MISC Stuff

Amy gives my girls Christmas dresses every year. Here is this year. I love them. They look so cute on them. She always gives them to them in November so that they can wear them during the Christmas season. Oh, my girls are so spoiled.

Amy is a Scrabble F-R-E-A-K. This particular game is one where we didn't abide by any rules as far as names, not even totally real words. Oh, we had a fun time with this game. I had to take a picture of it for memories sake.

The Bubble Gum Dilemma

WOW! I have had this post in my drafts since MARCH. Yep, it has taken me this long to finally get this post written. Sad, but I do want to document it so here goes the highlights of the story considering that it happened 9 months ago.

I was at Macey's with the girls, buying some things for dinner. At the checkout, Chloee asked me if she could get some gum, this beautiful Bubble Tape gum. I said no. I hate gum, that doesn't even really begin to explain the pure hatred for it. I like to chew it but I hate if my kids have it and really at that point, she RARELY ever got any. I don't like worrying about it in hair, carpet, clothes, etc.

We got home and a few hours later, I caught her chewing gum. I asked her where she got it. She told me her friend, Taylor, left it at our house from the night before. I didn't think much of it til I talked to Taylor's mom and she said she never had any Bubble Tape. Oh, the plot just thickened. I approached her again and it was lie after lie after lie. Now I was really getting angry.

After a few hours of interrogation, she finally told me that she stole it from the store. When I told her no, she couldn't have any gum, she evidently just snuck it under her leg, chewed it on her way home and had been eating it all day. Oh, I was livid. That might not even explain it well enough.

LYING and STEALING? What? Where did my sweet 4 year old go?

When Josh got home, I took her back to Macey's. I explained to her that you can go to jail when you steal and that she was going to have to tell them what she did and that she would have to pay for it with her money. She wasn't even remorseful. What? Ok, I really need to drive this point home and set the precedence NOW at a young age, about stealing.

We went to the service desk and I asked for the manager. The stupid 18 year old kid working the desk told me that the manager was out on break but that he could help me. I should have known better. I told Chloee to tell him what she did at the store earlier. She was told him that she stole "this" as she put the bubble gum up on the counter. He said, "Oh that's okay!" Are you a moron? I told him that it wasn't okay and that he needed to tell her what happens when people steal. He looked at me like I was the meanest mom in the world.

After I had to explain and help this kid (can't he see that I'm trying to teach her a lesson?) she paid for the gum with her own money and then he gives it back to her. I said, "Oh no, you put that in the trash." He looked at me weird and said, "But she paid for it." Oh my gosh.... I know that but if she pays for it and gets to keep it, that teaches her that she can keep stealing, come back, pay for it and then keep it, what is to stop her? WOW! I could have beat this kid, he was making it really hard for me to teach her a vital lesson.

I then asked what chore she could do around the store, as part of her punishment for stealing. He told me that she didn't need to, she's so young. I then asked to speak to someone who has kids and knows what I'm talking about. He sent us over to the produce section. This is what I'm talking about. He had her help sweep up onion shells in the back room and help pick up produce that had fallen on the ground. He then had a long talk with her about stealing and how the store deals with people stealing and how she can get in big trouble. Nice.

After she was done with helping him clean up the produce area, I told her there was something else that I wanted her to do. We went and got a bag and picked up every single piece of trash on the floors in the whole store. It was a great teaching moment and she is SCARED to death to ever steal again. We had a good talk on the way home. I hugged and kissed her that night and felt so good about the lesson I was able to teach her.

Multiple people who heard this story, thought I was too harsh. Everyone parents differently and I get that she's "only 4" as people put it, but why does she have to be older to teach her that stealing is not acceptable? Make it easy once and they'll keep thinking they can do it and that there will be no consequences and by then it has turned into something much worse.

I love Chloee. She tells all of her friends about how bad stealing is. It warms my heart, I got through to her that day. Oh and she was also banned from gum for a long time and the first time she could have gum again, she got it in her hair. She chews on her hair and when you have gum in your mouth, it's not a good combination. I had to cut some of her hair because I couldn't get it out. Oh the joys of parenthood.

Did I mention that I hate gum?

50 First Dates

There are quite a few things to be said about Halle. She is stubborn, opinionated, has rage issues and that girl definitely knows what she does or does not like. Also, that girl has some serious stamina. Needless to say, she literally sucks every cell of energy from me, every day.

Every time Halle sees anyone, excluding myself, Josh and Chloee (and sometimes we're included in that group) you have to win over her love. Every. Time. My parents were staying here for a weekend. After a few hours, she warmed up to them and things were fine but once she went to sleep, that slate was wiped clean and she doesn't remember liking you the day before. She got up and wanted nothing to do with them and once again, you have to win her affection.

My dad worded this "trait" of hers well. He said it's like the movie, 50 First Dates. She can never remember who you are and if she likes you, all because she went to sleep. This works for naps as well. Truer words were never spoken. My dad hit it right on the head with that all too close to home analogy.

She is even like this with Amy sometimes. Which is weird, because she loves Amy more than me. If she naps on our way up to my mom's, then she will cry and wants nothing to do with anyone but after about 10 minutes, she'll cuddle up to Amy. Amy is pretty much the only person who can get her disarmed that fast.

Other family members think she's like that because she doesn't see them very often and that is why she is always so weary of them. I try to explain that the family she does see more often get this as well. I don't think they believe me. Sometimes she really hurts feelings.

I don't know what it is about her that makes her forget that she liked you before she went to bed or down for a nap but you do have to convince her that she does like you and sometimes that can take all day. My brother, Matt, tries all day sometimes and gets nowhere. I will admit that it is kind of funny because everyone tries so hard to persuade her to let them play with her. It's a game for my family, whoever can get her to hug them first, WINS!

I guess this all goes with her personality. I guess she figures that people should have to win her over and over and over again, you know, to truly show their dedication. She is a fun spit fire and I love all of her weird quirks. Amnesia or self induced forgetfulness, I still love her.

My Luck May Be Changing

I went into RC Willey to get a movie that I got online. Every Wednesday, they do a wild web Wednesday. It's usually something new that has just released and I get it for $9. Good deal, no? I went in to get this...

The Lion King. I hate when Disney only releases things every so often. As I was walking in, I heard over the intercom that they would be doing another drawing at 7:15, which was in 15 minutes. When I went to the service desk to get my movie, I asked her what the drawing was for.

She told me that it was for anyone who got a VIP ticket, which was anyone who opened an RC Willey account or already had one. I never got a ticket but I already had an account so she gave me a ticket. I went up to the front to put my name in the drawing, when he told me that just for putting my name in, I get a bag of free stuff.

It had some knives, carpet/spot cleaner, a Serta sheep and a Christmas CD. I'm not going to complain, it was free and who doesn't love free? I know I do.

When I put my name in for the drawing they said I didn't have to be present to win. There were quite a few names in there. We were headed out when they said they were going to draw another winner. We were walking past the table when I hear the guy draw out someones name. We kept walking towards the doors when I heard him say, "Who is the other winner?" Suddenly, someone was saying, "Mam?" I turned around and he said, "Are you Kimberlee Adams?" Wow, was I actually winning? The gentleman said, "This guy says this is your ticket and you just put your name in minutes ago. Congratulations, you won!" He then handed me this:

A 19" flat screen TV. Yea, I was so happy, I almost cried. I never win anything. I couldn't believe that I won. It was the perfect ending to a HORRIBLE day. I thanked them repeatedly and then walked out before they could change their minds.

We came home and Chloee told me that she thinks the guys on the TV look like Shawn and Gus from Psych. Yep, sure do.

Supergirl or SuperHal?

I found this costume after Halloween for only $3. I had to snag it. It went right into the dress up box. She pulls off a pretty cute Supergirl if you ask me.

Fun Crafts for the Holidays

Some ladies in my ward put together a fun craft day. I made this cute magnetic countdown to Christmas. I love the way it turned out.

I made these block Forget Me Not crafts. They are so pretty. It was based after the talk by President Uchtdorf. I made a few of these for gifts.

I also made some of these cute nativities. Simple. Perfect.

Good & Bad News

We are moving!

Well, let me rephrase that. We will move if and when this house sells. I don't know why I've waited so long to put this post up. Back in August, Josh got a new job. It's kind of a funny story.

Josh applied for a job in Logan back in July. Although we want to live in Cache Valley again, we haven't bothered applying for jobs there just because the money is significantly less than what we make out of the valley. To the point where we wouldn't be able to live on the salary.

I asked him why he was even wasting his time applying and we both agreed that it wouldn't go anywhere and we didn't think anything of it again. Two weeks later, he got a call for an interview. Once again, don't waste your time, right? Josh decides to go and see what the company is all about.

The interview goes well and 2 weeks later, they offered him the job. The money was good, considering how much Logan pays. Josh counter offered back on multiple accounts and they accepted every one of his request. Needless to say, we were ecstatic. I think I jumped up and down and screamed for many days.

Josh went and gave his two weeks at his job and by the end of August, he was working in Logan. He does this fantastic, fun commute from here, Layton, to North Logan, every day. The commute is sometimes an hour and a half, each way. That is 3 hours in the car a day and DON'T even get me started on the gas.

We are so excited to be going back to Logan. Amy is there now, my family is all up there, except Annie, who will never live here again, I'm sure. My OBGYN is up there, where I deliver my babies, everything.... I know the area and Josh and I feel like it's home.

What's the bad news you say? I bought this home at the HEIGHT of the housing market, in December 2007. As most people know, the market has tanked big time. I had all of the money that I put into this home from my last one home, which is about 35K, and I'm going to lose it all. The market is THAT bad and I might end up owing. The market is ugly and it is flooded with short sales and foreclosures.

The commute is killing Josh. I guess I'm just putting it all in The Lord's hands. We got the job and the money we needed, which is a miracle, so I have to believe that the house will sell when it is supposed to.

On the up side, my house is always clean because I'm showing it at least 4 times a week.