Up for daughter of the year!

These are my parents and right now they are serving a mission for our church in Czech Republic, Prague to be exact. I am a 34 year old woman and I have never been without my mom and dad for more than a few weeks. Even at college, they were still only 40 minutes away. Pathetic , I know, but nonetheless true! I have been doing surprisingly well without them- thanks for asking- but it has only been two weeks. I do miss them a lot, but I know they are where they should be. They have been planning this mission since the beginning of the year and this is the first time I have mentioned it on my blog. My sisters have written about it several times each- so they are probably in better contention for the "Daughter of the Year" award. But I am about to remedy that.

Now my intention here is to write a tribute to my parents, but first I must tell a little story. But stick with me, I will eventually tie it back to the parents. A few nights ago I was with some friends having dinner. The conversation turned to "What is your passion?" I think I may have asked this question because I am always curious to know what other people's passions are because I don't think I could name a specific passion or interest that really drives me. I enjoy many different things, but I can't think of one thing I just couldn't live without. The girl I asked answered that dancing was hers. I have also heard people say music or sports or writing or decorating or you get the idea. I have had this conversation with my mother as well and her feelings are similar to mine in that we can't think of just one thing. I think we both feel like this is some sort of shortcoming. Like we aren't a whole, complete person without a "passion." During this same evening with my girlfriends, the conversation at one point was about "getting over" some of the mistakes our parents made. Everyone expressed love for their parents, but I could tell a few people have had rougher childhoods. It made me think about what I have had to "get over". I mean sure my mother likes a clean house and sometimes I can hear the "a place for everything and everything in its place" echo in my ear. And my dad is a big proponent of saving and I get the image of Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins singing "If you invest your tuppence wisely in the bank safe and sound, soon that tuppence safely invested in the bank will compound." (And no, I didn't remember all the words to those lyrics. I LOVE google!) When I was younger, often when I came home from babysitting with cash or got a paycheck from whatever measly job I had, my dad, with a sly grin on his face, would sheepishly ask, "Do you want me to put that in the bank for you?" But really being clean and saving money- are these really vices I need to "get over?!?" I think many people across the nation and world could benefit from such upbringing. In fact, all this government bailout mess has happened while my dad has been gone and I am dying to know his opinion on it.
Now I am not trying to say my parents were perfect, I mean they made mistakes too. Just ask any one of their children- we will be able to recall any number of incidences by reciting famous Robbins' parents' sayings- i.e.- "Where's your brain- in you foot?" or "I'm mad now, you can move." (At this point, my parents are thinking "Hey wait a minute! What kind of tribute is this!") But what I am trying to say is that I think I have discovered my parents' passion... raising stable, healthly, well-adjusted children. I am learning this is no small feat and requires passionate dedication. I'm not saying if a person has another passion, they can't be a good parent, but I am eternally grateful my parents did devote so much of their energy to raising their family. I can't speak for my siblings, but I always felt like we were their #1 priority. One of the miracles of this kind of sacrifice is what is called the "ripple effect." When they put in the time, energy, love and devotion it requires to raise children well, the effects can be far-reaching. You see, because I had a childhood with good memories, a feeling of well-being and an understanding of who I am, I am in a better position to provide this for my children who then can provide this for their children and on and on. The effect can literally last forever. And really what better purpose in life is there than that! This is also why I am amazed at people who may have had a harder childhood, who can overcome it and still be the kind of parents they didn't have.

But for now the lucky people of the Czech Republic can receive some of the love I have so selfishly taken for granted for 34 years. Thank you mom and dad for making me who I am! I love you both and miss you terribly!

(And if that don't raise my standing in the "Daughter of the Year" competition, I don't know what will!)

You Might Be My Sibling If... Addendum

If your Saturday nights were not complete without the musical stylings of "The Lawrence Welk Show", you might be my sibling. I saw this on SNL and couldn't stop laughing. Even after I turned the TV off, I kept shaking the bed with my giggles. I hope you enjoy it as much as I "doo-doo-doo-oooo!"

"If all your natural instincts have been wrong, then the opposite must be right."- Seinfeld

This is a lesson I have had to learn this year. Without going into too much detail, I have come to the realization that some of my thinking and actions have not been the most beneficial for myself or my loved ones and this year I have had to not only learn this, but also put it into practice. This is no easy task I tell you. But let me give you an example- last week was my birthday. (I know, I know- I'm a week late posting this- but I'm a recovering perfectionist, so I am OK with that!) Anyway, in the past I have just sat back and waited for other people to recognize my birthday and for the most part I have been fine with it. But this year I knew I had to do something different. I decided I was worth celebrating in a fashion I enjoyed- man even typing that is hard! Why do we women think we have to do so much for everyone else and not take the time to recognize what we like and who we are? I suppose that is a post for another day because I just wanted to share my little "breakthrough" in planning and carrying out my own birthday party ever. Yes, I am 34 and this is the first time I have thrown myself a party and I must say it was a damn fun party. And yes, it has been my natural instinct to swear and if that is wrong, I don't wanna be right! I gathered together my sistas both literally and figuratively and had a night on the town. So here is what a group of moderately conservative women with a combined total of 34 children do to celebrate my 34th birthday.

They eat incredible food at "Epic."

They go to a silly play called "Scary Poppins." I love plays and have enjoyed Desert Star Theatre before. This one was cute, but the company was a lot more entertaining.

They just have fun being together.

And although these last two pictures would indicate otherwise, they don't drink!:)

I know a few of my friends felt a little weird, like they should have been the ones planning my birthday, but this was honestly something I needed to do and I'm glad I did it. I am so thankful for all these wonderful women who surround me and make me a better person. I love them all dearly. Just wait until next year when I have learned even more life-changing ideas and put them into practice at my birthday party. Bring on the mid-thirties!

7 year old logic will not be outdone by 9 year old logic.

Riding the coattails of the previous post, here is a small taste of Annie's thinking /personality. The other morning Finn was telling me about a movie they watched in school that was about animals in the future and what they will evolve into. For example he said, "Scientists say that in millions of years there will be octupuses that can crawl on land. There could also be rodents as big as humans. But they say the humans will all be dead by then." Annie overheard the conversation and piped in, "And so will all the scientists."

9 Year Old Logic

Finn had some great one-liners this week, so I had to get them documented.
*Here's the set-up: We are having dinner and there are some brownies on the counter. Eric and I tell the kids they can't have any brownies until they finish dinner- you know parent manipulation 101. Annie of course is protesting.
Annie: Please, please can't I have some brownies. I don't like my dinner.
Eric: No, you have to finish your dinner first.
Annie: If you don't let me, I will just sneak them anyway.
Finn: It's not really sneaking if you tell everyone first.
Well said, Finn. Well said.

*I put up our Halloween decorations yesterday because my kids think it is a mortal sin if we don't have our decorations up by October 1st. This was the conversation this morning.
Finn: We need to get some scarier decorations.
Mom: What's wrong with the ones we have?
Finn: They are all smiling.

Then this afternoon, Finn came home from school and I was cleaning up after another day of canning- although this time I was training my padawan- Amber in the ways of Jedi canning, so none of the canned peaches he saw were for us.
Finn: How come when I come home from school you are always canning stuff?
Mom: So we can have good things to eat.
Finn, while putting chips and home canned salsa in his mouth and his sisters are downing a bottle of canned peaches: But you can stuff we don't even like to eat.
Mom: I guess you can just call me crazy because I like to do incredible amounts of work with little to no thanks or recognition. On second thought, you can probably just call me mom.

Meet the newest member of our family.

Contrary to what the title of this post might imply, I'm NOT pregnant and we are not adopting. But we have made an addition to our family and it has caused a greater stir with members of the opposite sex than if I truly did have another child. Meet Eric's newest hobby:

Assuming most of you who read this post are female like myself- you are thinking, "Oh, a truck." But oh no this isn't just any truck- its a 1964 Chevrolet truck that has been restored and it is catching the eye of garbage collectors and tattooed men everywhere. I've been told this is an investment and that Finn will drive it when he is old enough- assuming refined oil is still around in 7 years. Eric bought this truck on Monday and I have already been stopped several times about it and I haven't even driven it yet- Eric tells me he has to teach me how to drive it. But I have decided if I was single, this would definitely be the car to drive to attract men - especially if I was into the kind who sport barbed wire tatts and don't mind manual labor. The best time I was stopped was when I was walking outside to go get Katie from preschool. The garbage man was dumping my cans and stopped his truck to ask me about it. Apparently he had made an offer on it awhile ago, but it was too low. Now I guess he can admire it every Wednesday as he drives by. With all this attention I have decided that this baby needs a name. I have narrowed it down to a few selections, but I need your help to pick one.

1.- Eula May- I had a math professor in college with this name who was from Kentucky. I could totally see her driving this truck.

2.- Cooter- This is a shout out to the "Dukes of Hazzard" or the "Chasing Boys" as my brothers use to call them. To me this truck screams Bo and Luke Duke, but it just don't feel right to steal "General Lee."

3.- Leland- As in "Leland, get back in your cell. Don't make me get da hose." Ooops- I think a bit of my Southern roots are showing!

4.- Ruby- Don't she just shine like a ruby!

Well ,those are your choices so leave me a comment with your vote. And feel free to write in other options. If you need to- use the picture to help you be inspired.

The Zucchini doesn't fall far from the vine.

What -another post about zucchini! Yes, I wanted to show that my preoccupation with playing games with my vegetables is genetic. This is an ongoing joke that has been going on in my family for weeks. My sister, Michelle, documented it very well and I refer you to her to enjoy this little nugget out of the Robbins family storybook. And thank you to Amber and her mother for providing us with Brother Zucchini. They should be a proud Aunt and Grandma!