The Daily Show with Reza Aslan

I've been following the Iranian Elections and the aftermath that has followed, pretty closely. I thought this guy is amazing at spelling out what is going on. I loved this interview.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Reza Aslan
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran

My Little Slugger

 The baseball season for 2009 came to an end last night. It's been quiet the season this year. There was lots of rain, wind and even some funky clouds here and there. I have to tell you first and foremost, so when I am bragging about my sweet little man, you can know the truth behind his desire to join baseball. Well, there is a snack at the end of every game. Snacks are usually a juice box and a fruit roll up or something like that. When we were trying to decide if he really wanted to be in baseball this year or not, the deciding factor was snacks. Adam joined baseball this year because there were going to be snacks. That's really the only reason why he wanted to join and since he would be running and getting some exercise, I thought... hey why not, maybe he will
 enjoy it too and learn to like the game. Well, Adam isn't much of a go getter. Both of his parents have that affliction. (Isn't it great that our kids inherit our bad qualities.) He was happy being in the out field where there isn't a lot of action and he can play with the grass. I happen to think it's adorable, but I don't know if his coaches agree. Anyway, he hit a few balls, struck out a ton, ran a few bases, caught a few balls, made a few plays, but mostly I think he was day dreaming about that snack that was all his as soon as the game was over.

Princess Lily turns 5.....

 I cannot believe how fast time flies. Holy cow. Today I was thinking that 5 years ago today I was giving birth to the most beautiful baby girl I had ever seen. After about 7 1/2 hours of labor, Miss Lily Lavinia arrived, weighing in at 8lbs.6oz. and 19 inches long. I remember asking the Doctor several times if she really was a girl :) I even took her diaper off a little while later when I was alone with her, just to make sure and was so very happy that she was definitely a girl.
 I have to tell a quick story about how we arrived at Lily's name and the spelling of her name. I was about 100 months pregnant and read a book that my friend Keri and given me. It was called 'The Secret Life of Bee's.' The main character's name was Lily. Well, I fell in love with that name. Todd and I never agree on names and when I told him about this name that I thought was just beautiful, he agreed. WTF? I think it was a sign. Then it seemed like everywhere I looked I saw that name. Always spelled differently, but it seemed like it was another sign. When Todd and I where talking about it, I had asked a few people how they thought we should spell it. My friend Keri thought that we should make it as easy as possible and spell it with just one L instead of 2. I talked to my Nana to see what her opinion was and she thought that since the flower is spelled Lily then that was how we should spell it. Well that made perfect sense. So it was Lily with just one L from that
 moment on. She was destined to be our little flower. Her middle name is my middle name and I always loved that it was so different and that it was both of my Great-Grandmother's names. So, when my first baby girl was born I new that was going to be her middle name. And Lily Lavinia has always fit her perfectly.
 Anyway, Lily is a joy to get to raise. I see a lot of myself in her and yet her Daddy pops on there too. She shakes her booty like no other and is constantly singing something. She tends to pick up on lyrics and remembers them, sometimes a little to well. She is the light in her Daddy's eyes. The baby girl we so desperately wanted. I am proud to say that Lily is the annoying little sister to her two older brothers, not only does she want to be with them and do everything they are doing, but she loves to boss them around too. She is really good at it. Lily loves her baby sister. She tries so hard to mother her, sometimes to Sara's dismay, but none the less, Sara adores her. Lily is definitely the spunk in our family and the most outgoing of all our kids. I love her so very much and I am so lucky to have her in my life.
Now, on to the good stuff, presents :) This year, Todd and I got Lily a Nintendo DS. Not the souped up one that Spencer has, but just a regular DS. Adam got her the case that goes with it and Sara got her a game. Spencer got her some jewelry that she so desperately has been asking for. She also got several new dresses, more jewelry, make and purses, candy and lots of lip gloss. My friend Misty, who just happens to be Lily's future Mother-in-law, got her the cutest pair of flip-flops that she won't take off. I think Princess Lil' had a fabulous birthday. I love you my little flower.

Gloomy Day

 There are days, for no particular reason at all, that I am consumed with grief and inconsolably miss my Mom. I just wish I could pick up the phone and talk to her or ask her advise. But mostly on days like this, I wish I could hug her. Melt into her arms and breath her in. Have her reassure me that she was there, by my side. Having her as my soft place to fall. I feel like I was short changed with her dying when I was so young. She was only alive for a short amount of time. 12 years is never long enough to spend with your Mom. There was so much more to learn from her.
I really don't like days like today. Thankfully they are few and far between. But man when they hit, they bitch slap me right upside the head. And they leave me really lonely, desperately needing a hug from my Mama.

Adventures in Walmart

I wonder what it is about Walmart that turns people into the kind of parents you only see on Cops. Or Walmart can also turn your kids into massive brats. The fits I have seen kids throw at Walmart over a toy or candy or just whatever is insane. Then I realize why the above said parents are screaming at their kids. Good hell. Well, for this very reason, I have never ventured into Walmart by myself, with all four kids. Never. I have just been to scared. I could see myself, in my ponytail and sweats, all screaming and yelling because one of my many kids were having a massive melt down over sidewalk chalk or something random like that. But yesterday it occurred to me that I have great kids. (Not just yesterday :) I really have great kids. There was no reason to be scared. Spencer is a huge help at home with the kids and Adam's main issue isn't melt downs, he is a lolly-gagger. Lily is probably the kid that is giving us the most grief lately. She has really begun to test her ground with Todd and I, but when we let her know that we mean what we say and there will be a consequence if she doesn't do as she is told, then she is usually really good. Sweet little Sara is really bad for wanting to climb out of the cart and walk like the big kids. In Benedicts, that is fine because she stays right with me. But in Walmart with 3 other kids, she has to stay in the cart. That can and has lead to little redheaded melt downs. With that being said, a firm warning was issued to Lily that there are grave consequences for unacceptable (yes, we use that word ALL THE TIME!!!) behavior and all consequences will ensue when we arrive home. Then a quick lecture to my wonderful boys about helping with their sisters, I (we) braved Walmart. And you know what, it turned out absolutely fabulous. Spencer had one cart with at least one sister in it and Adam followed me around, we ventured through the store. The only real upset was when we turned the corned once, Spencer was a little to close with his cart and he plowed into my heel. OUCHY!!!! I turned and looked at him and through gritted teeth sad "That CANNOT happen again!" Nothing overly mean, but the look and tears in his sweet blue eyes told me that he felt horrible and he would watch out a little better. O' and checking out. I think I might have mentioned this before, but some how I always get the really crappy cashiers at Walmart. They either tell me their life story or the are soooooooo slow, or today I got the really ornery... some what intolerable to the customers with A LOT of groceries and/or kids, cashier. She was giving Adam the evil eys when he was standing to close to the bag turner thingy and I nicely asked him to move, all the while I thought she might come across the whirly gig bag thing and beat my little man, so I moved him to a different post and finished with paying tithe to the Walmart Gods (as my Lover would say.) Then we left. On the way out the lovely cashier started yelling at her boss that she need to go.... NOW!!!! Spencer looks at me and says "Mom, do you think she was Mental?" I had to smile, because I think Spencer and I are on the same wave length sometimes, and say "It sure seems so." And we both smiled as we left Walmart.
When we got our many, many groceries packed into our Suburban, we were trying to decided where to go eat. Adam and Lily wanted Sonic, Spencer wanted Arby's and Sara and I really didn't care. So, since my babies were so very good, I thought, "It's fast food right? We'll do both:)" Everyone was happy, it was a quiet ride back home, Anastasia was playing in the DVD player and I looked in the rear view mirror, only to see four of the most beautiful kids in the whole world sitting behind me and I thought, "I shall never under estimate the beings I have created, they are wonderful, Todd and I aren't to shabby of parents and Walmart was a successful adventure. What can I conquer next with these fabulous kids I get to raise?" The sky is the limit. If we can do Walmart, we can do anything :)

Happy 11th Birthday Spencer

 So 11 years ago yesterday, there was a nasty snow storm in June. I was helping a friend with her kiddo's while she sand bagged the river near her home. After she was done I went home and Todd came home for lunch. I wasn't feeling great. I had been crampy and just feeling yucky, so I went a laid down. Soon, I felt like I needed to go potty. When I got up and started walking down our hallway, my water broke. It massively broke. And I was officially in labor. 15 hours and 2 pushes later, Todd and I welcomed our 8lb. 14oz. 21 inches long, beautiful baby boy. YAY!
 When I say beautiful, I mean beautiful. We had a nurse when we were in the hospital tell us that he was so pretty, he could've been a girl :) Todd was like ...Whoa.. Hey, that's my baby boy. It was so cute. Anyway, we got home from the hospital and really understood how in love we were with this sweet baby. He has had us wrapped around his fingers since day one. He was a wonderful baby. Such an easy little
 man. He has been a logical, smart, easy going child. He has always been very attached to his Daddy. Loves him, looks up to him, wants to be just like him. Everything Todd does, Spencer does. He has been walking in everyone of Todd's foot steps since he could walk. It has been so sweet to see their relationship develop. Spencer is an amazing boy. I love that we talk all the time about world issues. He asks questions all the time about whatever is on his mind. He is a fabulous brother. I have no idea how I would function in a day with out him. He has just been a joy to have in our lives and the fact that Todd and I got to have a hand in creating him, is just icing on the cake. He'a a sweet man.
 Alright, enough about how wonderful my boy is, the good stuff starts now. The birthday presents. This year Todd and I got Spencer a Nintendo DSi. It's the upgraded version of the regular Nintendo DS. This new gaming system is able to take pictures and other cool things :) Adam and Lily got him games for the DSi and Sara got him a case for the DSi. He also got money from friends and family members which he absolutely loved. He was able to get yet another game all by himself. So cool. We had a family get together last Sunday and our niece Janice made him a Lemon Mirage pie. That's his favorite dessert in the whole world. I think he had a pretty great birthday. Happy Birthday to my sweet little man. I love you so very much. I feel blessed everyday to get to be your Mommy. Thank you for being the amazing young man that you are.

The Bourne Trilogy

Holy Crapazolie. What a phenomenal set of movies these were. Our nephew Jim loaned the first two movies to Todd and I like 10 months ago and we finally got around to watching them last night. Then I put a cry for help out for the 3rd movie today on Facebook and low and behold, our neighbors across the street had it, so Todd and I got to watch it tonight. All 3 movies in two days... Whoo-Hoo!!! I highly recommend them to anyone who likes action movies. They were fabulous and definitely worth the hours you'll spend engrossed in them.

Daddy and Sara

 Sara helping Daddy listen to his Ipod and chill. What a little helpie helperton.And please pay special attention to her big ol' honkin' hair. How sweet are they together.

Top Ten Dance Competition/Car Fight......

My incredibly adorable Princess Lily had a clogging competition in Ogden on Saturday. She was adorable. As were all of the little girls. I think Lily is the oldest of the group, but as you can see, not the tallest. She kinda has her Mommy's tallness genes. Meaning, she's a little on the not so tall side. Anyway, Todd, Spencer, Adam, Sara and I loaded our little Princess in the Suburban and headed out to the land of the horribly rude drivers with all goals focused on Lily and the other little Princesses she clogs with, to totally kick butt. (And they did !!!!) We arrived at the Weber State Campus and because we are total dorks, we didn't know where the heck we were headed to. We soon found the place and I got Lily dressed in her 'Beauty and the Beast' costume and put some make up on her (her favorite thing) and headed into the building. Well, I have a horrible confession to make. When I am anxious, I get really bitching, snarky, & rude...to my husband. The one person in the whole world that loves and adores me and puts up with my flaws on a daily basis. I was worried that we were heading into the wrong building and were going to be late. So instead of trusting my knight in shining armor, I was rude and bitchy to him. Not my shining moment to say the least. So with a tension filled journey into the building, we made it in plenty of time. Todd seemed to forgive me and we got to see Lily and the rest of the CSD Tiny Tots clog their way to victory. I don't really know for sure what trophies they won, but they ended up with 2 ginormous trophies. I got a great picture of Lily with her dance teacher/coach Angie. She is a doll and does so well with all these little girls. You can tell she is passionate about dance and goes to a lot of effort to prepare these little girls for competition. We just love her and all she does for all her little dance groups. She rocks. So as we get ready to leave, we notice it is raining like cats and dogs. It has been for days, we don't know why this day would be any different. Well, I guess I was ornery again with my husband, although, the memories of the the events are totally different in mine and Todd's minds, because I don't remember being rude, snarky, or bitchy to him on the way out, but he said I was and as a result we got into another argument that hurt me, so we fought about the whole situation, along with about 100 other things all the way to Evanston. We had a really crappy day, minus about 2 precious hours of getting to see our beautiful daughter shine. But we have learned time and time again, there is nothing like being couped up in a car for hours at a time to hash out all the problems and issues you have been dealing with. It has proven to be our marriage counselling tool and allows us both time to listen and see each others point of view. There aren't always car fights, most of the time he listens to me jabber on about whatever is relevant in my mind for that day or he tells me all about his new video game or happenings at work. It's a great way for us to spend some quality time together, whether it's all about solving the problems of the world or the small things that seem so big inside our little lives. I am a lucky woman. I realize that everyday. I am lucky when I think about the things I get to have....Whether it's a beautiful family to raise, a daughter that loves to shake her booty and sends us on adventures when she is competing, a husband that puts up with me, then understands me when I tell him I was hurt too, and a Suburban to solve our issues in. Life is pretty darn fabulous if you ask me :)

Things

Lots and lots of things have been on my mind lately, so as I continue to ramble, don't be surprised if I end up going through several ADD conversations. First and foremost, my older brother Pat came to visit last weekend. He was on a road trip and a friend of his named Caroline, decided to come with him. So they traveled from Montana to the big city of Mountain View. It was so great to see them. I haven't seen Pat in a year. He has been through a lot this last year and it shows on his face. But it was wonderful to have him here and spend a few days with him. We ended up having a BBQ/Get together with friends and family that was fun. I have a younger brother that has had his ups and downs with drugs and alcohol and he seemed to be struggling with his sobriety. That made for a difficult situation all around but, after he left, we ended up had an evening full of laughs and stories. When my brothers John and Pat get together, they love to tell stories about me as a child. And have a lovely pet name they refer to me as well. And man can Pat tell a story, he remembers things that are long since gone from my memory, but he remembers them in great detail and repeats the events with a ton of humor. Anyway, I loved seeing us together. It feel like we are a whole family for just a few minutes. The kind some of my friends take for granted. My brothers and I grew up in a home that was not always the ideal situation, but I always felt like I had a family when I had them. And being 33 and an orphan, sometimes feels a little lonely. John and his family come over frequently, but Pat and George live so far away, and Joey is lost, so I feel so warm and fuzzy when we are all together. My brothers and I are close, but not in the since that other siblings are. We would, in an instant to anything for each other, but we don't talk all the time or need the constant conversations to have a connection. I love them so much. I hope that my over excitement to see them doesn't make them crazy, I just love them and I am happy to see their faces.
In other news, I am officially off my Ambien. A medication I have been dependant on since the stress of taking care of my elderly Grandmother was giving me massive insomnia over 5 years ago. I am grateful to the doctors for helping me, but they never said how dependant you can become on it. It was brutal. And now that I am sleeping on my own, I feel so much better. No hang over feeling, a reduction in headaches, less irritability and a massive amount of energy. Thankfully that is better. And I feel like I can concentrate so much better. I think those pills were eating my brain. It's was rough, but on the road to restful nights, all by my bug girl self :)
Now, school is out for summer. So far the kids have been fabulous. I love seeing them everyday and I really hope that we have a smooth summer. Right now we have baseball and dance then in July we have swimming for the older 3 kiddo's. Then in August we have a short little vacation planned to go see Todd's sister in Idaho, but other than that we hope to get out and go camping frequently and just chill.
Lets see, what else :) There are so many other things to talk about but I think those are better saved for a different post because feedback will probably occur :) Anyway, I hope all of our loved ones are safe and well. Love to all of you.

Piggy Tail Baby

 Awe..........Look at my baby. She has piggy tails. Real Piggy Tails :) I was so excited. She looked stinkin' adorable.
 Lately, our little Miss Sara Rose has been climbing to new heights. I mean climbing up or on everything. She climbs on her toy box all the time so she can look at pictures of all her family or she climb on Lily's bed and steals her Leapster. She has also learned how to climb in her crib but not out of it. Now that can make for a lovely Drama Mama fit. She has also learned how to climb on mine and Todd's bed, which is like 3 feet off the ground, so I worry about her falling off of that frequently. She can climb on boy of her brother's beds too. That freaks me out because they have head boards that are book shelves and they are covered in Lego's and other 'boy' toys, so we have to be pretty careful with what the boys leave up there. That's kind of a bummer for them.
 Anyway, with all that climbing, she still finds time to ask you to read to her constantly. But when you say no, SOMETIMES, she goes over to her books and just sits and looks at them for short periods of time. It's pretty stinkin' cute. And when you say "Smile Sara", she gives you quite and adorable smile. Look at that lip of hers. Sweet little busy cheeseball of mine :)