memory loss

I think I'm losing it. There was a time when I was really organized and on top of things. I could juggle in my head important dates and appointments. When I had cakes coming up, I would write extensive lists of ingredients, and supplies, weeks or even months, before the cake was needed. I had cute little order forms with sketches that helped me and my clients visualize the outcome of the cake. And then, after the cake was completed, delivered, and paid for, I had this great little filing system with images I used, design ideas, and shopping lists that I could refer to in the case of an upcoming similar cake.
There was a time when I could remember all of my kids' appointments and homework schedules and everything else. And I feel like those times weren't all that long ago. But recently, I'm a mess. I write things on the calendar, and plan ahead, and do all the things that should keep me organized, but then I forget. I look at the calendar and realize that I have forgotten something I should have done three days ago. I get assignments for my calling at church and tell myself I will go directly home from the meeting, do the assignment, follow up, and report back. The next thing I know, its the next meeting and I haven't done one of my assignments because I forgot, even though I wrote it down. Can you get early Alzheimer's when you are thirty?
When my first child was a baby, I always knew how much he weighed, when his milestones were, and at which developmental stage he should be. Poor Spencer doesn't even have a baby book. I can't remember his first word or when he took his first step. He hasn't had pictures taken in ages and Jake had them every three months. The only baby souvenir I have for Spence is a small zip lock of hair from his first haircut that has been attached to the fridge with a magnet for a year and a half. Not only is it pathetic, it completely creeps my husband out. He hates the weird hair collection on the fridge but I'm afraid that if I remove it, I will lose the little baggy containing the ONLY thing of Spencer's babyhood I kept.
Recently my mom moved in with us and while going through her things, we came across all of her calendars from when we were kids. At first, I thought I would need to convince her that these were needless clutter. We really don't need a record of our dance lessons and soccer practice schedules. Then, she showed me why I was wrong, and we did indeed need to keep her calendars. SHE KEPT RECORDS. There is not ONE empty calendar square in 20 years' worth of calendars. They are not filled with just practice schedules either. She journaled our entire childhoods in these calendars. She wrote something significant each day. She wrote the first time that me and ALL of my siblings said "uh, oh skettio." THERE ARE FIVE OF US!!! She recorded not only my oldest brother's first word, steps, doctor appointments, injuries, and immunizations, she recorded that stuff for all of us.
I have GOT to step it up.

go pirates!!

Elijah had his first soccer game on Saturday. He seemed to be really excited about the idea all week. He was even more excited when coach told him he gets to watch the first quarter. Then second quarter came along . . .


Please pay special attention to his phenomenal form. I have already been looking up the requirements for qualifying for the 2020 summer games. I know he will be a shoe in. I vow to become the most motivated soccer mom in history. I will hand sew soccer banners until my fingers bleed. There is nothing I won't do to further the budding soccer career of my four-year-old.

Seriously, he just doesn't like the idea of running. I don't blame him. Running stinks. I hate running. How can I expect him to do something I'm not really willing to do myself. Eventually, after an ice cream cone bribe, he did get up and sort of ran after the ball . . . a little.

See, there he is, sort of near the ball, and he is standing, which I considered a HUGE victory for him. All in all, he seemed to have fun. Can't wait till the next game.

rough days ahead

My two-year-old is a bully. I don't know what to do. You would think that by the third kid, I would have some idea of what I was doing, but all I can think to do is lock him in his room until he outgrows it. But, since I am sure someone would call child services on me if they didn't see him for say, three years, I have to come up with a different solution.

I don't understand how a person so young could have honed these skills so quickly already. He makes his seven-year-old brother cry all the time. Granted, Jacob is quick with the tears, but still, Spencer will actually HURT Jacob; for reals, and he's two. What am I going to do with him when he gets older? So far, I have come to terms with the idea that none of my boys will be the small kid in class. So, if Spencer keeps up with Jacob growth-wise, and keeps up this bullying, I'm going to be in real trouble. He's going to be that big, obnoxious, red-headed kid that is always pushing the little kids around, like that scary albino kid from "A Christmas Story" with the coon skin cap.

Also, I have stumbled upon the funniest blog ever; Boobs, Injuries, and Dr.Pepper. The problem is, she has been writing for a while and since I just found her, I spend hours at a time, NOT doing anything productive, but reading through all of her archived posts, and laughing myself to tears. She is the most irreverent mommy blogger I have come across and I have finally found someone to relate to. At moments she is tender and kind, and posts cute pictures of her babies that all of us love to do, then other times she is telling us stories of the glorious ways she messes with her kids' minds. Pure genius; I aspire to her cleverness. To my Mormon friends out there be warned, she has a ridiculous potty mouth.

Summertime . . . and the livin's easy . . .WHAT!!!

Whoever wrote that song did not have kids. School starts on Thursday, YAY!!!! Why is it when you're a kid, summer goes by super fast, but when you are the parent of a school age child, it never seems to end? We had a fun, and eventful summer, and I love my kids, but it is time for someone else to answer the constant barrage of questions I get during the day. Someone who is trained and will be paid to deal with the questions that I get, and cannot possibly answer. My oldest child has a particularly inquisitive nature. Much like his dad, he craves information. But lately, the way he asks me for the information sounds to me like he is being a complete smart alec. I know it is not intentional, but I feel I am constantly being second guessed by a seven-year-old. I find myself saying the four words I always used to hear my mom say, and swore I never would say; "because, I'm the mom," all the time. But, now that I say them, I understand why my mom always said them, because they are the only way to shut a kid up. They can't argue with that. It's beautiful.

Anyway, here are some highlights of the summer . . .

• Many days at the park, cooling off in the wading pool.
• A trip to the Long Beach Aquarium.

• Many days at the beach, boogie boarding, eating, making sand castles.
• Camping in Yosemite, then off to family reunions in UT.

• General goofing around and silliness.

• Hanging out at the Thompson family cabin in Cedar City UT; so amazingly beautiful.

But. . . Labor Day has come and gone. Soccer season is here (my room is a complete disaster, with a soccer banner in progress), and my son is about to start second grade. YAY for September.!!!