Enduring Friendships

100 years ago, I was a little college sophomore. My friend and I had made a goal that we would go travel Europe together the year my Dad went on Study Abroad (1996). So in order to keep that dream alive, almost on a whim, I up and left my life as a college student and went to New York to spread my wings and earn some cash. It was no whim and no mistake that I went to New York, because I met one of the best sorts of people in the world while I was there. A friend that would tell me how ugly I look in Umbros (ugh), and who loaned me her jumpers (they were cute at the time) and show me what true generosity means. A friend that would be my friend through thick and thin, and until I am old and gray. Today is her birthday and I want to thank her for her friendship and her example of of kindness and generosity. Thanks for all the fun times Challey Hoopester.

Some of the best and most wonderful people I know.

Why can't we get together like this more????

Thanks Challey for liking me even when

I had a really bad "Rachel" mullet cut.

And thanks for being so willing to forgo

nightclubs for museums for me:

Cape Cod: in a jumper and overalls. What else?

(The Umbro picture wouldn't post!!! Tragedy. Thanks for keeping me clothed in Europe.)

My Slide Into Insanity

A sample of my morning so far:

6:45 a chipper, bubbly Clara climbs on top of me and tells me to get up. I love being told what to do by her. Love it. especially in the morning.

6:50 Clara and I go wake up the kids. She insists on staying downstairs while I go up to start making lunches. One minute later, just on schedule, she comes up the stairs, crying and gnashing her teeth. She needs a drink. Not that cup, the frog one (which is dirty), she falls on the floor crying. I start making lunches, stepping over her writhing body. She starts ordering me to get her a peanut butter sandwich. No a burrito. No an apple. No hold me as I throw a fit. I don't have time for this! I have to get the lunches made, breakfast on the table, and hair combed, etc. She clings to my legs screaming as I get stuff done. Finally she sits at the counter to eat. I get her cereal. But she doesn't want that kind. So I take the bowl and set it in front of Anders (it's too easy), "NOOOO. That's mine." She takes it back and eats it.

The kids leave. She wants a movie, so happy to have her out of my hair we put on Mulan. I go to clean the kitchen. "NOOOO you watch it with me. Hold me." Grrr. I sit and hold her and finally am able to leave her and get a few things done.

I get in the shower. She comes crying upstairs. "I want to shower."

She gets in. It's tooo hot. I get out and leave her to her cold shower. After her shower she won't get clothes on. Not warm clothes anyway. It is SNOWING outside. She insists on a tulle skirt and Mulan slippers. I'll have to fight this one later before we leave the house. Better add ten minutes in for the tantrum that is sure to happen.

Then comes time to do hair. She wants ponytails, but she wants to do it herself. She screams and gets so angry because it just isn't working out. So I do it. But "NOOOO not the pink one, the purple one," I switch rubberbands to the right colors, but still she is raging. "Pink on this side, Purple on this side." So I obey. She looks in the mirror, "I am beautiful." Phew. I set her down and two seconds later she pulls the ponytails out and starts raging. She wants them in again. "No. You only get them in once. I'm not putting ponytails in all day." RAGE. ANGER. She gives up that battle and now orders me to put the rubberbands away, (of course just as I've moved onto another task). "Put them away, Put them away, Put them away." she screams. I ignore her for awhile, but for pity sake, she won't stop so I finally give in and put them away and then she wants to be held. I hold her. But I am not doing it right. My arm isn't in the right place. We adjust, but, "NOOOO not like that!" plus she needs her blankey. But not the big one. The little one.....

SERENITY NOW! I've been here with all my kids. I hate this age. Hate it. They can be cute, sure, but a whole day in the company of a toddler tyrant is enough to bring out the very very very worst in me. I know it passes. Been here, done it three times before. Doesn't mean I like it any better. Maybe I'll actually learn patience this time around.

But for now, I just need to say something really mature to my little tyrant who has just brought me a Barbie and wants me to dress it (a hellish game we play all day that leads only to tears because apparently I don't know how to dress the Barbie exactly as she wants): CLARA YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!!!!!!!!

Foot In Mouth

Once, when Rob barely began medical school, a bunch of students, Rob included, were changing in the locker room after anatomy lab. One guy, near Rob started going off. Saying things like, "Mormon women are so ugly, why would anyone want to marry one of them let alone two or three." You know silly stuff like that. Rob wasn't offended. The guy was joking around and didn't know what he was talking about. Rob came home and told me about it and we had a good chuckle. Then someone must have told him Rob was Mormon and the guy came crawling on all fours, apologizing. He sought me out at a party and couldn't stop apologizing. We laughed and became friends with him. He was a great guy. A loud New Yorker, who we liked a lot.

So anyway as we've been going through this interview process it is always fun (not really) when I tell people I have four kids. "Good Lord!" Is the common refrain as people pick their jaws up off the floor (okay not everyone, but definitely some). And then they figure out we started our family when were practically babies ourselves and they just gawk. It kind of bugs me, but I totally get it. I would do the same. I'm one of those more liberal leaning, pro environment kinds of people who would probably have one child at the age of thirty if I came from a different culture. So I get over it, and laugh, and make a joke, and then we move on.

So anyway at one interview we were out to dinner (ahhh, at last the wining and dining) with a group and I was sitting next to this older partner. "So you are from Utah? Isn't that where all those nut-wing job Mormon's live. Isn't Utah the place with the archaic liquor laws. I mean those Mormon's are all a bunch of crack pots, right?" What could I say? Yes we are crack pots, but so is everyone, right? I was trying not to laugh and just said, "Mormon's are definitely conservative. I think they just over turned those liquor laws though." He continued boldly, " And isn't there that HBO show about Mormons and all their wives. Why would you want all those wives. I don't get it!" I wanted to add, oh yeah and by the way we are Mormon. I think some other partner was a bit more clued in and quickly changed the subject to the movie Raise the Red Lantern about Chinese concubines. I was glad I'd seen it and could help move the conversation away from it's awkward bend. Hahaha. What would that guy have done if he knew? He would probably send me a case of wine in apology.

O'ahu

Rob and I spent last week on O'ahu. Rob had an interview at Queens hospital. We had a great time. We haven't ever really explored O'ahu and really enjoyed it. It is so amazingly beautiful. Our hotel was right on Waikiki. The Queens radiology is great and we also got to meet with a guy from the Kaiser hospital group who was really nice. We also got to spend time with Rob's brother Christian and his wife Shandra and their super cute baby.

This is us on Waikiki:

In NYC I ate at this place and was anxious to try it again. Our hotel was next to Ala Moana shopping center which had one. It was as good as I remembered. If you like cream puffs these are the BEST! (We had way toooo much good food in HI):
The Pali lookout. Amazing views. We did this before we headed to Kaneohe for some kayaking. I am a wimp. We were supposed to kayak out and snorkel, but I was too chicken. I couldn't see the ocean floor, which spooked me out, and what if there were sharks? Oh well, it was really fun anyway. A girl from the Queens group let us use her kayaks, which was very nice of her:

We met Shandra and Tristan at Kailua beach. Amazing!! And Tristan is so adorable. He seemed to be very comfortable at the beach, both in and out of the water:


That evening we got dinner and ate it on Waikiki and watched the Hilton fireworks. Tristan didn't like the fireworks, but enjoyed practicing learning to stand:
Christian and Shandra took us on a great hike, Maunawili. It was muddy and slippery and gorgeous. I loved it. Poor Shandra got eaten alive. Not good. The boys had fun jumping of the falls and it was good fun seeing the crazies who climbed up the cliffs and dived in:




I thought T looked very cute peering out:
T&C took us to the North Shore for some good food and the great beaches. It was so beautiful, however we did get rained out. (Jack Johnson lives at the rainbows end):


Rob and I hiked Diamond Head which was a very HOT hike, but worth it for the amazing views. The old pre WWI bunkers were super cool too:



C&S took us for a drive around Manoa where there are some very cute houses I lust after, then for a drive above Manoa on Roundtop. Amazing views. So spectacular:

It was so nice to get a better feel for the place. Thanks for touring us around Christian and Shandra. We loved it there!

Another Trip South

Last week we met up with most of Rob's family for a quick Zion trip. I don't think I'll ever get tired of that place. We had a good time and as our time in Utah may or may not be drawing to a close I feel like I want to do and see every little thing as much as we possibly can. Just in case.

This was on the Angel's Landing trail. We went to Scout's landing, not all the way. I'm too chicken.





Rob teaching the children valuable skills: how to light a forest fire.

Todd using Lucy for bicep curls:
One of my favorite hikes at Zion. Don't remember the name. It is just on the other side of the big tunnel:

The dropoffs are a bit nuts here:

Checker board Mesa

We drove over to Cedar Breaks. It was VERY chilly

Clara was melting down, and had a very wet all the way soaked through diaper. I had to torment her to get her to move. She wanted to be held but was drenched in pee (sick) so I had her chase me clear to the car. She was screaming and wailing. It was one of my finer parenting moments.
White trash baby:
This was at the Kolob overlook. We were just going to look, but ended up doing a quick hike for a great view. Supposedly we could see the Kaibab Plateau of the Grand Canyon, but I don't think any of us knew what to look for. It was very pretty anyway. And we saw a tarantula. Tucker spotted it. Very cool if you aren't afraid of spiders: