MOM-entarily Out of Order

Forts

2012-02-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

Warning: No pictures for this post, though there should be, but I am a bad bad lazy mom.

Mr. B rearranged my living room a few weeks back and made a stellar fort along one of the walls using our couch, all the cushions off the couch and nearly all the blankets (about 5). The fort stayed up for about 10 days despite my daily pleas to the children and AH to return the family room back to normal. AH and Mr. B struck a deal that Mr. B could sleep in his fort on a non-school night. Due to our unusually busy calendar we had two weekends of very late nights and kept putting off the fort sleeping experience, looking for a day when we'd be home and Mr. B could enjoy the whole evening of fort bliss. This past weekend we gave up and let Mr. B sleep in his fort despite it being 10pm when we got home. He loved it!

Beeb, not wanting to be left out, wanted a fort to sleep in but Mr. B refused to share the family room (and mom & dad refused to let them sleep in the same room knowing no sleep would actually happen should that occur). Being a judicious parent I built Beeb a fort in her room between the foot of her bed and her giant doll house. She was very pleased and actually slept in it two night in a row (to Mr. B's chagrin) because AH is wrapped around her little finger.

I know these are the kinds of memories that will last for them and that makes me very very happy!

A Vortex of Activities

2012-02-08T16:21:00.000-08:00

My life is spiralling out of control busy these days. I simply don't know how working parents or single parents do it without live-in family or paid help. So I am especially thankful that my husband has a great job that allows me to be home trying to manage the crazy schedules of our own lives, church responsibilities and our childrens' activities.

One of these nights I will clean off my desk (again), organize all my "to-dos" (maybe even check a few off) and put together a weekly plan to get me back on task so that I can at lease feel some sort sanity again.

That's it . . . I have to run my kids up to ski lessons now.

Up To No Good

2012-01-30T23:19:00.000-08:00

This is the new desktop background image on my monitor, courtesy of AH, Mr. B and my scanner:

Santa, The Big Meany

2011-12-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

Mr. B has not written his letter to Santa yet and tonight he is in a bit of a panic.

Mr. B: "Wouldn't it be great if Santa brought me Lego Star Wars III for Christmas."

Me: "Too bad you can't guarantee it since you didn't write a letter to Santa this year."

Mr. B: "Well if he doesn't get me what I want I'll just get a receipt and return it."

Me: "There is no receipt; Santa makes all the gifts he gives out."

Mr. B: "Then if I don't like it I'll just give it away."

Me: "Okay. That's very generous of you."

A minute later. . .

Mr. B: "Santa is just a big meany making me write to him so I can get what I want."

Me (to myself): Yes she is.

Mr. B has resolved to writing his letter in the morning but this is how he felt about it tonight:

2011: Out With A Bang

2011-12-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

It seems that Beeb is determined to go out with a bang this year.

Today, while sitting in the emergency room with my niece (another story all together), I received a call from the school. Beeb had fallen during recess and had hit her face on the cement. I was assured that though there was a red abrasion across her cheek and above her eyebrow but no blood had been shed. The nurse was called in and her evaluation determined that she was fine and sent back to class. Due to the nature of the injury a report was written up (head injury) and thus I was called.

Mildly distracted at the time I took the calm voice of the office assistant to mean that Beeb was really just fine, which she is, but she looks terrible! When I finally made it home I was a bit shocked to see my sweet girl with the below.

I guess the swelling came later and I bet she will have one heck of a shiner to show off in the next day or two. The poor girl is just so full of energy and always flittering around but she's not necessary the most coordinated person - which makes for memorable blog posts for me.

Something is Missing

2011-12-05T21:44:00.000-08:00

She never seems to lose her teeth at home - I hate missing these important milestones!

Today Beeb came home from school with this big gap. Apparently a boy in her class bumped into her during P.E. causing her to fall against the wall and hitting her mouth which resulted in her tooth to be hanging limply to just one part of her gums - it was then extracted.

Tonight each time she talked to me I just thought to myself that she looks so strange with a big gap in her teeth! It was hard not to stare.

Hall-o-ween!

2011-10-31T22:29:00.000-07:00

My neighbor, friend and running partner has been playing single parent for these last few weeks. On Tuesday evening her son called to see if Mr. B could play but instead we invited his family to our house to carve pumpkins. These things are always more fun when friends join in.

Beeb's pumpkin

Mr. B's pumpkin that he carved himself!

AH's pumpkin on the far right and my vampire pumpkin in the middle.

The kiddo's could hardly contain their excitedment for the actual Halloween day! Thankfully our rainy weather took a break and we ended up having a nice trick-or-treat evening. Our neighbor joined us again and we teamed up to take the kids out.

Beeb was a "My Little Pony" - I forget which one specifically though you'd better bet she knows! She has a horse head hat but she misplaced it sometime on Sunday and we didn't locate it in time.

Mr. B was a ninja. He really wanted to be an "army guy" again, but thankfully they didn't have his size so I had to go with his backup costume. I think he looks cute!

Apparently in this picture Beeb is a MLP Ninja.

We did our usual route through the neighborhood but then followed a friends advise and headed into town. It was really fun to see the residents of our quaint little town get into the holiday spirit. The decorations were amazing, there was a potluck and even a bonfire; I felt it all had a very New England/Martha Stewart feel to it. What a great little community we live in.

A House of Sickos

2011-10-22T23:58:00.000-07:00

My house is under quarantine unless you have the strange desire to become ill. I have had a cold that has lingered with me for four weeks and continually morphed its symptoms just about every 7 days. Thankfully I am finally on the mend and nearly 100% again. Unfortunately I passed it on to other members of my family. . .

AH (and several of his hiking buddies) appears to have contracted giardia from his hiking adventure last month, and if that wasn't fun enough he recently caught my cold and has a full blown sinus infection. Every time I walk into our bedroom I feel like I can cut through the germs with a knife. Seriously gross! (I'll be nuking the room once AH is all better)

Mr. B has been sniffling up a storm the past 5 days and has permanently moved the bathroom waste basket to his bedside along with his own personal box of tissues. One night this week he was up four times between 10pm and 11pm because of his cold and was so miserable that he asked for some medicine (you have no idea how much he hates to take cold medicine!) to which I accidentally gave him the "day time" version. We were both then up the rest of the night. I kept him home from school the next day so as not to subject his teacher to the delights of a tired Mr. B and we both took a long afternoon nap!

Beeb has remained unscathed throughout it all. She flutters around and occasionally complains of boredom due to our confining ourselves to the house but, overall, she's been a good sport and I am praying that is skips her all together.

Beeb: The Delinquent

2011-10-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

Our sweet little Beeb is finally growing up. We have basked in the glory of her obedient behavior for years but it was inevitable that she would stray from the path and test the waters. {sigh} 2nd grade has been hard for her thus far. A few weeks ago she got into trouble for vandalizing the girls bathroom (locking the stall doors and writing on the mirrors with soap) with her new BBF. After a harsh punishment of lost recesses at school, a letter of apology to the janitor, and a grounding at home she seemed to be back on the straight and narrow. . . until today.

Today I contacted her teacher to find out when homework would begin after weeks and weeks of having no homework coming home on Fridays. Apparently homework began the first week of school. Miss Beeb has been hiding her homework packets in her school cubby so that (in her words) she could "have more time to play with her friends at home". This is the same little girl who told everyone at the kindergarten concert that what she was most looking forward to in 1st grade was "homework" - it was short lived.

Beeb is in the process of making amends (or in her case "a-girls") by having no TV until she is all caught up with her homework and she is grounded from playing with friends for a week. Beeb is humiliated that she has tarnished her image, meanwhile her brother is gloating about not being the one in trouble for a change. Mr. B offered lots of other suggestions for her consequence but we ignored him.

AH tells me that Uncle Tip did the same thing when he was young - he is now a dentist. I hope this pans out as well for Beeb.

Friday

2011-09-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

Today is Friday (I love Friday).

Today I volunteered in Mr. B's class and watched

him ace his spelling test - so smart!

Today I played army with him - surprisingly fun!

(his army totally destroyed my army)

Today Beeb cheered with the big cheerleaders during half-time at

the high school football game - adorable!

Today I am so happy to be a mom!

(as usual - in case you thought this was uncommon)

On Friday We Climbed a Mountain

2011-09-17T23:17:00.000-07:00

A few months back my friend Jeff contacted me about joining a group he was organizing (most of them from St. Louis, MO) to climb Mt. St. Helens. AH and I jumped at the chance to join in. Previously I have climbed this mountain 5 times, though the last time was over 13 years ago, and I was eager to see how the landscape had changed. For AH it was the final mountain that he needed to summit for him to be able to say that he has climbed all the volcanic peaks in Washington (I tease him that he saved the easiest for last).

We met up on Thursday night with Jeff and his group for a late dinner at my favorite pizza parlor (Pizza Pete's) in Castle Rock, WA. It was fun to finally meet everyone and get a sense of who they were and a better sense of their fun personalities. It was a really outstanding group of people.

Friday morning we headed out a little later than intended but it worked out to our advantage. During the night a bit of clouds and rain came in and it took most of the morning to burn off. We came across several groups of climbers along the trail who had turned back before reaching the top because it was incredibly cold, windy and the visibility was very poor (due to the heavy clouds in the AM).

The Fearless Climbers

(now we just have to climb 5,000 feet in 5 miles)

My friend Jeff.

AH and I at the base of the boulder field we would be climbing.

Me at the beginning of the boulders (I already need a break!).

The long trek though the boulders.

Mid-way up the boulder field the clouds started to disperse and a view of the valley below is becoming visible.

AH and Brad taking a quick break (at this point our group had broken into two - we wouldn't end up really seeing the others the rest of the climb).

AH and I in the clouds.

There is something magical about looking round and seeing that you are high above the clouds.

The last section is made up of sand and ash. It was not as bad as I remember but still a tough section to complete with a very steep incline.

From the top looking back to what we had just accomplished. I love this view!

The new dome of the mountain is much larger/higher than my last visit.

Looking to the right of the new dome (Mt. Rainier in the distance). The steep drop off on the left is where the mountain blew out in 1980.

Looking to the left of the new dome.

AH and I - see I really did make it.

From the top we could see Mt. Rainier and Mt. Hood. We were only able to catch glimpses of Mt. Adams on the descent due to heavy clouds around it most of the day.

A gorgeous view of Spirit Lake and Mt. Rainier.

When you reach the top you a literally standing on the ledge looking down into the new crater dome. It's an amazing feeling seeing the power of nature up close and personal this way.

If only I could have done this the entire way down!

AH on a ledge of the boulders during our descent.

A closer shot.

We made it to the bottom of the boulders. My legs and feet were protesting greatly at this point so I traded my hiking boots for my super comfy tennis shoes for the remaining hike through the trees back to the car (2 miles).

To my disappointment we weren't able to wait for the rest of our group to descend. It was a 4 hour drive home for us and we needed to be on our way to relieve our babysitter near the time I told her that we would be back. I really missed congratulating everyone on completing this tough climb; I would have loved to have heard their perspectives. I am really proud that they all toughed it out and made it to the top - that is quite an accomplishment!

Running

2011-09-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

I have always hated running. . . really hated it with a passion. I’m more of a sprinter type and not so much an endurance runner. Unfortunately as an adult there just aren’t a lot of sprint running clubs so I gave in and started running short distances a little over a year and a half ago when my neighbor and I decided to run a 5k – regrettably we trained independently. I have had to rework my thinking around distance running and realize that, for me, it is more about distance and less about time, especially when conditioning my body to run any sort of distance for the first time in my life.

I trained successfully for months but it was lonely; I could never seem to find a consistent running partner. Last summer I ended up only running a handful of times but played Ultimate Frisbee once a week and that seemed to be enough to make the occasional 5K fun run possible, although I knew I wasn’t doing enough to maintain a good weight or cardio health.

In the spring of this year our Stake put on a free 5k fun run. I invited my neighbor (same one as previously mentioned) to come do the run and she and I ended up running it together. At this point I hadn’t run in over 5 months, due to some foot pain, and was actually very surprised that I completed the course without walking. Granted, by the end of the run I was seeing stars and my legs truly wanted to give out – but I did it. It was then that she and I realized we could actually run together a few times a week. It only took us over a year to come to this realization . . . doh!

Here it is, several months later, and she and I run 3 to 4 times a week together for usually 3.5 miles each run. I don’t think I could go back to running by myself; I’m just not that motivated. We enjoy a half hour of sharing thoughts and ideas while simultaneously motivating each other to push a little harder or go a little farther – which is especially helpful on days when energy levels are lagging. It has been really nice and has strengthened our friendship tenfold.

As a result of more time spent running than ever before there are two things that I recognize that I knew before but didn’t really “know” before. First, sleep really affects my energy level and second, food does the same thing. I really feel (and I mean “really feel”) the difference in my ability to have a good run (good run is defined as “feeling revived and energized at the end of the run”) vs. feeling sluggish the entire run and exhausted by the end. This has been the most powerful motivator for me, personally, to eat the very best foods and get a good night’s rest. Prior to this I haven't physically felt how sleep and food combine to give me more energy, but that probably indicates how little I had consistently exerted myself in the past.

This morning I got up at 6:30am (of my own free will, be amazed – this is surely not normal behavior) to ensure that I would have time to eat a good breakfast well before my 8am run with my buddy. It is a beautiful September morning, cool and crisp with full sun. It was glorious to be out basking in this pre-fall splendor and, surprisingly (at least to me), really loving to run.

School Grump

2011-09-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

My usually sweet sweet Mr. B has started off this new school year in a most exemplary way; he's had a perfect behavior chart 3 days in a row!!!

Unfortunately it appears that being on his very best behavior at school is sucking him dry of all cheerfulness and agreeability. By the time he gets home he is cantankerous, disagreeable, difficult, unfriendly (insert all other synonyms), etc.

I am really looking toward the near future when his body and mind have readjusted to the strains of school and he comes home acting relatively normal again.

The New School Year

2011-08-30T23:18:00.000-07:00

School preparations began last month as I updated the kids wardrobes. It nearly killed Beeb not to be able to wear her new duds for an entire month. It took me several days to sort out the old clothes and wash, fold and put away their new clothes. Mr. B wardrobe was in especially bad shape - none of his jeans fit since he has grown so much and his shirts were all just a tad too high on his belly.

Sunday night AH gave Mr. B a hair cut.

Monday the school had a "meet your teacher" event and the PTA offered up ice cream for the kids. Beeb was very nervous despite my reassurances that her teacher was a super nice lady (she is one of Mr. B's previous teachers). Once she met her new teacher and had a tour of her new room she was bubbling with excitement.

Mr. B was also a bit nervous. He hid behind me when we first entered his class room but his teacher was quick to come warmly greet him, show him his desk, and reassure him that she was happy to have him in her class.

The kids asked to have spaghetti for the "night-before-school" dinner - always one of my favorite so I was happy to oblige. Yum!

Finally the first day of school arrived bright and early this morning. Both kids were still a bit nervous and acting goofy (driving their mother crazy) with eager anticipation. Mr. B tried to wear the same clothes that he wore yesterday. . . right out of the hamper (they must have passed the sniff test). I used my mom-in-chief powers and vetoed the dirty clothes. It's nice to know the slovenly ways of men starts young and is instinctual.

Beeb has had her new outfit picked out for weeks and prayed for a mild weather day so she could wear long sleeves, long pants and massively furry Sherpa boots (Costco's version of Uggs) .

(Note: Beeb didn't need a haircut so I let her have a feather attached to her hair last week.)

The first day went off without any issues. Mr. B had a perfect report from school and Beeb has already made new friends that she is excited about. Tomorrow they start riding the bus (I insisted on driving them today) - I'm not too wild about it; I like driving them to school and picking them up right after. Is it bad to secretly wish that one of them would get kicked off the bus and I would have to drive them to school each day? I didn't think so.

Beeb Logic

2011-07-12T21:31:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend the kids and I attended a BBQ put on by our church. It was a lot of fun for all of us. . . too much fun for some. Mr. B had a few incidents during the event and on our walk home I had a discussion with him about his behavior and how he would make amends. Beeb, ever curious about her brother's mishaps, wanted to know what "amends" meant. After explaining it to her she looked at me and asked, "Then what do they call it for girls?"

Happy Birthday to {ME}!

2011-06-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

I have a little less than an hour left of my actual birthday. It's been a great week. On Monday I went up north to visit my mom and sister where we did the usual June birthday gift exchange (my mom once asked me, when I was 8 months pregnant, if I could hold Beeb in until August since June was already pretty full and we didn't have any birthday's in August - nice try mom). The kids and I spent the whole day there and enjoyed a delicious lunch, some great beach play/talk time and lots and lots of dog "kisses" from my mom's poodle, Paddy.

Today the kids took care of their own breakfast so I could sleep in a little. I found this note on the kitchen table:

Then we joined my friend and her kids on a "birthday hike" to Cedar Butte. It was a really nice 4 mile hike though it dumped rain on us the last half of way back to the cars - but I didn't mind; it was all part of the adventure.

At the trail head:

Those are some crazy kids!

Two sweet faces:

Hunting for a geo cache:

No geo cache but a toad was found!

Finally located the geo cache.

Thankfully Beeb chose the emergency rain poncho as her geo cache treasure.

In the evening AH's parents joined us for a yummy thai food dinner, cake and gifts. I'm a practical person and order in my home makes me very happy. Our everyday dishes are chipped and several pieces have broken and it has been driving me crazy the last couple of years so I was ecstatic when I opened up 12 new place settings (thanks to AH and his parents!). I love looking into my organized cupboard and seeing these beauties shine out at me.

It really was a great couple of days that I wouldn't mind repeating next year.

One Heck Of A Long Post. . . Hawaii

2011-05-31T23:55:00.000-07:00

My back and side are finally starting to get back to normal. After enduring 5 weeks of pain my doctor ordered a CT scan and it turns out no kidney stone (though I now know that I have a “duplicate kidney” – kind of a cool fact that I can brag about at parties and in the checkout line at the grocery store). I’ve been going to physical therapy for a few weeks now and the pain is greatly reduced. I am able to sit once again and catch up on some much needed blogging.

HAWAII!!!!!

In April we went with AH’s entire family to Maui, HI for 8 glorious days. Despite our 3:45am departure, to catch our 6:40am flight, we were more than happy to comply if it got us away from this dreadfully rainy winter we’ve endured far far too long (tomorrow is June 1 and it is still raining).

We stayed in Kehei (my favorite “town” on Maui) at the beautiful Mana Kai Maui resort that is situated practically in the ocean. Our room overlooked the pool and a long stretch of beach – it was a hard view to wake up to each morning.

Most days were spent snorkeling at “the dump” (the best reef on the island), boogie boarding in the surf at our beach or another nearby beach or playing in the pool. The kids loved playing with their cousins all day, celebrating all the spring birthdays together at one big party, surfing, and building sandcastles.

Here’s the daily breakdown:

Sunday, April 3^rd – Arrived. AH and all the other men took the kids to play on the beach while the wives got us settled in to our condos.
Monday, April 4^th – Went to Polo Beach in Wailea. Tried snorkeling but the water was too rough and cloudy (though Queen did see a small red octopus). We spent the afternoon at our own hotel beach and pool. That night we celebrated Grandma, Grandpa, Spencer and Mr. B’s birthdays with hamburgers and brownies for dinner.

Sarah in full gear.

Mr. B and Garrett contemplating the task before them.

The Ladies of Polo Beach

The Triplets

Beeb was a little nervous about boogie boarding so Tip took her with him. I think she liked it.

Tuesday, April 5^th – In the morning we snorkeled at “the dump”. This was Mr. B and Beeb’s first successful snorkeling. I took Mr. B out and as we backed into the ocean he was freaking out. I kept telling him to just put his face (his mask was on) in the water until he finally did it and was AMAZED at the fish he saw. Beeb was freezing (silly girl has no body fat to keep her warm even in tropical water) but I made her stay out until we saw a turtle a short time later. It was amazing to see these sights all over again through the eyes of our children.

“The Dump”

There always has to be one that gets sick and for this trip it was Riley - poor kid. Thankfully he can literally sleep anywhere! (remember him from THIS post)

In the late morning we drove part way up the Road to Hana.

This road is not for the queasy:

We stopped at mile marker 11 and took a short trail to a beautiful waterfall and lagoon. AH and Tip did some cliff diving (they live to torment their mother).

On one trip back up to the top of the waterfall a teenage boy followed them but ended up slipping on the trail and breaking his leg severely (bone sticking out). All the men in our group spent some time helping to carry the boy (think full grown heavier set teenager) back down the trail while we waited for the fire department and ambulance to arrive.

While taking a break on this cool fence (AH and Tip were looking for the trail head) the ambulance carrying the boy passed us.

After leaving the boy and his family in the care of the trained professionals we backtracked our way to mile marker 6 to see another waterfall (4 in all on this trail). We hiked through a bamboo forest and stopped at the second falls. The men climbed this fall and went on to the next one (which was fantastic – I’ll have to see it on our next trip) while the women waited with the younger kids.

On the way back to Kehei we stopped for incredibly expensive shaved ices at a really dirty dog sanctuary/mini-mart (thankfully they ran out of ice so I only had to buy one) and then stopped again at Ho’okipa Beach to watch the amazing surfers. Uncle T bought a coconut and let everyone try the milk and meat and then we bought the kids some kettlecorn to snack on.

Wednesday, April 6^th – I joined Grandpa, Uncle T, Spencer and Garrett on a day trip to Honolulu to visit Pearl Harbor. We took a little 9 passenger plane from Maui to Moloka’i which had the most scenic cliffs and ocean views. I was very interested in Moloka’i because I had just read a book about the leprosy colony located on that island. We actually flew right over the colony – I’d definitely like to go back some day and take the mule ride down to the colony. We then flew on to Honolulu and spent the day exploring Pearl Harbor. We toured the USS Bowfin submarine wherein I only had half a dozen or so attacks of claustrophobia – definitely not a career for me. We viewed the movie presentation about the actual attack on Pearl Harbor (it was truly amazing – pure reverence at the end by everyone on the theatre) and then took a boat over to the USS Arizona Memorial. We ended our visit by touring the USS Missouri and were completely exhausted and ready to head back to Maui.

These seats were way comfy – the big airlines could benefit from them.

Yes that is the wheel of our plane!

USS Bowfin

Target practice on the USS Missouri.

The “baggage claim” at the Moloka’i airport!

Those who didn’t go to Pearl Harbor spent the day playing on the beach or in the pool. In the evening Queen arranged for some local girls in our church to come by the hotel and teach our girls the Hula (I am sorry to have missed seeing this). The first hula taught was to the song Pearly Shells. Grandma got a little choked up as this was her mother's favorite Hawaiian song.

Thursday, April 7^th – Wend to “the dump” in the morning. Beeb wasn’t interested in snorkeling so I went with Queen and we saw 6 turtles! We spent the rest of the day at our hotel beach and pool and then in the evening Beeb and I joined other family members on an outing to Lahaina to see some Polynesian dancers perform and ate ice cream – yum!

Friday, April 8^th – We did our usual morning “dump” run and then after lunch we went to Black Rock Beach (hardly any parking stalls – plan ahead and take a taxi in from a nearby mall parking lot). The Triplets spent their time building sand castle, playing in the surf and then burying each other in the sand. Mr. B and Garrett spent hours playing in the surf – occasional having to be told to make their way back down to us as they seems to keep heading farther and farther down the beach. AH, Tip, Uncle T and Spencer did some fun cliff diving and had a quick snorkeling trip.

The men - standing in warm tropical water (probably gossiping).

That night AH and I took the kids to our favorite Mexican restaurant. The food turned out to be completely flavorless and gross as compared to our last visit just 18 months prior. I was so disappointed.

Saturday, April 9^th – We sent to Kalama Park in Kehei and rented surf boards for the day. Beeb and Brynn were the first to try. Beeb didn’t have any luck her first ride out and was pretty ticked off. Queen captured me offering Beeb some sage words of wisdom (I
occasionally have them) – just have fun, laugh and try again.

Beeb did try again later and got up - success! Mr. B went out twice and had no trouble getting up several times and AH and I managed to surf a few times too. It was a lot of fun (be sure to get the big boards - they are way more stable).

Future pro-surfer Brynn taught us all how it was to be done.

That evening we all spruced ourselves up and had some family pictures on the beach. It was a bit stormy but we made the best of it.

We clean up pretty well!

Sunday, April 10^th – We attended the local ward of our church for services in the morning and even ran into people we knew. We spent the afternoon at Maluake Beach (and ran into our friend again!) playing in the surf, snorkeling and building sand castles. Tip’s family left in the morning so it was our last day there with the entire group.

Some locals has pulled these creatures from the ocean for a few hours – the kids loved investigating them.

All the grandchildren (minus Riley who wasn’t feeling photogenic)

Monday, April 11^th – Last day! We packed up our rooms and played in the pool until we left for our whale watching tour. No super great whale sightings (some whales but nothing spectacular), but it was fun to be on the boat. Afterward we explored a bit of the marina and then headed to the airport for our red-eye home (never doing a red-eye again!).

It was a super fantastic vacation and the kids are already hounding us to go back – I wouldn’t say no to that.

What's Missing?

2011-04-27T21:08:00.000-07:00

I'm missing, I know. Our Hawaiian vacation post will have to wait due to a kidney stone that is trying to make its way out of my body. The pain has been annoying up to this point but now (as of today) it is getting a pit more painful and causing muscle spasms in my back (literally like a contraction) that are no fun and only increase my discomfort.

So until it passes (currently it is midway down my side) I am spending as much time as possible in bed with a heating pad, drinking copious amounts of water and dreading the day when the stone reaches my bladder and urethra and the "real" pain begins. Oh joy.

Celebrating. . . and celebrating Mr. B

2011-04-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

March brought the conclusion of basketball season (yeah!) and ski lessons (sad):

Their "unicorn" instructor was awesome!

On the last run of the season they took the quad to the top of the mountain! I can hardly believe how far they've come since their very first lesson in January.

It seemed like the rest of the month was spent celebrating Mr. B who turned 8! Uncle D, Aunt M and cousin J came down to celebrate on a beautiful Saturday (J's birthday is just before Mr. B's) and we enjoyed riding on the motorcycle and visiting the trains:

Aunt M was very brave to try out the rope swing.

This one looks like a Thomas the Train set to me - not quite real even though I know it was.

A little craziness is always encouraged.

The following Saturday Mr. B had a birthday party with some of his friends. Amazingly, of the 15 kids invited all but one showed. Mom and Dad realized that 14 is a lot of boys and girls, but we survived. Social Mr. B has a lot of friends (such a blessing).

I love this shot!

On Mr. B's actual birthday he decided that we must eat at his favorite restaurant. He dined on lots of root beer, a large hot dog with french fries and was pulled from our booth and dressed in a silly hat, over sized glasses, and tinsel while holding a special ice cream sundae. He was then made to stand in the center of the restaurant while all the patrons sang Happy Birthday to him.

Daddy kept trying to steal his special birthday dessert much to Mr. B's frustration.

A couple of days after Mr. B's birthday he performed in the school musical concert. Grandma and Grandpa came to cheer him on and we were all surprised to learn that he was one of the students selected to play an instrument during the concert (xylophone). He did a fantastic job!

And finally, once Mr. B officially turned 8 he became a member of the Cub Scout Wolf den and was able to participate in the annual Pinewood Derby (he cleared it by 2 days). He and AH worked hard all month on his car and it paid off by winning 2nd place overall! Way to go!

Mr. B's car is the one on the far right.

After such an incredibly busy month we are all looking forward to a nice break!

"Sun"day

2011-03-20T22:54:00.000-07:00

Today, after church, I started teaching Beeb how to do cross stitch. There are some cross stitch patterns on the Martha Stewart website that I thought would be fairly simple for a first time project. Beeb, who loves all things "cats", has chosen the cat pattern to start with. I gave her some minor instructions on the two stitches she'll be using and then kept a close watch over her first few lines. She is doing a fantastic job! She is being very patient and taking great care to get each stitch just right. I am loving that she essentially snuggles with me while she is working (and I am working on one too) and we enjoyed some quiet time together. She has such a sweet tender personality that can be overlooked when she is fluttering about all the time, as she does. It is nice to build these peaceful memories with her as well.

Staying inside on a sunny day was driving AH crazy so he dragged us all outdoors for a quick walk around the block followed by a fun little one base game of baseball in the backyard. Both the kids loved the game, though Beeb pouted a bit until the "girl" team finally started getting some hits.

I was so impressed with Mr. B and his attitude during it all. In the past he would have been insisting upon being the first (and the only) batter but today he did a great job of taking turns, playing in the outfield and never giving up even when Beeb and I had an especially long inning due to our amazing baseball talents (mild sarcasm re the talents). It was really fun to play together and to give each other lots of compliments.

I loved the new level of activity that a little sun encouraged and I hope it has many returns this spring!

Mr. B Logic: Library

2011-03-20T22:22:00.000-07:00

On they way to church this morning Mr. B had an epiphany.

"I know what library means," he announces. "If you lie then you have to eat a berry."

Well done Mr. B, we'll be working on enunciation as part of your home work this week. Silly boy!

Yoda

2011-03-13T19:05:00.000-07:00

Our elementary schools have become much more sophisticated since I attended a few decades ago. Classrooms have iPads, electronic white boards (no more chalkboards), Internet service and kids give reports using PowerPoint. Even P.E. has stepped it up by offering "Yoda".

This afternoon Beeb was flittering around and suddenly told me to watch her do the fish position that she learned in Yoda.

Here are some of her other Yoda moves:

Pretty impressive isn't it? May the force be with you Beeb.

Open & Shut

2011-03-06T19:55:00.000-08:00

While driving home from church today we passed through a high-end neighborhood that had at least 4 open houses going on – I drooled. I love to go to open houses to see how other people decorate and glean off their great ideas. I am frustrated that most open houses are on Sundays when I cannot go.

“I hate that Sundays are the day for open houses. Why can’t they do them on Saturdays?” I whined to AH.

“Don’t they have them on other days of the week?” AH replied.

“Yes.” I said. “But not nearly as many as they have on Sundays.”

“Why would you want to go to an open house?” AH inquired. (such a man)

Looking incredulously at him, “So I can see how they decorate their homes. . . and so I can inevitably nag you to move.”

“And for that reason I am glad most open houses are on Sunday,” quipped AH.

A Break. . . Mid-Winter

2011-02-28T08:08:00.001-08:00

I am not delighted with the week long "mid-winter break" our school district has in February. I am especially disgruntled when it is followed 5 weeks later by a week long “spring break” and then possibly by a school year extended into late June when the kids have to do snow or flooding make up days. How about we just drop mid-winter break and get out of school earlier in June? Alright, I'll get of my soapbox now.

Since we do have mid-winter break and it did snow (so so happy) we decided to make the best of it. After skiing last Monday with the cousins we had big snowstorm hit our area and AH decided skiing in a blizzard was the perfect time to ski as a family so we headed back up to the local resort.

The state patrol was monitoring all vehicles for the mandatory chains, snow tires or all wheel traction devices and so there was quite a long row of vehicles "chaining up" along the highway.

At the ski resort there was an astounding 12 to 18 inches of fresh snowy powder on the bunny hill (amazing). It continued to snow while we were there, so heavily at times that I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me.

The kids did really well in the deep snow while I felt the burn in my upper thighs and lower abdomen as I tried to maneuver my skis through it. By the end of the evening I was truly missing my groomed trails that require no strength to change direction or to stop. I informed AH that there would be no need to do P90X that night and that I was super thankful that we had only done the yoga workout the night before and saved my legs for that nights ski workout.

After a few hours we took the kiddos over to the ski school to meet up with the instructor for their regular weekly lesson. At the end of the lesson the instructor told me that the kids did really amazing through their first powder. Good thing we got their early so they could practice before we paid someone to teach them how to ski in it (isn't this like cleaning the house before the housekeeper comes?).

This was AH’s first time seeing the kids ski since their very first ski lesson in January. He was really amazed at the skills they have developed and what wonderful little skiers they have become.

This ski date was also a huge milestone in our nearly 12 years of marriage. . . AH and I skied together for the very first time. Hallelujah, it's about time!

I Feel My Age +10 Years Tonight

2011-02-21T19:53:00.000-08:00

This morning the kids and I tagged along with AH's brother and his family for a day of skiing. I was excited to see my kiddos in action after 7 weeks of ski lessons but as it turned out I hardly saw them at all! They took off with their cousins and I would only catch a glimpse them in the lift line or soaring 20 feet above me from the lift chair. It was exciting to see them excel and enjoy a sport that AH and I love so much. The investment (minor investment - I found a fantastic and inexpensive ski school) was worth every cent!

The pack is ready to hit the slopes:

A rare picture of me with my kiddos:

Beeb and Miss B coming off the chair lift at the top of the hill:

Patiently waiting in the never ending lift line:

Miss C at the end of the day getting more practice in with the help of the magic carpet:

Beeb doing some easy magic carpet runs while we wait for the last of our group to meet us before heading home for the day:

I had a fantastic time and am so proud of my kiddos and all the progress they've made since January. I can't wait until AH can join us so he too can appreciate their remarkable ski skills. Unfortunately tonight my feet are terribly sore, my calves ache a bit and my overall body is tired and ready to lay down for the night. This evening I definitely feel my age plus 10 years - I need to hit the slope more often and take a decade or so off.

Cleaning in the Dark

2011-02-14T20:51:00.000-08:00

I am on a bit of a spring cleaning kick right now. The new entertainment room cabinetry has given us lots of extra storage space so I have started transferring stuff (or "junk" if you ask AH) into the new cabinets which in turn has freed up closet space that then requires a rearranging (a sort of demented cycle but in the end rewarding).

A newly reorganized closet:

Having a clean closet only enhances the rest of the cluttered areas of the house so today I decided it was time to clean out a few of those areas too. For example the kitchen junk drawer that I dealt with this afternoon:

I was able to get partially started on my office drawers (which really means creating a bigger mess than before once I took everything out of the drawers) but had to postpone the work when it was time for the kiddo's to come home from school. Typically this would have meant the mess staying out for several days (possibly weeks) until I got my "cleaning groove" back but then this evening a fantastic miracle happened. . . the power went out.

AH had taken Beeb to basketball practice so it was only Mr. B and I home and he had just confiscated my Zune leaving me with nothing to do but finish my project by flashlight. I cleaned out and filed away old bills and statements; threw away many files of paper work that had long since been outdated and useless; sorted through all our music CD's, computer game CD's and miscellaneous other stuff really should have seen the bottom of the trash can a long time ago.

I must say a house of order truly does bring peace of mind, even if it only gets done in the dark.

Happy {Early} Valentines

2011-02-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

Once a month we have a free "baby sitter" through a local church program that takes our kids for several hours giving AH and I a chance to spend a little time together. We drop our kids off at the church where they are ready with lots of games, crafts, running room and a movie room as well as 1:1 friend/supervision for kids with special needs. It's amazing!

This month AH took the free evening as an opportunity to surprise me with a wonderful Valentine's Day gift. After dropping the kids off we headed to a Thai restaurant that we been to in the past and had the most awful food ever (what a waist) but during dinner AH handed me with a little gift. I was truly stumped over the mystery gift because it was much too small to be anything from "the list". As I unwrapped the box I got so excited to see that AH took the initiative to purchase me my very own Zune.

AH bought himself a Zune about a month ago and I have been borrowing it regularly to play games or watch movies while the kids are at ski lesson, basketball practice, etc. I guess he got tired of his new toy going missing all the time.

Here's just one of the reasons I love AH so much. He knows who I am and that I am exactly the type of person who gets excited over all things computer related: RAM, external HD's, monitors or, as in this case, a Zune. This gift is the perfect gift because there is no monthly subscription to pay and yet I can still listen to my music, pod casts, videos, access the Internet or play games. Absolutely perfect!

I guess the lesson learned for this year is that AH has permission to veer from "the list" but only for things computer related but definitely not for adult sized footed pajamas.

(Beeb was so amazed at my transformation from "plain ol' mom" into "what I looked like before I became a stay-a-home-mom" that I thought I had better document it lest it never happens again and she has only this foggy memory of me looking halfway decent.)

Me just before we left on our date:

It's a NeuroticThing

2011-01-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

This week we are getting new carpeting in the family room, stairs, Mr. B’s room and my office. AH informed me that before I scheduled the installation date he had a check list of items that needed to be done prior to the carpet being installed. I told him he had until the day before the unknown install date to get it all done – and that the date would be sooner rather than later.

AH and I are not the fastest remodelers in the world. We’ve had our house 10 years and we are just now finishing the last “big” project. Of course the pace was mostly driven by funds but there have been a few projects that have just sat unfinished out of sheer lack of motivation. At this point I worry that if I don’t get the carpet installed now the stairs may sit bare for another two years.

AH’s list actually wasn’t so bad, he just needed the time to do it. This meant I needed to keep the kiddos out of his hair for a solid day (or the equivalent there of over several days time). He has made tremendous progress on his list in a very short time, especially after I told him last Monday that the carpet was coming in 10 days. Last night he tackled the last item on the list – a squeaky floor in Mr. B’s room.

Here’s where I need to explain how neurotic AH can be about certain things. I get lots of comments from people about the tidiness of my home (including garage). This is not me, this is AH. I am an average clean person. I am not especially tidy thought I do like to know that the surface underneath is clean. In our home I do the laundry, most of the cooking (including menu planning and grocery shopping), and other general household chores as I think is standard in most homes where the wife works in the home and the husband works away. AH takes my tidiness to a different level. Each night following dinner he cleans the kitchen – all of the kitchen. He 409’s the counters, washes and puts away the dishes, clears off clutter from the counters and vacuums the floor. This thoroughness is how AH treats everything in his life – he does not do projects half way. It is annoying for us less than perfect souls though I am thankful that AH never makes me feel guilty, I am capable of doing that on my own. When I get this way I yell at him for cleaning (can you imagine?). I know. . . I’m crazy (really I do know this but emotions aren’t always logical). On the flip side his need for clean does inspire me to work harder to be tidier and that is probably a good thing.

Now that you know a fraction of how neurotic AH is about his tasks you will understand how he approached the squeaky floor. After taking up the carpet he found a spot along the wall where the unevenness of the floor was causing the noise that drives him nuts. He put in a few shims to brace the floor more and the noise stopped – AH was very happy. He then realized that since everything is out of Mr. B’s room he would touch up the paint on the walls that had been patched a while ago but never painted over. He realized with the first stroke of paint in the closet that the color he was using didn’t match. I brought him a wet rag to wipe the paint off the wall. He then tried another color and called me back into the room to say that it too didn’t match and now he would have to remove the closet system to finish painting because he had already painted a quarter of the wall, too much to just wipe off.

“Why did you keep painting if you knew it was the wrong color?” I asked. “Nobody would have noticed that tiny patch at the back of the closet.”

“That’s not how I do things,” he answered.

“You’re crazy,” I responded supportively.

After finishing the painting he told me, “You’re not going to be happy with me in a minute.”

I stopped and looked at him. He had found another squeak in the floor and wanted to deal with it.

"I’m going to cut the floor open to find what's making that noise," he said.

“That’s fine,” I said back. “You’re not going to be happy with me either since I don’t like the color of Mr. B’s room and am going to want to repaint it soon.”

“You’re kidding, right?” he asked.

“No,” I said.

Guess what I’m neurotic about? If you guessed changing the wall colors you would be correct.

A Miracle of All Miracles

2011-01-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

IT finally happened. After six and a half long years of waiting; watching others go before her, being the last in her class to reach such achievements - the momentous occasion finally bestowed itself on Beeb.

She lost her first tooth!

On Monday Beeb was playing at the neighbors house (no school). I got a call in the early afternoon from our little neighbor girl who announced to me that Beeb lost her tooth. Beeb got on the phone and told me she was doing a limbo under a bar they have in their basement and she accidentally hit her chin on the bar. With her hands splayed out in front of her her tooth ejected from her mouth upon her chin making contact and landed in Beeb's hand! Isn't that amazing?!

When she came home she brought her tooth in a little clear bag and I inspected the gap. That's when I noticed that her new tooth had already pushed its way up through her gums and was hiding behind her baby tooth.

On top of that Beeb's recent x-ray at the dentist shows that when her permanent teeth do come in she'll be one short. Two of her front lower baby teeth are fused together and it looks like only one will take their place. The girl has some strange things going on.

The tooth fairy visited her and left her $5.00 for this milestone. Beeb quickly promised the money to her girl scout friend for a box of Thin Mints.

What Is In Our Food?

2011-01-16T18:56:00.000-08:00

Last night my sister and I went to a lecture given by Michael Pollan. I've been looking forward to the evening for months. I find Michael's writing style to be educational as well as entertaining; a great combination for someone who writes about food nutrition - an easily boring subject for the general population. His ability to be charismatic on paper has helped to drive forth the education of people from all socioeconomic backgrounds about the American government and corporate mismanagement for our food supply and production. This education has resulted in numerous books, articles as well as the creation of popular documentaries like Food Inc. and The Botany of Desire.

I won't event attempt to being to summarize the material he presented but I will share one item with you.

Just because an item says "low fat" or "non-fat" doesn't mean it is healthier. Fat tastes good and in order to keep food tasting good once the fat is removed food manufactures often replace fat with sugar. Note the nutrition labels above for yogurt (first three are yogurts I normally buy, the last one is a popular Costco brand) as compared with to the Coke on the end. Isn't that Kirkland brand sugar content interesting?

Essentially if you want to eat healthier foods, eat whole foods. Food without labels such as fresh fruit and vegetables or food with five or fewer known (real ingredients, not chemical additives) ingredients.

Skiing

2011-01-12T23:15:00.001-08:00

In Washington skiing doesn't equate plowing through white fluffy billows of snow that you see in Warren Miller promos. No, skiing in Washington means skiing in the rain through snow sludge. We decided that it was important that our kids learn to ski in sludge and so we enrolled them in ski lessons for the next several months.

Last week was lesson number one. The benefit of mid-week evening ski lessons is that you essentially get private lessons for a fraction of the price. It's nice to live near the mountain.

Beeb mastered the Pizza Slice (stopping) and French Fries (going straight) but Mr. B struggled a bit and DID NOT like that his sister was able to do something that he was not. He literally cried for over a half an hour (deep sobs, no fake stuff) on the way home. I learned two lessons last week. First, practice the Pizza Slice with Mr. B at home and second, bring hot chocolate as it cures everything.

(Pictures from last week)

Tonight we tried it again and when I picked the kiddo's up at the end of class both exclaimed that they "LOVED IT". Whew! Practice helped a lot for Mr. B and Beeb is now working on turning. Their awesome instructor says that they will be ready for the lifts in just a couple of weeks!

I am so glad that tonight wasn't discouraging for them and that they both feel successful in this new adventure. I can hardly wait to be able to ski with my kids! In the meantime I now keep a big thermos of hot chocolate with me, we all loved being warmed up by it on the drive home.

10 Years Later . . .

2011-01-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

A little over ten ago we bought a really crappy house on a really nice lot. We dis-affectionately called it "The Ugly House" (sometimes I still do). A common phrase we heard from friends who visited our new purchase was, "Wow, we could never do what you are doing, we just aren't that skilled." My FIL strongly urged us to walk away from it but AH and I saw the potential that others didn't. We knew that what was wrong with the house was strictly cosmetic and that the investment would pay off since it was the crappy house in the nice neighborhood. We also knew that it was 100K less than other houses in the area that weren't that much newer or nicer, and our house had more square footage and is on a great lot of land.

Over the years we remodeled virtually every room in the house from the attic on down. Nearly ever penny we earned went into the house as we tackled each new project as we could save for it. I'll admit we did it the smart way but boy has it been slow!

I am beyond thrilled to say that we are on the last "big" project. The family room we literally lived in for the first 6 months is now the last room to be completed. When we moved in this room had acoustical ceiling tiles, 6" wide OLD cedar siding (set on the diagonal) covering the walls (think lots and lots of places for spiders to hide!) and a very interesting footer shelf that lined the walls but not at the same height in all areas. AH and I could never agree on how to best finish the room so we just ignored it... for roughly a decade.

This last fall we decided it was time to tackle that beastly room. We had our wonderful friend and cabinet builder, Don, come over on several occasions to talk about what could be done to balance the room and make it inviting. I will brag here and say that Don agreed that my idea for fixing the footer issue was the best idea. What amazes me is that 10 years of telling AH my idea resulted in nothing, but when Don gives the okay the materials are bought the next day and the wall is fixed within a couple of weeks! Silly men.

So Don built my cabinets and even painted them for me (he prefers stained wood but the room is so dark I wanted to make it lighter and brighter) and then he and AH installed them. Did I mention that Don is 80? Yep he sure is and yet I hardly ever think of him being older than us because the man is more youthful than men half his age.

The room is not done but it is in immediate progress. The carpet is ordered and AH has finished painting the wainscoting and can start working on the trim for the wainscoting.

The poor stairs have not had carpet on them since we remodeled the kitchen over two years ago! Soon, poor stairs, soon.

Laying the foundation for the cabinets (See how high the footer (shelf) is? It changes height 3 times around the room. It's crazy.).

Ooh progress. AH feels the need to mud every wall to death before he paints thus the big white mud spot above the slider door (and the rest of the walls, but we'd already painted them so you can't see how spotted the room was prior. It looked like our walls had calamine spots all over them.). I love the lighter yellow color (a very soft yellow, not neon!).

I love that Don includes AH in the process. AH loves to be handy.

Nearly there. . .

Oops, no more pictures. They didn't finish up that night and I was out of town the next day when Don came back. Since then Don and AH put up all the beautiful trim around the edges, AH took up all the carpet in the room and has been a painting fiend on the wainscoting. I don't have a specific date for the carpet yet but it is ordered and now I wait anxiously for their call to schedule installation.

I am so so happy to be nearing the end. AH thinks that we'll finally be able to save some money now but I think he had forgotten. . . the new furniture.

Congrats - you are a First Reads winner!

2011-01-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

Monday night I received this little gem of a note from Goodreads.com:

Congratulations _______________!

You are one of our First Reads lucky winners! You will soon receive a free copy of Invisible River in the mail. Please allow a few weeks for shipping.

Don't forget to add the book to your Goodreads currently-reading shelf, and we encourage you to also add it to a "first-reads" shelf when you are done reading. Posting a review is optional, but please keep in mind that reviewing the book is in the spirit of First Reads. Publishers provide free copies to Goodreads in hopes of getting early feedback about the book. First Readers who post reviews are also more likely to win free books in the future!

If you have further questions, please contact Bloomsbury, who listed this book for giveaway.

Goodreads is not involved in the shipment of books to winners. Books usually arrive within 4-6 weeks.

If you've waited more than 30 days, visit the Giveaway Details page to let us know you haven't received your copy.

Thanks for playing!
The Goodreads staff

I was seriously shocked by the email because I never win (and I enter tons of contests) and there were 1423 entrants with only 30 selected to receive the book. I LOVE to read so I am happy to get anything that encourages this hobby of mine. Of course of all the contests I've entered I could think of one or two I'd have rather won so I hope winning this one doesn't jinx me or anything. Could this be my 15 minutes of fame? I seriously hope not!

I Love You

2011-01-02T21:41:00.000-08:00

For several weeks Beeb has been insisting that when I put her to bed I must stay and snuggle with her like I do with Mr. B. There is a big difference between Mr. B and Beeb’s nighttime activities - namely Mr. B goes right to sleep and Beeb doesn’t.

Tonight Beeb made her request while we read stories together. “Tonight you WILL stay and snuggle with me like you do with Mr. B.”

“Yeah right,” I laughed. “Mr. B goes to sleep right away and you take days to go to sleep.”

She leaned her head onto my shoulder and said, “Not tonight. I feel tired tonight.”

Indeed she was tired. She didn’t squirm throughout the stories and afterward she immediately snuggled down under her blankets with me.

We chatted for a bit and I told her that I loved her. Lately she has not been reciprocating these verbal affections and it has me worried so I told her so.

“You know, I haven’t heard you say “I love you” in a while,” I said.

Beeb held up her hand to show me the ASL sign for “I love you”.

“You know what happens if you don’t say “I love you” very often? Your lips forget how to say it.”

“Really?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“I love you,” she blurted out.

“You know what else happens when you tell me you love me?” I asked.

She shook her head no.

“It makes my heart happy,” I informed her. She looked at me and smiled.

Christmas Re-cap

2010-12-25T21:41:00.001-08:00

The days leading up to Christmas were so enjoyable. Last Sunday AH’s family had their big extended family annual Christmas dinner, program and white elephant gift exchange. I especially liked seeing cousins who we haven’t seen in a while and admiring their families and how they’ve grown.

Tuesday evening we went ice skating with the kids (see earlier post) which proved to be a very fun activity for us all.

On Wednesday evening I went to a production of Anne of Green Gables at our local playhouse. It was a musical and as delightful as could be. The music, actors, singing and set design were just spectacular and of course I adore the story. It was a really wonderful way to spend an evening.

On Thursday I took the kids to my mom’s for the day while AH stayed home to wrap up the installation of our entertainment built-ins (which never goes as smoothly as you hope). We enjoyed time with my brother, sister and one of my nieces. My mom made a wonderful lunch for us all and both the kids enjoyed playing/tormenting her little dog all day. Regretfully it was a short trip – I much prefer the longer ones that give more time for visiting and playing games.

Friday evening we went to AH’s parents for a big turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Following dinner each family provided a little entertainment by way of a skit, reading or activity. AH read the nativity while the children all dressed up accordingly and acting out their parts, and this was followed by the annual lighting of the Christmas tree (real candles) as we sang carols in English and German. This is always such a beautiful way to bring on the true Christmas spirit, singing beautiful hymns by candlelight.

Christmas came very early this morning. Mr. B was warned repeatedly last night that he was not to get up before 7am AND that he had to have his bed made and room cleaned before any presents were opened. At precisely 7am the squeals of delight poured into our bedroom as Mr. B saw what Santa had left for him. Beeb was much more restrained and I think still half asleep since Mr. B woke her up. The madness had officially begun and I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed and onto the couch.

The kids delighted in their gifts and AH’s parents and sister stopped by with more gifts for us and stayed through lunch. I was able to remove some of my most wanted items off my “materialistic list -->” – I am so happy for that list.

As the day went on AH went to work on our family room (new custom entertainment system went in a few days ago) and its long list of “must be done” before the carpet can be installed next month. I had woken up with a sore throat so I went back to bed after gifts were open but before the parents arrived. The kiddo’s played with their new gifts and in the afternoon I played with them. Beeb got a couple of beginning sewing kits so she decided to try sewing a “build-a-bear” that Grandma gave her. It took a little coaxing but she caught on and did a really good job. I followed up behind her and did another stitching over hers just to reinforce the seams.

Mr. B and AH worked for a bit building new Lego creations. Mr. B loves to get Lego’s and then have Dad put them together.

It’s always fun to see what gifts come from our Japanese relations each year. I rather like their “lego” variation that Beeb and I put together.

Beeb asked me to photograph her in her new PJ's and robe tonight just before bed:

At the end of the day I am thankful for those who’ve enriched our lives; our family and friends, acts of kindness from strangers, teachers and volunteers and all others who touch us so dearly. I am especially thankful for our health, as I’ve lost several friends recently, and appreciate the gift of life and being here to see my children grow. I am always thankful for our savior, Jesus Christ, and the significance of His life – the real reason we celebrate at this time of year and give honor to Him. Sometimes I sit and ponder what that means to “give honor to Him” – do you? It is a motivator for me to do a little better, try a little harder.

Merry Christmas to you all – may you invite His love into your hearts and know peace and comfort throughout the entire year.

Pre-Christmas Activities

2010-12-23T20:43:00.000-08:00

A few days ago AH and I took the kids to our local upscale mall for their winter snowflake parade. I was a little reluctant since it started at 7pm and my kiddo's are usually in bed by 7:30pm but after seeing pictures that friends have posted of this event I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate the season and worth the late night.

I must have been at the wrong location despite following the directions posted on the mall website. The event we attended, with people lining both sides of the street, had no actual "parade" but instead some drummers on stands located throughout the crowd. They drummed while some music played - that was it. No princesses, no one marching down the street waiving to us, no candy being thrown to the kids - nothing. I felt stupid for dragging my very tired husband out of his warm house to stand shoulder to shoulder with strangers for a drummer and a few bubbles sprinkling down on us from the tops of the buildings.

The kids were crushed and I was irritated as we walked back to our car. It was on the way that I proposed to AH that we take the kids ice skating in the park. Thankfully AH agreed not to waste the trip and so we headed to the ice rink.

We had a lot of fun! The kiddo's struggled initially but got the hang of it and were able to skate for short distances without holding on to one of us or taking out all the other skaters. Beeb even announced that having mastered ice skating she is ready to take on snow skiing.

In a Moment Everything Can Change

2010-12-14T21:54:00.001-08:00

Tonight started out rather rough. After struggling with Mr. B through part of his homework and then having both kids playing very loudly together, obviously hyper, and being too rough with each other (Beeb got hurt twice) I thought that the rest of the evening would have to be endured.

So I did what any mother of continuously squabbling kids would do - I snuck upstairs to work on cleaning out my craft room. Shortly after I started working Beeb came up to complain about her brother and his latest offense toward her. I had just found an ornament kit that we did for an Enrichment activity the previous week (there were extras so I took one home) and I asked Beeb if she wanted to make it. Together we worked on creating the ornament and it was fun. When we finished Beeb proudly hung it on the tree.

After hanging the ornament Beeb asked if we could make snowflakes. I can honestly say this is not a craft skill of mine, which I told Beeb, so she taught me how to make snowflakes. We each did our first one and then Mr. B came to see what we were up to and wanted to join in as well. The room was filled with the quietness of my two kids concentrating - folding and cutting paper and then excitedly showing me their creations. This quiet winter activity invited a sweet peaceful spirit into our home that only shortly before was filled with loud voices and the makings for a stressful evening.

As went to help get Mr. B ready for bed I entered his room and noticed a beautiful scene that served as a wonderful reminder of whom I am to be thankful to for the change in atmosphere in my home tonight.

I have been praying to find more meaningful activities to do with my children and while my prayer was answered tonight I forgot to give thanks until I saw that gentle reminder.

It softened my heart even more to see how my son had reverently arranged his dresser with deep honor and respect to those things which we hold dearest to our hearts. Mr. B (and Beeb) is working faithfully to finish the Book of Mormon before his 8th birthday. It is really hard right now but he has demonstrated a spirituality that I did not expect when we started. Just tonight as I read to him he would stop me to ask the meaning of a word he was not familiar with. This is tough stuff as 2nd Nephi references Isaiah and the language is very difficult to understand even for most adults. My heart is touched to see his love for the words of our Heavenly Father and an eagerness to choose the right.

The true spirit of Christmas filled my heart the evening and my gratitude to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is immense, even over powering - in the very best way.

When I Grow Up . . .

2010-12-10T00:10:00.000-08:00

I have decided, 20 years after leaving high school, that I finally know what I want to be – I want to be Terry Gross. More specifically I want to interview all the diverse people that she does on her NPR radio show Fresh Air.

Yep, that’s it – that’s my dream job. I told AH tonight about my dream. He encouraged me to go back to school and study journalism (sarcasm) but that’s not really what is standing in my way. What I really need is for Terry Gross to quit so I can have her job and yet, somehow, I don’t think that is going to happen. Oh, and her cool voice – that would definitely help too.

Tonight Terry interviewed Dan Charnas about his new book “The Big Payback – A History of the Business of Hip Hop”, a completely fascinating interview.

About a week ago she interviewed New York Times Supreme Court correspondent Adam Liptak. It was a so captivating, informative and yet her style is easy to follow and her connection with her guests feels so relaxed - as if you are in the room with them overhearing a private conversation.

New Hobbies

2010-12-08T21:11:00.000-08:00

The kiddos have each recently taken up a new hobby. Mr. B decided he needed to learn the board game Settlers of Catan and now pesters us non-stop to play. I will admit that he doesn’t do too bad and actually plays much faster than his Uncle’s (on AH’s side) which makes the game tolerable for me.

On Monday it was Mr. B’s turn to pick out the game for our Family Home Evening activity. Of course he chose Settlers of Catan which had us wondering what Beeb would do. I didn’t think the game would hold her attention, which was true, but in the process of keeping her entertained I introduced her to her newest hobby; styling my hair. She had fun, Mr. B had fun and I still won the game – fun for me (not so much for AH).

Fast forward to this morning when Mr. B presented our game Settlers of Zarahemla and requested we play it this evening. I was surprised that when this evening rolled around AH was a willing participant so we made Mr. B happy by playing. Shortly after the game started Beeb asked if she could style my hair again, explaining that she had quite the skills for styling. I relented and my poor scalp is still suffering – ouch! I hope she continues to hone those skills lest all my hair gets pulled out.

Beeb's pose for me:

The culprit:

The goofy bunch:

I continue to dominate the Settler's games but Mr. B did manage to tie with AH tonight. Not too shabby for a 7 year old.

TRON

2010-12-06T16:52:00.000-08:00

When I was a little girl in elementary school my brother would sometimes take me to our neighborhood corner market, aptly named The Pink Store with it's pink exterior, to play video games. I remember watching him play Tron and wishing I could play it was well as he could.

When the original movie came out I thought it was amazing and watched it repeatedly. Bruce Boxlietner was at the height of his popularity with his role in Tron (1982) and then Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983). (My mom thought he and Gil Gerard (Buck Rogers) were quite the hotties so we had to watch these shows each week.)

Today I got an invitation to the premiere of the new Tron. I invited AH to come along but now am wondering if that was the right decision. AH has not shown that he has the love of Tron necessary to appreciate or pick apart the new Tron since he hasn't seen the original movie (seriously neglected childhood). He has a week to brush up on his Tron trivia or suffer the wrath of his wife.

A Greater Love

2010-11-30T22:43:00.000-08:00

This week my good friend had her much anticipated baby placed with her after the baby's birth a few days ago. The experience has brought back adoption memories of my own son and has me recognizing how each story is unique and special.

In my friends case I have been able to appreciate the adoption from a different perspective than my own experience. The birth mother selected my friend (and her family) very early on in her pregnancy. She also lives locally and the entire process has been very "open", meaning they have had regular contact with each other, know full names, and developed a friendship. Our adoption process was closed - no last names or other personal information was divulged, though we did exchange letters and pictures after placement through our caseworker.

During the months of her pregnancy birth mom (BM) and my friend got to know each other. My friend would invite BM to participate in their family activities and she grew to love this special BM. I know my friend has had the utmost concern for BM and has done everything she could to help ease the weight of this decision for her. Her love for this young woman is strong and sincere.

A few weeks ago I attended a baby shower for my friend. It was a beautiful evening and I was so thankful to have the opportunity to meet the BM and her mother who both attended. I'll admit it was a bit awkward at times. Not wanting to say anything inappropriate was at the forefront of my mind and yet there was a strong Spirit present there that evening.

That night I realized how I missed out on the experience of really getting to know our own birth parents. Our adoption happened so quickly that our only meeting with them lasted about an hour, during placement, and then they were gone. We never really got to know them at all. I'll admit I am a bit envious that my friend has had the opportunity to develop a loving relationship with her BM.

I also realized that though you can imagine how hard such a selfless sacrifice it is (making the best choice for your child and not an emotional choice for yourself), you can't fully comprehend it. Of course I tried to understand this sacrifice during our own adoption but sitting across from my friend's BM, with her protruding belly and that uncomfortable 8 months pregnant look on her face, I realized I had no comprehension at all. I cannot even begin to fathom the strength it takes, though a new understanding of it certainly hit me quite forcefully. My heart implored for her and I prayed that she would stay strong and know peace with her decision.

My friend's baby was born after a hard delivery for BM. There were a few extra days needed in the hospital for recovery. Each day there was an immense anticipation of placement only to have it delayed repeatedly as medical issues were addressed. When placement finally arrived my friend was very excited over being able to take the baby home and yet her heart yearned to comfort BM whom she could see was struggling.

I think it feels a bit odd – suddenly having a new baby without all the physical labor of it. In my experience once the birth parents left it was very quiet, very strange to have this baby that I did not carry or deliver suddenly in my arms . . . forever. AH and I were a bit dumbstruck as to what to do. I had so many questions: Is he really mine? Can I really take him home and I don’t have to give him back? Can I really love him without worry that he’ll be taken away? How is birth mom coping? Is she at peace with her decision? How come it feels a little like I’ve stolen someone’s baby and when will that feeling go away?

For me the adoption process focused so much on the birth parents (specifically BM) that nobody ever really explained how it would feel for the adoptive parents. I was completely unprepared for the emotional turmoil of it. I didn’t actually find complete solace until we received a letter from the birthparents some 5 months later. The letter gushed of the sweet pictures we’d sent, the cute outfits he wore, and the joy that they knew he was bringing us. It was only after this letter that I was fully able to, in my heart, mind and soul, know that he was mine. I didn’t realize until then that I had been holding back a bit emotionally until I got her approval and knew that she was truly okay with her decision and I didn’t have to worry about her anymore.

Adoption is a case of greater love and for that my family and that of my friend are truly blessed.

A Thanksgiving Tangle

2010-11-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving feast for 12 turned into a feast for 4 due to the inclement weather (snow) making it impossible for my family to travel. I decided to continue with the planned menu and set out snack foods mid-morning, served a full Thanksgiving meal (we have days and days of leftovers) at 3:30pm, and promptly went to sleep following dinner for three hours. Needless to say I was not going to go to bed early and took this as a sign that I should go out at 11:30pm and hit the "Black Friday" sales in our area.

I returned home at 6:30am pleased with my purchases, the deals offered and have nearly all our Christmas shopping completed. AH and I decided not to do gifts to each other since we are getting a new built-in entertainment system this month as well as carpeting (finally!) for the family room, stairs and misc other rooms that need it. I am so delighted to be completing this final big project that I may glow for months once it is done.

After being snowed in at home for days (cabin fever) I took the kids to see Tangled on Friday afternoon (after sleeping-in until 12pm) leaving AH in a quiet house for a few hours. As we arrived at the theater the line was very long. A little worried I talked with the kids about our alternative plan should the show be sold out. While waiting in line Mr. B was getting very anxious that we might not get in and so he turned away, folded his arms and said a prayer (so cute!). When he was done he turned back to me and said, "Mom, I said a prayer asking that we'll be able to get in." After paying for our tickets (and yes it was almost sold out) Mr. B delighted that his prayer was answered even though we had to sit one row back from the very front of the screen.

Frugality

2010-11-19T19:34:00.001-08:00

AH is frugal, I am not. Merging our finances was quite the adjustment when we got married. One thing that I always love and appreciate about AH is his willingness to compromise. In a financial sense this meant that I tightened the belt and he let his out, I’ve watched my spending and he has been more willing to part with funds so long as we achieve our financial goals. These adjustments did not happen overnight.

Are we the most frugal family? Not even close. I still battle the urge to splurge and at times make purchases of non-essentials (way way non-essential) only later to have feelings of remorse when I get home and the occasional return of item(s). AH has usually been the rock of reason and, to the annoyance of the marketing industry, does not fall into the lavishly fancy marketing print, radio or TV ploys. A few years ago one luxury car manufacturer had a TV ad with the tag line of “Don’t you deserve it?” – AH’s reply was, “Yeah right, I deserve to have $60,000 in debt.”

However, we all have our Achilles heel; an area of weakness when it comes to needs vs. wants or desires. For AH that weakness has been the dream of owning a nice 4x4 truck. For 9 years he drove an older model Mazda pick-up that was gifted to him by his dad. It was a good little truck that met our needs without depleting our wallet. When the Mazda reach 19 years old and needed some repairs we decided it was time for AH to have a new vehicle. At the time gas was exceptionally high, trucks were not moving off dealer’s lots and amazing deals were to be had. AH made one of those amazing deals and his dream was realized. . . sort of.

As time went on AH had to leave his vanpool and I could hear the ache in his wallet every time he had to put gas into the truck. He would often come home lamenting about the cost of owning such a vehicle and yet loving it at the same time – the inner turmoil was fierce. Last weekend AH came out of his truck coma for good. He called me with the news of wanting to buy a Ford Fiesta – I was not pleased but I was open to the discussion. Unlike AH I don’t look at my vehicle as just a means of transportation, I actually do care about what I drive though I keep it within reason for AH’s sake (see there’s that compromise thing that we do).

AH worked up an elaborate two page spreadsheet comparing different vehicles to the truck. We were definitely looking for a more fuel efficient car, yet it had to roomy enough for our family and groceries, and it had to be relatively inexpensive. I had planned to make my next purchase a VW Jetta TDI. They get exceptional gas mileage (40+ mpg), are very roomy and are priced reasonably – but when we looked at the numbers the cost of the Jetta didn’t measure up. This resulted in more discussion, more spreadsheet comparisons and more stress for AH.

The other day I decided to be exceptionally mean to AH and I threw out the idea of a foreign Hybrid. I was teasing him because I know that AH would never buy an expensive Honda or Toyota (he likes to buy American “ad” cars). Never say “never”. AH did his research, compared costs and came back to me with the idea of buying a Toyota Prius. I fell out of my chair – okay, not literally but figuratively in my brain. This is so not typical of AH. He found a few used ones in our area and in our price and today after dropping the kiddo’s off at school we high tailed it to the dealership.

We went home with a new to us 2008 Prius.

We also went home with the knowledge that we will be saving $2000 per year in gas alone, as well as some additional savings as a result of this vehicle exchange.

AH is happy and his frugal soul is at peace once again. . .

I did catch him looking at used Ford Rangers on Craig’s list this evening.

Don't Mess With A 7 Year Old

2010-11-10T22:27:00.000-08:00

Mr. B's behavior has been struggling this week due to the time change (less sleep - going to bed later and still getting up at usual time), a bad cold, and all the Halloween sugar in his system. During dinner he was repeatedly asked stop making a specific gross sound and when he failed to comply he received the consequence of losing computer play time for the evening. It wasn't well received. . . he had a complete meltdown that was a magnitude 9.0 (did you feel it?). The shear level of it told me he was due for an early bedtime to help him recuperate from the above listed items.

After getting him calmed down and settled into bed he and I enjoyed a long snuggle wherein he professed his love for his mother repeatedly (of course) and then rolled over and promptly went to sleep (poor guy!).

As usually AH checked in on the kiddo's just before he went off to bed. He reported to me that while he was adjusting Mr. B's covers he stirred a bit, looked at AH and called out "Liar!" before rolling back over and to sleep again.

I am glad to know who Mr. B associates his consequences with even when I am the one who issues them.

Oh Halloween, Oh Halloween . . . How I Hate All The Candy!

2010-11-02T14:10:00.001-07:00

Well our neighborhood lived up (actually exceeded) our candy expectations for the year. As usual people who live in our small neighborhood stocked up on all the best goodies with the hope that a flood of kids would come through, and yet if things went like they did at our house they only had to get out of the recliner twice the entire evening.

Due to the low numbers each neighbor is thrilled when that door knock finally does come, and as they stare at the giant bowl of full sized candy bars and all the possible left overs they don't want to have they ultimately drown the poor kids in sugary sweetness solidified.

At one point in the 45 minute walk around the block Beeb begged to be done. Her candy bucket was too heavy and over flowing, causing her to stop repeatedly to pick up the candy that was falling out. I don't know why but I encouraged her to endure until we completed the loop and now I have to deal with the aftermath of not actually allowing her (or her brother) even a fraction of it and the temptation all that chocolate in the house presents to me (me = no willpower). Looking back now I see that I must have done it for the neighbors, they have come to rely upon our annual visit (obviously, why else would they buy 30 jumbo sized candy bars!).

Yep you're seeing correctly, we have a neighbor who actually gives out 8 packs of candy bars to each trick-or-treater. The kids insist on visiting their house every year above all other houses!

In the end AH (always the math geek when it comes to candy collecting economy) figured out that based on the number of full size candy bars alone, as compared to our friends who live in planned communities where mini sized candy is doled out sparingly and to ensure there is enough for the swarms who really do come to their doors, that it was the equivalent of going to 26 additional homes. Nice - all the fat with half the work!

Playing The Guilt Card

2010-11-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

Tonight Beeb talked AH into letter her sleep in the guess bedroom. An hour after tucking her in it was very quiet - too quiet. Beeb is our little night owl and often stays up playing for an hour or more after we tuck her in. The lack of sound tonight had me hoping I would find her sleeping but instead I found her watching TV with the sound muted! Smart Beeb. :-)

As I turned off the TV and tucked her in again she said to me, "Are you sleeping in here tonight?"

I laughed and replied, "No. Do I need to?"

"I might turn the TV back on," she informed me.

Ah the perfect moment for a dramatic pause as I looked into her eyes.

"Can't I trust you?" I asked innocently.

"Ooohhh!" she said in defeat.

UPDATE: With the TV option removed this is how I found Beeb after she finally fell asleep. She had snuck out into the hall, grabbed the library book basket and read to her hearts delight.

Oh I Know. . .

2010-10-29T16:06:00.000-07:00

One of those great parenting pleasure is knowing how to snap your child out of a "mood" when nothing else and no one else can. For Mr. B it means that I become "Kissy Mom" and chase him around the house, grabbing him and smothering him with kisses.

It works every time!

Inspiring Quote

2010-10-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

"Life is too short to be frustrated for having to live it." - Emily H. 9.19.10

Play List

2010-10-22T12:22:00.001-07:00

I am rocking out to my "editing" play list today. I love it so much I wanted to document it in case I lose it. Be warned I like a wide variety of music and this doesn't even begin scratch the surface. Of course if it may inspire you as much as it does me (or you could hate it completely - just don't ride in my car because guess what we are going to listen to... )

Why Don't We Just Dance - Josh Turner
We Belong - Pat Benatar
Tell Me You Love Me - Leela James
Supermassive Black Hole - Muse
Short Skirt/Long Jacket - Cake
Shadows of the Night - Pat Benatar
Runaway - Bon Jovi
Only the Young - Journey
No You Girls - Franz Ferdinand
Me and Mrs. Jones - Michael Buble
Le Jazz Hot - Glee Cast Version (though Julie Andrews is still the best version)
King of the Beach - Wavves
Just Dance - Lady Gaga & Colby O'Donis
Invincible - Pat Benatar
I Do Not Hook Up - Kelly Clarkson
Human - The Killers
Honey, Honey - Mama Mia Soundtrack
Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Buble
Don't Stop Believin - Journey
Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine
The Distance - Cake
Cooler Than Me - Mike Posner
Change - John Waite
Breakeven (Falling to Pieces) The Script
Better Together - Jack Johnson
Animal - Neon Trees
American Honey - Lady Antebellum

Hmmm, something is missing from this list. I think I had better scrounge up some Phoebe Snow to keep the groove going.

Political Angst

2010-10-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Politicians Who Currently Control Everything,

As we head into mid-terms elects please note that my usually liberal self has been forced to the more conservative side due to your stupidity in voting in a Healthcare Reform that nobody bothered to read or analyze in order to understand how it would affect those of us who already pay the majority of the taxes in our country.

This week alone my family has been told by our employer that our insurance coverage will be changing and that we will be responsible for up to $6,800 per year increase for our insurance coverage due to the insurance industry dramatically raising rates as a result of “Heathcare Reform”. My neighbor, who is a self-employed insurance salesman, had his families catastrophic only coverage increase by $140 per month (starting this month) and another friend was just told by his employer that his monthly contribution toward for his families insurance is increasing from $154 per month to $366 per month starting in January.

Please tell me Politicians Who Currently Control Everything how Healthcare Reform has benefited my middle class family?

The only thing that has change for me is how I am voting this year.

The Evolution of a Bubble

2010-10-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Beeb has reached a new milestone. No she hasn't lost her first tooth yet (nor are any loose to her disappointment) but she has mastered how to blow a bubble.

I knew she was coming along when I caught her blowing bubbles in the bath:

And sure enough it was only a couple of days later when from the backseat of the car she started squealing with delight over her newest accomplishment.

She must have blown a few hundred bubbles that afternoon.

Ghosts & Bad Attitudes

2010-10-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

I was inspired to make some Halloween decorations after getting my Country Living magazine last month. There were so many cute and easy projects to do and I thought it would be a fun way to craft with the kiddo's and some of their friends.

Indeed we had a great time making these ghosts to put around the house (and send home with friends) and bring on the Halloween spirit. However, Beeb needed an attitude adjustment when it came time for pictures and she didn't get the spot she wanted on the bench - thus her sour face.

We are going to leave her out there until after Halloween to scare all the trick-or-treaters.

Verminophobia = AH

2010-10-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

AH loves the toilet bowl tabs that drop into the tank and then slowly release a massive chemical mixture into the water that is powerful enough to keep your toilet bowl clean while at the same time destroys the plastic in the tank causing leaks and that oh so fun "running" toilet sound.

Tired of having to replace parts in the tank AH came home with a new product to try:

The application of it was simple and it really does stick to the bowl (nice that it is not in the tank) HOWEVER the chemical odor the gel admits is nauseating and strong. I mentioned to AH how our bathroom now smells like a doctors office and he shrugged me off though the battle is far from over.

The next morning Beeb walked into her bathroom after waking up, turned to me and said, "How come the bathrooms smells like doctor _______'s office?" - My point exactly.

The Question

2010-10-07T19:06:00.001-07:00

I love you too Beeb!

No Yolk!

2010-10-03T23:44:00.000-07:00

I have a friend, neighbor and official new YW President for our ward (I have been released and she was called to serve). My friend approached me one day and said that her chickens are now laying eggs and producing more than what she can use and so she would like to give her excess to me. Giddy up! I use a lot of eggs, it is one of my favorite proteins, and so any way to cut my egg bill makes me happy.

What is even more cool about this gift is that she delivers! Let me tell you, I've gone to egg heaven. Once or twice a week she drops off the cutest little basket filled with eggs. I love it - so Laura Engles Wilder.

The Nap

2010-10-03T15:12:00.001-07:00

This morning Beeb came up to me and said, "Momma, will you put me down for a nap?" A very unusual request from her and I immediately wondered if she were sick though there were no signs indicating that might be the case. "Sure." I said, "After lunch."

So after lunch Beeb and I made our way to my bed (because it is the biggest) and she brought a soft blanket and 7 books she wanted me to read to her. We snuggled in and proceeded to make our way through book upon book of Halloween stories. About half way through Mr. B came in search of us and always up for a good story he climbed in for a snuggle and story too.

When all the stories had been read Mr. B requested a bath and I told him to wait until Beeb was asleep and so he snuggled up to me even more. I knew this would be problematic as it was so warm and so cozy in that bed and it made it very hard to fight off the drowsiness that follows such comfort. Sure enough a few minutes later Beeb slipped out of bed and I followed shortly after leaving Mr. B to enjoy a wonderful autumn afternoon nap. That boy is so predictable - so easy to get to sleep so long as he is warm and cozy!

I Am Not Gone. . . I Promise

2010-10-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

I'll be back soon. . . I hope. If you really know me then you know I am in the throws of senior picture season and family holiday portraits too. I am so swamped I don't even have time to read other people's blogs let alone post on my own.

Two things I'll share about today (since I am here I might as well be productive). First, Beeb dressed herself this morning in a blue and white flower print summer dress. Since it wasn't especially warm out she partnered her dress with a long sleeve shirt underneath (it was brown) and blue tights. She looked a bit silly but hey, let the creativity flow. So later in the morning she came to talk to me and felt that her outfit needed an explanation. She told me, "There are blue flowers on my dress but I couldn't find a blue long sleeve shirt so I chose brown because flowers grow in dirt." She is so cute!

AH is out of town this weekend and so today it was just the kids and I. For the most part the day was very mellow while I tried to spend as much time as I could listening to General Conference and the inspiring messages. I'll be honest, it was a supremely lazy day for all of us and It must have been needed because I had the kiddo's in bed by 7:23pm and they were BOTH asleep by 7:50pm! Beeb rarely does this, she is my night owl!

So while I had the evening to myself I thought I would put on a movie and fold my mountain of laundry (because I've been swamped with pictures I'm a bit behind in my chores and mainly because I am out of clean underwear). I think I washed nearly every piece of clothing in our house because it took me over 2 HOURS to fold all that laundry! I watched an entire movie and then moved on to another one before I finished. I've left half of it on the family room floor (the kid's items) to put away tomorrow but it took some serious arm strength to carry my basked of clean close up to my room. I might actually be sore tomorrow!

One last thing, AH (I love him so much - 100X more than when we were first married) left me a little message this week and a gift. I woke up to find a t-shirt draped over my monitor and a message that said, "I know you CATAN finish editing. Love, Turk" and it goes along with the t-shirt that says "Yes We Catan"! He is so sweet! I felt a weight lifted knowing that he understood my work pressure right now. It is so nice to have that verbal/written support and that he can make fun of my Settlers of Catan addiction in such a fun way.

I'll be back soon. . . I promise!

The Laziest Runner

2010-08-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

I am probably the laziest runner ever. In the past three months I have ran three times. Each time was for a race to which I did no running prior to condition for it. Luckily I've been playing some ultimate Frisbee with AH and friends a few times a month and it has saved my behind as I start and finish each 5K with a reasonably okay time (for someone who doesn't train).

I did it again this past weekend - I ran another 5K race. It hurt (especially that last mile) but I did it and with a better time than the race before. This not convincing my body that I actually need to train in order to do these 5K races. I am in trouble.

Luckily the kids head back to school in a week and then I can have that argument with my body when I am out running.

Beeb Logic: Gutters

2010-08-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, another dose of Beeb logic (we're long overdue).

On the drive to church today Beeb said to me, "Mom, you know how your teeth are attached to your gutters. . ."

"You're gutters?" I inquired on the verge of laughter as I look over at AH.

"Yes your gutters." she responded.

"You means your gums?" I reply back to her.

"Oh yeah, your gums. Well you know how your teeth are attached to your gums? My gums are really soft and slimy."

Good to know Beeb. (she says the funniest things, that girl!)

Out Of The Mouth Of Babes

2010-08-17T12:14:00.001-07:00

Mr. B's friend was over during lunch today. Before he started eating I reminded Mr. B of what he was supposed to do and he quickly prayed over his meal.

Afterward his friend said to Mr. B, "We don't pray before we eat. I know you do but we don't."

Mr. B responded, "Maybe you could remind your family to do it. They will be blessed if they do."

My heart is very content right now. :-)

The Pressure Washer Shower

2010-08-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

Tonight AH returned home after a full day of motorcycling the back country trails with his buddy. As I passed by a window I heard the kids laughing and I looked out to see them all wet (still fully clothed) while AH was pressure washing his bike. The kiddo's are yelling at him and then I see him turn the hose on the kids (I promise, it wasn't too close or powerful enough to do harm). I guess the kids needed a quick spray down too - that's one way of getting them clean.

Why Pornography is Wrong (It's Not Really About Sex)

2010-08-10T22:21:00.000-07:00

Often times I read things and have many thoughts about them that I want to share or express but for some such reason or another I am not fully able. Tonight I came across a post on this very sensitive subject that really speaks to my understanding of it in a way that I doubt I could ever put so well. Thanks SilverRain for sharing your insite (and the rest of your blog - I really love reading it!).

The Rains Came Down: Why Pornography is Wrong (It's Not Really About Sex)

I have recently gone through a drastic paradigm shift that has led me to understand several gospel principles in a new way. One of these is pornography.

There is a great deal of discussion about pornography in the LDS blog world. At the risk of oversimplification, essentially the discussions involve three basic views. First, that pornography is evil because it exploits women and plays upon natural man drives. Second, that pornography in moderation is not that bad if it helps husbands and wives have a more fulfilling sex life. Third, that there is really nothing wrong with pornography because the women who are depicted choose their careers, and would do it whether or not any particular person used it.

But there is another, more insidious aspect to pornography that I believe may greatly damage the lives of anyone it touches in ways that ripple out to destroy wives, children and friends.

While I have not ever been involved in pornography, there is a certain level of it which cannot be entirely avoided in today's society, so I am minimally familiar with the concept. Generally speaking, pornography involves showing people in various states of undress, or depicting a sexual encounter through stories, but nakedness and sex are not what defines pornography. In fact, pornography can consist of people entirely modestly dressed, and often does. Sometimes an actual sexual encounter does not even need to be depicted or described. Pornography is not nakedness, it is the depiction of forbidden or unattainable sexual desires in a way that allows the viewer or reader to direct the fulfillment of those desires.

When a person views a pornographic picture or reads a pornographic story, they are in some ways putting themselves into the scene. They are able to fantasize about doing something that they cannot do in real life. Essentially all forms of pornography involve having someone else do what you want them to do.

In short, pornography is a way of finding sexual gratification that circumvents the agency of another person. It is about control, not about sex.

In normal, healthy, husband-and-wife sex, two people have to work together to find mutual pleasure and joy in physical expression. That's why it is such hard work, and why so many people struggle with it. It is not that there is anything wrong with the individuals, it is that divinely-sanctioned sex is not meant to be easy. It is not meant to be about fulfilling one's own needs, it is meant to be about seeking ways to meet a spouse's needs. When two people attempt this, there are bound to be missteps along the way. However, when this is done, husband and wife form strong bonds of love as they seek their spouse's needs before their own (very powerful) ones. Sex should be a form of charity held sacred to be performed only between husband and wife, so there can be a bond between them that no others share.

When a person seeks physical fulfillment in ways that ignore the agency of another person, they objectify and thus can manipulate a person (even if it is only in their own fantasy, and even if it is on a strictly limited basis). That person mocks one of the most important laws of God: the law of agency. They then damage their ability to find pleasure in giving, grinding grooves of habit that make it impossible for them to associate sex with selflessness.

Once a person ties their sexual pleasure to control and manipulation, other aspects of the marital relationship assume the taint of a need to control. Then that person can easily begin to see all relationships as relationships of control. When a relationship is about control, it is no longer of God.

If you look at scripture, about Satanic interaction with mankind as compared to divine interaction, you will see that relationships with God never, never violate the principle of agency: of choice and accountability. Satan almost always tempts in one of three ways: by convincing us there is no choice, by convincing us there is no consequence, or by telling us that we do not have to be accountable for what we choose, that it somehow isn't our fault.

Is pornography wrong because it exploits women? Undoubtedly. But it also exploits the viewer or reader, teaching them that joy comes only from control. In the end, that is far more damaging.

Finding Spiritual Inspiration

2010-08-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

A goal I have this year is to grow more spiritually, whether by reading the Scriptures, reading or listening to talks given by church leaders, listening to hymns and reading of there history, through gospel discussions with others, etc. There are so many ways for me to work toward my goal.

This week I decided that I wanted to listen to Music and the Spoken Word as it has been announced that the program will be inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame later this year. When I went to the website for it I had missed that day's broadcast by a few hours and couldn't find any way to hear past episodes.

I was disappointed but not discouraged. I perused my way around the Church radio website and came across a wonderful gem. The Church has a radio program called "Conversations" that interviews people of insterest to those of our faith (and by that I mean Christian, not necessarily just LDS).

Deciding to give it a try I listened to an interview of Elder David A. Bednar and Sister Susan Bednar by Sherry Dew. The beginning started out okay as I listened while editing pictures but then about a third of the way through the interview the conversation topic really caught hold of me and from there on I was so enraptured that I actually had to repeat several sections of it so I could take notes. It was, in essence, like having Time Out for Women, EFY, Women's Conference, Youth Conference, etc. right in my own home. When the hour was up I was sad for it to have ended; my heart and soul begged for more.

Tonight I repeated this experience and listed to an interview of Elder Richard G. Scott and his daughter Linda Scott Mickle. Once again I found myself pausing to hear incredibly profound thoughts, laugh at some of their life experiences and felt nourished to my very core, as I am sure was meant to happen. I wanted to pause and call friends who are going through incredibly hard trials and say, "I just heard Elder Scott speak of your trial, a trial he went through as well, and he shared his views on it and I was moved. Please go and listen to it, I think it will uplift you and give you strength." Then I decided I want all my friends and family to have this opportunity because I think we can all be edified by it, thus the blog posting.

The program is called Conversations and can be found HERE. Take an hour to listen, to know more of those who guide us in a way that is as if they are sitting in your own living room talking, relaxed and giving you a side of themselves that is so much more personal.

Conversations features interviews with people of interest to the LDS community—General Authorities, Auxiliary leaders, and faithful Latter-day Saints. Some are joined by their spouses, who contribute an additional dimension. Each has an interesting story and a unique perspective. These discussions are done in a style which allows the listener to become acquainted with those being interviewed in an informal way. This is particularly interesting with the featured general authorities, who are known to most only in formal settings. Conversations offers advice, wisdom and interesting stories that will lift your spirit and inspire your thoughts.

The Seed Finally Did Take Root

2010-08-02T09:58:00.001-07:00

My MIL is an amazing woman. Dedicated to her family, she always inspires me with her example of charity, faith, devotion and love.

For AH's birthday this year she included a sweet little gem of an article that she originally cut out of the Seattle Times on October 14, 1973 by Erma Bombeck and was titled "The Seed Finally Did Take Root." (Originally published in 1971 under the title "The Green, Green Grass of Home") This humorous story brought several chuckles from me as I read it and realized how befitting it was for her third child (my husband).

Maybe you have one of these types in your family or perhaps you are married to one like I am; either way enjoy.

The seed finally did take root

When Mike was 3 he wanted a sandbox and his father said, “There goes the yard. We’ll have kids over here day and night and they’ll throw sand into the flower beds and cats will make a mess in it and it’ll kill the grass for sure.”

And Mike’s mother said, “It’ll come back.”

When Mike was 5, he wanted a jungle gym set with swings that would take his breath away and bars to take him to the summit and his father said, “Good grief, I’ve seen those things in back yards and do you know what they look like? Mud holes in a pasture. Kids digging their gym shoes into the ground. It’ll kill the grass.”

And Mike’s mother said, “It’ll come back.”

BETWEEN BREATHES when Daddy was blowing up the plastic swimming pool he warned, “You know that they’re going to do to this place? They’re going to condemn it and use it for a missile site. I hope you know what you’re doing. They’ll track water everywhere and you’ll have a million water fights and you won’t be able to take out the garbage without stepping in mud up to your neck and when we take this down we’ll have the only brown lawn on the block.”

“It’ll come back,” smiled Mike’s mother.

When mike was 12, he volunteered his yard for a camp out.

As they hoisted the tents and drove in the spikes his father stood at the window and observed. “Why don’t I just put the grass seed out in cereal bowls for the birds and save myself the trouble of spreading it around. You know for a fact that those tents and all those big feet are going to trample down every single blade of grass, don’t you? Don’t bother to answer," he said. "I know what you're going to say, “It'll come back?”

THE BASKETBALL hoop on the side of the garage attracted more crowds than the Winter Olympics. And a small patch of lawn that started out. With a barren spot the size of a garbage-can lid soon grew to encompass the entire side yard.

Just when it looked like the new seed might take root, the winter came and the sled runners beat it into ridges and Mike's father shook his head and said, "I never asked for much in this life. . . only a patch of grass.

And his wife smiled and said, "It'll come back."

The lawn this year was beautiful. It was green and alive and rolled out like a sponge carpet along the drive where gym shoes had trod . . . along the garage where bicycles used to fall . . . and around the flower beds where little boys used to dig with iced tea spoons.

But Mike’s father never saw it. He anxiously looked beyond the yard and asked with a catch in his voice, "He will come back, won't he?"

The NEW Encyclopedia of Handguns & Small Arms

2010-08-01T19:23:00.000-07:00

Mr. B has always been obsessed with guns. AH has repeatedly assured me that this is perfectly natural for a boy (and yet I still feel uneasy about it). Today I put my foot down. I refused to let Mr. B take his latest library book into church to read:

I mean seriously what kind of mother would I be if I had let him? Of course AH noticed it on the front seat of his truck when we left. I told him it was a better theft deterrent than a car alarm (and cheaper too). Who on Earth would break into a car that is obviously owned by a gun fanatic?

Torchlight Run

2010-08-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

Last night turned out to be a perfect night for the Torchlight Run. I joined several friends in this event and we all had a great time.

I was extremely anxious about this race due to the fact that I hadn't run at all since a race in early June. Having the kiddo's home all day has really put a damper on getting in the miles. Of course I could always wake up before the crack of dawn to run (yeah right!) or go in the evening after they go to bed (yeah right!) but my preferred running time of day is mid morning and it just hasn't been happening. I set my goal for this run to just finish without walking.

In the beginning I kept pace with my friend Ms. G. It was a bit frustrating because we started near the end of the pack of participants so we spent a good deal of time having to weave in and out, trying to get around the slower participants. That was really annoying and I think my time would have been significantly better had we not had to do this (I've never run in a race with 5000 participants before - lesson learned: get up near the front at all costs before the race starts).

Just before the halfway mark (my turn around point, Ms. G went on to do the 8K) I broke ahead of my friend and felt surprisingly good. My body felt loose and nicely warmed up and my feet felt fantastic, which was wonderful considering I haven't ran barefoot in over 6 weeks (I am paying for it a bit today, but not nearly as much as I had expected).

At the halfway turn things really got nice as the crowd of runners were significantly dispersed and it was much easier to maneuver around them. I generally stuck to the inside and even enjoyed jumping a few orange lane cones. I could feel the excitement of the run within myself. I really loved being out there and was cruising past everyone. There were a few people who tried to challenge me a bit but I had no problem increasing my tempo and the gap between us.

Toward the very end (last 1/2 mile) the air was semi-stagnant and I could feel a blister on my big toe forming. I looked over to my left and spotted another friend, Ms. S, cruising out of the tunnel that the 8K'ers route took them through. She looked great, we greeted each other and then she quickly passed me (I can't wait to see how she did for her overall time and within her age division - she's a quick one!). It was perfect timing, she inspired me keep it up and finish strong; just what I needed right then. Overall at this point I was still surprised at how good I felt and at how I was easily running several minutes faster than my normal pace despite the mild foot discomfort and no soothing breeze.

Just before the final turn a woman, who I had passed earlier, made a break to go around me. It took me by surprise and as she passed my old sprinting mentality/competitiveness kicked in. At this point I could hear one of the race volunteers encouraging us to take the turn "nice and wide" and I literally though, "Screw you. That is so stupid." I hit the corner hard and on the narrow inside and booked it to the end (easily passing the other woman before the turn). It wasn't my fastest sprint but it was solid and surprised me that I had that much energy left after not having trained in so long.

I don't know my final time, due to my timing chip falling off near the start of the run, but I know it was better than the race in June which really surprised me because I felt that race the entire time (running with a friend at a pace faster than I normally run) and this time I just felt great the whole way. I've emailed the race people to see if they can work a miracle on my behalf and figure out my time based on my bib number but I won't hold my breath.

Upon reflection I realized that my conditioning (what little I had) is all due to ultimate frisbee. AH and I started playing it every Thursday night with friends earlier this summer. I guess that 90 minutes of running even one day a week did pay off for me in the end. Imagine what I could do if I trained seriously?

The Rattlesnake Climb

2010-07-31T13:57:00.000-07:00

I have some seriously fun friends and yet quite a few are also a little demented as well. Take my friend Ms. J (I have several by this name but "you" know who you are!) as an example. Ms. J had a baby just 8 weeks ago (that's 8 WEEKS AGO) and this week decided that she wanted to climb a small mountain with her 5 year old and 8 week old in tow. Somehow she persuaded me and another friend to come along with her and include our kids just to make the trip even more enjoyable (because you know how much my kids love to hike up mountains!).

The weather for the day turned out to be stunningly perfect and thanks to my GPS (see how I've already claimed AH's birthday present) the kids were so enthralled with the hunt for treasure at the top of the mountain that they did the climb beautifully and with minimal whining.

Note super cute picture of Ms. J and her kiddos smiling beautifully for the camera:

Note my kiddo's and their faces (and this was the best of 3 shots!):

The descent turned out to be much harder than the climb. Lots of tired, whining kids and lots of falling and getting scraped up, and a scary fly that tormented Beeb and Mr. B. Alas we made it to the bottom intact and exhausted and as a treat to ourselves we had a nice Thai lunch wherein Mr. B quickly ate his food and then proceeded to lay down and fall asleep in the restaurant!

It was a great day and a great hike with great friends.

On a side note my questionably sane friend, Ms. J, is running a 5K race with me tonight (that's 8 WEEKS after having a baby).

Geocaching

2010-07-29T15:33:00.001-07:00

Earlier this month while vacationing with AH's family we took part in a couple of Geocache hunts with his brother. This isn't the first time we've done this fun technology treasure hunt but it is the first time it has occurred to us that it would be a fun way to hike with our family (because we are sharp like that, it only took a couple of years to sink in).

So for AH's birthday I bought him a gently used GPS and we've had a wonderful time trying it out (more to come on this subject as I update our July adventures). Today I downloaded the coordinates for some nearby caches and we took our neighbor and her girls with us on the hunt. We found 5 caches in all and my neighbor even found $100 lying on the ground until Mr. B confessed it was some money he took from me and it fell out of his pocket during a tantrum (probably no more on this but serious consequences to be had later today).

All in all I am totally hooked; just what I need another addicting hobby.

Beef Stew

2010-07-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Beeb requested a bath this morning. While washing her hair some mysterious bubbles floated up to the surface. Beeb announced that she had tooted (obviously). "Or sometimes I call it beef stew,", she told me, "because it is funny."

Indeed.

We're Home

2010-07-12T23:30:00.000-07:00

Well we are home from a nice vacation. We got to enjoy the lake, sunshine, boating and playing with all of AH's family.

I am still so refreshed that I actually put all our trip gear away today, the day after we got home - not 2 week from now like I normally do, but within 24 hours of returning home! THAT is a sign of a good vacation.

The Beeb Turns 6

2010-06-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

Well she made it to her 6th birthday. I think the anticipation nearly drover her batty but she survived (with only a little extra craziness remaining). We surely do love our Beeb.

These Make Me Happy

2010-06-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

The sun came out this week and it made me happy. We've had a very raining end of spring but now the sun is out and all is bright and cheery again, a little like my flowers. These are the last two from my plant and they make me happy too. I love their delicate lacy edges and soft pink petals.

M.I.A.

2010-06-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

My kids are out of school for the summer and home full time now. Enough said.

Beeb - The Concert

2010-06-07T19:39:00.000-07:00

The elementary school had the kindergarten concert tonight. Beeb looked beautiful and loved all the attention. At certain intervals in the program each kindergarten class was asked a specific question and then each child answered. Beeb's class was asked, "What are you most looking forward to in 1st grade?" There were a plethora of "recesses", "lunch", "popcorn Fridays" and then there was Beeb who answered, "Homework!".

That Stinks!

2010-06-01T21:54:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my SIL reported a hefty unexpected expense of a new furnace when hers went kaput. I sympathized as I know that exact pain in the rear and wallet at the most unexpected time. In hindsight what I should have been doing was knocking on wood. . . every where. . . all the time. Last Thursday, as I was folding laundry in preparation for our weekend away, AH told me the dreaded news. . . our septic tanks were nearly over flowing and the newer pump (we replaced it a few years back) wasn't coming on. Ouch!

We called the septic repair service and scheduled an appointment for tomorrow but in the mean time the tanks did not fix themselves over the long weekend (as I'd secretly hoped) and the problem persists. Now I am just hoping we only need another new pump and not a new system (or loan to pay for that system); I'll find out tomorrow.

In the interim, after lecturing the kids about not peeing and pooping in the yard recently (seriously, I had the talk to the neighbor kids too - apparently our yard has a huge sign that says Honeybucket somewhere on it) I've had to recant and give the big thumbs up. Okay, not really but it is starting to get that desperate when you aren't allowed to flush the toilets. Even with three bathrooms your options run out quick.

Life Is Good Again

2010-05-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

I got ANOTHER, this time new, monitor and HALLELUJAH it is finally calibrated after hours on the phone with the manufacturers tech support (of course their calibration tool didn't work right but luckily I had my other calibration tool that did).

I am a happy happy girl today.

Now to catch up on my client editing.

Oh, and I have two fantastic monitors to sell if anyone is interested. One for graphics/photography editing (CRT Monitor) and the other is a 6 month old, 26" LCD amazing monitor not for photoshop editing but really awesome for gaming. :-)

The Move. . .

2010-05-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

THIS:

Is causing all THIS:

Why? Because the monitor won't fit on my desk in my office so now we have to move my office to another room with a deeper desk. It's a HUGE pain (requires cleaning out 3 rooms!) but necessary for my photo editing.

It's nice to know we are loved, and I hope a huge sigh of relief will follow. Sorry Jenn, I'll keep working on AH to move to your town. :-)

Husband Errand

2010-05-17T17:13:00.001-07:00

Today I asked AH to stop at the grocery store on his way home from work to buy a cucumber. AH brought me this:

The 3 Peas . . .

2010-05-14T16:29:00.001-07:00

The girls on a beautiful spring afternoon.

Mechanically Inclined

2010-05-14T15:04:00.001-07:00

Today Mr. B and his friend, Mr. A, took it upon themselves to ensure the undercarriage of my car was in tip-top shape:

Aren't they just so cute? Love those boys!

Dear Tooth Fairy. . .

2010-05-08T22:55:00.000-07:00

Mr. B pulled out another loose tooth today but accidentally lost it when playing this afternoon. He left this note under his pillow tonight for the Tooth Fairy:

Molerific

2010-05-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

About 16 months ago AH had some moles inspected and biopsied off his body. One mole in particular came back with a funky report which got the dermatologist all worked up. Calls from them came in to me frequently with urgent requests for AH to come back in to have the mole in question removed - for good. I would pass the messages on to AH and AH, being a guy, put off going back in until I finally gave the dermatologist AH's work number and instructed them to nag AH and not me. It worked. AH had the mole in question removed from his back earlier this week. The next night I removed the bandages so I could clean the area and was flabbergasted by the sheer surface area removed from AH's back.

The length of the stitched up area is 3"!!! AH was not walking around with a gigantic mole on his back so I am very perplexed as to why so much tissue had to be removed in comparison with the actual size of the mole. However, I do know that skin cancer is not something you mess with so I am glad they got all the tissue and hope no further procedures will be needed.

Moving is Overrated

2010-05-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

My friend and I met at the gym yesterday and completed the Body Pump class. It is an hour of intense weight training with 30 strangers wherein you must continue even when your arms or legs are quivering in petition of a break because you refuse to look like a doofus and stop before anyone else, so you push on.

Turns out I am still the doofus, today I am nearly unable to walk.

Time Out For The Ladies

2010-05-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

Shortly after our return home from kayaking I took off again with nine girl friends to a wonderfully uplifting conference called Time Out For Women. Yep, it is just for women (though I think there was one man in the audience this time - and we loved him for it). Normally I attend this conference every other year with my SIL who lives in another state; we both drive and meet up at the conference. This year I decided to round up a group of friends from my area to go with me.

I came away from the weekend feeling renewed and having a notebook filled with inspiring quotes and ideas.

One of our favorite presenters was Mariama Kallon. Her story of struggle, war, endurance and faith touched all of our hearts. We all shed tears with her as she recounted her life living in Sierra Leons during their civil war and how she came to know God and found her way to America.

Of course I met up with my SIL again.

Our journey home had a 3 hour detour in Moses Lake. I've been sworn to secrecy as to this pit stop and what it entailed but I will stay it involved the Golden Corral, square dancers, prom, Walmart and a wooden chicken.

Below are some of my notes and favorite messages/quotes from the weekend:

Sister Hinckley was once asked how to have a successful marriage. Her quick reply, "Lower your expectations." - as told by Virginia Hinckley Pearce

How will you know if you are growing spiritually? (taken from Dallin H. Oaks talk "The Challenge to Become")
- You will start losing your disposition to do evil.
- You will begin to see things as Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ see them.

"The fast track to misery is to compare yourself to others." - V.H. Pearce

"Everyone is on their own path. Each path is successful if you are doing what the Lord has asked." - V.H. Pearce

"Peace joy and hope are available to those who measure success properly." - Julie Beck

"We can be out of touch by being consumed by the world." - Ardeth Kapp

"I have a photographic memory, but not same day delivery." - Ardeth Kapp

"Be your own kind of best mom; be the kind of mom your kids need." - Linda Eyre & Shawna Eyre Pothier

S. Michael Wilcox shared this regarding Hope:

Look Forward - hope comes on where we put our eyes
Look Backwards - to see what we have accomplished, to know what we can do
Look Beside You - HE walks with us

Wendy Ulrich shared these gems:
1. Stop worrying about your weaknesses - instead identify and focus on your strengths.

In an answer to prayer when she felt inadequate she received this answer: "I didn't call you on a mission for your weaknesses, I called you for your strength."

2. Don't try to get motivated to exercise. Commit to just 2 minutes of exercise, the motivation to go longer will follow.

3. Stop trying to find friends. Instead, develop skills of friendship.

4. Don't try to feel happy. Try to feel grateful, do the gratitude exercise each day.

5. Celebrate failure. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing ___________?
- badly = this is better than not at all and often where most lessons are learned.

6. Don't practice resisting temptation. Instead, practice distraction, feed your real hunger, take back your power over what you can control.

7. Don't endure to the end.
"Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." - President Hinckley
Savor everyday delights.

Emily Freeman shared some ideas for finding hope.

"Part of learning to love life is learning to love the journey." - Emily Freeman

Each day list a favorite thing. As you review your list it will give you hope each day.

Give with simplicity.

"Hope sustains the soul in moments that would otherwise destroy us." - Emily Freeman

Week in the Life: Days 5, 6 & 7 (plus a few more)

2010-04-28T16:21:00.000-07:00

Friday morning AH and I got Mr. B off to school, finished packing, dropped Beeb off at my wonderful neighbors and headed to the airport (AH had packed the camera away, thus no pictures). We had a quick flight to Las Vegas with some turbulence at the end that had everyone clapping once we landed safely. AH's good friend Jason and his wife, Wendy, picked us up and we headed off to kayak the Colorado River.

We arrived at Willow Beach a couple of hours before sunset and got busy putting the boats together and loading our gear in and on the boats.

We set up a temporary camp the first night and then headed out early Saturday morning "before the wind picks up" (Jason's theme of the trip). We paddled up river for about 6 miles, the last mile against a strong current, to our main bases camp. Up the canyon of our campsite was a wonderful hot spring waterfall and pool. It was private and wonderful!

Saturday afternoon we went across the river and explored some other canyons and hot springs. That evening we enjoyed a nice dinner and played some card games. We were all very tired and slept soundly that night.

Sunday morning we headed out early again with our goal being to make it up to Hoover Dam. We stopped a few times to check out little side canyons and hot springs as well as warm waterfalls along the way.

We stopped at the "sauna" caves. Words can't describe the heat and humidity as you make your way to the end of the tunnel/cave. I did make it to the end but I didn't stay long!

We made our way up several slot canyons, all having many hot spring pools to enjoy.

The water in this pool was a toasty 110 degrees. Jason said it felt fine so long as you didn't move.

On Monday we decided to head out so we spent a leisurely morning enjoying the last bits of hot springs and then packed up. We took our time floating down the river, exploring more little coves and canyons. At one point we lashed our kayaks together and played some dice games. It was very relaxing.

We ended up in a sweet $60 per night room at the Rio just off the strip in Vegas. We enjoyed their seafood buffet and literally ate ourselves sick. It was nice to have a shower and good seafood - a great way to end our trip.

This was a great way to end my "Week in the Life" series. I am glad to be caught up!

Week in the Life: Day 4

2010-04-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

We were on the road early today. The kiddo's have early morning swim lessons and LOVE it. I enjoy sitting in the very warm pool area reading my book or magazines.
I had a lot of packing/trip preparations to get done (of which I made but a small dent). I met with my monthly Healthy Eating group where we discussed the documentary, Food, Inc. and enjoyed tasty treats. I made a quick stop at the grocery store to get a few items I forgot the previous day and had to stop by REI to get biodegradable soap and peruse the bargain bins.

I got the entire house cleaned! My office was immaculate. It felt so good to have everything in order; I only wished it happened more often. As usual Mr. T came over to play with Mr. B. They are currently "thick as thieves" at home and at school - getting them into some trouble at times.

I spent the evening (a wonderfully sunny evening) photographing a beautiful young lady (senior pictures). It was such a great way to end a very productive day.

Week in the Life: Day 3

2010-04-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

Poor Beeb hates Wednesday's because it is my "errand" day when I hit the town and get all my stuff done that requires driving. We usually leave as soon as Mr. B heads to school and then are done just in time for me to drop Beeb off at the school front steps where she books it to class.

On this particular Wednesday we did a little grocery shopping at Fred Meyer. I love that Beeb likes to be helpful and push the cart for me. She's still working on her steering skills and she gets better each time (she didn't hit me or any other carts). I treated her to lunch since I knew we wouldn't make it home in time.

We also did a quick trip to Costco and I left with only a 1/3 of the bag full. Now that's impressive! They must not have had anything good that day, my self control just isn't that strong in that store. Beeb hit the ground running when I got her to school.

The rest of the day was picture free. I had a little nap, delivered photos to a client and did my visiting teaching. When I got home I dropped into bed!

Week in the Life: Day 2

2010-04-20T21:40:00.000-07:00

Two of my most favorite things include reading and baths (I usually have 2 baths per day). I am currently reading "Book of a Thousand Days" and loving it. Beeb had art lessons this morning and came home with her usual master piece. The girl has serious talent. She is always great about clearing her dishes from the table after she eats and then we had some sock/foot wars.

Once Beeb was off to school it was time for me to get some serious computer work done (okay, I play games while I am editing - seriously!) Beeb's stuffed rabbit set up camp by the front door awaiting her return (so sweet!). My two very favorite magazines both came in the mail TODAY (that's never happened before) which always makes me happy. No matter how healthy I try to eat there is one food I'll never give up - Mac & Cheese. I can't recall a time in my life when I didn't devour this tasty processed junk and I still love it to this day.

I love meeting the school bus in the afternoon. I love having the kiddo's home and hearing about their day. I miss them so much - why does school have to be so many hours each day? You know who else misses the kids? Zane and Lucy, our neighbors dogs. If I could adopt Zane (he has the white face) I totally would, it would be worth the fight with AH. The kids love Lucy, she's their favorite. Really it's the best way to have pets - let the neighbors have them and you just play with them when you want (sort of like grandkids).

Tonight I made a yummy Chicken with Mushrooms and Artichokes dinner in my NEW dutch oven that AH bought for me last week (for no particular reason - love those kinds of gifts!). It turned out yummy and we even had our neighbors over to enjoy it before we headed to the school for the 1st grade musical concert. Mr. B did great. He got to stand on the highest riser was super wiggly and goofy and I loved watching him perform (he loved it too!).

A Week in the Life . . .

2010-04-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

My neighbor and great friend, Christine, has persuaded me to participate in a "Week in the Life" picture/scrapbook challenge. Today being day 1 here is my first post NOT actually scrapbooked but rather "blogged" because I'll never actually have time to scrapbook it (at least not this year. . . or next if I am being realistic).

The Story of Monday~

I woke up with no intentions of serious productivity toward my mile long list of things to get done before AH and I head out on our vacation this weekend. I got Mr. B off to school in shorts as we celebrate the fabulously warm weather. I even packed him a super healthy lunch with a surprise treat of a chocolate candy egg and Hershey's kiss.

Beeb and I headed out mid-morning and met up with my visiting teaching partner. We visited with Alison (who, much to Beeb's delight, has alpacas) and then Rachel and her daughter Jennifer (who, much to Beeb's delight, has a very friendly cat). Then Beeb and I proceeded on to the bank and a quick trip to the library before I dropped her off at school.

For the early afternoon I found myself at PCC to pick up some fresh fruit and a few items for dinner. I ran into my friend Melanie in the produce department. I adore Melanie and the more I get to know her the more I like her. We chatted it up for a good 30 minutes before we both had to get on with our shopping. I hope to catch up with her this summer and do some day hikes with our kids.

The drive home ended in satisfaction and perplexity as I had a near miss accident on the interstate when a woman, talking on her cell phone and driving 90+, was weaving in and out of traffic and nearly hit me as we both made a lane change at the same time/place. Lucky for me she took my exit and I was able to record her license number. Angry as I was by her reckless attitude I couldn't bring myself to report her UNTIL she started passing cars illegally (double yellow line) on the narrow winding road between the interstate and my home. It felt good confirming to the 911 operator the car make/model that he brought up after I gave him the license number. In the end I felt perplexed about how to handle this situation come June, when talking on your cell phone while driving becomes a primary offence. Will I get a ticket for calling in this type of situation while I am driving? Hmmm, food for thought.

Apparently this little incident got my adrenaline pumping because now I found myself with great ambition and proceeded to clean all 3 of our bathrooms, sort and clean the cupboard beneath my bathroom vanity (including the drawers), make a fun after school snack for the kids, sew a pillow for Mr. B's bear, bake banana bread, bathed the kiddo's and put them to bed (giving AH the night off to tinker in the garage) AND do this entry.

I leave with a list of what is currently on my iPod (that I am currently listening to):
Then - Brad Paisley
Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
Golden Years - David Bowie
Me and Mrs. Jones - Michael Buble
Short Skirt/Long Jacket - Cake
Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
The Distance - Cake
So What - Pink
Please Don't Leave Me - Pink
The Climb - Miley Cyrus
Maybe - Ingrid Michaelson
Long Black Train - Josh Turner
Waking Up in Vegas - Katy Perry
Cowboy Casanova - Carrie Underwood
Wouldn't It Be Good - Danny Hutton Hitters
State of Love and Trust - Pearl Jam
Mercy - Duffy
I've Got That Thing - Catherine Russell
I Can Talk - Two Door Cinema Club
Supermassive Black Hole - Muse
Never Think - Rob Pattinson
Clair de Lune - The APM Orchestra
Better Man - Pear Jam

Sigh....... I mean Si

2010-04-17T23:17:00.000-07:00

AH and I were very productive today with my attending a baby shower in the morning, and AH readying our garden area and we both (okay, mostly AH, but I did help in the end) building our raised bed garden boxes. We capped off the day with a family and friends hike up Little Si.

Let me say that friends are a great motivator but unfortunately friends don't make us in shape. Poor Mr. B learned that lesson today as he tried to keep up with his buddy but was plagued with side aches. Fantastically he made it to the top and I applaud his efforts. It is quite a feat in and of itself to endure and complete such a physical task when your entire body wants nothing more than to stop. I am very very proud of him and his enduring and finding triumph in reaching this goal. AH also deserves huge kudos as he prodded the boy along the entire way and was patient and kind and never let Mr. B give up.

Beeb had her little friend "S" to motivate her and neither of them ever seemed to run out of energy. They literally ran up the trail/mountain and then ran back down it. I am so not exaggerating. Beeb is going to be her fathers daughter in this area. I look forward to our summer backpack trips with her.

Beeb did hike up and down the mountain wearing that head piece and butterfly wings. Miss "S" hiked the mountain in her skirt and boots. Ladies it is always important to be fashionable no matter the destination.

Mr. B found this cool cave to explore.

We had to wait a while at the bottom for the "boys" so the girls picked flowers galore and Beeb made some wishes. Thankfully we left all the flowers there for the other hikers to enjoy.

Tagged - Blog Chain

2010-04-15T21:26:00.001-07:00

My friend Sus tagged me to share some info with you all. Hopefully this is the first step to ending "the funk".

10 Things that make me happy:
1. Saturday/Flea markets
2. Cuddling with my kids
3. Sunshine
4. A happy husband
5. Taking pictures on a warm summer evening
6. Reading
7. Retreats with my girl friends
8. Recieving kind notes in the mail
9. Shopping with my mom & sister
10. Playing board games at family gatherings

5 Pieces of Trivia (that you may or may not know)
1. I have no grey hairs. . . yet. (and I don't dye my hair so I really do know this is true!)
2. I love having my picture professionally taken, though it rarely ever happens since I am the one who is usually behind the camera.
3. More often than not I won't eat the meat I prepare for dinner because I really don't like the taste of most meats.
4. I am a sympathy cryer - if you cry, I cry.
5. I love to get in my car and drive. Road trips are my kinds of vacation.

5 More Bloggers
1. Queen
2. J. Stokes
3. Rachel B.
4. Rayette
5. Mara

Funk

2010-04-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

I realized it has been a while since my last post. I'm in a funk. I keep expecting the funk to lift but each day it is still with me. I know it will go away eventually (hopefully sooner rather than later) but for now I am wallowing in it.

Once my funk has ended I'll have many news posts as the kiddo's have been very active in their creativity and random verbiage that amuses me so, but unfortunately every time I sit down to update the blog with them the funk consumes me and I just have to walk away.

I'll be back.

Baby Blues

2010-03-31T10:48:00.001-07:00

I am feeling a little melancholy today after watching more baby videos of Beeb and Mr. B yesterday. I miss my baby Beeb with her pointy little index finger and her hatred of water/bath time. I miss crazy little Mr. B running around trying to show off all his insanity to get our attention. I miss rocking in the chair with a baby in my arms all wrapped up in a blanket, drinking a bottle and ultimately falling asleep.

I am immensely grateful for my two beautiful children but some days the rate at which they are growing up is so overwhelming that I am overcome with sadness and a longing to do it all again. I guess this is the plight of most mothers though I hear being a grandparent is way better so I guess I have that to look forward to, in what feels like the not so distant future.

Mr. B: Officially 7

2010-03-29T23:39:00.001-07:00

He made it, though it nearly killed him (figuratively, not literally). He was so excited for his actual birthday that he woke me up this morning at 5:30am! I made him snuggle with me for a bit and then we got up and I made his birthday breakfast (Swedish pancakes) and some banana muffins to share with his class today.

Following school he got to take one special friend to Chuck E. Cheese where we ate pizza and played games galore.

We had a nice little family party Sunday night that included AH's parents and cousin Alex. Last weekend we celebrated some of the March birthdays on my side of the family (my mother's birthday, nephew, and Mr. B all together). So essentially Mr. B has 3 days of birthday celebrations.

Here he is, my big 7 year old!

Mr. B Approaches 7

2010-03-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

In just a few days time Mr. B will have his birthday. I can hardly believe how the time has flown by. Thankfully he is still my snuggler, he still gives the best kissed (Beeb gives the best hugs) and he still thinks it is okay to kiss his mom (even in front of his friends). Each year I am amazed at his progress toward becoming a young man. Honestly, it is going by too fast. I can't get enough memories stored away of him at each stage.

My wonderful, sweet, bright eyed boy. You are such a blessing!

Bribes

2010-03-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

I got a call today from Beeb's teacher. Apparently when she got to school she went up to Mrs. J and gave her $10.00 and told her that it was for being such a great teacher.

My mid-year conference with Mrs. J is next week, thanks Beeb for greasing the wheels a bit. :)

Beeb's piggy bank is going into lock down tonight.

Simplicity

2010-03-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

Beeb left me a little message on the driveway while waiting for the school bus this afternoon.

Really, it doesn't get much better than that.

Today Was Fun

2010-03-18T20:58:00.001-07:00

Today was a fun day. Of course I would have had to work at it for it not to have been fun since the sun was out first thing this morning, the birds were chirping and the fragrant scent of spring flowers was wafting through the air. So it was an excellent start which put me in an excellent mood.

After getting Mr. B on his way Beeb and I lounged for a bit watching home videos of our little family (mostly Mr. B & Beeb) when they were teeny tiny. Oh how it made my heart ache. These kiddo's of mine are growing up just way too fast!

Next Beeb and I made Oatmeal Raisin cookies together. They turned out super soft and chewy and sooooo yummy. In fact they were so good I even took some to Beeb's class today to enjoy as an impromptu snack time treat.

(Beeb adding the applesauce (butter substitute) to the cookie batter)

Beeb primping before the bus arrived.

After Beeb went off to school I headed to Mr. B's class to volunteer for the afternoon. He was having a great day and I got to join him at recess but unfortunately he wasn't interested in playing kickball and instead was very much involved with his friends in playing "super spy" to which I was only allowed to observe.

Once everyone was home from school Mr. B ran off to play with our neighbor while Beeb and I threw the hacky sack around and tried our hand at hitting the wiffle ball with the plastic rackets. Daddy came home and played some more with both kids outside.

As it turns out Beeb has already turned into her mother. This evening she came to me requesting a nice warm bath to warm her up since she was so cold. Ha! That is a true trait of mine showing through and she's only 5! (note to self: tell AH about Beeb's bath request) She may look like her daddy but her personality is greatly my own.

Enjoying some suds with Dora.

Once the kiddo's were in bed I had a case of the munchies hit me and proceeded make some super yummy mini frittatas with ham and cheese this evening. Let me tell you, so so delicious!

All in all a truly fun day. My feet are cold now so I guess I wrap it all up and go take a nice hot bath.

Ladies Night

2010-03-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

They ladies had a little night out. It was wild, it was crazy and I am super thankful to RoseAlba for taking out Mara on the race track as she was close to passing me. :-)

The Ladies

Mara's hair speaks for itself - really it does, it shouted, "Hey, I'm over hear!" during the entire laser tag match.

These crazy (and I really do mean they are all certifiable) ladies went on the "swing". I wish I had been able to capture some of their expression mid-ride, it did not entice me to try it.

Bumper cars. I was highly disappointed. The new bumper cars have super soft tubes around them so there was no whiplash sort of jolts. Very wimpy!

The Accidental 5K

2010-03-13T18:42:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I got up at 6:15am (crazy, I know) to go help out as a volunteer for a local St. Patrick's Day run a friend of mine puts on. It was a chilly couple of hours as I helped to input timing chip data in to the computer for those who registered the day of the race. By the end my knees were very nearly frozen and obviously so was my brain as I decided at the last minute to jump in and run the race as well.

I've never run a 5K race before and wasn't planning for this to be my first but the opportunity presented itself and well, you're only young(ish) once. Thankfully I have been running on my own and have successfully run that distance in my training but it was a whole new world to do it with 800 other people. I ran with my friend Lacey and it was a good partnership (I think) because we seemed to have the same pace (I think - she might have slowed down for me) and having her there helped me to not walk up the last hill which made me very happy. (who puts a hill at the end of a race?????)

As a result I readily admit the feeling was awesome and I am officially bitten by the bug and am contemplating what other races I can register for in our area. My only regret was that I wasn't wearing my VFF's but I can do that next time.