I found where my stress free existance went...

It went to
the
Zermatt Resort and Spa
in Midway Utah.

Well,
that's where I found it
anyway.


I had forgotten
that I had purchased
a membership to this club
that gave us a weekend getaway
for Ryan's Birthday
Last Year.


It was going to expire
on June 30
so we thought,
shoot,
this weekend sounds good.

Ryan's mom graciously agreed
to watch the kids
and off we went.


There was a huge brunch
Huge,
$30 bucks a person huge
(brunch for 2 was part of the package)
and
I royally screwed the diet
and ate whatever I wanted.

We then checked out our room.
(Which was awesome)
and headed to the pool

see the pictures of us
both
sunburned.

We used the Resorts
Gym,
(had to work off that brunch)

steam room,
(eucalyptus mist and blue and red lighting)

and relaxation center
(Think dreamy quiet room, with soft music,
dim lighting, comfy chairs, a fire place
and essential oils being diffused.)


Then headed to dinner
which was also amazing.
(and included with the vouchers so FREE!)


A round on the 18 hole putting greens
(again, included in the vouchers)

and a little shuffle board.

All feelings of stress melted away.

The bed was lovely and comfy.
I didn't want to wake up.

Need to get away?
Need to relax?
Need to reclaim your stress free life?
This place was primo.
and the customer service was
Beyond Compare.
I would go back tomorrow.

We loved it so much
that we renewed our membership
so we could go again.

Little slice of heaven,
right there in Midway Utah.

and I am happy to report,
that we have been making
some rockin progress
on the board o' projects.


Yeah for my stress free life coming back!
and for my favorite man ever
who works his tale off to make me happy.
Lucky lucky girl
Right Here.

P.S. Ryan wants me to mention
that we have done
TONS of other projects and cleaning
in addition to what was on the list as well.

What's a Cowboy Town worth if it doesn't have a little Rodeo?

Our little town
has a rodeo
every year.

and man,
is it a big deal,
to this little town.

You rarely see so many
"interesting" people
all together in one place.
All walks of life.


My kids
get the most excited
about the snow cones.


Kenna
was so excited to go
all day long
she kept asking if it was time yet.
We had not been there
10 minutes
and she was dead out.
for about an hour.

It was Vienna and Rachel's
First Rodeo.
Glad we could break you in girls!

and Philip,
thanks for being such a good sport
about the blue snow cone
that Cohen
was determined
to douse you with.

OVERWHELMED in all capital letters

I
normally
have a very
non stressed
outlook on life

if things don't get done,
then they don't get done,
I will get to it.
(Notice clutter in the background)

If my kids are in pajamas all day,
(Okay, if I am in pajamas)
and there are dirty dishes in the sink
oh well.

Lately
I have been
LOOSING it.
My non stressed lifestyle
went flying away
to some far away land
that I cannot find.

Wouldn't yours
with laundry piles a mile high
(dryer currently broken)

and stacks of bills and papers
to file and shred
like this

and
with a sewing project pile
like this

and a million painting projects
that look like this

I could go on.
But Ryan would hate me
if I posted a picture
of my master bathroom
on here

During one of my meltdowns,
Ryan suggested
he take a week off of work
just to stay home and do projects.
Deep clean and sort and paint
from top to bottom.
Things we never get to.
That have been stacked away for
well,
yes,
years.


I started a list.
It just kept growing
and growing.

My friend looked at it
and said

"My, that's ambitious"

Yes it is,
but I feel like if these things were done,
breathing in and out
would become easier.

Today is day #1
Three items off the list already.
My heart is lightening
as we speak.
as is the load in my closet.

I keep trying to visualize my happiness
when all of the someday projects
get done.
instead of focusing on the mess,
that true organization creates
before it can get better.

Wish me luck
or some Xanax
I might need that too!

Sometimes you forget

Sometimes
I forget
That its okay
if she picks her own clothes

and its okay
if her hair ends up a mess
because she was five different princesses
all in one day.

and its okay
if she doesn't eat all of her dinner.

and its okay
if she wakes me up
at midnight
because she had a scary dream
or her legs hurt.

and then
I see her like this
and
I remember
that
I love
this precious thing
in my life.

I remember
her giggle
and her snaggle tooth grin
and her strong little arms
and her ticklish tummy,
and her affinity
for strawberries and avocados,
and pink milk.

I remember
why it is
that I am a mother

as I carry
her softly snoring
limp
little self
up to her bed.

A Cherry Pickin' Party

Ryan's Friend Joe
from work
told us
that they had WAY too many cherries.
They didn't want the worms,
or the birds
to get them,
and they didn't want them
to be squishy messes in their yard either.


So what were we supposed to do?
other than politely unload them
of their burden.


We all went armed with our buckets
and joined the party.

What do you do at a pickin party?
Pick right?
Unless you are
talking on your phone,
from way up in a tree.

or
screaming
PUSH! PUSH!
loud enough
for the whole neighborhood to hear it.

Kenna
forgot all about the cherries
when one of the other little girls
said
the magic word.
Barbie
We had to haul her out of their playroom
Kicking and screaming
two hours later.


We came home with
Buckets and Buckets of Cherries.
We ate
Buckets and Buckets of Cherries
while we were there.

We have
Buckets and Buckets of Cherries
to share
Come on over.

Long ago, and far away

Some days
I wish that I lived here
(with all the maids and servants that come with it)


and some days
I wish I could eat here.
The food isn't even that spectacular,
but hello,
atmosphere

and some days
I wish that
Ryan and I
were being Da Vinci code nerds again,
and investigating the
Knights of the Templar Temple and grounds,


or discovering strange and hidden gardens.

And some days
I wish I was
just relaxing on the top of a double decker.
Watching the chaos below and loving every minute.

While holding hands
and taking pictures.

Yeah,
those days were
not today.
Today consisted of
work,
laundry,
dinner,
tantrums,
and goobery kisses.

Some days
this is pretty close to perfect
as well.

My Little Man...err...Mermaid

This is what happens when...


1. Bryn doesn't come over
so Kenna has someone to dress up with.

2. Mom is on the computer blogging,
and not paying attention.

3. Kenna finally lets Cohen play with her
and all her costumes.

4. The pirate costume is already taken.


Kenna was so excited to have a
Princess Ariel Tinkerbell
to play with
for the morning


And Cohen was just excited
to get to play at all
since he is usually pushed out
"Cause he's a baby."

and to get a binky,
even though it was pink.

The "Thrills" of being little huh?

He ditched the costume pretty quick
when it hindered his couch jumping abilities.

Kenna was "very mad" at him.

My Favortie Apron Ever...well, so far anyway

This apron
is
my far and away favorite
The colors
The fabric

and all because of you

Alexander Henry

You are a genius


I LOVE your fabric.

Its whimsical
and colorful,
and I am not sure,
if I have ever met a pattern of yours
that I did not like.


I do believe that
Starlings
in Black and White and Red and Blue and Yellow
and Pink
is my current favorite however.


(but I do love the Fairies one from two posts ago too)

If only you were not so expensive
So I could buy more and more.

I so wish
this apron was for me.
I would wear it for a while everyday.
Just to show my love.

P.S. Thank you Caitlin for being my model at the last minute.
You are always beautiful.
It almost makes me hate you,
but I guess we can still be friends
I'll just settle for deep envy.
Especially since you promised me the rockinest Chocolate Cake Ever.

Mom...interupted

I get really frustrated sometimes
when I feel like I have a million things to do
and I can NEVER get them done.

I think,
why can't I get two things done in one day?!

And then pictures like this
remind me why.


This would be
me
sewing an apron,
and all three of my kids
needing to be within
2 feet
of me

Kenna playing with my earring,
Caden watching a movie on the computer
Cohen along for the ride,
because the other two are there,
why shouldn't he be?

Anytime I needed to Iron
or cut
anything,
I had to shoo them off the desk,
and two seconds later,
they were back.


While this
often induces feelings of claustrophobia
in me
I guess
its better than
them dumping kool aid on the kitchen floor
or crunching a whole bag of chips into the carpet.

or being teenagers
who stay out late
and want nothing to do with me.

I guess.

Okay,
I know its better.

I need to remind myself
to enjoy
these moments of Claustrophobia.

Someday
I will have lots of time
to get my list done.

I hope.

Forget Disneyland... Buy a Plastic Tub

I could here whispering,
then a huge crash,
then WILD giggling.

Usually not a good sign in the Price household.


So I jumped up from the sewing chair
and went to investigate.


I found all three of the kids
playing trap you in the tub.


One would get under it
and the other two would scramble
to find all the heavy things
they could get their hands on.


Things like
a fly swatter,

and a gold dollar,
and a stuffed Bambi toy
and and empty sippy cup.


Caden rejected the purse at first,
but then accepted
it once some of Kenna's shoes were put inside.

I thought Kenna and Cohen would freak out
being trapped while the stuff was piled on.

Whatever,
Kenna just took some chips in there with her
and chomped away.


When all the heavy things were stacked on
they all yelled
OKAY
and threw the tub off
and the stuff would crash and scatter.


Then the crazy laughter would begin.

Then it would start all over again
with the next kid.

Why do I spend money on
the zoo,
and the dinosaur museum?
I have plenty of plastic tubs at home
to keep them busy for days.

I think next I will show them
how to turn them into cars,
and we will have a drive in movie
in the living room.