Sunday, May 30, 2010

swim for your life

(a line from Swim by Jack's Mannequin that we jammed to on our way to the event)

Emily is a rock star and is going to do the Alcatraz swim next week, so I decided to join her yesterday for a practice swim.Here's to getting up at the crack of dawn, and driving just about across AZ to do a 2000m swim in Lake Pleasant.
Good luck next week escaping from the rock! I'm so jealous!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

cap n gown

Okay, Drake deserves a good post after this since the last four have been about Gwen.
Today was Gwen's Kindergarden graduation.
So it's official, her Primary schooling is over, on to grade school.
It was too cute with their little caps and gowns and even 2010 tassels.
The Montessori House ROCKS!!
She's so excited to be with Miss Sherie next year. We're so proud of our little smartie!
So we'll party it up this summer, cause she's not the only one in school this fall!!
All four of us will be STUDENTS!!!!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

ballerina baby

It's that time of year, when schools getting out and all kinds of fun things happen.
Today it was Gwen's dance recital.
I L.O.V.E this picture!!
Can't they always be like this? Instead of busting heads?
Gigi brought Katie, Gwen and Katie get along so well. Katie is pretty much Gwen's little sister. They look like they could be sisters too!

Don't these girls just melt your heart!?
Reagan Mavity, Gwen and Haylee Bingham

Friday, May 21, 2010

bloody mess

In this blog post I will be bragging. It is a sad tale of an unfortunate girl, but just wait to hear who the heroin is!

It all began on this lovely afternoon when the offspring of my very womb were yet again, quarreling. Despite they're cackles and then screams for help, I decided to let them duke it out in hopes that they learn that feuding is not the way to solve a problem. I was sitting down to read my very interesting book when Drake ran in and hid behind me. Gwen came charging after crying. She threw herself down on the floor and cried out how Drake had hit her. I was watching her talk when I noticed blood on her foot. I figured it was from Drake whose nose started bleeding earlier due to his finger being jammed up there. But it wasn't from Drake. I noticed a growing patch of blood on Gwen's dress. I jumped up and told Gwen to come to the bathroom with me and she asked why. I told her she was bleeding. She put her hands up to her head and brought them down to see they were COVERED in blood! She screamed a horror movie kind of scream in reaction to seeing the blood and started to FREAK OUT!! Here's where the miracle happens people. I told Gwen she was okay and to calm down. Don't ask me how I acted so calm, I was freaking out inside. I brought her into the bathroom and put wads of toilet paper on her head but could feel the toilet paper shrink under my hands from the wet blood. I asked Gwen to hold it there while I went for towels. The bleeding is still going on, Gwen's telling me she's going to die, Drake's trying to break down his door (I locked him in his room in route to the bathroom), and Katie's on my heels trying to watch Gwen. I think I should take her to the ER to get stitches, but then I think of this crazy brood I have and the task of even getting all three into the car seems too daunting. So I through the towels on her head and apply pressure. After a couple minutes through a bag of frozen corn on there too. After about 15 minutes the bleeding has stopped long enough to part her hair and look at the cut. (This was also hard to do and be calm, I was so scared to be moving her hair around searching for the blood source) It's about an inch long. I realize I could put all the kids in the car, wait in the ER, have Gwen miss dance, and have them glue it shut, or I could do it myself!! So I told Gwen that's what we were going to do. This just brought on more freaking out from Gwen. I assured her she'd be okay and then after about ten more minutes of cold pressure, I felt it had stopped long enough for me to glue it. I had her lay her head in my lap while I put super glue on the cut (so glad I just bought a new bottle!!) This is also where I'm impressed with my super mom strength! I had to squeeze the scalp closed while the glue dried and I was actually CALM about doing it!! And it worked!! I then got her in the tub and washed the blood from her hair (there was sooo much) got her dressed, fed her some tylenol, and then off to the Mavity's for dance. (thanks again for taking her Kaylani!!) I really felt super human. Kind of like when the mom can lift a car off her baby type of thing. Okay, maybe not to that extreme, but I took care of it!!
She was so happy I "glued her back together" and excited to tell all the girls at dance!
this is w/o the blood soaked towels!
My poor baby!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Super Starr!!

Yesterday was one of those days where being a mom was totally rewarded! All the times Gwen's yelled at me, or told me she didn't like my dinner, or gave me pictures she drew of me that had big X's through me, I forgot them all (until now). Seriously, I was so proud of my Gwenny my cheeks were sore from grinning for 30 minutes straight! This semester she participated in a Miss Jenee's singing group, That's Entertainment. She's looked forward to Mondays with Miss Jenee and I love picking her up and having her singing in the car all the way home.
Gwen and Miss Jenee, you might recognize her from the Express flooring commercials! ;)
Gwen was so into the music and the movements that went with it.
Fame!!

Okay, I had the video camera and don't know how to get stuff from that to the computer, so here's a fragment of Fame from Ryan recorded with the regular camera:

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Gila Valley Temple open house

We made a day trip out to the Gila Valley temple yesterday.
Drake, mom and I.
(Gwen didn't want to be pictured)
Ethan and Lauren.

I'm so glad I got to take the kids. (the general public is allowed inside since the temple has not yet been dedicated) They were awed by how pretty it was. They loved all the pictures of Jesus, and especially loved the chandelier in the Celestial room.
I'm so grateful for temples!!
Heaven on Earth!


Learn more about LDS temples here.

Saturday, May 08, 2010

SHEROX 2010

I was sooo excited for this triathlon! I was planning on taking ten off my time last year (5 min off each bike and run). I'd been busy running getting ready for the marathon, so my swim and biking fell by the wayside but I figured I'd hit those hard after the marathon since I was sure I'd be tired of running. Didn't plan on an injury. So I didn't do much until this last week. But at this point wasn't sure I'd even do the tri. But try I did! I felt good swimming and cycling, but didn't know if I'd just stop after the bike, or try to walk the run. I figured I'd play it by ear.
My transitions were funny. I'd be limping along and I could hear people "oohing", thinking I must have just hurt myself. Nope. Just dumb and couldn't not do the tri despite injury. My only goal was to beat my bike time. And I did!!! By only a minute.
I figured I'd walk the run so I could at least finish. But after seeing women in their 40's, 50's, and even worse in my own age group passing me I figured I'd give it my best effort to hobble through the run. It was nice, kind of like a cool down.
I did try to pick it up to go through the finish! But if you'll notice the blur of the racer in front of me, you can see how slow I was.
So I'm letting it go that my times on every other part of it were slower and am just happy to have finished.

The McPhie triathlete moms!
And some lady Lightning Bolts. Thanks for cheering us on!!

Drake's at it too

Yesterday Drake brought this home from school:Obviously one of the teachers interviewed him and filled it out. But this is the first time I've seen his name written by him! Every time I try to get him to write it, he won't. I'm sure he had help, but so cute! So this is what he answered:

My mom's favorite place to go is: At the pirate ship
My mom's favorite thing to eat is: Chicken and rice (maybe because that's what we had for dinner the night before)
My mom always says: Go to school (yes!)
My mom is happy when I: Clean up my room
My mom is not happy when I: Yell at her (no kidding)
My mom loves me: Because I'm cool (love that one!)
I love my mom because: She helps me (awww how sweet)

Love my babies! Love being a mom!

Thursday, May 06, 2010

better than my birthday!

Gwen came home from school today with this. (And it was glued to a beautifully decorated piece of cardstock, but I had to take it off to scan)Allow me to translate:
Gwenyth Starr
MY MOTHER
What is your mother's name? Kristin
How old is she? 23 (thank you Gwen!)
How tall is she? 2 (does that mean I'm too tall?)
How much does she weigh? 21
What color is her hair? blak
What does she do around the house? kleen
What is her favorite thing to eat? cookee
Where does she like to go? to bed (ouch!)
What does she like to cook? cookee
What is her favorite color? yelo (she's right!)
My mother is good at: taceen uf the cat [taking care of the cat]
She likes it when: i cleen the hwos [house]
My mother is great because: shee luvz mee

Made me cry. Thanks Gwenny, I'm so glad I'm your mom!!

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

this week....

for me, my wonderful moms, my sisters and SILs, and anyone else: