Tuesday, April 24, 2018

I am my mother + a rant

Last night Sterling was home at five. He was supposed to be home at 2. But...life with med school. UGH. But I had waited to go grocery shopping because he was going to come home and go with me at 2. Of course that didn't happen, but that meant I still didn't go because I wasn't going to take FOUR kids when I can usually go on a morning with just two. POINT OF STORY--I went grocery shopping by myself while he made tacos and fed the kids dinner. Only, I then decided to look at running shoes because mine are biting the dust and I don't want to push my luck and die on my half with a brand new pair.

I walked into Dick's Sporting Goods because I already have a brand and style that I like. Just needed to find that version and purchase it. Went to the women's shoes section, found the Brooks brand, and all the names were different then when I last purchased shoes. So I went to find an employee. After five minutes, I went to the front and asked for some help in shoes, to which the helpful clerk replied "There is already someone back there." Ummm...I would not have walked all the way up there if I had not deduced otherwise, jerk. Walked back to the shoe department and after a few minutes someone did materialize. I pointed to my feet and told him I wanted the same shoe but the name seemed to have changed. He walked me over to the entire wall of Brooks and said "These are our Brooks." and then stood there. Uhhhhhh, thank you?????? So I said "Is there any more information that you could give me?" and he looked annoyed and said he'd go get someone else who would know more. After more waiting another guy came up and I said "Hey, I have the GTS right now, or at least thats what it says on the tongue. Do you know which of these is that version?" No....but here are the running shoes. WHY DOES NOBODY KNOW THEIR JOB?!?!? Sterling always tries to calm me down on these issues because they are just basic level hirees. That doesn't help, because I worked in a shoe department for three years in college and I KNEW MY SHOES. They give you magazines to learn about them.

Anyway. I was sick of Dick's, so I left and googled a running store. Walked in, pointed to my feet and said "These say GTS on the tongue. I want them again." and the helpful man smiled and said "That's the Brooks adrenaline, I'll bring it right out." and I was instantaneously happy and feeling like the world was full of roses. He then proceeded to have me stand on their little machine and pointed out my feet oddities and then said that the shoes I'd been in were great for my feet (I'd been fitted for them in Miami) and offered to let me try on some Altra because my family is love with that brand (they felt weird...I stuck with Brooks). He then helped me size them correctly because my feet have grown with pregnancies. I then asked him about how to carry water on long runs and he showed me a few things and mentioned "This is where you put your gel." "GEL?" he smiled and launched into an explanation of running gel. And then asked me what race I was running--I said one in Utah, which might be tough because I'm training here. He said I needed to run bridges--and told me about a running club that runs bridges here in Delray Beach every other Thursday night. I left, absolutely blown away with his customer service.

Guys. Why is customer service so hard to find? And the reason I labeled this post "I am my mother" is because when I act like this Sterling gets embarrassed. When I am annoyed at people for not knowing their job. When I continue to ask questions about things I know nothing about. It used to be uncomfortable for me to watch my mom do the exact same thing. In supermarkets, in mattress stores, getting garden seeds. But when I was in high school, something she had said over and over and over and OVER again finally sunk in. If you don't ask, you will never learn. She is an incredible example to me of someone who is constantly learning--and isn't ashamed or embarrassed to ask a question and another and another until she has a better grasp on what she is purchasing. And if you find the right person--their customer service does it for you. I now understand why she has a close relationship with her vacuum repairman. You gotta understand where your money is going!!!!

On to the next part of this post: a rant.

My kids are getting more and more adventurous and more independent. They have four strict rules outside-1) do not cross the street without mom 2) do not knock on people's doors without asking mom first if they can play 3) stay within a certain boundary and 4) do not pick flowers (our one neighbor has quite the collection and was very distraught when Molly picked his prized something or other a while ago). When we walk/bike to school they have one very strict rule--stop at the end of each sidewalk and wait for mom before crossing to the next sidewalk. And our safety rule for inside is- never open the door without waiting for mom or dad first.

Of course my kids are not perfect. Will ran into the street in front of our house just last week and gave our elderly neighbor some grief. She was not impressed. To Will's credit--he was only following after two other big boys that he'd been playing with. I have now watched him play with those boys and stop on the sidewalk while they go out further, which makes me happy. But kids will make mistakes. I have to say though--they follow their bike rule SO WELL. I can't even remember the last time they didn't stop and wait for me at the end of a block of sidewalk. The crossing guard and the policewoman who directs traffic have both commented multiple times on how well-behaved my children are. If they are pretty far ahead of me (can happen when I'm helping Molly or something) they come up to the end of the street, stop, and stand on the second to last sidewalk square and stay there chatting with the crossing guard.

Okay so this means my kids go ahead of me an entire block and then wait for me to catch up. The last part of our walk, before we cross the street to the school is a dead-end road. We go through a fence to get onto that street from our complex. The fence goes the entire length of the road--so there are only houses on one side. Five houses. And no sidewalk. Dead end. Because there is rarely traffic from those five houses, my kids usually head at break-neck speed down the middle of the road until they stop at the crossing guard, just like I said. My kids, and about five other families' kids. There are cars occassionally, and my kids know how to pull over onto the grass until the car passes.

This morning there was a car. Probably because we were later than usual. After I watch her pass my kids slowly, and my kids pull over onto the grass before she even got near them, she pulled up to me and rolled down her window. She said "I just want to let you know that it really scares me that your kids ride their bikes down this street. Not only are there cars, but they could fall. And you should be right beside them when they are biking. Right beside them. It just makes me so nervous to see them riding their bikes!"

I smiled and nodded and said have a nice day. But WHAAAAAT?!?!?! It makes her nervous to see kids riding their BIKES?!?!?!?! This world is absolutely ridiculous. Our society is absolutely ridiculous. I mean, not only do five other families from our complex ride up and down the same street morning and afternoon every single day on their bikes, but also--you really think that a parent should be directly beside their child at all times?

I believe kids should learn. My kids love the independence of their bikes. They were all waiting for me at the fence, just like they have been taught, after I hurried to catch up from the lady talking to me. And yes, they might fall. Kids do fall on bikes. Bikes have that natural hazard. Molly did fall, just yesterday. And no, I was not directly beside her, I was a couple paces behind because it's difficult to push the stroller through the fence. Another mother, walking her two sons, was directly beside her and immediately scooped her up. I was there two seconds later and gave her love and she was fine and back on her bike and on her way.

I do not expect other people to parent for me. If that other mom hadn't been there, Molly could have cried for the two seconds it took me to catch up and then she would have been just as fine. There would be no lasting trauma because her mom was a couple paces behind her.

But the confidence I see on my kids' face as they show me their bike tricks--going off the curb is a new one around here, which they do on the park's parking lot by our house--is priceless. They are learning to do things all by themselves, without mom's help. And I found it absolutely awful that a lady felt that my kids should not be allowed to go ahead of me and bike down a nearly empty street.

I understand that every situation is different. My kids never biked on streets in Miami--we took their bikes to parks. Because the traffic was insane and nobody was watching. I used my personal judgement and this street is completely safe. In fact, when cars do drive past, it's a great learning opportunity for my kids to be able to react to that. Kids have to learn. And they are kids. So they will get hurt along the way. But they will also build confidence.

I'm ready for that 70 acres in Montana now, Sterling!

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Phone Dump

this cute boy deserves all the kisses.

I made this amazing cashew chicken last week. I've been a little obsessed with Mel's Kitchen Cafe lately. She's helping me get out of a cooking rut and I'm glad I found her--haha. Blog are funny things. But we give her 5 stars. What I dislike most about looking up 'easy dinners' online is that they always have fifty weird ingredients that normal (large mormon families) have never kept in their fridge and storage. She uses your basic ingredients to create deliciousness. This one deserved a picture. I want to make it again.


Legos. My kids are loving legos right now. I hate them with a vengeance--because of Russ and his crazy crawling state right now.


Last Saturday we went to a birthday party at this park. I didn't know it existed--but we have been back three times now. It has four different playgrounds and a splash pad. It's amazing!



Ruthie being such a great big sister and spinning Will around.

I made it to the temple a few weeks ago.

Earning library bucks.

I love my mornings at home with this girl!

Molly a la bag.


These pics are all out of order. Cashew chicken again. Ha.

Florida summers with its drenching rain has started. This is all the younger siblings waiting for the older kids to get out of elementary school! DRENCHED!!


Why not eat a popsicle in your panties? Especially with sunglasses.






Our neighbors gave Will all these hand-me-downs. There were several pairs of adorable pajamas--just what he needed! Thank you Antonio's parents!

She just looked cute that day.



Last Saturday Sterling took the kids to a Color Run on Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA while I was working. They had so much fun running, playing on all the bounce houses and watching the karate and dance exhibitions.



Dad even got them a snow cone to share! Sterling said the lady was so sweet, when she realized they were all sharing, she called to the person making it "Make this one EXTRA big!"

I bought myself some flowers on Monday to brighten up the week. I am so so so in love with them. Now the buds on top are blooming and it is so gorgeous!


Fruit and veggies for dinner. Because thats a GOOD meal when Sterling has been gone for so long.

They climb that tree all the time. But luckily I saw them before Ruth actually tried to catch Will while standing on a table. Sweet siblings, but I'm glad it wasn't executed.

Huge news this week! Molly seemed to get over her last dregs of fear of riding her bike and she has been a pedaling demon back and forth to Ruth's school this week. She is doing so great! She still gets a little nervous when the sidewalk slopes up and down, but she goes faster and more confidently every single time. She is so good!!!!!



Russell standing on everything these days.

That's a wrap on all the photos laying around on my phone!

Nerf Gun War

Last Sunday (the 15th) we had Jeff and Diana and the sister missionaries over. It was a hilarious dinner. Complete with me *convincing* Sterling to move to Albuquerque--one of the sisters was from there and it's top of my residency match list---and the kids tipping over their table on top of them. Ya know, all good things. After cleaning up and putting the baby to bed (no worries, this park is literally 100 steps from our front door, we were super close to check on him regularly!) we randomly headed outside for a nerf gun war. It was intense. Molly was the absolute best. She isn't strong enough to caulk the gun. So she had to ask other people to do. Sterling said he asked her to, then stood there for a few seconds trying to situate it in her hands, and then held it up, looked at him for a few more seconds, shot him, and said "Haha! Gotcha!" as if it was some surprise! HAHA! Mostly though she wandered around and picked up all the extra bullets flying around and put them in her little purse. So in the end everyone was out of bullets and she had a purse full and we were all making deals. Jeff said he went over and traded her one for one and then the next time he traded her one for two. Two for him. HAHA.


Will trying hard to run to get daddy.


She'd just walk right up to people. Stealth might not be her strong suit, haha.





Good spot Jeff, haha.

Making an ammunitions deal.


I love this one :)

Bullet hoarder.


The faces you get when you ask for smiles...





This picture captures my heart. And their matching shoes--all the heart eyes.





You are a treasured daughter of our Heavenly Father with infinite worth. Elder Uchtdorf. Oh how I love those girls!!!

After this glorious Sunday we started a week of death. I'd call it something else but this will be printed someday. Sterling has been at work from 4:30am til 9:30pm every single day. Our van had another issue (can we just STOP with the vehicle problems already?!?!?) and I had to ask people for rides and move carseats all around. Then I had to get a babysitter so I could work Friday night and Saturday morning because Sterling was STILL working. And Sterling put the kids to bed really late Saturday night because he wanted to spend time with them...and now today he got called in during church. So our friends (Jeff and Diana) watched our older three on the bench while I drove him home and came back. And I had been asked to give a synopsis of something in Sunday School and teach Relief Society--so just a HUGE thank you to the Liebers. Their daughters babysat Friday and Saturday and Sister Lieber had Russ all through Relief Society and most of Sacrament. He is not easy right now. He is crawling like a maniac, getting into everything, pulling hair, pulling necklaces, constantly twisting in your arms when you try to hold him, he literally never sits still at all. His arms are always reaching. He is into every bag that is on the floor. So the fact that she so willingly helps me out---she is the best. And I renewed our YMCA membership that has lapsed for the past several months. I haven't been able to train all week due to Sterling's schedule --and I need to be able to have a break. The cheapest way is the Y. And it gives us a big discount on swimming lessons which I wanted to make sure happened this summer because we are in the water so much and the kids are improving--help them master things more solidly. I will be so happy when surgery is over forever.