obituary

Of our dearest friend: Gecko Grill.

Gecko Grill is the ultimate Gilbert, Arizona landmark, staple, must have, must eat, everyone knows about place.  It's mexican food is unlike any other and can never EVER be replaced.  It has served the town of Gilbert for so many years, and has somehow had a terrible leasing misunderstanding that has caused us to say so-long for now.  But hopefully one day it shall return such as glorious as a phoenix, rising from the ashes and returning the joy and hope and satisfaction to all local bellies once again.  We love you Gecko Grill.  We will all be waiting faithfully.  But until then, farewell dear friend...

Yes, we did fight the crowds to enjoy the Gecko one last time today.  And it was worth it.  Goodbye bean dip, goodbye crabby burro, goodbye shrimp-mango quesadilla, goodbye *sniff sniff* southwest shrimp burro smothered in red sauce.... Our love will always live on... goodye...

Survival

Oh shoot, I've missed two nights in a row!  Not to make excuses, but I was expecting this week to be so nice, relieving, and easy breezy... but it has turned out to be the most emotionally and physically exhausting week ever!  Details to be discussed at a later time, but needless to say, my head has been other places than blogging.

However, I did want to give you a little glimpse into our bedtime routine.  It's magical.  And by magical I mean the most torturous 30 minutes of the day.  Granted, every now and then we have a great night, but they mostly go as follows...

Jack takes a happy fast bath but for the other two, bathtime is a wrestling match of screaming and splashing.

Naked buns in fishy towels run to Paige's room for jammies, scriptures and prayers.  Calvin then starts his "I hate the world" bit.  It usually consists of tongue spitting, article throwing, and on this special night it even graced us with a big ol' whomp in the face for Paige. 

Tears are shed, and screams of agony/heart-ache are heard.  We each take man-on-man defense to try to diffuse the situation (and sometimes snag a picture while stifling a laugh)...

Calvin is told repeatedly to apologize.  He doesn't. This is the face that he likes to put on.

big bully.

So we muscle through scriptures and prayers - practice makes perfect, right???

And in the midst of everything, Jack likes to play cowboy/mountain goat atop the dollhouse.

Humor really is the best medicine - oh child of great wisdom.

Every night is a definite reminder that parenthood is the ultimate rollarcoaster. 

Touche children... touche.

We Did It!

Sunday's Primary Program was a success!!  And now it is over and I am SO RELIEVED!  You'd think I wouldn't be so stressed about it since it's #3 for me, but nope, I was still up the entire night before and shaking the whole morning of.  But our kiddos did wonderfully and I just love hearing their sweet testimonies through the songs they sing, the smiles on their faces, and the joy in their hearts!  It's easy to see why the Savior favors the little ones!  I absolutely adore every one of those 175 kiddos!!

Our little Miss Paige has a disease of stage fright.  Each time an opportunity comes along we work with her, practice with her, give her multiple pep-talks and so on.  We thought this time she was for sure going to conquer it!  She had her part completely memorized and had no fear whatsoever in practice!  But when her moment came to go up, her hands went straight to cover her mouth (her nervous habit), her face turned bright red, and tears started rolling down her cute little face.  I tried to mouth her a few encouraging words, but it was a no go.  Oh well!  But she sang her little heart out and actually sat on the stand - so that's a step in the right direction!

And although it was Jack's real birthday, I have to say it was much less eventful from the day before.  But that's the beauty of one year olds!  We still managed to sneak his birthday hat on him another time or two throughout the day:)

And today... I sat around in my sweats, recovering from it all.  ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Pre-Birthday Party Anyone?

Well to report on last night's sleepover with Grandma Forbis at her hotel...  I went to bed around 11:30pm with only one child in our home and woke up at 5am to two children in our home.  Turns out Calvin decided at 1am that he wanted to come home.  Thanks to Super Pete for going to get him - I owe you one!

Today we had Jack's 1st Birthday Party and it was a blast!!  Here we go in picture story format:

Jack wasted no time to claim his cupcake.  Not even a little common-courteousy for a photo.  Sheesh!

Fam Shot.  Jack couldn't stop starting at the balloons off to the side.

Present opening was no problem for the big man.

"Back off Dad.  This one is mine."

He wasn't too keen on the singing.  Mostly because I had multiple cakes inches away from his mouth that he couldn't have until the darn song was over and the fire was out. So we called Paige over for candle blowing out reinforcements.  She didn't hesitate.

"Finally, that's all I really wanted folks." 

No hesitation whatsoever.

"Oh Mother dear?!  Please fetch me another cupcake, would you?"

"What do you mean I've had enough???"

Me and Elmo.  We know how to have a good time.

Our attempt at a group sunglasses shot.  As much as a success as always.

And Jack's post sugar feast hose down.

And he in his Birthday Suit.  It's only appropriate you know...

Then he spent the rest of the afternoon in his new found presents.  

Fun fun day for our big man!!

The Grandma Forbis Report

Field trip with Paige to Bashas (the AZ grocery store) at 8:30am this morning for some giant freezer, cake-making, hamburger-grinding, vegetable storing, pizza-creating touring around fun.  Bus had no A/C.  Not cool (figuratively and literally, ha!).

Done with school, off to Halloween store to let kiddos pick out costumes this year.  Man, do they know how to milk their grandma!  Hints on this years outfits: Polly and Toto.

Lunch time.  Red Robin - The traditional choice of kids, at least these ones.

Back to house to gather supplies for day remainder at Grandma's Hotel: swimsuits, jammies, etc.

Quick break to let Paige join Mom at their Primary Program practice.  Heard it was some crazy shtuff!  Hope Sunday goes well!

Quick yummy Italian takeout for dinner and then swept kids back to the hotel for the night!  Give that poor worn looking Mommy and Daddy a break!

We'll have to wait for a report on the night...

today

Paigey had her first Parent-Teacher-Student conference today and it was so fun!  It felt so weird being the parent. I was all sorts of nervous and felt like I had to keep fixing my hair and make sure I was speaking properly and all sorts of things.  I was a wreck.  However, her teacher is darling and had all good things to say about Paige!  Hooray!  Well done Paigey-Pie!  We shall continue our school path!

Also, Grandma Forbis is in town - woohoo!!!  Fun times ahead!  The kids can hardly sleep they're so excited for their day out together with Grandma.  Ah, the sweet powerful grasp grandparents have.  So envious.  But I suppose they paid their dues so it is much deserved.  One day I'll be the one they run towards instead of away from.  one day.

Eat Your Heart Out, Martha

Today we had some craft time during our playdate.  A big thank you to 50% off fall craft items - score!!  Set the kiddos outside (now that we can finally go outside during the day since it's only 98 degrees instead of 120) and turned 'em loose with some paints and brushes.  Those are some pretty cute little witches if you ask me.  Oh, and the masks are fun as well I suppose.

boo hoo

today was a rough day.

i think i'd like to just leave it at that.

i'm hoping that tomorrow i wake up

with complete memory loss of it

and a great new start.

yah, that sounds nice.

order up.

One More Week...

Exactly one week from today and I won't feel like a crazy person anymore.  It's just our Primary's (the LDS church's group of kids ages 3-11) special Primary Program Presentation next Sunday and it just happens to be the MOST STRESSFUL EVENT OF THE YEAR.  So all the months of planning and hours and hours of organization and preparing will finally be out to show next Sunday.  And then... it will be done!  Hooray!  But until then, I don't think I should make any important decisions and maybe not talk to anybody either.  Yah, that might be a good idea.  I'm just glad I'm not 5 days away from having a baby this time around.  That was a doozy!

Aaaaaanyways,  Jack took a late nap today and was up after the other two yahoos went to bed and was being such a HAM!  I tell ya, this kid has more personality then I know how to handle!  He is always cracking us all up!  And this new smile thing he's got going on is just too much!  He's a keeper.

Past my bedtime???  Who says it's past my bedtime???

Well if I'm up I should have a late snack, for sure.

Maybe if I hide under the table they won't catch me...

I've been discovered!!  Perhaps a winning grin may change your bedtime driven minds?

Sorry Jack, I treasure my quiet time.  But it was close.

I know I know, I missed yesterday.  But I like to think I had a good excuse:

Chel, my big sis (I can only say that because she is 8 months prego and that is the only time she is physically bigger than me) was kind enough to invite me along on a night out on the Scottsdale town.  So we did a little bit of this


a little bit of this

and this



and ended with this

and it was a FANTABULOUS evening out.  A perfect refresher.  A big fat pregnant thank you to Chels.

 But yes, I did not roll into le casa until after midnight, thus my missing of a posting.  My apologies.  But it was so worth it. 

Remember This:

Today I had one of those moments as a mother that makes up for every other terrible horrible no good very bad moment that motherhood brings.  And I must record it so that I can look back at it while I'm cleaning up poop and vomit while three children are all screaming at me simultaneously... which happened yesterday...

But the moment was sweet and simple.  Just outside on the swing set.  Beautiful weather.  Paige pushing Jack in a little plastic baby swing and me swinging with Calvin on my lap across from them so that we touched toes every so often.  We were all laughing hysterically and I've never seen happier grins on my kids' faces.  Not to be too corny (but I will be) but it was seriously a moment that I had a glimpse of what heaven will be like!  It was joy in its purest form.

Thank you little moment.

Wee-Sing

Lately my kids have been really into the Wee-Sing movies.  What is Wee-Sing you ask??? 

Well they are only the creepiest/most amazing children's singing videos ever made to man.  Thank you Mother Bluth for raising us up on them.  I attribute me and my childrens' tendency of breaking out randomly in song to them.  And perhaps my fear of adults dressing up as giant animals as well (I mean, just look at that man/teddy bear...careeeepy!).  So it has only been a lovely jaunt down memory lane now that my mom has found them on DVD and made them available to us all over again.  Grandpa's Magical Toys anyone?  Or how about Wee-Sing in Sillyville?  And who can forget Poofer and Snooter from The Best Christmas Ever?  Not I, fellow Wee-Sing friends... not I.

His Hairness

Looks like Jack is going to have some mad scientist hair to tame throughout the remainder of his life.

And some smile practice along the way. 

Gooberlicious.

GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL

As in my goal.  That I have set.  And am now admitting to the blogging world so that I have to fulfill it.   

I vow to post every single day for the rest of the month of September. 

There.  Said it.

TODAY:
Nothing major, except it was UNDER 100 DEGREES ALL DAY!!!!!  WOOOOHOOOOOOO!  Seriously, we were outside all day long just soaking up the 90 degree weather.  It was glorious!  And to top it all off, it RAINED!  Like the super great light drizzle kinda rain that doesn't soak you, but just blissfully touches your skin like it's saying, "Hey friend!  I just wanted to give you a little raindrop high-five to tell you how great I am, and how great you are, and how awesome it is that we're outside together today."  Thank you little raindrop friends, you must have known that I have severe AZ summer depression and that I needed that little pick me up.  Bless you.

Labor Day was...

 yes, a week ago... and it was actually Baby Lacy and Baby Boots's birthdays.  So Paige decided to take charge and run the whole show.  I was assigned dessert and to help with decorations (mostly to get them down because she couldn't reach them).  She and Calvin came up with the songs (Itsy Bitsy Spider, I Am a Child of God) games (freeze tag, duck duck goose) and created goody bags - which were surprisingly well tailored to each of us, including Tigger and his bucket full of strings.  They even helped their babies open their presents (re-gifts my friends, re-gifts) and blow out their cake-pops.  So generous of them, HA!   All in all, it was a pretty fantastic B-day party!  Well done to you, Paige the party planner. 

"Smile for the camera!"

I think Baby Boots is feeling a little overwhelmed, or perhaps overshadowed by a certain party planner...

 Mr. Jack was happy as long as a steady stream of cake-pops was supplied

 You didn't think we'd skip out on the fun, did you???

"Oh look Baby Lacy, you got a card!You love it, trust me, it's just what you wanted."

In the meantime, Baby Boots is in a "too-much-fun" coma.  Poor little fella.

"What?  You need help blowing out your candles?!  Well, I suppose we could assist, if we must."

Whaaaaaaaat?

Who made it the middle of September and skipped the end of August and beginning of September completely???  Not cool...

Aaaaaaanywhooo. 

Paige is officially a sc-hooligan. She LOVES kindergraten and it feels like she's an olds pro already. Now if I can just be an old pro at getting myself and three little humans up, fed, dressed, and out the door by 7:30am then we might be onto something here. For now, the public and I will have to settle for toothpaste dribble and sweats.

Have I mentioned how much I love uniforms?  It's fantastic for us no-effort for fashion kinda gals.

Look at that little Miss Studious doing her first homework assignment.  What a champ.

 We headed to the classic Mey-Fro-Yo for a little "You Made it Through the First Week of Kindergarten!" celebration.  I mean, that deserves a treat, right?  But mostly the kids just play the old-school video game while me and Pete watch Jack rip napkins to shreds with pure joy. 

As long as I get my Peanut Fudge... 

 Now that's one happy kiddo going to school!  Just keep that up for the next 18 years and you'll be good to go!