Cyndi-Boo

My youngest sister, Cyndi, is the charismatic one. I have memories of her as a little kid portraying the role of Sailor Moon or a Spice Girl with her friends. She loves to sing and dance (Mandonelle Drill Team National Champion, baby!) She is clever and silly and she always comes up with the funniest words and nicknames (she calls her son Sterling - Gleb). She is always good for a high Irish heel clicking and has the contagious smile to match her enthusiasm for life.

Yesterday she reminded me - again - why I love her so much. She was at my house watching Mason and Colin while Adam and I took Kate to her ballet rehearsal at Kingsbury Hall. Things were beyond chaotic at my house. For unexplainable reasons (okay, guilt) I decided to have Adam's birthday party in the short hours between Kate's ballet rehearsal and performance. (It was his birthday! He would be so disappointed and completely overshadowed by the ballet. I know, I have issues.)

Anyway, before I left I mentioned to Cyndi (who is 14 weeks preggo) that were she to have any nesting urges while all the kiddos were asleep I would be ever so pleased if she cleaned anything. The kitchen was a disaster and guests would be arriving only two hours after my return.

For me the next four hours included taking donuts to Adam's class for a birthday treat, checking Kate out of school, driving through McDonald's, getting Kate to rehearsal, helping Adam assemble marshmallow shooter kits in the auditorium of Kingsbury (I'll post about those later), leaving unexpectedly to unlock Shem's keys out of his car in West Valley, racing back to get Kate just as she came out of the stage door, taking her back to school, and rushing home to a long list of "To Do's" for the party.

I almost cried when I came home and found the kitchen perfectly spotless. Cyndi's four hours looked something more like this:

Keep a three year old from clobbering two one-year olds. Listen to Sterling bang the cupboard shut over and over and over. Mason screaming "I NEED DO PEEEEE!!!!" or "I want chOK-ATE MUCK!!!" (chocolate milk). Feed lunch to the kids. Put them all down for naps. Call Shem...

Cyndi: "If I were a fish catching net, where would I be?"

Shem: (he didn't even know she was at our house) "I don't know. Cabella's?"

Cyndi: "No, no. I need to clean out your fish bowl. Where is your fish net?"

Later she texts Shem.

Cyndi: "If I were dish washer soap where would I be? I can't find me ah!!"

Next she hijacks my blog and reveals the secrets of my magical aprons. (The real magical secret is Shem because he is the one who herds the children and cleans things with super-power skills I have yet to discover.)

Cyndi, thank you for being amazing and thoughtful. You are a wonderful mom and baby #2 is so lucky to be coming to your family!

I'm so glad we got to go skiing together on Friday. Here are the highlight pics. Too bad we didn't capture any shots on the run where we were deserted at the top of the tram while you tried not to throw up and then we got lost in the fog and fell down that "Black Diamond Powder Hill of DEATH."

I'm just grateful we got a shot of your amazing snow suit. I always knew you were a looker, but you sure turned heads on the hill!

Thanks for making the ski trip so fun (and for not actually throwing up.) I love you!