So Very Me

Family Photos 2012

2012-11-13T07:08:00.001-07:00

Click here to view these pictures larger

Brigham City Temple Open House

2012-08-30T19:44:00.001-06:00

We got tickets and took the whole fam to the temple open house yesterday afternoon. It was a long day, but the temple was beautiful and the peaches we bought afterwards on the fruit highway are out-of-this-world delicious.

Funny thing, we carted our camera all the way to the tour and back and forgot to take any photos! So once the bus dropped us back off at our car, we hopped in and drove back to the temple to get pictures. We also got to see some award winning pumpkins in someone's garden along the way. One pumpkin weighs 900 lbs and is still growing!

So here are some of our favorite photos. Oh, and check out Garion's cute hair accessory in the two family portraits - it's awesome!

Arise

2012-02-24T09:45:00.001-07:00

Stop whatever you are doing right now and watch this video.

Then download the mp3 here to listen to all day long. I promise your day will go much better. You'll find yourself smiling from ear to ear. Then you will begin humming merrily to yourself as birds whistle lovely tunes back at you through the window. Heck, crack that window and they may even perch on your finger! It's seriously that awesome.

Watch it.

Now.

Secret admirer

2012-02-19T06:26:00.001-07:00

It was Valentine's day in Mr. Gahl's 4th grade class in Dublin, CA. I labored over class valentines the previous evening, choosing and addressing notes for my classmates and then making sure each conversation heart I gave them didn't say anything embarrassing like "marry me" or "kiss me". The details of my outfit are vague now, but I know that it was carefully chosen to reflect the holiday down to the leather oval hair clip with a picture of Snoopy lying on top of a large red heart. It belonged to my mom, and my sister and I fought over who would wear it on special occasions such as this. I'd like to think I won.

The school day passed uneventfully for the most part. General announcements, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance along with the principal over PA system, then reading groups and math. Then we had morning recess. I rushed out with the others, enjoying a little bit of freedom to jumprope and giggle with my girlfriends. But when the bell rang and we returned to the classroom, I was in for a surprise.

I knew something was up when I saw Mr. Gahl. He was a tall, energetic man with a big nose and equally large grin. He was sort of bouncing around the room, and then he paused at the front of the class and rubbed his palms together excitedly.

"Class, we have a SEEE-cret ad-MIR-er among us!" His voice was loud and sing-songy, and his eyes sort of bulged behind his glasses. "Before we go on. I want each of you to check your desk because this admirer has left a SPECIAL SOMETHING for one of you..." He grinned even wider.

I was petrified. I was naturally shy, and this man's antics were making me extremely nervous. I started blushing out of anticipation, not even having a clue whether or not I was the victim. Some of my classmates were hurriedly rummaging through their loose papers. Not me. I was very slow and deliberate, my prayers becoming more fervent as I inched my left hand forward into the dark hole, please don't be me, please don't be me!

But it was me, and Mr. Gahl knew it. He hovered over me, exclaiming as I pulled a homemade card from my desk. All movement stopped and all eyes were on me as my cheeks turned from pink to crimson. The secret someone had taken a piece of white copy paper, folded it in half, and then in half again. On the front he scrawled "Happy Valentine's Day!!!" I opened the card to find a smiley red construction paper heart with white paper arms and legs, wiggling around on a spring fashioned from folded paper strips. Under the valentine was written "From: ?!!"

It didn't take long to figure out that my admirer was Jason Palmer, a skinny, red-headed, and terribly freckled boy who sadly/ thankfully wore a blush just as terrible as mine. I was the recipient of someone's crush and had no idea how to handle it. I would discover in the next couple weeks that I actually had two boys fighting for my attention. The second sweetheart was blonde and chubby Paul and he gifted me with several drawings of 3-D spheres, cubes, and cones - his latest artistic talent. In my awkward shyness I never replied with more than a handful of meaningless words to either of these boys, which must have been terribly frustrating for them.

Speaking of Church

2012-02-19T05:30:00.001-07:00

I live in a unique area where our ward boundaries outfit us with the type of Church membership to constitute the feel of a branch, with it's lack of regular, active members, and a large welfare population. So where many people would imagine there to be a shortage of assignments in a fully function Utah ward - being land of the Mormons and all - some how I got stuck with 3 callings.

And they aren't your average appetizer callings. These are main dish type callings that require a whole lot of ongoing attention. Callings that require specialized training, where simply finding a substitute isn't an option. I am currently serving as scout den leader, visiting teaching coordinator, and young women 1st counselor. The latter of the three is my most recent calling. I've been told that they will find replacements for the other two, but until then I've sort of been expected to carry on. And it isn't my nature to let people down if I can help it. I hate to leave people hanging, especially when I don't know how long they'll be hanging.

So I continue to do my best to serve in all these areas of primary, relief society, and young women. And I really shouldn't complain too loudly. Because right now I'm in a position to do these things. I am blessed and so is my family. It is hard to see if the blessings are indeed connected to the service I render, but blessed nonetheless. Great health, supportive and loving hubby, really great kids, good health, support of family and friends, talents and ideas and capabilities that assist me in doing these things and making a difference in the lives around me. But I'm ready to be done with some of it anyhow. I'm getting close to burn-out and I'm useless to everyone if that happens.

Hot chocolate in the wee hours

2012-02-19T05:15:00.002-07:00

It's too early to be up. I miss sleeping in. Well, I guess I miss the option of sleeping in, 'cause I've always been more of a morning person anyway. Daniel is waking up at night, usually around midnight and again at 4:00 am. I'm usually too tuckered out to hear him at midnight so I think he just cries himself back to sleep. But the one at 4:00 almost always wakes me.

He's got this stubborn sore on his tongue that we can't seem to get rid of. Most of the time we assume it is gone, until it gets big and white and swollen. Then I feel like a terrible mommy for not noticing sooner and rush him to the doctor. She thinks it is thrush, a yeast infection, and I have to trust her because I haven't got a clue. But he's had it off and on since Thanksgiving time.

I noticed this one much sooner. The only thing we can think of is that the sores are perpetuated by bottle drinking, so yesterday I cut him off cold turkey. Tossed all the bottles in the garbage. No bottles before nap or bedtime. Zip. Nada. I imagine he's going through withdrawls, or he gets hungry in the night. Or his tongue hurts.

You should have seen the grin on his face at 4:00 this morning when I quietly went and got him from his crib. He really does love me. I tried giving him a drink from a sippy cup, but he wouldn't have it. After a little cuddling (total shocker - he never cuddles!) I decided to make him some hot chocolate in a mug with a straw. Apparently that did the trick, because when I took him back down to his room and covered him with his blanket, he didn't make a peep.

Now I'm sitting here, sipping my own mug of hot chocolate, wishing church didn't start in 4 hours. I can't decide whether to try and get another hour of shut-eye or play on the internet until everyone else wakes up. Hmmm...

Bacon Bits and Sea Salt

2012-02-18T11:38:00.001-07:00

And you thought I was going to talk about some fabulous recipe! Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you.

It all started when I felt the bug to get together some 72 hours kits. I read an idea for family home evening in the Friend Magazine where members of a family were told they had 2 minutes to grab whatever they needed to survive for 3 days and meet in the car. Then they drove somewhere and discussed over ice cream sundaes what they had grabbed, what they wished they had grabbed, and how they could be better prepared for if and when disaster struck. I loved it and decided to recreate the experience for our next fhe.

So we started out with our usual songs and prayer. And then the real fun began. Instead of introducing our lesson, I said in a loud voice that there had been a disaster and we had 2 minutes to grab whatever we needed for the next couple days and meet in the car. At that point Ani burst into tears - I had completely scared her. She was literally shaking and sobbing as she ran around the house. Ester and Garion were a little more level-headed because they knew it was probably just a drill. And Daniel just ran around laughing at all the commotion.

We were quite the site when we pulled up to McDonalds with our plastic grocery sacks filled with odds and ends. Ani was certainly relieved and had calmed down a bit as I parked. The older kids were mortified and begged me not to make them bring in their stuff, but I did. We dumped everything in a corner booth and I had the kids sit tight while I ordered hot fudge sundaes. Then we took turns presenting the items we had grabbed.

Ester was the only one with water. She also brought a box of Life cereal, bananas, pjs, her scriptures, a funky bottle of nail polish with a built in flashlight, and her violin for entertainment. Garion brought a blanket, coat, a box of granola bars, his toothbrush and toothpaste, his recorder. (Apparently we would be the life of the party if we ever had to take shelter somewhere else!) Lucy brought about 12 pull-ups and her blankie, Elena had several changes of clothes, blankie, garbage bag, and hers and Ani's toothbrushes. And Ani grabbed her blankie and whatever food she could find on the counter chich happened to be a bottle of bacon bits and a bottle of sea salt. As for me, I was so busy herding kids that I had slippers, no coat, a single diaper for Daniel but no wipes, and our fire safe of important documents. But as one of the kids pointed out later, I hadn't brought the key to the safe, so it was fairly useless.

The original panic of the evening was replaced by a sweaty game of tag, and laughter up and down the slides of the playplace. I sat there watching them, slightly self-conscious about my haggard appearance, but mostly pondering my kids' reactions and why they brought the items they did. I wished Jacob had been here to participate (he had to work late) and I resolved to put together those 72 hour kits right away so I wouldn't be consigned to a diet of bacon bits and sea salt.

It's been fun...

2012-02-15T13:00:00.002-07:00

...but it is time to move on. I like my blog, but can't keep up with it. There are other ways for me to stay connected with family and post my likes and dislikes, so I'm going to simplify. I'm keeping the blog, but I'm going to make it private and use it like a journal. That's the current plan, anyway.

Lucy's Angry Birds Party

2011-12-15T14:09:00.002-07:00

Lucy turns 4 years old tomorrow and this is her first friends party. In years past we let her help blow out the candles on Ani's cake and give her a few token gifts. Makes the already crazy holiday season a little saner. But I thought this year she deserved more. At her request we are having an Angry Birds party. Jacob will tell you how much I love throwing parties, but how very stressed out I am before and during the event. Ah well... 'Tis what it is. Today I am detailing the plan and then I will fill in the rest later with all the pictures I snap.

Guests received a very simple and cute invite:

As guests trickle in I will have them choose a bird to color. I will make a necklace/ sign thingy out of the bird picture and they will "be" that bird during the party.

I've got plastic easter eggs in a basket that I will show them and then we will set them somewhere to "stay safe". Then I will play for them the short intro on the Angry Birds game that shows the piggies stealing the eggs and why the birds are so angry. I think most of them are familiar with the game, but not sure. While we watch that, I'm going to have Jacob sneak the eggs away and hide them all around in another room.

When we discover that our eggs are missing, we'll know exactly who did it. I plan on having a wall set up with cardboard blocks and stuff and there will be green balloon piggies tied here and there through out the blocks. We will play beanbag toss and take turns trying to hit the piggie faces through the cardboard. (I know, it's kind of hard to imagine, but I will post pictures -- I promise!)

After we have battled the piggies, we will hunt for the missing eggs. Then we will hear the doorbell ring (thanks in advance, Jacob!) and on the front porch will be a giant golden egg in a nest -- actually a pinata (where's the tilde key when I need it?) and we will bring it inside and smash it open traditional style. I don't want a candy overload, so I just plan on having their goody bags inside. Thankfully none of the goodies are breakable. I found some super fun things on clearance over the last few months: silly bandz, glow glasses, robot bugs, and of course an egg and some angry bird stickers. We'll have cake, open presents, and go home! And hopefully that will be an hour and a half worth of fun.

Things that make me smile at 17

2011-10-12T22:31:00.003-06:00

I found this journal entry when I was digging through an old box in the basement trying to find something else. There isn't a date on it, but the following entry's date is March 18, 1994 so that would put me at 17.5 years old. It is so totally random and strange for me to read, to try and recall my train of thought as I created this list. Weird.

Things that make me smile (it looks like it originally said "happy", but for some reason I changed that)

country roads at night with no street lamps
Sunday afternoon naps
unused pencil erasers
vacuuming thick rugs
big mirrors
fuzzy caterpillars
laughing out loud
night drives
cashews
toe freckles
flannel p.j.s
tree houses
stretching
rest stops on long trips
red brick houses
two second tickles
clipped fingernails
french braids
sun dancing on the beach
bare feet
knowing I could be bad but not
blank looseleaf
getting the right spray on the hose nozzle by putting my thumb over the top
candle-shaped light bulbs
Big Bird wearing a red-striped tie
planting trees or flowers
singing in the rain
playing soccer with a basketball
scratching an itch and knowing fat cells are dividing (must have been an inside joke?)
touching my cheek to a cool pillowcase
blasting my favorite song in the car on the freeway with the windows down
finding animal tracks
old baby blankets
family home evening
spelling "tomorrow" right
using a coupon
giving and getting hugs
strange manilla envelopes
people who talk with their hands
new expressions
the spotted pony on the carousel
oscillating fans
hide-and-go-seek in the dark
meteor showers
signing a cast
my signature
scars and their "war" stories
worn-in shoes and worn-out jeans
call waiting
thunderstorms and lightning
the poof pillow
knowing how my body works
listening to foreign languages
Calvin ball
family sing-alongs
my parents' yearbooks and scrapbooks
sandwiches cut diagonally
cold pizza for breakfast
toast with honey butter
someone to cling to during a scary movie
long and flowing gypsy skirts
bowlers, sombreros, and tom sawyer hats
fiddle tunes and folk songs
blowing a spark to make a fire
craft shows
dreams remembered
talking about anything/ everything with a friend
waving to a stranger who waves back
the feeling I get when I'm on a long trip, it is night, we stop at a gas station and I feel us slow down but I don't know where we are because I'm half asleep (whew!)
freak dancing to African music (what the...?)
shooting rubberbands
tasting honeysuckle dew
smooth roads for "zipping" on
apples and peanut butter
carpet and peach fuzz
seedless grapes
compliments
partly sunny days
bike baskets
lemonade drink mix
cheesy smiles
Deep Thoughts on SNL
baby pumpkins and indian corn
finding a lucky penny
five leaf clovers
double print photos
clock faces
switching on a 3-way lamp until you know just one more will turn it off
the orange popping flowers (I remember these!)
communicating without words
grand finale fireworks
watching home videos in slow motion
using doilies to make valentines

Look what I did!

2011-09-22T00:37:00.000-06:00

It is widely know that I am a DI-aholic. I get such a kick out of other people's junk. Today I am grateful for the generous soul who donated a fake fruit swag which, 2 bucks and 20 minutes later, became the focal point of the harvest-time wreath that now adorns my front door. Gorgeous!

Before

After

Or how about the nasty swivel barstool that got a bright, clean, cushion makeover? While loving the chair, I secretly wish I had snagged the other barstool so that I'd have a matching pair. Even though I have no room for a second barstool. But the first has found a home in my craft area where it fits nicely.

Reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose, reinvent, rejuvenate,... Bring on the junk!

Lalaloopsy doll

2011-09-05T00:04:00.001-06:00

I made this cute thing for Elena's birthday. They sell the large Lalaloopsy dolls at Walmart for $25 and they are hard plastic - so NOT cuddly. I thought I could do better. Since she really doesn't know anything about the products line, I didn't have to design it after a specific character or anything. So I just made it up as I went along. I used this pattern on Etsy as my starting point and found tutorials on the internet for making doll hair. The dress was a huge pain and totally improvised - no pattern, nothin'. Not bad, if I say so myself. I hope she likes her!

Quiet moment

2011-09-02T09:03:00.001-06:00

Mary Ostyn is having a giveaway and challenged her readers to share a moment in the comments. I'm a sucker for giveaways and so I commented. But as I composed my response, I realized how grateful I was to have the moment that I did and then to have a reason to document it. I also felt myself getting very emotional and had to choke back tears as I recalled my feelings. I don't even care if I win anymore. So I decided that it was definitely worth documenting here on my blog. And I just wrote way too long of an intro, which is so characteristic of me, so maybe you should have skipped this part of the post and just continued on to the next paragraph...

"I’m really enjoying reading the others’ posts and I’m glad for your request because it forced me to reflect on this crazy week – that’s about as far back as I can even recall these days!

I have 6 kids, 2 of which came to us through foster care/ adoption, and one of them whom I have a hard time connecting with. It is so challenging for me to instinctively love her and I feel guilty and stressed about our relationship on a regular basis as a result.

Well this week, in the midst of our crazy after school schedule of homework and chores, she looked me in the eyes and quietly asked to sit on my lap. My first instinct was to brush her off with all my busy excuses, not necessarily wanting her chubby six year old weight on my tired legs. But I hesitated long enough to change my mind and beckon her over to sit. I was so glad I did, for as she sat, she leaned back against my chest and tilted her head to rest her cheek against mine. I gathered her in my arms and closed my eyes, feeling her soft breath and smooth skin. And I was surprised by the love that washed over me and enveloped the two of us in that quiet, quick moment before she hopped off my lap and ran off to play.

Thanks for letting me relive and document this moment."

Bountiful Baskets

2011-08-27T12:24:00.000-06:00

Today is my second day participating in the produce co-op "Bountiful Baskets". For about $16.50 you get a basket of fresh produce from local-ish farmer. And you never know what will be in there, but it's all fresh and it's all good! I also added a box of peaches, a box of mangoes, and 5 loaves of 9 grain bread to my order the first time. The peaches were out of this world and the mangoes were yummy too, once they ripened. I really like the bread. The loaves are smaller then your average Wonder bread, but it is denser and healthier, so I don't mind one bit. Comes out to $2 a loaf. Here are some photos of my first order:

9 grain bread

Peaches

Mangoes

Cantaloupe, green grapes, eggplant, banana bunch, 4 peaches, 3 tomatoes, 9 red plums, lots of green beans, 2 heads of cabbage, 1 head of green leaf lettuce, and a sack of potatoes

I think it 's worth it. It makes me try to find ways to feed the produce to my kids (hello eggplant?) and is a fun surprise.

This week's basket included:

1 lb sack of carrots, 1 lg cantaloupe, 9 tiny bosch pears, 2 heads of romaine lettuce, 16 medium potatoes, bunch of bananas, 2 green peppers, four lg tomatoes, 5 ears of corn, a sack of green grapes, and broccoli. And I bought the bread again. That's a lot of food!

This looked fun

2011-07-31T23:37:00.002-06:00

Got this from Becky's blog: "This a list that is going around blogland. A quick sneak peak into my life . . .(just the ones in bold) If you want to, feel free to use it too . . . just one rule, bold the ones you've done in your life, and leave the others alone. Enjoy!"

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (How about Las Meninas at the Prado in Spain?)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29 Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported by ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79 Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

51 out of 99 ain't too shabby (although I'm not at all proud of #67...)

Nap needed

2011-07-13T17:14:00.000-06:00

Enough said.

Out with the old, in with the new

2011-07-03T10:01:00.000-06:00

It sounds like New Year's around here!

My sister Lisa convinced me several months ago to participate in the Kiss Me Dirty run to benefit gynecological cancer research. Really it was just an excuse for us to get off our tushies and get in shape. The race consisted of a 2 miles each, 2 person relay, or individuals running the full 4 miles. Since it was the same entry fee for both, we decided to go for the 4 miler.

Friday evening before the race I was seriously considering faking sick so I could get out of it. I tried not to imagine my failure as I had only ever completed 2 miles around our park at home. And even that was jog, walk, jog, walk, DIE...

I woke up fit as a fiddle Saturday morning (dang it!) and met Lisa in Salt Lake City first thing. She was PUMPED! You have to know that running again is huge for her. She was on the track team in high school and knows her stuff, but her body hasn't been cooperating these past few years. She has RA and was told by her doctor in the very beginning that she shouldn't count on having any kids and that she would never run again. Not too many people know these things because she is a very optimistic gal and not one to draw a pity party. But here she is, 3 adorable kids later and about to place the first of hopefully MANY runs into her mommy portfolio!

Without going into all the mucky details -- we did it! 4 whole miles! I'm so proud of us, of myself. It was so much easier that I imagined, due in part to the many fun, muddy obstacles they had placed along the route, and the fact that the trail was so varied and mostly in the shade. Our wave took off at 9:38 am and we finished just before 10:30. Not too bad for an amateur...

Here are my trusty, mud-caked "Nike Alford Trail Runners" that I've had for 2 years now. Below are my STARK WHITE New Balance "I-don't-know-what-they-are-but-they-feel-really-awesome" running shoes. They had big bins at the run where you could donate your messy sneaks, but I couldn't bear to part with mine. I've since hosed them down really well, thrown them in the wash, and I will dub them my next "Dirty Girl Run" shoes. Or maybe I'll mow the lawn in them. Whatever.

A shout out to Lisa for being a great running coach and helping me keep a good pace! You are awesome and I couldn't and wouldn't have done it without you!
Now who's with us for the next one? Come on -- you know you wanna!

Oops.

2011-06-30T10:43:00.000-06:00

So I was eating breakfast this morning and my 9 yr old came and sat down next to me. After looking at me for a second or two, he said, "Do you know the first thing I notice about you? It's that line in between your eyebrows."

"That's a crease, a wrinkle. I have it when I'm squinting or I'm angry."

"I know. And the second thing I notice about you? You always look glum."

Pause. I felt myself getting irritated and wanting to chew him out for being rude. But I hesitated because I knew that would prove him right. And would add some oomph to my "crease".

So I took a deep breath and said, "I guess I'll have to work on that." And went back to my cereal.

Wow. Thanks for the wake-up call, Garion.

Meet Hermione & Mr. Doomsday Marshmallow

2011-06-16T10:23:00.000-06:00

"Mr. Doomsday Marshmallow"

"Hermione"

They are the sweetest little babies ever! Hermione is a female baby Holland Lop bunny, mild and sweet, named by Jacob. Mr. Doomsday Marshmallow is a male baby long-haired guinea pig who is super easy to hold and cuddle, but a little skittish. He adores Hermione and follows her around, hiding under her front leg or ear when he's nervous. Hermione tolerates him like a big sister.

The girls and I named the piggie Marshmallow because of his coloring and fluffiness. But Garion balked at the name for a BOY, so I allowed him to add "Mr. Doomsday" to his monicker (he's got red eyes). The kids adore them and we just constructed a playpen so that they can roam around and get some exercise. Even Jacob likes them! And that's big news.

We do have a lock on the cage because Lucy likes to take them out and hold them without supervision. I'm most worried that Marshmallow will die from too much lovin', but there's also the worry that Hermione will accidentally scratch Lucy with her strong hind legs if picked up wrong.

The other photo is the kids having fun in our empty kiddie pool while they wait their turn with the pets. Don't you want to come visit us now so you can cuddle our cute babies?

Milestone

2011-02-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

At 9 months and 1 week old, Daniel has finally learned how to roll over! He's been great at sitting by himself and some days we think he's really close to crawling. But today is the first time he's rolled backwards and forwards several times without any prompting or help. Way to go, Hoops!

My sunbeam

2011-02-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

I pulled out the camera and realized there are still photos from Christmas on there! So I uploaded the lot to my computer and this one really stood out to me.

I love the composition of the photo, how her big sister is there right behind her. And Lucy's smile is very natural here, not forced or silly. That paper crown is an accessory TO DIE FOR: super huge and shouting out her divine heritage to the world!

Lucy is one in a million. She smart, witty, spry, empathetic, creative, expressive, tiny, loud, flexible, helpful, mouthy, and charming. And she's all of 3 years old. And I love her to bits.

The good, the bad, and the UGLY TRUTH

2011-02-18T16:31:00.001-07:00

I am OBESE.

There, I said it. What an ugly word, don't you think? According to the BMI calculator, I tip the scale. I am officially more than just overweight. I am obese.

Now before I continue with this post, I must declare that I am not throwing a pity party for myself. Nor am I trying to draw compliments, excuses, or whatever from various family and friends who read my blog. I just decided that the first step to solving my problem o' largeness is to step out from behind my curtain of denial and face accountability head on. So that is my purpose in posting this, and nothing more.

The good news about being obese:
The state of Utah, including hubby's insurance, provides a plethora of cash incentives and rebates to people trying to get fit and healthy, but ONLY if those people are obese. Yippee! I think. Hmmm...

So here's the skinny (snort!)
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 195
BMI: 30.5

Long term weight goal:
Height: 5' 7" (that better not change)
Weight: 140
BMI: 22

Other goals:
Run a 5K
I've never been a runner of any sort, but I really believe that this is attainable for me. I'm convinced that the couch to 5K program is the way to do this and that is the program I am working on.

Eat healthier
My biggest hurdle is overcoming poor eating habits. I love food, especially cookies, cakes, brownies, ice cream, and of course graham crackers. I don't like any sort of hunger pains because I associate hunger with morning sickness. But since I'm not pregnant, I need to reprogram my brain. And stop eating that midnight snack (meal).

I've met with my doctor, filled out all the paperwork, and am set to meet with a health coach soon. I've been eating more veggies and taking advantage of my gym membership. I'm off to a great start!

Work and the family

2011-02-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

Our lesson in church today was on work. This is a topic that I feel very strongly about. I took a Family Science class at BYU devoted entirely to the subject of work. The class was phenomenal and I refer to it often when making parenting decisions, giving advice, etc. Apparently the subject hit home for many ladies in the room because we didn't even get through half the lesson in the book for all the insightful comments.

One of the women suggested that we benefit spiritually by the physical work that we do. I wholeheartedly agree. Physical labor is humbling. Serving others creates in us empathy and gratitude among other things. When I was about 10 yrs old our family lived in CA. One day we went on a family bike ride around the neighborhood. We were headed back home when we passed by an elderly woman mowing her lawn. Despite his murmuring and resistant kids, my dad halted our bike ride and we all went back to the woman's house to see how we could help. We finish mowing her lawn, pulled some weeds, and became friends with the woman and her husband, continuing to visit them many times after that incident. No, they weren't members of the church. And they weren't really that needy. But we had planted a seed of friendship and my dad set a great example for me about the benefits of dropping everything to physically labor to serve others as a family unit.

I am a firm believer in family chores. Recently I've taken the opportunity to serve a neighbor who has some medical hurdles and lots of kids. Following my parents example, I encouraged my older kids to help me assist this woman and her family. Together we tidied the house a little, babysat, and made them lunch, among other things. My kids felt moved to find other ways to serve this family on their own and shoveled their sidewalks and wrapped small Christmas presents for the children. I could see my children's hearts opening up to this family as they not only got into the spirit of service, but found a renewed gratitude for the many blessings we have and the many skills they possess that allow them to help others. My sweet Ester commented, "now I see why you make us do chores!" vowing never to complain again (HA!) but still, the seed is planted, the value of work has been reinforced.

Anyway, I hope I'm making sense. I don't feel very eloquent these days. Children are really alien brain-suckers, you know. And there are so many more thought on the subject spinning round in my head. But I'll just leave it at that for now.

Change it up

2011-01-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's the new year. Maybe it's being stuck inside all day. I just itch to change things up a bit. I'm not very good at decorating my home. When you have to accomodate several kids, your decor needs to be functional first, pretty second. Whatever the reason, I've got the itch. Here's my latest blog find. I can't stop pouring over the lovely rooms and wishing I had money and time to re-do my space. Sigh.

http://inspirationfordecoration.blogspot.com

The perfect dresser

2011-01-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

Check it out -- I've found the perfect dresser for my kids to put all their perfectly folded shirts. At almost $900 per unit, I won't get them anytime soon. But just imagine how I could add a new drawer unit when children grow and clothes get bigger, or if kids share a room I could stack their dressers together to save space... So cool!