Things I want to remember and am trying to forget.

First the things I would like to remember because they make me smile:
Last Thursday I had to take Brendan to the dentist for him to get some sealants in his molars to prevent cavities.  I hadn't prepped him that well this time to go to because last time he did so well (who wouldn't if you could just lay back in a chair and stare at a movie on the ceiling?)  So I just told him the morning of the appointment that we would be going to the dentist so that the dentist could make his teeth stronger.  His response was classic!
His eyes welled up with tears and his chin started to quiver as he choked up and asked, "But mom am I never going to be able to brush my teeth at night ever again?"  I just had to chuckle as I pulled him close to me and explained that he could continue to brush his teeth and that the dentist and mom and dad would really like it if he continued brushing his teeth.
Now something Brendan has asked me to try and forget:
Last night at dinner he asked me if yelling was a bad choice or a good choice.  I asked him what he thought it was and he said a bad choice.  I agreed and then he asked me "Well then why do you and dad yell every day?"  Ouch.  It really hurts when your kids call you out on something.  So I am trying to forget how to yell.  I really need to do better and usually I do pretty good at not yelling and speaking nicely to my children, but these past couple of days-I'll admit-have been pretty bad.  No tellin' why.  I can't even figure it out, but I have lost it one too many times for a while.  So Brendan and I made a deal.  I played his little game about trying to figure out if whining was a good choice or a bad choice and he guessed it was bad.  So if he can stop whining, I can stop yelling...wish me luck.
Next up:

Now we have instituted something new at our house.  We have been trying to hold regular Cleaning Parties!  A Party?  Yup.  We get our new timer out and set it for 15 minutes.  Then one of the kids get to choose an index card out of a bowl and figure out which room we get to go to.  We then make our way into that room and clean for 15 minutes.  We actually try to beat the timer.  When that 15 minutes is up, someone else gets to choose the next card and figure out which room we are headed to and we set the timer again and clean for only 15 minutes more.  I can usually get through 3 rooms with the kids and then they are distracted, but while they stay interested, they are so much help to me!  Even Lincoln.
One day I was just trying to tidy up quickly -not having declared that it was a Cleaning Party Day-and Brendan walks into the room.   He stops, looks at what I am doing and asks, "Hey mom, are you having a Cleaning Party without us?"
Loved it!
They soon had rags in their hands and were helping out...of course we had to get the timer out, though.  I have really enjoyed being able to work along side my kids.  They sure have made it fun and I appreciate all of their help and enthusiasm.
Next let's forget again:

I really don't know how she could be comfortable in this sleeping position, but when this girl crashes, she is gone.  More and more often she is crashing at about 5pm, sleeps until 7 or 8 and then wants to be awake until 1 or 2 in the morning!  I am trying to forget about how tired I am the next day after one of these crashes hits.  I really would like some help in this department because it really drives me crazy when she does this, but she is an absolute bear if I try to keep her awake...I know, I know, how could you ever be upset with a girl as pretty and cute as this?

Sleeping during the night has started to be quite the fiasco if you ask me.  3 days ago, all 5 of us ended up in the same bed in the morning.  Neil has promised a bigger bed after school is over.  That is what I look forward to these days.  Last night was better so maybe we are getting through this spat of sleepless nights.
Next something that the kids have remembered:

Now hopefully Neil will forgive be for posting such a flattering picture of him (one of the kids took it and it was the only one on the SD card that I have right now).  Last Friday I went out with girlfriends to a high school play.  One of the young women in our ward did an awesome job with her part!  But before I left, I made dinner for my cute family and then Neil said the blessing on the food.  Well, in the prayer he prayed that I would have a good time that night, but that I wouldn't be too crazy with my friends.  Well then I poured everyone a glass of water and Neil does this crazy thing where he pulls the pitcher of water way up high and then lets it fall into the cups.  The kids love it!  So that night, I tried to do it--and spilled some water and I said that I didn't need to be with friends in order to be crazy.  All of the kids thought I was crazy, though.
Well, days have passed and with Neil working in the ER right now he cannot be home for dinner and so I try and fly solo.  I tried to liven things up again the other night by pouring the water crazy...and spilled again.  Eliza said "Mom are you being too crazy again?"
It made me think of Neil and how much I miss all of the support and help that he is and that he has a way to always make things fun and helps us to laugh.  This is something that I really need to remember.  I love my husband!  I am proud of him for going to school so that he can spend more time with us in the future.
Next.

 

Lincoln is just so cute and at such a fun age.  He takes my mirror from me every morning when I do my hair...then I have to fight with him to get it back so that I can finish my hair.  Oh well.  This past weekend my baby became my toddler.  I finally broke down and gave him a hair cut.  The first haircut is always the hardest for me to give because it makes my babies grow up instantly.  But it was sorely needed and now he is just so cute.

I think that his favorite part of the haircut was being able to touch the clippers.  I wanted him to know that they wouldn't hurt him.  For the rest of the time all he wanted to do was touch them.  :)  But now he just looks so big and old and is ready to officially enter the nursery on Sunday!  YEAH!!!

He is just so cute...almost ready for school with a haircut like this.
And that about sums this catch-up post up.  Thanks to all of those faithful friends and family for reading all the way through this monstrous post.

Half Marathon Review: 3 Slower Bedke sisters finish!

I did it!  We did it!  Last Saturday we ran the Wenatchee Half Marathon.  Sarah, Chelsea, Hannah and I ran in the race and finished.  It was long and it was hard, but we did it!

When we got out of the car and were getting ready to go to the starting line, Brendan told me that he needed to tell me a secret.  I bent down and he started to whisper in my ear:  "Mom, just remember to run super-duper fast just like I do."
We all beat Melissa and Lance from the Biggest Loser!  (They weren't racing with us, but when they ran a half-marathon after they were sent home, it took them 3:56!)  So we are not LOSERS!  We are definitely WINNERS!!!  
Right before the start of the race I told Neil that he had better be there when I finished the race.  He made it there about 4 minutes before I came in.  That's cutting it pretty close.

 

Hannah won her age group even though she promised us that she was out of shape.  Sarah made her goal of 2:10 (she set that goal at mile 12) and then I came in at 2:19 (my goal was under 2:30 and I set that a couple of weeks before the race) and then Chelsea ran the whole way which was her goal and she came in just under 3 hours.  Whoo-hoo! 

And we have a goal to do it again next year...not necessarily in Wenatchee, but we would like to find another event that we could do as an entire family, or at least the girls!  So everyone, you are invited!  There was a group of runners that had t-shirts that said SOLE SISTERS and Chelsea had the bright idea that we could make t-shirts for the future that said BIOLOGICAL SISTERS.  What do you think about that?  We could put BIOLOGICAL SISTERS A MOM AND AN IN-LAW  so that Mom and Mary-Anne could run on our team!  :) or we can come up with something else a little bit more clever.

Things that I learned:  take your own candy and music.  Candy:  when I would train I would reward myself with a pack of SMARTIES when I would get to a certain distance.  I thought that there would be snacks at the aid stations, but there wasn't.  The aid stations just had water or power drink.  I really would have liked gummie bears or something.  Halfway through the race they gave us GU.  What did it do for me?  Just made me really thirsty.  I wish they would have had water at that station too, but they didn't. I wasn't at all prepared for a no snack run.  So I will always take snacks/candy on future runs and if they have some at the aid stations, well I will donate the ones that I bring.  :)  Music:  We all got separated from each other before even the half mile mark.  It is a really long time to run by yourself without music to pace you or someone to chat with.  I did find one friend to chat with for a while and then she kept on going and finished way in front of me.
But all in all it was a BLAST!  I loved it and it brought back a lot of memories from cross-country days.  I can't wait to have something to train for again, but for now I am just looking forward to running for fun with friends!

Eliza Eliza Eliza...I love this girl!

I was washing the pots and pans today in the sink and Eliza came over to watch me and probably help out.  I had the biggest pot soaking in the sink and went to dump out the water so that I could finish washing it.  Eliza watched me pour out all of the water and said, "Wow Mom, that was a big dump!"

I just had to laugh.

Then we moved over to the stove and started to make dinner.  She was so excited to help with anything.  Her response was always "uh, sure mama."  I secretly love how she calls me mama.  It just makes my heart melt because it is as if she came up with it on her own and she is the only one who uses that term of endearment with me. 

My favorite part of the day was when she leaned over off of the ladder and just gave me the biggest hug.  I told her that I loved her to which she replied, "I love you too."  The hug came at just the right time and I was in the worst need of a hug.  Thanks Eliza!  She just made my day today.