Instant Care Saturday

After lunch Saturday afternoon my daughter decided to trip walking out to the garage, we heard screaming and we turned around, to a child covered in blood, she had blood literally all over her face.  Once my husband cleaned her up it turned out she had a little hole about two millimeters in diameter, on her forehead.  It was very small, but since it was a head wound it just kept bleeding.

We got her cleaned up, except for the blood in her hair, and fed her some ice cream, while starting Pocahontas.  Ten minutes into the movie we decided to take her into instant care to be on the safe side of things.  Plus we had a church function that night, that Brent needed to attend so we figure better go sooner than later since it was going to take at least three hours.

Well it didn't seem to ever completely stop bleeding so at least I was glad we took her in. Not to mention I really didn't want her forehead to get infected. They put something on to get it to finally stop bleeding, and then glued her up.
We stopped by the store to buy popsicles and princess bandaids. Then washed the blood out of her hair, and went to the Boy Scout Blue and Gold Banquet.  Can I just tell you I was tired before church even started today, and we ran out of time to vacuum the carpet yesterday.
Here is the dog they gave her at Instant Care, that is her new best friend after the bonding they shared in the traumatic situation of getting your head wound cleaned out and glued up.

The saddest part/ funnest part of the day was she had to go potty twice while at Instant Care since we were there for so long, everytime I made her wash her hands in the sink she could see her wound/bandaid cover in blood, and would freak out all over again, screaming hysterically.

Wildest Dreams

Today at the end of church my husband told me my wildest dreams were coming true.  Now I will tell you after having a fantastic husband, have two beautiful, smart, and charming children and living in a wonderful area, my dreams have gotten a little superficial. My new dreams are paying for a new family car this summer, getting new countertops, and getting a swing set.  Well some friends of ours just sold their house, and asked if we wanted their swing set.  Brent said, yes, actually my wife has been begging to buy one.  

Here it is, we are all so excited!

 I know moving a swing set might not be the most worthy Sabbath activity, but it has to be gone by Wednesday, Tuesday is a snow storm, and Brent works late on Mondays.

 Isn't fantastic!

In all seriousness I have had my bucket overflowing with blessings lately. 

Two days after Brent got his yearly bonus we found out we were going to be able to buy a whole beef.  What a blessing to get so much quality food, and not have to pay for it out of our monthly budget, not to mention I can only imagine how much money we saved off retail value.

The swing set obviously, and many many other seemly minor things, that have actually been really big things to me.

By my husband, for my husband

My husband saved the day and helped us make valentine sugar cookies.  It was my first time attempting them at 7,000 feet and the results weren't bad, but they weren't good.  I made the pathetic dough, and he rolled them out with the kids while I took pictures.  He has complained there are no pictures of the kids so here we go.

My husband was a total life saver.

 I think I might be obsessed.

 My defensive I made cookies a million more times with my son, at this age than I do now.  So I have a half of million more pictures of him making cookies.

 Look what she made!

Not Today

Do you remember the story of when your husband first found you attractive?  I do, you should know enough about our past to assume it was an a-ha moment if he finally admitted he thought I was cute.  Sure he didn't tell me that night.  But I was listening to Taylor Swift's Today was a Fairytale and it made me think of that day, and his version of the story.  I will say though, we did not kiss that night, and we didn't for another month or more, more would be the operative word. Nothing out of the ordinary happened other than my husband realized he thought I was cute, and I love that story for obvious reasons.
By the way, I'm not sharing the story, because its my husband's story not mine, and I do have some limits on my blog.

Children

I recently redoubled my efforts to read The Ensign.  I'm not doing wonderfully, but I am doing it some.  The other day while eating lunch, I started to read Elder Cook's article in the February Ensign, called The Doctrine of the Father.  In all honestly I had no interest in reading it, and stopped twice before the middle of the second page.  But I knew it was from an apostle so I was determined to read it.  Then as I literally forced myself to continue on in the article, everything changed and a weight lift off my shoulders.

In God’s revealed pattern for righteous families, the birth of a child is the result of a conscious and loving choice. It is the miraculous result of caring and deliberate actions taken by parents to participate with Heavenly Father in the sacred process of creating a mortal body for one of His spirit children... 

I loved that paragraph, I reread it multiple times, I read it to my husband when he got home.
With the families I live by and go to church with it is not uncommon to have 10 or so kids.  Since I've moved I've wondered what is wrong with me, I don't want ten children. I've never felt guilty or judged, I just kept wondering whats wrong with me?
During fall conference when Elder Anderson talked I got a clear impression that the love of the Lord is not based on the amount of children a woman has, whether zero or twenty the Lord's love is infinite and perfect for all.
But for some reason I struggle with this issue.
At various points I've felt judged that I have two children three years apart, and the youngest is already three, shouldn't I have just had my fourth if my oldest just turned 6?  But what I need to remember is each of my child is a loving conscious choice made with my Heavenly Father and husband. Its funny how judgmental the world is, when I had my son, people thought I was too young, now six years later people think I'm too slow.  I was obedient when he told me to have my son, why should I doubt is trust years later?  I asked him on a regular basis from the time my daughter 6 months old, and I got the clear and distinct answer many times, wait, enjoy what you have, enjoy this moment, love your husband. When I doubted more, I got a clear No, wait.
For some reason that paragraph set everything at ease for me.  Having children is not about keeping up with your neighbor or listen to other people's advice, its a matter of prayer with your spouse, and never a matter of the lady trying to pry into your life. Plus my own life also teaches me, sometimes adults want a child or children, but for reasons unknown that we can not understand the Lord says not yet, or not now, or not in this life. That actually was a really difficult for me to learn last fall, I really struggled with the knowing really good women who wanted a child, or more children, and yet life wasn't going that direction.  I don't understand why, but I do know with all certainty of my heart, that the Lord's love is not based on a quantitative number of offspring.

Do you think my blog is getting too personal these days?
I know my husband wishes there were more pictures of the kids, not that he cares about the personal posts, well he at least doesn't complain, but he likes there to be pictures of the kids for him to look up and show people.

Idaho in the Blood

I'm pretty sure I have Idaho in my blood.  Sure I've never lived there, and I wasn't born there, and I didn't want to go to college there but that's beside the point.  Everyone I've ever visited in Idaho and people I know who were raised there seem to have a great desire to feed me mass qualities of food.  I share that trait with them.  It annoys me when people do not let me feed them, hence the "I find it fundamentally strange that you're not a dessert person.  That's just weird and it freaks me out." This all being said, I know Brent will always eat one of my sugar cookies, and as long as he eats lunch before 2 pm, he will eat anything for dinner.  I also know J will always eat one of my chocolate chip cookies or ice cream.  I don't have to feed people dessert, I will feed them meals too.  I'm always pleased when a friend allows me to feed her and her children for lunch or dinner.  I have a bizarre need to feed the people important to me, I blame this on Idaho in my blood.  I really do become a offend when someone will not eat anything I make.  A girl that use to visit teach me, during the height of my baking hobby, would not eat anything, cookie, cupcake, anything else I baked nothing.  It annoyed me to know end, she should have at least tried one once, or at least taken something home to her husband!  I complained to my mother one day, that people do not let me feed them, she said yes, its because everyone is on a diet.  Lay off the diet soda, the fat free dressing, and eat a dang cupcake once a month, you'll be healthier in the long run.  You do know that fat free dressing is FULL of sugar.
Anyway, I'm not sure if this is an Idaho trait or an old fashion trait, considering I know no one from Idaho that is younger than 50.  But just so you know if you turn down food from me more than three times, I will be offended and assume you don't like me.  The more you let me feed you the more I will love you.  (By the way you don't have to eat large portion, my husband eats very small "healthy" portions, and he is my favorite.)

Cows and Cars

Two weeks ago, we thought we were going to buy a cow, then we thought we weren't.  A hour before J's birthday party my husband called me to tell me he was going driving to Utah tomorrow morning to get a cow.  I said, we haven't seen you in two weeks, you aren't going alone. Thankfully I planned a friday night party, so I didn't have to the party by myself.  Brent explained that some of the buyers for one of his uncle's butchered cows fell through, so we were able to buy a whole beef.  Luckily things changed a tad, his parents met us in the middle.  Part of me was sad we didn't go visit Utah, my kids don't have school today or tomorrow, but I would rather a longer than four day trip, nor did my husband have time off.  Overall I was extremely grateful to only drive 10 hours total.
I was glad we all went. We needed to spend time as a family even if it was to drive 5 hours one way to meet his parents for lunch.
While driving Brent and I had a conversation about old friends, and forgiveness.  An old friend of my mine came up in conversation and long story short, I said, yeah I don't need toxic friends back into my life.  I've made my peace, been able to forgive but I don't need it back.  Then we talked off over friends, and Brent helped me realized the difference between imperfect friends hurting your feeling, and toxic friends burning you.  He helped me realized that some imperfect friends love with as much as they have and you need to accept them for who they are, and sometimes that means forgiving all their imperfections on a regular basis.
I'm sure none of this makes sense but I was grateful to have the conversation with my husband, who seems to be a master at forgiveness, while I like to feed grudges.  He let me in on a secret they he hasn't perfected the process as much as I think he has, but I'm still grateful for example, because years ago his example taught me how to let go of a life time of grudges.
He was right though, some friends are just very imperfect and love you with all they can, they can't meet all your needs, even if you are meeting theirs.
(By the way, I am not trying to say I'm the perfect friend, I'm sure I fall short, on pretty much every account, namely hugging. HA HA)

Annoyed

I love this quote, I get so annoyed when people don't eat dessert.
I married a man who isn't much of a dessert person, he does eat it, but not much and not often, its just weird.  Give him a bag of laffy taffy or something equally gross, and he will eat until he claims he has cavities.
I've accepted all this, I can't change my husband, but the real problem comes in is I had a baby with him and the child is the same way.
I stopped making my son cupcakes because he only eats a half.
When I do make cupcakes, he says, can I have a piece of candy? SERIOUSLY?!
So the past two years I made him a giant cookie pie, he still only eats one piece.
Over christmas he has some Jello Chocolate Pudding Pie, he told me it was so yummy, so I made pudding cups for his birthday, he never finished an entire one.
Five days after the cookie pie, he asks if there is more cookie because I'm eating a pudding cup.  I said no, (threw it away no one was eating it, and there was no way to REALLY cover it).  He looked like he was on the verge of tears. I thought come on!  I told him we could make cookies this week, he said how about a giant cookie pie?  I said you didn't eat it.  He said the crust was crunchy but I liked the rest.
I still thought come on! He didn't like the rest, he never picked at it again, it stayed on the table for over a day.

This is what drives me crazy with my boys, they tell me they like a dessert, so a few months later on a special occasion for them, I make it, yeah, I didn't really like it that much.
WHAT?

That being said, they like sugar sweets, so I'll keep them.  I really despise people who don't eat anything sweet.  Although I'm sure I come off like that sometimes, I love love love dessert, but only certain kinds, and sugar easily makes me sick sick sick, so I have to be careful with how much I consume, I often refrain at a public event because its not my favorite dessert. Then  go home and eat a big bowl of ice cream, or the cupcakes I made. Plus I'm like my son if it has nuts or peanut butter in the dessert, I won't touch it.
I think we have something fundamentally wrong with us, we are both unable to swallow most nuts, we just keep chewing and chewing in hopes to find a napkin or trash can.  I actually awkwardly swallow, wondering how to get it all down my neck, but I've watched my son spit them out, thinking yes, that is what I want to do. Literally it takes me so long to swallow them, they just don't go down.
Same with coconut flakes, it really takes me over a half an hour to get all the stupid flakes out of my mouth, now matter how much I swallow, they don't go down. Seriously fundamentally wrong with me.

Phew! I survived birthday week.

I survived birthday week.  Actually I think I survived it better than I have some of the previous years.  Brent showed up after some of the kids, but before most of them.  When the mini hot dogs took longer than anticipated to cook, I remembered why I married my husband.  He is phenomenal on the spur of the moment with kids.  He and his siblings were raised that way.  Its one of the great things about him, I noticed it early on.
Often times I'll be talking with a friend, and she will say, how do you get your husband do that? In reference to anything about parenting.  My response he is the one that is good with kids, I'm just the one that stays home with them.  I'm pretty sure he thinks that is nonsense and if you ask him he wouldn't actually say this, but if you jogged his memory, I'm pretty sure he would smile if you got him to remember me playing with our nieces and nephews, when we were engaged and dating.  He would always send me love text messages about me being good with the nieces and nephews then again he was twitterpated so maybe I wasn't...
Point is, thank goodness for my dreamy husband
And I survived birthday week!

I often wonder how my mother handled my birthday, my dad's birthday three days later, then my sister's birthday three days after that.  Then my brother's two weeks after that.  Some years I think maybe I won't go all out for the valentine's birthdays, but then I remember my mother always gave it her all, and how much J loves birthdays, and I just can't scrimp.

Post Script

It needs to be said, that I'm not annoyed at my husband or at anyone.  I'm just tired and annoyed at the situation.  My husband tried his very best to be very helpful and around during the little bit of time he had around us.  Not only that is he did listen to be complain all about the party when I knew he was extremely exhausted.  At 10 pm last night, be blew up a bunch of balloons for me.  Now if someone would only come hang streamers, I'm sure the party would be fine without streamers, but I bought them, and I'm definitely not going to store them, so I need to use them!  Plus my son will think its fantastic.  One of these years, streamers will not make an appearance.  But until I wise up, you know what I'll be doing after lunch.
I just have streamers, make pudding cups, and clean my kitchen, I can do this!

His Schedule

You already heard about how I was rocking my week, all the other deadlines have been met.  Chocolate Chip Sandwich cookies made for birthday in class. Beard drawn on for 100 day, Etc etc, all that is left is be ready for the birthday party tonight.  I even finished my valentine cookies a day late.
But let me tell you about my husband's schedule this week, he has been equally busy, not to my liking.  Fifty-one weeks ago, we came out to look at houses, and decided to buy the one we now live in.  The reason we came out is because Brent was already out for a managers conference.  This year the conference was a week earlier, and he didn't travel out of town because we live here.  The problem is it was like a business trip and I didn't realize this until the week was almost over. In some ways it was worse, because I didn't realize we wouldn't see him, but I guess I should be grateful we saw him even a little.
He is what my husband has been up to, after his 40 hour week.
Monday night we had his surprise party.  He actually asked if we could celebrate my son's birthday on monday since he knew I was not happy about the conference schedule.  I said it was too soon, I clearly couldn't tell him we were celebrating his that night.
Tuesday night, he came home for dinner, then went to Scouts.  It is one of his last weeks doing it, he is now in the Elder's Quorum Presidency.
Wednesday night, Brent said it was probably our best bet for celebrating J's birthday a day early, but it seemed to be a theme for the year.  Brent had a dinner he had to attend, so we went to McDees with a coupon for J's perfect attendance. Then Brent made it home by about 7:20, and the kids of course attacked him and wrestled with him for a while.  I'm sure they are feeling neglect with dad time, since he was on a business trip last week.  We opened presents and had a giant cookie for desert. The kids were only in bed an hour late, not too bad, I should be grateful we saw him this week.
Now J's birthday was on Thursday, and he was a little upset his dad wasn't around I could tell, but he took it like a mild boy, and completely ignored it. (Its also not the first year, he had class last year on the birthdays.)  Brent came home for about 30 minutes at 5, to see the kids, plus he had time to kill and he lives about 12 minutes from work.  Then he went back to conference events, the kids and I went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner, in an attempt not to make my son's birthday too lame.  Once again we had another perfect attendance coupon.  At the end of dinner, I sort of felt guilty my kids eat in a Restaurant twice in two days, but they had a blast! I looked at the menu before I went, so ordered immediately. Sure we were there for an hour and half, but not because the food was slow, because my children are eternally slow eaters.  J got an ice cream for his birthday, and that took another half an hour to eat, among the both of them.
By Thursday night at 9, I almost had a huge meltdown, but my husband still wasn't home, so that would have been pointless.  I couldn't believe I had to throw a birthday party in less than 24 hours, and my husband had not been home for more than a hour other than to sleep since his birthday party.  But I got to work, and made a lot of progress before he got home.  He wanted to tell me all about the conference, while I wanted to complain. Luckily he helped me make the pinata last Saturday.
Now we are slowly working on getting ready for the party, I'm making my son clean because its his party, which is obviously slow going since he is 6.  Of course I'm not vacuuming before a bunch of 6 years olds come over, but we'll have enough chaos without toys everywhere.
Brent should get home as the party guests are arriving.  The whole reason we are having a friday night party is so my husband could help me... (he worked a saturday or two, and there was talk of that going on indefinitely.  That is now off the board, but not before I scheduled the party.)
Anyway, none of this his fault, I just expected more help this week.
Plus it doesn't take much for me to be annoyed at "the company", and its lack of family first. Actually I'm not even looking for family first, I just want an acknowledgement that family is important, and we spend time with them.  Which I'm sure will never happen.
Now you are probably thinking she sounds bitter, and some of you are probably considering calling me on Monday to make sure I survived.  But I'm not bitter, I'm just exhausted.  I was not expect back to back "business trips," especially on my busiest week of the year, other than December, but I guess that is a month.

Rocking this Week

This week is one of the most stressful weeks of my whole year.  But so far this year I'm rocking it.

J wanted to give his dad a surprise birthday, so we did it a day early and invited a family of friends over. (Tuesday Brent had scouts so it wouldn't have worked.) I've never made him a birthday cake, always a pie, but this year, I wanted a cake since it was the big 3-0.  I think it turned out great, was beautiful and SO tasty.

 The surprise party almost worked, we had fun with friends, and so that is what matters.

 Next day Valentine's Day.  By the way for me it is physically impossible to celebrate Brent's birthday and Valentines Day on the same day, normally valentine's day gets booted to a different day but this year, his birthday was moved up. My kids woke up early, so I started the day with valentine heart pancakes with homemade whipped cream (left over from the cake) and valentine's sprinkles.

Then I dropped off my kindergartner, then dropped off my three year old at a friends, then went back to the school, for the Kindie Valentine party, that I was co-hosting.  My son and a different child both told me this was the best party all year.  I agreed, I remember thinking the Valentine party at school was better than Halloween or Christmas.  I actually think most of the kids agreed, kindergarten is still so innocent at least half day where all the kids have stay at home moms, they all still like each other, and love and appreciated each mandatory valentine they received.
That afternoon I finished my children's homemade valentine presents.  I have no idea why I make them homemade valentine presents but I do.  I told my husband I was going to quit this year, but then I didn't.  He said of course you didn't, you never will.  Its probably true, but he isn't trying to guilt me into it, he couldn't care less if the kids get homemade valentine presents.

This morning, I woke up with vim and vigor knowing I'm rocking this week.  I can do it, and I'm not even getting stressed or overly tired, more than normal that is.  I told my husband 11 o'clock is not a decent bedtime for us. Plus I have cooked dinner every night since last Saturday.

Now today I have 56 or so chocolate chip cookies to make, and then stuff them with store bought filling for the birthday boy's class tomorrow. And make a giant cookie for his birthday.  I can do it, while the kids are both in school.
The only thing I'm not rocking, is Valentine cookies, I had Brent help us cut out the sugar cookies sunday night, and they still don't have frosting on them.... blah for me.  By Brent helping, it meant him completely taking over while I sat there taking pictures of the three of them, completely relieved that I asked Brent for help.  Wondering how I could ever live without him and thanking the heavens that I married a man who has a crafty mother so he knows how to take over.

Thursday I have another hour or so spent at school for the birthday cookies and 100 day.  (By the way my husband didn't know what 100 day was? Whats up with that?) Then I need to get ready for the friend party on Friday night.  Luckily Brent helped me with the pinata last saturday.  I can totally do this!  Saturday I think I'm checking in somewhere, sleeping for a week.  But seriously who will clean the bathrooms?
Did I mention my children have a 5 day weekend coming up.  Who does that?  Five day weekend?

Valentine's Day

You would expect this post to be about Valentine's or Birthdays or parties or both, but instead its not.  I bought a bathing suit today, I'm oh so excited.  I've only wanted this type of bathing suit for almost four years.  I might explain more about this bathing suit at a later date and I may not.  I may not because I forget, and I may not because I never get around to it.  The print isn't my normal style, I have bought three bathing suits in the last 10 years, all of them have been black and white prints except for the hot pink boy shorts I bought at walmart for $8.  Long story short, the black and white print in price range was ugly and looked like it was designed for an 8 year, I didn't buy it. But I got a new bathing suit!

iPad

I think my dad has just a few blond granddaughters. 

P.S. I think its hecka cute that my daughter is holding her toy laptop while watching my dad's iPad.

My favorite Part

I just thought everyone should know my favorite part of Christmas, since I boycotted blogging about it.  A decision that still makes me feel really good.  My favorite part was when Grant decided he wanted to be Baby Jesus during our dramatization of the Nativity.  My daughter chose Mary, and my son agreed to be Joseph since none of the other boys wanted the part.

Blonde

Over Christmas I mentioned to Teresa that all the ABC comedies make me think about going blond. (Modern Family, Man Up) The husbands have almost black hair, like my husband, and the wives are blond, which made me wonder if I was missing something.  When Teresa heard this, she jumped for joy as she said lets do it!  I said ok... and next thing we knew I was blond. I was expecting a few highlights, Teresa had other ideas.

 I do realize that photo is out of focus, to name just one of its problems, but it is my only close up. 

A few weeks before we bleached my hair my daughter hugged me when I had wet hair.  I asked her if my hair was yucky, referring to the cold sliminess, she said yes, I only like yellow hair like mine, and then ditched me to admire her beauty in the mirror.  I thought well ok! So once my hair was finished I thought my daughter would love it.  At first she was mad she wasn't the only blond in the family, but a few days later she let me in. 

 My husband didn't care one way or another what color my hair was, but he did tell me he liked when Teresa curled my hair.  Nan loved when Teresa curled her hair.  I guess I should invest my $20 in the curling iron Teresa told me to get, so I can practice so one day Nan and I can have curly hair.  I need a lot of practice!

When I linked up the shows, I realized my husband doesn't identify in the slightest with the doffus husband's in these comedies. (Although he does think they are funny shows.)  So why would he have cared all those months I asked him if I should go blonde.

Blunt

I was talking to a friend today, and I said, I don't know I'm such a realist I felt like I knew exactly what I was doing when I got married.
I said I remember thinking, get married 5 years too early to the person I want to talk to everyday for the rest of my life, or lose contact within a year with my best friend?


That probably does not sound romantic at all, but I knew Brent and I were on the verge of getting engaged we talked about marriage all the time and really that is what it came down to for me.  I knew Brent and I wouldn't be able to stay as close as we were if we didn't get married, at the same time I really didn't want to get married.  But I also didn't want to lose my friendship.  Actually that was my thought process when he started asking me out on dates. I knew if we started dating we would get married, he knew it too.  I knew we couldn't keep being friends if one of started a serious relationship with someone else. Before he started asking me out I remember hoping in my heart that I would get married before him because I didn't think I could handle losing him as my best friend.  I guess maybe that is mushy and romantic.  It just seems weird that falling in love and getting married wasn't a life long dream, it was just better than losing my friendship with him.  I really did weigh the pro cons of dating/marrying him.  I obviously decided I could handle getting married at least 5 years too early, but what I couldn't handle was losing my best friend, so I decided to go on that second date with or was it the third.
I think sometimes my husband wishes I didn't put it think so bluntly. He gives me a hard time for it in my different conversations, he is the type of friend/boyfriend/husband that honestly seems to think, "nothing is wrong with her she is absolutely perfect".  While I am a little too much of a realist for that, I like to add, yes but you get very disappointed when I do such and such.  Also what I find is bizarre is he is the dreamer, I'm the realist. Who would have thought?

Husband

I just thinking one of the great things about my husband is he wants wheat things to taste yummy.  Some people make wheat bread, wheat waffles, wheat anything, and tastes like a old dirt, that is made into a bar of soap.  Not my husband, he keeps look for recipes until they are super yummy.

A (Long) Thought

We have two birthdays coming up, in an effort to be a fun mom we went to sam's for lunch, then drove the half a mile across the parking lot to the party store.
Let me tell you how the party store worked.
Me pushing a cart, we had lots of supplies to get, two birthdays remember.  So me pushing the cart as slow as I possibility could, pausing every section to be as slow as possible, and yet me still saying, J, N I'm leaving good bye, please hurry.
Or please put that down, we are not buying that.
Or I don't know what its for because we are not buying it.
Don't do that, it will break, we are not buying that.
My children seem to have an easier time if they are constantly reminded we are not buying that, if I don't say it, then they will ask and get their hopes crushed and be on the verge of tears.  If I constantly dash their hopes before they can grow, they can take it "like a real man".
As my children slowly followed behind me, but as fast as their little brains could possibly move them through THE PARTY STORE-- all that fun cheap crap waiting to be broken, all that brightly colored possibilities-- oh how could they possibly move fast.  That being said, I hate my party store, it is half the size of my old party stores in Salt Lake, and only has 2/3rds the stuff instead of half.  I hate it based on size, and the fact it doesn't have everything I'm use to finding in a party store.  Turns out I have a lot more in common with Utah's purchasing power, then I do here.  Who would have thought?! (Actually I knew I would miss my stores when I moved.)
My children were the only children in the party store, but it had quite a few adults for being 1:30 in the afternoon.
The adults had two responses ones of either pure disgust or completely ignorance that my children even existed.  I understand the last, and honestly I understand the first.  If I didn't have large small children (as in not babies, but still young) I would wonder what in the heck was wrong with me?  I never sounded pleased with them, and I seemly ignored what they did, asking them to hurry up every second. But honestly what else is a mother in my situation suppose to do?
I couldn't hold them in the cart, first off they would have killed themselves trying to get out, second they would have gotten to see nothing, thus been very frustrated.  As it was they had a joyous time, I'm sure waiting in anticipation for December, for when I forget the horrors of the party store and return for the next birthday. I couldn't lovely and pleasurably asked them to quickly hurry in a lovely Snow White voice, they would have never listen.  No, I'm sure I acted in the best possible way for the situation, and for my children know how to response.  How else do I keep them from walking into people, without saying, if you get in someone's way you can't have a (15 cent) treat.
Yes, without the fear of wrath in their hearts they would have gotten in every adults way, and wouldn't have even noticed, then the other adults really would have been annoyed at me.
Actually there was one adult, who looked nicer.  He worked there, and obviously loved a good party with riotous joy, which is why he worked there, not for his small paycheck.  One of my children did actually get in his way, at the joy of a huge candy aisle, I apologized.  He smiled at my oblivious child and said, no worries.
Actually I just realized the sad thing about this post.  If it wasn't for the completely annoyance of the other patrons and the completely ignorance of the other employees, I probably would have never noticed his kind gesture.  Shame on me.....

P.S. After spending $13 on gluten free, tree nut free candy, I told J he could only have a $10 pinata, party city actually had lame pinatas, even for $15.  We could get a bigger albeit more generic pinata at walmart for $9.99.  I told J we would get there.  He is having a wall-e party and there is nothing wall-e themed, for anything less than $25+ online.  Then I decided to listen to my husband, we are going to make a pinata that actually might go with the wall-e theme.  Really anything could work, since wall-e collects garbage, but yet, toy story, cowboys, and super man, didn't quite seem to fit with wall-e.  My son wants to make an old 50s fridge where the plant is originally found, while I think wall-e's cooler would be fairly easy.

Leggings

Let me tell you about my daughter.  She is about as girly as all get out, she cares for baby dolls and stuff animals all day long.  She loves to put on high heels and carry around a purse.  Either a big purse or a sparkly one, it doesn't need to be both, but she prefers at least one.  She loves all things pink, she loves to dance. She loves to love people, she loves to love dolls, she has lots of love to give, through hugs and kisses.  But she banned skirts from her life a few weeks ago, pretty much since we got home from christmas.
She will wear jeans, but prefers leggings, or stretch yoga like pants, only pulling out the jeans when there are no other options.  Since she ban skirts from her life, getting dressed for church has not really been pleasant, and since we have to leave at 8:30, I want it be as pleasant as possible. Not to mention she gets up around 7:45-8. Bizarrely enough she wears princess dresses and tutus just not skirts.
Last week she threw a fit when she couldn't wear black leggings and t-shirt to church, we compromised with her Christmas outfit, which was a skirt and leggings.
Saturday night as I was falling asleep, I remember thinking, who cares if my daughter wears leggings to church, if it means no massive fits are thrown before church.  I think it might have been inspiration.  Sunday morning she woke up, got naked and walked in with a t-shirt and leggings.  I said we have to wear a dress its sunday we are going to church.  She cried no.  Calmly I helped her find a dress and matching leggings, instead of forcing her into a dress and tights while she kicked, screamed and yelled.  We closed the outfit up with frilly church socks and sparkly mary janes.  (I meant to take a picture but forgot)
Leggings are slightly controversial for church. As I told my husband all of this, he said why?  I said, because some people view them as pants.  Namely one would be my daughter.  But here is what I figure, if they are nice, no crazy patterns, no holes, straight leg, not flared, not sweat pants, no fleece pants, I'm ok with it.  I think leggings at church are a totally a compromise I'm willing to make if it means there is no 20 minute screaming fit in the morning.  I like to believe it is easier to have the spirit in our home and the spirit with us on the way to church without a screaming fit.  I'm totally willing to let her wear leggings for that, leggings do not distract from the spirit all to me, but screaming always does. Lets be honestly they are not leggings they are stretch pants.

As a.... something... I don't know the word.  A little 6 year old in my primary class told me, at the last minute she had to change her outfit because she wasn't suppose to wear legging to church.  Ahh, to each their own, it did not sway my opinion in the slightest.
Oh I should mention my daughter often picks out a sundresses/play dresses with legging. I don't think she sees play dresses as dresses or skirts, I think she sees them as tunic length shirts.  That is the only think I can figure out. That and Nan has some seriously sensory issues, or at least has in the past.

Also beyond Nan's temperamental attitude.  I'm sure my daughter who only wants to wear stretch pants and tshirts, never dresses, and play with baby dolls all day doesn't sound familiar at all to my mom.