Latest KSL article

I worked hard on this one, and went back and forth on whether it was something to write in a personal journal or on a site where 12,000 people would read it. I chose the latter, because I'm crazy like that, than had a mild anxiety attack when it was published. But the articles that I'm the most nervous about, the more personal ones, always do the best and acquire the most hits. It has almost 400 "shares" which I'm pretty proud of.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=26025976&nid=1009&title=how-to-handle-mean-girl-drama-dont-be-ron-artest

Why did I think summer camp was a bad idea?

Back in May, I overheard a fellow teacher say that she had enrolled her kids in day camp for summer break. I scoffed. I probably scoffed loudly, since by the end of the school year my filter was no more. And I'm pretty sure I mentally patted myself on the back for not being the type of mother who would stick her kid in a day camp while I sat at home alone on my summer vacation. Oh no. My girls and I would frolic from museum to museum, making Intagram memories that I could post to Facebook with status updates like, "Hope summer never ends!"

But last week, when Daddy was out of town for 6 consecutive days, I lost it. The girls went from being the best of friends, to the worst of enemies. They fought over everything. Everything. Ev. Ry. Thing. Which I didn't mind as much as I minded their endless requests. When they weren't bitching to me about each other, they were asking me for everything under the sun in 2 minute intervals, like...

Anything they saw in a commercial.
Juice.
Snacks.
Play dates.
More snacks.
Nail polish.
Slip n' slide.
More play dates, with kids I don't like.
Diet Coke.
Homemade play dough.
Toilet paper to draw on.

I swear, they never let up. At one point, and it's a fuzzy memory because I think I slipped into a self induced coma ,  I'm pretty sure I slumped down on the couch with my head in my hands and said, "Please. Just shut up."

They gasped. I might as well have dropped the F bomb, because "shut up" is forbidden in our house unless mommy is having a severe mental break down. And I was, because with few friends and no husband around, I had no out.

 More than once last week, I dropped the kids off at the Kids Club at the gym, and sat in the locker room reading a new book and talking myself out of crazy. Not my proudest moment in motherhood, but I wasn't alone. I noticed another Kids Club mommy checking her emails and chatting on the phone for a longer period of time than she spent on the treadmill. I tried not to make eye contact with her. We were both pathetic, but we had no other choice. At least during the school year when I work two days a week, they are lawfully obligated to give me a lunch break and they let me pee alone.

But daddy is home again, thankfully. Honestly, it doesn't change a ton during the day, but at least I have someone over the age of 6 to talk to before I fall asleep. He's around to make light of the things the girls do that would otherwise send me over the edge. His mere presence helps all of us behave better.

Regardless, I'm already looking into camps for Fall Break, Christmas Break, Spring Break, weekends, and next summer.

Here are some pictures of better times this summer.

Daddy took us to Mountasia before he left on his business trip.



Why do selfies always show off my crows feet?




We had a great day on the 4th! No fighting, just hanging out at Nana's and swimming. We had a little picnic at a church building with Wes' family in the afternoon while we waited for the fire works in Simi Valley, but the show was cut incredibly short after an accident. At least the glow sticks were fun.





Wearing our "I support Shalayna" bracelets for a friend of mine undergoing a double mastectomy tomorrow. She has an unbelievable support system and her sister made a video for her with all of her friends wearing these bracelets.

Our field trip to the Natural History Museum with Wes' side of the fam bam.

Love these cousins.

We sat through a show for kids, where this VERY realistic TREX puppet comes out. It sounds and moves realistically, and I'm pretty sure Corinne almost pooped her pants until her cousin, Logan, pointed out the puppeteers legs. She still wasn't entirely convinced it was a fake and looked terrified which made me laugh.

I don't want to say he was scared, but....

At the butterfly pavilion.

Of course my camera battery dies right before we enter the pavilion, so the only pictures I got were with my iphone.
 

There was a free yoga class in our neighborhood. It was pure entertainment watching my little yogis. They weren't half bad at it.

We went with our friends to Hurricane Harbor. A really fun trip, until someone stole my friend's flip flops. #Notsoawesometown

"Who wants an over priced bear?"
"MEEEEE!"



Both Corinne and Taylor made me breakfast last week, sensing my anger with both of them for being total buttheads. This letter and the "breakfast" Corinne gave me cushioned the blow of a crappy week.

 

Aren't I lovely in the morning?

Yup. Wheat thins, a z bar and pop tart. The next day when I received breakfast again, and it had Chili Chese Fritos with it.

 

 

I have loved watching my nephew grow the past 9 months. I love this little guy so much. My sister is an awesome mom and this kid is such a loving little tornado.

 

Hanging at Nana's is just what we need some days.

My gymnast.

I have brainwashed them into knowing that smoking is a disgusting, cancer causing, nasty habit. If we are in public and someone is smoking, they ALWAYS say something loudly about how nasty it is. I love it.

Free slurpee day.

So thankful for my dad and Aunt Sue who came over while I went to the dentist. The girls loves spending time with them.

 

 



The girls were invited over to their new friend's house for a tea party. It is SO nice to meet new people who you instantly like, and who have kids that get along with yours. They have missed being invited over for play dates.

Another year swimming at the Worthlin's house on Wednesdays.

Diving/belly flopping.

Poor Rinners was swimming when a teenager at the pool pushed another teenager on top of her. I was watching, like the helicopter mom I am, and pulled her out of the deep end in tears. She was pushed under a bit and swallowed water. I went Mother Bear on the dumb ass kid who was messing around and caused it.. Corinne was so upset, she came straight home and took a nap without being asked.

 

We visited my mom at work The Ronald Regan Library is so interesting. The kids had fun too.

A beam from the twin towers.

I wish this was a better picture, but Corinne was doing her "I SEE YOU" thing with her fingers. People watching were cracking up.

Our view at lunch.

We actually got to see Abraham Lincoln's hat and cane, and the pillow he died on. There was also this huge life-like head that creeped us out.

The girls had so much fun making lunch with Ma the other day. They are so, so lucky to have such wonderful great-grandparents in them and Grandpa the Great.

 

I was so excited when Laurel asked me to take Hunter's pictures. I took this cute little guy's pictures when he was born, and it's so fun to see the difference a year makes. He was SUCH a stud during the photo shoot. In 25 minutes I had 50 pictures that were ALL adorable. The weather was over cast in July! Pretty much a perfect scenario. I love, love, love photography.