Life's Lessons #1, 2, 3, etc...

My grandmother passed away, and I took the two hooligan-o's with me on the drive. We met my sister, Sharon at the airport in Las Vegas, and drove up to Idaho where we stayed with my sis, Krista. It was a long and totally bleak drive. The nature was everywhere, but people and civilization... were not. We went a good 10 hours before we even saw a fast food sign. Crazyness. Anyways, lesson learned- sometimes its better to go to the more eye appealing route even if it may take you a little longer. We stayed at my sisters apartment until the viewing, where we checked into a hotel in Ontario. This gave my hooligan-o's as we will call them in this post, a time to totally maul and love their cousin, Nephi. They behaved well until.... UNTIL Chloe and Eva decided to pull double dirty duty with the poop smears everywhere. I need not go into details... if you haven't experienced this, you are blessed. If you have, my apologies to you all. Krista and hubby were totally calm, as I was freaking out completely. This was my worst nightmare, happening at 830pm at night when we were trying to just let them be giggly with their nephew in his room while supposedly going to sleep. Because time was of the essence, I had to defer discipline and showers to my sister, Sharon - the lucky soul. Lesson learned..... when kids are giggly in a room alone, always be on the alert. Then, at the viewing, as Chloe is old enough to understand most of what goes on in a funeral and viewing - Eva is completly frustrated. She was too small to realize ettiquette of what NOT to say, and had too big of a mouth. She interrupted a grieving group and pointed to grandma while saying. "DIED!" To my amazement it did not stop there. After charming several folks, she and my mother were discussing death, and she leaned over the casket and proclaims her new trendy conversation, "Knock, Knock!" Whoops, again! But, like a glutten, I decided to stick around to help grandpa feel loved a little... taking the girls to him, I gave my love and then Eva follows it with , "Show, papa.. wake up!" as she's pointing to the casket in the front of the room. That was the straw the broke my back.. up I flew and decided to remove her before she caused some other person mental anguish, all over again. Lesson learned: Keep visitation short when there is a corpse in the front of the room with your two year old. Those were my main lessons that have stuck in my head from the trip.... it was long, long, long, but it was the first time in probably 16 years that my family had come together like that. Nice job, Grandma. Still working from heaven to keep the family together!

And a chop chop here and and a chop chop there....

We decided - or rather I decided to cut Chloe's hair to some uniform length, leaving us the option of cutting 6 in. or so off or making an official "bob'' haircut. I had Grandma do the 'deed' so that Chloe felt like it was extra special, and so that she wasn't left looking like a lawn mower had gone over her head in various places. Chloe was really excited, and she'll tell you "Now, I won't get any snarls, and it's getting me ready for summer time!" What more could you want from a haircut?! She has had a moment or two where she realized just how short it had become but was quickly reassured to find out that her hair will grow back, and as long as she leaves it alone it can get really long now. Besides, what need has a 3 yr old for long hair anyway except for catching things in it, and performing barber on their own? I think this haircut is perfect for her personality right now. Bouncy and carefree!