The spooky 6-year old

Had a nice, but short visit from sister Cami this week.  Ate some yummy indian food and took her and Tanner on a hike, but we got sorta lost in very hilly terrain.  Miss my sisters.  Won't you please move close to me?!

And I suppose I was getting too close to being done with halloween costumes so far ahead of time, so decided to add another halloween project.  Gotta get my artsy fix!  I've started this halloween sheet mural because I want to do a photo booth of sorts at our ward halloween party.  This is half of it (it is 8' tall, probably 10' long).  I ran out of black paint, so will do the other half one night this week, but I'm pretty proud of it so far. 

Here are a few quotes for you from Ethan. Although three year olds probably say the funniest things ever, six year olds still make you laugh too.

(While having a pretend conversation on the phone..) "Hello? Is it the girl who wants to kiss Ethan again?"

(After sneezing into his sleeve) "What happens when Chewbacca sneezes? How does he get the boogies off his fur?"

(After my frustration with yet another book that Tanner ripped) "Why don't we just sell him? We've got lots of pictures of him."

This week

Here's a list of going-on's for the week:

Sunday - practiced our Primary Program for the first time.  I'm really proud of the kids; all the older kids wrote their own parts!  I've never done this before, but I think it's going to be great.  Then, made some super tasty chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies for family night treat.  We never actually did family night, but we sure did eat those cookies.

Monday - played with my friends and their kiddos.  Who I love. 
Finished watching season 1 of 24. Decided I am done with the show, after having dreams such as having to do a choke on a homeless guy who was attacking me because my friend's husband was in the other room and didn't even notice.

Tuesday - cleaned my own carpet using a rented machine, all with Tanner awake, and no additional adult assistance.  Boy, that was a lot of work.  And it is so nasty how much dirt is in our carpet!!!  I will never have carpet when I own a house that I actually live in.

Wednesday - almost went on a hike by myself, thanks to one of those great friends that I love (Karisa), and instead talked to my insurance company and seethed because someone hit my car.  I was driving along when there was a crash on the side of my car, and I pulled over, and a guy parked on the shoulder had pulled out and hit me.  The seething was because when he got out, he said, "I guess we ran into each other."  And when I was like, "What do you mean?  You hit me."  He said, "Didn't you see my turn signal?"  After explaining to him that I do not have to stop for someone parked on the side of the road as I drive down the road, I got his insurance info and assessed damages on my car which are extensive.  The passenger door, back sliding door, and back panel are all dented in.  But no one was hurt, the car drives, and other than having my car in the shop for a week, I think I am all settled with my insurance company and won't have any ill effects with them.  But that was all very not fun for me.  I am grateful for my extremely useful husband who is getting estimates at repair shops at this very moment.  While I no longer have my 12-year-old sister pump gas for me because I don't feel comfortable doing it, I still am not super cozy in an autobody shop trying to make sure I'm not going to end up with a shoddy job.  

For your viewing pleasure, Tanner's chosen outfit for the day:

Thursday - An amazingly warm day in Morro Bay.  It was 85 degrees and beautiful.  So, I strollered down to the bay and went kayaking with Tanner in the morning along with another little momma with matching child.

This was Tanner's first time kayaking with us.  My other boys did so wonderful at this age; they would just sit all mellow-like, and fall asleep.  Apparently we found two one-year olds who are not the sea-faring type.  They just screamed.  So, it was a short kayaking portion and very pleasant time over on the sand spit, eating sandy bananas and string cheese.  On the way back over, we were so much of a spectacle that some random hotel guest nearby videotaped us, and is going to email the video to us.  I'll update with that when available.  Anyway, it was all very memorable, and it will be a few months before I try that again with him!!  

Friday - Picked up my photos for my homemade I Spy book. This was a lot of fun to put together with the boys, and one of many pinterest ideas (thanks for your pin, Kate). Next time I'll print them bigger, and it will be even cooler, but it was 10 times as much money and hardly seemed worth it. Anyway, here's my blue page as a sample for you.

Also, trying to figure out halloween costumes.  I'm mostly perplexed on how to make myself look like this, while still being modest.  I welcome any ideas, or if you think it is impossible, let me know.  It just would fit with the boys' desired costumes.  None of which I have started on.  I have a busy couple of weeks ahead of me!

Food lists

Foods I would miss terribly if I moved away from here:
1.  Farmer's Market fruit, so many I won't list them
2.  U-Pick Satsuma Tangerines at Cal-Poly
3.  Apple Farm Blueberry Muffins (I am on a quest to create amazing muffins, so I don't have to pay $50 to eat breakfast here)
4. Splash Cafe Clam Chowder Breadbowl
5. Taco Temple Fish Tacos and desserts
6.  La Parisienne Bakery's Pear Tart
7. Olde Port Fisheries Smoked Salmon
8. Alissa Bright's cakes
9.  Sunshine Cafe Tempeh Tacos
10. Dockside II's Mariner's Salad with seared ahi

Foods I miss because I live here:
1.  Outback Special, 12 oz.
2. #31 (Lemongrass Chicken) from Rice Noodles (Sacramento)
3. Sonic's Strawberry Limeade
4. Togo's Turkey and Avocado Sandwich
5. AQ Chicken's Buttery Rolls (Arkansas)
6. Marketplace Grill Spinach Dip (Arkansas)
7. Gandolfo's Urban Cowboy (Utah)
8. Cafe Rio Burritos (Utah)
9.  Carin Christensen's Pudding Cake (Arkansas)
10.  EVERYTHING my dad makes

We read something recently that said that most people only make 6-10 different meals for dinner.  This has really intrigued me.  I can't imagine going through only this many.  But if I did, these would be my ten most commonly made dinners, not including things like quesadillas, ravioli, and potstickers.  Recipes are available upon request.

1. Chinese Chicken Salad (Romaine, Chicken, Peanuts, Mandarin Oranges, Crushed Ramen Noodles, Dressing)
2. Spiced Grilled Chicken Breasts and Roasted Cauliflower
3. Chicken Fajitas
4. Pasta Fajoli (Soup with Noodles, Tomatoes, Bacon, White Beans, Parmesan Cheese, Tomato base)
5. Orange Chicken Stir fry with Broccoli, Red Peppers, and Cashews
6. Barbecue Chicken Salad (Romaine, Tomatoes, Jicama, Corn, Black Beans, Chicken with Barbecue Sauce, Thin Ranch Dressing)
7. Taco Salad
8. Homemade sauceless chicken and veggie pizzas on trader joe's pizza dough
9. Philly Cheese Steaks
10. Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Maple/Balsamic Sauce, rice pilaf, and some random veggie

Reflections on parenthood

Here is a list I made last year in my actual journal.  These are less obvious ways having kids has drastically affected my life:

1.  My order of operations is no longer the most logical order to do things, but what will be more catastorphic if I don't get it done.  For example, I put my clothes on first, then deodorant, then lotion, because if there's a sceaming kid, clothes are more critical, even though it is easier to put on deodorant with clothes on.

2.  I have a hard time maintaining eye contact during conversations even when the kids aren't around because I'm so used to tracking kids actions while doing everything.

3.  Saturday sleeping in and sunday naps are nearly inexistant.

4.  I know all the names of construction equipment.  I always wondered when I worked on a construction site and had to log what equipment was on site, why I didn't know the names and everyone else did.  And now I know.  Because they were all little boys once.

5.  I used to love movies.  We watched lots.  Now, it's different.  I don't have much patience for them. Devoting a consecutive 2 1/2 hour block to a movie usually is just not worth it.  There's either too many things to do or I'd rather just go to sleep.

6.  I instinctly rock in a rocking chair even when I don't have a baby in my arms to sooth.

7.  I used to always have lower back pain when I would wake up in the morning anytime I slept 8 hours or more.  Now, I'm healed!  While my boys all sleep rather well, I really never am in bed for that length of time without getting up at least once.  Gotta look on the bright side, eh?

8.  I feel very strange and a little lost whenever I walk anywhere without pushing a stroller.