Girl Quotes

This weekend Aunt Maren took the girls to the UW girls basketball game.  They had a blast.  While they were gone, we went to dinner with some friends.  I didn't pay attention to the game time or what time they might get home.  Maren dropped them off and we weren't home yet.  When we got home about 30 minutes later, they confronted us at the door.  "Where were you guys!  What took you so long to get home?  We were worried!"  HA!  What a role reversal.  In truth though, they had a good time playing while they were "waiting and worrying" so it was all good.  

Libby gets tired of Sarah always reading on the toilet.  So, she decided to take matters into her own hands with this declaration.  I refused to "singh" it.  But we did have a family council to discuss the issue and made some recommendations to Sarah.  

-Use the bathroom farthest from the rest of the family activity.  

-When someone knocks, put the book down and finish up.  

-Consider a 20 minute time limit.  We will see how that goes.

We had a Sunday Seminar last night for the kids to share what they have been learning.
 It was pretty fun to hear Libby's poems.  

We haven't had many spirit days this year at school, so the girls were SO excited for decade day.  Libby wanted a poodle skirt so she could take her matching American girl doll.  Her teacher even let her sit the AG doll on her desk all day.  I can imagine it was a (non)productive day with that doll there.  

Sarah fit into the Martha Washington Costume perfectly!  She regretted her decision a little in that it isn't as comfy or "cute" as Libby's costume.  But she looked amazing!

Ben Quotes

Yesterday Ben was playing with his sisters in the afternoon.  He was getting really emotional and frustrated.  I ended up sending them all to their rooms where he proceeded to cry and tantrum for several minutes.  I knew that his basic problem was hunger, but I was trying to finish up something before I made dinner.  I was giving him a minute and then I was going to offer him a snack.  Before I could do that, he came in, tears drying and said, "Mom, I'm think I'm just hungry."  I'm so impressed that he figured that out!  (Now if only I had been a good enough mommy to preempt the whole thing with a timely snack, but still!)

I am also still trying to figure out his shyness.  The girls are NOT shy.  They love to perform and get attention. Ben is less excited about such things.  I didn't even realize this until the wedding in the fall when he didn't want to dance down the aisle by himself.  Decade day was another chance to realize this.  He didn't want to dress up.  NOT AT ALL.  So, he didn't.  I couldn't quite figure out what the deal was.  But I just let that one go.

Yesterday in church Ben leaned over and said, "I'm glad Donald Trump isn't in our ward."  Me too Ben.  Me too.

The best conversation of the week was walking to school.  Sarah and I were talking about hand-me-downs.  She was saying how fun it is that she fits into my shirts.  Libby gets her hand-me-downs, etc.  Then Ben chimes in that he really does not want any hand-me-downs, especially not from dad.  I reassured him that it would be YEARS before he could wear any hand-me-downs from dad.  In fact, maybe he would never be dad's size (unless he lifted lots of weights).  But I told Ben that some of his favorite clothes are hand-me-downs from some of our friends.  He reassured me as I was dropping him off that he is opposed to hand-me-downs.  Then he said, "What are hand-me-downs?"

HA!  I love this kid despite his recent bedwetting!  Poor guy.  I need to watch his fluid intake a little better.  Last year he had trouble during whole30, then it went away and now has resurfaced.  He is just sleeping too soundly.

Despite Ben's assertion that he isn't sure about wrestling, he wore his singlet almost all weekend.  He even had a friend put one on too!

Regular Season Wrap Up

It was a good wrestling season for the Norton family. (And of course it is far from over for Coach Norton since the high school still has post-season tournaments and the middle school season starts this week.  But my "coaching" is over, whew!)
All 3 kids started wrestling for the first time.  We were talking about it last night.  They are all pretty proud of various aspects of their wrestling career thus far.  Ben liked it the least in some ways.  But he had to wrestle a couple of really tough kids every day.  Next year, when he (hopefully) isn't the smallest kid in the room, and when he has more experience than those who will be beginners next year, it'll be more fun.
As for Shorewood, they had a better than expected season.  Actually that's not true.  There were 3 guys (at least) who would have made this team truly amazing but didn't turn out for various reasons.  But, once it became clear that they wouldn't be joining the team, this team did great work without them.  Coach Norton and his assistants made some great strides this year too. Figuring life out without Coach Clark was an adjustment that they made pretty well.

Ben's wrestling stance is so cute.  

The joy in Sarah's face is so amazing.  She hadn't ever taken Libby down all season.

Ben coming up from the bottom.  I'm not sure that he took anyone down during the season, but he got to his base and tried to come back up!

Sarah on top (The next few photos are by Teri Nelson, she's fabulous)

Libby going after Sarah

Libby taking down Josh.  

Coach Trish

SW beats Shorecrest!  The T-birds lost their last two matches of the season, but the victory over Shorecrest was decisive and sweet.

The T-bird 2016-2017 team.  

 

Kid Quotes

It has been awhile since I have done a kid quote post.  But here are some of my favorites from this week.

Sarah:  "Mom, it's your birthday, you can do anything you want.  Anything legal that is."

            "Please don't wear sweats tonight when we go out for your birthday."

Ben:  When asked if he likes wrestling: "No, I hate it.  I just get squished like a bug."

         "Mom, can I clean the bathroom now?"  (WHY YES!)

         

Libby:  "NOT THE PLAYROOM!  That room is so hard to clean!  Please let me clean a bathroom!"  (Seriously!  And the playroom wasn't even bad!)

           "NOT LONG DIVISION!!!"  

            

Reflections on Turning 40

Yesterday I got my birthday package from my mom.  It had a framed version of the saying, "In Scrabble, Forty is only 11."
I also weighed in on my scale that tells my Metabolic Age and it said 22.
Ben's kindergarten class had me at pegged at somewhere between 23 and 26 when I asked.
My body feels much better than it did at 38 or 39.  So, I'm just going to ignore the numbers and say that I am happy to be alive.

I feel grateful for what I have been able to accomplish, for the help of my parents, husband, friends, and kids that have encouraged and supported me.
I have a Bachelor's degree.  A Master's Degree.  I have taught students in Juvenile Detention, High School, Sunday School, Relief Society, Group Exercise, the Wrestling Room, and right now in my own personal training studio.
I have 3 kids that are the joy of my life.  And the challenge of my life.
I have an amazing husband and great friends.
I got to celebrate and relax for a weekend in Vegas before the big day.  It was the perfect RESET.
I came back recharged and ready to evaluate where I am and where I want to go this year.
I am still evaluating, so who knows.  I may be in the same place next year.  But if I am, I know that it is a pretty good place to be.

  

Our First Wrestling Outing!

When we started the Meridian Park branch of the Wrestling Rhinos, and I became a coach, I was actually really nervous about this moment.  The moment they would step out on the mat for some live wrestling.  But, when it happened, it was actually really fun.  They (we all) still have a lot to learn.  But I'm pleased with how well they did!

In this pic you can see both Libby and Ben wrestling girls who I think are sisters.  Libby took this girl down pretty well, well enough that she cried.  Then later they wrestled in my corner of the mat and the girl said she was afraid of Libby.  Ha.  

The boy Libby is wrestling in this picture is the son of the bishop of the ward next door.  He has 1 year more wrestling experience.  He was the takedown king for more than 1/2 the line!  But she almost took him down!!

I was really proud of Sarah's wrestling.  She moves slowly and thinks through what she knows and what she should do.  This doesn't always translate to victory on the mat, but she knew a thing or two.  I clearly saw her sprawl, which is one thing that I didn't see the others do as well.  She got back to her base and got back to her feet whenever she could!

She had to wrestle mostly boys, but she kept trying even when they got the best of her!

Ben was really nervous about wrestling.  He kept saying he was going to "get squashed like a bug."  I didn't get to see many of his matches because he kept ending up on the opposite corner from where I was.  I tried to film this one.  I forgot that my phone was on photo.  By the time I switched it to video, it was basically all over.  He ended up crying after his face bonked the mat.  But not for long.  I made him shake hands anyway.  He said that he wasn't ready when the guy started wrestling.  All day people kept asking him how he did.  He had varied responses.  He told several people that he "squashed 2 people like bugs, but then got squashed like a bug."  He told others that he only got squashed.  And some that he was amazing.  (By the way he spent most of the hours at the Shoreline Invitational tournament that we went to after our match entertaining the cheerleaders from SW.  He sat with them and told them stories, played on their phones, etc.  It was pretty comical. Maybe he will be more of a lover than a fighter?)

Picture that was meant to be video.

 

GO RHINOS!

New Year's Eve Tradition: FONDUE!

This tradition started back in my USU days with my friends Tory and Shari.  I felt too sick to have this party, but I had it anyway, and it was so fun!  I good chance to connect with old friends and new friends!

We used the chocolate fountain for the cheese.  It was too thick and we had to keep "burping" it.  I thought I had learned this lesson last year, but apparently it still wasn't thin enough.  I kept adding cream but finally gave up and we just ate cheese from the base of the fountain.  Yum.  (Although in year's past I was totally fine with doctoring up the Kraft cheese and using it.  This year, my tastes have become more refined.  I need to do a real fondue next year.  No KRAFT products allowed.)

Janna and her clan have moved back to the PNW!  We are so glad they could join us for NYE!

Aubrey, Janna's oldest with my girls.  She is  Libby's age, but about a foot taller than my daughters.  

Nothing like the non-alcoholic bubbly from the dollar store glasses to ring in the New Year!

And Derek and Mike "celebrating" at the Space Needle.  Overtime!

Hopefully NOT a Christmas Tradition

The day after Christmas I knew I was getting sick.  Well, I had been sick.  A cold.  But it was turning ugly.  But I ignored it.  I pressed on through my "vacation."  I had clean up projects to do (and DEREK WAS HERE TO HELP!  Can't pass that up!), decorations to take down, a spa day, important stuff.  No time to pay attention to the fact that I was getting some ugly bronchial symptoms.  Until finally on New Year's day I had a meltdown at church.  I felt like I couldn't breathe.  I left church early and went to the walk in clinic.  And, yes, bronchitis.  I haven't had it for quite a long time.  But when I get it, it is ugly.  It is exhausting and yucky.  The doctor at the walk-in gave me the whole kitchen sink.  Prednisone.  An inhaler.  And a cough medicine with a controlled substance in it.  Also advice to buy a daytime cough med.
It has been a long week.  I felt "better" enough to continue to do everything I needed to.  But mostly I dragged through the week.  Today was stake conference so I had fewer obligations which was nice.
Anyway, I'm just saying, that this was not the entrance to 2017 I wanted.   Restart.  Do over.  I'm going to spend this week healing, then next weekend in Vegas celebrating my birthday with some very special friends and sisters.  Then, I'll start 2017 again.  For real.