Congratulations Carter!

By turning nine, Carter has moved out of my Wolf den and into the Bear den. Last night he got his arrow point awards, one gold and three silver (that accomplishing 40 extra requirements this year!). Way to go!
Grandpa Bywater (who is a district commissioner) and Carter. I think grandpa is pretty proud to finally have another scouter in the family!

Mom getting "pinned" with the Bear symbol.

Pretty proud of you!

Carter explaining a little about the things he did to get the arrow points.

Really? Are you sure you are talking about my kid?

Remember the kid who froze his own pee? Today was parent teacher conferences and I had to ask several times if they were talking about my Carter, the one in 3rd grade.

"He's very mature for his age and is very polite," one teacher said. (really? Is this the kid who got grounded today for saying 'fart' one too many times in front of me)

"He gets all his work in on time and seems to be very happy to be at school," said another teacher. (really? The kid who I have to strip down to his undies and pour cold water on to wake up every morning.)

"The only time he got upset was when I hung the BYU flag up for football season," said his gym coach. (Okay this is our kid)

"He's reading at a high fourth grade level so we moved him up a grade," said the English teacher. (who knew you could get that much out of Goosebumps and Diary of a Wimpy Kid books).

Okay-- nice of them to say such nice things, but really-- mature? Carter? Maybe he is better behind my back. I guess when it comes down to it as a parent, you'd rather have your kids acting normal in public and acting like themselves at home, behind closed doors. I guess I should thanks Carter for making me look like a good parent?! Weird.

Miss America

(my official picture for publicity, Miss West Valley 1992)


So, I sat down today while Anja was sleeping to watch last night's Miss America pageant. It was beautiful. I was caught up in the lights, the sparkles and the pageantry. I listened to the finalists questions, hit pause on the DVR then answered them myself to see if my answers were as good as theirs (mine always were!). I watched the contestants sway out on stage in stunning gowns and wished it was me (as I pinched the baby fat that has settled around my middle). I long to be up on the stage, feeling the rush of excitement as your name is called-- it's been 17 years since I was crowned Miss West Valley. Would I do it again-- in a heartbeat. The Miss America pageant gave me the means for my degree, the courage to pursue my career and the passion to live like you have all the confidence in the world. I traveled the state, met people who changed my life and found peace in who I really am, inside and out.
We joke about my pageant days--I still love to wear rhinestones and expect to be buried in them. I still wear heels and I revert back to my swimsuit walk when in public (old habits are hard to break).
Guess you could say, "You can take the girl out of the pageant but you can't take the pageant out of the girl"... elbow, elbow, wrist wrist wrist...

Satruday with the kids

My sister and I have similar situations on the weekends. Steven is on call or studying and needs the house to himself and Rich is doing church stuff which can't include us for the most part. So, we make the most of it and take the kids out for some fun. This week she invited us to the Discovery Children's Museum at the Gateway.. I'm not a Gateway fan (goes back to covering too many stories on it and dealing with the Olympics) but once she convinced me I should make the trek into town, we had a blast. Thanks, KC it was a great few hours spend with you and the kids.

Family bonding

I'm not one who minds change. I really do okay with it unless it involves me giving up control for extended periods of time. That's what happened Sunday. A week ago we got a call and yesterday Rich was made the new Elders Quorum president. He's served in EQ presidencies more times than I can count and for the majority of our married life, but never as president. We live in a huge ward with a lot to do. I know he is up for the challenge and I know we will adapt to the phone ringing, dad in a suit and the best part of all--- a clean shaved dad twice a week (a very positive thing as far as I am concerned). But it is still a change and one that blindsided me a week ago.
Maybe the hardest part is sharing Rich with others. He makes our life fun and happy. He can calm a situation and break the tension quickly. He's smart, he's humble and he's my best friend. He also likes to surprise those who least expect it (like the Mamma Mia! party over Christmas break). Guess it was about time I shared him.

Rich's parents came to support him.

As well as the Bywater clan (great-grandpa Kresser, Kristin & Nadia, Shelbi & Scott, mom and dad)

Our Group-- it was Carter's birthday on Sunday so he was ready to go home and celebrate.

Happy Birthday, Carter

I can't believe my oldest is nine today. This is a miracle. Why? Because he hasn't been grounded for life, yet (not even after the pee in the freezer incident), he's still cute (but is starting to smell like a boy), he's funny, I can negotiate with him, I'm still stronger than him, he is a movie junky, and quite frankly-- I wasn't sure motherhood was in the cards for me 15 years ago when we got married. Now, life is grand with Carter.

These are the boys who celebrated his big day this weekend with a "late-over" (all the fun of a sleepover without actually sleeping--the fun started at 7 and ended at 10 pm).

Happy Birthday, sweety-- I'll always be proud to be your mom!

Happy Birthday Rich

This is the big one... 40...

It's not easy being the oldest. I know. I'm the oldest sibling. But, in our family, Rich holds that title. I wont let him forget it either. I had big plans for this date; been working on them for a year. But somehow a higher power took control and now I am here, alone on Rich's birthday blogging. So, indulge me as I reflect on my best friend..

1: those beautiful eyes, 2: his talent, 3: his laughter, 4: his ability to make friends, 5: his inability to remember names, 6: he never forgets a face, 7: he loves the arts, 8: he lets me be MyT Pen, 9: he drives the boys to school every morning, 10: he eats what I cook, 11: he brown bags it, 12: he works hard, 13: he keeps me safe, warm and dry, 14: he only wanted 3 kids, 15: he listened to his mission president and waited, 16: he indulges me, 17: he makes up stories every night to tell the kids, 18: he adores his life, 19: he still likes to sit by me, 20: we love movies, 21: he turns his cell phone off, 22: he sets limits, 23: we can cry together, 24: he puts up with the Bywaters, 25: he travels with me, 26: did I say he'll eat anything I cook??, 27: he digs up the yard EVERY YEAR, 28: he puts the yard back together EVERY YEAR, 29: he loves Hawaii, 30: he speaks Spanish, 31: he doesn't golf, 32: he says "Judas Priest" (what does that mean?), 33: he translates guy locker room slang for me, 34: nightly dodge ball wars, 35: he still smacks my behind when he walks by, 36: he paints, 37: geometry, 38: he loves to drive his car--which is a stick, 39: that whole eternal thing, 40: he choose me.

Happy birthday, love.. and as Marie Posey put it, "80 is a good year to tell the Lord you are done. Until then-sass the world." here's to another 40.

Anja can do anything..

This is Anja. She is amazingly flexible. She can fit her body into unusual places at lightning speed. She started climbing out of her crib and helping herself to juice in the fridge at 3 am at the ripe old age of 21 months. Anja started trying to open windows last week to "see the snow". Anja can do anything she puts her mind to.

This is Anja in her new tent. This is what Anja used all her Christmas money from her great grandparents on this year. It's called: The Crib Tent II, The only way to keep cats from climbing into the crib with your baby. We don't have any cats. It's the only way to keep a climber in their crib at 3 am. Anja is not sure how she feels about this...
This is Anja jumping in her new tent crib. This is Anja learning how to get enough height to break through the new tent. But, Anja did not win this battle, mommy did.. for now. Give her time, she'll figure it out.

Full speed ahead

Big changes since the last post...
1) got forced, I mean strongly urged, to get onto facebook, which I did.
2) Quest figured out why my Internet has been acting like dial-up back to being "smokin' fast."
3) got my old job back--SOOO HAPPY TO BE WORKING AGAIN! Watch out WJ schools and district members-- I'm baaaaack. I'm even getting paid! That's just icing on the cake for me. I love the TVJ papers! Thanks Linda.
Much to post later.

Do not freeze your pee in a cup!

This is a new rule at our house. One I wasn't aware we needed to verbalize until tonight. Conversation at 9 pm with Carter:

mom: "Carter what are you doing in the kitchen? You are supposed to be in bed."

Carter: "Um, nothing, just getting something out of the freezer."

mom: "What is it, another cup of frozen water? You know the rule, I hate it when you freeze water in the bathroom cups because when I open the freezer they fall out and hit my foot. Give it to me."

Carter: "No mom, no. Let me throw it away."

mom: (getting suspicious) "What? Let me see it."

(mom takes it away and for a moment is dazed at the frozen yellow liquid, until she puts it together)

mom: "Carter Richard Coombs!!!! Is this what I think it is?? IF so you are so dead!!!!!"

(mom leaves room in daze and finds dad to deal with situation-- mom looks for parenting book)

Dad: "Carter we do NOT freeze our own pee. It's gross and now you are going to die." (His answer to anything weird our kids do).

--Carter pretends to be worried--

--mom can't stand it any longer and starts laughing--

--Dad laughs, then reminds Carter he's going to die now.--

Everyone stops laughing. Mom tells Carter this is really gross and not to do it again.

New rule at the Coombs house:

"If you freeze it, you eat it."

Carter promises not to pee in any more cups.

Note to all parents: There is not a "Frozen Pee Problems" chapter in any parenting book I could find. You'll have to deal with this one on your own. I just blamed Rich's DNA for this one.