An Uncluttered Life

I recently read a book where one of the characters was described as having "an uncluttered life."  I admit I was a little jealous.  With four children I have given up on having my home be clean the way I would like it.  I would have to run around the house all day like a crazy person, and I would not get to do any of my "fun" things.  But still, sometimes I look around and I hate the messiness of it all.  Of course, I would not trade away any of the things/people that make my life cluttered, and so obviously I need to change my perspective so I can stop having panic attacks about my dirty windows, dusty surfaces, and cluttered floors.  One thing I thought of doing was posting about each room and the clutter in it, and what that clutter meant to me.  As in, why it was worth it to me to have it.

Today I am in my bedroom, which is actually my least "cluttered" room because it is in a way my sanctuary from the rest of it.  Still, there are some interesting things here like:

1.  One Ceramic Bunny - This bunny is the same bunny my brothers chased me around the house with when I was little because I was sooo afraid of it.  I got it out for Easter about two days before Easter (Easter always sneaks up on me) and so I decided I would leave it out longer.  Of course, April is almost over now, so I guess I should put it away soon.  Still, every day my children move it because they like to look at it.  They love that I was frightened of it when I was little.  It's so innocuous looking.

2.  A box full of white leotards - These are costumes for my upcoming dance performance.  The toy soldiers are wearing white leotards, and red pants, with a little red sash-like piece.  The performance is getting close now, and so I am busy convincing myself that it will all come together in the end.  I will breath easier when it is past, and has gone well for all those little dancers who are looking forward to it.

3.  A box of Costco diapers -  Size 5!!!  Already.  That boy is getting so big.

4.  Justin's Spanish scriptures - These used to be on the bookshelf, but Spencer likes to eat them, so they have been moved.

5.  A glass of water - I leave glasses of water about the house.  I don't like really cold water, but I do like it filtered.  So, I usually pour it and then come back to it later.  Unfortunately, Justin often follows behind me dumping them out.  He is afraid they will spill all over something important.

6.  A book titled "The Future of Boards" - Justin checked this out from the school library.  I've only seen him read it once.  I don't know why.  The title seems sooooo riveting.

7.  One princess shoe, one rattle, one teenage mutant ninja turtle, one comb, and other sundry toys - These have their own shelf.  They aren't really played with in this room since toys are not exciting next to getting into Mom and Dad's stuff.  They are more likely things left behind when the kids dropped their toys to steal something better.

The end.  Not very exciting.  My other rooms have much better clutter.  We'll see if I keep up.

Outside

Tonight we went outside and played.  We don't have an official backyard so all the other town home families get to enjoy my children running through their "backyards."  The first photo was when I told them to pose like they were running (in case my camera only caught a blur).  They are pretty funny posers.  The rest is of them actually running.  Hopefully that means they'll be tired tonight.

Checking out rocks, and hanging with Daddy:

Raptors

The main reason that I haven't posted lately is that the weather is horrible and who wants posts about us being cooped up in the house and turning into crazy loons?  Well, Friday was nice and we went with a bunch of kids from the ward to see the "Raptor Center."  I kept Ellie home from school because I was pretty sure she'd disown me if I didn't take her.  We saw owls and eagles and all those other birds classified as raptors.  Honestly, I didn't read the signs much, so I don't know much more.

Here are the kids running ahead of us to the raptor center.  This is pretty much all I saw of Grant on the trip: a little speck of orange and red running away from me.  I kept hoping he wasn't lost in the woods somewhere, and luckily he kept on the beaten path.

Looking out the bird blind.  I believe you're supposed to sit quietly until birds come to eat birdseed.    A group of our boys ran out of the bird blind and played with the birdseed (Grant included) so that didn't go to well for us.  Later the kids used the bird blind as a clubhouse.  It worked out better for them that way.

Checking out those birds.  I was excited to take Spencer because he's been really interested in animals lately.  Well yes, he did love the birds.  But it was horrible.  Every time I left a cage he would scream horrifically and writhe in my arms.  Then when we got to a new one he would grab the mesh and try to get in.    He also enjoyed the dead and half-eaten mice.  I don't know if we'll go to the zoo anytime soon.  He might have a panic attack he'd be so excited.

Grant's favorite part of the day consisted of every kid grabbing a stick and going at each other.  This is his dream come true.  I wish I would have got a picture of all the mothers watching.  Trying to let the kids play, but looking as though they all knew better.  It was a pretty hilarious sight.  And yes, a child did eventually get whacked in the head.

Spencer continued to be a stinker.  He threw his sandwich on the ground and then stole other people's food. I took these pictures of him whining at me.

It was sooooo nice to get out!

Step Into Yourself

I was recently reading a book loosely based on the King Arthur stories.  (It moves the general storyline to a different point in history.)  At one point the main character receives the news that a.) his father and mother or not actually his parents.  b.) he will be going away to fight in the crusades immediately. and c.) an uncle who recently tried to kill him is his actual father.  After relaying all this exciting and mind-blowing news, Arthur's foster father tells him to go to the top of a nearby hill and "Step into Yourself."

I loved the simplicity of those words:  "Step Into Yourself."

How many times when we are overwhelmed do we forget to give ourselves time to step into ourselves?  And if we take that time we are much better prepared to face the future.  So, now I am going to remind myself to take those extra moments to "Step Into Myself" instead of rushing into what would otherwise be a crazy situation.

(Arthur: The Seeing Stone, Kevin Crossley-Holland.)

Random

Recently I read through last year's blog posts (the only year I've managed to print out) and I realized how much I enjoy remembering those snippets of life that get lost so quickly. I need to do better at taking the time to get them down here.  So be patient with my rambling. It matters to me.  Besides, until it's actually Spring for more than two days in a row, I don't know that I'll get any good pictures to post my stories around (which is what I usually do).

*****

On Sunday Spencer:

1. threw cars at a woman sharing a personal experience about trials.
2. repeatedly smacked books out of a small girl's hands.
3. unlocked my car from inside the Relief Society room.
4. pulled on my hair as hard as he could.
5. poked the little girl behind us over and over.

Nursery, please?

*****

I recently registered the kids for a summer art class. Then I sent the registration form in. Now I don't remember which class I registered them for. Talent.

*****

Ellie recently brought me some of her "tears and fears." One of them was that she'd been worrying about a time she got mad at Justin and threw a rock at the window.  She said: "Mommy, I know I shouldn't worry about it, but I just keep worrying about it." Of course, neither Justin and I recalled the incident and I thought about how often I think about mistakes I've made and how I refuse to let them go even when I've apologized and everyone else has forgotten them. I thought how Heavenly Father must be thinking it was such a little thing, and that he wishes I wouldn't hurt my heart with worrying about it anymore. So now, when something comes to my mind like that - usually at night - I tell myself: "I will not worry about thrown rocks anymore." I hope Ellie doesn't either.

*****

Right now Spencer doesn't talk. Instead he makes a sound that sounds like a cat.  He makes this sound over and over for whatever he wants.  The other day Justin and I finally admitted to each other that it doesn't just sound like a cat, it sounds like a cat in heat.  Yep.  We need to teach that boy some words.

*****

Justin and I recently discovered some videos on YouTube called "KidSnippets."  Anyway, they crack us up (although he played them for his office mate, who doesn't have kids, and apparently they weren't that funny to him).  In KidSnippets they have kids make a pretend dialogue and then they have adults act them out.  Now when our kids fight, we have them pretend to be different characters and then act the stories out (usually in the car).  This morning Grant and Meg had us laughing so hard that I don't think I was a safe driver.

*****

Because I find these amusing:

Before I took the photos with my phone that I posted earlier this week, I tried to take these photos with my real camera.  Spencer was NOT in the mood.  I think the photos are hilarious.  Just be glad I didn't post a bazillion more.  Eventually Justin started acting like a monkey... at which point Spencer looks more pleasant and the older kids stop looking at me entirely:

Girls Only:

(I skipped the boys only picture since Spencer was obviously soooo interested in the whole thing.)

And yes, our kids have parents:

Easter Morning

This year the Easter Bunny almost forgot to come to our house.  For.  Real.  Apparently she had prepared everything for the baskets, but then she almost went to sleep instead of putting everything out!!!  Luckily, at 10:15 she realized what was going on and went and enlisted the help of her Easter Bunny helper.  So no distressed tears Easter morning.  Oh, except when we made Spencer pose for a picture: 

Spencer liked shoving his eggs down the elephant trunk:

Actual Easter Egg Dying

I posted phone photos, but these are with the real camera, so you can actually see the kids' faces.  I decided to do Easter Eggs when Ellie was home sick one day.  We only had 9 eggs in the house, but the kids were good sports about only having three each to decorate.  Grant liked dipping his, so his eggs mostly turned out brown.  Spencer wandered around screeching because he knew we were doing something fun, and that he couldn't see it at all.  Traumatic to be the youngest!