Phone Camera

A month ago the camera was dropped.  The lens was out, it got tweaked, and after several attempts to fix it, Kent yesterday declared it an x-camera.  Dang.  Sort of.  I haven't really been in love with this camera, but I only got it at my birthday (May), and I didn't really feel like I could say to Kent, "I don't want this camera anymore."

I have discovered, however, that a camera I don't like is better than no camera at all.  Kent suggested I use my phone camera, but I didn't really think it would take a decent photo.  Turns out I was wrong.  The images aren't terrible, but I find that not all the pictures I take are actually getting to the album, which I only discovered how to access last week.  (I'm pathetic.)  It's sort of hit and miss.

Not only did I not think the phone would take a decent picture, I had a very hard time figuring out how to get to the camera.  I was going to menu, then to tools, then to album, then to camera, then taking the picture.  Complicated.  The other day Brandt said to me, "Mom, I want to take a picture with your phone."

"It is very difficult to get to the camera on the phone," I replied, to which Brandt said, "No, it's not," then turned, pointed the phone at me, and took my picture.  Turns out there is a little button on the side of the phone that is the "take a picture" button, only I didn't know it.  My five year old son did though.  This five year old son, in a panda bear hat.

Painted Hussy

Blythe is a girl, through and through.  She loves "makeover" (makeup) and will climb on the bathroom sink to watch me put mine on whenever she catches me in the act which isn't often because I hardly ever wear makeup anymore.  She always wants to put on makeover herself, and I do let her put on powder with a tickler (a pouffy brush).

Today I was downstairs working with Brandt and heard very little from upstairs.  When I went up to investigate, I found my makeover spread out across the bathroom floor, and heard Blythe running off to hide somewhere.  When she appeared after a few minutes, this is how she looked.  To her credit, she is getting better at putting on the makeover.  The eye shadow is mostly on her eyes, the blush was where it should be, and the lip treatment is almost only on her lips.

She said to me, "Mom, do I look beautiful?"
Of course she does, but I continue to tell her that she is beautiful with no makeover at all.

In a Mood

I've been grouchy today.  It started when we went over to the new house to begin painting Brandt's room and I discovered that all my careful taping around the door frames, the trim, and the floorboards, had all come up.  Nothing was sticking, even though I had used expensive 3M blue tape.  ARGH!  I went over last night, after putting the children to bed and a full day of activity and additional prep, only to find all my work for naught.  I was frustrated and complaining aloud, and Kent berated me for sounding mad at him and Blythe.  I wasn't mad at him initially, but when he told me to stop complaining, I did get mad and stormed out, hauling Blythe off to pre-school.

I returned almost immediately and apologized, but so the day began.  In the afternoon I took the children over to the new house (which Blythe calls "the boring house") to "help" me paint the kitchen and bathroom floors (using a cool zinc paint Kent manufactures that prevents mold growth), only to have Brandt paint the cabinets and Blythe step in the wet paint.  Later I was frustrated when Blythe pilfered a bag of Pirate Booty from the cupboard and not only ate a whole bunch, but got a whole bunch all over the family room.  Lost a bit more patience when the children ate no dinner (because of booty) and then proceeded to bring hall carpets and the entire toy content of Blythe's bedroom into the kitchen (which is not very large) because they were "going away to college," and then ignored me when I asked them to take it away to another part of the house.

Kent said to me, "Go to a movie.  Do something fun.  You are obviously not enjoying what you are doing today, so do something else.  We'll all be happier if you do."

Maybe I'm hormonal.  I hate being prone to weird mood swings just because I'm a woman.  And I hate feeling overwhelmed by all that needs to be done and that I want to do, but can't really do because I have two small children who need me.  I want to be needed and I love to help them, but sometimes they make me crazy, like today.

I'll get over it.  Probably tomorrow.  Or maybe the day after.  In the meantime, you may want to avoid crossing paths with me.

On a positive note (yes, I'll make an effort to end this grumpy post positively), we have almost completely finished painting on the main floor of the new house.  We need to do a bit of touch up in the two main areas and paint the ceilings in the entry and laundry rooms, and then the main floor will be done.  Now only bedrooms upstairs, and Kent gave Brandt's bedroom a first coat of his bright green paint today.  We should be completely finished with all the painting by week's end.  Yeah!  I would say I am disappointed that the floor guy can't start the hardwood until next week when in my mind he would start this week, but that would sound grumpy again, so I won't.

Child of God

As I was preparing dinner yesterday, Brandt came into the kitchen, got a chopstick out of the drawer, and said, "Mom, let's listen to some music.  I want to conduct."  I pulled out a BYU Men's Chorus CD entitled Shout With Glory and turned on the song "Child of God."  It is an upbeat, fun song with tambourine and clapping and wonderful piano accompaniment.  It is a song to dance to.  Brandt turned up the volume and conducted from a chair while Blythe and I danced around the kitchen shaking our stuff.  It was fun!

The song ended and Brandt hit the back button so we could listen and dance again.  And again.  Kent came home during our fourth listen and danced around the kitchen too.  All told, Brandt played "Child of God" eight times.  He would have played it a ninth, but Kent and I both felt eight was enough.  For us at least.  Wonderful music.  Here is BYU-I Men's Chorus singing the same song.  It is a lousy recording, probably from someone's phone, but it gives you a general idea of the catchy-ness of the tune.  I have had it running through my head all day.

Brandt, our maestro

Progress

We began painting at the new house this afternoon.  Yeah!!!!  We have been working so hard to clean (with help from friends and family--thank you!) and prep (again with help--thank you!) and I wanted to see new paint.  Kent was able to get all the trim and closets on the main floor tonight.  Monday we will be able to finish prep upstairs, do a second coat on the trim downstairs and the first coat on trim upstairs.  It's progress!

I think we have picked colors, and I really hope they will work.  We will do a blue in the family room/kitchen, green in the living room and library, yellow in the entry and up the stairs, red in the laundry, a lilac in the main floor loo, pink in Blythe's room, green in Brandt's, and something in ours.  I still need to decide what color to paint our room.  Come over next week and see our colors.

Halloween

We had a fun Halloween.  Brandt's class had a party and I went to help.  I was in charge of an outdoor game and came up with some relay games: push a pumpkin with a broom, ride a witch's broom, a spider toss, eyeball bubble gum carry, mummy wrap, and a ghostly spook.  It went reasonably well with only one group of four kids being absolutely wild.

Michelle, Hyrum's mom, and I counting pumpkin seeds. 

There were 518.

518 very slimy pumpkin seeds.

Brandt riding his witch broom.

And tossing spiders with Matthew.

Brandt, Matthew, Lulu, and Morgan.

When I asked Lulu her name, she said, "Lulu.  L-U-L-U."

Morgan was dressed like a fairy princess, but she had orange Dracula teeth to make it scary.

Here is part of the problem group.  

Lucy is the unicorn and Rider is wrapping her up like a mummy.

Earlier, rather than tossing spiders into it, Lucy sat in the basket in the background.

As Rider finished wrapping, Lucy ran off, dragging Rider after her.

They ran all around the playground as I encouraged them to return.

Lucy's arms were tied to her sides, so her hands sort of flapped around as she ran.

Kelton, Kaylee, Kennedy, and Evalyn.

Poor Evalyn.  Her name starts with an E, not a K.

 

Brandt's class.  

I'll see how I do remembering names.

Sitting, from left to right: Anna, Lisa, Oakley, Sofie, Britton, Rei, Lily, Lulu, Joseph, Hyrum, Morgan, Davin, Rider, Lucy, Zach, Evalyn, Natalie, and Kaylee.

Standing, from left to right: Brighton, Matthew, Brandt, Calvin, Kennedy, Kelton.  

Mrs. Bigelow and Mrs. Moffat.  

I know Carter is missing.

After school, Brandt and I went to pick up Blythe who had been playing at Grandma Dawn's house.  Although I gave her the option to come to school, Blythe wanted to go to Grandma's.  She and McKenna played and when Brandt and I arrived, Brandt hauled McKenna around, whether or not she wanted to be hauled. 

Blythe wanted to be a fairy princess fashion girl movie star.  

So she is wearing her princess dress, many bracelets, and sun glasses, just like a movie star.

No wings, but she did carry around a magic wand.

We made another visit in the afternoon to Grandma and Grandpa Barrus.  Grandma had made cookies (which were yummy with orange and black spots inside), and Grandpa wanted to take pictures.  I did too.  Here are our buccaneer and his fairy princess first mate on their pirate ship.  

We made another stop around the corner at Grandma Sue's house and met up with two one-eyed monsters.  Crew and Griffin didn't want to knock on the front door, but they were certainly happy to add candy to their buckets.  The day was positively balmy and so the four of them ran around outside while I visited with my mom.

Miss Lyla the ice cream cone, and her dad, Christopher

In the evening we went over to our new neighborhood and went trick or treating.  Our soon to be across the street neighbors offer hot dogs and nachos to families wandering around.  Another neighbor carves the most amazing pumpkins, big elaborate ones.  This year he carved faces of Pirates of the Caribbean characters that were so realistic Orlando Bloom looked hot with a candle flaming behind his face.  And some other neighbors, new to the ward, set up a haunted forest in their backyard.  It was spooky.  I was glad we went before it got dark because the children were somewhat freaked out even in the light.  

I was thinking, next year, we could make apple cider donuts.  I thought it would be a nice addition to the neighborhood festivities.  Then I spoke to someone who lives in the next cul-de-sac down who told me she gave out about 300 pieces of candy.  I don't want to make 300 apple cider donuts so I may need to come up with some other fun new tradition.

The children were totally into trick-or-treating.  They ran from house to house excited to be getting candy.  I was delighted that on Tuesday, Brandt's homework assignment was to sort his candy any way he chose: by size, type, like/dislike, or color.  Brandt chose color.  He had mostly brown; lots of chocolate.  

Pumpkinland

Brandt's class had a field trip to Pumpkinland last week, and as their trip fell on the same day I was in charge of  our neighborhood pre-school, we had a field trip too.  Tysen came and brought her kids.  It was sunny and cold, but we had a good time.

Brandt rode the bus for the first time.  

He loved it!

He was also very good about staying with his group and letting his group mom, Alicia, know where he was.

How responsible.

Ava, Ellie Mason, Suzie Clark, and Anne Mason.

Crew and Blythe in the background.

Lyla, Ellie, Suzie, Griffin, Ava, Anne, and Blythe.

I cut off Crew.

Isn't this beautiful corn?

Not only was it as high as an elephant's eye, it had such interesting silk.

I wish this was in focus.

Aren't they cute girls?

Our pumpkin on a pumpkin.

Primary Halloween Carnival

As the Primary president, I am responsible for the nurture and admonition of the children in our ward.  And on occasion, I am responsible for their entertainment as well.  With my able, wonderful, committed, helpful presidency, we put on a stupendous Halloween carnival last week, shortly before Halloween.  This is the third year we have had this activity, the past two years in conjunction with the youth.  Due to some kerfuffle last year, the youth leaders opted not to participate and I found out only ten days before the activity.  In something of a panic I called my presidency and said, "Argh! What should we do?!"  They each calmly replied, "We'll do it ourselves."  And we did.

Our fantastic teachers, activity day leaders, and music people came through to help with all the fun games.  We ate donuts off a string, fished in a pond, did pumpkin bowling and ring toss, threw bugs through a spider's web, cake walked, dug for treasure in bird food, and had homemade root beer.  Everyone came in costume and we had all the children parade for us across the stage.  It was a super fun activity.  Here are a smattering of pictures.

Buccaneer Brandt and his Werewolf Buddies (Simon and Jack)

Brandt is digging for treasure in 120 pounds of bird food.  

All that bird food will last through the winter.

Our music leader, Julie, who got into the spirit of things.

Blythe is all decked out in her Halloween finery.

She is throwing bugs.

Aren't these cute cupcakes?

Funny Children

This morning Brandt said to me, "I can't stand on one leg while holding a rubber chicken."  This totally made me laugh.  Made me want to cry too, because it is just the sort of thing my dad would say.  I could hear him asking Brandt, "Can you stand on one leg while holding a rubber chicken?"

Blythe is funny too.  When I said, "You are the most contrary child I have ever encountered," she said, "I am not."  See?