America...A Reason to Celebrate

My dad, our family's veteran

I just wanted to let everyone know about the annual Veteran's Program put on by Rusk Elementary. It is a HUGE production at the CAF hanger, every student is involved. Hundreds of local veterans and their families show up every year and it is a very special occasion for them. The are even given a gift and then they 'picnic under the planes' with the students- a free lunch sponsered by HEB. If your are, know, or happen upon a veteran, please let them know about it, we want to honor them!

10:30, Monday, November 10 at the CAF hanger- everyone is welcome, see you there!

Our scary clan- ready for trunk-or-treat. Emma as Sleeping Beauty, Josh as Prince Caspian, Anna as Snow White, Aaron as Ben 10, and Leah as Cinderella.

I love trunk-or-treat. It is a parent's dream come true. All the candy the kids think they need, and the limited space to keep us comfortable. Except for the fully grown women using their purses as trick-or-treat bags...what is that? And not to mention, I refuse to give candy to anyone who is taller than me! My favorite part of the night by far was Leah's impromptu 'candy corn dance' which I will share...Warning! This video may not be appropriate for all viewers, and no, I didn't teach her that!

This blog serves primarily as our family updates page, so most of the time, it is pretty business-like. There are times though, that I just want to talk like myself- not like the family representative.
Sometimes on a Sunday afternoon, when the rush for church is over and the ravenous herd has been satiated, I have these odd little introspective moments. A few minutes when all is quiet and I can hear the little voice of hope that lives deep inside my cynical heart. I talk big- I like people to think that I am tough- sturdy, focused and calm. To be honest, my mind is swimming. It's like looking at a stadium full of fans at a football game- a million things, stories, thoughts happening at once. I suppose it is easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer weight of it all, I know that I would excuse anyone in my own place. I think we all want to be everything. We are encouraged to do so much that we think we HAVE to do so much. I want to make birthday cakes and sew Halloween costumes, volunteer at the school, keep the perfect house, cook wonderful meals, not spend too much, do service, visit a friend, call my sister, read my scriptures, go to bed earlier, run and exercise more, worry less, and, and, and........are you as overwhelmed as I am?
So here is my little bit of revalation. No one loves my husband as much as I do. No one loves my kids as much as I do. The things I want for these 6 people could virtually be endless and they would deserve every one of them. In this thing, I am perfect. The visiting teaching message this past month was special to me. (To sum it up as it pertains to me) The world is full of tough women. It has enough of these ambitious, over-achieving mothers who when their children are raised can't remember a single distinct detail of their childhoods.
Sitting on my couch on this Sunday afternoon I had this moment of perfect clarity. I like Fall. Spring is supposed to be hopeful, but Fall is more like me- grateful for what I have, I am rich today in all the things that matter. It is getting colder outside, but inside you wouldn't ever know it. In here, the complete and total devotion of my family, their willingness to forgive all my short-comings is all the hope I need.
So I did make the Halloween costumes, and I'll still cook dinner, but there are clothes and toys on the floor. Who cares, they don't bite!

Seriously....tagged?

Obviously there has either been a whole lot going on around here, or very little. The blog has gone over a month without attention. The boys have had birthdays, and there have been some fun days, and not so fun days in there as well. I'll definitely post the birthdays pictures soon. Who makes this 'tagging' stuff up? Not to mention, no one really cares about what is happening in my tiny, insignificant life. To satisfy my beloved sister though, however delayed this may be, here it is.

A list of fives
10 years ago I...

1. Was finished with my first year of motherhood.
2. Weighed significantly less!
3. Went to homemaking meeting and was actually EXCITED about making the crafts.
4. Lived in an 1100 square foot trailer in Hobbs, and it was wonderful.
5. Was the only one in my family married, or with children.


Things I'm really into right now...

1. Reading- like always, everything in sight. Twilight, The Hunger Games, and biographies of Mary Queen of Scots.
2. Music- like always! Muse, Erasure (old habits die hard), Michael Buble, Sara Bareilles, and (ugh) thanks to my children, a healthy dose of Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers.
3. Running- now lift your bottom jaw back up into position, I'm what they call a Clydesdale!
4. Making things- Christmas gifts and little surprises for later!
5. Reading body language. Don't laugh, it's science! Plus I spot when my kids are lying or plotting from a mile away.


Things I would do if I were a millionaire...

Now this list is definitely pointless because Tod would be standing guard over the stash like a junkyard dog! But if I had my say,

1. Pay off our house.
2 Pay someone to fix all the little crappy things that are wrong with our house.
3. Take my kids to Disneyland.
4. Travel all over the world, especially Scotland, Germany and the exotic eastern coast of America.
5.Walk around in a crowded place, look for the most bedraggled mother I could find and give her a little relief- a gift certificate for a spa day, or maybe just a little cash.


Five places I have lived...

1. Las Cruces, NM
2. Mountain Home, ID
3. Las Cruces...again
4. Hobbs, NM
5. Midland, TX


Five places I have worked...

1. Las Cruces Orthopedic Associates- archival
2. Las Cruces Orthopedic Associates- insurance claims and collections
3. Las Cruces Orthopedic Associates- reception
4. Las Cruces Orthopedic Associates- cashier and billing clerk (are you laughing yet? I was movin' on up!)
5. Lindner, Inc. - steadfast mother of five.


I tag... Danielle, Judy, Jae, Anna and Amy. Go ahead and answer! I'd love to learn your deep, dark secrets

Emma is 7!

Thursday was Emma's 7th birthday and we celebrated in typical Lindner style- just the 7 of us! I think this is my favorite way, since I could happily commit us all to hermitude. I don't mean to say that I don't like people, (I don't like a LOT of people) but my most comfortable place is here with my husband and kids.

Since I had a doctor's appointment in Odessa that morning, it was a mad dash to get Anna and Leah to their second babysitter of the morning (big thanks to both!) and McDonalds for the obligatory "Happy" Meal and lunch at school. She was so happy to see me...probably because of the "happy" meal, it made the whole morning rush worthwhile. Whatever it takes to give her a "happy" birthday. I digress. I suppose the icing on the cake was when I stopped suddenly at a light and her special request cake flew across Edward (the new Nissan Armada) and met a frosty end in it's box. We had our very own "cake wreck" (a great blog, by the way). I smeared the icing back on in a pitiful attempt at salvaging the cake (and saving myself the work of baking!). See pictures to fully appreciate the shame. It just goes to show you that it doesn't matter what the cake looks like as long as you cover it with "kiddie crap" (one of Dad's favorite sayings).

The birthday girl got High School Musical Sing it, which made for a weird afternoon of karyoke. We aren't really performers in this family, we mostly just like to sit back and make fun of them!

Since our family is so spread out, our birthdays tend to be also. Emma got birthday clothes from Grammy to wear to school and church this week, then the microphone of humiliation on her birthday, and Saturday a little more from her friends.

We had a few families over for a barbecue to celebrate again. Good food and lots of it, good friends and still getting the kids to bed at a decent hour. I'd say it was a success!

I may have used parentheses somewhat liberally...(you think?)

Read at your own risk: major update to follow!

Now that I have forcefully shoved three of my beloved children unwillingly back into school, I have had some time to download pictures, do some laundry, and realize how calm life can be...NOT!

But it is definitely time to put a few more events down for our adoring family and friends!

After coming back from Hobbs, we had a few short days till the Newey's came to Midland for a little before school shopping. Always fun to shop-till-you-drop and laugh till you wet your pants. Mika and I have a friendship that I have never found anywhere else- we understand each other so well and relate in such a fun way that we can't be in the same room without laughing. Our kids can go a year without seeing each other and are like peas and carrots again the minute they are back together. We miss them daily and wish they could have followed us here! Maybe Paul is looking to make a little change?

A short week later we were off for Wisconsin. I hate driving. We travel with more gadgets and entertainment that any three families and that's no joke. Three DVD players (five if you count the two in the two laptops we took) Nintendo DS's, gameboys, books, magazines, toys, and did I mention unlimited text messaging? Still, I guess I should've brought something for the kids! It always seems to take forever. We stayed in Kansas day one, and went on to Wisconsin in time for dinner on day two. So nice to get there.

For those of you who have never been there, I will attempt to describe it. Picture something out of a Norman Rockwell picture.

Little houses, over a hundred years old framed by lush, green yards and flowers that grow without invitation or tending.

Towns are small, but there is a bar on every corner. And bars aren't just for drinking, they are for family dinners, wedding receptions and sometimes bowling! The rolling hills are dotted by little two-story farm houses that peek out from between seas of corn and soybeans. Big red barns, silos and battered green tractors complete the picture. Doesn't that sound fabulous?

We are always treated to great meals and fun days with our family there. No matter how long we stay it never seems to be long enough. We pack a lot into a short amount of time- Cousins, Aunts and Uncles, the zoo in Madison, Land's End shopping, Cartoons in Grandma's bed, Rural Route 1 popcorn (and store!), Euchre, The fish fry at the Tower (also a bar! See?) Bowling and pizza at the Tower (bowling too!) Cobb corn roast (town named Cobb...hmmm.) and baseball game and fair, and eating as many times as possible at Culver's, Grab-a Cone, and did I mention shopping? We really packed it in!

Madison has this great little zoo- just enough to see and leave while you can still walk out, and also FREE! The kids took a ride on the carousel, and Grandpa couldn't resist jumping on too.

It is such a sad thing when it's time to leave. Not only do we hate to say goodbye, but there is the impending weight of the drive home. We stopped in Des Moines to see Tod's mom for a couple days, and it was a nice break in the drive. Tod and I even got to go on a date- we went to see the new Batman movie (a little unsettling, not terribly romantic). When we were driving home we had a blow-out on the interstate in Oklahoma (yet another car problem), and limped home.

The car trouble prompted some serious thinking- time to get a newer car. The ten-year-old model is wearing down and not as reliable as it used to be. We did a lot of Internet shopping and research and finally settled on this:

You like? Same size inside as the Suburban, but a little shorter and better on gas mileage! I wish I could say I could go get in Edward (aah, Edward. The car sparkles in the sun- it seemed like the right name!) and drive somewhere, but he is trapped at the dealership waiting for a new radio. So we are stuck with a little Cadillac crossover for a loaner. It stinks, never buy one! Too crowded! Not to mention, after all this vacation and car buying, we are flat broke, so no travelling for a while, but come on over for Emma's birthday and I'll take you for a ride!

Updates

Has it really been a month? How easy it is to put my blogging on the back burner- we have been in and out of the house, out of the state, out of the time-zone. I think maybe the easiest way to organize all the chaos is to go trip-by-trip.
At the end of July, we made a quick trip to Hobbs. It is always such a great time to see old friends, especially the Neweys. Mika is like my sister. we got such a workout with all the aerobic laughter. I don't think we stopped laughing even in our sleep.
Mika was throwing a Twilight party with our mutual friend June. It was a blast! We ate mushroom ravioli, drank Coke, and even had cheesecake for dessert. Then we hid out in the kitchen while some of the women battled ( and I mean BATTLED) out the question of the night- Edward or Jacob? I'm so glad it's settled now! Then we helped everyone make T-shirts, which was a lot of work, but it was fun to see everyone's personality come out in their shirts. Mine says bite me. Anyone surprised by that?
The kids spent the whole day playing in the backyard on the HUGE inflatable water slide. We may need one.
Paul was SO sweet to babysit all nine of our kids- what a brave man!
The next day we went to see The Water Horse, and then hit the pool. The kids loved the slides and different water toys. I am so glad I remembered the sunscreen, because judging by my burn, they would have fried! It was a very uncomfortable drive home.