Have you ever wanted to...

Have you ever wanted to:

• Be a fly on a wall in someone's house (or life) that you think has a really great family, because you want to find out how to do the great things they do?
• Home school your kids just to have the freedom to go and explore the world like a child again (and for so many, many other reasons), but you have a hard time wanting to take your kids out of a pretty darn good public school (as far as public schools go)(and you also lack the confidence in teaching your own kids)?
  
• Throw almost everything out of your house and start all over again, with a more simplistic approach?
• Paint almost every room in your house and add a back-splash and a chair rail, all in a six month period while pregnant?
• Take a month long road trip with four kids, not including your husband?
• Completely get rid of your TV? (No more movies again... unless you watch them on the computer)
  
• Get rid of your Wii after only 4 1/2 months of owning it?
• Rent a big motor-home and tour the country with your kids?
• Completely change your family's way of eating? (go from eating out occasionally to cooking only from scratch and go from occasional junk food to no sugar, no processed junk, etc... you get the idea)
• Work really hard at living frugally so you can pay off your house in a few short years?
• Run a marathon while pregnant but you are so tired all of the time, so it is hard to find the time to run when you should?
• Take a spontaneous, fun trip with just your husband? Maybe a cruise? Maybe surprising your spouse with it?
• Throw away almost all of your kids toys while they weren't around? (Ya, I'm crazy. And a mean mom.)
• To be in four or more places at once?
  
• Pack up and move, to have a new adventure in a new place?
• Have a lot of money, so you could secretly help a bunch of people in need?
• Live out in the country with a lot of land for you and your kids to explore and have a mini farm? (But still close enough to a decent sized city, so you don't go insane).
• Be way more organized but don't know where to begin?
• Spend hours and hours uninterrupted, blogging, sewing, photo organizing, etc., etc., ??
• Go on a sisters trip without any kids? (That may happen someday - if I EVER stop having kids - ha!)
  

Well, I have. I've wanted to do all of those at one time or another (or maybe all right now... kidding - sorta). Some of them are more thoughts or dreams, some of them can become a reality. I just wanted to share some of my random thoughts from my head lately. There are many more that I just can't think of right now, because I have a pregnancy brain right now. (I love that excuse. And I really, really believe it! It is so true, especially this fifth time.)

What are some things you have "wanted to do"?

Disneyland 2010

*This picture was not taken at Disneyland. It was taken by my 7-year-old daughter, at a park in San Diego, the day before we went to Disneyland. I just thought it was a fun picture of me and my kids. And I was also so impressed with my daughter's photography skills. We'll be sending her out to make her own money soon. ;-)

I really do need to get better at posting more often. I used to blog a few times a week. I don't know what happened. Oh wait, yes. Yes I do. I got pregnant. I got tired. Oh, so tired! When I used to blog at night after the kids went to bed, now I zonk out. So here I find myself spending the morning hours blogging, instead of doing laundry and dishes or playing with my kids!!

Oh well. Let the guilt go, right? Maybe I will be less tired soon... in the 2nd trimester. Or, when I stop training for a half marathon. Or... no longer have little kids. Well, since I can't wait for the last one, I'll just have to do the best I can for now.

So here's some pictures from our Disneyland trip on April 2nd: (They are in no particular order, and with no captions, because I am too lazy... or tired.... But, I figure if you really want an explanation about something, you can just ask and I'll respond. Sound good? Thanks.)

We really did have a blast at Disneyland. It was everyone's first time, except for me. It was fun though, because I hadn't been for about 13 years. Many things have changed. We managed to only spend $135 for admission (total for a family of 6), $14 for parking, and $0 in the park for food! I really loved that we could bring in our own food! And since I never take my kids to McDonalds, we told them if they didn't ask for any souvenirs or food from the food stands, etc... the whole day, that we would take them to McDonalds for happy meals on the way home from Disneyland. It totally worked! Except the kids were all asleep before we left the parking garage at 11pm. We ended up going to McD's on our drive home to AZ two days later. That was good enough for them! :-)


















P.S. I also thought I should mention that the reason why I look really frumpy in all these pictures is because I was trying to hide the fact that I was pregnant, so I could go on all the big rides. I was approved by my midwife, to go on the big rides, if I was feeling okay. Since I don't usually get sick during my pregnancies (yeah, I know, lucky me.) I was good to go. I wanted to wear something that would hide my growing belly a bit better. The shirt I wore did the trick. I felt bad a few times, when I'd see the signs that said, "Expectant mothers should not ride this ride." But then I reminded myself that I was only about 10 weeks along. If I was more than about 15 weeks, I would not be riding them. Right?

Has anyone else been on roller coasters when they were pregnant?

Random Confessions...

I don't know why I am choosing to share these. But, I think somehow I will feel better by getting this off my chest.

What I am like lately:

• I have been a horrible mom and I know it. (The second part is what makes it hardest. I'd rather not know. At least it would be easier to live with myself...) I can't believe I just admitted that. Out loud.
  
• I have an incredible sweet tooth. The cravings are getting worse, even though I know I should be training for a marathon. (Uh oh!) Any advice? One thing that might help is hiding the chocolate chip buckets from myself. (Is that really possible?)
  
• I waste time on the computer everyday. (I wish it was not such a magnet. I feel like checking my google reader is like some people's tv. It helps me unwind. But then I just feel like a bad mom and wife. And my house is getting messier. Hmm...)
• I already messed up on my one-and-only-New-Year's-Resolution. (It would be better if I just got back on track with it, rather than just completely giving up. But for some reason there is not as much of a strong desire, because I already messed up. {Maybe it's Satan working hard against me}) Does anyone else understand this?
  
• I can't keep my house clean and I have lost control of my kids chores and after school routine. (I actually have no desire to get them to do their chores. I have a desire to have a clean house. I clean the house while they're at school. The house gets messed up within 30 seconds of them walking in the house from school. I let them play for awhile. I tell them it's time to do chores. It doesn't happen. I don't push it, because I'm busy and don't have the energy either. I also don't like the way I feel when I am fighting with them about it. So, I'd opt for letting it go. But, that is really not in anyone's best interest that I do that.)
  
• I'm lazy. (Isn't that obvious from reading the list so far.)
• I am getting so many white hairs on my head and I'm only 30!! I know, I'm blonde. But I can totally see them!! What the...? I know why people my age color their hair...
  
• I am so lost in what I am supposed to be doing with my calling. I am getting some things. But, I wish I had someone to hold my hand while I do every little thing (even on the computer. I so stink at doing things on the computer).
• I'm jealous of my husband. He gets to go on a skiing trip for four days in Park City. I want to have 4 days totally alone. (What would I actually do? There is too much to do. Maybe I need like 4 YEARS to myself.) Does anyone else ever get jealous of their husband? I also am very happy for him. It's mixed emotions I'm feeling. For sure.
  

Sorry if this list seems so negative. I'm fine, really. I just know there is room for improvement. Maybe someday I'll share a list of improvements that I've made. Ha... Ya, we'll see.

I'm still debating with myself about whether or not I should really post this. It's weird. Or rather, I'm weird. I know that.

Have a great day! Thanks for being my friend despite my weirdness. :-)

Wii Wii Wii, All the Way Home

Don't really know why I titled it that. I just thought it was kinda funny... er... cheesy. Oh well.

So yeah. Umm. For Christmas my family got a Wii from my in-laws. I was super hesitant. Okay, I guess I should clarify. We got some money from my in-laws and we could do what we want with it. In the past we have chosen to get a few annual passes to places like the zoo and museums and such. This year, with much apprehension on my part, my husband went all out and bought a wii for our family.

Of course being the psycho-path, paranoid mother that I am, I was worried about fights over the wii, chores and homework left undone, and tv/wii zombie kids (that never do anything else and never read again therefore flunk the third grade, etc.). Well I expressed my concerns with my husband many times before Christmas. Since he knew this was important to me but also knew I never have time to sit down and come up with rules, he came up with them on his own and presented them to me! (What a wonderful man I have!) I LOVE the rules he came up with. I also think it was dang clever of him to add the "ii" to words that end in a long "e" sound. Funny guy.

So, without further ado: Our family's rules about the wii:

Wii Harmonii for the Anderson Home

Perspective:

1. The Wii belongs to EVERYONE in our familii. Wii are sharing The Wii.
2. The Wii is for FUN!

Rules:

1. When wii spend time with The Wii wii will be polite to each other. Yelling, arguing, hitting, fighting, or crying will result in an offence.
2. The Wii's controllers will bii treated respectfullii. This means wearing the wristbands and using the controllers gentlii and with care. Disrespecting the controller is an offence.
3. The Wii games will be handled carefully by big kids and put away in their cases when not in use. Treating games improperly is an offence.
   

• For the first offence on each day, have to stop playing for 15 minutes or do a chore.
• For the second offence, you have to stop playing for an hour or do a chore.
• For the third offence, you cannot play for the rest of the day and do a chore.
  * chores will be chosen by mom or dad or babysitter
  

Play Time:

1. The Wii may only be played when the living room, kitchen and kids bedrooms are clean; and the dishes are done.
2. If we have homework and/or chores, wii only play when mom or dad say those are done too.
3. The Wii may be used on school night’s onlii with permission from a parent.
4. The Wii will bii left alone on school days before school.
5. The Wii will not be played on Sundays.

• If you try to start the wii or are playing during a time when you're not supposed to be playing, you are banned for that day (or the next eligible day).

Fine Print:

1. Punishments are to bii determined by mom and dad only. They have absolute control to extend privileges or assign punishments at their sole discretion for any reason.
2. The kids will try to be reasonable and not play when there are other fun things to do or when there is work to do.
3. Older kids will bii nice to younger kids, teach those who don't know how to play, and play 'kids games' when younger kids are present.
4. Older kids and parents will let the younger kids win (throw the game) sometimes just to make it fun.
5. Parents will try to bii reasonable and allow the kids to play when they have earned it.
6. Parents will give a five minute warning when it's time to turn off the Wii. Players should use this time to finish or save their game. After this five minutes, the parents can turn off the Wii as abruptlii as they want.


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We are having a lot of fun with the wii. And so far, so good with the rules. There are some times that my kids are little punks when I law down the law... but it's okay.