Easy come...

Received (with joyful incredulity: "Mom! Did you know I would get dis wing?!"): Sunday, January 13, 2008.

Lost (after many forays into mouths and dolls' hands): Tuesday, January 15, 2008.

We hope her desire to Choose the Right will last longer than the ring actually did.

Quick Quote #18

Jane and Seth were fighting over the kitchen step-stool. Seth must have tried a new tactic, because this is what Jane yelled:"Mom, Sef's making my bum un-modest!"

CTR (Choosing to Read)

I am, truly, not easily offended. I'm easy-going and pretty good about giving people the benefit of the doubt.

But, it bothers me when people say to me, "I don't know how you have time to read. I wish I did." It seems as if they are saying, "You must not be as busy as I am, if you have time to read books." I know they don't (probably) mean that--they are just expressing interest or admiration. But sometimes I take it that way.

Basically, we all make choices. Following is a list of things I DON'T choose to do:

• scrapbook


• home decorating projects. I do them, maybe once a year, if I have to...so I don't paint, or frame stuff, or refinish things in my free time AT ALL


• sew


• have a newborn (no one can do anything extra with one of those)


• watch more than 3-4 hours of TV a week


• read anything on the Internet besides blogs


• allow my children at home to go through a day without a nap or quiet time


• work (for outside-the-home type establishments)

If you choose to do any of these things, you are eliminating your reading time. WHICH IS FINE.

I also have NO PROBLEM taking time for myself. Those Oprah shows where she urges mothers to do something for themselves mystify me. I totally understand that when I am rested, have had quiet time, and do things that I enjoy (reading, blogging, exercising, girls' nights), I am a MUCH more enjoyable wife and mother. I picked a husband who gets that, too, and supports me in those me-activities.

If you aren't like that, that's a choice you are making.

So, to answer the question "How do you find time to read", this is when I read:

• when I ride the machines at the gym


• after everyone goes down for naps for 30 minutes or so


• when dinner is done, sometimes I will sneak upstairs and let my husband manage things for a little while


• I try to take a book with me to piano, dance, doctor's offices just in case I have some down time


• before I go to bed

It works out to 30-60 minutes a day. I am a fast reader, so I get through an average of a book a week. It's been my favorite hobby for as long as I can remember. Ask my mom. This picture came from my photo album (1st birthday), note her caption:

It brings me peace, understanding of the world around me, ideas for how to improve myself, a connection to other book-lovers, an escape. I can't imagine not doing it, so I could do some of the other things above. But maybe you can. And that's okay, too.

Su-Monday Summary (again)

I didn't get back from my weekend till yesterday afternoon. The hubby didn't want me jumping on Blogger immediately for some reason.










I chose this picture because this week: Seth loves his snow clothes and brings them to me, saying "I got um, mom." the minute the big kids get home from school. Which would be great if it didn't involve me going outside with him. But he's 2 (not reason enough, frankly) and deathly afraid of the nicest neighborhood dog ever and is so cute with his snow pants, that I haul my freezing behind out there so he can enjoy the fruits of his efforts.




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Here's Jane with the hair-do RYAN DID while I was gone. Pretty impressive, huh? Nothing stands out about Jane, but since every quick quote is from her, she's not really lacking on blog time, is she?







From Gabe last week:



"Mom, when you do a blog about this you can say...


Before he had a messed-up hairdo:



And after he had some rockin' style."


(Background...Ryan made an admirable effort to cut Gabe's hair. But even Gabe could tell it needed help; he kept bugging Ryan to take him to "Payper Cuts.")

Gabe and I also had a fun date to lunch (post-helping in the classroom) that was one of the highlights of my week.














Emma was not shy about her feelings this week: "Mom, I don't want to make you feel bad or anything, but I'm kind of excited for you to leave on your trip." Thanks, Em. She continued by saying she loved having the extra time with dad and also doing her own hair. It looked fabulous, by the way, when I got to church from the plane. Really.



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This person is the father and husband of the year. Refer to the post below if you doubt. He also has a matching outfit with Gabe, which he wore with pride today. Gang pride.







.

On to me. This person:














decided she wanted to live in Argentina. She wanted to get married and live by her husband. (Whatever.) So whenever she (Adrianne, of MacGyver fame) comes into the country, we:



















(Jessica, Tammy, Adrianne, and Paige) make every effort to see her (and cute new baby Gabe and husband Mario). We met at Tammy's gorgeous house in San Clemente, where it was 72 degrees in JANUARY. And ate. And shopped. And talked. And that's all, for hours. And I didn't get up once to get a child anything. And I slept till 8:00am. And came home to a clean house.


Jealous, yet?

Also, I got released from Primary this week. They got a whole new Primary Presidency and I didn't make the cut, apparently. It was the first time in my life I was sad to change callings (I like change) and we all, the Prim Pres, had an emotional week. It was a blessing to see how Heavenly Father works in the Primary, to feel His love for the children, to feel their sweet and hilarious spirits every week and to work with the best women ever. I'm over 8 year old cub scouts now (which will include Gabe in 6 months) and I will love it, I'm sure. But don't look over at me in Gospel Doctrine when they start singing in Primary next week, because I will be a big bawling baby. I'm just warning you.

Dad Day #1

As Jessica is off visiting friends, I am now a full-time single parent for the weekend. I took the day off of work and got to see a little bit of what a normal day is like for the wife.

5:00 am. - Wake up, go swim while Jessica gets ready to head off to the airport.

5:45 am. - Wake up kids about an hour earlier than normal. Pile them and some blankets & pillows into the van. Drive the wife to the Airport. Kiss her goodbye.

7:00 am. - Arrive back home at same time we normally wake up kids. Time to start the a.m. routine. Instruct kids to avoid slushy puddles in garage and dirt covered cars as they come into the house from the van. Watch Jane slide her pillow all along van exterior as the comes into the house. Get mad. Remember resolution made only 8 hours before that I wouldn't get mad. Take 15 minutes to clean garage and find personal happy place.

8:00 am - Feed kids nutritious breakfast of German Pancakes and Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. Not what mom usually makes, but she isn't here now is she. Emma reminds Jane that they can wear whatever clothes they want today because "dad doesn't care what we wear." Cheering ensues.

8:45 am - Send older kids off to school. Dressed-"check", Jobs-"check", piano-"check", family prayer-"check", Lunches, Teeth Brushing, coats ... "check check check." So far, so good.

Change 2nd "class-2" diaper in under an hour. Wonder what the wife feeds this one? Put him in bath to get over disgust. Sit down w/ laptop to email co-workers reminding them that I won't be in the office today and do a couple of work related tasks. Vaguely note that Jane and Seth are playing upstairs together around bathtub.

9:00 am - Overhear Jane exclaim "Huwwy Sef, Huwwy ... you awe dwowning!" Run up stairs. Find Seth un-drowned in bathtub. False alarm - phew. Jane is pretty soaked ... but not enough to merit new clothes.

Dress Seth and clean up some more. See bear art/craft that has been crunched, smashed and discarded in various areas of the house. Debate over whether it is cruel to throw him away - decide it is not, proceed to trash can.

as I pick up the bear, Jane sees me and informs me that she made the bear at preschool. I nonchalantly pick up the bear and look at him. "He wooks mad" Jane informs me. I don't see why. As she runs off I trash compact the bear.

9:30 - Drop off Seth at playgroup. Take Jane to library for kiddie reading corner. Notice I am the only male over 3 in the room. Feel awkward. Wonder if I seem gay because I am here so deep into female territory. The other mothers act as if I am an invisible spirit of some sort. Jane they can see. Me they cannot. Try to blend in ... can't. Listen to lady with guitar. Color some pictures with Jane. GREAT! ... she asks me to color the rocket ship w/ rainbows. Definitely playing to the assumed gay dad suspicions.

11:30 - Pick up Seth from playgroup. Go to bank, and CostCo. Get hot dogs, and pizza for lunch for kids. During drive, Jane informs me that "if you yell at me fwee times today then I will not be you gilfwend anymore." I protest that I haven't yelled at her at all today. She reminds me of the incident this morning exiting the van. I apologize and she reassures me that I still have two more chances.

On way home from CostCo Jane begs for me to tell her "stowies from when you was a boy." I tell her a bunch. She then asks me to tell her about when mom was a girl. I tell her I didn't know mom then. So then she asks about when I first met mom. I tell her the story in great detail and begin cheering at full volume and hyperventilating when describing how beautiful she was at that fateful first instant. Jane says ... "I wish I could have seen what she wooked wike back then."

2:00 - Naps. I lay down to read. I end up falling asleep instead. I see why Jessica is so enamored with naptime.

3:40 - Older kids arrive home. Emma actually called as Jessica predicted at 3:25 to ask for ride home because "the bus doesn't leave for like 10 minutes". I have to tell her that Jane is still sleeping so she will have to take the bus.

3:55 - Plan rest of evening w/kids. We Decide on following schedule

• 4:00 - Play outside in snow
  
• 5:00 - Dinner (Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup)
  
• 6:00 - Get jump on Saturday a.m. jobs (I lobbied for this one)
  
• 7:00 - Play video games together (DDR & Monkeyball)
  
• 8:00 - Bedtime

This is "Abbie." Jane was playing with her today. She is Emma's rabbit. Jane told me this morning that she would be "in big twouble if Abbie isn't on the bwack bench when Emma gets home." She even suggested we move Abbie so Seth wouldn't get her. After dinner I overheard Jane say "Emma ... do you know whewe Abbie is?"

"Yes" Emma said dryly (she was still on the bench as ordered).

"So I'm not punished!" Jane cheered.

I am not sure how Emma commands such obedience, but I need to learn her methods because mine aren't half as effective.

We pretty much followed the schedule. Had a nice evening and I didn't get any more tallies towards Jane breaking things off with me.

Be there or Be Square

**Non-bloggers continue on to the cute little piece about Emma and the Snow Fort below. You will not understand the following announcement and it's ensuing excitement.**

Ever wanted to meet me?? Ever wanted to meet Celia, or Denae, or Paige, or Holly, or Lisa-Marie, or any of the other hilarious and cool girls linked and commenting on my blog?

Well, now's your chance.

Announcing Blogapalooza 2008.

At Brigham Young University's Women's Conference, May 1-2 in Provo, Utah, a bunch of us are getting a conference room and getting a caterer on Thursday May 1st and we will be partying the night away with all of you girls we've been dying to hang out with ever since we started down this blogging path.

Go to Celia's (Paige's or Denae's) blogs for details. And then come back (or stay there) and leave a comment telling us if you are in! Or email: jessicaromney@hotmail.com.

I'm searching my brain for something more exciting than this.

I got nothing.

Who will help me...?

As soon as Emma got home from school, she ran to the phone and asked for Dad's work phone number. She asked him if he could get off work early and come home and help her build a snow fort. He couldn't.

So like the little red hen...

She did it herself:

Okay, not ALL by by herself:

Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam. How can I help you?

Been missing "The Office"?

We had.

Until last Friday...

Upon receiving this invitation, all your favorite characters came to the Albrechts to celebrate the New Year "Mormon-style".

Pam came:

And, Michael, despite being grouchy from his George Foreman grill incident ("I like the smell of bacon in the morning. Sue me.")

Karen and Andy came together. (He'd serenaded her after her makeover with Phyllis and she'd loved it.)

Jim...and Pam, again.

And Kelly thought, like, cousin Mose was the cutest thing eh-ver.

Oh wait...Jim and Pam came again. That girl really likes to make an entrance.

We even got Stanley (with his crossword puzzle) and Angela to come (even though her party-planning committee hadn't planned this one).

We were a little disappointed that Dwight didn't show. We found out later that he was mad, because Jim had done this again:

After some eating, some Office quizzes (Jim #1 was unbeatable...even with all that shoulder shrugging), and some fierce singing competition (we knew Andy could sing, but Pam #3?)...the stars were ready to return home.

*Sigh*

That'll have to tide you over until the writer's strike is over. We appreciate them crossing the picket lines for us. Go WGA.

Su-Monday Summary

Seriously last week was so boring...I didn't take a single picture. So here goes:

Monday started early for us, with Seth coming into my room at 1:00am and asking, "Mom?! A need a help." So I follow him back to his room, where I find he has dragged a little chair from another room, stepped on it to turn on the light and is trying to clean up all of his 50 Little People animals, but he "Can't Pind (find) A Yak, mom..." So I explain that is sleeping time and that we will find the yak in the morning. "We cean a moh-ning?" "Yes, we'll clean it up in the morning." When I told Ryan the next day, he laughed and said that Seth had been begging him to clean it up, when he was put to bed and Ryan tried to explain about the morning thing. Seth's gotten a little obsessive-compulsive about his bedtime routine (5 blankets, door shut, certain things cleaned up), but should I worry that's it's waking him up in the middle of the night?!


Tuesday was New Year's Day. Romneys don't play on New Years (like in my pre-marriage family). Oh no...With Ryan as our dad, we are starting on those noble resolutions RIGHT away. We got the whole house cleaned, decorations taken down, Ryan went to finish up some last minute repairs on our rental house and I did bills. Isn't that the funnest holiday ever?! (For Ryan, it is).





Wednesday was my day off. Seriously. I told everyone, that after the kids went to school, I would be meeting basic needs and that would be all. After 6 straight weeks of constant something-to-do, I went to volleyball, and blogged and read and read and read. And watched a TV in the middle of the day and then I read some more. I even had a pre-prepared meal, I'd saved specifically for this day, so I wouldn't have to do dinner. I finished 3 books, just last week because of Mom's Day Off. It was lovely. Go read this book: (unless you are Cami, because she tried it and didn't like it. That's okay. I read all 400 pages in 2 days.)











Thursday has nothing interesting in it at all, except Gabe started limping again due to P.E. on that injured foot. Should I be worried? (I wrote a note to excuse him for the next 2 weeks...)


Friday was the funnest party ever, but that's it's own post. Stay tuned.


Saturday was the day I did some seriously AWESOME mothering. Emma also went to a pajama birthday party, where she had the loveliest blue eyeshadow and pink lipstick applied, and apparently gave a very popular gift the "Yada yada" toy?! It was so cheap, that I added some earrings in for the birthday girl, but you might want to pick it up for your next party!











Sunday was an incredible day. Our Stake Presidency changed, I had some other personally neat experiences with my calling and we got to attend the "It's Great to Be Eight" fireside with Gabe, where all the to-be baptized boys climbed in the dry font and told our stake presidency that "God's favorite color is white." Gabe also ate his weight in the refreshments, so it was especially meaningful to him. If I've never said it before...I love this Church, I know that It's true and that the Savior lives and is personally involved in our lives and as we do what's right, He will bless us beyond our capacity to take it in. It truly was a nice, nice day for our family.



Now I'm going to search out some pictures, to see if I can make this slightly less boring!

I'm sorry, so sorry

So let's start with a little recap of the day:

First of all, I'm sick. I have a cold, a sore throat and I'm extra tired. (Just setting the stage/giving myself an excuse).

Early this morning, we had a primary inservice meeting. I am in the primary presidency and we planned it, but we were totally taken by surprise at how strong the Spirit was and how perfectly it went. I went home on a little high.

I then proceeded to take previously-resolved-about oldest daughter on a little birthday present shopping trip alone. It was very nice.

I then came home and with little provocation, completely lost it with my 7 year old. (Mom, you might want to tuck some more money into your Grandchildren Therapy Fund). I don't know what happened. Why, after such a great morning, did I do that? Completely mystified. (Feel awful and lame.)

Anyway.

We proceed to clean the house and I take a nice long nap. Ryan leaves for Priesthood Leadership session of Stake Conference and says, "If you want to come to Grace's (his good friend's daughter in a stake 20 minutes away) baptism, I'll meet you there at 5pm."

Here's the big error of the night...I decided to go.

So I, ON A SATURDAY, BY MYSELF, iron a bunch of church clothes, load kids in the car and head to a baptism. I should have known I was in for trouble when Emma responds to my "We're late" comment by saying, "Good, less baptism we have to sit through."

They were horrible. Crawling all over us, broccoli-smelling (long story), in your face, pretending to go to the bathroom but really just wanting to run up and down the halls loudly, fighting, incapable of whispering horrible. And, I'm sure, completely normal.

Let's just say...the car ride home: not going in any General Conference talks soon. Including, but not limited to:

• slamming on brakes when child wasn't seat-belted after 2 reminders
• yelling
• not-listening chair sentencing
• dead scared silence

So then I pick up the babysitter and the pizza and proceed to the adult session of conference. Where I feel immersed in guilt for the entire first hour. And resolve to go home and grovel and apologize.

Do your children, when you apologize, say, "Yeah and remember how you..." and then remind you of all the poor parenting you did that you didn't specifically mention? Well, mine do. Luckily, I was sufficiently humbled and in a good place after the meeting and so we just laughed and I promised that if I wasn't a good example of how to handle stress, at least I could be an example of how to apologize and just try again.

So that was my day. What was up with that?

A Family Home Evening Idea You'll Totally Want to Copy

Do you ever get to Monday night and don't have a plan for FHE? Have I got an idea for you! We did it last Monday and it was so spiritually enriching and made us closer as a family. You ready?

Invite your local Dance Dance Revolution master over to show you some tips!

(for some reason, Ryan took no pictures of his face. He'll probably appreciate not being mobbed and asked for autographs, because of Ryan's discretion.)

There's a boy in our ward, leaving on his mission soon, who, Ryan found out during a Get-To-Know-You in Priesthood meeting, has apparently spent his pre-mission years diligently prepping himself for...all the DDR (or "didder" as those in the know call it) arcades in Brazil. (Seriously. He has already looked up all the locations in his mission boundaries. "If I beat this level, you have to commit to baptism, deal?")

So we invited him over to give us tips on our new Christmas present. He was very knowledgeable, if not slightly (okay VERY) condescending, and this is what we learned:

• Only people who want to "play bad" return to the middle between steps. He had his body positioned at a diagonal and basically rocked back and forth between the front, back, right and left squares.
• If you want to be really good (at the highest level then he makes the music faster on purpose), you have to build your own wooden and plastic platform, with all the computer boards, that hooks up to the PlayStation. Which he brought over, because he couldn't possibly play on our lame mats. He has also used metal piping to construct a railing system, so he doesn't have to support his body weight. (Duh. "That just wastes energy.")


• All of the dancers have names. Emi is our favorite. Jenny in her little bikini bottoms and gyrations is NOT.


• There are ways to unlock new songs (and it's by being good...oh yeah, I've unlocked a few this week. I'm coordinated that way.)


• If your parents try to limit your playtime, you just buy your own stuff and then they can't do anything about it. (We thought that was GREAT insight for our 2 oldest.)
  
• Phrasing: "didder" (what Dance Dance Revolution is called), "shadow playing" (when you stand behind and do the steps without being on the mat), "coin lines" (at the arcades, you place your ID on the game in order of how you arrived, so you can go play other games while you wait. This will come in handy on our next date night.)

So ask around for your own "Revolution Guy" as Jane calls him. It will be a night to remember.

And then come see if you can beat the Romneys. To the Celestial Kingdom, of course. What did you think I was referring to?

New Year, New Colors, New Resolutions

As fresh as the blue on this page, that's how I felt this morning when I woke up! (When you are done gagging, come back and finish reading...ready?)

So I married a guy who LOVES to make goals and New Years is the highlight of his life. It's probably why he's so accomplished and good and easy to be married to; he sees the value in self-assessment, writing down his ideas for change and putting in the hard work to see those changes through.

I, however, get a sick feeling in my stomach when he brings them up. No exaggeration. I seriously feel ill--my heart beats faster, I get crabby and stressed at the thought of adding my "probable failure" into my life.

Because, come on...when do we ever do a Resolution all the way?

BUT, I talk myself down, knowing that trying and getting just a little bit better, is better than not trying at all. And most years, I set a few and feel better once I've done it.

So today, I was ready. The big kids went back to school, the house got cleaned and purged of all Christmas decor and mess and my body, sick from the constant drip of sugar I'd given it for a month (with the weight gain to back it up), was ready for a change. As was my too-much-computer-too-little-scripture-reading-and-quality-kid-time soul.

But I need some help.

I am someone who appreciates authority as I look for ideas on how to improve and so I need your ideas, your articles, your books so that I can get to work on the following (certainly not inclusive--some things are actually too private for the blog) Resolution list:

1. I need to strengthen my relationship with my oldest daughter. (Without too much embarrassing elaboration, let's just say that her similarity to myself causes much friction...totally my fault and I need to make it better.)

2. I need to lose weight by eating better. (I need ideas on how to "Make the Connection"--should I just read that book? or do you have better ones?)

3. I need to feel the Spirit more regularly throughout the day. (I do pretty good at designated "feel the Spirit times" such as scriptures, prayers, meetings, music...but I want to learn how to tone down the business and the noise and feel it's whisperings more often in my daily life.)

4. I want to see the needs of those around me better, know how to fill them--but balance it with the needs of my family. (Could that be a taller order??)

I only wish I could do this all 100%, but I need to focus on whatever positive changes come out of this list, right?

Wish me luck...and give me something concrete to go on! (email anything too long or too private to jessicaromney@hotmail.com) ...Thanks!