I can feel it

I have been feeling a little swamped lately.  Husband has been out of town.  It was my week to teach Young Women's and joy school for Ezra's little crew.  School projects are due.  Calves are dying.  And real estate deals are closing.

And this is actually the clam before the storm.  Within the next couple months we will:  move for the 16th time in 10 years, continue to renovate the new house (for years to come), celebrate Mikael's 1st birthday, Halloween, fieldtrips, Thanksgiving (that Jace says is at my new house this year), Ezra will turn 5 in November, Macy will be 10 in December, Christmas will come, and then we are on to 2 more birthdays and an 11 year anniversary.

Yikes.

I'm going to wade my way thru.

Wish me luck.

Happy 4th

Good ol hometown 4th of July.  Jace humored me this year and we got to stay the whole day in Show Low.  The highlight of the parade was seeing Jace's blue Toyota truck floating by.  Show Low is still my favorite place to be on the 4th - even if it's hot and it always rains and it's Grandpa Mikey's least favorite holiday and Heber happens to have way better fireworks.

Do you know what holiday comes next?

My 30th birthday.

Yikes.

Easter wasn't even ruined

The Easter Bunny ordered late this year.  Half his presents weren't delivered until Monday afternoon.  The boy across the street told my children there was no Easter bunny - only big men in bunny costumes.    The wind boldly blew thru and around and up our Easter egg hunt at the lake.  Can you believe the wind blew in Show Low?  On Easter?  Safeway sold Grandma Mikey a platter of frozen fried chicken.  I heard Grandma Mikey ask the deli worker on the other end of the cell phone, "What's up with that?"  Trust me - that worker must have known that my mom does not use language like that often - her money was promptly returned (i hope - I should follow up).

These brothers fight like brothers sometime do.   Ezra decided he wasn't going to Stake conference with us on Sunday.  He liked Noah's tie better.  He wasn't going anywhere with the brown tie on - only the blue tie would do.  He asked Noah for a trade.  Noah only paused for a minute before passing it over.  If you ask nicely, you can get Noah to do just about anything for you.  Jace and I chuckled this morning when Ezra yelled out from the bathtub to Noah, "Good job on unlocking the pink level, Noah."  He was still so proud of Noah's feat on the Wii that had happened days earlier.  It is his favorite thing to do - watch Noah play the Wii.  Sometimes I forget how much they still really do like each other.

Macy was home sick all last week (Noah too).  "Don't you know I've had diarrhea since Easters?"  She decided she loves staying home from school but she hates make-up work.  I decided I love my children but I hate the thought of home school.  4 children home all day = one dirty house, one grouchy mother and one baby that can't figure out where she is suppose to take a nap.  But after a couple of handfuls of chocolate Easter candy, we were all back feeling like our regular selves.

I love when holidays aren't ruined by big men in bunny suits, diarrhea, or me.

Pictures I Took At Christmas.

Two. That's it. But these two Christmas pictures will tell you a lot.

PHOTO #1

1. Mikaelly Belly Baum (as she is known around these parts) got an owl beanie from Santa.

2. I am wearing my owl shirt. We are twins. We didn't even plan it.

3. Noah bought me two rings for Christmas. I love him (and the rings). Sometimes Ezra borrows one of my rings and wears it for the day.

4. Santa knew Mikael would need a beanie for our future bike rides. That is right. Santa brought me a bike. If you see me cruising down 2nd West in Snowflake, just honk....wait, don't. I will think that you either just almost ran me over or that you are making fun of me. You can wave if you want but there is no promises I will wave back....I'm biking precious cargo, remember? Hands on the handlebars at all times. There will be no Paloma, hot rodding, good ol day tricks, ok?

5. Macy did not include my face in this photo because wow. I was tired. And it showed Christmas morning, probably showed all Christmas season. Anyone else feel like they ran a marathon the month of December? Every single day? I'm going to get that month figured out one of these days. December kills me every year.

6. Mikael is a little tub of goo (her other nick name). Do they come any cuter than this? Man, this is some of Jace and I's finest work. Do you agree?

PHOTO #2

1. I did not take this picture to preserve any fond memory. I took this picture to remind myself, Jace, Santa, and any boy residing under my roof that Legos are for engineers, maybe their children, and my vacuum. Next time buy the age appropriate set for the 6 year old boy.

2. Jace spent approx. 3 days putting this Star Wars set together. He stayed up late. He woke up early. He cussed.

3. Jace is way smarter than any engineer I've meet. (Sometime I will tell you about our Chandler ward and how every single one of them worked at Intel as an engineer and how they didn't know how to turn off their kitchen faucet.) Jace finishes every thing he starts. He loves a project and a challenge. He won't stop working until it is done. I love him for it, especially when I am in bed asleep or eating a meal and he is still slaving away.

4. Notice Noah's wet hair? Noah and Ezra bathe at night and Macy showers in the morning. Why do you need to know this? I don't know except that I'm very proud of my children who can cleanse all by themselves. And all 3 of them know how to play "Jolly Old Saint Nickolaus" on the piano. I know. I know. It's a tight ship we run around here, with extremely high expectations.

5. Santa brought Ezra a Buzz Light Year. He is obessed with all things "Toy Story." And frankly, so am I.

There you have it. The Baum's very Merry Christmas day, wrapped up in 2 photos.

My kids are still cute. Halloween 2009. Ezra turned 3. Thanksgiving 2009. We are still alive. In pictures. In no particular order.

Surprised you didn't I? I may or may not update this private blog after all.

I am a Jedi. Like my Father before me.

Jace's father dreams of being a farmer. Jace dreams of being a farmer. And believe it or not this dream has caused us (ME) some grief. He failed to mention this dream during courtship, engagement, and the first two years we were married. I believe it should have been stamped on his forehead. Right in the middle. In big, black, bold type.

Here's another little sweetheart that should have been stamped directly below the "I want to be a cowboy" dream:

HE LOVES STARWARS.

HE DREAMS OF BEING A JEDI.

Jace once stood in line at a movie theater, playing beach volleyball with people in full starwars costume for 6 hours so he could watch the first official midnight showing of Star Wars 3. True story. Isn't there a name for these die hard fans? Nerd, perhaps? Let's get real - I would have married the nerd anyway -stamp and all. I just would have been more "prepared".

In turn his offspring dream about being Jedi(s) and princesses in far, far away galaxies, flying spaceships, packing light sabers, and discovering secret family lineage.

Halloween this year was a dream come true:

May the force be with us all (especially their mother).

I asked for their best StarWars pose in this picture. Yoda didn't pay much attention but was happy to be there. Just pretend there's a light saber in Darth's hands. This was Macy's best Padme pose. And don't even think of calling Padme, Princess Laya - that's her daughter for goodness sake! Get it right people!

Halloween Romance

Jace pretended to fall down to the ground last night on our date. I didn't really appreciate it. His fall came mid my mad dash in a dark and haunted corn field. Growling, crouching creatures were yipping at our legs and a large, chain saw carrying man was on our heels.

"Oh, Jace! Jace, Get up! Jace are you OK?"

He giggled and grinned like a 12 year old.

It wasn't real funny at the time. Just kind of.

Jace and Jordy said Jessica and I screamed like children. Jessica and I said they used us as body shields.

I clung too tight to Jace's middle. My heart raced. We screamed real loud. Jace got "a handful" of the slow walking patron in front of us.

As you can see it was a very romantic night. Though I can think of someone else I'd rather share a bathroom with, I can't think of one other person I'd rather help up and scream with in a haunted corn maze.

Jace.... Will you take me next year? I'll bring my brave heart and pretend that I've been snatched by a monster hiding in the corn. You will scream and rescue me. And then we will laugh and laugh. It will be Halloween romance all over again.

Why my kids are the luckiest ....

Jace Baum is their father.

1. These children could not be prouder of their Father's recent "Piston Cup" on Mario Cart-Wii.

2. Jace's first attempt at diaper changing consisted of 1 roll of duct tape, 1 wet baby girl, and a skin rash that lasted just 1 day.


3. Jace will haul his kids or your kids to the nearest cattle auction, farm, swap meet, or fish hatchery.

4. He always has candy, beef jerky, sunflower seeds and gatorade in his truck. And he shares.


5. He can watch the same Disney movie or Nickelodeon T.V. show over and over.


6. He has to have fingernails to rub and will hold your hand for hours.


7. When given a backrub "until the big hand gets to the 5" he will take you to Wal-Mart for the promised toy aisle trip.


8. He loves taking baths with his kids.


9. He loves when its his turn to read and lay by the kids at night.


10. He gives the longest and scariest 4-wheeler rides.


11. He's a ball on vacation.


12. He is so pleased that his boys love the moos and the bock bocks that live all around us.


13. He spoils his kids rotten BUT also expects good behavior at all times.
14. Loves to turn up Michael Jackson(at the moment)and dances with his kids almost every morning.



15. He loves kool aid and wishes his wife would give it to her kids every once and in awhile.
16. He makes the best plate size pancakes.


17. Frequents Arby's every Saturday for biscuits and gravy. It is a treat.


18. Can sword fight, carry on a conversation, and get the baby dressed all at the same time.


19. Kisses, hugs, pinches, squeezes, and teases until the tears start and sometimes longer.


20. The kids love riding in his truck, where car seats don't exsist and the volume of the hard rock music is ear drum damaging.


21. He is the hardest working Dad. Committed to family, gospel, and teaching us all to be better people....and not to mention really good looking.

Happy Father's Day Jace Baum.

Noah's Mother's Day Message

It was my turn for Noah's joy school this week. 8 kids. 3 hours. Enough said. I really lucked out this week with Mother's day coming up on Sunday. I had the kids make these cute hand print pages and asked them a series of questions about their mom. It was hilarious. These were Noah's answers:

What is your Mom's name? "Lindsay"

What does your Dad call your Mom? "uh, Lindsay" (duh)

How old is your Mom? "4" (close)

What is her favorite thing to do? "do everything" (Such a typical Noah answer and kind of true. One little girl answered "clean dishes." It was great.)

What is her favorite color? "pink"

What is her favorite food? "a sandwich"

Where does your Mom take you for fun? "Bashas" (can you spell F-U-N? Little does he know as he is playing dinosaurs in the "Cub House," I'm wondering around, wondering what in the hec I'm going to make for dinner? and when in the hec did cereal start costing $6 a box? I loathe grocery shopping and spend entirely too much time at Bashas but I won't tell Noah. I will let grocery shopping be a happy experience for the little guy as long as possible.)

What do you want to tell your Mom for mother's day? "uh, I love her" (I love you too Nohie!)

Whose birthday is it anyway?

Easter was celebrated yesterday at the Baum house with the usual easter baskets, candy, new sunday clothes, dinner at Grandma Mickey's house, and an egg hunt. It was a good day. Macy was thrilled the Easter Bunny ate the carrots she left out for him and Noah, sweet Noah, must of had a good day because he wanted to know "Whose birthday is it anyway?" Looks like we have some more work to do on explaining the holiday.