She Picked...

Julie. Karsyn has been so excited about this day for a very long day. After much deliberation and careful consideration she was set on Julie. I tried to help her weigh her options but she kept very focused on wanting Julie because of her LONG hair. Thanks to both sets of Grandparents she is brushing Julie's hair right now. We wish Grandpa and Grandma Villarreal could have joined all of us in picking up Julie, but we were thinking of them and thankful that they helped her get something that will always be very special to Karsyn. Sometimes the State of Washington feels way too far away! Maybe the next time they come to Minnesota we might have to introduce them to the American Girl Doll Store...hee hee.

That little one was smiling throughout the entire store!

Grandpa swears this store is torture for him, however I think he is actually starting to enjoy it...;-) All he says over and over again is..."Benjy, Why didn't we think of this?"
Karsyn finally got to spend all that money she has been saving. She is a great saver. Kaydree spends just about everything she gets, but not Karsyn... not unless it is something she really, really wants! She was 75 cents short, so Grandpa lent her a dollar.
I use to avoid this store...too bad I can't anymore. It's on the girls' radar, now!
We even stopped at Chevy's to get Karsyn her "Birthday Sombrero." She was a little shocked at the singing. Grandma laughed at Karsyn's reaction.

We were ready to get home, Kyce was getting fussy and then, WE GOT STUCK IN THE SEARS ELEVATOR! Did I mention I am claustrophobic? As a family we got stuck in an elevator when I was about 10...VERY BAD memories. I didn't like that feeling then and I didn't like it, yesterday! Which, I admit, I probably didn't help much when Karsyn started crying and freaking out. I felt the same way myself. The door opened about 4 inches and I was yelling to the employees walking by, " EXCUSE ME....WE ARE STUCK IN HERE!" They acted like....(let some other employee deal with this... I am busy.) Okay, in reality it was probably only 5 minutes but it felt like forever! Plus we had all eaten Mexican Food with BEANS...we didn't need to be stuck in close quarters for very long! Right, Benjy?

The Reality of....

doing laundry and dishes. It was normal in our home growing up to get home from school and my mom would always tell us that there was a pile of our clothes to put away on our bed. I remember being mildly to moderately irritated at the chore that had to be done as I walked in the door and wanted to plop down at the table in order eat the baked goods that my mom usually had waiting for us.
WHAT was wrong with me? How could I, just like my children do, not realize that my mother had been doing laundry, cooking and cleaning for us all day long. Who brought the laundry downstairs, sorted it, washed it, dried it and most of the time ironed it? (my mom irons t-shirts... I don't go that far)
Now that my entire day yesterday was spent cleaning and doing laundry, I understand why my mother use to say, "Put your stuff away and do not make a mess." Have I become my mother and allowed those exact same words that irritated me, slip from my mouth on a daily basis? YES.. YES, I have and what I have realized was that I was a spoiled little b_ _ t, that took for granted the dedication, love and devotion that my mother spent on me on a regular basis.

Here is the reality of it.... cleaning, dishes and laundry are NEVER ENDING tasks. Dishes get dirty at least 3 times a day, we have a least 5 different outfits, maybe even more especially with soccer starting, getting worn and 5 people's worth of STUFF being used constantly.
My poor husband has taught early morning seminary and has worked long hours on a brief that is due today. He has sacrificed sleep and hobbies in order to complete his task. He will send it off today and never have to do that "exact same" task again and again and again. He will breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy his weekend relaxing....
Is there anyway to keep a clean house and not feel like you are doing the same thing over and over and over again with no END in sight?
In fact... as I write dishes are being dirtied, clothes are being worn and stuff is laying around!
These tasks are never ever done....

Karsyn Turned 6 Years Old...

Karsyn got to celebrate a little early with family this weekend. Karsyn is very much into what her big sister likes...AND she knows that the Twilight series is very "in" right now, so when Auntie Lori pulled out the New Moon themed plates and napkins, she was so torn over who to eat on...

Her cousins made her feel so special by making her this beautiful cake! Her Auntie Lori is amazing, she had a little party all planned just for Karsyn. Grandpa even painted Karsyn's nails, each one was a different color. Pretty sure that was a first for Grandpa and we were all laughing when he asked for his bifocal glasses so that he could see her tiny little nails. He actually did a great job, we were pretty impressed.
Yesterday was her actual Birthday and Benjy just happened to be teaching Early Morning Seminary again, so he woke Karsyn up at 5:30AM to attend Seminary and have a big McDonalds Breakfast. I asked her if she liked getting up that early and she said, "Yes, I loved it!" So I told her, "Good, I hope you remember that when you are a teenager."

Then Kyce and I went to her school to bring her Subway for lunch. I walked in as her class was in line but since I wasn't there right when they got into the lunch room, Karsyn started crying. You can tell her eyes are a little puffy in this picture. It just broke my heart when she said, "I thought you had forgotten about me and my birthday!" I know that she has felt the pain of being the MC as Kaydree calls her. "The Middle Child." I think it has been better lately but thinking that I had forgotten just about put me into tears! We love this little peanut so much and this was another reminder that we need to continue to find that one on one time with her.

Karsyn Likes:

warmed up milk

chicken legs

steak

her bible book

Dad's Bob Stories

lip gloss and nail polish

Taco Bell

Chinese Buffets

Dislikes:

popcorn

Applebees (because it's Kaydree's favorite)

Is Learning to Like:

Reading

taking her reflux medicine

They Have Been Begging....

to take Kyce on the trampoline.

I finally gave in and said, "You can sit with him on the trampoline...no jumping!"

He kept reaching for his toes to suck on, so I took him off while he watched them jump. He went crazy, kicking his feet and laughing.
So I gave him another shot and he started jumping. It was so funny! We have a net and a bumper pad that will need to be put up when he starts toddling around.

Whose Knees are These?

Spring has sprung and it has been tough on the Villarreal Girls' knees. I think after being penned up all winter, the girls are running faster, jumping higher and playing harder in order to release all that built up energy! In one week both girls had been to the school nurse, not once, but twice for their injuries. Coming home from Church, Karsyn wiped out on her already skinned knees and I think the entire neighborhood heard her crying. It was quite dramatic.Notice the opposite knees on the girls are beat up. Maybe we should invest in some knee pads.

Karsyn's knee.. we thought we might have to cut it off because it bothered her for a week!
The nurse called and said, "It's a pretty deep gash, but I don't think it requires stitches." I asked Kaydree what had happened and of course she said something about a boy and how she couldn't let him score on her? Huh? Double take? Of course she explained that they were playing soccer and she couldn't let a boy beat her to the goal and they happened to be playing on the black top.
Kyce was feeling left out, so we took a picture of his knee, too!

Now for..At 60 and At 90....

years of age. This weekend we were able to celebrate my Grandma's 90th Birthday and my Dad's (surprise) 60th Birthday. It was such a great weekend. Not only was it Easter and General Conference, but it was a weekend full of fun with family and friends and many reasons to celebrate.

My Grandma at 90 years of age:
Likes:
Having Company (she told me numerous times)
eating sweets
playing cards (they call me, Ace Larsen)
getting out and doing things
reading the newspaper
kummala
lefse
flowers
decorating for Holidays
shopping
jewelry
new clothes
spending time with family
sitting outside
sleeping with the window open
getting her hair done

Dislikes:
Being alone
Losing independence

Learning to like:
not coloring her hair
drinking water
reading the bible


My Dad at 60 years of age:
Likes:
being at home
spending time with the Grandkids (and their parents: as a side note)
wearing under armour
raising birds
playing on his tractor
tomatoes
almost any kind of food (so he thinks)
military channel, discovery, National Geographic, Weather channel and Fox News
reading
playing cards
fishing
golfing
collecting things
auctions
gardening
sitting in the hot tub

Dislikes:
flying
fruit
big crowds
waiting
being late

Learning to Like:
walking
eating healthier

For his birthday some of his friends made him jump back with their surprise...
these sweet little chicks to take care of..

Karsyn just loved checking on them all day Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before we left for home. It was a great way to spend the weekend!

At 35....

I still love to:
Be around family
Go on dates with my hubby
Sleep
Read
Exercise
Eat Chocolate
Water ski
Sit by camp fires
Sit in Hot tubs
Eat vegetables
Take naps
Wear pajamas, workout clothes, tennis shoes and slippers (in a nutshell: comfy clothes)
Wear pony tails
Dance
Do Yard Work
vacuum (although Benjy and I fight for it, he usually wins)
teach (subbing when I get a chance which is once since October but I loved it)
coach (enjoyed coaching Karsyn's soccer team even though it wasn't my sport of choice)
to watch action movies

I still dislike:
Scary movies
Fruit (most of the time)
Anything with a yogurt or a pudding texture. (because it literally makes me gag)
Organizing paperwork
laundry
hand washing floors
dusting
being away from my babies. (gets easier as they get older)

I am Learning to like:
cooking (sometimes)
cleaning (well the feeling of being done even if it is temporary, for the minute before it gets messed up again)

After 35 years of living...Somethings Have Changed and Somethings Have Stayed the Same....