Just Reward

Yes, the goal was reached. Starting in May of 2009, I promised my kids a Wii of their very own if they could work on being nice to each, not fight and most of all, be calm and quiet in the evenings when I was working from home.

There were bad days and good days. Since this was no small reward, it required no small feat. In October, the number of stickers remaining had me searching for the best deals. With 15 stickers left to go, I purchased the Wii to have it sit tantalizing on a shelf, unopenable until the last sticker was filled in.

Triumph in store for my kids, I wondered how to keep encouraging the behavior that had finally won it. However, my wonder was very short lived.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Fighting means the Wii goes off."

"If you scream, I'll have to cut your Wii time down ten minutes."

You get the idea. It's one of best purchases I've ever made.

Where or Where?

So, in September of 2008, I came home from taking my son to the doctor and picking up his antibiotic to find my door had been kicked in. I'd been gone less than 3 hours and my door frame was busted as the deadbolt (yes, I always lock it) had torn through the door frame. I could see my TV and DVD player from the busted door. Could someone still be inside? Taking no chances. I used my cell phone to call police and waited.

And waited. I called my husband who'd been working in Eagle Mountain. He started heading to home.

And waited. Husband arrives. Still no cops. When an officer shows up 5 minutes after my husband, I explain the situation, why I'm concerned that someone might be in the house since I could easily see electronics from first glance. He calls for back up. So we wait another 10 minutes for his back up to arrive. They go through the house. The thieves were long gone. They stole a third of our DVDs, camera, camcorder, and all my jewelry (most of it costume and worthless). My husband fixed the door that day and reinforced the frame with a steel plate around the deadbolt. Insurance covered the cost and we moved on with our lives.

However, I've always wondered why it took so long for a response.

Now, I know. They're chasing high school kids in certain type of vehicles, just looking for something they may be able to ticket them for.

About 3 years ago, my father purchased a used Jeep Grand Cherokee from a friend who took immaculate care of it. It had darker tint windows. Since then, my father has been pulled over 3 times. Never got a ticket. This year, as my father experiments by going one year without driving a car, my youngest brother is the lucky driver of the Cherokee. Or is he?

Since school started, he has been pulled over 5 times. Yes, FIVE TIMES. All of them, on his way home from school. Four times, the cop said he was going a little fast but never gave a ticket. Really? My brother knows as 17 year old boy he has to be above and beyond the traffic rules. I regularly go 5 over thinking no cop will ticket me for that but my brother doesn't push it all. When he's pulled over, his only response is "Yes, sir" and "No, sir." My brother likes to be fashionable. He has long hair. I think he would look good either way but it makes him happy. The cops look at the car (apparently a magnet for cops) and my brother's hair and think, "What could we pin on him?" This last time, he left from an orchestra concert for Christmas (yes, my brother is an amazing musician) and it was later, dark. He saw he had room to pull out on the 35 mph road. The cop he saw further down the road starts to follow him and eventually turns on his lights and pulls him over. The reason, and I quote as my brother relayed it, "I don't like the way you yielded." No, you didn't fully stop or didn't use a turn signal but I think that even though you had room to pull into traffic, I don't like the way you did it. The cop proceeds to sit in his car for 20 minutes. Can't find anything else to ticket him for after his 5th pullover. Comes back with a $90 ticket saying Failure to yield. He came to a full stop, used a signal, saw an opening and pulled into traffic. But he's a 17 year old kid with long hair and his parents have dark tinted Jeep Grand Cherokee they allow him to drive to his many after school activities.

I think my father should fight it. My father thinks its a waste of time to appear in court before the city judge who will know the city cop with his 17 year old boy. Even though he may not come out the victor, my sense of outrage would have me down there if it was my place. I may be, scratch that, I am naive enough to think that harassment based on profiling should at least be attempted to be called for what it is and every effort to stop it or not put up with it.

I certainly hope no one in my city gets their door kicked in, but if the cops take awhile to show up. You'll know what they are doing.

A lot like Christmas

I normally decorate the day after Thanksgiving. As a kid, my dad would get the tree up as soon as my mom would let him--the day after Thanksgiving. I loved decorating for Christmas. This year my normal enthusiasm has been curbed by illness. Stupid thing is still lingering. My daughter started with a high fever the Saturday before Thanksgiving and my husband and I are still fighting it off. As days passed without the cheery decorations, I felt more Grinchy, my husband might say grouchy. Finally I resolved to decorate no matter what on Monday. I spent half the morning getting the decoration all set and left just the tree to decorate.

Tuesday night after dinner, my kids rushed for pj's because then they could decorate the tree. Each child has a series of ornaments all their own. They love to handle them and choose the right spot. My Aunt is like a Head Elf, gifting Christmas ornaments each year. Since my husband and I have been married (almost 10 years) she's given us an ornament for Christmas, a family one and one for each child. The family ones are the most adorable. We have Peas in Pod with all five names on it, Reindeer, Elves, Stockings and last Christmas, Five Frogs with dangling legs sitting on a log. By beating my OCD to a pulp each year, I manage to let the kids ornaments hang mostly where they were set (I have to move those that would fall). By the end, I'm ready for Christmas and the kids can't wait to see what I have in store for underneath.

With the tree all set, I can now enjoy the evening in the glow of Christmas lights. I LOVE Christmas lights. When I was little, if there was an extra strand not in use, my dad would let me use it in my room. My husband calls me Cat woman because I prefer naturally lighting to electric or florescent lighting and consequently go around the house turning off lights. Each Christmas, as soon as I get the lights up, the evenings are lit by Christmas lights. So, FINALLY, it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.

Little Gentleman

See this beautiful sweet face? Well, that sweetness goes to the core. My youngest turned 5 recently and he's ready for the world. He cheerfully chats with anyone and everyone. "Hello (Walmart checker), I'm five and I'm going to preschool today." He waves to kids, smiles at babies and loves to help. Right now I'm soaking up the game of "I love you more . . . " Who knows how long he will still think it's cool? "I love you more than a night, a day, a night, a day, a night, a day . . ." You get the idea.

His most recent feat, opening doors. He insists on opening doors. He picked this up from his Grandpa and Dad. They open doors for their wives and others. So, even though he is slower getting into the car and buckling, I carefully unlock the car and maneuver out of his way so he can open my door and close it for me. And woe to me if I should forget to let him. While I'm excited for him with Kindergarten less than a year away, I may be the mom on the playground sobbing. Scratch that, I'll be leaking but I'll wait to fall apart until I'm home. My day will be much more lonely without the Little Gentleman around all day.

Cold Turkey Run

I've finally joined the world my family has been modeling for years. The fitness nuts who think running is fun. I made an early foray into the sport; however, wrong shoes and pushing myself too fast in cross country my sophomore year in high school and I walked for a month with taped legs and pain from shin splints. I'm better prepared this time. I bought the right shoes ($$$$ ouch) and the right orthopedic inserts because my left and right arch need different support ($$$$$ ouch again). I borrowed some old running clothes from my mother after all the previous spending. When push came to shove, it was only a week before the run. Luckily, my father had registered me for the walk since there was limited time to prepare.

My husband registered for the run. He LIKES running. He likes pushing himself. He ran the St. George Marathon a couple of years ago. He didn't train for this 5k. He said he'd be my support team. My father registered for the run. He LOVES running. He loves is so much that he continues to do it even after a sudden cardiac death episode during his Top of Utah Half Marathon in August of 2009. He got a defibrillator out of the deal and wears a heart monitor and keeps on running. Two of my brothers registered for run. They are young, in shape and half marathon runners as well.

So, this Thanksgiving was extra cold. While driving to the run, the temperature signs were saying 9 to 12 degrees. And there was snow. LOTS OF SNOW. I'm thinking to myself, "Why did it want to do this?" My husband didn't have fancy winter running gear like myself (thanks to my mom again). My dad looked at him and thought two things--Staypuff Marshmallow Man and Randy from The Christmas Story movie. He had a lot of layers on. My husband was also fighting off the beginning of Influenza that had been running rampant through our two oldest kids. Even with all this, he was still excited to have me participating with him.

My father and brothers take off in the beginning. Yes, they were prepared to run it. My husband and I start at a nice jog. My lack of training and bitter deep cold air soon slowed us down. It hurt to breath. When the air is that cold and you try to take a deep breath, it burns. So, my husband cheerfully set goals: walk to that sign, jog to that light, stay ahead of this group of people. When we finally reached the finish line 39 minutes later, he pushes me up the incline to the finish line and makes sure I finish first.

My fastest brother did the run in 24:22.68. My father (26:01.56) and other brother (26:03.86) were a couple minutes behind. My brother ended up placing 3rd in his age division. Both of my brothers said they were in the top 3 runners for the beginning of the race until the bitter air just forced them to slow down. They were prepared to run but not for the cold. My brother thought he could do the 5K in 18 minutes but the air was killer to his time.

So, how did I rank? Yes, thanks to my hero of a husband (40:50.10 finishing 2nd to last in the Run in his age division), I ranked highest in the family in mine. You know, the Walk division. 2nd PLACE at 39:54.61 ! I kind of feel robbed on one score. The first place walker did not walk it. She finished in 25 minutes, just a minute after my fastest brother. If you are a runner, don't rain on the parade of those of us trying to get ourselves into the game. If you can run it, register for the run.

We all hope to make this a new family tradition--I just want it to be warmer next year. Maybe with some training and extra support of my husband, I'll be registering for the run next year. If you've run in the morning, you can have a guilt-free Thanksgiving feast eating spree. My brothers want to do more cold weather training and win the turkey they gave the 1st place runner.

I proudly matched my husband the day after as we both wore our Cold Turky Run shirts. We got a lot of "Oh you're so cute" comments. Didn't faze me. My husband helped me get going and I know he'll keep me going on this new path. We'll be healthier, and hopefully thinner in my case, and doing something together. Life is good.