All That I Am

This post is for Jaime only. I know that others will read it but it won't have the same sentiment.

This pic is from one of my favorite times with you.

All that I am. All that I ever was. Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I love you babe.

Coping with cardstock

So, I am a card sender...birthdays, holidays, events, etc. I enjoy sending cards. My sister-in-law and her family have been evacuated from their home in Modjeska Canyon, CA because of the raging fires. It appears as though the outlook is hopeful at this point, but they are still not cleared to be back in their home and may not be for awhile yet. I made this card to send them and realized that mail to a home they can't even get to is the last thing they need.

So, here is the non-cluttering version of the card for Chris, Guillermo, Quetzali, and Toto. You are in our thoughts and prayers and we hope this turbulent spell will subside soon and all will be well again. We are so glad you are safe and that your home, while sporting the ashy-smell design style, is still standing. We love you.
Love, Jaime, Jack and the boys!!

No Xavier Roberts found in this Patch

Today G's preschool class went to the pumpkin patch. S stayed with a sitter, so G and I could enjoy the trip, just the two of us. Here are the highlights:

"These pumpkins are dirty and slimy!"

"This pumpkin is too heavy!"

"Do I have to see the animals? Animals stink!"

"Is it snack time yet?"

But being reminded that this is what it looks like all around me, while spending the morning with my middle son, made it a great day!

Eyeballs and bloody bunnies--just another friday!

After school F invited a friend over and we celebrated it being FRIDAY by making some Halloween cupcakes. They were suppose to decorate the cupcakes to look like eyeballs.

This is what they wanted to do instead!

And then Jack came home early (you know, after taking some Friday afternoon funeral leave, of course) and decided he wanted to do one. This was what he came up with...It is titled, "Bloody bunny."

And all the while, S sat in his chair drinking grape slush from Sonic and eating unfrosted cupcake after cupcake...and was thrilled.

"Life is burritoful" OR It's not 3000 miles by foot, but it is a trek!

The Washington D.C. Temple, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Our stake has a temple trip 2 times a year and we try to go to the temple more than that, but we at least go then. We usually try to couple it with something for the boys, so this time we got a hotel with an indoor rooftop pool and we went to the National Zoo. I love DC for making all/most of the national exhibits, FREE! An added bonus when we have to leave early because of meltdowns.

S cried the whole way (6.5 hours) up to DC and most of the way home. He was up twice an hour, every hour from the time he went down until 4:30am. On TH, all three of the boys were sick and we weren't even sure if we were going. But fevers subsided, rashes lightened up, and we were off.

But, we trudged up there, did some temple work, went to the Zoo, ate a whole mess of junk food (including Chipotle twice--thus the title) and came home. Alas, we survived another trip with the children--with only favorite memories from the boys.
-on the metro "It's too loud!"

G's favorite parts of the trip:

"1. The animals

2. The zoo

3. It was a great trip!"

F's favorite (can you tell he's on his way to being a pre-teen):

"1. hotel

2. zoo

3. stake center" (that's where we have the babysitting swap while we are at the temple

S's favorite:

1. Climbing over/on exhibits

2. Being home again!

Women of my "HAIR"-itage

The Meacham women in all their glory (and little jaime in a red sundress)

I (jaime) loved growing up around all these women because:
1. They were not afraid to have big hair
2. They weren't too pretty to fight
3. I had lots of "moms"
4. Someone was always around to play Barbies--even when they were too old and swore me to secrecy not to reveal their activities to the "world"
5. I grew up to love the company of strong, sometimes grumpy, often sarcastic, and rarely perfect, women.

Toilet fears-legitimate or conjecture?

The kids' great-aunt Wendy (how old does that make you feel, Wend?) and their cousins R and H bought the boys these outdoor Halloween games. They have been a hit.

I was preparing to purchase a Halloween movie to send to R & H for Halloween, when Brittany told me not to. True, rare is the time when Brittany tells me to stop, do I stop (even when it probably is in my best interest...), but this time I did. Here is the question I ask to each of you. Is Gremlins too scary for an 8 and 11 year old? I thought not, but Brittany said she was scared to use the toilet for a year afterwards. Any other potty-phobes?

She could have done this to my hair...

But she didn't. So thanks. While I was in UT, my aunt Kathy came in and we were able to spend some time together that was long overdue. She is a hair stylist, but claims she only cuts boys hair (she has 4 of them...so she has grown accustomed...). After convincing her she could do nothing bad to my hair that wouldn't eventually grow out, I got my free hair cut! THANKS, KATHY!!

That said, Kathy has never heard of blogs, or blogging, so this is her bait. I told her I was going to post for her, so Kathy, hope you remember to check my blog after the sun possibly damaged your brain while you were in the Bahamas!

Here are 5 things I love/remember about my Aunt Kathy:
1. Growing up, she was the tall, dark, beautiful, and tall aunt, which gave me something to aspire to in my short, short (jeans) genes. (On a side note, the women on my mother's side all have this beauty about them...and an unparalled thinness...thanks for leaving me in the lurch on that one...)
2. She used to paint my fingernails and toenails and I thought that was the coolest thing ever!
3. She has a house full of boys and is still alive to tell me about it. And smile while she talks!
4. She pulled the heck out of my hair all the time and it made me cry--but it made me beautiful (do you feel the sarcasm oozing out of my voice as I say the last part?)
5. She was someone who I could talk to when I was younger--someone who took a vested interest in me, or at least feigned it.

Hope you had fun in the Bahamas, and I hope you remember how to use the technology to check this. love, jaime