a blessing and a curse

our house is on the market ... it has been for a full week now ... we have had people come, an open house, and several flyers removed from the box attached to the sign out front. no offers yet but we are not losing hope. come on - it's only been a week. but - the pressure IS on ... we NEED to sell in order to buy and things need to come together just right, so say a little prayer for us!

just in case those of you who have SEEN my house don't believe (and for those of you who have not ... i refer you to my previous post entitled 'where am i going to find a trash bag big enough') these pictures may shock your socks off ...

it's a good thing you're all sitting at your computers ... i don't want to cause any bodily injury to viewers from fainting and/or astonishment!

the reason it's a blessing and a curse you ask!? it blesses my life to have a clean house for my husband to come home to, it blesses my life to not have the clutter and the disaster area that my house formerly was, it blesses my life because i am growing accustom to it -- which also curses my life ... i have a feeling that the boxes that now fill my garage with WhoKnowsWhatAll in them will be opened cautiously and with a large garbage can and DI box close at hand. again say a little prayer for me.

life as we know it has changed forever

Time to break out the baby gates!! Easton climbed the stairs all the way to the top. Yesterday after naps the 3 biggest were up in the girl's room playing and Easton and I were down in the living room - I was surfing and reading my favorite blogs and he was milling around among the toys, tables, and television. He could hear the kids upstairs and it must have been impossible to resist. Suddenly it was too quiet behind me, I turned around to see where all the silence was coming from ... it was the lack of Easton in the room! I peered into the kitchen, not there; powder bath, nope; hm ... I looked up the stairs and saw this ...

Of course I was concerned for his safety ... but I couldn't pass up the chance for some pictures! (I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I was forming the title and text of this blog all the while it was happening ... )

Up he goes ... following the noise ...

Victory!

The gang turned out for the victory party at the top of the stairs!

Had any exciting victories in your neck of the woods lately!?

and the winner of the june youth dance competition is...

Andy Shaw!!! Somewhere in the vicinity of 14-16 years ago ... circa 1992-ish ... Andy Shaw was all the rage at Everett Stake Youth Dances. He was not confined to the Everett Stake though, he danced the night away most weekends at the surrounding stake's dances as well. Back in the day, he was quite the dancing machine! Everything from near BreakDance moves to Splits and everything in between! He took the prize at so many of these youth dances that he was a LegendInHisOwnTime.
Fast forward to June 2007 Tri-Stake Youth Dance hosted by Everett Stake, last night. We voluteered to chaperone. Strategically stationed around the building to ensure safety, security, and measure of decorum. You remember the chaperones ... dressed in Sunday attire, watching our every move, we couldn't get away with anything! (not that we were TRYING to get away with something ... ) Yes, that was us ... but cooler. As part of the rotation we started in the north foyer, moved into the dance floor then out to the south foyer and counter clockwise around the building rotating every half hour, all the while watching for deviant behavior.
Then ... while positioned on the dance floor Rhett Brown caught a glimpse of Andy and had a flashback. He said he did a double-take, "Andy Shaw at a Stake Youth Dance, it takes me back a few years!" Toward the end of the dance the competition was about to begin and Rhett came to ask Andy if he'd enter himself as a contestant ...
"It's time for the Dance Competition, can we clear the floor?? We have a special treat this evening, about 12 - no maybe 14 years ago there was one young man who consistantly won these competitions and he's here again tonight! Andy Shaw!!" Judges were chosen and the music started "Rhythm is a dancer, it's a souls companion, you can feel it everywhere ... " After 20 seconds and at least one SpinAroundDropDownUpAndDoTheSplits move later eliminations started. 20 more seconds and it was down to a foursome (including 2 girls from our ward) and none other than Mr. Famous. [The other chaperones (all from our ward) had gathered to watch and some were taking bets as to whether he'd be able to walk into church the next day.] The winner would be chosen by audience applause ... 20 more seconds and his 3rd Split - this time with a loud smack to the ground, the audience gave it up for the GrandChampion.
It was SO much fun to watch him! He admitted that he was out of practice and Hurtin'FerCertain (his torn meniscus throbbing a bit) but we would chaperone again in a heartbeat!
Besides, how many girls can say that they went home with the StakeYouthDanceChamp!! I asked him if he'd ever recover from his performance and all he said was, "I had to show off for my girlfriend! (got any Advil??)"

these are a few of my favorite things ...

1) new growth in the spring - the light green tips on the dark green branches.

2) little purple pansies touched with yellow gold - voluteering where ever they see fit

3) walking with friends - it's always better to walk and talk ... makes the time pass quickly and not feel like exercise!

4) the song that plays when the clowns come tumbling out of their car at the circus - it's the same tune i 'dootdadoodle' when trying to 'herd cats' ... i mean get my children in the car.

5) motherhood quotes that are right on - like "I figure if the kids are alive at the end of the day, I've done my job!" and "All mothers are working mothers." and especially "Motherhood is not for sissies!"

6) the smell of babies - just bathed, lotioned and powdered (deep inhale then fast exhale with a satisfied and happy 'aaaaahhh!')

7) blue moons - they really aren't any different than a normal full moon except they happen so rarely that when you get to see one you want to call everybody and tell them to hurry outside to see it ...

8) giraffes

9) daisies on the side of the road - Andy calls them weeds ... but he stops to cut some for me every once in a while.

10) reading blogs and comments from my friends in the blogoshere!!

What are your favorite things today?

'the legacy lives on'

I called my mom today to relate one of the many SillyShawShenanigans and ended with "I am in fact turning into my mother." to which she replied, "it sounds better if you say 'the legacy lives on' ..."
What was the most recent episode you ask?!
This past Fast Sunday it was testimony time in sacrament meeting and Abi was up on the stand waiting her turn and started fiddling around, talking to the 2 kids that were waiting also and she getting a little out of hand. I was trying to stare her down and 'will' her to look at me when all of a sudden I heard myself clear my throat. Abi looked directly at me and got the message to sit still and be reverent. The reason this was so funny is because I can pick my mom's 'ahem' out of a crowd and I always knew if she was 'ahem'-ing me I better shape up ... ahh the legacy lives on!
What legacies are you passing on??

pacifier anyone?

 

Easton has picked up a new self-soothing habit. I was a MAJOR thumb sucker for years and fortunately it has not transferred to my children. Abi would NOT be pacified by anything artificial. Elyssa was a full-on gyp baby. 'Gyp' is what my parents call a pacifier/binki/nuk cuz the baby is getting "gypped out of the real thing." Ammon STILL has his 'gyp and raggies' (he has a thin flannel burp rag that he rubs his nose, eyes and ears with when he's tired) at night and most of the time during the day - much to his parent's chagrin! They are so adorable and have their very own personalities and ways of doing things!