Shivers

Yesterday, Hallie and I went swimming.  The pool heater was broken.  The temperature felt like ice water.  After Hallie was wrapped up in her beach towel, she was still shivering.  She withstood the tremors for about two minutes before she looked at me totally confused and asked "What's happening to my teeth?!"  It was so darn cute.  I don't think she's ever had to shiver that long before. 

Hallie Girl (May 2010)

Hallie uses the contraction "oin't."   I think it is a combination of "won't" and "aren't."  Example:  When Daddy comes home we can show him my pictures!  Oin't he will love that?

Hallie closes prayers by saying "and we say blessings . . ."  Chris and I always say "and we say these things . . ."  She uses the same tone we do though.

Hallie scolded me "Don't touch my arm!"  Then I gave her my best scathing "mom look" and she added " . . . cuz it's really hot."  Good recovery on that one.  I definitely had to laugh.

Hallie loves to be a walking family tree.  She always reminds us that "Grandma Judy is Daddy's Mommy" or that "Grandpa Allen is my Mommy's Daddy."

Santa gave Hallie a stuffed Tramp dog for Christmas (from the Disney movie).  She promptly changed his name to Simba to match a baby doll named Nala.  The thing is, I really think she pictured Simba every time she stared at Tramp.  Tramp recently became "Tramp" again . . . now that Lady joined the family.

Hallie has a doll that has endured an evolution of names.  She began as Princess Annalise.  Then Princess Lacey.  Then Princess Annalise Lacey.  Then Nala.  Then Li'Nala (a contraction of Little Nala).  Then Girl Clifford.  (That was my least favorite one.  It was after Clifford the Big Red Dog, who is of course a male.  Hence her doll being "Girl Clifford.")  Now it's Nala again.  I want to buy her a real stuffed Nala just to see what the baby's name would change to then.

She says "frave-rit" (favorite).  It's my fravorite.

She uses the word "murderer" in normal conversations.  All because they say it to Scar in The Lion King (which she hasn't watched in nine months).

She prays so sincerely for my dad's health at every prayer (without prompting).

She makes me "cakes" at every meal.  This means she mashes together whatever is one her plate and presents it to me.  I have to pretend its delicious even though it is not.  My favorite part of the sometimes redundant process is when she tells me I can't eat it until it is cooked because it has "eggies" in it.

She says "I am a good cooker."

She loves to tell everyone what to say to her.  Example: "Mommy, can you say 'Oh, Hallie, what a good job!'  Can you say it, Mommy? Say it!"  This happens a minimum of twelve times an hour.

Hallie loves to wrap up whatever item she can find in whatever "wrapping" she can find.  Normally she'll use a sock, her jewelry box, or a blanket.  Then I hear the familiar words "Look, Mom!  I got you a present!"  Each time I get to act utterly surprised and thrilled as I open a gift of hair things, coins, or barbie shoes.  I have learned that motherhood has really beefed up my acting resume.  And I know that one day I will miss my homemade "cakes" and "presents."

She is sunshine and happiness and everything great.  We love her to pieces.

A good morning goes something like this . . .

A good morning goes something like this . . .

Leftover pull-apart bread (a.k.a. I don't have to make breakfast)  . . .

  

Some great morning rooster hair . . .

And a love note just for me.  And yes, I get these more mornings than not.  I know, I know.

I am their mother

I like that this looks like a photo from a newspaper.  I like that time already stands still even though it was taken minutes ago.  It already looks like a memory even though it is right now.  What is true looking at this in the future, as well as now, is that I am their mother.  I will always be their mother.  I love that.

My Angel Mother

All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.  -Abraham Lincoln

I've been thinking a lot about motherhood lately.  About how we are sent to this earth.  How we were all in heaven before we came and how we can be families forever after we leave.  I really have been reflecting on placement.  We all are born to earth at different times.  What if the order was different?  What if I was born to Hallie instead of I bearing her?  All that contemplation led to a realization.  It wasn't chance that I was born to my mom.  There are millions of wonderful mothers in the world.  But, that beautiful woman is the only one for me.  I needed her.  She was made for me and my brothers.

Who else could have tamed my wild thick hair into darling creations daily?  Yes, other mothers are handy with hair-dos, but they don't do it just the way that she did.  They couldn't have made me feel as loved and special in the process.  Hair time was our time.  It was when my brothers had gone to bed and it was just us talking as she patiently rolled each section into rags.  And I loved that she told me the same saying her mother told her "Beauty takes time."

What other mother could have gracefully guided me through my awkward phases?  Every girl struggles with self-esteem and self-worth.  It's natural to want to feel pretty and loved.  Let me tell you from personal experience, teeth as buck as mine were a tough break!  But she saw through those enormous enamel obstacles and nurtured me into a happy and outgoing child.  It was my personality that helped me to have lots of friends.  This greatly cut back the number of "buck beaver" comments I received.  And when I did get them, her love helped me realize that those were just words and my looks didn't define me.

                    

This mother recognized early on that I had a flair for drama.  She weathered my tantrums (and boy were they tantrums) with patience and grace.  When I sobbed to her that I knew I wasn't going to heaven because I was mean to my brothers, she told me how much my Father in Heaven and Jesus loved me and how they wanted me to live in heaven with them again.  She also told me it was okay to make mistakes and there was such a thing as forgiveness.

                    

She had to be frustrated with how much of a slob I was.  It was easier for me to swim to Hawaii and back than it was to keep my room clean for more than a day.  One day, as a teenager, she took me to the dollar store and bought me tons of containers and then helped me organize my stuff into them.  I know she was disappointed with me when my room was trashed within days.  But she didn't make me feel hopeless about it.  I always felt hope that I could change for the better (in every way).

                         

She always found time for one-on-one conversations.  She told me from the time I was very young about her faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ and how she gained that testimony.  I had her personal story of conversion memorized and it helped me search on my own so that I could have the same personal affirmation.  I did and I still do.

                         

I idolized her as a child.  One day, while we were getting ready for church and I was still just three, my Mom came into the living room wearing a navy blue polka dot dress.  I will never forget how I felt seeing her in that dress.  No one was more beautiful than my mother.

                          

Some women like to remind others about the toils of motherhood.  I never once have heard my mom complain about how hard raising four children was.  She never whined. 

My mom taught me to work.  If raising four children (and tending even more during daycare years) didn't illustrate her diligence, her nursing prerequisites, RN program, BSN, and Master's degrees drove the point home. :)

I know I've admitted to being over dramatic.  But there is no overemphasizing the fact that my mother is an angel.  My dad is brilliant for choosing her!  She is my best girlfriend in this world and in the next.  There is no other mother for me.  Father in heaven knew that when he chose her to be my mother.  What a divine choice it was.

I love you, my angel mother!

My Mother's Day

On Mother's Day, Chris and I made his lovely mother breakfast (part of our tradition we started last year).  This year we made cinnamon pull-apart bread and bacon cheddar quiche.  The weather was sunny and gorgeous.  Hallie sang with the other primary children at church.  I totally wept like a baby.  When she walked up to sing, she went straight for the microphone.  Then, a leader redirected her to the front where she could be seen.  She waved and then shouted "Mommy!  Daddy!  Grandma!  I'm up here!"  It was beyond precious.  After church, I talked to my sister-in-law, Karen (one of my favorite mothers).  Mom H. and I spent the afternoon at the cemetery visiting Mike's grave site.  It was emotional for the first three minutes or so.  But then it was relaxing and peaceful.  So many flowers were placed by headstones . . . it was quite pretty.  When we came home, Chris had set the table beautifully for dinner.  He helped me put roast, potatoes, and carrots in a crock pot in the morning.   While we were away, Hallie painted me a gorgeous watercolor and wrote her name on it.  It's so precious!  Chris bought me an incredible album I have had my ears on for some time.  It's called  Then Sings My Soul by Jenny Oaks Baker.  It is violin music that is so inspiring.  He also gave me a mini-shopping spree where I picked out my new kitchen curtain fabric and rods and some new light switch plates.  In the evening I spoke with Grandma Allen and my sweet mom.   Let me say, I think there shouldn't just be Mother's Day.  There should be National Marlaine Skaggs day, as well.

Throughout the day, I stole away moments to write love letters to my two girls.  I plan to put them in their baby books.  I also just wrote some goals for ways I can improve in my motherhood.  Why not take the time to reflect and re-prioritize about my most cherished and important job in the world?  I love Mother's Day.  It's totally better than I ever thought it would be.  It's kind of like you get an extra birthday just because you are a mom.  I hope you had a Happy Mother's Day as well.

Happy Mother's Day!

Getting ready for summer (and a plea for help)

After Chris comes home from work tonight, he only has 15 more work days until break. Can't wait! I love spending every day together. It is such a blessing in our life to be able to hang out every summer.   It makes the notoriously low teacher salary a LOT more palatable.  And I can't tell you how much that extra time helps Chris to get to know our kids even better.  My final longing for summer is that, frankly, after the ride we've had so far in 2010 a good break is in order.  I'm sure you will agree. :)

 

Aaaah . . . summer!  Gardens and grilling!  Picnics and playgrounds!  Vacations!  What's not to love?

My only qualm about summer is my work ethic tends to get really sloppy.  During the rest of the year, I keep the house running pretty smoothly Monday through Friday.  But come the weekend, all I normally want to do is hang out and play!  Considering that having Chris home for the summer is like one super- long weekend-- I really struggle to keep things clean and orderly.  And I can't complain or blame . . . Chris is the cleanest spouse I know and he does so much around here.  It's me!  I just want to hang out with the family and have picnics everyday.  It's a wonder I still make dinner every night. 

Which leads to my next struggle every summer . . . lunch.  Nine months out of the year I am satisfied with leftovers or "kid food" for lunch.  But during summer, with "vacation mode" switched on, I always crave something a little more exciting than PB&J.  And it's so easy to rationalize sharing two five-dollar foot longs or one Little Caesar's Pizza amongst our little family.  It's a fact that neither are super-glamorous meals, but they are cheap, easy, and out of the house!  But, however inexpensive five-dollar meals are.  They add up . . . fast! 

Though it seems daunting to me, I know a fresh summer house and fast and yummy summer lunches can be accomplished.  It will just take what any other worthy goal takes . . . planning!

To help me on my way, I started a list of summer meals that are easy, fast, and the antithesis of anti-climactic.

Here are some ideas:

• greek pitas
• club pitas
• asian lettuce wraps
• black bean salsa and tortilla chips
• ranch BLT wraps
• chicken santa fe wraps
• chinese chicken salad
• pepperoni, cheese, and crackers
• chicken salad sandwiches
• easy philly cheese steaks
• french dip sandwiches
• strawberry feta springs salad
• spinach salad
• egg salad sandwiches
• hamburgers
• hot dogs
• chicken
• steak
• shish kabobs
• fajitas
• grilled pizza
• grilled fish tacos
• grilled veggies

What are your favorites.  No seriously, help a girl out . . . WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITES?  I'm determined to break this bad habit!  Leave a comment or send an email: cmhinkson@yahoo.com.  Thanks. :)

P.S. I promise to share my best summer recipes if you share yours!

Lullaby

Lullaby, and good night.

Go to sleep, little baby.

Close your eyes now and rest.

May your slumber be blessed.

More from Clairey's Birthday!

Here is more of our Clairey on her first birthday!  It's hard to sum Claire up in a few words.  She is guarded, but not necessarily shy.  She is not just funny-- she has a really specific sense of humor.  She is lovable and excitable.  She is super sweet and a little bit feisty.  She loves to be held as much as possible.  These pictures show some fun aspects of Claire.

This is her whiny face.  She thinks it gets her places.  I have to admit-- it does.

This is Claire most of the time . . . content. 

Milky. 

Determined.

I love that spunky hair.

A little delirious.

Large and in-charge.

With her favorite baby in the world.

Confused.

Hungry.

Hinkson Family

Check out our cool extended Hinkson family that we were able to spend time with recently. Although we were gathered for the worst of circumstances (funeral), it was remarkable to just be together and feel the love that can only be shared amongst family and the closest of friends. Even though we don't all live near one another, it is great to be connected by the greatest bond-- family. Go Hinksons!

Claire and Vanessa meet for the first time. They are eight months apart in age.  At the time this was taken, Claire was almost one and Nessa was four months.  Claire only weighed one pound more than Vanessa at the time.

Pretty Vanessa Joy! (Sounds cheesey but she really is a joy to us.)

Chris and cousin Ralph

Great Grandma plays with Hannah and Hallie

Grandpa Wynn with Jessica and two of his three granddaughters

Jessica, Vanessa, Diane, and Grandma

Grandpa and Claire

Out to eat

Marty, Grandma, Greg, and Barb