No, no. You don't get it at all. I mean Jingle Bells! You know, Santa Claus and Ho Ho Ho and mistletoe and presents for pretty girls

I have nothing to add to my nearly eight months of silence but this...Christmas time, Christmas time, Christmas time is here. This is a little song my children are singing now. I'm not sure where its from, but they have it down. But I repeat their words here because is it not the best time ever? We are in an RV in Phoenix (think van down by the river) so I am unable to decorate yet, but I am counting the days until I am home with my tree and trimmings and what not. I have nothing positive to say about this trip to Phoenix as of yet because it is just cold enough here to make things not fun, and Jason has been working his tail off and is too tired to do anything when he gets home but sleep. And I don't have anything to drive because I am not registered to drive the RV because I couldn't provide my driver's license when he was renting it because my children misplaced it and I haven't replaced it because I am still holding out that it will turn up under something or tucked into some forgotten treasure chest. So we are relegated to spending our time with what the KOA has to offer, which isn't much but really grumpy snowbirds who left their grandchildren far away from this place and have little kindness left for some lady in a Cruise America RV (think white trash of the ritzy motor home world) and ten kids to boot. I added a few extra because to be honest when you see us with all our trappings and hear our noise it seems like there must be more. And Ava counts for three at least.

But next week holds lots of promise since his parents joined us in the next RV site over and will be around until Tuesday at least, which is an unexpected surprise because when they invited themselves to join us in Phoenix it was only for two days. They are really good about taking the children away from me and coming back hours later, which is fine with me. Like I said, lots of promise. And also like I said, counting the days until I am home again and focused on Christmas and its wonderfulness and such.

I have saved them the trouble of "accidentally" breaking the crayons

I cleaned half of my living room, and then sat down to take a break to ease the stitch in my side that I feel should be blamed on the baby, rather than my less than exerting work-out routines. Then I saw the towels piled up under the table and remembered the chocolate milk that Ava let Levi spill at lunch and was motivated by a need not to smell the soured milk later (as if I don't do it now it could be a while). I moved the wet wash into the dryer- a load a day keeps my mother away:)- and found that it was polluted by bits of paper. Then bits of crayon. Finally, this was revealed. Who did this? Those children never put things in their pockets...and also I never check. So here we have a box of crayons confiscated from the church on Sunday laid to rest at the bottom of my washer. But the upside of all of this is that the kids now at least twenty minutes of coloring in an otherwise colorless world, as I was too busy cleaning to get out the water colors and we couldn't find the crayons. The downside is that I hear things hitting the side of the dryer, things that could very possibly be melting crayons. But you get what you get sometimes. Besides, the stitch is gone and I feel that the rest of the living room should be finished now.

*I feel that now is an appropriate time to let you all know that the RS President asked Ryann if there were health hazards in my home after she took a comment from me about my messy house out of context. If after reading this post you feel her concerns are valid, email me and I will give you her number.

I could use a little progress

The other day I brought up an idea to a friend from church, really just in passing, that I had read in the New Era (side note: I really do not like the new Ensign format and am boycotting it until conference, or perhaps I feel the shame that I should for being so ridiculous. But really, it is awful now). The article I read was about different Relief Societies around the world working on their Young Women Personal Progress program together, as there are so many that have not completed it. I told Jamie that I think that its a cool idea, and she mentioned that she was doing it for Young Women's, as she is the President and thought it would help her relate well with her one young woman. Well as is my way, nothing was done about it...but I thought about it all the time. I finally decided to join her in the program. I asked her about it after her meeting with the Branch President, and found out that we are starting it in our Branch, for all the sisters to work on it. So I was really excited. Until I opened my copy, which happened to already be at my house, as I live with the Branch President and church mail is delivered there. I thought I would get a head start, since it will be talked about in Relief Society and I am in Primary and will miss the announcement.

And all this rambling and storytelling to come to my point. After looking through the manual for about ten minutes, I was shocked at how much time and effort that it will take to complete it. I am in awe of any girl who has actually completed the program...it is hard. And extensive. And time consuming. I had no idea. I am not as energized as I was twenty minutes ago, but I know that when I do complete it, I will have accomplished something extraordinary. You may think I am exaggerating, but get a copy. Check it out. Those young women have to work dang hard to earn those emblems and ribbons. So here is the deal. If you haven't earned it, start working on it. If you have, re-earn it. I assure you you will learn and grow, and progress. I will let you know how it goes.

I underestimate her sass

I was rereading my journal last night and came across this memory that made me laugh. I wanted to share it. It is a conversation that Ava had with me and the would-be friend that called her on her play cell phone.

Ava to me: "I am talking to a boy."
Ava to boy on phone: "Boy, what are you doing?"
pause. . .
Ava to boy on phone: "Oh leave me alone."

I say good girl.

It's an uphill climb

Anyone who thought that being Primary President would be a nice break (that was me, I guess) was seriously mistaken. Five times that amount of work, worry, and stress. With RS, its all about trying to motivate sisters to be more, do more-blah blah blah, enough already. With Primary--so much responsibility-its children, with no filters, no tolerance, and the wiggles to boot. They watch your every move, back talk every thing you say, are already bored, and take those pauses where you are trying to collect your thoughts as license to leave their seats for greener pastures. Not that its all bad, not at all. Just much more legwork. And before, I had Jason's help (he is now the Branch President, and his time is far spent-what little remains goes to the children). Now, I spend every evening cutting, laminating, thinking, planning, learning, etc. This is just new; I promise I'm not complaining. Every phase of life is like this though-right? Aren't you all out there just as busy and burdened? Let us remember Steve when he said, "We'll get up her." I think I can do that.

Cleanliness is overrated

I put Reno in bath on Saturday. After I turned off the water he looked up at me and asked,
"Mama, do I have hip-hop today?"
"No."
"Well, do I have gymnastics?"
"Not today."
"Then what could be the reason that I have to take a bath?"
"Well, you have church tomorrow."
"Oh, yes. We have to bathe for church."

*His calculations are accurate; he really only bathes when he has to go somewhere. He used to be cleaner, but he has an aversion to bathing now. Two baths a week. Another unexpected consequence of homeschooling. Who'd have thought?