Stuffed

We've crammed almost as many enjoyable activities into our busy schedule as we have food into our mouths this December!  And I don't regret any of it--even though I am resolved to eliminate the sugar next month, and I am anticipating much less run-around in January.

Let me just mention a few highlights:

Food: Did you know that Dove chocolates come with a layer of peppermint bark at Christmas time?  I did not know this, until a neighbor gave us some.  Unfortunately, I was not able to find that flavor at the stores after Christmas.  Apparently I was the last to know about those little treasures.  Those same neighbors also gave us some of those homemade pretzel-Rolo-pecan gems--and therefore, with that winning combo, they earned my pick for "Best Neighbor Gifts" this year.

Other food traditions that we couldn't skip this season included Cheerio Trees, cinnamon rolls, Tortellini Soup, and orange & raspberry sticks. 

(I have not weighed myself recently.  Bah Humbug!)

Gingerbread: This does not belong in the food category, because it's not for eating.  We tried to make gingerbread houses from scratch this year--but after hours of prep work, we could never get the dang structure to stand.  So we bagged that activity before we even broke out the candy decorations.  Thank goodness Grandma D. had the girls come to her house and put together a mini gingerbread village--from a kit!  Remember those key words: mini and kit.  That is the only way to go. I am convinced.

Music: We took Emily and Lauren to the BYU Christmas Concert (Men's Chorus, Women's Chorus, Symphony, etc.); We took Katelyn, Emily, Lauren and Grandma L. to the Concert at Temple Square with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and David Archuleta (I got the golden tickets!  Fair & Square); I sang with the stake choir, and we sang with the Presbyterian church for their Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (the whole family attended); Emily played beautiful piano music at her recital, and it was exciting to hear Katelyn play her guitar and sing Christmas songs; and our Christmas CD collection must number well over 100 by now.

Sights: We have been known to leave our Christmas tree and outside house lights on around the clock.  We love the lights!  We also enjoyed a visit to Temple Square to see the lights (as they flashed on!); and on a separate occasion we sipped hot chocolate and nibbled on McDonalds' apple pies (2 for $1 tastes Christmasy to me!) while we parked in front of a local "Clark Griswold" house and treated our senses to the choreographed lights and music show.  We also enjoyed watching several movies: oldies like "One Magic Christmas" and "Elf", as well as new ones like the new "Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader" movie.

Parties:  We love getting the whole family together (at least those who live near enough, or visit at the right time) for food and games.  And gifts!  The seven of us participated in a combined total of 5 white elephant gift exchanges this year, and I'm happy to report that we gave away more junk than we came away with!

R&R:  The girls had a full week off school before Christmas Day, and we spent most of it being lazy.  We all enjoy laziness now and then.  Too bad it was laced with some sickness this year--but thankfully it didn't prevent us from enjoying anything too important.  Doug's last day of work in 2010 was December 22nd, and we love that he gets some time off for the holidays.  Time off from work means more dates--yipee!  Yesterday, for example, Doug and I went to a one-hour massage therapy session (Doug is skeptical of any true medicinal value, but I don't really care--it does my body good!) and then we had lunch and watched True Grit. (Guess whose choice that movie was.  I would even have picked Tron over that one--but in the end, it wasn't so bad.  Thank goodness for the humor in it.  No western movie should take itself too seriously, I say.)   While Doug and the girls have watched movies at home, I've put together a couple of puzzles.  That can never happen any other time but the holidays!


Most years, I am burnt out by the time December 25th rolls around, and we usually pack away Christmas as soon as the day is over (my idea).  This year, we gave ourselves three extra days!  And now that my house is put back to normal, I'm relieved, but still relishing in the last little bit of holiday cheer.

Once Christmas is over and the New Year has just begun, I always feel a bit of a slump.  But I keep reminding myself of this happy thought: If time keeps up this pace, before we know it, it will be Spring!      

Then one foggy Christmas Eve...

I hope Rudolph's in fine form tonight!

Merry Christmas!

Matching

One of the conveniences of having all girls (or all boys) is that everything they outgrow can be handed down.  Of course, by the time the fifth daughter comes along, there are very few items that come from the first daughter, and have lasted through all the others. 

Christmas dresses are one exception.  It's something they wear only for a brief holiday season, and then, only to dress-up events (like church) where they're unlikely to get much wear and tear.

When our family started off with two girls, two years apart, it was fun to dress them alike.

 But as they grew older, and as more girls came along, it was difficult to keep that up.

So it was fun for me to pull out these matching dresses, once worn by the oldest two --

and put them on the youngest two this year. 

What I learned about Whos

Music is quite possibly the most important part of Christmas.  And the Whos knew it.

The Grinch can steal every part of Christmas except the Whos' voices.  It's not just that they had "hands to clasp."  It's that they still had music.  And their music is what touched the Grinch's heart and made it grow.

All my life, I must admit, I've been a bit skeptical about the Whos' undaunted spirits when they woke up to that Christmas crisis.  Maybe it's that fluffy "Dahoo Dores, Fahoo Fores" song in the film that made me overlook this important musical message in the Dr. Seuss classic.  I think they got that song all wrong.  Next time I read that story to my girls, I'm going to sing something a bit more "Christmasy". 

But last night, after I had finished singing with our inter-faith choir in the annual Christmas Celebration--songs like Breath of Heaven and Ding Dong Merrily on High and Carol of the Magi-- while my heart was swelling with the joy of that celebration, and with deep gratitude for the musical gifts I've been blessed with.... it hit me.

The Whos must have felt exactly how I was feeling at that moment, because of the music.

Silly, I know, but that's honestly what I thought just before the benediction of last night's program.

I love planning and shopping and partying and baking and eating and wrapping and everything else that goes along with Christmas time.  But I really love the music!

Oh-Livia

It was a morning full of fickle costume changes before she settled on this ensemble for her stroll in the melting snow (while nibbling on a chocolate cookie).  What is there to say?  The girl's got good taste.

Dear Fellow Parents of Girls, as well as our "Homelier Counterparts":

Check out this article.  If you have daughters, it will make your day!  And if you have sons...well, you might not want to go there.  Especially if you're ultra-sensitive.  But my hot sister-in-law, who herself is the mother of three handsome and talented boys, is obviously not ultra-sensitive, because she's the one who shared this link with me.  Maybe she was making fun of this preposterous idea?  After all, she knows that the only reason I ended up with all these daughters is because I prayed so hard for a daughter the first time around.  I think she's right about that.  But also, "I believe in science."  *wink*

Hannah's Birthday

Hannah was born on a Sunday, and I thought that was a nice day for a baby to be born.  When she turned six years old on a Sunday, I thought it was ideal as well: We had time for a nice family breakfast and birthday gifts in the morning.  All the primary kids sang to her and she got to wear a crown, on her birthday.  And since her only dinner request was simply "meat," I thought her Sunday birthday was the perfect occasion for a nice roast, with potatoes and gravy and hot rolls and all those Sunday fixings.

But when Hannah turned six on a Sunday, she didn't think it was the best day for celebrating her birth.  She loved her presents, and I think she got everything she asked for: a ZhuZhu Pet, Pixos, a Dolly&Me Dress set, and Bendaroos. 

But she said that morning, "I don't feel like I'm six. I still feel like I'm five."  And later that day, "I just don't feel like it's my birthday if I don't get to be with my friends."  (This was not a party year.)

So on Monday, after morning kindergarten, Hannah's three little friends and their mothers met us for lunch at Zupas.

And finally, Hannah was satisfied to be six.

Let's Talk Turkey

I made twenty-five turkeys in the last week.  It took me just as many hours to bake the one (which actually cooked fast and was done too early!)

as it did to make the rest of these.

Twenty-two turkeys sat at my Thanksgiving tables.

Six of them were Young Toms, and eight of them were Young Hens. 

The rest of us were old and tough!

But the one turkey turned out to be just right!

My Thankful Heart

I love the Thanksgiving holiday.  I have so many fond memories of this day.

I remember that Thanksgiving when my brother got his lips stuck in the empty sparling cider bottle, and I'm thankful for laughter.

I remember the Thanksgiving weekend when I had my first date with Doug, during a blizzard, and ended up having to stay the entire night at his parents' house.  I'm so grateful for my loving husband.

I remember the Thanksgiving I spent uncomfortable with the signs of early labor, and I think about how tremendously grateful I am to be a mother.

I remember the first Thanksgiving feast I prepared on my own, inviting two of Doug's college-age brothers to our house for the holiday.  I slaved away in the kitchen for two full days, giving my china dishes their first chance ever to be used.  And then Doug and his brothers came home from playing football, and sat down to my fancy spread in their sweaty, muddy attire.   And still, I think I'm grateful for my great big extended family.  (Plus, it makes me grateful to have a few daughters who can appreciate life's dressy moments.)

I will never forget the Thanksgiving we spent with my generous uncle and aunt, and how just as we were leaving their home that night, two-year-old Katelyn knocked over a display table, breaking some precious collectibles.   I'm so grateful for the divine gift of forgiveness, and for those who offer it!

I remember having most of my family come to spend Thanksgiving with us in Washington.  We staged our own Turkey Trot, and the little ones made pipe cleaner hats and accessories for us to wear.  I had no idea then that we would be leaving Washington the next year.  I'm grateful for the period of our life we spent in that place, and I'm also grateful to live closer to family again.

I remember several years of browsing ads and waking up in the middle of the night to hunt down a door buster deal, sometimes with family and good friends.  I love shopping, and I love a bargain, but deeper down, I'm so thankful for the huge blessing I have known all my life of financial stability.   I'm so grateful for Doug's job, as demanding as it may be sometimes, and I'm humbled to have been supported by hard working men all my life.

In this dark and cold season, when I'm prone to whine and wish away the present, I'm so glad there's this holiday season that encourages me to remember and count my blessings, and to just plain be happy!

T.B.

The girls have no school and Doug has no work for the rest of the week.  Our Thanksgiving Break began last night, and so far it has been wonderful!

Doug and I kicked things off with a little dinner date.  The weathermen were forecasting a huge blizzard to arrive at any time, so we stuck close to home and just grabbed a quick bite of dinner, and talked.  Wow, why has it been so long since we've done that?!

Then we came home just ahead of the blizzard (Turns out it blew a lot, but didn't drop a lot of snow.  Now it's just freezing cold!), and Doug watched  movies with the girls while I browsed sale ads online and wondered if I want to do any shopping this Friday.  I'm still undecided.

This morning, Doug and I went to the temple and snuck in another meal for two, before heading home to pick up the girls and rush off to the first showtime of "Tangled."  My review: I loved it!  It made me laugh out loud, and it almost made me cry.  Almost.  (Hey, put yourself in my shoes: I have five daughters, and I was watching a show about a baby girl who is kidnapped and hidden from her parents for her entire childhood.  It gets to me.)  Anyway, I think it was well worth the matinee theater price, and I will definitely buy the DVD when it's released.  Meanwhile, I'm going to download the soundtrack.  I loved it!

After soup and sandwiches for lunch, everyone is relaxing (napping, playing, watching dumb t.v. shows).  I'm spending a little time relaxing, too, before I start my marathon in the kitchen.  We'll be hosting a feast for 22 Larsons tomorrow.  It's going to be exciting, for sure!

November

September was splendidly sunny.

October was autumn's epitome.

SCREEECH!

November is nippy.

Not nice.

One of these things is not like the others...

Sing it with me, Sesame Street Fans!

(I took some liberty with the lyrics.)

"One of these things is not like the others!

One of these things does not belong!

Can you guess which one is not like the others?

Have I done something wrong?...

Her confidence is strong!"

Leave it to Lulu to stand out in a crowd of esrogen-inspired costumes!

The Big Day

We've been anticipating this day for a while, and  now I can't believe it's already here!

We've decorated

and baked

and bought

and even though it's sort of frightening, it's mostly very fun

to have a fourteen year old in the house!

Trick or Treat?

Trick.

Snow puts a damper on our Halloween fun!

Or, in the words of Emily, "This is like the Nightmare Before Christmas!"

Mother Nature, I give you three days to make like the Wicked Witch of the West, and MELT!

The Finish Line

I finished the 5K. 

I must admit that I enjoyed it just a little bit.  But it takes some motivation to get me moving.  

And I haven't jogged at all in the nine days since then.

I miss my friend more than I miss the running.  It was so much fun to spend the weekend with her!  (Thanks a million to my awesome husband, who carried my load on the homefront that weekend.)

After the Run

We went to Park City and rode the Zip Line (which was alright) and then the Coaster (which was crazy fun!)

Don't Be Fooled...

...by the sparkly shoes and twirly skirts.  Olivia may dress like a dainty little girl, but she's actually a "rough&tumble" kinda kid.

Today, her tumble was a bit too rough, and resulted in this:

A visit to her pediatrician's office and two staples to close the wound.

Poor baby!

Q&A
Q: What happened?!
A: Nobody saw, but from what Hannah and I can guess, Olivia was climbing on the table, fell off, and hit her head on the chair.

Q: Was she really wearing sparkly shoes and a twirly skirt?
A: Yes.  And a brand new, never before worn, pink shirt.  Good news: the blood washed out nicely!  So she can wear it again.  Bad news: It's going to be tough to wash the blood out of her hair when we're not supposed to get that area wet for two days.

Q: Does that picture make you sick?
A: Me? No.  Hannah? Yes.  She had a hard time with the blood.  (Takes after her Daddy!)  You?  Probably.  Sorry!

About Me & Hannah

While running around the room, Hannah suddenly stopped and cried out, "Ah, I think I pulled a gut!"  That's a good way to describe how I felt when I started running a couple of weeks ago.

Earlier this week, I said to Doug, "I can't believe I'm doing this.  I mean, I'm not going to keep running after this 5K!"

But yesterday, as Doug and I finished our 2.7 mile jog, I suggested to him (since I could still talk!) that maybe we should host another family Turkey Trot this year, like the Sar-Run-Dippity-Doo-Dah, and I'll just have to keep running for another month or so.  Sometimes I surprise even  myself.

Hannah, on the other hand, likes to run.  She considers it one of her "talents."  Yesterday morning, before Hannah's soccer game, Doug told her that she has "fast twitch muscles", that make her speedy quick.  She listened, thought about it, and then nodded her head, and said, "Oh, so that's why when we're running around the house, I'm always in front.  My sisters must have 'slow twitch muscles'."  Then, on Hannah's way out the door to her soccer game, I smacked her on the bum (I know enough about sports) and said, "Fast Twitch!"

And that little pep talk must have worked, because Hannah made two goals in her game!  The first one was actually into the wrong net--oops!--but after the second goal, Hannah's face was priceless!

Couldn't Be

I am in a state of denial.  How can it be October?  I refused to believe that summer was really ending (already over?) until this past week, when I realized September had already passed me by.  I haven't even visited the canyons to admire the fall leaves, because I couldn't believe it was time for that yet.  In reality, it seems they are already past their prime. 

Yesterday, on the last day of September, I at least felt happy that it hadn't snowed...yet.

Then, after I feel asleep in my bed last night, with my windows open, I had a dream.  I dreamed that it was snowing outside.  And of course, in my mind, it was still (barely) September.  How irritating!

Good news, though: I woke up, and even though I cannot deny that it is in fact October now, the snow was only in my (bad) dream.  Today, we're going to the park and soaking in the lingering sun.

Seventeen Days To a 5K

Woke up at 6:00 a.m.  Something's wrong, Part I: The sky is still dark.  I should be sleeping.

Put on my "athletic shoes," which have actually served as my "mowing the lawn shoes" for the past few years.  Something's wrong, Part II: I need some real running shoes.  Without the bonus feature of ancient grass clippings tickling my toes.

Went to the Rec Center track with Doug.  Something's wrong, Part III: Fourteen laps for each mile?!  Fourteen?!  How am I supposed to remember which lap I'm on, plus remember to breathe and try not to trip on my own shoelaces?  Need a bigger track.

Lap 7.  Half a mile down.  Something's wrong, Part IV: Time to hit the Ladies' Room for a potty break.  (Faulty bladder=Lifetime reminder of childbirth x5.)

One mile later (3/4 jogging, 1/4 walking), it's time to head home.  Feeling good.  Showered and dressed, making breakfast: Fried eggs and toast for the girls, and leftover Chocolate Lava Cake for myself.

Nothing wrong with that!

Find out about my upcoming 5K by clicking here.

Giddy About Girls



Girls are so darn cute!



When we first moved into this house, Doug and I were immediately asked to be the Webelos leaders.  Shocking, right?!  I thought so.  After all, one of the perks of having zero sons is that I don't shouldn't have to be involved with Cub Scouts! 

Well, it didn't take long for that mistake to be corrected.  After just a few months, I was released (and relieved), and put in my proper place: with the girls!  I have loved being an Activity Days leader.

Tonight was the climax of my work so far: a Daddy-Daughter dance.  I have been so excited for this, and looking forward to it for months.  I am so happy with the way our "Fall Ball" turned out.  It's always a hectic day when you have to pull off this sort of event, but I really enjoyed it all.  We decorated with fall decor from our own homes (I may have purchased one or two things to add to my meager collection); we served easy finger foods (I did the Sister's Cafe Saucy Meatballs - yum!); we got to know our girls and their dads (plus a few grandpas & big brothers) better; and we danced!

Emily helped me make these easy flower clips

that we turned into corsages for the dance. 

This is my kind of crafting!  Inexpensive, quick, and easily made with no complicated tools to invest in. 

But my favorite part of it all was watching Doug and Lauren's date.   

Pretty easy on the eyes, right?  And they both have great personalities to boot!

I had twisted and pinned Lauren's hair into a fancy dance 'do.  But by the end of the night, all that dancing had left her with just a simple pony tail!   After the girls had gone home, and the leaders were cleaning up, one of them commented on all the hair pins she was sweeping up.  I had to tell her those were probably all Lauren's!

Roots & Wings

Recently I was asked to come up with a high school picture of myself for a little party.  Looking at those pictures made me think.

Does anyone ever feel like they've grown old?  It seems like most people agree that we still feel young inside, no matter how old we get.

I may not look like this on the outside

but I still feel and act like it.

(Especially around my brother & sisters.)

Funny thing is, I wanted to be so grown up then.  And now...  I think growing up is overrated.  It's nice that at least a part of you can always be a kid.

Lists

Today's chores:

Laundry
Floors
Clean my room

Found in the dryer lately:

A CapriSun straw
A long metal screw
A driving range token
Another golf doohickey that I can't name.  I think it has something to do with shoes?
Four pennies
A necklace

Muffins I'm Craving:

Zucchini Chocolate Chip
Poppyseed
Apple
Oatmeal
6 Week Bran

Home Improvement Projects on the Horizon:

Paint the basement--some warm and bright non-cave-like color
Sand & paint trim around front an back doors
New blinds
Find an office chair that doesn't look like an office chair
Move pantry and create "mudroom"

Reasons I don't enjoy summer:

Flies
Wasps
(That's all.  There is no more.)

You are Definitely Two!

Good Morning!

Good Night!

You like to help set the table, but haven't grown out of throwing food on the floor.

You are the boss of what you wear.  You love to dress up.  And you also like to be naked.

You do not like baths, but you like to have your hair curled and nails painted with "sparkles."

You're not quite ready to use the toilet, but you don't like a mess in your pants, either.  When you've got the urge to go, you prefer to remove your diaper and drop your package on the floor.  (This is not cute!)

You've graduated from a crib to a toddler bed, and now I have to (get to) spend a long time laying by your bed, making sure you go to sleep and don't come creeping out of your room to check out the "night life" around here.

Almost every morning, I wake up to find you have made yourself a little nest on the floor beside my bed.  But I love our morning snuggles!
 
You fight against naps, but you wear your mommy out!

Being Last Can Be Lonely

Olivia and I are adjusting to Hannah's half days of school.  Two days out of the three so far, Olivia has fallen asleep while Hannah is at morning kindergarten!  Life has suddenly become that boring!

This was the scene today:

I was running around the house trying to clean, and Olivia got comfy on this chair with a stack of books.  Every time I passed by, Olivia would ask me to read her a story, and two or three times I put her off.  "Okay, just a minute and then I'll read to you..." and then I'd clean a window or make a bed or start a load of laundry.

And then, I passed by and noticed that Olivia was passed out.  Asleep with her books.  Wearing her bumble bee costume.  (We found it at the store yesterday and I bought it for Halloween, hung it in her closet.  This morning when it was time to get dressed, she refused to wear anything else, and I gave in.  She has worn it all day--taking it off to eat each meal.  As she was eating lunch, I tried to sneak it back into her closet while she was distracted. But as soon as she finished her lunch, she was climbing up drawers to get it back down.  Just watch--by the time Halloween arrives, she'll probably refuse to wear it!)

Anyway, to me, this picture is both very cute and a little bit sad.  I wish I could sit and read to her all day.  I do try to spend a good amount of time doing just that, and other playful/stimulating/bonding/nurturing things.  But I learned this principle as a college student, before it even applied to my own situation in life: Mothering and Housekeeping are mutually exclusive tasks.  When you're doing well at one, you're probably neglecting the other.  The trick is to find a decent balance.  You'll find plenty of pictures and videos I've taken where my kids are adorable and, in the background, my house is a disaster.  That's embarassing. And then you'll find plenty of pictures like this, where I have to check my balance the other way. A good reminder.  A little bit embarassing, but a whole lot cute!

One Two

One day, I ate breakfast at home, then went to the hospital where labor was induced, and I delivered a super cute, chubby-cheeked baby girl before lunch time.

That was a good day.  It was twelve years ago.

It's only fitting that I should remember not skipping any meals that day, because Emily loves food just like I do.  From the time she could talk, she has wanted to grow up and be a cook.  Today's birthday meals included a cheesy ham and egg breakfast casserole, with danish pastries on the side; school lunch (not really her request, but I kind of ran out of time to pack a brown bag.  What can I say, I'm not that super!); and her request of stuffed peppers and buttered asparagus for dinner.  Chocolate cake, of course.

She's waited until this age to pierce her ears, but she'll have to wait a bit longer, until she has a break between soccer seasons.  {That game!  It's so demanding!  She's at a 1.5 hour practice on the evening of her birthday.  So far, she still loves it.}

Happy Birthday, Dear Emmy!

If you're the type who counts candles, don't worry: We made her light them and blow them out exactly twice!

The Cutest Kindergartener I Know

Months ago, when Hannah had her pre-K check-up with our pediatrician, he told her that she was good to go to school--in only about 150 days.  At the time, that was a conservative estimate.  But Hannah has been counting down to kindergarten for at least that long.  She has been very, very excited!

Until yesterday.

For Hannah's last day before school, I took her and Olivia to a nearby "farm" to see the animals.  During our tractor ride, she and I both got quiet.  We both were thinking about Hannah starting school.  I was feeling nostalgic, but Hannah was starting to feel nervous.  She had to fight back tears a few times that day.  She had a hard time going to sleep last night.  She told me she was just going to miss me.

This morning, Hannah woke up and stretched, and announced, "First day of kindergarten," followed by, "Hey, guess what: Last night I was nervous, but now I'm just excited again."

She got ready for school.  We curled her hair. 

I pulled Olivia and Hannah to the school in the bike trailer. 

When Hannah found her classroom door and lined up, so did Liv.

Then the bell rang and it was time for the kindergarteners to head into the school.  And Hannah got quiet and thoughtful again.

I saw her bite her bottom lip.  I wanted to cry for her!  I tried to be brave.  I gave her a big smile and a little kiss.

And then she was off.

When kindergarten ended for the day, I picked up a smiling girl.  The first thing she told me was, "Guess what, Mom.  I made a friend."

I know how good it feels to have a buddy.  And I'm so glad she still gets to be mine, for at least half the day.


Day 2 of Kindergarten: Hannah wakes up and says, "I can't wait for first grade!  It's going to be awesome!"

Day 1

Last year, I had four girls in four different schools, on four different daily schedules.

This year will be much simpler.  Still three different start and end times, but only two different schools.  I consider this a huge improvement.

These three head out the door at the same time in the morning.

The first day of school is not bad.  I was ready, and so were the girls.  It's the second day that I'm already starting to dread.  Even worse, the second month of school.  Once the newness wears off, and the mornings are frosty, and the sun barely rises before the girls have to be out the door...that's when this back to school stuff gets hard.

On the bright side: I cleaned up my kitchen after breakfast this morning, and it actually stayed that way for most of the day! 

And then I was happy to spend time in there making our traditional First Day After-School Snack: chocolate chip cookies.

Must See

If you are in the Salt Lake area in mid-August, you must visit the Albion Basin.  The wildflowers will take your breath away. 

Even the weeds are beautiful here.

Bring a picnic.  Take a hike.  And smile when your teenage daughter says, "Men can build tall buildings and fancy things, but it's nothing compared to what grows naturally."