Random Photo

I am posting a random picture of the kids and. Our digital camera broke a few months ago, so we haven't had many pictures. We are buying a camera hopefully soon! This was a random picture taken at Christmastime. Isn't it hilarious that I'm posting this picture instead of one of them fighting? I think it's really funny that everyone's families seem perfect in blogs. If I was to assume that every family was as picture perfect as they appear in their blogs, I'd be awfully worried about my own. Perfect mothers, perfect children, perfect fathers and husbands that never do anything but have fun. But I know blogs are the place for highlights which is what this picture is. I need to blow this picture up to remind myself that they love each other during their arguments during they day. Keep us motivated...

I'm leaving to raft the Grand Canyon tomorrow. Ben's already been gone for 5 days, and I'm hiking in to meet him and his family on Thursday morning. 9 days of camping, dehydrated food, and some of the biggest water in North America. Needless to say, I'm shaking in my boots. I am excited, yet so SCARED!!! I hope I live to tell the tale. I'm also hoping to walk around most of the rapids; I hear it's a definite possibility. Wish me luck!

Cracking me up

I have to say, one of the best things about having young children is the never-ending supply of humor; jokes at their expense, I guess. Lately, for some reason, I've been laughing especially hard. It always gives Ben and me something to snicker at in the evenings. I always think I should be better about writing them down but I never follow through. I heard of a family who wrote the funny things their kids said on slips of paper and then put them in a box to be opened at Christmas. Anyway, some of the funny things they have said or done recently...

The other day, I was weeding in the frontyard (one word?) while Luke was wandering back and forth from the front to the back. He walked up to me with an extremely serious expression while our conversation went as follows:

Me: Hey bud, what's up?

Luke: I was not eating sunscreen.

Me upon quickly realizing that he had indeed eaten sunscreen: Did you find some sunscreen in the backyard?

Luke: Yes.

Me: What did you do with it?

Luke: I did not eat the sunscreen.

Sure you didn't. He definitly needs to work on his manipulation skills. I don't understand how one two year-old child can ingest so many weird things. I have called poison control on him SO MANY times. He even made the front page of their annual community report because of a poison control experience in which he ate mouse poison at one year of age. (Thanks Grandma Cheryl, for rescuing of our little guy) They liked the story so much that they sent a fleet of personnel and photographers to our home a few months later to recount our story for their big old brochure.

On Father's Day, Anna made breakfast in bed for Ben (Captain Crunch and Betty Crocker brownies...I'm either incredibly domestic or he likes weird food...you be the judge). She posted little notes around the house in hidden places about why she loves him, and then watched him open all his little presents. You could see the envy in her eye as she watched him proceed through the fun. After the event, she turned to me and asked quite seriously when it was going to be Daughter's Day. Ah, such a generous child :) I wanted to tell her that every single passing day since her birth 4.5 years ago has been Daughter's Day, that we mothers and fathers have but one day a year, but I refrained.

She also gave her first Primary talk completely on her own. Totally amusing. She was so excited and practiced and practiced with a fake microphone while standing on the fireplace at home. During the talk, she was not the slightest bit nervous and was sure to give cheeser smiles while dramatically gripping the microphone. She loved every second of it. I thought she was stuck about halfway through and leaned down to help her find her place by whispering a cue word. She covered the microphone with her chubby little hand, turned to me and said reassuringly, "I know, Mom." Sorry, darling. She LOVES the microphone...a true blue Belnap. No-one loves to speak to a captivated audience more than a Belnap. I even saw her whisper to her teacher as she sat down that it was SUCH a good talk and she can't WAIT to do it again. At least she's humble. Honestly...

Such good in the world...

This post is to solidify a memory that I can store away and relive on those gloomy days when it seems everyone on earth is unhappy. We had an experience a few weeks ago I won't soon forget. As Ben is in graduate school, we have not had dental insurance for three years and counting. In other words our motto throughout these last years, "brush your teeth and hope for the best." Well, the best was not to be had, and we recently noticed mammoth cavities in our mouths and knew we'd better figure out a way to fork over the dough. Because dental care is somewhat cheaper in his rural Idaho hometown, we made appointments with a dentist there, a dentist Ben had never met.

We were not looking forward to the hundreds of dollars we knew we were going to spend on our cavities and exams, but knew it had to be done. We did indeed have two cavities each, and they were filled with some laughter from us as we tried to talk to each other over the divider with numb cheeks and tongues. When we tried to pay what would have been hundreds of dollars, the doctor informed us that the visit was free! FREE!!!! ABSOLUTELY FREE!!! He said he knew what it was like to attend graduate school with a family, so our exam, x-rays, and fillings were free. This was the first time we had ever met this man and he still extended such generosity. Either that or he just felt really really sorry for us. I can't tell you what this meant to us. Thank you, thank you, Dr. Hammond.

School Days

Today was Anna's last day of preschool. She was peeved that school is over and just can't fathom why anyone would just close school down for the summer. Isn't it wonderful when school is actually still fun for kids? For those of you who remember the trauma when she entered school, you understand what a big statement that is and just how far she's come. Ben and I were laughing last night about how humorous/tragic that first month was, so I decided to post some of the stuff that came out of her mouth at that time (and you just never know what will come out of that child's mouth).

The first few days were dynamite. I had been expecting a scene, as she never does well with change, but she charged into that classroom without looking back. That was week one, the calm before the storm. Week two... she decides she doesn't like the boys. "They're nice, I just don't like them. I just don't like boys I don't know." OK...I know that in about 10 years I will be WISHING for her to make that statement, but for a preschooler? Come on... She also told me the only thing she liked about school was the goodbye song because that meant I was coming to get her and school was over. Great, I pay a monthly tuition for a goodbye song. I tried every reasoning tactic I could muster to remind her how great school was, nothing worked. Finally, I suggested a prayer, figuring that there was no time like the present for a spiritual experience. I could just imagine her childlike faith, how great this would be for her, and that she would always remember this experience. The conversation that followed went something like this…

Me: Why don’t we say a prayer, Anna, and ask God to help you at school so that you won’t be so nervous.

Anna: That won’t work.

Me: Well, God will always help you, but you have to believe that He will. If you really believe that He will, He WILL help you.

Anna: I believe He can help me, I just don’t think it’s going to work.

Me: Well, why don’t we give it a try?

She said her little prayer and I waited for her to tell me what a remarkable experience it was and that she was ready to go to school with a smile. Instead, all I heard was her quiet muttering, “Well, THAT didn’t work. Still nervous.” Nice. So much for her spiritual experience.

Over time, her anxiety diminished, and it is now her favorite place to be. I laugh that maybe her prayer was answered. We'll see how next fall goes in her new preschool class, but until then, I guess I'll be coming up with interesting ways to keep her entertained for the summer. Wish me luck.