Track Off

As a mother of a kindergartner I am learning many new phrases. Like when Cali all of a sudden started saying, "Oh my gosh mom, don't go major on me." What does "going major" exactly mean? Who knows.

However, my all-time favorite new phrase was introduced to me by Cali's teacher. She started sending home notes several weeks ago regarding the upcoming track break. The notes went something like this, "don't forget to send in you homework folder before we track off." I had to read it several times before I put it together. Track Off: a phrase meaning to go off track or to take a track break.

Now I've adopted "Track Off" into my vocabulary because it sounds so similar to so many of my other favorite phrases. For example, Back Off! And other {Fill in the blank} Off's. Thank you kindergarten!

P.S. Tracking Off is not all it's cracked up to be. We are on day two of track break and Cali is already at her wit's end. She is bored, and the off track homework packet is not as "fun" as real school. I am also a little sick of hearing, "Can I go to a friend's can a friend come here can I go somewhere, can you take me to a friend's can I call a friend, Carter isn't fun to play with can I call a friend......" This starts at about 7:59a.m.

So Worth It

Last week Christian and I went downtown to see the Body Worlds exhibit at the Leonardo.(thanks to Bethany and Tyler for tending our crazy meowzers for a few hours) It may be the most intense thing I've ever seen in my life. It was so amazing and just incredible. I have a completely new appreciation for the human body. It is truly a miracle that any of us are living! If you live in the Salt Lake area, buy tickets here.

I wasn't sure how much or how little of the actual bodies I wanted to post here, but is you're not at all squeamish you can see some amazing photos taken by a Deseret News photographer Tom Smart here.

Walk {Cry and Run Away} -A-Thon

On Thursday Cali participated in the first annual school walk-a-thon, and thankfully, the only fundraiser for the year. Family and friends could pledge by the lap, or just give a flat pledge. Knowing the longevity of this girl's legs I wisely made a flat pledge. My intuition was right. She walked 22 laps, which is just shy of four miles (24 laps was the four mile mark).

Since the parents were invited to walk with their children I thought that Carter and I should make a day of it. We showed up at the appointed time, with our walking shoes on. Carter made it about two laps before he went into complete melt-down mode. Oh, backing up a bit, I nearly lost him, my camera, and my cell phone before the festivities even began. So, we walked two laps then he freaked, then he saw the play ground, then he ran away. I spent most of the afternoon watching Cali walk as I watched Carter play on the playground.

At about lap 12 Cali started complaining that her shoes were hurting her feet. She was wearing her Nike Shox, but apparently they are getting a little too small. Instead of quitting, she asked if I would go home and find her a new pair of shoes so she could keep walking. I rounded up Carter, ran home, and returned with her favorite Cali Gear shoes. She slapped them on and was good for another 10 laps.


Still truckin' along, after the shoe switch.


While at home, I also took the opportunity to grab Carter's stroller and Yankee Blankee. Carter has to be really very very tired to be seduced into sitting in a stroller.

All in all it was a pretty long day. The pizza party afterward was it's own fiasco, but I don't have the patience or nervous system to reenact it.

I'm Kind of a Big Deal

If you know Christian, you know that he can't get enough of Will Ferrell. Consequently, Anchorman is one of his all time favorite shows. The first time we saw it (in a tiny movie theater in Price) he laughed harder than anyone in the entire theater. Which made me (and everyone else who was with us) laugh harder than was really necessary. Over the years we have had many Anchorman moments, we have incorporated much of Ron Burgundy's vocabulary into our own.

If there is anyone who loves Ron Burgundy more than Christian, it's my brother Brandt. A few weekends ago he took his love of all things Anchorman to a whole new level. The similarities are striking, scary, and hilarious.

In the Words of a 1990's Rap Song

I wish I was a little bit taller
I wish I was a baller
I wish I had a girl who looked good I would call her
I wish I had a rabbit in a hat with a bat
And a Six Four Impala





Thank you Skee-Lo for the inspiring lyrics from your 1995 song, "I Wish".

Card Club {One Year Later}

On Saturday night we celebrated our card club's one year anniversary. For the most part we are still made up of the same original members, we've had a few drop and a few add, but all in all we made it a whole year! My grandma Cook was involved in a club, I think the official name was "Etiquette Club" but she always just referred to it as "club". Each member took a turn hosting and they got together for a dinner once a month. She was still attending "club" with many of it's original members just months before her death. That club has seen at least 60 years.

Dorey hosted on Saturday, and in true Dorey fashion, everything was just perfect. We ate (I must get the spinach dip recipe) then made some very cute Halloween decorations. It was a great night. Here are a few pictures.

Thank goodness Dorey has huge table and every single kind of paper and ribbon known to man!


Sharane, Regina, and Stacey striving for perfection!


A picture of Audrey's islander's renter's pubes or just some spidery yarn...you decide.


My finished product. It's now hanging on my mirror and looks great! Thanks Dorey for being such a gracious host.

It's my turn to host in October... any ideas or suggestion?

{Almost} Enough to Make a Grown Man Cry

Last night was the last baseball game ever to be played in Yankee stadium. Although Christian had to be up at 3am for work, he insisted on watching the entire game (baseball games are not short). It started out with a tribute to several of the most famous Yankee players all culminating with Babe Ruth's (The Sultan of Swat, the Colossus of Clout, the Great Bambino) daughter throwing out the first pitch. Followed by hours of baseball, ending with a Yankee's win. Then Derek Jeter and crew doing a final lap around the field to the tune of "Start spreadin' the news I'm leavin' today, I want to be a part of it, NEW YORK NEW YORK!" I tried to take several pictures of Christian while he was watching the game, but he was having none of that. The looks on his face ranged from joy, to admiration, sadness, love, and pretty much everything in between. Several times I teased him about getting teared up, but I have no proof to back that up.

This was Priceless

Last night I was done. Really done. I'd been at work all day, and at young women's for a good chunk of the night. When I came home it was time to start the nightly routine of getting these wild meowzers to bed. We skipped bath time, and went straight to reading time with Cali. After fifteen minutes of patience trying reading we were ready to brush our teeth. I lured the kids into the bathroom with a new tube of toothpaste. Carter hates to brush his teeth, he would much rather suck the paste off the brush and drink endless slurps of water. I was trying to coax him into moving his head back and forth fast over his toothbrush when he paused to make this comment:

Carter: (standing on the toilet, leaning over the sink, catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror, pauses...) You are a handsome devil. (resumes teeth brushing).
Cali: And guess what Carter, there really is a devil, his name is Satan.
Carter: (eating toothpaste and drinking water.....)

Christian and I looked at each other and couldn't even begin to contain the laughter.

I've Won a Major Award

My friend Tatum passed a blog award onto me, and upon reading her tribute I was not only flattered, but honored. My sister Bethany and I have often considered ourselves comic geniuses. We have even wondered why more people don't think we are funny (I know, there are much better things worry about). Well, sweet sweet validation has come my way. Here's what Tatum had to say. Thank you Tate!

Most Likely to Squirt Milk Out of Your Nose While Reading

Cammie always gives it to you straight with her blog- no censoring or watering down of, say...swear words at Family Home Evening. With two of the funniest kids I've ever met, this family and their blog just ooze humor. Her posts are endlessly fascinating to me.

I Want My Baby Back Baby Back Baby Back

Chili's babyback ribs......Barbeque sauce.

Frankiethegoat and Parkerthebaby

This past weekend we were able to visit our family in Price and Castle Dale. We were also fortunate to spend some time with the newest members of our family. Frankiethegoat and Parkerthebaby. Carter says both as if they were one word. So here they are!

Grandpa, Frankie, and Cali. Frankie likes to have all the attention.


Frankie likes attention so much that he wouldn't let Carter sit on grandpa's lap. In fact, he lowered his head and butted Carter in the knees each time he tried to sit on grandpa's lap.


Melissa, Cali and Parkerthebaby. She is just the most beautiful mother.


Our Pollastro family minus our Dustin (Minnesota) and Brittany (Sweden...not for long!)


Cali likes to hold Parker and comfort him. She even rocked him to sleep, right before her arms gave out.

Sorry for the Blog Neglect

Instead of blogging we've been.....

Eating Cake


Painting


More Painting


White coating with Bethany and Tyler


Playing in the dirt