Scared

I have never enjoyed being scared.  Never.  Which makes the purpose of this post so funny.  Funny enough to have me laugh at random moments, when the thought pops into my head.

Backstory: My first memory of being scared was on Halloween night 1987.  I was six.  My mom took us to a house just down the street from our home, I remember hearing a loud movie playing from inside as we approached the door, and all of the sudden the door opened super fast and a WOLF growled at me, eyeing me as its next meal.  Totally!!  I felt the flesh being ripped off the very bones of my left arm...

Needless to say, the scary neighbor heard one little girls scream Bloody.Murder and burst into sobbing tears.  Then...he heard her four-year old little sister screaming at the top of her lungs, "HEY!! Don't you scare my sister!!!"  Ashlee grew three feet in my eyes, that day.

Fast-forward to July 2000.  Before moving down the Houston, Uncle Jerry and Aunt Veniece flew us down, gave us a tour and run-down of our responsibilities, should we choose to accept their generous offer, and showed us around town.  They took us to a nice restaurant, PF Chang, and introduced me to my very first Lettuce Wrap.  To.Die.For!  I think I may have actually said, "Where have you been all my life?"  It may have intimidated my new, hot husband a little.  And then they took us to a movie.  I heard the words What Lies Beneath and had no idea what it was (who has time for movies when you just get married, I ask you).  I heard Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfiffer and actually sighed.  "They will make an incredible love story together."  Little did I know!  I spent a majority of the movie with my fingers in my ears, eyes closed, face smashed into my new, hot husband's stomach.  I cried when the theater screamed.  New, hot husbands shirt was a wrinkled, snotty, wet mess by the end.  Not pretty.

That night, after washing off the remnants of my mascara face (black alley hooker eyes, I'm telling you) I was walking to our room, when out from behind the door comes an arm that grabs me- hard.  I was already hyper alert from the heinous scary movie, and literally felt all strength leave my body.  I was a hot mess of tears (and maybe a little bit of pee in my pants) and soft, soft lady-like sobs.  Please, I was a bawling, snot-nosed crap-face baby.  I made my thinks-he's-so-funny husband feel like pawn scum.  He has never scared me like that again.  It's almost grounds for divorce, people.

However.... I do have an amazing scream.  I could probably do voice-over screams in scary movies.  For real.  People should pay me for that amazing talent.  Randy has actually been trying to get me to use said talent.  He wants me to drive down a darkened street and scream out the window at people walking at night.  It gives me a case of the giggles to think about.  I just can't do it.  Although I do think it would be funny to see them jump (cause it's not me that is the scared crier this time) I just can't do it like that.  I have no problem doing it to our kids during scary parts of a movie (yes, I am that type of mom) but I can't do it to complete strangers being good to our environment by walking.

And then comes today.  Randy, Caden and I were driving around dropping off his Eagle Project blankets and finalizing things for school.  We were stopped at a Stop Sign.  And out of my closed lips, just as he's about to make a left-hand turn, comes something that scares Randy enough to have him SLAM on the breaks.  "Clear!"  The funny thing: I wasn't even expecting to say it like that, with that much force.  It just kind of slipped out.  And made it that much funnier.  I could not contain my giggles.  I find myself to be so funny.  After the shock, and the RaGe, Randy actually started laughing, saying it was pretty funny.  I am laughing about it, even now.  I just didn't even mean to be that funny!

I can understand why it can be fun to scare people.  Just not scare me.

If you ever want to hear one of my Tiger Screams, just come walking with me on the path near my home, after the kids have gone to bed, as the sun sets and the street lamps come on.  It's quite a treat for all.

Color pop

I went visiting teaching to a new girl this week. She had the cutest decorations and designs in her house. My favorite was her front door. It is painted bright turquoise. It made the whole front room seem so bright and fun. I knew I needed a pop of color on mine, too. Mostly because it had never been painted, so it was a dingy, yellowish blah. 

I searched the Internet for good options that would work well with our Revere Pewter walls. I happened upon a color swatch that had our Revere Petwer and Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue, and bada-bing, I was headed to Home Depot. While Randy was out of town. Without his knowledge. 

I wasn't worried that he wouldn't like it, but I was worried that he would give me kick-back because the color isn't one we use often in our home. I just needed it!

See the dingy, yellowish blah? We did all of the baseboards and trim, but hadn't gotten around to doing the actual door. My gain! With the first swipe of the paint, I knew I was going to LURVE it!!

I tried to get a good position for lighting, but it was a gorgeous, sunny day. What do you want me to do? Block out the sun? I can do that, you know!!  Points to the person that can name that movie. 

View from our couches. The view that Randy has told me many times how much he really likes it. He actually said, "I really like it. You done good." If he likes this, he is in for a real treat when the kids go to school and I have free time to DIY. 

No matter the view, I love it. My love runs deep, my friends. Deep. 

I bought the smallest paint can possible. And didn't even use 1/4 of it. So, if, after you see my door and love it as much as I do, you want to paint your front door Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue, you know whom to call. Me, the girl with the copying genius. 

One step

We are one step closer to Caden earning his Eagle Scout. He is ready to deliver these 46 Pediatric Blankets to our local hospital. The card placed in each bag says:

On January 31, 2014 I was brought to this exact hospital, later being diagnosed with Cancer. I understand how scary the hospital can be. I hope this blanket brings you comfort. Get well soon. 

Donated by Caden Dirks' Eagle Project

Love this boy and this big accomplishment. We're hoping to have his Court of Honor in October, before his next Scan. 

Old way

This week I've had my kids help me clean/organize/ and remodel their rooms. We have worked each day on a different room, cleaning until each room sparkles. 

Today was a maintenance day. We just made sure our clothes were still in their appropriate places, toys were put back in their correct homes, and that we were all ready to begin school on Tuesday. 

I made the mistake of thanking my kids for helping me. 

"Guys, thanks for all of your help this week. I usually do all of this by myself the first week of school. You are all old enough, now, to help me. So, thanks"

"Mom, I think I like the old way better than the new way. I think it would be ok if we went back to the old ways."

The new way stays. Permanently!!  And you will all like it, dang it! Now smile and give me a snuggle. 

Punk. 

Antsy

The kids have started pestering each other more and more.  They are all getting quite antsy to go to school.  At back-to-school-night, I sent Shelby with Caden and Keilie to unload her back pack and meet her teacher.  I took Tyson and Brennon to meet theirs.  I even came home with some volunteer projects.  Yay! 

All of the supplies are purchased dropped off.  All of the clothes are hung/folded nicely in their appropriate places.  Now the only thing to do is wait.  Oh, and pester, apparently.  I am excited for them to go back to school, because they are so ready to.  But the thought of summer being over seems a bit hard for me, too.  We haven't done anything 'special' for a while.  We've spent a lot of time at home, just being together.  I have learned to cherish this time.  And leave when they get on my nerves with their incessant whining.  I am looking forward to naps.  Especially after a night like last night.  Man, I've been dragging all day.

While having dinner tonight, Tyson was taking his dear sweet time.  He was consentrating too much.

"Mom, 99 plus 99 equals 198!"

"Where did you learn that?"

"From my own head."

Yep, we're ready for school!  I may change the viral picture from last year- where the kids are looking forlorn and the mom is jumping for joy.  It may have a bawling mom, snot, red-nosed ugly in her sweatpants and bath robe, while the kids are jumping for joy, looking dapper in their brand-spankin new clothes that they purchased with mom, one-on-one.  Oh, how I love my kids.

 Oh, how I hate their antsy pestering.

Don't be surprised when you see the picture.  I washed my bath robe today.  I know just what I'm going to do with that baby!

6 Seconds

I can always tell when something has hurt Tyson's feelings.  He has a hard time getting his sentences out, and looks to the ceiling, blinking many times- every time.  Today was no different.

"Mom...Caden said that he would let me play on his phone...if I went and got him...the things you clip your nails with.  But...he said he needed his phone...and I still had six seconds of time...and he just took the phone away.  ...My time ran out because of him!"

He was so close to tears.  It was hard not to laugh, hard to keep my serious face intact.  Six seconds, people.  He was almost crying because he missed out on six seconds of playing his game.

I am in trouble, come teen years.

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While pumping gas today, he told me that it stopped at $5.25, although he said it stopped at five-hundred twenty five.  I ultimately spent $41.72.  Tyson announced to everyone that I spent "Four Thousand, One-Hundred and Seventy-Two dollars on gas!"  Man, this kid astounds me with his numbers.  I didn't know he knew the Thousands place value!  I guess I better teach him about currency values.

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With this being the last full week of summer, we've been getting our supplies, clothes, and backpacks ready for school to begin on the 1st for everyone, but Tyson.  He begins on the 3rd.  Tyson has shown NO interest in getting ready for Kindergarten.  None.  He just walks around all of the supplies arranged on the floor (we gathered all of the supplies we already owned and went 'shopping' from there.  Then we went to the store for the stuff we didn't get sent home at the end of last year) to sit on my lap and snuggle.  I asked him if he was excited to start school.  "Um...I don't know how I feel about this all-day school."

Ty, I couldn't agree with you more!

Take 2

I was worried that the smoke from the many, many fires burning in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon would make the pictures look a bit hazy, but it turned out to be quite perfect.  Plus, when you have such a beautiful, easy subject, they tend to turn out perfect, no matter the circumstances.  Here is Keilie's 'official' 12-year old photo shoot.

 Favorite

And, just because I could...

Not part of the photo shoot, but something that I want to journal

Keilie met with Bishop Kreutz this morning for her Primary exit/ Young Women entrance interview.  She got her LDS Temple Recommend to do Baptisms for the Dead.  She will be able to go Thursday mornings at 5:00AM or Friday afternoons at 3:30PM, any time she chooses. 

So proud of my sweet girl!

One day I will get a better camera.  One that doesn't go with kids to their school field trips and is passed around by a bunch of fifth-graders who scratch the lense.  Awesome!

Dividers

I saw a quick project that I thought would make my life a little more glamorous.

Wait for it. Wait.for.it...

Drawer dividers. 

Maybe a little anti-climatic. For you. For me- swoon. I {heart} organization.

I have one drawer that is chaos each time I open it. Wow!! It causes me hives.

I saw a tutorial to make this...

And suggested to Randy that it would be fun to make something like it. Fun, I tell you. Maniacal giggle- Bwahahaha!!  Disclosure: I may, or may not still be a bit high from the paint to finish our backsplash. Gel paint is toxic!

Still need to paint that countertop. Other than that, our kitchen remodel is done. Partay!!!

Back to the project at hand. 

Not wanting to tackle the biggest project first, we decided to test it out on an easy drawer. 

Look at all of those dangerous knives floating free in that drawer. Wow!! We are in Desperate need of some dividers. (I used Randy's signature Salesman tone. Worked like a charm!). He was a bit apprehensive about it, until he saw me making up the drawings.

Once he started suggesting things, I knew he was in. What started as a copy of someone else's work, turned into a Randy Original. And, in my opinion, something that is much better than the original.

He couldn't do this project without teaching Caden how to use his new tool- the table saw. And by new, I mean from Black Friday- hardly been used, since.

Instead of simply gluing them together, he tested his mad skills by making little grooves for each to snap into. Like a glove.

He is always going on with one of his coined phrases, "Right tool for the right job."

He was beaming as he put it all together to dry and set.  Look at all of those "right tools."

My man, the craftsman.

From this...

To this...

I am confidant that he is ready to tackle the massive junk drawer.

The cool thing is that his idea saved us a ton of money. Where the other girl used wood prices that were $0.55/each (costing approximately $5.00 for the shown organizer), Randy bought a large piece of wood for $6.00- enough to do both drawers, plus an upstairs bathroom drawer. Dave Ramsey would be so proud. 

You see what I did there? I made the suggestion, let him run loose with his brilliant ideas, and now expect him to do another drawer. Classic. Make him think it was his idea to get him to do it. I.am.a.genius!!

Keilie's Day

I waited all day to do a fun photo shoot and ended up waiting too long. (Hm...someone- S. Dirks- must have forgotten that the days are getting shorter, that summer is almost over, and that the sun sets a bit earlier than it did in June)  I'll have to do the pictures I wanted to do, tomorrow- I've scoped out the perfect spot.  For now, to celebrate my baby girl's TWELFTH birthday, I'll show the ones that we captured quickly, in our back yard.  Horrible lighting...Beautiful Birthday Girl.

The quality of picture leaves something to be desired, but it does nothing to take away from her radiant, easy smile.  My little Keilie is quickly becoming a young woman.  She is kind, generous, quick-witted, and has a effervescent personality that makes everyone feel happy.  She is maturing into a reliable babysitter, always looking for fun activities to try on her siblings to do with kids she watches.  Kids love her!!  She blesses our lives each day with her love.

Happy Birthday, my beautiful Keilie.  You are loved "to the back of the moon."

A saying she used to say, when she was a "little girl."