The Real Life of Mommy West

2011-09-30T13:20:00.000-06:00

The Wood Connection Giveaway

Right now, The Wood Connection is giving away a $25 gift certificate to a lucky person who likes them on Facebook and shares it with their friends. I don't usually advertise, but I would love to give my friends the opportunity to win this certificate. The Wood Connection has beautiful unfinished and finished furniture, and also does custom pieces in any color you desire. Bookshelves, beds, hutches, cabinets, chairs, tables, rocking chairs. . . you name it. You can also order other pieces through a catalog onsite. I had two bookcases done in a color to match other existing furniture in my home, with the number of shelves and the exact dimensions I needed to fit in the space designated. I LOVE them! My living room, dining area, and kitchen are one long open room, and the shelves also mirror the design of my kitchen cabinets, with arches and crown molding. Even though my kitchen is a different color of wood, they go together and actually help break up the rooms a bit. I also had a custom cabinet done (basically just the cabinet portion of the cabinet/hutch they make) at the dimensions I needed as well and in the same color. Everything was so reasonable, especially for custom pieces. My neighbors down the street liked my furniture so much they ordered some shelves as well, and are very pleased. My next purchase will be a side table with drawers when we've saved enough. I wish I could post a picture, but I'm having a hard time accessing the drive that contains my pictures. I'll update when I can.

Another exciting thing about this store (that I think many of my friends will LOVE) is their craft division. They have so many beautiful/fun/funky finished and unfinished wood crafts and so many different fun projects to do (right now they've got photos up of the cutest Halloween candy box). You can go in for classes or do group projects together if you set up a time. I seldom craft, but I am an appreciater of crafts! I love the stuff The Wood Connection has!

If you would like to learn more about The Wood Connection, or would like to enter to win the certificate, visit their blog here: http://thewoodco.blogspot.com/2011/09/2000-facebook-fans-giveaway.html?spref=fb

Here's the link to their regular business website: http://www.thewoodconnection.com/

Good luck!!

2011-09-11T01:00:00.003-06:00

SEPTEMBER 10, 2001

Ten years ago today

The sun was brilliantin the sky

The birds sang thesong of a beautiful day

The grass was bright green

The world felt safe

I played with my babyand my preschooler

And did things likewashing dishes

And reading stories

And taking my husbandto school

Ten years ago today

If I had wanted to

I could have taken myhusband to the airport

Walked with him tothe gate

Kissed him goodbye ashe boarded the plane

And stood with mygirls at the window

Watching until hisplane backed away from the gate

Taxied to the runway

And soared into thesky

Ten years ago today

We worried about theeconomy

(Though theeconomists did not)

And the stock market

And the power companyraising our rates

Terrorism wassomething that happened in countries far away

That we only knewfrom television

Or NPR

Or the BBC

Ten years ago today

There were twin talltowers that scraped the sky of New York

The Pentagon had notbeen breached

And a crater did notmar a field in Pennsylvania

Mothers, fathers, wives,husbands, and children

Spent time together

Talked on the phone

Did not know this day

Would be their last

Ten years ago today

We thought we werestrong

Thought we were great

But we were notunited like we should have been

We did not know howstrong

How humble

Or brave

Or united

We could become

Ten years ago today

The sun was settingin the sky

The birds sang theirevening song

The grass was adeepening green

The world felt safe

And the world did notknow--

We did not know--

That we, and theworld,

With the coming dawn,

Would change forever.

2011-09-11T00:53:00.001-06:00

Scattering Sunshine. . .On Me

It never fails: whenever I'm grumpy, slightly or otherwise, God sends me areminder/bright spot. I'm sure I miss the significance of some of them when I'msuper-grumpy. Thank heavens today I didn't miss it. While shoppingslightly-grumpily at Dick's in Bountifulwhile two of the girls were at ballet, the sweetest older gentleman kept tryingto make friends with Rebecca. She is pretty shy around strangers--she usuallyjust puts on her serious face and looks in another direction. I smiled at him,and then continued checking out. He hobbled slowly out to his car, and I spedoff another direction to get everybody buckled back in and the groceriesunloaded so we could get back to the ballet school in time. As I unloaded thelast child from the cart, the sweet man hobbled over and offered to take mycart back to the store for me. "You have enough to keep you busy rightnow," he said. Bent with age and moving slowly, he took the cart from mewith a smile, and I thanked him twice. I was so touched by his desire to be ofservice and his respect for my calling as a mother. He was a true gentleman, inevery sense of the word. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for people like that, andfor reminding me to look outside my to-do list for small ways to bring sunshineinto someone's life.

2011-04-26T15:31:00.003-06:00

"I Had A Great Day"

It was one of THOSE mornings. You know, the kind where you seriously consider asking for a refund. And leaves you wondering how soon you'll be developing a nice, raging ulcer.

There was the usual stress of kids not getting up on time, of trying to keep an ADHD child whose meds haven't kicked in yet on task, and so forth, but a good deal of the stress on this morning came from a certain kindergartner who might also be known as The Daydreamer/The Princess/Drama Queen II/The Snail. I had just about given up trying to get her going (and her disclosure that she had a headache 10 minutes before she was supposed to leave almost sealed the deal), except that visions of the very nice letter the principal sent a couple of weeks ago letting us know that this child had reached the maximum number of absences she was allowed for the school to "make AYP" and that her tardies were excessive and could be "detrimental" to her progress kept dancing in my head. (I think when I received the letter, I retorted something like, "Well, then YOU come to my house and see if you can do any better at getting this child out the door fed and fully dressed and on time!")

The other children ran out the door, and The Snail finally decided that she needed to go to school (why NOW, not an hour ago!), and disappeared into her room to get dressed. I poured her a bowl of cereal, knowing I couldn't send her to school with an empty stomach if she really had a headache. The Snail came out dressed, except. . . "Where are your shoes?" I asked, feeling very much like a broken record. The Snail did not know. I marched into her room to find that not ONE pair of shoes belonging to her was in her closet. NOT ONE. I mean, usually, her closet is an interesting assortment of one shoe from each pair, but this time, not ONE pair was in there. However, we easily found her brand-new, shiny, bow-bedazzled white Sunday shoes, since they were up high and displayed proudly for all to see. But since those weren't an option, we were stuck. We looked high and low and miraculously found her shoes in her backpack (thank heavens for inspiration). She gulped down her cereal (very uncharacteristic) while I scratched out a quick note on the end of a notepad with a pen that didn't want to cooperate. (Thinking about this child handing the secretary a piece of cardboard as she came in the door was amusing, I have to admit.)

Then I drove her to the front doors of the school because the second I said the word "walk," I could see a meltdown coming on, and, since the goal was to get her to school for what remained of the kindergarten day (which would not happen if she went into meltdown mode), I felt it best to just drive her. I felt pretty silly, considering the school property is four houses away from our home (in my defense, the front doors, which are the only ones open after school starts, are almost two blocks away. . .). As my daughter jumped out of the car, Rapunzel hair trailing behind her, and yanked open the heavy doors and disappeared inside, my heart swelled a bit. For all the stress she causes, she certainly is a unique and wonderful individual, and I do love her. That helped me feel a bit better.

Then a dear friend exited the school and commiserated and laughed with me (what is it with children and shoes and tough mornings?), shared some fun and happy news, and basically took my mind off the stress of the morning. As I drove home in the sunshine, I took some deep breaths and arrived home much calmer and with my stomach tied in less knots.

My daughter bounced cheerfully through the door around 11:35 A.M. with a big smile on her face, chattered excitedly about the upcoming kindergarten "Plant Picnic," and skipped into the living room to see her brother, singing, "I had a greeaaat day, da-da-da dah dah. . ." I was tempted to ask, "So what was this morning all about?" But I didn't. After all, if she thought it was a great day, who am I to change her mind?

2011-04-26T15:13:00.003-06:00

You Think You Know A Guy. . .

While on a family walk, we were walking around a historic church and well that are near our home. My kids found a huge, almost-full bottle of Gatorade that had been dumped in the grass near the well and thought they would like to keep it. Daddy and I quickly put that idea to rest, and they dumped it back in the grass. However, we decided it would be better if we put it in the bottom of the stroller and threw it away when we got home. So that's what we did--at least, we put it in the bottom of the stroller.

The next day, my husband noticed that the Gatorade was still in the bottom of the stroller, which was sitting outside in the carport. He mentioned that I might want to throw it away before one of the kids got the idea to drink it. Being the environmental steward that I am (okay, I didn't become a big recycler until we got recycling cans--newspapers and phone books were about the extent of my "green" habits), I started to unscrew the bottle to pour out the contents so I could throw the bottle in the recycling bin.

But I stopped, suddenly having visions of what else might be in there besides Gatorade. :) I said as much to my husband, saying something like, "You never know what some crazy kid or teenager might have put in there to bait some unsuspecting soul." "Um, yeah!" he replied, with the tone of, "well, duh!" The Gatorade went in the trash with a satisfying thud.

I looked carefully at my husband, departing for the gym, and added, "Of course, you were never a teenager like that, were you." There was no reply. Only a mischievous smile and a twinkle in his eye. And much laughter as I exclaimed, "Justin!" as he shut the door on his way out.

What? And tarnish his "perfect son" reputation? Naahhhh.

2010-02-10T11:47:00.001-07:00

Boo!

Emily is so funny! She and Jeremy were pounding on the piano and taking turns screaming. I asked them to stop, and she said they were making Halloween music and sounds. I said that sometimes Halloween music is sneaky and soft and maybe they could make that kind. Emily then said that she didn’t like the parts of Halloween where scary things jump out at you. I said I didn’t either. I like dressing up like someone else, getting candy, jack-o-lanterns, parties, and movies. She said she liked that too.

Then she said that the scariest parts of Halloween make her “eyes fall out, and my body fall off, and I turn into a skeleton. A real skeleton!”

She also told me what her plan is for next Halloween. She said that she’s going to dig a hole in the front yard, put a sign by the hole that says, “Don’t get in my spot!”, and then she’ll put lights all around so she can see where she’s going, and then she’ll take off her body and be a skeleton, and then she’ll hide until someone comes to the door, and then she’ll jump out and yell, “Boo!” and they’ll be so scared because they saw a real skeleton! “You know what the scariest part is?” she said. “Boo!”

2010-01-20T18:57:00.002-07:00

Did You Know. . .

. . .that Lehi saw the great and "suspicious" building in his dream?

. . .that "Goliath" appeared to Mary?

. . .that Christopher keeps us all laughing?

2010-01-19T15:39:00.003-07:00

Life Is Good

So I still haven't posted any pictures, partially due to the fact that we ran out of storage capacity for our photos and videos. (I love digital stills and video, but WOW do they use up memory!) This current incarnation of our computer is about 5 years old, and contains elements from other incarnations (including a video card that is so old that we can't even view the videos from our digital camcorder on it), and we thought maybe instead of ordering more external hard drives we'd bite the bullet and just build an entirely new computer. (The first time Justin built one was back when Ashley was in the womb; he's upgraded and re-built several times since then. I'm pretty sure this current one contains no elements of the original, but I could be wrong.) It wasn't just as simple as buying a new video card, because our current computer would not be able to handle a new video card, so by the time we upgraded everything sufficiently, we might as well have bought a new computer anyway. So that was the plan.

Well, after replacing our water main (a story for another post), and then doing the 60,000 mile maintenance on the Suburban and finding a surprise repair (OUCH), we moved to Plan B. We ordered two external hard drives. Now, if Justin ever finds the time to get them put on our network, we'll be able to download our new videos and photos. I'll try to post what we've got in the meantime. It just seems like we walk through cold tar around here sometimes, but I wouldn't trade the reasons for anything in the world. Life is busy, but LIFE IS GOOD. And if anyone's still out there, I love you and I'm glad you're my friends and family!

2009-12-23T13:56:00.006-07:00

Yin and Yang and Christmastime

Christopher is an interesting study. How he manages to be so maddening and so lovable at the same time is amazing to me. He is fiercely independent, extremely curious, and intense in feeling. One neighbor said that "he just keeps 10 steps ahead of you, doesn't he?" He knows what he wants to do, get, or be, and he moves forward, without regard for time, convenience, or rule. And if you are not 100% consistent, 100% of the time (any parent knows consistency is important, but knows being perfectly consistent is impossible, due to unforeseen circumstances), watch out!! He has constantly made me re-evaluate my parenting skills and has brought me to my knees in frustration (which is where Heavenly Father would like us to be when figuring out how to raise His children anyway. . .). He was the first child we've had that made me sigh with relief instead of tears when he started school.

He has also reminded me of the pure joy of life and the wonder of creation and just being. He has lit up my heart with smiles that fill his whole face, hugs that practically crack your ribs, and tender kisses accompanied by the words, "I love you, Mom." As I have watched him shower his intense love on others and live his life with zest, it has made all the countless times I've had to tell him to stop doing something he already knows he's not supposed to do, drive around the neighborhood looking for him yet again, or helping him clean up another "creative" mess he's made all worthwhile.

School has been interesting. He has been blessed with amazing teachers that know just how to work with his personality. (I am so grateful for the power of prayer!) He has had some incidents in which he had to re-evaluate his philosophy of dealing with frustration and other people (and even a visit to the principal's office. . .), but they shower him with praise and love and help him work constructively through his problems.

As any mother would, I look back on my not-so-shining moments and worry about how they may have affected him and his behavior. So it was really nice to get a note from his first-grade teachers (yes, his class has two; they team-teach because one is an administrative intern) telling me of a recent class activity.

The class was discussing Christmas and talking all about getting presents, Santa Claus, and so forth. Christopher raised his hand and said, "You know, Christmas is really about baby Jesus being born. That is why we get presents." It made everyone stop for a moment, and then they said, "Oh, that's right." I don't think his teachers know how much this little note means to me, but maybe they have an idea. It means that our efforts are not in vain, that all we've tried to teach him is absorbing somewhere. Something is sinking in. I am so proud that my son would remember our Savior at Christmastime when so many exciting things can distract us, and that he would talk about Him in front of his entire class. I am humbled beyond measure to be this little boy's mother. (And, in true Christopher-fashion, as I read the note and cried, I discovered that he was trying to lock his younger sister in her room!)

Merry Christmas everyone!!

2009-12-12T20:21:00.005-07:00

The Spirit of Christmas

I loved this beautiful message and I hope you will too!

2009-10-26T14:53:00.002-06:00

Catching Up

Why is it that life has a way of going faster than you can keep up with it? I had hoped at this point to post photos of all the things my kids have been doing (activities and growing up), but it has not happened! I hope I can be forgiven as I get my feet back under me. I promise I will post pictures of birthdays, soccer, baby, and more soon!

2009-08-27T15:52:00.000-06:00

Introducing Rebecca

We are so excited to introduce the newest member of our family! We are sorry we are so slow at getting this posted--we've been a little busy!

This is Rebecca! She was born on July 24, 2009 at 7:47 A.M. at Davis Hospital in Layton, Utah. She was 7 lbs. 14 oz. and was 20 inches long. We are so thankful for this sweet little girl! Her siblings all absolutely adore her, to say nothing of her proud parents! She has beautiful dark hair and dark eyes that are just penetrating, and we are really enjoying getting to know her. We are so grateful for her and all the tender mercies in our lives.

It is always amazing to me how they just know Mom and Dad right from the start. Whenever I would pick her up in the hospital after she started to fuss, her cry would change to an almost happy whimper and her face would look almost smiley, like she was saying, "I know who this is and that she's going to give me what I need." Whenever Daddy would visit, she would get very quiet and just stare at him for the longest time. We got some real grins out of her the second week, and it is just so fun to see those little smiles that are just straight from the heart. (I know all the grandmas tell you newborn smiles are from gas, but who ever smiled when they had gas?!) She has smiled more and more every week, and she has even started giving grins to her siblings!

Here are some other photos of our little sweetheart and her adoring crowd:

Does Jeremy look a little confused? Actually, I think he was more confused by Mommy being gone from home for the first time in his life! He would hardly look at me or touch me in the hospital bed until a few days later! He is adjusting fairly well, but he has a hard time being gentle. He is absolutely fascinated by the baby, saying, "Baby!" all the time, and wanting to watch her and touch her. He has also discovered that if he is too rough, he gets a reaction, which is also fascinating to him, unfortunately! I've tried to find a balance so that he can still touch his sister and "talk" to her but not hurt her. Not easy with a child this age. I'm so glad that he likes her, though!

Christina is so excited! (And shaggy!) She has such a motherly personality, and she loves being able to do anything for Rebecca. Christina makes frequent visits to Rebecca no matter where she is in the house. She has also been such a big help!

Proud oldest sister, Ashley! Ashley can now be trusted to hold and entertain the baby, and she loves carrying her around the house like a little mother. She loves to coo at Rebecca constantly!
Ashley and Christina have had a daily "buddy" to help--Jeremy or Emily--and Ashley has become really good at doing Emily's hair, something she has enjoyed.

Christopher loves his new sister. . .

and so does Emily!
Emily is constantly giving the baby hugs and kisses and loves to get down by her and talk to her!
Christopher loves to talk to and sing to her and can't wait until he can play with her a little more! He keeps dumping toys in her cradle and saying in a high voice, "Look at this! Look at this!" I had to remind him that she will be able to play soon, just not yet.

I love this picture of Justin and the kids--I think it captures in part what a great dad Justin is!

Justin and I celebrated our twelfth anniversary on July 26th at the hospital! At least it was a happy occasion. . .
Justin always has to remind me how much he loves having his picture taken. . .

Our "candlelight meal", courtesy the hospital. The food's actually pretty good at Davis! When I first started having babies there, it was atrocious. The only decent meal there was breakfast, and even that wasn't so great. I think they got a lot of complaints because they hired a fancy chef and the food is SO much better! So our meal was actually like going out to a nice restaurant. I highly recommend the cheesecake (not that I want anyone to end up in the hospital, but if you happen to be there. . .).

One of the pediatric nurses got Rebecca's hair to go all curly with some gel--I took so many pictures trying to capture the effect, I think Rebecca was beginning to wonder if I'd ever stop (as this next photo illustrates). . .

Getting ready to go home on July 27th! Every baby we've ever had has screamed as soon as it's time to go home, no matter if they've been fed, changed, and are happily asleep just before. Maybe it's the clothes. Anyway, it's kind of funny!

Rebecca's home! The whole family together. Aunt Kristin so kindly took this photo for us. She was at our house busily planting a flower garden in honor of Rebecca's arrival--and all after she'd stayed up super late multiple nights in a row at their company, Climbing Holds. (And this was supposed to be a vacation, as she was visiting from Dallas!) What a woman!

Home in my own bed!

2009-08-18T14:58:00.004-06:00

They Just Keep Me Chuckling. . .

Lately our kids have been going to church in stages--when they're ready, they go (unless they must be accompanied by an older person). At least some of them get to 9:00 A.M. Primary on time that way! This past weekend, Ashley left second-to-last, then Justin left last with Emily. Justin joked that he and Emily were going to beat Ashley to church, and Emily turned to him and said, "Daddy, this is not a race. There are no racing cars and no winning flags."

------

After church, Christopher was reading an older edition of the Friend to Emily. He turned to an article by Gordon B. Hinckley, and said, in an affectionate voice, "It's Gordon B. Hinckley!" Emily immediately replied, "He's out of this world!" (To top off that little gem, Christopher replied in a very matter-of-fact voice, "He's dead, and now we have another prophet.")

------

My mom and dad took Ashley for a little shopping trip for her birthday. When I was growing up, one of my dad's favorite things to say as we pulled out of our driveway to go anywhere was "We're off like a herd of turtles!" He still says this when we're around (I'll have to ask my mom if he says it when they're alone. Come to think of it, I say it sometimes too. . .). Well, as they pulled away from our curb with Ashley in the backseat, like clockwork, my dad exclaimed, "We're off like a herd of turtles!" Ashley replied, "Grandpa, you are entirely too predictable!"

2009-07-18T18:21:00.003-06:00

For Cryin' Out Loud. . .

Okay, I'm already somewhat of an emotional person. But when I'm pregnant, watch out! Especially towards the end. It seems like I just keep falling apart, bit by bit, piece by piece, until there's nothing left but a dysfunctional puddle.

Justin knows we're getting to the end when I cry about seemingly everything. Here are some examples:
--Coming home from a weekend of little trips (a trip to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple and my cousin's missionary report in his sacrament meeting) in the van, I realized that this was the last time we would ever go on a family excursion in it. Sob. . . (Justin told the kids we should just head straight to the hospital after this episode!)
--After spending too much time that I didn't have trying to get large car seats strapped into the Suburban the proper way (and mixing up the instructions), and realizing that the way I had envisioned things wasn't going to work, I was in tears and wishing not-very-nice things to whomever decided that built-in car seats shouldn't be the standard in all vehicles (like in my van!). Oooh, teary and testy!
--After spending a very long day getting the Suburban registered and the van signed over to someone else, I went out to turn off our water main (long story) and saw the van just sitting there by the curb waiting for its new owner. Memories flooded through my mind, and I just stood there, weeping, with my hand on the van. I am so sappy. Then, as I went into the house, I told the Suburban "welcome to the family." I am so sappy and dumb.
--Watching the van drive away for the last time, I cried again.
--My apple tree had to be cut down to make room for the new shed which has had to be postponed, but will be built soon. There was no other way to make it work unless we spent horrendous amounts of money, which would be ridiculous. Sniff.
--I thought about how Jeremy is so young and will not really understand why suddenly his mommy cannot pick him up and is constantly holding this little baby all the time. What will he think? Will he think I don't love him anymore? Oh, the tears!
--I took the kids to Davis Hospital (mostly for the youngest kids' sake) so they could see where I would be staying and where they would meet their new sibling. A dad brought his new child in while we were looking at the other babies. I lost it, of course.

I could go on, but going past a sampling of the things from the past week would take pages and pages and would be totally boring. And, unfortunately, it's not going to stop anytime soon! You gotta love hormones!

2009-07-15T14:12:00.004-06:00

Baby's "Official" Birthday

We finally know Baby's "official" birthday! I say "official" in quotes because she could still come when she feels like it before her scheduled due date, which Emily decided to do. (I guess she didn't like the day we picked; don't blame her, it was the day Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S.)

I went in for a doctor's appointment last Thursday, and the doctor came in and told me that instead of the 27th, the baby will be delivered on the 24th. The hospital keeps changing their rules, and this time, they have decided they will only let doctors schedule the O.R's a month in advance. So Dr. Farley called at 8:00 A.M. on June 27th to schedule my c-section and found that his friend and former practice partner, Dr. Sumsion, who usually assists with my surgeries, had called at midnight! (I guess I'll have to razz him a little. . .) So Dr. Farley took the next best available day, which was Pioneer Day. Dr. Farley doesn't usually do Friday surgeries for his family's and ward's sake (he is a bishop also), but he told me he made an exception for me. Gee, thanks!

So unless Baby decides differently, she will be born on July 24th! We are really looking forward to it, and I am scrambling to finish everything I can before that day. Life is not cooperating with me, but I think everything will work out just fine. We are all looking forward to meeting our little girl!

2009-07-08T12:52:00.001-06:00

Recharging Our Batteries

I loved a story that was shared by our former stake president on Mother's Day. As I've mentioned before, he spoke specifically to younger mothers still in the throes of it all, and gave us some amazing encouragement. I was reminded of this story tonight and wanted to share it with you.

One of the things President Nelson talked about was that mothers need to make sure they get some scripture study time every day. He told us that his wife, the mother of nine children, had a difficult time finding adequate time to study the scriptures every day, but she made a valiant effort. She found that she could usually get a little quiet time right after breakfast, and so that became her scripture time. One day she was reading a chapter in one of the Four Gospels in the New Testament; the story of how the mothers brought their children to see the Savior, and the Apostles told them He was too busy to see them. However, the Savior said, "Suffer the children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." He reminded them that we all need to become as little children, or we cannot hope to join Him in heaven someday. The house was quiet, as Bernadelle's children were outside in the backyard. All she could hear was faint, sparkling, joyous laughter, which enhanced her study of this particular chapter. Feeling refreshed and spiritually fed, she stepped from her bedroom to check on her children. Entering the backyard, she discovered the source of their laughter: she and her husband had recently purchased several large boxes of tomatoes so they could bottle them, and her precious children were throwing them all at each other!

She was very upset by the incident, but she later told her husband that she was able to handle the situation with calm and wisdom that she knew she would not have had otherwise if she had not studied her scriptures. She testified of the power that the scriptures can give to parents, and to all of us, as we prayerfully study and ponder them. I also testify of their power. The scriptures contain great teachings that apply in every situation we will ever encounter, but there is also an unseen power that enters our lives as we continue to feast from the scriptures daily. Maybe some days we don't get as much out of our study as other days, but by keeping the commands of the Lord to study the scriptures, and trying as best we can to listen to the Spirit as we do so, we will be given power beyond our own to handle life's challenges, big and small.

2009-07-04T23:00:00.002-06:00

Moo, Moo, I'm A Cow. . .

The former stake president's wife pulled me aside after the last stake conference (in June) and exclaimed, "You're about ready to have this baby, aren't you!" I replied that we still had until the end of July, and she gave me some words of advice.

She reminded me that the last three weeks before delivery are crucial for a mother's rest--she has every right to slow down and take care of herself. "Look at a mother cow," she continued. "Do you see her jumping a fence right before she has her calf? Look at a mother cat. Do you see her running as fast as she can down the street?" She also illustrated her point with the behavior of mother dogs. "So you see," she finished, "you need to do the same thing. And when you get to that point, just remember that Bernadelle told you you're a cow." Thanks, Bernadelle!

(So what do we have going on these last few weeks before Baby comes? A shed being built in our backyard on the 17th--finally (long story)! Moving things into it. A husband who can only lift light things. Major organization that has to wait until the things that are moving into the shed are moved. Why do I do this to myself? I just hope Bernadelle, who lives down the street, doesn't find out! Hee, hee!)

2009-07-01T10:36:00.004-06:00

Counting Down. . .

Wow, I can't believe it's July already!! My baby counter says we have 30 days left from today, but, unless for some weird reason the OB couldn't get the O.R. scheduled (I always thought that was kind of dumb, because if I go into labor they have to get me into the O.R. anyway. . .), or she has different ideas, this little girl will be coming on the 27th of this month! Yay! We're looking forward to it!

2009-06-30T16:05:00.006-06:00

Gettin' A Bigger Car

Well, we have reached the point where we need to graduate from a mini-van. Yes, I know there are vans that seat eight instead of seven, but we're tired of cramming stuff in, around, and under people, and our kids are getting bigger, so we're cramming them in, too. People usually ask us how many kids we're going to HAVE (yes, usually with that emphasis), and our answer is always the same. (No, it's not "none of your business," though it probably should be :), but rather "it's not up to us.") We think we're probably towards the end of the child-bearing years, but we just don't know, so it's really hard to decide what kind of car to get. Maybe we should just go all out and buy this beauty:

Yee-haw; transporting the family in style! Seats 20 comfortably. But that might be a LEETLE too much for our budget. Maybe we should consider something like this baby:

It's vintage; it's cheap; it seats 14. AND it has really cost-effective air conditioning (just roll down those windows)! SWEET! (This Sub's for real! Justin and I found this for sale on KSL while looking for Suburbans late one night. I can't remember exactly what year it is now; I think it's a 1946 interurban bus model. When we found this, I had been having the worst, most excruciating rib pain I had ever had in any of my pregnancies. I swear my ribs were almost dislocated, if not totally. When we found this we laughed so hard I cried, and the next day I could hardly stand the pain--I think I totally dislocated my ribs! But it was worth it! And, thank heavens, the baby turned and dropped, so she is totally out of my ribs.)

2009-06-30T16:01:00.002-06:00

Life's Like That Sometimes. . .

2009-06-29T16:18:00.004-06:00

Update On Justin

As I mentioned in my previous post, Justin spent Father's Day with the flu and in pain from back problems. We are not sure if he had swine flu or not, but he definitely had some variety of influenza. Apparently they're either not testing anymore or they ran out of tests, but they told us to act as if it was swine flu and keep everyone in the family out of public for several days. So, after a late night trip to Walgreen's (sorry if we took germs to anyone there, but Justin was too sick to babysit) for Tamiflu, we pretty much kept the family quarantined until the following (this past) Thursday, including Justin. He was pretty sick, which he hardly ever is, and it took him a few days to get back to feeling decent. But that Tamiflu stuff is amazing! I came back from Walgreen's with it after 11PM, he took it, and 15 minutes later he started to feel better. Not great, just better. He was still pretty sick after that, but I think he was a lot better than he would have been without it (he gave me a pretty good scare earlier in the day with his airways beginning to feel constricted, but that disappeared after a little while). I really appreciate Justin's prayer that the rest of us wouldn't get it, and I am grateful for the prayers of others that helped Justin to get better and protect the rest of us, too. I was a little worried because pregnant women and little children are more vulnerable to serious complications, so I thank all who combined their faith with ours and helped us all get/stay well.

Justin spent the first few days after Father's Day trying to work from home (and wearing himself out--I kept telling him to go to bed, but he wouldn't until he got a headache and got dizzy. . .). He was also nursing his back, so he had to keep standing up and sitting down in different positions and places. We discovered that the passenger seat in the van had just the right amount of recline, so he spent the rest of his home confinement working in the van! We plugged his laptop into an extension cord, plugged it into the outside outlet, and he had internet access from the wireless router in our house! We opened all the doors and windows we could, stocked him up with water, and, since he doesn't mind the heat as much as most people, he was just dandy out there.

The first day back at work was miserable, and he only stayed half the day. He had been in a lot of pain all week, and I was really getting worried. After talking about it, we determined that he was overcompensating for his back and stressing other parts of his body, as well as the bad part of his back because he was trying not to put too much pressure on it. After he stopped overcompensating, he has felt much better since then, and has been able to do full days at work. He would still like a more supportive office chair, but other than that, it seems like things will be fine.

Now, about Justin's back and neck: he has four degenerated discs in his necks, and two bulging discs in his lower back. We don't know what we're going to do for his neck, but he's having spinal decompression on his back in the hopes that we can avert degeneration in that area (it's a newer machine that works better than the old ones). We really want to avoid surgery, which has the potential to be debilitating, and we don't want to do nothing, either. Justin's a strange guy: he's never really had the classic symptoms of degeneration, but his back did keep giving him problems lately (after he started an exercise/weights regimen). The chiropractor finally sent him for an MRI and that's when we discovered his problems.

For the first part of the treatment, probably a little more than half, Justin cannot lift, bend, twist, or exercise! Being very pregnant and scheduled for a c-section, this was not news I wanted to hear! However, if Justin is able to schedule his visits for three a week, he should be past the worst part before we have the baby (he is going to really push for it). I know our families and our neighbors will help out wherever they can, but I know Justin would really like to be functioning well when that exciting event arrives (especially since we have five other kids to worry about). I have to admit that I about lost it when he told me about his back and the treatment and stuff--I was absolutely overwhelmed and exhausted that day, and feeling that way and thinking about all the stuff we needed to accomplish this summer made me feel that it would be impossible. But I am so grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord. He reminded me that he never gives us more than we can handle and that he always "strengthens the back to bear the burden." I thought of my wonderful family members and neighbors who will be willing to help with what is needed, and I knew that things would work out just fine. I am also grateful that my two oldest are becoming great lifters, diaper changers, etc. Things will work out.

I have been blessed to be able to do what has been needed, and I didn't think it would be possible, considering how low my energy seemed. I am so grateful for the blessings I have been given. I also appreciate the insights I've been given into how worried Justin must be about the cost of all of this on top of the cost of my surgery and the baby and the new car we need, what his health condition means for his future, and so on. But wouldn't you know it, I think the thing that has made him the maddest in the short term is that all his work at the gym will be going "completely downhill," as he put it.

In true Justin-fashion, when his company paid for part of our Rec Center membership, he determined to use it to the utmost. He did so much research, trying to determine the best methods, exercises, and lifting techniques to get his body in shape and stronger in every aspect. He charted his progress faithfully, noting each improvement or stagnation, and marking those exercises that didn't seem to do much good or that seemed to aggravate problems. He would then look for a new exercise/technique to replace it. I wanted to spank him, though, when he decided to do a deadlift (you know, the thing you see weighlifters on TV do, except with more reasonably-sized weights). I was worried it would give him or aggravate back problems. Sure enough, it did! We're not sure if this is when the bulging discs occurred, but a couple times since he's hurt himself again doing other things, so it either aggravated a problem waiting to happen or caused the problem. The big stinker! Anyway, Justin is kind of upset that he will have to start all over again. I know how he feels. After I have surgery, my muscles go to pot because I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than the baby, go up and down stairs, or push things. It's frustrating after I'm given the go-ahead from the doctor to go home and try to go back to normal--everything seems so much heavier, and I'm already tired and drained from taking care of a new baby. It won't be easy for him, but I think he'll get back up to speed faster than he thinks.

So that's how Justin is doing. He just keeps plugging along, and I'm so grateful for him! But aren't we too young for this?

2009-06-21T11:32:00.005-06:00

Happy Father's Day!!

My dad is an amazing father. He has been totally dedicated to our family from the moment he and my mom were sealed for time and all eternity, doing whatever was necessary to support our family. Through financial hardships, my mom's many health problems, and all the stresses of life, he kept moving forward, always taking time to make sure each one of us felt loved, and always making sure we were taken care of. He has been so supportive of my mother through her health challenges and her return to full-time work, cooking and cleaning and helping wherever he saw a need. He always finds time to help others, even though he's so busy himself. I am so grateful for such a patient, loving, dedicated father. I couldn't help but think of him as I watched this incredible video--a true story about another dedicated, amazing father. I know you'll think of fathers you know and love that have touched your heart in a similar way. I am so grateful for my dad and for all the other dads out there that step up to their responsibilities and make this world a better place!

(I also want to express my love and appreciation to Justin, who is also a very dedicated and wonderful father. He has gone through so much to provide for and take care of our family. He worked almost full time through his entire stint of schooling, driving 2 hours to and from work in Salt Lake while attending school full time at BYU in Provo. His life was full of studying and work and not much else, though he always found time to help with the children and create great memories with them. He also served in a singles' ward bishopric his last year of grad school, which was a great experience, but also meant even more time spent working hard. Over the years, he has worked and prayed to provide for our family, and has listened to the Spirit about the direction we should go with his work and where we should live, and even though sometimes the answers have not been exactly what he would have liked, he has followed those promptings and we have been so very blessed. Lately it seems he's been so busy he hardly has time to sneeze, but he somehow finds time to be a great dad and husband anyway. Right now he's laying in bed with influenza and 2 bulging discs in his back which he's undergoing treatment for. He means more to us than I can even express. I love you, Justin, and I'm so grateful for your dedication to our family!!)

If you're having trouble watching the video on my blog, here's the link to it on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhqRMP9meMc

2009-06-01T13:58:00.005-06:00

When Life Gives You Lemons. . .No worries; this is not a post about something going wrong. I am the proud recipient of the fabulous Lemonade Award! Thanks to Jaymie, an amazing, wonderful friend, and an amazing example of gratitude, for this show of confidence in my apparent abilities to make lemonade out of lemons. I am really trying to be grateful no matter what my circumstances, and even though I fall short and end up whining sometimes, I am trying. I find that when I look for something to be grateful for, even when it's hard, my life is filled with joy and peace that carries me through rough waters (big or small). I wish I could say that I am always this way, but I hope someday I will be!

I nominate the following blogs for this great award:

Jaymie at Mislaid Musings: I know you nominated me, but I just couldn't not nominate you! Jaymie is a great example to me of gratitude and unconditional love for others.

Kristin at Mormon Fury: My amazing little sister who finds so much joy in life no matter what life throws at her.

Becca at The Johanson Family: Justin's sweet and talented cousin who sees the good in everyone and everything.

Tara at Aaron and Tara West Family: Justin's "cousin-in-law" who listens to the Spirit and looks for the positive even in great adversity.

Starla at The Packer Family: Another of Justin's awesome cousins who has an amazing attitude and sweet spirit, and loves life.

Stephanie at The Finlayson Family: Another West "cousin-in-law" who adores her husband and children and shows gratitude in everything she does.

Melissa at Mooneroid Universe: Another amazing, wonderful long-time friend who radiates gratitude and a zest for life even amid trials that would make other people hide under their beds.

Kayleen at Our Family Feil: Yet another fabulous long-time friend who sees the beauty in everything and everybody.

Holly at The Cherry Family: I have known this gal for umpteen years, and her ability to stay positive and smiling amid life's "circuses" have my deepest admiration.

Grandma West at Roy and Lorna West Family (a blog with multiple contributors): Justin's awesome grandma who takes a licking and keeps on ticking, with more energy and ability to accomplish than just about anybody I know.

Angenette at The Incredible Imblers: An amazing person we met while young marrieds at BYU who has been through the wringer the past few years and still manages to keep going and creating joy and peace for her family despite immense grief and trials. I seriously don't know how you do it!

If you would like to gift this award to anyone you know, here are the rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or on a post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs that show an attitude of gratitude
3. Link to your nominees within your post (I was too lazy, but the links are on the right of my blog--if you would like a link removed, please let me know. . .I do want to respect your privacy. The links are so I can keep track of people, but I don't want to intrude on anyone.)
4. Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received this award
5. Share the love and link to this post and the person who nominated you for the award
6. Tell us how you've come to have an attitude of gratitude

Through my own experiences, and through the experiences of others, I have found so much to be grateful for. I thank the Lord for His many blessings to me and for amazing friends and family who teach me so much!

2009-05-18T23:30:00.004-06:00

Christian Courage

I have made it to the war chapters in the Book of Mormon (Alma 43-63). I used to slog through them, looking for the "gems" hidden in all the blood and treachery. Things like "if all men had ever been and would be like unto Moroni. . ." and "we do not doubt our mothers knew it." Great scriptures, and great evidences of faithfulness in times of great adversity.

But it occurred to me several years ago that when the prophets said this book was for our day, and that everything in the book is there for a reason, they really meant everything. Even the war stuff. And so I started reading the chapters differently, trying so hard to understand the reason these things were included. I still love all the "gems" in the chapters, and I appreciate the meaning that those scriptures give me. But I have also discovered important truths that we need so desperately in these challenging times, and they include ways to strengthen our children for the adversity they will face, how to strengthen the members, things we need to watch out for so that we are not deceived by Satan, and so forth.

I just read about Amalickiah and his treachery, and it's a pretty depressing chapter, watching this guy get exactly what he wants through evil means, and reading about his supporters--how they were taught the gospel just like the other Nephites, but because they started to love power and prestige more than the truth, they became even more wicked than the Lamanites. I read about how Amalickiah got Lehonti, leader of the portion of the Lamanites that didn't want to fight the Nephites, to eventually come down from his safe place to meet with Amalickiah. Amalickiah was able to then trick Lehonti into doing something that would eventually bring great sorrow to both Nephites and Lamanites, and Lehonti was eventually "poisoned by degrees" until he died so that Amalickiah could have full power. It is sad to think of what could have been avoided had Lehonti not allowed himself to be lulled into thinking that everything would be fine, and that he would be strong enough to leave his safe place.

After reading that particular section, and pondering what I needed to learn from it, I thought I remembered two Church leaders talking about that very section in Alma 47. Upon visiting www.lds.org, I found my memory was correct. Elder Hales and Sister Dalton both referenced this very section in their wonderful talks given in October 2008 General Conference, both so very needed in this day and time. (Just click on the links to read them, if you would like.) Elder Hales spoke about Christian Courage and being a true disciple of Jesus Christ as we interact with others. Sister Dalton reminded us that the value of virtue is more important than ever, and that we cannot allow ourselves to be "poisoned" through gradually accepting the world's values and standards and by being distracted from the true purpose of our existence.

I am so grateful for personal revelation and revelation given by Heavenly Father through living prophets and inspired leaders so that we can avoid the many pitfalls that surround us and so that we can avoid being "poisoned by degrees" until we suffer a spiritual death. The world is so full of half-truths and distractions that we desperately need to cling to the tools our Heavenly Father has given us to help us stay on the path that leads to eternal life. I know that He lives and loves us, and wants us to return to Him someday, and I am grateful for all the tools he has given us to help us do this, including the gift of the Atonement, made possible by our Savior, Jesus Christ, who also lives and loves us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

2009-05-11T00:11:00.002-06:00

Happy Mother's Day!

"By small means are great things brought to pass. . ."
"You are laying the foundation of a great work" that will bring you much joy and great blessings.

Thank you to all mothers everywhere who have had the courage to bring children into this world and raise them! I love you and salute you! (And thank you to William O. Nelson, who gave the most empowering and uplifting talk on motherhood I've ever heard in a Mother's Day sacrament meeting!)

2009-04-24T09:20:00.004-06:00

Tolerance

I don't usually like to get into social issues too much on this blog, but I was so proud of Miss California in the recent Miss USA pageant. I didn't watch the pageant, but I read about it in the newspaper.

What a courageous answer she gave the judge, especially when she knew what the consequences might be! I don't think she was expecting to be attacked the way she was, though. It really got me wondering--why is it that people with certain views say that we should be "tolerant" of their views, and that we should allow them to say what they think, and do what they want, but when individuals with opposing views try to do the same, they are attacked and are told that they cannot speak that way, act that way, or express their beliefs? The judge who asked Miss California the question was basically baiting whomever drew the question, and had no reason to ask it other than to gain support for his views. And he later went on the internet calling her horrible names and saying mean things about her. What does tolerance really mean? Is it today's definition of "a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own?" Is it merely "putting up with" others who are different and believe differently? And does it go both ways?

I believe that everyone has the right to believe what they feel is right, and that they have the right to express how they feel or believe in a respectful manner. And, as such, everyone has the obligation to agree or disagree in a respectful manner. I try so hard to listen carefully to the diverse viewpoints of others, knowing that I will gain perspective and understanding as I do so. I may not change my mind about my beliefs and feelings (I will not when it is a moral issue), but I will understand others better and will be able to show greater respect to others who live differently. I would hope that others would show me the same courtesy. Unfortunately, the trends today are not towards "courtesy." Sadly, "political correctness" dictates that the "cause du jour" must be "tolerated," even embraced, or anyone who opposes that cause is "wrong," "hateful," and even a bad person. Just look at the recent Proposition 8 decision. People supposedly against "hate" suddenly turned their preaching of tolerance, acceptance, and love into hateful, vindictive actions and words when things didn't go their way. The same thing keeps happening for those who believe in God and want to worship him when and where they choose, and especially for those who believe in Jesus Christ. People who do not believe in God feel that everyone must cater to their beliefs (prayer in schools, the Pledge of Allegiance, elimination of Christmas programs, etc.) or others are "forcing religion" on them. What they fail to realize (or maybe they don't fail to realize it. . .) is that they are forcing their beliefs on others in the name of "tolerance." We must have "moments of silence" or "inspiring thoughts" instead of prayers, lest we offend someone who does not pray. We must have "Winter Celebrations" instead of "Christmas Programs" or parties lest we seem intolerant of those who do not believe in Christmas or Christ. Yet every other religious holiday and set of beliefs is trumpeted, celebrated, and encouraged. It is so discouraging. "Tolerance," or the greater term "respect," should go both ways, not just the socially popular way.

We have been very blessed, so far, not to have this trend infect our local elementary school and city council, but it's happening close by. I talked to a father who lives in our school district a couple of years ago while we waited for our daughters to finish ballet class, and he said the above situations are alive and well at their schools.

As I wonder in amazement at the ways Satan finds to deceive people, I am really not surprised. The scriptures are full of warnings about these very things. It is no wonder the prophets have worked so hard to teach us about how important it is to read the scriptures every day, to pray always, to listen to and follow the prophets, to be faithful, to follow Christ. If we do not, especially in these perilous times, we will be in serious danger of believing half-truths and full-out lies. We will start making excuses for our beliefs, become ashamed, and get lost in the darkness that surrounds us. I am so very grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I desperately hope that Justin and I are teaching our children what they need to know to get through these confusing times.

My sweet elderly neighbor, Dorothy Call, stopped me at church the other day and told me how much she fears for the children growing up today. She grew up in such a relatively safe time, and she sees the things that surround the children of today, and just weeps. She told me that she prays so hard all the time for the little ones and those who are raising them and having any contact with them. I was so touched by her faith and her desire to give us young moms her faith and strength. I felt like I was being endowed with extra power and "armor" in this battle for souls. I love my children, and I want them to be safe. I appreciate all the extra help I can get! All of you who have children or grandchildren growing up today--know that you are important enough to our Father in Heaven that prophets and faithful Saints alike are praying daily for you and your little ones!! We will win this battle, with God as our protector and help.

2009-04-19T13:22:00.003-06:00

Definitions

Oviparous: "it means baby animals that are born from eggs!" --Christopher, via kindergarten
Flabbergasted: "it means that you're really surprised!"--Christopher, courtesy Oscar the Grouch's ABC's
Onspensiverous: "it means you grow up, put on panties, and go to ballet."--Emily, invented after hearing Christopher define big words

2009-04-15T14:14:00.000-06:00

Becoming As A Little Child: Grateful For Snow

I know I should be grateful it's been so rainy and now is snowing--in April. The snow in the mountains is our water supply, and we really need all we can get. Plus, the more it rains, the less I have to water the lawn, which saves water, too. But spring is such a tease. We get gorgeous, sunny, perfectly warm days, and we drag out our capris and tees and sandals. Then the temps drop and it rains and even snows (love spring in Utah. . .), and we have to drag the cold weather stuff out again (this is not good for the space-challenged, like us).

Yesterday I was in a rebellious mood and wore my favorite black maternity tee and my black flip flops. It wasn't too bad when I went to the doctor, but by the time I took Ashley to ballet and headed to Albertson's, I was regretting my decision. The clouds were thick and plunking lots of thick raindrops down on us, and my kids were SO slow in getting out of the van. I was soaked and freezing going into the store--which wasn't heated at all, it seemed--and totally soaked and freezing trying to load all the groceries into the car (they had some really good sales this past week--got my free milk and $10 off my total order!). "I am such a dork." I proclaimed to nobody but myself. Apparently my built-in pregnancy heater has its limits. I will not make the same mistake today.

So I am trying not to grumble at the snow, and I am smiling at the example of my 18-month-old, Jeremy. Jeremy loves to go "bye-bye" and loves to go outside, and he absolutely LOVES the snow! He finally learned to walk 3 months ago, and when he discovered he could look out the front window, he loved to look outside as much as he could to see what was going on. He liked it even better when I'd open the front door and let him look through the screen door--the window is lower and looks out over the steps, not through a vinyl railing like the other window. When he'd look out on snowy days, or we'd go outside, I'd point to the snow and tell him what it was. About a month ago, we were leaving to take one of the girls somewhere, and he kept saying, "No! No!" In a family our size, it isn't unusual for our little ones to learn that word early, so I thought he was just being contrary. But I soon realized that he was saying it in an excited manner and pointing at something. Slow mommy that I am, I finally realized that since the sky was dropping big, fat snowflakes Jeremy was saying the word "snow!" It was exciting!

Ever since then, Jeremy has pointed at the window and said, "Uhts zat?!" And then he'll wait for me to answer, or just answer himself, "Snow!" (Or "No!" in Jeremy-language). Then he'll repeat it over and over with a tone of adoration in his voice, and usually will accompany his exclamations with giggles and happy sounds. Or he'll run to the window and point outside, standing on his toes, and squealing, "No! No!!" Today, as I took him to his crib for his nap, the sky was dumping big, fat flakes again, and the snow was sticking to some degree. I pointed out the snow, and his face lit up with pleasure. I love seeing the light in his eyes, and the pure love and gratitude he has for Heavenly Father's creations and blessings. It's at times like these that I can see why Jesus asked us to "become as a little child."

2009-04-11T13:11:00.000-06:00

An Easter Message

Please enjoy this beautiful Easter message from an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. We wish you the most wonderful Easter, and express our tremendous gratitude for the incomprehensible sacrifice of our Savior. His incomparable gift gives all mankind deliverance from death and also the possibility of deliverance from sin. It is so amazing that we will all live again after we die, and so wonderful that we will have the opportunity to be with those we love again someday. And in this life, we can have the help and comfort we need because of what our Savior went through. He knows our pain, sorrow, and loneliness perfectly, and He is just waiting for us to reach out to Him with open arms. We know that He lives and loves us more than we can understand. We love each and every one of you!

2009-04-01T13:16:00.000-06:00

Everyday Food Storage

I am a big fan of having things in storage that my family will actually eat, and making it part of our daily lives, as I'm sure all of you are, too! If there were a financial emergency, a several-day power outage, or a natural disaster, I hope that I could still feed my family things they are familiar with, and do it well. Thinking about the different situations we could find ourselves in cause me to re-evaluate what we have in our storage and think about what we should be storing. We're doing pretty well in some areas, but not so great in others.

I was Googling for Texas Tumblers--you know, those indestructible plastic glasses that came in all kinds of funky colors, and that you always see at the old diners or Mexican restaurants--and realized that they are pretty hard to find. I happened to find a blog that mentioned them (they went to Smith and Edwards and couldn't find them). But the blog also talked about a website they had found that helped you learn how to use your food storage more effectively and use it everyday! I really would like to learn more--I always like to hear new ideas or new applications of principles. I also found some ideas for kids and General Conference (always looking for those, too) and some cool recipes (with videos). I didn't spend a ton of time at the site, but I'm planning on going back to see what I can learn. Here's the link if you're interested:

I also have a cool book that a lady named Karen Gilmore ("The Wheat Lady") has put together to sell after she does Enrichment presentations on using food storage. She has recipes that use more of your long-term items like wheat, honey, beans, dry milk, and things like that. (Justin is really wary of the "bean fudge!") I think it's going to take me awhile to get to the point she's at, though--she sprouts her wheat to use in snack mixes, makes her own hot cereal, and uses her hard beans in all kinds of things (like the above-mentioned fudge). I'm still stuck on using canned beans. I guess I need a little more motivation and time! Anyway, if you have any food storage ideas you love, books you like, or websites you enjoy, post it in the comments--I would love to hear about it, and we could all use some more ideas in that area!

2009-03-31T11:09:00.001-06:00

It's A Girl!!

I am so lame--we found out on March 11, but for some reason, anytime I want to post pictures, I put it off and put it off. We are so very excited! (We would have been happy with either gender, seeing as how we have a goodly number of each kind. . .)

The Sunday before my ultrasound, Justin asked each of the children what they thought the baby was. Ashley and Christina were hesitant to say for sure, but Christina wanted another brother "like Jeremy", and Ashley, annoyed by Christopher, finally voted for a girl. Then Justin asked Christopher and Emily. Christopher immediately said it was a boy, and Emily said the baby was a girl. They were both pretty adamant about it.

So on ultrasound day, I was trying to find a good time to tell Christopher about his new sister. He sat down next to me, and asked excitedly, "Did you find out about the baby?!" I cringed, then smiled and said, "Yes! The baby is a girl!" Christopher's face immediately melted into the biggest frowny scowl (with angry eyebrows) I've ever seen (well, at least on anyone but him. . .). I chuckled and said, "What's the matter? Don't you want a new little sister?" He turned away from me, folded his arms, and with the same frowny face, shook his head deliberately back and forth. I had to laugh! (He is getting more used to the idea now!)

Then I went to tell Emily. She listened to me tell her that she would be having a little sister, and she said, "I already told you." Yes, you did! (These little ones always do seem to know. . .)

So now we look forward to meeting our new little girl at the end of July!!

This ultrasound picture was taken in February.

And here's one from our most recent ultrasound:

2009-03-31T10:26:00.000-06:00

Whine? Never Mind. . .
(Note: This entry is in no way intended to minimize the suffering of someone with lasting depression, whether it be clinical or caused by other situations--another reason I have no right to whine!)

I am a person who tends to get depressed as winter drags on and on, especially when winter happens to fall in the first part of pregnancy (always a time I struggle with depression). Naturally, I've been looking forward to spring, so I've been a little whiny lately because of the "teaser" 70's weather we had before plunging back into winter-like weather. However, sometimes I just need a little perspective. . .

Ah, spring! The sun is shining, the flowers are beginning to bloom, and I hear birds singing in the early light of the morning! I can go outside without a coat! I love to feel that fresh spring air on my arms, and I love sending the kids outside to jump on the tramp and swing on what's left of our swingset!

On a beautiful-and-in-the-low-70's Saturday, I am heading to Great Clips to get my hair (which has reached the middle of my back) chopped off like a sheep being shorn. Ah, the sun, the breeze, the wonderful day! We are going to Draper to meet some friends for delicious pizza at Nevole's (if you ever have a chance to stop there, DO!!). Justin asks if I'm bringing a jacket. "What for?" I laugh. But as we head toward Draper, the dark clouds loom over the mountains ominously. I nervously hope that they'll stay over the mountains--I really don't want a storm again. As we head further south, the day turns darker and the breeze turns into a brisker wind. I begin to grumble.

In Draper, the wind has really picked up, and the temperature has dropped dramatically. We grab the kids and run into the restaurant. We sit toward the front, where every time someone opens the door, the wind whips through the place and blows all over our table (and that's pretty frequent, considering it's the one of the best pizza places in the valley and it's a Friday night). I scowl at the weather and growl when Justin's friends tell me that Phoenix (where they live right now) is in the 80's and even the 90's. Grrrr. By the time we leave, the wind is blowing an arctic blast right out of the ski resorts and the clouds are almost black in the east. "Welcome to March in Utah! I don't know why I'm surprised--it's always like this!" Justin's friends laugh, and tell us about the homes they've been looking at in Draper. They miss the snow. I snicker.

The next week is filled with storms. Woe is me! The kids have to stay inside, the sky is gray, and I wish for this to just END. The week ends with a beautiful, slightly chilly day in which the kids can finally play outside for a little while and get their wiggles out just in time for. . .

. . .the next day's "light snow," which turns out to be snow dumping so hard I can hardly see the neighbor's house diagonally from us! We get at least 3 inches of snow. Spring? I hardly think so! We wear boots and coats to go to Grandma West's to visit the grandparents and also Uncle Reed and Aunt Sherrie who are visiting from Sutherlin, Oregon.

It's dark, it's cold, it's wet, it's muddy; it's not fair! I want sunshine, I want warm days, I want the birds not to freeze, I want glorious weather with moderate temperatures!!

But then I think of my Aunt Martha and Uncle Mike. . .in Fargo, North Dakota. They are hoping their home doesn't flood from the record rise of the Red River. Aunt Martha's filling sandbags at the Fargodome. Their neighbors and fellow-citizens are riding around in boats and traipsing around the city in below-freezing temps to put up sandbags, pump out water, and to man the dikes to make sure all is safe. They could be flooded out at any time in winter weather that is still pretty bitter. I see a picture of a man with sandbags. He is bundled up in layers of clothing, and his legs and arms are covered in ice from water spraying all over him. I am sitting at my kitchen table in my warm and safe house, not having to worry about a flood or to fill sandbags in the snow or to wade through almost-frozen water. I feel pretty blessed.

Just heard on the radio this morning: after a brief hoped-for respite, Fargo is now being inundated with a two-day blizzard. I will whine no more!!

2009-03-31T10:15:00.000-06:00

Dinner Update

I'm sure you've all been waiting with baited breath (ha, ha) to hear how our desperate dinner attempt (post below) turned out. . .

It was pretty good! I doubled the recipe (in a 9X13 pan) and substituted the head of cauliflower I had sitting in the fridge for the broccoli; I just made sure it was in smallish pieces before using it. I also used cheddar cheese and added a little onion and black pepper. In addition, I lightly salted the hashbrowns and baked them for about 10-12 minutes, as suggested. My casserole took about 10 minutes less to fully bake (my new oven--a story for another time--seems to be a little hot) than the lowest suggested time. I liked the casserole, and I thought the cauliflower complemented the different flavors nicely. My kids liked it OK, and Justin, after dousing it in hot chili sauce, pronounced it "edible," as in, "I'd eat in again, but I wouldn't ask for it." I think it would be even better with some nice chopped ham or a little bacon in the future. The recipe seems to be something that you can enjoy as is or use as a springboard for additional ideas.

Ah, the joys of dinner done! Unfortunately, there's always tomorrow. . .

2009-03-24T14:14:00.000-06:00

What The Heck Should We Have For Dinner?!

That's exactly what I typed into the Google search box (minus the punctuation). Don't you ever feel like this? Sometimes I just get in a rut, or I simply just hate food. And for some reason, when I'm racking my brain to come up with dinner, the only things that come to mind are: tacos, chili, taco salad, enchiladas, fajitas, chicken enchiladas, or eggs and what Justin calls Super Pancakes (I'll post the recipe sometime). Boy, what a repertoire! Mexican and breakfast. Those must be my comfort foods or something.

We just had chicken fajitas last night, and I don't want anything with ground beef in it, seeing as how the majority of what I made last week contained that ingredient, so I had to go back to the drawing board, so to speak. I have a picky husband, didn't think far enough in advance to take some of the larger cuts of meat out of the freezer, and I'm pregnant, so that complicates matters. I forced my brain to think harder about things we like, and either everything sounded yucky, was too much work, required a trip to the store, or it was too much like something we'd eaten recently. Urgh! What to do?!

That's when I visited all-knowing Google. But did I find anything? Heck, no! I did find a good blog on the Woman's Day website, but if I was going to attempt to make any of the dishes posted there, I would need to go to the store, something I really don't want to do (I just love packing all my kids in and out of the car and the store just to get one or two things, don't you?). And none of the other choices really yielded any results. I'm sure other people have asked themselves the above question a time or two--why can't they be responsible citizens and post blogs containing the above words so desperate people like me can get dinner ideas? I mean, come on! :)

I finally went to Allrecipes and visited my recipe box, which is usually full of dessert recipes, so I wasn't expecting much (I mean, I would love to eat dessert for dinner, but that's not too nutritious. . .). To my surprise, at some point, I had actually picked some recipes besides dessert ones at some point! Good thinking, me! I scrolled down and found a few quiche recipes! Yes! I have a pie crust in the freezer! We haven't had an egg-based dish too recently! I have cauliflower I can sub for broccoli! We have cheese! We don't have cream on hand, but we have sour cream, which one of the recipes calls for! We have hash browns, which one recipe uses instead of pie crust. That sounds yummy! I love you, Allrecipes!

So here's what I'm going to make tonight, with a couple of substitutions! I'll let you know how it turns out. . .

Broccoli Hash Brown Quiche
Submitted to Allrecipes by Joy Vincent

Joy says that she likes to vary this quiche by adding ham or bacon sometimes.
Ingredients:
3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 1/2 cups frozen broccoli cuts, thawed
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup shredded Colby-Monterrey Jack cheese

Directions:
Press the hash browns onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-inch pie plate, forming a shell. Sprinkle with broccoli. In a bowl, beat the eggs, sour cream and salt; stir in cheese. Pour over broccoli. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Note: A couple of reviewers suggested baking the hash browns for about 10-12 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.

2009-02-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

Back From Arizona

Justin arrived home from Arizona on Thursday (yes, I'm slow), and the kids absolutely loved going to pick him up at the airport. I was fascinated by the technology at the airport that enables you to stick a credit card in at arrival and departure, and you are charged for how long you've been there (which is usually zero, since we try to be as quick as possible), and also whatever device makes it possible for them to be able to tell you how many parking spots are available on each level of the parking garage. Pretty cool and very useful! (Yes, I'm thrilled by weird things-- and we obviously don't go to the airport much.)

Justin brought home little gifts for each member of the family, one of which was a scorpion encased in resin for Christopher, which he got a huge kick out of! He took it for show-and-tell on Friday! Justin was going to get himself a t-shirt with a picture of a skeleton on it that said, "It's only a dry heat," because he's a humidity fan, but he didn't.

Justin's favorite activity of yesterday, before coming home, was at the F1 Race Factory in Phoenix. They divided everyone into teams of five (with people they didn't know well) and had them compete in fun things like changing all the tires on a real race car and racing in these cool race cars that were low and wide so you could go fast and not tip over. Justin ended up on a team with three women, so after he and the other guy raced, their team's possibility of winning slowly went downhill (I'm sure some women wouldn't have been so timid, but I guess these gals were). Nevertheless, it was a lot of fun! Justin says someone took pictures, so hopefully I'll be able to post them later. (These are just from the F1 website.)

Justin is hoping that Caremark takes them back there next year! (His dad used to race cars, so I guess he got a little of that gene in him.)

So, in case you're wondering, we are NOT moving to Arizona (at least for now), and, so far, it seems like Caremark will keep RX America as just another one of their locations. Every time they've bought a company, they keep the buildings and many of the employees in whatever location the acquired company is in. They have offices in many different places, and the company seems to function well that way. They have a lot of teleconferences, fly where they need to, and it saves them the exorbitant cost of moving all employees to either Rhode Island (where CVS headquarters are) or Arizona (where Caremark headquarters are) and trying to accomodate all the new employees at one of those locations (buying or leasing more land, building more offices). We have uttered a small sigh of relief, but are keeping in mind that nothing in life is certain but death and taxes, so we will keep one figurative leg on moving on with life and one in the possibility that Justin will need to transfer to a different department, look for a new job, or continue with the new company in (gasp) a new location. RX America has actually acquired new plans this year, and is growing even more, while Caremark, like most other companies in this lovely economy, has lost revenue, so that could be very positive for them. Also, Justin's rebate team (with only five employees) has managed to process as many rebate submissions as the rest of Caremark's rebate arm (pretty impressive, though very stressful!). In addition, when Justin gave a presentation to the Caremark execs after the merger, they told Justin that the rebate database he built himself was very similar to their big, expensive database, and one of the VPs likes Justin's submission process better than Caremark's! (Yes, yes, I am very proud of my husband--I am sorry to brag!) But hopefully these things will help him in the future.

I am just so grateful that Justin's hard work and perserverance are paying off in little ways here and there. So many times, he has reminded me of George Bailey from It's A Wonderful Life (one of the best movies ever!) in the way that he has plugged along where he's supposed to be, doing the best he can, even though other opportunities would have been so much more satisfactory in so many ways. I am so grateful beyond measure that he has kept doing what he should and that little by little opportunities have opened up for him along the way. Now, with the economy so uncertain, things could still go a different way. But I am so grateful for the tender mercies!

2009-02-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

My Heart Is With You

Last night, after all my kids were finally asleep, I "visited" some friends at their blogs and discovered, to my great dismay, that two of my dear friends, women I admire more than I can express, suffered great losses.

The way they have handled their situations, the strength they and their husbands have shown, have touched my heart immensely. I am inspired by their faith and by the eternal commitment and deep love these couples have for one another.

I know that mere words can never express feelings of the heart adequately, nor can they heal or comfort alone, but the Holy Spirit can convey the deepest and most needed things, the tenderest mercies our Savior has in store for us. To my friends, I love you. My heart is with you; my prayers are with you. May God continue to bless you as you recover and heal from your experiences.

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress."

--How Firm A Foundation, Hymns 85, attr. John Keith

2009-02-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

Arizona Update

Just thought I'd let you know how the "team building experience" is going. First of all, I'm not really as bitter as my last post may have sounded, although yesterday was a terrible day (compounded by some news I'll allude to later); it was mostly in fun.

Justin had a good day, and spoke with every single member of their team (all 60 or so). They all know who he is, because somehow his department is linked with every aspect of their operation. That's a great sign, and a pleasant surprise for Justin. (Hey, these days, you need all the contacts you can get!) They had some great presentations to familiarize them with Caremark and the way they do things, and, to Justin's great pleasure, the food was all awesome! (He is really picky, as many of you know, so it's nice that he is enjoying the cuisine.) After a full day of meetings at the resort, Caremark took everyone out to dinner, and the food was great--at a bar!! Who'da thunk it? Justin was glad that Arizona has a clean air act like Utah so he didn't have to choke the night away. He got back at a reasonable hour and is looking forward to tomorrow's wrap up. Can't wait to hear about his go-cart race!

2009-02-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

Where's The Justin. . .I Mean Justice. . .

I am stuck inside my house, freezing (no, my furnace works fine, just not my body temperature regulator) while outside nature is dumping thick, wet snow on the ground, and while Christopher is about to drive me up the wall.

Justin is. . .

. . .flying into beautiful Phoenix, Arizona.

I am shoveling wet, heavy snow with a kid's shovel because I can hardly push or lift the snow with the manly shovel. Slush slops onto my head from the overhanging trees. My hands are turning into icicles.

Justin is in lovely Tempe, Arizona, hanging out at a mall with some friends and will soon be heading to a fun local restaurant to eat out with the friends and the rest of his team from work.

I am dragging five kids to the store and ballet and putting up with complete uncooperativeness that spirals downward into two kids refusing to come to scriptures, and another child blasting the Beach Boys multiple times as I alternate between trying to change diapers, brush teeth, get people in bed, and finding a secure place to hide my iPod. (Wheeeee, Dad's not here! We can drive Mom absolutely bonkers!) As I am finally changing the last diaper and everyone else is at last in bed, Justin calls from Scottsdale sunny-and-in-the-70's Arizona, where his hotel is. And guess where he's staying?!

The Scottsdale Plaza Resort! In a patio suite!!

This is only part of the suite!

Two people wearing the lovely robes you can take

home for only $45--don't worry, that's not Justin!

Two rooms and a bathroom! Two TVs! A sectional! What in the heck is Justin going to do with all of it? I snorted and said, "And we didn't get a babysitter why?"

So why is Justin in the lap of luxury while I slop around my messy house trying to get kids to mind me? CVS/Caremark bought RX America's parent company, Long's Drug Stores, and now they're having a "team-building" session in Scottsdale, Caremark's main headquarters, to get all the various satellite locations together and "bonding." Justin's team, from Salt Lake, and various groups from Irving, Texas; Northbrook, Illinois; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; as well as Scottsdale, are all meeting together through Thursday afternoon to help them all feel more like one "team." (At CVS/Caremark, everyone is a "colleague," and they are grouped into various "teams" according to their departments and management. Isn't that lovely?) They will be fed three meals a day and their session will end with a fun-filled trip to a go-cart race track. Hoo boy!

Actually, Justin has been looking forward to this session for several months, and he is feeling like it will be really productive and positive for all of them. He will be able to meet people he'll be working with even though they're far away, establish relationships, network, and feel more a part of the whole Rebate team. And, honestly, nobody deserves a little change-of-pace like Justin, who goes to work faithfully every morning at 6:30 A.M., deals with so much responsibility, works through frustration as all the little details of this merger get worked out, works from home if he thinks I might need to go to the doctor, helps me get caught up on the dishes if we get behind (which he did last night so I wouldn't be left with even more to deal with), often goes shopping for me, takes such good care of our finances, puts up with our chaos, tries so hard to be understanding and patient, and loves me no matter what I look or act like (and some days are pretty bad, especially when I'm pregnant).

--And besides, he won't get to go swimming, visit the whirlpool or the spa, or really get to enjoy his room because he'll be so busy, so heh-heh!! Just kidding! I love you honey, and we're all looking forward to picking you up from the Salt Lake Airport on Thursday evening!

2009-01-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

Long Time, No Blog

Yes, I cannot handle my life. The holidays, my house, my kids, my hubby, and other things, have all taken precedence over posting. So sorry! But I think you probably understand. After all, this blog is here because we have lives, not the other way around!

I hoped you would not all think that I am not grateful for all my blessings (which include all of you) because I didn't post at Thanksgiving (I am VERY grateful for all I have), and I hoped you would not think I am a Scrooge because I didn't post anything during December, either. I want you to know I thought of every one of you and even peeked in on you from time to time, and I enjoyed seeing how your holidays were treating you. I am not a Scrooge, rather, I absolutely LOVE Christmas, and I love the reason we celebrate it--our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am grateful beyond expression for His choice to come to earth to serve us and save us all from the woes of sin. I am grateful for His Atonement, which enables us to repent and be with our loved ones forever, and for His Resurrection, which frees us from the bonds of death, making eternal life possible as well. I love thinking about his earthly mother, Mary, and the things she must have gone through and thought about, and about the miracle that birth is, made even more miraculous by that special Baby, who came to be our Savior.

The Sunday after Christmas, one of the sisters I work with complained about the talks that were given the Sunday before (which were about Christ's mission and Atonement)--she said something like, "Why can't we just celebrate Christmas and leave Christ a baby at Christmastime?" I didn't know how to reply without sounding critical, but I was surprised at the way she felt. There would be no Christmas without the Savior's life, His Atonement, or the Resurrection--there would be nothing to celebrate! That's why He came! I feel that we can celebrate His birth and His life and mission all at once, and it will make our Christmas celebration that much more meaningful and whole.

I was kind of disappointed that we didn't get to do a lot of the unimportant, temporal things that make this season memorable. I longed to sit in front of my Christmas tree every evening, holding a steaming mug of hot cocoa, and listening to Christmas music. I longed to go caroling to the neighbors (my husband would never do such a thing), bake Christmas goodies, build gingerbread houses, read a new meaningful story every night, make homemade Christmas stockings, and on and on. . . But unless I can hire a nanny, with all the things we had to do to continue normal life and get ready for the holidays, most of this stuff wasn't going to happen, and didn't. However, we did do one thing which I consider imperative (unless illness or new babies come to our house)--we went to Temple Square to see the lights and the nativity scene. It was wonderful, memorable, and I forgot the camera. I loved standing in front of the life-sized figures and listening to the Christmas story and the music and remembering how I felt as a child, and then watching my children experience the same wonder and joy. I choked up when I heard President Hinckley reminding us that the Savior's Atonement and Resurrection are the reason for all our rejoicing and celebration. And I was quickly reminded that all that other stuff is fun, but it isn't important, and my children are not going to be scarred for life if we don't do them all. We played plenty of Christmas music, as much as possible, and we spent time together trying to focus on Jesus and the things He would have done if He were here. Yes, my kids fought more than I would have liked, and yes, our tree didn't get put up until the week before the week of Christmas, but as long as my children know why we celebrate Christmas and why it's so important, none of the other stuff matters.

They have loved playing games with their dad, snuggling under fluffy blankets in our freezing basement family room to watch Christmas movies, they loved seeing their aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents, they LOVED Temple Square, their eyes sparkled as they helped us with our family service project, they enjoyed reading all the great Christmas stories in our book basket, and they were so excited when we finally put up their favorite Nativity set, which is starting to fall apart a bit, but that we will always patch together and keep. Yes, in retrospect, it was a good Christmas, and I hope they have felt a little more of the Reason for the Season (even if Mom was a little grumpy).

Part of the reason our holidays were a little more simplified (ha!) was because of this:

7.31.09

Confused? Don't blame you. Yes, it is Harry Potter's next "birthday," and though we're Harry Potter fans at our house (thanks, Santa, for completing our Harry Potter book collection--we only had book seven--by ordering from a clearinghouse the old six-book boxed set. . .what a thrifty guy you are!), that's not why this date is meaningful to us.

Just before Christmas, I paid a visit to my OB/GYN and he confirmed that we are expecting our sixth child, with a heartbeat, (because I've had four miscarriages, I have to see that heart beating before I will tell anyone or stop freaking out) on July 31, 2009! I had taken a test a couple of weeks before, and I just couldn't make it through Christmas without knowing what was going to happen.

Now, technically, because I have planned C-sections (ever since #2 decided to try to come out face first, and I'm not a big risk-taker, so no VBAC), this child will not be born on that day. Rather, this child will most likely, unless I go into labor sooner (which has happened before), be born on the 27th of July, because it's the week of my due date, and that's usually how things get planned. Well, we are excited, and we are looking forward to July! We'll keep you posted on how things are going--and hopefully I'll be better at posting than I have been the last month or so!

I hope each of you knows how much you mean to all of us, and how much we appreciate your love and support. Happy New Year to all of you!

2008-11-23T10:55:00.001-07:00

Another Tifferism

Overheard while the kids were playing "Primary" and Christopher was pretending to give a talk:

"The sacrament is important because we get food and drink, and then we have to wait a long time to go home."

I guess that's what it seems like to a five-year-old boy. . .

2008-11-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

Things I've Done
To participate just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold all of the things you have done. Happy discoveries!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (as long as you can count jr. high band!)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis (Justin actually had one on his back--I'll have to post pictures)
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (I don't think this counts because my dad planted them, but I did take care of them)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb (I think. . .one of the counselors in our bishopric at Snow College had a sheep farm, and we got to go out after the lambing. But I can't remember if I actually picked one up or just petted it. This darn dementia!)
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (no, but I may as well have--I've been pregnant and in labor :)!)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (if you forget all the dumb things we really don't need, then yes, I am truly satisfied)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt (I was 7)
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (and his dog, too)
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud (oh, yeah; especially that time at Eliza Moody's when we were four and both family's kids ended up completely covered in tons of mud--awesome!
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (only once, with our ward's young adult group--the movie was Mission Impossible)
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen (with Justin's young adult ward--and we went to the wrong one! But it was still awesome!)
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (I haven't been to a real one, but I did go to the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles that has an amazing interactive museum that has a replica of one--don't miss it if you're there!)
67. Bounced a check (what can I say, I'm not the world's best financial mind. Luckily, I married someone who is good at that stuff!)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (to my husband's great chagrin--you should see the boxes in our house, and my parents still have our old toys, too!)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (my toe--not very exciting)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car (NEVER!)
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (when I was a nerdy kid who won all the Reflections contests and one of the spelling contests; and, very embarrassingly, as a mom when the Clipper asked me a question about Utah's marriage amendment--I do not give good "sound bite" answers!)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (I watched the killing, then helped prepare it--Pioneer Trek)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club (if you can count online)
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone (yes, even though I hate all bad cell-phone ettiquette and I think they're a frivolous expense. . .I have a pre-paid for my safety, and now I'm probably like all the people I used to grouse at.)
99. Been stung by a bee (I think so--it was under my skirt at Target and my leg hurt for a good day-and-a-half, but I could never find the little bugger--pun totally intended!)

Wow, I've done more than I thought. But my parents and sisters would probably have almost the whole thing bolded! Anyway, hope you enjoy thinking back on your life like I did!

2008-11-01T14:21:00.000-06:00

Featured Recipes

From now on, I will post the newest Featured Recipes in the main body of the blog, and then I will move them to the sidebar--that way, I can keep track of what I've already posted!

November is here, and, even though it's unseasonably warm here in Utah (not for long, though!), we are thinking about yummy pumpkin treats (okay, we were already thinking about those) and more yummy soups. Here are a couple of recipes you're sure to enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie In A Glass
Justin took a basic pumpkin smoothie recipe from Trinka at www.allrecipes.com and made it into a delicious drink that tastes like creamy pumpkin pie!

4 cups milk (Justin used whole milk, but you can use lower fat milk, too)
1/2-2/3 of a large can of pumpkin
10 Tb. brown sugar (1/2 cup + 2 Tb.)
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or use 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, 1/4 tsp. ground allspice, and 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg)
1 1/2 capfuls vanilla

Blend until smooth. Enjoy right away, warm it up, or serve chilled. MMMM!

Tortellini Soup--from Mom Keeler
This soup is quick and delicious.

1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (or put through a good garlic press)
1 Tb. olive oil (canola or similar works fine, too)
3 14 oz. cans beef broth, or boullion equivalent
1 14-16 oz. can stewed tomatoes, cut if necessary
1/2-3/4 c. picante sauce or salsa
1 tsp. crushed dried basil leaves
1 12 (or so) oz. package fresh, frozen, or dried tortellini (the dried isn't quite as good, but will work; Maria's Italian Feast frozen tortellini is very inexpensive and quite good)
1 bell pepper, diced
fresh grated (or ready-grated) parmesan cheese (not the kind in the green can, please!)

Cook onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add ingredients up to tortellini; bring to a boil. Add tortellini and simmer until almost done (check package for cooking time). Stir in bell pepper; cook 2-3 minutes more. Serve with parmesan cheese. Goes well with baguettes, regular French bread, or warm muffins, and crisp cut-up veggies and fruits.

2008-10-22T12:39:00.000-06:00

Two Amazing Weekends

Part 3

So much amazing counsel. So much wonderful food for the spirit. General Conference was such a boost to my soul! Here are some highlights:

Come what may and love it.

Have a strong, unshakeable testimony.

Testimonies usually don't come from an earth-shaking spiritual manifestation. They grow over time, little by little.

Live prudently.

Live within your means.

Simplify. Man only needs four things: food, clothing, shelter, and fuel (both physical and spiritual).

God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. Angels are all around us--most often the people we know and love.

The Saints can accomplish any purpose of the Lord when fully united in righteousness.

God loves and helps all of His children.

Return to virtue.

This is God’s work, and God’s work will not be frustrated. But there is still much to be done.

Our trials are a test of our faith.

Our trials are suited to our own personal development.

Marriage between a man and a woman is sacred--it is ordained of God.
Any other kind of relationship is "shoplifting."

And, as the prophet of the Lord reminded us, "If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."

"Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us."

"Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family."

Amen.

My challenge: go to http://www.lds.org to the Conference Archives section to see who these quotes or paraphrases came from!

2008-10-21T14:59:00.000-06:00

Tag. . .

Jaymie tagged me, and the rules are that I have to answer the following questions in one word only. I may cheat if I can't do it (or if an answer needs explanation)! Here goes. . .

1. Where is your cell phone? Counter
2. Where is your significant other? Work
3. Your hair color? Brown
4. Your mother? Penny
5. Your father? Doug
6. Your favorite thing? Life
7. Your dream last night? Recession
8. Your dream/goal? No empty chairs
9. The room you're in? "Office" (a little offshoot of the family room)
10. Your hobby? How the heck do I answer this in one word?! Reading, writing, baking, music, spending time with my kids/hubby
11. Your fear?
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. What you're not? Supermom
15. One of your wish-list items? Kid anti-growth potion
16. Where you grew up? Bountiful, Utah
17. The last thing you ate? Cookies (how embarrassing!)
18. What are you wearing? T-shirt and jeans
19. Your TV? On (not for long!)
20. Your pet? Kids!
21. Your computer? . . .On. . .
22. Your mood? Happy
23. Your car? Van
24. Something you're not wearing? Socks
25. Favorite store? Target (or Deseret Book!)
26. Your summer? Busy/fun
27. Love someone? Justin!
28. Your favorite color? All
29. When is the last time you laughed? Now
30. Last time you cried? Saturday (when my grandma moved to Springville)

Okay, there it is. Now I tag Kristin, Melissa, Holly, and Becca!

2008-10-14T16:18:00.000-06:00

Two Amazing Weekends
Part Two

When President Uchtdorf stepped to the microphone, you could practically hear the entire Relief Society worldwide sigh. Okay, not really. But my awesome neighbor, Lisa Buckmiller, did exclaim, "Hot dog!" (She told us this as part of her testimony in Sacrament Meeting the next day! This is the same funny neighbor who, after the last conference, told us, in Sacrament Meeting, that President Uchtdorf was the Second Counselor of Looking Good! You'd think the bishop would learn. . .)

That aside, the Spirit was already so strong in that meeting, and President Uchtdorf's talk took it to a higher level. I could feel Heavenly Father's love for me, the love of my Savior, and the love and trust of the Brethren for me and for the sisters of the Church (and all sisters, no matter what religion they are) just pouring over me and into me. I began to feel a little bit of what Christ meant when he called Emma Smith "an elect lady." And Pres. Uchtdorf told us such a cute little story about the difference between the meals his wife prepares (artistic and tasty masterpieces) and what he makes (basic and sometimes burned). He said that no matter how perfect his wife's food is, she always finds something wrong with it and apologizes. He asked the sisters if that sounds like someone they know, someone they know very well. We all chuckled, knowing full well that he was talking about us! Pres. Uchtdorf said, ". . .our splendid sisters sometimes undervalue their abilities—they focus on what is lacking or imperfect rather than what has been accomplished and who they really are." He said that the good side of this is that sisters have an innate desire to please the Lord to the best of our ability. But this trait can lead to frustration and unhappiness if we're not careful.

Pres. Uchtdorf then spoke about two ways we can taste of the happiness of our Heavenly Father in our lives. Heavenly Father's joy comes from two focuses: creation and compassion. Remember, his work and glory is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Creation and compassion both work together to bring about this great and eternal purpose. How can we employ these two principles in our lives to bring greater, eternal joy into our lives?

Create: Pres. Uchtdorf said that the urge to create is one of the deepest desires of the human soul. Creation brings great satisfaction and fulfillment. He said that everyone can create, even those who think they have no talent for creation as most people view it (like music, crafts, art, cooking, etc.)
"If that is how you feel, think again, and remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative Being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.
"But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fulness of joy. Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things.
"If you are a mother, you participate with God in His work of creation—not only by providing physical bodies for your children but also by teaching and nurturing them. If you are not a mother now, the creative talents you develop will prepare you for that day, in this life or the next.
"You may think you don’t have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter.
"What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burned? Don’t let fear of failure discourage you. Don’t let the voice of critics paralyze you—whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside.
"If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create, write a letter of appreciation, learn a new skill, identify a space and beautify it." (http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,285-1-54-31,00.html)
Pres. Uchtdorf also reminded us that the more we rely on the Spirit, the more our ability to create and bless this world will be increased. "That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come."

Compassion: "Being compassionate is another great work of our Heavenly Father and a fundamental characteristic of who we are as a people." Christ was the ultimate example, and true disciples of Christ follow his example of great compassion. As we serve others, sacrifice for others, and show kindness to others, the windows of heaven are opened to us and choice blessings can descend upon us. Pres. Uchtdorf quoted President Spencer W. Kimball: "The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls.” He also reminded us that President Hinckley taught that service has great healing power. If we are experiencing grief, heartache, or are lonely, serving others will heal our souls. Pres. Uchtdorf said, "As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness." The world around us constantly sends messages that are contrary to these inspired words. We live in a world full of self-help manuals, spend-now-pay-later, and people telling us the only way to heal and become a better person is to focus on yourself. But, as Christ said, "Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it." I know this is true.

Pres. Uchtdorf concluded by commending the sisters for their great ability to nourish, teach, and serve with compassion that has blessed countless lives the world over. He stated that every sister is important to our Heavenly Father and an important part of building the kingdom of God. He reminded us of Pres. Monson's words to the conference a year ago: ". . .you are . . . surrounded by opportunities for service. . . . Often small acts of service are all that is required to lift and bless another." Then Pres. Uctdorf said,
"Look around you. There at sacrament meeting is a young mother with several children—offer to sit with her and help. There in your neighborhood is a young man who seems discouraged—tell him you enjoy being in his presence, that you feel his goodness. True words of encouragement require only a loving and caring heart but may have an eternal impact on the life of those around you.
"You wonderful sisters render compassionate service to others for reasons that supersede desires for personal benefits. In this you emulate the Savior, who, though a king, did not seek position, nor was He concerned about whether others noticed Him. He did not bother to compete with others. His thoughts were always tuned to help others. He taught, healed, conversed, and listened to others. He knew that greatness had little to do with outward signs of prosperity or position. He taught and lived by this doctrine: 'He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.'
"In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers."

I felt so encouraged, so uplifted, so cheered on, I floated home with renewed desire to be as the Savior would have me be. I hope you have been uplifted and encouraged as I have. No matter who you are, you are a precious spirit child of our Heavenly Father with unique talents, gifts, and blessings, and He loves you and wants you to know of that love. I know this is true!

2008-10-06T23:30:00.000-06:00

Two Amazing Weekends

The past two weekends were incredible! I really needed the boost that the General Relief Society Conference and General Conference gave me.

Part One
I was so excited to go over to the stake center for the R.S. broadcast (you can see the building from my front door--I know, I'm spoiled). They had a dinner before the broadcast, but I missed that trying to get dinner on for my family. (I know, I know, the idea was to make the hubby cook for the fam, but a well-fed husband is a happy husband!) So, anyway, I headed over to the church without any children in tow (a small miracle), and as soon as I stopped worrying about them, I was able to ascend to a new realm. I felt like I had been transported to the Celestial Kingdom, the Spirit was so strong. The R.S. Presidency messages were so powerful, so inspired. If anyone wants to know where true feminine strength and power combined lies, it is in the Relief Society and in the motherhood that is inherent in each woman. Nowhere else on earth can be found a group of women so willing and able to change the world.

Sister Julie B. Beck reminded the sisters of the beginnings of Relief Society and that, just as the Savior invited Mary and Martha to participate in His work, we have been commissioned to do the same. She said, "The purpose of Relief Society, as established by the Lord, is to organize, teach, and inspire His daughters to prepare them for the blessings of eternal life." To fulfill this purpose, we need to do three things:
1. Increase in faith and personal righteousness.
2. Strengthen families and homes.
3. Serve the Lord and His children.
The Relief Society is there to bless our lives and help us through all the challenges and new opportunities we face. We can lift and teach each other and give service to each other as the Spirit guides us. What a great comfort! And this is crucial: to do the work of the Lord, we must receive personal revelation. Sister Beck said, "Without personal revelation, we cannot succeed. If we heed personal revelation, we cannot fail." We need to remember that this comes when we are still enough to hear that Still Small Voice, and that we need to be striving to live in such a way to be worthy of it. As we hear and heed personal revelation, a power not yet fully exercised, as stated by President Spencer W. Kimball, will help us to ensure that "every meeting, every lesson, and every activity we undertake helps them increase in faith and personal righteousness, strengthen their families and their homes, and serve the Lord and His children." The real power lies within each woman. Working together, we can do the work of the Lord as never before!

A Costa Rican native, Sister Sylvia Allred spoke of the sacrifices made by the members of her ward in 1976 as they prepared to go to the temple in Mesa, Arizona, the closest temple at the time. The trip took five days each way, and crossed six borders. Most of the Saints who went sold almost everything they had in order to travel day and night in uncomfortable buses to visit the House of the Lord. Some people had no money left after paying for the trip and subsisted on crackers and margarine the whole way. Sister Allred then asked, "Why do members of the Church so willingly and happily make such great sacrifices to go to the temple?" She replied, "I have never forgotten the great outpouring of the Spirit we experienced during the three days we spent at the Mesa Temple. I was deeply touched as I watched family members embrace each other with tears streaming down their faces after being sealed for the eternities." Twenty-four years later, a temple in Costa Rica was dedicated, with many of those families present.

The Lord has always commanded his people to build temples, from the earliest days to now. We need temples so that we can make the sacred covenants that will enable us to return to the presence of the Father, and so that we can have the blessings that can be given to us now because of our sacred promises. Families can be sealed for time and for all eternity in the temple, and in no other place can this happen. We are also taught from on high every time we attend the temple. Our understanding of our sacred covenants increases every time we return. We also have the opportunity to serve those who did not have the opportunity to make sacred covenants before they died, covenants that are crucial for their exaltation.

We need to have "clean hands and a pure heart" to enter the temple, and should make sure that when we do go, our minds are free from thoughts that would detract from this sacred experience. Our clothing should reflect our reverence and respect for the temple. I thought of all the Saints who have sacrificed so much to even visit the temple once, when I can visit it anytime I make the time to drive 10 minutes away. We all need the great strength that comes from serving in the temple, and I really felt the power in Sister Allred's words as she encouraged us to be worthy and attend the temple as often as we can.

Sister Barbara Thompson reviewed the beginnings of Relief Society, attended by a group of women almost as diverse as Relief Society today: young and old, wealthy and poor, married/mothers/single, women who were formally educated and those who were not. But they were united in purpose--they loved each other and the Lord, and had a desire to serve. Sister Thompson said that by remembering Relief Society women have done in the past, we can better understand and be guided today.

In the early days of the Church, the Relief Society focused on helping the poor and needy, as well as going from house to house to fill needs or allow the women in the households to provide for someone else's needs. Sister Thompson likened this to our day: "Just as Emma described the boat stuck on the rapids and the people needing help, we can liken that to our day when we see such things as a neighbor who is ill, a child who needs instruction, a teen needing a friend, or a family who has lost their income and needs assistance to get back on their feet. We hear of calamities, storms, or personal tragedy in the lives of our sisters everywhere. We need not rush about trying to find things to do or causes to take up. Remember, most often the help needed is in our own homes, neighborhoods, and communities. A kind word of encouragement, a note of thanks, a phone call, a loving smile, a helpful deed, and a reminder that God loves us are often what is needed most. We can lift and bless others in so many ways. Relief Society is not just a class on Sunday. It isn’t just a place we go if we are not teaching in the Primary or Young Women organizations. It is the Lord’s organization for women. Participation in Relief Society is part of our glorious heritage and blessing as women in the Lord’s Church."

Just as Joseph Smith reminded that they were not just to help the poor, but to save souls, we are to do the same. As we study the gospel, the "good word of God," and listen to the Spirit, we will be given the ability to teach and contribute in a way that will edify and nourish all who are present.

Sister Thompson said, "Sisters, now more than ever, we need women to step up and be strong. We need women who declare the truth with strength, faith, and boldness. We need women to set an example of righteousness. We need women to be 'anxiously engaged in a good cause.' We need to live so that our lives bear witness that we love our Heavenly Father and the Savior Jesus Christ and that we will do what They have asked us to do. We need to rescue “all that is finest down deep inside of [us]' so that as daughters of God we can do our part to build the kingdom of God. We will have help to do this. As Joseph declared, 'If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates'. . .I know that, as Emma encouraged, we can do something extraordinary today. We can be a righteous army of women armed with love, compassion, kindness, service, and faith. We can be a mighty force for good in this world." We will be safe and protected, a place of refuge. What a privilege!

2008-10-01T20:45:00.000-06:00

Milestones. . .

Jeremy is approaching his first birthday, and I thought he would never be interested in standing up at all. Even when we would stand him up, he would usually smile and then lift up his legs or sit himself down. I tried helping him "walk" a little bit, but he would take a few funny steps with his legs way out in front of him, and then he would lift up his legs so we would let him get down. He loves to crawl and move himself around, and he likes to go at his own pace. He tends to all of a sudden move to another milestone, and this time was no different. Suddenly, a couple of days ago, he pulled himself up to a stand while holding onto Justin's pants. It was so sudden, we almost didn't realize he'd done it. Now he loves to pull himself up as much as he can, and it has definitely expanded his exploring repertoire. I am also finding myself having to move things higher and out of his reach! He loves it when we cheer for his efforts, and he even gets brave enough sometimes to let go of the couch a little bit and move his arms up and down. It is fun to see him growing so much, but of course, each milestone we reach is a little bittersweet.

Jeremy also got his first tooth last week, and though he's been a fairly pleasant person while working on four teeth (I don't think I'd be so smiley myself), he hasn't slept very well. Now the tooth is growing almost to the point where it shows when he smiles, and I am savoring those gummy smiles, knowing they won't last much longer.

2008-09-27T14:06:00.000-06:00

Supermom, Where Are You?

Kids. Jobs. The two just don't mingle well. Thanks to Ashley's friend's mom, we put together a great incentive system this summer, and my kids "earned" their way to Sea World. This is our little friend, the West Family Super Buck.

$ 1 West Super Bucks $1

$1 West Family Bank $1

My kids earned them for completing their responsibilities, like jobs, practicing, and so forth. If we were going somewhere like the zoo or a museum, they could go if they had the before-determined admission "price." They also had to earn the extension cord that makes the TV magically work, short stints on the computer, and so forth (I made library visits "cheaper" than the TV and computer--ha ha!). And if they made us late for ballet lessons, were mean, or other infractions, they had to pay. Granted, once we got home from San Diego, it was a little harder to motivate them, but it still worked pretty well. Then school started.

Ah, school. We love you and we hate you. You take our children for 3-6 hours a day so our homes aren't as messy and full of fighting, bored children. You provide educational, enriching experiences for our children that light up their faces and eyes. You also send home piles of papers and make us run around like chickens with our heads cut off as we try to cram in lessons, homework, dinner, practices, visits to the library, and shopping for something we have to have for school after school gets out. You make kindergarten so short that you can hardly get anything done before you have to go back to the school to pick up the kindergartner. You also disrupt our chore schedule! After school started, our routines went caput. (Yes, I should have seen it coming, but it is hard for me to put a schedule together until routines are set at school.) After getting Ashley's class volunteers coordinated and that schedule in place, I turned around and realized that my house had fallen apart and nobody was doing their chores. And I was getting grumpier by the day trying to keep up with the housework, little people, meals, and getting people here and there.

I decided to nip that problem in the bud. I took control. I marched down to the computer and Googled family calendars, schedules, and systems. I printed off chore lists so we could all decide together what system would work best now that we have additional things to accomplish. The next morning, I sat the kids down and had them tell me what they needed to do each day, and discussed with them how we'd distribute the work best. We put together a little schedule. It was awesome!

So how are we doing? Well, the chart containing this wonderful little schedule is still residing in my planner, yet to see the light of day on a beautiful poster. And the lists and research I printed off? I woke up this morning and said to myself, "Now, where did I put that stuff? I need to add it to my Home Organization (smirk) Binder!" Alas, I just found it--on the computer desk, buried under a pile of bills and mail. Well, at least I found it. Maybe by next week we'll have things together. I hope. Until then, we'll just keep moving in baby steps, like it seems we have to do around here all the time. Everything goes in baby steps. But that's OK. Because I know I'll miss all the reasons we have to move in baby steps when they grow up!!

2008-09-15T12:08:00.001-06:00

Nutcracker Update

Ashley will be performing as a "Blue Soldier" with "A Cast," which means that she will be performing at the Val Browning Center at Weber State in Ogden Nov. 26-27, and then she will be at the Capitol Theatre the following week (thru Dec. 6). That cast is doing a private performance for American Express in Salt Lake (can you imagine how expensive?!! How lucky--I keep telling Justin he needs to convince his company to spring for Nutrcracker tickets instead of a Christmas party) and then they will do opening night and the first three performances after that. We are so excited for Ashley to have this opportunity--I have to keep pinching myself that Ashley is actually dancing in a Ballet West production (for those not from Utah, Ballet West is Utah's professional ballet company). She is having a great time, and she and Justin have a great time traveling back and forth to and from rehearsals. In the next few weeks, Ashley's costume will be fitted, and a photographer will take pictures of everyone (group and individual) so we can have a record of this event (we can't take pictures or video at ANY time). I wish we could at least see a rehearsal or two, but parents aren't even allowed on the floor where the dancers rehearse (I guess it would get too busy and too distracting up there with all the parents). So we're really looking forward to the performances!!

2008-09-06T13:27:00.001-06:00

A Quick Announcement

We just wanted to let you know that Ashley tried out for Ballet West's production of The Nutcracker this morning and she is going to be a soldier! She is so excited, and so are we! They have several casts to give more dancers a chance to be in the ballet, so we will find out what cast she's in and the dates she's performing very soon (it will be some time in December, of course). We are proud of Ashley for having the courage to do such a big, scary thing, and thanks to Justin for taking her to the U. to audition and being willing to stand in the hall all morning with a bunch of anxious mommies! You're awesome, honey!

2008-08-18T14:26:00.000-06:00

Tifferisms

Did you know. . .

We can prepare to be baptized "by being normal."
"We shouldn't eat people who are mean."

Thanks for the smiles, Tiffer! I think we'll keep you!

2008-08-07T19:20:00.000-06:00

Promoting Family Togetherness and Creativity

1. Arrange for your water heater to fail (this was definitely not what we planned, but it happened anyway).

2. Spend Friday night wet-vaccing, ripping up carpet and pad, draining the heater, and so on, while your kids go nuts upstairs because nobody's putting them to bed. This is even better if you have a fabulous dad who's willing to stay until midnight, rip his hand open on a carpet tack, and provide lots of help! (Thanks again, Dad!)

3. Order the water heater and installation over the phone the next morning and feel good because, in just a few hours, you'll have hot water again. And you can use your gift card to boot!

4. A few hours later, call back to see why your water heater and plumber have not arrived. Re-order the heater and installation because it got sent to the wrong store.

5. Wait a couple more hours to find that, instead of being put on the plumber's truck, the heater
has been sent to Salt Lake. It is too late for anyone to install it without charging an emergency fee. Grumble and murmur about how this company did not benefit from its merger with a certain well-known discount chain.

6. Drive out to Salt Lake to purchase the heater and bring it home. Discover upon arrival that the wrong heater has been ordered for you. The bright spots from this trip are that you get to go ahead and use that gift card, and that, blessedly, they have the heater you really ordered in stock. The nice people at the store even offer to cancel the erroneous order and set up installation for Monday. Bring home the heater and stick it in the carport.

7. Round up your filthy, grumpy, hungry family and drive around trying to decide where to eat. Finally settle on Chuck-A-Rama (a place you swore you'd never go) because it has something everyone might like.

8. Sit down at a family-style table in blessed coolness and feel the grumpies melt away as you enjoy talking and laughing with your kids as they all get to eat their favorite foods. Watch your husband get a childlike gleam in his eye as he visits the dessert buffet, and enjoy listening to his memories of going out to buffets with the Young Men growing up. Share your own embarrassing ice-cream machine moment at Golden Corral and watch everyone smile.

9. Drive to Grandma and Grandpa's house to get everyone clean. In a flurry of bubbles, wet hair, and towels, you catch a glimpse of your parents combing through hair and reliving the days when they got their own children ready for Sunday. Life is good.

10.Drive to the store to choose frozen meals for Sunday so that you don't have to boil endless pots of water to do all the dishes (thank you, honey)!

11. Enjoy a true day of rest.

12. Monday morning, have your husband work from home so that he is around when the plumber comes just in case he comes while you're taking children to ballet. (Make sure your plumber is as nice and funny as the one that showed up at our house. He let Christopher watch him and got Tiffer to eat all his breakfast--not a small feat, I can assure you--by telling Tiffer he'd leave the water heater box for him if he finished it!) Enjoy having Daddy home for a change, and have a ball watching thd kids race through their chores so they can play in the big box the plumber left behind. Smile as you watch them lose themselves in pure childhood. And don't forget to take pictures!

In case you can't tell, the kids decided to turn their box
into a house with a blanket for a door--there's "furniture"
inside, too!

2008-07-23T00:10:00.000-06:00

Who's Got The Camera?
Welcome to our little game, "Who's Got The Camera?" I'll give you a few picture clues, and your task is to guess, well, who's got the camera? Ready? Okay!

Hmmm, it could be Mom. . . But wait, Mom wouldn't take a picture. . .umm, heh-heh, post a picture that shows off the pile of clean laundry tossed on the floor, as well as a demonstration of the general lack of disorganization in the master bedroom. So it can't be Mom. Who is it?

Clearly, Jeremy is surprised to see this person wielding a camera. Could it be Dad? Nope--Dad's not a stranger to the camera. It must be one of the kids! Hmmm. . . It's someone who has noticed Mom putting a blanket down for Jeremy to lay or sit on while she takes pictures of him sometimes, only the blanket has ended up on top of him instead. It must be someone observant, but not that observant. Ashley and Christina would notice something like that, but would they put the blanket on top of Jeremy? Hmmm. I think I'll need to see more pictures just to be sure.

Ah-hah! It's someone who's having a hard time holding the camera steady. See that telltale finger in front of the lens? I think my suspicions are beginning to be confirmed, but I'll wait for the last clue just to be sure. . .

Notice the complete look of surprise on Christina's face! We know the photographer is definitely not Christina now, but is it Ashley? I don't think so--you can tell that the person taking the picture is shorter than Christina. Okay, I'm certain now--it's Christopher!!

Congratulations, and thank you for playing today! We hope you enjoyed laughing as much as we did! (Christopher sneaked into our room while I was in the middle of something else, quietly shut the door, and surprised his napping brother by doing a photo session--including other photos not posted here--and was only stopped when Christina opened the door! The above photo was taken the second the door opened!! The other photos were actually taken in reverse order--the finger picture was first, and so on.)

2008-06-30T14:43:00.000-06:00

Marriage Isn't That Bad!!

The kids got all dressed up in my old choir dresses, Senior Ball dress, a dress-up "wedding dress," and a pretend doctor's outfit someone gave us. They were pretending Emily was getting married! They went to the "wedding," and later Christina came downstairs to inform me that Emily was now pretending to be dead "all the time, right after she got married." I'm sure it's coincidental, but I had a good laugh!

Personally, I like marriage--I highly recommend it!

And coming soon. . .blog and pictures from our trip to San Diego/Phoenix! We were too busy/tired to actually post while on the trip, so check back soon for my little travelogue!

2008-05-27T12:49:00.000-06:00

Life With Kids Is Funny. . .

My kids do and say the darndest things sometimes! We've had ample opportunity to laugh lately. For example. . .

Emily had to have her arm popped back into place for the third time within this past year. She keeps getting what's called "nursemaid's elbow," which is when a ligament in the arm slips over the head of one of the bones in the joint of the elbow. It hurts quite a bit, and the child cannot use the arm. The first time this happened, I was holding her hand when she dropped suddenly because she didn't want to go upstairs. The second time was two weeks later when Christopher tried to pull her up on the couch. And the third time was last week when Ashley tried to get Emily to come with her and Emily didn't want to. Emily immediately asked me to take her to the doctor because her arm was "broken!" I took Emily to the InstaCare where a nice pediatrician named Dr. Craskell saw her. Dr. Craskell said, "I'm here to see Emily. Are you Emily?" Emily slowly shook her head back and forth. Dr. Craskell then said, "Oh, you're not Emily today? Well, sometimes I don't feel like being a Sarah. Sometimes I think I might be a Betsy. Are you Betsy?" Emily nodded her head up and down. Dr. Craskell responded, "All right--Betsy it is!" Later, Dr. Craskell chuckled as she told me that she thought Emily may have responded that way because if she said she wasn't Emily, she wouldn't have to have the doctor fix her arm! (By the way, the nice doctor also showed me how to fix "nursemaid's elbow" myself so I didn't have to keep paying $25 to have it done!)

This past Friday morning, I went visiting teaching. As I was loading the 3 kids who weren't at school into the van, I noticed that Christopher had (again) put his shoes on without socks. We've spoken to him about this many times before, because that habit makes his feet and shoes smell quite unpleasant. Being in a hurry, I somewhat exasperatedly said, "Tiffer, you're supposed to wear socks with your shoes! That's yucky!" He enthusiatically replied, with a big smile on his face, "I like yucky!"

On Sunday evening, the kids got a kick out of watching the birds in our front yard. There is one bird in particular that seems to like our yard and our Rose of Sharon. Justin says that the
bird likes to use it for his "dinner table." Sometimes he'll show up with peanuts and crack them open, and other times he'll have other things to eat. One of our neighbors, Brother Baldree, says it's a Mountain Blue Jay. It's a pretty bird, and we enjoy watching him. Anyway, the kids watched him eat his "dinner" as a few other birds flew by. The kids were discussing if the bird was male or female, and Christina said the bird was a male because "the dad eats dinner before the mom." We all chuckled, and Justin reminded the kids that the bird was a male because of his bright colors!

Ashley asked if we were going to the grandparents’ homes on Sunday, and I replied that we were going on Monday. Ashley asked which home we were going to, and Christopher piped up, “Are we going to the West’s or the old?” (I guess he knows Grandma and Grandpa Keeler as just Grandma and Grandpa!)

Finally, picture this: It's late Sunday afternoon, and Justin and I have already told Christopher, our child who struggles with getting permission before he does or takes something, that he needs to stay inside the house. He has tried a couple of times to sneak outside. As I am opening some pineapple to go with our Hawaiian Haystacks, I turn around to see, through the kitchen window over the sink, Christopher sneaking, then running, around the side of our house in his Sunday socks. As I begin to grit my teeth and grumble under my breath, the strains of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir waft into the kitchen--". . .Love one another as Jesus loves you, try to show kindness in all that you do. . ."

Life with kids is definitely funny (and a great learning experience, too)!

2008-05-14T14:35:00.000-06:00

The West Family Theatre presents. . .

The West Family Theatre is excited to announce the performance of an exciting new play--written, directed, and produced by our resident playwright, Ashley West--Johnny Applerot! Featuring the talents of two fabulous new actors, Christina and Christopher West, Johnny Applerot chronicles the adventures of a boy who has dedicated his life to planting apple seeds. But what will happen when he meets a rotten apple who desperately wants to be useful? Enjoy the show!!

2008-04-29T13:56:00.000-06:00

Some Bread Recipes We Love

One of our many readers (ha, ha) requested that we post the aforementioned white bread recipe we loved so much. I am embarrassed to say that I thought I would remember which cookbook I got the recipe from, but, of course, I forgot. After a search, I believe I have determined which recipe I used. I hope it turns out well! We decided we would also post other bread recipes we like just for fun (or the links to them). Enjoy!

Bread--White or Half Whole Wheat--from Valonne Freeman, the mother of one of our neighbors when we were first married

2 cups warm water
1 pkg (or 1 Tb) yeast
1/3 cup sugar or honey
2 Tb butter
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 tsp. salt
6 cups flour

Mix first 4 ingredients and let stand 5 min. Add milk, salt, and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in rest of flour. Knead. Let raise double. Shape into 2 loaves. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
West's note: We used instant yeast, so we didn't let the first four ingredients sit for 5 minutes. We used honey. We also used powdered buttermilk in the place of the powdered plain milk because that's what we had on hand (odd, we know). The bread tasted so good!

Basic White Bread For the Breadmaker--from Jaymie Brierley Reynolds

1 1/3 C. water
2 T. butter
2 t. salt
1 T. plus 2 t. sugar
4 C. bread flour
2 T. nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 t. active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in bread pan. Add the powdered milk either before the flour or in the middle so that it isn't floating around. :) Add the yeast last. Use the basic, light cycle. Makes a 2 lb. loaf.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread- Bread Machine--from Jaymie

1 1/8 C. Warm water
1/4 C. honey
1 t. salt
2 T. vegetable oil
2 C. Wheat flour
1 C. Bread flour
1 1/2 t. dry active yeast

Add ingredients according to manufacturer's directions. Use wheat bread cycle and light color setting. Add flour second to last and yeast on top of that.

Grandma West's Amazing Sourdough Biscuits--Justin's Grandma West lives in Diamond Springs, California, just west of Placerville. She uses sourdough starter in lots of things, and is an amazing cook! She loves to enter her original recipes in the local fair, and she always wins a prize!

2 cups sourdough starter (see recipe below)
1 cup flour
1 Tb. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix well. Turn out onto a well-floured board and knead to a soft dough, adding more flour if necessary. Let rest for 20-30 minutes. Roll out to 1/2" thickness and cut with cookie/biscuit cutter. Dip each biscuit in oil and place on greased cookie sheet. Let rise until double--about 15 minutes. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Sourdough Starter: Put 1 cup milk in glass container and leave at room temperature until clabbered. It may take a week. Add 1 cup flour. Stir well. Let sit on the kitchen counter--uncovered--for at least 24 hours until bubbly and double in bulk. Grandma says: "I keep my starter in a 3-lb. peanut butter jar. I use 2 1/2 c. milk and 2 1/2 c. flour. After (the starter) is bubbly you can use it in recipes. Replenish with equal amounts of milk and flour. Each time let it sit out for 24 hours, then cover and store in the fridge." Grandma makes wonderful bread, french bread, pancakes, the biscuits above, and even puts the starter in cakes and quick breads. Yum!

And last, but not least, the recipe for whole wheat bread we love and use. . .
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/recipe.jsp?recipe_id=R428

The recipe is long, and this post is getting huge, so I included the link here. Some personal notes: we have used both powdered buttermilk and regular dry milk when baking the bread. The buttermilk adds a nice buttery taste to the bread. Both ways are good. I also use my Bosch mixer when making the bread. I add the first half of the flour with the other ingredients and mix well. Then, with the mixer going, I add the rest of the flour, making sure to add the last couple of cups gradually. I stop when the dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl. Sometimes I don't end up using all the flour the recipe calls for. But it's important to pay attention, otherwise it'll be too dry--yuck! Once the dough is the right consistency, I cover it and let the mixer do the work for 5-6 minutes. Then I remove the hook and let it rise in the bowl, covered. I also double and triple the recipe regularly.

2008-04-24T11:19:00.000-06:00

Slackin' On The Blog: Some Updates

Sorry about no posts for a while! This blog is one of things that has to go by the wayside when life gets so hectic we cut back to the basics. I was afraid this would happen, but we just have to get back on the horse and try again! I hope to work things out so that I can post regularly once or twice a week, but we'll see how it goes. Life sometimes throws you curve balls.

Christina did a great job in her play in March, and we will be posting the pictures we took as soon as we upload the pictures. We can't post any videos of the play, but you'll get an idea of how fun the play was, and what a cutie she was.

Jeremy continues to grow and be cute! He has melted my heart by learning how to say "Ma ma mahmmm. . .", and he also says "Ba ba ba ba." Daddy can't wait until he learns to say "Da da," of course! He's right on average for weight and height, and he loves to roll around on the floor and play. He's working on sitting, and he tries so hard to balance! He likes to test things out by cramming them in his mouth and by banging on them (hard) with his legs or arms! He had his very first sucker on Tuesday (April 22) when we had an unexpected visit. Christopher tried to pull Jeremy up to sit and gave him a nursemaid's elbow. It was so sad--his little arm hung useless, and I had to be so careful with his arm or he just sobbed. I, unfortunately, figured it out after I'd already laid him on it while he nursed. He nursed and cried at the same time, scaring me a bit! I finally determined the problem (Emily's had it twice, one time courtesy of dear Christopher). After the doctor fixed the problem, he brought in a sucker to see if Jeremy would use his arm. Jeremy grabbed the thing (with the opposite hand) and stuck it right in his mouth, sucking furiously. His eyes got big, and he looked at it like, "Whoa; what is this?!" After a few minutes, he started to use his other hand to handle the sucker, so we were satisfied. I was sitting there thinking, "Gee whiz--his first solid food was supposed to be rice cereal, and he's eating a sucker!" He dropped it in his car seat after a few minutes and didn't really protest, so I just let it go. But he sure enjoyed it while it lasted! I'm such a dork--I have to have a video of the kids eating their first solids, but Justin's never home when I am ready to do it. Maybe I'll have to see if I can video and feed at the same time.

Justin's been working insane hours (though my bro-in-law, JT, would probably say "normal hours") lately because he still doesn't have anyone to replace him in his old position, plus they're still working out the bugs in the new rebate database. For a while, he was leaving at 6:30 A.M. and coming home at 11:00-11:30 P.M. But he was a trooper! It's been hard for him to have so many responsibilities and not enough time. We're hoping for a new employee soon, and for this database to finally be ready!

My bread woes are over! As you probably know, wheat prices shot up, and the availability of it plummeted. I sent Justin down to the Dry Pack Cannery to get me a bag of wheat one week after I called for prices, and he came back telling me that we'd been put on a waiting list because it was all gone. Everyone around here heard about the prices going up, I guess, and turned it into the Apocalypse. Suddenly everywhere you went, the flour shelves were as barren as a dusty desert, and nobody had the kind of wheat I wanted to use (hard red spring). I found out later that one of my neighbors had bought 12 25-lb. bags and was on order for 12 more (and her mom did the same thing)! Holy cow! I had been looking forward to buying a Nutrimill and grinding my own wheat into flour, but I had to put that off. I made some white bread (with a way yummy recipe, by the way) so we actually had some bread, then went to the grocery store to see what my options were. The shelves looked like a hurricane was on the way, but tucked up on a higher shelf were some small bags of King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour. I decided that was my only choice, and I bought it. I thought I'd try the recipe on the back because it called for the kind of yeast I had, called for simple ingredients, and could be made by hand or in a mixer (my three main requirements). Plus the recipe spelled out every step, very helpful when you're still learning what things are supposed to look like and how long things should take. It is amazing! I don't have to use gluten or dough conditioner, and it is moist, chewy, and delicious!! (That is as long as I watch the dough consistency very carefully as I add the flour--a big duh. Don't try to make bread when your 1st grader is counting for her math homework, and the other kids are all trying to talk and move around at once!) I really like the flour, too--it's ground fine and has no unground pieces left in it like the off-brand. And it tastes fairly fresh, too. Plus, it costs the same as the off-brand now! I still want to grind my own wheat, but, for now, this will do!

2008-03-10T23:31:00.000-06:00

Random Thoughts. . .

And for those of you who were waiting for something profound or funny. . .too bad! You won't find it here! However, I will ramble on about various and sundry things that may or may not interest you. (You get what you pay for, you know, and this a free blog!)

I may try my breadmaker again, just for fun. I might try using a different cycle this time. Last time, I used the "wheat" cycle, but it's a pretty long one, so I may try using "white" or "rapid" just to see what happens. I guess I just have to prove that I am smarter than a bread machine or bread dough (please reserve your comments for when you have left this blog). I still think I'm going to keep using the Bosch, though, for the most part--I really love getting my hands in the dough, and I can make more than one loaf at a time.

Christina is getting closer to her performance in "Seussical Jr." at the elementary school. We are so lucky to have a very talented lady directing this production, with the assistance of other talented moms. She teaches acting classes at Rogers Memorial Theatre here in Centerville, and occasionally (now that she's married and has children) performs herself. She is running the whole thing in a very organized and professional manner, and Christina has been having a blast! She comes home full of energy and is so excited to be in this show!

Christina is a "Who Townsperson" and a "Snake Charmer--Circus Performer." They had picture day today, so we had to run to the school to do her hair in a "funky Who fashion." She looked so cute in her costume!! I thought they were having a pro come to do the pictures, so I left my camera home. Nope--it was a bunch of moms furiously snapping pictures and telling each other (nicely) to move out of the way. And I left mine home. Sheesh. Hopefully we'll get a photo or two of her before the production ends (they have to leave their costumes at the school, and they share them if they're double-cast).

Because of the size of the cafeteria/multi-purpose room, the tickets are very limited (the director gave each family a limit of 10 tickets total). The director put out sign-up sheets today, and they were supposed to be up until Thursday. The show "sold out" by 11:00 A.M.!! I had to sign up on the "waiting list" with other mothers that waited until the afternoon, imploring in bold letters, "WE DON'T HAVE ANY TICKETS YET!!" It was a little more than frustrating, especially when I saw that some family had signed up for 20 TICKETS!! (Ummm, that's more than 10, people. I too would love to invite everyone we know, but our multi-purpose room is too small and there are other people's kids in this play, too!) Ooops, I griped. Sorry! I'm hoping it will work out so at least Justin and I and the grandparents can go. I would also love to take Christopher and Emily, because I know how much they would love it, but we probably won't be able to. Ashley will see the play at school, so we don't need a ticket for her.

Jeremy is growing more every day, and he just turned five months old on March 8!! It's so hard to believe! He's going to be sitting up before long, and he absolutely loves his feet. He really likes to suck on his toes and play with his toys. He rolls back and forth and it kind of gets him moving in one direction or another sometimes, but usually around in a circle. He looks all around and even cranes his neck back sometimes, just to make sure he's not missing something. I'm just afraid I'm going to miss this precious time in his life altogether--it's going so fast!!

(P.S. Congratulations to Jeni on the birth of her daughter, Destiny Marie!! She was born March 10 at 12:13 A.M., and she is a darling little girl with tons of dark hair!)

2008-03-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

Trial and Error: Making Homemade Whole-Wheat Bread

Great Harvest. Honey Whole Wheat Bread. MMMM. Need I say more? Okay, I will! It's made with only five ingredients and no preservatives, and the flour is always fresh ground. It is SOOO tasty and good for you. . .and, alas, SOOO expensive. Because we've been trying to eat more healthily, we thought it was a necessary investment, but with the entire family (except the baby) eating the bread, it was becoming very budget un-friendly!

We started out by weaning our kids (and Justin) off of white bread, and we started buying a certain kind of bread that's available here called "Fiber Bread" to get them more used to a wheat taste. (Justin and Ashley prefer the sprouted wheat variety, but I think it's too dry.) Justin was not a big fan, but it wasn't too bad. We had been trying to make some healthy changes in our diets, and we thought this would be a great place to start. I also started using the whole wheat flour I'd bought with good intentions, but never used. Justin, in his quest for healthier food, discovered IHOP's Harvest Grain 'N' Nut pancakes, and I had to find a copycat recipe so we could start making them at home. My kids complained a bit, but now they gobble them up! I started trying other true whole wheat breads so we could make the bread transition, and, boy, there are some horrible ones out there! I absolutely LOVE Great Harvest Bread, but Justin wasn't sold. Then he finally tried the Great Harvest stuff. It wasn't instant love, but he thought it tasted better than other breads we'd tried. However, the more he ate it, the more he liked it, especially toasted. He even ordered some orange blossom honey on the internet (because, obviously, we don't have it in Utah where there are no orange trees--Justin says it's because we live in an "Artic wasteland") to eat with his toast! It was a comforting ritual. And my kids fell in love with the GH Bread too! We even branched out to the Pumpkin Bread (dude, that stuff is good!!) and other varieties just for fun.

Justin was willing to keep paying for the GH Bread, but I just felt worse and worse about paying over $3.50 a loaf. I started thinking about preparedness and self-reliance and all those wonderful lessons we've had in Enrichment and Relief Society, and I knew the time had come to stop buying Great Harvest bread on a regular basis.

A few years ago, when we lived in Bountiful, a lady named Karen Gilmore, AKA "The Wheat Lady," came to give a presentation on food storage and what we can do to actually use it. Her lessons have been running around in my head, gradually seeping into our lives and mixing with other lessons we've had since, slowly helping us to change and acquire new habits. From these things, I knew I needed to start grinding wheat. I researched wheat grinders and wheat prices, and I got all the ingredients, like honey, dough conditioner/wheat gluten, that I'd need to make our own bread. We still had about 10 lbs of whole wheat flour left, so I put off buying the grinder until we'd used it all up.

I decided to try using our long-neglected breadmaker just for fun, using a recipe I mentioned in an earlier post. I even set the delay timer so we'd have warm bread at a certain time the next day. I learned something: don't use instant yeast in a breadmaker on a delay cycle! Or in a breadmaker at all, for that matter! (I realized it was instant yeast as I was adding the ingredients, and I was hoping somehow it would turn out anyway.) The bread overrose and was the size of a 1 lb loaf, not a 2 lb. Thankfully, it didn't taste terrible, and it was moist and had a good texture, even though it was really dense. So, because I had a pound of instant yeast, I decided to bite the bullet and make the bread WITHOUT A BREADMAKER. This was a pivotal step in our lives. I have never done anything that domestic before. Whoa.

The next Monday, I got out all my ingredients and my Bosch mixer (the subject of a future post). I followed The Wheat Lady's book religiously, and it was a snap, especially using the instant yeast. It only took 10-15 minutes for each rise, and then all I had to do was divide the huge amount of dough into five loaves, put them in the pans, and bake them. It smelled SOOO good in our kitchen, and I felt like such the homemaker as the heavenly smell wafted through the house. I imagined five perfect loaves of bread coming out of the oven. Then reality set in.

My oven, like most electric ovens, is too hot, so I had to guess what temperature to set it at so I didn't burn the outside and leave the inside uncooked. Well, they didn't burn, but at the end of the time, most of the loaves still seemed doughy near the bottom. I put them back in for a little longer. Some of the loaves were bigger than others (I guess I need to learn how to divide more evenly). And they didn't taste quite as good as they smelled. They were also a little on the dense side--not yucky or anything, but not quite how they were supposed to turn out. Sigh. I know it's going to take lots of practice and experience to get this thing down, but I just want my bread to be perfect from the start, and I want my kids to not complain about it. Oh well. If that's all we have, I guess they'll have to learn to like it, right? I just want my bread to look, smell, and taste like. . .Great Harvest. But it's not going to. (I'm still waiting for someone to put a "copycat" recipe out on the web!) One thing's for sure--I need to throw away the flour. I know it's "wasting food," but it's too old, and it doesn't taste very good! So I'm going to head down to the Dry Pack Cannery to buy my wheat, head over to Bountiful to buy my grinder, and then we'll try again. And, as Justin kindly pointed out, maybe while I'm still learning, why don't I try making a little less bread at a time? Sigh.

2008-02-18T00:18:00.000-07:00

The Official Beginning of This Blog

After many, many false starts, and a long pause, I am officially starting this blog!!

I wasn't quite sure what to do with it. After all, most of the blogs I'd read, until recently, featured the author ranting and raving about this political issue or that, or incessantly whining in each post (boy, I'll have to be careful what I say from now on, huh?). I honestly wasn't sure if I wanted to post my journal for all the world to see, or if I wanted my blog to take on more of a "you're not alone" tack. Maybe other moms could find comfort in knowing that someone else struggles with the same things they do. Hmmm. Neither of those things were very appealing, because the first one just wasn't an option, and the second would take WAY too much time--plus, I need more help than probably any mother that would happen to trip onto my blog!

Then, after finding some really good blogs that mainly showcased the blogger's family and interests, I decided that my blog could be a way for our families and friends to stay up with what was happening in our lives. I didn't really know what to write, so I just wrote about what was happening, and a little about each kid, and left it at that. After two posts, the blog stalled. Jeremy was born, I couldn't go downstairs after my c-section, and I just wasn't sure what to write.

Just a few weeks ago, my sister sent out an e-mail inviting everyone to visit their new blog: http://mormonfury.blogspot.com/. I had a great time reading the latest cute things her little John and Erin are doing, as well as watching a couple of videos of them, and enjoying some pictures. Aaaaah, I thought. So this is what I could do with my blog! It's a really cool way to keep in touch with the family--complete with the pics and vids the grandparents dig (as well as siblings and friends)! It doesn't have to be complicated or stretch out like a presidential address (like this one is starting to)--it can just be simple and fun, and be whatever you think will interest the people you care about. (I hope Kristin's friends/in-laws don't mind, but I also visited some of their blogs for further reference. I was truly inspired!)

So here it is--the Centerville West Family Blog! It's not just about Mommy West, it's about the whole family. It's not flashy, it's not earth-shattering, and it's definitely not fancy (considering my very limited technical skills), but it's here. Hope you enjoy it.

P.S. I also tripped onto another really great blog while looking for different recipes for homemade whole wheat bread. It's called http://beanland.wordpress.com/. I feel like I invaded someone's privacy, but I really appreciate the bread recipe! The concoction is currently sitting in my breadmaker on a delay timer, all ready to start baking at 7:00 A.M. I'll let you know how it turns out! (Thanks to Scott and Anne Bean for the recipe and the smiles!)

2007-10-05T13:02:00.000-06:00

He's almost here!!

Things are looking a lot better around here, thanks to persistence and some extremely inspired and kind neighbors. I am so grateful for the "angels among us." I know God puts people in our lives to help us and serve us, and I hope I can do the same for them when they need it.

We are so excited for our little boy to arrive--just a few more days until Monday!! We will arrive at the hospital at 6:00 A.M., I will get prepped, and surgery will start at 7:30 A.M. Then we'll get to meet our little stranger! We are really looking forward to that. The kids told me they are excited to have their dad staying home with them, and I am glad that he can. They are also excited to meet their new brother. We hope Emily has been prepared enough for this new change in all of our lives.

After my last doctor's visit this past week, I drove up to the hospital to make sure I was pre-admitted so I didn't have to do that step when we get there on Monday, and then I took Christopher and Emily upstairs to see where Mommy would be staying. I showed them some of the rooms where mommies stay after they have babies, and then I took them to the nursery. There was only one baby in there at the time, and she was pretty brand new. She was still being monitored by the nurse, and you could see her crying in the warming bed. (And, of course, I kept thinking, Take her to her mommy!!) While we were looking at her, the nurse gave her two shots. I was hoping the kids weren't upset by it, but I also don't believe in shielding them completely from reality. So we watched it, and I told the kids that it would help her not get sick. Our baby will have them too, and they help the baby stay well. Emily really liked looking at the "cute little baby," and after we left, she kept talking about it. I kept pointing to my belly and saying, "Mommy's baby is in here, but he will come out, and then you'll get to see him, just like that cute baby." There were two volunteers at the desk, and they gave the kids Teddy Grahams, and they talked to the kids and to me. They were really nice, and we had a great experience. I hope it helps both Christopher and Emily to understand where Mom is when she's suddenly not there! Especially Emily, because she's so small and will have a harder time understanding than Christopher does.

Anyway, if I don't post for a while, it's because I can't get downstairs very well after a c-section. I hope all goes well!!

2007-09-25T17:11:00.000-06:00

September has been exciting and exhausting for all of us. School has started with all its busyness. We've also been trying to get everyone switched around to their new rooms, while trying to re-organize our food storage area, put up an art/school/craft supply area, replace our side entry door and one of the bedroom doors, and get all the kids' clothes organized. (And our project list is much longer than that, but it's not going to happen before this baby comes!) I don't know why everything we try to do seems to be dependent on something else in the house being done or re-done, but it's a little frustrating! I've had a few people come over to look at some things we "freecycled," and the first thing they say is, "Oh, are you moving?" Well, I guess in a matter of speaking--if you can count moving around in your own house! D.I. got a huge load of stuff from us, though, and they're bound to get more as the next couple of weeks go by.

Justin is keeping as busy as ever at work. He also just bought a road bike, so he's been able to exercise and still be home at a decent hour. (He was doing two hour hikes before, but that's getting difficult with the sun setting earlier. Plus, it's nice to have him home a little earlier!) He's become quite the biking expert, and the kids get a kick out of daddy in all his biking gear. He looks like a real racer!

I'm two weeks away from delivering number 5, and I'm excited and feeling like a deer in the headlights at the same time! All the projects I've started just can't get done quick enough; I worry every day I'll go into labor, and I'll come home to the chaos our house is in while trying to heal and adjust to a new little one. My wonderful angel neighbors saw my predicament and organized a blitz to make sure we aren't stuck. Justin has been such a help when he's home from work, but there just isn't enough time with homework, lessons, and everything else that is necessary for daily living. The Lord is truly merciful--I don't know what I'd do without this ward! I discover the Lord's tender mercies more and more each day.

Ashley is loving fourth grade, and just went on a fun field trip to Promontory Point, Utah, to learn about the joining of the two railroads and other related things. They also traveled to a spot near the Wyoming border to hike a little. Fourth grade focuses on Utah and Utah history, so they'll be taking many field trips to various sites to build on what they learn in class. Ashley's teacher is tying all her units in some way to Utah, historical and today, and I like how she is trying to help the kids see how we can deal with our problems and challenges as we learn how people before us did. Christina is a first-grader now, and just adores her teacher! She has had no problem adjusting to going to school all day, but she still misses her kindergarten teacher sometimes. She is doing a great job with her reading, and she is a super student. She loves playing "Wondergirl" or "Cops and Robbers" at recess (I don't know where she heard of Wondergirl--who is she?!), and she was trying to figure out what to be for Halloween before school started! She is a fun girl to have around! Christopher is as busy as ever, and as stubborn as ever. But he's so darn cute that he makes up for it (most of the time). He sings all the time (at the top of his lungs), and he loves to play with Emily, and anyone else who happens to be around. He loves to play with others, and it's so sad there are no little boys his age around! He loves Sunbeams, and absolutely adores giving talks, scriptures, or prayers in Primary! He has learned how to read--a complete surprise to Mom and Dad--and he's so proud of his new skill. He was so proud to look just like Dad in a new suit at his aunt's wedding. Emily turned two at the end of August, and it is unbelievable how quickly it's gone by. She's a delight to everyone in the family. She's decided that her brother can sometimes be fun to play with, and not just an instrument made to torture her. She still protests plenty, but they get along better all the time. They march around the living room in time to a Sesame Street CD or to "Plimary" songs, and she knows quite a few by heart. She's a precious little singer who loves to hear never-ending streams of stories, loves coloring, and loves all animals and babies (we hope that trend holds in a couple of weeks).

If any pictures get posted on this blog, it will be through the good skills of Justin, as it seems that I cannot deal with digital pictures. I am too impatient to learn how to manipulate them without ruining them or deleting them (or maybe just too scared; probably a good mix of both). You should be able to see some in a couple of weeks or so!