Daughters

I am the mother of 3 girls.  I feel I am lucky. In fact, I don't just feel it, I know it.  Its quite like a testimony.  When I think of my girls I get all warm and tingly inside, and (how do you say it?) my bosom burns.


Jennie and I were talking the other day.  I have started to realize that she and her 2 sisters are the people that I want to hang out with.  (After a dat with Rob of course.) But truely, these 3 girls are my best friends.  Yes, i am still their mom, and I tell them things I think they do wrong sometimes, and we get mad, and sometimes we yell (what? yelling in the Easton household?). But regardless of that it is these 3 that give me the sisterly friendship that I have always wanted to have.  I love these 3 so much.

Jennie is a great wife.  She loves to cook, and take care of Tyler.  She is going to be a great mom. She is super creative, and she is awesome on pintrest.  This girl makes things happen.  She takes after her father in that way.  If she wants something, she doesn't just hope it will happen. She doesn't just wait for it to happen either. She MAKES them happen. I have watched her in her life succeed at just about everything she has put her mind to.  She is amazing.  Honestly, world, watch out for her! If you are up against her, you will probably lose...sorry.  She is a winner.

Aubrey is so cute.  She is the best when she has a plan in her life.  When she is going forward with that plan...look out.  She is in Costmetology School and loves it!  I can already tell that she is going to be great at it, and my favorite hairstylist ever.  Aubrey is super clean, and loves to clean clean.  As a mom, this is one of those qualities you want in any of your children, because if they are in a room, they just naturally start picking things up, unloading the dishwasher, or if you are cooking, they are doing the dishes....without being asked!!!!!  She is now in night school, and so I miss her being right there cleaning and talking to me.  Dang...but she is doing what she loves, and most importantly, she is happy. 

Ashley is also very stupendous.  She is happy...most every single day, and most all day long.  She is the one that comes up with the most random things, that just crack us all up.  Honestly, I usually think about these random things too, but she brings them up, and then I realize how much we are alike. She makes us all laugh. It is the greatest to have her around, because she makes life seem really good even when life is stressful.  She laughs and giggles at most things.  She just finds reasons to laugh.  Isn't that a talent? The saying "life is full of lemons until you make lemonade" was invented by her.  She is also super good with children.  She says that all babies like her, and I don't think its a lie.  She is that talented.

Now, please don't be jealous that I have such amazing, fun, talented girls in my life.  I will share. Especially on that weird day where everyone is angry, mad, feeling competitive, or overwhelmed with life.  On those days, you can have them all.  But most days, I am just ready to have you be just a bit jealous that Jennie, Aubrey and Ashley aren't your daughters.

All good days...

Probably the day this picture got drawn on was a day that I would have shared them... But look how cute and fun they are!

Jennie's wedding day...in the bathroom...primping. Especially good days!

Love them!

We even do "looking bad" good together!

Several “Stories” of Deceit

                 Mothers, we all have them.  In the life of a mom, many things can happen.  Many things can be experienced for good or bad.  In the life of a mom, we have the best days of our lives, or we live the worst nightmares imaginable. Children, we have all been one.  We know what happens when they are young and curious.  There is nothing better than being a mom of children and there is nothing worse than being a mom with children.   I thought I would share some of the most “memorable” moments in my life…my life as a mom.

                  Pregnant with twins, I was working as an apartment manager so I could be a stay at home mom.  One of my jobs was to collect rent checks.  Across the hall, in the empty apartment there was a mail slot that the tenants could drop their rents into.  Quite convenient when you don’t want to drag a 2 year old with you every stop you make to pick up the money.  One day, I quietly slipped out of my apartment; careful not to close the door so that my two year old wouldn’t be left by herself, alone, in the apartment.   I went across the hall to grab the envelopes when I heard my door creaking behind me.  I quickly turned around. With a grin on her face, Jennie, my two year old slammed the door behind me.  No biggie, I was the apartment manager, and I had the only master key in the complex. And it was safe, inside my apartment, with my 2 year old.  I was locked out. That was it. I had thoughts running through my head about my poor Jennie locked inside by herself.  Did I turn off my curling iron?  Would she find it? Would she find the cleaning supplies? Could she make herself a sandwich if she got hungry? How quickly I forgot that it was she that has left me out in the cold. The cute smiley face that closed the door on me will be the last memory I would have of her if something were to go wrong.  That cute face would be my motivation to get back in…but it would not be an easy task. I knocked on the door hoping she would respond.  I could hear her in there.  “Mommy” she called? We were such good parents.  Thanks to the child proof locks, Jennie would not ever be able to escape. Or… let me back in.  My efforts were fruitless.

                In my frantic state, I was surprised that I remembered that I left the balcony door unlocked.  Why lock it when you live on the 3^rd level? Who in their right mind would climb up 3 stories to get in? Oh, that’s right, ME, to retrieve my little innocent 2 year old. My climb would be treacherous, and hard since I wasn’t sure my 7 month belly bump (with twins) was smaller than my arm span, not to mention the haul it would take to heave myself over the balcony railing. But, it was necessary.  I had to get back in. As I climbed, the first one was easy, since it was nearly ground level.  It was getting to a standing position on top of the railing that began my fear.  I couldn’t look down.  I pulled myself up on to the 2^nd level, realizing I was stronger than I knew, or else, it was the sheer adrenaline flowing through me.  Just as I was standing on the railing of the 2^nd balcony ready to pull myself up to the 3^rd, the rent checks that I forgot were in my pocket, fluttered down into the bottom balcony.  Well, at least they were safe…

                As I pulled myself up to my balcony, I could see in my sliding glass window.  Who would be there to greet me? Jennie.  She was staring at me, laughing hysterically.  She THEN tried to open up the balcony door.  On my two year olds face, was not a look of concern.  Not a look of “oh look what mommy has done to save me” kind of look. She simply looked at me and said…”Funny mommy.”

                I had been deceived by a 2 year old, which left me scaling the balconies of a 3 story apartment building.  I want to say that I was Spiderman, but there was no spider super power anywhere.  Just an anxious mom worried about her 2 year old.

                As our children grow older, we grow older, and our keen sense of awareness dims. I, again, was deceived by a child.  This time it was my 5^th child.  He was also 2 years old.  The deceit came when I least expected it.  It usually does, because who expects to be deceived by their children? Well, maybe “older” children have that ability, but not when they are 2. Right? Riiiigggghhhht….

                This little toddler, Kyle, was so darling.  Nobody could resist his charm.  That is the most dangerous thing about this now 15 year old boy.  He has it all going on.  He would look at you with his dark hair and dark eyes, and just give you a little smile.  Not a smile of shyness, it was as if he was flirting, daring you to kiss him. He was the center of attention where ever he was.  And he knew how to give just enough attention but leaving you thirsty for more.  He loved to play with little tiny objects.  Lego men were among his favorites. He often would hand me little things wanting to engage me in some playtime.  

On this particular day, I was cleaning my house.  I love clean things.  Clean house and clean children are on the top of my list.  Kyle was playing in the next room.  I was so pleased that everything in my sight was clean and smelt good.  This darling boy walked over to me, and with a little smile on his face, he reached up to me with his hand out.  I knew this gesture was “please come play with me”.  But I had to keep cleaning before the other children came home to destroy any “cleanliness” I had created.  So I didn’t have time.  So I thought maybe just a kiss would suffice.    My arms were full of cleaning supplies, so it wasn’t possible to pick him up. Any attention from him wasn’t quite enough. I couldn’t let this moment pass.   So, instead of picking him up, I just grabbed his little hand and just started kissing it.  It was an irresistible move on my part. Until I realized what then crossed my lips, probably sitting on my lips, was something completely horrific.  The kind where worst nightmares lie. I looked at his darling little hand.   It was covered in a brown substance.  Wait, it could be just chocolate, but it was wishful thinking.  I knew the smell of chocolate. And this wasn’t chocolate.   And unfortunately the smell that came from his sweet little hand was something extremely offensive.  I didn’t understand why this little, sweet hand could be associated with such a smell.  It was poop.  Yes it was poop and now it was on my lips. 

                I am a mom.  I have been deceived several times in my life.  Will I learn?  Will it be the reality of grandchildren that will finally awaken my senses to the deceit these little ones can demonstrate? Still, I am a mom…that is all.

Jennie in our apartment:

Cameron and Kyle - Kyle is the little one.

Prayer...a portal to His heart

I can't get over how prayer humbles my heart and allows Heavenly Father to teach us what it is we need to learn. Each prayer can and does open our minds to a thought that He desires us to know and understand. I KNOW that Heavenly Father knows the desires of our hearts before we even tell him. And even though those desires aren't always granted to us, through prayer, He helps us understand and even conforms our desires to match His. And as my desires conform to His, I see into His heart. His loving, caring, life giving heart. He wants me to be His, and I must learn what He sees for me. Every prayer is, in its own way...a Miracle. Is that how we view prayer? Do we see it as nothing more than a miracle? If we don't, we need to look again.

I am ready for another Miracle

Where is my stuff?

Here is a paper I had to write for my English class last year.  This semester I will be writing more, and I will continue to post.  At least then I might just have 12 posts... !

Where is my Stuff?

I am 42.  I don’t think I am losing it too terribly bad.  But one of the biggest problems in my  house is all the things that go missing.  Missing…  My house is clean.  I am not the most organized person in the world, but I know where I leave my things.  They all have their place. I am pretty sure that most things don’t sprout legs and walk away.  They have help, pretty sure. 

            I am the proud mother of 6 awesome children.  They all make me happy. They are smart, funny, and pretty clever.  In my spare time (and theirs) we love to talk.  My husband and I think the day each of them was born was the best day of our lives.  I love them so much that I even will buy them things.  Occasionally, I will allow them to borrow my things.  A moms heart always softens when the “I have nothing to wear” card gets pulled.  I stress to them the importance of returning said items. They promise. Profusely.  It doesn’t matter that it might be my favorite dress.  As soon as that said card is pulled, I forget that it will disappear.  And in order to find it, a massive hide and go seek game will follow.  Oops, my bad.  

            Actually, is it my bad?  No.  No it isn’t.  I have stated this before, and don’t mind restating, I am a clean person, and while my house isn’t Martha Stewarts, I know where I put my things. I hang things up.  I fold things.  So the other day, my daughter borrowed my running shorts.  Where are they now? She says, “Oh I returned them to you.”  Ok, so where are they?  I think in my mind.  Did I put them in my drawer? Nope, not there.  Did I put them in my closet with my pajamas?  Nope, not there either.  Did I put them under my bed?  Hahaha.   Still missing…   I may not be 20 anymore, but 42 isn’t that far from it, right? Am I losing it?  I always try to give them the benefit of the doubt.  But how long must I wait for my things to “walk” back into my life?  Oh, they will reappear, probably when she finds them under her bed.  All of a sudden they will be in my drawer as though they were there all the time.  

            I have tape for gift wrapping.  I bought lots of pens and pencils at the beginning of the school year for school work, and, you know, other stuff.  How is it that when I need to wrap a present, and write a card there is no tape and pen to be found?  I can show you the receipt, evidence of the purchase. I would even be willing to use a pencil at this point, but, no the drawer is empty. And no one knows where they might be found, because no one has used them!  How does the school work get done without pens and pencils?  I know… I have very clever children who use charcoaled wood to finish assignments, and rubber bands to attach school projects together.  Should I be proud of their cleverness? They are amazing. I’ll be the first to admit it. But come on, that clever? When I am expected to use the clever effects to wrap a wedding gift, and write a card, it ends!

            This is why I have to ask: is 42 a time when a mom starts to lose it? I read an article the other day about a mom that lost it in the presence of her daughter over a pair of finger nail clippers.  The daughter didn’t understand why she was acting so crazy.  Boy, she may not understand, but we parents sure do.  All I can say, is someday she will.  Someday, when she is a 42 year old mother, and wonders if she is losing it, the rude awakening answer to that question will come screaming in her face.  YES!  You are insane, you have children.

Worlds worst blogger

this is me being the worlds worst blogger... Only 9 posts...

 

But this isn't the worst thing I am worst at.  I have over 70 followers on Pintrest, and I haven't "pinned" anything! I think I win!

 

 

Once cold...always cold?

So here it is January, and I am cold.  Rob always tells me that the reason why I am cold is because I do not have enough fat on my body. Notice he does not say just "fat", he says "enough fat", because clearly he sees that I have fat and I appreciate his honesty.   So this past fall I have put on some extra weight. Unfortunately, it isn't muscle like everyone else puts on, it is just more fat.  I am not used to putting on weight in the fall/winter.  I usually put on weight in the spring, just in time to unveil my body in a swimsuit at the pool. At least this time, I will cover it with some nice long pants, and a hoodie.

So this past semester I have learned all about scientific experiments. So in my wisdom, I decided to put this to the test.  Could I really spend a winter being warm? Not always having to cuddle next to Rob to get warm.  Its not fair, you know.  He so would love to be cold, and I so desperately want to be warm.

Well, here are my findings...I am still cold, I am still shivering, I still feel like an ice cube...

Graduates

 

      I am very happy to announce that Cam and Jennie have both graduated! Yippee! Jennie from USU, and Cameron from WXHS. It is just crazy the emotional feelings that caress a body when a mom sees her children taking a big step in life. I clearly remember back in HS when I graduated. I knew it was a big step, but I didn't realize just how big. As a teenager, you can't imagine, or even know what to expect from what lies ahead. Its fun and exciting to watch what these kids will do next. Here are a few pictures of the big day for them.

And here is my 4th HS graduate:

And for any of you interested... Even though Cam spent the year as Student Body President, he still had to try out to speak at his graduation...scary... But he made it and here is his speech. Enjoy...we sure did :) so proud!

I am also so proud of my family! They were all there for both graduations.  What support! Doesn't get any better than that.  Lucky mom :)

The after party:

The tradition of Robs family is to have a big barbecue on Memeorial Day to celebrate all the graduates that year.  Check this out: we had 7 graduates in the family! From HS to Master's degrees...What a family!

Check out the air that Jennie and Lyndsey got! I guess you could say they were a little happy!

Ok, but Andrew is the clear winner...

Ashley made the posters for Cam and Jen.  She does good work!

Look at this wonderful girl!  Yay Jennie!

Here is Cam's picture by his poster. Oh yea, he was too busy to come get a picture because he was playing volleyball.. Gosh Cam, get your priorities straight! Haha... I guess I understand.  There is nothing better than a good game of family volleyball.

Remembering...I think

Everyday I have experiences, and I think to myself, "perfect blog post!" But the problem is, I get to my  computer, and I can't remember what the experience was I was going to blog about.  How am I suppose to learn from my experiences, if I can't even remember them long enough to blog about it?

I can give great advice to my kids as long as they let me give them advice within the first few minutes of asking for it. Otherwise, I forget my perfect thoughts.  Makes it really hard to be a great listener.

I get invited to things, but forget to go.

I go to the temple, and stand at the temple prayer roll forgetting who it is that needs the extra prayers that week. 

I really am trying...but I forget what it is I am trying to do...

What was this post about anyway??

2012! Its here!

Its already the NEW YEAR! YEOH! I wonder what 2012 will bring to the Easton Family this year? Here are some of the wonderful possibilities I have thought about...


Could it be :

a wedding?
a College Graduate?
a High School Graduate?
an Easton Mission call?
a returning missionary?
a trip to Austria?
a trip to Disneyland?
a baby?

Thinking about it, every one of these things could be happening in our family this year! I knew this kind of stuff would happen...sooner or later. When Rob and I were having kids (like 4 in 4 years) there were times when I knew it could all happen quick. But this is nuts! (and completely fun!) Old age...come on! HIT ME! I'm not scared.

I start school again on Jan 9th. I am taking it slow. I have a lot of mixed emotions about it. i want to finish, but my family will always come first. One class will have to do for now.

And the weight...watch it melt! haha...wish me luck :)