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Summer is here! I can't believe it! With our move in may, and wrapping up PTA for the year, then scout day camp one week, and 11 year old camp another week, and sending Vance off to boy scout camp this week, it is just beginning to feel like summer!!  I LOVE summer. But to be honest it is so rare here in Washington that even when the calander says it is summer, that it feels that way.

We had Kjari's 5th birthday party over the weekend, which included great sunny weather, swimming, water balloon fights, tons of good BBQ foods with friends and family!  It felt like it had truly begun.

Life has been so busy, that I really want to enjoy it when I can this summer. I want to soke up the little sun we get, and not stress about my house and laundry, I want to play with my kids in the pool and not think about all I should be doing inside. It is so short... summer and time with my kids. I hope I can hold on to this time as long as I have it.

Middle aged (not quite) Mommy Musing

I have been talking about age alot lately. I guess it is happening, I have entered my mid thirties I guess I should start acting like it. But it hit me this morning, what effects age has done to me, and I am not talking physical, that is a whole other story and time that I probly won't share with you all!

But again, I am realizing h0w wonderful it is to truly begin to know yourself. It can also be scary. I am more and more aware of my faults, and in a strange way, knowing them makes them easier to accept and change if I ever decide I want to.

One fault that I believe I will be working on eternally is learning to be punctual. Seriously anyone who is reading this now and knows me is saying uh huh, about time you figured that one out! Sadly, I see myself in the spirit world, after life, and some great, great grandchild is coming and I will show up late for there welcome. Ok that was a little disturbing, but my point is, I am always late. It doesn't matter how much I prepare ahead of time, how early I get up, I am always late.....(side note, somehow I married a man, exactly like me in this area, my poor poor children) :)

Ok, I am going to take a moment to try to counter act those negative thought in case the "Secret" is true. **SMILE** **I am on time always** ** I make time to relax after prepareing to get ready** Hee hee!!! Ok, back to my thoughts....

BUT... what I am learning now is to let go of the reasons before that I hated being late. I hated disappointing other people, not because it would effect them, I still feel bad about that, but I would hate them thinking less of me. HELLO, anyone who knows me knows that I am this way, and I do still have a few people who love me and hang on to my life. :)

So this last year I am doing it for me, and for my kids, so I can attempt to change this for them. Not that I believe it is passed on, if that were the case, we would not even be having this discussion, my parents have ALWAYS been the type that if you were not 10 minutes early you are late. WHY COULDN'T THAT BE PASSED ON!! But I don't know someone could argue that I have always been a bit rebellious, maybe I am going against that, odd, though I don't think it is punishing my parents now, so what is the point!! :)

Anyway, I have been letting go of perfection and accepting my limitations. My Narcolepsy, really does make it difficult. One of the symptoms that not to many people are aware of is called Automatic Behavior. I may look like I am moving forward doing things, but my mind has shut down, what would normally take someone 10 minutes to do, I might do it in 35. So combine that crazy thing with the distractions of taking care of 4 kids at the same time... well it simply is a recipe for disaster. BUT... I am not giving up.

This morning, as I was dropping the boys off to school, mind you before the last bell had rung, the boys waved there goodbyes, breakfast in hand as they ran. This nice man, leaned over to my truck and said, "quick breakfast today huh?" In the past that would have crushed me. Who knows why, this man was really just trying to be funny and probably related since he too, was just now dropping them off. But today, as I drove away, I thought to myself. YES, that was a quick breakfast. But if he only knew, that we had seriously only woken up 12 minutes before that moment!! If he only knew that this is what we had accomplished in those 12 short minutes:

Got all three boys up

Got myself dressed

Got my oldest in the shower with a towel and orders to wash his long shaggy hair or I was going to cut it...

Found socks for all of them

Actually did cut my 6 year old's hair, mostly a repair from the job he did when he was mad at his teacher the day before...

Ordered them all to brush teeth and wash faces (although can't confirm at the moment if all 3 complide with this one) :)

Signed homework folders

Signed a note from a teacher, telling me that my second son had reached Orange.. again....

Had a quick talk on responsibility and how he was going to make that not happen again..

Another quick talk about the fact that he will keep getting on Orange if he keeps seeing it as 'Her' problem and not his.

Prepared a quick but totally nutritious breakfast for them to carry out.... Peanut butter (protein) on whole grain bread. Yes I said bread not toast, but they didn't seem to mind! :)

AND... Drumb roll.... Got them to the school before the second bell!!!!

I have to say I am impressed myself just seeing it all in print!!!

Don't even ask my we only woke up at 8:12 am......... :)

Montana is cold!!

Now when I grew up in Idaho, we had much longer winters then they do now, but nothing, and I mean nothing can compare to the cold we feel here in Montana! (Ok maybe Alaska or whatever, but for me, it is Montana)

It has been so cold, I mean freezing here this weekend. Church was cancelled Sunday, because of the weather. The high yesterday was -12. Ok, and since we are one of the windiest cities in the nation, the wind chill factor added on that, they say, makes it feel like -45!!

It is truly insane. It got alot colder too, remember that was the high for the day!!!

This morning, I was sure school would be cancelled, frost bite sets in in this weather within 10 minutes!! But no, no cancellation! My car would not start, (I forgot to plug it in last night, too cold to go out, and kept putting it off) So a sweet nieghbor had to give the boys a ride to school. My plan was to get the last few things I need to mail out to the post office today, to make it by Christmas, so I hope my car decides to start soon!

Saturday, when it wasn't as cold, (closer to -7 hee hee) they big boys bundled up with a grand plan to make a slideing area off the deck by building up snow. Well, it only lasted about 6 minutes until it was just too cold! They each took turns once in a while running out and jumping on the trampoline for a few seconds (with out coats mind you) and running back in! Can you tell who these boys are related too?????

Anyway, it has been a cold and long weekend, and it doesn't show much signs of warming up!

But guess what...... I STILL LOVE MONTANA!!!! :)

Random Thoughts about the kids....

We always talk about writing down funny things that the kids said when they were little. I am going to write what I can remember now, before it is to late.

Vance: at about 2, "Boo Ti Ti" for peek a boo, everytime!!

Gjori: "Fire burned da birdie" (He was about 2, we have no idea why, but he said it often.)

We always called Vance, Vancie Pants, and Gjori, Gjori buggy.

Kjellsen has always been called shooter! No idea why, but it stuck from when he was just a little baby. Sometimes it is Shooter Magavin!

When Kjellsen wanted to go to McDonalds. He always said, "lets go to SayUncles" or "SuDoncles" No idea why.

Kjari for some reason started out saying flowers as "Fockers". No matter how clear we would say it for her, she would always later say, "look pretty Fockers!" She did that for about 3 months, and just now says it pretty clear.

The other day, I was having a really rough day, and I was crying. Kjell had just left to get some things for our painting job, this is what happened.

Kjari: Are you sad mommy?

Me: yes

Kjari: Do you miss your Daddy?......... He'll come home soon.

I loved it. I gave her a big hug, and texted my dad! I do miss my Daddy many times.

My boys on Sunday, were so upset and I couldn't figure out why. The young man who blessed the sacrament had made an error, and had to repeat it. I looked over at my two oldest boys and they were in deep discussion and seemed really mad. Later I ask Gjori what was going on and he ask me why he had to repeat it. I told him that it was a very important prayer and it was taught by Jesus Christ and its important we do it His way. He was so flustered and upset, he kept saying that is wrong, that is wrong. (Remember this is my sweet Gjori, everything is very literal to him!) He looked at me, and told me:

"Mom Jesus does not expect perfection from us. He understands when we make mistakes. That just isn't right." I told Kjell he was going to have to have a discussion with him on it, because at that moment there was no talking to him.

I ask Kjell this morning if he talked to them yet, and he said yes. He said he talked to them for about 3 or 4 minutes, and they were totally like, ok, yeah that makes sense. Go figure!!

Anyway, I am off to get some work done today!