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!)
Monday, March 10, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, February 18, 2008
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!)
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!)
Friday, October 05, 2007
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!!
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!!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
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!
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!
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