It's a BOY!!!

Before all you start going crazy, let me clarify.... I AM NOT THE MOTHER. My sister, Tressa is having her first bundle of joy, due January 2009. And, we found out a week or so ago that it is a Boy! We are all very excited, even Kaylee who requested a girl. Charles is especially elated. When we first told the kids about Tressa's baby we tried to video their reaction. It wasn't very good. The reaction to the news of a boy was incredible! Of course, we didn't have a camera recording, so we tried to recreate it. We are very excited for our new baby nephew/cousin!!!

So... for the last couple of days I have been trying to upload a video of the kids' reaction to the news. Well, the video is too long, I finally discovered today. Sorry!

Another Movie Review... and a diagnosis

So, my children were taken by my sister and brother-in-law earlier this evening for a two day sleepover. As they say... when the kids are away, mom and dad can finally play! So, we decided to go see a late movie. I actually suggested this. This is a new thing for me. I know Louis has really wanted to see Ironman, and I was actually intrigued by it also. I wasn't disappointed, but there is some tasteful editing I would've liked to do. At any rate, it was a pretty good show and really made my husband happy to know that I would go with him to watch his movie. Anyways... on to the diagnosis. I suffer from anxiety. I would say acute anxiety. Now, let me clarify this, I have not been diagnosed by a doctor or any other such thing. No, I just figured this out on my own. I also might add that my husband has diagnosed me as a hypochondriac. Whatever. I notice a peculiar pattern with the onsets of my anxiety. They occur quite frequently, but only after a few consistent events. The two uppmost in my mind are telephone calls beginning, "Hello, Sister Koberstein...." and the second being movies. Not just any movie, but particularly one of my husband's choice. In general these have turned out ok in the end, and some have even become favorites with sentimental value. For example, The Hunt For Red October. Now this classic movie caused me much anxiety, but we also watched it to celebrate our one year anniversary. A while back I came upstairs to find him watching this movie, plopped down on the couch next to him and reminisced about our "romantic" one year anniversary. Other favorites include The Great Escape, some Indiana Jones adventures, Stargate SG-1, and Gattica. One of my not-so-favorites was Mission Impossible 3. This took a lot of coaxing to get me to agree to sit down and watch it. Let me tell you that I knew I was in for it when the music began and my heart rate accelerated to 50000 beats per second... and remained there until an hour after the movie, at which point I lay in bed certain that someone was in the basement coming upstairs to plant a bomb in my brain, looked up to see the door moving and screamed, scared Kaylee to death and even caused Louis to take a quick sharp breath. Yes, folks, I don't need horror movies, just a good action packed film. Next time I let my hubby choose the flick, I think I'll have a dose of blood pressure meds or something. I won't be surprised if I die of a heartattack.... on a date, at the movies, with Louis.

Another Do

So, here is another hair style. I am getting excited about school starting, and sad. Mixed feelings, really. Anywho... Kaylee looks so cute when she will let me do her hair. This is one of my favorites. It's really easy to do and the ribbon is so cute in her hair.

So I just made three sections. Tied a LONG ribbon in each of the front two ponytails and then tied it in a small bow. The rest of the bow was braided into the hair back to the big ponytail. Then I used both sides of the ribbon from each small braid to tie a big bow at the back. I secured the braids with a bobbypin. Then curl the ponytail.


Speaking of cute hair-do's and ribbons.... last week I went to my friend's house and checked out her adorable hair bows. She has a little business making hair bows and such, they are SO cute, adorable, and afordable. The best is that you can take her an outfit and she will custom make a bow for that outfit!! She told me she does parties where you can come browse through their selection, or bring some outfits and have the bows made right then and there! I was thinking about doing one of these in a week or two for back-to-school time. Are any of you interested in coming? Leave me a comment!

Final Summer Fling

We decided that since we really didn't have a vacation this summer we'd better do something! We had planned to camp out on Friday night, but all the camp sites were full, Surprise! We instead headed up to Bear Lake on Saturday morning and spent the whole day playing on the beach! We stopped for hamburgers and a shake when we first got in so we could last the rest of the day with just snacks.

When we got to the beach I had to lather the kids in sunscreen and then coax them away from the water while it dried. We finally got them interested in a game of Go Fish. That is the new favorite game here at our house.

The kids both loved it there. It was really fun to watch them run and play in the water.

They spent lots of time digging in the sand, finding seashells, and their favorite thing was getting buried!

Even Charles wanted to do this.

It was so much fun. I just love Bear Lake because you can walk out forever without worrying about the water getting too deep. I would really love it if we had some jet skis to use, but maybe one day. We ended the day tired, but happy. None of us got sunburns! That is a huge accomplishment! We headed home to roast hot dogs and marshmallows at our new gathering area. Louis helped build a gazeboo type shelter here for our HOA in May and June. They purchased some nice lawn furniture, a grill, and a fire pit thing. We finally tried it out and loved it!

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Movie Review... and Emotional Release

Ok, so I finally got a hold of Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. I hadn't heard anything about it, really. I just put a hold on it at the library and waited my turn and ta da! It's my turn. We watched it tonight with the kids. I really, really loved this movie! It's the first movie in a LONG time that I have watched that is ABSOLUTELY clean!!! Yea! Also, the kids loved it. Well, Charles did fall asleep part way through, but that is because he was tired, not because he didn't like it. Kaylee told me it was her favorite, which means, of course, that she also enjoyed it. Even Louis laughed a few times and enjoyed it, and THAT is saying something. I loved it. I want to watch it again right now, but my eyes can't handle anymore tears. Yes, folks, I cried my eyes out! I know, laugh it up. I just couldn't help it. If you haven't seen the movie yet you may not want to read on, it may spoil it........................

Ok, so I tried to figure out later why I was so upset by Mr. Magorium's departure. I was sad all along, but the flood gates opened when he quoted Shakespeare and he was just so non-chalant about the whole thing. "He dies." I am Mahoney. I am stuck. I am not exactly sure what this block of wood can do. I used to really believe it was worth something and I lived for all those wonderful things. Then one day, it seems, I looked again and it was just a silly block of wood. I am afraid I may be selling my magical store because I don't believe I can do it anymore and I will settle for something else, just because. I can't really place who Mr. Magorium is. Many faces flash in front of me, and the thought of losing any of them right now is frightening and painful. I think the one that most readily comes to mind and gives me an empty feeling in my gut is my dear grandmother. I know that scientifically she isn't supposed to be able to live forever, but sometimes I believe that if I wish hard enough, or look needy enough, she will live forever. I am not ready for her to depart. I also really don't forsee this anytime in the forseeable future, but again, I'm not being completely realistic and whether it were one day or one million more, if I have to let her leave me, I won't be ready. On that same thought, it really isn't just this grandma, but ALL my grandparents. Meaning, my dad's mom, my mom's mom, Louis' grandma, and my grandpa. I have been so fortunate. I have only had to watch one grandfather depart. But, it was so very painful, that I don't ever want to experience it again. Maybe this really has nothing to do with my emotional outburst. Perhaps I just needed a good reason to cry and let things out. Whatever the reason, I had an opportunity to think about a few things. What potential do I have that I am not able to see? Have I become a "just" woman? Will I be as ready to finish my life as wonderfully as Mr. Magorium because I have made the most of it? And not in the sense that I did all the things in the world I thought I should do for myself, but doing all the right things, living a full, happy life, accomplishing the things I really always hoped to accomplish. Will I be able to be brave when the time comes for my dearest loved ones to depart? Will I be able to tell all of the wonderful lives they lived, even though I may be sad for a while? I hope so. I guess that is all I can do. Hope and believe and keep on going.

Swimming Performance Day

Kaylee and Charles just finished their second and final session of swimming lessons for the summer. I was so excited to watch them today because last time Kaylee was sick, and Charles wasn't feeling too hot and cried the whole time! Louis and I went and our neighbor Steve. (Steve is the one who Kaylee and Charles always run to when mom is too mean.) I was very proud of both kids and how much they have learned! It is amazing to me to see how much more Kaylee can do after only a couple years of lessons. And Charles did great today! Not even a hint of tears! He was so excited to do everything, and he had a lot of fun cheering for Kaylee, too. I took more video than pictures today, it's fun to watch them again. I am so proud!! Of course, Louis notices all the things they need help with since he is a great swimmer himself.

This is Kaylee swimming across the short side of the pool. She did great!



This is Kaylee treading water in the deep part of the pool. I was so impressed with this because I can hardly do this!



I am so impressed that she can jump off the board and get somewhere without a teacher right there! Kaylee seemed to struggle a bit today. I have seen her jump off the diving board and swim the length of the pool a couple times and usually she has a much easier time with it than she did today. I think she gets so excited to have us there watching that it's easy to get distracted.



Charles is always a little nervous about putting his head is the water and so I was really proud of him today! And check out those kicks!



I loved watching Charles reach with his arms. I wish I had videoed the song she has them sing. It was fun to hear!



I just love to watch the kids go off the diving board! When Charles gets out he comes over each time and says... "I did it and I didn't even cry!" I should have walked over closer to the board for this video, just ignore the little girl sneezing and smearing snot over her face. (By the way, those two girls were so cute and fun to watch! :))

Fun in Perry

In July my sister, Tressa, and her husband, Jake, moved to Perry. There was much weeping and wailing. My kids have had an especially hard time realizing that we can't just invite them over on a whim anymore... and we can't walk to their house or even ride the bus there any longer. On Saturday, after the fair we decided to go down and visit them at their new house. We were there briefly during the moving, but hadn't been back. The kids were very excited and we had lots of fun! Jake and Tressa have an awesome backyard and even a swingset! The kids LOVE to play with Jake and he is so great to play along with them. Their favorite game is Star Wars. We also had a special treat. Tressa and Jake purchased new couches and the salesperson told them that to make them really soft, they should jump on the cushions. So... that is what we did, ALL of us! I had to explain to the kids several times that they only do this when Jake and Tressa tell them to, and they NEVER do it at our house! We've never experienced what new furniture feels like and I couldn't help but wonder why we'd want to break them in when it might mean that they'd just be getting soft in about 15 years, and maybe they'd hand them on down! :) hee hee.

Six little monkeys... jumping on the couch!


Charles playing a storm trooper. The hose was his gun, and he got all of us!






Tressa as Darth Sidious... yeah, sorry all you Star Wars buffs, I slaughtered that, I'm certain!




Jake, Kaylee, and Charles AKA Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker