GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is my wish that every small child playing soccor could have the chance to experience the thrill of getting at least one goal during their season. Even if it is quite by accident. And in the snow. I was too busy hootin' and hollerin' to get a picture of the goal, but this is pretty close! The game was called at the end of the third quarter, for obvious reasons. Still, we are having so much fun being soccor parents to this cute guy. He has decided that his favorite job on the team is as a defender. He plays the game chasing the other team, keeping them away from the ball. Mind you, he does it with a big grin on his face.

Ah, a hard earned treat after playing in a blizzard.

What's Grosser Than Gross?

As I was photographing this gross little whatever that is crawling up my leg, I am remembering a hilarious story from my teenage years. I know. Doesn't this picture make you want to come and play footsie with me? Actually, this picture doesn't even do it justice.

When I was 16 or 17, I developed a case of hives that started on my knees, then spread up my thighs and then down my shins. They were huge, itchy bumps. Yick. I had never had them before and have never had them since...given these beauties aren't hives.

Sometime in the midst of this beautiful outbreak, we went water skiing during a family get-together at a park in my hometown. A member of our stake presidency drove his boat, filled with my mom and dad and aunts and uncles. I was water skiing on the back. Yep, that's right. I used to water ski! Anyway, President Lybbert and my family were just chatting away in the boat, literally paying no attention to the poor skier that they were literally dragging around the lake. I have no idea how long I held in there. I waved and shouted and hooted and hollered, trying to get their attention, but to no avail. I was exhausted, at the expense of their great visit in the boat. Finally, I could hold on no longer. I just...let go. I had to. There was no more strength in my then little legs.

When the water finally settled around me, I began to panic. In my haste to ditch the tow rope and take a break, I didn't notice that the spot that I had chosen to land in was a green, slimy cesspool of green slimy muck. It seemed like an eternity before the intensely visiting someones realized that they had lost their poor skier. I am pretty sure that I, being a calm, cool and collected person, didn't react one bit. But, we all know that that is sooooo untrue. I am pretty sure I was hysterically ready for them to get me up on my skis again and drag me to shore. I remember coming up, SOLID green. Bleck!! It gives me the willies to think about it now!

There is a silver lining (and an ending!) to this story. My hives were gone. Literally gone. I was healed in a pile of green goo. I am not sure how, or why, but they were gone!

Anyone have a cesspool of green slime I can dip my disgusting feet in?

Keeps Coming

Last night at bedtime, Chase asked in his prayer to help us remember to read our scriptures. We were going great guns there for a while. Then, everything went topsy-turvy as our lives went helter-skelter this past month. I thought it was so sweet that he would mention that. When he said amen, he jumped up on the bed and said,

"Mom, we REALLY need to read our scriptures!"

I said, "I know, Chase. We really need to remember to do that each day. It will help our roots grow big and strong."

That cute little boy stretched his feet out, wiggled his toes and said,

"Look at how SMALL my roots are, Mom! We have GOT to get reading!"

Where Do They Get This Stuff?!

This morning, Chase and I went to Jeff's shop to run an errand. Chase was in a sweet and chipper mood. He was being a little cheesy with his amorous comments while looking out at the green stuff and smelling the rain and admiring the cows. I started a conversation with him about the Creation. I reminded him that Jesus helped build this beautiful earth. Chase inhaled, looked around with big eyes and said, very breathy,

"HOW did he come down from the sky and do ALL that work?"

"Well, that is a question you will have to ask when you go to heaven."

"No, Mom, you have to ask Him."

"Why can't you ask Him?"

"You will have to talk to Him; I am just going to hug Him."

That caught me off guard. That was so much sweeter than what I was gearing up to hear. I thought for sure he was going to remind me that I am older than dirt and will for sure be in heaven a long time before he is. Ah, out of the mouth of babes!

Why We Play Soccor

Go Team Lightening!!

All Hail To My Cousin LeaAnn

My cousin LeaAnn posted her fabulously hilarious post about Easter a few days ago. She completely inspired me. She told her children that there was no Easter Bunny, be happy for what they got for Easter and called it good. How wonderful!!

I have been struggling with what to do for some of these holidays. Seriously, I am quite irritated at the Easter Bunny, the Leprecauns, the Tooth Fairies, the Ghosts and Goblins. The only one who seems to be safe from my prejudice seems to be Santa. He might be safe a few more years. Other than Santa, we didn't grow up with all of the hype from other characters. I have been wrestling with coming into my own for our family. I have been torn between being a fun mom, creating good memories, starting worthy traditions based on gospel principals and not getting flogged by friends and family who tell us that if we ruin their holidays...we're toast. Bringing the gospel into the holidays isn't our problem. Keeping the world out is.

So, after LeaAnn's post, I girded up my loins, took a deep breath, and plunged into scarring my child for life.

At breakfast on Thursday, I broke the news to Chase. I told him, there was no Easter Bunny. The look on his face both relieved me and broke my heart. His face literally said to me, "Dadgummit...I KNEW that was coming." I think he was pretty much on the fence if he was believing or not. I just pushed him off. He gave a sad face for two seconds, then quickly and nervously added that Santa was the only one that was real...right...? I am letting that slide for now. I can't be a complete nincompoop stick-in-the-mud. I can't squash all childhood magic! Then Chase said and did the most wise thing a newly devastated 5 year old could say and do, he said, "Yup, Easter is all about Jesus." And then he thanked ME for the great Easter Basket. Bless your heart, Chase.

Now, before all of you friends and family that utilize these other holiday characters nail me to the wall, I did mention to Chase, the wise counsel of my mom. Each family is different and each family can do what they need to do. I mentioned to him that we will have a lot of fun on these holidays and make fun traditions, but we won't be expecting any visits from characters, except from an underplayed Santa. Hopefully, the subject is dropped. I don't want any phone calls from parents who intercept an argument between their child and Chase on who is real and who is not.

So, here's to you, LeaAnn and all of you other amazing parents that juggle the world and the gospel. Here's to all the children who had a great Easter, inspite of well-meaning parents!!

Here are some pictures of our Bunny-free Easter.

Dying Easter eggs. Grandma was with us the

week before Easter. What a treat!! Better than

any Easter Bunny!

Hunting for eggs on Friday before Easter. Chase

knew the eggs were hidden by me. One conversation

I didn't have to have. Whew!

Chase did a scavenger hunt for his basket. He read

all of the clues by himself! Way to go, Chase!

The Funny Are Going To The Funny Farm

You all seem to think that I am so funny? Well, apparently the 5 year old living at my house does, too. It might not be working out to my advantage, however. You know the "look" that you shoot your children, the look that warns them that their behavior is close to landing them in solitary confinement for the rest of their lives? Yeah, that look makes Chase bust out laughing. Useless. You know when you act like a small child to get your small child to see how useless and obnoxious it is to act like a small child and would they please stop that? Useless. It makes Chase laugh. You know that stern warning to a child to wipe that smirk off of their face or there is going to be some real trouble, yup, makes Chase laugh, which makes me laugh, and...okay, maybe that one is not so bad.

But this:

This is not so funny. On Thursday, Chase spilled a gallon of red house paint that glopped up the wall and all over the carpet. This actually looks pretty good. My mom had already mopped up the bad stuff with towels. Me, I snapped. Literally snapped. The snapping was overdue. I was ripe for a snap. I let out some choice words and broke into a fit of hysterics that would have led you to believe that I had broke my femur or something.

I was retelling this story to someone and Chase chimed in,

"Yeah, my mom made me laugh! She was so mad that it made me laugh!"

Seriously, kid! When are you going to start being scared of me?

Why Parents Go Insane

Chase, where are your shoes?

I don't know.

How could you lose them? You were just wearing them.

I don't know.


Where did you just barely go?

I don't remember.


Chase we need to find your shoes. Go find them.

I can't. They're lost. I have no idea where they are.


So, we choose a different pair of shoes to get us out the door. Within minutes, they are "lost" as well and we are having this conversation ALL OVER again.



Jump ahead to a new conversation.

Chase, where this that tiny thing-a-ma-bob that came with your drum set to help tune the drums that I am sure you have never seen before at least not since Christmas at Grandma's house and why am I even asking you because there is no way that you would even begin to know what a drum tuning key would look like but I have exhausted all of my other tricks on where to find it so I might as well ask you since you are the only person other than Jeff who is not here yet that might have a tiny inkling of an idea where it could be but no let's be honest I think I'll just ask you to prove my point that unless it's attached to your body it's "lost" forever. Huh?

It's in the cupboard where the battery box is, Mom.

Smack. Smack. Smack. Those are not the sounds of kisses on that cute, irresistible face. That is the sound of my head banging against that cupboard where the battery box is...where I found the drum tuning key.

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree

Chase is proving to be more like me than I think the world is ready for. He has a stubborn streak in him, strong enough to test the will of the Pope. And, are you ready for this...he is dramatic. Oh, no!

But, one really fun thing about Chase is that he is a YELLOW! If you aren't familiar with the color of personalities, I am BLUE heart on sleeve, people pleaser, wants everyone to know how they feel, sound like me? Oh yeah!! Yellow personalities like to play and have fun and be the life of the party. This is Chase.

The reason I am sooooo excited in this video is because of the fact that this "yellow" boy has a "red" streak running right down his back (likes to be in charge, likes to have their way, says what's on their mind regardless of consequences, etc.). I have been trying to teach this boy how to pump on the swings for two years. He's been holding out on me, insisting that underdogs from mom are way more fun. Who needs to learn to pump when you have your mom at your beck and call, right? He's pushing 5 and a half! I mean, come on! It's time to cut the apron strings, or underdogs. So, I apologize for the whooping and hollering. I would have stood on my head, in my underwear and screamed if it would have been enough excitment and reward for that boy to keep pumping and shed the mom-pusher.

Now the real reason for this video and post (did I mention that I am a blue...like to be understood...like to talk?). Anyway. At the end of the video, I asked him to say something to the camera and he said, "Happy Swing Day"! Everything can be turned into a party for this kid! In fact, on Monday, he received his regular bag of goodies from the dentist, a bag with stickers, toothpaste, a toothbrush and floss. He promptly hung it on the doorknob of our back door. When I shot him my incredulous look, he said, as if I was the only person who missed the memo, "We need decorations to celebrate "Happy Dentist Day!" Duh, what was I thinking?

Thanks, Guys

I just came across this picture as I was deleting pictures off of my camera. It took me a second to realize what this picture was. Chase had my camera for a minute when Grandma and Grandpa were here and helped himself to taking some pictures. Grandpa had reached in his pocket to get some spare change to add to Chase's mission jar. Grandpa has made it a habit of doing this everytime they are here. Even the time when Grandpa was pinching his pennies, literally, to buy his car. Even then, he managed to part with some dearly beloved coinage.

So, this is a shout out to all of the big boys in Chase's life; his dad, his Grandpa, his uncles, his cousins and friends and church leaders who have ever loved him and set an example for him. We realize that your influence has a great deal to do with how wonderful we think he is! Thank you for helping him to want to serve a mission, even as an innocent 5-year old. Thank you for making him feel so loved and important. We think he has some pretty great men in his life.

Now, if he becomes a Harley-riding bald man weilding a PHD, a tool belt and a great sense of humor, well, maybe then we will know that he took your influences a little bit too far.

Until then, thank you for all you do!!