Bachelor Party Packing List...

My brother, AJ, is getting married this weekend. !!!!! To celebrate and send him off in style, about 10 of his friends and brothers are hosting a 3-day bachelor party filled with outdoor activities, camping, and other various manly stuff. Paul left for Oregon this afternoon to join the crew.

While cleaning up the house tonight, I found his packing list, and have been giggling ever since:

• computer and speakers
• power cord inverter
• golf clubs
• guns
• bikes
• bike clothes
• ipod
• swimsuit
• movies
• basketball shoes and shorts
• tent, bag, and pad
  

Sounds like 3 days of pure fun, right?? Camping, boating, shooting, biking, golfing, basketball, tons of grilled meat, movies, movies, movies... he was excited to go and completely deserves some real time off!

I am so glad he gets to go. But I think I'm even more glad that I don't have to be there to witness the average behavioral age drop to about 13 years old. Hopefully by the time the women and children arrive, they will be fit for the civility and refinement of the wedding festivities.

If not, at least Chelsey will know what she's getting herself into.

But something tells me she already knows...

... kind-of.

New Beginnings...

I love the start of the school year, with all its new beginnings and promises of growth and learning. With the beginning of the school year, life has gotten a little busier around here... but I am enjoying the beginnings of a routine and schedule.

We've had many "first days" around here lately... here are a few.


Abby and Bekah started Preschool on Tuesday. They are so proud of their backpacks, and talk about their school all the time.

Abby

Bekah

On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, they go to preschool with Miss Katie... who has a preschool set up in her basement, and is in our ward and lives close to us. They love Miss Katie...

At this age, it is so much about the social interaction and discovery. I am glad they get to interact and discover together in this new setting.

Abby and Bekah also started "Let's Play Music" classes each week. They LOVE this class, the music, and the "homeworks" and practices. I love that they love it. They have already learned so much. I love, love, love the program... and love, love, love Melissa Lunt, their teacher. We drive all the way to Spanish Fork... 2 times in one day... for her to teach Abby, Bekah, and Michael. It makes my Tuesdays a little long-ish with lots of time in the car... but still a really fun day.


And here is our Mr. Kindergarten, Michael. Anyone who talked to me this past Spring knows what a dilima we went through trying to decide whether to do kindergarten or 1st grade for Michael, whose birthday is at the beginning of July. Should he be the youngest in his class or the oldest??


Strong feelings have led us to have him do another year of kindergarten, making him the oldest in the class. My only reservation has been that I don't want him to get bored this year... I want him to have fun and be challenged. After meeting his teacher, I feel like she is a perfect fit. She talks to him in a very grown-up way, waits for his thoughtful answers, and has a sense of humor that matches Michael's. She's already given me many good ideas about things I can be doing at home, and talked about how she can focus his classtime toward his strengths. AND she's a major Cougar fan... which is a major "plus" in Michael's book. He was really looking forward to starting school. It is fun to see him go into this year with confidence and excitement.


He loves his football backpack, to which Paul attached a BYU patch this morning. Of course.

Michael is also doing Let's Play Music each week. He started cello this summer, and loves it a lot. I'll have to post more on that later. And last Saturday he had his first soccer game of the season... pictures to come! He is enjoying each part of his days... and we are enjoying this new, fun, busy time of life.

I guess this is just the beginning of the "taxi mom" phase of life as the kiddos get more involved with various things. It is fun to see my kids enjoying more of the joys of this life. I love to see them learn and grow in different ways... it brings them so much joy and their confidence shines! I love that music is filling my house with happy songs and rhythms. I love the girls kick the soccer ball with Michael, and that Ella rolls it while exclaiming "baaaaa!" I love that they are all so excited to do little pages of homework, to read and read, and that they have so very much to tell me on the way home.

And my fall resolution?? Go to bed before midnight. It would help to have some extra energy to make it through some of these long-ish days...

an interesting juxtaposition of articles...

from the ny times.
i appreciate the editors' unwillingness to ravage the man's views...no matter how hard you know they wanted to...

from the ws journal.
and all this from a lebanese-born american and john's hopkins professor...

from the economist.
it would be a shame to lose the most significant concession in this round of health care negotiations--the willingness of insurers to accept all applicants despite pre-existing health conditions...

New York City, Just the Mama...

As mentioned in my last post, I have a most wonderful husband... and I have lots of ways to prove it. One of which is a recent adventure of mine which took me to New York City... childless and expectation-less. After going through residency and a crazy summer, Paul had been encouraging me to take a "just you" trip somewhere. After going back and forth, worrying about responsibilities and inconveniences and finances, typing and re-typing dates into travelocity... I finally booked a flight!!

When I got sick and had a surgery, we questioned whether I would be able to make the trip. But I was recovering well enough to keep my flight plans and make the trip. I would probably just need to take it easy.

As Paul and the kiddos dropped me off at the airport, he gave me strict instructions to 1. don't overdo it and rest when I needed to, and 2. have fun!! With a big hug, he thanked me for going through residency and doing so much over the last three years, and told me that I deserved to relax and have fun. And I did!!! here are a few pictures from the "just the Mama" trip...

Meet my hosts: the Stevie and the Hannah... Paul's younger brother and little sister... the New York Hipsters. They were simply wonderful to me.

Times Square

Day 1: SHOPPING... thanks to a patient Stephen and happy-shopper Hannah, many a shop was visited on this first day of New Yorkness.

Me and Hannah waiting in the subway

Most successful: Urban Outfitters, and Beacon's Closet (second-hand shop). I tried on more jeans than I've ever worn in my life, and couldn 't bring myself to buy a pair of skinny jeans no matter how much pressure Hannah gave me! We had fabulous Sicilian-style pizza somewhere in the middle, and delicious rice pudding at the end.

Day 2: Rockaway Beach in the late morning/early afternoon. Nothing but a good book and good company made this such a relaxing few hours for me!

On the subway, it took over an hour to get there... but well-worth the ride!

Although I missed the kids here, I had forgotten how relaxing the beach can be without kids to chase/feed/keep lathered with sunscreen/protect from the waves/de-sand at the end. Oh, and there was no car to clean at the end! But the fierce sunburn on the backs of my legs witnessed the fact that I never get a chance to lay on my stomach and nap in the sun. Yikes!


After showering up at the apartment, it was a night on the town! Dinner was amazing Thai cuisine (Pad Thai... mmmmm).


Some time on Times Square...

Then a show... a favorite of mine...


And the most creamy cheesecake I've ever had to top off a wonderful day.

Day 3: Began with Brunch and Westville East... which was my most favorite eat-out meal this trip, hands down. Mmmmm. More SHOPPING (Most successful: H&M... now filling my closet), and food/party supplies shopping (see Day 4) filled the day...

Hannah at the fish shop...

That night, Hannah and I went to the new show: Next to Normal.

If you are going to NYC anytime soon, seriously consider seeing this. Being a social worker, I loved how this show dealt with so many social dynamics and family relationships in a truer-to-life-than-most-broadway-shows way. The music was fun and fantastic. The cast (only 6 in all) was spectacular. And the issues the show dealt with made it an emotionally cathartic experience for me. I'm so glad I went.

We finished off the night with frozen yogurt in SoHo. Mmmmmm.

Day 4: Sunday = church in a singles ward (whoa... wierd), a walk through a fabulous park (what was it again, Stephen??), and an over-the-top terrific DINNER PARTY given by Stevie as a good-bye party for Hannah (who was coming back to Utah the following week). Stephen, the master chef, planned a Madmen-inspired "Trip Around the World" gourmet menu.

So much time and effort went into the meal... it was fun to see what a caring brother will do for his little sister. Basically, it was amazing... and even though he tried to throw me out of the kitchen time after time, I had a great time helping how I could. Here they are with some of the guests:

I enjoyed getting to know their friends... what nice people. And oh, what great food...

Day 5: Last-minute shopping (um, more H&M... this time for the kiddos) and good times with Hannah. To get to the airport, I figured I'd save money and take the subway. Hannah was an increadible sport, exhausting herself by carrying my huge suitcase the whole time. After feeling a bit rushed, I was happy to arrive at the airport an hour early. I was ready and anxious to see my family!!!

I stood in line to check my suitcase, but was told at the desk that they had closed the bag-check 10 minutes earlier... that it would be impossible to get my bag on the plane... and that I had to re-book my flight... and the next flight wouldn't go out until the next morning. WHAT???

After going to 2 managers, trying to get my suitcase past security (and having security called on me!), arguing with another manager, and calling Paul, Stephen, and Hannah with tears in my eyes... I finally conceeded to re-book my flight for the next morning. By that time it was almost 9pm, so I got a taxi and headed back to the apartment.

On the way, I realized what this meant... One more night in NYC!!! So Hannah and I went to eat at Bread (a place we had tried to find earlier that day) and went to visit Stephen at the recording studio where he was doing his bass track for a recording his band is doing.

Why waste the night, right??

So, um... Day 6: I left early the next morning with plenty of time to make my plane... and came home refreshed, relaxed, and rejuvenated. When I pulled in the driveway, this is what I saw:


An adorable homemade "welcome home mom" sign with cute notes from the kiddos and Paul. I missed them all so much... being gone makes the heart grow fonder, and I am quite fond of my family.

Which leads me to the "Thank You" chapter of this post...

Thank you Mom F. for helping Paul take care of the kiddos while I was gone. I know you had a lot going on and it wasn't easy, and I felt so loved by your happy willingness. Thank you to the others who stepped in to fill in other gaps... Mel (and Jonny), Dad F., Lafe, and even Libby and DJ when you got into town. The kids are still talking about the fun times they had, and I am so grateful to you all.

Thank you to Stevie and Hanza for taking such good care of me. You helped me get everywhere I wanted to go, showed me places I didn't know I wanted to go, pampered me with amazing food, and didn't even let me carry my own bags. The mix of relaxation and fun was just right. Thank you for showing me what you love about your city... I love it even more now!!

Thank you, most of all, to Paul for encouraging me to go. I'm so glad you pushed me to do it. Thank you for making me feel like I deserved it. Thank you for all you did for the kiddos and for our home while I was away. Thank you for funding the trip, and shopping... hee, hee :). And thank you for being so happy with the good time I had. I missed you terribly while I was gone, and can't wait for a NYC trip WITH you!! There is so much more to do!!!

Nine Years of Bliss...

Could it possibly be our 9th wedding anniversary? Where has the time gone??


I remember when we were first married, I cringed at the title of "wife" because it sounded so old. I quickly became "wifey" to soften the blow. Although sometimes I still feel like a newlywed, four children and a mortgage has its way of shoving those giddy carefree days out the door.


But with each passing year and through each trial and triumph, I feel a more mature depth and dedication in our marriage. It is a lovely evolution, and I am increasingly amazed and inspired by Paul's love and dedication to me and our family.

In this year of our marriage, to name just a handful... I have been most grateful to Paul for:

• Making a very busy resident schedule work by making the most of his time at home.
• Always making me feel like his top priority... even with a skewed time commitment.
• Helping me to simplify life and simply enjoy it.
• Being a super-dad, who is better at handling all the kiddos single-handedly in public than I am.
• Giving me frequent personal time to relax, regroup, and recover
  
• Taking special, watchful care of me in sickness, and in health...
• Sending me on a "you survived residency" trip... just me... to New York City... last week... lots of shopping... and some shows... (update to come...)
• Always reminding me about the things I do well when I feel the weight of my weaknesses.
• Being such a great texter during his shifts.

I feel completely accepted, loved, and cherished.

And at this rate, I'll never ever feel like an old, married woman. What lucky wifey I am.

Michael Turns Six!!! A Two-Part Celebration...

Still playing catch-up... this time from both May and July.

Michael turned six this year. Wow. Where is the time going?? The other day he said to me: "July was a really special month. I had a birthday, Grandpatty had a birthday, America had a birthday, and Utah had a birthday... in that order!" So many birthdays so celebrate in July... it is a special month.

But Michael's celebrations started way back in May. We realized that we would be moving before his birthday, and knew he would want to celebrate with his California friends. We gave him the option of having a party with a bunch of friends, or spending the whole day doing fun things with one friend.

It was a no-brainer for him... without hesitation, he requested to spend the day with "my best friend, Caleb. But I wonder if I could have Emily come too? Because she's like my best friend, too." Of course!

He put a lot of thought into the invitations, which he made himself. He individually colored each letter of the first part a different color. It took a lot of time on the computer... but he was very proud of the result:


So the day was planned for Michael, Caleb, and Emily for a May celebration. His teacher caught wind of the early birthday celebrating, and asked if we wanted it to be his "early birthday celebration" at school, too.

So we made ice cream cone cupcakes together to take to class.


He got the royal treatment at school:


Then it was home to be with his pals. He planned the day to perfection: IHOP for lunch. Swimming (with goggles). Cake and presents. Jump Zone (think huge room full of way cool bounce houses, air hocky, basketball, and FUN!). Pizza for dinner. PerFect.


I'm not posting pictures of the basketball cake. It was just too sad. But it held candles and was edible.

They had a riot. The Rowley kids have been a fun part of Michael's life for the past three years. I have been so grateful for these good friends for him. It has been a tender mercy for my mother heart to have such good friends for my son. I hope he always remembers them. I know I will.

Fast-forward to his REAL birthday... the one in July... post-move and mid-settling in.

Breakfast...


In bed...


Boy did he ever love this little luxury. It was fun for the girls to surprise him this way.

He came down to the kitchen to see his b-day goods:


And the cake... for the biggest BYU fan of this Frandsen generation (so far...):


Before the bday party, he got his first present... a full-size air hockey table. When we were looking for houses, he would always remind us to be sure they had room for an air hocky table in the basement. Well... it is good to know that Paul and I made good on our word.


The party guests warmed it up for us. We were happy to have Paul's parents and brother join us, Melinda and Aaron, The Tew triplets (our honorary Frandsen cousins), and Michael's new good friend, Kale, who is in his primary class and lives just down the road. Of course, his party-hearty sisters were there, too.


After some good sports playing in the basement with the air hockey table and basketball hoops, they made some creative signs to cheer each other on in the obstacle course they helped design and subsequently maneuvered with grace and skill. You see... Michael is currently obsessed with WIPEOUT, and obstacle courses are just the norm around this house lately.

Lunch was pizza and fruit pizza...


This year Michael put much thought into his birthday wish. I love these pictures documenting the thinking time...




My favorite part of the day was during lunch. All the kids were around the table and we were talking about Michael. Something started me telling the story about when Michael was born. It is something we usually do, but not as a part of the friend bday party. Kids love to hear these stories almost as much as other moms do! I left out all the fun delivery details that we moms usually go on and on about... but they loved asking questions and hearing about what an excited mom and dad we were. And about the hospital. And about his first cries. And I cried... just a little... as I recounted it for them.

I love thinking about that day, six years ago, that changed our lives completely. Michael has been a complete joy to me as a mother, and I love experiencing each new stage of the child/parent road with him. We were excited first-time parents, and he was such a good baby. He has continued to be such a good boy. As the time passes, he matures in his thinking and reasoning, opens up as a character and person, and becomes a deeper and more personal friend to me. It is bitter sweet to see him grow up like this... because I want to freeze time and enjoy now a little more... yet as time goes on, it keeps getting better.

So here's to a great six years... and a pinch to grow on. What does this year have in store for you, Michael Bichael?? I can't wait to find out!

Didn't Need You, Anyway...

After 30 years of a good, healthy relationship... I had to say goodbye to this little guy.


Yes, that's him. The Gall Bladder that was making me feel so terrible. I know, I know. You can tell he's trouble just by looking at him. But I never really took a good look until now. Never really needed to.

Just goes to show... you never really know.

I just don't know how we went wrong. So many years had gone by without ever a problem. I always ate what I wanted without ever having issues. But, out of the blue, he just started making me... well... sick. We just weren't getting along. At. All. I couldn't take it anymore, and when my doctor said I'd be better off without him... well... I didn't argue.

I did have to have it professionally done. Some things are better left in the hands of experts. But it was so much easier than I would have thought. There one moment... general anesthesia and a same-day surgery... then he was gone.

It is taking a bit to get over him, but I can already tell life is better off without him. I think it was a good decision, I think. And I'm glad I can go back to eating my favorite things again (like greasy pizza! And Bucca de Beppo!).

So, so long! Farewell! Didn't need you anyway...