totally stole this picture from the online newspaper

The CSI Eagles basketball team came to our elementary school yesterday to kick off a reading program.

The school secretary pulled me aside this morning after I checked on Carter,

and told me about this image on the internet.

I laughed out loud.

Way to go Carter!

Way to get caught messing around with a cone you were most likely NOT supposed to be playing with.

I love you little man!

Glad you got your picture taken instead of getting in trouble...this time.

The caption read this:  Carter Dixon, right, cheers for the CSI athletes Monday at Perrine Elementary School in Twin Falls.(ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News)  

overwhelmed

I'm finding life completely overwhelming.

I have about a million things to accomplish everyday and only enough time to finish about a half a million.

Do I think I have more on my plate than any other mother?

Nope...not at all.

I just don't understand how everyone else makes it look so easy!

To further explain how I feel...here are a few pictures.

(Taken like three weeks ago.  The camera hasn't seen the light of day in a while.)

This is how I would like things to be.

Neat, smiley, put together...happy.

This is more how we are rolling.

Disorder all around.

I'm coming to grips that my life, for a while, will be just one big project in different states of disarray-depending on the day.

Such as:

Colby has had the worse case of pink eye I have ever seen.  Goopy doesn't even describe it.

He now also has croup.  

However, he is the toughest kid I have ever seen...even when he is coughing his guts out and running a fever.

I have three callings at the moment.  I'm only actually doing one of them well.  

Whatever.

Carter's blood sugar is doing something it has never done before.  It's going low at night...ok, and and during the day too.  It's keeping me on my toes.

This would be easier if he wasn't in school all day.

I worry...a lot.

5th grade homework is way more time consuming than 4th grade.

(Happy about this one.  Andrew needs a little fire under his seat)

We have cut out swimming for a while so Andrew can just concentrate on school.  I have also made the executive decision that I won't be putting Andrew in piano lessons this year.  I don't have time to fit in one more activity and the mental capacity to nag him to practice.

My question is...how in the world do moms have their kids in sports, scouts and music...and still find time for homework...dinner...family time...and a decent bedtime?

My dad's tomatoes are ripe.  

BLAST!

I will hopefully be canning salsa the next few days.

I secretly wish I could say "Uncle! Uncle"...but the salsa is just that good!

my seven hours as a domestic goddess

The cold weather brings it out in me.

I want to cook when it's cold.

So this morning as the weather was cool, I got the hair brained idea to make what Steve refers to as 

"a real dinner".

11:00 am:  browned the roast and got it cooking on low in the crock pot.

11: 30 am:  put the brownies in the oven (from scratch of course)

12:00 pm:  dug potatoes and carrots out of the weed patch in my back yard.  (I have special weeds)

12:30 pm:  passed out on the couch for a quick nap.  I was going to need my energy.

2:30 pm:  started the rolls  (also from scratch- duh)

4:00 pm:  put scrubbed and peeled carrots and potatoes in the crock pot with the roast.

6:00 pm:  pulled hot rolls out of the oven and served them with (the best I have ever made) roast, potatoes and carrots.

6:30 pm:  Started dinner dishes and whipped up homemade strawberry ice cream for Steve to freeze on the back porch to be served with the cocoa brownies.

...all of this was simultaneously done while leaving the house multiple times, taking care of small children and helping with homework.

When Steve got home, the smile on his face was so big you would think I had answered the door wearing only saran wrap...and just a few layers, not like when we saran wrapped cars in high school.

So tonight...

I'm exhausted...and never want to see a roast, carrot peeling, brownie batter bowl or any other dirty dish again.

I would have never made it in the olden days.
I would have been left by the side of the wagon wheel tracks on account of laziness.

We're ordering pizza tomorrow.

Addiction

Hello, my name is Jill Dixon

I am a shopaholic.

I have a severe problem when it comes to spending money on my daughter's clothing.

I need to stop.

I pulled out all of her clothing tonight...it was a slap in the face.

"Did I really do all this damage???"

She has all of her clothing for the next 18 months.  

I'm not kidding.

...and when I say she has all her clothing...I mean multiple changes of clothing.

Book of Mormon-Pride Cycle-Great and Spacious Building multiple changes of clothing.

I'm embarrassed.

(However, everything was purchased on sale and I've never had so much fun in my life.)

...if you are my mother, please don't make fun of me.

...if you are a certain sister whose daughters' closets probably resemble Saylor's, please call me, I need someone to rationalize with.

...if you are a friend and see me in the mall, let me look, but do not-I repeat DO NOT not let me buy anything.

...if you are my husband, please just shake your head in shame and take away my bank cards.  I don't have the strength to do it myself.

...if you are my daughter, please be messy when you eat so I can change your clothes more often.

...if you are the UPS man, please hurry with my latest shipment.

In my own defense, Saylor has worn blue pj's for the last 9 months...so she is NOT spoiled.

belated birthday post and a slow saturday morning

Wednesday I turned 33.

I cried most of the morning.

I don't like getting older each year.  I think I could take September 15th out of the calendar forever and be totally ok with it.

However...

because my super talented sister loves me so much, she make me this.

I cried some more when I opened it.

(I have emotional getting older feeling sorry for myself so happy to have this spectacular quilt issues..I'm working on them.)

Here's a close up.

JaNae, thank you so much for making a quilt that is SO ME.

I LOVE IT!!

(I think she needs to sell these.  If you are in the market for a totally darling super posh handmade quilt, let me know, I'll give you my sisters info.)

When I thought the day couldn't get any better, I received an amazing package from my best Virginia girlfriends.  Who knew boxes of chocolates could be sent with cold packs included?

Thank you girls so much for thinking of me!

I love you both.

...here's looking forward to April when we can be together and harass the See's candy ladies in person for free samples.

Bliss.

....and now switching gears to this morning.

Actually I should start with last night.

Steve and I watched a late episode of Good Eats where Mr. Brown instructed his viewers on how to use a waffle maker to cook bacon...and then use the grease to cook hash browns.

Steve ran to the store for "essentials" around 10:30pm.

Here was the result.  

Unfortunately Mr. Brown did not tell us how to clean the waffle maker after.

(I think Steve will get a waffle maker with removable plates for his birthday next month.)

To his credit, Steve did do ALL the dishes after making breakfast of eggs, hash browns and bacon this morning.

(yes...that is every cupboard open in the background.  That's how we roll around here.)

The boys opened their Lego master sets that came in the mail and were busy all morning putting them together, taking them apart...making new things.

This set came with swords.

Oh joy.

The conversation then led to how Steve and I were not buying Lego sets anymore.  Not even for birthdays or Christmas.

Carter was very happy that he can still ask Santa for whatever he wants.

He wants a $80 dollar Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Express train.

I hope he has been good this year.

(dang Santa loophole)

the wrap up:

I'm older.

I'm going to be poor at Christmas..oh I mean Santa will be poor.

My house and waffle maker smell like bacon.

I ate a dark chocolate caramel after breakfast.

I'm loved...and slightly mugged.

Mr. Police Man

To the police officer parked next door all morning long,

Thank you.

Thank you for watching my neighborhood.

And thank you for pulling over all those speeding charter school parents that in the last week have used my street as an alternative to North College Road and have turned my neighborhood into a freeway between 7:45 and 8:15 am.

(but let's face it, if I had to drive in that mess, I would be doing the exact same thing)

I owe you one Mr. Police Man.

Remind me to bring you out breakfast sometime.

And...may you get a bonus for how many tickets you are going to write in the name of making my street a safe slow place to drive.

Sincerely,  

Jill R. Dixon

(bitter parent that the new charter school has a better parking lot than my childrens' school)

The mirror

After her bath tonight, Saylor discovered her reflection.

It was adorable.

This one is my favorite.

The tummy pat in combo with the chubby thighs is irresistible.

And check out these designer diapers.

They were on clearance at Target.  

There is no way I would have paid full price...but 50% off...why not?

Enjoy them Saylor, they are the cutest things you will ever mess in.

In other news, Saylor Girl cut her very first tooth today.

It is the lower right center tooth.

...and it's sharp.

First Day...I'm overwhelmed.

Today was the first day of school.

Carter started 1st grade and Andrew started (be still my heart) 5th.

This is pretty much the only decent picture I have of the two of them this morning because my perfect first day of school picture taking opportunity quickly turned into...

this...

and this...

and this.

Ghee Whiz.

I'm jealous of mothers who look forward to school starting.

I actually dread it.

Here was my schedule today:

8:00 am:  Took boys to school.  Checked Carters BG-332. (normal for after breakfast spike)

9:30 am:  Back at school.  Checked Carter- 180.  Gave snack and insulin.

11:15:  Back at school.  Check Carter for lunch- 75.  Give insulin with lunch.

2:30:  Back at school again.  Check Carter- 63.  Gave juice. 

 Stay at school until 3:10 to pick up boys.

Needless to say, I'm exhausted.  Colby is sick of going to the school.  Saylor didn't get a decent nap.

One day down, hundreds to go.

Luckily, starting tomorrow, my wonderful friend in going to carpool with me taking and picking kids up from school.  Between her, Steve and my fabulous mother who has offered to take the pm blood sugar check and pick up...I might just make it through the school year.

If you can't get a hold of me from now until June, please understand that I'm probably at the school

PS...don't get diabetes.  It really sucks.

PPS...Andrew and Carter both have WONDERFUL teachers this year and both came home thrilled with their first day.  Andrew was even happy about his math homework.  (that's a new one)

I'm elated.

...but still tired.

Twin Falls County Fair'10

Yes-we went to the fair.

Yes -I actually went.

Please don't pass out from shock.

If you know me...you know the fair pretty much covers three of my most hated situations.

Crowds...check.

Heat...check.

Nasty people wearing inappropriate 'revealing too much body hair and tattoos' clothing, all while yelling at their poor unkempt children and chain smoking....check check check.

Add the smell of grease, BO and animal stench to all of the above and you have a description of my own personal hell.

Sounds fun doesn't it???

But my family talked me into it.

(The fact that we went early and it was only in the high 70's helped too.)

So here are a few (of practically hundreds) of the pictures I took while enduring the Twin Falls County Fair.

Disclaimer: This is one of those annoying posts where WAY too many pictures are posted.  Pictures that only the blog author fully appreciates and spent hours trying to whittle down to the few dozen that were truly necessary to share.  ...Because you know, everyone loves my pictures as much as me.  

(Sarcasm Sarcasm Sarcasm.  The fair brings it out in me.)

Stamped and ready to roll.

...maybe the Super Tilt wasn't such a good idea.

"Mom, I'm a grumpy old bus driver!"

Wah-Hoo!

Chillin' in my sports car.

Wait a gosh-darn minute.

I thought he had to be 16 before he could ride on roller coasters with girls.

Don't the Carnies know this family rule?

Big horse.  Small Colby

(Colby is blurry because the horse was going for his head at this exact moment.  Colby moved.)

Hazard of taking my stroller into the horse barn.  

Lovely.

What does a diabetic eat at the fair?

MEAT!

He's been asking for 'steak on a stick' for a week now.

(Please note the drop of meat juice caught in mid air.  Delish)

The only picture of me at the fair...and I'm eating.

What else is new.

Grandma love.

My favorite picture 

Nope, my kids were not in it.

I entered one very similar to this in the fair photo contest.

I'm not banking on winning, but it was fun to send it in anyway.

Saylor starting out strong.

...going, going...

gone.

The end.

double piggies

...because my sister Jolyn asked for full documentation of the double piggies.

Love you Jo!

Could you just drown in the cuteness?

I'm really ready for the kids to go back to school.

Yesterday, Andrew came upstairs wearing his old soccer jersey around his waist.  I commented how he looked like a hula dancer.  So really, the following pictures are all my fault.

Andrew got a crazy look on his face and then asked if we had any coconuts.

...because you know, I just keep those around most days.

He later came upstairs dressed like this...

And he and his brothers started dancing like this.

It was a cross between being too painful to watch and too funny not to take pictures.

(Steve wishes I would have stuck with the too painful.)

I started getting a little worried when Carter's form was a little too graceful...

but it quickly turned to muscle mania...

and a fight over who had the stinkiest hairiest armpits.

(there is a recurring theme in my house)

Colby won.

Ok, not really...but he tried really hard.

Saylor sat in unbelief of these crazy brothers.

Her expression tells it all.

"What?"

School starts on Tuesday.

Thank goodness.