The Mother of Geese

Abbie- I didn't see you very much this week because you were busy playing with your cousins. You loved playing with Tino Bambino, Pay Pay, Dee-Dee, and ARRRRj. We really wish they all lived closer and sometimes feel like you get gypped with no cousins nearby. Woof Mia Mia- You also loved hanging out with your cousins, especially Uncle Bob. You have been a little sad since they left and wander from room to room looking for them. You are however, still my biggest dirty bird. As I was loading my food in the car on Thursday(many trips with the pies, sauces, potatoes, and such plus Max, clothes to change into--your Dad could NOT be bothered to come up and help me....ahEM) you decided to keep yourself busy with the Costco size vaseline jar Abbie left out in your room. You schmeared it all over your hair, face, sheets, dirty clothes hamper, and clothes. I wanted to scream. Her hair is NOT wet, its just vasegreasy Note to readers...the only way to properly remove vaseline from hair is NO...

This year for Thanksgiving we did something that has never been done before....waited until the Sunday before to plan the menu. Heidi, Anne, Momala, and I got together and made our assignments. Our menu was as follows: Rob-Turkey; Heather-Turkey, Apple pies, pecan pies, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping; Heidi-Turkey, creamed corn, sweet potato souffle; Anne-(she had been upgraded from whipping cream and filling the glasses with water)Mashed potatoes, spinach salad lemon blossoms, chocolate; Rachel-mac and cheese, veggie tray; mom-pumpkin pies, rolls, fruit salad, banana cream pie. Both Rob and my turkey required brining the night before (his in maple syrup, mine in White Jesus Juice. We don't have one of those fancy schmancy brining bags so Kirtland delights worked just perfect for us. The bags did not, however, hold up to the wing prick. No biggie. That's what the holiday storage boxes are for... While the men negotiated the turkeys I worked on pie ...

Reason number 3 "Why the Danielson's don't own any pets..." Mia Mia puts pretend ones in the toilet for a baff. Good thing Abbie flushed (for once) before da meow baff.

Here is a picture of Amelia's pre-Thanksgiving-appetizer-before-the-appetizer at the house. She is eating "a pie" (mini-pecan pies) and "bees" (leftover green beans). I can report to you that we are having a delightful time, are making 3 different turkeys for taste test 2007 (will it be Heidi's Drunk Dominican, Rob's maple and bacon, or Heather's Wine-y Cranberry glazed?), and are really enjoying one another's company. Last night at 11:00 Brad and Rob convinced me that one of my apple pies needed to be tasted to make sure it was ok. We ate 1/2 the pie and I made another one this morning. Wasn't it funny that they finished the rest of the pie this morning and teased me about how the one I made this morning was almost as good as the one last night? Funny trick gentlmen. Like you ate 2 pies...

Abigail -yours and mine has been a roller-coaster of a relationship this week. I know it annoys you that I AM THE MOTHER and such and actually I AM THE BOSS OF YOU and its been very 2 Nephi 2:23 but I loveyouloveyouloveyou. Here's an example: Sometimes you make plans that I sort of ignore because they are just plans and not actually going to happen. (you may say "for dinner I want to make a fruit salad" and when it comes time for you to follow through you look at me like I am an alien.) So when you said on Wednesday that you want me to pick you up from the bus stop and we will go someplace for an afterschool treat just the two of us I didn't really take you seriously. Big Mistake. You stomped in the door, threw your bag at the closet, and stared me down with your arms at your sides. There was much hummph!ing until I asked you what was wrong. Then the tears came. And I felt like poop. I made it up to you by letting you have a "pretend sleep over" with some ...

As I have been trying to organize the house and make some progress with our family's systems I knew that the day would come when I had purged and cleaned everything else and would need to spend some time facing my own little demon. My closet. If you were to judge me and the whole house based on one little area you could easily assume that I was more suited to a personality like this... But since I couldn't live with any more home schizophenia any longer it was time to get rid of it once and for all. Here's what I have learned about myself whilst cleaning my closet... Apparently I like: to get pregnant...lots of maternity and post maternity wares. (nevermind the naughty drawer where nothing fits. Seems a little wierd to put that in the DI pile, no? to eat...clothes ranging from size 10 to size way more than 10 to sleep...I found 14 pairs of PJ bottoms to lounge...5 bathrobes? really. to NOT fold socks...so many socks without partners. It was a little depressing. If I wanted ...

Remember this post? We. Are. Even. Now. (Relax, I don't have the violin picture. Or the pinball machine.) Can't wait to see you on Monday!!!

Tonight I invited Mom to our house. I made steak, roasted parsnips, brussel sprout salad, and cinnamon muffins. She must have liked it because she went to her car and gave me this... Suck on it Siblings!!! Looks like we know who's the favorite afterall, now don't we...

Abbie- You had a great time at the birthday party of your good friend . You amaze me at your ability to be so resilient when your mommy is crabby. You have all the reason in the world to growl back at me, but you don't, and you soften my hard heart several times a day. You and your sister love sleeping together, although I often will come in to check on you and you look like this... . We finished Magic Tree House #1 but you want more Miss Piggle Wiggle. You helped rake leaves at Grandma's (pictures please Anne...) and really enjoy being outdoors. Amelia- You have had a cold all week long and you have been so patient with your mommy extracting the boogs several times an hour. You discovered the Papa book (memory book) and like to be put to bed with the Papa Book. He is still your favorite. Abbie has been quizzing you after we put you to bed about the family members who will be coming. Your favorite is ARRRR-JJJJAAAAAAAYYYYYYY! and you scream it loudly everytime you see his pictu...

Amelia and I thought that warm brownies and a glass of milk would be perfect for Abbie's after school snack when she gets off the bus.Since I am always up for any activity that gets my girls in the kitchen with me we had a great time. Next activity: Laundry and a bath.

I have always said that Brad sort of straddles the fence as far as being a dork and being like a cool geek . Some "activities" he engages in either put him on one side or the other. Humming the theme to Star Trek? DORK! Welding? COOL GEEK! Buying shirts that look like this? DORK! Working on computers all day while listening to this? COOL GEEK! Watching Nova? DORK! Giving our basement the theatre? COOL GEEK! Sadly, though, I am afraid I have lost him to the DORK side for a while. He wrote the Christmas list of what he is buying me-- instead of using real people words wrote it out encrypted. It looks like this: ##### Encrypted: ?b647A3r7gqCTYDXa3uF6/ndJKlFSVAjbK2i+dF5VzrJDdz8GxiNBjaCtOwjcQby oBvy4e+hntAjTqw1ZRIS3E4t9H7IjEq/yxq4Ht60SnQzkHKCcQDecmMQJfhTXiHH jyGsB2jgzpFH6XDyyrBCPEQ70edMuN+YD1VXsXJf74oi7aw8Z0V+3qkvod3x19/F CySuZfnzeyBnZlsbHJeJt+zMHILy6mQygr1oAttwhraX47/+8zcFFut4rDOo4Omz 8QvDBySRn3S0fAepVDLYf2TSgQ==?64b ##### End encrypted message What do you think? Dork or Cool ...

This picture has NOTHING to do with the post, but Celia Fae says we must post pictures. And I want to be like her. Mother of geese FAQ: Q: What's with your blog name? A: In Disney's Aristocat's there are 2 geese that are named Abigial and Amelia. I am the mother of those geese. I had already picked out the name Amelia when I saw the show. And no I don't dress the girls in matching Disney gear. Q: Wouldn't it be mother of gosling? A: Technically yes, but that would be too much typing and I didn't want it to misinterpreted as some wierd stalker sight for Ryan Gosling and how I want his babies. (which I don't by the way.) Q: What's a tribe? A: In my world its the name of my momala's family. Cuz Shannan is a Tribe. Granny is Shannan's mom. Weeze is my other cousin who sadly doesn't have a blog but hopefully will feel the pressure soon. Our fashion sense, big boobs, ability to cook, hot tempers, tendency to exaggerate...all Tribe things Q:And t...

Every 15 minutes imagine this conversation. (Clock)-ding, dong, ding, dong, blah blah blah Amelia: WASSAT mama? Me: The Clock. Amelia: Wassat a dock mama? Me: The coo-coo clock. Amelia: Wassat coo-coo a dock mama? Me: The clock Amelia: Wassat mama? Me: The clock Amelia: See mama. Coo-coo dock BEEP Me: Yep Amelia: HEY See mama!!! coo-coo clock beep Me: Yep Amelia: SEE A-babbie! Coo-coo dock a BEEP hahahahahahahahahaha Repeat every 15 minutes. And I'm so not tired of this exchange.

Contrary to popular belief... It does keep time. (tick, tick, tick, tick...I'm having Sylar nightmares) The chime does still work. (Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong. GONG! GONG! GONG!) Not that I'm complainin'. I'm just sayin'. And thank you Grammie T.

I have been inspired by my super-cool blogging buddies here , here , here , and of course here so I thought I would try my hand at the week in review... Abbie the good witch Abigail Maude-Your homework is slowly killing me off. Not that I don't love the one on one time with you, but we are averaging at least 30 minutes a day, and its tricky to squeeze in that time. You prefer math over the other subjects (wah-t?!)especially when we did the sorting game with your Halloween Candy. You love having Juni, Lela, Emily, and Stacie in your dance class and have decided that Ms. Veba, that Danish Dancing Machine, is a pretty good teacher. Speech on Tuesday is going well and your bumpy talk is getting better every day. I think you have forgiven the bus driver for making you sit next to a 4th grade boy and not next to Dream Boat, Athen Fuller, (I Do NOT like that bus driver mom!!! He's the meanest. I'm never going on it again, pick me up from school forever...). Seems the whole bus g...

Abbie was the witch... "I liked going trick or treating. I liked wearing a costume." Amelia was a kitty...(in keeping with Indian tradition she will not let me take any pictures of her because I might steal her soul or whatever. Or she is just a pill when I whip the camera out...) This is the only decent picture I have of the kitty. She as kind of a lazy trick-or-treater. She would wander up to the house after her group had cleared out and just sit there waiting for the houses to give her candy. After candy. After candy. Then I would say "Come On Amelia!" and she would say hmmm hmmm. She didn't bother to open the candy just ate the wrapper all the way through. Max was going to be wrapped up in toile with a big spider on it and he was going to be "A spider's dinner". He could have gone as a little vampire. Instead he was just Max. I was "Sister Beck's Sunday Morning guilt talk". Or "Philly Cream Cheese commercial Model". Or T...