Standiford Family

This evening began like any other Sunday evening.  We had dinner.  I mean breakfast for dinner.  We read our scriptures together.  We played a game together.  We had family prayer.  And then Kade wanted to wrestle.  The most surprising part may be, for you not me, that Kade wanted to wrestle me, his mother.  We’ve done this a few times in the last week or so.  I let him think he’s got me pinned only to flip him over and pin him.  He doesn’t like it when I tickle.  I guess that’s not allowed, along with fake biting/eating, but kissing him is.  Back to the story, Kade jumped me as soon as we said amen.  The game was on.  We went a few rounds before he moved on to Mickey.  I just couldn’t resist tickling him.  I guess he had enough.  When Kade moved to Mickey the girls decided to join in too.  I ran to get the camera thankful Mickey hadn’t gotten to it first.

Here are the kids trying to take Mickey down.  I’m not bragging or anything but I got Mickey down in one move.  I went for his weak spot.  The ticklish one under his arms.  He,he,he.  He said I cheated.  I don’t agree.

Can you believe it?  Here it is, January 31st and I’ve made it through the first month of blogging everyday.  I really didn’t know if I could do it.  There have been some days that I’ve regretted my goal but I pushed through that regret and found something to shoot and write about.  I’m glad February is a short month.  Then it will be March before you know it and Spring will be here soon.  Yes!

Almost a year and a half ago I posted a sneak peek about our half bathroom we put in downstairs.  Today it finally got the finishing touch so I thought I’d share a picture of it.  The light, although good for a bathroom, is not necessarily good for taking a picture.  The green got a little weird at the top.  Check the sneak peek for the true color.  Love it!

(This is the view while sitting on a closed or open toilet.)  The finishing touch is the shadow boxes we hung up.  I also finished painting the pocket door.  Earlier this week Mickey installed the trim, which is white.  I really love the way this bathroom turned out.  And it’s also a huge convenience when someone takes forever (at least 30 minutes) in the other bathroom because she’s taken her ds in with her.  I won’t name names but she is no longer allowed to have the ds in the bathroom.  By the way, it’s not me.  I don’t have a ds.  That leaves two guesses left.

This is what I was ready to chow on while we watched “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” tonight.  We moved the good tv out of the living room and into the basement so now we can eat while we watch.  (We have a no food, drink, or shoe policy in the living room.  I know, I’m so mean.)  I wasn’t really planning on celebrating our movie snacking freedom with all this junk food but that’s what happens when the person doing the shopping is craving junk food.  The kids and Mickey all saw the junk food but no one even mentioned it while the movie played.  I guess we were all too full after eating the home-made pizza we had for dinner.  I guess I have something for a midnight snack now.

This afternoon (Uncle/Tio) Chris came over to help Mickey with a few things.  He ended up hanging out for a while before we all went to Meg’s basketball jamboree.  They had fun playing Super Mario Brothers Wii.

Not sure why Kade’s tongue is sticking out.  Mattey’s being her lovey self.

Mickey was/is going to do the POTD but he may be getting in late and may not have internet access where he’ll be.  So he will post his whenever he can.  Since he might not post until tomorrow I will post a random thing from today.

Yesterday a note came home with Kade from his teacher reminding up that today was Teddy Bear Picnic day.  We brought Kade’s friend home and when his mom picked him up we talked about it.  This morning I saw the paper on the counter.  We got to school and everyone is pulling out their bear, or whatever animal they brought, and Kade pulls out….nothing.  I totally forgot.  What a bad mother I am.  Really it’s what a bad memory I have.  The teacher said he could borrow one of theirs but Kade wasn’t having it.  To make up for my forgetfulness I ran home to get Big Bear.  I even dressed him in some of Kade’s jammies.

From what I hear Big Bear and Kade had a fun picnic with all the other kids and animals.  It really is an honor being a special guest at Kade’s preschool.  I’m thinking of helping out next month on pajama and pancake day.  I can even wear my jammies while I’m flipping the pancakes.  Sounds like fun to me.

Tonight Mickey and I went to visit my grandma again.  This time the kids stayed with my parents.  They had dinner with them.  My brother, B, stopped by.  He must have smelled the beef and noodles from his house.  It’s one of his favorites.  While eating, Kade looked behind him at all of us “kids” in our senior pictures.  He said, “That’s my mom.  She has big hair.”  This made everyone crack up.  (Yes, I did have big hair at 17 and for a while after that.  It was long, thick, and curly, not teased out like in the 80’s.  Now it’s just short and big, more afro like.)  The kids always find something to do at Nana and Papa’s house.  When we came back to get them they were putting puzzles together and the legos had been out.

And of course Nana let them all have a can of pop.  That’s something we regard as a rare treat in our house.  They get plenty of sugar from other things.  An example can be found in the post below.

On Monday nights we spend time together as a family.  Not that we don’t on other nights but on Mondays it’s more organized.  We have family home evening.  We rotate through the jobs so we all get a turn.  This also allows the kids to learn how to be responsible for their part of the night, at least I hope that’s true.  Tonight Megan conducted the meeting and family business.  I had the opening song.  Mickey had scripture and prayer.  Kade gave a good lesson on letting Jesus into our lives.  I planned the activity, skip bo.  And Mattey provided the treat.  The activity and treat are the most coveted jobs.  Mattey was excited it was her turn for treat.  First she thought we’d go to Krispy Kreme and get a doughnut.  But we later had to run to the store for bread and she saw what she REALLY wanted.  Zebra cakes!  Here she is enjoying hers.

Mattey & Kade seem to have warmer blood than the rest of us.  Maybe it’s the red hair?  During the winter they can wear summer clothing and not be cold.  I get cold just looking at all the exposed skin.  This afternoon they had to put on their “diving” suits.  They found some floaties in the basement and blew them up.  They were pretending to go to the beach.  They completed the pretend by putting on “Lilo & Stitch” which takes place in Hawaii.  (Ahh…Hawaii.  Sunshine.  Warm weather.)  At least in the basement I don’t have to lather them up with SPF 50 or vacuum up a lot of sand that gets tracked into the house.

For our family date tonight, we went to my Grandma and Grandpa’s house.  Kelly made chicken fajitas for dinner.  We brought all the fixings for dinner, including a very good cinnamon swirl creme cake that we picked up from Walmart on the way.  I wondered what my grandparents were going to think of the dinner.  I think they were a bit skeptical as we told them how to prepare the fajita.

They were very much into reminiscing tonight.  My Grandpa started by telling us that his last war buddy passed away before Christmas.  He told us a couple different war stories and then talked about the reunions they had with his army buddies, including a trip they took overseas where they visited all the different places he had served.  I had heard a few of these stories before but it’s always interesting to listen to him talk about the war and what he saw.  At one point tonight I saw a few tears run down his cheek.  I have always appreciated the fact and been proud that he helped protect this free country we all enjoy.

My Grandma joined in tonight by telling us all about what she did while my Grandpa was away.  Oh yeah, this all started because she was telling us how they just celebrated their 68th anniversary.  That is amazing but what is even more amazing is that they never even saw each other for 38 of the first 39 months of marriage.  They went on their honeymoon and when they came back, there was a letter from Uncle Sam calling my Grandpa to war.  Good thing they were such great friends before this happened.  Anyway my Grandma told us how she went to machinery school in South Bend and how she was the first woman hired on the line at some machine shop.  She excelled there and was excited when she got promoted so she could wear a blouse and skirt instead of her denim uniform.  She told us how she made a C clamp using all different sort of machines and how for her final project she made my Grandpa a small ball-peen hammer that he wore on his dog tags.  He said all the guys got a kick out of that.  After dinner, Grandpa said he really enjoyed that meal.  So I guess the fajitas were a hit.

Now for the explanation for the picture of the day.  I went out into my Grandma’s kitchen and Kade came over to the cupboard and said, “I want to see what’s in here.”  Funny thing is, I think he remembered what was in there.  Let’s just say there used to be some other little boy who always needed to see what was in that same cupboard.  It’s always full of all different kinds of cookies.  So here is the little copycat.

For a while now I’ve been wanting a picture of the Chicago Temple.   It’s where we were married.  I’ve looked around and couldn’t find one I liked.  (Those that get married in the western temples have a lot more options to choose from.  Not fair.)  I put it on my Christmas list but since I couldn’t find one did I really think Mickey could?  Well, maybe.  He seems to find a lot more stuff on the web than I can but I didn’t get one.  I was going through my scrapbook stuff to weed it out and came across this picture.  I believe we got it when we were married.  We used to have it in a silver frame long ago.  Somehow it had been stored away.  I pulled it out and stuck it in an empty frame and hung it on the wall.  It wasn’t grand enough.  I don’t know if grand is the right word but I wanted people to notice it.  I was looking at a few home dec things in some stores this week (I could have spent a couple hours in Hobby Lobby) and came across this frame (it’s from JoAnn).  I knew I had to get it.  I picked it up today, put the picture in it, and hung it up.  I love the feeling of importance the picture has with it’s new frame.  What do you think?

On a side note we continued our Friday tradition of pizza and a movie.  I made home-made.  We all get our own little personal ones because no one likes the same toppings.  This way there’s no fighting.  There’s always complaining but no fighting.  After dinner we watched G-Force.  I fell asleep about 20 minutes in so I can’t tell you how it was.  I did hear a lot of laughing at times.  The reds thought it was hilarious.  Meg said it wasn’t as funny to her because she’s already seen it.