Coming clean... My day so far...

This post is for everyone who doesn't live in K.C. that might remember the clean freak I use to be. (Tiffany & Sarah my dear roommates at BYU, who married twin brothers so they could continue to be best friends AND sister-in-laws!)
Back before I was a mom, or before I had 3 kids, I use to have the nickname of "Monica" from Friends. I was real bad, like probably not in a good or healthy way. Obsessive. I'm embarrassed to say I was a cleaning Nazi.
Even though it is true I do love Garbage Day (only 3 more days) and a clean house. The two rarely-if ever, coincide at the same time. You can see that just because the garbage is out, the house is NOT clean. This is my day so far and it's only 7:30 a.m.

I woke up to Jay making camp by my bed. He was up an HOUR earlier then usual. Then Ridge followed suit.



Jay made his own bed. I figure the less I have to do, the better.


Asher wakes up.

The guest room/Ridge's room/office. I think most of those clothes are clean and were once upon a time folded. I think they've been there about 3 weeks.


Jay showing me his sad face, b/c I wouldn't get his breakfast yet. (I made him wait since he was up an HOUR early.) I'm a mean mom, I know.


Our upstairs is littered with Rubbermaids waiting to be filled or put away. Today is JULY 1st and I still haven't gotten all the winter clothes put away. (For 4 people.) On my bed are piles of clothes that 1-fit, 2-almost fit, and 3-don't fit b/c they are too big, and 5-don't fit because they never will again.

4t's and 5t's.


2t's, 3t's and a suitcase from our San Diego trip that hasn't quite been unpacked all the way. Good thing we're leaving on vacation soon and our suitcases are already upstairs for us. I'm a planner what can I say?


More Rubbermaids & diapers.

Ridge at breakfast. Yes Jay & Asher were fed too.



Everyday Asher asks "Is it da forf of July yet?" He can't wait to wear "deese pj's on da forf. "
This picture also reminds me I need to paint the gold trim on my fireplace doors...

Our work station. Sad, but true.

Yes! Those ARE wedding napkins on my desk...from 1998. I'm not sure how they got there. Maybe Asher or Ridge carried them up.
Mom & Dad Jeppson were cleaning out a closet in SLC and sent those out. We're still using them!

Any sympathy offers out there to come and help me get my act together?

You're the what?

Keeping it Fresh

So I've been going to a Zumba class once a week at my gym and it is SO fun! Imagine a mix of Latin salsa & aerobics. I wish it was offered more often. I've gotten my friend Tiffany W. to start coming and she loves it too.
I have a couple of free passes if anyone wants to come with me.

Nadar Lección

Swimming Lessons Break-down...literally!
2 weeks
8 lessons
4 hours of instruction
$36.00 a kid

Jay loved swim lessons & is a little fish. He says he wants to be a life guard when he gets older. (Like his mother, in a very past tense.)
He loved going off the diving board and using his goggles to see all the legs from other classes under the water. (One class being a water aerobics class.) "What are they doing mom?"
He improved a lot & practiced when we'd go swim together for fun. He passed his level today and had a great time! Way to go Jay!







Here's Jay on the diving board. Look closely at the solitary figure on the white bench. That would be Asher, NOT swimming. I think it's funny. You can click on it to make it bigger.


The paper says PASS!

Here's the breakdown part:
Asher lasted 1 week, or 3 & 1/2 lessons, or 1 & 1/2 hours before he decided he didn't want to swim anymore. He seriously was LOVING lessons & doing fantastic, then bam, was done.

I wish I had my camera those first days, but didn't- so here are some pictures of him NOT swimming. I'll have to take some pictures at our neighborhood pool for proof, b/c the kid is a great swimmer when not being told what to do. That might have been part of the issue-- he gets that from his dad. (Matt is out of town for work, so I can write what I want...)

Ash wasn't allowed to leave the bench during lessons, unless he wanted to go swim with his class. Yeah...didn't happen.

Different day-Asher still NOT swimming.


This is of the pre-lesson safety talk. Notice Jay and our dear friends the Skinner kids listening and participating so nicely!

Such a cute funny boy. We'll definitely shoot for at least 5 out of 8 next year.

Something you might not know about me

By the time Friday rolls around I am always excited. The first and obvious reason being the weekend and we get to have Matt/dad home all to ourselves for 2 days!

The second maybe not so obvious reason is because it is garbage day! ...
I'm strange I know. To me there is just something satisfying about getting ALL the garbage out of my house at one time. It only lasts a couple hours mind you, but (sigh) the peace I feel! I skip around the house singing "it's garbage day!"

Thursday night at our house is known as garbage night or "Garbage Eve."
On Friday morning I am running diapers & empty milk cartons to the curb in my pajamas or gym clothes up to the last nano-second. If Jay has a granola bar and the truck hasn't come yet, he's hoofing that bad boy outside to the cans. Call me what you want, I think of myself as quirky.

I recently learned that I need to spend a few teaching moments passing on my love for the garbage man to my children. (Strictly platonic). I've taught them to wave and say "thank you!" They are very good at that. It was this I wasn't expecting:

A recent exchange between me & my 3 year old.
A: I want to watch the garbage truck come.
Me: Okay, here it comes!
The truck stops at our house loads the gunk then pulls up to the next house.
PAUSE...
A: Mom! We need our garbage back!
Me: No we don't need our smelly garbage!
A: Yes we do! (chasing truck & yelling) Yes we doooo! WE NEED OUR GARBAGE BACK!

Father's Day

Matt & I are blessed to have wonderful fathers in our lives. We love our dads!

My darling dad- Nick and mom Jo Raye,
a.k.a. Muffin & Punkin with my nieces Emmy & Chloe.

I can't wait to fly home next month for Seth's farewell. Dad will need to bust out "Tomas" pronounced Toe-mahs--the scooter to take the kids for a ride. Dad also taught me how to drive Tomas a couple of years ago. I think I screamed (in a having fun way) most of the time, til I got the hang of it. Now as with all things of speed, I am addicted and just scream on the inside.


Dad-cutie pie (Sam) Jeppson loves to read to the grandkids, & to have the family all together on fun family vacations. We had a wonderful time with him and Mom Jeppson in San Diego. No we don't really call him cutie pie, but with all the food nicknames I thought it would go well. See you guys (cutie pie) next month at the Jeppson Clan reunion. 10 whole days together. You KNOW you are counting down the hours til all the together-ness!


Our Kansas City Father's Day consisted of me trying to let Matt sleep in before he had to head off to Bishopric meetings. A cooked breakfast instead of cereal. Linner (Lunch/Dinner) of ribs, mashed potatoes, creamed peas and lemon squares-- all by request.
Many cards and a couple of gifts. Quick nap/quiet time on the couch, & hugs and kisses. Notice how most of the celebration is centered on food.
We love our dad and of course think he is the BEST! Love you!



Matt calls this last picture: Hear no evil, speak no evil, and see no evil.

Happenings

Ridge got a haircut. Not his first, but we saved some of his hair this time b/c it is so blond!
BEFORE



AFTER


Funny face, crazy hair. We honestly don't let him play with the light socket.


We've been spending a lot of time at our subdivision pool & playing outside.



3 count em THREE Rosy Boas (as in boa constrictors) arrived via



Such a nice package to receive when you are entertaining several friends at your home. Thanks mama Wendy for overnighting those things for your son! Good thing my friends were "just leaving." No, I did NOT open that box. It sat on the counter til Matt came home.

Boys holding 2 of the Rosy boas. Wait a minute...if three were in the box, and one came home on the plane in Matt's sock...does that mean we have 4?! MATT! "You got some 'splaining to do!" -Ricky Ricardo and Jamey


THEN later on in the week since I am the one home during the day, I of course got to bring in a big box from these guys:



In case you are wondering it had mice (fuzzies to be exact) to feed the (growing faster then I thought) zoo in their special room in an undisclosed space in our home.
It's AMAZING that I have any friends at ALL. Seriously!

Warning: If you come to my house do NOT open our freezer. And please don't tell anyone because I might get kicked out of my meal exchange group. What they don't know can't hurt them right?

I think my Jenkins/Jeppson family would tell you that I've come a LONG way since marrying Matt. The undercurrent of our first ever argument was over a Chuckwalla lizard...I gotta love the sinner not the sin. Ha ha.

Does anyone want to share why you had one of your first quarrels?