Call em like we See em

It has been a very busy, productive, and milestone kind of a month for the Cain Train.

The Lady has been successfully riding her bike with no training wheels for weeks now! The Dude was baptized a week ago, amazing! The Pickle is hilarious! Today something out of the ordinary happend. It was one of those times, when the words coming from your mouth have far impacted the room before the punctuation has been added to the sentence. As you all do, we have buckets of candy on top of the fridge right now (Thank You Halloween). Today at lunch was just like every other lunch this week. Down come the buckets, the kids make thier choice and then up go the buckets. Today the candy choices caused a bit of a stumble for me. Jonah is starting to ready but having a hard time sounding out so I chimed in.

Side note, we have alwaysed used correct terminology in our home for pretty much everything and try very hard not to make fun of words or things that are just the way We are All made and All do. We use this approach in hopes that life will be more honest and up front when they go out our doors and into the real world.

Today it happend, that Freudian slip that has fallen out of your mouth so fast, you can not take it back.."Reeces Penis"! I said it, there was no pause, they all died laughing, including Justin and myself (with my head burried of course).

I would advise you all to remove those candies from your buckets to avoid any ridiculous lunch chatter.

The End

Wednesday

Child of woe is wane and delicate...sensitive and on the quiet side, she loves the picnics and outings to the underground caverns...a solemn child, prim in dress and, on the whole, pretty lost...secretive and imaginitive, poetic, seems underprivileged and given to occasional tantrums...has six toes on one foot...^[2] ”
 

— Charles Addams

 

 

My girl learned to ride her bike last week. No training wheels....I am pretty sure she was humming the wicked witch song from the Wizard of Oz...as she peddled like a mad woman.

 

Good Night France (written through my tears, on my final night in Cabris)

I have spent the week 5000 miles from home. Leaving behind my husband, children and dogs. I was ready to come home, half way across the United States only on my first flight.  I am a sap and missed my people already. However, I am so glad I made the trip, created the memories, and took the chance (Je prende le Risque).  Next is my account of the events.

In the countryside of South France, only footsteps from the Mediterranean, the homes are separated by thick hills full of green and stillness. The sound of a crying baby or a roaring party guest are exactly the same as in Phoenix, but they are followed by the echo of empty space.  

The impromptu family dinners for 10, taste and feel the same as at home too.  The to do list for the wife is The SAME. The highs and melt downs of a 2 year old are The SAME, and the dogs life is The SAME.

The hard work is The SAME, and they give birth the same too. There are really only two major differences I noticed. The BEACH! So beautiful and naked. Topless everyone and little naked children running around all over, I was praying they had sunscreen on!

And second, my Sister. She is beautifully pregnant and so at home there.  Although there may not be an outward overflowing spectacle of our relationship, the true, underlying "you don't have to say one word" is the part that I miss terribly and hate to leave.  I suppose that is the reason we can not talk or see each other for a month or a year even, yet fall back into place as we were just together. I do feel selfish that I didn't make it for Eloise. But I am rationalizing that Cash will remember me and Megan and I will have a memory for the lifetime.

Good Night France.

Everythings coming up Roses

I am the lucky one that gets to "see it all" and just when I think I have, I take a trip to Walmart or ride the light rail down to the Veterans Day parade. Why just yesterday I had seen more stuff by 9 am then most see in a week. The George Brazil Blimp landed in our back yard, the Sheriff's regular crew of Chain Gangs was working down by the canal, and Kevin Spacey was shaving on his way to work. All that before coffee, Wow. I do enjoy free entertainment...people are FUNNY!

My life is funny, hilarious actually!

Let me show you what I visualize my life looking like.

There I am, actually ready for a hard day at work down at the reclaimed wood factory. Selecting the most beautiful wood to be turned into my new kitchen floors.

And here is my friend, she has the day off and is walking her dog (shedless, poopless, never eats dog) through the woods on her way to meet me and look at my new floors.

insert screeching hault.

Remember my life is FUNNY.  So here is what this week acutally looked like. Now don't be judgemental, we've all laughed before...It's okay to now. I did, and then I kissed them.

One Giant Leap

I remember when my first baby turned five...I held her on my lap at the end of her day, tears in my eyes, wondering where the time had gone, and if I had been enough for her? Five whole years of life gone by...

Two years later....I have tucked in my five year old astronaut and I am sitting here with those exact feelings all over again. "Rice on My tux" I always say. Watch Father of the Bride if you have no idea what I am talking about. Five years of life.....
Mostly I am proud of this Dude, and not because I was enough! Because God is good and trusting Him is making these years good and powerful. So Dearest Jonah, I pray for your continued growth in learning and trusting in God. That you would grow to be a mighty man of God and have a beautiful life on earth with Joy and Peace in your heart. You are the life of the Party and the King of laughter. Thank you for an amazing 5 years. I have no idea whats next with you, but I know it will be FUN and BIG!

Love your birthday bird, MOM

Sew What!

It's in the Jeans or Genes...One of those two. My mother is a seamstress and master quilter.  But above that she is an artist. My Grandmothers could sew like the wind. They made girl clothing for five daughters, and barbie clothes for my dolls. So obviously I know how to sew! I can not make a boxed cake mix, but I can make you a mean set of drapes, dress, quilt or purse.  Anyway, now it's time for the next Generation.

First, modeling a house coat made by my Grandmother Metheney for my Dad, passed to Jonah and now to Phoebe. She has been wearing it every morning and after siesta, because the Diva is cold! She is concerned that there is only one pocket...she has an overflow of stuff to carry around and could really use that extra pocket Great Grandma.

Next, is Gwendolyn and her latest adventure. She has been having sewing lessons with Nana every week and has already developed the craft. Her machine was her 7th Birthday gift. We have recently discovered the Matilda Jane Clothing line for little girls. They use unique quality fabrics with prints. She has decided to make her own. Perhaps she will be an upcoming contestant on Project Runway Jr.

tomorrow will be all about the Dude...it is almost his Birthday anyway, He deserves some spotlight.

A day in Australia

Today was just one of those days you wish you could either delete or do over. There were some fun moments (scuba diving with Dad), and some relaxing time (starbucks in our PJ's). But the meltdown mania was more time consuming then anything else...with Mine being the worst one! Being a perfect parent is IMPOSSIBLE. Lucky for me, my kids are forgiving and know just how to make me smile. After only one quick lesson in tissue flower making, Gwendloyn created a centerpiece for our family dinner. Justin cooked, so it not only looked pretty at the table, but it tasted delicious too. I am just reminding myself that "some days are like that...even in Australia.

Pride Rock

I spent the first half of my morning getting a polka dot pedicure with Phoebe.

Diva's choice for color and design and we are twins!

Obviously she is a pro.

The rest of the morning I pretended to be Cinderella. Mopping the floor, cleaning the toilets, sewing buttons on clothes, wash the dogs. Oh and biggest of all, vacuuming the couch!

So when it is not about the children, it is about the dogs. Seriously 5 minutes after I finish vacuuming and they are back in position on "Pride Rock", as Gwendolyn likes to call it. So much for my hairless furniture.
So maybe you are wondering how I relax, now that you have seen Phoebe and the dogs all Chilled out?
No need...I just levitate, blink my eyes, twitch my nose. Refreshed.

Great Minds, think differently

As mom of the year, I plan after school activities (distractions from arguing).

 Todays activity: Paint your own robot or ice cream cone. Fun RIGHT???

Not really. They fought over paint colors and artistic choices and we called it off 30 min later. My kitchen table is now blue polka dot and the chair cushions are 80's splatter paint.

The real fun was afterward. When they used their own minds to create fun. On tap: filling up Galoshes to stomp around making foot prints, and making a series of canals with mud and stones. Popsicle included!

Maybe tomorrow I wont have anything planned.

The Heat is On

When I was young I danced at a Rams Football game with a thousand other toddlers in tiaras to Glenn Frey's "The heat is On".  I was bopping and poppin, lockin, and dropping all over that football field.
As a grown up, I laugh at this. Not because of the scene (it was awesome), but because when I was a kid I don't remember sweating, and if I did, I don't remember caring about it.
Now however, sweating is not an option unless I am going to do it to myself on Purpose for a specific reason.  All this to say; I love the Bikram Yoga. I have been practicing for 6 years and love every min. I do hate doing it though. The classes are 90 min in a heated and humidified room. OUCH. So this is where I sweat!

Gwendolyn and Jonah have been going to a kid friendly version of this class with some of thier friends.  The room isnt heated, but today, in the depths of the AZ summer, it was HOT. Here are the girls showing us there stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-mU-YSk32I

Szechuan Si'l Vous Plait

I do not cook, I do not like to cook. However...I have a dear friend who encourages me through her own efforts to feed her family. So, while she can sit and search for recipes with joy...I can sample and repeat!

Most important is that my kids will eat it, and that it is good for us!

The first recipe, I described to them as peanut butter macaroni. It went over well, but make sure you use fun noodles and less garlic then called for. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/szechuan-noodles-recipe/index.html

Satisfied Customer

The second reciepe is packed full of goodness and they have know idea. Bon Appetit

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/linguine-with-avocado-and-arugula-pesto-recipe/index.html

Volcanic Tweed

So, as I set sail on this adventure of journaling my life, I realize that I am lacking some skills.
I am going to have to squeeze in some tutoring sessions.
Number 1: Digital camera user Grade: Fail
Number 2: Science Project coordinator Grade D-

The Gwendolyns enjoyed a "Project Runway" fabric discovery circa 1965

We all smiled and wowed for Mom's make shift volcano. Although it did include glitter and colored lava,
the height of the explosion was unimpressive.

Gotta start somewhere

In an attempt to journal this year much more than I did last year....I will be a blogger.
Inspired by some of you creative friends and families, here I go off into the wild blue yonder.
Luckly I have a pair of ruby slippers (except they are rainbow) if I get lost.