The Sadim Touch

Years ago while driving my parents huge van, the A/C stopped working.

Later when we owned their old Mitsubishi, the A/C stopped working (as well as several other problems).

Later when we owned their old Chrysler mini-van, the engine, transmission, door handles, window, etc. all broke (and the A/C at one point).

Hours after we drove our new Honda Odyssey off the lot, we hear a noise in the engine, and learned it needed a new engine.

Now our friend whose Pilot we just returned after borrowing it for three weeks while our Odyssey was in the shop informs us there is a grinding noise in his brakes.

What is the opposite of Midas touch?  The Sadim Touch.  And we have it when it comes to cars.  Everything we touch... breaks.

Don't you want to let us drive your car?

1:00 Church means...

...very late naps.   

Dallin likes the Sunday newspaper as much as his Dad. 

Why is it...?

Why is it that after kids struggle and struggle for independence and finally achieve it in some area, they want to become dependent again?

Case in point:  the car seat.  All my kids have gone through a stage of "I DO IT!  I DO IT!  I DO IT!!!" while they try and buckle their car seat and you can't touch or help so you just have to stand there and impatiently wait while most likely running late.  And if you do help then you get to listen to a tantrum all the way to your destination.

And then?  Once they have finally mastered buckling their own car seat and you appreciate that that is one less thing you have to do to get somewhere....  "I can't do it.  You do it."

Getting dressed, putting shoes on, feeding themselves... same story.

Why?  It's a good thing, right?  To help us hold on to our babies a little bit longer?  It's a blessing, right? 

Right??  (Help me see the good in this!)

The Babysitter and the Fairy Baby

Yesterday morning I got up at six to nurse Dallin, then put him back in his crib and went back to bed hoping for a little more weekend sleep.  Within about five minutes I heard all four kids awake.  But then I heard Sienna get Dallin out of his crib and take him into the kids room where they all played for quite a while.  What a good babysitter Sienna is becoming!  Eventually I heard from her, "Mom, you gotta come see this!"

So I hurry in to see

Too funny!

I'm grateful for...

Recently I re-read Elder Holland's General Conference talk titled "Because of Your Faith."  To me it was a lesson on gratitude.  I was inspired.  So in honor of the season...

I'm grateful for our old van that carried us back and forth to Utah several times.  I'm grateful that the engine and transmission were dying, so that we were motivated to buy a new van (complete with working door handles!).

(saying good-bye at the dealership)

I'm grateful that we had been saving money to remodel our kitchen, so that we didn't have to go into debt to buy the new van.  I'm grateful that our kitchen fund now sits on four wheels, so that we can continue to enjoy our childrens' "Art Mowzeum" (which would be replaced by counters/cupboards/shelves in the remodeled kitchen).

I'm grateful that we heard a funny rattle sound in our "new" used van right after we bought it and took it to the shop.  I'm grateful that we're getting a brand new engine in our used van, and that it's covered under warranty.

I'm grateful for our really good friends, the Lindemanns, who have loaned us their car for the past few weeks so we have room to drive our family around.

I'm grateful that our oven is broken, so that I could learn to use our solar cooker a little more.  I'm grateful for our really good friends, the Watsons, who helped us identify and find the broken oven part.  I'm grateful that it arrived this weekend (and hope it works!).

 (Picture from last summer)

I'm grateful when things break, so I can realize and remember how blessed I am.

Happy Pictures

Last night we got some photos taken of Dallin at six months.  He was hilarious!  The photographer and her penguin were totally doing the trick - he could not stop giggling.  It was contagious.  He's been sitting up for a couple weeks now, but still kind of wobbly now and then.  He was laughing so much he kept tipping over.  I wish you could hear a picture.

 

 

Halloween Pics

It was a Happy Halloween.

 Boo!