Tooth Fairy Position Available

We've got a lousy tooth fairy around our house. She is late, forgetful and incredibly absentminded. Let me tell you why.

About 2 weeks ago Taylor had a visit with the orthodontist to see if he is getting close to being called "brace face." He is not quite there, but the ortho suggested he get 3 teeth pulled to make room for the new ones trying to get in.



I took him to the dentist the following week and out they came. They were placed in a special little tooth fairy box. That night he put the box out and fully expected to see money in the morning. And wouldn't you know it, she plain forgot!

So the next night he did it again. And would you believe she was a no show again? What kind of slacker is she? So for the next 4, yes 4 mornings he tried to figure out why she didn't come. Perhaps it was because she couldn't open the little box. She does have little fairy fingers. Well that is easily fixable. He decided to leave it open from now on. Maybe she didn't know where it was? He left it in clear sight on his dresser, not buried under his pillow. Maybe, he surmised with his dad, that she wasn't going to come because they had been pulled out and didn't naturally come out on their own.

Each morning I would rotate through excuses like "sometimes she is a little forgetful" and "maybe she is just a little backlogged" while wondering why that absentminded, poor excuse for a fairy wouldn't show up on time. We won't even get into the fact that sooner or later he needs to be informed who the slacker really is.




Finally last night she decided to show. And for his patience he got an extra dollar and he got to keep his teeth. Now, where do I go to hire a new one?

By the skin of my teeth

Anyone recognize this?

Anyone who has gone to college?

BYU maybe?

Anyone who has decided that this semester was the time to take a class on a subject that has interested her for some time but for various childbearing, lactating and childrearing reasons has not done it?

Anyone who has wanted to take a class only to find out it was full.

Anyone who is willing to contact the professor, get 2 ecclesiastical endorsements, apply for permission to take an evening class and hope and pray that a spot opens up in an immensely popular class.

Anyone who went to class the first day with an add/drop card hoping the professor would sign it and let her in despite the fact that the class only has 18 students and the professor has had requests from 16 other students to add the class as well.

Anyone who was lucky enough to have a very accommodating professor who just wants to teach people what she loves, sign the add/drop card anyway in an already over-full class.

By the skin of my teeth I got in and I am ecstatic. I need this. I need to leave my mom mode once a week and learn a new skill. And that is what I am going to do.

Well what class is it? You ask.

Some sort of math class maybe? Those of you who know me are laughing their heads off at this one.
Absolutely not

Geology maybe?
No

How about some sort of physical fitness class.
No. I don't need to be reminded that my body is 10 years older than my classmates.

It's gotta be a humanity class then. She really enjoyed those.
Interesting to be sure, but sadly no.

I signed up for bookbinding. Even writing that just gets me all excited.
It is a class where I will learn several different methods of making books as well as paper decorating. Handmade, beautiful books. I can't tell you how excited I am that once a week for 4 hours I get to learn a new skill, work with my hands, create something beautiful (I hope) and have some "me" time.

And if I'm proud of my work and it doesn't look like a preschooler did it, I may show ya. Wish me luck!

We've got ourselves a problem

Scott and I have been working hard on our back yard. We have somebody that wants to see our efforts fail. I didn't know about this until I noticed that some of the branches of our newly planted trees and shrubs were missing their leaves. My first thought was why on earth would Scott strip the leaves off of these trees. Why I didn't think of Owen first I know not.



But then upon further investigation I see these. I'm pretty sure Scott's feet are not this small. Nor are they cloven.



Yes, we have a deer that has decided to nibble on our plants. Based on the size of this print I would guess he is a small one. I also know that he eats buffet style. One branch off of every tree and shrub. As soon as he lets all of his buddies know what he has found up the hill, I'm pretty sure our trees will be stripped bare.

Today I mixed up some nasty concoction of raw eggs, hot sauce and garlic and sprayed them all over the leaves. This is hopefully just a temporary solution until we can get some kind of physical barrier around these poor trees. We have worked too hard to let them all die!

been busy

The past week we had our sprinklers put in and sod delivered. I have spent my time laying sod and planting shrubs that I have found on clearance. Grass is one of those things you completely take for granted. When you don't have it, you sure miss it! It is so nice to look outside and see green instead of brown!


Football! Taylor had his first game today and loved it! I didn't realize how serious this was. He played on a fancy shmancy field and all.


Now I had to add this picture. This is one of the times when I jump for joy that I have boys! Cheerleaders at a 9 year old football game? Matching outfits down to their shoes and head bows? Spending their time cheering and taking turns getting their pictures taken? I love my boys!

No offense to all you girl moms out there. I'm sure if you heard the noise and saw the commotion at my house you would thank your lucky stars that you have a girl or two!


Finding some killer deals on trees! Getting even more excited when I see them deliver and plant them at no charge!




I haven't printed out a picture or kept up with the boy's photo albums since I had Chase. So I have been trying to play catch up when I have a few minutes.



Preparing our traditional tin foil dinners for another romp in the canyon.


Getting 3 kiddos ready for school. It is so nice to get Taylor's school supply list 2 days before school starts.



Trying to keep up with the walker now runner.



Hosting a bridal shower for my new sister-in-law to be.



An exhausting day at Lagoon. This kid was willing to go on every ride he could. The only one he didn't like was Dracula's castle. My bad, shouldn't have let him go.



Piles of laundry that refuse to go away!

Love this!

This is one of my favorite things about babies - how they sleep. This guy has the classic position. Arms burrowed underneath and butt up in the air. So cute!

In heaven

Taylor's dream has come true. Playing football for an hour and a half every day with his friends. Sweaty, stinky and tired. Really what more could a football obsessed kid ask for? I don't know what he is going to do when he actually plays a game. Here's to football season.

What have I done?!

What was I thinking! Am I crazy? I am just heart sick!



How could I do it? How could I cut off these luscious curls.



He made me do it! I swear! It's not my fault! After I hacked off all of Bennett's hair he kept insisting that he wanted a haircut just like Bennett's. "How about if I just trim it?" I ask him. "No! I want it cut like Bennett's." he says.




I have become quite attached to this head of curls. Yes, yes I have heard the whisperings and not so quiet whisperings of people saying that I must be growing it out because I don't have a girl. That may be true, but it is also true that I have never had a natural curl on my head and it is heartbreaking to cut any curl off. Boy or girl.

The whole time I was cutting, Owen kept asking me why I was so sad. This is just not right on all accounts.





Now I am left with a bald, curl-less child. Oh and filthy dirty ears that haven't seen the light of day for months. He is still cute, but I miss his curls.



I am not the only one that does a double take each time I see him. Bennett came up to me and said "He looks like a stranger to me."




He got his wish. It is just like Bennett's. Don't tell him, but I refuse to cut it again.