Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This

How DOES one grow black mold in a very newly built home addition in the desert? The first red flag was receiving a bid half the amount of the other two for tiling our showers. Next came the puddling on the shower floor, standing and seeping water under the wall. Then the calling and calling to get it fixed, taking out the old shower pans, buying new tile twice over to no avail. So we lived with it until we could get our third bathroom remodeled, in the mean time using towels to soak up the water on the floors and teaching the kids to push the puddles towards the drain with their feet.
Fourth time around, the showers are being redone again, there are big messes to clean up and dust everywhere. So everyday is coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, runny noses and each evening is wiping every surface down all over again. We are all using one partially finished bathroom and the toy room and backyard are being used by the workers and all their equipment. It has been hard to function properly with the kids. The workers are on their own timetable. They tell us they will be here the next morning, not show up, not answer phone calls and show up four days later for half a day's work. Now these unreliable men say they will be finished by Wednesday, I am nervous for the guests we have coming Thursday, 8 people in one bathroom--YIKES!

I have been so busy this week, couldn't even find time to research a non-chemical way to get rid of the mold. Jarom took it upon himself and sprayed bleach on the mold, not just once but three times. The fumes gave us both headaches and who knows what other harmful effects on our health.

Speaking of health, I spent 5 hours at a gardening seminar on Friday. I have had my garden in for a month now and all my little plants were doing so well, I just put up netting to keep critters out. I love my garden. When I returned from the seminar I found my garden covered with a thick layer of cement dust. I cried. Jarom tried to blow it off with the leaf blower, but the plants were too little, they were just being uprooted. I hand washed my little babies, there is nothing to be done about the soil though. Does anyone know if cement dust will be harmful to my plants of future produce?

Happy Birthday to ME!!

• Lovely birthday lunch with dear friend Mrs. Fish.


• Super fun Ipod Touch from hunky husband.


• Random Layne-initiated hugs.


• Delightful birthday nap time.


• Yummy family dinner with specialty lemon cake by Becky Bagley, Cake Queen.


• Various sweet birthday wishes from many friends and family.

Check out my favorite birthday card of all time. Thanks Jill!

Playing Dress-Up

SIL Reachel Bagley is fashion queen, she has an amazing blog that is so fun to read even if you are not way into fashion. I have to admit, my sense of style has been going downhill for years now that the only clothes shopping I get done is at Costco, yeah the warehouse store. This week Reachel did a shopping safari for the savvy shopper--that's me. Go see me on her fitting room friday post and excuse the hair, makeup and house mess; it's a bad day when you find black mold in your newly built addition and see the quote for a $3,000.00 repair!

Bonk, Crash, Splat!

Brik is no stranger to accidents. There is something about; the counter height falling above eye level and below head level, little fingers that loose their grasp or fumble and drop things (under tables), enjoying the view from atop a bar stool, wearing shoes on the wrong feet, finding what's behind more interesting than what's in front and having an upper body that is twice the mass of the lower body-- that makes it down right hard to avoid clumsiness.

After yet another blow to the head, Brik retrieved his bicycle helmet from the garage to protect himself while he participates in the dangerous sport of cucumber eating.

Here he is showing me that even banging his head on the table is completely safe.

Asparagus, Agitation and Annie

After nearly five months of being on three-kids-plus-one-mom grocery store strike, I broke. Two curious boys in the midst of two busy plumbers was just the nudge I needed to break way from the safe confines of my home and bring me to brave the elements with all three children at once doing something of my own agenda (yes, still remodeling...never ending I know, but progress nonetheless). The problems I have are 1) coordinating with the baby to go right after a feeding but before he falls asleep. 2) Brik is a straggler which is a problem in parking lots when I have the 25 pound baby carrier in my arms and the 10 pound diaper bag on my shoulder. And can be a problem in stores when my attention is on things other than how far behind me my child has gotten. 3) Pretty much everything about Layne is difficult in every situation and multiplied by three when he is with his brothers.

On our way to the store I promised a candy "if Mom has a fun time." My kids never get treats at stores, I was just THAT scared. A the store the kids did great, I think. I try to not notice what they are doing too much so that I can avoid more stress in a stressful situation. Layne picked out a head of cabbage, strawberries and asparagus (swoon). I couldn't think of any meals I would be making that I could use the cabbage for, the strawberries looked nasty, but the asparagus was a good choice...thin, crisp, inexpensive. I even let him bag it. We get to the candy, Layne chooses a sucker, Brik some sugar free orange grossness and me a dark chocolate covered carmel because I survived!

We ate the candy on the way home and the kids were beside themselves with delight. I heard things like "Why do we get to eat a treat without vegetables?" and "I like to go to that store." and "My sucker has gum in it!!" and "When can I eat my asparagus?" When we got home it was time for Layne to get ready for school so I promised asparagus when he got home. Layne's at school, I cook, clean, shower and feed the baby.

Before I know it, Layne is home wanting asparagus RIGHT NOW. Sorry Layne, I was busy. I still need to cook it. Melt down, crazed body movements, lemonade on the floor. Clean up your mess, Layne. NO! Layne goes to his room. PEACE. Well except for the hate exploding from the corner of the house. "I am not going to clean up my mess, I am going to just dump out everything in the refrigerator. I will never, never like you forever, ever, ever!" After hearing this 452675349 times, it almost is endearing.

I fix my face, then talk to Layne. Layne cleans up his mess. Brik wants to play with his brother. The floor is still sticky, so I get a soapy rag. Layne is running around, into the bathroom, slams the door, Brik is banging on it. I go and talk to them about playing quietly or going outside because the baby is sleeping. I am looking up a recipe, Brik is playing with a firetruck. Layne is screaming, the baby wakes up. I am changing Rowell's diaper, Layne is climbing on the entertainment center. I am washing the asparagus, Layne picks up Roxwell in a not gentle way, baby is crying. I am holding the baby and washing asparagus. Layne is rubbing the cheese grater on the handle of the dishwasher. I am now putting away things on the counter that Layne might feel the urge to be destructive with. Brik is crying, Layne is running with the firetruck . I set a timer for 5 more minutes then it is Layne's turn. Layne takes it away again. Layne goes to his room. PEACE. I now have the asparagus seasoned and pan heating. Layne has agreed to play nice. I add oil to the pan. Layne wants to help, he is crowding the stove. I drop in the asparagus, sizzle, pop, ouch, cry, hug, hug. Layne has a pan now he is using it "to protect me from the pops" Even harder drop, flip and remove asparagus from the pan.

We sit down to eat, one bite, "I don't like it." Brik and I chow, Layne complains and decides he wants to save it for dad and just eat snacks at the play. Of coarse that idea was shot down. Layne was able to force down a decent amount of asparagus, that was actually very tasty, and enjoy his snacks at the play.

I loved Brik's retelling once we returned home. "The mean sister woke everybody up when they were sleeping. The mean mommy is mean and scary, I don't like her. The sister has a red shirt and a red jacket, she matched. I liked the dog, he was nice."

So yesterday kicked my butt. I wanted to give Layne to Miss Hannagan and never look back. It took me some extra time to unwind and fall asleep last night. Today is better, today is good, today I have help. Jarom is home, I feel calm again.

Let the Spoiling Begin

The kids are totally enamored with their grandparents known as Papa and Nana.

Papa came down for a golf trip with the guys (brothers, son and friend, cousins). We didn't see a lot of him, but Layne made good use of the time he was around. Kody got them both remote control cars which they love. Papa got them swords--oh, joy. He also is constantly offering food, mostly licorice and deer sticks. This visit he made a big stride in the right direction by balancing a carton of ice cream one day with a fresh fruit tray the next.Dad is always jimmying something up, like here with the wagon behind the bike with the use of a pool noodle. They spent most of the day going for bike rides. Every time they came in to "rest," Layne was bugging Papa to go back out again within 10 minutes.

Nana was a little less adventurous on the bike, but insisted on pool time. The boys of coarse love the pool and had fun with their new water guns. When Layne was in Iowa he got to pick a toy out for himself and Brik at the store. After playing with his toy of choice (a postal truck) he was ready to trade with Brik (Mack from Cars the movie). So when he got home to give Brik his present there was a lot of fighting over the Mack truck. Every morning Brik went straight to that toy, every time Nana asked who wanted to go to Bashas with her Brik refused because he wanted to play with his truck instead. On our way home from the gym each day, Brik would be talking about what he was going to do when we arrived home...yep, play with his truck.

The other thing that catches Brik's attention is videos on the computer. If he hears the slightest sound coming from computer speakers he is there to see what is showing. It doesn't matter what it is, he wants to watch and when it is over, he wants to watch it again. When mom left, she left new toys for the boys that they played with constantly for about three days. Now they get rotated with the rest of the lot.

Thumb Sucking...Nose Cleaning...and Eye Poking?

Self soothing is a great thing. Layne became an avid thumb sucker at age 5 months, no more getting up to stick the pacifier in his mouth at 2 in the morning, hooray! He would feed his blanket through his hands until he found a corner to hold while he sucked off to sleep. Pretty normal.

Brik went a different route, never liked the pacifier. At six months he started chewing on his blanket. This keeps his mouth really clean and his teeth really white, but requires washing everyday. Luckily he wasn't too picky and had 5 blankets we could rotate in. As the months went by, Brik started filling his mouth fuller and fuller until it became nearly half the blanket wadded up in his mouth. At 18 months Brik found by twisting a small piece of his blanket up his nose while chewing and sucking his slobber out of half a yard of flannel he achieved ultimate comfort.

Now Layne's was normal, Brik's had its benefits, but Roxwell's eye poking is just weird. He has a scratch between his eyes from doing this, so I imagine he is scratching his eyes as well. I hope is is just uncoordination and he can develop a less destructive self soothing technique soon.--

On His Way

Layne learned about a new world on his trip to the Midwest. He learned what cold is and the difference between a coat and a jacket. He experienced troll hunting with Aunt Katie, which happens to be a new sport she has developed a knack for. Although it is only an intense make believe game, Layne fell for it hook line and sinker so there is no reasoning with him about is not being completely real (except for "that one time Katie tricked me")

Layne is consumed with anticipation for the time he is big enough to drive Papa's quad, by himself, with nobody watching him. He experienced the other version of oatmeal and realized it is not so great. He learned about cough drops, that as long as Nana thinks they work, they do. He is excited to show his whole class tomorrow the half dollar Papa gave him, as they have been learning about money at school.

Home life has been slow without Layne. I have felt relaxed and calm. There are less messes, less yelling and less stress. More love, more smiling and more productive house work. Although I love him to pieces and appreciate the opportunities I have to learn from the challenges he inflicts, it was nice to have a bit of breathing room for a time. I feel myself getting anxious already, just anticipating his return.

The Cold SOUNDS Nice

When You're Sporting 85 Degrees!

Brik is missing his Papa (who left last week) and is excited to see his Nana (who is coming tomorrow) and idolizes his brother (who got to spend the week in between with his grandparents). Here, the temperature is in the mid 80's, and we are all enjoying good health. While Layne is sicky with a fever and a cough in the bitter cold (the hurting kind of cold).


To Brik, Iowa is like a fantasy land. He found this "Iowa" hat and thinks he is ready to take on the weather. One day he will realize those Iowans are all insane for choosing that kind of living.