Going Up, Going Down

 I love this picture of Mitt waving to the crowd in the bottom left corner.

 I didn't mean too, but I got very emotionally involved in the election this year.  Our whole family did.

Mammy, Justin, and Luke cheered Romney and Ryan on at the rally at Red Rocks.  They each came home with a yellow shirt, proud to make the Colorado flag (this is before we became the first state to legalize marijuana). 

We watched the news, went to the caucus, listened to talk radio, watched interviews, celebrated, participated at rally's, and suffered through TV commercials.

We sure were hoping.

And after Tuesday night we have all been floundering around, trying to find relief and I found this article that sums up all that I am feeling and why this has been so hard.

 We decided to have an election party.  The day actually felt like a holiday.  Mammy was dancing like a teenager in the kitchen, we were singing every patriotic song in the world. It was fun and exciting and then we started watching the news and if you scroll down you will see how it ended.

  About half way through when the states started to turn blue, everyone left.  Mammy went to help clean a house.  Justin and I took the boys for a ride.  Todd and Martha's family went home.

Who was left?

Papa.

He saw it through, ate a piece of cake, kept his hat and "I voted" sticker on and even took some pictures to document.

By himself.

We can't stop laughing.

We tallied up the ballots at the end of the night and it was unanimous....Papa was our president!

Sometimes you Have a Bad Day...

....and it's okay because as Niki would say...things can always be worse. 

But some days, it's okay to burst into tears when your husband walks through the door because your 5 year old was possessed and being a total brat.  Both the boys were fighting and later Nathan had a terrible fall in the shower.

Cereal for dinner and my thankful tree turned into crap. (BTW-I took the whole thing down and will try again next year, but for now, I don't even want to see a leaf.)

My brain fog was so thick and life felt out of control.  My insides were feeling as my dad would say... like a wrecked car.

There is great beauty in getting the kids to bed, a good cry, take out (because who really wants cereal when your husband is willing to get you an amazing salad from Tokyo Joes?), and a bubble bath.

Life does go on...sigh.

Halloween 2012

We had 2 ninjas, a spook and a witch.

Halloween was amazing this year.

Not just because the air outside was warm and the sky glowed pink with puffy gold clouds and the kids didn't have to wear a big winter coat and cover up their costumes.

Not because we have the most amazing ward that can pull off a mean trunk-or-treat decked out with Halloween family spirit.

It was because a ton of the cousins were together and I was having a "good" day.  You better believe I sucked in every breath and as I exhaled I whispered a little "thank you."    I squeezed Justin's hand and walked around the neighborhood taking in all the seasonal spookiness.  I was grateful I did not crash... until a few days later (just keeping it real :)).

One of the best parts of Halloween is a little tradition some of our friends make possible.  He happens to be our dentist and has a CANDY BUYBACK!

For every pound of candy, he gives the kids a dollar.  He then ships the boxes full of candy to the US troops.

The kids collect their money and sign a card for the troops, grab a pumpkin bar, some wassail, and get a goody bag.

They use their own money and we head to the movies!

Goodbye junk and I am a happy mama!

America... to me.

It was my turn to do car pool today and while I am suffering a bit from post election depression I could not help but smile during the conversation of all the littles in my car.

It would start out, "When I grow up, I'm going to be a........."  And they would finish the sentence with enthusiasm and vigor and get all excited as they reached for the sky. Then they would look at me in the rear view mirror with their eyes sparkling and innocent and wait for me to nod and encourage each of their ideas.  They would smile and do a little wiggle and dream of the next thing they were going to be when they grew up.  The game lasted the whole way to school.

I felt so grateful for them to be able to actually have the opportunity to make those dreams come true.  With HARD WORK it is possible because we live in an amazing country.

After I dropped off the kids I started of thinking about the song by Rodney Atkins, It's America.  I began to think of all the things that make it America for me:

It's freedom of religion that my ancestors fought so hard for.

It's going into a grocery store and having more than one choice on a brand of bread. Not to mention aisles and aisles of chocolates and cheeses to choose from.

It's going for walks and enjoying painted sunrises every morning.

It's taking the kids to the park and the whole time we are there, we feel safe.

It's listening to the Peter Cetera station on Pandora.
It's catching candy at a parade during Western Week.

It's watching your kids catch grasshoppers in big green open fields.

It's going out for frozen yogurt on family night.

It's opportunity that when you need a little extra money, you can do a side job and get it.

It's a deep pride that every time you see a flag it brings you back down to what really matters.

It's farmers markets and pumpkin patches.
It's looking up at the stars and a harvest moon on a clear night and feeling pride because we have had someone land on that huge bright yellow ball...in a lunar Rover.

It's a picnic complete with a homemade chocolate ice box cake.

It's going for a ride in your Grandad's Cadillac.

It's knowing that what ever natural disaster unleashes, we will come together and get through it.

It's getting a birthday card in the mail.

It's playing dress up in your Grandma's trunk.

It's peanut butter and jelly and carrot sticks.
It's crickets chirping outside your bedroom window at night.

It's planting a garden and trying to grow the biggest watermelon.

It's piano lessons and learning how to wash a car.

It's knowing that you live in the most extraordinary country in the world and would do anything for it.

Family Fun Friday Night!

 Lately, every Friday becomes Family Fun night.  This particular night we decided to have our own Halloween party.

Mammy got the party started when she bolted out of the bedroom as a life size doll!  Papa found all sorts of silly Halloween songs and Todd and Martha brought our Buddy cow over.

Justin is such a fun dad on Halloween.  He loves to dress up as much as the boys do.  He had them secretly doing their makeup and revealed themselves just after the party started. 

Nathan was so proud to transform his Ninja costume into "Alpha Doofus and his dad!" 

Pizza baked in the oven and the boys decorated the pumpkins.  We danced and laughed and watched a Halloween movie.

 I LOVE this picture of Nathan!

Halloween Party in Room 3

 We ran up to see an amazing class parade in the halls of the school.  It was immediately followed by a classroom party. 

The kids had so much fun and of course I love talking to Nathan's teacher! 

I think Nathan's favorite part was leaving a little early to get ready for our family party...