Inept.

I went in to volunteer in Ethan's class today expecting to do math.  But when I walked in, his awesome teacher who I would do almost anything for, asked me to help her by putting up some bulletin boards. I wonder if she saw the color completely run out of my face as I said, "Sure!"   I truly am inept when it comes to this.  Long swathes of butcher paper, measuring lengths whilst standing on a chair in the hall, trying to hold the stapler and scissors at the same time....and then to have to make it look cute!  So not in my skill set.  If you want it to look like you asked a student to do it, then have me do it.  If you want it to look 'pulled together', well, you may want to wait for another mom to come in tomorrow.  It ain't gonna be pretty.

Girls Already. Heaven help us.

Beckham's preschool teacher told me today that Beckham said he loves his mom's long hair (random!) and then she said that everyone in class knows that Beckham and Ava are together.  As in, they 'like' each other.  I asked Becks what that meant.  He said it's like when someone asks you to do a favor for them and you say yes because they are your friend.  Ok.  That works for me right now.
 I should have been on to this, because a few months ago Beckham came home with her phone number.  The little dude is getting girls' numbers already!  He told me to call her and then we could just go pick her up and bring her to our house to play.  He said she could play with Eva's dolls and that I would know which house was hers because it has a black door and it is just down the street 'that way' as he pointed in some obscure direction.
They are 5!
In a conversation with his buddy Danny this week I found out just how much they hear their older siblings.  While playing with trains Danny asks Becks, "Do you like Miley Cyrus?" (now just imagine that this little buddy of his can sometimes not say his 'r's, so it's extra cute)  Becks says, "No.  I like Demi Lavato."  Danny asks, "Who's Demi Lavato?" to which Becks replies, "She sings better than Miley Cyrus."  Danny, not quite convinced yet, asks totally matter of fact, "Well, is she hot?"
 I think Becks just mumbled that he didn't know but that she could sing.  Danny seemed content with that answer and the went on playing trains.  Danny also has a 15 year old older brother - can you tell?

My little secret..

I guess you could say I'm in a bit of a blogging slump right now.  Life is moving and grooving and things are busy and fun and chaotic and happening.  Just like they should be.  The problem is that I can't seem to get the desire to right them down.  It's like making someone eat cabbage soup again after the 7th day of the wretched diet.  I. Just. Can't. Do it.  Bottom line, I can't seem to find the desire.  However, I'm coming to realize that there may never be a time where I am caught up on family albums or kids journals, and that is why I am so glad to have written a lot down in posts. That  is until the last 6 months or so, when it gradually became less.  And less. And less - it's like a slow death.  

Well No More!  I need to start somewhere, so why not start with a little secret of mine?  Just to break the ice and end the blogging slump.

I. Love. Chocolate.  That is not the secret....

The secret is that for the past year or so I have continually kept one of these chili pepper-infused-dark chocolate-maddening goodness-Lindt bars by the side of my bed, inside my nightstand, for immediate access, where no kids will touch it, allowing me to nibble from any time I want.  And I go through a lot of them. 

If I had to choose something for the rest of my chocolate eating days, it might be this.  Seriously addicting.  Auntie and I snuck them in to Wicked and Chicago in NY to eat during the show.  I managed to get my Vegas Ragnar buddies all hooked. (antioxidents!)  And I'm wondering if anyone else out there has become addicted.  

The only person I know who doesn't like them is my 6th grade long time bff Lori, who told me they were disgusting when I offered one to her at Women's conference a couple of years ago.   This is the same friend of mine, who in junior high went to a Utah football game with me and my dad and was the only one who didn't have a pile of sunflower shells at the bottom of her feet, because she didn't know you weren't supposed to eat the things whole.  Also the same girl who shaved off her bangs with a razor in 6th grade because she thought that would get rid of them for good.   I think I've proven my point. 

This is also the same girl who served a mission in Argentina,  speaks fluent Spanish, traveled through Europe and Jerusalem, got her degree at BYU, taught high school English in Virginia, knows how to get what she wants, and has a beautiful brood of 5 that all follow after her and call her mom all day and she does a spankin' job of it.  But that last part isn't really helping my case much, so just remember her as the sunflower seed shell girl and try the chili pepper Lindt... 

Getting the mail in December...

I love to get Christmas cards from family and friends.  I'm sure I'm like most people during this time of year -anxiously waiting to see what new greetings were delivered that day.  I love getting them from friends and family that I don't get to see that often, to see their kiddos, and feel the love.

So it is probably only fair that I reciprocate and finally get ours sent out after sitting here for 2 weeks.  Officially, our Christmas card is in the mail.  This year is really interesting.  After searching the database for a usable family picture, I came up completely empty handed.  Usually they only included 4 out of the 5 of us or one of the kids was gazing off, but the majority of all of our pics this year have this annoying yellowish tint or they are blurry.

I really tried to find a decent one, but finally decided to just use individual pictures of all of us.  The only card options (because I'm cheap) for a 4 picture card were very, very slim.  There was one choice.  So...the card is out, photography and aesthetics are less than desirable, but ultimately I still like the card because we are all happy in each picture and I think that's important.

The complete upside to all of this is that we got a killer new camera. I guess I complained enough that "our camera sucks!" as I was looking through all of the pictures for the year.   We'll keep our little digital point and shoot, but it's probably not going to get much face time anymore.   Hopefully we'll have better luck this year with all the photogs and have a bounty to choose from next year.  I'm excited to learn how to use our new toy- we have a nice dsl camera already, but the problem is that it uses that stuff our kids will only see in museums in a few years.....film.  It's funny how used to technology you become and what once was the norm now seems simply archaic to use.  Not having unlimited shots (either 24 or 36....you pick) or being able to view immediately what you just took,  needing to have film on hand, dealing with negatives if you want to reorder.  It's sort of funny to think how much it has changed and how our kids will never know the excitement of wondering (and waiting) to see what is on that forgotten roll of film that you are finally taking in to get developed.  I'm excited to experiment this year, take a few classes, and become the awesome self-appointed Westenskow family photographer that I always knew was somewhere deep down inside of me, just bursting to break free!

Becks singing Bieber

I found this recording on my phone...

When You, I feel, Because....

Ethan has learned the art of making his feelings known while still being pleasant through writing.  Here are a couple of notes he's given me.  

Dear: Mom  I love you so so much.  You just don't like anything I make you.  Like the plant I gave you for mother's day.  Don't worry about it.  It's dead.

and then

Dear: Mom  I love you so much.  You are so cute.  You can be rude some times.   I'm going to hide  Don't try to find me at home.

love:  Ethan

Out of the vomiting mouths of babes...

So instead of school, today we are sitting here on the couches watching Cartoon Network, all 3 of my kiddos and I, because they all are throwing up.  Together.  It's awesome!
I said to them that tomorrow was Grandma Cherie's birthday, to which Ethan says, "Man, they sure do grow up fast!"