Avoiding

Hi Miss T-

Tonight I am avoiding. I tried calling you to chat so I could avoid. Just, you know. Those things that pile up at night that you know you need to do, but you just don't want to.

Dishes, laundry, making up Christmas dance recital routines, doing something with the zucchini monsters on my counter, doing something with the many tomatoes on the counter (I know. You convinced me I am capable of making tomato sauce, and I want to do that, I am just...avoiding it right now), cleaning up under the table, washing bottles and nipples, tidying, changing our closet lightbulb, doing stuff for church, more dishes and more laundry.

Yeah. Those are all the things I am avoiding right now. And I am avoiding it by choosing to document cute pictures of my girls dressed up and at a pumpkin patch. Because I remember all the times you have taken adorable pictures of your boys dressed up and/or at pumpkin patches, like this time, and this one, and this time, and this one. I LOVE IT.

So we didn't take any pictures with the nice camera, nor take the time to make sure we were in the nice scenery portion of the patch, BUT if you have cute subjects like a skeleton (thanks for the outfit!) and a cat, then it works out anyway.

Ok. I better be done avoiding now. Until next time,

KK

My American Girls

Dear Miss T,

Remember your American Girl Doll? You had Samantha, right? 

I always wanted one...but never got one (not because I wasn't loved...probably because I wanted other things more).

Well, now I have two of my very own. Meet JT and CC.

 How cute are these matchy matchy outfits?

 CC was good enough to sit still for a solo shot. 

JT didn't get a single portrait, but that's not my fault! I sure tried.

 Going for a double shot. Mmmm. Could be cuter.

Here is their furniture set you can buy with them. A couch with an all-American quilt!

What do you think? Clearly worth their own spot in the magazine catalogue.

Love, KK

We LOVE Visitors!

 


It has been a busy summer for us already.  We have had a lot of fun visitors!  We love showing off our beautiful Oregon.

The month of August is wide open - anybody else want to come visit us? We will show you a good time!

-Miss T

Super Kids #2

Happy Easter!

Aren't sisters the best?

You can always count on that younger sister to be stealing your eggs.

Sister's Blessing Day

Dear Miss T,

Today was CC's blessing day. Today she was held in the arms of her father, her two grandfathers, and an uncle, and was given God's blessing to live and thrive and love while on this earth. Her spirit is beautiful already. Her potential excites me. And I am so grateful for God's power to bless her now at the start of her life.

 The Chatterton Family

Miga and CC

CC wore the dress that Miga made and JT wore last year. It actually fit CC better at 4 months and 13 lbs than it did JT at 2 months and 9 lbs. CC smiled a lot of today. Which was equally irresistible and celestial, really. 

Miga loves your boys for sure, but I think she likes that some girls have joined the equation. JT handled the day really well- meaning she didn't seem super jealous that CC got to be the star of the day. I hope these two sisters can always be there for each other's special blessing days, and all the other non-special days too. Like you are for me.

Love, Kk

Mom Batteries

KK-

Today I drove Cub and his little friend to the Zoo.  As we were driving home I made a phone call using the bluetooth system in my car.  As I wrote about earlier - sometimes I have trouble communicating with the electronic voice making the call in my car.

After answering all of the questions, the last thing the voice said was "Phone battery low."

I heard Cub's friend giggle and say "Mom battery low."  I think he thought it really had said that.

Then I giggled because I did feel like my Mom battery was running low.  Really low.

I love being a mom, but they do wear me down at times.  My Mom battery doesn't last as long as I would like.  Some days I wish I had a longer lasting battery or a super charged one.

The good news, I guess, is that my batteries are rechargeable.  I recharge them with sleep, chocolate, stupid TV shows, a good book, the Mormon channel, exercise, and snuggles from my boys.  Right now the best thing for recharging my batteries is when Big D is home.

When he comes home, all is right again in the world.  He takes care of me and the boys so well.  And his Dad battery always seems to be charged.  Man, I am thankful for him.

Good luck with your Mom battery this week KK.  I hope you will fine ways to charge your Mom battery when it is running low.

LOVE YA!
-Miss T

One Thing Remains

KK-

This is kind of an embarrassing picture of me, but I love it.  I love it because it reminds me of how much I love my T Bear.  It reminds me that when I am frustrated, I really do have fun with my sweet T Bear.

Right now I am teaching a Just Boys Dance class for T Bear and his friends.  It is has been extremely challenging and fun for me.  At the beginning of the session, I asked each boy if there was a favorite song they would like to dance to during the session.  Some of the boys said, "Eye of the Tiger" and "Beat It." T Bear described a song that I didn't really recognize. 

After a little more questioning, I found out that it was a song from the radio that he loved.  We don't listen to the radio much, just occasionally in the car.  Awhile ago I decided that popular radio did not play content appropriate songs for my little boys.  So right now we listen to a pop Christian radio station.  It has been very uplifting, and this is where T Bear heard his favorite song.

Last week, I searched, found and bought T Bear's chosen song for class.  It is called "One Thing Remains." 

As I listened more closely to the lyrics, I was touched by the sweetness and truth they were telling my T Bear.

Here is the chorus:

"Your love never fails

It never gives up

It never runs out on me."

First of all, my love for T Bear will never run out on him.  I will always love him and will never give up on him.

Second, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's love for T Bear will never fail.  Their love will always be there for T Bear no matter what path he takes in life.

I hope this song with strengthen his sweet testimony.  It was a joy that he chose this song for the dance class.  I enjoyed helping the boys be creative in picking their movement to this song.

With lots of love for T Bear

-Miss T (T Bear's Mom)

Me as a hairdresser

Dear Miss T,

In 7th grade I job shadowed Jil for a day, which was awesome because I got to skip a day of school to sit in her in-home salon and see her work all day. I wanted to be a hair dresser just lik her.

Well. I didn't actually end up pursuing that goal. But I am still a hairdresser. For Nellie.

This was just the start of her haircut. Aren't I good? 

I used to be Paul's hairdresser too, which was awful because I really didn't have training. It looked bad when I did it, and I hated doing it. Lose lose. But, since he is growing his hair out long he has become Odge's client. Thank goodness! He looks so much better. :)

Who is going to cut Ziggy's hair? If he needs a grooming when I am nearby, I will do it for free for you, as long as you can handle a chopped up look.

Love, kk

Crazy Crazy Crazy Life

KK-

We are entering a crazy season of life for our family.  Big D will be commuting more often for work.  This means I will be a single mom more often then I would prefer.

And so I have made a simple Pros and Cons list for this new crazy lifestyle.

Cons

• It is hard to sleep without my husband by my side
• The boys will try to wrestle and rough house with me.
• I will spend more time watching TV and eating junk food.
• I will need help from friends more often.
• I have to train our puppy.
• I will have to do all the meals and cleaning by myself.

Pros

• I get to have my whole bed to myself (except for when Grizzly sneaks in).
• The boys will have to give me extra hugs and kisses when Big D is gone.
• I will spend more time watching TV and eating junk food.
• I have great friends who are willing to help me out when I need it.
• The boys will have to help take care of the puppy.
• Big D wakes up with the boys on Saturday mornings and makes a delicious breakfast for all of us and spends the rest of the weekend making us happy.

As you can tell there will be plenty of hard times but hopefully we will have some good times too.  If you have any suggestions to help us endure and enjoy this crazy season, let me know!

We need to work on taking a nice family picture too.

-Miss T

Ticket to Drive

KK-

It is against the law to talk on the cell phone while driving in Oregon.  I know that.  But it didn't stop me from talking on my cell phone while driving the other week.

A police car pulled me over and gave me a hefty ticket.  Ugh.  It was painful.  I cried a lot.  Seriously a lot.

And now I am trying to use the bluetooth system in my car.  

This is how it typically goes:

Me: Call Mom.

Car: Do you want to change to French?  Blah, Blah, Blah... lots of French words.

Me: No. Call Mom.

Car: Do you want to call John or Alene?

Me: No.  Call Mom.

Car: Do you want Mom?

Me: Yes.

Car: Do you want to call her mobile or home?

Me: Mobile.

Car: Do you wan to call Mom on her mobile?

Me: Yes.

Car: Calling Mom...

AHHH!! Finally!!!!! By now, I have driven to my destination and don't need to use my bluetooth any more.

Oh, I feel like a 99 yr old person who can't deal with technology.

It makes me want to talk on the phone while driving again.  

There isn't a law about blogging while driving is there?  Oops!

-Miss T