Julias Birthday

I had a great plan for Julia's birthday- a Hawaiian Luau! We had plastic coconuts for goody bags. We were going to eat pizza with pineapple on it and drink Hawaiian punch from cups with little umbrellas in it. We were going to wear leis and put flowers in the girls hair and dance the limbo. We were going to have a hula hoop contest and watch "beach party at Disney world" (there's Hula Dancing in it).



Then on Wednesday, three days before the party, I woke up sick as a dog- fever, chills, stomach cramps, nausea. I slept all days (while Daniel watched too much TV), only dragging myself out of bed at 4pm to drive a group of youth to the temple for baptisms. The next morning, Mark, who had also been at the temple, felt awful and stayed home. I knew I should cancel the party, but Julia had been a little free with the invites at school and I wasn't sure who was coming! So I went ahead and decorated, got the cake, got the balloons, got lots of hand sanitizer and Lysol and scrubbed down the house...



Saturday morning, Julia went out to Dennys with Karen. Came back and within five minutes, threw up all over the couch. So- party canceled after all. I had to use a combination of the school directory, our caller ID and some embarrassing mistakes, but I managed to reach most of the kids Julia had invited.



Then I had to scramble- how do we salvage a ruined seventh birthday? We came up with some at home ideas:

1. Silly string fight, water balloon fight.

2. Herbie the love bug marathon.

3. Nap with mom (Juli still thinks this is a privilege)

4. A new Webkinz (we only have a zillion of these)

4. Cake and Ice Cream for dinner (not the big cake- we froze that)



All in all, not such a horrible birthday. We hope to reschedule the Luau once we all get over this horrible bug. And Julia, despite throwing up, was pretty happy.

Stage Mom

A little background on my performing experience- when I was a teen growing up in Staten Island New York, I tried out for a production of HMS Pinafore at a children's theater and was cast in the lead. I went on to get two more leads at that same children's theater, and I have been coasting off of that experience for the past 20 years. I went to BYU, were I was very mediocre at best, I taught school and directed plays (not very well), I sang with the BSO (in the chorus), and recently, I have been in three community theater plays, all in the chorus. In church, I'm the second or third choice when someone needs a soloist. The truth is, I'm not very good. But in my mind, I was a star once, and therefore will be again.

Then I became a mom. To five daughters. And I am ashamed to admit, it is VERY HARD not to project my aspirations on them. I wrangle them into a production number for the ward talent show every year. I teach them voice and take them to dance. Megan has been in two community shows so far, Rachel has been in one and is currently in rehearsal for another. Last summer they did a local theater camp, and when Megan got the lead, I was ESTATIC. So I was very excited when we found out her middle school was doing Mulan, very excited when she went to audition, very excited to hear she was cast as...

a VILLAGER.

Ok, not so excited now. I was mad. I blamed myself for net getting her a better vocal coach. I signed her up for voice lessons from someone besides me. And I tried to be positive on friday night, when I went to see Mulan. The opening number consisted of the villagers standing in the back of the theater, singing in THE DARK. And got worse from there. In total, Megan was on stage twice, including the curtain call. Total stage time of one minute or less. I admit it, I was mad . I was jealous of the parents whose kids had bigger parts. I sat there in the dark, seething.

I should add that in the middle of the rehearsal process, Megan had broken her leg skiing. But she went to every rehersal, first on crutches, then in a walking cast, finally in a boot. All that for minimal stage time.

But then after the show, when we gave her flowers and took her picture, Megan was beaming. She was happy. She was proud of herself. And so I need to shut off my nasty stage mom voice and be proud of her too. She was a wonderful villager. She is a wonderful girl. And really, its time for me to grow up and realize that the chorus is an OK place to be.

WE WANT A DOG!!

Dear Mom and Dad: Can we get a dog? I've found some ways that pets can make you healthy. Here they are:
1. You can live longer
2. Playing catch is fun.
3.Pets can lower stress.
4.Pets keep you active.
5.Pets keep you happy.
6.Taking a walk is relaxing.
7.If your dog runs while taking a walk you will get exercise.
I really want a dog. Don't just recycle this, read it! I hope I've persuaded you to get a dog. Can we please, please,please,please,please,please,please,please, get a dog.
Your loving child,
Abby K.

Dear Dad:
These are 10 reasons we should get a dog.
1. A dog will make us happy.
2. We won't be bored with a dog to play with
3. Walks are good exercise.
4. Mom wants one.
5. We are not allowed to have a cat.
6. Dogs keep you active.
7. Playing catch is fun.
8. We found dogs online that are house trained (potty trained)
9. Its one of my 2009 goals.
10. You won't have to worry about us begging for a dog if we already have one.
(From Rachel)

Lunch

Guilty confession number one- my kids eat the SAME, not very nutritious lunch almost every school day. Peanut Butter Sandwich on white bread with honey or jam, apple or banana or fruit cup, snack (like granola bars or goldfish) and a bottle of water. EVERY day. I have tried a number of variations with the following reviews from my children: Cold cuts(slimy) cheese(sticky), wraps (also slimy) wheat bread(scratchy), crackers, cookies, muffins (crumbly), yogurt (sour), string cheese(gross). Leftover stuff in thermoses (gross). So I have given up, and just pack the same lunch, times six, every day. (I make an extra for daniel to eat at home to save me an extra step). Yes, I feel bad, but I am tired of trying new things that end up thrown out, or worse, brought home like a gift for me!

Stake Conference 2009

April 18. We rolled out of bed at 6 am this morning to get to stake conference by 8:30 for primary choir and youth choir (happening simultaneously). Megan and Rachel had gotten a "how do style your hair" book from American girl and were feeling inspired, so the beauty part of the morning was even more involved than usual. Despite that (or maybe because we cruised 95 at 80 mph) we were 10 minutes early for conference. We staked out a spot in the cushy seats, Megan headed to her choir, I stayed to help with the primary, and Mark, Kelly and Daniel started the first of a gazillion laps around the building. (This works great by the way- Kelly and Daniel both fell asleep in conference!) After some lovely singing and a two hour conference on having peace and love in your family, we got back in the car only to have Kelly and Julia get in a screaming fight about territory in the back seat. We rolled up our all our windows so the other harmonius familes would not hear us.