We took a mini-vacation. Light packing, minimal travel time, and a lovely two days and one night escape from real life (ie: housework). Lots of play time and plenty of Kodak moments. I brought the camera, but I guess I forgot to put in the memory card. Oops. No pictures.

Today we came home to this rude awakening:



Not that we had gone far enough to escape the snow, but we didn't have to shovel any walks or go anywhere we didn't feel like going in it. (See that shoveled walk? That was actually done by our generous neighbor with his snow blower. I hope he never moves, and I am doing my best to stay on his good side!)

But thank goodness my kids have a father who handles winter much better than their mother does. He actually plays with them in this stuff!

8

My little Lauren is eight years old today! Let me tell you eight great things about her.

1. Lauren was literally "at death's door" when I was only six months pregnant with her. The fact that her condition was detected and cured in utero is an absolute miracle. The full weight of that fact didn't truly hit me until the day she was born and I held her in my arms.


2. Lauren was the only child I birthed without an epidural; she was my smallest baby and had the "best hair in the nursery" (according to her pediatrician); and she was the sweetest-natured, most content infant I ever had (and that's saying a lot, because I had five really easy babies!).

3. I'll never forget the haircut Lauren gave herself when she was two years old. I had put her hair in several tiny ponytail twists, and she found scissors and snipped off the ends of each one, right against the scalp. It was just as we were on our way out the door to church... So I took her to church just like that! Walking into the chapel, I was nearly in tears, until our friends, sitting behind us, started giggling. Laughter saved the day! And Lauren's hair eventually grew out.


4. Lauren's zany personality was first exposed when she was a toddler. Once I took her to a check-up with Hannah, who was just a baby at the time. After Lauren had entertained herself (and us) throughout Hannah's exam, the pediatrician (I loved that guy!) told Lauren, "I know you're a girl, but you're kind of like having a brother."

5. One way that Lauren is like the "brother" in our family is that she's so "rough and tumble." She is my only child who has broken a bone. Being the skeptical parent, I didn't take her to the doctor. Doug finally took her to be examined about five days later, and then I felt horrible when it turned out that she had indeed broken her clavicle. She's a good little athlete, and fearless. She can hold a headstand for a long time. For her birthday party, she's taking a couple friends to a rock wall to do some climbing.

6. Lauren is generally cheerful and long suffering. (She is a middle child.)

7. School lessons have not come as easily for Lauren as for her sisters, but Lauren is always the first to get her homework done, and she always tries to do her best. She makes me proud.


8. Lauren loves chocolate. Her birthday dinner request: chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, Grandma's cherry jell-o salad, and chocolate fountain. Breakfast: hot chocolate and donuts. For tomorrow's party: triple chocolate cake.

Future Dietician?

During dinner, Lauren was telling us why vegetables are good for you. "They have lots of vitamins and stuff, and it makes your skin all soft and shiny...Wait, actually nevermind. That was pet food."

Christmas Day 2009

It feels so good to be home, with my family, this Christmas Day. It feels more like "Thanksgiving" than Thanksgiving usually does! I'm definitely counting my blessings today, and they really can't be numbered. But here are numbers 1-6:



Sending Christmas Love to you all!

Cute & Clever Christmas Kids

One of the most enjoyable times of the year to be a parent has got to be Christmas time. I love the chance to spoil my kids just a little bit now and then. And I love to see them be so excited about old traditions and new experiences.

Last night, not only did the girls leave a plate of goodies and some milk for Santa Claus, but Hannah also left a trail of carrots, leading from the fireplace to her bedroom. I was a little nervous that the reindeer would wind up nibbling on Hannah in her bed, but she was excited to see that the carrots had been consumed during the night, even though she didn't even wake up to see the magical creatures.

Here's an Christmas Eve agenda that Emily and Lauren posted on the bulletin board in their bedroom:
*These hours are 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.!

? - 9:00 ... sleep
9:00 - 9:30 ... read
9:30 - 9:50 ... pillow fight
9:50 - 10:00 ... listen to music
10:00 - 10:30 ... sleep
10:30 - 11:00 ... arts and crafts
11:00 - 11:30 ... stuffed animals
11:30 - 12:00 ... sleep
12:00 - 12:30 ... write stories
12:30 - 1:00 ... board games
1:00 - 1:30 ... read
1:30 - 2:00 ... sleep
2:00 - 2:30 ... play school
2:30 - 3:00 ... play house
3:00 - 3:20 ... AGD's [American Girl Dolls]
3:20 - 4:00 ... sleep
4:00 - 4:20 ... tigers
4:20 - 4:30 ... clean up
4:30 - 5:00 ... read
5:00 - 6:00 ... sleep
6:00 - ? ... whatever you want

It was a pretty clever plan, but in reality, I think we all slept pretty well, until about 6:30 a.m. (Thank goodness!)

Baked Brie

I was introduced to this delicious treat by my gourmet friend, Laura A., a couple of years ago. I never had to make it myself until we moved out of state, away from Laura and her fabulous, fun parties (*sniffle*). This Brie is one of the few things I am talented enough to copy from Laura, because she's way above me on the scale of fabulous events planning and decorating and all things parties. But this, I can do. And everyone loves it!

Today I saw the recipe posted on sisterscafe.blogspot.com, a site I love for their yummy recipes and kitchen ideas. But Sisters of the Cafe, where have you been? You're way behind on this one. It was Laura's a long time ago! (Incidentally, Laura & I use dried cherries rather than craisins, and I think they are even better!)

Anyway, Sisters, thanks for the recipe.

At Home

Today is the first day in I-don't-know-how-long that I don't have to leave my house for any reason. No carpool to drive, no errands to run, no turkey feast to consume, no parties to attend, no (overdue) movies or library books to return. I'm not even going to shovel the snow from my front walk or my driveway, because honestly, I'm not going to encourage any visitors.

I'm going to stay in my pajamas as long as possible (it's already past noon, and so far so good); I'm going to do loads and loads of laundry; I'm going to clean my bathrooms; and I'm going to eat cheesecake for lunch and read a book, maybe two.

Tis the Season to Give

I love the generous feelings that swell in my heart during this season. (Not that I never feel generous at other times, but at Christmas time, my heart is more tender, and I'm more keenly aware of my own blessings.)

Last week I went to the Festival of Trees (three times!), and fought back tears as I walked my children through the displays and realized a)how blessed we are, and b)how much suffering there is around us, and c)how many good people there are doing generous things for others, and inspiring me to do more.

I already told you about Stephanie's benefit auction, and this morning I saw that NieNie is directing her readers there, as well. I think that should ensure a good crowd to that auction.

If you're interested (as I am), here's another way to give to someone in need:

http://rallyforrafe.blogspot.com/

I don't know them personally, but this family lives in my town, and the auction host is a friend of mine.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Christmas is the only good reason (in my opinion) for weather like this.

Pass it on.

I've been reading this blog since I heard about the tragic death of their little girl a year and a half ago. Stephanie's response to her own grief was so inspiring, and her gospel insights are powerful and moving.

Now Stephanie is doing a really great thing, hosting an auction to donate all proceeds to this young widow and her toddler and unborn baby.

Bid on adorable stuff you can probably use to check off your Christmas gift list, and donate to a really tender cause. Give yourself the gift of feeling good about helping others. Win-win-win.

To participate, go to Stephanie's blog: adailyscoop.blogspot.com

I sure know how to pick 'em.

Birthdays, that is.


If it's the second half of the year, and it's a major holiday, you can safely bet that we're also celebrating a child's birthday.


Labor Day weekend: Emily. (That one's not so bad, except when you're in elementary school, it's kind of a bummer to go to meet your teacher and immediately ask, "When can we bring birthday treats?")

Halloween: Katelyn. (Hard to have a party that doesn't involve costumes.)


Thanksgiving: Hannah. So far she has avoided having turkey on her actual birthday, but it's going to happen every few years.


This year we had one day between Thanksgiving and Hannah's birthday, but it still made it difficult to really focus on her that day.

We had her friends over for a party a few days early.


It was a tea party, and it was so cute, if I do say so myself. The girls painted tea cups, made fancy paper fans, dressed up, and sat down to the kid-sized tea table, where they were served mini cupcakes with sprinkles, and hot chocolate from a tea pot.




Doug makes everything fun! He poured the tea and served the girls with a "cockney" accent. "Would you like another spot of tea, my dear?" You should have heard the giggles! Later, as I drove the guests home, I asked them what their favorite part of the party was. One little friend answered, "The tea party. Your dad was so silly! {giggle*giggle}" And Hannah replied, "Yeah, he learned to talk like that because he went to Hawaii one time."

I scheduled the party for an hour and a half, and we finished a few minutes early. That's just about all I can handle!


Hannah asked for macaroni and cheese with hot dogs for her birthday dinner. So, on her birthday, we ate whatever left-overs we could find in the fridge (including mac&cheese w/hotdogs).


We didn't even make a cake until the following day. Hannah's all excited about yellow lately, so she had a lemon cake. I also bought some ice cream that I thought she would like. It was some sort of triple berry flavor, and it was purple. But after one bite, Hannah said, "It tastes like lipstick." My brother's review was that it was like eating a scented candle. I took their word for it, and just threw the carton away.

I'm glad Hannah's still young enough to appreciate meager efforts to celebrate her special day. But I still feel kind of bad for her.

And next month we'll get to do it again. Two days after Christmas is Lauren's special day!

One more reason I prefer summer:

Wearing less clothing = Less laundry to wash and fold.

Especially, fewer socks to sort.

Deal or No Deal?

I used to love Black Friday like I used to love Christmas morning. So thrilling!

Then, two years ago, I was at a department store at 6:30 in the morning, trying on maternity clothes. I looked in the dressing stall mirror and asked myself, "What am I doing here?!" And then when I waited in the check out line for over an hour, surrounded by grumpy, loud people, I promised myself that I never needed to do that again.

Last year, I was at my mom's house. It's kind of fun to go shopping with my mom, and we both love a good bargain. We went early in the morning to a few stores, and I loaded up on socks for my family, plus a couple of DVDs. The deals weren't screaming, but my mom and I were smiling and relaxed. It wasn't bad.

But the better shopping was the previous night, online. Sitting in my pajamas at the computer, browsing and clicking, not having to stalk other shoppers to take over their shopping carts, or stand in line for unreasonable amounts of time while my arms throb under the weight of my purchases? Free shipping? Sleeping in, content with my bargains? Yes, please.

But last night I found that I wasn't the only one who has caught on to the new thrill of Black Friday - Home Edition.

Let me just say that, as irritating as early morning department store crowds can be, at least when I went to the stores I never got to the register to check out, only to watch the goodies in my shopping cart vanish in to thin air. Can you imagine?! Finding the things you want, handing your basket to the clerk, and having him (or her) look into your basket and say, "I'm sorry, ma'am, your basket seems to be empty."

On the bright side: In my frustrated state, I only had to walk a few steps to my warm cozy bed and go to sleep for the night, rather than face the bitter cold darkness outside and drive home in the crazy midnight traffic.

Thankful Thoughts

We loaded up the car with people and food this afternoon, only to discover that it would not start. I guess home is the best place to make a discovery such as that.

For a few seconds, we contemplated the question: "What if we can't get to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving dinner?" I wondered if we should all squish into Doug's smaller car.

Doug pulled his car closer and connected the cables to the batteries. Within a couple of minutes, the engine was humming and we were ready to hit the road.

Emily, in the back seat, said, "One thing I'm thankful for is jump-starting the car.... And Dad...and Mom, and Katelyn, and Lauren, and ..."

Then she was interrupted by Hannah's smart remark: "You said 'one thing'."

I'm thankful for family, despite the inherent rivalry.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Back in Time

Doug came back from his business trip just in time for me to leave.

Most of my four day excursion was spent driving. The route was familiar. My sister Jennifer, who had joined us as a fellow Northwesterner two years ago, was moving back to Utah. When she broke the news of her move to me a couple of weeks ago, I cried with her. It's hard to move; even to move back to Utah. One year ago, I was in her shoes. I told her, "It will be hard. But it will be good."

I also said, "I want to come help you move!"

I wasn't sure what to expect on this road trip with my sisters and parents. What I learned was that it's pretty fun to be the "kid" on road trips. Chatting, teasing, relaxing, snacking, watching movies, singing along with satellite radio elevator music. Giggling in dark hotel rooms in the middle of the night with my sisters. Fun.

I felt very nostalgic, being back in that place from where my tender roots were yanked so recently. One year didn't seem long ago.

It was very gray and very rainy there. I remembered how tiresome that atmosphere got.

It was also beautiful, and familiar, and it felt good to be back there.

The drive back home--to where my home is now--felt long.

But I got back just in time. Today was Hannah's first true birthday party.

When Doug's out of town...

I spend less time making dinner, and more time baking cookies.

Last night, after our frozen pizza and chips and guacamole and root beer, I made double chocolate cookies.

Two words: Comfort Food.

Nothing much to say

Before I was married, I used to look at "older" couples and wonder (assuming they had been together for years) how they could possibly have anything left to discuss. Didn't they ever run out of things to say?

Now that I've been with Doug for fifteen years, I realize that there are always new things to talk about (or old things to talk about again), but we've also become more comfortable during the quiet moments.

Right now, my blog and I are having a quiet moment. I hope you're as comfortable with it as I am. :)

Deal of the Decade

When I was a little girl, we visited my grandparents every summer. Everything about those visits was special, and highly anticipated. They were full of traditions.

When we went to church with my grandparents, my Grandma James brought along a special Sunday bag. It was vinyl, and decorated with a 70s-style pattern of bold colored flowers. Inside the bag were little toys and games to keep kids quiet during the worship service. There was one item in that Sunday bag that I always anticipated: a small, cloth Little Red Riding Hood doll. If you turned Red's full skirt inside out, you would find that she transformed into Granny. And if you pulled Granny's nightcap over her face, the doll would transform into the Big Bad Wolf, dressed in Granny's nightgown.

Hook me up with the doll and a few Tic Tacs or Lifesavers from Grandma's purse, and I like to imagine that I was quiet in my seat for the entire meeting. At least, that's how I remember it.

When I had daughters of my own, I loved the idea and the process of introducing some of my favorite childhood items to them.

My Sunday bag is definitely influenced by the items I remember from my Grandma's, and my mother's. When Katelyn was barely old enough to appreciate it, I spent hours (and probably a significant amount of my budget at that time) making a felt "quiet book." And whenever I would come across an item such as those little doodle pads where you scratch words or a design on the tablet with a red plastic "pen" and then rip the sheet from the waxy surface to start over (what in the world was that called?), or cute finger puppets... I got excited about adding it to the bag.

I'm sure it was ten years ago now, but I can still picture myself vividly, in T.J. Maxx, the day that I saw the dolls. They were just like Grandma's Red Riding Hood doll, but these were even more beautiful and elegant, with characters like Cinderella. I was tempted, and I mentally debated with myself over the purchase for several minutes, but I thought the price ($13 or $14?) was too steep. This was during the dawning of eBay, and I figured I could find a better bargain there. So I passed up that purchase, and I went home, immediately suffering from Tightwad's Remorse.

I did check eBay, a good place to find collectible dolls, and I found out that these dolls have a name: Topsy Turvy's. I also found out that they cost more money (+ shipping) on eBay than the T.J. Maxx dolls, which were NIB (eBay lingo).

But by the time I returned to T.J. Maxx, the dolls were gone. And in ten years of sort of paying attention, I've never seen them anywhere else. (Can you believe I've held onto that regret for a decade? Can I not think of anything else to worry about?)

One time my kindred spirit Gerb found a Topsy Turvy Little Red Riding Hood for me. Just the same as my Grandma's, only about four times as big. She's an expert bargain hunter, and a great friend. But unfortunately, that Red is too large for my Sunday bag.

Today I went to my local thrift store, The D.I. (In case you don't know, the proper name of the place is Deseret Industries, but if you appreciate the local color of my town, you call it The D.I.) It's a place I like to go when I'm not really looking for anything in particular, but I just feel like looking for something. (I am a Tightwad, but I also love to shop!)

A great big smile came to my face when, among the piles of stuffed animals, I found this:

And this:

And this:

A childhood memory and a motherhood longing satisfied, for a grand total of a buck fifty.

The Caboose

It's not that we didn't have a few options already in our costume box for a toddler, but when I found this pumpkin outfit at the store this month, I couldn't help myself. It looked cozy, warm, and cute on the hanger, and obviously, it was adorable on this girl:

Mateys

Lauren was the cutest pirate I've ever costumed, that's for sure! Her ensemble--including the parrot--was collected from several thrift stores.

And today when we saw this pirate hat at the pet store for a dollar, we couldn't resist trying it on Jack.

He shall now be known as "Jack Sparrow"; or "Jack the Ripper" might be more appropriate, the way he chews things to shreds!

Here's a clue...

Katelyn dressed like Nancy Drew. Instead of trick-or-treating with her sisters, she had a party to go to with her friends. It didn't take her long to jump right into her teenager role, huh?

Nifty Fifties

Emily's costume is something old, something new, something borrowed and it's blue, but it's not the bride costume that I loved when I was Emily's age. It's the poodle skirt that my sister Jennifer once wore. This one was made by my mom.

How can anyone wear a skirt like this and not just want to dance?

The Fair Rapunzel

This dress has a lot of Trick-or-Treating history. I made it for Katelyn when she was just turning four. Kate wore it for two years, at least. Emily has used it, too. I'm not sure if Lauren ever did. But it fits Hannah perfectly this year. If it's going to be used by Olivia, I think it might need a little touch-up work. I still love this dress, though.

Hannah's favorite part of her Rapunzel costume is the long braid, which doubles as a lasso.

How do you take your candles?

The day she turned into a teenager, Katelyn's candle came in a "cake" of warm cinnamon rolls, early on a dark, snowy morning.

I had to get up a few hours earlier than I usually do today, but it was worth it. Thirteen years ago, I was awake all night, anticipating my baby's birth. So getting out of my bed a bit early this morning, after a nice comfy night of good sleep, was no big deal.

I hope I'm not going to jinx myself by saying so, but Katelyn has been such an easy daughter. I don't really like to think about how quickly her childhood is slipping away (18 - 13 = __), but for now, there's no sadness about my baby becoming a teen.

I love this girl!

Friday was Fun

You wouldn't think that a Friday which begins with the discovery of a mouse in your house would be labeled "fun", but in the end, it was!

We've heard rodents in our other houses (remember last year?), but I've never actually seen any of those critters inside any of my houses--not even a dropping--until now.

Friday morning, the girls were getting ready for school and I was in the kitchen. Doug had just left for work, when Katelyn yelled at me from the basement: "There's a MOUSE in Emily's room!"

That drew a crowd--A crowd of screaming girls (including me)! The little invader was cowering under the dresser. Every time it poked its little gray head out from under there, we screamed, and it drew itself back under the dresser.

Katelyn called Doug, who was a few blocks down the road, and told him to "COME BACK HOME RIGHT NOW!" Which he did.

Thank goodness Doug has experience with catching those little pests. (That's a story for another post.) The mouse must have sensed its impending doom when Doug entered the room, because it ignored our screams and went speeding out from under the dresser and into the closet. It took some digging (Emily and Lauren are not the tidiest roommates in this house, plus they have a large closet where we store some boxes and things) but after a matter of minutes, Doug came off conqueror, with the little mouse in a little shoebox.

Luckily it was garbage collection day. So Doug put the shoebox, with the live mouse, inside our big black trash can at the curb, and within a couple of hours that little creature was gone for good, off to the landfill. If he hasn't died by now, then I bet he thinks he died and went to mouse heaven!

After that, the fun began.

Doug decided to take the rest of the day off. We needed to restore the girls' bedroom to order, and Doug decided to take further preventative measures in our basement storage room as well.

I love spending work days with Doug. Saturdays and Sundays he's usually home, but the weekend is different somehow. A day when he should be at work, and when most of the world is doing the normal stuff, but Doug is not, is always a treat.

We went on a nice long walk together. We had lunch together. In the afternoon, he took a nap and I read a book. A day off for Doug becomes a day off for me, too.

Friday nights are usually a time when Doug just wants to be home and relax, after a busy and stressful work week. But Friday night is usually when I'm anxious to hit the town and do something social. Last Friday night, we compromised. We stayed at home and did something social. A game night with other adults was "just what the doctor ordered" for both of us!

You know you're a Mommy (and not a drinker) when...

...you're copying a recipe that calls for white wine, and you spell it W-H-I-N-E.

Do You BOO?

We do, too.

As I was baking the cookies, the phone rang. It was Emily. "Uh, Mom? Did you forget to pick me up from school?"

Oops! I guess I got a little lost in my task.

The girls decorated the pumpkins, and did the ding-dong-ditching.

I think BOO-ing is more fun than Trick-or-Treating.

No Pot of Gold

Just Lauren at the end of this rainbow. Even better!

Half-over October

When you look at the calendar and realize the date, does it shock you? Me too. It's almost November, people! Crazy.

And that's why I'm starting to put some thought into my Christmas cards. It's not too early to start getting creative with that. Especially because nothing creative is coming to me...yet. I'm waiting for some inspiration.

I'll tell you what I did find inspiring recently, though: The Duggar Family. I don't watch their show regularly, but what with all the sickness in this household last week, there was a bit more t.v. watching than usual. And that means that I had to watch live t.v. sometimes, because I ran out of recorded programs on my Tivo. So one night I was flipping through channels and I caught the beginning of the episode where the first "Grand-Duggar" was born. Birth always makes me emotional, but I'll tell you something: In every episode, that family is nice to each other. They are sweet people, and I like that. It makes me feel good. Watching Jon & Kate makes think I'm not doing too bad as a parent, myself; but watching the Duggars makes me want to do better, and to create a home more like theirs. Lots of love.

I know it's a big joke that people like to toot their own horns in their annual Christmas letters, but I believe the Duggars could write a very flattering letter about their year, and it would be no exaggeration.

P.S. The part where the camera caught the one son taking candy from the shower decorations and stuffing it in his pockets? Hilarious!

What comes around...

Earlier today I was thinking about how everyone I know seems to have a sick family member right now. I was grateful that the only sickies we've had lately were Katelyn (sore throat and cough which kept her home from school for a couple days last week), and Olivia (fever that lasted two days, but no other symptoms). And I started to write a post about all the sickness I'm hearing about and how it's making me paranoid, but I decided to bag that post, since I'm kind of sick of hearing and talking about being sick.

So tonight we took the kids out to a special dinner. They have "Fall Break" which technically starts Thursday, but all week they've had a light homework load, and the weather has been a little bit warmer the past couple of days again, and we were just in the mood to start some kind of celebration. (Lots of people go on mini vacations for this school break, but we're not. Doug has been traveling quite a bit lately, for work, so he feels like he can't leave work right now. Because he's been working so hard lately. Ironic, huh? But I'm sure glad I married a hard worker!)

Back to my point. Doug came home from work, we all got in the car, and we went to this restaurant nearby which is several stories tall and is decorated kind of like the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland, and they have divers who flip and spin and jump into a pool in the middle of the restaurant, to entertain you while you eat. I've got to admit that the atmosphere is great for kids, but the food isn't good for a person of any age. It was, frankly, gross. As we left the restaurant, Lauren was complaining that the food kind of gave her a tummy ache, and I could relate. A few miles later, Hannah asked us to turn on the air conditioning because she was hot (even though it was raining and below 60 degrees outside), and announced that her tummy hurt.

Can you guess what happened? Three older sisters screamed and tried to squeeze out of the way as Hannah puked all over the back seat. Multiple times. Projectile.

Can you guess what she had to drink at the restaurant? Red fruit punch, of course.

She was no longer hot, but instead she was complaining that she was freezing because we had all the windows rolled down, trying to make it home without the aroma inducing any more "outbursts."

As soon as we pulled into the garage, all the car doors flew open and people started jumping out, until Lauren made us all freeze with another high-pitched scream.

And this time, it was not regurgitated fruit punch. It was a humongous black widow spider.

So, who's being paranoid now?

Who's On First

Phone rings. Emily answers in the basement. She comes up the stairs to the family room, where Doug and I both are.

She calls, "Mom, Dad, phone."

Doug and I give each other a puzzled look, and he asks, "Which one?"

"The phone," Emily answers!

We laugh and Doug goes to answer the call.

I ask Emily, "Who's on the phone?"

And she says, "Dad."

I Love My Mom

Yesterday was my mother's 60th Birthday. The girls and I spent the day with her, which to most people might not sound like much of a party, but my mom is pretty easy to please.

That's only one of the hundreds of ways that I want to be like her.

She's not an easy person to emulate, but lucky for me and some of my girls, people at least think we inherited her looks.

It's easy to see that Katelyn favors her Grandma:

And now I'm starting to get a lot of comments about how closely Hannah resembles her grandmother. I don't know, what do you think?



Just teasing. Hannah actually looks more like Grandma without the wig!

But check out this little copy cat:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

Disappearance

Thursday night, I went to the bookstore to buy a book I need to read by this Thursday, for my book club. I also went to Walmart for some canning jars and a shower squeegee. And to Petsmart for some dog food. And to Ross for some other stuff.

I came home and put things away. I think I put my new book on my nightstand (on top of the other half-dozen or so books that I'm in the process of reading or wanting to read), but I didn't start reading it because I was in the middle of reading "The Hunger Games." By Sunday, I finished that book (can't wait to read the sequel now) and was ready to begin my new book.

But I can't find it anywhere!

The empty bookstore bag was found in my bedroom closet.

Everything else I bought that night is in its place, but the new book is not in any of those places.

I've searched every bookshelf in my house (and there are quite a few), more than once.

I've asked everyone who might have wanted to read it themselves (a.k.a. Katelyn).

I'm....what's the word.....Irritated! Frustrated! Perplexed.

Does this ever happen to you?

One more question: Do you own a copy of "The Wednesday Wars"; and if you do, would you trust me to borrow it?

(I would just check it out from my city library, except they don't own a copy. I'm fond of my city library, but it's just a baby--one year old this month--and its stock is not very impressive yet. And I don't know why on earth we don't have a county library system. We should, don't you think?)

On the first of October

It is chilly. Yesterday, when it was still September, it snowed. I don't want to talk about it.

Let's talk about just the good stuff.

Good thing #1: I haven't yet driven through the canyons to look closely at the fall colors, but from my front porch, the mountains look lovely in shades of red, orange, and yellow.

Good thing #2: We have two apple trees. One tree produced just a couple of red apples that fell to the ground. But the other tree was loaded with light green fruit. The branches were drooping with apples, so I picked some a few weeks ago and made dessert. They were hard and sour and I was disappointed to think that our only good apple tree was going to offer us sour apples. But recently I realized that I just hadn't given them enough time to ripen. When they're ripe, they're delicious! And now, they're all ripe. So I've been harvesting apples this week, and looking forward to making applesauce. It's easy, quick, yummy to eat, and, as a bonus, my house smells so great!
This morning as the little ones ate their breakfast, I ran some apples through my nifty peeler/corer/slicer, and threw them in the crock pot. Hannah claimed I was making "Slinky Sauce." That girl is still funny.

Speaking of the little ones (they count as "good stuff" to talk about), this is how Olivia usually wears her hair:

It makes her walk around with her chin up in the air, peeking out from under her growing bangs. Believe me, I try to keep her hair out of her eyes, but I guess barrettes bother her more than bangs in the face.

Good thing #3: Halloween is coming, and I love putting together costumes for my girls! I've been hunting and gathering costumes and accessories, and I'm excited for the big dress-up day! (Um, hello...candy is another good thing.)

Fifth Grade Field Trip

Cute kids.

Squishy school bus.

Happy to hike. (Hiking makes me hungry!)

Breathtaking views.

Heart-stopping drop-offs.




Lots to learn.

Making memories with Emily.

P.S. I live right there. I know. I'm lucky.

Visibility

In one of my favorite college courses, I was introduced to the idea of "invisible work": The work we do that is only noticed by others when it doesn't get finished. An example might be dusting. No one really thinks about the fact that you've stayed caught up with the dusting; but if you neglect the dusting, people notice that.

Much of what I do on a daily basis might be considered "invisible work".

Just a few weeks ago, at the end of a frustrating day, everyone in my house (including myself)was noticing what still needed to be done.
The next day, I set out with renewed determination to get on top of things, and I felt like I had gained a lot of ground. At dinner (which I had worked to prepare, by the way), Doug asked me how my day was. My short answer was, "Busy," and he came back with, "Oh really? What did you do?"
I'll admit, that was a little bit disheartening. I know he didn't mean it the way I interpreted it, but it stung just a little bit.

Last week, however, I realized that there is one duty of mine that is not invisible. It doesn't get undone the minute I finish doing it, like so much of my work around the house does. And it is satisfying both to me and to my family.

It is shopping.

After a morning run to Target, my kitchen island gained the company of three barstools. As soon as the family entered the house, one by one, this is what I heard: "Sweet!" "Awesome! Thanks Mom!" "Hey, you got some stools. That looks good." Truly, each of them commented within 60 seconds of entering the house.

I find personal satisfaction in a clean bathroom or a mopped floor, but it also pains me to see my work undone, carelessly and with great haste, in those areas. I've got to tell you, I enjoy a little praise once in a while. And if it takes a bit of shopping to pry a few compliments out of my family...I guess that's just what I'll have to do!

Winning in the Wind

Lauren is playing her first season of soccer, and it has been discovered that she is a really great goalie! She's fearless and quick.

Friday evening, the wind tried diligently, but couldn't knock her off her game.

I love watching my kids' sports.

In fact, their games are much more thrilling than was the BYU football game I watched from the stands last Saturday. (What a bummer!)