Fab 5

Moving Day

2011-07-09T11:34:00.004-06:00

I have decided to move our blog from Blogger to Wordpress. I haven't really liked the blog editor in Blogger for some time. I am not sure if I will like Wordpress better. I guess time will tell. For now, you can visit us in the testing phase here:

http://barberfab5.wordpress.com/

Hope to see you there...

Hope it is easier to blog...

Trying to Turn My Brown Thumb Green

2011-07-01T21:01:00.010-06:00

Jim has "gardener" blood flowing through him. His Grandpa Jack had a farm and his dad worked hard on that farm. There has always been a garden in the Barber family. However, the Perez family did not. I remember when I was really little my mom tried to have a garden. But I didn't grow up with that experience.

It is known around our house that I can barely keep a house plant alive. (So I forget to water them, so what!) So Jim and I have a deal. If he takes care of the garden I will cook, freeze, can, or otherwise process anything he grows and brings into the house. That has worked well for us so far but life is busy. I have had to learn to help out.

This spring we went and bought our plants for our garden. It was on March 15th. I took pictures because I love the way the garden transforms from empty beds to instant garden when we plant those little starts. I love the look of the smooth brown dirt with no weeds (yet). I wanted to blog about it then but, like I said before, life is busy.

These are our tomatoes. We planted 8 Roma tomato plants this year. I guess I will be making lots of spaghetti and pizza sauce this fall!

This is our raspberry bed. Jim had cut back late year's plants and we were left with these cute little baby raspberry plants.

This year I filled this whole box with different kinds of peppers. I planted red and purple bell peppers, Anaheim peppers, ancho peppers and something Jim HAD to have called "Big Jim" peppers.

These are our cute little baby peas. Jim planted those as seeds way back in March. They loved our cool rainy spring, even if we didn't.

These are our rows of lettuce. One row of romaine and one row of - oh! now I can't remember the name! Next to that we planted a row of pole beans.

Well, Jim has been gone this week with Josh on a Boy Scout canoe trip. I have been responsible for taking care of the garden. My biggest fear is forgetting to water. I remembered to water this time! I know, amazing. But more than that, I didn't want Jim to have to do any yard work when he got home so he could spend all his time paying attention to me. So this morning we got started before it got too hot. We trimmed, edged and mowed the lawns. We pulled all the weeds. We watered everything. And it looked so good I had to take another picture.

This picture includes the yummy grapes and the six rows of corn planted (on the left) at the last minute. (also the chicken coop Jim has been working really hard on. Blog post to come soon) We really love corn and last year I learned how to bottle it. It was so delicious we ran out of it last month.

I don't think I could do this without Jim. In fact, I know I couldn't. He inspires me to want to get my hands dirty. And though I am totally worn out and will probably be a little sore tomorrow, I have a real sense of accomplishment. The yard looks great. I think Jim will appreciate how it much work we put into it. And he can direct all that appreciation into making sure all the camping gear gets put away!

The Graduate

2011-06-17T19:08:00.006-06:00

I have blogged about my Austin before. You know that I am a very proud mommy. This will be a gushing blog post, so if you aren't up for it, you might just want to click away.

There have been so many times in his short 18 years that I wondered what would happen in his future. Since we got his Autism diagnosos when he was 5, there have been so many times I didn't know what would happen with him. I still have some worries about what will happen next, but for now I will just think about his accomplishments in the last couple weeks.

The Sunday before school was over, Austin graduated from Seminary. He sacrificed one elective class period every sememter throughout his whole four years of high school to take seminary. He made this choice on his own without any pushing from us. He studied his scriptures, he participated in his class and he did all the work. But he wasn't the only kid to do it. Not only did every senior in our ward graduate with a four year certificate, every kid in our stake did! I am so proud of him and all of those kids. (I was Austin's cub scout leader for a couple years and Jim was the scoutmaster for those kids, so we know and love them all) Below are a few of those boys that we love so much. They have been great friends to Austin.

Then came the last week of school. Austin was in the End of Year Assembly. He loved being involved! He loved being in high school. He loved opening the door for everyone. He loved all the friends he made at Syracuse High School. I loved how they embraced him and his quirky ways.

Then came the big day... Graduation! So many people were involved in getting him to that day. I appreciate all of them and all they did to help get him to this. And not only get him there, he got there with his class and with a 3.5 GPA. He worked so hard! He loved seeing those A's on his report card. He's such a good boy!

Then it was time to celebrate! I told him I wanted to take him on a trip and he could choose where he wanted to go. And just like a "Disney Kindred Spirit", like a kid after my own heart, he chose Disneyland. He loves all things Disney, just like his mom, and that was where he really wanted to go. And it was worth every penny...

A lot of people don't like to go to Disneyland because of the crowds and the lines. I have never been in June because of that. But we went and we made sure we had plenty of time. We started with a visit with my dad, Austin's Papa Ralph. We went to an Angles game and then Papa dropped us off at our hotel. We checked in and went straight over to the parks. The lines were long but much more tollerable with an 18 year old than with toddlers. My favorite part of the trip was just watching his face as he experienced his old favorites and some of the new things. (California Adventure was still being built the last time we were at the Disneyland Resort in CA) He loved Sorin' over California, the new Little Mermaid ride and World of Color, the night time show. I enjoyed watching his face while he watched the parade down Main Street and when he met the characters at our breakfast in the park.

It was so fun for me to be able to spend some one on one time with my Austin, even though he almost ran me into the ground. (I had to recover for a few days after!) We are as close as two people can be when one of them has Autism. It was fun to be able to have little conversations with him, something that is not so easy to do. It was fun to be able to spoil him and let him make decisions about where to go and what to do on those days.

We aren't quite sure what is next for him. He wants to work with animals and he wants to serve a mission. We know what ever he does he will do his best and he will work very hard. He will make us proud as he has the last 18 years. We love him and we are so proud of him!

Glue Flakes Keep Fallin' from My Head

2011-04-13T13:44:00.008-06:00

In an effort to continue to diagnose the severity of my autoimune disorder, my doctor ordered some more tests. One of the things that may happen with my soft tissues is called Calcinosis (calcium deposits). One fear is that this happens in my lungs. If it does, my body will not be able to absorb oxygen like it should. That could cause pulmonary hypertension. It is scary when you take it in all at once but I am pretty far from that. That is why my doctor has me have a yearly chest x-ray and heart ultrasound. It is also why I was sent to have a "lung study" done. He just wanted to get a starting point so we can monitor it for the future.

So I went to have my lung study at the local hospital. I got to sit in a Plexiglas box and breathe into a tube several different times in several different ways. The computer did all kinds of calculations, the results were sent to my doctor and we met with him to go over the results. He said my lungs are already starting to have some trouble absorbing oxygen. Not much but enough that it may be affecting my sleep and that may be why I have been getting light headed when I over exert myself.

So, he wanted to do another test. He wanted to check my oxygen levels while I sleep. I went to the hospital and picked up a pulse oximeter. I got to wear it for a night while I was sleeping. Those results were also borderline so he ordered another test. He wanted me to do an overnight sleep study at the clinic.

Last week, I packed up my knitting and my pajamas and headed to the sleep lab. I checked into the lab at about 7:30pm. I got settled in for a little bit. I started watching a movie and knitting. It was quite comfortable. I was warm enough (that is always my greatest fear) and the bed was very comfortable.

Then, the technicians came in to hook me up to all the sensors. There were so many it took about 20 minutes. The beautiful self portrait below only shows about 2/3 of the wires that were connected to me.

What you can't see are the wires stuck to my calves, the other strap wrapped around my waist, and the six sensors glued to my scalp. They had to rub a solution on my head to clean it, then they glued the sensors on and dried them with a little air compressor. They gathered the wires and hooked them up to a plug behind the headboard. After that, they had the audacity to wish me a good night's sleep.

It took me a while to fall asleep. I put in my ear plugs and put on my eye mask. I finally felt like I was just in a deep sleep and far in the distance I felt the lights go on and heard the door open. It was time to wake up. (Well, what they thought was time to wake up. I wouldn't consider 5:30am an hour I would generally choose to wake up.) It took a little less time to unhook me from all the wires. They had to spray a solvent in my hair to get the sensors from my head unglued. That was fun. I gathered my stuff and took my greasy hair home. I crawled into my own bed. It woke Jim up so we had a few minutes to chat before he had to get up and get ready for work. A few hours later I got up and got in the shower. They told me the rest of the glue would wash out in the shower, but it didn't.

It is a week later and I should be getting my results anytime now. It is a week later and I am just starting to feel like I am making up my sleep. It is a week later and I am still picking glue flakes from my scalp.

I feel like I have been a horrible wife and mother the last week because I have felt so exhausted. I hope my family understands. I know they will never feel what my body is feeling, just like I don't really know what Austin's autistic brain is thinking. But I hope they can try to understand that I'm not just lazy, just like I know Austin isn't. It is just a different way of functioning. It is very hard to describe. It is also hard to know that with both of us, even though our diagnosis' are drastically different, it is our reality. A reality we will both live with for the rest of our lives.

We live in these fragile bodies for what we think is a long time. It is sometimes hard to keep things in perspective. It has been hard for me this last week. Then I get reminded that this life is very short. It is the eternities that we are preparing for. I know one day I will be able to sit down with Austin and have a wonderful conversation. I also know that one day I will be again be able to climb a mountain.

It's OK if that day doesn't come in this life. I know the next will be even better.

Apearantly , "Sleepless in Seattle" Means Extra Sleepy When You Get Home!

2011-04-04T14:38:00.005-06:00

I guess when I don't blog for a while that means I am doing stuff that is more fun than blogging. That has defiantly been true this last few weeks! I have been knitting up my hats. I am done with the first two and well on my way to reaching my goal. I just purchased a bunch of sale yarn today that is going to make some really fun hats. I finished my first on a bus...

Kyle is in a wonderful choir at Syracuse High School. It is called A Capella. They have the BEST teacher and all the kids a wonderfully talented. I love listening to them sing. Every spring they go on a "choir tour". (I guess they have only gone three times because the school is only three years old) Last year they went to Southern CA (Disneyland). I'm not sure where they went the year before. This year they went to Seattle. I was fortunate enough to go with Kyle as a chaperone.

The purpose of Choir Tour is to expose the kids to other cities and cultures and to get instruction from other choir directors. It also helps to the kids to sing better together when they are a close knit group. Traveling like they do definitely helps them bond to each other and become better friends.

We left on a Tuesday night at 9pm. The kids look happy in the picture below because I took it at the beginning of the 15 hour bus ride and not at the end!

About three hours after I took that picture they were sleeping all over the floor of the bus. They were in the aisles and under the seats. By the end of the trip the bus smelled of feet and Cheetos.

Our first stop was before we even checked into the hotel. We were able to walk around Pike Place Market for a couple of hours. It was so nice to get out of the bus but we were tired from not getting a good night's sleep. After that we walked down to the old downtown area called Pioneer Square. From there we went on a Seattle Underground Tour. When it was dinner time, we walked up to the Seattle Hard Rock Cafe. That was fun for me. I don't think the kids really appreciated the amount of Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix memorabilia that was on the walls. We finally got to check into the hotel after dinner. My job was to always make sure my two rooms of girls were in their rooms by 10pm and they were all there whenever we had to meet somewhere. My girls were especially good. I never had any problems.

On day two, we boarded the buses around 9am and headed to the Chittenden Locks and Fish Ladder. They use the locks to maintain a particular water level in Lakes Washington and Union, so the sea water doesn't mix with the fresh water of the lakes, and to get the boats to the right water level to be able to travel between the two bodies of water. The fish ladder is along the side of the locks and that helps the migrating salmon (and other types of fish) get up and down stream. Then we went to Seattle Center where we went up to the top of the Space Needle. We also got to look at and try at all the cool stuff at the EMPSFM (Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum) That was WAY fun. We then went back to our hotel and got ready for dinner and the Seattle Symphony.

After a long day, some of my girls wanted to have "girl chat" in their hotel room. It was fun to be able to have that time with them because I don't get that in my house full of boys!

The next morning, the kids had one of their clinics. This one was at Seattle Pacific University, kind of. It was in a church just of the campus but it was with one of the music directors from the university. He taught them some really great stuff. I didn't know those kids could sound any better but they did! And the acoustics in the church were great!

We had a little bit of time before dinner to stop at a park and take some great pictures. These are two of "my girls". They now call me Momma Barber!

For dinner, we went on a harbor cruise. There were sandwiches and finger foods and great views of the city.

But the best part of the night, and the whole trip, was the D.J. and the dancing! WE had a great time and the D.J. said we were one of his best crowds ever. Everyone danced and had a great time. My biggest mistake was having "girl chat" again late into that night. I am not as young and I don't bounce back as easily as those teenagers!

On our last day, we checked out of the hotel and went to another clinic at University of Washington. We also had a little time to go and shop at the University Book Store. It was the only day we got a little bit of rain off and on. We got sunshine for a few hours in the afternoon. That is when we had some time to drive up to the Seattle Temple.

Our last dinner was at Tillicum Village. We boarded a ferry boat that took us across Puget Sound to Blake Island where we had a traditional Squamish and Duwamish salmon bake. Then the Native Americans put on a show of story telling and dancing.

When we boarded the buses after dinner it was time to head home. The bus was a little quieter on the way back, but not too much. We arrived back at the high school at about 11:00 the next morning. I just laid around for the rest of the day. I was still pretty beat from all the walking around, the late nights and the dancing. The next morning I got up, got Jim to work, got the boys off to school and then got back into bed! I fell right back to sleep. Jim sent me a text message at about 10:30 that I didn't answer so he called me at about 11:45. That is what finally woke me up!!! I guess I needed the sleep. My sister even told me she was a little worried about me doing too much that week. I kind of feel like it is OK as long as I have a recovery day. Don't tell my doctor that I wore myself completely out! He might not like my "recovery day" theory.

So last Friday night, Kyle and I invited all the kids over to the house for a reunion of sorts. We roasted marshmallows in the fire pit, ate too much pizza and played Rock Band until curfews.

Not all the kids came but most of the ones that I had "girl chat" with and some of the others that I got to know over the week. It was a good time. I have a feeling, now that they know where we live, that they will be around a lot more, which is totally fine with me. I like it when our house is the hang out spot!

Inspired by My Sister, Cousin-in-Law and a Very Brave 15 Year Old

2011-03-14T14:35:00.005-06:00

Josh has a friend named Maddie. They have been great friends for a very long time. A few months ago Maddie was diagnosed with Osteo Sarcoma... bone cancer. It was a shock to her family and her friends. Most 15 year old kids don't even know what cancer is, let alone have to deal with it first hand. I have been thinking about her and her family a lot over the past months. Even more since Josh came home last week and told me she is loosing her hair from her Chemotherapy treatments. I remember how much my hair meant to me at 15 and I don't think I would have loved going bald! I also thought about how lonely and bored she must be. She hasn't been able to go to school, she has to be very selective about her visitors so she doesn't catch anything, and she sleeps a lot. So she and Josh text a lot. I usually get on my boys for texting instead of doing homework (or other things they should be doing) but I let it slide a little when it is Maddie.

Josh and I have been spending a lot of time together lately. We have been able to have some good chats. I got the bright idea to help Josh make a little gift bag of things to take to Maddie. So through text messages we found out that she was currently in the hospital. We gathered some fun things together - books, coloring books, play-dough, bubbles and a hat I knitted. After church yesterday we headed down to Primary Children's Medical Center.

Josh was nervous. He didn't know what he was going to say or do. I assured him that even though she was not feeling well, she was still the same Maddie. We felt a little bad because she was sleeping when we got there but they said it was OK and we were able to have a really nice visit. Maddie's mom was so happy that we did. She told us that was the first time Maddie had smiled all day. She smiled especially big when she saw the Veggie Tales coloring book we got and when Josh got brave enough to sit by her for a picture.

We saw the x-rays and the MRI pictures. We learned that the cancer was confined to her femur and had not spread to any other parts of her body. Her prognosis is great and we hope and pray for the best for her.

That wasn't the case with Jim's cousin, Zac, who had the same cancer. I spoke with Jim's Aunt Sue this afternoon and she said it has been ten years since they first heard Zac's diagnosis. We talked about him and I told her how much our family has learned, and are still learning, from their wonderful example.

I know that there are lots of different endings to a story that starts with the words "Osteo Sarcoma". I know how I want Maddie's story to end. But I know even more deeply the importance of humbling ourselves enough to learn the lessons that we can learn from our trials. Our Heavenly Father loves us and will tell us what we are here to learn if we only ask. Chemotherapy makes you physically weak but this girl has a strong spirit. I could tell she got it from the wonderful example of her parents. I'm sure they will be strong. I am also sure they will know when to lean on others when their strength alone is not enough. Those others are out there just waiting to do good for others.

I try every day to be one of those people. The best example I had of this was, and still is, my big sister. She was the kindest, most giving person I have ever known. Over the last few years I have tried to be more like her. I feel like that is a one way I can keep her close to me even though she isn't physically here.

One of the things that we used to talk about was her anxiousness about turning 40. She wasn't looking forward to it. She passed away four months before she had to face it. (I sometimes think that is one of the first things I am going to ask her about when I see her again.) I, on the other hand, have been looking forward to my 40th birthday. I want to have super big party! I want to celebrate being alive and being able to be with my family and friends. But I have also been looking for something more meaningful to do to celebrate those 40 wonderful years.

Well, I think I have my idea. I was inspired by our visit with Maddie. One of the things we put in her gift bag was a hat I had knitted. They were so grateful and impressed. To me it was nothing. Just a few hours spent doing something I love to do. On the drive home, the thought came to me that there must be other kids at PCMC that have lost their hair for one reason or another. They must need a hat. I don't know how to cure cancer but I can knit.

My goal, starting today, on what would be my big sister's 45th birthday, is to knit 40 hats by my 40th birthday. Boy hats with skulls and crossbones and girl hats with flowers on them. All colors and all sizes.

It isn't much on my part. I can't take all the pain away from Maddie and her family. But maybe I can help some other little girl or boy feel better about going out in public when their illness has taken part of them away.

So, thank you, Uncle Rock, Aunt Sue and your whole family! Thank you, Lisa! Thanks for being shining examples to me and my family. Thank you for showing us what it is to be strong when life is hard. Thank you for inspiring those that know you to be better people because they know you.

And thank you, Maddie! Thanks for teaching me that, "When life gives you lemons, make grape juice and leave them wondering how you did it!"

Kids Say the Darnedest Things

2011-02-23T18:27:00.005-07:00

Josh is my baby. But you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at him. In the last year he has grown about eight inches. I have to look up to yell at him! He has always been a bit of a handful. His attention span is nearly nonexistent. He doesn't really like to sit in one place for very long. He loves to do what he can to get a rise out of his older brothers. He is the typical baby brother.

But on the other hand, he has the kindest, most tender, sweetest heart of any 15 year old I know. He cares about his family and friends very deeply. He is even kind and compassionate to strangers. He has one of those sparkling personalities that you just can't but help but love. When he was little, I used to tell him, jokingly, "It's a good thing you are so cute or I'd have to kill you!" Probably not the best thing to say to a child but I always said it with a smile and I know he knew I wasn't totally serious.

I occasionally get to be in the car with one of my boys and we can have a great talk. This has been one of the many blessings that has come from working our new business. Today I had the chance to ride in the car with Josh for about 45 minutes. He will just blurt out what is on his mind, right in the middle of his train of thought. It is so hilariously random sometimes! He had me almost crying with laughter.

We were following a truck with a Transformers sticker in the back window. Out of nowhere and all of a sudden, he burst out with, "If I were a Transformer, I think I would want to be a boat."

A little bit before that we were listening to my Zune on shuffle. I have a very eclectic taste in music. One minute we could be listening to Fall Out Boy, the next we could be listening to the Beach Boys. On this trip I told Josh he could have two "skips". That means he can skip a song he doesn't like and I can't stop him, even if it is a song I love. Michael Jackson's "Beat It" came on. We were almost home and he hadn't used a single skip yet. He was tempted to push the button. I stopped him, explaining that this song was cool because Eddie VanHalen played the guitar in that song. He looked at me very puzzled and asked, "Were they alive at the same time? Isn't Michael Jackson dead?" This from the boy who spent a whole month listening to nothing but Queen's greatest hits. I thought I had done such a great job musically educating him in Classic Rock. I guess I have more work to do.

All day today I had been in the car, rushing here and there. Busy, busy, busy. I got quite a bit accomplished on those trips but none of them were nearly as much fun or filled with laughter as the last trip with my baby. Our journey was a bust in a few ways. There was lots of "drive home" traffic. We got lost and even after we found the home we needed, we didn't even end up putting up the sign. But we had a great time on the journey. We talked and laughed and enjoyed that 45 minutes.

What lessons can we learn from that? Quit rushing through life! Spend some time with your loved ones. Have conversations with your kids. Or better yet, close your mouth and open your mind and ears when you are with your kids. You will get a better insight to their hearts and thoughts. They might be more willing to open their mouths and hearts to you if you learn how to listen. Find the joy in your journey.

Happy trails!

Cabin Fever Breaker

2011-02-09T18:23:00.004-07:00

It has been a pretty cold winter. Because of my "medical condition", I have a hard time in the cold. It just sucks the energy right out of me. So, I stay inside a lot. That can get really old by the middle of February! As far as I'm concerned, spring should start on January 1st. There is really no reason for cold weather after Christmas. (Well, except for the fact that we need the snow so we can have water to drink and for our yards.)

When I woke up on Saturday, the skies were mostly clear and the temperatures were above freezing. I had plenty of "chores" I could have done but I told Jim he needed to take me somewhere outside. We decided to take the FrontRunner downtown and go exploring. We got the boys ready, got bundled up and headed for the train station. The boys put in their headphones and and text-messaged the time away. Jim and I enjoyed each others company and conversation.

We got off at the main station in SLC. Then we hopped on Trax and rode over to Temple Square. For months I have wanted to see the model of the Salt Lake Temple that is in the South Visitor's Center. It was amazing! The boys enjoyed seeing the "inside" of the temple their parents were married in. We also went inside the Museum of Church History and Art. There is a new addition to the exhibit called Mi Vida, Mi Historia. It is an interactive exhibit for children. It was super cute and way fun to watch all the little kids exploring.

That didn't last long, though. The boys were hungry and finding a good place to eat became top priority. Jim and I decided that our new business should take our family out for a nice dinner once a month and Saturday would be our first "dinner meeting". We walked a couple blocks south to Market Street Grill. Just our luck! It was Crab Festival time! We enjoyed a nice long late lunch/dinner. We talked about what we wanted our business to do and what we were willing to put into our business. We taught the boys about putting their napkins on their laps and that there is a difference between a salad fork and a dinner fork. And with our bellies full, we walked over to the Gateway Mall to walk around. We looked to see if there was a movie we wanted to see but there wasn't. We did some window shopping but, as usual, we ended up at the Clark Planetarium, one of our favorite places.

It was starting to get dark so we hopped on Trax and rode back to the main FrontRunner station. I was tired, but the good kind of tired. We had seen some sunshine, walked in the fresh air and spent some quality time together. It was a great day! I am hoping as the days start getting longer, the temperatures will continue to climb. I know that it will still snow in the next few months. But I also know that we are just about to see the first daffodils poke up through the dirt. That gives me hope. I also know that, if I get desperate for warmth, St George and some wonderful family are only 5 hours away!

New Menu Monday: Taco Casserole

2011-02-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post last weeks meal. It was another Pampered Chef recipe that I found called BBQ Beef Bundles. It is ground beef, bbq sauce, green onions and red bell pepper, all stuffed into biscuit dough and baked in a muffin pan. Everyone liked those and they even ate the leftovers for after-school snacks!

Last week our freezer meal group got together to exchange meals. Tonight we had Taco Casserole made by my friend Angie. I don't have the recipe but it was yummy. It was ground beef taco meat, tortillas and some kind of sauce (red enchilada sauce, I think) layered and covered with cheese. I served it with sour cream, shredded lettuce and corn. If I had been feeling better I would have made some beans and rice.

If I get the recipe I will post it in the comments... Enjoy!

New Menu Monday: Asian Beef Noodles

2011-01-26T16:43:00.004-07:00

I am a recipe collector. It has started getting out of hand years ago when I used to sell Pampered Chef. In the package you get at least one recipe with every product purchased. So, after the holidays, when everyone went back to work and school, I took all my recipe books off the shelf and started taking them apart. I cut out and kept the recipes I knew I would make and put the rest of the pile in the recycle bin. Someday I will put together my very own cookbook. Right now they just live in a binder. There were a few we had never tried before. One of the Pampered Chef recipes I found is Asian Beef Noodles. It sounded very easy and fast. I can't remember which product this particular recipe came with:

1 pound lean boneless beef top round steak, cut into 1/4-inch strips (I used sirloin because that's what I had on hand)
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 small pieces (1/2-inch) fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups water
2 packages (3 ounces each) baked beef flavor ramen noodles
3 cups broccoli florets
2 carrots, sliced
2 green onions

Heat stir-fry (or large non-stick skillet) over medium heat until hot. Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Stir-fry beef, half at a time, 3-4 minutes. Remove beef from skillet; set aside
Add garlic and ginger to skillet; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add water; bring to boil. Add noodles, broken into pieces, broccoli, carrots and seasoning packets from ramen noodles.
Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer 3 minutes or until noodles are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Return beef to skillet; heat through. Sprinkle with green onions.

Serves 6. Copyright: The Pampered Chef, Ltd., 2001

Everyone liked it. I liked that is was quick and easy to make. I thought it was a little salty. I don't think it was quite 6 servings. You could probably add just about any vegetables you like and it would be good. You could probably also make it with chicken. I would make it again!

The Top 10 Reasons I Haven't Blogged in Over a Month

2011-01-25T18:26:00.010-07:00

#1 - Christmas!
Need I say more? Well, I will anyway. Christmas parties, shopping, wrapping, hosting, decorating, cooking, eating, etc.

#2 - Christmas Knitting

On Jim's side of the family we draw names and give homemade gifts. I usually knit something for the person I draw and Jim usually helps the boys build something for their cousins. I planned ahead. I started my gift knitting just after Halloween. I finished two weeks before Christmas. I thought that was good planning on my part. I wanted to enjoy the holiday and not feel rushed. Well, Jim had an unusually busy time in his workshop this year. He and his friend started making these Oil Vials this fall on their lathes. they are made out of real olive wood from Jerusalem.They took some orders from people in the neighborhood and from family. After a few weeks word spread and they got more orders. They kept getting orders until about a week before Christmas. In total, they turned about 120 oil vials! That kept him super busy. Needless to say he was unable to help the boys with their Christmas projects. That leads me to...

#3 - Last-Minute Christmas Knitting
Just when I thought I was going to be able to have some fun time before Christmas, I started realizing The boys needed help with their gifts. I spent most of my evenings knitting the cutest things for my niece and grand-niece. The first got a cute, pink, felted purse and the second got some adorable, purple, kitty slippers. The third cousin got a store bought present. It needed to travel to St George so we decided that would be OK.

#4 - Jib Jab
I meant to post some of the crazy videos we made for Christmas on the blog but was having too much fun with the boys once they started their vacation. I rarely get on the computer anymore because they are all on facebook. And, Kyle had discovered that he can watch past seasons of his favorite shows on Netflix. It's not my computer anymore. But on the bright side, and a little late, here's some funny Christmas cheer...

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

#5 - Jim's Favorite Time of Year
Most of Jim's company shuts down the week between Christmas and New Year. Jim looks forward to this all year long. We love having this time to spend together as a family. You can usually find us hanging out at home, in our jammies, playing with our new Christmas toys. But this year was slightly different. The boys earned some money and used it to buy season passes to a local ski resort. They headed to the slopes as much as they could during their time off from school. All they needed from us was a ride up to the shuttle stop in Eden, UT. We tried to split the drop offs and pick up's with other parents in the neighborhood so we didn't have to go up there twice in one day. They are LOVING it!

#6 - Happy New Year
We have found a fun New Year tradition that works for us. It is something my family used to do when I was really little. We get together with friends in the neighborhood and have a multi-family sleep-over. We play games, watch movies and eat way too much. When midnight comes, we let the little kids jump on sheets of bubble wrap. It sounds like fireworks but we don't have to go outside in the cold. This year we didn't get to do the sleep-over but we did everything else. I spent most of the day slicing, dicing and preparing. The New Year spread is quite comparable to the usual Super Bowl spread. We started pretty early and it had to last all night so it is nice to have a lot of yummy snacks readily available. It was a super fun night and a super sleepy January 1st!

#7 - Austin's Eagle Project
Austin LOVES animals. When he was deciding what he wanted to do for his project he knew he wanted it to help animals in some way. When we were at the county fair we stopped at the Davis County Animal Shelter booth and asked them about projects. The lady took our number and we went up to see here at the shelter. She showed us the bland cat room. She asked if we could do something to brighten things up and make something for the cats to play on.

Austin was Super excited about this. So excited he could hardly wait until after the holidays to get started. But that was something he needed to do because Jim was so busy with his other projects. We finally got started with the building. It is nice to have two other scouts in the house to help out with the labor!

On the day before his 18th birthday we headed to the shelter and installed these colorful, playful boxes for the cats to play on. The people at the shelter were so appreciative and we had so much fun with the cats while we were there. We got Austin's paperwork signed just a few hours before he officially turned 18! He still needs his board of review and we will probably have his Eagle Court of Honor this summer after Kyle completes his project. We can have them both at the same time.

#8 - Shoveling Snow
We were worried about this winter because we didn't have a white Christmas. The day after Christmas it started snowing and has snowed in regular intervals since then. We don't get too much because we are so far west but The walks and driveway still need to be shoveled or it turns into a frozen slab of ice. Generally the best time to shovel is the middle of the day (as long as it is not snowing at the time) so the driveway has time to drain and dry before the sun starts going down and it starts to freeze. That means I get to be the shoveler because I am the only one home at that time of day. I usually don't mind it as long as I can stay warm. It just takes some time because we have a very wide driveway!

#9 - Reality Check, Again...
As soon as the days start getting cold and very short, I start to feel yucky. That's my cue that it is time to visit the doctor again. We switched up some meds and I got my yearly chest x-ray and heart ultrasound. He also wants me to go and get a lung function test so we can make sure we know if I start getting pulmonary hypertension (but I keep forgetting to make that appointment). As long as I stay warm, get plenty of rest, take my meds and take my daily walk, I feel good - normal - well, at least my "new normal".

And #10 - We Bought a Business
I have always been very reluctant to make my boys go out and get an after school job. I feel like right now their job is to work hard at school, work hard at scouts and work hard at whatever their other interest is at the time. For a while it was sports and music. It still kind of is but things have shifted over the years. I want my boys to be well rounded but I also want them to be hard workers. Kyle had a early morning paper route for a little over three years. He was able to use his savings to buy a car.

Jim has a friend at work that started this business with his family. Now his kids are grown and have gone away to college. He mentioned it to Jim and they sent some work our way. We started by cleaning out foreclosed homes for banks. We have done about six. Some are pretty gross. Others are not too bad. It is something we can do on a Saturday for a couple hours and the boys can each earn just about as much as they would flipping burgers. They can still do their normal weekday stuff and homework. It's win/win. The other part of their business is putting up the posts and signs for real estate agents. We officially bought the inventory and data for their business called Kizmet Clean Up and Kizmet Posts.

We are now the proud owners of about 200 vinyl 6-foot posts and all the tools and equipment that goes along with the business. We get an email from an agent when they want a post up or down. We have a check list of things to do. I make a little packet of paperwork and after school the boys, usually Kyle, head out to put up the post. Some days we don't get an email. Some days, like yesterday, we get seven! In a month or so, as soon as I get the hang of being a business owner, I will probably start doing a little bit of marketing to build a bigger client list.

I think this will be a good thing for the next few years. I think it is important for the boys to learn to work. I also think it is important for them to feel like they have some ownership in the work they do. And I think it is important that they see the rewards from hard work. I like that they were able to buy their own season passes for the ski resort. I like that they are also saving some of that money for their future.

* * * * * * *

Now that things are settling down a bit, I hope to write more often. (If I do the posts won't be so long!) I also hope all is well with everyone and that the New Year brings wonderful things for you and your loved ones!

New Menu Monday: White Chicken Chili

2010-12-06T16:48:00.004-07:00

I haven't posted a menu in a few weeks because the last few weeks have not been worth sharing. No offense to Rachel Ray and Kraft, but not everything they create is a hit with our family.

But today will be a hit! I know because I have tasted it before. I just haven't made it for the family. Thanks to my Freezer Meal group, I how have the opportunity to serve it to my family AND I didn't even have to make it! I just pulled it out of the freezer, let it thaw and warmed it up! (I love those women and the dinners they prepare!)

Today we will be having White Chicken Chili. It's original origins are unknown. My friend, Brenda, got the recipe from a neighbor who's recipe card had the name "Charlotte Dopp" on it. So, to you, Charlotte Dopp, whoever you are, we say a big thank you from our family and everyone in our neighborhood who has enjoyed this chili over the years!

White Chili
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 medium onion
1 Tablespoon oil
2 cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup whipping cream, 1 cup sour cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in whipping cream and sour cream. Serve immediately.

We are also having baked potatoes with this... Enjoy!

Be Thankful...

2010-11-25T21:36:00.001-07:00

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How to Stay Married While Remodeling

2010-11-23T10:51:00.007-07:00

(I don't presume to be anything even close to an expert on this subject. These are just some observations I made while we remodeled our Family Room.)

1. Keep your strengths strong, accept your weaknesses and be patient with the weaknesses of others.

I have always had a pretty good head for math. I also have a talent for being able to visualize things. I can picture things in my head and be pretty close to how they will turn out.

When we started laying the wood flooring, it was hard to imaging EXACTLY how it would look but we did our best to imagine it, snapped our chalk lines and started gluing down the edge pieces. Jim was nice enough to "let" me figure out the measurements and angles. We had to let the glue set over night. Then the work began!

The two of us started gluing the boards together, making cuts at the angle and around the doors. There was a bit of a learning curve but once we both figured out each others strengths, we were on a roll.

2. Know when to ask for help.

It took us about 6 hours to get this little hall done. There were so many cuts! By the time we got into the bedroom/office we were on each others nerves just a little. Thankfully our friends, "B" and "A", came over to see the progress. "A" was kind enough to let "B" stay. She also took Austin to Tae Kwon Do and picked up the pizza I had ordered so I could stay and finish helping. What a great help that was! "B" stayed as long as he could and was an awesome helper!

It took us 15 hours, but we got all the wood flooring down before the carpet had to come the next morning.

3. Choose your battles or You don't have to get your way ALL the time.

I have written several times about how much I don't like carpet. You can go back and read about it if you'd like or you can just take my word for it. I REALLY didn't want carpet until I started figuring out how much it was going to cost to do something other than carpet. I could have begged and pleaded for something else. I do know how to get my way when I really want it. This time it wasn't as important to get my way. I wanted some new furniture and I knew the only way to get that was to save some money on flooring.

It actually turned out pretty good. The boys seemed to like the coziness of the carpet. Before I was able to get the camera, Josh was rolling back and forth on the new carpet and making "carpet angels".

4. Sometimes you have got to take the good with the bad.

We got the tape pulled up and got Kyle's room put back together. He was happy to have it back for a couple nights before he had to give it back up so Grammy could stay in it while visiting for Thanksgiving. He's a good sport for sharing. But sometimes when you have the biggest room and your own bathroom you have to give it up when visitors are in town.

5. If you hang in there, It usually turns out well in the end.

We were able to make a run it Ikea and get a little couch for the boys and their new TV area. We moved the flat screen from our room and put it in its new home. We also moved the Xbox and Wii up from the Theater. Of course, the boys love it! We still need a few other pieces of furniture to make the room cozy, but it will do until we can save up some more funds.

And now, sometime soon, we will get a new flat screen TV for our bedroom. I thought we would have some time without a TV in our room but Jim thinks we need one. So we have the old clunker 27" giant tube balancing on our dresser for now.

I am pretty happy with how it turned out. We still have a ways to go. There will be new rock around the fireplace and Jim is going to make built in bookshelves on either side of the fireplace. Eventually we want to replace the French doors. They are pretty bad! I would like a soft chair by the fire that I can sit in while I knit or read.

I imagine sitting there, knitting in front off the fire, while one of the boys plays soft music on the piano but I know, in reality, I will probably be sitting there watching them killing each other on some Xbox game, while yelling at them periodically, "Would you PLEASE turn it down!"

What was #4? Oh, yes, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad...

Family Room Construction: Phase Two...Four Months Later

2010-11-16T12:31:00.005-07:00

I was so excited that weekend in July when we started to take the family room apart. I even wrote about it. Then things were on pause. The last few months we have been in the process of refinancing our house so we could have the finances to do the remodel. It took longer than we had hoped but it is finally over and we can move forward with our plans. Here's the update:

This is Josh putting up the last piece of drywall on the south end of the family room next to the fireplace. He has been a great help to Jim. His favorite part of the drywall process is "rasping" the edges of the cut pieces. This makes lots of noise and dust; two things that are always closely associated with Josh!

This is from further back. we were going to replace the fireplace but, after pricing the flooring, we are going to keep the little, not so appealing, fire that came with the house.

This is looking left into the room that was formerly the office and is now Kyle's room. It will be an office again in the not so distant future so we will be putting down wood floors in this room, into the little "hall" just outside the room and up the stairs that lead to the entry/kitchen.

Anyone who is a regular reader of our blog knows how I feel about carpet. After lots of thought (and pleading by Jim) we have decided to put carpet in the family room. I would have preferred to have stained cement or any other surface that can be "swiffered". But carpet will be the warmest and the most cost effective. There will be rules about shoes and dogs. Hopefully that will help minimize the wear and tear that made our last carpet so gross.

The wood flooring is scheduled for tonight and the carpet is scheduled for Friday morning. I think there will be an Ikea run on either Friday night or Saturday to get a couple of the furniture pieces we have been eying.

So now when we have visitors there will be a place to sit that is not around the dining room table. The dining room table that we got as a hand-me-down about 15 years ago. The dining table that was well used before it made its way into our home and has been well used ever since.

The kitchen table that hopefully will be replaced before Thanksgiving!

New Menu Monday is BACK!

2010-11-08T09:08:00.002-07:00

And so am I. I took a little blog break. I don't know why. It just wasn't a priority for a while but I have missed it.

Now, back to food...

Now that the weather is sufficiently chilly, I feel the need to make cozy, yummy dinners. I have also tried to keep introducing new foods to my family. Food is to magical to keep preparing it the same way over and over. That's why I started New Menu Monday. We try something we have never tried before every Monday. I record a variety of food related shows and I browse a few favorite food websites. Sometimes I present several ideas and let the guys decide which one sounds best to them but most times I just prepare something and everyone tries it.

Even when the kiddos were little, I used to make them try new things. If they thought they didn't like it even before they tasted it, I would make them take "No Thank You Bites". The amount of bites would be their age (age 5 = 5 bites). Most of the time they would find that they liked the taste after a few bites. Sometimes they didn't, and that's OK. If the majority of us didn't like it, I would throw away that recipe and never make it again. But most of the time we have a wonderful new addition to Mom's Cookbook and I try to incorporate it into the rotation.

I have heard that a lot of you have a hard time getting out of your dinner rut so I am now going to post our New Menu Monday choices on the blog. Happy Cooking and Happy Eating!!!

* * * * * * * *

We had this last Monday and thought it was GREAT!

Cheesy Hash Brown Chili by Rachel Ray

Ingredients

2 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 pound ground beef
Salt and pepper
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 1-pound bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Yields: 4-6 servings (We had a little left over)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat, for 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Add the beans and the tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Transfer to an 8-by-11-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and cheese. Scatter the potato mixture over the chili. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet and bake until the potatoes are cooked through and the chili is bubbling, about 35 minutes.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-07T10:25:00.003-06:00

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the cooler weather, foods and the silly things we do with friends. Hope you also get to enjoy some happiness and silliness this time of year with family and friends!

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ab!

A Prince Among Men

2010-09-18T09:29:00.005-06:00

Austin is our first born. We had him when we were very young and silly, but happy. He he grew and developed like any healthy boy should. His brothers followed very soon after that.

When he was not quite two years old, I noticed he wasn't doing things he used to be able to do and there were some words he used to be able to say and didn't anymore. I could tell there was something different about him. Many people around me would say things like, "He's just fine" or "There's nothing wrong with him" or "Maybe you just need to...". He was my first and I was young and naive. I didn't know what to do so I just kept doing my best.

He started preschool at Kiddie Kollege. After a few months Ms. Beverly talked to me about how he didn't sit still or listen. She handed me an article about ADHD and suggested I go see my pediatrician. I made an appointment, took Austin and explained what the teacher said. He suggested we put him on Ritalin... my 3 year old! That was the last time we went to that doctor.

I moved him to a different preschool the next year. He did OK. I continued to wonder what was wrong. I shared my concerns with his teacher. She handled him well. I read everything I could about ADD and ADHD but it just didn't feel right. I treated him just like any other preschooler. He was expected to do his chores, be kind to his brothers and listen to his parents. We had communication issues. He had a hard time expressing what he wanted to say and I had a hard time getting him to listen to what I was saying. We did a lot of "Austin, look at my eyes when I talk to you" and "Austin, show me what you need."

Then Austin started Kindergarten. His teacher was an angel straight from heaven! She loved him no mater what he was like. She worked with his strengths and ignored his weaknesses. We started building a new house so at Christmas break we moved and Austin landed in a kindergarten class with a teacher that was old and mean. She didn't like dealing with him and disciplined him harshly. Austin, who potty trained fairly easily and hadn't had an accident since, started wetting the bed and having nightmares. And he didn't want to go to school. I pulled him out of school and taught him his ABC's on my own. Shortly after that, I decided to attend a meeting for parents with children with ADD and ADHD. I wanted to know what these parents were doing and what I could learn from them. They all talked about one particular specialist in Salt Lake City and how wonderful he was. I decided to take Austin to see him. We made the appointment and they told us to expect to be there for most of the day for different types of tests. The doctor was with Austin for about an hour when he came out and told me, "Your son does NOT have ADHD. I am pretty sure he has Autism. Let's finish the tests today. I will send you home with some questionnaires for his teachers. We will compile it all and send you our report." When people started learning the diagnosis, they asked me how I was feeling about it. I was just so relieved to have a diagnosis I felt great. It was such a weight off my shoulders.

I went back to his old school so I could have the angel teacher fill out the questionnaire. She was so happy to see us! I explained what was going on and she told me that she suspected as much. She also told us that Austin's desk was just the same as it was the last time he was there and she would love to have him back in her class. She talked to the principal and TOLD him Austin would be coming back. To this day I get teary eyed when I think of what she did for us and especially Austin. I will never forget her. Needless to say, he thrived in her class. No more nightmares, no more accidents.

We moved him back to our local elementary school for first grade. He adjusted well. His teachers loved him, the kids knew he was different and took advantage of that. Especially the ones that were in his special classes with him. I think they were just doing what they could to feel better about themselves. Junior High was no better, at least in his resource classes, and I worried if he would ever have any friends that would love him the way we loved him. I wondered if others would notice the sweet and lovable Austin that his teachers knew. Deep down he has such a good spirit. He just wants to help people and do what is right. He wants others to feel that way too. He really hates it when he knows others are breaking rules and he especially hates it when he hears swear words at school. But despite all of that and how he was treated by those few bad apples, he knew he wanted to do something to help others.

So in junior high, he started holding the front door open for the kids coning to school. He sometimes got upset if we were a little late and arrived after the bus because he missed out on holding the door open for those kids. A few of the kids noticed and got to know him from that.

Then he started high school.

Something magical happens when kids around here go to high school. They finally start to figure out whatever they were trying to figure out in junior high. Maybe it is because they find more people that have their same interests and they feel more accepted. Maybe it is because they have finished going through that awkward stage and feel more comfortable in their own skin. Maybe the raging hormones aren't raging so much. Whatever it is, they seem to clam down a bit and notice others more. At least I have noticed that with my teenagers. 13, 14 and 15 have been hard but by the time they are 16 I don't really want to strangle them as much!

Austin is now a senior at Syracuse High School. He continues to hold the door for the others at school and has since he started there. When I am around him at the school and around town, I can tell that the kids know who he is and seem to like him. I had no idea how much until this week.

I got a phone call from him while I was in Las Vegas visiting my sister's family. His communication skills are still being worked on but mostly understood what he was trying to tell me. He had been nominated for Homecoming Royalty! He was given a letter with all the things he would be doing the next week for Homecoming week. They were learning a song to sing at the Friday assembly, he would be in the parade, he found a date to take to the dance and the King would be announced at the football game the Friday of that week. I couldn't believe it and I was so excited for him.

The highlight of this week was riding on the float in the parade on Thursday. We made some signs to hold while he passed by and we yelled really loud. He was able to keep one of the big white balloons from the float decorations. It is still floating around our house!

Friday was a big day. First there was an assembly at school. That was the first time I realized how well liked Austin is at his school. When the royalty was announced and they came out onto the stage, Austin got the biggest cheer from the crowd. I was stunned! Later that night at the game, I was able to escort him onto the field at halftime for the announcement of the king, queen, first and second attendants. I was so nervous/excited for him all day. Here we are standing at mid-field when they introduced all the kids that were nominated. The roar of the crowd was deafening! I am glad Jim snapped this picture before the tears started falling. I was a wreck! To hear the kids cheer like that was music to a mother's heart.

Then the big moment was upon us. They had announced the second attendants and were about to announce the first. I could barely breathe. When they said his name for first attnedant I was so proud! He gave me a quick hug and went to stand up front with the beautiful girl that was also named first attendant. The boy that was king is a boy that is from our neighborhood. He is a great kid and I really like him. The only thing Austin heard was "first" so according to him, he was the winner.

So the next night was the dance. Kyle and his friends again rallied around Austin to make sure he had a date. This sweet girl was his date. I so appreciate her and her willingness to be such a good sport.

Here is part of the group that went together. Kyle on the left with his girlfriend and Austin on the right. They met three other couples for dinner and went to the dance together. They all ended up in our basement theater to watch a movie. From what I can tell, it was a wonderful evening for everyone!

There have been a lot of great memories in the last 17 and a half years with Austin but this week is going to be up there toward the top. It has been fun and busy but totally worth all the struggles. We don't know what the future holds for Austin. What we know is that we love him and we are tremendously proud of the things he has accomplished. We know that it will be our responsibility to live good enough in this life so that we can be with him in the next. We know he has already secured his place in heaven.

Plus, there's always Prom King.........

Hacker

2010-09-15T11:56:00.002-06:00

Jim works in the IT department of his company. He works with some of the most knowledgeable "computer geeks" I know.

One of them thinks he's super funny (which he is, but not this time) and he hacked into my blog! He changed Jim's shirt from a BYU shirt to a U of U shirt in the last blog post.

So, sorry to those of you that are on the email list. You are getting that blog post twice because I had to go in and replace the picture.

I didn't mention in that blog post, and I probably should now, that as much as Jim likes watching BYU football, he also likes keeping up with Ute football. He is "Switzerland" when it comes to the whole in-state rivalry. Passionate about sport, not a crazy my-team-is-better-than-your-team fanatic.

So, Hacker, I know who you are. And I could "out" you here on my blog and all over Facebook. But I choose not to. I, too, will be "Switzerland".

Rise and Shout, the Barbers are Out!

2010-09-11T10:04:00.007-06:00

Last weekend, after my visit to Vegas, Jim and I hurried home because we had people coming over to our house that night. It was the opening weekend for College Football and the BYU Cougars were playing.

When I married Jim, I knew he was a sports fan. Shortly after meeting his family (one girl, and SIX boys!) I knew that sports, and competition in general, was deeply ingrained in most of the family rituals. I did the math and this is how it turned out:

Winter=Jazz
Spring/Summer=Baseball
Fall=Football

But not all football is created equal. They do love the NFL but they REALLY love watching BYU Football!!!

So, for the opening game we had most of the brothers (and a nephew or two) over at our house watching the Cougars in the theater. Here are just a couple of thing I love about watching the Barber Boys watching BYU Football together:

Their "outfits" usually match - I think there is enough BYU clothing in the family that all 40 of us could take a family picture together and be wearing something with a Y on it!
The cheering wakes babies - There have been countless times when something great has happened in a game that has either woken a sleeping baby or just scared them so bad they burst into tears.
It promotes family togetherness - It is hard to get men to bond but it seams that if they are passionate about SOMETHING, even if it is college football, they will have meaningful conversations, get together often and like each other more.

Plus, I love being the hostess. I love to make yummy food to share. I especially love to hear people tell me how yummy the food is. that happens less and less with my own family so I have to bring in extended family to hear the praises.

So, there are some bright sides to football season starting. The priorities shift a little with the changing seasons but there are also opportunities that open up now that the weather is cooling off. And as I post this, I can hear Jim down in the theater hollering at me to come down and sit with him. There's a game on...

Sweet Ava

2010-09-09T10:06:00.006-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, my sweet niece, Ava Rose, turned eight years old. That is a special time for kids who grow up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. That is when it is time to get baptized! We are all so proud that she made the choice to become an official member of the church!

I was able to go down and stay with Craig and the kiddos for a few days before. It was so nice to be there and just spend time with them. I helped out around the house a little while they were at work and school. I was able to walk the girls to school and help them with hair and homework. It was nice to be able to reconnect with them after not seeing them for a couple of months. Ava is the best parts of my sister, Lisa. Her beautiful face and her love for life and everyone around her reminds me so much of what I miss about my sister.

Jim came down a few days later for the baptism and we were able to drive home together, just the two of us. It was a very quick trip for him but it was so nice to be able to spend that time in the car with him, no kids, no noise, just great conversation and an In-N-Out Burger.

It was really hard for me to leave but there are so many people who love, pray for and care for that family. It was nice to meet Chloe and Ava' s friends. They are all such cute girls! I know they are in good hands. I know there are people in the neighborhood and at church who look out for them.

And if knowing that is not enough, I know that I am welcome to go and visit anytime I want!

Traffic Jam in Adam's Canyon

2010-09-08T14:06:00.009-06:00

Labor day. No school and no work. Kyle and Jordann (his friend-that-is-a-girl) wanted to do something. I'm not sure if it was Kyle's idea or Jim's idea but someone thought it would be a great day for a hike up to the waterfall in Adam's Canyon. And it was. The day started out a little chilly and breezy, just right for being outside. The forecast was for the high temperature to be in the high 70's to low 80's. (have I ever mentioned how much I love fall in Utah? I think I have!) The bad part about it being the perfect day for a hike is that lots and lots of other people noticed it also. There were SOOOO many people on the trail. Jim and the boys have been up there several times. He said he has never seen it that busy, ever! Monday was my first time all the way up to the waterfall. When we got to the the top there were about 8-10 groups up there taking pictures and having lunch. We found a place to sit and tried our best to enjoy what we had packed for our lunch.

You need to know something about me before I go on. It bothers me when people don't watch what their kids are doing. I have tried to teach my kids to be aware of their surroundings and be respectful to others around them. I don't want them to be those loud or obnoxious kids that make you wonder who their parents are. I understand that little girls like to scream and little boys like to run and jump. But there needs to be a level of respect to those you are sharing public space with. A few little screams from a little girl is not as bad as letting her scream at will. Boys running and throwing rocks is fine as long as they aren't hurting or bothering anyone else. Kids have natural tenancies, parents are there to keep them in check!

That being said, it would have been a perfectly relaxing half hour or so up at the waterfall except for that one group. The one with the boy waving sticks around like swords, throwing rocks all over, running around and between other groups, and with dogs off their leashes. To top it all off, they were all being supervised by the dad that yelled idle threats with a booming voice but never got up off his seat to do anything about it. The dogs kept coming over and sniffing my lunch and the boy finally hit someone with his stick sword.

We were able to take a few pictures. We forgot the camera but I had my phone. Good thing it takes OK pictures.

This is me keeping an eye on what my son is doing. I don't think he was bothering anyone else in the vicinity.

When we had enough, we started back down the trail. I think there may have been more people on the trail on our way down! All in all, it was a great way to spend time with Kyle and Jordann on a lovely almost-fall day.

* * * * *

Now as a side note, sorry if it sounds like I am a bit grumpy as I write this, it's probably because I am. Grumpy that my body is still recovering from that hike that should have been no big deal. I feel REALLY bad for my husband who has to put up with me and my "condition". He is Mr. Adventure. He loves to get out and do fun things. I love to also but it just takes so much out of me now. I am fine when I go for my daily walk. In fact, I could walk all day long. I love walking. But I used to love running. I used to be able to do lots of things I can't do anymore. Well, I can, but I pay for it later. If my heart rate gets too high I get dizzy. If I push myself too hard I need extra time to recover. Poor Jim had to wait for me several times along the trail and that was super frustrating for me. But not for him. He was so patient. I should be more patient with myself but I remember all the things I used to be able to do. I don't like feeling like an 80 year old when my body isn't even 40 yet. When we got home from our hike, I showered and laid down to rest for a bit. I fell asleep for four hours! I got up and made dinner, then I went back to bed and slept all night! There are a lot of times I avoid doing things because I know it will wipe me out. Most days I am just grateful my family is so helpful and that things aren't worse than they are. But sometimes, especially when I want to keep up with Mr. Adventure, I get frustrated with what my body is going through knowing that it most likely will not get better and slowly get worse.

The Last Hurrah of Summer

2010-08-28T20:20:00.006-06:00

Last weekend we got a visit from my sister. She lives in northern California and we don't get to see each other as often as we'd like to so we were pretty excited that the whole family (excluding their oldest who is serving a mission in Puerto Rico) could come to Utah for a week.

We were able to go to Seven Peaks last Saturday and let the kids burn off what was left of their summer. And, boy, did we burn. I applied sunscreen three times and still got burned! I am just now starting to peel. The boys had a great time on all the slides. The grown-ups had a great time in the lazy river and the wave pool. I also took along some knitting and was able to sit under the shade for a while and knit a few rows of my latest lace project.

This is Kyle being brave on one of the speed slides. They did them all several times!

This is my nephew coming out of one of the tube slides.

After an exhausting day of sitting on the shore of the wave pool and laying on a tube in the Lazy River, we needed a rest!

The next Monday, we hosted a multi-family FHE (Family Home Evening). My sister's family stayed at our house that night. We also were able to enjoy the company of some friends of ours that we have known forever. They came up for dinner and provided the spiritual thought. We played volleyball, ate too much dinner, had our lesson and ended the night with s'mores. It was a really fun evening!

We are so glad the cousins were able to spend some quality time together!

From our house, they drove to St George and then Las Vegas, visiting our other siblings along the way. Today they finally mad it home safe. Her family is the same size as ours but now she is down to only having one last boy at home. I look at them and see what my not-so-distant future will look like.

Most days I am okay with change. The changes that are coming up are all good changes. Especially if things stay on the same track they are on so far. It is good to see your kids grow and develop into functioning members of society. I want them to find all the happiness I have found in getting an education, finding the love of my life and having a family. I look forward to the time when Jim and I get to spend more time together. We didn't really get that when we were newlywed.

But not yet. I still get a few more years of being the mom. I will gladly hang on to these boys as long as they will let me...

A Fair Knitter

2010-08-18T14:53:00.006-06:00

When I first started knitting, I knew nothing! I still feel like I don't know as much as I should about the subject but I try to learn as much as I can because I so enjoy everything about it. I started by taking a beginning class one Saturday and just ran from there. I have been known to listen to podcasts (audio and video) about knitting. I read a couple blogs about knitting. I have a few really good books and several favorite patterns (and hope to get more). I have a favorite shop that I like to go to where the people there are wonderful, friendly and encouraging. I have even thought about writing my own knitting blog but I would rather spend my time knitting than writing about it.

As soon as I could follow a pattern, I was knitting for everyone else and their new babies. I didn't care. I just love the process of taking a ball of string, and some sticks moving them back and forth, and magically ending up with s pair of socks, a hat, a sweater or whatever. I also love the look on the faces of others when you tell them they need to hand wash their knew item because it was hand knitted. The usual response is, "YOU did this?"

About a year ago, I wanted something for myself. I had seen some knitted lace in the yarn shops and thought it was WAY beyond anything I could do. But I went ahead and purchased some lace weight alpaca and a pattern to go with it. I read the pattern a couple times. I would take the soft yarn out of it's drawer and feel it's softness. But I was still too afraid to start.

The day I finally started was a new day for me! I waited for it to get to difficult but it didn't. (It is just not something you can do while carrying on a conversation or watching a movie you have never seen before). I finished one part and set it aside to tackle a few other projects and kind of forgot about it for a while.

A couple of months ago I picked it back up and was determined to finish. I wanted to wear it. Not to any place in particular but I just wanted to have that one thing that I had knitted for myself that was not a pair of socks. Then I got the idea to enter it into the fair. That gave me a deadline of when I needed to finish. I didn't have to rush. I had plenty of time. I was pretty happy with how it looked. Little did I know that I would soon fall in love with knitting lace.

When you first start it doesn't really look like anything. Even when you finish it is not that impressive. The magic happens when you "block" your knitting. You fill up a sink, tub, or in my case, a large Tupperware bowl, with water and a small amount of a detergent made for fine fibers. You soak your knitted item for at least 30 minutes or up to a couple hours. This relaxes the fibers so you can stretch them within an inch of their little lives. Then you take up every bit of horizontal space in your kitchen that is usually set aside for eating and lay out your damp item. I happen to have lace blocking wires and blocking mat s. Those get threaded through the edges of the wet lace one row at a time. It takes FOREVER! Then you stretch it into the shape desired and, using a million pins, hope it stays in that shape until it is dry. This project took only a couple hours to dry. When I knitted Jim a pair of felted slippers it took a couple of days for them to dry! (One of the reasons I have fallen in love with lace knitting.) Then, when it has fully dried, you un-pin and take out the wires and... Abracadabra... it has turned into something you never imagined could be so lovely!!!

There are some pictures somewhere of the blocking process. I just couldn't find them. But here are some pictures of the finished product:

I couldn't find anywhere in my house that looked good so I went outside to take this picture.

The next two are close ups of the lace detail

Last Saturday was the day that items needed to be turned into the fair. The judging was on Monday and Tuesday. I anxiously woke up this morning and, after knitting a few rows on my next bit of lace, got ready to head down to the fair grounds. It opened at noon so I bribed the boys with lunch if they came with me. It took a minute for me to find my entries. There were so many wonderfully hand crafted items. I had fun browsing. Then we saw it...

The stocking I knitted for myself. I am in the process of knitting one for each of us. The same pattern but with different colors. Everyone got to choose their own colors. Mine is pink in honor of my sister, Lisa. I guess that worked because it won first place in the "Christmas" category. (Sorry about the bad quality of the pictures. I used my phone and was a bit shaky from excitement)

Then after a few minutes we found the lace shawl. It also had a blue ribbon! It won first place in the "Clothing/Accessories" category!

I only wish Jim had been there. He is so patient with me and my addiction. But he is off enjoying his (Fly fishing trip pictures to come soon). I guess I will have to set aside a few thing each year and take them down to the fair. I think I am brave enough now to enter the Utah State Fair next month.

Each first prize wins $25, which more than pays for the materials I used to make these items (another reason I have fallen in love with lace knitting. You can use one $12 hank of yarn and knit a whole project!). I can pick up my prize money on Monday. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to use my winnings to purchase more yarn... :)

Blessed, Honored Pioneer

2010-07-24T08:53:00.004-06:00

The Mormon Pioneer story is a story that is filled with faith, persecution, hope, trials, triumph, tears, and of course, lots of walking. It is sometimes hard to hear the stories about the trials but it is uplifting to know the results of those trials that were endured well. It is important to learn from history, not only the pioneer history, but all history. It is important to teach our children stories from history so they can learn from the trials and triumphs of others. The first weekend in June, we had the great opportunity to participate in a short reenactment of what some of the Handcart Pioneers experienced.

There were over 70,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that made their way west starting in 1856. The first wagon train entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 24th, 1847. Later, there were several members of the church that came all the way from England and other places in western Europe. It was an expensive journey so the leaders were inspired to provide a less expensive way to make the overland journey. Instead of using oxen and wagons they started building mini-wagons, or handcarts, and using people power, they were able to get to Salt Lake City using fewer resources. They did, however, need to walk every step of the 1,300 miles!

Our journey started in January. It was announced that the youth would be participating in a "trek" this year at Martin's Cove and there was a need for adult volunteers to be "Ma & Pa" over small groups of kids. Only the youth between the ages of 14-18 are allowed to participate. All three of our boys happen to fall between those ages. Jim and I had the opportunity to trek at that sacred place about nine years ago so when I heard the announcement I immediately thought, "Wow! Our whole family can all go on trek together!" Later I found out that Jim's first thought was, "Wow! All three of the boys will be gone on the same weekend! I wonder what Aimee and I will do?" It didn't take much to talk Jim into going.

We went through our "Ma & Pa" training. We started purchasing any equipment we were in need of. I made myself an authentic pioneer dress, apron and bonnet. About a week before it was time to leave we started gathering our equipment. Everyone was allowed to pack 17lbs. of clothing and personal items (not including bedding and tents) that would be pulled on out handcarts. I taped the checklists to the wall and put each of our buckets under the lists. Because we were "Ma & Pa", Jim and I were allowed/required to pack more gear. There were things we would need to help our "family" along the way.

This is what my living room looked like for about a week

There were almost 500 people that were heading up to Wyoming. Our journey started at 5am. The kids were excited and quite wild on the bus ride. Eventually, and after two stops, we made it up to our destination. Our gear was waiting for us (it was trucked up the night before). We found our cart and gathered our "family" and we were off...

This is our "trek family". These were the great kids we got to look after for the three days we were walking in the footsteps of previous faithful pioneers.

On the second day we were able to gather our real family together for a picture just before we made the walk into the cove. Notice our rain gear and ponchos. It was quite stormy and we got really wet that weekend!

Just before we made our way into Martin's Cove, we were treated to a well planned devotional. We listened to music that set the tone. We were told stories of why this place is sacred and why those pioneers willingly endured the hardships for what they knew to be true.

I love that place! I am so glad we went even though we had lots of rain, wet equipment, micro-burst thunderstorms and lots of mud. I am grateful for my husband and his knowledge of how to stay safe, warm and dry in any conditions. But most of all, and especially on Pioneer Day, I am thankful that pioneers did what they did. Weather they came across the plains in wagons, handcarts or they are like my parents and welcomed the missionaries into their home to hear the message of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. They are an inspiration to me. They remind me that it is always best to stand up for truth and righteousness no matter what it might do to your immediate situation. It the long run it is always best to do what's right. God promises us that if we do what is right he will support us.

Even during the clean up process...

Construction or Destruction?

2010-07-22T09:42:00.006-06:00

When we built our house, we chose flooring based on the fact that we have three boys and a dog. Almost one third of the flooring in our home is tile. The other parts are carpet. I have grown to loathe carpet over the last 12 years! The family room carpet is the worst. But that is probably due to it being the most used room in the house. I have wanted to rip it out for years. Most of you may remember that it is what started the whole basement/theater thing. I love what came of it but I still had gross carpet in the family room.

We have been slowly emptying the family room of it's contents. A few months ago we sold our big sectional couch to some friends that just finished building their cabin. We gave our big screen TV to Jim's parents. We have also sold other furniture pieces on KSL.com to some of the most random people I have ever met. We were down to the boys little video game TV, a few miscellaneous chairs and the dog bed.

Then, Jim had a five day weekend. July 4th fell on a Sunday this year so he got Friday and Monday off. One morning that weekend he woke up and said, "Let's rip up the family room carpet." I was confused, bewildered, dazed and above all, ecstatic! The boys love destruction days. They had fun removing the baseboard, pulling up the carpet and ripping up the tack strip out of the cement foundation. It was noisy and dusty. There were a couple times I had to step in and help them work together without fighting, but in a couple hours the family was carpet free! Jim helped them rip out the little platform we had in the corner that the TV was on. I wish I had thought to get a before picture. I'm sure if I dug around the millions of pictures we have I could find a good family room picture but I'm too lazy. I did, however, get pictures of them taking the rock off the wall around the fireplace:

Kyle helped Jim with that part of the demolition. They removed the mantle and covered the glass over the fireplace.

When that was done, Josh and Kyle loaded the rock into the trailer that also held the old carpet. Then they tackled the drywall. One of these days it will all go to the dump.

The dust has settled. The room was swept and vacuumed. The tools that will be used later are neatly stacked in the corner ready for the building back up of this well used room. It has been a little hard for the boys lately. The only place to play Xbox and Wii is down in the theater and that room is mostly off limits. The only place to watch TV is in our bedroom and it is DEFINITELY NOT the family room. But Jim has already drawn up plans for built in book cases that he will build on both sides of the fireplace. There will be a new layout to the room that we both agree on. We'd like to replace the french doors that are on the back of the house. Most of the decisions will impact Kyle's room because it is on the same level as the family room. But as much as we agree on everything else, we are still debating on what type of flooring to put down.

I am voting strongly against carpet!

Our first little potatoes! We just had to dig some up to see what they looked like

2010-07-20T20:22:00.001-06:00

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Summer of Spontaneity

2010-07-16T18:10:00.005-06:00

I am a planner. I like to make lists. I like to know what I am going to do and stick to my schedule... usually. I seem to be straying off my path a bit this summer. It started with our trip to the Snake River a couple weekends ago. We got invited, packed and a little more than 12 hours later we were camping! Then last weekend Jim was going to take Kyle fishing. One of his favorite spots is on the Weber River near where his uncle has a cabin. He was talking to Uncle Rock and told him they would be up fishing. He told Jim, "The cabin will be empty. Why don't you just go for the weekend?" (We help them a lot with their computers and he lets us stay in his cabin when it's available. I feel like we get the better end of the bargain!)

So that's just what we did. We were at our friends house last Friday (which is something we do just about every Thursday or Friday night, depending on the weekend) and we talked about going. They said they could be ready in a couple hours. We could be ready in less so we ran to the grocery store while they packed up their kids. By 8pm we were all packed and headed up the canyon. We got there late and went straight to bed.

The next morning we were greeted with wonderful weather and this giant moth on the front porch. I put my fingers next to it so you could see just how big it was. It was about the size of my BlackBerry. We weren't as thrilled about the giant flying creature as we were about the weather. It was GLORIOUS! It is usually about 10°-15° cooler up at the cabin than it is down in the valley. The weather was just right for fishing and hiking.

First thing Friday morning, Jim and Kyle went right down to the river and caught a few fish.

This is the one they kept.

Then we packed up some lunch and went up to the lake for a hike.

Along the trail there is a rope hanging from a tree. Of course, the boys had to take advantage of that. This is Josh...

And this is Kyle. It was really fun to watch!

We found a little place to stop and eat our lunch.

When we got back, I had to shower. When I got out of the shower, all of the kids were playing games and coloring. This is how I found all the adults! I had to take the picture from upstairs looking down for the full affect.

I am glad I am letting myself be more spontaneous. Sometimes some of the best things happen spur of the moment. I know we had a ton of fun at the cabin. We always do. I am always very relaxed and rested when I get home from that place. And it always reminds me of Lisa when I am up there. We took her and the kids up there the summer before she passed. I usually spend some time, early in the morning, sitting on the porch swing just thinking about her and what a great sister she is. She really appreciated the beauty of that canyon and marveled over how many trees there were. I like to sit quietly and look at the trees and feel grateful that our Heavenly Father has given us such wonderful things to appreciate on this earth. I like to think about all the things I learned from my sister, one of which is living life more fully, which might mean straying from the schedule and doing something completely unplanned.

Snow for the Fourth of July

2010-07-04T19:30:00.001-06:00

From the time the boys were very little, we started taking long Sunday drives. We have driven just about every canyon in northern Utah. We have been blessed to have kids that do very well in the car, even from the time they were tiny babies. I remember there was a time I was visiting my family, just me and my boys, and I drove from my hometown in the San Diego area all the way to my home in the Salt Lake City area in one day. I think they were all under five years old. And they were really good!

Then a couple of years ago, the gas prices started to skyrocket. We stopped taking Sunday drives like we used to and just fell out of the habit of doing it. We still take the boys places. They have been to a lot of places and see

n a lot of things that most kids their age have not. But we just don't take random drives on Sunday afternoons like we used to.

Well, Jim has been DYING to take a Sunday drive since the snow melted. And we found a road that we have never driven on! We drove up to Park City, had a little dinner and continued up the road past Dear Valley and went over the pass on a little dirt road that meets up with Big Cottonwood Canyon. We have been up that canyon and down into Midway and Heber but never on the little road to/from Park City.

When we were at the top of the pass we pulled over. We got the dog on her leash and walked a little way up the trail. I had to turn around and go back to the truck before everyone else. It was only 54 degrees up there! I was dressed for 80+ degrees. The boys had ventured off the trail and found some snow. There is still plenty in the shade and on the north and east facing peaks. Macy had. great time running around and smelling all the new smells. I think Jim got his Sunday drive fix and I didn't have to come up with something for dinner. We all won!

How blessed we are to live in such a wonderful area in such an amazing country. I hope I never take that for granted. I am forever grateful for all those that have made sacrifices to make our country great!

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Our Weekend in Wonderland

2010-07-01T13:54:00.005-06:00

My sister-in-law, Joann, called me last Wednesday. Her family has been rafting down the Snake river every summer for the last 10 years. They go about every third weekend throughout the summer. They are such a fun group! They call themselves The Mad Hatters because it is a requirement that you wear a silly/crazy hat when you float down the their in their raft. Her dad, Captain Jack, has his own raft and their family is big enough that they usually have plenty of grown ups or big kids to help paddle through the rapids. Last weekend they didn't have enough people going so she asked if we could. My boys are big enough now that they are considered "paddlers" and not "free loaders" (those who are big enough to go down the river but not big enough to be a paddler). We didn't have any other major plans so I took the boys up to Wyoming. We were sad that Jim needed to stay home to work :( but he encouraged us to go. We never know when the next opportunity to go will be.

We got on the road about 2pm on Thursday afternoon and made it up to the campsite along the Greys River a few hours later. We had some dinner and got settled in for the night.

The next morning was chilly. The campers didn't get up and moving as quickly as was hoped. I know I was running slow! I was up late on Wednesday packing, I got up early to finish packing and drove the whole way to Wyoming. We had a rough first night in the tent. Macy, the dog, threw up on her bed (there were so many interesting new smells for her to smell and things for her to eat) and then didn't she want to go back to sleep. She thought it was play time! When people started getting up they were not moving as fast as Captain Jack wanted them to move. Breakfast was later then usual and so was everything else. They usually try to get in three runs down the river on Friday but we only got in two, one before lunch and one after.

This is the boys just before the first run in their crazy hats. Austin's is a kid's plastic army helmet, Kyle's is a beanie with a baseball on top and Josh's is a pink octopus.

This is the group photo of the first run of the year!!!

The best place to take pictures is at the rapid called Lunch Counter. Here they are just going into the rapid. I almost didn't make it down to get the picture because the river was running so high and fast!

And here they are, just after Lunch Counter and their wild ride.

The group was able to do two runs on Saturday when they usually do one. The boys and I got camp all packed up and loaded up in the car. We played at the park with the little kids while waiting to go on the second run. I was able to get video of them on that run:

It was a super fun weekend. We really appreciate the Arrington family for thinking of us!!! I made sure they knew that anytime they need paddlers to think of us ;) and I hope they do. Here's wishing them another TEN years of rafting one of the best rivers in the west!

Father's/Carnivore's Day

2010-06-20T16:46:00.008-06:00

Poor Jim!

Last Thursday, I got some bad news. I thought I was taking my car in to have the front brake pads changed. A couple hours later I got the phone call from the service place. By the time they were done with my car, the front AND rear pads were changed, the front rotors were turned and the back rotors were replaced! It ended up costing WAY more than we expected.

Because of the expense, I wasn't able to get all the things for Jim that I wanted to for Father's Day. He is such a great dad for our family and I wanted to express that with gifts. I guess words will have to do this year.

I really appreciate all the hard work he does to provide for us in every way. He is so patient with me and my shortcomings. He is a great example to our boys of what a man should be. He is always cheerful and helps me out with whatever I ask. He loves me and the boys unconditionally. He is so handy around the house. He is a great husband, father, brother and son.

I was able to go get the Father's Day groceries before the fiasco with the brakes so at least I can feed him like he deserves to be fed on Father's Day.

This is what he got for breakfast: Ham steak, eggs, hash browns, toast and his favorite fruits.

And he ate the WHOLE thing!

This was dinner, after church: Las Vegas Steak (Seasoned, bacon wrapped fillet from Don's Meats), Ribs (seasoned with Butt Rub (really, that's what it's called) also from Don's Meats), Roasted Red Potatoes, Grilled Pineapple, and a Salad.

This was dessert, Strawberry Cheesecake Torte. We were glad to share it with our friends because we were just too full from all the other tasty food of the day.

OK, so maybe I overdid his meat intake for the day. I'm really not trying to kill him! And he LOVED it. I guess that's what counts.

Thanks, Jim! You are the best DAD!!!

The Best Two (or Five) Years

2010-06-16T16:55:00.012-06:00

I don't write (or talk) about my sister Lisa much but I probably should. She is such an inspiration to me and our whole family. I love and miss her so much.

It was a normal day in November of 2005. Lisa got all dressed up to go on a date with her dear, sweet husband. The are big fans of Al Jarreau and they were going to go to dinner and see his concert. She kissed her kids goodbye for the last time in this life. I don't need to go into the details. It happened suddenly and without warning. She was there and then she was gone.

For most people, this would have been the beginning of a great tragedy. She left behind the love of her life and four little (at the time) kids, the youngest was three. Thankfully, we know that our Heavenly Father has a plan and we know that life on this earth is only a small part of that great plan. Instead, the family was bathed in love and service from friends, family and neighbors, and they thrived. That's how life should be. We should all help each other get through the tough times.

Because they handled things so well, they were great examples of faith to others in their neighborhood. There was one family in particular. Bentley, my sister's oldest son, has a best friend names Tyler. Tyler started going to church with Bentley. He felt the love of his Savior there. Tyler accepted the gospel and was baptized. He lead the way for the rest of his family; his mom, dad and little sister. They were also baptized. Tyler wanted to share that gospel with others so he decided to serve a two year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He is exactly one year older than Bentley. He has been gone one year. Now Bentley is 19, the age in which most young men start their two years of service. He also wanted to share the Savior's love with others and decided to serve a mission. In mid-April he got his call to serve the people of Tuscon, AZ. It's not as far from home as some missionaries go but it is where he should be.

A couple of weekends ago, I was able to drive down, accompanied by the three boys, to St George and Las Vegas to visit family and attend the temple with Bentley and other family members in preparation for his missionary service. Because of the strength and example of my sister's family, Tyler's parents were also able to go to the temple. What a blessing for everyone there! We also got to hear Bentley give his farewell talk in church. It was a wonderful weekend. It was full of good times, spiritual experiences and lots of hugs.

Thanks to my brother, R.P., and his lovely wife, Mariah, we had a place to crash. This is my three big boys and their two little boys. We always have a great time when we visit them in St George.

We were supposed to leave for home right after church and lunch but the cousins wanted to spend a few more hours together. We were invited to go swim at this beautiful pool that belongs to one of Bentley's friends. It was great fun in a beautiful setting!

Here's the cousins together (for a split second!) From the left is Josh (mine), Kyle (mine), Chloe on Kyle's lap (Lisa's), Ava (Lisa's), Austin (mine) and Bailey (Lisa's). Bentley was MIA.

It was in the 90's yet they all ended up in the hot tub! (I cant figure out how to get that picture to turn the right way, sorry)

On our way out of Vegas, we took my sister some pretty spring flowers for Memorial Day.

A couple of days ago, Bentley was headed to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT. He flew into Salt Lake City so we went to the airport for one last hug. I am so glad we did! He looked great. He was ready and excited to get to work.

Here he is coming out of the "restricted area". We went with him to the baggage claim area and waited with him until his shuttle left.

Just enough time to sneak in a group picture.

Losing my sister was a hard thing. But these past five and a half years seem to have gone by pretty fast. There are still times when I would love to call her. That's when I just think of what I want her to know and hope she is listening, and knowing her, she is. I know she is also watching over her family. There are some things that they have missed by not having a mom in their home the last five years. But that is such a short time compared to the eternity they will be able to spend together in the next life. I am grateful for the lessons that we have learned in the last five years. The good things that have happened might have happened if she was still with us but they might not have happened and that would be sad. Tyler is on his mission teaching people the true gospel of Jesus Christ and now Bentley is following in his footsteps. Tyler's family has been able to go to the temple and be sealed together for all eternity, just as Lisa's family is. There have been some great blessings that have come out of this trial. There always are. We just need to have the faith to look for them.

130,000 Miles and Counting

2010-06-01T12:40:00.004-06:00

I had a great weekend! Details will come soon.

One event I couldn't overlook is the mileage on my mini-van. On this last trip to visit family in St George and Las Vegas, we turned over 130,00 miles.

Our dear, sweet Chrysler Town & Country has served us well for eight long years. It is our second mini-van. Jim was resistant to buying both. Before gas prices went through the roof, he talked about buying me a Tahoe. In the last year or so he has talked about buying me an Accord. But I love my mini-van. Here are a few reasons why:

I love that we fit very comfortably. On this last trip we were without Jim so I had one boy in the front (shotgun), one boy in the middle and one in the back. There was absolutely no touching whatsoever. Even when we have Jim with us there can be at least one seat between each of them, still avoiding most touching.
I love that I can go "big grocery shopping" (Costco AND Wal-Mart plus any other places I may need to stop) in one trip without having to stop at home and unload, even if Kyle's GIANT baseball bag is in the back (usually accompanied by a blanket, a few chairs and possibly a cooler) and even if I have to load up 200 lbs of water softener salt.
I love the integrated child seats that I can use for the children of my friends. There is no car seat shuffle.
I love that I can drive carpool when needed. I probably won't need to soon because the boys will be able to drive themselves :( but I love that I can help out other moms if I need to.
It has a great sound system. We (me and the three boys) like to turn it up loud and feel the sub-woofer.

Those are just a few things. I really think everyone should try a mini-van. If you are not convinced you are a mini-van person, maybe it's because you are just not quite cool enough. And to that I say I feel sorry for you. Maybe this video clip will change your mind:

What Jim Wants for Father's Day

2010-05-27T14:30:00.001-06:00

Last night Jim brought me his favorite woodworking catalog, Rockler. He said, " I turned over the pages of things I want in case you and the boys need some ideas for Father's Day presents."

He's so thoughtful!

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Lesson Learned

2010-05-21T10:30:00.003-06:00

Apparently I can work 18 hour days sucking bus fumes and being yelled at by high ranking NFL employees, but I don't like being yelled at by Billy Bob from Tennessee or Tony from Brooklyn about how the government doesn't really need all that Census information.

Yes, I quit my new job! I went through the application process, the background checks, the online testing, the orientation and the training. I worked one 10 hour shift and I felt like I had been through a whole week's worth of Super Bowl bus operations, emotionally and physically. There is usually at least one time during that week of bus operations that I say, "It takes a special kind of crazy to do this job and enjoy it." Well, I have learned that it takes a different kind of crazy to work in a call center... and it's not my kind of crazy.

I also learned that the things I was trying to earn money for aren't quite as urgent as I thought they were before I spent that day in misery. My new deck and flooring can wait a little while longer, and I'm OK with that.

And as a bonus, I am going to be able to spend that time with my family I would not have been able to had I been working all that time. Both Kyle and Josh had concerts last night that I would have missed. I get to go to the Temple with my sweet husband this weekend and with my extended family (Perez/Boyens) next weekend. I will have my weekends free, which means if we want to take a little trip up to the mountains, we can. The boys won't go unsupervised several days a week during their summer vacation. I can continue to cook dinner for the family every night, which I love to do and also think it is and important part of family life. We will be able to continue to spend time with our family and friends. The REALLY important things about life will not have to be pushed aside.

There might be some things that we will have to sacrifice, but that's OK. I have a few other things I have been mulling over. Now I have a bit more time and incentive to really start looking into those possibilities. I just KNOW this is the right thing to do right now.

I don't think anyone looks back on their life and thinks, "Gee, I really wish I had spent more time at work." If they do, it might be a completely different kind of crazy!

The Queen of Temp Jobs

2010-05-16T16:26:00.003-06:00

I love being a stay at home mom. Not that I think I am great at it or that I love cleaning up after three teenage boys. I just really think it is the place I should be. Our family runs best when Jim and I work as a team to nurture and provide for our family. It was really hard for me when the boys were young. I had three kids in less than four years (plus, it all happened before I was 25). But all the hard work was worth it. I got Jim through school. He's an excellent provider for our family and I have great boys. We are truly blessed!

Occasionally I get restless and think I need to get out of the house and work. It started with the 2002 Olympics and went crazy from there. I don't mind working. I just like it when I can see an end to the time I will be away. So I have been known to work here and there but never anything permanent. When I think of the list it makes me laugh. It's a pretty eclectic resume. Join me in a bit of a laugh:

Assistant Venue Transportation Manager in the 2002 Olympics - This was my baptism by fire and the start of my foray into the transportation world. Looking back, I am amazed at how much I didn't know and how much of a better job I could do if I had to do it all over again. That job lasted about 6 months.
Team and Team Family Bus Transportation Manager for Super Bowls 40-44 (Detroit, Miami, Phoenix and Tampa). I also worked Super Bowl 39 in the Transportation Office (Jacksonville). That job lasted anywhere from 15-28 days.
Team Transportation Manager for the Men's Final Four Tournament in 2009. I think I was in Detroit for 13 days (if I remember right. I was frozen most of the time)
I managed Transportation for the Mascot, VIP's and Corporate Clients at the MLB All-Star Game in Detroit. That lasted about 10 days. (I think it will be fine with me if I never have to go back to Detroit again!)
I worked one NASCAR event a long time ago, after my first Super Bowl. That was only 4 days.
I have been a substitute lunch lady for the Davis County School District. They would call me in the morning if they needed me and I worked at several different schools. I did that for two years.
I have been a "Lagoon Mom". Our resident amusement park, Lagoon has several days in May when they are open for schools to come. Since the kids that usually work there are also in school, the moms of the area work those 10-14 random days and get some cool perks along with the paycheck. I have done that the last four years.
I was a server at our local Pizza Factory. A good family friend is the founder of this wonderful restaurant and when the new one in Syracuse opened I helped out. I worked there for about three months.
I have been a Poll Worker. Not the kind that first comes to your mind. I am talking about an Election Poll Worker. It is one day a year. One LONG day. I have done that for the last six elections.

There are probably some that I am leaving out. It is such a random list! it makes me smile when I think about it. One of the reasons I have been thinking about it lately is because I just got another random temporary job. A local call center got the government contract to make and take calls for the 2010 US Census. The job starts this week and will probably go through mid-August. We will be calling people that may have put some conflicting information on their Census form. We will also be taking calls from people that have questions about the Census. It wont be my favorite job but it will be nice to get some much needed income for projects we want to do around the house. Jim provides a very comfortable living for us but there is some major remodeling we want to do. I am willing to work for a while knowing that we will be able to save up the money we need faster. It is also nice that I know the end time for the project.

It would have to be something very near and dear to my heart to take me away from the place I know I should be, my home, on a full time basis. I hope I can find something like that after the boys have gone off to make their own lives. Until then, I will be where they need me. Unless we need an extra boost to our savings or there is another major event in Detroit!

Their Best Week as Brothers, So Far...

2010-04-27T13:06:00.002-06:00

Prom was a great success! I so appreciate all the kids that were part of the group and how they included Austin. I was a little nervous about the plans because they were really up in the air until the last minute, but it all came together and the kids had a lot of fun.

I had a really hard time deciding what pictures to post without making this blog post three miles long, there were so many! So I selected a few and made a little movie for your viewing pleasure.

Thanks again to all those involved!

April Showers and Flowers

2010-04-22T13:02:00.003-06:00

I love our trees. I get so happy in spring when they start making little buds that turn into blossoms and leaves. (I especially like when the buds turn into fruit!) We had such a nice beginning to our week and I knew a storm was coming so I took these pictures so I could remember how beautiful it all looked before the storm. Enjoy!

This tree is in our back yard just outside of our bedroom window. I love to look down on it and see the blossoms in the spring. There are always birds sitting in ti throughout the summer.

This tree is in out front yard. It will be an explosion of pink in about a week!

This is our shade tree in the back. It is a maple. The leaves are little right now but get super big in the summer.

The little lettuces are just coming up in my salad table. But these are the radishes!

This is the spinach; also in my salad table.

Baby plants are so cute just like all other baby things! Happy Spring, everyone!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

2010-04-18T12:17:00.006-06:00

Who did Austin ask to the ball?

As far as I am concerned, it is the luckiest girl at Syracuse High School!

But its' a long story:

Austin is 17. Despite having Autism he does very well. He has an extremely tender heart, he is very good at following the rules, He is a hard worker and very helpful. He struggles a little with his social skills and some things at school but the kids his age have known him since kindergarten and understand that that's just Austin. But, still, he is a bit behind the other kids his age. With some very hard work, he is a few weeks away from getting his driver's license. That is a big thing for him. Also, he has yet to go on a date. I haven't been concerned about that. He usually gets the urge to do things when Kyle starts doing them (like getting his driving permit and license). Kyle is only 17 months younger than Austin. That makes for an interesting dynamic in their relationship. Kyle is younger but in most ways he is like the older brother. That was really hard for him a few years ago but I think he's understanding more what that means for him. He is trying really hard to be a good brother. Also, Kyle's 5th birthday was only a few days before the cut off for kindergarten. We had a hard time deciding weather or not to put him in school or keep him home one more year. We ended up sending him when he was 5. He is younger than almost everyone in his grade and just one year behind Austin.

But that's just some background info. Here's where the story begins:

Last week at lunch, Kyle's friend (and our next door neighbor) mentioned that she had not been asked to Prom yet. She joked that she was going to ask him but didn't think we, his parents, would let him (our rule is no dating until 16, he's a few months away). Kyle and I were in the car and had time to talk. He mentioned this to me and asked what I thought. I told him that the ONLY person I would even consider that for would be Gracie. She is one of the sweetest girls I have ever known! I thought that was the end of that but I should have known better. (These kids are teenagers and extremely resourceful!)

When Jim got home from work, I had Kyle tell his dad the story. Then Jim and I talked about it privately. We decided it would be considered if Austin could be included somehow. Well that was all it took. Wheels started turning, flying fingers started texting and before we knew it, Austin had someone lined up to ask to the prom (Gracie's sweet friend). I guess this type of scheme takes a village!

So here's something I learned when I moved to Utah. You can't just go up to someone and ask them to a dance. It has to be a super creative and interesting scavenger hunt or puzzle that asks your prospective date. The answer should be equally creative. A couple members of this "village" of friends helped come up with how Austin should ask Katie and on Saturday he asked. She was at play practice and we went over to her house. We put a note on her front door that said, "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who will be my date to the ball?". Her sister was given the task of being her fairy godmother and guiding her through the house, where on several mirrors, we put a single letter of Austin's name. The last letter was on the mirror in her room along with a note that read, "Because you are the fairest of them all, will you go with me to the ball?"

Well, she answered! Her note said, "It would take an army to hold me back from going to the dance with you! YES!!!" And of course, I had the camera handy:

The idea was to set up little army guys all over his room. They started trying to stand them all up but that wasn't going to work at all!

Then they just started scattering them all over the room. That was much faster.

Some of the members of the "Get a Prom Date for Austin" village. His date is the cute girl second from the left.

Along with the army guys, she left a little toy gun. He was super happy that she said yes but he REALLY liked getting that gun!

The next morning I looked in his room and noticed he had separated the army guys into neat little piles. That is so Austin! I just had to take a picture.

Busy Bees with Blistered Green Thumbs

2010-04-12T14:25:00.005-06:00

For years I have been trying to talk Jim into doing something different with the corner of our yard that is a half-court sized piece of concrete. I knew we needed to do something different with it the first time our kids suggested it would be the perfect place to build a half-pipe. Jim grew up playing and loving basketball. Just our luck, not one of the boys has had a desire to play. so I suggested a swimming pool. That made Jim nervous. He told me we couldn't swim until he got home from work. I stopped begging after a few years. Then he got into the wood working thing. I thought maybe he could build a shop on the "court". He's still thinking about that. Meanwhile, our three car garage has turned in to a one car garage with a wood shop. In recent months, he has been inspired by his brother (who has a giant garden) to expand our own garden... by DOUBLE!!! This requires the removal of some grass and 1/4th of the basketball court.

The boys had spring break last week and we decided to stay home. Jim thought breaking up concrete would keep them busy, and it did. On Friday we had run out of things to do so that's when they started. They borrowed a sledge hammer from the neighbors and went to work.

We weren't quite sure what to do when the wheelbarrow got full. I called Jim and he told us just to dump it on the side of the driveway. (I'm sure our neighbors love that.

They got one or two loads done but it was really slow going. You can't fit much in a wheelbarrow before you just can't make it roll!

When Jim got home from work he helped them out for a while but it was still slow going. We decided it would be worth the expense to rent a jack hammer. So, First thing Saturday morning he went and got one.

It was noisy (sorry again, neighbors!) and he told me we might have to replace all the fillings in his teeth, but it was so much faster! Eventually there was enough room so they could start some piles of rubble right there and didn't have to use the wheelbarrow anymore.

Jim had to leave for a little bit so they all got a chance to use the "power tool". Josh got the most use out of it. He got really good at it

Even the neighbor, Alex, got a turn. (Later that night we went out to dinner with Al's parents. They asked us how we got their son to haul concrete rubble for 10 hours and they can't even get him to clean his room!)

Finally, by the end of the day, they got it done! It was hard work, they still have some sore muscles, but they did a great job and i'm so proud of them all!

We still don't know what to do with the rubble but we have a few ideas. Hopefully we can get it cleaned up soon. It is almost time to transfer some of our baby plants outside. But whatever happens, I know in years to come the boys will have conversations that will sound something like this, "Remember that spring break when we didn't do anything fun and dad made us break up concrete?"

Winter Break or Spring Break???

2010-04-06T11:10:00.004-06:00

I was so excited for Spring Break. (Mom's need a break from the work, too) We were going to go to St George but decided not to because no mater how much we plan on being frugal we always end up spending more than we wanted to. It is just way to fun down there! Then we decided that we should stay home and work on the yard. We have plans to expand the garden by about double. Jim wants to build more beds. We are going to take out some of the grass and possibly some of the basketball court. He also has finalized some plans for the deck and is pretty excited for that project. I am too. It has been more summers than I care to admit that we have not had a usable deck. (Good thing we get a tax return this year!)

Well, the weather is not really cooperating. It was raining of and on all weekend. We got some stuff done on Saturday. Jim built me a Salad Table and yesterday, Monday, I wanted to get the seeds in. (Lettuce, spinach, green onions, radishes and some herbs.) It started raining about lunch time and by dinner the snow was flying! this is what my garden looks like this morning:

So instead of being in the yard the last five days, I made this:

I think my sister-in-law is happy the weather turned. The hat is for her!

Cleaning Up the Messes of Others

2010-03-30T11:19:00.004-06:00

I have been an At-Home-Mom for almost 16 years now. I know that I am mostly responsible for taking care of the house. I have tried to teach my boys to be responsible and caring for the things they own. Apparently I have failed. This is what I woke up to on Saturday morning. Now, it didn't get like this overnight. Sometimes I let it accumulate over a few days just to see if anyone will notice that we haven't eaten dinner at the table in a few nights or that they can't find something that they were looking for in the place that it is supposed to be. This is actually a week's worth of accumulation. and I think there are only two or three things that I actually set down in this mess.

I used the camera
I set the green scarf on the table the night before
I had just cleaned out the recipe binder and was taking it to Deseret Industries

But there are several things I didn't touch:

I didn't use the potting soil that had been on the dining room table for TWO weeks (The seeds that were planted are already up!)
I didn't read the book that is under the recipe binder but should be on the shelf
I didn't use the colored pencils
I didn't get the rocket supplies out
I didn't use the peanut butter, jelly or bread
I didn't leave my church binder, scriptures and other misc. papers on the table
I didn't leave the pile of newspapers
I didn't forget to hang up my jacket
I didn't forget to push the toaster back where it belongs
I didn't forget to do the dishes the night before (we all have nights we do dishes)
I didn't leave the butter out
I didn't ignore my mom when she asked me to take the plate rack back down to the basement

But I cleaned it up! And they wonder why I am sometimes grumpy!!!

Rocket Man

2010-03-27T11:13:00.001-06:00

Jim loves rockets. Which is nice when you have three boys. They all love building and shooting them with their dad. We have a park a half a block away from our house (really it is a big grass field/water shed). That is where lots of the rockets are blasted from. There is also a park in Bloomington, by the "Fun Place" where a lot of our rockets have also been blasted from. We do the countdown and the boys try to catch them before they land - or crash.

While Jim was Scout Master, just about every scout in our troop got their Space Exploration merit badge. He is not the Scout Master anymore but they asked him to be the Space Exploration merit badge counselor. So about twice a year he gets out his launch pad, teaches his class and sends a few rockets into space (notice I didn't say OUTER space ;)). It is great fun. The kids like pushing the button or lighting the fuse. They love to run after their glued and painted masterpieces, trying to capture them before they hit the ground, hoping to be able to get that second launch in.

I love my Rocket Man!

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Ahh, The Good Ol' Days...of Last Week

2010-03-08T08:31:00.004-07:00

Today it is a little gray and there has been some rain. It snowed a few days ago. Spring in Utah does that. It teases us into thinking the cold weather is over by giving us a fantastic weekend... Then it snows! I have lived in northern Utah almost as long as I lived in southern California, where I grew up, and I still am not used to the "Spring Tease".

Well, last weekend was one of those fantastic weekends. Jim cleaned out the garage (his ongoing project) and he got the boys out in the garden beds cleaning up. They also planted a few things. The peas are always one of the first things to get planted. They don't mind getting snowed on.

Here is Austin turning the dirt in one of the small beds

Kyle is pruning back all the grape vines. Jim's sister comes and gets them every year. I'm not sure what she does with them but I'm sure it's something really crafty.

Occasionally we can get Josh to help. If only he was as willing to help as our dog, Macy. Jim's garden project this year is to build a little fence so she can't "help" so much and to take out some of the adjoining grass so we can have double the garden. We will be a busy bees this year!

Music to My Ears

2010-02-24T17:24:00.005-07:00

I grew up with two older sisters. They were 3 1/2 and 5 1/2 years older than me. Needless to say, they had a pretty close relationship before I was born. One of my first memories of my sisters is them scolding me for playing with their Barbies and Lisa telling me, "Things were good until you came along!"

While they were taking dance lessons, I would watch with my mom and she would tell me I was too little to take dance. While they were practicing piano, I would ask my mom why I couldn't play the piano. Once again I was told I was too little. Well, that didn't stop me. My sisters finally got used to me and they even taught me a few things. One of them was to read and later they helped me learn the notes on the piano. Although I never took formal lessons I would plunk around on the keys almost every day. I love music! I love how it makes me feel and I love using it to express myself. I know it's not too late to take lessons but now is the boys time. They started a few years ago. Austin still takes piano lessons. Kyle found the guitar and really likes that. Josh plays the clarinet in the band and hopes to move on to saxophone next year.

The piano we have is not ours. Shortly after we were married, Jim's mom let us use one of her pianos. It is the piano her parents gave to her for her wedding. We have been so grateful to have it all these years! Austin uses it every day. I still sometimes plunk around on it. We have had it for 18 years and five moves but never had it tuned. Sometimes the boys would sit down to practice and thought they were playing their music wrong because it was so out of tune. They would complain, "That's not how it sounds on Fran's piano!" And they were right!

Well, one of Jim's co-workers has decided to get certified to tune pianos. He gave us a deal that was too good to pass up. He came over a few days ago and went to work. And, trust me, it was work. He had to go though every note twice and replace a couple of wires that were broken.

But when he was done and played a little tune I couldn't believe my ears. It sounded GREAT! Now I might be motivated to sit down more often. It does my heart good when the house is filled with music. The next step might possibly be to have Duane restore it to it's original beauty.

* If anyone needs a tune up you can find this wonderful person at McGuirePiano.com or give him a call (801) 830-5858 *

Jacob Hamblin's Cotton

2010-02-22T12:15:00.005-07:00

On our last visit to St George we were able to stay until Monday because of President's Day. We thought that a good Sunday activity would be to visit some of the Church History sights in the area. We started at the Jacob Hamblin Home. We took the little tour from the missionaries there. It is always interesting to be reminded of the sacrifice those early pioneers made so the rest of us might live (and visit) these wonderful areas of our state.

Brigham Young sent some families to the St George area to settle and to grow cotton. At that time, the Civil War was in full swing and it was really hard for anyone to get cotton from the South. St George has an ideal climate for growing cotton and they had much success. As we finished the tour we let the kids play on the big lawn and we wondered through Jacob's little orchard and garden. Being February, everything was brown and not looking very pretty but Jim looked at how the peach trees and grape vines were pruned and my eye went directly to the dormant cotton plants.

There were two or three rows that were about 40-50 feet long. The plants were brown and crunchy but there was a lot of cotton still left on the plants and some on the ground around them. All I could see was lots of fiber that could be cleaned, carded and spun up into something wonderful that I could knit.

I asked the Missionaries if it was OK if I gathered some up to take home with me. They looked at me like I was crazy and then told me it would be fine with them. I got an empty grocery bag that had been floating around the back of the car and went to work.

Most of it is this beautiful, white fluff, but a lot of it is dirty and has leaves in it. I got a couple of the kids to help me. (Thanks, Josh) It seamed like the more we picked the more there was. Kind of like eating pasta, you never get to the bottom of the bowl. We filled up the one bag I had and probably could have filled up another but I felt I had enough.

I really don't know the process I have to go through to get to where I can start knitting it. I am really excited to find out. I will post updates when I have them. As for now, I have a new niece coming in a few weeks so I will now go knit with the wonderfully soft yarn I already have.

One of My Happy Places

2010-02-13T12:54:00.008-07:00

St George, UT has had a place in my heart for a very long time. Even before I left home, I would visit my sister who lived there. I met some friends and even went to the Senior Ball with a dear friend that went to Pine View High School. St George is the place that I went when I first left home. It is where I started college, learned a lot of life lessons and gained my independence. It is the magical place where I met my dear husband. We spent about a year together there before I moved up north to get ready for our marriage. His family has strong ties to the community. Jim's grandpa built one of the first houses in Bloomington. That house is still there and now his parents own it. My kids have affectionately named it "The Fun Place". We try to visit as often as possible and sometimes we take our friends with us.

One of our favorite times of year to visit is late February to early March. That's when it is still cold and snowy where we live, but, if you pick the right weekend, in St George it is sunny and warm. Right now, as I type this, it is about 60 degrees and the kids are running around on the rocks behind the house. Yesterday we went up on the "Red Hill" and let them climb around there. I think tomorrow, for our Sunday activities, we will take the kids to visit the Brigham Young Winter Home, the Jacob Hamblin Home and the Visitor's Center at the St George Temple.

The warmth and sunshine is something that has been needed for a long time. After lunch yesterday we all just sat on the deck and soaked it in. It was GLORIOUS!

Mr. Austin's Wild Ride

2010-02-06T12:25:00.001-07:00

When Austin turned 15 he had absolutely no desire to get his driving permit. When Austin turned 16 he had absolutely no desire to get his driving permit, let alone his driver’s license. He heard about too many of his friends getting into accidents and the thought of it made him really nervous.

Then Kyle turned 15. His birthday was on a Saturday and on Monday we were at the DMV taking the test. On the first try he got 76%; 80% is passing. He passed it the second time (in Utah you can take it up to three times before you have to pay the fee again). He wanted to drive home from the DMV, which I emphatically denied. I had let him drive home from church a time or two, about a block and a half, and I wasn’t about to let him loose on the freeway! He has been driving around a while and he’s much better. At least I don’t feel like my life is in immediate danger. I am sure we will be at the DMV again the day after his 16^th birthday (he has already informed us that his birthday falls on a Sunday this year).

That put a little fire under Austin. That and the fact that I made him take Driver’s Ed this term and he needs a copy of his permit for the class. He has spent hours reading over the manual. For him, and his learning difficulties, it isn’t an easy task. He studied his little heart out and when he thought he was ready we went to the DMV. His first try he got 72%. His second and third try were also not passing. I felt really bad for him. We came home and he studied for another week or so and we went back. In the meantime, I heard from a friend that He might be able to have the test read to him. We asked when we got there and they gave us a head set so he could listen to the test. Still no luck! The worker was feeling really bad for him. She told us that if he took it again and got 76% or better, she would read him a couple of questions. If he got those questions right she would pass him. On his last try he got 74%. She decided to ask him three questions anyway and he got them! I was so happy for him. He was feeling so bad. He smiled pretty big for quite a few hours.

So now we have two practicing drivers in our house. I took Austin out for his first time behind the wheel yesterday. We went to the church parking lot. He has a ways to go! But he is persistent and he will get it sooner or later. Jim is out with him right now. Austin’s goal is to have his license before he goes to Nauvoo with his Grandparents this July. Wish us luck! (But mostly wish us patience!!!)

The Miracle We Call Our Body and The Doctors Who Help Us Figure Them Out

2010-01-29T13:33:00.005-07:00

I don't like complainers. I have tried hard to not be the type of person who whines about things. Jim might think different because, for the most part, if I do have a complaint, he's the one that hears it. (Love you, honey!) So when I feel a little bit down or sick I usually just trudge through it because I know things will be better sooner or later.

Well, things started to really go downhill last August. What I thought was seasonal allergies turned into a 3 month battle with a sinus infection. I would feel crappy for a couple of days then better for a couple of weeks. But then I would feel bad again and the cycle repeated itself four or five times. I had never had a sinus infection before so I didn’t know what to look for. It really got me down to be sick so much when I am usually pretty healthy. I finally went to our family doctor, who is also a neighbor of ours, and got the blessed antibiotic. I thought I was on the quick road to recovery. But my body said, “Not so fast!”

By then, the cold weather was in full swing. I know I suffer from mild Seasonal Affective Disorder. I am really affected by lack of sunlight and warmth. But this year my Reynaud’s Syndrome (I think I blogged about that before) really acting up. I have also been feeling a lot more fatigue than my usual winter laziness. There have been other things that have been bugging me but are tolerable so I just push them aside and get on with life.

One very cold night in particular was our ward Christmas dinner. My hands would not warm up and I showed them to my doctor, who was also at the dinner. He was shocked at how little blood flow there was to my fingers and told me to come in and see him so we could do some tests. When I went in, we talked about a few things I was concerned with; my fatigue, my Reynaud’s and some other things. He decided to take some blood samples - and when I say some, I mean about a gallon! He did just about every test he could think of. He tested my vitamin levels, my thyroid, my cholesterol and several other things. One of the tests was an ANA test. It tests for the presence of antibodies in your blood. If you have a high level of these then you probably have a connective tissue disease or other autoimmune disorder. Well, my levels were high. He speculated that it may be Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis. He decided to send me to a friend of his, a rheumatologist, someone who specializes in this type of disease.

Apparently this specialist is so special it takes months to get in to see him. Luckily my doctor is friends with him and we only had to wait about six weeks. It was an agonizing six weeks, waiting and wondering. I worried all through what is supposed to be a really happy month. Jim suggested we not talk about it with the kids and other family members until we knew exactly what to tell people. And just like Austin and his Autism diagnosis, I just wanted a name to go with what had been getting worse over the last year.

The day finally came just this past Monday. We woke up really early because this doctor is almost an hour away and he was seeing us before his usual first appointment. We talked to him for about an hour total but I could see it in his eyes that he knew exactly what we were dealing with in about 20 minutes.

I do have an autoimmune disease. It is called CREST Syndrome or Limited Scleroderma. Right now I am only showing a few of the symptoms. The Reynaud’s was the first. That started in early 2002 and has gotten progressively worse over the last eight years but I have just been dealing with it, trying not to complain. I try to stay warm, especially in my hands and feet. Another symptom is what they call a "lazy esophagus". Sometimes when I swallow food it takes a while, and a few drinks of water, for it to go down. It was just another thing I would deal with. I never thought about telling my doctor. I don't think I even said anything to Jim more than once or twice. The other symptoms are skin related. You can click on the link above to read the Mayo Clinic definition or you can click here to read something from the Scleroderma Foundation.

I have been put on one prescription medication, a Calcium Channel Blocker, to help with blood flow to my fingers and toes. I am also taking a low dose aspirin and vitamin D - which he recommend that EVERYONE (even little kids) take vitamin D, especially anyone that lives in Utah or anywhere north of Los Angeles. This also helps with Seasonal Affective Disorder, bone health, diabetes, and all kinds of heart problems. Most of us just don't get enough sun light to help our bodies function properly. I am going next week to get and Echo Cardiogram and a chest x-ray. One of the things that my happen is pulmonary hypertension because of collagen build up that may happen around my heart and lungs. But that's WAY down the road. The other symptoms will just be treated as they come up, when they come up, if they come up.

The weird thing is that I have much less anxiety now that I have a diagnosis than last month when I had no idea what was going on. I am so glad there are people out there that went to all those years of school just so they can help people like me. I am also thankful for the doctors that recently helped Jim's dad. He was going to have some cataracts removed and the doctors wanted him to have a full physical. He had a chest x-ray that showed a little shadow on his lung. The biopsy said it was cancer and within a week he was scheduled to have it removed. It was a very scary time for the family. He had the surgery last Friday and it was very successful. They were able to remove all the cancer and he is on his way to a full recovery. It will be a long and hard road but we are glad he has been well taken care of and will be with us for many years to come.

Our bodies can be such wonderful things. They allow us to do and be so many things in this life. I have tried not to take this gift that has been given to me by my Heavenly Father for granted. I try to eat healthy while still enjoying yummy food. I try to stay fit without spending hours and hours at the gym. I think I have an OK balance of that in my life. (The doctor did say my cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels were really good) I have tried to learn and grow as much as I can. I have had the blessing of having three wonderful, healthy children. But we are mortal and there are things that will happen to these bodies while we live here on earth that may be unexpected. That is a guarantee. But I know if we put aside our selfish reasons for wanting our bodies to last forever (beauty or fame) and use what health and energy that we have left to help and serve others, our time spent in these mortal bodies will not be wasted. In fact, if we serve others, I personally feel that we will be more joyful in what little time we have in our mortal bodies and WAY less likely to be a complainer!

Winter Wall Quilt

2010-01-26T15:01:00.003-07:00

Well, I finished. . . kind of. I finished the top (with only a few mistakes). I didn't have a big enough piece of batting so I haven't been able to bind it yet. I had to see what it looks like on the wall so I put it up with painter's tape. It looks cheesy but it helps me imagine how it will look once I get to the store for some batting and get it put together.

Each snowflake consists of 63 individual pieces that had to be cut and sewn together. If I am off by even 1/8th of an inch it throws everything off. I am a perfectionist and hate to see when seems don't line up quite perfectly. It makes me want to take it apart and try again. But I have one friend that I showed a mistake to and she said, "Well, there are no two snowflakes alike. It looks great the way it is." Don't you just love her? I sure do! I hope everyone has a friend like that.

The Great Procrastinator

2010-01-16T12:57:00.003-07:00

I probably don't have any followers anymore because I haven't blogged since Halloween. That's OK. I still have stuff to ramble on about so here I go.

My usual excuse for not blogging is because I think knitting is more fun. And that did take up a bunch of my time before Christmas. I had plenty of projects to keep me busy! But since then I have just found other things to do. I still have a couple o projects on needles (that goes without saying). I have been slowly un-decorating from Christmas. I have been walking every day. I have been finding lots of other little things to do other than blogging.

Well, today my plan was to finish up a winter wall quilt that has been in pieces in a drawer for over a year. There is a giant, empty wall where I usually have a quilt hanging. It has been staring me in the face since I took down the Thanksgiving one in late November. I was going to get up, clean off the kitchen table (it is covered with various things that people I live with set down and don't put in their proper place), set up the sewing machine and get to work. Well, I guess there is something I dont' want to do more than blog because, here I am, writing a new blog post!

It's not that I don't like to sew (or blog). It's just that I don't want to do what I have to do to get to the place where I am actually sewing. Maybe that's why I find it so easy to get stuck knitting. All I have to do is find a nice place to sit and grab my needles. There is no prep, no set up, and I don't have to make a space by cleaning up after my family. I usually just prop up the pillows on my bed and go for it. It makes me feel so cozy on these dreary winter days.

But lately I have felt the void of not blogging. I have things to say and share with my friends and family and this is the best way to do it. So to all of you out there that keep checking up on us and you have had to look at my gross Halloween face several times, here is a new post. I'm back! And I am actually thinking of starting a Knitting Blog. (If you have any suggestions for blog names let me know) Check back soon and often. Hopefully my next post will show my completed wall quilt. But don't hold your breath!

-A

Halloween Shenanigans

2009-11-02T09:23:00.007-07:00

So, on Thursday I found out why I have not felt 100% for the last three months. I thought I had allergies (which very well may have started the whole thing) that just wouldn't go away. I would feel OK for a week or two then I would be sick for three or four days. It was congestion like I have never felt before! A day or two in bed, lots of decongestant and a grumpy attitude followed by a week or two of feeling OK. I never had a fever and everyone else stayed healthy so I figured it wasn't anything serious. After a while I just got sick and tired of being sick and tired!!! Last week it got to the point where I wanted to take the drill to my head to release the pressure. I guess that's my breaking point because I finally called the doctor and made an appointment. The doctor told me that I have probably been harboring a sinus infection for the last few months. I had never had a sinus infection before so I didn't know that's what it felt like. I started antibiotics immediately! Now, four days later, I am finally feeling like my old self again. I just wish I could have been better for one of my favorite weeks of the year. I had a hard time getting into Halloween this year but did my best for the sake of the boys.

Here are a few things that happened this festive week...

The Saturday before, there was a Halloween Dance at the high school. Austin dressed up as Ang, the Avatar. He wanted me to shave his head. I convinced him that the bald cap would have to do. Kyle didn't plan ahead so he borrowed Austin's karate thing (I can't remember the name) and wore that. He would only wear it if I made him a black belt, so of course, I did.

Monday night we carved pumpkins for our Family Night. The boys are scooping our the pumpkin innards while I separate the goo from the seeds (My favorite part!) Later, I roasted them and ate them. Yummy!

While the boys carved, Jim read us the parable of the mustard seed. We talked about the different things the mustard seed has been compared to. Hopefully they understood.

This is Josh's pumpkin finished and lit. He was done first so his got the picture taken. Kyle never finished his!

On Tuesday, the boys went to their Combined YM/YW activity. About two hours before they informed me there was a cake decorating contest. That was the first day i started feeling really sick so we did something really easy. Six mini bunt cakes were put together to make three mini pumpkins. I made butter cream frosting and let them decorate them as Jack-o-Lanterns.

I started feeling better on Saturday so I needed to finish making treats to hand out to the little Trick-or-Treaters. I always make homemade suckers. It's pretty easy and, believe it or not, way cheaper than buying store bought candy. It just takes some planning.

Here I am pouring out some of the peach flavored suckers. I also make root beer flavored bats and black cats.

It was a fun week. I am glad to be feeling better. I wish I could have been feeling more festive but I think things went OK anyway. Now on to my second favorite holiday...Thanksgiving!

Halloween Candy

2009-10-25T16:27:00.002-06:00

To make this holiday a tad bit less stressful I decided not to make suckers to hand out on Halloween. I was at the store on Saturday looking at the selection. I just couldn't bring myself to purchase already made candy! I have been making suckers for the last 3-4 Halloweens and love doing it. I am just going to have to be super organized this week and get it done. Pictures will be posted soon...

Concert Season

2009-10-22T19:01:00.000-06:00

Last night Kyle had his first choir concert at the high school. Sadly, I was unable to attend, but Jim was there. Tonight was Josh's turn. He is in the junior high concert band and plays the clarinet. This time I am here while Jim takes care of business elsewhere.

We are so proud of our boys and how they are not afraid to share their talents with others
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When Blog Posts are Few and Far Between

2009-10-04T21:06:00.005-06:00

I have realized that when I have something interesting on my knitting needles I rarely have time for anything else. Well, I have been knitting a beautiful piece of lace that has been waiting to be knitted for quite sometime. I found the pattern this past spring. I bought the yarn for it in mid summer. I just started it a few weeks ago and I am done with the first part.

I am so excited for this particular project. I am what a famous knitter and blogger, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, calls a "process" knitter (as apposed to a "project" knitter; someone who loves the end result only). I just love the process. I love picking a pattern, finding the perfect yarn and watching the magic of what can happen with a bit of string and two little sticks. Usually when I am finished with the item I find someone that will appreciate the item and hand it over without a thought of the time (or, if you are Jim, the money) that has been put into making the item. I just love the process.

It has been different with the latest project. I decided I wanted to learn how to knit lace. I found what I thought would be something that wouldn't be too hard. I bought the pattern and the yarn and then thought about it for a while. I knitted easy things like hats, scarves and socks. Even a baby sweater or two. I just couldn't start because I knew this project would be different. Well, it is! Once I started I couldn't stop and I couldn't bring myself to pick up any other knitting. (When I knit something easy I get bored so I usually have two or three things going at once) I have been working on it any time I have what I think is a spare minute. And the more I work on it the more I fall in love with it. I knew from the beginning that this would be something I was knitting for me. Something I would be keeping and using myself. And now that I am almost half way done I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. That light is shining on a beautiful piece of lace that I will be able to wrap around my shoulders. It will not only keep me warm(ish) but I will be able to look at it and marvel at the magic of what can be made with a long piece of "string" and two little "sticks". I imagine it will be something cared for lovingly by me and possibly by my children's children. I have hope that it will inspire others to start knitting. I would love to teach this magic to others.

We are children of a Heavenly Father who has given us this remarkable opportunity called life. We are here to learn, grow and create. For those of you who don't think you have any creativity at all, I say you do! (And so does Dieter F. Uchtdorf, an Apostle of Jesus Christ) We have divine qualities that come directly from He who created us all, our Heavenly Father. Because we are His children we have within us a part of Him. Sharing our talents and creativity with others is something we must do. That's why I knit hats, scarves, socks and even baby sweaters. But just as a reminder to myself that I can create beautiful things, I will keep this piece of lace all to myself. And every time I look at it I will thank my Heavenly Father for the talent I know I have only because I am his daughter.

This is picture of what I am working on. It was taken a while ago. Right now this piece is about 18 inches long. I have started on another piece that will look just like this one.

Raising the White Flag of Surrender

2009-09-23T08:58:00.002-06:00

Dear Weeds,

You win. I give up! It is a good thing that fall is fast approaching because I just can't keep up with you anymore. My three weed pulling helpers are back in school and now it's me against all of you. Fall baseball is in full swing so I have no Saturday time to battle back.

So, go ahead and drop your little seeds. I will be ready for your little ones next spring. Maybe I will even invest in some good chemicals to help me with the battle.

Your Forever Foe,

Aimee

P.S. Let your friend Snow I will be sending a similar letter sometime in mid-March.

My Love/Hate Relationship with the NFL

2009-09-15T11:52:00.011-06:00

I never knew what a sports fan was until I met Jim. My dad and brothers like sports and watch them. They even pay their hard earned money to go to games sometimes. They call or text me when the Jazz play the Lakers or when BYU is playing. They enjoy sports. Jim is a sports fan. He can watch the same highlights over and over even if he has just watched that particular game. He has been known to watch the same Sports Center two and three times in a row. He will watch old games that are being rebroadcast. He will sometimes even watch things on ESPN like bowling and pool just because they are people with incredible talent competing against each other.

I knew this before I married him. I've tried to understand it, I've tried to love it, I've tried to hate it, now I have just come to terms with it. It is part of the reason I have learned to cross stitch/quilt/crochet/knit. They are things I can do while also being in the same room with my husband during football or basketball season. And through the years I have learned a thing or two about football/basketball/baseball. I actually know a lot more than most other wives and Jim seems to find this sexy (even when I am in sweats and a hat and have no makeup on).

It has gotten so crazy that I am actually part of his Fantasy Football League this year. They needed another "guy" to make it an even number. So I picked my team according to things like who I think is a nice guy, who has a cool name and who doesn't play for the Seattle Seahawks. I have learned a little about some of these guys over the years. As most of our friends and family know I have worked with the NFL for the last five January's. I get a little bit of an insight on what these guys are like when there is no camera and how they treat people that work behind the scenes. (This is the reason I will never pick anyone from the Seahawks.) I probably won't win one week in Fantasy Football. I don't really care. I have often referred to the NFL as the "great and abominable church" referred to in the scriptures. When are their games? All day Sunday and Monday night. Those are times I would rather my husband not be distracted by sports but I give in for 16 weeks in the fall and early winter. It gives me something to talk to Jim about which he will actually respond to.

The other Love/Hate thing I have with the NFL was referred to earlier. I have left my family for the last five years to work with the NFL. I am usually gone between 25 and 30 days. It is a long time to be away from my family. I have blogged about it before. But it has been a great opportunity also. It has allowed me to be able to have the freedom of staying home the other 48-49 weeks out of the year. It has been a blessing both physically and financially. Being home with my three teenage boys is something I feel is very important. There has also been a spiritual aspect to it. Every year I go I gain a stronger understating of what this life is REALLY about. Most people in this world would think that getting your team to the Super Bowl is one of the greatest accomplishments in life and working behind the scenes to help make that final game happen is just one small step behind that. Sure, there is that "cool" aspect to it but every year everything gets bigger and bigger. More money is spent. More stress is added. The pursuit for perfection is constantly lurking somewhere in the pit of my stomach for three weeks. But every year, especially since my sister passed away, the difference between the path toward that pursuit for perfection that the world looks for and the path that my Heavenly Father wants me to be on gets more clear to me. It makes it harder every year to leave my family. My sister left her family unexpecdedly but I know my sister left for something much better than what we have in this life. I choose to leave and making that choice takes a lot of discussion and thought.

So, now that the first games have been played and all the hype has started, I am happy and worried. Happy that fall is well on its way. Happy that we will have many weekends with friends and family at our home watching "the game". Happy that I will be able to contribute financially to our family. Happy to see some of my dearest friends that I only get to see for that time in January. They are my family while I am away from my men here. But I worry that my guys don't eat enough vegetables while I am gone. I worry that they aren't getting to bed on time or doing all their homework. I worry my friends here are doing too much to make up for my absence. I worry that after all my hard work something will go terribly worng with my buses (which means it wasn't totally perfect) and I will be burned at the stake, sent home, or worse, those guys in the NFL will finally remember my name and not in a good way.

I Prefer "Fall Cleaning"

2009-09-10T09:32:00.002-06:00

The kiddos went back to school two weeks ago (as you can see on every blog in the world and their first day of school pictures!). It was also a pretty busy time for me. I happen to be the Home, Family and Personal Enrichment Leader in our ward and our quarterly activity was last week which consisted of several "Provident Living Mini-Classes". We learned how to can fruits and vegetables, grind wheat and make it into bread, organize our food storage, and several other handy things. It was quite a thing to get organized. That happened to come just after we went to the cabin for the weekend along with two other families and after back to school night and after shopping for school supplies and after Fall Baseball started and after working a few concerts at USANA Amphitheatre. . . you get the point. I've had a busy couple of weeks.

But when I looked at my calendar this week, there were actually some holes! I was pretty excited because the storage room desperately needed to be cleaned out to make way for a new freezer. That was the latter part of Monday. I have had 20 pounds of tomatoes sitting on my counter waiting to be turned into ketchup. That took all day Tuesday but they aren't on my counter anymore. Yesterday I took apart the family room, cleaned everything and then put it back together. It doesn't look too much different but I slept better knowing there wasn't any dust under the DVD player.

Today I am going to tackle my bedroom. The sheets are already in the wash and I just ran downstairs to get the vacuum (via the computer ;)). I am going to clean out drawers, the closet and the bathroom. I have a stash of knitting things by bed that used to be organized but somehow started to grow and creep in several directions. That needs to be taken care of. I am going to do my best with Jim's side of the room. I am going to try to get a handle on the dust situation. I really like the windows open at night and in the morning so that is never under control. And I think I will try a new fragrance in the Scentsy that's in my room.

I like this type of deep cleaning in the Fall. I have been doing it since Josh started first grade. It usually takes me a week or two after school starts to get into a routine but by then I am caught up enough to tackle two or three rooms a week. I like turning on some music and just getting into it. On those days I usually don't shower or go anywhere until just before the kids get home from school. I apologize in advance if you are unlucky enough to come to my door on one of those days! I am usually finished with the "Fall Cleaning" just in time to get out my Fall decorations and enjoy my favorite time of year.

So enough typing. I am wasting good cleaning time!

I Really Was Looking Forward to Today...

2009-08-21T11:14:00.001-06:00

I am very blessed. I have a home, food to eat and a car to get me where I need to go. I have a good family. I have an understanding of what this life experience is all about. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and wants me to be happy. I know there are billions of people out there that have WAY bigger problems than I do. But today I am feeling very overwhelmed and that makes me grumpy. I just want to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head and start over.

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Dear Non-Commenters,

2009-08-11T22:13:00.002-06:00

I know you are out there in cyber-space reading this blog. You make comments to me when you see me in real life. Why not leave it here on the blog as proof?

There have been several times I almost quit writing because there are no readers. But I keep on doing it because I feel like it is a supplement to my journal.

I know you think of things when you read. How can you not? Everyone that has a brain in their head has an opinion. Why not type them out? It is very cathartic, trust me!

Thank You,

The Writers of the Fab 5 Blog

In a Pickle

2009-08-07T18:58:00.001-06:00

I am the only person in my family that likes pickles and I only like dill pickles. The boys often tell me that pickles are cucumbers soaked in evil. Jim has often wondered why you would ruin a perfectly good cucumber by making it a pickle.

For years I have wanted to learn how to make my own pickles. Unfortunately, when it comes to the garden, Jim does the planting and I do the harvesting and bottling/freezing. It has been that way since we have been married. I suggest a pickling cucumber every year and every year I am denied. Well, this year, his brother that lives around the corner planted some pickling cukes and they couldn't keep up. I was given about 6 pounds of the little green vegetable and was on my way to learning something new (which I love!).

I started reading my USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning created by the USU extention. To my shock it takes 3-4 months to make a real dill pickle! They need to ferment in a cool, dry place before they can be processed. Luckily, they have a "Quick Dill Pickle" recipe. That's the one I am doing. I soaked the cukes in salt water over night. The I sliced them in three different ways: spears, chips and sandwich slicers. They are on the stove prcessing as I type this. I can't wait to see how they turn out! I will let you know...

Lazy River Tuesdays

2009-08-04T18:03:00.002-06:00

For about 12 days in May I become part of a little known group called the "Lagoon School Moms". Our local amusement park gives schools in the area (UT, ID & WY) the chance to take a day off of school and have some fun. In our town we have a day for the 6th graders when they graduate from the D.A.R.E. program and a 9th grade Lagoon day. We deal with the kids for 12 days so we can get five season passes and a little bit of spending money - which usually gets spent at Lagoon.

As most Mormon Mommies know, Monday is usually the recovery day from the weekend happenings so we picked Tuesday and Wednesday to be our "Lagoon Days". Tuesday and Wednesday are generally the least crowded days at the park and, aside from Scouts, the least crowded days on our calendar. We try to get our jobs done and get the cooler packed so we can leave the house about 10:30. We take our towels and our 12x12 pop-up shade and stake our claim in a quiet corner of Lagoon-a-Beach. We get our tubes and head for the cool water. It has been very hot the last few weeks so the un-heated water is a welcome shock! The boys are old enough that they can go off and ride the slides on their own. All they have to do is check in with me every once in a while. They know I will be either laying in a tube in the Lazy River or under the shade knitting. They know that when they are hungry for lunch they can make a sandwich, eat some crackers or chips, and have some fruit for lunch. And they also know that when they are hungry for dinner we pack up and head for home. That has been our Tuesday (and sometimes Wednesday) ritual for the past few summers.

Some of you may know I don't do well in the heat. In fact, if the temperature never went above 85 I wouldn't complain one bit. I look forward to our "Lazy River Tuesdays" all week long. It is my chance to lay around in my bathing suit, get some sun and catch up on my knitting. But lately the boys have started to get a little bored with Lagoon. I can see a day when they won't want to go to the same old water park at all. They want to lay in the sun and nap with headphones in their ears or tell me they are bored more than they want to play in the water. Well, I'm not going to let them take away my "day in the sun"! Even if I have to go by myself they will never take "Lazy River Tuesday" away from me. It is just too hot in Utah in July and August to give it up altogether.

Long live "Lazy River Tuesday"!

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Thank You, Poineers

2009-07-25T19:19:00.004-06:00

I am so thankful, especially after our trip to Nauvoo, for what the early pioneers did so I could live comfortably where I live and worship as I see fit. I only hope and pray that I may use their example of faith and togetherness to make the lives of my family and friends better.

We Made It!

2009-07-17T19:05:00.001-06:00

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Fireflies Lit the Way Home

2009-07-16T09:23:00.000-06:00

We saw the Pageant Tuesday night. It was amazing! It told the story of the gathering of those that were fleeing persecution. They just wanted to live in peace and worship as they pleased. It told of the few wonderful years they had In Nauvoo and how they worked together to build the Temple. It also told of them being driven out of the beautiful city they built from a swamp, not knowing where they would go next. But it mostly told of their faith. They knew wherever they were that if their faith continued God would guide and protect them.

When asked what their favorite part of Nauvoo was, all three boys said it was the Pageant.

We were able to spend the whole day yesterday in Nauvoo. It was great. We went to a little show first thing. Then we went back to the Temple. This time with the boys. It wes so rewarding to watch my boys performing such wonderful service! We went to lunch and walked around in some of the shops in town. Then we went down into the historic district and looked in the rest of the homes and shops we hadn't been to. We told the boys to be listening closely. Later we asked them which trade (job) they would do if they lived back then. Austin would have worked in the print shop, Kyle would have worked with Brigham Young building furniture and Josh would have worked as a blacksmith. Jim would have worked with Browning in his rifle shop! (That's a shocker!).

We had dinner and went to one last show. We walked into the big field where there were games and dancing before that night's show but since we had already had the opportunity to see it we decided to get back to the house and start packing for our early start. It was dusk as we walked to our car across the big grass field and as we looked across there were fireflies as far as we could see! It looked like someone had spread out thousands of twinkle lights! We drove down the old river road toward the house and those fireflies were also on either side of the road hovering over the grasses. It was beautiful.

We woke early this morning so we could pack up and get onto our next destination. But before that we went into Nauvoo one last time. We walked down Parley Street toward the river listening to some of the actors tell stories out of writings and journals of those that over 150 ago made that same walk. We paused at the river contemplating how we may have felt if we were asked to do the same.

As we drive west across the Mississippi River I feel I was able to get a tiny glimpse of what those pioneers may have felt. Grateful for the time we were able to spend in Nauvoo, a bit sad to be leaving, looking forward to our next destination and thankful to be experiencing it all with my family.
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Sacred Carthage

2009-07-14T21:16:00.000-06:00

We got up this morning and drove to Carthage, IL. It was a beautiful, sacred place. The Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were taken there under false charges. Two days later a large mob stormed the prison, killed the brothers and seriously wounded another. Joseph fell out the window the boys are sitting by and was shot twice more. I am so thankful to those that sacrificed so much in the early years of our church so we can have the gospel and all the opportunities it brings.

We are waiting for the Pageant to start. I will let you know how it was tomorrow.
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Historic Nauvoo

2009-07-13T20:32:00.000-06:00

We made it to Nauvoo this afternoon. We got settled at the place Jim's parents are staying. We had a little time to go into town before dinner. We stopped at one of the interactive areas called the Family Living Center. It was a big hall where they demonstrated how the pioneers made cloth, baked bread, dipped candles, and many other crafts that helped with life around the cabin. The boys made this rope they are holding.

Tomorrow is one of our temple days. We are also going to Carthage Jail. We have limited cell reception and no internet for the next three days so my posts may be few until Thursday unless I can upload a picture when we are in town.
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A Home Run of a Day!

2009-07-12T19:45:00.009-06:00

We made it to St Louis yesterday safe and sound. We were very glad it wasn't as much driving as the previous two days! We went to Dave & Buster's for dinner and some games. It was an appreciated break from driving, hotel, get up and drive some more.

We had reservations to go up in the Gateway Arch at 10:00 am so we really didn't have to rush too much in the morning. Our time to go into FanFest was at 2:00 pm (There was a giant thunderstorm that started around 1:00 pm so we went to FanFest early!)

We took almost 200 pictures today so bear with me!

Josh is standing by the door to the capsule that takes you to the top of the arch.

This is the tiny capsule. Good thing we all like each other!

Here we are at the TOP!

Here is the view from the top looking west and a bit south. That is Busch Stadium where the MLB All-Star Game will be played in two days. You can't tell but they are holding the VIP Batting Practice. A bunch of sponsers and rich people that get to swing at a few pitches on the field.

I had the idea to take this one after we got back to the bottom. Yes, I am laying on the ground!

These were fun to take:

FanFest

We didn't take too many pictures inside but here are a couple fun ones

The boys took the Steal Home Chalange...

As you can see they are pretty equally matched. Kyle was just a bit faster.

We got out of FanFest and it was still raining. We decided to stop for an early dinner. It stopped raining while we ate and turned out to be such a beautiful evening......the boys Jim decided to have a catch with his boys.

The rain chased all the tourists away so we had the park almost all to ourselves!

A fantastic ending to a day full of adventures!

Toto, I don't think we're in Utah anymore!

2009-07-10T11:45:00.000-06:00

I have lived in Utah for about as long as I lived in California, where I grew up. In either place there is variety in the landscape. I love the rolling hills in CA and the towering mountains in UT. I love all the outdoor opportunities the terrain provides. We are lucky enough to live amongst world famous ski resorts and national parks. It is very strange to me drive through miles of nothing just to pass a sign advertising pulling off the freeway to see the largest prairie dog in the world
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Day 1 - Pictures

2009-07-09T23:28:00.004-06:00

Just before we walked into the ball park

Another view of the field from our seats.

One of the MANY great pictures that Jim took of the boys.

The giant scoreboard

Chipper Jones finally got up to bat in the 8th inning. They intentionally walked him and someone else came in to run for him.

A great action shot!

Day 1 - Batter Up!

2009-07-09T22:25:00.001-06:00

We got started a little later than we hoped.

It was a long drive to Denver but we arrived safe, checked into our hotel, got cleaned up and headed to the ball park.

We just got done watching the Colorado Rockies beat the Atlanta Braves 7-6. This is the view from our seats. They were pretty good seats (once the sun set) considering I bought the tickets on StubHub.com yesterday! The boys loved it so I guess it was worth it.

The game was fantastic. There were 21 hits and 11 of them were for extra bases! There was one home run. I'd say we got our money's worth.

Tomorrow is a long driving day. I am happy to report that we have Harry Potter to keep us company on the long drive through Kansas.

Trying to remember...

2009-07-08T18:24:00.000-06:00

I am sitting at my computer trying to remember how to mobile blog. I hope this works.
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Happy Trails...Hopefully

2009-07-03T21:19:00.007-06:00

We are about to go on our first real summer vacation in a long time. Jim has been involved in Scouts for years and that usually takes up all of his vacation time. This will be the first summer Scout Camp is not mandatory for him. Finally, some family time!

Jim's parents have gone to Nauvoo the last few summers to help with the Nauvoo Pageant. This year is no different. They left July 1st to live out there for about six weeks. Each year they beg and plead with their family to come and visit and experience that historical city. Well, now that Jim doesn't' have to go to Scout Camp we get to pack up "the family truckster" and take a road trip. Our intention is to teach the boys about some of the sacrifices early pioneers made for our church and those that followed them. To get them to agree to that we threw in some baseball. Here is what the plan is:

Day one will start early. We will drive to Denver. We hope to be there with enough time to check into our hotel, get some dinner and be on time to the Rockies game. I think we can do it.

The next morning we will, again, get up early and start the second longest leg of the journey. We drive from Denver straight through Kansas and stop in Kansas City, MO. (That should be a fun day!) We will stay there one night.

When we get up the next morning we will visit two places before moving on - Liberty Jail Historic Site and the Independence Visitor's Center.

We will then continue on to St Louis, MO that evening. We are staying there two nights. While we are there we plan on riding to the top of the Gateway Arch. (I have to confess, I am not completely fond of heights. Well, I don't really have a fear of heights, it's the falling that gets to me. It's weird. I can be someplace very high and not be scared if there is no way of falling. Empire State Building, Sears Tower, no problem. Ski lift on a slightly windy day, that's a different story! I'll let you know how it goes.) We are also going to fit in some more baseball in St Louis. We will be there for the MLB All-Star Break. We plan on visiting FanFest. That should be really fun!

After that, we will continue on to Nauvoo. We are staying with Jim's parents for three nights. I haven't' planned anything for those days (yet). We are relying on Phil and Sally to show us around. The only thing I have planed is a visit to the Nauvoo Temple for us and the kids. I was hoping to have some family names to take but I don't' think I will have that ready in time.

We will leave Nauvoo and start the trek home in a more northern direction. We will drive to Sioux Falls, SD, crash, get up the next morning and start driving again.

The next stop is Rapid City, SD. We will stay there for two nights. We will hike around Mt Rushmore (which is so far away and really isn't on the way to anything!) and see the evening program. That will be very interesting to me. The next day we will spend some time at the water park connected to our hotel. The boys are pretty excited about that one! I also hope we get to drive around and visit some of the other state parks in the area but the chances are slim. We will have already been driving a lot.

Then we take on our longest travel day. Fortunately it is the day we go home. Unfortunately, it is through Wyoming. We will probably break up the day by stoping at the Mormon Handcart Visitor's Center. I hope we do. Being there on a pioneer trek a few years ago was one of my top five most spiritual experiences. I hope to share that with the kids.

I know it sounds like a lot. I am encouraged because our kids have always been such good travelers. I am nervous because they are teenagers. But I think it will go well. We have lots of "in-flight entertainment" to keep us busy, especially through Kansas and Wyoming. I hope to be able to blog every night when we reach our destination so stay tuned...

Slimy Yet Satisfying!

2009-05-16T18:06:00.013-06:00

Kyle got his braces off on Wednesday. He was thrilled, to say the least. His appointment was in the morning so he didn't go to school. We got there and they took him right back (amazing!) They removed everything, polished off the extra glue and cemented in a wire across the bottom teeth for a permanent retainer. He will get the upper retainer on Monday. The orthodontist gave him a gift for being such a good patient. The balloons said "Happy Get Your Braces Off Day" and they were tied around a giant bag full of all the candy he has not been able to eat for the last 9 months (yes, I said 9 months! He had them on for less time than he has been in 9th grade!) He said his teeth feel pretty slimy and he keeps trying to such food out of the braces that are not there. Just a habit he will break soon enough!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Race for the Cure

2009-05-13T20:36:00.012-06:00

What a great event! I had never run the whole 3.2 miles until last Saturday. I was proud of myself. This was not a hard race for me. It became easy because of the people I was running with. The announcer said that over 18,000 people registered for the race (walkers and runners). Over 400 of them were Breast Cancer Survivors! How could I think 3.2 miles was hard.

It has taken me a few days to get the pictures from Jim's computer but here they are:

This was taken from the Trax station at the corner of 300 W and South Temple looking north to the starting line which was at 300 W and North Temple.

This was taken from the same spot but looking west toward the Gateway Mall. The line of people kept going south on 400 W past the Gateway. I was lucky to be close to the starting line!

This was before I saw Jim with the camera...

This was after!

Jim took this picture of the finish line from the top level of the Gateway. Just after the finish line, there were tons of volunteers handing out even more tons of bottled water, bananas and oranges. I am up there somewhere past the oranges.

Enjoying my after race treat!

Thanks to everyone that donated money to the Susan G Komen cause and thanks to those that supported me with good luck wishes!

Cancer Sucks - or - Does This Mean I'm a Runner Now?

2009-05-06T10:31:00.007-06:00

Experts say that when you are trying to loose weight or become physically fit it is good to train for something so you feel like your exercise time has some meaning. A couple of years ago I decided I wanted to walk in a Susan G Komen 3-day Breast Cancer event. They have them in cities all over the country. I thought it would be a great adventure and I would get in some good walking. I have known a couple of people that have been touched by breast cancer and several that have been touched by other forms of cancer. And, I guess because I am a woman, I chose to embrace the cause of breast cancer. I figure if they know how to get rid of breast cancer it will be a step in the right direction toward getting rid of all cancers. Unfortunately I was short on my fundraising goal and could not participate that time. I still would like to one day but because of life circumstances it will have to wait a while. Until then, I can help to raise money and awareness by participating in local events.

I got it in my head that I wanted to bump up the walking to running (thanks, Biggest Loser!) so I decided to run in the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure here in SLC. That was about a month ago. Before that, I would go walking (almost) every day. I have a membership at our local community center. It has an indoor track. So at 8:00 I drop the kids off at school and head over to walk in circles with all the "blue hairs" of Syracuse. I would have occasional bursts of running to keep my heartbeat up but for the most part I walk as fast as I can. Once I decided to run this 5K I started running more. Last week I ran half way without stopping to walk. That was a great day for me. This week is race week so I planned out a little schedule:

Monday - Brisk walking and then Yoga
Tuesday - Run/walk the whole 5K
Wednesday - Brisk walk then Yoga
Thursday - Run the whole 5K
Friday - Easy walk
Saturday - Race Day!

Yesterday, Tuesday, I went the whole 5K only walking about a half mile in strategic places where I needed water or just to catch my breath. I was so proud of myself! Today, the weather is so beautiful, I wanted to exercise outside. I walked to the end of the block and stretched. I started to walk but I didn't feel like it was enough. I had to start running. I ran 1.5 miles before I decided I should walk. I walked about a mile then had to run again.

Does this mean I am a runner now? I used to think I hated running. I used to think I could never run more than the length of a soccer field. I would see runners going up canyons and think, "that person is CRAZY!". Don't get me wrong, I am not sure I ever want to run a marathon and canyon running just doesn't sound fun. I don't think my knees could take either. But there is something about how I feel after running for a half hour, 45 minutes or an hour. I feel better than not exercising and even better than just walking for an hour.

I think the whole cancer thing is a very motivating factor. I also want my husband to be proud of me. I want my children see me set goals and reach them. But I also think I will continue to run after this race. There are probably more races in my future. Running makes me feel good. And it will be a bonus if I loose some inches around my waist. But maybe the bigger bonus would be for people in this world not having to worry about something like cancer taking their mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts and friends. I think that would make me feel better than the endorphin high I feel after running.

Wish me luck! If you would like to donate, click here.

Field of Dreams

2009-04-28T14:21:00.004-06:00

This winter has seemed longer than others and I was very anxious for what I consider the first day of spring - Opening Day! Here in the Salt Lake valley we have a beautiful minor league ball park. After much begging and pleading (from me) we went to a game on opening weekend. It was typical Utah spring weather. We got some sunshine, some wind, some rain and there was still snow covering the mountains.

We like to get to the ball park a bit early so we can enjoy the atmosphere. That day was a day game and we decided to get there early enough to have lunch. We had just settled in with our food when a man from the Bees staff tapped Jim on the shoulder. He asked if one of our boys was 14 or older and would like to be the Honorary Bat Boy for that game. Well, if any of you know Kyle, you know that he LOVES baseball (for further proof, look here and here) It was a no brainer. We HAD to let him do it! So they wisked him away, changed him into baseball pants and a cheesy t-shirt and sat him right next to the dugout. He had to really hurry because they announced his name over the P.A. and put his face on the scoreboard! (We were surprised so the pictures aren't that great) I think I was just as excited about it as he was. He loved being right there in the action. Here are a few pictures from the day:

Mobile Blogging

2009-04-27T18:38:00.002-06:00

I uploaded an "app" onto my BlackBerry to be able to send blog posts right from my phone. This is just at test to see how it works and what it looks like. Maybe I will blog more if I can do it from my phone! We shall see...

Home Sick

2009-04-27T13:22:00.006-06:00

I am sick today.

I took my laptop out of the docking station and here I am in bed catching up on all those things that I don't sit and do when I am feeling well. This includes blogging among other computer related things. There are only so many Law and Order reruns and old movies I can handle in a weekend!

It is not that I haven't had things to blog about. In fact, I have had several things to write about. I think those things will come out in the next few days and weeks.

For now, here's a funny little tid-bit for you:

Our puppy, Macy, turned one this month. She has been a good dog, learns quick and has quite the personality. She knows that her place is on her "bed" which used to be a big pillow (until she chewed it) and is now a blanket.

Well, one night she had an accident and her blankie had to be put in the wash. She didn't know what to do. The Princess didn't want to lay on the tile so she cuddled up on the bottom of the curtains and gave me the stink eye while I sat at my desk. I HAD to take pictures.

We also think it is pretty funny that she doesn't sit like a dog, she sits like a person. Notice she is sitting on the curtains so she doesn't have to sit in the tile. She has also been known to sit on the bottom step with her feet on the floor, also like a person. I haven't been able to get a picture of that yet.

Be Prepared!

2009-03-04T14:32:00.002-07:00

I got this in an email from a friend. I thought I'd share it with everyone.

Exactly What Does a Basic 1 Year Food Storage for 1 Person Look Like?
These are the MINIMUM Basic Amounts of Food Needed for Survival for ONE PERSON for ONE YEAR:

DO YOU REALLY THINK YOUR READY TO LIVE ON THESE SURVIVAL RATIONS.

BARE-MINIMUM LDS Church Food storage requirements for 1 adult male for 1 year Appx. 2,300 calories per day. (only 695lbs total)

This will keep you fed, but leave you hungry.

TOTAL FOOD PER DAY = 24.65 Ounces

It seems like we beg, plead, and even offer to help anyone that will listen in an attempt to get others to get their food storage. We try to explain why they need it, and it feels like we are beating a dead horse. Some people try to rationalize that we "really" don't need to store everything that we have been asked to store. As I'm sure most of you have experienced, we hear every excuse for reasons why we can't store. The regular excuses of no money, no room, no time, don't know how to use wheat, or don't eat wheat, etc. But lately, I've heard "that is so much to store", that "our family would never use 400 pounds of grains per person in an entire year". Also, "we don't use that much salt or oil", therefore they don't feel they need to store it.

As what felt like my last feeble attempt to try to help, the thought came to actually create a display to show 1) what does that one year basic survival food for one person look like (the amounts the First Presidency has recommended), and 2) how much does that really work out to be per day?

This display has been amazingly successful in our Stake.

We purposely bought food that they could get at a grocery store, rather than overwhelming them with seeing tons of dry-pack cans or buckets. We broke out each item and gave them the prices of what this would cost locally. We even gave them the price of a shelve to store it on. When I measured out the amounts to show what you would get per day, per person it was impressive. We took all those ingredients and by adding yeast (which we know is not on the basic list – but hopefully we have stored), we were able to make one loaf of bread and 1/3 cup of beans. That would be your food for the entire day. Not much. You would survive, but it won't be pretty.

Grains (400lbs)
Unless your family already eats 100% whole wheat homemade bread, white flour should be used in the transition process to whole wheat.
Adding rye flour (10%) helps make wheat bread a more
complete protein. Dent corn is used to make tortillas.

Beans & Legumes (90lbs)

{minimum reduced to only 60lbs in 2002}
Black beans cook quickly, make a good salad complement with a vinaigrette dressing over them.
Soybeans can be used to make soy milk and tofu, a protein food you should be prepared to make.
Familiarize yourself with sprouting techniques.
Learn how to make wheat grass juice - the best vitamin supplement you can use.

Milk-Dairy products (75lbs)
{minimum reduced to only 16lbs in 2002}
Milk powder can be used to make cottage cheese, cream cheese and hard cheeses.
Ideally your milk should be fortified with Vitamins A & D.
When reconstituting aerate to improve flavor (special mixing pitchers can accomplish this). Whole eggs are the best all-purpose egg product.
Powdered sour cream has a limited shelf life unless frozen.

Meats / Meat substitute (20lbs)
{minimum reduced to only 0lbs in 2002}
Use meat in soups, stews and beans for flavor. Freeze dried is the best option for real meat. Textured Vegetable protein is the main alternative to freeze dried meats.

Fats / Oils (20lbs)
This group can boost the calories one is getting from food storage products, and supply essential fatty acids.

Sugars (60lbs)

Store your honey in 5 gallon pails.

Candy and other sweets can help with appetite fatigue.

Fruits / Vegetables (90lbs)
{minimum reduced to only zero lbs in 2002}
Some fruits and vegetables are best dehydrated, others freeze dried (strawberries & blueberries).
Fruits are a nice addition to hot cereal, muffins, pancakes and breads.

Auxiliary foods (weight varies)
Vanilla extract improves the flavor of powdered milk. The production of tofu requires a precipitator such as nigari, epsom salt, calcium chloride or calcium sulfide (good calcium source). Learn how to make and use wheat gluten (liquid smoke adds good flavor).
Chocolate syrup and powdered drink mixes help with appetite fatigue.

Vitamins and protein powders will boost the nutrition levels of foods that may have suffered losses during processing.

Note:

For an average adult Female - multiply the weight by 0.75

For children ages 1-3 multiply by 0.3, 4-6 multiply by 0.5, 7-9 multiply by 0.75
For adults engaged in manual labor multiply by 1.25-1.50

I Also Tagged Myself

2009-02-24T16:04:00.001-07:00

I just visited my friend's website, and she had this fabulous "tag" on her blog. I love it because it is a "tag yourself if you want to be tagged" so no pressure for anyone who doesn't want to do it!! How great is that?!

So here are the rules: The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2- What I create will be just for you
3- It'll be done this year
4- You have no clue what it's going to be

The catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!!!So there you have it! If you want me to make something for you...hmm, what could it be? A new toilet paper dispenser? just leave me a message.

Back to Normal?

2009-02-17T08:54:00.009-07:00

I have been back home for two weeks now and I am finally starting to feel like things are back to how they were before I left. If that's what normal is. It usually takes about two weeks to get back in the home life groove after being gone for 26 days but I'm happy to do it.

Some people may think that a month in Tampa would be a great thing. And I also think it would be great if I could go see the sights and lay on the beach. I think it's only fun to visit a warm location in January when you get to enjoy the warmth and do things that you can't normally do in your cold weather climate. But for the most part, I was either in my car, in meetings or sitting at my desk in the office. I also tend to have a sick stomach the week of operations because I worry so much about something I forgot to do or something going wrong. And this year, as in years past, the city that hosted the Super Bowl was unseasonably cold. There were actually overnight frost warnings about one third of the days I was there. It was a big news story. That wouldn't be a problem for a person from Utah except that I packed for 60-70 degree weather. I wore my flip-flops two of the days I was there and my feet were cold both days. At least there is no Inversion in Florida. That is the part of winter I am glad I get to miss. Jim always tells me about how his throat and eyes start to hurt about a week after I leave. And I don't have to pick up a snow shovel any of the days I am away. (except for the year the Super Bowl was in Detroit!) Don't get me wrong, I did have some good times. I enjoyed reconnecting with the friends that I only get to see that month I am away for work. I got to make some great new friends. I get the opportunity to help contribute to the family financially. I get the chance to do something I am actually pretty good at (well, that is a matter of opinion, I guess).

But as I sit here at the computer, I can see giant, fluffy flakes falling outside the big window. And it is supposed to snow all day. I can see Macy curled up on her big round pillow. I can smell fresh bread baking (Really, I'm not that domestic, it's just a R.S. goal I have been wanting to pass off for about four months). I am still wearing my flannel p.j. pants and it's after noon and I can hear Fall Out Boy playing in the background (well, my whole life can't be a Norman Rockwell painting!). I guess what I'm saying is I am just so happy to be in our home. Even with the snow and the dirty bathrooms and the mountains of laundry and the boys' homework...the list can go on and on with things I don't like to do.

The challenges I face at home are, to me, "real life" challenges. What's for dinner? What am I going to plan for the next Enrichment activity? How am I going to show my husband/children that I love them today? Did I pay that bill? Did I think to pray? Am I raising productive, responsible, kind, thoughtful, respectful young men? What can I do to help my neighbors today? When I get dressed, are my jeans going to get up over my butt? I don't' take any of those things lightly. I personally feel like, however simple they may seem to some people in the business world, those things are more important than the things I worry about in the month of January when I am working. I know my work is important to a LOT of people, including me. I want to do a good job. They are just different types of worries.

I guess the difference is the Eternal Perspective I am so blessed to have in my life. It helps me know that being kind and helpful to others is more important than ruling with an iron fist. I know that in 20 years my kids won't remember that we had Hamburger Helper for dinner but they will remember that we had dinner together as a family often. I don't really care if in 20 years anyone remembers that I was responsible for getting the Steelers to practice on time or that I was able to get an extra bus for the Cardinals Friends and Family to be able to view the Saturday Walk-through. I just hope that in 20 years my family remembers that there was a good feeling in our home and will want to return often. Some people might think I'm crazy and my priorities are all messed up but that's OK with me. I would rather have my Heavenly Father proud of me than some random person who at one time worked with the NFL.

So I will help the boys with homework and I will fold the pile of laundry on my bed until 11:00 pm (so I can actually get in my bed and sleep for a few hours). And I will even scrub the bathrooms. I will try to do it the best I can even though it's not as glamorous as seeing Ben Roethlisberger and his teammates deplane and get on one of the buses that is on the tarmac because of the work I did.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I would rather be with my family on a cold, snowy day than in a warm place without them. I guess that's what normal is for me. Being home.

Tampa

2009-01-17T15:12:00.008-07:00

Things here have been good. Just work. Of course, they are having unusually cold weather. Go figure! That tends to happen in cities that host the Super Bowl. I guess I should count my blessings because I could be in Utah where it is freezing cold and the dreaded inversion is solidly in place.

Here are a few pictures of things I have seen (for those of you on Facebook, these will be repeats):

Our offices are at the spring training facility for the Phillies. It's called BrightHouse Field and in Clearwater, FL. We try to have our offices in a place that has a large parking lot for all the buses and plenty of space (press boxes) for us to work.

You know you are in FL when there is a gator in the little mote by your hotel. You can't tell from this picture but he is kind of small; only about 3-4 feet long. He was just floating there in the water.

This is the GIANT flag that is flying near the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice facility. The building in the background is the club offices, locker rooms, etc. with two practice fields behind. It is two stories tall and pretty big. I wanted that building in the background so you could see just how big the flag is. That flag is enormous!

This is my friend Jen. One of the reasons I keep coming back every year and enduring the time away from my family (and the stress) is because of the good friends I have made over the years.

I will have more pictures later. All the cool Super Bowl "look" is not completely up around the stadium yet. I want to wait until that is up to give everyone the full effect! Love you all. Thanks for all the support for me and my family.