Family Memories

We decorated our (fake) Christmas tree a few nights ago, and we took pictures to document this tradition so that one day we can look back and say, "Oh look, the kids were so little, and that was our first Christmas in our beloved rental house, and Devon had the ugly mustache.  Remember that Max and Lucy caused the tree to tilt because they put too many ornaments in one spot on the bottom branches?"

I wonder if these pictures will also remind us that I was really frustrated with Joe as he was being bossy to Lucy and Max because he was worried that they would break ornaments and ruin the tree, and I must have said to him about 100 times, "Joe only gets to worry about Joe- we'll worry about Lucy and Max", yet he continued to hover over them and hoard ornaments so that they couldn't touch hardly anything, and Devon was trying to keep the peace, (which can be annoying, but that is a whole different story), but there was no peace to be found, so I sarcastically offered to tie Lucy and Max to a chair so that they could watch but not participate, and then Joe said that maybe he should just go upstairs and not participate...  Good grief. 

The tree did get decorated, and it is beautiful, and all five of us took part in the hanging of the ornaments, and it only took about 10 minutes, and we smiled for the camera, and Lucy broke 2 ornaments and Max broke 1 :)

Maybe I should just post our pictures and build an illusion that all of our family memories are of love and hugs and the singing of Christmas carols, but I kind of like to remember that we are a normal family, and at the end of the day- or sometimes it isn't until the end of the week- we really do love each other! 

Where is the Restart Button?

Does this ever happen to you?  You wake up, drink your coffee, and then decide that this is as good a time as ever to call a big company, like, for example, Apple, to find out why they consistently take money out of your bank account for purchases, like, for example, iTunes, when you are certain that you didn't make these purchases, and you find that every single number listed under "contact" leads you to an automated machine that redirects you to online support, and you feel like you are stuck in a loop, never quite finding what you need, so you try one of the phone numbers, again, and go through all the motions until you finally say to the machine, "Can I talk to a REAL PERSON??"  And after being on hold for 10 minutes, you finally do get to talk to a real person, but they transfer you to someone else, which results in another 15 minutes of being put on hold.  And all the while, your youngest child is whining baba! baba! so you hand him a baba and think I'm supposed to wean him from bottles- it is on my to-do list. And your other child is giving specific instructions on which ballet DVD she would like to watch, but at the moment these instructions might as well be guiding you through brain surgery because it is all so difficult!  Once the ballet situation is settled, it turns out that it wasn't a baba that the big baby wanted after all, so back to the fridge for a game of point-and-guess.  It was yogurt- he wanted yogurt. Your caffeine is beginning to kick in, but you haven't eaten anything yet, so you notice that you are shaking a bit.  At this moment you realize that classical music has never been so irritating, ever, so you must redirect the ballet dancing child to something quiet- just until you can settle this other business, and then you'll be a good mama for the rest of the day.  You hand over coloring books and Crayolas, and these seems to please both children.  Your husband enters the scene, dressed and ready for work, and asks if his tie matches his shirt, and you confirm that they match close enough.  He informs you that the dishwasher is full and just needs to be turned on, but you thought that the dishes were already clean, so, oops, you gave Big Baby a dirty spoon for his yogurt...  A quick goodbye and a quick feeling of I wish that I was the one dressed and ready to leave the house to go to a job for the day.  Back to the kitchen, where one child needs a different coloring book, you know, the one with the purple? -again, instructing you through brain surgery- and the other child is now sucking on a green marker.  His lips and hands are completely green, so you chase him to wash his hands before he touches the walls- the rental walls.  And then finally, a human being picks up your call!  You explain the problem, and he explains that your choices are to 1) send an email to Support, because Support doesn't have a phone line (of course they don't!) or 2) call your bank to report fraud and have your account number changed.  Look over your shoulder, because your youngest has pulled the box of Lucky Charms out of the pantry, because the pantry is not child-proofed and is therefore completely accessible, and he has dumped out the entire box on the floor.  I should buy healthier cereal.  It is on my to-do list. You now chase that child out of the kitchen so that you can sweep up the cereal while finishing up the disappointing and completely unhelpful conversation with the human, and you notice that the little guy smells like poop.  Ugh, why didn't you poop when your daddy was still home?  You get off the phone, follow instructions to email Support and explain your problem, and contemplate in your head whether or not pursuing the mysterious $30 in charges are really worth your time and effort.  You shake your fists at the sky, curse the big company, like, for example, Apple. 

Okay, it is time to pull yourself together, and restart this day.

A Week of Thankfulness- Day 5

I hope that you all had a lovely Thanksgiving Day!

We did!

Today

I am thankful

for health

for Joe, Lucy and Max

for family, near and far

for potatoes

and garlic

for warmth

and much, much more!

On a day like today, it is really tough to not feel blessed.  Just try and feel not-blessed- I dare you!

My belly is full

and so is my heart.

love love love!

A Week of Thankfulness- Day 4

So much to be thankful for!

Devon suggested- he campaigned, really- that I be thankful for him today, and I thought it was a great idea. "I've been a superstar," were his exact words, and it is very true. Devon changes diapers without being asked, makes me Top Ramen upon request, plays on the floor with the kids, tries to keep them quiet while my patience is low, works hard to bring home 'da bacon, and is overall a pretty cool dude to hang out with after all the little people are in bed.

I am thankful for my husband :)

I thought I'd check in with The Man of the Hour in my very first Mama Rantz & Co. interview.  I've typed out some questions for Devon, and I will now pass the laptop to him-

me:  Hey Devon, how are you doing?  Did you have a nice day?

Dev:  Hi, I'm feeling a little sick, but I did have a great day.

me:  Are you looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow?

Dev:  Yes, I cannot wait.  I'm going to spend the day with my sister Merry, brother-in-law Dave, my mom, and my Rantz fam.  Oh, and I am going to watch football!

me:  What are you especially thankful for this year?

Dev:  I'm especially thankful for my family and my job.  In this economy, and with such a high unemployment rate, I know that I'm blessed to not only have a job, but also to have a job that I love.

me:  Is there any possible chance that you'd be willing to shave your mustache before December 1st?  It isn't my favorite look on you, but I love you, Honey :)

Dev:  No, because it is for a good cause.  My mustache is a show of solidarity against cancers that specifically affect men.  I know it is an ugly 'stache.

me:  What is your favorite color?

Dev:  Green.

me:  What is your favorite song?

Dev:  Right now or of all time?  That is a big question.  It is hard to choose just one.  If I'm in an aggressive mood, it might be "No Remorse" by Metallica.  If I'm feeling laid back, I like "Better Together" by Jack Johnson.  If I'm feeling funky, I might jam some "Musicology" by Prince.  My all time favorite band is The Cult.

me:  Who is your favorite wife?  (giggle giggle)

Dev:  That is a no-brainer.  Annie Marie Rantz.

me:  Why don't you ever leave comments on my blog?

Dev:  Um, because I am a horrible speller.  No, I just like to anonymously take pleasure in them.  Plus, it kinda seems like a girls' club.

me:  If you were to say, "Oh, he/she gets that traits/skill/habit/quirk from me" about our kids, to what would you be referring?

Dev:  Rebellion- they all get that from me.

me:  Thanks for letting me interview you on my blog, and thank you for working so hard, for loving me, Joe, Lucy, and Max so much, and for always taking out the trash.  Today and everyday, I am thankful for you!

Dev:  You are welcome. 

We left the house today- we killed some time at Ikea while Devon worked at his office for a couple of hours.  The roads were so icy, and Seattle-folk don't care much for icy roads, but I really needed to get out of the house.  At Ikea, we returned rejected rug #6, and Lucy asked, "Mom, why do we have to shop for rugs everyday?"  First of all, Lucy, WHATEVER!!  And second, this is a return- our last return- and then we are done with rugs for now, and possibly for forever.

Later, we picked up Joe and a couple of extra kiddos and went to see the new Disney movie Tangled.  Lucy has been waiting months to see the story of Rapunzel!  Fantastic movie- super funny, and we all loved it, and Max even sat still for most of it, though he didn't always keep his 3D glasses on.

Today I received a special package in the mail :)  Something else to be thankful for!!  I now have a pan to use to make a certain flour-less chocolate cake, and I also have a hand-made Christmas banner (I'll show it off after we decorate for Christmas), and books to read, and cute hand-made thank you cards.  Thank you, Lisa!!

A Week of Thankfulness- Day 3

What am I thankful for today?

I am in a pretty grumpy mood, so I'm hoping that a big dose of gratitude will shake off the grumps.

So, here are some options:

1) Sleeping in until 10am (I'm still sick, and I'm milkin' it for as long as I can!)

2) Snow! Snow! Snow!  Snow is beautiful, and quiet, and rare enough that it is welcomed with cheer, and it closes schools, and keeps my husband home from work, and it makes my babies happy.  It stirs up wonderment, and it is such a treat to watch a child be filled with wonder. Don't 'cha think?

3.  An extra long shower and a home-pedicure. 

4.  I'm not sure if I can say that I'm thankful for Max's shenanigans, but I am thankful that I find humor in them.  His latest game is to take Lucy's clothes from her dresser and drop them one item at a time off of the second floor and down to the first floor.  What a stinker!

I changed my mind- I do indeed feel gratitude for Max's shenanigans.  He is who he is, and I'm crazy about my boy!



5.  This is going to sound super cheesy, so don't judge me, but did anyone watch Dancing With the Stars last night?  I'm not a regular fan of the show, but it is down to the final 3, so I tuned in, and Jennifer Grey is one of the finalist.  You know, "Baby", from Dirty Dancing??

Jennifer Grey is paired with Derek Hough (my favorite cast member, but, I swear, I don't watch the show, often!), and last night they gave two flawless performances, and I was moved to tears.  Cheesy-I warned you- but it was truly entertainment at it's finest (what has gotten into me??), and you can see for yourself!  If you are a Dirty Dancing fan, you'll appreciate that she starts the number by holding a watermelon :)  Grab a tissue and prepare to be grateful for....  well, I don't know what exactly this makes me grateful for, but it made me happy, so I suppose I'm grateful for entertainment. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!"

6. I am grateful for toilet paper. Until you are down to your last roll, as we were this morning, you don't give it much thought. But Devon just returned home from Costco- braving the elements on his quest for "booty wipes"- and the house is stocked once again.

7. Devon also brought home ooey, gooey cinnamon rolls from Costco, so now it is time to wrap up this list because I must go consume some ooey gooeyness. Yum yum thankful thankful!

A Week of Thankfulness- Day 2

Alright, it was kind of nice to be sick yesterday, but today, being sick is miserable.  Time to get better- I've got stuff to do!

This morning, feeling like death, and perhaps being a tad dramatic about my ailments, I positioned myself on the couch so that I could look out the window and see the snow falling. I was thinking of what I am thankful for today.  Nurse Devon?  Apple cider?  My bathtub?  What should I share with blog world?  

Just then, Max climbed on top of me and planted a big, wet kiss on my face.  I worked to avoid him- I'm sick, I hadn't brushed my teeth, I had coffee breath- there were so many reasons why he shouldn't want to kiss on me this morning.  The more that I tried to resist him, the more he wanted to love on me, and so I eventually embraced him, germs and stinky breath and all.  

At that moment, I decided that I am so very grateful for unconditional love.

Max and Lucy are young enough now that it doesn't matter if I am stinky, or how much I embarrass, discipline, or disappoint them, they love me without conditions.  It won't always be this way, as they grow and maybe become stingy with their affection and less forgiving-and-forgetting.  And it is okay- change is expected and normal.

But I've got a feeling that my unconditional love for them- a mother's love- will not change.  There isn't anything that they could do to change the fact that my heart beats for them- under all conditions.

What a blessing to be a mama and to experience this type of love for my children, and what a beautiful reminder that This is how God loves me!  

A Week of Thankfulness- Day 1

I am sick.

I am on the sofa with a blankie and a box of tissues (and my laptop), and I don't plan to move from this spot for the rest of the day.

Do you ever keep yourself so busy that in the back of your mind you think If I was to get sick- catch a head cold or something- and feel so icky that no one would expect me to do anything all day but sit and moan, that would be kind of awesome.  Not that I wished myself sick- I didn't go licking shopping carts handles or ask anyone to sneeze on me or anything.  But I'm going to go ahead and say that today I welcome this head cold.  My head feels like it might explode, but I don't really mind. Devon is beside me now watching football, and we all know that he isn't going anywhere, so I'm going to call him my nurse and make him take care of me.  As long as football is on and he gets to watch, I'm pretty sure that he will do anything I ask him to do :)

For example, earlier I asked him to bake Trader Joe's crescent rolls for breakfast.  He did it, and bless his heart, he didn't roll them to make them into crescents.  He asked me, "How many triangles to do you want?"  Triangles??  Silly Dev.

As I've been settling into our rental house, I've been rather obsessed with rugs.  Our dining table sits on white carpet, so I obviously need something to go under the table, right?  And our main living space- the room with our sofa and TV- has hardwood floor, so I obviously need something soft and warm for the kids to play on, right?

Finding rugs has been far more challenging that I could have anticipated.  Realization: DUDE! RUGS ARE EXPENSIVE!  I had no clue!  So, I've been shopping the inexpensive options- Ikea, Ross, Fred Meyer, Target, and I've been searching the web- Overstock, World Market, Pier 1, Wal-Mart.  I've even visited a few carpet stores to learn about the carpet remnant option.  I've been completely focused and maybe neurotic.

I have bought and returned 6 rugs.  Devon was annoyed at my indecision, and he somewhat refused to give opinions anymore because Does my opinion really matter?  You are going to return the rug no matter what I say.  He was right.

So, yesterday my search for rugs ended with the purchase of lucky #7 and lucky #8, which I found on Craigslist, meaning that they cannot be returned :) 

And with my quest for rugs fulfilled, I can now be sick and happy.

Where am I going with this blog?

Ah, yes, Thanksgiving is this week!

In the spirit of giving thanks, I'm going to share some things that I'm grateful for this week.

TODAY, I am thankful for home videos.  We don't record home videos as often as we should, and we don't watch them as often as we should, but I am still grateful that we have them. 

This morning, Devon and the kids were in the extra bedroom, which houses our extra TV, and they were watching home movies from when Lucy was a baby.  I listened from my spot on the sofa, and I loved hearing them laugh and give commentary on where we were at that particular time, and Lucy referred to her baby-self in the third person, "Why is she crying?  Oh, she is singing a song!  She is so cute!"  I heard Joe correct her several times, "Lucy, that is you.  That baby is you!" 

I heard Devon throw out a mystery, "Lucy, where is Max?"  She was quiet a moment, and then I heard her say, "I don't know." 

I could hear Joe's voice coming from the videos, and it was a bit more high-pitched than it is now. 

I heard myself singing "Ring Around the Rosie", and I cringed at the sound of my own singing voice- it is always so weird to hear yourself, you know? 

Devon called, "Annie, you have to come watch with us- the kids are so little!" 

I don't have to do anything- I'm sick! Remember? :)

But I did get up to go peek at them, and I grabbed my camera on my way.

Home videos are a treasure.
What are you thankful for today? Warm socks? Leftover Halloween candy? The Amazing Race tonight??
And did I mention that it is snowing outside?  What a great day to be sick!

Can a Bulky Scarf Save a Marriage?

Do you ever read an article simply because the title is so preposterous?

This morning on MSN, you will find "Gifts That Will Keep Your Marriage Going," and if you are curious to learn about these marriage-saving gifts, as I was, click on the link and give it a read.

I'll give you a preview-

I am completely entertained by the silliness of this shopping guide, published by Esquire magazine, but seriously- here is what I'd say if Devon brought home some of these gifts:

"Ridiculously Good Linens"- "Wow!  These are fabulous!  Now, you have to tell me exactly how much you spent on these because if you didn't get them at, like, a Costco-amazing price, we are taking them right back to the store!"

"Agent Provocateur"- "Sexy lingerie!  Sweet! Beautiful! I'll bet that Max and Lucy will like it too, when they are in our bed, between us.  And I can keep in it this drawer right here, where all of my other lingerie lives, ever since our honeymoon..."

"Merry Maids"- (okay, I can't argue with this gift.  It is actually kind of awesome.)

"Cozy Scarf"- "Lovely! And so big and snugly, like a hug! It seems to hide all 'my humps, my humps, my lovely lady lumps' (to quote Fergie)- do you not like my lady lumps?"  Uh-oh!

Devon and I often select and purchase our own gifts for ourselves.  I know, this isn't really how gifts are supposed to be selected or given, and someday we will do it the correct way, but until then, we don't seem to have the time or money for guessing games.  "Do you like it?  Do you really like it?  Is it exactly what you wanted?  We can exchange it if you'd like..."  I like telling him exactly what I want, and to ensure that he gets me exactly what I want, I'll go buy it and wrap it and write on the tag, "from Devon."  I know, I know, it is all so very backwards. 

In the past, I've dated gift-giving-type guys- the type who bring flowers, buy gifts, full of surprises.  I've even received a few awkward poems.  I love surprises, but I didn't fall in love with any of those guys- they just weren't my Devon.  Devon's love language is quality time, and within the next few weeks I assume that he and I will spend some quality time in retail-world selecting our own Christmas gifts.  Be still my heart!  It works for us, and our marriage is going strong, with no need for help from Esquire's gift guide. 

And to be honest, the lingerie does occasionally come out of the drawer :)

Memory Lane

Over the past couple of weeks, as we've been moving, I've come across several boxes of photographs.  These boxes had been stashed in the back, back, far back of the storage closet, waiting to be put into photo albums, I assume.  The pictures from my college years are in albums, but any proof of life before or after college just never quite made it out of the boxes. 

So, this afternoon while Max was napping, I pulled some boxes out and thumbed through the pictures.  I don't have a scanner, so I took pictures of the pictures so that I can share some of them :) 

I present

Memory Lane

I know that Lucy and Max look like Devon, but here is some proof that they look like me too!

I used to go on dates with my brother, Seth.  I know, it sounds creepy, but he was a great date, and we did a lot of fun things together :)

When there were just three of us!

This was my awkward pre-teen phase :)  And my tiny baby sister Molly!

I went to Israel when I was 18.  I'm the one with brassy red hair and The Freshman 15 (who I am kidding?  It was 20!). 

When Napoleon Dynamite was really popular, Devon wore his "Vote for Pedro" shirt.  Often.

Evidently, it isn't "manly" to push strollers, so my dad prefers to just carry babies at amusement parks :)  I loved those pink aviator glasses that Lucy was wearing!

My brother Adam modeled for a while, and his first job was for the store Anchor Blue.  We rushed to the mall to see his posters, and it was pretty funny to find that though he was the "key" model, he is the guy in front with his hand in his pocket!!  Yup, that's his hand!  We were so proud! (I've added arrows to help you find him!)

I miss my A-Team.  We haven't all been together in over 3 years!!

(Lucy said, "They look like Barbie twins!")

I found some pictures of baby Joe! :)

And baby Lulu- I could eat her :)

Before I moved to Seattle, I'd visited just once before.  I could have never guessed that someday I'd be a fake Washingtonian (I'm really a misplaced Californian!).

I backpacked through Europe when I was 24, and I saved every plane, bus, and train ticket, along with every map, postcard, and museum pamphlet.  I even bought the scrapbooks, but they are empty :(  Everything is in a box!

I'm often disappointed in myself that I don't take the time to print my digital photos.  But if was to print them, maybe they'd just sit in boxes too.  Maybe someday I'll resolve to put my old photos in albums, and I'll print my digital pics and put them in albums too, but until then the boxes will find a home in the closet, and the rest of my pictures can stay in my computer, taking up no space at all :)

Chinese Tea

As founder and president of the Lucy Kate Fan Club, I am obligated to post pictures of today's dress rehearsal for the ballet holiday performance!!

No flash photography is allowed at the actual performance, so Miss Sue (the ballet teacher) has the girls get into their costumes and do their dance for the parents before the big show so that we can oooh and ahhh and take flash photos until our hearts are content.

Feast your eyes on the Chinese Tea-

Rockin' Out, Big-Hair-Band Style!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Labels (and a Lovefest!)

I fully intend to write about what I experienced and learned at the Women of Faith conference that I attended with my mom and my sister a few weeks ago.  I hope to do this soon, and perhaps I've delayed writing about it because I am afraid that I just won't adequately convey how wonderful it all was- the venue, the music, the speakers, the messages, my fellow women of faith...

Or perhaps I've just been busy.  Either way, I've decided to share a bit of what I've learned about labeling.

So, labeling.  We do it all the time, right?  We don't even know that we are doing it.  It seems harmless enough- a label is simply a word, and it isn't even necessarily a mean word.  I really took to heart the danger of placing labels on others, and I identified how much I, myself, do not want to be labeled by others.  For example: messy, sloppy, chubby, lazy, controlling, noisy, picky.  Those are all just adjectives, yet when we apply them to people as labels, it can be damaging and can truly influence one's self perception, especially if the one being labeled is a child.  I've been trying really hard to change the way that I talk to my kids in order to avoid labels.  I didn't realize how often I do it- "Joe, you are so lazy!"  "Lucy, you are so messy!"  "Max, you are crazy!!!!!!!!!"

I think that I will try to use only positive words as labels- what damage could be done if I influence my kids to believe that they are loving, nice, charismatic, and a whole bunch of other nice words??

Here is a little practice:

The emotional one.

The sensitive one.

The thoughtful one.

The demanding one.

The opinionated one.

The happy one.

The out-of-control one.

The destructive one.

The energetic one :)

(Maybe I shouldn't give chocolate to the energetic one!)

Anyways, it is something that I have been working on- the whole labeling-people-thing.

In other news, the Sweet One and the Affectionate One and I met Katie, Ethan, and Greyson at the mall this morning to play at the boats.

Me: "Katie, do you see Max anywhere?"

Katie: "Uh.... (looking)....yup, looks like he is getting some love on the top of the slide."

Me: "Oh no! He has her pinned!" (running to save the innocent girl from Max's aggressive affection)

Katie: "No, I think she has a hold on him too..."

My dear readers, this was the funniest thing I have seen in a long time.

I'm not sure how this happened, but Max and his lady friend were as cozy as could be at the top of the slide, while other kids maneuvered around them, and while a few of us mamas pointed and giggled.

Isabella was her name, and she was so content with Max in her arms that she yawned and was near ready to take a nap right then and there.

Max just kept looking at me, with such a sense of peace in his eyes.  I had time to meet Isabella's mom, have Katie hand me my purse, pull out my camera and snap a few shots at the spectacle.  We asked each child if they were ready to go, and they both said no, they didn't care to move from this position.  I finally had to pull Max off of Isabella, and the two parted ways.

A lover boy, indeed!

Devon called from work this afternoon and asked, "How were the boats?  Did Max mount any kids?"

"Yes, and I have pictures!"