Ten Signs You're Not As Young As You Used to Be:

1. Your optomistrist informs you that you should be wearing glasses while driving.

2. Soaking in the sun and an occasional visit to a tanning booth are no longer on your list of things to do.

3. Your eleven year old daughter offers to use her own money to buy you a pair of shoes with a heal on them.

4. Your hair dresser wonders if you would like the special formula to color those stubborn grays.

5. Coupons for wrinkle cream are starting to catch your eye.

6. You find that it is nearly impossible to stay awake until midnight.

7. When the bag boy at Maceys' calls you "Miss" instead of "Mam" it makes your whole day!

8. Cartwheels hurt.

9. and 10. Your thoughtful eleven year old son informs you that he has the perfect birthday and Mother's Day gifts picked out:

One is a nifty mini recorder to carry in your purse to remind yourself where you parked the car. The other is a handy ear piece that fits conviently inside your ear to magnify your hearing while at a movie or watching tv.

Test Your Baby Talk Comprehension

1. Kee-Tat
2. Bee-Oh
3. Oggie
4. Ca
5. Budda
6. EEE-See
7. Pub
8. Pup
9. Peez
10. Tank-Ew
11. Teet
12. Nigh-Nigh
13. Boon
14. Tite
15. Bane-Kee
16. Mo
17. owtz
18. boodie
19. deenk
20. cacker

Bonus Word:
Bee-Bup

Answers:

1. Kitty Cat
2. Bear
3. Doggie
4. Car
5. Brother
6. Sister
7. Tub
8. Cup
9. Please
10. Thank You
11. Treat
12. Night Night
13. Balloon
14. Kite
15. Blankey
16. More
17. Ouch
18. Birdie
19. Drink
20. Cracker

Bonus Word:
Belly Button

Scoring:

0-5 Not so good, perhaps you need a baby to borrow to help you brush up on your skills.

6-10 Fair.

11-15 Good job.

16-19 Wow! Very impressive!

20-21 If you scored in this range, please let me know. Apparently, you spend most of your day conversing with a 16 month old too and I will need to buy us both lunch (no, not Happy Meals).

Dear Blogger Friends

Dear Fellow Bloggers,

Hats off to you!

Last night the kids were tucked into bed, the house was quiet, Mark was reading and guess what I was doing?

One of my most favorite activities....
catching up on the past week of posts.

I spent one fun hour clicking from blog to blog to blog.

I read up on:

exciting car choices,

baseball games that made me cheer out loud,

sweet husbands,

the adventures of fabric shopping,

tropical vacations,

a bike to covet (especially that seat),

the fun kind of heart attack,

waiting for baby and baby,

two of my favorite birthday girls,

one amazing mom,

and the story of an inspirational little boy that brought me to tears.

So, if you're ever wondering..

"does anyone really read this stuff?"

"who cares about my vacations?"

"do other people truly get how cute my kids are?"

The answers are:

YES! I read.

I love to hear about your vacations!

I get how adorable your children are and enjoy reading about their special moments.

If you haven't posted in a week or two, I would appreciate it if you would get busy.

If you happen to be reading this and you don't have a blog, I wish you much guilt and humbly request that you start one.

(ahem Angie, Deborah, Kim, Nancy, Jen, Sarah, Laural, Tammy, Kirsten, Roni, Nina, Amy, Mindy, Tonya)

Here's to blogs and the friends who make them worthwhile!

Thank you all!

Love,

Kimberly

On the 12th Day of Valentine's...

Here are twelve of my favorite memories:

1. Two seventeen year olds having a picnic of bread sticks and tomato sauce on a starry summer night. Planning big dreams and how they hoped their life would go. High School, mission, college, marriage, kids, a dog, a happy life.


2. My dream come true day. I didn't pick out the dress, the cake, the bride's maid dresses, the reception location. I didn't care about any of that. I just wanted to be married to you.




3. This is one of those pictures in my mind that time can never dull. In this moment I was so overcome with happiness that it took my breath away. I still have not come down from the thrill of this day.


4. Going from this:

To this:

And all the moments in between.

Going from this:
to this:

And all the moments in between.

5. Sandcastles, snorkeling and sunsets on Maui.

6. The best four legged friend any family could ask for.

7. The milestones.

8. Rachel's first date to the Princess Ball

Lincoln walking into Fenway Park
9. Telling the twins that a baby was on the way.

10. Getting ready for Sami.




11. Meeting her. Wondering how we ever got by without her.






12. The ordinary moments that don't seem like much until you string them all together and realize that this is happiness.





Sure, there have been some disappointments, there have been some heartaches. But I can honestly say that all those big dreams we talked about over twenty years ago have all come true.

Thank you.
I love you with all of my heart.

Practice, Prayer and a Wannabe Pianist

About five months ago I was summoned to the stake offices to meet with a member of the stake presidency. Now Mark happens to be part of that group so naturally I thought he might have some inside information.

He answered honestly that he didn't know the details but since I was meeting with President Baker it most likely involved a Primary assignment.

No problem, I thought. I had just been released from being the music leader in primary after nearly four years. I am comfortable with callings in primary. Primary is my area.

President Baker is a good friend of ours. I wasn't nervous at all. We talked for a few minutes and then he told me the assignment he had in mind for me:

To work with the Spanish Ward in their primary music. They wanted me to be the chorister for a few months and then to be the pianist indefinitely.

I answered that I will do whatever I am asked to do but there were a couple of concerns.
1. I don't speak Spanish.
2. I'm not a pianist.

He smiled and told me that the kids all speak English and as far as the piano goes, Heavenly Father would help me with that one.

He was right about the kids. Perfect English, perfect Spanish. They are absolutely amazing.

The difficult, challenging, worrisome part was the piano. My partner Julie and I trade off weeks and she is an ace pianist. The "play anything on a moment's notice" type.

Shortly after Christmas, a Spanish speaking chorister was called and my piano playing duties began. I practiced, I prayed, I practiced, I prayed. I just didn't want to be a distraction by fumbling the notes and I wanted to make it easy for the new song leader.

The twins saw my anxiety. A couple of Sundays (not a fast Sunday) ago I was getting breakfast for everyone and Lincoln said he didn't want anything. "I'm going to fast for you today Mom" he said. "I want you to know that you can do it!"

I was humbled by his sweetness. He really wanted to help me and this was a way that he could. After church that day he pulled me into my room. "Mom, do you want to be with me when I break my fast?" he asked.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as we knelt together in prayer. My son pleading to the Lord on my behalf. He asked Heavenly Father to bless my hands that they wouldn't shake and that I would be able to play well. It was one of those moments I will never forget.

Since then Ive seen myself improving. Rachel tells me how great it sounds when I am practicing. "Wow!" she cheers "You're awesome!"

Yesterday before we left for church, Rachel offered a simple and sincere prayer that I would be able to get through "How Firm A Foundation" (4 flats in that hymn) with no mistakes. And guess what? I did!

While I am not worthy to claim the title of "pianist" with practice, prayer and and the faith of my twins, maybe that day will come.

Milestones

Last night was one of those bitter sweet milestones that come with parenthood. My Lincoln officially graduated from cub scouts.

I remember buying that trusty blue shirt when he turned eight. I got it plenty big so that he would have room to grow. The shirt that started out touching his knees now fits just right.

Yesterday as I was gathering a few items to take to the ceremony I started to fight that familiar lump in the throat / tears in the eyes feeling that always comes with these kinds of occasions.

I was Linc's den leader for the first two years. Growing up with no brothers, I had no idea what I was doing. But little by little we figured it out.

I thought of all the activities (Cubs in the Kitchen was especially memorable), the crafts, the experiments, the fieldtrips. All those belt loops, patches and pins, but mostly all the fun we had along the way. Rachel came to every den meeting. She probably earned as many awards as the boys.

I felt deep appreciation for the leaders that have taught him well. This past year he was able to earn all 20 webelo pins! That is some dedicated leaders. I feel so grateful to have such good people surrounding my boy.

During the flag ceremony I started to get a little emotional. The clubhouse was filled with younger scouts and their families. We also had family and friends who came to support Lincoln. I bit my lip in a fruitless effort to stop its quivering. I swallowed hard and blinked harder.

They dimmed the lights and called Mark, Lincoln and me to the front. Cubmaster Bruce put on his Indian head-dress and told of an old legend that Mother Earth taught the animals of the forest about helping other people.

Then he asked Lincoln if he would commit to be of service to others all his life. Lincoln said he would and after repeating the scout law and oath he was ready to cross the bridge from cub scouts to boy scouts.

He turned around and looked up at me. "Mom, this is the last hug you will ever get from me as a cub scout" he said. Then he threw his arms around me extra tight.

"Don't cross the bridge!" I wanted to shout. I thought about scooping him up and running out the door.

I watched him in his "too big" boy scout shirt as he crossed the bridge into growing up. Tears came, I couldn't help it. My heart swelled with love for this kid. His blue eyes, his freckled nose and gappy smile. I love the person he is and the glimpses I see of the man he will become.

As I was packing away that trusty blue shirt last night I could see in my mind's eye another little boy with blue eyes, a freckled nose and gappy teeth.....

I could see Lincoln showing his own son that old and faded but ever trusty blue shirt, with all its patches and pins

.....and that thought made me smile.

January Survival Guide

Ahhh January.
Snow. Ice. Approximately five hours of daylight.
Being cold, having a cold.
Long underwear, flannel pajamas.
Gray skies. A valley inversion.

Ahhh January.
Here are a few tips for making it cheerfully through this dreaded of all months.

1. Before the new year begins, clean the house top to bottom. Mark it on the calendar. Enlist the help of your husband and kids. Tell your husband how sexy he looks while doing house work. This will inspire him to go the extra mile. Before your very eyes the Christmas decorations will be packed up, floors will be scrubbed, furniture will be dusted and the house will sparkle.

2. Try your hardest to have a set of twins mid January. Their birthday will be a good distraction. You can busy yourself with all kinds of fun ideas. When they turn eleven, it may be tempting to get depressed over the way they insist on growing up. If this happens, pull out the big guns, plan a surprise trip to Disneyland.

Wake them up early on the morning of their birthday and get on a plane to Mickey and five days of sunshine.


3. Accept the snow for what it is. You will appreciate the water when summertime comes. Let the kids sled, build snowmen and have snow ball fights all they want.

4. Finally, spend the last three days of January in San Diego ALONE WITH YOUR HUSBAND.
I know it is hard to leave the kids, I get that. Heck, in the last eleven years, we have left ours a grand total of six nights. But warmth, sunshine, sunsets at the beach, sand in your toes, chocolate cake at midnight if you feel like it, a handsome husband all to yourself......

trust me, this is as good as it gets.

AHHH January.