We went to see Ryan's band play tonight. It was fun.

The recording from my Blackberry isn't good. It sounded much better live.

Sigh.

Dinner turned out disgusting tonight. Soggy egg noodles topped with uncooked oniony runny stroganoff. Even I was disgusted. And I'm not a picky eater. Especially if I take the time to make the food. On a good night dinner is mediocre at best. I didn't really start cooking until I got married seven and a half years ago. Improvement-wise, I cook about four times a week instead twice a month. (On a good month). Yet the quality of edible tastiness is about the same.

In our last fourplex everyone else's stove (except ours) was replaced because they wore out. In our last ward (aka church group) I was one of a few people that would sign up to bring people meals when they were having surgery, babies, etc. And there used to be a lot of surgeries, babies, etc. And did you know they eventually stopped asking me to bring people free food? That was even after I gave up and just started buying pizza for everyone.

Ammon says cooking is like algebra because you do things in a certain order. I despise algebra. Also, I am perfectly happy eating cereal and frozen popsicles for dinner every night. There are about two thousand different kinds of cereal --- and that's enough variety for me. Salad is good too. I think I make a decent salad. Or maybe it's just the salad dressing that makes it bearable.

Once I was so mad that dinner didn't turn out (again), I made an entire bag of spaghetti and meatballs. And we ate that every night for dinner for a week. Mom's theory is if you have a bad dinner, you should have an extra yummy dessert. Thank goodness for ice cream.

Ammon suggested I learn how to cook. Acutally, his exact words were, "You tube isn't just for funny videos," to which I responded, "That's blasphemy!"  Maybe this is a self-fulfilling prophecy, but I don't think I'll ever sorta kinda possibly enjoy cooking no matter how long I try or attempt to learn.

Motley Thoughts

My blogging mojo comes and goes.  Mostly goes.  So I compiled drafts from over the last few months I never finished into one big, happy, post.

• Last night India was hit by a car.  Good thing it was parked.  Those darn side mirrors will always jump out at you.
• The girls were shot by the nurse yesterday.  India survived.  But Maya's feelings were critically wounded for the rest of the day.
• I forgot to send Valentine's Day cards with India to preschool.  Man I felt like a really big loser.
• When I got out of the shower, Maya was dancing with to the radio with her stuffed Tinkerbell.  It was so sweet.  She could dance for hours with anyone and anything.

And some more cute expressions from the girlies:

"My brain is telling me I don't like raisins." ~India

India: "I'm going live in a castle and be Rapunzel  and save all the people!"

Katie Bangeter: "Rapunzel doesn't kill bad guys though."

India: "Well, THIS Rapunzel does!"

Me: "No. Please don't kill people even for pretend."

India: "What can we do then?"

Me:  "Put them in jail or be tricky and teach them a lesson!"

Katie Bangeter: "And we can use our princess swords and then put the bad guys in a secret princess garbage can."

India:  As I'm turning lights out for bed:  "Where's my freaking cup?"

Erin:  Deck the halls with balls of holly . . .
Ammon:  Really?  Holly balls?
Erin: Ummm, yeah.  Those little red things are balls.
Ammon:  No.  It's bows of holly.

Maya:  "Hold you?"

India:  "Stop freaking out Mom."

Maya: Pointing at the stamps on our hands when we went iceskating - "Hand beautiful."

India:  "I can't go to sleep.  There's something going on with my body, and I just don't know what it is."

India:  Before entering the ice rink, she gave herself a pep talk, "Don't give up! Don't give up! Don't give up!"

India:  First time around the ice rink:  "I am NEVER going to do that again."

Guess What?

Rhino Butt. 

India redeemed her birthday coupon - a sleepover with Aunt Brittany.  As she left, India gave me advice on how to care for Maya while she was gone:  "Give Maya a big hug and kiss for me and let her watch a little cartoonie when she wakes up."

Maya was very upset when India left.  She sobbed, "Dida . . . Dida . . . Dida!" over and over and over.  We made it up to Maya by letting her wear India's Tinkerbell shirt and sleeping in India's bed.  Then she had a whole night of Mommy and Daddy time.

The next morning we met up with India and Brittany at the nearly-empty zoo.

Baby Zuri would roll snow into little snowballs with her trunk and eat them!

 This is George. The rhino up top is Princess.

 We saw lots of these up close.  Even fed one a cheese cracker.  Shhhhh.

Brittany told the girls this peacock was showing off for them because he thought they were cute.

More backporch views.

I named this camel Prince Humperdinck.

The gorillas were showing off too.  

We saw one of these big guys POOP into his own HAND then EAT it.  

It was so National Geographic disgusting.

This guy was trying to catch some zzz's despite my obnoxious camera flashing.

It's too dark to see the gorilla.  Maya is putting her hand on top of the gorilla's. 

 She may have been a little scared.  But I couldn't lose this cool photo opportunity.

Isn't this picture cool?  I love India's beautiful reflection.  So sweet and innocent and Fern Gullyish.

Both girls cheesing by the gorilla again.

So basically, Brittany and I go nuts over the animals at the zoo.  

And then the girls finally get to have fun when we take them to play at the zoo park afterwards.

Random fact:  Maya's favorite song is 5 Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree.  

She likes to change up who the Mr. Crocodiles snatches out of the tree though.

Sometimes it's Ariel.  Or Prince Eric.  Or Mommy Elephant.

Mookie Maya.

India, Maya, and Brittany on seesaw.

Elephant slide.

Though there was snow on the ground, it wasn't terribly cold.

Sweet Maya.  She's addicted to slides.

Last time.  Then it was time to go.

I liked the white outlines on this duck.

My favorite bird.  So elegant.

I'm an Aunt - for the Second Time This Year!

Bryce and Josie had a baby boy 19 days early (lucky!)  When Bryce was getting ready to go to the hospital, I had to hold back the tears because my little brother was about to become a daddy!  Wesley looks exactly like Bryce when Bryce was a baby.  Parents are tired but doing well.

I couldn't decide on one, or two, or even three favorite pictures.

 Wesley Conner Garey

February 28, 2011

6 lbs 12 oz

19 1/2 inches 

Perfect.

He's so tiny.  My babies were this small once - in utero.  

Wesley was not quite 24 hours old yet.  

Maya especially LOVES Wesley.

Collin and baby Wesley.

 Showing off his long, ET fingers.  

He recently decided he doesn't like his hands bundled up, so he can suck on his fingers.

 India and Maya have been diligent about washing their hands, so they can hold Wesley.

 

I had to save my favorite picture for last.  Sweet Wesley boy.

Chicken

India has quite a few aunties who are pregnant.  But India's been asking how babies come out of their mommy's tummy.  One of her friends told her, and she did not believe them.  I usually giggle and run away.  She asked me again tonight.  And she asked what it is really called.  (I say hoohaw, India says bum-bum, and Ammon says vajunior).   So I had her call Aunt Brittany.  And I let Aunt Brittany take care of that.

The End (for a while I hope).

Yay!

I got FREEEEEEEE tickets to see the Utah audition of So You Think You Can Dance 2011!!!!!!!!

 You can too if you go here.  

You're welcome.

Bed Time

Attempt #1: 10:15 pm

Say personal prayers with girls.  Fill sippy cups with ice and cold water.  Blow kisses.  Say good night.  Maya insists on sleeping in India's bed.  India acquiesces. Go wash dishes.

Attempt #2:  10:30 pm

India gets out of bed because Maya keeps unplugging the heater and everything else that plugs into the wall.  Maya comes into the kitchen and greets me, "Good Morning Mommy!"  Put girls in their separate beds.  Tell India that Mommy and Daddy need to spend time together so we can practice being in love.  Go downstairs to watch TV with Ammon.

Attempt #3:  10:50 pm

India comes downstairs.  "Mommy?  Maya pooped in my room, and Belle ate it, and now Maya is wiping herself off."  Head upstairs. India asks, "Did you have enough time to fall in love with Daddy tonight?"  Change Maya. Fabreeze the crap out of girls' room. Exile dog to kitchen.  Put girls in my bed.  Maya keeps sitting on India's head.  Ammon downstairs.  No one  is sleeping.

Attempt #4:  11:20 pm


Put Maya's zip-up jammies on backward.  Put Maya in bed to scream herself to sleep.  Snuggle with India.  Story about a gassy witch by India.  Maya still screaming.  Change Maya's jammies to frontward.  Ammon come in.  Kicks India out of our bed.

Attempt#5:  11:45 pm
Maya still screaming.  Ammon gets mad at her.  Intense crying for 24 seconds.  Silence.

Moral of the Story:  Ammon should put the girls to bed every night.

Christmas 2010

The best part of our Christmas Break was having Ammon home.  We took the girls ice skating, watched movies, built gingerbread houses, played games, spent as much time as possible with our fun families (those of you who haven't left us yet), exercised together, and had our surprise Nutcracker Piano Recital for my parents via skype.The girls were so disappointed when he told them he had to go back to work.  Now we're back to our usual Monday mournings. (Ha ha - get it?)  

India and I went to see the Nutcracker on Christmas Eve afternoon.  She enjoyed it, but not as much as last year.  In the second act, she loudly asked me if someone would turn off the music so she could go to sleep.  I might be soloing the Nutcracker next year.  

It was totally worth seeing Santa Claus pushing Clara's sleigh at the end and then getting candy canes afterwards.  Do you see her purse?  She is rarely without a stocked purse these days.  Such a pretty princess!

Here is the Christmas picture I did not send to everyone.  

India's curls were PERFECT ringlets that day, and I LOVE their cheesy smiles.

 The day after Christmas Maya turned 2! 

 The silly girl actually found and unwrapped all her birthday presents on Christmas! 

New Year's Eve our best, best, best, best, best friends the Reddings came to visit from Biloxi!  We MISS our Sara Circle times.  And this is the picture of the most kids smiling!  Good times you lovely people !

I love these two girls.  Maya is obsessed with India and begs every night to sleep in Dida's bed. India goes back and forth whether or not she wants to share her personal space with Maya.  When she decides she can handle it, my heart melts.  As a mother, all I want is my children to love and  to be there for each other even after I'm gone.

 

 Usually they stay up and play together, but this night they actually fell asleep.  Miracle!

Maya and India's current obsessions are Barbies, books, princesses,  the candy witch story Ammon made up, puzzles, Barbies, the horridly creepy cartoon Yo Gabba Gabba, and anything Barbie.  Ammon likes to tease Maya by saying, "I'm Pocahontas (or any other princess Maya has decided to be that day)."  Maya screams at him and gets really mad and cries or punches him.  Ammon laughs. And then they repeat it 15 or 16 more times.

These girls are so good at puzzles. While I was taking a phone call, Maya went shopping in my purse and  found my ipod. Then she laid on the ground and just listened to the music --- so much like her daddy!

Reader's Digest Version of What I'm Feeling

These punks make me happy.

And so does this sweet monster (even with her I'm-so-busted face). 

There were a lot more tacks in the chair before I grabbed the camera.

I don't want India to become human someday

India to me as we are sitting down to snuggle and watch a TV show for our girls' night:  Can we watch something appropriate for kids and humans?

Bryce: Where are you going?
Me: Sariah's house.
Bryce: Who's Sariah?
India: Dada's sister, my aunt, and mommy's friend.

India:  I think we both have the same hair.

Me: Oh yeah?  Is that cause we both have dark brown hair?

India (as she's combing her hair with water): Yeah.  And we both have sticking up hair.  

Sorry for the frizzy hair gene babe.

"Dammit!"  India's frustration when she couldn't get a puzzle piece to fit.

I'm mortified that she learned that awful word from me.

Ammon: Go brush you teeth India.

India: Not till you say you're sorry first.

Every night: "Mommy, I will come snuggle you in the morning, so you will have no bad dreams."

"I am going to marry my best friend.  I think I will have a contest."

India: I want makeup for Christmas.

Ammon: No.

India: Then I will not invite you to my wedding.

Ammon:  I wish you would spend as much time thinking about where you want to go to college as you do about getting married.

India: I'm not going to college.

Ammon: You go sit in time out right now.

Time Out

Ammon:  Why did you have to sit in time out?

India: Because I said I'm not going to college.  But princesses don't go to college!

Ammon:  Well, you're not allowed to be a princess then.

Tears

Me:  Princesses go to college.  I'm a princess and I went to college.  (Then I list all of the princesses that have gone to college in our family. Come on Disney!)

Ammon: And you can go to college in a castle.  

Ammon and India go look online at uber expensive universities that have gorgeous campuses.   

"When I grow up to be a human, I will go to college and work at the dog groom."

She's a miscreant

I should submit video footage of Maya's life to the TV program I Shouldn't Be Alive.  I have so been overreacting this week.  She really is cute and sweet and adorable, and I love her so much. Then I turn my back for 34 seconds, and she's turned into a wild woman.  I've lost my sense of humor this week, so no pictures to prove how crazy she's making me.

• Broke the cookie jar where I was keeping the Halloween candy.
• Holds Belle's tail and chases her around the house while yelling at her.
• Put all of the pens and pencils into the printer.
• Stuck 200 stickers all over the dog.
• Chews on choking hazardous toys.  Found her hiding in my bathroom with the door closed chewing on something.  When I held out my hand, she spit a plastic Halloween spider into my hand.
• Rips out pages and/or draws in every library book we check out.
• Pinches India's cheeks.
• Mopped the bathroom floor with toilet water.
• Stole all the yogurt puff treats from another kid's diaper bag while I was babysitting.
• Pulls clumps of India's hair out.
• Tried to go potty after bath but said it was stuck.  Was finally able to get poop unstuck on her bedroom floor.  At least she came and got me and didn't hide.
• Hides behind doors without saying anything until found.
• Tears off the plastic covering of DVDs and pulverizes the paper inside.
• Tore off decorations to all of the pre-made birthday cards India made.
• Dumped the dog water out on kitchen floor.
• Drank the rest of the dog water that didn't get dumped out.

I did substitute as the singing leader in Maya's nursery class though, and she was so stinking cute!  She loves the sunbeam song!  And she even did all the actions and took turns and folded her arms.  Sigh.

Good News & Bad News

The good news:

India's Indian costume is so much cooler than the one I got to make in school. I had to bribe her to put it on, so I could take a picture of her.  

The bad news:

Maya is teething and in a particular moody, moody, bad mood. 

Also, my best piano student just got engaged.  (She's 23, so that's probably ok).  I totally called it too.  But she's probably not going to be in my Winter Recital.

Bummer.

What's better than eating Halloween candy?

Eating Halloween candy n a k e d.  

Why won't she keep her clothes on?

     I had a great weekend.  And of course, I didn't have my camera with me. So the pictures are from a few days ago.  Friday the girls and I picked up our friends, Kiersten & Morgan and headed to Orem to party with  Sarah Circle friends.  I kept the kids up waaaaaaaay too late, and they fell asleep in the car.  But our little friends apparently live in a different time zone in West Jordan because they were up at 6:45 am.  Well, probably earlier than that because that's what time I finally woke up to investigate the mysterious booms and giggles.  My work day doesn't usually start before 8 am.  Then Ammon and I took the kids to the zoo for trick or treating, which was SO MUCH FUN!  India loved the real cow (yes, "real" as in the guy dressed up in the cow costume giving away chocolate milk).  Then we went home and took a long nap.  When we woke up, it was pouring rain. However, Ammon and I ditched the kids with Uncle Bryce who took them trick or treating for an hour in the downpour while we went to the ballets The 4 Temperments and Carmina Burano.    Aside from the music which was AMAZING, this was the gayest thing I've ever asked Ammon to do. Think male dancers in flesh-colored spandex undies.  Or male dancers in banana-yellow spandex undies with asymmetrical spandex shrugs.  He was dying, and I was trying so hard not to giggle.  I loved every minute of it.

Maya's dragon costume.  Look familiar?  She kept to the dragon theme by eating the candy and the wrapper.   How do we know?  We found the wrappers in her diaper the next day.

Miss Maya waiting for Baby to come out of preschool.  Maya has had weird attachment issues this week.  She has cried and cried and cried after ANYBODY leaves her.  She cried the whole hour trick or treating with Uncle Bryce except to accept candy and say thank you.

Preschool pumpkins.

Practicing walking in a line with her preschool class and teacher Mrs. Kamille.

Finallly!  Baby is ready to come home!