Closet Extras.....

My husband. How he would love to live in a house that isn't really lived in. A showpiece for him alone. That isn't going to happen. Not in this lifetime. I would probably also love to have a place where everything is neatly tucked away and appears to be perfect. But. Our home is just that. Our home. A place where everything is used. A lot. Because I have 5 kids I need to stay on top of things like appointments. School meetings. Church activities. And all the other bajillion things I need to attend. When Shawn was a second year medical student he made this magnetic board to hang on his office wall. He lived by that thing. Then once he became a resident and our home became a place where he'd just drop in every once in awhile, I confiscated it and hung it in my kitchen. That magnet board served it's purpose and did it well. And he did a really good job making it actually look nice instead of tacky. Perfect. When we moved here into our rental, it went back on the kitchen wall. I depend on that thing. Without it I'm totally lost. Once we moved into our new house it got put in a back closet because I didn't have a place for it. A few weeks ago I found a wall that I perceived as being the perfect location. I even went to the paint store, bought black paint, and painted it as to match our decor. When Shawn came home and I asked him to help me hang it you'd have thought I asked him if I could paint the cupboards pink. He refused. I also wanted one coat hook per child lined up down the hallway leading to the garage. Nada. Nope. Not happening. "It's so messy looking. All those papers and calendars and junk". Hmmm. I reminded him of the 3 doctors appointments I'd missed in the last month because all that "junk" was stuffed on the catch-all counter and got lost in the shuffle. And showed him how in order to stay organized my kitchen counters were becoming a giant bulletin board. Ridiculous. So. He came up with a plan. I wasn't too thrilled at first. I admit it. Actually. I was irritated. Why can't I live in my house and use space that makes perfect sense to me? But. I relented and let him try this little experiment. To my surprise, it turned out pretty awesome. I love it. Well. I will love it once I get some magnets to use, and once the file shelving is actually purchased and hung.

This is Before:

Just your typical coat closet with the wooden rod to hang coats on. This type of closet never really gets used like it should in my house. So. This is what Shawn turned it into:

Each kid has their own hook with their name above said hook. And the hooks are child height. Then a small shelf above that for things like pencils, envelopes, or whatever the heck I feel like that will fit on a 3 inch shelf. The entire back wall is sheet metal. A new magnet board for me to clutter up. And then on each side will be a filing system for incoming/outgoing mail, bills, kids papers that I feel obligated to hold on to, and anything else that suits my fancy. I'm also willing to admit when Shawn turns genius and fixes our dilemma to where we're both happy. This time he was successful. Now. I just need to find a place to stash all the extra coats that were once living in this closet.........

Terrible Two's Aren't That Terrible.......Yet

My baby is officially two. Her birthday happened to fall on the same day the BYU Cougars opened their season. Meaning that the party was actually cupcakes at half-time. Didn't matter to her. She was handed a cupcake without being strapped down in a high chair and stripped to her nakeds. And she loved it.

Because Shawn video taped her blowing out her candles, that is the only still photo I have. Sadly it's not that great. So I'll continue this post. For the sake of Grandmas.

The thing that can't be conveyed via blog is this little chubs personality. She is full of it. If music starts to play, she wiggles to it. Always. Drops everything to dance. She reminds me of those Santas at Christmas where you push a button and they wiggle their hips side to side. Sometimes she shakes her bum and says "shake your booty". It just depends on the song. At church she leads the music instead of wiggling. Maybe she'll have some sort of musical career?

Here she is ready for church. She's mid-twist so it's kind of blurry.

She's still young enough to let me decide how her hair is done. I'm just waiting for the day she changes her mind. Hopefully later rather than sooner.

She's found a new love. The water/ice dispenser on our fridge. Thank goodness for child lock functions. If I catch her soon enough.

She was angry that I locked it before the ice shot out into her hand so she's telling me what she thinks of me. Lovely.

Presley is every one's favorite. How could she not be? Most of the time she is a very easy going girl. Of course, all the other kids always give in to her every whim. We'll see if that continues. I'm already seeing some wavering of stubbornness in this little person. Not too surprising. I am finding that when she gets upset and starts to throw a tantrum, or shows extreme stubbornness, that I just laugh. It's so funny to me to see personality coming through. It's probably the fact that she's my fifth. Or. The fact that usually when my baby is this age another baby is about to replace it. So. I just laugh. And enjoy all the funny things she does and says.

Her catch phrase this week is "check this out!" while she's doing some kind of trick, like holding her foot in the air, or sticking out her belly. Last night Shawn put her in bed. After he shut the door she started yelling, "Jayne? Where are you?". Hilarious. I could go on and on with the things she says. (I probably should so I don't forget). We love you little miss Presley. Oh. So. Much.

Back To School Shots....

Here are the obligatory back-to-school-in-front-of-the-front-door photos. Only. Poor Landon. I neglected to take a picture of him on his first day back to preschool. Next year when he starts same time as the others I'm sure he'll be photographed. If I remember to take pictures that is.

Jack. Ethan. Kennedy. Wow. They sure do look old. I remember when it was just Ethan getting on the bus solo. Now he has two siblings to join him.

Ethan is officially a 5th grader. (Didn't have time to take one with his eyes open, the bus was rounding the corner) I have to say I have not missed teaching all these years, until this one. When I entered his classroom on back to school night and saw the 5th grade textbooks, curriculum for the year, and even the novel sets to be read, I got a little..........sad? No. Nostalgic for teaching? Probably that is a better description for what I felt. I can't believe I have a child the age I taught so many moons ago. Next year we're on to middle school. Ugh. No nostalgia there.

Kennedy is a 4th grader and attends the same school as Ethan this year. She's so much a pre-teen already. In every aspect of the word. She's one of the absolute youngest in her grade due to where her birthday falls. But. I also think she's one of the smartest.

And Jack. He's a 1st grader this year. Even though he says school is boring and stupid. Probably because he's reading chapter books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid while his peers are sounding out Go Dog Go. Jack is also smart enough to realize that staying home with Mom when you are supposed to be at school is more boring and stupid. So. He decided he'll stick out the year. And the million others he's got ahead of him too.

I rejoiced as they got on the bus. Three hours later I realized I sent the wrong kids away. Landon is good at entertaining himself. But. Presley. Man. She suction cupped herself to my thigh. The. Entire. Day. Long. And has continued to do so every day since. My new little shadow. I'm trying to embrace it because I know that in three years she'll be climbing on the bus with the rest of them.

St. Louis....

A few weeks ago I took the kids to St. Louis for a few days. All except Ethan (I thought I had a few more years before he started thinking staying home would be more fun). Shawn wasn't on call the entire week, so it worked out that he was able to stay home. A little weird for me to only have four kids along for the ride. Like I was missing someone. Which I was. Obviously.

We headed over on Wednesday. We spent the evening at Monkey Joe's bouncing in their room full of bounce houses. This was also Kennedy's actual birthday, so she chose this place to enjoy. Thursday we headed to the Magic House where we met Natalie and her kids Max and Jonnie. Loved seeing them! Sadly the only pictures I took the entire vacation were in the car the few minutes we waited for Natalie to join us! (But they are still cute ones)

The Magic House sure has expanded since we last visited. And it was worth every single penny to get in. However. My children are such varying ages that it made it difficult to keep tabs. While there I called overhead for Kennedy, found a lady with a walkie-talkie to help find Landon, had Jackson in tears because he couldn't find me for 30 minutes, and almost lost Presley at some point I'm sure. I feel like out of the 3 hours there I spent 2 1/2 trying to find one of my children. I need to hook them up to some kind of a shock collar system. Or just give them cell phones.

That night we played in the hotel pool and drove around a bit. It gave Presley a chance to take a short nap in the car.

The next day the youth in our church were meeting at the St. Louis Temple and I needed to be there. Natalie graciously offered to watch my kids for me. What a huge undertaking. They had such a great time. I just wish I could have spent more time with Nat! (We'll make up for it, I'm sure).

That was the perfect little vacation. Short and sweet. Just how they should be.

Kennedy's Day....

Kennedy turned 9 on the 4th of August. 9! How the heck did she get so old? And why in the WORLD would I agree to a slumber party as a way to celebrate this occasion?! Glutton for punishment.

The party started at 7. We decorated individual cakes per Kennedy's request. A hit as always. She even consented to allowing the boys to decorate their own. So long as they sat at the table far away from her friends.

After an extreme sugar rush, we sent them outside where we lit a campfire and roasted marshmallows for s'mores. (s'more sugar that is. I obviously didn't think any of this through)

At 10 my boys and Presley were in bed. I put the girls in the theater room with the doors shut thinking they'd stay there. At midnight I went down to stop "hide and seek" taking place everywhere but the theater room. At one o'clock I stopped a squealy pillow fight. At two o'clock I suggested a movie and didn't hear them until 3:30 when they needed a snack in the kitchen. None of them were as quiet as a mouse. I finally told them that they needed to lay down and turn off the lights. Another 30 minutes of squealing, and then silence. A great group of girls. But much more enjoyable during the daylight hours where sounds and laughter are more fun to hear.

L to R: Anya, Hailey, McKaylen, Kennedy, Kailey, Jenna, Presley

Concert Go-er.....

Sadly, I've never in my life experienced the action of a concert. Well. High school Band. But those don't count. I'm talking famous-singer-band-type concerts. In High school I won tickets to go see M.C . Hammer. I was busy that weekend and had to give away my tickets. Alas. No concerts. Clear back in May my good friend Julie called to see if I wanted to go see Sheryl Crow at the State Fair in August. One of her friends was able to get some kind of a bonus deal early. I was so excited to go to ANY concert (and Julie's fun to hang out with) that I jumped at the chance. I was once a huge Sheryl Crow fan. Her album became famous when Shawn and I started dating. Fond memories.

Last night my girls Julie and Michelle picked me up for the 30 minute drive to the Missouri State Fair. It was in the car I learned that none other than Colbie Caillat would be opening for Sheryl! I know a lot of her songs, and happen to be a fan. (Shawn once said he wished she could sing him to sleep every night. He's obviously a fan of her voice also.)

Before we could sit through a concert, we obviously had to fill our bellies with "fair food". Michelle and I opted for the ginormous corn dog while Julie stuck with a gyro. We snapped a few shots while waiting.

Me, Julie, and Michelle. These are also two of my runner girls. Rare that we spend time together in clothing that isn't running gear. It was hot enough last night that we were sweating almost as much as when we run. Good times.

The seats we had tickets for were actually split up. Two were front row, and one was for row 5. We decided we would rather sit together than be able to reach out and touch the performer. We were finally able to convince two older women in the fifth row that we weren't indeed trying to scam them by offering to trade seats. We were sitting pretty 1/2 hour into Colbie's performance. She did not disappoint!

After Colbie (obvious first name basis since we spent so much time together) there was a 30 minute break for the stage crew to get ready for Sheryl. (Also now first name basis) They really ramped up their style in prep for her performance. When she came onstage I was surprised at how little she was! She is also a very classy performer. So real. During her song "strong enough to be my man" she was talking with the audience about how she wants to find a man with a real job. That makes more money than her. And that likes to spend money less than she does. So real. However. I knew NONE of her new songs. Embarrassingly enough, I had no idea she had a new album out. Pathetic. When she'd go back to her famous '90's songs you could tell who was in my age group! Still a great concert.

We bowed out a little early because funnel cakes were calling our names. (our bladders were screaming a little bit too.) We sat and ate these babies outside the concert.

Hot Fudge funnel cake covered in whipped cream. Also a first for me. (Sad. I know.)

After chatting for awhile we decided we better head home because the crazies were starting to make their debut. But. We then turned back for some fried potato things that we ate too fast to get a picture of. Fair Food. Perfect way to end a perfect evening.

Desirable Man......

I know I have a bazillion blogs to type up. Ones with pictures and various items to remember this summer. To prove that we've actually done something besides sweat in the humid conditions. But. Not today. I'm too tired. Or lazy. Take your pick. I do, however, have some things on my mind. This man I'm married to. The tall one with blond (now brown) hair. And blue eyes. A few weeks ago I was really on his case. It might have had something to do with hormones. Regardless. I was all up in his face probably making him feel worthless. (I know. Shocking that I'm not always the perfect wife.) It was a Saturday and I'd just thrown another little tantrum his direction. Then I left with Kennedy to go visit a friend in the hospital that had just birthed her first baby girl. I found the maternity ward. To enter you have to pick up a phone and state your name and the name of the person you are visiting. "My name is Jayne Crook and I'm here to visit so and so". Then they let me in. As I walked in the door there were 3 nurses behind the counter all with ginormous cheeky grins. One said in a cooey voice, "Are you Dr. Crook's wife?!" Her question made it sound like she thought I was the luckiest woman on earth to be married to him. "Yes. I am". For the next 5 minutes I stood and listened to every possible compliment one can make. They were so complimentary I was starting to blush. I was finally freed to go visit my friend. The last comment made was "I love your husband!!" Hmmmm. Maybe she wanted to go make him dinner then? After a bit of holding my friends adorable baby girl, one of the nurses entered the room. She asked my friend a few questions and then turned to me. "When I said I loved your husband, I realize that it could have been taken the wrong way. I just mean......." Another 5 minutes spent hearing how perfect of a man Shawn is. Interesting. I admit that I left feeling like a total heel. These 3 women can go on forever about how amazing of a person he is and I spent the last 15 minutes I saw him letting him know all of his irritating qualities? If I were him I'd rather be at work!
Then today. Church. I'm in the hallway. A sister in the ward came up to me with tears in her eyes and handed me a wrapped package and a card labeled "Brother Crook". She told me how grateful she was that he was there for her procedure this week. She was at total peace knowing he was at her bedside. The package was just some cookies she made. She said they were for me for allowing him to be at work with her instead of being at home.
All these women in love with my husband. (Those are just the few I've mentioned. There are more.) It makes me think. About how I treat him. About how I see him. I obviously take him for granted. A little dose of those nurses now and again might help with that. Today I'm happy that I'm married to a man that everyone loves. Including myself.