Oozing Mystery

 

Last night I cleaned up a mysterious puddle of sticky green slime off the laminate in the living room...No one knew what it was and no one was willing to claim it...Not all that unusual around here... 

 

After a few hours of cleaning and de-junking, this morning, I went to grab the vacuum, a familiar green substance oozing from underneath...(Should I call Ghostbusters???)

 

I then realized the canister was full, I mean full of CORN and green slime...

 

What? The! Heck!!!

 

  Bailey hadn't left for work yet and pled innocence...

 

So I then went down the list of which kid was DUMB enough most likely to do the deed....

 

DALLYN: (also claimed innocence, threw Bailey under the bus...)

 

On to MADISON: (Innocent, blames Alex...)

 ALEX: (GUILTY!!!! and I thought you were the smart one?)

 

 

So after all the CSI work this annoyed housewife can muster...

 

ALEX destroyed the $200 vacuum...

 

Sucking up a $2 bag of frozen corn that had spilt in the freezer, followed by $1 worth of green sugar sprinkles she had spilt in the pantry and then left the vacuum in the storage room for four days....

 

FROZEN CORN +

 GREEN SPRINKLES+

FIFTEEN YEAR OLD WISDOM

-------------------------------

= R.I.P. VACUUM

 

Oops!?

 

This is why we can't have nice things!?!

Failed It!

So I made a real dinner...

 

Chicken Enchiladas.

 

From scratch even.

 

One said they were soggy...

The other "hates Mexican food!!!" So I kicked her out.

And Man child meticulously and picked out every single green chili, before muscling past the gag reflex....  

 

 

Awesome! I feel so appreciated....

 

I also made chocolate chip cookie cake, (which none of them deserved) but tried to take it out of the pan to quickly and it fell apart...

Dinner...Why does it have to happen every. single. day?!

 

Dinner and Dessert...Failed it!

 

 I did how ever discover that it takes two minutes to make your own brown sugar....

 

 

1 cup of white sugar

2 tablespoons of molasses

mix with a fork

 

who knew??? (probably everyone but me....whatever)

 

I was impressed. 

 

I love being a house wife....except for the cooking, cleaning, and laundry, Oh and the signing of permission slips...

 

Do I still count as a housewife if you hire a maid AND a teenager wrangler???

 

 

A Good Peaceful Day.

 

 

Today was a good day and my heart couldn't be more grateful...

 

Grant was able to ordain Dallyn to the office of Teacher in the Aaronic priesthood today. A dear friend, and our Bishop were able to join Grant in that ordinance. It warmed my weary heart as I heard the blessing my Superman gave our son.

 

Our Stake Leaders braved snowy, icy roads to be at our Ward today. It was wonderful to feel of their love and dedication and hear their humble testimonies.

 

Having Friday and Saturday with our youth was a privilege, I just love time with them and their leaders that love them too...

 

Spending time with long time friends sharing the "joys" of motherhood and life, is the best free therapy out there....right sistas?!?!

 

And having someone with a compassionate heart, who went to school for a very long time...so he could help  weary Superheros and trophy wives, not strangle each other . continue to climb their Everest.... is a great blessing and answer to our prayers.

 

 

Small victories and grateful hearts and a good peaceful day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Miss Her.

 

It was a Sunday, when the phone rang before dawn. I knew it was bad news even before I picked up the receiver.

 

 "Mom's gone Robin, she passed away sometime earlier this morning." Kelli barely got the words out...

 

That was ten years ago tomorrow (Feb 22) but some days it still feels like yesterday....

 

Her death brought an end to a suffering mind, unable to find peace in this world. But left two daughters that would have to find their own peace...

 

That journey continues....

 

I miss the moments when we saw the light return in her eyes...

 

I miss listening to her hands glide across the piano on a Sunday morning...

 

I miss her behind the wheel on yet another endless I-15 road trip...

 

I simply miss my MOM.

 

 

Doin' The Dance

Tomorrow is Dallyn's  first stake dance and standards activity, lucky him, his parenals are chaperoning. :)

Our ward is in charge of the music, decorations and snacks for the dance and since the Kramer family sucks at delegating and also have Master degrees in procrastinating...Yesterday me, Alex and Bailey got to work....

I didn't mind ... I love throwing activities together, honestly it fills this neurotic need to create things...It is beyond therapeutic for me....and the rug rats know by now to just go with it or get out of my way.

We (I suggested and they didn't argue) decided on a carnival theme.

DJ Alex put together the playlist. ( I only had to delete one inaproperate song, she was just testing me ;))

I got to work on all the signs . And Bailey did all the props for the photo booth.(owning an artist is awesome)

Signs for the walls...

Photo booth props.....

For snacks we are keeping with the beyond healthy carnival theme....

Cracker Jacks, Cotton Candy, Licorice, Pixie Stix, Water and Corndogs....

Yay! For the water :) Sorry about the sugar. please don't send me the dental bills. ;)

Hoping the kids have a blast tomorrow and I get a video of Dallyn shaking his booty for the first time ;)

I love doing things for our youth, they so deserve it, cause they're awesome!  It should be an AWESOME weekend!

Sensitive Sally

I must admit I'm worn a bit thin right now and I probably would even admit to being a bit of a  Sensitive Sally....But sometimes things people say trying to be helpful are just down right LAME....This week seems even heavier on the lame side than usual...I have heard this all since Friday....

{Superman is struggling and is beyond frustrated at this unwanted unexpected setback.}

1. I was asked how he is doing...I gave a brief, yet honest answer to which they enquirer said.

 Well hopefully he'll get better in a day or two....

Yeah cause that's exactly how mental illness works. But here's hoping ;)

2. Not sure why someone felt the need to tell me this, but they did...

Oh my,Your  Grant has changed so much, he's not who he used to be when he was in the Bishopric...

My sweetheart has not CHANGED he is in the middle of  battling an illness that is no longer in remission,he is just sick right now. Who he is.... his spirit is still the same AMAZING Grant. The only thing that has changed is your willingness to see it.

3. Oh, I totally understand I was depressed for a week, back in 1987...

Okay I'm like, really sorry about your bad week...but like, I don't think like, you like, totally understand...that's like comparing a splinter to an amputation....like, I'm just saying, but like, thanks for like, totally understanding...DUDE.

4. OOOOO, sounds like you need to go see that (misprounounced counsellor's name) (said multiple times)

It's hard enough attending an activity meant for couples, when your better other half isn't able to go...but then to hear off handed comments about couples needing to see a certain marriage counsellor...isn't really funny and completely insensitive on your part......there are people who see said counsellor, you just don't know that.

Everybody makes fun of psychiatrists and therapists...until you really need one, I mean when your life depends on it, they are way more than a punch line...they are life savers.

Don't be LAME people!!!

Friends

 

I am grateful for those true friends in our lives, now more than ever.

 They are the ones who....

 walk beside us,

 answer prayers,

 ease burdens

and allow true honesty.

They listen and encourage and accept.

 They make us laugh, when we really feel like crying.

 They let us pour our hearts out, with no fear of judgement.

They simply love us and make sure we know that.

 

Thank you, my friends.

 

 

 

That Day

February, no matter how you spin it, is a month of difficult memories....

That Day...

When we got the call that Mom was in ICU on life support, they don't think she'll make it....she did make it, but didn't want to.

That Day...

When we got the call again that mom was in crisis and we both race back to Southern Alberta, a ten day vigil, she made it, but didn't want to...

That Day...

When Mom died...just days after we went home...from a fall.

That Day...
When we buried our mother.

That Day...

When Adult Protective services called from Orange County...our Dad is in Crisis.

That Day...

My sister rushed to California, finally allowed to help our Dad, only to know that help had come too late

That Day...

My sister brought my Dad back to Utah, my dad not knowing he was saying his final goodbye to California.

A decade now of sucky Februarys.

I try to bulldoze my way through every single February, but it's impossible to undo memories of those awful days.

February just will never be my favourite month...no matter how hot the firefighter is on the calendar ;) 

Birthday Bailey

After spending the week telling Bailey that she was going to be an adult (in BC) so we were no longer obligated to celebrate her birthday...

 

We celebrated her birthday...Breakfast out...and ice cream cake...and we even got her a heart shaped locket (couldn't think of anything else, to get a kid going on a mission) and tried our best not to mention Valentines Day in front of her :)

Happy Birthday Bailey!!!! We love you!

 

{When we went to the jewelry store (the first time since my Mom bought our wedding rings) for the locket...As we were ringing it up, the sales lady says to Grant...and what will you be getting your Valentine??? Grant first looks at her like she is speaking Swahili and then says I gave her a baby 19 years ago...I'm off the hook?!? And you wonder why I LOVE him ;) }

 

Messin' with the Birthday Boy :)

 

Dallyn turned fourteen today!?!?

 

Our Baby is FOURTEEN!!!!!

 

All he wanted for his birthday was a phone...

 

So before he left for school this morning the birthday fairies delivered this....

 

(baby play phone 6 months to 3 years)

I guess man child should have been a little more specific :)

 

 

The deal was he had to be grateful for it and he had to take it with him all day....

 

I got this selfie at lunch and heard it was confiscated in French class (sorry teacher).

 

We had fun at the birthday boy's expense ALL day :) Parenting teens is awesome!

 

Then as we brought out the cake...we brought out his real gift...

 

 A real PHONE!

 

Happy Birthday Manchild! We love you!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Quiet Answers

I need to record this, so I don't forget it.

It's been really tough again....

Mental illness is neither a forgiving nor patient creature.

The struggle continues....

Sitting in sacrament meeting with my Super hero...a victory.

Hearts full of questions...

Singing the sacrament hymn "As Now We Take The Sacrament..."

"And silently we pray,
For courage to accept thy will,
To listen and obey..."

A quiet answer...

I looked at Grant and we both knew it.

Courage to accept and continue.....
And then a flood of blessings we have received from listening and then following commandments and promptings came to my mind...

We continue to have our needs met and we are blessed.

My heart is grateful for quiet answers.

Family Day, Eh?

It's Family Day...and how do the Kramers spend such a glorious holiday???

Alex goes babysitting, I shovel all the snow and everybody else...

Sleeps until the crack of...

NOON.

All are up and they spend the next hour cleaning and fighting, fighting and cleaning...

How do I solve the problem???

 SEND the kids to the LEGO movie, while Superman and I watch a movie at home...

Three hours with out mayhem...

That's parenting genius right there?!

 

While watching a movie, I also finished my third baby blanket this week.

 (I would never sew to avoid my family, good moms don't do that?)

 

A Happy quiet Family Day. Yay, me!

Positives

In an effort to find gratitude in all things...here's a list of things I'm grateful for this week...

1. Nobody died, got arrested or needed to go to the emergency room. (way to go Kramers)

2. Doctors who are honest AND funny.

3. The ability to pay our bills, put food on the table and have a warm place to live.

4. A twin sister, who never tells me how to parent, what I should do or to stop saying curse words.

5. SUNSHINE!!!!! and cold (reminding me why we don't live on the prairies any more).

6. For all the problems we DON'T have.

7. That feeding my kids fast food all week is NOT a crime.

8. I am still smiling :)

Selling Shrek

Madison:  Hey what ever happened to that old Shrek cup from McDonald's??? (subtle attempt to throw a sister under the bus)

Alex: I gave it to (unnamed friend)...

Me: Why???

Alex: Ummm...she really liked it?!?!

Madison: Alex, Don't lie you sold it to her for $10 bucks...

Alex: MADISON !!!!????

Me: Well did you???

Alex: ummmm yeah....

Me: (ranting)What are we Ebay??? Where's my cut??? You can't just sell our crap!?!? ALEX!!!!!

(((shaking my head)))

New rule: Nothing may be SOLD from Casa de Kramer.

I guess we will never become hoarders as long as Alex is around.

Favourite Daughter?

"Mom, look I painted your favorite daughter!!!!!"

Alex wants this hung...in our room...over our bed. 

Ummm...no. 

Nice job though. 

Now where to put it?? I'm running out of walls...

D$#@ You, Groundhog Day!!!!

I had a feeling I should have just stayed in bed this morning, safely ignoring the world. 

But I'm a good mediocre Mormon and Church is what we do on Sundays. After all it was a Ward fast for all those who are sick and afflicted and since, depending on which books you read, we have one of those. I felt I needed to go...

Dragging myself out of bed, I didn't bother waking Superman, he had had a rough night and I couldn't bring my self to disturb his, well fought for sleep...

I roust the rug rats and race for the shower (it's. Mine. First.)...my hair still dripping...I re-wake the rats...and fight my tights...all while ignoring the chorus of "do we have toos"

I stop at the computer desk just long enough to find the check book and check my email...

I'm two words in to the only message and I'm fighting back tears... The words hurt. I swing between anger and sorrow. Mostly sorrow...one more off my team.

I sit in Church, it isn't until I'm handed the bulletin that I see the date February 2nd...

Oh _____ it's Groundhog Day. And I suddenly want to run to the safety of my warm covers and just pretend this day never even started.

Groundhog Day, was my Dad's day...the holiday my sister and I had christened just for him and not because the rodent...no, it's the Movie...

Remember Bill Murray and the same Feb 2nd on repeat over and over...that was what my Dad's last decade was like...the same questions on repeat, over and over as he struggled to just remember...

On the worst days Kelli or I would say..."It must be Groundhog Day..." 

Today I suddenly missed his endless phone calls and same three questions and his I love you too's. Today I miss my Dad.

I tried desperately to feel the comfort of the building I was sitting in...but couldn't shake the sad...

Coming home meant facing Supermans struggle, not my sad. Sigh.

Sometimes Sundays suck and sometimes Sundays are awesome. This Sunday could be a vacuum cleaner if it wanted too.

Snake Oil

You know what it's like when you have your first bundle of joy and everybody can't wait to share their two cents on everything from breast feeding to cloth diapers to crying it out???

And you're that brand new mom left feeling bombarded, overwhelmed and judged incapable???

Oh...Yeah....that feeling?!

I hate that feeling.

It's the same feeling you get when everybody knows your family struggles with Mental Heath issues and for some reason thinks that knowledge has opened the flood gates for their unsolicited advice...

Oh...yeah...I hate that feeling!

Just like a new mom needs the time, space and latitude to just figure out what works for her...

That's what we need. 

It's happened many times recently...I open yet another email, with yet another alternative treatment offered, usually requiring me to spend big $$$$ and asking me to do something...

I know it's well intentioned and not meant to offend.

And I just don't respond, anymore...

But honestly I think "why can't you JUST be my/our friend??"

Our choice to deal with bipolar through conventional medicine and therapies is an educated one.(specific to our family)

Don't tell me what to do. Ask me what I need.