Toothless

(the progression of the photos goes as follow;  1. Are you sending this to Daddy?  2. I make funny sounds.  3. This is my picture Dude. 4. I said get out!  5. Miss Boo hit me because I was trying to be in the picture."


I remember NOTHING about losing teeth as a child.  It's strange, I think.  Isn't it?  Doesn't everyone remember losing at least one tooth?  I know by the size of my teeth that I wasn't born with these honkers.  Could you imagine?!  But the memories are gone.  As Mr. Finn has said on many occasions, it is my early onset Alzheimer's.

At least I haven't lost any important information, right?  And... how would I know that?

Maybe I should stick to writing down the "important" things in my children's lives while I still remember.

Miss Boo lost her 4th tooth last night after a loooonnnnng day of it hanging by a literal string.  She spent the better part of the early evening freaked out that she would lose it while she slept and swallow it.  I assured her that it would be out by the time she brushed her teeth.  I was right.  I am always right.  The toothbrush was the thing that finally wrenched that poor little tooth from her mouth.

And now we have this scrumptious picture that all mothers love.

Time won't give me time...

I have this thing about taking pictures of myself on the way to church on Sundays.  I believe it is because that is when I have taken the most amount of time to make myself look decent, because every other day I barely comb my hair.  

What I get out of these pictures is something for my children to have of me. And... I get to see my transition into old age.  I see the fine (well to be honest, more like crows feet) lines around my eyes.  The lips that I loved are now succumbing to gravity and have many lines in them.  Taking these pictures tells me that I really should use lipstick.  Only 20 year olds can get away with the "nude" look.   I am grateful for my gene's that have allowed me to "feel" younger than I am for quite some time, but I know that time is no longer sneaking up on me, it is staring me straight in the face.  

Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against age.  I don't want to look like an old woman, but I am resigned to that fact.  Not enough to stop dyeing my hair, but enough that one day when I take that picture in the car I will hopefully not freak out and will welcome what has created that "new" image.

(you can also see how I have bitten my bottom lip for the past 40 some odd years)

Special Visitor

Miss Boo lost her 3rd tooth on the way home from YW last night.  (top left)

I don't think I have ever seen that child so happy.  She wanted to make sure that I was just as excited as she was and then wanted to know why it made me so excited that she lost her tooth.  I think #4 will be falling out today as well.

We are soooooo EXCITED!

On a scale....

Today is one of those days that on a scale is not going to rate very high.  As a woman you can probably understand that.  We all have that special guest once a month that we all dread and I have to say that age has made me crankier than ever when she finally knocks on the door.  I want to scream, "LEAVE ME ALONE".  Aunt Flo is not my favorite and she's quite rude.  She doesn't even care that I don't want her around.  She won't allow me to leave the house, because she hogs up all my time.  She is literally a pain in the ______!  And she is a messy houseguest that stays too long.

SHEESH!

The only thing that makes this day rate higher is these two.

Hello My Name is Hope

When I was 18 I moved to Phoenix, AZ to become a model.  Sounds a bit far reaching, doesn't it?  But alas, I was young and so enrolled in Plaza Three Academy.  It bears mentioning that it no longer exists. And... I am not a model.  I bet there is a connection there.  Not really, I just couldn't do that lifestyle after I realized what it "REALLY" entailed.  But that isn't the reason for this story...

... One afternoon the phone rang.  Earth shattering, I know.  But who was on the phone was a surprise.  She identified herself as Kirsten Hanchett.  I had no idea who she was.  She kept going on about how we had carpooled to school one day and that blah, blah, blah.  She lost me somewhere.  When she got to the point it was to ask if I would be willing to let her borrow my car to get her license.

Uh!  NO!  Buh Bye!

The phone rings again and we go through the whole thing over again with the same ending if you can believe it.  Undeterred she called back every 15 minutes.  Maybe she couldn't get anyone else to let her either.  I don't know, but I finally acquiesced after 3 or 4 times.  Totally persistent.  I have learned that this is one of her many wonderful qualities.

I picked her up and spent 15 minutes in the parking lot while she "practiced".  I'm being serious, she wasn't very good at driving.  Not sure she has improved much over the years.  She just drives nicer cars!  hahaha

As she was doing another spin around the parking lot, she turns too sharply and this huge box she brought with her spills all over the floor.  Why would she bring a huge box full of pictures?  I was thinking she was a little nuts.  As I was picking them up I noticed they looked, well, familiar.  Not the people, but the places.

I look over her and she is frozen.  I ask...Are you MORMON?  She looks like she just might soak my seat and starts to panic jabber.  I start laughing and tell her that I am too.  She stops and sighs really heavy;  "Oh thank heavens, I didn't think you were going to let me use your car if I was Mormon".  

We became instant friends and have had so much fun together over the years.  She is everything I am not.  Outgoing, talented, funny, outrageous and vivacious.  I have always said that I lack talent so I surround myself with those that do.  She sings... with the voice of an Angel.  I have been her biggest fan and have sat through many band practices while she sings her heart out.  I could listen to her forever.

Because I have some requests to hear what my little guy was listening to, here is one of my favorites.  Her album is labeled "The Parting Glass" by Kirsten with William Josef.

Fashionista

 Miss Boo is extremely intelligent. 

 I don't say that just because I am her mother. 

She just seems to have a grasp on all things smart.

Which does not cross over to the fashion gene.  

(I cried when I saw this picture.  Her face looks so grown up and wise,)

But, in her defense, I did tell her to go get dressed.

AND SHE DID!

That is no small deed in our reality.

When I went in to check on the Dude in bed last night, this is what I found.  

Guess what he is listening to?  

But, first some hints...

... he comes running into my office with this look of excitement and joy with his iPhone in his hand.  Mommy, who made this song?  It was so beautiful I almost cried, so please tell me who she is that sings so pretty.  (choke, silent sob.)  That is Aunt Kirsten sweetie.  He says that she is the most beautiful singer he has ever heard and runs off to his room playing "Day of Reckoning" over and over. 

Do you know the answer?

Lindi Hop will go on...

I know my last post may have seemed a little self serving, but the truth is that I have struggled in this calling for the past year.  I wasn't sure that this was a good fit for me, it isn't the best fit, but I have learned that these girls are so much fun and very interesting to be around.  And the other truth is that I am a bit self serving.

Lindi is very artsy.  When I say artsy I think of those people in NY who wear black, have interesting hair and do avant garde things such as photography, etc.  Lindi is a photographer and enjoys taking pictures of herself in interesting ways.  She fascinates me because she is fearless that way.  I really didn't know much about her except that her family was going through some rough times emotionally and that she was having a hard time fitting into our ward.  I truly felt like her Advisor was helping her with all that.

Then, one day I finally opened the Personal  Progress Book and started to read the value on Faith and all I could think about was Lindi being able to express her faith in Christ through her photography.  I called her and asked her what she would think about using my Canon Rebel (I knew she didn't have a camera outside of her cell phone) to work on it.

What she did took my breath away.  Her testimony of her Savior was full of color and depth... and I knew of her FAITH.  I was so grateful to finally feel like I was on the right page with one of these girls.  Our job/calling is to help them strengthen their testimonies, but I never knew how to do it.  Of course not!  It wasn't for me to do it, it was for me to listen to my Heavenly Father and do as he wanted for his daughters.

Lindi helped me in more ways than she thinks I helped her.  She still amazes me with her energy and drive.  Nothing will slow her down.

This was Lindi when she came to our ward.  

I took this picture of her for our camp flag.

And just because this is my blog journal, I am including the message I sent back to her and the one she sent me after that.  She is a gift that keeps on giving.

Dear Lindi,

That was the sweetest note. You are such a special young woman that made my first year as a leader so much more fulfilling. I was struggling in my calling with knowing why I was in there. You made me feel needed and useful. You brought such joy and light into our class. Every time I see you I smile. I didn't know you were struggling when you were in our ward. I just knew I loved you and enjoyed you. Just goes to show you that Heavenly Father knows us and our hearts. He brings those into our lives, albeit sometimes too short of a time, in order to help and comfort.

Thank you for putting so much effort into you Personal Progress Project. I was deeply moved by your art. You have an amazing eye and through your photography I got to see a piece of your heart. Thank you again.

Always keep in touch with me. I want to know all the wonderful things that LINDI is going to accomplish in this world. And they are going to be amazing.

With Love,

Sis. Rogers

July 15 at 9:11pm

I just love how heavenly father has a plan for all of us and creates this awesome bubble where people are connected and help each other out when he cant be there himself to comfort us. i think its amazing.

Thankyou again Sis. Rodgers this message put the most EPICALLY HUGE smile on my face. it has motivated me even more to accomplish bigger greater things and i Will always let you know when i doo!! :D

Lindi Hop

Subject: :D

Sister Rodgers!
This message is also a "thankyou" for all the things you've done along with all the things i like about you.


Thankyou for helping me get back into the church. Along with the other YW and leaders in your ward, you have definitely had HUGEEEE impact on my life. Without the church i know exactly where i'd be and i dont want to be there. Thankyou for strengthing my testimony in the gospel and helping me get back on my feet! I love how interacting you are with the YW and i think EVERY leader should be like that! You are definitley super smart and very wise bout lots of things! YOu aren't afraid to speak outloud and you don't care for whoever judges. I like all the activities you have put together and how it has built ME spiritually as well as emotionally!
I LOVE you you STILL keep tabs on me even though i dont go to your ward anymore. It makes a huge difference:)

THANKYOU FOR BEING A WONDERFUL LEADER AND PERSON :)))))))

-lindi

I found this sweet little note in my inbox the other day. 

Baby Mine

Mr. Finn took Miss Boo to work this morning.  I had mixed feelings!  It is good of him to think of me and that I could use some time off from at least one child, but then I feel frustration because it means I will have to take 1 1/2 hours of my day to go up to his office and pick her up.  I am not good with changes in my plans.  I think it is something I need to work on, don't you?  I can't even handle it if Mr. Finn decides to take a different way home, I get extremely anxious and a tad bit panicky.  Crazy.

At least I will be able to do some YW visits with just the Dude.   He is fabulous company and such a good listener, besides he loves hanging out with his Mommy.

The other morning we were cuddling and he cups my face with his sweet little hands and says;  "I want you to stay like you are and I just want to stay a kid".

Why, certainly my dear little man.  If only that were an option, I would halt your growth right here and cherish every moment of you.  I am torn between wanting them to stay right in this moment and then the joy of watching them learn and grow.  

I asked him the other day if he would still snuggle with me when he is grown up.  He assured me that he would never stop snuggling with me.  Mr. Finn said that would be a bit awkward when he is a grown man.  I don't care!  He will always be my baby.

A week of a houseful... of faces.

I never thought I would be a grandmother at this age, but it's turned out pretty good.  Miss Boo loves having nieces and nephews, especially this little guy.

Brothers...

Ok, I know there are a lot of Westin, but can you blame me.  That tummy is pretty impressive on a slow day.  Besides, he loves his Nana.

These two spent a lot of time hanging out watching movies on the iPhone.

This picture made me want to be young again.

We spent a couple of crazy days at the pool.  (see previous post)

Water... what is better?

It was a lot of fun to have 7 kids in this house.  An eye opener to how much work mothers of lots of children do.  I can quit complaining about two now... right?  At breakfast one morning Miss Boo looks around at the table and says, "Mom, it looks like a restaurant in here".  That about sums it up.  It was fun and they will be back on Saturday for a couple more days before they go home to their Daddy.

And... my daughter let Mr. Finn and I go out on a date.  An actual meal that we ate without children and we could take our time.  A movie and fun conversation.  I can't remember having a better time.  I didn't have to worry about rushing home to take a babysitter home and so we just got to enjoy each other.  I love these kind of date nights.

What a weird day...

It started out to be a seemingly innocent day fraught with lots of noise and chaos that can only be expected with a household of 7 children.

Did I mention my daughter is visiting with all my lovely grandchildren?  Ironically, they did not contribute the weirdacity of the day.  Oh yes!  I did make that word up and find I am rather attached to it and I might...use it several more times in this post, so there you have it.

We ate breakfast and lunch, then headed out to the pool to wear out all these bodies in hopes of an early night for all of them.....errrrr...us adults.  After 2-1/2 energy busting swimming, we were closing in on rounding up the kids and then off for dinner, baths and bed.  Sounds like a recipe for peace, doesn't it?

Never stay at the pool after 4 p.m.  Nothing good will ever come of it.  I promise you!

As I am sitting, chatting with a friend from church, Miss Boo comes up to me crying.  You know the kind of crying that comes from being truly hurt emotionally.  I couldn't understand her, but when I finally got it out of her, the story goes as follows:

That lady told me I can't swim... that I don't know how to so I can't go on the slide anymore.

What?  Who?  You know how to swim that's why I let you go down the slide by yourself.

She says I don't know how to swim and can't go to the deep end or the slide by myself.

Oh really.  Let's see about that.

That Lady was the life guard that just came on duty, maybe 16, 17 or so and full of attitude.  I usually don't get bent out of shape, but I got all of my buttons pushed.  As follows:

Can you explain to me what you said to my little girl?

She isn't a good enough swimmer to go down the slide?

What?

She shouldn't have a green band on?

How do you know if she should have a green band on?  She has been going down the slide for the past two hours all by herself and I haven't been catching her and she swims out of the way without problem?

She has to have a red band on.

WHY?

She doesn't know how to swim.

Are you kidding me?  What do you know about her swimming abilities?

Has she taken the swim test?

Have all these children taken a swim test in this pool?  How do you know that they have passed a test and can wear a green band?

Your daughter has to take the test or she can't wear the green band and go down the slide.

I know at least two other children (my granddaughters) that have green bands on that haven't taken a test.

Doesn't matter!  She can't go down the slide by herself.

FINE!  I will get in the pool and catch her.

You can't.  It's against the rules.  She has to have a red band on and can't be on the slide.

NOW you're lying to me!  She has been swimming for two hours by herself and I am going to let her go down the slide.

I am going to get my Manager.

I start clapping and say, "finally something that makes sense".

She doesn't like me much and I feel the same about her.

The manager comes and we go through the whole thing and she admits that the rule of not being able to go down the slide with a parent waiting to catch is bunk.  She says I can be in the pool with Miss Boo.  I then question her about the bands and what they heck is going on and why is she being singled out.  Come to find out it was because she wears the blue band around her waist because she is a little freaked out by the current when she comes off the slide and doesn't want to end up in the swim lanes.  They consider the blue band a non swimmer.

For pete's sake, give me a break.  We decided to just go home and come back with the lifeguards that know us around noon.

Just so you know.  I was hopped up on MAD.  Such an adrenaline rush.

Got the kids packed up and Nyoka heads out in front of me.  I am bending down to pick up a bag and when I stand up a lady is right by me.  She says, 'I hear you had a confrontation".  I figure she just wants to know about the thing with the lifeguard so I say yes.  She then launches into me about attacking her daughter.  I'm like, Who are you? And, what are you talking about?  Is your daughter the lifeguard?  She goes on saying I didn't have a right to yell at her daughter, who is 11.  Confused I ask if the lifeguard is 11.  What the heck?!?  I tell her I have no idea what she is talking about.  She says her daughter was accused of pushing my daughter down the pool and my daughter got her arm hurt.  I tell her I am pretty sure I would know if my little girl's arm got hurt, besides she was a blond six year old.  She then starts to lecture me on letting my daughter go down the slide.

I feel as if I am in some "gotcha" reality show at this point.  She won't stop ripping me for some supposed yelling at her child.  I would never yell at a child... that wasn't mine anyways.  I tell her I am sorry for her situation but it wasn't me.  She says if she finds out it was me...

What are you going to do I say?

Weirdacity.

Seriously!

The worst part is she was following me out.  I asked her if she was quite finished already because my children were already outside the building.

At least the chinese food I had with Nyoka was divine and we were able to "laugh" about the "fights" of Mom.  Love her.  I am now calm that I have gotten this off my chest.

Thank you for listening... reading.

And ere shall she wave...

The sight of this flag hanging from the huge lift was amazing to see.

My patriotic little man watching that magnificent flag.

I love this man...especially his smile for his children.

Don't you just want to squeeze her?

And him?

Is there anything better than flying elephants?   Magical.

The Dude and I are on the Ferris Wheel.  I love the look on his face as it starts to move and rock.  My face was worse than this!  I don't like rides.

Our View from up top was amazing.

 Miss Boo was so excited to see us.  She stayed down because she hasn't been feeling very well today.  We are hoping tomorrow is a better day.

The look on The Dude's face and that vein in his neck sum up the morning for him.  He had so much fun!

According to the Dude this is a "FAKE" clown because he just painted on his face?!?

According to Mr. Finn this guy bought his car new.  Ha ha! 

 And of course this goes without saying.  It was beautiful in a "Tombstone" sort of way.

These were the highlights of how we celebrated our 4th of July on the 3rd.  It was fun and we were together as a family.  I am grateful that Mr. Finn waited patiently for Miss Boo to feel better so we could go as a family.  Actually, he said we wouldn't go to the parade and festivities if it weren't as a family.  We want our children to know that our motto is one for all and and all for one.  We truly love our children and enjoy our family time together.

Now off to prepare the lesson for YW.  Yes, it is Saturday evening and quite late, but I hope it will be acceptable.  I am a bit of a procrastinator.  You think?

Read anything good lately?

Miss Boo is such an interesting child.  She gives so much to us as a family, but also requires so much in return.  Mr. Finn and I were talking about how much more work she is and he informed me it is because she is a GIRL.

Hmmmmmmm

She is into reading the Book of Mormon stories for Kids and she does an amazing job.   I can't believe how well she reads at only 6 years old.  She is now the official scripture reader every night and she is more than willing to do that.

 She actually can read every word.  

I'm biased, but I think that's pretty good.

 I love to see her reading a book just for the

fun of it.

I love to read and need to find more time to do it.  My last read was "First Family" by David Baldacci.  I love a good novel.  What's the last thing you read?