Happy Anniversary 2011

For The Beloved's final summer school project he painted the JAZZ Bear he proposed to me with, at the JAZZ game, 6 years ago.

It even looks fuzzy, doesn't it? So cool. And he finished it just in time for our ----

Anniversary.

Here we are on the way to our big date -

and can you guess where we are going?

Oh yes my friends, Michael Buble.

His vocals were amazing!

But this guy was NAUGHTY.

I was torn between loving his voice and trying not to laugh at his dirty jokes. But then they got worse and worse, and I am pretty sure I plugged my ears for a bit. A little disappointing. But the singing was fantastic.

 

Luckily, I was there with my best guy.

I call him Man Handsome - with that beard! It doesn't get more manly/handsome than that. :)

It's so cool being married to your best friend. I have lived the other life - where you're not - and I am so blessed to have been given a second chance.

Earlier this summer we went for a ride in The Beloved's truck, just the two of us. He held my hand and put in our song. We just sat there in silence enjoying the moment. I have never felt so content in my whole life.

I love you.

 Happy Anniversary.

Lagoon

If The Beloved could do anything, money no object, he would build and run an amusement park. He loves going on rides, being scared out of his brains, and then challenging our children to do the same.

The night before we went to Lagoon we first headed to Seven Peaks and had fun hanging out with The Beloved's sister and her family. The next day The Beloved's parents so kindly accompanied us to Lagoon. My Father-in-law said he was sacrificing his body for the sake of his grandchildren, so everybody could have a partner to ride with and have a good time. Funny guy. If that doesn't shout good grandpa, I don't know what does. My awesome mother-in-law took care of our youngest so I could be up close watching the younger boys and go on a few non-thrilling rides myself. (I only desire the non-thrilling rides... a couple of years ago I discovered that I don't really enjoy being scared. Nope, not in the least bit. So bring on anything safe and wonderful and close to the ground.)

The Beloved and Little C headed off for the big kid rides. The Beloved started him out with the scariest ride of all - The Rocket. Oooohhh - hate that one.

Little C acted very tough, but for some reason when they'd get to the front of the line, he'd proclaim his immediate need to use the bathroom. :) 

Our younger kids loved the train.

Ruckus hated it all. 

Lou and Ruckus even duked it out on the boat ride, fighting over who got to ring the bell. It was WWE at its finest. There were punches thrown, hair pulling, head locks and more. I think these kids have a real future in the business. 

Now Lou - was a MANIAC. He is The Beloved reincarnate. Lou would throw his arms up in the air screaming for more.

LOVED IT!

These kids are completely unpredictable. :)

Until next year - when we're ready for more!



Why?

Why only dress up once a year, when you can do it everyday like us?

P.S.

Just a side note to the previous post. I am a firm believer in the saying,

It is silly to take offense when no offense was intended.

This cashier was clueless and completely had no idea how to relate to my life. Obviously :).

Sometimes I think, am I on camera? Okay Ashton, come out - you got me.

I promise throughout this whole conversation I was laughing on the inside and thinking how somebody couldn't have written the dialogue better for a movie.

She was strange. But not knowingly unkind.

I don't want the world to become 100% impersonal but I do agree with Annie that some employees should stick strictly to the shopping experience and not the history of your family.

At Costco the other day a complete stranger said,

Look at all of these beautiful boys. Someday you are going to have a bunch of wonderful daughters-in-law to love.

And I thought -

How beautiful. She's right. And I love that she took the moment to share that with me.

That's when I thought about making a badge to say,

"I was completely tactful and marvelous today."

So we can balance out the dumb with the good badges to be passed out.

The Checker

I have a friend in IL who has a favorite cashier at every local grocer. No matter how long the line, she will wait patiently for her kind little checker to assist her.

I think she may be the smartest woman I know.

I have come to the conclusion that someone has secretly stuck an invisible badge on me, that only cashiers are capable of seeing, that states, ask her any dumb question you can think of within the confines of her family.

And this is where our story begins...

It was late.

About 10:30 p.m.

I thought it a safe time to venture out, into the night,

 for a quick shopping trip.

Just me and the baby.

No way I would be detected as the stressed out, stay at home mother, who...

HAS HER HANDS FULL.

... but then I was pleasantly reminded that, that wish is impossible.
And, that I am pretty sure it is a qualification for all cashiers to have a sixth sense in determining if you have a large quantity of children -and after that is established, to then proceed in asking you every question under the sun.
It's that or the invisible badge my friends.
Such a toss up...
So the questions roll in:
 (Remember this happened about a month or so ago)
Cashier (C) : You're out shopping pretty late.
Me: Yep.
C: How come?
Me: Sometimes it's just easier that way.
C: Is that your baby?
Me: Yep.
C: How old is he?
Me: About 6 weeks.
C: So you just had him huh?
Me: Yep.
C: You have more children?
Me: Yep.
C: How many?
Me: He has three older brothers (pointing at the baby).
C: Wow, that sucks. Crazy. Do you like them?
Me: They're pretty cool. Just not when we're grocery shopping.
C: Do you have a husband too?
Me: Yes, yes I do.
C: Wow. You are brave.

What the H just happened? Seriously?!
So, in my pretend, delicious response life that I dream about having, here is how my wonderfully sarcastic, lack of tact back at ya self would have responded:
C: You're out shopping late.
Me: Yep.
C: How come?
Me: Sometimes it's just easier that way.
C: Is that your baby?
Me: (Now I could say no, but then I wouldn't have the possibility of answering the next couple questions, so we'll stick with yes)
Yep.
C: How old is he?
Me: About six weeks.
C: So you just had him huh?
Me: No. No, it's been a year or so.
C: You have more children?
Me: Yep.
C: How many?
Me: He has three older brothers.
%%%%%%%% (Elder Patton remember this is your sign to read no further... and maybe yours too mom) %%%%%%
C:Wow. That sucks. Do you like them?
Me: Gosh no. I don't even know if they're mine. I'm still trying to figure out who the mother is.
C: Do you have a husband too?
Me: Well, I am glad you asked. The answer to your question is no. I am actually performing a study on how swiftly I can contract sypha-ghona-herpal-aids. It is coming along rather smashingly if I do say so myself.
C: Wow. You are brave.

Okay. I am sorry. That was SUPER naughty.
But honestly -
What the world?
I love my babies.
I love my husband.
And,
To all evil checkers of the Earth -
Be nice.
I really am a decent, married, STD free gal who believes in multiplying and replenishing the state of ID.
And though at times I may appear a bit mental due to extreme fatigue, you should be embracing me, because quite frankly my Pepsi addiction is probably supporting your livelihood.
Thanks.
Take Care.
Until we meet again. 

My Handsomes

The Baby

This little baby of ours is such an angel (except in the picture below :). He is constantly full of smiles and his curious eyes soak in all of the busy-ness around him without complaint.

He is such a blessing and we are so thankful for him.

All my Boys

It doesn't get much cuter than this, does it - :)

The Anxiety Which is Me -

Options - I could write about the tacky checker at the store or tell you what's really on my mind -

I vote for option B.

But I promise the tacky checker story will be my next post - because it is pretty amazing.

Do you ever get off the phone with people and think,

"I am the biggest retard"?

I do it all the time.

In face to face and telephone conversations.

Sometimes I simply have no idea what to say to people.

I think I get anxiety a little bit.

Or other times my brain feels so tired I can't even muster up anything semi-interesting to say.

I love people. I love hearing about their lives, getting to know them better... but unfortunately I have to be the one on the other side of the conversation  -

and I am a dork.

The problem with phone conversations isn't necessarily the content but the farewell.

Awkward.

I always get the laugh. You know, the laugh where you're not sure whose turn it is to talk but you're pretty sure you both want to get off the phone.

Not a fan of "the laugh".

When I speak to my sisters on the phone I usually end with -

love ya dog  -

or really other odd things like:

farewell to you

until we meet again

Shalom and good evening (no idea what shalom means)

love your guts

peace be with you

Not going to throw out those to the regular Joe.

So, I just got off the phone with my friend, who is also my visiting teacher, but it was definitely a visiting teaching call so I said something like, "Splendid, then we'll see you tomorrow. Thanks."

Totally got "the laugh".

Do people not say splendid anymore? Should I have spoken to her longer since she is my friend? No clue.

Plus, I always want people to know I enjoy them -

I think they're great! -

and I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings.

So at events I think I smile a little too much.

 I am pretty sure I get smile headaches  - no joke.

If you ever need any validation that you are a dork - there it is -

SMILE HEADACHE. Not normal.

And then after events I worry - worry, worry, worry.

Did I say Hi to everyone? Did everyone feel included? Did I offend anyone? Hopefully they'll forget about the stupid story my husband told about me, thinking Alaska was an island (long story) :). And so on and so on...

But I only worry for about a day and then am content to live the next little while in my cave.

Until I realize I need friends, because my cave is going to make me even more socially retarded then I already perceive myself to be.

Plus - everybody needs friends.

I always find it such a relief when I can come home to The Beloved.

No smile headaches.

No courtesy laughs.

He just likes me.

He's cool. :)

Anyway, there's one of my innermost desires - to stick Microsoft Word into my head so I can edit and then re-edit when getting to know people in real life or on the phone.

The End.

Love ya dog -

Farewell to you.

Love your guts.

Shalom and good evening.