all day long i'd biddy biddy bum...

 

{my kids doing the "free-est" thing there is. yay crayons.}

The following conversations took place in the very same day:

Sheamus: "Mom, can we have a sale?" (a fudge, otter pop, lemmy stand...how he sometimes earns money for a toy he is saving up for)
Me: "sorry charlie, not today."
Sheamus: "awe man, but I just love money money money!"
Me: (break out into muffled radio voice) "the best things in life are free. but you can give them to the birds and bees, i want MONEY. that's what i want."
Sheamus: (total confusion)
...
Elyott: "There is this boy in my class who is in a contest to win like a thousand dollars. If he wins, then ALL the pretty girls will like him!"


Me: (speechless)

There appears to be a very delicate line between trying hard to make sure my kids realize the value of money and making them straight up obsessed with it. I try to make sure that going to a store does not always end with a toy. Or that as a family we have to wait for special occasions to be "fancy" (for instance, buying drinks with our drive through order) One time while at our friend's house (a fancy friend's house) they ordered a pizza and had it delivered. Elyott's jaw just about hit the floor.

Now I know there is a natural correlation that can be drawn at a very young age that money = entertainment, stuff and convenience. But screw you reality TV (and the music industry) for making it so obvious to my second grader that even the jankiest of wealthy men have flocks of beautiful woman vying for their affections. It's a disgrace i tell you! 

...you see Elyott, regardless of how much a man can earn...ugly girls like money too.

team Boo ♥'s you

imamomma.

Imagine while you look at these pictures my kids whining the whole time:

"this huuuurts!"

"my legs are tired!!"

"the sun is so bright!" (we were standing in the shade)

"stop saying Sonny's name daddy!"

That pretty much summed up how awesome they acted all day. 

In your faces though children because I choose to take this as a compliment. 

Why you ask?

Because now i know that you know that since i am such a beacon of patience and understanding of your age appropriate selfishness....you didn't even get punched one time :)

team Boo ♥'s you

Stopping to smell the...spit up?

I'd like to say all this time I've been ignoring you is from all the really cool synchronized family dances we've been practicing that i would unveil in a classic footloose style video montage complete with overalls and school bleachers...but I never cease to disappoint my friends, and have merely been babysitting every kid within a five mile radius for the last two weeks ("if you've made Mac n cheese for the last 17 meals...they will come"). No good stories besides my recent stretch pants to jeans ratio. And since I hate forcing a story I will spare you my mysterious theories as to why, if i've only been feeding babies and making PB&Js, did I wake up this morning with sore muscles?? 


Soon my friends. Soon.

come on sucker lick my battery.

I keep promising myself SLEEP after Friday's Christmas party wrap, but it keeps eluding me. Contrary to my week of spray-painting-induced-carpal-tunnel and cardboard-cutting-till-the-sun-went-down-sore-back, it was Elyott who had the best week ever. 

Thursday, before the decorating chaos ensued, we played hookie from school and she got to plan a morning of straight up mom and elyott-ness. She chose: Park, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts...and told me like 27 times it was the "best day ever!" It was.

Friday night she sang the polar express duet on stage for the ward party (that she was not an ounce nervous for) and she nailed it. It was the cutest thing ever!

Saturday she had a dance recital (that clearly Sheamus and Sonny were thrilled to attend) and she nailed it...again. She got flowers from us and a box of cookies from Grandma D that, according to Elyott, was the "best present ever!") 

Unfortch, today she kept me on my toes with her continual vomiting (from all the cookies??). I was sad for her. But then also for my eyeballs (cause i'm tired from all that action).

team Boo ♥'s you

ask Boo: "name that boo"

What was the inspiration behind your kids' names?

I do wish i had some adorable stories for you, but the inspired ideas for their names are rather ordinary, so sorry if the answer to this teamBoo FAQ is a snoozer.

"Elyott" was a name we liked when the show "Scrubs" was first on (the main female doctor of the show was Elliott Reed). Looking back I wish we had spelled it differently. I wanted it to look feminine, but it just ends up confusing people...plus the one "L" and two "t"s...I was a little delirious in the hospital after i delivered, and clearly wasn't thinking very logically. Also it's kind of a "Utah" thing to do...making up names. We still like you Utah-ians, but your names are frigging crazy. I do love her name though...it sets her apart and fits her "girly, yet rough and tumble" nature.

"Sheamus" was one of  teacher's sons names in high school. I always liked it, but knew it was "majorly off limits" since everyone knew I'd be "totally copying the 'cool' teacher." Then once i left the high school bubble, I realized that almost everything we worried about in there was completely ridiculous, so i named him that anyway. We added the "h" to american-ize it and because we felt it would be easier for people to pronounce. It worked. It is also an Irish form of "James" which is my Dad's name, that was a bonus. I have so many people tell me how much they love it and have never heard of it before...but i've heard it's like naming someone "Michael" in Ireland. Maybe i should just go with it and let them think i'm really original and cool. Either way.

"Sonny" just popped into my head one day when it was getting dangerously close to his due date (boy names suck). It was basically the sweetest name I had ever heard, and I knew it had to be mine. Plus it's perfect cause he is seriously the happiest smiliest baby i've ever met. He laughs at just about everything (walking him in a circle, putting his feet in my eye sockets, folding a blanket in front of him, etc.). I guess i lucked out with that cause imagine how awkward it would be if he were totally crabby and annoying all the time. But i guess you can ask me again in a couple years ;)

Oh plus, did i mention i have awesome taste? that's mostly why.

team boo ♥'s you

munchkin land

this really doesn't do Sonny's "lollipop guild" hair justice, but you get the idea....

(see other defenseless baby shots like this here here here and here.)

team boo ♥'s you

this train don't stop.

So I know I talk tough here and there, but I must admit i am a wee bit achy to send these little munchkins to school. Just a reminder that i can't slow life down.

(figurative group hug?)

(photo inspiration)

I am really trying hard to let Elyott own her independence and not manipulate "persuade" her to wear things that I think are cute....but did i really let elyott go to school looking like such a raggamuffin??

geez.

team boo ♥'s you

global warning.

Snowglobes: the most whimsical yet frustrating souvenir trick.

they are glass

you can't play with them

they are the biggest/weirdest mess when they break

they are a cheesy eyesore

kids always want them.

So instead of spending 15 dollars a pop on some nerdy teddy bear santa clause, we made our own. Free, custom, plastic (for the kids who manage to fall about every fifth step: sheamus) and come apart when the kids want their beloved McDonalds toy back.  

EETS parfect!

Your move hallmark.

team boo ♥'s you

(but not snowglobes)

staying grounded.

The thing I always forget about punishments is that you actually have to carry them out. 

And sometimes that can be a lot of work :/ If you go so far as to ground them for the day, you must be fully committed to the possibility of having to entertain them....like, all day. Unless you're prepared to listen to 24 hr whining, which could always lead to more grounding ;) So think twice before you say the words, cause you may be in for a long day my friend.

But could it also be the smartest thing I've done all summer?? Cause after a day like this, I ultimately have nothing but gratitude for this undivided time I've had to love on my kids. Forget the chores, online browsing (eghm showering)...cause clearly what i didn't know was that a full day committed to nothing else but these little turds was just what I needed. A day to slow it down and appreciate their sweet little spirits, one on one, just as they are today. After all, these kids are the the greatest gift i will ever know...so if it takes a little mischief on their part to get my attention, bring on the "punishments"

*also, if you need answers as to what is going on with Sheamus....

It's ridiculous how charming this movie is

meet my little "Ash" 

he's nothing short of obsessed.

team boo ♥'s you

play nice.

These two are in l♥♥♥ve. 

{for now anyway}

Let's all love a little more this weekend, shall we?

i love him...

wait, no this guy.

{but that other guy rocks too}

shiny happy people.

You can be shiny too!

...all you need is one of these.
and a couple of these...

{okay so, you'll probably need a few of these too.}

dressing on the side...

Wheee! Grrr! Ahhh!  The sound of gloriousness coming from my basement. Yet also the sound of trauma when Elyott is forcing Sheamus to be Snow White.  My kids have come to discover the positive-attention-getter of the decade: the kid in public dress up. We have so many costumes at our house it's retarded.  They love nothing more than pretending to be whatever crazy they can conjure up that day.  


Currently Sheamus is 100% obsessed with being "Mr. Incredible"...a costume he cherishes for its built in "boneths" (aka. muscles) as he calls them ("look at all my boneths mom!"). He wears this everywhere....to bed, to the gym, to my brother's high school graduation, to swim lessons in 95 degree heat (bless his superhero heart), to the store, etc.  At church he just carries it around like a dirty blanket. It is so awesome.  You gotta admire the dedication.  

Elyott, on the other hand, changes costumes about....4-6 times a day at least?  My favorite is when she pees her pants in like three of them in one day. The two of them get along great, and I'm proud of Sheamus for staying strong and not letting Elyott dress him according to her preference (Well, for the most part. He has been talked into a pink carebear). As for the costume for tomorrow?? my vote: the "ariel meets mexican prostitute"...one of Elyott's best ;)