i'm smarter than you

James: "Mom, I'm smarter than you, because I think better than you, and I have better ideas."

Me: "James, that's kind of rude to say to someone."

James: "Oh, sorry. How 'bout you can be as smart as me if you want. But I'm 30-2-50-30-931 smart. That's really smart."

That's okay, Buddy. You're probably right. You are smarter than me, or will be shortly. It kills me the way this kid just exudes confidence. So much like his father...who is also smarter than me. Not that it bothers me. My mission is to soften and sensitize these brilliant men so they don't come off arrogant and snobbish to the rest of the world, and remind them to use their genius minds for good in this life. To help them to be kind and approachable, highly respected and well-liked. And believe me, I'm working on it. Because I see their kind, approachable sides from time to time, and I respect them immensely and love them fiercely. There is hope.

good day sunshine

"I need to laugh, and when the sun is out - I've got something I can laugh about. . ." -The Beatles

What a gorgeous week we've had! Sunny and 50+ degrees every day. We couldn't help but spend hours and hours outside. Picnics, snake walks, rock-wall climbing, flower-picking, swinging, sliding, spinning, and lots of "ghost run" games--anything to be in the sun! I even stopped taking my vitamin D supplement this week. We were lucky to have Christian join us at the park today since he was post call. To all of you still buried in snow (especially the grandparents), enjoy some early pictures of spring! (But don't get too envious--we'll be back to gray skies soon enough, probably until June.)

i'm it

So I was "tagged" over a month ago by Checketts, but I kept putting it off. I figured I better just get around to it already so I can stop feeling guilty about it. Plus, I don't have anything exciting to post about right now. Except maybe that Christian and I got to go to the Sonics v. Jazz game for our Valentine's date. Tenth row, courtesy once again of one of Layne's amazing connections in Seattle. I kind of invited myself to use the fourth ticket since Christian had already invited two other ortho residents from Utah (who are huge Jazz fans), but we had so much fun being at a game with no kids I didn't care! Just like the old days with my parents' Jazz season tickets.


Okay, back to the tagging. Here are the rules: Post these rules of "tag" at the beginning of your blog. List 6 facts or habits about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag 6 people and post their names. Go to their blog and leave them a comment letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog for more details.

1. Mandy loves candy. I am seriously a candy-a-holic. But I didn't realize this until it came up on a dark road on the way to St. George. We must not have had much to talk about, because I asked Christian if he wanted to know what my "top 5" candies were. As he likes to tell it, the "5" should've been "50," because the list went on and on. Once I started listing them I realized how much I really do love candy. I guess I should have said my top 5 favorite candy groups. And because I know you're all dying to know, here is a random sampling, in no particular order:

Chocolate--
*Chocolate with mint. I especially love dark chocolate with mint. From Andes mints to York Peppermint Patties to deluxe mint truffles, I love that fresh combination.

*Chocolate with nuts. The top of that list would be chocolate with almonds, then peanuts. Peanut M&Ms are my favorite snacking candy. I could eat a whole Big Bag in one night. By myself. And not even feel bad about it. I usually have a bowl of them on my kitchen counter so I can snack throughout the day (evil!).

*Chocolate with coconut. There was an amazing Lindt chocolate bar in Switzerland that was dark chocolate with a soft coconut center. I haven't been able to find it anywhere in the US (believe me, I've tried). It's a tragedy. My favorite US candy bar has to be the Almond Joy (almonds AND coconut!).

*Chocolate with caramel. Think turtles. Or just Rolos. Reisens are my favorite with their dark chocolate coating. I love the way the chocolate melts together with the caramel in my mouth. A friend gave us some dark chocolate caramels with sea salt sprinkled on top at Christmas--WOW! A perfect combination, sweet and salty.

*Chocolate with peanut butter. I love Reese's, but a Butterfinger wins every time. During a recent ortho girls tour of a local chocolate factory (Theo Chocolate--I was in heaven!), they gave us samples of Peanut Butter & Jelly truffles. They were the hit of the night.

Seeing the chocolate-making process first-hand

Sampling flavors like Coconut Curry Chocolate

Mary, Mary, and Carly sampling away








Beautiful ortho gals!

Sweet candies--
*I love Starbursts, especially the Tropical flavors--you know, the bag with the the yellow pina colada flavor? How can you not love the soft, chewy, tangy Starburst that almost melts in your mouth (Layne)? I also look forward to the Starburst Jelly Beans every Easter. They are the best jelly beans ever.

*Skittles! Another of Layne's anti-candies. I love sucking the candy shell off the outside and then chewing the inside. Purple and red in the original bag are the best.

*Red Swedish Fish. I get these for Christian every once in a while, just so I can sneak a few! I don't really like any of the other flavors, so I skip the multi-colored bag. It's all red, baby.

*SweeTarts Chicks & Bunnies. I'm not ever tempted to buy the regular SweeTarts candies, but the Chicks & Bunnies at Easter make my mouth water! I horde the bag and suck them until my tongue is raw.

*Red Vines. I inherited my love of these from my mom. I have lots of fond memories of a big tub of Red Vines black and red licorice being passed around the car or the condo on family trips. I usually eat them until I'm sick.

Random stuff--
*Good n'Plenty. I love to suck the candy shell off these, too. I love hanging out with Jode and a big bag of Good n' Plentys. Good times.

*Raisinettes. This is almost a healthy treat, right? I love picking these out of the bridge mix. Oh wait, I love all the other stuff in the bridge mix, too.

*Sugar Babies. These hurt my teeth, but they're so good!

*Milk Duds. Again, perfect for sucking until you get to the caramel-y center. These remind me of my sister for some reason.

*Junior Mints. I'll let Kramer describe why I love this candy:

• Kramer: Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate, it's peppermint, it's delicious!
• Jerry: That's true.
• Kramer: It's very refreshing!

Homemade Candy--like my dad used to make at Christmas every year
*English Toffee. It's got to have the chopped walnuts on top to be the real thing.

*Fudge. There's a lot of bad homemade fudge being made out there at Christmas. My dad's is perfect.

*Buttermints. I have always loved these, and recently my parents figured out how to make them (after several failed attempts!) in the sweetest shade of pink. They sent me some for Valentine's and I am hording them! My friend's little girl asked me for one the other day and I had to tell her sorry, but those are only for mommies. Only for this mommy. I'm going to be so sad when they're gone!

The sad thing about homemade candy is that it is so hard to make! You have to be so precise and fussy with it. I just can't cook that way.

Okay, so now you REALLY know how much I love candy. I decided to leave off the specialty candy list, like the stuff from See's Candies. I'm sure you've stopped reading by now anyway.


2. I brush with Sensodine. I recently started using Sensodine toothpaste so my teeth wouldn't hurt when I ate some of my favorite candy (like the buttermints). I don't have cavities, my teeth are just sensitive to sugar sometimes. It works, but it makes me feel kind of old that I have to use it.

3. I'm a pack rat. I hate throwing things away that I know I will use at a later date. I just don't want to have to go out and buy it again. Christian has helped me cut back on saving a little (the snide remarks like, "are you going to save that for your scrapbook?" about everything from napkins to string got old after the first three years of marriage), but I admit I still have a hard time throwing things away. I blame this on my dad's genes. :) But sometimes I am justified, like when I needed some embroidery floss for a project the other day and found my stash of floss I haven't touched in five years. Hooray! I'm still mad at Christian for throwing away all my letters to him on his mission, and all his high school dance pictures. Now those could be scrapbooked!

4. I have the gift of weeping. Seriously, I have to look at it like a gift or I'll be bitter. Sad, happy, or just tired, I can cry at any moment. I get emotional over the littlest things, like TV commercials, or when James says he misses Grandma Holly. So annoying. I always have to wear waterproof mascara and carry tissues. The girls in my Beehives class keep a tally of the times I haven't cried while giving a lesson. I think it's only up to about 3 times in the last year. Last week I cried giving the closing prayer. And yes, Christian, I think I still do cry at least once a day. I really am a very happy person, though!

5. I am late for everything. I you really know me, you can testify to this. It has been one of my most difficult faults to overcome. I am always in a rush. It's usually only 5 minutes, but all-too-often it's 20 to 30 minutes, which is so embarrassing. I've missed doctor appointments, held up tours, and arrived to find all the good food at buffet dinners totally gone. I have been pretty successful at getting James to school on time, but only because I read Paige's "world's worst mother" post. I think I just seriously underestimate how much time it will take me to get ready. I'm working on it, but it will probably happen later rather than sooner.

6. I'm a night owl. I stay up until 2:00am almost every night, which means I'll get about 6 hours sleep. This is plenty for me. It's like once the kids are in bed, my day begins. I do dishes, laundry, bake bread, blog, answer e-mail, shop online, work on my current craft obsession (scrapbooking, crocheting, quilting, making cards, the list is way too long), hang out with Cree (if he's still awake), watch TV, read. . .as much as I can cram in. If I'm not in bed by 2, I'm in trouble the next day. Lucky for me my kids sleep until 8:00 or 8:30, and usually watch cartoons in my bed for a half hour before Addy starts pulling off my covers and saying, "Mama, gwasses," handing my glasses to me. "I want Cheerios. Get up--right now!" It's terrible. I'm a terrible mother. But I am so much happier when I can have some time to myself, and I'm just not willing to sacrifice my time with my kids during the day. But this could explain why I'm always harboring a cold and falling asleep while reading the boys a story. I'm trying to cut back and be in bed by 12:30, but it's a hard habit to break.

If you're still with me, I tag Mindy, Cortney, Tarina, Rachel, Mar, and Cindy. This is not mandatory, of course. But it's fun to have a topic to post on once in a while!

just in time for valentine's day. . .

Pike Place Market, Seattle

I love my three sweet valentines more than I can express! James always has a something sweet to say to me, like, "Mommy, I love you with my whole heart!" Addy will run up to me and throw himself at me, squeezing my leg, and then run away. He's always up for a hug or a kiss. Christian is the one that holds me together. I couldn't do half the things I do without him, and I wouldn't be half as happy without him, either. Happy Valentine's Day "my three boys!"

James wants you to "Be Mine" this Valentine's day. I think this holiday is coming in at a very close second to Halloween for him. He has been so excited about it for weeks, since we purchased his Pirates of the Caribbean valentines with pencils for his class. He's even been including it in his prayers as of late. I love listening to him say his prayers. He's so sincere and faithful. He often asks to be healed or helped and I am so grateful that he already has the faith to ask. Here's a sampling of the things James has been praying for recently:

*Please bless us that we'll have a great Valentine's day, and that everyone will really love the valentines we give them.

*Please bless all the kids at my school and help them have a fun Valentine's.

*Please bless the holes in Mommy's tummy that they won't ever open again and she won't have to go to the hospital (this is regarding a recent laparoscopic surgery I had--he was very interested in my incisions)

*Please bless that Mommy can make that yummy casserole anytime she wants to.

*Please bless Addy that he won't ever cry again.

*Please bless Addy that he will stop eating during the prayer.

*Please bless my owie on my knee that it will heal.

*Please help me not to be scared in the bath when I put my hair in the water.

*Thank you, I really love Valentine's day (this was tonight--he said it was "the funnest day ever" and he was mad that we have to wait a whole year until next Valentine's day).


After the amazing packages from our grandmas and grandpas, all the treats from school, and the gifts we gave each other in our family, it's no wonder James loves Valentine's day. But most of all we're thankful for all the LOVE in our lives. We are so incredibly blessed! We hope you all had a fabulous Love Day, too!

maybe he shoulda been a law-yer

Does this look like a handicapped parking spot to you? Well it didn't look like one to Christian, either, when he parked in it to run in to the hospital for a few hours last November. Upon his return, the space looked similar to this--empty. His 4-Runner had been towed and he was slapped with a $250 ticket plus almost $200 in towing fees. There is a small white line painted on the curb, and a tiny sign on a post a few feet away, but it is almost indistinguishable as a restricted parking spot on this side street.
Needless to say, it was not a good night for Dr. Sybrowsky.

Luckily for us in this situation, Christian is a born arguer. He loves to argue just for the sake of argument. It drives me absolutely batty! And it's not just because he's always right (yes, I've whined about it before on this blog). But even if I admit he's right, he still wants me to argue it with him. When he does that, I just tell him to call my brother Dan, the lawyer. He loves to argue for the sake of argument, too. Maybe Christian should have studied law instead.

However, today this annoying trait paid off. He ducked out of a surgery this morning and ran (literally) down Pill Hill to the court to argue his case in front of the judge. Here are his points and statement if you care to play judge yourself:

I do not contest the fact that I was at least partially parked in the disabled parking spot. Although I can not substantiate precisely where my car was parked in relation the contested parking spot, I have faith that there was no malice on the part of the parking officials. However, I feel somewhat deceived by the vague and inappreciable demarcation of the spot in question. The state code stipulates only that the designated spot be marked with a standard blue “disabled” sign, but makes no recommendation regarding the visibility of the sign or the proximity of the sign to the spot in question. Although, in a strict sense, the parking spot in question meets the standard stipulated by the statute, it is reasonable to assume that such a designation, along with its substantial fine, would be accompanied by a reasonable effort to make the designation conspicuous. I have demonstrated that the current situation is unclear at best. I have also demonstrated that I had no reason to park my vehicle in violation of any parking code, short of being unclear or unaware of the violation. I am therefore petitioning the court to reduce my fine.

Unclearly marked

- Sign perpendicular to parking spot

- Set back~8’ from the road

- White line on top of curb on passenger side

- Mid-way down a row of 10 regular parking spots

- No demarcation for cars coming the opposite way

- Sign was placed on the phone pole for convenience, with no attempt made to demarcate the designated spot in a conspicuous manner

- Unclear where in relation to the sign I was parked

o Demarcation with ambiguous and inconspicuous “white line”

o How much I overlapped not known

o Sign not visible with >75% of car in the spot

Clear case of confused parking

- Employee of Harborview medical center with hundreds of parking spots available to me

- No paucity of spots on the night in question

- Current personal financial situation makes me vigilant about avoiding fines, etc. I would not have parked in the spot had I known it was designated a disabled parking spot.

Financial burden

- $250 + nearly $200 in towing costs is unduly burdensome

If you're anything like the judge, you are impressed. And she was. Perhaps she agreed. Or perhaps she just doesn't see many traffic violators this articulate and well-prepared and was pleasantly surprised. Either way, she did something we did not expect. She dismissed the fine altogether. Wa-hoo! We were hoping for a reduction in the least, but not a dismissal. She couldn't waive the towing fee we paid, but we're so glad not to pay for a $250 ticket we don't care.

So my incredibly intelligent, articulate, and attractive husband, although your infatuation with debate will always be exasperating to me, you do ROCK! Maybe someday when you're retired you can go to law school, just for the fun of it. (I think all the Sybrowkys would agree that only Cree would think of law school as "fun." Kind of like that time he got up in the middle of the night to write an essay on nature "just for fun. . .")

epiphany

I've been wondering for a while if Addy would ever catch on to the "if-then" concept. You know, "If you pick up all your toys, then you can have some Scooby-Doo fruit snacks." Usually he just responds "no" and moves on. He doesn't really care if he misses out on the reward if he doesn't want to do what you asked. It's extremely frustrating to me, especially when it works so well with James. But the other day he had a major epiphany.

Me: Addy, if you eat all your peas, you can have a Cars® tatoo on your arm! (Editor's note: Santa thought he was buying Cars stickers, not tatoos, and didn't realize the mistake until they were opened Christmas morning. Rats! I hate those things!)

Addy: No! Don't wike 'em!

James: Mommy, I ate all my peas. Does that mean I get Addy's tatoon and he doesn't get one? (Yes, he really thinks they're called "tatoons." We laugh every time he says it.)

Me: James, you did a great job eating all your peas so yes, you can have one of Addy's tatoos. And if Addy eats his peas all gone he can have one, too.

Half an hour later, after the bath and application of the chosen tatoon on James' forearm. . .

Addy: Hey! I'n a tatoo!

Me: I'm sorry, Addy, you didn't finish your peas so you don't get one tonight. That is so sad.

Addy (eyes lighting up): Peas! (Takes off running down the stairs.)

I follow him to the kitchen, laughing, and pull his bowl of peas off the top of the pile of dishes in the sink and set them in front of him, cold and shriveled. He proceeds to stuff each one in his mouth as fast as he can until he has finished them off.

Addy: Mama, I eat my peas! I want Mater!

Finally, he gets it. Hallelujah.