How Would You Fare?

Thank you Kim for tagging me with this. Thankfully, it could've been much, much worse. The tag is this. Go take pictures of things in your home AS THEY ARE....RIGHT NOW, no "fixing" it before you snap the picture!

1. Mine and Jeff's closet. It's tiny, so we have some of our clothes scattered in the kids' closets.

2. The kitchen sink. It's actually odd that there are no dirty dishes in there. We don't have a dishwasher down here, so there are usually a few in the sink waiting to be washed.


I tag anyone who wants to do this. I don't blame you if you pass.
3. Toilet in our bathroom. The toilet in the other bathroom is new and has been installed, but is still waiting on a hose attachment before it is usable. It's sure fun sharing one bathroom! Moments before taking this pic (before the tag), I fished about 30 "kid wipes" out of the toilet (you can see one on the counter). I'm still wondering how that happened.


4. Laundry Room, which is also the bathroom that is "under construction." You can see tools on the counter waiting to finish the job.


5. Kids. Damon doing art, the girls doing something with books outside.



6. Pets. Jeff's lizard, a uromastyx. He has four of them.


7. Place you want to visit. Santorini, Greece. Someday.


8. Fridge/Freezer "Pretty dang exciting."


9. Favorite Room. I guess that would have to be our bedroom because the kids aren't in there very often. We love having a king bed, but it's too firm for me. I'm looking for a twin size memory foam for my side.


10. Favorite Shoe. These are several years old, but so comfy. And apparently greasy.


11. Self Portrait. Lovely.

To Whom it May Concern

When I went to Damon's open house at his school, his teacher had all of the parents write a little paragraph about their child, with information she might need to know to help her be a better teacher for them. I wrote a few things about Damon that I thought would be helpful, but I haven't been able to really stop thinking about that question. So, for posterity's sake, here is what I would REALLY like to tell her.

To: Mrs. Wayment
Re: Things You Should Know About My Son

This isn't the first time I have turned my son, my sweet Damon, over to the care of someone for the majority of his days, but that doesn't mean it's not painful to do so. There are so many things I want to tell you about him, and I'm so excited that you get to know him. He's an incredible boy, and you're lucky to have him.

Damon is a happy boy with an infectious laugh. He is easily delighted, and his eyes shine with excitement for life. He has got the kindest, sweetest heart, and needs life to be kind to him. He has always been uncomfortable with drama of any kind, and can't bear to be a part of something that has the potential to end unhappily. He experiences anxiety frequently, but is learning to be brave.

Damon has always been more comfortable around adults than children his own age, and doesn't make friends easily. However, he craves companionship, and will be fiercely loyal to the friends he does have. He will be respectful of you and he will do what you ask of him.


While he may not get into trouble often, he does have a tendency to occasionally let silliness over rule his better judgment. It won't take much correction for him to feel remorseful. No one will be a harsher critic of him than he will be, and he will punish himself more effectively than you ever could.

Damon loves to learn, and will pick things up easily. He may, at times, act like a show-off, but realize he is only trying to impress you, the newest person in his life. He will usually give you a good effort, but will always need encouragement to do better. He's not going to push himself.

At times, he may get emotional, especially if he feels he is going to fail at something. But he is determined, and that determination will eventually win out. He is also very affectionate, and responds well to physical contact as affirmation of his behavior.



I love my son. And I know that you will, too. I hope that during this year, you get to know all about him. Because even though there are things about him that will drive you crazy, he will win you over with those big green eyes and dimpled cheeks. Thank you for taking on the responsibility of teaching him in this all-important year. Help him to be a better student and a better friend. And then, please, give him back to me. I can't imagine my life without him.

Sincerely,
Krystal Trapnell

"Those" Days

Yesterday was one of those days.

No, I mean one of "those" days. The one that occurs with regularity every month. You know the kind I'm talking about. You wake up in a bad mood. A small grouping of pimples pops up in a localized area of your face. Your body aches all over, and you hope you can sleep in an extra half hour to shorten the day somewhat. But your baby wakes up at 6:30 and stands in her bed yelling, "Allie!," and so you have to jump up and get her, lest she wake up your less-than-chipper-in-the-early-morning three year old. That's when you notice that your patience is already shot and you've only been out of bed for 30 seconds. Oh yes, it's going to be one of "those" days.

You would think that my family would be able to recognize the signs, and steer clear. But for some reason, they seem oblivious. On one of "those" days, Kyla should know that when she starts whining at 8:30 in the morning, she's going to end up back in bed. Allie should know that I'm not going to react well when she starts throwing a fit, deliberately unfolding all the clothes I have just folded. She should be expecting the force in which she was yanked into timeout, and not seem shocked to be handled so roughly. She should also know that when I tell her I am sick to death of reading "Dr. DeSoto goes to Africa" that she's not going to talk me into reading it. There's just no point in arguing. And the discussion is probably going to end with me tossing the book across the room.

Damon should know that when he wants a treat after dinner, and I tell him I need him to help me clean up, he should just zip his mouth and help, instead of whining and complaining. He shouldn't be too surprised when his after dinner treat gets yanked from him without discussion. And Jeff really should know better. He should realize that telling me it's going to cost more than a dollar in gas to drive to Maverik to return my movie is not what I want to hear when all I really want to do is get out. He should know better than to tell me I'm talking to him like a two-year old as I try to explain to him where my checkbook is. But somehow, he missed the signs, too, and had to ask, "what is going on with you?"

That's when I decided. I need a sign around my neck, something to give everyone who comes within 50 feet of me fair warning. Maybe it could say something like, "Mom's Raging," or "Proceed with Extreme Caution." But Allie and Kyla can't read, and it might not be fair to them not to be warned. So, maybe I could just lock the bedroom door, answering all knocks with, "take care of yourself today!" But that would leave Allie in charge, and that could only mean disaster. So I've decided. I think I will wear my Wicked shirt. That's something everyone should be able to recognize, and easily understand. And with any luck, it will ONLY be once a month that I have one of "those" days.

Fun Little Survey

1. Do you like blue cheese? No
2. Have you ever smoked? No, but I liked to pretend that I was on a cold day when I could see my breath. Why were we fascinated with smoking as kids?
3. Do you own a gun? No, and I don't really want one.
4. What flavor Kool Aid is your favorite? I am trying to remember...back in the days when we used to drink kool-aid (college), we had a favorite flavor in a pink package. Was is strawberry kiwi? watermelon cherry? I can't remember.
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Always. I always worry that something will be wrong with me or my baby (usually that's why I am at the doctor--because I'm pregnant).
6. What do you think of hot dogs?Not my favorite. Will eat occasionally.
7. Favorite Christmas movie? The Grinch (the Jim Carrey version). A favorite of my family.
8. Favorite thing to drink in the morning? Milk with my oatmeal.
9. Can you do push ups? Yes, but not as many as I once could.
11. Favorite hobby? I love to read. I go through phases where I love to write. I love sports (watching and playing).
12. Do you have A.D.D.? No.
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? I have a hard time approaching people. I wish I were friendlier.
14. Middle name? Karen
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. 1. I wonder what Allie's doing. 2. I need to put my vacuum away. 3. Why am I not friendlier?
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? water and milk are the only things I drink regularly.
17. Current worry? Whether or not we're going to get the house we want.
18. Current hate right now? America's Got Talent. It has become a complete sham and we couldn't watch more than 5 minutes of it.
19. Favorite place to be? On a trip with Jeff.
20. How did you bring in the New Year? Party at Jeff's brother's house.
21. Where would you like to go? Greece, Croatia, Italy, the Carrie Underwood concert in November.
22. Name three people who will complete this:
23. Do you own slippers? yes, two pairs. A must if you live in the basement.
24. What shirt are you wearing? a WICKED t-shirt my SIL gave me. "It's time to try defying gravity!"
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No way. I can just imagine my dry feet rubbing across the sheets and that gives me the chills. Yuck!
26. Can you whistle? Yeah, but nothing to be too proud of.
27. Favorite color? Blue.
28. Would you be a pirate? Gross. Bad hygiene, terrible diet, worse teeth...no way.
30. Favorite Girl's Name? I have always loved Lydia. Jeff doesn't.
31. Favorite boy's name? When I was about 13, I would've said Zack. Now I don't really have a favorite. Maybe Damon?
32. What's in your pocket right now? No pockets.
33. Last thing that made you laugh? Kyla trying to say "pickle," and eating 3 at lunch.
34. What vehicle do you drive? Toyota Sienna. Yep, I'm a minivan mom.
35. Worst injury you've ever had? Broken foot, broken arm, appendix out...nothing too major.
36. Do you love where you live? I love being back in Utah (most of the time). I am anxious to be in our own house, but I love not having to pay rent!
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? Two, but only one is hooked up.
38. Who is your loudest friend? Daisy Commander.
39. Do you have any pets? Four lizards, but they are Jeff's, not mine.
40. Does someone have a crush on you? I think Damon does.
41. Your favorite book(s): Tough to narrow it down...Pride and Prejudice is always up there, Twilight before it got so madly popular, To Kill a Mockingbird, Stargirl, Austenland, The Giver, East of Eden...
42. Do you collect anything? children :) Is three a good enough collection?
43. Favorite Sports Team? Boston Red Sox and Utah Jazz, Ohio State Buckeyes and BYU Cougars
44. What song do you want played at your funeral? I have never really thought about that before. I'm thinking that Jeff will probably go before me, so probably something happy for a reunion between the two of us and our son, Chance. I think we'll swing each other around and around like Pam and Emily do in Saturday's Warrior. What would be an appropriate song for that?

David Beckham?

This may or may not come as a surprise to you, but I was very competitive as a child. Very. I always wanted to win, and I always wanted to be the best at everything.

I remember once in fifth grade (my most competitive year) when I wrote a report about Japan. I chose Japan because my dad had served his mission there and had a geisha doll with a tiny fan that we always wanted to play with. I remember pulling out the old-as-the-hills encyclopedia and reading all about Japan. I spent quite some time tracing a map of the islands, labeling each one. I thought it was a masterpiece and was sure I would get 100% on the report. And so I was devastated when I didn't. I cried when I got my score (if I remember correctly, I got 90%--a travesty). I'm sure my teacher felt horrible for me, because the next time I did a report (on Ted Williams), I got 100%. Thank you very much.

Not only did I want to be the best at everything, but I hated to lose. I was never a poor sport (I don't think I was, but I could be wrong), but I always had a hard time hiding my frustration when I lost. My dad was always giving me a very specific piece of advice: "Chill out!" And for the most part, I have. I have (unfortunately) had to deal with losing more than I would like to admit. I stopped crying so much about losing, and realized that it's okay if I'm not the best at everything.

But I still don't like it. And I am seeing a lot of that in Damon. He definitely wants to be the best at everything and gets instantly frustrated if things aren't easy. He participated in a free basketball class when he was 3 (in Columbus, where he was the only white boy in the class), and felt he didn't match up with the rest of the kids in his class. He refused to play and we took a hiatus from sports. But Jeff isn't ready to turn him loose to singing and dancing. He wants him to give sports a chance. And so, we signed him up to play soccer.

Damon was very worried about it, especially after his first practice. He didn't understand that just because you fall down, it doesn't mean you're a bad player. He had his first game last night, and Jeff promised him a special treat if he tried his best and didn't give up. And I have to say, we were pleasantly surprised with his effort. He wasn't the best on the team, but he wasn't the worst either. He held his own out there, and popped up every time he fell. And although he was still worried about losing ("I don't want to lose," he confided in me before the game), no one was keeping score, so he could try not to think about what the score was (although he knew).

He was thrilled for his teammates when they scored a goal, and is excited to go back. In fact, last night in our family prayer he said, "we're thankful I'm good at soccer." Yes, we are. Actually, we're glad he's not rolling around on the ground crying because he's not the best.

Allie van Gogh

I am in the kitchen listening in on a "conversation" Allie and Kyla are having. I don't understand most of it, but I did catch the part when Allie sang, "I kissed a boy, it's not worth it." That made me smile. An experience we had two weeks ago with Allie didn't make any of us smile.

I was in bed and Jeff came in with a tiny bottle of yellow paint. It was empty. "Do you know what this is?," he asked.

"It's paint from Damon's art kit. Why?"

"Allie painted all over Kyla's crib with it. What should we do?" I was still in a stupor, having been woken up. I am not the most chipper gal first thing in the morning, and it takes me a few minutes to shake of the sleepies. I didn't know how to respond to that question. I was barely processing the fact that Allie had done something bad, and my brain had no room to come up with a consequence for her.

"I don't know." I rolled out of bed and went into the scene of the crime. Yes, even to someone half asleep, it was obvious that Allie had painted the crib (and parts of the wall and door) yellow.


I found a very sad girl in there, too. I put her up on the rocker and asked her what had happened. Finally, after many many tears and claims of, "I'm scared," she confessed.

"I woke up and saw the paint." The rest follows logically. It only makes sense that she needed to use the paint to change the color of the crib to match the crib sheet and blanket. Why was that so hard for me to understand?



I know she may look contrite, and you may wonder how on earth we could punish such a sad little girl, but we did. Actually, I did, because Jeff was long gone by this time. We spent the morning cleaning up (it did come off, thankfully, as it was washable paint designed for kids), and Allie spent a considerable amount of time in that rocker as I iced my hand down after the hardest spanking I had ever given her. That is, until a few days later when we battled over something else.

I think she learned her lesson. I hope so. Yesterday I found her in the bathroom washing something purple off her hands. I asked her what it was. She wouldn't tell me. But I found an open bottle of purple paint in my bedroom. Yes, she learned her lesson. Or I caught her early enough that she hadn't had time to paint my furniture.

Highs and Lows

So, I tried to read slowly and make it last. I managed all of three days. I finished Breaking Dawn last night, and you can read my review HERE. Don't read if you don't want anything spoiled.

This week without Jeff has been full of highs and lows.

Lows: Allie having a very hard time obeying and receiving several spankings, Allie waking up wet again (after weeks of being dry every morning), Allie sneaking things and lying about it (are we seeing a pattern here?), doing a Tae Bo workout three days ago and being so sore that I could barely get up and down, the toilet getting clogged and there's no one here but me to try to fix it,

Highs: Damon laughing in delight as he sang "She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain," specifically the verse that says, "she'll have to sleep with granny when she comes;" Allie getting to paint with watercolors while KyKy was sleeping and laughing in delight as she turned the water different colors; the kids eating dinner so great, even when they thought they didn't like it; Kyla doing errands for me, like putting her diaper in the trash or taking things to Allie; the awesome weather we've been having with just a tiny hint of fall in the air; and my favorite memory from the week, which lasted all of three seconds. Kyla was wearing Allie's purple dancing skirt (which she thought was so fun) and she came into the kitchen and found the broom and swept the floor. She looked so big (sorry no pictures, Jeff has the camera on his river trip), and I couldn't help but hear "Sing Sweet Nightengale" as she swept, my little Cinderella (and yes, I know Cinderella never wore her gown when she was doing housework, but it was just the moment).

So, it's been good. We'll meet up with Jeff tomorrow and head to St. George for the weekend. Should be fun!

Olympics

Thoughts about the Olympics.

How about some volleyball! With Ryan Millar and the men and Logan Tom and the women, U.S.A. volleyball is alive and well! And not to mention our dominance in beach volleyball. How awesome was that? I went back and forth who I loved more, Misty or Kerri. What must it be like to block like Kerri? But Misty is the better player. So I decided. I want to be Misty May. And I want Kerri Walsh to be my best friend. I love those girls!


I'm a little annoyed that baseball and softball are getting cut from the Olympics. I understand that baseball is pretty boring without any MLB players, and that the U.S. softball team is too good for the rest of the world, but really? There are many "sports" that I think should be cut before baseball and softball: The 20 k walk, trampoline, rhythmic gymnastics, field hockey, sailing, judo, Greco Roman wrestling, tae kwon do... And I really don't have anything against any of those events, I am just a little disappointed that baseball and softball are out. Okay, I don't care about baseball. I am sad that softball is out. And do you think the U.S. threw the gold medal game on purpose so softball could be reinstated for 2016?

There's nothing like a good controversy. Especially when it involves gymnasts from China and the U.S. I was fascinated by the U.S. computer hacker who found "proof" that He Kexin is only 14, and how that stirred up so much trouble. Everyone suspects that the Chinese gymnasts are underage, and yet we all knew that the Chinese government was going to provide any necessary proof that they were eligible to compete. Also, it seemed a little fishy that the Chinese gymnasts were getting scores that even Tim Daggett claimed were "a little high." And I don't care how good her first vault was, "Pug Face" didn't deserve a bronze on vault when she fell on her knees on the second.

Luckily, though, our two stars couldn't be stopped. It was another toss-up of who you love more, Shawn or Nastia. I'm just glad they both did so well. It was wonderful to watch.

The Jamaican sprinters were on fire! They all seemed to have their best races at the best time. I really hope they are all clean, because I can't help but be a tad suspicious. Now, I know none of them have ever failed a drug test, and I really do hope they are all doing it without drugs, because it was fun to watch. Especially Usain Bolt. The man is a freak of nature. It's not right to be that tall and to run that fast. Amazing!


New athletes I love: Tyson Gay (did you see the story NBC did on him where he said he could sit and sign autographs all day for kids because he was just so happy to be making a difference in their lives? Love him! And I'm so sad that his Olympics was so awful).


Dara Torres (not technically a NEW athlete, but definitely one of my favs--I told Jeff she should've gotten some fake nails put on before her race, she would've won gold! And then she made the fingernail comment after the race (about how she shouldn't have filed them) and I didn't feel very original).

Kobe Bryant (it was so fun to actually cheer for him instead of detesting him!)

Jason Lezac (we may never see a better finish to a relay than in the 4x100--it was amazing! And thanks to him we got to see Michael Phelps' abs in a way we never would've otherwise!).


So...what am I going to do now that they are over? Jeff is gone all week on a rafting trip, so I will be especially lonely. But I am prepared. I have been waiting for the perfect time to get reacquainted with my good friends, Bella and Edward, and I think this is the time.

Pictures at last

Sorry. I know I have really been slacking in the photo department and it's a wonder that anyone reads my posts without pics. So, here are a few that we have taken over the last few days.

Last weekend all the Trapnell boys took a bunch of the kids camping/fishing at Fish Lake for two days. Damon was so excited to go, and even let Jeff talk him into hiking another high point. Jeff, Damon, our nephew Michael and Greg's dog, Vegas, set off on an 8.5 mile hike. Yes, that's right. MILES. Up to an 11,000 foot peak. When I heard about it, I thought they were crazy, but Jeff said the book listed it as a moderate hike and he thought it would be okay. Five and a half hours later, he wasn't so sure. He said the boys did really well, but were both so exhausted at the end that he had to carry them (in shifts) the last couple of miles. This is Damon and Michael at the top of the peak. Damon carried this feather with him all the way. In fact, Jeff said he didn't put the feather down the entire trip.


In the meantime, Allie and I had a girl's weekend. We painted our toenails, tried on lotion and lip gloss, got ice cream from McDonald's and Dairy Queen, and watched Michael Phelps. Good times. Allie has added a new item to her wardrobe: a swimsuit. It must be easier to put on than anything else, because although we haven't been swimming in weeks, she wears one nearly every day. This one made me laugh. Jeff is wondering if I can get one just like it.


Damon and Allie made a "fort" under the stairs outside. They filled it with pillows and spent quite a while hanging out there. Damon even protected them from the spider by blocking its web with a pillow. I'd rather not know the details. This isn't the best pic of Allie, but I love it of Damon.
And finally, Damon started school on Wednesday. He seems to be very happy, but my heart still goes out to him. He told me that on the first day he didn't know that he could leave the cafeteria after lunch to go out to the playground, and just sat there waiting for his teacher to come back and get him (that's what they did at Fort Caroline). I also gathered that he was sitting alone, as he hasn't made any friends in his class yet. Finally, he found his cousin, Maren, in the cafeteria and she took him outside to find David, his cousin in first grade. Sad. Anyway, here he is the morning he left for school. He is looking so grown up! And the hair may be a little too short for those chubby cheeks.

Eight in '08

Like the rest of the Mormon world, Jeff and I celebrate our anniversary in August. We were married August 19, 2000, and I know you are dying to see pics of that day. Sorry, but they are all still packed, and will have to wait until we are moved into our new house (however long that will be).

In honor of our eight years together, I wanted to share eight memories from our time together. These are not necessarily the best memories, but eight things that stand out. In no particular order.

#1 This comes from when we were newly dating. Jeff and I used to spend a lot of time sitting on the couch in my apartment after my roommates went to bed (or just went into their bedrooms so we could be alone). One night, as he was getting up to leave, we were standing in the doorway (door open to the outside) and he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek before he left. I shut the door and immediately began to analyze what had happened. It had totally caught me off guard, and I started to worry that he had tried to kiss me (for real) and I had turned my head. I didn't want him to feel like I had rejected him, unintentionally, of course, so I decided to ask him about it.

We were sitting in the Benson building watching the Tuesday devotional (our usual spot), and we started writing notes back and forth about it (yeah right, like I was going to bring it up in actual conversation!). He assured me that he wasn't trying to kiss me, and said, "I don't usually miss," and that "when the time is right, you'll know it."

I kept those notes for a long time. I hope I still have them. Just thinking about that really makes me laugh. And as a side note, when he did kiss me, I did know it was coming and he didn't miss.

#2 When we were first married, we lived in a little apartment on University, close to BYU. It was such a cute little place, and perfect for just starting out. There was one window air conditioner in the family room, which really cooled it down. But no air whatsoever made it into the bedroom and we really suffered at night. We started off spraying each other with a water bottle before getting into bed, hoping we'd be asleep before all the water dried. Finally, we moved our mattress out to the family room. There was just enough room to squeeze it in between the couch and the dresser that held our tv. We slept there, on the floor, for at least a month before we moved. Good times.

#3 I will never forget the first time I went through the temple, two weeks before we got married. It was overwhelming, and so much to take in. I remember going from the veil to the celestial room and Jeff was standing there waiting for me and grabbed me in the biggest hug. I had never been so happy to see anyone in my life. One of the temple workers said, "I hope you'll still greet her like that in 50 years!" Jeff said, "I will." I always love to find him waiting for me in the celestial room, and it seems like he gets there before me quite often!

#4 When I was pregnant with Kyla, I really wanted to get a new crib. The crib we had used with Damon and Allie was a hand-me-down, and while very nice, I wanted something white. I had been looking at cribs, but I knew we didn't have the money to buy one, so I just thought it was a dream that wouldn't happen. On Valentine's Day, Jeff called during lunch and told me to go look outside. He was there with his brother's truck, a white crib with a big red bow in the back. I was so surprised! He had called several consignment stores and found one that had what I wanted. He spent his lunch hour figuring out how to get it into the baby's room and put together. There was no better declaration of his love for me than that. And it proved to me that he still had it in him to plan a few surprises.

#5 When Damon was a baby, we took a trip to Chicago (about a six hour drive from Columbus). We had gotten tickets to a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field, something Jeff had always wanted to do. We got stuck in traffic and the game started long before we got there. We listened on the radio as the game progressed, praying that the dark clouds hovering over Chicago would cause a rain delay. And it happened. With the game tied in the seventh inning, rain caused a delay and we FINALLY made it to the park. After an hour, the game resumed, and even went into extra innings. And because of the big delay, most fans had gone home. We got to sit anywhere we wanted, and we ended up just a few rows up on the third base side. The game went 14 innings (we got to see the last 7) and the Cubs won in the end. AND Jeff caught a ball thrown into the crowd by Moises Alou, the left fielder (he ended up giving the ball to a little kid). I'm so glad we got to experience that together.

#6 When I was pregnant with Allie, we took a trip to Washington, D.C. for Spring Break. We stayed with some friends, and had one of the best trips ever. We got to go to the D.C. temple, which was amazing, and enjoy perfect weather as we walked around town. On the way back to Columbus, we stopped to see Falling Water (Frank Lloyd Wright's home, built right on the water) and took a tour. It was awesome!

#7 When we were engaged, I worked as a Sports Camp Counselor at BYU. Most campers went home on Friday, but a few stayed and so a few counselors had to stay Friday night as well. It was my turn to stay a Friday night, but Jeff told me to get someone to trade with me, because he wanted to take me to dinner at The Roof restaurant in SLC. I managed to find someone to stay for me, and I called to ask him what to wear. We had been there once before (and spotted Sheri Dew there on a date!) and I remember feeling underdressed. He acted a little funny and told me I didn't need to wear a skirt. I was confused, but said okay, and wore pants.

While we were driving to SLC, he told me that I had something on my face, and I pulled down the visor so I could look in the mirror. An envelope fell into my lap, and when I opened it, inside were two tickets to the Tim McGraw/Faith Hill concert. For that night. I was so surprised! We had an awesome time at the concert, and it will always be one of my favorite memories with Jeff.

#8 Allie's birth. I have good memories of him with the births of the other two, but Allie's really stands out in my mind. Jeff and I spent the evening sitting in recliners at Babies R Us, talking about how glad we were I wasn't being induced that night because we were both tired. I hadn't had any contractions, so I was very surprised when I found myself in labor at 12:30 am. After only 15 minutes, I knew we needed to get to the hospital so I woke him up. It was just like in the movies, where the husband jumps up and tries to hurry, but is so disoriented it takes him a few minutes. I distinctly remember both he and my mom laughing at me as I suffered through the contractions on our drive to the hospital, throwing the seat belt off my shoulder. They had no idea that I was REALLY in labor, and thought I was just being dramatic. Once we got to the hospital, and I got to pushing, it was another scene from a movie, where the wife squeezes life out of her husband's hand as she tries desperately to rid herself of the child within. And even though I never want to do that again, I'm so glad we got to experience that together.

It's been a great eight years. Nothing has been perfect, but yet I wouldn't change a thing. All of our adventures have brought us closer together, and I can't wait to see what the rest of our journey has in store for us.

Advertising

Allie loves to watch commercials. And since we are currently DVR-less and have been watching a lot of Olympics, she has seen a lot of commercials lately. It always amazes me how much she remembers from commercials. You may recall the time she said Kyla needed Lipozene because she was too chubby. Well, her latest comment goes along with that one. She asked me if I was sad, and said, "if you're sad, you need Cymbalta." Really? It's that easy?

Night Thoughts

Poor Kyla. She was sleeping so peacefully until Allie went to bed and woke her up. Now she is having a hard time falling back asleep, and the only time I don't hear her crying is when the noise of the Olympics drowns her out. I'm sure she just wants to be out here enjoying it with me, even if she has no idea why I'm so dang excited.

The whole family has caught the Olympic fever. I have a few pics I want to post, but Jeff has the camera this weekend (the Trapnell boys took a bunch of the kids camping), so that will have to wait. But we all have been thoroughly enjoying watching every day and we won't know what to do with ourselves once they finish next week.

Today has been a very up and down day, and for no reason in particular. It's just part of being a girl, and dealing with all the emotions that surge through our bodies day after day. I love being back here in Utah. It is so nice to be surrounded by family, and to finally be done with school. But it is strange to be back. It's been six years since we last lived here, and I'm not used to "happy valley." Here are a few things that I have had to adjust to since I've been back:

1. HUGE Utah wards. Our ward here in Springville is completely out of control. In Jacksonville, we never filled the soft seats in the chapel, and everyone knew everyone else. Here, if we don't get to church 15 minutes early, we don't get a "soft seat," which makes things ten times harder with the kids. Jeff and I are in primary and we teach half of the nine year olds, and we have nine of them. Senior primary fills the entire primary room, and we have opening exercises in the chapel, where we fill all the "soft seats." It is insane!

2. All the "Mormon movies." There is one coming out right now about sister missionaries called "The Errand of Angels," and the previews feature the song "As Sisters in Zion." It catches me off guard every time I hear it.

3. There are so many Mormons everywhere we go! It's not uncommon to overhear people talking about missions and church at the bank, the grocery store...weird.

4. There are churches everywhere! I knew that, but it's still funny to see them all. There are three within walking distance of the Trapnell's (maybe more, but I haven't actually walked enough to know for sure).

5. While we have lots of family around, and I'm never really lonely, I don't have any friends close by yet. I miss having friends. I miss book clubs, and girls nights out, and park outings...I know it takes time, and mostly it doesn't bother me, but today I just started feeling sad. I'm praying that in our next house, and next ward, I will find some girls I can relate to, that have kids who will bond with my own instantly. Is that too much to ask? Damon is not very good at making friends (never has been), and does better one on one than in groups. There's got to be another six year old boy here in Springville that needs a friend as badly as he does. I'm hoping that he will find one, too.

Speaking of homes, we have spent a lot of time looking at neighborhoods and like several. There is a possibility that we'll end up here in Springville (more to come on that later), which I wasn't expecting, but I know that wherever we go it will be right. And thankfully, we aren't in a huge rush to get out of the basement, so we can wait for just the right situation to come along.

Okay, here's a final thought tonight (Kyla has finally stopped crying, so I can now fully enjoy the rest of the Olympic programming). I would love to be Michael Phelps for one day. It would be amazing to experience what it's like to be the best swimmer in the world. And it would be awesome to be "forced" to eat 8,000-10,000 calories a day.

Cryin'

Remember when I said Allie has gotten so much easier, and I went as far as to proclaim that she is happy 75% of the time? I would like to retract that statement. While she has gotten easier than she was a year ago, I was far too optimistic about the actual percentages. And for some reason, nights have gotten rough again. Just as she is finally consistently staying dry at night, she has started waking up and crying that cry that can only be described as inspired by the devil. Last week, she was up several times, crying and making us want to jab chopsticks in our ears, and Jeff said, "I can't stand her." And even though that sounds awfully harsh, cold and unfeeling, I couldn't help but agree. I certainly couldn't stand her then, either.

Last night really took the cake, though. As we were watching our nightly Olympic coverage upstairs with Jeff's parents, it came to our attention that someone was crying. When I determined it was Allie, I lay down next to her and asked her what was wrong. "I don't know," she blubbered. Great. I don't know the cure for that. I stayed for a few minutes, assuring her everything was fine, and left with her going back to sleep. Or so we thought. A few minutes later, she came out of the room crying, this time complaining about her ear hurting. And listening to her cry, you'd think someone HAD been jabbing chopsticks in there. I gave her a little ibuprofen, hoping mostly for the placebo effect to kick in, and sent her back to bed. Not five minutes later she was back, complaining that the medicine wasn't working and she needed more. I coaxed her back to bed again, telling her she needed to give it more time.

This went on for a while until Jeff and I finally went to bed (after watching the American gymnasts salvage the bronze medal!), and we hoped the worst was over. It wasn't. Five or six times throughout the night this scene continued. At one point she decided to sleep on our floor, but that didn't last either. And the crying was just terrible. Jeff and I took turns trying to reason with her, telling her we could either take her to the hospital or she needed to go back to sleep. Finally, Jeff explained to her that he had to work early in the morning and she needed to leave him alone (this was much nicer than the "I can't stand her" comment from before). I guess that did the trick, because around 4:00 we were able to fall asleep for good. Unfortunately, Kyla woke up at 6:50 and started her morning ritual of crying until I feed her everything in the kitchen.

Isn't motherhood great?

Wish List

I am a fairly simple girl. I don't need a lot to make me happy. Or at least content. As we have been looking for a house, I realize that there aren't a lot of things that really matter to me. But occasionally I find myself thinking about things that would be NICE to have. They aren't critical to my happiness, and I'm not in a big rush to have them, but I will put them on my "If We Have Extra Money Someday List." Here are a few items from that list:

1. A Sleep Number Bed. I like my bed soft, Jeff likes it a little more firm. And for the last year or so, I have been the one to get my way. I bought the pillow top memory foam from Costco for my birthday and I loved the comfy softness. But now that we are in the basement, we are sleeping in a huge king bed and the memory foam doesn't fit anymore. I am missing it. Jeff is not. So, my conclusion is that it would be nice to have a bed that we could each set however we wanted.

2. A hot tub. With a really good cover that children can't remove. While maintaining a pool seems like way too much work for me, I think we could handle a hot tub. I have always loved a good soak (we had a special relationship with "Mr. J," Alisha's hot tub, in high school), and I think it would be so nice to put the kids to bed and relax on a cool fall night. Or in the middle of the day during the winter.

3. A Yamaha digital baby grand piano. Ah, the piano of my dreams. And what an amazing thing it is. I will definitely have to wait for that one, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that the owner of a piano store has a house full of teenagers who need braces. Maybe we could work out some sort of trade.

4. A really sweet set of pots and pans. For the past eight years (almost), we have used nothing but wedding gift pots and pans. They are nothing special, and I am looking forward to the day that I can replace them with something better. I asked for some for Christmas and then found out the ones I really wanted were $300 at Costco. That didn't happen. Just before we left Jacksonville, I showed Jeff one of our bigger pots, and how the bottom that was once black was now scraped silver. "That can't be good," he said. "We need a new pot." So I went and bought one at Target for $15. I haven't seen it since we moved to Utah. So, I'm still using the wedding gifts. Only we're down one medium size one pot, and the rest are threatening to break at any moment.

5. A Mac. Our pc is less than two years old, and at times I am ready to throw it out the window. It has major problems with printing, and at times will refuse to work for reasons I can't fathom. I have heard such good things about Macs and how virtually problem-free they are, and I am dreaming of the day we say good-bye to computer problems for good!

6. A sweet washer and dryer. I watched this demo about the Whirlpool Cabrio and I was sold. Too bad they are so dang expensive!

7. This really awesome water filter/softener system that was presented to us in Florida. Seriously, the water was amazing. I was sold when I saw how great pure water cleans anything and everything! Jeff was sold when he tasted the water. If someone comes knocking, offering a free gas card for listening to a water presentation, do it!!

That is a short list. I reserve the right to add anything at any time. It is MY list after all. What things would be on your "wish list?"

Beaver Mountain

We had a great time in St. George, although it was hot, hot, hot! I'll focus on the cool, cool, cool!

Jeff had planned a camping trip with the boys, but once he got up to Beaver Mountain, he called and asked me to come and to bring Allie. We got talked into it when my sister said we could leave Kyla behind.

Damon and Jeff spent the first day hiking and fishing. They hiked the highest peak in Beaver County (and sixth highest in the state), Delano Peak. Damon snapped this shot of Jeff at the top.


They saw a herd of mountain goats at the top and got pretty close to them. My dad was jealous.


Then they went fishing and caught about 20 fish! Jeff thought he had died and gone to heaven. Damon was pretty happy, too.


Allie and I drove up with my BIL, Wayne, and my dad. We drove around looking for the mountain goats (no luck) and tried fishing again (no luck). Allie did manage to fall into the stream and cried for the next hour or so until we got back to camp and out of her wet clothes. You can see in this pic she is wearing Damon's t-shirt and her clothes are "roasting" over the fire. By this time she had cheered up. Jeff had everything set up, and took care of everything, including all the food. He cooked up four of the trout he and Damon had caught and we had a yummy dinner.


The night was rough. We were in the middle of a deer migration (as Jeff claimed) and were awake for several hours listening to the thumpety thump of our deer visitors. At one point we heard a hissing sound, followed by the quick retreat of a deer. That's when I started to get a little scared. I had to pee, but tried to wait it out as long as I could, as I didn't want to face whatever was hissing (do racoons hiss? What else would've been capable of scaring off the deer?). Finally, when all was quiet, I ventured out. It was a little spooky, but I didn't encounter anything out of the ordinary. Damon and Allie slept through it all, which was great, but Jeff and I didn't feel very rested in the morning.

The kids got impossibly dirty for being there such a short time (Damon didn't change once in the three days he was there), and, although Allie didn't have a bad night sleep, she was still pretty tired.

Camping is fun. But it sure is a lot of work. I have been working on getting this mountain of stuff put away. My hair still smells like campfire, but it was definitely worth it. As Damon said, "I love camping because I can get away from home and see the pretty things in nature." He sure must have a lot of pressure here at home if he can't wait to get away.

Excitement

I know it's been a while since I posted (REALLY posted), and I have a lot of things flying around in my head. First, some excitement.

Things I am Excited About:
1. The Olympics (just 11 days!). In HD. Can't wait!
2. Jeff told me Saturday that he only has to work today and tomorrow and has the rest of the week off, and he wants to go camping near St. George, which means I get to go visit my family for 5 days!
3. The fact that Jeff has a real job and gets days off. That's sure nice!
4. It's nearly August, which means Breaking Dawn is oh-so-close to being in stores!
5. Damon is already in St. George (he went down with my sister last night), so I only have two kids to take care of!

Second, the kids are doing great.

DAMON: Latest loves include: High School Musical (he told me the other day, "I wish Vanessa's real name was Gabriella."), Sugarland's "All I Want to Do," collecting rocks, hiking (he hiked the Y again last weekend with Jeff), riding his bike, playing with legos, and watching Tom and Jerry.


Jeff's list of things he wants Damon to avoid: High School Musical, songs by women, watching So You Think You Can Dance, combing My Little Pony's hair, using words like "pretty" and "beautiful" when describing anything, and wearing Allie's dancing dresses. We sure love our Damon and hope that he continues to be "well-rounded," as opposed to Jeff's term, "sissy."

ALLIE" Latest loves include: Care Bears and ponies, "Bleeding Love," "Should've Said No," helping me cook dinner, and looking gorgeous.



Allie has gotten much easier the past couple of months. She still has her fits (like when I comb her hair or for no reason at all), but is such a pleasant, happy girl 75% of the time. I can't believe I am actually saying this, but it is true. She is night time potty trained finally, and is getting better at obeying. She has discovered that she can "read" books and asked today to go to the library to get some "reading rainbows." We love our Allie!


KYLA: Latest loves include: eating, bananas (she loves them so much they are a separate category), dancing, animals, getting into everything, and eating some more.


Just as Allie has gotten easier, Kyla has gotten harder. She suddenly has an attitude and throws fits when she doesn't get what she wants. She cries MUCH more than she ever has (I told Jeff that she is such a happy girl when she isn't tired or hungry. She seems to be tired and hungry all the time!). She has five teeth, but they are taking their sweet time coming in. She signs a little, but has started talking more. She now can say, "baby," "Allie," "all done," "hot," "more," "me," and "kuh kuh." She is now trying to run, as walking isn't fast enough, and I love to see her getting those little (well, big) legs moving. She has grown very attached to her cow and cries when it's time for bed and he can't be found. She knows a few body parts, but routinely sticks her finger in her ear before guessing elsewhere. We love our Ky Ky, but hope her crankiness is due to teething and that she'll go back to being our sweet little girl soon.


Lastly, I am excited for the fall tv schedule. Particularly, I am excited for The Office, Pushing Daisies (the best new show from last season), and The Amazing Race. Plus, in January we get American Idol and the last 13 episodes of Scrubs. Awesome! Jeff can't wait for college football. Seriously. If that was all that was on tv, he would be happy. He's easy to please. I need to take some pics of him. Look forward to that!

Memories

How many times do you have to see something before you decide it's time to join in? I have eight blogs on my google reader with this on it, waiting for comments from me. So, play along it you'd like...



Here's how it works:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember, good or bad but be nice please! ;)



2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments. Come on all my blog followers... I want to post something about you, let's see this on your blog!!!

I wouldn't...

I've often wondered what I would be doing if I weren't a mom. I doubt I would be teaching elemntary school (what I got my degree in) because, although it was very rewarding, it's a lot of work and you get paid so little for it. If I knew I would never get married and have kids, I would have thought long and hard about being a doctor. I always wanted to be one when I was younger, and my fascination with the medical profession hasn't subsided as I have grown older (proof: I love doctor shows on tv). I wouldn't be a surgeon or an ER doc, I know that for sure, but I could see myself enjoying a career as a doctor.


It's just as likely that I would have gone into education anyway, and tried to get a job coaching basketball (or another sport). I'm sure that's no surprise. I love sports. I think I would be a good coach. Sometimes I tell Jeff that when our kids are older I would like to volunteer my services at the junior high or high school. Who knows..


I actually haven't given it a lot of thought. It's hard to say exactly what I would be doing if I wasn't currently "employed" as a mom. But I do know what I WOULDN'T be doing:


1. I wouldn't be wiping the same high chair tray eighteen times a day.

2. I wouldn't find myself singing songs made famous by The Backyardigans.

3. I wouldn't be performing the "smell test" on clothes that weren't my own (you know the test, where you sniff an article of clothing to see if it is clean or needs to be washed).

4. I wouldn't find myself using made up words like, "kuh-kuh (meaning yucky)," "num-num (meaning food)," or "night-night (meaning bed time)."

5. The names Damon, Allie and Kyla wouldn't mean anything to me.
6. I wouldn't eat fish sticks more than once every six months.

7. I wouldn't know that nystatin, benadryl and motrin can cure most anything.

8. I wouldn't dig through nostrils not belonging to me to pull boogers out.

9. I wouldn't know how to get baby poop and spit up stains out of my clothes.

10. I wouldn't appreciate Jon and Kate Plus 8.

11. I wouldn't spend half my day in the kitchen.

12. I wouldn't wake up to the sound of little voices long before morning.

13. I wouldn't be doing laundry every couple days.

14. I wouldn't look down at my chest and try to remember what it was like to have one.

15. I wouldn't envy the animal world and their lightning quick pregnancies.

16. I wouldn't get to read "Little Miss Contrary" over and over and over again.

17. I wouldn't get to watch "High School Musical" over and over and over again.

18. I wouldn't have a reason to go to Chuck E Cheese.

19. I wouldn't get nearly as much free candy on Halloween.
20. I wouldn't be having nearly as much fun as I am now...
What WOULDN'T you be doing?

Changes

Not sure I'm going to stick with the new look, but it will do for now. If you're in the mood for a new look, it's gotten super easy. Check out THIS SITE. Awesome! Also, scroll down to the bottom of my blog for even more fun. My favorite is Allie in her CTR-uh (tiara) and dancing dress.

Trapnell Orthodontics

Did you know there is a Utah Valley Magazine? I didn't. But we learned about it in May when Jeff and his brothers were contacted and asked to be featured in a little article. I guess five brothers practicing orthodontics is a little unusual. For those of you who didn't get to see it, here is a scan. And no, we're not bitter that Jeff got the smallest paragraph and some of his info wasn't correct (he didn't do ortho at Ohio State, but in Jacksonville). I mean, it's only Utah Valley Magazine.

We're havin' us a weddin'!

Tonight, Kyla and I were witness to one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. I knew it would be good when Damon announced that he and Allie would be getting married, but I didn't know the treat we were in for once the "wedding" actually happened.

Damon and Allie changed into their wedding attire. Allie faced a problem I'm sure we all had to deal with on our own wedding day--the purple dress she had wanted to wear was giving off a "uriney" smell, and she had to go with her second choice, her beautiful blue dancing dress. She wiped some of the spaghetti sauce off her face, and put flowers behind her ear so she could look "beautifuller and beautifuller." Damon talked her into wearing sandals, as she had decided to go barefoot after only one of her pink sparkly flip flops was located. She picked several flowers from grandma's garden (don't tell!) for a bouquet and waited for instructions on how to proceed.

Damon chose to wear a long-sleeved blue shirt and blue pants, and was mildly frustrated when he learned that his ties had been left in St. George. He managed to get over it, though, and excitedly put on his own belt, socks and shoes. He was heard to say, "I love marriages!" I hope he feels the same 20 years from now. He was ready well before Allie was (imagine that!). I was shown to my seat, camera in hand, anxious to see what the "wedding" would entail.

Then, the fun started. Because I had been deemed photographer, there was no one to act as minister (or justice of the peace, or whatever they were going for). I gave minimal direction, but most of this was straight from their imagination.

Damon waited for his bride

She came down the aisle

They faced each other

They told each other they loved each other and kissed

They hugged

They kissed again

They held hands and walked past me

And that was that. I wiped tears from my eyes (from all the quiet laughing I had been doing), and thanked them for letting me be a part of that. Damon assured me that they were "really married" and then they proved it by fighting with his new "bride" only minutes later.

Reunited!

We're back together. Our family, that is. We were reunited on July 3, and my body celebrated my contracted pink eye. I'm sure Jeff found that very attractive, as I could barely open my eye, and when I did, it oozed and watered continuously. But a quick course of antibiotic eye drops cleared it right up, and I only had to endure three days of wearing Jeff's glasses (explanation: we have the same prescription in one eye and the other eye is pretty close. Neither of us have gotten a new pair of backup glasses in at least four years and mine were broken beyond repair. Jeff's are missing one arm, which I taped back on with masking tape.). It was a good look. But I'm glad to be through with it.

Damon got to do something he had been dying to do since he learned it was a possibility: he hiked the Y. Jeff said he did great, and even asked to do it again when they got to the bottom. I love that he is old enough to do fun things with his daddy, and I'm sure it made Jeff happy, too.

They are on the Y--that's not snow.

Jeff started his first day as an orthodontist yesterday. I am so proud of him, I can't even begin to describe the feelings I have inside. He has been in school since we met nine years ago (minus one year when he worked for his brothers making teeth models, and made a whopping $12,000. All year.), and has finally come to the end of his education. Now things get real. And real scary. The stakes are higher now, as he gets ready to buy an ortho practice (his plan is to buy the Provo office from his brother in two years), as we start the process of looking for the house we will raise our kids in, and student loans start coming due. It makes me a little sick inside when I think about all the money that entails. But I am optomistic that we will be alright. It's probably a good thing that we are both nervous. Hopefully that will help us be smart and careful in our decisions.

It's great to be back together, and back in our own space. We even have internet down here in the basement, which will make life so much easier. I am itching to get a library card, but the one piece of "official mail" that I got has disappeared and I don't know if I can get one without something else coming. Hopefully that will be soon. I'll have more later (including Damon's sixth birthday) when I get some pics from the Esplin fam.

It's good to be back!

Summer Heat

After a whirlwind trip to Temecula, CA for my uncle's wedding, we're all back home and safe in Utah. Including Jeff, who made it to Springville today. After we celebrate Damon's birthday tomorrow, we will head back home and be reunited for the first time in months!

Here are a few shots of the kids at the wedding (which I must admit, was beautiful and the place to get married if you're not going to the temple).

Damon was infatuated with the butterflies. We were handed boxes with live butterflies inside and released them at the end of the ceremony. Many of the butterflies were reluctant to fly away and Damon couldn't let them out of his sight.

Allie was infatuated with the flowers. And the leggings. Hard to tell, but they are there under the dress.

Kyla was infatuated with the food, but we didn't get any shots of that. This was a cute one of her with grandpa.

I found the pics from Jacksonville. They show exactly how Kyla has become. She is NOT going to be pushed around (she enjoys telling all of us "no no"), and she's NOT going to be distracted from what she wants. She and Tyson fought over this dump truck and neither one was backing down. Like all good parents, we stood back, laughing at them.

And one more random shot of the kids, enjoying the heat.