The Compound Eye of a Dragonfly

Food With Thought …

2012-01-24T21:01:00.001-05:00

Occasionally I get the chance to cook a meal for another family whose mom is out of commission due to a new baby or illness in the home. I’ve done it enough now to have a little routine down. Here’s how I make it easy on me and hopefully tasty for them:

1. Keep the menu simple. I have a picky eater at my house. I know what it’s like when someone else brings us a meal that my children aren’t used to. They get all weird and unsure and suddenly their appetites disappear. So when I cook meals for other families, I make “normal food” instead of trying to get all gourmet up in their faces. My rule of thumb: NO WEIRD INGREDIENTS!

2. Check for food allergies. I don’t need to be responsible for sending someone to the ER! A simple phone call will let me know if I need to leave any ingredients out or on the side.

3. Use throwaway containers. I long ago abandoned sending my own dishes to another’s home. Who wants to wash, and then remember return all those dishes? Not me! I stock up on foil pans from Costco or Gladware from Target and let the mom know she can keep it all or toss it out when she’s done.

4. Make it healthy. Sometimes when mom’s out of commission, healthy eating goes out the window too. I try to include fresh fruit, a big salad, a main dish {lasagna this time}, a loaf of bread or rolls and of course, a special treat for after dinner. I buy some of these items prepared like bread or take & bake cookies and try to make the rest from scratch because I think kids miss ‘home cooking’ when mom is otherwise engaged.

5. Have recipes at the ready. I keep a mental list of main dish recipes for taking a meal in to other families – homemade spaghetti sauce, lasagna, chicken & rice casserole, chicken enchiladas. These are the old standbys. They’re yummy, easy to prepare and normal {see Number 1}.

6. Give Mom options. When arranging to deliver the meal, I give the mom a few options – would she like me to bring it hot and ready to eat at a specific time or would she rather bake the main dish herself so she can determine the best time for her family. Basically I want to know what is going to make her life easier.

7. Always double it. If I’m cooking dinner for one family, I might as well make it for my own too. I just turn the kitchen into a meal production plant and get ‘er done – two of everything. It’s one of the only times I have dinner ready for my family by the middle of the afternoon, which is really awesome. Then my kitchen looks like this, which is not as awesome. But dinner is on the table for a mom in need, so it’s all good. {Yes, I used scissors to cut the lasagna noodles which were too big for the pan!}

So that’s how I do it. What’s your go to meal for a friend in need?

PS. I didn’t write this post to say “Hey, look at me, I make dinners for other people because I’m so service oriented and awesome like that.” I wrote it to say “Hey, making dinner for someone else can be easy if you get a routine down and just do it!”

PPS. Let’s play I Spy. Do you see the toothbrush?

When Life is a Cake Wreck …

2012-01-24T14:51:00.001-05:00

The Hubby requested “a cake with strawberries” for his birthday. I should have taken the easy way out – angel food, whipped cream and strawberries on top. Instead I turned to Pinterest and found a lovely number that made my tastebuds jump for joy. It had fresh strawberries, Greek yogurt, lemon zest and butter. Yeah. I had to do it.

It’s from a blog called A Spicy Perspective and look at how beautiful it is when Sommer makes it:

{Image via A Spicy Perspective}

And this is what it looks like when I make it for my Hubby:

“Grease and flour the pan” should have been bolded, underlined and emphatically promoted. Oh, I did grease and flour it. But apparently it was not enough.

The good news is the cake was so tasty we all licked our plates clean and declared the recipe a major keeper. That sad news is it looked like dung, which was totally on par for a day I spent much of yelling at my kids and feeling frustrated.

Some days are just like that – cake wrecks, train wrecks, big fat meh. We have high hopes and want things to turn out perfectand lovely. And they just don’t. We may cry over it. We may get angry. Or we can scoop the carnage out of the pan, slap it on the cake and call it good enough. Luckily we get to wake up and start over again in the morning. And I just happened to do that today with a piece of strawberry cake as my breakfast.

Carry on.

My Frugal Helium …

2012-01-24T07:07:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a double whammy! It was my sweet Hubby’s birthday. But it was also a teacher workday, so I had all four kids in the house. My plan was to put them all to work to help me make the birthday boy feel extra special. My plan was not their plan.

I did manage to convince Big C and RedDog to help me with one project involving balloons. Buying forty-one helium filled balloons didn’t fit into my current “spend less” lifestyle. Instead, we went to Target, bought a $2.50 bag of balloons, and Big C and I proceeded to blow forty-one of them up while fighting the urge to pass out.

Then in assembly line fashion, we tied ribbons, made tape wads and attached the balloons to the ceiling. Viola! Instant free helium!

When Owlie awoke from his nap, he was giddy with excitement and kept telling me about the ‘Balloon Show’. It took a moment, but we finally figured out he was referring to the movie UP, which he and RedDog then watched while I cleaned up the messes everywhere from birthday prep.

One of those messes, unfortunately, was the cake. It was bad. More on that tomorrow. For now, we're going to enjoy our happy, balloony house.

Family Motto 2012 …

2012-01-23T08:01:00.000-05:00

Each January the Hubby and I unveil a motto to our children that we hope we can focus on for the year. Near the end of last year I began in earnest to pray, thoughtfully consider and study out what I thought the needs of our family were. When the Hubby and I came together to talk about our ideas for a family motto, we were delighted – and surprised - to find we’d each narrowed it down to the same thing. This is proof to me that God has his hand in the intricate details of our lives!

Last year’s theme, Be At Peace, was born out of a desire for less contention in our home. I can’t say that there was always peace. I can’t even say that there was peace a majority of the time. But I can say that during times of contention, I was able to ask the kids, “Are you being peaceful?” and at least they’d stop to think about it {before resuming fighting}.

This year our family motto is:

The Hubby and I both have strong convictions about God, Jesus Christ and our church which direct the actions of our every day lives. Our hope is that our children will gain these same convictions for themselves. So this year we are challenging each of them to do an experiment upon the word of God. To take what they read in scripture, learn in church and hear from their parents and spiritual leaders and actually put it to the test to find out for themselves whether or not it is true.

When explaining this motto to the kids, we talked first about scientific experiments and why they are done - to correctly prove or disprove a hypothesis. We then gave them time to think of a specific hypothesis that they would like to prove during our year of experimenting. The Hubby and I also chose hypotheses because we are never to old to gain more understanding of God’s truth.

Just like in a scientific experiment, after doing our experiment during the year, we will come together to discuss the conclusions we’ve reached after thinking about {or analyzing} our results.
We believe that gaining this knowledge of truth on their own will empower our children, guide them throughout their lives and help them to face whatever difficulties may lie ahead for them.

It’s always better when our motto is front and center, so I put together a framed version of our motto using
pages from an old set of scriptures, some Modge Podge and lots of glitter. It’s sitting on our mantle for now.

So here’s to a new motto – one that’s a more about independent desire and study instead of interactions with other family members. I think it might go well {fingers crossed!}.

PS. In case you’re interested, this scripture (Alma 32:27) was the catalyst for our motto.

PPS. Happy Birthday to my Hubby. I'm really, really glad he was born!

Fantastic for Friday …

2012-01-20T08:40:00.001-05:00

Here are five reasons I’m doing a happy dance today:

My computer was returned to me yesterday good as new! I’m going to spend the weekend editing photos and writing, as well as Pinning {have you seen the button on my side bar? You can follow me on Pinterest!}

Exam week is over for my two Middle Schoolers! They’ve worked really hard this week. So have I. It’s no fun studying with teenagers and realizing how much I don’t remember. We’re going out to dinner to celebrate which means NO COOKING DINNER FOR ME!

I’m going to spend this afternoon crafting with my friend and eating delicious lunch. Friends and food = happy me.

I ran at the gym last night without hating it. American Idol may have played some part in it, but seriously, that is a breakthrough for me.

Hannie B. is learning to play Clair de Lune {by Debussy} on the piano. This is the song that was playing when I saw pictures of my sister for the first time. I cry every time I hear it. And now my daughter is going to know how to play it. Sigh.

Around Here ...

2012-01-19T08:20:00.000-05:00

My computer isn't back yet so all preplanned blog posts are on hold. Here's what's happening around here in the meantime ...

Somebody was given a new toy from kind neighbors who were cleaning out their garage. It is now the means of transportation for stuffed animals, snacks, tools and the boy himself if he's feeling like an emporer.

RedDog is busy sanding his first ever Pinewood Derby car. It is going to be slick.

I'm doing great on my healthy eating and exercise goal. I love having fresh fruit in the house. This week it just happens to all be green!

I'm busy crafting. There are just too many cool projects one can do with old book pages!

We've gotten out the Star Wars toys this week after a long hiatus. All three of my boys are completely enamored - even the 14 year old!

It is official, I am a glitter addict of the highest order. This little glitter alphabet set has sent my heart all a flutter! What can't I glitter?

What's going on at your house?

Thoughts On A Cruelty of Motherhood …

2012-01-18T06:59:00.002-05:00

Waaa ...

That is the sound of me crying because no one warned me that being a mom is really hard.

And I'm not even talking about the exhausting day in and day out of taking care of little people, big people, meals, laundry, housework, managing schoolwork, extracurricular schedules, disrespect, talking back, sibling rivalry, self esteem issues, friend drama, illness, or lack of sleep. Because all of that stuff is hard. But I can do it.

I'm crying today because one of the hardest parts for me about being a mom is that I can't catch time in my hands. It is going by too fast for me to comprehend. This photo is an example of a moment I can't believe has already passed me by. My daughter is doing her own hair. Cue sobbing Samantha now {I know it's weird, but I really did shed tears}.

Last week Hannie B. came to me to tell me she wasn't going to wear her cutesy hair ties any more and I could give them to a friend's daughter. Out came the sparkly flower hair ties. No more pigtails for Hannie B.

I think I feel a little more sadness about my girl because she is my only girl. I've still got lots more boy left in my house. But she's the only frilly, pink sort I've got. And now she doesn't need me to brush, dry or flat iron her hair anymore. She even looks cute when she does her own hair. I'm pretty sure I didn't look cute when doing my own hair until I was in my third year of college. There are days now that my hair is questionable.

My girl is not little anymore. Well, she's petite for sure, but she's wearing mascara. She's painting her nails every other day. And she's making my heart break.

All the ribbons, bows and barrettes have gone to live with another girl. A little girl.

These children wrap their lives around my heart. They warm it and make it swell and grow and love in ways I never knew possible. Then without warning they start cutting the strings. The shock of it is something I'll never get used to. This, my friends, is one of the great cruelties of motherhood.

Quick & Easy: Gift For “Old” People …

2012-01-17T07:50:00.001-05:00

My amazingly talented, totally narcassistic, rockstar-hair wearing Photobro turned the big 4-0 last week. I had to do something to let him know I was thinking about him, but really it was about letting him know he is now ancient. I can do that because I have exactly one year and twenty-one days until I turn forty. Then forty will, of course, become the new young and I will embrace it gracefully.

For now, I hopped over to HomeGoods {heaven help my "spend less" soul} and found two jars for $2.99 each. They had to be streamlined and somewhat masculine for my stylistically snooty bro. I then filled them with forty lollipops and forty gumballs respectively and attached my self-made labels - "40 Blows" for the gumballs and "40 Sucks" for the lollys. A little black and gray ribbon was the finishing touch to mourn the passing of his youth.

It put a smile on the old guy's face and made him laugh heartily.

I find great joy in life by helping the aged and decrepit to find happiness occasionally. Mission accomplished. {But he might have to remove his dentures to eat either one- the geezer.}

Photographing Teenagers …

2012-01-16T09:24:00.000-05:00

In a new-to-me development, Big C has reached the state in his teenagedom where he doesn't want me to take a single picture of him. This shot was all I was able to get at the bowling alley a few weeks ago. He kept covering his cute face with his hand.

I resorted to covert photography on the way home in the car. Seriously, I had the camera under my arm and just snapped away hoping one shot would turn out and he wouldn't notice I was taking his picture.

How am I going to document my teenager and all his awesomeness if he won't let me take his picture?

Today I have everybody home for the Martin Luther King Jr holiday and I'm wearing my mean mom hat by making them work, study and be together.

I miss my computer. I hope it's doing alright in Texas. Maybe it will bring me back some barbeque.

Any advice on photographing teenagers would be greatly appreciated!

Are You A Player?

2012-01-13T07:34:00.001-05:00

Of games, that is.

We are. But we're a bit competitive. And it's always better when the entire family can get involved.

We got a game for Christmas that even Owlie could play. It's called HeadBanz and as you can see, everyone get's to wear a headband with a card in it. The object, of course, is to guess what you are through a series of yes or no questions.

In this round, the Hubby was a toaster. I think I might have been a turkey. And my Owlie boy was an icecream cone, which he enjoyed immensely. I love that he's looking right at the camera.

The only person who wasn't participating this night? Jennie Doezie! But she graciously caught our entire family in a moment of peace and pure fun.

Speaking of peace, remember our Family Motto for last year was "Be At Peace"? Well, we've unveiled our new family motto for the year. I'll have more to share on that next week when my computer is back and I can download the photos. It was well recieved. And maybe it will be more well implemented than "Be At Peace." Which was a failure on many levels.

But family game night was fun. :) Have a happy weekend!

Questionable Fashion …

2012-01-12T07:26:00.003-05:00

So I have this coat.

It kind of resembles the carpet bag of a favorite nanny whose name rhymes with Harry Boppins.

I'm pretty sure it's handmade - of some kind of polyester and short pile carpet.

I got it at a thrift store in Denver for a whopping eight dollars because the fabric reminded me of something one would see on a couch or comforter from Anthropologie {although then it wouldn't be polyester - it would be silk, or silk lined with 24 Karat Gold thread and cost a mere $200.}

Every time I wear this coat, complete strangers stop me to comment on how much they love it and ask me where I got it. Moms at the baseball game. A lady in the grocery store. Women at a restaurant.

Here I am in "The Coat" along side the beautiful Jennie Doezie. This picture was taken just one minute after two women stopped me to tell me how much they loved my coat.

Here's the thing. I can't decide if I like the coat or if it is the MOST HIDEOUS thing I've ever seen and worn. Do people like it because it is an absolute monstrosity? Do they like it because it is really, really different? I'm really having a hard time here. Also, is it weird that I don't want to tell people I got it at a thrift store because they might think I'm creepy?

Please, weigh in.

PS. Blogged this from the Hubby's work computer. If it looks weird, sorry.

Three Photos I Love …

2012-01-11T09:04:00.001-05:00

I hardly picked up my camera over the Christmas break. I was too busy enjoying it to photograph it.

Luckily, our friend awesome Jennie was here. She caught the moments I was savoring. Here are three of my favorite pictures as viewed from her camera:

My sweet RedDog, the first one to sit down to Christmas Eve dinner. I love his little body in that big chair, all lit up from the glow of candles. What a sweet boy he is. We hosted 24 people that night and I was running around the three different dining rooms to make sure all was in order. So glad Jennie thought to capture my boy in this moment.

Our family at the Washington DC Temple. We go every year as a family to see the beautiful lights and the nativities displayed from all over the world. This is the first year (in nine) that we have had only light jackets on. No bundling up. No gloves and chattering teeth. Look at Big C who's as tall as me. My family is getting so big. I can't stand it.

This picture of me with my Owlie boy makes me want to burst. This little fellow is my partner in crime. He and I are serious buddies and we're going to be tight for life. He wanted to see the lights with me and no one else. I didn't mind at all. I just love him in his bear hat.

Thanks Jennie, for being our photographer. So happy to have captured these memories.

My computer has been sent off to the doctor for a week. It is very ill. I am typing this from the floor of the piano room with my old laptop plugged into the wall for internet connection. After being wireless for so long, it feels very foreign. Please bear with me during the next week while I muddle through at a much slower pace. Maybe that means the boxes of Christmas decor stacked high in the basement will be put away?

Pinned & Produced: A Book Page Wreath …

2012-01-09T16:07:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned recently, I’ve been having a slight love affair with Pinterest for the past few months. It’s such a fantastic place for a creative brain to dwell! But I had to decide early on that I would be fairly selective in what I ‘pinned’, otherwise it could just become another way for me to feel like I accomplish nothing I set out to do.

With that in mind, I selected a few Christmas gifts to make from ideas I’d found on Pinterest. I talked about the gift I made for the Hubby here. For my friend Ronalin, I tackled something I’ve been eyeing for a while on various blogs– a book page wreath.

Don’t let this project fool you! I actually had almost all of the materials on hand: an old book, a glue gun, glitter, cardstock and my faux graphic design skills. All I needed to purchase was a styrofoam wreath form. The key to this project is completing phases over time. I think in all it took me three hours.

Here’s how I did it:

First I tore the cover off the book to make it easier to rip out pages. Then I used my paper cutter to make strips to cover the wreath form. And I completely forgot to take a picture of that step.

Next I folded and stapled about fifty of the book pages into a flat(ish) cylinder, like this:

I folded an additional sixteen pages into cone shapes and stapled them at the bottom like this:

Once I had two big piles of folded and stapled pages, I began gluing them to the wreath form. The first two layers were the flat{ish) pages:

The third layer was the cone shaped pages:

Clearly I needed something to hide that unsightly middle section, so I fashioned two more book pages into fancy little accordion folded ring and glued that on the wreath like so:

I wanted some additional layering and texture, so I added a ring of vintage tissue streamer which I’d gathered on my sewing machine. I topped that layer with a monogram of the letter M for my friend’s last name which I made on my computer. It seemed a little plain, so I dressed up the edges with a little glitter (see here for instructions).

The finished product turned out great! I don’t think this photo does it justice. Maybe I need to sneak over and get a shot of it on the wall at her house.

Since I’m trying to spend less this year, I’ve decided I will make things I find on Pinterest that I’ve already got the supplies for. It should be fun and keep my creative mind busy so it doesn’t spend money.

PS. Angela was so kind to give me the strawberry syrup recipe. I’ve added it to the bottom of that post from last week.

Quick & Easy: Tween Gift

2012-01-07T17:26:00.001-05:00

Hannie B. had a birthday party to go to on Saturday. It was a photo scavenger hunt. At the MALL. I cried a little before I sent her out the door. Nothing says 'verge of teenagedom' like the Mall. And nothing says tweenage gift like glittery nail polish and an iTunes card.

Hannie picked out the shades of polish and I promised to help her wrap it up cute - because presentation really is everything and how boring is a regular old gift bag? Here's what we did in four easy steps:

1. Upcycle a wooden box a Christmas toy came in and add some hot pink paper shred.
2. Add the gift.
3. Slip it into a cello bag. {I hereby proclaim my love of cello bags. Again.}
4. Tie it with some obnoxious purple glittered zebra ribbon and a big tag designed by Hannie herself.

So, for $15, we ended up with a sassy, cute and affordable gift for a tween. Would your 12 year-old love it? For a few other gift wrapping ideas, read here and here.

PS. It only took me all weekend to figure out how to center the title on this silly blog! But I did it and a happy dance definitely ensued.

PPS. Did anyone else watch Downton Abbey last night? The Hubby laughed at me because I watched all of the Season One episodes last night before the new season started and then almost cried when the first episode was over. How do I love a show so much?

Strawberry Heaven …

2012-01-06T08:45:00.001-05:00

It’s Friday. I’m five days in on my goal to eat healthier and exercise more. So of course I’ve got delicious food on the brain.

We received a charming gift from some friends this Christmas in the form of a large bottle of homemade Strawberry Lemon sauce to eat with waffles and pancakes.

It is what all the nerdy strawberries aspire to be. The cool kid strawberries with a twist of tart lemon at the end. Yep, it’s delicious and I want to dump the entire bottle right down my throat.

Instead, I put it on Owlie’s waffles this morning and then when he was done I licked the plate. As in I picked it up to put in the sink to wash and it was suddenly at my face being cleaned by me instead. Owlie giggled. I may have moaned.

Wouldn’t this make a darling Valentine’s gift? I imagine it with a red bow and a heart cut from an old book page.

I think I’m going to have to hound my friend for the recipe. Does anyone want me to share it? Or are you worried you might become the next plate licker?

Edited:

Fresh Strawberry Syrup

1 pound sliced hulled strawberries fresh or frozen
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Bring strawberries, water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat to prevent mixture from boiling over. Add lemon juice. Strain, pressing on solids. Cover and chill syrup. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.

* I didn't strain the sauce because I like it thick and don't like to waste any of the strawberry goodness.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious

Family Togetherness: Reminiscing …

2012-01-05T07:15:00.001-05:00

We took the kiddoes bowling over Christmas – a family tradition the Hubby and I have had since we married. It was Owlie’s first time and it was all sorts of awesomeness.

First, they gave him the absolute cutest pair of tiny bowling shoes ever. It was all I could do to restrain myself from walking right out of the bowling alley with them.

Next, the Lee siblings lined up to help the tiny man send his ball down the lane. This resulted in all sorts of techniques that elevated his score to epic proportions. Every time he released the ball he’d turn around and jump up and down saying “I did it!”

I imagine this view of all the colorful balls lined up was a bit like a gumball machine to Owlie. He couldn’t keep his hands off of them! Unfortunately, a smashed finger was going to happen so we had to corral the fellow, which he didn’t love.

He was very patient while waiting for his turn and also quite supportive of the other bowlers, which included our Papa {who has HIS OWN BALL}. Owlie was oblivious to the serious bowling competition occurring between his dad, his oldest brother and his Papa, but I was not and it was hilarious.

In the end he only lasted two thirds of the way through the first game. Then he decided the video games behind our lane were more fun. But I think he’ll definitely bowl again. Which is good, because we do it every Christmas!

Did you do anything unusual over the break?

Gifted & Handmade: A Timeline …

2012-01-03T13:27:00.001-05:00

The Hubby and I made a deal for Christmas. We wouldn’t buy each other gifts because we’d just taken a dreamy {and expensive!} vacation to the Caribbean together.

Neither of us kept our end of the deal. But I tried. And to my credit, one of the gifts I gave him was handmade and cost me ZERO dollars.

I found the idea on Pinterest. Oh, how I love Pinterest. Please tell me you know about Pinterest. I’ll indoctrinate you if needed. Because I love Pinterest. I love it so very much. Umm . . . where was I?

The original link is here. The concept is simple but so, so meaningful. Looking for a birthday gift for your spouse? Looking for a reason to remind him how special he is? Wanna make your man feel all gushy and lovey-dovey? Or just want to remind him of your anniversary?

Here’s what I did: I designed {in Microsoft Publisher} and framed the most important dates from our lives together – our birthdates, our wedding date and the birthdates of our children. I happened do us the colors from our bedroom because I wanted it to go on the Hubby’s bedside dresser. I incorperated a subtle ombre chevron pattern in the background and then used a frame we had in our “frame stash” in the basement. The finishing touch was a tag on the gift that read: “The BEST days of my life have been spent with you.”

It was a hit! And I loved doing it, because in all truth, while I was making this gift, I really did think about how all the best things in my life are mine because I married my Hubby. Handmade and meaningful wins in my book EVERY TIME.

My Three Measly Goals …

2012-01-02T15:41:00.001-05:00

Here they are for all the world to see. Three things I hope to do this year. These are my goals. Chosen by me to improve me. I chose them independent of each other, but afterwards noticed that all three have to do with self discipline – something I find myself lacking frequently but desiring often.

#1 – MOVE MORE. The fact of the matter is I don’t exercise. Not enough. Not really at all. I’ve got a gym membership and a ~~baby~~ big boy who hates the gym daycare. I’ve also got a cart load of other excuses keeping me from being fit. Speaking of fit, my pants don’t anymore and I’ve promised my son I’ll run a 5K with him this year, so it’s time to move. More. My goal is three times a week at the gym and more moving with my kids in the house – dancing, chasing, lifting and laughing, probably all while wetting my pants.

#2 – MEDITATE DAILY. I know how important it is to make quiet time for myself each day. Time NOT spent on the computer. This quote by Spencer W. Kimball has been on my mind lately:

“I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that … no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns.”

I can totally relate to that thought. My life is a peak and valley landscape of closeness to and distance from God. I need Him, His guidance, His presence, His influence. Since I love reading and I love God, I’m pretty sure I can make time every day to show my love for both and in so doing, grow closer to Him.

#3 – SPEND LESS. I will go on record as saying this will be the hardest goal for me. But I am determined. Even though some people think I’m crazy. I want to talk about this goal in a little more detail on the blog, so for now I’ll just say that I spend money without thinking. Now I’m going to think about it more. And spend it less.

So I started these goals yesterday and I’m proud to say I’m three for three. Ha! I’d love to hear what you hope to do this year. Anyone up for sharing a goal or two? Word on the street is you’ll feel more accountable if you share your goals with someone else.

And On To A New Year…

2012-01-01T21:18:00.001-05:00

I blinked and it’s a New Year! Can I get an amen to the fact that 2011 flew by faster than any year in the history of the world? Okay, in the history of my almost 39 years. I’m old. But it’s a New year, so today we’re going with new.

There’s a new look to my blog. It is a “look in progress”. I wanted to pay a professional to give my little space makeover, but in a frugal, budgetary moment {read: broke after Christmas}I realized that wasn’t going to happen so I have been playing around on my own, reading tutorials here and there on HTML and mostly feeling a great sense of frustration at my ignorance in all things computer.

More slight changes will be on the way as I manage to figure them out. For now, I hope you enjoy a cleaner space with less visual clutter and larger photos.

In other “New News”, here are a few other things that managed to blow my mind over the holidays:

New sleeping arrangements. My boy Owlie is in a bed. He generously donated his crib to another baby and has become a world class bed jumper. He is still napping and sleeping great, but only because we didn’t remove the pacifier at the same time. And so my baby is a big boy. Next hurdle: toilet usage.

New kid on the block. My boy Big C did two new things over the break: he logged onto facebook for the first time and danced with girls. I am happy to report that he survived both and I think he will do both again frequently.

New food. Jennie Doezie was here for Christmas which meant we ate like kings. I have a serious issue with food. I love it too, too much. I’ve got new recipes to share with you – some healthy and some very, very not.

New goals. Yep, it’s that time of year when I look back, realize I didn’t do half of what I’d set out to and then set new goals to not keep for this year. Actually, I’ve taken a nod from my Photobro who only set ONE goal last year and actually accomplished it. I have three measly goals and I’ll share them tomorrow.

That’s what’s new around here. I’d love to know what’s new with YOU. Hey, do me a favor. If you’re new to my blog, say hi in the comments. If you’re not new, but haven’t spoken up in a while – or ever – help me out. My husband likes to joke that I’m having a one way conversation with myself.

But who are we kidding? Me talking to myself is nothing new.

A Christmas Wish …

2011-12-16T07:52:00.001-05:00

{The “Miracle Family Photo” taken by my brother in under three minutes on Thanksgiving Day.}

I’m spending the next two weeks with my family, away from the distraction of the computer. I look forward to it immensely.

We’re going to have a friend in town {hello, Jennie Doezie!}. We’re going to see the lights at the temple and bake cookies and play games and do puzzles. We’re going to open presents and give to others and snuggle up with cocoa in front of our fireplace with the tree all lit up. We’re going to sing carols and bask in the good cheer and happy feelings of the season. We’re going to celebrate that my dad is still alive after being diagnosed with cancer four years ago. We’re going to see cousins and laugh a lot and have movie nights. We’re going to eat ham and soup and chocolate!

But most importantly, we’re going to read about and then reenact the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Then we’re going to thank God for that glorious occasion that brought a tiny baby to the Earth to save us all.

May you and your family have a very Merry Christmas. I’m excited to reconnect with you in the New Year.

PS. There may be some construction on the blog while I’m away. Be patient with me as I’m not a super technical gal.

An Open Letter to Big C …

2011-12-15T08:07:00.001-05:00

Big C,

Fourteen years ago at this exact time (7:55 am) I was hooked up to machines and IVs waiting to find out if you were a boy or a girl. You took your time and at 6:30 pm finally decided to make your grand appearance on life’s stage.

You blew me away then and you’ve been doing it ever since.

Fourteen years ago I would rub the bottom of your tiny, soft foot while I nursed you. Now your foot is bigger than mine and dad’s and still growing.

Fourteen years ago you fit in the crook of my arm, curled up so snug and warm. Now your gangly teenaged body has to curl up to fit in your full-sized bed.

Fourteen years ago you were as bald as a cue ball. Now your head is covered with a mop of thick blonde curls.

Fourteen years ago I had to look down into your blue eyes to tell you everything was going to be okay. Now you are the one looking down at me saying, “It’s okay, Mom!”

Fourteen years ago I would sing songs to you {poorly} to help you fall asleep. Now you’re singing solos in front of hundreds of people.

Fourteen years ago I put a plush basketball in your crib. Now you’re scoring twenty points in a game.

Fourteen years ago I had hopes and dreams for you to be a wonderful, caring, sensitive, kind boy. And now . . . you are.

Happy Birthday Big C. You amaze me every day.

Love,

Mom

An Inspired Christmas Table …

2011-12-12T22:03:00.001-05:00

There is a Christmas dinner for the women at our church tonight. I was asked if I would decorate one of the tables. That’s like asking a little kid if he wants candy. Uh, YEAH!

I have to admit, I had a few possibilities to choose from. I thank my mother for giving me dish-loving DNA.

As usually happens, my idea for the table came to me as I was lying in bed one night trying to fall asleep. {Aside: What is with that? Why do I always get ideas when I’m flat on my back with my Hubby snoring gently next to me? And then my mind starts racing and I CAN. NOT. SLEEP.}

The idea this time was to veer away from the traditional Christmas reds and greens and focus on something a little more earthy and humble that gave a nod to the stable birth of the Savior.

I’m going to pause here and tell you {in italics even} that NO ONE else who is doing a table is as weird as I am. Nor would they EVER share with you the depth of the lunacy I am about to share. I am strange. I am an over thinker. And I embrace it. I’m pretty sure everyone else is just bringing dishes to put on a table. Not me. I can’t make anything that easy.

My table will include:

a burlap tablecloth which made me think of the homespun fabrics Mary, Joseph and the shepherds might have worn.
simple pottery dishes with soft patterns.
gold snowflake coasters, which reminded me of the star that shone the night He was born.
a cream linen napkin, which represents the swaddling clothes the Savior was wrapped in.
a small nest to honor the animals who gave their home to the small babe of Bethlehem.
two gold “eggs” to represent the Father and the Son.
a “Rejoice” sign for each nest {not finished yet} as a nod to the angels who sung His praises that night.

So, there you have it. I think it’s lovely. And I know the evening will be too. My table may be the odd duck at the party, but it’s inspiring to me.

Thoughts on Being Productive …

2011-12-12T10:43:00.001-05:00

I love when I’m super productive. And I secretly hate it too. Because it means I’m running non-stop. Today is one of those days. Five million things to do. Only twenty-four hours to do them in. Well, sixteen if I want sleep.

This morning I finished stuffing the last of the 105 Christmas cards. I finally had to resort to a sponge to close the envelopes because my mouth was so dry from licking them.

Now I’m off to finish up some last minute birthday shopping for Big C. December birthdays are tough. I wouldn’t wish it on a kid.

Then I’m coming back home to finalize the details for a table I’m setting for a dinner tomorrow night at our church. I’ll share my unconventional Christmas table with you tomorrow. No red whatsoever.

After that I’ve got neighbor gifts to assemble so we can deliver them tonight for Family Home Evening. We’re doing our fresh Christmas simmering potpourri again this year since it was a huge hit last year.

Both Big C and RedDog are looking ultra shaggy in the hair department, so a quick trip to the barber afterschool should fix that.

And Miss Hannie B. is auditioning for the Middle School Musical on Thursday, so we’ve got to download her song both with and without words for practicing purposes.

There’s laundry {of course} and the narrowing down of cookie recipes for the perfect Queen’s Dish contribution on Wednesday.

And I’m really, really, REALLY trying to make it to the gym three times a week in an effort to learn to like to run.

So, I’ve got a lot going on today. I will collapse in my bed at 11:00 tonight and snooze like a baby.

Hope your day’s a productive or totally lazy one.

The Awesomeness That Is Christmas …

2011-12-09T08:30:00.001-05:00

{Me and my Photobro circa late 1970s.}

Happy Friday! As far as old pictures go, I’ve got a good one today and all I can say is Oh man! it’s a goody. There are so many things I love about this picture from my past, I almost can’t list them all. But I’ll try:

The fact that my smile is huge. I tell people I’ve smiled like that since I was a kid and they don’t believe me. But it’s true. I was {and am} a happy girl.
Our felt Christmas stockings, made by my mother. I still have mine in a box downstairs. The angel has lost her head and the tree is missing a few of its sequin ornaments, but it is a treasured item anyway.
The beautiful wrapping on the presents under the tree. Seriously, my mom as always wrapped presents to perfection. Sometimes it seems like a shame to open them.
The fabric on that wing back chair. I really love it. And I’m not even kidding.
Our pajamas. Guess what? They were made by my mom! Guess what else? I still want to be wearing a nightgown like that right now at age 38. Mom, wanna make me one?
That brass thingy on the table. It had angels on the top and when you lit the four candles, the angels would fly around in circles. As a child I was mesmerized and had secret wishes that I could fly just like those angels.
My haircut. Because it reminds me of my niece Beatrix and the haircut she had when we first met.
The ornaments on the Christmas tree. There are drums and little soldiers and bears. They are a great nod to my dad’s time at West Point. They’re all felt and were {you guessed it} handmade by my mom. I still have several of these ornaments and they hang on our children’s tree in the basement.
That kid standing next to me. He looks like his six year old son Samuel. Or his son looks like him. My Photobro and I have stood together for a long time. In my whole life we’ve only been “apart” for eight years – two when he was serving a mission for our church and six years when he lived in New York City and San Diego. And aside from a few rough patches in High School, we’ve always been close friends. He makes me laugh a lot. He also makes me squirm sometimes. I love him so very much. Christmastime is always awesome when he’s a part of it.
I have to giggle at this one – when we were little my Photobro and I used to talk about how awesome it was that both of our names were in the word Christmas. Do you see it? Yeah, we’re silly.

Here we are recently. He’s still too cool. And I’m still grinning like an idiot! {actually, that’s a VERY tame smile for me}

Have a great weekend!

When Angels Attend …

2011-12-08T08:10:00.001-05:00

This little treasure was a rummage sale find. It cost $2.

I’m sure many people passed it up because they thought it was cheesy. I, on the other hand, fell instantly in love with the muted colors and the sweet “Hummelesque” faces on the angels and baby.

I have a sure knowledge that angels were in attendance on the night the Savior was born. Comforting Mary during childbirth. Protecting the baby so He could one day save the world. And whispering in the ears of wisemen, shepherds and even Joseph, that this was no ordinary day, no ordinary child. This was the Son of God.

When angels attend, even the most difficult circumstances are bearable. Like birthing your firstborn in a lowly stable. Or battling cancer. Or struggling with infertility. Or losing a loved one.

I’m so grateful God grants us the help of angels. He will never leave us alone. We are literally in the presences of angels. I have felt them. They are real.

Sparkle, Sparkle …

2011-12-06T21:57:00.001-05:00

There are so many things to love about this time of year: cookies, carols, the fresh scent of evergreen in the air, more time with family. And of course, GLITTER!

Man, I love me some glitter at Christmastime! I’ve got gold glittered ornaments all over my tree. I’ve pretty much raided Target for the $1 glittered snowflakes for the past three years. And this year I’ve got some really nice stars covered in antique German glass glitter. Swoon worthy, for sure.

As I prepared the ho-hum invitation for my recipe group this month I decided it would be made instantly more festive with a glittered edge. Here’s a quick how to:

1. Print and cut your invitations {or use store bought, for crying out loud!}. With a piece of paper underneath to protect your wipeable plastic table cloth, carefully line the edges of the card with good ol’ fashioned Elmer’s school glue.

It doesn’t have to be perfect because it’s going to be covered in glitter. Just try to keep the glue as much to the edge as possible.

2. Empty some of your glitter {I got mine for 40% off from JoAnns} into a pie plate, cake pan, loaf pan, etc. Then, while your glue is still wet, dip all of the card edges into the glitter.

3. Place your invitations, not touching, on a cooling rack to let them dry.

4. Ooh and ahh over how festive the edges look. Sigh. Then exclaim glitter to be your best friend. Next gently place invitations into preaddressed stamped envelopes and send them off in the mail to be received with joy by friends.

There are some people who despise glitter due to its sticky, gets into every crack and crevice nature. But I say Hooray! for glitter. I love seeing it on the floor, in Hannie B.’s hair, and even on my own face after a day spent crafting.

How about you? Where do you fall in the glitter camp?

Twelve Years Ago . . .

2011-12-06T08:14:00.001-05:00

This family Christmas picture was taken twelve years ago when my hormonal teenager/tweenager were just babies. Here are my thoughts on it now :

Hannie B. was a mere month old and Big C was Little C at almost two years.
Yes, we actually sent out a picture in which both of our children were crying. Why would we do that? Because it was an accurate reflection of our life at the time and this was sadly the best of all the photos taken.
Isn’t it nice that the Hubby and I chose to wear matching khaki bottoms? {Give me a break, it was still the 90’s.}
This picture was taken back when we still bought a live Christmas tree. Then we had two trees die before Christmas day and we’ve been fakers ever since.
I miss that fireplace. It was chunky and custom made for the first home we ever built and owned.
I have no wrinkles or gray hair in this picture, which is saying something since the Hubby was getting his MBA at the time and I was alone with the two little kiddos A LOT.
I loved those stockings, but the knit on the inside of them was WEIRD and you couldn’t fit anything inside. Can you say design flaw?
Big C and I have the same head shape. The Hubby and Hannie B. have the same head shape. Still true today.
Even though I had half as many kids as I do now, this time of my life was very full and busy. A different busy than it is now. Two kids in diapers. A husband in school. I think I might have felt overwhelmed. But I look back at it and realize that we were very happy.

I’ve got more “vintage” photos to scan and share. I’ve decided to blog until the week of Christmas and then take off until the New Year to allow some time for celebrating with my family and some much needed blog maintenance.

I hope your holiday prep is in full swing!

The Opinionated Ramblings of a Certified Holiday Cookie Snob . . .

2011-12-05T08:33:00.001-05:00

When I was growing up the time would come each Christmas when my mom {The Queen} would get out her faded and stained Holiday Cookie recipes. She would assemble the ingredients and then days of baking would begin. I would watch her form beautiful poinsettias and Christmas trees from a metal cookie press. I would drool as she poured toffee into pans sprinkled with chopped nuts and dipped peanut butter balls in delicious, shiny melted chocolate. And then I would get my chance to help by rolling ginger snap dough, chocolate crinkles and Russian teacakes in sugar. For me it was truly a magical time to be in the kitchen with my mother.

But it only happened once a year.

Because in our family, Holiday Cookie baking was a special occasion. In other words, the cookies that were made for Christmas were not your run-of-the-mill cookies. Never, in all my years, did I see my mother put a chocolate chip cookie on a Christmas plate for neighbors. Never once did a Snickerdoodle or peanut butter cookie get passed off as a cookie worthy of the Christmas season. Because those were the types of cookies we had all year long. And this was Christmas!

So it came to be that I am a certified a cookie snob. Don’t get me wrong. I love all cookies {except raisin filled}. Don’t believe me? Check this, this, this or this out. But when it comes to Christmastime, I am very selective about what I make.

Though I make many of the Christmas cookies I grew up with {hello gingersnaps!} each year, I am always on the lookout for a worthy new cookie. Here are the standards by which I judge a new cookie contender:

Does it look/sound/smell DELICIOUS?
Is it “Christmasy” in appearance or ingredients?
Is it the kind of cookie I put in my kids’ lunchbox all year long? {if so, it’s not a Christmas cookie}
Can I see myself nibbling on it with a mug of hot cocoa in hand while sitting in front of the tree, listening to Bing Crosby singing White Christmas?

Using these standards, I have scoured the blogosphere and Pinterest in search of a new cookie to try this year. And I found a winner here. Of course, I had to dip the cookie to take it to the next level.

Welcome to the club Pistachio Cranberry dipped in White Chocolate. You are delicious. And I love you.

Pistachio Cranberry Cookies {White Chocolate Dipped}

1 pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix

1 box (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1 cup dry roasted salted pistachio nuts, chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl stir cookie mix, pudding, and flour. Add melted butter and eggs and stir until incorporated.

Add pistachios and cranberries and mix well.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. The only way you can ruin these cookies is to overbake them! If you bake them too long you will lose the soft texture and they won't be as green. They will not look done but take them out and let them sit on the pan for about 2 minutes. Trust me.

Cool on a wire rack. Dip half of cookie in melted white chocolate. I used a double boiler on top of the stove to keep my chocolate melted to a nice consistency. Set on drying rack to let excess chocolate drip off. Sprinkle with white nonpariels and place on cookie sheet in refrigerator to set.

Christmas Past . . .

2011-12-01T08:46:00.001-05:00

The Hubby and I received a book as a wedding gift called “The Family Christmas Book”. In it are blank pages with spots for family photos, Christmas cards and newsletters. There are lines for writing about Christmas plans, visiting guests and special Christmas traditions. I love going through it each year, reminiscing on years past.

My favorite part is looking at our old pictures and marveling at how the children have grown.

This is the picture from our first Christmas in Virginia. RedDog is five months old. His sweater was the inspiration for the entire photo. Hannie B. had just turned four and would still let me put obnoxiously large bows in her hair and Big C., with his white hair, was about to turn six.

Now some of my kids are gigantic, hormonally imbalanced and taller than me.

I think I’ll post a few more of our family pictures in the coming weeks. I’m feeling nostalgic like that.

Here’s one last shot from the same day. The sweater, the two teeth, those blue eyes, and that RED hair. Swoon.

While Basking In The Light Of The Tree . . .

2011-11-30T08:27:00.001-05:00

for the past few nights, the Random Thought Monster has attacked my brain. Here’s what he {it’s always a he} has left me with:

This is the first year we’ve put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving and we are loving it. I think it will be our new tradition.
How can I break the boy baby of his pacifier AND put him in a big boy bed at the same time without either ruining bedtime altogether or simply killing him with the double whammy?
I believe I could live on soup and soup alone forever. Is there a diet for that? Because I was at the doctor’s yesterday and the scale told me point blank that it was time to get my act together or have no pants that button.
We are no longer exchanging sibling gifts for Christmas in the Hubby’s family. I am sad. I am also relieved.
Two kids in braces is going to be fun. Except for the part where it’s torture plus bad breath plus food stuck in teeth. But otherwise, fun.
The hardest person to shop for at Christmas time is my dad. Last year I pulled off a two thumbs up, although upon opening the gift, he had loads of doubt. This year, I’m the one with doubt.
The easiest person to shop for at Christmas time is RedDog. Because he makes lists that say things like “a pound of Toblerone” and “a bathrobe”. Don’t you think he’ll look dashing sitting around in his bathrobe eating Toblerone?
I love baking during the holidays. I also love eating what I bake during the holidays. Help.
We took family pictures on Thanksgiving day with my Photobro. He got the perfect shot in under two minutes. It was a holiday miracle.
We still have pumpkins from Halloween on our porch that we never carved. They are sitting next to twinkle lights. We have a severe case of décor overlap going on.
I am growing my hair out which means I look like a wet dog 99% of the time. The other 1% of the time I look like a shaggy dog.
The solution to the SourMilkStinkyVan Debacle of 2011? Hubby took a utility knife and cut the dreadful carpet and pad out of the van. We’ve ordered a hard rubber tray for the van. In essence, the $3.00 gallon of milk ended up costing us $100.
Wanna know a gross word? Moist. Unless it applies to cake, then it’s an awesome word.

And that, dear readers, is what’s going on in my brain right now. Crazy, I know.

A Secret Weapon…

2011-11-29T06:32:00.001-05:00

Last night we said goodbye to some amazing friends. We fed them dinner and laughed and reminisced. Now they are headed to Michigan where they will bless the lives of other lucky people.

I was excited to fix a homemade meal for them since they’ve been living like gypsies for the past few weeks. I pulled out all the stops. A family favorite pasta dish. A gourmet salad. Piping hot bread. A bowl of sweet mixed berries. Texas sheet cake {have mercy}. And I even put on a fancy white lace tablecloth fully knowing that there would be eight children spreading their filth all over it.

You might think that’s crazy, but this tablecloth is my secret weapon.

It’s dainty and ladylike.

It has such a beautiful, delicate pattern.

It fits my ugly kitchen table when both leaves are in it.

It takes a normal dinner affair from chaos to classy.

And, it is totally, one hundred percent made of plastic.

Yep, I just said plastic.

I got this tablecloth ten years ago at Kmart. It’s from the Martha Stewart line. Do they even have that anymore? I don’t know. But I do know that bright red spaghetti stains have been scrubbed off of this tablecloth with Clorox Clean-up and it is still just as white as they day I bought it.

My kids can eat on this tablecloth, spill whatever and I don’t care. The great thing is that it really doesn’t look or feel like plastic. It drapes nicely on the sides and is thin unlike many plastic tablecloths. I fool everyone with it.

Now you know my secret. Do you have a secret weapon for when dinner guests come over?

Thoughts On Collections . . .

2011-11-27T21:17:00.001-05:00

While on our vacation, the Hubby and I made it our goal to collect sea shells from the ocean floor to bring home to our children who’ve really only ever been able to purchase a shell from a souvenir shop. I lined them all up after cleaning them this weekend and thought the collection looked lovely sitting in the sun on the kitchen counter.

The thrill of the hunt was exhilarating. I honestly could have spent all day rocking in the waves,face down, mask and snorkel on, looking for something unusual to take home to the kids.

We found many small pieces of broken coral. The kids call them brains. We also found teeny tiny shells, which I had to bring home to feed the “tiny things obsession” we have going on here.

My favorites {aside from the heart shaped coral piece I kept for myself} are these two pink lovelies. They were broken, but still beautiful and so smooth. They went straight to Hannie B’s room.

We also gathered enough of these finger-like coral pieces to put in a small bowl for display. All of the coral that we brought home was already broken off and lying on the shoreline.

I find that I’m a bit crazy about collecting things. I have so many things I love. How about you? Do you collect things from vacations?

Ps. I will cease talking about my vacation now. It’s on to Christmas, which is hard to believe since it was almost 70 degrees here this weekend!

Gratitude Week 2011: Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:33:00.001-05:00

When we were in St. John I had what I would call a mild panic attack while snorkeling. My legs and lungs burned from swimming so far and I felt helpless like I might sink to the bottom of the ocean abyss below me. I wasn’t thinking straight. Then he took my hand. This man here, who loves me despite my many flaws. As soon as we were side by side, a calming peace came over me and I knew that everything would be alright. I did not have another panic attack the rest of our trip.

I am so grateful to have a partner in life, in marriage, in parenting. This man loves me so completely and I still haven’t figured out how to deserve it. As long as he is by my side, it will be alright.

Grateful doesn’t even cover it.

Gratitude Week 2011: Beary Thankful …

2011-11-22T21:39:00.001-05:00

Ignore {for a second} the fact that this two and a half year old is still clinging to his pacifier like it’s a buoy in the open seas. Look at that hat. Is it not the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?

Well, he hates it.

But you’d better believe I’m bribing him in all sorts of ways to wear it.

Want a jellybean? Put on your hat and I’ll give you one!

Want to scare Daddy? Be a bear with your hat on!

Want your pacifier outside of your bed? Let me take a picture of you in your hat!

He’s such a mug. I just want to eat him in this hat. I do eat his neck every single morning just to hear him gut laughing while saying “Stop Mommy!”

All this to say that I am very grateful to have this little buddy in my life. I would feel very lonely without him. He keeps me grounded and makes me think outside of myself. He also keeps me on my toes with his busyness and his energy.

Lately his big thing is singing. He does it all day long. He knows words, he knows tunes, he knows titles. He asks me to sing them to him and then halfway through immediately tells me to stop so he can sing. Current faves: Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star and Wheels on the Bus. Man, it’s awesome.

What a sweet little bear my Owl is.

Gratitude Week 2011: Every Day?

2011-11-22T08:41:00.002-05:00

Last night we had a Family Home Evening on gratitude. Specifically we talked about why we were grateful for each other. I tortured my teenager and preteen by making them write down why they were grateful for their family members.

Each of us now has a sheet of paper on our bedroom door to remind us why the other people we live with are grateful for us. In case you’re wondering, my family is grateful for me because “she keeps everybody on task”, “is the perfect roll {yes, roll} model”, “she has good snuggles” and “she is a great kisser”.

When I got in bed I thought it would be wise to see what the scriptures have to say about gratitude so I could further encourage the idea to my children. I quickly found myself racing from verse to verse, happily caught up in a chain of thoughts and words on the subject. At one point I drew up from my pillow, let out a tiny gasp and and read the words God had meant FOR ME to have and understand right now:

“That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.”

Alma 34:38, The Book of Mormon

The last line of that verse hit me like a ton of bricks. I was immediately embarrassed by my sad whining yesterday about being too busy to show gratitude for an entire month, instead settling for a mere week. Though we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving once day a year, the blessings and mercies of God are ours EVERY SINGLE DAY. Every day can be a day of thanksgiving and gratitude if we let it.

And so as I teach my children about gratitude, I realize that I am still learning how to be grateful myself. Every day.

Gratitude Week 2011…

2011-11-21T08:22:00.002-05:00

It’s Gratitude Week at our house. As much as I’d love for November to be Gratitude Month at our house, it’s been way too busy, so a mere week of focused gratitude is what we can handle. Just keeping it real, people.

Mostly, I’ve been concentrating on this thought by Elder Robert D. Hales:

“In some quiet way, the expression and feelings of gratitude have a wonderful cleansing or healing nature. Gratitude brings warmth to the giver and the receiver alike.”

“Gratitude, expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have, brings a calming peace, a peace which allows us to not canker our souls for what we don’t have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of adversity and failure. Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future.”

Today I am thinking solely about the many blessings that ARE mine, instead of those things I wish were mine but aren’t.

As random as this may seem, I am blessed to have a great pediatrician. I have two boys who are sick today and will be paying her a visit. How fortunate I am to be able to drive five minutes down the road to see a doctor who can help the hacking coughs to stop so we can all get sleep again.

And even though sick kids make me sad, I am grateful when I get to have them home even for a little extra time in the morning. I am a lucky momma. Now I’m off to juice my boys up with some fresh oranges before our doctor visit! Happy Monday!

Friday Recommendations…

2011-11-18T15:09:00.001-05:00

{View from the plane en route to St. John}

I don’t recommend popcorn at 9:30 in the morning. I do, however, recommend seeing a movie with a friend you’ve known most of your life at any time of the day.

I don’t recommend giving a toddler a bite of a decadent brownie right before his naptime. I do recommend keeping the rest of said decadent brownie for one’s self.

I don’t recommend Prednisone. Wait, I do recommend it if you’ve had a horrendous allergic reaction to something. And if you want to get a lot done because you can’t sleep at night.

I don’t recommend spilling milk in the back of any car. I do recommend carpet replacement as the only solution to fixing it.

That’s all I’ve got today.

Wacky, Wonderful Girl . . .

2011-11-17T01:10:00.001-05:00

Crazy Hair Day lives on in the Middle School! I wouldn’t know that from the past two years Big C has been there. He’s never mentioned it. But Hannie B. is all about the Crazy Hair and she dressed up for every day of Spirit Week. We wacked her hair out with tulle and butterflies and some teasing.

My girl is growing up. She is responsible, dependable, and enjoyable to have around. She is a helpful, organized, and really, really creative young lady. She is kind and caring and thinks about others. I enjoy her so much. She makes me laugh my head off.

She’s changing so much. And just around the corner are the dreaded braces.

Her birthday list this year was hilarious and wacky. Just like her hair! More about that tomorrow.

The Mathematician/Scientist In Me…

2011-11-15T20:28:00.001-05:00

I’m contemplating a trip back to school to get an additional degree in math or science. Because I keep coming up with these equations and formulas that are going to revolutionize the world.

Here’s my latest:

The more relaxing the vacation = the more horrendous the reentry.

Stated another way:

The amount of fun had while away is always < the amount of trouble that awaits upon arriving home.

Let me illustrate.

Last Tuesday I was floating on my back in the warm turquoise waters of the ocean off the coast of a Caribbean island. {Side note: I have just learned that I am an adept floater. I can do it for hours with very little effort. I’m just buoyant like that.} I had not a care in the world.

While I was happily floating in my little beachy dreamland, an occurrence so horrendous was taking place back at home that the aftershocks will be with us for some time.

Fast forward to Monday morning, a mere seven hours after our very late-night arrival back home.

The three biggies are off to school. Owlie and I have spent a relaxing morning reading and sorting through the mail, playing together and snuggling while discussing how much we missed each other. I feel confident that this reentry is going to go off without a hitch.

I head out to get something from the van. Upon stepping into the garage I am assaulted with an odor that is highly questionable. I look around for a misplaced potato or a half-eaten piece of rotten fruit but see nothing. I silently wonder which of my children has hidden the reeking evidence and vow to make them clean it up.

I open the van door and am immediately hit in the face with a stench so powerful it to knocks me backwards and almost makes me lose my breakfast on the garage floor. My first thought is that an animal has crawled into the van and died.

Covering my nose with my pajama top, I open both garage doors and all the van doors, saving the rear for last. It is there that I discover what karma has done for me while I vacationed in the Caribbean.

A half gallon of milk spilled in the back on my way home from my run to Costco the day before I left. It sat there soaking in the carpet of the van, which sat locked up in my garage FOR AN ENTIRE AND UNSEASONABLY WARM WEEK. When I found it, it was curdled, thick, yellow and putrid. And it has decided to stay with our family for a very long time.

I spent the rest of Monday morning at a VERY expensive car wash having my carpet steam cleaned. It helped. But only a little. The curdled part is gone. The stench remains.

Owlie gagged the entire way to the car wash despite the fact that all the windows were down and I was armed with a bottle of Febreeze which I sprayed approximately every two minutes. I thought, “Oh well, if he pukes, we’ll just have them clean that up too.”

Now every time we get in the car Owlie emphatically states: “P.U. Momma! It stinky in here.” And he’s right. It smells like Windex, Febreeze and sour milk.

I’m looking for any and all good suggestions for cleaning up this mess. Let me know readers, what would you do?

You know when you’ve got a carton of sour milk in the fridge and you smell it even though you know it’s sour? And then you smell it again just to make sure? Yeah, I get to do that every single day.

Vacation is over for sure.

It Was Awesomeness Defined…

2011-11-15T08:23:00.001-05:00

{Self portrait. Beach at sunset on last night in St. John}

I’m back from paradise. It was awesome.

Our vacation was unreal. So beautiful that multiple locations and experiences took my breath away EVERY. SINGLE DAY. So calm that moments of quiet relaxation and contemplation were the norm instead of the impossible like in my normal life. So enjoyable that I laughed so hard I cried and my sides and face ached from smiling too much. So wonderful because I got to be with my best friend 24 hours a day and experience a new place with him. He is awesome.

I could say more, but it wouldn’t do it justice and it would make you resent me. If you ever get the chance, I very HIGHLY recommend St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Our trip would not have been possible without my mom, who watched our four children for an entire week and survived. Queen, you rock. Even if you spoiled my kids with delicious breakfasts and now they don’t want to eat cold cereal. I know you did a great job because Owlie keeps calling me Grandma or telling me he needs to talk to you on the phone “right now”.

Now it’s back to reality. Gladly, reality means my kids. I missed them so much it hurt. I was so thankful to be able to talk to them on the phone and see pictures of them in text messages. I love being a mom and doing my mom job. My kids are awesome to me.

Good thing there’s so much awesomeness going on here, or my first day back might have done me in for good. More on that tomorrow . . . you’ll want to be here. It ranks a perfect TEN on the disgusting scale.

Auspicious Much?

2011-11-11T06:21:00.001-05:00

Today is 11-11-11. A very auspicious day in many cultures. I've got a feeling it's going to be an amazing day here in St. John.

May your day be filled with luck, gladness and joy.

Thoughts On Rain(bows)...

2011-11-10T07:08:00.001-05:00

Yesterday it poured rain. Not ideal weather for a tropical vacay. We chilled at the house for a bit chatting politics in our PJs, watching lightning and munching on breakfast.

Eventually we decided that the rain wasn't going to stop and it wasn't going to stop us.

We ventured to two beaches, both practically deserted. We watched pelicans dive bombing for fish. We swam in the ocean which was warmer than the rain.

The rain never really stopped and we went right on having a grand old time despite the stormy weather.

When we finally got home the sun decided to make a brief appearance and gift us with THE PERFECT RAINBOW.

I stood in the outdoor shower staring at the rainbow thinking about life and the gray skies that come our way. We can choose to let the gray skies determine our course or we can find joy despite the gray. In the end I hope you have a rainbow.

Outside my comfort zone...

2011-11-09T06:43:00.001-05:00

Thanks goes to my Photobro who thought to bring his iPad on this trip.

I have definitely done something outside my comfort zone on this trip. Yesterday we snorkeled in Waterlemon Bay. It was quite the swim for my weak body to reach that little island you see all the way out there. Snorkeling freaks me out just a little - confined mask, sound of my own breath in my ears, the floor of the ocean a mere forty feet down, but the payoff was remarkable. It was a lot like Finding Nemo- so many colored fish and types of coral. The Hubby even swam with a sea turtle!

So here's to trying new and difficult things...in paradise!

Wet (but very happy) Rat ...

2011-11-08T06:23:00.001-05:00

There will be no good hair in the Caribbean, but that's okay because there are white sandy beaches and sweet snorkeling, plus I'm with some of my most favorite people. Who needs good hair?

Ps. Do you see my Photobro hiding in this picture?

Unbelievable...

2011-11-07T11:25:00.001-05:00

This is the view from our house as seen through the lens of my brother's Little Camera. To say it took my breath away would be an understatement.

Every Five Years . . .

2011-11-03T20:52:00.001-04:00

my Hubby and I go on a little getaway without our children. It is a time to relax our minds, bodies and spirits, to enjoy one another’s company without interruption and to see the world.

We only take this kind of trip every five years for several reasons. First, that’s about all we can afford. Second, we feel a large amount of guilt in asking our parents to care for our four children so that we can vacation, and third, because life is busy and there rarely seems to be a time when we can just pack up and walk away from it all.

But this weekend we are doing just that.

We are jetting off to the Caribbean with my Photobro and fab sister-in-law for a week of sand, sun, snorkeling and sights. I am giddy with excitement. I am ready to read good books, stay up late playing games, eat delicious food and take in an entirely new-to-me place.

Most of all, I am excited to be with my sweet Hubby who is the best person to be with on ANY vacation {okay, maybe not if it was to tour all of the houses from the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, but you get my drift}.

I am not taking my computer with me on this trip. I may have access to an iPhone to post a photo or two. Then again, I may not. But I will be documenting my trip and hope to share some details when I return a completely relaxed and replenished version of my current self.

I can say without hesitation that the five year couples-only vacation plan is one of the best traditions the Hubby and I have.

I Think Cupcakes Are Evil …

2011-11-02T22:13:00.001-04:00

Because they are taking over my life and making my thighs uncomfortably close to one another.

I’m currently in possession of some undeniably delicious cupcake recipes. I want to make a new one every week, but that would be wrong, wouldn’t it? I’ve got a Nutella cupcake up my sleeve. A snicker doodle cupcake waiting in the wings. And I’m ashamed to admit I might even have to make a Dr. Pepper cupcake I found on that oh-so-addictive creative play place called Pinterest.

Luckily it was Hannie B.’s birthday this week, so I actually had a bonafied reason to make cupcakes. Darn.

We settled on S’mores cupcakes – a recipe from the always WOWing my mind Jennie Doezie. The frosting alone made these cupcakes unreal. I’d eat a whole vat of it with a spoon if I could {read: without gaining ten thousand pounds}.

It’s Fall. The weather is cool, crisp and perfect for roasting some marshmallows over a fire to squeeze between a pair of graham crackers with a square of chocolate. Or . . . you could just make these cupcakes and call it good. Very good.

Enjoy!

S’mores Cupcakes

Begin by making a basic chocolate cupcake. You could go with a box mix, but I used Martha Stewarts One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes and it the recipe was so good I may never use a box mix for chocolate cupcakes again.

Frosting:

2 sticks butter, room temperature

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

16 oz. tub marshmallow cream (I used Fluff)

Cream butter on high in mixer until light and fluffy. Add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating after each addition until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla until incorporated. Add marshmallow and mix until creamy. Transfer to pastry bag and pipe onto cupcakes. This is a good stiff frosting, perfect for piping.

Dust tops of cupcakes with graham cracker crumbs and top with a square of Hershey’s chocolate (classic S’mores).

Reality Check: The Tornado

2011-11-02T09:22:00.001-04:00

This is where we’re at.

My absolute favorite stage of toddlerhood. The stage where destruction is the go to mode of operation. Owlie {aka: The Tornado} has a mission every day and this is it: to remove every item from every drawer, every cushion and pillow from every chair/couch, every remote for every gadget, every toy from every basket, play with it for approximately 2.5 to 3.5 minutes and then walk away. No looking back and definitely no putting back.

It rocks.

And when I say it rocks, what I really mean is that I’ve given up an remote hope of having a house that resembles anything near clean. Because if I clean it up, The Tornado believes he must do it all again.

Sigh. If he wasn’t so cute, I might be on the edge over here.

Halloween Recap . . .

2011-10-31T22:58:00.001-04:00

He was a great Harry Potter with Ron Weasley colored hair.

He played the sympathy card at the town parade by saying, “Candy for a boy who’s lost his parents?”

He felt like the king for the night because he and his Dad Trick–or–Treated a much larger territory than last year while his older siblings sat at home.

He sorted all his candy by type and put all the Tootsie Rolls back in our ‘to hand out’ basket because it’s “like fake chocolate”. I’ve taught him well.

He was a dino like his brothers before him because the costume is warm and darn cute too!

He spent the night singing the following song to a tune he made up: “I a Dino! I a Dino!”

He stared with eyes wide as every single fire engine and emergency vehicle passed by in the parade with lights flashing.

He Trick-or-Treated eight houses on our street, finally catching on after the third house that the game was about candy. At that point he started saying “Nother house?”

He came home and delighted over “chocwit” and “canny”. Then he cried when it was time to go to bed.

The end.

Recently Thrifted: Milk Glass

2011-10-30T21:30:00.001-04:00

I wish I had great Halloween photos to share with you. We have a family costume. But we have no pictures of it since our big Halloween party was cancelled this weekend due to SNOW. Yes, SNOW. Maybe tomorrow I’ll do a post-Halloween post. I don’t have a lot of Halloween mojo this year for some reason. Hmmm…

Instead I’ll share a little goody I found reversed scallop milk glass bowls. They were 50 cents a piece and are the perfect size for a bowl of cereal or ice cream {take your pick}. I love the reverse scallop detail around the lip of the bowl. Such a simple detail makes me smile.

This morning my kids enjoyed a bowl of Count Chocula and Boo Berry cereal in these bowls. I only bought it because it was on clearance at Target. You’d think they won lottery. Sheesh! What’s wrong with Honey Nut Cheerios and Shredded Wheat?

If you think I’m a cereal Nazi, just wait till the smack goes down on the Halloween candy. I am the meanest mom on the planet. And I reign supreme.

Happy Halloween!

Little Superman . . .

2011-10-27T17:53:00.001-04:00

This freckled fella may not have x-ray vision, but he sure can see right into my heart.

A few weeks ago an eye doctor visit revealed that RedDog wasn’t seeing so well. A mild prescription was drawn up and glasses were ordered.

My boy really, really, REALLY wanted the glasses that looked like Harry Potter’s. I had to gently steer him in a different direction so that his glasses would grow with him as he possibly outgrew his love of the lightning scarred boy wonder.

Waiting for the glasses to arrive was painful. Every day he’d wake up and ask me “Are they coming today?” Every day he’d run off the bus and ask me “Did they come today?” This went on for two weeks.

When they did finally come, I just laid them on the counter amidst the paperwork and calendars and said nothing for the first half hour after school. Then I nonchalantly mentioned that there was something on the counter for him.

He was so excited to have his new glasses! He went next door to show the neighbors. He slept with them on his bedside table. He polished them up and gently placed them in their case to take to school. He’s been pretty much smitten with them ever since. I feel pretty confident in saying that never before has a boy loved his glasses as much as my RedDog.

I think he looks super cute in them. Like a mini-Clark Kent. I suggested he be Clark Kent for Halloween and wear a dress shirt over a Superman t-shirt. He chose to be Harry Potter instead. So, in the end, he got himself the glasses he wanted, albeit from Party City at $4.99. Sneaky kid.

Reality Check: Cupcake v. Life . . .

2011-10-26T21:36:00.001-04:00

Recently I shot a picture of a delicious pumpkin cupcake. It was a glorious photo with shiny frosting, perfectly placed toffee crumbles and just the right amount of focus versus blur. I wanted to lick my computer screen.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I thought I’d share what the rest of the kitchen was doing while this photo was being taken:

Do you see the lone cupcake sitting by the natural light of the window amidst all the dirty dishes, baking supplies and dishrags strewn about. Yep. That’s how I roll.

In order to get the great shot I had to move all of my random utensils (blocking the light) then take the dirty dishes which I hadn’t done out of the sink (kept sneaking into the shot) and wipe up the crumbs of the cupcake I’d eaten and the frosting I’d spilled so the counter would look clean in the photo.

Man, it’s a lot of work making a cupcake look good. Never mind what it takes to have a clean kitchen.

This photo shoot is an analogy for my house. When people come to the door they see the first two rooms – our piano room and dining room, sparkling clean, dusted, every item in its proper place looking so lovely. These rooms are the cupcake alone in the photo.

But if they were to step into the back rooms {kitchen, family room} or go upstairs {bedrooms} or heaven forbid, head downstairs {playroom, craftroom and teenager room} they would see that my house is quite lived in and very untidy much of the time, not unlike my kitchen during the cupcake photo.

The cupcakes were delicious. So is my life. But the reality is that a lot of life is messy, gooey, crumbly and so, so yummy. And I’m totally okay with that.

An Eastern Autumn…

2011-10-25T21:13:00.001-04:00

This was the view out my back door three mornings ago: sun rising slightly above our roofline, illuminating the leaves on the trees that have suddenly gone from green to golden overnight. It took my breath away and I had to grab my camera while still in my PJs. Autumn is here and in the East it is stunning.

A few things I am adoring about an Eastern Autumn:

Soup. We’ve had it three times in the last week and will be having a ham and bean soup and chili before this week is over. Soup is at the top of my favorite food genre list right now.
Long sleeves and layers. I like feeling cool enough to need to be cozy. A shirt and a cardi for me please. Not sweaty. Not freezing. Just right.
Flannel sheets. I’m always happy to put them on for the first time in Fall and always sad when it’s time to put them away in the Spring. It’s like getting a hug from my bed.
Baking. Yep, I’m baking again. I’ve decided I don’t bake in the summer because it’s too hot. Now I’ve got cupcakes, cookies, breads and more on the mind. Sadly, it means I will also have them on the thighs.
Boots. Hooray for boot weather! I’ve already worn my Wellies twice and my leather boots are standing at attention in the closet as if to say, “Pick me! Pick me!” No worry friends, you will be worn and worn much.
Being outside with Ollie. He’s really turned into a sponge just soaking in all the changes in the environment. I love seeing Fall through his eyes.
Snuggling my Hubby. Don’t need to say any more about that. It just rocks.

How about you? What are you loving about Autumn?

You’ve Probably Seen This Before . . .

2011-10-24T22:28:00.001-04:00

But Vaseline Head is always fun to see again. Especially if it’s Vaseline Head on someone else’s kid!

Our Owlie took a different approach than his siblings did in their toddlerhood. They all sought out the vat of Vaseline from a bathroom cupboard. Not Owlie, he snuck off with a small tube of lip balm from the recesses of my purse and proceeded to squirt it, in its entirety, onto his hands to put on his cheeks and in his hair.

Only when the entire tube was gone did he come find me to say, “Look momma, I wips!” (Translation: I put on “lips”.)

His cheeks are now very, very soft.

And his hair, well, it’s very fashion forward. If you go for the Bozo the Clown look.

Man, I love this kid. Why does he have to grow up?

Discovering Talent . . .

2011-10-24T08:23:00.001-04:00

Okay, I can’t stand not writing. So I’m digging deep in the archives and using pictures from six months ago. Hopefully the computer problems will get fixed this week.

On Friday Big C participated in an optional Five Mile Run at his Middle School. He came home and told me he felt like he did pretty good, even though he felt like throwing up when it was over. But he did not throw up, although three girls did and another passed out. This is the kind of information that makes Middle School interesting.

When I questioned him further about his run, he mentioned that he might have actually come in first. I assumed he meant first in his PE class, but in fact he meant first out of the ninety Eighth Graders who did the run! And he did it in 30 minutes! What the what?

I can’t get over the shock of it! See, I loathe running more than just about any form of exercise. I am simply awful at it. I will avoid it at all cost. And I’ve always thought Big C was a bit mediocre at running since Hannie B. can beat him in a foot race nine times out of ten. It turns out that sprinting is not his forte, but distance running is quite ideal for him.

Here’s the thing: I’ve been thinking about this all weekend, almost with a sense of guilt. Am I, as a mother, doing all that I can to help my children find their talents? Am I fostering an environment where they can understand what they are good at and develop those things? I had no idea that Big C. had a runner inside of him. What other hidden gifts are inside my children, waiting to be discovered?

I’ve always believed that one way we help our children to have positive self esteem is to help them find one thing they are exceptional at and then to help them develop that talent.

Seeing the excitement and joy Big C. had after finishing the run in top form was a great reminder to me that I need to continue to help my children discover and improve their talents.

How about you? How are you fostering your children’s talents?

Zippo. Nada. Nothing.

2011-10-20T08:26:00.001-04:00

I am at a standstill. I’ve reached an impasse. I am stuck. Up a creek without a paddle. In a jam. Between a rock and a hard place. Do you get my drift?

I’ve got 250 photos just sitting on my camera. I want to write about them. But I can’t until I get my computer fixed. Or my camera fixed. Or my brain fixed to be able to understand technology better.

It is, in a word, frustrating.

So I’m on hiatus. Will spend time blogging in my brain with the hope that it translates to the screen sometime very soon. In the mean time, could someone send me an IT guy as mine is in Vegas?

Thanks.

Need to Laugh?

2011-10-19T07:43:00.001-04:00

When I need to laugh (like I do today because my computer is STILL having serious issues and I cannot download ANY photos from my camera) I just look at these pictures of Owlie with my Dad.

In the first photo, I made the mistake of saying “Smile!” My dad did as he was told. Owlie boy? He thinks he’s smiling. But really he’s just squinting.

The second picture is what happens when I tell Owlie to look at his papa. That look just tickles my funny bone all over. You can’t tell it by the photo, but he adores his Papa so much. He begs to go see his grandies all the time. Yesterday morning {very early} in the middle of scripture study he declared that we “Call Gamma on da pone.”

I’m so lucky to have my parents close by. They are so helpful with my children, often babysitting or going to a game so I can put the littles to bed on time. Thanks Queen and Kernal. You rock, despite what the look on his face says! We sure love you.

I Can’t Fbeel My Fbace . . .

2011-10-18T08:38:00.001-04:00

I was at the dentist at 7:00 AM. Now I am numb from my eye down to my chin on the right side. I had to ask the dentist to tell me if my nose was running since I couldn’t feel it. And then there’s the question of what to do with one’s tongue. It just flops around in there like a fish out of water getting in the way of drills and suctions and entire hands in the mouth.

Sitting in the dentist’s chair totally ranks up there on my list of awkward situations. How do you feel about the dentist?

Here, I watched this when I got home and almost peed my pants laughing, still after all these years. This man knows the dentist.

Honoring A Hero . . .

2011-10-16T21:13:00.001-04:00

Recently I was fortunate enough to attend the funeral of a high school friend’s father. While normally I wouldn’t post pictures from a funeral, the beauty and splendor of a military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery with full honors is worth sharing.

General John Shalikashvili was an inherently inspiring man. A Polish immigrant who rose to the top ranks of our counrty’s military, he was known as fierce patriot, genuine leader, devoted friend, husband and father. I could write an entire post just about General Shali. Instead, I’ll share a few photos from a day spent paying tribute to him.

Every branch of the military was represented at General Shali’s funeral with soldiers in full dress uniforms, brass shining, shoulders squared, each march in step. Full marching band, cannon and rifle salutes, former presidents and dignitaries speaking in tribute. No detail was missed.The caisson carried his flag draped casket followed by a single riderless horse with boots reversed in the stirrups.

This particular honor is reserved for an officer above the rank of Colonel and represents a fallen leader looking back on his troops for the last time. It certainly makes an impression.

The officer at the head of the combined Honor Guard for the General Shali’s funeral just happened to be a very close friend of my family’s. Job well done Michael.

One of the most somber {and yet my favorite} parts of a military funeral is when the flag draping the casket is carefully folded and presented to the family of the fallen soldier with the ‘thanks of a grateful nation’.

To Mrs. Shalikashvili and my friend Brant, I also say thank you. Their dad and husband was a man to be admired. His funeral was a moving and fitting tribute to his life and work. Godspeed General Shali.

{I’m sure if I have any of my information incorrect my dad will set me straight.}

If Ever I Loved A Cupcake . . .

2011-10-13T23:05:00.001-04:00

I might have a little Autumn affair with this one because it is crazy good. The recipe is Barefoot Contessa and it came to me by way of my cooking genius friend, Jennie Doezie, who has yet to give me a dud recipe.

How about a little Pumpkin Cupcake w/ Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and crushed Heath bar sprinkled on top? What? What’s that? I’m sorry, you have a little drool - just there on your chin.

Before I give you the recipe, I have to ask: Are you an over-froster? When I frost cupcakes, I like a little of the cake to be showing around the edges. I don’t want so much frosting that it overpowers the cake. I want the two to be in perfect harmony, so I dollop on the frosting but never all the way to the edges. Am I weird? I don’t really care.

There is so much that is good about this cupcake for Fall. It’s a perfect excuse for using pumpkin – I’ve decided it’s the hip sibling of pumpkin bread and bars. The colors are so Fall too – every shade of brown. And it’s got spices that speak of Fall to me – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger. Yahoo!

Here’s the recipe. You really should make it. And then thank me later.

Barefoot Contessa’s Pumpkin Cupcakes W/ Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 12 cupcakes

1 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 extra large eggs at room temperature

1 C canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1/2 C granulated sugar

1/2 C light brown sugar

1/2 C vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350. Spray the top of a 12 muffin pan w/ vegetable oil then line them w/ paper liners.

In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and all spices. In a larger bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, two sugars and vegetable oil. Add flour mixture and stir until combined.

Divide batter among prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Spread maple frosting on cupakes and sprinkle with chopped toffee bits.

Maple Frosting

6 oz cream cheese at room temperature {I used 1/3 less fat and it was still delicious}

3 T butter at room temperature

1/2 tsp maple flavoring

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 C sifted confectioners sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and cream cheese on low until smooth. Stir in maple flavoring and vanilla. With mixer still on low, slowly add the confectioner’s sugar and mix until smooth.

{I made a double batch of the cupcakes and this made enough frosting to frost them all in my sparse style with some frosting left over.}

Chalkboard on a Budget: A Tutorial . . .

2011-10-12T23:19:00.001-04:00

It was this picture on Miss Mustard Seed’s blog that started my obsession with having a gilded chalkboard in the house. I already had some of the elements to pull it together. Here’s what I did to finish the job:

First, I hit the home depot for quart of chalkboard paint. They had some premixed in black or green. I went with black because I knew that after conditioning it, it would be a nice worn grey color.

I also picked up a thin sheet of MDF. It cost me a whoppping $5 and they were willing to cut it to size for me. I used a small foam roller for ‘extremely smooth surfaces’ to roll the paint onto the MDF and let it dry before doing one more coat.

Next I headed over to The Queen’s house to use her framer’s gun to permanently affix the MDF to an empty frame I happened to already have in the house.

The framer’s gun is a cool little tool that shoot’s sharp glazier’s points into the wood of the frame to secure your artwork or in my case, pressed wood.

With the MDF in place, I had myself a chalkboard! Now all I had to do was attach some picture hanging wire, condition the board by going over the whole thing with the side of a piece of chalk and then erasing it, and find the right place to hang it in the house.

Here’s my new chalkboard prominently hung in our family room for all to see. We’re using it to post a scripture we’re going to memorize each week and for special congratulations and mentions. I’m also using the bottom portion to list my kids jobs for the day so they don’t have to ask me a million times and I don’t have to use up thousands of sticky notes. Such a rewarding project for this momma!

For reference, the actual size of the chalkboard is 3 feet by 4 feet.

How To: Gussy Up A Door . . .

2011-10-11T22:22:00.001-04:00

After seeing this image {via Pinterest}, I want to paint all of the doors inside my house a soothing grey color. But I’m pretty sure the hubby wouldn’t go for it. And I’m pretty sure I don’t really want to do the hard painting work on seventeen doors!

Instead, I decided I’d gussy my doors up another way. Using some small gilded letters I found at Hobby Lobby, I adhered them to the bedroom doors with 3M velcro strips. Do you know about 3M strips? I lurve them. Now our bedroom is indicated by an M for mom and a D for dad. And the kids have their first initial on their doors as well.

It’s a fun, quick fix and I’m loving our “fancy doors” {Hannie B’s description.} Are you daring enough to paint your interior doors?

Doing Good For Others . . .

2011-10-10T21:17:00.001-04:00

Every six months our church holds a general conference where the members receive spiritual instruction, admonition and very timely advice from the leaders of our church. It is a worldwide event broadcast to millions. And it fills my well which always seems a little dry.

Last April Henry B. Eyring, an apostle, gave a talk entitled “Opportunities To Do Good (click here to read it)”. In it he invited the membership of the church to participate in a day of service during the coming year – something that would benefit our communities and touch not only the receivers of the service, but those doing the serving.

The governor or the state of Virginia heard about Elder Eyring’s invitation and decided to support the idea by declaring September 24th to be “Virginia Statewide Day of Service”.

On the 24th our entire family {right down to the little Owlie} joined with about 100 members of our church congregation to work on a very special project. There is a divine little boy in our congregation who is wheelchair bound. His name is Bridger – not by accident, I’m sure – because he builds bridges between us and Heaven. He and many of the other special needs children in our school district go to a new elementary school that has no playground to meet their needs. His mother is valiantly raising funds for a barrier free playground and our job on this day was to put up the retaining wall around the play area.

It was physical work. It was a hot day. But not one minute of it felt tough or was done begrudgingly. And there were teenagers present! Everyone wanted to do the job and do it right. We had Bridger and his friends on our minds.

Big C. worked pretty hard that day. He was there at 7:30 AM. When his baseball game got cancelled, he immediately asked if we could go back and work some more on the playground. I drove quickly while thanking God for a son with a heart to serve.

He ended up on the front page of our local newspaper as part of the coverage of the day of service:

As we drove home from our day of service, there was peace in the car – a VERY UNUSUAL FEAT for us. The kids were talking about everything we’d accomplished together. It really drove home this specific point from Elder Eyring’s conference talk:

Draw your family into the work with you so that they can learn to care for each other as they care for others. Your sons and daughters who work with you to serve others in need will be more likely to help each other when they are in need.

Two of our greatest desires for our children are that they learn to work hard and learn to love serving other people. This day made me and The Hubby feel like we might be doing alright with these offspring of ours.

Look who else worked hard:

Photo by Cindy Larson

The lesson we learned from our Day of service? That doing good for others just feels good.

When The Cupboards Are Bare . . .

2011-10-10T09:45:00.001-04:00

Lately around these parts there is no food. I blame it on a couple of things: First, I have children who are growing and eating way too much. Second, I have no motivation to go to the grocery store or cook because we are never together for dinner due to our busy schedules. I’m grumpy about it, can you tell? Third, we had a crazy ant problem for a while there and I figured if there was no food in the house maybe they’d go away.

So the other night dinner rolled around and due to rain and practice cancellations, we were all here together. But I had no food. Ugg.

I had been roasting some cherry tomatoes for a good portion of the afternoon. When I said I had no food, I should have clarified. I had a Costco sized tub of cherry tomatoes. Unfortunately,if cherry tomatoes were the only food in the house, five of us would starve and only RedDog would survive.

I dug up the rest of the makeshift dinner from the freezer and darkest corners of the fridge – the last of my pine nut stash (toasted, natch) a half a jar of pesto, the last of the cream (heaven help my thighs), a tablespoon of buttah and a sorry little quarter wedge of parmesan cheese. A box of penne and two cloves of garlic finished my happy accident off.

I sauteed the garlic with the tomatoes in some olive oil for a bit. Then I combined the cream, pesto and butter together into a nice sauce. Once that had thickened I added all of the parmesan. I dumped the cooked pasta, the sauteed garlic and tomatoes and the pine nuts into a bowl. Then I poured on the sauce.

The point of this rambling post? My dinner made from nothing when the cupboards were bare ended up being so delicious! Owlie ate two huge bowls full. We fought over who would get the leftovers for lunch the next day. Hannie B. licked the bowl clean!

I will definitely be adding this made up recipe to my pasta arsenal. It was so good to be together for dinner. I’ve repented of my bare cupboard ways and now must get off the computer and go grocery shopping.

Happy Monday!

ps. Sad photographs, I know. There is no such thing as a good photo in my kitchen at night after dark.

A Perfect Fall Friday . . .

2011-10-06T21:59:00.001-04:00

Image via

It’s Friday. And a three day weekend to boot.

We’ve got all sorts of Autumn goodness happening here. There are volleyball games and baseball games, a night at the corn maze with 500 teenagers, a morning of serious garage sale shopping.

I’m thinking about Halloween. And decorating for Halloween. I’m also thinking about Hannie B.’s approaching birthday and what we’re going to do for Thanksgiving.

I think I can finally say that I’ve bid a final adieu to summer and I’m moving on. Now I’m going to go make some pumpkin cupcakes with maple frosting. I think that will be the icing on the cake! {Pun intended.}

Have a great weekend!

Captured: A Blessing Day . . .

2011-10-05T22:10:00.001-04:00

In August while we were in Utah for the wedding my sister-in-law Heidi’s baby was given a name and a blessing. It was a sweet moment shared by our close family at my in-law’s home.

I was lucky enough to have my camera handy to capture a few photos of beautiful Lucy in her blessing dress so that her parents could remember the special day.

A completely cooperative pink baby girl in a perfect white dress just might be one of my favorite photo moments ever. Just look at the rolls on her arms. Oh lovey love!

I had to get a shot of some of the intricate detailing on the hem of her dress – so pretty!

I loved catching her mid-yawn in this shot. How could she not be tired? That bed is just begging for a nap with all of it’s lovely linen pillows.

And her tiny toes wiggling amongst all that fabric were so delish. How could I resist?

So glad I was there with Lucy on her special day. Thanks for letting me take your pictures, tiny girl. You are amazing!

Mr. Fix-It . . .

2011-10-04T20:43:00.001-04:00

My Owlie can often be found wistfully staring out the glass door into the back yard, hoping someone might let him out in to the great big world.

On this particular day, I found him with his gaze intently fixed on the back door neighbor’s house. He was hypnotized by something he saw and heard there.

When I finally joined him at the door, I could see what was fascinating him. The neighbor’s roof was covered in construction men ripping off cedar shingles to prepare for a new tin roof.

They were yelling jovially to one another as they hammered and nail-gunned all while tied to the roof with ropes like adventurous rappelers. It was a sight to see!

Ever since this day, Owlie has been Mr. Fix-It. He has gathered up all of the play tools from the basement and crates them around the house daily trying to “fic” things. He asks me twenty times a day, “Momma, I fic it?” I always tell him, “Sure thing, buddy” and then he works his magic on my computer, my kitchen, my blow-dryer, my knee, whatever he deems fixable.

It’s darn cute. I just have to be very careful he doesn’t find the real tools, because he would use them on any and everything. And then I’d need a real Mr. Fic-It.

Random Thoughts: Fall Favorites Edition . . .

2011-10-03T22:50:00.001-04:00

My Owlie is totally digging fort building right now. So we build, destroy and rebuild one multiple times a day. It makes us both laugh. When I try to fit my big body into his little fort, it makes him laugh a lot more.
It’s cold enough for soup. Have I mentioned that I love soup? And that I recently braved making my own noodles for chicken noodle? Um, it’s heavenly, doughy goodness and I love it so much I want to cry.
My daughter begged me to let her shave her legs. I consented. Mostly because this is how old I was when I started shaving mine. But also because her legs were DANG HAIRY!
The ants are no longer invading my home thanks to a very heroic effort by a man from my church congregation. I want to kiss him – but not in an inappropriate way. More in a “Thank you for ending my insanity because I could not wake up one more morning to find hundreds of ants crawling on my kitchen counter” kind of way. Instead of kissing him, I think I will bake him banana bread.
My first born is taking the PSAT on Saturday. He is going to be in for a big surprise. The dude is in 8th grade and has no idea what he’s getting into. Gotta love him for it.
I only have to make two Halloween costumes this year. Why? Because I’m the meanest mom ever and don’t allow my Middle Schoolers to trick or treat. You thought you were mean, and now you realize you are not. You’re welcome.
General Conference rocked my world this weekend. I need to use my time more wisely. My husband is showing my daughter how much he loves her by the way he loves me. He loves her A LOT. And oh yeah, The Book of Mormon is true and will change your life. You should read it.
I’m having some computer trouble. I have a good IT guy on it though. He just happens to live in Maryland and can’t work on my problem again until next week, so photos on the blog might be sketchy ‘til then. Please bear with me.
Candy corn pumpkins. My personal temptation come Autumn. Help me. I’m going to wind up in a sugar coma. That is all.

B Is For Beautiful & Books . . .

2011-10-03T07:57:00.000-04:00

I think I’ve mentioned here before that I’m a sucker for a good book. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned, however, that I’m also a sucker for a good musuem. So I was doubly delighted while we were in Utah last month that we got to take our kids to spend a little time in the BYU Museum of Art where they had a fantastic exhibit about using the written word as art.

My favorite piece was a large scale work that involved a towering squarish stack of books . It was so colorful and had amazing texture. Up close it seemed like the books were placed at random in the structure. But upon further inspection I could tell there must have been specific deliberation in order to get such straight edges.

Then I started to see specific groupings of color, like this gorgeous section with gilded pages. Up close it doesn’t seem to make a big impact.

But stepping back I could appreciate the shine that little section gave the overall piece.

You can’t really appreciate the scale of the piece until you see someone standing near it. Here’s Hannie B. mouth slack, neck cocked, eyes gazing at the sheer size of it. We must have spent 20 minutes just enjoying this particular piece. It was amazing!

How do you help your children appreciate art?

PS. All pictures were taken without flash. It was only AFTER I’d snapped these photos that a security guard came and informed me no photographing was allowed. Oops. :)

Something Pretty . . .

2011-09-30T08:31:00.001-04:00

Thank you for all the great advice yesterday about my festering finger! I feel confident that it is going to get better if I do the things you suggested.

Today I feel like talking about something pretty. It’s this tiny cut glass bowl that was given to me after my Hubby’s grandma passed away. It fits nicely in the palm of my hand.

I love its beaded detail and scalloped edge. I love the little pedestal base and elegant feet. It’s such a feminine, dainty piece. I knew when I received it that it would be used for something special in my bedroom.

It’s where I keep my wedding ring when I’m not wearing it. Since my ring is a family heirloom, I have serious fears of losing or misplacing it. I’ve got lots of spaces for other types of jewelry, but I’m happy that I have this very special place for my most precious piece of jewelry.

Now that I’m going to wash my hands without my rings, I think it will be getting even more use. Do you have somewhere to put your favorite jewelry for safe keeping? Do tell.

Reality: Allergic to Marriage?

2011-09-28T21:15:00.001-04:00

I love my Hubby. I love being married. I made the decision to marry almost seventeen years ago and I’ve never looked back. It’s forever for me and my guy.

But for some strange reason, in the past three weeks my wedding ring has been giving me serious problems. The skin underneath is itchy, splotchy and has blisters that are and super irritated. It’s almost like I’m allergic to my ring.

I’ve been dealing with it by putting a little hydrocortisone on at night, but yesterday I couldn’t take it any more and had to take my ring off. Has this ever happened to anyone else? Got any advice for me? Because I’d like to put a ring on it, to quote Beyonce.

And while I’ve got you thinking about my conundrum, could you also tell me why pictures of hands are so freaky? Or why I have man hands {with girly nails} ? Thanks ever so much for your help. It means a lot.

When It All Comes Full Circle . . .

2011-09-27T21:31:00.001-04:00

The other day I came outside and found these two doing this:

I could have watched it for hours. Not because I’m a huge basketball fan, but because it was so great to see them finally at a level where they can enjoy each other in sporting competition and the love of basketball come full circle from father to son.

There was jumping and juking, smack-talking and just smacking. The Hubby scored and Big C. scored. And I just watched and took pictures and cried a little inside because my boy is getting so big.

I love these two guys so much it’s hard to put it into words. They both make me proud. They both make me laugh. And they both make me very, very happy.

Especially this boy and his curly hair.

Which was tragically cut off by an over-eager hairdresser last week. But it will grow back.

Start ‘Em Young . . .

2011-09-26T20:40:00.001-04:00

It’s been fun to see my Owlie boy start to pull his weight around here. I’m a big believer in chores for kids. I’m lucky because this little caboose of mine really wants to be a helper. Here are a few of the things I’ve had him do recently:

Sharpen pencils. We go through them fast with three kids doing homework every day. Owlie loves the sound of the electric sharpener and will sit there content until I stop handing him pencils. Then he cries for more pencils.

Help feed the bunny. He tromps out there {many mornings in his pajamas with Crocs} to carry the carrots for Hannie’s bunny Max.

Yard Work. Specifically anything that involves ‘wawa’ and the hose. This day he was helping Big C prepare our park strip for new sod. He was happy as a clam and the reward for his hard work was that he got to get completely dirty from head to toe.

It’s so gratifying to watch him find joy in working. How about you guys? Do you make your 2 year-olds work?

Just The Ticket . . .

2011-09-25T22:56:00.001-04:00

Oh man. I just got the best mail. Ever.

When mail comes from Amber Fawson of Giverslog it is going to be good. Real good. And this just happened to be chocolatey good, so it was like a double bonus.

Last week I learned that I had been selected to taste test some of the Ticket Kitchen’s new flavor possibilities for their Ticket stick hot chocolate. First of all, I don’t ever get selected for ANYTHING. So Yay! for me. Second, I adore hot chocolate more than any normal person should, so it would not be an understatement to say I feel like I won a warm mug of lottery.

As soon as I officially knew I’d be tasting, I called my two partners in hot choclate snobbery – my mom, The Queen, and my SIL Audrey. Both love hot chocolate, both have discriminating taste and both were excited to join me for a night of sampling delicious gourmet hot chocolate.

We had four flavors to sample, each one wrapped in craft brown paper with a darling label. Yeah, I’m swooning.

The samples came as loose chunked chocolate which we stirred into hot milk. It was, in a word, divine!

I’m excited to send off our comment card to Amber. I’m even more excited to see which samples get picked for the Ticket shop.

Thanks for the opportunity Amber. It was so fun to be a part of your team!

Accidental Fashion . . .

2011-09-22T20:36:00.001-04:00

Once upon a time, I had this really cute sweater that my sister Melissa gave me. It used to be hers but she shrunk it, so it came to me – the girl who’s lacking a little something up top - if you get my drift.

Earlier this week, in anticipation of cooler weather, I was laundering some fall clothing and accidentally washed the sweater on hot and it came out much smaller than small. I was about to begrudgingly chuck it in the “to donate” pile, when a thought popped into my head that it just might fit Hannie B.

She tried it on and it was just a bit big, but we both agreed it still worked, since the style right now is for things to be a bit slouchy. The problem was the arms. They were about five inches too long. Then I remembered reading somewhere that a fine gauge sweater, when cut, will not fray, but instead will roll a little at the ends. So I got out my sharpest fabric scissors and lopped those puppies right off.

Hannie B. looked darling in her new sweater. I’m so lucky to have a girl who is willing to go with my wacky ideas. She’s not afraid of thrifted clothes or hand-me-down-clothes. She’s awesome. I just love it when accidental fashion works out!

{How cute is it, by the way, that my sis would wear a sweater with a dragonfly on it? Love.}

If It Weren’t Weird I’d Lick My Computer Screen . . .

2011-09-21T22:12:00.001-04:00

I haven’t posted a recipe in a long time. Might have something to do with my unannounced strike from the kitchen. I think I was officially the most pathetic cook on the planet this summer. I just didn’t have it in me. Too tired. Too busy. Too hot. Too many picky kids. But I’ve had this salad many times this summer and every time, the little gourmet chef hidden inside me did a happy dance, my tastebuds shouted hallelujah and a little tear of joy came to my eyes.

It’s a Barefoot Contessa recipe and it is DE-to-the-lish. So many amazing flavors and fresh ingredients. It’s great with anything grilled. I also love to make it to take to luncheons with girlfriends. I hope you’ll give it a try. It’s a family fave.

Orzo With Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced

1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced

1 red onion, peeled, 1-inch diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup good olive oil

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound orzo

For the Dressing:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

1/3 cup good olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

To Assemble:

4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

8 oz. good feta, 1/2-inch diced

15 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss the bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt and pepper on large baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with spatula.

Meanwhile, cook orzo in boiling salted water for 7-9 minuts until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Add roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and pour onto pasta and vegetables while pasta is still warm. Let cool to room temperature, then add scallions, pine nuts, feta and basil. Serve at room temperature.

Adapted slightly from Barefoot Contessa Parties!

Thoughts On Sickness . . .

2011-09-20T22:43:00.001-04:00

It is the worst. Having a sick baby just stinks. Having a sick baby AND a sick mommy is double lame-o.

He is sick. I am sick. We are hacking and wiping noses and talking in raspy voices and moving around slowly.

So we’re going to stare at this picture today. It makes me happy. And he keeps saying “Me see! Me see!” Then he giggles. I could just squeeze that little face all day long.

I have something yummy to show you tomorrow. A family favorite time and time again.

Sharing My Burden {and a Printable!} . . .

2011-09-19T15:52:00.001-04:00

It’s no secret that I loathe ironing. I let the pile grow and grow until one of two things happens: either it becomes taller than my waist and falls over, wherein I am guilted into ironing or the Hubby comes to me and says, “I have no shirts, shall I go to work naked and shivering?” wherein I am guilted into ironing.

Imagine my surprise on Sunday morning when my teen came whining to me {with fifteen minutes until go time} that he had no shirt ironed for church. I ‘only’ had three more people to get ready, a screaming baby who refused to get dressed and a pounding headache from a cold that had decided me to visit only the day before. So I refused. I refused to iron his shirt and told him he’d have to do it himself. He looked at me like I was possessed.

He thought his reply would get him out of the job. “But Mom, I don’t know how to iron a shirt.” My retort: “Oh man, then it’s your lucky day, because I’m going to teach you by talking YOU through it, step by step.”

I then proceeded to give him an Ironing 101 lesson. He didn’t do too bad. As he slipped the warm shirt on, I felt a piece of my burden slipping off my shoulders. Wow. I will never have to iron a dress shirt for this person again. I mean, I can – if I want to. But I don’t HAVE to, because he can do it for himself.

Isn’t that what parenting is about? Raising, guiding and helping our children along, teaching them the ropes of life until they can do for themselves what we’ve always done for them? I’ve gotta say, it was a proud moment for me.

But I am a realist and ever wary of the fact that the new learning may wear off quickly, causing the boy could be crying again next Sunday that he ‘doesn’t know how to iron a shirt’, so I created a little reminder for him. An Ironing 101 How-To, if you will.

I’ve turned it into a printable for those of you who’d like to torture your growing sons along with me. You can download it here. I’ll be keeping a laminated copy of this right by the ironing board for my manchild. {Insert large smile on my face here} Enjoy!

ps. This is NOT the rule or law on ironing a dress shirt. It’s just how I was taught to do it and seems to work pretty well.

I’m A Total Witch . . .

2011-09-18T19:39:00.001-04:00

Don’t believe me? I submit this picture as evidence. That’s me in black {with the wig and orange tights}.

On Friday night my fantastic SIL Audrey and I had the most fun acting like complete hags for my mom and her sisters during their annual Sisters Reunion.

We snuck in through the basement door and surprised them all in their jammies as we came cackling up the stairs full volume, cauldrons in hand, ready to cast a spell and create a potion for them all to drink to make them younger and more clever. It has been a long time since I acted like a complete crazy in front of other people, but I had a blast!

Here’s the “recipe” Audrey and I came up with for the potion we made in front of the sisters bewildered eyes:

Sisters seven through the ages

Listen to our ancient pages

Spells we cast, ignore them NEVER

For they’ll make you young and clever

Eye of newt, into the pot

Stirred with goblin booger snot.

Round and round until it boils

Festers, smells and truly spoils.

Blood of bats scraped from their spines

Will help erase your aging lines

Worm preserved in vampire’s ice

Should make your witchy hair look nice

Black cat ground to finest dust

Does wonders for a sagging bust

From a ghost’s gall bladder drain

The juice to cure your addled brain

Lastly for the cauldron’s brew

Some Italian soda

What? It should taste good too.

Sisters seven through the ages

Drink now from our ancient pages

Potion made with pure delight

To tempt you on this witching night!

We had fun ingredients for each verse. Gummy eyeballs frozen in ice, honey for snot, cranberry juice for bat’s blood, gummy worms frozen in ice, purple sugar for black cat, a lime for a ghost’s gall bladder and blood orange Italian soda.

We mixed it in a cauldron over dry ice so it had that authentic brewing potion look. We served it up in goblets for all to drink. The biggest surprise – aside from us even being there - was that it was actually a very delicious concoction!

My Aunts love Halloween. I loved doing this for them. It was hilarious and and so fun to see them all. So, are you ready for Halloween yet? I feel more ready than ever!

How To Host A High School Reunion . . .

2011-09-14T23:24:00.001-04:00

If I could pick just ten things that helped us make our reunion a smashing success, here’s what I would say:

1. Work on and plan the reunion with dependable, happy, energetic people. You won’t regret seeing how amazing people you knew as teenagers have become as adults.

2. Make sure you work extra hard to convince the people you want to see the most to come to the reunion. Hound them. Hound them until they fly all the way from Fiji.

3. Plan events where people can relax, have personal, meaningful conversations and enjoy a casual atmosphere. {We had a mixer/reception Friday night, a BBQ/Pool party ALL day Saturday and lunch at a nice German restaurant on Sunday}

4. Stay up VERY late {like 3:30 AM} talking, laughing and roaming the town. You’ll feel young again. Until the morning, when you will realize you are in fact very, very old.

5. Give everyone some swag. {favorite German candies, a customized beer mug, a DVD of the yearbook and a nametag with senior picture on it.}

6. Eat good food. When you went to high school in Germany, only a schnitzel will do. Mama, this brought me to my knees.

7. Bring along some yearbooks. Because you will laugh so hard you almost pee your pants.

8. Take a group photo. Do it because you’ll want to remember everyone that was there. Even if they were shirtless in a pool.

9. Pause to remember classmates who’ve left this life all too soon. Name them by name. Think of them and pray for their families.

10. Pause again and thank God that you were lucky enough to see such wonderful people again. Then start thinking about your 25th reunion.

My Uncommon Experience . . .

2011-09-13T16:23:00.001-04:00

{Photo of the Heidelberg Castle via Google Images}

About three years ago I was able to reconnect with one of my closest High School friends through facebook. We ended up catching up over breakfast while he was visiting Virginia.

It was after this visit that bittersweet recognition finally dawned on me as to just how uncommon my High School experience was. Not only did I spend those four years in Germany taking in an entirely different culture as well as vacationing around Europe, but I would also NEVER have a hometown to go back to where I could continue the relationships that were important to me in High School.

After meeting up with my friend I became a bit obsessed with an idea. I pored over my Senior yearbook looking for classmates I hadn’t yet “friended” on facebook. I had a plan and was determined to make it work. At last count I think I’d found 102 of the 164 who graduated with me.

Late last year I was on facebook one night and saw that three of my classmates were also on at that exact moment. I felt a thought being shoved from my mind and onto the keyboard. Suddenly I was typing each of them a message that said something crazy like, “Sooooo . . . how would you feel about putting together a 20-Year Reunion with me?”

I find it no coincidence that the three classmates just happened to be a) the person voted “Most Spirited” from our class b) the person who has gone back to Germany more than anyone I know and c) the person who has nurtured relationships with and found great comfort from high school friends. I felt like I had found a perfect match.

Fast forward to last weekend, where we were actually able to make made this little dream of mine become a reality. It involved much facebooking, some phonecalling, some creativity and a lot of hard work, but after twenty years a sizeable group of us were able to reunite in Atlanta, Georgia.

Tomorrow I’ll share a few details from the reunion along with pictures of the fun. How about you? Have you attended a high school reunion?

Glass of Whine Anyone?

2011-09-12T21:53:00.001-04:00

{Amazing sunset courtesy of Edward & HIghland, Utah}

Because I’ve got the bottle open and I’m drinking from it like a fool {you know I’m speaking figuratively right? Because I’m Mormon and I don’t actually drink alcohol}.

Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in almost three years, where I had a ‘physical assessment’ done. Consequently, I now know my body fat percentage, that I have bad posture and that today I cannot move my legs after doing a mere thirty squats. And P.S. it hurts to type.

Yesterday I reached the end of my never ending rope when it comes to arguing kids. Like I was read to walk out the door and just wash my hands of the people and the fighting. I don’t know of two siblings who fight as much as my two oldest. Or my two youngest. Take your pick.

Yesterday I squashed the two millionth ant to crawl across my kitchen counter this summer {oh yeah, it’s still summer}. Thank you rain for making them come inside. Through an electrical outlet right near my butter dish. Oh, did I mention I. Hate. Ants. But I love butter.

Yesterday I was putting on makeup at 4:30 in the afternoon so I’d look halfway decent when taking my kids to the dentist. A certain little redheaded freckle faced fellow commented that my jeans were skinny jeans. I told him they were not that particular style, to which he replied, “I meant they are meant for skinny people, but you’re a little chubby in them.” Thanks Bud. I needed that.

Yesterday I made a decent dinner. And then promptly had to leave to chauffer a kid to a sport and to help a friend get her car. All I wanted was some of the dinner to still be delicious for me when I got home. It was not. I ate my cold, undelicious dinner alone while listening to my kids fight. And you’d better believe I felt bothered by it.

Yesterday my husband and I did the whole ‘ships passing in the night’ thing. We waved and said two words to each other. I wish they’d been ‘love you’. It was my least favorite part of the day. Oh, except for the part where I got yelled at on the phone for no reason.

I’m so glad it’s today and not yesterday.

I am done whining and I feel much better now. Hiccup!

{I’m pretty sure this will do in lieu of my Friday “reality” post}.

Matchmaker . . .

2011-09-12T08:04:00.001-04:00

Meet Lucy. She’s the future spouse of my boy Owlie. I’ve hand picked her for him and think they’ll be a perfect match. She’s hot stuff with the diaper set.

She’s tall and has beautiful olive skin, which will compliment Owlie’s whiteness nicely. She also rocks some gorgeous curl in her hair, which is accesorized to perfection 100% of the time. Lucy has some awesome dance moves, which is a must for my boy who really loves to shake his booty.

We’ve given it a test run a few times and I think it’s going to work out.

Owlie willingly {and without prompting} shared his cake with Lucy on the last day of school. She was not ignorant to his bold move.

They’ve camped together {no worries – separate tents} and were kind towards one another over a hot dog and smore’s dinner. Neither judged the other as the night went on and faces became smeared with dirt and marshmallow.

Their passion for ice cream has bonded them forever. Look at my boy checking his girl out. He thinks she’s something else.

It doesn’t hurt that Lucy is the daughter of a dear friend. I like to keep my friends close. We’ve also got a bride picked out for Big C, but I can’t tell him that or he’d be mortified.

Lucy, on the other hand, we talk about her ALL THE TIME!

Happy Monday.

This Is What We Call Reality . . .

2011-09-08T21:50:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I posted this super-cute picture from my SIL’s wedding of Hannie B. straightening Owlie’s bowtie. Isn’t it a perfect little moment? It’s like my kids are from a catalog or something. Yeah.

One of the things that’s been eating at me lately is whether or not I’m really representing what my actual life is like when I write on this blog. I would never want anyone to leave this spot of mine thinking that my life is beautiful and wonderful and perfect and theirs is not. It is simply my attempt to represent the best of my life in the hope I might lift someone else. But my intent is NEVER to make someone feel bad about their situation.

I am all about in keeping it real. Don’t believe me? Go here, here, here, here or here. I’m awesome like that. Life is crazy. And life is hard. And there are enough things out there to make any and all women feel like they don’t measure up. I don’t want any part in that.

So, in the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve decided that once a week I’ll give you a peek into the ‘other side’ of my real life. The part I don’t necessarily blog about. Here ya go:

This was Owlie driving to the Temple. He was HOWLY Owlie. My boy would not stop screaming his head off {thank you pink princess phone for kindly starting this mess}. Makes for a really spiritual temple experience. Know what I mean?

We had to leave him with his siblings while we went to the actual marriage ceremony. He was pretty thrilled about that – judging by his complete mental breakdown. He continued carrying on when we came out and it was time for family pictures. I have a whole string of pictures that look similar to this one {click to enlarge}:

Nice of Owlie to swipe at his cousin in his anger and make her cry too. Yeah, the photographer loved us. We finally had to put him down, ignore him and smile while saying, “Whose kid is that? Geez, can’t the parents get a handle on that one?”

So,as you can see, life isn’t always bowties and butterflies. Reality rocks. It makes the good times seem pretty great. Owlie crashed on the way home from the temple after crying for almost three hours, missed the luncheon altogether and was revved up to dance by the time the DJ started playing at the reception. Good times.

Just keepin’ it real people.

One Beautiful Day . . .

2011-09-08T08:15:00.001-04:00

It was worth thirteen hours of travel with a very grumpy two year old to come to this place. In this place I don’t worry about screaming babies or fighting children. In this place I feel peace. In this place I feel God’s love for me and learn of his desires for me. In this place I find refuge from a busy world. This place is the Holy Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and on August 19th the Hubby’s baby sister was married here.

Our children were decked out in their finest wedding day duds, including Mr. Owlie who looked so dapper in his bowtie!

All the little girls were in ruffles from head to toe and peeked through the temple doors waiting for a glimpse of the new bride and groom.

And then they were before us, kissing and grinning like they were madly in love or something. The nerve of some people!

Thomas and Chelsea were made for each other. They are both such genuine, kind and happy people. I am so thrilled for their new life together.

Everything about this day was beautiful. Being with family, being reminded about the covenant I made with my husband sixteen years ago, feeling the the Spirit of the Lord blessing a new union – it was a great day! I hope you’ll enjoy a few more shots from Thomas & Chelsea’s wedding day:

Thoughts on Admiration & Emulation . . .

2011-09-06T23:03:00.001-04:00

My grandmother Louise Cutler Nelson

Get ready for the deep, dark musings of a wayward blogger. The past few weeks have been a great opportunity for me to decompress and reassess why it is that I blog.

So have a seat. I’m feeling a little chatty today.

Back in early August I decided I’d lost my way. The summer had filled me up with all sorts of doubts about myself. That my writing was simply there to fill the space instead of record my treasured thoughts. That I was searching for validation from readers instead of really knowing my worth inside myself. That I couldn’t live up to the expectations I’d created or be as good as other bloggers out there. That my life had almost become a parody of itself – me doing things and taking pictures of things just so I would have a blog post done and could check it off my list, but feeling no satisfaction in any of it.

I was having blogger’s depression bad and I wanted to quit. All I could think was “WHY? Why do I even keep doing this?”

Then one afternoon, I was doing a little research for my daughter. on her ancestors. I pulled a family biography down off the shelf and leafed through the pages looking for something inspiring for Hannie B. to share with her peers at church that evening.

My eyes finally rested on an image of the woman above. She is my grandmother, Louise Cutler Nelson. Sadly, I never knew her. She died when my mother was a teenager. And though my mom has shared bits and pieces about her over the years, she has still remained a mystery to me for the most part.

But as I read about her that day, something happened. It wasn’t just that my eyes filled with tears and brimmed over while my chest heaved and I sobbed out loudly. It wasn’t even about the grief and loss that I suddenly felt wash over me for my mother who has been such a constant support and anchor to me, especially during my adult life. It was that in reading about this woman, my grandmother, I felt a connection, an understanding, and a purpose for me and my little blog. It was right in front of me, typeset on a page in a book about my flesh and blood – the reasons I was trying to find in myself to continue blogging.

Of my grandmother it was said:

“As I look back on my association with Louise I feel that she was one of God’s most noble souls… In her service she has touched and influenced for good all those who have had the privilege of coming in contact with her…

Many of the homes in this area have felt her influence. They are more beautiful - are more homelike – are more like unto a place that borders on the realms of heaven because of the influence which she has exerted in the lives of those whom she has taught, in the lives of those whom she has had the opportunity of service.

She was an ambitious person. She worked unceasingly. She liked to learn. She loved beauty. She took every opportunity to manifest it. She loved to accomplish. She loved to teach those things which were dear to hear heart that others might share in accomplishment.

She was an extremely noble woman – an entirely wonderful Christian woman. She was a devoted wife, a wonderful mother and was proud of her children.”

To touch and influence lives for good.

To help others make their homes more heavenly.

To teach and to serve.

To work and to learn.

To love beauty and to manifest it.

To accomplish and to share in accomplishment.

To be a noble Christian woman, a devoted wife and a wonderful mother who is proud of her children.

This is why I will continue to blog.

Thank you Grandma for teaching me about admiration and emulation.

{excerpts taken from Ralph Cutler by Alice May Cutler}

Like Trying To Drink From A Fire Hose . . .

2011-09-05T19:12:00.001-04:00

The past three weeks have been so full, have gone by so fast, have given me so much to think about that it’s almost like trying to drink from a fire hose.

There’s been a wedding.

And a funeral.

We’ve had an earthquake.

Followed by a hurricane.

My kids have gone back to school.

And I’ve had a reunion with the “kids” I went to school with.

I have felt fed both in body and spirit.

But also starved as my creative soul has missed its daily outlet of writing.

As I gently ease into a normal life-schedule again, will you indulge me just a little? I have much to share. And some of it involves change. For me and for my blog.

I have missed you.

Summer Is Perfect For: A Wedding!

2011-08-12T09:11:00.001-04:00

Photo courtesy Chelsea Lee

There’s nothing more lovely than a summer wedding. There’s nothing more lovely than seeing two people start their new life together.

The Hubby’s baby sister is getting married next week. We’re taking the entire clan out West to be there for the joyous occasion. I am so excited I can’t stand it.

And I’ve decided that I want to eek out every last second of summer from now until then. I want to enjoy my children and my husband with no distractions. No deadlines. No thoughts in the back of my mind saying “I should blog this.” or “Dangit, where’s my camera?” Just me, in the moment, being available and living it. So I’ll be taking an extended blogcation.

My heart has told me that if I want to continue blogging, I need to make my family my only priority and everything else will fall into place. I cannot ignore what my heart tells me.

I hope you’ll join me back here after Labor Day.

Summer Is Perfect For: Enjoying A Storm!

2011-08-11T11:49:00.000-04:00

There’s something so therapeutic about sitting on the front porch listening to the rain as it pounds the pavement. The smell of rain is one of my favorites. And I don’t even mind some good lightning and thunder if I’m under cover. Owlie seems to agree with me as he asks to go outside whenever there’s a downpour.

On this particular night, his dad was kind enough to let him feel the rain on his hands. And then on his head!

Watching a little kid discover new things is so beautiful.

Displaying Kid Collections . . .

2011-08-09T22:31:00.001-04:00

With RedDog’s recent eighth birthday came the blue and gold uniform of the Cub Scouts. I love the Cub Scout age because I get to spend extra time with my boys working on some wacky stuff!

One of the achievements RedDog wanted to work on first was starting, displaying and sharing a collection of things he loves. He has a great rock collection, but didn’t want to “mess it up” by doing anything to display it. Instead, he decided he would gather a collection of his very coolest Lego figures.

I suggested that we frame the Legos and label them. He was hesitant because he knew hot glue would be involved and didn’t want to permanently damage his guys. Then HE came up with a genius idea to use the glue on a two-brick and just attach the Lego figure to that, thus enabling him to pull off a figure whenever he wants to play with it.

His idea means that the Lego figures literally leap off the frame and cast fun shadows behind themselves. RedDog told me the names of all the figures and we attached them with some small sticky foam pads to give the labels some relief also.

The figures are so fun. Especially the ones that have little accessories, like Harry Potter and his broom, Merlin and his wand or the King who has a goblet in one hand and a chicken leg in the other.There’s even a Lego RedDog with short legs, a hoodie, that signature hair and some freckles. He might just be my favorite.

Here’s the collection displayed in RedDog’s room with his rock collection.

He’s pretty proud of it. In fact, at the end of this project, he turned to me, his face beaming, and said, “Thanks Mom for helping me with my collection. It’s just awesome.”

And so are you, my little Scout. So are you.

Summer Is Perfect For: Dress Ups!

2011-08-09T09:12:00.000-04:00

Hannie B. is having her fun with Owlie this summer! He came up from the basement dressed as a cowboy the other day. He was so pleased to be in those boots, despite the hole on the bottom. It made me so happy to see him wearing them because they were my father-in-law’s boots from his childhood. He clomped around the kitchen saying “Boots, boots!” Just when I thought it was time to put the dress ups away for a season, Owlie has discovered them and is restarting the era of make believe in our house. I’m so glad. I missed it.

Giddyup little cowboy!

Summer Is Perfect For: Child Labor!

2011-08-08T07:58:00.000-04:00

Is is just me or is your house a disaster pretty much the entire summer while the kids are home? No matter what I try to do, I feel like I’m picking up messes ALL DAY LONG!

Last week I’d reached the end of the very messy rope. So I got up and made a list of jobs for each kid, including the Owl man. The lists were on index cards and each item had a box next to it – because my kids love to check off boxes just like their momma! Each kid went to work vacuuming, dusting, cleaning windows and picking up in general.

We all tackled the first floor on Monday, the second floor on Tuesday and the basement on Wednesday.

Owlie’s specialty? The shark vacuum. He’s a pro now.

RedDog’s specialty? The Swiffer.

Here’s the truth: The cleaning went very well. There was whining, but the house was clean and I didn’t have to do all the work by myself. But it only lasted for a few days before it was a mess again. I’ve decided that it will just be messy until they all go back to school. It can’t stay clean when all four kids are home all day.

Please tell me I’m not the only one who really dislikes this one aspect of summer vacation.

Summer Is Perfect For: Kid Movies!

2011-08-04T10:21:00.001-04:00

Sometimes a Virginia Summer means it’s just too hot and humid to play outside. This Summer has been off the charts in the heat department. Occasionally when everyone is hiding from the heat by staying indoors, we have to close the curtains and blinds to darken the house, cook up some buttery popcorn and put on a movie.

I got these great popcorn containers in the dollar section at Target. They make it feel official. I try to keep some Dum-Dum lollipops or licorice on hand which puts the movie-watching experience right over the top for the kids. Then we put on an oldy-but-goody, like Star Wars or the Princess Bride. Who doesn’t love something sweet, something salty and a good show?

Paris, Anyone ?

2011-08-03T21:50:00.001-04:00

{Photos courtesy of Jaclyn Peterson}

I recently joined two friends in throwing a bridal shower for a young woman I truly adore. She’s not a fussy gal, so a simple shower was in order, but we still wanted to make it memorable and personal.

Our bride to be spent a semester studying abroad in Paris and is majoring in French, so we decided a little Parisian flair would be perfect for the shower.

I headed up the décor by sewing up some garland, rounding up a few Eiffel Towers and crafting some whimsical flags to label our crepe bar ingredients – in French, of course! We added some frilly details to the flowers with ruffled tags that included a French quote about true love.

We enjoyed crepes, quiche, croissants and cheese.

An understanted shower, but so much fun. It was a simple, simply lovely day for a very lovely bride-to-be.

Summer Is Perfect For: A Lemonade Stand!

2011-08-03T10:49:00.001-04:00

We finally did it! A real, no kidding, legit lemonade stand. The kids had a blast, we raised money for a good cause AND there was much deliciousness to be had. Here {in no particular order} are some Dragonfly tips for a great Lemonade stand experience:

1. Make your prices clearly visible. Hannie B. and I whipped up a few cardstock signs on the computer to attach to our stand. She chose the color palette and font. I did the rest

2. Add in some goodies to sweeten the deal! We had cupcakes, snickerdoodles and rice crispie treats individually wrapped and ready to go. We also sold little candy cups for a quarter each. They were a hit with everyone, especially Owlie.

3. Sell lemonade to help others! We donated half of our proceeds to our friend Chris’ foundation which helps offset the medical costs of pediatric cancer patients. The kids were more than happy to yell, “Buy some lemonade! Help fight cancer!” And patrons were willing to buy lemonade to help out, too.

4. Jazz your stand up with inexpensive décor! The Hubby helped us make our stand using some cheap crates from WalMart and a 50 cent board and some dowels from the remnant pile at Home Depot. We can reuse these pieces anytime the kids want to have a stand in front of our house.

We added a little garland from scrap paper we already had and some Lemon napkins from my cloth napkin stash. We even had a few leftover tissue paper flowers from this party that hung from our umbrella. All of our goodies were displayed on cake plates. It was, as Hannie B. put it, “so cute”.

5. Invite some friends to help out! We did our Lemonade Stand with our friends the Mecks. Which is a good thing, because otherwise it would have just been my kids fighting and bugging eachother. Their kids are hard workers and besties with our kids. I’m pretty sure there was giggling, candy eating, lemonade drinking and some salesmanship going on. It was HOT and these kids kept it going for two whole hours.

6. Advertise! I put the message out to my local friends on Facebook that we were having a Lemonade Stand. We also had the kids ride this go-cart around with a sign pointing to the stand. Good ol’ yelling at cars as they drove by worked pretty darn well too.

A few other things that worked well:

a cooler full of ice so we could indeed sell “ice cold” lemonade.
Lots of extra lemonade. We made a few gallons and stored them in a cooler. When the stash on the stand ran low the kids just refilled it.
Cups with lids and straws! We found ours at Target.
A good location. We actually drove down to our neighborhood park which is on a major road near our pool.

A lemonade stand is truly a quintessential summer kid fest. We had a great time!

Summer Is Perfect For . . .

2011-08-01T23:15:00.001-04:00

A power blackout and candles.

Yesterday we had a freakishly quick and powerful storm sweep through our town. Within fifteen minutes the sun disappeared, the rain and hail came down in sheets and our backyard looked like this:

In case you’re wondering, we don’t normally have a tree growing up our deck stairs.

Our power was out for about three hours and the kids were excited to get the candles out to light up the house as it got dark. Such an adventure!

Sometimes a power outage is just what the doctor ordered. No TV. No video games. Just the family figuring out what to do without technology.

Once the round two of the storm cleared up, we spent the evening cleaning up the yard as a family. Surprisingly enough, Mr. Owlie turned out to be the biggest helper. That little man loves to work!

Now that the rain is out of the way, we’re ready for our Lemonade Stand today. More on that tomorrow!

Happy Birthday To You (To Me) . . .

2011-08-01T10:07:00.001-04:00

It was three years ago that the idea of a sister was born in my mind. Three years (and a few days) ago that a sister of real flesh and blood walked through the door at my parents house and became a reality.

So very much has happened in the past three years.

And I can say with certainty that 1095 days later, I am a better person, living a happier life because I know and love my sister.

Happy Birthday (in my mind) Melissa.

Want to read more about my new(ish) sister? Go here, here, here, or here.

Beach Reunion: Real Reason It Is The BEST . . .

2011-07-28T20:43:00.001-04:00

We really did have an enjoyable time at our beach reunion this year. Late nights chatting, kids laughing, great food – it was all there. But when it comes down to it, you could take that all away, and as long as these 21 people are there, it would be wonderful to me. My family is what makes being together ANYWHERE awesome. I love these people very, very much.

Have a great weekend! Call someone in your family and tell them how much you love them!

Beach Reunion: Other Random Fun . . .

2011-07-27T22:49:00.001-04:00

We had more tricks up our sleeves to keep kids happy at the beach this year. The Queen thought to bring a ream of white paper, markers and colored pencils in case anybody wanted to draw. Little did she know that kids and adults alike would draw until an entire gallery had been installed on the main room windows. It was awesome and inspiring!

I had a special activity in store for the little girls inspired by this post over at DesignMom. I spent some of my beach down time sketching out dresses for the little girls to water color. I was pretty surprised that they each spent multiple hours painting their sixteen dresses {all I had time for}. Each girl went home with her own book of fashion.

One night we all agreed frozen custard from the boardwalk was in order. Since our house was about a mile and a half from the beach we opted to take a trolley into town. Unfortunately, the trolley was a no-show, so we hoofed it instead – even the little ones!

The walk was long for small people, but the custard and the gorgeous sunset were worth it. We got to walk past “Chief Little Owl”, the town totem pole and then my little Owl and I shared a delicious cone!

Luckily the trolley was available for the ride home. Twenty of us singing “On Top Of Spaghetti” on a trolley in a beach town. I will NEVER forget it!

Beach Reunion: Down Time Activities . . .

2011-07-27T10:00:00.001-04:00

During our reunion we couldn’t spend every waking moment at the beach {darn!}. With twelve kids in the house ranging in age from 13 to 2, we needed a plan to keep the little people occupied for at least part of that down time. Here’s how we did it:

My sister Melissa invented an amazing beach-themed board game. Seriously, she could do it for a living {if she didn’t already have a law degree}! The kids – and adults – loved it! It involved crab walking, hula dancing, umbrella drink making, suntan lotion applying and had the cutest tiny sand pail imaginable. Any game that finds both my brothers in a coconut bra is a winner in my book!

Another night my fabulous red headed sis-in-law Mindy provided an awesome concession stand for a kids movie night. Each child was given five dollars worth of play money before the movie. Then we had an intermission and each child who had behaved well got five more dollars. This tactic was genius and made for a very pleasant viewing experience! The kids thought it was so fun to have a movie AND all the bad-for-you treats that normally go with a theater experience. In case you’re interested, the movie of choice: Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2.

I helmed up a night of Minute To Win It games. I used my husband’s reunion last year as reference and just shortened everything a little bit for smaller attention spans. It was a riot! The best part of the night was seeing my brother-in-law Thomas get an Oreo from his forehead to his mouth using only his facial muscles A MERE EIGHT SECONDS!

With all these activities, we had no trouble keeping twelve kids happy and busy at the beach house. What do you do in down time at reunions?