My Finished Entryway

So on facebook I have been showing photos of my latest wallpaper removal project.  It was a bear.  It seemed like a pretty small space, the entryway.  But it isn't.  At all.  And, one layer of wallpaper would not be removed.  So I had a lesson in oil priming.  I am really happy with the finished space.  I could have fixed a few more spots (especially on or near the ceiling).  But who looks up?  (Please don't.)

Before.  A cool textured wallpaper with flowers.  (I also did the space just further inside, around the pantry and bathroom doors.  It had a different textured wallpaper).  The wallpaper was dingy and I had ripped a part of it coming around when I did the kitchen removal almost a year ago.  It was time for a refresh. Under the pantry wall was nothing but a painted surface.  Easy removal.  Under the bathroom side was the painted grasscloth (which goes to show that wallpaper can successfully cover almost anything if it is textured enough!).  Torturous to remove.  Almost killed my fingers.  And did kill my wallpaper steamer.  Had to pause in work to wait for Amazon to deliver another.    

The underlayer.  This paper was on the sheetrock and not going anywhere.  

I had to do SO much patching.  My whole house was/is covered in dust from all the sanding I had to do.  

The oil priming.  I had to do so much patching it took me about 4 days longer than I thought to get to the priming stage.  Oil primer is supposed to keep the wallpaper from bubbling.  I would only use this if your wallpaper (like mine) is very thin, paperlike, and installed directly on the sheetrock.  In all other cases, remove wallpaper to get the best paint job.   

Looks pretty good, right?  I also used oil based texturizer in the can with the pro tip.  Highly recommend it!  (Stinky, but awesome and quick drying!)

So I painted on a flat red (BARN by Martha Stewart).  Then I stenciled over it with a semi-gloss of the same color.  If you stare at it long enough, you will see some mistakes.  But I LOVE the look.  I am so happy.  I feel like it is a nod to the texture and pattern of wallpaper, but MUCH easier to change if I want to at some point.  

TADA!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I was a very proud mommy this Thanksgiving because my girls helped me make pies.  They really helped!  It was so fun to cook with them.  They picked out the cookie cutters to make the pattern on top of the cherry pie, helped roll out the crust, etc.  It was a great beginning to a fun holiday.

We party with the Nortons so often that we sometimes forget to take photos.  A couple of years ago I started taking a before dinner pic of the family.  Love these people!  So blessed to be a part of their family.  

Ben presented his first Sunday Seminar last week because he was so excited to show us his pumpkin!

Libby got this drumstick which she "shared" with Maren.  I think Maren got to eat 9/10ths.  Libby saved room for Apple crisp--4 helpings.  

Delicious pies made by my girls! (And me.)

I did a circuit class on Friday which turned out to be me and Maren--and a host of kids who decided to be either on team Maren or Team Trish.  

Apparently Ben couldn't make up his mind which team he was on.  

But that is okay.  He doesn't need to workout.  Look at his bulging muscles!

Looking happy at the beginning of the day.  I was less happy by the end.  I made my first attempt at Thanksgiving day shopping.  I was rejected at the register because my "doorbuster" item was actually a 7am Friday deal.  Urgh.  I went back to Marens and chatted and got some help with my Christmas cards.  But I was melting down by the end.  Why am I better at real life than holidays?  

Sarah's VERY Belated Stats!

The tricky thing about well-child checks is that if you are late ONE year, then you have to wait to schedule after that date the next year, and so on and so on.  So her check gets later every year.  So, at 6+one and a half months, Sarah had her 6 year well-child check.  And, it turned out she wasn't well.  She had an ear infection.  So, it was good that we went in.

Her stats were off the charts:

Height:  47.75"  (That is almost 4 feet tall!  She is so tall!  One of the tallest in her class).  86%

Weight:  64 lbs. 2 oz.  (She has started calling herself "plump" because she has an adorable little belly) 96%

And her BMI is also 96%

It is kind of amazing to see her growth charts in comparison with her siblings.  Just goes to show that the genetic cocktail can be VERY different in 2 kids from the same family.

Sarah's class did a fall festival with singing and poems.  Sarah sang so well.  Her teacher told me that the music teacher had Sarah come up and sing in front of the class she has such a nice voice.  So proud!  She knew every word and the sign language for every song.  

Sarah wanted a pony this week and made me take a picture so she could see how it looked.  Great idea!

The girls had a great time "helping" to decorate for Christmas, meaning playing with all the christmas stuff!

Pics of Benny

Ben told me he wants me to call him Ben Ten yesterday.  Not sure where that came from.
This guy is so stinking cute!
I am so blessed to spend most of every day with him.

He is very helpful

This is Benny Batman!

He also wanted to help me make cookies on Friday.  He unwrapped basically a whole bag of these kisses for my Candy Cane Chocolate kisses.  Awesome!

Highs and Lows

This week we had some good times and bad times.  Libby was SO SO SO happy and excited for wrestling to start.  She couldn't wait to see "her wrestlers."  We stopped by practice on Monday to see the guys.  The kids also got to go to practice when I taught yoga on Wednesday.  Then it got ugly because Libby got sick.  When Libby is sick to her tummy, she wants everyone to know.  It is a moan or a sigh every other second unless she is fixated on a movie.  So, nearly 2 days straight of movies for Libby and Ben helped me keep my sanity.  I was super proud of Sarah.  On Thursday I didn't dare take Libby with us for the walk to school because she was in and out of the bathroom every 2 minutes.  So as I was walking out the door with Sarah and Ben, I told Libby she could start a movie on the iPad.  About 1/2 down the block, Sarah decided that her tummy hurt too.  So I threw up my hands and went back home to start dealing with my wallpaper mess.  About 10am I needed to go to Home Depot for yet another can of joint compound.  I asked Sarah how she was feeling and if she maybe felt good enough to go to school.  She was fine, and she knew it.  And she knew I knew it.  She had only said she felt ill so she could join Libby's movie fest.  I was so proud of her when she admitted that she was fine and let me drop her off at school.  I clearly remember a time in my youth that I pretended to be sick on a Friday.  Then I was actually sick the next day and had to miss my friend's birthday party as a result.  Sarah said she was very sorry to have lied.  

She was glad she went to school because she got to make a turkey hat with her reading buddy at school.  

Leaf Raking with Grandpa

Our Norton Grandparents have the best maple tree in their front yard.  It was perfect to send kids outside to run around when they were fighting (so Derek has told me).  It is also full of major leaves.  So, when they start falling, Grandma came up with a plan to help Grandpa get out and rake them.  Invite over the grandkids.  This began years ago with the Barretts, but this year it was our turn to help Grandpa.  Libby was worried that we wouldn't be able to rake in the dark, but we did it by porch light.  There was only one incident.  We were boosting kids into the yard waste containers to let them stamp down the leaves.  Grandma suggested it was Sarah's turn.  Boosting Sarah is a bit more intense than boosting the others.  And, I overdid it.  I boosted her so hard that she ricocheted off of the other side of the can with her mouth.  Poor thing.  So she sat inside with frozen veggies on her chin while we finished.  We made some good memories!

Sarah's Week

Sarah is so sweet and calm most of the time.  But this week we had a couple of rocky mornings.  Libby was getting up super early this week and waking up Sarah (this is opposite of normal and usually Sarah doesn't wake up Libby).  I had a lot to do this week, so I let Libby watch movies while I finished my core challenge, scripture study, workout, and choreography review.  Sarah only got to watch a little of the movie one of the mornings, and that put her in a funk.  Then Libby got upset over something too.  By the time they came to breakfast, they were both raving about how it was the "WORST MORNING EVER!"  Little whiny sobs were making it hard for Sarah to eat.  Then I was making my special remedy when I think a cold is coming on.  I was reaching for the cayenne pepper, and reaching, and reaching right over where the clean silverware from the dishwasher was standing on the counter waiting to be put away.  As I came down from my reach, my fleece caught the silverware, taking about 20 pieces onto the floor.  AHHH!  I exclaimed!  "Worst morning EVER!"  I got Sarah to laugh with my response and she cheered right up.

Then on Tuesday morning we had another epic fail.  She really wanted to wear her turtle neck.  She only has one (it has been really cold here) and there was a teeth brushing malfunction that resulted in toothpaste spit spilling out of her mouth onto pants and shirt.  She did the little sobbies almost all the way to school about having to change her clothes.  Poor girl!

But she made me feel like a stellar parent a few times this week.  She came out of the playground right when I called them to come out after school (this can often be a struggle).  I had been chatting with another parent.  I said, "Thanks for coming out Sarah!"  She said (we have been working on this) "STOP, LISTEN, RESPOND!"  The other parent was very impressed.
She also asked "When we come in from school, after I do my 1, 2, 3 (put away shoes, empty backpack, hang up coat and backpack) can I do (whatever it was she wanted)?"  I love when the remember the stuff that I teach.  Even if they don't always do it.

Sarah had 1 hour of nutcracker practice, 1 hour of regular dance, and then this drill practice right in a row.  She held up so well!  Proud of my little dancers.

Taking pictures after school waiting for Libby to go and get her coat.  It was really really cold this week!

Ben's Lessons this Week

BEN LEARNED HOW TO SHOP LIKE A MAN:  Ben had "the best day ever" a few days this week.  On Monday Derek had the day off and he took Ben shopping.  They had a great time.  He told Derek it was the best day ever.
BEN TAUGHT ME A LESSON IN ADORABLENESS:  One day this week he took me in both hands, looked at me sincerely and said, "Will you marry me princess?"  How could I resist this heart melter!
BEN KNOWS HOW TO POUND IT:  He has also started a funny response when you say "pound it" and hold out your fist--he kisses your fist!
BEN KNOWS HOW TO GET DRESSED!  He is getting himself dressed often these mornings.  One of the funniest parts about this is that he often wears his underwear backward.  (Luckily he has a tiny booty so this is possible.)  He does it because he wants to see the characters on the undies.  He doesn't think Handy Manny, or Rex, or Jake belong on the back, they belong on the front.  I can understand this!
BEN TAUGHT ME ABOUT WHERE TO WALK:  Yesterday at Shorewood we were walking through the parking lot to the school.  I was cutting across the driveway and he (going straight across the crosswalk instead of cutting) said, "Mom, there is a cross walk here, really!?"  Shamed by my 3 year old.
BEN TAUGHT ME ABOUT THE REAL WAY TO WASH HANDS:  We made cookies on Friday to take to Libby's class.  2 reasons: I was happy the glasses turned up, and I was feeling guilty that I had been thinking all along that one of her delinquent classmates had taken them.  Anyway, he was helping me roll the gingersnaps in sugar.  He got tired and his fingers were all goopy.  He licked them clean excitedly announced, MY HANDS ARE CLEAN and then wanted to help again.  I said, "Ben, you can't help again until you wash with soap and water."  His response:  "It is so much easier to wash with your teeth and tongue!"
BEN LEARNED WHY WE DON'T RUN IN THE HALLS:  Ben went with me to volunteer on Friday afternoon as usual.  When we were headed out to recess, he jumped out of the stroller and sprinted around the corner, nose first into the heavy duty black instrument case held in the hands of a 6th grader.  A crowded elementary school hallway is made much more complicated by a screaming 3 year old spouting blood from his nose.  Poor guy.  We missed most of recess getting the bleeding to stop.  His relapse later in the evening is part of a different lesson he learned....
BEN LEARNED THAT 2 SQUARES IS ENOUGH:  Twice this week Ben has unrolled an ENTIRE roll of toilet paper into the toilet.  The, he tries to flush (he has become fascinated with "how much" will fit down the hole).  When it won't flush, he lets me know.  DISGUSTING!  I thought he learned his lesson when he did it earlier in the week and I chided him. But he did it again on Friday night.  I freaked out because it was just as we were sitting down to dinner with Clark & Alfi for Clark's birthday.  Ben cried so hard that his nose started bleeding again.  It took most of dinner (and a movie on the ipad) to get him calmed down so that it would stop.  Now he comes to tell me after he goes potty that he only put "a little" in.  Hooray!
BEN LEARNS HOW TO HAVE A GOOD CRY:  It would be wrong to call what Ben does tantrums.  He doesn't flail around and kick and scream, but he can cry for a good 20 minutes over things.  A couple of things that caused this response this week:  He wanted to wear an outfit that I gave to James, I put the chocolate in his chocolate milk (instead of letting him do it), and Dad helped him put on his pjs (instead of letting him do it).  That boy!  Generally he calms himself down eventually.
There is a lot to learn when you are 3!

Libby's Lost & Found Week

Libby lost her glasses almost 2 weeks ago.  We waited a few days, then gave up hope.  She said they were on her desk and went missing.  Her new glasses should be in on Monday at the latest.  On Friday she happened to put her hand into her left coat pocket (she has 3 coats she alternates between since she lost one at the first of the year which we later found and the new one I bought her was a 2 in 1, so she hasn't been wearing that coat everyday) and there were the glasses.  Ta DA!  I was glad that she was excited.  Her whole class was excited.  She can see!

She and another important loss this week, her first tooth!  And she pulled it out all by herself, during her reading class.  I am glad because I tried to convince myself that it wouldn't be that bad to pull it, but it gave me the creeps to think about it.  But then she lost the tooth again, somewhere at school.  Thankfully, when her teacher called to apologize that the tooth had gone missing, she located the tooth there on her desk!  So, the tooth fairy came the next day when Libby brought the tooth home.  The tooth fairy brought her two whole dollars.  Derek took her to spend it that day after school.  She bought silly puddy, which she got everywhere the first time she tried to play with it and I had to chuck it.  Oh well.
Her teacher sent me this email:

Hi Tricia,

   I just wanted to share a funny…..your daughter asked to share her tooth first thing in the morning.  I had her sit at my front table with the vis cam on.  We had a couple of announcements and when it was time for Libby to share…..she lost her tooth!  Luckily after searching all over the desk I found it.    She shared the whole tooth from front to bottom even including where the hole was where her mouth bled. :)  I took her tooth put it back in the envelope…extra taped it and personally put it in her backpack.  Your daughter keeps me smiling! :)

Kathy 

2nd Grade Teacher

Meridian Park Elementary

She was eating a pumpkin cookie when I took this picture.  Should have had her brush first, lol.

Yesterday was the performance for the drill camp.  It was a LOT of practicing before the performance. Libby's attention span couldn't quite take it.  (Mine wouldn't have either I don't think).  But she hung in there and did the performance.  It was a good learning experience!

I am reading a book called Smart But Scattered that is designed to help kids like Libby, who struggle a little with "executive skills" like task initiation, emotional control, staying on task, etc.  I love it!  It has made me more empathetic to her troubles, and I am getting to the part where I develop strategies to help her overcome her gaps in executive skills.  Anyway, when we did clean up on Friday night, things started out really well, but they couldn't stay with it.  She was STARVING apparently, because she lost it totally.  But I was super proud of myself.  I didn't yell.  I took away movie time, and I sympathized and used my new skills.  I told her that her inclination to say things like, "I am just the worst kid, I am awful, no one likes me, etc" is something that comes from me.  I explained that I tend to call myself an idiot when I do something wrong.  Things got better after we finished the clean up and she ate some goldfish.  Imagine my surprise when Libby closed the evening with "Mom, you need to stop saying bad words to us when you are mad."  Gulp.  "Which bad words Libby?"  "Idiot."

Whew!  Okay.  I won't say that any more!

Christmas Lists

When we are in a store, my kids have NO PROBLEM identifying hundreds of items they want for Christmas.  But when we sat down to write lists, Libby and Sarah had trouble thinking of things.  Ben, on the other hand, had many many ideas.  Derek helped him write most of them.  And no, he will not be getting a small green snake.

Kid-isms

Derek showed me a youtube video called "Conversations with my 4-year old."  In it, the "kid" wants a drink from "her" waterbottle.  The dad says, "Don't drink too much, you'll wet the bed."  The kid looks him right in the eye and says, "NO I WON'T."  I had this exact conversation with Ben on Friday night.  Exactly.  And, luckily, he didn't wet the bed.  Whew.  But about 3 times a day I watch him potty dance for at least an hour.  He refuses to admit that he has to go.  UGH.  So annoying.

Last night Libby asked me if Dad was smarter than I am.  Then she answered herself.  "Yes.  He is.  He is WAY smarter."  So much for my explanation of how we each have our own areas of strength.  She was having none of it.

Libby lost her glasses in her classroom this week.  I am sure they will probably turn up.  They were scratched and nasty anyway.  So, we went to Costco to order new ones.  After we ordered, we walked past the jewelry.  She stopped in her tracks and said,  "Mom, when I am getting married, you HAVE to give my husband (she whispered) a hint about where to go" as she pointed at the jewelry.  A couple of ladies overheard her and had a really good chuckle.

Sarah had a great week at school this week.  They started being able to earn their "self-manager" badge.  Which they earn by, of course, self managing.  Sarah is a pro at this.  So, she earned hers every day.  Way to go girl!

Every night we read one column from the Book of Mormon.  Usually Ben's melatonin kicks in about the time we start reading and he goes to bed. Last Sunday the kids watched the Living Scriptures "Lehi's Dream."  On Monday night Ben wanted to help read the Book of Mormon.  For his "reading" he retold parts of Lehi's dream, returning often to the part with the brown water.  It was SO adorable.  I am not a huge fan of Living Scriptures, but I love that Ben understood that he was learning stories from the Book of Mormon.

Remember last week how Libby spotted the Halloween costumes from Greek mythology?  Well yesterday I was singing one of the Bodystep songs from this release.  It says, "Make me your Aphrodite, make me your one and only."   Libby perked right up and said, "What did you say?  Did you say Aphrodite?"  I love love love that they have picked up on the mythology stuff.  The references are everywhere!

Ben and his Buddy Noah on Wednesday.  Wednesdays are Ben's favorite day of the week because it is his playdate with Noah.  They are adorable together!

I came into the room last night and the girls were reading to each other teacher style.  Sarah was showing us all the hand gestures they use while reading.  There is one to day "I know this book" and one to say "I hear a rhyme" and one to say something else that I forgot.  Sarah really has the concept of holding up the book and reading down!

Libby likes to read the book while it is facing her, then hold up to show the pictures.  I am not sure how Libby manages to read without her glasses, but she can do it.  And she will have to for 6-9 more days until her new glasses arrive.  

Libby's Career Day

When Libby brought home a packet where she had to research a career, she really wanted to be "Queen Elizabeth."  When we told her that wasn't a career, she settled on Police Officer.  While we hope that she actually chooses something a little better suited for a tiny blonde girl, it made for a fantastic project.  She had some really good visual aids to bring.

Luckily it was Derek's day off, so we didn't have to worry that he would get hung up on a call and not be able to come.  He brought his heavy vest and helmet for the kids to try on.  They were pretty impressed with just how heavy they were.

Libby had a great time being a center of attention.  I especially LOVED how well she did when she read her presentation to the class.  She is becoming a really good reader.  

Just look at this class.  They are SO WILD and SASSY!  There are at least 10 kids in the class that are handfuls.  It is a class that I am glad I am not teaching!  They LOVED exploring the patrol cars.  

Thankfully Officers Mike and Mike weren't busy, so they could come along.  Love this crew!

Bodypump Halloween Style

I did get to dress up for one other fun night--our Spooktacular Bodypump party.

I kind of LOVE false eyelashes and dark lipstick.  Too bad they just don't fit in with my real life.  

Bewitching Bodypump Team

I was so proud of how many of my pumpers dressed up!  It was awesome!

The Actual Halloween

This year Halloween was actually kind of anticlimactic.  For the past 2 years I led a flash mob on Halloween, so while I was super relieved not to be dealing with the stress of that, it seemed a bit lackluster.  Add to that the fact that Derek was working and it was raining, I just wanted to stay home.
But I'm glad I didn't.
Our festivities started at 12:30 when I got to school.  I brought the spider web cookies and modeling chocolate I made to the school parties.  I learned about modeling chocolate from a youth activity that I did a few years ago.  I have been wanting to try it.  I got the recipe and it was pretty easy!  The kids used it to make spiders to go on top of their cookies.  It is kind of the consistency of a tootsie roll, then you soften it with your hand.  Warning, don't try if you are super warm or if you have moisture on your hands.  Then it just melts onto your hands.  But otherwise, it is pretty awesome!

 The school parties were fun for Ben, except when I taught the Thriller dance (from the flash mob days) to the kids in each class.  He tried to stand right next to me, which was a little tricky.  The kids were all quick to pick up the dance and seemed to love it!  The principal managed to be there taking lots of pictures both times when I taught it.  My finest photographic hour I'm sure!  Ben also got pretty tired on the costume parade. The girls' school used to be a Middle School, so it is huge!  I had to piggy back him toward the end.
We left school a few minutes early to trick or treat at Grammy's work, an annual tradition.  My favorite part of this excursion was when two girls came in who were dressed up as characters from Greek Mythology.  Libby had just checked out a book of Greek mythology that I have been reading to all of the kids.  Ben correctly identified Medusa.  (Made me seem like an awesome parent of extremely smart kids!)  Then I couldn't think of Artemis' name and Libby jumped in and identified her.  So I was outed as the less smart parent of Really Smart Kids.

Derek tried to teach Ben to say, "Trick or Treat, and could I have a treat for my Dad, who had to work?"  But Ben didn't quite get it.

A bunch of the Shoreline Center employees noticed our green theme!  That was fun!

Grammy's purple hair was a big hit!

The crew minus me and Grammy

Grammy with all the grandkids.

Our between Trick Or Treating pit stop--Spiros Pizza.  This tradition started a few years ago when I was pregnant with Ben I think.  I didn't want to cook and made Derek decide what to do for dinner.  We invited his family and now it is TRADITION!  Ben actually ate 2 pieces of pizza and so did Libby.  So I loved it!

We did a quick trick or treat stop at Maren's house (Libby is obsessed with the fact that she is afraid of Maren's decor...but she can't look away, you know?).  Then stopped at Libby's friend Mia's house (they love Halloween).  After that, we pit stopped at home and as soon as we walked out the door to trick or treat, it started to drizzle.  Miserable.  Luckily we only needed to trick or treat the culdisacs we live on, and only about 1/2 the houses were home.  So, we got home pretty early, watched the bizarre Charlie Brown Great Pumpkin movie and they went to bed.  On time.  Awesome!