Here’s what’s going on in two words.

Eye Twitch.

I can’t get it to stop. I have tried all the tactics I can try, but I have a feeling it will not stop until I drive away on my road trip next month.

And then something else will most likely begin twitching.

Certain important somethings are all consuming right now, so please be patient with me.

In the meantime, I need suggestions for car travel with my children—you know them—I don’t need to describe them here. I, being the idea lady that I am, have a few tricks up my sleeves, but would love more ideas.  So, please please comment below. I will be in my minivan for over 100 hours over 7 weeks time. I will need ideas about:

Keeping baby entertained/happy
Healthy eating
Budget Everything
Favorite things to do in San Francisco

Ready, Set, Go–maybe this will help the twitch.

Boston: Colonial Times

Lolly has been studying Colonial Times in 2nd grade, and as a result is very excited about anything that applies.  Boston was the perfect place to go for this phase in her academic career.

 

 

 

 

 

We saw The Old State House which has a Lion and Unicorn–signs of British Government, which incidentally were taken down and then restored later….so interesting the Unicorn right?

Faneuil Hall was also fun to see as that is another building from Colonial Times.  Lolly bought some Colonial Money to show her class.

On Saturday morning we went to the Boston Tea Party Musuem.  About halfway through Phoebe whispered in my ear: “Mom, this was SO worth it.”  Music to my ears!  The actors were fun and throwing the tea overboard was a treat.  We all played different parts, Lolly played the part of a man who was hit by a box of tea and knocked unconscious and dragged through the streets and hidden because they thought he was dead—but turns out–he was alive!

There is so much OLD architecture there—so many interesting churches!  I loved taking it all in.

M’s Day

My first memory of becoming a mother was this:

I held my little baby bird in my arms, as she struggled to vocalize (first and only struggle in that department) and took her tiny 6 pound head to my breast…and as I energetically inhaled a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (wasn’t allergic until I became mother to Lolly thank you very much), I had this thought:

I had no idea how much my Mother loved me.  I was convinced I loved her more than she loved me.

I was wrong.

I phoned to tell her that and to this day I have fights with the Bigs about it:  No, I love you to the moon and back and three times around and gooogooplex times YOU love ME.

Check out my mom running a half marathon with me.  How awesome is that? And check out these outfits she pulled together for her singing group!

She’s a pretty spectacular Grammy too….lots to live up to here:

Pool

I just returned from a lovely escape from every day life.  The Posse went to Boston for the first time in 6 years, and we had a magical time.  Look at these turkey’s who just lurv them some pool time.

This Mother’s Day I am out of my mind with gratitude for these 3.

Look at them! How? How did I get SO very lucky.

I know you thought you have seen all the possible pickle cuteness, but there is actually more:

Taylor Swift

The girls kept asking us what we were going to do the afternoon of the marathon. My Sister and I just kept trying to be vague, but finally the afternoon was upon us and we couldn’t put it off any longer.

I gave the girls a few clues:

1. We are going on a trip within a trip.

2. We are doing something country.

3. It’s epic.

They started guessing: horse back riding? ice skating?

4. It’s once in a lifetime.

5. It’s something we are going to see.

Fireworks?

More epic than fireworks.

Lolly’s eyes squinted a bit and her lips pursed and then:

Taylor Swift?

YES!

Phoebz could not believe it….Lolly was just stoked that she was the one that figured it out.

Once we got to Lexington from Louisville, I said: There are going to be a LOT of screaming girls there tonight.  Phoebe: I’m going to be one of them!

On the way to checking into our hotel we saw the many many Taylor Swift Vehicles. Holy Cow, it takes a fleet:

Being the RED Tour, we had to have red lips that night. Nice photobombing by Jason and the Bathroom Staff!

It was a great first concert appearance for these little turkeys. Though Jason and I thought Ed Sheeran was absolutely brilliant–he even took our picture during a song, Lolly was super offended by his use of the phrase: Hell Yeah.

Finally Taylor was on in full force.  The girls knew all the songs, I knew most of them too. I loved her use of the various stages and flying from one to the other was an unexpected affect.  I wanted to buy red sparkly keds after she wore hers to open.  Phoebz loved all her monologues between songs….and I loved the creative concepts for some of her bigger hits, her insertion of HEY HO and her dancers.  Lolly wore pigtails because she thought that was country.  Jason made us wear ear plugs because he’s old.

Thanks Dad for searching for tickets for months and finally finding the exact right experience for us.  Taylor Swift Forever.

 

My Loves

Phoebe:

I love George Strait! He’s the MAN!

“You need deodorant for your farts”

Oh the ups and downs of your emotions—hate your sister in the morning, love her in the evening

Pottermore obsession

Reading me all the parts of her skit she starts speaking in this accent from another land. I say: Isn’t that character supposed to be Spanish? HER: Yes, but I am not very good at a spanish accent, so I chose Russian, which is the next closest (btw, it sounded French)

Your excitement about the news we were seeing Taylor Swift. You were SO into it and SUCH a tween—like perfectly aged for it and looked young and innocent too and I loved watching you watch her.

I love your enthusiasm when adventure is awaiting us.

Lolly:

You use the word DEFINITELY a lot now and I like it.

MELTDOWNS after the park—-it’s just too much for you—all this sun and playing!

Asking SO MANY questions when exposed to literature or radio or television that isn’t for kids/straightforward—just take it in darling and it may start making sense in a second or two.

Making Pickle laugh by just looking at her—that girl thinks you are hilarious

Guessing the Taylor Swift surprise. After big sis had guessed: horse back riding, ice skating, fireworks, you were like: Taylor Swift….deadpan. Classic.

Being ticked off about Taylor Swift’s opening act using the H word.  You almost wanted to go home.

I loved hearing you talk about the concert as we watched it.

You love reading with your new scriptures as a family…its helping inspire all of us.

Pickle:

Your face when you went in the pool the first time—I will never forget that joy.

You crawled your way through the apartment to find me, as you often do now, and after some begging, I finally picked you up and you just laid the WETTEST kiss on my lips all on your own…a few minutes later you did again–I think you were VERY happy to see me.

First poop in the tub—gross

Waving Hi, and moving your mouth like you are SAYING hi at the same time.

Crawling all over the goose-pooped grass. And even picking one up. Must be the 3rd baby

Being SO EXCITED when you saw Lolly in the tub–you were all! It’s LOLLY and she’s in WATER! This is AMAZING!

Your third job–you were so good! You loved it, went to everyone who wanted to hold you, gave little cuddles and were too fast for the crawling shot.

Jason:

You discovered Duck Dynasty–it is so good to hear you laugh out loud.

We watched Bourne Legacy and your ending credits Bourne dance did not dissappoint—EVERY. TIME.

You ran me in on my 12 mile run—that was a fun surprise.

you saw the poop in Pickle’s tub before I did, and since it was my birthday, I said: I got the baby–you got the poop! (I would have said it if it wasn’t my birthday too)

Trying to get me to listen to the new country station that just started in NYC

Being a great Dad, planning the Taylor Swift for months ahead of time….

We Interrupt this Blog

……

Battling a Stomach Bug———– Be back soon.

 

Baptism Day

We had a very special weekend.  Our Lolly turned 8 last week and on Saturday she was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I found these vintage photos of her Dad and me on our baptism day.  Look! My mom wore red to both!

I clicked on over to check out Phoebe on her baptism day, wearing the same gown, and look at the difference in height on those girls!

The baptismal font room in our church building was filled to the brim with loved ones, family, friends, school mates, teachers, and ward members.  That is a lot of attention for one 8-year-old.  A friend of mine once coined Lollz as Predictably Unpredictable. She did not disappoint at her baptism.

The water was freezing cold and she had to get dunked twice because the first time she was not fully immersed.  After that second dunk, she was in tears.  I met the most pathetic little dear after she walked up those steps in the font, and tried to get her dry and warm as soon as I could.  Apparently everybody heard the racket of sobs through the walls.

Phoebe played a beautiful violin solo while she changed, called I’ll Walk With You, and by request our friend Steve Martin tied in AUTOMOBILES to his talk on The Holy Ghost.  Patty Sue gave a talk on Baptism and tied in the Hobbit.  Lolly loved it.

It was great to have my parents there. There was this CRAZY flood situation in Chicago and all airports were down, so they ended up driving here and back home—TROOPERS!

 

One of our special guests was a friend that my Mother knew back when I was a little tyke.  Her daughter lives in NYC now and we reconnected as adults, 30 years later….so we took a 3GEN pic of us all together. CRAZY.

Lolly’s friends enjoyed the slideshow I made of her life to this point!

Freshly dunked and doing just fine.

 

Obviously…

*photo

8

If I didn’t have the Pickle to soothe my Mama Heart, I would seriously be in a POND of tears….but as I have had the balm of a newborn in my life of late, I am merely in a puddle.

Lolly dear is 8.

I have been putting together a slideshow of her life to this point and boy what a lucky lady I am.  I think I love her all the more fiercely because we had about a 4 year rough patch.  Between her personality traits (which mirror mine) and my personal struggles, we had a depleting go at it for quite a while.

But now, she is such a joy.

Gosh I love this girl. (and her outfit)