I Believe in America

We went to a rodeo this weekend, there is something uniquely American about a rodeo, as a cowgirl rode out on her horse, full speed, carrying an American flag they played the song "I Believe in America". I don't know who sings it nor had I ever heard it before but it brought a tear to my eye. I believe in American too, I love this country. The announcer praised our troops and this great country founded on freedom and then he said I am going to exercise that freedom and say a prayer. It was a sincere prayer of gratitude for this land we all live in and the safety of all the participants and the fans. I was thrilled, it reminded me that there are good people all around us, sure we have our problems but I will take American any day over any other country.

The rodeo was the highlight of my week, I liked the team roping, Loren liked the bull riding, Ty's favorite was the steer wrestling and Wyatt liked the the clown, especially when they blew off the lid on the BBQ. The girls had a babysitting job and a birthday party to go to, so Ty got to bring his friend Tate. We met the Mclemore's there and just cheered, laughed and clapped our hearts out. Those cowboys and cowgirls are a tough group of people. It made me proud to be an American.

PS: congrats to Ty as he is back on the front page

Back to Work

I have been on spring break the last two weeks, you can tell by the number of post, no work means way more time home, no school for the kids means more time with them and more stuff to write about. I was off all last week too, while the 3 youngest went back to work that was my "real vacation". This week when the kids have school and I am still off (it happens twice a year, October and March) I have to say I am an amazing mom, so what it only happens twice a year. The lunches are packed to each kids specification, you want peanut butter, no prob, turkey sandwich for you, you bet. I offer to make breakfast, (they still often want cereal), I make homemade cookies warm from the oven when then come home after school, we have pretty good dinners, I get to drive them to school, I get morning time with Loren before he starts work, the house is clean, I am not stressed, I have time to myself, I get to read a good book, watch some daytime TV, go to lunch with my sisters, (this picture was taken last year spring break) go to Target with Taylor (she is on my same schedule) - Life is good :)

ps: As I write this Ty comes up and say what are you writing about he looks for a second then he says "Oh man I am not on the front cover anymore" (he means the first post) All I can say is Ty step it up, the front cover is open to anyone :)

Elaine vs. Lane and the Taco

This is a two year old story but one worth repeating. A quick side note, about the time this happened we all went camping and my mom made the statement that the funniest story EVER was when she picked Dale Jr. up from the airport after Marine Corps Basic Training and he sat ram-rod straight while they waited for their plane. Really that is the funniest story I think I can top that.

Our friend Lane was over doing work in our yard, breaking our horse just miscellaneous stuff and I had just gotten back from running errands and a quick stop at Taco Bell. I knew Lane was over so I got an extra taco and burrito. I told Ty "run this out to Lane." He was gone a long time but whatever maybe Lane was out back I didn't know, Ty came back and ate his taco and that should be the end of it. NOPE.

A week later I was getting a pedicure and our neighbor Elaine was there too and she came over and thank me for the taco? What in the world is she talking about is what went through my mind, but I didn't' let on. She continued, "I was starving and late for work and here comes your boy knocking on my door with a Taco Bell taco. I was so thankful it was just what I needed." It all started to fall into place, I had said Lane, Ty still says I said Elaine, no wonder he was gone so long. I also wonder what Elaine really thought of us when she saw an 8 yr old boy offering her ONE Taco Bell taco. You have to laugh, I think it tops DJ sitting up really straight. Ty didn't like this story told but I guess 2 years is enough time because he is OK with it now, I tried to tell him that maybe he was the answer to Elaine's prayer.

Supermoon

Last night the moon was the closest to the earth 221,565 vs the average 238,857 miles in 18 years so it was suppose to be so much larger. Of course we needed to see if they news guys really knew what they were talking about, we headed out to see, we needed to get away from all the trees. We went a mile down the road to a park that looks like the money ran out before it could be finished, like a "ghost park" Loren said I wish I had money to donate so they can finish it. Loren and I were concentrating on watching the moon rise, well we watched what we could through the clouds. The kids didn't think it was as cool as we did, they would glance up at the moon and continue with their singing and joke telling. I had to laugh, one of my favorite sounds in the entire world is kids laughing - you can't help but smile.

Wyatt's joke "What do Martin Luther King and George Washington have in common?
They were both born on holidays. Now this answer did not come quick we had to actually guess, they are both men, nope, well yep but that is not the answers, they both had beards, not even close, they were presidents (no no Kyley don't they teach you anything) they were both assassinated (nope Ty listen in social studies will ya.)

Wyatt, Ty and Kyley discussed their "Noodle" concert. Over the summer when we had the pool noodles they made up some songs, the noodles were their microphones and they would put on concerts.

Up date Up date, Kyley has quit the Noodles and has instead become their manager. Wyatt and Ty are still practicing and will put on a concert soon. With a new manager their p.r. has stepped it up, they have made computer fliers in different colors, no hand written ones with Kyley as the manager. I am so impressed. So while the Supermoon was not all that super the quality time with the kids more than made up for it.

Wyatt's Spring Break Goals

First: learn how to ride his bike, I know I know I have failed in the parenting department, he is 7 and cannot ride a two wheeler. It is because we live on a dirt road no smooth asphalt to learn on. He is getting better - hopefully I don't discourage him by yelling "keep pedaling or you will fall" too often and "why are you turning, you are heading straight into the tree, tramp, car..." Learning is hard work, he would rather jump on the tramp with our dog Dually.

Second: Read all his books he got at the library. This one is a no brainer, he is an awesome reader and will rip right through them, unless of course he masters his bike then I won't be able to keep him off the bike and then he will not accomplish his second goal. Oh what to do what to do.

Spring Break = Cousins...

and I love it. We joke I live out of town (Gilbert vs Mesa) so we don't get to see the Goodman cousins much, I think that is why when spring break comes along we make up for missed time. Tuesday Jacob and Abby spent the night, now Abby is Wyatt's age but Kyley invited her, she is such a good big cousins, she plays with them and treats them like a queen, I love it. I laughed my head off when they announced they were having a "Spa Day" and I went into Taylor's room to not only find Abby getting made over by Kyley but Wyatt, Ty and Jacob (sitting with his feet in the mas-sager) waiting all reading magazines. I tried to snap an inconspicuous picture but I failed and they all "manned" up. Since the spa day wasn't manly enough Ty and Jacob headed out to make bike ramps and jumps, trying to catch air. I remember doing the very same thing with Mike, Kelli, Dale and Laura (we haven't' changed that much)

Wednesday Dyan and Karrie both made the long drive out to see my new floor and Karrie wanted to fetch her kids (I hope they weren't too grumpy today). Dyan stopped and picked up Little Caesars and we feasted on pizza while the cousins played. Dy, Karrie and I sat around the kitchen table talking doing our best to encourage the kids to leave us alone, so we are not sure what was occupying all their time outside, I am sure it was jumping on the trampoline, digging in dirt, swinging on the swing, making "food" (thanks Annie) and just being kids totally content. We saw them when the needed a drink or wanted more pizza, perfect.

Before Dyan left I asked Jack, Jay and Kate if they wanted to look for eggs, sure enough there was a white one in the old cupboard and a brown one in the chicken coop. Jay needed an egg too so we went in the kitchen and I let him pick one, he chose a green one. They all took them home nestled in their shirt. Jack wanted to keep his warm hoping to hatch a chick, I said why don't you just eat it for dinner tonight.

If I haven't said it enough I love spring break!

Spring Break (official) Day 1

My dad organized a Goodman family breakfast at Usery Park last year, I don't know if two years in a row makes it a tradition yet, but it was fun. Loren had to work since he had missed 3 weeks due to pneumonia and grandma Perkin's death so it was just me and the kids. About a mile from the turn off we saw a deer on the side of the road, we had to slow down as it darted across the road in front of our car. I knew then it was going to be a great morning. We made eggs, potatoes, bacon, and sausage, while the kids played and we all laughed and visited. After we had eaten we hiked the mountain I use the word mountain loosely). I love the beauty of the desert (when it is not hot) and the hike up the mountain was perfect length for me. The kids got good bonding time with their cousins that they don't get to see enough and I got good bonding time with my mom and dad and brothers and sisters. What a great way to start off the break.

Spring Break

I love spring break, it has a feel to it. October break doesn't have the same feel, it is more of a relief that the heat is finally over. But spring break feels great! I go back to when I was in high school and Kelli and I probably upped our hours at DQ so we could go shop for spring clothes to go with our tans we were diligently working on and that I am now paying for with wrinkles and freckles. It meant the annual trip to the zoo that my mom would take all 8 of us kids plus Kelli and Mike and who ever we could fit it in the silver bullet (van). It means orange blossom, one of my favorite smells and softball games. Forgetting a jacket because the nights still got cool. It means warmer weather and freedom, late nights, late mornings, a new pedicure, time off work. I think it is a week (or two if you work in Chandler) to just BE and I am thankful for it every year.

Sunday Thoughts...

As I sat in our usual row in church on Sunday (don't we all have our assigned seats and it feels so strange when someone takes our seats) I watched the family that sits in front of us. They had two daughters home from college and I watched the mother she was smiling interacting and whispering to them, she looked so thrilled to have her daughters home if even for a moment. I then looked down the row ( which is unusual because I am always in the middle with kids fighting who gets to sit next to me, I should be flattered but I am usually annoyed) so I look down the row at my 4 kids, and I almost started to cry, my heart was filled with happiness and peace. I love these four children of mine. Each one unique and each one growing so fast. I thought I only have Taylor for 2 more years then she is off to college and I will be like the mother in front of me.

I am so thankful for these kids of mine, they make me laugh, and cry, they surprise me daily. Some days I feel like a super woman and the best mom ever, while other days we have cereal for dinner. They are slobs some days and neat freaks others, they never do their chores without being asked then you come home from work and entire house is clean. They expect you to jump at a phone call and pick them up at a moment notice, then all the sudden they are driving. I don't even know if I am teaching them anything, then out of the blue they will write me a letter or they will say I learned it from you and I think well I can't be all bad. I just love these kids of mine and I guess I will just have to cherish all the time I get with them because I am learning very quickly it goes way way way too fast.

New Floors ...(finally)

We have lived in this house for nearly 5 years and I have hated the flooring. We had cheap perhaps the cheapest carpet around that was just a dirt magnet, white tile with 24 year old grout and cement in the kitchen. All these while living on an acre off a dirt road. I dust and dust mop and mop and it never ever felt clean. But this was my year, our tax refund was good and the flooring I wanted was on sale hip hip hooray! I came home from work on Friday and Loren and his brother-in-law Kurt had started the hallway. Saturday we did the entry way, Sunday the kitchen, Monday most of the living room, Tuesday the bathroom and finally Wednesday the rest, we just have to caulk and do the base boards, easy I am told.

It looks so good I am loving Backburg Barn Board (name of our flooring) it goes so good with our "cabin red" kitchen. The flooring opens up the house and I am falling in love with the house not just the land. Loren has been so good and patient, I have wanted everything done right away, but who has that kind of money, none of our trees in our yard are money trees, and Loren has said "what is the hurry we've got at least 30 years here." So true so true, but those 30 years are going to be so much happier walking around on cool new flooring (now if I could just get new counter tops:)