred and something....

The Promenade:

Kendall & Austin...

With his mom....

With friends, Cole & Jessica...

His group....

Yes, there was one parent dance and I danced with my handsome boy!