In Every Way

Mr Bird has an entourage.
The very moment he walks in the door he has four little monsters nipping at his heals.
Of course we all know that dad is way cooler than mom, any day of the week.

After all, when was the last time mom took apart her bike and put on new components in the middle of the living room?
Or used a real tool for what it was intended for?
Or used the 12+ year old mission bike for things like grueling mountain bike trails?
Or even knew the first thing about mountain biking?

When Mr Bird goes on a bike ride he is so good to take the kids (the ones who can ride well) with him.
They worship him for that.
That is way more fun than learning math facts and practicing writing.
Why is that the dads get the fun part of parenthood?
I help them with chores and clean their bums and teach them boring stuff like how to read and how America came to be.
I make them clean up their messes and disciple them all day long.
With me they learn to fold laundry and vacuum the floor and to be nice.

With dad it's watching a movie or going on a bike ride or doggy piles on the floor or dancing to the music turned up too loud.
It's no wonder they want to be like him in every way.
You know what? I do too.
He's a pretty cool guy, sure do love him for the wonderful father he is.
I love that we all look forward to him coming home from work every night.
I love that he acts surprised when the kids try to jump out and scare him every. single. night.
I love that he always has a huge hug for all the kids and how he makes each of them feel so special.
I love how he leads our home in love and respect.
I love that he eats my attempts at healthy dinners even when they don't turn out so well.
I love that he loves me.
Plus he's always such an inspiration to me, I feel like he is always lifting me up, helping to make me a better mother and wife.
Call it the pregnancy hormones making this one so corny, but I seriously don't know what I'd ever do without my lover.
So Mr Bird, this day in November, I am oh so very thankful for YOU!

A Decade

I have a problem.
I have been struggling with his problem for almost a decade.
It's really embarrassing to me because usually, the man in the relationship is the one with this problem.
Do you want to know what it is?
OK, come in close and you have to promise not to tell anyone.
I always get our wedding anniversary wrong.
I always think it's 3 days later than it actually is.
Let's be clear, I have never forgotten it altogether, but for some reason it has stuck in my brain as the wrong date.
When our first anniversary approached, I was sure I was right and that Mr Bird was off his rocker.
He had to pull out our wedding certificate to prove he was right.
I put my tail between my legs and admitted defeat.
There have only been a handful of times in the last 10 years when I have actually gotten it right.
So it was no surprise when I got it wrong, yet again this year.
I thought Mr Bird was being romantic and thoughtful when he whisked me away for a romantic anniversary get away earlier this week.
I knew he was running the Wasatch Back this weekend and I foolishly thought he was planning ahead so as not to miss our anniversary while running the race.
I had it in my head that he would be running his race on the day of our anniversary.
So I did what any good wife would do and called him this morning bright and early and sang the lame-o, cheesy Happy Anniversary song to him as he waited to run the next leg of the 188 mile rely race.
I thought, he's going to love that I remembered it right this year and he'll be so impressed that I said it first.
When I finished my song there was an awkward pause on the line.
Then Mr Bird just laughed out loud, the biggest belly laugh I've heard in quite some time.
What? Is my singing really that bad?
Then he asked what today was.
I told him, "June 19, our anniversary!"
Another laugh.
He ever so sweetly reminded me that I was wrong, yet again.
How can I possibly keep making this same mistake?!?
It's really shameful and silly.
From now on I think I'll check the wedding announcement we have hanging in our living room at the beginning of June just to be sure.
For the record, we had a fabulous anniversary.
Mr Bird would not tell me what he had planned, just that I needed to clear my calendar for a couple of days.
We dropped the kids of with my In-Laws and headed to Salt lake.
We shopped for a while, then Mr Bird took me to my all time favorite Chinese restaurant.
Then we went to Hale Center Theater and watched The Wedding Singer.
Hilarious. I loved all the 80's references, ah, the good old days.
Then Mr Bird and I spent the night at the Anniversary Inn in Salt Lake City.
It's a little bed and breakfast in an old Victorian house.
It was so charming.
My favorite part was watching the magnificent thunder and lightening and rain storm from the turret in our room. Then in the morning the sun was shining and the whole world was green and awake as we ate breakfast (that I did not have to prepare) in the same turret.
By the time we left we were looking at Victorian homes online.
They are so charming and beautiful.
Then reality set in and we came home to our noisy kids and never quite clean enough house with the endless yard work waiting to be done.
We had such a fabulous time while it lasted.
It was so peaceful and perfect. All we had to worry about was if the bath water was too hot or if we'd eaten too many chocolate fudge cookies.
We took our original honeymoon to San Francisco and stayed at a Bed and Breakfast there.
We hardly left the room (ahem), we fell in love with that place.
It was so fun to do the same thing closer to home a decade later.
Thank you Mr Bord for a wonderful anniversary.
I loved every minute of it.
One decade down, eternity to go!

Ode To Littleness

Is it just me or do littleness and cuteness go hand in hand?
My Baby that's-not-really-a-baby-anymore-cuz-he-poops-and-pees-in-the-potty is so cute, I just can't stand it!
What's really funny is that he does not even know he's being cute.
He thinks he's being so serious all the time, like a tiny man person.
Only I just laugh because he's so little and serious.
He is just like his dad only much, much smaller.

I also love my little trees.
I got 4 more fruit trees for my mini orchard for my mother's day gift.
We have 10 fruit trees now!
Only 8 more to go and I will be satisfied.
I love them beyond words.
I love all of their potential wrapped up in tiny branches and miniature leaves.
I love to dream about the endless summers in the warm sunshine eating tree ripened apples and pears and peaches with sticky juice running down our arms.
I love to dream about my pantry and freezer filled with their goodness, enough for the whole year plus more to share.
I can already hear the dehydrator humming me to sleep with the scent of fresh peach heavy in the air.

I just know my kids are going to love me during harvest and preserving time.
Can't you just taste and smell the jams and jellies and purees already?
I love to think that someday my grandchildren will eat from these very trees.
I can never leave our house now.
These trees have cemented me here forever.
They may as well bury me under one of them when I die, because I will not leave them.
I love them almost as much as my babies.
Almost, but not quite.

And just look at this cuteness.
There's something about watching something grow that I absolutely adore.
These tomatoes and peppers were just seeds when I got my hands on them.
I have never started my own tomatoes or peppers from seed before.
It was such a fun process.
Seeing them peek through the soil for the first time was truly magical.
I was so excited I literally jumped for joy.
Then, wondering if the little sprouts were strong enough to keep going, I watched them every day.
I worried about if they were getting enough water or too much.
I wondered if the window was too drafty, if they had enough sunlight, if little fingers would try to dissect them.
Now I dream about their ripe fruit and the fresh salsa and tomato sandwiches and countless other ways to eat them fresh off the vine.
I took these photos a few weeks ago and now they are simply huge.
They are past ready to plant outside.
If mother nature would stop trying to freeze us out they might have a shot.

Just look at Mr Bird and his buff arms tearing apart that bucket!
When he saw this photo he was quite impressed with his own muscular arms.
He had to flex right then and there to see if that's how they really look.
I assured him they do and that those arms are so very, very hot!
Thank you Mr Bird, for the wonderful gift.

Blow Torches and Oxygen Tanks

Hello Mr Bird!
Happy Birthday!
Even if I am more than a week late.

We are all so glad you had a birthday so we could eat our annual serving of the world's fattening-est cake ever!
It's funny to me that you still insist on putting the correct number of candles on your cake, and that the only way to light them all is with a blow torch.
I am so glad you did not burn down our lovely home.
I wonder what you will do when you're 80 and no longer have the lung capacity to blow out all those flames.
I hope you will not burn down the retirement center.
I hope your oxygen tank will not explode with all your grandchildren and great grandchildren watching.
That would be tragic.

"Smooochie"
Here's a great big kiss form your loving family.
We are so glad you were born.
We love you for the wonderful husband and father that you are.
You amaze me everyday with your love and patience.
I am so lucky to have you!

I Love This Guy

Mr bird took me to the theater and out to dinner last night.
We got all dolled up and had a fantastic time.
We saw Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol.
We went with our fabulous book group friends and some great family.

Here are a few highlights:

• Seeing dad very happy and in love
• Taking up 30+ chairs in the theater
  
• Seeing the little girls in their fanciest dresses
• Having a teenager come up to us and ask if we were in the play
• Feeling like a princess with my handsome prince (what can I say, I'm still a dreamer!)
  
• "God bless us everyone!"
• The 5 year old next to me climbing on her mommy's lap because the ghost of Marley was a little too real with the strobe lights and smoke machines
• Yes and No
• Mr Bird admitting that he loves to be the center of attention (we all knew that one!)
  
• 10 degrees outside and wearing heals on the icy pavement

• Trying not to spill food on the fancy dress
• Trying not to eat too much so I would not get bloated and have the bodice pinch me in half
• Going to Chuck-A-Rama in a ball gown
• Yes, I said Chuck-A-Rama
• Seeing one of the guys, Bret, in our group wandering around the huge buffet looking at all the scrumptious food with only pickled beets and sweet pickles on his plate
• Eating too many desserts
• My beautiful friend Lara who is 6'1" wearing 2 inch heals and explaining that sometimes she wears 3 inch heals if she really wants to make sure she's the tallest person there
  
• Going home with my date and climbing into bed with him instead of leaving him at the front porch
  

My New Look

I did it. After nearly 2 years of blogging I finally changed my layout.
I think it's very me, except I don't walk around in formal wear and I don't have wings.
Although I would really love to have wings.
Especially cute dainty fairy wings.
And my hair would look just like that if I were constantly walking over a 500 horse power fan.
And I definitely find magic in books.
That is a daily occurrence around here.
Mr Bird and I went to our monthly book group this weekend and as usual we had a terrific time.
We discussed the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey.
A great book by the way, life changing.
At the discussion Mr bird made the comment that we really have had all of our dreams come true.
We have each other, 4 terrific kids, lots of love, sweet baby kisses every day, a good job that keeps us very comfortable, plus most of the 'stuff' that makes life enjoyable.
We truly are blessed.
We are living the dream.

That being said, I am excited to apply the principles discussed in that very inspiring book to make our reality even better!
Happily Ever After is a choice.

Oink, Oink

Look what one of my visiting teachers brought me.

She may be having too much fun at my expense, what do you think?

Get it, Swine Flu. Swine as in piggy, Oh good, I'm glad we're on the same page.

That's OK, I guess it is pretty funny.

Jay could not stop laughing when he brought it to me (I was half delusional in my bed).

And look what we found inside when we cut into it after lunch!

She really does love me!

Triple layer chocolate cake!

We could not get enough.

I do have to say Mr Bird has been amazing this week.

He took the whole week off to help with sick kids and to take care of me.

Isn't that sweet?

He has been cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, playing with kids, taking people to the pediatrician, running to the store for things we need, reading to the kids, bathing them, putting them to bed, feeding the animals.

Really the list goes on and on

And the best part is I have not had to change one dirty diaper all week!

I really do love that man.

He is my knight in shining armour. I know that everything he has done this week has been out of love for me and the kids.

He hates cooking, yet he has not complained.

I had to laugh this morning though. He made breakfast for everyone and waited patiently while the kids ate.

Then he went up stairs to play with the kids for a while. After a while he went back to the kitchen to clean the breakfast dishes and clean the floors.

When the chore was done he came down to the office to sit and relax a little, it was quarter after 11 by then. Not 2 minutes after he sat down Doodle came in and said,

"I'm hungry! Is it lunch time yet?"

He just looked totally shocked.

What? I have to do this all over again?!?!

I just finished!

But guess what! It's never finished.

There is always another meal around the corner.

He just looked at me with disbelief in his eyes and said,

"How do you do it?!?"

Music to my ears.

It's true, taking care of 4 kids is a lot of work. Feeding them alone is a big job.

But when it's all said and done I love it.

There may be parts I dislike more than others,

like laundry, ahem,

but I really do just love being the mom.

I miss taking care of my family.

I miss school time with my kids and learning something fun and exploring different cultures.

This swine flu may have knocked me around a bit, but it has not won.

By the way, none of my home remedies has helped me to avoid infection, not even my friend the cute little clove of garlic.

Today I found out not only is my ear infected, I also have pneumonia, just like poor sad little Beano. So I finally caved and am taking antibiotics.

I just hope that means I can stop wasting time and get better and get back to doing what I love best.

Being the mom!

The Library

We used to have a living room in the basement that was Mr Bird's dream room.

From the day I met him he always wanted a theatre room in his house.

When we moved here he set out to meet that goal. We brought the big blue couch down stairs along with a puffy love sac on which to lounge during movies.

He installed and wired complete in wall surround sound speakers. When the movie had a scene with a train it sounded like it came from one side of the room to the other. When there was a fighting scene I ducked for cover from the bullets that seemed to be coming from behind me on the left.

Mr Bird built a ceiling mount for his state of the art projector. He then ran wires through the ceiling to the closet which held the computer, the brains of our television watching experience. Have I mentioned he's a genius? I have no clue how he did all this stuff.

Somehow he got all of our movies on his hard drive and with the click of a button our favorite movies and shows were at our fingertips. He downloaded some program that works like TiVo, except free. We watched any show we wanted totally commercial free, and since the shows were recorded we watched them on our time table.

We never missed an episode of our favorite programs.

It took a long time to get his set up just how he wanted it. It took drilling holes through sheet rock to run wires, patching and painting said holes, hunting down remotes that would work on his computer/recording program, hours of converting movies, researching the best equipment and painting a screen, complete with wooden trim, right on our wall.

It was like going to the movies in our own home.

Until the projector died.

(See the movie screen and speakers on the wall?)

Suddenly we were faced with a delima.

For over a year, since we got nose deep in home school, it was getting harder and harder for me to justify a whole room of our home being dedicated to T.V.

We were cramped for school space, but we made it work. We got a huge book shelf for up stairs to store our rapidly multiplying books and school supplies. We held school at the kitchen table or in the office or in the living room on the big blue couch.

When the projector died (after my mixer and camera and several other highly priced plastic items also bit the dust) we were slow in making plans for its replacement. At this point we loved the set up, but were not watching much T.V. at all. We'd watch a movie together with the kids about once a week and it was never on during the days anymore. Mr Bird and I would sit together after the kids went to bed and fight over who got to watch their favorite shows (for some reason he did not want to watch Oprah or The biggest Loser with me).

After it was gone a few weeks we realized we did not miss it much.

On a whim we decided to wait a year to replace the projector and then see what happens.

A few weeks after that we decided we really could use that space for a library.

Our school supplies and books seem to be growing faster that our kids. We have found ourselves with boxes of books with no homes on the shelves.

So we acquired some new bookshelves, a child size table big enough for art projects and puzzles and these:

Mr Bird made the kids chalk boards. He did this way back in February. They've been hanging in the living room and we use them all the time. They are the only thing from the living room that will keep its home.


Did you know Home Depot sells chalk board paint? You can paint anything you want with it and you have an instant chalk board. The best part is that it comes in white and you can choose from many fabulous colors to tint the paint.
No ugly green or grey for us!
We decided to give our library an Americana theme, hence the red and blue chalk boards.
Each kid gets their own chalk board, so no fighting.
The rest of the library is still coming together. Today Mr Bird tore down the projector screen so he can paint the walls back to their original color. I have lots of plans for our little library, I'll have to post as they all come together.



It's Mr Bird great? He so selflessly gave up his dream for the sake of his children.
He is such a good man, I feel so blessed to have him, forever no less!
Plus, is there anything hotter than a man with
Power Tools?

Just Me and My Lover

Hello my lover!

This one's for you.

I love you for all the fun family camping trips we have.

I love you for the grueling hikes I never thought I could finish.

I love you for staying by my side during natural child birth.

I love you for getting me bowls of cereal in bed during morning sickness.

I love you for your fix it attitude.

I love you for the horse rides that made me fall in love with you.

I love that you make me laugh.

I love you for rescuing me from all the nasty eight legged home invaders.

My knight in shining armour.
*sigh*

I love you for the steam rolls and doggie piles and piggy back rides.

I love that you will not let me stay mad at you.

I love you for your music.

I love you for Tuesday nights and Sister Saturdays.

I love our Forever Family and Forever Foots.

I love that you are so quick to forgive.

"I love the way you love me."

I love you for the family we are creating together, forever!

I love you for the Sunday drives and spontaneous picnics.

I love you for eating my cooking, even when it's bad.

I love you with 3 hand squeezes.

I love you for loud music and wild dancing in the living room, with the blinds closed of course.

I love you for your kisses.

I love you for date nights and milkshakes.

I live for your hugs.

I love you for feeding the stinky chickens in the squishy, rainy, sloppy weather.

I love you for thinking I'm beautiful, even when I was 9 months pregnant.

My love for you has grown each time we have welcomed a new baby into our home.

Our love has seen us through the deaths of loved ones.

Our love has seen us through many happy summers full of BBQs and watermelon.

Our love has seen us through heartbreaking disappointments.

Our love has grown deeper with each passing year.

Together we have seen 9 Christmases, 9 Mother's Days, 9 4th of July's, 9 Easters, 9 Fathers Days, 9 St Patrick's Days, and 35 birthdays.

And now, 9 anniversaries.

Happy Anniversary my Lover!

Here's to another life time of memories and camping and birthdays!

I know it will only get better.

One

One, uno, un unum, einer, een, um, один, en, 1

One nation under God

One drop in the bucket

One Little Monkey jumping on the bed

One is the loneliest number

“In the arithmetic of love, one plus one equals everything, and two minus one equals nothing."

A jet with only one wing could never fly.

A man with only one eye could never see straight.

A book with only one page would be boring.

A tree with only one leaf would be nearly dead.

A one calorie cookie would be a mere speck.

A fork with only one prong would be a sword.

A song with only one note would have no harmony.

A car with one headlight would be a traffic ticket waiting to happen.

A test with only one question would be too easy.

A butterfly with one wing could never flutter nor fly.

A razor with one blade would leave lots of stubble and nicks.

A salad with one piece of lettuce would be, well, not a salad.

Today I am without my other half.

I am incomplete.

I am like a fire with only one charcoal briquette.

Cold.

I love you, my lover.

I'll keep your side of the bed warm for you, if my heat does not go out, that is!

Your Love is Better Than Chocolate

My computer has been sick the last week or so, hence the lack of blogging.

I could get on Mr Bird's computer and look, but all my pictures were stuck in mine.

Last night Mr Bird fixed my PC and now it works like a dream.

It's kind of handy to have a computer genius around sometimes.

Last week Mr Bird wanted to have a family jam for his Birthday. So we loaded up our kids and our cake and went to his sister Lisa's house where we ate cake and played music until way past bed time.
It was hard to eat that beautiful cake. I knew how much butter and sugar were in the thing, so it made it really hard to enjoy.
It is one of the richest most fattening and sinful cakes ever made.
I think each bite has 1,000 calories.

But boy, was it ever tasty.
Have I mentioned I love chocolate almost as much as I love my children?
But I still love Mr Bird more than chocolate, hands down.


Lisa has the most gorgeous music room with the most beautiful instruments.
A baby grand, a stand up bass, a harp, a Cello plus violins and guitars and a mandolin.
This makes their home ideal for family jams. Plus she and all her kids are the most talented musicians I know.
Lisa played the piano while Mr Bird played the bass.


Jeni, Jason (her cure hubby) and Jo all played the violin.
Jo also plays the harp and the piano.
Jeni plays piano and her hubby, Jason, sings. He has a gorgeous voice.


When we have jams I feel like we are attending a personal concert.
The kids sort of wonder in and out. They pick up an instrument here and there, then trade it for a different one, as they please.

Baby Cakes had to try each and every percussion instrument he could find.

He and Doodle had a great time trading and playing together.

They played a song called Lover's Waltz.

It is a beautiful song and always makes me think of Mr Birds mom and dad. One summer Sunday a few Summers ago we were having a family jam in Lisa's front yard.

All the people who could play an instrument were playing. I don't remember the song but suddenly dad took mom by the hand and lifted her up. This was just at the time when she was starting to get sick. He took her in his arms and danced with her, right there in the lawn. No one else was dancing. He just held her close and danced, he did not seem to care that we were all watching them. It is one of the most tender memories I have of the two of them. That is how their marriage was. Sure they had their rough spots, just like we all do, but there was no question how much love they had. And they were not afraid to show it to all of us. Coming from a single parent family, I don't think they knew how much that moment impacted me.

So when I hear Lover's Waltz I always have that image of the two of them dancing. In my mind I can see her dancing still. I dream about the time when Mr Bird and I are old and grey and sick and still dancing, no matter who is watching.

Cakes on Parade

Mr Bird's Birthday was a few days ago.

Happy Birthday, my love!

For the past few years he has wanted nothing but homemade tripe layer

German Chocolate cake.

It is rich and decadent and oh, so sinful.

I must admit, I like making the cake more than I like eating it.

After it was done I sat and starred at it for like 10 minutes.

It is so satisfying.

I made it totally from scratch, whipped egg whites folded into the batter and all.

And guess what?

It didn't fall!

It was perfect.

The only thing wrong was that the chocolate curls melted because the frosting was still slightly warm when I put them on.

It got me thinking about all the cakes I have made for our kids birthdays over the years.

I have had a ton of fun creating new creations year after year.

Here are some of them for your viewing pleasure.

This one is kind of tricky, it's a horse head. See the curly main?

I have made this race track a few times. The first time I made a circle 8 shape out of 2 round cakes. I could not find that photo though.

Then there's the pretty butterflies.

And the pink and purple girly froofy cake.

And the castle, complete with mote and draw bridge, one of my all time favorites.

Yet another bunny. My mom used to make these for Easter and since 2 of my kids were born in March it is an easy stand by when I'm out of ideas, or they don't have any requests.

The classic jelly bean cake.

Mr Bird even wanted cinnamon rolls one year. Your wish is my command.

And last but not least the cow cake.

There were others I could not find photos of, like the airplane, Beano's stand by and Dubs' choo choo train from his first Birthday. Those files are hiding somewhere.

I really enjoy cake making. Sometimes I think it would be fun to open a Bakery.

I could make breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pastries and puffs to my little hearts content.

I would have a place to practice my creations so I could get really good at it. The only problem is who would school my children?

And I would probably gain like a million pounds.

Who can resist fresh baked peanut butter chocolate pinwheel cookies, I ask you.

I'll post that recipe soon, it's absolutely to die for.

So for now I will just keep dreaming of my very own cute little bakery in some cute little city.

Maybe someday!

To see what others are chatting about this Arctic Tuesday visit the Lazy Organizer.

Happy Tuesday!