and 600 posts later, a blog reborn

/ Jo Bird / 4 Comments

It seemed fitting to use my 600th blog post as a forum for sharing my thoughts of late. 

600 posts!

I’m going to confess here, and for some of you who could see right through me all this time it will be no surprise.  But I wanted blog fame.  My first year of blogging was simple and fun.  I enjoyed it, I felt no pressure, and I had only a handful of blog-friends to compare myself to.  Then I started to see bloggers emerge, gain “followers” and enjoy blog fame.  So I became obsessed, I blogged often, I set up Google analytics to track my blog statistics, followers, page-views, etc.  I tried to be clever and captivating.  I tried to have original ideas and share inspiring thoughts.  I checked my blog daily, hourly to see if there were any new comments.  But I was never satisfied. 

During this time I felt compelled to blog about everything.  Nothing in my life was enjoyable or satisfying until I blogged about it.  A fun afternoon outdoors with my kids or a delicious dinner was not complete until I shared it with the blogsphere.  Things started to become backwards.  If you are or were a scrapbooker you might relate, creating events just for the sake of the scrapbook page.  I was creating experiences for the sake of the blog post, to make myself look amazing.  I wanted people to wish they were me.  (AHHH, it’s so painful to say that.)

Lately I’ve seen this quote all over Pinterest and it cuts me to the quick. 

“We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives. We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something. We have to learn to be content with what we are.”
― Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Since I’m 30 now I guess it’s time to develop some maturity.  So I disengaged from Facebook for starters.  After doing that, I started to recognize that I often think in “status updates.”  This was really annoying to realize.  I’ve started to question why I feel so compelled to share share share.  [Let me say that those who don’t share the same insecurities as I do are able to participate on Facebook without comparing/judging/feeling inadequate/being narcissistic. There are entertaining and useful reasons to be on FB. It has been my source of anecdotal research, many laughs and general info about old friends/relatives.]

But all of the sudden I was done.  I am weary of trying to prove via Facebook and my blog that I am a fun-loving mother who cooks delicious meals makes darling crafts has intelligent thoughts and executes impressive home-improvement projects.  While I strive to be all those things, I’m done wasting my effort to share it with the world with the hope that the validation I receive in doing so will somehow make me happy. 

I tried to come up with a clever saying for the following idea, but this is the best I can do.

“I’d rather matter a lot to a few people than matter a little bit to a lot of people.”

So I’m back to blogging.  Blogging for the reasons I started blogging and for my family members who appreciate it.   Should you notice that I am slipping back into my old ways of trying to make myself look good, please just laugh and remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day.  (Is that how that saying goes?) 

Here’s to another, more genuine, 600 posts.

Bite-Sized pancakes

/ Jo Bird / 5 Comments

I’m so excited about this. I can’t stop smiling. If you’ve spent years cutting pancakes for kids you’ll rejoice with me.

I saw on Pinterest the idea to put pancake batter in an empty ketchup bottle to make letter and shape pancakes. My letters and shapes were an epic failure. (My second failed Pinterest endeavor this week.) I was feeling discouraged so I just squirted quarter sized circles on the griddle. They cooked super fast so I had to stay on top of it, but when I served them on the kids’ plates I realized what I had magically created. No-cut pancakes. I’m just tickled.

Happy Birthday to ME

/ Jo Bird / 3 Comments

Today I am thirty years old.  I’m pretty happy about this.  For someone who is frequently told how young they look, getting older becomes good entertainment for the purpose of shock value.  The next time someone says I look 16 I can’t wait to respond, “YES! And I’m 30!” They’ll just die.

A woman I admire, but do not actually know, posted the following video on her blog on her birthday. It’s just like her to be the one giving gifts on her birthday.  But this video has made each day of my life better for the last six weeks since I first saw/heard it.  I converted it into an MP3 so I could listen to it on my phone.  I play it each morning after my alarm goes off, to help me “embrace [the] day with an enthusiastic welcome.”

Throughout the day I recall Elder Busche’s words to give me strength.  When I begin to lose patience with one of the kids, I hear Elder Busche telling me to keep things in perspective.  When I feel lazy Elder Busche reminds me that “in thoroughness is satisfaction.”  When someone hurts/offends me – the voice of Elder Busche urges me to forgive.  And when I have questions Elder Busche assures me that through the Holy Ghost I am entitled to enlightement.

I could go on and on, but I’ll just let the video speak for itself.

Christmas 2011 – LOTSO PIX

/ Jo Bird / 1 Comment
Christmas 2011 brought the entire Tony & Cathy Hall family together, for one week all six children, their spouses and their children gathered.  All together there were 26 people, 16 adults and 10 grandchildren.  It was really great.  It doesn’t happen very often, given that only two of the six children reside in the same city, and that city not being the city where my parents live.  Unfortunately, the day the last of the gang arrived was the day that began the Great Hall Family Stomach Flu Epidemic.  Only a few blessed souls were spared.  My own little family were likely the ones who started the plague, ironic considering we were the only family not staying at my parent’s house.  But by Christmas Eve most were healthy again. 
I thoroughly enjoyed the time with my family, but it was also sometimes chaotic, exhausting and busy busy busy.  But now, looking back through these pictures I feel so blessed. 
These pictures are poor in quality and although there seem to be many, there are not enough.  I’ll have to call upon the new family photog for more/better photos. 

Before the Hall festivities began we had Christmas with the Bird side of the family.  Miriam received a pair of boots but was initially excited about the green tissue paper, holding it up to her body as if it were clothing.

Simon finally received his own little article of Bronco gear, and it was much needed as his little “dome” is prone to getting cold. 

And then the descent of the ten Hall grandchildren on the Hall household. This was after the Christmas Eve pajama unwrapping.   Missing are the newest babies, Eve and Sonya.  Present are [from left to right]: Miriam, Thea, Grace, Cameron, Simon, Charlie, Eli and Antonia.



Here is what seems to be a bad picture, that actually captures perfectly our way of life around here. 

A little better. 



2011 was the year of the babies for the Halls.  [And Birds for that matter!]  It was all things baby with new high-tech moniters, sleep-deprived parents, juggling schedules around breast-feeding and OH THE DIAPERS!

 

No babies yet for these two, thank goodness!

 

Cameron, with solicited support from his dad, Charlie and uncles, organized a flag football game in the backyard.  They played for a long time and I think it was probably the highlight of the holiday for my little football junkie. 



I might have to take that back.  My dad organized a Minute-to-Win-It competition that probably trumped even the football game in Cameron’s esteem.  To this day, any time we go over to my parents Cameron is scheming up some MTWI challenges. 



For these two, marshmallows and chocolate chips were the greater temptation than frantically shaking their heads with a pedometer strapped on, or stacking things with chopsticks. 



I can’t quite remember what this was all about, but it needed to be included.  Brit and Jenessa were team-mates for MTWI.  I think it was some code that they came up with that said “These Halls are crazy, what have we married in to?”

 

Then of course there was bowling, dining out and lots of talking.  Those are the things we do best.  Well, except for bowling.



exhausted

/ Jo Bird / 9 Comments
I once ran a half-marathon, nearly eight miles up-hill and five miles down.  When I went to bed that night I wasn’t as exhausted as I was yesterday when at last my weary body collapsed on my bed. 
Miriam got a hold of a couple markers.  I’m not sure if she was feeling particularly deprived of attention or just especially mischevious, because she’s had markers before without using them to decorate her brother and herself and the walls and floors and stool.  I admit, I sometimes get distracted while online, or trying to accomplish some other task, but that was not even the case in this incident.  I was in the laundry room, sorting through mail and it still boggles my mind how quickly she worked.  The picture almost doesn’t do it justice, his hands, neck and scalp/hair were colored purple and turquoise.  She was no better, her cheeks, hair and arms also covered in markings.  And I mentioned the walls, floors and the stool behind Simon? Fortunately they were washable markers, nothing a wet rag and quick bath couldn’t fix.  UN-fortunately Simon has decided in the last few days that he hates baths, and cried through the whole thing.  I hate baths too, or at least my back hates me after giving them.  But I was able to laugh about it all in no time. 
BUT THEN…
Vaseline. Two-thirds of the 13oz tub. They weren’t in bath when I discovered them, Miriam the trouble-maker and Simon the incidental partner in crime.  Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  When I found them in the boys’ room they were both shoving fistfuls of petroleum into their own and each other’s hair.  I was angry.  I put them in the bath while I composed myself.  I spent 45 minutes washing and rinsing and re-washing the slippery little grease-monkeys.  It was fruitless.  I combed through their hair with a fine-tooth comb and gobs of soap-slime came out but when I finally removed them from the bath with an aching back and no more hot water, it seemed I had made no progress.  I put Simon in his high chair and gave Miriam a “pretty hat” to keep her from contaminating other surfaces.
About this time I called Richard, whose plane had just landed from Spokane.  He asked me if I’d googled it.  I’m not sure why I thought I was the only woman in the world whose child lathered their hair with vaseline.  Apparently it’s a common problem.  The most popular solutions were baby powder/corn starch and Dawn dishsoap.  Hopefully Miriam and Simon don’t develop asthma because I didn’t have corn starch and despite the many warnings about NOT using baby powder because it was so bad for their lungs, I was desperate.  I did Round 2: baby powder, wash with regular shampoo, wash with Dawn, wash with shampoo.  There was definite improvement but still their hair could stand straight up off their head, defying gravity with the stiff support of the vaseline.
This was when the exhaustion took over and I had to call it good.  Off to bed they went, to make greasy pillows and sheets. 
This morning I did Round 3 in the shower, unable to bear the thought of hunching over the bathtub again.  More baby powder, more Dawn and more shampoo.  Once again progress, but I’m sure Simon will require another round and Miriam two or three. 
Someday I will laugh. I know I will.  But this has been by far the most lasting of Miriam’s reckless destruction and I am still feeling totally defeated. 

YMCA Christmas Run

/ Jo Bird / 1 Comment
I love the Christmas Run – I love most runs actually but this one has a special holiday-community-festive atmosphere.  I signed up myself and Cameron and then due to illness Richard ran instead.  I took the little ones to get donuts while we waited.  I got a kick out of the sign, but had no one else to laugh with me so I’m
sharing it here. 
 

the fans



the racers



the fam



the star

This was Cameron’s longest race so far- 2.5 miles.  Richard says he set quite the pace.  Cameron is a spotlight runner.  When he sees someone he knows or when someone cheers for him he gets sudden bursts of energy.  We need to figure out how to help him keep his spotlight speed when no one is looking/cheering.

work party

/ Jo Bird / 1 Comment

Office Christmas parties have such potential for comedic material- but these pictures are about as funny as I can get.  The party was booked at a sports bar this year.  (Not just any sports bar, but one featured by Guy Fieri- Rick’s Press Room.) But despite its fame, some members of the staff thought it tacky to have a holiday party at a sports bar, so in the spirit of being tacky we all dressed up.  There wasn’t a specific decade chosen as a theme, just something fashionable from any decade other than this one.   Michelle took the prize for spending two hours crimping her hair.   I guess it could be debated whether or not some of these outfits were ever fashionable. 

The Christmas party itself was great.  I’ve been working at Carter Dental for five years now and since I only work one day a week I really look forward to other opportunities to spend time with these people.  All but one have been there as long or longer than I have, and Emily – the “newcomer”- was a patient before she was an employee. 

After Kathleen passed away there wasn’t a funeral or service.  We didn’t have the chance to sit share our memories and laugh about her quirks and outbursts.  Kathleen was incredibly kind, thus making said outbursts exceptionally entertaining.  So we took that chance at the Christmas party.  It personally gave me some closure, the chance to say goodbye to her through vocal tribute. 

Miriam turned TWO

/ Jo Bird / 2 Comments
 For her birthday- and because it’s a tradition on the day we get the Christmas tree- we went to IHOP for breakfast.  Every time we go there we wonder “Why don’t we come here more?” I know- it’s IHOP.  But there is something so hard about having to choose which tasty and horribly-unhealthy breakfast we want, so we therefore need more opportunities to do so.

 Miriam didn’t have a lot going for her at this birthday- she is the third child so she gets a lot of hand-me-downs, we live in a small house so there isn’t much space for new toys, and her birthday is unfortunately close to Christmas.  She got a Scensty Buddy (stuffed pig) to prevent the on-going poopy-diaper odor in her bedroom, a book and a doll stroller. 

We adore Miriam.  She is the perfect combination of fiesty and sweet.  She has the tender heart of a sensitive little girl, but paradoxically the tough spirit of a pioneer woman.  You can easily hurt her feelings but you can do nothing to her independence.  She is curious, determined and fearless; a combination that drives me crazy.  She is the child that I used to attribute to bad parenting when I saw her behaviors exhibited in other children.  Perhaps it is bad parenting- but these kids all come so different and we’ve all heard it said that they don’t come with a manual.  Since she was old enough to crawl (which wasn’t very old) her heart’s deepest desire was to be with her brothers, and it continues to be so.  She hasn’t been interested much in princesses, like many of her peers but that is probably related to the gender dynamic around her.  She has recently been putting on skirts in the mornings, after she gets out of bed and before she leaves her room.  So she’s got her feminine side for sure.

Her current loves are band-aids and Yo Gabba Gabba.  Her vocabulary continues to grow, and I think she enjoys the added effect of words when expressing her opinions, rather than relying on sour expressions alone. 
But all sour expressions are forgiven when she politely responds “Yes peese” to all my questions.
“Will you get your shoes?”
 “Yes peese.”
“Will you throw this in the garbage?”
 “Yes peese.”
That’s our sweet and sassy little Miss.

if tables could talk

/ Jo Bird / 6 Comments

We temporarily return to the present time period for a tribute to a kitchen table. 

I mentioned I wasn’t particularly sentimental about our tv.  But I’m painfully sentimental about this kitchen table.  I’ve eaten meals at this kitchen table for my entire life.  This table has been witness two a family of four, then five, six, seven and eight.  (Yes, it only seats six, the little boys had to eat at the counter.)

I imagine this table saw Hall family debates, family meals, much laughter, dozens of birthday parties, and I know for a fact that tears were shed over this table.  Tears about slimy broccoli.  Homework was done at this table, sewing done at this table.  Letters written, letters read.  Books and newspapers read.  Thousands of mugs of ice cream.  Delicious meals were eaten, not so delicious meals were reluctantly eaten.  Countless bowls of cereal were consumed at this table.  Siblings argued at this table, parents paid bills at this table.  Imporant decisions were no doubt discussed at this table.  Games played at this table.  Oh the games played at this table! The alphabet was carved into this table, along with the romantic tribute “Mom + Dad” in a heart. 

Then this table once again belonged to a family of two.  Then three, four, five and now six.  More of everything mentioned above was done at this table.  Children spent hours at this table eating and avoiding eating.  Little people climbed on this table to retrieve fruit with little hands.  Painting and crafting have been done at this table.  A chair, that currently resides in Nebraska, is missing from this table. 

We ate our last meal at this table on Sunday.  I didn’t cry.  But I still want to.

I couldn’t bear to part with this table if it weren’t for a new table I received as a gift.  The new table isn’t “new” but it was a labor of love from a friend who moved away.  And it is much nicer looking. 

I’m tempted to selfishly hold on to it, keep it in my garage until I have a house big enough for two tables.  (HA! I can see Richard cringing as he reads that.) But I am reminded of Buzz & Woody.  What good were they packed up in a box in an attic?  What kind of life was that for them? 

Hopefully my dear table will find renewed functionality meeting the needs of a new family. 

So long kitchen table.

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Does anyone need a kitchen table? Free to a good home.