Zoo Days

I finally got off my tush & renewed our zoo membership. I've had a hunch that with the economy as it is, we could probably get a deal if we just held out for a little while. And I was right. What can I say, I'm cheap!!

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My kids have been dying to go back to the zoo, so the boys & I tagged along with the local Joy School group. (Hence the shirts.)

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Frank especially loves the knock-er-ous. Or rhinos, for the rest of us.

Jack got to feed the giraffe. He loved it & really tried to get ahold of that long, purple tongue.I really like this picture. There is glass in between these 2 monkeys, but you can't even tell. Love it!

This is Jack & Aliya. They're kind of in love with each other. They giggle, coo, & crawl all over each other whenever they're together. Seriously, I can't even express how cute they are.Spending the day at the zoo with friends, priceless

Oh, WOW!!

I cannot wait to get down to the Gila Valley to see this in person!

Click here for more pics.

I Want Waves, Mom!

So, we made waves! This was the before.....she even wore it this way to church, with a couple of clips to hold the front braids up out of her eyes.

Monday morning when I got out of bed. Seriously. She can't really read yet, but that doesn't stop her! When it was time to go undo the braids, she told me "NO!! I want to learn all about the Book of Mormon, Jesus, the Doctrine & Covenants, Heavenly Father, & the Holy Ghost! Please, let me read!" Honestly, I just stared at her. What a special little soul she is.The after. This hairdo was a hoot, & she actually cried when we had to wash her hair that night. We'll have to do this again soon.And as girly as this little girl seems to be, this is her, too. The kids built a wrestling ring out of pillows & proceeded to wrestle like crazy apes for almost an hour. Until somebody got hurt, of course. Oh, to be a kid again.

Fruits of Our Labor

In trying our best to be good little pioneers, Andrew & I have been slaving away to preserve everything possible from our massive garden. This is a learning experience for us, trust me. For instance, did you know that if you plant pumpkins in April, you'll have dozens of huge, beautiful, juicy pumpkins in August? Lesson learned. So, since we couldn't use all of our gorgeous Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins for actual Jack-o-Lanterns, we have been roasting them.....pureeing them....

(have you ever used a Vita-Mix? Andy thinks it's the best kitchen gadget he's ever used. Kinda like a blender with a car motor in it. AWESOME!!! We'd like to put in a plug for one as a Christmas present.)& sealing them for freezing. Doesn't that okra look good?And as an anti-pumpkin pie activist, I was SHOCKED to find myself LOVING the pumpkin pie from our own garden. It's so much better than when made with canned pumpkin. Anybody need pumpkin for the holidays? We've got you covered!We also canned some REALLY HOT green chiles. (Not from our garden, but amazing nonetheless.)And we ventured once again to Apple Annie's in Willcox to pick up some apples. There was a little display of tractors that we almost couldn't tear Frank away from.Jack was ready to pick. How cute is my little man?He chewed on this hunk of apple for an hour & a half. He loved it! And the best thing was that it kept him occupied & unaware that he was wearing his hearing aids. Usually we can't go anywhere without the "pilot's cap", but he didn't touch the aids once all day. It was kind of a miracle.Oh, this little thing. What a crazy little girl.Besides all this, we've canned almost 100 jars of different garden delights. But no clues, it's a surprise for later. I'm exhausted just thinking of it, & choosing to ignore the bag of okra on my counter that's just waiting for me to bottle it. If I don't look at it, it's not there, right?

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And in the spirit of doing things ourselves, Andrew has been teaching himself all the finer points of smoking meats on the grill. I have to apologize to my father for what I'm about to say. Sorry, Dad, but these were the BEST ribs I've ever eaten in my life.

Do you think Emma likes them?

I love being a do-it-yourself kind of family.

My Last Free Moment...

....for a while, it seems.

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As I was putting together my schedule for this week, I remember thinking to myself that there was NO WAY I could fit even 1 more thing onto that calendar. In fact, I've been thinking that I might need to cut back on some stuff in order to focus on the stuff that really matters. Boy, I had no idea...

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It all started on Saturday when we got the ever-dreaded call from the Executive Secretary from our ward. I knew immediately that there was trouble brewing. Sunday morning came much too quickly, & I was called, get this, to the YOUNG WOMEN'S PRESIDENCY. 2nd Counselor, to be specific.

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And so went my thoughts:

I think I might cry.

I CAN'T DO THIS!!!

I'm pretty much a single mom, remember?

I have so little left to give, & now I'm supposed to help mold young girls into young women? AAAAHHH!!!!

Did I mention that I can't do this?

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But then I went to Young Women's & the girls were actually excited to have me! I felt a smidgen better. And I had a mother tell me that she was thrilled for me to be teaching her child. OK, a little better.

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And then I was set apart by the bishop. And wouldn't you know that the first 5 words of the blessing were:

Kris, YOU CAN DO THIS.

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Once again, I am humbled by the love & concern that my Heavenly Father has for me. He knows me. He knows my fears, my weaknesses, & my hesitations. So I'm going to believe him- that I can do this. Pray for me. The thought of girly drama, the gossiping, & (heaven help me) girls camp, leaves me a little weak in the knees.

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I'm just going to keep chanting: I can do this, I can do this, I can do this.....

What is WRONG with people?

Didn't I blog just yesterday about "Shopping Cart Parents?" Check out this link to read about the most extreme case I've ever heard of.

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YIKES!!!

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This guy is lucky I wasn't that little girl's mom. He would've been hospitalized after I got through with him.

Shopping Cart Parenting

I'm not sure what makes a person a good parent. Is it the cool clothes you buy, the gourmet food on the table, the games you play, or the way your kids obey an adult? Granted, all of these might have merit, and some might be more important to 1 parent than to another. I think it's more of a combination of all of those abstract "warm fuzzies" that make our kids feel good. Some women, however, know exactly what it takes to be a good mommy & have been lecturing other mommies for years.

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I have been fascinated by the concept of "Shopping Cart Parenting" lately. Having spent a lot of time out & about in Tucson lately, I've come into contact with many such parents. Basically, the concept is somewhat like a back seat driver. They're not in control, they have no responsibility for the outcome of the trip, but they feel a strange compulsion to offer their 2 (or 10) cents whenever a hapless soul comes into contact with them.

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From "you keep your feet tucked into that cart, young man" to "that child needs to sit down" to "you should hold your mother's hand in the store", I've heard it all. And keep in mind that lately I've most often been accompanied by Frank, possibly the best-behaved & most easy-going kid in the state of Arizona. And while we occasionally have one of "those" days, not one time that my family received these tidbits of wisdom were they either necessary or deserved.

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So what's the deal? I was really starting to doubt myself. Do I look like a seedy character that shouldn't be trusted with children? Are my kids hanging from the shopping cart like little monkeys, in constant danger of smashing their little heads? Maybe someone should call the Baby Police & report me.

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But yesterday as I wandered Fry's with Frank at my side, docile & calm, I had a woman counsel him to "behave himself for his mommy." I know, I know, some women just can't help themselves. They've lived the life & feel that they have sage wisdom to impart. That's fine, & sometimes even welcome in times of stress or dire need. But what makes someone comment when there's no screaming, climbing on shelves, or temper tantrums in the cereal aisle?

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I guess I'll never know, because I don't think I will ever be a "Shopping Cart Parent." I kind of take the "it's your mess, you deal with it" approach. I've got messes of my own to deal with.