The Pink Blanket

Cameron and I welcomed our favorite blankie into our family the day we were married.  It was made by Cameron's mom as a wedding gift.  It is the biggest and coziest and pinkest blanket around and Cameron loves it.  Despite the warm fuzzies the blanket gave us, it hid a secret identity that was discovered later.  As the children joined our family, they each formed an attachment to the big fluff.  With all this love, the pink blanket turned into the Pink Blanket Monster.  It loved children.  No doubt it was a combination of toddler tears, drool and snot that transformed it into a monster.  It began eating children in 2000 and is still at large.  Just today it slithered into the living room and starting devouring kids whole.  The entire room was in an uproar.  Kids ran toward the monster jumping on it until they were eaten and spit back out.  It was a great night.

The girls have tamed the Pink Blanket Monster.

2000 - Makayla - The pink blanket biding its time.

2002 - Jarin holding the blanket down.

He really sleeps with his eyes half open - even now.

2003

Resting after a session of defeating the Pink Blanket Monster - it's under there somewhere.

2004 - Jarin keeping Kerri safe from the blanket.

2004

2004 - Rebekah crying and Kerri singing.

The blanket doesn't know what to think about this.

Trevor claimed and tamed the blanket in 2004.

2009 - Makayla made a truce with the pink blanket as it warmed her through a few winters.

2010 - This was the year the monster started wearing ear plugs to play.

Little girls squeal high.

Trevor getting eaten alive!

Here it quietly serves as a hut....for now.

2011

Jarin getting swallowed whole by the Pink Blanket Monster!

We just never know when it will strike again!

Barbies on Parade

 For nearly 13 years, Barbies have graced our home in their birthday suits.   This morning my other child (who wishes to remain nameless) alerted me to a delicate situation.  He told me that naked Barbies were inappropriate to have laying around.  I immediately took control of the situation and got out the nail polish bottles.  One hour later and a room full of noxious fumes, all ten and a half Barbies were sporting the latest modest swimwear.  Mission accomplished!  The girls saved up their money and bought homemade modest clothing a month later.  Double score!

A Tooth for a Tooth

Rebekah had a loose tooth (front top right) for six weeks.  No amount of wiggling and tasting blood had persuaded her to pull the lopsided tooth out until......Kerri lost her tooth (bottom left).  As soon as Kerri's tooth fell out, quite by accident, Rebekah detatched her tooth in record time.  There was no way she was going to let her twin get all the glory from the tooth fairy.  I love my children's childhood!

Cynical

Today I was informed by my child, who is to remain anonymous, that her friend thinks I am cynical.  Oh, and that I don't do my fair share of carpooling.  I was a little baffled by this, then hurt, then greatly humored.  I wondered what cynical and car pooling had to do with one another.  Does this child even know what cynical means?
In my humble defense, I CAR POOL a lot.  I spend so much time carting children/teenagers around that when a simple request of taking a bunch of giggling girls to the mall and dropping them off (45-60 min roundtrip) comes up, I am the first to step off the wagon and look busy.  The fact that I'm scared silly of driving on freeways has nothing to do with it.  Really.  Well, sort of.   I'll work on it.

On to cynical.  What does cynical actually mean?  After accepting my constructive criticism graciously,  I ran upstairs and quickly looked up the meaning just in case I rose-colored the term for my sake.


cyn·i·cal 

ADJECTIVE:

1. of or related to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness.
2. skeptical of the integrity, sincerity, or motives of others.
3. bitterly or jadedly distrustful or contemptuous; mocking.
4. showing contempt for accepted moral standards by one's actions.

There you have it folks. 

Just to give the bearer the benefit of doubt, I'm going to think that she meant crazy.  I'll proudly claim that title.

Trying to look cynical.

New Year Sledding

Our 2nd annual New Year sledding complete with mittens, snowy hills, squealing children and hot chocolate.

Jarin was great with the ladybugs.  

He took them down the hill several times before they dared to do it themselves.

Love Kerri's face.

Oh, I love the view!

SO.  MUCH.  FUN!

Getting ready for the famous 'Jensen Train'.

All five kids on three sleds - see Trevor's legs in back.

Opps!

Kerri running after her sled.

Rebekah is thinking about it.....

oh, here she comes!

So serious face.

Just resting.

Makayla demonstrating the art of penguin sledding.

She's got the technique down!

She even looks like a cute penguin.

Trevor biffing it - hee hee.

It's great to supervise fun!

Where's the hot chocolate?